Letter 14: Innocent offers John the consolation of patience before his eyes as an example and commends him.

We have received through the presbyter Leonius the letters of your love, in which you have referred to us concerning certain matters that require the authority of the apostolic see. Responding therefore to each point separately, we answer first concerning those who after having done public penance relapse into their former transgressions. The ancient rule of the Church prescribes that those who have once submitted to the discipline of penance and have been reconciled ought not again to fall into those same sins. If however they do fall, let them be given over to the mercy of God alone, because the Church cannot grant a second public penance, lest the remedy of penance be cheapened and thereby the incitements to sin be multiplied. Let them however not be deprived of the communion of the faithful at their death. Concerning the matter you have raised about monks who are promoted to the clerical office, we decree that they ought to be subject to the same rules as other clergy and are not exempted by monastic profession from the obligations of their sacred rank. As for virgins who have violated their vow of chastity, they shall do penance throughout their life, and communion shall be granted to them only at the end, if their penance has been judged satisfactory. These are the ancient regulations of the fathers, which we command to be observed in your province without any deviation.

INNOCENTII PAP/E AD JOANNEM CHRVSOSTOMUM CONSTANTINOP0L1TANUM EPISCOPCM. Joannem ob ocutos posita patienliw commendatione eonsolaliir. Dileclo fratri Joanni Innocentics. T« u.yuT.r,ro> a.St/\-fu> 'iwavv» 'Ivvoxevreof. Etsi innocens prospera oninia exspeciare et a Ei v.ui nuvra Sti tov «vaiT.v Tzpoo-Sov.uv ri ypno-ra Deo misericordiain petercdehet, lamen eiiam a xai napa toO QeoO tov tktov uhtiv, op.a>; x«i -xup f,uo>v nobi<, i|ui patientiam suademus, compelentes lil- T/jv «v££tx«xi«v o-vu&ovktvivro>v,ra.y.a%y.ovraypauuarx terae per d Cyriacum diaconum sunt Iransmissse, ne St- Kvptuxov toO Staxovou e?a7rco-Ta)Tal• „o-te ufi r)e'of contumelia plus valeat ad opprimenduin , quani -uvn8rjv«t t>iv vSptv iv toj o-uvTpi?£tv, [Add. 0] To xyu- bona conscieniia ad spem relevandam. Neque enim 96v o-uveiSif h t« ilizii^uv. OvSi yap iytiht; St8uy6f,vut tu docendus es , lot pnpiilornm doctnr ct pastor, o too-oOtmv )a_v 5t5ao-xa)of y.ui 7rotj_>iv , toO,- apio-rov; oplimos quosque Seinper et assidue probari, utrum ati xai 7ro))aztf 5oxtfia?eo-0at , et iv rij uv.ufj rfj; Ott»- in vigore patientise permaneant, nec ulli labori ac ftovijf irupuuivovo-t, v.ai o05evi tt6v_ xazo7ra6Eiaf 07ro- molestiic SUCClimhaiit. Et vero conscientia linniini 7ri7rrouo-t. K«t e'o-tiv i>; a)»8_f ^iSatov ixpv.yua to o-uvst- est prxsidium adveisiis.otnnia qua: iiijuste accidunt: S6f £t'f 7r«vT« Ta a3tx_f o-uft7ri7rTovT«. , uiztp ti ufi quse nisi quis patientia superaveril , mal;e suspicin- vtxjio-ets Ttf vizouivuv, rtxunptov auvkn; vrzokf,iito>; nis de se argumentum prrebel. Cuncta enim lolerare txyipzt. Uuvru yup v-Kouivttv oytd.ti, 6 rS> ©ew 7tb_tov, debet , qui Dei primuni, ac deinde conscienlix lidll- £tra xui ro> tSiw 7re7rot6_f avvttSort. 