Letters (Epistulae)

...is that voice: "They have persecuted me unjustly, help me." He deemed himself worthy to be helped justly, because they were persecuting unjustly; for if they were persecuting justly, he would not have needed to be helped, but to be corrected.

10 If, however, they think that no one can justly persecute another—as they said in the conference that the true church is the one that suffers persecution, not the one that inflicts it—I omit to mention what I noted above: that if this is the case as they say, Caecilianus belonged to the true church when their ancestors persecuted him by accusing him all the way to the emperor's judgment. For we say that he belonged to the true church, not because he was suffering persecution, but because he was suffering for the sake of righteousness. Conversely, we say they were alienated from the church, not because they were persecuting, but because they were persecuting unjustly. We say this, therefore; if they do not seek the causes—why anyone inflicts or suffers persecution—but think that this is the mark of a true Christian, that he does not persecute but suffers, then they undoubtedly place Caecilianus in that definition, who did not inflict, but suffered. Yet they cast their own ancestors outside that definition, who inflicted and did not suffer.

11 But this, as I said, I omit; I say this: if the true church is the one that suffers persecution, not the one that inflicts it, let them ask the Apostle what church Sarra signified when she inflicted persecution on the handmaid. Indeed, he says that our free mother, the heavenly Hierusalem Jerusalem—that is, the true church of God—was figured in that woman who was afflicting the handmaid. If...

Scriptural references: Ps 118:86; Gal 4:21-31.