<^0L06ICALSE>^^^ BR 60 .L52 V.20 Augustine , Sermons on selected lessons of the New Testament V. 20 TO THE MOST RFJVEREND FATHER IN GOD WILLIAM LORD ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, PRIMATE OF ALL ENGLAND, FORHFERLY REGIUS PROFESSOR OF DIVINITY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD, THIS LIBRARY OF ANCIENT BISHOPS, FATHERS, DOCTORS, MARTYRS, CONFESSORS, OF CHRIST'S HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH, IS WITH HIS grace's PERMISSION , RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED, IN TOKEN OF REVERENCE FOR HIS PERSON AND SACRED OFFICE, AND OF GRATITUDE FOR HIS EPISCOPAL KINDNESS. SERMONS SELECTED LESSONS THE NEW TESTAMENT. BY S. AUGUSTINE, BISHOP OF HIPPO. VOL. II. S. .JOHN, ACTS, ROMANS, 1 CORINTHIANS, GALATIANS, EPHESIANS, PHILIPPIANS, 1 THESSALONIANS, 1 TIMOTHY, TITUS, JAMES, 1 JOHN. OXFORD, JOHN HENRY PARKER j J. AND F. RIVINGTON, LONDON. MDCCCXLV. BAXTER, PRINTER, OXFORD. '*VV*VW> CONTENTS. Serm. 67. (Ben. 117.) On the words of the Gospel, John i. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God," &c. against the Ariaus-, Page 487 68. (118.) On the same words of the Gospel, John i. " In the beginning was the Word," &c. 502 69. (119.) On the same words, John i. " In the beginning was the Word," &c. 505 70. (120.) On the same words of John i. "In the beginning was the Word," &c. 508 71. (121.) On the words of the Gospel, John i. " The world was made by Him," &c. 511 72. (122.) On the words of the Gospel, John i, " When thou wast under the fig-tree, I saw thee," &c. 515 73. (123.) On the words of the Gospel, John ii. "And both Jesus was called and His disciples to the marriage." 520 74. (124.) On the words of the Gospel, John v. "Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool," &c. 524 75. (125.) Again in John v. On the five porches, where lay a great multitude of impotent folk, and of the pool of Siloa. 527 76. (126.) On the words of the Gospel, John v. " The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do." 540 77. (127.) On the words of the Gospel, John v. " Verily verily I say unto you, The hour shall com«, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that shall hear, shall live," &c. and on the words of the Apostle, " Eye hath not seen," &c. 1 Cor. ii. 551 78. (128.) On the words of the Gospel, John v. " If I bear witness of Myself," &c. and on the words of the Apostle, Gal. v. " Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth," &c. 563 iv CONTENTS. 79. (129.) On the words of tlie Gospel, John v. " Search the Scriptures, iu which ye think ye have eternal life," &c. against the Donatists. 573 80. (130.) On the words of the Gospel, John vi. where the miracle of the five loaves and the two fishes is related. 580 81. (131.) On the words of the Gospel, John vi. "Except ye eat the Flesh,"' &c. and on the words of the Apostles, and the Psalms, against the Pelagians. (^Delivered at the Table of the Martyr S. Cyprian, the 9th of the Calends of October, 23d Sept. on the Lord^s Day.) 585 82. (132.) On the words of the Gospel, Jolm vi. "My Flesh is meat indeed, and My Blood is drink indeed. Whoso eateth My Flesh," &c. 593 83. (133.) On the words of the Gospel of John vii. where Jesus said that He was not going up unto the feast, and notwithstanding went up. 597 84. (134.) On the words of the Gospel, John viii. " If ye shall continue in My word, ye are My disciples indeed," &c. 605 85. (135.) On the words of the Gospel, John ix. " I am come to do the works of Him That sent Me," &c. against the Arians. And of that which the man who was horn blind and received his sight said, " We know that God heareth not sinners." filO 86. (136.) On the same Lesson of the Gospel, John ix. On the giving sight to the man that was horn blind. 617 87. (137.) The tenth chapter of the Gospel of John. " Of the shepherd and the hireling, and the thief." 622 88. (138.) On the words of the (iospel, John x. " I am the good Shepherd," &c. against the Donatists. 635 89. (139.) On the words of the Gospel, John x. " I and My Father are One." 645 90. (140.) On the words of the Gospel, John xii. " He that believeth on Me, believeth not on Me, but on Him That sent Me :" against a certain expression of Maximinus, a bishop of the Arians, who spread his blas- phemy iu Africa where he was with the Count Segisvult. 650 91. (141.) On the words of the Gospel, John xiv. " I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life." 654 92. (142.) On the same words of the (tospel, John xiv. " I am the Way," &c. 657 93. (143.) On the words of ttie Gospel, John xvi. " T tell you the truth: it is expedient for you that 1 go away," &c. 666 94. (144.) On the same words of the Gospel, John xvi. " He shall convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment." 670 95 (145.) On the words of the Gospel, John xvi. " Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My Name ;" and on the words of Luke x. " Lord, even the devils are subjected unto us through Thy Name." 675 CONTENTS. V 96. (146.) On the words of the (lospel, John xxi. "Simon, son of John, lovestthouMe?" &c. 683 97. (147.) On the same words of the Gospel of John xxi. " Simon, son of John, lovest thou Me more than these?" &c. 685 98. (148.) On the words of the Acts of the Apostles, c. v. " Whiles it remained, did it not remain to thee?" &c. (^Delivered on the Octave of Easter Day, at the twenty Holy Martyrs.) 687 99. (149.) In which questions proposed out of the Acts of the Apostles, c. X. and out of the Gospel, are resolved, or concerning four questions. First, of Peter's vision. Secondly, of the words of the Gospel, " Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works," &c. and a little after, " Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them," &c. Thirdly, of the words of the Gospel, " Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth." Fourthly, of the love of enemies. 688 100. (150.) On the words of the Acts of the Apostles, c. xvii. "But certain philosophers of the Epicureans and Stoics conferred w^th him," &c. (^Delivered at Carthage.) SERMONS OF S. AUGUSTINE, BISHOP OF HIPPO, UPON THE NEW TESTAMENT. SERMON LXVII. [Ben. CXVII.J On the words of the Gospel, John i. " In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God," &c. against the Arians. 1. The section of the Gospel which has been read, most dearly beloved brethren, looketh for the pure eye of the heart. For from John's Gospel we have understood our Lord Jesus Christ according to His Divinity for the creating of the whole creation, and according to His Humanity for the recovery of the creature fallen. Now in this same Gospel we find what sort and how great a man was John, that from the dignity of the dispenser it may be understood of how great a price is the Word Which could be announced by such a man ; yea, rather how without price is That Which surpasseth all things. For any purchaseable thing is either equal to the price, or it is below it, or it exceeds it. When any one procures a thing for as much as it is worth, the price is equal to the thing which is procured; when for less, it is below it; when for more, it exceeds it. But to the Word of God nothing can either be ecjualled, or to exchange can any thing be below It, or above It. For all things can be below the Word of God, for that all things were made by Him; ^°^° ^ yet are they not in such wise below, as if they were the price of the Word, that any one should give something to receive That. / K k 488 Buying the Word loith ourselves, we gain ourselves. Serm. Yet if we may say so,and if any jirinciple or custom of speaking [ii7.ii.i^^'^iit t^'is expression, tlic price for procuring the Word, Si is the procurer himsell", wlio will have given himself for himself to This Word. Accordingly when we buy any thing we look out for something to give, that for the price we give we may have the thing we wish to buy. And that which we give is without us; and if it was with us before, what we give becomes without us, that that which we procure may be with us. Whatever price the purchaser may find it, it must needs be such as that he gives what he has, and receives what he has not; yet so that he from whom the price goes himself remains, and that for which he gives the price is added to him. But whoso would procure This Word, whoso would have It, let him not seek for any thing without himself to give, let him give himself. And when he shall have done this, he doth not lose himself, as he loseth the price when he buys any thing, ii. 2. The Word of God then is set forth before all men; let them who can, procure It, and they can who have a godly Luke 2, will. For in That Word is peace; and peace on earth is to men of good wilL So then whoso will procure It, let him give himself. This is as it were the price of the Word, if so it may in any way be said, when he that giveth doth not lose himself, and gaineth the Word for Which he giveth himself, and gaineth himself too in the Word to Whom he giveth himself. And what giveth he to the Word? Not ought that is any other's than His, for Whom he giveth himself; but what by the Same Word was made, that is given back to Him to be remade ; All things were made hy Him. If all things, then of course man too. If the heaven, and earth, and sea, and all things that are therein, if the whole creation; of course more manifestly he, who being made after the image of God by the Word was made man. .S. I am not now, brethren, discussing how the words, John I, Jfi iJie heginnivg was the Word., and the M'ord teas with God, and the Word was God, can be understood. After an ineffable sort it may be understood; it cannot by the words of man be made to be understood. I am treating of the Word of God, and telling you why It is not under- stood. I am not now speaking to make It understood, but The Word comprehends all^ comprehended hxj none. 48{) I tell you whvX hinders ]t from being understood. For He Serm. is a certain Form, a Form not formed, but the Form of all [I'l^B^j things form -d ; a Form unchangeable, witiiout failure, without ~ decay, without time, without place, surpassing all things, being in all things, as at once a kind of foundation in which they are, and a Head-stone under which they are. If you say that all things are in Him, you lie not. For This Word is called the Wisdom of God; and we have it written, Jn Wisdom Ps. 104, 24. Jiast Thou rudde all things. Lo, then in Him are all things: and yet in that He is God, under Him are all things. T am shewing how incomprehensible is what has been read ; yet it has been read, not that it should be comprehended by man, but that man should sorrow that he comprehends it not, and find out whereby he is hindered from comprehending, and remove those hindrances, and, himself changed from worse to better, aspire after the perception of the unchange- able Word. For the Word doth not advance or increase by the addition of those who know It; but is Entire, if thou abide; Entire, if thou depart; Entire, when thou dost return ; abiding in Itself, and renewing all things. It is then the Form of all things, the Form unfashioned, without time, as I have said, and without space. For whatsoever is contained in space, is circumscribed. Every form is circumscribed by bounds; it hath limits wherefrom and whereunto it reaches. Again, what is contained in place, and has extension in a sort of bulk and space, is less in its parts than in the whole. God grant that ye may understand. 4. Now from the bodies which are day by day before our iii. eyes, which we see, which we touch, among which we live, we are able to judge how that eiery body hath a form in space. Now every thing which occupies a certain space, is less in its parts, than in its whole. The ai'ui, for instance, is a part of the human body; of course the arm is less than the whole body. And if the arm be less, it occupies a smaller space. So again the head, in that it is a part of the body, is contained in less space, and is less than the whole body of which it is the head. So all things which are in space, are less in their several parts than in the whole. Let us entertain no such idea, no such thought concerning That Word. Let us not form our conceptions of spiritual things from the suggestion Kk 2 A{)QEyecomprehendsnothodies^miich less God;the purereackto Him; Seum. of the flesh. That Word, That God, is not less in part than [117 B 1^" "^^^ whole. 5. But tliou art not able to conceive of any such thing. Such ignorance is more pious than presumptuous knowledge. John 1, For we arc speaking of God, It is said, And the Word was ^- God. We are speaking of God; what marvel, if thou do not comprehend? For if thou comprehend, He is not God. Be there a pious confession of ignorance, rather than a rash profession of knowledge. To reach to God in any measure by the mind, is a great blessedness; but to comprehend Him, is altogether impossible. God is an object for the mind, He is to be understood; a body is for the eyes, it is to be seen. But thinkest thou that thou comprehendest a body by the eye? Thou canst not at all. For whatever thou lookest at, thou dost not see the whole If thou seest a man's face, thou (lost not see his back at the time thou seest the face; and when thou seest the back, thou dost not at that time see the face. Thoa dost not then so see, as to comprehend; but when thou seest another part which thou hadst not seen before, unless memory aid thei3 to remember that thou hast seen that from which thou dost withdraw, thou couldest never say that thou hadst comprehended any thing even on the surface. Thou handiest what thou seest, turnest it about on this side and that, or thyself dost go round it to see the whole. In one view then thou canst not see the whole. And as long as thou turnest it about to see it, thou art but seeing the parts; and by putting together tliat tliou hast seen the other parts, thou dost fancy that thou seest the whole. But this must not be under- stood as the sight of the eyes, but the activity of the memory. What then can be said, brethren, of that Word? Lo, of the bodies which are before our eyes we say they cannot com- prehend them by a glance; what eye of the heart then com- prehcndeth God? Enough that it reach to Him if the eye be pure. But if it reach, it reacheth by a sort of incorporeal and spiritual touch, yet it doth not comprehend; and that, only if it be pure. And a man is made blessed by touching with the heart That which ever abideth Blessed; and that is this Very Everlasting Blessedness, and that Everlasting Life, Whereby man is made to live ; that Perfect Wisdom, Whereby man is made wise; that Everlasting Eight, Whereby man be- its blessedness ; Avian cavils. 491 comes enliahtened. And see how by this touch thou art made Serm. T X \M T what thou wast not, thou dost not make that thou touchest be [ht.b.] what it was not before. I repeat it, there grows no increase to God from them that know Him, but to them that know Him, from the knowledge of God. Let us not suppose, iv. dearly beloved brethren, that we confer any benefit on God, because I have said that we give Him in a manner a price. For we do not give Him aught whereby He can be increased, Who when thou fallest away, is Entire, and when thoureturn- est, abideth Entire, ready to make Himself seen that He may bless those who turn to Him, and punish those with blindness who turn away. For by this blindness, as the beginning of punishment, doth He first execute vengeance on the soul that turns away from Him. For whoso turns away from the True Light, that is from God, is at once made blind. He is not yet sensible of his punishment, but he hath it already, 6. Accordingly, dearly beloved brethren, lot us understand that the Word of God is incorporeally, inviolably, unchange- ably, without temporal nativity, yet born of God. Do we think that we can any how persuade certain unbelievers that that is not inconsistent with the truth, which is said by us ac- cording to the Catholic faith, which is contrary to the Arians, by whom the Church of God hath been often tried, forasmuch as carnal men receive with greater ease what they have been accustomed to see.? For some have dared to say, " The Father is greater than the Son, and precedes Him in time;" that is, the Father is greater than the Son, and the Son is less than the Father, and is preceded by the Father in time. And they argue thus; " If He was born, of course the Father was before His Son was born to Him." Attend ; may He be with me, whilst your prayers assist me, and with godly heed desire to receive what He may give, what He may suggest to me; may He be with me, that 1 may be able in some sort to explain what I have begun. Yet, brethren, I tell you before I begin, if I shall not be able to explain it, do not suppose that it is the failure of the proof, but of the man. Accordingly I exhort and entreat you to pray; that the mercy of God may be with me, and make the matter be so ex- plained by me, as is meet for you to hear, and for me to speak. They then say thus; " If He be the Son of God, He 492 Meditation on Divine mysteries truer than words. Serm. vvas born." This we confess. For He would not be a Son, it [ii7.B.]'Hc were not born. It is jilain, tlie faith admits it, the Catholic Church approves it, it is truth. They then go on; "' If the Son was born to the Father, the Father was before the Son was born to Him." This the faith rejects, Catholic ears reject it, it is anathematized, whoso entertains this conceit is without, he belongs not to the fellowship and society of the saints. Then says he, " Give me an explanation, how the Son could be born to the Father, and yet be coeval with Him of Whom He was born.'"' V. 7. And what can we do, brethren, when we are conveying lessons of spiritual things to carnal men ; even if so be we ourselves tco are not carnal, when we intimate these spiiitual truths to carnal men, to men accustomed to the idea of earthly nativities, and seeing the order of these creatures, where succession and departure separates off in age them that beget and them that are begotten ? For after the father the son is born, to succeed the father, who in time of course must die. This do we find in men, this in other animals, that the parents are first, the children after them in time. Through this custom of observation they desire to transfer carnal things to spiritual, and by their intentness on carnal things are more easily led into error. For it is not the reason of the hearers which follows those who preach such things, but custom which even entangles themselves, that ihcy do preach such things. And what shall we Ao} Shall we keep silence ? Would that we might! For perchance by silence something might be thought of worthy of the un- speakable subject. For whatsoever cannot be spoken, is unspeakable. Now God is vuisp'.'akable. For if the Apostle ^j"Y* Paul saith, that he ivas caiiylit up even luito the third Jieacen, and thai he heard unspeakable words; ho\v much more unspeakable is He, Who shewed such things, which could not be spoken by him to whom they were shewn } So then, brethren, it were better if we could keep silence, and say, " This the faith contains ; so we believe ; thou art not able to receive it, thou art but a babe ; thou must patiently endure till thy wings be grown, lest when thou wouldest 'aura fly without wiugs, it should not be the free 'course of liberty, but the fall of tenieritv.'" Wliat do the\ sav against this.' Use of analogy in Divine things to refute not explain. 493 " O if he had an}' thmg to say, he would say it to me. This Serm. is the mere excuse of one who is at fault. He is overcome n 17,3,1 by the truth, who does not choose to answer." He to whom this is said, if he make no answer, though he be not con- quered in himself, is yet conquered in the wavering brethren. For the weak brethren hear it, and they think that there is really nothing to be said ; and perhaps they think right that there is nothing to be said, yet not that there is nothing to be felt. For a man can express nothing which he cannot also feel ; but he may feel something which he cannot express. 8. Nevertheless, saving the unspeakableness of that Sovereign Majesty, lest when we shall have produced certain similitudes against them, any one should think that we have by them arrived at that which cannot be expressed or con- ceived by babes, (and if it can be at all even by the more advanced, it can only be in part, only in a riddle, only through a (jka^s; but not as yet, face to face,) let lis tool Cor. produce certain similitudes against them, whereby they may ' be refuted, not it comprehended. For when we say that it may very possibly happen, that it may be understood, that He may both be born, and yet Coeternal with Him of Whom He was born, in order to refute this, and prove it as it were to be false, they bring forth similitudes against us. From whence } From the creatures, and they say to us, " Every man of course was before he begat a son, he is greater in age than his son ; and so a horse was before he begat his foal, and a sheep, and the other animals." Thus do they bring similitudes from the creatures. 9. What ! must we labour too, that we may find resem- yj, blances of those things which we are establishing.? And what if I should not find any, might I not rightly say, " The Nativity of the Creator hath, it may be, no resemblance of itself among the creatures } For as far as He surpasseth the things which are here, in that He is there, so far doth He surpass the things which are born here, in that He was born there. All things here have their being from God; and yet what is to be compared with God ? So all things which are born here, are born by His agency. And so perhaps there is no resemblance of His Nativity found, as there is notie found 494 Coeval in things temporal analogous to coetemal. Serm. whether of His Subslance, Unchangeableness, Divinity, ^j^y^^; Majesty. For what can be found here like these? If then it chance that no resemblance of His Nativity either be found, am I therefore overwhehned, because I have not found resemblances to the Creator of all things, when desiring to tind in the creature what is like tlie Creator ?" 10. And in very truth, brethren, I am not likely to dis- cover any temporal resemblances which 1 can compare to eternity. But as to those which thou hast discovered, what are they? What hast thou discovered? That a father is greater in time than his son; and therefore thou wouldest have the Son of God to be less in time than the Eternal Father, because thou hast found that a son is less than a father born in time. Find me an eternal father here, and thou hast found a resemblance. Thou findest a son less than a father in time, a temporal son less than a temjjoral father. Hast thou found me a temporal son younger than vii. an eternal father ? Seeing then that in Eternity is stability, but in time variety; in eternity all things stand still, in time one thing comes, another succeeds ; thou canst find a son of lesser age succeeding his father in the variety of time, for that he himself succeeded to his father also, not a son born in time to a father eternal. How then, brethren, can we find in the creature aught coeternal, when in the creature we find nothing eternal ? Do thou find an eternal father in the creature, and T will find a coeternal son. But if thou find not an eternal father, and the one surpasses the other in time; it is sufficient, that for a resemblance I find something coeval. For what is coeternal is one thing, what is coeval another. Every day we call them coeval who have the same measure of times; the one is not preceded by the other in time, yet they both whom we call coeval once began to be. Now iff shall be able to discover something which is born coeval with that of which it is born ; if two coeval things can l)e discovered, that which begets, and that which is begotten ; we discover in this case things coeval, let us understand in the other things coeternal. If here T shajl find that a thing begotten hath begun to be ever since that which begets began to be, we may understand at least that the Son of God did not begin to be, ever since He that begat Coeval generation refutes Arian cavil against the coeternal. 495 Him did not begin to be. Lo, brethren, jDerhaps we may Serm. discover something in the creature, which is born of some- [^117.5,] thing else, and which yet began to be at the same time as that of which it is born began to be. In the latter case, the one began to be when the other began to be ; in the former the one did not begin to be, ever since the other began not to be. The first then is coeval, the second coeternal. 11. I suppose that your holiness has understood already ^'in- what I am saying, that temporal things cannot be compared to eternal ; but that by some slight and small resemblance, things coeval may be with things coeternal. Let us find accordingly two coeval things ; and let us get our hints as to these resemblances from the Scriptures. We read in the Scriptures of Wisdom, For she is the Brightness of the'^'^^^-'^-> Everlasting Light. Again we read, Tlie unspotted Mirror of the Majesty of God. Wisdom Herself is called, Hie Brightness of the Everlasting Light, is called. The Image of the Father; from hence let us take a resemblance, that we may find two coeval things, from which we may under- stand things coeternal. O thou Arian, if I shall find that something that begets does not precede in time that which it begat, that a thing begotten is not less in time than that of which it is begotten ; it is but just that thou concede to me, that these coeternals may be found in the Creator, when coevals can be found in the creature. I think that this indeed occurs already to some brethi'en. For some anticipated me as soon as I said, For She is the Brightness of the Everlasting Light. For the fire throws out light, light is thrown out from the fire. If we ask which comes from which, every day when we light a candle are we reminded of some invisible and indescribable thing, that the candle as it were of our understanding may be lighted in this night of the world. Observe him who lights a candle. While the candle is not lighted, there is as yet no fire, nor any brightness which proceedeth from the fire. But I ask, saying, " Does the brightness come from the fire, or the fire from the brightness?" Every soul answers me ; (for it has pleased God to sow the beginnings of understanding and wisdom in every soul;) every soul answers me, and no one doubts, that that bright- ness comes from the fire, not the fire from the bright- 496 Coeval existence of substance and image. Serm. ness. Let us then look at the firu as the father of that PI ,-3 1 brightness; for I have said before that wo are looking for tilings coeval, not coeternal If I desire to light a candle, there is as yet no fire there, nor yet that brightness; but immediately that I have lighted it, together with the fire conies forth the brightness also. Give me then here a fire without brightness, and 1 believe you that the Father ever was without the Son. ix. 1'2. Attend; The matter has been explained by me as so great a matter could be, by the Lord lielping the earnest- ness ol your prayers, and the preparation of your heart, ye have taken in as much as ye were able to receive. Yet these things are ineffable. Do not suppose that any thing worthy of the subject has been spoken, if it only be for that things carnal are compared with coeternal, things temporal with things abiding ever, things subject to extinction to things immortal. But inasmuch as the Son is said also to be the Image of the Father, let us take from this too a sort of resemblance, though in things very different, as I have said before. 7'he image of a man looking into a glass is thrown out from the glass. But this cannot assist us for the clearing of that which we are endeavouring in some sort to explain. For it is said to me, " A man who looks into a glass, t)f course ivas already, and was bora beAjre that. The image came out only as soon as he looked at himself. For a man who looks in a glass, icas before he came to the glass." What then shall we find, from which we may be able to draw out such a resemblance, as we did from the fire and the brightness ? Let us find one from a \ery little thing. You know without any difficulty how water often throws out the images of bodies. 1 mean, when any one is passing, or standing still along the water, he sees his own image there. Let us suppose then something born on the water's side, as a shrub, or a herb, is it not born together with its image? As soon as ever it begins to be, its image begins to be with it, it docs not precede in its birth its own image ; it cannot be shewed to me that any thing is born upon the water's sidr, and that its image has appeared afterwards, whereas it first ap}>eared without its image; but it is born together with its image; and yel the image comes from it, Further Arian cavils. 497 uot it from the image. It is born then together with its Serm. image, and the shrub and its image begin to be together, [u/.p,.] Dost thou not confess that the image is begotten of that shrub, not the shrub of the image ? So then thou dost con- fess that the image is from that shrub. Accordingly that which begets and that which is begotten began to be together. Therefore they are coeval. If the shrub had been always, the image from the shrub would have been always too. Now that which has its being from something else, is of course born of it. It is possible then that one that begets might always be, and always be together with that which was born of him. For here it was that we were in perplexity and trouble, how the Eternal Nativity might be understood. So then the Son of God is so called on this principle, that there is the Father also, that He hath One from Whom He derives His Being ; not on this, that the Father is first in time, and the Son after. The Father always was, the Son always from the Father. And because whatever is from another thing, is born, therefore the Son was always born. The Father always was, the image from Him always was; as that image of 'the shrub was born of the shrub, and if the shrub had always been, the image would also have always been born from the shrub. Thou couldest not find things begotten coeternal with the eternal begetters, but thou hast found things born coeval with those that begat them in time. I understand the Son coeternal with the Eternal Who begat him. For what with regard to things of time is coeval, with regard to things eternal is coeternal. 13. Here there is somewhat for you to consider, brethren, x. 'as a protection against blasphemies. For it is constantly i p opter said, " See thou hast produced certain resemblances; but the brightness which is thrown out from the fire, shines less brilliantly than the fire itself, and the image of the shrub has less proper ^ subsistence, than that shrub of which it is^propri- the image. These instances have a resemblance, but they have not a thorough equality : wherefore they do not seem to be of the same substance." What then shall we say, if any one say, " The Father then is to the Son, such as the brightness is to the fire, and the image to the shrub V See I have understood the Father to be eternal ; and the Son to 498 Earthly analogies illustrate single sides oftntih. Sebm. be coeternal with Him; nevertheless say we that He is as the rj,7gi brightness which is thrown out from and is less brilliant than the fire, or as the image which is reiiected from and has less real existence than the shrub?. No, but there is a thorough equality. " 1 do not believe it," he will say, " because thou hast not discovered a resemblance."" Well then, believe the Apostle, because he was able to see what I have said. For he Phil. 2 '^'ays, He thought it not robbery to be equal ivith God. ?• . Eciualilv is 'perfect likeness in every way. And what said 'conjun- I ./ 1 J . , . 1 gitur he ? Not robbery. Why ? Because that is robbery which belongs to another. 14. Yet from these two comparisons, these two kinds, we may perhaps find in the creature a resemblance whereby we may understand how the Son is both coeternal with the Father, and in no respect less than He. But this we cannot find in one kind of resemblances singly: let us join both kinds together. How both kinds.? One, of which they themselves give instances of resemblances, and the other, of which we gave. For they gave instances of resemblances from those things which are born in time, and are preceded in time by them of whom they are born, as man of man. He that is born first is greater in time ; but yet man and man, that is of the same substance. For man begets a man, and a horse a horse, and a sheep a sheep. These beget after the same substance, but not after the same time. They are diverse in time, but not in nature diverse. What then do we praise here in this nativity } The equality of nature surely. But what is wanting ? The equality of time. Let us retain the one thing which is praised here, that is, the equality of nature. 13ut in the other kind of resemblances, which we gave from the brightness of the fire and the image of the shrub, you find not an equality of nature, you do find an equality of time. Wliat do we praise here ? Equality of time. What is wanting ? Equality of nature. Joiu the things which you praise together. For in the creatures there is wanting something which you praise, in the Creator nothing can be wanting : because what you find in the creature, came forth from the Hand of the Creator. What then is there in things coeval .'' Must not that be given to (iod which you praise herein.? But what is wanting must All yuod in creatures is image of God; imperfect, its oion. 499 not be attributed to that Sovereign Maiestv, in the Which there Serm. . . . LXVII is no defect. See I offer to you things begetting coeval with [ny.B.j things begotten : in these you praise the equality of time, but find fault with the inequality' of nature. What yon find ' dispa- 11 • ' -1 nlita- fault with, do not attribute to God; what you praise, attribute tem. to Him; so from this kind of resemblances you attribute to Him instead of a contemporaneousness a coeternity, that the Son may be coeternal with Him of Whom He was born. But from the other kind of resemblances, which itself too is a creature of God, and ought to praise the Creator, what do you praise in them } Equality of nature. You had before assigned coeternity by reason of the first distinction ; by reason of this last, assign equality ; and the nativity of the same substance is complete. For what is more mad, my brethren, than that I should praise the creature in any thing which does not exist in the Creator.' In man I praise equality of nature, shall I not believe it in Him Who made man? That which is born of man is man; shall not that which is born of God, be That Which He is of Whom He was born? Converse have I none with works which God hath not made. Let then all the works of the Creator praise Him. 1 find in the one case a contemporaneousness, I get at the knowledge of a coeternity in the other. In the first I find an equality of nature, 1 understand an equality of substance in the other. In this then that is wholly, which in the other case is found in the several parts, and several things. It is then icholly here altogether, and not only what is in the crea- tures; I find it wholly here, but as being in the Creator, in so much higher a way, in that the one is visible, the Other Invi- sible; the one temporal, the Other Eternal; the one change- able, the Other Unchangeable; the one corruptible, the Other Incorruptible. Lastly, in the case of men themselves, what we find, man and man, are two men ; here the Father and the Son are One God. lo. I render unspeakable thanks to our Lord God, that He hath vouchsafed, at your prayers, to deliver my infirmity from this most perplexed and difficult place. Yet above all things remember this, that the Creator transcends inde- scribably whatever we could gather from the creature, whether by the bodily senses, or the thought of the mind. But 500 The Word became man, that man might attain to God. SnRM. wouldest thou witli tlie mind reach Himr Purify tbv mind, LXVII. ^ . [ii7.R.i}^^ii'ify thine heart. Make clean the eye whereby That, Matt. 6, whatever It be, may be readied. For, bleased are the clean in heart, for they shall see God. I3ut wliilst the heart was not cleansed, wliat could be provided and granted more mer- cifully by Him, than that That Word of Whom we have spoken so great and so many things, and yet have spoken nothing worthy of Him; that That Word, by Whom all things were inride, should become that which we are, that we might be able to attain to That Which we are not ? For we are not God ; but with the mind or the interior eye of the heart we can see God. Our eyes dulled by sins, blinded, enfeebled by infirmity, desire to see ; but we are in hope, not yet in possession. We are the children of God. This John 1, gj^ijij John, who says, In the hcgianing icas the Word^ and the Word was with God, and the Word was God ; he who lay on the Lord's Breast, who drew in these secrets from the 1 John ]3QgQ,^ Qf jjjg Heart; he says, Dearly Ix loved, ice are the children of God, and it doth not yet appear nhat we shall be; tie know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. This is promised us. 16. But in order that we may attain, if we cannot yet see God the Word, let us hear the Word made Flesh ; seeing we are carnal, let us hear the Word Incarnate. Por for this cause came He. for this cause took upon Him our infirmity, that thou mightest be able to receive the strong words of a God bear- ing thy weakness. And He is truly called " milk." For He giveth milk to infants, that He may give the meat of wisdom to them of riper years. Suck then now with ])atience, that ' avide ^i^f^y^ mayest be fed to thy heart's most^ eager wish. For how is even the milk, wherewith infants are suckled, made ? Was it not solid meat on the table ? But the infant is not strong enough to eat the meat which is on the table ; what does the 2 incar- mother do ? She turns the meat^ into the substance of her nat flesh, and makes milk of it. Makes for us what we may be able to take. So the Word was made Flesh, that we little ones, who were indeed as infants with respect to food, might be nourished by milk. But there is this difference; that when the mother makes the food turned into flesh milk, the food is turned into milk ; wdiercas the Word abiding Itself Loioliness of God the roay to His loftiness. 50 1 unchangeably assumed Flesh, that there might be, as it were, Serm. a tissue of the two. What He is, He did not corrupt orrj'iyj^'j change, that in thy fashion He might speak to thee, not transformed and turned into man. For abiding unalterable, unchangeable, and altogether inviolable, He became what thou art in respect of thee, what He is in Himself in respect of the Father. 17. For what doth He say Himself to the infirm, to the end that recovering that sight, they may be able in some measure to reach the Word by Whom all things were made? Come unto Me, all ye thai labour and are heavy laden, «wc?Mat.ii, / will refresh you. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me, that I am, meek and, lowly in heart. What doth the Master, the Sou of God, the Wisdom of God, by Whom all things were made, proclaim.? He calleth the human race, and saith, Come iin*o Me, all ye that labour, and learn of Me. Thou wast thinking haply that the Wisdom of God would say, " Learn how I have made the heavens and the stars ; how all tilings also were numbered in Me before they were made, how by virtue of unchangeable princijples* youn ratio- very hairs were numbered." Didst thou think that Wisdom""'" would say these things, and such as these.? No. But first that. That 1 am meek and lowly in heart. Lo, see here what ye can comprehend, brethren, it is surely a little thing. We are making our way to great things, let us receive the little things, and we shall be great. Wouldest thou comprehend the height of God ? First comprehend the lowliness of God. Condescend to be humble for thine own sake, seeing that God condescended to bo humble for thy sake too ; for it was not for His own. Comprehend then the lowliness of Christ, learn to be humble, be loth to be proud. Confess thine infirmity, lie patiently before the Physician; when thou shalt have comprehended His lowliness, thou risest with Him ; not as though He should rise Himself in that He is the Word; but thou rather, that He may be more and more comprehended by thee. At first thou didst understand falteringly and hesitatingly; afterwards thou wilt understand more surely and more clearly. He doth not increase, but thou makest progress, and He seemeth as it were to rise with thee. So it is, brethren. Believe the commandments of 502 Obedienve the foundation of all hnowledf/e of God. Sekm. (iod, and do ihein, and He will give yon tbcslirngtli ol' un- my p-jdevstanding. Do not put the last first*, and, as it were, 1 pra-su- prefer knowledge to the commandnients of God; lest ye be matis Qjjiy |.]^g lower, and none the more firnily rooted. Consider a tree; first it strikes downwards, that it may grow up on high ; fixes its root low in the ground, that it may extend its top to heaven. Does it make an effort to grow except from humiliation ? And wouldesl thou without charity comprehend these transcendent matters, shoot toward the heaven without Eph. 3, a root.'' This were a ruin, not a growing. With Christ 17&19. ^jj^.j^ fliPf^llj^m {fj yonr hearts hy faith, he ye looted and grounded in chariti/, that i/e may he filled nith all the fulness of God. SERMON LXVllI. [Ben. CXYIII.] On the sfftne words of the Gospel, John i. " In the beginning was the Word," &c. 1. All ye who are looking for a man's many words, under- John 1, stand the One Word of God, //a the beyinniny uas the Word. Gen. 1 ^ ow, In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth. 1- But, The Word was, since we have heard. In the beginning God made. Acknowledge we in Him the Creator; for Creator is He Who made; and the creature what He made. For no crcatuie which was made, was, as God the Word was, by Whom it was made, always. Now when we heard The Word was, with Whom was It? We understand the Father Who did not make nor create the vSame Word, but begat Him. For, In the beginning God, made the heaven and the earth. John 1, Whereby made He them? The Word nas, and the Word a as with God ; but what kind of Word } Did it sound and 2 volve- j,jj pass away ? Was it a mere thought, and motion^ of the mind? No. Was it suggested by memory, and uttered? No. What kind of Word then? Why dost thou look for many words from me ? The Word was God. When we hear. The Word was God, we do not make a second God ; but we 'The Son not a creature, si /ice ail zrns made by Him. 503 undersland the Son. For the Word is the Son of God. Lo, Sehm. the Son, and What but God ? For The Word it as God. What [Tis.B.i the Father? God of course. If the Father is God and the ~ Son God, do we make two Gods? God forbid. The Father is God, the Son God ; but the Father and the Son One God. For the Only Son of God was not made, but born. /;/ t/ie beginning God made the heaven and the earth; but the Word was of the Father. Was the Word therefore made by the Father? No. All tilings nere made by Him. If by Himver. 3. all things were made, was He too made by Himself? Do not imagine that He by Whom thou hearest all things were made was Himself made among all things. For if He were made Himself, all things were not made by Him, but Himself was made among the rest. You say, " He vvas made;" what, by Himself? Who can make himself? If then He vvas made, how by Him were all things made? See, Himself too was made, as you say, not I, for that He was begotten, I do not deny. If then you say that He was made, I ask by what, by whom ? By Himself? Then He was, before He was made, that He might make Himself. But if all things were made by Him, understand that He was not Flimself made. If thou art not able to understand, believe, that thou mayest understand. Faith goes before ; understanding follows after; since the Prophet says. Unless ye believe, ye shall not is. 7,9. understand. The Word was. Look not for time in Him,^®P*- by Whom times were made. The Word was. But you say, " There was a time that the Word was not." You say falsely; no where do you read this. But I do read for you, In the beginning was the Word. What look you for before the beginning? But if you should be able to find any thing before the beginning, this will be the beginning. He is mad who looks for any thing before the beginning. What then doth he say was before the beginning? In the beginning was the Word. 2. But you will say, " The Father both was, and was before the Word." What are you looking for? In the beginning was the Word. What you find, understand ; seek not for what you are not able to find. Nothing is before the begin- ning. In the beginning was the Word. The Son is the Brightness of the Father. Of the Wisdom of the Father, Which Ll 504 The Son, the Coetcrnal Brightness of the Eternal Light. Serm. is the Son, it is said, For He is the brightness of the Ever- [118,13.] lasting Light. Are you seeking for a Sou without a Father? Wisd.?, Give me a licrht without briu;htuess. If there was a time 26 . when the Son was not, the Father was a light obscure. For how was He not an obscure Light, if It had no brightness ? So then the Father always, the Son always. If the Father always, the Son always. Do you ask of me, whether the Son were born } I answer, " born." For He would not be a Son if not born. So when I say, the Son always was, I say in fact was always born. And who understands, " Was always born?" Give me an eternal fire, and I will give thee an eternal brightness. We bless God Who hath given to us the holy Scriptures. Be ye not blind in the brightness of the light. Brightness is engendered of the Light, and yet the Brightness is Coeternal with the Light that engenders It. The Light always, its Brightness always. It begat Its Own Brightness; but was it ever without Its Brightness ? Let God be allowed to beget an eternal Son. I pray you hear of Whom we are speaking; hear, mark, believe, understand. Of God are we speaking. We confess and believe the Son coeternal with the Father. But you will say, " When a man begets a Son, he that begets is the elder, and he that is begotten the younger." It is true; in the case of men, he that begets is the elder, and he that is begotten, the younger, and he arrives in time to his father's strength. But why, save that whilst the one grows, the other grows old? Let the father stand still a while, and in his growing the son will follow on him, and you will see him equal. But see, I give you whereby to understand this. Fire engenders a coeval brightness. Among men you only find sons younger, lathers older; you do not find them coeval: but as I have said, I shew you brightness coeval with its parent fire. For fire begets brightness, yet is it never without brightness. Since then you see that the brightness is coeval with its fire, suffer God to beget a Coeternal Son. Whoso understand- eth, let him rejoice: but whoso understandeth not, let him believe. For the word of the Prophet cannot be disannulled; Ts. 7, 9. Unless ve believe, ye shall not understand. Sept. ^ ^ Divinity of St. John''s Gospel. 505 SERMON LXIX. [Ben. CXIX.] On the same words, John i. " In the beginning was the Word, &c." 1. That our Lord Jesus Christ in seeking lost man was Serm. made Man, our preaching has never withholden, and your faith ^ 19 g \ has ever retained; and moreover, that this our Lord, Who ^ for our sakes was made Man, was always God with the Father, and always will be, yea rather always Is; for where there is no succession of time, there is no " hath been" and *' will be." For that of which it is said, " it hath been," is now no more; that of which it is said, " it will be," is not yet; but He always is, because He truly is, that is, is unchange- able. For the Gospel lesson has just now taught us a high and divine mystery. For this beginning of the Gospel St. John poured forth', for that he drank it in from the Lord's 'rue- Breast. For ye remember, and it has been very lately read ^'^^'*''' to you, how that this St. John the Evangelist lay in the Johnis, Lord's Bosom. And wishing to explain this clearly, he says," ' " On the Lord's Breast;" that we might understand what he ver. 25. meant, by" in the Lord's bosom." For what, think we, did he drink in who was lying on the Lord's Breast? Nay, let us^nonpu- not think, but drink-; for we too have just now heard what *g^ p'^^j_ we may drink in. temus 2. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with ii. God, and the Wordivas God. O glorious preaching! O^ the ^°^'^ ^' result of the full feast of the Lord's Breast ! In the begin- ^ sagi- ?ii?ig ivas the Word. Why seekest thou for what was before minici"" It? In the beginning was the Word. If the Word had been pertoris made, (for made indeed that was not by Wliich all things were tuare made;) if the Word had been made, the Scripture would have said, " In the beginning God made the Word ;" as it is said in Genesis, In tJie beginning God made the heaven and the Gen. 1, earth. God then did not in the beginning make the Word; ^' because, In the beginning was the Word. Tliis Word which was in the beginning, where was It? Follow on, A7id the Word was with God, But from our daily hearing the words of men we are wont to think lightly of this name of " Word." In this case do not think lightly of the Name of " Word;" Ll 2 506 To vnderstand the JVord, abide in Him, not follow thejlesft. Serm. The Word was God. The Same, that is the Word, was in the LXIX \\\K\,B.\ber)inning ivith God. All things were made by Hi?n, and without Him teas nothing made. iii. 3. Extend 3'ouv hearts, help the poverty of my words. What I shall be able to express, give ear to; on what I shall not be able to express, meditate. Who can comprehend the abiding Word ? All our words sound, and pass away. Who can comprehend the abiding Word, save He Who abideth in Him? Wouldest thou comprehend the abiding Word ? Do not follow the current of the flesh. For this flesh is indeed a current; for it has none abiding. As it were from a liind of secret fount of nature men are born, they live, they die ; or whence they come, or whither they go, we know not. It is a hidden water, till it issue from its source; it flows on, and is seen in its course ; and again it is hidden in the sea. Let us despise this stream flowing on, running, Is. 40,6. disappearing, let us despise it. Alljlesh is grass, and all the glory of jlesk is as the flower of grass. The grass wilhereth, i'Pet.\,tl,e flower falleih auay. Wouldest thou endure? Bui the ' * tcord of the Lord endureth for ever. IV. 4. But in order to succour us, The Word was made Flesh, 14. ' and dwelt among ns. What is. The Word teas made Flesh? The gold became grass. It became grass for to be burned; the grass was burned, but the gold remained; in the gi'ass It perisheth not, yea. It changed the grass. How did It change it? It raised it up, quickened it, lifted it up to heaven, and placed it at the right Hand of the Father. But that it might be said. And the Word was made Flesh, and ''•^^-^^- dwelt among us, let us recollect awhile what went before. He came unto His Own, and His Own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God. To become, for they were not; but He was Himself in the beginning. He gave them then power to become the sons of God, to them that believe in His Name; who icere born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the ivill of man, but of God. Lo, born they are, in whatever age of the flesh they may be; ye see infants; see and rejoice. Lo, they are born ; but they are born of God. Their mother's womb is the water of baptism. V- 5. lict no man in poorness of soul entertain this conceit. InterchancjeofGodt.heSon withus; waswith usandthe Father. 507 and turn over such most beggarly thoughts in his mind, and Serm. say to himself, " How in the beginning was the Word, ««f^[ii9.B.f the Word tvas with God, and the Word was God: all things were tnade by Him; and lo, the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among nsT'' Hear why it was done. To those we know ivho believed on Him He hath given power to become the sons of God. Let not those then to whom He liath given power to become the sons of God, think it impossible to become the sons of God. TJie Word loas made flesh, and dwelt among its. Do not imagine that it is too great a thing for you to become the sons of God; for your sakes He became the Son of man. Who was the Son of God. If He was made, that He might be less. Who was more; can He not bring it to pass, that of that less which we were, we may be something more? He descended to us, and shall not we ascend to Him? For us He accepted our death, and shall He not give us His Life? For thee He suffered thy evil things, and shall He not give thee His good things? • 6. " But how," one will say, " can it be, that the Word of vi. God, by Whom the world is governed, by Whom all things both were, and are created, should contract Himself into the womb of a Virgin; should abandon the world, and leave the Angels, and be shut up in one woman's womb.?" Thou skillest not to conceive of things divine. The Word of God (I am speaking to thee, O man, I am speaking to thee of the omnipotence of the Word of God) could surely do all, seeing that the Word of God is omnipotent, at once remain with the Father, and come to us; at once in the flesh come forth to us, and lay concealed in Him. For He would not the less have been, if He had not been born of flesh. He tvas before His own flesh; He created His Own mother. He chose her in whom He should be conceived, He created her of whom He should be created. Why marvellest thou? It is God of Whom I am speaking to thee : The Word was God. 7. I am treating of the Word, and perchance the word vii. of men may furnish somewhat like ; though very unequal, far distant, in no way comparable, yet something which may convey a hint to you by way of resemblance. Lo, the word which I am speaking to you, I have had previously in my 508 luiint analoyif J'roui man's ivord. Serm. heart : it came forth to thee, yet it has not departed from nJgBJme; that began to be in thee, which was not in thee; it continued with me when it went forth to thee. As then my word was brought forth to thy sense, yet did not depart from my heart; so That Word came forth to our senses, yet departed not from His Father. My word was with me, and it came forth into a voice : the Word of God was with the Father, and came forth into Flesh. But can I do with my voice that which He could do with His Flesh ? For I am 1 tenere not master ' of my voice as it flies; He is not only master of His Flesh, that It should be born, live, act; but even when dead He raised It up, and exalted unto the Father the Vehicle as it were in which He came forth to us. You may call the Flesh of Lukeio, Christ a Garment, you may call It a Vehicle, and as perchance Himself vouchsafed to teach us, you may call It His Beast ; for on this beast He raised him who had been wounded by robbers; lastly, as He said Himself more expressly, you • may call It a Temple; This Temple knows death no more, Its seat is at the right Hand of the Father : in This Temple shall He come to judge the quick and dead. What He hath by precept taught, He hath by example manifested. What He hath in His own flesh shewn, that oughtest thou to hope for in thy flesh. This is faith ; hold fast what as yet thou seest not. Need there is, that by believing thou abide firm in that thou seest not; lest when thou shalt see, thou be put to shame. SERMON LXX. [CXX. Ben.] On the same words of John i. " In the beginning was the Word," &c. John 1, I rpj^^ beginning of John's Gospel, In the beginning was ihe Word. Thus he begins, this he saw, and transcending the whole creation, mountains, air, the heavens, the stars, Thrones, Dominions, Principalities, Powers, all Angels, and Archangels, transcending all ; he saw the Word in the beginning, and drank It in. He saw above every creature. God's works supply thoughts of Him, rejecting what is finite. 509 he drank in from the Lord's Breast. For this same Saint Serm. LXX John the Evangelist is he whom Jesus specially loved; inso- [•120.B.'] much that he lay on His Breast at supper. There was this secret, that therefrom might be drunk in, what in the Gospel was to be poured forth. Happy they who hear and understand. Of the next degree of blessedness are they who though they understand not, believe. For how great a thing it is to see This Word of God, who can explain in human words? 2. Lift up your hearts, my brethren, lift them up as best ye can ; whatsoever occurs to you from the idea of any body whatsoever, reject. If the Word of God occurs to you under the idea of the light of this sun, expand, extend it how you ^vill, set no bounds in your thought to that light; it is nothing to the Word of God. Whatsoever of this sort the mind conceives, is less in one part than in the whole. Of the Word conceive as Whole every where. Understand ye what 1 say; because of my stress of time I am limiting myself as much as I can for your sakes. Understand ye what I say. Lo, this light from heaven, which is called by the name of the sun, when it comes forth, it enlightens the earth, unfolds the clay, developes forms, distinguishes colours. Great blessing it is, great gift of God to all mortal men ; let His works magnify Him. If the sun is so beauteous, what more beauteous than the sun's Maker .? And yet look, brethren ; lo, he pours his rays through the whole earth ; penetrates open places, the closed resist him ; he sends his light through windows, can he also through a wall .^ To the Word of God all is open, from the Word of God nothing is hid. Observe another difference, how far from the Creator is the creature, especially the bodily creature. When the sun is in the East, it is not in the West. Its light indeed shed from that vast body reaches even to the West; but itself is not there. When it begins to set, then it will be there. When it rises, it is in the East ; when it sets, it is in the West. By these opera- tions of his, it has given name to those quarters. Because it is in the East when it rises at the East, it has made it be called the Rising Sun ; because it is at the West when it sets at the West, it has made it be called the Setting Sun. At night it is no where seen. Is the Word of God so ? When It is in the East, is It not in the West; or when 510 The heart andi-idaiaU of God, what it cannot speak. Sekm. It is in the West, is It not in the East? or does It ever leave rjoyu'ithe earth, and go under or beliind the cartli ? It is Whole every where. Who can in words explain this? Who see it? By what means of proof shall I establish to you what I say ? I am speaking as a man, it is to men I speak ; I am speaking as one weak, to men weaker am I speaking. And yet, my brethren, I am bold to say that I do in some scrt see what I am saying to you, though through a glass, or darkly, I do in some sort understand even within my heart a word touching this thing. But it seeks to go forth to you, and finds no meet vehicle. The vehicle of the word is the sound of the voice. What I am saying within mine own self I seek to say to you, and words fail. For 1 wish to speak of the Word John 1 of God. How great a Word, What kind of Word ? All ^* things leere made by Him. See the 'vorks, and stand in awe of the Worker. All things were made hy Him. 3. Retiun with me, O human infirmity, return, i say. Let us comprehend these human things if we can. We are men, I who speak, am a man, and to men I speak, and utter the sound of my voice. I convey the sound of my voice to men's ears, and by the sound of my voice I somehow through the ear lay up iniderstanding also in the heart. Let us then speak on this point what and how we can, let us com- prehend it. But if we have not ability to comprehend even this, in respect of the Other what arc we ? Lo, ye are listening to me ; I am speaking a word. If any one goes out from us, and is asked outside what is being done here, he answers, " The Bishop is speaking a word." I am speaking a word of the Word. But what a word, of What a Word? A mortal word, of the Word Immortal; a changeable word, of the Word Unchangeable ; a passing word of the Word Eternal. Nevertheless, consider my word. For I have told you already, the Word of God is Whole every where. See, I am speaking a word to you ; what I say reaches to all. Now that what I am saying might come to you all, did ye divide what I say ? If I were to feed you, to wish to fill not your minds, but your bodies, and to set loaves before you to be satisfied therewith ; would ye not divide my loaves among you ? Could my loaves come to every one of you? If they came to one only, the rest Miracles of the /luman word suggest Majesty of ihe Divine. 