12. For "the world" is the appellation given not only to this fabric which God made heaven and earth, the sea, things visible and invisible: but the inhabitants of the world are called the world, just as we call a "house" both the walls and them that inhabit therein. And sometimes we praise a house, and find fault with the inhabitants. For we say, A good house; because it is marbled and beautifully [2125] ceiled: and in another sense we say, A good house: no man there suffers wrong, no acts of plunder, no acts of oppression, are done there. Now we praise not the building, but those who dwell within the building: yet we call it "house," both this and that. For all lovers of the world, because by love they inhabit the world, just as those inhabit heaven, whose heart is on high while in the flesh they walk on earth: I say then, all lovers of the world are called the world. The same have only these three things, "lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, vain glory of life." For they lust to eat, drink, cohabit: to use these pleasures. Not surely, that there is no allowed measure in these things, or that when it is said, Love not these things, it means that ye are not to eat, or not to drink, or not to beget children? This is not the thing said. Only, let there be measure, because of the Creator, that these things may not bind you by your loving of them: lest ye love that for enjoyment, which ye ought to have for use. But ye are not put to the proof except when two things are propounded to you, this or that: Will thou righteousness or gains? I have not wherewithal to live, have not wherewithal to eat, have not wherewithal to drink. But what if thou canst not have these but by iniquity? Is it not better to love that which thou losest not, than to lose thyself by iniquity? Thou seest the gain of gold, the loss of faith thou seest not. This then, saith he to us, is "the lust of the flesh," i.e. the lusting after those things which pertain to the flesh, such as food, and carnal cohabitation, and all other such like.
13. "And the lust of the eyes:" by "the lust of the eyes," he means all curiosity. Now how wide is the scope of curiosity! This it is that works in spectacles, in theatres, in sacraments of the devil, in magical arts, in dealings [2126] with darkness: none other than curiosity. Sometimes it tempts even the servants of God, so that they wish as it were to work a miracle, to tempt God whether He will hear their prayers in working of miracles; it is curiosity: this is "lust of the eyes;" it "is not of the Father." If God hath given the power, do the miracle, for He hath put it in thy way to do it: for think not that those who have not done miracles shall not pertain to the kingdom of God. When the apostles were rejoicing that the demons were subject to them, what said the Lord to them? "Rejoice not in this, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven." [2127] In that would He have the apostles to rejoice, wherein thou also rejoicest. Woe to thee truly if thy name be not written in heaven! Is it woe to thee if thou raise not the dead? is it woe to thee if thou walk not on the sea? is it woe to thee if thou cast not out demons? If thou hast received power to do them, use it humbly, not proudly. For even of certain false prophets the Lord hath said that "they shall do signs and prodigies." [2128] Therefore let there be no "ambition of the world:" Ambitio sæculi, is Pride. The man wishes to make much of himself in his honors: he thinks himself great, whether because of riches, or because of some power.
14. These three there are, and thou canst find nothing whereby human cupidity can be tempted, but either by the lust of the flesh, or the lust of the eyes, or the pride of life. By these three was the Lord tempted of the devil. [2129] By the lust of the flesh He was tempted when it was said to Him, "If thou be the Son of God, speak to these stones that they become bread," when He hungered after His fast. But in what way repelled He the tempter, and taught his soldier how to fight? Mark what He said to him: "Not by bread alone doth man live, but by every word of God." He was tempted also by the lust of the eyes concerning a miracle, when he said to Him, "Cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone." He resisted the tempter, for to do the miracle, would only have been to seem either to have yielded, or to have done it from curiosity; for He wrought when He would, as God, howbeit as healing the weak. For if He had done it then, He might have been thought to wish only to do a miracle. But lest men should think this, mark what He answered; and when the like temptation shall happen to thee, say thou also the same: "Get thee behind me, Satan; for it is written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God:" that is, if I do this I shall tempt God. He said what He would have thee to say. When the enemy suggests to thee, "What sort of man, what sort of Christian, art thou? As yet hast thou done one miracle, or by thy prayers have the dead been raised, or hast thou healed the fevered? if thou wert truly of any moment, thou wouldest do some miracle:" answer and say: "It is written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God:" therefore I will not tempt God, as if I should belong to God if I do a miracle, and not belong if I do none: and what becomes then of His words, "Rejoice, because your names are written in heaven"? By "pride of life" how was the Lord tempted? When he carried Him up to an high place, and said to Him, "All these will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me." By the loftiness of an earthly kingdom he wished to tempt the King of all worlds: but the Lord who made heaven and earth trod the devil under foot. What great matter for the devil to be conquered by the Lord? Then what did He in the answer He made to the devil but teach thee the answer He would have thee to make? "It is, written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve." Holding these things fast, ye shall not have the concupiscence of the world: by not having concupiscence of the world, neither shall the lust of the flesh, nor the lust of the eyes, nor the pride of life, subjugate you: and ye shall make place for Charity when she cometh, that ye may love God. Because if love of the world be there, love of God will not be there. Hold fast rather the love of God, that as God is for ever and ever, so ye also may remain for ever and ever: because such is each one as is his love. Lovest thou earth, thou shalt be earth. Lovest thou God, what shall I say? thou shalt be a god? I darenot say it of myself, let us hear the Scriptures: "I have said, Ye are gods, and all of you sons of the Most High." [2130] If then ye would be gods and sons of the Most High, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all the things that are in the world, is the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, which is not of the Father, but is of the world:" [2131] i.e. of men, lovers of the world. "And the world passeth away, and the lusts thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever, even as God also abideth for ever."
