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De lapsis (PL)

XXXVI.

Si precem toto corde quis faciat, si veris poenitentiae lamentationibus et lacrymis ingemiscat, si ad veniam delicti sui Dominum justis et continuis [Col. 0493B] operibus inflectat, misereri talium potest qui et misericordiam suam protulit dicens: Cum conversus ingemueris, tunc salvaberis, et scies ubi fueris ¹. Et iterum: Nolo mortem morientis, dicit Dominus, quantum ut revertatur et vivat ² Et Johel propheta pietatem Domini, Domino ipso [Col. 0494A] monente, declarat: Revertimini, inquit, ad Dominum Deum vestrum, quoniam misericors et pius est et patiens et multae miserationis, et qui sententiam flectat adversus malitias irrogatas ³. Potest ille indulgentiam dare, sententiam suam potest ille deflectere. Poenitenti, operanti, roganti potest elementer ignoscere, potest in acceptum referre quidquid pro talibus et petierint martyres et fecerint sacerdotes. Vel si quis plus eum suis satisfactionibus moverit, si ejus iram, si indignantis offensam justa deprecatione placaverit, dat ille et arma rursum quibus victus armetur, reparat et corroborat vires quibus fides instaurata vegetetur. Repetet certamen suum miles, iterabit aciem, provocabit hostem, et quidem factus ad praelium fortior per dolorem. Qui sic Deo satisfecerit, [Col. 0494B] qui poenitentia facti sui, qui pudore delicti, plus et virtutis et fidei de ipso lapsus sui dolore conceperit, exauditus et adjutus a Domino, quam contristaverat, nuper laetam faciet Ecclesiam; nec jam solam Dei veniam merebitur, sed et coronam.

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On the Lapsed

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 sin by righteous and continual works, he who expressed His mercy in these words may pity such men: "When you turn and lament, then shall you be saved, and shall know where you have been." ¹ And again: "I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord, but that he should return and live." ² And Joel the prophet declares the mercy of the Lord in the Lord's own admonition, when he says: "Turn ye to the Lord your God, for He is merciful and gracious, and patient, and of great mercy, and repenteth Him with respect to the evil that He hath inflicted." ³ He can show mercy; He can turn back His judgment. He can mercifully pardon the repenting, the labouring, the beseeching sinner. He can regard as effectual whatever, in behalf of such as these, either martyrs have besought or priests have done. Or if any one move Him still more by his own atonement, if he appease His anger, if he appease the wrath of an indignant God by righteous entreaty, He gives arms again whereby the vanquished may be armed; He restores and confirms the strength whereby the refreshed faith may be invigorated. The soldier will seek his contest anew; he will repeat the fight, he will provoke the enemy, and indeed by his very suffering he is made braver for the battle. He who has thus made atonement to God; he who by repentance for his deed, who by shame for his sin, has conceived more both of virtue and of faith from the very grief of his fall, heard and aided by the Lord, shall make the Church which he had lately saddened glad, and shall now deserve of the Lord not only pardon, but a crown.