Homily 6
1 John 3:19-4:3
"And herein we know that we are of the truth, and assure our hearts
before Him. For if our heart think ill of us, God is greater than our
heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart think not ill of us,
then have we confidence toward God. And whatever we ask, we shall
receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do in His
sight those things that please Him. And this is His commandment,
That we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love
one another, as He gave us commandment. And he who keeps His
commandments shall dwell in Him, and He in him. And herein we
know that He abides in us, by the Holy Spirit which He has given us.
Dearly beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether
they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into this
world. In this is known the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses
that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: and every spirit that
confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and
this is the antichrist, of whom you have heard that he should come;
and even now already is he in this world."
1. If you remember, brethren, yesterday we closed our sermon at this
sentence, which without doubt was necessary and is necessary to
abide in your heart, seeing it was the last you heard. "My little
children, let us not love only in word and in tongue; but in deed and in
truth." Then he goes on: "And herein we know that we are of the truth,
and assure our hearts before Him." "For if our heart think ill of us, God
is greater than our heart, and knows all things." He had said, "Let us
not love only in word and in tongue, but in work and in truth:" we are
asked, In what work, or in what truth, is he known that loves God, or
loves his brother? Above he had said up to what point charity is
perfected: what the Lord says in the Gospel, "Greater love than this
has no man, that one lay down his life for his friends," this same had
the apostle also said: "As He laid down His life for us, we ought also to
lay down our lives for the brethren." This is the perfection of charity,
and greater can not at all be found. But because it is not perfect in all,
and that man ought not to despair in whom it is not perfect, if that be
already born which may be perfected: and of course if born, it must be
nourished, and by certain nourishments of its own must be brought to
its proper perfection: therefore, we have asked concerning the
commencement of charity, where it begins, and there have
straightway found: "But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his
brother have need, and shuts up his heart of compassion from him,
how dwells the love of the Father in him?" Here then has this charity,
my brethren, its beginning: to give of one's superfluities to him that
has need to him that is in any distress; of one's temporal abundance to
deliver his brother from temporal tribulation. Here is the first rise of
charity. This, being thus begun, if you shall nourish with the word of
God and hope of the life to come, you will come at last to that
perfection, that you shall be ready to lay down your life for your
brethren.
2. But, because many such things are done by men who seek other
objects, and who love not the brethren; let us come back to the
testimony of conscience. How do we prove that many such things are
done by men who love not the brethren? How many in heresies and
schisms call themselves martyrs! They seem to themselves to lay
down their lives for their brethren. If for the brethren they laid down
their lives, they would not separate themselves from the whole
brotherhood. Again, how many there are who for the sake of vainglory
bestow much, give much, and seek therein but the praise of men and
popular glory, which is full of windiness, and possesses no stability!
Seeing, then, there are such, where shall be the proof of brotherly
charity? Seeing he wished it to be proved, and has said by way of
admonition, "My little children, let us not love only in word and in
tongue; but in deed and in truth;" we ask, in what work, in what truth?
Can there be a more manifest work than to give to the poor? Many do
this of vainglory, not of love. Can there be a greater work than to die
for the brethren? This also, many would fain be thought to do, who do
it of vainglory to get a name, not from bowels of love. It remains, that
that man loves his brother, who before God, where God alone sees,
assures his own heart, and questions his heart whether he does this
indeed for love of the brethren; and his witness is that eye which
penetrates the heart, where man cannot look. Therefore Paul the
Apostle, because he was ready to die for the brethren, and said, "I will
myself be spent for your souls," yet, because God only saw this in his
heart, not the mortal men to whom he spake, he says to them, "But to
me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you or at man's
bar." And the same apostle shows also in a certain place, that these
things are oft done of empty vainglory, not upon the solid ground of
love: for speaking of the praises of charity he says, "If I distribute all
my goods to the poor, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but
have not charity, it profits me nothing." Is it possible for a man to do
this without charity? It is. For those who have divided unity, are
persons that have not charity. Seek there, and you shall see many
giving much to the poor; shall see others prepared to welcome death,
insomuch that where there is no persecutor they cast themselves
headlong: these doubtless without charity do this. Let us come back
then to conscience, of which the apostle says: "For our glorying is this,
the testimony of our conscience." Let us come back to conscience, of
which the same says, "But let each prove his own work, and then he
shall have glorying in himself and not in another." Therefore, let each
one of us "prove his own work," whether it flow forth from the vein of
charity, whether it is from charity as the root that his good works
sprout forth as branches. "But let each prove his own work, and then
he shall have glorying in himself and not in another," not when
another's tongue bears witness to him, but when his own conscience
bears it.
3. This it is then that he enforces here. "In this we know that we are of
the truth, when in deed and in truth" we love, "not only in words and
in tongue: and assure our heart before Him." What means, "before
Him?" Where He sees. Whence the Lord Himself in the Gospel says:
"Take heed that you do not your righteousness before men, to be seen
of them: otherwise you have no reward with your Father which is in
heaven." And what means, "Let not your left hand know what your
right hand does:" except that the right hand means a pure conscience,
the left hand the lust of the world? Many through lust of the world do
many wonderful things: the left hand works, not the right. The right
hand ought to work, and without knowledge of the left hand, so that
lust of the world may not even mix itself therewith when by love we
work aught that is good. And where do we get to know this? You are
before God: question your heart, see what you have done, and what
therein was your aim; your salvation, or the windy praise of men. Look
within, for man cannot judge whom he cannot see. If "we assure our
heart," let it be "before Him." Because "if our heart think ill of us," i.e.
accuse us within, that we do not the thing with that mind it ought to
be done withal, "greater is God than our heart, and knows all things."
You hide your heart from man: hide it from God if you can! How shall
you hide it from Him, to whom it is said by a sinner, fearing and
confessing, "Whither shall I go from Your Spirit? and from Your face
whither shall I flee?" He sought a way to flee, to escape the judgment
of God, and found none. For where is God not? "If I shall ascend," says
he, "into heaven, You are there: if I shall descend into hell, You are
there." Whither will you go? whither will you flee? Wilt you hear
counsel? If you would flee from Him, flee to Him. Flee to Him by
confessing, not from Him by hiding: hide you can not, but confess you
can. Say to Him, " You are my place to flee to;" and let love be
nourished in you, which alone leads to life. Let your conscience bear
you witness that your love is of God. If it is of God, do not wish to
display it before men; because neither men's praises lift you to
heaven, nor their censures put you down from thence. Let Him see,
who crowns you: be He your witness, by whom as judge you are
crowned. "Greater is God than our heart, and knows all things."
4. "Beloved, if our heart think not ill of us, we have confidence towards
God:" - What means, "If our heart think not ill"? If it make true answer
to us, that we love and that there is genuine love in us: not feigned but
sincere; seeking a brother's salvation, expecting no emolument from a
brother, but only his salvation - "we have confidence toward God: and
whatever we ask, we shall receive of Him, because we keep His
commandments." - Therefore, not in the sight of men, but where God
Himself sees, in the heart - "we have confidence," then, "towards God:
and whatever we ask, we shall receive of Him:" howbeit, because we
keep His commandments. What are "His commandments"? Must we
be always repeating? "A new commandment give I to you, that you
love one another." It is charity itself that he speaks of, it is this that he
enforces. Whoso then shall have brotherly charity, and have it before
God, where God sees, and his heart being interrogated under
righteous examination make him none other answer than that the
genuine root of charity is there for good fruits to come from; that man
has confidence with God, and whatever he shall ask, he shall receive of
Him, because he keeps His commandments.
5. Here a question meets us: for it is not this or that man, or you or I
that come in question, - for if I have asked any thing of God and receive
it not, any person may easily say of me, "He has not charity:" and of
any man soever of this present time, this may easily be said; and let
any think what he will, a man of man: - not we, but those come more
in question, those men of whom it is on all hands known that they
were saints when they wrote, and that they are now with God. Where
is the man that has charity, if Paul had it not, who said, "Our mouth is
open to you, O Corinthians, our heart is enlarged; you are not
straitened in us:" who said, "I will myself be spent for your souls:" and
so great grace was in him, that it was manifested that he had charity.
And yet we find that he asked and did not receive. What say we,
brethren? It is a question: look attentively to God: it is a great
question, this also. Just as, where it was said of sin, "He who is born of
God sins not:" we found this sin to be the violating of charity, and that
this was the thing strictly intended in that place: so too we ask now
what it is that he would say. For if you look but to the words, it seems
plain: if you take the examples into the account, it is obscure. Than the
words here nothing can be plainer. "And whatever we ask, we shall
receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those
things that are pleasing in His sight." "Whatever we ask," says he, "we
shall receive of Him." He has put us sorely to straits. In the other place
also he would put us to straits, if he meant all sin: but then we found
room to expound it in this, that he meant it of a certain sin, not of all
sin; but of a sin which "whoever is born of God commits not:" and we
found that this same sin is none other than the violation of charity. We
have also a manifest example from the Gospel, when the Lord says, "If
I had not come, they had not had sin." How? Were the Jews innocent
when He came to them, because He so speaks? Then if He had not
come, would they have had no sin? Then did the Physician's presence
make one sick, not take away the fever? What madman even would
say this? He came not but to cure and heal the sick. Therefore when
He said, "If I had not come, they had not had sin," what would He have
to be understood, but a certain sin in particular? For there was a sin
which the Jews would not have had. What sin? That they believed not
on Him, that when he had come they despised Him. As then He there
said "sin," and it does not follow that we are to understand all sin, but
a certain sin: so here also not all sin, lest it is contrary to that place
where he says, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves,
and the truth is not in us:" but a certain sin in particular, that is, the
violation of charity. But in this place he has bound us more tightly: "If
we shall ask," he has said, "if our heart accuse us not, and tell us in
answer, in the sight of God, that true love is in us;" "Whatever we ask,
we shall receive of Him."
6. Well now: I have already told you, my, beloved brethren, let no man
turn toward us. For what are we? or what are you? What, but the
Church of God which is known to all? And, if it please Him, in that
Church are we; and those of us who by love abide in it, there let us
persevere, if we would show the love we have. But then the apostle
Paul, what evil are we to think of him? He not love the brethren! He
not have within himself the testimony of his conscience in the sight of
God! Paul not have within him that root of charity whence all good
fruits proceeded! What madman would say this? Well then: where find
we that the apostle asked and did not receive? He says himself: "Lest I
should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the
revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, an angel of
Satan to buffet me. For which thing I besought the Lord thrice, that He
would take it from me. And He said to me, My grace is sufficient for
you: for strength is made perfect in weakness." Lo, he was not heard in
his prayer that the "angel of Satan" should be taken from him. But
why? Because it was not good for him. He was heard, then, for
salvation, when he was not heard according to his wish. Know, my
beloved, a great mystery: which we urge upon your consideration on
purpose that it may not slip from you in your temptations. The saints
are in all things heard to salvation: they are always heard in that
which respects their eternal salvation; it is this that they desire:
because in regard of this, their prayers are always heard.
7. But let us distinguish God's different ways of hearing prayer. For we
find some not heard for their wish, heard for salvation: and again
some we find heard for their wish, not heard for salvation. Mark this
difference, hold fast this example of a man not heard for his wish but
heard for salvation. Hear the apostle Paul; for what is the hearing of
prayer to salvation, God Himself showed him: "Sufficient for you," says
He, "is my grace; for strength is perfected in weakness." You have
besought, have cried, have thrice cried: the very cry you raised once
for all I heard, I turned not away my ears from you; I know what I
should do: you would have it taken away, the healing thing by which
you are burned; I know the infirmity by which you are burdened. Well
then: here is a man who was heard for salvation, while as to his will he
was not heard. Where find we persons heard for their will, not heard
for salvation? Do we find, think we, some wicked, some impious man,
heard of God for his will, not heard for salvation? If I put to you the
instance of some man, perchance you will say to me, "It is you that call
him wicked, for he was righteous; had he not been righteous, his
prayer would not have been heard by God." The instance I am about to
allege is of one, of whose iniquity and impiety none can doubt. The
devil himself: he asked for Job, and received. Have you not here also
heard concerning the devil, that "he who commits sin is of the devil"?
