Said Ioasaph unto Barlaam, "This story also fitly setteth forth mine
own estate. Whence also me thinketh that thou hadst me in mind when
thou spakest it. But what is the proof whereby thou seekest to know
the steadfastness of my purpose?"
Said the elder, "I have already proved thee, and know how wise and
steadfast is thy purpose, and how truly upright is thine heart. But
the end of thy fortune shall confirm it. For this cause I bow my knees
unto our God glorified in Three Persons, the Maker of all things
visible and invisible, who verily is, and is for ever, that never had
beginning of his glorious being, nor hath end, the terrible and
almighty, the good and pitiful, that he may enlighten the eyes of thine
heart, and give thee the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the
knowledge of him, that thou mayest know what is the hope of his
calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the
Saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who
believe; that thou mayest be no more a stranger and sojourner, but a
fellow-citizen with the Saints, and of the household of God, being
built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ
our Lord himself being the chief corner-stone, in whom all the building
fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord."
Ioasaph, keenly pricked at the heart, said, "All this I too long to
learn: and I beseech thee make known to me the riches of the glory of
God, and the exceeding greatness of his power."
Barlaam said unto him, "I pray God to teach thee this, and to plant in
thy soul the knowledge of the same; since with men it is impossible
that his glory and power be told, yea, even if the tongues of all men
that now are and have ever been were combined in one. For, as saith
the Evangelist and Divine, 'No man hath seen God at any time; the only
begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared
him.' But the glory and majesty of the invisible and infinite God,
what son of earth shall skill to comprehend it, save he to whom he
himself shall reveal it, in so far as he will, as he hath revealed it,
to his Prophets and Apostles? But we learn it, so far as in us lieth,
by their teaching, and from the very nature of the world. For the
Scripture saith, 'The heavens declare the glory of God, and the
firmament sheweth his handiwork;' and, 'The invisible things of him
from the creation Of the world are clearly understood by the things
that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead.'
"Even as a man, beholding an house splendidly and skilfully builded, or
a vessel fairly framed, taketh note of the builder or workman and
marvelleth thereat, even so I that was fashioned out of nothing and
brought into being, though I cannot see the maker and provider, yet
from his harmonious and marvellous fashioning of me have come to the
knowledge of his wisdom, not to the full measure of that wisdom, but to
the full compass of my powers; yea I have seen that I was not brought
forth by chance, nor made of myself, but that he fashioned me, as it
pleased him, and set me to have dominion over his creatures, howbeit
making me lower than some; that, when I was broken, he re-created me
with a better renewal; and that he shall draw me by his divine will
from this world and place me in that other life that is endless and
eternal; and that in nothing I could withstand the might of his
providence, nor add anything to myself nor take anything away, whether
in stature or bodily form, and that I am not able to renew for myself
that which is waxen old, nor raise that which hath been destroyed. For
never was man able to accomplish aught of these things, neither king,
nor wise man, nor rich man, nor ruler, nor any other that pursueth the
tasks of men. For he saith, 'There is no king, or mighty man, that had
any other beginning of birth. For all men have one entrance into life,
and the like going out.'
"So from mine own nature, I am led by the hand to the knowledge of the
mighty working of the Creator; and at the same time I think upon the
well-ordered structure and preservation of the whole creation, how that
in itself it is subject everywhere to variableness and change, in the
world of thought by choice, whether by advance in the good, or
departure from it, in the world of sense by birth and decay, increase
and decrease, and change in quality and motion in space. And thus all
things proclaim, by voices that cannot be heard, that they were
created, and are held together, and preserved, and ever watched over by
the providence of the uncreate, unturning and unchanging God. Else how
could diverse elements have met, for the consummation of a single
world, one with another, and remained inseparable, unless some almighty
power had knit them together, and still were keeping them from
dissolution? 'For how could anything have endured, if it had not been
his will? or been preserved, if not called by him?' as saith the
Scripture.
"A ship holdeth not together without a steersman, but easily
foundereth; and a small house shall not stand without a protector. How
then could the world have subsisted for long ages, a work so great, and
so fair and wondrous,--without some glorious mighty and marvellous
steersmanship and all-wise providence? Behold the heavens, how long
they have stood, and have not been darkened: and the earth hath not
been exhausted, though she hath been bearing offspring so long. The
water-springs have not failed to gush out since they were made. The
sea, that receiveth so many rivers, hath not exceeded her measure. The
courses of Sun and Moon have not varied: the order of day and night
hath not changed. From all these objects is declared unto us the
unspeakable power and magnificence of God, witnessed by Prophets and
Apostles. But no man can fitly conceive or sound forth his glory. For
the holy Apostle, that had Christ speaking within him, after perceiving
all objects of thought and sense, still said, 'We know in part, and we
prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that
which is in part shall be done away.' Wherefore also, astonied at the
infinite riches of his wisdom and knowledge, he cried for all to
understand, 'O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge
of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding
out!'
"Now, if he, that attained unto the third heaven and heard such
unspeakable words, uttered such sentences, what man of my sort shall
have strength to look eye to eye upon the abysses of such mysteries, or
speak rightly thereof, or think meetly of the things whereof we speak,
unless the very giver of wisdom, and the amender of the unwise,
vouchsafe that power? For in his hand are we and our words, and all
prudence and knowledge of wisdom is with him. And he himself hath
given us the true understanding of the things that are; to know the
structure of the world, the working of the elements, the beginning, end
and middle of times, the changes of the solstices, the succession of
seasons, and how he hath ordered all things by measure and weight. For
he can shew his great strength at all times, and who may withstand the
power of his arm? For the whole world before him is as a little grain
of the balance, yea, as a drop of the morning dew that falleth down
upon the earth. But he hath mercy upon all; for he can do all things,
and winketh at the sins of men, because they should amend. For he
abhorreth nothing, nor turneth away from them that run unto him, he,
the only good Lord and lover of souls. Blessed be the holy name of his
glory, praised and exalted above all for ever! Amen."