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1. Opportunely has the Lord procured for us that this passage should
occur in its order to day: for I suppose you have observed, beloved,
that we have undertaken to consider and explain the Gospel according to
John in due course. Opportunely then it occurs, that today you
should hear from the Gospel, that, "Except a man be born again of
water and of the Spirit, he shall not see the kingdom of God." For
it is time that we exhort you, who are still catechumens, who have
believed in Christ in such wise, that you are still bearing your
sins. And none shall see the kingdom of heaven while burdened with
sins; for none shall reign with Christ, but he to whom they have been
forgiven: but forgiven they cannot be, but to him who is born again of
water and of the Holy Spirit. But let us observe all the words what
they imply, that here the sluggish may find with what earnestness they
must haste to put off their burden. For were they bearing some heavy
load, either of stone, or of wood, or even of some gain; if they
were carrying corn, or wine, or money, they would run to put off
their loads: they are carrying a burden of sins, and yet are sluggish
to run. You must run to put off this burden; it weighs you down, it
drowns you.
2. Behold, you have heard that when our Lord Jesus Christ "was
in Jerusalem at the Passover, on the feast day, many believed in
His name, seeing the signs which He did." "Many believed in His
name;" and what follows? "But Jesus did not trust Himself to
them." Now what does this mean, "They believed," or trusted,
"in His name;" and yet "Jesus did not trust Himself to them;"?
Was it, perhaps, that they had not believed on Him, but were
feigning to have believed, and that therefore Jesus did not trust
Himself to them? But the evangelist would not have said, "Many
believed in His name," if he were not giving a true testimony to
them. A great thing, then, it is, and a wonderful thing: men
believe on Christ, and Christ trusts not Himself to men.
Especially is it wonderful, since, being the Son of God, He of
course suffered willingly. If He were not willing, He would never
have suffered, since, had He not willed it, He had not been born;
and if He had willed this only, merely to be born and not to die, He
might have done even whatever He willed, because He is the almighty
Son of the almighty Father Let us prove it by facts. For when they
wished to hold Him, He departed from them. The Gospel says,
"And when they would have cast Him headlong from the top of the
mountain, He departed from them unhurt." And when they came to lay
hold of Him, after He was sold by Judas the traitor, who imagined
that he had it in his power to deliver up his Master and Lord, there
also the Lord showed that He suffered of His own will, not of
necessity. For when the Jews desired to lay hold of Him, He said
to them, "Whom seek ye? But they said, Jesus of Nazareth. And
said He, I am He. On hearing this saying, they went backward,
and fell to the ground." In this, that in answering them He threw
them to the ground, He showed His power; that in His being taken by
them He might show His will. It was of compassion, then, that He
suffered. For "He was delivered up for our sins, and rose again for
our justification." Hear His own words: "I have power to lay down
my life, and I have power to take it again: no man taketh it from
me, but I lay it down of myself, that I may take it again."
Since, therefore, He had such power, since He declared it by
words, showed it by deeds, what then does it mean that Jesus did not
trust Himself to them, as if they would do Him some harm against His
will, or would do something to Him against His will, especially
seeing that they had already believed in His name? Moreover, of the
same persons the evangelist says, "They believed in His name," of
whom he says, "But Jesus did not trust Himself to them." Why?
"Because He knew all men, and needed not that any should bear
witness of man: for Himself knew what was in man." The artificer
knew what was in His own work better than the work knew what was in
itself. The Creator of man knew what was in man, which the created
man himself knew not. Do we not prove this of Peter, that he knew
not what was in himself, when he said, "With Thee, even to
death"? Hear that the Lord knew what was in man: "Thou with me
even to death? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Before the cock
crow, thou shalt deny me thrice." The man, then, knew not what was
in himself; but the Creator of the man knew what was in the man.
