the lesson before us, let us run over the words of the Lord, and of the whole lesson itself, rather than make them a theme of discourse. "As He passed out, He saw a man who was blind;" blind, not from any cause whatever, but " from his birth.*' "And His disciples asked Him, Rabbi.*' You know that " Rabbi " is Master. They called Him Master, because they desired to learn. The question, at all events, they proposed to the Lord as a master, " Who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? " Jesus answered, " Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents," that he was born blind. What is this that He has said? If no man is sinless, were the parents of this blind man without sin? Was he himself either born without original sin, or had he committed none in the course of his lifetime? Because his eyes were closed, had his lusts lost their wakefulness? How many evils are done by the blind? From what evil does an evil mind abstain, even though the eyes are closed? He could not see, but he knew how to think, and perchance to lust after something which his blindness hindered him from attaining, and so still in his heart to be judged by the searcher of hearts. If, then, both his parents had sin, and the man himself had sin, wherefore said the Lord, " Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents," but only in respect to the point on which he was questioned, " that he was born blind "? For his parents had sin; but not by reason of the sin itself did it come about that he was born blind. If, then, it was not through the parents' sin that he was born blind, why was he born blind? Listen to the Master as He teaches. He seeks one who believes, to give him understanding. He Himself tells us the reason why that man was born blind: " Neither hath this man sinned," He says, " nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him."
4. And then, what follows? " I must work the works of Him that sent me." See, here is that sent one [Siloam], wherein the blind man washed his face. And see what He said: " I must work the works of Him that sent me, while it is day." Recall to thy mind the way in which He gives universal glory to Him of whom He is:' for that One has the Son who is of Him; He Himself has no One of whom He is.' But wherefore. Lord, saidst Thou, " While it is day "? Hearken why He did so. " The night cometh when no man can work." Not even Thou, Lord. Will that night have such power that not even I Or, " from whom He proceeds." The Son is of the Father, but the Father is of none.
Thou, whose work the night is, wilt be able to work therein? For I think. Lord Jesus, nay I do not think, but believe and hold it sure, that Thou wast there when God said, "Let there be light, and there was light. "^ For if He made it by the Word, He made it by Thee: and therefore it is said, "All things were made by Him; and without Him was nothing made."^ " God divided between the light and the darkness: the light He called Day, and the darkness He called Night." " 5. What is that night wherein, when it comes, no one shall be able to work? Hear what the day is, and then thou wilt understand what the night is. But how shall we hear what the day is? Let Himself tell us: "As long as I am in this world, I am the light of the world." See, He Him.self is the day. Let the blind man wash his eyes in the day, that he may behold the day. "As long," He says, " as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." Then will it be night of a kind unknown to me, when Christ will no longer be there; and so no one will be able to work. An inquiry remains, my brethren; patiently listen to me as I inquire. With you I inquire: with you shall I find Him to whom my inquiry is addressed. We are agreed; for it is expressly and definitely stated that the Lord proclaimed Himself in this place as the day, that is, the light of the world, "As long," He says, "as I am in this world, I am the light of the world." Therefore He Himself works. But how long is He in tliis world? Are we to think, brethren, that He v/as here then, and is here no longer? If w^e think so, then already, after the Lord's ascension, did that fearful night begin, when no one can work. If that night began after the Lord's ascension, how was it that the apostles wrought so much? Was that the night when the Holy Spirit came, and, filling all who were in/one place, gave them the power of speaking in the tongues of every nation? ^ Was it night when that lame man was made whole at the word of Peter, or rather, at the word of the Lord dwelling in Peter?'' W^as it night when, as the disciples were passing by, the sick were laid in couches, that they might be touched at least by their shadow as they passed?^ Yet, when the Lord was here, there was no one made whole by His shadow as He passed; but He Himself had said to the disciples, " Greater things than these shall ye do."^ Yes, the Lord had said, "Greater things than these shall ye do; '' but let not flesh and blood exalt itself: Tractatk XLIV.]
let such hear Him also saying, " Without me ye can do nothing."'
