As to [the Arians’] blasphemous position that the Son knows not the Father perfectly, we ought not to wonder at it; for having once set themselves to fight against Christ, they contradict even his express words, since he says, As the Father knows me, even so I know the Father.^[1] Now if the Father knows the Son but in part, then it is evident that the Son does not know the Father perfectly. It is not lawful to say this. The Father does know the Son perfectly; then it is evident that as the Father knows his own Word, so also the Word knows his own Father whose Word he is.

By these arguments and references to the sacred Scriptures we frequently overthrew them; but they changed like chameleons and again shifted their ground, striving to bring upon themselves that sentence, When an ungodly man comes into a depth of evils, he despises them.

Just as men who plunge into the deep, the deeper they go down, they descend into darker and deeper places, so it is with humankind. For they did not keep to idolatry in a simple form, nor did they abide in that with which they began. But the longer they went on in their first condition, the more new superstitions they invented, and, not satiated with the first evils, they again filled themselves with others, advancing further in utter shamefulness and surpassing themselves in impiety. But to this divine Scripture testifies when it says, When an ungodly man comes into a depth of evils, he despises them.

Confession dies with a dead man, but is always possible for one who is alive. There is this saying, When a sinner shall have come into the depth of evil things, he despises [them]. For it is one thing to long for, another thing to fight against righteousness. It is one thing to desire to be delivered from evil, another thing to defend one’s evil doings rather than to confess.

The proud and recalcitrant who despair of the forgiveness of sins repudiate forgiveness. Not only do they with pitiable blindness reject the care for their own salvation, but they also do not rest from upsetting other faithful souls with deadly words, if they are unable to pervert them. Often, either the frightfulness of their sins or the length of a wicked life takes away from them the hope of salvation and drives them to perpetrate even worse things in such a way that in such people that statement of holy Scripture is fulfilled: When wickedness comes, contempt comes also.

Not only slight sins but even greater offenses try to overtake us day and night. So let us not hold back repentance until the end of life, but while we are living let us endeavor to do penance daily. This practice should be observed continuously, not only by the laity and clerics, but even by priests and monks. . . . Since we cannot spend a day without sin, what is the sense of gradually piling up slight offenses and thus making endless streams of tiny drops? Despair arises from a multitude of sins heaped up over time, according to the words: The wicked man, when he has come into the depth of sins, despises [them]. Of course, you are all well aware that we can more easily uproot them when they are still young than cut them off when they are firm.

Believe this devoutly and firmly: God never abandons a person unless he himself has already deserted God. Although a person may have committed serious sins once, twice and a third time, God still looks for him, as he says through the prophet, that by his conversion he may live.^[1] However, when he begins to continue in his sins, despair arises from the multitude of them, and hardening is caused by the despair. While careless people at first despise their own sins because they are small, if these slight offenses increase, crimes are even added; they heap up to finally overwhelm them, and when this happens there is fulfilled what is written: With wickedness comes contempt.

When the godless fall to the depths of evil, they lose all sense of respect. It is a terrible thing, you see, dearly beloved, a terrible thing to fall into the clutches of the devil. I mean, the soul then, as though caught in a net, and like a boar trapped in the mire, is likewise caught up in pleasure and, swept along by its evil habits, it loses all sense of the foul odor of its sins. Consequently, we must be awake and on our guard so as never to allow the evil demon any entrance at the outset, lest he cloud our reasoning, blind the sharp vision of our mind, and thus as if robbing us of sunlight render us unable to see the rays of the sun of justice and cause us to fall into the abyss.

The evil mind is always set in pains and labors, since it is either contriving mischiefs that it may bring down or fearing lest these be brought down upon it by others. While hatching plots against neighbors, one becomes all the more afraid of plots being hatched by neighbors against oneself. . . . Even when there is peace, he suspects plots, in that he, who is always dealing craftily, calculates that there is no one who might deal honestly with himself.

The more those greater sins grow on them, the more does the soul become accustomed to them and think light of them. For it is said, When the wicked comes to the depth of evil things, he thinks light of them.

