67. His soul is adorned by the one who, according to the Apostle's words, "puts off the old man, which decays in deceitful lusts, but is renewed by the spirit of his mind, and is clothed with the new man, created according to God, in righteousness and holiness of truth" (Ephesians 4:22-24); that is, he who resists the lusts of the flesh, and cuts them off, and adheres to virtues, puts off uncleanness, fornication, pride, envy, anger, malice, rage, love of money, intemperance, and other evil dispositions, and puts on chastity, holiness, humility, brotherly love, patience, meekness, and other good dispositions. Here are beautiful spiritual utensils! That soul is good and beautiful that is conformed to the Heavenly Father in holiness, truth, mercy, righteousness, patience, meekness, and other qualities. A Christian, regenerated by God, must conform to Him, as a son to a father, in morals. Every son is conformed to his father in qualities and morals, as we see in the bodily birth, in which nothing else is born but flesh of the flesh, according to the testimony of Christ: "That which is born of the flesh is flesh" (John 3:6). That is why the word of God commands Christians to adorn themselves not with carnal, but with spiritual utensils. What are these utensils, what does it consist of, listen to the Apostle, who offers us these utensils: "Clothe yourselves, as God's elect, holy and beloved, in mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering" (Col. 3:12). Let us adorn ourselves with these utensils, Christians, and not with gold, silver, stones, and costly garments. Let us clothe ourselves with generosity and mercy, as our Lord commands us: "Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful" (Luke 6:36), "Who did not spare His Son, but delivered Him up for us all" (Romans 8:32), so that He might deliver us from eternal tribulations and bring us into eternal bliss. Let us clothe ourselves with goodness and try to do good to all, good and evil, friends and enemies, imitating the Heavenly Father: "For He is good even to the ungrateful and the evil" (Luke 6:35); "For He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust" (Matt. 5:45). Let us put on humility, following the Only-begotten Son of God, Who was not ashamed to "wash the feet of the apostles, their Lord and Teacher" (John 13:14). "For there must be in you the same sentiments that were in Christ Jesus: he, being in the image of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God; but He humbled Himself, taking the form of a servant, becoming like men, and becoming like a man in appearance; humbled himself, being obedient even unto death, even the death of the cross" (Phil. 2:5-8). Let us put on meekness and longsuffering, learning these things from the meek and humble Jesus, as He commands us: "Learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart" (Matthew 11:29); and let us forgive our debts to our debtors, as God also forgives us. Let us be holy, for it is written: "Be holy, for I am holy" (1 Peter 1:16). This headdress, this utensils, this adornment is befitting Christians; and they please not the world and the eyes of men, but the eyes of the Heavenly Father. Let us try to adorn ourselves with these utensils, Christians, in order to please not the world, but God, Who looks down upon us all from His heavens, as the prophet sings: "The Lord looks down from heaven, sees all the sons of men; from the throne on which He sits, He looks upon all who dwell on the earth" (Psalm 32:13-14).

68. It is well known that many people use elegant garments not for the sake of vain glory and honor, but in accordance with the general custom and applying themselves to their rank and rank. My foregoing reasoning does not apply to such people, but only to those who seek for themselves a certain glory and reverence from their dress, which are usually called by all dandy, as is evident from the above discussion. For such people, although they are called Christians, have a heart filled with vanity and love of this world, from which the Apostle turns away Christian souls: "Love not the world, nor the things that are in the world: whoever loves the world has not the love of the Father in him" (1 John 2:15). And therefore it condemns ostentation, pomp, worldly pride, vanity and blindness of a depraved heart, and not decency. Luxury and self-love, which does not care about the benefit of one's neighbor and for the most part happens with the offense of one's neighbor, are condemned, and not moderation, which is almost necessary in civil society. Excessive care for the mortal and perishable body and neglect of the immortal soul are also condemned. For there is no concern for the soul and its eternal salvation in that heart which is possessed by the vanity of this world. True is the word of our Saviour: "Where your treasure is, there will your heart also be" (Matthew 6:21). Clothing, whatever it is, in itself does not partake of either virtue or sin, like any other thing. But only its use, purpose and intention, can be, as it happens, bad, and therefore it turns into sin for the one who uses it: for it is not used for what God gave it for. There is vanity in the heart of him who wears a black, monastic and ragged dress for this purpose, so that people may revere him as a desper of the world and a saint; Like the one who dresses in colorful and expensive clothes for this purpose, so that he may have the first place in the assembly, and receive prostrations from those who meet him, and admire his garments, like a peacock's feathers. Every garment must have one purpose, that is, to cover the nakedness and protect the weak body from cold and bad weather, for which it was given to us by our Creator, as it was said above. However, every Christian must remember and heed that any excess, both in food, in structure, and so on, proper for this life, and in clothing, does not exist without sin. God gives us possessions and wealth not only for our own sake, but also for the sake of the poor, so that we ourselves may be moderately satisfied with them, and provide for the poor. And if a person does not do this, but squanders wealth on excess and luxury, he acts against the will of God and therefore sins, for all that is sin is done against the will of God: for which he will also be punished, as an unrighteous steward and squanderer of God's good. As for a woman's personal adornment, it cannot have any excuse, but is only charm, intrigue, cunning, and the invention of an evil spirit, committed to the deception and corruption of chastity. And although many of the wives adorn their faces not for the sake of evil, but following an inert custom, yet this adornment does not exist without temptation to the young and to themselves without sin.

