Sermons & Tracts 1 part 33/37

'but your iniquities have divided between you and your God, your sins have hidden his face from you, that he should not hear' (Isaiah 59:1-2). 6. The power of the law of sin. Since therefore that first curse of God made us carnal and condemned us to thorns and thistles, and our father sold us by an unjust bargain, so that we cannot do the good we wish, while, divided from the remembrance of the most high God, we are compelled to think upon the things of human frailty; while, though burning with love of purity, we are for the most part, even against our will, pricked by natural incitements which we would altogether wish to be ignorant of;

we know that in our flesh there dwells no good (Romans 7:18) — that is, the perpetual and unbroken tranquillity of this contemplation and purity of which we have spoken. But this most wretched and mournful divorce has come to pass, that although in mind we would serve the Law of God, never willingly turning our gaze from the divine charity, yet, encompassed by carnal darkness, by a certain law of sin we are forced to be torn away from the good we have come to know — that is, falling from that height of the mind to earthly cares and thoughts, to which the Law of sin, that is, that sentence of God, not without reason condemned us, the sentence which the first transgressor received.

And hence it is that the blessed Apostle, although he most openly confesses that he, or all the saints, are bound by the inevitable necessity of this sin, nevertheless boldly declares that none of them is on this account to be condemned, saying: 'There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath freed me from the law of sin and of death' (Romans 8:1-2); that is, the daily grace of Christ absolves all His saints from this law of sin and death, into which they are continually forced, even unwillingly, to fall, when they beg of the Lord the remission of their debts. SERMON CIV. On the words of the Apostle, 1 Corinthians chapter 3, 11-15, 'Other foundation can no man lay,' etc. 1.

By fire only the slight sins are purged. In the apostolic reading, dearest brethren, we have heard the Apostle saying: 'Other foundation can no man lay, but that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, every man's work shall be made manifest. For the day of the Lord shall declare it; because it shall be revealed in fire, and the fire shall try every man's work, of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work burn, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire.'

There are many who, misunderstanding this reading, are deceived by a false security, while they believe that if upon the foundation of Christ they build capital crimes, those very sins can be purged by a passing fire, and they themselves afterward attain to everlasting life. This understanding, dearest brethren, must be corrected; for they deceive themselves who thus flatter themselves. For by that passing fire, of which the Apostle said, 'But he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire,' not capital but slight sins are purged. And although even the slight ones, if they be too many, drown a man no less than the greater ones —

of these greater or lesser sins, though not all, yet some ought to be recounted, lest anyone try to excuse himself vainly, and say that he does not know what slight sins are, or what capital crimes are. 2. Capital sins. Although the Apostle has enumerated many capital sins, we nevertheless, lest we seem to drive men to despair, briefly state which they are: sacrilege, homicide, adultery, false witness, theft, robbery, pride, envy, avarice; and, if it be held for a long time, anger; and drunkenness, if it be constant, is reckoned in their number. For whosoever recognizes any of these sins to hold sway within him, unless he worthily amend himself,

and, if he has had space of time, done penance over a long period, given large alms, and abstained from those sins; he shall not be able to be purged by that passing fire of which the Apostle speaks, but the eternal flame shall torment him without any remedy. 3. Slight sins. From these no one is free. They do not kill the soul, but defile it. But what the slight sins are, though they be known to all, yet because it would be long to rehearse them all, it is needful that we name at least some of them.

As often as anyone takes in food or drink more than is necessary, let him know that it pertains to slight sins. As often as he speaks more than he ought, or keeps silence more than is expedient. As often as he provokes a poor man who importunately begs. As often as, being sound in body, he wishes to dine while others fast; or, given over to sleep, rises too late for church. As often as, apart from the desire of children, [he approaches] his wife. As often as he too tardily visits those shut up in prison and set in chains. As often as he too tardily visits the sick. If he neglects to recall the discordant to concord. If he provokes his neighbor, or wife, or son, or servant more than he ought; if he flatters more than is expedient.

