{"collection":"chr","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/chr/ecf/107/1070016.htm","path":"chr/ecf/107/1070016.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/107/1070016.htm","text":"1. The course of reading from the Gospel of John, as those of you who are concerned for your own progress may remember, so proceeds in regular order, that the passage which has now been read comes before us for exposition to-day. You remember that we have expounded it, in the preceding discourses, from the very beginning of the Gospel, as far as the lesson of to-day. And though perhaps you have forgotten much of it, at least it remains in your memory that we have done our part in it. What you have heard from it about the baptism of John, even though you retain not all, yet I believe you p. 87 have heard that which you may retain. Also, what was said as to why the Holy Spirit appeared in the shape of a dove; and how that most knotty question was solved, namely, what was that something in the Lord which John did not know, and which he learned by means of the dove, whilst already John knew Him, since, as Jesus came to be baptized, he said to Him, \u201cI ought to be baptized by Thee, and comest Thou to me?\u201d when the Lord answered him, \u201cSuffer it now, that all righteousness may be fulfilled.\u201d 298\n2. Now, therefore, the order of our reading obliges us to return to that same John. The same is he who was prophesied of by Isaiah, \u201cThe voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye a way for the Lord, make His paths straight.\u201d 299 Such testimony gave he to his Lord and (for the Lord deemed him worthy) his friend. And the Lord, even his friend, did also Himself bear witness to John. For concerning John He said, \u201cAmong them that are born of women, there hath not arisen a greater than John the Baptist.\u201d But as He put Himself before John, in that wherein He was greater, He was God. \u201cBut he that is less,\u201d saith He, \u201cin the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.\u201d 300 Less in age; greater in power, in deity, in majesty, in brightness: even as \u201cin the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.\u201d In the preceding passages, however, John had given testimony to the Lord, in such wise that he did indeed call Him Son of God, but said not that He was God, nor yet denied it: he was silent as to His being God, not denied that He was God; but yet he was not altogether silent as to His being God, for perhaps we find this in the lesson of to-day. He had called Him Son of God; but men, too, have been called sons of God. He had declared Him to be of such excellence, that he was not himself worthy to loose the latchet of His shoe. Now this greatness gives us much to understand: whose shoe-latchet he was not worthy to loose, he than whom none greater had arisen among them that are born of women. He was more, indeed, than all men and angels. For we find an angel forbidding a man to fall at his feet. For example, when in the Apocalypse an angel was showing certain things to John, the writer of this Gospel, John, terrified at the greatness of the vision, fell down at the angel\u2019s feet. But said the angel, \u201cRise; see thou do it not: worship God, for I am thy fellow-servant, and the brethren\u2019s.\u201d 301 An angel, then, forbade a man to fall down at his feet. Is it not manifest that He must be above all angels, for whom a man, such that a greater than he has not risen among them that are born of women, declares himself to be not worthy to loose the latchet of His shoe?\n3. John, however, may say something more evidently, that our Lord Jesus Christ is God. We may find this in the present passage, that it is perhaps of Him we have been singing, \u201cThe Lord reigned over all the earth;\u201d against which they are deaf who imagine that He reigns only in Africa. But let them not suppose that it is not of Christ it is spoken when it is said, \u201cGod reigned over all the earth.\u201d For who else is our King, but our Lord Jesus Christ? It is He that is our King. And what have you heard in the same psalm, in the verse just sung? \u201cSing praises to our God, sing praises: sing praises to our King, sing praises.\u201d Whom he called God, the same he called our King: \u201cSing praises to our God, sing praises: sing praises to our King, sing ye praises with understanding.\u201d And that thou shouldest not understand Him to whom thou singest praises to reign in one part, he says, \u201cFor God is King of all the earth.