A Study of Peter Chelčický's Life and a Translation from Czech of Part I of His Net of Faith (1947)/Part 2/Section 3
CHAPTER VI
THE PERFECT APOSTOLIC CHURCH
This (kind) of declaration is followed immediately by disfavor, because the powerful enemies of faith, reigning over faith, dictate its limits and do what they want with it,Human Authority Is Against Religious Conscience If a poor fellow does not believe what the mighty in the seats of power measure out for him to believe, he will certainly fall into their hands as a heretic who dares impertinently to follow the whims of his own conscience, rebelliously refusing to accept the conclusions of the heads in authority. Death sits in the shadow of such authority. And if she should, jumping out of the shadow, strangle one of us, others will be scared. Therefore it seems to some that they are truer to faith than many priests if they maintain external order and peace with the exercise of authority over faith. But when they are betrayed, God will be with them only who persevere in times of trouble. For I say without hesitation that he who is afraid to die for faith at the hands of domestic enemies, will not persevere in faith, unless God should in some way shorten this evil time.
What has been said in the preceding chapter about faith is based on the fact that Peter is the spiritual fisherman and that his net is the law of Christ or the religion of Christ tied to his law by many knots of different truths of divine words;True Authority For Christians that the whole net is sufficient to fish the sinful and to draw them out of the marine depths of the sins of this world and finally to prepare the 'fishes,' (that is) the saintly people, for God's purposes.
In the example of Saint Peter and of other apostles we see that they are fishermen of a (spiritual) fishing established by Jesus and that he has given them such a net of faith in his words when he said,
I have given them the words which thou gavest me, and they have received them. . . and the world has hated them.1
Therefore he sent them the Holy Spirit which made them speak the words of God; through them the apostles have established faith to be preached in the whole world for full salvation. Thus the fishermen of spiritual fishing, having the nets made by the Holy Spirit, were sent by our Lord Jesus to go into the whole world and preach the gospel to the whole human creation in order that those who believe might be baptized and saved; and those who refuse to believe or to be filled by his reality will be condemned.2 For faith apart from works is dead,3 useless and devilish; real faith is alive, useful and Christian. Jesus has sent his disciples into the whole world with this faith and this message that they might teach good and useful works to every man through the reading of Christ's truth. It is as Saint Paul confesses about himself and other apostles:
Therefore the apostles taught unrelentingly all people to believe through the truth of the gospel. And because they taught in this way (that every man should be perfect in Christ Jesus), therefore – as Jesus said to them –
I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide,5
let us see (whether and) where their fishing with the net of faith has been successful, bearing fruit of eternal life. Through their teaching they have established a perfect community of faith and life;The Apostolic Perfect Church this people has remained an example to all future faithful Christians,, so that all believers can look back to these first Christians and discover in them the evident fruit of apostolic labor, as well as a useful and abiding certainty for their own times. Reason will show that here the apostles' work bore fruit in accordance with the purposes of Christ. . . The future generations can safely emulate their work and expect eternal life.6
It is therefore necessary to see where these people were confirmed in their faith and how they were established. In the Acts of the Apostles and other recorded writings we can find that there were believing people in the apostolic days and that their preaching went into the whole world so that there was no nation in which their voice was not heard. From this we can surmise that in every nation and language there was someone who believed the gospel through the apostolic preaching. I am not saying that all were believers who heard the apostles preach, but everywhere there were some whom God had chosen; here more, there less. According to the Acts of the Apostles these groups in cities, villages and all regions of the world were called congregations of believers which resulted united all those of the same faith. The apostles have set these congregations apart from other unbelieving peoples. They did not necessarily live apart physically, in a special district of the same city, but they were united in one fellowship of faith which they manifested in common participation in matters spiritual and religious. Because of this common fellowship and sharing of faith and of the word of God they have been called congregations, communities of believers. And in the days when the apostles were preaching, the Romans and their lords ruled over wide the parts of the world, the
in/Jewish lands, in Greece, in Syria and other countries, as can be found in the Acts of the Apostles. And in all this realm the Jews were interspersed among the Gentiles. Thus, when the apostles preached the gospel, they spoke to a two-fold people. So, when some were converted, some came from the Jews and some from the Gentiles; both, separating themselves from (the pagans and Jews) their former co-religionists, they became a third people of a different faith. Therefore the Christians, a people set apart, were often servants among Gentiles as well as Jews, all of them paying taxes to the Romans.7
This people believing in Christ was organized in two manners or fashions by the apostles. One was the outward, material aspect of making them live properly together among this two-fold and hostile people in a manner befitting saints.How Christians Should Live in a Nonchristian Society They were told therefore to pay their taxes to the highest authorities and to obey them in all reasonable matters so as not to give opportunity for the pagan rulers and tax lords to say: "They are proud (these Christians), they themselves want to be lords, ruling over our possessions." In such a case they would immediately attack them and their faith and forbid the preaching of Christ's gospeldomain on their domains. The apostles saw to it therefore that the Christians be subject to the authorities in all material matters of service: paying their taxes and toll-money and due respect.