If he wishes to flatter any greater personage, whether from choice or from necessity. If he does not give food to the hungry poor, or prepares for himself too dainty or costly banquets. If he occupies himself in church or outside the church with idle tales, for which an account must be rendered in the day of judgment. If, when we swear rashly, and cannot fulfill it because of some necessity, we assuredly forswear ourselves. And when with all readiness or rashness we curse; whereas it is written, 'Nor shall revilers possess the kingdom of God' (1 Corinthians 6:10). And when we rashly suspect something, which nevertheless is for the most part not proved to be as we believed, we without any doubt do wrong.

For it is not to be doubted that these things, and things like them, pertain to slight sins, which, as I have already said, can scarcely be enumerated, and from which not only the Christian people, but not even any of the saints, could ever be, or ever will be, free. And although we do not believe the soul to be slain by these sins, yet they make it deformed, filling it as it were with certain pustules and with a kind of horrible scab, so that they permit it to come to the embraces of that heavenly Bridegroom either scarcely, or with great confusion — of whom it is written, 'He hath prepared for himself a Church not having spot or wrinkle' (Ephesians 5:27). 4. They are purged either by good works, or by fire, or by penalties inflicted here by God.

To which the penalties inflicted by God are profitable. And therefore let them be constantly redeemed by continual prayers, and frequent fastings, and more generous almsgiving, and especially by the pardon of those who sin against us; lest perchance, gathered together at once, they make a heap and sink the soul. For whatever of these sins has not been redeemed by us must be purged by that fire, of which the Apostle said, 'Because it shall be revealed in fire; and if any man's work burn, he shall suffer loss.' For either, while we live in this world, we wear ourselves out by penance; or assuredly, God willing or permitting it, we are afflicted with many tribulations for these sins; and if we give thanks to God, we are set free.

This happens thus, as often as a husband, or wife, or son dies; or if the substance which we love more than we ought is taken from us. Although we love Christ more than the substance itself, and if there were need, we would rather lose the substance itself than deny Christ: yet because, as I have already said, if we love it more than we ought, we cannot lose it, whether while we live or while we die, without great grief; and yet if we give thanks, as good sons, to God, who like a loving father permits it to be taken from us, and with true humility declare that we suffer less than we deserve;

then those very sins are purged in this world, so that in the world to come that purgatorial fire either finds nothing, or assuredly finds little, to burn away. But if we neither give thanks to God in tribulation, nor redeem our sins by good works, we ourselves shall have to tarry in that purgatorial fire so long, until the aforesaid slight sins, like wood, hay, and stubble, are consumed. 5. What manner of pain is that of the purgatorial fire. But someone says: 'It does not matter to me how long I tarry, provided I do reach eternal life.' Let no one say this, dearest brethren, because that purgatorial fire shall be harder than whatever of pains can in this world be conceived, or seen, or felt.

And since it is written concerning the day of judgment that one day shall be as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day (Psalm 90:4), whence does each man know whether he must pass through that fire for days, or months, or perhaps even for years? He who now will not put even one finger of his into the fire, has need to fear lest he be tormented then, even for a little while, with soul and whole body. And therefore let each man labor with all his strength, that he may be able to escape capital crimes, and so to redeem slight sins by good works, that nothing may seem to remain of them which that fire could consume. But those who commit capital crimes,

if, so long as they live, they will not redeem them with the medicines of penance, they shall not be able to come to that fire of which the Apostle says, 'But he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire,' as has already been said; but rather they shall hear that hard and irrevocable sentence: 'Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire' (Matthew 25:41). And therefore, those who desire to be freed from that perpetual punishment and from that purgatorial fire, let them not commit capital crimes; or if they have already committed them, let them do fruitful penance, and let them not cease to redeem those small or daily sins by good works. 6. By what works slight sins are redeemed.

