The Counsels of the Elder Nazarius of Valaam

THE ORTHODOX SPIRITUAL LIFE

The Counsels of the Elder Nazarius

Although not a literary figure, the Blessed Abbot Nazarius occupies a very prominent place in 18th century Orthodox monasticism; and indeed, the breadth and depth of his influence make him one of the great Church Fathers of pre-Revolutionary Russia. His writings, drawn chiefly from his letters of instruction to monks and nuns, his spiritual flock, were first compiled in ASCETICS OF SAROV MONASTERY, published in 1884. The next year they were re-edited and enlarged by the monks of Valaam and went through many subsequent editions. The present translation of these COUNSELS, in their entirety, has been made from the first Valaam edition of 1885. They are presented now – in this and future issues of THE ORTHODOX WORD – as an example of the genuine Orthodox spirituality that nurtured St. Herman of Alaska. May they fall on fertile soil and, by the prayers of our Holy Fathers, bring forth abundant fruits in the English-speaking Orthodox world!

INTRODUCTION

BELOVED brethren in Christ!

Arise, you that have fallen, open the eyes of your soul, take your fill of the bread which is the word of God, and drink the wine of the chalice of God's wisdom.

If sorrow should come to you-then with good will and love examine what is written here, and believe that with the aid of God's grace you will be comforted.

Confirm yourself in this truth: that every Divine writing that is in agreement with the path of salvation instructs, teaches, chastizes, and strengthens, that our path might be ever according to God.

I
ON THE LOVE OF GOD

WE ALL HAVE the desire to follow a higher calling, to that place where from of old an eternal dwelling has been prepared for us, filled with unspeakable joy: For our life is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour (Phil. 3:20). And thus he who wishes to receive that eternity must unfailingly know in what consists God's love for us, and our love for God. And just as He loved us, so must we also love Him. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son for us, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life (St. John 3: 16). And in another place the same Apostle writes: In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son as the cleansing of our sins (I John 4:9, 10).

But in what manner He has cleansed our sins we shall examine in greater detail. Isa;ah declares that He took upon Himself the form of a slave; and He had no form nor comeliness, but His form was ignoble, and inferior to that of the children of men (Is. 53: 2, 3). He endured cruel tortures, in order through them to blot out our crimes, He accepted a shameful death, in order through this to give us life and salvation. And so, when He did not spare Himself only for us, should not we, Christians, love Him? Should we not walk in His steps?

Let us listen to the Apostle who said: For even hereunto were ye called; because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow His steps (1 Peter 2:21). And how did He suffer? Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness; by Whose bruises ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray without a shepherd; but are now returned unto the shepherd and bishop of your souls (I Peter 2:24, 25). And thus we should have toward Him such love and obedience as He demands of us. Did not He Himself with His own most pure lips say: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind (St. Luke 10:27)? And in another place Moses said: And these words, all that I command thee this day, shall be in thy heart and in thy soul. And thou shalt speak of them sitting in the house, and walking by the way, and lying down, and rising up (Deut. 6:6, 7).

From this we see that one must unceasingly keep in remembrance God's love toward us, and seek a perfect love toward Him. But this is acquired by the fulfillment of God's commandments. If thou wilt love Christ: Go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and come and follow Me, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven (St. Matt. 19:21). In doing this you show Him perfect love. He that hath My commandments, He says, and keepeth them, be it is that loveth Me; and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him and will manifest Myself to him (St. John 14: 21).

One must know that without good deeds you do not show love toward Him; for not the bearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified (Rom. 2: 13).

And thus, see how good and merciful is the Lord. He gave Christians the law for no other reason than for the destruction of our malice, for a cleansing from sins, and for the conquering of the passions that war against God's law.

Therefore, we must not only keep God's commandments, but must also offer gifts in accordance with the commandments: just as the holy Fathers offered, each according to his strength, one five talents, another ten, another thirty. In the same way we also must prosper in doing good and in love of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The holy Apostle Paul terrifies with a curse him who does not wish to love Christ: If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema (I Cor. 16:22).

And St. Basil the Great, in his first homily on love toward God, teaches in these words: "We have received the commandment, O brethren, to love God, to desire and thirst after Him alone; we must have Him ever unfailingly in remembrance; and just as infants think of their mothers, so should you think of yourselves that we are created in His image and likeness, that He made us immortal in soul, and that in word and mind we are honored above all creatures and endowed with unutterable goods. For us He came down from the heavens and reconciled us with God and the Heavenly Father, saved, justified and made us sons and inheritors of His Kingdom."

O God, our Saviour! Set love on fire within us, that we might love Thee as it pleases Thee!

Are we worthy of His love, being dust and ashes? Nonetheless, He loved us.

What discontent we feel, not having love toward Him! How we suffer without Him, tossed on the waves of calamity! But even though we sometimes reject Him, He does not turn away from us. We flee Him, but He seeks us and calls us to Himself, saying: Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden (St. Matt. 11:28).

Our God! We reject Thy love, but Thou dost not cease to love us. We not infrequently accept the suggestions of satan more than Thy law. We, not sparing ourselves and our own salvation, are diligent in works of malice. And notwithstanding this, a man often says: I love God. What a contradiction! He thinks that he loves God, but does not fulfill His commandments. What kind of love is this? It is nothing but hypocrisy!