511 would have none. But now see, I am speaking, and ye all Sehm. receive. Nay, not only ull receive, but all receive it whole. n'goVi It comes whole to all, to each whole. O the marvels of my word! What then is the Word of God? Hear again. I have spoken ; what I have spoken, has gone forth to you, and has not gone away from me. It has reached to yon, and has not been separated from me. Before I spake, I had it, and ye had not ; I spake, and ye began to have, and I lost nothing. O the marvel of my word ! What then is the Word of God ? From little things form conjectures of things great. Consider earthly things, laud the heavenly. I am a creature, ye are creatures; and such great miracles are done with my word in my heart, in my mouth, in my voice, in your ears, in your hearts. What then is the Creator ? O Lord, hear us. Make us, for that Thou hast made us. Make us good, for that Thou hast made us enlightened men. These white-robed, enlightened ones hear Thy word by me. For enlightened by Thy grace they stand before Thee. This is Pa. 118, the dag which the Lord hath made. Only let them labour, ' let them pray for this, that when these days shall have gone by, they may not become darkness, who have been made the light of the wonders and the blessings of God. SERMON LXXI. [Ben. CXXI.] On the words of the Gospel, John i. " The world was made by Him," &c. 1. By the Lord was the world 7nade, and the world john i, knew Him not. 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 worldcometh, JohnU, andfindeth nothing in me. 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 512 Conversion of the heathen foretold under the name of stones. Serm, made Gods; so by the love of the world, we are called the ri2i.B.i^'0'"^^- ^"^ ^^^ ^"* *^* Christ reconciling ike world unto 2 Cor. 5, Himself, The world then knew Him not. What ? " all *^- men?" John 1, 2. He came unto His Own, and His Own received Him ^^' not. 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 John 8, to the flesh He elected. For He said truth. Before Abraham was, I am. He did not say, " Before Abraham was," or " before Abraham was made, I was made." For in the begin- ning the Word was, not, " was made." So then He came unto His Own, He came to the Jews. And His Oivn received Him not. John 1, 3. But as many as received Him. For of course the ^^' Apostles were there, who received Him. There were they who carried l)ranches before His beast. They went before and followed after, and spread their garments, and Mat.2i, cried with a loud voice, Hosanna to the So7i of David, Blessed is He That cometh in the Name of the Lord. Then Lukei9, 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. 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 John 1, to bear witness of the Light? For when he saw these self- same Jews priding themselves on their birth from Abraham, Matt. 3, ]-^g gg^j(j ^Q them, O generation of vipers. They called them- selves 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 John 8, imitate Abraham ; as He too telleth them who say to Him, We be free, and were never in bondage to any man; we have y-^^-^c- Abraham for our father. And He said. If ye ivere Abra- JVretchedness q/thejlrst, glory of the second Birth. 513 ham's children, ve would do the deeds of Abraham. Ye Serm. . LXXI wish to kill 3Ie, because I tell you the truth. This did not ^i^i^^^^ Abraham. Ye were of his stock, but ye are a degenerate ~~ stock. So then what said John ? 0 generation of vipers., l^,].^, 3^ who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?7. &c. Because they came to be baptized with the baptism of John unto repentance. Who hath warned you to flee from the tvrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance. And say not in your hearts., We have Abraham to our father. For Qod is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. 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 ^o Mat. 15, dogs. 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 w^-ere john i, born, not of blood, nor of the will of man, nor of the will of^^- the flesh, but of God. 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 arc 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. 514 C()rrespo}ide7ice ami difference of our // v/v/'.s- liirt/i and our''s. Serm. The first birth of the male and female ; the second birili of f 121.13.1 ^^^ and the Church. 5. Lo, they are born of God; whereby is it brought to pass that they should lie born of God, who were first born of ver 14. men? Whereby is it brought to pass, whereby? And the Word was made Flesh, that It migJit dwell among us. 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 1 Cor. 6, yourselves up to worldly desires. Ye have been bought with " ' a Price; 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 yc 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 Sou 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 bom 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. Nathanael under Jig -tree ^ type of man under sin. 515 SERMON LXXII. [Ben. CXXII.] Ou the words of the Gospel, John i. " When thou wast under the fig-tree, I saw thee," &c. 1. What we have heard said by the Lord Jesus Christ to Serm. Nathanael, if we understand it aright, does not concern him Qog b i only. For our Lord Jesus saw the whole human race under the j 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 1 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 Gen 3, their nakedness when they blushed for their sin ; 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 l/iey were naked, and were not Gen. 2, ashamed. 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 John i, thou wast under the fig-tree^ I saw thee? 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 be was under the fig-tree alone, where the Lord Christ was not ; when He said to him, When thou wast under the Jig-tree, I saw thee ; he both acknowledged the Divinity in Him, and cried out, 27iou art the King of Israel. ver. 49. 2. The Lord ?,diidi, Because I said tttilo thee, I saw thee y^T. 50. when thou wast tinder the Jig-tree, rnarvellest thou ? thou shalt sec greater tilings than these. What are these greater ii. things? And he said, Ye shall see heaven open, and theyex.bi. Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man. liCt ns call to mind the old story written in the sacred Book. I mean in Genesis. When Jacob slept at a Gen.28, 516 The Stone to which, in Jacob's vision, Angels descended, Christ. Serm. certain place, he put a stone at his head ; and in his sleep TXVFT L ' I r|22.B.ihe 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, be- cause he imderstood what he had seen, placed a stone there, and anointed it with oil. Now ye recognise the anointing ; Ps. 118, recognise The Anointed also. For He is the Stone IVhich the builders rejected ; He was made the Head of the corner. Matt. He is the Stone of Which Himself said. Whosoever shall ' ' stumble against This Stone shall be shaken; but on whomso- ever That Stone shall fall. It will crush him. 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 John 9, His humility, they stumbled against Him. This Man, say they, is not of God, because He breaketh the sabbath dag. Matt. If He be the Son of God, let Him com,e down from the ' ■ cross. 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 shalt thou be crushed by It as It falls from above. Therefore Jacob anointed the stone. » signifi- Did he make an idol of it ? He shewed ' a meaning in it, but did not adore it. Now then give ear, attend to this Natha- nael, by the occasion of whom the Lord Jesus hath been pleased to explain to us Jacob's vision, iii. .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 inteqDretation supplanter, he received when he was bom. For when those twins were born, his brother Esau was bom Gen.25, first; and the hand of the younger was found on the elder's foot. He held his brother's foot who preceded him in his birth, and himself came after. And because of this occur- 2 plan- rencc, because he held his brother's heel ^, he was called ^^^ Jacob, that is, Supplanter. And afterwards, when he was Jacob conquerinc/, hut lamed, the Jev)s believing and unbelieving. 517 returning from Mesopotamia, the Angel wrestled with him in Seuw, the way. What comparison can there be between an Angel's i^^^\ and a man's strength? Therefore it is a mystery, a sacra- Gen. 32" ment, a prophecy, a figure ; let us therefore understand it. ^4. 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 tv ill not Gen. 32, let Thee go, except Thon bless me. 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 Gen.35, shall thy name be, 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 john power to take ft up. 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 Mru. cometh in the Name of the Lord. 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 pro- phesied that the Nations should believe, speaketh, saying, ^ pg. 17 people whom I have not knoivn, hath served 3Ie; by ihe'^^-^^' hearing of the ear it hath obeyed Me. I was not there, and I8; 44, I was heard; here I was, and I was killed. A people ^^'^'^ ' tvhom I have not knoivn, hath served Me; by the hearing of ' the ear it hath obeyed Me. Therefore, faith cometh by Rom. hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. And it goes ^*'' ^'^' 518 The Cliiirc/i is Jr6' •^ohn ] , made, and loithout Him was nothing made. 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 AVord, 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, 3Iy Father worketh hitherto, Johns, and I nor k. Their carnal understanding of this, that God ^'^^ rested on the seventh day from all His works, " troubled Cren. 2, 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 foolish- ness 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 he 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 he liqht, and the Gen. l, 3 6 7 light was made. A gam. Let there he a firmament, and it was made: if indeed He said, and it was not done, He was wearied. In another place briefly, He spake, and they ^^-32,9. were made; He commanded, and they were created. HeSS.E.V. then who worketh thus, how doth He labour.? But if He labour not, how doth He rest? But in that sabbath, in wdiich it is said that God rested from all His works, in the Rest of God our rest was signified; because the sabbath of 532 God resleth as not creating anew ; uorketh as up/wldin2i.Sept. the Name of the L^ord. 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 Halleluiah. Having these things 540 God Alone sufficeth the soul. Serm. which I have now brought foi-ward in your uiemoiy, may ,^^-^^;they avail to overthrowing your love ol" 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 suflSce thee Who made thee after His Own likeness. Thus it was John 14, expi'essly said. Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. ^' There only can there be security ; and whei'e 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 any thing be wanting, as though thou couldest suffer want. SERMON LXXVI. [Ben. CXXVL] On the words of the Gospel, John v. " The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do." i- 1. The mysteries and secrets of the kingdom of God first seek for believing men, that they may make them under- standing. For faith is understanding's step ; and under- ' meri- standing faith's attainment'. This the Prophet expressly turn Believe, to understand ; not, understand, to believe. 541 says to all who prematurely and in undue order look for Serm. understanding, and neglect faith. For he says, Unless yer^^J^'-t believe, ye shall not understand. Faith itself then also hath is. 7 9. a certain light of its own in the Scriptures, in Prophecy, in^^P*' 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 icord 0/2 Pet. prophecy, whereunlo 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. 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 ; 1 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 shew thee already what thou mightest see, I should not exhort thee to believe. 3. Faith* then, as it has been elsewhere defined, is the firm ii* support of those who hope", the evidefice of things which aregtantia not seen. If they are not seen, how are they evidenced to "»"«»■'•«- be? What! Whence are these things which thou seest, Heb.li but from That Wliich thou seest not ? To be sure thou dost ^• see somewhat that thou mayest believe somewhat, and from 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 " sperantium, as St. Aug. uniformly pecc. mer. ii. 31. S. Ambr. and S. reads, Tract 79. and 96. in Joh. de Jer. have the pass. 542 God's daily miracles as marvellous as the unusual. Serm. purpose are the windows open, wlien he who looks through [126.B 1 them is away. It is not then the eyes that see, but some ' one sees by the eyes ; awake him, arouse hira. For this lialh 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, i:se thine eyes as a man should, con- sider the heaven and earth, the ornaments of the heaven, the fruitfulness of the earth, the flight of the birds, the ' vim swimming of th - fish, the virtue ' 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 1 have exhorted thee ; hear the Apostle say- Rom. i,ing. For the invisible things of God from the creation of the world are clearli/ seen by those tilings irhich are made. 4. These things thou disregardedst, nor didst look upon them as a man, but as an irrational animal. The Prophet Ps.32,9. cried out to thee, and cried in vain. Be ye not like to horse and mule, ivliich have no understanding. These things I say thou didst see, and disregard. God's daily miracles were disesteemed, not for their easiness, but their constant iii. repetition. For what is more difl!icult to understand than a man's birth, that one who was in existence should 2.secretaby d3dng depart into darkness^, and that one who was not, 3publicaby being born should come forth to light ^? 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 Matt, those which thou art accustomed to see ? Men wondered ' ■ that our Lord God .Tesus Christ filled so many thousands with five loaves ; and they do not wonder that through a John 2, ^Q'fv grains the whole earth is filled with crops. When the water was made wine, 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 may est be fed, the other that thou mayest wonder. But both are wonderful, for both are the works of God. Man sees unusual Xt as the Creator^ did works analogous to the Creation. 543 things, and wonders; whence is the man himself who wonders? Serm. where was he? whence came he forth? whence the fashion [-]^'26.BJ of his body ? whence the distinction of his limbs ? whence that beautiful form ? from what beginnings ? what con- temptible 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 from 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'. He came to Whom it is said, * Artifi- Reneta signs. To Whom it is said, Sliew forth Thy marvel- _ , ■^ . Ecclus. tons mercies. For dispensing them He ever was ; He dis- 6, 36. pensed them, and no one marvelled. Therefore came He ag^'^ ''* Little one to the little, He came a Physician to the sick, 17.E.V. 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 un- righteous 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 b}'^ day bringeth forth to the light those who were not. 5. These things He did, yet was He despised by the many, iv. 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 can not 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 Jolm i, 544 Humanity ofXt heals us ; His Divinity^ Angels' Sf our bliss. Serm. beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and [120.75.] ^^^ Word was God. This thou hearest, and as yet seestnot. Lo, He comes, lo, He is bom, 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 per adventure 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. '' Dost thou now see ? seest thou now, I say ? T 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 vvas 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. V. 6. He brought thee then a temporal miracle, that thou mayest seek and admire Him Who is Eternal. For He Ps.19,5. Who came forth as a Bridegroom out of His chamber, 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 John ij with the Father, He it is. Who In the beginning was the 1- Word, and the Word loas with God, and the Word ivas God. 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 contem- plation of him that is made whole, but the medicine of the h The punctuation of the reprint of noted, Locus mcndosus. The meaning the Ben. has been followed, " Jamne may be, " It is of His Birtli in the vides jam, inquam, videsi' carnem iu- Flesh that I enquire, but I point out terrogo, sed carnem ostendo." The the mode of that Birth, i. e. of a Ben. pointed, " vides carnem," but Virgin." Arian error, arose from pride. 545 sick. Do not hasten to the vision of the whole. The Angels Sebm. see, the Angels rejoice, the Angels feed Thereon and live;r\26.R"] Whereon they feed faileth not, nor is their food rainished. 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 John 5, seeth the Father do. 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 like- ness 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, / believed, therefore AavePs. lie, I spoken, I sj^eak 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' see, and let him believe what he will of '«inceri- me. '^' 8. The Son can do nothiny of Himself, but what He seeth vi. 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^ off? Thou^movit 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 beheve against His own words ?" He saith Himself, The Son can do nothing of 546 ' JV/iat He sect h tJw Fat /ter do,' implies not separate works Serm. Himself, hut what He seeth the Father do. Attend too to n26 b"] ^^^^ which follows; For what tldnxjs soever the Father doeth, the same also doeth the Son likewise ; lie did not say, " such things," Beloved, consider a while, that yc cause not confu- > strepi- sion ' 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 Hiui 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, and 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 1 have spoken to them in vain ; but yet because of those who will understand, I do not speak in vain. Let him who understandeth rejoice, let him who doth not understand bear it patiently ; what he doth not understand, let hhn bear, and that he may under- stand, 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 Sou doeth nothing of Himself, bid xohat 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. Jf then we con- sult the carnal understanding, or sense rather. He hath set 2artifi- before Him as it were two workmen-, the Father and the Son, the Father working without seeing any, the Son work- ing from seeing the P^ather. This is still a carnal view. Nevertheless, in order to understand diose things which are higher, let us not decline these lower and mean things, vii. 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 ces of the Father S^ the Son, since the Father did all by the Son. 547 the chest which the father has made, and makes anothei* Serm. chest like it, not the same. I put off for a while the words r|26.B.l which follow, and now I ask the Arian ; " Dost thou under- stand 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, hut what He seeth the Father do. See, if thou understand it thus ; the Father hath done some- thing, and the Son attendeth that He may see what He Him- self 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. So John i, 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 Flim of His Own Substance, but adopted them by Him out of His Own family. For loe have been called^ as Holy Scripture testi- Ephes. fieth, into the adoption of sons. ^' ^• 10. What then sayest thou? It is the Only Son Himself That viii. 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 tvhat 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 iVom 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 548 The Operation of the Holy Trinity One; Sbrm. what eyes thou hast in thine heart, behokl things divine. [126.B.1 They are men's words it is tnie thou hcarcst, 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 • quEE- sown a difficulty', that He might excite an earnest attention. stionem yy^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^ nothiny of Himself, hit what He seeth the 2 conse- Father do. It might follow^ that He should say, " For what quens things soever the Father doeth, the like doeth the Son." This He doth not say ; but, WJiat tliinys soever the Father doeth, the same doeth the So}i likewise. The Father doeth not some things, the Son other things; because all things that the Father Johnii. doeth. He doeth by the Son. The Son raised Lazarus; did John 9. not the Father raise him? The Son gave sight to the blind man; did not the Father give him sight? The Father by the Son in the Holy Ghost. It is the Trinity; but the Opera- tion 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. ix. 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 imaye 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 Gen. 1, to make another." Let Us make. He saith; I hear the Plurality; 26 . . . after Our imaye; again I hear the Plurality. Where then is ^. 27. the Singularity of the Divinity .'' Read what follows, And God made man. 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. 3 inten- 12. Where then is that carnal view'? 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 < meri to imbued with faith, and having gotten some attainment^ of understanding, turn we to the Word Himself, to the Fountain of light, and let us say together, " O Lord, the Father doeth ever the same things as Thou; for that whatsoever the Father " Seeing^'' spoken of our Lord's Divine Nature. 549 doeth, by Thee He doeth it. We have heard that Thou art SEitw. the Word in the beginning; we have not seen, but believed, no? ^i There too have we heard what follows, that all tilings were john i made hy Thee. 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, / and My Father are One. What meaneth it, that John lo, 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, phii. 2 thought it not robbery to be equal with God. There see*^- Him if thou canst, that thou mayest be able to see what His " Seeing" is. hi 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. Matt. 5, 14. Christ thou seest Man and God; He doth manifest^' 550 " Seeing'''' as spoken of God inseparable from Himself. Serm. to thee the Man, God He reserveth for thee. Now see how [126.b!] H<-^ reserveth God for thee, Who doth manifest Himself to johnU, thee as Man. W/toso loveth Me, saith He, keepeth My com- ^^* mandments; wkoso loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I nill love him. 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 JohnU, suffice him, and said, Sliew us the Father, and it sufficetJt ^' us — Then He standing before this servant's eyes, in the form ' deifi- of a servant, reserving for his eyes when " deified " the Form of God, saith to him, Have I been so longtime uith 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 have assumed, thou dost not see What I have reserved for thee. Give ear to My commandments, purify thine eyes. For tchoso loveth Me, keepeth My com7nandments, and I will love him. To him as keeping My commandments, and by My commandments made whole, will I manifest Myself. xi. 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 shewn 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 ro comprehend. For if thou seest the ''Seeing" of the Word, peradventurein 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 anothei", lest thex'e be Therein any thing 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 thing, the man's seeing another. For___sometimes a man's "Vid. S.Athanasius, Treatise against p. 236. and note c. Vide St. August. Arians, Oxford Edit. Nicene Def. eh. Ps. 49. §. 2. iii. 12. §. 14. and Disc. 1. ch. xi. §. 39. Truth as to the Holy Trinity cleared to meditating love. 551 seeing is extinguished, and the man remains. This it is of Serm. which I said that I was about to say something which allnf^g'-, 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 iliyJohni4, commandments. 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, johnis that ye love one another. This charity then, brethren, let us^'** draw from the plentifulness of the Fountain, let us receive it ; be nourished by it. Receive thou' that whereby thou mayest 'capeper be able to receive. Let charity give thee birth, let charity g^pax 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 develope itself to many, rp^.^^^.^ which oftentimes when expressed in words may chance to 18 and u u JO 20 in be obscured-. joh. SERMON LXXVII. [CXXVIL Ben.] On the words of the Gospel, John v. " Verily verily I say unto you, The hour shall come, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that shall hear, shall live, &c." and on the words of the Apostle, " Eye hath not seen, &c." 1 Cor. ii. L Our hope, brethren, is not of this present time, nor of this world, nor in that happiness whereby men are blinded o o 552 Xtians believe icnseeivf/, that they may see lohat they believe. 8erm. that forget God. This ought \vc above all things to know, \\-2l.V,\ ^"^ "^ ^ 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 oi;ice promiselh, and man doth iCor.2, uQt 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 Ood hath prepared for them that love Him. 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 shewn 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 any thing, but feeble as we ' jacen- gee he is, unable to stand*, 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, speak- ing, after a few years thou shalt 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 2 merea- we may attain^ 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 con- fidence and joy among those to whom it shall be said, Mat.25, Come, blessed of My Father, receive the kingdom which hath been prepared for you from the beginning of the ivorld. But the Lord made an end when He spake these words, thus, ^- 46. These shall go into everlasting burning, but the righteous into life eternal. 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 Earnestness to live, an instinct to avoid eternal death. 558 shalt thou have. What dost thou fear ? To die. Thou shalt ^erm. not suffer it. This seemed to be enough for human infirmity, [127.3.] 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 compre- hend 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 ii. 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 w'hatever 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 redeem- ing himself, by toil, by endurance of torments and uneasi- nesses, 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 w^atchfulness, 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 every thing 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. 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 o o 2 654 The price of eternal life, thyself. Sekm. when it is well with us in this life, wc suflTcv no scourge ; we r'j27j}|] shall suffer none there also. Suppose then a man here below living, in sound health, sufieriug 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 ? iii. 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, Can toe believe, what toe can in no loay express""^ 555 and I have not yet said what shall be there. Lo, already Serm. there is life, and safety; no scourge, no hunger, no thirst, no ^^7^31 failing, none of these; and yet I have not said, tvhat 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 doth 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 then attend to the Gospel; just now the Lord iv. was speaking, and let us do what He said. He that believeth John 5, in Me, saith He, passeth from death unto life, and cometh not into judgment. Verily I say unio you, that the hour v. 25. shall come, and now is, when the dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live. For as v. 26. the Father hath life in Himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself. 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. 1 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. If all John 1, 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 timcp, the Son was with the 556 Faith and worship strenythen to understand v)hat we believe. Srrm. Father always. If the Son were with the Father always, [127.0!] 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 1 never seen, one begetting, and always with him whom he 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 gi*ow ; 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 2 Cor. by sight. For so saith the Apostle, As long as we are in the 6, 6. 7. })ody ive are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We shall some day come to sight, which is 1 John 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. 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. y^ 6. Lo,untothecomprehendingofwhatarewebeingnourished 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 Righteous- ness, 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 Faith and obedience the resurrection of the sou\. bbl for the eyes of the flesh, what is He Himself, the Light for Serm. the eyes of the heart? If then any choice' food weren.27.B.] praised to thee, on which thou wast to dine, thou wouklest i mag- 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. Matt. 8, 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 steepest, and rise up from the Ephes. dead, and Christ shall give thee liyhf. This is the resur- ' rection 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 vi. 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 2Thess. have not faith. If then all men have not faith, all men do ' ' not rise again in soul. When the hour of the resurrection of the body 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 ; 558 Christ raises souls, as God, having life iji Himself; Sebm. whoso liseth not again in soul, riseth again in body unto r]27.B.] pwwishmcnt. Seeing then that the Lord hath impressed upon us this resurrection of souls, unto which we ought all to hasten, and to labour that wc 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 how He hath impressed this too. 9. When He had said, Verili/ I say unto you, The hour shall come, and now is, uhen the dead, that is, the unbe- lievers, 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 Ke 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 pouter to execute judgment also, because He is t/.-e Son of 31a n. 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 moilier; such came He to us. In resi)ect of His being the Son of God, He saith. The hour shall come, and now is, tvhen the dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God. He did not say, " Of the Son of Man ;" ibr 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 Himself. He iviiljudge, as Son ofMan^in the Form wherein He was judged. 559 For we have not life in ourselves, but in our God. But He, Serm. the Father, hath life in Himself; and He begat such a Son [127.B.] as should have life in Himself; not be made a partaker of life, but Himself be Life, of which life we 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 ike Word Which was John 1, made Jlesh, and dwelt among us. 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 Hi7n power to exe- vii. cute 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 under- stand : the Prophet had said this already, Theg shall look on Zech. Hint Whom theg pierced. That Very Form shall they see j^l^^ {q Which they smote with a spear. He shall sit as Judge, Who 37. 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, 8fc. This A.ctsi, Jesus shall come in like manner as ye see Him going into heaven. 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 560 The siyht of God is the bliss of the Resurrection. Serm. what principle this was bcliovcfiil and right, that they wlio [i27.B.i^*^''^' to bo judged might see the Judge. For they who were Matt. 6, to be judged were both good and bad. But blessed are the pu7e in heart, for they shall see God. It remained that in the Judgment the Form of the servant shouUl 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 1 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 viii. 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 ? I Cor. 2, because then God cannot be now manifested as He is, 9. Whom nevertheless we shall see ; therefore, what eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, this the good shall see, this shall the godly see, this the merciful shall see, this shall the faith- ful 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 resunection of the heart. 1 2. Shall then the wicked man see God too } of whom Isaiah saith. Let the ungodly be taken away, that he see not Is. 26, the Glory of God. Both the ungodly and the godly then Sept. shall see that Form ; and when the sentence, Zt^^ ///e unyodly 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 fuUilled which the Lord Himself ])romised, when He was here in the flesh, and seen not by the good only, but by the eril 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, John I say, among them, and said. Whoso loveth Me, keepeth My ' ' coinmandntenls ; and he that loveth Me, shall be loved of My Xt, inform ofMan,to be seen by all; in Form oJ'Godjby such as love 561 Father, and I will love him. And as if it were said to Him, Serm. And what wilt Thou give him ? And / will, He saith, mani- ^To7q\ /est 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? There- fore, seeing that the Form of God was being reserved, the Form of man manifested; by the Form of man, speaking to men, con- spicuous and visible. He manifested Himself 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 j^. Him ? After the resurrection of the body, when the ungodly shall be taken away that he see not the Glory of God. For then whe7i He shall appear, we shall be like Him ; for we \ john shall see Him as He is. 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 ^ . ,7 Thee the Only True God, and Jesus Christ Whom Thou^. hast sent. This is life eternal, that they may know, see, com- prehend, acquaint themselves with what they had believed, may perceive that which they were not yet able to compre- hend. 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 Mat.25 Father, receive the kingdom which hath been prepared for^'^- you from the beginning of the world. Those wicked ones then shall go into everlasting- burning. But the righteous, whither? Into life eternal. What is life eternal ? This is lije 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, x. and not leaving us thus. He saith. He hath given Him power to exec^iie judgment also, because He is the Son of 3Ian. Marvel not at litis, 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 oii'2 Since God made us of nothing, He can remake us of the dust. Serm. potter to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of }'^^J^^:Ma/i. 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? John 5, Not only those, but what ? The hour shall come, ivJien they that are in the graves. 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. TJie 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 'infero- the bands of the grave' 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 refashion that which was ? xi. 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, shalt thou not be? God forbid thou shouldest think so ! God did something more marvellous when He made that which was not ; and never- theless He did make that which was not; and shall it be disbelieved that He is able to refashion 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, O man, before thou wast, that thou shouldest not believe Mo, that thou shalt 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, sub- stance, flesh, and rise again ? what ? these ashes, these bones, which I see in the tomb?" Well. At least thou scest ashes, thou seest bones in the tomb ; in thy mother's womb there was nothing. 7'his thou secst, ashes at least there are, and bones; Our Lord's witness true, but not to the unbelieving. 563 before that thou wast, there was neither ashes, nor bones ; and Serm. yet thou wast made, when thou wast not at all ; and dost thou ['i^^7]b?]' not believe that these bones, (for in whatever state, of what- ever 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 bless- ing 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, TTie^/ ^'- 29. that have done good unto the resurrection of life; but they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation. Turning to the Lord, &c. SERMON LXXVIII. [Ben. CXXVIII.] On the words of the Gospel, John v. " If I hear witness of Myself," &c. and on the words of the Apostle, Gal. v. " Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth," &c. 1. We have heard the words of the holy Gospel; and this 1. that the Lord Jesus saith, If I bear witness of Myself, My J°^" ^^ witness is not true, may perplex some. How then is not the witness of the Truth true ? Is it not Himself Who hath said, / am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life ? Whom then Johni4, 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 ; Jf 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 biightness of the Sun. 564 Xt His own Witness in John and in the Martr/rs ; dwelling in them Serm. 2. Therefore was John sought for to bear witness to the r^i^gj^'j Truth ; and ye have heard what He said; Ye came unto ^Ts^ John; He ?ra.<; a burning and a shining lamp, and ge were V. 35. willing for a season to rejoice in his light. This lamj) was prepared for their confusion, for of this was it said so long Ps. 132, time before in the Psalms, / have prepared a lamp for Bline Anointed. What ! a lamp for the Sun ! His enemies will I ^' 18. clothe with confusion : hut upon Himself shall my sanctiji- cation flourish. And hence they were in a certain place confounded by means of this very John, when the Jews said Luke20, tQ ^j^g Lord, By what authority doest Thou these things ? Tell t(s. To whom He answered, Bo 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. //" ice shall say, Of men; the people will stone us ; for they hold John as a prophet. If ice shall say. From heaven; He will say to ns. Why then have ye not believed him? For John bare witness to Christ. So straitened in their hearts by their own questions, and taken in their own snares, they answered, JVe 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 knou^ ; Jesus answered them. Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things. And they were confounded ; and so was fulfilled, / have prepared a lamp for Mine Anointed, His enemies will I clothe icith confusion. ii. 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 tlie 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 Vulg. speaketh in Me? 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 thro'' the Holy Spirit, Who is Love arid sheds love in the heart. 565 bear witness, let Stejshen bear witness, it is He Who dwelleth Serm. in them all that beareth witness to Himself. For He without ^''28^g'4 them is God, they without Him, what are they ? 4. Of Him it is said, He ascended up on high. He /et/Ps. 68, captivity captive, He gave gifts unto men. What is, i^eEphes. 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 cap- tive. He ascended t(p 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 Him- self; 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 q/'Rom. 5, (?of/, saith he, hath been shed abroad in our hearts. 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 2 Cot. 4, treasure in earthen vessels. Why, in earthen vessels ? That the excellency of the poiver may be of God f Finally, when he had said. The love of God, hatlt been sited 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 jjj^ mayest love God, let God dwell in thee, and love Himself in thee, thatis, toHislovelet 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 ^^^ g through Him Who loved its. Our combat ye heard of just now ^7. when the Apostle was being read. All the law, saith he, is Gal. 6, fulfilled in one word, even in this, TJtou shall love thy ^^• neighbour as thyself. This love is from the Holy Spirit. Thou shall love thy neighbour as thyself First see, if thou knowest yet how to love thyself; and then will 1 commit to thee the neighbour whom thou art to love as thyself. But if 56G The soul must he subdued to God, thejksh to the soul. Sf.rm. thou dost not yet know how to love thyself; I fear lest thou [128. B.J shonldest deceive thy neighbour as thyself. For if thou lovest iniquity, thou dost not love thyself. The Psalm is witness; Ps. 10, But ivhoso loveth iniquity, hateth his own soul. Now if thou 11 e'v ^^^'^ 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 be subdued unto God, that this service may maintain its due order, the soul to God, the flesh to the soul. Wouldest tliou that thy flesh should serve thy soul? Let thy soul serve God. Thou oughtest to be ruled, that thou mayest he able to rule. For so perilous is this struggle, that if thy Ruler forsake thee, ruin must ensue. iv. 6. What struggle ? But if ye Lite and devour one another, ?5^'ir' ^^'^^^ heed that ye he not consumed one of another. But I say, Walk in the Spirit. 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 lusis of the flesh. Let him follow on; if haply any thing, as this which is here obscure, may be understood more easily by the sequel of his words. For I saidj 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 'Deomi- wc occupied, if we are in ' God's service. What then follows ? htamus p^^. i]^q fl^sJi 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. This, if it be not under- stood, 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 I Perilous abuse of Gal. v. " f cannot do the things I icoiild.^'' bQ7 words to your affection. We have leisure enougli, we have Serm. begun early in the morning, the hour of dinner does notrj';,^^^^'^''' press; on this day, the sabbath that is, they that hunger after the word of God are wont especially to meet together. Hear v, 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 damn- able lusts, commit all sorts of crimes and impurities, and wallow in such abominable vmcleanness, as it is a shame even to mention; and say to themselves these words of the Apostle. See what the Apostle has said, So tJtatye cannot do the things Gal 5 that ye ivould. I would not do them, I am forced, I am com- im- pelled, I am overcome, / do the things that I would not, as Rom. 7 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, harndess water. 8. Be not willing then to be overcome when thou fightest. 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 ev^en adulterers praise adultery? Whoso then seeketh the truth, Johns, co)7ieth to the light. 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 not- pp 568 The Spirit lustelh (Kf-if flesh oulij nhore He isi.e.imfgood. Skrm. withstanding tliis llesli of ours is permitted to lust against [l28.BJthe spirit by evil suggestions and reaP delights. Be that ' genui- secured which the Apostle saith, Let not sin reign in your Rom. 6 ''^^oi'ft^l body. He did not say, " Let it not be tliere." It is 12 there already. And this is called sin, because it has befallen ' inerito us through the wages^ of sin. For in Paradise the flesh did not lust against the spirit, nor was there tliis 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 lusleth 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. y. For when he says, Thejiesh 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 tighteth in thee against thyself, against that which in thee is against thee. For thou wouldest not stand to God-ward ; 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, vii. and thou shalt stand in thine integrity. For that thou mayest know that this office appertaineth to the Holy Spirit; the Rom. 8, Apostle saith in another place, For if ye live after the flesh, ^•' ye shall die; hut if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the flesh, ye shall live. 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; bnt 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 pro])er nature, whereby he is man. For man consists 1 Cor. 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. I sec then that man himself hath his own spirit appertaining to his proper nature, and I hear thee 2, U. ThatSpirit^hy IVhom we arenottsqf God, led, mortify thejfcsh. 569 saying, Bid if through the Spirit ye do mortify the deeds of Serm. the flesh, ye shall live. I ask, through what sph'it; mym^g^Ri 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, Gen.6, died by the flood. And so the word spirit is spoken of cattle, 7' 22. and spoken of man too. Sometimes even the wind is called spirit; as it is in the Psalm, Fire, hail, snow, frost, thevs.ur, spirit of the tempest. For as much then as the word spirit^ ^y^^' is used in many ways, by Avhat spirit, O Apostle, hast thou 148. said that the deeds of the flesh are to be mortified; by mine own, or by the Spirit of God ? Hear what follows, and under- stand. The difficulty is removed by the following words. For when he had said. But if through the Sjnrit ye mortify Rom. 8, the deeds of the flesh, ye shall live; he added immediately, For as many as are acted^ upon by the Spirit of God, they ' agun- 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 God, they are the sons of God. Tliey are not the sons of God if they are not acted upon by the Spirit of God. But if they are acted upon ])y the Spirit of Goil, they fight; because they have a mighty Helper. For God doth not look on at our combattings as the people do at the gladiators-. The people may favour the gladiator, help 2 veua- him they cannot when he is in peril. "'^^^ 10. Sothenhere too ; The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and viii. 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 ofiice to explain it, howsoever incompetent. So that ye cannot do the things that ye xoould. Attend, ye holy ones, whosoever ye are that are fighting. To them that are battling do I speak. They who p p 2 570 Here, not peace from Ihejleslt but victory. Serm. are fighting, understand; lie tliat is not fighting, understands r ^gYB.'f iiie not. Yea, he that is lighting, 1 will not say understands me, but anticipates nic. What is the chaste man's wish ? That no lust should rise uj) in his members at all opposed to chastity, lie wishelh for peace, but as yet he hath it not. For when we shall have come to that state, where there shall rise 11}) no lust at all to be oj)posed, 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 1 Cor. foe. Hear of this victory, in the Apostle's own words; This &c/' ' corruplihle must put on incur ruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. Now when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on im- mortality; then shall be brought to 2jass the saying that is nrilten, Death is swalloiced up in victory. Hear the voices of them that triumph ; O death, tchere is thy con^ tention ? O death, where is thy sting? Tliou 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 triumjjh shall they say, O death, where is thy contention ? O death, ichere is thy sting ? ix, 1 !• But now, when the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against thejlesh, is the contention of death ; we do not what we would. Why ? l^ecause we would that there should be no lusts, but we cannot hinder it .'' Whether we 'titillant will or uot, 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 ofl" the flesh, how then shalt thou draw the lusts of the flesh along with thee .? Nay, if thou hast fought well, thou shalt 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 tliem. Our enemies To fhe end evil desires uill rise, may he quelled. 571 are in a measure wearied out even now hj age ; but never- Serm. tireless, wearied though they be, they do not cease to harass ri'gs^R f 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 lusieth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; so that ye cannot do the things that ye woidd. 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' the wai', hope for triumph. For now in ' ^^^^' the meanwhile ye must fight. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the Jlesh; so that ye cannot do the things that ye icoidd ; that is, that there should be no lusts of the flesh at all. 12. But do what ye are able; what the Apostle himself x. says in another place, which I had already begun to repeat ; Let not sin reign in your mortal body, to obey the desires Rom. 6, thereof. 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. " Lei 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 instru- ments ofiniqidty 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 instru- ments of iniquity unto sin ; arm not thine adversary against thyself. Restrain thy feet, that they go not after unlawful things. TiUst 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 572 Lvsts ^donc' i)imai),ifi)i hhn^nol \fulJiUedC eascepl hyhirn. Serm. lust do? How to rise up, it knoweth. How to conquer, it ^"28^!] knoweth not. By rising up constantly Avithout effect, it Usarns 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 ])lain. For this I had sot forth, that the Apostle did not say, " Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not have the lusts of the llesh ;" 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 Eoin. 7, lusting, is doing. But the Apostle says, Noiv il is no '' more I tlint do if, hut si/t that dicelleiJi in me. 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 burnetii, and is not quieted, and thou wouldest that it should not burn. Where then is, So that ye cannot do the lltinys that ye uould? Do not give it thy members. Let it burn without effect, and it will spend itself. In tliee then these lusts are done. It must be confessed, they are done. And therefore he said, Ye shall not fnljil. 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 deatli. xii. 14. Christ raised up the daughter of the ruler of the g^"'"^"''' synagogue who was dead in the house. She uas in the Vid. house, she had not yet been carried out. So is the man 48.'(Ben.^^^° hath determined on some wickedness in his heart; he is •^8.) 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. Luke 7, But the Lord raised also the young man, the widow's son, ''''^' when he was being carried out dead beyond the gale of the city. So then I venture to say, Thou hast determined in Gradations of sin, analogous to the dead raised by Xt. 573 tliine heart, if thou call thyself back from thy deed, thou wilt Serm. be cured before thou put it into action. For if thou repent r'm'a^DV 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 man, 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' habit. Here too Christ ' nimia crieth, Lazarus, come forth. For a man of very evil habit Jo^nn, . ■ 43. &c now stinketli. 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 tliey 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, &c. SERMON LXXIX. [CXXIX. Ben.] On the words of the (Jospel, John v. " Search the Scriptures, in which ye think ye have eternal life," &c. against the Donatists. 1. Give heed. Beloved, to the lesson of the Gospel which i. 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 -^ohn 5, 39 ye think ye have eternal life, they testify of 3Ie. Then a little after He said, / am come in My Father's Name, and ye v. 43. have not received Me; if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. Then a little after; How can ye believe, v. 44. who look for glory one from another, and seek not the glory which is of God only? At last He saith, / do not accuse- ^^- C)l^TlieIemen of lhePharisees,receiiing(jloryfrom one another. Serm. you to the Father ; there is one that accuseth you, Moses, in [p9 13 1 '^^'honi ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye v)Oidd haply v74(r believe Me also, for he wrote of Me. But seeing ye believe ^- "*''• not his icords, how can ye believe Me? At these sayings ' (li villi which have been set before us from divine' 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, ii. 2. For all these things it is easy to understand as touch- ing the Jews. But wc must beware, lest, when we give too much attention to them, we withdraw our eyes from our- selves. For the Lord was speaking to His disciples ; and assuredly what He spake to them. He spake to us too their Mat.28, posterity. Nor to them only does what He said, Lo, I am '^'^' with you alway even unto the end of the world, ^PPb'? ^^^ even to all Christians that should be after them, and succeed them even unto the end of the world. Speaking then to iMat. IG, them He said. Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees. They at that time thought that the Lord had said this, because they had brought no bread ; they did not understand that Beicare 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 ichich is of God only. Of these liom- the Apostle Paul thus speaks ; / bear them record that they ' ' have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 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 Aposde, 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 Ibid. 3. knowledge? For they being ignorant of God^s rig/iteoi/sness, and uishing to establish their own, have not submitted them- selves unto the righteousness of God, 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 Church heiny the Body of Xt, speaks ic'iAh His tcords. 515 the ylory which is of God only. This is the leaven of the Serm. Pharisees. Of this the Lord bids beware. If it is ser-^fjgj^; vants that he bids, and the Lord that bids, let us beware ; lest we hear, Why say ye to Me, Lord, Lord, and do not ihe^^^^*^- 7, things which I say ? Luke 6, 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* at ' absit 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, Jliey shall be two in one J/esh. Ephes. Tins is a great mystery'^, says the Apostle, hut 1 speak //<2'^^'^^* Christ and in the Church. If then they are two in onementum 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 acknow- ledge me? Search the Scriptures, in which ye think ye have eternal life, they testify of meC to the Jews our Headsaith, what the Body saith to you; Ye shall seek me, and shall not John 7, 36. 576 The (). T. prophesies of Xt andthe Church in 1/ same places. SEKM.Jind me. Why? Because ye do not search (he Scriptures, mg^B V^'"^"'*' ^^'^^ify of me. ~^~ 5. A testimony for the Head; To Abraham, and his seed Gal. 3, were the proi/tisrs wade. He saith not, And to seeds, as of mauij, but as of one, And to tlnj seed, tvhich is Christ. A testimony for the body unto Abraham, which the Apostle ^«^»-22, hath brought forward. To Abraham irere the promises made. As 1 live, saith the Tord, I snear by Myself, because thou hast obeyed My Voice, and hast not spared thine own beloved son for Me, that in blessiiiy I trill bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as lite stars (f heaven, and as the sand of the sea, and in thy seed shall all nations of the earth be blessed. 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 Ps. 67, Christ ; Be Thou exalted, O God, above the heavens. And immediately for the Body; And Thy ylory above all the Ps. 21, earth. Hear a testimony lor the Head; 7 hey diyyed My ^'^g^^' Hands and My Feet., they numbered all My Bones; and V. 19. they looked and stared upon Me; they divided My yarmen^s 16- '{'-'' (iniony them, and cast lots upon My vesture. Hear im- 18. mediately a testimony for the Body, a {c\w \\ ords afler, All -£,Y,27.the en Is of the tcorhl shall remember themselves and be turned nnto the Lord, and all the kindreds of the nations v- 29. shall worship in His siyht; for the kinydom is the Lord\s, and He shall hnve dominion over the nalionS' Hear for the Ps. 19,5. Head ; And He is: as a bridegroom coining forth out (f His hride-chamber. And in this same Psalm hear for the Body; V. -1, Their sound uent out into all the earth, and their nords unto the ends of the world. V. 6. These passages are for the Jews, and lor these of our own brethren. Why so? Because these Scri]>ture.s of the Old Testament both the Jews receive, and these our brethren receive, liul 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 ; lor so in us the head speaks for the bodv. Hear lor the Head; He was risen from tlie (l(>ad, lie Donatists,Antichr ists, claiming as (/leir otvn the giftsofXt. 577 found the disciples hesitating, doubting, not bcHeving for Serm. joy; He opened their understanding that they might under- A\q^\ stand the Scriptures, and said to them. Thus it is written, Lake^i, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise again from "' °" the dead the third dag. 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. Let the Church then speak to her enemies, let her speak. She does speak clearly, she is not silent : only let them give ear. Ih'ethren, 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, tvho look for glory one from another, and seek not the glory which is of God only? For being Hom. 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 subuiitted yourselves to the righteousness of God. What else is it to be ignorant of God's righteousness, and to wisli 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. Thou 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 vi. what the Lord said, / am come in My Falher''s Name, and John 5, ye have not received 3Ie ; if another shall come in his own ' name, him ye will receive. But let us hear John too : Ye ' '^°'^" . . 2 18. have heard that Antichrist cometh, and even now are there ' many Antichrists. 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 578 DoitatUts makiny XCs (jifls depend on 7ne)i\s /loliiiesfi, Serm. there." " Tell me why am not I cleansed, a man who was ri29.B.i haptized in Jerusalem, who was baptized, for instance, among the Ephosians, to whom an Epistle you read was written, and whose peace you despise ? Lo, to the Ephesians the Apostle wrote; a Church was founded, and remains even to this day; yea, remains in greater fruitfulness, remains in greater numbers, holds fast that which it received of the Gal. 1, Apostle, If any man preach owjht to you than that ye have received^ let him he accursed. "What now? what dost thou say to me ? Am I not clean ? There was 1 baptized, am I not clean .?" " No, even thou art not." " Why ?" " Because I was not there." " But He Who is every where, was there. He W^ho is every where 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, sayestto me, ' Thou wast not baptized duly, seeing I was not there.' John 1, Consider Who was there. What was said to John? Upon 33 Whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending like a dove^ this is He Which haptizeth. Him hast thou seeking for thee; nay, for that thou hast grudged me who was baptized by Him, thou hast lost Him rather." vii. 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 knowelh better; place not your hope in us, whatsoever we I Cor. 4, be. If we be good, do as is written. Be ye imitators of Me, '^'^^''"a* / also am of Christ. But if we be bad, not even thus are ye abandoned, not even thus have ye remained without Matt, counsel : give ear to Him, saying, Do what they say; but do ' ' not ivhat they dor 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 1 Cor. forgotten my foundation? Was not Christ the Rock ? Is it Matt. 7 not that he that buildeth upon the rock, neither the wind ^^- nor the floods overthrow him ? Come then, if thou wilt, with me upon the Rock, and do not wish to be to me for the rock. Johns, 9. Let the Church then say those last words also, If ye *^' had believed Moses, ye would believe me also ; for he wrote and ilisbelievin(/ His promise to the Church, despise Christ, bid of me ; for that I am His body of Whom he wrote. And of Serm. the Church did Moses write. For I have quoted the words of ^29.0.] Moses, In thy seed shall all nations of the earth be blessed. Gen. 22, Moses wrote this in the first book. If ye beUeved 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, 3Ioses and the Prophets, /e/Lukeie, them hear them. Nay, father Abraham, but if one wenf^^'^^ unto them from the dead, him they will hear. And He said,^, 31. If they hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they believe, if one rise again from the dead. This was said of the Jews: was it therefore not said of heretics? He had viii. risen from the dead. Who said, It behoved Christ to suffer, ^"^o^'^' 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 repent- ance and remission of sins should be pjreached throughout all nations. 