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Four Hundred Chapters on Love

St Maximus the Confessor, tr. Sherwood, 1955

1. The First Century

Charity is a good disposition of the soul, according to which one prefers no creature to the knowledge of God. It is impossible to attain a lasting possession of this charity if one has any attachment to earthly things.1

Charity springs from the calm of detachment, detachment from hope in God, hope from patience and long-suffering; and these from all-embracing self-mastery; self-mastery from fear of God, fear of God from faith in the Lord.2

He that has faith in the Lord fears punishment; he that fears punishment masters his passions; he that masters his passions endures hardships with patience; he that endures hardships with patience will have hope in God; hope in God separates the mind from every earthly attachment; the mind3 thus separated will have charity towards God.

He who loves God prefers knowledge of Him to all things made by Him; and by desire ceaselessly devotes himself to it.

If all things have been made by God and for God, He is nobler than all the things made by Him; he who deserts God, the incomparably nobler, and devotes himself to inferior things shows that he prefers before God the things made by Him.

He who has his mind fixed upon charity for God scorns all visible things and even his body4 as something alien.

If the soul is nobler than the body and God incomparably nobler than the world He made, he that prefers body to soul and the world to God who made it differs in no way from idolaters.

He that turns his mind from charity and constant attention towards God and binds it over to some sensible thing—this is the one that prefers body to soul and created things to God their maker.

If the life of the mind is the illumination of knowledge; and this springs from charity towards God—beautifully is it said: Nothing is greater than divine charity.5

When the mind by the burning love6 of its charity for God is out of itself,7 then it has no feeling at all for itself nor for any creatures. For, illumined by the divine and infinite light, it has no feeling for anything that is made by Him, as the eye of the senses has no perception of the stars when the sun is risen.

All the virtues help the mind towards the burning of divine love; more than them all, pure prayer. For by this winging its way to God, the mind gets outside all things.

When through charity the mind is ravished8 by divine knowledge, and, outside of creatures, has a feeling of the divine infinity,9 then, as divine Isaias explains, shocked into a sense of its own lowliness, it says with conviction the words of the prophet: Woe is me, because I am struck at heart, because, being man and having unclean lips, I live in the midst of a people with unclean lips and the king the Lord of Sabaoth I have seen with my eyes.10

He that loves God cannot help loving also every man as himself, even though the passions of those not yet purified disgust him. So then as he sees their conversion and betterment, he rejoices with a boundless and unspeakable joy.11

Impure is the impassioned soul, filled with notions of cupidity and hate.

Who sees a trace of hate in his own heart, for any fault soever, towards any man soever, is quite alien from charity towards God; because charity towards God in no way suffers hate towards man.

He that loves me, saith the Lord, will keep my commandments; and this is my commandment that you love one another.12 He therefore who does not love his neighbor does not keep the commandment. Nor is he that does not keep the commandment able to love the Lord.

Happy the man who is able to love all men equally.13

Happy the man who is attached to no corruptible or transitory thing.

Happy the mind that has gone beyond all things and delights unceasingly in the divine beauty.

He that takes forethought for the flesh in its lusts14 and, because of transitory things, bears grudges against his neighbor—such a man worships the creature instead of the Creator.15

He that keeps his body apart from pleasure and disease has it as a fellow helper in the service of better things.

He that flees all worldly desires places himself above every worldly grief.16

He that loves God most certainly also loves his neighbor. Such a man cannot keep money, but, God-like, distributes it, giving to each one in need.17

He that in imitation of God does almsdeeds knows no difference between evil and good, just and unjust, in regard to the needs of the body, but distributes equally to all according to their need, even though for his good intention he prefers the virtuous to the bad.18

God, who is by nature good and without passion, loves all alike as His handiwork; yet the virtuous He glorifies as one who for his good will is made intimate with Himself, while, because of His goodness, He shows mercy on the bad, with chastisements in this world to convert him. So also he, who by good will is good and without passion, loves all men alike—the virtuous because of his nature and good intention, the bad because of his nature and that fellow feeling which causes him to show mercy upon him as upon one without sense and wandering in darkness.

