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1. When I give heed to what we have just read from the apostolic
lesson, that "the natural man perceiveth not the things which are of
the Spirit of God," and consider that in the present assembly, my
beloved, there must of necessity be among you many natural men, who
know only according to the flesh, and cannot yet raise themselves to
spiritual understanding, I am in great difficulty how, as the Lord
shall grant, I may be able to express, or in my small measure to
explain, what has been read from the Gospel, "In the beginning was
the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God;" for
this the natural man does not perceive. What then, brethren? Shall
we be silent for this cause? Why then is it read, if we are to be
silent regarding it? Or why is it heard, if it be not explained?
And why is it explained, if it be not understood? And so, on the
other hand, since I do not doubt that there are among your number some
who can not only receive it when explained, but even understand it
before it is explained, I shall not defraud those who are able to
receive it, from fear of my words being wasted on the ears of those who
are not able to receive it. Finally, there will be present with us
the compassion of God, so that perchance there may be enough for all,
and each receive what he is able, while he who speaks says what he is
able. For to speak or the matter as it is, who is able? I venture
to say, my brethren, perhaps not John himself spoke of the matter as
it is, but even he only as he was able; for it was man that spoke of
God, inspired indeed by God, but still man. Because he was
inspired he said something; if he had not been inspired, he would have
said 'nothing; but because a man inspired, he spoke not the whole,
but what a man could he spoke.
2. For this John, dearly beloved brethren, was one of those
mountains concerning which it is written: "Let the mountains receive
peace for thy people, and the hills righteousness." The mountains
are lofty souls, the hills little souls. But for this reason do the
mountains receive peace, that the hills may be able to receive
righteousness. What is the righteousness which the hills receive?
Faith, for" the just doth live by faith." The smaller souls,
however, would not receive faith unless the greater souls, which are
called mountains, were illuminated by Wisdom herself, that they may
be able to transmit to the little ones what the little ones can
receive; and the hills live by faith, because the mountains receive
peace. By the mountains themselves it was said to the Church,
"Peace be with you;" and the mountains themselves in proclaiming
peace to the Church did not divide themselves against Him from whom
they received peace, that truly, not feignedly, they might proclaim
peace.
3. For there are other mountains which cause shipwreck, on which,
if any one drive his ship, she is dashed to pieces. For it is easy,
when land is seen by men in peril, to make a venture as it were to
reach it; but sometimes land is seen on a mountain, and rocks lie hid
under the mountain; and when any one makes for the mountain, he falls
on the rocks, and finds there not rest, but wrecking. So there have
been certain mountains, and great have they appeared among men, and
they have created heresies and schisms, and have divided the Church of
God; but those who divided the Church of God were not those
mountains concerning which it is said, "Let the mountains receive
peace for thy people." For in what manner have they received peace
who have severed unity?
4. But those who received peace to proclaim it to the people have
made Wisdom herself an object of contemplation, so far as human hearts
could lay hold on that which "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard,
neither has ascended into the heart of man." If it has not ascended
into the heart of man, how has it ascended into the heart of John?
Was not John a man? Or perhaps neither into John's heart did it
ascend, but John's heart ascended into it? For that which ascends
into the heart of man is from beneath, to man; but that to which the
heart of man ascends is above, from man. Even so brethren, can it be
said that, if it ascended into the heart of John (if in any way it
can be said), it ascended into his heart in so far as he was not man
What means '' was not man"? In so far as he had begun to be an
angel. For all saints are angels, since they are messengers of God.
Therefore to carnal and natural men, who are not able to perceive the
things that are of God, what says the apostle? "For whereas ye
say, I am of Paul, I of Apollos, are ye not men?, What did he
wish to make them whom, he upbraided because they were men? Do you
wish to know what he wished to make them? Hear in the Psalms: "I
have said, ye are gods; and all of you are children of the Most
High." To this, then, God calls us, that we be not men. But
then will it be for the better that we be not men, if first we
recognize the fact that we are men, that is, to the end that we may
rise to that height from humility; lest, when we think that we are
something when we are nothing, we not only do not receive what we are
not, but even lose what we are.
