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Folly seems to me to be indicated, To understand what one must, but not to guard against what one must. DISCOURSE 25. Concerning those who are quickly changed, and concerning repentance. (15Ε_230>Luke 9. No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks

back, is fit for the kingdom of heaven. 2 Peter 2. It is better not to have known the way of righteousness, than

after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb, A dog returns to his own vomit, and, a sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

Proverbs 17. A man of changeable tongue will fall into evils. Proverbs 26. As a dog when he goes to his own vomit and becomes hateful

so also is 865 a fool who in his own wickedness returns to his own sin.

Sirach 34. A man who fasts for his sins, and goes again and does the same things, who will listen to his prayer? and what has he gained by humbling himself?

Basil. He who has made progress in good works, then slides back to his former habit, not only has lost the reward for his labors, but is also worthy of a heavier condemnation.

For those whose mind is prone to change, it is not unlikely that their life also is disordered.

(15Ε_232> Let no one living in wickedness despair of himself, knowing that as agriculture changes the qualities of plants, so the care of the soul according to virtue is able to overcome all kinds of infirmities.

Men are like clouds, carried by the changes of the winds now to one part of the air, now to another.

Repentance is judged not by the amount of time, but by the disposition of the soul. Of the Theologian. It is necessary to be easily moved toward the better from the

worse, but unmoved toward the worse from the better. The changing from evil is not what is shameful; but its persistence brings

destruction. Not to sin insensibly, but to recognize and perceive the

transgression, is no small thing; but it is a path and a beginning leading to correction, and a change for the better.

We consider these to be frivolous and foolish, those who are easily carried in both directions, and are in flux, like shifting breezes, or the changes and tides of the Euripus, or the unsteady waves of the sea.

Chrysostom. He who has repented of the terrible things he has done, even if he does not show a repentance worthy of his sins, will nevertheless have the reward of this very thing.

Of Evagrius. A plant continually transplanted does not bear fruit. Socrates. A statue on its base, and a virtuous man on his good purpose

standing, ought to be immovable. DISCOURSE 26. Concerning sin and confession.

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Εὐήθειά μοι φαίνεται δηλουμένη, Τό νοεῖν μέν ὅσα δεῖ, μή φυλάττεσθαι δ᾿ ἅ δεῖ. ΛΟΓΟΣ ΚΕ´. Περί τῶν ταχέως μεταβαλλομένων, καί περί μετανοίας. (15Ε_230>Λουκ. θ´. Οὐδείς βαλών τήν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ ἐπ᾿ ἄροτρον, καί βλέπων

εἰς τά ὀπίσω, εὔθετός ἐστιν εἰς τήν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν. Β´. Πετ. β´. Κρεῖσσόν ἐστι μή ἐπεγνωκέναι τήν ὁδόν τῆς διακαιοσύνης, ἤ

ἐπιγνόντα ἐπιστρέψαι ἐκ τῆς παραδοθείσης αὐτῷ ἁγίας ἐντολῆς. Συμβέβηκε δέ αὐτοῖς τό τῆς ἀληθοῦς παροιμίας, Κύων ἐπιστρέψας ἐπί τόν ἴδιον ἔμετον, καί, Ὗς λουσαμένη εἰς κύλισμα βορβόρου.

Παροιμ. ιζ΄ . Ἀνήρ εὐμετάβολος γλώσσῆ ἐκπεσεῖται εἰς κακά. Παροιμ. κστ´. Ὥσπερ κύων ὅταν ἐπέλθῃ ἐπί τόν ἑαυτοῦ ἔμετον καί μισητός

γένηται, οὕτως 865 ἄφρων τῇ ἑαυτοῦ κακίᾳ ἀναστρέψας ἐπί τήν ἑαυτοῦ ἁμαρτίαν.

Σιράχ λδ´. Ἄνθρωπος νηστεύων ἐπί τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτοῦ, καί πάλιν πορευόμενος και τά αὐτά ποιῶν, τῆς προσευχῆς αὐτοῦ τίς εἰσακούεται; καί τί ὠφέλησεν ἐν τῷ ταπεινωθῆναι αὐτόν;

Βασιλ. Ὁ ἐν προκοπῇ γενόμενος ἀγαθῶν ἔργων, εἶτα παλινδρομήσας πρός τήν ἀρχαίαν συνήθειαν, οὐ μόνον τόν ἐπι τοῖς πεπονημένοις μισθόν ἐζημιώθη, ἀλλά καί βαρυτέρας ἀξιοῦται τῆς κατακρίσεως.

Οἷς εὔκολος πρός μεταβολήν ἡ διάνοια, τούτοις οὐδέν ἀπεικός καί τόν βίον εἶναι μή τεταγμένον.

(15Ε_232> Μηδείς ἐν κακίᾳ διάγων, ἑαυτόν ἀπογινωσκέτω, εἰδώς ὅτι γεωργία μέν τῶν φυτῶν τάς ποιότητας μεταβάλλει· ἡ δέ κατ᾿ ἀρετήν τῆς ψυχῆς ἐπιμέλεια δυνατή ἐστι παντοδαπῶν ἀῤῥωστημάτων ἐπικρατῆσαι.

Ἄνθρωποι ταῖς νεφέλαις ἐοίκασι, πρός τάς τῶν πνευμάτων μεταβολάς ἄλλοτε κατ᾿ ἄλλο μέρος τοῦ ἀέρος ἐμφερομέναις.

Οὐ χρόνου ποσότητι, διαθέσει δέ ψυχῆς ἡ μετάνοια κρίνεται. Θεολόγου. ∆έον αὐμετακινήτους μέν εἶναι πρός τό κρεῖττον ἀπό τοῦ

χείρονος, ἀκινήτους δέ πρός τό χεῖρον ἀπό τοῦ βελτίονος. Οὐχ ἡ μετάθεσις τοῦ κακοῦ τό αἰσχρόν ἔχει· ἀλλ᾿ ἡ τούτου τήρησις τήν

ἀπώλειαν. Τό μή ἁμαρτάνειν ἀναισθήτως, ἀλλ᾿ ἐπιγινώσκειν καί συνορᾷν τό

πλημμεληθέν, οὐκ ἔστι μικρόν· ἀλλ᾿ ὁδός τίς ἐστι καί ἀρχή πρός διόρθωσιν ἄγουσα, καί ἐπί τό κρεῖττον μεταβολήν.

Κούφους καί ἀνοήτους τούτους ὐπολαβάνομεν, τούς ῥᾳδίως ἐπ᾿ ἀμφότερα φερομένους, καί μεταῤῥέοντας, καθάπερ αὕρας μεταπιπτούσας, ἤ μεταβολάς καί παλιῤῥοίας Εὐρίπου, ἤ θαλάσσης ἄστατα κύματα.

Χρυσοστ. Ὁ μετανοήσας ἐφ᾿ οἷς ἔπραξε δεινοῖς, κἄν μή τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ἀξίαν ἀποδείξηται τήν μετάνοιαν, καί αὐτῆς ταύτης ὅμως ἕξει τήν ἀντίδοσιν.

Εὐαγρίου. Φυτόν μεταφερόμενον συνεχῶς, καρπόν οὐ ποιεῖ. Σωκράτ. Ἀνδριάς μέν ἐπί βάσεως, σπουδαῖος δέ ἀνήρ ἐπί καλῆς προαιρέσεως

ἑστώς, ἀμετακίνητος ὀφείλει εἶναι. ΛΟΓΟΣ κστ´. Περί ἁμαρτίας καί ἐξαγορεύσεως.