'OTzort uuhara cia nitilur. Quippe vir bonus ac probus exerceri qui- yvuva&aQxt tl; 07roftov>iv 6 xa)6f xui uyxBi; 30- deni poiest ad patientiam,superari vero non polest; vsctki, vtxuaSut Se ou- iirttoimep aOTw t»v St«votav ai cum divinse Scriptnrse menlem ejlis muniailt atque Qziatypufui fvlurrovat. Kai iztptrrtvovaiv jKoStiyua- CUSlodiant. Ahundant enim exemplis lecliones sa- o-tv ui Otiut uvuyvi>azt;, u; Totf )aotf nupuSiSoutv «*- crae,quas populis tradinius, qiuc universos fere _ ftvsf 7r«vT«f o-^e5ovTo0f et^touf zaTa7r£7rov>jaeat Sta»6- Sanctos variis niodis vexalos, et tnmquam exaniine po>; y.ui o-uve^-f etko-tmo-kvto, zai 5oztftateo-9at za?a- qimdam probatos esse lestanlur, alqne iia ad pa- irtp iv rtvt Stuyvi>o-tt , out_ t£ etf tov aritpuvov rH: tienti:^ coronam pervenisse. Cousoleltir ergo cbari- u7roftovijf HnAvOivut. nupuuvBtiro rr,v uyuirnv o-ou «.Oto tatem tuam, frater admodum veneiande, ipsa con- to o-uv£tS6f, i.Stkfi rtuti>rure , orztp iv rui; 8'Mto-tv scientia, e quse in calamitatihus babet consolatio- i"/ji rr,v TtupupvVtuv rn; uptrf,;. 'Enotzrtvovro; yup nem virlutis. Inspectanle enini Doinino Christo, in toO Szor.orov Xptarov, iv ro> liuivt rni cipfivr,; xuQu- porlu pacis conscientia pura consistit. pto-Qtio-a f> o-uv6iS»o-t,- o-T»jo-£Tat. cessisset. Certc concilium Cartliaginense anno 407 Junii 15 die celebralum, atque Cod. can. Afiic. eccl. c. 101 relaiuin, ad Innocentium sibi scriben- (lnni dcreiuii, quo liomauam imei ei Alex nidrinam ecclesiam pa\ componalur. Neque niinus cerlum est Auieliuui, circa idem lempiis, suum erga Joannem siinliuin p itelecisse ; qua de re ille scripta ad eum episi"la gratias agit. Poniiliriiiruin epistolaruin aul conciliorum ediio- ribus repctiia, a nobis autein ad vrtus exeinplar ll.iniliuigrnse recngnita esi. liani a se teriio exsitii tinno, adeoque anno 407 scriplam esse Chryso- sto s n 4 lesiificatur, Exinde eliarn sequitur, ut ame mciisein Jnlium scripla sii, si Chrysosiomus priiuuiiKxsiliisui aiinumabeodie, quoCucusum per- diiciii- est.ad eumdeui anni sequentis revnliniinidiein recenseat, non tertium vulgnli compulandi latione • lnedit. Concil. 28. Quas autem 1-2 erat, cst Isid. Menat Kpi-tolam hanc, sicul ei superiorem vh , uni Snzomeno aece|itam debemus. De u raipie sic ille lib. viii, c. 24, praifalur : Cum Innocentius cecumenicam sytwdum eonareijnre sluderel, scripnt ad Jounnem, et stoisum ad clericvs urbis Constantinop. Quibus \erbis signilicare videiur , vel utramque episiolam simul missam, vcl certe islam scpiima posieriorem non esse. Verum buic scriplnri in^o- lens noii cst , ea quic dissiiis temporibus gesia sunt simnl componere atque confundere. Sane cuin dc congreganda synodo, in qua Innocentius oumeni spem posuerat, altum sit in bac epistola sileniium , hoc non levi argumenlo est, eam sciipiam esse ctin! ab hacspe excidisset. Isiud non abhorrel a vero Innoceiuium proxima Joannis epislola motum, hanc scripsisse, ut sanctum prxsulem in malis, quibus euui allligi didicerat, consolaretur. Quod si iia csi Joanni supersiili vix reddi poiuit. Orator pauln limidius edixerat : Habent nonnullam in se consvtationtin pwna- qno? virtute suscipiuniur. Nomine aiiiem liiliiiis inaxiine inielligil lnnocentius patienliam, de qua in epistola 7, ad cleium el po- piiluni Consiannnop. , exposiia eoium calan.iiate iiiiiii. 1 scribil . Qttam quidem rem sota patientice con- solntio sanare potest. 515 S. INNOCENT