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Hebrews x. 26, 27.
"For if we sin willfully, after we have received the knowledge of the
truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain
fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery indignation which shall
devour the adversaries."
Trees which have been planted, and have had the advantage of all other
care, and the hands and the labors of the cultivator, and yet yield no
return for the labors, are pulled up by the roots, and handed over to
the fire. So somewhat of this kind takes place also in the case of our
Illumination. For when Christ has planted us, and we have enjoyed
the watering of the Spirit, and then show no fruit; fire, even that
of Hell, awaits us, and flame unquenchable.
Paul therefore having exhorted them to love and to bringing forth the
fruit of good works, and having urged them from the kindlier
[considerations.] (What are these? That we have an entrance into
the holy of holies, "the new way which He hath inaugurated for
us."--c. x. 20), does the same again from the more gloomy
ones, speaking thus. For having said, "not forsaking the assembling
of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one
another, and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching" (c.
x. 25), this being sufficient for consolation, he added, "For
if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the
truth." There is need, he means, of good works, yea, very great
need, "For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge
of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins." Thou wast
cleansed; thou wast set free from the charges against thee, thou hast
become a son. If then thou return to thy former vomit, there awaits
thee on the other hand excommunication and fire and whatever such things
there are. For there is no second sacrifice.
At this place we are again assailed by those who take away repentance,
and by those who delay to come to baptism. The one saying, that it is
not safe for them to come to baptism, since there is no second
remission: And the other asserting that it is not safe to impart the
mysteries to those who have sinned, if there is no second remission.
What shall we say then to them both? That he does not take away
repentance, nor the propitiation through repentance, nor does he
thrust away and cast down with despair the fallen. He is not thus an
enemy of our salvation; but what? He takes away the second Washing.
For he did not say, no more is there repentance, or no more is there
remission, but "no more" is there a "sacrifice," that is, there
is no more a second Cross. For this is what he means by sacrifice.
"For by one sacrifice," he says, "He hath perfected forever them
that are sanctified" (c: x. 14); not like the Jewish
[rites.]. For this reason he has treated-so much throughout
concerning the Sacrifice, that it is one, even one; not wishing to
show this only, that herein it differed from the Jewish [rites],
but also to make [men] more steadfast, so that they might no longer
expect another sacrifice according to the Jewish law.
"For," saith he, "if we sin willfully." See how he is disposed
to pardon. He says, "if we sin willfully," so that there is pardon
for those [who sin.] not willfully. "After the knowledge of the
truth": He either means, of Christ, or of all doctrines. "There
remaineth no more sacrifice for sins," but what? "A certain fearful
looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the
adversaries." By" Adversaries" he means not the unbelievers, but
those also who do what is against virtue; or [else he means] that the
same fire shall receive them of the household also, which [receives]
"the adversaries." Then expressing its devouring nature, he says,
as if giving it life, "fiery indignation which shall devour the
adversaries." For as a wild beast when irritated and very fierce and
savage, would not rest till it could lay hold on some one and eat him
up; so also that fire, like one goaded by indignation, whatever it
can lay hold of does not let go, but devours and tears it to pieces.
Next he adds also the reason of the threat, that it is on good
grounds, that it is just; for this contributes to confidence, when we
show that it is just.
For, he says, (ver. 28) "He that hath despised Moses' law
dies without mercy, under two or three witnesses." "Without
mercy," he says; so that there is no pardon, no pity there although
the law is of Moses; for he ordained the most of it.
What is "under two or three"? If two or three bore witness, he
means, they immediately suffered punishment.
If then under the Old [Covenant], when the law of Moses is set at
nought, there is so great punishment, (yet. 29) "Of how much
sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath
trodden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the
covenant an unholy [a common] thing, and hath done despite unto the
Spirit of grace?"
And how does a man "tread under foot the Son of God"? When
partaking of Him in the mysteries (he would say) he has wrought sin,
has he not trodden Him under foot? Has he not despised Him? For
just as we make no account of those who are trodden under foot so also,
they who sin have made no account of Christ; and so they have sinned.
Thou art become the Body of Christ, and givest thou thyself to the
devil, so that he treads thee under foot.
"And accounted the blood a common thing," he says. What is
"common"? It is "unclean," or the having nothing beyond other
things.
"And done despite unto the Spirit of grace." For he that accepts
not a benefit, does despite to the benefactor. He made thee a son:
and thou wishest to become a slave. He came to dwell with thee, and
thou bringest in wicked imaginations to Him. Christ wished to stay
with thee: and thou treadest Him down by surfeiting, by drunkenness.
Let us listen, whoever partake of the mysteries unworthily: let us
listen, whoever approach that Table unworthily. "Give not" (He
says) "that which is holy unto the dogs, lest in time they trample
them under their feet" (Matt. vii. 6), that is, lest they
despise, lest they repudiate [them]. Yet he did not say this, but
what was more fearful than this. For he constrains their souls by what
is fearful. For this also is adapted to convert, no less than
consolation. And at the same time he shows both the difference, and
the chastisement, and sets forth the judgment upon them, as though it
were an evident matter. "Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye,
shall he be thought worthy?" Here also he appears to me to hint at
the mysteries.
Next he adds testimony, saying, (ver. 31, 30) "It is a
fearful thing to fall into the hands I of the Living God." "For"
it is written: "Vengeance [belongeth] unto Me, I will
recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge His
people." "Let us fall," it is said, "into the hands of the
Lord, and not into the hands of men." (Ecclus. ii. 18. )
But if ye repent not, ye shall "fill into the hands of" God: that
is fearful: it is nothing, to "fall into the hands of men." When,
he means, we see any man punished here, let us not be terrified at the
things present, but shudder at the things to come. "For according to
His mercy, so is His wrath." And, "His indignation will rest
upon sinners." (Ecclus. v. 6.)
At the same time too he hints at something else. For "Vengeance
[belongeth] unto Me," he says, "I will recompense." This is
said in regard to their enemies, who are doing evil, not to those who
are suffering evil. Here he is consoling them too, all but saying,
God abideth for ever and liveth, so that even if they 'receive not
[their reward] now, they will receive it hereafter. They ought to
groan, not we: for we indeed shall fall into their hands, but they
into the hands of God. For neither is it the sufferer who suffers the
ill, but he that does it; nor is it he who receives a benefit that is
benefited, but the benefactor.
Knowing then these things, let us be patient as to suffering evil,
forward as to kindnesses. And this will be, if we think lightly of
wealth and honor. He that hath stripped himself of those affections,
is of all men most generous, and more wealthy even than he who wears
the purple. Seest thou not how many evils come through money? I do
not say how many through covetousness, but merely by our attachment to
these things. For instance, if a man has lost his money, he leads a
life more wretched than any death. Why grievest thou, O man? why
weepest thou? Because God has delivered Thee from excessive
watching? Because thou dost not sit trembling and fearful? Again,
if any one chain thee to a treasure, commanding thee to sit there
perpetually, and to keep watch for other people's goods, thou art
grieved, thou art disgusted; and dost thou, after thou hast bound
thyself with most grievous chains, grieve when thou art delivered from
the slavery?
Truly sorrows and joys are [matters] of fancy. For we guard them as
if we had another's.
Now my discourse is for the women. A woman often has a garment woven
with gold, and this she shakes, wraps up in linen, keeps with care,
trembles for it, and has no enjoyment of it. For either she dies, or
she becomes a widow. Or, even if none of these things happen, yet
from fear lest wearing it out by continual use, she should deprive
herself of it, she deprives herself of it in another way, by sparing
it. But she passes it on [you say] to another. But neither is this
clear: and even if she should pass it on, the other again will also
use it in the same way. And if any one will search their houses, he
will find that the most costly garments and other choice things, are
tended with special honor, as if they were living masters. For she
does not use them habitually, but fears and trembles, driving away
moths and the other things that are wont to eat them, and laying most
of them in perfumes and spices, nor permitting all persons to be
counted worthy of the sight of them, but oftentimes carefully putting
them in order herself with her husband.
Tell me: did not Paul with reason call covetousness "idolatry"?
(Col. iii. 5.) For these show as great honor to their garments,
their gold, as they to their idols.
How long shall we stir up the mire? How long shall we be fixed to the
clay and the brickmaking? For as they toiled for the King of the
Egyptians, so do we also toil for the devil, and are scourged with
far more grievous stripes. For by how much the soul surpasses the
body, by so much does anxiety the weals of scourging. We are scourged
every day, we are full of fear, in anxiety, in trembling. But if we
will groan, if we will look up to God, He sendeth to us, not
Moses, nor Aaron, but His own Word, and compunction. When this
[word] has come, and taken hold of our souls, He will free from the
bitter slavery, He will bring us forth out of Egypt, from
unprofitable and vain zeal, from slavery which brings no gain. For
they indeed went forth after having at least received golden
[ornaments], the wages for building, but we [receive] nothing:
and would it were nothing. For indeed we also receive, not golden
ornaments, but the evils of Egypt, sins and chastisements and
punishments.
Let us then learn to be made use of, let us learn to be spitefully
treated; this is the part of a Christian. Let us think lightly of
golden raiment, let us think lightly of money, that we may not think
lightly of our salvation. Let us think lightly of money and not think
lightly of the soul. For this is chastised, this is punished: those
things remain here, but the soul departeth yonder. Why, tell me,
dost thou cut thyself to pieces, without perceiving it?
These things I say to the overreaching. And it is well to say also
to those who are overreached. Bear their overreachings generously;
they are ruining themselves, not you. You indeed they defraud of your
money, but they strip themselves of the good will and help of God.
And he that is stripped of that, though he clothe himself with the
whole wealth of the world, is of all men most poor: and so he who is
the poorest of all, if he have this, is the wealthiest of all. For
"the Lord" (it is said) "is my shepherd, and I shall lack
nothing." (Ps. xxiii. 1.)
Tell me now, if thou hadst had a husband, a great and admirable man,
who thoroughly loved thee and cared for thee, and then knewest that he
would live always, and not die before thee, and would give thee all
things to enjoy in security, as thine own: wouldst thou then have
wished to possess anything? Even if thou hadst been stripped of all,
wouldst thou not have thought thyself the richer for this?
