14. Therefore, thou sayest, if any one slay an innocent man, doeth he justly or unjustly? Unjustly certainly. Wherefore doth God permit this?...The counsel of God to tell to thee, O man, I am not able: this thing however I say, both that the man hath done unjustly that hath slain an innocent person, and that it would not have been done unless God permitted it: and though the man hath done unjustly, yet God hath not unjustly permitted this. Let the reason lie concealed in that person whoever it be, for whose sake thou art moved, whose innocence doth much move thee. For to thee speedily I might make answer. He would not have been slain unless he were guilty: but thou thinkest him innocent. I might speedily say this to thee. For thou couldest not examine his heart, sift his deeds, weigh his thoughts, so that thou couldest say to me, unjustly he was slain. I might easily therefore make answer: but there is forced upon my view a certain Just One, without dispute just, without doubt just, who had no sin, slain by sinners, betrayed by a sinner; Himself Christ the Lord, of whom we cannot say that He hath any iniquity, for "those things which He robbed not He paid," [2447] is made an objection to my answer. And why should I speak of Christ? "With thee I am dealing," thou sayest. And I with thee. About Him thou proposest a question, about Him I am solving the question. For therein the counsel of God we know, which except by His own revealing we should not know: so that when thou shalt have found out that counsel of God, whereby He hath permitted His innocent Son to be slain by unjust men, and such a counsel as pleaseth thee, and such a counsel as cannot displease thee, if thou art just, thou mayest believe that in other things also by His counsel God doeth the same, but it escaped thee. Ah! brethren, need there was of the blood of a just one to blot out the handwriting of sins; need there was of an example of patience, of an example of humility; need there was of the Sign of the Cross to beat down the devil and his angels; need for us there was of the Passion of our Lord; for by the Passion of the Lord redeemed hath been the world. How many good things hath the Passion of the Lord done! And yet the Passion of this Just One would not have been, unless unrighteous men had slain the Lord. What then? is this good thing which to us hath been granted by the Lord's Passion to be ascribed to the unjust slayers of Christ? Far be it. They willed, God permitted. They guilty would have been, even if only they had willed it: but God would not have permitted it, unless just it had been....Accordingly, my brethren, both Judas the foul traitor to Christ, and the persecutors of Christ, malignant all, ungodly all, unjust all, are to be condemned all: and nevertheless the Father His own proper Son hath not spared, but for the sake of us all He hath delivered Him up. [2448] Order if thou art able; distinguish if thou art able (these things): render to God thy vows, which thy lips have uttered: see what the unjust hath here done, what the Just One. The one hath willed, the Other hath permitted: the one unjustly hath willed, the Other justly hath permitted. Let unjust will be condemned, just permission be glorified. For what evil thing hath befallen Christ, in that Christ hath died? Both evil were they that evil willed to do, and yet nothing of evil did He suffer on whom they did it. Slain was mortal flesh, slaying death by death, giving a lesson of patience, sending before an example of Resurrection. How great good things of the Just One were wrought by the evil things of the unjust! This is the great mystery [2449] of God: that even a good thing which thou doest He hath Himself given it to thee, and by thy evil He doeth good Himself. Do not therefore wonder, God permitteth, and in judgment permitteth: He permitteth, and in measure, number, weight, He permitteth. With Him is not iniquity: [2450] do thou only belong to Him; on Himself thy hope set thou, let Himself be thy Helper, thy Salvation: in Him be there the fortified place, the tower of strength, [2451] thy refuge let Himself be, and He will not suffer thee to be tempted above that which thou art able to bear, but will make with the temptation also an escape, that thou mayest be able to support it: [2452] so that His suffering thee to bear temptation, be His power; His suffering not any more on thee to be done than thou art able to bear, be His mercy: "for power is of God, and to Thee, O Lord, is mercy, because Thou wilt render to each one after his works."
