tirely on our following the interior movements of GOD immediately and without delay. Run, therefore, my Brother, hasten, and if "to-day," as the Prophet says, ye “hear His voice," delay not the answer till to-morrow (Ps. xcv.); but immediately begin a work which will be easier the sooner it is begun. CHAPTER XXV. Against those who defer their Repentance till the Hour WHAT WHAT we have said ought to be enough to confound those who leave their repentance, as we have said, to the hour of death. For, if it is so dangerous to leave it to some future day, what must it be to leave it till that time? But because this delusion is extensively spread in the world, and many souls perish thereby, it is necessary that we should treat of it in particular. And though there is some danger in treating of this subject, because it might be an occasion of discouragement to some weak brethren; it is a greater danger that men should not know the danger to which they expose themselves by waiting for this time. For if we weigh both perils, the last is beyond comparison the greatest, for we see how many more souls are lost by indiscreet confidence, than by excessive fear. Therefore, we, who are set upon the watch-tower with Ezekiel, (Ezek. iii. 17-20; xxxiii. 2–7), must warn men of their danger, lest they whom we ought to warn should complain of being deceived, and lest, if they perish, their blood be required at our hand. And since we have no light and truth in this life but that of the Divine Scriptures, and of the holy fathers and doctors who explain them, let us see what they say on this subject, for I suppose that no man will be so presumptuous as to prefer his own opinion to theirs. And following this method, we will first bring forward what holy men of old say, and then what Holy Scripture teaches on this subject. But before we begin this subject, let us first lay down as a groundwork what S. Augustine and all the Doctors in general assert, namely, that as true repentance is the work of GOD, so He can inspire it when He pleases, and therefore, whenever repentance is sincere, even were it at the point of death, it is able to give salvation. But how seldom this occurs, I would not have you take either my word or your own judgment, but listen to the Saints, by whose mouths the HOLY GHOST spoke, and to whose words and testimony we should give credit. Hear first what S. Augustine says in his book on True and False Repentance, "Let no man delay his repentance till he can no longer sin, for this is a thing in which GOD requires of us freedom and not necessity, and therefore the man who lets his sins leave him before he leaves them, does not seem to leave them willingly, but by compulsion. Wherefore, those who would not turn to GOD when they were able, and come afterwards to confess when they can sin no longer, will not so easily obtain what they desire." And a little further on, explaining the nature of this conversion, he says, "That man is converted to GOD who thoroughly and wholly returns to Him, who does not merely fear punishment, but strives to obtain GOD's favours and graces. And if any man should be thus converted at the end of his life, we are not to despair of his pardon. But because this perfect conversion is hardly, or very rarely, found at that time, there is reason to fear for one who is converted so late. For hardly can a man, wearied with the pains of sickness, and terrified with the fear of punishment, succeed in making true satisfaction, especially when he sees the children whom he loves inordinately, his wife, and the world, all dragging at him. And because there are many hindrances to repentance at this time, it is a very perilous thing, nay, almost certain perdition to delay that remedy till death." S. Ambrose also, in his book on Penitence, (though the words are attributed by some to S. Augustine), treats copiously on this subject, speaking thus, "As to the man who asks for the Sacrament of Penance and receives it at the very end of his life, I confess that we do not deny his request, but I dare not affirm that he departs from this world with good hope. I repeat once more that I dare not say it, I do not promise it, I do not say it, Q I will not deceive you." Wouldst thou be freed from this doubt, Brother? Wouldst thou escape this uncertainty? Repent whilst thou art in health. If thou doest this, I tell thee that thou hast made a good beginning, for thou repentest in a time when thou couldst still sin. But if thou delayest thy repentance till the time when thou canst not sin, it is plain that the sins leave thee, not thou the sins. S. Isidore says the same in these words, "Let any man who desires to be assured of salvation at the hour of death repent whilst he is in health, and weep then for his misdeeds; but one who lives a bad life and then repents at the hour of death, incurs great peril, for his condemnation is uncertain indeed, but his salvation is doubtful." These are fearful words, but far more so are those which Eusebius, the disciple of S. Jerome, writes that his holy master spake when he was expiring, prostrate on the floor, covered with sackcloth. But I dare not relate them with the rigour with which they are written, lest weak souls be dismayed, and therefore whosoever will may read them in the fourth volume of the works of S. Jerome, in a letter from Eusebius to the Bishop Damasus on the glorious death of that Saint. Here is a part of what he says, “Can the man who has persevered in sin all the days of his life say, I will repent and be converted, at the hour of death? Oh, how sad a comfort is this! For one who has lived a whole life of wickedness, without remembering, except perchance in dreams, that there is such a thing as penitence, will find it a very uncertain resource at that hour. Entangled in worldly business, worn out with the pains of sickness, afflicted with the remembrance of the children whom he must leave, and with the love of temporal things which he no longer hopes to enjoy; surrounded with all these distresses, how is he prepared to lift up his heart to GOD and truly to repent, which he never did in his life whilst he hoped to live, and which he would not do now if he looked for recovery? What is the repentance, then, that only accompanies the departure of life? I know some rich men, who, after dangerous sicknesses, have recovered their bodily health, whilst their souls became more diseased. This I hold, this I think, this I have learned by long experience, that for a man to make a good end whose life has always been evil, who never feared to sin, and who always followed after vanity, is indeed a marvel." These are the words of Eusebius, and they show how greatly that holy Doctor feared concerning the deathbed repentance of one who had never repented in his life. Nor does S. Gregory fear it less. On Job's words, "What is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when GOD taketh away his soul? Will GOD hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him?" (Job xxvii. 8, 9), he speaks thus, "GOD hears not in time of trouble the voice of one who, in time of peace, refused to hear his Master's voice. For it is written,' He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.' (Prov. xxviii. 9.) Holy Job then seeing how those who now refuse to do aright come at the end of their lives to ask mercies of GOD, says, Will GOD hear the cry of such men? And these words agree with those of our Redeemer, 'Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, LORD, LORD, open to us. But He answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.' (S. Matt. xxv. II, 12.) For GOD'S severity in that time will be great in proportion as His mercy is greater now, and He Who now so graciously offers His mercy to sinners, will then chastise them with more rigorous justice." These are S. Gregory's words. Hugo of S. Victor also, in the second book of the Sacraments, in conformity with the opinions of these saints, says, "It is a hard thing for that repentance to be true which comes late, and the repentance which appears forced is very suspicious. For it is an easy thing for a man to believe that he does not desire what he cannot have, whereas the power shows plainly what the will is. Therefore, if thou dost not repent whilst thou hast the power, it is an argument that thou art not willing." The Master of the Sentences follows the same path, and says, "As true repentance is the work of GOD, He can inspire it whenever He pleases, and in mercy reward those whom He might condemn in His justice. But because at that hour there are many things to distract a man from this work, it is a perilous thing and well-nigh mortal to delay the medicine of penitence |