When you say: I love Christ God, then look at what He commands you: Ye should do as I have done to you (St. John 13:15).

If you love Christ God, then endure as He endured, and do all that is pleasing to Him. He taught and did. Unfailingly your love also should be such as does good, endures, is disturbed by nothing present, and in everything ever thanks Him not with words and tongue, but with very deeds. You must love Him with heart, with mind, with your whole soul, strength, and mind.

And if you love Him in this way, then listen to Isaiah who says: Will a woman forget her child, so as not to have compassion upon the offspring of her womb? But if a woman should even forget these, yet I will not forget thee, saith the Lord Almighty (Is. 49: 15).

II
ON CHRISTIAN ASCETICISM (PODVIG)

AND SO, EVERYONE should love God with faith and hope and strive to fulfill His works, traditions, and commands. But what are His works, traditions, and commands? Behold, beloved, they are these: This age is not rest and repose, but a battle, warfare, a marketplace, trading, a school, a sea voyage. For these reasons you must labor in asceticism, not become despondent, not be idle, but exercise yourself in the works of God.

Know, that for every battle there is a victory; gather your strength, fight, gain the victory; for often the opposing forces go about and like lions roar and seek whom they may devour. Take care, lest you be vanquished.

Look carefully: here they sell crowns; acquire them, lest you return empty without a purchase. Strive not to deprive yourself of God's grace. Otherwise you will be a stranger to reward, and, more than that, you will be evilly judged and will perish.

Examine what the Prophet Jeremiah writes: Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death (Jer. 21:8). Like unto this also speaks Sirach: Before a man are life and death (Sirach 15:17). And Isaiah speaks to one who wishes to fulfill the law: If ye be willing and obedient to Me, ye shall eat the good of the land; but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it (Is. 1: 19, 20).

John writes: He that is of God heareth God's words (St. John 8: 47), and he who is not of God does not hear them. And the Lord, consoling those who are afflicted, says: Ye shall weep and lament;... ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy for you (16:20).

And again the Lord says: Verily, I say unto you, if a man keep My saying, he shall never see death (St. John 8:51). And again He says: He that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life (8:12). And in another place: If any man serve Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall also My servant be (12:26). And If ye know these things, blessed are ye if ye do them (13:17).

But what must we know that we may be blessed? Christ teaches us this, and His teaching is nothing else than His life, concerning which He instructs us in Matthew, saying: Enter ye in at the strait gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat; because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it (St. Matt. 7:13, 14). And again it is written: Take My yoke upon you.... for My yoke is easy, and My burden is light (11:29, 30). And again He instructs: Every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inberit everlasting life (19:29). And in another place He says: If any man come to Me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after Me, cannot be My disciple (St. Luke 14: 26, 27).

And in the catholic epistle of John we are advised: Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world (is) the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life... And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof (I John 2:15-17). And again the same Apostle says: The whole world lieth in evil (5:19).

James writes: Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God (St. James 4: 4).

Paul teaches: See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is (Eph. 5: 15-17).

And like unto this speaks Sirach: Understand, that thou goest in the midst of nets, lest thou be caught (Sirach 9:18). And Job proclaims: Is not the life of man upon earth a warfare? For his days are like the days of a hireling (Job 7:1).

Examine carefully: is there not a battle and warfare every day? Flesh rises up against spirit, and spirit against flesh. Hear Paul, who speaks of this: I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? (Rom. 7: 23, 24). And in another place he says: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against the spirits of wickedness in high places (Eph. 6: 12). Therefore in another place, writing to Timothy, in order to strengthen him in the trials coming upon him, he counsels him to endure in this way: Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ (II Tim. 2: 3).

But it is not enough only to suffer. To suffer and do good: this is pleasing to God and profitable to ourselves. For what profit is it, writes the Apostle Peter, if, when ye be buffetted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? But if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called (I Peter 2: 20, 21).

How can we monks, above all, not accept such soul-saving counsels? How can we not be moved by such good instruction?

Beloved, let us accept with love these words of the Apostle, in which he teaches, confirms, and instructs us, saying: Be sober, keep vigil; stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of obedience; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all 'he fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. That is, Praying always with all prayer and supplication in vigilant spirit, it behooves us to oppose the snares of the devil (Eph. 6:14-18).

Enough has been said concerning the fact that Christ our Saviour, the Prophets, Apostles, and all Saints, with great compassion and love call upon us and exhort us as much as possible to remove and separate ourselves from the beguilements of the world.

Christ praises Mary in what is good, saying: Mary bath chosen that zood part, which shall not be taken away from her (St. Luke 10: 42). Thus we too should choose the good and preserve ourselves from the world, for it lies in evil.


III
ON MONASTICISM

EXAMINE FURTHER with care what commandment Christ the Saviour gives. He says: If any man will come after Me, he must unfailingly deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me (St. Matt. 16:24). This following must be nothing other than a complete departure from the world. Isaiah the Prophet cries out: Go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing (Ps. 52:2). And Jeremiah speaks of the same thing: Flee out of the midst of Babylon (Jer. 51:6). And David cries out: Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness, for I have seen violence and strife in the city day and night (Ps. 54: 8, 10).

Know that the Son of God came down to earth not in order to ruin human souls, but to instruct us in the true path. He, by the example of His life and not by words alone, taught us to despise the world. The Lord had no place of repose in the world, and those who followed Him He commanded to flee it. Beguiling and deceptive is the life of the world, fruitless its labor, perilous its delight, poor its riches, delusive its honors, inconstant, insignificant; and woe to those who hope in its seeming goods: because of this many die without repentance. Blessed and most blessed are those who depart from the world and its desires.

Run, O beloved, run to the peaceful and most glorious monastic life; put on the praiseworthy yoke which the Son of God Himself named His easy yoke and light burden. The holy Apostles loved this yoke and handed it down to the faithful; the God-bearing and God-inspired Fathers, aided by the grace of God and by skill, prospered in this way of life, and they advise us how we also should labor in it.

Behold, O beloved, and know that the monastic life is founded Divine commandment, in accordance with the teaching of the Prophets, Evangelists, and Apostles. Of it the Lord has said: He that is able to receive it, let him receive it (St. Matt. 19:12). It is to it also that the words of the Apostle apply: I would that all men were even as I myself (I Cor. 7:7). Even before the Law of Moses the ascetic life shone out in Enoch and Melchisedec, under the Law in Elijah and John the Baptist, and in the times of grace in whole congregations and legions of monks.

Behold with diligence, how many are those who, having lived wellpleasing in the monastic form of life, have gone to God and dwell now with angels. And if even you, O beloved, desire the silent and good monastic life, then choose for yourself the good part.

Know, then, that by the monastic vow you must force yourself in everything to cut off your own will. Submit yourself to the Lord, walk with love on the path of your fathers without going astray, without dozing, but keep vigil diligently. You must unfailingly acquire virtues; and so seek them day and night and, having come to know them, learn and labor in them. Be a true Christian, who, having given vows to God and raising in your heart a dwelling place for virtue, fulfills them without friction.

Guard yourself, lest you appear empty before God. If you bear something good with you, do not praise yourself for this; but rather prosper in the doing of good and, according to the measure of your God-pleasing works, manifest yourself as new, right, and well-tried in everything.

Offer to God as a gift and sacrifice not whole burnt offerings of irrational beasts; rather, as the most worthy offering sacrifice your own self every day, even as all the saints mortified themselves for the sake of Christ. But how did they mortify themselves? They loved not the world nor what is in it. Therefore, do you also imitate them in this. You wish to be a monk: this means to leave the old and make yourself new. Yesterday you were in the image of the world; but now you have put on a different one; and think thus differently, speak differently, look differently, walk differently, act differently: and everything will be new.

Reflect that you are a monk; and you should be a monk not only in name, but you should be "different"1 also in life, as against worldly life. St. John of the Ladder, in his first chapter on renunciation of the world, writes that not everyone who is baptized will be saved, but he who does the works of God. He said nothing about monks; but we see that through this he speaks also to monks: not everyone who is tonsured will be saved, but he who keeps the monastic vows; and that not all in a monastery are monks, but only those are monks who do the works of monks.

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1 The Slavonic word for monk, inok, signifies "different" (from the world).


Christ the Saviour with His most pure lips uttered: Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doesh the will of My Father which is in heaven. And again He said: Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I projess unto them: depart from Me, for I never knew you (St. Matt. 7:21-23). And in another place He says: Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become humble as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven (18:3). And again: Jesus saw how His disciples prevented children from coming to Him, and He was much displeased, and said unto them: Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of heaven (St. Mark 10:14). And again: Why call ye Me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? (St. Luke 6:46.) Or do you not know that blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it (St. Luke 11:28).

The holy Apostle James writes: But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only; for if any be a hearer only, and not a doer, he deceives himself, and beholds his face as if in a mirror, and then forgets what he was (St. James 1: 22-24). Consequently, only he who fulfills the law is saved. Nof the bearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified (Rom. 2: 13).

Believe the words of God, on which the Prophets and all the laws of God are confirmed. The Saviour says: It is easier for everything to perish or for heaven and earth to be transformed, than for one tittle of the law to fail. (St. Luke 16: 17). And again: Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away (St. Matt. 24:35).

And now let us examine in what consists the offering in sacrifice of one's own self.

It is not irrational beasts, which God does not desire, that one must offer in sacrifice; rather, we must mortify ourselves every day, just as all the saints mortified themselves for the sake of Him Who died for us. They loved not the world nor what is in it, but brought a gift pleasing to God from a pure heart, and for this they were called the sons of God. Do even as they, if you wish to be called a son of the Holy One.

Behold and hasten to appropriate holy sonship, in which condition you must be. Monasticism is nothing other than sonship to God, from beginning to end.

A monk must unfailingly be a doer of all the Lord's commandments, an emulator of the state and order of the bodiless ones, a knower of God and of all love toward Him and his neighbor.

A monk must in everything hold to God's words, and not in the least attend to the voice of feelings and passions.

A monk must have his mind illumined from above, his body undefiled, his mouth inclined to silence, his tongue pure.

