Weakness And Forgiveness

Φλήναφον συνείρας ἀπολογούμενος, σχετιασμὸν συνθεὶς πολυώδυνον τὴν θείαν λέγων μὴ ἰσχύειν ἀπόφασιν, ἥνπερ τοῖς ἱερεῠσι παρέσχετο, ἀφιέναι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τὰ πταίσματα. Εἰ δὲ αὐτὴ ἀνίσχυρος πᾶσα πάντως ἀβέβαιος, καὶ εἰς μάτην ἐλπίζομεν, ὡς αὐτὸς ἐδογμάτισας. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΤΛΗ' Αγελιδῇ Source: Migne PG 78.377a

You string together babble for your defence, fitting together bitter denunciations in saying that the Divine decree granted to priests lacks power to grant forgiveness to men for their errors. 1 But if this is weak, certainly all things are infirm, and in vain we hope, and that is what you teach. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 338, To Agelides The Novatian 1 Jn 20.23

A Peril Of Knowledge

Et si habuero omnem scientiam.... Nihil mihi prodest scientia, si charitas non sit. Denique Scribis et Pharisaeis nihil profuit, dicente Salvatore: Vos habetis clavem scientiae, et neque vos intratis, neque alios sinitis introire. Per invidiam enim charitatem corrumpentes, scientiam ejus ad nihilum deduxerunt. Nam et Tertullianus et Novatianus non parvae scientiae fuerunt; sed quia per zelum charitatis fodera perdiderunt, in schisma versi, ad perditionem sui haereses creaverunt. Sanctus Ambrosius Mediolanensis,In Epistolam Beati Pauli Ad Corinthios Primam, Cap XIII Source: Migne PL 17.252a-b

'And if I have all knowledge...' 1 Knowledge profits me not if there is no love. Thus it did not profit the Scribes and Pharisees, as the Lord says: 'You have the key of knowledge and neither do you enter, nor do allow others to enter.' 2 With envy corrupting love, they brought their knowledge to nothing. Both Tertullian and Novatian were not men of little knowledge, but because of their zeal they broke the bond of love, turning to schism, and created heresies for their own ruin. Ambrosiaster, from the Commentary On The First Epistle of Saint Paul To The Corinthians, Chapter 13 1 1 Cor 13.2 2 Lk 11.52

One Sinless Chastised

Εἰπὲ τῷ μαθητῇ Ναυάτου ὀφρύος· Τί φρυάττῃ ὡς καθαρὸς, ἀνοηταίνων; Τί ἀναμάρτητον σαυτὸν εἰρωνεύῃ; Τί ἀρνῇ τὴν τῆς φύσεως κοινωνίαν; Ἠσαϊας ἀκάθαρτον ἑαυτὸν ἐξαγγέλλει· Δαβὶδ πάντα ἄνθρωπον ψευδόμενον οἴδε, καὶ πάντας ἐν ἁμαρτίαις καὶ συλληφθέντας, καὶ κυηθέντας. Αὐτός τε Θεὸς τοὺς ἐπιμελῶς προσκειμένους τῇ πονηρίᾳ γινωσκει, καὶ χρῄζοντας μόνου φιλανθρωπίας ἐλέου, καὶ σὺ ἀλαζονεύῃ καθαρότητος τῦφον; Ἥ παῦσαι τοίνυν ψευδόμενος, ἢ φαίνῃ ἐξ ὧν πράττεις γελώμενος, ἢ μᾶλλον δυνατῶς αἰσχυνόμενος. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή Ρ', Συρῳ Αναγνωστῃ

Say to that disciple of the arrogant Novatian: 'Why do you foolishly glory as one pure? Why do you pretend to be one who has never sinned? Why deny the common nature? Isaiah declared himself unclean. 1 David named every man a liar 2 and that everyone is conceived in sin and born. 3 And God Himself knows how keenly men are devoted to wickedness, and that the lover of men needs only mercy; and yet you blindly boast that you are pure? Either stop lying, or refrain from those things which you do that make you ridiculous, or rather utterly shameful.' Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 100, To Syrus the Lector  1 Is 6.5 2. Ps 115.11 3 Ps 50.7