Second Portion of Homily V.
1 John 3:13-18.
"Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate us. We know that we have
passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth
not abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye
know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. In this we know
love, that He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives
for the brethren. But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother
have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how can the
love of God dwell in him? My little children, let us not love only in word
and in tongue; but in deed and in truth."
9. "Marvel not, brethren, if the world hate us." Must one often
be telling you what "the world" means? Not the heaven, not the earth, nor
these visible works which God made; but lovers of the world. By often saying
these things, to some I am burdensome: but I am so far from saying it without
a cause, that some may be questioned whether I said it, and they cannot
answer. Let then, even by thrusting it upon them, something stick fast
in the hearts of them that hear. What is "the world"? The world, when put
in a bad sense, is, lovers of the world: the world, when the word is used
in praise, is heaven and earth, and the works of God that are in them;
whence it is said, "And the world was made by Him." Also, the world is
the fullness of the earth, as John himself hath said, "Not only for our
sins is He the propitiator, but (for the sins) of the whole world:" he
means, "of the world," of all the faithful scattered throughout the whole
earth. But the world in a bad sense, is, lovers of the world. They that
love the world, cannot love their brother.
10. "If the world hate us: we know What do we know?-"that we have passed
from death unto life"-How do we know? "Because we love the brethren." Let
none ask man: let each return to his own heart: if he find there brotherly
love, let him set his mind at rest, because he is "passed from death unto
life." Already he is on the right hand: let him not regard that at present
his glory is hidden: when the Lord shall come, then shall he appear in
glory. For he has life in him, but as yet in winter; the root is alive,
but the branches, so to say, are dry: within is the substance that has
the life in it, within are the leaves of trees, within are the fruits:
but they wait for the summer. Well then, "we know that we have passed from
death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not, abideth
in death." Lest ye should think it a light matter, brethren, to hate, or,
not to love, hear what follows: "Every one that hateth his brother, is
a murderer." How now, if any made light of hating his brother, will he
also in his heart make light of murder? He does not stir his hands to kill
a man; yet he is already held by God a murderer; the other lives, and yet
this man is already judged as his slayer! "Every one that hateth his brother
is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in
him."
11. "In this know we love:" he means, perfection of love, that
perfection which we have bidden you lay to heart: "In this know we love,
that He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for
the brethren." Lo here, whence that came: "Peter, lovest thou me? Feed
My sheep." For, that ye may know that He would have His sheep to be so
fed by him, as that he should lay down his life for the sheep, straightway
said He this to him: "When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and
walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt
stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, I and carry thee
whither thou wouldest not. This spake He," saith the evangelist, "Signifying
by what death he should glorify God;" so that to whom He had said, Feed
my sheep," the same He might teach to lay down his life for His sheep.
12. Whence beginneth charity, brethren? Attend a little: to what it
is perfected, ye have heard; the very end of it, and the very measure of
it is what the Lord hath put before us in the Gospel: "Greater love hath
no man," saith He, "than that one lay down his life for his friends." Its
perfection, therefore, He hath put before us in the Gospel, and here also
it is its perfection that is put before us: but ye ask yourselves, and
say to yourselves, When shall it be possible for us to have "this" charity?
Do not too soon despair of thyself. Haply, it is born and is not yet perfect;
nourish it, that it be not choked. But thou wilt say to me, And by what
am I to know it? For to what it is perfected, we have heard; whence it
begins, let us hear. He goes on to say: "But whoso hath this world's good,
and seeth his brother have hunger, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion
from him, how can the love of God dwell in him?" Lo, whence charity begins
withal! If thou art not yet equal to the dying for thy brother, be thou
even now equal to the giving of thy means to thy brother. Even now let
charity smite thy bowels, that not of vainglory thou shouldest do it, but
of the innermost marrow of mercy; that thou consider him, now in want.