The word in the heart of man is a deep water, and a river and fountain of life spring forth. By deep water he [Solomon] means abundant water which can often produce many rivers instead of one. Or, he says: it contains it deeply hidden in itself. As water is immeasurable, so the word in the heart of the person who lives according to God is without limit. Therefore, he uses word for knowledge. This is the one in whose heart a fountain of water is made when he hears the words of Jesus. He [Solomon] then speaks of it springing forth, raining upon or watering the fields which makes them fertile.

It is not good to admire those who are impious, even though one of them has an important position or covers up what is right with persuasive speech. To admire the behavior of the impious is to sanction iniquity inspired by the devil.

There is nothing to be proud about. For to sink to the state of being proud has its consequences according to the text: Before ruin the heart of man is exalted and before glory it is humble. These words [also] concern the text: Hear and hearken, and do not be proud, because the Lord has spoken.^[1]

A man’s gift is called an upright life. It is that gift that makes room for him and makes him worthy of the fullness of God.^[1] It is that very thing which is called the throne of the holy powers. Indeed, the throne of the mind is that excellent state which they maintain who are seated in a position that is fixed or immovable.

David also speaks in the Psalms and says, I made my iniquity known and did not cover my sin. I said, ‘I will proclaim my injustice against myself,’ and you have forgiven the impiety of my heart.^[1] You see, therefore, that to proclaim the sin is to deserve the forgiveness of sin. For the devil, having been anticipated in the accusation, will not be able to accuse us further. If we are our own accusers, this profits us to salvation. But if we delay so that we are accused by the devil, that accusation delivers us to punishment; for he will have as companions in hell those whom he will have convicted of complicity.

The just person takes note of his own weakness . . . . The wise person recognizes it; the foolish one does not. Indeed, the wise person is moved to repentance by his own faults, while the foolish one takes pleasure in his. The just man is the accuser of himself, while the unjust one is his own apologist. The just person wishes to anticipate his accuser in the admission of his sin, while the unjust one desires to conceal his. The one rushes on in the beginning of his speech to reveal his wrongdoing, the other attempts to lay the accusation to rest by the garrulousness of his speech, so as not to reveal his wrongdoing.

Let us who are free from sin, purchased, as it were, by the price of Christ’s blood, let us not be subject to the slavery of people or of passion. Let us not be ashamed to confess our sin. See how free is the one who could say, I have not been afraid of a very great multitude, so that I would not confess my sin in the sight of all.^[1] One who confesses to the Lord is freed from his slavery: The just is the accuser of himself in the beginning of his speech. He is not only free but just, for justice is in liberty, and liberty in confession, and as soon as one has confessed he is pardoned.

Are not those who condemn their sin truer Christians than those who think to defend it? The just accuses himself in the beginning of his words. He who accuses himself when he sins is just, not he who praises himself.

He is his own accuser who, instead of waiting, anticipates his accuser, so as to lighten his own sin by confession, lest he have something which his adversary may accuse. And for this reason, Scripture says, The just is first accuser of himself. For he snatches away the voice of his adversary and by the confession of his own sins breaks to pieces the teeth prepared for the prey of hostile accusation. In so doing he gives honor to God, to whom all things are exposed, and who wishes the life rather than the death of the sinner.^[1] Indeed, to the penitent himself confession alone does not suffice, unless correction of the deed follows, with the result that the penitent does not continue to do deeds which demand repentance. LIFE OF ST.

Speak not in your own praise, nor contrive that others do so. Do not listen to indecent talk. Conceal insofar as you can your own superior gifts. On the other hand, where sin is concerned, be your own accuser, and do not wait for others to make the accusation. Thus, you will be like a just man who accuses himself in the first speech made in court, or like Job who was not deterred by the crowd of people in the city from declaring his personal guilt before all.^[1]

When you commit sin, do not wait for another man to accuse you but, before you are accused and indicted, you yourself had best condemn what you have done. Then, if someone accuses you later on, it is no longer a matter of your doing the right thing in confessing but of your correcting the accusation which he makes. And so it is that someone else has said, The just man begins his speech by accusing himself. So it is not a question of accusing but of being the first to accuse yourself and not waiting for others to accuse you.

