VII.  Abusers of themselves with mankind, and with beasts, as also murderers, wizards, adulterers, and idolaters, are deserving of the same punishment.  Whatever rule you have in the case of the rest, observe also in their case.  There can, however, be no doubt that we ought to receive those who have repented of impurity committed in ignorance for thirty years. So the mss.  But the Ben. note points out that there must be some error, if a sin knowingly committed was punished by excommunication for fifteen years (Canons lviii., lxii., lxiii.), and one unwittingly committed by a punishment of twice the duration.  In this case there is ground for forgiveness in ignorance, in the spontaneity of confession, and the long extent of time.  Perhaps they have been delivered to Satan for a whole age of man that they may learn not to behave unseemly; cf. 1 Tim. i. 20. wherefore order them to be received without delay, specially if they shed tears to move your mercy, and shew a manner of living worthy of compassion. The Ben. note continues:  “Deinde vero testatur Basilius eos fere hominis ætatem satanæ traditos fuisse.  At ætas hominis (γενεά) sæpe annorum viginti spatio existimatur; velut cum ait Dionysius Alexandrinus Alexandrinus apud Eusebium, lib. vii. cap. 21.  Israelitas in deserto fuisse duabus ætatibus.  Ipse Basilius in Epistola 201, quæ scripta est anno 375, Neocæsarienses incusat quod sibi jam totam fere hominis ætatem succenseant; quos tamen non ita pridem amicos habuerat; ac anno 568, Musonii morte affictos litteris amicissimis consolatus fuerat.  Sæculum apud Latinos non semper stricte sumitur; velut cum ait Hieronymus in Epist. 27 ad Marcellum, in Christi verbis explicandis per tanta jam sæcula tantorum ingenia sudasse; vel cum auctor libri De rebaptismate in Cyprianum tacito nomine invehitur, quod adversus prisca consulta post tot sæculorum tantam seriem nunc primum repente sine ratione insurgat, p. 357.  De hoc ergo triginta annorum numero non paucos deducendos esse crediderim.