Secondly, they were to live humbly among Gentiles and Jews, conducting themselves in an exemplary way, as Saint Peter had taught them:
Maintain good conduct among the Gentiles, so that in case they speak against you as wrongdoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.8
By such correct, meek and exemplary living they would get along much better with their fellow Gentiles and Jews, avoiding all cause for complaint, dissatisfaction, irritation, anger, and underhanded behavior. For kindly and non-hurtful living can charm and tame even pagans disposed to aggression.Non-Violent Living It was precisely this humble and loving behavior which effected the conversion of the Gentiles and Jews to faith, because good examples move the unbelievers sometimes more forcibly than preaching and long speeches, and deeds are more effective than words. For this reason the apostles established such a behavior among the believers, that they might be without reproach among a people susceptible to anger. They should be an example to them with their kindliness; however, if this goodness were not to succeed and if God allowed the Gentiles and Jews to attack them, the Christians should not defend themselves but humbly bear all injustices inflicted upon them.
These are external rules, yet they are sufficiently established by divine orders. The apostles had a perfect net of faith and into this perfection they drew people out of the depths of the sea of sins and errors. And whoever was drawn out of the sea,Conversion to a New Life could not live in any other way than by faith alone, rendering to God faith and love, and preserving for himself an innocent conscience. Abundant evidences of this are found in the apostolic teaching, in their net as it were. But the most important thing expected of the pagans converted to Christ is that they be renewed, casting off their old life of Adam which is corrupt and deceitful, and putting on the new nature of Jesus Christ.9 Idolatry and drunkenness, debauchery and licentiousness, quarreling and jealousy, murdering and other evils, these are the deeds of the old man, of the first damned man in whom all died and of whom all are born under God's anger; that is why they must cast off first this old man and then put on the new man Jesus Christ, which means putting on the honesty of his life, according to the gifts of God's grace.10
This ability to imitate Christ in his honest life, his innocence in humility, his reverence to God, and his justice, is given in different degrees to different people; some are more endowed than others; but they all must arrive at a newness of life so as not to give a single chance to the old life to introduce mortal sin.Imitation of Christ For wherever virtue is damaged, mortal sin remains in its stead; and man was obliged to defend it (the virtue). This is why man must constantly put off his old nature, lest his transgressions remain with him. And to put on new life means to follow Christ either in a more perfect or more simple way, obeying in every respect the commandments of God to which he is bound under the penalty of mortal sin.
These things were presented for the first time to this people, (but) on the foundation of Christ's gospel. For even a Jew could do similar things butThe True Foundation: Christ. – The False Foundation: Customs – neot being based on the foundation of Christ, – these things would have no meaning. The cornerstone, therefore, must be Christ, through whom faith and grace and life shall prosper. Saint Paul gave this foundation to the first Christians when he said,
For no other foundation can any one lay than that which is laid, which is Christ. Let each man take care how he builds upon it.11
The soundest and surest foundation has been laid out to this people in order that every good work be firmly and unshakably established. On this foundation stand the true apostles of Christ and the prophets as well as those first Christians. It is for this reason that we of the latter day hold these original Christians before us for example and assurance: let us stand ourselves on the same firm and mighty foundation which was built for them by the apostles. For today there are many other foundations, built in later times, and they are all insecure and bad. The Pope (for instance) wants to be the foundation of the holy Church and her head and her cornerstone; every one of the monkish orders finds the foundation of its rule in its first monk; and there are hosts of such foundations. And the straying people does not seek (truth) but only follows dead customs, walking in the (footsteps) of their fathers who have invented the customs; the people is born unto customs just as pagans are born unto idols. In such circumstances it is therefore best for wise men to look for the foundation which the apostles had made for the original Christians, in order that they might continue their good works.
