On the words of the gospel, Matt. viii. 8, "I am not worthy that
thou shouldest come under my roof," etc., And of the words of the apostle,
1 Cor. viii. 10, "for if a man see thee who hast knowledge sitting at
meat in an idol's temple," etc.
1. We have heard, as the Gospel was being read, the praise of our faith
as manifested in humility. For when the Lord Jesus promised that He would
go to the Centurion's house to heal His servant, He answered, "I am not
worthy that Thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only,
and he shall be healed." By calling himself unworthy, he showed himself
worthy for Christ to come not into his house, but into his heart. Nor would
he have said this with so great faith and humility, had he not borne Him
in his heart, of whose coming into his house he was afraid. For it were
no great happiness for the Lord Jesus to enter into his house, and vet
not to be in his heart. For this Master of humility both by word and example,
sat down even in the house of a certain proud Pharisee, by name Simon;
and though He sat down in his house, there was no place in this heart,
"where the Son of Man could lay His Head."
2. For so, as we may understand from the words of the Lord Himself,
did He call back from His discipleship a certain proud man, who of his
own accord was desirous to go with Him. "Lord, I will follow Thee whithersoever
Thou goest." And the Lord seeing in his heart what was invisible, said,
"Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of
Man hath not where to lay His Head." That is, in thee, guile like the fox
doth dwell, and pride as the birds of heaven. But the Son of Man simple
as opposed to guile, lowly as opposed to pride, hath not where to lay His
Head; and this very laying, not the raising up of the head, teaches humility.
Therefore doth He call back this one who was desirous to go, and another
who refused He draweth onward. For in the same place He saith to a certain
man, "Follow Me." And he said, "I will follow Thee, Lord, but let me first
go and bury my father." His excuse was indeed a dutiful one: and therefore
was he the more worthy to have his excuse removed, and his calling confirmed.
What he wished to do was an act of dutifulness; but the Master taught him
what he ought to prefer. For He wished him to be a preacher of the living
word, to make others live. But there were others by whom that first necessary
office might be fulfilled. "Let the dead," He saith, "bury their dead."
When unbelievers bury a dead body, the dead bury the dead. The body of
the one hath lost its soul, the soul of the others hath lost God. For as
the soul is the life of the body; so is God the life of the soul. As the
body expires when it loses the soul, so doth the soul expire when it loses
God. The loss of God is the death of the soul: the loss of the soul the
death of the body. The death of the body is necessary; the death of the
soul voluntary.
3. The Lord then sat down in the house of a certain proud Pharisee.
He was in his house, as I have said, and was not in his heart. But into
this centurion's house He entered not, yet He possessed his heart. Zacchaeus
again received the Lord both in house and heart. Yet the centurion's faith
is praised for its humility. For he said, "I am not worthy that Thou shouldest
come under my roof;" and the Lord said, "Verily I say unto you, I have
not found so great faith, no, not in Israel;" according to the flesh, that
is. For he too was an Israelite undoubtedly according to the spirit. The
Lord had come to fleshly Israel, that is, to the Jews, there to seek first
for the lost sheep, among this people, and of this people also He had assumed
His Body. "I have not found there so great faith," He saith. We can but
measure the faith of men, as men can judge of it; but He who saw the inward
parts, He whom no man can deceive, gave His testimony to this man's heart,
hearing words of lowliness, and pronouncing a sentence of healing.
4. But whence did he get such confidence? "I also," saith he, "am a
man set under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man,
Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh: and to my servant,
Do this, and he doeth it." I am an authority to certain who are placed
under me, being myself placed under a certain authority above me. If then
I a man under authority have the power of commanding, what power must Thou
have, whom all powers serve? Now this man was of the Gentiles, for he was
a centurion. At that time the Jewish nation had soldiers of the Roman empire
among them. There he was engaged in a military life, according to the extent
of a centurion's authority, both under authority himself, and having authority
over others; as a subject obedient, ruling others who were under him. But
the Lord (and mark this especially, Beloved, as need there is you should),
though He was among the Jewish people only, even now announced beforehand
that the Church should be in the whole world, for the establishment of
which He would send Apostles; Himself not seen, yet believed on by the
Gentiles: by the Jews seen, and put to death. For as the Lord did not in
body enter into this man's house, and still, though in body absent, yet
present in majesty, healed his faith, and his house; so the same Lord also
was in body among the Jewish people only: among the other nations He was
neither born of a Virgin, nor suffered, nor walked, nor endured His human
sufferings, nor wrought His divine miracles. None of all this took place
in the rest of the nations, and yet was that fulfilled which was spoken
of Him, "A people whom I have not known, hath served Me." And how if it
did not know Him? "Hath obeyed Me by the hearing of the ear." The Jewish
nation knew, and crucified Him; the whole world besides heard and believed.
