Latter portion of Homily VI
Ver. 4. "And such confidence have we through Christ to Godward,"
And again refers all to God: for it is Christ, saith he, Who is the
Author of these things to us.
Ver. 5. "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to account any thing
as from ourselves."
See again, yet another corrective. For he possesses this virtue, humility
I mean, in singular perfection. Wherefore whenever he saith any thing great
of himself, he maketh all diligence to soften down extremely and by every
means, what he has said. And so he does in this place also, saying, "Not
that we are sufficient of ourselves to account any thing as from ourselves:"
that is, I said not, "We have confidence," as though part were ours and
part God's; but I refer and ascribe the whole to Him.
Ver. 5, 6. "For our sufficiency is from God; who also made us sufficient
as ministers of a new covenant."
What means, "made us sufficient?" Made us able and fitting. And it is
not a little thing to be the bearer to the world of such tables and letters,
greater far than the former. Whence also he added,
"Not of the letter, but of the spirit." See again another difference.
What then? was not that Law spiritual? How then saith he, "We know that
the Law is spiritual?" (Romans chapter 7, verse 14) Spiritual indeed, but
it bestowed not a spirit. For Moses bare not a spirit, but letters; but
we have been entrusted with the giving of a spirit. Whence also in further
completion of this [contrast,] he saith,
"For the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life."
Yet these things he saith not absolutely; but in allusion to those who
prided themselves upon the things of Judaism. And by "letter" here he meaneth
the Law which punisheth them that transgress; but by "spirit" the grace
which through Baptism giveth life to them who by sins were made dead. For
having mentioned the difference arising from the nature of the tables,
he doth not dwell upon it, but rapidly passing it by, bestows more labor
upon this, which most enabled him to lay hold on his hearer from considerations
of what was advantageous and easy; for, saith he, it is not laborious,
and the gift it offers is greater. For if when discoursing of Christ, he
puts especially forward those things which are of His lovingkindness, more
than of our merit, and which are mutually connected, much greater necessity
is there for his doing so when treating of the covenant. What then is the
meaning of "the letter killeth?" He had said tables of stone and hearts
of flesh: so far he seemed to mention no great difference. He added that
the former [covenant] was written with letters or ink, but this with the
Spirit. Neither did this rouse them thoroughly, He says at last what is
indeed enough to give them wings; the one "killeth," the other "giveth
life." And what doth this mean? In the Law, he that hath sin is punished;
here, he that hath sins cometh and is baptized and is made righteous, and
being made righteous, he liveth, being delivered from the death of sin.
The Law, if it lay hold on a murderer, putteth him to death; the Gospel,
if it lay hold on a murderer, enlighteneth, and giveth him life. And why
do I instance a murderer? The Law laid hold on one that gathered sticks
on a sabbath day, and stoned him. (Numbers chapter 15, verse 32 and Numbers
chapter 15, verse 36) This is the meaning of, "the letter killeth." The
Gospel takes hold on thousands of homicides and robbers, and baptizing
delivereth them from their former vices. This is the meaning of, "the Spirit
giveth life." The former maketh its captive dead from being alive, the
latter rendereth the man it hath convicted alive from being dead. For,
"come unto me, ye that labor and are heavy laden," (Matthew chapter 11,
verse 28) and, He said not, ' I will punish you,' but, "I will give you
rest." For in Baptism the sins are buried, the former things are blotted
out, the man is made alive, the entire grace written upon his heart as
it were a table. Consider then how high is the dignity of the Spirit, seeing
that His tables are better than those former ones; seeing that even a greater
thing is shown forth than the resurrection itself. For indeed, that state
of death from which He delivers, is more irremediable than the former one:
as much more so, as soul is of more value than the body: and this life
is conferred by that, by that which the Spirit giveth. But if It be able
to bestow this, much more then that which is less. For, that prophets wrought,
but this they could not: for none can remit sins but God only; nor did
the prophets bestow that life without the Spirit. But this is not the marvel
only, that it giveth life, but that it enabled others also to do this.
For He saith, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost." (John chapter 20, verse 22)
Wherefore? Because without the Spirit it might not be? [Yes,] but God,
as showing that It is of supreme authority, and of that Kingly Essence,
and hath the same power [with Himself,] saith this too. Whence also He
adds, "Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted; and whosesoever sins
ye retain, they are retained." (ibid. 23.)