Not that the devil created, but that the sinner imitates. Is it not said of
him, "He stood not in the truth"? Is not even he "that old serpent,"
who, through the woman pledged the first man in the drink of poison?
Who even in the case of Job, kept for him his wife, that by her the
husband might be, not comforted, but tempted? The devil asked for a
holy man, to tempt him; and he received: the apostle asked that the
thorn in the flesh might be taken from him, and he received not. But
the apostle was more heard than the devil. For the apostle was heard
for salvation, though not for his wish: the devil was heard for his wish,
but for damnation. For that Job was yielded up to him to be tempted,
was in order that by his standing the proof the devil should be
tormented. But this, my brethren, we find not only in the Old
Testament books, but also in the Gospel. The demons besought the
Lord, when He expelled them from the man, that they might be
permitted to go into the swine. Should the Lord not have power to tell
them not to approach even those creatures? For, had it not been His
will to permit this, they were not about to rebel against the King of
heaven and earth. But with a view to a certain mystery, with a certain
ulterior meaning, He let the demons go into the swine: to show that
the devil has dominion in those who lead the life of swine. Demons
then were heard in their request; was the apostle not heard? Or rather
(what is truer) shall we say, The apostle was heard, the demons not
heard? Their will was effected; his weal was perfected.
8. Agreeably with this, we ought to understand that God, though He
give not to our will, does give for our salvation. For sup pose the thing
you have asked be to your hurt, and the Physician knows that it is to
your hurt; what then? It is not to be said that the physician does not
give ear to you, when, perhaps, you ask for cold water, and if it is good
for you, he gives it immediately, if not good, he gives it not. Had he no
ears for your request, or rather, did he give ear for your weal, even
when he gainsaid your will? Then let there be in you charity, my
brethren; let it be in you, and then set your minds at rest: even when
the thing you ask for is not given you, your prayer is granted, only, you
know it not. Many have been given into their own hands, to their own
hurt: of whom the apostle says, "God gave them up to their own
hearts' lusts." Some man has asked for a great sum of money; he has
received, to his hurt. When he had it not, he had little to fear; no
sooner did he come to have it, than he became a prey to the more
powerful. Was not that man's request granted to his own hurt, who
would needs have that for which he should be sought after by the
robber, whereas, being poor, none sought after him? Learn to beseech
God that you may commit it to the Physician to do what He knows
best. Confess the disease, let Him apply the means of healing. Only
hold fast charity. For He will needs cut, will needs burn; what if you
cry out, and are not spared for your crying under the cutting, under
the burning and the tribulation, yet He knows how far the rottenness
reaches. You would have Him even now take off His hands, and He
considers only the deepness of the sore; He knows how far to go. He
does not attend to you for your will, but he does attend to you for your
healing. Be you sure, then, my brethren, that what the apostle says is
true: "For we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the
Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be
uttered: for He makes intercession for the saints." How is it said, "The
Spirit itself intercedes for the saints," but as meaning the charity
which is wrought in you by the Spirit? For therefore says the same
apostle: "The charity of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy
Spirit which is given to us." It is charity that groans, it is charity that
prays: against it He who gave it cannot shut His ears. Set your minds at
rest: let charity ask, and the ears of God are there. Not that which you
wish is done, but that is done which is advantageous. Therefore,
"whatever we ask," says he, "we shall receive of Him," I have already
said, If you understand it to mean, "for salvation," there is no question:
if not for salvation, there is a question, and a great one, a question that
makes you an accuser of the apostle Paul. "Whatever we ask, we
receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do these
things that are pleasing in His sight:" within, where He sees.
