События в седьмом столетии первого тысячелетия

After six hundred years from the creation of the world, when the forefather Adam pleased God with true and deep repentance, he received (according to the testimony of George Kedrin) by God's will from the Archangel Uriel, the prince and guardian of repentant people, and intercessor for them before God, a well-known revelation about the incarnation of God from the Most Pure, husbandless and ever-virgin Virgin. If the incarnation was revealed, then other mysteries of our salvation were revealed to him, that is, about the free suffering and death of Christ, about the descent into hell and the liberation of the righteous from there, about His three-day stay in the tomb and uprising, and about many other mysteries of God, as well as about many things that later had to be, such as the corruption of the sons of God of the Seth tribe, about the flood, about the future judgment and about the general resurrection of all. And Adam was filled with the great prophetic gift, and he began to predict the future, leading sinners to the path of repentance, and comforting the righteous with the hope of salvation. We have already heard about Adam’s sin, for which he lost paradise; We also heard about his repentance, by which he acquired such great mercy from the Lord and received such grace from Him that he was awarded from Him both the revelation of God’s mysteries and the gift of prophecy. We know Adam’s sin, but what were his exploits and labors of repentance, we do not know. However, we do not know that the forgiveness of sins and the wonderful grace of knowing the mysteries of God, as well as the mercy of God, is given to a sinner only as soon as he discovers true repentance. Saint Simeon the New Theologian, in his prayers to God, says the following: “By Thy compassionate mercy (O Lord), the warmth of the repentant purifies and brightens, and creates light, partakers of Thy Divinity, sharing them unenviably, and conversing with strange angelic and human thoughts to them many times, as if to Thy sincere friend” (From the Rule to the Holy One) Communion). This is how much great mercies and grace the merciful God grants to those who truly repent in the warmth of the spirit, making them as if His friends, revealing to them His incomprehensible secrets, just as David the repentant says to Him: “You have shown me the unknown and secret wisdom of Yours” (Ps. 50:8). Consequently, our forefather Adam also revealed true repentance with many deeds and heartfelt contrition, since he was honored with such great mercies, the revelation of the mysteries of God and the gift of prophecy to him. We sinners need to learn and know what true repentance is. True repentance consists in not only truly confessing one’s sins, but also not returning to previous evil deeds, but spending one’s life in continuous correction; not only not to return to the past, but also with heartfelt regret about what was done before; not only to regret, but also to give satisfaction for the sins committed through considerable labors of repentance, which would not only be equal to the sins committed, but would also surpass them. The repentance of one who wants to cover up repeated overeating and drunkenness with a short period of abstinence and a single day of fasting is vain. The repentance of one who, by some short and easy mortification of his body, thinks to cleanse himself from long-term and serious mortal sins is in vain. The repentance of one who, with a few sighs and heartbeats, hopes to be justified from many untruths such as murder, theft, robbery, brotherly bitterness and similar sins is unjust. It is doubtful to forgive the sins of someone who hopes to wash away great defilements and iniquities with small tears (besides other, true repentance, deeds and labors appropriate) and get rid of eternal torment. The Ninevites shed many tears and showed great repentance, for they put on sackcloth from young to old and commanded fasting not only to people, but also to livestock; and they cried out to God, continuing the prayer, and each turned from his evil path. However, they remained in the dark regarding their salvation, for they said: “Who knows whether he will repent, or whether God will pray and turn away the wrath of His wrath, so that we will not perish?” (Jon. 3, 9). If those, having discovered such repentance, found themselves in the unknown regarding the propitiation of God and the forgiveness of their sins, then what confidence can one have who hopes to be cleansed with a little repentance and a few tears from many and serious sins? You will say: the Ninevites were pagans who did not know the Scripture, which says: “God will not despise a broken and humble heart” (Ps. 50:19); and again: “The Lord is near to those who are broken in heart and humble in spirit” (Ps. 33:19); and again: “Reh, let me confess