About repentance

In two books “On Repentance” (388) St. Ambrose of Milan expounds church teaching on repentance and forgiveness of sins. The Novatians understood the Church as a society exclusively of saints and did not allow leniency towards human weaknesses. The saint refutes their opinion that there is no forgiveness for especially serious sins, and proves that eternal life is promised not only to those who always keep the commandments of the Lord, “but also whoever, after the fall, will also keep them.” St. Ambrose gives pastoral and ecclesiological arguments against this approach to the sacrament of repentance, basing his polemics on the texts of Holy Scripture: 1. Hereditary sin is transmitted from parents to children in the very act of conceiving a person: “Because we all, being human beings, are born under the power of sin, and our very birth takes place in sin, as you can read the words of David: I was conceived in iniquity, and in sin my mother gave birth to me (Ps. 50:7).” (Book 1, chapter 3). 2. Although Christ took on our human flesh, His flesh had no blemish, otherwise He could not have saved other people from sin. The Savior, born of the Immaculate Virgin, was not involved in original sin, which, according to the saint, is transmitted through the act of conception (Book 1, chapter 3; Book 2, chapter 2). St. Ambrose says that the Lord offers Himself to the devil as a ransom for all people who, since the Fall, have become his debtors. 3. The Church founded by Christ Himself is a single meeting of all believers, both saints and sinners, striving for repentance and healing (Book 1, Chapter 7). The Church is the Body of Christ. Just as a body consists of different members and at the same time remains a single organism, so in the church body each of the members, no matter how small and insignificant it may be, is necessary for the entire church organism. By accepting the fallen through the sacrament of Repentance, the Church does not become defiled, but empathizes and prays for sinners. 4. Priests have the power to forgive sins, since the priestly office is a gift of the Holy Spirit: “whoever receives the Holy Spirit receives the power to forgive and forgive sins.” Heretics, not having a legal hierarchy, do not have the same right, as well as the right to perform the sacraments in general (Book 1, Chapter 2). 5. A person’s salvation depends not so much on his merits, but is accomplished freely, by virtue of Divine predestination. In addition to faith, God requires the believer to be diligent in matters of repentance and mercy (Book 2, chapter 9). There is no sin that God cannot forgive, but varying severity of sins requires varying degrees of repentance. *This publication contains a pre-revolutionary translation of Rev. I. Kharlamov was clarified by M.V. Gerasimova based on critical editions of the text of St. Ambrose. **The title of the work in Latin is De paenitentia. Contents Preface by the translator and editor About repentance Book 1 Book 2 Preface by translator and editor 1 St. Ambrose's treatise “On Repentance” (De paenitentia) was directed against the followers of the teachings of the presbyter and antipope Novatian. Novatian, disappointed at not being chosen pope after the death of Pope Fabian (236–250), led a schism in 251. A distinctive feature of his teaching was that he refused absolution to people who renounced Christ during persecution, including those who did not renounce the faith, but had false evidence of idolatry (the so-called libellatici). The position of his followers (to whom St. Ambrose primarily addresses) became even harsher: they argued that not only for apostasy, but also for grave sins in general, there is no forgiveness, and if the Church takes back the fallen, then it itself becomes desecrated and ceases to be holy. Not accepting those who rejected the faith, the Novatians called themselves pure (Latin mundi, Greek καθαροί), believing that their church was not defiled by communication with those who had stained themselves with grave sin. Subsequently, the Novatians began to accept the fallen on condition of re-baptism. In two books of his treatise, the saint refutes the unfounded interpretations of the texts of Holy Scripture that the Novatians cited in support of their teaching. St. Ambrose proves that the Church has the power to forgive sins, even the most serious ones, for this power is given to her from God, and that by accepting the fallen through the sacrament of Repentance, the Church is not defiled, but empathizes and prays for sinners. On the other hand, the author speaks not only about Divine mercy, which forgives a person’s sin, but also about the special reverent, strict disposition of spirit and reasoning befitting a repentant in order to worthily accomplish true repentance. The text “On Repentance” is also a very valuable monument, from which we can learn both about the severity of the discipline of public repentance in the early Church, and about private pastoral practice, in which the desire to encourage the penitent was combined with exactingness and firmness in condemning sin. Also in this work, the saint covers such important topics as the doctrine of original sin and its inheritance, the doctrine of Christ and salvation. The title of the treatise, which is mentioned by St. Ambrose (see: expi. ps. 37, 1. 1: De paenitentia iam dudum scripsi libellos), is confirmed by the best manuscripts. The sources of this treatise for St. Ambrose was inspired by the works of Tertullian (“On Repentance”, “On Modesty”) and St. Cyprian of Carthage (letters, “Book of the Fallen,” etc.), some excerpts from the works of Origen. The writing of the treatise should presumably be dated to 388–390. 1. 1. If the highest virtue is concern for the prosperity of many, 2 then moderation is perhaps the most beautiful of all [virtues], for it does not offend even those it condemns, and it tends to make those it condemns worthy of justification. Moreover, she alone, imitating heavenly mercy and universal redemption, opened the boundaries of the Church acquired by the blood of the Lord 3, proportionate to the goal of salvation [so that] the human ear could perceive it, the mind could not deviate, and the soul could not be afraid. 2. Anyone who seeks to correct the vices of human weakness must bear this weakness and, as it were, weigh it on his shoulders, and not throw it away. After all, the Gospel shepherd laid the lost sheep on his shoulders, and did not reject it 4 . And Solomon says: Do not be too strict (Eccl. 7:16). For righteousness must be tempered by meekness, because how can he trust in your treatment whom you despise, who thinks that he will arouse contempt from his physician rather than compassion? 3. Therefore the Lord Jesus had compassion on us, in order to call us to Himself, and not to frighten us. He came meek, he came humble 5, He says: Come to Me, all you who labor, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28). Therefore, the Lord Jesus calms, and does not drive away or reject, and He justly chose such disciples who, interpreting the Lord's will, gathered, and did not alienate, the people of God. From this it is clear that those who consider it necessary to follow cruelty instead of meekness and pride instead of humility cannot be considered disciples of Christ, and although they themselves seek the mercy of the Lord, others are denied it, as the teachers of the Novatians who call themselves “pure” 6 act. 4. What is more pride than this, if the Scripture says that no one is clean from sin, not even a child one day old? 7 And David exclaims: Cleanse me from my sin (Ps. 50:4). Are they more holy than David, from whose line Christ chose to be born in the mystery of the Incarnation; from whose offspring is the heavenly palace and the virgin womb that received the Redeemer of the world? What could be more cruel than when they indicate repentance, which is not moderated, and, denying mercy, take away even the incentive to repentance? No one can fully repent if he has no hope of forgiveness. 2. 5. However, the Novatians argue that those who have fallen from the faith should not be accepted into church communion 8 . If they had excluded only the terrible sin of sacrilege, the forgiveness of which they refused, although this would have been severe and they would have fallen into conflict with the divine commands, it would have been consistent with their own statements. For the Lord, while forgiving all sins, did not exclude any sin. But when, according to a certain custom of the Stoics, they believe that all sins should be measured with an equal measure, and they equally recognize forever as unworthy of the heavenly sacraments 9 and equal among themselves both the one who, as they say, strangled the rooster, and the one who strangled the father, then how do they present them as equally guilty, while they themselves cannot deny that it is very unjust for the punishment of the few to be extended to the many? 6. But they say that they honor God by giving Him alone the power to forgive sins. However, on the contrary, no one commits greater iniquity than those who seek to disregard His commands and return the gift given. And since the Lord Himself said in the Gospel: Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive, they will be forgiven; on whom you leave, they will remain (John 20:22-23), but who honors God more: the one who obeys His commandments, or the one who resists? 7. The Church remains obedient in both ways: it both forsakes sin and forgives it. Heresy, unmerciful in one way, disobedient in another, wants to leave what it does not let go of, and does not want to let go of what it has left behind. For which he condemns himself with his own judgment, for the Lord, Who equally allowed both to forgive sins and to forgive, wanted the right to both forgive and forgive sins to be equal. Therefore, he who does not have the power to forgive does not have the power to forgive. Just as, according to the word of the Lord, he who has the power to forgive also has the power to forgive, so the claim [of the Novatians] refutes itself by the fact that if they deny themselves the right to forgive sins, they must also renounce the power to forsake. How can one be permissible and the other not? For those who are given both possibilities, it is obvious: either both are permissible, or, undoubtedly, both are impermissible. The church is allowed both, but heresy is not allowed to do either, since this right is given only to priests 10. But the Church rightly claims this, having true priests, but heresy cannot claim this, not having servants of God. And by the fact that she does not claim, she proclaims about herself that she does not have priests, then she should not claim priestly power for herself. Thus, in shameless persistence, we notice a shameful [for them] recognition. 8. It should also be noted that the one who receives the Holy Spirit also receives the power to forgive and forgive sins. For thus it is written: Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive, they will be forgiven; On whomever you leave it, it will remain on him (John 20:22–23). Therefore, one who cannot forgive sin does not have the Holy Spirit. After all, the priestly ministry is a gift of the Holy Spirit, and the power of the Holy Spirit is to forgive and forgive sins. Why then do they demand for themselves the gift of Him whose right and authority they doubt? 9. And how arrogant are they? While the Spirit of God is more inclined to mercy than to severity, they do not want what He says He wants, and what He does not want, they do, however, it is the work of the judge to punish, and to release the one who is merciful. So, O Novatian 11, it would be better for you to let go than to leave; after all, in the latter case, you assume [power] to yourself out of [excessive] severity towards the guilty one, and in the first, you would grant forgiveness out of compassion for the misfortune of [the sinner]. 3. 10. However, they say that, having excluded the more serious sins, they give remission to the lighter ones. But this is not what the founder of your error meant, Novatian, who believed that no one should be given the opportunity to repent, apparently based on the reasoning, so as not to bind what he himself could not let go, so that by abandoning [sins] he would not give reason to hope for forgiveness. Consequently, you yourself condemn your father, making a distinction between those sins that you believe can be forgiven by you and those that you consider incurable. But God makes no distinction, Who promised His mercy to everyone and gave His priests, without any exception, the power to forgive sins. However, he who has increased his guilt, let him also increase his repentance, for more serious crimes are washed away with more bitter tears. So, neither Novatian, who refused forgiveness to everyone, nor you, his disciples, who are both imitators and blasphemers of him, deserve approval, because you reduce the desire for repentance where it should be promoted, because the mercy of Christ has taught more serious sins to be supported more firmly. 11. How absurd is it that you arrogate to yourself the right to forgive sins that can be forgiven, but, as you yourself say, you leave to God those that cannot be forgiven? This means choosing acts of forgiveness for yourself, while leaving God a reason for punishment. And where [you] have the following: God is faithful, but every man is a liar, as it is written: Thou art righteous in Thy words, and thou shalt prevail in Thy judgment (Rom. 3:4; Ps. 50:6)? And so that we recognize that God is more inclined to mercy than unchangeable in severity, He says about Himself: I want mercy, not sacrifice (Hos. 6:6). How can your sacrifice be pleasing to God if you deny mercy, although He Himself says that He does not want the death of the sinner, but his correction? 12 12. Interpreting these words, the apostle says that God sent His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh, so that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us (Rom. 8:3-4). He does not say “in the likeness of the flesh,” for Christ took on true flesh, and not likeness; and not “in the likeness of sin,” for He did not create sin (1 Peter 2:22), but became sin for us 13 . But Christ came in the likeness of sinful flesh, that is, he took on the likeness of sinful flesh. Because “likeness” is written: And man is; and who can know him (Jer. 17:9)? He was man in the flesh according to man, so that he could be known; in strength He is higher than man and unknowable. So, He also had our flesh, but did not have the vices of this flesh. 13. For He was not, like all people, born from the union of a man and a woman, but, having been born of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin, He received an immaculate body, which not only was not stained by any vice, but was not darkened by the lawless union of birth or conception. Because we all, being people, are born under the power of sin, and our very birth takes place in sin, as you can read the words of David: I was conceived in iniquity, and in sin my mother gave birth to me (Ps. 50:7). Therefore, Paul's flesh was the “body of death,” as he himself says: Who will deliver me from this body of death (Rom. 7:24)? Christ's flesh condemned sin, which He did not know at birth and which He nailed to the cross in death, so that in our flesh there would be justification by grace where before there was defilement due to guilt 14 . 14. What can we say to this (Rom. 8:31), except for these apostolic words: If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who will accuse God's elect? God justifies them. Who is judging? Christ Jesus died, but also rose again: He is also at the right hand of God, and He intercedes for us (Rom. 8:31–34). This means that for whom Christ intercedes, Novatian accuses them. Those whom Christ redeemed for salvation, Novatian condemns to death. To whom Christ says: Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me: for I am meek (Matthew 11:29), to those Novatian says: I am not meek. To whom Christ says: And you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light (Matthew 11:29-30), on those Novatian imposes a heavy burden and a harsh yoke. 4. 15. Perhaps this sufficiently shows how inclined the Lord Jesus Christ is to mercy, however, let Him Himself teach you, saying when He wants to instruct us about the hardships of persecution: And do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but fear Him more who is able to cast both soul and body into Gehenna (Matthew 10:28). And below: Whoever confesses Me before men, him will I also confess before My Father in Heaven; but whoever denies Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father in heaven (Matthew 10:32–33). 16. When He confesses, He confesses everyone, He embraces everyone; when he renounces, he does not renounce everyone. After all, as He says above: Whoever confesses Me, I will also confess him, that is, everyone; therefore, below He could also say this: “whoever denies Me before men.” However, so that it does not seem that He is rejecting everyone, He adds: And whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him. He promises mercy to everyone, but does not threaten everyone with punishment. And He increases His compassion, but moderates His vengeance. 17. And so it is written not only in the book that is called the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew, but you can also read in the one that is written according to Luke, so that you know that it is not in vain that both of them mention this 15. 18. We have said exactly what is written; let's think about the meaning of this. “Everyone,” he says, “who confesses Me, that is, no matter what life and no matter the position of the one who confesses Me, will have Me as a rewarder for his confession. When everyone speaks, then not one of those who confess is deprived of reward. However, in the same way, everyone who renounces will be rejected; after all, it may happen that another, overcome by torment, renounces in words, but honors God in his heart. 