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| Chapter XI.
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Chapter XI.
In the same manner, therefore, we maintain that
the other announcements too refer to the condition of martyrdom.
“He,” says Jesus, “who will value his own life also
more than me, is not worthy of me,”8286
—that is, he who will rather live by
denying, than die by confessing, me; and “he who findeth his life
shall lose it; but he who loseth it for my sake shall find
it.”8287
Therefore indeed he
finds it, who, in winning life, denies; but he who thinks that he wins
it by denying, will lose it in hell. On the other hand, he who, through
confessing, is killed, will lose it for the present, but is also about
to find it unto everlasting life. In fine, governors themselves, when
they urge men to deny, say, “Save your life;” and,
“Do not lose your life.” How would Christ speak, but in
accordance with the treatment to which the Christian would be
subjected? But when He forbids thinking about what answer to make at a
judgment-seat,8288
He is preparing His
own servants for what awaited them, He gives the assurance that
the Holy Spirit will answer by them; and when He wishes a
brother to be visited in prison,8289
He is
commanding that those about to confess be the object of solicitude; and
He is soothing their sufferings when He asserts that God will
avenge His own elect.8290
In the parable also
of the withering of the word8291
after the green
blade had sprung up, He is drawing a picture with reference to the
burning heat of persecutions. If these announcements are not understood
as they are made, without doubt they signify something else than the
sound indicates; and there will be one thing in the words, another in
their meanings, as is the case with allegories, with parables, with
riddles. Whatever wind of reasoning, therefore, these scorpions may
catch (in their sails), with whatever subtlety they may attack, there
is now one line of defence:8292
| 8292 See note 1, cap.
iv. p. 637, supra. | an appeal will be
made to the facts themselves, whether they occur as the Scriptures
represent that they would; since another thing will then be meant in
the Scriptures if that very one (which seems to be so) is not found in
actual facts. For what is written, must needs come to pass. Besides,
what is written will then come to pass, if something different does
not. But, lo! we are both regarded as persons to be hated by all
men for the sake of the name, as it is written; and are delivered up by
our nearest of kin also, as it is written; and are brought before
magistrates, and examined, and tortured, and make confession, and are
ruthlessly killed, as it is written. So the Lord ordained. If He
ordained these events otherwise, why do they not come to pass otherwise
than He ordained them, that is, as He ordained them? And yet they do
not come to pass otherwise than He ordained. Therefore, as they come to
pass, so He ordained; and as He ordained, so they come to pass. For
neither would they have been permitted to occur otherwise than He
ordained, nor for His part would He have ordained otherwise than He
would wish them to occur. Thus these passages of Scripture will not
mean ought else than we recognise in actual facts; or if those events
are not yet taking place which are announced, how are those taking
place which have not been announced? For these events which are taking
place have not been announced, if those which are announced are
different, and not these which are taking place. Well now, seeing the
very occurrences are met with in actual life which are believed to have
been expressed with a different meaning in words, what would happen if
they were found to have come to pass in a different manner than had
been revealed? But this will be the waywardness of faith, not to
believe what has been demonstrated, to assume the truth of what has not
been demonstrated. And to this waywardness I will offer the following
objection also, that if these events, which occur as is written, will
not be the very ones which are announced, those too (which are meant)
ought not to occur as is written, that they themselves also may not,
after the example of these others, be in danger of exclusion,
since there is one thing in the words and another in the facts; and
there remains that even the events which have been announced are not
seen when they occur, if they are announced otherwise than they have to
occur. And how will those be believed (to have come to pass), which
will not have been announced as they come to pass? Thus heretics, by
not believing what is announced as it has been shown to have taken
place, believe what has not been even announced.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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