\u201d 302 And how is He King of all the earth, who appeared in one part of the earth, in Jerusalem, in Judea,walking among men, born, sucking the breast, growing, eating, drinking, waking, sleeping, sitting at a well, wearied; laid hold of, scourged, spat upon,crowned with thorns, hanged on a tree, wounded with a spear, dead, buried? How then King of all the earth? What was seen locally was flesh, to carnal eyes only flesh was visible; the immortal majesty was concealed in mortal flesh. And with what eyes shall we be able to behold the immortal majesty, after penetrating through the structure of the flesh? There is another eye, there is an inner eye. Tobias, for example, was not without eyes, when, blind in his bodily eyes, he was giving precepts of life to his son. 303 The son was holding the father\u2019s hand, that the father might walk with his feet, whilst the father was giving the son counsel to walk in the way of righteousness. Here I see eyes, and there I understand eyes. And better are the eyes of him that gives counsel of life, than his who holds the hand. Such eyes Jesus also required when He said to Philip, \u201cAm I so long time with you, and ye have not known me?\u201d Such eyes He required when He said, \u201cPhilip, he that seeth me, seeth the Father.\u201d These are the eyes of the understanding, these are the eyes of the mind. It is for that reason that the psalm, when it p. 88 had said, \u201cFor God is King of all the earth,\u201d immediately added, \u201cSing ye praises with understanding.\u201d For in that I say, \u201cSing ye praises to our God,\u201d I say that God is our King. But yet our King you have seen among men, as man; you have seen Him suffering, crucified, dead: there was in that flesh something concealed, which you might have seen with eyes of flesh. What was there concealed? \u201cSing ye praises with understanding.\u201d Do not seek to see with the eyes what is beheld by the mind. \u201cSing praises\u201d with the tongue, for He is among you as flesh; but because \u201cthe Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,\u201d render the sound to the flesh, render to God the gaze of the mind. \u201cSing ye praises with understanding,\u201d and you see that the \u201cWord was made flesh, and dwelt among us.\u201d\n4. Now let John also declare his witness: \u201cAfter these things came Jesus and His disciples into the land of Judea; and there He tarried with them, and baptized.\u201d Being baptized, He baptized. Not with that baptism with which He was baptized did He baptize. The Lord, being baptized by a servant, gives baptism, showing the path of humility and leading to the baptism of the Lord, that is, His own baptism, by giving an example of humility, in not Himself refusing baptism from a servant. And in the baptism by a servant, a way was prepared for the Lord; the Lord also being baptized, made Himself a way for them that come to Him. Let us hear Himself: \u201cI am the way, the truth, and the life.\u201d If thou seekest truth, keep the way, for the way and the truth are the same. The way that thou art going is the same as the whither thou art going: thou art not going by a way as one thing, to an object as another thing; not coming to Christ by something else as a way, thou comest to Christ by Christ. How by Christ to Christ? By Christ the man, to Christ God; by the Word made flesh, to the Word which in the beginning was God with God; from that which man ate, to that which angels daily eat. For so it is written, \u201cHe gave them bread of heaven: man ate the bread of angels.\u201d 304 What is the bread of angels? \u201cIn the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.\u201d How has man eaten the bread of angels? \u201cAnd the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.\u201d\n5. But though we have said that angels eat, do not fancy, brethren, that this is done with teeth. For if you think so, God, of whom the angels eat, is as it were torn in pieces. Who tears righteousness in pieces? But still, some one asks me, And who is it that can eat righteousness? Well, how is it said, \u201cBlessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled\u201d? The food which thou eatest carnally perishes, in order to refresh thee; to repair thy waste it is consumed: eat righteousness; and while thou art refreshed, it continues entire. Just as by seeing this corporeal light, these eyes of ours are refreshed, and yet it is a corporeal thing that is seen by corporeal eyes. Many there have been, when too long in darkness, whose eyesight is weakened by fasting, as it were, from light. The eyes, deprived of their food (for they feed on light), become wearied by fasting, and weakened, so that they cannot bear to see the light by which they are refreshed; and if the light is too long absent, they are quenched, and the very sense of sight dies as it were in them. What then? Does the light become less, because so many eyes are daily fed by it? Thy eyes are refreshed, and the light remains entire. As God was able to show this in the case of corporeal light to corporeal eyes, does He not show that other light to clean hearts as unwearied, continuing entire, and in no respect failing? What light? \u201cIn the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God.\u201d Let us see if this is light. \u201cFor with Thee is the fountain of light, and in Thy light shall we see light.\u201d On earth, fountain is one thing, light another. When thirsting, thou seekest a fountain, and to get to the fountain thou seekest light; and if it is not day, thou lightest a lamp to get to the fountain. That fountain is the very light: to the thirsting a fountain, to the blind a light. Let the eyes be opened to see the light, let the lips of the heart be opened to drink of the fountain; that which thou drinkest, thou seest, thou hearest. God becomes all to thee; for He is to thee the whole of these things which thou lovest. If thou regardest things visible, neither is God bread, nor is God water, nor is God this light, nor is He garment nor house. For all these are things visible, and single separate things. What bread is, water is not; and what a garment is, a house is not; and what these things are, God is not, for they are visible things. God is all this to thee: if thou hungerest, He is bread to thee; if thou thirstest, He is water to thee; if thou art in darkness, He is light to thee: for He remains incorruptible. If thou art naked, He is a garment of immortality to thee, when this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this mortal shall put on immortality. All things can be said of God, p. 89 and nothing is worthily said of God. Nothing is wider than this poverty of expression. Thou seekest a fitting name for Him, thou canst not find it; thou seekest to speak of Him in any way soever, thou findest that He is all. What likeness have the lamb and the lion? Both is said of Christ. \u201cBehold the Lamb of God!\u201d How a lion? \u201cThe Lion of the tribe of Judah hath prevailed.\u201d 305\n6. Let us hear John: \u201cJesus baptized.\u201d We said that Jesus baptized. How Jesus? How the Lord? How the Son of God? How the Word? Well, but the Word was made flesh. \u201cAnd John also was baptizing in \u00c6non, near to Salim.\u201d A certain lake, \u201c\u00c6non.\u201d 306 How do we know it was a lake? \u201cBecause there was much water there, and they came and were baptized. For John was not yet cast into prison.\u201d If you remember (see, I say it again), I told you why John baptized: because the Lord must needs be baptized. And why must the Lord be baptized? Because many there would be to despise baptism, that they might appear to be endowed with greater grace than they saw other believers endowed with. For example, a catechumen, now living continently, might despise a married person, and say of himself that he was better than the other believer. That catechumen might possibly say in his heart, \u201cWhat need have I to receive baptism, to have just what that other man has, than whom I am already better?\u201d Therefore, lest that neck of pride should hurl to destruction certain men much elated with the merits of their own righteousness, the Lord was willing to be baptized by a servant, as if addressing His chief sons: \u201cWhy do you extol yourselves? Why lift yourselves up because you have, one prudence, another learning, another chastity, another the courage of patience? Can you possibly have as much as I who gave you these? And yet I was baptized by a servant, you disdain to be baptized by the Lord.\u201d This is the sense of \u201cto fulfill all righteousness.\u201d\n7. But some one will say, \u201cIt were enough, then, that John baptized only the Lord; what need was there for others to be baptized by John?\u201d Now we have said this too, that if John had baptized only the Lord, men would not be without this thought, that John had a better baptism than the Lord had. They would say, in fact, \u201cSo great was the baptism of John, that Christ alone was worthy to be baptized therewith.\u201d Therefore, to show that the baptism which the Lord was to give was better than that of John,\u2014that the one might be understood as that of a servant, the other as that of the Lord,\u2014the Lord was baptized to give an example of humility; but He was not the only one baptized by John, lest John\u2019s baptism should appear to be better than the baptism of the Lord. To this end, however, our Lord Jesus Christ showed the way, as you have heard, brethren, lest any man, arrogating to himself that he has abundance of some particular grace, should disdain to be baptized with the baptism of the Lord. For whatever the catechumen\u2019s proficiency, he still carries the load of his iniquity: it is not forgiven him until he shall have come to baptism. Just as the people Israel were not rid of the Egyptians until they had come to the Red Sea, so no man is rid of the pressure of sins until he has come to the font of baptism.\n8. \u201cThen there arose a question on the part of John\u2019s disciples with the Jews about purifying.\u201d John baptized, Christ baptized. John\u2019s disciples were moved; there was a running after Christ, people were coming to John. Those who came to John, he sent to Jesus to be baptized; but they who were baptized by Christ were not sent to John. John\u2019s disciples were alarmed, and began to dispute with the Jews, as usually happens. Understand the Jews to have declared that Christ was greater, and that to His baptism people ought to have recourse. John\u2019s disciples, not yet understanding this, defended John\u2019s baptism. They came to John himself, that he might solve the question. Understand, beloved. And here we are given to see the use of humility, and, when people were erring in the subject of dispute, are shown whether John desired to glory in himself. Now probably he said, \u201cYou say the truth, you contend rightly; mine is the better baptism, I baptized Christ Himself.