5. Accordingly, brethren, of these mountains was John also, who
said, " In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God." This mountain had received peace; he
was contemplating the divinity of the Word. Of what sort was this
mountain? How lofty? He had risen above all peaks of the earth, he
had risen above all plains of the sky, he had risen above all heights
of the stars, he had risen above all choirs and legions of the angels.
For unless he rose above all those things which were created, he would
not arrive at Him by whom all things were made. You cannot imagine
what he rose above, unless you see at what he arrived. Dost thou
inquire concerning heaven and earth? They were made. Dost thou
inquire concerning the things that are in heaven and earth? Surely
much more were they made. Dost thou inquire concerning spiritual
beings, concerning angels, archangels, thrones, dominions, powers,
principalities? These also were made. For when the Psalm enumerated
all these things, it finished thus: " He spoke, and they were
made; He commanded, and they were created." If "He spoke and
they were made," it was by the Word that they were made; but if it
was by the Word they were made, the heart of John could not reach to
that which he says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word
was with God, and the Word was God," unless he had risen above all
things that were made by the Word. What a mountain this! How holy!
How high among those mountains that received peace for the people of
God, that the hills might receive righteousness!
6. Consider, then, brethren, if perchance John is not one of
those mountains concerning whom we sang a little while ago, "I have
lifted up mine eyes to the mountains, from whence shall come my
help." Therefore, my brethren, if you would understand, lift up
your eyes to this mountain, that is, raise yourselves up to the
evangelist, rise to his meaning. But, because though these mountains
receive peace he cannot be in peace who places his hope in man, do not
so raise your eyes to the mountain as to think that your hope should be
placed in man; and so say, "I have lifted up mine eyes to the
mountains, from whence shall come my help," that you immediately
add, "My help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth."
Therefore let us lift our eyes to the mountains, from whence shall
come our help; and yet it is not in the mountains themselves that our
hope should be placed, for the mountains receive what they may minister
to us; therefore, from whence the mountains also receive there should
our hope be placed. When we lift our eyes to the Scriptures, since
it was through men the Scriptures were ministered, we are lifting our
eyes to the mountains, from whence shall come our help; but still,
since they were men who wrote the Scriptures, they did not shine of
themselves, but "He was the true light, who lighteth every man that
cometh into the world." A mountain also was that John the Baptist,
who said, "I am not the Christ," lest any one, placing his hope
in the mountain, should fall from Him who illuminates the mountain.
He also confessed, saying, "Since of His fullness have all we
received." So thou oughtest to say, "I have lifted up mine eyes to
the mountains, from whence shall come my help," so as not to ascribe
to the mountains the help that comes to thee; but continue and say,
"My help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth."
7. Therefore, brethren, may this be the result of my admonition,
that you understand that in raising your hearts to the Scriptures
(when the gospel was sounding forth, "In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God," and the
rest that was read), you were lifting your eyes to the mountains,
For unless the mountains said these things, you would not find out how
to think of them at all. Therefore from the mountains came your help,
that you even heard of these things; but you cannot yet understand what
you have heard. Call for help from the Lord, who made heaven and
earth; for the mountains were enabled only so to speak as not of
themselves to illuminate, because they themselves are also illuminated
by hearing. Thence John, who said these things, received them he
who lay on the Lord's breast, and from the Lord's breast drank in
what he might give us to drink. But he gave us words to drink. Thou
oughtest then to receive understanding from the source from which he
drank who gave thee to drink; so that thou mayest lift up thine eyes to
the mountains from whence shall come thine aid, so that from thence
thou mayest receive, as it were, the cup, that is, the word, given
thee to drink; and yet, since thy help is from the Lord, who made
heaven and earth, thou mayest fill thy breast from the source from
which he filled his; whence thou saidst, "My help is from the
Lord, who made heaven and earth:" let him, then, fill who can.
