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Shorter Rules
St Basil the Great, tr. Lowther Clarke, 1925
Rule 5: How a Man Should Repent for Each Sin, and What Fruits Worthy of Repentance He…
He must have the disposition of him that said: “I have hated and abhorred injustice”’2; and must do what is said in the sixth psalm and in many others, and what the apostle testifies was done by those who grieved after a godly fashion on behalf of another that had sinned. ‘For behold”’ he says that ye were made sorry after a godly sort, what earnest care it wrought in you, yea what clearing of yourselves, yea what indignation, yea what fear, yea what longing, yea what zeal, yea what avenging! In everything ye approved yourselves to be pure in the matter.”3 And he must multiply the opposite virtue, as did Zacchaeus.
Notes
- The second half of the question is not answered in R. 18, but is repeated and answered in R. 19 = B. 287.
- 2 Cor. vil. 11 ἐκδίκησιν before ζῆλον **, add ἐν before τῷ K.
- 2 Cor. vii. 11 ἐκδίκησιν before ζῆλον**, add ἐν before τῷ K.