§2Si, quod iniquitas a deo non est, sed a diabolo, persecutio autem ex iniquitate consistit (quid enim iniquius, quam veri dei antistites, omnes sectatores veritatis nocentissimorum more tractari?), ideo videtur persecutio a diabolo evenire, a quo iniquitas agitur ex qua constat persecutio, scire debemus, quatinus nec persecutio est sine iniquitate diaboli nec probatio fidei sine persecutione, propter probationem fidei necessariam iniquitatem non patrocinium praestare persecutioni, sed ministerium;
If, because iniquity is not from God but from the devil, and persecution consists of iniquity (for what is more iniquitous than that the priests of the true God and all followers of truth should be treated in the manner of the most harmful criminals?), persecution therefore seems to come from the devil, by whom the iniquity is committed of which persecution consists, we ought to know that, since there is neither persecution without the iniquity of the devil nor testing of faith without persecution, on account of the necessary testing of faith, iniquity does not provide protection to persecution, but ministry.
praecedere enim dei voluntatem circa fidei probationem, quae est ratio persecutionis, sequi autem diaboli iniquitatem ad instrumentum persecutionis, quae ratio est probationis.
For the will of God regarding the testing of faith, which is the reason for persecution, precedes, while the iniquity of the devil follows as the instrument of persecution, which is the reason for the testing.
Nam et alias in quantum iustitiae iniquitas aemula est, in tantum materia est ad testimonia eius, cuius est aemula, ut sic iustitia in iniquitate perficiatur, quomodo virtus in infirmitate perficitur.
For in other cases as well, in so far as iniquity is the rival of justice, so far is it the material for the testimonies of that of which it is the rival, so that justice may be perfected in iniquity in the same way that strength is perfected in weakness.
Nam infirma mundi electa sunt a deo, ut confundantur fortia, et stulta eius, ut confundatur sapientia.
For the weak things of the world have been chosen by God to confound the strong, and its foolish things to confound wisdom.
Ita et iniquitas adhibetur, ut iustitia probetur confundens iniquitatem.
Thus, iniquity is also employed so that justice may be tested, confounding iniquity.
Igitur quod ministerium non est arbitrii, sed servitii (arbitrium enim domini persecutio propter fidei probationem, ministerium autem iniquitas diaboli propter persecutionis instructionem), ita eam per diabolum, si forte, non a diabolo evenire credimus.
Therefore, since ministry is not a matter of free-will but of service (for the decision of persecution belongs to the Lord for the testing of faith, but the ministry belongs to the iniquity of the devil for the preparation of persecution), we believe that it happens through the devil, if at all, and not from the devil.
Nihil satanae in servos dei vivi licebit, nisi permiserit dominus, ut aut ipsum destruat per fidem electorum in temptatione victricem, aut homines eius fuisse traducat qui defecerint ad illum.
Nothing will be permitted to Satan against the servants of the living God unless the Lord has allowed it, either that He may destroy Satan himself through the faith of the elect which is victorious in temptation, or that He may expose those who have defected to him as having been his men.
Habes exemplum Iob, cui diabolus nullam potuit incutere temptationem, nisi a deo accepisset potestatem, nec in substantiam quidem eius, nisi dominus, Ecce, dixisset, omnia quae sunt ei, in manu tua do, in ipsum autem ne extenderis manum. Denique nec extendit, nisi posteaquam et hoc postulanti dominus, Ecce, dixisset, trado tibi illum, tantum animam eius custodi. Sic et in apostolos facultatem temptationis postulavit non habens eam nisi ex permissu, siquidem dominus in evangelio ad Petrum, Ecce, inquit, postulavit satanas, ut cerneret vos velut frumentum, verum ego rogavi pro te, ne deficeret fides tua, id est, ne tantum diabolo permitteretur, ut fides periclitaretur.
You have the example of Job, against whom the devil could strike no temptation unless he had received power from God, not even indeed against his possessions, unless the Lord had said, "Behold, I give all things that are his into your hand; only do not stretch out your hand against him." Consequently, he did not stretch it out until after the Lord had said to him when he asked for this too, "Behold, I deliver him to you, only guard his life." Thus also against the apostles he demanded the opportunity of temptation, not having it except by permission, since indeed the Lord says to Peter in the Gospel, "Behold, Satan has demanded to sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail," that is, that it should not be permitted to the devil to such an extent that faith should be endangered.