A monk must have in heart and soul unceasing sorrow for his sins, frequent tears and sighs, an ever-present memory of death and of the Last Judgement, a renunciation of himself in everything, estrangement from the world, disdain for his own body and for everything pleasant to the senses; that is, he must willingly take up hatred against himself, the old man, and for the purification and renewal of himself he must subject himself to cruel, narrow, difficult, sorrowful ascetic labor, while at the same time having unmurmuring patience and love with thanksgiving.

A monk should be without anger, not cunning, not proud, lowly in everything, not acquisitive, without self-love; he should have a meekness that tends to keep silent, profound humility, submission and obedience to all who live in good order. In his body he should be as a stranger, and, so to speak, dead; while his spirit he should prepare as a dwelling for the Holy Spirit. Rejoicing and singing, he should remain unceasingly in prayer and the reading of Divine books. Such is what a monk should be, and such is the foundation he should place for the fulfilling of his vows, so that he may offer to God not only gifts of visible labors, but also sacrifices of soul and spirit.

Attend diligently to what Christ the Saviour said in Matthew (St. Matthew 5:20): Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven That is, if you wish to enter into the kingdom of heaven, you must unfailingly surpass by far in virtues the sinners who live on the earth, and live like an angel on earth; for the kingdom of heaven is in Christ. In another place it is said: The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force (St. Matt. 11:12). That is, one must suffer privation in labors of body and soul. As Christ endured, and His disciples, and as all the saints labored and renounced the world, their desires, inclinations, and all worldly desires, preserving Christ's commandments with all zeal and fervent love so too, if you also desire to obtain the needful heavenly kingdom, you should also endure privations and put on your neck the yoke of Christ's work. This yoke burdens the body, but it transports the soul to the heavens. Therefore, do not murmur when you find yourself in fastings, in vigils, in submission, in solitude and silence of soul, in hymnody, in prayers, in tears, in handiwork, in the bearing of every tribulation that comes to you from demons and men.

If you will live thus like an angel, you will obtain within yourself the kingdom of heaven; for Christ says: The kingdom of heaven is within you (St. Luke 17:21). Then in your soul nothing worldly can sustain itself; then you will know that you are Christ's obedient novice, that you have taken up His cross – that is, tribulations, labors, and virtues – and that you are fleeing from the midst of this world, and are abandoning all its beguilements, its works, and are approaching the Jerusalem on high. Then from the sacred Scripture you will receive clear and tried evidence that without perfect renunciation of the world you cannot be a perfect monk. And that is why it is not easy to receive the kingdom of heaven. However, enter into yourself and seek. Strive, O beloved, as well as you can, to cast away everything worldly and fleshly. Obey this my profitable offering, accept my counsel with zeal and fervent love, and behold what kind of a beginning of renunciation you must make.

In order to know the true path, in the beginning you must unfailingly attend to these saving words: (1) Christ says: No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God (St. Luke 9:62); (2) the holy Apostle Peter says: It had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn back; but it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again (II Peter 2:21, 22).

And so, know that he who for God's sake renounces the world and all that is in it, must unfailingly fulfill his vow and ever diligently strive as quickly as possible to draw near to God and most sincerely cling to Him. And if, entering deeply within yourself, you will carefully test yourself in this, you will find that you have not in the least removed yourself from the world as yet and have not freed yourself from all worldly desires; and therefore you must unfailingly, with your whole heart and mind, take great care over renouncing the world and mortifying the flesh, and you must dispose yourself to this practice exactly as if you were learning the most excellent of arts for there is no art on the earth more full of wisdom or excellence than thisin order that you may come to know with precision all the passions which ceaselessly make war within you, and that you may gain the wisdom to conquer them by means of fasting, i.e., continence. Strive in all respects to accustom yourself to a virtuous life, so that your leaving the world will not be in vain.

Take this brief instruction as your rule and go by it, until the grace of Christ shall visit you and enlighten you and raise you up into the image of a perfect man who fulfills the commandments of Christ. From the beginning you must unfailingly have for the monastic life great zeal, fervent love, and the warmest disposition toward it; then you must search into the Holy Scripture and believe all the traditions of the Holy Fathers concerning what kind of life must be led by the beginner, by the advanced, and by the perfect, who desire to be clothed in the form of monasticism, and concerning how one must force oneself to these conditions and confirm oneself in them, and how one must act to purify oneself from sins and to receive the kingdom of heaven.

IV
ON PRAYER, ESPECIALLY IN CHURCH

EXAMINE, O beloved brother, the following counsel, which serves for the salvation of our souls: At midnight unfailingly arise before morning worship, stand before God, and pour out to him your wholehearted prayer for some time, in the way that will be indicated below.

When the time for morning worship arrives, with all zeal arise and hasten to the beginning of the Church's Divine service; and having come to church for the common prayer, stand in the appropriate place, collect all your mind's power of thought, so that you will not dream or fly away in every direction, following evil qualities and objects which arouse our passions.

Strive as well as you can to enter deeply with the heart into the church reading and singing and to imprint these on the tablets of the heart.

Pay heed without sloth, do not weaken in body, do not lean against the wall or a pillar in church; but put your feet together straight and plant them firmly on the ground; keep your hands together; bow your head toward the ground and direct your mind to the heavenly dwellings.

Take care, as well as you can, that you do not dare, not only to speak about anything, but even to look at anyone or anything with the eyes. Pay attention to the church reading and singing, and strive as much as possible not to let your mind grow idle.

