Burying The Wicked

Omnia haec vidi, et dedi cor meum in omne opus, quod factum est sub sole, et dominatus est homo homini, ut affligeret eum. Et tunc vidi impios sepultos, et venerunt, et de loco sancto egressi sunt, et laudati sunt in civitate, quia sic fecerunt: sed et hoc vanitas. Quia enim non est contradictio facientibus malum cito: ideo repletum est cor filiorum hominis in eis, ut faciant malum. Dedi, inquit, cor meum, ut omne quod sub sole geritur, intuerer, et hoc vel maxime, quod homo accepit in hominem potestatem, ut quoscumque vult affligat atque condemnet. Cum itaque mentem meam ad haec intuenda dirigerem, vidi impios cum tali opinione mortuos, et sic sepultos, ut sancti aestimarentur in terra, qui et cum viverent, putabantur digni Ecclesia et templo Dei, insuper ambulantes tumidi, laudabantur in malis suis, sicut scriptum est: Laudatur enim peccator in desideriis animae suae, et qui iniqua gerit, benedicitur. Hoc autem propterea evenit, quia nemo peccantibus audet contradicere, nec statim scelus ulciscitur Deus, sed differt poenam, dum exspectat poenitentiam. Peccatores autem, quia non statim arguti atque correpti sunt, putantes nequaquam futurum esse judicium, in scelere perseverant. Possumus hoc testimonio uti adversus episcopos, qui acceperunt in Ecclesia potestatem, et scandalizant magis eos, quos docere et ad meliora debuerant incitare. Hi frequenter post mortem laudantur in Ecclesia, et beati in his, quae non probabiliter fecerant, publice sive a successoribus, sive a populis praedicantur. Et hoc itaque vanum est, quia enim non ut egerunt, sic audiunt, nec statim corripiuntur in peccato suo, nemo quippe audet accusare majorem, propterea quasi sancti et beati, et in praeceptis Domini ambulantes, augent peccata peccatis. Difficilis est accusatio in episcopum. Si enim peccaverit, non creditur, et si convictus fuerit, non punitur. Sanctus Hieronymous, Commentarius In Ecclesiasten, Caput VIII Source: Migne PL 23.1076c-1077c

All these things I have considered, and I gave my heart to all the works that are done under the sun. Sometimes one man has ruled over another to his own harm. I saw the wicked buried, who yet when they were yet living were in the holy place and were praised in the city as men of just works, but this also is vanity. 1 Because there is no swift correction of those who do evil, therefore the heart of the sons of men is full with them, so that they do evil. He says that he gave his heart to look on everything done beneath the sun, and especially when a man receives power over men, so that they may afflict and condemn whom they wish. Thus when I turned my mind to look on these things, I saw the wicked and dead held in great repute, and when buried they were judged holy on earth, who while they lived were thought to be among the great ones of the assembly and the temple of God, walking on high, puffed up, and they were praised in their evils, and so it has been written, 'The sinner is praised in the desires of his soul, and he who bears wickedness is blessed.' 1 And this happens because no one dares to correct those who sin, nor is there immediate punishment from God, but punishment is deferred while there is some hope for repentance. But it is because sinners are not immediately challenged and corrected they think there will not be a future judgement, and so they persevere in their evil. We can set this testimony against bishops who receive power in the Church and create scandal among those whom they should be teaching and arousing to better things. Then after they die they are frequently praised in the Church and blessed because of those things they have likely never done, and this is openly proclaimed by the people, or their successors. And thus it is a vanity, because they did not act as they hear, nor are they immediately corrected in their sin, for no one dares to accuse an elder, because of which, as if holy and blessed, and walking in the commandments of God they heap up sin on sin. It is difficult to accuse a bishop, for if he has sinned, it is not believed, and if he is convicted he is not punished. Saint Jerome, Commentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 8 1 Eccl 8.9-10 2 Ps 9.24