Not only by the distribution of money is a charitable intention made manifest; no, far rather by the distribution of the word of God19 and physical service of others.

He that genuinely renounces worldly affairs and unfeignedly serves his neighbor out of charity, quickly is freed from every passion and is made partaker of divine charity and knowledge.

He that has made divine charity his possession has no labor in following after the Lord his God, as the divine Jeremias says;20 rather, he bears nobly every hardship, every rebuke and insult, thinking no evil at all of anyone.

When you are insulted by someone or made of no account in some affair, then beware of angry thoughts lest by grief they remove you from charity and place you in the region of hate.21

Whenever you labor under insult or dishonor, realize that you are greatly indebted; for that dishonor, in God’s dispensation, drives vainglory out of you.22

As memory of fire does not warm the body, so faith without charity does not effect the illumination of knowledge in the soul.23

As the light of the sun draws the healthy eye to itself, so also the knowledge of God naturally by means of love attracts the pure mind to itself.24

The mind is pure which is removed from ignorance and is lit up by the divine light.

That soul is pure which is freed from passions and gladdened continually by divine charity.

A blameworthy passion is a movement of the soul contrary to nature.25

The calm of detachment is a peaceful condition of the soul in which it is with difficulty moved to vice.26

He that has by zeal obtained the fruits of charity is not moved from it, though he suffer thousands of ills. Of this let Stephen, Christ’s disciple, and those like him, persuade you; and the Savior Himself praying to the Father for His murderers and asking forgiveness of Him as for men acting in ignorance.27

If long-suffering and kindness belong to charity,28 the angry man and evildoer is clearly made alien to charity; but being alien to charity is being alien to God, since God is love.29

Do not say—so the divine Jeremias30—that you are the Lord’s temple. Nor say: Mere faith in our Lord Jesus Christ can save me. For this is ineffective unless you also possess charity for Him through good works. As to mere believing: the devils also believe and tremble.31

The work of love is the intentional doing of good to one’s neighbor and long-suffering and patience; also the use of things in due measure.

He that loves God does not grieve, nor is he grieved at anyone because of passing things; with one grief only does he grieve and is he grieved—that saving grief with which the blessed Paul was grieved and grieved the Corinthians.32

He that loves God leads an angelic life on earth, fasting and keeping watches, singing the psalter and praying, and always thinking good of every man.33

If a man desires something he of course strives to attain it. Now of all good and desirable things the divine is incomparably good and desirable. How great then is the zeal we should show so as to attain this which is of itself good and desirable!34

Do not stain your flesh with shameful actions; do not defile your soul with evil thoughts: then the peace of God will come upon you, that peace which brings charity.35

Afflict your flesh with lack of food and with vigils; give yourself unsparingly to psalmody and prayer; then holiness in chasteness will come upon you, the holiness that brings charity.36

He to whom divine knowledge is granted, and who, through charity, has attained its illumination, will never be blown about by the spirit of vainglory; but he to whom this is not yet granted is easily carried away by it. If then such a man in all that he does will look to God, as to Him for whom he does everything, he will, with His help, easily escape such a spirit.37

He that has not yet reached divine knowledge activated by charity thinks great things of his God-like doings. But he to whom it is given to attain this says with deliberation the words which the patriarch Abraham spoke when he was granted the divine manifestation: I am earth and ashes.38

He that fears the Lord has ever as his companion humility, and through its suggestions is brought to divine charity and thanksgiving. For he is mindful of his former worldly ways, of his various mistakes, of the temptations that befell him from his youth; and of how the Lord delivered him from all these things and transferred him from this life of passion to a godly life. With fear then he receives even charity and ever gives thanks in deep humility to the benefactor and director of our life.39

Do not soil your mind by tolerating thoughts of concupiscence and anger; otherwise, falling from pure prayer, you will fall in with the spirit of listlessness.40

Then does the mind lose its free openness41 with God when it indulges in evil and filthy thoughts.

When the senseless man, led by his passions, is moved and stirred up by anger, he most absurdly will strive to flee from the brethren; when at another time he is heated by concupiscence, he thinks differently and hastens to meet them. The prudent man in either case does just the opposite: in time of anger, he first cuts away the causes of disturbance and then keeps from grieving the brethren; in time of concupiscence he controls every irrational impulse and association.42

In time of temptation do not leave your monastery; but nobly bear the waves of thoughts, especially those of grief and listlessness. Thus providentially proved by tribulations you will have firm hope in God. But should you leave, you will be held discredited, effeminate, unstable.

If you wish not to fall off from God-like charity, neither allow your brother to go to sleep with grief against you, nor do you go to sleep grieved against him; but—Go, be reconciled to thy brother and come, offer to Christ with a pure conscience, in protracted prayer, the gift of charity.43

If he who has all the gifts of the Spirit, but not charity, is in no way benefited, as the divine Apostle has it:44 how great zeal should we not show so as to possess it!

If charity works no ill to one’s neighbor,45 he that envies his brother, grieves at his good name, smears his reputation with jibes, or in any way maliciously plots against him—how does he do anything but render himself alien to charity and liable to eternal judgment?

If charity is the fulfilling of the law,45 he that bears grudges against his brother, fixes pitfalls for him, and curses him and rejoices at his fall, how is he anything but a transgressor and worthy of eternal punishment?

If he that slanders his brother and judges his brother slanders and judges the law46—and the law of Christ is charity: how does the slanderer do anything but fall from the love of Christ and make himself the cause of his own eternal punishment?

Give no ear to the slanderer’s talk nor let your talk run on in the fault-finder’s hearing, by readily speaking and listening to things against your neighbor; otherwise you will fall from divine charity and be found a foreigner to eternal life.

Take no abuse offered your father nor encourage one who dishonors him, lest the Lord be angered at your deeds and destroy you from the land of the living.

Stop the mouth of him that slanders in your hearing, lest you sin doubly with him—both by accustoming yourself to this deadly vice and by not restraining him from babbling against his neighbor.

But I say to you, says the Lord, love your enemies; do good to them that hate you; pray for them that abuse you.47 Why did He command all this? That He might free you from hate, grief, anger, grudges, and that He might grant you the greatest of all possessions, perfect charity—which cannot be had except by the man who loves all men equally in imitation of God48 who loves all men equally and wills them to be saved and to come to the knowledge of truth.49

But I say to you not to resist evil; but if one strike thee on thy right cheek, turn to him also the other; and if a man will contend with thee in judgment, and take away thy coat, let go thy cloak also unto him; and whosoever will force thee one mile, go with him other two.50 Why? That He might keep you unangered, undisturbed, ungrieved; that He might chasten him through your forbearance, and, good as He is, bring you both under the yoke of charity.

Of the things that we have once experienced, we carry about with us the voluptuous images. The man that conquers these voluptuous images quite scorns the things of which they are images. In fact, the fight against memories51 is as much the more difficult than the fight against things as sinning in thought is easier than sinning in deed.

Of the passions some are of the body, some of the soul. Those of the body have their origin in the body; but those of the soul from things outside. Charity and self-control cut both of them back, the first those of the soul, the other those of the body.52

Of the passions it happens that some belong to the irascible, some to the concupiscible part of the soul. But both are moved by means of the senses. And they are then moved when the soul is separated from charity and self-control.

The passions of the irascible part of the soul are naturally harder to oppose than those of the concupiscible. Therefore a better remedy against them was given by the Lord, the command of charity.53

The rest of the passions lay hold of either the irascible part of the soul or the concupiscible only, or also of the rational, for instance, forgetfulness and ignorance; but listlessness, grasping all the powers of the soul, excites practically all the passions together. Therefore it is more burdensome than all the rest of the passions. Beautifully then the Lord has given remedy against it, saying: In your patience possess your souls.54

Never strike one of the brothers, especially not without reason, lest sometime not bearing the trial, he may go away, and you will never escape the reproof of your conscience, always bringing you grief in the time of prayer and driving your mind away from the divine familiarity.55

Have nothing to do with suspicions or people that would be the occasion of scandal for you in regard to anyone. For they that take scandal in any way from things that come to pass, intentionally or unintentionally, do not know the way of peace that leads the lovers of the knowledge of God through charity to that knowledge.

