Chap. XXIV.—Of the Divine Vengeance Inflicted on the Torturers of the Christians.

Whatever, therefore, wicked princes plan against us, God Himself permits to be done. And yet most unjust persecutors, to whom the name of God was a subject of reproach and mockery, must not think that they will escape with impunity, because they have been, as it were, the ministers of His indignation against us. For they will be punished with the judgment of God, who, having received power, have abused it to an inhuman degree, and have even insulted God in their arrogance, and placed His eternal name beneath their feet, to be impiously and wickedly trampled upon. On this account He promises that He will quickly take vengeance upon them, and exterminate the evil monsters1055    Bestias malas. Lactantius in several passages applies this expression to the persecutors of the Christians. [A quotation from the Cretian poet cited by St. Paul. “Cretenses semper mendaces malæ bestiæ, ventres pigri.” Tit. ii. 12.]   from the earth. But He also, although He is accustomed to avenge the persecutions1056    “Vexationes.”   of His people even in the present world, commands us, however, to await patiently that day of heavenly judgment, in which He Himself will honour or punish every man according to his deserts. Therefore let not the souls of the sacrilegious expect that those whom they thus trample upon will be despised and unavenged. Those ravenous and voracious wolves who have tormented just and innocent souls, without the commission of any crimes, will surely meet with their reward. Only let us labour, that nothing else in us may be punished by men but righteousness alone: let us strive with all our power that we may at once deserve at the hands of God the avenging of our suffering and a reward.  

0630A CAPUT XXIV. De ultione divina in Christianorum tortores.

Quidquid ergo adversum nos mali principes moliuntur, fieri ipse permittit. Et tamen injustissimi persecutores, quibus Dei nomen contumeliae ac ludibrio fuit, non se putent impune laturos, quia indignationis adversus nos ejus quasi ministri fuerunt. Punientur enim judicio Dei, qui, accepta potestate, supra humanum modum fuerint abusi, et insultaverint etiam Deo superbius, ejusque nomen aeternum vestigiis suis subjecerint impie nefarieque calcandum. Propterea vindicaturum se in eos celeriter pollicetur, et exterminaturum bestias malas de terra. Sed idem, quamvis populi sui vexationes et hic in praesenti soleat vindicare; tamen jubet nos expectare patienter illum coelestis judicii 0630B diem, quo ipse pro suis quemque meritis aut honoret, aut puniat. Quapropter non sperent sacrilegae animae contemptos et inultos fore, quos sic obterunt. Veniet, veniet rabiosis et voracibus lupis merces sua, qui justas et simplices animas, nullis facinoribus admissis, excruciaverunt. Nos tantummodo laboremus, ut ab hominibus nihil aliud in nobis, nisi sola justitia puniatur. Demus operam totis viribus, ut mereamur a Deo simul, et ultionem passionis, et praemium.