4 Colossians 1: 27–28.
5 John 15:16, RSV.
6 A paraphrased translation of several redundant phrases.
7 The translator took the liberty of re-arranging here several sentences in their logical sequence.
8 I-Peter 2:12.
11 I-Corinthians 3:11, 10.
CHAPTER VII
THE PERFECT APOSTOLIC CHURCH (CONTINUED)
We can learn, furthermore, that the apostles have instituted this people in equality, without undue compulsory respect among themselves,Liberte̍
Egalite̍
Fraternite̍
Responsabilite̍ with the only (demand) that they love and serve each other like one body composed of many members, Christ being the head.1 For we are taught that, being many, we are the members of one body, communing and sharing the one bread which is the body of Christ; let us, therefore, live as members of one body, serving each other voluntarily, being mutually useful without forced compulsion, and admonishing one another. In those days of Gentile government ruling over people with coërcive power no one among the first Christians would willingly be administrators, or mayors, or councillors, or judges in courts of disputes.
Even though under pagan might, they were set apart because of their faith; they were subject to them only with regard to paying taxes.Christian
Anarchism They refused to adapt their religion and morals to pagan authority. Because of this none of them ever held an official position, none of them ever practiced the profession of executioners, bailiffs, councillors, mayors or ruling lords; yet, at the same time, they all, brethren of the same faith and partakers of Christ, submitted in all material and civil matters to pagans exercising such prefessions.
The congregations of Christ lived among pagans and existed without holding temporal power for over three hundred years until the time of Constantine.The Donation
of Constantine He was the first one who infiltrated himself into the Christian community with Gentile rule and Gentile (system of) clerks. The apostles, however, have taught their people to look after higher and more perfect things than the pagans were seeking. From the teaching of the apostles we learn that they asked them
This kind of administration is far different from the pagan administration which has to resort to civil laws and pagan clerks and officials. It is a much loftier and nobler law to be likedone body and to be governed by the same spirit of God in all matters divine and spiritual and moral, having only one Lord, Jesus Christ; a pagan government is bound to weaken justice since it attracts men who are not wise or desirous of the common good. Pagan and temporal rule is far surpassed by those who through grace and good will are realizing God's pleasing truth so that it might dwell on earth as it is in eternity.
CHAPTER VIII
THE PERFECT APOSTOLIC CHURCH (CONTINUED)
Christians cannot be followers of Christ's faith if they are obeying another authority, pagan and civil, standing in courthouses with lawsuits;Christians
Versus
Authority they cannot have the fellowship of Christ and be saved if they die in this (acceptance of authority). The enemy which is the pagan and worldly spirit may contradict this by saying: "Well, if these Christian congregations are not governed by temporal authority in matters of faith and morals, but only by mutual love, what then if they lack love and if some injustice were done to them? And did not many of them resort to courts? Did not Saint Paul say to them, 'If you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who are least estee̸emed by the church?'1 And so they availed themselves of pagan offices and supplied their officials, love not being adequate."
