講道集 第 100 章

In the same above-praised codices of the Laurentian Library and of Holy Cross in Jerusalem, we found that the author and parent of this homily—which the Benedictine monks of the Congregation of St. Maur, in the appendix of the sermons of St. Augustine, no. 55, page 70 of the Antwerp edition, called the work of an uncertain but not unlearned author—was St. Maximus of Turin. Both codices, namely 172, formerly of the aedile of the metropolitan church of Florence, page 70, and Codex 9 of Holy Cross in Jerusalem, page 32, place this immediately after the preceding homily. In the first it is designated as the same Maximus by that usual epigraph: 'Of the same, from the source above,' he being expressly named in the former. But the second sets forth both the title and the name of St. Maximus: 'A sermon of St.

Maximus the bishop, on goodness, discipline, and knowledge.' We have retained the inscription of the homily set down by the Benedictine editors, since in truth the whole homily is a most lucid exposition of that passage of the Psalmist, and embraces distinguished documents of moral discipline. This same homily also came to our notice in Codex Vaticanus Reginae 83, yet with no author's name inscribed. The reading which we present we received from the Laurentian codex, and we have added the variants of the other codices. Among the other things by which the blessed David heals the infirmities of our souls, he instructs us, as a most skilled master, to hold a form of prayer under a certain rule of a trinity, saying: 'Teach me goodness, and discipline, and knowledge' (Psalm 118).

Attend therefore more carefully, brethren, to what virtues above all the prophet-king begs to be granted to himself. 'Goodness,' he says, 'and discipline, and knowledge teach me.' He rightly knows how to live who rightly knows how to pray. For he did not ask for treasures of worldly riches, not for neighbouring kingdoms, not for a more prolonged span of living; but he begged to be taught goodness and discipline together. For goodness makes discipline lovable, and discipline renders goodness blameless. Nor do I think it hidden from anyone that goodness without discipline is the mother of faults, and discipline without goodness a certain gloomy bitterness of living.

He also implores that knowledge be granted to him likewise, that he may know how to distinguish, knowingly and wisely, what are the bounds of goodness, and what measure discipline ought to have, lest perchance goodness be defiled by the unknown fault of excessive laxity, or discipline blush by its own harshness being too severe. Do you wish, brother, to be good to one who sins? You act kindly indeed; but that you may be truly good, apply to him the rigour of discipline, that your goodness may profit him unto salvation—goodness which, if you terrify him with no censure of restraining rebuke, will assuredly be pernicious to him, because you permit the sinner to perish whom you could have saved by correcting him. Again:

if by too great a rigour of discipline you hold out no medicine of healing goodness, then while the sinner flees your terror, you will not cure the sinner's sickness. And what manner of way of living will there be, what justice, if either too lax a leniency offers connivance to the sinner, or immoderate severity does not recall the offender from his fall? But that we may learn more fully and more perfectly that this mastery of goodness and discipline was present in our forefathers, let us review at least a few examples out of many of the venerable Fathers. Without doubt the most blessed Peter fulfilled the work of goodness and discipline, when both as a truly good physician he cured the sick brought to him, and as the founder of heavenly discipline he punished the lying with just retribution.

That feeble man—Aeneas (Acts 3)—proved the grace of his goodness, who, lame from infancy, sitting at the gate of the temple and begging, in the name of Jesus Christ, at the command of the healing apostle, received back his former soundness. Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5) also proved the severity of his discipline, who, selling a field which no one compelled them to sell, while they lied to the apostle about the amount of the price, purchased death for themselves by their falsehood. By which deed the most glorious Peter taught that there was in him both goodness and discipline, while he both grants a remedy to the sick, and takes fitting retribution from the liars. That he did this rightly and holily, the assent of heavenly judgement shows.

Of the perfection of his knowledge, who could doubt, who knew Christ the Lord to be the Son of the living God, by the Father in heaven revealing it to him? And because goodness was not lacking to him for discipline and knowledge, the Lord commended to him His little sheep to be fed. The most glorious Paul held goodness and discipline, who, as his writings testify, held out both the rod of correction and the spirit of meekness: on account of which goodness made him lovable to all, and discipline terrible. For, that he might teach the Churches the goodness and discipline of Christ even among the very beginnings of the faith, he both commanded that the sinner be removed from the communion of the saints, and that the same, upon repenting, be received back.

But of his knowledge, what shall we say, since all know that he learned in the heavenly places the things he taught on earth, where he recalled that he had been taught such things as it was not lawful for him to utter to mortals? No less did that witness of the Lord and Baptist, John, possess goodness and discipline, who by the affection of prophetic piety washed with the baptism of repentance men returning from their sins; and, as a truly unchangeable keeper of the legal precepts, both accused King Herod concerning his unlawful wife, and enjoined the precepts of a purer life upon all who ran together to him. And who can be ignorant of the fullness of his knowledge, who first revealed to men that Christ came from heaven for the salvation of mankind?

You see therefore, brethren, by what compendium of prayer, and by what fewness of words, the venerable prophet sought the perfection of living. For in a most brief discourse he comprehended whatever the multitude of spiritual virtues holds. If then that chief of the prophets so greatly besought that he might be taught by the Lord the ways of a holier life, what ought we to do, I say, rather to pray, saying: 'Goodness, and discipline, and knowledge teach us, O Lord,' so that in us goodness may conquer evil vices, and the discipline of the will may chastise them.

For if, knowing the Almighty Lord the Father and His Son to be of one substance, you also believe the Holy Spirit to reign with equal eternity, no vain persuasion of the pagans, nor perfidious impiety of the Arians, will ever disturb you. If you fill your heart and mind with the knowledge of the judgement to come, you will have discipline in your morals; again, if you keep the measures and rules of that very discipline, if you maintain in all things a fitting mean, you will have goodness; because goodness is the tempering of discipline, and discipline the seasoning of goodness. Beware therefore, brother, lest you so wish to seem good that you cast away discipline; or so pursue discipline that you remove goodness.

For this reason blessed David prays that knowledge be joined to these things, so that by the upright judgment of our mind we may know in what manner both a stricter goodness and a gentler discipline demand to be present in us.