For the upright man'^s simplicity is Umghed to scorn.
014 Simplicity of the upright scorned by the World.
Job 12, 48. It is the wisdom of this world to overlay the heart with inventions, to veil the sense with words; things that are XXIX.
Hist.* ^^^se to shew for true, what is true to make out fallacious. This is the wisdom that is acquired by the young by practice. This is learnt at a price by children, they that are acquainted with it are filled with pride, despising other men; they that know nothing of it, being subdued and browbeaten, admire it in others; for this same duplicity of wickedness, being glossed over by a name, is their joy and delight, so long as frowardness of mind goes by the title of urbanity. She dictates to her followers to seek the high places of honour, to triumph in attaining the vain acquisition of temporal glory; to return manifold the mischiefs that others bring upon us; when the means are with us, to give way to no man's opposition; when the opportunity of power is lacking, all whatsoever he cannot accomplish in wickedness to represent in the guise of peaceable good nature. But on the other hand it is the wisdom of the righteous, to pretend nothing in show, to discover the meaning by words; to love the truth as it is, to eschew falsehood; to set forth good deeds for nought, to bear evil more gladly than to do it; to seek no revenging of a wrong, to account opprobrium for the Truth's sake to be a gain. But this simplicity of the righteous is ' laughed to scorn,' in that the goodness of purity is taken for foil}' with the wise men of this world. For doubtless every thing that is done from innocency is accounted foolish by them, and whatever truth sanctions in practice sounds weak to carnal wisdom. For what seems worse folly to the world than to shew the mind by the words, to feign nothing by crafty contrivance, to return no abuse for wrong, to pray for them that speak evil of us, to seek after poverty, to forsake our possessions, not to resist him that is robbing us, to offer the other cheek to one that strikes us.'' Whence that illustrious Wise one of God speaks well to the lovers of this Exod.8, world, We shall sacrifice the abominalion of the Egyptians to the Lord our God. For the Egyptians loathe to eat the flesh of shee]), but that which the Egyptians loathe, the Israelites offer up to God; for that singleness of conscience, which the unrighteous one and all scorn as a thing most mean and abject, the righteous turn into a sacrifice of virtue.
The ' ricW that are judged^ those who think themselves so, 615 and the just in their worshipping sacrifice purity arid mild- Book ness to God, which the sons of perdition in abomination thereof account weakness. Which same siraphcity of the righteous man is briefly yet adequately expressed, in that the words are forthwith introduced; Ver. 5. A lamp despised in the thought of the rich.
49. What is denoted in this place by the title of the ' rich,' xxx. but the highmindedness of the proud, who have no respect for the Judge that shall come, while they are swollen with proud thoughts within themselves? For there are some that by a fortune are not lifted up in pride, but elevated thereby through works of mercy. And there are some who, while they see that they overflow with earthly resources, do not look for the true riches of God, and have no affection for the eternal land, for they think that this is enough for them, that they are set up with temporal goods. The fortune then is not in fault, but the feeling. For all things that God created are good, but he who uses good things amiss, assuredly brings it about that as it were through gluttonness of greedy appetite, he perishes by the bread whereby he ought to live. The beggar Lazarus attained to rest, but torments racked the proud rich one. And yet Abraham was rich, who held Lazarus in his bosom. Yet holding commune with his Maker, he says, / have taken upon me to speak unto theGen.is, Lord, which am hnt dust and ashes! How then did he know to set a value on riches, who accounted himself to be dust and ashes f or how could his possessions even exalt him, who entertained such poor notions about himself who was the owner of them } 50 Yet again there are some, to whom earthly property is not vouchsafed, and yet they are set up in their own ayes, in height of swollen pride. At the same time that there is no fortune at all to uplift these to the display of power, yet the frowardness of their ways assigns them a place among the lost children of riches. All, then, that love of the life to come does not fill with abasement, the sacred word here calls rich. For in the avenging of Judgment, there is no difference to them whether tbcy be swollen with goods, or only in disposition. These, when they see the life of the simple sort in this world to be lowly and abased, forthwith scoff" at them 616 Men icho die to sin thought dead by the World.
Job 12, with proud sconiings; for they mark that that is wholly wanting '- — to them without, which they pant after themselves with their best endeavours. Therefore they look down upon them as fools, who are without those things, by the having or merely loving of which they themselves in trath are perishing; and they take those for dead, whom they observe in no sort to live with themselves after the flesh. For he that dies from the desires of this world, is of course held by earthly minds to be utterly dead. Which is well represented by the miracle of our Redeemer when He frees a man from an Mark9, unclean spirit, concerning which same it is written: And '' the spirit cried and rent him sore, and came out of him, and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, he is dead. But Jesus took him hy the hand, and lifted him up, and he arose: for he looks like one dead that is set free from the power of an evil spirit. For whosoever has already got the better of earthly desires, makes the life of carnal conversation extinct in himself; and he seems dead to the world, in that he lacks the wicked one that possessed him, who urged him by impure desires; and many call him dead, in that they who know not how to live spiritually, look upon him who does not follow carnal good to be wholly lifeless.
