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Chapter 28GuiaPec.1.28

Capítulo XXV. Contra los que dilatan la penitencia hasta la hora de la muerte

The Danger of Delay

The author introduces the grave spiritual peril of postponing repentance until the hour of death.

What we have already said ought to be enough to shame others who put off penance until the hour of death, as we have already explained. For if putting it off until later is so great a danger, what will it be when it is left until this last moment?¹ But because this deception is so widespread and so many souls perish because of it, we need to address it specifically. Although there is some risk in discussing this—since it could cause distrust among the weak—it is far more dangerous that people don't realize the risk they take by saving their penance for the final hour.² When you weigh both dangers, this one is incomparably greater, since we see far more souls lost through reckless confidence than through excessive fear. And therefore we who are set on Ezekiel's watchtower ought to warn of these dangers, so that those who should be warned by us cannot claim they were misled; and if they are lost, their blood may not fall on us.^✦ And since we have no other light or other truth in this life except that of divine Scripture and of the holy fathers and doctors who expound it, let us see what they say about this; for I firmly believe no one will be so bold as to dare set his own opinion above theirs.³ Proceeding this way, let us first present what the ancient saints say, and finally what Holy Scripture teaches us about this.

The Witness of the Saints

A collection of testimonies from Church Fathers and doctors warning against the uncertainty and difficulty of deathbed conversion.

I. Authorities from the ancient saints: on final penitence But before we get into this, let's first accept what Saint Augustine and all the doctors generally agree on: just as true penance is God's work, he can inspire it whenever he wills; therefore, whenever penance is true, even if it comes at the point of death, it has the power to bring salvation.⁴ But as for how rarely this happens—I don't want either you or me to be believed on this point, but rather the saints, through whose mouth the Holy Spirit spoke; and by their sayings and testimonies it is only right that we all stand. Listen, then, first to what Saint Augustine says on this matter in the book On True and False Penance: "Let no one wait to do penance until he can no longer sin, because God asks freedom of us for this, not necessity.⁵ Therefore, someone whom sins leave first, rather than someone who leaves them, doesn't seem to be leaving them by choice, but by necessity. So those who would not turn to God when they still could, and later come to confess when they can no longer sin, will not so easily obtain what they desire." A little further on, explaining what this conversion must be, he says: "That person turns to God who turns wholly and entirely to him—who not only fears the punishments, but strives to obtain the grace and the goods of the Lord." And if someone happens to convert in this way at the end of their life, we shouldn't despair of their forgiveness. But because so perfect a conversion is scarcely found, or only very rarely, at that time, there is reason to fear for the one who turns so late. It's difficult for someone crushed by the pain of sickness and terrified by the fear of punishment to make true satisfaction, especially when they see their children—whom they loved in a disordered way—along with their spouse and the world, all pulling at them. Because so many things block a person from doing penance at that hour, it's extremely dangerous—and very close to ruin—to put off the remedy until death. And even so, I say that if such a person should obtain forgiveness for his sins, he will not for that reason be free of all the penalties.⁶ They must first be purged by the fire of purgatory, because they left the fruit of satisfaction for the next world.⁷ This fire, though not eternal like the fire of hell, is still extraordinarily severe, as it surpasses every kind of pain ever suffered in this world. Such torments have never been felt in mortal flesh, even considering the great sufferings of the martyrs or those endured by certain criminals. Therefore, let everyone correct their wrongs now so they won't need to suffer such terrible torments after death. These are Saint Augustine's words; in them, you'll see the great danger people put themselves in when they deliberately save penance for that final hour. Saint Ambrose also, in his book On Penance (though others attribute this saying to Saint Augustine himself), treats this matter at length, and among many other things, he says: "If anyone at the very end of life asks for the Sacrament of Penance and receives it, and then departs this life—I confess to you that we do not deny him what he asks, but we dare not affirm that he leaves here well directed."⁸ I say it again: I dare not claim that; I don't promise it to you; I don't say it; I don't want to deceive you. So then, brother, do you want to be free of this doubt and escape such uncertainty? Do penance while you're still healthy. If you do it that way, I tell you that you're well directed, because you did penance at a time when you still could sin. But if you wait to do penance until a time when you could no longer sin, the sins left you—you did not leave them." Saint Isidore says the same thing in these words: "Anyone who wants to be sure of forgiveness at the hour of death should do penance while he is healthy, and then weep for his wickedness; but the one who, having lived badly, does penance at the hour of dying runs great danger, because just as his condemnation is uncertain, so his salvation is doubtful." All these words are terrifying, but even more so are the ones Eusebius, a disciple of Saint Jerome, recorded his holy master saying as he lay dying on the ground, dressed in sackcloth. I won't dare repeat them with the same severity they were written, so as not to discourage the weak, but anyone who wishes may read them in the fourth volume of Saint Jerome’s works, in a letter Eusebius wrote to Bishop Damasus regarding the glorious death of Saint Jerome. Among other things, he says: "Can someone who has persevered in sin every day of his life really say, 'At the hour of death I will do penance and convert'?" Oh, how sad this consolation is! For someone who has lived a bad life, barely remembering—except perhaps in a half-dream—what penance even was, will find this a very doubtful remedy at the hour of death. When a person is entangled in worldly business, worn down by the pain of illness, distressed by thoughts of the children they are leaving behind, and clinging to the love of temporal goods they no longer expect to enjoy—hemmed in by all these anguishes—how ready are they to lift their heart to God and make true penance? They never did it while they expected to live, and they wouldn't do it now if they expected to recover. So what kind of penance is it that is done when life itself is taking leave? I know some of the rich of this age who, after serious illnesses, recovered their health and grew worse in the health of their soul. This I hold, this I think, this I have learned by long experience: that only rarely will the one whose life was always bad have a good end—he who never feared to sin and always served vanity."⁹ Up to this point these are the words of the said Eusebius, in which you see the fear this holy doctor has of the penance done at this hour by the one who never did it in all his life. Saint Gregory expresses no less fear on this point, commenting on the words of Job: "What hope will the hypocrite have if he steals what belongs to another?"^✦ "Will God by any chance hear his cry on the day of his anguish?"^✦ He writes: "God does not hear the cries of the one in a time of anguish who, in a time of peace, refused to hear the voice of his Lord." For it is written: Whoever shuts his ears so as not to hear the law—his prayer will not be received.^✦ So, considering how everyone who stops doing good turns at the end of life to ask God for favors, holy Job asks: Will God by any chance hear the cry of such people? In these words, he agrees with the Redeemer’s judgment, who says: At the end, the foolish virgins came, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us.'^✦ And they were answered: 'Truly I tell you, I do not know you.'^✦ For at that time God uses so much greater severity as He now uses greater mercy; and then He who now kindly offers them His mercy will punish those who sinned with greater rigor of justice." So far, these are the words of Saint Gregory. Hugh of Saint Victor also, in the second book of On the Sacraments, agreeing with the judgments of these saints, speaks this way: "It is a hard thing for penance to be true when it comes late; and that penance must be highly suspect which seems forced. After all, it's easy to believe that a person doesn't want what they can't do.¹⁰ So ability makes the will very clear. For this reason, if you don't do penance when you're able, it's proof that you don't want to." The Master of the Sentences follows this same path, saying: “Since true penitence is a work of God, He can inspire it whenever He wills, and by mercy reward those He could condemn by justice.” But because there are many things at that final stage that¹¹ hold a man back from this work, it is a dangerous thing, and close to death, to put off the remedy of penance until then.¹² But it's a great thing for God to inspire it at that hour, if there is anyone in whom He inspires it. Look at these words—how much they give you reason to fear! So what madman dares to put the greatest of treasures in the greatest of dangers? Is there anything in the world greater than your salvation? So what person in their right mind would put something so precious in such great danger? So this is the judgment of all these great doctors. From this you'll see how great a madness it is for you to treat as safe the crossing of a gulf that such wise pilots speak of with such great fear.¹³ Dying well is a craft you must learn over a lifetime; at the hour of death, there is so much to do in the act of dying that there is barely any room left to learn how to do it well.¹⁴

The Scholastic Perspective

A detailed analysis of the obstacles to true repentance at the end of life, drawing on the reasoning of scholastic doctors like Scotus.

