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of you agree on earth, concerning any matter that they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. But concerning what things, there is no need even to ask, since the New Testament has shown us no distinction, but promises the forgiveness of every sin to those who repent worthily; and especially since the Lord promised from His own person concerning every matter.

QUESTION 16. Why is it that sometimes the soul, even without striving, is moved to compunction almost automatically as if from an in-falling labor; but at other times it is so without labor that, even when forced, it cannot be moved to compunction? ANSWER. Such compunction is a gift of God, either for the stimulation of desire, so that the soul, having tasted the sweetness of such labor, may strive to make it constant; or as a proof of the soul’s ability to be in compunction always through more earnest care, to the inexcusability of those who through 31.1093 sloth cast it away; but to be forced and not to be able is, on the one hand, a reproof of our negligence at other times (for it is not possible, without much and continuous practice and exercise, to suddenly approach something and overcome it); and on the other hand, it shows that the soul is dominated by other passions, and by them is not permitted to be free even for what it wishes, according to the principle spoken by the Apostle, when he said: But I am of the flesh, sold under sin. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate; and again: But now it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me; God allowing this also to happen to us for our good, if perhaps through what the soul suffers unwillingly, it might come to a perception of what holds it, and having known itself in what it unwillingly serves sin, it might become sober from the snare of the devil, finding the mercy of God ready to help those who genuinely repent.

QUESTION 17. If someone remembers to eat in his mind, and then condemns himself, will he also be blamed as one who was anxious? ANSWER. If, when nature is not troubling, the memory of hunger occurs before its time, the distraction of the soul is manifest, accusing it of both attachment to present things and sloth concerning the things that please God; but even so, the mercy of God is ready. For one who has condemned himself is released from the charge by the word of repentance, and if he guards himself against the slip for the future, remembering the Lord who said: Behold, you have been made well; do not sin any more, lest something worse happen to you. But if, when nature compels and hunger prevails, the sensation moves the memory, but reason conquers through zeal and leisure for better things, it is not the memory that deserves condemnation, but the victory that deserves praise.

QUESTION 18. If in a brotherhood it is right to entrust some care to one who has once sinned, after much ascetic practice; and if it is right, what sort of care? ANSWER. Remembering the Apostle who says, Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to 31.1096 the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in everything, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved, we ought to take great care that we may not give any hindrance to the Gospel of Christ, and that we may not become a stumbling block to the weak, nor indeed build anyone up for evil. Therefore it is necessary even in such cases to consider and test what is for the building up of faith, and the advancement of all virtue in Christ.

QUESTION 19. If someone is suspected of a sin, but does not do it openly, is it necessary to watch him so that what is suspected may be discovered? ANSWER Evil suspicions that arise from a malevolent choice are condemned by the Apostle; but it is necessary to watch all in the love of Christ, and in desire

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ὑμῶν συμφωνήσωσιν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, περὶ παντὸς πρά γματος οὗ ἐὰν αἰτήσωνται, γενήσεται αὐτοῖς παρὰ τοῦ Πατρός μου τοῦ ἐν οὐρανοῖς. Τὸ δὲ ἐπὶ ποίοις οὐδὲ ἐρωτᾷν ἐστι, τῆς Καινῆς ∆ιαθήκης διαφορὰν ἡμῖν μηδεμίαν δηλωσάσης, πάσης δὲ ἁμαρτίας τὴν ἄφεσιν τοῖς ἀξιολόγως μετανοοῦσιν ἐπαγγελλομένης· καὶ μάλιστα τοῦ Κυρίου ἐξ ἰδίου προσώπου ἐπαγγειλαμένου περὶ παντὸς πρά γματος.

ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ιςʹ. ∆ιὰ τί ποτὲ μὲν ἡ ψυχὴ καὶ μὴ σπουδάζουσα, αὐτομάτως σχεδὸν ὡς ἐμπεσόντος πό νου, κατανύσσεται· ποτὲ δὲ ἄπονος οὕτως ἐστὶν, ὡς καὶ βιαζομένη κατανυγῆναι μὴ δύνα σθαι ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ἡ μὲν τοιαύτη κατάνυξις Θεοῦ ἐστι δῶρον, ἢ εἰς ἐρεθισμὸν τῆς ἐπιθυμίας, ἵνα γευσαμένη ἡ ψυχὴ τῆς γλυκύτητος τοῦ τοιούτου πόνου, σπουδάσῃ τοῦ τον ἐξομαλίσαι· ἢ εἰς ἀπόδειξιν τοῦ δύνασθαι τὴν ψυχὴν διὰ σπουδαιοτέρας ἐπιμελείας ἐν κατα νύξει εἶναι πάντοτε, πρὸς τὸ ἀναπολόγητον τῶν διὰ 31.1093 ῥᾳθυμίας ταύτην ἀποβαλόντων· τὸ δὲ βιάζεσθαι καὶ μὴ δύνασθαι, ἅμα μὲν ἔλεγχος τῆς ἐν τῷ ἄλλῳ χρόνῳ ἀμελείας ἡμῶν (οὐ γὰρ δυνατὸν ἄνευ μελέτης καὶ συγγυμνασίας πλείονος καὶ συνεχοῦς, ἐξαίφνης ἐπί τι παρελθόντα, περιγενέσθαι αὐτοῦ)· ἅμα δὲ δεί κνυσι τὴν ψυχὴν ὑφ' ἑτέρων παθῶν κυριευομένην, καὶ ὑπ' ἐκείνων οὐδὲ πρὸς ἃ βούλεται, ἐλευθεριάζειν ἐπιτρεπομένην, κατὰ τὸ ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἀποστόλου εἰρη μένον θεώρημα, εἰπόντος· Ἐγὼ δὲ σαρκικός εἰμι, πεπραμένος ὑπὸ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν. Οὐ γὰρ ὃ θέλω, τοῦτο πράσσω, ἀλλ' ὃ μισῶ, τοῦτο ποιῶ· καὶ πάλιν· Νῦν δὲ οὐκέτι ἐγὼ κατεργάζομαι αὐτὸ, ἀλλ' ἡ οἰκοῦσα ἐν ἐμοὶ ἁμαρτία· τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τοῦτο συμβαίνειν ἡμῖν εἰς ἀγαθὸν συγχωρήσαντος, ἐὰν ἄρα δι' ὧν ἀκουσίως πάσχει ἡ ψυχὴ, εἰς αἴσθη σιν ἔλθοι τοῦ κρατοῦντος, καὶ γνωρίσασα ἑαυ τὴν ἐν οἷς ἀκουσίως δουλεύει τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ, ἀνανήψῃ ἐκ τῆς τοῦ διαβόλου παγίδος, ἕτοιμον εὑρίσκουσα τὸ ἔλεος τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰς ἀντίληψιν τῶν γνησίως μετα νοούντων.

ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ ΙΖʹ Ἐάν τις κατὰ νοῦν μνημονεύσῃ τοῦ φαγεῖν, εἶτα καταγνῷ ἑαυτοῦ, εἰ καὶ οὗτος ὡς μεριμνή σας ἐγκληθήσεται. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Εἰ μὲν, τῆς φύσεως μὴ ἐνοχλούσης, πρὸ καιροῦ τῆς πείνης ἡ μνήμη γίνεται, πρόδηλος μὲν ὁ μετεωρισμὸς τῆς ψυχῆς, κατηγορῶν αὐτῆς τήν τε περὶ τὰ παρόντα προσπάθειαν καὶ τὴν περὶ τὰ ἀρέ σκοντα Θεῷ ῥᾳθυμίαν· ἕτοιμον δὲ καὶ οὕτως τὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἔλεος. Καταγνοὺς γάρ τις ἑαυτοῦ, τῷ λόγῳ τῆς μετανοίας ἀπολέλυται τοῦ ἐγκλήματος, καὶ ἐὰν φυ λάξηται τοῦ λοιποῦ τὸν ὄλισθον, μνημονεύων τοῦ Κυ ρίου εἰπόντος; Ἴδε ὑγιὴς γέγονας, μηκέτι ἁμάρ τανε, ἵνα μὴ χεῖρόν τί σοι γένηται. Εἰ δὲ, τῆς φύσεως ἀναγκαζούσης, καὶ τῆς πείνης κρατούσης, ἡ μὲν αἴσθησις τὴν μνήμην κινεῖ, νικᾷ δὲ ὁ λογι σμὸς τῇ περὶ τὰ κρείττονα σπουδῇ τε καὶ σχολῇ, οὐχ ἡ μνήμη καταγνώσεως ἀξία, ἀλλ' ἡ νίκη ἐπαίνου.

ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ ΙΗʹ Εἰ χρὴ ἐν ἀδελφότητι τῷ ἐξαμαρτήσαντί ποτε φροντίδα τινὰ ἐγχειρίζειν μετὰ πολλὴν ἄσκη σιν· καὶ εἰ χρὴ, ποίαν ταύτην. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Μνημονεύοντες τοῦ Ἀποστόλου λέγοντος, Ἀπρόσκοποι γίνεσθε καὶ Ἰουδαίοις, καὶ Ἕλλησι, καὶ 31.1096 τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ, καθὼς κἀγὼ πάντα πᾶ σιν ἀρέσκω, μὴ ζητῶν τὸ ἐμαυτοῦ συμφέ ρον, ἀλλὰ τὸ τῶν πολλῶν, ἵνα σωθῶσι, πολλὴν φροντίδα ἔχειν ὀφείλομεν, ὅπως μὴ ἐγκοπήν τινα δῶμεν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ ὅπως μὴ πρόσκομμα γενώμεθα τοῖς ἀσθενοῦσι, μήτε μὴν οἰ κοδομήσωμέν τινας εἰς κακίαν. ∆ιόπερ ἀναγ καῖον καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν τοιούτων σκοπεῖν καὶ δοκιμάζειν τὸ πρὸς οἰκοδομὴν τῆς πίστεως, καὶ προκοπὴν πάσης ἀρετῆς ἐν Χριστῷ.

ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ ΙΘʹ. Ἐάν τις ὑποπτεύηται ἐπὶ ἁμαρτήματι, προφανῶς δὲ τοῦτο μὴ ποιῇ, εἰ δεῖ αὐτῷ ἐπιτηρεῖν ἵνα καὶ ἐφευρεθῇ ὃ ὑποπτεύεται. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Αἱ μὲν πονηραὶ ὑπόνοιαι καὶ ἀπὸ προαιρέσεως ἐθελοκάκου γινόμεναι κατηγοροῦνται ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἀπο στόλου· ἐπιτηρεῖν δὲ χρὴ τοῖς πᾶσιν ἐν ἀγάπῃ Χρι στοῦ, καὶ ἐν ἐπιθυμίᾳ