НАКАЗАНИЕ

We should mourn not those who are punished and suffer, but those who sin with impunity. The first evil is to sin, and the second is for those who sin not to receive any healing, or, more correctly, this is the first and gravest evil. Just as it is difficult not to be exposed to illness, but, having fallen ill, not to receive treatment, and just as we pity not so much the one who has a putrefactive wound, but rather the one who lies with it and does not receive help from the doctor, and who is cut off and cauterized, we consider him returning to health, paying attention not to the pain that comes from cutting, but to recovery, so we should think about the soul: we should grieve and grieve not about those who are punished - their return to health - but about those who sin with impunity. But, you say, if punishments deter vices, then why aren’t we punished for sins every day? Because if this were so, then the human race would have been destroyed long ago and there would have been no time for repentance. Remember Paul. If he had been punished for persecution and killed, then how would he have had time to repent, after repentance to do many good deeds and, so to speak, to lead the entire universe from error to truth? Don’t you see that doctors, when someone has many wounds, use a medicine that is not as strong as the nature of the wounds requires, but which the patient’s strength can endure, so that, while healing the wounds, they do not destroy the patient? Therefore, God does not punish everyone suddenly and not everyone according to their deserts, but lightly and gradually; and often, punishing one, admonishes many others through him (2). Those who abandon the law of God are those who violate even the slightest part of what is written in it and want to fulfill its instructions according to their own, and not according to the will and intention of the Lawgiver. Those who, during judgment, fear the rich or have mercy on the poor, do not walk in the destinies of God, while God wants the judgment to be equal for everyone. Those who desecrate His commandments are those who pretend to be virtuous, but in reality insult the commandments, because they do not fulfill them from a pure heart. Since they violate the will of the Commanded One, it is said that they do not keep them. God punishes the iniquities of such people with a rod and their iniquities with wounds. Therefore, when we are subjected to punishment, we will not blame God, we will not blame him, even if we strive in fasting or some other virtue, because we do good deeds not as we should, which is why we need punishment (3). How would it be in accordance with reason for a righteous and rewarding Judge to punish those who have sinned less, but leave those who have sinned more seriously without punishment? Is it not obvious that, having predetermined the day on which He will judge the universe, He therefore postpones punishment, so that people either, through His long-suffering, would be corrected or would be subjected to the most severe punishment if they remained in the same sins? So, when we, sinning in the same way as others who have suffered punishment, have already sinned, do not tolerate the same, we will not be arrogant, but we will be even more afraid. By punishing those 1 God, as it were, uttered a law, instilling and convincing everyone: I punished the one who sinned at the beginning, so that you, who sinned after them, would expect the same for yourself, so that you would correct yourself and become better. The same punishments are assigned for the same sins, although they are not immediately executed (4). Whoever does not become better even from punishment, as insensitive and contemptuous, is given over to even greater execution. And one punishment in itself should be enough to restrain and admonish the fallen one; but if he, not having come to his senses from the punishment he has suffered, again dares to do the same thing, then in fairness he is again subject to the punishment that he brings upon himself. If we, even here, after punishment for sins, fall again into the same sins, and are already subjected to the most severe punishment, then should we not fear and tremble all the more in anticipation of future unbearable torments, when, even though we sin, we do not suffer any punishment here? Why, you say, is not everyone punished in this way? After all, we see many vicious people who have good health and enjoy prosperity in the strength of their strength. But we should not rely on this, and that is why we need to mourn such people more. The fact that they do not tolerate anything here is the guarantee of the heaviest punishment there. Explaining this, Paul says: “Being judged, we are chastened by the Lord, lest we be condemned with the world” (1 Cor. 11:32). Here there is only admonition, there there is punishment (8). Why, they will say, does God not punish everyone here? To give others the time predetermined by Him for repentance. Why isn’t it limited to everyone only by the punishments there? So that the number of those who do not believe in God’s Providence does not increase. Why were some of the robbers caught while others escaped punishment? Where is God's love for mankind and justice here? If no one were punished at all, then one could resort to this argument. But when some are punished, others are not, even if they sinned more, then how can we understand that the same crimes do not have the same punishments? Wouldn't we have to admit that the punishment in this case is unfair? So why isn't everyone punished here? Listen to how Christ himself answers you to this. When some died from the fall of the tower, Christ, in response to the bewilderment that arose about their death, said: “Do you think that these Galileans were more sinful than all the Galileans, that they suffered so much? No, I tell you, but unless you repent, you will all perish in the same way” (Luke 13:2–5). By this He teaches us not to rely on the fact that, despite the multitude of our crimes, we remain unpunished when others endure it, because if we do not repent, we will certainly be punished. Why, you ask, should we, who sinned here for a short time, endure eternal punishment? Why is it that a person who commits one murder in one minute is condemned to work in the mines for life? You say: God shouldn’t do this? But how did He keep the paralytic for thirty-eight years in such a serious illness? And because he was punished for his sins with illness, listen to what [Christ] says to him: “Behold, you have recovered; Sin no more, lest anything worse happen to you” (John 5:14). However, the paralytic, you say, still received an exemption from punishment, but this will not happen there. Indeed, there will be no end to the punishments there; listen to how Christ himself speaks about this: “their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:46). This is how it should be: if life is eternal, then punishment is eternal. Or do you not know how He threatened the Jews? Were these threats fulfilled or were they just words? It is said: “there will not be left