Word 3rd. About repentance always and everything necessary with the power of action that the faithful received through the grace of Baptism even before doing it

Treatise of St. Mark of the Ascetic “Word 3. About repentance always and everything necessary with the power of action that the faithful received through the grace of Baptism before and through the grace of Baptism” consists of 13 chapters and is polemical in nature. The monk mentions the “wisdom of the Novatians” (chapter 7), as those who reject repentance, citing their arguments and refuting them. According to Rev. Mark, repentance is necessary for everyone, even saints, because... “all... come from Adam, all were born under the sin of transgression” (chap. 1, 7, 10). For a person it is as natural as food and drink, and its basis is Holy Baptism (chap. 7, 12). Repentance is accomplished “by the following three virtues: purification of thoughts, unceasing prayer and patience with the sorrows that befall us” (chapter 7). *The title of the work in Greek is Περὶ μετανοίας. *The title of the works in Latin is De paenitentia. Our Lord Jesus Christ, God's Power and God's Wisdom, in a Godly manner, as He Himself knows, providing for the salvation of all and through various commands, having established the law of freedom, indicated one decent intention for everyone, saying: “Repent” (Matthew 4:17). From this we can learn that all the variety of commandments flows towards one limit of repentance, which the Lord, first of all, commanded the apostles, saying: “Say to them (that is, to people): repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is drawing near,” - not at all meaning by this the temporary approach of His Kingdom, as if soon to come for the world. The truth could not divide anything inconsistent with reality, for we see that even then those who lived, and those who came after them fell asleep, not being involved in the universal end. He said: “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is drawing near” (Matthew 4:17), meaning by this that His word has the power of the kingdom and repentance. For, if we do not agree to understand it this way, then how can “the Kingdom of Heaven be like kvass, which a woman took and hid in satekh.” (measures) three pieces of flour, until everything is leavened?” (Matt. 13:33; Luke. 13:21) Does this not mean that the mind, having received the word of the Lord within itself, hid it in a three-component being, that is, according to the Apostle, body, spirit and soul, and in thoughts all the subtlety of them, like flour scattered in various ways, gathered it into one leaven of faith, expecting in everything to be like the word active in it. In the same way, the Lord likened the word of truth to a mustard seed, which, being small when it is planted in the hearts of those who hear, but then growing in conformity with action, like a great tree standing on an elevated place, becomes (according to Scripture) a house of refuge for approaching thoughts. And this, indeed, could be so when He called the apostles pure because of the word (John 15:3), which they heard, and put into action the power brought along with the word, and through this they became pure. For “the word of God lives and is active” (Heb. 4:2). Therefore, he condemned those who did not engage in such intercourse as infidels, saying: “If he had not come and spoken to them, they had no sin: but now they have no guilt about their sin” (John 15:22). 2. We said this not as those who do not believe in the future Kingdom, which will certainly come in its own and uncertain times, but because the word of the Lord contains in itself the same power of the Kingdom, constituting for the faithful (according to Scripture) “a notice to those who hope” (Heb. 11:1), the betrothal of a future inheritance, the firstfruits of eternal blessings, for the unfaithful and wicked - an intolerable denunciation of godlessness. Therefore (the Lord) says: “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is drawing near.” So, if the word of those who hear only it shows the deeds of the debtors, bringing into the heart (along with themselves) the power of what is being said, then what will we, having rejected the power that has come to us, be subjected to, not only words, but also many and great blessings, and not only one talent, but also five, and two having hidden in the earth bodily, having abused the blessings of the Lord; while the dumb (decently), being benefited, obey their leader, as much as they have the natural strength to do so. And to the extent that the very ferocity of animals changes through their obedience to their benefactor, to that extent we, above all animals, honored by autocracy, turned out to be more ferocious and unreasonable than animals. For they willingly draw close to each other, and therefore, when they graze together, each is content with what has happened and, without envy, leaves to the other what is in front of him; We, destined to rule and dominate the dumb, preferred malice to natural properties, so that even without any motivating reason compelling us, we find ourselves unmerciful and envious towards those of our own tribe. These, I believe, John (the Baptist) called the offspring of the viper snake, who in repentance found the means to avoid future wrath, urging them to create fruits worthy of it, and commanding them to give one out of two vestments to the poor, and the same with regard to food. If, before (the knowledge of) faith, those who did not understand what was due for their lack of compassion were likened to snakes, then to sin without fear after receiving faith, and knowledge, and gifts would be such an evil, for which we will not find even a similarity. 3. And therefore, leaving behind the secret things that everyone has the power to do mentally, I will only say that we contrive, being annoyed with each other, especially against those whom we consider to have offended us, not treating either the small or the great according to God. For we rise above the little-known or the poorest obviously, desiring to possess them as mercenaries or slaves, and defending our nobility no longer in Christ, but in the flesh and wealth. So, when we see that one of our superiors is sinning, then, not daring to reprove him, we say to those who happened at the same time: “For it is written: “Before the time you judge nothing, until the Lord comes” (1 Cor. 4:5).” On the humble (lower), having found some small reason, we immediately attack, wanting to speak out, and say: “It is written: “Whoever sins... rebuke him before everyone” (1 Tim. 5:20).” And thus, with the testimony of Scripture, we maliciously cover up our hypocrisy or malice, and as if we are reproaching them according to God. This is how we act with those inferior to us, but we immediately turn away from those who are equal to us for any minor faults, plotting all sorts of intrigues for revenge, and not before reconciling with them until our desire is fulfilled. By grasping at such an excuse and rejoicing as if it were good, we thereby cover up our wickedness. After we have taken revenge and fulfilled our malice, then we talk more lovingly with them, making the former victory through evil the basis of our second love. But it is necessary that the subsequent work be like the foundation; and the one who wants to win like this will (certainly) again begin to seek discord; because love can never remain with him without a quarrel; discord is always inherited by hatred, as Divine Scripture says: “Hatred creates strife” (discord) (Prov. 10:12). This illness befalls those who seek primacy in glory and acquisitions, since its first island is illness in the stomach (water sickness) (Acts 28:7). Blessed Paul even now heals this illness, saying: “By humility of mind, giving honor to one another” (Phil. 2:3). This is how we are positioned in relation to our inferiors and equals. Our cunning against the strongest, which is hidden and varied, is inconvenient to either express or understand, for we treat the highest (well) not in fulfillment of the commandment, being affectionate only to those whom we cannot offend; and with an envious eye we look with sorrow at their well-being, and we do not even like to hear a story about the well-being of their lives, and, caressing them with a look and peaceful words, in our thoughts we are disposed towards them in a completely opposite way, so that what has been said is fulfilled over us: “those who speak peace with their neighbors, but evil is in their hearts” (Ps. 27:3). 4. We said this about those who are carried away (so to speak) unwillingly, wanting to show that those who sin arbitrarily are still outside (the good path) and awkwardly bow to repentance. For how can it be said that they sin involuntarily, when they do not want to fulfill the word of (St.) Daniel in order to acquire the remission of sins: “Atone for your sins with alms, and atone for your iniquities with the bounties of the poor” (Dan. 4:24)? But perhaps you will say: “I don’t have money, how can I spare the poor?” If you don’t have money, but you have desires, renounce them and use them to do good. Can't you do good with your bodily hand? Do charity with your right will: “If your brother sins against you... leave it to him” (Luke 17:3), according to the word of the Lord, and this will amount to great alms for you. If we seek forgiveness of sins from God, then we must do the same with every sin regarding everyone, so that what is said (in the Gospel) may be fulfilled: “forgive, and they will forgive you” (Luke 6:37). It is a great thing if someone, having money, gives (alms) to the poor; to have mercy on our neighbors in their sins (against us) is so much greater for obtaining forgiveness of sins as the soul is by nature more honest than the body. If we, asking God for forgiveness (of sins) and having repeatedly received what we asked for, so that for the sake of this we did not suffer any evil here, and do not want to make our neighbors partakers of this gift, then through this we become like that evil servant, who, having received from his Master the forgiveness of a debt - a dark talent, did not forgive his neighbor, who owed him only a hundred pennies; with whom the Lord, as if judging according to the law, said: “Evil servant, he has forgiven you all the debt; therefore you begged Me: is it not appropriate for you to have mercy on your minion, and forgive him the debt, just as I had mercy on you? And having become angry,” it is said, “betrayed him by the tormentor, he will repay all his debt.” And he draws a conclusion from this, saying: “So will My Heavenly Father do to you, if you do not let each of your brothers away from your hearts their sins” (Matthew 18:32-35). According to the same thing, in another place, those who have been enriched by him with various benefits and have an unmerciful and uncompassionate disposition are called worthy of pity, saying: “Woe to you who are rich, because you receive your consolations” (Lk. 6:24); for truly our wealth is the abundance of various gifts that we receive, woe to us that, having begged (God) and being repeatedly shown mercy, we ourselves, begged by others, have not had mercy on anyone, “but let us receive our consolation.” 5. Having spoken about the rich, the Lord does not blame everyone who has become rich, for among them there are those who actually know how to dispose of wealth according to the will of God who gave it and, according to Scripture, who have received it a hundredfold in this life, such as blessed Abraham and righteous Job, who, being merciful, became even more rich both here and in the next century; but he condemns, as we said above, those who, having a covetous disposition, appropriate to themselves the gifts of God, either in relation to (material) possessions, or in His various bounties, and do not want to be merciful to their neighbor. For it is not the property given from the Lord that harms the one who possesses it, but the covetousness that comes from unrighteousness and its mother, unmercifulness, which, completely avoiding, the firm believers have completely renounced real blessings, not because they unreasonably hated God’s creation, but out of faith in Christ, who commanded them to do so, receiving from Him the satisfaction of their daily needs. Another can become rich even without possessions, having in covetousness a word, or knowledge, or some other means of showing mercy, which is common to all, for he receives it in order to give it to the poor. If he is unmercifully disposed towards his neighbor, woe to him (as stated above), for he will accept his own consolation. Likewise, St. The Apostle James says this to those who are getting rich: “Come now, you rich men, weep and howl for the fierce sorrows that are coming upon you” (James 5:1, 2), and exhorting us to weep and wail, encourages us to repentance. Knowing that this passion (covetousness) is not easily overcome even with the most diligent effort, say: “Cast away your wealth,” so to speak, is worthless, unless it is given to others, and many of us have this wealth in addition to estates, having buried covetousness in our mental cages, like gold. About which the prophet speaks more clearly: “My wounds have become stinking and rotten” (Ps. 37:6), meaning by the word “wounds” an unkind and covetous disposition, and by the words “stinking and rotting,” meaning negligence that continues even to death, as if some kind of stench and decay. For some of us are ready to hide our property in the ground rather than transfer it to someone who does not have it. When death approaches, then such an ulcer grows stinking in the soul as the cause of rottenness and madness, and, remaining in it as an eternal wound, does not allow it to enter the Heavenly Kingdom of the firstborn, as the law commands about those who have vice. 6. But isn’t it time to expose the most severe wounds and show them to the Physician of our souls, for, while St. Paul said: “your abundance (let there be) in their deprivation” (2 Cor. 8:14), we do the opposite of this: we steal the deprivation of the poor and add to our abundance. We do the same thing without property, when we sin in something against our brother, and not only leave him (in grief at us) without healing, but even the apology that we owed him, we force ourselves to obtain from him, doing this nothing more than what was said above: we add their “deprivation” to our excess, so to speak, contrary to Scripture. But therefore we should not despair yet. Let this not happen! For we are condemned not for a multitude of evils, but for the fact that we do not want to repent and know the miracles of Christ, as the Truth Itself testifies: “Do you think,” says (the Lord), “that these Galileans, whose blood Pilate mixed with their sacrifices, are more sinful than all the Galileans on earth? Neither, I say to you: but unless you repent, you will all perish likewise. Or They fell on the tenth pillar of Siloam and beat them, do you think that they deserved more than all those living in Jerusalem? I say to you: but unless you repent, you will all perish likewise” (Luke 13:1-5). Do you see that we are condemned because we do not have repentance? time, not by any deeds, but is accomplished through the commandments of Christ, in proportion to them. The commandments are more general, which contain many of the particular ones and cut off many parts of vice at a time, as, for example, the Scripture says: “Give to everyone... who asks you, and do not torture from him who takes yours” (Luke 6:30) and: “Whoever wants from you, do not give.” do not turn away the burden" (Matt. 5:42) - these are the essence of the private commandments. The general one, which contains them in itself: “sell your possessions and give to the poor” (Matthew 19:21), and: “take up your cross, come after Me” (Mark 10:21), meaning by the cross the patience of the sorrows that befall us. For he who gave everything to the poor and took up his cross fulfilled all the above commandments at once. In the same way: “I want,” says (the apostle), “that men may say prayers in every place, lifting up their holy hands” (1 Tim. 2:8), and the general thing about this (Lord): “go into your cage, and... pray to your Father who is in the secret” (Matthew 6:6), and again: “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17 ), - he who entered his cage and prayed incessantly concluded in this very prayer, offered in every place. It is also said: “Do not commit adultery, neither commit adultery, nor kill,” and the like, and the general thing about this: “the thoughts are degrading, and every reproach is taken on the mind of God” (Ex. 20:13, 14; 2 Cor. 10:4, 5). thoughts put a barrier to all the above-mentioned vices. Therefore, the lovers of God and firm believers force themselves to the general commandments, not abandoning the private ones that occur on occasion. 7. And therefore I believe that the work of repentance is accomplished by the following three virtues: purification of thoughts, unceasing prayer and patience with the sorrows that befall us; and all this must be done not only outwardly, but also in mental action, so that those who have worked for a long time become dispassionate through this. And since the work of repentance, as our word indicated, cannot be accomplished without the three above-mentioned virtues, I believe that repentance is always appropriate for everyone who wants to be saved, sinners and righteous; for there is no such limit of perfection that would not require the practice of the above-mentioned virtues: through them, beginners acquire an introduction to piety, intermediates - success in it, and perfect ones - confirmation in it. Because these virtues do not cease either with time or with the consciousness of one’s righteous deeds, except through evil faith arising from unreason, when someone easily bows to sweets, and under the pretext that there is no longer hope (for salvation), remains in voluptuousness, accepts the wisdom of the Novatians and rejects repentance; although this is confirmed by the apostle, who, speaking to the Jews who sinned arbitrarily and were baptized every day, says: “not laying the foundation of repentance from dead works, and faith in God, baptisms of teaching” (Heb. 6: 1, 2). But the apostle did not say this because he rejected repentance, as they say, not at all! And wanting to teach that in every act of repentance there is one foundation - Baptism into Christ, so that those who believe from the circumcision are baptized every day, which is why he adds: “For it is impossible for those who have been enlightened by one thing, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have been partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the power of the age to come, and have fallen away, to be renewed again to repentance” (Heb. 6:4–6), knowing that in all repentance there is one renewal and foundation - Holy Baptism. And a little lower he also says: “For it is the will of those who sin against us, after we have received the understanding of truth, for whose sins a sacrifice is not found” (Heb. 10:26). 8. And how what was said is proper and proper where these matters are; then it is obvious that he speaks not only to the Jews, but also to all those who sin arbitrarily, of whom the first are those who say that after Baptism there is no repentance, and for this reason, deviating spontaneously, commit lawlessness. These first words of St. Paul spoke afterwards, and this, I believe, he did with good intention, so that the meaning of the words would be clear to the reverent through the study of the Scriptures, but unclear to the most careless and despisers, so that they would not sin without fear under the pretext of future repentance. Since some, under the pretext of repentance, deliberately remain in evil, others, not believing that there is repentance, fell into despair and gave themselves up to the devil; and for both of them this passion is crafty and incurable, therefore the Truth offers everyone decent assistance, saying: “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is drawing near” (Matt. 4:17) - so that even the spiritual and the successful do not neglect this command, not leaving unattended even the most subtle and small errors, for it is said: “he who humbles little by little will fall” (Sir. 19:1). And do not say: “How can a spiritual person fall?” Remaining like this, he does not fall: when he allows something small from the opposite into himself and remains in it without repenting, then this little thing, having become stubborn and growing, no longer tolerates remaining separate from him, but attracts him to unite with himself, as if by some kind of chain, forcibly attracting him with long-term attachment. And if, having entered into a struggle with it (with this evil) through prayer, he rejects it, then he will remain in his measure (spiritual age), however, he will still find himself lagging behind his characteristic dispassion to the