Isaac of Nineveh, Mystic Treatises
SHORT SECTIONS CONTAINING VARIOUS CONSIDERATIONS IN WHICH IS SHOWN THE INJURY CAUSED BY FOOLISH ZEAL UNDER THE PRETEXT OF FEAR OF GOD AND THE PROFIT ORIGINATING IN QUIETNESS; TOGETHER WITH OTHER SUBJECTS
A zealous man will never reach peace of mind. And he that is destitute of peace is also destitute of gladness. Peace of mind is called complete health, zeal is the contrary of peace. He, therefore, that is moved by zeal suffers from a severe illness. Before thou art deemed, o man, to move thy zeal against the illness of others, thou has driven away health from thyself. Thou hast rather to bestow care upon the healing of thyself. If thou desirest however to heal the sick, know that those who are sick, are in want of nursing more than in want of vituperation. So, whilst thou doest not help others, thou vexest thyself by a severe illness. Zeal is not counted among man as a form of wisdom, but as one of the illnesses of the soul, namely a narrow mindedness and a great ignorance. The principle of divine wisdom is quietness acquired by magnanimity, and the endurance of human weaknesses. Ye, therefore, that are strong, bear the loads of the sick, and direct the transgressor in a meek spirit. The Apostle counts among the fruits of the Holy Spirit peace and patience. (Gal. 5.22)
A heart full of suffering on account of its insufficiency regarding manifest bodily labours, is the acme of all bodily labours.
Bodily labours, without mental suffering, are as a body without a soul.
He that suffers in his heart and is lax regarding his senses, is as a sick man whose body is aching and whose mouth indulges in all obnoxious kinds of food. He that suffers in his heart and is lax regarding his senses, is as a man who has an only son and?slays him with his own hands limb by limb.
Suffering of the mind is an honourable gift from God; and he that bears it together with, the duties it imposes, is as a man who bears holiness in his limbs. A man who is dominated by his tongue in all things, good and evil, is not deemed worthy of this gift.
Repentance along, with intercourse is as a pierced jar.
Blame along with a gift is a knife concealed in honey.
Chastity and intercourse with women are as a lioness and a lamb in one house.
Labours and depravity before God are as a man who slaughters a son before his father. He that is sick in his soul and directs his comrades, is as a blind man that shows the way.
Compassion and justice in one soul are as a man adoring God and idols in one house. Everywhere compassion is the enemy of justice.
Justice is the equality of the even scale which gives to every man as he deserves without deviation to any side and without any consideration of a reward for it.
Compassion is an affection which is stirred by bounty and which goes out to every one for their support. It does not repay him that has deserved evil. To him that has deserved good, it gives a double portion. If the former stands on the side of righteousness, then the latter is on the side of evil. As stubbles and fire cannot remain together in one room, so justice and compassion cannot in one soul.
As a grain of sand does not balance a load of gold, so the effect of God’s justice does not counterbalance His compassion.
As a handful of sand thrown into the ocean, so are the sins of ail flesh as compared with God’s mind.
As a fountain that flows abundantly is not dammed by a handful of earth, so the mercy of the Creator is not vanquished by the wickedness of the creatures.
As one that sows in the sea and expects that be shall reap, so is he that prays while preserving rancour.
As the flames of the fire cannot be checked from going upwards, so the prayers of the merciful cannot be checked from ascending towards heaven.
As the violence of water in a narrow place, so is the force of anger when it has found a place in our mind.
He that has humility in his heart, has become dead to the world. He that is dead to the world, is dead to affections. To him that is dead in his heart regarding his relatives, Satan is dead. He that has found envy has also found him that found it for the first time.
There is a humility that has its origin in the fear of God and there is a humility that arises through the love of God. Some people are made humble by their fear, others by their joy in Him. The former live with limbs subdued and ordered senses and in perpetual contrition of heart; the latter in full exuberance and with an exulting heart which is never checked. Love does not know bashfulness; these, therefore, do not know how to regulate or to order their limbs. Love naturally pos