Brethren, this is what I have said: Let each one lift up his heart
in the manner that seems. fitting, and receive what is spoken. But
perhaps you will say that I am more present to you than God, Far be
such a thought from you! He is much more present to you; for I
appear to your eyes, He presides over your consciences. Give me then
your ears, Him your hearts, that you may fill both. Behold, your
eyes, and those your bodily senses, you lift up to us; and yet not to
us, for we are not of those mountains, but to the gospel itself, to
the evangelist himself: your hearts, however, to the Lord to be
filled. Moreover, let each one so lift up as to see what he lifts
up, and whither. What do I mean by saying, "what he lifts up, and
whither?" Let him see to it what sort of a heart he lifts up,
because it is to the Lord he lifts it up, lest, encumbered by a load
of fleshly pleasure, it fall ere ever it is raised. But does each one
see that he bears a burden of flesh? Let him strive by continence to
purify that which he may lift up to God. For "Blessed are the pure
in heart, because they shall see God."
8. But let us see what advantage it is that these words have
sounded, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God." We also uttered words when we spoke.
Was it such a word that was with God? Did not those words which we
uttered sound and pass away? Did God's Word, then, sound and come
to an end? If so, how were all things made by it, and without it was
nothing made? how is that which it created ruled by it, if it sounded
and passed away? What sort of a word, then, is that which is both
uttered and passes not away? Give ear, my beloved, it is a great
matter. By everyday talk, words here become despicable to us,
because through their sounding and passing away they are despised, and
seem nothing but words. But there is a word in the man himself which
remains within; for the sound proceeds from the mouth. There is a
word which is spoken in a truly spiritual manner, that which you
understand from the sound, not the sound itself. Mark, I speak a
word when I say "God." How short the word which I have spoken
four letters and two syllables! Is this all that God is, four
letters and two syllables? Or is that which is signified as costly as
the word is paltry? What took place in thy heart when thou heardest
"God"? What took place in my heart when I said "God"? A
certain great and perfect substance was in our thoughts, transcending
every changeable creature of flesh or of soul. And if I say to thee,
"Is God changeable or unchangeable?" thou wilt answer immediately,
"Far be it from me either to believe or imagine that God is
changeable: God is unchangeable." Thy soul, though small, though
perhaps still carnal, could not answer me otherwise than that God is
unchangeable: but every creature is changeable; how then weft thou
able to enter, by a glance of thy spirit, into that which is above the
creature, so as confidently to answer me, "God is unchangeable"?
What, then, is that in thy heart, when thou thinkest of a certain
substance, living, eternal, all-powerful, infinite, everywhere
present, everywhere whole, nowhere shut in? When thou thinkest of
these qualities, this is the word concerning God in thy heart. But
is this that sound which consists of four letters and two syllables?
Therefore, whatever things are spoken and pass away are sounds, are
letters, are syllables. His word which sounds passes away; but that
which the sound signified, and was in the speaker as he thought of it,
and in the hearer as he understood it, that remains while the sounds
pass away.
9. Turn thy attention to that word. Thou canst have a word in thy
heart, as it were a design born in thy mind, so that thy mind brings
forth the design; and the design is, so to speak, the offspring of
thy mind, the child of thy heart. For first thy heart brings forth a
design to construct some fabric, to set up something great on the
earth; already the design is conceived, and the work is not yet
finished: thou seest what thou wilt make; but another does not
admire, until thou hast made and constructed the pile, and brought
that. fabric into shape and to completion; then men regard the
admirable fabric, and admire the design of the architect; they are
astonished at what they see, and are pleased with what they do not
see: who is there who can see a design? If, then, on account of
some great building a human design receives praise, do you wish to see
what a design of God is the Lord Jesus Christ, that is, the Word
of God? Mark this fabric of the world. View what was made by the
Word, and then thou wilt understand what is the nature of the world.
Mark these two bodies of the world, the heavens and the earth. Who
will unfold in words the beauty of the heavens? Who will unfold in
words the fruitfulness of the earth? Who will worthily extol the
changes of the seasons? Who will worthily extol the power of seeds?
You see what things I do not mention, lest in giving a long list I
should perhaps tell of less than you can call up to your own minds.