Nevertheless, many believed in His name, and yet Jesus did not
trust Himself to them. What can we say, brethren? Perhaps the
circumstances that follow will indicate to us what the mystery of these
words is. That men had believed in Him is manifest, is true; none
doubts it, the Gospel says it, the truth-speaking evangelist
testifies to it. Again, that Jesus trusted not Himself to them is
also manifest, and no Christian doubts it; for the Gospel says this
also, and the same truth-speaking evangelist testifies to it. Why,
then, is it that they believed in His name, and yet Jesus did not
trust Himself to them? Let us see what follows.
3. "And there was a man of the Pharisees, Nicodemus by name, a
ruler of the Jews: the same came to Him by night, and said unto
Him, Rabbi (you already know that Master is called Rabbi), we
know that Thou art a teacher come from God; for no man can do these
signs which Thou doest, except God be with him." This Nicodemus,
then, was of those who had believed in His name, as they saw the
signs and prodigies which He did. For this is what he said above:
"Now, when He was in Jerusalem at the passover on the feast-day,
many believed in His name." Why did they believe? He goes on to
say, "Seeing His signs which He did." And what says he of
Nicodemus? "There was a ruler of the Jews, Nicodemus by name the
same came to Him by night, and says to Him, Rabbi, we know that
Thou art a teacher come from God." Therefore this man also had
believed in His name. And why had he believed? He goes on, "For
no man can do these signs which Thou doest, except God be with
him." If, therefore, Nicodemus was of those who had believed in
His name, let us now consider, in the case of this Nicodemus, why
Jesus did not trust Himself to them. "Jesus answered and said unto
him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born
again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Therefore to them who
have been born again cloth Jesus trust Himself. Behold, those men
had believed on Him, and yet Jesus trusted not Himself to them.
Such are all catechumens: already they believe in the name of
Christ, but Jesus does not trust Himself to them. Give good heed,
my beloved, and understand. If we say to a catechumen, Dost thou
believe on Christ? he answers, I believe, and signs himself;
already he bears the cross of Christ on his forehead, and is not
ashamed of the cross of his Lord. Behold, he has believed in His
name. Let us ask him, Dost thou eat the flesh of the Son of man,
and drink the blood of the Son of man? he knows not what we say,
because Jesus has not trusted Himself to him.
4. Therefore, since Nicodemus was of that number, he came to the
Lord, but came by night; and this perhaps pertains to the matter.
Came to the Lord, and came by night; came to the Light, and came
in the darkness. But what do they that are born again of water and of
the Spirit hear from the apostle? "Ye were once darkness, buff now
light in the Lord; walk as children of light;" and again, "But we
who are of the day, let us be sober." Therefore they who are born
again were of the night, and are of the day; were darkness, and are
light. Now Jesus trusts Himself to them, and they come to Jesus,
not by night, like Nicodemus; not in darkness do they seek the day.
For such now also profess: Jesus has come near to them, has made
salvation in them; for He said, "Except a man eat my flesh, and
drink my blood, he shall not have life in him." And as the
catechumens have the sign of the cross on their forehead, they are
already of the great house; but from servants let them become sons.
For they are something who already belong to the great house. But
when did the people Israel eat the manna? After they had passed the
Red Sea. And as to what the Red Sea signifies, hear the apostle:
"Moreover, brethren, I would not have you ignorant, that all our
fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea." To
what purpose passed they through the sea? As if thou wert asking of
him, he goes on to say, "And all were baptized by Moses in the
cloud and in the sea." Now, if the figure of the sea had such
efficacy, how great will be the efficacy of the true form of baptism!
If what was done in a figure brought the people, after they had
crossed over, to the manna, what will Christ impart, in the verity
of His baptism, to His own people: brought over through Himself?
By His baptism He brings over them that believe; all their sins,
the enemies as it were that pursue them, being slain, as all the
Egyptians perished in that sea. Whither does He bring over, my
brethren? Whither does Jesus bring over by baptism, of which Moses
then showed the figure, when he brought them through the sea?