6. What then? What shall we say of that night? When will it be, when no one shall be able to work? It will be that night of the wicked, that night of those to whom it shall be said in the end, " Depart into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." But it is here called night, not flame, nor fire. Hearken, then, why it is also night. Of a certain servant He says, " Bind ye him hand and foot, and cast him into outer darkness." ^ Let man, then, work while he liveth, that he may not be overtaken by that night when no man can work. It is now that faith is working by love; and if now we are working, then this is the day — Christ is here. Hear His promise, and think Him not absent. It is Himself who hath said, ' Lo, I am with you. " How long? Let there be no anxiety in us who are alive; were it possible, with this very word we might place in perfect security the generations still to come. "Lo," He says," I am with you always, even to the end of the world.'' 3 That day, which is completed by the circuit of yonder sun, has but few hours; the day of Christ's presence extends even to the end of the world. But after the resurrection of the living and the dead, when He shall say to those placed at His right hand, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom; " and to those at His left, "Depart into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels; "* then shall be the night when no man can work, but only get back what he has wrought before. There is a time for working, another for receiving; for the Lord shall render to every one according to his works. 5 While thou livest, be doing, if thou art to be doing at all; for then shall come that appalling night, to envelope the wicked in its folds. But even now every unbeliever, when he dies, is received within that night: there is no work to be done there. In that night was the rich man burning, and asking a drop of water from the beggar's finger; he mourned, agonized, confessed, but no relief was vouchsafed. He even endeavored to do good; for he said to Abraham, " Father Abraham, send Lazarus to my brethren, that he may tell them what is being done here, lest they also come into this place of torment."*" Unhai)py man! when thou wert living, then was the time for working: now thou art already in the night, in which no man can work.
7. " When He had thus spoken. He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, ' Chap. XV. 5.
and He spread the clay upon iiis eyes, and said unto him, Go and wash in the pool of Siloam (which is, by interpretation, Sent). He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing." As these words are clear, we may pass them over.
8. " The neighbors therefore, and those who saw him previously, for he was a beggar, said, Is not this he who sat and begged? Some said, It is he: others. No; but he is like him." The opening of his eyes had altered his countenance. " He said, I am he." His voice utters its gratitude, that it might not be condemned as ungrateful. " Therefore said they unto him. How were thine eyes opened? He answered, The man who is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me. Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and saw." See, he is become the herald of grace; see, he preaches the gospel; endowed with sight, he becomes a confessor. That blind man makes confession, and the heart of the wicked was troubled; for they had not in their heart what he had now in his countenance, "They said to him. Where is he who hath opened thine eyes? He said, I know not." In these words the man's own soul was like that of one only as yet anointed, but not yet seeing. Let us so put it, brethren, as if he had that anointing in his soul. He preaches, and knows not the Being whom he preaches.
9. " They brought to the Pharisees him who had been blind. And it was the Sabbath when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes. Then again the Pharisees also asked how he had received his sight. And he said unto them. He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see. Therefore said some of the Pharisees; " not all, Init some; for some were already anointed. ^Vnat then said those who neither saw nor were anointed? " This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the Sabljath." He it was rather who kept it, who was without sin. For this is the spiritual Sabbath, to have no sin. In fact, brethren, it is of this that God admonishes us, when He commends the Sabbatli to our notice: "Thou shalt do no servile work " ^ These are God's words when commending the Sabbath, "Thou shalt do no servile work." Now ask the former lessons, what is meant by servile work;** and listen to the Lord: " Every one that committcth sin is the servant of sin."'^ Hut tlichc men, neither seeing, as I said, nor anointed, kept the Sabbath carnally, and profaned it spiritually. " Others 7 Lev. xxiii. f.
8 Tract. XX. 2.
' Chap, viii, 34.
[Tractate XLIV.
said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles?'' These were the anointed ones. "And there was a division among them." The day had divided between the hght and the darkness. " They say then unto the blind man again. What sayest thou of him who hath opened thine eyes? " What is thy feeling about him? what is thine opinion? what is thy judgment? They sought how to revile the man, that he might be cast out of the synagogue, but be found by Christ. But he steadfastly expressed what he felt. For he said, "That he is a prophet." As yet, indeed, anointed only in heart, he does not thus far confess the Son of God, and yet he speaks not untruthfully. For the Lord saith of Himself, "A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country." ' 10. "Therefore the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, till they called the parents of him that received his sight;" that is, who had been blind, and had come to the possession of sight. "And they asked them, saying. Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see? His parents answered them, and said. We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind: but how he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not. And they said. Ask himself; he is of age, let him speak of himself." He is indeed our son, and we might justly be compelled to answer for him as an infant, because then he could not speak for himself: from of old he has had power of speech, only now he sees: we have been acquainted with him as blind from his birth, we know him as having speech from of old, only now do we see him endowed with sight: ask himself, that you may be instructed; why seek to calumniate us? " These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had conspired already, that if any man did confess that He was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue." It was no longer a bad thing to be put out of the synagogue. They cast out, but Christ received. " Therefore said his parents. He is of age, ask himself."
11. " Then again called they the man who had been blind, and said unto him. Give God the glory." What is that, "Give God the glory"? Deny what thou hast received. Such conduct is manifestly not to give God the glory, but rather to blaspheme Him. " Give God," they say, " the glory: we know that this man is a sinner. Then said he. If he is a sinner, I know not: one thing I know, ' Matt. xiii. 57.
that whereas I was blind, now I see. Then said they to him. What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes? " And he, indignant now at the hardness of the Jews, and as one brought from a state of blindness to sight, unable to endure the blind, " answered them, I have told you already, and ye have heard: wherefore would ye hear it again? Will ye also become his disciples?" What means, " Will ye also," but that I am one already? "Will ye also be so?" Now I see, but see not askance.
12. "They cursed him, and said. Thou art his disciple," Such a malediction be upon us, and upon our children! For a malediction it is, if thou layest open their heart, not if thou ponderest the words. " But we are Moses' disciples. We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is." Would ye had known that "God spake to Moses!" ye would have also known that God preached by Moses. For ye have the Lord saying, " Had ye believed Moses, ye would have also believed me; for he wrote of me." - Is it thus ye follow the servant, and turn your back agfainst the Lord? But not even the servant do ye follow; for by him ye would be guided to the Lord.
13. " The man answered and said unto them, Herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. Now we know that God heareth not sinners; but if any man is a worshipper of God, and doeth His will, him He heareth." He speaks still as one only anointed. For God heareth even sinners. For if God heard not sinners, in vain would the publican, casting his eyes on the ground, and smiting on his breast, have said, " Lord, be merciful to me a sinner." And that confession merited justification, as this blind man enlightenment. " Since the yorld began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. If this man were not of God, he could do nothing." With frankness, constancy, and truthfulness [he spoke]. For these things that were done by the Lord, by whom were they done but by God? Or when would such things be done by disciples, were not the Lord dwelling in them?
14. " They answered and said unto him. Thou wast wholly born in sins." What means this " wholly"? Even to blindness of the eyes. But He who has opened his eyes, also saves him wholly: He will grant a resurrection at His right hand, who gave enlight- 2 Chap. V. 46.
Tractate XLV.]
OX THE GOSPEL OF ST. JOHN.
enment to his countenance. " Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out." They had made him their master; many questions had they asked for their own instruction, and they ungratefully cast forth their teacher.
15. But, as I have already said before, brethren, when they expel, the Lord receiveth; for the rather that he was expelled, was he made a Christian. '* Jesus heard that they had cast hnn out; and when He had found him. He said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? " Now He washes the face of his heart. " He answered and said," as one still only anointed, "Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen Him, and it is He that talketh with thee." The One is He that is sent; the other is one washing his face in Siloam, which is interpreted, Sent. And now at last, with the face of his heart washed, and a conscience purified, acknowledging Him not only as the son of man, which he had believed before, but now as the Son of God, who had assumed our flesh, " he said. Lord, I believe." It is but little to say, " I believe: '' wouldst thou also see what he believes Him? " He fell down and worshipped Him."