For if thy superfluities thou canst not give to thy brother, canst thou
lay down thy life for thy brother? There lies thy money in thy bosom, which
thieves may take from thee; and though thieves do not take it, by dying
thou wilt leave it, even if it leave not thee while living: what wilt thou
do with it? Thy brother hungers, he is in necessity: belike he is in suspense,
is distressed by his creditor: he is thy brother, alike ye are bought,
one is the price paid for you, ye are both redeemed by the blood of Christ:
see whether thou have mercy, if thou have this world's means. Perchance
thou sayest, "What concerns it me? Am I to give my money, that he may not suffer trouble?" If this be the answer thy heart makes to thee, the love
of the Father abideth not in thee. If the love of the Father abide not
in thee, thou art not born of God. How boastest thou to be a Christian? Thou hast the name, and hast not the deeds. But if the work shall follow
the name, let any call thee pagan, show thou by deeds that thou art a Christian. For if by deeds thou dost not show thyself a Christian, all men may call
thee a Christian yet; what doth the name profit thee where the thing is
not forthcoming? "But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother
have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how can the
love of God dwell in him?" And then he goes on: "My little children, let
us not love in word, neither in tongue but in deed and in truth."
13. I suppose the thing is now made manifest to you my brethren: this
great and most concerning secret and mystery. What is the force of charity,
all Scripture doth set forth; but I know not whether any where it be more
largely set forth than in this Epistle. We pray you and beseech you in
the Lord, that both what ye have heard ye will keep in memory, and to that
which is yet to be said, until the epistle be finished, will come with
earnestness, and with earnestness hear the same. But open ye your heart
for the good seed: root out the thorns, that that which we are sowing in
you be not choked, but rather that the harvest may grow, and that the Husbandman
may rejoice and make ready the barn for you as for grain, not the fire
as for the chaff.
First portion of Homily VI.
1 John 3:19-24.
"And herein we know that we are of the truth, and assure our hearts
before Him. For if our heart think ill of us, God is greater than our heart,
and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart think not ill of us, then
have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we shall receive
of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do in His sight those things
that please Him. And this is His commandment, That we should believe on
the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as He gave us commandment.
And he that keepeth His commandments shall dwell in Him, and He in him.
And herein we know that He abideth in us, by the Holy Spirit which He hath
given us.
1. If ye remember, brethren, yesterday we closed our sermon at this
sentence, which without doubt behooved and does behoove to abide in your
heart, seeing it was the last ye heard. "My little children, let us not
love only in word and in tongue; but in deed and in truth." Then he goes
on: "And herein we know that we are of the truth, and assure our hearts
before Him." "For if our heart think ill of us, God is greater than our
heart, and knoweth all things." He had said," Let us not love only in word
and in tongue, but in work and in truth:" we are asked, In what work, or
in what truth, is he known that loveth God, or loveth his brother? Above
he had said up to what point charity is perfected: what the Lord saith
in the Gospel, "Greater love than this hath no man, that one lay down his
life for his friends," this same had the apostle also said: "As He laid
down His life for us, we ought also to lay down our lives for the brethren."
This is the perfection of charity, and greater can not at all be found.
But because it is not perfect in all, and that man ought not to despair
in whom it is not perfect, if that be already born which may be perfected:
and of course if born, it must be nourished, and by certain nourishments
of its own must be brought unto its proper perfection: therefore, we have
asked concerning the commencement of charity, where it begins, and there
have straightway found: "But whoso hath this world's goods, and seeth his
brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how
dwelleth the love of the Father in him?" Here then hath this charity, my
brethren, its beginning: to give of one's superfluities to him that hath
need to him that is in any distress; of one's temporal abundance to deliver
his brother from temporal tribulation. Here is the first rise of charity.
This, being thus begun, if thou shalt nourish with the word of God and
hope of the life to come, thou wilt come at last unto that perfection,
that thou shalt be ready to lay down thy life for thy brethren.
2. But, because many such things are done by men who seek other objects,
and who love not the brethren; let us come back to the testimony of conscience.
How do we prove that many such things are done by men who love not the
brethren? How many in heresies and schisms call themselves martyrs! They
seem to themselves to lay down their lives for their brethren. If for the
brethren they laid down their lives, they would not separate themselves
from the whole brotherhood. Again, how many there are who for the sake
of vainglory bestow much, give much, and seek therein but the praise of
men and popular glory, which is full of windiness, and possesses no stability!
Seeing, then, there are such, where shall be the proof of brotherly charity?
