Sermon Xvi Of The Strict Judgement Of God, Where All Creatures Shall Accuse Us
SERMON XVI
OF THE STRICT JUDGEMENT OF GOD, WHERE ALL CREATURES SHALL ACCUSE US
BE you humbled under the mighty hand of God: that He may exalt you in the time of visitation. Beloved brethren, gravely heed these sacred words of blessed Peter the apostle: which have just been read in his epistle. For he exhorts all to true humility of heart; that a man consider the most sublime power of God over him: and the manifold misery of his own weakness. These two joined together make a man deem humbly of himself: and take pride of no good work. Hence again he saith: “God resisteth the proud: but to the humble He giveth grace.” Examine then your hearts open in all things to God: think over the evils of the past, the dangers of the present, the judgements of God to come: and how severely all our works are to be searched. We know not, brethren, how God will judge us. But I fear that our accusers will urge many serious charges against us: of which we now think little. But who are these our accusers? Truly very many: of whom now some are to be mentioned.
The holy angels will accuse us; because we did not obey the divine inspirations: but often rather indulged flesh and blood beyond need.
The terrible and malignant demons will accuse us: alleging the places, times and persons, in which and with whom we have sinned: and have not done due penance.
The holy patriarchs and prophets will accuse us: because we have not followed their good example and faith by our works: who foretold us many good things by the sacred writings concerning Christ and the life to come.
The holy apostles and evangelists will accuse us; because we have so carelessly and lukewarmly trodden that way of perfection, which they learnt from Christ and observed: even after we have entered the cloister, and promised to serve God.
The holy martyrs slain for Christ will accuse us; because we have but feebly imitated their patience, when vexed even in few things: and having fallen to softness of the flesh, scarcely retain a spark of our first fervour.
The holy confessors and all the religious Orders will accuse us: because we have not followed according to our powers their abstinence and labour in watchings and many fasts, in prayers, readings, and holy meditations, as we read of them.
Good pastors, priests and doctors will accuse us: who toiled much for the salvation of souls, for the conversion of sinners, for the discipline of religious, for the consolation of the afflicted: because we have not in the cloister perfectly followed their prudence and their preaching by contempt of the world: nor with sufficient reverence and love gratefully received their books most sweet beyond honey and the honeycomb: nor studiously read, nor diligently given heed to their holy discourses.
The readers, the cantors, the writers and all the books which we have in the choir, in the dormitory, in the refectory, and in our cells for study will accuse us; because we have made little profit of them: but have more often listened to foreign and vain discourses. Therefore they would say, if they could speak: “We have piped to you and you have not danced for the greatness of the joys and the rewards to come which are contained written in our volumes: which God has handed down to you for your comfort and instruction.” And again lamenting with the weeping children they would say: “We have mourned for you, and you have not wept for the exceeding miseries and pains to come: which we have frequently denounced to you.”
The holy hermits, lovers of the solitary life, separated in mind and body from the world, will accuse us; because we have neglected perfectly to copy their angelic manner of life, and heavenly contemplation in continual prayers and devout meditations, in silence and toils: in renunciation of earthly things and mortification of vices. And so they will rejoice in great glory before God and the angels: but we shall stand ashamed because of the luxuries which we have willingly received.
The holy virgins, saintly widows, and all youths and maidens, observing, with constancy, chastity beloved of God, will accuse us: who although they were frail by sex and age: nevertheless could not be torn away by cruel torments from love and fidelity to their heavenly Spouse. But we with difficulty refrain from the dangers and occasions of sins of the flesh; for the most part fast unwillingly and observe strictness of silence with laxity: foolishly dread the cloister and the retirement of the cell established for peace of heart and preservation of devotion; and alas, often give offence whispering with light words at the instigation of the devil: who is the author of the disturbance of whispering and levity. For many sacred virgins and noble matrons, amid friends and kinsfolk in the world, amid wealth and honours, refrained from pleasures; amid persecutors and mockers, held bravely their purpose of chastity: bore most patiently imprisonment and dungeons, chains, blows, and exile. What then shall we say to this, who are men? For too often we seek to wander abroad: whence we bring back little fruit. Let us blush, dear brethren, that we read of so many glorious saints and holy virgins, old men and maidens suffering: and still we are little able to suffer. Let us follow them doing penance for our sins: whom we cannot follow dying for virtue. Let us all say groaning and weeping: “Have mercy on us, O Lord, spare our sins; grant pardon for all our offences: be appeased by the merits and prayers of Thy saints most gratefully accepted by Thee.”