II. Authorities of the scholastic doctors on the same subject To confirm this truth even further, we should look at what the scholastic doctors have to say about it. Among them, Scotus treats this question quite deliberately in the fourth book of the Sentences, where he sets down a conclusion that runs like this: “Penance done at the hour of death is scarcely true penance, because of the great difficulty there is then in doing it.”¹⁵ He supports this conclusion with four reasons. The first is the great obstacle that the pains of illness and the presence of death put in the way, at that hour, of lifting the heart to God and occupying it in the exercises of true penance. To understand this, you need to know that all the passions of our heart have a powerful way of pulling a person's attention and free will along with them.¹⁶ According to the rules of philosophy, the passions that bring sadness are far more powerful in this regard than those that cause joy. It follows that the passions and affections of someone near death are the strongest of all; because, as Aristotle says, "the final crisis, and the most terrible of terrible things, is death"—a moment filled with so many bodily pains, so many anguishes in the soul, and so much distress over the children, the spouse, and the world one is leaving behind.¹⁷ So, amid such fierce winds of passion, where can the mind and thought be, if not exactly where those strong pains and passions have dragged them? We see by experience that when someone is in a pain of the side, or some other sharp pain, even if he is a virtuous man, he can hardly keep his mind fixed on God at that moment; instead, all his attention is where the pain calls it. So if this happens to the just man, what will become of the one who never knew what it was to think of God—and who, the more he is used to loving his body more than his soul, the more readily turns to the danger of his greater friend than of his lesser one?¹⁸ Among the four obstacles to contemplation that Saint Bernard identifies, he lists the body's poor condition, because the soul becomes so occupied with feeling the pains of its flesh that it can scarcely admit any thought other than the one currently wearing it down. If this is true, what madness it is to wait for the worst of the body's disorders before taking up the greatest of the soul's affairs! I heard of a person who, while at the point of death and being told to prepare for the end, felt such great anguish at seeing death so near that he acted as if he could hold it back with his hands; his only concern was to ask in great haste for remedies and restoratives to avoid that bitter cup, if it were possible. When a priest saw him so forgetful of what that hour required and warned him to leave those worries behind and start calling on God, the man, pressured by that good counsel, answered with words far removed from what the moment called for; and with those words, he died. And the one who spoke that way had been a virtuous person. From this, you can see how the presence of death will unsettle those who love life, when it so unsettled someone who once despised it. I also learned of another person who, while in a severe illness and thinking his hour had already come, longed intensely—before he left this life—to speak for a while, fully and purposefully, with God, and to go before his Judge with some devout plea; yet it seemed to him that the constant pains and attacks of the illness never gave him a moment of relief to do it.¹⁹ So if even for this alone there is such poor readiness there, what madman saves the remedy for his whole life for a time like that?²⁰ The doctor’s second reason is that true penance must be voluntary—meaning it’s done with a ready will, not just out of sheer necessity. This is why Saint Augustine says: "It is necessary not only to fear the Judge, but also to love him." And to do whatever one does by will, and not by necessity. So,²¹ The person who never did true penance in all his life, and waits until then to do it, doesn't seem to do it by free will, but purely out of necessity. And if they do it for this reason alone, their penance isn't truly voluntary. That was the kind of penance Shimei offered for the offense he committed against David when David was fleeing from his son Absalom. Once he saw David return victorious and realized the harm he might face, he hurried ahead with a large group to meet the king and, with deep humility, ask for pardon for his past guilt. When David’s relative Abishai saw this, he exclaimed, "What!"²² Is Shimei to escape death with these feigned words after doing such a great injury to King David?²³ .²⁴ But the holy king, who understood how little merit that satisfaction really had, prudently overlooked it for the time being. He did not, however, leave him unpunished; instead, at the hour of his death, with a zeal for justice rather than vengeance, he left instructions in his will for his son Solomon to give Shimei what he deserved—and Solomon did just that.²⁵ Such, then, seems the penance of many bad Christians: having gone on offending God all their lives, when the hour of reckoning comes—seeing death right before their eyes, the grave open, and the Judge present, and understanding that there is no force or power against that supreme power, and that in that moment what must be forever is decided—they turn to the Judge with great pleadings and solemn protestations. If those are true, they are not without profit; but the usual outcome of them shows what they are, because by experience we have seen many of these who, if they escape that danger, soon neglect everything they promised, go back to being what they were, and even revoke the provisions they had ordered for the discharge of their conscience—like men who did all this not from virtue and love of God, but only from the desperate haste they were in; and when that haste ceased, the effect that followed from it ceased as well.²⁶²⁷ In this way, that kind of penance is a lot like what sailors do during a great storm, when they resolve to change their lives and promise to practice great virtues. But once the storm is over and they've escaped the present danger, they at once go back to swearing and blaspheming as they did before, paying no more heed to all that had passed than if it had been a purpose dreamed in sleep. The third reason is that the evil habit of sinning that a wicked person has kept their whole life tends to stay with them, like a shadow with the body, right up to death; for habit is like a second nature, and it's only overcome with great difficulty. And so we see from experience many people at that hour so forgetful of their soul, so miserly toward it even in death, so fiercely set on the love of life—if they could buy it back at any price—so captive to the love of this world and of everything they loved in it, as if they were not at the passage where they stand.²⁸ Haven't you seen some elderly people, at that final hour, so careful and covetous, so intent on watching over their little rags and scraps, with hands so closed to every good deed, and with an appetite still so keen even for what they cannot take with them?²⁹ This is a kind of penalty with which God often punishes guilt, allowing it to accompany its author all the way to the grave, as Saint Gregory says: "With this kind of punishment God punishes the sinner, allowing the one who did not remember God in life to forget himself in death." In this way, one act of forgetting is punished with another: the forgetting that was guilt is met with the one that is at once both penalty and guilt. We see this every day from experience, for we have so often heard of many who let themselves die in the arms of the wicked women they loved wrongly, unwilling to send them from their company even at that hour, because by God's just judgment they were forgetful of themselves and of their souls. The fourth reason is based on the kind of worth that works done at that moment ordinarily tend to have. It’s clear to anyone who knows God that this kind of service pleases Him much less than service offered at other times. For, as the holy virgin Lucy used to say, "What great thing is it to be so free with what you have to leave behind here anyway, even if it grieves you?"³⁰ What’s so great about forgiving an insult there, when it would be even more disgraceful not to? What’s so great about giving up your mistress when, even if you wanted to, you couldn't keep her in the house anymore?³¹ For these reasons, then, this doctor concludes that at that hour true penitence is done only with difficulty; and he goes still further, saying that “the Christian who deliberately decides to put off penitence until that hour sins mortally, because of the great offense he does to his soul and the enormous danger in which he puts his salvation.” So what is there to fear more than this?

The Voice of Scripture

The author appeals to the authority of Holy Scripture, particularly the warnings of Wisdom and the parable of the ten virgins, to confirm the danger of delay.

III. Scriptural authorities for the same purpose. But because the whole weight of this argument rests mainly on the word of God—since there is no appeal or answer against it—listen now to what it teaches us about this. In the first chapter of Proverbs, after Solomon has written the words with which Eternal Wisdom calls people to repentance, he then sets down what she will say to those who rebel against this call, in this form: Because I called you, and you would not answer my call; I stretched out my hands, and there was no one who would look at them; and you despised all my rebukes and counsel — I too will laugh at your death and mock you when the evils you feared come upon you. When death comes suddenly, like a storm rising at an unexpected hour, they will call on me, but I will not hear them. They will rise early in the morning to present themselves before me, but they will not find me, because they hated discipline and instruction, had no fear of God, and would not obey my counsel.³² These are the words of Solomon—or rather, of God himself—which Saint Gregory, in the aforementioned book of the Morals, understands and expounds for the purpose we are discussing here. So, what is your answer to this? Why shouldn't these threats be enough—since they come from God—to make you fear such a great danger and prepare yourself in time for that hour? Now listen to another testimony, just as clear. Speaking in the Gospel of his coming to judgment, the Savior urgently urges his disciples to be ready for that hour, bringing them for this purpose many comparisons by which they might understand how much it mattered to them. He says: Blessed is the servant whom the master finds watching at that hour. But if the wicked servant says in his heart, "My master is taking a long time; I still have time to get ready," and meanwhile gives himself over to eating, drinking, and harming his fellow servants, his master will come on a day he doesn't expect and at an hour he doesn't know. He will cut him in two and assign him the punishment given to hypocrites.³³ Here it seems clear that the Lord knew well the schemes of the wicked and the paths they look for for their vices, and for this reason he meets them on the road and tells them how it will go with them along it, and where their false confidences will end. So what other case are we dealing with now, if not this one?³⁴ What am I saying here, if not what the Lord himself says? You are that wicked servant who makes the same calculation in your heart, wanting to take advantage of the delay to eat, drink, and continue in the same offenses. So how can you not fear this threat from the One who is as powerful to carry it out as He is to make it? He is speaking with you; He has this matter with you; He is saying it to you.³⁵ Wake up, you miserable one, and prepare yourself in time, so you won't be torn to pieces when the hour of this judgment comes. It seems to me that I'm spending a great deal of time on something so clear. But what am I to do, when even with all this I see a very great part of the world covering itself with this cloak?³⁶ So, to help you see even more clearly how great this danger is, listen to another testimony from the same Savior. Once he finishes these words, he immediately adds: Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten virgins, five foolish and five wise. Then, he says. When, then? When the Judge comes, and the hour of his judgment arrives—both the universal judgment of all and the particular judgment of each one, as Saint Augustine declares; because what is determined in the particular is not altered in the universal.³⁷ So at this point, the Lord says, it will happen to you as it happened to the ten virgins, five foolish and five wise, who were waiting for the bridegroom to arrive.³⁸ The wise ones prepared themselves in time with lamps and oil so they could go out to meet him, but the foolish ones, as they were, paid no attention to this.^✦ At midnight, in the hour of deepest sleep—when people are most careless and least expect this moment—the alarm was raised, saying the bridegroom was coming and they should go out to meet him.^✦³⁹ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps; those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut. But those who weren't ready began trying to supply themselves and get prepared, crying out to the bridegroom, "Lord, Lord, open to us!"^✦⁴⁰ He answered them, "Truly I tell you, I do not know you."^✦ The holy Gospel concludes the parable and its explanation by saying: "Therefore, keep watch and be ready, since you do not know the day or the hour."^✦ It is as if it said: "Do you see how well the virgins who were ready came through this ordeal, and how badly those who weren't?" Therefore, since you do not know the day or the hour of this coming, and the business of your salvation depends so much on this readiness, keep watch and be ready at all times, so that day does not catch you unprepared like these virgins and you perish as they perished."^✦ This is the literal sense of this parable, as Cardinal Cajetan declares in this place, where he says: "This alone we take from here: that the penance put off until the hour of death—when this⁴¹ The phrase 'Look, the bridegroom is coming' isn't safe; in fact, this parable describes it as not genuine.⁴² And at the end this doctor sets down the resolution of the whole parable, saying: "The conclusion of this teaching is to make clear that, therefore, the five foolish virgins were rejected because, when the bridegroom came, they were not ready; and for this reason the other five were admitted, because they were prepared. For that reason we ought always to be so, since we do not know the hour of this coming."⁴³ What could be stated more clearly than this?⁴⁴ That's why I'm so astonished that, after so clear a justification of this truth, people still dare to put themselves off and take comfort in this weak hope.⁴⁵ Before this light was so clear, I wouldn't have been nearly as surprised if people convinced themselves of the opposite or tried to deceive themselves. But now that the Master from heaven has settled the matter—and the Judge himself has declared to us through so many examples the laws of his judgment and how he will judge us—what sound mind can believe that the outcome will be anything other than what the One who is to pass sentence has already preached?⁴⁶⁴⁷

Addressing Objections

The author addresses common counter-arguments, such as the salvation of the Good Thief, clarifying the difference between extraordinary grace and the ordinary rule of life.

IV. Some objections are answered. But perhaps, in response to all this, you'll say to me: "Well then, didn't the thief get saved with a single word at the hour of his death?"^✦ . To this, Saint Augustine replies in the book already cited that the Good Thief’s confession was the moment of his conversion, his baptism, and his death, all at once.^✦⁴⁸ So just as someone who dies as soon as baptism is finished—as has happened to many others—goes straight to heaven, so it was with this blessed thief, because that hour was for him the hour of his baptism.^✦ It is also answered that this work, as marvelous as all the similar miracles and works, had been prophesied and reserved for the coming of the Son of God into the world and as a witness to his glory; and so it was fitting that, at the hour when that Lord was suffering, the heavens should grow dark, and the earth should tremble, and the tombs should open and the dead rise, because all these wonders had been reserved as a witness to the glory of that person; and into this account belongs the salvation of that holy thief, in which work his confession is no less admirable than his salvation, since he confessed the Kingdom on the cross, and preached the faith when the apostles lost it, and honored the Lord when the whole world was blaspheming him. So, since this wonder, together with the others, belongs to the dignity of that Lord and of that time, it is a great delusion to want what was reserved for that hour to be done as a general rule in every age. We also know that in every commonwealth in the world there are things done in the ordinary course of life and things that are extraordinary as well; and the ordinary things are common to everyone, but the extraordinary ones are for certain particular people. The same holds true for the commonwealth of God, which is his Church. For the regular and ordinary rule is what the Apostle says: that the end of the wicked will match their works—meaning that, generally speaking, a good life is followed by a good death, and a bad life by a bad death. It is also standard that those who do good works will go to eternal life, and those who do evil works, to the eternal fire. This is a judgment that all the divine Scriptures repeat constantly: the psalms sing it, the prophets say it, the apostles announce it, and the evangelists preach it. Which the prophet David summed up in a few words when he said: Once God spoke, and two things I heard him say: that he had power and mercy, and that he would thus repay each one according to his works.^✦ This is the sum of all Christian philosophy. So, by this reckoning, we say it is standard that both the just and the wicked receive what they deserve at the end of life according to their works. Beyond this universal law, God may use special grace with certain people for his own glory, granting the death of the righteous to those who lived as sinners. Conversely, it could happen that someone who lived a righteous life might, by some secret judgment of God, die as a sinner—much like a sailor who completes a successful voyage only to run into a storm right at the harbor mouth. That is why Solomon asked: Who knows whether the spirit of the children of Adam goes up on high, and the spirit of the beasts goes down below?^✦ .⁴⁹ Although it generally happens that the souls of those who live like beasts descend to hell, and the souls of those who live as people of reason ascend to heaven, it can still turn out otherwise through some special judgment of God.^✦ But the safe and general teaching is this: whoever lives well will have a good death. For this reason, no one should feel secure based on examples of particular graces, since these do not establish a rule.⁵⁰ These aren't general, nor do they belong to everyone; they belong only to a few—and those few are unknown. So, you can't know if you'll be among them.⁵¹ Others suggest another remedy, arguing that the sacraments of the law of grace transform a person who is attrite into one who is contrite, and that at that point they will at least possess the disposition which, combined with the power of the sacraments, is sufficient for salvation.⁵² The answer to this is that not just any sorrow is enough for the kind of attrition that, when joined with the Sacrament, grants grace to the one who receives it. It is certain that there are many kinds of attrition and sorrow, and it is not just any of these that makes a person contrite instead of attrite, but only the one that the Giver of grace knows specifically; no one else, apart from Him, can know it. The holy doctors were not unaware of this theology; and yet, for all that, they speak with such fear about this kind of penance, as we explained above; and Saint Augustine expressly, in the first authority we cited, speaks of the one who receives penance and is reconciled through the sacraments of the Church: “To whom,” he says, “we give penance, but not assurance.” If you point to the penance of the Ninevites—which stemmed from their fear of being destroyed within forty days—don't just look at how harsh their penance was, but also at how their lives changed. Change your life in that same way, and that same mercy won't fail you. But I see that you've barely escaped illness when you go right back to the same wickedness and take back everything you had resolved.⁵³ So what do you want me to make of this penance?

A Final Call to Conversion

A concluding exhortation urging the reader to seek God while there is still time, rather than relying on the uncertain hope of a future deathbed repentance.

V. A conclusion to everything said above. All this has been said not to shut anyone out from the door of salvation or of hope (for neither the saints close it, nor should anyone close it), but to drive the wicked out of this refuge they take shelter in so they can keep going in their sins.⁵⁴ So tell me now, brother, for the love of God: if the voices of the doctors, the saints, reason, and Scripture itself all bring you such dangerous news about this kind of penance, how do you dare stake your salvation on such a risk? What are you trusting will get you through at that hour?⁵⁵ In your preparations, the bequests in your will, and your prayers?⁵⁶ You already know how the foolish virgins scrambled to provide for themselves and the cries they raised to the Bridegroom to open the door—and how little good it did them, because none of it came from true penance. Are you trusting in the tears you'll shed then? Tears are certainly of great worth at any time, and blessed is the one who sheds them from the heart; but remember how many tears that man shed who sold his birthright for a single meal, and how, as the Apostle says, he found no place for penance even though he sought it with so many tears—because he wasn't weeping for God, but for the gain he was losing.⁵⁷ Are you trusting in the good resolutions you'll make then? These are also worth a great deal when they're genuine, but remember the resolutions King Antiochus made. When he was at this very pass, he promised God such great things that they fill anyone who reads them with wonder. Yet for all that, Scripture says: That wicked man was praying to God, from whom he was not to obtain mercy. The reason was that everything he was resolving, he wasn't resolving in a spirit of love, but from pure servile fear, which, though it is good, still by itself isn't enough to reach the Kingdom of Heaven. Fearing the pains of hell is something that can spring from the natural love a person has for himself, and self-love isn't something by which this Kingdom is given to anyone. Just as no one entered King Ahasuerus's palace dressed in coarse sackcloth, no one will enter God's palace in a servant's clothes—that is, with this fear alone—unless he goes dressed in wedding garments, which is love.⁵⁸ So then, my brother! I beg you now to think carefully that you will without a doubt find yourself at this hour, and it will not be many days from now, for you already see the haste with which the heavens race on.⁵⁹ Soon this lock of wool—our mortal life—will be spun through by the many turns of the spindle.⁶⁰ The day of ruin is near, as the Prophet says, and the times are rushing to arrive. So when this so brief term is finished, the fulfillment of these prophecies will come, and there you'll see how true a prophet I've been to you in what I've announced to you. There you'll find yourself hemmed in by pains, worn down by cares, agonizing in the presence of death, waiting for the lot⁶¹ that will soon fall to you. What an uncertain fate! What a severe ordeal!⁶² What a trial, where a sentence of eternal life or eternal death is awaited!⁶³ If only one could then trade those lots! If only one had a hand in that sentence!⁶⁴ You have it now; don't despise it. You have time now to win over the Judge.⁶⁵ Now you can win his favor. So take the prophet's advice: Seek the Lord while he may be found, and call on him while he is near enough to hear you. He is near enough to hear us now, even though we cannot see him. But in the hour of judgment he will be seen, yet he will not hear us if from now on we have not deserved it.⁶⁶

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Razón sería que bastase lo dicho para confusión de otros que dejan, como ya declaramos, la penitencia para la hora de la muerte. Porque, si tan gran peligro es dilatarla para adelante, ¿qué será para este punto? Mas, porque este engaño está muy extendido por el mundo y son muchas las ánimas que por aquí perecen, necesario es que dél particularmente tratemos. Y, aunque sea algún peligro hablar desta materia, porque podría ser ocasión de desconfianza para algunos flacos, pero muy mayor peligro es no saber los hombres el peligro a que se ponen cuando para este tiempo se guardan. De manera que, pesados ambos peligros, sin comparación es mayor este que el otro, pues vemos cuántas más son las ánimas que se pierden por indiscreta confianza, que por demasiado temor. Y, por tanto, a nosotros, que estamos puestos en el atalaya de Ezequiel, conviene avisar destos peligros, porque los que por nosotros deben ser avisados no se llamen a engaño; y, si ellos se perdieren, no cargue su sangre sobre nosotros. Y, pues no tenemos otra lumbre ni otra verdad en esta vida, sino la de la Escritura divina y de los santos padres y doctores que la declaran, veamos qué es lo que ellos dicen acerca desto; porque bien creo que nadie será tan atrevido que ose anteponer su parecer a este. Y, procediendo por esta vía, traigamos primero lo que los santos antiguos, y en cabo, lo que la Santa Escritura acerca de esto nos enseña.

I. Autoridades de los santos antiguos: de la penitencia final

Mas, antes que entremos en esta disputa, presupongamos primero lo que san Agustín y todos los doctores generalmente dicen, conviene a saber: que, así como es obra de Dios la verdadera penitencia, así la puede él inspirar cuando quisiere; y así, en cualquier tiempo que la penitencia fuere verdadera, aunque fuese en el punto de la muerte, es poderosa para dar salud. Mas, esto, cuán pocas veces acaezca, ni quiero que yo ni tú seamos creídos en esta parte, sino que lo sean los santos, por cuya boca habló el Espíritu Santo; y por sus dichos y testimonios será razón que todos estemos. Oye, pues, primeramente, lo que sobre este caso dice san Agustín en el libro De la verdadera y falsa penitencia: «Ninguno espera a hacer penitencia cuando ya no puede pecar, porque libertad nos pide para esto Dios, y no necesidad. Y, por tanto, aquel a quien primero dejan los pecados, que él deja a ellos, no parece que los deja por voluntad, sino por necesidad. Por donde los que no quisieron convertirse a Dios en el tiempo que podían, y después vienen a confesarse, cuando ya no pueden pecar, no así fácilmente alcanzarán lo que desean». Y un poco más abajo, declarando cuál haya de ser esta conversión, dice así: «Aquel se convierte a Dios: que todo y del todo se vuelve a él; el cual no sólo teme las penas, sino trabaja por alcanzar la gracia y los bienes del Señor. Y, si desta manera acaeciere convertirse alguno al fin de la vida, no habemos de desesperar de su perdón. Mas, porque apenas o muy pocas veces se halla en aquel tiempo esta tan perfecta conversión, hay razón para temer del que tan tarde se convierte.

Porque el que se ve apretado con los dolores de la enfermedad y espantado con el temor de la pena, con dificultad llegará a hacer verdadera satisfacción; mayormente viendo delante de sí los hijos que desordenadamente amó, y a la mujer, y al mundo, que están tirando por él. Y, porque hay muchas cosas que en este tiempo impiden el hacer penitencia, peligrosísima cosa es, y muy vecina de la perdición, dilatar hasta la muerte el remedio della. Y, con todo esto, digo que, si este tal alcanzare perdón de sus culpas, no por eso quedará libre de todas las penas. Porque primero ha de ser purgado con el fuego del purgatorio, por haber dejado el fruto de la satisfacción para el otro siglo. Y este fuego, aunque no sea eterno como es el del infierno, mas es extrañamente grande, porque sobrepuja todas las maneras de penas que se han padecido en este mundo. Ni jamás en carne mortal se sintieron tales tormentos, aunque los de los mártires hayan sido tan grandes, y los que han padecido algunos malhechores. Y, por tanto, procure cada uno de corregir así sus males, que no le sea necesario después de la muerte padecer tan terribles tormentos». Hasta aquí son palabras de san Agustín, donde habrás visto la grandeza del peligro en que se pone el que de propósito guarda la penitencia para este tiempo.

San Ambrosio también, en el libro De la Penitencia (aunque otros atribuyen este dicho al mismo san Agustín), trata copiosamente esta materia, donde, entre otras muchas cosas, dice así: «El que puesto ya en el postrer término de la vida pide el sacramento de la Penitencia y le recibe, y así sale desta vida, yo os confieso que no le negamos lo que pide, mas no osamos afirmar que salga de aquí bien encaminado. Torno a repetir que no oso decir esto, que no os lo prometo, que no lo digo, que no os quiero engañar. Pues ¿quieres, hermano, salir de esta duda y escaparte de cosa tan incierta? Haz penitencia en el tiempo que estás sano. Si así lo haces, dígote que vas bien encaminado, porque hiciste penitencia en tiempo que pudieras pecar. Pero, si aguardas a hacer penitencia en tiempo que ya no podías pecar, los pecados dejaron a ti, y no tú a ellos».

Lo mismo dice san Isidoro por estas palabras: «El que quiere a la hora de la muerte estar cierto del perdón, haga penitencia cuando está sano, y entonces llore sus maldades; mas, el que habiendo vivido mal hace penitencia a la hora del morir, este corre mucho peligro, porque, así como su condenación es incierta, así su salvación es dudosa».

Todas estas palabras son mucho para temer; mas mucho más son las que escribe Eusebio, discípulo de san Jerónimo, que este su santo maestro dijo estando para morir, echado en tierra, vestido de saco; y, porque no osaré referirlas con el rigor que están escritas, por no dar motivo a los flacos para desmayar, el que quisiere las podrá leer en el cuarto tomo de las obras de san Jerónimo, en una Epístola que Eusebio escribe a Dámaso, obispo, sobre la gloriosa muerte de san Jerónimo. Pero, entre otras cosas, dice así: «¿Podrá decir el que todos los días de su vida perseveró en su pecado: “A la hora de la muerte haré penitencia, y me convertiré”? ¡Oh, cuán triste es esta consolación! Porque el que ha vivido mal toda la vida, sin acordarse (sino, por ventura, por entre sueños) qué cosa era penitencia, muy dudoso remedio tendrá en esta hora. Porque, estando él en este tiempo enlazado con los negocios del mundo, y fatigado con los dolores de la enfermedad, y congojado con la memoria de los hijos que deja, y con el amor de los bienes temporales de que ya no espera gozar; estando así cercado de todas estas angustias, ¿qué disposición tiene para levantar el corazón a Dios y hacer verdadera penitencia, la cual en toda la vida nunca hizo, cuando esperaba vivir, y ahora no haría, si esperase sanar? Pues ¿qué manera de penitencia es la que se hace cuando la misma vida se despide? Conozco algunos de los ricos deste siglo que, después de graves enfermedades, recobraron la salud, y empeoraron en la del ánima. Esto tengo, esto pienso, esto he aprendido por larga experiencia: que por maravilla tendrá buen fin aquel cuya vida fue siempre mala, el cual nunca temió pecar y siempre sirvió a la vanidad».

Hasta aquí son palabras del dicho Eusebio, en las cuales ves el temor que este santo doctor tiene de la penitencia que hace en esta hora aquel que nunca la hizo en toda la vida.

Y no es menor el que san Gregorio en esta parte tiene, el cual, sobre aquellas palabras de Job que dice: ¿Qué esperanza tendrá el hipócrita, si roba lo ajeno? ¿Por ventura oirá Dios su clamor en el día de su angustia? , dice así: «No oye Dios en el tiempo de su angustia las voces de aquel que, en tiempo de paz, no quiso oír las voces de su Señor. Porque escrito está: El que cierra las orejas para no oír la ley, no será recibida su oración. Mirando, pues, el santo Job cómo todos los que ahora dejan de obrar bien, al fin de la vida se vuelven a pedir mercedes a Dios, dice: ¿Por ventura oirá Dios el clamor de los tales? En las cuales palabras se conforma con la sentencia del Redentor, que dice: A la postre vinieron las vírgenes locas, diciendo: “Señor, Señor, abridnos”. Y fueles respondido: “En verdad os digo que no os conozco”. Porque en aquel tiempo usa Dios de tanto mayor severidad, cuanto ahora usa de mayor misericordia; y entonces castigará a los que pecaron con mayor rigor de justicia, el que ahora benignamente les ofrece su misericordia».

Hasta aquí son palabras de san Gregorio. También Hugo de San Víctor, en el segundo libro De los Sacramentos, conformándose con los pareceres destos santos, dice así: «Dificultosa cosa es que sea verdadera la penitencia cuando viene tardía; y muy sospechosa debe ser aquella penitencia que parece forzada. Porque fácil cosa es creer de sí: el hombre que no quiere lo que no puede. Por donde la posibilidad declara muy bien la voluntad. Y por esto, si no haces penitencia cuando puedes, argumento es que no quieres».

El Maestro de las sentencias va también por este mismo camino, y así dice: «Como la verdadera penitencia sea obra de Dios, puédela él inspirar cuando quisiere, y galardonar por misericordia a los que podría condenar por justicia. Mas, porque en aquel paso hay muchas cosas que

retraen al hombre deste negocio, cosa es peligrosa, y vecina a la muerte, dilatar hasta allí el remedio de la penitencia. Pero gran cosa es inspirarla Dios en aquella hora, si alguno hay a quien la inspire». ¡Mira qué palabras estas tan para temer! Pues ¿cuál es el desatinado que osa poner el mayor de los tesoros en el mayor de los peligros? ¿Hay cosa mayor en el mundo, que tu salvación? Pues ¿en qué seso cabe poner una cosa tan preciosa en tan grande peligro?

