hide, that they have nowhere to hide. their refuge, because God is their
CHAPTER 3: The Meek Those Who Hunger for Righteousness and the Merciful
hide, that they have nowhere to hide. their refuge, because God is their opposing party, and everyone is their enemy. This assurance of a dwelling, therefore, that the faithful have in the world, even if they are strangers and vagabonds, is it not much better than such domination which is forever tormentor to those who seek it? And moreover, the faithful will also know that God is their protector. Because what would it be otherwise? Let us see what is the malice and rage of all unbelievers: they are like their father Satan. There would therefore be only murders in this world: and as many as there are good and peaceful ones, they would soon be scrapped, were it not for God having his secret protection to guard them. We will see this, I say, if we do not close our eyes to our knowledge to obscure the grace of God which is made clear in this place. And moreover, we also know that our Lord Jesus Christ was given to us as our Shepherd. It is true that the main thing is that our souls are preserved by him, until we achieve the eternal salvation that he has acquired for us. But even in this mortal life, he wants to be the guardian of our bodies. So then, let us be sheep. Because he is not Shepherd of wolves. If we want to make wild beasts, and give free rein to our violence, and double the evil already done (as they say) and as soon as someone has done us some outrage or molestation, let us be armed to take revenge, and try to do the worst we can: we must not seek Jesus Christ for our Shepherd. But he wants us to hear his voice: as the sheep themselves give us the example. We must therefore have this simplicity: and it is certain that then we will find that the protection of the Son of God is worth, who says that he will display the power of God his Father to maintain and safeguard us.
In short, although this cannot enter the human mind, that the meek will possess the earth, and that rather it is said that all those who are benign, simple and patient, are miscreants: and that it would be better for them to take revenge boldly, than to suffer their simplicity to be abused: we will nevertheless find that this sentence is true, that there is nothing better, nothing more desirable, than to hold fast to this simplicity, and to have a human spirit to patiently support the actions that will be done to us, and not to return evil for evil: but rather to overcome evil with good. For when we do so, we will find that it is the true way to possess the earth. And in fact, what are all these brave people seeking who want everyone to tremble in their gaze, and who thus make themselves feared? What do they ask? Of owning the land, or even of tyrannical domination. Yes, for themselves. For (as I have already said) they make themselves prisoners throughout the earth, whether in fields or in towns, or in castles and fortresses, everyone is an enemy to them: and what is more, they make war on themselves: