No More Learning

EXPOSITION.
Sermon to the people, wherein he argueth against the games and shows, and also against the Donatists.
1. Ye remember, beloved, that we put off till to-day the discussion of the Psalm which we have just sung. For it is
the very Psalm which was read on the Lord's Day, and which
we had undertaken to handle. But at that time we were moved by the Gospel which was read, and, through the greatness of our fear, and for your greater profit, we dwelt
upon the Lord's commending to us the last day, and how
He willed that we should with care and watching look
out for His coming, frightening us by an example, that He
may not condemn us in the judgment, saying, that the coming of the Son of Man should be as it was m the days of Lake\7, Noe : they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they 26- 27,
380 The importance of preparing for the Day of Judgment.
Psalm married wives, they were given in marriage, until Noe ^YiL entered into the Ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. In our anxiety then, and through great fear
which shook us, (for who, if he believes, would not fear ? ) we dwelt, so far as we could, on this, speaking at length in our discourse, how you and all of us should act and live, so that we may be able not only to await that day without dread, but even to long for it. For, if we love Christ, surely we ought to long for His coming. For it is a contradiction, and cannot, I think, be true, to fear the coming of Him
Whom thou lovest ; to pray, Thy kingdom come, and to fear lest thou be heard. And whence is this fear of the Judge's coming? Is He unjust? is He spiteful? is He envious? lastly, doth He wait to hear thy cause from another, so that
perhaps he whom thou hast instructed, either may cheat thee by making but a sham defence, or, through deficiency
of eloquence and ability, may be unable to prove in words thy goodness and innocence? It is none of these. Who is it then that is to come ? wherefore dost thou not rejoice ? Who is coming to judge thee, save He, Who came to be judged for thee? Thou needest not fear the accuser, of
John 12, whom He Himself said, Now is the prince of this world cast 11 out. Thou needest not fear the weakness of thy advocate, for He is now thy Advocate, Who then will be thy Judge.
He will be there, and thou, and thy case : the statement of thy case will be the testimony of thy conscience. Who soever then thou art that fearest thy Judge that is to be, amend at once thy conscience that is now. Is it too little for thee, that He will not require what is past ? No space of time will then be left, when He shall judge: now how great a space is left while He enjoineth ! Then it will no longer be possible to amend : now, who hindereth thee ?
While we were earnestly commending this to you on the Lord's Day, because this, I might almost say this alone, is really needful to be spoken, a considerable space of time passed, and we were compelled to defer to this day the Psalm which we had undertaken to handle. Now it is before us: let us give heed to or rather to God, Who in His mercy has deigned to dispense to us these discourses in His Spirit, as He Himself knows to be expedient for
it,
Part of the Psalm difficult. 381
our infirmities. For doth ever a sick man dare to give Vrr. counsel to his Physician ? I'LL""
2. While it was being read, ye all of you, I imagine, or
many at all events, observed that it containeth several verses,
for the opening of which we must needs knock : specially
when he has heard this, taketh it literally, he has indeed
thought of works of God : for who giveth snow, save God ?
who scattereth mist, save God ? who hardeneth crystal, save
He ? and each of these has a fitting similitude set over
against it : for wool is not unlike snow, nor ashes unlike
mist, nor morsels of bread to the cleanness and whiteness
of white crystal. For crystal is in appearance like glass,
where it saith, mist like ashes :
Who giveth snow like wool, Who scatterethv. \6. n. Who sendeth forth His crystal like morsels
of bread: Who can stand before His cold? For if any,
but it is white.