By what works, however, slight sins are redeemed, I desire to explain to you more fully. As often as we visit the sick, seek out those shut up in prison and set in chains, recall the discordant to concord, fast when a fast has been proclaimed in the Church, wash the feet of guests, come frequently to the vigils, give alms before the door to the poor who pass by, and forgive our enemies as often as they offend: by these works, and by works like them, slight sins are redeemed daily. 7. By what things capital crimes are blotted out. Public penance. But for capital crimes this alone does not suffice;

but there must be added tears, roaring, groaning, fastings continued and protracted over a long time, more generous alms to be bestowed, our removing ourselves of our own accord from the communion of the Church, remaining in mourning and in sadness for a long time, and even doing penance publicly: because it is just that he who has destroyed himself with the ruin of many, should redeem himself with the edification of many. Finally, what I suggest is neither impossible nor grievous: let us at least so mourn our slain soul as we bewail another's dead flesh.

If either a wife, or son, or husband have died, men fling themselves upon the ground, tearing their hair, beating their breasts, and persevere in mourning and grief, or in tears, for no little time. I ask you, brethren, let us show to our own soul what they show to another's flesh. And behold, brethren, how evil a thing it is, that we should seek what we cannot [obtain], and not seek what we can. The flesh which we cannot raise, we bewail; and our own dead soul we do not bewail, which we can, through penance, recall to its former state. But what is worse for us, we bewail the dead body which we love, but our dead soul, which we do not love, we neither grieve for nor bewail.

And therefore, with a changed order, let us begin to love the Lord more than the servant — that is, the Maker of the body more than the body; the mistress more than the handmaid — that is, the soul made to the image of God more than the flesh formed from the slime of the earth: so that when on the last day our flesh shall begin to rot and to be devoured by worms in the tomb, the soul may be lifted up by the hands of angels into Abraham's bosom, and in the day of judgment, the body being received back through the resurrection, we may deserve to hear: 'Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord' (Matthew 25:21). 8. Recapitulation. The threefold lot of men in the judgment.

And that these things which we have said above may the more tenaciously cling to your hearts, and that the apostolic reading itself may the more fully be understood, I wish briefly to repeat them to your Charity. All the saints who faithfully serve God, strive to give themselves to reading and prayer, and to persevere in good works, and who neither commit capital crimes nor slight sins — that is, wood, hay and stubble upon the foundation of Christ — but build up good works upon it, that is, gold, silver, precious stones: these shall pass through that fire of which the Apostle says, 'Because it shall be revealed in fire,' without any harm.

But those who, although they do not commit capital crimes, are yet prone to commit slight sins and negligent in redeeming them, shall come to eternal life, because they believed in Christ and did not commit capital sins: but first, either in this world, through God's justice or mercy, as has already been said, they must be tried by most bitter tribulations; or they themselves must be freed, through God's mercy, by many alms, and especially while they mercifully pardon their enemies; or assuredly they must be tormented for a long time in that fire of which the Apostle speaks, so that they may come to eternal life without spot or wrinkle.

But those who have committed either homicide, or sacrilege, or adultery, or the rest of things like these, as has already been said, if worthy penance does not come to their aid, do not deserve to pass through the purgatorial fire unto life, but shall be cast down by eternal burning unto death. 9. We must labor to avoid the greater sins with God's help, and to redeem the slight ones by love of enemies and generosity in almsgiving. And therefore, as often as in the apostolic reading you hear, 'If any man build upon the foundation of Christ gold, silver, precious stones,' understand this of the holy and perfect Christians, who, like purified gold, shall deserve to attain to eternal rewards.

But those who build up wood, hay and stubble, understand of good Christians, but negligent in purging their slight sins, as has often been said: which sins, if neither divine justice has purged them by many tribulations, nor each man has redeemed them by generosity in almsgiving, that shall be fulfilled in them, not without great grief, which the Apostle says: 'If any man's work burn, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire.' Yet let no one, as has already been said above, deceive himself, so as to believe that this can happen even for capital crimes, if they remain uncured.

And therefore, as I have often said, let us labor as much as we can, with God's help, that we may both be able to escape the greater sins, and continually redeem the slight ones — without which we cannot be — by love of enemies and by generosity in almsgiving: our Lord Jesus Christ granting it, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth God, world without end. Amen. SERMON CV. On the words of the Apostle, 1 Corinthians 12:26, 'If one member suffer, all the members suffer with it,' etc. 1. Mutual love of the members teaches love of neighbors. In what manner we ought to love one another, dearest brethren, we can plainly recognize even from the health or sickness of the bodily members.