[2069] [Have written, A.V.]
[2070] Rom. iv. 25.
[2071] Luke xxiv. 13-28.
[2072] 1 Cor. xi. 29.
[2073] Acts ii. 41.
[2074] Tertull. de Jejun., sec. 14; de Orat. sec. 14.
[2075] Ps. xxii. 27.
[2076] S. Aug. Ep. c. Donat. de Unit. Eccl. sec. 26.
[2077] Supra, Hom. in Ev. xi. sec. 13.
[2078] [The words, "Jerusalem, the city," the preacher appears, in this passage, to use interchangeably and sometimes confusedly for the Church--e.g., "all Christ's murderers are expelled from that city," meaning that such are not in the Church.--J.H.M.]
[2079] Acts i. 15; ii. 1-12.
[2080] Enarr. in Ps. lxii. sec. 18; lxiv. sec. 1.
[2081] The Acts of the Apostles were read in the seven weeks from Easter to Pentecost. Supra, Hom. in Ev. vi. sec. 18.
[2082] Loquelæ nec sermones.
[2083] Ps. xix. 3-4.
[2084] 1 John ii. 12.
[2085] Filioli, teknia.
[2086] 1 Cor. i. 13.
[2087] 1 John ii. 13.
[2088] Major.
[2089] John i. 3.
[2090] John viii. 58.
[2091] Ps. cii. 27.
[2092] Ps. ii. 7.
[2093] Ex. iii. 14.
[2094] Ps. cx. 3.
[2095] John i. 3.
[2096] Pugnat, non expugnat.
[2097] 2 Cor. xiii. 4.
[2098] Vulg. scribo throughout, but some copies scripsi, representing the true reading in the Greek, ?grapsa, in the last clause of v. 13, and in both clauses of v. 14.
[2099] Pueri, paidia.
[2100] 1 John ii.13.
[2101] The Benedictine editors remark that the Vulgate does not repeat this clause, Scribo vobis, patres--a principio est, and that it is absent from the Greek. This remark applies to the Complutensian Greek text, and the edited Latin Vulgate. Of extant Gr. mss., only Mill's Cod. Basil, 3 (Wetstein, 4), of the 15th century, omits the clause: and this, as Wetstein reports, not in v. 14, but in the preceding verse, chrapho humin, pateres--arches.
[2102] Cognitionem.
[2103] Scientia.
[2104] 1 Cor. viii. 1.
[2105] Matt. viii. 29.
[2106] Sed quomodo poterimus amare Deum, si amamus mundum? Parat nos ergo inhabitari charitate, and so Bodl. 813. The ed. of Erasmus has,--separat nos a charitate Dei: "--if we love the world? It separates us from the charity of God." And so 3 Oxf. mss. Ed. Lugdun., si amamus mundum? Si amamus mundum, separat nos a charitate Dei. Parat nos ergo inhabitare charitatem: "--if we love the world? If we love the world, it separates, &c. He prepares us therefore to inhabit charity."--Ed. Par.
[2107] Dilectio.
[2108] 1 John ii. 15.
[2109] Amore Dei.
[2110] The newly baptized.
[2111] Firmamenta.
[2112] 2 Tim. iii. 5.
[2113] Eph. iii. 17.
[2114] 1 John ii. 15.
[2115] ["Is," better omitted; also "which."]
[2116] Ambitio sæculi.
[2117] 1 John ii. 16, 17.
[2118] ["Is," better omitted; also "which."]
[2119] The last clause, sicut et Deus manet in æternum, is peculiar to the Latin authorities, S. Cyprian ad Quir. 3, 11, quomodo et, &c. and others in Griesbach. It is not received by the Vulgate.
[2120] Ps. i. 3.
[2121] Rom. i. 25.
[2122] Amare.
[2123] Diligere.
[2124] Et amaveris mundum; nonne tuus amor adulterinus æputabitur?--mss. et amaveris mundum, delinquis ("and love the world, thou art delinquent"), (and so four in the Bodl. Library). Edd. Am. Bad. Er. et amaveris mundum, amittis Creatorem qui fecit mundum ("and love the world, thou lettest go the Creator who made the world.")--Ben.
[2125] Laqueata.
[2126] Maleficiis.
[2127] Luke x. 20.
[2128] Matt. xxiv. 24.
[2129] Matt iv. 1-10.
[2130] Ps. lxxxii. 6.
[2131] 1 John ii. 15-17.