He does not yet have charity perfectly who is still moved by the dispositions of men, as when he loves one and hates another, for this reason or for that; or even, now loving now hating the same man for the same causes.

Perfect charity does not split up the one nature of men according to their various dispositions; but always looking to that nature, loves all men equally, the zealous as friends; the bad as enemies. It does them good and is patient and puts up with the things they do. It reckons no evil at all but suffers for them, if opportunity offers, in order that it may even make them friends, if possible; if not, it does not fall away from its own intention as it always manifests the fruits of equal charity for all men. Therefore too Our Lord and God Jesus Christ, manifesting His charity for us, suffered for the whole of mankind and granted equally to all the hope of resurrection, though each individual makes himself fit either for glory or for punishment.56

He who does not scorn glory and dishonor, wealth and poverty, pleasure and grief, does not yet possess perfect charity. For perfect charity does not only scorn these things, but also this passing life itself and death.

Listen to what those who have been granted perfect charity say: Who shall separate us from the charity of Christ? Shall tribulation? or distress? or persecution? or famine? or nakedness? or danger? or the sword? As it is written: For Thy sake we are put to death all the day long. We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. But in all these things we more than conquer through Him who has loved us. For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the charity of God, which is in Christ Jesus Our Lord.57

And concerning charity for our neighbor, hear again what they say: I speak the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit: that I have great sadness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I would wish myself to be anathema from Christ for my brethren, who are my kinsmen according to the flesh, who are Israelites—and the rest.58 And similarly Moses59 and the other saints.

He that does not scorn glory and pleasure, and avarice which increases them and exists because of them, cannot cut away the occasions of anger. But he who does not cut them away cannot attain perfect charity.60

Humility and the bearing of evil free a man from every sin; the one by checking the passions of the soul, the other those of the body. That he did this, the blessed David makes clear in one of his pleas to God: Look upon my humility and my labor; and forgive me all my sins.61

Through the commandments the Lord makes detached those that carry them out; through the divine doctrines He bestows on them the illumination of knowledge.

All doctrines are concerned either with God, or with things visible and invisible, or with providence and judgment in their regard.62

Alms heal the irascible part of the soul; fasting abates the concupiscible; prayer purifies the mind and prepares for the contemplation of creation. For the powers of the soul the Lord has also granted us the commandments.63

Learn of me, He says, because I am meek and humble of heart64—and the rest. Meekness keeps the temper unperturbed; humility frees the mind from arrogance and vainglory.65

There is a twofold fear of God: the one takes its rise in us from threats of punishment; because of it self-control, patience, hope in God, and detachment—and from this comes charity—are engendered in us in due order. The other is joined with charity itself and constantly produces reverence in the soul, lest because of the bold freedom of charity it come to contempt for God.66

The first fear perfect charity casts out of the soul; for the soul possessing it is no longer afraid of punishment. The second fear it always has joined with it, as was said. With the first fear the following passages agree: By the fear of the Lord every one declineth from evil. And: The beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord.67 With the second, the following: The fear of the Lord is holy, enduring for ever and ever; and: There is no want to them that fear Him.68

Put to death your members which are upon earth: fornication, uncleanness, lust, evil concupiscence, and covetousness—and the rest.69 He names the care of the flesh earth; he calls actual sinning fornication; he characterizes consent as uncleanness; passionate thoughts he names lust; the mere acceptance of the concupiscent thought evil concupiscence; the source and propagator of passion he designates as covetousness. All these things as members of the wisdom of the flesh70 the divine Apostle bids us to put to death.

