PL 39 · cols. 2215–2218

Appendix to Augustine's Sermones: Sermones supposititii, Sermones 241-257

Sermons CCLIV–CCLVI

(Isai. III, 12). Ergo si dicatur ab aliquo libere peccatum alicujus, et ab alio palpetur; si videat aliquis tertius et interrogetur quid sit factum, nonne ita solet respondere: Ille dixit ei vera, et non blanditus est? Quid ille alter? quid fecit? Unxit ei caput, et discessit. Nos vero, fratres, si vere spirituales medici sumus, et de animarum vestrarum remedio attentius cogitemus, non debemus palpare quemquam, nec nos nec vos. Confiteamur peccata nostra, non excusemus: tu fecisti, tu reus es; tu confitere, tibi ignoscitur. Si autem dicis, Non ego feci; ubicumque verba excusare volueris, peccatum tuum manet in te, peccati reus es: et non illius peccati tantum quod fecisti, sed hujus etiam superbiae, quod confiteri noluisti. De quo peccato nos Dominus liberare dignetur: qui cum Patre et Spiritu sancto vivit et regnat in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

(Isa. 3:12). So if someone's sin is spoken of freely by one person, and is stroked over by another; if some third person sees it and is asked what happened, does he not usually answer thus: That one told him the truth and did not flatter him? What about the other one? What did he do? He anointed his head and went away. But we, brothers, if we are truly spiritual physicians, and give more attentive thought to the remedy of your souls, must not stroke anyone with flattery, neither ourselves nor you. Let us confess our sins, let us not excuse them: you did it, you are guilty; confess, and you are forgiven. But if you say, I did not do it; wherever you wish to make excuses with words, your sin remains in you, you are guilty of sin: and not only of that sin which you committed, but also of this pride, that you refused to confess. From this sin may the Lord deign to free us: Who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns for ages of ages. Amen.

SERMO CCLIV. De Confessione peccatorum, et Poenitentia.

Sermon 254. On the Confession of Sins, and Penance.

1. Confessionis necessitas. Quam utilis sit et quibus. Hortatur nos saepius sancta Scriptura ad medicamenta fugere confessionis, non quod Deus indigeat confessione nostra, cui omnia praesto sunt quae cogitamus, loquimur aut agimus: sed nos aliter salvi fieri non possumus, nisi confiteamur poenitentes, quod inique gessimus negligentes. Qui se ipsum accusat in peccatis suis, hunc diabolus non habet iterum accusare in die judicii: si tamen confitens poenitendo diluit quae fecit, nec iterum renovat quae egit. Confitemini, dicit Jacobus apostolus, alterutrum peccata vestra, et orate pro invicem ut salvemini (Jacobi V, 16). Item beatus Apostolus: Ore autem confessio fit ad salutem (Rom. X, 10). Sed et Salomon de confessione peccatorum dixit: Qui abscondit scelera sua, non dirigetur: qui autem confessus fuerit, et reliquerit ea, misericordiam consequetur (Prov. XXVIII, 13). Magnum est salutis medicamentum non iterare quae impie gessimus, nec priorum cicatrices vulnerum resauciare. Sicut autem dicit Joannes evangelista, Si confiteamur peccata nostra, fidelis est Deus et justus, ut remittat nobis peccata nostra, et emundet nos ab omni iniquitate (I Joan. I, 9). Similiter et Psalmista ait: Dixi, Confitebor adversum me injustitiam meam Domino; et tu remisisti impietatem peccati mei (Psal. XXXI, 5).

1. The necessity of confession. How useful it is, and to whom. Holy Scripture quite often exhorts us to flee to the medicines of confession, not because God needs our confession, to Whom all things are present that we think, say or do: but because we cannot be saved otherwise, unless as penitents we confess what we did wickedly through negligence. Whoever accuses himself in his sins, him the devil has nothing to accuse again on the day of judgement: provided, however, that by confessing he washes away through penance what he has done, and does not again renew what he did. Confess, says James the apostle, your sins to one another, and pray for one another that you may be saved (Jas. 5:16). Likewise the blessed Apostle: But with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (Rom. 10:10). And Solomon too said concerning the confession of sins: He who hides his crimes will not be directed: but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy (Prov. 28:13). It is a great medicine of salvation not to repeat what we have done impiously, nor to wound again the scars of former wounds. And as John the evangelist says, If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all iniquity (1 John 1:9). Likewise the Psalmist also says: I said, I will confess against myself my injustice to the Lord; and Thou didst forgive the impiety of my sin (Ps. 31:5).

2. Damnatorum poenitentia infructuosa. Tormentum duplex. Duplex sit poenitentis fletus. Fructus dignus poenitentiae. Vivens confiteatur peccator quae fecit; quia non est fructuosa confessio apud inferos, nec poenitentia ad salutem proficiens. Ecce nunc tempus salutis, ecce nunc tempus acceptabile Deo (II Cor. VI, 2). Tempus est nunc remissionis poenitentibus; sed tempus erit post mortem vindictae negligentibus confiteri scelera sua. Omnes enim impii amaram habent in tormentis poenitentiam: sed non proficit eis poenitentia ad remissionem, sed conscientia torquet eos ad augmentum poenarum quas patiuntur. Potuerunt enim sibi per confessionem praecavere tormentorum immanitatem, et neglexerunt: ita sicut foris flammis, ita intus conscientia propria torquentur. Quomodo potest medicus vulnus sanare, quod aegrotus ostendere erubescit? Deus confessionem nostram desiderat, ut justam habeat ignoscendi causam. Qui peccata sua occultat, et erubescit salubriter confiteri, Deum quem testem habet, iterum habebit eum ultorem. Optime se judicet homo in hac vita, ne judicetur a Deo damnatione perpetua. Duplicem habere debet fletum in poenitentia omnis peccator: sive quia per negligentiam bonum non fecit, seu quia per audaciam malum perpetravit. Quod enim oportuit non gessit, et quod non oportuit egit. Confessio justificat, confessio veniam peccatis donat:

2. The penance of the damned is fruitless. A twofold torment. Let the penitent's weeping be twofold. The worthy fruit of penance. Let the sinner, while living, confess what he has done; for confession is not fruitful in the underworld, nor is penance there profitable for salvation. Behold, now is the time of salvation, behold, now is the time acceptable to God (2 Cor. 6:2). Now is the time of remission for penitents; but after death there will be a time of vengeance for those who neglect to confess their crimes. For all the impious have a bitter penance in their torments: but penance does not profit them for remission; rather, conscience tortures them to the increase of the punishments which they suffer. For they could have guarded themselves beforehand through confession against the enormity of the torments, and they neglected to: so, just as they are tortured outwardly by flames, so are they tortured inwardly by their own conscience. How can a physician heal a wound which the sick man is ashamed to show? God desires our confession, so that He may have a just cause for pardoning. Whoever hides his sins, and is ashamed to confess them for his health, will have God, Whom he has as witness, in turn as his avenger. A man does best to judge himself in this life, lest he be judged by God with perpetual damnation. Every sinner ought to have a twofold weeping in penance: either because through negligence he did not do good, or because through boldness he committed evil. For what he ought to have done he did not do, and what he ought not to have done he did. Confession justifies, confession grants pardon to sins:

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Ita Ms. gr., a secunda manu, sed antiqua, qualicumque verbo.

So Ms. gr., in a second hand, but an old one: by whatever word.

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Alias, de Tempore 66.

Elsewhere, [Sermon] 66 de Tempore.

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In Appendice nunc primum collocatur. Dubium habebant Lovanienses. Observant Verlinus et Vindingus conflatum esse ex capite 12 et 13 Alcuini de Virtutibus et Vitiis.

Placed in the Appendix now for the first time. The Louvain editors held it doubtful. Verlinus and Vindingus observe that it is put together from chapters 12 and 13 of Alcuin's On the Virtues and Vices.

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omnis spes veniae in confessione consistit. Confessio opus est misericordiae, salus aegroti, unicum est viribus nostris medicamentum cum poenitentia. Cujus ipse Salvator in Evangelio virtutem ostendit, dicens, Poenitentiam agite, appropinquavit enim regnum coelorum (Matth. IV, 17): et Joannes Baptista: Facite fructus dignos poenitentiae (Luc. III, 8). Fructus dignus est poenitentiae, transacta flere peccata, et eadem iterum non agere: sicut Scriptura ait, Ne adjicias peccatum super peccatum (Eccli. V, 5). Lavamini, dicit Dominus per Isaiam prophetam, et mundi estote (Isai. I, 16). Lavatur itaque et mundus est, qui et praeterita plangit et iterum non admittit. Lavatur et non est mundus, qui plangit quod gessit, nec deserit; et post lacrymas haec quae fleverat repetit. De his qui post lacrymas ad delicta revertuntur priora, beatus Petrus terribiliter ait: Canis reversus ad vomitum suum (II Petr. II, 22). Fili, peccasti, dicitur in Scriptura sancta, ne adjicias iterum: sed de pristinis deprecare ut remittantur tibi (Eccli. XXI, 1).

all hope of pardon consists in confession. Confession is a work of mercy, the health of the sick, the one remedy for our strength, together with penance. Its power the Saviour Himself showed in the Gospel, saying, Do penance, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn near (Matt. 4:17); and John the Baptist: Bring forth fruits worthy of penance (Luke 3:8). The fruit worthy of penance is to weep for sins past, and not to commit the same again; as Scripture says, Do not add sin upon sin (Sir. 5:5). Wash yourselves, says the Lord through the prophet Isaiah, and be clean (Isa. 1:16). So he is washed and is clean who both laments past things and does not commit them again. He is washed and is not clean who laments what he has done and does not forsake it, and after his tears repeats the things he had wept over. Of those who after their tears return to their former offences, blessed Peter says terribly: The dog returned to his own vomit (2 Pet. 2:22). Son, you have sinned, it is said in holy Scripture, do not add to it again; but pray concerning the former ones, that they may be forgiven you (Sir. 21:1).

3. Poenitentia vera non annis, sed cordis contritione censetur. Poenitentia vera non annorum numero censetur, sed amaritudine animi. Unde beatus Petrus mox a Domino indulgentiam recepit, quia amarissime flevit trinae negationis culpam (Matth. XXVI, 75). Poenitentia quamvis sit exigui temporis, si intima cordis amaritudine agitur, non despicitur apud judicem justum Deum, qui cordis secreta considerat. Non enim longitudinem temporis tantum requirit Deus, quantum affectum sinceritatis poenitentis pensat. Qui enim in Christo tota mente confidit, etiamsi multis moriatur peccatis, fide sua vivet in aeternum: sicut ipse Dominus in Evangelio dicit, Ego sum resurrectio et vita: qui credit in me, etiamsi mortuus fuerit, vivet; et omnis qui vivit et credit in me, non morietur in aeternum (Joan. XI, 25, 26). De morte animae dixit, quae propter peccatorum aegritudinem eveniet illi. Deus in natura misericors est, paratus est salvare per misericordiam, quos non invenit salvare per justitiam: qui vult omnes homines salvos fieri, et neminem perire (I Tim. II, 4); qui per prophetam ait, In quacumque die conversus fuerit peccator, vita vivet et non morietur (Ezech. XVIII, 21). Quamvis quisque sit peccator et impius, si ad poenitentiam convertitur, consequi se posse veniam per Dei misericordiam non dubitet. In hoc saeculo poenitentiam facientibus Dei misericordia subvenit: in futuro autem poenitentia non proficit, sed rationem nostrorum operum reddituri sumus. In hac vita tantum poenitentiae patet libertas; post mortem vero nulla correctionis est licentia.

3. True penance is reckoned not by years, but by contrition of heart. True penance is reckoned not by the number of years, but by bitterness of soul. Hence blessed Peter soon received pardon from the Lord, because he wept most bitterly for the guilt of his threefold denial (Matt. 26:75). Penance, though it be of short duration, if it is performed with inmost bitterness of heart, is not despised before God the just judge, Who considers the secrets of the heart. For God does not so much require length of time as He weighs the disposition of sincerity in the penitent. For whoever trusts in Christ with his whole mind, even if he dies in many sins, will live for ever by his faith; as the Lord Himself says in the Gospel, I am the resurrection and the life: he who believes in Me, even if he has died, shall live; and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall not die for ever (John 11:25–26). He spoke of the death of the soul, which will befall him on account of the sickness of sins. God is merciful by nature, ready to save through mercy those whom He does not find [it possible] to save through justice; Who wills all men to be saved and none to perish (1 Tim. 2:4); Who says through the prophet, On whatever day the sinner has been converted, he shall surely live and shall not die (Ezek. 18:21). However much anyone is a sinner and ungodly, if he turns to penance, let him not doubt that he can obtain pardon through the mercy of God. In this world the mercy of God comes to the aid of those who do penance; but in the world to come penance is of no avail, but we shall render an account of our works. Only in this life does the freedom of penance lie open; after death there is no leave for amendment.

SERMO CCLV. De Poenitentia.

Sermon 255. On Penance.

Criminum conscii a communione se subtrahunt. Praestaret ut ea dignos se exhiberent. Per citam scilicet poenitentiam et laboriosam. Quid de poenitente in extremis sentiendum.

Those conscious of crimes withdraw themselves from communion. It would be better that they show themselves worthy of it. Namely, through prompt and laborious penance. What is to be thought of one who does penance at the last.

Saepe advertimus, dilectissimi fratres, nonnullos ex vobis communionem ecclesiasticam declinare; et hoc intelligo fieri ex conscientia gravium atque ingentium peccatorum. Unde admoneo vos, dilectissimi, quod pravum est hoc insalubri consilio duplicatur: quia homines ista facientes, et delictorum sarcinam cumulant, et munus aeternae salutis amittunt: hoc est enim reatum congregare, et remedium devitare. Ergo vos, dilectissimi fratres, hortor atque commoneo, ut si quis ex vobis conscius criminum suorum, indignum se communione ecclesiastica putat, dignum se esse faciat. Dicitis, Quomodo aliquis dignum se facere possit? Quomodo, nisi ut errores pristinos relinquat, et poenitentiam petat: ut qui

We often notice, dearly beloved brethren, that some of you avoid ecclesiastical communion; and I understand that this happens from consciousness of grave and enormous sins. Therefore I warn you, dearly beloved, that what is wicked is doubled by this unwholesome counsel: because men who do these things both heap up the burden of their offences and lose the gift of eternal salvation; for this is to amass guilt and to shun the remedy. Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, I exhort and admonish you that if any of you, conscious of his crimes, thinks himself unworthy of ecclesiastical communion, he should make himself worthy. You say, How can anyone make himself worthy? How, unless he abandons his former errors and asks for penance, so that he who

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Alias, de Tempore 57.

Elsewhere, [Sermon] 57 de Tempore.

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In Appendice nunc primum collocatur. Dubii sermonis nota affecerunt Lovanienses, spuriis annumerarunt Verlinus et Vindingus. Auctoris ingenium et stilus revera multum distat ab Augustiniano, parum a Caesariano.

Placed in the Appendix now for the first time. The Louvain editors marked it as a doubtful sermon; Verlinus and Vindingus counted it among the spurious. The author's manner and style are in truth far removed from Augustine's, and little from that of Caesarius.

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criminum suorum sorde pollutus est, exomologesis satisfactione mundetur? Nec ad illud se servet, ut in extremo vitae suae tempore tunc poenitentiam petat, quando jam agere non possit. Inutilis est enim, dilectissimi, ista persuasio. Parum est, peccatorem poenitere, nisi poenitentiam peregerit. Ad emendanda enim crimina vox poenitentis sola non sufficit: nam in satisfactione ingentium peccatorum non verba tantum, sed opera quaeruntur. Datur quidem etiam in extremis poenitentia, quia non potest denegari; sed auctores tamen esse non possumus, quod qui sic petierit, mereatur absolvi. Quomodo enim agit poenitentiam lapsus? Quomodo agit poenitentiam in extremis vitae finibus constitutus? Quomodo poenitentiam agere possit, qui nulla jam pro se opera satisfactionis operari potest? Et ideo poenitentia quae ab infirmo petitur, infirma est. Poenitentia quae a moriente tantum petitur, timeo ne ipsa moriatur. Et ideo, dilectissimi, quicumque invenire vult misericordiam Dei, sanus agat poenitentiam in hoc saeculo, ut sanus esse valeat in futuro.

is polluted by the filth of his crimes, be cleansed by the satisfaction of confession? Nor let him save himself for this: to ask for penance at the last moment of his life, at a time when he can no longer perform it. For that conviction is useless, dearly beloved. It is too little for a sinner to repent unless he has carried his penance through. For to amend crimes the voice of the penitent alone is not enough: for in the satisfaction for enormous sins not words only, but works are required. Penance is indeed given even at the last, since it cannot be refused; but we nevertheless cannot be guarantors that whoever has asked in this way deserves to be absolved. For how does a fallen man do penance? How does a man placed at the very last end of life do penance? How could he do penance who can no longer work any works of satisfaction on his own behalf? And therefore the penance that is asked for by a sick man is sick. The penance that is asked for only by a dying man, I fear lest it itself die. And therefore, dearly beloved, whoever wishes to find the mercy of God, let him do penance in health in this world, so that he may be able to be healthy in the world to come.

SERMO CCLVI.

Sermon 256.

Admonitio per quam ostenditur quid intersit inter illam poenitentiam quae cum bonis operibus semper agitur, et illam quae in infirmitate vel fine vitae accipitur.

An admonition in which it is shown what difference there is between that penance which is always performed with good works, and that which is received in sickness or at the end of life.

1. An poenitentia accepta moriens veniam obtineat. Obtinet qui se in poenitentia et bonis operibus jugiter exercuit. Multi de fratribus vel filiis nostris solliciti sunt, utrum omnis homo in infirmitate positus, si poenitentiam accipit, et statim defunctus fuerit, ad plenam possit indulgentiam pervenire: et dum haec inquirunt, non sine parva inter se animositate contendunt. Alii enim dicunt eum qui sic acceperit, ad integrum liberari; alii autem parum prodesse confirmant. Quid tamen de hac re nobis secundum sanctorum patrum regulas videatur, breviter Charitati vestrae volo suggerere. Non incongrue potest credi tribus modis ad istam subitaneam poenitentiam perveniri. Primus et praecipuus modus est, ut christianus crimina capitalia non admittat; aut si forte admiserit, sic pro illis poeniteat, et ea bonis operibus diluat, ut postea ad peccata ipsa non redeat; de omnibus fructibus decimas reddat, et de novem partibus quidquid suis necessitatibus superfuerit, minuta peccata quae quotidie subrepunt redimat, et illam charitatem teneat quae non solum amicos, sed ipsos diligit inimicos. Qui haec fideliter implere voluerit, etiamsi poenitentiam non accipiat; quia semper illam fructuose et fideliter egit, bene hinc exiet: et si eo tempore quo moriturus est, eam acceperit, et partem sibi et Christo ad substantiam suam cum filiis fecerit; non solum eum veniam peccatorum credimus obtinere, sed etiam praemia aeterna percipere.

1. Whether one dying obtains pardon once penance has been received. He obtains it who has continually exercised himself in penance and good works. Many of our brothers and sons are anxious whether every man placed in sickness, if he receives penance and dies immediately, can attain full pardon: and while they inquire into this, they dispute among themselves with no small animosity. For some say that he who has received it in this way is set entirely free; others, however, maintain that it profits little. What nevertheless seems right to us on this matter according to the rules of the holy fathers, I wish briefly to put before your Charity. It may not unfittingly be believed that this sudden penance is arrived at in three ways. The first and principal way is that a Christian not commit capital crimes; or, if perhaps he has committed them, that he so repent of them and so wash them away with good works that afterwards he does not return to those same sins; that he render tithes of all his produce, and with whatever is left over from the nine parts after his own needs, redeem the small sins that creep in daily, and hold fast that charity which loves not only friends but even enemies. Whoever is willing to fulfil these things faithfully, even if he does not receive penance, will depart hence well, because he has always performed it fruitfully and faithfully: and if at the time when he is about to die he has received it, and has made a share in his property for himself and for Christ along with his sons, we believe that he not only obtains pardon of sins, but also receives eternal rewards.

2. Obtinet et qui vixit in peccatis; sed qua lege. Secundus modus est supra dictae poenitentiae, ut etiamsi aliquis, quamdiu vixerit, non solum parva, sed forte etiam capitalia committat peccata; et tamen mala ipsa ignoretur qua spe poenitentiae agat, nec ideo animam suam ad peccata relaxet, ut ad illam subitaneam poenitentiam se reservet; et in transitu suo cum grandi humilitate et cordis contritione, cum rugitu vel gemitu ipsam poenitentiam petat; et hoc definitissime in corde suo deliberet, ut si evaserit, quamdiu vixerit, toto corde et totis viribus fructuosam poenitentiam agat; et quidquid se male tulisse cognoscit, ad integrum reddat, ut secundum illud propheticum rapinam restituat (Ezech. XXXIII, 15), et omnibus inimicis suis toto corde indulgeat, et de substantia sua unam portionem Christo et sibi cum filiis suis faciat, et in ipsa infirmitate sua, quantum

2. He also obtains it who has lived in sins; but on what condition. The second way of the aforesaid penance is that, even if someone, as long as he has lived, commits not only small but perhaps even capital sins, and yet it is not known in what hope of penance he does those very evils, he nevertheless does not on that account give his soul free rein towards sins in order to reserve himself for that sudden penance; and that at his passing he ask for penance itself with great humility and contrition of heart, with roaring or groaning; and that he resolve this most definitely in his heart, that if he escapes, for as long as he lives he will perform fruitful penance with his whole heart and all his strength; and that whatever he knows he has wrongly taken he restore in full, so that according to that prophetic saying he may restore the plunder (Ezek. 33:15), and that he forgive all his enemies with his whole heart, and make of his property one portion for Christ and for himself along with his sons, and in that very sickness of his, as far as

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Sic Laudunensis codex. At Regius, ignoranter quasi spe poenitentiae agat.

So the Laon codex. But the Royal [codex]: let him act unknowingly, as if in hope of penance.

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Inter Caesarianos ex Regio codice cura V. C. Stephani Baluzii vulgatos reperitur ordine secundus. Eidem Caesario tribuunt nostri manuscripti. De num. 3 vide supra serm. 77, n. 1, et 78, n. 3, et Augustini Serm. 393 : de num. 4, vide Eligii homil. 6.

Among the [sermons] of Caesarius published from the Royal codex through the care of the distinguished Stephen Baluze, it is found second in order. Our manuscripts also ascribe it to Caesarius. On no. 3 see above, sermon 77, no. 1, and 78, no. 3, and Augustine's Sermon 393; on no. 4, see Eligius, homily 6.

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potest, largas eleemosynas erogare praecipiat: si haec fideliter humili et contrito corde implere voluerit, et possumus et debemus credere quo⟨d⟩ ei Dominus omnia dignetur peccata dimittere, secundum illud propheticum, Peccator in quacumque die conversus fuerit, omnes iniquitates ejus oblivioni tradentur (Ezech. XVIII, 21 et 22); et illud, In quacumque die conversus ingemueris, salvus eris (Id. XXXIII, 12).

he can, order generous alms to be distributed: if he is willing to fulfil these things faithfully with a humble and contrite heart, we both can and ought to believe that the Lord deigns to forgive him all his sins, according to that prophetic saying, In whatever day the sinner is converted, all his iniquities shall be handed over to oblivion (Ezek. 18:21–22); and that other, In whatever day you are converted and groan, you shall be saved (Ezek. 33:12).

3. Id aegre sentiatur de eo qui operibus poenitentiam non ostendit. Tertius modus poenitentiae aliquibus esse videtur, si aliquis semper male vivens, in exitu vitae se reservet ad poenitentiam, et ea spe peccet, ut per ipsam subitaneam poenitentiam et cuncta conjuncta aestimet peccata dimitti; et tamen postquam eam acceperit, et illud quod male rapuit nec in simplo reddat, nec inimicis suis toto corde indulgeat, nec in corde suo deliberet, ut si evaserit, quamdiu vivit, cum grandi compunctione et humilitate poenitentiam agat, nec portionem sibi et Christo pro redemptione peccatorum de substantia sua cum filiis suis faciat. Sic accepta poenitentia, si sine istis remediis quae supra memoravimus, exierit de hac vita; quid de eo futurum sit, licet nos dicere dubii simus, Dominus tamen in Evangelio definitissime dixit: Si, inquit, non dimiseritis hominibus peccata eorum, nec Pater dimittet vobis peccata vestra (Matth. VI, 15); et illud, Date, et dabitur vobis; dimittite, et dimittetur vobis (Luc. VI, 38, 37). Quomodo peccatori illi dimitti poterit, qui dimittere noluit? aut quomodo ei dabitur, qui non dedit? Et quia Dominus de illis qui eleemosynas non dederunt dicturus est, Discedite a me, maledicti, in ignem aeternum, qui praeparatus est diabolo et angelis ejus; quia esurivi, et non dedistis mihi manducare, etc. (Matth. XXV, 41, 42), si ille in ignem mittitur, qui de propria facultate non erogavit; quid de isto poenitente facturus est, qui non solum de proprio nihil dedit, verum etiam res alienas, quas male tulerat, nec in simplo reddere voluit? Qui talis est, si a me poenitentiam petierit, et est illi aetas cui aut dari possit aut debeat; poenitentiam illi dare possum, integram securitatem dare non possum: Deus tamen, qui omnium conscientias novit; et unumquemque secundum suum meritum judicabit, ipse scit qua fide aut qua intentione animi poenitentiam petiit. Ego vero timeo ne forte iste talis poenitens nec in conscientia sua habuerit, quod in operibus non ostendit: quia etsi cor videre non possumus, tamen secundum evangelicam sententiam, ex fructibus eorum cognoscetis eos (Id. VII, 16), dum ea quae supra scripta sunt implere penitus non videmus. Cum haec ita sint, quis non poterit prohibere, ut eum credamus non bene de hac luce migrasse, quem bona opera cognoscimus non fecisse? Ecce, quid mihi de subitanea poenitentia videtur, Charitati vestrae exposui. Si quis est, cui ex his quae diximus aliqua dubitatio nascatur; et optamus et desideramus, ut dari sibi a nobis rationem cum perfecta charitate requirat.

3. This is to be regarded with misgiving in the case of one who does not show penance by works. A third mode of penance seems to some to exist: if someone, always living badly, reserves himself for penance at the end of life, and sins in that hope, so that through that sudden penance he reckons all his sins together to be forgiven; and yet after he has received it, he neither restores even in the simple amount what he wickedly seized, nor pardons his enemies with his whole heart, nor resolves in his heart that, if he escapes, he will do penance with great compunction and humility for as long as he lives, nor makes a portion out of his substance for himself and for Christ, along with his sons, for the redemption of his sins. If, having thus received penance, he departs from this life without those remedies which we have mentioned above, what will become of him, although we are doubtful to say, the Lord nevertheless declared most definitely in the Gospel: If, He says, you do not forgive men their sins, neither will the Father forgive you your sins (Matt. 6:15); and that other, Give, and it shall be given to you; forgive, and it shall be forgiven you (Luke 6:38, 37). How will it be possible for that sinner to be forgiven, who was unwilling to forgive? or how will it be given to him, who did not give? And since the Lord is going to say concerning those who did not give alms, Depart from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire, which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you did not give Me to eat, etc. (Matt. 25:41–42), if he is sent into the fire who did not give out of his own means, what will He do with this penitent, who not only gave nothing of his own, but was not even willing to restore in the simple amount the property of others which he had wickedly taken? Whoever is such, if he asks penance of me, and he is of an age to which it can or ought to be given, I can give him penance, I cannot give him complete security: yet God, Who knows the consciences of all, and will judge each one according to his merit, Himself knows with what faith or with what intention of mind he asked for penance. But I fear lest perhaps such a penitent did not have in his conscience what he did not show in his works: because although we cannot see the heart, nevertheless according to the Gospel saying, by their fruits you shall know them (Matt. 7:16), since we do not see him fulfil at all the things that are written above. Since these things are so, who will not be able to forbid that we believe that he has not departed well from this light, whom we know not to have done good works? See, I have set out to your Charity what seems to me concerning sudden penance. If there is anyone in whom some doubt arises from these things which we have said, we both wish and desire that he should ask with perfect charity for an account to be given him by us.

4. Tutius est poenitentiam jugiter agere. Mortis enim hora incerta. In quibus consistat jugis illa poenitentia. Nos tamen, fratres charissimi, ea quae sunt incerta vel dubia relinquentes, totis viribus de illa poenitentia, quae per omnem vitam a bonis Christianis agitur, per quam omnia et capitalia crimina damnantur, et minora peccata jugiter redimuntur, attentius cogitemus; quae, si quamdiu vivimus cum bonis operibus agimus, plenam nobis securitatem de Dei misericordia pollicetur. Cum enim omnes homines poenitentiam

4. It is safer to do penance continually. For the hour of death is uncertain. In what that continual penance consists. But let us, dearest brethren, leaving aside the things that are uncertain or doubtful, consider more attentively with all our strength that penance which is done throughout the whole of life by good Christians, through which all crimes, even capital ones, are condemned, and lesser sins are continually redeemed; which, if we do it with good works as long as we live, promises us full security from the mercy of God. For since all men penance

Editors' notes and page, col. 2218

Footnotes

(a) ‹anchor: dari possit aut debeat› · call in col 2218

Non enim omni aetati concedebatur poenitentia. Hinc synodus Agathensis, cui Caesarius praefuit, can. 15 : « Juve- « nibus etiam poenitentia non facile committenda est, pro- « pter aetatis fragilitatem. » Concilium Aurelianense 3, can. 24 : « Ut ne quis benedictionem poenitentiae juveni- « bus personis credere praesumat. Certe conjugatis, nisi « ex consensu partium et aetate jam plena, eam dare non « audeat. »

For penance was not granted to every age. Hence the Synod of Agde, over which Caesarius presided, canon 15: "To the young, too, penance is not to be lightly entrusted, on account of the frailty of their age." The Third Council of Orléans, canon 24: "That no one presume to entrust the blessing of penance to young persons. To married persons certainly let him not dare to give it, unless with the consent of both parties and when they are already of full age."

(printed under page 371)