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of foul deeds. And if He should find such a one, for the time being He hands him over to the tribunal of his conscience; then if that tribunal, having taken him, scourges him with its reasonings and makes him better, He accepts him back again; but if he remains incorrigible, He commands the ungrateful and senseless one to be delivered into His own hands. "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." I know that the words sting, but what can I do? If I do not apply bitter medicines, the wounds will not be removed; if I do apply bitter ones, you do not bear the pain. I am in a strait on every side; nevertheless, it is necessary to stay my hand for now; for what has been said is sufficient for the correction of those who pay attention. But that these things may be useful not only to you, but also to others through you, come, let us recapitulate them again. We have discoursed concerning the Seraphim, we have shown what a great dignity it is to stand near the royal throne, and that it is possible for men also to possess this dignity. We have spoken about their wings and the unapproachable glory of God, and about His loving-kindness shown to us; we have added the reason for their cry and their perpetual wonder, and how in unceasing contemplation the doxology of the Seraphim is also unceasing; we have reminded you into what choir we were initiated and with whom we hymned the common Master; we have added words concerning repentance; and finally, we have shown how great an evil it is to approach the mysteries with a wicked conscience, and how it is not possible for one who dares such things to escape. Let a wife learn these things from her husband, and children from their father, and a servant from his master, and a neighbor from his neighbor, and a friend from his friend, or rather, let us discourse on these things even to our enemies; for we are also responsible for their salvation. For if we are commanded to raise up their fallen beasts of burden and to save and bring back those that have strayed, much more ought we to bring back their straying soul and to raise it up when it has fallen. If we so manage our own affairs and those of our neighbors, we will be able to stand with boldness before the judgment seat of Christ, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

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πράξεων μιαρῶν. Κἂν μὲν εὕρῃ τινὰ τοιοῦτον, τέως μὲν αὐτὸν τῷ δικαστηρίῳ τοῦ συνειδότος παραδίδωσιν· εἶτα ἂν μὲν λαβὼν ἐκεῖνος μαστίξῃ τοῖς λογισμοῖς καὶ βελτίω κατασκευάσῃ, προσίεται πάλιν αὐτόν· ἂν δὲ ἀδιόρθωτος μείνῃ, κελεύει πρὸς τὰς αὑτοῦ παραδοθῆναι χεῖρας τὸν ἀγνώμονα καὶ ἀναισθητόν. "Φοβερὸν δὲ τὸ ἐμπεσεῖν εἰς χεῖρας Θεοῦ ζῶντος." Οἶδα ὅτι δάκνει τὰ ῥήματα, ἀλλὰ τί πάθω; Εἰ μὴ πικρὰ ἐπιθῶμαι τὰ φάρμακα, τὰ τραύματα οὐκ ἀφαιρεθήσεται· ἂν πικρὰ ἐπιθῶμαι, ὑμεῖς τὴν ὀδύνην οὐ φέρετε. Στενά μοι πάντοθεν· πλὴν ἀλλ' ἀναγκαῖον ἀνασχεῖν τὴν χεῖρα λοιπόν· καὶ γὰρ ἱκανὰ τὰ εἰρημένα πρὸς διόρθωσιν τῶν προσεχόντων. Ἀλλ' ἵνα μὴ μόνοις ὑμῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἑτέροις δι' ὑμῶν γένηται χρήσιμα, φέρε αὐτὰ πάλιν ἀνακεφαλαιωσώμεθα. ∆ιελέχθημεν περὶ τῶν Σεραφίμ, ἐδείξαμεν ὅσον ἐστὶν ἀξίωμα πλησίον ἑστάναι τοῦ θρόνου τοῦ βασιλικοῦ καὶ ὅτι καὶ ἀνθρώποις τὸ ἀξίωμα τοῦτο κεκτῆσθαι δυνατόν. Εἴπομεν περὶ τῶν πτερύγων καὶ τῆς ἀπροσίτου δόξης τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ περὶ τῆς πρὸς ἡμᾶς αὐτοῦ φιλανθρωπίας γινομένης· προσεθήκαμεν τὴν αἰτίαν τῆς κραυγῆς καὶ τοῦ διηνεκοῦς θαύματος καὶ πῶς ἐν ἀκαταπαύστῳ θεωρίᾳ ἀκατάπαυστος καὶ ἡ δοξολογία τῶν Σεραφίμ· ἀνεμνήσαμεν ὑμᾶς εἰς ποῖον ἐτελέσαμεν χορὸν καὶ μετὰ τίνων τὸν κοινὸν ἀνυμνήσαμεν ∆εσπότην· τοὺς περὶ μετανοίας προσεθήκαμεν λόγους· καὶ τέλος ὅσον ἐστὶ κακὸν προσιέναι τοῖς μυστηρίοις μετὰ πονηροῦ συνειδότος ἐδείξαμεν καὶ πῶς οὐκ ἔστι διαφυγεῖν τὸν τὰ τοιαῦτα τολμήσαντα. Ταῦτα καὶ γυνὴ παρὰ ἀνδρὸς μανθανέτω καὶ παιδία παρὰ πατρὸς καὶ οἰκέτης παρὰ δεσπότου καὶ γείτων παρὰ γείτονος καὶ φίλος παρὰ φίλου, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ταῦτα διαλεγώμεθα· καὶ γὰρ καὶ τῆς ἐκείνων σωτηρίας ἡμεῖς ἐσμεν ὑπεύθυνοι. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ τὰ ὑποζύγια αὐτῶν πεπτωκότα διαναστῆσαι καὶ πεπλανη μένα διασῶσαι καὶ ἐπαναγαγεῖν κελευόμεθα, πολλῷ μᾶλλον τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτῶν πλανωμένην ἐπαναγαγεῖν χρὴ καὶ πεπτωκυῖαν διανιστᾶν. Ἂν οὕτω τὰ καθ' ἑαυτοὺς καὶ τὰ κατὰ τοὺς πλησίον οἰκονομῶμεν, δυνησόμεθα μετὰ παρρησίας στῆναι ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ βήματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ, μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ σὺν τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι δόξα, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.