Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Series II/Volume XIV/Additional Canons 4/Part 6

IV.

The Epistle of St. Athanasius to the Monk Ammus.

(&#928;&#945;&#957;&#964;&#945; &#956;&#8050;&#957; &#954;&#945;&#955;&#8048;, &#954;.&#964;.&#955;.)

(This, as Epistle XLVIII, will be found translated in Vol. IV. of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers (2d Series) p. 556 et seq.)

Involuntary nocturnal pollutions are not sinful, [I add to Johnson the exact words of the Saint.&#160; &#8220;For what sin or uncleanness can any natural excrement have in itself?&#160; Think of the absurdity of making a sin of the wax which comes from the ears or of the spittle from the mouth.&#160; Moreover we might add many things and explain how the excretions from the belly are necessary to animal life.&#160; But if we believe that man is the work of God&#8217;s hand, as we are taught in holy Scripture, how can it be supposed necessary that we perform anything impure?&#160; And if we are the children of God, as the holy Acts of the Apostles teaches, we have in us nothing unclean, etc., etc.&#8221;]; nor is matrimony unclean, though virginity [&#8220;which is angelic and than which nothing can be more excellent&#8221;] is to be preferred before it.