Why then dost thou grieve? Because thou hast no property? But
consider that thou hast had the occasion of sin taken away. But is it
because thou hadst [property] and hast been deprived of it? But thou
hast acquired the good will of God. And how have I acquired it (you
say)? He has said, "Wherefore do ye not rather suffer wrong?"
(1 Cor. vi. 7.) He hath said, "Blessed are they who bear all
things with thankfulness." Consider therefore how great good will
thou wilt enjoy, if thou showest forth those things by [thy] works.
For one thing only is required from us, "in all things to give
thanks" to God, and [then] we have all things in abundance. I
mean, for instance: hast thou lost ten thousand pounds of gold?
Forthwith give thanks unto God, and thou hast acquired ten times ten
thousand, by that word and thanksgiving.
For tell me when dost thou account Job blessed? When he had so many
camels, and flocks, and herds, or when he uttered that saying:
"The Lord gave, the Lord hath taken away"? (Job i. 21.)
Therefore also the devil causes us losses, not that he may take away
our goods only, for he knows that is nothing, but that through them he
may compel us to utter some blasphemy. So in the case of the blessed
Job too, he did not strive after this only, to make him poor, but
also to make him a blasphemer. At any rate, when he had stripped him
of every thing, observe what he says to him through his wife, "Say
some word against the Lord, and die." (Job ii. 9.) And yet,
O accursed one, thou hadst stripped him of everything. 'But' (he
says) 'this is not what I was striving for; for I have not yet
accomplished that for which I did all. I was striving to deprive him
of God's help: for this cause I deprived him of his goods too.
This is what I wish, that other is nothing. If this be not gained,
he not only has not been injured at all, but has even been
benefited.' Thou seest that even that wicked demon knows how great is
the loss in this matter?
And see him plotting the treachery through the wife. Hear this, ye
husbands, as many as have wives that are fond of money, and compel you
to blaspheme God. Call Job to mind. But let us see, if it please
you, his great moderation, how he silenced her. "Wherefore" (he
says) "hast thou spoken as one of the foolish women [speaketh]?"
(Job ii. 10.) Of a truth "evil communications corrupt good
manners" (1 Cor. xv. 33), at all times indeed, but
particularly in calamies: then they who give evil advice have
strength. For if the soul is even of itself prone to impatience, how
much more, when there is also an adviser. Is it not thrust into a
pit? A wife is a great good, as also a great evil. For because a
wife is a great [good], observe from what point he [Satan] wishes
to break through the strong wall. 'The depriving him of his
property' (he says) 'did not take him; the loss has produced no
great effect.'
Therefore he says, 'If indeed he will curse thee to thy face.'
(Job ii. 5.)
You see whither he was aspiring.
If then we bear [losses] thankfully, we shall recover even these
things; and if we should not recover them, our reward will be
greater. For when he had wrestled nobly, then God restored to him
these things also. When He had shown the devil, that it is not for
these things that he serves Him, then He restored them also to him.
For such is He. When God sees that we are not riveted to things of
this life, then He gives them to us. When He sees that we set a
higher value on things spiritual, then He also bestows on us things
carnal. But not first, lest we should break away from things
spiritual: and to spare us He does not give carnal things, to keep us
away from them, even against our will.
Not so (you say) but if I receive [them], I am satisfied, and
am the more thankful. It is false, O man, for then especially wilt
thou be thoughtless.
Why then (you say) does He give [them] to many? Whence is it
clear, that He gives [them]? But who else, you say, gives?
Their overreaching, their plundering. How then does He allow these
things? As He also [allows] murders, thefts, and violence.
What then (you will say) as to those who receive by succession an
inheritance from their fathers, being themselves full of evils
innumerable? And what of this? How does God suffer them (you say)
to enjoy these things? Surely just as He allows thieves, and
murderers, and other evil doers. For it is not now the time of
judgment, but of the best course of life.
And what I just now said, that I repeat, that they shall suffer
greater punishment, who, when they have enjoyed all good things, do
not even so become better. For all shall not be punished alike; but
they who, even after His benefits, have continued evil, shall suffer
a greater punishment, while they who after poverty [have done this]
not so. And that this is true, hear what He says to David, "Did
I not give thee all thy master's goods?" (2 Sam. xii. 8.)
Whenever then thou seest a young man that has received a paternal
inheritance without labor and continues wicked, be assured that his
punishment is increased and the vengeance is made more intense. Let us
not then emulate these; but if any man has succeeded to virtue, if any
man has obtained spiritual wealth, [him let us emulate]. For (it
is said) "Woe to them that trust in their riches" (cf. Ps.
xlix. 6): "Blessed are they that fear the Lord." (Ps.
cxxviii. 1.) To which of these, tell me, wouldst thou belong?
Doubtless to those who are pronounced blessed. Therefore emulate
these, not the other, that thou also mayest obtain the good things
which are laid up for them. Which may we all obtain, in Christ
Jesus our Lord, with whom to the Father be glory together with the
Holy Ghost, now and for ever, and world without end. Amen.
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