Article 4: On Certain Sins Especially

Prelude

At the beginning of this article, I need to announce something to the reader.

1) Here I have not included my discourse on the sins known to all, which all, even the crudest people and nations, abhor, such as: robbery, open violence and robbery, murder,

fornication, adultery, and so on. For everyone is convinced by the natural law and conscience to guard against such sins, and after committing any of these sins, the sinner does not cease to be tormented by his conscience, although it is wounded by every sin, especially when a person tries to keep it unharmed. Conscience and the natural law are in accord with God's written law, and therefore, just as this transgressor convicts the transgressor, so he does not leave the sinner in peace, but constantly torments him. The same is true of those especially who, according to its rule and the law of God, try to spend their lives. For in a conscience stained with sins, even great sins are hardly discernible, just as in a sooty mirror he who looks into his face and vices does not see it. (2) Here we must consider most of those vices which are the cause of other vices, and which, nevertheless, the present age, as you will see, does not consider to be vices. 3) I also declare to the reader that here I have tried to show the abomination and gravity of sin in the discourse on sins, so that those who keep the Christian office may guard themselves from sin, and those who sin may abandon it. And by my reasoning it is not persons who are blasphemed, but the vices that possess these persons are condemned and exposed. Every sin is in man, so it is necessary to mention the man in whom he lives and possesses, although the whole word should refer to sin, and not to man himself.