19. Is it the same reason for the one who voluntarily renounces and for the one who is persuaded to sacrilege by torment, and not [his own] will? It is outrageous to believe that although the dignity of achievement matters to people, it does not matter to God! Because it often happens in the world during an athletic competition that a crowd of spectators awards a wreath, along with the winners, even to the losers whose performance they liked, especially to those whom they saw deprived of victory due to treachery and deceit. And Christ, having seen that His ascetics for a short time succumbed to severe torment, will He allow them to remain without forgiveness? 20. Will not the labors be counted by the One who does not reject forever those whom he rejects? For David says: God will not reject forever (Ps. 77:8); and we will listen to how heresy says to this: “he will reject forever”? Not completely, - the prophet exclaims, - will His mercy be cut off from generation to generation, or will God forget to have mercy (Ps. 77:9-10) 16 - and there are those who attribute some kind of forgetfulness to divine mercy? 5. 21. However, [the Novatians] say that they affirm this so that it would not seem that they make God changeable if He forgives those with whom He was previously angry. What's next? Will we reject divine prophecies and follow their opinions? But God should not be judged by the statements of others, but by His own words. What more obvious example of His mercy can we give than the one when, being angry, He Himself, through the prophet Hosea, threatened those to whom He was immediately reconciled and was merciful? For He says: What will I do to you, Ephraim, or what will I do to you, Judah (Hos. 6:4)? And below: What will I do with you? Will I do to you as I did to Adam and as to Zeboim (Hos. 11:8)? Even indignant, He, as if under the influence of fatherly love, hesitates on how to punish the lost. And although the Jew deserves it, 17 yet God still thinks in Himself. But then He said: Shall I do to you as I did to Adam and as I did to Seboi? - these are two cities that, due to their proximity to Sodom, shared a common disastrous lot with their neighbors. “My heart has turned,” He says, “in itself, all My pity has kindled.” I will not do it according to the fury of My wrath (Hosea 11:8-9). 22. Isn’t it obvious that the Lord Jesus is angry with us who sin in order to convert us through the fear of His wrath? Therefore, His anger is not an execution of vengeance, but rather an action for our forgiveness. After all, this is what He said: When you return and breathe, then you will be saved (Is. 30:15). This means that He is waiting for our sighs, but temporary ones, in order to deliver us from the eternal ones; waits for our tears to pour out His mercy. So in the Gospel, compassionate with the tears of the widow, He raised her son 18. He is waiting for our conversion, so that He Himself may turn to [the bestowal of] grace, which would always abide in us if no fall had crept into us. But since we incur enmity upon ourselves by our sins, God becomes angry in order to humble us. And He humbles us so that we are more worthy of compassion than punishment. 23. Let the prophet Jeremiah teach you, saying: For the Lord does not forsake forever, for, although He humbles, He has mercy according to the abundance of His mercy. Who did not humble with all his heart and reject the sons of men (Lam. 3:31-33). This is what we read in the Lamentations of Jeremiah, and from these and other subsequent verses we understand well that for this purpose He humbles under His feet all who are bound to the earth (Lamentations 3:34), so that we may escape His judgment. But he does not with all his heart humble every sinner to the ground, because even from the ground He raises the helpless and from the dust of the poor 19; and does not humble Him with all his heart, leaving for Himself the possibility of mercy. 24. So, if he does not humble every sinner with all his heart, how much more does he not humble him with all his heart who has sinned not with all his heart! For as He said about the Jews: This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me (Matthew 15:8), then perhaps He would say about some of the fallen: “They rejected Me with their mouth, but in their heart they remain with Me.” They were overcome by torment, but not seduced by treachery. Therefore, it is in vain that some refuse mercy to those whose faith the persecutor realized to such an extent that he sought to suppress it with torment. They denied once, but they confess every day. They renounce with words, but they confess with groans, they confess with sobs, they confess with tears, they confess with a free voice, without coercion. Although they yielded to the devil's temptation for a time, then even the devil himself retreated from them, not having the power to appropriate them to himself. He retreated before their crying, he retreated before their repentance. Those whom he possessed when they were strangers, he lost when they were his. 25. Isn't this like when someone leads a captive people away from a defeated city? They lead a captive, but the one who is driven by force goes against his will to a foreign land, but does not change his heartfelt affection, carries the fatherland with him in his soul and looks for any opportunity to return. What's next? When such a captive returns, then will anyone argue that there is no need to accept him, that is, [will] show him less honor, being more careful not to offend the enemy in any way? If you forgive the armed man who could fight back, then why don’t you forgive the one in whom only faith fought? 26. If we ask the opinion of the devil himself about such fallen ones, we will undoubtedly find that he says about them: “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. How is he with me who does not depart from Christ? It is in vain that those who preserve Christ’s teaching seem to revere me, but I thought that they were teaching mine. They reject me even more when they refuse something they agreed to. Surely Jesus is more glorified in them when he receives them back. All the angels rejoice, for there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who do not need to repent (Luke 15:7). I am deprived of triumph both in heaven and on earth. Christ loses nothing when those who came to me weeping return to the Church of their own free will. Because of their example, I even risk my own, who have realized that there is nothing here where people are attracted only by temporary rewards, and much more where groans, tears and fasting are preferred to my feasts.” 6. 27. And do you, Novatians, exclude such people? After all, what does it mean to exclude other than to deny the hope of forgiveness? And the Samaritan 20 did not pass by the barely alive man abandoned by the robbers, but cleansed his wounds with oil and wine, first pouring in oil to soften 21 and put him, wounded, on his donkey, on which he carried all his sins 22 . Likewise, the shepherd did not neglect the lost sheep 23. 28. But you say: Do not touch Me (John 20:17). Wanting to justify yourself, you say: “This is not our neighbor,” you are prouder than that lawyer who wanted to tempt Christ 24 . After all, he said: And who is my neighbor (Luke 10:29)? 25 He asks, are you rejecting, walking away like that priest or like the Levite, passing by the one whom you should have taken into your care 26 . And you do not receive in an inn the one for whom Christ paid two coins, for whom Christ commands you to become a neighbor 27 so that it would be easier for you to treat him with mercy 28 . For your neighbor is someone with whom you were united not by similar nature, but by charity. You are alienated from him through pride, recklessly puffed up with your carnal mind and not holding fast to the Head ( Col. 2:18–19 ); for if you had kept to Chapter 29, you would have learned that you should not reject him for whom Christ died (Rom. 14:15). If you had held on to the Head, you would have learned that the whole body, rather than by division, but by union through the bonds of love and the redemption of the sinner, grows with the stature of God 30 . 29. When you take away all the fruit of repentance, do you say something other than this: “Let none of the wounded enter our inn; Let no one be healed in our Church; We don’t take care of the sick; we are healthy, we do not need a doctor, because the Lord Himself says: Those who are healthy do not need a doctor, but those who are sick (Matthew 9:12)? 31". 7. 30. I, Lord Jesus, have come entirely to Thy Church, but Novatian 32 rejects the invitation. Novatian says: “I bought a team of oxen” 33, not accepting the good yoke 34 of Christ and imposing on myself a heavy burden that I cannot bear 35. Novatian seized Thy servants who called him and, having insulted them, killed them 36 , desecrating them with the shame of secondary baptism 37 . So, send to the crossroads and gather the good and the evil, bring into Your Church the crippled, the blind, and the lame 38 . Command that Your house be filled, bring everyone to Your Supper, for You will make those whom You have called worthy of it, if they follow. He is truly rejected who does not have the wedding garment, 39 that is, the robe of love and the covering of grace. Let's go, I repeat, call all 40. 31. Thy Church does not refuse Thy Supper; only Novatian refuses. Your family does not say: “I am healthy, I do not need a doctor,” but cries out: Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; save me, and I will be saved (Jer. 17:14). Finally, the image of Your Church appears in that woman who came up from behind and touched the hem of Your garment, saying to herself: If I only touch His garment, I will be healed (Matthew 9:20–21) 41. This Church acknowledges its wounds, this Church desires to be healed. 32. And You, Lord, want to heal everyone, but not everyone wants to be healed. Novatian, who considers himself healthy, does not want this. You, Lord, call Yourself sick and experience our weakness at the slightest, exclaiming: I was sick, and you visited Me (Matthew 25:36). Novatian cannot visit that “smallest” one in whom You wish to be visited. You say to Peter, who did not allow You to wash his feet: If I do not wash your feet, you will have no part with Me 42. So what part can these have with You who do not accept the keys of the Kingdom, denying their duty to forgive sins? 33. And rightly they admit this, for those who do not have the throne of Peter do not have the inheritance of Petrov, tearing it apart by wicked division 43. But what is daring is that they claim that even in the Church it is impossible to forgive sins, although it was said to Peter: And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven (Matthew 16:19); although the vessel itself, chosen by God 44, also says: And whomever you forgive for anything, I also forgive him; for what I have forgiven, I have forgiven for you on behalf of Christ (2 Cor. 2:10). So why do they read Paul if they believe that he was so criminally mistaken that he arrogated to himself the right of his Lord? But Paul accepted what was due, and did not appropriate what was not due. 8. 34. The Lord wants His disciples to be able to do many things, 45 He wants His servants to do in His name what He Himself did while on earth. He even says: “And you will do greater things than these” 46. He gave them the power to raise the dead 47, and although He Himself could restore Saul’s ability to see, he sent him to Ananias, His disciple, so that through his blessing the sight that Saul had lost would again become clear. He also commanded Peter to walk with Him on the sea, and since Peter hesitated, he immediately reproached him for diminishing the gift of grace with his lack of faith. Christ also granted the disciples to be the light of the world 50 by grace, just as He Himself was the light of the world 51 . And since He Himself had to descend from heaven and ascend into heaven 52, He carried Elijah into heaven, from where in due time He would return him to earth 53. Also having the intention of baptizing with the Holy Spirit and fire, He, through John, introduced the sacrament of baptism 54. 35. Finally, the Lord gave everything to His disciples, about whom He says: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will take snakes; and if they drink anything deadly, it will not harm them; They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover (Mark 16:17–18). So, He has given them everything, and there is no human power over those in whom the grace of the divine gift operates. 36. Why then do you lay on your hands and count it as an effect of this blessing if some sick person by chance gets well? Why do you expect that through you someone can be cleansed of the devil's filth? 55 Why do you baptize if you cannot forgive sins through a person? In baptism, of course, forgiveness of all sins is given. So what difference does it make whether priests appropriate this right to themselves through repentance or through immersion in the font? In both cases there is one service. 37. But you say that this happens because the grace of the sacrament operates in baptism. What about repentance? Is it not the name of God that acts? 56 So what? Where do you want to appropriate God’s grace for yourself, and where do you want to reject it? But this is a matter of arrogant arrogance, and not of holy fear, that those who want to repent are despised among you. Of course, you cannot bear the tears of those who cry; Your eyes cannot bear the wretched clothes and unsightly appearance of the petitioners, with a proud look and an arrogant heart, “my pampered ones” 57, each of you says in an indignant voice: “Do not touch me, for I am pure.” 38. Although the Lord said to Mary Magdalene: Touch me not (John 20:17), he did not say: “For I am pure,” Who was pure. And you, Novatian, dare to call yourself pure? Even if you were pure by your deeds, you would become unclean with this single word. Isaiah says: O I am wretched and tormented at heart, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people who also have unclean lips (Isaiah 6:5). And you say, “I am clean,” although I am unclean, as it is written, and a child one day old? 58 David says: And cleanse me from my sin (Ps. 50:4), although the grace of the Lord often justified him as a particularly merciful person. Are you pure, although you are so unjust that you have no compassion and, seeing the speck in your brother’s eye, do not notice the beam in your own eye? 59 For everyone who is unjust is unclean before God. What is more unrighteous than that you want your sins to be forgiven, although you yourself believe that the one who asks you cannot forgive them? 60 What is more unrighteous than this, that you justify yourself in something of which you condemn another, although you commit more serious sins? 61 39. Finally, intending to accomplish the remission of our sins, the Lord Jesus said to John: I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me? - answered: Leave it now, for this is how it becomes for us to fulfill all righteousness (Matthew 3:14-15). And the Lord came to the sinner, although He Himself had no sin, and He who did not need cleansing wanted to be baptized. So who can tolerate you, who consider it unnecessary to cleanse yourself by repentance, because you say that you are cleansed by grace, as if it were no longer possible for you to sin? 9. 40. But they will say: “It is written that if man sins against man, they will pray to God for him; If a person sins against the Lord, who will pray for him (1 Samuel 2:25)? Firstly, as I said above 62, I would then allow this objection of yours if you denied repentance only to apostates. However, what concern can this issue cause? For it is not written: “no one will pray for him,” but who will pray, that is, the question is asked who in such a case could pray, and the possibility of this is not excluded. 41. Finally, in the fourteenth psalm you have the words: Lord, who will live in your booth? Or who will abide in Your holy place (Ps. 14:1)? After all, it is not said that no one will live, but the pious one will live, and it does not say that no one will remain, but the chosen one will remain. So that you know that this is true, a little later in Psalm twenty-three David says: Who will ascend to the mountain of the Lord, or who will stand in His holy place (Ps. 23:3)? That is, not just anyone from the crowd and not someone from the lower strata of society, but a person of outstanding life and exceptional merit. And so that you know that the word “who” does not mean “no one,” but it means “someone,” David said, “Who will ascend to the mountain of the Lord?” - adds: Innocent in hands and pure in heart, who did not accept his soul in vanity (Ps. 23:4), and in another place: Who is wise and understands this (Hos. 14:10)? Does he say that no one will understand? The Gospel also says: Who is the faithful and prudent steward, whom the master appointed over his servants to distribute to them in due season a measure of bread (Luke 12:42)? And so that you understand what the Lord said about the one who, of course, exists, and not about the one who does not, He added: Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, finds doing so (Luke 12:43). I also understand these words: God, who is like You (Ps. 82:2)? This does not mean that no one, for the Son is the Image of the Father 63. 42. The words must be understood in a similar way: who will pray for him? That is: a person of exceptional life must pray for someone who has sinned against the Lord. The more serious the sin, the more significant prayer help you need to resort to. For it was not one of the common people who prayed for the Jewish people, but Moses, when the people, having forgotten faith, bowed to the head of the calf 64. Did Moses make a mistake in this? Of course, he did not sin, for what he prayed for, he deserved and received. And what could such love not ask for when he offered himself to God instead of the people, saying: Now if you forgive them their sin, forgive; if not, then blot me out from Your book, in which You wrote (Ex. 32:31-32)? You see that he does not care about himself, like a cautious intercessor or a person afraid of causing displeasure - which Novatian, who himself says, is afraid of - but Moses was more mindful of others and did not remember about himself and was not afraid to anger [God], in order to protect the people and free them from danger. 