Chapter 54 [XXXIV.]—Why Punishment is Still Inflicted, After Sin Has Been Forgiven.

But, inasmuch as there are not wanting persons of such character, just as we say in answer to those who raise this question, that those things are punishments of sins before remission, which after remission become contests and exercises of the righteous; so again to such persons as are similarly perplexed about the death of the body, our answer ought to be so drawn as to show both that we acknowledge it to have accrued because of sin, and that we are not discouraged by the punishment of sins having been bequeathed to us for an exercise of discipline, in order that our great fear of it may be overcome by us as we advance in holiness. For if only small virtue accrued to “the faith which worketh by love” in conquering the fear of death, there would be no great glory for the martyrs; nor could the Lord say, “Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends;”429    John xv. 13. which John in his epistle expresses in these terms: “As He laid down His life for us, so ought we to lay down our lives for the brethren.”430    1 John iii. 16. In vain, therefore, would commendation be bestowed on the most eminent suffering in encountering or despising death for righteousness’ sake, if there were not in death itself a really great and very severe trial. And the man who overcomes the fear of it by his faith, procures a great glory and just recompense for his faith itself. Wherefore it ought to surprise no one, either that the death of the body could not possibly have happened to man unless sin had been previously committed, since it was of this that it was to become the punishment; nor that after the remission of their sins it comes to the faithful, in order that in their triumphing over the fear of it, the fortitude of righteousness may be exercised.

CAPUT XXXIV.

54. Cur remisso peccato poena adhuc exigatur. Verum quia et tales non desunt; quemadmodum eis hac quaestione proposita respondemus, dicentes, ante remissionem esse illa supplicia peccatorum, post remissionem autem certamina exercitationesque justorum: ita et illis quos de morte corporis similiter movet, respondere debemus, ut eam et peccato accidisse fateamur, et post peccatorum remissionem, ut magnus timor ejus a proficientibus superetur, ad certamen nobis relictam esse non dedignemur. Si enim parva virtus esset fidei, quae per dilectionem operatur, mortis metum vincere, non esset tanta martyrum gloria, nec Dominus diceret, Majorem hac charitatem nemo habet, quam ut animam suam ponat pro amicis suis (Joan. XV, 13). Quod in Epistola sua Joannes ita dicit: Sicut ille animam suam pro nobis posuit, sic et nos debemus animas pro fratribus ponere (I Joan. III, 16). Nequaquam igitur in morte pro justitia subeunda vel contemnenda laudaretur praecipua patientia, si mortis non esset magna multumque dura molestia. Cujus timorem qui vincit ex fide, magnam ipsius fidei comparat gloriam justamque mercedem. Unde mirandum non est, et mortem corporis non fuisse eventuram homini, nisi praecessisset peccatum, cujus etiam talis poena consequeretur; et post remissionem peccatorum eam fidelibus evenire, ut in ejus timore vincendo exerceretur fortitudo justitiae.