1. Although in very many of you, dearly beloved brethren, there is a stedfast mind and a firm faith, and a devoted spirit that is not disturbed at the

 2. For he who wars for God, dearest brethren, ought to acknowledge himself as one who, placed in the heavenly camp, already hopes for divine things, s

 3. For it is written that the just lives by faith. If you are just, and live by faith, if you truly believe in Christ, why, since you are about to be

 4. But for the rest, what else in the world than a battle against the devil is daily carried on, than a struggle against his darts and weapons in cons

 5. So many persecutions the soul suffers daily, with so many risks is the heart wearied, and yet it delights to abide here long among the devil’s weap

 6. But, beloved brethren, this is so, because faith is lacking, because no one believes that the things which God promises are true, although He is tr

 7. How great is the advantage of going out of the world, Christ Himself, the Teacher of our salvation and of our good works, shows to us, who, when Hi

 8. But nevertheless it disturbs some that the power of this Disease attacks our people equally with the heathens, as if the Christian believed for thi

 9. Moreover, if the Christian know and keep fast under what condition and what law he has believed, he will be aware that he must suffer more than oth

 10. Thus Job, after the loss of his wealth, after the death of his children, grievously afflicted, moreover, with sores and worms, was not overcome, b

 11. Righteous men have ever possessed this endurance. The apostles maintained this discipline from the law of the Lord, not to murmur in adversity, bu

 12. Thus Abraham pleased God, who, that he might please God, did not shrink even from losing his son, or from doing an act of parricide. You, who cann

 13. Thus, moreover, the Apostle Paul, after shipwrecks, after scourgings, after many and grievous tortures of the flesh and body, says that he is not

 14. This trial, that now the bowels, relaxed into a constant flux, discharge the bodily strength that a fire originated in the marrow ferments into w

 15. Many of our people die in this mortality, that is, many of our people are liberated from this world. This mortality, as it is a plague to Jews and

 16. And further, beloved brethren, what is it, what a great thing is it, how pertinent, how necessary, that pestilence and plague which seems horrible

 17. But perchance some one may object, and say, “It is this, then, that saddens me in the present mortality, that I, who had been prepared for confess

 18. We ought to remember that we should do not our own will, but God’s, in accordance with what our Lord has bidden us daily to pray. How preposterous

 19. Besides, that the indications of the divine providence may be more evidently manifest, proving that the Lord, prescient of the future, takes couns

 20. To myself also, the very least and last, how often has it been revealed, how frequently and manifestly has it been commanded by the condescension

 21. Finally, the Apostle Paul reproaches, and rebukes, and blames any who are in sorrow at the departure of their friends. “I would not,” says he, “ha

 22. That in the meantime we die, we are passing over to immortality by death nor can eternal life follow, unless it should befall us to depart from t

 23. Thus, moreover, we find that Enoch also was translated, who pleased God, as in Genesis the Holy Scripture bears witness, and says, “And Enoch plea

 24. It is for him to wish to remain long in the world whom the world delights, whom this life, flattering and deceiving, invites by the enticements of

 25. And this, as it ought always to be done by God’s servants, much more ought to be done now—now that the world is collapsing and is oppressed with t

 26. We should consider, dearly beloved brethren—we should ever and anon reflect that we have renounced the world, and are in the meantime living here

21. Finally, the Apostle Paul reproaches, and rebukes, and blames any who are in sorrow at the departure of their friends. “I would not,” says he, “have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them which are asleep in Jesus will God bring with Him.”41    1 Thess. iv. 13. He says that those have sorrow in the departure of their friends who have no hope. But we who live in hope, and believe in God, and trust that Christ suffered for us and rose again, abiding in Christ, and through Him and in Him rising again, why either are we ourselves unwilling to depart hence from this life, or do we bewail and grieve for our friends when they depart as if they were lost, when Christ Himself, our Lord and God, encourages us and says, “I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he die, yet shall live; and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall not die eternally?”42    John xi. 25. If we believe in Christ, let us have faith in His words and promises; and since we shall not die eternally, let us come with a glad security unto Christ, with whom we are both to conquer and to reign for ever.

XXI. Increpat denique apostolus Paulus et objurgabat et culpat si qui contristentur in excessu suorum: Nolumus , inquit, ignorare vos, fratres, de dormientibus, ut non contristemini sicut et caeteri qui spem non habent. Si enim credimus quia Jesus mortuus est et resurrexit, sic et Deus eos qui dormierunt in Jesu adducet cum illo (I Thessal. IV, 13, 14). Eos contristari dicit in excessu suorum qui spem non habent. Qui autem spe vivimus et in Deum credimus et Christum passum esse pro nobis et resurrexisse confidimus, in Christo manentes, et per ipsum atque in ipso resurgentes, quid aut ipsi recedere istinc de saeculo nolumus, aut nostros recedentes quasi perditos 0596C plangimus ac dolemus, ipso Christo Domino et Deo nostro monente ac dicente: Ego sum resurrectio et 0597Avita. Qui credit in me, licet moriatur, vivet; et omnis qui vivit et credit in me, non morietur in aeternum (Joan. XI, 25, 26). Si in Christum credimus, si fidem verbis et promissis ejus habemus, et non morimur in aeternum, ad Christum, cum quo et victuri et regnaturi semper sumus, laeta securitate veniamus.