Seeing he wished it to be proved, and hath said by way of admonition, "My
little children, let us not love only in word and in tongue; but in deed
and in truth;" we ask, in what work, in what truth? Can there be a more
manifest work than to give to the poor? Many do this of vainglory, not
of love. Can there be a greater work than to die for the brethren? This
also, many would fain be thought to do, who do it of vainglory to get a
name, not from bowels of love. It remains, that that man loves his brother,
who before God, where God alone seeth, assures his own heart, and questions
his. heart whether he does this indeed for love of the brethren; and his
witness is that eye which penetrates the heart, where man cannot look.
Therefore Paul the Apostle, because he was ready to die for the brethren,
and said, "I will myself be spent for your souls," yet, because God only
saw this in his heart, not the mortal men to whom he spake, he saith to
them, "But to me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you
or at man's bar." And the same apostle shows also in a certain place, that
these things are oft done of empty vainglory, not upon the solid ground
of love: for speaking of the praises of charity he saith, "If I distribute
all my goods to the poor. and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but
have not charity, it profiteth me nothing." Is it possible for a man to
do this without charity? It is. For they that have divided unity, are persons
that have not charity. Seek there, and ye shall see many giving much to
the poor; shall see others prepared to welcome death, insomuch that where
there is no persecutor they cast themselves headlong: these doubtless without
charity do this. Let us come back then to conscience, of which the apostle
saith: "For our glorying is this, the testimony of our conscience." Let
us come back to conscience, of which the same saith, "But let each prove
his own work, and then he shall have glorying in himself and not in another."
Therefore, let each one of us "prove his own work," whether it flow forth
from the vein of charity, whether it be from charity as the root that his
good works sprout forth as branches. "But let each prove his own work,
and then he shall have glorying in himself and not in another," not when
another's tongue bears witness to him, but when his own conscience bears
it.
3. This it is then that he enforces here. "In this we know that we are
of the truth, when in deed and in truth" we love, "not only in words and
in tongue: and assure our heart before Him." What meaneth, "before Him?"
Where He seeth. Whence the Lord Himself in the Gospel saith: "Take heed
that ye do not your righteousness before men, to be seen of them: otherwise
ye have no reward with your Father which is in heaven." And what meaneth,
"Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:" except that the
right hand means a pure conscience, the left hand the lust of the world?
Many through lust of the world do many wonderful things: the left hand
worketh, not the right. The right hand ought to work, and without knowledge
of the left hand, so that lust of the world may not even mix itself therewith
when by love we work aught that is good. And where do we get to know this?
Thou art before God: question thine heart, see what thou hast done, and
what therein was thine aim; thy salvation, or the windy praise of men.
Look within, for man cannot judge whom he cannot see. If "we assure our
heart," let it be "before Him." Because "if our heart think ill of us,"
i.e. accuse us within, that we do not the thing with that mind it ought
to be done withal, "greater is God than our heart, and knoweth all things."
Thou hidest thine heart from man: hide it from God if thou canst! How shalt
thou hide it from Him, to whom it is said by a sinner, fearing and confessing,
"Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit? and from Thy face whither shall I
flee?" He sought a way to flee, to escape the judgment of God, and found
none. For where is God not? "If I shall ascend," saith he, "into heaven,
Thou art there: if I shall descend into hell, Thou art there." Whither wilt
thou go? whither wilt thou flee? Wilt thou hear counsel? If thou wouldest
flee from Him, flee to Him. Flee to Him by confessing, not from Him by
hiding: hide thou canst not, but confess thou canst. Say unto Him, "Thou
art my place to flee unto;" and let love be nourished in thee, which alone
leadeth unto life. Let thy conscience bear thee witness that thy love is
of God. If it be of God, do not wish to display it before men; because
neither men's praises lift thee unto heaven, nor their censures put thee
down from thence. Let Him see, who crowneth thee: be He thy witness, by
whom as judge thou art crowned. "Greater is God than our heart, and knoweth
all things."
4. "Beloved, if our heart think not ill of us, we have confidence
towards God:" -What meaneth, "If our heart think not ill"? If it make
true answer to us, that we love and that there is genuine love in us: not
feigned but sincere; seeking a brother's salvation, expecting no emolument
from a brother, but only his salvation-"we have confidence toward God:
and whatsoever we ask, we shall receive of Him, because we keep His commandments."