To this can be proffered the following answer: it is true that the apostles brought the first Christians to these perfect things, instituting that everything be done through divine love. The correctness and truth of this commandment has not been lessened simply because there were some among them who were as imperfect as small children not yet ready to digest substantial food2 and clamoring only for milk. Indeed, many a person, converted to the faith of Christ from the Gentiles or Jews, accustomed as he had been to evil and inclined rather strongly toward temporal arrangements, even though believing in the Son of God and His truth, did not become immediately perfect in his faith. Among such converts there were some who had many imperfections which the apostles rebuked, but they were tolerated in part for the hope that they would improve in time. Saint Paul saw the disorders of some weak believers; yes, he even saw a Christian bringing action against another Christian and both sitting under judgment before pagan court officials. And he said to them:
And, rebuking them with the se words, he still patiently tolerated their weakness in the hope that they would reform, and allowed them to settle their differences at home rather than to go to law before pagans.4A 'Court'
of Moral
Judgment He could not being them to perfection because of their weakness, and so he very patiently conceded to them the choice of the lesser evil, as long as they had to put up with evil at all. It is a greater evil for Christians to bring their grievances concerning temporal matters before pagans, but it is a lesser evil for them to reveal their shame at home before their own people. It is always an evil, though. And (the apostle) said to them that any grievance is evil, even when he conceded to them the possibility of a court (administered through the inner) domestic circle.5 Says he:
I say this to your shame. Therefore I give this to you as an eternal law: do not go to courts. But I concede you your shame that you may bear it as long as your mind is uncircumcized, gravitating unduly toward earthly matters, and filled with grievances.6
When that mind shall blush from shame and run away from evil, then will the wise one be able, through the gift of divine grace, to scorn that which drove him to courts. It is clear that the eternal law does not admit lawsuits. Even Saint Paul could not boast of their faith and obedience, when the congregations were standing before him in shame, with grievances and lawsuits concerning earthly goods. He speaks to them wisely, therefore, trying to help them when he says:
Can it be that there is no man among you wise enough to decide between members of the brotherhood, but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers? To have lawsuits at all with one another is defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? But you yourselves wrong and defraud, and that even among your own brethren. Is there no man among you wise enough to decide between brother and brother?7
He is not thinking here of a Gentile court of Justice according to whose pattern one of the wiser members would become judge and settle the case between brother and brother,Reconciliation Instead of Lawsuits for such a court is based on coercive power, and all those who want their case decided before a court must submit themselves to the jury. (He is thinking) of something much simpler and closer to truth when he says: "Can it be that there is no man wise enough among you to decide between members of the brotherhood? Have you become so poor in wisdom?" – He knows that they have more sense (than that) because he gives thanks to God that in every way they were enriched in Him with all speech and all knowledge.8 And to those enriched with knowledge of chastisement he says: "Why, having wisdom and knowledge, do you not decide between members of the brotherhood in accordance with the gospel, endeavoring to do away with the grievances?" Here judgment means the recognition of injustice and the elimination of injustice first by administering an admonition and, second, by bringing the brothers to peace by reconciliation and forgiveness of injustice.
If there has been committed an injustice that could be remedied by material restoration, the guilty brother should use this form of reconciliation with the innocent one. If there have been insults deceitfully and publicly defaming the good reputation of a brother, the defendant should be moved to blot out the false accusation in the presence of others; if, however, the defamation has spread through the region, even that base infamy should be forgiven. In all cases of wrongdoing which take place among the brethren, the guilty party should be admonished with a reprimand, and the guilty should humbly ask forgiveness, for there is no other way of absolving an injustice. Both brethren should forget the committed wrongs so that, through reconciliation, love and peace might prevail. It is much wiser to settle differences between brothers in this way. However, this (method) can succeed only among men of good will who are filled with humility and fear of God and a disposition to submit to truth revealed to them by wise men.
The apostle has in mind the kind of goodness which all those who call themselves brethren in Christ should share, being set apart from the world.The Lawyers Are the Devil's Agents But cruel, covetous, vindictive horned goats, clothed in robes of worldly wisdom know how to extricate themselves from guilt in court-ho uses, they know how to cover up their iniquities and how to put blame on others, while the innocent ones are then summoned to magistrates and courts where they are examined, fined, tied to whipping-posts and pilloried. Nay, those evil-doers deserve to be burned standing before those gods (sic) to whom they ran with their indictments. The best court for brethren would be to dispense justice on the basis of goodness which alone would advance and improve brotherly consciences in true virtue.9
1 I-Corinthians 6:4.
2 I-Corinthians 3:2.
3 I-Corinthians 6:2.
4 I-Corinthians 6:1.
5 i.e. to decide justice between members of the Christian brotherhood (I-Cor.6:5).
