Sermon Xv Of Careful Watchfulness Of The Young Against Many Temptations
SERMON XV
OF CAREFUL WATCHFULNESS OF THE YOUNG AGAINST MANY TEMPTATIONS
SEE how you walk circumspectly: because the days are evil. Beloved brethren, in these words the glorious teacher, blessed Paul the apostle, warns us all: to be circumspect, and to fight bravely against vices in this house of the Lord, which is the dwelling of many wayfarers of the world; wherein is raised the standard of the holy cross: as a sign of spiritual warfare for the gaining of golden crowns in the heavenly kingdoms. Wherefore let no man grow weary of the desire of progress: the Lord of armies is with us: Who is the mighty uprooter of vices and the terror of our foes. Let no man be disturbed, or affrighted, by the assault of divers temptations, or by the multitude of contrary winds: or by the fatigue of daily labours; by many tribulations we must all enter the kingdom of Heaven: the gospel of Christ preaches, and the Acts of the Apostle teach. Yea, also, the apostle Paul himself, the vessel of election, frequently rapt to the secrets of Heaven, had temptations; suffered many annoyances from men, and wearied in many toils often heard and bore detractions and unjust complaints against himself. And yet he did not because of the afflictions of adversity depart from the service and love of Christ, nor grow cold: but rather manfully offered himself to endure all; and encouraged others with him to the combat for the crown of glory: which Christ has promised to His servants who endure many contradictions for Him. And blessed Paul became so much the more joyous and assured of receiving future rewards in Heaven: the more cruelly he suffered from men known and unknown as a man contemptible in the world.
Brethren, be not too much afraid of suffering and being despised for Christ; all these things are nothing and shall speedily be ended: yea, in comparison of the good and the evil things to come, they are to be accounted as scarcely of a single point, or moment. Know then that this life and regular discipline, which by the inspiration of God you have taken up, is good, and very wholesome for your soul: but not safe from the snares of the enemy: nor always at peace from the annoyances of men and the reproaches of the perverse. For now this one, now that one says or does something: which will not be pleasing in your eyes. What then shall you do? Be patient and hold your peace; God will fight for you: and the truth will make you free. Do not lose your merit, but with silence endure a little: deeming yourselves worthy of all confusion. As yet you are not in Heaven with the holy angels; but in the world with men good and bad: who shall not be wanting in this region of the shadow of death. Therefore you may well more often lament and not lightly laugh: but rather fear and not foolishly presume of yourselves. Carefully therefore in every place and time walk in the sight of God: because you are uncertain of a good end: and how God will judge your actions you know not. “Fear the Lord, all ye His saints,” saith holy David, “for there is no want to them that fear Him.” Why does he urge all to fear; and to stand with great watchfulness of discipline? Because terrible are the judgements of God upon the sons of men: and no one is certain whether he is worthy of hatred or love. Therefore it is very profitable for a man still carnal, dissolute and unmortified to have the fear of God: and to fear all His works, and to think lowlily of himself. For the fear of God makes a man withdraw from sin: be on the watch against the dangers of temptations: grieve over past evils, abstain from present delights: take moderately of the necessaries of life: and rule his actions with discretion: always to aim at the more perfect: and ever to seek and diligently execute all things which please God more: and praiseworthily to draw and move all good things to the honour of His name.
Alas, alas, brethren, many perils surround us on all sides: as the flesh, the devil, and the whole world seated in wickedness. Hence are begotten dangers and temptations: and few are they who escape without wound and stain. What wonder then if a man fear for his weakness; when on all sides he sees the snares of the devil laid out for him? For if he does good, if he reads, sings or writes well: if he prays, studies, preaches, or celebrates; behold at once the devil is there with vainglory, attacking the just man by means of success: desiring to cast him down, and to deprive him of the grace bestowed on him by God. But if he fall into any fault through frailty: at once the foe runs up with joy: and suggests that it is not a great evil, nor seriously to be punished, but even to be confessed shortly and carefully excused: since many do and have done the like and worse. Thus the cunning adversary beguiles him who has fallen; that thereby he may repent but little, go to confession late: put off communion, fear to minister: turn himself to outer things, dread the cell: seek to gossip and idle, pretend he is weak: neglect what is necessary, search into the business of others: be careless of things divine, turn over in his mind the things of earth. If a man does not drive out all this betimes: he runs into more serious snares of the devil. Again he seeks to wound and overthrow certain weaklings by anger and impatience: and saddens and disturbs them for a little thing lost or taken away: arouses anger, injects suspicion; perverts good actions, sows false for true, and persuades to render evil for good. O wickedness of the deceitful enemy: how many are thy snares and deceits, in every place and time, wounding secretly and unexpectedly. And who shall know them; and number all? God alone, Who knows all secrets, knows the guiles of the devil: Who teaches that we are to be on our guard against them by the sacred scriptures revealed of the Holy Ghost. What therefore shall a man do grievously tempted, and in many ways vexed by the presence of the enemy; who also is charged and ridiculed before others? Whither shall he fly to escape the snares: and hear or see no evils? When shall the time come: to have peace and rest? I have told you and again I tell you, little and great. Our peace is in much patience; in true humility, in contempt of all earthly solace, in the brave endurance of adversities: in the patient expectation of the joys of Heaven. Call to mind therefore, most dearly beloved, in your tribulation the favours of God and His wonderful works, from the beginning of creation even to the consummation of the world: and you shall find that the loving-kindness of God surpasses the malice of men sparing their crimes: that they may amend their life unto better. And when He scourges the pious with adversities: He also shows His love in His chosen ones. They then that reckon stripes as favours, they have peace now: and them a most joyous recompense shall follow in Heaven. For there is full peace and safety from foes: freedom from vice, health from disease: rest from toil. There riches without anxiety, delights without bitterness, knowledge without error; love without feigning, bliss without sorrow: honour without confusion, praise and glory without ceasing. But alas, these good things are not in the world, where all things are mingled with evil; for rare is perfect virtue: seldom is the conscience pure from every stain. And unless divine grace be at hand and a careful custody of the heart: soon the negligent man falls into his accustomed vices and sins. And whence does this come? Because we are born with sin, and from youth we are prone to the pleasures of the flesh; we give ourselves half-heartedly to virtue, we are withdrawn unwillingly from our own ideas: we are entangled in vanities, we examine the affairs of others; and therefore our senses, even after conversion and confession of sins, are more apt to return to the earthly and visible things familiar to them: than to rise to the desire of things heavenly and invisible. It is a grievous pain to a dissipated man to withdraw his mind from the base goods to which his nature is habituated: it is a great task to raise his soul to the goods above and eternal, hidden from the eyes of men. Alas, alas, what anguish of soul: to toil and strive every day against oneself, for the reward of everlasting life.
But the so great goods and immense merits and boundless rewards still lie hid: which God shall most abundantly render hereafter to them that toil, struggle, grieve, and piously endure: according to His promises in the holy gospel: “Behold,” He saith, “your reward is great in Heaven: which shall be given you for the short combat and distress in the world.” But who can know and tell all the perils of this life: which may befall a man in the place of temptation under the sun? For to the just and to the wicked: many like things equally occur. Often also adversity saddens more: than the gain of good rejoices. If a man is poor: anxiety urges him to acquire possessions. If he is rich: he has fear of losing. Wo then to him who has, and wo to him who has not: for from both sides threaten risks of sin. The Wise Man therefore prays choosing the middle way: and says: “Give me neither beggary, nor riches: give me only the necessaries of life.” More than this, my son, seek not. For Christ’s sake fear not poverty, beloved of Christ: for willingly to suffer want is virtuous: and the gaining of the kingdom of Heaven. Sweeter often is the dry bread of the poor man hungry: than the loaded table of the rich man sated. More wholesome to the beggar is the drink of water, under a miserable shelter of wood: than abundance of strong wine in the palace of a king. For satiety of food overloads the rich man more: the drinking of wine does more harm to his head: than poor nourishment injures the stomach of the ailing beggar. But holy poverty is very soon exposed to danger in great riches; sobriety in luscious banquets, humility in lofty honours; chastity in friendship with women, devotion in tumult, compunction in laughter: silence in crowds, purity of heart in news, quiet in labours; mildness in adversity, prudence in offices; tranquillity in occupations, discretion in reproofs, the taste for things divine in vain stories. Behold how virtues are dimmed and undermined: by too great frequency of certain doings with seculars. For spiritual sweetness is speedily lost by outward affairs: and the heat of charity besought of God cools and is extinguished through long gossiping. And unless lightness of mind be curbed by compunction, lukewarmness driven out by prayer: peace recovered by reading: the conscience often cleansed by pure and humble confession: accustomed bad habits return, grow, harden, oppress and afflict. Wherefore it is needful that a religious brother admonish chiefly himself, and receive kindly the admonitions of others; exercise great care against his passions, and bravely war against the assault of vices: for without doubt brave fighting is the way to the everlasting joys, to be bestowed on the victors at the finish. Hence Christ, speaking by blessed John in the Apocalypse, earnestly exhorts His faithful soldier to fight: and to be on his guard against the wickedness of the devil by prayer and sacred studies. “Be thou faithful unto death,” He saith, “and I will give thee the crown of life.” And again in the same. “To him that overcometh I will give the hidden manna: and a new name written, which no man knoweth but he that receiveth.” Whereof blessed Paul saith: “No man shall be crowned: except he strive lawfully.” Two precious gifts Christ promises His warrior so that he fail not in the combat against vice; to wit, the manna of divine consolation in the present: and the Crown of everlasting joy in the kingdom of Heaven. Be not therefore, brethren, seduced with empty words by friends in the world, nor heed temporal honours: but hold to the good and right path leading by the regular life to life eternal. Which may our Lord Jesus Christ grant us all after the labours and sorrows of this mortal life: Who for our salvation mightily toiled in the world, fought, grieved, wept, prayed: suffered and being crucified triumphed. Amen.