[3.] Since then It hath given us life, let us remain living and not
return again to the former deadness: for "Christ dieth no more; for the
death that He died, He died unto sin once:" (Romans chapter 6, verse 9
and Romans chapter 6, verse 10) and He will not have us always saved by
grace: for so we shall be empty of all things. Wherefore He will have us
contribute something also from ourselves. Let us then contribute, and preserve
to the soul its life. And what is life in a soul, learn from the body.
For the body too we then affirm to live, when it moves with a healthy kind
of motion; but when it lies prostrate and powerless, or its motions are
disorderly, though it retain the semblance of life or motion, such a life
is more grievous than any death: and should it utter nothing sane but words
of the crazy, and see one object instead of another, such a man again is
more pitiable than those who are dead. So also the soul when it hath no
healthiness, though it retain a semblance of life, is dead: when it doth
not see gold as gold but as something great and precious; when it thinketh
not of the future but crawleth upon the ground; when it doth one thing
in place of another. For whence is it clear that we have a soul? Is it
not from its operations? When then it doth not perform the things proper
to it, is it not dead? when, for instance, it hath no care for virtue,
but is rapacious and transgresseth the law; whence can I tell that thou
hast a soul? Because thou walkest? But this belongs to the irrational creatures
as well. Because thou eatest and drinkest? But this too belongeth to wild
beasts. Well then, because thou standest upright on two feet? This convinceth
me rather that thou art a beast in human form. For when thou resemblest
one in all other respects, but not in its manner of erecting itself, thou
dost the more disturb and terrify me; and I the more consider that which
I see to be a monster. For did I see a beast speaking with the voice of
a man, I should not for that reason say it was a man, but even for that
very reason a beast more monstrous than a beast. Whence then can I learn
that thou hast the soul of a man, when thou kickest like the ass, when
thou bearest malice like the camel, when thou bitest like the bear, when
thou ravenest like the wolf, when thou stealest like the fox, when thou
art wily as the serpent, when thou art shameless as the dog? Whence can
I learn that thou hast the soul of a man? Will ye that I show you a dead
soul and a living? Let us turn the discourse back to those men of old;
and, if you will, let us set before us the rich man [in the story] of Lazarus,
and we shall know what is death in a soul; for he had a dead soul, and
it is plain from what he did. For, of the works of the soul he did not
one, but ate and drank and lived in pleasure only. Such are even now the
unmerciful and cruel, for these too have a dead soul as he had. For all
its warmth that floweth out of the love of our neighbor hath been spent,
and it is deader than a lifeless body. But the poor man was not such, but
standing on the very summit of heavenly wisdom shone out; and though wrestling
with continual hunger, and not even supplied with the food that was necessary,
neither so spake he aught of blasphemy against God, but endured all nobly.
Now this is no trifling work of the soul; but a very high proof that it
is well-strung and healthful. And when there are not these qualities, it
is plainly because the soul is dead that they have perished. Or, tell me,
shall we not pronounce that soul dead which the Devil falls upon, striking,
biting, spurning it, yet hath it no sense of any of these things, but lieth
deadened nor grieveth when being robbed of its wealth; but he even leapeth
upon it, yet it remaineth unmoved, like a body when the soul is departed,
nor even feeleth it? For when the fear of God is not present with strictness,
such must the soul needs be, and then the dead more miserable. For the
soul is not dissolved into corruption and ashes and dust, but into things
of fouler odor than these, into drunkenness and anger and covetousness,
into improper loves and unseasonable desires. But if thou wouldest know
more exactly how foul an odor it hath, give me a soul that is pure, and
then thou wilt see clearly how foul the odor of this filthy and impure
one. For at present thou wilt not be able to perceive it. For so long as
we are in contact habitually with a foul odor, we arenot sensible of it.
