Therefore, Peter died, so that a stone does not fall from the theater? It is better to be scourged than to be damned.
At least hold that place: do not murmur, do not blaspheme; rather praise your God, because he chastises you; praise him, because he corrects you, so that he may console you. For whom the Lord loves, he chastises, and he scourges every son whom he receives. You, a delicate son of the Lord, want to be accepted but do not want to be scourged; that you may abound and he may lie. Therefore, the memory of the Apostles, by which heaven is prepared for you, should always preserve for you the theaters of madmen on earth? Did Peter die and was buried so that a stone should not fall from the theater? God removes delights from the hands of undisciplined children. Brothers, let us diminish sins and murmurings: let us be enemies of our iniquities and our murmuring; let us be angry with ourselves, not with God. Be angry, indeed be angry, but to what purpose? And do not sin. Be angry for this purpose: so that you do not sin. Indeed, every man who repents is angry at himself: the penitent exercises anger against himself. Do you want God to spare you? Do not spare yourself: for if you spare yourself, he will not spare you; because if he spares you, you perish. You do not know what you wish for, miserable one, you perish. As it is written: He scourges every son whom he receives, so also fear this: The sinner has provoked the Lord. From where do you know, as if it were said, from where do you know that the sinner has provoked the Lord? I saw a happy sinner, I saw someone doing evil daily, and suffering no evil, and blaspheming in the Holy Spirit: I shuddered, I grieved. The sinner has provoked the Lord; this sinner, who did so much evil and suffers no evil, has provoked the Lord, has provoked the Lord: Because of the greatness of His wrath, He does not inquire. It follows: the sinner has provoked the Lord, because of the greatness of His wrath, He does not inquire. That is why He does not inquire, because He is very angry; he who takes away chastisement prepares damnation. He does not inquire: for if He inquired, He would scourge; if He scourged, He would correct. But now He is very angry, He is very angry with the prosperous wicked; do not envy them, do not want to be like them. It is better to be scourged than to be damned.
Then we are shown to love God, when we love the gains of God in our neighbor.
Thus, the Lord has entrusted His sheep to us, because He entrusted them to Peter; if indeed we are in any way worthy to tread the dust of Peter's footsteps, if indeed we are able, the Lord has entrusted His sheep to us. You are His sheep; with you, we are sheep, because we are Christians. I have already said, we are fed and we feed others. Love God, so that God may love you; and you cannot show how much you love God, except as much as you appear to love the gains of God. What do you have to offer to God, thoughtful man? What can you offer to God? What Peter also offered, all of this: Feed my sheep. What do you offer to God? That He may be greater? That He may be better? That He may be richer? That He may be more honored? Whatever you will be, He will be what He was. Therefore, consider beside you, lest perhaps you need to bestow on your neighbor what may reach God. When you have done it to one of the least of these, you have done it to Me. Therefore, if you are commanded to break bread for the hungry, should you close the church to one who knocks?
Grief of Augustine about a certain Donatist repulsed by the church. What do you wish to judge concerning the heart, man?
Why did I say this? We were saddened by what we heard, since we were not present, that certain individuals coming from the Donatists to the Church, confessing the sin of rebaptism, when they were being exhorted to repentance by the bishop, it was protested against by certain brothers, and they were driven away. I say to your Charity, our hearts were tormented by this; we confess to you, we did not approve of such diligence. I know they did it with zeal for God; I know, I do not doubt they did it with zeal for God; but they should also heed the apostle Paul, how he laments those who have zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. Behold, he was not admitted today, he will die tomorrow: from whose hands will it be demanded? You will say: But he is pretending. I respond: But he is seeking. I show that he is seeking; you show that he is pretending. Christian, now I want you to teach even me: how do you know he is pretending? Because he fears for his possessions. We know many who feared for their possessions, and therefore became Catholics; when they received freedom, some returned to them, while others remained. As long as they had not entered, they feared for their possessions; and when they entered, by learning they remained. How do you know therefore whether this one who fears for his possessions will be among those found to be pretenders, especially with such great light of truth approaching and such conviction of falsehood? Why do you wish to judge the heart, man? Therefore we have toiled, therefore we have labored, therefore the truth has been demonstrated invincible, so that it may be hostile to those who seek? We have labored so that the truth may be shown, falsehood convicted. The Lord assisted, it was done. Perhaps for whom it was done, he was changed by a certain consideration. Why do you wish to judge the heart? I see one seeking, and you accuse him of pretending? Christian, admit what you see, leave what you do not see to God. Briefly, I say to your Charity, we have heard from the Lord himself to feed the Lord's sheep; and we know what he says about the sheep through Ezekiel: that one sheep should not butt another, that one sheep should not push another, that the strong should not oppress the weak. Pay attention to what the Apostle says: Admonish the idle, comfort the fainthearted, support the weak. Admonish the idle: let this be done. Comfort the fainthearted: let this be done. Support the weak: let this be done. Be patient towards all: let this be done. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil: let this be done. He says so much: we only pay attention to: Admonish the idle. Pay attention: Admonish the idle. Count: Comfort the fainthearted, support the weak, be patient towards all, see that no one repays anyone evil for evil. You pay attention only to: Admonish the idle; be careful that you are not idle, and, what is worse, that you wish to be idle and not want to be admonished. We plead with you through Christ, we beseech you not to lay waste to our labor. Or do you think, that we are to be pleased because we have conquered falsehood? Victory always belongs to the truth. What are we? Falsehood is conquered, long since conquered; but thanks to God, because it is openly conquered and manifest to men. Worship abounded: why is fruitfulness hindered?
"Even those returning from heresy after a relapse are to be received kindly."
For the rest, brothers, let these things not happen: let no one love the Church in such a way that they envy the gains of the Church. Three days ago, or four days ago, this that I speak happened; and it did not lightly resound to everyone, because the Donatists are not admitted when they come to the church. Do you think that no harm was done because this resounded to everyone? I ask you, and therefore this voice resounded today, so that the matter which resounded badly may be overshadowed by that which resounded well. Pay attention; this is what we have said, this is what we preach. Let them come, let them be admitted as usual, who have never yet been Catholics. But those who have already been Catholics, and were found to be slippery, found to be inconstant and weak, found to be treacherous—do I spare them? absolutely treacherous—perhaps those who were treacherous will be faithful; let them also come to be admitted to penance. Nor should they flatter themselves, because returning to the part of Donatus they did penance there. That penance was about a good thing: let it be true about a bad thing. When they did penance in the part of Donatus, they repented for what they had done well; now let them act so that they repent what they did badly. Do you fear, because they were found treacherous, lest they trample on the holy? Behold, even to this your fear is addressed: they are dismissed in penance; they will be in penance, when they wish to be reconciled now with no one compelling, no one frightening. Because a penitent Catholic no longer suffers threats of laws; he started to want to be reconciled while no one was frightening: then at least believe the willingness. Suppose he was forced to be Catholic: he will be penitent. Who compels him to seek the place of reconciliation, except his own will? Therefore let us now admit the weakness, so that later we may test the willingness.