The Clamour of Sin

Clamor Sodomorum et Gomorrhaeorum multiplicatus est... Ut beatus Gregorius dicit, peccatum cum voce est peccatum in actione: peccatum autem cum clamore est peccatum cum liberatate. Quia ergo Sodomitae libere et inverecunde omnem impudicitiam exercebant, imo in pessimis sceleribus laetabantur et exultabant, ideo clamor eroum dicitur pervenisse ad Deum. Descendam et videbo utrum clamorem qui venit ad me opere compleverint. Clamor quidem ad Deum pervenerat, sed non statim puniuntur, nisi Angelus descendisset et vidisset utrum hoc perpetrassent. Mox autem, ut inventum est, absque dilatione misso caelitus igne consumpti sunt. Ubi docemur non facile auditis quorumdam criminibus credere: statim vero, ut res probata fuerit, continuo ultio subsequitur. Quod autem dicere: descendam et video, more nostro Deus loquitur tanquam dubitans et ignorans, cum tamen ipse santam et ratam habeat scientiam. Non delebo propter quinquaginta. Quinquagenarius numerus dicatus est poenitentiae. Unde et quinquagesimus psalmus in poenitentia cantatus est. Quod ergo dicit: Non delebo propter quinquaginta, ostendit potuisse eos ab imminenti interitu liberari, si ad poenitentiam confugere voluissent. Quod autem paulatim descendendo ad decem pervenit, ostendit neminem posse salvari, nisi eum qui crucem Christi ferre eumque sequi studuerit, et decem legis praecepta impleverit. Denarius enim crucem Christi designat, quia decima littera qua denarius numerus exprimitur figuram habet crucis. Remigius Antissiodorensis, Commentarius In Genesim, Cap XVIII Source: Migne PL 131.90c-91a

The clamour of Sodom and Gomorrah is multiplied...1 As the blessed Gregory says, the voice of sin is sin in action, and sin with clamour is sin without restraint. 2 Therefore because the Sodomites were freely and without shame exerting themselves in every sexual perversion, and rejoicing and exulting in the worst evils, so their cry is said to have come to God. I shall descend and I shall see if the clamour which comes to me matches the deed... 3 Certainly the clamour came to God, but punishment was not immediate, until an angel had descended and seen whether they did this. Yet as soon as it was discovered, without the delay of him sent, fire from heaven consumed them. By which we are taught that we should not easily believe what we hear of the wickedness of others, but in the instant the deed is proved, swift punishment follows. And when it is said: 'I shall descend and see,' God speaks in our manner, as hesitant and ignorant, when yet He has unimpaired and certain knowledge. I shall not destroy them for the sake of fifty... 4 The number fifty is spoken for penance. Whence the fiftieth Psalm was sung for penance. That therefore He says: 'I shall not destroy them on account of fifty,' shows that He was able to free them from imminent ruin, if they had chosen to flee to penance. And then proceeding little by little down to ten, He shows that no one can be saved, unless him who shall desire to bear the cross of Christ and follow Him, 5 and who fulfills the the ten commandments of the Law. For a Denarius designates the cross of Christ, since the letter by which the number of the Denarius is expressed is a figure of the cross. 6 Remigius of Auxerre, Commentary On Genesis, Chap 18 1 Gen 18.20 2 Greg Mag In Septem Psalm Poenit 2.3 3 Gen 18.21 4 Gen 18.26 5 Mt 16.24 6 Roman Number 10 is X and the symbol for the Denarius is X