Chapter XI.

The passage quoted from St. John’s Epistle is confirmed by another in which salvation is promised to those who believe in Christ, which refutes the Novatians who try to induce the lapsed to believe, although denying them pardon. Furthermore, many who had lapsed have received the grace of martyrdom, whilst the example of the good Samaritan shows that we must not abandon those in whom even the faintest amount of faith is still alive.

48. Since, then, we have spoken of the general Epistle of St. John, let us enquire whether the writings of John in the Gospel agree with your interpretation. For he writes that the Lord said: “God so loved this world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that every one that believeth on Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”76    S. John iii. 16. If, then, you wish to reclaim any one of the lapsed, do you exhort him to believe, or not to believe? Undoubtedly you exhort him to believe. But, according to the Lord’s words, he who believes shall have everlasting life. How, then, will you forbid to pray for him, who has a claim to everlasting life? since faith is of divine grace, as the Apostle teaches where he speaks of the differences of gifts, for “to another is given faith by the same Spirit.”77    1 Cor. xii. 9. And the disciples say to the Lord: “Increase our faith.”78    S. Luke xvii. 5. He then who has faith has life, and he who has life is certainly not shut out from pardon; “that every one,” it is said, “that believeth on Him should not perish.” Since it is said, Every one, no one is shut out, no one is excepted, for He does not except him who has lapsed, if only afterwards he believes effectually.

49. We find that many have at length recovered themselves after a fall, and have suffered for the Name of God. Can we deny fellowship with the martyrs to these to whom the Lord Jesus has not denied it? Do we dare to say that life is not restored to those to whom Christ has given a crown? As, then, a crown is given to many after they have lapsed, so, too, if they believe, their faith is restored, which faith is the gift of God, as you read: “Because unto you it hath been granted by God not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer in His behalf.”79    Phil. i. 29. Is it possible that he who has the gift of God should not have His forgiveness?

50. Now it is not a single but a twofold grace that every one who believes should also suffer for the Lord Jesus. He, then, who believes receives his grace, but he receives a second, if his faith be crowned by suffering. For neither was Peter without grace before he suffered, but when he suffered he received a second gift. And many who have not had the grace to suffer for Christ have nevertheless had the grace of believing on Him.

51. Therefore it is said: “That every one that believeth in Him should not perish.” Let no one, that is, of whatever condition, after whatever fall, fear that he will perish. For it may come to pass that the good Samaritan of the Gospel may find some one going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, that is, falling back from the martyr’s conflict to the pleasures of this life and the comforts of the world; wounded by robbers, that is, by persecutors, and left half dead; that good Samaritan, Who is the Guardian of our souls (for the word Samaritan means Guardian),80    The Samaritans took their name from the territory which they inhabited. But they called themselves Hebrew [Shomrim], Guardians, that is, of the Law. This idea is referred to here by St. Ambrose as elsewhere by others of the Fathers. may, I say, not pass by him but tend and heal him.81    S. Luke x. 33 ff.

52. Perchance He therefore passes him not by, because He sees in him some signs of life, so that there is hope that he may recover. Does it not seem to you that he who has fallen is half alive if faith sustains any breath of life? For he is dead who wholly casts God out of his heart. He, then, who does not wholly cast Him out, but under pressure of torments has denied Him for a time, is half dead. Or if he be dead, why do you bid him repent, seeing he cannot now be healed? If he be half dead, pour in oil and wine, not wine without oil, that may be the comfort and the smart. Place him upon thy beast, give him over to the host, lay out two pence for his cure, be to him a neighbour. But you cannot be a neighbour unless you have compassion on him; for no one can be called a neighbour unless he have healed, not killed, another. But if you wish to be called a neighbour, Christ says to you: “Go and do likewise.”82    S. Luke x. 37.

CAPUT XI.

Superior Joannis sententia illustratur alio ejusdem testimonio, quo credentibus in Christum salus promittitur. Unde arguuntur Novatiani ut qui lapsis fidem suadeant, quibus negent veniam. Additur multos martyrum post lapsum duplicem gratiam consecutos esse; nec non pii Samaritani exemplo declaratur eos in quibus vel tenuissima fides spiret, non deserendos.

