1 Samuel 4:16

18. He who said the following recalled as if he had been in battle: 'You have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how beyond measure I persecuted the Church of God and tried to destroy it, and I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my nation, being more abundantly zealous for the traditions of my fathers' (Gal. 1:13–14). But he who says the following came from battle: 'Who was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor; but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly' (1 Tim. 1:13). Therefore, for a Jew to flee from the battle line—what is it other than to be separated from the error of the faithless? And to come from battle—what is it but to announce to others the good of the right faith? For to flee is characteristic of one who fears; to come, of one who wills. In this passage, because "to come from battle" is said before "to flee from the battle line," even though faithlessness is abandoned before truth is preached, this is not surprising. For what he says afterward about having fled from the battle line is not stated according to the order in which it happened, but for the certainty of the statement he put first. This is also demonstrated according to the order of the historical account, because unless he had first fled from the battle line, he could in no way have come from battle. 19. But we who according to the spirit seek spiritual meanings even in the things done carnally among the Jews, let us attend to that man whom we introduced speaking a little above. For the Church had heard that he who once persecuted was now preaching the gospel, as it is written of him already evangelizing: "When he had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join himself to the disciples, and they all feared him, not believing that he was a disciple" (Acts 9:26). Likewise, the Lord appearing at Damascus to Ananias the disciple said: "Arise, go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one named Saul of Tarsus, and lay your hand upon him, that he may receive his sight" (ibid., 11 and 12). And he immediately answered the Lord, saying: "Lord, I have heard from many how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem, and he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call upon your name" (ibid., 13 and 14). Therefore, when he was preaching to the Jews the one whom he had been accustomed to attack with threats and…