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Orthodox Confession
St Peter Mogila, tr. Lodvel, 1762
Part 3, 1. Questions 1–10
Question 1
What is contained in the third Part of the Orthodox Confession?
Answer.
The third Part of the Orthodox Confession treats of the Love of God and of our Neighbour, and contains the divine Decalogue, or Ten Commandments.
Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ ratified and confirmed the Authority of the Decalogue in the new Law, and enlarged and perfected the Doctrine of it by these Words (Matth. v. 19), Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least Commandments, and shall teach Men so, he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Question 2
What is necessary for us toward the exact and right performing these divine Commandments?
Answer.
First, It is to be considered that the Commands of God are either such as require us to do some good Thing, or such as forbid us doing some evil Thing. Whosoever, therefore, is desirous to understand these Commandments rightly, ought in the first Place to learn what is meant by Good, and what is understood by Evil. Good, therefore, is, Properly, Virtue, as Sin is Evil. Now, as it seems to us to be the most useful and agreeable Method, we shall first treat concerning Virtues and Vices, and then of the ten Commandments of our Lord and God.
Question 3
How are we to think concerning the Christian Virtues, or of good Works?
Answer.
Good Works, or the Christian Virtues, are the Fruits of Faith, as of a good Tree—(Matth. vii. 16), By their Fruits ye shall know them. And elsewhere (John xiii. 35), By this shall all Men know ye are my Disciples, if ye have Love one to another. And again (1 John ii. 3), And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his Commandments. But that it may be more fully understood what we mean by Christian Virtue, we say that good Works is the fulfilling the Commandments of God, which any one doth freely by the divine Assistance, the human Will and Understanding also concurring, and being moved thereunto by the Love of God and of our Neighbour, and when a Man is free from all real Impediments.
Question 4
Which of the Christian Virtues are the most necessary?
Answer.
Faith, Hope, and Charity are the most necessary, as being those without which we can by no Means obtain Salvation. To this the Apostle refers when he says (1 Cor. xiii. 13), And now abideth Faith, Hope, and Charity, these three; but the greatest of these is Charity. Of the two former of these Virtues, namely, Faith and Hope, we have sufficiently discoursed already in the two foregoing Parts of this Orthodox Confession. In this present Part, therefore, we propose, with the Guidance of the Divine Spirit, to treat concerning Charity.
Question 5
What are those other Virtues that spring forth and arise out of these three general and fundamental Virtues?
Answer.
These three, Prayer, Fasting, and Alms, which, arising from Faith, are rendered pleasing and acceptable to God, by Hope, through Charity.
Question 6
What is Prayer?
Answer.
Of Prayer we have already treated sufficiently in the Second Part of this Orthodox Confession.
Question 7
What is Fasting?
Answer.
That Fasting which is considered as a Christian Virtue is the abstaining from all Food (at least from some, as in Case of Sickness) and Liquors, from all worldly Concerns, and from all evil Desires; that so, being freed from all Hindrances and Encumbrances, the devout Christian may apply himself with more Readiness and Tranquillity to recommend himself to God in Prayer, and obtain his Pardon; and also subdue the Lusts of the Flesh, and receive the Grace of God. Of this Kind of Fasting the Scripture speaketh thus (2 Cor. vi. 4, 5), But in all Things approving ourselves as the Servants of God; in much Patience, in Afflictions, in Necessities, in Distress, in Stripes, in Imprisonments, in Tumults, in Labours, in Watchings, in Fastings. And again, in another Place (Joel ii. 15), Blow the Trumpet in Zion, sanctify a Fast, call a solemn Assembly, gather the People. And a little after, Spare thy People, O Lord, and give not thy Heritage to Reproach. And this Kind of Fasting being rightly and duly performed, hath great Efficacy in obtaining God’s Pardon for our Sins, as came to pass at Nineveh. But on this head we have been very full already, in treating of the Precepts of the Church.
Question 8
How many Kinds of Fasting are there?
Answer.
There be many Sorts of Fasts, as, first, those that are constantly observed at stated Times, as the four yearly Fasts, and those which are kept weekly on Wednesdays and Fridays; and those accidental and occasional ones which are appointed by the Governors of the Church, in particular Provinces and Towns on particular Occasions. And these, in due Obedience to the Church, must be carefully observed. There be also public and private Fasts; public, as those which are solemnised by the whole Church in general; and private, or peculiar, such as are those observed and kept by particular Provinces, or Countries, or Cities, or by private Persons, by their own Appointment, for some religious Advancement, or the Performance of a Vow, or by the Injunction and Command of their Ghostly Father.
Question 9
What is Almsgiving?
Answer.
Almsgiving is a work of Mercy, performed by doing a Benefit to the Soul or Body of any one, having Regard only to the Necessities, and not to the Person of him who standeth in Need of your Alms. Now, this Virtue is especially necessary for every Christian; as the Holy Scripture teaches (Tobit. xii. 9), For Alms doth deliver from Death, and shall purge away all Sins: Those that exercise Alms and Righteousness shall be filled with Life. And in the New Testament we find the Scripture thus recommending Almsgiving (Matth. xxi. 21), Go and sell that thou hast, and give to the Poor; and thou shalt have Treasure in Heaven. And Christ promiseth that he will give a great
Reward in the Day of Judgment (Matth. xxv. 40), Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my Brethren, ye have done it unto me; (ver. 34), Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World. Moreover, Almsgiving, joined with Fasting, renders our Prayers acceptable with God, and inclines his Ears to hear us: As the Angel said unto Cornelius (Acts x. 4), Thy Prayer and thine Alms are come up for a Memorial before God. This Virtue comprehends within itself all other Virtues, as we have already shown in the Second Part of this our Confession.
Question 10
What other Virtues, besides, arise out of these?
Answer.
These four general Virtues, Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, and Temperance.