Sermon Viii Of Shunning Vainglory, And That Praise Is To Be Rendered To God Alone
SERMON VIII
OF SHUNNING VAINGLORY, AND THAT PRAISE IS TO BE RENDERED TO GOD ALONE
SO let your light shine before men that they may see your good works: and glorify your Father Who is in Heaven. Beloved brethren, when you do any good, be not lifted up, do not vainly boast; but humble your heart before God: lest on account of vainglory and self complacency you lose heavenly glory and the reward eternal. Every good action is to be attributed to God: not to your industry or power. Strive to wish to please God alone: and to give good example to the neighbour, in the observance of the regular discipline; lest the devil find whereby to grievously accuse you: and urge that you are like to sepulchres whitened without. Of what profit the vain praise of men; when within an evil conscience accuses of sins? The proud man and ambitious of temporal glory has toil without fruit: and unless he speedily repent and deeply humble himself: he will heap up a sum of greater punishment. Outside the charity of God and the neighbour the works praised by men are of no avail; but they are as empty vessels having no oil: and as lamps giving no light in the dark. Certainly they are the foolish virgins: who for any good work or word seek the praises of men. But they are the wise, who stand in fear, and guard in true humility the little good which they do: all likewise that they know and understand, and bring to effect, or purpose to make better: this they attribute with truth to God, the giver of all good things. Otherwise they are thieves and robbers: thieves because they unlawfully usurp the glory and honour of God; robbers because by vainly boasting they wound their own soul: and by taking pride they destroy the grace of God.
Who is just and prudent? He who has God ever before his eyes; who always thinks on good things: always speaks good things: always does good things, while he lives and is able. Do not, brethren, take pride from this that you know and read much: or because you have been long in the way of God and in religion. You should rather grieve that you have made so little progress in virtues: and would that you had still the first-fruits of the sweetness of a beginner, and so felt. However, you must not lose heart, or cease from your good endeavours: but with all humility beseech the divine assistance: that God deign to inspire you with fresh fervour. For as long as a man dwells in the present condition, he is instable, and liable to fall from good to evil: and on the other hand he is capable of being brought back from evil to good. Whence the wise king Solomon saith: “There is no just man upon earth: that doth good, and sinneth not.” And blessed John, the most beloved disciple of Jesus, says in his epistle: that no man may vainly glory in his justice and purity. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves: and the truth is not in us.” Let no man therefore excuse himself as if he were blameless, and clear of fault: for in many things we all offend, saith blessed James the Apostle. For either knowingly a man sins, or unknowingly: either willingly or unwillingly, either from weakness, or from a perverse will: either from fear or from love, either from despair or presumption: either from frivolity of mind, or from habit, or from lukewarmness; either drawn by company, or puffed up by singularity: either stirred by anger, or carried away by concupiscence. By these passions and various desires, as by contrary winds, the heart of man is often moved and disturbed: and because of these storms of the world, very seldom does a man attain the harbour of repose. For there is scarcely a day or a night, an hour or an interval so brief and good: but in something a man errs or grows lukewarm, or commits negligences. For all which it behoves to pray without ceasing; that the loving God may mercifully forgive us all our evils: of which we have been guilty in word or deed or thought. And because no man is free from stain; therefore with humility and sorrow of heart speedy recourse must be had to the remedy of confession: and with greater watchfulness care be taken for the future against every occasion of evil thoughts. It behoves a man to strive to guard against evil in the beginning, lest the wily serpent find a small opening: and at length violently thrust in his whole head and tail. The heart of man cannot rest; but it is occupied either in good or in evil: as frequent experience teaches. And as much as a man loves good and pursues virtue: so much he hates evil and detests vice: because contraries cannot dwell together in one home. But no man shall find repose of heart whatever he may have or desire; unless he seek and hold in enjoyment God the true and supreme good: and use temporal things with moderation unto meriting the eternal kingdom of God.
Therefore, brethren, seek Christ in humility now: that hereafter you may see Him in His majesty. Seek now His grace by prayers with unfeigned tears: that cleansed from all stains, you may be worthy to see His face in Heaven. Seek now Christ in the law and the prophets concealed under figures: that hereafter you may know all the secrets of the scriptures perfectly without books and masters: as it is said by the apostle Paul: “We see now through a glass in a dark manner: but then face to face.”
But to possess the supreme good with the elect of God, who can be meet and worthy? Assuredly the truly humble, the perfectly obedient, mild and patient: grieving much for sins, strongly resisting vice: spurning the glory of the world, accounting himself nothing; seldom in things exterior, assiduous in interior: cold towards the things of earth, on fire for the things of Heaven: gentle to bear with others, vigorous in chastising self: easy to forgive, difficult to provoke: anxious every hour to watch over his heart: slow to go outside, joyful of soul to abide at home. Blessed he who turns over these things in his mind: and most speedily returns to his interior. Blessed he who suffers nothing temporal, nothing carnal, nothing impure, nothing swollen to enter the sanctury of his heart: nor permits the like to tarry there. Blessed he who knows many good things and does what he says; for now he has great peace: and hereafter with Christ he shall equally obtain a more blessed glory. Which may He deign to bestow upon us with all His saints: Who is above all God, blessed for ever. Amen.