9. They answer, "knowing not," as the Apostle says, "either what they speak, or whereof they affirm:" [3226] they answer and say, "If men do not forgive sins, then that is false which Christ saith, Whatsoever ye shall loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven also.'" [3227] But thou dost not know why this is said, and in what sense this is said. The Lord was about to give to men the Holy Spirit, and He wished it to be understood that sins are forgiven to His faithful by His Holy Spirit, and not by men's deserts. For what art thou, O man, but an invalid who hast need of healing. Wouldest thou make thyself my physician? Together with me, seek the Physician. For that the Lord might show this more plainly, that sins are forgiven by the Holy Spirit, which He hath given to His faithful ones, and not by men's deserts, after He had risen from the dead, He saith in a certain place, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost;" [3228] and when He had said, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost," He subjoined immediately, "Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them;" [3229] that is, the Spirit remits them, not ye. Now the Spirit is God. God therefore remits, not ye. But what are ye in regard to the Spirit? "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" [3230] And again, "Know ye not that your bodies are the temples of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God?" [3231] So then God dwelleth in His holy temple, that is in His holy faithful ones, in His Church; by them doth He remit sins; because they are living temples.
10. But He who remitteth by man, can also remit even without man. For He who is able to give by another, hath no less the power to give by Himself. To some He gave by the ministry of John. By whom did He give to John himself? With good reason, as God wished to show this, and to attest this truth, when certain in Samaria had had the Gospel preached to them, [3232] and had been baptized, and baptized by Philip the Evangelist, one of the seven deacons that were first chosen, they did not receive the Holy Ghost, though they had been baptized. Tidings were brought to the disciples who were at Jerusalem, and they came to Samaria, [3233] in order that they who had been baptized, might by imposition of their hands receive the Holy Ghost. And so it was; "They came and laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost." [3234] For the Holy Ghost was at that time given in such sort, that He even visibly showed Himself to have been given. For they who received Him spake with the tongues of all nations; to signify that the Church among the nations was to speak in the tongues of all. So then they received the Holy Ghost, and He appeared evidently to be in them. Which when Simon saw, supposing that this power was of men, he wished it might be his also. What he thought to be of men, he wished to buy of men. "How much money," says he, "will ye take of me, that by imposition of my hands the Holy Ghost may be given?" Then Peter says to him with execration, "Thou hast neither part nor lot in this faith. For thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thy money perish with thee; [3235] and the rest which he spake in the same place suitably to the occasion.
11. Now why I have wished to bring this subject before you, give heed, Dearly Beloved. It was meet that God should first show that He worketh by the ministry of men; but afterwards by Himself, lest men should think, as Simon thought, that it was man's gift, and not God's. Though the disciples themselves knew this well already. For there were one hundred and twenty [3236] men collected together, when without the imposition of any hand the Holy Ghost came upon them. For who had laid hands on them at that time? And yet He came, and filled them first. After that offence of Simon, what did God do? See Him teaching, not by words but by things. That same Philip, who had baptized the men, and the Holy Ghost had not come upon them, unless the Apostles had met together and laid their hands upon them, baptized the officer, that is, the eunuch of queen Candace, who had worshipped in Jerusalem, and returning thence was reading in his chariot Isaiah the Prophet, [3237] and understood it not. Philip being admonished went up to his chariot, explained the Scripture, unfolded the faith, preached Christ. [3238] The eunuch believed on Christ, and said when they came unto a certain water, "See water, who doth hinder me to be baptized? Philip said to him, Dost thou believe on Jesus Christ? He answered, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Immediately he went down with him into the water." [3239] When the mystery and sacrament of Baptism had been accomplished, that the gift of the Holy Ghost might not be thought to be of men, there was no waiting, as in the other case, for the Apostles to come, but the Holy Ghost [3240] came forthwith. Thus was Simon's thought destroyed, lest in such a thought he might have followers.