51. But because the very scoffers at the simple ones are themselves too enrolled under the name of Christians, being overruled by reverence for religion, they are ashamed to make a display of the sin of open scoffing. Whence it happens that full of pride in themselves, and in silence, they scoff at those whom they take to be utterly mean and abject from their simplicity. Therefore it is well expressed, A lamp is despised in the tJtought of the rich; for all the proud, whereas they are unskilled to estimate the blessings to come, as we have said above, account him almost as nothing whom they do not see to be possessed of that which they are devoted to. For it often happens that each one of the Elect, who is being conducted to eternal bliss, is overwhelmed here with unintermitted calamitj*, there is no plentifulness of stores that buoys him up, no lustre from titles that makes him conspicuous, no crowd of followers falls to his lot, no pomp of raiment makes him a figure in the eyes of men, but he is regarded as an object of contempt by all men, and accounted unworthy of David despised without, bright within. 617 the regard of this world. Yet in the eyes of the hidden Book Judge he is bright with virtues, and full of lustre from the — — — merits of his life; he dreads to be honoured, he never shrinks from being despised, he disciplines the body by continence, he is fattened by love alone in the soul, he ever sets his mind to bear with patience, and standing erect on the ground of righteousness, he exults in the insults he receives, he compassionates the distressed from his heart, he rejoices in the successes of the good as in his own, he carefully ruminates the provender of the sacred word in his heart, and when examined he is unskilled to give a double answer; ' a lamp' because he is bright within, ^ despised' because he is not luminous without. Inwardly he glows with the flame of charity, without he shines with no gloriousness of lustre. Therefore he shines and is despised, who, while he glows with virtue, is accounted vile. Hence it is that his own father looked down upon holy David, when he refused to i Sam.
present him to the eyes of the Prophet Samuel. He, when he l^' ^^* had brought out seven sons to receive the grace of anointing, being questioned by the Prophet whether he had gone through the whole number of his children, answered with despair enough, There remaineih yet a little hoy that keepeth the sheep; and when he was brought forward and chosen, he heard the words, Man looketh in the face, hut the Lord searcheth the heart. Thus David was a lamp by his innocency, but yet a lamp greatly despised, in that he gave no light to those that regard the outside appearance. But be it known that every righteous man is either without temporal glory, or if he has it, he breaks it beneath himself, that he may freely rise on high above his own honour, lest overcome by enjoyment he be brought down beneath it. It is hence that that illustrious Preacher lowered the glory of his Apostleship before the eyes of men, saying, We have not \ Thess. U8ed this power, when we might have been burthensome a.9^'^-^-the Apostles of Christ, but we made ourselves little children among you. But the swelling of the neck still remained in the heart of the hearers of that same person, when they said, For his letters say they are iveighty and powerful, but his2 Cor.
bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible. For^^'^^* him who they knew could say such things they determined 618 True Light despised till revealed in the Judgment.
Job 12, could not live in common with tliemselv^es, and when they * — both saw him lowly in his mode of hfe and high in his tone of speech, their pride drove them on, that him whose writings had made him to be feared, his vrords in presence should make an object of little account. What then was Paul, saving ' a lamp despised in the thought of the rich,' who by the same act whereby he set forth a lesson of humihty, got the affronts of highmindedness from ill-instructed disciples. For in a dreadful way, the sickness of those so filled with pride was increased by the same means, whereby it ought to have subsided; while the proud mind of carnal persons rejected, as if it were worthy of scorn that which their master set forth as deserving of imitation. Was not he ' a lamp despised,' who when he shone forth with so many virtues, underwent such adverse treatment at the hands of his persecutors? He discharges his mission in chains, and his bonds are made known in all the palace, he is beaten with rods, he is beset with numberless dangers from his own race and from the Gentiles; at Lystra he is battered with stones, he is dragged by the feet without the city, in that he is taken for dead. But to what point is this * lamp despised?' Up to what point is it held contemptible? Does it never at any point unveil its lustre? Does it never shew, with what excess of brightness it glows? It does shew clearly. For when it is said that the ' lamp is despised in the thought of the rich,' it is therefore added, Prepared for an appointed time.
