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To this we need no answer but the words of our Blessed Saviour;* 1.1 If thy Brother trespasse against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent, thou shalt for∣give him. Now this seven times in a day, and se∣venty
times seven times, is not a determined num∣ber, but signifies infinitely. Seven times in a day do I praise thee, said David. From this definite number some Ages of the Church took their pat∣tern for their Canonical hours. It was well enough, though in the truth of the thing he meant, I will praise thee continually: and so must our pardoning be. For if Christ hath forgiven thee but seventy times seven times (saith St. Austin) then do thou also stop there;* 1.2 let his measure be thine. If he denied to spare thee for the next fault, do thou so to thy Brother. But St. Hierom observes concern∣ing this number, That Christ required us to forgive our Brother seventy times seven times in a day; that is, four hundred and ninety times; meaning, that we must be ready to forgive him oftner than he can need it.* 1.3 Now though he that sins frequently and repents frequently, gives great reason to be∣lieve that his repentances are but pretended, and that such repentances before God signifie nothing; yet that is nothing to us; it may be they are ren∣dred ineff••ctual by the relapse, and that they were good for the present, as Ahabs was: but whether they be or be not, yet if he be not ashamed to repent so often, we must think it no shame and no imprudence to forgive him, and to forgive him so, that he be restored intirely to his former state of good things; that is, there must be no let in thy charity; if there be in prudence, that's another consideration: But his second repentance must be accepted as well as his first, and his tenth as well as his fifth. And if any man think it hard so often to be tied to accept his repentance, let him understand that it is because himself hath not yet been called to judgment; he hath not heard the voice of the ex∣actor, he hath not yet been delivered to the tor∣mentors,
nor summed up his own accounts, nor beheld with amazement the vast number of his sins. He that hath in deepest apprehension placed himself before the dreadful Tribunal of God, or felt the smart of conscience, or hath been affrighted with the fears of hell, or remembers how often he hath been spared from an horrible damnation, will not be ready to strangle his Brother, and afflict him for a trifle, because he considers his own dangers of pe∣rishing for a sum which can never be paid, if it ne∣ver be forgiven.
Luk. 17.4.
de verbis Domini.
Ut toties peccanti fratri di∣mitteres in die, quoties ipse pec∣care non posset.