Tertullian, On Repentance 4
IV. [1] Therefore for all delicts committed whether in flesh or spirit, whether by deed or by will, he who destined punishment through judgment also pledged pardon through repentance, saying to the people: “Repent and I will save you.” [2] And again: “As I live,” says the Lord, “I prefer repentance to death.” Therefore repentance is life, which is set before death. You, sinner — my like, rather less than I, for I confess my lead in delicts — invade it, embrace it, as a shipwrecked man the trust of some plank. [3] This will lift you, sunk in the waves of sins, and draw you on into the harbor of divine clemency. Seize the chance of unexpected happiness, that you who were once nothing with the Lord but a drop of a bucket and dust of the threshing-floor and a potter’s vessel may then become a tree — that tree which is planted by the waters and lasts in leaves and in its time yields fruit, which will see neither fire nor axe. [4] Let it repent of errors when truth is found; let it repent of having loved what God does not love, since not even we ourselves allow our servants to know those things by which we are offended: for the reason of obedience is set in likeness of minds. [5] The matter of enumerating the good of repentance is sprawling and for that reason to be committed to great eloquence; but we, for our narrowness, drive one point: that is good and best which God commands. [6] I think it boldness to debate the good of a divine precept; for we ought to listen not because it is good, but because God commanded: for the display of obedience the majesty of divine power is prior, the authority of the one commanding is prior.
Latin
IV. [1] Omnibus ergo delictis seu carne seu spiritu, seu facto seu voluntate commissis qui poenam per iudicium destinavit, idem et veniam per paenitentiam spopondit dicens ad populum: paenitere et salvum faciam te. [2] Et rursus: vivo, inquit, dicit dominus et paenitentiam malo quam mortem. Ergo paenitentia vita est, quae praeponitur morti. Eam tu peccator, mei similis - immo me minor: ego enim praestantiam in delictis meam agnosco - ita invade, ita amplexare ut naufragus alicuius tabulae fidem. [3] Haec te peccatorum fluctibus mersum prolevabit et in portum divinae clementiae protelabit. Rape occasionem inopinatae felicitatis, ut ille tu nihil quondam penes dominum nisi stilla situlae et areae pulvis et vasculum figuli arbor exinde fias, illa arbor quae penes aquas seritur et in foliis perennat et tempore suo fructus agit, quae non ignem, non securem videbit. [4] Paeniteat errorum reperta veritate, paeniteat amasse quae deus non amat, quando ne nos quidem ipsi servulis nostris ea, quibus offendimur, nosse permittimus: obsequi enim ratio in similitudine animorum constituta est. [5] De bono paenitentiae enumerando diffusa et per hoc magno eloquio committenda materia est: nos vero pro nostris angustiis unum inculcamus, bonum atque optimum esse quod deus praecipit. [6] Audaciam existimo de bono divini praecepti disputare; neque enim quia bonum est, idcirco auscultare debemus, sed quia deus praecepit: ad exhibitionem obsequi prior est maiestas divinae potestatis, prior est auctoritas imperantis quam utilitas servientis. [7] 'Bonum est paenitere an non?' Quid revolvis? deus praecepit! Atenim ille non praecipit tantum, sed etiam hortatur; invitat praemio: salute; iurans etiam, vivo dicens cupit credi sibi. [8] O beatos nos quorum causa deus iurat; o miserrimos si nec iuranti domino credimus! Quod iterum deus tantopere conmendat, quod etiam humano more sub deieratione testatur, summa utique gravitate et adgredi et custodire debemus, ut in adseveratione divinae gratiae permanentes in fructu quoque eius et emolumento proinde perseverare possimus.