(NOTE: The electronic text obtained from The Electronic Bible Society was
not completely corrected. EWTN has corrected all discovered errors.)


ST. AUGUSTINE

SERMONS (121-130) ON SELECTED LESSONS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.

[Translated by Rev. R. G. MacMullen.
Edited by Philip Schaff, D.D., LL.D.]

SERMON LXXI.

[CXXI. BENEDICTINE EDITION]

ON THE WORDS OF THE GOSPEL, JOHN I. 10, "THE WORLD WAS MADE THROUGH HIM,"
ETC.

 1. By the Lord "was the world made, and the world knew Him not."(1) What
world was made by Him, what world knew Him not? For it is not the same
world that was made by Him, which knew Him not. What is the world that was
made by Him? The heaven and earth. How did not the heaven know Him, when at
His Passion the sun was darkened? How did not the earth know Him, when as
He hung upon the Cross, it quaked? But "the world knew Him not," whose
Prince he is, of whom it is said, "Behold, the prince of this world cometh,
and findeth nothing in me."(2) Wicked men are called the world; unbelieving
men are called the world. They have gotten their name from that they love.
By the love of God we are made gods; so by the love of the world, we are
called the world. But "God was in Christ reconciling the world unto
Himself."(3) "The world" then "knew Him not." What? "all men?"

 2. "He came unto His Own, and His Own received Him not."(4) All things
are His, but they are called His Own, from among whom His mother was, among
whom He had taken Flesh, to whom He had sent before the heralds of His
advent, to whom He had given the law, whom He had delivered from the
Egyptian bondage, whose father Abraham according to the flesh He elected.
For He said truth, "Before Abraham was, I am."(5) He did not say, "Before
Abraham was," or "before Abraham was made, I was made." For "in the
beginning the Word was," not," was made." So then "He came unto His Own,"
He came to the Jews. "And His Own received Him not."

 3. "But as many as received Him."(6) For of course the Apostles were
there, who "received Him." There were they who carried branches before His
beast. They went before and followed after, and spread their garments, and
cried with a loud voice, "Hosanna to the Son of David, Blessed is He That
cometh in the Name of the Lord."(7) Then said the Pharisees unto Him,
"Restrain the children, that they cry not out so unto Thee." And He said,
"If these shall hold their peace, the stones will cry out."(8) Us He saw
when He spake these words; "If these shall hold their peace, the stones
will cry out." Who are stones, but they who worship stones? If the Jewish
children shall hold their peace, the elder and the younger Gentiles shall
cry out. Who are the stones, but they of whom speaketh that very John, who
came "to bear witness of the Light "?(9) For when he saw these self-same
Jews priding themselves on their birth from Abraham, he said to them, "O
generation of vipers."(10) They called themselves the children of Abraham;
and he addressed them, "O generation of vipers." Did he do Abraham wrong?
God forbid !He gave them a name from their character. For that if they were
the children of Abraham, they would imitate Abraham; as He too telleth them
who say to Him, "We be free, and were never in bondage to any man; we have
Abraham for our father." And He said, "If ye were Abraham's children, ye
would do the deeds of Abraham. Ye wish to kill Me, because I tell you the
truth. This did not Abraham."(11) Ye were of his stock, but ye are a
degenerate stock. So then what said John? "0 generation of vipers, who hath
warned you to flee from the wrath to come ?" Because they came to be
baptized with the baptism of John unto repentance. "Who hath warned you to
flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of
repentance. And say not in your hearts, We have Abraham to our father. For
God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham."(12) For God
is able of these stones which he saw in the Spirit; to them he spake; he
foresaw us; "For God is able of these stones to raise up children unto
Abraham." Of what stones? "If these shall hold their peace, the stones will
cry out." Ye have just now heard, and cried out. It is fulfilled, "The
stones shall cry out." For from among the Gentiles we came, in our
forefathers we worshipped stones. Therefore are we called dogs too. Call to
mind what that woman heard who cried out after the Lord, for she was a
Canaanitish woman, a worshipper of idols, the handmaid of devils. What said
Jesus to her? "It is not good to take the children's bread, and to cast it
to dogs."(13) Have ye never noticed, how dogs will lick the greasy stones?
So are all the worshippers of images. But grace has come to you. "But as
many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God." See
ye have here some just now born: to them hath He "given power to become the
sons of God." To whom hath He given it? "To them that believe in His Name."

 4. And how do they become the sons of God? "Who were born, not of blood,
nor of the will of man, nor of the will of the flesh, but of God."(1)
Having received power to become the sons of God, they are born of God. Mark
then: They are born of God, "not of blood," like their first birth, like
that wretched birth, issuing out of wretchedness. But they who are born of
God, what were they? whereby were they first born? Of blood; of the joint
blood of the male and female, of the carnal union of male and female, from
this were they born. From whence now? They are born of God. The first birth
of the male and female; the second birth of God and the Church.

 5. Lo, they are born of God; whereby is it brought to pass that they
should be born of God, who were first born of men? Whereby is it brought to
pass, whereby? "And the Word was made Flesh, that It might dwell among
us."(2) Wondrous exchange; He made Flesh, they spirit. What is this? What
condescension is here, my brethren !Lift up your minds to the hope and
comprehension of better things. Give not yourselves up to worldly desires.
"Ye have been bought with a Price; "(3) for your sakes the Word was made
Flesh; for your sakes He who was the Son of God, was made the Son of man:
that ye who were the sons of men, might be made sons of God. What was He,
what was He made? What were ye, what were ye made? He was the Son of God.
What was He made? The Son of man. Ye were the sons of men. What were ye
made? The sons of God. He shared with us our evil things, to give us His
good things. But even in that He was made the Son of man, He is different
much from us. We are the sons of men by the lust of the flesh; He the Son
of man by the faith of a virgin. The mother of any other man whatever
conceives by a carnal union; and every one is born of human parents, his
father and his mother. But Christ was born of the Holy Ghost, and the
Virgin Mary. He came to us, but from Himself departed not far; yea from
Himself as God He departed never; but added what He was to our nature. For
He came to that which He was not, He did not lose what He was. He was made
the Son of man; but did not cease to be the Son of God. Hereby the
Mediator, in the middle. What is, "in the middle "? Neither up above, nor
down below. How neither up above, nor down below? Not above, since He is
Flesh; not below, since He is not a sinner. But yet in so far as He is God,
above always. For He did not so come to us, as to leave the Father. From us
He went, and did not leave us; to us will He come again, and will not leave
Him.

SERMON LXXII.

[CXXII. BEN.]

ON THE WORDS OF THE GOSPEL, JOHN I. 48, "WHEN THOU WAST UNDER THE FIG TREE,
I SAW THEE," ETC.

1. WHAT we have heard said by the Lord Jesus Christ to Nathanael, if we
understand it aright, does not concern him only. For our Lord Jesus saw the
whole human race under the fig-tree. For in this place it is understood
that by the fig-tree He signified sin. Not that it always signifies this,
but as I have said in this place, in that fitness of significancy, in which
ye know that the first man, when he sinned, covered himself with fig
leaves. For with these leaves they covered their nakedness when they
blushed for their sin;(4) and what God had made them for members, they made
for themselves occasions of shame. For they had no need to blush for the
work of God; but the cause of sin preceded shame. If iniquity had not gone
before, nakedness would never have been put to the blush. For "they were
naked, and were not ashamed."(5) For they had committed nothing to be
ashamed for. But why have I said all this? That we may understand that by
the fig-tree sin is signified. What then is, "when thou wast under the fig-
tree, I saw thee" ?(6) When thou wast under sin, I saw thee. And Nathanael
looking back upon what had occurred, remembered that he had been under a
fig-tree, where Christ was not. He was not there, that is, by His Bodily
Presence; but by His knowledge in the Spirit where is He not? And because
he knew that he was under the fig-tree alone, where the Lord Christ was
not; when He said to him, "When thou wast under the fig-tree, I saw thee;"
he both acknowledged the Divinity in Him, and cried out, Thou art the King
of Israel."(7)

 2. The Lord said, "Because I said unto thee, I saw thee when thou wast
under the fig- tree, marvellest thou? thou shalt see greater things than
these."(8) What are these greater things? And He said, "Ye shall see heaven
open, and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of
Man."(9) Let us call to mind the old story written in the sacred Book. I
mean in Genesis.(10) When Jacob slept at a certain place, he put a stone at
his head; and in his sleep he saw a ladder reaching from earth even unto
heaven; and the Lord was resting upon it; and Angels were ascending and
descending by it. This did Jacob see. A man's dream would not have been
recorded, had not some great mystery been figured in it, had not some great
prophecy been to be understood in that vision. Accordingly, Jacob himself,
because he understood what he had seen, placed a stone there, and anointed
it with oil. Now ye recognise the anointing; recognise The Anointed also.
For He is "the Stone which the builders rejected; He was made the Head of
the corner."(1) He is the Stone of which Himself said, "Whosoever shall
stumble against This Stone shall be shaken; but on whomsoever That Stone
shall fall, It will crush him."(2) It is stumbled against as It lies on the
earth; but It will fall on him, when He shall come from on high to judge
the quick and dead. Woe to the Jews, for that when Christ lay low in His
humility, they stumbled against Him. "This Man," say they, "is not of God,
because He breaketh the sabbath day."(3) "If He be the Son of God, let Him
come down from the cross."(4) Madman, the Stone lies on the ground, and so
thou deridest It. But since thou dost deride It, thou art blind; since thou
art blind, thou stumblest; since thou stumblest, thou art shaken; since
thou hast been shaken by It as It now lies on the ground, hereafter shall
thou be crushed by It as It fails from above. Therefore Jacob anointed the
stone. Did he make an idol of it? He showed(5) a meaning in it, but did not
adore it. Now then give ear, attend to this Nathanael, by the occasion of
whom the Lord Jesus hath been pleased to explain to us Jacob's vision.

 3. Ye that are well instructed in the school of Christ, know that this
Jacob is Israel too. They are two names; for they are one man. His first
name Jacob, which is by interpretation supplanter, he received when he was
born. For when those twins were born, his brother Esau was born first; and
the hand of the younger was found on the elder's foot.(6) He held his
brother's foot who preceded him in his birth, and himself came after And
because of this occurrence, because he held his brother's heel,(7) he was
called Jacob, that is, Supplanter. And afterwards, when he was returning
from Mesopotamia, the Angel wrestled with him in the way.(8) What
comparison can there. be between an Angel's and a man's strength? Therefore
it is a mystery, a sacrament, a prophecy, a figure; let us therefore
understand it. For consider the manner of the struggle too. While he
wrestleth, Jacob prevailed against the Angel. Some high meaning is here.
And when the man had prevailed against the Angel, he kept hold of Him; yes,
the man kept hold of Him whom he had conquered. And said to Him, "I will
not let Thee go, except Thou bless me."(9) When the conqueror was blessed
by the Conquered, Christ was figured. So then that Angel, who is understood
to be the Lord Jesus, saith to Jacob, "Thou shall not be any more called
Jacob, but Israel shall thy name be,"(10) which is by interpretation,"
Seeing God." After this He touched the sinew of his thigh, the broad part,
that is, of the thigh, and it dried up; and Jacob became lame. Such was He
who was conquered. So great power had this Conquered One, as to touch the
thigh, and make lame. It was then with His Own will that He was conquered.
For He "had power to lay down" His strength, "and He had power to take It
up."(11) He is not angry at being conquered, for He is not angry at being
crucified. For He even blessed him, saying, "Thou shall not be called
Jacob, but Israel." Then the" supplanter" was made "the seer of God." And
He touched, as I have said, his thigh, and made him lame. Observe in Jacob
the people of the Jews, those thousands who followed and went before the
Lord's beast, who in concert with the Apostles worshipped the Lord, and
cried out, "Hosanna to the Son of David, Blessed is He that cometh in the
Name of the Lord."(12) Behold Jacob blessed. He has continued lame until
now in them who are at this day Jews. For the broad part of the thigh
signifies the multitude of increase. Of whom the Psalm, when it prophesied
that the Nations should believe, speaketh, saying, "A people whom I have
not known, hath served Me; by the hearing of the ear it hath obeyed
Me."(13) I was not there, and I was heard; here I was, and I was killed. "A
people whom I have not known, hath served Me; by the hearing of the ear it
hath obeyed Me." Therefore, "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the
word of Christ."(14) And it goes on, "The strange children have lied unto
Me;" concerning the Jews. "The strange children have lied unto Me, the
strange children have faded away and have halted from their paths." I have
pointed out Jacob to you, Jacob blessed and Jacob lame.

 4. But as arising out of this occasion, this must not be passed over,
which may haply of itself perplex some of you; with what design is it, that
when this Jacob's grandfather Abraham's name was changed (for he too was
first called Abram, and God changed his name, and said, "Thou shall not be
called Abram, but Abraham"(15); from that time he was not called Abram.
Search in the Scriptures, and you will see that before he received another
name, he was called only Abram; after he received it, he was called only
Abraham. But this Jacob, when he received another name, heard the same
words, "Thou shalt not be called Jacob, but Israel shalt thou be
called."(16) Search the Scriptures, and see how that he was always called
both, both Jacob and Israel. Abram after he had received another name, was
called only Abraham. Jacob after he had received another name, was called
both Jacob and Israel. The name of Abraham was to be developed in this
world; for here he was made the father of many nations, whence he received
his name. But the name of Israel relates to another world, where we shall
see God. Therefore the people of God, the Christian people in this present
time, is both Jacob and Israel, Jacob in fact, Israel in hope. For the
younger people is called the Supplanter of its brother the eider people.
What! have we supplanted the Jews? No, but we are said to be their
supplanters, for that for our sakes they were supplanted. If they had not
been blinded, Christ would not have been crucified; His precious Blood
would not have been shed; if that Blood had not been shed, the world would
not have been redeemed. Because then their blindness hath profited us,
therefore hath the eider brother been supplanted by the younger, and the
younger is called the Supplanter. But how long shall this be?

 5. The time will come, the end of the world will come, and all Israel
shall believe; not they who now are, but their children who shall then be.
For these present walking in their own ways, will go to their own place,
will pass on to everlasting damnation. But when they shall have been made
all one people, that shall come to pass which we sing, "I shall be
satisfied when Thy glory shall be manifested."(1) When the promise which is
made to us, that we "see face to flee," shall come. "Now we see through a
glass darkly," and "in part;"(2) but when both people, now purified, now
raised again, now crowned, now changed into an immortal form, and into
everlasting incorruption, shall see God face to face, and Jacob shall be no
more, but there shall be Israel only; then shall the Lord see him in the
person of this holy Nathanael, and shall say, "Behold an Israelite indeed,
in whom is no guile."(3) When thou dost hear, "Behold an Israelite indeed;"
let Israel come into thy mind; when Israel shall come into thy mind, let
his dream come into thy mind, in which he saw a ladder from earth even to
heaven, the Lord standing upon it, the Angels of God ascending and
descending. This dream did Jacob see. But after this he was called Israel;
that is, some little time after as he came from Mesopotamia, and on his
journey. If then Jacob saw the ladder, and he is also called Israel; and
this Nathanael is an "Israelite indeed in whom is no guile " therefore when
he wondered because the Lord. said to him, "I saw thee under the fig-
tree;"(4) did He say to him, "Thou shalt see greater things than these."(5)
And so He announced to him Jacob's dream. To whom did He announce it? To
him whom He called "an Israelite, in whom was no guile." As if He had said,
"His dream, by whose name I have called thee, shall be manifested in thee;
make no haste to wonder, "thou shalt see greater things than these. Ye
shall see heaven open, and the Angels of God ascending and descending unto
the Son of Man."(6) See what Jacob saw; see why Jacob anointed the stone
with oil; see why Jacob prophetically signified and prefigured the Anointed
One. For that action was a prophecy.

 6. Now I know what you are waiting for; I understand what you would hear
from me. This too will I briefly declare, as the Lord enableth me;
"ascending and descending unto the Son of Man." How--if they descend to
Him, He l is here; if the), ascend to Him, He is above. But if they ascend
to Him, and descend to Him, He is at once above and here. It cannot any way
possibly be, that they should ascend to Him, and descend to Him, unless He
be both there whither they ascend, and here whither they descend-- How do
we prove that He is both there, and that He is here? Let Paul, who was
first Saul, answer us. He found it by experience, when he was first a
persecutor, and afterwards became a preacher; first Jacob, afterwards
Israel; who was himself too "of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of
Benjamin."(7) In him let us see Christ above, Christ below. First, the very
Voice of the Lord from heaven shows this; "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou
me? "(8) What !had Paul ascended into heaven? Had Paul so much as cast a
stone into heaven? He was persecuting the Christians, binding them, baling
them to be put to death, searching them out in every place where they lay
hid, when they were found on no consideration sparing them. To whom the
Lord Christ saith, "Saul, Saul." Whence crieth He? From heaven. Therefore
He is above. "Why persecutest thou Me?" Therefore He is below. Thus have I
explained all, though briefly, yet as well as I could to you, Beloved. I
have ministered to you according to my duty, and now for your duty, do ye
think upon the poor. Let us turn to the Lord, etc.

SERMON LXXIII.

[CXXIII. BEN.]

ON THE WORDS OF THE GOSPEL, JOHN II. 2, " AND JESUS ALSO WAS BIDDEN, AND
HIS DISCIPLES, TO THE MARRIAGE."