9. And what are those commandments? "This," says he, "is His
commandment, That we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus
Christ, and love one another." You see that this is the commandment:
you see that whoever does aught against this commandment, does the
sin from which "every one who is born of God" is free. "As He gave us
commandment:" that we love one another. "And he who keeps His
commandment" - ye see that none other thing is bidden us than that
we love one another - "And he who keeps His commandment shall
abide in Him, and He in him." "And in this we know that He abides in
us, by the Spirit which He has given us. Is it not manifest that this is
what the Holy Ghost works in man, that there should be in him love
and charity? Is it not manifest, as the Apostle Paul says, that "the love
of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given
us"? For [our apostle] was speaking of charity, and was saying that we
ought in the sight of God to interrogate our own heart. "But if our
heart think not ill of us:" i.e. if it confess that from the love of our
brother is done in us whatever is done in any good work. And then
besides, in speaking of the commandment, he says this: "This is His
commandment, That we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus
Christ, and love one another, as He gave us commandment." "And he
who does His commandment abides in Him, and He in him. In this we
know that He abides in us, by the Spirit which He has given us." If in
truth you find that you have charity, you have the Spirit of God in
order to understand: for a very necessary thing it is.
10. In the earliest times, "the Holy Ghost fell upon those who believed:
and they spake with tongues," which they had not learned, "as the
Spirit gave them utterance." These were signs adapted to the time. For
it was necessary for there to be that betokening of the Holy Spirit in all
tongues, to shew that the Gospel of God was to run through all
tongues over the whole earth. That thing was done for a betokening,
and it passed away. In the laying on of hands now, that persons may
receive the Holy Ghost, do we look that they should speak with
tongues? Or when we laid the hand on these infants, did each one of
you look to see whether they would speak with tongues, and, when he
saw that they did not speak with tongues, was any of you so wrong-
minded as to say, These have not received the Holy Ghost; for, had they
received, they would speak with tongues as was the case in those
times? If then the witness of the presence of the Holy Ghost is not now
given through these miracles, by what is it given, by what does one get
to know that he has received the Holy Ghost? Let him question his
own heart. If he love his brother the Spirit of God dwells in him. Let
him see, let him prove himself before the eyes of God, let him see
whether there be in him the love of peace and unity, the love of the
Church that is spread over the whole earth. Let him not rest only in his
loving the brother whom he has before his eyes, for we have many
brethren whom we do not see, and in the unity of the Spirit we are
joined to them. What marvel that they are not with us? We are in one
body, we have one Head, in heaven. Brethren, our two eyes do not see
each other; as one may say, they do not know each other. But in the
charity of the bodily frame do they not know each other? For, to shew
you that in the charity which knits them together they do know each
other; when both eyes are open, the right may not rest on some object,
on which the left shall not rest likewise. Direct the glance of the right
eye without the other, if you can. Together they meet in one object,
together they are directed to one object: their aim is one, their places
diverse. If then all who with you love God have one aim with you, heed
not that in the body you are separated in place; the eyesight of the
heart you have alike fixed on the light of truth. Then if you would
know that you have received the Spirit, question your heart: lest haply
you have the sacrament, and have not the virtue of the sacrament.
Question your heart. If love of your brethren be there, set your mind at
rest. There cannot be love without the Spirit of God: since Paul cries,
"The love of God is shed abroad in your hearts by the Holy Spirit
which is given to us."
11. "Beloved, believe not every spirit." Because he had said, "In this we
know that He abides in us, by the Spirit which He has given us." But
how this same Spirit is known, mark this: "Beloved, believe not every
spirit, but prove the spirits whether they be from God." And who is he
that proves the spirits? A hard matter has he put to us, my brethren! It
is well for us that he should tell us himself how we are to discern
them. He is about to tell us: fear not: but first see; mark: see that
hereby is expressed the very thing that vain heretics taunt us withal.
Mark, see what he says, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove
the spirits whether they be from God." The Holy Spirit is spoken of in
the Gospel by the name of water; where the Lord "cried and said, If
any man thirst, let him come to me, and drink. He who believes on me,
out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." But the evangelist has
expounded of what He said this: for he goes on to say, "But this spake
He of the Spirit, which those who believed on Him should receive."
Why did not the Lord baptize many? But what says he? "For the Holy
Ghost was not yet given; because Jesus was not yet glorified." Then
seeing those had baptism, and had not yet received the Holy Ghost,
whom on the day of Pentecost the Lord sent from heaven, the
glorifying of the Lord was first waited for, so that the Spirit might be
given. Even before He was glorified, and before He sent the Spirit, He
yet invited men to prepare themselves for the receiving of the water of
which He said, "Whoever thirsts, let him come and drink;" and, "He
who believes on me, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water."
