place for repentance even after baptism, and thus those things which are read in the Old [Testament] will have force and authority for establishing repentance. I speak to you as if you were attentive; whence I also touch upon graver matters, so that we who have once fallen, having conceived a good hope, may in no way remain in sin. You did not believe Him when He proved it by example; believe the oath of God. God says: "As I live, says the Lord." And this oath is becoming to God. For since He had nothing greater than Himself, and He swears because of the unbelief of those who abolish repentance, "As I live, says the Lord,"—but let no one be deterred—"for I do not desire the death of the sinner, but rather that he should turn and live." He who lives wishes you to live. Is God, even when He swears, not worthy of belief? Do you not believe through word, nor through example, nor through oath? Believe through deeds. Nineveh was not overthrown; for it repented. The prophet was indignant that it was not overthrown; a gourd B grew up. He makes excuses to you, that you may remember that He is good. But I fear lest you hear from Him: "Is your eye evil, because I am good?" Who is recorded as more impious than Ahab? I speak to those who read. Besides his other robberies, he snatched a vineyard, having murdered the master; he went down to take possession: he went down rejoicing. There met him one who would bring him sadness, one who would rebuke him, a prophet namely, not an enemy, but as one sparing, he pronounced not his own judgment, but that of God. After the judgment, he put on sackcloth, and stripped off his lordship. For it is written that the prophet himself, who had been sent to pronounce judgment, heard from God that: "Because Ahab has besought, fearing the threats, the things which I have spoken shall not come to pass in his days." I am compelled to desire a good remedy. That holy David, and even after his sin holy, transgressed three of the ten commandments in a single affair. Since we are speaking to you, let us speak more clearly. C There occurred adultery, and murder, and desire for another man’s wife. The just man sinned, and God made him the judge of his own sin. For since we do not see the beam in our own eye, but see the splinter in another’s, He sets before him his own crime as if it were another’s, and says: "There were two men in one city, the one rich, and the other poor. The rich man had many things; but the poor man had one ewe lamb, which even slept in his bosom (this was a mystery of the wife), and ate with him, and drank from his cup. There came, he says, a stranger to the rich man;" and rightly is it called "a stranger," for David was not accustomed to these things. "There came, therefore, a stranger to him. The rich man, he says, sparing to sacrifice to the stranger from those things which he had, snatched the one ewe lamb of the poor man and sacrificed it." As much as the strong man may fall, D he has a quick rising. David is indignant, for David was, even though he had fallen, [a man of God]. "As the Lord lives, the man who has done this is worthy of death." He pronounced judgment against himself. As he pronounced it, the prophet revealed who the man was. He went straight to the remedy; he saw the wound; he fled to the Physician. "I have sinned," he says, and immediately there is healing. "And the Lord has taken away your sin."
A What do you desire? That one sin should be reckoned against those who have much righteousness? He committed sin, but he also committed many righteous acts. What is just before a just God—to remember the few or to forget the many? Let there be a balance, and with the measure with which we measure, it shall be measured to us. If the sins are more numerous, let him be a sinner; but if the righteous acts are more numerous, let him be just. One against one. For all things among us are judged by the greater part. And one white thing is surpassed in whiteness by another, and if you compare one sweet thing to another, the other is sweeter. Thus, we are also just as human beings, not that sin is righteousness. Whence the Son of God is called Righteousness; we, however, are just by the participation of righteousness. And Moses spoke something with his tongue, but it was not taken up into the history. And Abraham is found to have been faithful, and yet there was a time when he was unbelieving. I do not accuse the just, but I glorify God. I do not encourage B us to sin. "Enoch pleased God," says the Scripture, "after he had begotten a son." If he pleased Him after these things, it is possible for one who was not pleasing to please Him.
3. But let us come to the New Testament, although more examples from the Old still occur to us. For Manasses, who had set up idols having a fourfold face in the temple of God, so that from wherever anyone entered he might worship the idols, having done penance, was recalled from captivity. Let us pass to the New. For from that very place whence they wish most of all to exclude repentance, repentance is preached most of all. Let us ask the Savior, "Why have you come?" And He answers: "I have not come to save the just, He says, but sinners to repentance." Let us examine Him: "What are you carrying upon your shoulders?" "A lost sheep," C He says. "Over whom is there joy in heaven?" He says: "Over any sinner who repents." The angels rejoice, and do you begrudge it? God receives him rejoicing, and do you hinder it? Let us flee to the good God with greater alacrity. "Two," He says, "there were, both sons (you cannot tell me that that repentance was of the Gentiles, but both were sons, having divided their portion equally). The younger consumed what he had; though he was just, he fell. Having consumed all, he came to repentance, and hastens to the Father, and considers what he might say to his Father: 'I have sinned,' he said, 'against You and before heaven.'" He reasoned these things within himself, nor did he escape the notice of the good Father. He came to make his defense; the One who is ashamed met him D first. Do you but wish it, and He himself (73)
A anticipates. He begins to speak, and the Father receives him. Consider the compassion, and do not cut off hope. He received him, and says: "Sacrifice the calf, and bring out the robe, the former one, and a ring for his hand." B All these things are interpreted in one way, but they indicate briefly the good encouragement of the One who received him, not according to what I wish, but according to what He says. But if you are indignant that He receives him after he has fed the swine, after he has squandered everything, the brother was indignant, but nevertheless the One who was ashamed received him.
