Tractates on the Gospel of John (continued)
TRACTATE 1 43 the hills can receive justice. What is the justice which the hills receive? Faith, because "the just man lives by faith."^ The lesser souls, however, would not receive faith if the greater souls, who were called mountains, were not illuminated by wisdom itself, so that they can convey to the little ones what the little ones are able to grasp, and so that the hills can live by faith because the mountains receive peace. By these very mountains it was said to the Church, "Peace be with you." And the mountains themselves, in announcing peace to the Church, did not set themselves apart in regard to him from whom they received peace' so that they might announce peace truly and not deceitfully.
3. There are indeed other mountains which cause shipwreck; and whenever anyone directs his ship there, it is destroyed. For when those in danger see the land, it is easy to try as it were for land; but sometimes the land is seen on a mountain and rocks lie hidden beneath the mountain. And when someone tries for the mountain, he comes by chance upon the rocks; and there he finds not shelter but sorrow.
(2) So there have been certain mountains, and they have appeared great among men. But they have both created heresies and schisms, and divided the Church of God. These who have divided the Church of God were not those mountains about which it was said, "Let the mountains receive peace for your people." For how have they received peace who have rent unity asuiider?
4. Those, however, who have received peace in order to announce it to the people have looked upon wisdom itself insofar as human hearts can attain what "eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor what has not ascended into the heart of man."^ If it did not ascend into the heart of man, how did it ascend into the heart of John? Or is it that John wasn't a man? Or perhaps it did not ascend into the heart of John but the heart of John ascended to it? For what ascends into man's heart comes to
6. Cf. Hab 2.4; Rom 1.17; Gal 311; and Hb 10.38. 7. Cf. Jn 20.19. 8. Cf. 1 Cor 2.9, quoting Is 64.3.