one stone upon another” (Luke 21:6); and indeed, was any stone left unturned? Christ said: “there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now” (Matthew 24:21). Didn't this also come true? Read the story of Joseph: your spirit will be lifted just by the story of the calamities that the Jews actually suffered. They say that these horrors have no example in history, that such a war has never broken out over a people. I remind you of them not to upset you, but to ensure your safety in the future; after all, by comforting you with vain hopes, I could subject you to the most painful punishments. And tell me: why don’t you deserve to be punished for your sins? Didn't God warn you about everything? Did He threaten you? Wasn't he intimidating? Didn’t I use thousands of means for your salvation? Didn’t He grant you the bath of rebirth and forgive you all your previous sins? And after this rebirth, after the remission of sins, didn’t he give you, when you began to sin again, a new benefit - in repentance? Didn’t he make it easier for you to receive forgiveness for the sins you committed and after this? So listen to what God has commanded. If you forgive your neighbor’s sins, then I, He says, will forgive you. Is this inconvenient? “Save the oppressed, defend the orphan, intercede for the widow. Then come and let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins be as scarlet, they will be as white as snow” (Isa. 1:17, 18). Is it difficult? “You speak in order to justify yourself” (Is. 43:26). What is the burden in this? “Atone for your sins...by showing mercy to the poor” (Dan. 4:24). What kind of work is that? The publican said: “Be merciful to me a sinner... and went away justified” (Luke 18:13, 14). Is it difficult to imitate a publican? But even after all this, you don’t want to be convinced that there is both execution and torment. Perhaps you will say that the devil is not punished either? It was said: “go... into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41). But if there is no Gehenna, then he is not punished. If the devil is punished, it is obvious that we who do his works will also be punished. And we transgress the will of God, although not in the same way as he did. Why aren’t you afraid to speak boldly about God, claiming that God loves mankind and therefore will not punish? And if he punishes you, then, in your opinion, will it turn out that He is no longer philanthropic? Do you see what speeches the devil inspires you with (9)? Those who sin a lot should be more afraid and fearful when they are not punished than when they are punished, because their punishment increases due to impunity and the long-suffering of God. Therefore, let us look not at whether we are not punished, but at whether we have sinned? If we sin and are not punished, then we should tremble even more. Tell me: if you had any slave and only threatened him and did not beat him, then when would he be more afraid, when would he run away, when would he decide to escape? Wasn't it when you only threatened? That is why we advise not to constantly threaten each other, so as not to confuse the soul too much with fear, so as not to torment it more with this than with wounds. In one case the punishment is temporary, and in the other it is permanent. Therefore, if no one now suffers from this sickle, do not look at it, but think, are such things being done? Many things are being done now that were done at the time of the flood; but there is no flood, because Gehenna and torment await. Many sin like the Sodomites, but the rain of fire does not fall on them, because a river of fire is prepared. Many dared to do the same thing as Pharaoh, but were not subjected to the same punishment as him, not drowned in the Red Sea, because the sea of ​​the abyss awaits them, where the punishment will not be accompanied by insensibility and will not end in death, but where they will suffer, more and more subjected to punishment, burning and suffocation. Many dared to sin like the Israelites, but the serpents did not bite them, because an endless worm awaited them. Many dared to do the same as Gehazi, but were not stricken with leprosy, because instead of leprosy they would be cut in half and suffer the same fate as the hypocrites (see Matt. 24:51). Many have sworn and broken oaths, but even if they escaped [punishment], let us not rely on this, because the gnashing of teeth awaits them. Yes, and here, perhaps, they will experience and will not escape [punishment], if not immediately, then for other sins, so that the punishment will be more severe. And we often repay even small ones for great ones. So, when you notice that something has happened to you, remember this sin. This is exactly what happened with the sons of Jacob. Remember Joseph's brothers: they sold their brother, attempted to take his life, or, better to say, they already took as much as it depended on them; They deceived and saddened the elder - and did not suffer anything. But, many years later, they were in extreme danger and remembered this sin. And that what was said is not fiction, listen to what they themselves say: “we are punished for sin against our brother” (Gen. 42:21). So you too, when something happens, say: yes, we are in sin, because we did not listen to Christ, because we swore; frequent oaths and perjuries fell on my head. Thus, confess, because they also confessed and were saved. What does it matter if the punishment does not immediately occur? After all, Ahab also did not immediately suffer what he later experienced for Naboth’s crime. Why does this happen? God gives you time to wash yourself, and when you hesitate, He finally sends punishment (10). If punishment were evil for sinners, then God would not add evil to evil and would not want to make them even worse. After all, the one who does everything to destroy evil cannot increase it. So, it is not evil for a sinner to be punished, but on the contrary, it is evil not to be punished, just as it is evil for a sick person not to be treated (11). If God did not observe whether we sin or do good, then perhaps there would be some basis for saying that there is no punishment, and if He cares so much that we do not sin, and uses such great measures to correct us, then it is obvious that He punishes those who sin and crowns those who do good. Pay attention again to the inconsistency [in judgment] of most people. Here they complain about God that He is often long-suffering and indifferently looks at the fact that many villains, libertines, oppressors go unpunished; there again they grumble bitterly and strongly because God threatens them with punishment, although, of course, if the latter upsets them, then the former should be praised and approved. Oh madness! Oh, bestial and asinine reasoning! Oh, sin-loving soul devoted to vice! After all, all these judgments come from the love of pleasure, and if those who reason in this way wanted to cleave to virtue, they would soon be convinced of Gehenna and would no longer doubt (11). This refers to the people of Sodom. – Approx. ed. You might be interested in: