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De Fuga in Persecutione

IX.

[1] Omnia apostoli secundum deum utique docuerunt, omnia + evangelizare voluerunt +. Ubi illos ostendis praeceptum fugiendi de civitate in civitatem restaurasse? quia nec potuissent tale quid constituere tam contrarium exemplis suis, ut fugam mandarent, qui cum maxime de vinculis vel insulis, quibus ob confessionem, non ob fugam nominis continebantur, ad ecclesias scribebant. [2] Infirmos sustineri iubet Paulus, utique enim non fugientes; quomodo enim sustinebantur absentes? At patientia dicit sustinendos, si cum per infirmitatem fidei suae offenderint; sic et pusillanimes consolari, non tamen in fugam mitti.

Sed cum admonet, ne locum malo demus, non fugae suggerit consilium, sed iracundiae docet temperamentum, et si redimendum tempus dicit, quia dies nequam sunt, non per fugam, sed per sapientiam conversationis lucrari nos vult commeatum. Ceterum qui fulgere nos iubet velut filios lucis, non iubet fuga abscondi ut filios tenebrarum. Stare immobiles praecipit ---- utique nec fuga mobiles ---- et accinctos: in fugam an in occursum evangelii? Arma quoque demonstrat, quae fugituris non essent necessaria; inter quae et clipeum, quo possitis tela diaboli extinguere, resistentes sine dubio et excipientes omnem vim illius.

[3] Proinde et Iohannes pro fratribus quoque animas ponendas docet, nedum pro domino; hoc a fugientibus non potest adimpleri. Denique memor Apocalypsis suae, in qua timidorum exitum audierat, de suo sensu admonet et ipse timorem reiciendum: Timor, inquit, non est in dilectione; sed enim perfecta dilectio foras mittit timorem, quia timor supplicamentum habet, utique ignem stagni; qui autem timet, non est perfectus in dilectione, dei scilicet. Porro quis fugiet persecutionem, nisi qui timebit? quis timebit, nisi qui non amabit? [4] Spiritum vero si consulas, quid magis sermone illo Spiritus probat? namque omnes paene ad martyrium exhortantur, non ad fugam, ut et illius commemoremur: 'Publicaris?' inquit, 'bonum tibi est; qui enim non publicatur in hominibus, publicatur in domino. Ne confundaris: iustitia te producit in medium; quid confunderis laudem ferens? Potestas fit, cum conspiceris ab hominibus.' Sic et alibi: 'Nolite in lectulis nec in aborsibus et febribus mollibus optare exire, sed in martyriis, uti glorificetur, qui est passus pro vobis.'

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De Fuga in Persecutione

9.

The teaching of the apostles was surely in everything according to the mind of God: they forgot and omitted nothing of the Gospel. Where, then, do you show that they renewed the command to flee from city to city? In fact, it was utterly impossible that they should have laid down anything so utterly opposed to their own examples as a command to flee, while it was just from bonds, or the islands in which, for confessing, not fleeing from the Christian name, they were confined, they wrote their letters to the Churches. Paul ¹ bids us support the weak, but most certainly it is not when they flee. For how can the absent be supported by you? By bearing with them? Well, he says that people must be supported, if anywhere they have committed a fault through the weakness of their faith, just as (he enjoins) that we should comfort the faint-hearted; he does not say, however, that they should be sent into exile. But when he urges us not to give place to evil, ² he does not offer the suggestion that we should take to our heels, he only teaches that passion should be kept under restraint; and if he says that the time must be redeemed, because the days are evil, ³ he wishes us to gain a lengthening of life, not by flight, but by wisdom. Besides, he who bids us shine as sons of light, ⁴ does not bid us hide away out of sight as sons of darkness. He commands us to stand stedfast, ⁵ certainly not to act an opposite part by fleeing; and to be girt, not to play the fugitive or oppose the Gospel. He points out weapons, too, which persons who intend to run away would not require. And among these he notes the shield ⁶ too, that ye may be able to quench the darts of the devil, when doubtless ye resist him, and sustain his assaults in their utmost force. Accordingly John also teaches that we must lay down our lives for the brethren; ⁷ much more, then, we must do it for the Lord. This cannot be fulfilled by those who flee. Finally, mindful of his own Revelation, in which he had heard the doom of the fearful, (and so) speaking from personal knowledge, he warns us that fear must be put away. "There is no fear," says he, "in love; but perfect love casteth out fear; because fear has torment"--the fire of the lake, no doubt. "He that feareth is not perfect in love" ⁸ --to wit, the love of God. And yet who will flee from persecution, but he who fears? Who will fear, but he who has not loved? Yes; and if you ask counsel of the Spirit, what does He approve more than that utterance of the Spirit? For, indeed, it incites all almost to go and offer themselves in martyrdom, not to flee from it; so that we also make mention of it. If you are exposed to public infamy, says he, it is for your good; for he who is not exposed to dishonour among men is sure to be so before the Lord. Do not be ashamed; righteousness brings you forth into the public gaze. Why should you be ashamed of gaining glory? The opportunity is given you when you are before the eyes of men. So also elsewhere: seek not to die on bridal beds, nor in miscarriages, nor in soft fevers, but to die the martyr's death, that He may be glorified who has suffered for you.