For if we are willing so to love one another as the members of our body love one another, perfect charity will be able to be kept in us. Consider and see what happens in you carnally when the head is sound, how all the members rejoice together, and the rest of the members are pleased with each single one: but on the contrary, when one member suffers some evil, all the members suffer with it. Behold, the foot treads on a thorn: what is so far from the eyes as the foot? It is far in place, near in the affection of charity. The thorn pricks but a little, and holds a very small place in the foot; see how all the members turn thither. First the very spine of the back bends itself, and all the members set themselves down thither. Do the eyes cease to seek?

Do the ears cease to hear? Perhaps others who see, where it is, say, 'Behold, here it is': at once the ears hear this and follow the counsel: there both the eyes seek, and the hands work, and, as I said, the whole body is bent thither, and nothing in the man is at leisure from coming to the aid; and the wound is made only in the foot, and everything that is in the man works. Are all pierced? Attend. Do all feel pain? The hand is sound, the eyes are sound, the head is sound, the other members are sound; the man himself is sound, only there does he feel pain where he is pricked: therefore the calamity is not common to all;

but through the compassion of charity all come to the aid, and all desire to succor: that what the Apostle says may be fulfilled, 'If one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; and if one member be glorified, all the members rejoice with it.' 2. The envious man is a corruption to be cut away. Another's virtues become one's own through charity. What then? Some man has a gift of God in virtues; you have it not; do not envy, lest you be cut off from the body. See, brethren, he who envies is like a corruption — not like a wound, like an abscess. Are you unwilling to rejoice together with the one who is glorified? That heavenly Physician sees in you the disease of envy, and will cut you off from the body: therefore do not envy. But what do you do? Rejoice.

Do not say in your heart, 'I, if I were a Christian, would surely belong to God, I could do what another does.' For this is just as if the ear should say, 'I, if I belonged to the body, could see the moon and the sun': and yet the ear has not that, nor has the hand; but the several members do what they can, and with concord all the members serve one another. So therefore do you also rejoice together with him to whom God has specially given some grace: and you have in him what you cannot have in yourself. He has perhaps virginity; love him, and it is yours. Again, you have greater patience; let him love you, and it is his. He is able to keep watch enough; if you do not envy, his zeal is yours: you perhaps can fast more;

if he loves you, his fasting is yours. This is so, because in him you are: for by ownership you are not, but by charity you are. 3. An example of charity, in Christ. Consider, brethren, and see the example of our Lord, who made us pilgrims, and commanded that, running along the way of charity, we should come to the heavenly city. Can anyone say that this Lord was ever sick? What then is it that He says, 'I was sick, and ye visited me not'? What is it, but that which they themselves confess: 'When did we see thee hungering, or thirsting, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?'

And He, on behalf of those who labor, because He is the head of the members and of the whole body, says, 'When ye did it not to one of these my least, ye did it not to me' (Matthew 25:43-45). Again, He was certainly already in heaven when He made Paul from a persecutor a preacher: for having pity on him, and incorporating him into His whole body, He said from heaven, 'Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?' (Acts 9:4). Was He then being persecuted in heaven? What then is 'Why persecutest thou me?' Saul was persecuting Christians; was he persecuting Christ, since He is Himself in heaven? But because He Himself was in the Christians, suffering with all the members. That it might be true in Him which He says: 'If one member suffer, all the members suffer with it,' what does He say?

'Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Certainly I am already in heaven; yet when thou persecutest my least ones, in those very members of mine I still suffer persecution.' 4. They are dead members who rejoice at the tribulation of others. And attend to this also, brethren, which we ourselves sometimes do — attend. Among the people, when there is a standing crowd, and there is some crushing, if one tread upon another, the tongue says, 'You are treading on me.' Is the tongue itself trodden on? What then is it that sounds forth, 'You are treading on me'? If that one should reply, 'You are free, O tongue, you have a voice in your mouth: I, if I trod, trod on the foot.' But charity says, 'You are treading on me': the compassion of unity and the bond of fellowship says it.

As therefore I had begun to say, let all the envious know — who rejoice at the tribulations of others, even if they be their enemies — that they are members putrefied, cut off and dead; and therefore they have no sensation: and when they depart from the other members, they do not feel it, because they were without sensation. Our sensation, brethren, is one faith; charity is one health: let us hold faith as sensation, let us hold charity as health. And although diverse members have diverse offices; yet they are held together in the unity of charity, and all deserve to go after the head. For the head is in heaven; let us here labor and bear one another's burdens: for whither the head has gone, thither shall the other members go.

Certainly you have heard what was said a little before, that the Lord cried out from heaven, 'Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?' 5. He who does not suffer with the suffering is outside the Church. I ask you, brethren, if our Lord and Saviour, who had no sin, deigns to love us sinners with such great affection, so that He testifies that He suffers what we suffer: why do we, who are not without sin, and who can redeem our sins through charity, not love with so perfect a love, that whatever evil another has endured, we may suffer with him in the affection of charity, and whatever good another has received, we may so rejoice as though we ourselves received it, and give thanks to God for him who received it?

Behold now, as has been said, someone suffers either tribulation or loss: if you grieve for him, you are set in the body of the Church; if you do not grieve, you are cut off. For charity, which gathers together and quickens all the members of the Church, if it shall see you rejoicing at another's ruin, will at once cut you off from the body. And perhaps you now do not grieve for this very reason, because you have been cut off: for if you were there, you would without doubt grieve. Consider, brethren, and diligently attend, that a member grieves so long as it is contained in the body: but if it be cut off, it can neither grieve nor feel. For when a hand or other member has been cut off from the body, if the whole body be afterward divided into many parts, that hand feels it not;

because it is now divided and disjoined from the fellowship of the remaining members: such is the Christian who not only does not grieve at another's losses, or afflictions, or even death, but — what is worse — perhaps even rejoices. And because he is now a stranger to the body, therefore he does not hold the affection of charity in his heart. But we, if we wish to keep true and perfect charity, let us strive to love all as ourselves; that, since our head is Christ, and we have deserved to be His members;

...when Christ, our glory, shall have appeared, and the concord of charity, as true and perfect members through him, without any deceit of malice or envy, we who love all men as we love our own selves, when we deserve to appear with him in glory. SERMON 106. On the words of the Apostle, 1 Corinthians chapter 13, verses 4, 7, 8: 'Charity beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.' 1. Introduction. The longing of your Charity rouses in us the debt of the office of preaching. Yet so many are the things that terrify and call back our mind, that if we should wish to obey your desire, it would not be without danger to us: first, that being young I am compelled to speak in the presence of elders; and then, that it is rash...

...I think that inexperience wishes to speak among those whom ancient learning has strengthened. I desired therefore to pass over in silence, and to choose that safest place, to hear rather than to say anything. But what am I to do? Your love presses me, our modesty calls us back; the command of the holy fathers compels me, from whom, if I should wish, beseeching, to beg pardon, saying: 'Forgive, holy fathers, forgive; spare our bashfulness, spare our youth, especially since I recall that it was commanded to you, Speak, ye elders, for it becometh you' (Sirach 32:4): they themselves, by the holy charity in which they excel, will answer me, 'Speak, young man, for it delights us.' And if I should reply to them, 'Holy fathers, what shall I speak?'

They will again answer me: 'Remember, my son, what you have often heard from us, that from infancy you have learned the sacred Scriptures' (2 Timothy 3:15). But not even thus shall I be able to be excused before you, whose hearts will strike me with this their voice: 'Why do you fear to bring forth the word? If your age calls you back, Paul commanded the young Timothy, saying: Let no man despise thy youth (1 Timothy 4:12). Preach the word (2 Timothy 4:2). If speech is lacking, ask, and you shall receive: for it is not you who speak, but what is given to you, this you minister to us.'