5. This absence, so to say, of His body, and presence of His power among
all nations, He signified also in the instance of that woman who had touched
the edge of His garment, when He asketh, saying, "Who touched Me?" He asketh,
as though He were absent; as though present, He healeth. "The multitude,"
say the disciples, "press Thee, and sayest Thou, Who touched Me?" For as
if He were so walking as not to be touched by anybody at all, He said,
"Who touched Me?" And they answer, "The multitude press Thee." And the
Lord would seem to say, I am asking for one who touched, not for one who
pressed Me. In this case also is His Body now, that is, His Church. The
faith of the few "touches" it, the throng of the many "press" it. For ye
have heard, as being her children, that Christ's Body is the Church, and
if ye will, ye yourselves are so. This the Apostle says in many places,
"For His body's sake, which is the Church;" and again, "But ye are the
body of Christ, and members in particular." If then we are His body, what
His body then suffered in the crowd, that doth His Church suffer now. It
is pressed by many, touched by few. The flesh presses it, faith touches
it. Lift up therefore your eyes, I beseech you, ye who have wherewithal
to see. For ye have before you something to see. Lift up the eyes of faith,
touch but the extreme border of His garment, it will be sufficient for
saving health.
6. See ye how that which ye have heard out of the Gospel was at that
time to come is now present. Therefore, said He, on occasion of the commendation
of the Centurion's faith, as in the flesh an alien, but of the household
in heart, "Therefore I say unto you, Many shall come front the east and
west." Not all, but "many;" yet they shall "come from the East and West;"
the whole world is denoted by these two parts. "Many shall come from the
east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in
the kingdom of heaven; but the children of the kingdom shall be cast out
into outer darkness." "But the children of the kingdom," the Jews, namely.
And how "the children of the kingdom"? Because they received the Law; to
them the Prophets were sent, with them was the temple and the Priesthood;
they celebrated the figures of all the things to come. Yet of what things
they celebrated the figures, they acknowledged not the presence. And, "Therefore
the children of the kingdom," He saith, shall go into outer darkness, there
shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." And so we see the Jews reprobate,
and Christians called from the East and West, to the heavenly banquet,
to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, where the bread is righteousness,
and the cup wisdom.
7. Consider then, brethren, for of these are ye; ye are of this people,
even then foretold, and now exhibited. Yes, verily, ye are of those who
have been called from the East and West, to sit down in the kingdom of
heaven, not in the temple of idols. Be ye then the Body of Christ, not
the pressure of His Body. Ye have the border of His garment to touch, that
ye may be healed of the issue of blood, that is, of carnal pleasures. Ye
have, I say, the border of the garment to touch. Look upon the Apostles
as the garment, by the texture of unity clinging closely to the sides of
Christ. Among these Apostles was Paul, as it were the border, the least
and last; as he saith himself, "I am the least of the Apostles." In a garment
the last and least thing is the border. The border is in appearance contemptible,
yet is it touched with saving efficacy. "Even to this hour we both hunger
and thirst, and are naked and buffeted." What state so low, so contemptible
as this! Touch then, if thou art suffering from a bloody flux. There will
go power out of Him whose garment it is, and it will heal thee. The border
was proposed to you just now to be touched, when out of the same Apostle
there was read, "For if any one see him which hath knowledge sit at meat
in an idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him who is weak, be emboldened
to eat things offered to idols? And through thy knowledge shall thy weak
brother perish, for whom Christ died!" How think ye may men be deceived
by idols, which they suppose are honoured by Christians? A man may say,
"God knows my heart." Yes, but thy brother did not know thy heart. If thou
art weak, beware of a still greater weakness; if thou art strong, have
a care of thy brother's weakness. They who see what you do, are emboldened
to do more, so as to desire not only to eat, but also to sacrifice there.
