[That We Ought to Beware How We Make Trial of Any Sinful Course.]

XIII. Yet it is very necessary that those who are yet innocent should continue so, and not make an experiment what sin is, that they may not have occasion for trouble, sorrow, and those lamentations which are in order to forgiveness. For how dost thou know, O man, when thou sinnest, whether thou shalt live any number of days in this present state, that thou mayest have time to repent? For the time of thy departure out of this world is uncertain; and if thou diest in sin, there will remain no repentance for thee; as God says by David, “In the grave who will confess to Thee?”  64  Ps. vi. 5. It behoves us, therefore, to be ready in the doing of our duty, that so we may await our passage into another world without sorrow. Wherefore also the Divine Word exhorts,  speaking to thee by the wise Solomon ,  65  Not in V. mss. “Prepare thy works against thy exit, and provide all beforehand in the field,”  66  Prov. xxiv. 27. lest some of the things necessary to thy journey be wanting; as the oil of piety was deficient in the five foolish virgins  67  Matt. xxv. mentioned in the Gospel, when they, on account of their having extinguished their lamps of divine knowledge, were shut out of the bride-chamber. Wherefore he who values the security of his soul will take care to be out of danger, by keeping free from sin, that so he may preserve the advantage of his former good works to himself. Do thou, therefore, so judge as executing judgment for God. For, as the Scripture says, “the judgment is the Lord’s.”  68  Deut. i. 17. In the first place, therefore, condemn the guilty person with authority; afterwards try to bring him home with mercy and compassion, and readiness to receive him, promising him salvation if he will change his course of life, and become a penitent; and when he does repent, and has submitted to his chastisement, receive him: remembering that our Lord has said, “There is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth.”  69  Luke xv. 7.

[13] Τοὺς μέντοι ἀναμαρτήτους τοιούτους μένειν χρὴ καὶ μὴ χρείαν ἔχειν τῆς πείρας τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν, ὅπως μὴ δέωνται ὀδύνης, λύπης καὶ κλαυθμῶν ἀφέσεως. Τί γὰρ οἶδας, ἄνθρωπε, ἁμαρτήσας, εἰ ἡμέρας ἐν τῷδε τῷ βίῳ ζήσεις, ἵνα καὶ μετανοήσῃς; Ὅτι ἄδηλος ἡ ἔξοδός σου ἐκ τοῦ βίου ὑπάρχει, καὶ ἐν ἁμαρτίαις τελευτήσαντι μετάνοια οὐκ ἔστιν, ὡς λέγει διὰ τοῦ Δαυίδ: «Ἐν δὲ τῷ ᾅδῃ τίς ἐξομολογήσεταί σοι;» Δεῖ οὖν ἕτοιμον εἶναι ἐν ἀγαθοῖς, ἵνα ἄνευ λύπης τὴν ὁδὸν ἐκείνην στειλώμεθα. Διὸ καὶ παραινεῖ ὁ θεῖος λόγος διὰ Σολομῶντος τοῦ σοφοῦ λέγων σοι: «Ἑτοίμαζε εἰς τὴν ἔξοδον σου τὰ ἔργα σου», ἵνα μὴ ἐπιλείψῃ ἡμῖν τι τῶν καλῶν, ὥσπερ καὶ ταῖς πέντε ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ παρθένοις διὰ μωρίαν ἐπέλειπεν τὸ τῆς εὐσεβείας ἔλαιον, καὶ ἀπεβλήθησαν τοῦ νυμφῶνος. Διὰ τοῦτο ἀκίνδυνος μένει πᾶς ὁ φειδόμενος τῆς ἑαυτοῦ Ζωῆς καὶ μένων ἀναμάρτητος, ὅπως καὶ τὰς προγεγονυίας ὑπ' αὐτοῦ δικαιοσύνας αὐτῷ συντηρήσῃ. Σὺ οὖν οὕτως κρῖνε ὡς Θεῷ δικάζων: «Τοῦ γὰρ Κυρίου, φησίν, ἡ κρίσις.» Πρῶτον οὖν ἀπ' ἐξουσίας τὸν ἔνοχον καταδίκαζε: ἔπειτα μετὰ ἐλέους καὶ οἰκτιρμοῦ καὶ προσλήψεως οἰκειοῦ, ὑπισχνούμενος αὐτῷ σωτηρίαν, εἰ μετάθοιτο τοῦ τρόπου καὶ εἰς μετάνοιαν χωρήσει: μεταμελόμενον δὲ στύφων προσδέχου, μεμνημένος τοῦ Κυρίου εἰπόντος, ὅτι «Χαρὰ γίνεται ἐν οὐρανῷ ἐπὶ ἑνὶ ἁμαρτωλῷ μετανοοῦντι».