Sermons 154

1. Careful husbandmen assert, beloved, as the matter teaches, that raw land, never tried by any furrows, does not at once respond to just seeds; nor does it nourish the seed well conceived in the furrow, unless first, cut and often plowed anew, it grow soft. Only then is it needful that the master await the fruits of his little field secure, when the bitterness of the ancient turf has ceased: where, if suddenly cultivation desert the zeal of plowing, it is near that the earth grow sordid in its pristine hue. For this is the distinction between good and evil, that diligence conquers nature, negligence recalls it to nature. Under this rule of living, beloved, the cultivation of the Christian religion either grows or fails;

nor with less care does it sigh in this work, which must needs soften the hardness of the human heart by continual chastisement, and, faith being more frequently laid bare, cultivate the breast besieged by vices. But without doubt among the negligent the zeal of religious profession is imperiled; especially if a bitter mind receive the seeds of heavenly words, and unteachable souls know not how to nourish the fruits of justice. For as, when zeal ceases, fields are wont to grow sordid with thorns: so, where the cultivation of religion is neglected, the vice of nature is renewed. 2. Among those nations perhaps, beloved, it may be laborious to set forth the way of salvation with just discourse, to whom the faith of the Christian religion has become known only by word. Let those perhaps find, though vain, a device of excuse, who say

that no examples of admirable things which they might follow had ever been believed by them. Whose voice the prophet convicts, saying: Their sound went forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world (Ps. 19:4). But what step of excuse do we oppose to this, beloved, if the Lord shall detect in us anything either of negligence or shall find anything of infidelity—among whom the Christian name took its beginning from virtues? To whose ears, and even eyes, the faith of religion is daily implanted under the presence of so great a martyr? And of what martyr, at last?

Necessarily his, who first in this place exercised the battle of illustrious virtue, and showed by what order we might obtain possession of the heavenly kingdom, who daily teaches by example what we are to do, and inquires how we are progressing. But let no one doubt that he is solicitous for his own deeds, whom he sees joined to himself by the affinity of kinship. 3. It behooves us, therefore, first of all, to insinuate ourselves to this patron by frequent services; that as our special intercessor he may watch on our behalf before the Lord, and commend our life by the favor of his regard. But there is nothing which a man, set in whatever necessity, cannot obtain, if he ceases not to entreat the friends of the supreme Emperor.

Look to the zeal of those, beloved, who thirsting seek waters from foreign fountains: that is, who through extended spaces of lands seek out the holy and venerable relics of the martyrs with zeal for religion, and follow with special services the merits of virtues spread through the whole globe; and you will understand with what honor he is to be held by us, who as victor drenched with his own blood the site of this city in the conflict of the heavenly battle. For we have seen the wounds of a mangled body divided here and there through diverse and far-off regions, and the precious tokens of wounds carried close at hand throughout the whole world; so that theirs is no lesser care of the saints, to whom the mere signs of martyrdom are entrusted.

The patronage therefore which faith bestowed on others, the Lord of majesty has of His own accord displayed to us. Not far off, then, is he to be sought whom we should follow. Here we have a master of patience, here examples of rewards, here the form of virtues, here the proofs of merits. Let us therefore fit our soul, if occasion so come, to all patience; and, mindful of the yearly solemnity, let us follow by our examples him whom we venerate by his merits. See what are the ornaments of the breast, which you cover with precious silk as though it were the work of God, and load your starlike countenance with tawny gold; and learn what is the pomp of wounds, what the crown of tears, wherein it stood to have endured the executioner, or how much it is worth to have conquered the torturer;

and in what exultation the victory won by sufferings comes down, as the prophet says: They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy (Ps. 126:5). What wise man, taught by these things, would not judge that the use of temporal life ought to be despised in comparison with martyrdom? But if you look to these services which are daily rendered to the saints, you will recognize that in time of persecution it is better to perish than to live. But why do we say to perish, when the prophet says: The just man shall live for ever (Ezek. 18:9)? To this master of virtues, therefore, beloved, let us make supplication with tears poured forth day by day, that he may teach us to serve wounds that will profit us: may he show us how to oppose our breast to battles and to endure every conflict of injury.

For it is no hard thing to enter into battle where you see that victory has gone before you. And minds are quickly settled by what is taught through examples. But, what is worse, because of the vanity of this world it is difficult for anyone to attain to the heavenly things. The promised kingdom is not obtained by a careless guarding of the body; nor does he easily come to the crown of the virtues who has not striven in a lawful contest. It is necessary, therefore, that he bow his body to every injury who purposes to reach the place of victory. And herein stands the place of obtaining glory: that he first learn to displease the world who wishes to please Christ. Hear in this place the Lord who says: 'He that loveth his soul shall lose it; and he that hateth his soul shall find it unto life eternal' (John 12:25).

There are many kinds of sufferings which commend mortal man to our God by the law of holy living: in which, even though there be not the crown of martyrs, yet there is no small palm of the virtues. Truly, dearly beloved, since this crown of which we have spoken is laid up for the victors, let us meanwhile at least, so far as we are able, fight back against the sins that beset us. Whoever, then, is not accounted worthy of that first glory of martyrdom, let him at least labour, that among the very bravest he may attain the rewards of an honourable and religious life. You are not, therefore, ignorant of how many shipwrecks the human mind lies exposed to. Behold, the lust of our eyes ceaselessly knocks at the gates, and disquiets the hearts of men with the goads of riches. On the one side the spirit invites a man to every wickedness, on the other the sight allures him.

There is therefore no lack of that wherein you may conquer, if you do not cease to fight, and as though set in the battle-line you clash at every moment with the enemy's darts. To vanquish these there is indeed need of the evangelical teaching, which says: 'If thy eye scandalize thee, pluck it out' (Matt. 5:29). This is to pluck out the eye: to chastise vices, to extinguish the desires of the flesh, and by zeal for discipline to press down the wantonness of life. Behold, the field is made ready for you; you are provoked by the enticements of luxury, and, as commonly happens, you are deceived by outward show and adornment. If you wish to overcome these things, you must fight with zeal for chastity. Let there come before you the modesty of Thecla, kept safe amid flames and raging beasts;

for she so despised the ornaments of this world that, though betrothed, she scorned the nuptial chamber for love of preserving her chastity, and by fighting she nourished the integrity of her professed virginity, and by conquering she kept it. Frequently wrath and the fury of our spirits provoke us to battle: we are goaded by injuries, we are assailed by insults. Learn with what zeal we may conquer these things; let us arm our minds unto patience, and what we cannot obtain by prayer, let the evangelical word teach us in these matters, which says: 'Whosoever shall strike thee on thy right cheek, turn to him also the other' (Matt. 5:39). You see that to have yielded to an injury is to have conquered. For it is certain that he carries off no small crown by his victory who, according to the words of the commandment which we have set forth above, when wronged knows not how to be angry.

Sometimes the eyes suggest to us what the mind does not seek, and frequently the tongue itself betrays its own errors, and bursts forth into speech resounding with things base and dishonourable. In this matter this reckoning of the virtues must be applied: that by zeal for silence the words of passion be shut in. For where amid the wrangling of words there is a measure in speaking, there is the crowning-point of virtue. Hear the prophet speaking of this: 'Set, O Lord, a watch before my mouth, that my heart may not incline to evil words' (Ps. 141:3). Avarice therefore must be conquered, wrath confounded, luxury chastised, and the mouth reined in by the bond of due circumstance. By these steps one presses on toward paradise; by these merits of the virtues one attains to the fellowship of the saints.