|
How great an extent then, O my dear Theotimus, ought
the force of this sacred love of God above all things
to have?
It must surpass all affections, vanquish all
difficulties, and prefer the honour of God's
good-will before all things; yea I say, before all
things absolutely, without any exception or
reservation; I speak thus with such great
distinctness, because there are men who would
courageously forsake their goods, honour, and their
own life for our Lord, who yet will not leave for his
sake things of much less consideration.
In the reign of the Emperors Valerianus and
Gallus, there lived in Antioch a priest named
Sapricius, and a layman named Nicephorus, who by
reason of their long and exceeding great friendship
were considered as brothers: and yet it happened in
the end, I know not upon what occasion, that this
friendship failed, and according to custom was
followed with a yet deeper hatred, which reigned for
a time between them, till at length Nicephorus,
acknowledging his fault, made three different
attempts to be reconciled with Sapricius, to whom,
now by one of their common friends, now by another,
he sent words signifying all the satisfaction and
submission that heart could have wished.
But Sapricius, in no wise answering to his
invitations, ever repulsed the reconciliation with as
much contempt as Nicephorus besought it with
humility; insomuch that the poor Nicephorus, thinking
that if Sapricius saw him prostrate at his feet
begging pardon he would be more touched to the heart
with it, goes and finds him out and courageously
casting himself down at his feet: - Reverend Father,
says he, Ah! pardon me, I beseech thee by the bowels
of our Saviour Jesus; but even this humility was
disdained and rejected, together with his former
endeavours.
Meanwhile, behold a hot persecution arose against
the Christians, in which Sapricius with others being
apprehended did wonders in suffering a thousand
thousand torments for the confession of his faith, -
especially when he was most roughly shaken and rolled
in an instrument made purposely, after the manner of
a wine-press - without ever losing his constancy.
At this the Governor of Antioch being extremely
irritated condemned him to death; whereupon he was
publicly led out of prison towards the place where he
was to receive the glorious crown of martyrdom. No
sooner had Nicephorus learnt this, than immediately
he ran, and having met Sapricius, throwing himself
upon the ground: Alas! cried he, with a loud voice, O
martyr of Jesus Christ, pardon me, for I have
offended thee! But Sapricius taking no notice, the
poor Nicephorus, getting again before him by a
shorter way, came to him anew with the like humility,
conjuring him to pardon him in these words: O martyr
of Jesus Christ, pardon the offence which I have
committed against thee, I who am but a man and
subject to offend: for lo! a crown is already
bestowed upon thee by our Saviour whom thou has not
denied, yea thou hast confessed his holy name before
many witnesses.
But Sapricius continuing in his pride gave him not
one word in answer; until the very executioners,
wondering at the perseverance of Nicephorus, said to
him: We have never seen so foolish a man as thee;
this fellow is going even at this moment to die, what
dost thou want with his pardon? To whom Nicephorus
answering: Thou knowest not, said he, what it is I
demand of this confessor of Jesus Christ, but God
knows. Meantime Sapricius arrived at the place of
execution, where yet again Nicephorus, casting
himself upon the ground before him: I beseech thee,
said he, O martyr of Jesus Christ, that it would
please thee to pardon me, for it is written: Ask and
it shall be granted thee: words which could not in
the least bend the caitiff and rebellious heart of
the miserable Sapricius, who, obstinately denying
mercy to his neighbour, was himself deprived by the
just judgment of God of the most glorious palm of
martrydom.
For the executioners commanding him to put himself
on his knees, in order to behead him, he began to be
daunted, and to parley with them, making in the end
this deplorable and shameful submission: Oh! I pray
you, behead me not: I will do what the Emperors
order, and sacrifice to idols. Which the poor good
Nicephorua hearing, with
tears in his eyes began to cry: Ah! my dear brother,
do not, do not, I beseech thee, transgress the law
and deny Jesus Christ; forsake him not, I beseech
thee, lose not the crown of glory which with so great
labours and torments thou hast obtained!