Whither? To the manna. What is the manna? "I am," saith He,
"the living bread, which came down from heaven." The faithful
receive the manna, having now been brought through the Red Sea? Why
Red Sea? Besides sea, why also "red"? That "Red Sea"
signified the baptism of Christ. How is the baptism of Christ red,
but as consecrated by Christ's blood? Whither, then, does He lead
those that believe and are baptized? To the manna. Behold,
"manna," I say: what the Jews, that people Israel, received,
is well known, well known what God had rained on them from heaven;
and yet catechumens know not what Christians receive. Let them
blush, then, for their ignorance; let them pass through the Red
Sea, let them eat the manna, that as they have believed in the name
of Jesus, so likewise Jesus may trust Himself to them.
5. Therefore mark, my brethren, what answer this man who came to
Jesus by night makes. Although he came to Jesus, yet because he
came by night, he still speaks from the darkness of his own flesh. He
understands not what he hears from the Lord, understands not what he
hears from the Light, "which lighteth every man that cometh into this
world." Already hath the Lord said to him, "Except a man be born
again, he shall not see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto
Him, How can a man be born again when he is old?" The Spirit
speaks to him, and he thinks of the flesh. He thinks of his own
flesh, because as yet he thinks not of Christ's flesh. For when the
Lord Jesus had said, "Except a man eat my flesh, and drink my
blood, he shall not have life in him," some who followed Him were
offended, and said among themselves, "This is a hard saying; who
can hear it?" For they fancied that, in saying this, Jesus meant
that they would be able to cook Him, after being cut up like a lamb,
and eat Him: horrified at His words, they went back, and no more
followed Him. Thus speaks the evangelist: "And the Lord Himself
remained with the twelve; and they said to Him, Lo, those have left
Thee. And He said, Will ye also go away?" wishing to show them
that He was necessary to them, not they necessary to Christ. Let no
man fancy that he frightens Christ, when he tells Him that he is a
Christian; as if Christ will be more blessed if thou be a
Christian. It is a good thing for thee to be a Christian; but if
thou be not, it will not be ill for Christ. Hear the voice of the
psalm, "I said to the Lord, Thou art my God, since Thou hast no
need of my goods." For that reason, "Thou art my God, since of
my goods Thou hast no need." If thou be without God, thou wilt be
less; if thou be with God, God will not be greater. Not from thee
will He be greater, but thou without Him wilt be less. Grow,
therefore, in Him; do not withdraw thyself, that He may, as it
were, diminish. Thou wilt be renewed if thou come to Him, wilt
suffer loss if thou depart from Him. He remains entire when thou
comest to Him, remains entire even when thou fallest away. When,
therefore, He had said to His disciples, "Will ye also go away?"
Peter, that Rock, answered with the voice of all, "Lord, to whom
shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life." Pleasantly
savored the Lord's flesh in his mouth. The Lord, however,
expounded to them, and said, "It is the Spirit that quickeneth."
After He had said, "Except a man eat my flesh, and drink my
blood, he shall not have life in him," lest they should understand it
carnally, He said, "It is the Spirit that quickeneth, but the
flesh profiteth nothing: the words which I have spoken unto you are
spirit and life."
6. This Nicodemus, who had come to Jesus by night, did not savor
of this spirit and this life. Saith Jesus to him, "Except a man be
born again, he shall not see the kingdom of God." And he, savoring
of his own flesh, while as yet he savored not of the flesh of Christ
in his mouth, saith, "How can a man be born a second time, when he
is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb, and be
born?" This man knew but one birth, that from Adam and Eve; that
which is from God and the Church he knew not yet: he knew only those
parents that bring forth to death, knew not yet the parents that bring
forth to life; he knew but the parents that bring forth successors,
knew not yet the ever-living parents that bring forth those that shall
abide.
Whilst there are two births, then, he understood only one. One is
of the earth, the other of heaven; one of the flesh, the other of the
Spirit; one of mortality, the other of eternity; one of male and
female, the other of God and the Church. But these two are each
single; there can be no repeating the one or the other. Rightly did
Nicodemus understand the birth of the flesh; so understand thou also
the birth of the Spirit, as Nicodemus understood the birth of the
flesh. What did Nicodemus understand? "Can a man enter a second
time into his mother's womb, and be born?" Thus, whosoever shall
tell thee to be spiritually born a second time, answer in the words of
Nicodemus, "Can a man enter a second time into his mother's womb,
and be born?" I am already born of Adam, Adam cannot beget me a
second time. I am already born of Christ, Christ cannot beget me
again. As there is no repeating from the womb, so neither from
baptism.
