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because it was an additional expense for the Church rather than yielding any profit from the properties.

286.τ TO A COMMENTARESIUS

286.1 Since some men were arrested at this synod, men who were doing wicked things and stealing, contrary to the Lord's commandment, the cheap cloaks of poor people whom they ought to have clothed rather than stripped, those responsible for church discipline arrested them, but since I considered that the reception of such men concerns you as one who handles public affairs, I have written to inform you that sins committed in the churches ought to receive fitting correction from us, and that judges ought not to be troubled about these matters. For this reason, I ordered that their stolen goods be received, which are indicated in the document held by you and in the inventory made in the presence of all who were there, and that some be stored for those who come after, and the rest distributed to those present; and that the men be turned back in the discipline and instruction of the Lord, whom I believe I will make better for the future in the name of God. For what the punishments of the courts do not accomplish, we have often seen the fearful judgments of the Lord set right. But if you see fit to report on these matters to the count, we have such confidence in justice and in the man's integrity that we permit you to do as you wish.

287.τ UNADDRESSED, CONCERNING DEFENDERS

287.1 The case concerning this man seems to be difficult to handle. For we do not know what to do with such a shifty character, who, as one can conjecture from what is seen, is desperate. For when called to judgment, he does not obey; and if he does appear, he uses such an excess of words and oaths as to make it desirable for us to be rid of him quickly. I have often seen him turn the accusations back on his accusers. And in general, no nature of all that feeds upon the earth is so varied and so malleable for evil as that of this man, as can be inferred concerning him from brief experience. But why do you ask me and not persuade yourselves to endure the injustices from him as some divinely sent wrath? But so that you are not defiled by fellowship in his sins, let him be separated with his entire household from the prayers and from the other fellowship with the clergy. Perhaps, being made an example, he will be shamed.

288.τ UNADDRESSED, CONCERNING DEFENDERS

288.1 Those whom the common penances do not correct, nor being barred from the prayers lead to repentance, it is necessary to subject to the canons given by the Lord. For it is written: "If your brother sins, rebuke him between you and him alone; if he does not listen to you, take another with you; and if not even then, tell it to the Church; and if he refuses to listen even to the Church, let him be to you then as a Gentile and a tax collector." This, then, is what has happened in this man's case. He was accused once, he was convicted in the presence of one and a second, a third time before the Church. Since, therefore, we have testified against him and he has not accepted it, let him henceforth be proclaimed excommunicate. And let it be announced to the whole village that he is unacceptable for any fellowship in the necessities of life, so that by our not associating with him he may become completely the devil's food.

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διὰ τὸ προσαναλίσκειν μᾶλλον τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν ἤ τινα καρπὸν ἔχειν ἀπὸ τῶν κτημάτων.

286.τ ΚΟΜΕΝΤΑΡΗΣΙΩ

286.1 Ἐπειδή τινες ἐν τῇ συνόδῳ τῇδε συνελήφθησαν τῶν τὰ πονηρὰ

ἐργαζομένων καὶ κλεπτόντων παρὰ τὴν ἐντολὴν τοῦ Κυρίου ἱμάτια εὐτελῆ πτωχῶν ἀνθρώπων οὓς ἐνδύειν μᾶλλον ἐχρῆν ἢ ἀποδύειν, συνελάβοντο μὲν αὐτοὺς οἱ τῆς εὐταξίας ἐπιμελόμενοι τῆς ἐκκλησιαστικῆς, νομίσας δὲ αὐτῷ σοι διαφέρειν ὡς τὰ δημόσια πράττοντι τὴν τῶν τοιούτων ὑποδοχήν, ἐπέστειλά σοι γνωρίζων ὅτι τὰ ἐν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις ἁμαρτανόμενα ὑφ' ἡμῶν προσήκει τῆς πρεπού σης τυγχάνειν διορθώσεως, δικαστὰς δὲ περὶ τούτων μὴ παρενοχλεῖσθαι. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ τὰ σῦλα αὐτῶν, ἃ δηλοῖ τὸ παρὰ σοὶ κείμενον καὶ ἡ ἐπὶ πάντων τῶν παρόντων γενο μένη ἀντιγραφή, ὑποδεχθῆναι προσέταξα καὶ τὰ μὲν ταμιευ θῆναι τοῖς ἐπερχομένοις, τὰ δὲ διαδοθῆναι τοῖς παροῦσι· τοὺς δὲ ἀνθρώπους ἐπιστρέψαι ἐν παιδείᾳ καὶ νουθεσίᾳ Κυρίου, οὓς οἶμαι ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Θεοῦ βελτίους ποιή σειν πρὸς τὸ ἐφεξῆς. Ἃ γὰρ αἱ τῶν δικαστηρίων πληγαὶ οὐκ ἐργάζονται, ταῦτα ἔγνωμεν πολλάκις τὰ φοβερὰ κρίματα τοῦ Κυρίου κατορθοῦντα. Εἰ δὲ δοκεῖ σοι καὶ περὶ τούτων ἀνενεγκεῖν τῷ κόμητι, τοσοῦτον θαρροῦμεν τοῖς δικαίοις καὶ τῇ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ὀρθότητι ὅτι ἐπιτρέ πομέν σοι ποιεῖν ὃ βούλει.

