Page:The Nestorians and their rituals, volume 2.djvu/143

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CHAPTER XX.

OF SIN AFTER BAPTISM.

"Not every deadly sin willingly committed after Baptism is sin against the Holy Ghost, and unpardonable. Wherefore the grant of repentance is not to be denied to such as fall into sin after Baptism, After we have received the Holy Ghost, we may depart from grace given, and fall into sin, and by the Grace of God, we may rise again and amend our lives. And therefore they are to be condemned, which say, they can no more sin as long as they live here, or deny the place of forgiveness to such as truly repent."—Article XVI.

§ 1. "O Thou King of kings, if thou hast imposed upon Thy servants, that they should forgive those who sin against them, and who afterwards repent, to the extent of seventy times seven times, how much more does it accord with Thy justice to forgive not seventy times only, but seven thousand times seventy thousand times, those who come to Thine House in order to receive Thy forgiveness, and who cry aloud unto Thee, young and old, and in every tongue ascribe praise unto Thee, both now and for ever and ever." From the service appointed in the Khudhra for the fourth Sunday in Lent.

§ 2. "Our help is from God, Who in mercy chastises us all. And since it is He Who gives us life, let us never despair of the salvation of our souls; but let us cry out and say, Keep us, O Lord, in Thy mercy, and have mercy upon us." From the Kdham oo d'Wathâr, in the service for Thursday evening.

§ 3. "When I recalled to mind and thought upon the sins which I had committed, fear and trembling took possession of my soul; and when I had well nigh fallen into despair, I remembered that the way of repentance was not yet cut off, nor denied me, and that hope, by which we are saved, still remained unto me. Therefore, O Thou righteous Judge, who art long-

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