 1. YE know, Brethren, for ye have learnt it as believing in Christ, and
continually too do we by our ministry impress it upon you, that the
humility of Christ is the medicine of man's swollen pride. For man would
not have perished, had he not been swollen up through pride. For "pride,"
as saith the Scripture, "is the beginning of all sin."(1) Against the
beginning of sin, the beginning of righteousness was necessary. If then
pride be the beginning of all sin, whereby should the swelling of pride be
cured, had not God vouchsafed to humble Himself? Let man blush to be proud,
seeing that God hath humbled Himself. For when man is told to humble
himself, he disdains it; and when men are injured, it is pride that makes
them wish to be avenged. Forasmuch as they disdain to humble themselves,
they wish to be avenged; as if another's punishment could be any profit to
any man. One who has been hurt and suffered wrong wishes to be avenged; be
seeks his own remedy from another's punishment, and gains a great torment.
The Lord Christ therefore vouchsafed to humble Himself in all things,
showing us the way; if we but think meet to walk thereby.

 2. Among His other acts, lo, the Virgin's Son comes to the marriage; who
being with the Father instituted marriage. As the first woman, by whom came
sin, was made of a man without a woman; so the Man by whom sin was done
away, was made of a woman without a man. By the first we fell, by the other
we rise. And what did He at this marriage? Of water He made wine. What
greater sign of power? He who had power to do such things, vouchsafed to be
in need. He who made of water wine could also have of stones made bread.
The power was the same; but then the devil tempted Him, therefore Christ
did it not. For ye know that when the Lord Christ was tempted, the devil
suggested this to Him. For He was an hungred, since this too He vouchsafed
to be, since this too made part of His Humiliation. The Bread was hungry,
as the Way fainted, as saving Health was wounded, as the Life died. When
then He was an hungred as ye know, the tempter said to Him, "If Thou be the
Son of God, command that these stones be made bread."(2) And He made answer
to the tempter, teaching thee to answer the tempter. For to this end does
the general fight, that the soldiers may learn. What answer did He make?
"Man doth not live by bread alone, but by every word of God."(3) And He did
not make bread of the stones, who of course could as easily have done it,
as He made of water wine. For it is an exercise of the same power to make
bread of stone; but He did it not, that He might despise the tempter's
will. For no otherwise is the tempter overcome, but by being despised. And
when He had overcome the devil's temptation, "Angels came and ministered to
Him."(4) He then who had so great power, why did He not do the one, and do
the other? Read, yea, recollect what thou hast just heard, when He did
this, when, that is, He made of the water wine; what did the Evangelist
add? "And His disciples believed on Him."(5) Would the devil on the other
occasion have believed on Him ?

 3. He then who could do so great things, was hungry, and athirst, was
wearied, slept, was apprehended, beaten, crucified, slain. This is the way;
walk by humility, that thou mayest come to eternity. Christ-God is the
Country whither we go; Christ-Man is the Way whereby we go. To Him we go,
by Him we go; why fear we lest we go astray? He departed not from the
Father; and came to us. He sucked the breasts, and He contained the world.
He lay in the manger, and He fed the Angels. God and Man, the same God who
is Man, the same Man who is God. But not God in that wherein He is Man,
God, in that He is the Word; Man, in that the Word was made Flesh; by at
once continuing to be God, and by assuming man's Flesh; by adding what He
was not, not losing what He was. Therefore henceforward, having now
suffered in this His humiliation, dead, and buried, He has now risen again,
and ascended into heaven, there He is, and sitteth at the right Hand of the
Father: and here He is needy in His poor. Yesterday too I set this forth to
your Affection by occasion of what He said to Nathanael, "Thou shalt see a
greater thing than this. For I say unto you, Ye shall see Heaven open, and
the Angels of God ascending and descending unto the Son of Man."(6) We
searched out what this meant, and spake at some length; must we
recapitulate the same to-day? Let those who were present remember; yet I
will briefly run over it.

 4. He would not say, "ascending unto the Son of Man," unless He were
above; He would not say, "descending unto the Son of Man," unless He were
also below. He is at once above, and below; above in Himself, below in His;
above with the Father, below in us. Whence also was that Voice to Saul,
"Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?"(7) He would not say, "Saul, Saul,"
unless that He was above. But Saul was not persecuting Him above. He then
who was above would not have said, "Why persecutest thou me ?" unless He
were below also. Fear Christ above; recognise Him below. Have Christ above
bestowing His bounty, recognise Him here in need. Here He is poor, there He
is rich. That Christ is poor here, He tells us Himself for me, "I was an
hungred, I was thirsty, I was naked, I was a stranger, I was in prison."(8)
And to some He said, "Ye have ministered unto Me," and to some He said, "Ye
have not ministered unto Me." Lo, we have proved Christ poor; that Christ
is Rich, who knows not? And even here it was a property of these riches to
turn the water into wine. If he who has wine is rich, how rich is He who
maketh wine? So then Christ is rich and poor; as God, rich; as Man, poor.
Yea rich too now as Very Man He hath ascended into heaven, sitteth at the
right Hand of the Father; yet still He is poor and hungry here, thirsty,
and naked.

 5. What art thou? Rich, or poor? Many tell me, I am poor; and they tell
the truth. I recognise some poor having something, and some having want.
But some have much gold and silver. O that they would acknowledge
themselves poor !Poor they will acknowledge themselves, if they acknowledge
the poor about them. For how is it? How much soever thou hast, thou rich
man whosoever thou art, thou art God's beggar. The hour of prayer comes,
and there I prove thee. Thou makest thy petition. How art thou not poor,
who makest thy petition? I say more, Thou makest petition for bread. Wilt
thou not have to say, "Give us our daily bread "?(1) Thou, who askest for
daily bread, art thou poor, or rich? And yet Christ saith to thee, "Give Me
of that which I have given thee. For what didst thou bring here, when thou
camest hither? All things that I created, thyself created hast found here;
nothing didst thou bring, nothing shalt thou take away. Why wilt thou not
give Me of Mine Own? For thou art full, and the poor man is empty. Look at
your first origin; naked were ye both born. Thou too then wast born naked.
Great store hast thou found here; didst thou bring ought with thee? I ask
for Mine Own; give, and I will repay. Thou hast found Me a bountiful giver,
make Me at once thy debtor. It is not enough to say, 'Thou hast found Me a
bountiful giver, make Me at once thy debtor; ' let Me regard thee as
lending upon interest. Thou givest me but little, I will repay more. Thou
givest me earthly things, I will repay heavenly. Thou givest me temporal
things, I will restore eternal. I will restore thee to thyself, when I
shall have restored thee unto Me."

SERMON LXXIV.

[CXXIV. BEN]]

ON THE WORDS OF THE GOSPEL, JOHN V. 2, "NOW THERE IS IN JERUSALEM BY THE
SHEEP GATE A POOL," ETC.

 1. THE lesson of the Gospel has just sounded in our ears, and made us
intent to know what is the meaning of what has been read. This, I suppose,
is looked for from me, this I promise, by the Lord's assistance, to explain
as well as I can. For without doubt it is not without a meaning, that those
miracles were done, and something they figured out to us bearing on eternal
saving(2) health. For the health of the body which was restored to this
man, of how long duration was it? "For what is your life ?" saith Holy
Scripture; "it is a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and then
vanisheth away."(3) Therefore in that health was restored to this man's
body for a time, some enduringness was restored to a vapour. So then this
is not to be valued much; "Vain is the health of man."(4) And, brethren,
recollect that Prophetical and Evangelical testimony, for it is read in the
Gospel; "All flesh is grass, and all the glory of flesh as the flower of
grass; the grass withereth, the flower falleth away, the Word of the Lord
endureth for ever."(5) The Word of the Lord communicateth glory even to the
grass, and no transitory glory; for even to flesh He giveth immortality.

 2. But first passeth away the tribulation of this life, out of which He
giveth us help, to whom we have said, "Give us help from tribulation."(4)
And all this life is indeed a tribulation to the understanding. For there
are two tormentors of the soul, torturing it not at once, but alternating
their tortures. These two tormentors' names are, Fear and Sorrow. When it
is well with thee, thou art in fear; when it is ill, thou art in sorrow.
This world's prosperity, whom doth it not deceive, its adversity not break?
In this grass, and in the days of grass, the surer way must be kept to, the
Word of God. For when it had been said, "All flesh is grass, and all the
glory of flesh as the flower of grass, the grass withereth, the flower
falleth away;" as though we should ask, "What hope has grass? what
stability the flower of grass?" it is said, "but the Word of the Lord
endureth for ever." And whence, you will say, is that Word to me? "The Word
was made Flesh, and dwelt among us."(6) For the Word of the Lord saith to
thee, "Do not reject My promise, for I have not rejected thy grass." This
then that the Word of the Lord hath granted to us, that we might hold to
Hint, that we might not pass away with the flower of grass; this, I say,
that He hath granted to us, that the Word should be made Flesh, taking
Flesh, not changed into flesh, abiding, and assuming, abiding what He was,
assuming what He was not; this, I say, that He hath granted to us, that
pool also signifies.(7)

 3. I am speaking briefly. That water was the Jewish people; the five
porches were the Law. For Moses wrote five books. Therefore was the water
enclosed by five porches as that people was held in by the Law. The
troubling of the water is the Lord's Passion among that people. He who
descended was healed, and only one; for this is unity. Whosoever are
offended at the Passion of Christ are proud; they will not descend, they
are not healed. And, say they, "Am I to believe that God was Incarnate,
that God was born of a woman, that God was crucified, scourged, dead,
wounded, buried?" Be it far from me to believe this of God, it is unworthy
of Him. Let the heart speak, not the neck. To the proud the humiliation of
the Lord seems unworthy of Him, therefore is saving health from such far
off. Lift not thyself up; if thou wouldest be made whole, descend. Well
might piety be alarmed, if Christ in the flesh subject to change were only
spoken of. But now the truth sets forth to thee, Christ Unchangeable in His
Nature as the Word. For, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was
with God;" not a word to sound, and so pass away; for "the Word was
God."(1) So then thy God endureth unchangeable. O true piety; thy God
endureth, fear not; He doth not perish, and through Him, thou too dost not
perish. He endureth, He is born of a woman, but in the Flesh. The Word made
even His Mother. He who was before He was made, made her in whom He was to
be made Himself. He was an infant, but in the Flesh. He sucked, He grew, He
took nourishment, He ran through the several stages of life, He came to
man's estate, but in the Flesh. He was wearied, and He slept, but in the
Flesh. He suffered hunger and thirst, but in the Flesh. He was apprehended,
bound, scourged, assailed with railings, crucified finally, and killed, but
in the Flesh. Why art thou alarmed? "The Word of the Lord endureth for
ever." Whoso rejecteth this humiliation of God, doth not wish for healing
from the deadly swelling of pride.

 4. So then by His Flesh did the Lord Jesus Christ grant hope to our
flesh. For He took on Him what we knew well in this earth, what aboundeth
here, to be born, and to die. To be born and to die, abounded here; to rise
again and to live for ever, was not here. Poor earthly merchandize found He
here, He brought here strange and heavenly. If thou art alarmed at death,
love the resurrection. He hath given thee help out of tribulation; for vain
thy health had ever been. Let us acknowledge therefore and love the saving
health in this world strange, that is, health everlasting, and live we in
this world as strangers. Let us think that we are but passing away, so
shall we be sinning less. Let us rather give thanks to our Lord God, that
He hath been pleased that the last day of this life should be both near and
uncertain. From the earliest infancy even to decrepit old age, it is but a
short span. If Adam had died to-day, what would it have profited him, that
he had lived so long? What "long time" is there in that in which there is
an end? No one recalleth yesterday; to-day is pressed on by to-morrow, that
it may pass away. In this little span let us live well, that we may go
whence we may not pass away. And now even as we are talking, we are indeed
passing away. Our words run on, and the hours fly by; so does our age, so
our actions, so our honours, so our misery, so our happiness here below.
All passeth away, but let us not be alarmed; "The Word of God endureth for
ever." Let us turn to the Lord, etc.

SERMON LXXV.

[CXXV. BEN.]

AGAIN IN JOHN V. 2, ETC., ON THE FIVE PORCHES, WHERE LAY A GREAT MULTITUDE
OF IMPOTENT FOLK, AND OF THE POOL OF SILOA.

 1. SUBJECTS strange neither to your ears nor hearts are now repeated: yet
do they revive the affections of the hearer, and by repetition in some sort
renew us: nor is it wearisome to hear what is well known already, for the
words of the Lord are always sweet. The exposition of the sacred Scriptures
is as the sacred Scriptures themselves: though they be well known, yet are
they read to impress the remembrance of them. And so the exposition of
them, though it be well known, is nevertheless to be repeated, that they
who have forgotten it may be reminded, or they who chanced not to hear it
may hear; and that with those who do retain what they are used to hear, it
may by the repetition be brought to pass that they shall not be able to
forget it. For I remember that I have already spoken to you, Beloved, on
this lesson of the Gospel. Yet to repeat the same explanation to you is not
wearisome, even as it was not wearisome to repeat the same Lesson to you.
The Apostle Paul saith in a certain Epistle, "To write the same things to
you, to me indeed is not wearisome, but for you it is necessary."(2) So too
with myself to say the same things to you, to me is not wearisome, but for
you it is safe.

 2. The five porches in which the infirm folk lay signify the Law, which
was first given to the Jews and to the people of Israel by Moses the
servant of God. For this Moses the minister of the Law wrote five books. In
relation therefore to the number of the books which he wrote, the five
porches figured the Law. But because the Law was not given to heal the
infirm, but to discover and to manifest them; for so saith the Apostle,
"For if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily
righteousness should have been by the Law; But the Scripture hath concluded
all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to
them that believe;"' therefore in those porches the sick folk lay, but were
not cured. For what saith he? "If there had been a law given which could
have given life." Therefore those porches which figured the Law could not
cure the sick. Some one will say to me, "Why then was it given ?" The
Apostle Paul hath himself explained: "Scripture," saith he, "hath concluded
all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to
them that believe." For these folk who were sick, thought themselves to be
whole. They received the Law, which they were not able to fulfil; they
learnt in what disease they were, and they implored the Physician's aid;
they wished to be cured because they came to know they were in distress,
which they would not have known if they had not been unable to fulfil the
Law which had been given. For man thought himself innocent, and from this
very pride of false innocence became more mad. To tame this pride then and
to lay it bare, the Law was given; not to deliver the sick, but to convince
the proud. Attend then, Beloved; to this end was the Law given, to discover
diseases, not to take them away. And so then those sick folk who might have
been sick in their own houses with greater privacy, if those five porches
had not existed, were in those porches set forth to the eyes of all men,
but were not by the porches cured. The Law therefore was useful to discover
sins, because that man being made more abundantly guilty by the
transgression of the Law, might, having tamed his pride, implore the help
of Him That pitieth. Attend to the Apostle; "The Law entered that sin might
abound; but where sin abounded, grace hath much more abounded."(2) What is,
"The Law entered that sin might abound "? As in another place he saith,
"For where there is no law, there is no transgression."(3) Man may be
called a sinner before the Law, a transgressor he cannot. But when he hath
sinned, after that he hath received the Law, he is found not only a sinner,
but a transgressor. Forasmuch then as to sin is added transgression,
therefore "hath sin abounded." And when sin abounds, human pride learns at
length to submit itself, and to confess to God, and to say "I am weak" To
say to those words of the Psalm which none but the humbled soul saith, "I
said, Lord, be merciful unto me; heal my soul, for I have sinned against
thee."(4) Let the weak soul then say this that is at least convinced by
transgression, and not cured, but manifested by the Law. Hear too Paul
himself showing thee, both that the Law is good, and yet that nothing but
the grace of Christ delivereth from sin. For the Law can prohibit and
command; apply the medicine, that that which doth not allow a man to fulfil
the Law, may be cured, it cannot, but grace only doeth that. For the
Apostle saith, "For I delight in the Law of God after the inner man."(5)
That is, I see now that what the Law blames is evil, and what the Law
commands is good. "For I delight in the Law of God after the inner man. I
see another law in my members resisting the law of my mind, and bringing me
into captivity in the law of sin." This derived from the punishment of sin,
from the propagation of death, from the condemnation of Adam, "resists the
law of the mind, and brings it into captivity in the law of sin which is in
the members." He was convinced; he received the Law, that he might be
convinced: see now what profit it was to him that he was convinced. Hear
the following words," "Wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from
the body of this death? The grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord."(6)

 3. Give heed then. Those five porches were significative of the Law,
bearing the sick, not healing them; discovering, not curing them. But who
did cure the sick? He that descended into the pool. And when did the sick
man descend into the pool? When the Angel gave the sign by the moving of
the water. For thus was that pool sanctified, for that the Angel came down
and moved the water. Men saw the water; and from the motion of the troubled
water they understood the presence of the Angel. If any one then went down,
he was cured. Why then was not that sick man cured? Let us consider his own
words; "I have no man," he says, "when the water is moved, to put me into
the pool, but while I am coming, another steppeth down."(7) Couldest not
thou then step down afterwards, if another step down before thee? Here it
is shown us, that only one was cured at the moving of the water. Whosoever
stepped down first, he alone was cured: but whoever stepped down
afterwards, at that moving of the water was not cured, but waited till it
was moved again. What then does this mystery(8) mean? For it is not without
a meaning. Attend, Beloved. Waters are put in the Apocalypse for a figure
of peoples. For when in the Apocalypse John saw many waters, he asked what
it meant, and it was told him that they were peoples.(1) The water then of
the pool signified the people of the Jews. For as that people was held in
by the five books of Moses in the Law, so that water too was enclosed by
five porches. When was the water troubled? When the people of the Jews was
troubled. And when was the people of the Jews troubled, but when the Lord
Jesus Christ came? The Lord's Passion was the troubling of the water. For
the Jews were troubled when the Lord suffered. See, what was just now read
had relation to this troubling. "The Jews wished to kill Him, not only
because He did these things on the sabbaths, but because He called Himself
the Son of God, making Himself equal with God."(2) For Christ called
Himself the Son after one manner, in another was it said to men, "I said,
Ye are Gods, and ye are all children of the Most High."(3) For if He had
made Himself the Son of God in such sort as any man whatever may be called
the son of God (for by the grace of God men are called sons of God); the
Jews would not have been enraged. But because they understand Him to call
Himself the Son of God in another way, according to that, "In the beginning
was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God;"(4) and
according to what the Apostle saith, "Who being in the form of God, thought
it not robbery to be equal with God;"(5) they saw a than, and they were
enraged, because He made Himself equal with God. But He well knew that He
was equal, but Wherein they saw not. For that which they saw they wished to
crucify; by That which they saw not, they were judged. What did the Jews
see? What the Apostles also saw, when Philip said, "Show us the Father, and
it sufficeth us."(6) But what did the Jews not see? What not even the
Apostles saw, when the Lord answered, "Have I been so long time with you,
and yet have ye not known Me? He that seeth Me, seeth the Father also."(7)
Because then the Jews were not able to see This in Him, they held Him for a
proud and ungodly man, making Himself equal with God. Here was a troubling,
the water was troubled, the Angel had come. For the Lord is called also the
"Angel of the Great Counsel "(8) in that He is the messenger of the
Father's will. For Angel in Greek is in Latin "messenger". So you have the
Lord saying that He announces to us the kingdom of Heaven. He then bad
come, the "Angel of the Great Counsel," but the Lord of all the Angels.
"Angel" on this account, because He took Flesh; the "Lord of Angels," in
that by "Him all things were made, and without Him was nothing made."(9)
For if all things, Angels too. And therefore Himself was not made, because
by Him all things were made. Now what was made, was not made without the
operation of the Word. But the flesh which became the mother of Christ,
could not have been born, if it had not been created by the Word, which was
afterwards born of it.