43. So, it is rightly written: who will pray for him? That is, such as Moses was, who offered himself to God instead of those who sinned, as Jeremiah was: although this prophet was told by God: You do not ask for this people (Jer. 7:16), but he prayed and asked for forgiveness. Finally, softened by the intercession and prayer of such a prophet, the Lord turns to Jerusalem, for this city also brought repentance for its sins, exclaiming: Lord Almighty, God of Israel! The oppressed soul and despondent spirit cries out to You: hear, O Lord, and have mercy (Bar.3.1-2), and commands you to take off the clothes of sorrow and leave repentant crying. So it is written at the end of the book: Take off, O Jerusalem, the garment of your weeping and bitterness, and put on the splendor of glory, which is from God to you forever (Bar.5:1) 65. 10. 44. These are the kind of prayer books that you need to look for in case of great sins, for if one of the people prays, they will not be heard. 45. From which it follows that your judgment, which you derive from the following words in the epistle of John, could not add any weight: If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin that does not lead to death, then let him pray, and God will give him life, that is, the one who sins a sin that does not lead to death. There is a sin leading to death: I do not mean that he should pray (1 John 5:16). After all, this was not said to Moses and Jeremiah, but to the people who were supposed to call on another man of prayer for their sins; a people for whom it is enough that they themselves pray to God for minor offenses, and entrust the forgiveness of the gravest ones to the prayers of the righteous. After all, how could John say that one cannot pray for a grave sin if he read that Moses prayed and begged where there was a voluntary apostasy [from God], if he knew that Jeremiah also prayed? 46. ​​And how could John say that one should not pray for mortal sin, when he himself wrote in Revelation that the Angel of the Church of Pergamon was commanded: You have there those who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to lead the children of Israel into temptation, so that they would eat things sacrificed to idols and commit fornication. So you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Likewise, repent, however, I will come to you (Rev. 2:14–16) 66. Do you see that God requires repentance in order to promise forgiveness? Then He says about this: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches: To him who overcomes I will give manna to eat (Rev. 2:17). 47. Didn’t John himself know that Saint Stephen prayed for his persecutors, who could not tolerate the name of Christ, speaking of those very ones who stoned him: Lord, do not hold this sin against them (Acts 7:60). We see the effect of this prayer on the Apostle Paul. After all, Paul, who guarded the clothes of those beating Stephen, a little later by the grace of Christ became an apostle, having previously been a persecutor 67 . 11. 48. So, speaking about the 68th conciliar letter of John, let's examine whether what he writes in the Gospel is similar to your interpretation: The Lord said: God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16). When you want to restore a fallen one, do you encourage him to believe or not to believe? Of course, so that he believes. But the believer, according to the Lord, will have eternal life. So, how do you prohibit praying for someone who has eternal life? After all, faith is [a gift] of God's grace, as the apostle teaches about various gifts, 69 that faith is given to others by the same Spirit (1 Cor. 12:9). And the disciples cry to the Lord: increase our faith (Luke 17:5). So whoever has faith has life; and whoever has life is, of course, not deprived of forgiveness, for the Lord says: So that whoever believes in Him will not perish (John 3:16). Since everyone is said, no one is excluded or taken away. For the Lord does not exclude the one who has fallen, if only after that he fully believes. 49. We know that very many were strengthened after falling away and suffered for the name of God. We cannot exclude from the number of martyrs those whom the Lord Jesus Christ did not exclude. Do we dare to say that life has not been restored to those to whom Christ returned the crown? 70 Therefore, just as after the fall of many, if they endure suffering, the crown is returned, so faith is returned if they believe. This faith is a gift of God, as it is written: For it has been given to you for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him (Phil. 1:29). Can anyone who has the gift of God not have forgiveness? 50. But this grace is not one, but twofold, so that everyone who believes will also suffer for the Lord Jesus. Thus, the one who believes has his own grace, but has another if his faith is crowned with suffering. For even Peter, before he suffered, was not without grace, but after suffering he acquired another. And very many who did not have the grace to suffer for Jesus, nevertheless had the grace to believe in Him. 51. Therefore it is said: So that whoever believes in Him will not perish. Anyone - that is, no matter what position he may be and no matter how he has fallen - if he believes, let him not fear destruction. For it may happen that a traveler going from Jerusalem to Jericho 71, that is, who has fallen away from martyrdom to the passions of this life and temporary pleasures, wounded by robbers, that is, persecutors, and left barely alive, will be found by that evangelical Samaritan, the Guardian of our souls (for a Samaritan means a guardian 72 and will not pass by, but will take care of him and heal him. 52. It is possible, finally, that He does not pass by the traveler because He recognizes in him some capacity for life, thanks to which he can get back on his feet. Don't you think that the fallen is not completely dead if faith breathes something alive? 73 He who has denied God with all his heart is dead. Whoever, not from the depths of his soul, but under the influence of torment, for a time renounces Him, is not completely dead. And if he is dead, then why do you order him to repent if he can no longer be healed? If it is not completely dead, then pour on oil, and not just wine without oil, but something that both softens and burns. Put him on your donkey, entrust him to the innkeeper, give him two coins for his treatment, be his neighbor. But you cannot be a neighbor if you do not show mercy; because only one who heals and not kills can be called a neighbor. If you want to be called a neighbor, Christ says to you: Go and do the same (Luke 10:37). 12. 53. Consider a similar text: He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not believe in the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. (John 3:36) What remains, of course, has already begun, and began from some sin, due to previous unbelief. When a person believes, the wrath of God subsides and life comes. So, faith in Christ is the acquisition of life; for he who believes in Him is not condemned (John 3:18). 54. But regarding this passage they object that he who believes in Christ must keep His words. After all, they say that the words of the Lord are written like this: I brought light into the world, so that whoever believes in Me would not remain in darkness. And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him (John 12:46–47). Christ does not judge, but you judge? He says: so that everyone who believes in Me does not remain in darkness, that is, although he was in darkness, let him not remain in it, let him get rid of error, correct his sin and keep My commandments. For I said: “I do not want the death of the sinner, but conversion” 74. And as I said above: “He who believes in Me is not condemned.” And I keep this word, for I did not come to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Me (John 3:17). I forgive willingly, I quickly bow to mercy, for I want mercy, not sacrifice (Hos. 6:6), because the righteous is adorned by sacrifice, but the sinner is redeemed by mercy. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners (Matthew 9:13). In the Law there is sacrifice, in the Gospel there is mercy: “The Law was given through Moses (John 1:17), and through Me grace.” What could be more obvious than this? 55. Finally, and further He says: He who rejects Me and does not accept My words has a judge for himself (John 12:48). Does it really seem to you that those who have not corrected themselves accept the words of Christ? Of course he doesn't accept it. This means that he who corrects himself accepts His word; for His word is, that everyone should turn away from sin. Therefore, you must either reject these words of His, or, if you cannot deny them, agree with them. 56. But the commandments of the Lord must also be kept by those who have stopped sinning and renounced sins. So, you should not interpret it as if this were said about one who always keeps the commandments; after all, if the Lord had meant this, he would have added “always.” By the fact that He did not add this, He announced the one who would preserve what he heard. He heard in order to correct sin, and kept what he heard. 57. And how cruel it is to condemn to eternal torment one who has returned to keeping the commandments of the Lord, let Him Himself teach you, because He did not deprive forgiveness even of those who do not keep His commandments, as it is written in the Book of Psalms: If they break My statutes and do not keep My commandments, I will visit their iniquity with a rod and their iniquity with blows; But I will not take My mercy from them (Ps. 89:32–34) 75. So, He promises mercy to everyone. 58. But lest you think that this is mercy without judgment, there is a difference between those who maintain constant obedience to the heavenly commands, and those who once fell, either by mistake or by necessity. But lest you think that with our reasoning we are reinterpreting Christ’s command, listen, here He says: “If a slave knew and did not fulfill the will of the master, he will be beaten a lot, but if he did not know, he will be beaten less” 76 . So, both will be accepted if only they believe, for God punishes every son whom he accepts (Heb. 12:6). And whomever he punishes, he does not put to death, for it is written: While punishing, the Lord taught me, but he did not put me to death (Ps. 117:18). 13. 59. Finally, the Apostle Paul teaches that one should not abandon those who have committed any mortal sin, but rather return them to the truth with the bread of tears and the drink of sorrow, however, so that the sadness itself is moderate - this means: He gave them tears to drink in moderation (Ps. 79:6), so that the sadness itself has a measure, so that excessive sadness does not overwhelm the repentant. He writes to the Corinthians: What do you want? Will I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of meekness (1 Cor. 4:21)? But the rod is not heavy, for he read: You will punish him with the rod and save his soul from death (Proverbs 23:14). 60. What the words “to come with the rod” mean is shown by the [apostle’s] condemnation of depravity, condemnation of incest, disapproval of the arrogance with which those who were more appropriate to weep were filled, and finally, the condemnation of the guilty person so that he would be cast out from [church] communion and handed over to Satan, to the destruction not of the spirit, but of the flesh 77 . For just as the Lord did not give the devil power over the soul of Saint Job, but only gave him freedom over his flesh 78 , so the guilty one surrenders to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that the serpent licks his ashes 79 but does not harm his soul. 61. So, let our flesh die to lusts, let it be enslaved and subjected, not resist the law of our mind, but let it die, submitting to good slavery, just as Paul tamed his body in order to enslave 80 so that, thus, his preaching would be more convincing if the law of the flesh and the law of the mind converge and are combined. For the flesh is mortified when its wisdom passes into the spirit, since it no longer thinks about carnal things, but about spiritual things 81 . Oh, that I would see that my flesh had weakened, so that I would no longer be dragged captive in the law of sin, 82 so that I could no longer live by the flesh, but by the faith of Christ! 83 And therefore there is more grace in the weakness of the flesh than in health. Finally, the Lord did not want to deliver Paul, whom he loved very much, from the weakness of the flesh, and when Paul asked that the weakness would depart from him, he answered: My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor. 12:9). And Paul himself was more pleased about his weaknesses, saying: When I am weak, then I am strong (2 Cor. 12:10). For the strength of the soul is achieved through the weakness of the flesh. 62. We have explained Paul's opinion. Now let us consider his words themselves, in what sense he said to hand him over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh (1 Cor. 5:5). For our tempter is the devil: after all, he usually instills weakness in every member and causes illness to the whole body. He struck Saint Job with a cruel plague from head to toe, 85 for he received the power to exhaust his flesh according to the word of God: Behold, I hand him over to you, only save his soul (Job 2:6). The Apostle conveyed this in the same words, saying that he would deliver such a person to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that the spirit might be saved in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 5:5) 86. 63. Great is this power, great is the grace that commands the devil to put himself to shame. For he disgraces himself when he turns a weak man into a strong man, whom he tried to break through temptation, for, by weakening the flesh, he strengthens his spirit. Disease of the flesh drives away sin, while carnal well-being inflames passions. 64. So, the devil is deceived when he wounds himself with his bite and arms against himself the one whom he intended to make weak. So he armed Saint Job more after he struck him with the plague. He, all covered with scabs, although he suffered the devil's torment, did not feel the poison 87. Therefore, it is beautifully said to him: will you bring a snake with milk, will you play with it like a bird, will you tie it like a sparrow boy, will you lay your hand on it (Job 40:20, 24, 27)? 65. You see how Paul dishonors the devil, that over his hole, like that youth in the prophet, he stretches out his hand 88, and the serpent does not harm him in any way; snatches him from his lair, and makes a spiritual antidote from his poison, so that what was poison becomes medicine. Poison leads to the deterioration of the flesh, and medicine serves to save the spirit, for what harms the body benefits the spirit. 66. So, let the serpent eat my ashes, let him sink his teeth into my flesh, let him torment my body. Let the Lord say about me: I hand him over to you, just save his soul (Job 2:6). How great is the power of Christ that it commands the devil himself, who always wants to harm, to protect a person! Let us try to make the Lord Jesus merciful to us. When Christ commands, the devil himself becomes the guardian of his prey and obeys heavenly commands against his will, although filled with rage, he nevertheless obeys meek orders. 67. But why do I praise his obedience? May he always be wicked, just as may God always be good, Who turns his wickedness into grace for us. He wants to harm, but cannot if Christ prevents. It hurts the flesh, but saves the soul. Devours the dust, but preserves the spirit. As it is written: Then the wolves and the lambs will feed together, and the lion and the bull will eat straw, but the serpent will be dust as bread. And they will not harm or destroy in My holy mountain, says the Lord (Is. 11:6-7, 9). For this is the judgment of the Lord about the cursed serpent: “Dust will be your food” 89 . What kind of ashes? The same one about whom it is said: You are dust, and to dust you will return (Gen. 3:19). 14. 68. This dust is eaten by a snake, if the Lord Jesus shows us that mercy, so that the soul suffers from bodily weakness, but is not kindled by carnal fire and bodily passion. It is better to get married than to become inflamed (1 Cor. 7:9). For there is a fire that consumes the insides. Therefore, let us not allow this fire to take root in the depths of our soul and in the depths of our hearts, so as not to burn the clothes of our inner man and so that the destructive flame of lust does not destroy both this outer robe of our soul and the carnal covering 90, but let us pass through the fire 91. If anyone has fallen into the passion of love, let him pass by and pass it by, let him not bind adulterous lust with the bonds of thoughts, not tie any loops for himself with the chains of prolonged thought, and not look at the beauty of a harlot wife. And let the girl not raise her eyes to the boy’s face. Even if at a casual glance it is captivating, then how much more will it be caught if it is carefully examined. 69. Let the custom itself teach us: a wife wraps her head in a veil so that her chastity is preserved in public, 92 so that her face will not easily catch the eye of a young man; let her be covered with a bridal veil, so that even during chance meetings she will not wound either herself or another, although both are her wounds. If she covers her head so as to unexpectedly either not be seen, or not be seen herself - after all, when her head is covered, her face is hidden - then how much more should she cover herself with a veil of modesty, so that even in public she can have privacy. 70. However, even if the eye is tempted, let it be so that the feelings do not rush after. After all, there is no sin in seeing, but one must beware lest this become the beginning of sin. The carnal eye sees, but let the shyness of the spirit close the eyes of the heart. Our Lord is strict and merciful. On the one hand, the prophet said: Do not pay attention to the beauty of a slutty woman (Proverbs 5:2). However, the Lord said: Anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart (Matthew 5:28). He did not say: “He who looks has already committed adultery,” but: He who looks at a woman lustfully. The Lord did not blame the look, but exacted it from the movement of the soul. However, shame is commendable; it usually closes the very eyes of the body, so that often we do not even see what we are looking at. For it is customary to examine with our eyesight everything that comes our way, but if the attention of the spirit is not added to this, then this vision of ours, which also belongs to the bodily faculty, weakens. 