let the sweetness of charity or of kindness compose the place which malice or envy had struck as with a viper's venom. That thoughts of luxury are no more to be admitted than spittle on a garment: dogs, swine, or dung in temples; a harlot's kiss in public. But that we ought not to receive lustful thoughts in the heart, we can prove by evident examples. Consider, I pray you, how, if anyone should cast phlegm or spittle on our garments, they cause us such horror that we would not wish to look at them with our eyes, nor even to touch them with the tips of our fingers. And if spittle, which is cast forth without sin, causes us horror on our garments;
do you think what horror lustful thoughts, which the devil instills, cause to God in our souls? And if we so shudder at spittle or phlegm, which we assuredly receive unwillingly; how much more is it needful that, with God's help, we more swiftly spit out the sordid thoughts which by our own will we permit to linger in our heart? And consider this, that if someone should bring swine or dogs into a temple of God made of wood and stones, or throw in filth, or scatter dung; our mind is so offended that we would wish him through whom that very negligence was done to be scourged.
And since these things are so, what do we think about ourselves, if in our souls, where there are living temples of God, we, by receiving things much worse than dung, that is, luxurious or malignant thoughts, inflict injuries upon God who deigns to dwell in us? And therefore, although far more ought to be done, yet let us at least be zealous to guard our souls from the uncleanness of sins in the same way as we do not wish either the temple of God or our garments to be defiled by any filth. And tell me this, I pray: if some notorious harlot, in an assembly of the people, should try to embrace or kiss you with outstretched hands, would you receive this patiently or willingly;
and would you not rather thrust her away with your hands, and spit in her face, fearing lest perhaps those who saw might judge that she had done this from habit? For it is certain that not only those who are honorable or chaste do not permit this to be done toward them; but even those who in secret serve luxury shudder at a harlot's embrace in an assembly of men; fearing more the reproaches of men in public than the presence of God in secret. If therefore, on account of the judgment of men, there is no one who would wish to be publicly kissed by harlots; why in the secret of our conscience do we permit most filthy harlots, that is, lustful and impious thoughts, not only frequently to be received, but even to remain for no small time?
They are also compared to a burning coal, and to sewers. There is another likeness which we ought prudently to consider. And attend to this, brethren, that if anyone should grasp in his hand a live coal, however large, and cast it away at once, he will be able neither to have a burn nor pain: but if he holds it even for the space of a single hour, he will not be able to throw it away without a wound. This, therefore, which we observe about live coals in the body, why do we not fear about evil thoughts in the heart? There is yet another thing, whereby we can prove what we have said. Tell me, I pray you, is there any man who would wish to stand over a privy or sewer full of worms, and to fan their rottenness?
Compare now the stench of the sewer and the thoughts of luxury: and see which part can exhale the greater stench. If you judge well and justly, incomparably more grievous is the stench that lustful thoughts give off than that of the sewer: because the former are the stenches of souls, the latter of bodies. And without doubt, by how much the soul is better than the body, by so much the greater stench do sordid thoughts give off in the soul than a privy or sewer does in the flesh. As therefore we are unwilling to keep our bodies standing long in a place full of stenches; so let us not permit lustful and sordid thoughts to linger even for a moment in our souls or in our senses. What thoughts especially assail us. Sacred reading is a remedy against them.
Many love their garments more than their soul. And because, among the rest of the thoughts, especially anger, cupidity, and luxury continually strive to creep into our hearts; if we wish, with Christ's help, to repel them, let us be zealous to occupy our minds with holy thoughts. For we have many things in the holy Scriptures, through which our Lord both promises us the rewards of the saints, and threatens the punishments of sinners, mercifully admonishing, that the just may persevere in good, and the impious may be called back from evils. But if we should be willing more frequently either to read ourselves, or gladly to hear others reading; never will evil thoughts be able to steal upon us.
