• Matt. xxii. 40.
CHAP, v.] LOVE THE END OF THE COMMANDMENT. 2*75 aforetime, was written with the view of presignifying the
Lord's advent ; and if whatever has been committed to waiting in times subsequent to these, and established by divine authority, is a record of Christ, and admonishes us of love, it is manifest that on those two commandments of love to God and love to our neighbour^ hang not only all the law and the prophets, which at the time when the Lord spoke to that effect were as yet the only Holy Scripture, but also all those books of the divine literature which have been written ^ at a later period for our health, and consigned to remembrance.
Wherefore, in the Old Testament there is a veiling of the New, and in the New Testament there is a revealing of the
Old. According to that veiling, carnal men, understanding things in a carnal fashion, have been under the dominion, both then and now, of a penal fear. According to tliis revealing, on the other hand, spiritual men,—among whom we reckon at once those then who knocked in piety and found even hidden things opened to them, and others now who seek in no spirit of pride, lest even things uncovered should be closed to them, —understanding in a spiritual fashion, have been made free through the love wherewith they have been gifted. Consequently, inasmuch as there is nothing more adverse to love than envy, and as pride is the mother of envy, the same Lord
Jesus Christ, God-man, is both a manifestation of divine love towards us, and an example of human humility with us, to the end that our great swelling might be cured by a greater counteracting remedy. For here is great misery, proud man ! But there is greater mercy, a_2iumble God ! Take this love, therefore, as the end that is set before you, to which you are to refer all that you say, and, whatever you narrate, narrate it in such a manner that he to whom you are discoursing on hearing may believe, on believing may hope, on hoping may love.
Chap, v.— That the person who comes for catechetical instruction is to he examined with respect to his views, on desiring to become a Christian.
9. Moreover, it is on the ground of that very severity of
• Matt. xxii. 40.
Reading conscripta, for wliich some Mss. have consccuta=^liCLve followed, and many give conaecrata, dedicated.
276 ON CATECHISING. [CIIAP. V.
God/ by ^vllic]l the hearts of mortals are agitated Avitli a most wholesome terror, tliat love is to be built up ; so that, rejoicing that he is loved by Him whom he fears, man may have boldness to love Him in return, and yet at the same time be afraid to displease His love toward liimself, even should he be able to do so with impunity. For certainly it very rarely liappens, nay, I sliould rather say, never, that any one approaches us with the wish to become a Christian who has not been smitten with some sort of fear of God. For if it is in the expectation of some advantage from men whom he deems himself unlikely to please in any otlier way, or with the idea of escaping any disadvantage at the hands of men of whose displeasure or hostility he is seriously afraid, that a man wishes to become a Christian, then his wish to become one is not so earnest as his desire to feign one.^ For faith is not a matter of the body which does obeisance,^ but of the mind which believes. But unmistakeably it is often the case that the mercy of God comes to be present tlirough the ministry of the catechiser, so that, affected by the discourse, the man now wishes to become in reality that which he had made up his mind only to feign. And so soon as he begins to have tliis manner of desire, we may judge him then to have made a genuine approach to us. It is true, indeed, that the precise time when a man, whom we perceive to be present with us already in the body, comes to us in reality with his mind,* is a thing hidden from us. But, notwitiistanding that, we ought to deal with him in such a manner that this wish may be made to arise within him, even should it not be there at present. For no such labour is lost, inasmuch as, if thei^ is any wish at all, it is assuredly strengthened by such action on our part, although we may be ignorant of the time or tlie hour at whicli it began. It is useful certainly, if it can be done, to get from those who know the man some idea beforehand of the state of
' De ipsa etiam .sovcritate Dei . . . caiitas a'dificanJa est.
' Non fieri vult j)otius tiuain fingere.
"signifying assmt by its motions," adopting the reading of the best
viz. salutantis corporis. Somo editions give aalvandi^ while certain Mss.
have salitCni, and otliers saltautis.
Reading (/uando vcniat animo, for which quo rrniat animo also occurs =: the mind in which a man comes ... is a matter hidden from U5.