Chapter XXII.
“A certain young
man from Asia, exceedingly wealthy, of distinguished family, and having
a wife and little son, happening to have been a tribune in Egypt, and
in frequent campaigns against the Blembi to have touched on some parts
of the desert, and having also seen several tents of the saints, heard
the word of salvation from the blessed John. And he did not then delay
to show his contempt for an unprofitable military life with its vain
honor. Bravely entering into the wilderness, he in a short time became
distinguished as being perfect in every kind of virtue. Capable of
lengthened fasting, conspicuous for humility, and steadfast in faith,
he had easily obtained a reputation in the pursuit
35of virtue equal to that of the monks of
old. But by and by, the thought (proceeding from the devil) entered his
mind that it would be more proper for him to return to his native land
and be the means of saving his only son and his family along with his
wife; which surely would be more acceptable to God than if he, content
with only rescuing himself from the world, should, not without impiety,
neglect the salvation of his friends. Overcome by the plausible
appearance of that kind of spurious righteousness, the recluse, after a
period of nearly four years, forsook his cell and the end to which he
had devoted his life. But on arriving at the nearest monastery, which
was inhabited by many brethren, he made known to them, in reply to
their questionings, the reason of his departure and the object he had
in view. All of them, and especially the Abbot of that place, sought to
keep him back; but the intention he had unfortunately formed could not
be rooted out of his mind. Accordingly with an unhappy obstinacy he
went forth, and, to the grief of all, departed from the brethren. But
scarcely had he vanished from their sight, when he was taken possession
of by a demon, and vomiting bloody froth from his mouth, he began to
lacerate himself with his own teeth. Then, having been carried back to
the same monastery on the shoulders of the brethren, when the unclean
spirit could not be restrained within its walls, he was, from dire
necessity, loaded with iron fetters, being bound both in hands and
feet—a punishment not undeserved by a fugitive, inasmuch as
chains now restrained him whom faith had not restrained. At length,
after two years, having been set free from the unclean spirit by the
prayers of the saints, he immediately returned to the desert from which
he had departed. In this way he was both himself corrected and was
rendered a warning to others, that the shadow of a spurious
righteousness might neither delude any one, nor a shifting fickleness
of character induce any one, with unprofitable inconstancy, to forsake
the course on which he has once entered. And now let it suffice for you
to learn these things respecting the various operations of the Lord
which he has carried on in the persons of his servants; with the view
either of stimulating others to a like kind of conduct, or of deterring
them from particular actions. But since I have by this time fully
satisfied your ears—have, in fact, been more lengthy than I ought
to have been—do you now (upon this he addressed himself to
me)—pay me the recompense you owe, by letting us hear you, after
your usual fashion, discoursing about your friend Martin, for my
longings after this have already for a long time been strongly
excited.”
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