Since these things are so, dearest brethren, not without great shame can and ought we to consider, that whereas into the chest where our garments are we are unwilling that even any spark of fire should enter, yet through wicked thoughts we not only permit the flames of anger to enter within into the chest of our conscience, but even by false suspicions we provoke and kindle them to a greater conflagration. And what excuse shall we be able to have before God, we who love our garment more than our soul? Neither grievous, nor hard, nor impossible is that which is required of us, dearest brethren. For although incomparably more we ought to guard our souls than our garments;
yet no small profit has he who at least so guards his soul, that it be not defiled by evil and base thoughts, in the way he guards his garment, lest it be spoiled by moths or by mice. I ask you, brethren, what such great evil has our soul, made to the image of God, deserved from us, that we should be unwilling to bestow upon it even as much care as we seem to think about our garments? And whereas the eyes of men see our bodies, and the eyes of Angels inspect our souls, with what conscience I know not, we adorn and compose with precious things our flesh, which after a few days or years is to be devoured by worms in the tomb, and we do not adorn our soul with good works, which
is to be presented to God and to the Angels in heaven. Conclusion. And therefore, changing the arrangement for the better, let us provide for our bodies a moderate and sufficient food and clothing; so that all that we might have better let us lay up as alms for the poor: lest perhaps, if we think more about the flesh than about the soul, when we come to that wedding banquet not adorned with good works, but rather wrapped in the sordid rags of vices, it be said to us: 'Friend, how did you come in here not having a wedding garment?' (Matthew 22:12). May God avert from us that which follows: 'Bind him,' He says, 'hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth' (Matthew 22:13).
Behold what a sentence he will deserve to hear, who through vanity and luxury adorns his flesh, and for the sake of eternal life neglects to adorn his soul with good works. But we trust in God's mercy, that He will deign so to inspire us, that we may both, with His help, keep our heart unharmed from evil thoughts, and preserve our body bright in all chastity and sobriety; so that when we have deserved to come before the tribunal of the eternal Judge, we may not deserve to receive punishment for evil deeds, but to attain to eternal rewards for good works: our Lord Jesus Christ granting it, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns unto ages of ages. Amen. SERMON 314. On the demoniac set free.
Wherefore neither the demoniac nor the demon is to be feared. Every man feeds either Christ or the devil. By a man's deeds it is betrayed what guest he entertains. As many vices as a man has, so many demons he has. Last Lord's Day, most beloved brethren, while the Mass was being celebrated, that raving man possessed by an evil spirit stirred up no small fear in all the people. It is certain, most beloved brethren, that scarcely will a man be found who, when he has seen an unhappy person tormented in such a way by the devil, is not terrified and afraid. And yet, most beloved brethren, if you are willing, we can, with God's help, show you how you may not fear one possessed. Never will you fear the demon that dwells in another's flesh, if you have not entertained him in your own soul.
Finally, holy and perfect men not only do not fear the possessed, but are themselves feared with great trembling even by the possessed, indeed by the very demons. But if we so fear a demon in another's body, how greatly ought we to fear lest we nourish him in our own hearts through evil deeds? Every man, most beloved brethren, feeds in the banquet of his heart either Christ or the devil. If he choose to pursue justice, peace, chastity, mercy and charity, he without doubt feeds and refreshes Christ within himself, according to that which is written: «Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any man open to me, I will come in to him and sup with him» (Apoc. III, 20).
Behold, it has been proved to you in what manner and with what food a holy soul feeds and refreshes Christ. But on the contrary, whoever chooses to love pride, malice, envy, lust and other things like these, let him not doubt that he refreshes the devil and prepares for him delightful dainties of such evils. From his own deeds each one is able to know what guest he deserves to receive in his heart. It is certain that whatever kind of banquet you prepare, such guests you will deserve. For many dread the demon in another's body, yet feign not to fear him in their own heart. For everyone who loves pride is full of the devil. And if together with pride he also chooses to have envy, he will be subject to two demons.
And if with envy he also commits adultery, he is possessed by three demons. And if with these evils he chooses to love lying, he is subjugated and oppressed by a whole four-horse team of demons. For as many vices as a man has, so many demons he has. Finally, in the Gospel too, that man out of whom the unclean spirit had gone forth, when by the grace of God he had merited to be freed from the one demon of idolatry, because he was unwilling to admit virtues into the place of the vices, that unclean spirit returned and brought with him seven other spirits worse than himself (Luke XI, 24); and there was fulfilled in him that which is written: «For by whom a man is overcome, of the same is he also the slave» (2 Pet. II, 19), and again: «Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin» (John VIII, 34).
