BR 60 .: |
L52 |
V. 16 |
n |
|
Augustine , |
||||
Sermons |
on |
selected |
1< |
2ssons |
of the |
Ne\v |
r Testament |
V- 14
LIBRARY OF FATHERS
HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH,
ANTERIOR TO THE DIVISION OF THE EAST AND WEST,
TRANSLATED BY MEMBERS OF THE ENGLISH CHURCH.
YET SHALL NOT THY TEACHERS BE REMOVED INTO A CORNER ANY MORE, BUT THINE EYES SHALL SEE THY TEACHERS. Isaiah XXX. 20.
OXFORD,
JOHN HENRY PARKER;
J. G. F. AND J. RIVINGTON, LONDON.
MDCCCXl.lV.
TO THE MOSX REVEREND FATHER IN (iOii
WILLIAM
LORD ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, PRIMATE OF ALL ENGLAND,
FOI(Mi:0LY HEOItIS PROFESSOR OF DIVINITY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD,
THIS LIBRARY
OF
ANCIENT BISHOPS, FATHERS, DOCTORS, MARTYRS, CONFESSORS. OF CHRIST'S HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH,
IS
WITH HIS grace's PERMISSION
RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED,
IN TOKEN OF
KKVRRENCE FOR HIS PERSON AND SACRED OFFICE,
ANn OF
(JHATITUDE FOR HIS EPISCOPAL KINDNESS.
SERMONS
ON
SELECTED LESSONS
OF
THE NEW TESTAMENT.
S. AUGUSTINE,
BISHOP OF HIPPO.
VOL. I. S. MATTHEW. S. MARK. S. LUKE.
OXFORD,
JOHN HENRY PARKER ;
J. G. F. AND J. RIVINGTON, LONDON.
MDCCCXLIV.
BftXTER, PRINTER, OXFORD.
ADVERTISEMENT.
The Sermons of S. Augustine, besides their other excel- lencies, furnish a beautiful picture of perhaps the deepest and most powerful mind of the Western Church adapting itself to the little ones of Christ. In them, he who has furnished the mould for all the most thoughtful minds for fourteen hundred years, is seen forming with loving tenderness the babes in Christ. Very touching is the child-like simplicity, with which he gradually leads them through what to them were difficulties, watching all the while whether he made himself clear to them, keeping up their attention, pleased at their understanding, dreading their approbation, and leading them off from himself to some practical result. Very touch- ing the tenderness with which he at times reproves, the allowance which he makes for human infirmities and for those in secular life, if they will not make their infirmities their boast, or in allowed duties and indulgences forget God. But his very simplicity precludes the necessity of any preface. His Sermons explain themselves. They appear from a passage in the Commentary on the Psalms to have been often taken down in writing at the time by the more attentive sort of hearers, (as were those of S. Chrysostora;) Possidius states that this was done from the commencement of his presbyterate, and that " thence * through the body of Africa, excellent doctrine and the most sweet savour of « Vit. c. 7.
IV ADVERTISEMENT.
Christ was diffused and made manifest, the Church of God beyond seas, when it heard thereof, partaking of the joy." Those on the New Testament have been now selected, both as furnishing a comment, and as a gradual introduction to what is found in a larger measure elsewhere, the spiritual interpretation of Holy Scripture. It will doubtless seem strange to some at first sight that the spiritual meaning of numbers, for instance, should be made a part of religious instruction. And yet, it might not require any great diffi- dence to think that St. Augustine knew better than any of us, the tendency and effects of his mode of teaching upon minds, which he evidently treated with such tender care, and that they Avho have entered into that system can estimate it's value better than they who have not. It will appear also, probably, that a system which sees a meaning every where in Holy Scripture is more reverential than one which over- looks it; as, on the other hand, as a fact, the anti-mystical interpretation has both in ancient and modern times stood connected with a cold rationalism, and with heresy. This is, however, a large subject, upon which this does not seem the place to enter, since such interpretations are here only incidental and subordinate, and it is here intended only to give a practical warning. Those who close their eyes, of course, never see. The eye also requires to be insensibly familiarized with what, as new, is strange to it. But whoever will not set himself against what is in fact the received mode of interpretation of the Church, will be insensibly won by it, and will have his reward. The interpretations of St. Au- gustine were, as he himself often says, sought by his own prayers and the prayers of his people, and will, to those who receive them, open a rich variety of meaning and instruction. One might instance, of the niost solemn sort, the analogy of the three dead, whom our Lord raised, with the three stages of sin, consent, act, and habit, as an aflecting and
ADVERTISEMENT. V
impressive specimen of this mode of instruction, which has been adopted, in a manner, by the spiritual perception of the Western Church.