my iniquity to the Lord, and you have forsaken the wickedness of my heart” (Ps. 31:5). We, the faithful, hope that even small tears with confession of sins can receive sin-forgiving mercy from the Lord. I answer this. Yes, they can, but they can only do so for those who are already at the point of death and who do not have time for great tears and satisfaction for their sins; The Lord is merciful to such people for one contrition of heart. An example is the thief on the cross, who at his death uttered a few words with confession and heartfelt contrition, but immediately heard a merciful word from the Lord: “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). From a person who is healthy and has time to repent, God requires many tears, many works and deeds, so that he can equalize the works of repentance with previous sins and even surpass them in deeds. The following is said about tears: there are some who at times become moved and cry, remembering their sins, but do not stop sinning; For such, what benefit can their state of tenderness bring if their disposition remains incorrigible? Others come to repentance, confessing their sins with tears, and then again return to the same sinful defilements; and for such, what is the benefit of a tearful ablution if they again lovingly enter the former swamp? For it is not enough for the contrition of the heart to occur only at times of tenderness without true repentance, which requires not only to regret and cry over sins, but also not to return to sinful deeds, but to perform the appropriate feat for the sins committed. The Apostle Esau, the son of Isaac, recalls that he did not find the place of repentance, although “searching for it with tears” (Heb. 12:17). Why were the tears of this sinner not counted as repentance, were not pleasing to God and did not cleanse the sin for which this sinner shed tears? Saint Chrysostom answers this as follows: “He did not find a place of repentance, because he did not find worthy repentance.” From this example (this teacher) exhorts us sinners, saying: “Those who assume to sin without pain (hoping to receive forgiveness of their sins without due exhaustion and punishment), let them think about the following: why did Esau not receive forgiveness? - because he did not repent as he should. Do you want to see thorough (true, appropriate) repentance, hear about Peter’s repentance after rejection. The evangelist, telling us about him, says: “He went out weeping bitterly” (Matthew 26:75). That is why such a sin was forgiven him, because he cried in a proper way” (Chrysostom. On the Epistle to the Hebrews, chapter 12, conversation 31). Anyone can say the following: Saint Peter, after weeping for one hour, received forgiveness of his sin; therefore, in one hour, if I cry before the Lord, my sins will be forgiven without many and lengthy labors of repentance. The disciple Petrov, Saint Pope Clement, answers this. He says about Peter that he, having heard the voice of the one who cried the noose and immediately remembering his rejection of Christ, threw himself to the ground and shed many tears, weeping bitterly, and this he did throughout his entire life. And that is why Nicephorus, the narrator of church events, writes about him that his eyes were as if bloody, and this was from bitter weeping. Such was the repentance of Saint Peter after his sin. But you, hoping to mourn your sins in one hour, can you cry as bitterly as Peter cried? Can you cry all night like him? And further, can you endure such labors and exploits as Peter gave to Christ his Lord for his rejection, having endured everything, even up to his crucifixion upside down? Therefore, do not rely on the little heartfelt contrition that arises in you from time to time, do not rely on your little work and short-term feat, but show repentance corresponding to your sins and even surpassing them before the Lord with many tears and then expect mercy from Him. Saint Chrysostom teaches in the Gospel conversations, saying the following: “Repentance does not consist only in retreating from previous evil deeds, but in showing even greater good deeds, for it is said: “Create fruits worthy of repentance” (Luke 3:8). How can we create it? – if we begin to do things opposite to sins. Did you steal someone else's property? – distribute the stolen goods and yours. How long have you been committing fornication? - Abstain from your wife on set days, accustoming yourself to abstinence. Have you harassed or hit anyone? - Bless in the future those who annoy you and prosper those who offend you. For for our health it is not enough just to remove the arrow, but it is also necessary to apply healing to the ulcer. Did you enjoy and revel in the former times? “Fast now and drink water, so that you can get rid of the harm that has befallen you due to drunkenness.” Have you looked with prodigal eyes