\u201d John could say this after Christ was baptized. If he wished to exalt himself, what an opportunity he had to do so! But he knew better before whom to humble himself: to Him whom he knew to have come after himself by birth, he willingly yielded precedence by confessing Him. He understood his own salvation to be in Christ. He had already said above, \u201cWe all have received out of His fullness;\u201d and this is to confess Him to be God. For how can all men receive of His fullness, if He be not God? For if He is man in such wise that He is not God, then Himself also receives of the fullness of God, and so is not God. But if all men receive of His fullness, He is the fountain, they are drinkers. They that drink of a fountain, both thirst and drink. The fountain never thirsts; it has never need of itself. p. 90 Men need a fountain. With thirsty stomachs and parched lips they run to the fountain to be refreshed. The fountain flows to refresh, so does the Lord Jesus.\n9. Let us see, then, what answer John gives: \u201cThey came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold the same baptizeth, and all men come to him:\u201d that is, What sayest thou? Ought they not to be hindered, that they may rather come to thee? \u201cHe answered and said, A man cannot receive anything, except it be given him from heaven.\u201d Of whom, think you, had John said this? Of himself. \u201cAs a man, I received,\u201d saith he, \u201cfrom heaven.\u201d Note, my beloved: \u201cA man cannot receive anything, except it be given him from heaven. Ye yourselves bear me witness that I said, I am not the Christ.\u201d As much as to say, \u201cWhy do ye deceive yourselves? See how you have put this question before me. What have you said to me? \u2018Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness.\u2019 Then you know what sort of witness I bare to Him. Am I now to say that He is not the same whom I declared Him to be? And because I received somewhat from heaven, in order to be something, do you wish me to be empty of it, so as to speak against the truth? \u2018A man cannot receive anything, except it be given him from heaven. Ye yourselves bear me witness that I said I am not the Christ.\u2019\u201d Thou art not the Christ; but what if thou art greater than He since thou didst baptize Him? \u201cI am sent:\u201d I am the herald, He is the Judge.\n10. But hear a far stronger, a far more expressive testimony. See ye what it is we are treating of; see ye that to love any person in place of Christ is adultery. Why do I say this? Let us attend to the voice of John. People could be mistaken in him, could think him to be the person he was not. He rejects the false honor, in order to hold the truth complete. See what he declares Christ to be; what does he say himself is? \u201cHe that hath the bride is the bridegroom.\u201d Be chaste, love the bridegroom. But what art thou, who sayest to us, \u201cHe that hath the bride is the bridegroom? But the friend of the bridegroom, who standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom\u2019s voice.\u201d The Lord our God will help me in proportion to the tumult of my heart, for it is full of sadness, to utter the grief I feel; but I beseech you by Christ Himself to imagine in thought what it will not be possible for me to utter; for I know that my grief cannot be expressed with befitting impressiveness. Now I see many adulterers who desire to get possession of the bride, purchased at so great a price, loved while deformed that she might be made fair, having been purchased and delivered and adorned by such an one; and those adulterers strive with their words to be loved instead of the bridegroom. Of that One it is said, \u201cThis is He that baptizeth.\u201d 307 Who is he that goes forth from us and says, \u201cI am he that baptizeth\u201d? Who is he that goes forth from us and says, \u201cThat is holy which I give\u201d? Who is he that goes hence and says, \u201cIt is good for thee to be born of me\u201d? Let us hear the friend of the bridegroom, not the adulterers against the bridegroom; let us hear one jealous, but not for himself.\n11. Brethen, return in thought to your own homes. I speak of carnal, I speak of earthly things; I speak after the manner of men, for the infirmity of your flesh. Many of you have, many of you wish to have, many, though you wish not to have, still have had wives; many who do not at all wish to have wives, are born of the wives of your fathers. This is a feeling that touches every heart. There is no man so alien from mankind in human affairs as not to feel what I say. Suppose that a man, having set out on a journey, had commended his bride to the care of his friend: \u201cSee, I pray thee, thou art my dear friend; see to it, lest in my absence some other may perchance be loved in my stead.