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292. An old man used to say, “The man who setteth death before his eyes at all times easily overcometh dejection and littleness of soul.”

293. An old man used to say, “Take heed, with all thy might, not to do anything which deserveth blame, and do not take pleasure in making thyself acceptable.”

294. Abbâ Theodore used to say, “There is no spiritual excellence so sublime [as that which consisteth in] not despising a man and treating him with contempt.”

295. An old man was asked, “How, and by what means can the soul acquire humility?” And he made answer, saying, “By examining and enquiring into its own wickednesses only.”

296. Abbâ Poemen used to say, “All the spiritual excellences have entered into this monastery, with the exception of the one without which in labour [no] man standeth”; and they asked him, saying, “Which spiritual excellence is that?” and he said, “That which maketh a man blame and despise himself.”

297. The disciple of a certain old man and Rabbâ was attacked by the lust for fornication, and he went into the world, and betrothed to himself a wife; and the old man, being greatly grieved, prayed to God, and said, “O Lord Jesus Christ, do not Thou permit Thy servant to be defiled.” And it came to pass that when he was shut up with the bride in the bedchamber he yielded up his spirit, and he was not polluted with the union of marriage.

298. An old man used to say:—“If temptation come upon a man, and attack him on all sides to such a degree that his mind falleth into despair, and he murmureth, all his friends will turn away their faces from him as if by reason of the temptation”; and he related the following story (in illustration of this statement) and said: “There was a monk in a cell, and temptation came upon him, and all his friends and beloved ones who met him refused even to salute him, and not one of them would allow him to enter into his cell. If he lacked provisions, and wanted a man to lend him some, none would lend him, and he was compelled by reason of his tribulation to go and work in the harvest field; and when he came back he did not find any bread in his cell. Now it was the custom among the holy men that every man who went to work in the harvest field should on his return eat in the church, but when that brother came on the Sabbath no man took him and gave him refreshment in the usual way, and he went to his cell, and he gave thanks unto God without complaining. Now when God saw his patient endurance, He abated the temptation in him, and straightway a man came