Peter certainly sinned gravely in denying Christ. But he was quick to remind himself of his sin and, before anyone accused him, he told of his error and wept bitterly.^[1] He so effectively washed away his sin of denial that he became the chief of the apostles, and the whole world was entrusted to him.

You see, when Cain was asked by the Lord, Where is your brother Abel? that was the time for him to confess his fault, fall on his knees, pray and ask pardon. At that point, however, he rejected the healing, whereas now, after the sentence, after all was over, after the accusation was leveled at him in a loud voice by the blood that had been shed, he made his confession only to gain nothing from it. That is why the inspired author also said, He who accuses himself at the beginning of the speech is in the right. Accordingly, had Cain anticipated the Lord’s accusation, perhaps he would have been granted some mercy on account of the Lord’s unlimited goodness. I mean, there is no sin, no matter how grave, that can exceed his mercy provided we demonstrate our repentance at the proper time and beg pardon. Cain said, ‘My guilt is too great for me to be forgiven—an adequate confession, but too late.

Blessed, therefore, is he who acknowledges that he is a sinner just as the apostle does: I am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.^[1] If the apostle makes such a confession, how much more should the sinner? Scripture says, moreover, If the just man is prompt to accuse himself, how much more should the sinner be?

If you acknowledge your sins, God will forgive you. So, let no one despair, but, likewise, let no one entertain presumptuous hope. The one who believes that even if he does penance for his sins the divine mercy will not forgive him wrongly despairs, while one who defers the remedy of repentance to a much later day is presumptuous.

Even those who do not believe that they have sinned, generally confess themselves sinners. For it is frequently the case that people openly confess themselves sinners, but on hearing a true account of their sins when other persons attack them, they boldly defend themselves and endeavor to appear innocent. Everyone of this character, then, if he says that he has sinned, speaks untruly, as he proclaims himself a sinner not from the inmost heart, but only in words. For since it is written, The just man in the beginning accuses himself, he wished to gain credit, not to be humbled, by confessing his sin. He desired, by accusing himself, to appear humble without being so. . . . The righteous, then, in passing sentence on his own conduct, knows from the bottom of his heart, by the examples of holier men, that he really is what he professes to be.

The lot suppresses contentions and determines even between the mighty. For it is better for God to decide in uncertainties of this kind than for people, whether he deigns to call the better ones to a share in his passion and to spare the weak, or to strengthen the former to bear these evils and to withdraw from this life those whose survival cannot be as beneficial to the church as theirs would be. It will be an unusual thing to proceed in this matter by drawing lots, but, if it is done, who will dare to judge it adversely? Surely, everyone but the envious or those ignorant of this appropriate quotation will praise it.

Do you see the great strength which comes from concord? And do you see the great harm caused by contentiousness? A kingdom in revolt destroys itself. When two brothers are bound together and united into one, they are more unbreakable than any wall.

A brother helped by his brother is like a fortified and elevated city: and is as strong as a well fortified palace of kings. The disciples of Christ were of the same mind, like brothers, and were fortified like a royal palace surrounded by many walls as they helped each other. They were firm in their unity, and their mutual aid made them stronger and stronger.

Truly spiritual affection is a strong city not able to be overcome or besieged by the devil either by undermining or by scaling. For it does not give way to the siege machines of Satan because it is guarded by Christ, the Lord, by Christ who conquered the world and has prepared eternal blessings for you, by Christ, who said, He who does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.^[1]

Christ makes the same point when he says, By your own words you will be condemned, and by your words you will be justified.^[1]

The tongue stands in the middle ready for either use; you are its master. So also does a sword lie in the middle; if you use it against the enemy, it becomes an instrument for your safety; if you use it to wound yourself, it is not the steel but your own transgression of the law that causes your death. Let us think of the tongue in the same way, as a sword lying in the middle. Sharpen it to accuse yourself of your own sins, but do not use it to wound your brother.

Hence, God has surrounded the tongue with a double wall—with the barrier of the teeth and the fence of the lips—in order that it may not easily and heedlessly utter words it should not speak.

A wound arising from words is unbearable. . . .Truly, dearly beloved, if you look deeply, and diligently investigate the swelling tumor of an exasperated heart, you will discover that the wounds produced by words cause deaths.