§11Etenim, ut ipsam causam coronae militaris aggrediar, puto prius conquirendum, an in totum Christianis militia conveniat.
, to approach the very cause of the military crown, I think we must first inquire whether military service is at all compatible with Christians.
Quale est alioquin de accidentibus retractare, cum a praecedentibus culpa sit? Credimusne humanum sacramentum divino superduci licere, et in alium dominum respondere post Christum, et eierare patrem et matrem et omnem proximum, quos et lex honorari et post deum diligi praecepit, quos et evangelium, solo Christo pluris non faciens, sic quoque honoravit? Licebit in gladio conversari, domino pronuntiante gladio periturum.
Otherwise, what is it to reconsider the incidental matters when there is guilt in the preceding ones? Do we believe that a human oath may be superadded to a divine one, and that we may answer to another lord after Christ, and abjure father and mother and every neighbor, whom both the law commanded to be honored and loved after God, and whom the gospel also, though not valuing them more than Christ alone, likewise honored? Will it be lawful to occupy oneself with the sword, when the Lord pronounces that he who has used the sword shall perish by the sword?
qui gladio fuerit usus? Et proelio operabitur filius pacis, cui nec litigare conveniet? Et vincula et carcerem et tormenta et supplicia administrabit, nec suarum ultor iniuriarum? Iam et stationes aut aliis magis faciet quam Christo, aut et dominico die, quando nec Christo? Et excubabit pro templis, quibus renuntiavit? Et coenabit illic, ubi apostolo non placet? Et quos interdiu exorcismis fugavit, noctibus defensabit, incumbens et requiescens super pilum, quo perfossum latus est Christi? Vexillum quoque portabit aemulum Christi? Et signum postulabit a principe, qui iam a deo accepit? Mortuus etiam tuba inquietabitur aeneatoris, qui excitari a tuba angeli expectat? Et cremabitur ex disciplina castrensi Christianus, cui cremare non licuit, cur Christus merita ignis indulsit? Quanta alia inde delicta circumspici possunt castrensium munium transgressioni interpretanda! Ipsum de castris lucis in castra tenebrarum nomen deferre transgressionis est.
And shall the son of peace, for whom it is not even fitting to go to law, work in battle? And shall he administer chains, imprisonment, tortures, and punishments, who is not even the avenger of his own wrongs? Furthermore, will he keep guard duties either for others more than for Christ, or even on the Lord's day, when he does not do so even for Christ? And will he keep watch on behalf of temples which he has renounced? And will he dine in that place where it does not please the apostle? And will he defend by night those whom he has routed by day with exorcisms, leaning and resting upon the javelin with which the side of Christ was pierced? Will he also carry a banner that is a rival to Christ? And will he ask for a watchword from the emperor, who has already received a sign from God? Will he even in death be disturbed by the trumpeter's bugles, who expects to be awakened by the angel's trumpet? And will a Christian be cremated according to camp discipline, to whom cremation was not permitted, for whom Christ remitted the deserts of fire? How many other offenses can be glimpsed from there, to be interpreted as a transgression of military duties! Merely to transfer one's name from the camp of light to the camp of darkness is a transgression.
Plane, si quos militia praeventos fides posterior invenit, alia conditio est, ut illorum, quos Iohannes admittebat ad lavacrum, ut centurionum fidelissimorum, quem Christus (??) et quem Petrus catechizat, dum tamen suscepta fide atque signa(??) aut deserendum statim sit, ut a multis actum, aut omnibus modis cavillandum, ne quid adversus deum committatur, quae nec extra militiam permittuntur, aut novissime perpetiendum pro deo, quod aeque fides pagana condixit.
Clearly, if later faith finds those who have been forestalled by military service, their condition is different, like those whom John admitted to the bath, or the most faithful centurions, whom Christ [approved?] and whom Peter catechized; provided, however, that once faith is received and they are [signed?], they must either immediately desert, as has been done by many, or in every way evade committing anything against God, which is not permitted even outside military service, or finally suffer for God, which pagan loyalty likewise agreed to.
Nec enim delictorum impunitatem aut martyriorum immunitatem militia promittit.
For military service does not promise impunity for sins or immunity from martyrdoms.
Nusquam Christianus aliud est.
Nowhere is a Christian anything else.
Unum evangelium et idem Iesus, negaturus omnem negatorem et confessurus omnem confessorem dei, et salvam facturus animam pro nomine eius amissam, perditurus autem de contrario adversus nomen eius lucri habitam.
There is one gospel and the same Jesus, who will deny every denier and confess every confessor of God, and who will save the soul lost for His name, but will destroy, on the contrary, that which is gained against His name.
Apud hunc tam miles est paganus fidelis, quam paganus est miles fidelis.
With Him, the faithful soldier is just as much a civilian, as the faithful civilian is a soldier.
Non admittit status fidei necessitates. Nulla est necessitas delinquendi, quibus una est necessitas non delinquendi.
The state of faith does not admit of "necessities." There is no necessity of sinning for those whose only necessity is not to sin.
Nam et ad sacrificandum et directo negandum necessitate quis premitur tormentorum sive poenarum, tamen nec illi necessitati disciplina conivet, quia potior est necessitas timendae negationis et obeundi martyrii quam evadendae passionis et implendi officii.
For even if one is pressed by the necessity of tortures or punishments to sacrifice and directly deny, yet discipline does not wink at that necessity, because the necessity of fearing denial and undergoing martyrdom is stronger than that of escaping suffering and fulfilling a duty.
Ceterum subvertit totam substantiam sacramenti causatio eiusmodi, ut etiam voluntariis delictis fibulam laxet.
Otherwise, an excuse of this kind subverts the entire substance of our oath, so as to loosen the buckle even for voluntary sins.
Nam et voluntas poterit necessitas contendi, habens scilicet unde cogatur.
For even the will can be contended to be a necessity, having, to be sure, that by which it is compelled.
Vel ipsam praestruxerim et ad ceteras officialium coronarum causas, quibus familiarissima ista ducatio necessitatis, cum idcirco aut officia fugienda sunt, ne delictis incidamus, aut martyria toleranda sunt, ut officia rumpamus.
I might indeed lay this down beforehand also for the other causes of official crowns, for which that drawing-in of necessity is most familiar, whereas on that account either offices must be fled, lest we fall into sins, or martyrdoms must be endured, so that we may break off our offices.
De prima specie quaestionis, etiam militiae ipsius inlicitae, plura non faciam, ut secunda reddatur.
On the first aspect of the question, namely the unlawfulness of military service itself, I will say no more, so that the second may be entered upon.
Nae, si omni ope expulero militiam, frustra iam de corona militari provocarim.
Indeed, if by all means I rule out military service, I would then in vain make an issue of the military crown.
Puta denique licere militiam usque ad causam coronae.
Let us assume, then, finally, that military service is lawful, up to the case of the crown.