In a few days, after he had ended this ministry, and emptied all his
coffers, in order that the burden of his money might not hinder him
from entering in at the narrow gate, on the fortieth day after his
father's decease, and in remembrance of him, he called together all his
officers, and those who wore soldiers' attire, and of the citizens not
a few. Sitting in the front, according to custom, in the audience of
all he said, "Lo, as ye see, Abenner, my father the king, hath died
like any beggar. Neither wealth nor kingly glory, nor I his loving son,
nor any of his kith and kindred, has availed to help him, or to save
him from the sentence without reprieve. But he is gone to yonder
judgement seat, to give account of his life in this world, carrying
with him no advocate whatsoever, except his deeds, good or bad. And
the same law is ordained by nature for every man born of woman, and
there is no escape. Now, therefore, hearken unto me, friends and
brethren, people and holy heritage of the Lord, whom Christ our God
hath purchased with his own precious blood, and delivered from the
ancient error, and bondage of the adversary. Ye yourselves know my
manner of life among you; that ever since I knew Christ, and was
counted worthy to become his servant, I have hated all things, and
loved him only, and how this was my desire, to escape from the tempest
and vain tumult of the world, and commune alone with him, and in
undisturbed peace of soul serve my God and Master. But my father's
opposition held me back, and the command that biddeth us to honour our
fathers. So, by the grace and help of God, I have not laboured in vain,
nor spent these days for naught, I have brought my father nigh to
Christ, and have taught you all to know the one true God, the Lord of
all; and yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me, which
rescued me also from superstitious error, and from the worship of
idols, and freed you, O my people, from cruel captivity. So now it is
high time to fulfil the service that I promised to God; high time to
depart thitherward, where he himself shall lead me, where I may perform
my vows which I made unto him. Now, therefore, look you out a man whom
ye will, to be your leader and king; for by this time ye have been
conformed to the will of the Lord, and of his commandments nothing hath
been hidden from you. Walk ye therein; turn not aside, neither to the
right hand, nor to the left, and the God of peace be with you all!"
When all that company and the common people heard thereof, anon there
arose a clamour, an uproar, and a mighty cry and confusion, all weeping
like orphans and bewailing their loss. Lamenting bitterly, they
protested with oaths and with tears, that they would never let him go,
but would restrain him and not suffer in any wise his departure. While
the common people, and they in authority, were thus crying aloud, the
king broke in, and beckoned with his hand to the multitude and charged
them to keep silence. He declared that he gave in to their instancy,
and dismissed them still grieving, and bearing on their cheeks the
signs of sorrow. And Ioasaph did thus. There was one of the senators
first in favour with Ioasaph, a man honoured for his godliness and
dignity, Barachias by name, who, as hath been already told, when
Nachor, feigning to be Barlaam, was disputing with the philosophers,
alone was ready to stand by Nachor and fight for him, for his heart was
fired with heavenly love. Him the king took apart, and spake gently
with him, and earnestly besought him to receive the kingdom, and, in
the fear of God, to shepherd his people; in order that he himself might
take the journey that he desired.
But Barachias would put aside and reject his offer, saying, "O king,
how wrongful is thy judgement, and thy word contrary to divine command!
If thou hast learned to love thy neighbour as thyself, with what right
art thou eager to shift the burden off thy back and lay it upon mine?
If it be good to be king, keep the good to thy self: but, if it be a
stone of stumbling and rock of offence to thy soul, why put it in my
pathway and seek to trip me up?" When Ioasaph perceived that he spake
thus, and that his purpose was fixed, he ceased from communing with
him. And now, at about the dead of night, he wrote his people a
letter, full of much wisdom, expounding to them all godliness; telling
them what they should think concerning God, what life, what hymns and
what thanksgiving they should offer unto him. Next, he charged them to
receive none other than Barachias to be ruler of the kingdom. Then left
he in his bed-chamber the roll containing his letter, and, unobserved
of all, went forth from his palace. But he might not win through
undetected, for, early on the morrow, the tidings, that he was
departed, anon made commotion and mourning among the people, and, in
much haste, forth went every man for to seek him; they being minded by
all means to cut off his flight. And their zeal was not spent in vain;
for, when they had occupied all the high-ways, and encompassed all the
mountains, and surrounded the pathless ravines, they discovered him in
a watercourse, his hands uplifted to heaven, saying the prayer proper
of the Sixth Hour.
When they beheld him, they surrounded him, and besought him with team,
upbraiding him for departing from them. "But," said he, "why labour ye
in vain? No longer hope to have me to your king." Yet gave he way to
their much opposition, and turned again to his palace. And, when he had
assembled all the folk, he signified his will. Then with oath he
confirmed his word, that he would dwell with them not one day more.
"For," said he, "I have fulfilled my ministry toward you, and have
omitted naught, neither have I kept back anything that was profitable
unto you, in failing to show or teach you, testifying to all the faith
in our Lord Jesus Christ, and pointing out the paths of repentance. And
now behold I go the road that I have long time desired, and all ye
shall see my face no more. Wherefore I take you to record this day, as
saith the holy Apostle, that I am pure from the blood of you all, for I
have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God."
When they heard this, and perceived the steadfastness of his purpose,
that nothing could hinder him from his resolve, they wept like orphans
over their bereavement, but could in no wise over-persuade him. Then
did the king take that Barachias, of whom we have already spoken,
saying, "This is he, brethren, whom I appoint to be your king." And
though Barachias stoutly resisted, yet he established him, unwilling
and reluctant, upon the royal throne, and placed the diadem on his
head, and gave the kingly ring into his hand. Then he stood facing the
cast and made prayer for King Barachias, that his faith toward God
might be preserved unwavering, and that he might keep without faltering
the path of Christ's commandments. Therewith he prayed for the clergy
and all the flock, asking of God succour for them and salvation, and
all that might fitly be asked for their welfare.