16. "And Jesus said to him. " Now is He, the day, discerning between the light and the darkness. " For judgment am I come into this world; that they who see not might see, and they who see might be made blind." What is this. Lord? A weighty subject of inquiry hast Thou laid on the weary; but revive our strength that we may be able to understand what Thou hast said. Thou art come "that they who see not may see:" rightly so, for Thou art the light: rightly so, for Thou art the day: rightly so, for Thou deliverest from darkness: this every soul accepts, every one understands. What is this that follows, "And those who see may be made blind? " Shall then, because Thou art come, those be made blind who saw? Hear what follows, and perhaps thou wilt understand.
17. By these words, then, were "some of the Pharisees" disturbed, "and said unto Him, Are we blind also?" Hear now what it is that moved them, "And they who see ma}- be made blmd." " Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin;" while bliixlness itself is sin. "If ye were blind," that is, if ye considered yourselves blind, if ye called yourselves blind, ye also would have recourse to the physician: " if" then in this way " ye were blind, ye should have no sin;" for I am come to take away sin. "But now ye say, We see; [therefore] your sin remaineth." Wherefore? Because by saying, " We see:" ye seek not the physician, ye remain in your blindness. This, then, is that which a little above we did not understand, when He said, " I am come, that they who see not may see; " for what means this, " that they who see not may see "? They who acknowledge that they do not see, and seek the physician, that they may receive sight. And they who see may be made blind:" what means this, " they who see may be made blind "? That they who think they see, and seek not the physician, may abide in their blindness. Such discerning therefore of one from another He called judgment, when He said, " For judgment I am come into this world," whereby He distinguishes the cause of those who believe and make confession from tlie proud, who think they see, and are therefore the more grievously blinded: just as the sinner, making confession, and seeking the physician, said to Him, "Judge me, O God, and discern my cause against the unholy nation,''' -namely, those who say, "We see," and their sin remaineth. But it was not that judgment He now brought into the world, whereby m the end of the world He shall judge the living and the dead. For in respect to this He had said, " I judge no man; " - seeing that He came the first time, " not to judge the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." ^ ■ Ps. xliii. I.
' Chap. viii. 15.
3 Chap. iii. 17.
TRACTATE XLV Chaptkk X. i-io.
I. Our Lord's discourse to the Jews began i one. For when the Lord had said. " F()r judgin connection with the man who was born ment I am come into this work!; that they blind and was restored to sight. Your Char-: who see not might see, ami they who see migiu ity therefore ought to know and be advised be made lilind,"- which, on the occasion of that to-day's lesson is interwoven with that | its reading, we expouniled according to our [Tractaie XLV, ability, — some of the Pharisees said, "Are we blind also?^' To whom He replied. " If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; [therefore] your sin remaineth."' To these words He added what we have been hearing to-day when the lesson was read.
2. " Verily, verily, I say unto you. He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber." For they declared that they were not blind; yet could they see only by being the sheep of Christ. Whence claimed they possession of the light, who were acting as thieves against the day? Because, then, of their vain and proud and incurable arrogance, did the Lord Jesus subjoin these words, wherein He has given us also salutary lessons, if we lay them to heart. For there are many who, according to a custom of this life, are called good people, — good men, good women, innocent, and observers as it were of what is commanded in the law; paying respect to their parents, abstaining from adultery, doing no murder, committing no theft, giving no false witness against any one, and observing all else that the law requires— yet are not Christians; and for the most part ask boastfully, like these men, *' Are we blind also?" But just because all these things that they do, and know not to what end they should have reference, they do to no purpose, the Lord has set forth in to-day's lesson the similitude of His own flock, and of the door that leads into the sheepfold. Pagans may say, then. We live well. If they enter not by the.door, what good will that do them, whereof they boast? For to this end ought good living to benefit every one, that it may be given him to live for ever: for to whomsoever eternal life is not given, of what benefit is the living well? For they ought not to be spoken of as even living well, who either from blindness know not the end of a right life, or in their pride despise it. But no one has the true and certain hope of living always, unless he know the life, that it is Christ; and enter by the gate into the sheepfold.