The proud man is not without a demon, nor the envious, nor the adulterer, nor the liar. But perhaps someone will say: How can it come to pass that one who has sinned through lust in his flesh should have the devil in his soul? We, most beloved brethren, prove what we have said by the testimonies of the Holy Scriptures. For that he who is proud is full of a demon, hear the Scripture saying: «Every one that exalteth his heart is unclean before God»; and again: «Pride is the beginning of all apostasy from God» (Ecclus. X, 14). What is it to apostatize, but to depart from God? And surely whoever is severed from God is joined to the devil. And that he who is envious cannot be without a demon —
the Scripture says: «By the envy of the devil, death came into the world; and they that are of his side imitate him» (Wis. II, 24 and 25). And that he who fornicates is likewise possessed by the devil, canonical Scripture no less bears witness; for thus the prophet says: «You have been deceived by the spirit of fornication» (Hos. IV, 12). And that no liar can be without a malignant spirit, Scripture is witness: «You will destroy,» it says, «all that speak a lie» (Ps. V, 7); and again: «The mouth that lieth killeth the soul» (Wis. I, 11). And in the Book of Kings we read that a malignant spirit said to the Lord: «I,» he said, «will deceive Ahab.» To whom the Lord said: «By what means wilt thou deceive him?» And he answered:
«I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of his prophets.» And the Lord said: «Thou shalt deceive him and prevail» (3 Kings XXII, 21, 22). Likewise concerning the other capital sins and crimes it behoves us to believe that no one commits them save at the instigation of the devil. 3. That the medicine may quickly heal our sins. What then, brethren? Since we feel ourselves liable to many sins and crimes, must we despair? Far be this from a Christian people. We must indeed not despair, but neither must we persevere in those very sins with a hostile false security. For he who said, «When being converted thou shalt lament, thou shalt be saved» (Ezek. XXXIII, 12), the same said: «Delay not to be converted to the Lord, and defer it not from day to day» (Ecclus. V, 8).
For a poultice or clasp is best applied to wounds while they are still fresh; and a wound is quickly healed which is not suffered to fester long. And therefore, when any of us has received the wound of some sin, before it festers and stinks through long habit, let him flee with all speed to the medicines of penance. If sin is permitted to hold dominion long, it is found to exhale a most foul stench to all the saints and to those who fear God. And therefore, with God's help, we must labour that, when all our sins have been purged away or mortified, the virtues may enter into possession of the vices: and the place which pride held, let humility occupy; the place which avarice laid waste, let almsgiving take; the place which foul lust defiled, let chastity cleanse and reclaim;
the place which envy held, let benevolence possess; where lying seemed to be, let truth hold sway. For if, brethren, with Christ's help we are zealous to do these things, not only shall we not fear the demons in the bodies of others, but by God's grace we shall also drive them out of our own hearts: our Lord Jesus Christ granting it, to whom is honour and glory unto the ages of ages. Amen. SERMON 315, On this: that the times of the Christians were foretold, and that the Church is not free from temptations. 1. The Church's vengeance upon her adversaries. What is to be considered in a persecutor. In all the divine Scriptures, most beloved brethren, the times of the Christians were foretold.
This was so, because it was to come to pass that the kings of the earth, who because of idols were persecuting the Christians, should for Christ's sake destroy the idols, and that every power should be subjected to the yoke of Christ; that there might be fulfilled what was said: «I was avenged on them» (Ps. CXVII, 10). For what is «I was avenged on them»? I have taken vengeance upon them. The Body of Christ speaks: I have avenged myself on my enemies. How did it avenge itself? By slaying error in them, by rousing up faith. For whatever it was that in all the wicked and perverse used to persecute the Christians, has been destroyed. For when a man persecutes you, do not regard that shape which God fashioned, nor that soul which God breathed in:
it is not what God made that persecutes you, but the malice which man made. All the things God made praise God. You have heard in the Benedictions, and you hear at every solemnity when they are read, how all things praise God — things of heaven and things of earth, angels, men, the lights of heaven, the trees of the earth, the rivers, the seas; whatever God created, whether in heaven, or on earth, or in the sea, praises God. Did you ever there hear that avarice praises God? Did you ever there hear that drunkenness praises God? Did you ever there hear that lust praises God? Did you ever hear that heresy praises God? Why do all these not praise God? Because they were not created by God.
