of salvation : lower the mind by grief; clothe the body in sackcloth; strew ashes on the head; fast; implore the prayers of the faithful. As you spare not yourselves, God will spare you. He is gentle, and patient, and full of mercy, and will reverse his sentence. I promise ; I am surety for you ; if you return by true satisfaction to your Father, going astray no more, adding nothing to your former sins, uttering the humble and plaintive words : Father, we have sinned before thee, we are not worthy to be called thy sons, (Luke, xv. 21,) he will again receive you, who says, I will not the death of the sinner,” &c. (Ezech. xviii. 32.) Paræn. ad Pænit. Bibl. PP. T. iv. p. 317.
ST. AMBROSE, L, C. “ There are some who ask for penance, that they may be at once restored to communion. These do not so much desire to be loosed, as to bind the Priest: for they do not unburden their own conscience, but they burden his; Christ having said : Give not that which is holy to dogs; neither cast ye your pearls before swine ; (Matt. vii. 6.) that is, the participation of the holy communion is not to be granted to the impure. Thus you may see persons walking about in white garments, who ought to be in tears, for having defiled that colour of grace and innocence.-Others there are, who, provided they abstain from the holy Sacraments, fancy they are doing penance.—Others, while they have this in view, conclude they are licensed to sin; not aware, that penance is the remedy, not the provocative, of sin.” De Pænit. L. ii. c. ix. T. ii. p. 434-5.-—“Let the Church weep for thee, and by her tears wash away thy sin : may Christ see thee weeping, that he may say: Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. (Matt. v. 5.)-Therefore did he immediately pardon Peter, because he wept bitterly. And if thou weep in like manner, Christ will look on thee, and thy sin will be cancelled. Sorrow extinguishes the propensities to evil, the gratifications of sin. Thus, whilst we grieve for what is passed, we oppose an obstacle
