Chapter XLV.—All Ought to Repent.

“Wherefore, let no one of you longer dissemble nor look backwards, but willingly approach to the Gospel of the kingdom of God.  Let not the poor man say, When I shall become rich, then I shall be converted.  God does not ask money of you, but a merciful heart and a pious mind.  Nor let the rich man delay his conversion by reason of worldly care, while he thinks how he may dispose the abundance of his fruits; nor say within himself, ‘What shall I do? where shall I bestow my fruits?’  Nor say to his soul, ‘Thou hast much goods laid up for many years; feast and rejoice.’  For it shall be said to him, ‘Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be taken from thee, and whose shall those things be which thou hast provided?’⁸⁷⁷⁸⁷⁷    Luke xii. 17, 19, 20.  Therefore let every age, every sex, every condition, haste to repentance, that they may obtain eternal life.  Let the young be thankful that they put their necks under the yoke of discipline in the very violence of their desires.  The old also are themselves praise-worthy, because they change for the fear of God, the custom of a long time in which they have been unhappily occupied.