But alas! this miserable priest coming to the
altar of martyrdom there to consecrate his life to
the eternal God, had not called to mind what the
Prince of Martyrs had said: If therefore thou offer
thy gift at the altar, and there thou remember that
thy brother hath anything against thee; leave there
thy offering before the altar, and go first to be
reconciled to thy brother: and then coming thou shalt
offer thy gift.(1)
Wherefore God rejected his offering; and
withdrawing his mercy from him, permitted him not
only to lose the sovereign happiness of martyrdom,
but even to fall headlong into the misery of
idolatry; while the humble and meek Nicephorus,
perceiving this crown of martyrdom vacant by the
apostasy of the obdurate Sapricius, touched with an
excellent and extraordinary inspiration, boldly
presses forward to obtain it, saying to the officers
and executioners: I am a Christian, my friends, I am
in truth a Christian, and believe in Jesus Christ,
whom this man has denied: put me, therefore, I
beseech you, in his place, and cut off my head.
At which the officers being extremely astonished,
carried the tidings to the governor, who gave orders
that Sapricius should be set at liberty, and that
Nicephorus should be put to death, which happened on
the 9th of February, about the year of our salvation
260, as Metaphrastes and Surius relate. A terrible
history, and worthy of the gravest consideration in
the subject we treat of!
For did you note, my dear Theotimus, this
courageous Sapricius how bold and fervent he was in
defence of his faith, how he suffered a thousand
torments, how constant and immovable he was in the
confession of our Saviour's name, while he was rolled
and crushed in that press-like machine, how ready he
was to receive the death-blow to fulfil the highest
point of the divine law, preferring God's honour
before his own life?
And yet, because on the other side he prefers to
the divine will the satisfaction which his cruel
haughtiness takes in hating Nicephorus, he
stops short in his course, and when he is on the
point of coming up to and attaining the prize of
glory by martyrdom, he miserably falls and breaks his
neck, falling headlong into idolatry.
It is therefore true, my Theotimus, that it is not
enough for us to love God more than our own life,
unless we also love him universally, absolutely, and
without reserve, more than all we love or can love.
But you will say to me, did not our Saviour assign
the furthest point of our love towards him, when he
said that greater love than this no man hath, that a
man lay down his life for his friends?(2)
It is true indeed, Theotimus, that amongst
the particular acts and testimonies of divine love
there is none so great as to undergo death for God's
glory, yet it is also true that this is but one
single act, and one single test; it is indeed the
masterpiece of charity, but besides it charity exacts
many things at our hands, and so much more forcibly
and instantly as they are acts more easy, common and
ordinary with all lovers, and more generally
necessary to the preservation of sacred love.
O miserable Sapricius! Durst thou be bold to
affirm that thou didst love God as was fitting,
whilst thou didst not prefer the will of God before
the passion of hatred and rancour entertained in thy
heart against the poor Nicephorus? To be willing to
die for God is the greatest but not the only act of
love which we owe to God; and to will this act only,
excluding the others, - this is not charity, it is
vanity.
Charity is not fanciful, which she would be in the
highest degree, if being resolved to please the
beloved in things of greatest difficulty, she would
permit us to displease him in easier matters. How can
he will to die for God who will not live according to
God?
A well-ordered mind that is resolved to die for a
friend, would also without doubt undergo all other
things; for he that has once despised death ought to
have despised everything. But the human spirit is
weak, inconstant and humoursome, whence men sometimes
rather choose to die than to undergo far slighter
pains, and willingly give their life for extremely
frivolous, childish, and vain satisfactions.
Agrippina having learnt that the child she was
bringing forth would be Emperor, indeed, but that he
would put her to death: Let him kill me, said she,
provided that he reign. Mark, I pray you, the
disorder of this foolishly loving mother's heart; she
preferred her son's dignity before her own life.
Cato and Cleopatra chose death rather than to see
their enemies exult and glory in their capture; and
Lucretia chose to put herself cruelly to death rather
than to be unjustly branded with the shame of a deed
in which, it would seem, she was not guilty.
How many are there who would willingly embrace
death for their friends, and yet would not live in
their service, or accomplish their other desires?
A man exposes his life, who would not open his
purse. And though there may be found many who engage
their life for a friend's defence, yet scarcely is
there one found in a century who will imperil his
liberty, or lose an ounce of the most vain and
unprofitable reputation or renown in the world, be it
for never so dear a friend.
|