7. He that is born of the Catholic Church, is born, as it were,
of Sarah, of the free woman; he that is born of heresy is, as it
were, born of the bond woman, but of Abraham's seed. Consider,
beloved, how great a mystery. God testifies, saying, "I am the
God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob."
Were there not other patriarchs? Before these, was there not holy
Noah, who alone of the whole human race, with all his house, was
worthy to be delivered from the flood, he in whom, and in his sons,
the Church was prefigured? Borne by wood, they escaped the flood.
Then afterwards great men whom we know, whom Holy Scriptures
commends, Moses faithful in all his house. And yet those three are
named, just as if they alone deserved well of him: "I am the God of
Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob: this is my
name for ever." Sublime mystery! It is the Lord that is able to
open both our mouth and your hearts, that we may speak as He has
deigned to reveal, and that you may receive even as it is expedient for
you.
8. The patriarchs, then, are these three, Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob. You know that the sons of Jacob were twelve, and thence the
people Israel; for Jacob himself is Israel, and the people Israel
in twelve tribes pertaining to the twelve sons of Israel. Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob three fathers, and one people. The fathers
three, as it were in the beginning of the people; three fathers in
whom the people was figured: and the former people itself the present
people. For in the Jewish people was figured the Christian people.
There a figure, here the truth; there a shadow, here the body: as
the apostle says, "Now these things happened to them in a figure."
It is the apostle's voice: "They were written," saith he, "for
our sakes, upon whom the end of the ages is come." Let your mind now
recur to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In the case of these three,
we find that free women bear children, and that bond women bear
children: we find there offspring of free women, we find there also
offspring of bond women. The bond woman signifies nothing good:
"Cast out the bond woman," saith he, "and her son; for the son of
the bond woman shall not be heir with the son of the free." The
apostle recounts this; and he says that in those two sons of Abraham
was a figure of the two Testaments, the Old and the New. To the
Old Testament belong the lovers of temporal things, the lovers of the
world: to the New Testament belong the lovers of eternal life.
Hence, that Jerusalem on earth was the shadow of the heavenly
Jerusalem, the mother of us all, which is in heaven; and these are
the apostle's words. And of that city from which we are absent on our
sojourn, you know much, you have now heard much. But we find a
wonderful thing in these births, in these fruits of the womb, in these
generations of free and bond women: namely, four sorts of men; in
which four sorts is completed the figure of the future Christian
people, so that what was said in the case of those three patriarchs is
not surprising, "I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac,
and the God of Jacob." For in the case of all Christians,
observe, brethren, either good men are born of evil men, or evil men
of good; or good men of good, or evil men of evil: more than these
four sorts you cannot find. These things I will again repeat: Give
heed, keep them, excite your hearts, be not dull; take in, lest ye
be taken, how of all Christians there are four sorts. Either of the
good are born good, or of the evil, are born evil; or of the good are
born evil, or of the evil good. I think it is plain. Of the good,
good; if they who baptize are good, and also they who are baptized
rightly believe, and are rightly numbered among the members of
Christ. Of the evil, evil; if they who baptize are evil, and they
who are baptized approach God with a double heart, and do not observe
the morals which they hear urged in the Church, so as not to be
chaff, but grain, there. How many such there are, you know,
beloved. Of the evil, good; sometimes an adulterer baptizes, and be
that is baptized is justified. Of the good, evil; sometimes they who
baptize are holy, they who are baptized do not desire to keep the way
of God.
