owliness, exercising himself in every
kind of virtue, and learning well from practice how to wrestle with the
invisible spirits of evil. From that time forward he mortified all his
sinful passions, and made the will of the flesh as subject to the
spirit as slave is to his master. He was altogether forgetful of
comforts or repose, and tyrannized over sleep as over a wicked servant.
And, in brief, such was his practice of the religious life, that
Barlaam, who had spent many years therein, marvelled at him, and failed
to equal the earnestness of his life. For he took only so much of that
coarse and cheerless food as would keep him alive; else had he died
afore his time, and forfeited the reward of his well-doing. He subdued
himself to watchings, as though he were without flesh and body. In
prayer and mental exercise his work was unceasing, and all the time of
his life was spent in spiritual and heavenly contemplation, so that not
an hour, nor even a single moment was wasted, from the day that he came
to dwell in the desert. For this is the end of monastic life, never to
be found idle in spiritual employment: and well herein did this noble
and active runner of the heavenly race order his way. And he kept his
ardour unquenched from beginning to end, ever ascending in his heart,
and going from strength to strength, and continually adding desire to
desire, and zeal to zeal, until he arrived at the bliss that he had
hoped and longed for.

XXXIX.

Thus did Barlaam and Ioasaph dwell together, rivals in the good
rivalry, apart from all anxious care and all the turmoils of life,
possessing their minds undisturbed and clear of all confusion. After
their many labours after godliness, one day Barlaam called to him his
spiritual son, whom he had begotten through the Gospel, and opened his
mouth to discourse of spiritual things, saying, "Long ago, dearly
beloved Ioasaph, was it destined that thou shouldest dwell in this
wilderness; and, in answer to my prayer for thee, Christ promised me
that I should see it before the ending of my life. I have seen my
desire: I have seen thee severed from the world and the concerns of the
world, united to Christ, thy mind never wavering, and come to the
measure of the perfection of his fulness. Now therefore as the time of
my departure is at the door, and seeing that my desire, that hath grown
with my growth and aged with my years, to be for ever with Christ, is
even now being fulfilled,