But when we are fed with spiritual words, then shall we be cognizant of
that evil. And yet to many this seemeth of no importance. And I say nothing
as yet of hell; but let us, if you will, examine what is present, and how
worthy of derision is he, not that practiseth, but that uttereth filthiness;
how first he loadeth himself with contumely; just as one that sputtereth
any filth from the mouth, so he defiles himself. For if the stream is so
impure, think what must be the fountain of this filth! "for out of the
abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." (Matthew chapter 12, verse
34) Yet not for this alone do I grieve, but because that to some this doth
not even seem to be reckoned amongst improper things. Hence the evils are
all made worse, when we both sin, and do not think we even do amiss.
[4.] Wilt thou then learn how great an evil is filthy talking? See how
the hearers blush at thy indecency. For what is viler than a filthy talker?
what more infamous? For such thrust themselves into the rank of buffoons
and of prostituted women, yea rather these have more shame than you. How
canst thou teach a wife to be modest when by such language thou art training
her to proceed unto lasciviousness? Better vent rottenness from the mouth
than a filthy word. Now if thy mouth have an ill-odor, thou partakest not
even of the common meats; when then thou hadst so foul a stink in thy soul,
tell me, dost thou dare to partake of mysteries? Did any one take a dirty
vessel and set it upon the table, thou wouldest have beaten him with clubs
and driven him out: yet God at His own table, (for His table our mouth
is when filled with thanksgiving,) when thou pourest out words more disgusting
than any unclean vessel, tell me, dost thou think that thou provokest not?
And how is this possible? For nothing doth so exasperate the holy and pure
as do such words; nothing makes men so impudent and shameless as to say
and listen to such; nothing doth so unstring the sinews of modesty as the
flame which these kindle. God hath set perfumes in thy mouth, but thou
storest up words of fouler odor than a corpse, and destroyest the soul
itself and makest it incapable of motion. For when thou insultest, this
is not the voice of the soul, but of anger; when thou talkest filthily,
it is lewdness, and not she that spake; when thou detractest, it is envy;
when thou schemest, covetousness. These are not her works, but those of
the affections and the diseases belonging to her. As then corruption cometh
not simply of the body, but of the death and the passion which is thus
in the body; so also, in truth, these things come of the passions which
grow upon the soul. For if thou wilt hear a voice from a living soul, hear
Paul saying, "Having food and covering, we shall be therewith content:"
(1 Timothy chapter 6, verse 8) and "Godliness is great gain:" (ib. 6.)
and, "The world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." (Galatians
chapter 6, verse 14) Hear Peter saying, "Silver and gold have I none, but
such as I have, give I thee." (Acts chapter 3, verse 6) Hear Job giving
thanks and saying, "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away." (Job
chapter 1, verse 21) These things are the words of a living soul, of a
soul discharging the functions proper to it. Thus also Jacob said, "If
the Lord will give me bread to eat and raiment to put on." (Genesis chapter
28, verse 20) Thus also Joseph, "How shall I do this wickedness, and sin
before God?" (ib. xxxix. 9.) But not so that barbarian woman; but as one
drunken and insane, so spake she, saying, "Lie with me." (ibid. 7.) These
things then knowing, let us earnestly covet the living soul, let us flee
the dead one, that we may also obtain the life to come; of which may all
we be made partakers, through the grace and love toward men of our Lord
Jesus Christ, though Whom and with Whom, to the Father, together with the
Holy Ghost, be glory, might, honor, now and for ever, and world without
end. Amen.
First part of Homily VII.
2 Corinthians chapter 3, verse 7 and 2 Corinthians chapter 3, verse
8 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones,
came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look steadfastly
upon the face of Moses, for the glory of his face; which glory was passing
away: how shall not rather the ministration of the Spirit be with glory?
He said that the tables of Moses were of stone, as [also] they were
written with letters; and that these were of flesh, I mean the hearts of
the Apostles, and had been written on by the Spirit; and that the letter
indeed killeth, but the Spirit giveth life. There was yet wanting to this
comparison the addition of a further and not trifling particular, that
of the glory of Moses; such as in the case of the New Covenant none saw
with the eyes of the body. And even for this cause it appeared a great
thing in that the glory was perceived by the senses; (for it was seen by
the bodily eyes, even though it might not be approached;) but that of the
New Covenant is perceived by the understanding. For to the weaker sort
the apprehension of such a superiority is not clear; but the other did
more take them, and turn them unto itself. Having then fallen upon this
comparison and being set upon showing the superiority [in question], which
yet was exceedingly difficult because of the dulness of the hearers; see
what he does, and with what method he proceeds in it, first by arguments
placing the difference before them, and constructing these out of what
he had said before.