 4. The Jews then were troubled. What is this? "Why doeth He these things
on the sabbath days?" And especially at those words of the Lord, "My Father
worketh hitherto, and I work."(10) Their carnal understanding of this, that
God rested on the seventh day from all His works," "troubled them." For
this is written in Genesis, and most excellently written it is, and on the
best reasons. But they thinking that God as it were rested from fatigue on
the seventh day after all, and that He therefore blessed it, because on it
He was refreshed from His weariness, did not in their foolishness
understand, that He who made all things by the Word, could not be wearied.
Let them read, and tell me how could God be wearied, who said, "Let it be
made, and it was made." To-day if a man could so do, as God did, how would
he be wearied? He said, "Let there be light, and the light was made."
Again, "Let there be a firmament, and it was made:"(12) if indeed He said,
and it was not done, He was wearied. In another place briefly, "He spake,
and they were made; He commanded, and they were created."(13) He then who
worketh thus, how doth He labour? But if He labour not, how doth He rest?
But in that sabbath, in which it is said that God rested from all His
works, in the Rest of God our rest was signified; because the sabbath of
this world shall be, when the six ages shall have passed away. The six days
as it were of the world are passing away. One day hath passed away, from
Adam unto Noe; another from the deluge unto Abraham; the third from Abraham
unto David; the fourth from David unto the carrying away into Babylon; the
fifth froth the carrying away into Babylon unto the advent of our Lord
Jesus Christ. Now the sixth day is in passing. We are in the sixth age, in
the sixth day. Let us then be reformed after the image of God, because that
on the sixth day man was made after the image of God.(14) What formation
did then, let reformation do in us, and what creation did there, let
creating-anew do in us. After this day in which we now are, after this age,
the rest which is promised to the saints and prefigured in those days,
shall come. Because in very truth too, after all things which He made in
the world, He hath made nothing new in creation afterwards. The creatures
themselves shall be transformed and changed. For since the creatures were
fashioned, nothing more has been added. But nevertheless, if He who made
did not rule the world, what is made would fall to ruin: He cannot but
administer that which He hath made. Because then nothing hath been added to
the creation, He is said to have rested from all His works; but because He
doth not cease to govern what He made, rightly did the Lord say, "My Father
worketh even hitherto." Attend, Beloved. He finished, He is said to have
rested; for He finished His works, and hath added no more. He governeth
what He hath made; therefore He doth not cease to work. But with the same
facility that He made, with the same doth He govern. For do not suppose,
brethren, that when He created He did not labour, and that He laboureth in
that He governeth: as in a ship, they labour who build the ship, and they
who manage it labour too; for they are men. For with the same facility
wherewith "He spake and they were made," with the same facility and
judgment doth He govern all things by the Word.

 5. Let us not, because human affairs seem to be in disorder, fancy that
there is no governance of human affairs. For all men are ordered in their
proper places; but to every man it seems as though they have no order. Do
thou only look to what thou wouldest wish to be; for as thou shalt wish to
be, the Master(1) knoweth where to place thee. Look at a painter. Before
him are placed various colours, and he knows where to set each colour on.
Questionless the sinner hath chosen to be the black colour; does not then
the Artist(1) know where to place him? How many parts does the painter
finish off with the colour of black? how many ornaments does he make of it?
With it he makes the hair, the beard, the eye-brows; he makes the face of
white only. Look then to that which thou wouldest wish to be; take no care
where He may order thee who cannot err, He knoweth where to place thee. For
so we see it happen by the common laws of the world. Some man, for
instance, has chosen to be a house-breaker: the law of the judge knows that
he has acted contrary to the law: the law of the judge knows where to place
him; and orders him most properly. He indeed has lived evilly; but not
evilly has the law ordered him. From a house-breaker he will be sentenced
to the mines; from the labour of such how great works are constructed? That
condemned man's punishment is the city's ornament. So then God knoweth
where to place thee. Do not think that thou art disturbing the counsel of
God, if thou art minded to be disorderly. Doth not He who knew how to
create, know how to order thee? Good were it for thee to strive for this,
to be set in a good place. What was said of Judas by the Apostle? "He went
unto his own place."(2) By the operation of course of Divine Providence,
because by an evil will he chose to be evil, but God did not by ordering
evil make it. But because that evil man himself chose to be a sinner, he
did what he would, and suffered what he would not. In that he did what he
would, his sin is discovered; in that he suffered what he would not, the
order of God is praised.

 6. Wherefore have I said all this? That ye, brethren, may understand what
was most excellently said by the Lord Jesus Christ," My Father worketh even
hitherto." In that He doth not abandon the creature which He made. And He
said, "As He worketh, so do I also work." In this He at once signified that
He was equal with God. "My Father," saith He, "worketh hitherto, and I
work." Their carnal sense touching the rest(3) was troubled. For they
thought that the Lord being wearied rested, that He should work no more.
They hear, "My Father worketh even hitherto :" they are troubled. "And I
work:"(4) He hath made Himself equal with God: they are troubled. But be
not alarmed. The water is troubled, now the sick man is to be cured. What
meaneth this? Therefore are they troubled, that the Lord may suffer. The
Lord doth suffer, the precious Blood is shed, the sinner is redeemed, grace
is given to the sinner, to him that saith, "Wretched man that I am, who
shall deliver me from the body of this death? The grace of God, through
Jesus Christ our Lord."(5) But how is he cured? If he step down. For that
pool was so made, that men should go down, and not come up to it. For there
might be pools of such a kind, so constructed, that men must go up to them.
But why was this made in such a way that men must go down to it? Because
the Lord's Passion searches for the humble. Let the humble go down, let him
not be proud, if he wishes to be cured. But why was it but "one"? Because
the Church is only One throughout the world, unity is saved. When then one
is made whole, unity is signified. By one understand unity. Depart not then
from unity, if thou wouldest not be without a part in this saving(6) cure.

 7. What then does it mean that the man was in infirmity thirty-eight
years? I know, brethren, that I have spoken of this already; but even those
who read forget, how much more they who hear but seldom? Attend therefore
for a little while, Beloved. In(7) the number forty, the accomplishment of
righteousness is figured. The accomplishment of righteousness, in that we
live here in labour, in toil, in self-restraint, in fastings, in watchings,
in tribulations; this is the exercise of righteousness, to bear this
present time, and to fast as it were from this world; not from the food of
the body, which we do but seldom; but from the love of the world, which we
ought to do always. He then fulfils the law who abstains from this world.
For he cannot love that which is eternal, unless he shall cease to love
that which is temporal. Consider a man's love: think of it as, so to say,
the hand of the soul. If it is holding anything, it cannot hold anything
else. But that it may be able to hold what is given to it, it must leave go
what it holds already. This I say, see how expressly I say it; "Whoso
loveth the world cannot love God; he hath his hand engaged." God saith to
him, "Hold what I give." He will not leave go what he was holding; he
cannot receive what is offered. Have I said a man should not possess ought?
If he is able, if perfection require this of him, let him not possess. If
hindered by any necessity he is not able, let him possess, not be
possessed; let him hold, not be held; let him be the lord of his
possessions, not the slave; as saith the Apostle "However, brethren, the
time is short; it remaineth that both they that have wives, be as though
they had not; and they who buy, as though they possessed not; and they who
rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they who weep, as though they
wept not; and they who use this world, as though they used(1) it not; for
the fashion of this world passeth away. I would have you be without
carefulness."(2) What is, "Do not love what thou dost possess in this world
"? Let it not hold thine hand fast, by which God must be held. Let not thy
love be engaged, whereby thou canst make thy way to God, and cleave to Him
who created thee.

 8. Thou wilt say and make answer to me, "Yea, God knows that I possess
innocently what I have." Temptation proves thee. There is a troubling of
thy possessions, and thou dost blaspheme. It is but lately we were in such
a case. There is a troubling of thy possessions, and thou art not found
what thou wast, and dost show that there is one thing in thy mouth to-day,
and another in thy mouth yesterday. And I would that thou wouldest only
defend thine own even with vehemence;(3) and not try to usurp with audacity
another's; and what is worse, to escape reprehension, maintain that what is
another's is thine own. But why need I say more? This I advise, this I say,
Brethren, and as a brother advise; God bids, and I admonish because I am
admonished. He alarmeth me, who doth not allow me to keep silence. He
exacteth of me what He hath given. For He hath given it to be laid out, not
to be kept up. And if I should keep it and hide it, He saith to me, "Thou
wicked and slothful servant, wherefore gavest thou not My money to the
exchangers, that at My coming I might require it with usury? "(4) And what
will it profit me that I have lost nothing of that which I received? That
is not enough for my Lord, He is covetous; but God's covetousness is our
salvation. He is covetous, He looketh for His own money, He gathereth in
His Own image. "Thou shouldest have given," saith He, "the money to the
exchangers, that at My coming I might require it with usury." And if by any
chance forgetfulness should make me fail of admonishing you, the
temptations and tribulations at least which we are suffering, would be an
admonition to you. Ye have heard at least the word of God. Blessed be the
Lord and His glory. For ye are here gathered together, and are hanging on
the word of God's minister. Turn not your attention to our flesh, by which
the word is given out to you; for hungry men regard not the meanness of the
dish, but the preciousness of the food. God is proving you. Ye are gathered
together, ye praise the word of God; temptation will prove in what manner
ye hear it: ye will have the active business of life whereby your true
character will be shown. For so he who to-day is shouting with railings,
was yesterday a ready listener. Therefore I forewarn; therefore I tell you,
therefore I do not withhold it, my Brethren, that the time of questioning
will come. For the Lord maketh question of the righteous and of the
ungodly. This you know ye have sung, this have we sung together; "The Lord
maketh question of the righteous and the ungodly." And what follows? "But
he that loveth iniquity, hateth his own soul."(5) And in another place,
"Into the thoughts of the ungodly there shall be questioning made."(6) God
doth not make question of thee there, where I question thee. I question thy
tongue, God questioneth thy thoughts. For He knoweth how thou dost hear,
and He knoweth how to require, Who ordereth me to give. He hath wished me
to be a dispenser, the requiring He hath reserved to Himself. To admonish,
to teach, to rebuke, is ours; but to save, and to crown, or to condemn, and
to cast into hell, is not ours; "But the Judge shall deliver to the
officer, and the officer to the prison. Verily I say unto thee, thou shalt
not go out thence, till thou payest the last farthing."(7)

 9. Let us then return to our subject. The perfection of righteousness is
shown by the number forty. What is it to fulfil the number forty? To
restrain one's self from the love of this world. Restraint from temporal
things, that they be not loved to our destruction, is, as it were, fasting
from this world. Therefore the Lord fasted forty days, and Moses, and
Elias. He then who gave His servants the power to fast forty days, could He
not fast eighty or a hundred? Why then did He not will to fast more than He
had given His servants to do, but because in this number forty is the
mystery of fasting, the restraint from this world? What is this to say?
What the Apostle says; "The world is crucified to me, and I to the
world."(1) He then fulfils the number forty. And what doth the Lord show?
That because Moses did this, this Elias, this Christ, that this both the
Law, and the Prophets, and the Gospel, teach; that thou mayest not think
that there is one thing in the Law, another in the Prophets, another in the
Gospel. All Scripture teacheth thee nothing else, but restraint from the
love of the world, that thy love may speed on to God. As a figure that the
Law teaches this, Moses fasted forty days. As a figure that the Prophets
teach it, Elias fasted forty days. As a figure that the Gospel teaches it,
the Lord fasted forty days. And therefore in the mount too these three
appeared, the Lord in the middle, Moses and Elias at the sides. Wherefore?
Because the Gospel itself receives testimony from the Law and the
Prophets.(2) But why in the number forty is the perfection of
righteousness? In the Psalter it is said, "O God, I will sing a new song
unto Thee, upon a psaltery of ten strings will I sing praises unto
Thee."(3) Which signifies the ten precepts of the Law, which the Lord came
not to destroy, but to fulfil. And the Law itself throughout the whole
world, it is evident, hath four quarters, the East, and West, South, and
North, as the Scripture saith. And hence the vessel which bare all the
emblematic animals, which was exhibited to Peter, when he was told, "Kill
and eat,"(4) that it might be shown that the Gentiles should believe and
enter into the body of the Church, just as what we eat entereth into our
body, and which was let down from heaven by four corners (these are the
four quarters of the world), showed that the whole world should believe.
Therefore in the number forty is restraint from the world. This is the
fulfilling of the Law: now the fulfilling of the Law is charity. And
therefore before the Pasch we fast forty days. For this time before the
Pasch is the sign of this our toilsome life, wherein, in toils, and cares,
and continence, we fulfil the Law. But afterwards we celebrate the Pasch,
that is, the days of the Lord's resurrection signifying our own
resurrection. Therefore fifty days are celebrated; because the reward of
the denarius is added to the forty, and it becomes fifty. Why is the reward
a denarius? Have ye not read, how that they who were hired into the
vineyard, whether at the first, or sixth, or the last hour, could only
receive the denarius ?(5) When to our righteousness shall be added its
reward, we shall be in the number fifty. Yea, and then shall we have none
other occupation, save to praise God. And therefore throughout those days
we say, "Hallelujah." For Halleluiah is the praise of God. In this frail
estate of mortality, in this fortieth number here, as though before the
resurrection, let us groan in prayers, that we may sing praises then. Now
is the time of longing, then will be the time of embracing and enjoying.
Let us not faint in the time of forty, that we may joy in the time of
fifty.

 10. Now who is he that fulfilleth the Law, but he that hath charity? Ask
the Apostle, "Charity is the fulfilling of the Law.(6) For all the Law is
fulfilled in one word, in that which is written, Thou shalt love thy
neighbour as thyself."(7) But the commandment of charity is twofold; "Thou
the commandment of charity is twofold; "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God
with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is
the great commandment. The other is like it; Thou shalt love thy neighbour
as thyself." They are the words of the Lord in the Gospel: "On these two
commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."(8) Without this twofold
love the Law cannot be fulfilled. As long as the Law is not fulfilled,
there is infirmity. Therefore he had two short, who was infirm thirty and
eight years. What means, "had two short"? He did not fulfil these two
commandments. What doth it profit that the rest is fulfilled, if those are
not fulfilled? Hast thou thirty-eight? If thou have not those two, the rest
will profit thee nothing. Thou hast two short, without which the rest avail
not, if thou have not the two commandments which conduct unto salvation.
"If I speak with the tongues of men and angels, and have not charity, I am
become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And if I know all
mysteries, and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so that I could
remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And if I distribute
all my substance, and if I give my body to be burned, and have not charity,
it profiteth me nothing."(9) They are the Apostle's words. All those things
therefore which he mentioned are as it were the thirty-eight years; but
because charity was not there, there was infirmity. From that infirmity who
then shall make whole, but He who came to give charity? "A new commandment
I give unto you, that ye love one another."(10) And because He came to give
charity, and charity fulfilleth the Law, with good reason said He, "I came
not to destroy the Law, but to fulfil."(1) He cured the sick man, and told
him to carry his couch, and go unto his house.(2) And so too He said to the
sick of the palsy whom He cured.(3) What is it to carry our couch? The
pleasure of our flesh. Where we lie in infirmity, is as it were our bed.
But they who are cured master(4) and carry it, are not by this flesh
mastered. So then, thou whole one, master the frailness of thy flesh, that
in the sign of the forty days' fast from this world, thou mayest fulfill
the number forty, for that He hath made that sick man whole, "Who came not
to destroy the Law, but to fulfil."