And the tree preserved that for which it was created; man destroyed that for which he was upright. For if he preserved in himself the good which God created in him, that is, His image, he would ever praise God, not only with his tongue, but also with his life. Therefore our times too were foretold; but in our times future schisms were foretold. As then that Church fought against the devil, so does this one fight also. 2. The devil first assailed the Church as a lion, now as a dragon. How he is overcome. The necessity of Christ's death. He underwent it willingly. Is the fight against the devil ever to cease? But the devil is called both a lion and a dragon; a lion because of his onslaught, a dragon because of his ambushes: the lion is openly angry, the dragon secretly lies in wait.
The Church fought in former times against the lion; now it fights against the dragon. But as the lion was conquered, so also is the dragon conquered. What strength has the lion against that Lion of whom it is written: «The Lion of the tribe of Judah hath prevailed» (Apoc. V, 5)? And what strength has the dragon against the death of the Lord, who hung the serpent upon the wood? For He triumphed over death, which the devil had held out to man through his cunning devices. And when Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness upon the wood, the people who were bitten by the serpent looked upon the serpent, and were healed: so also now, whomsoever the cunning of Satan has bitten, let him look upon Christ hanging upon the wood, for there death was slain. The Lord ever lives:
but that He might slay death, He clothed Himself in death; for death could not die save in life. Bitterness does not die save in sweetness; cold does not die save in heat: death is not dead save in life. What is life? Christ our life. But that life was clothed with death. He was crucified, He was slain, He died, and He rose again; so that the Apostle might say of Him: «We know that Christ dieth now no more, and death shall no more have dominion over Him» (Rom. VI, 9). But because death first held dominion, it held dominion over one who willed it. The satellite of the lion puffed himself up against Him: then the judge, by whom He was being judged, raised his neck and said: «Dost thou not answer me?» (John XIX, 10). The roaring of the lion rages, the necks of the serpent swell;
but hear the answer of the Lamb, who knows how to slay the lion; hear how death held dominion over one who willed it. For when He had heard these things from him, He answered: «Thou shouldst have no power against me, unless it were given thee from above» (ibid. 11). Who gave this power from above? God. Who is God? Father and Son and Holy Spirit. So that man might have power over God, from God Himself man received the power to judge God — the hidden God, the manifest man. 3. The devil is a lion when he torments, a dragon when he flatters. Against his blandishments there is need of vigilance. That therefore we may be able, by God's help, to conquer the lion and the dragon of whom it was said above,
let us with great fear and trembling hold before our eyes that which the apostle Peter says: «Your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, goeth about seeking someone to devour» (1 Pet. V, 8): and that which the Apostle warns us of concerning the dragon, that we should guard against him with all watchfulness: «I have espoused you,» he says, «to one husband, that I may present you a chaste virgin to Christ: but I fear lest, as the serpent seduced Eve by his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted, and fall from the simplicity that is in Christ Jesus» (2 Cor. XI, 2 and 3). Therefore, when any public tribulation has arisen for you, understand the fury and savagery of the lion:
when evil concupiscences by cunning seduction entice you to avarice or lust, recognize the blandishments of the dragon. If therefore you desire faithfully to guard the right faith, be strong in adversity against the savagery of the lion: but if you desire to preserve the virginity of your soul whole, guard as much as you can against the blandishments of the dragon; lest perchance, if you are heedless, you allow the five senses which are in you, as it were five virgins, to be corrupted by the serpent. For whatever grows beautiful to the sight, whatever grows sweet to the taste, whatever flatters the hearing, whatever allures the smell, whatever grows soft to the touch — in all these things, if we are heedless, when evil concupiscences creep in, we allow the virginity of the soul to be corrupted:
and there is fulfilled in us that which was said by the prophet: «Death is come up through your windows» (Jer. IX, 21). For through these five senses, as through certain doors, either death or life enters into our soul. 4. Praise and blame are to be lightly esteemed. Let us therefore, with the Lord's help, be of those five wise virgins who, as we read in the Gospel, carried oil in their lamps: and let us, as much as we can, take heed lest we be found among those foolish ones who, applauding themselves on bodily integrity alone, lost the virginity of the soul through the corruption of the five senses; who carried no oil with them; to whom it was said: «Go, buy for yourselves oil of them that sell.»