From this fabric, then, judge the nature of the Word by which it was
made: and not it alone; for all these things are seen, because they
have to do with the bodily sense. By that Word angels also were
made; by that Word archangels were made, powers, thrones,
dominions, principalities; by that Word were made all things.
Hence, judge what a Word this is.
10. Perhaps some one now answers me, "Who so conceives this
Word?" Do not then imagine, as it were, some paltry thing when
thou hearest "the Word," nor suppose it to be words such as thou
hearest them every day "he spoke such words," "such words he
uttered," "such words you tell me;" for by constant repetition the
term word has become, so to speak, worthless. And when thou
hearest, "In the beginning was the Word," lest thou shouldest
imagine something worthless, such as thou hast been accustomed to think
of when thou weft wont to listen to human words, hearken to what thou
must think of: "The Word was God."
11. Now some unbelieving Arian may come forth and say that "the
Word of God was made." How can it be that the Word of God was
made, when God by the Word made all things? If the Word of God
was itself also made, by what other Word was it made? But if thou
sayest that there is a Word of the Word, I say, that by which it
was made is itself the only Son of God. But if thou dost not say
there is a Word of the Word, allow that that was not made by which
all things were made. For that by which all things were made could not
be made by itself. Believe the evangelist then. For he might have
said, "In the beginning God made the Word:" even as Moses said,
"In the beginning God made the heavens and the earth;" and
enumerates all things thus: "God said, Let it be made, and it was
made." If "said," who said? God. And what was made? Some
creature.
Between the speaking of God and the making of the creature, what was
there by which it was made but the Word? For God said, "Let it be
made, and it was made." This Word is unchangeable; although
changeable things are made by it, the Word itself is unchangeable.
12. Do not then believe that that was made by which were made all
things, lest thou be not new-made by the Word, which makes all
things new. For already hast thou been made by the Word, but it
behoves thee to be new-made by the Word. If, however, thy belief
about the Word be wrong, thou wilt not be able to be new-made by the
Word. And although creation by the Word has happened to thee, so
that thou hast been made by Him, thou art unmade by thyself: if by
thyself thou art unmade, let Him who made thee make thee new: if by
thyself thou hast been made worse, let Him who created thee re-create
thee. But how can He re-create thee by the Word, if thou boldest a
wrong opinion about the Word? The evangelist says, "In the
beginning was the Word;" and thou sayest, '' In the beginning the
Word was made." He says, "All things were made by Him;" and
thou sayest that the Word Himself was made. The evangelist might
have said, "In the beginning the Word was made:" but what does he
say? "In the beginning was the Word." If He was, He was not
made; that all things might be made by it, and without Him nothing be
made. If, then, "in the beginning the Word was, and the Word was
with God, and the Word was God;" if thou canst not imagine what it
is, wait till thou art grown. That is strong meat: receive thou milk
that thou mayest be nourished, and be able to receive strong meat.
13. Give good heed to what follows, brethren, "All things were
made by Him, and without Him was nothing made," so as not to
imagine that "nothing" is something. For many, wrongly
understanding " without Him was nothing made," are wont to fancy
that "nothing" is something. Sin, indeed, was not made by Him;
and it is plain that sin is nothing, and men become nothing when they
sin. An idol also was not made by the Word ; it has indeed a sort of
human form, but man himself was made by the Word; for the form of man
in an idol was not made by the Word, and it is written, "We know
that an idol is nothing." Therefore these things were not made by the
Word; but whatever was made in the natural manner, whatever belongs
to the creature, everything that is fixed in the sky, that shines from
above, that flies under the heavens, and that moves in universal
nature, every creature whatsoever: I will speak more plainly,
brethren, that you may understand me; I will say, from an angel even
to a worm. What more excellent than an angel among created things?