6 I-Corinthians 6:5–6, freely rendered.
7 I-Corinthians 6:5–8, RSV
8 I-Corinthians 1:5.
9 For the sake of interesting comparison, we quote here some lines written by Erasmus of Rotterdam on the subject of courts and judges:"And as to the Court-Lords, what should I mention them? than most of whom though there be nothing more indebted, more servile, more witless, more contemptible, yet they would seem as they were the most excellent of all others. And yet in this only thing no men more modest, in that they are contented to wear about 'em Gold, Jewels, Purple, and those other marks of Vertue and Wisdome, but for the study of the things themselves, they remit it to others, thinking it happiness enough for them that they can call the King Master, have learnt the cringe a̍ la mode, know when and where to use those Titles Your Grace, My Lord, Your Magnificence. . . . But if ye look into their manner of life you'll find 'em meer Sots, as debaucht as Penelope Wooers; you know the other part of the verse, which the Echo will better tell ye than I can. . . A great may undertake endless Suites, and outvie one another who shall most enrich the Delatory Judge or Corrupt Advocate. . . . In short, if a man like Menippus of old could look down from the Moon, and behold those innumerable rufflings of Mankind, he would think he saw a swarm of Flies and Gnats quarrelling among themselves, fighting, laying Traps for one another, snatching, playing, wantonning, growing up, falling, and dying. . ." (Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam, The Praise of Folly, transl. by John Wilson in 1657, New York: Classics Club, 1942, p. 213f., and p. 179).
CHAPTER IX
THE PERFECT APOSTOLIC CHURCH (CONTINUED)
Lawsuits Are
Irreconcilable
With Christian
Faith & EthicsMagistrates and courts deal with sins, even though officially with property matters; they add the evil of sins because of the corruption of consciences. For this reason Saint Paul reprimands the early Christians like children in Christ because of their lawsuits (concerning worldly goods only) in courts before infidel pagans. Says he:
To have lawsuits at all with one another
is sin for you. Why not rather suffer wrong?1
He clearly considers as sin lawsuits concerning corporeal goods. Of what use is their faith, then, if they are in sin because of lawsuits? Did they not believe in the Son of God in order to be saved from their sins and from the devil's power through his death? Why, now because of material gain they jeopardize and lose all that which they had gained through Christ's death, his death is wasted on them unless they earn their right to it by a new repentance. And they cannot repent from their sins unless they give up their lawsuits. This is to show that man can be Christian only if he commits no wrong and harms no one, and if he meekly suffers the wrongdoing of others, not returning evil for evil in accordance with the commandment of Christ. Neither must he have on his conscience the death of a single person.
We have tarried longer upon the se matters in order to show that the apostles, while preaching perfection to the first Christians, could not bring them instantly to that perfection – that is, not all of them – and so they offered them a concession in time, hoping that they would thus bring them eventually to the better goal. So now Saint Paul concedes courts at least at home, away from pagans – and even these courts he conceded with shame. But in his last letters to these people we find that all this has been corrected.
And more time was spent on this also in order to show that the early Christians established their rulesPerversion of
Early Christian
Courts concerning lawsuits and courts on the words of Saint Paul saying:
If then you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who are least esteemed by the church? I say this to your shame!2
In establishing these rules about lawsuits and courts they completely distorted the words of Saint Paul, giving them the opposite meaning. Thus, not the least esteemed, but the most esteemed of these confused people are chosen for judges in courts. And a priest who should be an expert of the gospel and castigate therefore this error on the basis of the gospel, goes himself to the court, elevates their shame into honor and chooses councillors for this shame, thinking it advantageous for faith if this shame is conducted (administered) wisely.3
1 I-Corinthians 6:7
2 I-Corinthians 6:4.
3 A remarkable semblance to the above is found in Erasmus of Rotterdam's Adagia, "Dulce Bellum Inexpertis," published about 1515:"But we run headlong each to destroy other, even from that heavenly sacrifice of the altar, whereby is represented that perfect and ineffable knitting together of all Christian men. And of so wicked a thing, we make Christ both author and witness. Where is the kingdom of the devil, if it be not in war? Why draw we Christ into war, with whom a brothel-house agreeth more than war? Saint Paul disdaineth, that there should be any so great discord among Christian men, that they should need any judge to discuss the matter between them. What if he should come and behold us now through all the world, warring for every light and trifling cause, striving cruelly than ever did any heathen people, and more cruelly than any barbarous people? Yea, and ye shall see it done by the authority, exhortations, and furtherings of those that represent Christ, the prince of peace. . ." (from the English translation, Erasmus Against War, ed. by J.W.Mackail, Boston: The Merrymount Press, 1907, p.24f).