On his directly practical teaching, it will be borne in mind, that to him the Church is mainly indebted for the overthrow of Pelagianism, and the vindication of the doctrine of the free grace of God. When then he insists, as he does so frequently, on the value of good works and especially almsgiving, to which he seems to recur with such especial sympathy, it will not be hastily thought that so deep and consistent a thinker, and so imbued with Divine truth, was at variance with himself and with it, and we may in his teaching gain more constraining motives to encourage ourselves and others, if so one great stain of our times, the neglect of Christ's poor, may be mitigated or effaced. On the other hand, when he speaks of heresy, he speaks of what he had himself been; of the nothingness of this woi'ld's pleasures and applause, of what he had himself, when unbaptized, too miserably tasted; of Christ's power to save out of them, what he had himself felt ; of the grace of God, what he had himself used ; of the value of alms, as having himself given up what was his''; of humility, as shewing it in the very language in which he praises it ; of the joys of Heaven, and the love of God, as that for which he had abandoned freely and for ever all on earth, for which he was daily labouring, enduring, sighing.
It remains to say, that the text used is that of the Bene- dictines, in wdiich their large resources in MSS liave been
•> This he did immediately on bis and all who lived with him, [his Clergy
conversion ; Possidius says, " He made under monastic rule, J out of the returns
no will, because as a poor man of God of the possessions of the Church, or the
(pauper Dei) he bad nothing whereof to oblations of the faithful." c. 23. Possi-
make one." (c. ult.) The poor, Possidius dius speaks, c. 4. how the report of
calls his " compauperes," of whom he " the continency and deep poverty of
says"he was ever mindful, and supplied his monastery," won those separated
them out of the same sources as himself from the Church.
vi ADVERTISEMENT.
SO excellently employed, and that the Editors are indebted for the translation to the Rev. R. G. Macmullen, M.A. Fellow of Corpus Christi College.
E. B. P.
Christ Church,
Feast of S. Barnabas,
1844.
CONTENTS.
Sebm. 1. (Ben. 51.) Of the agreement of the Evangelists Matthew and Luke in the generations of the Lord. Page 1
2. (52.) Of the words of St. Matthew's Gospel, chap. iii. " Jesus
cometh from Galilee to Jordan unto John to he haptized of Him," Concerning the Trinity. 33
3. (53.) On the words of the Gospel, Matt. v. " Blessed are the poor
in spirit, &c." but especially on that, " Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." 48
4. (54.) On that that is written in the Gospel, Matt. v. " Let your light
so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father Which is in heaven :" and contrariwise, chap. vi. " Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men to be seen of them." 60
5. (55.) On the words of the Gospel, Matt. v. " Whosoever shall say to
his broth(°r, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire." 63
6. (56.) On the Lord's Prayer in St Matthew's Gospel, chap. vi. To
the Competentes. 67
7. (57.) Again, on Matt. vi. On the Lord's Prayer. To the Com-
petentes. 81
8. (58.) Again, on the Lord's Prayer, Matt. vi. To the Competentes. 90
9. (59.) Again, on the Lord's Prayer, Matt. vi. To the Competentes. 99
10. (60.) On the words of the Gospel, Matt. vi. " Lay not up for your-
selves treasures upon earth," &c. An exhortation to alms-deeds. 102
11. (61.) On the words of the Gospel, Matt. vii. " Ask, and it shall be given you;" &c. An exhortation to alms-deeds. 113
12. (62.) On the words of the Gospel, Matt. viii. " I am not worthy that
thou shouldest come under my roof, &c." and of the words of the Apostle, 1 Cor. viii. " For if any man see him which hath knowledge, sit at meat in the idol's temple," &c. 122
viii CONTENTS.