For if that ministration were of death, but this of life, doubtless,
saith he, the latter glory is also greater than the former. For since he
could not exhibit it to the bodily eyes, by this logical inference he established
its superiority, saying,
Ver. 8. "But if the ministration of death came with glory, how shall
not rather the ministration of the Spirit be with glory?" Now
by "ministration of death" he means the Law. And mark too how great the
caution he uses in the comparison so as to give no handle to the heretics;
for he said not, `which causeth death,' but, "the ministration of death;"
for it ministereth unto, but was not the parent of, death; for that which
caused death was sin; but [the Law] brought in the punishment, and showed
the sin, not caused it. For it more distinctly revealed the evil and punished
it: it did not impel unto the evil: and it ministered not to the existence
of sin or death, but to the suffering of retribution by the sinner. So
that in this way it was even destructive of sin. For that which showeth
it to be so fearful, it is obvious, maketh it also to be avoided. As then
he that taketh the sword in his hands and cutteth off the condemned, ministers
to the judge that passeth sentence, and it is not he that is his destruction,
although he cutteth him off; nay, nor yet is it he who passeth sentence
and condemneth, but the wickedness of him that is punished; so truly here
also it is not that destroyeth, but sin. This did both destroy and condemn,
but that by punishing undermined its strength, by the fear of the punishment
holding it back. But he was not content with this consideration only in
order to establish the superiority [in question]; but he addeth yet another,
saying, "written, and engraven on stones." See how he again cuts at the
root of the Jewish arrogancy. For the Law was nothing else but letters:
a certain succor was not found leaping forth from out the letters and inspiring
them that combat, as is the case in Baptism; but pillars and writings bearing
death to those who transgress the letters. Seest thou how in correcting
the Jewish contentiousness, by his very expressions even he lessens its
authority, speaking of stone and letters and a ministration of death, and
adding that it was engraven? For hereby he declareth nothing else than
this, that the Law was fixed in one place; not, as the Spirit, was present
everywhere, breathing great might into all; or that the letters breathe
much threatening, and threatening too which can not be effaced but remaineth
for ever, as being engraved in stone. Then even whilst seeming to praise
the old things, he again mixeth up accusation of the Jews. For having said,
"written and engraven in stones, came with glory," he added, "so that the
children of Israel could not look steadfastly upon the face of Moses;"
which was a mark of their great weakness and grovelling spirit. And again
he doth not say, `for the glory of the tables,' but, "for the glory of
his countenance, which glory was passing away;" for he showeth that he
who beareth them is made glorious, and not they. For he said not, `because
they could not look steadfastly upon the tables,' but, "the face of Moses;"
and again, not, `for the glory of the tables,' but, "for the glory of his
face." Then after he had extolled it, see how again he lowers it, saying,
"which was passing away." Not however that this is in accusation, but in
diminution; for he did not say, `which was corrupt, which was evil,' but,
`which ceaseth and hath an end.'
"How shall not rather the ministration of the Spirit be with glory?"
for henceforth with confidence he extolleth the things of the New [Covenant]
as indisputable. And observe what he doth. He opposed `stone' to `heart,'
and `letter' to `spirit.' Then having shown the results of each, he doth
not set down the results of each; but having set down the work of the latter,
namely, death and condemnation, he setteth not down that of the spirit,
namely, life and righteousness; but the Spirit Itself; which added greatness
to the argument. For the New Covenant not only gave life, but supplied
also `The Spirit' Which giveth the life, a far greater thing than the life.
Wherefore he said, "the ministration of the Spirit." Then he again reverts
to the same thing, saying,
Ver. 9. "For if the ministration of condemnation is glory."
Also, he interprets more clearly the meaning of the words, "The letter
killeth," declaring it to be that which we have said above, namely, that
the Law showed sin, not caused it.
"Much rather doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory."
For those Tables indeed showed the sinners and punished them, but this
not only did not punish the sinners, but even made them righteous: for
this did Baptism confer.