First the memory brings a mere thought to the mind; and when this remains for a while, passion is roused; and when this is not removed, it sways the mind to consent; and when this is given, the actual sinning finally comes about. Therefore that wisest of Apostles, writing to gentile converts, bids them remove first of all the sinful action; then, backtracking, to end up with the cause. The cause is, as has already been said, that source and propagator of passion—covetousness. And I think here71 it signifies gluttony, which is the mother and nurse of fornication. For covetousness is not only evil as regards money, but also in regard to food; just as self-control is not only virtuous as regards food, but also as regards money.72

As a sparrow that is tied by the foot tries to fly but is dragged to the earth by the cord that holds it, so the mind that does not yet possess detachment, when it flies to knowledge of heavenly things, is drawn down by its passions and dragged to earth.

When a mind is perfectly freed from the passions, then it travels straight on to the contemplation of creatures, making its way to the knowledge of the Holy Trinity.

When the mind is pure and receives ideas of things, it is moved to a spiritual contemplation of them. But when it has become impure from sluggishness, it imagines mere ideas of other things; and getting ideas of men, it turns to bad or shameful thoughts.

When in the time of prayer no ideas of the world ever bother the mind, then know that you are not outside the bounds of detachment.

When the soul begins to feel its own good health, then it begins to look on its dreams as unperturbing, mere imaginings.

Just as the beauty of visible things draws the eyes of sense, so also the knowledge of invisible things draws the pure mind to itself. Invisible things—I mean the bodiless ones.73

It is a great thing not to be drawn by things; but it is greater by far to remain detached from the thought of them. Therefore with thoughts the demons put up a harder fight against us than with things.

He that has successfully cultivated the virtues and is enriched with knowledge, seeing things consequently clear in their nature, both does and considers everything according to right reason and is misled in no way. For from a duly reasonable or unreasonable use of things we are made either virtuous or bad.74

A sign of consummate detachment is that the ideas of things always arising in the heart, are mere thoughts, alike during the waking hours and in sleep.75

Through the doing of the commandments the mind puts off the passions; through the spiritual contemplation of the visible creation, concupiscent thoughts of things; through knowledge of the invisible creation, the contemplation of the visible; and this latter it puts off through knowledge of the Holy Trinity.76

Just as the sun when it rises and lights up the world manifests both itself and the things lit up by it, so the Sun of justice, rising upon a pure mind, manifests itself and the essences of all the things that have been and will be brought to pass by it.77

We do not know God from His being but from the magnificence of His handiwork and His providence for creation. Through these as through mirrors we perceive His infinite goodness and wisdom and power.78

The pure mind is to be found either with mere ideas of human things, or in the natural contemplation of the visible creation, or in that of the invisible, or in the light of the Holy Trinity.79

When the mind is established in contemplation of the visible creation, it examines either the natural essences of things, or the essences that they signify, or else it seeks the cause itself.

Settled in the contemplation of the invisible, it seeks both the natural reasons of these things, the cause of their production and whatever is related to these; and also what providence and judgment there is about them.

Placed in God, and inflamed with desire, it seeks first of all the grounds of His being, but finds no encouragement in what is proper to Him; for that indeed is impossible and forbidden alike to every created nature. But it does receive encouragement from His attributes—I mean to say from the things that concern His eternity, infinity, and immensity; from His goodness, wisdom, and His power that makes, governs, and judges His creatures. ‘And with regard to Him, this only is completely understandable—infinity’;80 and the very fact of knowing nothing is knowledge surpassing the mind, as the theologians Gregory and Denis have said somewhere.81