13. (63.) On the words of the Gospel, Matt. viii. " And when He was
entered into a ship," &c. 136
14. (64.) On the words of the Gospel, Matt. x. " Behold, I send you
forth as sheep in the midst of wolves," &c. (^Delivered on a Festival of Martyrs.) 137
15. (65.) On the words of the Gospel, Matt. x. " Fear not them which kill the hody." {Delivered on a Festival of Martyrs.) 139
16. (66.) On the words of the Gospel, Matt. xi. " Now when John had
heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, and said unto Him, Art thou He that should come, or do we look for another?" &c. 145
17. (67.) On the words of the Gospel, Matt. xi. " I confess to Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because Thou hast hid these things from the wise," &c. 149
18. (68.) Again on the words of the Gospel, Matt, xi. " I confess to
Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth," &c, 156
19. (69.) On the words of the Gospel, Matt. xi. " Come unto Me, all ye
that labour and are heavy laden," &c, 160
20. (70.) Again on the words of the Gospel, Matt, xi, " Come unto Me,
all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you," &c. 163
21. (71.) On the words of the Gospel, Matt. xii. " Whosoever speaketh a word against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.'" Or, " on the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost." 166
22. (72.) On the words of the Gospel, Matt. xii. " Either make the tree
good, and his ftuit good," &c. 197
23. (73 ) On the words of the Gospel, ]\Iatt. xiii. where the Lord Jesus
explaineth the parables of the sower. 201
24. (74.) On the words of the Gospel, Matt. xiii. " Therefore every
Scribe instructed in the kingdom of God," &c. 204
26. (75.) On the words of the Gospel, Matt. xiv. " But the ship was in
the midst of the sea, tossed with waves." 208
26. (76.) Again on Matt, xiv, " Of the Lord walking on the waves of
the sea, and of Peter tottering." 215
27. (77.) On the words of the Gospel, Matt. xv. " Jesus went from Gennesareth, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. And, behold, a woman of Canaan," &c. 220
28. (78.) On the words of the Gospel, Matt. xvii. "After six days Jesus took Peter, and James, and John his brother, &c." 231
29. (79.) Again on the words of the Gospel, Matt. xvii. where Jesus shewed Himself on the mount to His three disciples. 235
30. (80.) On the words of the Gospel, Matt, xvii, " Why could not we cast him out, &c." and on prayer. 236
CONTENTS. ix
31. (81.) On the words of the Gospel, Matt, xviii. where we are admonished to beware of the offences of the world. 244
32. (82.) On the words of the Gospel, Matt, xviii. " If thy brother shall sin against thee, rebuke him between thee and him alone;" and of the words of Solomon, " he that winketh with the eyes deceitfully, heapeth sorrow upon men; but he that reproveth openly, maketh peace." 254
33. (83.) On the words of the Gospel, Matt, xviii. " How often shall my
brother sin against me," &c. 266
34. (84.) On the words of the Gospel, Matt. xix. " If thou wilt enter
into life, keep the commandments." 273
35. (85.) On the words of the Gospel, Matt. xix. " If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." 275
36. (86.) On the words of the Gospel, Matt. xix. " Go, sell all that thou
hast, and give to the poor," &c. 280
37. (87.) Delivered on the Lord's Day, on that which is written in the
Gospel, Matt. xx. " The kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, who sent labourers into his vineyard." 291
38. (88.) On the words of the Gospel, Matt xx. about the two blind men
sitting by the way side, and crying out, " Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David." 303
39. (89.) On the words of the Gospel, Matt. xxi. " where Jesus dried up
the fig-tree," and on the words, Luke xxiv. " where He made a pre- tence as though He would go further." 325
40. (90.) On the words of the Gospel, Matt. xxii. about the marriage of
the king's son; against the Donatists, on Charity. Delivered at Carthage in the Restituta. 333
41. (91.) On the words of the Gospel, Matt. xxii. where the Lord asked
the Jews whose son they said David was. 345
42. (92.) On the same words of the Gospel, Matt. xxii. 352
43. (93.) On the words of the Gospel, Matt. xxv. " The kingdoni of heaven shall be like unto ten virgins." 355
44. (94.) On the words of the Gospel, Matt. xxv. where the slothful
servant who would not put out the talent he had received, is con- demned. 364
45. (95.) On the words of the Gospel, Mark viii. where the miracle of
the seven loaves is related. 365
46. (96.) On the words of the Gospel, Mark viii. " Whosoever will
come after Me, let him deny himself;" &c. And on the words 1 John 2. " Whoso loveth the world, the love of the Father is not in him." 370
47. (97.) On the words of the Gospel, Mark xiii. " But of that day or
hour knoweth no man, no not the Angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father." 377
48. (98.) On the words of the Gospel, Luke vii. on the three dead per-
sons whom the Lord raised. 380
X CONTENTS.