 11. Having heard this, direct your heart to Godward. Do not deceive
yourselves. Ask yourselves then when it is well with you in the world; then
ask yourselves, whether ye love the world, or whether ye love it not; learn
to let it go before ye are let go yourselves. What is to let it go? Not
heartily to love it. Whilst there is yet something with thee which thou
must one day lose, and either in life or death let it go, it cannot be with
thee always; whilst I say it is yet with thee, loosen thy love; be prepared
for the will of God, hang upon God. Hold thee fast to Him, whom thou canst
not lose against thy will, that if it chance thee to lose these temporal
things, thou mayest say, "'The Lord gave, the Lord hath taken away, as it
hath pleased the Lord, so is it done, blessed be the Name of the Lord."(5)
But if it chance, and God so wills it, that the things thou hast be with
thee even to the last: for thy detachment from this life thou receivest the
denarius, the fifty, and the perfection of blessedness cometh to pass in
thee, when thou shalt sing Hallelujah. Having these things which I have now
brought forward in your memory, may they avail to overthrowing your love of
the world. Evil is its friendship, deceitful, it makes a man the enemy of
God. Soon, in one single temptation, a man offendeth God, and becometh His
enemy. Nay not then becometh His enemy; but is then discovered to have been
His enemy. For when he was loving and praising Him, he was an enemy; but he
neither knew it himself, nor did others. Temptation came, the pulse is
touched, and the fever discovered. So then brethren, the love of the world,
and the friendship of the world, make men the enemies of God. And it does
not make good what it promises, it is a liar, and deceiveth. Therefore men
never cease hoping in this world, and who attains to all he hopes for? But
whereunto soever he attains, what he has attained to is forthwith
disesteemed by him. Other things begin to be desired, other fond things are
hoped for; and when they come, whatsoever it is that comes to thee, is
disesteemed. Hold thee fast then to God, for He can never be of light
esteem, for nothing is more beautiful than He. For for this cause are these
things disesteemed, because they cannot stand, because they are not what He
is. For nought, O soul, sufficeth thee, save He who created thee.
Whatsoever else thou apprehendest is wretched; for He Alone can suffice
thee who made thee after His Own likeness. Thus it was expressly said,
"Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us."(6) There only can there be
security; and where security can be, there in a certain sort will be
insatiable satiety. For thou wilt neither be so satiated, as to wish to
depart; nor will anything be wanting, as though thou couldest suffer want.

SERMON LXXVI.

[CXXVI. BEN.]

ON THE WORDS OF THE GOSPEL, JOHN V. 19, "THE SON CAN DO NOTHING OF HIMSELF,
BUT WHAT HE SEETH THE FATHER DOING."

 1. THE mysteries and secrets of the kingdom of God first seek for
believing men, that they may make them understanding. For faith is
understanding's step; and understanding faith's attainment.(7) This the
Prophet expressly says to all who prematurely and in undue order look for
understanding, and neglect faith. For he says, "Unless ye believe, ye shall
not understand."(8) Faith itself then also hath a certain light of its own
in the Scriptures, in Prophecy, in the Gospel, in the Lessons of the
Apostles. For all these things which are read to us in this present time,
are lights in a dark place, that we may be nourished up unto the day. The
Apostle Peter says, "We have a more sure word of prophecy, where-unto ye do
well that ye take heed, as unto a light in a dark place, until the day
dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts."(9)

 2. Ye see then, Brethren, how exceedingly unregulated and disordered in
their haste are they who like immature conceptions seek an untimely birth
before the birth; who say to us, "Why dost thou bid me believe what I do
not see? Let me see something that I may believe. Thou biddest me believe
whilst yet I see not; I wish to see, and by seeing to believe, not by
hearing." Let the Prophet speak. "Unless ye believe, ye shall not
understand." Thou wishest to ascend, and dost forget the steps. Surely, out
of all order. O man, if I could show thee already what thou mightest see, I
should not exhort thee to believe.

 3. Faith(10) then, as it has been elsewhere defined, is "the firm support
of those who hope(1) the evidence of things which are not seen."(2) If they
are not seen, how are they evidenced to be? What! Whence are these things
which thou seest, but from That which thou seest not? To be sure thou dost
see somewhat that thou mayest believe somewhat, and froth that thou seest,
mayest believe what thou seest not. Be not ungrateful to Him who hath made
thee see, whereby thou mayest be able to believe what as yet thou canst not
see. God hath given thee eyes in the body, reason in the heart; arouse the
reason of the heart, wake up the interior inhabitant of thine interior
eyes, let it take to its windows, examine the creature of God. For there is
one within who sees by the eyes. For when thy thoughts within thee are on
any other subject, and the inhabitant within is turned away, the things
which are before thine eyes thou seest not. For to no purpose are the
windows open, when he who looks through them is away. It is not then the
eyes that see, but some one sees by the eyes; awake him, arouse him. For
this hath not been denied thee; God hath made thee a rational animal, set
thee over the cattle, formed thee after His Own image. Oughtest thou to use
them as the cattle do; only to see what to add to thy belly, not to thy
soul? Stir up, I say, the eye of reason, use thine eyes as a man should,
consider the heaven and earth, the ornaments of the heaven, the
fruitfulness of the earth, the flight of the birds, the swimming of the
fish, the virtue(3) of the seeds, the order of the seasons; consider the
works, and seek for the Author; take a view of what thou seest, and seek
Him whom thou seest not. Believe on Him whom thou seest not, because of
these things which thou seest. And lest thou think that it is with mine own
words that I have exhorted thee; hear the Apostle saying, "For the
invisible things of God from the creation of the world are clearly seen by
those things which are made."(4)

 4. These things thou disregardedst, nor didst look upon them as a man,
but as an irrational animal. The Prophet cried out to thee, and cried in
vain. "Be ye not like to horse and mule, which have no understanding."(5)
These things I say thou didst see, and disregard. God's daily miracles were
disesteemed, not for their easiness, but their constant repetition. For
what is more difficult to understand than a man's birth, that one who was
in existence should by dying depart into darkness,(6) and that one who was
not, I by being born should come forth to light?(7) What so marvellous,
what so difficult to comprehend? But with God easy to be done. Marvel at
these things, awake; at His unusual works, thou canst wonder, are they
greater than those which thou art accustomed to see? Men wondered that our
Lord God Jesus Christ filled so many thousands with five loaves;(8) and
they do not wonder that through a few grains the whole earth is filled with
crops. When the water was made wine,(9) men saw it, and were amazed; what
else takes place with the rain along the root of the vine? He did the one,
He does the other; the one that thou mayest be fed, the other that thou
mayest wonder. But both are wonderful, for both are the works of God. Man
sees unusual things, and wonders; whence is the man himself who wonders?
where was he? whence came he forth? whence the fashion of his body? whence
the distinction of his limbs? whence that beautiful form? from what
beginnings? what contemptible beginnings? And he wonders at other things,
when he the wonderer is himself a great wonder. Whence then are these
things which thou seest but froth Him whom thou seest not? But as I had
begun to say, because these things were disesteemed by thee, He came
Himself to do unusual things, that in these usual ones too thou mightest
acknowledge thy Creator.(10) He came to Whom it is said, "Renew signs."(11)
To Whom it is said, "Show forth Thy marvellous mercies."(12) For dispensing
them He ever was; He dispensed them, and no one marvelled. Therefore came
He a Little one to the little, He came a Physician to the sick, who was
able to come when He would, to return when He would, to do whatsoever He
would, to judge as He would. And this, His will, is very righteousness; yea
what He willeth, I say, is very righteousness. For that is not unrighteous
which He willeth, nor can that be right which He willeth not. He came to
raise the dead, men marvelling that He restored a man to the light who was
in light already, He who day by day bringeth forth to the light those who
were not.

 5. These things He did, yet was He despised by the many, who considered
not so much what great things He did, as how small He was; as though they
said within themselves, "These are divine things, but He is a man." Two
things then thou seest, divine works, and a man. If divine works cannot be
wrought but by God, take heed lest in This Man God lie concealed. Attend, I
say, to what thou seest, believe what thou seest not. He hath not abandoned
thee, who hath called thee to believe; though He enjoin thee to believe
that which thou canst not see: yet hath He not given thee up to see nothing
whereby thou mayest be able to believe what thou dost not see. Is the
creation itself a small sign, a small indication of the Creator? He also
came, He did miracles. Thou couldest not see God, a man thou couldest; so
God was made Man, that in One thou mightest have both what to see, and what
to believe. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and
the Word was God."(1) Thus thou hearest, and as yet seest not. Lo, He
comes, lo, He is born, lo, He comes forth of a woman, who made man and
woman. He who made man and woman was not made by man and woman. For thou
wouldest peradventure have been likely to despise Him for being born, the
manner of His birth canst thou not despise; for He ever was before that He
was born. Lo, I say, He took a Body, He was clothed in Flesh, He came forth
from the womb.(2) Dost thou now see? seest thou now, I say? I ask as to the
Flesh, but I point out as to That Flesh; something thou seest, and
something thou seest not. Lo, in this very Birth, there are at once two
things, one which thou mayest see, and another thou mayest not see; but so
that by this which thou seest, thou mayest believe that which thou seest
not. Thou hadst begun to despise, because thou seest Him who was born;
believe what thou dost not see, that He was born of a virgin. "How trifling
a person," says one, "is he who was born!" But how great is He who was of a
virgin born !And He who was born of a virgin brought thee a temporal
miracle; He was not born of a father, of any man, I mean, His father, yet
was He born of the flesh. But let it not seem impossible to thee, that He
was born by His mother only, Who made man before father and mother.

 6. He brought thee then a temporal miracle, that thou mayest seek and
admire Him who is Eternal. For He "who came forth as a Bridegroom out of
His chamber,"(3) that is, out of the virgin's womb, where the holy nuptials
were celebrated of the Word and the Flesh: He brought, I say, a temporal
miracle; but He is Himself: eternal, He is coeternal with the Father, He it
is, who "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the
Word was God."(1) He did for thee whereby thou mightest be cured, that thou
mightest be able to see what thou didst not see. What thou despisest in
Christ, is not yet the contemplation of him that is made whole, but the
medicine of the sick. Do not hasten to the vision of the whole. The Angels
see, the Angels rejoice, the Angels feed Thereon and live; Whereon they
feed faileth not, nor is their food minished. In the thrones of glory, in
the regions of the heavens, in the parts which are above the heavens, the
Word is seen by the Angels, and is their Joy; is their Food, and endureth.
But in order that man might eat Angel's Bread, the Lord of Angels became
Man. This is our Salvation, the Medicine of the infirm, the Food of the
whole.

 7. And He spake to men, and said what ye have now heard, "The Son can do
nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do."(4) Is there now any
one, think we, that understandeth this? Is there any one; think we, in whom
the eye-salve of the flesh hath now its effect to the discerning in any
fashion the brightness of the Divinity? He hath spoken, let us speak too;
He, because the Word; we, because of the Word. And why speak we, howsoever
we do it, of the Word? Because we were made by the Word after the likeness
of the Word. As far then as we are capable of, as far as we can be
partakers of that ineffableness, let us also speak, and let us not be
contradicted. For our faith hath gone before, so that we may say, "I
believed, therefore have I spoken."(5) I speak then that which I believe;
whether or no I also see, or howsoever I see; He seeth rather; ye cannot
see it. But when I shall have spoken, whether he who sees what I speak of,
believe that I see too what I have spoken of, or whether he believe it not,
what is that to me? Let him only really(6) see, and let him believe what he
will of me.

 8. "The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do."
Here rises up an error of the Arians; but it rises up that it may fall;
because it is not humbled, that it may rise. What is it which hath set
thee(7) off? Thou wouldest say that the Son is less than the Father. For
thou hast heard, "The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the
Father do." From this thou wouldest have the Son called less; it is this I
know, I know it is this hath set thee off; believe that He is not less,
thou canst not as yet see it, believe, this is what I was saying a little
while ago. "But how," you will say, "am I to believe against His own words
"? He saith Himself, "The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth
the Father do." Attend too to that which follows; "For what things soever
the Father doeth, the same also doeth the Son likewise;" He did not say,
"such things," Beloved, consider a while, that ye cause not confusion(8) to
yourselves. There is need of a tranquil heart, a godly and devout faith, a
religious earnest attention; attend, not to me the poor vessel, but to Him
who putteth the bread in the vessel. Attend then a while. For in all that I
have said above in exhorting you to faith, that the mind imbued with faith
may be capable of understanding, all that has been said has had a pleasing,
glad, anti easy sound, has cheered your minds, ye have followed it, ye have
understood what I said. But what I am now about to say I hope there are
some who will understand; yet I fear that all will not understand. And
seeing that God hath by the lesson of the Gospel proposed to us a subject
to speak upon, and we cannot avoid that which the Master hath proposed; I
fear lest haply they who will not understand, who perhaps will be the
greater number, should think that I have spoken to them in vain; but yet
because of those who will understand, I do not speak in vain. Let him who
uuderstandeth rejoice, let him who doth not understand bear it patiently;
what he doth not understand, let him bear, and that he may understand, let
him bear delay.

 9. He doth not say then, "What things soever the Father doeth, such doeth
the Son:" as if the Father doeth some things, and the Son others. For it
did seem as though He had meant this when He said above, "The Son doeth
nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do." Mark; He did not
there either say, "But what He heareth the Father enjoin;" but, "what He
seeth the Father do." If then we consult the carnal understanding, or sense
rather, He hath set before Him as it were two workmen,(1) the Father and
the Son, the Father working without seeing any, the Son working from seeing
the Father. This is still a carnal view. Nevertheless, in order to
understand those things which are higher, let us not decline these lower
and mean things. First, let us set something before our eyes in this way;
let us suppose there are two workmen, father and son. The father has made a
chest, which the son could not make, unless he saw the father making it: he
keeps his mind on the chest which the father has made, and makes another
chest like it, not the same. I put off for a while the words which follow,
and now I ask the Arian; "Dost thou understand it in the sense of this
supposition? Hath the Father done something, which when the Son saw Him do.
He too hath done something like it? For do the words by which thou art
perplexed seem to have this meaning?" Now He doth not say, "The Son can do
nothing of Himself, but what He heareth the Father enjoin." But He saith,
"The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do." See,
if thou understand it thus; the Father hath done something, and the Son
attendeth that He may see what He Himself too hath to do; and that, some
other thing like that which the Father had done. This which the Father hath
done, by whom hath He done it? If, not by the Son, if not by the Word, thou
hast incurred the charge of blasphemy against the Gospel. "For all things
were made by Him."(2) So then what the Father had done, He had done by the
Word; if by the Word He had done it, He had done it by the Son. Who then is
that other who attends, that He may do some other thing which he seeth the
Father do? Ye have not been wont to say that the Father hath two sons:
there is One, One Only-Begotten of Him. But through His mercy, Alone as
regards His Divinity and not Alone as regards the inheritance. The Father
hath made coheirs with His Only Son; not begotten them like Him of His Own
Substance, but adopted them by Him out of His Own family. For "we have been
called," as Holy Scripture testifieth, "into the adoption of sons."(3)

10. What then sayest thou? It is the Only Son Himself That speaketh; the
Only-Begotten Son speaketh in the Gospel: the Word Himself hath given us
the words, we have heard Himself saying, "The Son can do nothing of
Himself, but what He seeth the Father do." Now then the Father doeth that
the Son may see what to do; and nevertheless the Father doeth nothing but
by the Son. Assuredly thou art confused, thou heretic, assuredly thou art
confused; but thy confusion is as from taking hellebore, that thou mayest
be cured. Even now thou canst not find thine own self, thou dost even
thyself condemn thine own judgment and thy carnal view, I think. Put behind
thee the eyes of the flesh, raise up what eyes thou hast in thine heart,
behold things divine. They are men's words it is true thou hearest, and by
a man, by the Evangelist, by the Gospel thou hearest men's words, as a man;
but it is of the Word of God thou hearest, that thou mayest hear what is
human, come to know what is Divine. The Master hath given trouble, that He
might instruct; hath sown a difficulty,(4) that He might excite an earnest
attention. "The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father
do." It might follow(5) that He should say," For what things soever the
Father doeth, the like doeth the Son." This He doth not say; but, "What
things soever the Father doeth, the same doeth the Son likewise." The
Father doeth not some things, the Son other things; because all things that
the Father doeth, He doeth by the Son. The Son raised Lazarus; did not the
Father raise him ?(6) The Son gave sight to the blind man; did not the
Father give him sight ?(7) The Father by the Son in the Holy Ghost. It is
the Trinity; but the Operation of the Trinity is One, the Majesty One, the
Eternity One, the Coeternity One, and the Works the Same. The Father doth
not create some men, the Son others, the Holy Ghost others; the Father and
the Son and the Holy Ghost create one and the same man; and the Father and
the Son and the Holy Ghost, One God, createth him.

 11. You observe a Plurality of Persons, but acknowledge the Unity of the
Divinity. For because of the Plurality of Persons it was said, "Let Us make
man after Our image and likeness.'' He did not say, "I will make man, and
do Thou attend when I am making him, that Thou too mayest be able to make
another." "Let Us make," He saith; I hear the Plurality; "after Our image;
"(1) again I hear the Plurality. Where then is the Singularity of the
Divinity? Read what follows, "And God made man."(2) It is said, "Let Us
make man;" and it is not said, "The Gods made man." The Unity is understood
in that it was said, "God made man."