extent that he has cut off in himself the addiction to the evil he encountered. If, of course, he is reduced (from the usual degree) by the increasing effort of what possesses him, reducing the struggle and work of prayer, then he will inevitably be seduced by other passions. And so gradually, being led away by each as he is led away, he is deprived of Divine help and, finally, is reduced to great crimes, sometimes unwillingly, from the impulse that previously prevailed over him. 9 . But you will tell me: “Couldn’t he, being at the beginning of evil, beg God not to fall into final evil?” And I tell you that he could, but, having despised the little, and by his own will having accepted it into himself as insignificant, he no longer prays for it, not knowing that this little is the beginning and the cause of the big: this happens in good and evil! When the passion intensifies and, with the help of his will, finds a place for itself in him, then against his will it is forcibly ascended to him. Then, realizing (what is the matter), he prays to God, fighting with the enemy, whom he unknowingly defended before, arguing with people about him. Sometimes, even having heard from the Lord, he does not receive help, because it comes not as a person thinks, but as God arranges for our benefit. For He, knowing our complaisance and contempt, will greatly help us with sorrows, so that, having been freed without sorrow, we would not zealously commit the same sins. And therefore we affirm that it is necessary to endure what befalls us, and it is quite proper to remain in repentance. 10. But you will object to me: “What other repentance do those who truly please God and have achieved perfection require?” That there were and are such people, I admit with you; but listen wisely and you will understand that even such people need it. “There is a lie from the devil,” said God (John 8:44), and He counted “looking upon a wife with lust” as adultery, and He likened “anger” toward one’s neighbor to murder; and showed that we will give an answer to “idle words” (Matthew 5:28, 22, 12:36). Who has not been tempted by lies, does not know lust from sight, and has never been angry with his neighbor in vain, and even turned out to be innocent of an idle word, so that he would not need to repent? For, even if he is not like this in the present, he was once like this, and therefore in relation to repentance he is a debtor until his death. But let us suppose that there are some without these infirmities, as they say, and from birth are free from all vice, although this is impossible, according to the word of St. Paul: “For having all sinned and come short of the glory of God, we will be justified through His grace” (Rom. 3:23, 24). However, even if there were such, they still come from Adam, they were all born under the sin of crime, and therefore, by the sentence of God, they are condemned to death and cannot be saved without Christ. When Christ was crucified and redeemed everyone with His Blood, then they too were delivered. Therefore, the Savior Himself sets one limit for everyone, encompassing many deeds, and says to the apostles: “say to those: repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is drawing near” (Matthew 4:17); at the same time, he gave commandments commanding repentance, and determined to fulfill them until death, saying: “Whoever loses his life for the sake of Me and the Gospel ... will preserve it for eternal life” (Mark 8:35; John 12:25). And again, commanding him to renounce everything, he adds: “also his own soul” (Luke 14:26), and seals it, saying: “Whoever destroys one of these little commandments ... he will be called in the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 5:19). So, if, as shown, (Christ) determined repentance until death, therefore, the one who claims that it can end before death, he destroys the commandment, putting death aside, and is a transgressor of God’s commandments. 11. And therefore, both small and great, there is no end to repentance until death. For if we cannot reach this limit by deed, then we must learn in this by our own will, so that, by destroying the commandment with the intention, we do not thereby subject ourselves to condemnation, being called lesser in the Kingdom of Heaven. Consider those who have passed through this life from the beginning of the world, and you will find that in those who pleased (God) the sacrament of piety was accomplished through repentance. No one was condemned if he did not despise him, and no one was justified if he did not care for him. Sampson, Saul and Eli with their sons, having already acquired part of the shrine and neglected to repent, first lost it, and then, when the time of respite passed, they died a cruel death. If the devil does not stop fighting us, then repentance should never be abolished. The saints force themselves to offer it for their neighbors, because they could not be perfect without effective love. Know how nature itself teaches us to repent until death. A rational mind cannot be idle, but even if it were perfect, then when it is in a healthy state, it exercises itself in right doing; if, under the pretext of perfection, he gives up doing good, then in any case he bows to the opposite; having moved