[De veritate dicenda aut tacenda]

That occurs through the infliction of punishment, which is not intended here principally, which is done by the authority of an office by superiors whose duty it is to preside over the multitude and to provide for the peace of the community. And each manner falls under divine precept in certain ways. Earlier, Matthew 18 said: "If your brother sins against you, argue with him," etc. And Ecclesiasticus 17: "God commanded each one concerning his neighbor." And 2 Corinthians 12: "The members are solicitous for one another." If, therefore, to give bodily alms in time of necessity—namely, so that someone does not die of hunger—is of the necessity of salvation, and so that the soul of the brother is preserved from death, much more is it of the necessity of salvation. And Augustine, in the book On the Words of the Lord: "If you neglect to correct, you have become worse than he who sinned." And this precept is included under that one: "Honor your father and mother," and under that one: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." But because it is an affirmative precept, it indeed binds always, but not for always—that is, not for every time and place, but just as the acts of virtues, having observed the due circumstances, ought to be done—namely, when, how, where, and according to what ought to be done. But negative precepts prohibit acts of sins, which are evil in themselves and in no way can be done well, nor in any place well, which are in themselves joined to an evil end, as is said in the second Ethics. Since, therefore, fraternal correction is ordered toward the final amendment of the brother, in so far as such an end can be attained through it, thus it is in the precept, and binds everyone possessing charity. We find, therefore, three cases in which fraternal correction can be omitted. First, meritoriously, when someone omits correction out of charity. For Augustine says in On the City of God: "If on account of this, someone spares those who act badly when rebuking and correcting them, because he seeks an opportune time, or fears that they might become worse from this, or that they might not be taught toward a good and pious life..."