-Therefore, not in the sight of men, but where God Himself seeth, in the
heart-"we have confidence," then, "towards God: and whatsoever we ask,
we shall receive of Him:" howbeit, because we keep His commandments. What
are "His commandments"? Must we be always repeating? "A new commandment
give I unto you, that ye love one another." It is charity itself that he
speaks of, it is this that he enforces. Whoso then shall have brotherly
charity, and have it before God, where God seeth, and his heart being interrogated
under righteous examination make him none other answer than that the genuine
root of charity is there for good fruits to come from; that man hath confidence
with God, and whatsoever he shall ask, he shall receive of Him, because
he keepeth His commandments.
5. Here a question meets us: for it is not this or that man, or thou
or I that come in question,-for if I have asked any thing of God and receive
it not, any person may easily say of me, "He hath not charity: "and of
any man soever of this present time, this may easily be said; and let any
think what he will, a man of man:-not we, but those come more in question,
those men of whom it is on all hands known that they were saints when they
wrote, and that they are now with God. Where is the man that hath charity,
if Paul and it not, who said, "Our mouth is open unto you, O ye Corinthians,
our heart is enlarged; ye are not straitened in us:" who said," I will
myself be spent for your souls:" and so great grace was in him, that it
was manifested that he had charity. And yet we find that he asked and did
not receive. What say we, brethren? It is a question: look attentively
to God: it is a great question, this also. Just as, where it was said of
sin, "He that is born of God sinneth not:" we found this sin to be the
violating of charity, and that this was the thing strictly intended in
that place: so too we ask now what it is that he would say. For if thou
look but to the words, it seems plain: if thou take the examples into the
account, it is obscure. Than the words here nothing can be plainer. "And
whatsoever we ask, we shall receive of Him, because we keep His commandments,
and do those things that are pleasing in His sight." "Whatsoever we ask,"
saith he, "we shall receive of Him." He hath put us sorely to straits.
In the other place also he would put us to straits, if he meant all sin:
but then we found room to expound it in this, that he meant it of a certain
sin, not of all sin; howbeit o[ a sin which "whosoever is born of God committeth
not:" and we found that this same sin is none other than the violation
of charity. We have also a manifest example from the Gospel, when the Lord
saith, "If I had not come, they had not had sin." How? Were the Jews innocent
when He came to them, because He so speaks? Then if He had not come, would
they have had no sin? Then did the Physician's presence make one sick,
not take away the fever? What madman even would say this? He came not but
to cure and heal the sick. Therefore when He said, "If I had not come,
they had not had sin," what would He have to be understood, but a certain
sin in particular? For there was a sin which the Jews would not have had.
What sin? That they believed not on Him, that when he had come they despised
Him. As then He there said "sin," and it does not follow that we are to
understand all sin, but a certain sin: so here also not all sin, lest it
be contrary to that place where he saith, "If we say that we have no sin,
we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us:" but a certain sin in
particular, that is, the violation of charity. But in this place he hath
bound us more tightly: "If we shall ask," he hath said, "if our heart accuse
us not, and tell us in answer, in the sight of God, that true love is in
us;" "Whatsoever we ask, we shall receive of Him."
6. Well now: I have already told you, my, beloved brethren, let no man
turn toward us. For what are we? or what are ye? What, but the Church of
God which is known to all? And, if it please Him, in that Church are we;
and those of us who by love abide in it, there let us persevere, if we
would show the love we have. But then the apostle Paul, what evil are we
to think of him? He not love the brethren! He not have within himself the
testimony of his conscience in the sight of God! Paul not have within him
that root of charity whence all good fruits proceeded What madman would
say this? Well then: where find we that the apostle asked and did not receive?
He saith himself: "Lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance
of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, an angel
of Satan to buffet me. For which thing I besought the Lord thrice, that
He would take it from me. And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for
thee: for strength is made perfect in weakness." Lo, he was not heard in
his prayer that the "angel of Satan" should be taken from him. But wherefore?
Because it was not good for him. He was heard, then, for salvation, when
he was not heard according to his wish. Know, my beloved, a great mystery:
which we urge upon your consideration on purpose that it may not slip from
you in your temptations. The saints are in all things heard unto salvation:
they are always heard in that which respects their eternal salvation; it
is this that they desire: because in regard of this, their prayers are
always heard.