One must certainly know sin and its abomination for those who want to truly repent and thus be saved. Without the knowledge of sin there is no true repentance, just as without the knowledge of illness there is no healing. How can sin be known if the abomination and gravity of it are not presented to the sinner's eyes? Therefore, no one should be angry at a word of accusation, especially one that is generally spoken of about every person, for it convicts sins, and not the person himself, just as the medicine against illness, and not against man. Without illness there is no need for medicine, and where there is no sin, there is no need for reproof. Forsake sin, then reproof will not touch you, for that of which it convicts will not be. Reproof is like a mirror that shows the vices on the face; and if there are no blemishes on the face, then he will not show them. Do not be angry with the mirror for showing your vices - do not be angry with the accusatory word by which the vices of your soul are shown. Moreover, when you are angry at reproof, which happens in general, you show that your conscience also convicts you of what the word is about. The word accusatory is similar to conscience. How does it happen that when some sins are spoken of in the congregation, those who have them are touched by conscience and show some signs on themselves? As outside the word, so inside the conscience convicts; and what is outside the word, so does the conscience praise within. These two witnesses are both similar and in agreement with each other, and are true, and cannot lie, but always testify to the truth, and what one shows, the other shows. One praises virtue and the other. One denounces sin and the other. And both here, in this age, and on the last day at the Last Judgment, they will be reliable witnesses and denouncers of human sins. Therefore, so that both your word and your conscience do not rebuke you here and at that judgment, forsake your sins and repent truly. Whereas you will not have an inner rebuke, so verbal rebuke will not touch you. Then you will be calm and peaceful, although everyone will blaspheme and curse you. A clear conscience is more reliable than the testimony of all people, and is the only true inner peace, without which a person cannot be at peace, even if he is not disturbed from the outside. 4) It is better for you here, in this world, and secretly within yourself and in front of yourself alone, to endure reproof, and to forsake sin and repent, and thus to be saved, than to be rebuked at that world-wide judgment and to be sent away ashamed into utter darkness, "where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." For what is smoothed out in the conscience here will not appear there either. "Make peace here with thy adversary, while thou art still on the way with him, lest the adversary deliver thee up to the judge, and the judge deliver thee up to the servant, and they cast thee into prison" (Matt. 5:25), for which every word of accusation is intended, that is, that in that public disgrace the sinner should not be rebuked by the righteous Judge. And whoever does not cleanse his conscience and atone for his sins in it, he will certainly be convicted there and will see all his sins presented before him, according to the true word of God: "I will rebuke you, and I will present your sins before your face" (Psalm 49:21). Then every unrepentant sinner will hear: "Behold the man and his works!" Here is a man who called himself a Christian, but did not do Christian deeds; "He said that he knew God, but by his deeds he denied Him" (Titus 1:16); "He had a form of godliness, but denied the power thereof!" (2 Timothy 3:5) And when he hears it before all the world, angels and men, he will be covered with shame. One must abandon that for which the word of God convicts within and without one's conscience, and repent with a broken heart, so as not to be convicted where repentance has no place. 5) Rebuke, when one person happens, should not soften the words, but explain the importance of sin, so that, having been confirmed in sin, he does not perish; how much more should this be done when there is a rebuke in general, without commemorating persons, so that the word may be extended not to caresses, but to rebuke. That is why there is no need to be angry at reproof, even at that which happens directly to one's face, and even more so at that which is said at all. No one is angry with the healer for giving cruel medicine to cure the body. Why should we be angry with him who wants to heal our souls and drive sin out of us with a cruel word, as with a cruel medicine? To whom it was not difficult to decide, let it not be difficult for him to hear conviction of sin, and so repent. When you forsake the sin of which you are convicted, then you will know how profitable the reproof was for you; Then not only will you not be angry with the one who rebuked him, but you will also thank him, just as a sick person, freed from an illness, thanks the healer. Which I earnestly wish for you. 6) Some sin comes from weakness, another from arbitrariness, prejudice and against conscience. From weakness sin, to which even pious people are subject, should be easily and affectionately denounced. But sins committed against conscience and from arbitrariness, and especially old ones that have become customary, require cruel and strict rebuke, like an old disease requires bitter and cruel medicine. Such sins clearly lead sinners to perdition and cannot be driven away otherwise than by severe punishment with God's help. Such people must be strictly rebuked, so that with this voice, as with thunder, they may awaken from the sleep of sin and create true repentance. We must speak the truth everywhere and not be silent about what should be said. A sin that is properly unrevealed and undenounced is either not considered a sin, or is imputed as a slight sin, although the sin has such a gravity in itself that even a small sin can sink the sinner to the bottom of hell, for every sin is against the majesty of God. And when he is not considered a sin or is easy to be judged, then he remains unhealed, which is very dangerous. 7) From this article, in which certain sins are enumerated and explained, you can learn a little, reader, what great corruption and evil is borne within oneself by man, who was created in the image of God and in the likeness, and was holy, pure, blameless, righteous and was the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit; but by the counsel of the evil and evil spirit, and by the venom of the serpent poured in, he was so corrupted that he was "equal to cattle" (Psalm 48:13), which we cannot mourn enough. What is seen in a person who has not been renewed by grace, except that of a beast? In cattle one sees impurity - the same in man, even greater and more vile. In cattle, gluttony is the same in man. In cattle theft is noticed, and so it is in man. In cattle, fierceness, ferocity, anger, malice, and rage are the same in man. In cattle, envy is the same in man. In cattle we see cunning and cunning - the same in man, and so on. That's what a man is like in himself! And, what is more pitiful and deplorable, which unruly passions are scattered in all the dumb, are present in one person. Thus disfigured the poor man, who wanted to have God's honor! The Holy Scriptures terribly describe the unregenerate man, and before our eyes imagine that from here we may know poverty, wretchedness, and the poison of death that is hidden in our hearts: what you see in another, is also in you, although it does not appear outside. There, that is, in the Scriptures, we see that the unregenerate man is now called "the offspring of a viper," now a "fox," now a "pig"; now he is likened to a "lion," now to other animals because of his wickedness, to which he is similar and conformable to those dumb. From this point everyone must shut his mouth and remain silent, by whatever name he may be called. Man is worthy of every dishonorable name, for although he does not do any evil outwardly, yet he bears all evil within, which on occasion appears both externally and externally. 8) From this vile source it follows that the regenerated, the pious and the holy themselves feel the strife in their members, and although they strive against this evil, yet often "they do not do the good that they will" (Romans 7:19); and pray to the Heavenly Father for the forgiveness of sins: "Forgive us our debts"; and with all the Holy Church they cry out to God: "Lord, have mercy!" - and from His righteous judgment they have recourse to His mercy: "Enter not into judgment with Thy servant, for no one living shall be justified in Thy sight" (Psalm 142:2); and they weep over this wretchedness with the Apostle: "O wretched man I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" (Romans 7:24). 9) From this it is concluded that our justification before God and eternal salvation consist only in the mercy of the Heavenly Father, the merits of Christ, and faith, which joyfully acknowledges Him, as its Redeemer and Saviour, and with a loving and grateful, humble heart ready for obedience, as a healing and salvific cure, adds to its mortal weakness.

Chapter 1: On Pride

"What is high among men is an abomination in the sight of God" (Luke 16:15)

"Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted" (Luke 18:14)

"God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6)