Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume IV/Commodianus/The Instructions of Commodianus/Chapter 50

XLIX.&#8212;To Penitents.

Thou art become a penitent; pray night and day; yet from thy Mother the Church do not far depart, and the Highest will be able to be merciful to thee.&#160; The confession of thy fault shall not be in vain.&#160; Equally in thy state of accusation learn to weep manifestly.&#160; Then, if thou hast a wound, seek herbs and a physician; and yet in thy punishments thou shalt be able to mitigate thy sufferings.&#160; For I will even confess that I alone of you am here, and that terror must be foregone.&#160; I have myself felt the destruction; and therefore I warn those who are wounded to walk more cautiously, to put thy hair and thy beard in the dust of the earth, and to be clothed in sackcloth, and to entreat from the highest King will aid thee, that thou perish not perchance from among the people.