Wherefore saith the Apostle, `We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle be dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: if so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.' And again, `Owretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?' And once more, `I desire to depart and be with Christ.' And the prophet saith, `When shall I come and appear before the presence of God?' Now that I the least of all men, choose not to fear bodily death, thou mayest learn by this, that I have set at nought thy father's threat, and come boldly unto thee, and have preached to thee the tidings of salvation, though I knew for sure that, if this came to his knowledge, he would, were that possible, put me to a thousand deaths. But I, honouring the word of God afore all things, and longing to win it, dread not temporal death, nor reek on it at all worthy of such an appellation, in obedience to my Lord's command, which saith, `Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.'""These then," said Ioasaph, "are the good deeds of that true philosophy, that far surpass the nature of these earthly men who cleave fast to the present life. Blessed are ye that hold to so noble a purpose! But tell me truly what is thy manner of life and that of thy companions in the desert, and from whence cometh your raiment and of what sort may it be? Tell me as thou lovest truth."Said Barlaam, "Our sustenance consisteth of acorns and herbs that we find in the desert, watered by the dew of heaven, and in obedience to the Creator's command; and for this there is none to fight and quarrel with us, seeking by the rule and law of covetousness to snatch more than his share, but in abundance for all is food provided from unploughed lands, and a ready table spread. But, should any of the faithful brethren in the neighbourhood bring a blessed dole of bread, we receive it as sent by providence, and bless the faith that brought it. Our raiment is of hair, sheepskins or shirts of palm fibre, all thread-bare and much patched, to mortify the frailty of the flesh. We wear the same clothing winter and summer, which, once put on, we may on no account put off until it be old and quite outworn. For by thus afflicting our bodies with the constraints of cold and heat we purvey for ourselves the vesture of our future robes of immortality."Ioasaph said, "But whence cometh this garment that thou wearest?"The elder answered,"I received it as a loan from one of our faithful brethren, when about to make my journey unto thee; for it behoved me not to arrive in mine ordinary dress. If one had a beloved kinsman carried captive into a foreign land, and wished to recover him thence, one would lay aside one's own clothing, and put on the guise of the enemy, and pass into their country and by divers crafts deliver one's friend from that cruel tyranny. Even so I also, having been made aware of thine estate, clad myself in this dress, and came to sow the seed of the divine message in thine heart, and ransom thee from the slavery of the dread ruler of this world. And now behold by the power of God, as far as in me lay, I have accomplished my ministry, announcing to thee the knowledge of him, and making known unto thee the preaching of the Prophets and Apostles, and teaching thee unerringly and soothly the vanity of the present life, and the evils with which this world teems, which cruelly deceiveth them that trust therein, and taketh them in many a gin. Now must Ireturn thither whence I came, and thereupon doff this robe belonging to another, and don mine own again."Ioasaph therefore begged the elder to shew himself in his wonted apparel. Then did Barlaam strip off the mantle that he wore, and lo, a terrible sight met Ioasaph's eyes: for all the fashion of his flesh was wasted away, and his skin blackened by the scorching sun, and drawn tight over his bones like an hide stretched over thin canes. And he wore an hair shirt, stiff and rough, from his loins to his knees, and over his shoulders there hung a coat of like sort.
同类推荐
热门推荐
品质的修养(大智慧成功方案教程)
阿克罗斯国王想让苏格拉底放弃在肮脏的雅典街头布道的生活与他回到金碧辉煌的宫殿中去住,但是苏格拉底却对国王说:“陛下,在雅典,半个便士就可以吃一顿饭,而水却一分钱也不用花!”在与一位富有的罗马人谈论有关财富的问题时,爱比克泰德表明了自己的观点,他说:“你的那些东西我根本不稀罕,而且,在你的周围有许多比我更穷的人。你有银制的器皿、豪华的别墅、华丽的衣着、精美的佩饰,但是你的理性、道义和愿望都是陶土制成的。我的大脑里装着丰富的思想,不像你那样整日无所事事,空有一个华丽的躯壳。你总认为你拥有的很少,而我拥有的对我来说却十分富足。你的欲望总是达不到,而我对一切事物的态度却十分乐观。”魔妃倾城:妖孽帝君别折腾
永生永世,他逃不过的不过一场情爱欢合的诅咒!绝世妖孽怕爬床,身为魔帝的传承,欢爱就是献祭。可看到她醉红的容颜,迷离的双眸,他双手一摊,闭上眼,喃喃叹息:死就死吧,娘子,你轻点咬……不可不知的文史知识(中国篇)
丛书以探求万事万物的知识为切入点,浓缩了读者应该知道的中外文史知识精华;以丰富的文化知识和历史资料,对人类最宝贵的精神财富逐一展开,娓娓道来;集知识性、科学性和趣味性于一体。内容包括古今中外著名作家、作品、文学人物、文体知识、神话传说、语言文字、俗语谚语、教育常识、新闻出版、称谓官衔、艺术、节日民俗、饮食、天文历法、山川地理、经济科技、邮政交通、竞技体育、历史知识等方方面面的文史知识。