If, in listening to the church singing and reading, you cannot understand them, then with reverence say to yourself the Prayer of the Name of Jesus, in this way: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner. Strive to put this prayer deeply into your soul and heart; say it with your mind and thought, do not allow it even for a short time to depart from your lips; unite it as well as you can to your breathing and with whatever strength you have strive at the same time to force yourself to heartfelt contrition, so that you will repent of your sins with tears. If there are no tears, there should at least be contrition and moaning of heart. See to it that the church services do not proceed without this.

At the same time, strive to preserve a deep silence, so that during the singing or reading or listening you may have an undistracted mind, a faultless heart, and pure thoughts; because through this you can sate your soul with spiritual food, which is the Word of God.

At the same time, do not exalt yourself, but be humbled (St. Luke 14:11); for the Lord opposeth the proud, but unto the humble He giveth grace (Prov. 3:34).

Implant this in your heart and soul, and diligently watch lest you exalt yourself. And if from this you receive tears, then strive that these tears might serve for the benefit of your se and might wash away your impiety and iniquities.

In such repentance and wisdom of humility you should remain always, praying and expecting that the grace of God might visit your soul from above with divine illumination.

I beg you, O lover of virtue: accept all these words with heartfelt love and place them as the foundation of your virtue. For whoever desires to live devoutly and please God does every work of God not carelessly, but with zeal and fervor, that he may be the sooner transfigured into a perfect man in the measure of the fullness of the stature of Christ.

Standing in God's temple, picture to yourself that you are in heaven itself, that you stand before God with the higher powers and do with them everything that they do. In picturing this to yourself, make a rule for yourself that under no circumstances will you leave church before the end of the service.

If you stand thus perfectly in order as said above, and from this standing you become very tired, or you become exhausted from some bodily illness or old age, then sit wherever there is a place in church, in order not to tempt your brother.

Examine yourself, whether it be not despondency or laziness that make you tired, whether it be not distraction of mind and bodily passions that make you lose your strength and manly courage. Reflecting thus, accuse yourself of impatience, of infirmity, of weakness, of laziness, and again be ashamed before God and His angels and men, and reflect in your conscience that he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved (Mk. 13:13).

If while standing in prayer you become completely unable to endure some natural necessity, or if some great affliction strikes you, accuse yourself likewise, just as written above.

Or if you leave church on an obedience assigned to you, even then reflect within yourself, with self-effacement, that you have been deprived of remaining with and enjoying the presence of inhabitants of heaven.

And if you will thus reflect and accuse your own soul, and if you endure unto the end, you shall proceed from strength to strength and shall receive invisibly from God health of body and enlightenment of soul.

V
CONCERNING THE TIME AFTER CHURCH SERVICES

ON LEAVING CHURCH for your cell at the end of the services, take care as much as possible not to stand with anyone or say anything. And above all preserve yourself from harmful idle talk and laughter; but go quickly to your cell, not ceasing to utter with the lips of your mind and thoughts the Prayer of the Name of Jesus.

Having come to your cell, close the door and, if you can, stand and with fervor, attentiveness, and thanksgiving pray a little for yourself, your parents, benefactors, and for the whole world; make several prostrations or bows with prayer.

After this take a book and read a little.

If you are exhausted from toil or illness or old age, as said above, and have not the strength to fulfill this, then, for these reasons, you can omit these labors; and instead of them pray a little sitting or lying down with the prayer rope.

After doing all this, arouse your mind and thoughts with prayer, as much as you can; take care lest your thoughts soar off to objects not useful or harmful to the soul.

Thus should you do and guard yourself unfailingly after every church service. Having rested a little and done what is set forth in this instruction, if for bodily labors you have some work assigned to you or a general obedience, take it up as if it had been assigned you from Christ himself, and not from a man. Therefore, arise quickly, serve with love, labor without murmuring, wearing out your flesh.

If you have no work assigned to you, do whatever handiwork you have, or by reading a book fill and instruct your soul, or do anything else that does not hinder our salvation.

Pay special heed to this: that you be never idle in your cell. For idleness is the first teacher of every evil, and if it becomes rooted in a person, he will have to undertake many labors in order to root it out.

While performing the above mentioned handiworks or obediences, with whatever strength you have, preserve on your lips, in your mind and thoughts, prayer and most precious and soul saving silence; and at the samed time guard yourself as much as possible from looking off to the side, which distracts the mind, deceives the feelings, and not infrequently also burdens your conscience and soul.

Strive as much as possible to pay heed to yourself, to keep attentive vigil over your soul and feelings, and likewise over the handiwork or obedience with which you are occupied.

Guard yourself lest you be in any way tempted by seeing anything or anyone, or hearing anything, and lest you judge your neighbor in anything or do anything brazenly against. him. Flee brazenness like poison, for it is most harmful to a man and leads him to haughtiness.

Do always what is commanded you, or what you have previously been blessed to do regularly, or what is asked you; but by yourself do not dare to undertake anything in general, whatever it may be.

By this rule governing yourself thus or preparing yourself for obedience, should you be performing an obedience and there be someone else with you on the same obedience, then bow low to him with humility, and say the prayer in a low voice. Having received a blessing, do the obedience as indicated above with prayer, with love, with zeal and full attention. Do it not as if before men, but absolutely as before God and His angels; for you are not working for men, but are laboring for God Himself. Reflect that everyone who does the work of God carelessly is accursed, and is a pleaser of men; and preserve yourself as well as possible from carelessness and pleasing men.