What means, "Rivers of living water"? What is that water? Let no man
ask me; ask the Gospel. "But this," says it, "He said of the Spirit, which
they should receive that should believe on Him." Consequently, the
water of the sacrament is one thing: another, the water which
betokens the Spirit of God. The water of the sacrament is visible: the
water of the Spirit invisible. That washes the body, and betokens that
which is done in the soul. By this Spirit the soul itself is cleansed and
fed. This is the Spirit of God, which heretics and all that cut themselves
off from the Church, cannot have. And whoever do not openly cut
themselves off, but by iniquity are cut off, and being within, whirl
about as chaff and are not grain; these have not this Spirit. This Spirit
is denoted by the Lord under the name of water: and we have heard
from this epistle, "Believe not every spirit;" and those words of
Solomon bear witness, "From strange water keep far." What means,
"water"? Spirit. Does water always signify spirit? Not always: but in
some places it signifies the Spirit, in some places it signifies baptism,
in some places signifies peoples, in some places signifies counsel: thus
you find it said in a certain place, "Counsel is a fountain of life to those
who possess it." So then, in divers places of the Scriptures, the term
"water" signifies divers things. Now however by the term water you
have heard the Holy Spirit spoken of, not by an interpretation of ours
but by witness of the Gospel, where it says, "But this said He of the
Spirit, which they should receive that should believe on Him." If then
by the name of water is signified the Holy Spirit, and this epistle says
to us, "Believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they be
of God;" let us understand that of this it is said, "From strange water
keep far, and from a strange fountain drink not." What means, "From a
strange fountain drink not"? A strange spirit believe not.
12. There remains then the test by which it is to be proved to be the
Spirit of God. He has indeed set down a sign, and this, belike, difficult:
let us see, however. We are to recur to that charity; it is that which
teaches us, because it is the unction. However, what says he here?
"Prove the spirits, whether they be from God: because many false
prophets have gone out into this world." Now there are all heretics
and all schismatics. How then am I to prove the spirit? He goes on: "In
this is known the Spirit of God." Wake up the ears of your heart. We
were at a loss; we were saying, Who knows? who discerns? Behold, he
is about to tell the sign. "Hereby is known the Spirit of God: every
spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
and every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the
flesh is not of God: and this is the antichrist, of whom you have heard
that he should come; and even now already is he in this world." Our
ears, so to say, are on the alert for discerning of the spirits; and we
have been told something, such that thereby we discern not a whit the
more. For what says he? "Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ
came in the flesh, is of God." Then is the spirit that is among the
heretics, of God, seeing they "confess that Jesus Christ came in the
flesh"? Aye, here perchance they lift themselves up against us, and say:
You have not the Spirit from God; but we confess "that Jesus Christ
came in the flesh:" but the apostle here has said that those have not
the Spirit of God, who confess not "that Jesus Christ came in the flesh."
Ask the Arians: they confess "that Jesus Christ came in the flesh:" ask
the Eunomians; they confess "that Jesus Christ came in the flesh:" ask the Macedonians; they confess "that Jesus Christ came in the flesh:"
put the question to the Cataphryges; they confess "that Jesus Christ
came in the flesh:" put it to the Novatians; they confess "that Jesus
Christ came in the flesh." Then have all these heresies the Spirit of
God? Are they then no false prophets? Is there then no deception
there, no seduction there? Assuredly they are antichrists; for "they
went out from us, but were not of us."