Now, with regard to this crystal, it is told by those who know, (and therefore we ought not to doubt
for Scripture, which most worthy of belief, giveth testimony thereto,) told, say, that crystal, being made of snow, which has hardened through many years and never melted, becomes so solid, that cannot easily be melted. Summer at its coming easily melteth the snow of the pre ceding winter, for hath not yet antiquity besides to increase its hardness. But when
many snows for many years have fallen upon one another, and their abundance
has become too great for the power of the summer to master, mean not one summer, but many, and especially in these parts, that is, in the north, where even in summer the sun not found extremely hot,) then this abiding and lasting hardness creates this which called crystal. Ob serve, beloved. What then crystal snow hardened by frost for many years, so that cannot easily be melted either by sun or fire. have explained this at somewhat
greater length, because many are ignorant of and they who happen to know ought not to consider statement of what they know burdensome, seeing brought forward
not for their sake, but for the sake of those who know not. When then ye heard the Reader sounding out these words, doubt not that different thoughts presented them selves to you; that some said, and said truly, Great are the
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382 The presumption of criticising Holy Scripture.
Psalm works of the Lord, whereof but a small portion, and that an cxlto. eartli|y one, and known to almost all, has been here men
tioned, how God snows, how He scattereth mist, how He maketh the crystal solid : others said to themselves, Thinkest thou that all this is set down without reason in Scripture, or that this means nothing more than it sounds ? Is not somewhat suggested to us by the snow and the wool, by the mist and ashes, by the crystal and bread? But why hath Scripture willed to speak thus, by certain darknesses, so to speak, of similitudes ? how much better for it to speak more openly ? why have I so much as to seek or hesitate what these words mean ? why am I at fault when I hear them ? why when I have heard a Psalm do 1 generally go away never the wiser? This is which said a little above, Suffer thyself to be cured thus art thou to be healed. ' Very proud and presumptuous that sick man, who dares to advise his physician, even though he be but
man. Shall the sick man dare to give advice to the physiciau When mau sick, and God curing him, a great beginning of reverence and soundness, before thou knowest wherefore thing has been said, to believe that was right for to be said in the way in which has been said. For this reverence will make thee capable of seeking what said, of finding when thou hast sought, of rejoicing when thou hast found. Let us have then this sympathy of your prayers with our Lord God may He deign, if not for our sakes yet for yours, to give unto us what here lieth hidden. Look on then now as though we had promised you day of some heavenly show and exhibition, and, having
read these verses and not yet expounded them, have brought before you some of our Exhibitor's dresses wrapped up. Verily for this cause that they are brought forth folded up, that ye may await their being unfolded0: but ye are preparing
not only to gaze on them, but to be clothed with them.
3. We said on the Lord's Day, ye, beloved, who were present remember, that the Gospel which detained us so long that we had to defer the exposition of the Psalm, yet harmonized well with the Psalm. This we then said, but
Ut evolutse expectentur: which equivalent to spectentur, "that they the Benedictine Editors explain as may be unfolded and seen. "
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The hope of a future life the stay of the Christian. 383
were not able to prove, because we deferred discussing the Veil
Psalm.
To-day then we ought also to set forth this bar concerning the
mony. In that Gospel we were alarmed
last day. That alarm produces safety: for through being
alarmed we take precautions, by taking precautions we
love this present life, so frail, so fleeting, so transitory, as though there were no other : for if there be no other, let us love this present one. If there is no other life, they are more happy than we, who to-day have watched in the
amphitheatre. For what saith the Apostle? If in this life iCor. 15, only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most mise- 19' rable. There is then another life. Let each ask Christ,
that is, his own faith. But faith is asleep. Rightly art
thou tossed, for Christ is asleep in the ship. For Jesus Matt. 8, slept in the ship, and the ship was tossed by many waves
and storms. The heart then is tossed, when Christ sleepeth.
Christ ever waketh ; what then is meant by Christ is
asleep ? Thy faith is asleep. Why art thou still tossed
shall be safe.
For just as unseasonable
into alarms, so well-regulated anxiety produceth security. And for this cause doth God alarm us, that we do not so
thy with the eye of faith the future life, for the
faith, behold
sake of which thou hast believed, for the sake of which thou art signed with His mark, Who for this cause lived here on earth, that He might shew thee how despicable is this life which thou didst love, and how much to be hoped for that wherein thou didst not believe. If then thou awake faith, and turn its eyes upon the last things, and upon the future life wherein we shall rejoice, after the Lord's second coming, after the conclusion of the Judgment, after the kingdom of heaven has been delivered to the saints ; if thou think upon this life, and the restful business of this life, of which
we have often spoken, beloved, there our business will not be tossed about, our restful business, full of nought but sweetness,
interrupted by no annoyances, worn by no weariness, troubled by no cloud. What will then be our business?