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' up, by your setting- yourselves 1 stetit. up, Christ's Baptism is effaced. But what remains, brethren, f^®'^°*^' 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 ; Ps. 82, and not that men, but Tho^i Only art the Most High over^^'^^^^ all the earth. Let us turn to the Lord, &c. is. 580 ihir LuriVs miiacles contain mysteries. SERMON LXXX. [CXXX. Ben.] On the words of the Gospel, John vi. where the miracle of the five loaves and the two fishes is related. Serm. 1. It was a great miracle that was wrought, dearly beloved, rio^^^T 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 k\v grains are sown, and whole barns are filled. But, because He doth this every year, no one marvels. Not the incon- ' viUtas siderableness' of what is clone, 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 sig- nified the five books of Moses' Law. The old Law is barley compared to the Gospel wheat. Tn those books are great mysteries concerning Christ contained. Whence He saith John 5, Himself, If y^ Imd believed Moses, ye would believe Me also; ^^'' for lie urate of Me. But as in barley the niaiTow 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 neigh- bour, or the two people of the circumcision and uncircum- cision, 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. John 6, 2. Let us turn to Him Who did these things. He is Him- '*'' fieU The Bread Which came down froin heaven ; but Bread Xttook our Fleshy shed His Blood, togive us what Hegavefor us. 58 1 Which refreshelh the faihng, and doth not fail ; Bread Which Serm. can be tasted', cannot be wasted. This Bread did the manna ^g^^^' also figure. Wherefore it is said, He gave them the Bread T^-^ of heaven, man ate Angels'" Bread. Wlio is the Bread of ^^™' . , . 1 potest, heaven, but Christ .? But in order that man might eat Angels' consumi Bread, the Lord of Angels was made Man, For if He had""^^^. not been made Man, we should not have His Flesh; if Ps. 77, 24 25 we had not His Flesh, we should not eat the Bread of thegg'^, ' Altar. Let us hasten to the inheritance, seeing we hare here- ^•^•''^• by 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: con- sider all men whether they are in this world for any other end than to be born, to labour, and to die } This is the mer- chandize of our country : these things here abound. To such mercliandize did that Merchantman descend. And forasmuch as every merchant gives and receives; gives what he has, and receives what he has not; when he ])rocures any thing, 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 (or 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' deed. We are Thy ser-i instru- vants, we are Thy creatures: Thou hast made us. Thou hast""®"^™ redeemed us. Any on(3 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 bS2Xttobe/eareil,i/etloi«< on imuiorlality, then shall be brouyht to j)ass the saying that is written, Death is suaUowed up in victory. Where, O death, is thy contention ? There rightly, O death, uhere is thy siiny ? Thou seekest its place, and findest it not. What is the stiny of deaths What is, O death, where is thy sling? Where is sin? Thou seekest, and it is no where. For the sting of death is sin. They are the Apostle's words, not mine. Then shall it be said, 0 death, where is thy sling ? Sin shall no where be, neither to surprise thee, nor to assault thee, nor to inflame' thy conscience. Then it shall not be ' titilkt -^ The crown of riykteousness is of Gocfs mercy and pity. 59 1 said, Forgive us our debts. But what shall be said? O Lord Serm. our God, give us peace: for Tliou hasl rendered all things nsi' g i* unto us. Is. 26, 8. Finally, after the redemption from all corruption, what i"^-.^ept. remaineth but the crown of righteousness ? This at least remaineth, but even in it, or under it, let not the head be swollen that it may receive the crown. Hear, mark well the Psalm, how that crown will not have a swollen head. After he had said. Who redeemeth thy life from corruption ; he saith, Wlio crowneth thee. Here thou wert ready at once to say, " Crownelh thee, is an aclinowledgment of my merits, my own excellence hath done it ; it is the payment of a debt, not a gift." Give ear rather to the Psalm. For it is thou again that sayest this ; and all men are liars. Hear what God saith ; Ps. 116, Who crowneth thee with mercy and pity. Of His mercy He crowneth thee, of His pity He crowneth thee. For thou hadst no worthiness that He should call thee, and being called should justify thee, being justified glorify thee. The remnant is sated by the election of grace. But if by Rom.ii, grace, then is it no more of works; otherwise grace is no more grace. For to him that worketh, the reward shall not Rom. 4, be reckoned according to grace, bat according to debt. The ** Apostle saith. Not according to grace, but according to debt. But thee He crowneth with pity and mercy ; and if thy own merits have gone before, God saith to thee, " Examine \\ell thy merits, and thou shall see that they are My gifts." 9. This then is the righteousness of God. As it is called. The Lord's salvation, not whereby the Lord is saved, butps 3 9. which He giveth to them whom He saveth ; so too the grace |^E^'„ „ of God through Jesus Christ our Lord is called the righte- ousness of God, not as that whereby the Lord is righteous, but whereby He justifieth those whom of ungodly He maketh righteous. But some, as the Jews in former times, both ix. wish to be called Christians, and still ignorant of God's righteousness, desire to establish their own, even in our own times, in the times of open grace, the times of the full reve- lation of grace which before was hidden ; in the times of grace now manifested in the floor, which once lay hid in the fleece. 1 see that a few have understood me, that more have not understood, whom 1 will by no means defraud by keeping vsilence. Gideon, one of the righteous men of old, Judg. (>, 37. 592 Jews strive against hidden, Pelagians against open, grace. Serm. asked for a sign from the Lord, and said, " I pray, Lord, that ri3i r.']this fleece which I put in the floor be bedewed', and that icomplu- the floor be dry." And it was so; the fleece was bedewed, ^^^^ the whole floor was dry. In the morning he wrung out the fleece in a bason ; forasmuch as to the humble is grace given ; and in a bason, ye know what the Lord did to His disciples. Again, he asked for another sign; " O Lord, I would," saith he, " that the fleece be dry, the floor bedewed." And it was so. Call to mind the lime of the Old Testament, grace was hidden in a cloud, as the rain in the fleece. Mark now the time of the New Testament, consider well the nation of the Jews, thou wilt find it as a dry fleece ; whereas the whole world, like that floor, is full of grace, not hidden, but manifested. Wherefore we are forced exceedingly to bewail our brethren, who strive not against hidden, but against open and manifested grace. There is allowance for the .Jews. What shall we say of Christians ? Wherefore are ye enemies to the grace of Christ ? Why rely ye on yourselves ? Why unthankful ? For why did Christ come ? Was not nature here before? Was not nature here, which ye only deceive by your excessive praise ? Was not the Law Gal. 2, here? But the Apostle says. If rigldeousness come by the Law, then Christ is dead in rain. What the Apostle says of the Law, that say we of nature to these men. " If righteousness come by nature, then Christ is dead in vain." X. 10. What the;i was said of the Jews, the same altogether Bom. do we see in these men now\ They have n zeal of God: I 10, 2. l)Qar them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. Wh^t is, not according to know- V. 3. ledge? For being ignorant of God''s righteousness, and wishing to establish their own, they have not submitted themselves unto tJie righteousness of God. My brethren, share with me in my sorrow. When ye find such as these, 2perver-do not hide them; be there no such misdirected^ mercy in you; by all means, when ye find such, lude them not. Convince the gainsayers, and those who resist, bring to us. For already have two "^ councils on this question been sent to the Apostolic see ; and rescripts also have come from thence. « Of Carthage and Milevis which Roman Pontiff, Innocent, (A. D. 417.) are among the Epistles of St. Angus- in the Epistles 181. 182. Bened. tine, 175. 176. And the rescripts of the Not. sa Catechumens hide from themselves the Divine Mysteries. 593 The question has been brought to an issue ; would that Serm. their error may sometime be brought to an issue too! There- p,g*]^'', fore do we advise that they may take heed, we teach that they may be instructed, we pray that they may be changed. Let us turn to the Lord, &c. SERMON LXXXn. [CXXXII. Ben.J On the words of the Gospel, John vi. " My Flesh is meat indeed, and My Blood is drink indeed. Whoso eateth My Flesh," &c. \. As we heard when the Holy Gospel was being read, i. the Lord Jesus Christ exhorted us by the promise of eternal life to eat His Flesh and drink His Blood. Ye that heard these words, have not all as yet understood them. For those of you who have been baptized and the faithful do know what He meant. But those among you who are yet called Catechumens, or Hearers, could be hearers, when it was being read, could they be understanders too ? Accord- ingly our discourse is directed to both. Let them who already eat the Flesh of the Lord and drink His Blood, think What it is they eat and drink, lest, as the Apostle says, They eat and drink judgment to themselves. But they who l Cor. do not yet eat and drink, let them hasten when invited to^^' such a Banquet. Throughout these days the teachers feed you, Christ daily feedeth you. That His Table is ever ordered before you. What is the reason, O Hearers, that ye see the Table, and come not to the Banquet? And peradventure, just now when the Gospel was being read, ye said in your hearts, " We are thinking what it is that He saith. My Flesh John 6, is meat indeed, and My Blood is drink indeed: How is the Flesh of the Lord eaten, and the Blood of the Lord drunk? We are thinking what He saith." Who hath closed it against thee, that thou dost not know this ? There is a veil over it ; but if thou wilt, the veil shall be taken away. Come to the profession % and thou hast resolved the difficulty. For what the Lord Jesus said, the faithful know well already. But thou art called a Catechumen, art called a Hearer, and art * Baptismal profession. 594 Chastity of women should shame men. Sekm. deaf. For the ears of the body thou hast open, seeing that ri32.B.i ^'^ou hearest the words which were spoken; but tlie ears of the heart thou hast still closed, seeing thou understandest 'disputonot what was spoken. I plead', I do not discuss it. Lo, sero '""Easter* is at hand, give in thy name for baptism. If the sPascha festivity arouse thee not, let the very curiosity induce thee: V. 56. that thou mayest know the meaning of, Whoso eateth My Flesh and drinketh My Blood dtvelleih in Me, and I in him. That thou mayest know with me what is meant, ^^^^'"^^ Knock, and it shall be opened unto ihee: and as I say to thee, Knock, and it shall be opened unto thee, so do I too knock, open thou to me. When 1 sjjeak aloud to the ears, I knock at the breast. ii. 2. But if the Catechumens, my brethren, are to be exhorted not to delay to approach to this so great grace of regene- ration ; what great care ought we to have in building up the faithful, that their approaching may profit them, and that they eat and drink not such a l>anquet unto their own judj^- inent? Now that they may not eat and drink unto judgment, let them live well. Be ye exhorters, not by words, but by your conduct; that they who have not been baptized, may in such wise hasten to follow you, that they perish not by imitating you. Do ye who are married keep the fidelity of the marriage-bed with your wives. Render what you require. As a husband thou requirest chastity from thy wife; give her an exainple, not words. Thou art the head, look where thou goesl. For thou oughtcst to go Avhere it may not be danger- ous for her to follow : yea, thou oughtcst to walk thyself where thou wouldest have her follow. Thou requirest strength from the weaker sex; the lust of the flesh ye have both of you: let him that is the stronger, be the first to conquer. And yet, which is to be lamented, many men are conquered by the women. Women preserve chastity, which men will not preserve; and in that they preserve it not, would wish to appear men : as though he was in sex the stronger, only that the enemy might more easily subdue him. There is a struggle, a war, a combat. The man is stronger than the Ephes. woman, the man is the head of the icoman. The woman 5 23 ' ' ' combats and overcomes ; dost thou succumb to the enemy .? Tlu; body stands firm, and does the head lie low ? But those Consciousness of God's presence protection of chastity. 595 of you who have not yet wives, and who yet aheady approach Serm. to the Lord's Tabic and eat the Flesh of Christ, and drink ['i32]b!i His Blood, if ye are about to marry, keep yourselves for your wives. As ye would have them come to you, such ought they also to find you. What young man is there who would not wish to marry a chaste wife? And if he were about to espouse a virgin, who would not desire she should be unpolluted ? Thou lookest for one unpolluted, be un- polluted thyself. Thou lookest for one pure, be not thyself impure. For it is not that she is able, and thou art not able. If it were not possible, then could not she be so. But seeing that she can, let this teach thee, that it is possible. And that she may have this power, God is her ruler. But thou wilt have greater glory if thou shalt do it. Why greater glory? The vigilance of parents is a check to her, the very modesty of the weaker sex is a bridle to her; lastly, she is in fear of the laws of which thou art not afraid. Therefore it is then that thou wilt have greater glory if thou shalt do it ; because if thou do it, thou fearest God. She has many things to fear besides God, thou fearest God alone. But He Whom thou fearest is greater than all. He is to be feared in iii. public. He in secret. Thou goest out, thou art seen ; thou goest in, thou art seen ; the lamp is lighted, He seeth thee ; the lamp is extinguished. He seeth thee ; thou enterest into thy closet, He seeth thee; in the retirement' of thine own'incor- heart, He seeth thee. Fear Him, Him Whose care it is \-o ^J^' see thee ; and even by this fear be chaste. Or if thou wilt sin, seek for some place where He may not see thee, and do what thou wouldest. 3. But ye who have taken the vow already, chasten your bodies more strictly, and suffer not yourselves to loosen the reins of concupiscence even after those things which are permitted; that ye may not only turn away from an unlawful connexion^, but may despise even a lawful look. Remem- 2 coucu- ber, in whichever sex ye are, whether men or women, that ye ''" are leading on earth the life of Angels : For the Angels are -^^^x^ neither given in marriage, nor marry. This shall we be, 22, so. when we shall have risen again. How much better are ye, who before death begin to be what men will be after the resurrection ! Keep your proper degrees, for God keepeth 596 Rewards of virginity, tcedded chastity, holy widoichood. Serm. for you your lionours. The resurrection of the dead is f 132^3 1 ^"™P'^'*^'^^ to the stars that are set in heaven. For star 1 CorT differeth Jrom star in glory, as the Apostle says; so also is 16,41.2. ^^^g resurrection of the dead. For after one manner virginity shall shine there, after another shall wedded chastity shine there, after another shall holy widowhood shine there. They shall shine diversely, but all shall be there. The brilliancy unequal, the heaven the same. iv. 4. With your thoughts then on your degrees, and keeping your professions, approach ye to the Flesh of the Lord, approach to the Blood of the Lord. Whoso knoweth him- self to be otherwise, let him not approach. Be moved to compunction rather by my words. For they who know that they are keeping for their wuves, what from their wives they require, they who know that they are in every way keeping continence, if this they have vowed to God, feel joy at my words ; but they who hear me say, " Whosoever of you are not keeping chastity, approach not to that Bread, are sad- dened." And I should have no wish to say this; but what can I do } Shall I fear man, so as to suppress the truth ? What, if those servants do not fear the Lord, shall I there- Matt. fQj.g tQQ j^Q^ fear.? as if I do not know that it is said, " Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou shouldest dispense, and I require." Lo, I have dispensed, O Lord my God; lo, in Thy Sight, and in the sight of Thy Holy Angels, and of this Thy people, I have laid out Thy money ; for I am afraid of Thy judgment. I have dispensed, do Thou require. Though I should not say it, Thou vvouldest do it. Therefore I rather say, I have dispensed, do Thou convert, do Thou spare. Make them chaste who have been unchaste, that in Thy Sight we may rejoice together when the judgment shall come, both he who hath disj^ensed and he to whom it hath been dispensed. Doth this please you? May it do so! Whosoever of you are unchaste, amend yourselves, whilst ye are alive. For 1 have power to speak the word of God, but to deliver the unchaste, who persevere in wickedness, from the judgment and condemnation of God, have I no power. Risk, lesfsome misinterpret to their oivn hurt our Lord's words. 597 SERMON LXXXTII. [CXXXllI. Ben.] On the words of the Gospel of John vii. where Jesus said that He was not going up unto the feast, and notwithstanding went up. 1. I PURPOSE by the Lord's assistance to treat of this sec- Serm. lion' of the Gospel which has just been read; nor is there arj^g'g^g"' little difficulty here, lest the truth be endangered, and false- 1 p^^;. hood glory. Not that either the truth can perish, nor false- fu'° hood triumph. Now hearken for a while what difficulty this lesson has; and being made attentive by the propounding of the difficulty, pray that I may be sufficient for its solution. The Jeu-s' feast of tabernacles was at hand; these it seems John 7, are the days which they observe even to this day, when they ^* build huts^. For this solemnity of theirs is called from-casas the building of tabernacles; since o-xrjv^ means a " tabernacle," (TxrjvoTrrjy/a is the building of a tabernacle. These days were kept as feast days among the Jews; and it was called one feast day, not because it was over in one day, but because it was kept up by a continued festivity ; just as the feast day of the Passover, and the feast day of unleavened bread, and notwithstanding, as is manifest, that feast is kept throughout many days. This anniversary then was at hand in Judaea, the Lord Jesus was in Galilee, where He had also been brought up, where too He had relations and kinsfolk, whom Scripture calls, His hretJtren. His brethren, therefore, as we John 7, have heai'd it read, said unto Him, Pass from hence, and go into Judcea; that Thy disciples also may see TJiy works that Thon doest. For no mati doeth any tiling in secret., andv 4. himself seeketh to be known openly. If Thou do these things, manifest Thyself to the world. Then the Evangelist sub- joins. For neither did His brethren believe in Him. If then v. 5. they did not believe in Him, the words they threw out were of envy. Jesus answered them, My time is not yet come; but v. 6. your time is alway ready. The world cannot hate you; but v. 7. Me it hateth, because I testify of it that the icorks thereof are evil. Go ye up to this feast day. I go ^not up to this v. 8. * In the Greek it is oSttu iionduin, text, as tiaving the authority of the and so in some Latin copies ; (f^en. not.) Mss. D. K. most Verss. and the Griesbach and Seholz place ovk in the Fathers. 598 All saying what is not done, not a lie ; The Truth cannot lie. Serm. feast day^for My lime is not yet accomplished. Then fol- ps.j.B.jlows the Evangelist; When He had said these words, He V. 9. Himself' stayed in Galilee. Bat uhen His brethren nere gone up, then went He also up to the feast day, not openly^ hut as it nere in secret. Thus far is the extent of the diffi- culty, all the rest is clear. 2. What then is the difficulty ? what makes the per- plexity ? what is in peril ? Lest the Lord, yea, to speak more plainly, lest the Truth Itself should be tliought to have lied. For if we would have it thought that He lied, the weak will receive an authority for lying. We have heard say that He lied. For those who think that He lied, speak thus, " He said that He should not go up to the feast day, and He went up." In the first place then, let us, as far as in the press of time we can, see whether he does lie, who says a thing and does it not. For example, 1 have told a friend, " I will see you to-morrow;" some greater necessity occurs to hinder me ; I have not on that account spoken falsely. For when I made the promise, I meant what I said. But when some 1 fijera greater matter occurred, which hindered the accomplishment * of my promise, I had no design to lie, but I was not able to fulfil the promise. Lo, to my thinking I have used no labour to persuade you, but have merely suggested to your 2pru- good sense-, that he who pi'omises something, and doeth it dentiam j^^j^ does not lie, if, that he do it not, something has occurred to hinder the fulfilment of his promise, not to be any proof of falsehood. 3. But some one who hears me will say, " Canst thou then say this of Christ, that He either was not able to fulfil what He would, or that He did not know things to come ?" Thou doest well, good is thy suggestion, right thy hint; but, O man, share with me my anxiety. Dare we to say that He lies. Who we do not dare to say is weak in power .? I for my part, to the best of my thinking, as far as according to my infirmity I am able to judge, would choose that a man should be deceived in any matter rather than lie in any. For to be Ps. 6,5. deceived is the portion of infirmity, to lie of iniquity. Thou hatest, 0 Lord, saith he, all them that work iniquity. And V. G. immediately after. Thou shall destroy all them that speak a lie. Either iniquity and a lie are upon a level ; or, 77/0/^ slialt um Difference between being deceived and lying. 599 destroi/, is more than, Thou hatesi. For he who is held in Serm. hatred, is not immediately pmiished by destruction. ^^utr^^3^gj let that question be, whether there be ever a necessity to lie; for I am not now discussing that; it is a dark question, and has many lappings ' ; I have not time to cut them, and i sinus to come to the quick ^. Therefore let the treatment of it be 2 viv deferred to some other time; for peradventure it will be cured by the Divine assistance without any words of mine. But attend and distinguish between what I have deferred, and what I wish to treat of to-day. Whether on any occasion one may lie, this difficult and most obscure question I defer. But whether Christ lied, whether the Truth spake any thing false, this, being reminded of it by the Gospel lesson, have I undertaken to-day. 4. Now what the difference is between being deceived, and lying, I will briefly state. He is deceived who thinks what he says to be true, and therefore says it, because he thinks it true. Now if this which he that is deceived says, were true, he would not be deceived; if it were not only true, but he also knew it to be true, he would not lie. He is deceived then, in that it is false, and he thinks it true ; but he only says it because he thinks it true. The error lies in human infirmity, not in the soundness of the conscience. But whoso- ever thinks it to be false, and asserts it as true, he lies. See, ray brethren, draw the distinction, ye who have been brought up in the Church, instructed in the Lord's Scriptures, not uninformed, nor simple', nor ignorant* men. For there are^rustici among you men learned and erudite, and not indifferently '^'°*^ instructed in all kinds of literature; and with those of you who have not learnt that literature which is called liberal, it is more that ye have been nourished up in the word of God. If I labour in explaining what I mean, do ye aid me both by the attention of your hearing, and the though iful- ness^ of your meditations. Nor will ye aid, unless ye are^pruden- aided. Wlierefore pray we mutually for one another, and*"^ look equally for our common Succour. He is deceived, who whereas what he says is false, thinks it to be true ; but he lies, who thinks a thing to be false, and gives it out as true, whether it be true or false. Observe what I have added, " whether it be true or false ;" yet he who thinks it to be R r GOO Christ cannot be deceived, much less deceive. Serm. false, and asserts it as true, lies ; he aims to deceive. For rjgy^jljwhat good is it to him, that it is true? He all the while thinks it false, and says it as if it were true. What he says is true in itself, it is in itself true ; with regard to him it is false, his conscience does not hold that which he is saying; he thinks in himself one thing to be true, he gives out another for truth. His is a double heart, not single; he does not bring out that which he has in it. The double heart has long Eccius. since been condemned. With deceitful lips in a heart and a ^ l^' heart have they spoken evil things. Had it been enough to E.Y. 2, say, in the heart have they spoken evil things, where is the Ps.i2 2.^^^^*^/"^^ lips? What is deceit ? When one thing is done, another pretended. Deceitful lips are not a single heart; and because not a single heart, therefore in a heart and a heart; therefore in a heart twice, because the heart is double. 5, How then think we of the Lord Jesus Christ, that He lied? If it is a less evil to be deceived than to lie, dare we to say that He lies Who we dare not to say is deceived ? But He is neither deceived, nor doth He lie ; but in very deed as it is written, (for of Him is it understood, of Him ought it to be understood,) Nothing false is said unto the King, and nothing false shall proceed out of His mouth. If by King here he meant any man, let us prefer Christ the King, to a man-king. But if, which is the truer understanding of it, it is Christ of whom he spake, if 1 say, as is the truer under- standing of it, it is Christ of Whom he spake; (for to Him indeed nothing false is said, in that He is not deceived ; from His Mouth nothing false proceedeth, in that He doth not lie;) let us look how we are to understand the section of the Gospel, J voragi- and let us not make the ' pitfall of a lie, as it were, on heavenly authority. But it is most absurd to be seeking to explain the truth, and to prepare a place for a lie. What art thou teaching me, 1 ask thee, who art explaining this text to me, what wouldest thou teach me ? I do not know whether you would dare to say, " Falsehood." For if you should dare to say this, I turn away mine ears, and fasten them up with thorns, that if you should try to force your way, I might through their very pricking make away without the expla- nation of the Gospel. Tell me Avhat thou wouldest wish to Better to con/ess ignorance ihaa to explain Scripture amiss. 001 teach me, and thou hast resolved the difficulty. Tell me, I Serm. LXXX I [ f pray thee ; lo, here 1 am ; mine ears are open, my heart is [133. B.i ready, teach me. But I ask, what ? I will not travel through many things. What art thou going to teach ii?c ? Whatso- ever learning thou art about to bring forward, whatsoever strength to shew in disputation, tell me this one thing only, one of two things I ask; art thou going to teach me truth or falsehood ? What do we suppose he will answer lest one depart; lest while he is open mouthed and making an effort to bring out his words, I forthwith leave him: what will lie pro- mise but truth ? I am listening, standing, expecting, most ear- nestly expecting. See here, he who promised that he will teach me truth, insinuates falsehood concerning Christ. How then shall he teach truth, who would say that Christ is false? If Christ is false, can I hope that thou wilt tell me the truth ? 6. Consider again. What does he say ? Hath Christ spoken falsely ? Where, 1 ask thee ? " Where He says, I go not up to the feast day ; and went up." For my part, I should wish thoroughly to examine this place, if so be we may see that Christ did not speak falsely. Yea rather, seeing that 1 have no doubt that Christ did not speak falsely, 1 will either thoroughly examine this passage and understand it, or, not understanding it, I will defer it. Yet that Christ spoke falsely will I never say. Grant that I have not understood it; I will depart in my ignorance. For better is it witli piety to be ignorant, than with madness to pronounce judg- ment. Notwithstanding we are trying to examine, if so be by His assistance, Who is the Truth, we may find something, and be found something ourselves, and this something will not be in the Truth a lie. For if in searching 1 find a lie, I find not a something but a nothing. Let us then look where it is thou sayest that Christ lied. He will say, " In that He said, / go not up to this feast, and went up," Whence dost thou know that He said so ? What if I were to say, nay, not I, but any one, for God forbid that I should say it ; what if another were to say, " Christ did not say this ;" whereby dost thou refute him, whereby wilt thou prove it .'' Thou wouldest open the book, find the passage, point it out to the man, yea with great confidence force the book upon him if he resisted, " Hold it, mark, read, it is the Gospel you have R r 2 602 Since the Gospel is true, Xt, Wfiose it is, true in all tilings. Sekm. in your hands." But why, 1 ask thee, why dost thou so J'iYs'Jb"; rudely accost' this feeble one? Do not be so eager; 1 contur- speak more composedly, more tranquilly. See, it is the ^^' Gospel 1 have in my hands; and what is there in it? He answers : " The Gospel declares that Christ said what thou deniest." And wilt thou believe that Christ said it, because the Gospel declares it ? " Decidedly ibr that rea- son," says he. I marvel exceedingly how thou shouldest say that Christ lieth, and the Gospel doth not lie. But lest haply when I speak of the Gospel, thou shouldest think of the book itself, and imagine the parchment and ink to be the Gospel, see what the Greek word means; Gospel is " a good messenger," or " a good message." The messenger then doth not lie, and doth He Who sent him, lie ? This messenger, the Evangelist to wit, to give his name also, this John who w^rote this, did he lie concerning Christ, or say the truth? Choose which you will, I am ready to hear you on either side. If he spake falsely, you have no means of proving that Christ spake those words. If he said the truth, truth cannot flow from the fountain of falsehood. Who is the Fountain? Christ: let John be the stream. The stream comes to me, and you say to me, " Drink securely;" yea, whereas you alarm me as to the Fountain Himself, whereas you tell me there is falsehood in the Fountain, you say to me, " Drink securely." What do I drink? What said John, that Christ spake falsely ? Whence came John ? From Christ. Is he who came from Him, to tell me truth, when He from Whom he came lied ? I have Johni3 read in the Gospel plainly, John lay on the Lord's Breast; ^^' but 1 conclude that he drank in truth. What saw he as he lay on the Lord's Breast? What drank he in? what, John 1 t»ut that which he poured forth? In the beginning teas 1- ^"' the IVorcly and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, Tlie Same was in the beginning with God. All things ivere made by Him, and ivithout Him was nothing made. That which was made in Him was life, and the Life uas the Light of men ; And the Light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended It not; never- theless It shineth, and though I chance to have some obscurity, and cannot thoroughly comprehend It, still It The Gospel attests Christ to be true, the Truth. 603 shineth. There was a man sent from God, whose name was Serm. John ; he came to bear witness of the Light, that all men ri3i.B,i through him might believe. He iras not the Light: who? John: who? John the Baptist. For of him saith John the Evangelist He was not the Light; of whom the Lord saith, He was a burning, and a shining lamp. But a lamp Johns, can be lighted, and extinguislied. What then ? whence ' drawest thou the distinction ? of what place art thou en- quiring? He to Whom the lamp bare witness, Was ^^eJohni, True Light. Where John added, the True, there thou art^' looking out for a lie. But hear still the same Evangelist John pouring forth what he had drunk in; And we beheld,^- '^'^^ saith he. His glory. What did He behold? what glory beheld he ? The glory as of the Only- Begotten of the Father^ full of grace and truth. See then, see, if we ought not haply to restrain weak or rash disputings, and to presume nothing false of the truth, to give to the Lord what is His due; let us give glory to the Fountain, that we may fill ourselves securely. Now God is trite, but every man a liar. Rom. 3, What is this? God is full; every man is empty; if he will be filled, let him come to Him That is full. Come untoPs,33,6. Him, and be enlightened. Moreover, if man is empty, in that e!v!34 he is a liar, and he seeks to be filled, and with haste and^- eageniess runs to the fountain, he wishes to be filled, he is empty. But thou sayest, " Beware of the fountain, there is falsehood there." What else sayest thou, but " there is poison there ?" 7. " You have already," he says, " said all, already have you checked, already chastened me. But tell me how He did not speak falsely Who said, / go not up, and went up ?" I will tell you, if I can ; but think it no little matter, that if I have not established you in the truth, I have yet kept you back from rashness. I will nevertheless tell you, what I imagine you know even already, if you remember the words which I have set forth to you. The words themselves solve the difficulty. That feast was kept for many days. On this, that is this present feast day, saith He, this day, that is when they hoped, He went not up ; but when He Himself resolved to go. Now mark what follows. When He had said these tvords, He Himself stayed in Galilee. So then He did {iO'i"ThisJeast'*Jromy^confext,'^thisfeastday;''''groundofy'ansiLer. Serm. not go up on that feast day. For His brethren wished that [-133 p'jilc should go first; therefore had they said, Pass J'ro77i Jience into Judcea. They did not say, " Let us pass," as though they would be His companions; or, " Follow us into Judaea," as though they would go first; but as though they would send Ilim before them. He wished that they should go before; He avoided this snare, impressing His infirmity as Matt.2, Man, hiding the Divinity; this He avoided, as when He fled into Egypt. For this was no effect of want of power, but even of truth, that He might give an example of caution; that no servant of His might say, " I do not fly, because it is disgraceful ;" when haply it might be expedient to fly. As Matt. He was going to say to His disciples. When they have ' " persecuted you in this city, flee ye into another ; He gave them Himself this example. For He was apprehended, when He willed, He was born, when He willed. That they might not anticipate Him then, and announce that He was coming, John 7, and plots be-^prepared ; He said, I go not up to this feast day. ^' He said, / 170 not up, that He might be hid; He added 'Aliquid#/f25, that He might not lie. Something He expressed', alic uid Something He suppressed, something He repressed ; yet said abstulit, He nothing false, for notliing false proceedeth out of His ciistui'it. Mouth. Finally, after He had said these words. When His V. 10. brethren were gone up; the Gospel declares it, attend, read what you have objected to me ; see if the passage itself do not solve the difficulty, see if I have taken from any where else what to say. This then the Lord was waiting for, that they should go up first, that they might not announce beforehand that He was coming. When His brethren ivere gone up, then went He also up to the feast day, not openly, but as it were in secret. What is, as it were in secret? He acts there as if in secret. What is, as it were in secret ? Because neither was this really in secret. For He did not really make an effort to be con- cealed, Who had it in His Own power when He would be taken. But in that concealment, as I have said, He gave His weak disciples, who had not the power to prevent being taken when they would not, an example of being on their guard against the snares of enemies. For He went up afterwards even openly, and taught them in the temple; OurLord also foretold our not keeping feasts of the Jeivs. 605 and some said, " Lo, this is He; lo, He is teaching. Certainly Serm. our rulers said that they wished to apprehend Him : Lo, He [133.B.] speaketh openly, and no one layeth hands upon Himr v. 25,26. 8. But now if we turn our attention to ourselves, if we think of His Body, how that we are even He. For if we were not He, Forasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the Matt. least of Mine, ye have done it unto Me, would not be true. ' If we were not He, 8aul, Saul, why persecutest thou 3Ie?A.cts9, would not be true. So then we are He, in that we are His members, in that we are His Body, in that He is our Head, in that Whole Christ is both Head and Body. Peradventure Eph. 1, then He foresaw us that we were not to keep the feast days ^'coj..* of the Jews, and this is, I go not up to this feast day. ^2, 12. See neither Christ nor the Evangelist lied ; of the which two if one must needs choose one, the Evangelist would pardon me, I would by no means put him that is true before the Truth Himself; I would not prefer him that was sent to Him by Whom he was sent. But God be thanked, in ray judgment what was obscure has been laid open. Your piety will aid me before God. Behold, I have, as I was best able, resolved the question, both concerning Christ and the Evangelist. Hold fast the truth with me as men who love it, embrace charity without contention. SERMON LXXXIV. [Ben. CXXXIV.] On the words of the Gospel, John viii. " If ye shall continue in My word, ye are My disciples indeed," &c. 1. Ye know well, Beloved, that we all have One Master, i. and are fellow disciples under Him. Nor are we your masters, because we speak to you from this higher spot; but He is the Master of all. Who dwelleth in us all. He just now spake to us all in the Gospel, and said to us, what I also am saying to you; but He saith it of us, as well of us as of you. If ye shall ^0^^^, continue in My ivord, not of course in my word who am now speaking to you; but in His Who spake just now out of the Gospel. If ye shall continue in My word, saith He, ye are My disciples indeed. To be a disciple,it is not enough to come, but to continue. He doth not therefore say, " If ye shall hear My word;" or, " If yc shall come to My word;" or, " If 606 Blessedness of continuing in Christ, and freedom by Him. Serm. ye shall praise My word;" but observe what He said, If ye V. [isi^R.] *'^^^^^ continue in My word, ye are My disciples indeed, and V. 32. ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall free you. What shall we say, brethren ? To continue in the word of God, is it toilsome, or is it not? If it be toilsome, look at the great reward; if it be not toilsome, thou receivest the reward for nought. Continue we then in Him Who continueth in us. We, if we continue not in Him, fall; but Pie if He continue not in us, hath not on that account lost an habitation. For He skilleth to continue in Himself, Who never leaveth Himself. But for man, God forbid that he should continue in himself who hath lost himself. So then we continue in Him through indigence ; He continueth in us through mercy. ii. 2. Now then seeing it hath been set forth what we ought to do, let us see what w^e are to receive. For He hath ap- pointed a work, and promised a reward. What is the work ? If ye shall continue in Me, A short work; short in descrip- tion, great in execution. If ye shall continue. What is, If Matt. 7, ye shall continue ? " If ye shall build on the Rock." O how great a thing is this, brethren, to build on the Rock, how great V. 25. is it! The floods came, the winds hleiv, the rain descended, and beat upon that house, and it fell not ; for it was founded upon a Rock. What then is to continue in the word of God, but not to yield to any temptations } The reward, what is it? Ye shall knoiv the truth, and the truth shall free you. Bear > obtu- with me, for ye perceive that my voice is feeble ' ; assist me n'ran- ^Y JOUY calm^ attention. Glorious reward! Ye shall know quilli- the truth. Here one may haply say, "And what doth it profit me to know the truth?" And the truth shall free you. If the truth have no charms for you, let freedom have its charms. In the usage of the Latin tongue, the expression, " to be free," is used in two senses ; and chiefly we are accustomed to hear tins word in this sense, that whosoever is free may be understood to escape some danger, to be rid of some em- barrassment. But the proper signification of " to be free," is " to be made free;" just as " to be saved," is " to be made safe ;" " to be healed," is, " to be made whole ;" so " to be freed," is " to be made free." Therefore I said, " If the truth have no charms for you, let freedom have its charms." This is expressed more evidently in the Greek language, nor All by nature, slaves ; nay, dead. 607 can it be there understood in any other sense. And that Serm. ye may know that in no other sense can it be understood ; [134.5^ when the Lord spake, the Jews answered, We irere never in v. 33. bondage to any man ; how sayest thou the Truth shall free you ? That is, " the Truth shall make you free," how sayest thou to us, who were never in bondage to any man ? " How," say they, " dost Thou promise them freedom, who as Thou seest never bare the hard yoke of bondage ?" 3. They heard what they ought ; but they did not what they ought. What did they hear ? Because I said. The truth shall free you ; ye turned your thoughts upon y^xxx- selves, that ye are not in bondage to man, and ye said, We were never in bondage to any man. Every one, Jew iii- and Greek, rich and poor, the man in authority and in pri- vate station, the emperor and the beggar, Every one that ''•34. co^nmitteth sin is the servant of sin. Every one, saith He, that commiiteth sin is the servant of sin. If men but ac- knowledge their bondage, they will see from whence they may obtain freedom. Some free-born man has been taken captive by the barbarians, from a free man is made a slave; another hears, and pities him, considers how that he has money, becomes his ransomer, goes to the barbarians, gives money, ransoms the man. And he has indeed restored freedom, if he have taken away iniquity. But what man has ever taken away iniquity from another man ? He who was in bondage with the barbarians, has been redeemed by his ransomer; and great difference there is between the ran- somer and the ransomed ; yet haply are they fellow-slaves under the lordship of iniquity. I ask him that was ran- somed, " Hast thou sin V " I have," he says. I ask the ransomer, " Hast thou sin ?" " I have," he says. So then neither do thou boast thyself that thou hast been ransomed, nor thou uplift thyself that thou art his ransomer; but fly both of you to the True Deliverer. It is but a small part of it, that they who are under sin, are called servants; they are even called dead; what a man is afraid of captivity bringing upon him, iniquity has brought on him already. For what.? because they seem to be alive, was He then mistaken Who said, Lei the dead bury their dead? So then all under sin^^***-^' 608 Xt alone can free, icho took ourjlesh^ not its sin. Serm. are dead, dead servants, dead in their service, servants in {\3^.B.\ ^^^^"' death. 4. Who then freeth from death and from bondage, save He, Ps.88,5. Who is Free ainuiig the dead '^ Wlio is Free among the dead, save He Who among sinners is without sin ? Lo, the prince of the world cometh, saith our Redeemer Himself, Johui4,our Dehverer, Lo, the prince of the uorld cometh, and shall find nothing in Me. He holds fast those whom he hath deceived, whom he hath seduced, whom he hath persuaded to sin and death ; in 3Ie shall heJind?iothing. Come, Lord, Redeemer come, come; let the ca^Dtive acknowledge thee, him that leadeth captive flee thee ; be Thou my De- liverer. Lost as I was, He hath found me in Whom the devil findeth nothing that cometh of the flesh. The prince of this world iindeth in Him Flesh, he findeth it; but what kind of Flesh ? A mortal P'lesh, which he can seize, which he can crucify, which he can kill. Thou art mistaken, O deceiver, the Redeemer is not deceived ; thou art mistaken. Thou seest in the Lord a mortal Flesh, it is not flesh of sin, it is the likeness of flesh of sin. For God sent His Son in the likeness of flesh of sin. True Flesh, mortal Flesh ; but not Rom 8, flesh of sin. For God sent His Son in the likeness of flesh of ^" sin, that hi/ sin He might condemn sin in the Flesh. For God sent His Son in the likeness of flesh of sin ; in Flesh, but not in flesh of sin; but in the likeness of flesh of sin. For what purpose ? That by sin, of which assuredly there was none in ■v-4. Him, He might condemn sin in the flesh; that the righte- ousness of the Law might he fulfilled in us, ivho tvalk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5. If then it was the likeness of flesh of sin, not flesh of sin, how. That by sin He might condemn sin in the Flesh ? iv. So a likeness is wont to receive the name of that thing of which it is a likeness. The word man is used for a real man; but if you shew a man painted on the wall, and enquire what it is, it is answered, " A man." So then Flesh having the likeness of flesh of sin, that it might be a sacrifice for sin, is called " sin." The same Apostle says in another place, 2 Cor. 5, jfJe made Him to be sin for us. Who knew no sin. Him Iflio knew no sin : Who is He Who knew no sin, but Xtwas "made sin,'''' as a sin-offerinrj ; Satan, slaying Xt, lostman.GOd He That said, Behold the prince of the world cometh, and Serm. shall find nothing in Me ? Him Who knew no sin, made p^sYb^ He sin for us; even Christ Himself, Who knew no sin, God johnU, made sin for us. What does this mean, brethren ? If it were^^' said, " He made sin upon Him," or, " He made Him to have sin;" it would seem intolerable; how do we tolerate what is said. He made Him sin, that Christ Himself should be sin? They who are acquainted with the Scriptures of the Old Testament recognise what I am saying. For it is not an expression once used, but repeatedly, very constantly, sacrifices for sins are called sins. A goat, for instance, was offered for sin, a ram, any thing; the victim itself which was offered for sin was called sin ? A sacrifice for sin then was called sin ; so that in one place the Law says, That ^^7,*'"*' ^ 1 29. Sept. the Priests are to lay their hands upon the sin. Him then, Who knew no sin, He made sin for us ; that is, " He was made a sacrifice for sin." Sin was offered, and sin was cancelled. The Blood of the Redeemer was shed, and the debtor's bond was cancelled. This is the Blood, That was Mat.26, sited for man y for the remission of sins. 6. What meaneth this then thy senseless exultation, O ^'• thou that didst hold me captive, for that my Deliverer had mortal Flesh .? See, if He had sin; if thou hast found any thing of thine in Him, hold Him fast. The Word was made John i, Flesh. The Word is the Creator, the Flesh His creature. What is there here of thine, O enemy? And the Word is God, and His Human* Soul is His creature, and His Human i homi- Flcsh His creature, and the Mortal Flesh of God is His"'^ creature- Seek for sin here. But what art thou seeking ? The Truth saith. The prince of this world shall come, and Johni4, 30 shall find nothing in Me. He did not therefore not find Flesh, but nothing of his own, that is, no sin. Thou didst deceive the innocent, thou madest thera guilty. Thou didst slay the Tnnocent; thou destroyedst Him from Whom thou hadst nothing due, render back what thou didst hold fast. Why then didst thou exult for a short hour, because thou didst find in Christ mortal Flesh? It was thy trap: whereupon thou didst rejoice, thereby hast thou been taken. Wherein thou didst exult that thou hadst found something, therein thou sorrowest now that thou hast lost what thou didst 14,6. 610 All born blind; Baptism is Enlightening. possess. Therefore, brethren, let us who believe in Christ, continue in His word. For if we shall continue in His word, wc are His disciples indeed. For not those twelve only, but all we who continue in His word are His disciples indeed. And ice shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall Johu fygQ Kff ; that is, Christ the Son of God Who hath said, 7 am the Truth, shall make you free, that is, shall free you, not from barbarians, but from the devil ; not fi*om the captivity of the body, but from the iniquity of the soul. It is He Only Who freeth in such wise. Let no one call himself free, lest he remain a slave. Our soul shall not remain in bondage, for that day by day our debts are forgiven. SERMON LXXXV. [CXXXV. Ben.] On the words of the Gospel, John ix. *' I am come to do the works of Him That sent Me," &c. against the Arians. And of that which the man who was born blind and received his sight said, " ^^'e know that God heareth not sinners." i. 1. The Lord Jesus, as we heard when the Holy Gospel was being read, opened the eyes of a man who was born blind. Brethren, if we consider our hereditary punishment, the whole world is blind. And therefore came Christ the Enlightener, because the devil had been the Blinder. He made all men to be born blind, who seduced the first man. Let them run to the Enlightener, let them run, believe, receive the clay made of the spittle. The Word is as it were the spittle, the Flesh is the earth. Let them wash the face in the pool of Siloa. Now it was the Evangelist's place John 9 to explain to us what Siloa means, and he said, ivhich is by ^" interpretation, Sent. Who is This That is Sent, but He V. 4. Who in this very Lesson said, / am come to do the works of Him That sent Me. Lo, Siloa, wash the face, be baptized, that ye may be enlightened, and that ye who before saw not, may see. 2. Lo, first open your eyes to that which is said; lam come, saith He, to do the tvorks of Him That sent Me. Now hero at once stands forth the Arian, and says, " Here you see that Christ did not His Own works, but the Father's Who sent Him." Would he say this, if he saw, that is, if he Since all of the Father is the So/i's, the Father's works are His. Gil had washed his face in Him Who was sent, as it were in Serm. Siloa? What then dost thou say? " Lo," says he, " Himself rjgg^^g'-i said it." What said He? / am come to do the works of Him That sent Me. Are they not then His Own ? No. What then is that which the Siloa Himself saith, the Sent Himself, the Son Himself, the Only Son Himself, Whom thou complainest of as degenerate ? What is that He saith, All things that the Father hath are Mine. You say that John He did the works of Another, in that He said, I must do the ' works of Him That sent Me. I say that the Father had the things of another : I am speaking according to your ' prin- ' cor ciples. Why would you object to me that Christ said, I am come to do His works, as if, " not Mine own but His That sent Mer 3. I ask Thee, O Lord Christ, resolve the difficulty, put an ii. end to the contention. All things, saith He, tliat the Father hath are 3Iine. Are they then not the Father's, if they are Thine ? For He doth not say. All things that the Father hath He hath given unto Me ; although, if He had said even this, He would have shewn His equality. But the difficulty is that He said. All things that the Father hath are Mine. If you understand it aright. All things that the Father hath, are the Son's; all things that the Son hath, are the Father's. Hear Him in another place; All Mine are Thine, and Thine John are Mine. The question is finished, as to the things which ^^^ ^^' the Father and the Son have : they have them with one consent, do not thou introduce -dissension. What Heaiitigare calleth the works of the Father, are His Own works; for, Thine too are Mine, for He speaketh of the works of That Father, to Whom He said. All Mine are Thine, and Thine are Mine. So then, My works are Thine, and Thy works are Mine. For what things soever the Father doeth; Himself John 5, . 19 hath said, the Lord hath said, the Only-Begotten hath said, the Son hath said, the Truth hath said. What hath He said ? What things soever the Father doeth, these also doeth the Son in like manner. Signal expression ! signal truth ! signal equality. All things that the Father doeth, these doeth the Sou also. Were it enough to say. All things that the Father doeth, these doeth the Son also? It is not enough; I add, *M like manner. Why do I add, in like mamier? Be- cause they who do not understand, and who walk with eyes (>1*2 Coeternity and Coequality of the Son. Serm. not yet open, are wont to say, " The Father cloeth tliem [i^25?B.l ^y ^*^y ^^ command, the Son of obedience, therefore not in like manner." But if in Uke manner, as the One, so the Other ; so what things the One, the same the Other, iii, 4, " But," says he, " the Father commands, that the Son may execute." Carnal indeed is thy conceit, but without prejudice to the truth, I grant it to you. Lo, the Father commands, the Son obeys ; is the Son therefore not of the same Nature, because the One commands, and the Otherobeys? Give me two men, father and son ; they are two men : he that commands is a man ; he that obeys is a man ; he that commands and he that obeys have one and the same nature. Does not he that commands, beget a son of his own nature .' Does he who obeys, by obeying lose his nature .^ Now take for the present, as you thus take two men, the Father commanding, the Son obeying, yet God and God. But the first two together are two men, the Latter to- gether is but One God ; this is a divine miracle. Mean- while if you would that with you I acknowledge the obedi- ence, do you first with me acknowledge the Nature. The Father begat That Which Himself is. If the Father begat ought else than what Himself is. He did not beget a true Ps. 109, Son. The Father saith to the Son, From the womb before E. v! '^'^ day-star, I begat Thee. What is, before the day-star? 110. By the day-star times are signified. So then before times, before all that is called " before ;" before all that is not, or before all that is. For the Gospel does not say, " In the begin- Gen. 1, ning God made the Word;" as it is said, In the be finning ^' God made the Heaven and the earth ; or, " In the begin- ning was the Word born;" or, " In the beginning God begat the Word." But what says it? He was, He teas, He John 1, was. You hear, He was; believe. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word tvas with Cod, and the Word ivas God. So often do ye hear. Was: seek not for time, for that He always was. He then Who always was, and w^as always with the Son, for that God is able to beget without time; He said to the Son, From the womb before the day-star I begat Thee. What is fi'om the womb? Had God a womb? Shall we imagine tliat God was fashioned with bodily members? God forbid! And why said He, From the itomb, but that it might be understood that He The Father andy^ Son have One Will, ($• Power; doy^ same works. 613 begat Him of His Own Substance ? So then from the womb Serm. came forth That vvhich Himself was Who begat. Forr^^gV-B.] if He Who begat was one thing, and another came forth out of the womb; it were a monster, not a Son. 5. Therefore let the Son do the works of Him That sent iv. Him, and the Father also do the works of the Son. " At all events," you say, " the Father wills, the Son executes." Lo, I shew, that the Son willeth, and the P'ather executeth. Do you say, " where dost thou shew this.?" I shew it at once. Father, I will. Now here if I had a mind to cavil, Johni7, lo, the Son commandeth, and the Father executeth. What" ' wilt Thou? That lohere 1 a7ii, they may be also with Ale? We have escaped, there shall we be, where He is; there shall we be, we have escaped. Who can undo the " I Will" of the Almighty .P You hear the will of His power, hear now the power of His will. As the Father^ saith He, John 5, raiseth up the dead and quickeneth them; even so the Son^^' quickeneth whom He will. Whom He will. Say not, The Son quickeneth them, whom the Father commandeth Him to quicken. He quickeneth Whom He will. So then whom the Father will, and whom Himself will: because where there is One Power, there is One Will. Let us then in a heart blind no more hold fast that the Nature of the Father and the Son is One and the Same ; because the Father is very Father, the Son is very Son. What He is, That did He beget : because the Begotten was not degenerate. 6. There is a something in the words of that man who v. was blind, which may cause perplexity, and peradventure make many who understand them not aright despair. For he said amongst the rest of his words, the same man whose eyes were opened, IVe know that God heareth not sinners. John 9, What shall we do, if God heareth not sinners } Dare ' we pray to God if He heareth not sinners ? Give me one who may pray : lo, here is One to hear. Give me one who may pray, sift thoroughly the human race from the imperfect to the perfect. Mount up from the spring to the summer; for this we have just chanted. Thou hast made ^^■'''^^ summer and spring; that is, "Those who are already spiritual, E.V74*. and those who are still carnal hast Thou made;" for so the ^?" '^^' Son Himself saith, Thine Eyes have seen My imperfect being. E. v. ' 139. 014 God heareth the prayer of "penitent sinners. Serm. That wliich is imperfect in My Body, Thino Eyes have seen. [125, B.*] And what then? Have they who are imperfect hope? Undoubtedly they have. Hear what follows; A?id in Thy Book shall all be written. But perhaps, brethren, the spiritual pray and are heard, because they are not sinners ? What then must the carnal do? What must they do? Shall they perish? Shall they not pray to God? God forbid! Give me that publican in the Gospel. Come, thou publican, stand forth, shew thy hope, that the weak may not lose hope. For behold the publican went up with the Pharisee to pray, and with face cast down upon the ground, standing afar off, Lukeis, beating his breast, he said, Lord, he merciful to me a sinner. And he went doan justijied rather than the Pharisee. Said he true or false, who said. Be mereiful to me a sinner? If he said true, he was a sinner ; yet was he heard and justified. What then is that, that thou whose eyes the Lord opened, didst say, We know that God heareth not sinners"? Lo, God doth hear sinners. But wash thou thy interior face, let that be done in thy heart, which hath been done in thy iacc ; and thou wilt see that God doth hear sinners. The imagination of thine heart hath deceived thee. There is still something for Him to do to thee. We see that this man was cast out of the synagogue ; Jesus heard of it, came to him, and John 9, said to him. Dost thou believe on the Son of God? And V. 36. he said, Who is He, Lord, that I should believe on Him ? He saw, and did not see ; he saw with the eyes, but as yet V. 37. with the heart he saw not. The Lord said to him, Tho^t both seest Him, that is, with the eyes; and He that talketh V- 38. with thee is He. He then fell down, and worshipped Him. Then washed he the face of his heart. vi. 7. Apply yourselves then earnestly to prayer, ye sinners: confess your sins, pray that they may be blotted out, pray that they may be diminished, pray that as ye increase, they may decrease : yet do not despair, and sinners though ye be, pray. For who hath not sinned ? Begin with the priests. To the Lev. 16. priests it is said. First offer sacrifices for your own sins, and 27. " •'' Theoph. and Euthym. understand who continue in sin, and whose prayer this not thus absolutely, but that God is not truly prayer, " prayer being not does not hear sinners so as to enable the profession of words, but of faith." them to wort miracles, the miracle being in Ps. 52. §. 