15. That thirst of the Church, would fain drink up that man also whom ye see. [2453] At the same time also, in order that ye may know how many in the mixed multitude of Christians with their mouth do bless, and in their heart curse, this man having been a Christian and a believer returneth as a penitent, and being terrified by the power of the Lord, turneth him to the mercy of the Lord. For having been led astray by the enemy when he was a believer, long time he hath been an astrologer, led astray, leading astray, deceived, deceiving, he hath allured, hath beguiled, many lies he hath spoken against God, That hath given to men power of doing that which is good, and of not doing that which is evil. He used to say, that one's own will did not adultery, but Venus; one's own will did not manslaying, but Mars; and God did not what is just, but Jupiter; and many other blasphemous things, and not light ones. From how many Christians do ye think he hath pocketed money? How many from him have bought a lie, to whom we used to say, "Sons of men, how long are ye dull of heart, wherefore love ye vanity, and seek a lie"? [2454] Now, as of him must be believed, he hath shuddered at his lie, and being the allurer of many men, he hath perceived at length that by the devil he hath himself been allured, and he turneth to God a penitent. We think, brethren, that because of great fear of heart it hath come to pass. For what must we say? If out of a heathen an astrologer were converted, great indeed would be the joy: but nevertheless it might appear, that, if he had been converted, he was desiring the clerical office in the Church. A penitent he is, he seeketh not anything save mercy alone. He must be recommended therefore both to your eyes and hearts. Him whom ye see in hearts love ye, with eyes guard ye. See ye him, mark ye him, and whithersoever he shall have gone his way, to the rest of the brethren that now are not here, point him out: and such diligence is mercy; lest that leader astray drag back [2455] his heart and take it by storm. Guard ye him, let there not escape you his conversation, his way: in order that by your testimony it may be proved to us that truly to the Lord he hath been turned. For report will not be silent about his life, when to you he is thus presented both to be seen and to be pitied. Ye know in the Acts of the Apostles how it is written, that many lost men, that is, men of such arts, and followers of naughty doctrines, brought unto the Apostles all their books; and there were burned so many volumes, that it was the writer's task to make a valuation of them, and write down the sum of the price. [2456] This truly was for the glory of God, in order that even such lost men might not be despaired of by Him that knew how to seek that which had been lost. Therefore this man had been lost, is now sought, found, [2457] led hither, he bringeth with him books to be burned, by which he had been to be burned, so that when these have been thrown into the fire, he may himself pass over into a place of refreshment. Know ye that he, brethren, once knocked at the Church door before Easter: [2458] for before Easter he began to ask of the Church Christ's medicine. But because the art wherein he had been practised is of such sort as that it was suspected of lying and deceit, he was put off that he might not tempt; at length however he was admitted, that he might not more dangerously be tempted. Pray for him through Christ. Straightway to-day's prayer pour out for him to the Lord our God. For we know and are sure, that your prayer effaceth all his impieties. The Lord be with you.
[2358] Lat. LXI. Sermon to the people.
[2359] On Ps. xxxix. p. 113, supra.
[2360] Matt. xxiii. 12.
[2361] Ps. xc. 1.
[2362] Ps. lxi. 3.
[2363] Some mss. "cannot."
[2364] Gen. ii. 24; Eph. v. 31.
[2365] Col. i. 24.
[2366] Canonem.
[2367] Pariatoria.
[2368] Matt. xxiii. 35.
[2369] Ps. ii. 1.
[2370] Ps. xli. 5.
[2371] Ps. cxviii. 13.
[2372] § 1, p. 251, supra.
[2373] Gen. xxxvii. 36, xxxix. 20.
[2374] Ps. cv. 18.
[2375] Gen. xlii. 5.
[2376] Ps. lxxxvii. 3.
[2377] Ps. cxxxvii. 5.
[2378] Or, "animal."
[2379] 1 Cor. xv. 46.
[2380] Gen. iv. 1, 2.
[2381] Gen. xxv. 23.
[2382] 1 Cor. xv. 46.
[2383] Gen. xxv. 23.
[2384] Josh. xviii. 28.
[2385] Traducem.
[2386] Rom. v. 19.
[2387] 1 Cor. xv. 22.
[2388] Col. iii. 9, 10; Eph. iv. 22, 24.
[2389] Eph. v. 8.
[2390] 1 Cor. x. 11.
[2391] Magni. Ben conj. Mali, "evil."