To praise God: to love and praise, to praise in love, to
love in praises. Blessed are they that dwell in Thy house, Ps. 84,4.
fur ever and ever they will be praising Thee. Wherefore,
security driveth
with the storm of doubt ? Awaken Christ, awaken
384 The thought of the life to come make us care little
Psalm save because for ever and ever they will love Thee ? And cxt"v"' wherefore this, save because for ever and ever they will love
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Thee ? What a show1 will that be, when they see God!
s^ecta- Men see one* who fights with wild beasts, and are gladdened : '"ena'-
woe t0 them if they amend not themselves. For they who see him that fights with wild beasts, and are gladdened, shall see the Saviour, and be saddened. What more wretched than they to whom the Saviour shall not be for salvation ! No wonder then that they who delight in a man fighting, are not saved by a God freeing. But we, brethren, if we remember that we are among His members, if we long and persevere, shall see and be glad. That will be a city, all whose citizens shall be cleansed, wherein no seditious or turbulent one shall be mingled; the enemy who now grudges our reaching our country, there cannot lay snare for any, for he is not even permitted to be there. For if he is now excluded from the hearts of believers, how shall he then be excluded from the city of the living ? What will it be, brethren, what will it be, to be in that city, of which even to speak is
so great a joy ! For this future life we ought to prepare our hearts; whoever prepares his heart for despises this life entirely his despising makes him to await without anxiety that day, by the awaiting which the Lord frightened him.
4. Since then this Psalm speaks and sings to us about that future life, while the Gospel alarmed us about the present, the Psalm maketh us to love the future less, the Gospel to fear the present. Not that the language of the New Testament silent about future delight nay, much more set forth in
not brought forth, as seen open, that here
of the last day, the day of the coming of the Son of Man, for to their ruin will find those, who now are secure, because they are perversely secure; for they are secure in the pleasures of the world, whereas they ought to be secure in having tamed the desires of the world already surely the Apostle hath prepared us for that life, in words which quoted then also
Cor. 7,for the rest, brethren, the time is short: remaineth that 29. &C. fJiey ffat 1IQVe wlves oe a$ l/l0uy1, f1iey Jiaa> n0ue. a/lcl ffey
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wherein what to be understood were, under veil, but there
may be understood though obscure. Mat. 24, Seeing then that the Gospel said to us, Watch for the coming
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for things of this life : and so prepares us for the last day. 885
that buy, as though they bought not ; and they that rejoice, Ver.
--
as though they rejoiced not; and they that weep, as though
they wept not ; and they that use this u ortd, as though they
used it not ; for the fashion of this world passeth airay. I would have you without carefulness. He that setteth all
his happiness in eating and drinking, in marrying, buying, selling, in using this world, such an one too is without carefulness; but, since he is outside the ark, woe to him
from the deluge. But he who, whether he eateth or drinketh, 1 Cor" or whatsoever he doeth, doeth all to the glory of God; who, 10 ' 31. if he have any sorrow about matters of this world, so weepeth
as within in hope to rejoice; if he have any joy in matters of this world, so rejoiceth as within in spirit to fear; who giveth himself neither to prosperity to corrupt, nor to ad versity to crush, (and this is to weep as though he wept not, and to rejoice as though he rejoiced not;) he who, if he have a wife, sympathiseth with her weakness, and payeth to her her due, rather than exacteth his own ; or, if he marrieth on account of his own weakness, doeth it rather in sorrow that he could not remain without a wife, than in joy because he has one; he who selleth because he knoweth, that, even if it remained, it could not make him happy ; he who knoweth that what he buyeth is but fleeting, and on all that he hath, though it be abundant and overflowing, presumeth not, and of what he hath sheweth mercy to him that hath not, that he too may receive what he hath not from Him Who hath all things ;--he who is such as this awaiteth in safety the last
day, because he is not outside the ark; already is he reckoned among the undecaying timbers whereof the ark is built. Let him not then fear the Lord's coming, but hope and long for it. For to him He will come, not to inflict punishment, but to end his troubles. And this is accomplished longing for that city. What the Gospel then warned us to do, is fulfilled by longing for that city, whereof the Psalm singeth : so doth the Gospel accord with this Psalm.