3. Such, accordingly, for the most part seek to persuade men to live well, and yet not to be Christians. By another way they wish to climb up, to steal and to kill, not as the shepherd, to preserve and to save. And thus there have been certain philosophers, holding many subtle discussions about the virtues and the vices, dividing, defining, drawing out to their close the most acute processes I Chap. ix. 30-41.
of reasoning, filling books, brandishing their wisdom with rattling jaws; who would even dare to say to people. Follow us, keep to our sect, if you would live happily. But they had not entered by the door: they wished to destroy, to slay, and to murder.
4. What shall I say of such? Look, the Pharisees themselves were in the habit of reading, and in what they read, their voices re-echoed the Christ, they hoped He would come, and recognized Him not when present; they boasted, even they, of being amongst those who saw, that is, among the wise, and they disowned tlie Christ, and entered not in by the door. Therefore would such also, if they chanced to seduce any, seduce them to be slaughtered and murdered, not to be brought into liberty. Let us leave these also to themselves, and look at those who glory in the name of Christ Himself, and see whether even they perchance are entering in by the door.
5. For there are countless numbers who not only boast that they see, but would have it appear that they are enlightened by Christ; yet are they heretics. Have even they somehow entered by the gate '^ Surely not. Sabellius says. He who is the Son is Himself the Father; but if the Son, then is there no Father. He enters not by the door, who asserts that the Son is the Father. Arius says. The Father is one thing, the Son is another thing. He would say rightly if he said, Another person; but not another thing. ^ For when he says, Another thing, he contradicts Him who says in his hearing, " I and my Father are One. '^ ^ Neither does he therefore enter by the door; for he preaches a Christ such as he fabricates for himself, not such as the truth declares Him. Thou hast the name, thou hast not the reality. Christ is the name of something; keep hold of the thing itself, if thou wouldst benefit by the n^me. Another, I know not from whence, says with Photinus,* Christ is mere man; He is not God. He enters not in by the door, for Christ is both man and God. But why need I make many references, and enumerate the many vanities of heretics? Keep hold of this, that Christ's sheepfold is the Catholic Church. Whoever would enter the sheepfold, let him enter by the door, let him preach the true Christ. Not only let him preach the true Christ, but seek Christ's glory, not his own; for many, by seeking their own glory, have scattered Christ's sheep, instead of gathering them.
For Christ the Lord is a low gateway: he who 2 Or, " substance:" Alius, non aiiud.
3 Ver. 38, unum: lit. " one thing or substance."
4 Bishop of Sirmium, who published his heretical opinions about A.D. 343.
Tractaie XLV.]
enters by this gateway must humble himself, that he may be able to enter with head unharmed. But he that humbleth not, but exalteth himself, wishes to climb over the wall; and he that climbeth over the wall, is exalted only to fall.
6. Thus far, however, the Lord Jesus speaks in covert language; not as yet is He understood. He names the door, He names the sheepfold, He names the sheep: all this He sets forth, but does not yet explain. Let us read on then, for He is coming to those words, wherein He may think proper to give us some explanation of what He has said; from the explanation of which He will perhaps enable us to understand also what He has not explained. For He gives us what is plain, for food; what is obscure, for exercise. " He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way." Woe to the wretch, for he is sure to fall! Let him then be humble, let him enter by the door: let him walk on the level ground, and he shall not stumble. " The same," He says, ** is a thief and a robber. " The sheep of another he desires to call his own sheep, —his own, that is, as carried off by stealth, for the purpose, not of saving, but of slaying them. Therefore is he a thief, because what is another's he calls his own; a robber, because what he has stolen he also kills. " But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep: to him the porter openeth." Concerning this porter we shall make inquiry, when we have heard of the Lord Himself what is the door and who is the shepherd. " And the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name." For He has their names written in the book of life. " He calleth his own sheep by name." Hence, says the apostle, "The Lord knoweth them that are His."' "And he leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger do they not follow, but do flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers." These are veiled words, full of topics of inquiry, pregnant with sacramental signs. Let us follow then, and listen to the ALaster as He makes some opening into these obscurities; and [Perhaps by the opening He makes. He will cause us to enter.
7. "This parable sjjnke Jesus unto them;' but they understood not wiiat He spake unto them." Nor wc also, perhai)s. What, then, is the difference between them and us, before even we can understand these words? I'his, ' 2 Tim. ii. Kj