71. That is, we see with the spirit rather than with the body. Even if the flesh sees fire, we will not allow it into the depths, that is, into the secret of the soul and the hidden heart. Let’s not let this fire penetrate our bones, 93 let’s not throw nooses around ourselves; Let us not conduct any kind of speech with a person of this kind, so that the adulterous fire might flare up. The speech of a maiden is a noose for young men, and the words of a young man are the shackles of love. 72. Joseph saw this fire when his wife, thirsting for adultery, spoke to him, wanted to catch him with a word, set traps with her lips, but could not entangle the chaste husband. For the voice of chastity, speech inspired by severity, the reins of prudence, the preservation of fidelity, the habit of abstinence, broke the fetters of women. So, the shameless wife could not catch him in her nets, but she reached out and grabbed his clothes to tighten her bonds. The speeches of a dissolute woman are a web of passions, 94 her hands are a love noose. But the chaste spirit could not be caught either by nets or noose; the clothes were thrown off - and the noose was untied, and since he did not let fire into the depths of his soul, he did not burn his body 95. 73. Do you see now that our soul is the author of sin? This means that the flesh is innocent, although it often serves sin. So don’t let the lust for beauty overcome you. The devil lays many snares, many snares. The eye of a harlot is a snare for a lover, 96 our own eyes are snares for us, and therefore it is written: Let not you be caught by your eyes (Proverbs 6:25). So, we set nets for ourselves in which we get entangled and bogged down. We bind ourselves with bonds, as it is written that everyone is bound with the bonds of his own iniquities (Proverbs 5:22). 74. And therefore let us pass through the fire of youth and the fervor of adolescence, let us cross the water, let us not remain in it, lest deep rivers swallow us up. Let us cross over so that we can say about ourselves: Our soul has overcome the stream (Ps. 123:5), and whoever crossed over is saved. Even the Lord says this: If you cross the water, I am with you; the rivers will not drown you (Is. 43:2); and the prophet says: I saw the wicked exalting himself above the cedars of Lebanon, and I passed by, and behold, he was not (Ps. 36:35-36). Pass through the phenomena of this world, and you will see that all the glory of the wicked is lost. And Moses, crossing the rivers of this age, saw a great vision, saying: As I pass by, I will see this vision (Ex. 3:3). If Moses had been inclined toward bodily vices and the fleeting pleasures of this age, he would not have been worthy to contemplate such mysteries. 75. Therefore, we too will pass through this fire of lust, fearing which the Apostle Paul - true, fearing for us, because by curbing his body he achieved the point that he could no longer fear for himself 97 - tells us: Flee fornication (1 Cor. 6:18). So we will run as if from a pursuer, from one who is not behind us, but inside us, and who is pursuing us. And we will carefully ensure that, when running away from it, we do not carry it inside ourselves. After all, we often want to run away, but if we do not completely expel it from our soul, then we rather extol it than abandon it. Therefore, let us pass through it, so that it will not be said to us: “Go into the flame of your fire, which you kindled for yourselves” 98. For just as he who takes fire into his bosom burns his dress (Proverbs 6:27), so he who walks on fire will certainly burn his feet, for it is written: Will anyone walk on burning coals and not have his feet burned (Proverbs 6:28)? 76. Fire is formidable, and therefore let us not feed it with luxury. Lust is nurtured by feasts, nourished by pleasures, fueled by wine, and inflamed by drunkenness. More dangerous than this are passionate 99 words, which, like the wine of the Sodom vine, 100 intoxicate the mind. However, let us also abstain from excess wine, because when the flesh gets drunk, then the mind becomes clouded, the soul hesitates, the heart is agitated. And therefore, in both cases, the admonition given to Timothy is useful: Drink a little wine for the sake of your frequent ailments (1 Timothy 5:23). When the body is hot, it gives off heat, but when the flesh chills from a painful chill, then your soul cools. When your body is sick, your spirit is sad, but this sadness will change to joy 101. 77. Therefore, do not be afraid if they eat your flesh; they will not be able to devour your soul. Therefore, David says that he is not afraid, because his enemies ate his flesh, and not his soul, as we read: When the evil ones approached me to devour my flesh, those who oppressed me and my enemies, they themselves became weak and fell (Ps. 27:2). So, the serpent prepares only his own fall. And therefore the one who was overthrown by him is given over to the serpent, so that the serpent will restore the one whom he overthrew, and the restoration of man will become the defeat of the serpent. Scripture shows that Satan is the cause of this bodily contrition and carnal weakness, as Paul says: A thorn was given to me in the flesh, an angel of Satan, to afflict me, so that I would not become arrogant (2 Cor. 12:7). Consequently, Paul learned to heal in the same way that he himself was healed 102 . 15. 78. So, the good teacher, promising one of the two, fulfilled both. He came with a rod 103, for he excommunicated the guilty one from Holy Communion - and it is rightly said that he who is excommunicated from the Body of Christ is betrayed to Satan - he also came with love and a spirit of meekness (1 Cor. 4:21), for he gave him over to Satan in this way, so that his spirit could be made healthy, and so that the one whom he had previously excommunicated could then be made a partaker of the sacraments. 79. After all, one who has fallen into grave sin should be excommunicated, so that a little leaven does not spoil the whole dough 104, and it is necessary to cleanse the old leaven 105: both the old man in everyone, that is, the outer man with his actions 106, and among people those who are entrenched in sins and akin to vices. And rightly he said that it is necessary to purify, and not to reject; for that which is purified is not condemned as completely worthless - after all, it is purified in order to separate the good from the unworthy - and in that which is rejected, nothing good is recognized. 80. And even then, therefore, the apostle believed that it was necessary to return to the heavenly sacraments when a person himself wants to cleanse himself. And he says beautifully: Cleanse (1 Cor. 5:7) - because, as if by certain deeds of the whole people, the one who is redeemed from sin and cleansed internally by common prayers and tears is cleansed and washed by the tears of the crowd. For Christ gave to His Church that she might redeem one with the help of all, for she deserved at the coming of the Lord Jesus that in One all should be saved 107 . 81. This is Paul's thought, but the words somewhat obscure the meaning. Let's consider the apostolic words themselves: Cleanse out the old leaven, so that you may have new lump, since you are unleavened (1 Cor. 5:7). This means that the entire Church takes upon itself the burden of the sinner, for whom it must sympathize with weeping, prayer, and condolences, and as if it were kneading itself all over with leaven, 108 so that all together, uniting courageous mercy and compassion, would cleanse what is impossible for one penitent alone - as that evangelical woman, a prototype of the Church, teaches us by mixing leaven into her flour until it was leavened dough so that everything can be used as clean 109 . 82. The Lord taught me in the Gospel what leaven is, saying: Do you not understand that I did not tell you about bread: “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Then they realized that He was telling them not to beware of the loaves, but of the teachings of the Pharisees and Sadducees (Matthew 16:11-12). This leaven, that is, the teaching of the Pharisees and the disputes of the Sadducees, was hidden by the Church in her torment, when she softened with a spiritual interpretation the too harsh letter of the Law and, as if with a millstone of her reasoning, ground it, bringing out from the husk of the letters the hidden content of the mysteries and strengthening the faith in the resurrection, by which God’s mercy is preached and by which, as we believe, the life of the dead is restored 110. 83. It does not seem inappropriate to use this comparison, for the Kingdom of Heaven is the redemption of the sinner. And therefore, may we all be showered with the torment of the Church, good and bad, may we all be a new test. But so that no one should fear 111 lest the combination of a bad person with the leaven spoil the mixture, for this the apostle said: To be a new dough for you, since you are unleavened (1 Cor. 5:7). That is, the kneaded dough will make you again the same as the purity of your integrity. If we show mercy, we do not defile ourselves with the sin of others, but we add the atonement of another to our grace, so that our purity remains the same. And for this it is added: For our Passover, Christ, is slain (1 Cor. 5:7). That is, the Lord’s suffering was intended for everyone and granted redemption to sinners who repent of their sins. 84. So, bringing repentance and rejoicing in redemption, let us celebrate 112 with good food, for there is no food sweeter than mercy and compassion. Let no envy of a saved sinner be mixed with our rejoicing and joy, lest we separate ourselves from our father's house, like that envious brother mentioned in the Gospel 113 who was upset by the return of his brother, whose eternal exile he rejoiced 114 . 85. You Novatians cannot deny that you are like him, for, as you say, do not come to the Church because through repentance the fallen were given hope of return. But this is only a semblance of justification. Novatian formed a new sect, unable to bear the refusal of the episcopate. 86. But don’t you understand that the apostle also prophesied about you and he says to you: And you became proud, instead of weeping, so that he who had done such a thing might be taken out from among you (1 Cor. 5:2)? In any case, then he is completely plucked out when his sin is destroyed; after all, the apostle does not say that such a person should be expelled from the Church, but urges him to be cleansed. 16. 87. When even the apostle has forgiven sin, by what right do you refuse forgiveness? Who is more honored by Christ: Novatian or Paul? But Paul knew that the Lord is merciful, he knew that the cruelty of the disciples upset the Lord Jesus more than mercy. 88. When James and John said that they would bring down fire from heaven to destroy those who would not receive the Lord, 115 Jesus stopped them, saying: You do not know what kind of spirit you are; for the Son of Man came not to destroy the souls of men, but to save (Luke 9:55–56). He also said to them: You do not know what kind of spirit you are, although they were of His spirit. And He says to you: “You are not of My spirit, you who do not have My meekness, who reject My mercy, who exclude repentance, which, according to My will, the apostles preached in My name” 116 . 89. It is in vain that you say that you preach repentance if you reject its fruits (Luke 3:8). For people are motivated to every work either by its fruits or by its reward; and because of the delay, every matter remains without progress. And so that the zeal of the disciples would increase in fruits in this century, the Lord said: whoever leaves everything and follows Him will receive sevenfold both here and in the next century 117. First, he promised “here” to remove the neglect of delay; I added “and in the next century” so that here you learn to believe in the reward that also awaits you in the future. So, the present reward is proof of the future. 90. And then, if someone, having secret sins, nevertheless brought zealous repentance for the sake of Christ, how will he receive a reward here if he is not restored to church communion? I wish that the sinner hoped for forgiveness, asked for it with tears, asked for it with groans, asked for it with the cries of all the people and begged for forgiveness. If the second and third time he is not accepted into fellowship, then let him consider that he did not ask too persistently, let him multiply his tears, let him return even more contrite, embrace the feet of the believers with his hands, kiss them, wash them with tears and do not let them go, so that the Lord will say about him: His many sins are forgiven because he loved much (Luke 7:47). 91. I know some whose repentance covered their faces with wrinkles from tears, their cheeks were furrowed with incessant sobs, their bodies were trampled upon by everyone, and they, with an emaciated and pale face, carried the image of death in a living body. 17. 92. Why do we wait so that those who killed themselves during their lifetime may receive forgiveness through the dead? For such a one, says the apostle, this punishment from many is enough, so it is better for you to forgive him and comfort him, so that he is not consumed by excessive sorrow (2 Cor. 2:6-7). But when punishment from many is sufficient for condemnation, then the request of many is sufficient for remission of sin. The teacher of moral teaching, who knows our weakness, the interpreter of divine mercy, wants sin to be forgiven, wants consolation to be received, so that sadness does not engulf the sinner in the anguish of long delay. 93. And for this reason the apostle forgave him, and not only forgave him, but also favored him, so that love for the forgiven would be strengthened: the one who is loved does not have hardness of heart, but gentleness. And he not only forgave himself, but commanded everyone to forgive and said that he himself forgave for others, so that many would not grieve for too long because of one thing: And whomever you forgive for anything, I also forgive him; for I also forgave for you on behalf of Christ, so that Satan would not harm us; for we are not unaware of his devices (2 Cor. 2:10–11). Anyone who can comprehend his deceits, many of which lead to destruction, can successfully protect himself from the serpent. He always wants to harm, always deceive in order to destroy. But we should be careful that our medicine does not become his triumph; because he deceives us if he perishes through excessive sorrow who can be freed through forgiveness. 94. But so that we know that he is talking about the baptized 118, the apostle added: I wrote to you in the letter - not to communicate with fornicators; however, not in general with the fornicators of this world (1 Cor. 5:9–10). And below he added: But I wrote to you not to associate with anyone who, while calling himself a brother, remains a fornicator, or a covetous person, or an idolater (1 Cor. 5:11) 119. However, the apostle desires that those whom he counts as guilty should also be touched by mercy. “If someone is like that, then don’t even eat with him,” he says, “120.” How strict he is towards those who persist, how merciful he is towards those who ask! The insult inflicted on Christ is weaponized against them, and the invocation of Christ also helps. 95. But so that no one is suddenly shaken by what is written: I handed over such a person to Satan for the destruction of the flesh 121 and did not say: “How could he achieve mercy from whom all flesh was destroyed, although it is known that a person is redeemed with both body and soul, and is saved in both, and neither a soul without a body, nor a body without a soul, since they are connected by a common participation in actions and deeds, cannot be without complicity or punishment or rewards? 122 - let him find the answer for himself that extermination does not mean the complete destruction of the flesh, but only punishment. For just as he who died to sin lives to God, 123 so the temptations of the flesh perish and the flesh dies to its lusts in order to be revived for purity and other good works. 96. What better example to take than the example of [our] mother? After all, the very earth from which we are taken seems empty when it is not cultivated and cultivated, and the field dies for the vines with which it was once planted, or for the olives, but does not lose its own juice or some of its soul. But if cultivation is resumed and seeds are sown for which the land is considered suitable, then the fruit bears more abundantly than before. So, it is not surprising when they say that our flesh dies, because this is rather a taming than an annihilation. Translation from Latin by M.V. Gerasimova 1. 1. Although in the previous book a lot was written that serves as an incentive to repentance, but since much more can be added, so that it does not seem that we left the dishes of our speeches uneaten, 124 we will continue the meal we started. 2. Repentance must be brought not only with all diligence, but also in a timely manner, so that the owner of the Gospel, who planted a fig tree in his vineyard, does not come and look for fruit on it, if he does not find it, he does not say to the vinedresser: Cut it down: why does it occupy the land? Unless this vinedresser intercedes, saying: Master, leave her this year too, while I dig her up and cover her with manure; otherwise let the fig tree perish (Luke 13:6–9). 3. So, let us also fertilize the field that we have, and let us imitate the hardworking farmers who are not ashamed to fatten the ground with rich manure and sprinkle the field with dirty ash in order to collect the most abundant fruits 125. 4. And how to fertilize, the apostle teaches, saying: I count all things as dung, that I may win Christ (Phil. 3:8). And he himself, in honor and dishonor (2 Cor. 6:8), achieved to please Christ. He knew that Abraham, recognizing himself as dung and ashes 126, gained God's grace through his greatest humiliation. He knew that Job, sitting in the dung, had gained everything that he had lost 127. I knew the words of David that God raises the needy from the dust, and raises the needy from the dung 128. 