Thus he prayed, and then turning said unto Barachias, "Behold, brother,
I charge thee, as the Apostle once adjured his people, 'Take heed unto
thyself, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made
thee king, to feed the Lord's people, whom he hath purchased with his
own blood.' And even as thou wast before me in the knowledge of God,
and didst serve him with a pure conscience, so now also show the more
zeal in pleasing him. For, as thou hast received of God a mighty
sovereignty, thou owest him the greater repayment. Render therefore to
thy Benefactor the debt of thanksgiving, by the keeping of his holy
commandments and by turning aside from every path whose end is
destruction. For it is with kingdoms as with ships. If one of the
sailors blunder it bringeth but small damage to the crew. But if the
steersman err, he causeth the whole ship to perish. Even so it is with
sovranty: if a subject err, he harmeth himself more than the state.
But if the king err, he causeth injury to the whole realm. Therefore,
as one that shall render strict account, if thou neglect aught of thy
duty, guard thyself with all diligence in that which is good. Hate all
pleasure that draweth into sin: for, saith the Apostle, 'Follow peace
with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.'
Consider the wheel of men's affairs, how it runneth round and round,
turning and whirling them now up, now down: and amid all its sudden
changes, keep thou unchanged a pious mind. To change with every change
of affairs betokeneth an unstable heart. But be thou steadfast, wholly
established upon that which is good. Be not lifted and vainly puffed up
because of temporal honour; but, with purified reason, understand the
nothingness of thine own nature, and the span-length and swift flight
of life here, and death the yoke-fellow of the flesh. If thou consider
these things, thou shalt not be cast into the pit of arrogance, but
shalt fear God, the true and heavenly King, and verily thou shalt be
blessed. For he saith, 'Blessed are all they that fear the Lord, and
walk in his ways,' and 'Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord: he
shall have great delight in his commandments.' And which commandments
above all shouldest thou observe? 'Blessed are the merciful, for they
shall obtain mercy,' and 'Be ye merciful, as your heavenly Father is
merciful.' For the fulfilment of this commandment, above all, is
required of them that are in high authority. And, soothly, the holder
of great authority ought to imitate the giver of that authority to the
best of his ability. And herein shall he best imitate God, by
considering that nothing is to be preferred before showing mercy. Nay,
further, nothing so surely draweth the subject to loyalty toward his
Sovereign as the grace of charity bestowed on such as need it. For the
service that cometh from fear is flattery in disguise, with the
pretence of respect cozening them that pay heed to it; and the
unwilling subject rebelleth when he findeth occasion. Whereas he that
is held by the ties of loyalty is steadfast in his obedience to the
ruling power. Wherefore be thou easy of access to all and open thine
ears unto the poor, that thou mayest find the ear of God open unto
thee. For as we are to our fellow-servants, such shall we find our
Master to us-ward. And, like as we do hear others, so shall we be
heard ourselves: and, as we see, so shall we be seen by the divine
all-seeing eye. Therefore pay we first mercy for mercy, that we may
obtain like for like.
"But hear yet another commandment, the fellow of the former; 'Forgive,
and it shall be forgiven unto you;' and 'If ye forgive not men their
trespasses, neither will your heavenly father forgive you your
trespasses.' Wherefore bear no malice against them that offend against
thee; but, when thou askest forgiveness of thy sins, forgive thyself
also them that injure thee, because forgiveness is repaid by
forgiveness, and by making peace with our fellow-servants we are
ourselves delivered from the wrath of our Master. Again, a lack of
compassion towards them that trespass against us maketh our own
trespasses unpardonable, even as thou hast heard what befell the man
that owed ten thousand talents, how, through his want of pity on his
fellow-servant, he was again required to pay all that mighty debt. So
we must take good heed lest a like fate betide us. But let us forgive
every debt, and cast all anger out of our hearts, in order that our
many debts, too, may be forgiven. Beside this, and before all things,
keep thou that good thing which is committed to thy trust, the holy
Word of faith wherein thou hast been taught and instructed. And let no
tare of heresy grow up amongst you, but preserve the heavenly seed pure
and sincere, that it may yield a manifold harvest to the master, when
he cometh to demand account of our lives, and to reward us according to
our deeds, when the righteous shall shine forth as the sun, but
darkness and everlasting shame shall cover the sinners. And now,
brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is
able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them
which are sanctified."
And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, as it is written, and
prayed again in tears. And he turned him round, and kissed Barachias,
whom he had chosen to their king, and all the officers. Then came a
scene fit, belike, to make one weep. They all crowded around him, as
though his presence meant life to them, and his departure would reave
them of their very souls; and what piteous pleading, what extravagance
of grief did they omit? They kissed him; they hung about him; they were
beside themselves for anguish of heart. "Wo is us," cried they, "for
this grievous calamity!" They called him, Master, Father, Saviour,
Benefactor. "Through thine," said they, "we learned to know God, and
were redeemed from error, and found rest from every ill. What
remaineth us after thou art gone? What evils shall not befall us?"
Thus saying, they smote upon their breasts, and bewailed the misfortune
that had overtaken them. But he with words of comfort hushed their
sobs, and promised to be with them still in the spirit though he might
no longer abide with them in the body. And when he had thus spoken, in
the sight of all he went forth from the palace. And immediately all
the people followed him. They despaired of his return; they ran from
the city, as from a sight that they could no longer endure. But when
they were outside the city, Ioasaph addressed them with sharp words,
and chode with them harshly; and so they were parted from him, and
unwillingly went home, often turning round to look on him, and
stumbling on their road. And some of the hotter spirits also followed
afar off weeping, until the shades of night parted them one from
another.