He spoke, and distinguished those that believe from those that believe not, He clearly showed the cause why they believed not. "There fore I said unto you," saith He, "that no man can come unto me except it were given to him of my Father." Hence to believe is also given to us; for certainly to believe is something. And if it is something great, rejoice that thou hast believed, yet be not lifted up; for "What hast thou that thou didst not receive?'' 3 any members to be living except such as it finds in the body, which also the Spirit itself quickens. For the Spirit which is in thee, O man, by which it consists that thou art a man, does it quicken a member which it finds separated from thy flesh? I call thy soul thy spirit. Thy soul quickeneth only the members which are in thy flesh; if thou takest one away, it is no longer quickened by thy soul, because it is not joined to the unity of thy body. These things are said to make us love unity and fear separation. For there is noth- 8. From that time many of His disciples ing that a Christian ought to dread so much went back, and walked no more with Him." as to be separated from Christ's body. For Went back, but after Satan, not after Christ. if he is separated from Christ's body, he is For our Lord Christ once addressed Peter as not a member of Christ; if he is not a member Satan, rather because he wished to precede his of Christ, he is not quickened by the Spirit Lord, and to give counsel that He should not of Christ. "But if any man, saith the die, He who had come to die, that we might apostle, have not the Spirit of Christ, he is not die for ever; and He says to him, “Get none of His." "It is the Spirit," then, thee behind me, Satan; for thou savorest not "that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing. the things that be of God, but the things that The words that I have spoken to you are spirit be of men." 4 He did not drive him back to and life. What means are spirit and go after Satan, and so called him Satan; but life"? They are to be understood spirit- He made him go behind Himself, that by ually. Hast thou understood spiritually? walking after his Lord he should not be a "They are spirit and life." Hast thou Satan. But these went back in the same understood carnally? So also "are they spirit manner as the apostle says of certain women: and life," but are not so to thee. 66 "For some are turned back after Satan."s They walked not further with Him. Behold, cut off from the body, for perhaps they were not in the body, they have lost life. They must be reckoned among the unbelieving, 7. "But," saith He, "there are some among you that believe not." He said not, There are some among you that understand not; but He told the cause why they understand not There are some among you notwithstanding they were called disciples. that believe not," and therefore they understand not, because they believe not. For the prophet has said, "If ye believe not, ye shall not understand."2 We are united by faith, quickened by understanding. Let us first adnere to Him through faith, that there may be that which may be quickened by understanding. For he who adheres not resists; he that resists believes not. And how can he that resists be quickened? He is an adversary to the ray of light by which he should be penetrated: he turns not away his eye, but shuts his mind. "There are," then, Not a few, but "many went back." This happened, it may be, for our consolation. For sometimes it happens that a man may declare the truth, and that what he says may not be understood, and so they that hear it are offended and go away. Now the man regrets that he had spoken that truth, and he says to himself, "I ought not to have spoken so, I ought not to have said this." Behold, it happened to the Lord: He spoke, and lost many; He remained with few. But yet He was not troubled, because He knew from the beginning who they were that believed and some who believe not." Let them believe that believed not. If it happen to us, we are and open, let them open and be illumined. sorely perplexed. Let us find comfort in "For Jesus knew from the beginning who they the Lord, and yet let us speak words with were that believed, and who should betray prudence. Him." For Judas also was there. Some 9. And now addressing the few that reindeed, were offended; but he remained to mained: "Then said Jesus to the twelve " watch his opportunity, not to understand. (namely, those twelve who remained), “Will And because he remained for that purpose, ye also," said He, "go away?" Not even the Lord kept not silence concerning him. Judas departed. But it was already manifest He described him not by name, but neither to the Lord why he remained: to us he was was He silent about him; that all might fear made manifest afterwards. Peter answered though only one should perish. But after in behalf of all, one for many, unity for the other than because he believed? 66 66 46 collective whole: "Then Simon Peter an heart. Hence, to avoid the tediousness of swered Him, Lord, to whom shall we go?" running through them separately, a bad man Thou drivest us from Thee; give us Thy makes a bad use of all the good creatures of other self. "To whom shall we go? If we God: a good man, on the contrary, makes a abandon Thee, to whom shall we go? "Thou good use of the evil deeds of wicked men. hast the words of eternal life." See how And what is so good as the one God? Since, Peter, by the gift of God and the renewal of indeed, the Lord Himself said, There is the Holy Spirit, understood Him. How none good, but the one God." By how Thou hast much He is better, then, by so much the the words of eternal life." For Thou hast better use He makes of our evil deeds. eternal life in the ministration of Thy body and blood. "And we have believed and have known." Not have known and believed, but "believed and known." For we believed in order to know; for if we wanted to know first, and then to