\u201d Then what sort of a person must he be, who, while the guardian of the bride or wife of his friend, does indeed endeavor that none other be loved, but if he wishes himself to be loved instead of his friend, and desires to enjoy her who was committed to his care, how detestable must he appear to all mankind! Let him see her gazing out of the window, or joking with some one somewhat too heedlessly, he forbids her as one who is jealous. I see him jealous, but let me see for whom he is jealous; whether for his absent friend or for his present self. Think that our Lord Jesus Christ has done this. He has committed His bride to the care of His friend; He has set out on a journey to a far country to receive a kingdom, as He says Himself in the Gospel, 308 but yet is present in His majesty. Let the friend who has gone beyond the sea be deceived; and if he is deceived, woe to him who deceives! Why do men attempt to deceive God,\u2014God who looks at the hearts of all, and searches the secrets of all? But some heretic shows himself, and says, \u201c\u2019Tis I that give, \u2019tis I that sanctify, \u2019tis I that justify; go not p. 91 thou to that other sect.\u201d He does well indeed to be jealous, but see for whom. \u201cGo not thou to idols,\u201d saith he,\u2014he is rightly jealous; \u201cnor to diviners,\u201d\u2014still rightly jealous. Let us see for whom he is jealous: \u201cWhat I give is holy, because it is I that give it; he is baptized whom I baptize; he whom I baptize not is not baptized.\u201d Hear thou the friend of the bridegroom, learn to be jealous for thy friend; hear His voice who is \u201cHe that baptizeth.\u201d Why desire to arrogate to thyself what is not thine? Is he so very absent who has left here his bride? Knowest thou not, that He who rose from the dead is sitting at the right hand of the Father? If the Jews despised Him hanging on the tree, dost thou despise Him sitting in heaven? Be assured, beloved, that I suffer great grief of this matter; but, as I have said, I leave the rest to your thoughts. I cannot utter it if I speak the whole day. If I bewail it the whole day, I do not enough. I cannot utter it, if I should have, as the prophet says, \u201ca fountain of tears;\u201d and were I changed into tears, and to become all tears, were I turned into tongues, and to become all tongues, it were not enough.\n12. Let us return and see what this John saith: \u201cHe that hath the bride is the bridegroom;\u201d she is not my bride. And dost thou not rejoice in the marriage? Yea, saith he, I do rejoice: \u201cBut the friend of the bridegroom, who standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the voice of the bridegroom.\u201d Not because of mine own voice, saith he, do I rejoice, but because of the Bridegroom\u2019s voice. I am in the place of hearer; He, of speaker: I am as one that must be enlightened, He is the light; I am as the ear, He is the word. Therefore the friend of the Bridegroom standeth and heareth Him. Why standeth? Because he falls not. How falls not? Because he is humble. See him standing on solid ground; \u201cI am not worthy to loose the latchet of His shoe.\u201d Thou doest well to be humble; deservedly thou dost not fall; deservedly thou standest, and hearest Him, and rejoicest greatly for the Bridegroom\u2019s voice. So also the apostle is the Bridegroom\u2019s friend; he too is jealous, not for himself, but for the Bridegroom. Hear his voice when he is jealous: \u201cI am jealous over you,\u201d said he, \u201cwith the jealousy of God:\u201d not with my own, nor for myself, but with the jealousy of God. Why? How? Over whom art thou jealous, and for whom? \u201cFor I have espoused you to one husband, to present a chaste virgin to Christ.\u201d Why dost thou fear, then? Why art thou jealous? \u201cI fear,\u201d saith he, \u201clest, as the serpent beguiled Eve by his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the chastity which is in Christ.\u201d 309 The whole Church is called a virgin. You see that the members of the Church are divers, that they are endowed with and do rejoice in divers gifts: some men wedded, some women wedded; some are widowers who seek no more to have wives, some are widows who seek no more to have husbands; some men preserve continence from their youth, some women have vowed their virginity to God: divers are the gifts, but all these are one virgin. Where is this virginity, for it is not in the body. It belongs to few women; and if virginity can be said of men, to few men in the Church belongs a holy integrity even of body; yet one such is a more honorable member. Other members, however, preserve virginity, not in body, but all in mind. What is the virginity of the mind? Entire faith, firm hope, sincere charity. This is the virginity which he, who, was jealous for the Bridegroom, feared might be corrupted by the serpent. For, just as the bodily member is marred in a certain part, so the seduction of the tongue defiles the virginity of the heart. Let her who does not desire without cause to keep virginity of body, see to it that she be not corrupted in mind.\n13. What shall I say, then, brethren? Even the heretics have virgins, and there are many virgins among heretics. Let us see whether they love the Bridegroom, so that this virginity may be guarded. For whom is it guarded? \u201cFor Christ.