0481C 48. [Alias cap. X.] Ergo quia de Joannis generali epistola sermo est, ipsius Joannis in Evangelio scripta interrogemus, utrum cum vestra interpretatione conveniant. Scribit enim dixisse Dominum: Quia sic dilexit Deus hunc mundum, ut Filium suum unigenitum daret; ut omnis qui credit in eum, non pereat, sed habeat vitam aeternam (Joan. III, 16). Si quem ergo lapsum revocare cupias; ut credat, an ut non credat, hortaris? Utique ut credat. Sed qui credit juxta Domini sententiam, habebit vitam aeternam. Quomodo ergo prohibebis orare pro eo, cui aeterna vita debetur? cum divinae sit gratiae fides, sicut Apostolus in divisionibus gratiarum docet, quia alii datur in eodem Spiritu fides (I Cor. XII, 9); 0481D et discipuli Domino dicant: Adauge nobis fidem (Luc. XVII, 5). Qui ergo fidem habet, habet vitam: qui vitam habet, non est utique exclusus a venia. Omnis, inquit, qui credit in eum, non pereat. Cum omnis dicitur, nullus excluditur, nullus excipitur; non enim excipit eum qui lapsus est, si tamen postea bene credat.

49. Plurimos comperimus se denuo reformasse 0482A post lapsum, et pro nomine Dei passos: num possumus his martyrum consortia negare, quibus Dominus Jesus non negavit? Audemus 404 igitur dicere non esse his vitam redditam, quibus Christus coronam reddidit? Sicut ergo post lapsum plerisque si patiantur, corona redditur; ita si credant, et fides redditur. Quae fides Dei donum est; sicut habes scriptum: Quia a Deo vobis datum est, non solum ut credatis in eum, sed etiam ut pro illo patiamini (Philip. I, 29). Numquid is qui Dei donum habet, potest non habere indulgentiam?

50. Non una autem, sed duplex gratia est, ut omnis qui credit, et patiatur pro Domino Jesu. Habet igitur qui credit suam gratiam: habet autem alteram, si fides ejus passionibus coronetur. Neque 0482B enim priusquam pateretur Petrus, sine gratia fuit: sed ubi passus est, acquisivit alteram. Et plerique qui non habuerunt gratiam, ut pro Jesu paterentur; habuerunt tamen gratiam, ut in Jesum crederent.

51. Ideo dicitur: Ut omnis qui credit in eum, non pereat (Joan. XX, 31). Omnis, inquit, hoc est, ex quocumque statu, ex quocumque lapsu, si credat, perire non timeat. Potest enim fieri ut aliquem de Hierusalem descendentem in Hiericho (Luc. X, 33), hoc est de martyrii certamine relapsum in istius vitae cupiditatem saecularemque gratiam, vulneratum a latronibus, hoc est, a persecutoribus, et semivivum derelictum Evangelicus ille Samaritanus inveniat, qui nostrarum custos animarum est (Samaritanus enim custos dicitur), et 0482C non praetereat eum, sed curet et sanet.

52, Fortasse ideo non praeterit eum, quia aliquid in eo vitale agnoscit; unde is possit vitam resumere. Nonne vobis videtur ille qui lapsus est, semivivus esse, si vitale aliquid fides spiret? Nam qui penitus Deum ex suo corde abjicit, ille mortuus est. Qui ergo non penitus abjicit, sed per impressionem tormentorum ad tempus negavit, semivivus est. Aut si mortuus est, cur ei dicitis, agendam poenitentiam, qui jam curari non potest? Si semivivus est, infunde oleum et vinum, non vinum sine oleo, scilicet quod et foveat et remordeat. Tolle eum in jumentum tuum, trade stabulario, duo aera ad ejus curam impende, esto ei proximus (Ibid., XXXIV, 35). Proximus autem esse non potes, nisi facias misericordiam; 0482D nemo enim potest dici proximus, nisi qui curaverit, non occiderit. Si autem vis dici proximus, dicit tibi Christus: Vade, et tu fac similiter (Ibid., 37).