believe, we should not be able either to know or to believe. What have we believed and known? "That Thou art Christ, the Son of God;" that is, that Thou art that very eternal life, and that Thou givest in Thy flesh and blood only that which Thou art. He Be What worse than Judas? Among all that adhered to the Master, among the twelve, to him was committed the common purse; to him was allotted the dispensing for the poor. Unthankful for so great a favor, so great an honor, he took the money, and lost righteousness: being dead, he betrayed life: Him whom he followed as a disciple, he persecuted as an enemy. All this evil was Judas's; but the Lord employed his evil for good. endured to be betrayed, to redeem us. 10. Then said the Lord Jesus: "Have hold, Judas's evil was turned to good. How not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a many martyrs has Satan persecuted! If Satan devil?" Therefore, should He have said, left off persecuting, we should not to-day be "I have chosen eleven:" or is a devil also celebrating the very glorious crown of Saint chosen, and among the elect? Persons are Laurence. If then God employs the evil wont to be called "elect" by way of praise: works of the devil himself for good, what the or was man elected because some great good bad man effects, by making a bad use, is to was done by him, without his will and know- hurt himself, not to contradict the goodness ledge? This belongs peculiarly to God; the of God. The Master makes use of that man. contrary is characteristic of the wicked. For And if He knew not how to make use of him, as wicked men make a bad use of the good the Master contriver would not have permitted works of God; so, on the contrary, God makes him to be. Therefore, He saith, "One of a good use of the evil works of wicked men. you is a devil," whilst I have chosen you How good it is that the members of the body twelve. This saying, "I have chosen you are, as they can be disposed only by God, twelve," may be understood in this way, that their author and framer! Nevertheless what twelve is a sacred number. For the honor evil use doth wantonness make of the eyes? What i use doth falsehood make of the tongue? Does not the false witness first both slay his own soul with his tongue, and then, after he has destroyed himself, endeavor to injure another? He makes an ill use of the tongue, but the tongue is not therefore an evil thing; the tongue is God's work, but iniquity makes an ill use of that good work of God. How do they use their feet who run into crimes? How do murderers employ their hands? And what ill use do wicked men make of those good creatures of God that lie outside of them? With gold they corrupt judgment and oppress the innocent. Bad that distribution He promised us eternal life, men make a bad use of the very light; for by evil living they employ even the very light with which they see into the service of their villanies. A bad man, when going to do a bad deed, wishes the light to shine for him, lest he stumble; he who has already stumbled and fallen within; that which he is afraid of in his body has already befallen him in his 2 of that number was not taken away because one was lost, for another was chosen into the place of the one that perished. The number remained a sacred number, a number containing twelve: because they were to make known the Trinity throughout the whole world, that is, throughout the four quarters of the world. That is the reason of the three times four. Judas, then only cut himself off, not profaned the number twelve: he abandoned his Teacher, for God appointed a successor to take his place. 11. All this that the Lord spoke concerning His flesh and blood;-and in the grace of and that He meant those that eat His flesh and drink His blood to be understood, from the fact of their abiding in Him and He in them; and that they understood not who believed not; and that they were offended through their understanding spiritual things 1 Mark x. 10. 2 Acts i. 26. in a carnal sense; and that, while these were saved"? How did Saint Laurence, whose offended and perished, the Lord was present feast we celebrate to-day, abide in Him? for the consolation of the disciples who He abode even to temptation, abode even to remained, for proving whom He asked, "Will tyrannical questioning, abode even to bitye also go away?" that the reply of their terest threatening, abode even to destruction; steadfastness might be known to us, for He that were a trifle, abode even to savage knew that they remained with Him;-let all torture. For he was not put to death quickly, this, then, avail us to this end, most beloved, but tormented in the fire: he was allowed to that we eat not the flesh and blood of Christ live a long time; nay, not allowed to live a merely in the sacrament, as many evil men do, long time, but forced to die a slow, lingering but that we eat and drink to the participation death. Then, in that lingering death, in of the Spirit, that we abide as members in the those torments, because he had well eaten and Lord's body, to be quickened by His Spirit, well drunk, as one who had feasted on that and that we be not offended, even if many do meat, as one intoxicated with that cup, he now with us eat and drink the sacraments in felt not the torments. For He was there a temporal manner, who shall in the end have who said, "It is the Spirit that quickeneth." eternal torments. For at present Christ's For the flesh indeed was burning, but the body is as it were mixed on the threshing- Spirit was quickening the soul. He shrunk floor: But the Lord knoweth them that are not back, and he mounted into the kingdom. His." If thou knowest what thou threshest, But the holy martyr Xystus, whose day we that the substance is there hidden, that the celebrated five days ago, had said to him, threshing has not consumed what the winnow- "Mourn not, my son;" for Xystus was a ing has purged; certain are we, brethren, that