CHAPTER X
THE PERFECT APOSTOLIC CHURCH (CONTINUED)
We began our study by showing how the apostles established the first Christians in faith through the perfection of the law of God which is set apart from the pagan laws administered by temporal powers.Treatment
of Those
Who Fall
Away This is evident from the things taught by Christ's law when evil arises among faithful Christians, such as the appearance of adversaries, defilers and heretics, among their own ranks. Christ's commandment says that such should be instructed, admonished, and reprimanded for the purpose of rehabilitation. And Jesus Christ wisely teaches that this be done confidentially, between him that admonishes and the guilty brother. If he listens and accepts the admonition, says Lord Jesus, (the admonisher) has gained a brother.
If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the whole church of the faithful, for the multitude may cause him to feel shame and, convinced by the truth of their arguments, he may be won over. And if he refuses to listen even to this multitude and scorns its admonition, let him be to you as a Gentile and a flagrant sinner, avoid him, and have no hristian fellowship with him. With the same reasoning Saint Paul says:
He forbids associating, eating and drinking with them; that is, he commands us to segregate ourselves from them. . . . And he speaks also of loafers, and busybodies who are not busy3; do not associate with them, but let them keep quiet and earn their own bread they have to eat. Let no one look after somebody else's bread.
All these things are based on Christ's purity and perfection which the apostles have promulgated among the early Christians who lived simply on the foundation of Christ's words.The Penal System
Is Retributive &
Not Reformatory It must be apparent to all wise men that Christ's perfection is preached to a fallen human generation – fallen because of the pagan rule of the kings of earthly realms and (their) civil administrators. Yet, as was said before, malefactors cannot be compelled to punishment for their sins, nor is vengeance allowed upon them; through brotherly love alone can they be brought to repentance and redeemed. This is the plaing good news which proclaims that a sinner can again obtain divine grace after he had lost it through his sinning; yea, he can even be saved while, on the contrary, civil administration everywhere administers death to men for such offences, without giving them (a chance) to reform.
The confused people of this world act so badly that, while they bemoan iniquities and material damages, they are ready to murder human beings on their account. This killing of humans is the way of the people of the world, who love the world, who pity the world for all the wrongs that befall it.Justice Is Blind
Capital Punishment
is Sin Yet they can have no communion with Christ. In the first Christian community, however, if brotherly love mended not the way of the guilty, the people did not associate with him, eschewing him. If they were unable to help him and to move him to repentance, still they caused him no evil by adding murder to his sins. They separated themselves from him, remaining without guilt. But the heathenish civil administration does just the opposite: it does nothing good for evil, all it cares about is to murder the evil one, and to throw the burden of his sins on those who render evil for evil.
CHAPTER XI
THE PERFECT APOSTOLIC CHURCH (CONTINUED)
When we look at the first Christians we see that they were sufficiently grounded in faith in accordance with the law of Christ.There Is No
Salvation
Outside the
Golden Rule For this law is of itself quite sufficient and adequate for a redeeming administration of God's people; indeed, only through the exercise of this law can there be brought to the people of God that true innocence which God loves in them; holding to this law they will unflinchingly seek Him with all their heart and cultivate justice and love for all peoples, be they friends or enemies, wishing no one ill or injury, and if same were done to them by others, they will suffer it without revenge, not returning evil for evil to either friend or foe, for in all this consists the doctrine of Christ. And if there are some who do not desire to hold fast to these things, they are not righteous in the sight of God.
It is improbable therefore that the worldly people who love the world and desire to live for the things of this world would pay allegiance to this law.You Cannot
Serve Two
Masters They must give up completely the world who want to abide by the law. The first congregations of God have prospered in the law of Christ because they have completely abandoned pagan errors as well as Jewish unbelief and all vanities of this world; and lo, they grew in spiritual prosperity and increased in numbers of just followers in spite of all lawless adversities of the civil administration, even carrying on without the law of the highest priest, but simply governing themselves by the law of Christ.