13. allowed; S. Hilary applies it to those 17ie Lord's Prayer convicts all of' sin, as sacrijices in the O, T. Gl -^ so for the people. Tlic sacrifices convicted the priests; that Serm. if any one should call himself righteous and without sin, it [135.B.] might be answered him, " [ look not at what thou sayest, but at what thou offerest; thine own victim convicteth thee. Wherefore dost thou offer for thine own sins, if thou have no sins ? Dost thou in thy sacrifice lie unto God ?" But peradventure the priests of the ancient people were sinners ; of the new people are not sinners. Of a truth, brethren, for that God hath so willed, I am His priest; 1 am a sinner; with you do I beat the breast, with you 1 ask for pardon, with you 1 hope that God will be merciful. But peradventure the Holy Apostles, those first and highest leaders' of the flock,' arietes shepherds, members of The Shepherd, these peradventure had no sin. Yes, indeed, even they had, they had indeed; they are not angry at this, for they confess it. 1 should not dare. First hear the Lord Himself saying to the Apostles, In this Matt. 6, inanner pray ye. As those other priests were convicted by ^• the sacrifices, so these by prayer. And amongst the other things which He commanded them to pray for. He ap- pointed this also, Fo7-give us our debts, as we also forgive \. 12. our debtors. What do the Apostles say ? Every day they pray for their debts to be forgiven them. The}- come in debtors, they go out absolved, and return debtors to prayer. This life is not without sin, that as often as prayer is made, so often should sins be forgiven. 8. But what shall I say ? Peradventure when they learnt the prayer, they were still weak. Some one, perhaps, will say vii. this. When the Lord Jesus taught them that prayer, they were yet babes, weak, carnal; they were not yet spiritual, who have no sin. What then, brethren? When they became spiritual, did they cease to pray ? Then Christ ought to have said, " Pray in such wise now ;" and to have given them, when spiritual, another prayer. It is one and the same. He Who gave it is One and the Same ; use it then in prayer in the Church. But we will take away all controversy, when you say the Holy Apostles were spiritual, up to the time of the Lord's Passion they were carnal ; this you must say. And indeed, the truth is, as He was hanging, they were in alarm, and the Apostles then despaired when the robber believed. Peter dared to follow, when the Lord s s HIG Apostles confess sins, that sinners mai/ not despair. Serm. was led to sufFering, he dared to follow, who came to the P3gg\" house, and was wearied in the palace, and stood at the lire, and was cold ; he stood at the fire, he was frozen with a chilling fear. Being questioned by the maid-servant, he Mat.26, denied Christ once ; being questioned a second time, he denied Him; being questioned a third time, he denied Him. God be thanked, that the questioning ceased ; if the question- ing had not ceased, long would the denial have been repeated. So then after He rose again, then He confirmed them, then did they become spiritual. Had they at that time then no sin ? The Apostles spiritual, wrote spiritual epistles, they sent them to the Churches; " they had no sin." This you say. 1 do not believe you, I ask themselves. Tell us, O holy Apostles, after the Lord rose again, and confirmed you with the Holy Ghost sent from heaven; did yc cease to have sin? Tell us, I pray you. Let us hear, that sinners may not despair, that they may not leave off to pray to God, because they are not without sin. Tell us. One of them saith. And who t Pie whom the Lord loved the most, and who lay on Johni3,the Lord's Breast, and drank in the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven which he was to pour forth again. Him I ask ; iJohni," Have ye sin or not.^" He maketh answer and saith. If we Q shall say that ive have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the John 1, truth is not in us. Now it is the same John who said. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word icas icith God, and the Word was God. See ye what heights he had passed, that he could reach to the Word ! Such an one, and so great, who like an eagle soared above the clouds, who in the serene clearness of his mind saw. In the beginning was the Word; he hath said. If ice shall sag that ue have no sin, 1 John we deceive ourselves, and the truth, is not in us. But if we ^'^" shall confess our sins. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. There- fore i^ray ye. The hfind man Jiad sbt, but sin not the cause of his blindness. 617 SERMON LXXXVT. [CXXXVT. Ben.] Oil the same Lesson of the Gospel, John ix. On the giving sight to the man that was born blind. 1. We have heard the lesson of the Holy Gospel which Serm. we are in the habit of hearing; but it is a good thing to be ri''3''g^B j reminded: good to refresh the memory from the lethargy of forgetfulness. And in fact this very old lesson has given us as much pleasure as if it were new. Christ gave sight to one blind from his birth ; why do we marvel ? Christ is the Saviour; by an act of mercy He made up that which He had not given in the womb. Now when He gave that man no eyes, it was no mistake of His surely; but a delay with a view to a miracle. You are saying, it may be, " Whence knowest thou this ?" From Himself I have heard it; He just now said it; we heard it all together. For when His disciples asked Him, and said, Lord, who did sin, this man or Jus parents, that /je John9, teas born blind ? What answer He made, ye, as 1 did, heard. Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents, but that the^' ^• works of God should be made manifest in him. Lo then wherefore it was that He delayed when He gave him no eyes. He did not give what He could give, He did not give what He knew He should give, when need was. Yet do not suppose, brethren, that this man's parents had no sin, or that he himself had not, when he was born, con- tracted original sin, for the remission of which sin infants ai^e baptized unto remission of sins. But that blindness was not because of his parents' sin, nor because of his own sin ; but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. For we all when we were born contracted original sin: and yet we were not born blind. However enquire carefully. And we were born blind. For who was not born blind .? blind, that is, in heart. But the Lord Jesus, for that He had created both, cured both. 2. With the eyes of faith ye have seen this man blind, ye have seen him too of blind seeing; but ye have heard him erring. Wherein this blind man erred, I will tell you ; first, in that he thought Christ a prophet, and knew not that He s s 2 0 1 8 Our Lord's rcords, not the bodily cure, enlightened the heart. Sfum. was ll)c Son of God. And then wc have heard an answer of rise.B.'l ^^^^ entirely false ; for he said, We know that God heareth V. .31. not sinners. If God hearetli not sinners, what hope have we } If God liearetli not sinners, why do we pray, and publish the record of our sin by the beating of the breast ? Where Lnkcl8, again is that Publican, who went up with the Pharisee into 1 venti- the temple, and while the Pharisee was boasting, parading ' lante \y\^ own merits, he standing afar off", and with his eyes fastened on the«ovound, and beating his breast, was confessing his sins? And this man, who confessed his sins, went down from the temple justified rather than the other Pharisee. Assuredly then God doth hear sinners. But he who spake these words had not yet washed the face of the heart in Siloa. The sacra- ment had gone before on his eyes; but in the heart had not lieen yet effected the blessing of the grace. When did this blind man wash the face of his heart } When the Lord admitted him into Himself after he had been cast out by the Jews. For He found him, and said to him as we have heard; V. 35. Dggt iJiQii hclicve on the Son of God? And he, Who is He, ^' ^' Lord, that I may believe on Him ? With the eyes, it is true, he saw already ; did he see already in the heart } No, not yet. Wait; he will see presently, Jesus answered him, V. 3;. / that speak with thee am He. Did he doubt ? No, forth- with I'.e washed his face. For he was speaking with That V- 7. Siloa, which is by inferprelation, Sent. Who is the Sent, John 4, but Christ ? Who often bare witness, saying, / do the will 30; & e' f^f ^^y Father That sent Me. He then was Himself the 3^- Siloa. The man approached blind in heart, he heard, believed, adored ; washed the face, saw. 3. But they who cast him out continued blind, forasmuch as they cavilled at the Lord, that it was the Sabbath when He made clay of the spittle, and anointed the eyes of the blind man. For when the Lord cured with a word, the Jews o])enly cavilled. For He did no work on the Sabbath day, when He spake, and it was done. It was a manifest cavil ; they cavilled at Him merely command- ing, they cavilled at Him speaking; as if they did not themselves speak all the Sabbath day. I might say that they do not speak not only on the Sabbath, but on no day, foras- much as they have kept back from the praises of the True God. The Sabbath a type, for the time, of aur Lord iVho (jace it. G I 9 Nevertheless, as I have said, brethren, it was a manifest Serm. cavil. The Lord said to a certain man, 8lrelch forth thine [isg.B.i hand; he was made whole, and they cavilled for that He ivi^!t7i2, healed on the Sabbath day. What did He do ? what work ^^• did He do? what burden did He bear ? But in this instance, the spitting on the ground, the making clay, and anointing the man's eyes, is doing some work. Let no one doubt it, it was doing a work. The Lord did break the Sabbath ; but was not therefore guilty. What is that 1 have said, " He brake the Sabbath ?" He, the Light had come, He was re- moving the shadows. For the Sabbath was enjoined by the Lord God, enjoined by Christ Himself, Who was with the Father, when that Law was given; it was enjoined by Him, but in shadow of what was to come. Let no man therefore Col. 2, judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days, ivhich are a shadow of things to come. He had novv^ come Whose coming these things announced. Why do the shadows delight us ? Open your eyes, ye Jews ; the Sun is present. IVe know. John 9, What do ye know, ye blind in heart? what know ye? That^^'.Q this man is not of God, because he thus breaketh the Sabbath day. The Sabbath, unha])py men, this very Sabbath did Christ ordain^, Who ye say is not of God. Ye observe thei prtedi- Sabbath in a carnal manner, ye have not the spittle of Christ. ''^''^*' In this earth of the Sabbath look also for the spittle of Christ, and ye will understand that by the Sabbath Christ was jiro- phesied. But ye, because ye have not the spittle of Christ in the earth upon your eyes, ye have not come unto Siloa, and have not washed the face, and have continued blind, blind to the good of this blind man, yea now no longer blind either in body or heart. He received clay with the spittle, his eyes were anointed, he came to Siloa, he washed his face, he believed on Christ, he saw, he continued not in that exceedingly fearful judgment; For fudgment I cajne v. 39. into this world, that they which see not may see, and that they which see may be made blind. 4. Exceeding alarm ! That they which see not ma-/ see : Good. It is a Saviour's office, a profession of healing power, That they which see not may see. But what, Lord, is that I'hou hast added. That they which see may be made blinds ()2() The LifjUt blinds yet more those wftu oicn not their blindness. Sebm. If we understand, it is most true, most righteous. Yet what 1 136 B lis, They which see? They are the Jews. Do they then see? According to their own words, they see; according to the truth, they do not see. What then is, " they see?" Tliey think they see, they believe they sec. For they believed they did see,when they maintained the Law against Christ. Wehwio; therefore they see. Whatis We k no tv, hut we sec? Whaiis, this Man is not ofGol, because He thus hreakelh the sabbath day? They see; they read what the Law said. For it was enjoined Numb, that whosoever should break the Sabbath day, should be ' * stoned. Therefore said they that He was not of God; but though seeing, they were blind to this, that for judgment He came into the world Who is to be the Judge of quick and dead; why came He? Tliat they which see not may see: that they who confess that they do not see, may be en- lightened. And that they which see may be made blind; that is, that they who confess not their own blindness, may be the more hardened. And, in fact. That they which see may be made blind, has been fulfilled; the defenders of the 'Tracta- Law, Doctors' of the Law, the teachers of the Law, the under- standers of the Law, crucified the Author of the Law. O blind- Rom, ness, this is that which in part hath happened to Israel. 11, 2o. -pjj^^ Christ might be crucified, and the fulness of the Gentiles might come in, blindness i7i 2)art hath happened to Israel. What is, ilial they which see not may see? That the fulness of the Gentiles might come in, blindness in part hath happened to Israel. The whole world lay in blindness ; but He came, that they which see not may see, and that they which see may be made blind. He was disowned by the Jews, He was crucified by the Jews; of His Blood He made an eye-salve for the blind. They who boasted that they saw the light, being more hardened, being made blind, crucified the Light. What great blindness? They killed the Light, but the Light Crucified enlightened the blind. 5. Hear one seeing, who once was blind, liehold, against what a cross they have miserably stumbled, who would not confess their blindness to the Physician! The Law had continued with them. What serveth the Law without grace? T"fnha]ipy mm, what can the Law do without grace? What The Law, vnthout grace, only makes 7nen more guilty. 621 doeth tlie earth without the spittle of Christ? What doeth Sekm. the Law without grace, but make them more guilty? Why?p3g^gT Because hearers of the Law and not doers, and hereby sinners, transgressors. The son of the hostess of the man of God was 2 Kings . 4 29. dead, and his staff' was sent by his servant, and laid upon ' his face, but he did not revive. What doeth the Law without grace? What saith the Apostle, now seeing, now of blind, enliglitened? For if there had been a Law given which ^^^^^7 could give life, verilij righteousness should have been by the Law, Take heed ; let us answer and say ; what is this that he hath said? If there had been a Law given which could give life, verily righteousness should have been by the Law. If it could not give life, why was it given? He went on and added, But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin,^-'^^' that the promise by the faith of Jesus Christ migltt be given to them that believe. That the promise of illumination, the promise of love by the faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe, that Scripture, that is the Law, hath concluded all under sin. What is, hath concluded all under sin? I had not known concupiscence, except the Law had^'om.7, said. Thou shall not lust. What is, hath concluded all under sin? Hath made the sinner a transgressor also. For it could not heal the sinner. It hath concluded all under sin ; but with what hope? The hope of grace, the hope of mercy. Thou hast received the Law: thou didst wish to keep it, thou wast not able; thou hast fallen from pride, hast seen thy weakness. Run to the Physician, wash the face. Long for Christ, confess Christ, believe on Christ; the Spirit is added to the letter, and thou wilt be saved. For if thou take away the Spirit from the letter, the letter killeth ; if it kill, where 2 Cor. 3, is hope? But the Spirit giveth life. ^' 6. Let then Gehazi, Elisha's servant, receive the staff, as Moses the servant of God received the Law. Let him receive the staff", receive it, run, go before, anticipate him, lay the staff upon the face of the dead child. And so it was; he did receive it, he ran, he laid the staff" upon the face of the dead child. But to what purpose? what serveth the staff"? If there had been a Law given which could give life, the boy might have been raised to life by the staff"; but seeing that the Scripture hath concluded all under sin, he still lies dead. But why (>'J2 Klislta rcafori/u/ the (Irml child, a ti/pc (^our Lord' s humiliation. PntM. liath it concluded all under sin ? T/iaf the promise by the [m^^\f(iifh of Jesus Christ might he given to them that believe. Let then Elisha come, who sent the staff by the servant to prove that he was dead ; let him come himself, come in his own person, himself enter into the woman's house, go up to the child, find him dead, conform himself to the members of the dead child, himself not dead, but living. For this he did; he laid his face upon his face, his eyes upon his eyes, his hands upon his hands, his feet upon his feet, he straitened, he contracted himself, being great, he made himself little. Phil. 2, jjc contracted himself; so to say, he lessened himself. For being in the Form of God, He emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant. What is He conformed Himself, alive to Eoiii. 8, the dead ? Do ye ask, what this is } Hear the Apostle; God sent His Son. What is, he conformed himself to the dead .'' Let him tell this, let him go on and declare it again ; In the likeness of flesh ff sin. This is to conform Himself Alive to the dead; to come to us in the likeness of flesh of sin, not in the flesh of sin. Man lay dead in a flesh of sin, the likeness of flesh of sin conformed Himself to him. For He died Who had not wherefore to die. He died. Alone Free among the dead; forasmuch as the whole flesh of men was indeed a flesh of sin. And how should it rise again, had not He Who had no sin, conforming Himself to the dead, come in the likeness of flesh of sin \ O Lord Jesus, Who hast suffered for us, not for Thyself, Who hadst no guilt, and didst endure its punishment, that thou mightest dissolve at once the guilt and punishment- SERMON LXXXVIL [CXXXVTL Ben.] The tenth chapter of the Gospel of John. Of the shepherd, and the hireling, and the thief. L Your faith, dearly beloved, is not ignorant, and I know that ye have so learnt by the teaching of that Master from heaven, in Whom ye have placed your hope, that our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath now suffered for us and risen again, is the Head of the Church, and the Church is His Body, Love the health of the Body and oneness ivith Christ. 623 and that in His Body the unity of the members and the Serm. bond of charity is, as it were, its sound health. But whoso- [fy^.B] ever groweth cold in charity, is become enfeebled in the Body of Christ. But He Who hath already exalted our Head, is able also to make even the feeble members whole ; provided, that is, that they be not cut off by excessive impiety, but adhere to the Body until they be made whole. For whatsoever yet adhereth to the body, is not beyond hope of healing; whereas that which hath been cut off', can neither be in process of curing, nor be healed. Since then He is the Head of the Church, and the Church is His Body, Whole Christ is both the Head and the Body. He hath already risen again. We have thei'efore the Head in heaven. Our Head intercedeth for us. Our Head without sin and without death, now propitiateth God for our sins; that we too at the end rising again, and changed into heavenly glory, may follow our Head. For where the Head is, there are the rest of the members also. But whilst we are here, we are members ; let us not despair, for we shall follow our Head. 2. For consider, brethren, the love of this our Head. He !!• is now in heaven, yet doth He suffer here, as long as his Church suffereth here. Here Christ is hungred, here He is athirst, is naked, is a stranger, is sick, is in prison. For whatsoever His Body suffereth here, He hath said that Him- self suffereth ; and at the end, severing off" this His Body to the right hand, and severing the rest by whom He is now trodden under foot to the left. He will say to those on the right hand. Come, ye blessed of My Father, receive theM3it.25, kimjdom which hath been jjrepared for you from the begin- ning of the world. For what deservings-f* For I was an hungred, and ye gave Me meat; and so He goes over the rest, as if He had Himself received; to such a degree that they, not understanding it, make answer and say. Lord, when saw ice Thee an hungred, a stranger, and in prison ? And He saith to them, Forasmuch as ye have done it to one of the least of 3Iine, ye have done it unto Ble. vSo also in our own body, the head is above, the feet are on the earth ; yet in any crowding and throng of men, when any one treads on your foot, does not the head say, " You are treading upon me ?" No one has trodden on your head, or on your tongue; it is 624 Christ, the Dour, us the Head; in His Bodi/, the Shepherd. Serm. above, in sal'uty, no harm has happened unto it; and yet pl'l^'^gV because by the bond of charity there is unity from the head even to the feet, the tongue does not separate itself there- from, but says, " You are treading upon n)e ;" when no one has touched it. As then the tongue, whicli no one has touched, says, " You are treading upon me ;" so Christ, the Head, Which no one treadeth on, said, I tons '25 4. 'J'lierefore doth the Lord require this of Peter, Peter, Serm. hvest thou Me? As though, " What wilt thou give Me, what f J'37'',b"j wilt thou do for Me, seeino- that thou lovest Me?" What was ~i^" Peter to do for his Lord risen again, and going into heaven, and sitting on the right hand of the Father? As il EJe had said, " This shalt thou give Me. this shalt thou do for Me, if thou lovest Me, feed My sheep ; enter in by the Door, not go up by another way." Ye heard vrhen the Gospel was being read, He that entereth in by the Door, is the shepherd; Johnio, hut he that goetlt up another way, is a iJtief and a robber ; and lie seeketh to disperse, and to scatter, and to spoil. Who is he that entereth in by the Door? lie that entereth in by Christ. Who is he ? He who imitateth the Passion of Christ, who acknowledgeth the Humility of Christ; that whereas God was made Man for us, man may acknowledge him- self to be, not God, but man. For whoso wisheth to appear God, when he is man, doth not imitate Him, Who, being God, was made Man. But to thee it is not said, Be any thing less than thou art; but acknowledge what thou art. Acknowledge thyself feeble, acknowledge thyself man, acknowledge thyself a sinner; acknowledge that it is He That justifieth, acknowledge that thou art full of stains. Let the slain of thine heart appear in thy confession, and thou shalt belong to Christ's flock. For the confession of sins invites the physician's healing ; as in sickness, he tliat says, " I am well," seeketh not the ])hysician. Did not the Pha- Lukeis, risee and the Publican go up to the temple ? The one ^^• boasted of his sound estate, the other shewed his wounds to the Physician. For the Pharisee said, / thank Thee, O God,^- H- that I am not as this Pnblican. He gloried over the other. So then if that Publican had been whole, the Pharisee would have grudged it him; for that he would not have had any one over whom to extol himself. In what state then had he come, who had this envious spirit ? Surely he was not whole ; and whereas he called himself whole, he went not down cured. But the other casting his eyes down to the ground, and not daring to lift them up unto heaven, smote his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. And what saith the Lord? v. is. Verily I say unto you, thai the Publican went donn from v. 14. the temple justified rather than the Pharisee. For every 11. V. 2. (i'2G "IVie liireiiny, ichoso seeks rcica/d, honour, praise, f rum men. Sekm. o)ie that exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that huin- ^■"i'Jj'i' J/e/A himself, shall be exalted. They tlien who exalt thcni- selves, would go up iuto the sheepfokl by auother way ; but they who humble themselves, enter in by the Door iuto the sheepfold. Thei'ef'ore said He of the oue, lie enter cth in ; of the other, lie ijoeth up. He that goeth up, you see, who seeks exaltation, does not enter in, but falls. Whereas he that abases himself, that he may enter in by the Door, falls not, but is the shepherd. V. 5. But the Lord mentioned three characters', and our • perso- (j^^j.y jg jQ search them out in the Gospel, that of the shepherd, the hireling, and the thief I suppose you took notice when the lesson was being read, that He marked out the shepherd, John 10, the hireling, and the thief The Shepherd, said llii, laijelh down His life for the sheep, and eutereth in by the door. 1- The thief and the robber, said He, go up by another way. ' ' The hireling. He said, if he seeth a wolf or even a th'iei, Jleeth ; because lie caret It not for the sheep; for he is an hireling, not a shepherd. The one eutereth in by the door, because he is the shepherd; the second goeth up another way, because he is a thief; the third seeing them who wish to spoil the sheep feareth and fleeth, because he is an hireling, because he careth not for the sheep ; for he is an hireling. If we shall find these three characters, ye have found, holy brethren, both those whom ye should love, and those whom yc should tolerate, and those of whom ye must beware. The Shepherd is to be loved, the hireling is to be tolerated, of the robber must we beware. There are men in the Church of whom riiii. i,the Apostle speaks, who preach the Gospel by occasion, ^^'^ seeking of men their own advantage, whether of money, or of honour, or human praise. They preach the Gospel, wishing to receive rewards in whatsoever way they can, and seek not so much his salvation to whom they ])reach, as their own advantage. But he who heareth the word of salvation Irom him who hath not salvation, if he believe Him Whom he preacheth, and put not his hope in him, by whom salvation is preached to him ; he that preacheth shall have loss ; he to whom he preacheth shall have gain. vi. 6. You have the Lord saying of the Pharisees, They sit iVJat.23, 4;i Musea'' neat. The Lord did not mean them onlv ; as if 2. '"''Twir ofti'itthe tiij)e of Jewish and Gentile Church, one in Xt. 6*27 He would send those who should believe on Christ to the Serm. school of the Jews, that they might learn there wherein is the Jj'gygV way to the kingdom of heaven. Did not the Lord come for this end, that He might establish a Church, and separate those Jews who had a good faith, and a good hope, and a good love, as wheat from the chaff, and might make them one wall of the circumcision, to which should be joined another wall from the uncircumcision of the Gentiles, of which two walls coming from different directions. Himself should be the Corner-Stone ? Did not the Same Lord therefore say of these two people who were to be one, And other sheep ^°y^^^-> I have, which are not of this fold ? Now He was speaking to the Jews ; Them also, said He, must I bring, that there may be onefold, and One Shepherd. Therefore there were two ships out of which He had called His disciples. TheyT^'ike5, figured these two people, when they let down their nets, and" took up so great a draught' and so large a number of fishes,' ^i"' that the nets were almost broken. And they laded, it is said, both the shijjs. The two ships figured the One Church, but made out of two peoples, joined together in Christ, though coming from different parts. Of this too the two wives, who had one husband Jacob, Leah and Rachel, are Gen.29, a figure. Of these two, the two blind men also are a figure, ^'i^^qq who sat by the way-side, to whom the Lord gave sight. And30. if ye pay attention to the Scriptures, ye will find the two Churches, which are not two but One, figured out in many places. For to this end the Corner-Stone serveth, for to make of two One. To this end serveth That Shepherd, for to make of two flocks One. So then the Lord Who was to teach the Church, and to have a school of His Own beyond the Jews, as we see at present, would He be likely to send those who believe on Him unto the Jews, to learn } But under the name of the Scribes and Pharisees He intimated that there would be some in His Church who would say and not do ; but, in the person of Moses He designated Him- self. For Moses represented Him, and for this reason did he put a vail before him, when he was speaking to the people ; because as long as they were in the law given up to carnal joys and pleasures, and looking for an earthly kingdom, a vail was put upon their face, that they should G'28 Godfevces in the meaniny of H. Scr. against perveraionii ; Sekm. not see Christ in the Scriptures. For when the vail was [137.B.1 taken away, after that the Lord had suffered, the secrets of the Mat.27, temple were discovered. Accordingly when He was hanging on the Cross, the vail of the temple was rent from the top even to the bottom ; and the Apostle Paul says expressly, 2Cor.3, ^nt ii'iien thou slialt turn to Christ, the vail shall be taken 16. away. Whereas with him who turneth not to Christ, though he read the law of Moses, the vail is laid upon his heart, as the Apostle says. When the Lord then would signify beforehand that there would be some such in His Church, Mat.23, what did He say .? The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses^ 2 3 seat. What they say, do; but do not what they do. vii. 7. When wicked clerics hear this which is said against them, they would pervert it. For I have heard that some do wish to pervert this sentence. Would they not, if they might, efface it from the Gospel? But because they cannot efface it, they go about to pervert it. But the grace and mercy of the Lord is present, and allows them not to do so ; 'senten-for He hath hedged round all His declarations" with His truth, and in such wise balanced them; that if any one would wish to cut off" any thing from them, or to introduce any thing by a bad reading or interpretation, any right hearted man may join to the Scripture what has been cut off" from the Scripture, and read what went above or below, and he will find the sense which the other wished to inter- pret wrongly. What then, think ye, do they say of whom it is said. Do what they say ? That it is (and in truth it is so) addressed to laymen. For what does the layman who wishes to live well say to himself, when he takes notice of a wicked cleric } " The Lord said. What they say, do; xohat they do, do not. Let me walk in the way of the Lord, not follow this man's convei'sation. Let me hear from him not his words, but God's. 1 will follow God, let him follow his own lust. For if I should wish to defend myself in such wise before God as to say, ' Lord, I saw that thy cleric living evilly, and therefore I lived evilly;' would He not say to me, ' Thou wicked servant, hadst thou not heard from Me, What they say, do, but what they do, do not f But a wicked layman, an unbeliever, who belongs not to Christ's flock, who belongs not to Christ's corn, who as chaff" is only '* do not what evil Priests do," their acts, not sacrijice only. 620 borne with in the floor, what does he say to himself when the Serm. woi'd of God begins to reprove him? " Away ; why talkestrj^gy^"! thou to me ? The very Bishops and Clergy do not do it, and dost thou force me to do it ?" Thus he seeks for himself not a patron for his bad cause, but a companion for punish- ment. For will that wicked one whosoever he be that he has chosen to imitate, will he ever defend him in the day of judgment? For as witli all whom the devil seduces, he seduces them not to be partakers of a kingdom, but of his damnation ; so all who follow the wicked, seek companions for themselves to hell, not protection unto the kingdom of heaven. 8. How then do they pervert this declaration, when it is said to them in their wicked lives, " With good reason was it said by the Lord, What they say, do; what they do, do notV " It was well said," say they. " For it was said to you, that ye should do what we say ; but that ye should not do what we do. For we offer sacrifice, you may not." See the cun- viii, ning craftiness of these men; what shall I call them? hire- lings. For if they were shepherds, they would not say such things. Therefore the Lord, that He might shut their mouths, went on, and said, They sit in Moses'' seat; what Mat.23, they say, do; but what they do, do not ; for they say, and do not. What is it then, brethren ? If He had spoken of offering sacrifice; would He have said, For they say, and do not? For they do offer' sacrifice, they do offer unto God.'faciunt What is it that they say, and do not? Hear what follows; For they bind heavy burdens^ and grievous to be borne, and^- 4. lay them on meii's shoulders^ and they themselves will not touch them with one of their fingers. So openly did He rebuke, describe, and point them out. But those men when they thus wish to pervert the passage, shew plainly that they seek nothing in the Church but their ow-n advantage ; and that they have not read the G ospel ; for had they known but this very page, and read the whole, they would never have dared to say this. 9. But attend to a more clear proof that the Church hath such as these. Lest any one should say to us, " He spake entirely of the Pharisees, He spake of the Scribes, He spake of the Jews ; for the Church hath none such." Who then are 630 PVho seekethfrom God aught hut God, loveth not chastely. Sekm. they of whom the Lord saith, Not every one thai saith unto 'j''yYj|'ji)/e, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven? Matry, And He added, 3Lany shall say to Me in that day, Lord, 21- Lord, have we not jrrophesied in Thy Name, and in Thy h'htates Name done many miyhty^ works, and in Thy Name have eaten and drunken ? Wliat ! do the Jews do these tilings in Christ's Name ? Assuredly it is manifest, that lie s])eaks of them who have the Name of Christ. But what follows? V. 23. Then uill I say to them, L never knew yon ; depart from Me, all ye that work iniquity. Hear the Apostle sighing concerning such as these. He says that some preach the Gospel through charity, others by occasion; of whom he Phil 1, says, They do not preach the Gospel rightly. A right thing, J^- ^"'^ but themselves not right. What they preach is right; but they who preach it are not right. Why is he not right? Because he seeketh something else in the Church, seekelh not God. If he sought God, he would be chaste; for the soul hath in God her lawful husband. Whosoever seeketh from God aught besides God, doth not seek God chastely. Consider, brethren; if a wife love her husband because he is rich, she is not chaste. For she loves not her husband, but her hus- band's gold. Whereas if she love her husband, she loves him both in nakedness and poverty. For if she love him because he is rich ; what if, (as human chances are,) he be 2proscii-2Quj]3^'e(]^ fli^fl all on a sudden be reduced to need ? She gives him up, mayhap; because what she loved, was not her husband, but his ]n'operty. But if she love her husband indeed, she loves him even more when poor; for that she loves with jnty too. ix. 10. And yet, brethren, our God never can be poor. He is rich, He made all things, heaven and earth, the sea and Angels. In the heaven, whatsoever we see, whatsoever we see not. He made it. But notwithstanding, we ought not to love these riches, but Ilim Who made them. For He hath promised thee nothing but Himself. Find any thing more precious, and He will give thee this. Beauteous is the earth, the heaven, and the Angels; but more beauteous is He Who made them. They then who preach God, as loving God; who preach God, for God's sake, feed the sheep, and are no hirelings. This chastity did our Lord Shepherds Jew ^ hirelings many. 631 Jesus Christ require of the soul, when He said to Peter, Serm. Peter, lovest thou Me ? What is, Lovest thou 3Ie ? Art thou r'1'^37, b.'i chaste ? Is not thine heart adulterous ? Dost thou seek not John2i, thine own things in the Church, but Mine? If then thou be ' such an one, and lovest Me, feed My sheep. For thou shalt be no hireling, but thou shalt be a shepherd. II. But they did not preach chastely, concerning whom the Apostle sighs. But what doth he say? What Mew.? Phil, 1, Notwithstanding every way, whether by occasion or in truth, Christ is preached. He suffers then that hirelings there should be. The shepherd preacheth Christ in truth, the hireling by occasion preacheth Christ, seeking something else. Notwithstanding, both the one and the other preacheth Christ. Hear the voice of the shepherd Paul ; Whether by occasion or in truth, Christ is preached. Himsb-lf a shep- herd, he was pleased to have the hireling. For they act where they are able, they are useful as far as they are able. But when the Apostle for other uses sought for those whose ways the weak ones might imitate; he saith, / have sent I Cor. 4, unto you Timotheus, who shall bring you into retnembrance of my ways. And what doth he say ? " I have sent unto you a shepherd, to bring you into remembrance of my ways;" that is, who himself also walketh as I walk. And in send- ing this shepherd, what doth he say ? For I have no one *oPhil. 2, likeminded, who with sincere affection is anxious for you. ' Were there not many with him ? But what follows ? For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's ; that is, " I have wished to send unto you a shepherd; for there are many hirelings ; but it were not meet for an hire- ling to be sent." An hireling is sent for the transaction of other affairs and business; but for those which Paul then desired, a shepherd was necessary. And he scarcely found one shepherd among many hirelings ; for the shepherds are few, the hirelings many. But what is said of the hirelings ? Verily I say unto you, they have received their reward. Matt. 6 Of the shepherd, what saith the Apostle ? But whosoever shall ^' 2 Tim 2 clea7ise himself from such as these shall be a vessel untoi\, ' honour, sanctified, and useful to the Lord, prepared always unto every good work. Not unto certain things prepared, T t 632 Who for fear of offending, icarns not bad rich men, a hireling 6ERM. and nnto certain not prepared, but unto every good work [137. n.] prepared. So much have I said, concerning the shep- herds. X. 12. But we will now speak of the hirelings. The hireling 12.13.'^'*^'* Ae seeth the wolf lying in wait for the sheep, fleet h. This the Lord said. Why } Because he careth not for the sheep. So long then is the hireling of use, as he sccth not the wolf coming, as he seeth not the thief and the- robber ; but when he seeth them, he fleeth. And who is there of the hirelings, who fleeth not from the Church, wlien he seeth the wolf and the robber ? And wolves and robbers abound. They are they who go up by another way. Who are these ' parte who go up ? They who of Donatus' ' way wish to make havoc of Christ's sheep, they go up by another way. They do not enter in by Christ, because they are not humble. Because they are proud, they go up. What is, " they go up V They are lifted up. Whereby do they go up ? By another way: whence they wish to be named from their way. They who are not in unity are of another way, and by this way they go up, that is, are lifted up, and wish to spoil the sheep. Now mark how they go up .? "It is we," they say, " who sanctify, we justify, we make righteous." See Luke whither they have got up. But he that exalteth himself, ' * shall he abased. Our Lord God is able to abase them. Now the wolf is the devil, he licth in wait to deceive, and they Matt. 7, that follow him ; for it is said that they are clothed indeed with the skins of sheep, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. If the hireling observe any one indulging in wicked talking, or in sentiments to the deadly hurt of liis soul, or d^ing ought that is abominable and unclean, and notwith- standing that he seems to bear a chtu'acter of some import- ance in the Church, (from which if he hopes for advantage he is an hireling ;) says nothing, and when he sees the man perishing in his sin, sees the wolf following him, sees his throat dragged by his teeth to punishment ; says not to him, " Thou sinnest ;" does not chide him, lest he lose his own advantage. This I say is, IVhen he seeth the icolf, he fleeth; he does not say to him, " Thou art doing wickedly," This is no flight of the body, but of the soul. He whom thou God'sivorcls hy^ not of, wicked preachers.^ like vine among thorns. 633 seest standing still in body flies in heart, when he sees a Serm. sinner, and does not say to him, " Thou sinnest ;" yea when ^37.6.] he even is in concert with him. 13. My brethren, does ever either Presbyter or Bishop ^i» come up here, and say any thing from this higher place, but that the property of others must not be plundered, that there must be no fraud committed, no wickedness done ? They cannot say aught else who sit in Moses' seat, and it is it that ^J'^tt. speaks by them, not they themselves. What then is, Do Matt. 7, men gather grapes of thorn s^ or figs of thistles? and, Every}^^^^'^^ tree is known by his fruit? Can a Pharisee speak good things ? A Pharisee is a thorn ; how from a thorn do I gather grapes ? Because Thou, Lord, hast said. What they Matt. say, do; but what they do, do not. Dost Thou bid me^"^'^' gather grapes of thorns when Thou sayest. Do men gather grapes of thorns? The Lord answereth thee, " I have not bidden thee gather grapes of thorns : but look, mark well, if haply, as is often the case, the vine when it trails all along upon the ground, be not entangled in thorns." For we some- times find this, my brethren, a vine planted over sedge, how it has there a thorny hedge, and throws out its branches, and entangles them in the thorny hedge, and the grape hangs among the thorns ; and he that sees it plucks the grape, yet not from the thorns, but from the vine which is entangled in the thorns. In like manner then the Pharisees are thorny ; but by sitting in Moses' seat, the vine wraps them round, and grapes, that is, good words, good precepts, hang from them. Do thou pick the gvape, the thorn will not prick thee, when thou readest, Wiiat they say, do; but wliat they do, do not. But the thorn will prick thee, if thou do what they do. So then that thou mayest gather the grape, and not be caught in the thorns. What they say, do; but what they do, do not. Their deeds are the thorns, their words are the grapes, but from the vine, that is, from Moses' seat. 14. These then flee, when they see the wolf, when they see the robber. Now this it was that I had begun to say, that from this higher place they can say nothing, but, " Do well," " do not forswear yourselves," " defraud not," " cheat not any." But sometimes men's lives are so bad, that T t 2 634 The shepherd rebukes sin; if not heard, iceeps before God. SER^f. counsel is asked of a Bishop on the taking away of another [137 pV man's estate, and from him is such counsel sought. It has sometimes happened to ourselves, we speak from experience: for we should not have believed it. Many men require from us evil counsels, counsels of lying, of fraud ; thinking that they please us thereby. But by the Name of Christ, if what we are saying is pleasing to the Lord, no such man has tempted us, and found what he wished in us. For with the good pleasure of Him Who hath called us, we are shepherds iCor.4, not hirelings. But as saith the Apostle, But with me it is a very small thing that I slionld be judged of you, or of man^s day; yea, l judge not even mine oun self For I am conscious of nothing by myself , but I am not hereby justified. But He That judgeth me is the Lord. My conscience is not therefore good, because ye praise it. For how praise ye what ye do not see ? Let Him praise. Who seeth ; yea let Him correct, if He seeth ought there which offendeth His Eyes. For T too do not say that I am perfectly whole ; but I beat my breast, and say to God, " Be merciful, that I sin not." Yet I do think, for I speak in His Presence, that I seek nothing from you, but your salvation; and constantly do I ' vim. groan over the sins of my brethren, and I suffer distress', and am tormented in mind, and often do I reprove them ; yea, I never cease reproving them. All who remember what I say are witnesses, how often my brethren who sin have been reproved, and earnestly reproved, by me. xii. 15. I am now treating of my counsel with j'ou, holy brethren. In Christ's Name ye are the people of God, ye are a Catholic people, ye are members of Christ; ye are not divided from unity. Ye are in communion with the members of the Apostles, ye are in communion with the memories of the Holy Martyrs, who are spread over the whole world, and ye belong to my cure, that I may render a good account of you. Now my whole account, what it is ye know. " Lord, Thou knowest that I have spoken. Thou knowest that I have not kept silence. Thou knowest in what spirit I have spoken, Thou knowest that I have wept before Thee, when I spake, and was not heard." This 1 imagine is my whole account. For the Holy Spirit by the prophet Ezekiel hath given me sure hope. Ye know this passage concerning the Man's office to ivarn, not to judge. 635 watchman ; O son of man, saith He, / have set thee a watch- ^^^^^; man unto the house of Israel; if when 1 say unto the wicked,\rAi .B.] 0 wicked man, thou shalt die the death, thou dost not speak; Ezek. , 1 \ -^j? 33, /.etc. that IS, (for 1 speak to thee that thou mayest speak ;) if thou dost not announce if, and the sword, that is, what I have threatened on the sinner, come, and take him aua>j; that wicked man indeed shall die in his iniquity ; but his blood will I require at the watclnnan's hand. Why.? Because he did not speak. But if the ivatchman see the sword coming, and blow the trumpet, that he may fly, and he look not to himself, that is, amend not himself, that it find him not in the pmiishment which God threateneth, and the sword shall come and take any one away ; that wicked man indeed shall die in his iniquity ; but thou, saith He, hast delivered thine own soul. And in that place of the Gospel, what else saith ?^^'^^' He to the servant? when he said. Lord, I knew Thee to be a Lukei9, difficult' ox hard Man, in that Thou reapest ichere Thou hast\^^^'^_ not sowed, and gatherest where Thou hast not strawed; and tam 1 was afraid, and ivent and hid Thy talent in the earth, lo. Thou hast that is Thine. And He said, " Thou wicked and slothful servant, because thou knewest Me to be a difficult and hard Man, to reap where I have not sown, and to gather where I have not strawed, My very covetousness ought the more to teach thee, that I look for profit from My money. Thou oughtest therefore to have given My money to the exchangers, and at My coming I should have required Mine own with usury.'''' Did He say, " Thou oughtest to give, and require?" It is we then, brethren, who give. He will come to require. Pray ye, that He may find us prepared. SERMON LXXXVIII. [CXXXVIII. Ben.] On the words of the Gospel, John x. " I am the good Shepherd," &c. against the Donatists. 1. We have heard the Lord Jesus setting forth to us the i- office of a good shepherd. And herein He hath doubtless G36 Murttjrdom, witkuut love, projlteth nothing. Seiim. given us to know, as we may understand it, that there are [138.B.] oO<^t^ shepherds. And yet that the multitude of shepherds Joimio, might not be understood in a wrong sense; He saith, I a7)i the good Shepherd, And wherein He is the good Shepherd, He sheweth in the words following; The good Shepherd, ^- 12. saith He, layeth down His life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, seeth the wolf coming, "• ^^- andjieeth ; because he careth not for the sheep, for he is an hireling. Christ then is the good Shepherd. What was Peter ? was he not a good shepherd ? did not he too lay down his life for the sheep ? What was Paul .? what the rest of the Apostles ? what the blessed Bishops, Martyrs, who followed close upon their times? What again our holy Cyprian .? Were they not all good shepherds, not hirelings. Matt. G, of whom it is said, Verily 1 say unto you, they have received their reward'^ All these then were good shepherds, not simply for that they shed their blood, but that they shed it for the sheep. For not in pride, but in charity they shed it. ii- 2. For even among the heretics, they who for their iniquities and errors have suffered any trouble, vaunt themselves in the 1 deal- name of martyrdom, that with this fair covering disguised ' they may plunder the more easily, for wolves they are. Now if ye would know in what rank they are to be held, hear that good shepherd, the Apostle Paul, that not all who even give up their bodies in suffering to the flames, are to be accounted to have shed their blood for the sheep, but rather against the 1 Cor. sheep. If, saith he, / speak with the tongues of men, and i^^l ' angels, but have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. If I should know all mysteries, and have all prophecy, and all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not charity, lam nothing. Now a great thing truly is this faith that removes mountains. The}' are indeed all great things ; but if 1 have them without charity, saith he, not they, but I am nothing. But up to this point he hath not touched them, who glory in sufferings under the false name of martyrdom. Hear how he toucheth, yea rather pierceth them through and through. If I shoidd distribute, saith he, all my goods to the pjoor, and deliver my body to be burned. Now here they are. But mark what follows; but have not charity, it profitoth me nothing, Lo, they have Our Lord speaks of One Good Shejjherd, to incidcate imity. 637 come to suffering, come even to the shedding of blood, yea Serm. LXS^XVIII come to the burning of the body ; and yet it profiteth them [isg.B.] nothing, because charity is lacking. Add charity, they all profit; take charity away, all the rest profit nothing. 3. What a good is this charity, brethren ! What more iii. precious.? what yieldeth greater light? or strength.? or profit.? or security.? Many are the gifts of God, which even the wicked have, who shall say. Lord, we have pro- Matt. 7, phesied in Thy Name, in Thy Name have cast out devils, in Thy Name done many mighty works. And He will not answer, " Ye have not done them." For in the Presence of so great a Judge, they will not dare to lie or boast of things they have not done. But for that they had not charity. He ansvvereth them all, / know you not. Now how can he have so much as the smallest charity, who when even" convicted, loves not unity? It was then as impressing on good shep- herds this unity, that our Lord was unwilling to mention many shepherds. For it is not, as 1 have said already, that Peter was not a good shepherd, and Paul, the rest of the Apostles, and the holy Bishops who were after them, and blessed Cyprian. All these were good shepherds; and not- withstanding to good shepherds, He commended not good shepherds, but a good Shepherd. 1, saith He, am the good Shepherd. 4. Let us question the Lord with such little understanding i^'* as we have, and in most humble discourse hold converse with so great a Master. What sayest Thou, O Lord, Thou good Shepherd? For Thou art the good Shepherd, Who art also the good Lamb ; at once Pastor and Pasturage, at once Lamb and Lion. What sayest Thou? Let us give ear and aid us, that we may understand. /, saith He, am the good Shepherd. What is Peter? is he either not a shep- herd, or a bad one ? Let us see, if he be not a shcphea-d. Lovesi thou Me? Thou saidst to Him Lord, Lovest thou '^ohn2\, Me? and he answered, " I do love Thee." And Thou to him. Feed 3Iy sheep. Thou, Thou, Lord, by Thine Own questioning, by the strong assurance of Thine Own words, * lleferring it would seem to the conf(irence lield hut a liitlo vvliilr liefoic (bis with the Donatist party at Carthage. 638 All good shepherds and sheep one tinder The Shepherd. Serm. madest of the lover a shepherd. He is a shepherd then to [13)^ 131 whom Thou didst commit Thy sheep to be fed. Thou didst Thyself entrust them, he is a shepherd. Let us now see whether he be not a good one. This we find by the very question, and his answer. Thou didst ask, whether he loved Thee; he answered, " I do love Thee." Thou sawest his heart, that he answered truth. Is he not then good, who loveth so gi'eataGood? Whence that answer drawn from his inmost heart ? Wherefore was this Peter, who had Thine eyes in his heart for witnesses, sad because Thou askedst him not once only, but a second and a third time, that by a threefold confession of love, he might efface the threefold sin of denial; wherefore, I say, being sad that he was asked repeatedly by Him Who knew what He has asking, and had given what He heard; wherefore being sad, did he return such an answer, Lord, Thou knowest all things. Thyself knowest that I love Thee? What! in making such a con- fession, such a profession rather, would he lie ? In truth then, he made answer of his love to Thee, and from his inmost heart he gave utterance to a lover's words. Now Matt. Thou hast said, A good man out of the good treasure of the ' "^^* heart hringeth forth good things. So then he is both a shepherd, and a good she|)herd ; nothing it is true to the power and goodness of the Shepherd of shepherds ; but nevertheless even he is both a shepherd, and a good one ; and all other such are good shepherds. v. 5. What means it then, that to good shepherds Thou dost set forth One Only Shepherd, but that in One Shepherd Thou teachest unity? and the Lord Himself explains this more clearly by my ministry, putting you, beloved, in remembrance by this Gospel, and saying, " Hear ye what I have set forth, I have said, / at?i the good Shepherd; because all the rest, all the good shepherds, are My members." One Head, One Body, One Christ. So then both the Shepherd of shepherds, and the shepherds of the Shepherd, and the sheep with their shepherds under The Shepherd. What is all this, but what i t-'or. the Apostle says? For as the body is one, and hath many ' ' members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body ; so also is Christ. Therefore if Christ be even so, with good reason doth Christ in Himself containing all good Luve of the Church for Christ understood by th ose icho love Him.6S9 shepherds, set forth One, saying, " / am the good Shepherd. Serm. / am, I Alone am, all the rest with Me are one in unity. ["^ssbI] Whoso feedeth without Me, feedeth against Me. He that Mmt. gathereth not with Me, scatter ethP Hear then this unity ^^' ' more forcibly set forth ; Other sheep., saith He, / have which Johnio, are not of this fold. For He was speaking to the first fold of the stock of the fleshly Israel. But there were others of the stock of the faith of this Israel, and they were yet without, were among the Gentiles, predestinated, not yet gathered in. These He knew Who had predestinated them : He knew, Who had come to redeem them with the shedding of His Own Blood. He saw them who did not yet see Him; He knew them who yet believed not on Him. Other sheep, saith He, I have which are not of this fold ; because they are not of the stock of the flesh of Israel. But nevertheless they shall not be outside of this fold,ybr them also I must bring, that there may be One Fold, and One Shepherd. 6. With good reason then to This Shepherd of shepherds, vi. doth His Beloved, His Spouse, His Fair One, but by Him made fair, before by sin deformed, beautiful afterward through pardon and grace, speak in her love and ardour after Him, and say to Him, Where feedest Thou? And observe how, cant. l, by what transport this spiritual love is here animated. And''* far better are they by this transport delighted, who have tasted ought of the sweetness of this love. They hear this properly, who love Christ. For in them, and of them, doth the Church sing this in the Song of Songs ; who love Christ, as it seemed without beauty, yet the Only Beautiful One. For ive saw Him, it is said, a7id He had neither beaiity nor is.53,2. comeliness. Such He appeared on the Cross, such when^^P*" crowned with thorns did He exhibit Himself, disfigured, and without comeliness, as if He had lost His power, as if not the Son of God. Such seemed He to the blind. For it is in the person of the Jews that Isaiah said this, We saw Him, and He had no beauty nor comeliness. When it was said, If He be the Son of God, let Him come down from the Mark Cross. He saved others. Himself He cannot save. And \^'}^' cc 31 • smiting Him on the head with a reed, they said, Prophesy ^att. unto us, thou Christ, who smote Thee? Because He had^^^^^- neither beauty nor comeliness. As such did ye Jews see (>-l() Intense love of the Church for Christ, for Himself Alone. Serm. llim. For hUndness halh happened in part to Israel^ until [138.1?.] ^''^ fulness of the Gentiles enter in, until the other sheep Rom. come. Because tlien blindness hath happened, therefore did 1 Co^^*2 y*^ ^^® ^^^^ Comely One without comeliness. For had ye 8. knoirni Him, ye icould never have crucified the Lord of Glory. But ye did it, because ye knew Hira not. And yet Tie Who as though without beauty bare with you, all Beau- Luke23, teous as He was, prayed for you ; Father, sailh Ho, forgive them, for they know not what they do. For if He were without comeliness, how is it that she loveth Hira, who saith, Cant. 1, Tell me, O Thou Whom my soid loveth'^ How is it that she loveth Him ? how is it that she bunielh for Him ? how is it that she feareth so much to stray from Him t How is it that she hath so great delight in Him, that her only punish- ment is to be without Flim .? What w^ould there be for which He should be loved, if He were not beautiful ? But how could she love Hira so, if He appeared to her as He did to those blind men persecuting Hira, and knowing not what Ps. J5,2. they do } As what then did she love Hira .? As Comely inform above the sons of men. Comely in form above the sons of men, grace is poured abroad in Thy Lips. So then frora these Thy Lips, 21?// me, O Thou Whom my soul loveth. Tell me, says she, 0 Thou Whom, not ray flesh, but, my Caiit. ^,soid loveth. Tell me where Thoufeedest, where Thou liest ^^ ■ down in the midday ; lest hazily I light, as one veiled, upon the flocks of Thy companions. vii. 7. It seeras obscure, obscure it is ; for it is a mystery of Cunt. ], tho sacred marriage bed. For she says, Tlie King hath brought me into His chamber. Of such a chamber is this a mystery. But ye who are not as profane kept off from this chamber, hear ye what ye are, and say with her, if with her ye love; (and ye do love with her, if ye are in her;) say all, and yet let one say, for unity saith; Tell me, O Thou Acts 4, Whom my soid loveth. For they had one soul to Godicard, and one heart. Tell me where Thou feedest, where Thou liest down in the midday ? What does the midday'' signify ? " Great heat, and great brightness." So then, " make known ^ It is not possible in English to this passage in the two senses of fhe preserve the same translation, for the noon or midday, and the South. word mcridtps, which occurs throughout Sin of the Donatists, in daimin(j Chrii;t''s fjifts as their own, G41 to me who are Thy wise ones," fervent in spirit, and brilUant Serm. in doctrine. Make known to me Thy Right Handy and^lll''^\ men learned in heart, in wisdom. To them may I cleave ps. 89, in Thy Body, to them be united, with them enjoy Thee. i^y^|^ Tell me then, tell me, lohere Thou feedest, zvhere Thou liest down in the midday ; lest I fall upon them who say other things of Thee, entertain other sentiments of Thee ; believe other things of Thee, preach other things of Thee ; and have their own flocks, and are Thy companions; for that they live of Thy table, and handle the sacraments of Thy table. For com- panions are so called, because they eat together*, messmates Ps. 54, as it were. Such are reproved in the Psalm; For if Mine ^''^' enemy had spoken great things against Me, I would surely "^-^-^o, have hidden Myself from him; and if he that hated 3Ie /^rtf^isodales spoken great things against Me, I would surely have hidden^^^^ 3Iy self from him ; but thou a man of one mind with Me, 3Iy sunt, guide, and My familiar, who didst take sweet 7neats together^. ^ with Me, in the house of God ice vjalked with consent, edant, Why then now against the house of the Lord with dissent, shmii but that they have gone out from us, hut they were not o/"eda]es. us? Therefore, O Thou Whom my soul loveth, WrsX I may 2, 19. not fall upon such, Thy companions, but companions such as Samson's were, who kept not faith with their friend, but Ju'^ges wished to corrupt his wife. Therefore, that I may not fall upon such as these, that I may not light upon them, that is, fall upon tliem, as one that is veiled, as one that is concealed, that is, and obscure, not as established upon the mountain. Tell me then, O Thou IVhom my soul loveth, where Tliou feedest, where Thou liest down in the midday; who are the wise and faithful in whom Thou dost sjjecially rest, lest by chance as in blindness I fall upon the flocks, not Thy flocks, but the flocks of Thy companions. For thou didst not say to Peter, " Feed thy sheep," but. Feed Af2/Jobn2i, sheep. 8. Let then the good Sliepherd, and, tlie Comely in form viii. above the sons of men, make answer to this beloved one; make answer to her whom He hath made beautiful from among the children of men. Hear ye what He answereth and understand, beware of that wherewith He alarmeth, love that which He adviscth. What then doth He answer ? How t)4*2 Our Lord rebukes the Church, that she may love Him more. Serm. free from soft caresses, yea, to her caresses He returneth rYgg^plJ severity ! He is sharp lliat He may bind her closely, that He Can^tT may keep her. If thou know not th t/selj, saiih He, O thou 8. Septyj^^y ^^^^ amoiuj uomen : for however fair others may be by the gifts of thy Spouse, they are heresies, fair in outward > visce- ornament, not within': fair are they without, and outwardly "^"^ they shine, they disguise themselves by the name of righte- Ps, 45, ousness ; but all the beaut ij of the Kitifs daugliter is within. ^^' //"then thou know not thyself; that thou art one, that thou art throughout all nations, that thou art chaste, that thou oughtest not to corrupt thyself with the disordered converse 2 Cor. of evil companions. //' tliou know not thyself that in upright- ' * ness, he hath espoused thee to Me, to present you a chaste Virgin to Christ; and that in uprightness thou shouldest present V- 3. thine own self to Me, lest by evil converse, as the serpent be- guiled Eve through his suhtilty, so your minds too should be cor- rupted from my purity. If I say, thou know not thyself io be such, go thy way ; go thy way. For to others I shall say, Mat.25, Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. To thee I shall not say. Enter in ; but. Go thy way ; that thou mayest be among those, who went out from us. Go thy way. That is, if thou know not thyself then, go thy way. But if thou know thyself, enter in. Bui, if thou know not thyself, go thy way by the foot- steps of the flocks, and feed thy kids in the tents o/ the shepherds. Go thy way by the footsteps, not " of the Flock," but, of the flocks, and feed, not as Peter, " My sheep," but, thy kids; in the tents, not " of the Shepherd," but, (f the shepherds; not of unity, but of dissension; not established there, where there is One flock and One Shepherd. The beloved one was confirmed, edified, made stronger, prepared to die for her Spouse and to live with her Spouse. ix. 9. These words which 1 have quoted out of the Holy Song of Songs, of a kind of bridal song of the Bridegroom and the Bride ; (for it is a spiritual wedding, wherein we must live in great purity, for Christ hath granted to the Church in spirit that which His Mother had in body, to be at once a Mother and a Virgin;) these words, I say, the Dona- tisls accommodate to their own per\erted sense in a very dif- ferent meaning. And how 1 will not conceal from you, and what ye may answer them, I will, by the Lord's help, as well as 1 shall Donatist perversion ojH.Scr. — Growth oftheChurch in Egypt. QA'S be able, briefly recommend. When then we begin to press them Serm. with the light of the Church's unity spread over the whole [iss.b.] world, and demand of them to shew us any testimony out of the Scriptures, where God hath foretold that the Church should be in Africa, as if all the rest of the nations were lost; they are in the habit of taking this testimony in their mouths, and saying; " Africa is under the midday sun; the Church then" they say, " asking the Lord where He feedeth, where He lieth down; He answereth, Under the midday sun;" as if the voice of her who put the question, were, Tell ?ne, O Thou W]iom my soul loreth, fe-here Thou feedest, where Thou liest down; and the Voice of Him Who answereth, were, Under the midday sun; that is, in Africa. If then it be the Church which asketh, and the Lord maketh answer where he feedeth, in Africa, because the Church was in Africa ; then she who asketh was not in Africa. Tell me, she saith, 0 Thou Whom my soul lovetJt, where Thou feedest, xohere Thou liest down; and He maketh answer to some Church out of Africa, Under the midday sun, in Africa I lie down, in Africa I feed, as if it were, " 1 do not feed in thee." 1 repeat, if she who asketh is the Church, which no one disputes, which not even themselves gainsay; and they hear something about Africa ; then she who asketh is out of Africa ; and because it is the Church, the Church is out of Africa. 10. But see, 1 admit that Africa is under the midday sun; x. although Egypt is rather under the meridian, under the mid- day sun than Africa. Now after what fashion This Shepherd is there in Egypt, they who know, will acknowledge ; and for them that know not, let them enquire how large a flock He gathereth there, how great a multitude He hath of holy men and women vvho utterly despise the world. That flock hath so increased, that it hath expelled superstitions even thence. To pass over how it hath in its increase banished thence the whole superstition of idols, which had been firmly fixed tliere ; I admit what you say, O evil companions ; I admit it altogether, 1 agree that Africa is in the South, and that Africa is signified in that which is said. Where feedest Tliou, where dost Thou lie down tinder the midday sun? fi44 Donatist exposition turned against themselves. Serm. But do yc too equally observe how that up to this point []38.B.J*-li<2se are the words of the Bride, and not yet of the Bride- groom. Hitherto it is the Bride that saith, Tell me, O Thou Whom my soul loveth^ where Thou fecde-sf, ichere Thou dost lie down in the middai/, lest hij chance I light, as one felled. O thou deaf, and blind one, if in the midday thou seest Africa, why in her that is veiled dost thou not see the Bride? Tell me, she saith, O Thou Whom my soul loveih. Without doubt she addresses her Spouse, when she says, Whom (in • quem the masculine') my soul loveth. Just as if it were said, - qiiam " Xell me, O thou whom (in the feminine-) my soul lovoth;" we should understand that the Bridegroom spake these words to His Bride; so when you hear, Tell me, 0 Thou Whom (in the masculine) my soul loveth, ivhere Thou feedest, where Thou liest down ; add to this, to her words belongs also what follows, In the midday. I am asking, where Thou feedest in the midday, lest by chance I light as one veiled upon the flocks of Thy companions. I consent entirely, I admit what you understand of Africa; it is signified by, the midday. But then as you understand it, the Church of Christ beyond the sea is addressing her Spouse, in fear of falling into the African error, O Then Whom my soid loveth, tell me, teach me. For I hear that in the midday, that is in ^conci- Africa, there are two parties, yea rather many schisms ^ Tell me, then, where Thou feedest, what sheep belong to Thee, what fold Thou biddest me love there, whereunto ought I to unite myself. Lest by chance I light as one veiled. For they mock me as if I were concealed, they mock me as destroyed, as though I existed no where else. Lest, then, as one veiled, as if concealed, / light upon the flocks, that is, upon the congregations of the heretics, thy companions; the Donatists, the Maximinianists, the Rogatists, and all the other pests who gather without, and who therefore scatter; Tell me, I pi-ay Thee, if I must seek my Shepherd there, that I fall not into the gulf of rcbaptizing. I exhort you, I beseech you by the sanctity of such nuptials, love this Church, be ye in this holy Church, be ye this Church; love the good Shei)hci-d, the Spouse so fair, Who deceiveth no one. Who desireth no one to perish. Pray too for the scattered sheep ; Believe, to understand; Xt The Sun hy nature, we sons by (/race. C15 that tbcy too may come, that they too may acknowledge Him, that they too may love Him; that there may be Onej Flock and One Shepherd. Let us turn to the Lord, &c. SERMON LXXXIX. [CXXXIX. Ben.] On the Tvords of the Gospel,. John x. " I and My Father are One." L Ye have heard what the Lord God, Jesus Christ, the i. Only Son of God, born of God the Father without any mother, and born of a Virgin mother without any human father, said, I and My Father are One. Receive ye this, beheve it Johnlo, in such wise that ye may attain' to understand it. For faith ?*^' ^ J ' mere- ought to go before understanding, that understanding may amini be the reward of faith. For the Prophet hath said most expressly, Unless ye believe, ye shall not understand. What is. 7, 9. then is simply preached is to be believed; what is with^*^^*' exactness discussed, is to be understood. At first then^ to^He imbue your minds with faith we preach to you Christ, theT^^Jf*" Only Son of God the Father. Why is added, " The Only dressing Son?" Because He Whose Only Son He is, hath manySchu-"" sons by grace. All the rest then, all saints are sons of God"^™^- by grace, He Alone by Nature. They who are sons of GodnotT.) ' by grace are not What the Father is. And no saint hath ever dared to say, what that Only Son saith, / and My Father are One. Is He not then our Father too ? If He be not our Father, how say we when we pray. Our Father, Matt. 6, Which art in heaven? But we are sons whom He hath^' made sons by His Own will, not begotten as sons of His Own Nature. And in truth He hath begotten us too, but as it is said, as adopted ones, begotten by the favour of His adoption, not by Nature. And this too are we called, for that God hath called us into the adoption of sons; we aresphes. though adopted, men. He is called the Only »Son, the Only '' •'^• Begotten, in that Lie is That Which the Father is; but we are men. The Father is God. In then that He is That Which the Father is ; He said, and said truly, / and My t)46 Scr. justifies use of analogies as to God; to illustrate only. Skrm. Father are One. What is, are One? Are of one Nature. [I39.B,J What is, are One ? Are of one Substance. li^ 2. Peradventure, ye but imperfectly understand what " of one Substance" is. Take we pains that ye may understand it; may God assist both me who speak, and you that hear ; me, that I may speak such things as are true and tit for you ; and you, that before and above all things ye may believe ; and then that ye may understand as best ye can. What then is " of One Substance ?" Let me make use of similitudes to you, that what is imperfectly understood may be made clear by example. As, suppose, God is gold. His Son is gold also. Tf similitudes ought not to be given for heavenly 1 Cor. things from things earthly, how is it written, Noiv the Rock ' ■ was Christ? So then, Whatsoever the Father is, This is the Son also ; as I have said, for example, " The Father is gold, the Son is gold." For he who says, " The Son is not of the Very Substance Which the Father is;" what else says he but, " The Father is gold, the Son is silver V If the Father be gold, and the Son silver ; the Only Son hath degenerated from the Father. A man begets a man ; of what substance the father is who begets, of the same substance is the Son who is begotten. What is, " of the same substance ?" The one is a man, and the other is a man ; the one hath a soul ; so hath the other a soul ; the one hath a body, so hath the other a body; what one is, that is the other. 3. But the Arian heresy makes answer, and says. What says it to me } " Mark what thou hast said V What have 1 said? " That the Son of a man may be compared to the Son of God." Certainly he may be compared ; but not as you ' ad pro- suppose, in strictness of expression'; but for a similitude. t*ern ^' But tell me now what you would make of this. " Do you not ' major see," says he, " that the father who begets is greater ' in age, and the son who is begotten less ? How then say ye ? tell me ; how then say ye, that the Father and the Son, God and Christ, are equal ; when ye see that when a man begets a son, the son is less, and the father greater.''" Thou wise one, in eternity thou art looking for times ; where there are no times, thou art looking for differences of age ! When the father is greater in age, and the son less, both are in time ; the one groweth, for that the other groweth old. For by Who believe the Son Consuhstaiitial, will believe Him Coequal. 647 nature, the man, the father, did not beget one less, by Serm. nature, as I said, but by age. Wouldest thou know, ^j^g^g^^ how that by nature he did not beget one less ? Wait, let him grow, and he will be equal to his father. For a little boy even by growing attains to his father's full size. Whereas you assert that the Son of God is in such wise born less, as never to grow, and by growing even to attain to His Father's size. Now then a man's son born of a man, is born in a better condition than the Son of God. How ? Because the former grows, and attains to his father's size. But Christ, if it is as ye say, is in such wise born less, as that He must ever remain less, and no growth of years at least is to be looked for here. Thus then you say that there is a diversity in nature. But why say you so, but because you will not believe the Son to be of the Same Substance Which the Father is? Finally, first acknowledge that He is of the same Substance, and so call Him less. Consider the case of a man, he is a man. What is his substance? He is a man. What is he whom he begets ? He is less, but he is a man. The age is unequal, the nature equal. Do you then say too, " What the Father is, That is the Son, but the Son is less.''" Say so, make a step forward, say, " of the Same Substance, only less;" and you will get to His being equal. For it is not a little step you take, it is not a little approach you make to the truth, of acknowledging Him equal, if you shall acknowledge Him to be of the Same Substance, though less. " But He is not of the Same Substance," this you say. So then in that you say this, here is gold and silver; what you say is as if a man were to beget a horse. For a man is of one substance, a horse of another. If then the Son is of another substance than the Father, the Father hath begotten a monster. For when a creature, that is a woman, gives birth to any thing that is not a man, it is called a monster. But that it be not a monster, he that is born is that which he is that begat him, that is, a man and a man, a horse and a horse, a dove and a dove, a sparrow and a sparrow. 4. To His creatures hath He given to beget that which iii, they are. To His creatures, to mortal, earthly creatures, hath God given, hath granted to beget that which they are ; u u 648 Extrfime blasphemy of denying Coequality of the Son. Serm. and tliinkest tlioii that He hath not been able to reserve h'^gg'^gV this for Himself, He Who is before all ages? Should He Who hath no beginning of time, beget a son, different from That AVhich Himself is, beget a degenerate son ? Hear ye how great a blasphemy it is to say, that the Only Son of God is of another substance. Most certainly if He is so, He is degenerate. If you should say to any child of man, " Thou art degenerate," how great an offence is it ! And yet in what sense is any child of man said to be degenerate.? As, for example, his father is brav^e, he is a poltroon and a coward. If any one sees him, and would rebuke him, as he thinks of his brave father, what does he say to him.? " Get thee hence, thou degenerate one!" What is " degenerate one?" " Thy father was a brave man, and thou tremblest through fear," He to whom this is said, is degenerate by some fault, by nature he is equal. What is, " by nature he is equal ?" He is a man, which his father also is. But the one brave, the other a coward; the one bold, the other timid ; yet both men. By some fault then he is degenerate, not by nature. But when you say, that the Only Son, the One Son of the Father, is degenerate, you say nought else, but that He is not What the Father is ; and you do not say, that having been already born, He has become degenerate; but He was begotten so. Who can endure this blasphemy ? If they could in any sort whatever see this blasphemy, they would fly from it, and become catholics. iv. 5. But what shall I say, brethren? Let us not be angry with them ; but pray we for them, that God would give them 'Arians. understanding ; for peradventure they were bom so". What is, were born so ? They received what they hold from their parents. They prefer their birth to the truth. Let them become what they are not, that they may be able to keep what they are ; that is, let them become catholics, that they may keep their nature as men ; that the creation of God in them perish not, let the grace of God be added to them. For they imagine that by their outrage of the Son they honour the Father. When you say to him, " Thou blas- phemest ;" he answers, " Why do I blaspheme ?" " In that thou sayest that the Son is not What the Father is." And he answers me, " Yea, it is thou who blasphemest." Why? Such dishonor The Father in the Son ; are rejected hy Both. 649 " Because thou wouldest make the Son equal to the Father." Serm. " I do wish to make the Son equal with the Father, but is n^sg^B^i this to make a stranger equal ? The Father rejoiceth when I equal with Him His Only Son ; He rejoiceth because He is not envious. And because God is not envious of His Only- Son, therefore did He beget Him Such as He is Himself. Thou doest wrong both to the Son, and to the Father Him- self, for Whose honour thou wouldest do outrage to the Son. For in truth for this reason dost thou say that the Son is not of the Same Substance, lest thou shouldest do wrong to His Father. I will soon shew thee, that thou doest wrong to both." " How?" saith he. " If I say to any man's son, Thou art degenerate, thou art not like thy father ; degenerate, thou art not what thy father is. The son hears it, and is angry, and says, ' Was I then born degenerate ?' The father hears it, and is more angry still. And in his anger what says he ? ' Have I then begotten a degenerate son ? If I then be one thing, and I have begotten another, I have begotten a monster.' What is it then, that whereas thou wishest to pay honour to the One by doing outrage to the Other, thou doest outrage to Both ? Thou offendest the Son, but thou wilt not propitiate the Father. When thou honourest the Father by outraging the Son, thou offendest both the Son and the Father. From whom wilt thou fly? to whom wilt thou fly ? When the Father is angry with thee, dost thou fly to the Son? What doth He say to thee ? ' To Whom dost thou fly, to Me, whom thou hast made degenerate ?' When the Son is oflended, dost thou run to the Father ? He too saith to thee ; ' To Whom dost thou fly, to Me Who, thou hast said, have begotten a degenerate Son ?' " Let this suffice for you ; hold it fast, commit it to memory, inscribe it in your faith. But that ye may understand it, pour out your prayers to God, the Father and the Son, Who are One. U u 2 650 Contrast of the two Nativities of our Lord, both marvellovs. SERMON XC. [CXL. Brn.] On the words of the Gospel, John xii. " He that helieveth on Me, helieveth not on Me, hut on Him That sent Me:" against a certain expression of Maximinus, a hishop of the Ariaus, who spread his hlasphemy in Africa where he was with the Count Segisvult. Serm. 1. What is it, hrcthrcn, which we have heard the Lord ri4^B i^^y^"gj -^"^ ^^^^^ helieveth on Me, helieveth not on 3Ie, hut on johni2 Him that sent Me? It is good for us to beheve on Christ, *'*• especially seeing that He hath also Himself expressly said y^^' this which ye have now heard, that is, that Ho had come 12. ' « Light into the world, and whosoever helieveth on Him shall not v-alk in darkness, hut shall have the light of life. Good then it is to believe on Christ ; and a great evil it is not to believe on Christ. But because Christ the Son is. What- soever He is, of the Father, but the Father is not of the Son, but is the Father of the Son; He recommends to us indeed ' autho- faith in Himself, but refers the honour to His Original'. 2. For hold this fast as a firm and settled truth, if ye would continue Catholics, that God the Father begat God the Son without time, and made Him of a Virgin in time. The first nati\ity exceedeth times ; the second nativity enlighteneth times. Yet both nativities are marvellous; the one without a mother, the other without a father. When God begat the Son, He begat Him of Himself, not of a mother ; when the Mother gave birth to her Son, she gave Him birth as a Virgin, not by man. He was born of the Father without a beginning; He was born of a mother, as to-day'', at an ap- pointed beginning. Born of the Father He made us; born of a Mother He re-made us. He was born of the Father, that we might be; He was born of a mother, that we might not be lost. But the Father begat Him equal to Himself, and All Whatsoever the Son is, He hath of the Father. But What God the Father is. He hath not of the Son. Accordingly we say that the Father is God, of none ; the Son, God of God. * The Bened. conjecture that the added in order to adapt this Sermon to word " hodie" here and at the end was he preached on Christmas day. What TheFatheris, ThatistheSon,CoequalbyBirt.h,nottheSame. 651 Wherefore all that the Son doeth marvellously, all that He Serm. saith truly, He attributeth to Him of Whom He is ; yet can [140.B.] He not be ought else than He of Whom He is. Adam was made a man; he had power to become something other than he was made. For he was made righteous, and he had power to become unrighteous But the Only-Begotten Son of God, What He is, This cannot be changed; He cannot be changed into any thing else, cannot be diminished, What He was He cannot but be, He cannot but be equal to the Father. But undoubtedly He Who gave all things to the Son by His Birth, gave it to One not needing ought; without doubt this very equality too with the Father, the Father gave to the Son. How did the Father give It? did He beget Him less, and add to Him to complete His Form, that He might make Him equal? If He had done this. He would have given it to one in need. But I have told you already what ye ought most firmly to hold fast, that is, that All That the Son is, the Father gave Him, gave Him, that is, by His Birth, not as in need of ought. If He gave it to Him by His Birth, and not as in need, then doubtless He both gave Him equality, and in giving Him equality, begat Him equal. And although the One be One Person, and the Other Another; yet is not the One one thing, and the Other another; but What the One is. That the Other also. He Who is the One, is not the Other; but What the One, That too the Other. 3. He Who sent Me, saith He, ye have heard it; He Who Johni2, sent Me, saith He, He gave Me a commandment what I ' should say, and ivhat I shoidd sjwak ; and 1 know that His v. so. com/mandment is life everlasting. It is John's Gospel, hold it fast. He Who sent Me, He gave Me a commandment what I should say, and what I shotdd speak ; and I know that His commandment is life everlasting. O that He would grant me to say what I wish ! For my poverty, and His abundance straiteneth me. He, saith He, gave Me a coyn- mandment, what I should say, and what I should speak ; and I know that His commandment is life everlasting. Search in the Epistle of this John the Evangelist for what he hath said of Christ. Let us believe, he says. His True Son Jesus 1 John Christ. This is the True God and Everlasting Life. What^' ^^' 052 Oneness o/t/ieSon with the Fathernotbywill,else manonewith God. Serm. is The True Ood.and Everlastinq Life ? The True Son of [HOB.] God, is the True God, and Everlasting Life. Why did He say, On His True Son ? Because God hath many sons, therefore was He to be distinguished, by adding that He was the True Son. Not by simply saying that He is the Son ; but by adding, as I have said, that He is the True Son ; therefore He was to be distinguished, because of the many sons which God hath. For we are sons by grace, He by Nature. We made by the Father through Him ; He Himself That Which the Father is; are we too That Which God is ? 4. But some man coming across us, knowing not what he is Johnio saying, says, " For this reason was it said, / and My Father ^'^' are One ; for that They have with One Another an agreement of will, not because the Nature of the Son is the Very Same as the Nature of the Father. For the Apostles too, (now this is what he said'' not t;) for the Apostles too are one with the Father and the Son." Horrible blasphemy! " And the Apostles," says he, " are one with the Father and the Son, in that they obey the will of the Father and the Son." Has he dared to say this ? Let Paul then say, " I and God are one." Let Peter say it, let every one of the Prophets say, " I and God are one." They do not say it; God forbid they should. They know that they are a different nature, a nature that needeth to be saved; they know that they are a different nature, a nature that needeth to be enlightened. No one says, " I and God are one." Whatsoever progress he may make, howsoever he may surpass others in holiness, with how great eminence soever of virtue he may excel, he never saith, " I and God are one;" for if he have excellence, and therefore saith it; by saying it, he loseth what he had. 5. Believe then that the Son is equal with the Father; but yet that the Son is of the Father; but the Father not of the Son. The Original is with the Father, equality with the Sou. For if He be not equal. He is not a true Son. For what are we saying, brethren 1 If He is not equal, He is less ; if He is less, I ask the nature that needeth to be saved, in its mis- belief, " how is He born less V Answer, Doth He as being ^ Maximinus in his Conference with St. Augustine, and St. Augustine in his Answer, b. ii. cont. Maxim, ch, 22. The Son,y^ Word S^Commandmentofy^ Father, not as man's ivordsGoS less grow or not ? If He groweth, then the Father growelh Serm. old. But if He will ever be what He was born ; if He waSr^^Qg j born less, He will continue less ; with this His loss He will ~ ~ be perfect; born perfect with this loss of the Father's Form, He is never to attain to the Father's Form. Thus do ye un- godly assail ' the Son ; thus do ye heretics blaspheme the Son. ' addici- What then saith the Catholic faith ? The Son is God, of '^ God the Father; God the Father, not God of the Son, But God the Son equal with the Father, Born equal; not Born less, not made equal, but Born equal. What the Father is, That is He also Who was born. Was the Father ever without the Son ? God forbid ! Take away your ever, where there is no time. The Father always, the Son always. The Father without beginning of time, the Son without begin- ning of time ; the Father never before the Son, the Father never without the Son. But yet because the Son is God of God the Father, and the Father God, but not of God the Son ; let not the honouring of the Son in the Father dis- please us. For the honouring of the Son giveth honour to the Father, it diminisheth not His Own Divinity. 6. Because then I was speaking of what I had brought forward, And I knoiv, saith He, that His commandment wJohni2, everlasting life. Mark, brethren, what I am saying; / know^^' that His commandment is everlasting life. And we read in the same John concerning Christ, He is The True Godand^^ohad, . 20 everlasting Life, If the Father's commandment is everlasting Life, and Christ the Son Himself is everlasting Life; the Son is Himself the Father's Commandment. For how is not That the Father's Commandment, Which is the Father's Word? Or if you take the commandment given to the Son by the Father in a carnal sense, as if the Father said to the Son, " I command Thee this, I wish Thee to do that;" in what words spake He to the Only Word 1 When He gave com- mandment to the Word, did He look for words ? That the Father's Commandment then is Life everlasting and that the Son Himself is Life everlasting, believe ye and receive, believe and understand, for the Prophet saith, Unless ye hetieve ye is. 7 9, shall not understand. Do ye not comprehend ? Be enlarged. ®®P*' Hear the Apostle: Be ye enlarged, bear not the yoke uith^^°'''^-> unbelievers. They who will not believe this before they 654 Philosophers learnt that Godisy '^ LifeJ'oundiwty^xcay to Him- Serm. comprehend, are unbelievers. And because they have deter- tUo.B.]™ined to be unbelievers, they will remain in their ignorance. Let them believe then that lliey may understand. Most cer- tainly the Father's Commandment is everlasting Life. There- fore the Father's Commandment is the Very Son Who was born tliis day; a Commandment not given in time, but a Commandment Born. The Gospel of John exercises our ' limat minds, refines' and uncarnalizes them, that of God we may think not after a carnal but a s])iritual manner. Let so much then, brethren, suffice you; lest in length of disputation, the sleep of forge tfuln ess steal over you. SERMON XCL [CXLL Ben.] On the words of the Gospel, Johu xiv. " I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life." i. 1. Amongst other things, when the Holy Gospel was being JohnH, read, ye heard what the Lord Jesus said, / ti?n the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. Truth and life doth every man desire ; but not every man doth find the way. That God is a certain Life Eternal. Unchangeable, Intelligible, Intel- ligent, Wise, Making wise, some philosophers even of this world have seen. The fixed, settled, unwavering truth, wherein 2 ratio- are all the principles^ of all things created, they saw indeed, "^^ but afar off; they saw, but amid the error in which they were placed; and therefore what way to attain to that so great, and ineffable, and beatific a possession they found not. For that even they saw, (as far as can be seen by man,) the Creator by means of the creature, the Worker by His work, the Framer of the world by the world, the Apostle Paul is wit- ness, whom Christians ought surely to believe. For he said Bom. 1 , when he was speaking of such ; The ivrath of God is revealed 18. from heaven ayainst all ungodliness. These are, as ye recog- nise, the words of the Apostle Paul; The urath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness, and unrighte- ousness of men; who detain the truth in unrighteousness. Did he say that they do not detain the truth? No: but. All nature spake to man of God, but pride marred knowledge. 655 They detained the truth in unrighteousness. What they Serm. detain, is good; but wherein they detain it, is bad. They .^^^^^ detain the truth in unrighteousness. 2. Now it occurred to him that it might be said to him, " Whence do these ungodly men detain the truth ? Hath God spoken to any one of them? Have they received the Law as the people of the Israelites by Moses? Whence then do they detain the truth, though it be even in this unrighteousness?" Hear what follows, and he shews. Because that which can be ii. known of Qod, he says, is manifest in them; for God hath\. 19. manifested it unto them. Manifested it unto them to whom He hath not given the Law? Hear how He hath manifested it. For the invisible things of Him are clearly v. 2o. seen, being understood by the things that are made. Ask the world, the beauty of the heaven, the brilliancy and ordering of the stars, the sun, that sufSceth for the day, the moon, the solace of the night ; ask the earth fruitful in herbs, and trees, full of animals, adorned with men; ask the sea, with how great and what kind of fishes filled ; ask the air, with how great birds stocked^; ask all things, and see if they do not as ' viget. it were by a language^ of their own make answer to thee,2sensu. " God made us." These things have illustrious philosophers sought out, and by the art have come to know the Artificer. What then ? Why is the wrath of God revealed against this un- godliness ? Because they detain the truth in unrighteousness ? Let him come, let him shew how. For how they came to know him. He hath said already. The invisible things of Him, that is, of God, are clearly seen^ being imderstood Ijy the things that are m.ade; His eternal Power also and Godhead; so that they are without excuse. Because that when they knew God,y. 21. they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankfxd; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart loas darkened. They are the Apostle's words, not mine : And their foolish heart was darkened; for professing them- v. 22. selves to be wise, they became fools. What by curious search they found, by pride they lost. Professing themselves to be wise, attributing, that is, the gilt of God to themselves, they became fools. They are the Apostle's words, I say ; Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. 3. Shew, prove their foolishness. Shew, O Apostle, and iii. 656 Christ, as Man, the Way to Christ as God. Serm. as thou hast shewn us whereby they were able to attain to [141.B.] the knowledge of God, for that the invisible things of Him are clearly seen, heivg understood by those things that are made; so now shew how, professing themselves to he wise^ V. 23. they became fools. Hear; Because, they changed, he says, the glory of the incorruptible God into the likeness of the image of a corruptible man, and of birds, and of four-footed beasts^ and of creeping things. For of figures of these animals, the Pagans made themselves gods. Thou hast found out God, and thou worshippest an idol. Thou hast found out the truth, and this very truth dost thou detain in unrighteousness. And what by the works of God thou hast come to know, by the works of man thou losest. Thou • totum hast considered the universe', hast collected the order of the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all the elements; thou wilt not take heed to this, that the world is the w^ork of God, an idol is the work of a carpenter. If the carpenter as he has given the figure, could also give a heart, the carpenter would be worshipped by his own idol. For, O man, as God is thy Framer, so the idol's framer is a man. Who is thy God } He That made thee. Who is the carpenter's god ? He That made him. Who is the idol's god ? He that made it. If then the idol had a heart, would he not worship the carpenter who made it? See in what unrighteousness they detained the truth, and found not the way that leadeth to that possession which they saw. iv. 4. But Christ, for that He is with the Father, the Truth, John 1, and Life, the Word of God, of Whom it is said. The Life *• was the Light of men; for that I say He is with the Father, the Truth, and Life, and we had no way whereby to go to the Truth, the Son of God, Who is ever in the Father the Truth and Life, by assuming man's nature became the Way. Walk by Him as Man, and thou comest to God. Qj Him thou goest, to Him thou goest. Look not out for any way whereby to come to Him, besides Himself. For if He had not vouchsafed to be the Way, we should have always gone astray. He then became the Way Whereby Ihou shouldest come ; I do not say to thee, seek the Way. The Way Itself «moribu8 ^ath come to thee, arise and walk. Walk, with the life % not with the feet. For many walk well with the feet, and with S7iares not in y^ way which is Xt, but " by y^ way'" i. e. out ofXt. 657 their lives walk ill. For sometimes even those who walk Serm. well, run outside the way. Thus you will find men living [141.B.] well, and not Christians. They run well; but they run not in the Way. The more they run, the more they go astray; because they are out of the Way. But if such men as these come to the Way, and hold on the Way, O how great is their security, because they both walk well, and do not go astray ! But if they do not hold on the Way, however well they walk, alas ! how are they to be bewailed ! For better is it to halt in the way, than to walk on stoutly outside the way. Let this suffice for you. Beloved. Turn we to the Lord, &c. SERMON XCIL [CXLII. Ben.] On the same words of the Gospel, John xiv. " I am the Way, &c." 1. The divine lessons raise us up, that we be not i* broken by despair ; and terrify us again, that we be not tossed to and fro by pride. But to hold the middle, the true, the strait way, as it were between the left hand of despair, and the right hand of presumption, would be most difficult for us, had not Christ said, 1 am the Way, and the John Truth, and the Life. As if He had said, " By what way ^*' ^' wouldest thou go ? / am the Way. Whither wouldest thou go ? / am the Truth. Where wouldest thou abide .' / am the Life.'''' Let us then walk with all assurance in the Way; but let us fear snares by the way side. The enemy does not dare to lay his snares in the way; be- cause Christ is the Way; but most certainly by the way side he ceases not to do so. Whence too it is said in the Psalm, Ps. 139, They have laid sttimhlinghlocks for me by the nay side.%^^^' And another Scripture saith. Remember that thou walkest 1^0, 5. in the midst of snares. These snares among which we walk 9 13. * are not in the way ; but yet they are by the way side. What fearest thou, what art thou alarmed at, so thou walk in the Way? Fear then, if thou forsake the Way. For for this reason is the enemy even permitted to lay snares by the way side, lest through the secuiity of exultation the Way be for- saken, and ye iall into the snares. 658 The love of the tvorhl adultery ; shame, its healinfj. Serm. 2. Christ Humbled is tlie Way; Christ the Truth and the xcii • ri42.B.l Life, Christ Highly Exalted and God. If thou walk in the Humbled, thou shalt attain to the Exalted. If infirm as thou art, thou despise not the Humbled, thou shalt abide ii. exceeding strong in the Exalted. P'or what cause was there of Christ's Humiliation, save thine infirmity ? For sorely and irremediably did thine infirmity press thee in, and this cir- cumstance it was that made so great a Physician come to thee. For if thy sickness had been even such, that thou couldest have gone to the Physician, this infirmity might have seemed endurable. But because thou couldest not go to Him, He came to thee. He came teaching humility, whereby we might return ; for that pride allowed us not to return to life; yea had even made us depart from life. For the heart of man being lifted up against God, and neglecting in its sound state His saving precepts, the soul fell away into infirmity; let her in her infirmity learn to hear Him Whom in her strength she despised. Let her hear II im that she may rise. Whom she despised, that she might fall. Let her at length, taught by experience, give ear to what she had no mind, when taught by precept, to obtain. For her misery hath taught her, how evil a thing it is to go a w^horing from the Lord. For to fall away from that Simple and Singular Good, into this multitude of pleasures, into the love of the world, and earthly corruption, is to go a whoring fi-om the Lord. And He hath addressed her as in a sense a hai'lot, to warn her to return: very often by the Prophets doth He reproach her as a harlot, but yet not despaired of, for that He Who reproacheth the harlot hath in His Hands the cleansing of the harlot too. iii, 3. For He doth not so reproach as to insult her; but He would bring her to confusion of face to heal her. Vehement are the exclamations of Scripiure, nor doth it deal softly by James flattery with those whom it would by healing recover. Ye *' ^' adulterers, know ye not thai the friend of this world is con- stituted the enemy of God? The love of the world makcth the soul adulterous, the love of the Framer of the world maketh the soul chaste ; but unless she blush for her corruption, she hath no desire to return to that chaste embrace. Be she confounded that she may return, w^ho was vaunting her- The soul must love what is above or below it, forget itself or God. 059 self that she should not return. It was pride then that Serm. hindered the soul's return. But whoso reproacheth doth iiotr"j[^.2 g'n cause the sin, but sheweth the sin. What the soul was loth ~ to see, is placed before her eyes ; and what she desired to have behind her back, is brought before her face. See thy- Matt. 7, self in thyself. Wliy seest thou the mote in thy brother's eye, hut perceivest not the beam in thine own eye? The soul which went away from herself, is recalled to herself. As she had gone away from herself, so went she away from her Lord. For she had respect to herself, and pleased herself, and became enamoured of her own power. She withdrew from him, and abode not in herself; and from her own self she is repelled, and from herself shut out, and she falleth away unto things without her. She loves the world, loves the things of time, loves earthly things ; who if she but loved herself to the neglect of Him by Whom she was made, would at once be less, at once fail by loving that which is less. For she is less than God; yea less by far, and by so much less as the thing made is less than the Maker. It was God then That ought to have been loved, yea in such wise ought God to be loved, that if it might be so, we should forget ourselves. What then is this change ? The soul halh forgotten herself, but by loving the world; let her now forget herself, bat by loving the world's Maker. Driven away even from herself, I say, she hath in a manner lost herself, and hath not skilled to see her own actions, she justifies her iniquities; she is puffed up, and prides herself in insolence, in voluptuousness, in honors, in posts of authority, in riches, in the power of vanity. She is reproved, rebuked, is shewn to herself, mislikes herself, confesses her deformity, longs iquse for her first beauty, and she who went away in profusion ''i?^*^ returas in confusion *. redit 4. Seemeth he to pray against her, or for her, who says, ^'"?^"^^- Fill their faces icith shame? It seems to be an adversary, Ps. 82 it seems an enemy. Hear what follows, and see whether a i'^" ■Sept. friend can offer this prayer. Fill, says he, their faces with E. v. shame, and they shall seek Thy Name, O Lord. Did he ^^' ^^" hate them whose faces he desired to be filled with shame ? See how he loves them whom he would have seek the Name of the Lord. Does he love only, or hate only? or does he 660 God turns not aioay from man, hut man from God. Serm. both hate, and love? Yea, he botli hates, and loves. He XCII [142.B.] ''^tes what is thine, he loves thee. What is, " He hates what is thine, he loves thee ?" He hates what thou hast made, he loves what God hath made. For what are thine own things but sins? And what art thou but what God made thee, a man after His Own image and likeness ? Thou dost neglect what thou wast made, love what thou hast made. Thou dost love thine own works without thee, dost neglect the work of God within thee. Deservedly dost thou go away, deservedly fall off, yea, deservedly even from Ps. 77, thine own self depart; deservedly hear the words, A spirit ^y^^^'that goeth and returneth not. Hear rather Him That Zech. i,calleth and saith. Turn ye unto 3Ie, and I ivill turn unto 3- you. For God doth not really turn away, and turn again ; Abiding the Same He rebuketh. Unchangeable He rebuketh. He hath turned away, in that thou hast turned thyself away. Tract. Thou hast fallen from Him, He hath not fallen away from Evanff. thee. Hear Him then saying to thee. Turn ye unto Me^ Joan, and 1 ivill turn unto you. For this is, " I turn unto you, in that ye turn unto INIe." He fblloweth on the back of him that flieth. He eiilighteneth the face of him that returneth. For whither wilt thou fly in flying from God ? Whither wilt thou fly in flying from Him Who is contained in no place, and is no where absent ? He That delivereth him that turn- eth to him, panisheth him that turneth away. Thou hast a Judge by flying; have a Father by returning. 5. But he had been swollen up by pride, and by this V. swelling could not return by the strait way. He Who Matt. 7, became the Way, crieth out, Enter ye in by the strait gate. ^^' He tries to enter in, the swelling impedes him ; and his trying is so much the more hurtful, in proportion as the swelling is a > vexat greater impedin)ent. For the straitness irritates ' his swelling; and being irritated he will swell the more; and swelling more, when will he enter in ? So then let him bring down the swelling. And how ? Let him take the medicine of humility ; let him against the swelling drink the bitter but wholesome cup ; drink the cup of humility. Why doth he squeeze himself? The bulk, not for its size, but for its swelling, doth not allow him. For size hath solidity, swelling inflation. Let not him that is swollen fancy himself of great size ; that he may Covet God, in Him thou hast all things. 6*61 be great, and substantial', and solid, let him bring down his Serm. swelling. Let him not long after these present things, letrj^g.B.i him not gloiy in this pomp of things failing and corruptible ; i certus let him hearken to Him Who said, Enter in by the strait J ohni 4, gate, saying also, / am the Wag. For as if some swollen one had asked, " How shall I enter in ?" He saith, " / am the Wag. Enter in by Me ; Thou walkest only by Me, to enter in by the door." For as He said, I a?n the W^ay ; johnio, so also, / am the Door. Why seekest thou whereby to'^- return, whither to return, vrhereby to enter in? Lest thou shonldest in any respect go astray. He became all for thee. Therefore in brief He saith, " Be humble, be meek." Let us hear Him saying this most plainly, that thou mayest see whereby is the way, what is the way, whither is the way. Whither wouldest thou come } But peradventure in covetousness thou wouldest possess all things. All things are delivered unto Me of My Father, MsLt.n, saith He. It may be thou wilt say, " They were delivered to Christ; but are they to me?" Hear the Apostle speak; hear, as I said some time ago, lest thou be broken by despair; hear how thou wert loved when thou hadst nothing to be loved for, hear how thou wert loved when unsightly, deformed, before there was ought in thee which was meet to be loved. Thou wast first loved, that thou mightestbe made meet to be loved. For Christ, as the Apostle says, died for the ungodly. Rom. 5, What! will you say that the ungodly deserved to be loved? ' I ask, what did the ungodly deserve ? To be damned. Here you will answer, Yet, Christ died for the ungodly. Lo, what was done for thee when ungodly ; what is reserved for thee now godly ? Christ died for the ungodly. Thou didst desire to possess all things; desire it not through covetousness, seek it through piety, seek it through humility. For if thou seek thus, thou shalt possess. For thou shalt have Him by Whom all things were made, and with Him shalt possess all things. 6. I do not say this as though the result of reasoning, vi. Hear the Apostle himself saying. He that spared not His Rom. 8, Own Son, but delivered Him up for us all; how hath He ' also not with Him, given us all things ? Lo, covetous one, thou hast all things. All things that thou lovest, despise, 662 In Clirist, v;e have all things, even the Father. Serm. that thou be not kept back from Christ, and hold to Him in VpT T ^ ri42.B.i ^Vhom thou mayest possess all things. The Physician Him- self then needing no such medicine, yet that He might encourage the sick, drank what He had no need of; address- ing him as it were refusing it, and raising him up in his fear, Mat.20, He drank first. The Cup, saith He, which I shall drink of; 22 " I Who have nothing in Me to be cured by that Cup, am yet to drink it, that thou who needest to drink it, may not dis- dain to drink." Now consider, brethren, ought the human race to be any longer sick after having received such a medicine? God hath been now Humbled, and is man still Mat.u, proud.'' Let him hear, let him learn. All thinys, saith He, * '* haiie been delivered unto 3fe of 3Iy Father. If thou desirest all things, thou shalt have them with Me ; if thou desirest the Father, by Me and in Me thou shalt have Him. No man knoweth the Father but the Soi. Do not despair; come to the Son. Hear what follows. And he to whom the Son will reveal Him. Thou saidst, " I am not able. Thou callest me through a strait way ; I am not able to enter in V. 28. by a strait way." Come, saith He, unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden. Your burden is your swell- ing. Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, V. 29. and I will refresh you. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me. vii. 7. The Master of the Angels crieth out, the Word of God, by Whom all reasonable souls are without failing fed, the Food That refresheth, and abideth Entire, crieth out and saith, Learn of Me. Let the people hear Him, saying. Learn of 3Ie. Let them make answer, " What do we learn of Thee.f'" For we must be going to hear I know not what from the Great Artificer, when He saith, Learn of Me. Who is it that saith, J^earn of Me ? He Who formed the earth, Who divided the sea and the dry land. Who created the fowls, Who created the animals of the earth. Who created all things that swim, Who set the stars in the heaven, Who distinguished the day and the night, Who established the firmament. Who separated the light from the darkness, He it is Who saith. Learn qf 3Ie. Is He haply about to tell us this, that we should do these things with Him } Who can do this ? God Only doeth them. " Fear not," He saith, " I am not laying any burden on Miracles given to some; the highest gift, given to all, humility. 663 thee. Learn of Me, this which for thy sake 1 was made. Serm. Learn of Me^"" saith He, " not to form the creature which by rj^g.Bl Me was made. Neither do I tell you indeed, to learn those things which I have granted to some, to whom I would, not to all, to raise the dead, to give sight to the blind, to open the ears of the deaf; nor to wish as for some great thing to learn these things of Me." The disciples returned with joy and exultation, saying, Lo, even the devils are subject ?«i^oLukeio, us through Thy Name. And the Lord said to them, Ln this ^^ '^^ rejoice not, that the devils are subject unto you; rejoice rather, because your names are written in heaven. To whom He would. He gave the power to cast out devils, to whom He would. He gave the power to raise the dead. Such miracles were done even before the Incarnation of the Lord; the dead were raised, lepers were cleansed; we read of these things. And Who did them then, but He Who in after time 2 Kings . 4. & 5 was the Man-Christ after David, but God-Christ before Abraham ? He gave the power for all these things, He did them Himself by men; yet gave He not that power to all. Ought they to whom He gave it not to despair, and say that they have no part in Him because they have not been thought' worthy to receive these gifts.? In the body areimerue- divers members: this member can do one thing, that"^""* another. God hath compacted the body together. He hath not given to the ear to see, nor to the eye to hear, nor to the forehead to smell, nor to the hand to taste ; He hath not given them these functions ; but to all the members hath He given soundness, hath given union, hath given unity, hath by His Spirit quickened and united all alike. And so here He hath not given to some to raise the dead, to others He hath not given the power of disputation ; yet to all what hath He given r Learn qf Me, that I am meek and lowly in heart. Forasmuch as we have heard Him say, / am meek and lowly in heart; here, my brethren, is our whole remedy. Learn of Me, that L ajn meek and lowly in heart. What doth it profit a man if he do miracles, and is proud, is not meek and lowly in heart ? Will he not be reckoned in the number of those who shall come at the last day, and say, Have we not prophesied in Thy Name, and in Thy Name Matt. 7, have done many mighty works? But what shall they hear.?^^* X X 664 Humility the ground work of charity. Sebji. / know you not, Depart from Me^ all ye that work xcii • • ti42.Bo ''*^?^"^y- ^^7^. 8. What tlien doth it profit us to learn ? That I am meek, viii. saith He, and lowly in heart. He engrafteth charity, and that most genuine charity, without confusion, without infla- tion, without elation, without deceit; this doth He engraft, Who saith, Learn of Jlle, that I am meek and lowly in 'since- Jieart. How can one proud and pufled up have any genuine* m*am charity? He must needs be envious. And mayhap one who is envious, loves, and we are mistaken ? God forbid that any one should be so mistaken, as to say that an envious 1 Cor. man hath charity. And so what saith the Apostle ? Charity ^^' ^' envielh not. Why doth it not envy? // is not puffed up; he immediately annexed the cause for which he took away envying from charity. Because it is not pufled up, it envieth not. It is true, he said first. Charity envieth not; but as though thou didst ask, " Why doth it not envy?" he added, It is not puffed up. If then it envieth because it is puffed up ; if it be not puffed up, it envieth not. If charity is not pufled up, and therefore envieth not ; then doth He Matt, engraft charity Who saith, Learn of Me, that I am meek ^^' ^ ■ and lowly in heart. 9. Let any man have then what he will, let him boast lCor.13, himself of what he will. If I speak with the tongues qf ■ "' men and of Angels, but have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. What is more sublime than the gift of divers tongues ? It is brass, it is a tinkling cymbal, if thou take charity away. Hear other gifts ; If I ^ sAcra.- should know all tnysteries". What more excellent? what inenta jj^ore magnificent ? Hear yet another ; If I should have all prophecy, and all faith, so that I could retnore mountains, but have not charity, I am nothing. He comes to still greater things, brethren. What else has he said ? If I should distribute all my goods to the jjoor. What more perfect thing can be done ? When indeed the Lord corn- Matt, mandcd the rich man this for perfection's sake, saying, If ^^'^^" thou wilt be perfect, go, sell all that thou hast, and give to the ])oor. Was he then at once perfect, because he sold all his goods and gave them to the poor? No; and therefore He added, And come, follow Me. Sell all, saith He, give to To forsake all for Xt, still perfecteth not, but charity. QGo the poor, and come, follow Me. " Why should 1 follow Thee ? ^'L^^'^- Now that I have sold all, and distributed to the poor, am I[i42,B.] not perfect ? What need is there that I should follow Thee ?" Follow Me, that thou mayest learn that / am meek and lowly in heart. For what? can any man sell all he hath, and give to the poor, who is not yet meek, not yet lowly in heart? Assuredly he can. For if I should distribute all my goods to the poor. And hear still further. For some, who had left all they had, and had already followed the Lord, but not yet followed Him perfectly, (for to follow Him perfectly is to imitate Him,) could not bear the trial of suffering. Peter, brethren, was already one of those who had left all and followed the Lord. For as that rich man went away in sadness, when the disciples being ti'oubled, asked how then any one could be perfect, and the Lord consoled them, they said to the Lord, Behold, we have for- v. 27. saken all, and followed Thee ; what shall we have titerefore? And the Lord told them what He would give them here, what He would reserve for them hereafter. Now Peter was already of the number of those who had so done. But when it came to the crisis ' of suffering, at the voice of a maid- 1 articu- servant he denied Him thrice with Whom he had promised that he was ready to die. 10. Take good heed then, Beloved : Co, saith He, *^'i) for he shall not be found without sins. Accordingly he only shall not be confounded who glorieth in the Lord. For all have sinned, and have need of the glory of God. And so when he was speaking of the infidelity of the Jews, he did not say, " For if some of them have sinned, shall their sin make the faith of God of none effect ?" For how should he say, " If some of them have sinned ;" when he said himself, For all have Ro^,^ 3 sinned? But he said, //" some of them believed not, shall^- their unbelief make the faith of God of none effect Y That he might point out more expressly this sin, by which alone C,68Faifh,a lunging^ out ofourselveSifor Xt unseen ^thro' theH.Gh. Serm. the door is closed against tlic rest that they by tlie grace of [143.B.] ^od should not be remitted. Of which one sin by the jjj coming of the Holy Ghost, that is by the gift of His grace, which is granted to the faithful, the world is convinced, in the Lord's words, Of sin, because they believed not on Me. 3. Now there would be no great merit and glorious blessedness in believing, if the Lord had always appeared in His Risen Body to the eyes of men. The Holy Ghost then hath brought this great gift to them that should believe, that Him Whom they should not see with the eyes of flesh, they might with a mind sobered from carnal desires, and inebriated with spiritual longings, sigh after. Whence it was that when that disciple who had said that he would not believe, unless he touched with the hands His Scars, after he had handled the Lord's Body, cried out as though awaking from sleep, Jolin20, 71/^ Lord, and my God; the Lord said to him, Because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed ; blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. This blessedness hath the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, brought to us, that the form of a servant which He took from the Virgin's womb, being removed from the eyes of flesh, the purified eye of the mind might be directed to This Form of God, in Which He continued equal with the Father, even when He vouchsafed to appear in the Flesh ; so as that with the Same Spirit filled 2Cor.5, ^]jQ Apostle might say, Though ice have known Christ after the flesJi; yet noiv we know Him so no longer. Because even the Flesh of Christ he knew not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, who, not by touching in curiosity, but in believing assured, acknowledgeth the power of His Rom. Resurrection; not saying in his heart. Who hath ascended ' '^ into heathen? that is. to bring Christ down; or, JVfto hath descended into the deep ? that is, to bring back Christ from the dead. But, saith he, tlte word is nigh thee, in thy mouth, that Jesus is the Lord ; and if thou shall believe in thine heart that God halh raised Him from the dead, thou shalt he saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and tvith the mouth confession is made unto salvation. These, brethren, arc the words of the Apostle, pouring them forth with the holy inebriation of the Holy Ghost Himself. The Church, by a spiritual faith^ toucheth Xt ascended. Q6Q 4. Forasmuch then as we could in no way have had this ^^'^^• blessedness by which we see not and yet believe, unless |-]43.b.