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DISCOURSE 25.

Concerning those who are quickly changed, and concerning repentance. Luke 9. No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back,

is fit for the kingdom of heaven.

2 Peter 2. It is better not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it to turn from the holy commandment delivered to him. 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 changeable man with his tongue will fall into evils.

Proverbs 26. As a dog when it returns to its own vomit and becomes hateful, so is (865) a fool in his own wickedness, turning back to his own sin.

Sirach 34. A man fasting for his sins, and again going and doing the same things, who will listen to his prayer? And what has he profited by humbling himself?

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

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

Let no one living in wickedness despair of himself, knowing that just as the cultivation of plants changes their qualities, so also the care of the soul according to virtue is able to overcome all kinds of sicknesses.

Men are like clouds, carried to another part of the sky at different times by the changes of the winds.

Repentance is judged not by the amount of time, but by the disposition of the soul.

The Theologian. It is necessary to be easily moved toward the better from the worse, but unmoved toward the worse from the better.

It is not the changing from evil that holds shame, but the keeping of it that holds destruction.

To not sin insensibly, but to recognize and perceive the transgression, is not a small thing; but it is a certain path and beginning leading toward correction, and a change for the better.

We consider these to be frivolous and foolish, those who are easily carried to both sides, and who flow back and forth, just like shifting breezes, or the changes and tides of the Euripus, or the unstable waves of the sea.

Chrysostom. He who has repented for 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.

Evagrius. A plant that is constantly moved does not produce fruit.

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ΛΟΓΟΣ ΚΕ´.

Περί τῶν ταχέως μεταβαλλομένων, καί περί μετανοίας. 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.

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.