5. So let us not be ashamed to confess our sins to the Lord. It is a shame to reveal your crimes, but this shame cultivates its field, pulls out the constant thorns, destroys the thorns, brings forth fruits that you thought were lost. Follow the one who, cultivating his land well, sought eternal fruits: They slander us, we bless; they persecute us, we endure; they blaspheme us, we pray; we are like the rubbish of the world (1 Cor. 4:12–13). If you cultivate in this way, you will sow spiritual seeds. Cultivate in such a way as to destroy sin and gain fruit. The apostle cultivated in such a way that he eradicated from himself the character of a persecutor. What could Christ do that would be more useful to us in our pursuit of correction, if not to turn the persecutor into a mentor and give it to us? 2. 6. When they [the Novatians] are convicted by such a clear example of both the apostle himself and his writings, but still want to resist and say that the authoritative opinion of the apostle agrees with them, they bring what is written to the Jews: For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the gift of heaven, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come, and fall away again to renew with repentance when they again crucify the Son of God and solemnly parade ( Heb. 6:4-6 ) 129 . 7. But could Paul preach the opposite of what he did? He absolved the Corinthian of his sin through repentance 130; how could he refute his own decision? Therefore, since he could not destroy what he created, we note that he did not say the opposite, but different. For the opposite contradicts itself, and what is different usually has a different meaning. Opposite things are such that one cannot support the other. After all, therefore, preaching about the permissibility of repentance, he should not have passed over in silence those who consider re-baptism necessary. And first of all, he had to remove our perplexity, so that we would know that even after baptism, if someone has sinned, their sin can be forgiven, so that those deprived of hope of mercy would not be destroyed by the empty prejudice about re-baptism. Then it was necessary to refute the necessity of re-baptism by rational reasoning. 8. That this is said about baptism is proven by the very words of the apostle, with which he pointed out that it is impossible... to renew those who have fallen away again with repentance (Heb. 6:6). For we are renewed through baptism, 131 through which we are reborn, as Paul himself says: We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:4). And in another place: Be renewed in the spirit of your mind and put on the new man created according to God (Eph. 4:23–24); and in another place: Your youth will be renewed like the eagle (Ps. 102:5), because even the eagle, although it was dead, is reborn from its remains 132, just as through the sacrament of baptism we, although we were already dead from sin, are reborn for God and are transformed. So, the apostle teaches one baptism, as he writes in another place: one, he says, faith, one baptism (Eph. 4:5) 133. 9. It is also known that the Son of God is crucified in a baptized person, for our flesh could not get rid of sin if it were not crucified in Christ Jesus. As it is written: As many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death (Rom. 6:3); and below: For if we are united with Him in the likeness of His death, we must also be united in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him (Rom. 6:5-6); and he says to the Colossians: Having been buried with Him in baptism, you were also resurrected in Him (Col. 2:12). This is written so that we believe that He Himself is crucified in us, through Him our iniquities are cleansed, and He nails our handwriting to the cross 134 as the only One who can forgive sins. He conquers the principalities and powers in us, for it is written about Him: He brought to shame the principalities and powers, having triumphed over them in Himself (Col. 2:15). 10. Therefore, by what he says in the Epistle to the Hebrews: It is impossible ... to renew those who have fallen away again to repentance, when they crucify the Son of God again and solemnly display it - he means that we should relate this to baptism, in which we crucify the Son of God within ourselves, so that through Him the world may be crucified for us, 135 and we triumph in a certain way when we accept the likeness of the death of Him who on His cross He testified to the principles and powers and triumphed over them 136 so that we, in the likeness of His death, would overcome those whose burden of power we had removed from ourselves. Christ was once crucified, once died to sin, 137 and therefore there is one baptism, and not many. 11. What is this doctrine about baptism that he spoke about above? 138 Since the law contained more than one baptism 139, it rightly condemns those who, having abandoned what was perfect, strive for the beginning of the word 140. He teaches us that we need to understand that all baptisms of the law are abolished and one is baptism in the sacraments of the Church. He admonishes us so that, leaving the beginning of the word, we strive for the perfect. And this, he says, we will do, if God allows (Heb. 6:3). For no one can be perfect without the favor of God. 12. And to those who believe that this is said about repentance, I would probably say this: what is impossible with man is possible with God, 141 and the Lord is able to forgive us sins when He wants, even those that we consider unforgivable; and therefore, what seems impossible to us to pray for, it is possible for God to forgive. After all, it seemed impossible that water would wash away sin. Likewise, Naaman the Syrian did not believe that his leprosy could be cleansed with water. But what was impossible, the Lord, who gave us such grace, made possible 142. In the same way, it seemed impossible for sins to be forgiven through repentance, but Christ allowed this to His apostles, and from the apostles this ministry passed on to the priests 143. So, what seemed impossible became possible. But nevertheless, what has been said about baptism very reasonably convinces that no one should repeat it. 3. 13. After all, the apostle could not go against the clear teaching of Christ, Who compares the repentant sinner with the prodigal son in that he, having gone to a distant country, squandered all the property taken from his father, living dissolutely, and afterward coveted his parents’ bread, for he ate pods, and received clothes, a ring, shoes, and a calf was slain for him 144, whose slaughter depicts the suffering of the Lord, through which the heavenly sacrament is given to us 145. 14. And it is well said that he went into a distant country 146 like one who was excommunicated from the holy altar; for this means separation from the heavenly Jerusalem 147, from a certain citizenship and house of saints. Why does the apostle say: So, you are no longer strangers and aliens, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of God's household (Eph. 2:19). 15. And there, as it is said, he squandered his substance (Luke 15:13). And, of course, he squandered his property whose faith in deeds is shaky; for faith is the substance 148 of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen (Heb. 11:1). Good possessions are faith, in which we find the inheritance of our hope. 16. It is not surprising that he was dying of hunger, 149 deprived of divine food, the desire for which he was driven by, saying: I will get up, go to my father, and say to him: Father! I have sinned against heaven and before you (Luke 15:18). Don’t you notice that this is obviously said for us, that Christ exhorts us to prayer so that we are worthy of the sacrament, and you want to take away that for which repentance is brought? Take away from the helmsman the hope of crossing, and he, being in the unknown among the waves, will get lost. Take away the crown from a wrestler, and he will lie prostrate in the arena. Take away from a fisherman the hope of a successful catch, and he will stop throwing his nets. How can someone suffering from spiritual hunger earnestly pray to God if he despairs of tasting holy food? 150 17–18. “I have sinned,” he says, “against heaven and before you (Luke 15:21). With such words he confesses a mortal sin, so that you do not think that anyone who repents of any sin can rightfully be rejected, when the one who has sinned against heaven, that is, either against the Kingdom of Heaven, or against his soul, which is a mortal sin, and has sinned before God, to whom alone David says: I have sinned against You alone and have done evil before You (Ps. 50:6), - he so quickly wins forgiveness that when he was returning and was still far away, his father runs out to meet him and kisses him, which is a sign of sacred peace; commands that the best clothes be brought out to him, that is, wedding clothes, those who do not have them are expelled from the wedding feast 151; puts a ring on his hand, which is a pledge of faith and the seal of the Holy Spirit, orders him to bring shoes, for the one who is going to celebrate the Passover of the Lord and eat the lamb must be protected from all attacks of spiritual beasts and the bites of the serpent 152; orders the calf to be slaughtered, for our Passover, Christ, is slain (1 Cor. 5:7). After all, every time we accept the Blood of the Lord, we proclaim the death of the Lord 153. And since He was once slain for everyone, our sins are forgiven each time, we accept the sacrament of His Body, so that through His Blood the forgiveness of sins may be accomplished 154. 19. So, in the clearest way, the Lord proclaims that it is necessary to return the grace of the heavenly sacrament to those guilty of even the most serious sins, if they, with all their hearts and openly confessing their sins, bring repentance. Therefore, it is obvious that there is nothing left to justify you. 4. 20. We have heard that you also have the custom of objecting that, they say, it is written: All sin and blasphemy will be forgiven to men; and blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven to men. If anyone speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; if anyone speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the next (Matthew 12:31-32). This example destroys and cancels every statement you make, for it is written: every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven to men. So why don't you forgive? Why do you impose bonds that you do not remove? Why do you tie knots that you do not loosen? Forgive others and take care of those who, by sinning against the Holy Spirit, as you believe, are forever bound by the power of the Gospel. 21. But nevertheless, let us consider whom [the Lord] binds, and for this we will repeat the words that preceded the previous reading in order to understand more clearly. The Jews said about Christ: He does not cast out demons except by the power of Beelzebub, the prince of demons (Matthew 12:24). Jesus answered them: Every kingdom divided against itself will be desolate; and every city and house divided against itself cannot stand. And if Satan casts out Satan, then he is divided with himself. How will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by the power of Beelzebub, by whose power do your sons cast them out (Matthew 12:25–27)? 22. From this we clearly see that this is said about those who said that the Lord Jesus casts out demons by the power of Beelzebub, and in response the Lord said to them that the satanic heritage abides in those who compare the Savior of all with Satan and attribute the grace of Christ to the kingdom of the devil 155. And so that we understand what He said about such blasphemy, He added: You brood of vipers! How can you speak good when you are evil (Matthew 12:34)? So, He only denies the possibility of gaining mercy for those who said such things. 23. To Simon, who, being corrupted by an addiction to witchcraft, thought that the grace of Christ, bestowed through the laying on of hands and the influx of the Holy Spirit, could be obtained for money, the Apostle Peter said: You have no part or lot in this; for your heart is not right before God. So, repent of this sin of yours, and pray to God; Perhaps the thoughts of your heart will be forgiven you. For I see you filled with bitter gall and in the bonds of unrighteousness (Acts 8:21-23). You see that he, vainglorious about his witchcraft, blasphemed the Holy Spirit and was condemned by the apostolic authority mainly because he did not have a pure knowledge of the faith. However, the apostle did not take away his hope for forgiveness, but called him to repentance. 24. It was the Lord who responded to the blasphemy of the Pharisees, and therefore He denies the mercy of His power, which consists in the forgiveness of sins, to those who believed that His heavenly power was supported by the help of the devil. The Lord also declares that those who divide the Church of the Lord act with the spirit of the devil, exposing heretics and schismatics of all times, for them He refuses forgiveness, since every sin concerns individual people, and this sin is directed at everyone. For they alone want to destroy the grace of Christ, dividing the members of the Church, for which the Lord Jesus suffered and for which the Holy Spirit was given to us 156. 25. And so that you know that this is said about those who waste, this is what is written: He who is not with Me is against Me; and whoever does not gather with Me scatters (Matthew 12:30). And so that we understand that this is said about them, He immediately added: Therefore I say to you: all sin and blasphemy will be forgiven to men; and blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven to men (Matthew 12:31). When he says: Therefore I tell you, doesn’t he want us to understand this clearly first of all? And it was not in vain that He added: Every tree is good and bears good fruit; but a bad tree bears bad fruit (Matthew 7:17); for an evil company cannot bring forth good fruit. So, a tree is a community, and the fruits of a good tree are the children of the Church. 26. And therefore return to the Church those who wickedly separated themselves [from it]. For forgiveness is promised to all who turn, because it is written: Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Joel 2:32). Even the Jewish people who spoke about Jesus: He is possessed by a demon (John 10:20); who said that He casts out demons by the power of Beelzebub 157; who crucified his Lord - this people is called to baptism by Peter's sermon 158 in order to be freed from the guilt of such a crime. 27. But what is surprising if you, denying your own salvation, deny it to others, although those who ask you for remission of sins are no different from you? I believe that Judas himself, due to God’s great mercy, could not have lost forgiveness if he had brought repentance not to the Jews, but to Christ. “I sinned by betraying innocent blood,” he says. They answered: What is that to us? See for yourself (Matthew 27:4). What other speeches do you make when someone who has sinned less confesses his deed to you? What else do you answer if not: What is that to us? See for yourself. This speech is followed by a loop 159, and the more harmful the punishment, the less wine there is. 28. But if these 160 do not convert, then at least you, who in one way or another have fallen from the high peak of integrity and faith, return! Our Lord is good 161, who wants to forgive everyone and calls to you through the prophet: I, I am the One who blots out your iniquities, and I will not remember them. You remember, and we will go to court (Is. 43:25–26) 162. 5. 29. However, they ask a question about the words of the Apostle Peter, because he said perhaps to Simon the Magus 163, and they conclude that Peter did not confirm that the repentant should be forgiven of sin. But let them take into account who we are talking about - Simon, who did not believe, but thought evil. And the Lord, when someone said: I will follow You, saw that there was no fullness of sincerity in that person, and answered: Foxes have holes (Matthew 8:19-20). So, Christ forbade anyone whose wickedness he saw to follow Him before baptism, then why are you surprised that the Apostle does not forgive the one who apostatized from the faith after baptism, seeing him remaining in wickedness? 30. But let this be their answer. But I say that Peter did not doubt, and I believe that such a big problem cannot be kept silent because of a biased interpretation of one word. For if they believe that Peter doubted, then did the Lord also doubt when he said to the prophet Jeremiah: Stand in the courtyard of the house of the Lord and answer all Judah, those who come to worship at the house of the Lord, all those words that I commanded you to answer them; do not diminish a word; perhaps they will listen and be converted ( Jer. 26:2–3 )? Then from these words one could conclude that God did not know the future. 31. But this word does not express ignorance, because in the Divine Scriptures such expressions are often used, such as, for example, the Lord says to Ezekiel: Son of man! I am sending you to the house of Israel, to those who angered Me, they and their fathers, to this very day, and you will say to them: “Thus says the Lord!” Maybe they will hear and be afraid? (Ezek.2:3-5). Didn't the Lord know whether they could convert or not? This means that this expression does not always mean doubt. 32. Finally, the wise men of this world, who place all their glory in the explanation of words, do not always use the Latin word forte and the Greek τάχα 164 to express doubt. After all, they say that their first poet said so: ἣ τάχα χήρη, that is, “I will soon become a widow,” or in another place: τάχα γάρ σε κατακτανέουσιν Ἀχαιοὶ πάντες ἐφορμηθέντες 165. After all, there could be no doubt that if all the enemies attacked at the same time, they could easily kill one person. 33. But let us use our terms rather than those of others. You can find in the Gospel that the Son Himself speaks of the Father, that when He sent His servants into His vineyard and when they were killed, He said: I will send My beloved Son, perhaps they will be ashamed of Him (Luke 20:13) 166. And in another place the Son says from Himself: You know neither Me nor My Father (John 8:19). 34. So, if Peter used words that God Himself uttered without compromising His [omni]knowledge, then why do we not want to accept that Peter also spoke them without compromising his faith? For he could not doubt the gift of Christ, who gave him the power to forgive sins, especially since he should not have left room for the tricks of heretics who want to take away hope from people, so that the desperate can be more easily convinced of the need for re-baptism. 