20

For what is worse than Manasseh? And what is more blessed than Solomon? But the one was able to propitiate God, while the other, having nodded off, fell. For this reason Esau also did not receive forgiveness, because he did not repent as he ought; for his tears were not of repentance, but of spite and anger. Judas also repented, for he hanged himself. But if you want to see a true repentance, hear of Peter's repentance after his denial. For since it was likely for him to be proud, being conscious that he loved Christ more than the others, for this reason he went out and wept bitterly; and not only this, but he also involved himself in countless dangers after this. The blessed David also repented, saying thus: Every night I will wash my bed, I will drench my couch with my tears; and he mourned the sin that had occurred long ago, after so many years, after so many generations, as if it had just happened. For one who repents must not be angry nor savage, but be contrite as one condemned, as one without confidence, as one judged, as one who ought to be saved by mercy alone, as one who has appeared ungrateful toward his benefactor and reprobate and worthy of countless punishments. Therefore, let neither the one on the stage despair, nor the one in the church be confident; for to the latter God says, Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall; but to the former, Does not he who falls rise again? For the one needs to guard what he has, but the other, to become what he is not; the one to preserve his health, the other to be delivered from his sickness; for he is ill. So to the one He says, Behold, you have been made well; sin no more, lest something worse happen to you; but to the other, Do you want to be made well? Rise, take up your pallet, and go to your house. For even if you have thirty-eight years, like that paralytic, and you hasten to become well, there is no one to hinder you; only be willing to rise up; only take hold of the road that leads there, and you will advance quickly; do not shut the doors, do not block the entrance. The present time is short, the labor is little; but even if it were much 63.594, not even so should one despair. For even if you do not labor this most excellent labor in repentance, in that world you will surely labor, and you will suffer in another way. And if there is labor both here and there, why do we not choose this one, which has much fruit and a great reward? For if God does good to us when we are unworthy, and shows loving-kindness to us when we have sinned, if turning from wickedness we pursue virtue, what things will we not obtain, what good things will we not enjoy? For those who have understanding are drawn to the obedience of the commandments more by benefits than by punishments. If, therefore, even before we showed anything good, but rather even having