49. (99.) On the words of the Gospel, Luke vii. " And behold a woman
in the city which was a sinner," &c. On the remission of sins, against the Donatists. 387
50. (100.) On the words of the Gospel, Luke ix. where the case of the
three persons is treated of, of whom one said, " Lord, I will follow Thee whithersoever Thou goest," and was disallowed: another did not dare to offer himself, and was aroused; the third wished to delay, and was blamed. 397
51. (101.) On the words of the Gospel, Luke x. " The harvest truly is
great," &c. 401
52. (102.) On the words of the Gospel, Luke x. " He that despiseth you, despiseth Me." 410
53. (103.) On the words of the Gospel, Luke x. " And a certain woman
named Martha, received Him into her house," &c. 413
54. (104.) Again, on the words of the Gospel, Luke x. about Martha
and Mary. 417
55. (105.) On the words of the Gospel^ Luke xi. " Which of you shall
have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight," &c. 421
56. (106.) On the words of the Gospel, Luke xi. " Now do ye Pharisees
wash the outside of the platter," &c. 431
57. (IO7.) On the words of the Gospel, Luke xii. " I say unto you.
Beware of all covetousness." 435
58. (108.) On the words of the Gospel, Luke xii. " Let your loins be
girded about, and your lights burning, and ye yourselves like," &c. And on the words of the Psalm, " Who is the man that wisheth for life," &c. 443
59. (109.) On the Avords of the Gospel, Luke xii. "Ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth," &c. And of the words, '* If thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, in the way give fliligence to be delivered from him," &c. 448
60. (110.) On the words of the Gospel, Luke xiii. where we are told of
the fig tree, which bare no fruit for three years ; and of the woman which was in an infirmity eighteen years; and on the words of the ninth Psalm, " Arise, O Lord, let not man prevail ; let the nations be judged in Thy sight." 451
61 (111.) On the words of the Gospel, Luke xiii. where the kingdom of God is said to be " like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal;" and of that which is written in the same chapter, " Lord, are there few that be saved?" 456
62. (112.) On the words of the Gospel, Luke xiv. " A certain man made a great supper," &c. (^Delwered in the basilica Restituta.) 458
63. (113.) On the words of the Gospel, Luke xvi. " Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of iniquity," &c, 465
CONTENTS. xi
64. (114.) On the words of the Gospel, Luke xvii. " If thy brother shall
sin against thee, rebuke him," &c. touching the remission of sins. (^Delivered at the TableofSt. Cyprian,inthe presence of Count Boniface.)
65. (115.) On the words of the Gospel, Luke xviii. " Men ought always
to pray and not to faint," &c. And on the two who went up into the temple to pray : and of the little children who were presented unto Christ. 475
66. (116.) On the words of the Gospel, Luke xxiv. " Jesus stood in the midst of them and said unto them, Peace be unto you," &c. 480
S, AUGUSTINE,
BISHOP OF HIPPO,
UPON THE NEW TESTAMENT
SERMON I. [LI. Ben.]
Of the agreement of the Evangelists Matthew and Luke in the generations
of the Lord.
1. May He, beloved, fulfil your expectation Who hatli awakened it : for though I feel confident that what I have to say is not ray own, but God's, yet with far more reason do I say, what the Apostle in his humility saith, JVe have tliis^ ^°^'" treasure in earthen vessels, tliat the excellencij of the power may he of God, and not of us. I do not doubt accordingly that you remember my promise ; in Him I made it through Whom I now fulfil it, for both when I made the promise, did I ask of the Lord, and now when I fulfil it, do I receive of Him. Now you will remember, beloved, that it was in the matins of the festival of the Lord's Nativity, that I put off the question which I had proposed for resolution, because many came with us to the celebration of the ac- customed solemnities of that day to whom the word of God is usually burdensome ; but now I imagine that none have come here, but they who desire to hear, and so I am not speaking to hearts that arc deaf, and to minds that will disdain the word, but this yonr longing expectation is a prayer for me. There is a further consideration; for the day of the public shows' has dispersed many from hence, fonmuue- whose salvation I exhort you to share my great anxiety, and '"'®* do you witli all earnestness of mind, iutreat God for tliosc
B
•2 Our Lord Sf His Mart t/rs flic (jloriousspectaclesofthe Church.
