Chapter XII.

Who, now, should know better the marrow of the Scriptures than the school of Christ itself?—the persons whom the Lord both chose for Himself as scholars, certainly to be fully instructed in all points, and appointed to us for masters to instruct us in all points. To whom would He have rather made known the veiled import of His own language, than to him to whom He disclosed the likeness of His own glory—to Peter, John, and James, and afterwards to Paul, to whom He granted participation in (the joys of) paradise too, prior to his martyrdom? Or do they also write differently from what they think—teachers using deceit, not truth? Addressing the Christians of Pontus, Peter, at all events, says, “How great indeed is the glory, if ye suffer patiently, without being punished as evildoers! For this is a lovely feature, and even hereunto were ye called, since Christ also suffered for us, leaving you Himself as an example, that ye should follow His own steps.”78    1 Pet. ii. 20. And again:  “Beloved, be not alarmed by the fiery trial which is taking place among you, as though some strange thing happened unto you. For, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings, do ye rejoice; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye are reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; because glory and the Spirit of God rest upon you: if only none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evil-doer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters; yet (if any man suffer) as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God on this behalf.”79    1 Pet. iv. 12. John, in fact, exhorts us to lay down our lives even for our brethren,80    1 John iii. 16. affirming that there is no fear in love:  “For perfect love casteth out fear, since fear has punishment; and he who fears is not perfect in love.”81    1 John iv. 18. What fear would it be better to understand (as here meant), than that which gives rise to denial? What love does he assert to be perfect, but that which puts fear to flight, and gives courage to confess? What penalty will he appoint as the punishment of fear, but that which he who denies is about to pay, who has to be slain, body and soul, in hell? And if he teaches that we must die for the brethren, how much more for the Lord,—he being sufficiently prepared, by his own Revelation too, for giving such advice! For indeed the Spirit had sent the injunction to the angel of the church in Smyrna:  “Behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried ten days. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.”82    Rev. ii. 10. Also to the angel of the church in Pergamus (mention was made) of Antipas,83    Rev. ii. 13. the very faithful martyr, who was slain where Satan dwelleth. Also to the angel of the church in Philadelphia84    Rev. iii. 10. (it was signified) that he who had not denied the name of the Lord was delivered from the last trial. Then to every conqueror the Spirit promises now the tree of life, and exemption from the second death; now the hidden manna with the stone of glistening whiteness, and the name unknown (to every man save him that receiveth it); now power to rule with a rod of iron, and the brightness of the morning star; now the being clothed in white raiment, and not having the name blotted out of the book of life, and being made in the temple of God a pillar with the inscription on it of the name of God and of the Lord, and of the heavenly Jerusalem; now a sitting with the Lord on His throne,—which once was persistently refused to the sons of Zebedee.85    Matt. xx. 20–23. Who, pray, are these so blessed conquerors, but martyrs in the strict sense of the word?  For indeed theirs are the victories whose also are the fights; theirs, however, are the fights whose also is the blood. But the souls of the martyrs both peacefully rest in the meantime under the altar,86    Rev. vi. 9. and support their patience by the assured hope of revenge; and, clothed in their robes, wear the dazzling halo of brightness, until others also may fully share in their glory. For yet again a countless throng are revealed, clothed in white and distinguished by palms of victory, celebrating their triumph doubtless over Antichrist, since one of the elders says, “These are they who come out of that great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”87    Rev. vii. 14. For the flesh is the clothing of the soul. The uncleanness, indeed, is washed away by baptism, but the stains are changed into dazzling whiteness by martyrdom. For Esaias also promises, that out of red and scarlet there will come forth the whiteness of snow and wool.88    Isa. i. 18. When great Babylon likewise is represented as drunk with the blood of the saints,89    Rev. xvii. 6. doubtless the supplies needful for her drunkenness are furnished by the cups of martyrdoms; and what suffering the fear of martyrdoms will entail, is in like manner shown. For among all the castaways, nay, taking precedence of them all, are the fearful. “But the fearful,” says John—and then come the others—“will have their part in the lake of fire and brimstone.”90    Rev. xxi. 8. Thus fear, which, as stated in his epistle, love drives out, has punishment.

CAPUT XII.

Quis nunc medullas Scripturarum magis nosset, quam ipsa Christi schola? quos et sibi discipulos Dominus adoptavit, omnia utique edocendos; et nobis magistros adornavit, omnia utique docturos. Cui potius figuram vocis suae declarasset, quam cui effigiem gloriae suae revelavit, Petro, Jacobo, Joanni, et postea Paulo, quem paradisi quoque compotem fecit ante martyrium? An et illi aliter quam sentiunt scribunt, fallaciae magistri, non veritatis? Petrus quidem ad Ponticos: Quanta enim, inquit (I Petr. II), gloria, si non ut delinquentes puniamini, sustinetis! Haec enim 0146Cgratia est, in hoc et vocati estis, quoniam et Christus passus est pro nobis, relinquens vobis exemplum semetipsum, ut assequamini vestigia ipsius. Et rursus (I Pet. IV): Dilecti, ne expavescatis ustionem, quae agitur in vobis in tentationem, quasi novum accidat vobis: etenim secundum quod communicatis passionibus Christi, gaudete, uti et in revelatione gloriae ejus gaudeatis exultantes. Si dedecoramini innomine Christi, beati estis, quoniam gloria et Dei spiritus requiescitin vobis, dum ne quis vestrum patiatur, ut homicida, aut fur, 0147Aaut maleficus, autalieni speculator. Si autem ut christianus, ne erubescat; glorificet autem Dominum in nomine isto. Joannes vero, ut etiam pro fratribus nostris animas ponamus, hortatur, negans timorem esse in dilectione (I Joan. IV, 18): Perfecta enim dilectio foras abjicit timorem: quoniam timor poenam habet; et qui timet, non est perfectus in dilectione. Quem timorem intelligi praestat, nisi negationis auctorem? Quam dilectionem perfectam affirmat, nisi fugatricem timoris, et animatricem confessionis? Quam poenam timore puniat, nisi quam negator relaturus est, cum corpore et anima occidendus in gehenna ? Quod si pro fratribus, quanto magis pro Domino moriendum docet, satis de Apocalypsi quoque sua instructus haec suadere! Mandaverat etenim spiritus ad angelum ecclesiae 0147B Smyrnaeorum (Apocal. II, 10): Ecce diabolus ex numero tuo conjicietin carcerem, ut tentemini diebus decem. Esto fidelis ad mortem usque, et dabo tibi vitae coronam. Item ad Pergamenorum de Antipa fidelissimo martyre interfecto in habitatione Satanae. Item ad Philadelphenorum, quod a tentatione ultima liberaretur, qui Domini nomen non negarat . Exinde victori cuique promittit nunc arborem vitae, et mortis veniam secundae: nunc latens manna cum calculo candido, et nomine ignoto: nunc ferreae virgae potestatem, et stellae matutinae claritatem: nunc albam vestiri, nec deleri de libro vitae, et columnam fieri in Dei templo, in nomine Dei et Domini, et Jerusalem coelestis inscripta, nunc residere cum Domino in throno ejus, quod aliquando Zebedaei filiis 0147C negabatur. Quinam isti tam beati victores, nisi proprie martyres? Illorum etenim victoriae, quorum et pugnae; eorum vero pugnae, quorum et sanguis. Sed et interim sub altari martyrum animae placidum quiescunt, et fiducia ultionis patientiam pascunt, et indutae stolis, candidam claritatis usurpant, donec et alii consortium illarum gloriae impleant. Nam et rursus innumera multitudo albati et palmis victoriae insignes revelantur; scilicet de Antichristo triumphantes , sicut unus ex presbyteris; Hi sunt, ait (Apoc. VII, 14), qui veniunt ex illa pressura magna, et laverunt vestimentum suum, et candidaverunt ipsum in sanguine agni: vestitus enim animae, caro. Sordes quidem baptismate abluuntur, maculae vero martyrio 0148A candidantur. Quia et Esaias (Is. I, 18) ex russeo et coccino niveum et laneum repromittit. Magna etiam Babylon cum describitur ebria sanctorum cruore, sine dubio ebrietas ejus martyriorum poculis ministratur, quorum formido quid relatura sit, aeque ostenditur. Inter omnes enim reprobos; imo ante omnes. Timidis autem, inquit, dehinc caeteris, particula in stagno ignis et sulphuris. Sic timor ejus in Epistola ejus (I Joan. IV, 18), quem dilectio foras abjicit, habet poenam.