But later, when the two other laws were added, namely the temporal and the papal law, the Christian society immediately deteriorated in its quality and perished. They who write chronicles are stressing this, and we see it with our own bare eyes that these two laws are the most injurious corruption intent upon killing the faith and the law of God. Therefore we of this generation, sitting as it were under the shadow of these laws, discuss weakly the law of God or His rule, because the darkness of the se laws has befogged our eyes. And so, groping our way in the dark we guess and wonder: if the doctrine of Christ be sufficient by itself, without the addition of human laws, can it restore here on earth the full Christian religion? We ask this in fear, and with trembling we affirm it because this law of Christ was adequate to institute a Christian humanity with all his disciples and without the admixture of human institutions.
By the same token this law is not less effective today than it was in that era, nor is it weakened by resistance of many, but rather all the more strengthened. And so it is always sufficient. Furthemore, the sufficiency of Christ's law was not exhausted by the behavior of rebellious people in the original holy Church;The Blood of
the Martyrs
is the Seed
of the Church on the contrary, it was always adequate to convert multitudes to the apostolic life and no one can be converted except through this law. Therefore, if the law was sufficient to convert unbelievers to faith, it is all the more adequate to reform life and morals as this is much easier. For this reason the law of Christ was sufficient in itself to establish as well as to maintain the whole church of God in every material and spiritual aspect. And the rule of Christ's religion is better than the rule of human admixtures. Who then, will deny that the bride of Christ is more perfect and according to the law of God, than were she nurtured by the admixtures of human laws which are as poison? Life in God is secure, but if human laws are mixed with it, divine laws become unintelligible, and men finally abandon them. Christ has commanded his bride to keep this law under the penalty of mortal sin; that means, she cannot abandon him or otherwise abolish (his laws) without committing mortal sin.
CHAPTER XII
THE PERFECT APOSTOLIC CHURCH (CONTINUED)
This is the reason why we expound as much as we can, yet still too weakly, the sufficiency of the law of Christ; we pour it on the sores of the wounded ones who are outside the law, having fallen among robbers who stripped them and beat them.1Totalitarian Claim of the Gospel Yea, this law shines brightly like a light in the darkness2 and the apostles announced its sufficiency to this rebellious people of yore. And they succeeded so well that they could say with justification, "Stand firm thus in the Lord, our beloved!"3 Otherwise, had they not been successful in establishing Christian faith and virtues, they could not have said this. They could not have spoken of standing firm if these people had not been firm at that time. Moreover, this 'standing firm' implies an obligation to hold fast to what they had been taught. That is the great certainty which they proclaimed saying,
But if even we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary that which you received, let him be accursed!4
He would curse not only them but even himself and, yes, even the the angel from heaven if he were to teach otherwise. This places the teaching on a firm foundation and that foundation was given to the early Christians in accordance with the law of Christ. And even a heavenly angel could not have taught it better than the Son of God and the apostles after him. Where the word of the Gospel is accepted, there faith is made sure and the law of God is strengthened.
Those Christian churches stood in the midst of a pagan people, they followed the Gospel teaching, surrounded by great temptations, yet they remained faithful to the apostolic teaching according to Christ for over three hundred years after Christ's ascension. And they prospered in spiritual treasures while they held fast to that teaching. For they excelled in numerous and victorious martyrdoms: for faith suffered all the highest bishops beginning with Peter and ending with Sylvester, and there were thirtyfive of them holding Saint Peter's position; and every one of them, one after another, suffered martyrdom at the hands of Roman princes, and with them a great host of priests and clergymen as well as laymen of both sexes. These all suffered tortures and cruelties with utmost courage until the most terrible death, joyously, for Christ's sake. Nothing but the true foundation of faith is manifested in these perfect Christian acts. It was this absolute certainty in faith which made them voluntarily undergo martyrdom and any other evil from the world; all we have today is the certainty of a great falling away from faith because of the impatience of priests and lay people.
(Today) all and sundry live in duplicity, inventing stratagems in relation to faith, endeavoring to be included in it in whatever way as long as they can have their fling and fatten their bellies.5"Whose God Is Their Belly" They are after favors and peace with the world, cajoling it with pleasantries since they do not want to suffer from it in any respect. And so it is that if we compare our present life of faith to that of the early Church it is like putting darkness against light. For this reason have we recalled to our mind those in whom faith was established infallibly through the apostles; let us see now if there are still some Christians willing to return to the ways of the first Church, and to follow its faith without mental reservations, in patience and with sincerity of heart.