Este es, pues, el parecer de todos estos tan grandes doctores. Por donde verás cuán grande locura sea tener tú por segura la navegación de un golfo, de quien tan sabios pilotos hablan con tan gran temor. Oficio es el bien morir que conviene aprenderse toda la vida; porque a la hora de la muerte hay tanto que hacer en morir, que apenas hay espacio para aprender a bien morir.

II. Autoridades de doctores escolásticos acerca de lo mismo

Resta ahora, para mayor confirmación de esta verdad, ver también lo que acerca desto sienten los doctores escolásticos. Entre los cuales, Scoto trata muy de propósito esta cuestión en el cuarto De las Sentencias, donde pone una conclusión que dice así: «La penitencia que se hace a la hora de la muerte, apenas es verdadera penitencia, por la dificultad grande que entonces hay para hacerla». Prueba él esta conclusión por cuatro razones.

La primera es por el grande estorbo que hacen allí los dolores de la enfermedad y la presencia de la muerte para levantar el corazón a Dios y ocuparlo en ejercicios de verdadera penitencia. Para cuyo entendimiento es de saber que todas las pasiones de nuestro corazón tienen grande fuerza para llevar en pos de sí el sentido y el libre albedrío del hombre. Y, según reglas de filosofía, muy más poderosas son para esto las pasiones que dan tristeza, que las que causan alegría. De donde nace que las pasiones y afectos del que está para morir son las más fuertes que hay; porque, como dice Aristóteles, «el último trance, y la más terrible cosa de las terribles, es la muerte», donde hay tantos dolores en el cuerpo, tantas angustias en el ánima, y tanta congoja por los hijos y mujer y mundo que se dejan. Pues, entre tan recios vientos de pasiones, ¿dónde ha de estar el sentido y el pensamiento, sino donde tan fuertes dolores y pasiones lo llevaron?

Vemos por experiencia, cuando uno está con un dolor de ijada, o con algún otro dolor agudo, que, aunque sea hombre virtuoso, apenas puede por entonces tener el pensamiento fijo en Dios, sino que allí está todo el sentido, donde lo llama el dolor. Pues, si esto acaece al justo, ¿qué hará el que nunca supo qué cosa era pensar en Dios, y que, tanto cuanto está más habituado a amar su cuerpo que su ánima, tanto más ligeramente acude al peligro del mayor amigo, que del menor? Entre cuatro impedimentos que san Bernardo pone de la contemplación, uno de ellos dice que es la mala disposición del cuerpo, porque entonces el ánima está tan ocupada en sentir los dolores de su carne, que apenas puede admitir otro pensamiento que aquel que de presente la fatiga. Pues, si esto es verdad, ¿qué locura es aguardar a la mayor de las indisposiciones del cuerpo para tratar del mayor de los negocios del ánima?

Supe de una persona que, estando en paso de muerte, y diciéndole que se aparejase para lo postrero, recibió tan grande angustia de ver tan cerca de sí la muerte, que, como si la pudiera detener con las manos, todo su negocio era pedir a muy gran priesa remedios y confortativos para evitar aquel trago, si le fuera posible. Y, como un sacerdote lo viese tan olvidado de lo que convenía para aquella hora, y le amonestase que se dejase ya de aquellos cuidados y comenzase a llamar a Dios, importunado del buen consejo, respondió palabras muy ajenas de lo que aquel tiempo requería; con las cuales expiró. Y el que así habló había sido persona virtuosa. Para que por aquí veas tú cómo turbará la presencia de la muerte a los que aman la vida, cuando así turbó a quien otro tiempo la despreciaba.

Asimismo supe de otra persona que, estando en una recia enfermedad, y pensando que se llegaba ya su hora, deseaba con gran deseo, primero que partiese, hablar un rato muy de propósito con Dios y prevenir a su Juez con alguna devota suplicación, y parecíale que nunca los dolores y accidentes continuos de la enfermedad le daban un rato de alivio para hacerlo. Pues, si para esto solo hay allí tan mal aparejo, ¿cuál es el loco que para tal tiempo guarda el remedio de toda la vida?

La segunda razón deste doctor es porque la verdadera penitencia ha de ser voluntaria, esto es, hecha con prontitud de voluntad, y no por sola necesidad. Por lo cual dice san Agustín: «Menester es no sólo temer al Juez, sino también amarle. Y hacer lo que se hiciere, por voluntad, y no por necesidad. Pues

el que en toda la vida nunca hizo penitencia verdadera, y aguarda entonces a hacerla, no parece que la hace por voluntad, sino por pura necesidad. Y, si por sola esta causa la hace, no es su penitencia puramente voluntaria».

Tal fue la penitencia que hizo Semeí por la ofensa que había hecho a David cuando iba huyendo de Absalón, su hijo; el cual, después que lo vio volver de la huida vitorioso, y entendió el mal que por allí le podría venir, adelantose con mucha gente a recibir al rey y pedirle con mucha humildad perdón de la culpa pasada. Lo cual, como viese un pariente de David, llamado Abisay, dijo: ¡Cómo! , ¿y por estas palabras fingidas se ha de escapar de la muerte Semeí, habiendo hecho tan grande injuria al rey David? . Mas el santo rey, que tan bien entendía de cuán poco mérito era aquella satisfacción, aunque por entonces prudentemente disimuló, no por eso le dejó sin castigo; antes, a la hora de la muerte, con celo de justicia, no de venganza, dejó mandado como en testamento a su hijo Salomón que le diese su merecido; y así lo hizo. Tal, pues, parece la penitencia de muchos malos cristianos, los cuales, habiendo perseverado en ofender a Dios toda la vida, cuando llega la hora de la cuenta, como ven la muerte al ojo y la sepultura abierta y el Juez presente, y entienden que no hay fuerza ni poder contra aquel sumo poder, y que en aquel punto se ha de determinar lo que para siempre ha de ser, vuélvense al Juez con grandes suplicaciones y protestaciones; las cuales, si son verdaderas, no dejan de ser provechosas, mas el común suceso dellas declara lo que son, porque por experiencia habemos visto muchos destos que, si escapan de aquel peligro, luego se descuidan de todo lo que prometieron, y vuelven a ser los que eran, y aun tornan a revocar los descargos que dejaban ordenados; como hombres que no hicieron lo que hicieron por virtud y por amor de Dios, sino solamente por aquella priesa en que se vieron; la cual, como cesó, cesó también el efecto que della se seguía.

En lo cual, parece ser esta manera de penitencia muy semejante a la que suelen hacer los mareantes en tiempo de alguna grande tormenta, donde proponen y prometen grandes virtudes y mudanzas de vida. Mas, acabada la tormenta y escapados del presente peligro, luego se vuelven a jurar y blasfemar, como lo hacían antes, sin hacer más caso de todo lo pasado, que si fuera un propósito soñado.

La tercera razón es porque el mal hábito y costumbre de pecar, que el malo ha tenido toda la vida, comúnmente le suele acompañar, como la sombra al cuerpo, hasta la muerte; porque la costumbre es como otra naturaleza, que con gran dificultad se vence. Y así vemos por experiencia muchos en aquella hora tan olvidados de su ánima, tan avarientos para ella aun en la muerte, tan encarnizados en el amor de la vida —si la pudiesen redimir por algún precio—, tan cautivos del amor deste mundo y de todas las cosas que en él amaron, como si no estuviesen en el paso que están. ¿No has visto algunos viejos, en aquella hora, tan guardosos y codiciosos, y tan atentos a mirar por sus trapillos y pajuelas, y tan cerradas las manos para todo bien, y tan vivo el apetito, aun de aquello que no pueden consigo llevar? Este es un linaje de pena con que muchas veces castiga Dios la culpa, permitiendo que acompañe a su autor hasta la sepultura, según que lo dice san Gregorio, por estas palabras: «Con este linaje de castigo castiga Dios al pecador, permitiendo que se olvide de sí en la muerte el que no se acordó de Dios en la vida». Desta manera se castiga un olvido con otro olvido: el olvido que fue culpa, con el que juntamente es pena y culpa. Lo cual se ve cada día por experiencia, pues tantas veces habemos oído de muchos que se dejaron morir entre los brazos de las malas mujeres que mal amaron, sin quererlas despedir de su compañía, ni aun en aquella hora, por estar, por justo juicio de Dios, olvidados de sí mismos y de sus ánimas.

La cuarta razón se funda en la cualidad del valor que ordinariamente suelen tener las obras que en aquel momento se hacen. Porque parece claro, a quien tiene algún conocimiento de Dios, cuánto menos le agrade este linaje de servicios, que los que en otros tiempos se hacen. Porque «¿qué mucho es —como decía la santa virgen Lucía— ser muy largo de lo que, aunque te pese, has acá de dejar?» ¿Qué mucho es perdonar allí la deshonra, cuando sería mayor deshonra no perdonarla? ¿Qué mucho es dejar la manceba, cuando, aunque quisieses, no la podrías ya más tener en casa?

Por estas razones, pues, concluye este doctor que, en aquella hora, con dificultad se hace penitencia verdadera; y añade aún más, diciendo que «el cristiano que con deliberación determina guardar penitencia para aquella hora, peca mortalmente, por la grande ofensa que hace a su ánima y por el grandísimo peligro en que pone su salvación». Pues ¿qué cosa más para temer que esta?

