Confession And The Devil

Non enim ante ad confessionem venitur, nisi prius fuerit diabalo renuntiatum. Sicut nec aurilegus ante aurum mittit in sacculum, nisi prius terram vel limum laverit universum. Ideo oportet prius repudium dicere diabolicae vanitati, et amara ejus studia abrenuntiando projicere. Abrenuntiare autem oportet non nudo sermone neque solis labiis, sed fide fortissima, et indubitata scientia, id est ut Christo se homo tota animi virtute committat, confidens, quia Christi factus desinat timere diabolum. Deinde abrenuntiat et operibus ejus malignis, id est culturis et idolis, sortibus et auguriis, pompis et theatris, furtis et fraudibus, homicidiis et fornicationibus, superbiae et jactantiae, irae et avaritiae, commessationibus et ebriositatibus, choris atque mendaciis, et his similibus malis. Quid dicimus de his, qui superfluo carnis ornatu jactare se volunt, et videri mirabiles? Taceo de exquisitis inutiliter vestimentorum subtilitatibus. Oro vos, quid faciunt in viris capilli acu crispati, comae retro quidem cervicem cooperientes, ante autem frontem penitus abscondentes, ita ut nec signo Christi locus liber relinquatur in fronte; et unde se putant habere aliquam gloriam vel decorem, inde turpitudinem et ignominiam contrahant? Similiter et mulieres caput ligantes ut scutum, ut frons tamquam vallis inter duos subsidat colles; ut de auribus pondera lapillorum auro ligata dependeant, ut brachia onerentur auro, ut cervicem premant catenae vel lapides, et pedibus sanguineae calceamentis flammulae rutilent. Quis usus in his, quae utilitas invenitur, nisi sola inanis pompa, et mens desiderio infantili corrupta? Nicetas Episcopus Aquileiensis, Fragmenta Sex, III Source: Migne PL 52.873d-875a

No one shall come to confession, unless first he shall have renounced the devil. Just like a gold prospector does not place gold in his sack, unless first he has washed off all the earth or mud from it. Therefore it necessary that one should declare that one repudiates the vanity of the devil, and cast it from one in denunciation of his bitter desires. And this renunciation should not only be in speech, not only with the lips, but with strong faith, and certain knowledge, that is, so that the man commits himself with all the virtue of his soul to Christ, confident that in Christ he does not fear the devil. Finally let him renounce his wicked works, that is his cults and idols, with fortune telling and auguries, with pomp and theatre, with thefts and deceits, with murder and fornication, with pride and boasting, with anger and avarice, with gluttony and drunkenness, with dances and delusions, and other similar evils. What then do we say of those who are pleased to vaunt themselves in the superfluous ornamentation of the flesh and be seen as wonders? I am silent regarding exquisite and intricate and useless garments. But I pray you, why do they style men's hair in tight curls, and comb it fiercely over the head so as to leave no sight of the brow at all, so that there is no place free there for the sign of Christ? And why do they think they have any glory or beauty when they are the cause of depravity and disgrace? Likewise even women bind their heads like shields, so that the brow is like a valley sunk between two hills, and from their ears hang a weight of gems bound with gold, and the arms are loaded with gold, and the neck is bound with chains and stones, and the feet are ablaze with the red flames of slippers. What use in these things, what benefit do we find in them, but empty pomp, and minds corrupted by infantile desires? Nicetas of Aquileia, Fragment 1 Titus 3.8 2 Jn 14.27 3 Rom 11.20

Good Works And Knowledge

Renatis hominibus per fidem, et sanctificatis secundum Evangelii formam in nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus sancti, et per hanc confessionem regnum coeleste sperantibus, nihil magis utile esse dixit Apostolus, quam ut his bonorum sit operum cura. Sic enim scribit ad Titum: Et de his volo te confirmate, ut curam habeant bonorum qui credunt in Deo. Haec sunt, inquit, bona et utilia hominibus. Stultas autem quaestiones et genealogias et rixas et pugnas legis devita; sunt enim inutiles et vanae. Haec scribens beatus Apostolus, jam tunc praevidebat futuros homines qui per curiositatem et quaestiones inutiles curam bonorum operum praetermissuri erant; et pacem, quam Dominus Ecclesiae sua reliquerat, perdituri. Namque homines, qui dum alta sapera conantur, nec humilia intelligere permittentur, obliti dictum Apostoli; Noli alta sapere sed time, sic dum illicita praesumunt, etiam licita perdiderunt. Isti sunt qui cum nec fabricam coeli et terrae sensu colligere et capere valeant, ipsum conditorem et fabricatorem Deum capare et mensurare contendunt; et quem debent per operum magnitudinem et tantarum rerum immensitatem solummodo et simpliciter adorare, in quaestionem mittunt; et de qualitate mysterii ejus ac de quantitate disputant, dicentes: Quantus Pater? Qualis Filius? cujusmodi Spiritus Sanctus? O homo, nondum te ipsum cognoscens, audens divina metiri? Nicetas Episcopus Aquileiensis, Ratione Fidei Source: Migne PL 52.847d-848d

The Apostle has said that for men reborn through faith, and sanctified according to the form of the Gospel in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and by this confession hoping for the kingdom of heaven, there is nothing more beneficial than that they have care for good works. So he writes to Titus: 'And concerning these things I wish to strengthen you, that they who believe in God have care for good things. Those things good and useful for men. Avoid foolish questions and genealogies and strife and fights over the Law, for they are useless and vain.' 1 In writing these things the Apostle was foreseeing future men who through useless curiosity and questions would neglect to have care for good works and destroy the peace which the Lord left His Church. 2 For men, when they try to know lofty things, allow no space for the understanding of humble things, forgetting the words of the Apostle. 'Do not grasp at lofty things, but fear.' 3 So while they occupy themselves with things prohibited, they lose things permitted. They are men who cannot gather and grasp the fabric of the heavens and earth, yet they will dispute over measuring and seizing on God the creator and maker, and who when they should only and openly adore His great works and things of such immensity, rush into questioning and dispute over the type and greatness of His mysteries, saying 'How great is the Father? What is the Son? What kind of thing is the Holy Spirit?' O man, you who do not yet know yourself, you dare to snatch at the Divine? Nicetas of Aquileia, from The Reason of Faith 1 Titus 3.8 2 Jn 14.27 3 Rom 11.20