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Translated by Cardinal Newman.
St Athanasius the Great Resources Online and in Print
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70 Pages
Page 32
33. Persecution is from the Devil.
Now if it was altogether unseemly in any of the Bishops to change their opinions merely from fear of these things, yet it was much more so, and not the part of men who have confidence in what they believe, to force and compel the unwilling. In this manner it is that the Devil, when he has no truth on his side [1612] , attacks and breaks down the doors of them that admit him with axes and hammers [1613] . But our Saviour is so gentle that He teaches thus, 'If any man wills to come after Me,' and, 'Whoever wills to be My disciple [1614] ;' and coming to each He does not force them, but knocks at the door and says, 'Open unto Me, My sister, My spouse [1615] ;' and if they open to Him, He enters in, but if they delay and will not, He departs from them. For the truth is not preached with swords or with darts, nor by means of soldiers; but by persuasion and counsel. But what persuasion is there where fear of the Emperor prevails? or what counsel is there, when he who withstands them receives at last banishment and death? Even David, although he was a king, and had his enemy in his power, prevented not the soldiers by an exercise of authority when they wished to kill his enemy, but, as the Scripture says, David persuaded his men by arguments, and suffered them not to rise up and put Saul to death [1616] . But he, being without arguments of reason, forces all men by his power, that it may be shewn to all, that their wisdom is not according to God, but merely human, and that they who favour the Arian doctrines have indeed no king but Caesar; for by his means it is that these enemies of Christ accomplish whatsoever they wish to do. But while they thought that they were carrying on their designs against many by his means, they knew not that they were making many to be confessors, of whom are those who have lately [1617] made so glorious a confession, religious men, and excellent Bishops, Paulinus [1618] Bishop of Treveri, the metropolis of the Gauls, Lucifer, Bishop of the metropolis of Sardinia, Eusebius of Vercelli in Italy, and Dionysius of Milan, which is the metropolis of Italy. These the Emperor summoned before him, and commanded them to subscribe against Athanasius, and to hold communion with the heretics; and when they were astonished at this novel procedure, and said that there was no Ecclesiastical Canon to this effect, he immediately said, 'Whatever I will, be that esteemed a Canon; the "Bishops" of Syria let me thus speak. Either then obey, or go into banishment.'
[1612] Vid. note on S:67 [and Bright, Hist. Writings of Ath. p. lxviii. note 9].
[1613] Vid. Ps. lxxiv. 6
[1614] Matt. xvi. 24.
[1615] Cant. v. 2.
[1616] 1 Sam. xxvi. 9.
[1617] Apol. Const. 27; Apol. Fug. 4, and below, S:76.
[1618] S:26, and references there.
Reference address : https://elpenor.org/athanasius/history-arians.asp?pg=32