 12. Where then is that carnal view?(3) Be it confounded, hidden, brought
to nought; let the Word of God speak to us. Even now as godly men, as
believing already, as already imbued with faith, and having gotten some
attainment(4) of understanding, turn we to the Word Himself, to the
Fountain of light, and let us say together, "0 Lord, the Father doeth ever
the same things as Thou; for that whatsoever the Father doeth, by Thee He
doeth it. We have heard that Thou art the Word in the beginning;(5) we have
not seen, but believed. There too have we heard what follows, that 'all
things were made by Thee.'(6) All things then that the Father doeth, He
doeth by Thee. Therefore Thou doest the same things as the Father. Why then
didst Thou wish to say, 'The Son can do nothing of Himself'? For I see a
certain equality in Thee with the Father, in that I hear, 'What things
soever the Father doeth, the same doeth the Son;' I recognise an equality,
hereby I understand, and comprehend as far as I am able, 'I and My Father
are One."(7) What meaneth it, that Thou canst do nothing, but what Thou
seest the Father do? What meaneth this ?"

 13. Peradventure He would say to me, yea say to us all: "Now as to this
that I have said, 'The Son can do nothing, but what He seeth the Father
do;' My 'Seeing' how dost thou understand? My 'Seeing,' what is it? Put
aside for a while the form of the servant which He took for thy sake. For
in that servant's form our Lord had eyes and ears in the Flesh, and that
human form was the same figure of a Body, such as we bear, the same
outlines of members. That Flesh had come from Adam: but He was not as Adam.
So then the Lord walking whether on the earth or in the sea, as it pleased
Him, as He would, for whatever He would, He could; looked at what He would;
He fixed His eyes, He saw; He turned away His eyes, and did not see; who
followed was behind Him, whoso could be seen, before Him; with the eyes of
His Body, He saw only what was before Him. But from His Divinity nothing
was hid. Put aside, put aside, I say, for a while the form of the servant,
look at the Form of God in which He was before the world was made; in which
He was equal to the Father; hereby receive and understand what He saith to
thee, 'Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal
with God.(8) There see Him if thou canst, that thou mayest be able to see
what His 'Seeing' is." "In the beginning was the Word." How doth the Word
see? Hath the Word eyes, or are our eyes found in Him, the eyes not of the
flesh, but the eyes of godly hearts? For, "Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they shall see God."(9)

14. Christ thou seest Man and God; He doth manifest to thee the Man, God He
reserveth for thee. Now see how He reserveth God for thee, who doth
manifest Himself to thee as Man. "Whoso loveth Me," saith He, "keepeth My
commandments; whoso loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love
him."(10) And as if it were asked, "What wilt Thou give to him whom Thou
lovest?" "And I will manifest Myself," saith He, "to him." What meaneth
this, Brethren? He whom they saw already, promised that He would manifest
Himself to them. To whom? Those by whom He was seen, or those also by whom
He was not seen? Thus speaking to a certain Apostle, who asked to see the
Father, that it might suffice him, and said, "Show us the Father, and it
sufficeth us"(11)--Then He standing before this servant's eyes, in the form
of a servant, reserving for his eyes when(12) deified(13) the Form of God,
saith to him, "Have I been so long time with you, and have ye not known Me?
He that seeth Me, seeth the Father also." Thou askest to see the Father;
see Me, thou seest Me, and dost not see Me. Thou seest what for thee I bare
assumed, thou dost not see What I have reserved for thee. Give ear to My
commandments, purify thine eyes. "For whoso loveth Me, keepeth My
commandments, and I will love him." To him as keeping My commandments, and
by My commandments made whole will I manifest Myself.

 15. If then, Brethren, we are not able to see what the "Seeing" of the
Word is, whither are we going? what Vision it may be with too great haste
are we requiring? why are we wishing to have shown us what we are not able
to see? These things accordingly are spoken of which we desire to see, not
as what we are able already to comprehend. For if thou seest the "Seeing of
the Word, peradventure in that thou seest the "Seeing of the Word, thou
wilt see the Word Himself; that the Word may not be one thing, the "Seeing"
of the Word another, lest there be Therein anything joined, and coupled,
and double, and compacted. For It is something Simple, of a Simplicity
ineffable. Not as with a man, the man is one thin, the man's seeing
another. For sometimes a man's seeing is extinguished, and the man remains.
This it is of which I said that I was about to say something which all
would not be able to understand; the Lord even grant that some may have
understood. My Brethren, to this end doth He exhort us, that we may see,
that the "Seeing" of the Word is beyond our powers; for they are small; be
they nourished, perfected. Whereby By the commandments. What commandments
"He that loveth Me, keepeth My commandments. "(1) What commandments? For
already do we wish to increase, to be strengthened, perfected, that we may
see the "Seeing" of the Word. Tell us, Lord, now what commandments? "A new
commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another."(2) This charity
then, Brethren, let us draw from the plentifulness of the Fountain, let us
receive it; be nourished by it. Receive thou(3) that whereby thou mayest be
able to receive. Let charity give thee birth, let charity nourish thee;
charity bring thee to perfection, charity strengthen thee; that thou mayest
see this "Seeing" of the Word, that the Word is not one thing and His
"Seeing" another, but that the "Seeing" of the Word is the Very Word
Himself; and so perhaps thou wilt soon understand that that which is said,
"The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do," is as
if He had said, "The Son would not be, if He had not been born of the
Father." Let this suffice, Brethren; I know that I have said that which
perhaps, if meditated upon, may develop itself to many, which oftentimes
when expressed in words may chance to be obscured.(4)

SERMON LXXVII.

CXXVII. BEN.]

ON THE WORDS OF THE GOSPEL, JOHN V. 25, "VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO YOU,
THE COMETH, AND NOW IS, WHEN THE DEAD SHALL HEAR THE VOICE OF THE SON OF
GOD; AND THEY THAT HEAR SHALL LIVE," ETC.; AND ON THE WORDS OF THE APOSTLE,
"THINGS WHICH EYE SAW NOT," ETC., 1 COR. II. 9.

 1. Our hope, Brethren, is not of this present time, nor of this world,
nor in that happiness whereby men are blinded that forget God. This ought
we above all things to know, and in a Christian heart hold fast, that we
were not made Christians for the good things of the present time, but for
something else which God at once promiseth, and man doth not yet
comprehend. For of this good it is said, "That eye hath not seen, nor ear
heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath
prepared for them that love Him."(5) Because then this good, so great, so
excellent, so ineffable, fell not in with man's understanding, it required
God's promise. For what hath been promised him, man blind of heart doth not
now comprehend; nor can it be shown to him at present, what he will one day
be to whom the promise is given. For so an infant child, if he could
understand the words of one speaking, when himself could neither speak, nor
walk, nor do anything, but feeble as we see be is, unable to stand,(6)
requiring the assistance of others, were able only to understand him who
should speak to him and tell him, "Lo, as thou seest me walking, working,
speaking, after a few years thou shall be as I am;" as he considered
himself and the other, though he would see what was promised; yet
considering his own feebleness, would not believe, and yet he would see
what was promised. But with us infants, as it were, lying in this flesh and
feebleness, that which is promised is at once great and is not seen; and so
faith is aroused whereby we believe that we do not see that we may
attain(7) to see what we believe. Whosoever derideth this faith, so as to
think that he is not to believe in that he doth not see; when that shall
come which he believed not, is put to shame: being confounded is separated,
being separated, is condemned. But whoso shall have believed, is put aside
at the right hand, and shall stand with great confidence and joy among
those to whom it shall be said, "Come, blessed of My Father, receive the
kingdom which hath been prepared for you from the beginning of the
world."(8) But the Lord made an end when He spake these words, thus, "These
shall go into everlasting burning, but the righteous into life eternal."(1)
This is the life eternal which is promised us.

 2. Because men love to live on this earth, life is promised them; and
because they exceedingly fear to die, eternal life is promised them. What
dost thou love? To live. This shalt thou have. What dost thou fear? To die.
Thou shalt not suffer it. This seemed to be enough for human infirmity,
that it should be said, "Thou shalt have eternal life." This the mind of
man can comprehend, by its present condition it can in some sort comprehend
what is to be. But by the imperfection of its present condition how far can
it comprehend it? Because he lives, and does not wish to die; he loves
eternal life, he wishes to live always, never to die. But they who shall be
tormented in punishments, have even a wish to die, and cannot. It is no
great thing then to live long, or to live for ever; but to live blessedly
is a great thing. Let us love eternal life, and hereby may we know how
greatly we ought to labour for eternal life, when we see men who love the
present life, which lasts but for a time and must be brought to an end,
labour so for it, that when the fear of death comes, they will do whatever
they can, not to put away, but to put off death. How does a man labour,
when death threatens, by flight, by concealment, by giving all he has, and
redeeming himself, by toil, by endurance of torments and uneasinesses, by
calling in physicians, and whatever else a man can do? See, how that after
exhausting all his labour and his means, he is but able to contrive to live
a little longer; to live always, he is not able. If then men strive with so
great labour, with so great efforts, so great a cost, such earnestness,
such watchfulness, such carefulness, that they may live a little longer;
how should they strive that they may live for ever? And if they are called
wise, who by all means strive to put off death, and live a few days, that
they lose not a few days: how foolish are they who so live as to lose the
day eternal!

 3. This then only can be promised us, that this gift of God may in
whatever measure be sweet to us, from this which we have at present; seeing
that it is of His gift we have it, that we live, that we are in health.
When then eternal life is promised, let us set before our eyes a life of
such a kind, as to remove from it everything unpleasant which we suffer
here. For it is easier for us to find what is not there, than what is
there. Lo, here we live; we shall live there also. I Here we are in health
when we are not sick, and there is no pain in the body; there we shall be
in health also. And when it is well with us in this life, we suffer no
scourge; we shall suffer none there also. Suppose then a man here below
living, in sound health, suffering no scourge; if any one were to grant him
that he should be for ever so, and that this good estate should never
cease, how greatly would he rejoice? how greatly be transported? how would
he not contain himself in joy without pain, without torment, without end of
life? If God had promised us this only, which I have mentioned, which I
have just now in such words as I was able, described and set forth; at what
a price ought it to be purchased if it were to be sold, how great a sum
ought to be given to buy it? Would all that thou hadst suffice, even though
thou shouldest possess the whole world? And yet it is to be sold; buy it if
thou wilt. And be not much disquieted for a thing so great, because of the
largeness of the price. Its price is no more than what thou hast. Now to
procure any great and precious thing, thou wouldest get ready gold, or
silver, or money, or any increase of cattle, or fruits, which might be
produced in thy possessions, to buy this I know not what great and
excellent thing, whereby to live in this earth happily. Buy this too, if
thou wilt. Do not look for what thou hast, but for what thou art. The price
of this thing is thyself. Its price is what thou art thyself. Give thine
own self, and thou shalt have it. Why art thou troubled? why disquieted?
What? Art thou going to seek for thine own self, or to buy thyself? Lo,
give thine own self as thou art, such as thou art to that thing, and thou
shalt have it. But you will say, "I am wicked, and perhaps it will not
accept me." By giving thyself' to it, thou wilt be good. The giving thyself
to this faith and promise, this is to be good. And when thou shalt be good,
thou wilt be the price of this thing; and shalt have, not only what I have
mentioned, health, safety, life, and life without end; thou shalt not only
have this, I will take away other things yet. There shall there be no
weariness, and sleeping; there shall there be no hunger, and thirst; there
shall there be no growing, and growing old; because there shall be no birth
either where the numbers remain entire. The number that is there is entire;
nor is there any need for it to be increased, seeing  there is no chance of
diminution there. Lo, how many things have I taken away, and I have not yet
said what shall be there. Lo, already there is life, and safety; no
scourge, no hunger, no thirst, no failing, none of these; and yet I have
not said, "what eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath ascended into
the heart of man." For if I have said it, it is false that is written, "Eye
hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it ascended into the heart of
man." For whence should it ascend into my heart, that I should say "that
which hath not ascended into the heart of man"? It is believed, and not
seen; not only not seen, but not even expressed. How then is it believed,
if it is not expressed? Who believes what he cloth not hear? But if he hear
it that he may believe, it is expressed; if expressed, it is thought of; if
thought of and expressed, then it entereth into the ears of men. And
because it would not be expressed if it were not thought of, it hath
ascended also into the heart of man. Lo, already the mere proposing of so
great a thing disturbs us, that we cannot put it forth clearly in words.
Who then can explain the thing itself?

 4. Let us attend to the Gospel; just now the Lord was speaking, and let
us do what He said. "He that believeth in Me," saith He, "passeth from
death unto life, and cometh not into judgment. Verily I say unto you, that
the hour shall come, and now is, when the dead shall hear the Voice of the
Son of God, and they that bear shall live. For as the Father hath life in
Himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself."(1) By
begetting Him He gave it; in that He begat, He gave it. For the Son is of
the Father, not the Father of the Son; but the Father is the Father of the
Son, and the Son is the Son of the Father. I say the Son is begotten of the
Father, not the Father of the Son; and the Son was always, always therefore
begotten. Who can comprehend this "always begotten "? For when any man
hears of one begotten, it occurs to him; "Therefore there was a time, when
he who was begotten was not." What say we then? Not so; there was no time
before the Son, for that "all things were made by Him."(2) If all things
were made by Him, times also were made by Him; how could times be before
the Son, by whom times were made? Take away then all times, the Son was
with the Father always. If the Son were with the Father always, and yet the
Son, He was begotten always; if begotten always, He who was begotten was
always with Him That begat Him.

 5. You will say, "This have I never seen, one begetting, and always with
him whom be begat; but he that begat came first, and he that was begotten
followed in time." You say well, "I have never seen this;" for this
appertains to "that which eye hath not seen." Do you ask how it may be
expressed? It cannot be expressed; "For the ear hath not heard, neither
hath it ascended unto the heart of man." Be it believed and adored, when we
believe, we adore; when we adore, we grow; when we grow, we comprehend. For
as yet whilst we are in this flesh, as long as we are absent from the Lord,
we are, with respect to the Holy Angels who see these things, infants to be
suckled by faith, hereafter to be fed by sight. For so saith the Apostle,
"As long as we are in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by
faith, not by sight."(3) We shall some day come to sight, which is thus
promised us by John in his Epistle; "Dearly beloved, we are the sons of
God, and it hath not yet appeared what we shall be."(4) We are the sons of
God now by grace, by faith, by the Sacrament, by the Blood of Christ, by
the redemption of the Saviour; "We are the sons of God, and it hath not yet
appeared what we shall be. We know that when He shall appear, we shall be
like Him, for we shall see Him as He is."

 6. Lo, unto the comprehending of what are we being nourished up; lo, unto
the embracing and the feeding on what are we being nourished up; yet so as
that that which is fed on is not diminished, and he that feedeth is
supported. For now food supports us by eating it; but the food which is
eaten, is diminished; but when we shall begin to feed on Righteousness, to
feed on Wisdom, to feed on that Food Immortal, we are at once supported,
and That Food is not diminished. For if the eye knows how to feed on light,
and yet doth not diminish the light; for the light will be no less because
it is seen by more; it feeds the eyes of more, and yet is as great as it
was before: both they are fed, and it is not diminished; if God hath
granted this to the light which He hath made for the eyes of the flesh,
what is He Himself, the Light for the eyes of the heart? If then any
choice(5) food were praised to thee, on which thou wast to dine, thou
wouldest prepare the stomach; God is praised to thee, prepare the heart.

 7. Behold what thy Lord saith to thee: "The hour shall come," saith He,
"and now is." "The hour shall come," yea, that very hour, "now is, when "--
what? "when the dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God, and they that
shall hear shall live." They then that shall not hear, shall not live. What
is, "'They that shall hear"? They that shall obey. What is, "They that
shall hear "? They that shall believe and obey, they shall live. So then
before they believed and obeyed, they lay dead; they walked, and were dead.
What availed it to them, that they walked, being dead? And yet if any among
them were to die a bodily death, they would run, get ready the grave, wrap
him up, carry him out, bury him, the dead, the dead; of whom it is said,
"Let the dead bury their dead."(6) Such dead as these are in such wise
raised by the Word of God, as to live in faith. They who were dead in
unbelief, are aroused by the Word. Of this hour said the Lord, "The hour
shall come, and now is." For with His Own Word did He raise them that were
dead in unbelief; of whom the Apostle says, "Arise thou that sleepest, and
rise up from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light."(1) This is the
resurrection of hearts, this is the resurrection of the inner man, this is
the resurrection of the soul.

 8. But this is not the only resurrection, there remains a resurrection of
the body also. Whoso riseth again in soul, riseth again in body to his
blessedness. For in soul all do not rise again; in body all are to rise
again. In soul, I say, all do not rise again; but they that believe. and,
obey; for, "They that shall hear shall live." But as the Apostle says, All
men have not faith."(2) If then all men have not faith, all men do not rise
again in soul. When thy hour of the resurrection of the booty shall come,
all shall rise again; be they good or bad, all shall rise again. But whoso
first riseth again in soul, to his blessedness riseth again in body; whoso
doth not first rise again in soul, riseth again in body to his curse. Whoso
riseth again in soul, riseth again in body unto life; whoso riseth not
again in soul, riseth again in body unto punishment. Seeing then that the
Lord hath impressed upon us this resurrection of souls, unto which we ought
all to hasten, and to labour that we may live therein, and living persevere
even unto the end, it remained for Him to impress upon us the resurrection
of bodies also, which is to be at the end of the world. Now hear bow He
hath impressed this too.

 9. When He had said, "Verily I say unto you, The hour shall come, and now
is, when the dead," that is, the unbelievers, "shall hear the Voice of the
Son of God," that is, the Gospel, "and they that shall hear," that is, that
shall obey, "shall live," that is, shall be justified, and shall be
unbelievers no longer; when, I say, He had said this, forasmuch as He saw
that we had need to be instructed as to the resurrection of the flesh also,
and were not to be left thus, He went on and said, "For as the Father hath
life in Himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself." This
refers to the resurrection of souls, to the quickening of souls. Then He
added, "And hath given Him power to execute judgment also, because He is
the Son of Man." This Son of God, is Son of Man. For if the Son of God had
continued the Son of God, and had not been made the Son of Man, He would
not have delivered the sons of men. He who had made man, was Himself made
that which He made, that what He made might not perish. But He was in such
wise made the Son of Man, as to continue the Son of God. For He was made
Man by assuming that which He was not, not by losing That which He was;
continuing God, He was made Man. He took thee, He was not consumed in thee.
As such then came He to us, the Son of God, and Son of Man, the Maker and
the Made the Creator and the Created; the Creator of His mother, Created of
His mother; such came He to us. In respect of His being the Son of God, He
saith, "The hour shall come, and now is, when the dead shall hear the Voice
of the Son of God." He did not say, "Of the Son of Man;" for He was
impressing the truth, wherein He is equal to the Father. "And they that
shall hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in Himself, so hath He
given to the Son to have life in Himself;" not by participation, but in our
God. But He, the Father, hath life in Himself; and He begat such a Son as
should have life in Himself; not be made a partaker of life, but Himself be
Life, of which life we I should be partakers; that is, should have life in
Himself, and Himself be Life. But that He should be made the Son of Man, He
took from us. Son of God in Himself; that He should be the Son of Man, He
took from us. Son of God of That which is His Own, Son of Man of ours. That
which is the less, took He from us; That which is the more, gave He to us.
For thus He died in that He is the Son of Man, not in that He is the Son of
God. Yet the Son of God died; but He died in respect to the flesh, not in
respect to "the Word which was made flesh, and dwelt among us."(3) So then
in that He died, He died of that which was ours; in that we live, we live
of That which is His. He could not die of That which was His own, nor could
we live of that which is our own. As God then, as the Only-Begotten, as
equal with Him who begat Him, did the Lord Jesus impress this upon us, that
if we hear, we shall live.

 10. But, saith He, "He hath given Him power to execute judgment also,
because He is the Son of Man." So then that Form is to come to judgment.
The Form of Man is to come to judgment; therefore He said," He hath given
Him power to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man." The
Judge here shall be the Son of Man; here shall That Form judge which was
judged. Hear and understand: the Prophet had said this already, "They shall
look on Him whom they pierced." 4 That Very Form shall they see which they
smote with a spear. He shall sit as Judge, Who stood at the judge's seat.
He shall condemn the real criminals, Who was made a criminal falsely. He
shall come Himself, That Form shall come. This you find in the Gospel too;
when before the eyes of His disciples He was going into heaven, they stood
and looked on, and the Angelic voice spake, "Ye men of Galilee, why stand
ye," etc. "This Jesus shall come in like manner as ye see Him going into
heaven."(1) What is, "shall come in like manner"? Shall come in this Very
Form. For "He hath given Him power to execute judgment, because He is the
Son of Man." Now see on what principle this was behoveful and right, that
they who were to be judged might see the Judge. For they who were to be
judged were both good and bad. "But blessed are the pure in heart, for they
shall see God."(2) It remained that in the Judgment the Form of the servant
should be manifested both to good and bad, the Form of God be reserved for
the good alone.

 11. For what is it that the good are to receive? Behold I am now
expressing that which I did not express a little above; and yet in
expressing I do not express it. For I said that there we shall be in sound
health, shall be safe, shall be living, shall be without scourges, without
hunger and thirst, without failing, without loss of our eyes. All this I
said; but what we shall have more, I said not. We shall see God. Now this
will be so great, yea so great a thing will it be, that in comparison of
it, all the rest is nothing. I said that we shall be living, that we shall
be safe and sound, that we shall suffer no hunger and thirst, that we shall
not fall into weariness, that sleep will not oppress us. All this, what is
it to that happiness, whereby we shall see God? Because then God cannot be
now manifested as He is, whom nevertheless we shall see; therefore, "what
eye hath not seen, nor ear heard,"(3) this the good shall see, this shall
the godly see, this the merciful shall see, this shall the faithful see.
this shall they see who shall have a good lot in the resurrection of the
body, for that they have had a good obedience in the resurrection of the
heart.

 12. Shall then the wicked man see God too? of whom Isaiah saith," Let the
ungodly be taken away, that he see not the Glory of God."(4) Both the
ungodly and the godly then shall see that Form; and when the sentence, "Let
the ungodly be taken away that he see not the Glory of God," shall have
been pronounced; it remains that as to the godly and the good, that be
fulfilled which the Lord Himself promised, when He was here in the flesh,
and seen not by the good only, but by the evil also. He spake amongst the
good and evil, and was seen of all, as God, hidden, as Man, manifested; as
God ruling men, as Man appearing among men: He spake, I say, among them,
and said, "Whoso loveth Me, keepeth My commandments; and he that loveth Me,
shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him."(5) And as if it were
said to Him, And what wilt Thou give him? And" I will," He saith," manifest
Myself to him." When did He say this? When He was seen by men. When did He
say this? When He was seen even by them, by whom He was not loved. How then
was He to manifest Himself to them that loved Him, save in Such a Form, as
they who loved Him then saw not? Therefore, seeing that the Form of God was
being reserved, the Form of man manifested; by the Form of man, speaking to
men, Conspicuous and visible, He manifested Him self to all, both good and
bad, He reserved Himself for them that loved Him.

 13. When is He to manifest Himself to them that love Him? After the
resurrection of the body, when "the ungodly shall be taken away that he see
not the Glory of God." For then "when He shall appear, we shall be like
Him; for we shall see Him as He is."(6) This is life eternal. For all that
we said before is nothing to that life. That we live, what is it? That we
are in health, what is it? That we shall see God, is a great thing. This is
life eternal; this Himself hath said, "But this is life eternal, that they
may know Thee the Only True God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent."(7)
This is life eternal, that they may know, see, comprehend, acquaint
themselves with what they had believed, may perceive that which they were
not yet able to comprehend. Then may the mind see what "eye hath not seen,
nor ear heard, neither hath it ascended into the heart of man;" this shall
be said to them at the end, "Come, ye blessed of My Father, receive the
kingdom which hath been prepared for you from the beginning of the
world."(8) Those wicked ones then shall go into everlasting burning. But
the righteous, whither? Into life eternal? What is life eternal? "This is
life eternal, that they may know Thee, the Only True God, and Jesus Christ,
whom Thou hast sent."

 14. Speaking then of the future resurrection of the body, and not leaving
us thus, He saith, "He hath given Him power to execute judgment also,
because He is the Son of Man. Marvel not at this, for the hour shall come."
He did not add in this place, "and now is;" because this hour shall be
hereafter, because this hour shall be at the end of the world, because this
shall be the last hour, shall be at the last trump. "Marvel not at this,"
because I have said, "He hath given Him power to execute judgment also,
because He is the Son of Man. Marvel not." For this reason have I said
this, because it behoves Him as Man to be judged by men. And what men shall
He judge? Those whom He finds alive? Not only those, but what? "The hour
shall come, when they that are in the graves."[1] How did He express those
that are dead in the flesh? "They who are in the graves," whose corpses lie
buried, whose ashes are covered up, whose bones are dispersed, whose flesh
is flesh no more, and yet is entire to God. "The hour shall come, when all
that are in the graves shall hear His Voice, and shall come forth." Be they
good or bad, they shall hear the Voice, and shall come forth. All the bands
of the grave[2] shall be burst asunder; all that was lost, yea rather was
thought to be lost shall be restored. For if God made man who was not, can
He not re-fashion that which was?

 15. I suppose when it is said, "God shall raise the dead again," no
incredible thing is said for it is of God, not of man, that it is said. It
is a great thing which shall be done, yea, an incredible thing that shall
be done. But let it not be incredible, for see, who It is That doeth it. He
it is said shall raise thee, Who created thee. Thou wast not, and thou art;
and once made, shall thou not be? God forbid thou shouldest think so !God
did something more marvellous when He made that which was not; and
nevertheless He did make that which was not; and shall it be disbelieved
that He is able to re-fashion that which was, by those very persons whom He
made what they were not? Is this the return we make to God, we who were
not, and were made? Is this the return we make Him, that we will not
believe that He is able to raise again what He hath made? Is this the
return which His creature renders Him? "Have I therefore," God saith to
thee, "made thee, 0 man, before thou wast, that thou shouldest not believe
Me, that thou shall be what thou wast, who hast been able to be what thou
wast not?" But you will say, "Lo, what I see in the tomb, is dust, ashes,
bones; and shall this receive life again, skin, substance, flesh, and rise
again? what? these ashes, these bones, which I see in the tomb ?" Well. At
least thou seest ashes, thou seest bones in the tomb; in thy mother's womb
there was nothing. This thou seest, ashes at least there are, and bones;
before that thou wast, there was neither ashes, nor bones; and yet thou
wast made, when thou wast not at all; and dost thou not believe that these
bones (for in whatever state, of whatever kind they are, yet they are),
shall receive the form again which they had, when thou hast received what
thou hadst not? Believe; for if thou shalt believe this, then shall thy
soul be raised up. And thy soul shall be raised up "now;" "The hour shall
come, and now is;" then to thy blessing shall thy flesh rise again, "when
the hour shall come, that all that are in the graves shall hear His Voice,
and shall come forth." For thou must not at once rejoice, because thou dost
hear "and come forth;" hear what follows, "They that have done good unto
the resurrection of life; but they that have done evil unto the
resurrection of damnation."[3] Turning to the Lord, etc.

SERMON LXXVIII.

[CXXVIII.. BEN.]

ON THE WORDS OF THE GOSPEL, JOHN V. 31, IF I BEAR WITNESS OF MYSELF," ETC.;
AND ON THE WORDS OF THE APOSTLE, GAL. V. 16, "WALK BY THE SPIRIT, AND YE
SHALL NOT FULFIL THE LUST OF THE FLESH.  FOR THE FLESH LUSTETH," ETC.

 I. We have heard the words of the holy Gospel; and this that the Lord
Jesus saith," If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true,"[4] may
perplex some. How then is not the witness of the Truth true? Is it not
Himself who hath said, "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life "?[5]
Whom then are we to believe, if we must not believe the Truth? For of a
surety he is minded to believe nothing but falsehood, who does not choose
to believe the truth. So then this was spoken on their principles, that you
should understand it thus, and gather this meaning from these words; "If I
bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true," that is, as ye think. For
He knew well that His Own witness of Himself was true; but for the sake of
the weak, and hard of belief, and without understanding, the Sun looked out
for lamps. For their weakness of sight could not bear the dazzling
brightness of the Sun.

 2. Therefore was John sought for to bear witness to the Truth; and ye
have heard what He said; "Ye came unto John; he was a burning and a shining
lamp, and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light."[6] This
lamp was prepared for their confusion, for of this was it said so long time
before in the Psalms, "I have prepared a lamp for Mine Anointed."[7] What
!a lamp for the Sun !"His enemies will I clothe with confusion: but upon
Himself shall my sanctification flourish."[8] And hence they were in a
certain place confounded by means of this very John, when the Jews said to
the Lord, "By what authority doest Thou these things? Tell us." To whom He
answered, "Do ye tell Me too, The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or
of men ?" They heard, and held their peace. For they thought at once with
themselves. "If we shall say, Of men: the people will stone us; for they
hold John as a prophet. If we shall say, From heaven; He will say to us,
Why then have ye not believed him ?"[1] For John bare witness to Christ. So
straitened in their hearts by their own questions, and taken in their own
snares, they answered, "We do not know." What else could the voice of
darkness be? It is right indeed for a man when he does not know, to say, "I
know not." But when he does know, and says, "I know not;" he is a witness
against himself. Now they knew well John's excellency, and that his baptism
was from heaven; but they were unwilling to acquiesce in Him to whom John
bare witness. But when they said, "We do not know;" Jesus answered them.
"Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things." And they
were confounded; and so was fulfilled, "I have prepared a lamp for Mine
Anointed, His enemies will I clothe with confusion."

 3. Are not Martyrs witnesses of Christ, and do they not bear witness to
the truth? But if we think more carefully, when those Martyrs bear witness,
He beareth witness to Himself. For He dwelleth in the Martyrs, that they
may bear witness to the truth. Hear one of the Martyrs, even the Apostle
Paul; "Would ye receive a proof of Christ, who speaketh in Me ?"[2] When
John then beareth witness, Christ, who dwelleth in John, beareth witness to
Himself. Let Peter bear witness, let Paul bear witness, let the rest of the
Apostles bear witness, let Stephen bear witness, it is He who dwelleth in
them all that beareth witness to Himself. For He without them is God, they
without Him, what are they?

 4. Of Him it is said, "He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive,
He gave gifts unto men."[3] What is, "He led captivity captive"? He
conquered death. What is, "He led captivity captive "? The devil was the
author of death, and the devil was himself by the Death of Christ led
captive. "He ascended up on high." What do we know higher than heaven?
Visibly and before the eyes of His disciples He ascended into heaven. This
we know, this we believe, this we confess. "He gave gifts unto men." What
gifts? The Holy Spirit. He who giveth such a Gift, what is He Himself? For
great is God's mercy; He giveth a Gift equal to Himself; for His Gift is
the Holy Spirit, and the Whole Trinity, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, is
One God. What hath the Holy Spirit brought us? Hear the Apostle; "The love
of God," saith he, "hath been shed abroad in our hearts."[4] Whence, thou
beggar, hath the love of God been shed abroad in thine heart? How, or
wherein hath the love of God been shed abroad in the heart of man? "We
have," saith he, "this treasure in earthen vessels." Why in earthen
vessels? "That the excellency of tim power may be of God?"[5]

Finally, when he had said, "The love of God hath been shed abroad in our
hearts;" that no man might think that he hath this love of God of himself,
he added immediately, "By the Holy Spirit, who hath been given to us."
Therefore, that thou mayest love God, let God dwell in thee, and love
Himself in thee, that is, to His love let Him move thee, enkindle,
enlighten, arouse thee.

5. For in this body of ours there is a struggle; as long as we live, we
are in combat; as long as we are in combat, we are in peril; but, "in all
these things we are conquerors through Him who loved us."[6] Our combat ye
heard of just now when the Apostle was being read. "All the law," saith he,
"is fulfilled in one word, even in this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as
thyself."[7] This love is from the Holy Spirit. "Thou shalt love thy
neighbour as thyself." First see, if thou knowest yet how to love thyself;
and then will I commit to thee the neighbour whom thou art to love as
thyself. But if thou dost not yet know how to love thyself; I fear lest
thou shouldest deceive thy neighbour as thyself. For if thou lovest
iniquity, thou dost not love thyself. The Psalm is witness; "But whoso
loveth iniquity, hateth his own soul."[8] Now if thou hate thine own soul,
what doth it profit thee that thou dost love thy flesh? If thou hate thine
own soul and lovest thy flesh, thy flesh shall rise again; but only that
thy soul may be tormented. Therefore the soul must first be loved, which is
to he subdued unto God, that this service may maintain its due order, the
soul to God, the flesh to the soul. Wouldest thou that thy flesh should
serve thy soul? Let thy soul serve God. Thou oughtest to be ruled, that
thou mayest be able to rule. For so perilous is this struggle, that if thy
Ruler forsake thee, ruin must ensue.

 6. What struggle? "But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that
ye be not consumed one of another. But I say, Walk in the Spirit."[9] I am
quoting the words of the Apostle, which have been just read out of his
Epistle. "But I say, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lusts
of the flesh." "But I say, Walk in the Spirit, and the lusts of the flesh,"
he did not say, "Ye shall not have;" nor did he say, "Ye shall not do;"
but, "Ye shall not fulfil." Now what this is, with the Lord's assistance, I
will declare as I shall be able; give attention, that ye may understand, if
ye are walking in the Spirit. "But I say, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall
not fulfil the lusts of the flesh." Let him follow on; if haply anything,
as this which is here obscure, may be understood more easily by the sequel
of his words. For I said, that it was not without a meaning that the
Apostle would not say, "Ye shall not have the lusts of the flesh;" nor
again would even say," Ye shall not do the lusts of the flesh;" but said,
"Ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh." He hath set forth this
struggle before us. In this battle are we occupied, if we are in[1] God's
service. What then follows? "For the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and
the spirit against the flesh. For these are contrary the one to the other,
so that ye do not the things that ye would."[2] This, if it be not
understood, is with exceeding peril heard. And therefore anxious as I am
lest men by an evil interpretation should perish, I have undertaken with
the Lord's assistance to explain these words to your affection. We have
leisure enough, we have begun early in the morning, the hour of dinner does
not press; on this day, the sabbath that is, they that hunger after the
word of God are wont especially to meet together. Hear and attend, I will
speak with what carefulness I can.

 7. What then is that which I said, "Is heard with peril if it be not
understood "? Many overcome by carnal and damnable lusts, commit all sorts
of crimes and impurities, and wallow in such abominable uncleanness, as it
is a shame even to mention; and say to themselves these words of the
Apostle. See what the Apostle has said, "So that we cannot do the things
that ye would."[2] I would not do them, I am forced, I am compelled, I am
overcome, "I do the things that I would not,"[3] as the Apostle says. "The
flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, so that
ye cannot do the things that ye would." You see with what peril this is
heard, if it be not understood. You see how it concerns the pastor's
office, to open the closed fountains, and to minister to the thirsty sheep
the pure, harmless water.