And lo, "Through thy knowledge the weak brother perisheth." Hear then,
my brother; if thou didst disregard the weak, wouldest thou disregard a
brother also? Awake. What if so thou sin against Christ Himself? For attend
to what thou canstnot by any means disregard. "But," saith he, "when ye
sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience ye sin against
Christ." Let them who disregard these words, go now, land sit at meat in
the idol's temple; will they not be of those who press, and do not touch.
And when they have been at meat in the idol's I temple, let them come and
fill the Church; not to receive saving health, but to make a pressure there.
8. But thou wilt say, I am afraid lest I offend those above me. By all
means be afraid of offending them, and so thou wilt not offend God. For
thou who art afraid lest thou offend those above thee, see whether there
be not One above him whom thou art afraid of offending. By all means then
be loth to offend those above thee. This is an established rule with thee.
But then is it not plain, that he must on no account be offended, who is
above all others? Run over now the list of those above thee. First are
thy father and mother, if they are educating thee aright; if they are bringing
thee up for Christ; they are to be heard in all things, they must be obeyed
in every command; let them enjoin nothing against one above themselves,
and so let them be obeyed. And who, thou wilt say, is above him who begat
me? He who created thee. For man begets, but God creates. How it is that
man begets, he does not know; and what he shall beget, he does not know.
But He who saw thee that He might make thee, before that he whom He made
existed, is surely above thy father. Thy country again should be above
thy very parents; so that whereinsoever thy parents enjoin aught against
thy country, they are not to be listened to. And whatsoever thy country
enjoin against God, it is not to be listened to. For if thou wilt be healed,
if after the issue of blood, if after twelve years' continuance in that
disease, if after having spent thine all upon physicians, and not having
received health, thou dost wish at length to he made whole; O woman, whom
I am addressing as a figure of the Church, thy father enjoineth thee this,
and thy people that. But thy Lord saith to thee, "Forget thine own people,
and thy father's house." For what good? for what advantage? with what useful
result? "Because the King hath desired thy beauty." He hath desired what
He made, since when deformed He loved thee, that He might make thee beautiful.
For thee unbelieving, and deformed, He shed His Blood, and He made thee
faithful and beauteous, He hath loved His own gifts in thee. For what didst
thou bring to thy spouse? What didst thou receive for dowry from thy former
father, and former people? Was it not the excesses and the rags of sins?
Thy rags He cast away, thy robe impure He tore asunder. He pitied thee
that He might adorn thee. He adorned thee, that He might love thee.
9. What need of more, Brethren. Ye are Christians, and have heard, that
"If ye sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin
against Christ." Do not disregard it, if ye would not be wiped out of the
book of life. How long shall I go about to speak in bright and pleasing
terms to you, what my grief forceth me to speak in some sort, and will
not suffer me to keep secret? Whosoever they are who are minded to disregard
these things, and sin against Christ, let them only consider what they
are doing. We wish the rest of the Heathen to be gathered in; and ye are
stones in their way: they have a wish to come; they stumble, and so return.
For they say in their hearts, Why should we leave the gods whom the very
Christians worship as we do? God forbid, thou wilt say, that I should worship
the gods of the Gentiles. I know, I understand, I believe thee. But what
account art thou making of the consciences of the weak which thou art wounding?
What account art thou making of their price, if thou disregard the purchase?
Consider for how great a price was the purchase made. "Through thy knowledge,"
saith the Apostle, "shall the weak brother perish;" that knowledge which
thou professest to have, in that thou knowest that an idol is nothing,
and that in thy mind thou art thinking only of God, and so sittest down
in the idol's temple. In this knowledge the weak brother perisheth. And
lest thou shouldest pay no regard to the weak brother, he added, "for whom
Christ died." If thou wouldest disregard him, yet consider his Price, and
weigh the whole world in the balance with the Blood of Christ. And lest
thou shouldest still think that thou art sinning against a weak brother,
and so esteem it after that he had heard that he was "Peter" a a trivial
fault, and of small account, he saith, "Ye sin against Christ." For men
are in the habit of saying, I sin against man; am I sinning against God?"
Deny then that Christ is God. Dost thou dare deny that Christ is God? Hast
thou learned this other doctrine, when thou didst sit at meat in the idol's
temple? The school of Christ doth not admit that doctrine. I ask; Where
learnedst thou that Christ is not God? The Pagans are wont to say so. Seest
thou what bad associations do? Seest thou, "that evil communications corrupt
good manners?" There thou canst not speak of the Gospel, and thou dost
hear others talking of idols. There thou losest the truth that Christ is
God; and what thou dost drink in there, thou vomitest out in the Church.