Notes

  1. Cf. Evagrius, Centuries 1.86 (Frankenberg 122): ‘Love is an exalted state of the rational soul in which it is impossible to love any thing of this world more than knowledge of God.’ Maximus has enlarged and heightened the antithesis; he has furthermore changed state to disposition, thus giving greater prominence to the gnomic quality of charity. He can, however, refer to the state of charity (Char 4.30). For the similar placing of knowledge of God as end of charity, see Char 1.4, 9, 27 and Introd. n. 389.
  2. On detachment see Introd. n. 391. This same series is repeated in the inverse order in the next chapter. Note that it contains the three theological virtues. Of hope he writes in Ep 2–396B: ‘Hope is the strength of the extremes, I mean charity and faith; through itself it indicates the trustworthy and lovable (quality) of both and teaches the contest to be made for it.’ There is an Evagrian parallel (Practicos introd.-1221BC), which however joins hope with patience and goes on from love to the gate of natural knowledge, to θεολογία and the ultimate blessedness. See also Char 1.81.
  3. The mind is reckoned as the highest part of the soul. See the division, Introd. 84. Purified, it is at home in the state of pure prayer (Char 2.61). Cf. Char 1.97; 3.97, 99 and the n. to 3.97.
  4. For this insistence in regard to one’s own body, see LA 8.
  5. Cf. 1 Cor. 13.13.
  6. Of ἔρως I have briefly spoken in the Introd. 83. It occurs in the following chapter and in Char 2.6,47,48. Cf. also Amb 48–1361A.13. The connection of ἔρως with desire is particularly marked in the passage from Amb and Char 2.48. Ἔρως and ἀγάπη are distinguished therefore, but in a human mode, as responding to desire and anger. Ἀγάπη however prevails over ἔρως and itself ‘embraces the ultimate in desire’ (Ep 2–396C). The more proper notes of ἀγάπη are its unifying power and equality.
  7. This term (ἐκδημία, a being abroad, that is, in a foreign country) occurs here and in Char 2.28; 3.20. It is used rather of the Evagrian introspection. See Introd. 89.
  8. Ravished, the term occurs again in this connection in Char 2.6 and Amb 10–1113C.1; Amb 10–1237C.4. In chapters 2 and 3 Maximus in effect elaborated the triad, faith, hope, charity, not continuing from charity to divine knowledge. Here this latter again comes to the fore; but note that knowledge effects its seizure only through charity. If charity is a means, it is not merely preparatory, but integral with the seizure.
  9. Infinity (ἀπειρία) occurs frequently in this rather special sense of the goal of contemplative effort—the limitless reaches about God rather than God Himself. The attaining of this ἀπειρία is the entrance into contemplation. In Maximus the word does not have the connotation of inexperience (likewise ἀπειρία) as Hausherr affirms for the Byzantine mystical vocabulary, OCP 2 (1936) 353: ‘In mystical vocabulary ἀπειρία might mean the oblivion of all sense impressions, the being lifted up above all concepts, and so entrance into intuitive contemplation.’ See Char 1.100; 2.27 and n. 49 of chap. I of The Earlier Ambigua.
  10. Isa. 6.5 (Sept.). Note the effect of desire and love satisfied, an access of humility. This chapter and its citation seem to terminate the first group of chapters, on love itself.
  11. This is the first chapter on fraternal charity. A bit of statistics I have given in the Introd. n. 398. It is useless to give a complete list of chapters touching on this theme. Note the extreme practical tone of this first chapter.
  12. John 14.15 (modified); 15.12.
  13. See Introd. n. 398.
  14. Cf. Rom. 13.14.
  15. Cf. Rom. 1.25.
  16. Maximus often speaks of grief in the Centuries and especially in Ep 4–413 ff. There are two griefs, according to God and worldly, as St. Paul teaches 2 Cor. 7.8 ff. It is sometimes joined with pain and so paired with pleasure, as one of the two fundamental movements of the soul in its present fallen state. See Introd. 64, 85, and Index under ‘grief.’
