Chapter CXXXIV. Of his tenderness toward the weak-hearted: and concerning those that do contrary to this

177. But he cherished with greater kindness and upheld with greater patience those sick whom he knew to be "like children tossed to and fro," harassed by temptations, and fainting in spirit. Wherefore he avoided sharp correction (where he saw he might do so without danger) and spared the rod that he might spare the soul. He used to say that it is the proper function of a Superior who is a father and not a tyrant to forestall occasions of delinquency, and not to allow a brother to slip whom if he were wounded it would be hard to lift up. Woe for the pitiable madness of our time! Not only do we fail to raise up or keep back the tottering, but sometimes we push them over. We think nothing of robbing that Chief Pastor of one little sheep for whom on the Cross He l< offered up strong crying with tears". It was otherwise with thee, holy father, who hadst rather amend the erring than ruin them! But we know that the plagues of self-will are more deeply rooted in some, and that for them the cautery is needed and not the ointment: and it is clear that for very many it were more wholesome to be scourged with a rod of iron than to be soothed with the hand. But oil and wine, rod and staff, zeal and pity, ointment and cautery, dungeon and shelter — all have their proper time; the God of vengeance and Father of mercies requires all these things, but yet He would have "mercy rather than sacrifice".