VI
ON REMAINING IN ONE'S CELL AND ON LEAVING IT

GUARD YOURSELF diligently also in this: Do not leave your cell before the proper time, except for some essential need: in order to listen to your neighbor for the sake of love, or in order to serve the infirm, or if you are sent somewhere on a deed of love by the abbot or your neighbor, or to your spiritual father who instructs you according to God – in these cases, go.

Observe diligently this also: If you go out of your cell for the reasons indicated, which have a blessing, then strive while going as much as possible not to glance anywhere to the side, and lest your eyes become curious about anything.

But if on the way you unexpectedly meet someone, or you see something harmful, or you see certain ones conversing among themselves at the wrong time then guard yourself from standing or sitting with them; even guard yourself from the thought of whether you should stand with them and listen to what they say; but bow to them in silence and go by them on your own errand. And if they shall say something to you or shall stop you, then again bow to them saying: Forgive me, I am on an errand and I must hurry to fulfill my obedience; and hasten on your errand or to whoever sent you. Reflect on these words: Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners (Ps. 1: 1).

Having come to him to whom you were sent, likewise strive as well as possible not to say anything superfluous, nor to sit without need; but having fulfilled what was entrusted to you, return quickly to your cell with a peaceful spirit.

Watch yourself as well as you can in this also: If there begin to whisper in your ear, like the serpent to Eve, thoughts of pride or judgment against your neighbor or vainglory, do not be senseless to the intention of that soulharming deceiver. Unfailingly he will rise up against you with thoughts of conceit, trying to persuade you that everyone is doing things wrongly and only you are doing everything correctly and well. Guard yourself as well as you can from falling into this. Strive not to allow into your mind thoughts of judging your neighbor. The tempter will not cease to present to you such thoughts in order to cause you to praise yourself, saying in your mind: How well I did this or that! I did not stand with those who were talking idly, or I did not do this or that; now I have fulfilled the commandment of Christ. Guard yourself as well as possible so as not to receive into your heart and soul thoughts of self-justification and self-praise; for in them a soul-destroying evil is concealed. Quietly, quickly, unnoticeably, into the soul and heart, as if by small and fine cracks, even sometimes by means of completely unsuspected thoughts, there enter, settling in and penetrating to the very depths of the heart, the passions of disdain and judgment of one's neighbor, vainglory, conceit, and pride, and others like these. In order firmly to prevent their entry into your soul, you must with your whole heart and soul present yourself as a total stranger, a fool, as one unwise, incapable of thought, and possessing nothing. Begin to scold and judge yourself with your whole soul by the following thoughts: What shall I begin to do and what can I say, a senseless wanderer, a criminal before God, clay, a worm? Not only am I unworthy to say anything to a man, but I am unworthy even to hear anything from men; I am against God, lazy and careless concerning the work of God, full of every kind of impurity. Can I draw near to those whom God, the Seer of hearts, finds worthy, having mercy on and preserving them, and against whom I the unrepentant have dared to rise up with offending thoughts? If I begin to speak with them, and God reveals to them my unclean thoughts and feelings, then with justice they will chase me away like a stinking dog. Take such a reflection and an estrangement as your rule, so that you may remove yourself from vain human conversations; and guard yourself against laughter, judgment, blasphemy, harmful idle talk, soul-destroying vainglory and highmindedness.

Be very careful also in case the thought should come to eat something or to go to anyone's cell on your own will. Sometimes the tempter incites you to think that for this you have a need that can be blessed, when in reality there is no such thing; in such a case guard yourself as well as you can against leaving your cell; strive to vanquish this cunning thought. But if after dispassionate reflection you fully recognize that you have a need that can be blessed for going out, such as to visit the sick or some other need as set forth above -then go, observing what was said above. And when you are already setting out to go to someone, observe this rule: say to yourself on the way to his cell -I am going to so-and-so's; but do I, unrepentant one, dare to disturb a holy man who is occupied in thoughts of God, in prayer, and who remains in holy silence? And here present before your own eyes your sins and say to yourself, not with your lips but with your soul and heart: If I enter the cell and the father or brother sees me, unclean one, will he bear my uncleanness? Will he not begin to scold me and chase me out of his cell like a stinking dog? Will he not say from a disturbed soul: Why have you come to disturb my holy occupation and to defile my cell? Leave, you who are careless about your own soul! And if such a thing happens to me, will I be able patiently to bear the accusation with thanksgiving? Prepare yourself, unrepentant one, for patience, so as not to receive rather shame through impatience, and so as not to cause offense to a holy man.

You should reflect thus, and do it not as one merely playing with thoughts; but, acknowledging your inner uncleanness and unworthiness, you should truly abase yourself with your whole heart and soul. Act in this way and make this your rule. For if you shall reflect thus and humble your soul with self-accusation and acknowledgment of your sins, then you shall go from strength to strength by God's grace, and Christ Who raises up the humble will not leave you, but will visit your soul with spiritual joy and inexpressible sweetness. Only do all these things as set forth above, with your whole heart and soul and mind. For the Sweetest Jesus loves those who labor with humble wisdom, and those who desire with heartfelt and fervent love a perfect correction, and He desires all of us to come to knowledge of the truth.