what lower than a worm? He who made the angel made the worm also; but
the angel is fit for heaven, the worm for earth. He who created also
arranged. If He had placed the worm in heaven, thou mightest have
found fault; if He had willed that angels should spring from decaying
flesh, thou mightest have found fault: and yet God almost does this,
and He is not to be found fault with. For all men born of flesh,
what are they but worms? and of these worms God makes angels. For if
the Lord Himself says, "But I am a worm and no man," who will
hesitate to say what is written also in Job, "How much more is man
rottenness, and the son of man a worm?" First he said, "Man is
rottenness;" and afterwards, "The son of man a worm:" because a
worm springs from rottenness, therefore "man is rottenness," and
"the son of man a worm." Behold what for thy sake He was willing to
become, who "in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God!" Why did He for thy sake become
this? That thou mightest suck, who wert not able to chew. Wholly in
this sense, then, brethren, understand "All things were made by
Him, and without Him was nothing made." For every creature, great
and small, was made by Him: by Him were made things above and things
beneath; spiritual and corporeal, by Him were they made. For no
form, no structure, no agreement of parts, no substance whatever that
can have weight, number, measure, exists but by that Word, and by
that Creator Word, to whom it is said, "Thou hast ordered all
things in measure, and in number, and in weight."
14. Therefore, let no one deceive you, when perchance you suffer
annoyance from flies. For some have been mocked by the devil, and
taken with flies. As fowlers are accustomed to put flies in their
traps to deceive hungry birds, so these have been deceived with flies
by the devil. Some one or other was suffering annoyance from flies; a
Manichaean found him in his trouble, and when he said that he could
not bear flies, and hated them exceedingly, immediately the
Manichaean said, "Who made them?" And since he was suffering from
annoyance, and hated them, he dared not say, " God made them,"
though he was a Catholic. The other immediately added, "If God
did not make them, who made them?" "Truly," replied the
Catholic, "I believe the devil made them." And the other
immediately said, " If the devil made the fly, as I see you allow,
because you understand the matter well, who made the bee, which is a
little larger than the fly?" The Catholic dared not say that God
made the bee and not the fly, for the case was much the same. From
the bee he led him to the locust; from the locust to the lizard; from
the lizard to the bird; from the bird to the sheep; from the sheep to
the cow; from that to the elephant, and at last to man; and persuaded
a man that man was not made by God. Thus the miserable man, being
troubled with the flies, became himself a fly, and the property of the
devil. In fact, Beelzebub, they say, means "Prince of flies;"
and of these it is written, "Dying flies deprive the ointment of its
sweetness."
15. What then, brethren? why have I said these things? Shut the
ears of your hearts against the wiles of the enemy. Understand that
God made all things, and arranged them in their orders. Why, then,
do we suffer many evils from a creature that God made? Because we
have offended God? Do angels suffer these things? Perhaps we,
too, in that life of theirs, would have no such thing to fear. For
thy punishment, accuse thy sin, not the Judge. For, on account of
our pride, God appointed that tiny and contemptible creature to
torment us; so that, since man has become proud and has boasted
himself against God, and, though mortal, has oppressed mortals,
and, though man, has not acknowledged his fellowman, since he has
lifted himself up, he may be brought low by gnats. Why art thou
inflated with human pride? Some one has censured thee, and thou art
swollen with rage. Drive off the gnats, that thou mayest sleep:
understand who thou art. For, that you may know, brethren, it was
for the taming of our pride these things were created to be troublesome
to us, God could have humbled Pharaoh's proud people by bears, by
lions, by serpents; He sent flies and frogs upon them, that their
pride might be subdued by the meanest creatures.
16. "All things," then, brethren, "all things were made by
Him, and without Him was nothing made." But how were all things
made by Him? "That, which was made, in Him is life." It can
also be read thus "That, which was made in Him, is life;" and if
we so read it, everything is life. For what is there that was not
made in Him? For He is the Wisdom of God, and it is said in the
Psalm, "In Wisdom hast Thou made all things." If, then,
Christ is the Wisdom of God, and the Psalm says, "In Wisdom
hast Thou made all things:" as all things were made by Him, so all
things were made in Him. If, then, all things were made in Him,
dearly beloved brethren, and that, which was made in Him, is life,
both the earth is life and wood is life. We do indeed say wood is
life, but in the sense of the wood of the cross, whence we have
received life. A stone, then, is life. It is not seemly so to
understand the passage, as the same most vile sect of the Manichaeans
creep stealthily on us again, and say that a stone has life, that a
wall has a soul, and a cord has a soul, and wool, and clothing. For
so they are accustomed to talk in their raving; and when they have been
driven back and refuted, they in some sort bring forward Scripture,
saying, "Why is it said, 'That, which was made in Him, is
life'?" For if all things were made in Him, all things are life.