287.τ ΑΝΕΠΙΓΡΑΦΟΣ ΕΠΙ ΕΚ∆ΙΚΗΤΑΙΣ 287.1 ∆υσμεταχείριστον ἔοικεν εἶναι τὸ κατὰ τόνδε. Οὐ γὰρ ἔχομεν τί

χρησόμεθα οὕτω πολυτρόπῳ ἤθει, ὡς ἐκ τῶν ὁρωμένων ἐστὶν εἰκάζειν ἀπεγνωσμένῳ. Εἰς κρίσιν μὲν γὰρ καλούμενος οὐχ ὑπακούει· κἂν ἀπαντήσῃ, τοσαύτῃ χρῆται περιουσίᾳ λόγων καὶ ὅρκων ὡς ἀγαπητὸν ἡμῖν ποιεῖν τὸ ταχέως αὐτοῦ χωρισθῆναι. Εἶδον δὲ αὐτὸν πολλάκις καὶ περιτρέψαντα τὰς αἰτίας τοῖς ἐγκαλοῦσι. Καὶ ὅλως οὐδεμία φύσις τῶν ὅσα τὴν γῆν ἐπιβόσκεται οὕτω ποικίλη καὶ πρὸς κακίαν εὔπλαστος ὡς ἡ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου τούτου, ὡς ἐξ ὀλί γου τῆς πείρας ἐστὶ τὸ κατ' αὐτὸν τεκμήρασθαι. Τί δὲ ἐρωτᾶτέ με καὶ οὐ πείθετε ἑαυτοὺς ὑπομένειν τὰς παρ' αὐτοῦ ἀδικίας ὡς ὀργήν τινα θεήλατον; Ὑπὲρ δὲ τοῦ μὴ ὑμᾶς μολύνεσθαι ἐν κοινωνίᾳ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων πανοικὶ τῶν εὐχῶν κεχωρίσθω καὶ τῆς ἄλλης τῆς πρὸς τοὺς ἱερατι κοὺς κοινωνίας. Ἴσως παραφύλαγμα γενόμενος ἐντραπήσε ται.

288.τ ΑΝΕΠΙΓΡΑΦΟΣ ΕΠΙ ΕΚ∆ΙΚΗΤΑΙΣ

288.1 Οὓς τὰ κοινὰ ἐπιτίμια οὐ σωφρονίζει οὔτε τὸ εἰρχθῆναι τῶν εὐχῶν ἄγει

εἰς μετάνοιαν ἀνάγκη τοῖς παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου δοθεῖσι κανόσιν ὑποβάλλειν. Γέγραπται γάρ· «Ἐὰν ὁ ἀδελ φός σου ἁμάρτῃ, ἔλεγξον αὐτὸν μεταξὺ σοῦ καὶ αὐτοῦ· ἐάν σου μὴ ἀκούσῃ, παράλαβε μετὰ σεαυτοῦ ἄλλον· ἐὰν δὲ μηδὲ οὕτως, εἰπὲ τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ· ἐὰν δὲ καὶ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας παρακούσῃ, ἔστω σοι λοιπὸν ὡς ὁ ἐθνικὸς καὶ ὁ τελώνης». Ὃ οὖν ἐγένετο τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦδε. Ἅπαξ ἐνεκλήθη, ἐπὶ ἑνὸς καὶ δευτέρου διηλέγχθη, τρίτον ἐπὶ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας. Ἐπεὶ οὖν διεμαρτυράμεθα αὐτῷ καὶ οὐ κατεδέξατο, λοιπὸν ἔστω ἐκκήρυκτος. Καὶ διαγγελήτω πάσῃ τῇ κώμῃ ἀπρόσδεκ τον αὐτὸν εἶναι πρὸς πᾶσαν κοινωνίαν χρήσεως βιωτικῆς, ὡς ἐκ τοῦ μὴ συναναμίγνυσθαι ἡμᾶς αὐτῷ γένηται παντε λῶς κατάβρωμα τοῦ διαβόλου.