to do in order to convict me, as I should then hold to the old saying: if you are guilty, deny it. He should prove everything most clearly, and in the minutest detail. Even if my accusers were many, but were either good friends of mine, whose favor I am sure of and who are compelled to give evidence against me; or otherwise if they are men to whom it matters little that the ends of justice should be served, who are indifferent as to whether their accusation is believed or not; or if they are people of evil repute, who deserve little credence and are moreover hateful to the judge: then indeed I should not be very uneasy as to the result of the trial, or at all events I should have good grounds to hope for a favorable termination. But otherwise I might look on my case as utterly hopeless. For he who accuses me through hatred will not keep back the least thing that he can bring forward to my discredit. He who is moved to appear against me through zeal and love of justice will not desist until the judge pronounces sentence and has it carried into execution. If there are many to give the same evidence against me, their united testimony saves them from all suspicion of falsehood. And finally, if the witnesses enjoy the friendship and favor of the judge, their testimony against me must carry more weight and ensure my condemnation. In a word, I should not have the slightest chance. Is not that your opinion too, my dear brethren?
On that day the devils shall accuse the sinner of breaking the promises made in baptism. Now, O sinner! think of this, and tremble at the thought: countless, almost infinite in number are the witnesses who shall appear against you in the valley of Josaphat to accuse you openly and convict you unanimously of guilt. First there shall be swarms of demons from hell, moved by the bitterest hatred towards you. St. John in the Apocalypse calls the devil “the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night.”[1] Even he who now tries to inspire you with a presumptuous hope in the divine mercy will then beg of God to forget all His mercy. Even he, says St. Basil, who now paints sin to you as of little account and a mere trifle, will then bring forward all your sins in all their deformity. Even he who now tries to drive you to sin by his suggestions will then bring forward those very suggestions for your damnation, and accuse you of having listened to them. “Even he,” such are the words of St.
- ↑ Accusator fratrum nostrorum, qui accusabat illos ante conspectum Dei nostri die ac nocte.—Apoc. xii. 10.
