§12QVAE SPES ET MERCES MANEAT IVSTOS ET MARTVRAS POST CONFLICTATIONES HVIVS TEMPORIS ET PASSIONES.
Per Salomonem Spiritus sanctus ostendit et praecanit dicens: et si coram hominibus tormenta passi sunt, spes eorum inmortalitate plena est: et in paucis uexati in multis bene disponentur, quoniam Deus temptauit illos et inuenit illos dignos se.
WHAT HOPE AND REWARD AWAIT THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE MARTYRS AFTER THE CONFLICTS AND PASSIONS OF THIS TIME. Through Solomon the Holy Spirit shows and foretells, saying: 'And though they have suffered torments before men, their hope is full of immortality: and having been troubled in a few things, they shall be well ordered in many, because God tempted them and found them worthy of Himself.
tamquam aurum in fornace probauit illos et quasi holocaustam hostiam accepit illos, et in tempore erit respectus illorum.
As gold in the furnace He proved them, and as a whole burnt offering He received them, and in time there shall be respect of them.
iudicabunt nationes et dominabuntur populis, et regnabit dominus eorum in perpetuum. item aput eundem uindicta nostra describitur et persequentium nos adque infestantium paenitentia praedicatur.
They shall judge nations and have dominion over peoples, and their Lord shall reign forever.' Likewise, with the same author, our vengeance is described, and the repentance of those who persecute and harass us is declared.
tunc stabunt, inquit, iusti in magna constantia aduersus eos qui se angustauerunt et qui abstulerunt labores eorum: uidentes turbabuntur timore horribili et mirabuntur in subitatione insperatae salutis dicentes inter se, paenitentiam habentes et per angustiam spiritus gementes: (hi sunt quos habuimus aliquando in risu et in similitudine inproperii.
'Then,' he says, 'shall the righteous stand in great constancy against those who have afflicted them and who have taken away their labors: seeing this, they shall be troubled with horrible fear, and shall marvel at the suddenness of unexpected salvation, saying among themselves, having repentance and groaning for anguish of spirit: "These are they whom we had sometime in derision and for a parable of reproach.
nos insensati uitam illorum aestimabamus insaniam et finem illorum sine honore.
We fools esteemed their life madness and their end without honor.
quomodo conputati sunt inter filios Dei et inter sanctos sors illorum est? ergo errauimus a uia ueritatis et iustitiae lumen non luxit nobis et sol non est ortus nobis.
How are they numbered among the children of God, and their lot is among the saints? Therefore have we erred from the way of truth, and the light of righteousness has not shined unto us, and the sun rose not upon us.
lassati sumus iniquitatis uia et perditionis et ambulauimus solitudines difficiles, uiam autem Domini ignorauimus.
We have wearied ourselves in the way of wickedness and destruction, and have gone through hard deserts, but the way of the Lord we have not known.
quid nobis profuit superbia, aut quid diuitiarum iactatio contulit nobis? transierunt omnia ista tamquam umbra. item in psalmo CXV pretium et merces passionis ostenditur.
What has pride profited us, or what has the boasting of riches brought us? All those things are passed away like a shadow."' Likewise, in Psalm 115, the price and reward of passion is shown.
pretiosa est, inquit, in conspectu Dei mors iustorum eius. item in psalmo CXXV tristitia conflictationis et laetitia retributionis exprimitur.
'Precious,' he says, 'in the sight of God is the death of His saints.' Likewise, in Psalm 125, the sadness of conflict and the joy of retribution is expressed.
qui seminant, inquit, in lacrimis in gaudio metent.
'They that sow,' he says, 'in tears shall reap in joy.
ambulantes ambulabant et plorabant mittentes semina sua: uenientes autem uenient in exultatione tollentes gremia sua. et iterum in psalmo CXVIII: beati inmaculati in uia, qui ambulant in luce Domini.
Going they went and wept, casting their seeds; but coming they shall come with exultation, carrying their sheaves.' And again in Psalm 118: 'Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the light of the Lord.
beati qui perscrutantur martyria eius, in toto corde inquirunt eum. item Dominus in euangelio, ultor ipse persecutionis nostrae et munerator passionis, beati, inquit, qui persecutionem passi fuerint propter iustitiam, quia ipsorum est regnum caelorum. et iterum: beati eritis, cum odio uos habuerint homines et separauerint uos et expulerint et maledixerint nomini uestro quasi nequam propter filium hominis.
Blessed are they that search His testimonies, they seek Him with their whole heart.' Likewise, the Lord in the Gospel, Himself the avenger of our persecution and the rewarder of passion, says: 'Blessed are they who have suffered persecution for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.' And again: 'Blessed shall ye be when men shall hate you, and shall separate you, and shall cast you out, and shall revile your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.
gaudete in illa die et exultate. ecce enim merces uestra multa in caelis. et iterum: qui perdit animam suam propter me hic saluabit illam. nec solos animaduersos et interfectos diuinae pollicitationis manent praemia, sed etiam si passio fidelibus desit, fides tamen integra adque inuicta perstiterit et contemptis ac relictis suis omnibus Christum se sequi christianus ostenderit, ipse quoque a Christo inter martyras honoratur pollicente ipso et dicente: nemo est qui relinquat domum aut agrum aut parentes aut fratres aut uxorem aut filios propter regnum Dei et non recipiat septies tantum in isto tempore, in saeculo autem uenturo uitam aeternam. item in Apocalypsi hoc idem loquitur, et uidi, inquit, animas occisorum propter nomen Iesu et sermonem Dei. et cum primo in loco posuisset occisos, addidit dicens: et quicumque imaginem bestiae non adorauerunt nec acceperunt inscriptionem in fronte aut in manu sua. quos uniuersos a se in eodem loco simul uisos coniungit ac dicit: et uixerunt et regnauerunt cum Christo. uiuere omnes dicit et regnare cum Christo, non tantum qui occisi fuerint, sed quique in fidei suae firmitate et Dei timore perstantes imaginem bestiae non adorauerint neque ad funesta eius et sacrilega edicta consenserint.
Rejoice in that day and exult, for behold, your reward is great in heaven.' And again: 'He who loses his life for my sake shall save it here.' Nor do the rewards of the divine promise await only those who are punished and slain, but even if passion is lacking to the faithful, yet if faith remains intact and unconquered, and the Christian shows that he follows Christ, having despised and left all his own things, he also is honored by Christ among the martyrs, as He Himself promises and says: 'There is no man who leaves house, or land, or parents, or brothers, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, and shall not receive seven times as much in this time, and in the world to come life everlasting.' Likewise, in the Apocalypse he speaks this same thing: 'And I saw,' he says, 'the souls of them that were slain for the name of Jesus and the word of God.' And when he had placed the slain in the first place, he added, saying: 'And whosoever did not worship the image of the beast, nor received his mark on their forehead or in their hand.' All of whom, having been seen by him at the same time in the same place, he joins together and says: 'And they lived and reigned with Christ.' He says that all live and reign with Christ, not only those who have been slain, but also whosoever, standing firm in the stability of their faith and the fear of God, have not worshiped the image of the beast, nor consented to his deadly and sacrilegious edicts.