bishop, he was a deacon. "Mourn not," all of us who are in the Lord's body, and said he; "thou shalt follow me after three abide in Him, that He also may abide in us, days." He said three days, meaning the have of necessity to live among evil men in interval between the day of Saint Xystus's this world even unto the end. I do not say suffering and that of Saint Laurence's sufferamong those evil men who blaspheme Christ; ing, which falls on to-day. Three days is for there are now few found who blaspheme the interval. What comfort! He says not, with the tongue, but many who do so by their" Mourn not, my son; the persecution will life. Among those, then, we must necessarily live even unto the end. 66 12. But what is this that He saith: "He that abideth in me, and I in him"? What, but that which the martyrs heard: "He that persevereth unto the end, the same shall be 2 Tim. ii. 19. cease, and thou wilt be safe;" but, "do not mourn: whither I precede thou shalt follow; nor shall thy pursuit be deferred: three days will be the interval, and thou shalt be with me.' He accepted the oracle, vanquished the devil, and attained to the triumph. 2 Matt. xxiv. 13. TRACTATE XXVIII. I. IN this chapter of the Gospel, brethren, | hearts, that Christ became man in such manner our Lord Jesus Christ has most especially that He ceased not to be God. While recommended Himself to our faith in respect maining God, He who made man took manof His humanity. For indeed He always hood. While, therefore, as man He conkeeps in view, both in His words and deeds, cealed Himself, He must not be thought to that He should be believed to be God and have lost His power, but only to have offered man: God who made us, man who sought us; an example to our infirmity. For He was with the Father, always God; with us, man detained when He willed to be, and He was put in time. For He would not have sought man whom He had made if Himself had not become that which He had made. But remember this, and do not let it slip from your to death when he willed to be. But since there were to be His members, that is, His faithful ones, who would not have that power which He, our God, had; by His being hid, by His con cealing Himself as if He would not be put to used on the holy day to make tabernacles, in death, He indicated that His members would likeness of the tabernacles in which they dwelt do this, in which members He Himself in while they sojourned in the wilderness, after fact was. For Christ is not simply in the being led out of Egypt. This was a holy head and not in the body, but Christ whole is day, a great solemnity. The Jews were in the head and body. What, therefore, His celebrating this, as being mindful of the members are, that He is; but what He is, it Lord's benefits-they who were about to kill does not necessarily follow that His members the Lord. On this holy day, then (for there are. For if His members were not Himself, were several holy days; but it was called a He would not have said, "Saul, why per- holy day with the Jews, though it was not one secutest thou me?" For Saul was not per- day, but several), " His brethren" spoke to secuting Himself on earth, but His members, the Lord Christ. Understand the phrase, namely, His believers. He would not, how-"His brethren," as you know it must be ever, say, my saints, my servants, or, in short, taken, for it is not a new thing you hear. my brethren, which is more honorable; but, The blood relations of the Virgin Mary used me, that is, my members, whose head I am, to be called the Lord's brethren. For it was 2. With these preliminary remarks, I of the usage of Scripture to call blood relathink that we shall not have to labor much tions and all other near kindred by the term for the meaning in this chapter; for that is brethren, which is foreign to our usage, and often betokened in the head which was to be not within our manner of speech. For who in the body. "After these things," saith he, would call an uncle or a sister's son "brother"? "Jesus walked in Galilee: for He would not Yet the Scripture calls relatives of this kind walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to "brothers." For Abraham and Lot are called kill Him." This is what I have said; He brothers, while Abraham was Lot's uncle.* offered an example to our infirmity. He had Laban and Jacob are called brothers, while not lost power, but He was comforting our Laban was Jacob's uncle. When, therefore, weakness. For it would happen, as I have you hear of the Lord's brethren, consider said, that some believer in Him would retreat them the blood relations of Mary, who did into concealment, lest he should be found by not a second time bear children. For, as in the persecutors; and lest the concealment the sepulchre, where the Lord's body was laid, should be objected to him as a crime, that neither before nor after did any dead lie; so, occurred first in the head, which should after-likewise, Mary's womb, neither before nor wards be confirmed in the member. For it after conceived anything mortal. is said, "He would not walk in Judea, be- 4. We have said who the brethren were, let use the Jews sought to kill Him," just as if us hear what they said: "Pass over hence, Christ were not able both to walk among the and go into Judea, that thy disciples also Jews, and not be killed by them. For He may see thy work which thou doest." The manifested this power when He willed; for Lord's works were not hid from the disciples, when they would lay hold of Him, as He was but to these men they were not apparent. now about to suffer, "He said to them, They might have Christ for a kinsman, but Whom seek ye? They answered, Jesus. through that very relationship they disdained Then, said He, I am He," not concealing, to believe on Him. It is told us in the but manifesting Himself. That manifesta- Gospel; for we dare not hold this as a mere tion, however, they did not withstand, but opinion, you have just now