Seum. who are not yet intent upon the spectacles of the truth, but rgj p-iare wholly given up to the spectacles of the flesh; for I know and am well assured, tliat there are now among you those who have this day despised thein, and have burst the bonds of their inveterate habits ; for men are changed both for the better and the worse. By daily instances of this kind are we alternately made joyful and sad; we joy over the reformed, are sad over the corrupted ; and therefore the Lord doth not Mat.JO, say that he who beginneth, shall be saved, But he that enduretli unto the end shall he saved.
2. Now what more marvellous, what more magnificent thing could our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and also the Son of Man, (for this also He vouchsafed to be,) grant to us, than the gathering into His fold not only of the spectators of these foolish shows, but even some of the actors in them; » ipsos for He hath combated ' unto salvation not only the lovers of res ve- the combats of men with beasts, but even the combatants natus themselves, for He also was made a spectacle Himself. Hear salutem. how. He hath told us Himself, and foretold it before He was made a spectacle, and in the words of prophecy announced be- forehand what was to come to pass, as if it were already done, Ps 22, saying in the Psalms, TJiey pierced My hands and My feety they told all My hones. IjO ! how He was made a spectacle, for His bones to be told ! and this spectacle He expresseth more plainly, they observed and looked tfpon Me. He was made a spectacle and an object of derision, made a spectacle by them who were to shew Him no favour indeed in that spectacle, but who were to be furious against Him, just as at first He made His martyrs spectacles; as saith the Apostle,. 1 Cor. fy(> are made a spectacle unto the world, and to anyels, and ' to men. Now two sorts of men are spectators of such spec-
tacles; the one, carnal, the other, spiritual men. The carnal look on, as thinking those martyrs who are thrown to the beasts, or beheaded, or burnt in the flames, to be wretched irien, and they detest and abhor them ; but others look on, like the holy Angels, not regarding the laceration of their bodies, but admiring the unimpaired purity of their faith. A grand spectacle to the eyes of the heart doth a whole mind in a mangled body exhibit! When these things are read of in the church, you behold them with pleasure with these eyes of
InXt, shame brings victory ; in the world, victory brings shame. ^
the heart, for if you were to behold nothing, you would hear Sbrm. nothing; so you see you have not neglected the spectacles rsj 3 i to-day, but have made a choice of spectacles. May God then be with you, and give you grace with gentle persuasiveness to report your spectacles to your friends, whom you have been pained to see this day running to the amphitheatre, and unwilling to come to the church ; that so they too may begin to contemn those things, by the love of which themselves have become contemptible, and may, with you, love God, of Whom none who love Him can ever be ashamed, for that they love Him Who cannot be overcome : let them, as you do, love Christ, Who by that very thing wherein He seemed to be overcome, overcame the whole world. For He hath over- come the whole world as we see, my brethren ; He hath sub- jected all powers. He hath subjugated kings, not with the pride of soldiery, but by the ignominy of the Cross : not by the fury of the sword, but by hanging on the Wood, by suffer- ing in the body, by working in the Spirit ^ His Body was'spirita- lifted up on the Cross, and so He subdued souls to the Cross, '^^'^ and now what jewel in their diadem is more precious than the Cross of Christ on the foreheads of kings? In loving Him you will never be ashamed. Whereas from the amphitheatre how many return conquered, because those ai'e conquered, for whom they ai'e so madly interested! still more would they be conquered were they to conquer. For so would they be enslaved to the vain joy, to the exultation of a depraved desire, who are conquered by the very circumstance of running to these shows. For how many, my brethren, do you think have this day been in hesitation whether they would go here or there? And they who in this hesitation, turning their thoughts to Christ, have run to the church, have overcome, not any man, but the devil himself, him that hunteth^ after the souls ^ venaio- of the whole world. But they who in that hesitation have'^^'" chosen rather to run to the amphitheatre, have assuredly been overcome by him whom the others overcame — overcame in Him Who saith. Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. Johnic, For the Captain suffered Himself to be tried, only that He might teach His soldiers to fight.
