Mirror of the Honesty of Life

holding back the affection of the will from worldly cares, completely absolve yourself; always clinging fervently to the highest good, and keeping your memory unceasingly elevated upward through the contemplation of divine things, by tending toward the things above. Thus, your whole soul, with all its powers and strengths, collected in God, may become one spirit with him, in whom the highest perfection of life is known to consist.

Therefore, let this brief formula of your life be handed down to you, in which the sum of all perfection consists. If you study this diligently and wish to faithfully commit your affection to it, you will be blessed, and you will begin eternal happiness in this fragile body, as it were. This, my son, is the path of salvation which your Arsenius, taught by an angel, preserved and commanded to his disciples. Flee, be silent, rest; these, he says, are the principles of salvation, these the eternal wisdom to the disciple.

It is also immediately added: the fountain and origin of all good things for the spiritual man is to abide unceasingly in his cell.

Fifth, that you are not saddened or gladdened or made anxious for your friends and kin, but commit them to God and spiritual assistance; that is, spend the fruits of your prayers on them. But for yourself, count yourself crucified, and extend yourself toward the interior world, as if you were deprived of all friends.

Sixth, that you are fervent in prayers and...

Decorative paragraph marks (pilcrows) in red ink are used throughout the text to delineate these specific spiritual directives.