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for forty days from a long illness, you again give yourself over to those disease-causing things, have you not lost your former labor? If, then, natural things change, much more those of the will. And if your mouth stinks, you do not even partake of common foods; but when such a foul odor is in your soul, do you dare to partake of the mysteries, tell me? and what pardon will you obtain? for the divine Apostle says: He who eats and drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily, eats and drinks judgment to himself; that is, he will give the same penalty, as much punishment as those who crucified Christ will undergo. Just as those murderers also became guilty of the blood; so also are these who unworthily partake of the mysteries. For just as if someone should tear the royal purple, or if he should defile it with mud, he has similarly insulted the king who wears it; 63.630 so indeed also here, both those who did away with the Lord's body, and those who receive it with an unclean mind, similarly treat the royal garment with drunken insolence. The Jews, then, tore it on the cross, but he who receives it with an unclean soul also defiles it. So that even if the acts of lawlessness are different, yet the acts of insolence are equal. This has taken hold of many, this has disturbed many, it has bitten the conscience of the hearers, or rather not only of the hearers, but also of me who am speaking, before you. For the teaching is common, the wounds are common; therefore I also apply common remedies. This was a work of God's love for mankind, so that both the speaker and the hearers should be subject to the same laws, partake of the same nature, and each one be equally liable when transgressing. Why? That he might make his rebuke with moderation; that he might be forgiving to sinners; that, remembering his own weakness, he might not make his reproof unbearable. If, then, you see one of those who herd with you fornicating, and approaching the mysteries, say to the one ministering their distribution: “So-and-so is unworthy of the mysteries, prevent the profane one from the holy things.” For if such a one is not even worthy to declare the statutes of God, consider what will become of his punishment, when he also touches the sacred table; not to him alone, but also to you who cover it up. For it did not say, “And you committed adultery,” but, “You cast your lot with an adulterer.” Alas, how great an evil it is to cover up the corruptions of others! for it says you are a partaker of the punishment for the sin; and reasonably so. For he has his passion to speak of, even if the excuse is unpardonable; but you do not even have this. For what reason, then, not enjoying the pleasure, do you become a partaker and sharer