3. That our Lord Jesus Christ might do this, He became ii. the Son of man by being born of a woman. But now, would
B 2
•J Our Lord hectiine Man, born oj a iconuin^ui merctjtoeach se
Serm. lie have been any less a man, if lie had nol been born of [51. B.i ^^^^ Virgin Mary," one may say. " He willed to be a man; well and good; He might have so been, and yet not be born of a woman ; for neither did He make the first man whom He made, of a woman." Now see what answer I make to this. You say, Why did He choose to be born of a woman ? I answer, Why should He avoid being born of a woman ? Granted that I could not shew that He chose to be born of a woman; do you shew why He need have avoided it. But I have already said at other times, that if He had avoided the womb of a woman, it might have betokened, as it wx're, that He could have contracted defilement from her; but by how much He was in His own substance more incapable of defilement, by so much less had He cause to fear the woman's womb, as though He could contract defilement liom it. liut by being born of a woman, He pui-posed to ' sacra- sliew to US souie high mystery'. For of a truth, brethren, we '^'^" ' grant loo, that if the Lord had willed to become man without being born of a woman, it were easy to His sovereign Majesty. For as He could be born of a woman without a man, so could He also have been born without the woman. But this hath He .shewn us, that mankind of neither sex might desjjair of its salvation, for the human sexes are male and female. If therefore being a man, which it behoved Him as- suredly to be. He had not been born of a woman, women might have despaired of themselves, as mindful of their first sin, be- cause by a woman was the first man deceived, and would have thought that they had no hojDC at all in Christ. He came therefore as a man to make special choice of that sex, and was born of a woman to console the female sex, as though He would address them and say ; " That ye may know that no creature 2prava of Giod is bad, but that ^unregulated pleasure perverteth it, when in the beginning I made man, I made them male and female. I do not condemn the creature which I made. See I have been born a INlan, and born of a woman ; it is not then; the creature which 1 made that I condemn, but the sins which 1 made not." Let each sex then at once see its honour, and confess its iniquity, and let them both hope for salvation. The poison to deceive man was presented him by woman, through \\oman let salvation for man's recovery be ])resented ,
HereticsappealtoScr.mf^y'Clnirchwh.ijet isfouvdedonFiulhb
so let the woman make amends for the sin by which she Serm. deceived the man, by giving birth to Christ. For the same rs/jj i reason again, women were the first who announced to the ~ Apostles the Resurrection of God. The woman in Paradise announced death to her husband, and the women in the Church announced salvation to the men ; the Apostles were to announce to the nations the Resurrection of Christ, the women announced it to the Apostles. Let no one then reproach Christ with His birth of a woman, by which sex the Deliverer could not be defiled, and to which it was in'tie^eret the purpose ' of the Creator to do honour ^. mendare
4. But, say they, " how are we to believe that Christ was iii- born of a woman V I would answer, by the Gospel which hath been preached and is still preached to all the world. But these men, blind themselves, and aiming to blind others, seeing not what they ought to see, whilst they try to shake what ought to be believed, endeavour to obtrude a question on a matter which is now believed through all the earth. For they answer and say; " Do not think to overwhelm us with the authority of the whole world — let us look to Scrip- ture itself, urge not arguments of mere ''numbers against us, ^popu- for the seduced multitude favours you." To this 1 answer, in ^l^^^^ the fii'st place, " Does the seduced multitude favour me?" This multitude was once a scantling. Whence grew this multitude, which in this increase was announced so long be- fore ? For this which hath been seen to increase, is none other than the same wdiich was seen beforehand. I need not have said, it was a scantling; once it was Abraham only. Consider, brethren; it was Abraham alone throughout all the world at that time ; throughout the whole world, among all men, and all nations; Abraham alone to whom it was said, Jn ilnj seed'^^^-'^'^^ shall (dl nations be blessed; and what he alone believed of his own^ single ijerson, is exhibited as present now to manv^ smgu- in the multitude of his seed. Then it was not seen, and was believed ; now it is seen, and it is contested ; and what was then said to one man, and was by that one believed, is disputed now by some ievf, when in many it is made good. He Who made His disciples fishers of men, inclosed within His nets every kind of authority. If great numbers are to be believed, what more widely diffused over the whole world
() Believers unanxious, knoicituj all difficulties to he mysteries.
