{"collection":"chr","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/chr/ecf/106/1060310.htm","path":"chr/ecf/106/1060310.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/106/1060310.htm","text":"On the words of the Gospel, John xiv. 6, \u201cI am the way, and the truth, and the life.\u201d\n1. Amongst other things, when the Holy Gospel was being read, ye heard what the Lord Jesus said, \u201cI am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.\u201d 4188 Truth and life doth every man desire; but not every man doth find the way. That God is a certain Life Eternal, Unchangeable, Intelligible, Intelligent, Wise, Making wise, some philosophers even of this world have seen. The fixed, settled, unwavering truth, wherein are all the principles 4189 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 formed 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 witness, whom Christians ought surely to believe. For he said when he was speaking of such; \u201cThe wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness.\u201d 4190 These are, as ye recognise, the words of the Apostle Paul; \u201cThe wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men; who detain the truth in unrighteousness.\u201d Did he say that they do not detain truth? No: but, \u201cThey detained the truth in unrighteousness.\u201d What they detain, is good; but wherein they detain it, is bad. \u201cThey detain the truth in unrighteousness.\u201d\n2. Now it occurred to him that it might be said to him, \u201cWhence 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?\u201d Hear what follows, and he shows. \u201cBecause that which can be known of God,\u201d he says, \u201cis manifest in them; for God hath manifested it unto them.\u201d 4191 Manifested it unto them to whom He hath not given the Law? Hear how He hath manifested it. \u201cFor the invisible things of Him are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made.\u201d 4192 Ask the world, the beauty of the heaven, the brilliancy and ordering of the stars, the sun, that sufficeth 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; 4193 ask all things, and see if they do not as if it were by a language 4194 of their own make answer to thee, \u201cGod made us.\u201d 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 ungodliness? \u201cBecause they detain the truth in unrighteousness?\u201d Let him come, let him show how. For how they came to know Him, he hath said already. \u201cThe invisible things of Him,\u201d that is God, \u201care clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made; His eternal Power also and Godhead; so that they are without excuse. Because that when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.\u201d 4195 They are the Apostle\u2019s words, not mine: \u201cAnd their foolish heart was darkened; for professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.\u201d 4196 What by curious search they found, by pride they lost. \u201cProfessing themselves to be wise,\u201d attributing, that is, the gift of God to themselves, \u201cthey became fools.\u201d They are the Apostle\u2019s words, I say; \u201cProfessing themselves to be wise, they became fools.\u201d\n3. Show, prove their foolishness. Show, O Apostle, and as thou hast shown us whereby they were able to attain to the knowledge of God, for that \u201cthe invisible things of Him are clearly seen, being understood by those things that are made;\u201d so now show how, \u201cprofessing themselves to be wise, they became fools.\u201d Hear; Because \u201cthey changed,\u201d he says, \u201cthe 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.\u201d 4197 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 hast considered the universe, 4198 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 work 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\u2019s framer is a man. Who is thy God? He That made thee. Who is the carpenter\u2019s god? He That made him. p. 532 Who is the idol\u2019s 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.\n4. But Christ, for that He is with the Father, the Truth, and Life, the Word of God, of whom it is said, \u201cThe Life was the Light of men;\u201d 4199 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\u2019s nature became the Way. Walk by Him as Man, and thou comest to God. By 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 thou shouldest come; I do not say to thee, seek the Way. The Way Itself hath come to thee, arise and walk. Walk, with the life, 4200 not with the feet. For many walk well with the feet, and with their lives walk ill. For sometimes even those who walk well, run outside the way. Thus you will find men living 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, etc.","title":"Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Vol. VI: Sermons on Selec...","type":"page"}