9. I suppose, brethren, that this is known in the Church, and
that what we are saying is manifest by daily examples; but let us
consider these things in the case of our fathers before us, how they
also had these four kinds. Of the good, good; Ananias baptized
Paul. How of the evil, evil? The apostle declares that there were
certain preachers of the gospel, who, he says, did not use to preach
the gospel with a pure motive, whom, however, he tolerates in the
Christian society, saying, "What then? notwithstanding every way,
whether by occasion or in truth, Christ is preached, and in this I
rejoice." Was he therefore malevolent, and did he rejoice in
another's evil? No, but rejoiced because through evil men the truth
was preached, and by the mouths of evil men Christ was preached. If
these men baptized any persons like themselves, evil men baptized evil
men: if they baptized such as the Lord admonishes, when He says,
"Whatsoever they bid you, do; but do not ye after their works,"
they were evil men that were baptizing good. Good men baptized evil
men, as Simon the sorcerer was baptized by Philip, a holy man.
Therefore these four sorts, my brethren, are known. See, I repeat
them again, hold them, count them, think upon them; guard against
what is evil; keep what is good. Good men are born of good, when
holy men are baptized by holy; evil men are born of evil, when both
they that baptize and they that are baptized live unrighteously and
ungodly; good men are born of evil, when they are evil that baptize,
and they good that are baptized; evil men are born of good, when they
are good that baptize, and they evil that are baptized.
10. How do we find this in these three names, "I am the God of
Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob"? We hold
the bond women among the evil, and the free women among the good.
Free women bear the good; Sarah bare Isaac: bond women bear the
evil; Hagar bare Ishmael. We have in the case of Abraham alone the
two sorts, both when the good are of the good, and also when the evil
are of the evil. But where have we evil of good figured? Rebecca,
Isaac's wife, was a free woman: read, She bare twins; one was
good, the other evil. Thou hast the Scripture openly declaring by
the voice of God, "Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated."
Rebecca bare those two, Jacob and Esau: one of them is chosen, the
other is reprobated; one succeeds to the inheritance, the other is
disinherited. God does not make His people of Esau, but makes it of
Jacob. The seed is one, those conceived are dissimilar: the womb is
one, those born of it are diverse. Was not the free woman that bare
Jacob, the same free woman that bare Esau? They strove in the
mother's womb; and when they strove there, it was said to
Rebecca," Two peoples are in thy womb." Two men, two peoples; a
good people, and a bad people: but yet they strive m one womb. How
many evil men there are in the Church! And one womb carries them
until they are separated in the end: and the good cry out against the
evil, and the evil in turn cry out against the good, and both strive
together in the bowels of one mother. Will they be always together?
There is a going forth to the light in the end; the birth which is
here figured in a mystery is declared; and it will then appear that
"Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated."
11. Accordingly we have now found, brethren, of the good, good of
the free woman, Isaac; and of the evil, evil of the bond woman,
Ishmael; and of the good, evil of Rebecca, Esau: where shall we
find of the evil, good? There remains Jacob, that the completion of
these four sorts may be concluded in the three patriarchs. Jacob had
for wives free women, he had also bond women: the free bear children,
as do also the bond, and thus come the twelve sons of Israel. If you
count them all, of whom they were born, they were not all of the free
women, nor all of the bond women; but yet they were all of one seed.
What, then, my brethren? Did not they who were born of the bond
women possess the land of promise together with their brethren? We
have there found good sons of Jacob born of bond women, and good sons
of Jacob born of free women. Their birth of the wombs of bond women
was nothing against them, when they knew their seed in the father, and
consequently they held the kingdom with their brethren. Therefore, as
in the case of Jacob's sons, that they were born of bond women did
not hinder their holding the kingdom, and receiving the land of promise
on an equality with their brothers; their birth of bond women did not
hinder them, but the father's seed prevailed: so, whoever are
baptized by evil men, appear as if born of bond women; nevertheless,
because they are of the seed of the Word of God, which is figured in
Jacob, let them not be cast down, they shall possess the inheritance
with their brethren. Therefore, let him who is born of the good seed
be without fear; only let him not imitate the bond woman, if he is
born of a bond woman. Do not thou imitate the evil, proud, bond
woman. For how came the sons of Jacob, that were born of bond
women, to possess the land of promise with their brethren, whilst
Ishmael, born of a bond woman, was cast out from the inheritance?