12. Again, another more wonderful example. Peter came to Cornelius the centurion, [3241] to a Gentile man, uncircumcised: he began to preach Christ Jesus both to him, and to those who were with him. "While Peter was yet speaking," [3242] I do not say, when as yet he had not laid on his hands, but when he had not even yet baptized them, and when they who were with Peter were in doubt whether the uncircumcised ought to be baptized (for there had arisen an offence between the Jews who believed, and those who had been brought to the faith from among the Gentiles, between the Jews, that is, and the Christians who were baptized though uncircumcised), that God might take away this question, "while Peter was speaking, the Holy Ghost came," filled Cornelius, filled them who were with him. And by this very attestation of so great a thing, as it were a loud voice came to Peter, "Why dost thou doubt of water? Already I am here."
13. So then let every soul which is to be delivered from her manifold wickedness by the grace of the Lord, to be cleansed as it were in the Church from her filthy prostitution, believe with all assurance, approach the Feet of the Lord, seek His Footsteps, confess in pouring out tears upon them, and wipe them with her hair. The Feet of the Lord are the preachers of the Gospel. The woman's hair is all superfluous possessions. Let her wipe the Feet with her hair, yea by all means wipe them, let her do works of mercy; and when she has wiped them, let her kiss them, let her receive peace, that she may have love. She has approached to such an one, has been baptized by such an one as the Apostle Paul: from him let her hear, "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ." [3243] But she has been baptized by another, by one "who seeks his own things, not the things which are Jesus Christ's:" [3244] let her hear from the Lord, "Do what they say, but do not what they do." [3245] So let her assurance be in Him, whether she meet with a good Evangelist, or with one who acts not as he speaks. For she hears from the Lord with firm assurance, "O woman, go thy way, thy faith hath made thee whole."
[3213] Luke vii. 36.
[3214] Isa. lxv. 5, Sept.
[3215] John iv. 7.
[3216] Luke vii. 41, etc.
[3217] Matt. xxvi. 41.
[3218] Rom. iii. 8.
[3219] Interim.
[3220] Ps. ciii. 18, choirogrulliois, Sept. (civ. English version).
[3221] The Donatists, holding the validity of Baptism to depend on the holiness of the minister, made it, in fact, man's act, man's gift. St. Augustin answers, Baptism is Christ's, not man's, and that "as His, it availeth equally to whom, however unequal they through whom, it is given." Ep. 93, ad Vinc. Don § 47. See other passages, Tract. 67, on Holy Baptism, p. 192 sqq.
[3222] Isa. lxv. 5.
[3223] The Collatio Carthag. of which part of the acts remain. See also St. Augustin, Brev. Coll. c. Don. and Ad Don. post Collat. In it the Donatists being entirely confuted by St. Augustin, larger numbers than before joined the Church. Poss. Vit. c. 13.
[3224] Cognitore. Marcellinus, see Serm. xiii. (lxiii. Ben) 18 (xii.) note.
[3225] Ps. xxvi. 4, Sept.
[3226] 1 Tim. i. 7.
[3227] Matt. xviii. 18.
[3228] John xx. 22.
[3229] John xx. 23.
[3230] 1 Cor. iii. 16.
[3231] 1 Cor. vi. 19.
[3232] Acts viii. 5.
[3233] Acts viii. 14.
[3234] Acts viii. 17.
[3235] Acts viii. 19-21.
[3236] Acts i. 15.
[3237] Acts viii. 28.
[3238] Acts viii. 29.
[3239] Acts viii. 36, etc.
[3240] St. Augustin probably conceives of the presence of the Holy Ghost, which "caught away Philip," as sanctifying the Eunich. "He went on his way rejoicing," his Baptism being perfected. St Augustine is followed by the Gloss Ord.
[3241] Acts x. 25.
[3242] Acts x. 44.
[3243] 1 Cor. iv. 16, xi. 1.
[3244] Phil. ii. 21.
[3245] Matt. xxiii. 3.
Sermon L.
[C. Ben.]
On the words of the Gospel, Luke ix. 57, etc., where the case of the three persons is treated of, of whom one said, "I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest," and was disallowed: another did not dare to offer himself, and was aroused; the third wished to delay, and was blamed.
1. Give ye ear to that which the Lord hath given me to speak on the lesson of the Gospel. For we have read, that the Lord Jesus acted differently, when one man offered himself to follow Him, and was disallowed; another did not dare this, and was aroused; a third put off, and was blamed. For the words, "Lord, I will follow Thee whithersoever Thou goest," [3246] what is so prompt, what so active, what so ready, and what so fitly disposed to so great a good, as this "following the Lord whithersoever He should go"? Thou wonderest at this, saying, "How is this, that one so ready found no favour with the Good Master and Lord Jesus Christ, though He was inviting disciples to give them the kingdom of Heaven?" But inasmuch as He was such a Master as could see beforehand things to come, we understand, Brethren, that this man, if he had followed Christ, would have been sure to "seek his own things, not the things which are Jesus Christ's." [3247] For He hath said Himself, "Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven." [3248] And of such was this man, nor did he know himself so well as the Physician knew him. For if he saw himself to be a dissembler now, if he had known himself at this time to be full of duplicity and guile, then he did not know with Whom he was speaking. For He it is of whom the Evangelist says, "He had no need that any one should testify to Him of man, for He Himself knew what was in man." [3249] What then did He answer? "Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His Head." [3250] But where hath He not? In thy faith. For in thy heart foxes have holes, thou art full of guile; in thy heart birds of the air have nests; thou art lifted up. Full of guile and self-elation as thou art, thou shalt not follow Me. How can a guileful man follow Simplicity?
2. And then forthwith to another who was silent, and said nothing, and promised nothing, He saith, "Follow Me!" As much evil as He saw in the other, so much good saw He in this man. "Follow Me," [3251] Thou sayest to one who hath no wish for it. Lo, here is a man quite ready, "I will follow Thee whithersoever Thou goest;" and yet Thou sayest to another who hath no such wish, "Follow thou Me." "The first," saith He, "I decline, because I see in him holes, I see nests." "But then why dost Thou press this other, whom Thou dost challenge to follow Thee, and he makes excuses? Lo, Thou dost even force him, and he doth not come; Thou dost exhort him, and he doth not follow. For what doth he say? I will go first to bury my father.'" The faith of his heart showed itself to the Lord; but his dutiful affection made him delay. But the Lord Christ when He is preparing men for the Gospel, will have no excuse from this carnal and temporal affection interfere. It is true that both the law of God prescribes these duties, and the Lord Himself reproves the Jews, because they destroyed this very commandment of God. And the Apostle Paul has in his Epistle laid it down, and said, "This is the first commandment with promise." What? "Honour thy father and thy mother." [3252] God of a surety spake it. This young man then wished to obey God, and to bury his father; but it is place, and time, and circumstance, which is in this case to give way to place, and time, and circumstance. A father must be honoured, but God must be obeyed. He that begat us must be loved, but He that created us must be preferred. "I am calling thee," saith He, "to My Gospel; I have need of thee for another work: this is a greater work than that which thou wishest to be doing. Let the dead bury their dead.' [3253] Thy father is dead: there are other dead men to bury the dead." Who are the dead who bury the dead? Can a dead man be buried by dead men? How can they lay him out, if they are dead? How can they carry him, if they are dead? How can they bewail him, if they are dead? Yet they do lay him out, and carry, and bewail him, and they are dead; because they are unbelievers. That which is written in the Song of Songs is a lesson to us, when the Church says, "Set in order love in me." [3254] What is, "Set in order love in me"? Make the proper degrees, and render to each what is his due. Do not put what should come before, below that which should come after it. Love your parents, but prefer God to them. Mark the mother of the Maccabees, "My sons, I know not how ye appeared in my womb.' [3255] Conceive you I could, give you birth I could; but form you I could not:' hear Him therefore, prefer Him to me: trouble not yourselves, that I must remain here without you." Thus she commanded them, and they followed her. What this mother taught her children, did the Lord Jesus Christ teach him to whom He said, "Follow Me."