xxxi. 5*2. For the ' appointed time' for ^ the despised lamp' is the predestined Day of final Judgment, wherein it is shewn how each one of the righteous, who is now contemned, shines bright in greatness of power. For then they come as judges with God, who now are judged unjustly for God's sake. Then their Light shines over so much the wider space, the more cruelly the persecutor's hand confines and fetters them now. Then it will be made clear to the eyes of the wicked, that they were supported by heavenly power, \\ ho forsook all earthly things of their free will. Whence Truth saith to His Mat. 19, own Elect; Ye which have followed Me, in the Regeneration, when the Son of Man shall sit in the throne of His glory, ye also shull sit npon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel, Not that the court of the interior They that choose poverty shall judye with Christ. 619 Assize will have no more than twelve judges, but, surely, that Book by the number twelve the amount of the whole is described; ^ * for whosoever being urged by the incitement of divine love, has forsaken all that he possessed here, shall doubtless attain there to the height of judicial power; that he may then come as judge in company with the Judge, who now by consideration of the Judgment chastens himself with voluntary poverty. For hence it is that it is said by Solomon concerning the spouse of Holy Church, Her husband is knownvrov. in the gates^ when he sitteth among the elders of the land.^^^'^^' Hence Isaiah says. The Lord will come to judg7nejit, with is.3,i4. the elders of His people. Hence Truth proclaims these same Elders now no longer servants but fiiends. Henceforth /Johnis, call you not servants, hut I hare called you friends. And the Psalmist regarding these same saith. Honourable alsoFs. 139, are thy friends unto me, O God. And whilst he beheld their loftiness of mind, and how they trod down with the heel of the foot the glory of the world, he thereupon added. How siablished is their rule! And that we might not think that they be few, who we learn thus advance even to the summit of such high perfection, he thereupon added, //' / should count them, they are more in number than the sand.
For as many persons, then, as now wittingly abase themselves for the love of the Trulh, so many lamps shall then blaze forth in the Judgment. Therefore let it be justly said, A lamp despised in the thought of the rich, prepared for the appointed time; for the soul of every righteous man is despised as abject, when in passing through life he is without glory; but he is beheld as an object to admire, when he shines from on high.
53. Amid these things it is good to lift the eye of the mind to the paths of our Redeemer, and to proceed step by step from the members to the head. For He did Himself prove truly * a lamp' to us, Vv^ho by dying upon the Cross for our redemption, poured light through the wood into our benighted minds. John had attained to see that we are lightened by this Lamp, when he said. That was the true Light, John 1, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. Yet he saw it ' despised in the thought of the rich,' when he soon after brought in, He came unto His own, and His ownxex.u.
020 Christ, os a Lamp despised, Job iQ, received Him not. Herod desired to examine into the '- — flames of this Lamp, vvhen he lons-ed to see the miracles of Lute23 that One, as it is written, For he was desirous to see Him of ^' a long season, because lie had heard many tilings of Him, and he hoped to have seen some miracles done by Him. But this Lamp did not shine forth before his eyes with a single ray of light, in that to him, who sought Him not from piety but from curiosity, He exhibited nothing wonderful concerning Himself. For our Redeemer when He was questioned held His peace, when He was looked for, He scorned to shew forth His miracles, and keeping Himself to Himself in secret, those whom He found looking for outward things He left in their ingratitude without, rather choosing to be openly despised by those who were led by pride, than to be commended with empty voice by those that did not believe. And hence this ' Lamp' is straightway ' despised,' according Luke23, ^Q what is there added. And Herod with his men of icar set Him at nought, and mocked Him, and arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe.
54. Yet the ' despised lamp,' which is subject to scoffings on earth, flashes judgment from heaven. Hence it is justly added \\Qxe, prepared for an appointed season. Concerning Ps.75,2. which same season He saith by the Psalmist, When I shall receive the time, I will judge uprightly. Hence in the John 7, Gospel ' Truth' declareth, saying, My lime is not yet come.
Acts 3, Hence Peter saith. Whom the heaven must receive until the ^^' times of the restitution of all things. Therefore the ^ Lamp' which is now ' despised' is ' prepared' for its coming ' at the appointed season.' For He by Himself judge th sin on the last Day, Who now bears with the scoffs of sinners, and then He brings out severity the more rigorously, the more mildly He now spreads low His patience in calling sinners. For he that awaits long while for some to be converted, if they be not converted, torments them without revoke. Which same truth he conveys by the Prophet in few words, saying, Is. 42, / have long time holden my peace, I have been still and refrained myself; now will I cry like a travailing icoman. For as we have already before said, a woman in travail with pain gives forth that which she bore for long in her inmost parts. He then that for long time held his peace, ' crieth like shall shine out in Judi/ment. 621 a travailing woman,' in that the Judge that shall come, Who Book for long bore with the deeds of men without taking venge ^-^— ance, sooner or later brings to light with hotness of examination, as if with pain of mind, the sentence of direful visiting which He kept within. Therefore let none despise this Lamp, when it is out of sight, lest He burn up His despisers when He shineth fi'om heaven. For to whomsoever He does not now burn to give pardon, He shall then assuredly burn to award punishment. Therefore because by grace fi'om above we are vouchsafed the season of our calhng, whilst there is still the room left, let us by altering our ways for the better flee from the wrath of Him, Who is every where present. For him alone that visitation fails to find, whom correction keeps in hiding.
55. Let it suffice for us by the Lord's bounty to have now run through these particulars in two volumes^ For because \corpowe cannot embrace in a brief exposition the following parts" ^** of the sacred book, drawn out in the stream of mysteries, we must of necessity reserve them for other sheets, that the reader may return the more ardent to the task of reading, in proportion as he has breathing given him by the inteiTuption of what is read.
\% Gregory the Great • Morals* PONTIFICAL INSTITUTE OF MEDIAEVAL SiUUlfe-S 59 QUEEN'S PARK CRESCENT T0R0NT0-~5, CANAD/^