How, but because he was proud, they were humble? He proudly reared
his neck, and wished to seduce his brother while he was playing with
him.
12. A great mystery is there. They were playing together,
Ishmael and Isaac: Sarah sees them playing, and says to Abraham,
"Cast out the bond woman and her son; for the son of the bond woman
shall not be heir with my son Isaac." And when Abraham was
sorrowful, the Lord confirmed to him the saying of his wife. Now
here is evidently a mystery, that the event was somehow pregnant with
something future. She sees them playing, and says, "Cast out the
bond woman and her son." What is this, brethren? For what evil had
Ishmael done to the boy Isaac, in playing with him? That playing
was a mocking; that playing signified deception. Now attend,
beloved, to this great mystery. The apostle calls it persecution;
that playing, that play, he calls persecution: for he says, "But
as then he that was born after the flesh, persecuted him that was born
after the Spirit, so also now;" that is, they that are born after
the flesh persecute them that are born after the Spirit. Who are born
after the flesh? Lovers of the world, lovers of this life. Who are
born after the Spirit? Lovers of the kingdom of heaven, lovers of
Christ, men that long for eternal life, that worship God freely.
They play, and the apostle calls it persecution. For after he said
these words, "And as then be that was born after the flesh persecuted
him that was born after the Spirit, so also now;" the apostle went
on, and showed of what persecution, he was speaking: "But what says
the Scripture? Cast out the bond woman and her son: for the son of
the bond woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac." We search where
the Scripture says this, to see whether any persecution on Ishmael's
part against Isaac preceded this; and we find that this was said by
Sarah when she saw the boys playing together. The playing which
Scripture says that Sarah saw, the apostle calls persecution.
Hence, they who seduce you by playing, persecute you the more.
"Come," say they, "Come, be baptized here, here is true baptism
for thee." Do not play, there is one true baptism; that other is
play: thou wilt be seduced, and that will be a grievous persecution to
thee. It were better for thee to make Ishmael a present of the
kingdom; but Ishmael will not have it, for he means to play. Keep
thou thy father's inheritance, and hear this: "Cast out the bond
woman and her son; for the son of the bond woman shall not be heir with
my son Isaac."
13. These men, too, dare to say that they are wont to suffer
persecution from catholic kings, or from catholic princes. What
persecution do they bear? Affliction of body: yet if at times they
have suffered, and how they suffered, let themselves know, and settle
it with their consciences; still they suffered only affliction of
body: the persecution which they cause is more grievous.
Beware when Ishmael wishes to play with Isaac, when he fawns on
thee, when he offers another baptism: answer him, I have baptism
already. For if this baptism is true, he who would give thee another
would be mocking thee. Beware of the persecution of the soul. For
though the party of Donatus has at tithes suffered somewhat at the
hands of catholic princes, it was a bodily suffering, not the
suffering of spiritual deception. Hear and see in the very facts of
Old Testament history all the signs and indications of things to
come. Sarah is found to have afflicted her maid Hagar: Sarah is
free. After her maid began to be proud, Sarah complained to
Abraham, and said, "Cast out the bond woman;" she has lifted her
neck against me. His wife complains of Abraham, as if it were his
doing. But Abraham, who was not bound to the maid by lust, but by
the duty of begetting children, inasmuch as Sarah had given her to him
to have offspring by her, says to her: "Behold, she is thy
handmaid; do unto her as thou wilt." And Sarah grievously afflicted
her, and she fled from her face.
See, the free woman afflicted the bond woman, and the apostle does
not call that a persecution; the slave plays with his master, and he
calls it persecution: this afflicting is not called persecution; that
playing is. How does it appear to you, brethren? Do you not
understand what is signified? Thus, then, when God wills to stir up
powers against heretics, against schismatics, against those that
scatter the Church, that blow on Christ as if they abhorred Him,
that blaspheme baptism, let them not wonder; because God stirs them
up, that Hagar may be beaten by Sarah. Let Hagar know herself,
and yield her neck: for when, after being humiliated, she departed
from her mistress, an angel met her, and said to her, "What is the
matter with thee, Hagar, Sarah's handmaid?" When she complained
of her mistress, what did she hear from the angel? "Return to thy
mistress." It is for this that she is afflicted, that she may
return; and would that she may return, for her offspring, just like
the sons of Jacob, will obtain the inheritance with their brethren.
