everyone may, and should, reprove when official duty or his
neighbor's case requires; it serves to reform the subject. To quote
Solomon again (Prov 27, 6): "Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but
the kisses of an enemy are profuse [deceitful]." Reproofs and stripes
prompted by love and a faithful heart are beneficial. On the other
hand, an enemy may use fair and flattering words when he has enmity
and deceit at heart, preferring to let you go on to ruin rather than
by gentle reproof to warn of danger and rescue you from destruction.
The faithful, conscientious physician must often, of necessity and
with great pain to the patient, amputate a limb in order to save the
body.

Paul, too, commands pious bishops to be urgent in season, out of
season; to reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering. 2 Tim 4,
2; Tit 2, 15. By our silence to commend or to encourage to evil the
wrong-doer would not be to manifest one's love to the offender, but
rather to give him over wholly to death and the devil.

30. It was this love and sincerity of heart which prompted Christ in
his office to censure and rebuke, for which he merited only wrath and
hatred; as we say, he sought his stripes. But the duty of his office
required such action on his part. His motive was to turn the
transgressors from their blindness and malice, and to rescue them from
perdition; and he could not be deterred by the consequent persecution,
cross and death which awaited. But having fulfilled his official
duties, and the hour of his suffering having arrived, he suffered
patiently, permitting his enemies to heap upon him all possible evil
in return for his manifested love and blessings. Instead of angrily
reviling and execrating while, suspended from the cross, he endured
the most shameful calumnies, he, with strong cries and with tears,
prayed, "Father, forgive them." It was, indeed, a heart of
unfathomable love that, in the midst of extreme suffering, had
compassion on its persecutors and blessed them in greater measure than
parent can bless child or one individual bless another.

31. Observe, then, the distinction between official and unofficial
censure and rebuke; the former is prompted by love, and the latter by
wrath and hatred. The world, however, is artful and cunning enough
when it hears this distinction, to pervert and confuse the two,
exercising its own revenge under the name of official zeal and
reproof. For instance, if a preacher is disposed to ac