Exhortation to the Newly Baptized

Cultivate quietness in your words, quietness in your deeds, likewise in your speech and your gait; and avoid impetuous vehemence. For thus the mind will remain steadfast, and, not being made turbulent by vehemence, will not grow weak and short in understanding and dim of sight; nor will it be overcome by gluttony, nor overcome by boiling anger, nor overcome by the other passions, lying ready as easy prey for them. For the mind must master the passions, seated high upon a quiet throne and looking toward God. Be in no way full of bitterness in your angers, nor sluggish in your words, nor filled with hesitation in your steps, so that a good rhythm may adorn your quietness and your bearing may appear something godlike and holy. Guard yourself also against the tokens of arrogance—a posture with the neck held high, the head lifted up, and a step delicate and lofty.

Let your words to those you meet be gentle, and your greetings sweet; let there be modesty toward women, and your gaze turned down to the earth. Speak everything circumspectly, and give to your voice what is useful, measuring your utterance to the need of those who hear, so far as it is audible, and neither escaping the hearing of those present through its smallness nor exceeding due measure by too great a shout. Take care that you never say anything you have not first considered and forethought; and do not offhand, in the midst of another's words, thrust in your own; for one must by turns listen and discourse, apportioning by time both speech and silence. Learn gladly, and teach ungrudgingly; never out of envy hide wisdom from others, nor through false shame hold back from learning. Yield to elders as to fathers; honour the servants of God; take the lead in wisdom and virtue. Be not contentious toward your friends, nor a mocker against them and a maker of jests; but firmly renounce falsehood and guile and insolence; and with fair speech bear even with the arrogant and insolent man, as becomes a meek and great-souled man.

Let everything you do—both deeds and words—be directed toward God, and refer all that is yours to Christ; and turn your soul frequently toward God, and lean your thought upon the power of Christ, as though resting in some harbour, in the divine light of the Saviour, from all chatter and action. And by day share your understanding often with men, but with God for the most part, in the night likewise and in the day; for let not much sleep get the mastery over your prayers and hymns to God, since long sleep is the rival of death. Set yourself ever as a partaker of Christ, who illumines the divine radiance from heaven; for let Christ be to you a gladness continual and unceasing.

Do not loosen the tension of your soul with feasting and the relaxation that comes of drink, but hold what is needful enough for the body. And do not hasten to food before the hour of the meal is also at hand; but let bread be your meal, and let the herbs of the earth and the ripe fruits of trees be set beside it; and go to your food calmly, showing no raging gluttony. Be neither a flesh-eater nor a wine-lover, save when some sickness leads you to this as a cure. But in place of the pleasures that are in these things, choose the gladnesses that are in divine words and hymns, supplied to you by the wisdom that is from God; and let a heavenly care ever lead you up toward heaven.

And lay aside the many cares about the body, taking courage in your hopes toward God, that He will furnish you with the necessities—sufficient nourishment unto life, and a covering for the body, and defences against the cold of winter. For the whole earth belongs to your King, and all that springs from it; and as His own members He cherishes the bodies of His servants beyond measure, as His sanctuaries and temples. For this reason, then, dread neither excessive sicknesses nor the onset of old age expected in time; for even sickness will cease, when with whole-souled purpose we do His commandments.

Knowing these things, make your soul strong also against sicknesses; take good courage, like a man best in the contests, to endure the toils with an unshaken strength. Do not let your soul be pressed too hard by grief, whether a sickness lying upon you weighs you down or some other hardship befalls; but nobly set your mind against the toils, rendering thanks to God even in the midst of painful things, since He thinks thoughts wiser than men, and such as it is not possible nor easy for men to discover. Pity those who are ill-treated, and ask for them the help that comes from God; for He will grant the favour to His friend who asks, and will furnish aid to those who are ill-treated, wishing to make His own power known to men, so that, coming to recognition of it, they may ascend toward God and enjoy the eternal blessedness, when the Son of God shall come to restore good things to His own.