XXIII. THE THIRD CONFERENCE OF ABBOT THEONAS ON SINLESSNESS



Index

CHAPTER I: Discourse of Abbot Theonas on the Apostle's words: "For do not the good which I would."

CHAPTER II: How the Apostle completed many good actions.

CHAPTER III: What is really the good which the Apostle testifies that he could not perform.

CHAPTER IV: How man's goodness and righteousness are not good if compared with the goodness and righteousness of God.

CHAPTER V: How no one can be continually intent upon that highest good.

CHAPTER VI: How those who think that they are without sin are like purblind people.

CHAPTER VII: How those who maintain that a man can be without sin are charged with a twofold error.

CHAPTER VIII: How it is given to but few to understand what sin is.

CHAPTER IX: Of the care with which a monk should preserve the recollection of God.

CHAPTER X: How those who are on the way to perfection are truly humble, and feel that they always stand in need of God's grace.

CHAPTER XI: Explanation of the phrase: "For I delight in the law of God after the inner man," etc.

CHAPTER XII: Of this also: "But we know that the law is spiritual," etc.

CHAPTER XIII: Of this also: "But I know that in me, that is in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing."

CHAPTER XIV: An objection, that the saying: "For I do not the good that I would," etc., applies to the persons neither of unbelievers nor of saints.

CHAPTER XV: The answer to the objection raised.

CHAPTER XVI: What is the body of sin.

CHAPTER XVII: How all the saints have confessed with truth that they were unclean and sinful.

CHAPTER XVIII: That even good and holy men are not without sin.

CHAPTER XIX: How even in the hour of prayer it is almost impossible to avoid sin.

CHAPTER XX: From whom we can learn the destruction of sin and perfection of goodness.

CHAPTER XXI: That although we acknowledge that we cannot be without sin, yet still we ought not to suspend ourselves from the Lord's Communion.