-j we received it of the Holy Ghost; it is with good reason said, \y^ It is expedient for you that I go aivaij. For if I go not Johnie, awaij, the Comforter will not come unto you; hut if I depart, I will send Him unto you. By His Divinity indeed He is with us always ; but unless He had in Body gone away from us, we had always seen His Body after the flesh, and never be- Heved after a spiritual sort; by the which behef justified and blessed we might attain' with cleansed hearts to contemplate 'merere- the Very Word, God with God, % Whom all things were^"^^ made, and Who was made Flesh, that He might dwell among us. And if not with the contact of the hand, but ivith the heart man believeth unto righteousness ; with good reason is the world, which will not believe save what it sees, convinced of our righteousness. Now that we might have that righ- teousness of faith of which the unbelieving world should be convinced, therefore said the Lord, Of righteousness, because I go to the Father, and ye shall see Me no more. As if He had said, " This shall be your righteousness, that ye believe on Me, the Mediator, of Whom ye shall be most fully assured that He is risen again and gone to the Father, though ye see Him not after the Flesh; that by Him reconciled, ye may be able to see God after the Spirit." Whence He saith to the woman who represents the Church, when she fell at His Feet after His Resurrection, Touch Me not, for I am not ye^ John20, ascended to the Father. Which expression is understood mystically, thus. " Believe not in Me after a carnal manner by means of bodily contact; but thou shalt believe after a spiritual manner; that is, with a spiritual faith shalt touch Me, when I shall have ascended to the Father." For, blessed are they who do not see, and believe. And this is the righ- ^'• teousness of faith, of which the world, which hath it not, is convinced of us who are not without it; for the just liveth iy Habak. faith. Whether it be then that as rising again in Him, and?" '*• in Him coming to the Father, we are invisibly and in justi-ir. fication perfected; or that as not seeing and yet believing we live by faith, for that the Just liveth by faith; with these meanings said He, Of righteousness, because I go to the Father, and ye shall see Me no more. 670 Satan, cast outfrom within, wars without; overcomehy theyoung. Serm. 5. Nor let the world excuse itself by this, that it is hindered ri43B^^y the devil from believing on Christ. For to believers the johni2, prince of the world is cast out, that he work no more in the ^1- hearts of men whom Christ hath begun to possess by faith; Eph. 2, as he worketh in the children of unbelief, whom he is con- ^" stantly stirring up to tempt and disturb the righteous. For because he is cast out, who once had dominion interiorly, he wageth war exteriorly. Although then by means of his Ps.26 9. persecutions, the Lord doth direct the meek in judginent ; nevertheless in this very fact of his being cast out, is he judged already. And of this judgment is the world con- vinced ; for in vain doth he who will not believe on Christ complain of the devil whom, judged, that is, cast out, and for the exercising of us allowed to attack us from without, not only men, but even women, and boys, and girls. Martyrs have overcome. Now in Whom have they overcome, but in Him on Whom they have believM, and Whom seeing not, they loved, and by Whose dominion in their 'pessimo hearts they have got rid of a most oppressive' lord. And all this by grace, by the gift, that is, of the Holy Ghost. Rightly then doth the Same Spirit convince the world, both, of sin, because it believeth not on Christ; and of righteous- ness, because they who have had the will have believed, though Him on Whom they believed they saw not; and by His Resurrection have hoped that themselves also should be in the resurrection perfected; a?id of judgment, because if they had had the will to believe, they could be hindered by none, /or that the prince of this world hath been judged already. SERMON XCIV. [CXLIV. Ben.] On the same words of the Gospel, John xvi. " He shall convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment." i. 1. When our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ was speaking at length of the coming of the Holy Ghost, He said among Johnie, the rest. He shall convince the world of sin, and of righteous- 8. Belief on Christ includes hope and love. 671 ness, and of Judgment. Nor when He had said this, did He Serm. pass on to another subject ; but vouchsafed to convey a n44,B.i somewhat more exphcit notice of this same truth. Ofsin,vTW. said He, because they believed not on Me. Of 7'ighteousness,y. lo. because I go to the Father. Of judgment., because the prince v. il. of this world hath been judged already. There arises there- fore within us a desire of imderstanding, why as if it were men's only sin, not to believe on Christ, He said it of this alone, that the Holy Ghost should convince the world; but if it is plain that besides this unbelief there are manifold other sins of men, why of this alone should the Holy Ghost convince the world ? Is it because all sins are by unbelief retained, by faith remitted ; that therefore God imputeth this one above all the rest, by which it comes to pass that the rest are not loosed, so long as proud man believes not in an Humbled God ? For so it is written ; God resisteth the Prov. 3, proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Now this grace ja,nes4 of God is a gift of God. But the greatest gift is the Holy 6. Ghost Himself; and therefore is it called grace. For foras- much as all had sinned, and needed the glory of God; Rom. 3, because by one man sin entered into the world, and death i^' g by his sin in whom all have sinned; therefore is it grace 12. because given gratuitously. And therefore is it given gra- tuitously, because it is not rendered as a reward after a strict scrutiny of deserts, but given as a gift after the pardon of sins. 2. Therefore of sin are unbelievers, that is, the lovers of the ii. world, convinced; for they are signified by the name of the world. For when it is said. He will convince the ivorld of sin; it is of none other sin than that they have not believed on Christ. For if this sin exist not, no sins will remain, because when the just man lives by faith, all are loosed. Now the difference is great as to whether one believe that Jesus is Christ, or whether he believe on Christ. For that Jesus is Christ even the devils believed, and yet the devils believed not on Christ. For he believeth on Chiist, who both hopeth in Christ and loveth Christ. For if he have faith without hope and love, he believeth that Christ is, but he doth not believe on Christ. Whoso then believeth on Christ, by believing on Christ, Christ cometh unto him, and 672 Xi came dozen in mercy^ went iqj in righteousness. Serm. in a manner uniteth Himself to him, and he is made a mem- XCIV" ri44PJberin His Body. Which cannot be, but by the accession of hope and love. 3. What mean again His words, Of righteousness, because I go to the Father ? And first must we enquire, if the world is convinced of sin, why it is also of righteousness? P'or who can rightly be convinced of righteousness ? Is it indeed that the world is convinced of its own sin, but of Christ's righte- ousness ? I do not see what else can be understood ; since He saith, Of sin, because they believed not on 3Ie. Of righteousness, because I go to the Father. They believed not, He gocth to the Father. Their sin therefore, and His righteousness. But why would He name righteousness in this only, that He goeth to the Father } Is it not righteous- ness also that He came hither from the Father ? Or is that rather mercy, that He came from the Father to us, and righteousness, that He goeth to the Father ? iii. 4. So, brethren, I think it expedient, that in so profound a depth of Scripture, in words, wherein perad venture there lies some hidden truth which may in due season be laid open, we should as it were together inquire faithfully, that ' merea- we may attain' to find healthfully. Why then doth He call ^^^ this righteousness, in that He goeth to the Father, and not also in that He came from the Father.? Is it that in that it is mercy that He came, therefore it is righteousness that He goeth ? that so in our own case too we may learn that righte- ousness cannot be fulfilled in us, if we are slow to give a 2 priEio-place first ^ to mercy, not seeking our own things, hut the ^^^^ things of others also. Which advice when the Apostle had given, he immediately joined to it the example of our Lord Phil. 2, Himself; Doing nothing, saith he, through strife or vain glory ; but in lowliness of mind, each esteeming the other better than themselves. Not looking every man on his own things, but also on the things of others. Then he added immediately. Let this mind be in each of you which was also in Christ Jesus, Who, being in the Form of Ood, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; but emptied Himself taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and found in fashion as a man; He humbled Himself, having become obedient even unto death, yea the death of the Xticent Alone to heaven ; His Body, y^ Church, one xoithHim. 673 cross. This is the mercy whereby He came from the Father. Serm. xciv What then is the righteousness whereby He goeth to theri44 j^ j Father? He goes on and says; Wherefore God also hath exalted Him, and given Him a Name zvhich is above every name; that at the Name of Jesus every knee shoidd bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the Glory of God the Father. This is the righteousness whereby He goeth to the Father. 5. But if He Alone goeth to the Father, what doth it profit iv. us? Why is the world convinced by the Holy Ghost of this righteousness ? And yet if He did not Alone go to the Father, He would not say in another place, No man hath ascended John 3, up to heaven, but He That descended from heaven, the Son^^- of man Who is in heaven. But the Apostle Paul also says, For our conversation is in heaven. And why is this ? Be- Phil. 3, cause he also says. If ye be risen with Christ, seek the thitigs q^^ 3 ^^ which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Mind the things which are above, not those which are v. 2, upon the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with v. 3. Christ in God. How then is He Alone ? Is He therefore Alone because Christ with all His members is One, as the Head with His Body ? Now what is His Body, but the Church ? As the same teacher says. Now ye are the Body 1 Cor. of Christ, and members in particiUar. Forasmuch then as "' we have fallen, and He descended for our sakes, what is, No man hath ascended, hut He That descended ; but that no man hath ascended, except as made one with Him, and as a member fastened into His Body Who descended? And thus He saith to His disciples, Without Me ye can c/o Jolmis, nothing. For in one way is He One with the Father, and in another one with us. He is One with the Father, in that the Substance of the Father and the Son is One ; He is One with the Father, in that, Being in the Form of God, He thought it not robbery to be equal ivith God. But He was made one with us, in that He emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant; He was made one with us, according to the seed of Abraham, in whom all nations shall he blessed. Which place when the Apostle had brought forward, he said, He saith not, And to seeds, as of many ; hit as of one, And, to Gal. 3, 16. 074 Members of Xt partake His Righteousness, complete in glory. Serm. thy Seed., which is Christ. And for that we too belong to J144 [j'-ithat wliich is Christ, by our incorporation together, and coherence to That Head, It is One Christ. And also for that Gal. 3, he says to us too, There/ore are ye Abrahoni's seed, heirs ^ ' according to the promise. For if the seed of Abraham be One, and That One Seed of Abraham can only be understood of Christ; but this seed of Abraham we also are; therefore This Whole, that is; the Head and the Body, is One Christ. V. 6. And therefore we ought not to deem ourselves separated from that righteousness, which the Lojd Himself makes men- tion of, saying. Of righteousness, because I go to the Father. For we too have risen with Christ, and we are with Christ Muterimour Head, now for a while* by faith and hope; but our hope will be completed in the last resurrection of the dead. But when our hope shall be completed, then shall our justifi- cation be completed also. And the Lord who was to com- plete it shewed us in His Own Flesh, (that is, in our Head,) Wherein He rose again and ascended to the Father, what we Rom. 4, ought to hope for. For that thus it is written. He was ^^' delivered for our sins, and rose again for our justification. The world then is convinced of sin in those who believe not on Christ; and of righteousness, in those who rise again in 2 Cor. the members of Christ. Whence it is said, That ive may be ^) 21. tJiQ righteousness of God in Him. For if not in Him, in no way righteousness. But if in Him, He goeth with us Whole to the Father, and this perfect righteousness wnll be fulfilled in us. And therefore of Judgment too is the world con- vinced, because the prince of this tcorld hath been Judged cdready; that is, the devil, the prince of the unrighteous, who in heart inhabit only in this world which they love, and therefore are called the uorld ; as our conversation is in heaven, if we have risen again vrith Christ. Therefore as Christ together with us, that is His Body, is One ; so the devil with all the ungodly whose head he is, with as it were his own body, is one. Wherefore as we are not separated from the righteousness, of which tlie Lord said. Because I go to the Father; so the ungodly are not separated from that judgment, of which He said, Because the prince qf this world hath been judged already. Submissive "prayer heard, not restlessness, 675 SERMON XCV. [CXLV. Ben.] On the words of the Gospel, John xvi. " Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My Name;" and on the words of Luke x. " Lord, even the devils are subjected unto us through Thy Name." 1, When the Holy Gospel was being read, we heard what Serm. in truth ought at once to put every earnest soul in motion r^^g n'-i to seek, not to faint. For whoso is not moved, is not changed. But there is a dangerous movement, of which it is written, Suffer not my feet to be moved. But there is Ps.66,9. another movement of him who seeketh, knocketh, asketh. What then has been read we have all heard ; but I suppose we have not all understood. It makes mention of that which together with me ye should seek, with me ask, for the re- ceiving of which ye should with me knock. For as I hope the grace of the Lord will be with us, that whereas I wish to minister to you, I too maybe thought' worthy to receive. • merear What is it, I pray you, that we have just heard that the Lord said to His disciples ? Hitherto leave ye asked nothing in Johni6 My Name. Is He not speaking to those disciples, who, ^** after He had sent them, having given them power to preach the Gospel, and to do mighty works, returned with joy, and said to Him, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through mkeio Thy Name? Ye recognise, ye recollect this which I have^'^* quoted from the Gospel, which in every passage and every sentence speaketh truth, no where false, no where deceiveth. How then is it true, Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My Name ? and, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through Thy Name ? Of a surety this puts the mind in motion to ascertain the secret of this difficulty. There- fore ask we, seek, knock. Be there in us faithful godliness, not a restlessness of the flesh, but a submission of the mind, that He Who seeth us knocking may open unto us. 2. What the Lord then may give to be ministered unto you, do ye with earnest attention, that is, with hunger, receive ; and when I shall have spoken it, ye will doubtless 076 The laiv hasfearbyfrustin sel^', (jrace has hope by trust in God. Serm. with sound taste ^ api)rovc what is placed before you out of xcv f 145.B.1 1^^^ Lord's store. The Lord Jesus knew whereby the soul of MTauci- man, that is, the rational mind, made after the image of ^"^ God, could be satisfied: only, that is, by Himself. This He knew, and knew that it was as yet without that fulness. He knew that He was manifest, and He knew that He was hidden. He knew what in Him was exhibited, what con- Ps. 30, coaled. He knew all this. How r/r eat, says the Psalm, is tlie 3i' 19^^ multitude of Thy sweetness, O Lord, which Thou hast hidden E. V. to them that fear Thee; ichich Thou hast wrought for them that hope in Thee ! Thy sweetness both great and manifold hast Thou hidden to them that fear Thee. If thou hidest it to them that fear Thee, to whom dost Thou open it? Thou hast lorought it for them that hojje in Thee. A twofold ques- tion has arisen, but either is solved by the other. If any one inquires after the other, what is this. Thou hast hidden it to them that fear Thee; wrought it for them that hope in thee'? Are they that fear, and they that hope, different? Do not the very same who fear God, hope in God? Who hopeth on Him who doth not fear Him? Who in a godly sort feareth Him, and hath not hope in Him ? Let this then first be solved. Somewhat would I say con- cerning those who hope and those who fear. 3. The Law hath fear, Grace hope. But what difference is there between the Law and Grace, since the Giver both of the Law and Grace is One ? The Law alarmeth him who relieth on himself, Grace assisteth him who trusteth in God. The Law, I say, alarmeth ; do not make light of this because it is brief; weigh it well, and it is considerable. Look well at what I have said, take what we minister, prove wherefrom we take it. The Law alarmeth him who relieth on himself, Grace assisteth him who trusteth in God. What saith the Law ? Many things: and who can enumerate them ? I bring forward one small and short precept from it which the Apostle hath brought forward, a very small one ; let us 2suppor-see who is sufficient^ for it. Thou shalt not lust. What is tat E,om. 7, this, brethren? We have heard the Law; if there be no ^* grace, thou hast heard thy punishment. Why dost thou boast to me whosoever thou art that hearing this dost rely upon thyself, why dost thou boast to mc of innocence ? Fear without love justifies ?iot. 677 Why dost thou flatter thyself thereupon? Thou canst say, Serm. "I have not plundered the goods of others;" 1 hear, I r'f.^^'-i believe, perhaps I even see it, thou dost not plunder the goods of others. Thou hast heard. Thou shall not lust. " I do not go in to another man's wife ;" this again I hear, believe, see. Thou hast heard, Thou shalt not lust. Why dost thou inspect thyself all round without, and dost not inspect within 1 Look in, and thou wilt see another law in thy members. Look in, why dost thou pass over thyself? Descend into thine own self. Thou wilt see another law in I^^f^* v. 23. thy members resisting the law of thy mind, and bringing thee into captivity in the law of sin which is in thy members. With good reason then is the sweetness of God hidden to thee. The law placed in thy members, resisting the law of thy mind, bringeth thee into captivity. Of that sweetness which to thee is hidden, the lioly Angels drink ; thou canst not drink and taste that sweetness captive as thou art. Thou hadst not known concupiscence, unless the Law had said. Thou shalt not lust. Thou heardest, fearedst, didst try to fight, couldest not overcome. For sin taking occasion v. 8. & by the commandment wrought death. Surely ye recognise ^^" them, they are the Apostle's words. Sin taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupis- cence. Why didst thou vaunt thyself in thy j)ride ? Lo, with thine own arms hath the enemy conquered thee. Thou verily didst look for a commandment as a defence : and, lo, by the commandment the enemy hath found an occasion of entering in. For sin taking occasion by the command7nent,^. ii. he saith, deceived me, and by it slew me. What means what I said, " With thine own arms hath the enemy conquered thee?" Hear the same AjDostle going on, and saying; Wherefore the Law indeed is holy, and the commandment y- 12. holy, and just, and good. Make answer now to the revilers' i The of the Law: make answer on the Apostle's authority, The^"^^' commandment is holy, the Law holy, the commandment just and good. Was then that which is good, made death unto v. 13. me ? Ood forbid! But sin that it might appear sin, by that which is good wrought death in me. Why is this but because on receiving the commandment thou didst fear, not love ? Thou fearedst punishment, thou didst not love righte- 678 Love abstains from shi, for fear of losing the Face of God. Serm. ousncss. Whoso fearcth punishment, wisheth, if it were ri46.B.l possible, to do what pleaseth him, and not to have what he fcareth. God forbiddeth adultery, thou hast coveted an- other's wife, thou dost not go in unto her, thou dost not do so, opportunity is given thee, thou hast time, a favourable place is open, witnesses are absent, yet thou dost not do it, wherefore ? Because thou fearest the punishment. But no one will know it. Will not God know it } So it is clear, because God knoweth what thou art about to do, thou doest it not ; but here thou fearest the threatenings of God, not lovest His commandments. Why dost thou not do it? Because if thou do, thou wilt be cast into hell fire. It is the fire thou fearest. O if thou didst love chastity, thou wouldest not do it, even though thou mightest be altogether unpunished. If God were to say to thee, " Lo, do it, I will not condemn thee, I will not condemn thee to hell fire, but I will withhold My Face from thee." If thou did it not because of this threat, it would be from the love of God that thou didst not do it, not from the fear of judgment. But thou wouldest do it, perhaps I mean thou wouldest do so ; for it is not my place to judge. If thou do it not on this principle because thou abhorrest the contamination of adultery, because thou lovest ' exigaa His precepts, that thou mayest obtain' His promises, and not because thou fearest His condemnation, it is the grace which maketh saints that aideth thee; it is all of grace, ascribe it not to thine own self, attribute it not to thine own strength. Thou actest from delight in it, well ; thou actest in charity, well; I assent, I agree. Charity worketh by thee, when thou actest with thy will. At once dost thou taste sweetness, if thou hope on the Lord- 4. But whence hast thou this charity, if yet thou hast it } for I am afraid lest even yet it is through fear thou doest it not, and lest thou seem great in thine own eyes. Now if it is through charity that thou doest it not, thou art truly great. Hast thou charity ? " I have," you say. Whence } " From myself" Far art thou from sweetness, if thou hast it from thine own self. Thou wilt love thine own self, because thou wilt love that from which thou hast it. But I will convict thee that thou hast it not. For in that thou dost think that thou hast so great a thing from thine own self, by that very Charity not of ourselves, God's greatest (jift, by the H. Ghost. 079 fact I do not believe thou hast it. For if thon hadst, thou Serm. xcv. wouldest know from whence thou hadst it. Hast thour]45B!] charity from thyself, as if it were some hght, some little thing ? If thon shouldest speak icith ike tongues of men ^ q^^. and Angels, but have not charity, thou ivonldest be a sonnd-^^,^-^^- ing brass and a tinkling cytnbal. If thou shmildest know all mysteries, and have all knowledge, and all prophecy, and all faith so that thou couldest remove mountains, but not have not charity, these things could not profit thee. If thon. shouldest distribute all thy goods to the poor, and deliver up thy body to be burned, but not have charity, thou ivouldest be nothing. How great is this charity, which if it be wanting, all things profit nothing ! Compare it not to thy faith, not to thy knowledge, not to thy gift of tongues ', i ],nguse to lesser things, to the eye of thy body, the hand, the foot, '"^ the belly, to any one lowest member compare charity, are these least things to be in any way compared to charity ? So then tiie eye and nose thou hast from God, and hast thou charity from thine own self? If thou hast given thyself charity which surpasseth all things, thou hast made God of light account with thee. What more can God give thee .'' Whatever He may have given, is less. Charity which thou hast given thyself, surpasseth all things. But if thou hast it, thou hast not given it to thyself. For what hast thou which i Cor. 4, thon hast not received? Who gave to me, who gave to thee? God. Acknowledge Him in His gifts, that thou feel not His condemnation. By believing the Scriptures, God hath given thee charity, a great boon, charity, which surpasseth all things. God gave it thee, because the charity of God hath^om. 5, been shed abroad in our hearts; by thine own self, perhaps ? God forbid ; by the Holy Ghost, Who hath been given ns. 5. Return with me to that captive, return with me to m}"- proposition. " The Law alarmeth him that relieth on himself, grace assisteth him who trusteth in God." For look at that captive. He seeth another lata in his members resisting the'Rom. 7, law of his mind, and leading him. captive in the law of sin, which is in his members. Lo, he is bound, lo, he is dragged along, lo, he is led captive, lo, he is subjected. What hath that profited him. Thou shall not lust ? He hath heard. Thou shall not lust; that he might know his enemy, not 680 lite Lmc gives knoivledge of sin ^ not victory. Serm. that he might overcome him. For he had not known con- ri45.B!l (^'fp^-^(^^fi(^'^i that is, his enemy, unless the Law had said, Thou Rom, 7, shaft not lust. Now thou hast seen the enemy, fight, ^* deliver thyself, make good thy liberty, let the suggestions of pleasure be kept down, unlawful delight be utterly destroyed. Arm thyself, thou hast the Law, march on, conquer if thou canst. For what good is it that through the little portion of God's grace thou hast already, thou delighiest in the Laiv of God after the imvard man ? But thou seest another law in thy members resisting the law of thy mind; not re- sisting yet powerless for aught, but leading thee captive in the I's. 30, /fijiy of sin. Behold, whence to thee who fearest thai ple)iti- 20. Sept. E. V. fulness of sweetness is hidden! to him that feareth it is 31, 19. fiiJdQji^ ]^Qyy ig it wrought out for him that trusteth? Cry out under thine enemy, for that thou hast an assailant, thou hast an Helper too, Who looketli upon thee as thou fiohtest, Who helpeth thee in difficulty; but only if He find thee trusting ; for the proud He hateth. What then wilt thou cry Rom. 7, under this enemy.'* Wretched man that I am! Ye see it already, for ye have cried out. Be this your cry, when haply thou art distressed under the enemy, say ye, in your inmost heart say, in sound faith say. Wretched man that I am! Wretched that I am! Therefore wretched, because /. Wretched man. that T am, both because /, and because Ps.38,7. ynaw. For he is disquieted in vain. For though man 39 e! walketh in the Image^ ; yet, wretched man that I am, ^ l'J^\ who shall deliver me from the bodti of this death? Wilt 01 Orod. . . Vid. thou thyself? where is thy strength, where is thy confidence? jJ^p^'^g'Of a surety thou both criest out, and art silent; silent, that is, from extolling thyself, not from calling upon God. Be silent, and cry out. For God Himself too is both silent, and crieth aloud; He is silent from judgment, He is not silent from precept; so be thou too silent from elation, not from Is. 42, invocation; lest God say to thee, / have been silent, shall 14. Sept. J ^^ gllQjif always? Cry out therefore, 0 ivretched man that I am! Acknowledge thyself conquered, put thine own strength to shame, and say, Wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death ? What did T say above? The Law alarmeth him that relieth upon himself Behold, man relied upon himself, he attempted to 24 Apostles under the Late not yet freed from love of eminence. 68 1 fight, he could not get the better, he was conquered, pro- Serm. strated, subjugated, led captive. He learnt to rely upon God, n45.B.] and it reraaineth that him whom the Law alarmed while he relied upon himself, grace should assist now that he trusteth in God. In this confidence he saith, Who shall deliver me Rom. 7, 24 25 Jroni the body of this death? The yrace of God by Jesus Yu\g.' Christ our Lord. Now see the sweetness, taste it, relish it ; hear the Psalm, Taste and see that the Lord is sweet. He Ps.34,8. hath become sweet to thee, for that He hath delivered thee. Thou wast bitter to thine own self, when thou didst rely upon thyself. Drink sweetness, receive the earnest of so great abundance. 6. The disciples then of the Lord Jesus Christ while yet under the Law had to be cleansed still, to be nourished still, to be corrected still, to be directed still. For they still had concupiscence; whereas the Law saith. Thou shall not lust. E%od. Without offence to those holy rams, the leaders of the^^' " flock, without offence to them I would say it, for I say the truth : the Gospel relates, that they contended which of them should be the greatest, and whilst the Lord was yet on earth, they were agitated by a dissension about Luke22, pre-eminence. Whence was this, but from the old leaven?^** whence, but from the law in the members, resisting the law of the mind? They sought for eminence; yea, they desired it; ihey thought which should be the greatest; therefore is their pride put to shame by a little child. Jesus calleth Matt, unto him the age of humility to tame the swelling desire. ' ' With good reason then when they returned too, and said. Lord, behold even the devils are subject unto us through Thy Name. (It was for a nothing that they rejoiced; of what importance was it compared to that which God promised ?) The Lord, the Good Master, quieting fear, and building up a firm support, said to them, In this rejoice not that the devils are subject ^^vikeio, unto you. Why so ? Because many will come in 3Iy Ncmie, ^^tt. 7 saying^ Behold, in Thy Name we have cast out devils; and'^'^- I will say to them., I know you not. In this rejoice not, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven. Ye cannot yet be there, yet notwithstanding ye are already written there. Therefore rejoice. So that place again, Hitherto Johnie, have ye asked nothing in My Name. For what ye have^ Yy 2 682 The Ap. had " asked nothing,*' since all, saxte God, nothing. Serm. asked, in comparison with that which I am willing to give, ri46 B*l '^^ nothing. For what have ye asked in My Name ? That the devils should be subject unto you ? In this rejoice not, that is, what ye have asked is nothing; for if it were any thing, He would bid them rejoice. So then it was not absolutely nothing, but that it was little in comparison of that greatness of God's rewards. For the Apostle Paul was not really not any thing; and yet in comparison of God, \ Cor. 3, Neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that tvatereth. And so I say to you, and I say to myself, both to myself and you I say, when we ask in Christ's Name for these temporal things. For ye have asked undoubtedly. For who doth not ask? One askeih for health, if he is sick; another asketh for deliverance, if he is in prison; another asketh for the port, if he is tossed about at sea; another asketh for victory, if he is in conflict with an enemy; and in the Name of Christ he asketh all, and what he asketh is John nothing. What then must be asked for ? Ask in 3Iy Name. 16, 24. ^m[ i^g gaid not what, but by the very words we understand what we ought to ask. Ask, and ye shall receive, that your Joy may he full. Ask, and ye shall receive, in My Name. But what.? Not nothing; but what? That your joy 7nay be full; that is, ask what may suffice you. For when thou John 4, askest for temporal things, thou askest for nothing. Whoso ^^' shall drink of this water, shall thirst again. He letteth down the wateiing pot of desire into the well, he taketh up whereof to drink, only that he may thirst again. Ask, that your joy may be fall ; that is, that ye may be satisfied, not feel delight only for a time. Ask what may suffice you; Johni4,speak Philip's language, Lord, shew us the Father, audit ^' 9 svfficeth us. The Lord saith to you. Have I been so long Vulff. ^*^^.ii\ eminent place, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable lije. He bade then that prayer be made for kings : and kings at that time ])ersecuted the Churehcs. But those Clunchcs which then praying for them they persecuted, now having been heard for them they defend. xvii. 18. Wouldesl thou then observe that precept of them of old too } Love tluj neighbour, that is, every man. For from the two first parents being all born, wc all of course are neighbours. For certainly the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, Who commanded that enemies be loved, testified that all the Mat.22, Law and the Prophets hung on these two precepts; Thov shalt ^'' love the Lord Ihy God with all thine heart, and icith all thy V. 39. soul, and with all thy mind; and thou shalt love thy neigh- bour as thyself. He gave no precept in that place touching the love of enemies. Do not these two precepts then contain ' absit the whole? Undoubtedly ' they do. Because when He saith, Thou shalt lovc thy neighbour, herein are all men included, even though they be enemies; because again as regards spiritual nearness thou knowest not what in the foreknowledge of Goil a man may be in respect of thee, who at the time seem- eth thine enemy. For seeing that the patience of God lead- eth him to repentance, peradventure he will know and follow Him Who leadelh him. For if God Himself, Who knoweth who shall persevere in sins, who shall relinquish Matt.5, righteousness and fall away irrevocably to iniquity, yet maheth His sun to rise on the good and evil, and sendeth rain on the just and «v//'//.s'/j inviting them doubtless to rej^entance through patience, that they who shall have disregarded His goodness, may in the end experience His severity ; with what anxious care ought man to be ready to be appeased, lest by chance when he knows not what sort of a person any may one day be, he should, through regarding his present enmity, hate him with whom he will reign in everlasting happiness.' Fulfil therefore the first precept, Love thy neighbour, exexy man ; and hate thine enemy, the devil. Fulfd the second too, Love thine enemies, men, that is, who are so: pray /'or tliem who persecute thee; for men, that is: do good to them who hale thee, to men, that is. ■^^"^' IJ). If thine enemy hunger, feed Jiim ; if he thirsty give J '2, 20. Coals ofjire, penitence burning out. hatred. 699 hiin drink; for by so doing thou slialt heap coals ofjire on Serm. his head. And here is a question. For how does a man ri49.BJ love him, whom he would have on fire with coals? But, if it be understood, there is no difficulty. For it is spoken of those desolating coals, wJiich are given to a man against the^^- ii9j deceitful tongue. For when a man doeth good to an enemy, (120 3. and not being overcome by his evil, overcometh the evil with ^' ^0 gof.'d, very often he will repent him of his enmity, and will be angry with himself, that he has injured so good a man. Now this burning is repentance, which, as coals ofjire, con- sumes his enmitv and malice. SERMON C. [CL. Ben.] On the words of the Acts of the Apostles, c. xvii. " But certain philosophers of the Epicureans and Stoics conferred with him, &c." Delivered at Carthage. 1. You took notice as we did, Beloved, when the Book i« of the Acts of the Apostles was being read, how Paul spake to the Athenians, and was called by them who mocked at the preaching of the truth, a sower of trords. It was spoken Acts indeed by them in mockery, but it is not to be rejected by ^^' ^^' believers. For he was in vd'ry truth a sotver of u-ords, but a.i^'>-iy»s reaper of good conversation. And we, insignificant though we be, and in no way to be compared with his excellency, in God's field, which is your heart, do sow the words of God, and look for an abundant harvest from your conver- sation. Nevertheless I conjure you to give your earnest attention to that which I am admonished to speak of to you. Beloved, vvhich is contained in the lesson itself, if by any means, through the aid of our Lord God, I say any thing which can neither easily be by all understood, unless it be spoken of; nor ought, when it is understood, by any to be despised. 2. He was speaking at Athens. The Athenians were of surpassing fame among other peoples in all literature and learning. It was the country of great philosophers. From 700 Unless preachers sow to waste, they will nut find the goodyround. SfjRM. thence vane. Lo, here they are, they confer with the Apostle ; has [160.B.1 ^^ Apostle any thing more than they ? or must he necessarily ~ consent to one of these two sects, so that he too should place the cause of a happy life, either in the body, or in the soul? Paul would never place it in the body: for there is nothing great in this ; forasmuch as even the philosophers themselves, who have the best notions of the body, do by no means place the cause of happiness in the body. For the Epicureans have this same notion both of the body and of the soul, that they are both mortal. And what is more grievous and detestable, they say that the soul after death is dissolved before the body. " Whilst," they say, " after the breathing out of the spirit, the dead body yet remains, and the lineaments of the members endure for a while in their entireness, the soul, immediately it departs, is dissolved, beaten about as smoke by the wind." Let us not manel then, that they placed the supreme good, that is, the cause of happiness, in the body, which they held to be better in them than the soul. Could the Apostle do so ? Far be it from him to place the supreme good in the body. For the supreme good is the cause of happiness ; yea verily the Apostle was grieved, that some of the number of Christians chose the sentiment of the Epicurean — not men, but swine. 1 Cor. For of this number were they, who by evil cnmmnnications v.-i2. corrupted good inamwrs^ and said. Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we shall die. The Epicureans conferred with the Apostle Paul : there are Christian Epicureans too. For what else are they who are daily saying, Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we shall die? To what tends, " There will be nothing after death, for our Hfe is the passing of a shadow.''" For they said amongst the rest in the unrighteous Wisd. 2, thoughts of their hearts, Let us crown ourselves with rose- * buds, before they be withered: let there not be a meadow, Vuig. which our riot shall not pass over, let us leave tokens of joyfulness in every place ; for this is our portion, and our lot is this. vi. 7. If with any severity we rebuke this, if with any vehe- mence we withstand these irregular desires, they will say Ibid. 10. also what follows. Let U3 oppress the poor righteous tnan. ^ And notwithstanding in my position at least in this place, I am Fast, pray, give, for to-rnorroic toe die ; can any not fast, give more, 106 not afraid to say, Be not ye Epicureans. Have indeed in Serm. your thoughts that which is said by these, using it in no right [i5o.'b.] sense, For to-morroiv we die: but we shall not die alto- gether; for after death abideth that which follows death. The dying man's companion will be either life, or punish- ment. Let no one say, " Who ever returned from hence hither?" That rich man clothed in purple wished to return too late, and could not get permission. In his thirst heLukeie, . . 23.24. asked for a drop, who had disdained the poor man in his hunger. Let no one therefore say. Let tis eat and drink, for to-morrow we shall die. If ye will say. For to-morrow loe shall die; 1 do not prohibit you; but say something else before it. The Epicureans indeed, as though they were not to live after death, as though having nothing but what delights the flesh, say. Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we shall die. But let not Christians who are to live after death, yea rather to live in happiness after death, say, Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we shall die: but hold to the words, For to-morrow we shall die: and say, " Let us fast and pray, /or to-morrow we shall die?'' I add certainly another thing, I add a third thing, nor do I pass over what is especially to be regarded, that with thy fast the poor man's hunger be satisfied ; or if thou canst not fast, that thou the more feed him, by whose fulness allowance may be granted thee. Let Christians therefore say, " Let us fast, and pray, and give, /or to-morrow we shall die."" Or if they wish to make mention of two things, I prefer that they say, " Let . us give and pray," than, " Let us fast and pray." Far be it then from the Apostle to place in the body the supreme good of man, that is, the cause of happiness. 8. But with the Stoics perhaps the contention is not unbe- coming. For, lo, when one asks where they place the vii. efficient cause of a happy life, that is, what in man makes a happy life ; they answer, that it is not the pleasure of the body, but the virtue of the soul. What says the Apostle ? does he assent.? If he assents, let us assent. But he does not assent ; for Scripture calls them back who trust in their own virtue \ And thus the Epicurean who places man's '^ Virtus throughout this part of the Sermon it» used in the double meaning of virtue and strength. 706 Happiness not virtue in itself but God IVhu gives it. Sekm. supremo good in the body, places his hope in himself. [loO.B.i ^"* so *^*3 Stoic who places man's supreme good in the ^soul, places it, it is true, in the better part of man ; but he too places his hope in himself. But both the Epicurean Jer. ];, and the Stoic arc men. Cursed therefore be every one that jmtteth his trnst in man. What then? Having now the three set before our eyes, the Epicurean, the Stoic, the Christian, let us ask each. Say, Epicurean, what thing maketh happy ? He answers, " The pleasure of the body." Say, Stoic! "The s'irtue of the soul." Say, Christian! " The gift of God." viii. 9. And thus, brethren, the Epicureans and Stoics have as before our eyes conferred with the Apostle, and by their conference have taught us what we ought to reject, and what to choose. A thing worthy of all jiraise is the virtue oi' the soul, prudence that distinguisheth things bad and good, justice which assignelh to every one his own, temperance "which restrainetli passion, fortitude which sustaineth trouble with evenness of mind. A great thing, thing worthy of all praise; laud it, O Stoic, as much as thou canst; but say, whence hast thou it? It is not the virtue of thy soul that maketh thee happy, but He Who hath given thee the virtue, Phil. 2, Who hath inspired in thee to will, and given thee the power to do. 1 know that thou wilt peradventure mock mc, and Actsi7,wilt be of them of whom it is written, that they hiocked Paul. ^^' Though thou art the way, I am son itu): for I am a sower of words in my small measure. What was thy railing, is my office. I am sowing: what I sow falleth into thee, as into the hard ground. I am not slothful; and I iind good (/round. What can I do for thee? Thou hast been rebuked, and by a divine oracle rebuked. Thou art among those, who trust in their own virtui' ; thou art among those, who place hope in man. Virtue deliglitoth thee: a good thing delighteth thee: 1 know, thou art athirst; but thou canst not make virtue flow for thyself. Thou art dry ; if I shall shew thee the Fountain of life, thou wilt haply deride me. For thou art saying within thyself, " Am I to drink of this rock?" The rod hath been brought to it, and the water hath flowed. iCoT.\,For the Jews require signs; but thou, O Stoic, art not a ■ ^' Jew: I know thou art a Greek; and the Greeks seek after Folly of philosophy to attribute its good to itself. 707 wisdom. But ice preach Christ crucified. The Jew is Serm. offended, the Greek scoifs. For to the Jews an ojfence^and ry^^l^^A^ to the Gent ties foolish iH'ss : hut unto them which are called hath Jews and Greeks, that is, to Paid himself from Haul, and to Dionysius the Areopagite, and to such as these, both of the one and the other, Christ the Power of God, and the Wisdom of God. Now thou dost not mock the rock : recognise in the Cross the Rod, in Christ the Fountain ; and if thou art athirst, drink virtue. Be thou fulfilled from the Fountain, peradventure thou wilt burst forth into thanks- givings : what thou hast from It, thou wilt no more ascribe to thyself, but in thy bursting forth thou wilt exclaim, I will ^^•'^7, 2. love Thee, O Lord, my virtue. Now thou wilt no more say, (is, i. " The virtue of my soul maketh me happy." Thou wilt not^' ^'^ be among those, who when tJiey knew God, glorijied Him ^om. \, not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their ' " imaginations, and their foolish heart ivas darkened: for professing themselves to be icise, they became fools. For what is, professing themselves to be wise, but, to have of their own selves, to be sufficient for themselves ? They became tools: deservedly fools. False wisdom is very foolishness. But thou wilt be among those, of whom it is said. They shall ^^- f ^' walk, O Lord, in the light of Thy Countenance, and in Thy Se\it. Name shall they exult all the day, and in Thy righteous-^^'l^' ness shall they be e.xalied; for Thou art the Glory of their V.) virtue. Thou wast searching for virtue; say, O Lord, my ^/•'^l ■,'2'. Virtue. Thou wast searching for a happy life; say, Happy (^ig *]_ is the man whom Thou shall instruct, O Lord. For happy ^ ^-^ the people, not, who have the pleasure of the body, not, i2.Se]it. who have their own virtue; but happy is the people, whose ^^'^' God is the Lord. This is the country of happiness, which Ps. 143, all wish for, but all do not seek aright. But to such a ( *i*44^e! country let us not hit out as it were of our own heart a way ^" ) for ourselves, and devise wandering paths; the Way hath even come from thence. 10. For what doth the happy man wish, what wisheth he, but not to be deceived, not to die, not to have sorrow .? And what seeketh he for.^ To hunger more, and to eat more? What, if it be better not to hunger.'' No one is happy, but he that lives for ever without an}' fear, without any deceiv- 708 JV/iat is not blessed and eternal is not life. Serm. ableuess'. For the soul hateth to be deceived. How c [iso.B.i g'catly the soul naturally hateth to be deceived, may be •fallacia understood by this, that they who laugh in disorder of mind, are bewailed by those who are in sound health ; 3'et doubtless man would rather laugh than weep. If these two things are proposed, " Wouldest thou laugh or weep?" Who is thei-e but would answer, " Laugh." Again, if these two are proposed, " Wouldest thou be deceived, or hold the truth?" every man answers, " Hold the truth." He prefers both to laugh, and to hold the truth : of the first two, laughing and weeping, to laugh ; of the last two, mistake and truth, to hold the truth. But such is the force of most invincible truth, that any man would prefer to weep with a sound mind, than to laugh with a mind disordered. There then, in that country there will be truth, deceitfulness and error, no where. Yea, there will be both truth, and there will be no weeping. For there will be both true laughing, and rejoicing in the Truth, in that there will be life there. For if there shall be sorrow, there will not be life ; for an everlasting and undying torment is not to be called 25^1 life- Therefore the Lord doth not call that life which the ungodly are to have, though in the fire they are to live; they come to no end of life, lest they should come to an end of Is. 66, punishment: for their worm shall not die, and their Jire ^^' shall not be quenched: still He would not call that life, but this He called life, which is hapjiy and eternal. Whence Matt, when that rich man asked the Lord, What good thing shall 19> 16. J do, that I may attain eternal life? He too it is certain did not give the name of eternal life, but to that which is happy. For tlie ungodly shall have an eternal, but not a happy life, because full of torment. And so he said. Lord, what good thing shall I do, that I may attain eternal life? The Lord answered him touching the commandments. He said, All these have I done. But when He answered touching the commandments, what said He ? If thou wilt enter into life. He did not say to him, happy life; because a miserable one is not even to be called life. He did not say to him, eternal; for where the fear of death is, it is not again to be called life. Therefore life which is worthy of this name, to be called life, is none save a happy life; and happy it is not, if not eternal. This all wish, this we all wish. Holy Scripture gives occasion of sin to those who seek it. 709 truth, and life ; but to so great a possession, to so great Serm. felicity, whereby is the way? The philosophers set up for^joo-B.] themselves ways of error; some said, " This way;" others, " Not this way, but this." The way was hidden from them, for God resisteth the proud. It would have been hidden James from us too, had He not come to us. Therefore saith the ' liord, I am the Way. Sluggish traveller, thou wouldest not Johni4, come to the way: the Way hath come to thee. Thou wast seeking whereby to go : / am the Way. Thou wast seeking whither to go: / am the Trvth and the Life. Thou wilt not go astray, when thou goest to Him, through Him. This is the Christian's doctrine, manifestly not to be compared with, but to be preferred beyond all comparison to the doctrines of philosophers, the filthiness of Epicureans, the pride of Stoics. SERMON CI. [CLI. Ben.] On the words of the Apostle, Rom. vii. " For the good that I would I do not; but the evil which I would not, that I do, &c." 1. 1. There is reason to fear, lest the lesson which has been recited out of the Apostle Paul's Epistle, as often as it is read, being wrongly understood, should give occasion to men who seek occasion. Men are indeed prone to sin, and hardly restrain themselves. When then they hear the Apostle say- ing. For the good that I would, I do not; hut the evil which Rom. 7, 1 would not, that I do; they do evil, and being displeased "' as they fancy with themselves because they do evil, they think that they are like the Apostle, who said. For the good ■ that I would, I do not; but the evil which I would not, that I do. This then is occasionally read, and then it forces on me a necessity of treating it, lest men taking it amiss turn wholesome food into poison. Be your love then intent, till I shall tell you what the Lord may vouchsafe me; that when • ye shall haply see me toiling in the difficulty of some obscu- rity, ye may by the affection of your piety aid me. 2. First then call to mind, what, by God's mercy, ye are in 710 In this life, war, triumph hereafter, yet at hand. Serm. the habit of heaviiiL% that the hfo of the rij^hteous in this CI . . . jioi.B.lhody is still ii war, not yet a triumph. Bui in this war there will be a triumph some day. Therefore hath the Apostle uttered both words of war, and words of triumph. Rom. 7, The words of war we have just now heard, For uhat I would, V. 16. thai do I not; but what I hate, thai do I. If then I do that which I hate; I consent unto the Law that it is yood. V. 18. To u-ill is present willt me, hut how to accomplish (hat V. 23. tcliich is good, I find not. But I see anolher law in my members, resisting the laic in my mind, and bringing me into captivity in the law qt sin which is in my members. When thou hearest of resisting, when thou hearest of bringing into ii. captivity, dost thou not recognise war.? The voice then of triumph is not yet; but that it shall be, the same Apostle 1 Cor. teacheth thee, saying. This corruptible must put on incor- *c. ruption, and this morlal must put on immortality. But when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall hare put on immortality; here is the voice of triumph; then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. Let the trium- phant say, O Death, icltere is thy contention I We shall say it then, some time or other we shall say it; and this some time or other will not be far off. For there rernaineth not of this world'^s course as much as hath run out already. This therefore we shall say then. But now in this war, lest this lesson by our wrong understanding of it be the enemy's trumpet, not ours, whereby he may be animated, not where- by he may be coiupiered; give heed, I beseech you, my brethren, and do yo who are contending, contend. For ye who are not yet contending, will not understand what 1 say; ye who are already contending, will understand. My voice will be aloud, yours in silence. First call to mind what he wrote to the (jialatians, whereby this may be con- veniently ex])lained. For he saith, speaking to the faith- ful, speaking to the baptized, all whose sins of course had been forgiven them in the holy laver; yet speaking to these, but withal to those who were in combat speaking, he Gal. 5, saith, I say then. Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fnlfil ^^' ^°- the Insts of the flesh. He did not say, " Shall not do:" but Shall not fulfil. Why is this? He goes on and saith, For the Fighting, long so for God, that all he subdued to Him. 711 flesh lusteth against the Sjnrit, and the Spirit against the Serm. Jlesh. For these are contrary the one to the other, so ^^^^nsi.jsj ye cannot do the things that ye woidd. But if ye be led oj the Spirit, ye are not under the Law: assuredly not, but under grace. If yo he led of the Spirit: what is, to be led of the Spirit? To consent unto the Spirit of God enjoining, not to the flesh lusting. Nevertheless, it doth lust, and thou resistest; and it wishes somewhat, and thou dost not: per- severe, that thou mayest not wish it. 3. Notwithstanding, thy desire should be such to Godward, iii. that there should not even be this concupiscence for thee to resist. See what I have said, Thy desire, I say, should be such to Godward, that there should not even be at all this concupiscence, for thee to be obliged to resist. For thou dost resist, and by not consenting dost conquer: but better is it not to have an enemy, than to conquer. This enemy some day will be no more. Cast back thy mind to the voice of triumph, and see if he will be. 0 death, where is thy contention ? ^ Cor. It will be no more. O death, ivhere is thy sting? Thou shalt seek its place, and shalt not find it. For this is not, and ye ought to give especial heed to it; for this is not as it were some other nature, according to the Manichaean's madness. It is oiir weakness, it is our con'uption. It will not be in separation, in some other place, but, wlien healed, it will exist no where. Therefore, ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh. It were better indeed to fulfil what the Lawsaith, Do not lust. This is the fulness of virtue, the perfection of Rom- 7, righteousness, the palm of victory, Do not lust. Because this cannot be fulfilled at present, let that at least be fulfilled which Holy Scripture also saith, Go not after thy lusts. Ecclus. Better it is not to have them; but seeing that they are, go not ' after tJiem. They will not go after thee: go not thou after them. If they will go after thee, they will cease to be; because they will not rebel against thy mind. They do rebel, rebel thou; they do fight, fight thou; they fight boldly, fight thou boldly ; look only to this, that they do not overcome. 4. Lo, I will lay down one instance hereupon, whereby ye iv. may understand the rest. You know that there are sober men : they are few comparatively ; but there are such. You 3 A 712 Desire f/roivs hy ill habits, is weakened by good. Sekm. know too that there are drunkards: they abound. A sober [I51.B.1 ™^" ^^s been baptized : as far as drunkenness is concerned, ]io hath not wlierewith to fight: he hath other hists, where- with to fight. But that ye may understand touching all the rest, let us set before us the contest with one enemy only. A drunken man has been baptized also: he has heard, and heard with fear, amongst the othtn- wickednesses for which the kingdom of God is shut up against those who live evilly, that drunkenness is also mentioned : because where it is 1 Cor. 6, said, Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor 'effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves ; there it is added, nor drunkards, <^c. shall inherit the kinfjdom of God. He has heard, and feared. He has been baptized, all his past sins of drunkenness have been forgiven him : the hostile habit remains. He hath then wherewith to fight, now that he is born anew. His past wickednesses have been all forgiven him: let him take heed, watch, fight, tliat he be not some future time intoxicated again. That lust of drinking then rises up, solicits the mind, brings dryness on the throat, lies in ambush at the senses : wishes even, if possible, to penetrate the wall itself, to come at him who is shut in there, to draw him away captive. It fights; fight thou against it. O if it did not even exist ! If by an evil custom it has grown, by good custom it will die: be thou only loth to satisfy it, satiate it not by yielding, but by resisting kill it. Nevertheless, as long as it exists, it is an enemy. If thou consent not to it, and art never intoxicated, it will be less and less every day. For thy subjection is its strength. I'or if thou shalt give way to it, and become intoxicated, thou givest it strength. What! against me, and not against thyself? I from this higher place advise, speak, preach: I denounce beforehand wliat evil must come upon drunkards. You have no ground for saying, " I have not heard:" you have no ground for saying, " God requireth my soul of his hand, who never spake to me." But thou art toiling because thou hast made for thyself a mighty enemy by an evil habit. Thou hast not toiled to nourisii him: toil, to conquer him. And if thou hast not strength enough against liim, pray to God. Yet if it shall not concpier thee, though this very evil habit of thine may struggle with thee, Concupiscence, inborn, may be diminished, not extinct here. 713 if it shall not conquer thee, thou hast done what the Apostle Serm. Paul says, Ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the jlesh. Thej-^g^g-j lust was formed by its soliciting : but it was not fulfilled by Gal. 6, , • , . 16. drniking. 5. What I have said of drunkenness, the same is true of v. all vices, of all lusts. For with some are we born, some we have created by habit. For because of those, with which we are — born, are infants baptized, that they may be loosed from the guilt of their descent, not of the evil habit which they had not. Therefore must we always fight; because this same concupiscence, wherewith we are born, cannot be ended as long as we live : diminished it may be day by day, ended it cannot be. Through this it is that this body of ours is called a body of death. Of this the Apostle speaks, For /Rom. r, delight in the Law of God after the inward man. But /y. '23. see another laio in my members, resisting the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity in the law of sin, which is in my members. Then was this law born, when the first Law was transgressed. Then, 1 say, was this law born, when the first Law was despised and transgressed. What is the first Law ? That which man received in Para- dise. Were they not naked, and were not ashamed? Why^'^^- ^i were they naked, and not ashamed, but because there was as yet no law in the members resisting the Law of the mind ? Man did a deed meet for punishment, and found an impulse meet for shame. They ate against the prohibition, and their eyes were opened. What! did they before this wander up and down in Paradise with closed or blinded eyes ? Not so. For how did Adam give names to the fowl and the beasts, Ibid, when all the aniinals were brought to him? What did he give names to, if he did not see them? Then again it is said, The woman saw the tree, that it was p)leasant to ^AeGen. 