done things worthy of punishment, God has deemed us worthy of so great a benefit, if we become grateful, and show thankfulness for what has gone before, and make a change for the better, of how much generosity from Him would He not again deem us worthy? For if we, when our slaves have offended, if they promise to become better, both receive them and again restore them to their former honor, and often even impart to them greater confidence; how much more will God do this for us, if we show repentance equivalent to our sins. And this is clear from the things concerning the blessed David. For since, being tripped up, he fell, being caught in the charge of adultery and murder, then he did not remain lying in his fall, but rose again, and with God drew up in battle against the enemy; he wrestled him down so nobly, that even after he died he stood as protector of his own descendants. For to Solomon, who had dared that great transgression, and had become worthy of countless deaths, God says that He will leave the kingdom whole on account of David, speaking thus: I will surely tear the kingdom from your hand, and will give it to your servant; nevertheless in your days I will not do these things, for David your father's sake; I will take it from the hand of your son. And to Hezekiah who was about to be in danger

20

γὰρ τοῦ Μανασσῆ χεῖρον; τί δὲ τοῦ Σολομῶντος μακαριώτερον; Ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν ἠδυνήθη τὸν Θεὸν ἐξιλεώσασθαι, ὁ δὲ ἀπονυστάξας ἔπεσε. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ Ἡσαῦ οὐκ ἔτυχε συγγνώμης, ὅτι οὐ μετενόησεν ὡς ἐχρῆν· τὰ γὰρ δάκρυα οὐκ ἦν μετανοίας, ἀλλὰ ἐπηρείας καὶ θυμοῦ. Μετενόησε καὶ Ἰούδας, ἀπήγξατο γάρ. Εἰ δὲ μετάνοιαν ἀκριβῆ θέλεις ἰδεῖν, ἄκουσον τὴν τοῦ Πέτρου μετάνοιαν μετὰ τὴν ἄρνησιν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ εἰκὸς ἦν αὐτὸν μέγα φρονεῖν, συνειδότα ἑαυτῷ, ὅτι μᾶλλον τῶν ἄλλων ἀγαπᾷ τὸν Χριστὸν, διὰ τοῦτο ἐξελθὼν ἔξω ἔκλαυσε πικρῶς· καὶ οὐ τοῦτο μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ μυρίοις ἑαυτὸν παρενέλαβε μετὰ ταῦτα κινδύνοις. Μετενόησε καὶ ὁ μακάριος ∆αυῒδ, οὕτω λέγων· Λούσω καθ' ἑκάστην νύκτα τὴν κλίνην μου, ἐν δάκρυσί μου τὴν στρωμνήν μου βρέξω· καὶ τὴν πάλαι γεγενημένην ἁμαρτίαν, μετὰ τοσαῦτα ἔτη, μετὰ τοσαύτας γενεὰς, ὡς νεωστὶ συμβᾶσαν ἐπένθει. Τὸν γὰρ μετανοοῦντα οὐκ ὀργίζεσθαι χρὴ οὐδὲ ἀγριαίνειν, ἀλλὰ συντρίβεσθαι ὡς κατεγνωσμένον, ὡς οὐκ ἔχοντα παῤῥησίαν, ὡς καταδεδικασμένον, ὡς ἀπὸ ἐλέους σωθῆναι ὀφείλοντα μόνον, ὡς ἀγνώμονα περὶ τὸν εὐεργέτην φανέντα καὶ ἀδόκιμον καὶ μυρίων κολάσεων ἄξιον Μήτε οὖν ὁ ἐπὶ τῆς σκηνῆς ἀπογινωσκέτω, μήτε ὁ ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ θαῤῥείτω· πρὸς μὲν γὰρ τοῦτόν φησιν ὁ Θεὸς, Ὁ δοκῶν ἑστάναι, βλεπέτω μὴ πέσῃ· πρὸς δὲ ἐκεῖνον, Μὴ ὁ πίπτων οὐκ ἀνίσταται; Οὗτος μὲν γὰρ φυλάξαι δεῖται, ὅπερ ἔχει, ἐκεῖνος δὲ, γενέσθαι ὅπερ οὐκ ἔστιν· οὗτος διατηρῆσαι τὴν ὑγίειαν, ἐκεῖνος τῆς ἀῤῥωστίας ἀπαλλαγῆναι· κάμνει γάρ. Πρὸς μὲν οὖν ἐκεῖνόν φησιν, Ἴδε, ὑγιὴς γέγονας, μηκέτι ἁμάρτανε, ἵνα μὴ χεῖρόν τί σοι γένηται· πρὸς δὲ τοῦτον, Θέλεις ὑγιὴς γενέσθαι· ἐγερθεὶς ἆρον τὸν κράββατόν σου, καὶ ὕπαγε εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου. Κἂν γὰρ τριακονταοκτὼ ἔτη ἔχῃς, ὡς ὁ παράλυτος ἐκεῖνος, σπουδάσῃς δὲ γενέσθαι ὑγιὴς, οὐδεὶς ὁ κωλύων· μόνον θέλησον διαναστῆναι· ἅψαι μόνον τῆς ἐκεῖ φερούσης ὁδοῦ, καὶ προβήσῃ ταχέως· μὴ τὰς θύρας ἀποκλείσῃς, μὴ τὴν εἴσοδον φράξῃς. Βραχὺς ὁ παρὼν καιρὸς, ὀλίγος ὁ πόνος· εἰ δὲ καὶ πολὺς 63.594 ἦν, οὐδὲ οὕτως ἀπαγορεύειν ἔδει. Κἂν γὰρ μὴ κάμῃς τὸν κάλλιστον τοῦτον κάματον τὸν ἐν τῇ μετανοίᾳ, ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ἐκείνῳ πάντως καμῇ, καὶ ταλαιπωρήσεις ἑτέρως. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἐνταῦθα κἀκεῖ κάματος, διὰ τί μὴ τοῦτον αἱρούμεθα, τὸν πολὺν ἔχοντα τὸν καρπὸν καὶ μεγάλην τὴν ἀμοιβήν; Εἰ γὰρ ἀναξίους ὄντας ἡμᾶς εὐεργετεῖ ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ ἡμαρτηκότας φιλανθρωπεύεται, εἰ τῆς κακίας ἀποστάντες τὴν ἀρετὴν μεταδιώξομεν, τίνων οὐκ ἐπιτευξόμεθα, τίνων οὐκ ἀπολαυσόμεθα τῶν ἀγαθῶν; Τοὺς γὰρ νοῦν ἔχοντας αἱ εὐεργεσίαι μᾶλλον, ἢ αἱ τιμωρίαι ἐφέλκονται πρὸς τὴν ὑπακοὴν τῶν ἐπιταγμάτων. Εἰ τοίνυν καὶ πρὶν ἤ τι ἀγαθὸν ἡμᾶς ἐπιδείξασθαι, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ κολάσεως ἄξια ἐργασαμένους, τοσαύτης ἠξίωσε τῆς εὐεργεσίας ὁ Θεὸς, εἰ εὐγνώμονες γενοίμεθα, καὶ τὴν ἐπὶ τοῖς προλαβοῦσιν εὐχαριστίαν ἐπιδειξοίμεθα, καὶ τὴν ἐπὶ τὸ βέλτιον μεταβολὴν ποιησοίμεθα, πόσης οὐκ ἂν πάλιν ἀξιώσειε τῆς παρ' αὐτοῦ φιλοτιμίας; Εἰ γὰρ ἡμεῖς τοὺς προσκεκρουκότας τῶν οἰκετῶν, ἐὰν ἀπαγγείλωνται γενέσθαι βελτίους, καὶ προσιέμεθα καὶ πάλιν ἐπὶ τῆς προτέρας ἄγομεν τιμῆς, πολλάκις δὲ καὶ πλείονος αὐτοῖς τῆς παῤῥησίας μεταδιδόαμεν· πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὁ Θεὸς ἐπὶ ἡμῶν τοῦτο ποιήσει, εἰ ἀντίῤῥοπον τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ἐπιδειξόμεθα τὴν μετάνοιαν. Καὶ τοῦτο ἀπὸ τῶν κατὰ τὸν μακάριον ∆αυῒδ δῆλον. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὑποσκελισθεὶς κατέπεσε, μοιχείας καὶ φόνου ἁλοὺς ἐγκλήματι, εἶτα οὐκ ἔμεινε κείμενος ἐν τῷ πτώματι, ἀλλὰ καὶ διανέστη πάλιν, καὶ πρὸς τὸν ἐχθρὸν μετὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ παρετάξατο· οὕτως αὐτὸν γενναίως κατεπάλαισεν, ὡς καὶ τελευτήσας προστῆναι τῶν ἐκγόνων τῶν αὐτοῦ. Τῷ γὰρ Σολομῶντι τὴν μεγάλην ἐκείνην παρανομίαν τετολμηκότι, καὶ μυρίων ἀξίῳ γενομένῳ θανάτων, διὰ τὸν ∆αυῒδ ὁ Θεός φησιν ἀφεῖναι τὴν βασιλείαν ὁλόκληρον, οὑτωσὶ λέγων· ∆ιαῤῥήσσων διαῤῥήξω τὴν βασιλείαν ἐκ χειρός σου, καὶ δώσω αὐτὴν τῷ δούλῳ σου· πλὴν ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις σου οὐ ποιήσω ταῦτα, διὰ ∆αυῒδ τὸν πατέρα σου· ἐκ χειρὸς τοῦ υἱοῦ σου λήψομαι αὐτήν. Καὶ τῷ Ἐζεκίᾳ δὲ μέλλοντι κινδυνεύειν