 8. Be not willing then to be overcome when thou tightest. See what kind
of war, what kind of battle, what kind of strife he hath set forth, within,
within thine own self. "The flesh lusteth against the Spirit." If the
Spirit lust not also against the flesh, commit adultery. But if the Spirit
lust against the flesh, I see a struggle, I do not see a victory, it is a
contest. "The flesh lusteth against the Spirit." Adultery has its pleasure.
I confess that it has its pleasure. But, "The Spirit lusteth against the
flesh:" Chastity too has its pleasure. Therefore let the Spirit overcome
the flesh; or by all means not be overcome by the flesh. Adultery seeks the
darkness, chastity desires the light. As thou wouldest wish to appear to
others, so live; as thou wouldest wish to appear to men, even when beyond
the eyes of men so live; for He who made thee, even in the darkness seeth
thee. Why is chastity praised publicly by all? Why do not even adulterers
praise adultery? "Whoso" then "seeketh the truth, cometh to the light."[4]
But adultery has its pleasure. Be it contradicted, resisted, opposed. For
it is not so that thou hast nothing wherewith to fight. Thy God is in thee,
the good Spirit hath been given to thee. And notwithstanding this flesh of
ours is permitted to lust against the spirit by evil suggestions and real s
delights. Be that secured which the Apostle saith, "Let not sin reign in
your mortal body"[6] He did not say, "Let it not be there." It is there
already. And this is called sin, because it has befallen us through the
wages[7] of sin. For in Paradise the flesh did not lust against the spirit,
nor was there this struggle there, where was peace only; but after the
transgression, after that man was loth to serve God and was given up to
himself; yet not so given up to himself as that he could so much as possess
himself; but possessed by him, by whom deceived; the flesh began to lust
against the Spirit. Now it is in the good that it lusteth against the
Spirit; for in the bad it has nothing to lust against. For there doth it
lust against the Spirit, where the Spirit is.

 9. For when he says, "The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the
Spirit against the flesh;" do not suppose that so much hath been attributed
to the spirit of man. It is the Spirit of God who fighteth in thee against
thyself, against that which in thee is against thee. For thou wouldest not
stand to Godward; thou didst fall, wast broken; as a vessel when it falls
from a man's hand to the ground, wast thou broken. And because thou wast
broken, therefore art thou turned against thyself; therefore art thou
contrary to thine own self. Let there be nought in thee contrary to
thyself, and thou shalt stand in thine integrity. For that thou mayest know
that this office appertaineth to the Holy Spirit; the Apostle saith in
another place," For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die; but if ye
through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the flesh, ye shall live."[8]
From these words man was at once uplifting himself, as though by his own
spirit he were able to mortify the deeds of the flesh. "If ye live after
the flesh, ye shall die; but if through the Spirit ye do mortify the deeds
of the flesh, ye shall live." Explain to us, Apostle, through what spirit?
For man also hath a spirit appertaining to his proper nature, whereby he is
man. For man consists of body and spirit. And of this spirit of man it is
said, "No man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is
in him."[9] I see then that man himself hath his own spirit appertaining to
his proper nature, and I hear thee saying, "But if through the Spirit ye do
mortify the deeds of the flesh, ye shall live." I ask, through what spirit;
my own, or God's? For I hear thy words, and am still perplexed by this
ambiguity. For when the word "spirit" is used, it is used sometimes of the
spirit of a man, and of cattle, as it is written, that "all flesh which had
in itself the spirit of life, died by the flood."[1] And so the word spirit
is spoken of cattle, and spoken of man too. Sometimes even the wind is
called spirit; as it is in the Psalm, "Fire, hail, snow, frost, the spirit
of the tempest."[2] For as much then as the word "spirit" is used in many
ways, by what spirit, O Apostle, hast thou said that the deeds of the flesh
are to be mortified; by mine own, or by the Spirit of God? Hear what
follows, and understand. The difficulty is removed by the following words.
For when he had said, "But if through the Spirit ye mortify the deeds of
the flesh, ye shall live;"[3] he added immediately, "For as many as are
acted[4] upon by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." Thou dost
act, if thou art acted upon, and actest well, if thou art acted upon by the
Good. So then when he said to thee," If through the Spirit ye mortify the
deeds of the flesh, ye shall live;" and it was doubtful with thee of what
spirit he had spoken, in the words following understand the Master,
acknowledge the Redeemer. For That Redeemer hath given thee the Spirit
Whereby thou mayest mortify the deeds of the flesh. "For as many as are
acted upon by the Spirit of Cool, they are the sons of God."  They are not
the sons of God if they are not acted upon by the Spirit of God. But if
they are acted upon by the Spirit of God, they fight; because they have a
mighty Helper. For God doth not look on at our combattings as the people do
at the gladiators.[5] The people may favour the gladiator, help him they
cannot when he is in peril.

 10. So then here to; "The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the
Spirit against the flesh." And what means, "So that ye cannot do the things
that ye would "? For here is the peril with one who understands it amiss.
Be it now my office to explain it, howsoever incompetent. "So that ye
cannot do the things that ye would." Attend, ye holy ones, whosoever ye are
that are fighting. To them that are battling do I speak. They who are
fighting, understand; he that is not fighting, understands me not. Yea, he
that is fighting, I will not say understands me, but anticipates me. What
is the chaste man's wish? That no lust should rise up in his members at all
opposed to chastity. He wisheth for peace, but as yet he hath it not. For
when we shall have come to that state, where there shall rise up no lust at
all to be opposed, there will be no enemy for us to struggle with; nor is
victory a matter for expectation there, for that there is triumphing over
the now vanquished foe. Hear of this victory, in the Apostle's own words;
"This corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on
immortality. Now when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and
this mortal shall have put on immortality; then shall be brought to pass
the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory." Hear the
voices of them that triumph; "O death, where is thy contention? O death,
where is thy sting?"[6] Thou hast smitten, thou hast wounded, thou hast
thrown down; but He hath been wounded for me who made me. O death, death,
He who made me hath been wounded for me, and by His Death hath overcome
thee. And then in triumph shall they say, "O death, where is thy
contention? O death, where is thy sting ?"

 11. But now, when "the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit
against the flesh," is the contention of death; we do not what we would.
Why? Because we would that there should be no lusts, but we cannot hinder
it. Whether we will or not, we have them; whether we will or not, they
solicit? they allure, they sting, they disturb us, they will be rising.
They are repressed, not yet extinguished. How long does the flesh lust
against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh? Will it be so, even
when the man is dead? God forbid! Thou puttest off the flesh, how then
shall thou draw the lusts of the flesh along with thee? Nay, if thou hast
fought well, thou shall be received into rest. And from this rest, thou
passest to be crowned, not condemned; that thou mayest after it be brought
to the Kingdom. As long then as we live here, my brethren, so it is; so is
it with us even who have grown old in this warfare, less mighty enemies it
is true we have, but yet we have them. Our enemies are in a measure wearied
out even now by age; but nevertheless, wearied though they be, they do not
cease to harass by such excitements as they can the quiet of old age.
Sharper is the fight of the young; we know it well, we have passed through
it: "The flesh" then "lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against
the flesh; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would." For what would
ye, O holy men, and good warriors, and brave soldiers of Christ? what would
ye? That there should be no evil lusts at all. But ye cannot help it.
Sustain[8] the war, hope for triumph. For now in the meanwhile ye must
fight. "The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the
flesh; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would;" that is, that there
should be no lusts of the flesh at all.

 12. But do what ye are able; what the Apostle himself says in another
place, which I had already begun to repeat; "Let not sin reign in your
mortal body, to obey the desires thereof."[1] Lo, what I would not; evil
desires arise; but obey them not. Arm thyself, assume the weapons of war.
The precepts of God are thy arms. If thou listen to me as thou shouldest,
thou art armed even by that which I am speaking. "' Let not sin,' he says,
'reign in your mortal body.' For as long as ye bear a mortal body, sin doth
fight against you; but let it not reign." What is, "Let it not reign "?
That is, "to obey the desires thereof." If ye begin to obey, it reigns. And
what is it to obey, but to "yield your members as instruments of iniquity
unto sin"? Nothing more excellent than this teacher. What wouldest thou
that I should yet explain to thee? Do what thou hast heard. Yield not thy
members instruments of iniquity unto sin. God hath given thee power by His
Spirit to restrain thy members. Lust riseth up, restrain thy members; what
can it do now that it hath risen? Restrain thou thy members; yield not thy
members instruments of iniquity unto sin; arm not thine adversary against
thyself. Restrain thy feet, that they go not after unlawful things. Lust
hath risen up, restrain thy members; restrain thine hands from all
wickedness; restrain the eyes, that they wander not astray; restrain the
ears, that they hear not the words of lust with pleasure; restrain the
whole body, restrain the sides, restrain its highest and lowest parts. What
can lust do? How to rise up, it knoweth. How to conquer, it knoweth not. By
rising up constantly without effect, it learns not even to rise.

 13. Let us then return to the words, which I had set forth out of the
Apostle as obscure, and we shall now see them to be plain. For this I had
set forth, that the Apostle did not say, "Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall
not have the lusts of the flesh;" because we must necessarily have them.
Why then did he not say, "Ye shall not do the lusts of the flesh "? Because
we do them; for we do lust. The very lusting, is doing. But the Apostle
says, "Now it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me."[2]
What then hast thou to beware of? This doubtless, that thou fulfil them
not. A damnable lust hath risen up, it hath risen, made its suggestion; let
it not be heard. It burneth, and is not quieted, and thou wouldest that it
should not burn. Where then is, "So that ye cannot do the things that ye
would "? Do not give it thy members. Let it burn without effect, and it
will spend itself. In thee then these lusts are done. It must be confessed,
they are done. And therefore he said, "Ye shall not fulfil." Let them not
then be fulfilled. Thou hast determined to do, thou hast fulfilled. For
thou hast fulfilled it, if thou determinest upon committing adultery, and
dost not commit it, because no place hath been found, because no
opportunity is given, because, it may be, she for whom thou seemest to be
disturbed is chaste; lo, now she is chaste, and thou art an adulterer. Why?
Because thou hast fulfilled lusts. What is, "hast fulfilled "? Hast
determined in thy mind upon committing adultery. If now, which God forbid,
thy members too have wrought, thou hast fallen down headlong into death.

 14. Christ raised up the daughter of the ruler of the synagogue who was
dead in the house.[3] She was in the house, she had not yet been carried
out. So is the man who hath determined on some wickedness in his heart; he
is dead, but he lies within. But if he has come as far as to the action of
the members, he has been carried out of the house. But the Lord raised also
the young man, the widow's son, when he was being carried out dead beyond
the gate of the city.[4] So then I venture to say, Thou hast determined in
thine heart, if thou call thyself back from thy deed, thou wilt be cured
before thou put it into action. For if thou repent in thine heart, that
thou hast determined on some bad and wicked and abominable and damnable
thing; there where thou wast lying dead, within, so within hast thou
arisen. But if thou have fulfilled, now hast thou been carried out; but
thou hast One to say to thee, "Young than, I say unto thee, Arise." Even
though thou have perpetrated it, repent thee, return at once, come not to
the sepulchre. But even here I find a third one dead, who was brought even
to the sepulchre. He has now upon him the weight of habit, a mass of earth
presses him down exceedingly. For he has been practised much in unclean
deeds, and is weighed down exceedingly by his immoderate[5] habit. Here too
Christ crieth, "Lazarus, come forth."[6] For a man of very evil habit "now
stinketh." With good reason did Christ in that case cry out; and not cry
out only, but with a loud Voice cried out. For at Christ's Cry even such as
these, dead though they be, buried though they be, stinking though they be,
yet even these shall rise again, they shall rise again. For of none that
lieth dead need we despair under such a Raiser up. Turn we to the Lord,
etc.

SERMON LXXIX.

[CXXIX.. BEN.]

ON THE WORDS OF THE GOSPEL, JOHN V. 39, " YE SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES, BECAUSE
YE THINK THAT IN THEM YE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE," ETC. AGAINST THE DONATISTS.

 I. Give heed, Beloved, to the lesson of the Gospel which has just sounded
in our ears, whilst I speak a few words as God shall vouchsafe to me. The
Lord Jesus was speaking to the Jews, and said to them, "Search the
Scriptures, in which ye think ye have eternal life, they testify of me."'
Then a little after He said, "I am come in My Father's Name, and ye have
not received Me; if another shall come in his own name, him ye will
receive."[2] Then a little after; "How can ye believe, who look for glory
one from another, and seek not the glory which is of God only? "[3] At last
He saith, "I do not accuse you to the Father; there is one that accuseth
you, Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would haply
believe Me also, for he wrote of Me. But seeing ye believe not his words,
how can ye believe Me? "[4] At these sayings which have been set before us
from divines inspiration, out of the reader's mouth, but by the Saviour's
ministry, give ear to a few words, not to be estimated by their number, but
to be duly weighed.

 2. For all these things it is easy to understand as touching the Jews.
But we must beware, lest, when we give too much attention to them, we
withdraw our eyes from ourselves. For the Lord was speaking to His
disciples; and assuredly what He spake to them, He spake to us too their
posterity. Nor to them only does what He said, "Lo, I am with you alway
even unto the end of the world,"[6] apply, but even to all Christians that
should be after them, and succeed them even unto the end of the world.
Speaking then to them He said, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees."[7]
They at that the, thought that the Lord had said this, because they had
brought no breach; they did not understand that "Beware of the leaven of
the Pharisees" meant, "beware of the doctrine of the Pharisees." What was
the doctrine of the Pharisees, but that which ye have now heard? "Seeking
glory one of another, looking for glory one from another, and not seeking
the glory which is of God only." Of these the Apostle Paul thus speaks; "I
bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to
knowledge "[8] "They have," he says, "a zeal of God;" I know it, I am sure
of it; I was once among them, I was such as they. "They have," he says, "a
zeal of God, but not according to knowledge." What is this, O Apostle, "not
according to knowledge "? Explain to us what the knowledge is thou dost set
forth, which thou dost grieve is not in them, and wouldest should be in us?
He went on and subjoined and developed what he had set forth closed. What
is, "They have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge? For they
being ignorant of God's righteousness, and wishing to establish their own,
have not submitted themselves into the righteousness of God."[9] To be
ignorant then of God's righteousness, and to wish to establish one's own,
this is to "look for glory one from another, and not to seek the glory
which is of God only." This is the leaven of the Pharisees. Of this the
Lord bids beware. If it is servants that He bids, and the Lord that bids,
let us beware; lest we hear, "Why say ye to Me, Lord, Lord, and do not the
things which I say ?[10]

 3. Let us then leave a while the Jews to whom the Lord was then speaking.
They are without, they will not listen to us, they hate the Gospel itself,
they procured false witness against the Lord, that they might condemn Him
when alive; other witness they bought with money against Him when dead.
When we say to them, "Believe on Jesus," they answer us, "Are we to believe
on a dead man ?" But when we add, "But He rose again;" they answer,
"Not[11] at all;" His disciples stole Him away from the sepulchre. The
Jewish buyers love falsehood and despise the truth of the Lord, the
Redeemer. What thou art saying, O Jew, thy parents bought for money; and
this which they bought hath continued in thee. Give heed rather to Him That
bought thee, not to him who bought a lie for thee.

 4. But as I have said, let us leave these, and attend rather to these our
brethren, with whom we have to do. For Christ is the Head of the Body. The
Head is in Heaven, the Body is on earth; the Head is the Lord, the Body His
Church. But ye remember it is said, "They shall be two in one flesh." "This
is a great mystery,"[12] says the Apostle, "but I speak in Christ and in
the Church."[13] If then they are two in one flesh, they are two in one
voice. Our Head the Lord Christ spake to the Jews these things which we
heard, when the Gospel was being read, The Head to His enemies; let the
Body too, that is, the Church, speak to its enemies. Ye know to whom it
should speak. What has it to say? It is not of myself that I have said,
that the voice is one; because the flesh is one, the voice is one. Let us
then say this to them; I am speaking with the voice of the Church. "O
Brethren, dispersed children, wandering sheep, branches cut off, why do ye
calumniate me? Why do ye not acknowledge me? "Search the Scriptures, in
which ye think ye have eternal life, they testify of me;" to the Jews our
Head saith, what the Body saith to you; "Ye shall seek me, and shall not
find me."[1] Why? Because ye do not "search the Scriptures, which testify
of me."

 5. A testimony for the Head; "To Abraham and his seed were the promises
made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many, but as of one, And to thy
seed, which is Christ."[2] A testimony for the body unto Abraham, which the
Apostle hath brought forward. "To Abraham were the promises made. As I
live, saith the Lord, I swear by Myself, because thou hast obeyed My Voice,
and hast not spared thine own beloved son for Me, that in blessing I will
bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of
heaven, and as the sand of the sea, and in thy seed shall all nations of
the earth be blessed."[3] Thou hast here a testimony for the Head, and one
for the Body. Hear another, short, and almost in one sentence including a
testimony for the Head and for the Body. The Psalm was speaking of the
Resurrection of Christ; " Be Thou exalted, O God, above the heavens."[4]
And immediately for the Body; "And Thy glory above all the earth." Hear a
testimony for the Head; "They digged My Hands and My Feet, they numbered
all My Bones; and they looked and stared upon Me; they divided My garments
among them, and cast lots upon My vesture."[5] Hear immediately a testimony
for the Body, a few words alter, "All the ends of the world shall remember
themselves and be turned unto the Lord, and all the kindreds of the nations
shall worship in His sight; for the kingdom is the Lord's, and He shall
have dominion over the nations."[6] Hear for the Head; And "He is as a
bridegroom coming forth out of His bride-chamber."[7] And in this same
Psalm hear for the Body; "Their sound went out into all the earth, and
their words unto the ends of the world."[8]

 6. These passages are for the Jews, and for these of our own brethren.
Why so? Because these Scriptures of the Old Testament both the Jews
receive, and these our brethren receive. But Christ Himself, whom the
others do not receive, let us see if these last receive. Let Him speak
Himself, speak both for Himself who is the Head, and for His Body which is
the Church; for so in us the head speaks for the body. Hear for the Head;
He was risen from the dead, He found the disciples hesitating, doubting,
not believing for joy; He "opened their understanding that they might
understand the Scriptures, and said to them, Thus it is written, and thus
it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise again from the dead the third
day." Thus for the Head; let Him speak for the Body too; "And that
repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His Name throughout
all nations. beginning at Jerusalem."[9] Let the Church then speak to her
enemies, let her speak. She does speak clearly, she is not silent: only let
them give ear. Brethren, ye have heard the testimonies, now acknowledge me.
"Search the Scriptures, in which ye hope ye have eternal life: they testify
of me." What I have said is not of mine own, but of my Lord's; and
notwithstanding, ye still turn away, still turn your backs. "How can ye
believe me, who look for glory one from another, and seek not the glory
which is of God only? For being ignorant of God's righteousness, ye have a
zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For being ignorant of God's
righteousness, and wishing to establish your own, ye have not submitted
yourselves to the righteousness of God."[10] What else is it to be ignorant
of God's righteousness, and to wish to establish your own, but to say," It
is I who sanctify, it is I who justify; what I may have given is holy "?
Leave to God what is God's; recognise, O man, what is man's. Thou art
ignorant of God's righteousness, and wishest to establish thine own. Tho
dost wish to justify me; it is enough for thee that thou be justified with
me.

 7. It is said of Antichrist, and all understand of him what the Lord
said, "I am come in My Father's Name, and ye have not received Me; if
another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive."[11] But let us
hear John too; "Ye have heard that Antichrist cometh, and even now are
there many Antichrists."[12] What is it in Antichrist that we are in horror
of, but that he is to honour his own name, and to despise the Name of the
Lord? What else doeth he that saith, "It is I that justify "? We answer
him, "I came to Christ, not with my feet, but with my heart I came; where I
heard the Gospel, there did I believe, there was I baptized; because I
believed on Christ, I believed on God." Yet says he, "Thou art not clean."
"Why?" "Because I was not there." "'Fell me why am not I cleansed, a man
who was baptized in Jerusalem, who was baptized, for instance, among the
Ephesians, to whom an Epistle you read was written, and whose peace you
despise? Lo, to the Ephesians the Apostle wrote; a Church was rounded, and
remains even to this day; yea, remains in greater fruitfulness, remains in
greater numbers, holds fast that which it received of the Apostle, ' If any
man preach ought to you than that ye have received, let him be
accursed.'[1] What now? what dost thou say to me? Am I not clean? There was
I baptized, am I not clean?" "No, even thou art not." "Why?" "Because I was
not there." "But He who is everywhere was there. He who is everywhere was
there, in whose Name I believed. Thou coming I know not whence, yea, rather
not coming, but wishing that I should come to thee, fixed in this place,
sayest to me, ' Thou wast not baptized duly, seeing I was not there.'
Consider who was there. What was said to John? ' Upon whom thou shall see
the Spirit descending like a dove, this is He which baptizeth.'[2] Him hast
thou seeking for thee; nay, for that thou hast grudged me who was baptized
by Him, thou hast lost Him rather."

 8. Understand then, my Brethren, our language and theirs, and look which
ye would choose. This is what we say; "Be we holy, God knoweth it; be we
unrighteous, this again He knoweth better; place not your hope in us,
whatsoever we be. If we be good, do as is written, ' Be ye imitators of me,
as I also am of Christ.'[3] But if we be bad, not even thus are ye
abandoned, not even thus have ye remained without counsel: give ear to Him,
saying, ' Do what they say; but do not what they do.'"[4] Whereas they on
the contrary say, "If we were not good, ye were lost." Lo, here is "another
that shall come in his own name." Shall my life then depend on thee, and my
salvation be tied up in thee? Have I so forgotten my foundation? Was not
Christ the Rock? s Is it not that he that buildeth upon the rock, neither
the wind nor the floods overthrow him?[6] Come then, if thou wilt, with me
upon the Rock, and do not wish to be to me for the rock.

 9. Let the Church then say those last words also, "If ye had believed
Moses, ye would believe me also; for he wrote of me;"[7] for that I am His
body of whom he wrote. And of the Church did Moses write. For I have quoted
the words of Moses "In thy seed shall all nations of the earth be
blessed."[8] Moses wrote this in the first book. If ye believed Moses, ye
would also believe Christ. Because ye despise Moses' words, it must needs
be that ye despise the words of Christ. "They have" there, saith He, "Moses
and the Prophets, let them hear them. Nay, father Abraham, but if one went
unto them from the dead," him they will hear. "And He said, If they hear
not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they believe, if one rise again
from the dead."[9] This was said of the Jews: was it therefore not said of
heretics? He had risen from the dead, who said, "It behoved Christ to
suffer, and to rise again from the dead the third day." This I believe. I
believe it, he says. Dost thou believe? Wherefore believest thou not what
follows? In that thou believest, "It behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise
again from the dead the third day;" this was spoken of the Head; believe
also that which follows concerning the Church, "That repentance and
remission of sins should be preached throughout all nations."[10] Wherefore
dost thou believe as touching the Head, and believest not as touching the
Body? What hath the Church done to thee, that thou wouldest so to say
behead her? Thou wouldest take away the Church's Head, and believe the
Head, leave the Body as it were a lifeless trunk. It is all to no purpose
that thou dost caress the Head, like any devoted servant. He that would
take off the head, doth his best to kill both the head and the body. They
are ashamed to deny Christ, yet are they not ashamed to deny Christ's
words. Christ neither we nor ye have seen with our eyes. The Jews saw, and
slew Him. We have not seen Him, and believe; His words are with us. Compare
yourselves with the Jews: they despised Him hanging upon the Tree, ye
despise Him sitting in heaven; at their suggestion Christ's title was
set[11] up, by your setting[12] yourselves up, Christ's Baptism is effaced.
But what remains, Brethren, but that we pray even for the proud, that we
pray even for the puffed up, who so extol themselves? Let us say to God on
their behalf, "Let them know that the Lord is Thy Name; and" not "that"
men, but "Thou Only art the Most High over all the earth."[13] Let us turn
to the Lord, etc.

SERMON LXXX.

[CXXX. BEN.]

ON THE WORDS OF THE GOSPEL, JOHN VI. 9, WHERE THE MIRACLE OF THE FIVE
LOAVES AND THE TWO FISHES IS RELATED.

 1. It was a great miracle that was wrought, dearly beloved, for five
thousand men to be filled with five loaves and two fishes, and the remnants
of the fragments to fill twelve baskets. A great miracle: but we shall not
wonder much at what was done, if we give heed to Him That did it. He
multiplied the five loaves in the hands of them that brake them, who
multiplieth the seeds that grow in the earth, so as that a few grains are
sown, and whole barns are filled. But, because he doth this every year, no
one marvels. Not the inconsiderableness [14] of what is done, but its
constancy takes away admiration of it. But when the Lord did these things,
He spake to them that had understanding, not by words only, but even by the
miracles themselves. The five loaves signified the five books of Moses'
Law. The old Law is barley compared to the Gospel wheat. In those books are
great mysteries concerning Christ contained. Whence He saith Himself, "If
ye had believed Moses, ye would believe Me also; for he wrote of Me. "[1]
But as in barley the marrow is hid under the chaff, so in the veil of the
mysteries of the Law is Christ hidden. As those mysteries of the Law are
developed and unfolded; so too those loaves increased when they were
broken. And in this that I have explained to you, I have broken bread unto
you. The five thousand men signify the people ordered under the five books
of the Law. The twelve baskets are the twelve Apostles, who themselves too
were filled with the fragments of the Law. The two fishes are either the
two precepts of the love of God and our neighbour, or the two people of the
circumcision and uncircumcision, or those two sacred personages of the king
and the priest. As these things are explained, they are broken; when they
are understood, they are eaten.

 2. Let us turn to Him who did these things. He is Himself "The Bread
which came down from heaven;"[12] but Bread which refresheth the failing,
and doth not fail; Bread which can be tasted,[3] cannot be wasted. This
Bread did the manna also figure. Wherefore it is said, "He gave them the
Bread of heaven, man ate Angels' Bread."[4] Who is the Bread of heaven, but
Christ? But in order that man might eat Angels' Bread, the Lord of Angels
was made Man. For if He had not been made Man, we should not have His
Flesh; if we had not His Flesh, we should not eat the Bread of the Altar.
Let us hasten to the inheritance, seeing we have hereby received a great
earnest of it. My brethren, let us long for the life of Christ, seeing we
hold as an earnest the Death of Christ. How shall He not give us His good
things, who hath suffered our evil things? In this our earth, in this evil
world, what abounds, but to be born, to labour, and to die? Examine
thoroughly man's estate, convict me if I lie: consider all men whether they
are in this world for any other end than to be born, to labour, and to die?
This is the merchandize of our country: these things here abound. To such
merchandize did that Merchantman descend. And forasmuch as every merchant
gives and receives; gives what he has, and receives what he has not; when
he procures anything, he gives money, and receives what he buys: so Christ
too in this His traffic gave and received. But what received He? That which
aboundeth here, to be born, to labour, and to die, And what did He give? To
be born again, to rise again, and to reign for ever. O Good Merchant, buy
us. Why should I say buy us, when we ought to give Thee thanks that Thou
hast bought us? Thou dost deal out our Price to us, we drink Thy Blood; so
dost thou deal out to us our Price. And we read the Gospel, our title[5]
deed. We are Thy servants, we are Thy creatures: Thou hast made us, Thou
hast redeemed us. Any one can buy his servant, create him he cannot; but
the Lord hath both created and redeemed His servants; created them, that
they might be; redeemed them, that they might not be captives ever. For we
fell into the hands of the prince of this world, who seduced Adam, and made
him his servant, and began to possess us as his slaves. But the Redeemer
came, and the seducer was overcome. And what did our Redeemer to him who
held us captive? For our ransom he held out His Cross as a trap; he placed
in It as a bait His Blood. He indeed had power to shed His Blood, he did
not attain[6] to drink it. And in that he shed the Blood of Him who was no
debtor, he was commanded to render up the debtors; he shed the Blood of the
Innocent, he was commanded to withdraw from the guilty. He verily shed His
Blood to this end, that He might wipe out our sins. That then whereby he
held us fast was effaced by the Redeemer's Blood. For he only held us fast
by the bonds of our own sins. They were the captive's chains. He came, He
bound the strong one with the bonds of His Passion; He entered into his
house? into the hearts, that is, of those where he did dwell, and took away
his vessels. We are his vessels. He had filled then with his own
bitterness. This bitterness too he pledged to our Redeemer in the gall. He
had filled us then as his vessels; but our Lord spoiling his vessels, and
making them His Own, poured out the bitterness, filled them with sweetness.

 3. Let us then love Him, for He is sweet. "Taste and see that the Lord is
sweet."[8] He is to be feared, but to be loved still more. He is Man and
God; the One Christ is Man and God; as one man is soul and body: but God
and Man are not two Persons. In Christ indeed there are two substances, God
and Man; but one Person, that the Trinity may remain, and that there be not
a quaternity introduced by the addition of the human[9] nature. How then
can it be that God should not have mercy upon us, for whose sake God was
made Man? Much is that which He hath done already; more wonderful is that
which He hath done, than what He hath promised; and by that which He hath
done, ought we to believe what He hath promised. For that which He hath
done, we should scarcely believe, unless we also saw it. Where do we see
it? In the peoples that believe, in the multitude that has been brought
unto Him. For that hath been fulfilled which was promised to Abraham;' and
from these things which we see, we believe what we do not see. Abraham was
one single man, and to him was it said, "In thy seed shall all nations be
blessed." If he had looked to himself, when would he have believed? He was
one single man, and was now old; and he had a barren wife, and one who was
so far advanced in age, that she could not conceive, even though she had
not been barren. There was nothing at all from which any hope could be
drawn. But he looked to Him That gave the promise, and believed what he did
not see. Lo, what he believed, we see. Therefore from these things which we
see, we ought to believe what we see not. He begat Isaac, we saw it not;
and Isaac begat Jacob, and this we did not see; and Jacob begat twelve
sons, and them we saw not; and his twelve sons begat the people of Israel;
this great people we see. I have now begun to mention those things which we
do see. Of the people of Israel was born the Virgin Mary, and she gave
birth to Christ; and, lo, in Christ all nations are blessed. What more
true? more certain? more plain? Together with me, long after the world to
come, ye who have been gathered together out of the nations. In this world
hath God fulfilled His promise concerning the seed of Abraham. How shall He
not give us His eternal promises, whom He hath made to be Abraham's seed?
For this the Apostle saith: "But if ye be Christ's" (they are the Apostle's
words), "then are ye Abraham's seed."[2]

 4. We have begun to be some great thing; let no man despise himself: we
were once nothing; but we are something. We have said unto the Lord,
"Remember that we are dust; "[3] but out of the dust He made man, and to
dust He gave life, and in Christ our Lord hath He already brought this same
dust to the Kingdom of Heaven. For from this dust took He flesh, from this
took earth, and hath raised earth to heaven, He who made heaven and earth.
If then these two new things, not yet done, were set before us, and it were
asked of us, "Which is the most wonderful, that He who is God should be
made  Man, or he who is man should be made a man of God? which is the more
wonderful? which the more difficult ?" What hath Christ promised us? That
which as yet we see not; that is, that we should be His men, and reign with
Him, and never die? This is so to say with difficulty believed, that a man
once born should arrive at that life, where he shall never die. This is
what we believe with a heart well cleansed,[4] cleansed, I mean, of the
world's dust; that this dust close not up our eye of faith. This it is that
we are bid believe, that after we have been dead, we shall be even with our
dead bodies in life, where we shall never die. Wonderful it is; but more
wonderful is that which Christ hath done. For which is the more incredible,
that man should live for ever, or that God should ever die? That men should
receive life from God is the more credible; that God should receive death
from men I suppose is the more incredible. Yet this hath been brought to
pass already: let us then believe that which is to be. If that which is the
more incredible hath been brought to pass, shall He not give us that which
is the more credible? For God hath power to make of men Angels, who hath
made of earthy and filthy spawn,[5] then. What shall we be? Angels. What
have we been? I am ashamed to call it to mind; I am forced to consider it,
yet I blush to tell it. What have we been? Whence did God make men? What
were we before we were at all? We were nothing. When we were in our
mother's wombs, what were we? It is enough that ye remember. Withdraw your
minds froth the whence ye were made, and think of what ye are. Ye live; but
so do herbs and trees live. Ye have sensation, and so have cattle
sensation. Ye are men, ye have got beyond the cattle, ye are superior to
the cattle; for that ye understand how great things He hath done for you.
Ye have life, ye have sensation, ye have understanding, ye are men. Now to
this benefit what can be compared? Ye are Christians. For if we had not
received this, what would it profit us, that we were men !So then we are
Christians, we belong to Christ. For all the world's rage, it doth not
break us; because we belong to Christ. For all the world's caresses, it
doth not seduce us; we belong to Christ.

 5. A great Patron have we found, Brethren. Ye know that men depend[6]
much upon their patrons. A dependent of a man in power will make answer to
any one who threatens him. "Thou canst do nothing to me, as long as my
lord's head is safe." How much more boldly and surely may we say, "Thou
canst do nothing to us, whilst our Head is safe." Forasmuch as our Patron
is our Head. Whosoever depend upon any man as patron, are his dependents;
we are the members of our Patron. Let Him bear us in Himself, and let no
man tear us away from Him. Since what labours soever we shall have endured
in this world, all that passeth away, is nothing. The good things shall
come which shall not pass away; by labours we arrive at them. But when we
have arrived, no one teareth us away from them. The gates of Jerusalem are
shut; they receive the bolts too, that to that city it may be said, "Praise
the Lord, O Jerusalem, praise thy God, O Sion. For He hath strengthened the
bolts of thy gates; He hath blessed thy children within thee. Who hath made
thy borders peace."[1] When the gates are shut, and the bolts drawn, no
friend goeth out, no enemy entereth in. There shall we have true and
assured security, if here we shall not have abandoned the truth.


Taken from "The Early Church Fathers and Other Works" originally published
by Wm. B. Eerdmans Pub. Co. in English in Edinburgh, Scotland, beginning in
1867. (LNPF I/VI, Schaff). The digital version is by The Electronic Bible
Society, P.O. Box 701356, Dallas, TX 75370, 214-407-WORD.

-------------------------------------------------------------------
  The electronic form of this document is copyrighted.
  Copyright (c) Eternal Word Television Network 1996.
  Provided courtesy of:

       EWTN On-Line Services
       PO Box 3610
       Manassas, VA 22110
       Voice: 703-791-2576
       Fax: 703-791-4250
       Data: 703-791-4336
       FTP: ftp.ewtn.com
       Telnet: ewtn.com
       WWW: http://www.ewtn.com.
       Email address: [email protected]

-------------------------------------------------------------------

You are viewing proxied material from gopher.ratthing.com. The copyright of proxied material belongs to its original authors. Any comments or complaints in relation to proxied material should be directed to the original authors of the content concerned. Please see the disclaimer for more details.