Chapter 7.—8. Whilst we bear the testimony of God to this and the like effect against the vain speaking of men, we are forced to undergo bitter insults from the enemies of the glory of Christ. Let them say what they will, whilst He exhorts us, saying, "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all
manner of evil against you falsely for my sake." What He says in the first instance, "for righteousness’ sake," He has repeated in the words that He uses afterwards, "for my sake;" seeing that He "is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption, that, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."2352
And when He says, "
Rejoice, and be exceeding
glad, for great is your
reward in
heaven,"
2353
if I hold in a good conscience what is said "for
righteousness’ sake," and "for my sake," whosoever willfully detracts from my
reputation is against his will contributing to my
reward. For neither did He only
instruct me by His word, without also confirming me by His example. Follow the
faith of the holy Scriptures, and you will find that
Christ rose from the dead, ascended into
heaven, sitteth at the right
hand of the
Father. Follow the charges brought by His
enemies,
and you will presently believe that He was
stolen from the
sepulchre by His
disciples. Why then should we, while
defending His
house to the
best of the abilities given us by
God, expect to meet with any other treatment from His
enemies? "If they have called the Master of the
house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of His household?"
2354
If, therefore, we
suffer, we shall also
reign with Him. But if it be not only the
wrath of the accuser that strikes the
ear, but also the
truth of the
accusation that
stings the conscience, what does it
profit me if the whole
world were to exalt me with perpetual
praise? So neither the eulogy of him who
praises has
power to
heal a
guilty conscience, nor does the insult of him, who reviles
wound the good conscience. Nor, however, is your
hope which is in the
Lord
deceived, even though we chance to be in
secret what our
enemies wish us to be thought; for you have not placed your
hope in us, nor have you ever heard from us any
doctrine of the
kind. You therefore are
safe, whatever we may be, who have
learned to say, "I have trusted in the
Lord; therefore I shall not slide;"
2355
and "In
God have I put my
trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me."
2356
And to those who endeavor to lead you
astray to the earthly heights of
proud men, you know how to answer, "In the
Lord put I my
trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?"
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