The Art Of Living
Wisdom Of The Ancients

Part: 10
Two ways has God given to man.

If a man prospers more than you, do not be vexed, but pray also for him, that he may have perfect prosperity, for so it is expedient for you and if he be further exalted, be not envious of him, remembering that all flesh shall die, so offer praise to God, who gives things that are good and profitable to all men. Seek out the judgments of the Lord, and your mind will rest and be at peace.
Though a man becomes rich by evil means, be not jealous, but wait for the end of the Lord. For if he takes away from a man wealth gotten by evil means He forgives him if he repents, but the unrepentant is reserved for eternal punishment. For the poor man, if free from envy he pleases the Lord in all things, is blessed beyond all men, because he has not the travail of vain men. Put away jealousy from your souls, and love one another with uprightness of heart.
Two ways has God given to the sons of men, and two inclinations, and two kinds of action, and two modes of action, and two issues. Therefore all things are by twos, one over against the other. There are two ways of good and evil, and with these are the two inclinations in our hearts discriminating them. If the soul takes pleasure in the good inclination, all its actions are in righteousness, and if it sins, it straightaway repents, having its thoughts set upon righteousness, and casting away wickedness, it straightaway overthrows the evil, and uproots the sin. But if it inclines to the evil inclination, all its actions are in wickedness, and it drives away the good, and cleaves to the evil, and is ruled by Satan, even though he works to what is good, he perverts it to evil. For whenever it begins to do good, he forces the issue of the action into evil for him, seeing that the treasure of the inclination is filled with an evil spirit, a person then may with words help the good for the sake of the evil, yet the issue of the action leads to mischief.

There is a man who shows, those compassion upon him who serves his turn in evil and this thing has two aspects, but the whole is evil and there is a man that loves him that works evil, because he would prefer even to die in evil for his sake, and concerning this it is clear that it has two aspects, but the whole is an evil work. Though indeed he may have love, yet is the man wicked who conceals what is evil for the sake of the good name, but the end of the action tends unto evil, another steals unjustly, plunders, defrauds, and withal pities the poor, this too has a twofold aspect, but the whole is evil.

Part: 11
The Inclination of a Good Man