Chapter X.—Those Who Offered Themselves for Martyrdom Reproved.

When, again, He says, “When they persecute you in this city, flee ye to the other,”976    Matt. x. 23. He does not advise flight, as if persecution were an evil thing; nor does He enjoin them by flight to avoid death, as if in dread of it, but wishes us neither to be the authors nor abettors of any evil to any one, either to ourselves or the persecutor and murderer. For He, in a way, bids us take care of ourselves. But he who disobeys is rash and foolhardy. If he who kills a man of God sins against God, he also who presents himself before the judgment-seat becomes guilty of his death. And such is also the case with him who does not avoid persecution, but out of daring presents himself for capture. Such a one, as far as in him lies, becomes an accomplice in the crime of the persecutor. And if he also uses provocation, he is wholly guilty, challenging the wild beast. And similarly, if he afford any cause for conflict or punishment, or retribution or enmity, he gives occasion for persecution. Wherefore, then, we are enjoined not to cling to anything that belongs to this life; but “to him that takes our cloak to give our coat,” not only that we may continue destitute of inordinate affection, but that we may not by retaliating make our persecutors savage against ourselves, and stir them up to blaspheme the name.977    [An excellent rendering, which the Latin translator misses (see ed. Migne, ad loc.), the reference being to Jas. ii. 7.]

Ἐπὰν δ' ἔμπαλιν εἴπῃ ὅταν διώκωσιν ὑμᾶς ἐν τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ, φεύγετε εἰς τὴν ἄλλην, οὐχ ὡς κακὸν τὸ διώκεσθαι παραινεῖ φεύγειν οὐδ' ὡς θάνατον φοβουμένους διὰ φυγῆς ἐκκλίνειν προστάττει τοῦτον· βούλεται δὲ ἡμᾶς μηδενὶ αἰτίους μηδὲ συναιτίους κακοῦ τινος γίνεσθαι, σφίσιν τε αὐτοῖς πρὸς δὲ καὶ τῷ διώκοντι καὶ τῷ ἀναιροῦντι· τρόπον γάρ τινα παραγγέλλει αὐτὸν περιίστασθαι, ὁ δὲ παρακούων τολμηρὸς καὶ ῥιψοκίνδυνος. εἰ δὲ ὁ ἀναιρῶν ἄνθρωπον θεοῦ εἰς θεὸν ἁμαρτάνει, καὶ τοῦ ἀποκτειννύντος αὐτὸν ἔνοχος καθίσταται ὁ ἑαυτὸν προσάγων τῷ δικαστηρίῳ· οὗτος δ' ἂν εἴη ὁ μὴ περιστελλόμενος τὸν διωγμόν, ἁλώσιμον διὰ θράσος παρέχων ἑαυτόν. οὗτός ἐστι τὸ ὅσον ἐφ' ἑαυτῷ ὁ συνεργὸς γινόμενος τῇ τοῦ διώκοντος πονηρίᾳ, εἰ δὲ καὶ προσερεθίζοι, τέλεον αἴτιος, ἐκκαλούμενος τὸ θηρίον. ὡς δ' αὕτως κἂν αἰτίαν μάχης παράσχῃ τινὰ ἢ ζημίας ἢ ἔχθρας ἢ δίκης, ἀφορμὴν ἐγέννησε διωγμοῦ. διὰ τοῦτ' οὖν μηδενὸς ἀντέχεσθαι τῶν ἐν τῷ βίῳ προστέτακται ἡμῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ αἴροντι τὸ ἱμάτιον καὶ τὸν χιτῶνα προσδιδόναι, οὐχ ἵνα ἀπροσπαθεῖς διαμένωμεν μόνον, ἀλλ' ὡς μὴ ἀντιποιούμενοι τοὺς ἐπιδικαζομένους ἐφ' ἑαυτοὺς ἀγριαίνωμεν καὶ δι' ἡμῶν ἐπὶ τὴν τοῦ ὀνόματος διακινῶμεν βλασφημίαν.