7. But let us distinguish God's different ways of hearing prayer. For
we find some not heard for their wish, heard for salvation: and again some
we find heard for their wish, not heard for salvation. Mark this difference,
hold fast this example of a man not heard for his wish but heard for salvation.
Hear the apostle Paul; for what is the hearing of prayer unto salvation,
God Himself showed him: "Sufficient for thee," saith He, "is my grace;
for strength is perfected in weakness." Thou hast besought, hast cried,
hast thrice cried: the very cry thou didst raise once for all I heard,
I turned not away mine ears from thee; I know what I should do: thou wouldest
have it taken away, the healing thing by which thou art burned; I know
the infirmity by which thou art burdened. Well then: here is a man who
was heard for salvation, while as to his will he was not heard. Where find
we persons heard for their will, not heard for salvation? Do we find, think
we, some wicked, some impious man, heard of God for his will, not heard
for salvation? If I put to you the instance of some man, perchance thou
wilt say to me, "It is thou that callest him wicked, for he was righteous;
had he not been righteous, his prayer would not have been heard by God. "The
instance I am about to allege is of one, of whose iniquity and impiety
none can doubt. The devil himself: he asked for Job, and received. Have
ye not here also heard concerning the devil, that "he that committeth sin
is of the devil"? Not that the devil created, but that the sinner imitates.
Is it not said of him, "He stood not in the truth"? Is not even he "that
old serpent," who, through the woman pledged the first man in the drink
of poison? Who even in the case of Job, kept for him his wife, that by
her the husband might be, not comforted, but tempted? The devil asked for
a holy man, to tempt him; and he received: the apostle asked that the thorn
in the flesh might be taken from him, and he received not. But the apostle
was more heard than the devil. For the apostle was heard for salvation,
though not for his wish: the devil was heard for his wish, but for damnation.
For that Job was yielded up to him to be tempted, was in order that by
his standing the proof the devil should be tormented. But this, my brethren,
we find not only in the Old Testament books, but also in the Gospel. The
demons besought the Lord, when He expelled them from the man, that they
might be permitted to go into the swine. Should the Lord not have power
to tell them not to approach even those creatures? For, had it not been
His will to permit this, they were not about to rebel against the King
of heaven and earth. But with a view to a certain mystery, with a certain
ulterior meaning, He let the demons go into the swine: to show that the
devil hath dominion in them that lead the life of swine. Demons then were
heard in their request; was the apostle not heard? Or rather (what is truer)
shall we say, The apostle was heard, the demons not heard? Their will was
effected; his weal was perfected.
8. Agreeably with this, we ought to understand that God, though He give
not to our will, doth give for our salvation. For suppose the thing thou
have asked be to thine hurt, and the Physician knows that it is to thine
hurt; what then? It is not to be said that the physician does not give
ear to thee, when, perhaps, thou askest for cold water, and if it is good
for thee, he gives it immediately, if not good, he gives it not. Had he
no ears for thy request, or rather, did he give ear for thy weal, even
when he gainsaid thy will? Then let there be in you charity, my brethren;
let it be in you, and then set, your minds at rest: even when the thing
ye ask for is not given you, your prayer is, granted, only, ye know it
not. Many have been given into their own hands, to their own hurt: of whom
the apostle saith, "God gave them up to their own hearts' lusts." Some
man hath asked for a great sum of money; he hath received, to his hurt.
When he had it not, he had little to fear; no sooner did he come to have
it, than he became a prey to the more powerful. Was not that man's request
granted to his own hurt, who would needs have that for which he should
be sought after by the robber, whereas, being poor, none sought after him?
Learn to beseech God that ye may commit it to the Physician to do what
He knows best. Do thou confess the disease, let Him apply the means of
healing. Do thou only hold fast charity. For He will needs cut, will needs
burn; what if thou criest out, and art not spared for thy crying under
the cutting, under the burning and the tribulation, yet He knows how far
the rottenness reaches. Thou wouldest have Him even now take off His hands,
and He considers only the deepness of the sore; He knows how far to go.