III. Autoridades de la Sagrada Escritura para el mismo propósito

Mas, porque todo el peso desta disputa principalmente pende de la palabra de Dios —porque para contra esta no hay apelación ni respuesta—, oye ahora lo que ella acerca desto nos enseña. En el primer capítulo de los Proverbios, después de haber escrito Salomón las palabras con que la Sabiduría eterna llama a los hombres a penitencia, dice luego las que dirá a los rebeldes a este llamamiento, en esta forma: Porque os llamé, y no quisistes acudir a mi llamamiento, extendí mis manos, y no hubo quien las mirase, y despreciastes todas mis reprehensiones y consejos, yo también me reiré de vuestra muerte y haré burla de vosotros cuando os vinieren los males que temíades. Cuando viniere de improviso la muerte, como tempestad que a deshora se levanta, entonces me llamarán, y nos los oiré, y de mañana madrugarán a ponerse delante, y no me hallarán; porque aborrecieron el castigo y la doctrina, y no tuvieron temor de Dios, ni quisieron obedecer mis consejos. Hasta aquí son palabras de Salomón, o por mejor decir, del mismo Dios, las cuales san Gregorio, en el susodicho libro de los Morales, entiende y declara al propósito que aquí hablamos. Pues ¿qué tienes que responder a esto? ¿Por qué no bastarán estas amenazas, pues son de Dios, para hacerte temer un tan gran peligro, y aparejarte para esta hora con tiempo?

Pues oye aún otro testimonio no menos claro. Hablando el Salvador en el Evangelio de su venida a juicio, aconseja a sus discípulos con grande instancia que estén aparejados para esta hora, trayéndoles para esto muchas comparaciones, por las cuales entendiesen cuánto esto les importaba. Y así dice: Bienaventurado es el siervo a quien el señor hallare en aquella hora velando. Mas, si el mal siervo dijere en su corazón: «Mi señor se tarda mucho», tiempo me queda para aparejarme; y él, entre tanto, se diere a comer, y beber, y hacer mal a sus compañeros, vendrá su señor en el día en que él no piensa y en la hora que no sabe, y partirlo ha por medio y darle ha el castigo que se da a los hipócritas. Aquí parece claro que el Señor sabía bien los consejos de los malos, y las veredas que buscan para sus vicios, y por esto les sale al camino y les dice cómo les ha de ir por él y en qué han de parar sus confianzas. Pues ¿qué otro pleito es el que ahora tratamos, sino este? ¿Qué digo yo aquí, sino lo que el mismo Señor dice? Tú eres ese siervo malo que haces en tu corazón la misma cuenta, y así te quieres aprovechar de la dilación del tiempo para comer y beber y perseverar en los mismos delitos.

Pues ¿cómo no temerás esta amenaza que te hace quien es tan poderoso para cumplirla, como para hacerla? Contigo habla, contigo lo ha, a ti lo dice. Despierta, miserable, y repárate con tiempo, porque no seas despedazado cuando llegue la hora deste juicio.

Paréceme que gasto mucho tiempo en cosa tan clara. Mas ¿qué haré, que aun con todo esto veo muy gran parte del mundo cubrirse con este manto? Pues, para que aún más claro veas la grandeza deste peligro, oye otro testimonio del mismo Salvador. Acabadas estas palabras, añade luego lo que sigue, diciendo: Entonces será semejante el Reino de los Cielos a diez vírgenes, cinco locas y cinco sabias. Entonces, dice. ¿Cuándo entonces? Cuando venga el Juez, cuando se llegue la hora de su juicio, así el universal de todos, como el particular de cada uno, según declara san Agustín; porque no se altera en el universal lo que en el particular se determina. Pues en este paso, dice el Señor, acaeceros ha como acaeció a diez vírgenes, cinco locas y cinco sabias, las cuales guardaban por la venida del esposo.

Las sabias proveyéronse con tiempo de lámparas y de olio para salirle a recibir; mas las locas, como tales, no curaron desto. Y a la media noche, al tiempo del mayor sueño (que es cuando los hombres están más descuidados y menos piensan en este paso), diéronles rebato, diciendo que venía el esposo, que le saliesen a recibir. Entonces levantáronse todas aquella vírgenes y aderezaron sus lámparas, y las que estaban ya aparejadas entraron con él a las bodas, y cerrose la puerta; mas las que no estaban aparejadas comenzaron entonces a querer proveerse y aparejarse, y a dar voces al esposo, diciendo: ¡Señor, señor, abridnos! A las cuales él respondió: En verdad os digo que no os conozco. Y así concluye el santo Evangelio la parábola y la declaración della, diciendo: Por tanto, velad y estad aparejados, pues no sabéis el día ni la hora. Como si dijera: «¿Habéis visto cuán bien libraron en este trance las vírgenes que estaban aparejadas, y cuán mal las que no lo estaban? Por tanto, pues no sabéis el día ni la hora desta venida, y el negocio de vuestra salvación pende tanto de este aparejo, velad y estad aparejados en todo tiempo, porque no os tome aquel día desapercibidos como a estas vírgenes y así perezcáis como ellas perecieron». Este es el sentido literal desta parábola, como declara el cardenal Cayetano en este lugar, donde dice: «Esto solo sacamos de aquí: que la penitencia que se dilata hasta la hora de la muerte —cuando se oye esta

palabra: Cata, que viene el esposo— no es segura; antes en esta parábola se describe como no verdadera». Y al cabo pone este doctor la resolución de toda la parábola, diciendo: «La conclusión desta doctrina es dar a entender que, por tanto, las cinco vírgenes locas fueron desechadas porque, al tiempo que el esposo vino, no estaban aparejadas; y por esto las otras cinco fueron admitidas, porque estaban apercibidas. Por donde conviene que siempre lo estemos, pues no sabemos la hora desta venida». Pues ¿qué cosa se podía pintar más clara que esta? Por lo cual me maravillo mucho cómo, después de la justificación tan clara desta verdad, se osan los hombres entretener y consolar con esta flaca esperanza. Porque, antes desta luz tan clara, no me maravillara yo tanto que se persuadieran lo contrario, o se quisieran engañar; mas, después que aquel Maestro del cielo resolvió esta materia, después que el mismo Juez nos declaró con tantos ejemplos las leyes de su juicio y el norte por donde nos había de juzgar, ¿en qué seso cabe creer que de otra manera pasará el negocio que lo predicó el que lo ha de sentenciar?

IV. Respóndese a algunas objeciones

Mas, por ventura, contra todo esto me dirás: «Pues, el ladrón, ¿no se salvó con una sola palabra a la hora de la muerte?» . A esto responde san Agustín en el libro alegado que aquella confesión del Buen Ladrón fue la hora de su conversión y de su bautismo y de su muerte, juntamente. Por donde así como el que muere acabándose de bautizar —como a otros muchos ha acontecido— va derecho al cielo, así acaeció a este dichoso ladrón, porque aquella hora fue para él hora de su bautismo.

Respóndese también que así esta obra tan maravillosa como todos los milagros y obras semejantes, estaban profetizadas y guardadas para la venida del Hijo de Dios al mundo y para testimonio de su gloria; y así convenía que, para la hora en que aquel Señor padecía, se escureciesen los cielos, y temblase la tierra, y se abriesen los sepulcros y resucitasen los muertos, porque todas estas maravillas estaban guardadas para testimonio de la gloria de aquella persona; y en la cuenta destas entra la salud de aquel santo ladrón, en la cual obra no es menos admirable su confesión, que su salvación, pues confesó en la cruz el Reino, y predicó la fe cuando los apóstoles la perdieron, y honró al Señor cuando todo el mundo le blasfemaba. Pues como esta maravilla, junto con las otras, pertenezca a la dignidad de aquel Señor y de aquel tiempo, grande engaño es querer que generalmente se haga en todos los tiempos lo que estaba reservado para aquel.

Cónstanos también que en todas las repúblicas del mundo hay cosas que ordinariamente se hacen y cosas también extraordinarias; y las ordinarias son comunes para todos, mas las extraordinarias son para algunos particulares. Lo mismo también pasa en la república de Dios, que es su Iglesia. Porque cosa regular y ordinaria es aquella que dice el Apóstol: que el fin de los malos será conforme a las obras; dando a entender que, generalmente hablando, a la buena vida se sigue buena muerte, y a la mala vida, mala muerte. Cosa también es ordinaria que los que hicieren buenas obras irán a la vida eterna, y los que malas, al fuego eterno. Esta es una sentencia que a cada paso repiten todas las Escrituras divinas: esto cantan los salmos, esto dicen los profetas, esto anuncian los apóstoles, esto predican los evangelistas. Lo cual, en pocas palabras resumió el profeta David, cuando dijo: Una vez habló Dios, y dos cosas le oí decir: Que él tenía poder y misericordia, y que así daría a cada uno según sus obras. Esta es la suma de toda la filosofía cristiana. Pues según esta cuenta decimos que cosa es ordinaria que, así el justo como el malo, reciban su merecido al fin de la vida según sus obras.