4. And the fig tree being cultivated, and for three years not giving fruit, was left, and was not cut down for the hope of giving. The Master forgives, and do you contradict? For does anyone snatch away his own affairs for himself? But if God forgives, who is he that objects? Let us then learn to pray: “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven.” C You forgive, and God does not forgive? He has made you the physician of yourself. “With what measure you measure, it shall be measured back to you.” You forgive, and He forgives you. But you, being wicked, act kindly; does not He who is good [act] much more so? Jesus is with sinners, the physician is with the sick. The Pharisees are indignant, the fathers of those who are now indignant; the Merciful One does not turn away. He entered into the house of the Pharisee, having been invited; a sinful woman entered after Him, D not having been invited. She saw her sin, she approached justice; she saw the disease, she went where the physician was. She did not approach the face, for she did not have the confidence; she did not take hold of His hand, for she did not dare; but [she went] to the feet, which she washed with her tears; she let down her hair, then only in a becoming manner, she who had often displayed it in an unbecoming manner then bared it in a becoming manner. It was written for you to take refuge at the feet of Jesus. He ascended to the Father, but He says: “I am with you.” Whenever you wish, take refuge confidently, moisten His feet, He is near. And He came being present, and He left being present. These things taken from the New Testament are kindred and related to those found in the Old. What does John preach? A baptism of repentance. And He teaches in parables, not once, not twice, so that by being taught often, you may learn. Peter denies three times, and he is placed in the foundation. Paul [became] a preacher from being a persecutor. But there is a question here. But what does he himself say? “Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am first.” He reveals his own defect, that he might show the magnitude of grace. But Peter having spoken and having been blessed, having said that “You are the Son of God, the Most High,” and having heard that “You are a rock,” was not complimented [in the same way]. For even if he is a rock, he is not a rock as Christ is a rock, but a rock as Peter is a rock; for Christ is truly the unshakable rock; but Peter [is] because of the rock. For Jesus grants his own honors, not emptying himself, but...
possessing what he bestows. He is Light: A “You are the light of the world.” He is Priest; he makes priests. He is a sheep: “Behold, I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves.” He is Rock; he makes rock, and grants his own to his servants. For this is the sign of a rich person, to have and to bestow. But the rich among us, by bestowing, diminish what they have. For we are not rich; we possess things belonging to others. But he who is rich in this way, however much he may bestow, remains just as rich; like an everlasting spring. However much you may draw, the flow does not fail. And it is not even like a spring—for there is no example among us of a nature comparable to his. But since we have nothing worthy, we use lesser things, that we may in some way comprehend the incomprehensible. Peter denies three times, not so that Peter might fall, but that you too might have consolation. He wept; his tears moved him who has mercy on us. For the intent of his soul was good. Everywhere he alone confesses: “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” He who fashioned the creature knows it, and bears [our] infirmities, forgiving transgressions.
B For what is our righteousness? Abraham was truly great. He was so great because he is earth and ashes. For he who knows how much there is between God and men knows himself. Hear also other beatitudes: “Blessed are they whose iniquities were forgiven, and whose sins were covered.” God declares them blessed, and do you forbid it? Do the Scriptures speak as we wish, or ought we to follow as it is written? And these things are against us. Contention that cuts off hope is not good. But since we promise forgiveness after baptism (for this is the greatest reinforcement against wickedness), the Apostle writes in the first Epistle to the Corinthians, “In general, fornication is heard of among you, and such fornication as is not even named among the nations.” You have heard the magnitude of the evil; hear also the magnitude of the sentence: “When you are gathered, he says, and my spirit, in the power of Christ, to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved.” He disciplines, for he does not cast him away as an enemy. In the first [epistle] he delivered him to Satan; in the second he writes nothing contrary to the first: “Confirm charity toward him, lest such a one be destroyed by the excess of grief.” The Apostle also solves the indissoluble. At that time he commands one such as this to be delivered to Satan; afterward, writing about the same person and granting forgiveness, he says: “Lest we be circumvented by Satan.” C D For if he has snatched away one of us, and
he falls into the jaws of wolves, lead him back, that he may escape the snare. Just as good shepherds, even if a sheep is snatched away, hasten at least to recover the fleece; if it is good to tear away the fleece of a dead animal, is it a thing of no account to snatch a soul from the mouth of a wolf? And in war a champion is wounded, and yet he is not denied the crown because he was wounded; rather, having performed many labors, he received wounds. Does God reckon one evil, but not reckon the many good deeds? How many martyrs, who first denied, later redeemed their defeat by a renewed battle? They denied, however, not in mind, but with the tongue. For the flesh is weak. He who denies falls, but when he confesses again, he is restored. For God does not watch only for the evils, while counting the good deeds for nothing. B And when someone was being tortured, he often gave way, having been unable to bear it—not because his intent changed, but because he was overcome by the pain. But once released and having found respite, he is restored. Will a brief word be kept against him, while his tortures are not counted? But God is the judge, not the boldness of men. Do you dare to prescribe a law to God, who knows our infirmity, and provides help, and will grant victory? How many are there who, after an evil life, have undergone martyrdom? Because desire enticed them, will they be deprived of their labors? We are not angels, but men; and we fall and we rise, and often in the same hour. “And star differs from star in glory.” For what reason? For if there is a single measure of righteousness, all ought to have the same amount; but if some shine like the sun, others radiate like the moon, and others glitter according to the difference of the stars, it is clear that one surpasses another. And he who is surpassed, it is clear that he is liable for small sins. If no pardon at all were given to anyone who had sinned, C there would be a difference in the variety.
6. But since it is necessary to show that those who have fallen after baptism can obtain salvation, I speak not without fear, lest you depart from the intent of my mind; for I truly wish that those who receive baptism do not sin. But if any should ever fall unexpectedly, I do not want what they want who abolish repentance, who are unwilling that we should die together with Him on the cross; but I want what the Apostle wants: for us to be buried together with Him, and no longer to live in sin. This is what I want. “I do not set aside the grace of God,” the Apostle says, writing to the Galatians, because they had received the Spirit. Are you looking for anything more manifest than this? But he adds: “Are you so foolish, having begun in the Spirit, are you now being brought to completion by the flesh?” They had therefore received the Spirit. And again: “This only I want to learn from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? You were running D well.” See how many prerogatives they have. Hear the sins. “Now you are being brought to completion by the flesh, you have fallen away from Christ.” You saw them having the Spirit; you heard that “You have been rendered ineffective—”
A or likewise, “You have fallen away from grace.” What does he add after this, providing a place for renewal? “My little children, of whom I am in labor again.” He had begotten them once; but he who has begotten once does not refuse to beget a second time for salvation. If anyone does all other things with an evil intent, this very thing is godless. But men, having received the Spirit, and having run well, and having endured such things, and having been in danger, and having endured in vain, and having fallen and been rendered ineffective, are nonetheless born again, so that they may again receive the image of God. Is there any rebuttal remaining for you concerning repentance? Who formed us? God. He made a body for us, He made a soul for us. Does He disregard it? Who gave us the medicine of life? Why are there readings? So that we might depart from sins. Why are we irrigated? So that we might bear fruit. Why do we pray? So that our sins may be forgiven. Let us complete the word. For whom is there no repentance? He who acts wickedly with the hope of repentance has the character of a wrongdoer and is deprived of repentance. B There is hope even after sin, there is healing even after the ulcer, but the scar remains. It would be blessed not even to have stumbled; the second blessedness is health restored after the wound. To God, then, who created us from the beginning, and who descends to our weakness, and who preserves our resolve, and who grants us repentance, through Him who bestows good things upon us, Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory and power for ever and ever. Amen.
HOMILY OF THE SAME
Against those who, through calumny, say that we declare there to be three gods
1. Great is the consolation for souls which, when they are afflicted with hatred, are held in hatred together with the Lord. “For if the world hates you,” He says, “know that it has hated me before you.” Therefore, if the Beloved is hated, what is so great if we are deemed worthy of hatred by men, for whom the treasure of hatred abounds? C The memory of sorrowful things, coming upon my heart, checks my speech; and the tear that falls intercepts my voice, when I ponder that, although love and peace were left to us by the Lord, we do not at all seek what was left. The gift is hidden, found by no one. Charity was left behind; but strife dwells among us. Unity was given; but hatred has been ignited. We have ignited a great pyre of hatred against one another; each of us laments privately, but we do not come together to work in harmony. D Who will give me the entire world as a theater, and a voice louder than a trumpet, and the lamentations of Jeremiah, and a tear abundant—