15. “Forgiveness of
sins.” Ye have [this article of] the Creed perfectly in you when
ye receive Baptism. Let none say, “I have done this or that sin:
perchance that is not forgiven me.” What hast thou done? How
great a sin hast thou done? Name any heinous thing thou hast
committed, heavy, horrible, which thou shudderest even to think of:
have done what thou wilt: hast thou killed Christ? There is not
than that deed any worse, because also than Christ there is nothing
better. What a dreadful thing is it to kill Christ! Yet the Jews
killed Him, and many afterwards believed on Him and drank His
blood: they are forgiven the sin which they committed. When ye have
been baptized, hold fast a good life in the commandments of God,
that ye may guard your Baptism even unto the end. I do not tell you
that ye will live here without sin; but they are venial, without
which this life is not. For the sake of all sins was Baptism
provided; for the sake of light sins, without which we cannot be,
was prayer provided.1803
What hath the Prayer?
“
Forgive us our
debts, as we also
forgive our
debtors.”
1804
Once for
all we have washing in
Baptism, every day we have washing in
prayer. Only, do not
commit those things for which ye must needs be
separated from
Christ’s body: which be
far from you! For those
whom ye have seen doing penance,
1805
| 1805 “Agere
pœnitentiam.” |
have
committed heinous things,
either adulteries or some enormous
crimes: for these they do
penance. Because if theirs had been light sins, to blot out these
daily prayer would suffice.
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