He does not attend to thee for thy will, but he does attend to thee for
thy healing. Be ye sure, then, my brethren, that what the apostle saith
is true: "For we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the
Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be
uttered: for He maketh intercession for the saints." How is it said, "The
Spirit itself intercedeth for the saints," but as meaning the charity which
is wrought in thee by the Spirit? For therefore saith the same apostle:
"The charity of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which
is given unto us." It is charity that groans, it is charity that prays:
against it He who gave it cannot shut His ears. Set your minds at rest:
let charity; ask, and the ears of God are there. Not that which thou wishest
is done, but that is done which is advantageous. Therefore, "whatever we
ask," saith he, "we shall receive of Him," I have already said, If thou
understand it to mean, "for salvation," there is no question: if not for
salvation, there is a question, and a great one, a question that makes
thee an accuser of the apostle Paul. "Whatever we ask, we receive of Him,
because we keep His commandments, and do these things that are pleasing
in His sight:" within, where He seeth.
9. And what are those commandments? "This," saith he, "is His commandment,
That we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one
another." Ye see that this is the commandment: ye see that whoso doeth
aught against this commandment, doeth the sin from which "every one that
is born of God" is free. "As He gave us commandment:" that we love one
another. "And he that keepeth His commandment" -ye see that none other
thing is bidden us than that we love one another-"And he that keepeth His
commandment shall abide in Him, and He in him. "And in this we know that
He abideth in us, by the Spirit which He hath given us. Is it not manifest
that this is what the Holy Ghost works in man, that there should be in
him love and charity? Is it not manifest, as the Apostle Paul saith, that
"the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is
given us"? For [our apostle] was speaking of charity, and was saying that
we ought in the sight of God to interrogate our own heart. "But if our
heart think not ill of us:" i.e. if it confess that from the love of our
brother is done in us whatever is done in any good work. And then besides,
in speaking of the commandment, he says this: "This is His commandment,
That we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one
another, as He gave us commandment." "And he that doeth His commandment
abideth in Him, and He in him. In this we know that He abideth in us, by
the Spirit which He hath given us." If in truth thou find that thou hast
charity, thou hast the Spirit of God in order to understand: for a very
necessary thing it is.
10. In the earliest times, "the Holy Ghost fell upon them that believed:
and they spake with tongues," which they had not learned, "as the Spirit
gave them utterance." These were signs adapted to the time. For there behooved
to be that betokening of the Holy Spirit in all tongues, to shew that the
Gospel of God was to run through all tongues over the whole earth. That
thing was done for a betokening, and it passed away. In the laying on of
hands now, that persons may receive the Holy Ghost, do we look that they
should speak with tongues? Or when we laid the hand on these infants, did
each one of you look to see whether they would speak With tongues, and,
when he saw that they did not speak with tongues, was any of you so wrong-minded
as to say, These have not received the Holy Ghost; for, had they received,
they would speak with tongues as was the case in those times? If then the
witness of the presence of the Holy Ghost be not now given through these
miracles, by what is it given, by what does one get to know that he has
received the Holy Ghost? Let him question his own heal?. If he love his
brother the Spirit of God dwelleth in him. Let him see, let him prove himself
before the eyes of God, let him see whether there he in him the love of
peace and unity, the love of the Church that is spread over the whole earth.
Let him not rest only in his loving the brother whom he has before his
eyes, for we have many brethren whom we do not see, and in the unity of
the Spirit we are joined to them. What marvel that they are not with us?
We are in one body, we have one Head, in heaven. Brethren, our two eyes
do not see each other; as one may say, they do not know each other. But
in the charity of the bodily frame do they not know each other? For, to
shew you that in the charity which knits them together they do know each
other; when both eyes are open, the right may not rest on some object,
on which the left shall not rest likewise. Direct the glance of the right
eye without the other, if thou canst. Together they meet in one object,
together they are directed tone object: their aim is one, their places
diverse. If then all who with thee love God have one aim with thee, heed
not that in the body thou are separated in place; the eyesight of the heart
ye have alike fixed on the light of truth. Then if thou wouldest know that
thou hast received the Spirit, question thine heart: lest haply thou have
the sacrament, and have not the virtue of the sacrament. Question thine
heart. If love of thy brethren be there, set thy mind at rest. There cannot
be love without the Spirit of God: since Paul cries, "The love of God is
shed abroad in your hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us."