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An Address to Demetrianus

18.

Nor let anybody think that Christians are not avenged by those things that are happening, for the reason that they also themselves seem to be affected by their visitation. A man feels the punishment of worldly adversity, when all his joy and glory are in the world. He grieves and groans if it is ill with him in this life, with whom it cannot be well after this life, all the fruit of whose life is received here, all whose consolation is ended here, whose fading and brief life here reckons some sweetness and pleasure, but when it has departed hence, there remains for him only punishment added to sorrow. But they have no suffering from the assault of present evils who have confidence in future good things. In fact, we are never prostrated by adversity, nor are we broken down, nor do we grieve or murmur in any external misfortune or weakness of body: living by the Spirit rather than by the flesh, we overcome bodily weakness by mental strength. By those very things which torment and weary us, we know and trust that we are proved and strengthened. ¹

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Ad Demetrianum [CSEL]

§ 18

Nec ideo quis putet christianos his quae accidunt non uindicari, quod et ipsi uideantur accidentium incursione perstringi. poenam de aduersis mundi ille sentit cui et laetitia et gloria omnis in mundo est. ille maeret et deflet, si sibi male sit in saeculo, cui bene non potest esse post saeculum, cuius uiuendi fructus omnis hic capitur, cuius hic solacium omne finitur, cuius caduca et breuis uita hic aliquam dulcedinem computat et ¹²[P. 364] noluptatem³, quando istinc excesserit poena iam sola superest ad dolorem. ceterum nullus his dolor est de incursatione malorum praesentium quibus fiducia est futurorum bonorum. denique nec consternamur aduersis nec frangimur nec dolemus neque in ulla aut rerum clade aut corporum ualitudine mussitamus. spiritu magis quam carne uiuentes firmitate animi infirmitatem corporis uincimus. per ipsa quae uos cruciant et fatigant probari et corroborari nos scimus et fidimus.