Quo ostenditur utrumque apud deum esse, et concussionem fidei et protectionem, cum utrumque ab eo petitur, concussio a diabolo, protectio a filio.
By this it is shown that both are with God, both the shaking of faith and its protection, since both are asked from Him—the shaking by the devil, the protection by the Son.
Et utique cum filius dei protectionem fidei habet in sua potestate, quam a patre postulat, a quo omnem accipit potestatem in caelis et in terris, quale est, ut concussionem fidei diabolus in manu sua habeat? Sed in legitima oratione, cum dicimus ad patrem, Ne nos inducas in temptationem (quae autem maior temptatio, quam persecutio?), ab eo illam profitemur accidere a quo veniam eius deprecamur.
And certainly, since the Son of God has the protection of faith in His own power, which He asks from the Father, from whom He receives all power in heaven and on earth, how is it possible that the devil should have the shaking of faith in his own hand? But in the regular prayer, when we say to the Father, "Lead us not into temptation" (and what greater temptation is there than persecution?), we profess that it happens from Him from whom we deprecate its indulgence.
Hoc est enim quod sequitur, Sed erue nos a maligno, id est, ne nos induxeris in temptationem, permittendo nos maligno. Tunc enim eruimur diaboli manibus, cum illi non tradimur in temptationem.
For this is what follows, "But deliver us from the evil one," that is, "do not lead us into temptation by permitting us to the evil one." For we are delivered from the hands of the devil then, when we are not delivered to him in temptation.
Nec in porcorum gregem diaboli legio habuit potestatem, nisi eam de deo impetrasset; tantum potestatem abest ut in oves dei habeat.
Nor did the legion of the devil have power even over the herd of swine unless it had obtained it from God; so far is it from having power over the sheep of God.
Possum dicere porcorum quoque setas tunc numeratas apud deum fuisse, nedum capillos sanctorum.
I can say that even the bristles of the swine were then numbered with God, much more the hairs of the saints.
Habere videtur diabolus propriam iam potestatem, si forte, in eos qui ad deum non pertinent, semel in stillam situlae et in pulverem areae et in salivam nationibus deputatis a deo ac per hoc diabolo expositis in vacuam quodammodo possessionem.
The devil seems to have a power of his own, if at all, only over those who do not belong to God, once the nations have been reckoned by God as a drop of a bucket and dust of the threshing-floor and spit, and thus exposed to the devil as a kind of empty possession.
Ceterum in domesticos dei nihil illi licet ex propria potestate, quia, quando liceat, id est ex quibus causis, exempla in scripturis signata demonstrant.
Otherwise, against the household of God he is allowed nothing from his own power, because the examples recorded in the Scriptures demonstrate when it is allowed, that is, for what reasons.
Aut enim ex causa probationis conceditur ei ius temptationis provocato vel provocanti, ut in superioribus, aut ex causa reprobationis traditur ei peccator, quasi carnifici in poenam, ut Saul (Et abscessit, inquit, spiritus domini a Saule, et concutiebat eum spiritus nequam a domino et suffocabat eum), aut ex causa cohibitionis, ut apostolus refert datum sibi sudem angelum satanae, ut colaphizaretur; nec hanc speciem permitti diabolo in sanctos humiliandos per carnis vexationem, nisi simul ut et virtus tolerantiae scilicet in infirmitate perfici possit.
For either for the sake of testing, the right of temptation is granted to him when challenged or challenging, as in the cases above; or for the sake of rejection, the sinner is delivered to him, like an executioner for punishment, as was Saul ("And the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled and suffocated him"); or for the sake of restraint, as the apostle relates that a thorn, a messenger of Satan, was given to him to buffet him; nor is this kind permitted to the devil against the saints to humble them through the vexation of the flesh, except at the same time so that the virtue of endurance may be perfected in weakness.
Nam et ipse apostolus Phygellum et Hermogenem tradidit satanae, uti emendentur, ne blasphement.
For the apostle himself also delivered Phygelus and Hermogenes to Satan, so that they might be disciplined not to blaspheme.
Vides iam et a servis dei facilius diabolum accipere potestatem; tanto abest, ut eam ex proprietate possideat.
You see now that the devil receives power even from the servants of God more easily; so far is he from possessing it by right of ownership.