Letter 302: Theodore Studite, Letter 302; Greek heading: Τοῖς ἀποῦσι πᾶσιν ἀδελφοῖσ.

A Christian ought always to set in order the things that pertain to death, but most of all whenever, hemmed in by trials, they threaten death. Since, then, such is our own condition, on account of the seething madness of the persecutors against the love of Christ, and on account of the martyrdom now set before me for my confession concerning Him, and I do not know what will suddenly befall me, being isolated and shut up somewhere far away from all of you, my brothers and fathers, it seemed good to me to set down for you, as it were a last utterance, this letter, and through you for the whole brotherhood. For it is good often to put one's affairs in order and to persevere, rather than, in the expectation of life, to be carried off suddenly and left, against one's will, with affairs unsettled. What, then, is the present matter? Since on many occasions I have already set down and recorded in memoranda whatever needed to be said, whether when gravely ill or when persecutions were imminent, and there is no need to speak a second time about the things already said, this first, my brothers: that you grant me pardon for whatever, beyond reason, through my office of guidance, I have said or done toward you, whether in word or in deed. For who shall understand his sins? [Psalm 18:13 (19:12)] And we all stumble, and I most of all, the most worthless of all men. Therefore I also beg of you your prayer for the attaining of salvation for my wretched soul; and next, on behalf of the brothers who, on account of my sins, have been torn away from our communion in the Holy Spirit. There is indeed, there is made manifest to all the just judgment that awaits them before God; but nevertheless, since they are children and members, we must still feel compassion for them and bear witness to them. I mean indeed brother Leontius, Maximus, Clement, and all the others who in whatever manner whatsoever have been cut off through the pretext of empty argument. As for the things done against me, I both said long ago and say now: they must be forgiven them. But since it is not for a man to loose the things done against God when they remain unrepented (and indeed they do not appear to have repented, but to have wrought further, this thing and that, which they know), I urge through you, whether now or after my death, that out of fear of the trials this word be given to them: "See, brothers, the judgment is fearful and inescapable, unless by worthy repentance you propitiate God; for as for that which is against me, the sinner, it must be forgiven you." This is what grieves me beneath and presses upon me, which I implore you to carry through toward all. Farewell in the Lord.