Serm. than the Church ? If the rich are to be believed, let them
[5/ B - consider how many rich He hath taken ; if the poor, let them consider the thousands of poor ; if nobles, almost all the nobility are within the Church ; if kings, let them see all of them subjected to Christ; if the more eloquent, and wise,
' perifi and learned, let them see how many orators, and scientific ' men, and philosophers of this world, have been caught by those fishermen, to be drawn from the depth to salvation ; let them think of Him Who, coming down to heal by the example
1 Cor. Qf jjig Q^yj^ humility that great evil of man's soul, pride, chose ' iJie iceak filings of the world to confound the things which are
inighty, and the foolish tilings of the world to confound, the wise, (not the really wise, but who seemed so to be,) and chose the base things of the world, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are. iv, 5. "Whatever you may choose to say," they say, "we find that in the place where we read that Christ was born, the Gospels disagree with one another, and two things which disagree cannot both be true;" for, says one, " when I have proved this disagreement, I may rightly disallow belief in it, or, at least, do you who accept the belief in it, shew the agreement." And what disagreement, I ask, will you prove ? " A plain one," says he, " which none can gainsay." With what security, brethren, do you hear all this, because ye are believers ! Attend, dearly beloved, and see what wholesome advice the
Col. 2, Apostle gives, who saith. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus our Lord, so walk ye in Him, rooted and built up in Him, and established in the faith ; for with this simple and assured faith ought we to abide stedfastly in Him, that He may Himself open to the faithful what is hidden in Him;
V. 3, for as the same Apostle saith. In Him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge ; and He does not hide them to refuse them, but to stir up desire for those hidden things. This is the advantage of their secrecy. Honour in Him then what as yet thou understandest not, and so much the more as the veils which thou seest are more in number : for the higher in honour any one is, the more veils are suspended in his palace. The veils make that which is kept secret honoured, and to those who honour it, the veils are lifted up; but as for those who mock at the veils, they are driven away from even
Godliness andhumility, not criticism, the key to H. Scripture. 7
approaching them. Because then we turn unto Christ, the Serm. veil is taken a nay. r5i B 1
6. They bring forward then their cavilhngs ', and say, " You 2~cor. 3 allow that Matthew is an Evangelist." We answer : Yes i^'- indeed, with a godly confession, and a heart devout, in , \*
'_'=''' ' '1 calum-
neither having any doubt at all, we answer plainly, Matthew nias is an Evangelist. " Do you believe him .'"' they say. Who will not answer, I do? How clear an assent doth that your godly murmur convey ! So, brethren, you. believe it in all assurance ; you have no cause to blush for it. I am speaking to you, who was once deceived, when as in my early boyhood I chose to bring to the divine Scriptures a subtlety of criti- cising before the godly temper of one who was seeking truth: by my irregular- life I shut the gate of my Lord against my-2pep(,er- self: when I should have knocked for it to be opened, I went '''^ ™°"
. Ill f -r 1 -t ribus
on so as to make it more closely shut, for I dared to search in pride for that which none but the humble can discover. How much more blessed now are you, with what sure con- fidence do you learn, and in what safety, who are still young ones in the nest of faith, and receive the spiritual food ; whereas I, wretch that I was, as thinking myself fit to fly, left the nest, and fell down before I flew : but the Lord of mercy raised me up, that I might not be trodden down to death by passers by, and put me in the nest again; for those same things then troubled me, which now in quiet security I am proposing and explaining to you in the Name of the Lord.
7. As then I had begun to say, thus do they cavil. "Matthew," say they, "is an Evangelist, and you believe him?" Immediately that we acknowledge him to be an Evangelist, we necessarily believe him. Attend then to the generations of Christ, which Matthew has set down. The book of the MsLtt.l, generation of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of^- Abraham. How the Son of David, and the Son of Abraham ? He could not be shewn to be so, but by the succession of generations; for certain it is that when the Lord was born of the Virgin Mary, neither Abraham, nor Da^â– id, were in this world, and dost thou say that the same man is both the Son of David, and the Son of Abraham ? Let us, as it were, say to Matthew, Prove thy word, for 1 am waiting for the succes- sion of the generations of Christ. Abraham beyat Isaac: y, 2.
8 CoieralionH after tliejlesh of Him IVho was before <ill lime.
Serm. and Isaac be</a/ Jacob ; and Jacob begat Judas and his
r^^'Yii brethren; and Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar ;
vTJ. and Phares begat Esrom; and Esroni begat Aram; and
,.4 Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson ; and
V. 6. Naasson begat Salmon ; and Salmon begat Booz of Rachab;
and Booz begat ObedofRuth; and Obed begat Jesse; and
V. 6, Jesse begat David the king. Now observe how from this
point the genealogy is brought down from David to Christ,
Who is called the Son of Abraham, and the Son of David.
