Chapter 46 [XV.]—Rebuke Must Be Varied According to the Variety of Faults. There is No Punishment in the Church Greater Than Excommunication.

Therefore, let brethren who are subject be rebuked by those who are set over them, with rebukes that spring from love, varied according to the diversity of faults, whether smaller or greater. Because that very penalty that is called condemnation,164    Query, Excommunication? which episcopal judgment inflicts, than which there is no greater punishment in the Church, may, if God will, result and be of advantage for most wholesome rebuke. For we know not what may happen on the coming day; nor must any one be despaired of before the end of this life; nor can God be contradicted, that He may not look down and give repentance, and receive the sacrifice of a troubled spirit and a contrite heart, and absolve from the guilt of condemnation, however just, and so Himself not condemn the condemned person. Yet the necessity of the pastoral office requires, in order that the terrible contagion may not creep through the many, that the diseased sheep should be separated from the sound ones; perchance, by that very separation, to be healed by Him to whom nothing is impossible. For as we know not who belongs to the number of the predestinated, we ought in such wise to be influenced by the affection of love as to will all men to be saved. For this is the case when we endeavour to lead every individual to that point where they may meet with those agencies by which we may prevail, to the accomplishment of the result, that being justified by faith they may have peace with God,165    Rom. v. 1.—which peace, moreover, the apostle announced when he said, “Therefore, we discharge an embassage for Christ, as though God were exhorting by us, we pray you in Christ’s stead to be reconciled to God.”166    2 Cor. v. 20. For what is “to be reconciled” to Him but to have peace with Him? For the sake of which peace, moreover, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself said to His disciples, “Into whatsoever house ye enter first, say, Peace be to this house; and if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it; but if not, it shall return to you again.”167    Luke x. 5, 6. When they preach the gospel of this peace of whom it is predicted, “How beautiful are the feet of those that publish peace, that announce good things!”168    Isa. lii. 7. to us, indeed, every one then begins to be a son of peace who obeys and believes this gospel, and who, being justified by faith, has begun to have peace towards God; but, according to God’s predestination, he was already a son of peace. For it was not said, Upon whomsoever your peace shall rest, he shall become a son of peace; but Christ says, “If the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon that house.” Already, therefore, and before the announcement of that peace to him, the son of peace was there, as he had been known and foreknown, by—not the evangelist, but—God. For we need not fear lest we should lose it, if in our ignorance he to whom we preach is not a son of peace, for it will return to us again—that is, that preaching will profit us, and not him; but if the peace proclaimed shall rest upon him, it will profit both us and him.

CAPUT XV.

46. Corripiantur itaque a praepositis suis subditi fratres correptionibus de charitate venientibus, pro culparum diversitate diversis, vel minoribus, vel amplioribus. Quia et ipsa quae damnatio nominatur, quam facit episcopale judicium, qua poena in Ecclesia nulla major est, potest, si Deus voluerit, in correptionem saluberrimam cedere atque proficere. Neque enim scimus quid contingat sequenti die; aut ante finem vitae hujus de aliquo desperandum est; aut contradici Deo potest, ne respiciat et det poenitentiam, et accepto sacrificio spiritus contribulati cordisque contriti a reatu quamvis justae damnationis absolvat, damnatumque ipse non damnet. Pastoralis tamen necessitas habet, ne per plures serpant dira contagia, separare ab ovibus sanis morbidam: ab illo, cui nihil est impossibile, ipsa forsitan separatione sanandam. Nescientes enim quis pertineat ad praedestinatorum numerum, quis non pertineat; sic affici debemus charitatis affectu, ut omnes velimus salvos fieri. Hoc quippe fit, cum singulos quosque, ut occurrerint cum quibus id agere valeamus, ad hoc conamur addudere, ut justificati ex fide pacem habeant ad Deum (Rom. V, 1): quam praedicabat etiam Apostolus, cum dicebat, Pro Christo ergo legatione fungimur, tanquam Deo exhortante per nos: obsecramus pro Christo, reconciliari Deo (II Cor. V, 20). Quid est enim ei reconciliari, nisi pacem ad illum habere? Propter quam pacem etiam ipse Dominus Jesus dixit discipulis suis: In quamcumque domum intraveritis, primum dicite, Pax huic domui: et si ibi fuerit filius pacis, requiescet super illum pax vestra; sin autem, ad vos revertetur (Luc. X, 5, 6). Cum hanc evangelizant pacem, de quibus praedictum est, Quam speciosi pedes eorum qui annuntiant pacem, qui annuntiant bona (Isai. LII, 7)! nobis quidem tunc incipit esse quisque filius pacis, cum obedierit et crediderit huic Evangelio, et ex fide 0945 justificatus pacem ad Deum habere coeperit: secundum autem praedestinationem Dei, jam filius pacis erat. Neque enim dictum est, Super quem requieverit pax vestra, fiet filius pacis: sed, Si ibi fuerit, inquit, filius pacis, requiescet super illam domumpax vestra. Jam ergo et antequam illi annuntiaretur haec pax, filius pacis ibi erat, sicut eum noverat atque praescierat non evangelista, sed Deus. Ad nos ergo qui nescimus quisnam sit filius pacis, aut non sit, pertinet nullum exceptum facere, nullumque discernere; sed velle omnes salvos fieri, quibus praedicamus hanc pacem. Neque enim metuendum est ne perdamus eam, si ille cui praedicamus, non est filius pacis, ignorantibus nobis: ad nos enim revertetur, id est, nobis proderit ista praedicatio, non et illi; si autem super eum pax praedicata requieverit, et nobis, et illi.