And
again
he
established
many
and
countless
groups
of
monks
in
inhabited
as
well
as
in
uninhabited
places,
countless
groups
in
lowlands,
in
mountains,
in
caves,
and
in
cloisters.
From
time
to
time
he
showed
himself
as
an
example
to
them.
From
all
the
monasteries
he
took
with
him
a
few
pupils
to
retire
into
the
mountains
and
to
live
in
caves.
They
secluded
themselves
in
caverns
and
ended
the
day
by
receiving
their
daily
nourishment
from
herbs.
And
thus
they
subjected
themselves
to
painful
weakness,
having
especially
in
view
the
consolation
of
the
apostolic
word:
"When
I
am
weak
for
Christ,
I
am
strong,
"
as
well
as,
"It
is
better
that
I
glory
in
my
infirmities
so
that
the
power
of
Christ
may
rest
in
me.
"
There
they
did
not
become
drunk
with
wine,
but
were
filled
with
the
spirit
and
their
hearts
were
ever
ready
to
praise
with
hymns
the
glory
of
God.
There
they
received
training
by
reading
spiritually
instructive
books.
There
the
master
instructed
and
exhorted
the
chosen
to
go
forward
to
attain
the
crown
offered
by
Christ.
There
they
were
fired
with
God-worshipping
service.
There
they
prayed
tearfully
and
pleaded
to
God,
the
lover
of
mankind,
for
the
reconciliation
of
the
life
of
all
[men].
And
thus
he
performed
his
spiritual
art
for
many
days
in
desolate
places
until
he
received
word
from
the
priests
of
the
region
to
come
to
their
assistance
for
any
worthy
purpose
in
the
grace
of
Christ.
And
he
without
hesitation
hurried
with
his
assistants
whatever
happened
to
be
the
problem,
and
through
the
power
of
God
solved
it,
and
with
ceaseless
speech,
he
caused
the
streams
of
the
doctrine
to
flow
abundantly
in
the
hearts
of
his
hearers.
And
he
did
this
throughout
his
lifetime
for
himself
and
for
the
world.
For
all
true
teachers
earnestly
strive
to
render
their
virtues
as
examples
for
their
pupils,
especially
stressing
that
of
the
Lord,
the
only
wise
God.
"For
Jesus
began
to
work
and
to
teach.
"
He
often
took
His
disciples
aside,
and
made
His
all
powerful
person
and
example
to
imperfect
men,
when
on
Mount
Tabor
He
pronounced
the
Beatitudes
and
offered
on
the
same
mountain
the
canonical
prayer,
while
His
disciples
sailed
on
the
Sea
of
Tiberias.
And,
again,
during
the
feast
of
the
unleavened
bread,
having
secluded
himself
on
the
Mount
of
Olives,
He
offered
His
prayer
of
the
night.
Thus
it
is
evident
without
the
need
of
scrutiny
that
the
Lord
of
All
strove
not
for
Himself,
but
to
teach
the
world,
as
an
example
for
all
who
obey,
and
for
that
reason
said,
"watch
and
pray
that
ye
enter
not
into
temptation.
"
And
if
earthen
man
is
deficient
in
the
knowledge
of
the
minor
arts,
how
much
more
lacking
may
he
be
considered
in
the
art
which
enables
him
to
speak
with
God?
Thus
blessed
Paul
states
that
all
are
ignorant;
therefore,
the
omniscient
spirit
comes
to
their
aid
and
intercedes
for
them
"with
groanings
that
cannot
be
uttered.
"
Yet
when
we
hear
that
"Jesus
began
to
work
and
to
teach,
"
it
should
be
understood
that
He
worked
and
taught
and
not
as
though
He
made
a
present
[of
the
knowledge].
And
the
intercession
of
the
saints
and
the
intercession
of
the
Holy
Spirit
was
for
the
purpose
of
teaching
us,
and
is
to
be
understood
as
intercession
for
one
another,
for
Godhood
is
not
of
varying
but
of
equal
[rank].
While
the
blessed
apostles,
having
received
the
example
from
the
teacher
of
truth,
first
applied
it
to
their
imperfect
selves,
and
then
transmitted
it
to
their
disciples.
They
greatly
exalted
the
glory
of
Christ,
sometimes
in
private,
and
sometimes
by
gathering
the
people
together.
For
in
reality
it
is
far
more
useful
to
retreat
from
all
worldly
interests,
to
withdraw
one's
self
and
to
engage
only
in
the
worship
of
God,
as
had
done
the
prophets
who
in
the
mountains
and
deserts
and
in
caverns
had
devoted
themselves
to
the
service
of
the
divine
faith.
Similarly,
all
the
church
fathers
who
came
after
the
order
of
the
disciples,
endowed
as
they
were
with
piety,
served
as
examples
to
us
who
have
followed
them.
Thus
the
blessed
one
had
assumed
this
honored
tradition,
and
similarly
admonished
all
who
came
near
him
with
the
same
exhortation.
And
it
was
thus
that
they
lived
a
long
time,
richly
filled
by
the
grace
of
divine
gifts,
rising
early
in
the
morning
for
the
same
purpose,
daily,
with
perseverance.