In such a holy reflection you should remain wherever you may happen to be in your cell, or on an obedience until the very Divine Liturgy, or on some other service for the Church.

VII
ON THE LITURGY AND PARTAKING OF THE DIVINE MYSTERIES

HAVING COME to the time of the Divine Liturgy, hasten to be there if possible at its beginning, and enter the church with exaltation and with fervent love. Take your place and do everything as was said above concerning morning worship.

Stand with fear and trembling, picturing in your mind and soul and heart the Son of God, Who for your lawless deeds was killed and offered in sacrifice for the salvation of all who believe in Him.

And if you have the intention to partake of the Divine Mysteries, with the permission of your spiritual father, before this spend a week in true fasting, that is, in special abstinence from abundant and pleasing food and drink, in accordance with a given rule and according to your strength. Try to keep yourself in watchfulness, in love toward God and in diligent prayer, with contrition of heart, groaning, lamentation, heartfelt sighing and tears. Know that the defilements of soul and body are cleansed by nothing so much as by tears, contrition of heart, heartfelt groans and sighing. At the same time you should reflect on this also: You are of course indignant at Judas the betrayer and likewise at those who crucified Christ and pierced Him with nails and spear; but pay heed to yourself as well, lest you, too, be guilty as a betrayer of the Body and Blood of Christ. Judas betrayed Christ once; but do you not betray Him many times when you are unfaithful to His word and His commandments? He suffered wounds from His crucifiers once; but do you not give Him wounds many times by your very passions and sins which are displeasing to God? For he bore suffering for every sin of ours.

Enter within yourself with your soul, heart and thought: do you not see within yourself an abyss of passions and sins – blasphemy, theft, gluttony, sensuality, drunkennes, envy, cunningness, deceit, hatred of your brother, rancor, evil speech, judgment of your neighbor, slander, lack of love, unkindness, pride, wrath, anger and every impurity? Having such baseness within yourself, will you not be careless over your soul, careless in cleansing yourself by most zealous and fervent prayer and other God-pleasing works and true repentance?

Strive as well as you can, by heartfelt contrition, sighs and frequent tears, to wash away the filth of your soul and body. Be careful lest you receive the Holy of Holies with your unpurified soul as judgment to yourself. Pay diligent heed lest you unite yourself to those who crucified and killed Christ, lest you become like to Judas the betrayer. Behold what you are eating: what is this food? Is it not God Himself that you receive? What are you being fed? Is it not true manna come down from heaven, so that you may live forever?

Understand that you are partaking of the unspeakable Mystery of mysteries, the Sweetness of all sweetnesses, and the Holy of all holies, from which you yourself become holy. And for this you must unfailingly have within yourself great and firm faith, and you must separate yourself completely from all faults, and make your soul and body pure and as holy as possible; for you are preparing an entrance for the Holy within you. Behold, with what inconceivable honor you are honored when you partake of this Divine Mystery. The most pure Angels are invisibly present, tremble, and cannot behold from terror, while you, of clay and full of every uncleanness, partake of this; you, with your passions and sins an enemy of Christ God, are united to the Divine and Holy and become one body and one flesh with Christ, as He Himself says: He that eateth My flesh and drinketh My blood abideth in Me, and I in him (St. John 6:56).

Oh, lover of virtue! Examine diligently, I beg you: Whom do you dare to receive within you? It is the Most Holy God Himself. With Whom do you wish to be in a single union? With Him Who created us. Be fearful and tremble; for most Divine fire touches your lips, which are full of idle words, foul words and every uncleanness; take care lest it burn you, unworthy one. What is it, with which your tongue, which has spoken so much that is evil and unjust, desires to be refreshed? With the blood of the Terrible Judge! Be fearful lest you fall under His just judgment.

O inconceivable God! Who can express Thy might? Who can worthily praise Thee? Who can fathom the abyss of Thy mercy?

Reflect, O brother: For this sacred food and drink, which are the Body and Blood of Christ, all our forefathers from the first-created Adam, and all the prophets hungered and thirsted, but did not receive them; but you, so distant from them by your unworthiness, partake of this Divine meal. Thank God for His unspeakable mercy, that He makes you worthy of this. And at the same time understand this also: that even if you had or shall have the purity of angels or the holiness and sanctity of St. John the Baptist – even then, without the special mercy of God, you could not be worthy of this Divine Mystery. And if someone think to himself: I am a priest and therefore worthy; then on the contrary, he would be unworthy to serve as a priest. For as it was in the womb of the Most Holy Virgin, so here on the altar by the good will of the Almighty God and the action of the Holy Spirit, there are the Body and Blood of Christ. Behold how this is above nature, conception and human reason; and therefore no one can worthily partake, save for he who in profound humility believes and has steadfast hope in the Lord.

Behold what Christ the Saviour says with His most pure lips: This is My Body, He says; not the image of a body do I give, but My Body, under the appearance of bread; take and eat unto the remission of sins. This is My Blood, not an image of blood, but My Blood, under the appearance of wine; drink... unto remission of sins (St. Matt. 26: 26, 27, 28). Wherefore you, too, must diligently examine with what fear, trembling and true humility, self-abasement and heartfelt contrition, sighs and tears, with what fervent love, undoubting faith and hope, reverence and joy and great thanksgiving from your whole heart and soul, you must approach this Divine communion. You must unfailingly approach according to this instruction, namely: approaching the holy altar, picture to yourself that in actuality you have become worthy to be at the Last Supper together with Christ and the holy Apostles.

When the holy doors are opened and you hear: with the fear of God..., fall down in terror before the Almighty God and Judge; and strive as well as possible not to let out of your thoughts what has been said above, but picture it all to yourself and reflect on it. With your arms folded in the form of a cross and pressed to your breast, bend your head a little, have a reverent look, your eyes filled with tears, and recite the prayer: I believe, O Lord, and confess that Thou art truly the Christ, the Son of the Living God, Who came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. And I believe that this is Thy Pure Body and Thy own Precious Blood. Therefore, I pray Thee, have mercy on me and forgive my transgressions, voluntary and involuntary, in word and deed, known and unknown. And grant that I may partake of Thy Holy Mysteries without condemnation, for the remission of sins and for life eternal. Of Thy Mystical Supper, O Son of God, accept me today as a communicant; for I will not speak of the Mystery to Thy enemies; I will not give Thee a kiss like Judas; but like the thief do I confess Thee: Remember me, O Lord, in Thy Kingdom. May the communion of Thy Holy Mysteries be to me not for judgment or condemnation, O Lord, but for healing of soul and body. Amen. Recite it with your whole soul with sighing, with fear and trembling, and heartfelt contrition. Stand trembling and reflect, lest you eat the Lord's Flesh and drink His Blood unto judgment. Beg the most merciful God that at least in this moment He might visit you with His Grace, that you might have contrition and warm feeling and shed fervent tears.

And after reciting this prayer with fervor, make a prostration to the very ground; again beg the All-Merciful God that He might make you worthy without sin to partake of this most Divine Mystery; and thus reflecting, gaze steadfastly and with feeling at the holy Chalice and pray that the Divine Fire might not burn you, but might heal your soul and body upon receiving It. Hope and believe that It will consume all sinful thorns which grow in you, if you will do and feel as here indicated. Then, as soon as you see the priest's hand stretched out with the Holy Sacrament and touching your lips, do not think that you are receiving this Divine gift from a priest's hand, but picture and believe with your whole soul that you receive it from the hand of Christ Himself, Who stands invisibly and places it within your mouth. Picture and believe unfailingly that you are now eating precisely the very flesh of the Lord, which has been taken from the living and life-giving composition of His body, and that now you are drinking the flowing blood and water from the very side of Christ; that you see Christ hanging on the Cross and now from His wounds you are sucking blood and light and life. Thus receive communion – thus believe unfailingly; thus picture ceaselessly in your mind.

I advise you to memorize the prayer of St. Dimitry of Rostov, which is profitable at the time of communion, and whose words follow. Approaching with such thoughts and feelings, say within your mind: "Open, O doors and bolts of my heart, that Christ the King of Glory may enter! Enter, O my Light, and enlighten my darkness; enter, O my Life, and resurrect my deadness; enter, O my Physician, and heal my wounds; enter, O Divine Fire, and burn up the thorns of my sins; ignite my inward parts and my heart with the flame of Thy love; enter, O my King, and destroy in me the kingdom of sin; sit on the throne of my heart and reign in me alone, O Thou, my King and Lord." With such good thoughts partake of the Divine Mysteries.

At the same time do not forget frequent sighings and contrition; unceasingly weep, lament, accuse yourself that you are entirely unworthy, that you have not yet divested yourself of the flesh and the world, and have not yet mortified yourself of bodily passions, but are full of impure desires and improper movements of the soul, are slothful toward spiritual labor, are downcast and negligent and cold toward attending to the word of God; that you are the most insignificant and miserable and unclean and unworthy vessel for the reception of the Source of life, Whom the heavens of heavens cannot embrace.

Reflect that it is not an Angel that you receive in the holy Mysteries, but the Lord of Angels and the Judge of all. Reflect also on this: with what joy the holy Forerunner leapt in his mother's womb and bowed down to his Master; and how the shepherds, and the kings with gifts, and Simeon and Anna glorified their Master and bowed down to Him with wonder, fear and joy; how also the other saints and all monk-saints with reverence, joy and thanksgiving, shone like the sun when united in communion with the Body and Blood of Christ, and live with Him forever. With just such a desire and great zeal, do you also hasten to the Sweetest Source of benefactions, and thank the Lord for His unspeakable mercy, that He, the terrible and inaccessible God, does not abhor our miserableness, but unites Himself to us, out of His incalculable love for us.

With all your strength you must thank the Lord, not only in word and thought, but also in deed. Strive as much as possible to preserve yourself from much speaking; have God as your pure and holy occupation; and remain in reverence not only before communion, but after receiving this Sacrament as well, preserve yourself from every evil thing. Strive always to remain with Christ your King and God, and do not separate Him from yourself.

At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, enter your cell in silence of tongue, mind, and every sense; remain in prayer and thanksgiving. Observe at this time also everything that was given you above to be observed after morning worship.