13. What are we to do then? By what to discern them? Be very
attentive; let us go together in heart, and knock. Charity herself keeps
watch; for it is none other than she who shall knock, she also that shall
open: anon you shall understand in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Already you have heard that it was said above, "Whoever denies that
Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, the same is an antichrist." There also
we asked, Who denies? because neither do we deny, nor do those
deny. And we found that some do in their deeds deny; and we brought
testimony from the apostle, who says, "For they confess that they
know God, but in their deeds deny Him." Thus then let us now also
make the enquiry in the deeds not in the tongue. What is the spirit
that is not from God? That "which denies that Jesus Christ is come in
the flesh." And what is the spirit that is from God? That "which
confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh." Who is he that
confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh? Now, brethren, to the
mark! let us look to the works, not stop at the noise of the tongue. Let
us ask why Christ came in the flesh, so we get at the persons who deny
that He is come in the flesh. If you stop at tongues, why, you shall hear
many a heresy confessing that Christ is come in the flesh: but the truth
convicts those men. Why came Christ in the flesh? Was He not God? Is
it not written of Him, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word
was with God, and the Word was God?" Was it not He who did feed
angels, is it not He who does feed angels? Did He not in such sort come
hither, that He departed not thence? Did He not in such sort ascend,
that He forsook not us? Why then came He in the flesh? Because it was
necessary for us to have the hope of resurrection shown to us. God He
was, and in flesh He came; for God could not die, flesh could die; He
came then in the flesh, that He might die for us. But how died He for
us? "Greater charity than this has no man, that a man lay down his life
for his friends." Charity therefore brought Him to the flesh. Whoever
therefore has not charity denies that Christ is come in the flesh. Here
then you now question all heretics. Did Christ come in the flesh? "He
did come; this I believe, this I confess." Nay, this you deny. "How do I
deny? You hear that I say it!" Nay, I convict you of denying it. You say
with the voice, deny with the heart; say in words, deny in deeds.
"How," say you, "do I deny in deeds?" Because the end for which Christ
came in the flesh, was, that He might die for us. He died for us, because
therein He taught much charity. "Greater charity than this has no man,
that a man lay down his life for his friends." You have not charity,
seeing you for your own honour divide unity. Therefore by this
understand the spirit that is from God. Give the earthen vessels a tap,
put them to the proof, whether haply they be cracked and give a dull
sound: see whether they ring full and clear, see whether charity be
there. You take yourself away from the unity of the whole earth, you
divide the Church by schisms, you rend the Body of Christ. He came in
the flesh, to gather in one, you make an outcry to scatter abroad. This
then is the Spirit of God, which says that Jesus is come in the flesh,
which says, not in tongue but in deeds, which says, not by making a
noise but by loving. And that spirit is not of God, which denies that
Jesus Christ is come in the flesh; denies, here also, not in tongue but in
life; not in words but in deeds. It is manifest therefore by what we may
know the brethren. Many within are in a sort within; but none without
except he is indeed without.
14. Nay, and that you may know that he has referred the matter to
deeds, he says, "And every spirit which does away with Christ that He
came in the flesh, is not of God." A doing away in deeds is meant. What
has he shown you? "That denies:" in that he says, "does away" (or,
"unmakes"). He came to gather in one, you come to unmake. You
would pull Christ's members asunder. How can it be said that you
deny not that Christ is come in the flesh, who rend asunder the Church
of God which He has gathered together? Therefore you go against
Christ; you are an antichrist. Be you within, or be you without, you are
an antichrist: only, when you are within, you are hidden; when you are
without, you are made manifest. You unmake Jesus and deny that He
came in the flesh; you are not of God. Therefore He says in the Gospel:
"Whoever shall break one of these least commandments, and shall
teach so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven." What is this
breaking? What this teaching? A breaking in the deeds and a teaching
as it were in words. " You that preach men should not steal, do you
steal?" Therefore he who steals breaks or undoes the commandment
in his deed, and as it were teaches so: "he shall be called least in the
kingdom of heaven," i.e. in the Church of this present time. Of him it is
said, "What they say do you; but what they do, that do not you. But he
who shall do, and shall teach so, shall be called great in the kingdom of
heaven." From this, that He has here said, fecerit, "shall do," while in
opposition to this He has there said solverit, meaning non fecerit,
"shall not do, and shall teach so" - to break, then, is, not to do - what
does He teach us, but that we should interrogate men's deeds, not take
their words upon trust? The obscurity of the things compels us to
speak much at length, chiefly that that which the Lord deigns to reveal
may be brought within reach even of the brethren of slower
understanding, because all were bought by the blood of Christ. And I
am afraid the epistle itself will not be finished during these days as I
promised: but as the Lord will, it is better to reserve the remainder,
than to overload your hearts with too much food.