For oil in this place is flattery and human praise: all flatterers sell oil. Therefore those were called foolish who sought praise from without, and did not have it within, in their conscience. Therefore they carried no oil with them; because they wished to have praise on another's tongue, not in their own conscience. Yet what did they answer those foolish ones? «Lest perhaps there be not enough for us» (Matt. XXV, 4, 9): even as the Apostle said, «But neither do I judge my own self» (1 Cor. IV, 3). If therefore our conscience trembles under the scrutiny of God's judgment, and although it seems to itself upright, fears lest the rule of justice go forth from His treasury, and that be found crooked which seemed straight:
how much less ought we to care about others' judgments concerning us, most beloved, whether evil or good? Neither ought we greatly to rejoice when we are praised, nor to be saddened when we are blamed. Neither can false praise crown us, nor false blame condemn us. But as long as we live here, we cannot ourselves judge concerning ourselves — I do not say what we shall be tomorrow, but what we are today: how much less ought we to be moved by others' judgments than by our own conscience which bears witness to us? For our conscience ought to be our glory. 5. What is heard should be ruminated upon.
And so, brethren, let Your Charity attend a little, that I may say what I wish (though not as I wish, but as the Lord shall grant and will), which is most necessary for the daily temptations of the Catholic Church; for she lives amid temptations, and grows amid temptations, and endures amid temptations, and arrives amid temptations. But when she shall have arrived, rest shall follow toil; the temptation departs, the blessing remains. But I beseech you, brethren, do not listen without purpose: hold these things, ruminate upon them, feed on them; let not depart from your mouth that which is now committed to memory. A man's memory is like the belly of a beast. You know that in the Law those animals are called unclean which do not ruminate;
but those which ruminate are clean; and whatever have a cloven hoof pertain to discerning true and false. The cloven hoof pertains to discerning what is right and what is left. For rumination pertains to those who afterwards ponder what they have heard and retained. For we now chew, and it is sent into the memory as into the belly. But what does the beast do when it ruminates? That which was cast into the manger and stored in the belly, it recalls to the mouth, and rests in that very sweetness. This I have said, that I might charge you not to be as unclean beasts. Such a one receives it into the belly, afterwards does not ruminate, and all the sweetness passes away.
And that which is stored away profits you nothing, if the sweetness does not return to the mouth. Hear that same thing expressly and openly said in another sentence; what was obscurely and mystically said of ruminating animals has in another place been openly expounded, that we may understand what this means: «A treasure to be desired resteth in the mouth of the wise, but the foolish man swalloweth it up» (Prov. XXI, 20). SERMON 316. On Saint Lawrence. 1. The saints, as it were bees, are kindled to endurance. When we celebrate the birthdays of the holy martyrs, and admire them in their praises, we ought so to live that we may imitate them in all things. For when we love the martyrs, we choose for ourselves a cause whereby we may please the Lord.
Behold the most blessed martyr Lawrence, whose birthday we celebrate today in the Church, who chose such a cause of confession that he merited to receive the crown of martyrdom from Christ. How great the constancy of the martyrs, how good the faith of the saints, who for the name of Christ willingly endured many torments, and yet by despising those same torments overcame the devil in their persecutors! For of them Solomon says: «Although in the sight of men they suffered torments, their hope is full of immortality» (Wis. III, 4). Great therefore was the hope the saints had, that they believed they could receive in the resurrection what they hoped for, while enduring temporal suffering. And what did they hope for, when they endured such things?
It can most easily be told what they were enduring: but who can unfold what they were hoping for? Hear the apostle Paul: «The sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come, that shall be revealed in us» (Rom. VIII, 18). 2. They are made white by the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they had a great hope of the resurrection: and therefore they endured the torments of their passion. They hoped for great splendour, glorious rest; they hoped for the heavenly Jerusalem, they hoped for paradise: and from whence Adam was cast out because of his transgression, thither the saints, having overthrown him who had deceived Adam, brought back the trophies of victory. The saints washed their robes in the blood of their passion, and made them white in the blood of the Redeemer.