14. But they wonder that Christian powers are roused against
detestable scatterers of the Church. Should they not be moved,
then? How otherwise should they give an account of their rule to
God? Observe, beloved, what I say, that it concerns Christian
kings of this world to wish their mother the Church, of which they
have been spiritually born, to have peace in their times. We read
Daniel's visions and prophetical histories. The three children
praised the Lord in the fire: King Nebuchadnezzar wondered at the
children praising God, and at the fire around them doing them no
harm: and whilst he wondered, what did King Nebuchadnezzar say, he
who was neither a Jew nor circumcised, who had set up his own image
and compelled all men to adore it; but, impressed by the praises of
the three children when he saw the majesty of God present in the fire
what said he? "And I will publish a decree to all tribes and tongues
in the whole earth." What sort of decree? "Whosoever shall speak
blasphemy against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
shall be cut off, and their houses shall be made a ruin." See how an
alien king acts with raging indignation that the God of Israel might
not be blasphemed, because He was able to deliver the three children
from the fire: and yet they would not have Christian kings to act with
severity when Christ is contemptuously rejected, by whom not three
children, but the whole world, with these very kings, is delivered
from the fire of hell! For those three children, my brethren, were
delivered from temporal fire. Is He not the same God who was the
God of the Maccabees and the God of the three children? The latter
He delivered from the fire; the former did in body perish in the
torments of fire, but in mind they remained steadfast in the ordinances
of the law. The latter were openly delivered, the former were crowned
in secret? It is a greater thing to be delivered from the flame of
hell than from the furnace of a human power. If, then,
Nebuchadnezzar praised and extolled and gave glory to God because He
delivered three children from the fire, and gave such glory as to send
forth a decree throughout his kingdom, "Whosoever shall speak
blasphemy against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
shall be cut off, and their houses shall be brought to ruin," how
should not these kings be moved, who observe, not three children
delivered from the flame, but their very selves delivered from hell,
when they see Christ, by whom they have been delivered,
contemptuously spurned in Christians, when they hear it said to a
Christian, "Say that thou art not a Christian"? Men are willing
to do such deeds, but they do not wish to suffer, at all events, such
punishments.
15. For see what they do and what they suffer. They slay souls,
they suffer in body: they cause everlasting deaths, and yet they
complain that they themselves suffer temporal deaths. And yet what
deaths do they suffer? They allege to us some martyrs of theirs in
persecution. See, Marculus was hurled headlong from a rock; see,
Donatus of Bagaia was thrown into a well. When have the Roman
authorities decreed such punishments as casting men down rocks?
But what do those of our party reply? What was done I know not;
what however do ours tell? That they hung themselves headlong and cast
the infamy of it upon the authorities. Let us call to mind the custom
of the Roman authorities, and see to whom we are to give credit. Our
men declare that those men cast themselves down headlong. If they are
not the very disciples of those men, who now cast themselves down
precipices, while no man persecutes them, let us not credit the
allegation of our men: what wonder if those men did what these are wont
to do? The Roman authorities never did employ such punishments: for
had they not the power to put them to death openly? But those men,
while they wished to be honored when dead, found not a death to make
them more famous. In short, whatever the fact was, I do not know.
And even if thou hast suffered corporal affliction, O party of
Donatus, at the hand of the Catholic Church, as an Hagar thou hast
suffered it at the hand of Sarah; "return to thy mistress." A
point which it was indeed necessary to discuss has detained us somewhat
too long to be at all able to expound the whole text of the Gospel
Lesson. Let this suffice you in the meantime, beloved brethren,
lest, by speaking of other matters, what has been spoken might be shut
out from your hearts. Hold fast these things, declare such things;
and while yourselves are inflamed, go your way thither, and set on
fire them that are cold.
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