3, eyes to see. They had then their eyes open ; and they were naked, and were not ashamed. But their eyes were opened to something which they had never been sensible of, which in the provocation^ of their body they had never beenimotu shocked at. Their eyes were opened to perceive, not to see:^*^* and because they felt shame, they took care for concealment. They sewed, it is said,^^ leaves together, and made thein- vi. selves aprons. What they covered, there they felt. Lo, 3 A 2 714 St. Paul speaks of his conjilct, that %ce, having it, despair not. Serm. whence original sin is derived, lo, whence no one is bora r J 5j^jj , without sin. Lo, wherefore the Lord would not be thus conceived. Whom a Virgin conceived. He dissolved sin, Who came without it: He dissolved it, Who came not from it. Whence one and One: one unto death, One unto Life. The first man unto death, the Second Man unto Life. And why the lirst man unto death? Because only man. Why the Second Man unto Life ? Because God and Man. 6. The Apostle therefore doeth what he would not : for he would not lust, and yet he lusteth : therefore he doeth what he would not. Did that evil concuj^iscence draw the subjugated Apostle to fornication and adultery? God forbid. Let no such thoughts arise into our hearts. He wrestled, he was not subjugated. But because he was loth even to have this against which to wrestle, therefore he said, I do what I tfould not. 1 would not lust, and 1 do lust. Therefore do I what I would not; but yet I do not consent to lust. For Gal. 5, otherwise he would not say, Ye shall not fnljil the lusts of '^' thejiesh; if he himself fulfilled them. But he sets his own fight before thine eyes, that thou mightest not be afraid of thine. For if the blessed Apostle had not said this, when thou shouldest see thy lust stirred in thy members, though thou mightest not consent to it; yet when thou sawest it stirring, thou mightest haply have despaired of thyself, and said, " If I had any part in God, I should not be excited thus." See the Apostle fighting, and give not thyself up to desperation. / see another law, saith he, in my mcinhers resisting the laiv of wy mind. And because I would not that it should resist; for it is ray flesh, it is ray very self, it is a part of rae : what I tcould, that do I not; but the evil that vii. / hate, that do I; in that I lust. What good then do I ? In that I consent not to evil concupiscence. I do good, and I do not fulfil good : and concupiscence, mine eneray, doeth evil, and doth not fulfd evil. How do I do good, and do not fulfil good ? I do good, when I consent not to evil concupiscence : but I do not fulfil good, so as to have no concupiscence at all. Again, accordingly how doth ray enemy too do evil, and not fulfil evil? It doeth evil, in that it exciteth evil desire : it doth not fulfd evil, in that it draweth me not to evil. And in this war is the whole life of Saints. The ichole life of Saints one tear. 715 Now what shall I saj of the unclean, who do not even fight? rfERM. They are dragged along in subjugation : nay not even dragged r]5i.*B.j along, because they follow willingly. This, I say, is the fight of Saints, and in this war man is ever in ])eril, until he die. But in the end, that is, in the triumph of that victory, what is said ? yea, what saith the Apostle even now in the anticipation of triumph ? Then shall be brought to pans ^^'^ l.^g"; saying that is written. Death is swallowed up in victory, s^c. O death, where is thy contention? The voice of the trium- phant. O death, where is thy sting? But the sting of death is sin ; by whose sting death was brought to pass. Sin is as a scorpion : it stung us, and we died. But when it is said, O death, ithere is thy sting? sting by which thou wast produced, not which thou didst produce. When then it is said, O death, where is thy sting? doubtless it will be no more; because sin will be no more. But the sting of death is sin. Against sin was the Law given. But the strength of sin is the Law . How is the Law the strength of sin? It entered that the offence might abound. How is this f Rom. 5, Because before the Law man was a sinner; when the liaw" had been given and transgressed, he became also a trans- gressor. Men were held guilty by sin : when the Law had been given, they became more guilty by transgression. 8. Where is hope, save in what follows. Where sin vin. abounded, grace hath more abounded? And so, this soldier, so thoroughly exercised as it were in this war, so exercised, as to be also a leader, when he was in distress in this war against the enemy, and said, I see another law in my Rom. 7, members, resisting the law of my mind, and bringing me'^^- into captivity in the law of sin, which is in my mem- bers, a shameful law, a miserable law, a wound, a sore, a languor; subjoined: Wretched man that I am, who shall v. 2i. deliver me from the body of this death ^ And to his siglis relief is brought. How is relief brought? The grace of God, v. 25. through Jesus Christ our Lord. From the law of this "^' death, that is, from the body of this death. The grace Oj God, through Jesus Christ our Lord, tcill deliver thee. When wilt thou have a body, wherein no concupiscence shall remain? When this mortal shall have put on imnior- \ cor. tality, and this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, ^^' ^'*' 716 Consent not, and concupiscence wearies but harms not. Serm. and it shall be said to death, O death, ivhere is thy conten- [151. B. ] ''^"-^ and it shall not be. O death, where is tliy sting'? Eom.T, and it shall no where be. But now how is it? Hear: So '^' then uith the mind I myself sen-e the Law of God, hut iiith the flesh the law of sin. Jf'ith the mind I serve the Law of God, by not consenting ; hut with the flesh the law of sin, by lusting. And with the miud the Law of God, and uith the flesh the law of sin. I at once delight in the one, and lust in the other; but I am not conquered; it solicits, lies in wait, knocks, endeavours to drag me away : JVretched i?ian that I am ! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I would not be always conquering; but I would at length come to peace. Now then, brethren, hold to this limitation : with the mind serve the Law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin ; but by necessity, in that ye lust, not in that ye consent. Sometimes this concupiscence lieth so in wait against the Saints, as to do to them in their sleep, what it cannot do when they are awake. Why have ye all cried out in acclamation, but that ye all feel its truth ? Modesty for- bids me to dwell upon it; but be not slow to pray thereupon to God. Turn we to the Lord, &c. SERMON GIL [CLTL Ben.] On the following words of the Apostle, Rom. vii. and viii. to " God sent His Own Son in the likeness of flesh of sin, &c." 1. You ought to remember. Beloved, that I discoursed before you on a very difficult question, from the Apostle Rom. 7, PauVs Epistle, where he says. For what I would, that do / not; but what I hate, that do /. Ye who were present will remember : be present now with your attention, that ye may build on to that which ye have already heard. For the lesson which has been read to-day, follows, which indeed Rom. 8, the Reader began at this point: God sent His Own Son in the likeness of flesh of sin, and by sin condemned sin in the flesh: that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us, nho walk not after the fleshy but after the Spirit. Man cannot escape evil desires, can escape yielding. 717 But those words which were then read, but not handled, are Serm. these which follow: So then with the mind 1 inyself serve ^i5'2.B.^ the Law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. There f.?Rom. 7, therefore now no condemnation to them ivhich are in Christ "^'^^^ q Jesus. For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus ^' hath made me free from the lata of sin and death. For-^.s, what the Lata could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh. And then follows what was read to-day: God sent His Own Son in the likeness of flesh of sin. There is no difficulty in obscure meanings, when the Spirit aideth. May He then aid me through your prayers ; for the very desire that ye wish to understand, is a prayer to God. From Him then it is that we must look for aid. For we, like peasants in a field, labour without. But if there were no One to labour within, the seed would neither take root in the ground, nor would the shoot develope itself forth in the field, nor the stalk' be strengthened, and come to a proper tree; nor branches, i virga nor fruit, nor leaves grow. Therefore the same Apostle, dis- tinguishing the operation of the labourers and the Creator, said; / have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the iCot.3, increase. And he added, Neither is he that planteth any^'^"^' thing, neither he that water eth; but God Who giveth the increase. If God within give not the increase, in vain is this sound at your ears. But if He giveth it, what we plant and water availeth something, and our labour is not in vain. 2. I have already told you, that what the Apostle says, Rom. 7 With the mind L serve the Law of God, but with the flesh'^^- the law of sin, is in such sort to be taken : that ye allow nothing more to the flesh, than the desires, without which it cannot be. But if ye shall consent to evil desires, and shall not struggle against them, ye will mourn being conquered : and it is to be wished that ye should mourn, that ye lose not even the sense of sorrow. In all our vows then, in our will, in our prayers, when we say. Lead us not into teinptation. Matt. 6, but deliver us from evil ; this of a truth do we desire, that ^^* even these evil longings should not rise out of our flesh. But as long as we live here, we cannot so effect it. There- fore he saith, But to accomplish that ivhich is good, J Rom. 7, flnd not. To do what, do I find? Not to consent to evil^^' desire. To accomplish I flnd not: not to have evil desire. 718 Cont-upisceuce nnyielded to wakes luit the baptized (juilty. Serm. It remains therefore in this fight, that with the mind not con- [ 162. B.] •'tenting to evil hists, thou serve the Law of God; but with the flesh lusting, but thyself not consenting, thou serve the law of sin. The flesh forms its desires; do thou too form thine. Its desires are not brought to nothing, are not ex- tinguished by thee ; let it not extinguish thine ; that in the contest thou mayest struggle, not be dragged conquered away. Rom. 8, 3. The Apostle then goes on and says, There its there/ore now no condemnation to them which are in Chriot Jesus. Though they have desires of the flesh, whereunto they do not consent ; though the law in their members resist the law of their mind^ and would bring the mind into captivity : yet because by the grace of baptism and the laver of regene- ration both the guilt itself wherewith thou wast born hath been done away, and all thy past acts of consent to evil lust, in whatsoever deed, whether of impurity, or violence, in whatsoever evil thought, in whatsoever evil word, all have been eflaced in that Fount, wherein thou didst enter a slave, whence thou camest out free : because, I say, these things are Eom. 8, so. There is now no cojidemnation to them which are in Christ Rom. 5 J^^^^- There is none now, before there was. From one all 16. were unto condemnation. This evil had our birth done, Rom. 8, but this good hath our new birth done. For the Law of the ^' Spirit of Li I'e in Christ Jesus hath made thee free from the law of sin and death. It is in thy members, but it doth not make thee guilty. Thou hast been set free from it; as free fight ; but see that thou be not conquered, and become a slave again. In fighting thou hast toil, but thou shalt have joy in triumi^hing. 4. Now I have spoken to you, and ye ought to be specially mindful of it, that ye may not by reason of this fight, without which man cannot be, not even he who liveth righteously ; yea rather he is in it, who liveth righteously ; for he doth not even fight, who doth not live righteously, but is dragged along : that ye may not, 1 say, on this account, suppose that there are two natures, as it were from different principles, according to the Manichaean's madness, as though the flesh were not of God. It is false, both are of God. But Imman nature hath merited this strife within itsell" by sin. So then Law of the Spirit frees, law of works not, from Imv of sin. 719 it is a sickness, it is made whole, and is no more. The Serm. discord which now is in the spirit and the flesh, labometh [152.B.] for concord; therefore doth the spirit labour, that the flesh may be in concord with it. Just as if a husband and wife have a dispute with one another in one house; the husband ought to labour to this end, to tame the wife. Let the wife when tamed, be brought into subjection to the husband; when the wife is brought into subjection to the husband, let peace be established in the house, 5. But when he said. The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus shall make thee free from the law of sin and death; he hath set these laws before us to be understood. Look into them, and distinguish; this distinction is necessary enough for you. The Law, he sailh, of the Spirit of Life, behold one Law, hath made thee free from the laiv of sin and death, behold another law. And then follows, For what the Law coidd not do, in that it was v:eak through the flesh, behold a third Law. Or perhaps this is from the other two? Let us enquire, and with the Lord's help see. Of that good Law what said he ? The Law of the Spirit of Life hath made thee free from the law of sin and death. This he did not say was powerless to produce its effect : The Law of the Spirit of Life, he saith, JiatJi made tli.ee free from the law of sin and death. That good Law hath made thee free from this evil law. For what is the evil law ^. I see another law in my members resist ing the Law of my mind, and hrinyiny me into captivity in the law of sin, which is in my members. Why is this also called a law? Altogether rightly. For very legitimately has it come to pass, that the man who would not obey his Lord, his flesh should not serve him. Thy Lord is above thee, thy flesh below thee. Serve the superior, that the inferior may serve thee. Thou hast despised the superior, thou art tormented by the inferior. This then is the law of sin, this the law of death too. For death by sin. In the day that ye eat, ye shall surely Gen. 2, die. This law of sin then draggeth away the spirit, and striveth to bring it into subjection. But I delight in the LawUom, 7, of God after the inward man. And hereby is produced that combat, and in this contest it is said. With the mind I serve the Law of God, but with thejiesh the law of sin. The Law ofx, 25. 720 Law of works good; Lav) of the Spirit^ life-giving. Serm. the Spirit of Life hath made thee free from the law of sin and [152.B.] ^ 2. for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God, for an odour of sweetness. Lo by what sin He hath condemned sin; by the sacrifice which He was made for sins, by this hath He con- demned sin. This is the Law of the Spirit of Life, which hath made thee free from the law of sin and death. Be- cause that other Law, the Law of the letter, the Law of commandments, is good indeed; The commandment is holy, and just, and good ; but it icas weak through the flesh, and what it enjoined could not be fulfilled in us. Let one Law then, as I had begun to say, shew thee sin, another take it away : the Law of the Letter shew sin, the Law of Grace take sin away. Man speaketh, God teacheth. 725 SERMON cm. [CLTII. Ben.] On the words of the Apostle, Rom. vii. " When we were in the flesh, the passions of sins which are by the Law, did work in our members, to bring forth fruit unto death, &c," Against the Mauichees expressly, and tacitly against the Pelagians. 1. We have heard, and responded in unison, and with Serm. . cm. concordant voice have chanted to our God, Blessed is ^/i^rissB.] man wliom Thoit, shall instruct, O Lord, and shalt teach ^^ him out of Till) Law. If ye give silence, ye shall hear. Ps- 93, Wisdom findeth no place, where patience is not. We speak, (94, but God insiructelh ; we speak, but God teacheth. For he E- ^-^ is not called blessed whom man teacheth, but whom Thou shalt instruct, O Lord. We can plant, and ivater, but it is God's to give the increase. He that planteth and he that 1 Cor. watereth, worketh without; He Who giveth the increase, " worketh within. The lesson which has been brought before us to speak of out of the Holy Apostle's Epistle, how difficult it is, how obscure, how (if it be not understood, or understood amiss) full of peril; I think. Brethren, yea I know, that when it was read to us, ye heard; and agitated ye were, if ye gave attention; or if any of you even understood it, ye saw with- out doubt how arduous a task it is. This lesson accordingly, and this whole place of the Apostle's Epistle, perplexing indeed and obscure, but to them who understand it healthful, have I undertaken, with the help of God's mercy, in this dis- course to expound. I know that I am a debtor to you, Beloved, I perceive that you exact the debt. As I pray, that you may comprehend these things: so do ye too pray, that I may be able to explain them to you. For if our prayer be in concert; God will both make you able hearers, and me a most trusty renderer of this debt. 2. For ivhen we icere in the flesh, says the Apostle, the "• passions of sins which are by the Law did work in our mem- 5.°"* ' hers to bring forth fruit unto death. Here (and this to them who understand not is the first, and a serious danger) 720 Context of Holy Scripture provides against misunderstanding. Serm. the Apostle seems to find fault with, and to blame the Law CHI [153. B.i *^^ frod. You will say, " Far be this from the mind of any Christian whatsoever: wdio would dare, even in madness, to suspect this in the Apostle ?" And yet, my brethren, these words understood amiss, have ministered fuel of madness to the ManichiTjan's frenzy. For the Manichtcans say that the Law of God given by Moses was not given by God, and they contend that it is contrary to the Gospel. And when men dispute with them, they strive by these testimonies of the Apostle Paul, which they do not understand, to convince, what shall I call them, unintelligent, and not rather negligent catholics.'' For it is no great thing, if one would be diligent, after hearing calumnies from the heretic, at least to consult in the Book the context of the passage. And if he would do this, he will presently find there \\herewith to refute the loquacious adversary, wherewith to lay low the enemies and rebels against the Law. For though he be slow to under- stand the Apostle's words, the praise of the Law of God is manifestly expressed there. 3. For see first and take heed. For when we were in the Jlesh, he saith, the passions of sins which are by the Law, did work. Here at once the Manichee raises his neck aloft, lifts up his horns, hits at thee, makes an onslaught: " See," says he, " the passions of sins which are by the Law. How is the Law good, by which the passions of sins are in us, and work in our members, to bring forth fruit unto death V Read on, advance a little further, hear the whole with patience, if not with understanding. For this that he says. The passions of sins which are by the Law, did work in our members, it is much for thee to understand : but be thou Jmerebe- fiist with me a praiser of the Law, and then shalt thou attain' ''"* to become its understander. Thou hast a closed heart, and dost thou accuse the key } Lo, meanwhile let us put aside for a time what we do not understand, let us come to the praise of the Law which is express. The passions, he says, of sins which are by the Law, did ivork in our members to briny forth fruit unto death. But vow we are loosed from Ibid, the law of death, wherein we tcere held, that we should V. 6. serve in newness of the Spirit, and not in the oldnesti of the letter. 8o far he seems to reprove, lo blame, to disallow, to St Paul, praising the Laic, condemns its accusers. 727 detest the Law: but not to the understanding. For when he Serm. says, fV/ien we were in the flesh, the passions of sins tvhich [153.B.] are by the Law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit nnto death. But now we are loosed from the law of death wherein we were held, that we should serve in newness qf the Spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter, he certainly seems, so to say, to accuse and blame the Law. He saw this too himself, he saw, he felt that he should not be understood, and that the thoughts of men would stir themselves against the obscurity of his words : he felt what thou mightest say, he felt what thou mightest urge in contradiction: and he wished to say it first, that thou mightest find nothing to say. 4. What shall we sag then ? saith he. This comes next. iii. W/iat shall we sag then? Is the Law sin? Ood forbid."'^'^''^' By one word he hath absolved the Law, condemned the Law's accuser. Thou didst bring forth against me, thou Manichee, the authority of the Apostle, and saidst to me, when thou didst find fault with the Law, " Lo, hear the Apostle, read the Apostle : The passions of sins which are bg the Law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto deal It. But now we are loosed from the law of death wherein we were held, that we should serve in newness of the Spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter^ Thou didst boast thyself, didst cry aloud, didst say, " Hear, read, see :" these things hadst thou said, and having turned thy back, wast now desiring to go away. Wait, I have heard thee, hear me: nay, not I thee, nor thou me; but let us both together hear the Apostle, who looseth himself, and bindeth thee. What shall we sag then? saith he. Is the Law sin? This thou saidst, The Laic is sin, this, I say, thou saidst. Lo, ihou hast lieard what thou didst say, hear now what thou shouldest say. Thou saidst that the Law of God is sin, when in blindness and inconsiderateness thou didst find fault with it. Thou hast erred: Paul saw thy error. What thou saidst, he said himself. What shall we sag thenf Is the Laiv sin ? What thou saidst, say we ? Is the Law sin ? God forbid. If thou wert following the Apostle's autho- rity, weigh well that word, and take counsel therefrom. Hear, Is the Law sin? Godforbid. Hear, God forbid. If thou fol- 3b 728 .. The Law ^forbidding thy evil, cannot he evil. ^^\\\' ^o^*^*^*^ ^'^*' Apostle, if thou valuest his authority very highly, [163. b!] hear, God forhid : and for thy former thought, God forbid it thee ! What shall ne say then ? What shall we say, seeing I have said, The passions of sins which are by the Law, did icork in our members to bring forth fruit unto death: seeing I have said, IVe are loosed from the law of death wherein we were held; seeing I have said, That ue should serve in new- ness of the Spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. Is the Lata sin ? God forbid. Why then, O Apostle, hast thou said those so many things ? iv. 5. God forbid that the Law should be sin: Bui, he says, ver. 7. J 1^^^ ^^^^ known sin, but by the Law. For I had not known lust e.vcept the Law had said. Thou shall not lust. Now here at once I question thee, thou Manichee, I question thee, answer me. Is the Law evil which says, Thou shall not lust? Not even any dissipated and licentious man would make me this answer. For even the impure are put to shame, when they are reproved ; and when they ai'e among the chaste, they dare not shew their wantonness. If then thou sayest that the Law is evil, which says, Thoushalt not lust ; it is that thou wouldest lust with impunity, ihou accusest the Law, because it strikes at your lust. My brethren, if we did not hear the Apostle saying, Is the Lair sin ? God forbid: but merely quoting the words of the Law, where it is said. Thou shall not lust: even though he did not praise the Law, yet we ought nevertheless to praise it ; to praise it, to accuse ourselves. Lo, the Law, lo, the divine trmnpet from on high calls out to man, Thou shalt not lust. Thou shalt not lust, find fault if thou canst, if thou canst not find fault, do it. Thou hast heard. Thou shalt not lust, thou dost not venture to find fault. Because what it said. Thou shalt not lust, is good : to lust is evil. The Law blameth evil, the Law prohibiteth thee from thine own evil. So then evil lust the Law blameth, from thine own evil the Law prohibiteth thee. Therefore do what the Law enjoin- elh, do not what the Law forbiddeth, do not lust. C. But what saith the Apostle ? / had not known lust, except the Law had said, Thou shalt not lust. For I was going after my lust, and whither it drew, was I running, and from its enticements, soft, and from carnal sweetness pleasant, I The ivorld's laws comiive even at (jrievous sin. 729 fancied to myself great happiness. For the sinner is praised, Serm. says the Law, in the desires of his soul, and he that doeth ic?i- [153 b'.] justly is blessed. You find a man following his carnal lusts, Ps.9,24. and giving himself wholly up a slave to them, catching at plea- /^q ^3 sure from every quarter, living in fornication, drunkenness, E. v.) (I say no more ;) in fornication, I say, and drunkenness. ^'' These things have I mentioned which are committed by the allowance* of the laws, but not the laws of God. For who ' licite was ever brought before a judge, because he has entered a harlot's brothel.? Who was ever accused at the public tribunals, because with his^ ballad-singers he has passed his-lyis- life in loose and filthy wantonness ? What married man had ever to meet a charge, because he has corrupted his maid ? That is, in the civil courts, not in the court of 11 eaven : by the world's law, not by the law of the world's Creator. But this dissipated, filthy, and wanton man is said to be happy : to abound in pleasures, to enjoy delight. Yea verily, if he even steep himself in wine, if he drink measures without measure : it is not enough to say that he has had to meet no charge, he gets even the name of a brave fellow; by so much the more worthless, as he is the more difficult to be overpowered by his cups. When such things are praised, and men say, " He is happy, he is a great man, it is well with him;" and this is not only not thought to be a sin, but is even thought either a gift of God, or at all events, a sweet, an agreeable, and legitimate boon ; the Law of God comes forth and says, Thou shall not lust. That man who thought it to be a great good, and esteemed it a high happiness, not to deny to his lust whatever he could, to follow where it draws, hears, Thott shalt not lust; and he comes to know it to be sin. God hath spoken, man hath heard, hath believed God, hath seen his sin; what he thought good, he hath come to know to be evil ; he hath wished to bridle lust, not to go after it, he hath ])ut restraint upon^ himself, he hath^strinxit made an effort, he is conquered. He who was before igno- rant of his evil, has become instructed, and is conquered, in worse case than before: he hath begun to be not only a sin- ner, but a transgressor also. For a sinner he was even before ; but before he heard the Law, he did not know that he was a sinner. He heard the Law, he saw his sin : he made an effort 3 B 2 730 Sin increased hy the Liitv; since knoivingly against God. Serm. to conquer, he was overcome, and laid prostrate : lie became cm . [153.B ] ^^^'^^ ^ transgressor of" the Law, wlio was before an unwitting sinner. This is what the Apostle means, Is the Law sin? God forbid. But I had not known sin, but by the Law. For I had not knoxon lust except the Law had said, Thou shalt not lust. Kom. 7, 7 2ut sin taking occasion by the commandment wrought in me all concupiscence. Concupiscence was less, when before the Law thou sinnedst in security, but now that the bars of the Law are set against thee, the tide of concu- piscence was (so to say) bridled for a little while, not dried up : but as the force which carried thee on when there were no bars, increases, it overwhelms thee now that it hath burst its bars. Thy concupiscence was less, when it (sxcited thy passion, but it is all when it transgresses also the LaAv. Wouldest thou Imow how great it is .? See what it hath burst through: Thou shalt not lust. It is not man wiio hath spoken, God hath spoken, the Creator hath spoken, the Judge eternal hath spoken, no ordinary one hath spoken. Do then what He hath sjioken. Wilt thou not? Beware of Him That jndgeth Who hath spoken. But what canst thou do, O man ? Therefore thou hast not conquered, because thou hast relied upon thyself. ^i- 8. Attend then now to the former words, which seemed obscure. For when tie icere in the flesh. To the words which we repeated above, with which the lesson which seemed obscure began, attend: For nhen ue were in the ^ftesli, the passions of sins which are by the Law. Why are they by the La/v? Decause ue were in thejlesh. What is, Because we were in the flesh ? We relied on the flesh. For what ! had the Apostle who was speaking, already gone out of this flesh, or was he speaking to those who had already gone out of this flesh by death ? Of course not ; but after the manner of this life, both he uho spake, and they to whom he spake, were in the flesh. What then is. When we were in the Jlesh, hut when we relied on the flesh, that is, confided in ourselves ? For to man is it said, and of men is Is.40,5.it said. All Jiesh. shall see the salvation of God. What is, Luke 3, All flesh shall see, but " all men shall see ?" And what is, John 1, The Word was made Flesh, but, " the Word was made '^- Mail ?" For the Word was not Flesh, and no soul in Concupiscence too strong for ma7i, unless he be in God. 731 Hiiii: but under the name oi Flesh Man was signified, when Serm. it is read, The Word was made Flesh, Therefore, When M'e[i53.B'.] tvere in the Jtesli, that is, had our conversation in the lusts of the flesh, and placed therein all our hope, as if in our- selves; the passions if sins, which are hy the Law, were by the Law increased. For by the prohibition they made man a transgressor of the Law : because he who became a transgressor, had not God for an helper. Therefore, they did work in our members to bring forth fruit, unto what, but unto death ? If the sinner was deserving of damnation, what hope hath the transgressor ? 9. Therefore, O man, thy concupiscence hath conquered thee : conquered, because it found thee in an evil place : it found thee in the flesh, therefore hath it conquered thee. Remove thence : what art thou alarmed at ? 1 have not told vii. thee to die. Be not alarmed, because I said, " Remove from the flesh." I have not told thee to die: yea rather, I venture to say, I have told thee to die. //' ye he dead loith Christ, Col.3, i. seek those things which are above. Though living in the flesh, be not thou in the flesh. All flesh is grass; bi/t thel^- '^^^^ Word of the Lord endwreth for ever. Let the Lord be thy i Pet. i, refuge. Concupiscence is pressing, urging thee, hath gotten " ' great power against thee, by the prohibition of the Law hath become greater, with a more powerful enemy hast thou to deal : Be the Lord thy refuge, a toiver of strength from the Ps.60,4. face of the enemy. Be not then in the flesh, in the Spirit ei, 3. be. What is, " \\\ the Spirit be?" Put thy hope in God. ^- ^• For if thou shalt put hope in this spirit, whereby thou art a man; thy spirit again falls back into the flesh, because thou hast not given it Him by Whom it may be holden up. It doth not contain itself, if it be not contained. Abide not in thyself, get beyond thyself too: put thyself in Him Who made thee. For if thou shalt have hope in thyself, on re- ceiving the Law thou wilt be a transgressor. The enemy findeth thee stripped of thy refuge, he attacketh thee : take heed lest haply he seize thee, as a lion, and there he none to^l'a'^'> deliver. Mark well the words of the Apostle lauding theSO.E.V. Law, accusing himself, acknowledging himself guilty under the Law, and it may be transferring thy person to himself, and saying to thee, I had not known sin but by the Law.'j-^"^' ' For I had not known lust, except the Law had said, Thou 7 S'iTheJleshhasswcetuessJmt notlikethe siveetnessq/'Godto oiiewhole. Serm. s/uil/ )i()t liisl. /Jul sill, takiiiq occasion by the comniand- CIII ' ^ ^ [153.B.] w^"' irr ought in me all coucupisccnce. For without the V. 8. Tjuv, sill was dead. What is, was dead? It lay hid, did V.9. not appear at all, is, as if buried, unknown. But when the commandment came, sin revived. What is, revived? 15egan to appear, began to be felt, began to rebel against mc 10. And I died. What is, / died? I became a trans- V. 10. gressor. And the commandment which was ordained to life, was found to me. Observe how the Law is praised, the viii. commandment which was ordained to life. For what a life is it, to have no lust? O sweet life! Sweet indeed is the pleasure of concupiscence : it is true, nor would men follow it, if it were not sweet. The theatre, the show, the wanton harlot, the filthy song, these to concupiscence are sweet; Ps, 118, sweet decidedly, pleasant, delightful: but, TJie unrighteous ^■^?^^' have told me delights, but not as Thy Law, O Lord. Sweet 119. they are, pleasant are they, delightful are they: but hear thou better ; The unrighteous have told me delights, but not as Thy Law, O Lyord. Happy the soul which is charmed with delights of this sort, where it is defiled with no filthincss, and is purified by the clear light of truth. But let not him, whom the Law of God delighteth. and so delighteth, as to overcome all the Ps. 84, delights of wantonness, ascribe this delight to himself: The 85 12' Lord shall give sweetness. What shall I say.? O Lord, give E. V. mg xhsii sweetness, or the other.? Thou art swret, O Lord, 68. ' and in Tlty sweetness teaclt me Thy righteousnesses. In Thy sweetness teach me, and Thou dost teach me. Then I learn so as to do, if Thou teachest me in Thy .sweetness. But so long as iniquity hath charms, and iniquity is sweet, truth is bitter. In Thy street ness teach me; that truth may be sweet, that by Thy sweetness iniquity may be despised. Much better and sweeter is truth, but bread only to the whole is sweet. What is better and more excellent than the Bread > obstu- of Heaven.? But only if iniquity doth not set the teeth ^ on jfj.Q"y ' edge. For the Scripture saith. As a sour grape is hurtful to 10,26. ij(ff teeth, and smoke to the eyes, so is iniquity to them who use it. What doth it profit that ye praise the Bread, if ye live evilly? What ye praise, ye eat not. When therefore thou hearest the word, when thou hcarest the word of righ- teousness and truth, and dost praise it; nmch more worthy Who presumes on self, is defeated ere he fights. 733 ot" praise is it, if thou do it. Do then what thou praisest. Serm. • cm Wouldest thou say, " I have the will, but not the power ?" n53_B-| Wherefore hast thou not the power ? Because there is no health in thee. Whereby hast thou lost thy health, save that by sinning thou hast offended the Creator ? Therefore that thou mayest eat with sweetness, that is, with health, His Bread Which thou dost praise, say unto Him, / .sa/^/, Ps.4i,4. Lord, have mercy upon me, heal my soul, for I have sinned against Thee. Therefore, saith he. The commandment, ix. which ivas ordained to life, the same was found to be unto death to me. For he was before to himself an unknown sinner, he has become an open transgressor. Lo, wltat was ordained to life, was found unto death lo him. 11. But sin, saith he, taking occasion by the co7nmand-^^^-1) ment, deceived me, and by it slew me. Thus it fell out first in Paradise: Taking occasion, saith he, by the commandment, deceived me. See the serpent whispering to the woman. He enquired of her, what God had said: she answered, God Gen. 3, hath said to tis. Of every tree, which is in the garden, ye shaW^^^ ^\q eat; but of the tree of knowledge of good and evil ye shall ^T' not eat. In the day that ye eat thereof ye shall surely die. This is God's commandment. The serpent on the other hand says. Ye shall not surely die. For God knew that in the day ye eat thereof, your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods. Sin then taking occasion by the commandment deceived me, and by it slew. With the sword that thou didst carry, the enemy hath slain thee : with thine own arms hath he conquered thee, with thine own arms destroyed thee. Receive the commandment; know that these are arms, not whereby the enemy may kill thee, but whereby he may be killed by thee. But rely not on thine own strength. See the little David against Goliath, see the little against the great ; but placing reliance on the Name of the Lord. Thou i_^Sam. comest to me, saith he, ivith a shield, and a spear, I in, the ' Name of the Almighty God. Thus, thus, in no other way ; in no other way whatever is the enemy laid prostrate. Whoso presumeth on his own strength, is prostrated himself, before he fights. 12. Yet see, Beloved, see how again and again the Apostle x. Paul is a most express praiser of the divine Law against 734 The Law occasioned not sin but the knowledge of it. Serm. the madness of the Manichees, see what he subjoins: Where- [l^i^.^fore the Law indeed is holy, and the commandment holy, Rom. i^and jmt,and good. Could it be ])raised more fully? A little ^^" before by that expression which he used, Gud forbid, he had defended it from an imputation, not praised it. It is one thing to defend from a charge imputed, another to extol with due encomium. The charge iinputed was, What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? The defence, God forbid. ' By a word is the truth defended; for that great is the authority of the Apostle who defends. Why should he make 2 Cor. any long defence ? God forbid, is sufficient. Would ye, ^^' ^' he says, seek a proof of Christ Who speakcth in me ? But now: Wherefore the Law indeed is holy, and the command- ment holy, and Just, and good. Rom. 7, 13. Was then that which is good, made death unto me ? ^^' God forbid. For death is not good. But sin that it might ajjpear sin, by that ichich. is good wrought death to me. The Law is not death, but sin is death. Now he had said some lime before. Without the Law sin icas dead. Where I gave you to understand, that by was dead, he meant, " lay hid," " did not appear." Now see with what truth this was said: Sin, saith he, that it might appear sin. He did not say, that it might be: because it teas, even when it did not appear. Sin that it might appear sin. What is, that it might appear sin ? For / had not known hist, except the Law had said, Thou shall not lust. He did not say, " I had not had lust," but, / had not known lust. So here also he does not say," That it might be sin;" but, that it might appear sin, by that which is good ivrought death to me. What death ? That it might by the commandment become above measure sinful or sin. Mark, above measure sinful. Why above measure ? Because now there is transgression Rom. 4, too. For where there is no law, there is no transgression. * J 14. See then, brethren, see how the race of mankind hath flowed from the first death of that first man. For sin from Rom. 5, the first man entered into this world, and death by sin, and so it passed through unto all men. It passed through, attend to the word which ye have heard: consider, see what is, eV passed through. It passed through: thence even the little infant is in guilt; it hath not yet done, but it hath derived Unlioliness of all human birth, holiness of our Lord's. 735 sin. For that sin did not stay in the source, but passed Serm. cm. [153.B.] through: passed through not to this and that man, but unto r^^^l^ all men. The first sinner, the first transgressor, begat sinners under the penalty of death. To make them whole, the Saviour from a Virgin came. In that He came to thee, not in the way thou camest; (for He came not of the concupis- cence of the male and female, not of that bond of concu- piscence. The Holy Ghost, it is said, shall come upon thee. Luke i, This was said to a Virgin, was said to one fervent in faith, ''* not inflamed by the concupiscence of the flesh : The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the Power of the Highest shall overshadow thee. She who had such an Overshadowing, how could she be inflamed with the heat of passion ?) In then that He came to thee not in the way thou camest, He maketh thee free. Where found he thee \ Sold under sin, Rom. 7, lying in the death of the first man, deriving the sin of the ^'^' first man, having guiltiness before thou couldest have a choice. Lo, where He found thee, when He found thee as an infant. But thou hast got beyond the infant's age; lo, thou hast grown on, to the first sin hast added many; thou hast received the Law, hast become a transgressor. But be not troubled: Where sin abounded, grace hath much more Rom. 5, abounded. Turn we to the Lord, &c. ^^^ SERMON CIV. [CLIV. Bkn.] Oa the words of the Apostle, Rom. vii. " We know that the Law is spiritual, but I am carnal," &c. against the Pelagians, who atfirm, that a man can be in this life without sin. Delivered at the table of St. Cyprian, Martyr. 1. Yesterday's lesson from the Apostle St. Paul's Epistle, ye who were present at the sermon, heard : to that lesson, the one which has been read to-day, is the sequel. That difficult and dangerous place is still in hand, which by the assistance of our Lord, so far as ye aid me by your religious affection with Him, and according to the strength which He 736 The Lata discovered man to himself. Sekm. dcigus to give, 1 have undertaken to explain and unravel to r,gj g, you. Give me a patient attention, Beloved, that, if by reason ot the obscurity of tlie subject J have a difficult exposition, • vocem I may at least have an easy speaking '. For if both are difficult, my labour will be great; and I only wish my labour may not be in vain. But that my labour may be of use, let your hearing be patient. That the Apostle does not blame the Law, I satisfied (as I imagine) those who heard Rom. 7, me yesterday. For he said in that place, What shall ive say ^- then 'f Is the Law sin ? God forbid. But I had not known sin, but by the Law. For I had not known hist, except V. 8. the Law had said. Thou shalt not lust. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment wrought in me all concu- piscence. For without the Law sin was dead, that is, was hid, V. 9. did not appear. But I icas alive without the Law once : but when the commandment came, sin revived. And I died, y 10. '^'^'^ f^^ commandment which was ordained to life, (for what has so close a relation to life, as thou shall not lust ?) V. 11. was found unto me to death. For sin taking occasion by the commandment deceived me, and by it slew me: it alarmed concupiscence, not extinguished it; it alarmed, did not get it under; it introduced fear of punishment, not love of V. 12. righteousness. Wherefore, says he, the Law indeed is holy, V. 13. and the commandment holy, and Just, and good. Was then that which is good, made death unto me ? Ood forbid. For the Law is not death, but sin is death. What then came by occasion of the commandment.^ But sin that it might appear sin: for it lay hid when it was called dead: by that which is good wrought death to me; that, with the addition of trans- gression, it might by the commandment become above measure sinful, or sin; because to sin there would not be transgression added, if there were no commandment. For the same Apostle Rom. 4, says expressly in another ])lace. For where no law is, there ^^' is no transgression. What then .? How do we doubt that the Law was given to this end, that man might find out himself? For when God did not ])rohibit him from evil, man was unknown to himself; he did not find out his languid power, save when he received a law of prohibition. He found him- self out then, found himself out in evil case. Whither could he flee from himself? For whithersoever he would ' Whatliad. I do not^'ifsaidofS.Paul^ofconcupiscence^notofsin.^'^' flee from himself, he foUoweth himself. And what profit is Serm. •J this knowledjje from the discovery of himself, to him whomrj^^^' self-knowledge only woundeth ? 2. It is he then who hath found himself, who speaketh also in this lesson which has been read to-day. We know, Rom. 7, saith he, thai ihe Law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that tvhich I do, I know not. For uhat 1 "• V. 15. would, that do I not ; but what I hate, that do I. There is a question in this passage for great diligence, who should be understood, whether the Apostle himself who spake ; or whether in a figure he transferred some one else to himself, that he might in himself touch him, as he said in a certain place, But all these tJtiugs I Jiave in a figure transferred to tnyself ^ ^^' ' and to Apollos for your sakes, that ye might learn in us. If then it is the Apostle wlio speaks, (which no one doubts,) and when he says, IVIiat I would, that do I not, but what I hate, that do I, he speaks not of any other, but of himself: what are we to understand, my brethren? Is it that the Apostle Paul, for example, would not commit adultery, and did commit adultery ? would not be covetous, and was covetous ? But who of us would dare to involve himself in such blasphemy, as to entertain this idea of the Apostle } Perhaps then it is some one else: perhaps it is thou; either it is thou, or it is he, or it is I. If then it be any of us, let us listen to him speaking as if of himself, and without aught of anger let us amend ourselves. But if it is he himself, for perhaps it is he himself; let us not understand his words, JVhat I would, that do I not ; but what I hate, that do I, in such sense, as if he would be chaste, and was an adulterer, or would be merciful, and was cruel; or would be pious, and -was ungodly. Let us not lake, What I would, that do I not ; but ivhat I hale, that do I, in such a sense. 3. In what sense then ? I would not lust, and 1 do lust, m* What said the Law? Thou shall not lust. Man hath heard the Law, bath acknowledged his corruption ^: hath proclaimed ^'t'^i™ war, hath found captivity. But perhaps it is some other man, not the Apostle. What shall we say then, Brethren ? Had not the Apostle any concupiscence in his flesh, which he would not have : to which nevertheless though existing, provoking, suggesting, soliciting, inflaming, tempting, he 738 S. Paul con/esses that he teas not yet perfected ; Serm. would not consent ? I tell you, Beloved, If we shall believe ,j^J^\that tlic Apostle had no infirmity of concupiscence at all -— against which to struggle, we believe high things of him ; and I wish it may be so. For we ought not to envy the Apostles, but to imitate the Apostles. Nevertheless, Dearly Beloved, I hear the Apostle himself confessing, that he had not yet attained to so great perfection of righteousness, as we believe to be in the Angels ; an equality with which Angels we hope for, if we attain to that we wish for. For what else doth the Lord promise us in the Resurrection, when He Mat. 22, saith, Li the resurrection of the dead, they shall neither be ^^\ giveh in inarriaqe, nor marry ; for they shall not die^ any 35. 36. ' more, hut shall he equal to the Angels of God ? ' .^°°^ 4. One will say then, " And whence knowest thou that the mori Apostle Paul had not yet the righteousness and perfection of an Angel?" I do the Apostle no injury, I only believe the Apostle himself, I seek no other witness ; I do not listen to surmises, I do not care for excessive praise. Tell me, holy Apostle, of thyself, where no one doubts that it is of thyself thou speakest. For when thou saidst. What 1 would, that Pelagi- do I not ; but what T hate, that do I: there are who say, DeGrat. t^^^t thou hast in a figure transferred to thyself some other Chr. lib. person, toiling, failing, vanquished, captive. Do thou tell (43.*) " me of thyself, where no one doubts that it is of thyself thou ^°°Yk ^**t speaking. Brethren, says the Apostle, / count not myself 2.0.3.4. to have apprehended. And what doest thou.? But one ^^^o\t\lhinfi I do,for(jettinhef>. own flesh? Wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me ' from the body of this death? What is this, brethren .^ He seems to wish to be rid of the body. Why art thou in a hurry? If thy aim be only this, to be rid of the body; death will sometime or other come, and the last day, when it comes, will doubtless deliver thee from this body of death. What mean thy heavy sighs ? What mean thy words, Who shall deliver me? Thou who speakest art a mortal, thou who speakest must some day die. The separation of the mind from the flesh must come some day or other: by reason of the shortness of life it is never far off", by reason of daily » See Aug. Conf. Trans. Oxf. Edit. Note A at the end. 3 c 2 74() The evil loosed from the body of death, to have it again for ever ; Serm. chances, when it may be thou knowest not. So then, 154^B.] ^vhcthcr thou art in haste or slow, all human life is short : wherefore thy heavy sif^hs, and thy words, Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? xi. 16. Then he subjoins : The grace of God through Jesus Rom. 7, Christ our Lord. For the Heathen who have not the grace Vuig. of God through Jesus Christ our Lord, shall they not die.? Shall they not sometime or other at the last day be loosed from the flesh ? shall they not in that day be delivered from the body of this death? What is it that thou wouldest ascribe, as something great, to the grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord, in that thou shalt be delivered from the body of this death? The Apostle, if we have caught his meaning, yea rather because, by the Lord's help, we have doubtless caught it, answereth thee and saith, " I know what I am saying. You say that the Heathen are delivered from the body of this death, in that the last day of this life will come, and they shall be loosed for a time from the body of John 6, this death. Yea the day irill come, when all that aie in the ' ' graves shall hear His Voice, and shall come forth ; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life : behold, deliveredy>'ow the body of this death. They that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation : behold, they are returned to the body of this death. The body of this death returns to the ungodly, nor shall he be ever loosed from it. Then there shall not be eternal life, but eternal death, be- cause eternal punishment, xii 17- But do thou, O Christian, pray as much as thou canst, cry out and say, iVretched man that I am, uho shall deliver me from the body of this death ? Thou hast an answer : thou hast security given thee not of thyself, but of thy Lord : thou hast security given thee of thy pledge, Hope thou with Christ for Christ's khigdom ; thou boldest already the Blood of Christ as a pledge. Say, say. Who shall deliver me from the body of this death ? That it may be answered thee, The grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. For thou wilt not in such wise be delivered from the body of this death, as not to have this body. Thou wilt have it, but not any more, of this death. It will be the same, but not the same. It will be the same, in that it will be the the good, to receive it free from death. 747 self-same flesh : it will not be the same, in that it will not ^^^y- be mortal, tn such wise, in such wise wilt thou be delivered [154.B.] from the body of this death, as that this mortal shall pnt on immortality, and this corruptible shall put on incor- ruption. By whom ? Through whom ? By the grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Since by one man came \^°^[ death, by One Man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22. As in Adam all die: hence thy groans. In Adam all die: hence thy groans, hence thy conflicts with death, hence the body of this death. But as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. When thou art made alive, and hast received an immortal body, wherein thou sayest, 0 death, where is thy contention ? thou shalt be delivered from the body of this death : yet not by thine own power, but by the grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let us turn to the Lord, &c. SERMON CV. [CLV. Ben.] On the words of the Apostle, Rom viii. " There is therefore now no condemnation to them, which are in Christ Jesus, &c." Against the Pelagians. Delivered in the Basilica of the Holy Martyrs of Scillita *. \. The Holy Apostle's lesson of yesterday terminated at i. the point, where it is said, So then ivith the mind I myself Rom. 7, serve the Law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. By' which conclusion the Apostle made it plain, that he liad used the words he had said above, Now then it is no more /^- 17- that do it, but sin thaJ dwelleth in me; with this view, in that he did not with the mind do by consenting, but with the flesh by lusting. For this he calls by the name of sin, from whence all sins arise, that is, from carnal concupiscence. For whatsoever sins there be in words, in deeds, in thoughts, * These were twelve martyrs, of Actsof these Martyrs are extant. Vid. whom three were women, put to death Ruinart. Act. Pr. Martyr. These mar- in the seventh year of the Emperor tyrs were probably natives of ScilUfa, Severus under Saturninus Proconsul of a town apparently of the Proconsular Africa, the first who, as Tertulliaa (ad province of Carlhage. ViJ. Baron. Scap.c.3.)says, inflicted capital punish- Annal. Eccles. ad ann. 202. They are ment on the Christians at Carthage Q«« honoured in the Church on the 1 7th primus hie gladium in nos egit. The July. Vid. Martyr. Rom. Baron. 748 In the Saints, sin loses its reiijn here, perislics hereafter. Skrm. arise not but from evil desire, aviso not but from unlawful C V [I6.5.B.J delight. If then we resist this unlawful delight, if we consent Kom. (), not to it, if we yield not our members as instruments; si7i doth not reign in our mortal body. For sin first loseth its reign, and so perisheth. In this life then, as far as the 8aints are concerned, it loseth its reign, in the other it perisheth. For here it loseth its reign, when we go not after 1 Cor. our lusts ; but there it perisheth, when it shall be said, O ''' "■ death, where is thy contention ? 2, Therefore when the Apostle had said, With the mind I serve the Law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin ; by not yielding his members to the commission of iniquity, but only by lusting, and yet not surrendering to unlawful lust; therefore when he had said, With the mind I serve the Law of God, but u-ith the flesh the law of sin; he went on and Rom, 8, said, There is therefore now no condemnation to them which ^' .. are in Christ Jesus. To them which are in the flesh there is condemnation ; to iheni ichiclt are in Christ Jesus there is no conclem)iation. That you might not suppose that this was to be hereafter, he therefore added, now. Hereafter wait for this, that there be not even lust in thee, against which to contend, wherewith to have conflict, whereunto not to con- sent, which to bridle, and to tame; wait for this hereafter, for it shall not even exist. For if that which from the mor- tal body contendeth with us shall be hereafter also, O death, where is thy contention ? will be false. What then is to be 1 Cor. hereafter, we may l Serm. explained this to you on another ^ occasion : but let those 84.(134. ^,|jQ remember, call it to mind; those who have not heard, Ben.)iv. (5) hear it; those who have forgotten, recal it. In the Law the jQg"*" sacrifice for sin was called sin. The Law has constantly (152. instances of this: not once, not twice, but very repeatedly io!& 11. sacrifices for sins were called m«*. Such a sin was Christ. For what would we say ? Had He sin ? God forbid. He had no sin, yet was He sin. He was sin, I said, according to that interpretation, in that He was a sacrifice for sin. Hear how that in this way He was sin, hear the Apostle himself. Speaking of Him he says. Him Who knew no sin. This sentence I explained to you, when I was speaking of these same words : Hint, says he. Who knew no sin, that is, 2 Cor. 5, our Lord Jesus Christ, Hi?n Who knew no sin God the ^^" Father made sin for us: that very Christ Who knew no sin, God the Father made sin for us, that we might he the righteousness of God in Him. Observe here two things, the righteousness of God, not our own; in Him. not in ourselves. Ps.35,7. Thereof are those great saints, of whom the Psalm says, Thy (36 *6 righteousness is as the mountains of God. And as if itwere said E. V.) in this Psalm, where it is said, Thy righteousness; for not llieir righteousness, but Thyrigh teousncss is as themoun ta ins of God: Ps. 121, Fori have lifted ujj mine eyes unto the mountains, fromiohence I, &2. j^qI^ shall come to me; but not from the mountains; for my help is from the Lord, Who hath made Heaven and earth. Therefore when he had said, Thy righteousness is as the moun- tains of God; as if it were asked, " Why then are other men born, who have no part in God's righteousness?" he subjoined. Thy judgments are as a great abyss. What is, as a great » inteu- abyss? Deep, impenetrable, inaccessible to man's research '. Rom. For the riches of God are unsearchable : unsearchable are His II, 33. Judgments, His ivays past finding out. So then here also, God sent His Own Son, because of the foreknown and pre- destined ones, who were to be called, to be justified, to be Eora. 8, glorified : that the mountains of God might say, If God be V. 3. for us, who can be against us ? God sent His own Son in the likeness ofjlesh of sin, and by sin condemned sin in the ^■' 4- flesh, that the righteousness of the Law might befuljilled in Desires, unobeyed, hinder not fidjilment of righteousness. 755 us. It was not fulfilled by itself, it was fulfilled by Christ. Seum. For He came not to destroy the Latv, but to fulfil. riso.B.l 9. But how should the righteousness of the Law he ful- Matt. 5, filled in us, or how is it fulfilled in us, or in whom of us? ^': Would you hear in whom of us.? Who loalk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. What is, to walk after the flesh? To consent to the lusts of the flesh. What is, to walk after the Spirit? To be by the Spirit assisted in the mind, and not to obey the lusts of the flesh. Thus then is the Law fulfilled in us, the righteousness .of God is fulfilled in us. Now in this world' is fulfilled. Go not after thy lusts, lintenm When you hear after thy lusts, understand it of unlawful jg^'^gQ®* lusts. Go not after thy lusts, ought to be fulfilled by our own will assisted by the grace of God ; Go not after thy lusts, ought to be fulfilled. For whatsoever of past sin the lust of the flesh hath brought about in us, whether in deeds, or words, or thoughts ; all was effaced by Holy Baptism, one act of pardon effaced all debts. There remains then a conflict with the flesh: because iniquity was effaced, but infirmity remains. The delight of unlawful concupiscence exists, solicits; fight, resist, consent not; and so is fulfilled even here. Go not after thy lusts; because if by chance they ever steal in, and usurp to themselves the eye, the ear, the tongue, the passing thought, let us not even so despair of our salvation. For this reason it is that we daily say, For- give us our debts. Thai the righteousness of the Law, heMatt 6, says, might be fulfilled in tts. 10. But in whom of us? Who walk not after the flesh, x. but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh, c?oRoi"-8, mind the things of the flesh : but they that are after thef,5. Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the wisdom^ of the^'p flesh is death : but the uisdom of the Spirit is life and peace, dentia For the wisdom of the flesh is an enemy to God. For it «« Vuiff. not subject to the Law of God; neither indeed can be."^-"^- What is, neither indeed can be ? It is not the man that cannot, it is not the soul that cannot, it is not finally the flesh itself, in that it is God's creature, that cannot ; but the wisdom of the flesh cannot, corruption^ cannot, not nature. 