by
5. Now let us hear what city it is that the Psalm singeth of. Let us hear, and let us sing: our joy, when we hear, is a song to our God. For we sing not only when with voice and lips we sound forth a song ; there is an inward song too, for there is One Whose Ears are within. We sing
VOL. 71. c c
386 The restoration of Jerusalem a type of the life to come.
Psm. m with the voice, to arouse ourselves ; we sing with the heart, tWln to please Him. The Psalm is called 'a Psalm of Haggai LX. X. and Zacharias. ' Haggai and Zacharias were prophets, and
ver. 12.
they were prophets during the captivity of that Jerusalem, which bore on earth the shadow of a certain city in heaven. Being then in the captivity of that city in Babylon, these prophets prophesied the restoration of Jerusalem ; they pro phesied that the people should be freed from captivity, and that a new city should arise by the restoration of the old. We know what this captivity we truly know our own state as wanderers. For in this world, in these present tribulations of the world, in the manifold crowd of offences, we, in manner, are groaning in captivity but we shall be lifted up our new city foretold to us, destined to be equal to the old. For after their prophesying too, the event happened visibly, so that the whole was unfolded, which was needed to fulfil the foreshadowing. Jerusalem was restored after seventy years of captivity. Thus, by these seventy years, does Jeremiah mark out by the number seven the whole course of time for these days of ours, as ye know, advance in sevens, they go and return. After seventy years then, when Jeremiah promised that the city Jerusalem should be restored, came to pass that therein too was set forth an image of things to come was set forth to us, that after this whole course of time, which signified by the number seven, that city of ours will be in eternity, in one day. For in that dwelling time rolls not on, for the dweller passeth not away. The prophets, seeing this in spirit, saw the heavenly, spake of the earthly. But they said of the latter, what might guide to the former: and all the things which were done in time, in bodily movements, in acts of men, were signs and fore-announcements of things to come.
6. Let us now hear that city sung of, and lift up ourselves to it. For the Spirit of God commendeth much to us, shedding into us the love of that we sigh unto and groan in our wanderings, and long to reach it. Let us love
the very love walking. Behold, let us love from the hallowed mouth, from the mouth prophetic speaking by the Spirit of God Praise in unison, Jerusalem, thy God. Abiding yet in captivity, they behold those flocks, or rather,
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Praise of God the one employment of that life. 387
the one flock of all its citizens, gathered from all sides Ver.
12'
into that city; they see the joy of the mass, now after threshings and winnowings placed in the garner, fearing nothing, suffering no toil nor trouble; and, as yet abiding here, in the midst of the threshing they send forward their
joy of hope, and pant for joining as were their hearts to the Angels of God, and to that people which shall abide with them in joy for ever. Praise in unison, Jerusalem,
thy God. For what wilt thou then do, Jerusalem Surely toil and groaning will pass away. What wilt thou do? wilt thou plough, or sow, or plant vines, or make voyages, or trade What wilt thou do Will still be thy dnty to be engaged in the works thou now doest, good though they are, and spring from mercy Consider thy numbers, consider on all sides thy company see whether any hungers, for thee to give bread to see whether any thirsts, for thee to give cup of cold water to; see whether any a stranger, for thee to take in see whether any
sick, for thee to visit see whether any at strife, for thee to reconcile him see whether any dying, for thee to bury him. What then wilt thou do? Praise in unison, O Jerusalem, thy God. Behold, this thy business. As wont to be said in inscriptions, 'Use and be happy*. ' Praise in unison, Jerusalem, thy God.
