that he has attained to the state of repentance; and that he has entreated forgiveness and mercy from God; upon these grounds you hope every thing for his salvation, and you no longer entertain a doubt but that the Lord hath shown him mercy: some reluctant marks of religion, which have been extorted from him, are sufficient, in your idea, to secure to him the kingdom of God, into which nothing defiled shall ever enter; are sufficient, I say, in spite of the excesses and abominations of his whole life; and an entire life of virtue is not sufficient, in your opinion, to render it certain to a faithful soul, from the moment that he mingles the smallest infidelity with his past conduct: you save the wicked on the most frivolous and equivocal appearances of piety, and you condemn the just on the slightest and most excusable proofs of humanity and weakness.
I might add, my brethren, that, consulting only your own interests, the imperfections of the pious ought to find you more indulgent and favourable.
For they alone, my brethren, spare you: they alone conceal your vices, smooth your faults, excuse your errors, and with pleasure dwell upon whatever may be praiseworthy in your virtue; while the world, your equals, your rivals, and your pretended friends, perhaps lessen your talents and services, speak with contempt of all your good qualities, ridicule your defects, number your misfortunes amongst your faults, exaggerate these very faults, and impoison your most innocent words and actions; the virtuous alone excuse you, justify your heart, and are the eulogists of your virtues, or the prudent dissemblers of your vices; they alone break up those conversations in which your reputation is attacked; they alone refuse to join with the public against you; and for them alone you are destitute of humanity, and to them alone you cannot pardon even the virtues which render them estimable. Ah! my brethren, return them at least what they lend to you; spare your protectors and apologists, and by decrying them, do not debilitate the only favourable testimony which is left for you among men.
But I speak too gently; not only the pious refuse to join with the malignity of the public against you, but they alone are your true friends; they alone are touched with your misfortunes, affected by your wanderings, and interested in your salvation; they carry you in their heart; while excusing your passions and irregularities before men, they silently lament over them before God; they raise up their hands for you to heaven; they supplicate your conversion; they entreat the forgiveness of your crimes; and you cannot bring yourselves to render justice even to their piety and innocence? Ah! they may make against you the same complaint to the Lord, that the prophet Jeremiah formerly made against the Jews of his time, unjust censurers of his piety and conduct; * Give heed to me, O Lord/3 said that man of God, " and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me. Shall evil be recompensed for good? For they have digged a pit for my soul; remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, and to turn away thy wrath from them."