35. But the apostles, following the instructions of Christ, taught repentance, promised forgiveness, and forgave sins, as David says: Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered; blessed is he to whom the Lord has not imputed sin (Ps. 32:1-2). The Prophet calls blessed both the one whose iniquity is forgiven through baptism and the one whose sins are covered by good deeds. For the one who brings repentance must not only wash away his sin with tears, but with good deeds hide and cover up his previous sins, so that the sin is not imputed to him. 36. So, let us cover our crimes with subsequent deeds, let us cleanse them with weeping, so that the Lord God will hear us groaning, as He heard Ephraim weeping, about whom He Himself says: Hearing, I hear Ephraim weeping (Jer. 38:18). And he explained the very words of the crying Ephraim, saying: You punished me, and I am punished; like a calf, he did not learn (Jer.38:18). But the calf often frolics and runs away from the stall, and therefore Ephraim, like the calf, did not learn, being far from the stall, because he left the master’s manger (Is. 1:3) and, following Jeroboam, worshiped calves 167, as was prophetically revealed through Aaron 168, so the people of Judah were destined to fall. And for this, bringing repentance, he exclaims: Convert me, and I will be converted, for You are my Lord; for at the end of my captivity I brought repentance and, after I came to my senses, I groaned on the day of shame and submitted to You, because I accepted the reproach and showed it to You (Jer. 38:18-19). 37. We have seen how we should bring repentance, with what words, with what weeping, so that the day of sin can be called a day of shame; for it is disgrace when they deny Christ. 38. And for this, let us submit to God and not be submissive to sin, and, remembering our sins, let us be ashamed of them as some kind of reproach, and not boast of them as if they were something glorious, as some boast of having overcome shame and suppressed the sense of justice. And let our conversion be so great that we, who did not know God, could ourselves show Him to others, and the Lord, prompted by such our conversion, answered: From his youth, my son Ephraim has been dear to Me, like a tender child, for because My words were in him, I will remember him in memory, therefore I hastened to him, with mercy I had mercy on him, said the Lord (Jer. 38:19-20). 39. What kind of mercy He promises us, He shows below, saying: I have given drink to every thirsty soul and satisfied every hungry soul; from this I awoke and looked, and my sleep was pleasant to me (Jer. 38:25-26). We see that the Lord promises His sacraments to those who sin. Therefore let us all turn to the Lord. 6. 40. But if these 169 do not convert, then at least you, who in one way or another have fallen from the high peak of integrity and faith, return! Our Lord is good 170, who wants to forgive everyone and calls to you through the prophet: I, I am the One who blots out your iniquities, and I will not remember them. Remember, we will go to court (Is. 43:25–26). “I won’t remember,” he says, “you remember; that is: “I don’t remember all those crimes of yours that I forgave you, they seem to be covered with some kind of oblivion, you remember.” “I,” He says, “will not remember for the sake of grace, but you remember for the sake of correction, remember, so that you know that your sin is forgiven, and so that you do not boast as innocent, and so that, by justifying yourself, you do not burden yourself even more. But, on the contrary, if you want to be justified, confess your sin; for confession of sins with shame breaks the bonds of iniquity.” 41. Do you see what God, your God, requires of you (Ps. 49:7): that you remember the grace that you have received, and not boast as if you had not received it (1 Cor. 4:7). Do you see with what promise of forgiveness of sins He encourages you to confess them? Beware lest, by opposing the heavenly commands, you fall into the wickedness of the Jews, to whom the Lord Jesus says: “We sang to you, and you did not dance; we lamented, and you did not cry" 171. 42. Words are ordinary, but a secret is not ordinary. And therefore we must beware lest anyone, being seduced by the simple interpretation of these words, think that the movements of actors in seductive dances and madness on stage are prescribed for us; this is vicious even in adolescence. But the dance that is prescribed for us is the same dance that David danced before the ark of the Lord 172. For whatever is done for piety is decent, so that we should not be ashamed of any [way of] worship that serves to worship and honor Christ. 43. So, what is being preached here is not the kind of dance that is the companion of pleasures and debauchery, 173 but one that makes everyone active and does not allow one to lie down with inactive limbs prostrate on the ground or to become numb with sluggish legs. Paul danced spiritually when he prostrated himself for us and, forgetting what was behind, thirsting for what was ahead, rushed forward to honor in Christ 174 . Likewise, when you approach baptism, you are advised to lift up your hands 175 and have swift feet to ascend to eternity. This kind of dance is an ally of faith and a companion of grace. 44. This is the mystery: we sang to you the song of the New Testament, but you did not dance, 176 that is, you did not raise your soul to spiritual grace. We complained, and you did not cry, that is, you did not repent. And therefore the Jewish people were abandoned because they did not repent and rejected grace: through John - repentance, and through Christ - grace 177. This latter is bestowed as a Master, and the former is preached as a servant. The Church preserves both [gifts] in order to obtain grace and not reject repentance. For grace is a gift from Him who generously pours it out, and repentance is healing for the sinner. 45. Jeremiah knew that the great healing was repentance, which he performed for Jerusalem in his Lamentation, and Jerusalem himself depicts it as active, saying: Weeping, he wept at night, and his tears were on his cheeks, and there was no one who would console him, of all those who loved him. The ways of Zion weep (Lam. 1:2, 4). And then he added: I cry about this, because my eyes are darkened with tears, because the one who consoled me is far from me (Lamentations 1:16) 178. From this we see that Jeremiah considered the highest and gravest degree of his troubles, that there was no one who would console the mourner. How do you take away even the most consolation when you reject the hope of repentance? 46. ​​But let those who repent listen to how they should bring repentance, with what zeal, with what mood of spirit, with what zeal, with what contrition of the depths of the soul and conversion of the heart: Look, says the prophet, Lord, for I grieve, my womb is troubled by my weeping, my heart is turned over within me (Lamentations 1:20). 47. Now you have known the tension of the soul, the faith of the spirit, know also the state of the body: “The elders of the daughter of Zion sat down,” he says, “on the ground in silence and sprinkled ashes on their heads, girded themselves with sackcloth; they stretched out the main virgins of Jerusalem on the ground. My eyes were exhausted from tears, they became darkened, my womb was troubled, my glory spread over the earth (Lamentations 2:10–11). 48. So the people of Nineveh wept and escaped the announced destruction of the city 179; for the healing power of repentance is so great that... It seems that God Himself is changing His mind. So, it is in your will to avoid death. The Lord wants people to ask for Him, wants people to trust in Him, to pray to Him. You, being a man, want to be asked for forgiveness, but do you think that God will forgive you when you do not ask Him? 49. The Lord himself wept for Jerusalem 180 so that through the tears of the Lord he would gain mercy when he himself did not want to cry. He Himself wants us to cry so that we can avoid destruction, as it is written in the Gospel: Daughters of Jerusalem! do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves (Luke 23:28). 50. David wept and was rewarded with Divine mercy averting the death of the perishing people when three options were offered to him, then he chose the one in which he could experience greater mercy of the Lord 181. Why are you ashamed to mourn your sins, when God even commanded the prophets to mourn for the nations? 51. Likewise, Ezekiel was commanded to weep for Jerusalem, and he accepted a scroll, at the beginning of which it was written: Lamentation, and song, and grief (Ezek. 2:10), - two sad things and one joyful; for in the next century the one who sheds many tears in this age will be saved. For the heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, and the heart of fools is in the house of joy (Eccl. 7:4), and the Lord Himself says: Blessed are those who mourn, for you will laugh (Luke 6:21). 7. 52. Let us indeed weep for a time, that we may rejoice forever. Let us fear the Lord, let us precede Him by confessing our sins, let us make amends for our failures, correct our mistakes, so that it will not be said about us: Woe is me, soul! For the godly has perished from the earth, and there is no one among the people to correct (Mic. 7:2). 53. Why are you afraid to confess your wickedness before the good God? He said: Speak your wickedness in order to be justified (Is. 43:26). Until now, the reward of justification is still offered to the guilty of sin; for he who voluntarily admits his wrongdoing will be justified. And finally, the righteous at the beginning of his speech is his own accuser (Proverbs 18:17). The Lord knows everything, but awaits your voice - not for punishment, but for forgiveness. He doesn’t want the devil to abuse you and accuse you of hiding your sins. Get ahead of your accuser; when you judge yourself, you will not fear any accuser; If you denounce yourself, then even if you were dead, you will come to life. 54. Christ will come to your tomb 182, and if he sees that the well-serving Martha is crying for you, that Mary is crying, who diligently listened to the word of God 183, like the holy Church, and who chose the good part for herself 184, then he will be moved by mercy; when he sees the tears of many flowing over your death, and says: Where have you laid him (John 11:34)? That is, in what rank of the guilty is he, in what rank of the repentant? 185 I will see whom you mourn, so that he himself touches Me with his tears. I will see if he has already died for the sin for which he is begging for forgiveness. 55. The people say to Him: Come and see (John 11:34). What does "Go" mean? That is, may the remission of sins come, may the life of the dead come, may the resurrection of the dead come, may Your Kingdom come for this sinner 186. 56. Now He will come and command to roll away the stone 187 that sin has placed on the sinner’s neck. He could roll away a stone with one commanding word; for insensible nature also obeys Christ’s command. Even without words, by the power of a secret action, He could move the stone of the coffin, during whose suffering the stones suddenly moved and many coffins of the dead opened 188. But He ordered the people to actually roll away the stone so that the unbelievers would believe what they saw and would see the dead risen; symbolically, by this He allowed us to lighten the burdens of sins, like certain stones of sinners. We must take away the burden, and He must resurrect, and He must bring out of the graves those freed from their bonds 189 . 57. So, seeing the heavy burden of the sinner, the Lord Jesus sheds tears 190, because He does not allow the Church alone to cry, but has compassion for His beloved and calls out to the dead: Come out (John 11:43), that is: “You, who lie in the darkness of your conscience and in the filth of sin, come out as if from some prison of the condemned, reveal your sin, in order to justify himself." For through the mouth comes confession that leads to salvation 191. 58. If, called by Christ, you repent, then all the bolts will fall down and all the bonds will be destroyed, even if there is a heavy stench from the decomposition of the body. The one whose body stank in the tomb 192 had been dead for four days already. The same one, whose flesh did not see corruption (Acts 2:31), spent three days in the tomb; because He did not know the vices of the flesh, consisting of substances of the four elements. So, whatever the stench of the dead, it all disappears from the smell of the sacred unction. And the dead man rises, and the command is given to untie the bonds of the one who was still in sin, to remove from his face the veil with which the truth of grace he received was hidden. But since he is forgiven by mercy, he is commanded to reveal his appearance, to show his face; for there is nothing to be ashamed of for whom sin has been forgiven 193. 59. However, with such great mercy of the Lord, with such a miracle of the Divine gift, when everyone should rejoice, the wicked were indignant and gathered council against Christ 194, and they also wanted to kill Lazarus 195. Do you not consider yourselves rightfully followers of those whose heirs in cruelty you are? For you too are indignant and gather council against the Church, because you see that in the Church the dead are raised and mercy is returned to sinners. So, this is also in you: out of envy, you want to put those who have risen to death again. 60. But Jesus does not take away His benefits, but, on the contrary, multiplies them with the abundance of His generosity: He carefully visits the risen one and for the triumph of the resurrection comes with joy to the supper 196 which His Church has prepared for Him and at which the one who was previously dead turns out to be one of those reclining with Christ. 61. Then all those who see with the pure gaze of the spirit, who do not know how to envy, are amazed - for the Church has such children - they are surprised, as I said, how the one who lay in the tomb yesterday and the day before is one of those reclining with the Lord Jesus. 62. Mary herself pours myrrh on the feet of Jesus 197; because, probably, on his feet, because one of the weak was snatched from death; We are all the body of Christ, but others are perhaps his most excellent members. The mouth of Christ was the Apostle Paul, who said: Are you looking for proof whether Christ speaks in me (2 Cor. 13:3)? His lips were the prophets, through whom He announced the future. Oh, that I would be worthy to be His foot, and that Mary would pour her precious ointment on me and, anointing me, would cleanse my sins! 198 63. What we read about Lazarus, we must also believe about every converted sinner, who, although he stinks, is cleansed by the precious world of faith 199; for faith has such great grace that where the dead stank the day before, the whole house is filled with a fragrance. 64. The house of Corinth stank when it was written about it: It is heard that fornication has appeared among you, such as is not found even among the Gentiles (1 Cor. 5:1). There was a stench, for a little leaven leavens the whole dough 200 . On the contrary, it began to smell fragrant when it is said: And whomever you forgive for anything, I also forgive him; for if I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven you on behalf of Christ (2 Cor. 2:10). So, after the sinner was delivered, there was great joy in that house and the whole house was fragrant with the sweetness of grace. Why does the apostle, well aware that he has poured out the oil of the apostolic remission [of sins] on everyone, says: For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved (2 Cor. 2:15). 65. And all [the apostles] rejoice at the outpouring of this world; only Judas contradicts 201. Why even now the criminal contradicts, the traitor condemns. But Christ himself condemns the one who does not know healing by the death of the Lord and does not understand the mystery of such a great burial 202. For the Lord both suffered and died to redeem us from death. This means the highest price of His death, for by it the sinner is forgiven and accepted into new grace, so that everyone will come and be amazed at how he reclines with Christ and, glorifying God, may they say: Let us eat and be merry! For he was dead, and is alive again; was lost and is found (Luke 15:23–24). If someone who is unfaithful objects: Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners (Matt. 9:11)? - then let it be his answer: It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick (Matthew 9:12). 8. 66. So show the Physician your wound so that you can be healed. He knows, even if you don’t show it; but wants to hear your voice from you. Cleanse your wounds with your tears. So that woman in the Gospel cleansed the sin and the stench of her transgression, washed away the guilt when she washed the feet of Jesus with her tears 203. 67. Oh, that You, Jesus, would leave it for me to wash Your feet, which became dirty when You walked in me! Oh, that You would allow me to wipe away from Your feet the dirt with which I have stained Your steps through my actions! But where will I get living water with which I could wash Your feet? If I do not have water, then I have tears: oh that, in washing Your feet, I would wash myself with them! Why would You tell me already as about me: His many sins are forgiven because he loved much (Luke 7:47). I admit that I owed more and was forgiven more, for I was called to the priesthood from the noise of litigation and from the horror of managing public affairs 204 . And therefore I fear that I might turn out to be ungrateful if I love less than I was forgiven. 68. But I cannot be equal in everything to that wife who was preferred to Simon 205, who prepared dinner for the Lord; She set an example for everyone who wanted to earn forgiveness, kissing Christ’s feet, washing them with tears, wiping them with her hair and anointing them with myrrh. 