heard it. They "going backwards, they fell to the ground." go on advising Him: "For no man doeth And yet, because He had come to suffer, they rose up, laid hold of Him, led Him away to the judge, and slew Him. But what was it they did? That which a certain scripture says: "The earth was delivered into the hands of the ungodly." The flesh was given into the power of the Jews; and this that thereby the bag, as it were, might be rent asunder, whence our purchase-price might run out. 3 anything in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly: if thou do these things, show thyself to the world." And directly after it says: "For neither did His brethren believe in Him." Why did they not believe in Him? Because they sought human glory. For as to what His brethren appear to advise Him, they consult for His giory. Thou doest marvellous works, make thyself known; that is, appear to all, that thou mayest be praised by all. The flesh spoke to the flesh; but the flesh without God, to the flesh with God. It was the wisdom of the flesh speak ing to the Word which became flesh and dwelt now, for by righteousness it shall come to among us. judgment. And what saith the Holy Scrip5 What did the Lord answer to these ture in the psalm to the members,—namely, things? Then saith Jesus to them: "My that tolerate the wickedness of this world? time is not yet come; but your time is always "The Lord will not cast off His people." ready." What is this? Had not Christ's For, in fact, His people labors among the untime yet come? Why then was Christ come, worthy, among the unrighteous, among blasif His time had not yet come? Have we not phemers, among murmurers, detractors, perheard the apostle say, "But when the fullness secutors, and, if they are allowed, destroyers. of time came, God sent His Son"? If, Yes, it labors; but "the Lord will not cast off therefore, He was sent in the fullness of time, His people, and He will not forsake His He was sent when He ought to be sent, He inheritance until justice is turned into judgcame when it behoved that He should come. ment." "Until the justice," which is now What means then, "My time is not yet in His saints, "be turned into judgment;' come"? Understand, brethren, with what when that shall be fulfilled which was said to intention they spoke, when they appeared to them, "Ye shall sit upon twelve thrones, advise Him as their brother. They were giv- judging the twelve tribes of Israel." The ing Him counsel to pursue glory; as advising apostle had righteousness, but not yet that in a worldly manner and with an earthly dis- judgment of which he says, "Know ye not position, that He should not be unknown to that we shall judge angels?" Be it now, fame, nor hide Himself in obscurity. This is therefore, the time for living rightly; the what the Lord says in answer to those who time for judging them that have lived ill shall were giving Him counsel of glory, "My time be hereafter. "Until righteousness," saith is not yet come; "-the time of my glory is he, "is turned into judgment." The time of not yet come. See how profound it is: they judgment will be that of which the Lord has were advising Him as to glory; but He would here said, "My time is not yet come." For have loftiness preceded by humility, and there will be a time of glory, when He who willed to prepare the way to elevation itself came in humility will come in loftiness; He through humility. For those disciples, too, who came to be judged will come to judge; were of course seeking glory who wished to He who came to be slain by the dead will sit, one at His right hand and the other at His come to judge the quick and the dead. left: they thought only of the goal, and saw God," saith the psalm, "will come maninot by what way it must be reached; the Lord fest, our God, and He will not be silent."? recalled them to the way, that they might What is "shall come manifest"? Because come to their fatherland in due order. For He came concealed. Then He will not be the fatherland is on high, the way thither lies silent; for when He came concealed, "He low. That land is the life of Christ, the way was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and as a is Christ's death; that land is the habitation lamb before its shearer, He opened not His of Christ, the way is Christ's suffering. He mouth." He shall come, and shall not keep that refuses the way, why seeks he the father-silence. "I was silent," saith He," shall I land? In a word, to these also, while seeking always be silent?'' 9 elevation, He gave this answer: "Can ye drink the cup which I am about to drink?" Behold the way by which you must come to that height which you desire. The cup He made mention of was indeed that of His humility and suffering. 6. Therefore also here: "My time is not yet come; but your time," that is the glory of the world, is always ready." This is the time of which Christ, that is the body of Christ, speaks in prophecy: "When I shall have received the fit time, I will judge righteously." 3 For at present it is not the time of judging, but of tolerating the wicked. Therefore, let the body of Christ bear at present, and tolerate the wickedness of evil livers. Let it, however, have righteousness 66 98 7. But what is necessary at the present time for those who have righteousness? That which is read in that psalm: "Until righteousness is turned into judgment. and they that have it are upright of heart." You ask, perhaps, who are the upright in heart? We find in Scripture those to be upright in heart who bear the evils of the world, and do not accuse God. See, brethren, an uncommon thing is that which I speak of. For I know not how it is that, when any evil befalls a man, he runs to accuse God, when he ought to accuse himself. When thou gettest any good, thou praisest thyself; when thou suf ferest any evil, thou accusest God. This is then the crooked heart, not the upright. When thou art cured of this distorting and |