  17. Viller cites Evagrius, Practicos 1.9. Maximus’ tone is less absolute; both authors, of course, have monks in mind. Cf. above, n. 10.
  18. One of the more important chapters. It makes charity an imitation of God and illustrates this with a reminiscence of Matt. 5.45. The giving of alms is the equivalent of charity in our modern sense. The relative place of almsgiving is indicated in ch. 26. Maximus’ idea of charity was quite practical. Cf. Char 1.79, where almsgiving is again used where charity could stand.
  19. Word of God: this must be taken in as many senses as ways in which the divine Word has manifested Himself to us, after the manner of Origen. See Introd. 79 and n. 338.
  20. Cf. Jer. 17.16.
  21. Cf. Char 4.30.
  22. For vainglory see Char 1.46,80; 3.59–62,75,77,83,84; 4.43.
  23. Faith, charity, knowledge—the triad is of Clement of Alexandria; see Viller n. 123.
  24. Cf. Char 1.90; Viller n. 124.
  25. Cf. Char 3.71. Such a movement is illustrated in Char 2.16; 3.42. See Viller n. 56.
  26. See Introd. n. 391. All human ἀπάθεια is by γνώμη (Char 1.25). It is a state allowing the soul to develop towards God, because freed from attachments to lesser things.
  27. Cf. Luke 23.34.
  28. Cf. 1 Cor. 13.4,7.
  29. Cf. John 4.8.
  30. Cf. Jer. 7.4.
  31. James 2.19.
  32. 2 Cor. 7.8; cf. above, n. 15.
  33. The statement is universal, but the practices indicated are monastic. The very term angelic life, in fact, would be enough to indicate some form of monastic life.
  34. See Evagrius, Practicos 1.4.
  35. Peace here holds the role of ἀπάθεια. So also in Char 1.69.
  36. The phrase holiness in chasteness occurs also in LA 45–956B. Chasteness (σωφροσύνη) has an ampler connotation than is associated with the customary English equivalent, especially in its more Latin form of chastity. As peace in the preceding chapter, with which the present is in strict parallel, so chasteness is closely connected with ἀπάθεια. Cf. also soberness, LA n. 49.
  37. See Evagrius, Practicos 1.21. For other instances of vainglory see above n. 21.
  38. Gen. 18.27.
  39. Cf. Evagrius, Practicos 1.22. Maximus adds the elements of fear and thanksgiving; charity replaces ἀπάθεια.
  40. Listlessness (ἀκηδία) is a spirit of restlessness and incapacity for applying oneself to any task. See the article of Bardy in the Dict. de Spiritualité 1 (1937) 166–69. Cf. Evagrius, Practicos 1.14; Char 1.52,67.
  41. See below n. 178.
  42. This and the following chapter (1.51,52, as also 1.68) speak of a ‘fleeing’ or ‘leaving.’ In this there is great similarity with Evagrius, Practicos 1.13,19. Without question the substance of the thought is identical in both authors; the presuppositions as to the monastic milieu, however, are diverse. Pegon (83 n. 2 and 79 n. 1) would take the ἀναχώρησις of Practicos 1.13 as withdrawal from the cenobitic to a more eremitic life. It is in this sense that he would understand the ὑποχωρήσῃ of Char 1.68. However Palat. gr. 49 reads ἀποχωρήσῃ. And in fact Maximus may better be understood as speaking of withdrawal from the religious profession. Such is Combefis’ interpretation of Char 1.68.
  43. Cf. Matt. 5.24. This chapter (1.53) is the first of a series (1.53–63) explaining the Scripture commandment of charity. Thus in themselves these chapters are applicable to any Christian, and only subsequently to monks. This double interpretation fits 1.59 very well.
  44. 1 Cor. 13.1–3. The phrasing of the latter part repeats Char 1.43. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are treated largely in Thal 63–672B ff. Cf. Joseph a Spiritu Sancto, O.C.D., ‘The Seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost in Early Greek Theology’ (that is, in effect, in Maximus), Hom. and Past. Rev. 26 (1926) 820–27, 930–38. Cf. Char 4.69.
  45. Rom. 13.10. On eternal judgment cf. LA n. 79.
  46. James 4.11.
  47. Luke 6.27,28 and Matt. 5.44 (conflated).
  48. On the imitation of God see LA n. 9.
  49. 1 Tim. 2.4.
  50. Matt. 5.39–41.