3 vitium Just as if you were to say, lameness is not subject to right walking : neither indeed can be. The foot can, but lameness 75() The wisdom of y" Jlesh cannot he subject to God, y\/lesh may. SEKM. cannot. Take away lameness, and you will see right walk- [l55.B.]ing- But as long as the lameness exists, it cannot: so as long as the icisdom (if iJieJiesh exists, it cannot. Let there be no wisdom of the Jlesli, and the man can. The wisdom of the Spirit is life and peace. His words then, The wisdom cf the Jiesh is an enemy io God, do not understand in such sense, as tliough in its enmity it were able to hurt God. By resisting Him it is an enemy, not by killing. But it injures him, in whom tlie wisdom of the flesh is: in that the corruj)- tion of nature injures the nature in which it is. But the medicine w^as therefore discovered, that the corruption may be expelled, and the nature made whole. The Saviour therefore came to the race of man. He found none whole, therefore the Great Physician came. 11. This have I said for this reason, because the Mani- chees in their wish to bring in another nature of evil against God, think that their error is in a measure helped on by this testimony of the Apostle, and they suppose that it is spoken •natura-as it were of the nature' itself, in that it is said, // cannot, it is an enemy to God : For it is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be: and they have not considered that it is not said of the flesh that It cruniot ; that it is not said of the man, he cannot ; that it is not said of the soul, Ft cannot; but of t/ie wisdom of the flesh. This wisdom is a xi. corruption. Would you know what it is, to mind the things of the flesh f It is death. But that same one man, and the same nature created by the Lord God True, and Good, was yesterday minding the things of the flesh, to-day is minding the things of the Spirit: the corruption has been expelled, the nature has been made whole. For as long as this wis- dom of the flesh existed, it could not by any means be sidjfect to the Law of God. For as long as there is through corrup- tion lameness, there cannot in any way be right walking. But when the corruption is cured, the nature is rei^aired. Ephes. Ye were sometimes darkness, but now light in the Lord. T?' ' u 1*2. Observe then what follows : But then uho are in the 8- flesh cannot please God, that is, they who trust in the llosh, who follow their own lusts, who dwell in them, who take delight in the pleasures of them, who make a blessed and hajipy life to lie in the delight they yield, these are in the JVhodo not works ofjie&li, nut ' hi' it, icho have t/icSjnrif,arc in It. 757 flesh; they cannot please God. For the expression, TJiey Serm. who are in the flesh cannot please God: is not as if it were[i55g i said, " When men are in this life, they cannot please God." What then, did not the Holy Patriarchs please Him ? Did not the Holy Prophets please Him ? Did not the Holy Apostles please Him ? Did not the Holy Martyrs please Him, who before they laid aside the body by martyrdom, by confessing Christ, not only despised pleasure, but also in greatest patience endured pains ? They pleased Him, but they were in the flesh. They bare flesh, were not borne by flesh. For so to the paralytic was it said. Take up thy Jt-tZ. Mark2, They then who are in the Jiesh, in the sense I have spoken of, in the sense I have now explained, not by living in this world, but by consenting to the lusts of the flesh, cannot please God. 13. Finally, hear the Apostle himself, resolving the ques- xii. tion without any doubt. He was speaking unquestionably to those who were living in this body, and yet he added, But '^om. s, ye are not in the flesh. Think ye there is any one here amongst us, to whom this was said ? Lo, he spake to the people of God, to the Church he spake ; he was writing indeed to the Romans; but he spake to the Universal Church of Christ; but to the wheat he spake, not to the chaff"; to the mass which lies hid he spake, not to the stubble that appears. Let each one see to it in his own heart. We speak to the ears, we do not see the conscience; nevertheless, according to the sense I have explained above, I think in Christ's Name that there are among Christ's people to whom it is said, But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit ; if so he that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Ye are not in the flesh,, in that ye do not the works of the flesh by con- senting to the lusts of the flesh ; but ye are in the Spirit, in that after the imvard man ye delight in the Law of God; and this is, If so be that the Spirit of God dtcell in you. For if ye rely on your own spirit, ye are yet in the flesh. If then ye are not in the flesh, that ye may be in the Spirit of God; for then are ye not in the flesh. For if the Spirit of God withdraw, the spirit of man falls back by its own weight into the flesh, returns to the works of the flesh, returns to the lusts of the world ; and the last state of that man shall l^uke 11, 2G. 758 Tke Spirit is in us, by love of riyliteousness and faith. Serm. be worse than the first. In such wise then have ye free- cv . • • r, 55 pi will, as to implore aid. Ye are not in the flesh, '\s this of ~5^iii7~ your own strength? God forbid! Whence then? If so be that the Spirit of God dnell in yon. Hut if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His. Let not then needy and corrupted nature stretch itself out, let it not boast itself, let it not arrogate strength to itself as its own. O human nature ! O Adam, when thou wast whole, thou didst not stand, and hast thou risen again by thine own strength ? If any man have not the Spirit of Christ ; (for the Spirit of Christ, the Same is the Spirit of God; for He is the Spirit both of the Father and the Son.) If on// man have not the Spirit of Christ, let him not deceive himself, he is none oj His. 14. Lo, by the aid of His mercy, we have the Spirit of Christ: by the very love of righteousness, by an uncorrupted faith. Catholic faith, we know that the Spirit of God is in us. But what of that mortal flesh ? What of the late in our members which resisteth the Law of the mind/ What of Rom. 8, that groaning, JVretched man that I am? Hear: But if Christ be in you, the body indeed is dead because of sin, but the spirit is life because of righteousness. Must we then at once desjDair, you will say, of the body dead because of sin ? Is there no hope I Doth it in such wise sleep, as never to rise again ? God forbid. The body indeed is dead because of sin, but the spirit is life because (f riyhteousness. Ephes. Sadness remains for our body's sake. For no one ever hated ' ■ his oivn flesh. We see with what anxiety the buiial of the dead is cared for. The body indeed is dead because of sin, but the spirit is life because of righteousness. You were saying at once for consolation, " I could wish indeed, that ray body were in life also : but because it cannot be, let at least my spirit be, let at least my soul be." Wait, be not disquieted, xiv. 15. For if the Spirit of Him Who raised up Jesus from Rom. 8, ifiQ dead dwell in you ; He Who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead, shall quicken also your mortal bodies. What fear ye } Why are ye disturbed even for this very flesh } Luke2i, 77G The soul liviny after itself an far from God^ as if after y'^ Jiesk; Sekm. shall it then live after the flesh, aud make progress? But ri5gBV]then doth the flesh live rightly after the soul, if the soul live after God. For if the soul should choose to live, I do not say after the flesh, but after itself as I have said ; I am now about to tell you what it is to live after itself; for it is good, that you should know this, aud very wholesome. vii. 7. There were Philosophers of this world, some thought Senii there was no happiness, but living after the flesh, and they 100. placed the good of man in the pleasures of the body. These (150. •) pj^iiQgfjpijgrs and others like them were called Epicureans, (6-9.) from one Epicurus their founder and master. But there were others, proud ones, who withdrew themselves as it were from the flesh, and establishing their whole hope of happiness in their soul, placed the supreme good in their own virtue. The godly aflection in you has recognised the voice of the Psalm ; you know, you are aware, you remember how they Ps.48 7. are derided in the Holy Psalm, uho trust in their own virtue. Sept. Such were the Philosophers, who M'ere called Stoics. The E. V.) first living after the flesh, the latter living after the soul, neither the one nor the other living after God. Therefore when the Apostle Paul came to the city of the Athenians, ' ferve- where these schools of Philosophers were frequented' with ^^*' extreme rivalry and contention, as it is read in the Acts of the Apostles, (and here I am rejoiced that by your recognising and remembering it you anticipate my words,) as it is Acts 17, written there, Certaiu Philosophers of the Epicureans aud ^^' of the Stoics conferred witli him; they who lived after the flesh conferred with him, they who lived after the soul conferred with him, he who lived after God conferred with them. The Epicurean said, " It is good for me to enjoy the flesh." The Stoic said, " It is good for me to enjoy my Ps. 73, soul." The Apostle said. But it is good for me to cleave ^^* unto God. The Epicurean said, " Blessed is he whose enjoyment is in the pleasures of his flesh!" The Stoic said, " Yea, blessed is he whose enjoyment is in the virtue of his Ps.39,6. soul." The Apostle said. Blessed is he, whose hope is the ff^^\ Name of the Lord. The Epicurean is in error: for it is (40, 4. •' ' . E. V.) false, that the man is blessed, whose enjoyment is in the pleasures of his flesh. The Stoic too is deceived ; for false it is, yea most utterly false, that the man is blessed, whose Carnal delights, unobeyed, cease to delight, and then are dead. 767 enioyment is in the virtue of" his soul. Blessed therefore is Serm, CVI he, whose hope is the Name of the Lord. And becauser^sg p n they are vain, and lie; he saith, And who hatli not had regard to vanities, and lying madnesses. 8. Therefore, brethren, tee are not debtors to the flesh, viii. that we should live after the flesh, as the Epiciu'eans. But even if the soul would live after itself, it will be carnal; it savours of the flesh, it rises not above the flesh. For he has no means whereby to rise, who layeth not hold of the arm stretched out to him as he lies. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die. For in the Psalm where it is said, What P»- ^6, can man do unto me? in the same it is said, If hat can flesh do unto me? For if ye live after the fesh, ye shall die. Not with this death, when ye leave the body ; for with this ye will die, though ye live after the spirit; but with that death, of which the Lord in the Gospel speaks in accents of alarm; Fear Him, Who hath power to destroy both soul awt/Mat.io, body in hell-fire. If then ye live after thefesh, ye shall die.'^ 9. But if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of ix. the flesh, ye shall live. This is our work in this life, through ^°™" ^' the Spirit to mortify the deeds of the flesh ; day by day to afflict, to minish, bridle, kill it. For how many things there are, which now no more give delight to those who are making progress, which before delighted them.? When then it yielded delight, and consent was not given to it, it was being mortified; in that now it does not yield delight, it has been mortified. Tread down that which is already dead, pass over unto that which is yet alive: tread down that which is laid low, struggle with that which still resists. For one delight is dead, but another liveth ; and this too, whilst thou consentest not, thou art mortifying ; when it shall have begun to yield no delight at all, thou hast mortified it. This is our business, this is our warfare. When we struggle in this contest, we have God our Spectator: when we travail in this contest, we implore God to be our Succour. For if He aid us not, we shall have no power, I do not say to con- quer, but not even to fight. 10. When then the Apostle said, But if ye throvgli /Ae v. lib. Spirit do mortify the deeds of the flesh, ye shall live, that is, tr^^'^^k those lusts of the flesh, whereunto not to consent is great c.xi.(23.) TQSUliobysdf^iod.suhduei/Jiesh^nutledhytheSpirit,norsonsofGod. Serm. praise, which not to have is perfection : these deeds of the [ib6.Vi.{fl^'^fh diseased, and from death deriving contention, if ye throiKjh the Sjyirit do mortify, ye shall lire. Here there is at once reason to fear, lest any one again rely on his own spirit for mortifying the deeds of the flesh. For not only is God a Spirit : but thine own soul is a spirit also, and thy Efm. 7, mind is a spirit. As when you say, With the mind I serve the Law of God, hut tenth the Jlesh the law of sin; Gz\.b, for the spirit lasteth ayalnst the Jlesh, and the flesh against the spirit. Therefore that thou mayest not rely on thine own spirit for mortifying the deeds of the flesh, and perish through pride, and God resist thee for thy pride, and not Jam. 4, grace be given thee for thy humility: for God resist eth the ' 2)roud, but giveth grace unto the Jtumhle: lest then by chance this pride spring up in thee, take heed to what follows. For when he had said, If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live ; lest hereupon the spirit of man should uplift itself, and boast that it was sufficient, and of strength for this work, he went on, and ' agiin- said. For as many as are actuated ^ by the Spirit of God, they ^!^^ are the sons of God. Why then didst thou wish now to Rom. 8, J J 14. uplift thyself, when thou heardest. If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live ? For thou wast on the point of saying, " This my will can do, this my free choice can do." What will? what free choice? Unless He rule, thou fallest; unless He lift up, thou liest on the ground. How then through thine own spirit, when thou hearest the Apostle saying. For as many as are actuated by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God? Dost thou wish to actuate thyself, dost thou wish to be actuated by thine own self for mortifying the deeds of the flesh? What doth it profit thee that thou shalt not be an Epicurean, if thou shalt be a Stoic ? Whether thou wilt be an Epicurean, or a Stoic, thou wilt not be among the sons of God. For as many as are actuated by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Not they who live after their own flesh, not they who live after their own spirit; not they who are led by the pleasure of the flesh, not they who are actuated by their own spirit; but as many as are actuated by the Spirit of God, they arc the sons of God. Without God'sheIpmancandoevilonli/,t/etbein(/aciedon,acteth. 760 11. One will say to me, " Then we are actuated, we do Sekm. cvi not act." I answer, Yes truly, thou dost both act, and n jg/B i art actuated ; and then thou dost act well, if thou art ^j actuated by the Good. For the Spirit of God Who actuateth thee, is a Helper to thee in thy acting. For the very name of helper teacheth thee, that thou thyself too doest something. Call to mind what it is thou desirest; call to mind what it is thou acknowledgest, when thou dost say, Be Thou tny Helper, leave me not. Thou callest cer- Ps.26,9. tainly on God as a Helper. No one is helped, if nothing is (27. E. done by him. For as many, says he, as are actuated by the '^ Spirit of God, they are the sons of God: not by the letter, but by the Spirit: not by the Law enjoining, threatening, promising; but by the Spirit exhorting, illuminating, helping. We know, says the same Apostle, that all things work ^o-l^"""-^' gether for good to them that love God. If thou wert not a worker, He would not be a Worker together. 12. But here be stoutly on your guard, lest haply your spirit should say, " If the cooperation of God and the aid of God were to withdraw itself, my own spirit will do this : though with labour, though with some difficulty, yet fulfil it ^' Lib. it can." Just as if one were to say, " We have reached it christi, indeed by rowing, but with some labour; O, had ^^o'q'M'X but had wind, we had reached it more easily." The aid ofetseq. God is not in such wise, the aid of Christ is not in such wise, the aid of the Holy Spirit is not in such wise. Assuredly if it be wanting, thou wilt not be able to do any good at all. Thou dost act it is true with free will without His help, but only evilly. For this thy will which is called free is sufficient, and by acting evilly, it becomes a servant subject to damnation. When I tell thee, " Without the help of God thou doest nothing," I mean, nothing good. For thou hast a will, without the help of God free for evil doing; though that will is not free. For of whom one is iq^*^ ' ' overcome, of the same is he the slave ; and. Whosoever cow«-'^°bn 8, mitteth sin, is the servant of sin ; and, If the Son shall make you free, then shall ye be free indeed. 13. By all means believe this, that it is thus that ye act ^^^• with a good will. In that ye live, ye act of course. For He is not a Helper, if ye do nothing : for He is not a Worker 770 Grace iieededto do any yuod, not to do better only ^ or more easily. Serm. together, if ye work nothing. Yet know ye that ye in such rjgggivvise do good as that the ruling Spirit, is thy Helper; and if He be wanting, ye can do no good at all. It is not as some have begun to say, who have been constrained at last to acknowledge the grace of God ; and we bless God, that they have said even this at length; for by making approaches they will be able to go forward, and to aiTive at that which is truly right. Now then they say that the grace of God is assistant, towards more easy doing. For these are their words; '* To this end," say they, " hath God given His grace to men, that what they are enjoined to do by means of free will, they might be able more easily to fulfil through grace." With sails more easily, with oars with greater difficulty; yet even with oars way is made. On horse more easily, on foot with greater difficulty; but yet even on foot, the point is reached. It is not so. For the True Master Who flattereth no one, deceiveth no one, at once the True Teacher and Saviour, to Whom that most hard pedagogue brought us, when He was speaking of good works, that is, of the fruits of the vine-shoots and branches, did not say, " Without Me ye can indeed do something, but more easily by Me ;" He did not say, " Without Me ye can bring forth fruit, but more abundantly by Me." He did not say this. Read what He said : it is the Holy Gospel, the proud necks of all are bowed. It is not Augustine who says this, it is the Lord johni5, Who saith it. What saith the Lord. f* Without 3Ie ye can *• do nothing. Now when you hear. As many as are actuated by the Spirit of God, tliey are the sons of God, do not give • demit- yourselves' up to carelessness. For God doth not so build *^'^ up His temple with you, as if with stones which have no motion of their own ; which are lifted up, and set in their Ephes. place by the builder. Not so are living stones ; And ye as I'Pet. living stones are builded together into a temple of God. Be *' ^' ye led, but do ye run yourselves also ; be ye led, but follow ; because when ye shall have followed, that will be true, that B.om. 9, u'ithout Him ye can do nothing. For it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God, Who sheweth mercy. xui. 14. Peradventure ye were about to say, " The Law too is sufficient for us." The Law gave lear ; and sec what the Apo- Ohey^ijhidout of fear ^ that you may come to obey thro' love. 771 stle afterwards subjoined when he had said, For as many as are Serm. actuated by t lie Spirit of God, they are the sons of God; for that m^J ^ i when they are actuated by the Spirit of God, they are actuated by love ; For the love of God hath been shed abroad in owr I^om. 5, hearts by the Holy Ghost, JJ'ho hath been given us; next he added. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again Rom- 8, in fear. What is again ? " As under the terrors of that most hard pedagogue." What is again? " As ye received the spirit of bondage on Mount Sinai." One will say, " The spirit of bondage is one, the spirit of freedom another spirit." If it were another, the Apostle would not have said, again. It is the Same Spirit then, only on the tables of stone in fear, on the tables of the heart in love. Now you who were Serm. present the day before yesterday heard, how the noise, theB^n.)vi. flame, the smoke on the mount, terrified the people that were Ex. 19, placed afar off; but how at the coming of the Holy Spirit, ^^' this same Finger of God, how on the fiftieth day after the shadow of the Passover, He came, and in fiery tongues sat Acts 2, upon each of them. Now then not in fear, but in love ; that we may be not servants, but sons. For he who still doeth well for this reason, because he feareth punishment, loveth not God, is not yet of the number of sons ; yet would that he may even fear punishment ! Fear is a slave, love is free ; and, so to say, fear is the servant of love. That the devil possess not thine heart, let the servant go before in thine heart, and keep a place for the mistress who is to come. Act, act even in fear of punishment, if thou canst not yet for love of righteousness. The mistress will come, and the servant depart; because perfected love casteth out fear. For ye \ John have not received the spirit of bondage again in fear. It is^' the New Testament, not the Old. Old things are passed 1 Cor. 5, away, and behold all things are become new; but all are of God. 15. And then what follows? As though you were to say, ^;„ " What have we received then ?" But ye have received the Spirit of Adoption, in Whom we cry, Abba, Father. A Master is feared, a Father loved. Ye have received the Spirit of Adoplion, in Whom we cry, Abba, Father. This is a cry of the heart, not of the lungs, not of the lips; it sounds within, it sounds to the ears of God. With closed mouth, 772 The Spirit an earnest^ to be enlarged^ -perfected^ abide. Serm, with lips unmoved, did Susannah with this voice cry. But I jggj^ , ye have received the Spirit of Adoption, in Whom we cry, Matt. G, Ahfja, Father. Let the heart cry, Our Father, Which art in ^' Heaven. Why then not Father only ? What means Abba, Father? For if you ask what Abba is, you are answered, Father. For Abba in Hebrew means Father. Why did the Apostle wish to express both .'' Because he had in view P8. 118, the Corner Stone, IVhich the builders rejected, and Which became the Head of the corner, not without reason called the Corner Stone, in that He receiveth in His embrace either wall coming from different quarters. On this side the Cir- cumcision, on that the Uncircumcision, as far apart from themselves and one another, as they are far from the Corner; but in proportion as they are near to the Corner, so of course near to one another. And in the Corner joined to one Eph. 2, another. For He is our Peace, Who hath made both one. So then on one side the Uncircumcision, on the other the Circumcision, the agreement of the walls, the glory of the Corner. Ye have received the Spirit of Adoption, in Whom we cry, Abba, Father. XV. 16. W^hat is the thing itself, if the pledge be such as this.'' And it ought not to be called o, pledge, but an earnest. For when a pledge is put down, when the thing itself is paid, the pledge is taken back. But an earnest is given out of the thing itself, which is promised to be given; so that when the thing is paid, what has been given is made up, not changed. Let each one then look to his own heart, whether from the inmost recesses of the heart and in love sincere he can say, Father. It is not now a question, how great this love is, whether it be great, or small, or middling ; I am asking whether it exist at all. If it is born, it grows in secresy, by growing it will be perfected, once perfected it will abide. For when it is perfected, it doth not decline into old age, and from old age will come to death ; to this end will it be perfected, that it may abide for ever. For see what follows. Rom. 8, We cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit Itself beareth icitness ^^' to our spirit, that we are the children of God. It is not our own spirit that beareth witness to our spirit, that we are the children of God ; but the Spirit of God, the earnest beareth witness for that thing which hath been promised us. The God Himself our inheritance^ and tliat, ivith Christ. 773 Spirit Itself heareth witness to our spirit, that we are the Serm. children of God. [156.B.] 17. But if children, then heirs. For we are not children v. 17. to no purpose. This is the reward ; Then heirs. This is what I was saying a Utile time back, that our Physician boih^- 2. giveth us health, and moreover vouchsafeth to bestow a reward. What is that reward ? An inheritance. But not like the inheritance of any father among men. For he leaves it to his children, he does not possess it with his children ; and yet he makes much of himself, and desires that thanks be given him, because he has been pleased to give what he cannot take away. For when he dies, could he take it with him.? I imagine if he could, he would leave nothing to his children here. The heirs of God are in such wise heirs, that God Himself is our Inheritance, to Whom the Psalm saith, The Lord is the ]7oriion of mine inheritance. Heirs indeed Vs.i6,5. of God ; if this is not enough for you, hear that whereby ye may have ampler joy: Heirs indeed of God, and coheirs with Christ. Turn we to the Lord, &c. SERMON CVII. [CLVII. Ben.] On the words of the Apostle. Rom. viii. " We are saved in hope: but hope that is seen is not hope." 1. As your holiness, dearly beloved brethren, remembers i. that the Apostle said, Pfe are saved in hope, but hope that is Rom. 8, seen is not hope; for what a man seeth, why doth he hope^'^- for ? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with v. 25. patience wait for it. The Lord our God Himself, to Whom it is said in the Psalm, Thou art my Hope, and my Portion ^3.142, in the land of the living, admonisheth me to give you here-^* upon some words of exhortation and consolation. He Himself, I say, Who is our Hope in the land of the living, enjoineth me to address you in this land of the dying ; that ye may not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which jg*^"''"^' 774 Hope retained thro* patience onlt/, hy the meek and (jentle. Serm. are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal; but [157.15. V^'^ things which are not seen are eternal. Because then we hope for that we see not, and nith patience wait for it: with Ps. 27, good reason is it said to us in the Psalm, Wait patiently on 27.E^v '^^ Lord, do manfully, and let thy heart take courage ; yea, wait patiently on the Lord. For the world's promises are always deceiving, but the promises of God never deceive. But because the world seems as it" ready to give what it ])romises here, that is, in this land of the dying, wherein we now are; but God will give what He promiseth, in the land of the living; many ai'e wearied of waiting patientl}' for the True, and blush not to love the deceitful one. Of such the Ecclus. Scripture saith, Woe unto them that have lost patience, and ' have turned aside into crooked uays. With those who do manfull}', and with heart of good courage wait patiently on the Lord, the children of eternal death also cease not to mock, vaunting their transitory delights which for a time are sweet to their mouths, but afterwards shall they find them more bitter than gall. For they say to us, " Where is that that is promised you after this life ? Who hath returned hither from thence, and given information that the things ye believe are true.? Lo, we joy in the fulness of our pleasures, in that we hope for that we see ; but ye are tormented in the travails of continence, by believing what ye do not see." And then they subjoin the words the Apostle brought forward ; 1 Cor. Let lis eat and drink, for to-morrow we shall die. But see V. 33. what he advised us to beware of: Evil communications, saith V. 34. he, corrupt good manners, Be ye sober in righteousness, and sin not. jj 2. Beware then, brethren, lest by such communications your maimers be corrupted, hope overthrown, patience en- feebled, and ye turn aside into crooked ways. Yea rather in meekness and gentleness hold on the strait ways, which Ps.25 9. the Lord teacheth you; of whom the Psalm saith, The meek shall He direct in judgment, the gentle shall He teach His ways. Patience indeed among the toils of this life, without which the hope of the life to come cannot be maintained, can no one retain continually, but the meek and gentle; who Mat.ll,resisteth not the will of God, Whose yoke is easy, and His ^^- burden light, but only to those who believe in God, who Walk after Christ in His Passion, to attain to His Resurrection. 775 hope in Him, and love Him. So truly as meek and gentle Seum. ye will not only love His consolations, but as good children j^ygj will also endure His scourges ; that since ye hope for that ye see not, ye may with patience wait for it. So act, so walk ye. For so ye walk in Christ, Who said, / am llic Way. Johni4, How you must walk in Him, learn, not only by His word, but also by His example. For This His oicn Son //leRom. 8, • 32 Father spared not, but delivered Him up for us all ; not ol course against His will, not refusing, but equally willing with the Father ; for that the Will of the Father and the Son is One in His equality in the Form of God, Being in which Pl'^l- 2, He thought it iwt robbery to be equal ivith God ; and pre- eminently' obedient, in His emptying of Himself, taking the^ singu- form of a servant. For He Himself loved us, and gave ^^j^^ Himself up for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a;ilEphes. odour of sweetness. In such wise then the Father spared ' not His Own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, as that the Son Himself also delivered Himself up for us. .3. He then the High One, by Whom all things were made, "i- being delivered up, by reason of the form of a servant 3° " ' delivered up to the reproach of men, and the despising of the people, to contumely, to scourging, to the Death of the Cross, hath taught us by the example of His Passion, with how great patience we should walk in Him; and hath assured us by the example of His Resurrection what we ought in patience to hope from Him. For if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. We hope, it is true, for that we see not: but we are the Body of That Head, in Whom what we hope for hath been already perfected. For of Him it is said, that He is the Head of the Body, the Co\. 1, Church, the F/rst-Begolien, holding Himself the pre-emi- nence. And of us it is written, Now ye are the Body of^ ^°''- Christ, and members. Now if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wail for it, in firm assurance; since He Who hath risen again is our Head, He reserveth our hope. And in that before He rose again, our Head was scourged. He hath confirmed our patience. For it is written. For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth; and scourge t ha eh. \2, every son whom He receiveth. Let us not then faint imder^" the scourge, that we may rejoice in the resurrection. For so 3 E 776 Xtiatis hope for tliincis certain, the inorld for tilings uncertain. Sr.iiM. true is it tliat IJc .scoifn/el/i ercry son u/ioni He rcceivelhy r J^r B.l t^'^*' ^^^ spared not even His Only Son, hut delivered Him nomTs, up for us all. Looking then at Him, Who without the ^^- desert of sin was scourged, Who died for our sins, and rose Rom. 4, . . 1 r ^ 1- 25. again Jor our justtjication, let us not tear lest we be cast away when we have been scourged ; but rather let us trust that we shall be received, having been justified, iv. 4. For although the fulness of our joy be not yet come; yet not even now have we been left without joy; for we are saved in hope. Accordingly the Apostle himself too, who Rom. 8, g^i^jj 7^ ^g, hope for that we see not, then do we with Rom. patience wait for it; saith in another place. Rejoicing in 2^;,'^* hope, pa/ient in tribulation. Having then snch hope, let us 3, 12. line much confidence ; and let our speech in grace he seasoned ,.°' ' with salt, that we may know how we ought to answer every one. For we must say to them, who since they have lost, or have never received patience, dare even to insult, whereas they ought to imitate, us who wait patiently on the Lord, (because hoping for that tee see not, we do in jxitience wait for it,) " Where are your delights, for which ye walk by crooked ways?" We do not say, " Where shall they be, when this life hath passed away ;" but, " Where are they now ? When to-day has removed yesterday, and to-morrow is about to remove to- day, what is there of the things ye love that does not flit, and fly away? What is there that does not fly away almost before it is taken, since of this very to-day, not even an hour can be retained? For so the second is shut out by the third, just as the first was by the second. Of this very one hour, which seems present, nothing is present; for all its portions, and all its moments, are fleeting." V. 5. What man sins for, if he be not thoroughly blinded when he sins, let him at least, now he hath sinned, give heed. He might see that pleasui'e that is to pass away is without any wisdom longed for; or when it has passed away, is with repentance thought of. Ye laugh at us, because we hope for things eternal, which we do not see; whereas ye, enslaved to those tem})oral tilings which are seen, know not what kind of day to-morrow's sun will bring you : which when ye hope to be good, ye often find evil; nor if it shall be good, will ye be able to hold it that it fly not away. Ye laugh at We hope from Christ as God, tohat we see in Christ as Man. Ill us, because we hojje for things eternal; which when they Serm. come, shall not pass away ; because they do not even come, []57.b!] but abide ever; but we shall come to them, when by the ^ way of the Lord we shall have passed over those things which pass auay. But by you tliese temporal things never cease to be hoped for, and yet the things ye hope for frequently deceive you; nor do they cease to inflame you when they are yet to come, to corrupt when they come, to torment when they pass avv^ay. Are they not things which when coveted kindle hot desires, obtained are disesteemed, lost vanish into nothing ? We too make use of them as the necessity of this pilgrim state requires; but we do not fix our joys in them, lest we be overwhelmed with them when thev fall. For we use this world as not using it. that we i Cor. ... 7 31 may come to Him Who made this world, and abide in Him,^„|g' enjoying His Eternity. 6. But what is that ye say, " Who hath come hither from vi, thence, and who hath informed men of what is passing among the dead V On this point too hath He shut your mouth, Who raised again a dead man on the fourth day, and on thejohnii, third day rose again Himself, now to die no more, and before He died, told us, as He from Whom nothing could be hid, in the narrative of the beggar at rest, and the rich man LukeiG, in flames, what sort of life receives those who die. But these ' ^' things they do not believe, who say, "Who hath returned hither from thence ?" They wish it to be thought they would believe, if one of their own ancestors were to return to life. But cursed Jerem. 17 5. is every one who patleth his hope in man. For this reason then God, made Man, was pleased to die and rise again; that both what was to happen to man, might be shewn him in Man's Flesh, and yet that belief might be had in God, not in man. And at all events the Church of the faithful, spread over the whole world, is now before their eyes. Let them read of it promised so many ages before to one man, who against hope helieced in hope^ that he might heeome //' • ' J []57.B,]SUch language, the Truth fintlcth them dead ah'eady. But ye, brethren, children ot" the Resurrection, citizens of the holy Angels, heirs of (iod, and joint-heirs with Christ, beware yo of imitating those who die to-moiTOW in breathing out their last, and are buried in their cups to-day. But as the same Apostle saith, Let not evil cotrnininications corrupt ijour (jood iuanners ; be ye sober in rit/hteousness, and sin not; walking the naiTow road, but the certain way which leadL,'th to tlie expanse of the heavenly Jerusalem, which is our Eternal Mother; hope in firmest assui'ance for that ye see not, wait patiently for that ye have not yet; for that ye • fideli.s-})old Christ the True Promiser as a most* sure guarantee. sime SERMON evil I. [CLVllI. Ben. J On the words of the Apostle, Rom. viii "Now whom He did predestinate, them He also called; and wliom He called, them He also justified; &o. If God he for us, who can he against us?" against the Pelagians. i. 1. We have heard the blessed Apostle exhorting and Rom. 8, confirming us, when he said to us, // God be for us, iclto can ^'- be ai/aiust us? Now for whom God is, he shews above, V. 30. when he says, N^ow whom He did predestinate, them He also called; and uhoin He called, them He also j ustijied ; and V.31. ivhom He justified, them He also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, toho can he against us? God for us, to predestinate us; God for us, to callus; God for us, to justify us; God for us, to glorify us. If God be for us, who can be against us? He predestinated us, before we were; called us, when we were turned away; justified us, when we were sinners; glorified us, when we were mortal. // God be for us, who can be against us? Let him who would oppose the predestined, called, justified, glorified of God, make himself ready, if he can war against God. For when we heard, // Ood be for us, who can be against us? none but he that conquereth God, hurteth us. And who is he that conquereth the Omnii)otent? Whosoever would struggle with Ilim, injurcth himself. This it is, which Acts 9, (jhi-ist called out of heaven too to Paul, as vet Saul, // is not God our Debtor thromjh His pruinises^ not j or our service. 779 good for thee to kick against the goad. Be he violent, be he Serm violent as he can, whoso sendeth his heels against the goad, ^^g i; is not his violence against himself? 2. Now in these four eminent particulars, which the Apostle ii. hath set forth, which pertain to them for whom God is, that is, predestination, calling, justification, glorification; in these four particulars, I say, we ought to consider what we have already, and what we still wait for. For in those things which we have already, praise we God the bounteous Giver; in those we have not yet, hold we Him our debtor. For debtor hath He become, not by receiving aught from us, but by promising what it hath pleased Him. For in one sense do we say to a man ; " You owe me, because J gave you:" and in another we say, " You owe me, because you promised me." When you say, " You owe me, because I gave you;" some boon has proceeded from you, but as a loan, not a gift. But when you say, " You owe me, because you promised me;" you have given nothing, and yet you exact. For His goodness Who hath promised will give, lest good faith be turned to evil. For whoso deceiveth, is evil. But do we say to God, " Render to me, because I have given Thee?" What have we given to God, when all we are, and all we have of good, we have from Him? Nothing then have we given Him. There is no way whereby we can require of God on this title', especially as the Apostle saith, i vooe For who hath known the Mind of the Lord, or who hath -Rq^^ been His counsellor? Or who hath first given to Him, and}h^'^- it shall he recompensed unto Him again '? Tn that way then may we require of our Lord, that we should say, " Render what Thou hast promised, for that we have done what Thou hast commanded; and this too Thou hast done, for that Thou hast aided us in our labour." 3. Let no one say then, " Therefore Iiath God called me, iii. because I served God." How hadst thou served, if thou hadst not been called? If God hath called thee for this reason, for that thou hast served Him; then thou hast first given, and He hath recompensed thee again. Doth not the Apostle take this pretence^ from thee, when he saith. Or who ^xocem hath first given to Him, and it shall he recompensed unto him again? But, lo, when thou wast called, thou wast at 780 Xtians alreadt/ predestinated and called; justified in part; Serm. least already. How couldest thou be predestinated, but CVill n5g givvheu thou wast not? What gavest thou to God, when thou " wast not, to give aught? What did God then when He predestinated him wlio was not? What the Apostle says, Rom. 4, J^io calteth those things which are /toty as those that are. If thou already wast, thou couldest not be predestinated; unless thou hadst been turned away, thou couldest not be called; unless thou hadst been ungodly, thou couldest not be justified; unless thou hadst been earthly, and of low estate, thou couldest not be glorified. Who then halhjirst yiven to ?^,°'"' Him, and it shall he recompensed vnto him againf For of Him, and through Him., and in Him are all things. What then do we render unto Him? To Him he glorg. For that we were not, when we were predestinated; for that we were turned away, when we were called; for that we were sinners, when we were justified; let us give God thanks, that we remain not unthankful. 4. Now we had proposed to consider of these four par- ticulars, what we had attained already, for what we yet look to be attained. For we have been predestinated already, and even before we were. Called we were, when we were iv. made Christians. We have this then too already. Justified. What? What is, justified? Dare we say, that we have this third thing already ? And shall there be any one of us w ho would dare to say, " I am just?" For I suppose that this is, " I am just," namely, " I am not a sinner." If you dare to 1 John say this, John meets you, If ue shall sag that we have no ' ' sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. What then? Have we nothing of justice? Or have we, but have it not entire ? Let us then search into this. For if we have something, and something have not; let that we have grow, and that we have not shall be filled up. For sec; men have been baptized, all their sins have been forgiven them, they have been justified from sins; we cannot deny it; yet a wrestling with the flesh remains, a wrestling with the world remains, a wrestling with the devil remains. Now whoso wrestleth, some- times gives, sometimes receives a blow; sometime conquers, sometimes is worsted ; we wait to see how he comes out of the the lists. For if we shall sag that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. Again, if we shall say by faith in Baptism; more completely/ hy(jroioth in the Spirit. 781 that we have nought of iustice, we lie against the gifts of God. Serm. . . . CVIII For if we have nought of justice, we have not even faith : if we nsg.B.] have not faith, we are not Christians. But if we have faith, we have somewhat of justice already. This somewhat, wouldest thou know, how great it is .'' The just liveth by Hab. 2, faith; the just, I say, liveth by faith; for that he believeth |" J^^'"'" that he seeth not. Cl^l- 3, 6. Our fathers, holy leaders' of the flock, the Apostles, 10'^ 38. ' our guides, when they preached, not only saw ivith their eyes, v. but even Jiandled ivith their hands; and notwithstanding, the ^ '^phn^ Lord reserving for us the gift of faith, to a certain one ofi, 1. His disciples handling, feeling, searching out with his fingers and finding the Truth, exclaiming, 3Iy Lord and my God, John20, the Lord and God Himself said, Because thou Itast seen, thou ^^* ^^* haat believed. And having us in view who were yet to be, He said, Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. We have not seen, we have heard, and believed. We have been in anticipation pronounced blessed, and have we nought of justice? The Lord came in the Flesh to the Jews, and was killed; He came not to us, and was accepted. A people whom I have not knoivn hath served Me; by thePs.i7, heari/ry of the ear they have obeyed Me. This people are ^ept. we, and have we nought of justice? Most certainly we have, (i^, 43, Be we thankful for that we have, that what we have not may be added, and that we lose not that we have. This third thing also then hath already effect in us. We have been justified; but this justice increases, as we make advance. And how it increases I will say, and so to say confer with you, that each one of you, already established in this justification, having received to wit the remission of sins by the laver of regeneration, having received the Ploly Ghost, making ad- vancement from day to day, may see where he is, may go on, advance, and grow, till he be consummated, not so as to come to an end, but to perfection, 6. Man begins' by faith ; what pertaineth to faith ? To believe. But let this faith be still distinguished from unclean vi. spirits. What pertaineth to faith? To believe. But the Apostle James says. The devils also believe, and tremble. S^mes If thou believest only, and livest without hope, or hast not ' * love; The devils also believe, and tremble. What great 782 Hope oat of a tjood coiiaciciice essential to faii/i S'-iiM. thing i.s il, il ihou callest Christ the Son of God? This 1158.711 lector said, and he heard, Blessed art t/ioit, Simon Barjoiia; Mat.iG, tlii!5 tlic devils said, and they lieard, Hold your peace. The ^^' lirst blessed^ it is said to him, liecause jiesh and blood hath Mark \,not revealed it unto thee, but 3Iy Father Which is in Hea- T* if »^4 '"^'''" ^^^^ ^^^ others hear, Hold your peace ; they both say 34.35. this same thing, and they are repulsed. The expression is the same; but the Lord questioneth the root, not the flower. Heh.i2, Whence to tlie Hebrews it is said, f^est any root ofbiltcrness sprinyiny up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled. .First then distinguish thy faith from the faith of devils. Whereby dost tliou distinguish it? The devils said this in fear, Peter in love. Add then to faith, hope. And what hope is thei'e, but from some goodness of conscience ? Aud to this hope add charity. We have from above a super- eminent way, as the Apostle saith, I shew unto you a super- 1 Cor. eminent way: If I speak with the tongues of men and of Vi 1 ' (iiiyf-'l'^i e-Ps. 37, /////// t/ii/s'/fin the Lord, saith Scripture. Now the Lord is Righteousness. For thou must not form to thyself an idea of God as of an idol. God is like unto things invisible; so in ourselves the things are best which are invisible. Faithful- ness is better than the flesh, faithfulness is better than gold, yea faithfulness is better than silver, than money, than farms, than household, than riches; and all these are seen, faithful- ness is not seen. To which then shall we think God more like, to the visible, or the invisible ? to the precious, or the valueless } 1 will speak of things of less esteem. You have two servants, one deformed in person, the other very beauti- ful; but that deformed one, faithful, the otiier unfaithful. Tell me, which do you love the most; and I see that you love the things invisible. What then, when you love the faithful servant, though deformed in person, more than the beautiful, unfaithful one, have you made a mistake, and preferred deformity to beauty.? Assuredly not: but you have preferred the greater beauty to deformity. For you have disregarded the eyes of the body, and have lifted up the eyes of the heart. You have questioned the eyes of the body, and what report have they brought back to you .? This one is beautiful, the other deformed. You have driven them away, have refused their testimony ; have lifted up the eyes of the heart on the faithful servant, and on the unfaithful servant; the first you have found deformed in body, the last beautiful ; but you have ]>ronounced, and said. What is more beautiful than faithfulness? than unfaithfulness what more deformed .'' 4. Therefore before all pleasures, all even lawful delights, iv. that is, righteousness is to be loved. For if thou hast interior 788 Interior se»ses have t/ieir ihli(/hts, analoyouti to the outward. Sekm. senses, all those interior senses are delighted with the r J 59^7^] pleasures of righteousness. If thou hast interior eyes, see P^6^9.thi' light of righteousness; For iri/Ii TJiee is the founldin of life, and in Thy Light shall tie see liyht. Of that light the P8.13,3. Psalm saith, Liyliten mine eyes, that I never sleep in death. Again, if thou hast interior ears, hear righteousness. Such Luke 8 ears did He seek, Who said, Who hath ears to hear, let him 8 2CoY.2,hear, If thou hast an interior smell, hear the Apostle; We ^^- are a good odour of Christ unto God in every place. If thou Ps.34,8.hast an interior taste, hear; Taste and. see, that the Lord. is siceet. If thou hast an interior touch, hear what the Bride Cant. 2, singeth of the Spouse; His heft Hand is under niy head, ^' and His Right Hand shall embrace me. 5. Let us then propose, as I had begun to say, an example of this contest. Let us see, my brethren, who it is; I will ask, and let him answer, in what I shall say, whether he is so delighted with righteousness, as to prefer it to all the other delights which appertain to these senses of the bodj-. Lo, thy gold delights thee, delights thine eyes; it is a beautiful metal, most brilliant, it gives delight. Beautiful it is, I do not deny it; for were I to deny that it is beautiful, I should do wrong to its Creator. The tempter then comes and saith to thee, " I will take tliy gold from thee, if thou wilt not give false witness for me; but if thou wilt, I will give thee more." Two delights are at strife within thee ; now I ask thee which thou dost prefer, which delights thee most, gold, or truth; gold, or true witness. Doth the former shine, and the latter not shine .? Fidelity is sought for in true witness. Doth gold shine, and fidelity not shine ? Blush, use thine eyes; what thou didst love in thy servant, render tliou unto thy Lord. For just now when I asked thee of thy two servants, one fiiithful and defornled, the other un- faithful and beautiful, which thou didst love the most; thou answeredst me rightly, and didst prefer that which ought to be preferred. Return thou into thine own self, for of thyself is the question now. Certainly thou didst love the faithful servant ; is thy Lord unworthy, to have a faithful servant in thee ? And what great ]iromise didst tliou make to thy faithful servant.? Howsoever great thy love, the highest revvard was liberty. What great promise didst thou make Ri(/htroumess to he foUoiued, as ivas sin, for its sweetness. 789 to thy failliful servant? Temporal liberty. Do we not see Serm, many slaves in want of nothing, and free men beggars ? Yet rigg^j thou didst exact fidelity from him, to whom thou didst promise liberty ; and dost thou not preserve then fidelity to Him Who promiseth thee eternity ? 6. It were long to run through the several senses of the v. body : but what I have said of the eyes, that understand ye of the rest ; and to the delight of the flesh prefer the delight of the mind. For unlawful pleasures delight your flesh; let righteousness, invisible, beauteous, chaste, holy, melodious, sweet, delight your mind, that ye be not forced to it by fear. For if ye are forced to it by fear, it doth not yet delight. Thou oughtest not to sin, not through fear of punishment, but through love of i-ighteousness. Flence the Apostle says, / speak after the maimer of rnen because of Rom. 6, the infirmity of your Jiesh. For as ye have yielded your ^^' inembers to serve imcleanness and iniquity unto iniquity ; even so now yield your members to serve righteousness unto holiness. What have I said .? I speak after the manner of men : I speak what ye are able to bear. When ye yielded your members to iniquity, for the perpetration of uncleanness, were ye drawn by fear, or invited by delight? What say ye? Answer us, because even ye who are now living well, perchance did once live evilly. When ye sinned, ye took delight in your sins ; did fear draw you to sin, or the sweet- ness of sin? Ye will answer, " the sweetness." Doth sweet- ness draw to sin, and fear constrain to righteousness? Prove yoiu'selves, look into yourselves. Let him that threateneth take the gold; righteousness is sweeter, righteousness is more brilliant. Let him that promiseth not give the gold ; righteousness must be preferred to gold, preferred by the delight it yieldeth, it is brighter, it is more brilliant, it is sweeter, it is more delicious. Now then if one try himself, and come off" victorious in this contest, he hath heard the Apostle saying, / speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh. Doubtless he spared infirmity ; and tried to say something more grateful to those of little strength, 7. Lo, saith he, I speak what you are able to receive: Ye yi. have yielded your members to unlawful delights, ye liave 790 To he perfect, despise pain, as ivell as pleasure, for holiness. Serm. been led bv the sweetness ol' sins, to do them; let the CIX. ' . [159.13.1 sweetness and pleasantness of righteousness draw you to ri!?;ht action; love righteousness, as ye have loved iniquity. Righteousness is worthy to obtain from you that ye yield to it what ye have yielded to iniquity ; this is, / speak after the manner of men, that is, what your infirmity is as yet able to bear. What then hath the Apostle suspended ? what hath he deferred to say ? T will tell you what he hath deferred, if I shall be able. Weigh righteousness and iniquity together: is righteousness worthy of as much as iniquity was worth ? Ought it so to be loved, as iniquity was loved \ God forbid that it should be so loved, but would it were even so. More then.? Undoubtedly more. In iniquity thou didst follow pleasure, for righteousness endure pain. In unrighteousness, I say, thou didst follow delight, for righteousness endure pain ; this is the more. Lo, some unchaste one of youth's slippery age, through the enticement of pleasui'e, hath cast his eyes on another man's wife, hath loved, desires to attain his end ; yet he seeks to be concealed ; for he in such wise loves pleasure as to fear pain more. Why seeks he to be concealed ? He fears to be caught, to be imprisoned, brought up, confined, produced, tortured, killed. Through fear of all this, iu that pursuit of 1 aucu- his pleasures he seeks concealment; he looks' sharply out patur £^^j. j|-,g husband's absence, he fears to find even the accom- plice of his crime, because he di'eads to involve himself with one who is privy to it. And we see him drawn by pleasure; but that pleasure is not so powerful, as to overcome even fear and pain, and the dread of punishment. Give me beauteous righteousness, give me the beauty of faith ; let her come forth, shew herself to the eyes of the heart, inspire fervour in her lovers. Now she says to thee, " Wouldest thou enjoy me .'' Desj)ise whatever else dolighteth thee, despise it for me." Lo, thou hast despised it, it is not enough ior her : this is after the manner of men, because of the injirmity of your flesh. " It is not enough that thou despisest whatever de- lighted thee ; despise whatever terrified thee ; despise the prison, despise chains, despise the rack, despise torments, despise death. These thou hast overcome, thou hast found me." In either step shew yourselves lovers of righteousness. Fervor and hlessedttess of sou I, dying to aelf^to live lo God. 791 8. We do find some perhaps who prefer the delight of Serm. righteousness to the pleasures and satisfaction of their body;jj59^j but for him who for it would despise punishment, pains and vii. death, thinkest thou there is any such among us? At least let us conceive what we dare not profess. What conceive we? Where conceive we it? There are thousands of martyrs before our eyes, those true and perfect lovers of righteous- ness. Of them is it said, Count it all joy, my brethren, ichen James ye fall into divers temptations; knowing that the trying of ' your faith icorketh patience ; and patience hath a perfect work. What can be added, that she should have a perfect work? She loves, loves ardently, fervently, treadeth down all things that delight, and passes on ; she comes to things rough, frightful, cruel, threatening, she treads them down, breaks them, and passes on. O what it is to love, O what it is to go onwards, O what it is to die to one's self, O what it is to attain to God! He that findeth his life shall lose it ;Ma.tt. 10 39 and he that loseth his life for My sake shall find it unto /?/ The loorldcrucijied to ua Ihrotiyh the Cross of its Maker. Serm. of Moses, sailli the Scriuturc, to visit his brethren; this is a [i60.B.]tiuinan tliought'. And when the disciples were in doubt 'cMmditio about the Lord Himself, and were saying among themselves, cogitatio when they saw Him on a sudden risen again, " It is He ; No, (text.) it is not; it is flesh, it is a spirit;" He saith to them. Why 3Ci. ^ do thoughts ascend into^ your heart <^ 2i»fl!/3«/- 4_ Let us then seek, if we can, not for that which may 3 merea- ascend into our heart, but whither our heart may be thought' '"' worthy to ascend. For he shall be thought worthy to be glorified in Christ Keigning, who shall have learnt to glory in Him Crucified. Whence the Apostle himself seeing not only whither to ascend, but also whereby to ascend. For many have seen whither, and have not seen whereby ; have loved the country of exaltation, but have not known the way of humiliation. The Apostle, 1 say, knowing, and reflecting, and meditating beforehand, not only whither, but also whereby, Gal. 6, saith, God forbid that I should glory, save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. He might have said, " In the Wisdom of our Lord Jesus Christ," and said true; he might have said, "In the Majesty," and said ti'ue; he might have said, " In the Power," and said true; but he said, " In the Cross." Wliere the Philosopher of the world was ashamed, there the Apostle finds a treasure ; by not despising the mean covering, he got to the precious enclosure. God forbid, saith he, that 1 should glory, save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. A goodly burden hast thou borne, there is all that thou hast sought; and what great thing lay hid there hast thou shewn. Ibid. What kind of succour.? By Whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. How could the world be crucified unto thee, had not He been Crucified for thee, by Whom the world was made ? Therefore, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. In what Lord ? In Christ Cru- cified. Where is humility, there is Majesty; where infirmity, there Power; where death, there Life. If thou wouldest attain to the one, despise not the other. 5. Thou hast heard in the Gospel of the sons of Zebedee. Mat.20, They sought for elevation, begging that one of them might Mark **^ "' ^^^^ Right Hand, the other on the Left, of so Great a 10, 37. Householder. Great truly was the height they sought for, great indeed; but since they neglected the whereby, Christ Cross on our forehead bids us glory in ChrisVs humility. 797 calleth them from the whither they wished to go,to the whereby Serm. they must go. For as they asked so great elevation, what did rieo.B.l He answer them? Are ye able to drink of the Cup that /Mat.20, shall drink of? What Cup, save the Cup of humihation, save ^^' the Cup of suffering ? which when He was about to drink, and transforming our infirmity into Himself, He saith to the Father, Father, if it be possible, let this Cup pass from Me. Mat.26, Transforming into Himself these very Apostles who refused ^^* to drink such a Cup, and sought exaltation, neglected the way of humiliation. He saith, Are ye able to drink of the Cup) that I shall drink of? Ye seek Christ glorified'; return ' excei- unto Him Crucified. Ye would reign and glory on the^^°* Thrones of Christ; first learn to say, Ood forbid that I should Ga\. 6, glory, save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ ! This is ^^* the Christian doctrine, the precept of humility, the commend- ation of humility, that we glory not, save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, For it is no great thing to glory in * Christ's Wisdom ; a great thing it is to glory in the Cross of Christ; wherein the ungodly insults thee, therein let the godly glory ; where the proud insults, therein let the Christian glory. Blush not for the Cross of Christ; therefore hast thou received this Sign on the forehead, as the seat of shame. Remember thy forehead, that thou stand not in fear of others' tongues. 6. The sign of the Old Testament was circumcision in the secret flesh ; the Sign of the New Testament is the Cross in the open^ forehead. For there is concealment, here unveil- 2 nbera ing: that is under a veil, this on the face. For as long as'2 Cor. 3, Moses is read, a veil is placed over their heart. Wherefore ? Because they have not passed over unto Christ. For when\. I6. tJiou shall have passed over unto Christ, the veil shall be taken away ; tliat thou who hadst circumcision in secret, may est on the forehead bear the Cross. But tve with face y- 18. unveiled beholding as in a glass the Glory of the Lord, are transformed, saith he, into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord. Attribute not this unto thyself, think not this thine own doing, lest, being ignorant of God\s righteousness, and wishing to establish thine own righteousness, thou subtnit not thyself unto the righteousness 708 Oircu incision a type of the Cross. Serm. of God. Pass over then unto Christ, O thou who gloriesl [leo^R.l in the Circumcision. For thou wishest to have glory from that which thou art ashamed to shew. " It is a sign," it is true, it was enjoined by God ; but it is a sign of conceal- ment; for the New Testament was veiled in the Old; the Old Testament is unveiled in the New. Therefore let the si