§9Huius igitur paenitentiae secundae et unius quanto in arto negotium est, tanto operosior probatio, ut non sola conscientia praeferatur, sed aliquo etiam actu administretur.
Since, therefore, the business of this second and unique repentance is restricted, its testing is so much the more laborious, so that it may not be displayed by conscience alone, but also be administered by some outward act.
Is actus, qui magis Graeco vocabulo exprimitur et frequentatur, exomologesis est, qua delictum domino nostrum confitemur, non quidem ut ignaro, sed quatenus satisfactio confessione disponitur, confessione paenitentia nascitur, paenitentia deus mitigatur.
This act, which is more commonly expressed and frequented by the Greek word, is exomologesis, by which we confess our sin to the Lord, not indeed as to one who is ignorant, but inasmuch as satisfaction is disposed by confession, from confession repentance is born, and by repentance God is appeased.
Itaque exomologesis prosternendi et humilificandi hominis disciplina est, conversationem iniungens misericordiae illicem.
Therefore, exomologesis is a discipline of prostrating and humbling a man, enjoining a way of life that entices mercy.
De ipso quoque habite atque victu mandat sacco et cineri incubare, corpus sordibus obscurare, animum maeroribus deiicere, illa quae peccavit tristi tractatione mutare, ceterum pastum et potum pura nosse, non ventris scilicet, sed animae causa, plerumque vero ieiuniis preces alere, ingemiscere, lacrimari et mugire dies noctesque ad dominum deum tuum, presbyteris advolvi, et caris dei adgeniculari, omnibus fratribus legationes deprecationis suae iniungere.
Concerning garment and food also, it commands to lie on sackcloth and ashes, to defile the body with filth, to cast down the mind with griefs, to reform those parts which have sinned by a sorrowful treatment, further, to know only pure food and drink—not indeed for the sake of the belly, but of the soul—and for the most part to feed prayers with fastings, to groan, to weep and to wail day and night to the Lord your God, to throw oneself at the feet of the presbyters, and to kneel before the beloved of God, to enjoin on all the brethren the embassies of one's own deprecation.
Haec omnia exomologesis, ut paenitentiam commendet, ut de periculi timore dominum honoret, ut in peccatorem ipsa pronuntians pro dei indignatione fungatur et temporali afflictatione aeterna supplicia, non dicam frustretur, sed expungat.
Exomologesis commands all these things so that it may recommend repentance, that it may honor the Lord from the fear of danger, that by pronouncing sentence upon the sinner itself, it may act in place of God's indignation, and by temporal affliction—I will not say frustrate, but rather—blot out eternal punishments.
Cum igitur provolvit hominem, magis relevat; cum squalidum facit, magis mundatum reddit; cum accusat, excusat; cum condemnat, absolvit.
When, therefore, it prostrates a man, it raises him up the more; when it makes him filthy, it renders him the cleaner; when it accuses, it excuses; when it condemns, it absolves.
In quantum non peperceris tibi, in tantum tibi deus, crede, parcet.
Believe that in quantum you do not spare yourself, in tantum God will spare you.
§10Plerosque tamen hoc opus, ut publicationem sui, aut suffugere aut de die in diem differre.
Yet most people either flee from this work as a publication of themselves, or defer it from day to day.
Praesumo, pudoris magis memores quam salutis; velut illi qui in partibus verecundioribus corporis contracta vexatione conscientiam medentium vitant et ita cum erubescentia sua pereunt.
I presume they are more mindful of shame than of salvation; like those who, having contracted a disease in the more shameful parts of the body, avoid the knowledge of physicians and so perish with their own embarrassment.
Intolerandum scilicet pudori domino offenso satisfacere, saluti prodactae reformari.
Doubtless it is intolerable to their shame to make satisfaction to an offended Lord, and to be reformed to a salvation that has been endangered.
Nae tu verecundia bonus, ad delinquendum expandens frontem, ad deprecandum vero subducens.
Indeed, you are honorable in your shame, expanding your forehead for sinning, but drawing it back for deprecating!
Ego rubori locum non facio, cum plus de detrimento eius acquiro, cum ipse hominem quodammodo exhortatur, Ne me respexeris, dicens, per te mihi melius est perire. Certe periculum eius tunc, si forte, onerosum est, cum penes insultaturos in risiloquio consistit, ubi de alterius ruina alter attollitur, ubi prostrato superscenditur: ceterum inter fratres atque conservos, ubi communis spes, metus, gaudium, dolor, passio, quia communis spiritus de communi domino et patre, quid tu hos aliud quam te opinaris? Quid consortes casuum tuorum ut plausores fugis? Non potest corpus de unius membri vexatione laetum agere; condoleat universum et ad remedium conlaboret necesse est.
I make no place for blush when I acquire more from its loss, when blush itself in a way exhorts a man, saying, "Do not look at me; it is better for me to perish through you." To be sure, its danger is burdensome then, if ever, when it consists in mockery in the hands of those who will insult, where one is exalted by another's ruin, where the prostrate is trodden upon: but among brethren and fellow-servants, where there is a common hope, fear, joy, grief, suffering, because there is a common Spirit from a common Lord and Father, what do you think of these other than as yourself? Why do you flee from the partners of your misfortunes as if they were applauders of your ruin? The body cannot be joyful at the suffering of one member; it is necessary that the whole should suffer together and labor together for the remedy.
In uno et altero ecclesia est, ecclesia vero Christus.
In one and another the Church is, and the Church is Christ.
Ergo cum te ad fratrum genua protendis, Christum contrectas, Christum exoras.
Therefore, when you stretch yourself to the knees of your brethren, you touch Christ, you entreat Christ.
Aeque illi cum super te lacrimas agunt, Christus patitur, Christus patrem deprecatur.
Likewise, when they shed tears over you, Christ suffers, Christ entreats the Father.
Facile impetratur semper quod filius postulat.
What the Son asks is always easily obtained.
Grande plane emolumentum verecundiae occultatio delicti pollicetur.
Truly, the concealment of a sin promises a great gain to shame.
Videlicet si quid humanae notitiae subduxerimus, proinde et deum celabimus? Adeone existimatio hominum et dei conscientia comparantur? An melius est damnatum latere quam palam absolvi? Miserum est sic ad exomologesin pervenire! Malo enim ad miseriam pervenitur; sed ubi paenitendum est, desinit miserum, quia factum est salutare.
Forsooth, if we withdraw anything from human knowledge, shall we likewise conceal it from God? Are the opinion of men and the knowledge of God compared in such a way? Or is it better to hide as one condemned than to be absolved openly? It is wretched to come to exomologesis in this way! For it is through evil that one comes to wretchedness; but where one must repent, wretchedness ceases, because it has become salutary.
Miserum est secari et cauterio exuri et pulveris alicuius mordacitate anxiari; tamen quae per insuavitatem medentur, et emolumento curationis offensam sui excusant et praesentem iniuriam superventurae utilitatis gratia commendant.
It is wretched to be cut, to be burned with cautery, and to be tormented by the biting of some powder; yet those things which heal through unpleasantness excuse their own offense by the benefit of the cure, and recommend the present injury for the sake of the future utility.