His Wonderful Escape

Now since Providence had rescued us in such an extraordinary way, who can fairly blame me for not giving ourselves up into the hands of those who were hunting for us, or for not going back and presenting ourselves before them? That would plainly have been to show ingratitude to the Lord, to act against his commandment, and to go against the practice of the saints. Whoever finds fault with me in this matter must also dare to blame the great apostle Peter. He was shut up and guarded by soldiers, yet he followed the angel who called him out. And when he had come out of the prison and escaped safely, he did not go back and give himself up, even though he heard what Herod had done. Let the Arian in his madness find fault with the apostle Paul, because when he had been let down from the wall and escaped safely, he did not change his mind and go back and give himself up. Or let him blame Moses, because he did not return from Midian to Egypt to be caught by those who were hunting for him. Or David, because when he was hiding in the cave, he did not reveal himself to Saul. So too the sons of the prophets stayed in their caves and did not surrender themselves to Ahab. To give themselves up would have been to act against the commandment, since the Scripture says, “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.” [a]