depart in peace.” And the monk said unto him, “Master, verily I say unto thee, thou shalt not receive from me another jot, and I will not take anything else from thee.” And all those who heard [this story] praised God Who neglected not those who call upon Him in truth.
600. AN ADMONITION OF THE HOLY FATHERS. Be thou an enemy unto all folly and sin. Dejection driveth away the fear of God, captivity [to sin] driveth away the virtues from the soul. There are three excellences which illumine the mind always; a man must not see the vices of his neighbours, and he must do good unto those who do evil to him, and he must bear with gladness all the trials which come upon him. And these produce three (sic) other excellences, namely, a man must not look upon the vices of his brother, and this excellence produceth love; and he must bear the trials that come upon him, and this excellence produceth self-denial. There are three excellences of which the mind hath need, and a man should observe them always: He should lean away from follies, and he should not be lax in his service, and he should make strong his heart. There are three excellences, the which if a man see them with him he knoweth within himself that he is delivered from devils, namely, knowledge whereby he will be able to understand and to discern between thoughts, and the sight of everything before it cometh to pass, and the power of not becoming entangled with evil thoughts of any kind. There are three things which gain dominion over the soul until it arriveth at great weakness, captivity [to sin], and dejection, and sickness, and these contend against every man’s soul, and from them are produced evil thoughts, and when a man buildeth up they overthrow [what he hath built]. There are three excellences which benefit and strengthen the soul: mercy, the absence of lust and long-suffering, and besides these three excellences the mind hath need to pray without ceasing continually, and a man must fall down and cry out before God, and hate all evil passions.
601. And he also said:—The fear of God driveth away all evil things, but dejection (or lowness) driveth away the fear of God from a man; the wandering of the thoughts driveth away good works from the soul. There are four things which are good:—Silence, the keeping of the commandments, humility, and tribulations. There are four good things which protect the soul:—Love towards every man, absence of lust, long-suffering, and a man severing from himself wickedness. And the soul hath need of the four following virtues at all seasons:—A man must pray without ceasing, and he should pour himself out before God continually, and he should declare his own de-
