Page:Tracts for the Times Vol 2.djvu/532

6 adversary is more provoked. Is he a confessor? He ought for that very reason to stand by the Gospel of the, having through the Gospel attained unto the glory. For the says, "to whom much is given, of him shall much be required," the proportion of obedience required is measured by the degree of dignity conceded. May none ever perish through the example of a confessor! May no man learn injustice, insolence, or perfidy, from a confessor's conduct! Is any a confessor? Let him be humble and peaceful: let him be modest and disciplined in all he does. As one who is entitled a confessor of Christ, let him imitate that Christ, whom he confesses. For whereas He saith, "he who exalteth himself shall be humbled, and he who humbleth himself shall be exalted;" and whereas He was himself exalted by the Father, because on earth he humbled himself, as the Word, the Power, the Wisdom of the Father, how can He show favour to exaltation, who has at once recommended us in his commandment to be humble, and has received from the Father, in recompense of his humiliation, a name that is above every name? Is any a confessor of Christ? it is only if the majesty and dignity of Christ be not evil spoken of through him. Let not the tongue that confesses Christ speak evil: let it not be found turbulent, or allow the language of reproach and discord to be heard from it. Let it not, after rightly speaking, hurl poison of the serpent against the brethren and priests of. But if a man afterwards become guilty and hateful, if he betrays his profession by evil conversation, and dishonours his life by baseness and profligacy; if, lastly, after being a confessor he becomes a deserter from the Church, sunders the concord of unity, and exchanges what was faith before for unbelief afterwards, he cannot flatter himself that by confession he is elected to the reward of glory, since from this very cause have penalties more condign ensued; for the elected Judas among His Apostles, and yet Judas afterwards betrayed his.

The faith and firmness of the Apostles did not fail in consequence of the secession from their society of Judas the betrayer; nor is the sanctity and dignity of the confessors necessarily impaired, because certain of them break the faith. The blessed