at the kindness of others? - then do not at all look at your wife’s face, diligently protect yourself after the wounds you have received and be established in goodness, for it is said: “Turn away from evil and do good” (Ps. 33, 15; 36, 27) (Interpretation of the Evangelist Matthew, conversation 10, moral teaching 6th). Likewise, the Apostle (in his letter to the Romans) exhorts: “Just as you have turned your slave lands into wickedness and iniquity, so now present your slave lands into righteousness and holiness” (Rom. 6:19). And Saint Gregory the Dvoeslov, calling man a tree, known from the fruit, says: “Repentance can be known in the fruit, and not in the leaves or roots, for the Lord also cursed the tree, which had leaves, but was barren; He does not accept confession (which happens only in words) without fruit - depression of the body" (Double Words. Book 6). We heed the fact that a good tree is not known by its roots and leaves, but by its good fruits; so is true repentance based on satisfaction. Man is a mental tree, having the root of his repentance in the thought and intention of confessing sins; it also has leaves - this is the very confession of sins to God before the spiritual father and the promise of correction; the fruits of this tree are satisfactions and achievements. Therefore, true repentance is known not by the root of intention and not by the leaves of confession and promise, but by the very fruits of satisfaction. Confirm your intention like a root, multiply your words like leaves, but if you do not have fruits worthy of repentance, deeds, I say, labors and diligent efforts to satisfy yourself for your sins, then you should be afraid of damnation. In Holy Scripture we find two sinners who repented of the evil deeds they had committed and confessed their sin to God - these are Saul and David. But not both of them received forgiveness from God. Saul said: “We have sinned because we have transgressed the word of the Lord” (1 Samuel 15:24). David also said: “I have sinned against my Lord” (2 Samuel 12:13). However, David received forgiveness and was saved, but Saul was not granted forgiveness, but remained under the wrath of the Lord and died. Why? Or is the Lord unrighteous when he had mercy on one sinner who confessed to Him, but rejected another? It won't happen! For the Lord is righteous in all His works. But the unforgiven sinner Saul himself is guilty, since, having confessed his sin, he did not do anything to satisfy it, did not show true repentance and correction, although he had enough time for repentance and correction. And how much David worked in repentance after his confession of sin! Every night he washed his bed with tears, got up at midnight, ate ashes like bread and dissolved drink with tears, was exhausted from fasting and depressed his body, humbling himself before the Lord in sackcloth and ashes for a long time; That is why he not only received forgiveness of sin, but also became dear to God. Saul, who made only the confession of sin, but did not labor in repentance, remained unforgiven forever. Therefore, let no one hope to be cleansed from his great sins only by one confession and some insignificant tenderness, without labors and deeds befitting true repentance, if he is too lazy to work, although he will have time for his correction and satisfaction for sins. It is good to imitate David, who says: “I will proclaim my iniquity and take care of my sin” (Ps. 37:19). David is not content with just confessing his iniquity, but also cares about satisfaction: I will confess, he says, my sin and work until I make satisfaction for what I have done. What is the use of opening an ulcer without applying the proper medicine to it? What is the use of confessing sins, but not paying penance for them, not correcting your life? Enosh, having lived one hundred and ninety years, begat Cainan. After his birth, he gave birth to many other sons and daughters, remaining in childbearing for seven hundred and fifteen years. It is not inappropriate here to recall the food of the first people, what they ate. The righteous tribe of Seth ate bread and water, herbs and vegetables of the earth, and fruits from garden trees, as well as honey and milk, but did not eat meat. Some say that before the flood people were completely ignorant of meat. However, it is not known about the God-hating Cain tribe; did they abstain from meat-eating? For this tribe was engaged in catching animals, for example, blind Lamech, who killed his forefather Cain instead of a beast during a hunt. If you believe the Chaldean history, then it tells that after the corruption of the sons of God, when the number of giants increased, meat-eating began among them even before the flood, and these giants were so evil that they ate human flesh, as will be indicated in the narrative after Seth’s death. You might be interested in: