Sermon 351

SERMO 351

On the Benefit of Doing Penance

Approached to God on high with humility.

How useful and necessary the medicine of repentance is, men very easily understand, who remember that they are men. For it is written: God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. And the Lord says in the Gospel: For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled; and he who humbles himself will be exalted; and the publican, concerned with the confession of his sins, descended from the temple more justified than the Pharisee, secure in the enumeration of his merits. For although he too gave thanks to God, saying: I thank you, God, that I am not like other men, unjust, adulterers, robbers; or even like this publican. I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I possess; yet he was preferred to the one who stood at a distance, not even daring to lift his eyes to heaven, but beating his breast, saying: God, be merciful to me, a sinner. For that Pharisee was rejoicing not so much in his health, as in the comparison with the diseases of others. It was more useful to him, since he had come to the physician, to show by confessing those things from which he was suffering, rather than to pretend about his wounds, and to dare to glory in the scars of others. It is no wonder, therefore, that the publican departed more healed, who was not ashamed to show what he grieved over. For in visible things, that each one may reach the heights, he is raised up: but God, being the highest of all, is attained not by exaltation, but by humility. Hence the Prophet says: The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart. And again: The Lord is high, yet he regards the lowly; but the proud he knows from afar. He placed the high for the proud. Therefore He looks at them to lift them up; He knows the proud to cast them down. For when he says that He knows the high from afar, He sufficiently shows that He attends to the lowly from up close: yet He predicted that the Lord Himself is high. For God alone is not arrogant, however much He may praise Himself. Therefore, let no one think that pride is hidden from the eyes of God: for God knows the high. Nor let him think that he is close to God: for He knows the high from afar. Whoever, therefore, refuses the humility of repentance, does not think of drawing near to God. For it is one thing to lift oneself to God; another to lift oneself against God. He who throws himself down before Him is lifted up by Him; he who lifts himself up against Him is thrown down by Him. For there is a difference between the solidity of greatness and the emptiness of inflation. He who swells outwardly, wastes away inwardly. He who chooses to be cast down in the house of God, rather than dwell in the tents of sinners; God chooses him to dwell in His courts; and He takes him to the seat of blessedness who takes nothing for himself. Hence it is most pleasingly and truly sung in the Psalm: Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, O Lord. Do not think that he who humbles himself always remains lying down; for it is said: He will be exalted. And do not suppose that his exaltation is achieved in the eyes of men by physical heights; for when it is said: Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, O Lord; it is subsequently added and shows the same spiritual exaltation: Whose heart is set on pilgrimage, he placed it in the valley of weeping, in the place he appointed. Therefore, where did he place the ascents? In the heart, in the valley of weeping. That is: He who humbles himself will be exalted. For as the ascent indicates exaltation; so does the valley indicate humility, and the valley of weeping. For as sorrow is the companion of repentance; so are tears witnesses of sorrow. And it follows excellently and says: Yes, the Lord gives blessings, who gives the law. For the law was given to show the wounds of sins, which the blessing of grace would heal. The law was given to make the proud aware of their infirmity, and to persuade the infirm to repentance. The law was given so that we might say in the valley of weeping: I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members: and that with this very weeping we might cry out: Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? and help would come to us, hearing Him who raises the fallen, frees the bound, gives light to the blind, by the grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Three types of repentance. The first repentance: before baptism.

There are, however, three actions of penance, which your learning recognizes with me. For they are customary in the Church of God, and known to those who diligently attend. One is that which brings forth the new man, until through Baptism the saving washing away of all past sins happens: so that as with a newborn child, the pains cease with which the innermost parts were troubled unto birth, and joy follows sorrow. For everyone who is now constituted as the master of his will, when he approaches the Sacraments of the faithful, unless he repents of his old life, cannot begin anew. From this penance, only infants are exempt when they are baptized: for they are not yet able to use free will. Yet for their consecration and the remission of original sin, the faith of those by whom they are presented avails; so that whatever stains of sins they contracted through others, from whom they are born, may be cleansed by the questioning and answer of others. For it is most truly lamented in the Psalms: Behold, I was conceived in iniquity, and in sins did my mother nourish me in the womb. Also, it is written that none is pure in the sight of God, not even an infant, whose life is only one day upon the earth. Therefore, except for such as these, concerning whose order and merit in the future lot of the saints which is promised, to wish to inquire further exceeds human measure; it is nevertheless piously believed that the firmness with which the authority of the Church is maintained throughout the whole world is beneficial to their spiritual salvation: no other human being passes to Christ, to begin to be what he was not, unless he repents of being what he was. This first penance is commanded to the Jews, as the Apostle Peter says: Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Such penance was commanded by the Lord Himself, when He said: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Concerning this also John the Baptist, full of the Holy Spirit, the forerunner and preparer of the way of the Lord, speaks thus: Generation of vipers, who has shown you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance.

Another repentance which is here for all and perpetual.

The other repentance, however, is one whose action must be undertaken with the perpetual humility of supplication throughout this entire life, which we live in mortal flesh. Firstly, because no one desires eternal, incorruptible, and immortal life unless he regrets this temporal, corruptible, and mortal life. For one is not born into new life through the sanctification of Baptism in such a way that, as he puts aside all past sins there, so he also immediately puts aside the very mortality and corruption of the flesh. If this is not the case, it remains that what is written is true, which everyone still feels in themselves while they are in this life, that the body which is corrupted weighs down the soul, and the earthly habitation oppresses the mind pondering many things. This will not be the case in that blessedness when death will be swallowed up in victory; who doubts, then, that in whatever temporal happiness we may dwell, we still ought to repent of this life, so that with all eagerness we may run towards that incorruption? This is indeed why the Apostle says: As long as we are in the body, we are absent from the Lord: for we walk by faith, not by sight. Who, therefore, hastens and desires to return to the homeland and to behold that sight which is face to face, except one who regrets his pilgrimage? From this pain of repentance, that miserable voice also bursts forth, saying: Woe to me! for my pilgrimage has been prolonged. And do not think that these words are spoken by one who is not yet faithful; see what follows: I dwelt in the tents of Kedar: I was peaceful with those who hate peace; when I spoke to them, they fought against me without cause. These words are not only of a faithful man but also of a most steadfast evangelist and a most valiant martyr. This is also why the Apostle says: For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: if so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened, not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. What, then, do we desire except not to be as we are now? And why do we groan, except in repentance for being as we are? But when will we not be as we are now, except when our earthly house is dissolved, so that we may obtain the heavenly habitation through the transformation of the whole person, both soul and body? Therefore, the holy Job did not say that there is temptation in this life, but that this very life is a temptation, speaking as follows: Is not human life on earth a trial? In this place, too, he wonderfully touched upon the mystery of fallen man, saying: Like a servant longing for shade, seeking and finding shelter. For this life is not to be called life, but rather the shadow of life. It is no wonder, then, that the fugitive Adam, after the offense of sin, concealed himself from the face of the Lord, covered with fig leaves, which form shadowy shelters, as if fleeing from his Lord, as it is said, and finding shade.

To the stewards of the Word of God and of the Sacraments, from where [is] the cause of repentance.

Everything that has been said uniformly is for this purpose: lest anyone, even if justified by Baptism from previous sins, still dares to become proud, if he commits nothing that separates him from the communion of the altar, as if boasting of complete security; but rather he should maintain humility, which is almost the only Christian discipline: nor should earth and ashes become proud, until this whole night passes, during which all the beasts of the forest roam about, the young lions roaring, seeking their food from God. In this nourishment, Job himself was sought, who said: Human life on earth is temptation. Even the Lord said: In this night, Satan has asked to sift you like wheat. Who then, in their right mind, would not groan? Who would not be displeased with being this way through repentance? Who would not, with all humility, humbly supplicate for divine help to make himself heard, until all this matter of temptations and earthly shadow passes away: and the eternal day, which never fails, shines upon us too, illuminating the hidden things of darkness, and manifesting the thoughts of the heart, and then each one will receive praise from God? Then, although anyone may glory in having their body disciplined in such a way that, crucified to the world, it punishes the members reduced to servitude by any evil work, so that sin no longer reigns in their mortal body to obey its desires; worshiping the one true God alone, not devoted to any idol practice, not entangled in the rites of demons, not taking the name of the Lord their God in vain, confidently expecting eternal rest, giving due honor to parents, neither with bloodshed nor defiled by fornication, nor deceitful by theft, nor perverted by lying, nor dirty by the covetousness of another's property or spouse; neither dissolving in luxury with their own affairs, nor drying up with avarice; neither quarrelsome, nor abusive, nor slanderous; finally selling all his possessions and giving to the poor, and following Christ, and fixing the root of his heart in heavenly treasure: what seems possible to be added to so complete a righteousness? However, I do not want him to boast. Let him understand that all this is given to him, not originating from himself. For what does he have that he did not receive? And if he received it, why does he boast as if he did not receive it? Let him indeed distribute the Lord's money: let him counsel his neighbor, as he feels himself to be counseled. Nor should he think it enough to keep intact what he has received, lest it be said to him: Wicked and lazy servant, you should have given my money, and I would come and demand it with interest: lest what he has received be taken from him, lest he be cast into outer darkness. If such a severe punishment is to be feared by those who can keep intact what they received; what hope is there for those who impiously and wickedly squander it? Therefore, he will be engaged in human affairs, not carnally but bound by the duty of spiritual acquisition; not indeed entangled in secular business, but nevertheless, because he serves God, not sluggish and abject in the idleness of sloth. Therefore, let him give all his alms if he can, with cheerfulness, whether he distributes something to the carnal needs of the poor, or whether he, a dispenser of heavenly bread, constructs an unconquered camp against the devil in the hearts of believers. For God loves a cheerful giver. Therefore, let him not be broken by weariness in the difficulties of things, which must necessarily exist, to show man what man is. Let anger not creep in at someone who attacks hatefully or, driven by need, asks inappropriately; or indifferently demands assistance in his business when you are more occupied; or resists the manifest word of justice with blind greed, or miserable slowness. Let him give nothing more or less than necessary: let him not speak more than needed, or even when not necessary. For the feet of those who proclaim peace, proclaiming good things, are beautiful. But yet they contract dust from dry ground, which certainly is shaken off in judgment on those who perversely disregard this ministry by their own will. Therefore, not only because of the mortality of this life and ignorance, and because of the evil of the day, which would be sufficient, as it is said of it: Sufficient to the day is its own evil; which we are commanded to bear and carry until it passes, and to endure God by acting manfully, so that we may bear fruit with patience; but also because of the very dust of this world, which clings to the feet of those consulting through the paths of counsel, and the losses that occur in the very busy action of dispensing, which the Lord grants to be compensated with greater profits, we ought to have daily repentance.

The daily sins of the laity and repentance.

But if this applies to the stewards of God's word and ministers of His Sacraments, soldiers of Christ; how much more so to the rest of the stipendiary multitude, and a certain province of the great king? So that this most faithful and valiant soldier, the apostle Paul, might not be offended by the false suspicion of avarice, he served with his own stipends: and where perhaps a necessary expense was lacking, he said, "I have robbed other churches, taking wages from them to serve you." How much more then should the provincial churches, bound by secular affairs, perform daily repentance? Even though they ought to be free, pure, and unblemished from theft, rapine, fraud, adultery, fornication and all luxury, from the cruelty of hatred, the obstinacy of enmities, and all the foulness of idolatry, from the triviality of spectacles, the impious vanity of heresies and schisms, and from all such crimes and misdeeds: yet, due to the management of household affairs and the very tight bonds of marriages, they sin so much that they seem not so much sprinkled by the dust of this world, but smeared with its mud. This is what the Apostle says to them: "Indeed, it is already a fault among you that you have judgments among yourselves. Why do you not rather suffer wrong? Why do you not rather be defrauded?" For it is abominable that he adds and says, "But you do wrong and defraud, and this to your brothers." Yet excepting wrongs and frauds, having disputes and lawsuits among themselves about secular matters he calls a fault: which he advises should be tolerated if such disputes are settled by ecclesiastical judgment. Hence also this: "He who is unmarried cares for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord; but he who is married cares for the things of the world, how he may please his wife." Which he notes as equally applying to women. Or that when he says: "And be conformed to this, lest Satan tempt you because of your lack of self-control." To demonstrate that this is allowed as a concession to weakness, he immediately adds: "But I say this as a concession, not as a command." For only the union of the sexes for the purpose of procreation is blameless. How many other sins there are, whether in speaking about other people's matters and affairs that do not concern you; or in vain laughter, when it is written: "The fool exalts his voice in laughter, but the wise man will scarcely laugh quietly;" or in food itself, which is prepared to sustain this life, an avid and immoderate appetite often exceeding moderation to the point of indigestion the next day; or in selling and buying things with perverse desires for cheapness and dearness. It would be tedious to collect all these things, which anyone can better understand and reprove in themselves if they attentively read the mirror of Divine Scriptures. Although each of these individually might not seem as fatal a wound as murder and adultery, or others like them: yet all together, gathered like a scab, the more they are, either kill or so mar our dignity, that they separate us from the chaste embraces of that spouse beautiful above the sons of men, unless they are dried up with the medicine of daily repentance.

Every day one must repent.

But if it is false, why do we beat our breasts daily? This is what we too, priests, do at the altar alongside all others. Also, when praying, we say what in this whole life it is right to say: Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. For we are not praying for those sins to be forgiven which we believe were already forgiven in Baptism; if anything, we doubt the faith itself: but certainly we speak of daily sins, for which each one also ceaselessly offers sacrifices of alms, fasts, and prayers and supplications according to their abilities. Therefore, whoever attentively regards themselves and does not deceive themselves with any flattery, sufficiently understands how great the danger of eternal death is, and with how great a dearth of perfect righteousness they wander from the Lord; even if already in Christ, that is, established in the way, they strive to return. For if we do not have sins, and yet while beating our breasts we say: Forgive us our debts; surely by this alone we gravely sin, with no one doubting it, as we lie even during these Sacraments. Hence, as much as we are connected to our God by faith, hope, and charity, and imitate Him as much as we can, we do not sin, but are children of God: but in so far as reprehensible and wicked movements creep in on account of the occasion of carnal weakness, because it has not yet been dissolved by death nor changed by resurrection, we sin. This certainly it is fitting for us to confess; lest with a stiff neck, we merit not the healing of our weakness, but the damnation of pride. Hence, both are most truly written: He who is born of God does not sin; and also what we read in the same Epistle of John: If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. For that is said of the firstfruits of the new man, this of the remnants of the old: for we engage in both in this life. Gradually, however, newness approaches, and gradually, as the old recedes, it advances. But while both are engaged, we are in the arena; not only do we strike the adversary with good works, but we are also struck by sins when incautiously avoided. It is not now considered who among us has conquered, but who strikes more frequently, who fights more strongly; until he drags others with himself into eternal death, who envied man standing firm, and from others triumphing in the end it is said: Where is your strife, O death? Where is your sting, O death? But we are not more easily cast down by the enemy than when we imitate him by pride; nor do we cast him down more vehemently than when we follow the Lord in humility; nor do we inflict sharper pains on him than when we heal the wounds of our sins by confessing and repenting.

Third penance: more severe for mortal sins.

The third action is that of penance, which must be endured for those sins. The Decalogue of the Law contains these; and concerning which the Apostle said: "For those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." Therefore, in this penance, everyone ought to exercise greater severity upon themselves; so that being judged by themselves, they may not be judged by the Lord, as the same Apostle says: "For if we judged ourselves, we would not be judged by the Lord." Therefore, let a person ascend the tribunal of their mind against themselves; if they fear what is to be presented before the tribunal of Christ, so that there each one may receive what they have done in the body, whether good or evil. Let them set themselves before their own face, lest it be done to them later. For God threatens this to the sinner, saying: "I will reprove you, and set you before your face." And so, with judgment established in the heart, let accusatory thought be present, conscience as a witness, fear as an executioner. Then let some blood of the confessing soul flow through tears. Finally, let such a sentence be pronounced by the very mind, that a person judges themselves unworthy of participation in the body and blood of the Lord: so that one who fears to be separated from the kingdom of heaven by the final sentence of the supreme judge, may meanwhile be separated by ecclesiastical discipline from the sacrament of the heavenly bread. Let the image of future judgment revolve before their eyes: so that when others approach the altar of God, which they do not approach, they may think how frightful that punishment should be, by which while others receive eternal life, others are cast into eternal death. For to this altar, which is now placed in the Church on earth, exposed to earthly eyes, for the celebration of the divine mysteries, even many wicked persons can approach: because God commends His patience at this time, so that in the future He may exercise His severity. For they approach without realizing that the patience of God leads them to penance. But according to the hardness of their heart and their impenitent heart, they are treasuring up wrath for themselves on the day of wrath and the revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to everyone according to their works. But to that altar, to which the forerunner for us has entered, Jesus, to which the head of the Church has preceded, with the other members to follow, none of those will be able to approach, of whom, as I have already mentioned, the Apostle said: "For those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." For only the priest will stand there, but clearly the whole will stand there, namely with the body joined to the head, which has already ascended into heaven. He is the one to whom the Apostle Peter said: "A holy people, a royal priesthood." Therefore how will one dare or be able to enter into the inner veil and into those invisible Holy of Holies, who, despising the medicine of heavenly discipline, refused to be separated from visible things for a while? For one who did not wish to be humbled, so that they might be exalted; when they wish to be exalted, will be cast down; and will be eternally separated from the eternal saints, whoever at this time, through the merit of obedience and through the satisfaction of penance, did not provide for themselves a place in the body of the priest. For with what countenance of impudence will one then wish to avert the face of God from their sins, who now does not say with all their heart: "For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me?" How, I ask, does God deign to forgive what a person disdains to acknowledge in themselves?

The kingdom of heaven is promised to them.

Or what about the idea in which those flatter themselves who deceive themselves with their own vanity? For those who persist in their wickedness and luxuries, when they hear the Apostle saying, "For those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God," dare to promise themselves salvation, which they desire, apart from the kingdom of God; and thus they speak among themselves, while they refuse to repent for their sins and to improve their corrupt habits: "I do not wish to reign; it is enough for me to be saved." In this, they are first deceived, because there is no salvation for those whose iniquity persists. For the Lord said, "Because iniquity will abound, the love of many will grow cold; but he who perseveres to the end will be saved;" he promised salvation indeed to those who persevere in love, not in iniquity. But where love is, those evil deeds separating from the kingdom of God cannot exist. For the entire law is fulfilled in one word, in that which is written: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Then if there is any difference between reigning and not reigning; it is still necessary that all be in one kingdom, lest they be classified among enemies or strangers. For all Romans possess the Roman kingdom; though not all reign in it, but obey those who reign. However, the Apostle did not say, "Those who do such things will not reign with God;" but "will not inherit the kingdom of God." This is likewise said about flesh and blood: "Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; because this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality;" so that it no longer may be flesh and blood, but may by merit of the spiritual body acquire the nature and likeness of a spiritual body. Or let them be terrified by that last sentence of our judge, which he now willed to open, so that it might be prevented by his faithful; giving a sign to those who fear him, that they might flee from the face of the bow. For except for those who will judge with him, to whom he also promised, saying: "You will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." In this number of judges, all are understood who have abandoned all their possessions for the Gospel's sake and followed the Lord. For the number twelve refers to a certain universality. Paul the Apostle will not be absent there, even though he was not among those twelve. Excepting therefore those, whom he also signified by the name of Angels, when he said: "When the Son of Man comes to judge with his angels." Angels are indeed messengers. We most rightly accept as messengers all those who announce heavenly salvation to men. Hence even Evangelists can be interpreted as good messengers: and it was said about John the Baptist: "Behold, I send my messenger before your face." Therefore, as I began to say, excluding these, the rest of mankind, as is evident from the very words of the Lord, will be divided into two parts. For he will place the sheep on his right, and the goats on the left: and it will be said to the sheep, that is, to the just: "Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." The Apostle indeed spoke of this kingdom when he enumerated the evil deeds: "For those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." Hear what those on the left will hear: "Depart, he will say, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels." Therefore, who would dare to presume upon the Christian name and not hear with all obedience and fear the Apostle saying: "For this you know, recognizing that no fornicator, or impure person, or covetous man, which is idolatry, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God? Let no one deceive you with empty words: for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the children of disobedience. Do not be partakers with them." More broadly, he says this to the Corinthians: "Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God." But see how he removed the fear and desperation of salvation from those who committed these things in their old life. "And such were some of you," he says, "but you were washed, but you were sanctified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God."

Keys of the church.

Whoever, therefore, after Baptism is held bound by the deeds of some former evils, is he so much an enemy to himself that he still doubts to change his life when there is time, while he sins and lives in such a way? For indeed, because he sins so persistently, he treasures up for himself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. But as he still lives, the patience of God leads him to repentance. Therefore, entangled in such deadly chains of sins, he either neglects, delays, or hesitates to flee to the very keys of the Church, by which he may be loosed on earth, so that he may be loosed in heaven; and he dares to promise himself any safety after this life, just because he is called a Christian; nor does he tremble at the thunder of that truthful voice of the Lord: Not everyone who says to me: Lord, Lord, will enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he will enter into the kingdom of heaven. And what about when the same apostle, addressing the Galatians, enumerates such things and concludes with the same end? The works of the flesh are manifest, he says, which are fornications, impurities, luxuries, idolatry, witchcraft, enmities, contentions, jealousies, wraths, dissensions, heresies, envies, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I warn you, as I warned before, that those who do such things will not possess the kingdom of God. Therefore, let a man judge himself in these things with his will while he can, and change his ways for the better: lest, when he can no longer, he be judged by the Lord even against his will. And, having pronounced upon himself the sentence of most severe, but still healing, medicine, let him come to the priests, by whom the keys are administered in the Church: and, as a good son already beginning to be, observing the order of maternal members, receive from the prelates of the Sacraments the measure of his satisfaction; so that, offering the sacrifice of a contrite heart devoutly and humbly, he may do that which is not only profitable to himself for receiving salvation but also exemplary to others. If his sin is not only in his grievous wrongdoing but also in such a scandal to others, and if the bishop thinks it expedient for the utility of the Church, let him not refuse, resist, or add pride to his deadly and fatal wound through shame by doing penance before the knowledge of many or even of the whole congregation. Let him always remember that God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. For what is more miserable, what more perverse, than to not be ashamed of the very wound which cannot be hidden, and to be ashamed of its dressing?

Who are to be considered guilty.

Let no one believe, brothers, that they ought to spurn the counsel of this saving repentance because perhaps they notice and know many who access the Sacraments of the altar, whose such crimes they are not ignorant of. For many are corrected, like Peter: many are tolerated, like Judas: many are unknown, until the Lord comes, who will illuminate the hidden things of darkness, and manifest the thoughts of the heart. For many do not wish to accuse others, while they desire to excuse themselves through them. Many good Christians, however, remain silent and endure the sins of others they know, because they are often abandoned by testimonies, and they cannot prove to ecclesiastical judges the things they themselves know. For although some things are true, yet they must not easily be believed by the judge, unless they are demonstrated by certain indications. Indeed, we cannot prohibit anyone from communion (although this prohibition is not yet mortal, but medicinal), unless they have either confessed willingly, or been named and convicted in some secular or ecclesiastical court. For who would dare to assume both roles for themselves, to be both accuser and judge to anyone? Such a rule Paul the Apostle is also understood to have briefly hinted at in the same Epistle to the Corinthians, when he mentioned certain such crimes, giving the form of ecclesiastical judgment and all similar things from them. For he says: “I wrote to you in an epistle not to associate with fornicators: not indeed with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters; for then you would need to go out of the world.” For men living in this world cannot but live with such people: nor can they bring them to Christ if they avoid their conversation and familiarity. Whence the Lord too, eating with publicans and sinners, said: "Those who are healthy have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." And therefore, the Apostle follows and adds: “But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother who is a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; not even to eat with such a person. For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? But those who are outside God judges. Therefore, put away from yourselves the evil person.” By these words, he sufficiently shows that the wicked are to be removed from the Church's communion not rashly or in any manner but through judgment: so that if they cannot be removed by judgment, they should rather be tolerated, lest by perversely avoiding the wicked, anyone departing from the Church, binds those whom he seems to flee into hell. For we have examples proposed to us in the Holy Scriptures for this, as in the harvest, so that the chaff may be tolerated until the final winnowing; as within those nets, where good fish are tolerated with bad until the separation, which will occur on the shore, that is, at the end of the age. For it is not contrary to this place that the Apostle says in another place: “Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls." For he did not wish a man to be judged by a man out of suspicion or even through an extraordinary assumed judgment, but rather according to the law of God and the order of the Church, whether confessed willingly or accused and convicted. Otherwise, why did he say: “If anyone named a brother is a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, and so on,” unless he wanted that naming to be understood in anyone, when it is spoken with the sentence in judicial order and integrity? For if the naming suffices, many innocents are to be condemned, because often falsely someone is named in some crime.

The example of Christ.

Therefore, let those whom we exhort to do penance not seek companions for their punishment, nor rejoice because they find many. For they will not burn less because they burn with many. This is not a sure counsel of health, but a vain consolation of malevolence. Or perhaps they notice that many even in the ecclesiastical honors of prelates and ministers do not live in accordance with the words and Sacraments which are ministered to the people through them? O wretched men, who by gazing at these forget Christ! who also foretold long before that the law of God should be obeyed rather than those be seen as to be imitated who do not do what they say; and, tolerating his betrayer until the end, even sent him to evangelize with the others. However, they are as absurd and inverted and miserable, who choose to imitate the bad habits of their prelates as to observe the Lord's commands preached through them, as if anyone on a journey should think he ought to remain in place when he sees milestones full of letters teaching the way, and not walk. For why not rather, if he desires to arrive, look at and follow such companions who both show the way well and walk in it perseveringly and cheerfully? But if these are lacking, or rather less apparent, for they cannot lack: men do not so much seek by studious charity what they preach to be imitated, as they seek by suspicious iniquity what they murmur to their deception, partly not finding good men, while being themselves bad; partly fearing to find them, while they always wish to be bad. But nevertheless, let us concede that now men worthy of imitation do not appear. Whoever thinks this, gaze upon the Lord in your mind, who became man to teach man how to live. If Christ dwells in the interior man by faith in your heart, and you remember what John said: Whoever says he abides in Christ ought to walk in the same way he walked; thus there will not be lacking to you someone to follow, and when another sees you, he will cease to complain about the lack of good men. For if you do not know what it is to live rightly, know the divine precepts. For perhaps many live rightly; but for this reason, no one seems to you to live rightly, because you are ignorant of what it is to live rightly. But if you know, do what you know; so that you may have what you seek and show others what to imitate. Pay attention to Christ in your mind, pay attention to the Apostles, of whom he says: Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. Pay attention in your mind to the thousands of martyrs. For why does it delight you to celebrate their birthdays with shameful feasts, and not delight you to follow their life with honest behavior? There you will see not only men, but also women, finally, boys and girls, neither deceived by imprudence, nor corrupted by iniquity, nor broken by fear of danger, nor tainted by love of the world. Thus, unable to find an excuse, you will be surrounded not only by the unavoidable rectitude of precepts but also by the countless multitude of examples.

Return to God.

But concerning the usefulness and healthiness of penance, so that we may accomplish what we have instituted: if, already despairing of health, you add sins to sins, as it is written: "The sinner, when he comes to the depths of evil, despises"; do not despise, do not despair; even from the depths cry out to the Lord and say to Him: "Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice. Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication. If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? For with You there is forgiveness." From such a depth the Ninevites cried out, and they found this propitiation; and it is easier to annul the prophecy’s threat than the humbling of penance. Maybe you say here: but I have already been baptized in Christ, by whom all my past sins have been forgiven; I have become very vile by repeating my ways, and like a dog horrible to the eyes of God, I have returned to my vomit. Where shall I go from His spirit? And where shall I flee from His presence? Where, brother, unless by repenting to His mercy, whom you had despised by sinning? For no one rightly flees from Him except to Him, from His severity to His goodness. For what place will receive you fleeing, where His presence will not find you? If you ascend into heaven, He is there: if you descend into hell, He is present. Therefore take your wings directly, and live in the hope at the farthest part of this age: for His hand will certainly lead you, and His right hand will hold you. For whatever you do, whatever sins you commit; you are still in this life, from which God would entirely take you away if He did not want to heal you. Why then do you not realize that the patience of God is leading you to repentance? For the one who did not persuade you by calling so that you would not depart, is calling you to return by sparing you. Consider King David: certainly, he also had already received the sacraments of that time, he had certainly already been circumcised, which our fathers had for Baptism. For to this the Apostle says that holy Abraham received the sign of righteousness of the faith. He had already been anointed with the venerable anointing, which prefigured the royal priesthood of the Church. Meanwhile, having suddenly become guilty of both adultery and murder, he did not cry out in vain from such an immense and abrupt depth of sin, repenting to the Lord, saying: "Turn Your face away from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities." Indeed, for what merit except that he also says: "I acknowledge my iniquity, and my sin is always before me?" What then did he offer to the Lord to propitiate Him? “For if you wanted sacrifice,” he says, “I would have given it; You do not delight in burnt offerings. The sacrifice to God is a broken spirit; a contrite and humble heart, O God, You will not despise.” So he not only devoutly offered, but by saying this he showed what ought to be offered. For it is not enough to change habits for the better and to turn away from evil deeds; unless also for those things that have been done, satisfaction is made to God through the pain of penance, through the groan of humility, through the sacrifice of a contrite heart, with alms cooperating. For the merciful are blessed, because God will have mercy on them. For it is not said that we should only abstain from sins: "But also," he says, “pray to the Lord for past sins, that they may be forgiven to you.” And Peter was already faithful, already in Christ, and had baptized others. Therefore, consider Peter, presuming, accused, fearing, wounded, weeping, healed. Even after the coming of the Holy Spirit from heaven, a certain Simon wanted to buy the same Holy Spirit with money, thinking of the most wicked and impious trade, already baptized in Christ: and yet he received the advice of penance from Peter himself. The Apostle Paul also says, who was surely sending letters to the faithful: "Lest when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and I shall weep for many who have sinned before and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lewdness which they have committed." So we are surrounded both by precepts of doing right and by examples not only of those doing right, but also of those repenting to receive the salvation that had been lost through sinning. But suppose it is uncertain whether God will forgive. What does one lose who prays to God, who did not doubt to lose salvation when offending God? For who is certain that even the emperor will forgive? Yet money is spent, seas are crossed, the uncertainties of storms are faced; and almost to avoid death, death itself is endured. Then supplication is made through men to a man: these things are surely done without doubt, though it is uncertain to what end they will come. And yet the keys of the Church are more certain than the hearts of kings: with these keys whatever is loosed on earth is also promised to be loosed in heaven. And much more honorable is the humility with which one humbles himself to the Church of God: and a lesser labor is imposed, and without any danger of temporal death, eternal death is avoided.