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FINALLY the Author Himself of all miracles and mighty works, when He
called His disciples to learn His teaching, clearly showed what those true
and specially chosen followers ought chiefly to learn from Him, saying:
"Come and learn of Me," not chiefly to cast out devils by the power of
heaven, not to cleanse the lepers, not to give sight to the blind, not to
raise the dead: for even though I do these things by some of My servants,
yet man's estate cannot insert itself into the praises of God, nor can a
minister and servant gather hereby any portion for himself there where is
the glory of Deity alone. But do ye, says He, learn this of Me, "for I am
meek and lowly of heart." For this it is which it is possible for all
men generally to learn and practise, but the working of miracles and signs
is not always necessary, nor good for all, nor granted to all. Humility
therefore is the mistress of all virtues, it is the surest foundation of
the heavenly building, it is the special and splendid gift of the Saviour.
For he can perform all the miracles which Christ wrought, without danger of
being puffed up, who follows the gentle Lord not in the grandeur of His
miracles, but in the virtues of patience and humility. But he who aims at
commanding unclean spirits, or bestowing gifts of healing, or showing some
wonderful miracle to the people, even though when he is showing off he
invokes the name of Christ, yet he is far from Christ, because in his pride
of heart he does not follow his humble Teacher. For when He was returning
to the Father, He prepared, so to speak, His will and left this to His
disciples: "A new commandment," said He, "give I unto you that ye love one
another; as I have loved you, so do ye also love one another:" and at once
He subjoined: "By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye
have love to one another." He says not: "if ye do signs and miracles in
the same way," but "if ye have to one another;" and this it is certain
that none but the meek and humble can keep. Wherefore our predecessors
never reckoned those as good monks or free from the fault of vainglory, who
professed themselves exorcists among men, and proclaimed with boastful
ostentation among admiring crowds the grace which they had either obtained
or which they claimed. But in vain, for "he who trusteth in lies feedeth
the winds: and the same runneth after birds that fly away." For without
doubt that will happen to them which we find in Proverbs: "As the winds and
clouds and rain are very clear so are these who boast of a fictitious
gift." And so if any one does any of these things in our presence, he
ought to meet with commendation from us not from admiration of his
miracles, but from the beauty of his life, nor should we ask whether the
devils are subject to him, but whether he possesses those features of love
which the Apostle describes.
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