\u201d Let us see if it be for Christ, and not for Donatus: let us see for whom this virginity is preserved: you can easily prove. Behold, I show you the Bridegroom, for He shows Himself. John bears witness to Him: \u201cThis is He that baptizeth.\u201d O thou virgin, if for this Bridegroom thou preservest thy virginity, why runnest thou to him who says, \u201cI am he that baptizeth,\u201d while the friend of the Bridegroom tells thee, \u201cThis is He that baptizeth\u201d? Again, thy Bridegroom possesseth the whole world; why, then, shouldst thou be defiled with a part of it? Who is the Bridegroom? \u201cFor God is King of all the earth.\u201d This thy Bridegroom possesses the whole, because He purchased the whole. See at what price He purchased it, that thou mayest understand what He has purchased. What price has He given? He gave His blood. Where gave He, where shed He, His blood? In His passion. Is it not to thy Bridegroom thou singest, or feignest to sing, when the whole world was purchased: \u201cThey pierced p. 92 my hands and my feet, they counted all my bones: but they themselves considered me, they looked upon me, they divided my garments among them, and upon my vesture they cast lots\u201d? Thou art the bride, acknowledge thy Bridegroom\u2019s vesture. Upon what vesture was the lot cast? Ask the Gospel; see to whom thou art espoused, see from whom thou receivest pledges. Ask the Gospel; see what it tells thee in the suffering of the Lord. \u201cThere was a coat\u201d there: let us see what kind; \u201cwoven from the top throughout.\u201d What does the coat woven from the top signify, but charity? What does this coat signify, but unity? Consider this coat, which not even the persecutors of Christ divided. For it saith, \u201cThey said among themselves, Let us not divide it, but let us cast lots upon it.\u201d Behold that of which the psalm spoke! Christ\u2019s persecutors did not rend His garment; Christians divide the Church.\n14. But what shall I say, brethren? Let us see plainly what He purchased. For there He bought, where He paid the price. Paid it for how much? If He paid it only for Africa, let us be Donatists, and not be called Donatists, but Christians; since Christ bought only Africa: although even here are other than Donatists. But He has not been silent of what He bought in this transaction. He has made up the account: thanks be to God, He has not tricked us. Need there is for that bride to hear, and then to understand to whom she has vowed her virginity. There, in that psalm where it says, \u201cThey pierced my hands and my feet, they counted all my bones;\u201d wherein the Lord\u2019s passion is most openly declared;\u2014the psalm which is read every year on the last week, in the hearing of the whole people, at the approach of Christ\u2019s passion; and this psalm is read both among them and us;\u2014there, I say, note, brethren, what He has bought: let the bill of merchandise be read: hear ye what He bought: \u201cAll the ends of the earth shall remember, and turn unto the Lord; and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship in His sight: for the kingdom is His, and He shall rule the nations.\u201d Behold what it is He has bought! Behold! \u201cFor God, the King of all the earth,\u201d is thy Bridegroom. Why, then, wouldst thou have one so rich reduced to rags? Acknowledge Him: He bought the whole; yet thou sayest, \u201cThou hast a part of it here.\u201d Oh, would that thou wert well-pleasing to thy Spouse; would that thou who speakest wert not defiled, and, what is worse, defiled in heart, not in body! Thou lovest a man instead of Christ; lovest one that says, \u201c\u2019Tis I that baptize;\u201d not hearing the friend of the Bridegroom when he says, \u201cThis is He that baptizeth;\u201d not hearing him when he says, \u201cHe that hath the bride is the Bridegroom.\u201d I have not the bride, said he; but what am I? \u201cBut the friend of the Bridegroom, who standeth and heareth Him, rejoiceth greatly, because of the Bridegroom\u2019s voice.\u201d\n15. Evidently, then, my brethren, it profits those men nothing to keep virginity, to have continence, to give alms. All those doings which are praised in the Church profit them nothing; because they rend unity, namely, that \u201ccoat\u201d of charity. What do they? Many among them are eloquent; great tongues, streams of tongues. Do they speak like angels? Let them hear the friend of the Bridegroom, jealous for the Bridegroom, not for himself: \u201cThough I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.\u201d 310\n16. But what say they? \u201cWe have baptism.\u201d Thou hast, but not thine. It is one thing to have, another to own. Baptism thou hast, for thou hast received to be baptized, received as one enlightened, provided thou be not darkened of thyself; and when thou givest, thou givest as a minister, not as owner; as a herald proclaiming, not as a judge. The judge speaks through the herald, and nevertheless it is not written in the registers, \u201cThe herald said,\u201d but, \u201cThe judge said.