69. The kiss is a symbol of love, and for this the Lord Jesus Himself says: Let Him kiss me with the kiss of His lips (Song.1:1). What else does hair mean, if not that you understand that you need to pray for forgiveness, throwing away all the dignity of secular distinctions, so that you, crying, throw yourself to the ground, so that, lying on the ground, you move [God’s] mercy? The world signifies the fragrance of good treatment. David, being a king, said: I will wash my bed every night, I will wet my bed with my tears (Ps. 6:7) - and therefore he deserved such great grace that from his family the Virgin was chosen, who gave birth to Christ for us. This is why this wife is glorified in the Gospel. 70. However, even if we cannot equal her, the Lord Jesus can help the weak 206; where there is no one who could prepare a feast, pour out myrrh, bring with him “a source of living water” 207, He Himself goes to the tomb. 71. Oh, if You, Jesus, would deign to come to this tomb of mine and wash me with Your tears, 208 for in my hardened eyes I do not have so many tears that I could wash away my sins! If you shed tears for me, I will be saved. If I am worthy of Your tears, I will be delivered from the stench of all my iniquities. If I am worthy that You shed a little tears, then You will call me from the grave of this body and say: Go out 209 - so that my thoughts are not confined in this cramped body, but come out to Christ, are in the light, so that I do not think about the deeds of darkness, but about the deeds of light 210. For whoever thinks about sin seeks to hide inside his conscience. 72. So call your servant out. And although my feet are bound, shackled by the shackles of my sins, and I am already buried in dead thoughts and deeds, 211 but, if You call, I will come out free and will be one of those reclining 212 at Your supper. And Your house will be filled with the most precious peace if You protect the one whom You have honored with redemption. And they will say: “Look, he was not nurtured in the bosom of the Church, not raised from infancy, 213 but kidnapped from the place of judgment, taken away from the vanity of this age, accustomed to the songs of the psalmist instead of the cries of a herald, remains in the priesthood not by virtue of his own virtue, but by the mercy of Christ and reclines among the companions of the heavenly supper.” 73. Preserve, Lord, Your gift, preserve the gift that You gave to me, although I refused 214. For I knew that I was not worthy to be called a bishop, because I was attached to this world. But by Thy grace I am what I am; and I am the least of all bishops 215 and the lowest in merit; but since I have also taken some care for Your holy Church, then protect this fruit, so that the one whom You called to the priesthood who was lost will not be allowed to perish as a priest. First of all, help me to sincerely grieve for everyone who sins, for this is the greatest virtue, because it is written: One should not rejoice over the sons of Judah on the day of their destruction and expand one’s mouth on the day of their calamity (Abd.12). Help me to have compassion every time I hear about the fall of a sinner, and so that I do not arrogantly reproach, but grieve and weep myself, so that when weeping for another, I would mourn for myself, saying: Tamar is more righteous than me (Gen. 38:26). 74. She may have sinned in her youth, being deceived and overthrown by events that are like tinder for sin. And we sin even in our years, the law of this flesh fights in us with the law of our mind and, captive, drags us to sin, so that we do what we do not want 216. And if for her there is an excuse due to her age, then for me there is none; After all, she must learn, and we must teach. And therefore Tamar is more right than me (Gen. 38:26). 75. Shall we condemn someone's greed? Then let us remember whether we ourselves have done something selfishly, and if we have done it, then since the love of money is the root of all evil (1 Tim. 6:10) and, like underground, creeps secretly in our body, let each of us say: Tamar is more right than I (Gen. 38:26). 76. If we were very angry with someone, then the commoner is less to blame for this than the bishop when he does something in the heat of the moment; Let us think to ourselves and say: this one who is accused of anger is more right than me. For if we say this, then we will not be afraid that the Lord or any of His disciples will say to us: You see the speck in your brother’s eye, but you do not see the beam that is in your own eye. You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye (Matthew 7:3, 5). 77. Let us not be ashamed to say that our guilt is greater than the guilt of the one whom we consider necessary to expose, for Judah, denouncing Tamar, remembering his guilt, said: Tamar is more righteous than I (Gen. 38:26). These words contain both the height of mystery and moral teaching, and therefore guilt was not imputed to him because he accused himself before he was condemned by others 217. 78. So, let me not rejoice over the crime of another, but rather let me grieve, for it is written: Do not rejoice for my sake, my enemy, that I have fallen, but I will rise, although I am in darkness, but the Lord will enlighten me. I will bear the wrath of the Lord, because I have sinned against Him, until He decides my case; and He will execute judgment on me, and will bring me into the light, and I will see His righteousness. And my enemy will see this, and shame will cover her, who says to me: Where is the Lord your God? My eyes will see her, and she will be trodden down like mud in the streets (Mic. 7:8-10). And this is fair, for he who rejoices in the fall of another rejoices in the victory of the devil. And for this reason, let us sympathize more when we hear about the death of a person for whom Christ died 218, not despising even a straw in the harvest (Mic. 7:1). 79. But let the Lord not despise this “straw in the harvest,” that is, my stalk empty of fruit, but gather it, as He Himself says: Woe is Me! For I have become like one who gathers stubble in the harvest, and like one who gathers grapes after harvesting grapes (Mic. 7:1), so that He might at least eat the first fruits of His grace in me, if the latter are not pleasing to Him. 9. 80. So, it is fitting for us to believe both in the necessity of repentance and in the granting of forgiveness; however, at the same time, we must hope for forgiveness as [given] by faith, and not as a matter of course. For it is one thing to deserve, and another to presumptuously claim. Faith, as if by agreement, asks for 219; self-confidence is more characteristic of the daring than of the one who asks. First pay what is due, so that you can ask for what you hoped for. Pay with the diligence of a good debtor, so that you will not be forced to borrow again, but so that with the property of your faith you will cover the debt of the previous loan. 81. He who owes to God has more means to pay than he who owes to man. For a person demands money for money, which the debtor does not always have, but God seeks the disposition [of the spirit], which is in your power. He who owes God is not poor, unless he makes himself poor. Although he has nothing to sell, he has something to pay. Prayers, tears, fasting - this is the property of a good debtor, and the property is much greater than when someone, without faith, gives money from the sale of his estates. 82. Ananias was poor when, having sold the land, he brought money to the apostles, because he did not redeem himself, but destroyed 220; The widow was rich who put two mites into the treasury 221 and about whom it is said: This poor widow put in more than anyone else (Luke 21:3). Because God does not require money, but faith. 83. And I do not argue that giving to the poor can reduce sin, but only when it is combined with faith. For what is the use of donating property without the grace of love? 84. There are those who, out of sheer boasting, want to be known as generous and want to appear revered among people because they leave nothing for themselves. But, seeking the reward of this century, they lose the reward of the future century and, since they have already received their reward here, 222 cannot hope to receive it there. 85. There are those who, out of hasty spiritual impulse, without thinking twice, brought their property to church, and then began to think that it needed to be taken away; such did not receive the first reward, nor did they receive the second, for the first had no reasoning, and the second was associated with sacrilege 223. 86. There are those who repented because they gave away their property to the poor. But those who repent of this alone should not repent, lest they repent of repentance itself. For many, out of fear of future punishment, recognizing their sins, desire repentance, but having received it, they are held back from common prayer by shame. It is clear that they sought to repent of evil deeds, but repented of good ones. 87. Others demand repentance in order to be honored with Communion again sooner. Such people want not so much to extricate themselves as to tie up the priest. For they do not free their conscience, but burden his conscience, because it is prescribed to him: Do not give holy things to dogs and do not throw your pearls before swine (Matthew 7:6), that is: Holy Communion should not be given to those who are unclean from their vices. 88. So, you can see that, having changed their clothes, those who should have mourned and groaned are walking, because they have stained that robe of baptism 224 and grace; and women burden their ears with pearls, bow their necks, which they would rather bow before Christ than before gold, women who had to mourn themselves because they had lost the heavenly pearl 225. 89. There are even those who believe that repentance consists in abstaining from heavenly sacraments. They are too harsh judges for themselves, because, prescribing punishment for themselves, they reject treatment, while it would behoove them to grieve over their punishment, because they are deprived of heavenly grace. 90. Others, hoping for the opportunity to bring repentance, consider it permissible to continue sinning, although repentance is the healing of sin, and not an incentive to it. For the wound needs medicine, not the wound for medicine; for we seek a cure for a wound, and not a wound for a cure. Moreover, the hope that is entrusted to time is precarious, for all time is uncertain and not all hope survives time. 10. 91. And can anyone think that you are ashamed to pray to God when you are not ashamed to ask a person? Are you ashamed to pray to God, from whom you cannot hide anything, although you are not ashamed to confess your sins to a person who does not know you? Or do you avoid witnesses to prayer and sympathizers, although when you need to please a person, you have to go around many with requests, beg them to participate, throw yourself on your knees, kiss their feet, bring children who have not yet known sin to ask for mercy to their father? But it is unpleasant for you to do the same in the Church in order to beg God and find intercession for you from the holy people; [in the Church], in which it is shameful only not to confess our sins, for we are all sinners; where the one who is more humble is more worthy of praise; He is more righteous who treats himself with greater disdain. 92. May your mother Church weep for you and wash away your guilt with tears, may Christ see you weeping, so that He may say: “Blessed are those who mourn, for you will rejoice” 226. He is pleased that many should pray for one. So in the Gospel, being touched by the tears of a widow, for whom many were crying, He raised her son 227. Therefore, He immediately heard Peter’s request for the resurrection of Tabitha 228 because the poor mourned the death of this wife 229. That is why he immediately absolved Peter himself of his sin because he wept bitterly 230. If you cry in the same way, then Christ will look at you and your sin will be forgiven. Because the experience of grief removes criminal luxury and sinful pleasures. And thus, when we sympathize with the committed [sins], then we prevent the possibility of new ones, and from the condemnation of sin comes the habit of chastity. 93. Let nothing turn you away from repentance; it unites you with the saints, and may your cry be like the cry of the saints. David ate ashes like bread and mixed his drink with tears 231. That’s why he rejoices a lot now because he cried a lot. “My eyes have flown away with the streams of water,” he said (Ps. 119:136). 94. John wept a lot and said that the mysteries of Christ were revealed to him 232. On the contrary, that woman who, although she was in sin and had to cry, rejoiced, and clothed herself in purple and scarlet, and adorned herself much with gold and precious stones, deservedly weeps in the torment of eternal weeping 233 . 95. There are also those who believe that it is necessary to repent more often. Such “fall into luxury in Christ” 234. After all, if they had brought true repentance, they would not have thought about repeating it, for just as there is one baptism 235, so there is one repentance, but that which is offered publicly 236; After all, we must repent of sins daily, but this is repentance for lighter sins, and then for serious ones. 96. It is easier to find those who maintain integrity than those who repent properly. Would anyone consider repentance to be where the pursuit of position in society is, where there is immoderation in wine drinking and where the marital relationship itself continues? One must renounce the world; even devote less time to sleep itself than nature requires, disturb it with groans, interrupt it with sighs, shorten it with prayers; We must live in such a way that we die to the habits of this life. Let a person deny himself and completely change, as in the fables it is said that a certain young man went to a distant country for the sake of love, and when the flame of love went out, he returned again and after that met with his old mistress, who was surprised that he did not say anything to her, and thought that he did not recognize her; and when they met another time and she said: “It’s me,” he answered her: “But I’m not me anymore.” 97. The Lord spoke about this beautifully: If anyone wants to come after Me, let him deny himself and follow Me (Matthew 16:24). For those who have died and are buried with Christ should not, like those who live, think again about this world 237 . Do not touch, says the apostle, and do not touch that which brings destruction by its very use 238, for the very custom of this life is the destruction of purity 239. 11.98. So, repentance is wonderful, and if it did not exist, then everyone would put off the grace of baptism until old age. But for such people, this answer is enough: it is better to have something to sew up than not to have something to wear. But just as what is once sewn is restored, so often what is sewn is torn. 99. The Lord Himself admonished many who put off repentance, saying: Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand (Matthew 4:17). We don’t know at what hour the thief will come 240, we don’t know whether it will be on this night that they will take our soul from us 241. Upon Adam's crime, God immediately expelled him from paradise; did not hesitate, but immediately sent him away out of joy so that he would bring repentance; and Adam immediately put on leather clothes, not silk 242. 100. So why are you delaying? Or to commit even more sins? Or is it because God is good that you are angry and neglect the riches of kindness and long-suffering (Rom. 2:4)? But the goodness of God should all the more prompt you to repentance. Therefore, Saint David calls to everyone: Come, let us worship and fall down before Him and weep before our Lord, who created us (Ps. 94:6). For a sinner who died without repentance, because there is nothing left but to grieve heavily, except to cry, you can see David himself crying and saying: My son Absalom! My son Absalom! (2 Samuel 18:23). For whoever is completely dead is mourned without any exception. 101. And about those who, wandering and wandering outside the borders of their fathers, prescribed by the holy law of Moses, fell into earthly sins, you hear him sing: By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and wept when we remembered Zion (Ps. 137:1). With these words, the prophet indicates that the fallen, who still live in the conditions of the present time and transitory things, must come to their senses following the example of those who, for the sake of punishment for sin, were taken into painful captivity. 102. After all, there is nothing that causes such great sorrow as when everyone who is in the power of sin remembers where he was cast out and from where he fell, because he turned away from that magnificent and beautiful zeal in the knowledge of God towards the physical and earthly. 103. So, you know, Adam hid, realizing the presence of God 243, and wanted to hide when God was looking for him and called to him in a voice that wounded the soul of the one hiding: Adam, where are you (Gen. 3:9)? That is: “Why are you hiding, why are you hiding, why are you running from the One Whom you wanted to see?” Sin is so grave for the conscience that it punishes itself without a judge and wants to hide itself, although it is naked before God. 104. Therefore, no one, being in sin, should demand for himself the right to the sacraments or claim participation in them, for it is written: Have you sinned? Remain silent (Gen.4:7). And David says in the recently mentioned psalm: On the willow trees in the midst of it we hung our harps (Ps. 137:2), - and below: How can we sing the song of the Lord in a foreign land (Ps. 137:4)? After all, if the flesh resists reason and does not obey the guidance of the spirit and the command of the mind 244, then it is a foreign land that does not yield to the hard work of the worker and therefore cannot bear the fruits of love, patience and peace 245. That is, then it is better to remain in silence when you cannot perform the works of repentance, so that in repentance itself something does not happen that you will then need to repent of. Repentance, once begun, but done in an inappropriate manner, does not immediately bear fruit and deprives the benefit of performing subsequent [repentance]. 105. And in fact, when the flesh resists, then the mind must be directed towards God; and if works do not follow, 246 let faith serve diligently; and if either carnal temptations or enemy forces are in conflict, let the mind remain devoted to God. For then we are more oppressed when the flesh attacks [us]. And there are those who cruelly oppress the unfortunate soul, trying to take away all help, which is why it is written: Devastate, devastate it to its foundations (Ps. 137:7) 247. 