Since your words have convinced us that a life lived with those who are contemptuous of the commandments of God is fraught with danger, we want to learn in due course, whether the man who has retired from such should live privately by himself, or join with like-minded brethren who have chosen the object of religion.
I recognise that the life of a number lived in common is more useful in many ways. To begin with, none of us is self-sufficient even as regards bodily needs, but we need one another’s help in getting necessaries. For just as the foot has certain powers but lacks others, and without the help of the other limbs neither finds its own strength sufficient for endurance nor has the support of what is lacking, so in the solitary life both what we have becomes useless and what we lack becomes unprocurable, since God the Creator ordained that we need one another, as it is written, in order that we may be linked with one another. But apart from this the fashion of the love of Christ does not allow us to look each at his own good. For “love” we read “seeketh not its own.” Now the solitary life has one aim, the service of the needs of the individual. But this is plainly in conflict with the law of love, which the apostle fulfilled when he sought not his own advantage but that of the many, that they might be saved.
Secondly, in such separation the man will not even recognise his defects readily, not having anyone to reprove him and to set him right with kindness and compassion. For it often happens that reproof even from an enemy induces in a good man a desire to be cured; but a skilful cure of sin is carried out by a man who has loved sincerely. “For he that loveth chasteneth diligently.” Such a guide it is difficult to find in solitude, unless one has already formed a link with him in community life. There happens to him in consequence what has been said: “Woe to the solitary man, since if he fall there is none to raise him up.” And many commandments are easily performed by a number living together, but not by a solitary man; for by doing one commandment another is hindered. For example, when we visit a sick man we cannot receive a stranger; when we bestow and distribute the necessaries of life—especially when these ministrations have to be performed at a distance—we neglect work; so that the greatest commandment of all and that which conduces to salvation is neglected, and neither is the hungry fed nor the naked clothed. Who then would choose the idle and fruitless life in preference to the fruitful life which is lived in accordance with the commandment of the Lord? Now all of us who have been received in one hope of our calling are one body having Christ as head, and we are severally members one of another. But if we are not joined together harmoniously in the close links of one body in the Holy Spirit, but each of us chooses solitude, not serving the common welfare in a way well-pleasing to God but fulfilling the private desires of self-pleasing, how, when we are thus separated and divided off, can we preserve the mutual relation and service of the limbs one to another, or their subjection to our head, which is Christ? For it is impossible to rejoice with him that is glorified or to suffer with the sufferer when our life is thus divided, since it is impossible for the individual monk to know the affairs of his neighbour. In the next place, no single man is sufficient to receive all spiritual gifts, but according to the proportion of the faith that is in each man the supply of the Spirit is given; consequently, in the common life the private gift of each man becomes the common property of his fellows. “For to one is given the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge, to another faith, to another gifts of healing, etc.” Each of which gifts the recipient has as much for others’ sake as for his own. So that of necessity in the community life the working of the Holy Spirit in one man passes over to all the rest at once. Now all you who have read the Gospels know the great danger incurred by the man living alone, who has one gift perhaps, and makes it useless by idleness, digging a hole for it in himself. Whereas when a number live together a man enjoys his own gift, multiplying it by imparting it to others, and reaps the fruits of other men’s gifts as if they were his own.
Further, living together has other benefits, all of which are not easily enumerated. For it is both more useful than solitude for keeping the good things given us by God, and as regards warding off the external attacks of the enemy a rousing from sleep by the watchers is safer, should it happen to any man to slumber in that sleep which leads unto death, which we have been taught by David to pray may not be our fate, when he said: “Lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep in death.” Further, to the sinner it is easier to depart from sin when he fears the condemnation passed by a number in agreement, so that the words apply to him: “Sufficient to such a one is this punishment, which was inflicted by the many”; while the virtuous man receives much assurance when the many approve and assent to his work. For if in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established, much more stedfastly to be sure will he who accomplishes a good work be confirmed by the testimony of the many. But the solitary life has another danger besides what we have mentioned. First and greatest comes that of self-pleasing; for having no one to test his work, a man will think he has reached perfection in the commandment. And secondly, having shut up his character unexercised he neither recognises his defects nor knows his progress in good works, since he has taken away all the material for doing the commandments.
For wherewith shall a man show humility, if he has no one in comparison with whom to show himself humble? Wherewith shall he show compassion, when he is cut off from the communion of the many? How can he practise himself in long-suffering, when there is none to withstand his wishes? If a man says he finds the teaching of the divine Scriptures sufficient to correct his character, he makes himself like a man who learns the theory of building but never practises the art, or who is taught the theory of working in metals but prefers not to put his teaching into practice. To whom the apostle says: “Not the hearers of the law are just with God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.”