Be not carried away by them; read thus "That which was made; '"
here make a short pause, and then go on, "in Him is life." What
is the meaning of this? The earth was made, but the very earth that
was made is not life; but there exists spiritually in the Wisdom
itself a certain reason by which the earth was made: this is life.
17. As far as I can, I shall explain my meaning to you,
beloved. A carpenter makes a box. First he has the box in design;
for if he had it not in design, how could he produce it by
workmanship? But the box in theory is not the very box as it appears
to the eyes. It exists invisibly in design, it will be visible in the
work. Behold, it is made in the work; has it ceased to exist in
design? The one is made in the work, and the other remains which
exists in design; for that box may rot, and another be fashioned
according to that which exists in design. Give heed, then, to the
box as it is in design, and the box as it is in fact, The actual box
is not life, the box in design is life; because the soul of the
artificer, where all these things are before they are brought forth,
is living. So, dearly beloved brethren, because the Wisdom of
God, by which all things have been made, contains everything
according to design before it is made, therefore those things which are
made through this design itself are not forthwith life, but whatever
has been made is life in Him. You see the earth, there is an earth
in design; you see the sky, there is a sky in design; you see the sun
and the moon, these also exist in design: but externally they are
bodies, in design they are life. Understand, if in any way you are
able, for a great matter has been spoken. If I am not great by whom
it is spoken, or through whom it is spoken, still it is from a great
authority. For these things are not spoken by me who am small; He is
not small to whom I refer in saying these things. Let each one take
in what he can, and to what extent he can; and he who is not able to
take in any of it, let him nourish his heart, that he may become
able. How is he to nourish it? Let him nourish it with milk, that
he may come to strong meat. Let him not leave Christ born through the
flesh till he arrive at Christ born of the Father alone, the
God-Word with God, through whom all things were made; for that is
life, which in Him is the light of men.
18. For this follows: "and the life was the light of men;" and
from this very life are men illuminated. Cattle are not illuminated,
because cattle have not rational minds capable of seeing wisdom. But
man was made in the image of God, and has a rational mind, by which
he can perceive wisdom. That life, then, by which all things were
made, is itself the light; yet not the light of every animal, but of
men. Wherefore a little after he says, "That was the true light,
which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." By that light
John the Baptist was illuminated; by the same light also was John
the Evangelist himself illuminated. He was filled with that light who
said, "I am not the Christ; but He cometh after me, whose shoe's
latchet I am not worthy to unloose." By that light he had been
illuminated who said, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word
was with God, and the Word was God." Therefore that life is the
light of men.
19. But perhaps the slow hearts of some of you cannot receive their
sins, so that they cannot see. Let them not on that account think
that the light is in any way absent, because they are not able to see
it; for they themselves are darkness on account of their sins. "And
the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not."
Accordingly, brethren, as in the case of a blind man placed in the
sun, the sun is present to him, but he is absent from the sun. So
every foolish man, every unjust man, every irreligious man, is blind
in heart. Wisdom is present; but it is present to a blind man, and
is absent from his eyes; not because it is absent from him, but
because he is absent from it. What then is he to do? Let him become
pure, that he may be able to see God. Just as if a man could not see
because his eyes were dirty and sore with dust, rheum, or smoke, the
physician would say to him: "Cleanse from your eye whatever bad thing
is in it, so that you may be able to see the light of your eyes."
Dust, rheum, and smoke are sins and iniquities: remove then all
these things, and you will see the wisdom that is present; for God is
that wisdom, and it has been said, "Blessed are the pure in heart;
for they shall see God."
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