Justice and Judgements

Non enim haec sola est forma justitae, ut non laedas eum, qui te non laeserit; sed etiam illa, ut etiam ei remittas, qui te laeserit. Laedimur plerumque fraude alterius, dolo proximi: numquid hoc virtutis putamus, ut dolum dolo ulcismur, fraudem referamus fraudibus? Etenim si justitia virtus est, crimine debet vacare, nec improbitatem improbitate refere. Quae enim virtus haec a te fieri, quod in altero ipse punias? Contagio ista improbitatis non ultio est: nihil autem interest cui malefacias, utrum justo, an injusto, cum te malefacere non oporteat. Neque distat quomodo malignus sis, utrum vindicandi studio, an voto nocendi; cum malignitas in utroque genere non careat reprehensione. Nam malignum esse ab injusto nihil distat: ideoque tibi dictum est: 'Noli malignus esse inter malignantes, neque aemulatus fueris facientes iniquitatem; et supra idem ait: 'Odio habui congregationem malignantium. Omnes ubique complexus est, nullum excepit: malignitatem tenuit, non causam interrogavit. Quae autem melior forma quam justitiae divinae? Dicit enim Dei Filius: ' Diligite inimicos vestros. Et iterum dicit: 'Orate pro persequentibus et calumniantibus vos. Eousque perfectis studium adimit ultionis, ut laedentium charitatem imperet. Et quoniam in veteri Scriptua dixerat: ' Mihi vindictam et ego retribuam, in Evangelio ait orandum pro iis qui laeserint; ne in eos vindicet, qui vindicandum promisit: vult enim ex tua dimittere voluntate, in quo ex sua convenitur promissione. Quod si vindictam requiris, habes quia injustus amplius suis punitur opinionibus quam judiciariis severitatibus. Et quoniam nemo potest esse sine aliquibus adversis, id agamus, ne nobis nostro vitio adversa accidant. Nemo enim gravius alieno condemnatur judicio, quam insipiens suo, qui sibi auctor est malorum. Unde molesta et plena contentionis declinemus negotia, quae neque frutum habent, et impedimentum afferunt. Quamquam id agere debemus, ne nos arbitrii nostri poeniteat, aut facti: prudentis est enim prospicere, ne frequenter eum poeniteat sui; numquam enim poenitere solius est Dei. Quis veri justitiae fructus, nisi mentis tranquillitas? Aut quid est juste vivere, nisi cum tranquillitate vivere? Qualis forma fuerit domini, talis totius domus est status. Quod is domui quaerentur ista, quanto magis in Ecclesia, 'ubi et dives et pauper, servus et liber, Graecus et Scytha, honoratus et plebeius, omnes in Christo unum sumus?' Sanctus Ambrosius Mediolanensis, ex Epistula LXIII, Vercellensi Ecclesiae

For it is not the sole condition of justice not to hurt him who has not hurt you but that you forgive him who has injured you. We are often injured by the deceit of others, by the cunning of a neighbour, but should we think it virtuous to have revenge on cunning with cunning, to pay back fraud with fraud? For if justice is a virtue, it must be free from crime, and so not return evil for evil. For what is this virtue of yours that you punish another with what you do yourself? This is to spread evil, not punish it. And whether the person whom you injure be just or unjust is of no importance, for you should not have done evil. Nor does it make a difference to how wicked you are, whether it be done out of a desire for vengeance, or of injuring others, when the wickedness in either case does not clear you of blame. There is no difference between being evil and being unjust, and therefore it is said, 'Do not wish to be wicked among the wicked, nor envy those who perform iniquities,'  1 and before that it is written: 'I have hated the congregation of the wicked.' 2 Thus he comprehends everyone everywhere, without exception; he indicates wickedness without asking for the cause. And what can be a better model than Divine justice? For the Son of God says, 'Love your enemies.' And again He says, 'Pray for them who persecute you and speak ill of you.' 3 So far does He remove the desire for revenge from the perfect, that he commands charity to persecutors. And as in the Old Testament He said, 'Mine is vengeance, I will repay,' 4 so in the Gospel He says we must pray for those who injure us,lest against them he be revenged who promised revenge. For He desires you to forgive of your own free-will, with which He agrees according to His promise. If you ask for vengeance, you have it, because the unjust man is more severely punished by his own thoughts, than by judicial severity. And since no one can be free from adversities, let us act so that they do not come upon us by our own fault. For no one is condemned more heavily by judgment than the fool is by his own, he who is the author of his own misery. Thus let us avoid such affairs that are troublesome and contentious, which have no fruit and offer only obstacles. But we should act so that we have no cause to be ashamed either of our judgements or deeds; for it is of the prudent man to guard against having to feel frequent sorrow for his acts, it being for God alone never to repent. For what is the fruit of justice but calmness of mind? Or what does living justly bring with it, but a life of tranquillity? As the model of the master will be the state of the whole house. But if this is required in a family, how much more in the Church, 'Where both rich and poor, bond and free, Greek and Scythian, noble and plebeian, are all one in Christ Jesus.' 5 Saint Ambrose, from Letter 63, To the Church of Vercellae 1 Ps 36.1  2 Ps 25.5  3 Mt 5.44 4 Deut 32,35 5 Coloss 3.11