of the punishment? For do not say to me that phrase, which is full of great callousness: “What does it matter to me? I care for my own affairs.” For then you will care for your own affairs most of all, when you seek your own in the benefit of your neighbor; just as Paul also said, “Let no one seek his own,” so that he may find his own. For when the one who has sinned sees everyone turning away from him, he will consider that he has done something great and wicked; but if he sees them not only not indignant nor displeased, but even bearing it meekly and joining in, he also corrupts the tribunal of conscience, with the vote of the many cooperating with his corrupted mind. Many, not bearing the weight of the reproofs spoken to you, after the dismissal came forward, were displeased, were indignant, saying, “Are you leading us away from the holy table, and scaring us away from communion?” But for this reason I was compelled to say these things, that you may learn that I am not leading away, but rather gathering together; nor am I scaring away, nor shutting out, but I am drawing you in more through the reproofs. For the fear of punishment, like fire into wax, so falling into the conscience of sinners, it both dissolves and melts our sins by continually dwelling within, and by making the mind pure and gleaming, it instills in us greater confidence. And just as one who gives bitter medicines to those with poor appetites, and purges the evil humors, stimulates the suppressed appetite, and after

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τεσσαράκοντα ἡμέρας ἀπὸ νόσου μακρᾶς, πάλιν σαυτὸν ἐκδῷς τοῖς νοσοποιοῖς ἐκείνοις, οὐχὶ καὶ τὸν πρότερον κόπον ἀπώλεσας; Εἰ τοίνυν τὰ φυσικὰ μεθίσταται, πολλῷ μᾶλλον τὰ τῆς προαιρέσεως. Κἂν μὲν ὄζῃ τὸ στόμα, οὐδὲ τῶν κοινῶν μετέχεις σιτίων· τοσαύτης δὲ δυσωδίας οὔσης ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ, μυστηρίων τολμᾷς κοινωνεῖν, εἰπέ μοι; καὶ ποίας τεύξῃ συγγνώμης; φησὶ γὰρ ὁ θεῖος Ἀπόστολος· Ὁ ἐσθίων καὶ πίνων τὸ ποτήριον τοῦ Κυρίου ἀναξίως, κρῖμα ἑαυτῷ ἐσθίει καὶ πίνει· τουτέστι, τὴν αὐτὴν δώσει δίκην, ὅσην ὑποστήσονται τιμωρίαν οἱ σταυρώσαντες τὸν Χριστόν. Καθάπερ καὶ ἐκεῖνοι οἱ σφαγεῖς ἔνοχοι ἐγένοντο τοῦ αἵματος· οὕτω καὶ οὗτοι οἱ ἀναξίως κοινωνοῦντες τῶν μυστηρίων. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἄν τε διαῤῥήξῃ τις τὴν πορφυρίδα τὴν βασιλικὴν, ἄν τε μολύνῃ βορβόρῳ, παραπλησίως εἰς τὸν ἐνδύντα αὐτὴν ἐνύβρισε βασι 63.630 λέα· οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθα, οἵ τε ἀνελόντες τὸ σῶμα τὸ ∆εσποτικὸν, οἵ τε ἀκαθάρτῳ δεχόμενοι τῇ διανοίᾳ, ὁμοίως ἐμπαροινοῦσι τῷ ἐνδύματι τῷ βασιλικῷ. ∆ιέῤῥηξαν μὲν οὖν αὐτὸ οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι τῷ σταυρῷ, μολύνει δὲ καὶ ὁ ἀκαθάρτῳ δεχόμενος αὐτὸ τῇ ψυχῇ. Ὥστε εἰ καὶ διάφορα τὰ τῆς παρανομίας, ἀλλὰ τὰ τῆς