Mabillon found a homily bearing this heading in the Codex Sangallensis no. 80, without the name of an author. But that most illustrious man, since it appears to be inserted among the other homilies of Maximus and its style shines forth wholly in conformity with them, determined that it should be attributed to the holy bishop of Turin rather than to another; and he was the first to publish it, as number 9, among the others newly discovered, and after him Galland. We too have followed their example, warning nonetheless of certain things we touched upon in the preface concerning this homily—namely, that the heretics whose boldness and impiety Maximus assailed are to be regarded as a certain offspring of the Manichaeans creeping through Italy.
We ought always to remember and to keep before our eyes, most beloved brethren, that the Lord Jesus Christ came down to earth from the heavens for this reason: that He might bestow upon us eternal life. He who, though He was the Son of God, chose rather to become the Son of man, that He might make us, who were men, sons of God. For it was not for the sake of this present life that He wrought the mystery of so great a dignity—this life which is brief, fleeting, mortal—but for the sake of that life which is perpetual and everlasting. For neither was God about to grant us length of this life, which is full of hardships, toils, and want; lest He should be granting not so much length of life as perpetuity of toils. For in this life this alone seems to be a remedy, that it is brief. Whence also the Apostle says:
'If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable' (1 Cor. 15). Therefore we must not hope in Christ in this life only, in which the wicked can do more than the good; in which those are happier who are worse, and those live more prosperously who conduct themselves more criminally. For what good does this life possess? Honours, riches, health, which, although they are fleeting, nevertheless do not come by merit but happen by chance. For how many do we see whom not honesty but power has made honoured? How many have obtained riches not left by their parents but seized by bloodshed? How many flourish in soundness of limb who are not governed by God's mercy but delude themselves with the blood of beasts?
These things therefore, since they are temporal and nothing, are bestowed on all men indiscriminately without merit and without judgement, because they are not given as a reward, but for a testing. We therefore, to whom eternal life is promised, ought always to possess and to seek the eternal goods, that is, faith, righteousness, and charity. For these goods have their adversaries; and although these gifts cannot be conferred by men, yet they are frequently taken away by wicked men. And therefore we ought to be solicitous concerning the good of faith, and provident, and always armed with devotion of mind for the guarding of it, and not too quickly to believe deceptive blandishments. For the enemy is wont to creep in under the pretext of peace—that is, under the name of the Christian title, the here-
-tic steals in, who, to deceive simple men, carries Christ on his lips but bears the devil in his heart; and Him indeed he confesses with his tongue, but blasphemes in his mind. From such a one, therefore, we must utterly turn aside, nor be joined by any fellowship. For he who is an enemy of the Lord, how is he a friend of the servants? Nor ought we to wonder that heretics of this kind have begun to go astray in our region. For the ambushing wolf always follows the flock of sheep; the deceiving devil always assails the Christian assembly. And this indeed happens for our benefit, so that with more watchful guard neither may the sheep desert the flock, nor the Christian forsake the Church. Whence also the Apostle says: 'There must be also heresies, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you' (1 Cor. 11):
as if he were saying: There must be a battle for the Christian, that there may be a sure victory for those who are approved. For, that we may for the present set aside their blasphemies, let us unfold what their precepts of living are. Their leaders, whom they call presbyters, are said to hold such a mandate, that if any of the laity should confess a crime he has committed, the presbyter is not to say to him: 'Do penance, lament your deeds, weep over your sins'; but is to say: 'Give me only so much for your crime, and it will be forgiven you.' Plainly a vain and foolish presbyter, who, while he himself takes the plunder, supposes that Christ forgives the sin. Does he not know that the Saviour is wont to pardon sins, and to require for a fault precious tears, not numerous coins? Whence He Himself says: 'Freely ye have received, freely give' (Matt.
10). Finally, when Peter had sinned by denying the Lord three times, he obtained pardon not by gifts but won it by tears. For the Evangelist says of him: 'He wept most bitterly' (Luke 22:62; Matt. 26:75). You see, I say, that with Christ the measure is in tears, not in gifts. For as grievously as he wept over his fault, so swiftly did he obtain pardon. The presbyter therefore accepts gifts, and by a certain bargain promises indulgence from the Saviour. A foolish agreement, in which he who has contributed more to the priest is said to have offended the Lord less. Among teachers of this kind the rich are always innocent, the poor always criminal. How does the poor man make satisfaction for a fault, who has not what to offer for his sin?