1. Behold, beloved brethren, peace is restored to the Church and although it lately seemed to incredulous people difficult, and to traitors impossibl

 2. We look with glad countenances upon confessors illustrious with the heraldry of a good name, and glorious with the praises of virtue and of faith

 3. Let none, my beloved brethren, let none depreciate this glory let none by malignant dispraise detract from the uncorrupted stedfastness of those w

 4. One cause of grief saddens these heavenly crowns of martyrs, these glorious spiritual confessions, these very great and illustrious virtues of the

 5. Yet, beloved brethren, the cause of truth is to be had in view nor ought the gloomy darkness of the terrible persecution so to have blinded the mi

 6. Each one was desirous of increasing his estate and forgetful of what believers had either done before in the times of the apostles, or always ough

 7. These things were before declared to us, and predicted. But we, forgetful of the law and obedience required of us, have so acted by our sins, that

 8. From some—ah, misery!—all these things have fallen away, and have passed from memory. They indeed did not wait to be apprehended ere they ascended,

 9. But to many their own destruction was not sufficient. With mutual exhortations, people were urged to their ruin death was pledged by turns in the

 10. Nor is there, alas, any just and weighty reason which excuses such a crime. One’s country was to be left, and loss of one’s estate was to be suffe

 11. The truth, brethren, must not be disguised nor must the matter and cause of our wound be concealed. A blind love of one’s own property has deceiv

 12. But how can they follow Christ, who are held back by the chain of their wealth? Or how can they seek heaven, and climb to sublime and lofty height

 13. But (say they) subsequently tortures had come, and severe sufferings were threatening those who resisted. He may complain of tortures who has been

 14. But now, what wounds can those who are overcome show? what gashes of gaping entrails, what tortures of the limbs, in cases where it was not faith

 15. Moreover, beloved brethren, a new kind of devastation has appeared and, as if the storm of persecution had raged too little, there has been added

 16. All these warnings being scorned and contemned,—before their sin is expiated, before confession has been made of their crime, before their conscie

 17. Let no one cheat himself, let no one deceive himself. The Lord alone can have mercy. He alone can bestow pardon for sins which have been committed

 18. But if any one, by an overhurried haste, rashly thinks that he can give remission of sins to all, or dares to rescind the Lord’s precepts, not onl

 19. For Moses also besought for the sins of the people and yet, when he had sought pardon for these sinners, he did not receive it. “I pray Thee,” sa

 20. In the Gospel the Lord speaks, and says, “Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father which is in heaven: but

 21. Unless, perchance, these things have been done without God’s knowledge, or all these things have happened without His permission although Holy Sc

 22. What good can you think of him, what fear can you suppose to have been with him, or what faith, whom neither fear could correct nor persecution it

 23. Receive rather, and admit what we say. Why do your deaf ears not hear the salutary precepts with which we warn you? Why do your blind eyes not see

 24. One of those who of his own will ascended the Capitol to make denial, after he had denied Christ, became dumb. The punishment began from that poin

 25. Learn what occurred when I myself was present and a witness. Some parents who by chance were escaping, being little careful

 26. This much about an infant, which was not yet of an age to speak of the crime committed by others in respect of herself. But the woman who in advan

 27. Nor let those persons flatter themselves that they need repent the less, who, although they have not polluted their hands with abominable sacrific

 28. Moreover, how much are they both greater in faith and better in their fear, who, although bound by no crime of sacrifice to idols or of certificat

 29. I entreat you, beloved brethren, that each one should confess his own sin, while he who has sinned is still in this world, while his confession ma

 30. Do we believe that a man is lamenting with his whole heart, that he is entreating the Lord with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning, who

 31. Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, the illustrious and noble youths, even amid the flames and the ardours of a raging furnace, did not desist from maki

 32. These things were done by men, meek, simple, innocent, in deserving well of the majesty of God and now those who have denied the Lord refuse to m

 33. Neither let that imprudent error or vain stupor of some move you, who, although they are involved in so grave a crime, are struck with blindness o

 34. Flee from such men as much as you can avoid with a wholesome caution those who adhere to their mischievous contact. Their word doth eat as doth a

 35. But you, beloved brethren, whose fear is ready towards God, and whose mind, although it is placed in the midst of lapse, is mindful of its misery,

 36. If a man make prayer with his whole heart, if he groan with the true lamentations and tears of repentance, if he incline the Lord to pardon of his

18. But if any one, by an overhurried haste, rashly thinks that he can give remission of sins to all,40    “To any.” or dares to rescind the Lord’s precepts, not only does it in no respect advantage the lapsed, but it does them harm. Not to have observed His judgment is to have provoked His wrath, and to think that the mercy of God must not first of all be entreated, and, despising the Lord, to presume on His power.41    “On his facility;” v. l. Under the altar of God the souls of the slain martyrs cry with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost Thou not judge and avenge our blood upon those who dwell on the earth?”42    Apoc. vi. 10. And they are bidden to rest, and still to keep patience. And does any one think that, in opposition to the Judge, a man can become of avail43    “Worthy of.” for the general remission and pardon of sins, or that he can shield others before he himself is vindicated? The martyrs order something to be done;44    [i.e., the confessors awaiting martyrdom. See vol. iv. p. 693, note 2.] but only if this thing be just and lawful, if it can be done without opposing the Lord Himself by God’s priest, if the consent of the obeying party be easy and yielding, if the moderation of the asking party be religious. The martyrs order something to be done; but if what they order be not written in the law of the Lord, we must first know that they have obtained what they ask from God, and then do what they command. For that may not always appear to be immediately conceded by the divine majesty, which has been promised by man’s undertaking.

XVIII. Caeterum, si quis, praepropera festinatione temerarius remissionem peccatorum dare, se cunctis putat posse , aut audet Domini praecepta rescindere, non tantum nihil prodest sed et obest lapsis. Provocasse est iram, non servasse sententiam, nec misericordiam prius Dei deprecandam putare, sed contempto 0480C Domino de sua facultate praesumere. Sub ara Dei animae occisorum martyrum clamant magna voce 0481A dicentes: Quousque, Domine, sanctus et verus, non judicas et vindicas sanguinem nostrum de his qui in terris inhabitant (Apoc. VI, 10)? Et requiescere ac patientiam tenere adhuc jubentur. Et quemquam posse aliquis existimat remittendis passim donandisque peccatis bonum fieri contra judicem velle, aut prius quam vindicetur ipse alios posse defendere? Mandant martyres aliquid fieri; sed si justa, si licita, si non contra ipsum Dominum a Dei sacerdote facienda, si obtemperantis facilis et prona consensio, si petentis fuerit religiosa moderatio. Mandant aliquid martyres fieri ; sed, si scripta non sint in Domini lege quae mandant, ante est ut sciamus illos de Deo impetrasse quod postulant, tunc facere quod mandant. Neque enim statim videri potest de divina majestate concessum, quod fuerit 0481B humana pollicitatione promissum.