7. Be ye Jerusalem remember of whom said, Lord, p>>. 73, in Thy city their image Thou shall bring to nought. These
are they who now rejoice in such pomps among them are
they who have not come hither to-day because there a
show. To whom giftb? to whom loss? or why gift? why a loss? For not they only who exhibit such shows are smitten with loss, but with much greater loss are they smitten who delight in gazing on them. The former have their chest drained of its gold, the latter
have their breast robbed of the riches of righteousness. Most of the exhibitors of shows have to mourn for selling their estates how ought the sinners to mourn, for losing their souls Was then for this that the Lord cried out
Utere felir. ' This and other like
expressions seem from Morcelli, Opera
Epigraphies, voI. 415. to haTe been
nsnal in inscriptions upon cups and like rally gift,' also used in special works of art, probably when given as sense for show of gladiators. '
presents,
A play on the doable meaning of
the word munus,' which meaning lite-
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888 We should pray for those who neglect the life to come,
Psalm on the Lord's Day, ' Watch ye,' that to-day men should CxI'v"' watch in this way. I beseech you, ye citizens of Jerusalem,
I beseech you by the peace of Jerusalem, by the Redeemer, the Builder, the Ruler of Jerusalem, that ye address your
to God for them. May they see, may they feel, that they are trifling ; and, intent as they are on the sights which please them, may at length look on themselves, and be displeased. For in many we rejoice that this has already been done : and once we too sat there and were mad : and how many think we now sit there, who shall yet be, not only Christians, but also Bishops ! From what is
past, we conjecture what is to be : from what has already been done, we announce beforehand what God will do. Let your prayers be wakeful, ye groan not for nothing. Certainly they who have already escaped, praying for those who are still in danger, because they too having been among those in danger, are heard ; and God shall drag His people out of the captivity of Babylon ; by all means He shall redeem and deliver them, and the number of the saints
who bear the image of God shall be perfected. They shall not be there, whose image in His city God shall spurn and bring to nought, because they too in their city, that is in Babylon, have brought His image to nought.
There shall be the people praising the Lord, whom now the Spirit of prophecy foreseeth, and bids us exult in hope, and long for the reality. Praise in unison thy God, O Jerusalem : praise
thy God, O Sion. Praise in unison, because thou con- ' onom. sistest of many : praise, because thou hast been made one1. iCor. 1o, We being many, saith the Apostle, are one in Christ. As
then we are many, we praise in unison; as we are one, we
praise. The same are many and one, because He in Whom ? unum. they are one* is ever One3,
wherefore, saith this Jerusalem, do I praise in unison the Lord, and, as Sion, praise my God? Jerusalem is the same as Sion. For different reasons has it the two names. Jerusalem meaneth 'visions of peace;' Sion meaneth
4 speco- ' watching4. ' See whether these words do not sound like
i^pecta- sights3; that the Gentiles may not think that they hare
unua.
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siglus and we have none. Sometimes after the theatre or amphitheatre breaks up, when the crowd of lost ones begins to be vomited forth from that den, sometimes, retaining in
prayers
who pity us for losing the pleasures of this world. 389
their minds images of their vain amusements, and feeding Ver. their memory with things not only useless but even hurtful, 12' la" rejoicing in them as if they were sweet, while they are really deadly ; they see often, it may be, the servants of God pass
by, they recognise them by their garb or head-dress, or they
know them by sight0, and they say to one another, or in wardly, ' Wretched people, how much they lose I' Brethren,
let us return their good will (for they do mean it well) with prayers to the Lord. They wish us well; but he that Pt. 1),s. loveth iniquity, hateth his own soul. If he hateth his own
soul, how shall he love my soul ? Yet with a perverse, and empty, and vain good will, if indeed it may be called good will, they grieve that we lose what they love : let us pray that they lose not what we love. Behold of what character that Jerusalem is to be which he exhorteth to praise, or rather foreseeth will praise. For the praises of that city, when we shall see and love and praise, will not need to be urged on and stirred up by the voice of prophecy; but the Prophets now say this, to drink in as far as while
they remain in this flesh they can, the future joys of the blessed, and then giving them forth into our ears, to arouse in us love of that city. Let us burn with longing, let us not be slothful in spirit.