Pero, fuera desta ley universal, puede Dios usar de especial gracia con algunos, para gloria suya, y dar muerte de justos a los que tuvieron vida de pecadores; como también podría acaecer que, el que hubiese vivido como justo, por algún secreto juicio de Dios viniese a morir como pecador; que es como el que ha navegado prósperamente toda la carrera, y a boca del puerto viniese a padecer tormenta. Por lo cual dijo Salomón: ¿Quién sabe si el espíritu de los hijos de Adán sube a lo alto y el espíritu de las bestias desciende a lo bajo? . Porque, aunque universalmente acaece que las ánimas de los que viven como bestias desciendan a los infiernos y las de los que viven como hombres de razón suban al cielo, mas todavía, por algún especial juicio de Dios, puede suceder esto de otra manera. Pero la doctrina segura y general es: quien viviere bien tendrá buena muerte. Pues por esta causa nadie debe asegurarse con ejemplos de gracias particulares, pues estos no hacen regla

general, ni pertenecen a todos, sino a pocos, y esos, no conocidos; por donde no puedes tú saber si serás del número dellos.

Otros alegan otra manera de remedio, diciendo que los sacramentos de la ley de gracia hacen al hombre de atrito contrito, y que entonces a lo menos tendrán esta manera de disposición, la cual, junto con la virtud de los sacramentos, será bastante para darles salud. La respuesta desto es que no cualquier dolor basta para tener aquella manera de atrición que, junta con el sacramento, da la gracia al que lo recibe. Porque cierto es que hay muchas maneras de atrición y de dolor, y que no por cualquier atrición destas se hace el hombre de atrito contrito, sino por sola aquella que en particular sabe el dador de la gracia; y otro, fuera dél, no puede saber.

No ignoraban esta teología los santos doctores; y, con todo esto, hablan con tanto temor en esta manera de penitencia, como arriba declaramos; y expresamente san Agustín, en la primera autoridad que alegamos, habla del que recibe penitencia y es reconciliado por los sacramentos de la Iglesia: «Al cual —dice— damos penitencia, mas no seguridad».

Y, si me alegares para esto la penitencia de los ninivitas, que procedía del temor que tuvieron de ser destruidos dentro de cuarenta días, mira tú no sólo la penitencia tan áspera que hicieron, sino también en la mudanza de su vida, y múdala tú de esa manera, y no te faltará esa misma misericordia. Pero veo que apenas has escapado de la enfermedad, cuando luego tornas a la misma maldad, y revocas cuanto tenías ordenado. ¿Qué quieres, pues, que juzgue desta penitencia?

V. Conclusión de todo lo susodicho

Todo esto se ha dicho, no para cerrar a nadie la puerta de la salud ni de la esperanza (porque esta, ni los santos la cierran, ni nadie la debe cerrar), sino para desencastillar a los malos deste lugar de refugio, adonde se acogen para perseverar en sus males. Pues dime ahora, hermano, por amor de Dios: Si todas las voces de los doctores, y de los santos, y de la razón, y de la misma Escritura, tan peligrosas nuevas te dan desta penitencia, ¿cómo osas fiar tu salvación de tan grande peligro? ¿En qué confías parar en aquella hora? ¿En tus aparejos y mandas de testamento y oraciones? Ya ves la priesa que se dieron aquellas vírgenes locas a proveerse y las voces que dieron al esposo pidiéndole puerta, y cuán poco les valieron, porque no procedían de verdadera penitencia. ¿Confías en las lágrimas que allí derramarás? Mucho valen, cierto, las lágrimas en todo tiempo, y dichoso el que las derramare de corazón; mas acuérdate cuántas lágrimas derramó aquel que por una golosina vendió su mayorazgo, y cómo, según dice el Apóstol, no halló lugar de penitencia, aunque con tantas lágrimas la buscó; porque no lloraba por Dios, sino por el interese que perdía. ¿Confías en los buenos propósitos que allí propondrás?

Mucho valen también estos cuando son verdaderos; mas acuérdate de los propósitos que propuso el rey Antíoco, el cual, estando en este paso, prometió a Dios tan grandes cosas, que ponen admiración a quien las lee; y, con todo esto, dice la Escritura: Hacía aquel malvado oración a Dios, del cual no había de alcanzar misericordia; y la causa era porque todo aquello que proponía no lo proponía con espíritu de amor, sino de puro temor servil, el cual, aunque sea bueno, pero solo él no basta para alcanzar el Reino del Cielo. Porque temer las penas del infierno es cosa que puede proceder del amor natural que el hombre tiene a sí mismo, y amar el hombre a sí no es cosa por la cual se da a nadie este Reino; de suerte que, así como con ropa de sayal no entraba nadie en el palacio del rey Asuero, así tampoco entrará en el de Dios con ropa de siervo, que es con solo este temor, si no va vestido con ropas de boda, que es amor.

Λ ¡Oh, pues, hermano mío! , ruégote ahora pienses atentamente que sin duda te has de ver en esta hora, y no será de aquí a muchos días, pues ya ves la priesa que se dan los cielos a correr. Presto se acabará de hilar, con tantas vueltas, este copo de lana, que es nuestra vida mortal. Cerca está —dice el Profeta— el día de la perdición, y los tiempos se dan priesa por llegar. Pues, acabado este tan ligero plazo, vendrá el cumplimiento de estas profecías, y allí verás cuán verdadero profeta te he sido en lo que te he anunciado. Allí te verás cercado de dolores, fatigado con cuidados, agonizando con la presencia de la muerte, esperando la suerte

que, de ahí a poco, te ha de caber. ¡Oh suerte dudosa! , ¡oh trance riguroso! , ¡oh pleito, donde se espera sentencia de vida para siempre o muerte para siempre! ¡Quién pudiese entonces trocar aquellas suertes! ¡Quién tuviese mano en aquella sentencia! Ahora la tienes: no la desprecies. Ahora tienes tiempo para granjear al Juez.

Ahora puedes ganarle la voluntad. Toma, pues, el consejo del Profeta, que dice: Buscad al Señor en el tiempo que se puede hallar, y llamadle cuando está cerca para os oír. Ahora está cerca para nos oír, aunque no lo podemos ver. Mas en la hora del juicio verse ha, pero no nos oirá, si desde ahora no lo tuviéremos merecido.

Scripture echoes

↩Ezek.3.17-Ezek.3.18 — Son of man, I have appointed you as a watchman for the house of Israel; you shall hear a word from my mouth and warn them from me. Ezek.3.18 — When I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' and you do not warn him, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life—that wicked person shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require from your hand.
↩Job.27.8 — For what hope does the godless have when he is cut off, when God takes away his life?
↩Job.27.9 — Will God hear his cry when trouble comes upon him?
↩Prov.28.9 — Whoever turns his ear away from hearing the Torah, even his prayer is an abomination.
↩Matt.25.11 — Afterward the other virgins also come, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us.'
↩Matt.25.12 — But he answered, 'Truly, I tell you, I do not know you.'
↩Matt.25.1-Matt.25.4 — Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Matt.25.2 — Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. Matt.25.3 — For the foolish ones took their lamps, but took no oil with them. Matt.25.4 — but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps
↩Matt.25.6 — But at midnight a cry has gone out: 'Look! The bridegroom! Come out to meet him.'
↩Matt.25.7-Matt.25.11 — Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. Matt.25.8 — The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' Matt.25.9 — But the prudent ones answered, saying, 'No — there will not be enough for us and for you. Go instead to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' Matt.25.10 — But while they were going away to buy, the bridegroom came, and the ready ones went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut. Matt.25.11 — Afterward the other virgins also come, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us.'
↩Matt.25.12 — But he answered, 'Truly, I tell you, I do not know you.'
↩Matt.25.13 — Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
↩Matt.25.13 — Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
↩Luke.23.39-Luke.23.43 — One of the criminals who were hanged there kept heaping insults on him, saying, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!" Luke.23.40 — But the other one answered, rebuking him: 'Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same judgment?' Luke.23.41 — And we indeed justly, for we are receiving what we have earned; but this man has done nothing wrong. Luke.23.42 — And he was saying, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Luke.23.43 — And he said to him, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
↩Luke.23.39-Luke.23.43 — One of the criminals who were hanged there kept heaping insults on him, saying, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!" Luke.23.40 — But the other one answered, rebuking him: 'Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same judgment?' Luke.23.41 — And we indeed justly, for we are receiving what we have earned; but this man has done nothing wrong. Luke.23.42 — And he was saying, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Luke.23.43 — And he said to him, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
↩Luke.23.39-Luke.23.43 — One of the criminals who were hanged there kept heaping insults on him, saying, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!" Luke.23.40 — But the other one answered, rebuking him: 'Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same judgment?' Luke.23.41 — And we indeed justly, for we are receiving what we have earned; but this man has done nothing wrong. Luke.23.42 — And he was saying, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Luke.23.43 — And he said to him, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
↩Ps.62.11-Ps.62.12 — Do not trust in oppression, and do not become empty over robbery; if wealth increases, do not set your heart on it. Ps.62.12 — One thing God has spoken; two things I have heard: strength belongs to God.
↩Eccl.3.21 — Who knows whether the spirit of the children of man goes upward and the spirit of the animal goes downward to the earth?
↩Eccl.3.21 — Who knows whether the spirit of the children of man goes upward and the spirit of the animal goes downward to the earth?

