Chapter III.—Weak People Fall an Easy Prey to Heresy, Which Derives Strength from the General Frailty of Mankind. Eminent Men Have Fallen from Faith; Saul, David, Solomon. The Constancy of Christ.

It is usual, indeed, with persons of a weaker character, to be so built up (in confidence) by certain individuals who are caught by heresy, as to topple over into ruin themselves. How comes it to pass, (they ask), that this woman or that man, who were the most faithful, the most prudent, and the most approved8    Usitatissimi, “most experienced.” in the church, have gone over to the other side? Who that asks such a question does not in fact reply to it himself, to the effect that men whom heresies have been able to pervert9    Demutare. ought never to have been esteemed prudent, or faithful, or approved? This again is, I suppose, an extraordinary thing, that one who has been approved should afterwards fall back? Saul, who was good beyond all others, is afterwards subverted by envy.10    1 Sam. xviii. 8, 9. David, a good man “after the Lord’s own heart,”11    1 Sam. xiii. 14. is guilty afterwards of murder and adultery.12    2 Sam. xi. Solomon, endowed by the Lord with all grace and wisdom, is led into idolatry, by women.13    1 Kings xi. 4. For to the Son of God alone was it reserved to persevere to the last without sin.14    Heb. iv. 15. [See p. 221, supra.] But what if a bishop, if a deacon, if a widow, if a virgin, if a doctor, if even a martyr,15    [Here the word martyr means no more than a witness or confessor, and may account for what are called exaggerated statements as to the number of primitive martyrs. See Kaye p. 128.] have fallen from the rule (of faith), will heresies on that account appear to possess16    Obtinere. the truth? Do we prove the faith17    Fidem, “The Creed.” by the persons, or the persons by the faith?  No one is wise, no one is faithful, no one excels in dignity,18    Major. but the Christian; and no one is a Christian but he who perseveres even to the end.19    Matt. x. 22. You, as a man, know any other man from the outside appearance. You think as you see. And you see as far only as you have eyes. But says (the Scripture), “the eyes of the Lord are lofty.”20    Jer. xxxii. 19. “Man looketh at the outward appearance, but God looketh at the heart.”21    1 Sam. xvi. 7. “The Lord (beholdeth and) knoweth them that are His;”22    2 Tim. ii. 19. and “the plant which (my heavenly Father) hath not planted, He rooteth up;”23    Matt. xv. 13. and “the first shall,” as He shows, “be last;”24    Matt. xx. 16. and He carries “His fan in His hand to purge His threshing-floor.”25    Matt. iii. 12. Let the chaff of a fickle faith fly off as much as it will at every blast of temptation, all the purer will be that heap of corn which shall be laid up in the garner of the Lord. Did not certain of the disciples turn back from the Lord Himself,26    John vi. 66. when they were offended? Yet the rest did not therefore think that they must turn away from following Him,27    A vestigiis ejus. but because they knew that He was the Word of Life, and was come from God,28    John i. 1; vi. 68, and xvi. 30. they continued in His company to the very last, after He had gently inquired of them whether they also would go away.29    John vi. 67. It is a comparatively small thing,30    Minus. that certain men, like Phygellus, and Hermogenes, and Philetus, and Hymenæus, deserted His apostle:31    2 Tim. i. 15; ii. 17; 1 Tim. i. 20. the betrayer of Christ was himself one of the apostles. We are surprised at seeing His churches forsaken by some men, although the things which we suffer after the example of Christ Himself, show us to be Christians. “They went out from us,” says (St. John,) “but they were not of us. If they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us.”32    1 John ii. 19. [i.e., with the Apostolic Churches. See Cap. xx, infra.]

CAPUT III.

Neque scandalizari quemquam oportere si episcopus, si diaconus, si vidua, si virgo, si doctor, si etiam martyr lapsus a regula fuerit, quia ex personis non probatur fides, sed ex fide personae.

0014B Solent quidem isti miriones etiam de quibusdam personis, ab haeresi captis, aedificari in ruinam: quare ille vel ille, fidelissimi, prudentissimi, et usitatissimi in Ecclesia, in illam partem transierunt? Quis, hoc dicens, non ipse sibi respondet, neque prudentes, neque fideles, neque usitatos aestimandos, quos haereses potuerint demutare? Et hoc mirum (opinor) ut probatus aliqui retro, postea excidat? Saul, bonus prae caeteris, livore postea evertitur. David, vir bonus secundum cor Domini, postea caedis et stupri reus est. Salomon, omni gratia et sapientia donatus a Domino, ad idololatriam a mulieribus inducitur. Soli enim Dei Filio servabatur 0015A sine delicto permanere. Quid ergo, si episcopus, si diaconus, si vidua, si virgo, si doctor, si etiam martyr lapsus a regula fuerit, ideo haereses veritatem videbuntur obtinere? Ex personis probamus fidem, an ex fide personas? Nemo sapiens est, nisi fidelis: nemo major, nisi christianus: nemo autem christianus, nisi qui ad finem usque perseveraverit (Matth., X, 22). Tu, ut homo, extrinsecus unumquemque nosti; putas, quod vides; vides autem, quousque oculos habes. Sed oculi, inquit, Domini alti. Homo in faciem, Deus in praecordia contemplatur (I Reg. XVI, 7). Et ideo, cognoscit Dominus qui sunt ejus (II Tim., II, 19); et plantam quam non plantavit Pater, eradicat (Matt., XV, 13): et de primis novissimos ostendit (Matt., XX, 16); et ventilabrum in manu 0015B portat ad purgandam aream suam. (Matt., III, 12). Avolent quantum volent paleae levis fidei quocumque afflatu tentationum; eo purior massa frumenti in horrea Domini reponetur. Nonne ab ipso Domino quidam discentium scandalizati deverterunt? Nec tamen propterea caeteri quoque discedendum a vestigiis ejus putaverunt; sed, qui scierunt illum vitae esse Verbum et a Deo venisse, perseveraverunt in comitatu ejus usque ad finem, cum illis, si vellent et ipsi discedere, placide obtulisset. Minus est, si et apostolum ejus aliquis Phygellus, et Hermogenes , et Philetus, et Hymenaeus reliquerunt (II Tim., I, 15; I Tim., I, 20): ipse traditor Christi de Apostolis fuit. Miramur de Ecclesiis ejus, si a quibusdam deseruntur, cum ea nos ostendant 0015C Christianos, quae patimur ad exemplum ipsius Christi: Ex nobis, inquit (I Joan., II, 19), prodierunt, sed 0016A non fuerunt ex nobis; si fuissent ex nobis, permansissent utique nobiscum.