Institutes of Christian Perfection (eBook)

of Macarius the Egyptian Called The Great

Institutes of Christian Perfection (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2025 | 1. Auflage
148 Seiten
Bookbaby (Verlag)
979-8-3178-1018-4 (ISBN)

Infos

Originally written in Greek in the 4th century by St. Macarius the Great, Institutes of Christian Perfection offers spiritual wisdom from an experienced monk and desert dweller of the Egyptian desert at the dawn of monasticism. In this text, St. Macarius presents a different way of seeing the world-a different way of being. This book is extremely deep, and requires a slow and thoughtful approach. The saint writes in a slow, meditative and poetic style, that weaves intricate theological concepts with Scripture, revealing mystical realities about God and the other world. This edition was translated from the Greek by Granville Penn and was originally published in London in 1816. This text is one of the earliest examples of the 'sayings of the Desert Fathers' that offers insights into the contemplative tradition of early Christianity.

Saint Macarius lived in fourth-century Egypt, and was the son of a priest. When he was young, he married in obedience to his parents wishes, but soon after, his wife died. After selling all his possessions and giving the proceeds to the poor, he eagerly disappeared into the Egyptian desert west of the Nile River. In the desert he was among many early ascetics such as Anthony the Great and Abba Sisoes. He spent sixty years in the harsh desert in isolation, toil and struggle, both physical and spiritual. He ate and slept very little, and concerned himself with study, contemplation, watchfulness, fasting and prayer. He took great care in purifying his mind from evil thoughts and his heart from evil desires, and this is reflected throughout his writings. Through the years his renown increased, and overtime there grew a community of men near him who wished to live like him, and learn from him. He advanced in spiritual practice and self-mastery, and his love for the Lord grew to such a degree that divine knowledge and illumination seemed to become normal for him. It is during this period that we believe we wrote the Institutes of Christian Perfection.

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Originally written in Greek in the 4th century by St. Macarius the Great, Institutes of Christian Perfection offers spiritual wisdom from an experienced monk and desert dweller of the Egyptian desert at the dawn of monasticism. In this text, St. Macarius presents a different way of seeing the world-a different way of being. He proposes a way of life that is antithetical to modern life, which means he is offering a road map away from the world, and a path towards God-the way of healing and nourishing the soul. This book is extremely deep and complex, and requires a slow and thoughtful approach. St. Macarius does not write to keep you on the edge of your seat, nor is he trying to entertain with stories or fanfare. The saint writes in a slow, meditative and poetic style, that weaves intricate theological concepts with Scripture, revealing mystical realities about God and the other world. This edition was translated from the Greek by Granville Penn, the grandson of William Penn (founder of the Province of Pennsylvania) and was originally published in London in 1816, and has been out of print since. This text is one of the earliest examples of the "e;sayings of the Desert Fathers"e; that offers insights into the contemplative tradition of early Christianity.

Textauszug

Book II. k of Perfection in Spirit

Chap. I

By Divine Grace and the gift of the Spirit we each obtain salvation; and by faith, love, and the active exercise of our own free will, we are able to attain to the perfect measure of virtue: so that man acquires the inheritance of Eternal Life, both by Grace and by Righteousness. By Divine Power and Grace alone, and without the application of his own laborious efforts, he is not accounted to have fulfilled his perfect course; and by his own individual exertion and force, without the aid of a cooperating hand from above, he is not able to attain to perfect deliverance and sanctification: for, “Except the Lord build the house and keep the city, both the keeper and the builder labour in vain.”15

Chap. II

What, then, is that “perfect will of “God”16 to which the Apostle calls and exhorts every one of us to attain? It is, perfect purity from sin, freedom from all shameful passions, and the assumption of perfect virtue; that is, the purification of the heart by the plenary and experimental communion of the perfect and divine Spirit; for, said He, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”17 And, “Be ye also perfect, as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”18 And, “O let my heart be sound in thy statutes, that I be not ashamed.”19 And again, “So shall I not be confounded, when I have respect unto all Thy commandments.”20 And again, to him who inquired, “Who shall ascend unto the hill of the Lord? the Psalmist answered, “He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart;”21 thereby signifying the perfect abolition of sin, both of action and of thought.

Chap. III

The Holy Spirit, knowing that the secret and hidden passions are hard to be displaced, and that they are as it were rooted in the soul, shows us by David how the expulsion of them is to be effected : “O cleanse thou me from my secret faults!”22 Thereby instructing us that we are able to overcome them, by prayer and faith, and by a perfect determination of the mind to God, aided by the co-operation of the Spirit; provided we ourselves also struggle vigorously against them, and keep a constant guard over our own hearts.

Chap. IV

The blessed Moses showed under a figure, that the soul ought not to follow two different inclinations, a good one and an evil one, but a good one only; when he commanded, not to cultivate two different qualities of fruit, a good one and an evil one, but only a good one. For he says; “Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with diverse seed, lest the fruit of thy seed which thou hast sown, and the fruit of thy vineyard, be defiled.”23 And again; “Thou shalt not plough with an ox and an ass together;” that is, that virtue and wickedness must not act together on the threshing-floor of our hearts, but virtue only. Again; “Thou shalt not wear a garment of diverse sort, as of woollen and linen together: —neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee. Thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind.”24 By all which prohibitions it is spiritually signified, that good and evil ought not to be cultivated together in us, but that the fruits of goodness only should be produced; and that our souls ought not to hold communion with two spirits, the spirit of God, and the spirit of the world: wherefore it is said; “I hold straight all Thy commandments, and all false ways I utterly abhor.”25

Chap. V

A virgin soul, which is desirous of uniting itself to God, ought to be pure, not only from outward and apparent sins, as fornication, murder, theft, gluttony, falsehood, the love of money, covetousness, and the like, but especially from inward and hidden sins, (as I have said); such as cupidity, vain-glory, men-pleasing, hypocrisy, love of rule, craft, malignity, hatred, unbelief, envy, self-love, pride, and all other such things; for the Scripture places all these inward and secret sins of the soul to the same account with those which are manifest and external. For “the Lord (saith he) hath scattered the bones of the men-pleasers:”26 and, “The Lord abhorreth both the blood-thirsty and deceitful man;”27 thus showing us, that deceit is an object of abomination to God, no less than blood-guiltiness. And again; “Those which speak friendly to their neighbours, but imagine mischief in their hearts, reward Thou according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their own inventions.”28 And the divine John equals hatred with murder, saying, “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer.”29 And, “Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you;”30 that is, when ye are solicitous to be applauded by men, and repose upon the praises of men. For how can those who really do well always remain concealed? especially since the Lord Himself has said, “Let your light shine before men.”31 But, strive to do well for the glory of God, and not for your own glory, nor through delight in hearing the praises of men; for He hath declared that all such are unbelievers, saying, “How can ye believe, who receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?” And take notice how the Apostle enjoins, that “whatsoever thing we do, even to eating and drinking, should all be done to the glory of God.”32

Chap. VI

“Love beareth all things, love endureth all things, love never faileth.”33 These last words, “never faileth,” are here designed to show, that those who may have attained to all the other graces of the Spirit mentioned before by the Apostle, but who have not obtained perfect deliverance from their sinful passions by the full and operative Love of the Spirit, have not yet attained to security; but still continue in a state of peril and alarm, through the spiritual influence of evil. For he thus shows, that since that measure is not out of the hazard of lapsing, like “the tongues of angels, and prophecy, and all knowledge,” it is “nothing.”34

Chap. VII

By this, therefore, he directs our minds to the scope of perfection; that each one, sensibly discerning himself to be poor in those inestimable riches, may be stimulated by an ardent and persevering spirit, so to run his spiritual course that he may obtain the prize: as also he says, “So run, that ye may obtain.”35

Chap. VIII

To “deny himself,”36 we are to understand to signify this: for a man to hold himself devoted to the service of the brethren in all things, and never to cleave to his own will, nor to consider himself the absolute proprietor of anything, except his necessary clothing. That so being loosened from all other things, he may cheerfully and entirely apply himself to those things which are appointed him, as the proper servant of all men, and especially of those who are placed in authority; in obedience to Christ, who has said, “Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant.”37 Not as seeking glory, and honour, and praise; “not with eye~service, as men-pleasers;” but as accounting himself a debtor to the brethren, in simplicity and love.

Chap. IX

On the other hand, it behoves those who are set over the brethren, as persons appointed to a great service, to struggle against the artifices of evil with humility of mind; lest, by exercising authority with haughtiness, they procure for themselves a loss, instead of the greatest gain. But rather as compassionate fathers, dedicating themselves to the service of the brethren for the sake of God, let them devote their minds and care to them always as to the children of God; reproving where it may be necessary, and encouraging where it shall be needful; lest, tinder a show of humility and meekness, confusion be introduced, and the becoming order of superior and inferior be not preserved; but at the same time regarding themselves secretly in their hearts as unworthy servants of all men. Let them, as schoolmasters to whom spiritual children are confided, strive diligently, with kindness and in the fear of God, to allure and attach everyone to whatsoever is good; being well assured, that a great and incorruptible reward is laid up in store for them is recompense for their work.

Chap. X

As persons who undertake the education of youth have often under their care those who are their own masters and superiors; and yet, for the sake of instruction and for the forming of their manners, they are not withheld from their duty, but even administer stripes with much fearlessness; so likewise, ought those who are superiors to correct such of the brethren as stand in need of discipline. Not by a movement of haughtiness or anger, not as avenging themselves, but, with a kind compassion, endeavouring to effect their conversion.

Chap. XI

By much diligence and application of mind, by much care and effort, we are enabled, through the grace and gift of Christ formed within us, to acquire a true “love towards God;” and then we shall be able easily to fulfill the second commandment, which enjoins “love towards our neighbour.” Let,...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 27.6.2025
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Religion / Theologie ► Christentum
• ISBN-13: 979-8-3178-1018-4 / 9798317810184