It may be thou art bold enough to speak here; bold enough to mutter among
the crowds; "Was not then Christ a man? Was He not crucified?" This hast
thou learned of the Pagans. Thou hast lost thy soul's health, thou hast
not touched the border. On this point then touch again the border, and
receive health. As I taught thee to touch it in this that is written, "Whoso
seeth a brother sit at meat in the idol's temple;" touch it also concerning
the Divinity of Christ. The same border said of the Jews, "Whose are the
fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all,
God blessed for ever," Behold, against Whom, even the Very God, thou dost
sin, when thou sittest down with false gods.
10. It is no god, you will say; because it is the tutelary genius of
Carthage. As though if it were Mars or Mercury, it would be a god. But
consider in what light it is esteemed by them; not what it is in itself.
For I know also as well as thou, that it is but a stone. If this "genius"
be any ornament, let the citizens of Carthage live well; and they themselves
will be this "genius" of Carthage. But if the "genius" be a devil, ye have
heard in that same Scripture, "The things which the Gentiles sacrifice,
they sacrifice to devils, and not to God; and I would not that ye should
have fellowship with devils." We know well that it is no God; would that
they knew it too! but because of those weak ones who do not know it, their
conscience ought not to be wounded. It is this that the Apostle warns us
of. For that they regard that statue as something divine, and take it for
a god, the altar is witness. What does the altar there, if it be not accounted
a god? Let no one tell me; it is no deity, it is no God. I have said already,
"Would that they only knew this, as we all do." But how they regard it,
for what they take it, and what they do about it, that altar is witness.
It is convincing against the intentions of all who worship there, grant
that it may not be convincing also against those who sit at meat with them!
11. Yes, let not Christians press the Church, if the Pagans do. She
is the Body of Christ. Were we not saying, that the Body of Christ was
pressed, and not touched. He endured those who pressed Him; and was looking
out for those who "touched" Him. And, Brethren, I would that if the Body
of Christ be pressed by Pagans, by whom it is wont to be pressed; that
at least Christians would not press the Body of Christ. Brethren, it is
my business to speak to you, my business it is to speak to Christians;
"For what have I to do to judge them that are without?" the Apostle himself
saith. Them we address in another way, as being weak. With them we must
deal softly, that they may hear the truth; in you the corruption must be
cut out. If ye ask whereby the Pagans are to be gained over, whereby they
are to be illuminated, and called to salvation; forsake their solemnities,
forsake their trifling shows; and then if they do not consent to our truth,
let them blush at their own scantiness.
12. If he who is over thee be a good man, he is thy nourisher; if a
bad man, he is thy tempter. Receive the nourishment in the one case with
gladness, and in the temptation show thyself approved. Be thou gold. Regard
this world as the furnace of the goldsmith; in one narrow place are there
things, gold, chaff, fire. To the two former the fire is applied, the chaff
is burned, and the gold purified. A man has yielded to threats, and been
led away to the idol's temple: Alas! I bewail the chaff; I see the ashes.
Another has not yet yielded to threats nor terrors; has been brought before
the judge, and stood firm in his confession, and has not bent down to the
idol image: what does the flame with him? Does it not purify the gold?
Stand, fast then, Brethren, in the Lord; greater in power, is He who hath
called you. Be not afraid of the threats of the ungodly. Bear with your
enemies; in them ye have those for whom ye may pray; let them by no means
terrify you. This is saving health, draw out in this feast here from this
source; here drink that wherewith ye may be satisfied, and not in those
other feasts, that only whereby ye may be maddened. Stand fast in the Lord.
Ye are silver, ye shall be gold. This similitude is not our own, it is
out of Holy Scripture. Ye have read and heard, "As gold in the furnace
hath He tried them, and received them as a burnt-offering." See what ye
shall be among the treasures of God. Be ye rich as touching God, not as
if to make Him rich, but as to become rich from Him. Let Him replenish
you; admit nought else into your heart.
13. Do we lift up ourselves unto pride, or tell you to be despisers
against the powers ordained? Not so. Do ye again who are sick on this point,
touch also that border of the garment? The Apostle himself saith, "Let
every soul be subject unto the higher powers, for there is no power but
of God, the powers that be are ordained of God. He then who resisteth the
power, resisteth the ordinance of God." But what if it enjoin what thou
oughtest not to do? In this case by all means disregard the power through
fear of Power. Consider these several grades of human powers. If the magistrate
enjoin anything, must it not be done? Yet if his order be in opposition
to the Proconsul, thou dost not surely despise the power, but choosest
to obey a greater power. Nor in this case ought the less to be angry, if
the greater be preferred. Again, if the Proconsul himself enjoin anything,
and the Emperor another thing, is there any doubt, that disregarding the
former, we ought to obey the latter? So then if the Emperor enjoin one
thing, and God another, what judge ye? Pay me tribute, submit thyself to
my allegiance. Right, but not in an idol's temple. In an idol's temple
He forbids it. Who forbids it? A greater Power. Pardon me then: thou threatenest
a prison, He threateneth hell. Here must thou at once take to thee thy
"faith as a shield, whereby thou mayest be able to quench all the fiery
darts of the enemy."
14. But one of these powers is plotting, and contriving evil designs
against thee. Well: he is but sharpening the razor wherewith to shave the
hair, but not to cut the head. Ye have but just now heard this that I have
said in the Psalm, "Thou hast worked deceit like a sharp razor." Why did
He compare the deceit of a wicked man in power to a razor? Because it does
not reach, save to our superfluous parts. As hairs on our body seem as
it were superfluous, and are shaven off without any loss of the flesh;
so whatsoever an angry man in power can take from thee, count only among
thy superfluities. He takes away thy poverty; can he take away thy wealth?
Thy poverty is thy wealth in thy heart. Thy superfluous things only hath
he power to take away, these only hath he power to injure, even though
he had license given him so far as to hurt the body. Yea even this life
itself to those whose thoughts are of another life, this present life,
I say, may be reckoned among the things superfluous. For so the Martyrs
have despised it. They did not lose life, but they gained Life.
15. Be sure, Brethren, that enemies have no power against the faithful,
except so far as it profiteth them to be tempted and proved. Of this be
sure, Brethren, let no one say ought against it. Cast all your care upon
the Lord, throw yourselves wholly and entirely upon Him. He will not withdraw
Himself that ye should fall. He who created us, hath given us security
touching our very hairs. "Verily I say unto you, even the hairs of your
head are all numbered." Our hairs are numbered by God; how much more is
our conduct known to Him to whom our hairs are thus known? See then, how
that God doth not disregard our least things. For if He disregarded them,
He would not create them. For He verily both created our hairs, and still
taketh count of them. But thou wilt say, though they are preserved at present,
perhaps they will perish. On this point also hear His word, "Verily I say
unto you, there shall not an hair of your head perish." Why art thou afraid
of man, O man, whose place is in the Bosom of God? Fall not out of His
Bosom; whatsoever thou shall suffer there, will avail to thy salvation,
not to thy destruction. Martyrs have endured the tearing of their limbs,
and shall Christians fear the injuries of Christian times? He who would
do thee an injury now, can only do it in fear. He does not say openly, come
to the idol-feast; he does not say openly, come to my altars, and banquet
there. And if he should say so, and thou wast to refuse, let him make a
complaint of it, let him bring it as an accusation and charge against thee:
"He would not come to my altars, he would not come to my temple, where
I worship." Let him say this. He does not dare; but in his guile he contrives
another attack. Make ready thy hair; he is sharpening the razor; he is
about to take off thy superfluous things, to shave what thou must soon
leave behind thee. Let him take off what shall endure, if he can. This
powerful enemy, what has he taken away? what great thing has he taken away?
That which a thief or housebreaker could take: in his utmost rage, he can
but take what a robber can. Even if he should have license given him to
the slaying of the very body, what does he take away, but what the robber
can take? I did him too much honour, when I said, "a robber." For be the
robber who and what he may, he is a man. He takes from thee what a fever,
or an adder, or a poisonous mushroom can take. Here lies the whole power
of the rage of men, to do what a mushroom can! Men eat a poisonous mushroom,
and they die. Lo! in what frail estate is the life of man; which sooner
or later thou must abandon; do not struggle then in such wise for it, as
that thou shouldest be abandoned thyself.