Notes

1 ↩"este punto" points back to the hour of death named in s1; rendered as "this last moment" for clarity.
2 ↩"desconfianza" rendered as distrust (of God's mercy / of one's salvation), not mere suspicion; in context it names the risk of despair in the weak.
3 ↩"a este" points to this authority of Scripture and the fathers who expound it; rendered as "theirs" for natural English reference.
4 ↩salud here is spiritual salvation/healing, not bodily health.
5 ↩De la verdadera y falsa penitencia = De vera et falsa poenitentia (traditionally ascribed to Augustine; often treated as pseudo-Augustinian).
6 ↩Spanish distinguishes culpas (guilt of sin, which may be forgiven) from penas (temporal penalties that may still remain). Rendered as 'sins' and 'penalties' to keep that distinction.
7 ↩el otro siglo = the next age / the life to come; rendered as 'the next world'.
8 ↩Spanish 'bien encaminado' means set on the right road (toward salvation), not merely 'feeling ready' or 'comforted.'
9 ↩Spanish 'por maravilla' rendered as 'only rarely' (scarcely / almost never); the older sense can also edge toward 'as a marvel,' i.e. only by extraordinary exception.
10 ↩Spanish 'creer de sí: el hombre que no quiere lo que no puede' is compact; the sense is that a deathbed claim not to want sin is easy to credit once one can no longer act, not free proof of true penance.
11 ↩Source sentence is a fragment continued in GuiaPec.1.28.12; rendered only the supplied text.
12 ↩Continues the incomplete sentence from GuiaPec.1.28.11.s2 (Peter Lombard quote): many things at death 'hold a man back from this work…'
13 ↩Spanish «navegación de un golfo» keeps a seafaring image: putting off penance until death is like calling a notoriously dangerous gulf a safe voyage. «Pilotos» are the doctors just cited, figured as skilled navigators.
14 ↩«Oficio» here means a skilled craft or lifelong practice (not a liturgical office): the art of dying well (ars moriendi) must be learned across life, not improvised at the end.
15 ↩Spanish «Scoto» is Duns Scotus; «el cuarto De las Sentencias» is Book IV of Peter Lombard’s Sentences (standard scholastic locus for penance).
16 ↩sentido: here the mind's attention/sensitive faculty pulled by passion (not 'meaning'); rendered as 'attention' to match the parallel with pensamiento in s5 and the next section's usage.
17 ↩Aristotle citation (cf. Nic. Eth. 3.6): Spanish «el último trance, y la más terrible cosa de las terribles, es la muerte» kept as a quoted philosophical witness, not Scripture.
18 ↩«mayor amigo» / «menor»: in context the body is the greater friend to the worldly person, the soul the lesser; the sense is that he rushes more readily to the body's peril than to the soul's.
19 ↩Spanish 'accidentes' in early-modern medical usage means fits, attacks, or sudden turns of illness, not 'accidents' in the modern sense.
20 ↩'El remedio de toda la vida' names delayed penance itself—the cure a person should have used across a lifetime, not a medical cure.
21 ↩Source unit is only the discourse marker «Pues»; the sentence continues in GuiaPec.1.28.21.
22 ↩Source sentence ends mid-quotation at ¡Cómo!; the question continues in s3. Modern keeps the incomplete speech break to match the printed sentence split.
23 ↩Source begins with a leading comma, continuing Abishai's speech from s2 (¡Cómo!). Translated as the completed rhetorical question without inventing content.
24 ↩Source text is only a period, almost certainly a residual punctuation artifact after the Abishai quotation rather than an independent sentence.
25 ↩satisfacción retained as 'satisfaction' in the penitential sense of amends/reparation offered for guilt, not mere emotional contentment.
26 ↩descargos: early modern sense of arrangements made to clear debts/conscience (restitutions, bequests, deathbed provisions); rendered 'provisions... for the discharge of their conscience' rather than generic 'discharges'.
27 ↩priesa (modern prisa): urgency/pressure of the crisis, not mere clock-speed haste alone.
28 ↩«avarientos para ella»: «ella» points back to «ánima». Rendered as miserly/stingy toward the soul (unwilling to spend care or sacrifice on it), not as greedy for the soul.
29 ↩«trapillos y pajuelas»: diminutives for worthless trifles (little rags and bits of straw); rendered as little rags and scraps to keep the contemptuous force.
30 ↩«ser muy largo de» is rendered as 'be so free with' (generous/lavish in giving up). The older Spanish idiom means being liberal with goods one is forced to relinquish at death.
31 ↩«manceba» is the illicit concubine/mistress of the earlier deathbed examples; rendered 'mistress' for plain modern English without softening the moral force.
32 ↩Source reads «nos los oiré»; sense and the Proverbs parallel require «no los oiré» (I will not hear them). Translated the corrected reading.
33 ↩Spanish closes the guillemets after «Mi señor se tarda mucho»; «tiempo me queda para aparejarme» is treated as free continuation of the same interior speech before the servant's outward conduct, matching the delay-and-abuse logic of the Gospel parable.
34 ↩«pleito» carries lawsuit/dispute force; rendered as "case" to keep the forensic sense of the ongoing argument without sounding merely quarrelsome.
35 ↩Older Spanish «contigo lo ha» (haberlo con alguien) means to deal with someone / have the case with them, not simple possession. Rendered as a rhetorical triplet: speak with / deal with / say to.
36 ↩manto: cloak/mantle of excuse—here the pretense of putting off penance until death, continued from the chapter theme.
37 ↩Universal vs. particular judgment: final judgment of all vs. judgment of each soul at death; Augustine cited for their non-contradiction.
38 ↩acaeceros ha: archaic future periphrasis (acaecerá a vosotros), rendered as natural future 'it will happen to you'.
39 ↩paso rendered as 'this moment' (death/judgment), continuing the chapter's focus on the hour of death rather than a mere narrative step.
40 ↩Source has 'todas aquella vírgenes' (number mismatch); sense is clearly 'all those virgins'.
41 ↩Sentence and Cajetan quotation are truncated mid-clause in the source section; continuation appears in GuiaPec.1.28.33.s1 ('palabra: Cata, que viene el esposo...').
42 ↩Continues Cardinal Cajetan's quotation broken across the previous section: penance delayed until death, when one hears this cry, is not secure. Spanish 'no verdadera' means not genuine/true as saving penance, not merely factually false.
43 ↩'lo estemos' resumes readiness (aparejadas/apercibidas) from the previous sentence: always be ready.
44 ↩'pintar' here means depict/portray/set forth, not literally paint.
45 ↩'entretener' here is the self-delaying / self-amusing use of a false hope of deathbed penance, paired with 'consolar' (console/comfort).
46 ↩'norte' is the guiding star/compass bearing of judgment, not the geographic North.
47 ↩'Maestro del cielo' and 'Juez' both refer to Christ as teacher and final judge; 'negocio' is the matter of salvation under judgment.
48 ↩"bautismo" here is Augustine's reading of the Good Thief's confession as baptism of desire/blood, not a water baptism; rendered "baptism" to keep the theological claim intact.
49 ↩Source sentence is only a bare period ('.'), almost certainly a segmentation artifact after the Solomon quote in s2. No translatable content.
50 ↩Sentence appears truncated mid-clause: source ends at 'no hacen regla'. Neighboring next section (GuiaPec.1.28.39.s1) begins 'general, ni pertenecen a todos…', which continues the thought.
51 ↩This sentence continues the previous section's clause about particular graces not making a rule (no hacen regla general).
52 ↩Spanish atrito/contrito keep the scholastic distinction: attrition is imperfect sorrow for sin (e.g. from fear of punishment); contrition is perfect sorrow for love of God. Salud here is spiritual salvation/health of the soul, not bodily health.
53 ↩«revocas cuanto tenías ordenado» is rendered as undoing sickbed resolutions (not merely formal decrees); the force is retracting the amendment of life you had ordered for yourself.
54 ↩Spanish 'salud' here is theological salus, 'salvation,' not physical health. 'Desencastillar' is a military metaphor: to drive someone out of a fortress or stronghold.
55 ↩'Parar en aquella hora' means to come through / hold firm at the hour of death; rendered as 'get you through at that hour.'
56 ↩'Aparejos' = deathbed arrangements/preparations; 'mandas de testamento' = bequests or legacies ordered in a last will.
57 ↩'Interese' (interés) is worldly advantage or loss, not pure greed alone: Esau's tears were for the inheritance he forfeited, not godly sorrow.
58 ↩"temor servil" (servile fear) is kept as fear of punishment alone, distinct from love; the source treats it as good but insufficient for the Kingdom.
59 ↩esta hora points forward to the hour of death and final reckoning developed in the chapter, not a generic clock-hour.
60 ↩copo de lana / hilar keeps Granada's spinning metaphor for a life that is quickly worked out on the spindle; 'lock of wool' and 'spun through' preserve the image without archaism.
61 ↩suerte is the allotted outcome/fate at death (not mere chance); the sentence is left open because the Spanish unit continues into the next section.
62 ↩Older Spanish 'trance' means a critical trial or crisis, not a hypnotic trance; rendered as 'ordeal'.
63 ↩'Pleito' is courtroom language (lawsuit/case); kept as 'lawsuit' to preserve the judicial image of eternal sentence.
64 ↩'Tener mano en' means to have influence or a say over something; rendered as 'have a hand in' to keep the Spanish idiom's force.
65 ↩'Granjear' means to win favor or goodwill; kept as 'win over' rather than a commercial 'earn'.
66 ↩Old Spanish 'verse ha' = modern 'se verá' ('will be seen'). 'lo tuviéremos merecido' is future subjunctive: if we shall not have earned/deserved that hearing from this moment forward.

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