[That the Oblations of the Unworthy, While They are Such, Do Not Only Not Propitiate God, But on the Contrary Provoke Him to Indignation. ]
VII. And not these only, but those that are in sin and have not repented, will not only not be heard when they pray, but will provoke God to anger, as putting Him in mind of their own wickedness. Avoid therefore such ministrations, as you would the price of a dog and the hire of an harlot; for both of them are forbidden by the laws. For neither did Elisha receive the presents which were brought by Hazael, 18 2 Kings viii. [Offerings to God are privileges of saints.] nor Ahijah those from Jeroboam; 19 1 Kings xiv. but if the prophets of God did not admit of presents from the impious, it is reasonable, O bishops, that neither should you. Nay, when Simon the magician offered money to me Peter and John, 20 Acts viii. and tried to obtain the invaluable grace by purchase, we did not admit it, but bound him with everlasting maledictions, because he thought to possess the gift of God, not by a pious mind towards God, but by the price of money. Avoid therefore such oblations to God’s altar as are not from a good conscience. For says He: “Abstain from all injustice, and thou shalt not fear, and trembling shall not come nigh thee.” 21 Isa. liv. 14.
[7] Περιΐστασθε οὖν τὰς τοιαύτας διακονίας ὡς ἄλλαγμα κυνὸς καὶ μίσθωμα πόρνης: ἑκάτερα γὰρ τοῖς νόμοις ἀπηγόρευται. Οὔτε γὰρ Ἐλισσαῖος τὰ παρὰ τοῦ Ἀζαὴλ προσκομισθέντα ἐδέξατο, οὔτε Ἀχίας τὰ παρὰ τοῦ Ἱεροβοάμ: εἰ δὲ οἱ τοῦ Θεοῦ προφῆται τὰ παρὰ τῶν ἀσεβῶν οὐ προσήκαντο ξένια, δίκαιον μήτε ὑμᾶς, ὦ ἐπίσκοποι. Ἀλλὰ καὶ Σίμων ὁ μάγος ἐμοὶ Πέτρῳ καὶ Ἰωάννῃ χρήματα προσενεγκὼν ἐπειρᾶτο ὠνητὴν τὴν ἀτίμητον χάριν λήψεσθαι: ἅπερ μὴ προσηκάμενοι ἀραῖς αἰωνίοις αὐτὸν ἐδησάμεθα, ὅτι τὴν δωρεὰν τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐκ εὐνοίᾳ τῇ πρὸς Θεόν, ἀλλὰ χρημάτων ἐναλλαγῇ ἐνόμισεν κτᾶσθαι. Φεύγετε οὖν τὰς δυσσυνειδήτους εἰς τὸ θυσιαστήριον τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰσφοράς: «Ἄπεχε γάρ, φησίν, ἀπὸ ἀδίκου, καὶ οὐ φοβηθήσῃ καὶ τρόμος οὐκ ἐγγιεῖ σοι.»