He, then, who has received the forgiveness of sins ought to sin no
more. For, in addition to the first and only repentance from sins (this
is from the previous sins in the first and heathenlife—I mean
that in ignorance), there is forthwith proposed to those who have been
called, the repentance which cleanses the seat of the soul from
transgressions, that faith may be established. And the Lord, knowing
the heart, and foreknowing the future, foresaw both the fickleness of
man and the craft and subtlety of the devil from the first, from the
beginning; how that, envying man for the forgiveness of sins, he would
present to the servants of God certain causes of sins; skilfully
working mischief, that they might fall together with himself.
Accordingly, being very merciful, He has vouch-safed, in the case of
those who, though in faith, fall into any transgression, a second
repentance; so that should any one be tempted after his calling,
overcome by force and fraud, he may receive still a repentance not to
be repented of. “For if we sin wilfully after that we have
received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice
for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery
indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.”2278
But
continual and successive repentings for sins differ nothing from the
case of those who have not believed at all, except only in their
consciousness that they do sin. And I know not which of the two is
worst, whether the case of a man who sins knowingly, or of one who,
after having repented of his sins, transgresses again. For in the
process of proofsin appears on each side,—the sin which in its
commission is condemned by the worker of the iniquity, and that of the
man who, foreseeing what is about to be done, yet puts his hand to it
as a wickedness. And he who perchance gratifies himself in anger and
pleasure, gratifies himself in he knows what; and he who, repenting of
that in which he gratified himself, by rushing again into pleasure, is
near neighbour to him who has sinned wilfully at first. For one, who
does again that of which he has repented,
and condemning what he does, performs it willingly.
but in the Spirit; which consists in repenting
by not giving way to the same fault. For frequent repentance and
readiness to change easily from want of training, is the practice
of sin again.2280
2280 [The
penitential system of the early Church was no mere sponge like that
of the later Latins, which turns Christ into “the minister of
sin.”]
The frequent asking of forgiveness, then,
for those things in which we often transgress, is the semblance of
repentance, not repentance itself. “But the righteousness of the
blameless cuts straight paths,”2281
You see the corresponding blessing in the Gospel. “Fear not,”
it is said, “when a man is enriched, and when the glory of his
house is increased: because when he dieth he shall leave all, and his
glory shall not descend after him.”2286
Appetite is then the
movement of the mind to or from something.2288
2288 Adopting the emendation, ὁρμὴ μὲν
οὕν φορά.
Passion
is an excessive appetite exceeding the measures of reason, or appetite
unbridled and disobedient to the word. Passions, then, are a perturbation
of the soul contrary to nature, in disobedience to reason. But revolt
and distraction and disobedience are in our own power, as obedience is in
our power. Wherefore voluntary actions are judged. But should one examine
each one of the passions, he will find them irrational impulses.