For, behold, the Lord for the greatness of His love of men was not content with teaching the word only, but that accurately and clearly He might give us a pattern of humility in the perfection of love He girded Himself and washed the feet of the disciples in person. Whose feet then wilt thou wash? Whom wilt thou care for? In comparison with whom wilt thou be last if thou livest by thyself? How will that good and pleasant thing, the dwelling of brethren together, which the Holy Spirit likens to unguent flowing down from the High Priest’s head, be accomplished by dwelling solitary? So it is an arena for athletics, a method of travelling forward, a continual exercise and practising in the Lord’s commandments, when the brethren dwell together. It has as its object the glory of God according to the commandment of our Lord Jesus Christ Who said: “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” And it keeps the stamp of those Saints told of in the Acts, of whom it is written: “And all that believed were together and had all things common.” And again: “And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them said that aught of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.”
1 B.’s clearest exposition of the advantages of Community life. See Intr. p. 44 and Hp. ccxcv, where common life is recommended to the monks as the life of the apostles.
2 grapauvOntov. The rendering comes from R. “neque quod deest ab aliquo possit requiri.”
3 Cf. 1 Cor. xi. 21 Cor, xii. 5, 5 Prov. xiii. 24.
6 uh mooevabévra xat& tov Blov. A spiritual guide is unobtainable by an ascetic who goes straight from the world to the desert. It os possible to leave the coenobium for the anchorite’s cell and to continue confessions to the spiritual guide who helped one in the coenobium. See Clarke, pp. 109-113, for a full discussion of this passage. The second class of monks in Ben. Reg. 1 is that of the anchorites who come to their life “monasterii probatione diuturna.” This was a regular practice in post-Basilian Greek monachism (see Clarke, p. 130). B. seems to be recognising without approving it.
1 Keel. iv. 10 obal 8& ta Evil, St. dv méoy, odn Zotw 6 eyelowy. Sw. (B) xat ovat abt tH Evi Stav néon xak uh } Sedtsp0g eyetoar adrdv.
2 An important passage, see Intr. p. 45; ef. 369c.
3 1 Cor. xii. 8-10 (shortened) §]. Charismatic gifts in the coenobium are presupposed, see Intr. p. 42f.
* 7 xowavxd io, cf.. This very remarkable passage shows that in B.’s view the community as a whole could alone fulfil the Christian ideal. Coenobitism rests in the last resort on this, and not on economic or even spiritual advantages accruing to the individual from the presence of companions.
1 Ps. xiii. 3. Bas. reads wou after dp0adyotcg with RARU against Sw.’s (B) text.
2 9 Cor. li. 6 éexetdv for ixavov**. 3 wovactiny Caj.
4 Rom. ii. 13 add tod before vénov (twice) K.
VIII. — Must a Man First Renounce All and then Come to the Life that is after God's Will? Concerning Renunciation
Since our Lord Jesus Christ after much demonstration confirmed by many actions says to all: “If any man comes to me let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me”; and again: “So therefore whosoever he be of you that renounceth not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple,” we think that this commandment extends to the many things alienation from which is necessary. For first of all we who have given up the hidden things of shame renounce the devil and the lusts of the flesh, and physical relationships, and human friendships, and any manner of life which conflicts with the strictness of the gospel of salvation. And, what is still more necessary, he that has put off the old man with his works, which waxeth corrupt according to the lusts of deceit, renounces himself. He renounces also all affections of this world which can hinder the aim of godliness. Such a man will consider his true parents those who in Christ Jesus begat him through the Gospel; as his brethren, those who received the same spirit of adoption; and he will deem all possessions foreign to him, as indeed they are. In a word, how can he to whom the whole world has been crucified on account of Christ, and he to the world, be partaker any longer of the cares of the world? For our Lord Jesus Christ goes to extremes in hatred of the soul and denial of self, when He says: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross”; and He added then: “And follow me.” Again: “If any man cometh unto me, and hateth not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.” Accordingly perfect renunciation consists in a man’s attaining complete impassivity as regards actual living and having “the sentence of death,” so as to put no confidence in himself. Whereas its beginnings consist of alienation from external things, such as possessions, vainglory, the common customs of life, or attachment to useless things. Examples are given us by the holy disciples of the Lord: John and James, who left their father Zebedee and even the boat, their sole source of livelihood; Matthew, who rose up from the receipt of custom itself and followed the Lord, not only leaving the gains in the custom-house, but also despising the dangers that were likely to come upon himself and his family at the hands of the authorities for leaving the accounts of the custom-house in disorder; Paul, to whom the whole world was crucified, and he unto the world.
So he who is seized by the vehement desire of following Christ can no longer care for anything to do with this life. Not for the love of parents or relations, should it be in opposition to the commands of the Lord, for then the words apply: “If any man cometh unto me and hateth not his father and mother etc.” Not for the fear of men, so that any part of his duty is affected by it, according to the example of the Saints who said: “We must obey God rather than men.” Nor for mockery at good works on the part of those without, so as to be influenced by their contempt. But if anyone wishes to know with accuracy and clearness the vigour which is linked with the desire of those who follow the Lord let him remember the words of the apostle about himself, spoken for our instruction: “If any man thinketh to have confidence in the flesh, I yet more: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as touching the law a Pharisee; as touching zeal, persecuting the Church; as touching the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless. Howbeit what things were gain to me, these have I counted loss for Christ. Yea verily, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord; for whom I suffered the loss of all things and do count them to be but dung, that I may gain Christ.” Now let me say something bold but true. If the apostle likened the privileges given by God in the law for a season to the loathsome matters which are cast out from the body, which we hasten to remove out of sight, thinking them hindrances to the knowledge of Christ and the righteousness that is in Him and conformity with His death, what would anyone say about the regulations of men? And what need is there to confirm the word by arguments of ours and the examples of the Saints, when we are able to adduce the actual words of the Lord and convince by their means the trembling soul, as He declares clearly and unanswerably: “So therefore whosoever he be of you that renounceth not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple”? And elsewhere He says first: “If thou wouldest be perfect,” and then adds: “Go, sell that thou hast, and give to the poor”; ending with “Come, follow me.” And it is clear to every fair-minded man that the parable of the merchantmen conveys the same lesson. “The kingdom of heaven” it says “is like unto a man that is a merchant seeking goodly pearls: who having found one pearl of great price went and sold all that he had, and bought it.” For it is clear that the precious pearl is used as an example of the heavenly Kingdom, which the word of the Lord shows us we cannot attain unless we have first sacrificed, in order to win it, all our possessions together—riches, fame, family, and whatever else is commonly cherished.
In the next place, the Lord declared that it is impossible to gain one’s end when the mind is divided among a variety of cares, saying, “No man can serve two masters”; and again, “Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” We must choose therefore the one heavenly treasure, that we may have our heart in it. “For where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also.” If then we reserve to ourselves some earthly possession and corruptible riches, our mind is buried therein as it were in mud, and in consequence our soul cannot see God, nor can it be stirred to desire the heavenly beauty and the good things stored up for us in God’s promises. In fact these things are unattainable without an undistracted and passionate desire leading us to ask for them and lightening the toil necessary to win them. Renunciation then, so we have seen, is a loosing of the chains which bind us to the present material and transitory life, a freeing from human obligations, making us more ready to start on the God-ward way. It is an opportunity without drawbacks of acquiring and using those precious things which are “more to be desired than gold and much precious stone.” And, in brief, it is a removal of the human heart to the citizenship in heaven, so as to be able to say, “Our citizenship is in heaven.” And, greatest of all, it is the beginning of our being made like unto Christ, Who “though he was rich, yet for our sakes became poor”; which likeness unless we have first attained, it is impossible to reach the manner of living prescribed by the Gospel of Christ. For how can contrition of heart, or humility of mind, or freedom from anger, grief, worries, and, in brief, from all harmful passions of the soul, be achieved in the midst of wealth and the cares of this life, attachment to and familiarity with external things? Finally, when a man is not allowed to be careful even about necessary things, such as food and clothing, who could suppose that he may be detained by the bad cares of wealth as if by thorns, which hinder the seed sown by the Husbandman of our souls from bearing fruit? For our Lord said: “But these are they which fell among the thorns, which are choked by cares and riches and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to perfection.”
ddl ere: 4 hh RF 2 Mt. v. 16. 3 Acts il. 44.
* Acts iv. 32 add 4 before xapSix and duyh K. See Intr. p. 44 and Holl p. 161 for the Scriptural basis of B.’s common life.
5 Much shortened.
8 Mt. xvi. 24 conflated with Lk. xiv. 26. Lk xiy..33.