9. But see of what character that Jerusalem is to be, which is to praise God, and how it is to praise; in a sort of perfection of bliss. Praise in unison, saith he, O Jeru salem, the Lord; praise thy God, O Sion. And, as though it said, how shall I be safe to praise? he saith, for He hath
made strong the bars of thy gates. Observe, brethren. He
saith, He hath made strong the bars of thy gates. The ver. 13. making bars strong is not for open gates, but shut ones, wherefore most manuscripts read, He hath made strong
the 'bolls of thy gates. Observe, beloved. He biddeth 1 seras.
Jerusalem when closed in to praise the Lord. We praise
in unison now, we praise now; but it is amid offences.
Many where we wish not, enter in : many though we wish it
not, go out: therefore offences are frequent. And because Mat. 24,
iniquity hath abounded, saith the Truth, the love of many 12" waxeth cold: because men come in whom we cannot discern,
c There is a better reading in some Mss. : forte" for fronte, ' or they happen to know them. '
390 Explanation of the Parable
Psalm because men go out whom we cannot retain. Wherefore is <jxlVU- this ? Because not yet is there perfection, not yet is there
the bliss that shall be. Wherefore is this ? Because as yet it is the threshing-floor, not yet the garner. What there fore will be then, save no fear that aught of this kind will
Mat. 25, 1-- 13'
For praise in unison, O Jerusalem, the Lord; praise thy God, O Sion : for He hath made strong the bars of thy gates. He hath made strong. He said not only, He hath set, but, He hath made strong the bars of thy gates.
Let none go out, let none come in. Let none go out, we rejoice: let none come in, we fear. Nay, fear not this: when thou hast entered it will be said : only be thou in the number of virgins, who carried their oil with them.
10. For those virgins signify souls. For there were not really five, but among those five are thousands. For in the number five are understood thousands, not only of women but of men : for either sex is called woman, because they are the. Church: and either sex, that is, the Church, is
happen?
2Cor. 1l, called a virgin. / have espoused you to one husband, that
2-
J may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. Few have virginity in the flesh : all ought to have in heart. Virginity of the flesh is a body unsullied; virginity in heart is a faith uncorrupted. The whole Church therefore is called ' a Virgin,' and, in the masculine gender, ' the people of God,' and, ' one people,' and ' a single people,' and ' one
Church,' and ' one dove :' and in this virginity are thou sands of saints. The five virgins therefore signify all souls that are to enter into the kingdom of God, not without reason expressed by the number five, for the senses of the body known to all are five. For by five doors entereth every thing through the body into the soul : either by the eye entereth what thou lookest after amiss, or by the ears, or
by the smell, or by the taste, or by the touch. Whosoever hath admitted nothing that corrupteth by these five gates, is reckoned among the five virgins. Corruption is admitted through unlawful desires : but what is lawful and what not, the books of Scripture fully tell. Thou must then be among these five virgins : so shalt thou not fear that which is said, ' Let none enter:' for this is said, and shall be fulfilled; but it will be when thou hast entered; none shall shut the door
of the wise and foolish virgins. 391
against thee, but when thou hast entered, the gates of Ver. Jerusalem shall be shut, and the bars of its gates be made ------ strong. For if thou choosest either not to be a virgin in
heart, or, though a virgin, among the foolish virgins, thou
shalt remain outside, and knock in vain.