[2392] Dan. ii. 48, iii. 30.
[2393] Matt. vi. 10.
[2394] Luke i. 33.
[2395] Ps. lxxxvii. 3.
[2396] Angariam.
[2397] 1 Pet. ii. 13, 14.
[2398] Eph. vi. 5.
[2399] Ps. lvii. 1.
[2400] Matt. v. 41.
[2401] Thus Septuagint; E.V. "Their delight is in lies."
[2402] Ps. xxxv. 12.
[2403] Exod. xxxii. 10.
[2404] [The non-technical use of this word, here and elsewhere, by our author must be noted. Just so the Anglican Church speaks of matrimony as a sacrament, while jealously guarding the two which are sacraments, kat' exochen.--C.]
[2405] Ps. cvi. 20.
[2406] Isa. xl. 6.
[2407] John iv. 7.
[2408] John xix. 28.
[2409] Matt. ix. 17.
[2410] Ps. lv. 19.
[2411] 2 Sam. v. 9.
[2412] Ps. lxxii. 11.
[2413] Matt. x. 22.
[2414] Matt. xxiv. 12.
[2415] Philip. iii. 20.
[2416] Gen. iii. 14.
[2417] Rom. viii. 25.
[2418] Rom. iv. 2.
[2419] Rom. viii. 30.
[2420] Matt. ix. 13.
[2421] Matt. ix. 12.
[2422] Rom. viii. 24.
[2423] Ps. lv. 22.
[2424] Rom. i. 29, 30.
[2425] Rom. viii. 31.
[2426] Matt. xxii. 11.
[2427] Matt. xii. 25.
[2428] Matt. xxv. 41.
[2429] Rom. ix. 14.
[2430] Ps. xl. 4.
[2431] Luke xii. 15. St. Augustin, habet.
[2432] Heb. i. 1.
[2433] Gen. iii. 17.
[2434] Gen. iv. 6, etc.
[2435] Matt. iii. 17.
[2436] Magister.
[2437] John i. 3.
[2438] John xvi. 12.
[2439] Col. ii. 3.
[2440] John viii. 26.
[2441] John viii. 44.
[2442] Ps. lxxv. 7.
[2443] Rom. ix. 22.
[2444] Rom. ix. 20.
[2445] Ps. lxxx. 5.
[2446] 1 Cor. x. 13.
[2447] Ps. lxix. 4.
[2448] Rom. viii. 32.
[2449] Magnum, Al. regnum, "the royal power."
[2450] Rom. ix. 14.
[2451] Ps. lxi. 3.
[2452] 1 Cor. x. 13.
[2453] When an astrologer was pointed out among the people about him, he added this.
[2454] Ps. iv. 2.
[2455] Al. "return to."
[2456] Acts xix. 19.
[2457] Luke xv. 32.
[2458] [A glimpse of the ancient discipline. The public confession of the man is made through the bishop. Bingham, Antiquities, etc., b. xxi. cap. 1, § 12 et seq.--C.]
Psalm LXIII. [2459]
1. This psalm hath the title, "For David himself, when he was in the desert of Idumæa." By the name of Idumæa is understood this world. For Idumæa was a certain nation of men going astray, where idols were worshipped. In no good sense is put this Idumæa. If not in a good sense it is put, it must be understood that this life, wherein we suffer so great toils, and wherein to so great necessities we are made subject, by the name of Idumæa is signified. [2460] Even here is a desert where there is much thirst, and ye are to hear the voice of One now thirsting in the desert. But if we acknowledge ourselves as thirsting, we shall acknowledge ourselves as drinking also. For he that thirsteth in this world, in the world to come shall be satisfied, according to the Lord's saying, "Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for the same shall be satisfied." [2461] Therefore in this world we ought not to love fulness. Here we must thirst, in another place we shall be filled. But now in order that we may not faint in this desert, He sprinkleth upon us the dew of His word, and leaveth us not utterly to dry up, so that there should not be in our case any seeking of us again, but that we may so thirst as that we may drink. But in order that we may drink, with somewhat of His Grace we are sprinkled: nevertheless we thirst. And what saith our soul to God?