St. Ambrose of Milan, Penance 1, 15, 80 (c. 387-390 AD)
“For he is purged as if by certain works of the whole people, and is washed
in the tears of the multitude; by the prayers and tears of the multitude he is
redeemed from sin, and is cleansed in the inner man. For Christ granted to
His Church that one should be redeemed through all, just as His Church
was found worthy of the coming of the Lord Jesus so that all might be
redeemed through one.”
St. Augustine of Hippo, Sermon to Catechumens on the Creed 8, 16
(c. 395 AD)
“For those whom you see doing penance have committed crimes, either
adultery or some other enormities. That is why they are doing penance. If
their sins were light, daily prayer would suffice to blot them out … In the
Church, therefore, there are three ways in which sins are forgiven: in
baptisms, in prayer, and in the greater humility of penance.”
St. Augustine of Hippo, Homilies on the Gospel of John 124, 5 (416-
417 AD)
“...man is obliged to suffer, even when his sins are forgiven, ... for the
penalty is of longer duration than the guilt, lest the guilt should be
accounted small, were the penalty also to end with it. It is for this reason ...
that man is held in this life to the penalty, even when he is no longer held to
the guilt unto eternal damnation.”
St. Caesarius of Arles, Sermon 261, 1 (ante 542 AD)
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