  51. On the part of memory cf. Char 1.84,91; Viller n. 92.
  52. Cf. Evagrius, Practicos 1.24. I use both self-control and self-mastery to render ἐγκράτεια.
  53. Cf. Evagrius, Practicos 1.26 and De oratione 27. Char 1.66 is effectively the theme of the first part of LA.
  54. Luke 21.19. For listlessness see Char 1.41 n. 39.
  55. ‘May go away,’ see above, n. 40; ‘divine familiarity,’ see below, n. 178.
  56. Of the present group, 70–75, treating of perfect charity, this chapter is the fullest and is clearly of the same thoroughly Christian temper as the LA. Note the final reference to glory and punishment, for which each fits himself. Cf. LA n. 79; also Char 2.49; 4.16,91.
  57. Rom. 8.35–39.
  58. Ibid. 9.1–3.
  59. Cf. Exod. 32.31 f.
  60. Cf. Char 1.66.
  61. Ps. 24.18.
  62. Here the object of the five contemplations are named: God (the Holy Trinity), the invisible creation (that is the angels—see Char 1.90), the visible creation, providence, judgment. See Viller nn. 130, 132. It is above all necessary to understand these contemplations in the light of Maximus’ own doctrine; see the Introd. 39, and 87 ff., where I have seen reason to distinguish sharply between the natural contemplation and pure prayer. In the Centuries see the following: Char 1.79,96,99, 100; 2.27; 3.33.
  63. Here almsgiving and fasting take the place of the master virtues, charity and self-control.
  64. Matt. 11.29.
  65. For meekness and its role in Evagrius see Introd. 85 and nn. 363, 364. There seems to be no immediate literary dependence. On vainglory cf. Char 1.30 and n. 21.
  66. On the two fears there is the whole of Thal 10–288 ff.
  67. Prov. 15.29 and 1.7.
  68. Ps. 18.10 and 33.10.
  69. Col. 3.5.
  70. Cf. Rom. 8.6.
  71. This must refer to Col. 3.5 cited in the previous chapter.
  72. On this chapter see also Evagrius, Ep. 39 (Frankenberg 593 init.).
  73. I.e. the angels. Cf. Char 1.32; Viller n. 124; Char 1.78.
  74. Cf. Char 3.3. One must remember that though nature does have its λόγος and τρόπος, its τρόπος is often taken according to its maximum capacity, so that that is natural which fulfils the capacity of man as he was before the fall. See The Earlier Ambigua, ch. IV, 165. Thus the ascetical life may be viewed as but the removal of vices that impede the flowering of nature in its virtues (TP 28–309 f.).
  75. Evagrius, Practicos 1.36, gives the same sign. There is no immediate literary dependence.
  76. Here one θεωρία is left behind or put off to make way for the next; in Char 1.86 there is passage through one to the next. This is not a contradiction. However, if there is a continuity between the contemplations, there is equally a disjunction. This I have pointed out especially for the various contemplations and pure prayer or the summit where the soul is joined to God. See Introd. 87 f. There is no ironclad scheme; the terms, the phrases vary. See Viller nn. 133, 134.
  77. ‘Essences’=λόγους. See Amb 10–1113A. The λόγος-theme recurs in Char 1.98,99.
  78. This chapter reminds us that the distinctions of the kataphatic and apophatic theology are always valid. Our knowledge of God from contemplation of things belongs to the first category. Note the Trinitarian allusion.
  79. This is a parallel of Char 1.94.
  80. Cf. Gregory Naz., Orat. 38.7 and 45.3 (MG 36.317C and 628A).
  81. This chapter serves as conclusion to the series beginning with 85, but more especially with those dealing with the pure mind (from 94). They proceed on a different line from those devoted to perfect charity (Char 1.70–75). The accent falls again on the apophatic theology (cf. 96). It seems from the initial phrase (‘placed in God’—see also Char 2.26 (61),100; 3.97; Viller n. 7; and Amb 7–1089B) that here we have to do with the summit of the spiritual life. This life has its distinctions: natural contemplation is not pure prayer (cf. Char 2.26); yet it remains an integral whole. On infinity see Char 1.12 n. 8; also Char 3.23.

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