§12#2Christianus pecunia salvus est, et in hoc nummos habet, ne patiatur, dum adversus deum erit dives.
a Christian saved by money, and does he keep coins for this purpose, lest he suffer, whilst he will be rich towards God?
At enim Christus sanguine fuit dives pro illo.
But indeed, Christ was rich in blood for him.
Felices itaque pauperes, quia illorum est, inquit, regnum caelorum, qui animam solam in confiscate habent.
Blessed therefore are the poor, 'because theirs,' He says, 'is the kingdom of heaven'—those who have only their soul in the confiscation list.
Si non possumus deo servire et mammonae, possumus et a deo redimi et a mammona? Quis enim magis serviet mammonae quam quem mammonas redemit? Postremo quo exemplo uteris in redemptionem traditionis? Apostoll tractantes persecutionibus agitati quando se pecunia liberaverunt? Quae illis utique non deerat ex praediorum pretiis ad pedes eorum depositis, certe multis locupletibus credentibus viris ac feminis, qui his etiam refrigeria subministrabant.
If we cannot serve God and mammon, can we be redeemed both by God and by mammon? For who will serve mammon more than he whom mammon has redeemed? Finally, what example do you use for redemption from betrayal? When did the Apostles, while conducting their ministry, driven about by persecutions, free themselves with money? Which indeed was not lacking to them from the prices of estates laid at their feet, and certainly from many wealthy believing men and women, who also supplied them with support.
Quando Onesiphorus aut Aquila aut Stephanus hoc modo eis in persecutione succurrerunt? Paulus quidem, cum Felix praeses pecunias accepturum se pro eo a discipulis sperasset, de quo et ipse in secreto tractavit cum ipso, neque ipse pro se neque discipuli pro eo numeraverunt.
When did Onesiphorus, or Aquila, or Stephanas succour them in this way during persecution? Paul indeed, when Felix the governor hoped that he would receive money for him from the disciples—concerning which he himself also treated with him in secret—neither did he himself pay for himself, nor did the disciples for him.
Illi utique discipuli, qui flentes, quod aeque Hierosolymam tendere perseveraret et persecutiones praedicatas illic non praecaveret, postremo inquiunt: Fiat voluntas dei.
Those disciples indeed, who, weeping because he nevertheless persevered in going to Jerusalem and did not guard against the persecutions predicted there, finally said: 'The will of God be done.' What was that will?
Quae ista voluntas? Utique ut pateretur pro nomine domini, non ut redimeretur.
Assuredly, that he should suffer for the name of the Lord, not that he should be redeemed.
Oportet enim, quomodo Christus animam suam posuit pro nobis, ita fieri pro eo et a nobis, nec tantum pro ipso, immo etiam pro fratribus propter ipsum.
For it is necessary that, just as Christ laid down His life for us, so it should be done for Him by us also; and not only for Him, but also for our brothers on His account.
Quod Ioannes docens non et pro fratribus numerandum, sed moriendum potius pronuntiavit.
John, teaching this, declared not that we should pay for our brothers, but rather that we should die.
Nihil interest, si quem Christianum redimere non debeas aut emere.
It makes no difference, since you ought not to redeem or buy any Christian.
Et adeo voluntas dei sic est.
And indeed such is the will of God.
Aspice regnorum et imperiorum utique a deo dispositum statum, in cuius manu cor regis, tanta cotidie aerario augendo prospiciuntur remedia censuum, vectigalium, collationum, stipendiorum, nec umquam usque adhuc ex Christianis tale aliquid prospectum est sub aliqua redemptione capitis et sectae redigendis, cum tantae multitudinis nemini ignotae fructus ingens meti posset.
Look at the condition of kingdoms and empires, which is certainly ordained by God, in whose hand is the king’s heart: so many resources of taxes, customs, contributions, and tributes are daily provided for increasing the treasury; yet never up to this time has any such thing been provided from Christians, who are to be reduced under some redemption of their head and sect, although an immense harvest might be reaped from so great a multitude, unknown to no one.
Sanguine empti, sanguine numerati nullum nummum pro capite debemus, quia caput nostrum Christus est.
Bought with blood, paid for with blood, we owe no coin for our head, because our Head is Christ.
Non decet Christum pecunia constare.
It is not fitting that Christ should cost money.
Quomodo et martyria fieri possent in gloriam domini, si tribute licentiam sectae compensaremus? Itaque qui eam praemio paciscitur, dispositioni divinae adversatur.
How also could martyrdoms take place to the glory of the Lord, if we were to buy off the license for our sect by tribute? Therefore, he who bargains for it with a bribe opposes the divine dispensation.
Cum igitur nihil nobis Caesar indixerit in hunc modum stipendiariae sectae, sed nec indici umquam tale quid possit, antichristo iam instante et in sanguinem, non in pecunias hiante Christianorum, quomodo mihi proponere potest scripturam esse, Reddite quae sunt Caesaris Caesari? Miles me vel delator vel inimicus concutit, nihil Caesari exigens, immo contra faciens, cum Christianum, legibus humanis reum, mercede dimittit.
Since, therefore, Caesar has imposed nothing on us after this fashion of a tributary sect, and indeed no such thing could ever be imposed, with Antichrist now close at hand and gaping for the blood, not the money, of Christians, how can anyone propose to me that scripture: 'Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's'? A soldier, or an informer, or an enemy extorts me, demanding nothing for Caesar, but rather doing the opposite, when for a bribe he dismisses a Christian, who is guilty under human laws.
Alius est denarius quem Caesari debeo, qui ad eum pertinet, de quo tunc agebatur, tributarius, a tributariis scilicet, non a liberis debitus.
Different is the denarius which I owe to Caesar, which belongs to him, concerning which the matter was then discussed—a tributary coin, owed indeed by subjects, not by free men.
Aut quomodo reddam quae sunt dei deo, utique proinde imaginem et monetam ipsius inscriptam nomine eius, id est hominem Christianum? Quid autem deo debeo, sicut denarium Caesari, nisi sanguinem quem pro me filius fudit ipsius? Quodsi deo quidem hominem et sanguinem meum debeo, nunc vero in eo sum tempore, ut quod deo debeo expostuler, utique fraudem deo facio id agens, ne quod debeo solvam.
Or how shall I render to God the things that are God's—namely, His own image and coin, inscribed with His name, that is, the Christian man? But what do I owe to God, as a denarius to Caesar, except the blood which His own Son shed for me? And if indeed I owe to God my person and my blood, and am now at that time when what I owe to God is demanded, surely I defraud God in acting so as not to pay what I owe.
Bene observavi praeceptum Caesari reddens quae sunt Caesaris, deo vero quae sunt dei abnegans.
Beautifully have I observed the precept, rendering to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, but denying to God the things that are God's!