11. Who are the foolish virgins? They also are five:
who, but they who have indeed continence of the flesh,
so as to avoid the corruptions which come from all the senses, which I just enumerated ? They avoid, so to speak,
the corruptions which come from all sides; yet they bear
not their good in their consciences before the eyes of God,
but desire to please men therewith, and follow the judg
ment of others. They hunt after the good opinions of the multitude ; they are of little value to themselves, while they
desire to be dear to those who see them : their own conscience sufficeth them not. Rightly do they carry no oil with
them. For oil is the state of glory itself, on account of its brightness and splendour. But what saith the Apostle ? Behold the wise virgins carrying oil with them : but let Gal. 6,4. every man prove his own work, and then shall he have glory
in himself alone, and not in another. These then are the wise virgins. But the foolish light indeed their lamps, that is, their works seem indeed to shine; but they shall fail and be extinguished, because they are not fed with oil from within. And while the Bridegroom tarrieth, they all sleep: for both sorts of men fall asleep in death, both the foolish and the wise ; while the Lord delayeth His coming, they sink into this bodily, visible death, which all Christians know that Scripture describes by sleep: as the Apostle said of them that were sick, For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. By sleep, he meaneth, die. But, lo, the Bridegroom shall come, and all shall rise, but not all shall enter. The works of the foolish virgins shall fail, because they have not the oil of conscience : nor shall they find from whom to buy, what their flatterers used to sell to them. For they are mocking, not grudging, who say to them, Go and buy for your selves. For the foolish had begged of the wise, and had said to them, Give us oil, for our lamps are gone out. What said the wise ? Lest perhaps there be not enough for us and
1 Cor. ' 30"
392 We must seek mercy by shewing mercy,
Psalm you, go rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. cxi. vii. "ph is was m facl remin<ling tbem, ' What do they now profit you, from whom ye were wont to buy flattery ? ' And while they were going, Scripture saith, the others went in, and the door was shut. While they are going in heart, while they are thinking on these things, while they, putting off from them their former purpose, are recalling back their past deeds, they, as it were, are going to them that sell : and
they find not others to aid them, they find not then to praise them those by whom they were wont to be praised, and to be roused, as they thought, to good works, not by the
of a good conscience, but by the incitement of another's tongue.
12. Those words too, lest perchance there be not enough for us, are said with great humbleness of thought. For the oil which we bear in our consciences is our judgment of
our own character, and it is difficult for a man to judge
perfectly concerning himself. My brethren, however much Phil. 3, a man advance, however much he reach forth unto those '''' things which are before, and forget those things which are
behind, if he once say to himself, ' It is well,' there cometh forth a rule from the storehouse of God ; it examineth him
strength
and who shall boast that he hath a pure heart, who shall boast that he is clean from sin? But what Jart. 2, saith Scripture, Judgment without mercy to him who hath
shewed no mercy. However much progress thou makest, thou must hope in mercy. For if justice without mercy be brought forth, in any one it will find what it may condemn. And what Scripture comforteth us? That which exhorteth us to shew mercy, that we be altogether frequent in giving what we have beyond our needs. For we have many superfluities, if we keep nothing but what is necessary ; for if we seek empty vanities, nothing is enough. My brethren,
seek what is enough for God's work, not what is sufficient for your greediness. Your greediness is no work of God. Your self, your body, your soul, this is all God's work. Enquire what is enough for them, and thou shalt see how little it is. Two pieces of money were enough for the widow to shew mercy with: two pieces of money were enough to buy the Kingdom of God. What is enough for
accurately,
and forgiveness by forgiveness. , 393
the giver of shows to clothe them that fight with wild beasts ver.
so often ? See that not only is it little which is enough for yourselves, but neither doth God Himself require much from thee. Find out how much He hath given thee, and take of that what is enough : all other things which remain as superfluities are the necessaries of others. The superfluities of the rich are the necessaries of the poor. Thou possessest what belongs to others, when thou possessest more than thou needest.
13- .
13. If then thou doest deeds of mercy of this kind, and specially that which costeth thee nothing, namely, forgive <<<<Matt. 6, we forgive, (wherein thou spendest nought but charity, 12' which groweth in the spending,) if thou doest, I say, and
art fervent in these good works of mercy,
works themselves will be needless then, because then there
will be no one miserable, to whom mercy may be shewn,)
thou wilt await in safety the judgment, in safety not so
much on account of thy righteousness, as on account of the mercy of God, because thou too hast first shewed mercy.