There are moreover many other accusers for us also: to wit, a convenient place, a holy Order, and the religious habit. For even if we have left the world to outward appearance, and wear a religious habit with others: nevertheless we do not so strictly keep the statutes of the Order as we have promised.
Our superiors and directors will accuse us: when they are carefully questioned on each point concerning our good conduct in the presence of Christ. For it is necessary that they say simply the truth of the matter: before Christ the judge Who knows all secrets. Among many things it will be chiefly demanded of them and required of us: whether we have been obedient in all with due reverence; whether we have kept peace and concord with the brethren, saving the discipline of the Order: whether we have celebrated the Divine Office day and night devoutly and attentively, cheerfully and watchfully: whether we have prayed fervently and frequently for benefactors living and dead: whether we have done meet penance for our excesses and shortcomings; whether from charity and loving compassion we have poured out prayers for friends and foes in affliction: whether we have set the common good and obedience before private study and devotion.
Our brothers also will accuse us, seeing our manner of life from morning until evening: because we have not given them good example, watching, praying, toiling, and instant in other devout exercises; but have often spent the precious time of penance fruitlessly: seeking our own ease, and neglecting things profitable.
Men of the world will accuse us, wayfarers and chance guests: because they have seen us wandering outside, light of manners, dissolute of words: well clothed, eating daintily, working little, talking long: late to choir, hastening to the cell and repose. For we are bound to give them and all men an example of holy conduct: because we are made a spectacle to God and angels: and to all who behold us, learned and unlearned, it behoves us to show the way of eternal life: and to bear the repute of a good name.
Moreover the elements will accuse us, and all creatures of Heaven and earth, because of the many services rendered for our use; because we have not shown meet worship to our Creator: and have not paid, as was due and befitting, thanksgiving for blessings bestowed with all the affection of our heart, according to the strength which we have received from God. For since we are in health, and receive without great anxiety from our providers daily necessaries; and willingly accept gratuitous gifts: therefore we are now the more obliged towards God, as guests of the King of Heaven.
The fire will speak: and cry out against our sloth and ingratitude. “I by the order of God my Creator succour you in many ways; I as a faithful servant serve gratis the whole and the sick in the kitchen, in the bakery, in the brewery, in the lavatory and in the church: and as often as necessary I show myself kind to all who wish to warm themselves at the fire. I by the power given me burn straw, turf, stones and wood: I dry the damp, warm the cold, soften the hard, harden the soft: I work in different materials contrary effects, by the wondrous power of God impressed on the laws of nature: that you may have your conveniences: to serve God with joy and great gratitude. For in winter I warm your hands and feet; I light the candles, put darkness to flight: render to your eyes the brightness of light. What should I do that I have not done? Answer thy Creator: if I have refused to obey His command. For I have done without contradiction both for the good and the bad: whatever the Lord my Creator, the almighty and merciful God, commanded to be done. For the good indeed and the just I give heat and light to their profit: but for the bad and ungrateful I flame unto vengeance. And when God in anger bids, then I burn cities, towns and castles: and waste both the rich and the poor without respect of persons; and reduce to ashes all the joy, beauty and abundance of the world; and still remain unharmed in the form of my own nature.”
The air will say: “I provide a good breeze and serenity that you may walk with ease: toil with ingenuity, sow with fruit: and gather the ripened harvest into the barns and stores of men. But because men often abuse good gifts to work vanities and unlawful gains: God, angered by their malice, of a sudden compels me to work terrors on land, on sea, on trees, on beasts, on castles, on towns, on fields, and on holy houses. For while it is still bright day and nobody is heeding, I raise clouds, produce winds, send forth lightnings, beget thunders, arouse storms, disturb the sea, cast down hail, pour out rain, strike the earth, tear up trees, overthrow houses, and show with terror the power of God over these lower creatures; that all the sinners of the earth may learn to fear God: and weigh from present evils, how dreadful shall be the judgement to come on the last day.”
