On Repentance 9

The narrower the scope of this second and only repentance, then, the more laborious is its testing, so that it is not displayed in the conscience alone but also carried out by some act. This act, which is more commonly expressed and spoken of by a Greek word, is exomologesis, by which we confess our sin to the Lord, not indeed as if he did not know it, but inasmuch as satisfaction is arranged by confession, repentance is born of confession, and God is appeased by repentance. So exomologesis is a discipline for prostrating and humbling a man, enjoining a way of life that draws down mercy. Regarding dress and food, too, it commands him to lie in sackcloth and ashes, to cover his body with filth, to cast down his spirit with mourning, to exchange the things in which he sinned for harsh treatment; for the rest, to know only plain food and drink, for the soul's sake, of course, not the belly's; often, too, to feed prayers with fasting, to groan, to weep, and to cry out day and night to the Lord your God; to fall down before the presbyters, to kneel before God's dear ones, to enjoin on all the brothers to be ambassadors of his prayer for mercy. All this exomologesis does, to commend repentance, to honor the Lord by fear of the danger, so that, by itself pronouncing against the sinner, it may act in place of God's indignation, and by temporal affliction may, I will not say frustrate, but discharge eternal punishments. So when it casts a man down, it raises him the more; when it makes him squalid, it renders him the more cleansed; when it accuses, it excuses; when it condemns, it absolves. The less you spare yourself, the more, believe me, God will spare you.