For judgment without mercy to him that hath shewed no Jam. 2, mercy: and mercy rejoiceth against judgment. Think13. not, brethren, that then He is not just when He sheweth
us no mercy, or that He departeth from the standard of His
justice. Both when He condemneth, He is just, and when
He sheweth mercy, He is just. For what so just as to
repay mercy to one who sheweth it first? What so just, as
that in what measure ye mete, it be measured to you again ? Matt. 7, Give to thy brother in need. What brother? To Christ. 2,
If then because in giving to thy brother, thou givest to Christ, and in Christ to God, Who is over all, blessed for Rom. 9, ever ; God hath willed to need at thy hand, and dost thou5-
hold thy hand back ? Certainly thou stretchest out thine
hand, and askest of God : hear then the Scripture ; let not Ecclm. thine hand be stretched out to receive, and shut when thou*'31' shouldest give. God willeth that somewhat be spent upon
Him, of that which He hath given. For what givest thou,
which He gave not? For what hast thou, which thou hast 1 Cor. 4, not received ? or rather, not to say to God, dost thou give 7"
aught to any one of what is thine own ? Of His thou givest Who biddeth thee give. Prefer to spend rather than to seize.
(which good
394 None can attain or fall away after the end of this life.
Psalm If then thou doest this, and in true humility sayest of that
crlYn. oil, lest haply there be not enough for us, then thou
enterest in, and the door is shut. Hear the Apostle saying
l Cor. *, so: to me it is a very small thing to be judged of you.
3'
For how can ye judge my conscience? How can ye examine with what mind I do what I do? How far can men judge of their neighbour? Surely a man can judge better about himself: but better can God judge about a man, than the man about himself. If then thou shalt have been such as this, thou shalt enter, thou shalt be among the five virgins ; the other foolish ones shall be shut out. For this thou hast in the Gospel. The door shall be shut, and they shall stand and cry, Open unto us, and it shall not be opened: for He hath made strong the bars of thy
gates: He hath made strong, saith he, the bars of thy gates: now thou art safe: in safety praise: praise without end. Firmly are thy gates shut : no friend goeth out: no enemy cometh in. He hath made strong the bars of thy gates.
14. He hath blessed thy children within thee. They roam not without, they wander not; within they rejoice, within they praise, within they are blest: within they no longer are in travail, for now they give not birth to any. They are sons, they are holy. These holy sons, now praising and rejoicing, their mother, love, has already travailed with and given birth to ; they are shut within, because love has gathered them. Hear love travailing with them : for the Apostle Paul, filled with love, having not only a father's but a mother's heart toward his sons, saith, My children, of whom I travail in birth again. When Paul travailed in birth with them, it was love that travailed in birth; when love travailed in birth with them, it was the Spirit of God
Gal. 4, 19"
Rom. 5, that travailed : for the love of God is shed abroad in our
5-
hearts, by the Holy Ghost, Which is given unto us. Let Him then gather whom He has travailed in birth with, and brought forth. Now the sons are within, they are safe. They have flown from the nest of fear, they have flown to the heavenly places, they have flown to everlasting abodes: they fear no longer any thing temporal.
15. He hath blessed thy children within thee. Who? He Who hath set peace as thy borders. How ye all exult !
The loveliness of the peace of God. 395
Love peace, my brethren. Greatly are we delighted, Vrr.
13'
What was it that shouted in you? The love of peace. What have I shewn to your eyes ? Wherefore shout ye, if ye love not ? Wherefore love ye, if ye see not ? But peace is invisible. What eye is there that hath seen her, so as to love her? Yet would ye not shout, if ye loved not. These are the shows which God exhibiteth of things invisible. With how great beauty hath the perception of peace smitten your hearts ! Why should I go on to speak of peace, or of
when the love of peace crieth from your hearts. How
I had said nothing : explained nothing: I but read the verse, and ye shouted.
greatly doth it delight you !
I had
the praises of peace? Your feelings have anticipated all
I cannot attain to it :
weak.