The water will say. “I water the earth with showers, produce springs and rivers, nourish fishes of divers kinds, strongly carry ships and galleons laden with much wealth, and with the blowing of the wind bear them to distant lands and islands: I show many wonderful works of God to them that travel on the sea and in many waters; that they may proclaim His works with exultation when they arrive in port: and give thanks generously as delivered from great dangers. And because sins exact penalty, therefore when God is grievously offended I often strike and destroy ships with a tempest: often I drown men, drink in precious wealth, and cast to the bottom as the mud of the streets the gold and silver wherein men trust; so that thereby the avaricious and proud mighty ones, who oppress the poor and defraud the innocent, may not boast in their riches, nor place their hope in earthly things: but in the living God Who made all things out of nothing, and feeds the poor in little. I wash the hands and feet of the saints, and I serve in many ways the evil and ungrateful; I give drink to the thirsty, fill wells and canals, cleanse stains, make garments white: and from springs and torrents I produce sweet waters for various uses of men and beast. I because of the sins of men was changed into blood in the land of Egypt: against nature I flowed most plentifully from the rock in the desert; at the prayers of the saints I was changed into sweetness: and at the word of Christ into the taste of the best wine. They then are obliged to render many thanks to God who have abundance of water, and take fishes with their nets: but those who inebriate themselves with wine and various liquors and to the poor give little or nothing: shall be tormented with the rich man in Hell.”
The earth will say: “I support men and brutes; I offer smooth ways and straight paths to wayfarers through fields and woods: I employ as a rampart mountains and hills lest the waters prevail. I nourish trees, grasses and various kinds of herbs: I bring forth vines and olives, figs and pomegranates, apples, pears, nuts, almonds, beans, peas, barley, wheat, flowers, roses, lilies, violets: and every year I render the usual return to the cultivators of the earth and the harvesters. And for all these blessings freely bestowed upon men, naught else do I ask and hold as thanks: but that everywhere all the nations of the earth, and the islands of the peoples know, serve, preach, praise and worship God; and above all goods visible and invisible love, honour and exalt Him: as long as they live, smell, breathe, tread the earth, dig, plant and build. I also after the death of the flesh receive the bodies of the dead into my lap as a mother her children deprived of light: for of the earth all were made, and unto the earth all shall return as to their mother, whence Adam was formed: and as to the common hospice of all mortal pilgrims. For when any man becomes useless to the world, either worn out with old age, or slain in battle, or infected by disease, or repulsive in appearance, and nobody will now retain him in the house, or nurse him in bed; then without long delay friends and neighbours have recourse to me, make ready a pit, and bring their castaway to me: and beneath my shelter hide him in the ground. And him whom they had loved in life, and praised and honoured highly: now dead they avoid, close their nostrils, dread to gaze on him, and depart. But I, the earth created by God, full of compassion, abhor and spurn no dead man however miserable a Lazarus, or wounded, or fetid; but without respect of persons I receive universally all the sons and daughters of Adam: who because of the sin of their first parent are compelled to return to the dust, whence all took their origin. I open indifferently to poor and rich a place of burial; and if sometimes the living quarrel for a more worthy position: the dead however are silent, and contradict not them that bury them. All the kings of the earth, all princes, all dukes, counts, barons, military leaders, nobles, commoners, prelates, abbots, doctors, lawyers, priests, clerics and laics, in a small hut I enclose, cover and keep: until at the sound of the last trumpet Christ shall appear in His majesty with the holy angels in the greatest glory. For then I am compelled to give up again the bodies sleeping in their graves: to present in judgement without delay all the good and bad with their bodies: that each may receive reward or punishment according to his works which he did in life. Nor then shall I be able to keep back by violence anyone, nor by prayer nor bribe hide longer from the face of the Judge and from the wrath of the Lamb, nor protect by arms: for the just Lord shall judge justly all the bounds of the earth: saving the righteous in mercy: and most justly condemning the wicked for their demerits.” O would that all mortals would weigh these things: and frequently think with fear and groaning of the severe judgement of God. For, as the apostle says, we shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ, to render an account of every past evil action: all creatures accusing us, as has been said, the angels standing round and the demons hungrily waiting to take with them the damned into the fire. There no man shall be able to excuse himself nor appeal to his excellence the Emperor: nor with apostolic letters or royal privileges defend himself against the sentence of the Judge beholding all things from eternity; Who knows with clear knowledge the most hidden thoughts and works of each accomplished in whatsoever age and hour: and that without any report being made to Him. Whose awful judgement we should all fear now: and before the day of judgement and the hour of death repent with true sorrow of heart of all our evils, and humbly crave for pardon: lest haply snatched on a sudden from this world to the judgement, we be for ever condemned with the wicked. May the merciful God grant us, now and ever to find mercy before the throne of His grace: that we may merit to be blessed with the elect: and happily brought into the kingdom of glory. Amen.