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| Chapter VI.
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Chapter VI.
But if, for the contest’s sake, God had
appointed martyrdoms for us, that thereby we might make trial with our
opponent, in order that He may now keep bruising him by whom man chose
to be bruised, here too generosity rather than harshness in God holds
sway. For He wished to make man, now plucked from the devil’s
throat by faith, trample upon him likewise by courage, that he might
not merely have escaped from, but also completely vanquished, his
enemy. He who had called to salvation has been pleased to summon to
glory also, that they who were rejoicing in consequence of their
deliverance may be in transports when they are crowned likewise. With
what good-will the world celebrates those games, the combative
festivals and superstitious contests of the Greeks, involving forms
both of worship and of pleasure, has now become clear in Africa also.
As yet cities, by sending their congratulations severally, annoy
Carthage, which was presented with the Pythian game after the
racecourse had attained to an old age. Thus, by the world8252
| 8252 Literally,
“age.”—Tr. | it has been believed to be a most proper
mode of testing proficiency in studies, to put in competition the forms
of skill, to elicit the existing condition of bodies and of voices, the
reward being the informer, the public exhibition the judge, and
pleasure the decision. Where there are mere contests, there are some
wounds: fists make reel, heels kick like butting rams, boxing-gloves
mangle, whips leave gashes. Yet there will be no one reproaching the
superintendent of the contest for exposing men to outrage. Suits for
injuries lie outside the racecourse. But to the extent that those
persons deal in discoloration, and gore, and swellings, he will design
for them crowns, doubtless, and glory, and a present, political
privileges, contributions by the citizens, images, statues,
and—of such sort as the world can give—an eternity of fame,
a resurrection by being kept in remembrance. The pugilist himself does
not complain of feeling pain, for he wishes it; the crown closes the
wounds, the palm hides the blood: he is excited more by victory than by
injury. Will you count this man hurt whom you see happy? But not even
the vanquished himself will reproach the superintendent of the contest
for his misfortune. Shall it be unbecoming in God to bring forth kinds
of skill and rules of His own into public view, into this open ground
of the world, to be seen by men, and angels, and all powers?—to
test flesh and spirit as to stedfastness and endurance?—to give
to this one the palm, to this one distinction, to that one the
privilege of citizenship, to that one pay?—to reject some also,
and after punishing to remove them with disgrace? You dictate to God,
forsooth, the times, or the ways, or the places in which to institute a
trial concerning His own troop (of competitors) as if it were not
proper for the Judge to pronounce the preliminary decision also. Well now,
if He had put forth faith to suffer martyrdoms not for the
contest’s sake, but for its own benefit, ought it not to have had
some store of hope, for the increase of which it might restrain desire
of its own, and check its wish in order that it might strive to mount
up, seeing they also who discharge earthly functions are eager for
promotion? Or how will there be many mansions in our Father’s
house, if not to accord with a diversity of deserts? How will one star
also differ from another star in glory, unless in virtue of disparity
in their rays?8253
But further, if, on
that account, some increase of brightness also was appropriate to
loftiness of faith, that gain ought to have been of some such sort as
would cost great effort, poignant suffering, torture, death. But
consider the requital, when flesh and life are paid away—than
which in man there is nought more precious, the one from the hand of
God, the other from His breath—that the very things are paid away
in obtaining the benefit of which the benefit consists; that the very
things are expended which may be acquired; that the same things are the
price which are also the commodities. God had foreseen also other
weaknesses incident to the condition of man,—the stratagems of
the enemy, the deceptive aspects of the creatures, the snares of the
world; that faith, even after baptism, would be endangered; that the
most, after attaining unto salvation, would be lost again, through
soiling the wedding-dress, through failing to provide oil for their
torchlets—would be such as would have to be sought for over
mountains and woodlands, and carried back upon the shoulders. He
therefore appointed as second supplies of comfort, and the last means
of succour, the fight of martyrdom and the baptism—thereafter
free from danger—of blood. And concerning the happiness of
the man who has partaken of these, David says: “Blessed are they
whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute
sin.”8254
| 8254 Ps. xxxii. 1; Rom. iv. 7, etc. | For, strictly
speaking, there cannot any longer be reckoned ought against the
martyrs, by whom in the baptism (of blood) life itself is laid down.
Thus, “love covers the multitude of sins;”8255
and loving God, to wit, with all its
strength (by which in the endurance of martyrdom it maintains the
fight), with all its life8256
(which it lays down
for God), it makes of man a martyr. Shall you call these cures,
counsels, methods of judging, spectacles, (illustrations of) even the
barbarity of God? Does God covet man’s blood? And yet I might
venture to affirm that He does, if man also covets the kingdom of
heaven, if man covets a sure salvation, if man also covets a second new
birth. The exchange is displeasing to no one, which can plead, in
justification of itself, that either benefit or injury is shared by the
parties making it.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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