106. David speaks of her with regret: The daughter of Babylon is unfortunate (Ps. 137:8)! Indeed, she is unhappy who has ceased to be a daughter of God and is a daughter of Babylon. However, he calls for a doctor for her, saying: Blessed is he who takes and dashes your babies against a stone (Ps. 137:9); that is, blessed is the one who throws his shaky and deceptive thoughts to Christ, who crushes all his unreasonable aspirations with reverence and reasoning, just as if someone, being carried away by the love of a harlot, is able to reject passion and connection with the harlot and himself renounces his desire to find Christ 248. 107. So, we have learned that we should bring repentance and bring it at a time when the riot of sin in us has subsided, and that in the captivity of sin we should have more respect, and not claims. After all, if Moses, who was striving to come closer to gain knowledge of the heavenly mystery, was told: Take off your sandals from your feet (Ex. 3:5), then how much more must we remove the bodily bonds from the feet of our souls and free our every step from the fetters of this world. The preface is written based on the work of: Banterle G. Introduzione // Ambrosius Mediolanensis. Explanatio Symboli; De sacramentis; De Misteris; De paenitentia / Introd., trad., not. e indici G. Banterle. Milano; Biblioteca Ambrosiana; Roma: Citta nuova, 1996. (Sancti Ambrosii Episkopi Mediolanensis opera; 17). P. 18–21; Gryson R. Introduction // Ambroise de Milan. La penitense / Texte latin. Introd., trad. et not. R. Gryson. 1971 (SC; 179). St. Ambrose emphasizes the social significance of virtue, following Cicero, who considered public duties more important than all others (cf. Cic. off. 1. 158). See: Luke 15:5. The image of the gospel shepherd will also be mentioned below (1.27). Also a reference to this parable is found in sschmch. Cyprian of Carthage (epist. 55, 15. 1). Outside of these texts, this parable is not used in polemics with the Novatians. See: Concil. Nicaen. can. 8; Euseb. Nist. eccl. 6. 43. I. – Approx. ed. R. Gryson notes that in classical Latin the terms praeuaricatio and praeuaricare are usually used to refer to someone who, in a legal case, colludes with the opposing party and thus betrays the cause he is supposed to defend. These concepts are transferred into the language of theology and denote apostasy, when a Christian takes the side of the enemy. These concepts often have exactly this meaning in St. Ambrose (see: epist. 17, 7; 40, 7). The extent to which this term has become entrenched precisely in the meaning of apostasy can be seen from the interpretation of St. Ambrose of Psalm 119 (118–119), that every sinner, not only an apostate, is a praeuaricator, because every sinner apostates (Greek: apostateo) from faith in God, perhaps to a lesser extent than an apostate (see: exp. ps. 118, 15. 32–33). In paenit. I. 5 by praeuaricatio we mean apostasy, without including unforgivable sins in this concept (see: Gryson. R. 54). Sschmch. Cyprian reproached Novatian for considering all sins equal, like the Stoics, since Novatian refused to distinguish between those who worshiped idols and those who only bought counterfeit certificates of worship (see: epist. 55, 13. 2–17. 3). St. Ambrose expands on this remark using Cicero's thought (Mur. 61). Wed: Nor. Sat. 1. 3. 115–117. According to R. Grison, it is unclear whether in the eyes of St. Ambrose's ordination among the Novatians has absolutely no force. He probably did not equate it with Aryan ordination, but here he speaks very categorically (see: R. Gryson. Le prêtre selon saint Ambroise. Louvain: Édition orientaliste. 1968. P. 232). An appeal to Novatian most likely implies an appeal to all his followers. See: 2 Cor. 5:21 (in the Synod. Transl.): a sacrifice for sin. – Approx. ed. In his Christological works, as here, St. Ambrose insists on the truth (ueritas) of the flesh of Christ. Christ took on true flesh like ours, and not merely the likeness of our flesh (fid. 2.44–45, 4.29, 32, 5.222; spir. s. 3.124; incarn. 46–47). And although He was not conceived in the ordinary way, His flesh is ordinary flesh (fid. 4.164; incarn. 53, 103-104; expl. ps. 39 18; inst. u. 98; exp. Luc. 10.135), subject to all the weaknesses of human flesh, the consequence of which was vulnerability to death (fid. 3. 6. 120; exp. Luc. 7.133, 10.56; The only weakness that was not inherent in Him was sin (incarn. 76; spir. s. I. 111; exam. I. 15; Cain et A. 1. 10; Abr. 2. 6; apol. 10. 59; expl. ps. 36, 64; expl. ps. 37, 34, 53; expl. ps. 118, 6. 22; expl. ps. 20, 14), and in this sense He took only the “likeness” or “image” of sinful flesh. Christ had our flesh, but not its vices. St. Ambrose correlates this quality with the virgin birth of the Savior. In his opinion, upon conception, a person inherits the taint of original sin and the consequences associated with it (lust, inclination to evil, etc.). The child is literally conceived in the sin of the parents (exp. Luc. 2.56; Cain et A. 1.10; apol. 56–57; exp. ps. 118, 6.23). This interpretation goes back to Origen (comm. in Rom. 3. 3) (see: Gryson. R. 64, n. I). The Book of Hosea speaks of Israel's unfaithfulness to God and the judgment that God threatens. However, the prophecy ends with a declaration of God's boundless mercy. – Approx. ed. See: Luke 7:12–15. A commentary on this episode is found in St. Ambrose in exp. Luc.5:89–92. See also: exp. Luke 7:75. The remark that the Good Samaritan poured the oil first is significant: gentleness should prevail over harshness. Compare: Isa.53:4: But He took upon Himself our infirmities and bore our sicknesses. See also: exp. Luc.7:76–77. See also: exp. Luke 7:75. Wed: Cypr. epist. 55, 19.2. According to exp. Luke 7:78–81, the inn to which the Samaritan brought the wounded man typifies the Church, and the two denarii (or two asses) represent the Old and New Testaments. See: Col.2:19; Wed: exp. Luke 7:84. Wed: Cypr. epist. 55. 16. 2–3. Obviously, this does not mean Novatian himself, but his followers. See: Matthew 11:29. It should be noted that in Latin “team, pair of oxen” and “yoke” are denoted by the same word iugum, which is lost in translation. The followers of Novatian, by the end of the 4th century, apparently rebaptized the Catholics who came to their sect. For more information, see: Vogt H.G. Coetus sanctorum. Der Kirchenbegriff des Novatian und die Geschichte seiner Sonderkirche. Bonn, 1968, pp. 168–178, 219, 221–223, 232. For more information on the interpretation of the parable of the wedding feast, see: exp. Luc. 7. 196–206. See also: exp. Luc. 6:54–59. See: Cypr. epist. 55, 24. That is, up. Paul, see: Acts 9:15. See: 2 Kings 2:11, Matthew 17:10–11. From this text it follows that the Novatians laid hands on the sick and that they saw the action of divine grace in recovery. The Novatians also believed that they could cleanse a person of filth. The text does not provide any clarification of this statement. It may also refer to the sacrament of Baptism, about which St. Ambrose speaks further. Compare: Bar.4:26, the prophet addresses the Jews as his own children: Those brought up by me in bliss went the hard way, captured like a flock plundered by enemies. See: Matthew 7:3. See also: exp. Luc. 7.238. See: 2 Cor.4:4; Col. 1:15. “Image” is, according to St. Ambrose, who follows the teachings of St. Athanasius and other Nicenes (see: fid. 2. 2–3, 8), one of the definitions indicating the identity of the Father and the Son in essence, since everything that is in the Father is also in the Son as in His perfect Image. – Approx. ed. It seems that St. Ambrose considers the book of the prophet Baruch to form a single whole with the book of the prophet Jeremiah. In the Septuagint, the book of the prophet Jeremiah is immediately followed by the book of the prophet Baruch, and after it the book of Lamentations. St. Ambrose interprets the last words as some promise of forgiveness, although what follows are menacing words: Repent: otherwise, I will soon come to you and fight with them with the sword of My mouth. Wed: Acts. 7:58, 9:1 et seq. The first letter of the Apostle John is called St. Ambrose conciliar (generalis), because there is no mention of any specific addressee, unlike his other two epistles (Gryson. R. 94, n. 1). This argument is already found in schmch. Cyprian of Carthage (epist. 55, 16. 3). See: exp. Luc. 7. 73: Hierico enim figura istius mundi est. The same etymology is given in exp. Luc. 7.74 and exp. ps. 118, 21. 5. Apparently, here under the “good Samaritan” St. Ambrose, following Origen, understands Christ. – Editor's note See also: Cypr. epist. 55, 16. 3. Quoted also from Cypr. epist. 55, 22. 4. See: Job 2:6. See also: Cypr. epist. 55, 18.1. See: Micah 7:17; refers to flesh created from dust, see: Gen. 2:7, 3:19. In the Latin text, the form toto corresponds to the classical form toti; this is an echo of folk Latin, examples of which are relatively rare in St. Ambrose (see: Gryson. R. 105, n. 2). Ancient interpreters for the most part understand the words of the ap. Paul about the exhaustion of the flesh (1 Cor. 5:5), to which penitents must force themselves, in the sense of the need to suppress the passionate movements of the flesh, which resists the spirit (see, for example, Origen;, in Leu. 14.4). Some (first of all, St. John Chrysostom; see: in 1 Cor. 15. 2) explain that the sinner, like Job, is given over in the flesh to Satan so that they come to repentance. It is this interpretation that is close to that proposed here by St. Ambrose (see: Gryson. R. 106, n. I). See: Isaiah 11:8: And the child will play in the asp's hole, and the child will stretch out his hand into the viper's nest. Under the “outer robe of the soul” St. Ambrose is referring to the human body itself, since he shared the opinion of St. Basil the Great (in turn, going back to Plato) that man himself is the soul, and the body is what belongs to it and serves as its cover in this world (see: exam. 6. 7). – Approx. ed. Valerius Maximus relates that Sulpinius Gallus, consul of 166 BC, divorced his wife because she left the house with her head uncovered (Fact. dict. mem. 6. 3. 10). Wed: Verg. Aen. I. 660: ...Atque ossibus implicet ignem. Wed: exp. ps. 118, 8.36. In the original fomenta uerborum, fomentum is a combustible material used for kindling. Wed: 1 Cor.5:6; Gal.5:9. Lat. consparsio dough, mixing and conspergere knead (dough), mix (leaven) are the same root words. – Approx. ed. See: Luke 13:21. The parable of leaven is analyzed in detail by St. Ambrose in exp. Luc. 7. 187–194. The Pharisees interpreted the Law in a purely literal sense, and the Sadducees denied the resurrection of the dead. The Church “hid” the “leaven of the Pharisees” with a spiritual interpretation of the Law, confirming the mysterious meaning hidden in it. She also “hid” the “leaven of the Sadducees” by rejecting their reasoning and proclaiming faith in the resurrection (see: Gryson. R. 120, n. 2). This refers to the Novatians, who were afraid of being defiled by communication with sinners. Wed: exp. Luc. 7. 236–237. Wed: Luke 24:47. See also: exp. Luc. 7.27. See: Matt. 19. 20 and Sir. 35.10. This is important because the Novatians believed that a sinner could receive forgiveness only in the sacrament of Baptism (see: Gryson. R. 128, n. 1). St. Ambrose cites this quote to show that forgiveness should be given even to “idolaters,” that is, to apostates who sacrificed to idols (see: Gryson. R. 128, n. 2). See: 1 Cor. 5:5 (in the synod, trans.): for the destruction of the flesh. This is an interpretive translation of the Greek. εἰς ὄλεθρоν τῆς σαρκός, since lat. interitus can mean both “exhaustion” and “extermination.” – Approx. ed. St. Ambrose repeatedly insists that the salvation bestowed by Christ applies to the whole person as a whole - both his body and soul (cf. Abr. I. 29) (see: Gryson. P. 130). However, in this place the saint’s imaginary opponent understands the expression of St. Paul “to the destruction of the flesh” (see above) as its complete destruction (interitus). – Approx. ed. Wed: Verg. Aep. 3. 244: semesam praedam et uestigia foeda relinquunt. Wed: Verg. georg. 1. 80–82: Arida tantum / ne saturare fimo pingui pudeat sola; neue / Effetos cinerem immundum jactare per agros. See: Gen. 18:27 (in the Synod, trans.): “dust and ashes.” See: Job. 2:8, 42:10 et seq. The Latin text says: ostentatione triumphantes, which literally means “to display victoriously, solemnly.” The word for “to display” (Greek: paradeigmatizo) is rare, and there is a possibility that St. Ambrose understood this place differently. Apparently, St. Ambrose turned to the Greek text of Scripture and translated it when, in his opinion, existing translations did not accurately convey the nuances that were important to him (see: Gryson. P. 134, n. 1). See: above in 1. 13. 59–63. According to ancient authors, this fact did not apply to the eagle, but to the phoenix (see, for example: Plin. nat. hist. 10. 2. 3–5). Christian authors very early saw in this an image that could serve as an example in the doctrine of the resurrection, and St. Ambrose often mentions it in precisely this sense (see: exc. fr. 2.59, exam. 5.79–80) (Gryson. R. 138, n. 1). St. Ambrose uses the same argument in Aux. 37 to prove that it is not necessary to baptize again those who are baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity, even if they were baptized by heretics (see: Gryson. R. 139, n. 2). This refers to the ritual Jewish ablutions (baptismata). – Approx. ed. See: 2 Kings 5:10–14. The plot of Naaman's healing was often used by St. Ambrose as an image of baptism; compare: sacr. 1. 13–14, myst. 16–18. The following exposition (14–18) shows much in common with the interpretation of the parable of the prodigal son in exp. Luc. 7. 212–243. It should be noted that in Latin “realization” and “property” are conveyed in one word - substantia. At 3.15 St. Ambrose plays with the meanings of this word. See: Cypr. epist. 55, 28. 1–2. See: Exodus 12:11. We find a different interpretation in exp. Luc. 7.231. According to exp. Luc. 7. 119–120, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit consists in denying the Divinity of Christ. However, in the same place (7. 121) the author adds that many prefer to say that the unforgivable blasphemy consists in asserting that Christ casts out demons by the power of Beelzebub, and not by Divine power (see: Gryson. R. 146, n. I). Wed: 1 Cor. 2:8; Acts 2:14ff. Probably Novatians. – Approx. ed. The whole of § 28 is repeated at the beginning of § 40, where the quoted words of Scripture are much more appropriate than here. It is believed that this was a scribal error, but there is no outward sign of this in the surviving manuscripts. Grison puts this text in square brackets (see SC 179:151–152), Banterle, following Faller (CSEL 73, Vindobonae, 1955), speaks of the authenticity of this chapter. We follow the edition of the Biblioteca Ambrosiana. Greek, τάχα can mean “soon, immediately”, also “maybe, perhaps”. The Latin forte means "by chance, perhaps" and has no temporal connotations and is not an absolute equivalent of the Greek word. Thus, the translation of St. Ambrose is not entirely accurate (Banterle. Introduzione. R. 249). Both expressions are taken from the speech of Andromache (Iliad, 6, 408 and 409–410): ...Soon / I will be a widow, unfortunate one! Soon the Argives will attack you together and kill you! (Translated by N.I. Gnedich). In the version of the quotation given by St. Ambrose, there is an adverb forsitan “perhaps, perhaps, maybe.” See: Luke 7:32. Further in the text you can find many details that are common with the interpretation of St. Ambrose of the Gospel of Luke, see: preserved. Luc. 6.5–11. See: 2 Samuel 6:14, 16, 20–22. Wed: Cic. Mur. 13: Multarum deliciarum comes est extrema saltatio. In the 4th century. in some churches, as in many others earlier (for example, in Carthage in the 3rd century), there was a system of public repentance, which implied stages in which the penitents gradually move from one category to another and are gradually restored to liturgical communion. However, little is known about this practice in the West. Wed: exam. 1. 27. According to the text paenit., the main purpose of Christ's command is the same as that indicated in the text exam. 1.27. St. Ambrose explains the veil that covered the face of Lazarus as a veil that hid the truth, that is, the full revelation and grace of Jesus Christ (see: Gryson. R. 171, n. 5). For St. Ambrose, the incense poured by Mary symbolizes faith, because the Gospel text speaks of peace “from pure nard” (Greek: μύρου νάρδου πιστικῆς), and the word “pure” (πιστικός) comes from the word πίστις, “faith” (see: Grvson. R. 172. n. 3). At the time of his election, St. Ambrose was still just a catechumen. For more information about this, see the Life. According to the “agreement” in which the Lord promises forgiveness to the repentant. St. Ambrose talks a lot about healthy generosity in off. (1.143–174). There he often condemns the pursuit of glory (off. 1. 147, 2. 76, 102, 110, 111, 122). This is not just a metaphor, because the neophytes received white robes, which symbolized the grace of baptism, upon emerging from the font, after the rite of washing their feet, before receiving the “spiritual seal” from the bishop (myst. 34–41). See: Luke 6:21. In his interpretation of the Gospel of Luke, St. Ambrose also refers this beatitude to those mourning their sins, see: exp. Luc. 5.55. St. Ambrose uses the Greek equivalent δορκάς "gazelle" for the Hebrew name Tabitha. See: Rev. 17:4–18; 18:7–8. The idea of ​​a single public repentance after baptism was common in the early Church. He is mentioned, in particular, by Tertullian, see also in the book “The Shepherd of Hermas”. See: Rom.6:4, 8; Col. 2:20 . St. Ambrose interprets the words of St. Paul, placing them in their context (see: Gryson. R. 194, n. I). See: Matthew 24:43; Luke 12:39. Lat. in ea lit. "in her". The fact is that in both the Hebrew, Greek and Latin Bibles, the city of Jerusalem is grammatically feminine. St. Ambrose uses this circumstance to draw a parallel between Jerusalem and soul, which in Latin is also a feminine noun (anima). – Approx. ed. Wed: exp. ps. 118, 8.34.