And David begat Solomon, of her that had been the u-ife of
V. 7. Urias; and Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboani begat
V. 8. Abia; and Abia begat Asa; and Asa begat Josaphat; and
V. 9. Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias; and Ozias
begat Joalliam; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz
V. 10. begat Ezekias; and Ezekias begat Manasses; and Man asses
V. 11. begat Avion; and Anion begat Josias ; and Josias begat
Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they icere carried
V. 12. auag to Babylon; and after the carrying away into Babylon,
Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salalhiel begat Zorobabel ;
V. 13. and Zorobabel begat Abiud ; and Abiud begat Eliakiui ;
v.\A. (Did Eliakim begat Azor; and Azor begat Sadoc; and
X. \b. Sadoc begat Achim ; and Achim begat Eiiud; and Eliud
begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat 3Iatt1tan ; and MattJtan
^- 1^- begat Jacob; a)id Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary,
of ivhom was born Jesus, JVho is called Christ. Thus then by
the order and succession of fathers and forefathers, Christ is
found to be the Son of David, and the Son of Abraham.
8. Now upon this thus faithfully narrated, the first cavil
V. 17. they bring is, that the same Matthew goes on to say, All the
generations from Abraham to David are fourteen, generations ;
and from David until the carrying aicay into Babylon are
fourteen, generations; and from the carrying away into
Bahtjlon unto Christ are fourteen generations. Then in oi'der
to tell us how Christ was born of the Virgin Mary, he went
V. 18. on and said, Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise ;
for by the line of the generations he had shewed why Christ
vi. is called the Son of David, and the Son of Abraham. But
now it needed to be shewn how He was born and appeared
among men : and so there follows immediately that narrative,
by means of which we believe; that our Lonl Jesus Christ was
Justice of S. Joseph shewn in purify and tenderness. 9
not only born of the everlasting God, coeternal with Him Serm. Who begat Him before all times, before all creation, byr^/'^n Whom all things were made ; but was also now born from the Holy Ghost, of the Virgin Mary, which we confess equally with the other; for you remember and know, (for I am speak- ing to Catholics, to my brethren,) that this is our faith, that this we profess and confess; for this faith thousands of martyrs have been slain in all the world.
9. This also which follows they like to laugh at, whose wish it is to destroy the authority of the Evangelical books, that they may shew as it were that we have without any good reason believed what is said. When as His mother y. 19. 3Iarjj uas espoused to Joseph, be/ore tliey came together, she nas found ici.tli Child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband being a just man, and not icilling to make her a public example, ?ras minded to put her a nay privily ; for because he knew that she was not with child by him, he thought that she was so to say ' necessarily an adulteress. 1 velut Being a just man, as the Scripture saith, and not uilliny to make her a public example, (that is, to divulge the matter, for so it is in many copies,) he was minded to put her away privily. The husband indeed was in trouble, but as being a just man he deals not severely ; for so great justice is ascribed to this man, as that he neither wished to keep an adulterous wife, nor could bring himself^ to jnniish and-auderet expose her. He uas minded to put Iter away privily, because he was not only unwilling to punish, but even to betray her ; and mark his genuine justice ; for he did not wish to spare her, because he had a desire to keep her ; for many spare their adulterous wives through a carnal love, choosing to keep them even though adulterous, that they may enjoy them through a carnal desire. But this just man has no wish to keep her, and so does not love in any carnal sort ; and yet he does not wish to punish her; and so in his mercy he spares her. How truly just a man is this ! He would neither keep an adulteress, lest he should seem to spare her because of an impure affection, and yet he would not punish or betray her. Deservedly indeed was he chosen for the witness of his wife's virginity: and so he who was in trouble through human infirmity, was assured by Di\ ine authority.
\OGod,thro''cavilsqf heretics, developes mysteries totheChurch.
Serm. 10. For the Evangelist goes on to say, While he thought
foi. B.l''^* ///f^sf thiu(/s, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto
V. 20. him in sleep, saging, Joseph, fear not to take unto thee Mary
^'i- thy wife; for That uhicli is conceived in her is of the Holy
V. 21. Ghost. And she sliall bring forth a Son,