\u201d Therefore see if what thou givest is thine by authority. But if thou hast received, confess with the friend of the Bridegroom, \u201cA man cannot receive anything, except it be given him from heaven.\u201d Confess with the friend of the Bridegroom, \u201cHe that hath the bride is the Bridegroom; but the friend of the Bridegroom standeth and heareth Him.\u201d But O, would thou didst stand and hear Him, and not fall, to hear thyself! For by hearing Him, thou wouldst stand and hear; for thou wilt speak, and thy head is puffed with pride. I, saith the Church, if I am the bride, if I have received pledges, if I have been redeemed at the price of that blood, do hear the voice of the Bridegroom; and I do hear the voice of the Bridegroom\u2019s friend too, if he give glory to my Bridegroom, not to himself. Let the friend speak: \u201cHe that hath the bride is the Bridegroom; but the friend of the Bridegroom standeth and heareth Him, and rejoices greatly because of the voice of the Bridegroom.\u201d Behold, thou hast sacraments; and I grant that thou hast. Thou hast the form, but thou art a branch p. 93 cut off from the vine; thou hast a form, I want the root. There is no fruit of the form, except where there is a root; but where is the root but in charity? Hear the form of the cut-off branches; let Paul speak: \u201cThough I know all mysteries,\u201d saith he, \u201cand have all prophecy, and all faith\u201d (and how great a faith!), \u201cso as to remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.\u201d\n17. Let no man tell you fables, then. \u201cPontius wrought a miracle; and Donatus prayed, and God answered him from heaven.\u201d In the first place, either they are deceived, or they deceive. In the last place, grant that he removes mountains: \u201cAnd have not charity,\u201d saith the apostle, \u201cI am nothing.\u201d Let us see whether he has charity. I would believe that he had, if he had not divided unity. For against those whom I may call marvel-workers, my God has put me on my guard, saying, \u201cIn the last times there shall arise false prophets, doing signs and wonders, to lead into error, if it were possible, even the elect: Lo, I have foretold it to you.\u201d 311 Therefore the Bridegroom has cautioned us, that we ought not to be deceived even by miracles. Sometimes, indeed, a deserter frightens a plain countryman; but whether he is of the camp, and whether he is the better of that character with which he is marked, is what he who would not be frightened or seduced attends to. Let us then, my brethren, hold unity: without unity, even he who works miracles is nothing. The people Israel was in unity, and yet wrought no miracles: Pharaoh\u2019s magicians were out of unity, and yet they wrought the like works as Moses.\u201d 312 The people Israel, as I have said, wrought no miracles. Who were saved with God\u2014they who did, or they who did not, work miracles? The Apostle Peter raised a dead person: Simon Magus did many things: there were there certain Christians who were not able to do either what Peter did or what Simon did; and wherein did they rejoice? In this, that their names were written in heaven. For this is what our Lord Jesus Christ said to the disciples on their return, because of the faith of the Gentiles. The disciples, in truth, themselves said, boasting, \u201cBehold, Lord, in Thy name even the devils are subject to us.\u201d Rightly indeed they confessed, they brought the honor to the name of Christ; and yet what does He say to them? \u201cDo not ye glory in this, that the devils are subject to you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.\u201d 313 Peter cast out devils. Some old widow, some lay person or other, having charity, and holding the integrity of faith, forsooth does not do this. Peter is the eye in the body, that man is the finger, yet is he in the same body in which Peter is; and if the finger has less power than the eye, yet it is not cut off from the body. Better is it to be a finger and to be in the body, than to be an eye and to be plucked out of the body.\n18. Therefore, my brethren, let no man deceive you, let no man seduce you: love the peace of Christ, who was crucified for you, whilst He was God. Paul says, \u201cNeither he that planteth is anything, neither he that watereth, but God who giveth the increase.\u201d 314 And does any of us say that he is something? If we say that we are something, and give not the glory to Him, we are adulterers; we desire ourselves to be loved, not the Bridegroom. Love ye Christ, and us in Him, in whom also you are beloved by us. Let the members love one another, but live all under the Head. With grief indeed, my brethren, I have been obliged to speak much, and yet I have said little: I have not been able to finish the passage; God will help us to finish it in due season. I did not wish to burden your hearts further; I wish them to be free for sighs and prayers in behalf of those who are still deaf and do not understand.\n2 Cor. 11:2, 3.\n92:310 93:311\nMark 13:22, 23.\n93:312 93:313 93:314","title":"Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Vol. VII: Lectures or Tra...","type":"page"}