ὕβρεως ἴσα. Τοῦτο πολλῶν καθήψατο, τοῦτο πολλοὺς ἐθορύβησεν, ἔδακε τὸ συνειδὸς τῶν ἀκουόντων, μᾶλλον δὲ οὐχὶ τῶν ἀκουόντων μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐμοῦ τοῦ λέγοντος, πρὸ ὑμῶν. Κοινὴ γὰρ ἡ διδασκαλία, κοινὰ τὰ τραύματα· διὸ καὶ κοινὰ τὰ φάρμακα ἐπιτίθημι. Τοῦτο τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίας ἐγένετο ἔργον, ὥστε καὶ τὸν λέγοντα καὶ τοὺς ἀκούοντας τοῖς αὐτοῖς ὑποκεῖσθαι νόμοις, τῆς αὐτῆς κοινωνεῖν φύσεως, ὁμοίως ἕκαστον ὑπεύθυνον εἶναι παραβαίνοντα. ∆ιὰ τί; Ἵνα μετὰ συμμετρίας ποιῆται τὴν ἐπιτίμησιν· ἵνα συγγνωμονικὸς γίνηται τοῖς ἁμαρτάνουσιν· ἵνα ἀναμιμνησκόμενος τῆς οἰκείας ἀσθενείας, μὴ ἀφόρητον ποιῆται τὸν ἔλεγχον. Ἂν τοίνυν ἴδῃς τινὰ τῶν μετὰ σοῦ συναγελαζομένων πορνεύοντα, καὶ μυστηρίοις προσερχόμενον, εἰπὲ τῷ διακονουμένῳ τὴν τούτων διανομήν· Ὁ δεῖνα ἀνάξιος μυστηρίων, κώλυσον τὸν βέβηλον τῶν ἁγίων. Εἰ γὰρ μηδὲ διηγεῖσθαι τὰ δικαιώματα τοῦ Θεοῦ ὁ τοιοῦτος ἄξιος, ἐννόησον οἷ προβήσεται τὰ τῆς κολάσεως αὐτῷ, ὅταν καὶ τῆς ἱερᾶς ἅπτηται τραπέζης· οὐκ αὐτῷ δὲ μόνῳ, ἀλλὰ καὶ σοὶ τῷ συσκιάζοντι. Οὐ γὰρ εἶπεν, Καὶ ἐμοίχευες, ἀλλὰ, Μετὰ μοιχοῦ τὴν μερίδα σου ἐτίθεις. Βαβαὶ, ἡλίκον ἐστὶ κακὸν περιστέλλειν τῶν ἄλλων τὰς σηπεδόνας! κοινωνὸν γάρ σέ φησιν εἶναι τῆς ἐπὶ τῷ πλημμελήματι τιμωρίας· καὶ εἰκότως. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἔχει τὸ πάθος εἰπεῖν, εἰ καὶ ἀσύγγνωστος ἡ πρόφασις· σὺ δὲ οὐδὲ τοῦτο. Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν τῆς ἡδονῆς οὐκ ἀπολαύων, τῆς κολάσεως κοινωνὸς καὶ μεριστὴς γίνῃ; Μὴ γάρ μοι ἐκεῖνο τὸ ῥῆμα λέγε, τῆς πολλῆς γέμον ἀναλγησίας· Τί δέ μοι μέλει; τὰ ἐμαυτοῦ μεριμνῶ. Τότε γὰρ μάλιστα μεριμνήσεις τὰ σὰ, ὅταν τὰ σὰ ζητῇς ἐν τῷ τοῦ πλησίον συμφέροντι· καθὰ καὶ Παῦλος ἔλεγε, Μηδεὶς τὸ ἑαυτοῦ ζητείτω, ἵνα εὕρῃ τὸ ἑαυτοῦ. Ὅταν γὰρ ὁ ἡμαρτηκὼς πάντας ἀποστρεφομένους αὐτὸν ἴδῃ, μέγα τι καὶ πονηρὸν ἡγήσεται εἰργάσθαι ἂν δὲ μὴ μόνον μὴ ἀγανακτοῦντας μηδὲ δυσχεραίνοντας θεάσηται, ἀλλὰ καὶ πράως φέροντας καὶ συνεφαπτομένους, καὶ τὸ ἐκ τοῦ συνειδότος διαφθείρει δικαστήριον, τῆς τῶν πολλῶν ψήφου συμπραττούσης αὐτοῦ τῇ διεφθαρμένῃ γνώμῃ. Πολλοὶ τὸ βάρος τῶν πρὸς ὑμᾶς εἰρημένων ἐλέγχων οὐκ ἐνεγκόντες, μετὰ τὴν ἀναχώρησιν προσελθόντες, ἐδυσχέραινον, ἠγανάκτουν, Ἀπάγεις ἡμᾶς, λέγοντες, τῆς ἱερᾶς τραπέζης, καὶ τῆς κοινωνίας ἀποσοβεῖς; ∆ιὰ τοῦτο δὲ ταῦτα ἠναγκάσθην εἰπεῖν, ἵνα μάθητε, ὅτι οὐκ ἀπάγω, ἀλλὰ συνάγω μᾶλλον· οὐδὲ ἀποσοβῶ, οὐδὲ ἀπείργω, ἀλλ' ἐπισπῶμαι διὰ τῶν ἐλέγχων πλέον. Ὁ γὰρ φόβος τῆς τιμωρίας, καθάπερ πῦρ εἰς κηρὸν, οὕτως εἰς τὸ συνειδὸς τῶν ἁμαρτανόντων ἐμπίπτων, λύει μὲν ἡμῶν καὶ τήκει τὰ πλημμελήματα διηνεκῶς ἐγκαθήμενος, καθαρὰν δὲ καὶ ἀποστίλβουσαν ἐργαζόμενος τὴν διάνοιαν, πλείονα τὴν παῤῥησίαν ἡμῖν ἐντίθησι. Καὶ καθάπερ ὁ πικρὰ φάρμακα τοῖς κακοσίτοις διδοὺς, καὶ τοὺς πονηροὺς ἐκκαθαίρων χυμοὺς, διεγείρει τὴν καταβεβλημένην ὄρεξιν, καὶ μετὰ