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| Argument: Fate is Nothing, Except So Far as Fate is God. Man's Mind is Free, and Therefore So is His Action: His Birth is Not Brought into Judgment. It is Not a Matter of Infamy, But of Glory, that Christians are Reproached for Their Poverty; And the Fact that They Suffer Bodily Evils is Not as a Penalty, But as a Discipline.
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Chapter XXXVI.—Argument: Fate is Nothing, Except So
Far as Fate is God. Man’s Mind is Free, and Therefore So is
His Action: His Birth is Not Brought into Judgment. It is
Not a Matter of Infamy, But of Glory, that Christians are Reproached
for Their Poverty; And the Fact that They Suffer Bodily Evils is Not as
a Penalty, But as a Discipline.
“Neither let any one either take comfort
from, or apologize for what happens from fate. Let what happens
be of the disposition of fortune, yet the mind is free; and therefore
man’s doing, not his dignity, is judged. For what else is
fate than what God has spoken1830
of each one of us?
who, since He can foresee our constitution, determines also the fates
for us, according to the deserts and the qualities of
individuals. Thus in our case it is not the star under which we
are born that is punished, but the particular nature of our disposition
is blamed. And about fate enough is said; or if, in consideration
of the time, we have spoken too little, we shall argue the matter at
another time more abundantly1831
| 1831 Otherwise read,
“both more truly.” | and more
fully. But that many of us are called poor, this is not our
disgrace, but our glory; for as our mind is relaxed by luxury, so it is
strengthened by frugality. And yet who can be poor if he does not
want, if he does not crave for the possessions of others, if he is rich
towards God? He rather is poor, who, although he has much,
desires more. Yet I will speak1832
| 1832 Some read, “I
will speak at length.” | according as I
feel. No one can be so poor as he is born. Birds live
without any patrimony, and day by day the cattle are fed; and yet these
creatures are born for us—all of which things, if we do not lust
after, we possess. Therefore, as he who treads a road is the
happier the lighter he walks, so happier is he in this journey of life
who lifts himself along in poverty, and does not breathe heavily under
the burden of riches. And yet even if we thought wealth useful to
us, we should ask it of God. Assuredly He might be able to
indulge us in some measure, whose is the whole; but we would rather
despise riches than possess them:1833
| 1833 Probably a better
reading is “strive for them.” | we
desire rather innocency, we rather entreat for patience, we prefer
being good to being prodigal; and that we feel and suffer the human
mischiefs of the body is not punishment—it is warfare. For
fortitude is strengthened by infirmities, and calamity is very often
the discipline of virtue; in addition, strength both of mind and of
body grows torpid without the exercise of labour. Therefore all
your mighty men whom you announce as an example have flourished
illustriously by their afflictions. And thus God is neither
unable to aid us, nor does He despise us, since He is both the ruler of
all men and the lover of His own people. But in adversity He
looks into and searches out each one; He weighs the disposition of
every individual in dangers,
even to death at last; He investigates the will of man, certain that to
Him nothing can perish. Therefore, as gold by the fires, so are
we declared by critical moments.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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