away, on the contrary, from bad, he is again naturally attracted to good. The right work for beginners, intermediate and perfect people is prayer, purification of thoughts and patience with the sorrows that befall us, without which it is impossible to perform other virtues, through which repentance is favorable. If repentance is the forgiveness of mercy, then the one who has must take care not to hear: “Behold, you are full” (1 Cor. 4:8), even more so the one who has nothing must ask according to his need, for “everyone who asks accepts” (Matthew 7:8). If the one who has mercy (on others) is himself shown mercy, then, as I believe, the whole world is sustained by repentance when one is providentially helped by one another. Through repentance, God saved the Ninevites, but burned the Sodomites who were careless about him. 12. If we strive in repentance until our death, then even in this way we will not yet fulfill what is due, for we have not done anything worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven. For as we eat, drink, talk and hear, so naturally we must repent. Once someone worthy of death is put to death according to the law, but whoever lives lives by faith for the sake of repentance; if not from our own, then from the sin of crime we were cleansed through Baptism; having been cleansed, they received the commandments; he who does not fulfill the second has desecrated the first, “forgetting the cleansing of his ancient sins” (2 Peter 1:9), from which no one is free every day, even if he never forsakes anything that was commanded. Therefore, everyone needs repentance, for it shows sins that once happened voluntarily, but now happen involuntarily when we hate passions and move away from them. He who limits it turns to the former and renews ancient sins. He who has the knowledge of the truth knows that he also needs repentance, for each of them is completed one in the other. Christ vouched for us for repentance, but he who abandons it rejects the Lieutenant. In relation to active life, we cannot do anything worthy without repentance, but (the Lord) has much mercy on Us for our intention. He who forces himself and holds on to repentance until his death, even if he sins in anything, will be saved for forcing himself, for this is what the Lord promised in the Gospel. Whoever says that he has no need for repentance considers himself righteous and is called in Scripture the offspring of evil, for through the opinion of his righteousness, appearing as if he had committed repentance, without knowing it, he copulates with sweets instead of the Crucifixion, for conceit and arrogance are passions. He who has self-conceit cannot be saved, for the Scripture says: “But a despised and offended man and a great man will die in nothing” (Hab. 2:5). If humility does not harm the perfect person at all, then let him not abandon the reason for it - repentance. Faithful Abraham and righteous Job, in humility, called themselves earth and ashes, and these words are a sign of humility; one who is saturated with repentance cannot help but be humble. The three youths, truly magnanimous and great martyrs, confessed in the midst of a burning flame, and, saying about themselves: “We have sinned and committed lawlessness,” they repented of their long-standing evil, being already perfect; and the essence of almost all their song is repentance. 13. So, if those who greatly pleased (God) and found themselves perfect in their deeds used the help of repentance until death, then who can rely on themselves and despise repentance under the pretext of truth? I think that even if someone, like Paul or Peter, were holy, then even this one would not want to ever leave repentance - the cause of humility. Therefore, Peter likened himself to Cornelius, for, having hidden God’s work in this and declaring his own, he said: “Arise, and I myself am a man,” and confessed that he had learned from God “not to speak a single filthy or unclean thing” (Acts 10:26, 28). Paul, recognizing that he should never, until his death, cease to act by the power of the grace given to him from Christ, said this: “I persecute, even if I comprehend, the same thing was comprehended by Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:12), calling “comprehension” patience until the end of life, as he wrote about this in the Epistle to faithful Timothy, clearly showing him the approach of his death and saying: “a good fight.” I have fought, I have died, I have kept the faith" (2 Tim. 4:7), not destining a stop and a temporary limit for himself, as having stopped the procession for the sake of perfection and no longer needing the exploits that never cease on earth, “for the body of Christ, which is the Church” (Col. 1:24); but calling his death the end of the procession and exploits, for he says: “I am already devoured, and the time of my departure has come” (2 Tim. 4:6). You see that I did not say: “I am resting,” but: “I am already devoured,” with such words and deeds showing everyone that until our very departure (from the body) and death we must bring repentance to the Heavenly King Christ, with whom the Father, together with the Holy Spirit (may there be) glory, honor and worship, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.