Complete Extant Works of Saint Ambrose, Vol. I

"If the priest does not speak to the transgressor, he who has transgressed will die in his own guilt, and the priest will be responsible for the punishment, because he did not warn the transgressor." (Ezekiel 3:19) Receive this, Emperor Augustus: that you have a zeal for the faith, I cannot deny; that you have a fear of God, I do not dispute: but you have a vehemence of nature which, if anyone wishes to soothe, you quickly turn to mercy; if anyone stirs it up, you rouse it to such a degree that one can scarcely recall you. If no one is to soothe it, I wish no one would stir it up! I willingly entrust him to you; you recall yourself, and by the zeal of piety you overcome the impulse of nature... Are you ashamed, Emperor, to do what the King and Prophet, the ancestor of Christ according to the flesh, David, did? It was said to him that a rich man who had many flocks snatched and killed the one ewe of a poor man for the arrival of a guest; and having recognized that he himself was being accused in this, because he himself had done it, he said: I have sinned against the Lord. (2 Samuel 12:13) Do not, therefore, bear it impatiently, Emperor, if it is said to you: You have done this; which was said to King David by the Prophet. For if you listen to this earnestly, and say: I have sinned against the Lord... it will be said to you as well: Since you repent, the Lord takes away your sin, and you will not die... I have written these things not to confuse you, but so that the examples of kings may provoke you to take this sin away from your kingdom; you will take it away,