For he does not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.
Read Chapter 3
Ambrose of Milan
AD 397
Is it not evident that the Lord Jesus is angry with us when we sin in order that he may convert us through fear of his indignation? His indignation, then, is not the carrying out of vengeance but rather the working out of forgiveness, for these are his words: “If you shall turn and lament, you shall be saved.” He waits for our lamentations here, that is, in time, that he may spare us those that shall be eternal. He waits for our tears that he may pour forth his goodness. So in the Gospel, having pity on the tears of the widow, he raised her son. He waits for our conversion that he may himself restore us to grace, which would have continued with us had no fall overtaken us. But he is angry because we have by our sins incurred guilt in order that we may be humbled; we are humbled in order that we may be found worthy rather of pity than of punishment.
Jeremiah, too, may certainly teach us this when he says, “For the Lord will not cast off forever; for after he has humbled, he will have co...
But all those who call their lands by their own names and have wood and hay and stubble in their thoughts; such as these, since they are strangers to difficulties, become aliens from the kingdom of heaven. Had they however known that “tribulation perfects patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, and hope makes not ashamed,” they would have exer-cised themselves, after the example of Paul. He said, “I bring my body into subjection, lest when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” They would easily have borne the afflictions that were brought on them to prove them from time to time, if the prophetic admonition had been listened to by them: “It is good for a person to take up your yoke in his youth. He shall sit alone and shall be silent, because he has taken your yoke on him. He will give his cheek to him who strikes him. He will be filled with reproaches. The Lord does not cast away forever. When he abases, he is gracious, according to the multitude of...
That all sins may be forgiven him who has turned to God with his whole heart.… “The Lord will not reject forever; and when he has made low, he will have pity according to the multitude of his mercy. Because he will not bring low from his whole heart, neither will he reject the children of humankind.” - "Exhortation to Repentance"
The divine mercy regarding relaxation of punishments is displayed. So first is considered an absolution from penalities: "For the Lord will not cast off forever". Since, the Lord does not forever punish. Because Psalm 94 (93):14 claims: "For the Lord will not forsake his people; he will not abandon his heritage." And Isaiah 28:28 remarks: "Does one crush bread grain? No, he does not threst it forever."
Second, divine mercy, in relation to divine piety as to reason, is considered. For, though the Lord causes grief, he will have compassion according "to the abundance of his steadfast love", because, it from such a portion of divine piety (of God the Father) that one punishes in order to correct, then one comforts. For, the Book of Tobit 4:21 states: "Do not be afraid, my son, because we have become poor. You have great wealth, if you fear God and refrain from every sin and do what is pleasing in his sight." Therefore, out of love for humankind is said: "For he does not willingly affli...