16. Christ is our Life; think then of Christ. He came to suffer, but
also to be glorified; to be despised, but to be exalted also; to die; but
also to rise again. If the labour alarm thee, see its reward. Why dost
thou wish to arrive by softness at that to which nothing but hard labour
can lead? Now thou art afraid, lest thou shouldest lose thy money; because
thou earnest thy money with great labour. If thou didst not attain to thy
money, which thou must some time or other lose, at all events when thou
diest, without labour, wouldest thou desire without labour to attain to
the Life eternal? Let that be of higher value in thine eyes, to which after
all thy labours thou shalt in such sort attain as never more to lose it.
If this money, to which thou hast attained after all thy labours on such
condition as that thou must some time lose it, be of high value with thee;
how much more ought we to long after those things which are everlasting!
17. Give no credit to their words, neither be afraid of them. They say
that we are enemies of their idols. May God so grant, and give all into
our power, as He hath already given us that which we have broken down.
For this I say, Beloved, that ye may not attempt to do it, when it is not
lawfully in your power to do it; for it is the way of ill-regulated men,
and the mad Circumcelliones, both to be violent when they have no power,
and to be ever eager in their wishes to die without a cause. Ye heard what
we read to you, all of you who were present in the Mappalia. "When the
land shall have been given into your power (he saith first, "into your
power," and so enjoined what was to be done); "then," saith he, "ye shall
destroy their altars, and break in pieces their groves, and hew down all
their images." When we shall have got the power, do this. When the power
has not been given us, we do not do it; when it is given, we do not neglect
it. Many Pagans have these abominations on their own estates; do we go
and break them in pieces? No, for our first efforts are that the idols
in their hearts should be broken down. When they too are made Christians
themselves, they either invite us to so good a work, or anticipate us.
At present we must pray for them, not be angry with them. If very painful
feelings excite us, it is rather against Christians, it is against our
brethren, who will enter into the Church in such a mind, as to have their
body there, and their heart anywhere else. The whole ought to be within.
If that which man seeth is within, why is that which God seeth without?
18. Now ye may know, Dearly Beloved, that these unite their murmurings
with Heretics and with Jews. Heretics, Jews, and Heathens have made a unity
against Unity. Because it has happened, that in some places the Jews have
received chastisement because of their wickednesses; they charge and suspect
us, or pretend, that we are always seeking the like treatment for them.
Again, because it has happened that the heretics in some places have suffered
the penalty of the laws for the impiety and fury of their deeds of violence;
they say immediately that we are seeking by every means some harm for their
destruction. Again, because it has been resolved that laws should be passed
against the Heathen, yea for them rather, if they were only wise. (For
as when silly boys are playing with the mud, and dirtying their hands,
the strict master comes, shakes the mud out of their hands, and holds out
their book; so has it pleased God by the hands of princes His subjects
to alarm their childish, foolish hearts, that they may throw away the dirt
from their hands, and set about something useful. And what is this something
useful with the hands, but, "Break thy bread to the hungry, and bring the
houseless poor into thy house"? But nevertheless these children escape from
their master's sight, and return stealthily to their mud, and when they
are discovered they hide their hands that they may not be seen.) Because
then it has so pleased God, they think that we are looking out for the
idols everywhere, and that we break them down in all places where we have
discovered them. How so? Are there not places before our very eyes in which
they are? Or are we indeed ignorant where they are? And yet we do not break
them down, because God has not given them into our power. When does God
give them into our power? When the masters of these things shall become
Christians. The master of a certain place has just lately wished this to
be done. If he had not been minded to give the place itself to the Church,
and only had given orders that there should be no idols on his property;
I think that it ought to have been executed with the greatest devotion,
that the soul of the absent Christian brother, who wishes on his land to
return thanks to God, and would not that there should be anything there
to God's dishonour, might be assisted by his fellow-Christians. Added to
this, that in this case he gave the place itself to the Church. And shall
there be idols n the Church's estate? Brethren, see then what it is that
displeases the Heathens. It is but a little matter with them that we do
not take them away from their estates, that we do not break them down:
they would have them kept up even in our own places. We preach against
idols, we take them away from the hearts of men; we are persecutors of
idols; we openly profess it. Are we then to be the preservers of them?
I do not touch them when I have not the power; I do not touch them when
the lord of the property complains of it; but when he wishes it to be done,
and gives thanks for it, I should incur guilt if I did it not.
