Chapter IV. Sermon on the Sermon on the Mount
11. Hence also the sevenfold operation of the Holy Ghost, of which Isaiah speaks,32 seems to me to correspond to these stages and sentences. But there is a difference of order: for there the enumeration begins
with the more excellent, but here with the inferior. For there it begins with wisdom, and closes with the fear of God: but
“the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” And therefore, if we reckon as it were in a gradually ascending series,
there the fear of God is first, piety second, knowledge third, fortitude fourth, counsel fifth,
understanding sixth, wisdom seventh. The fear of God corresponds to the humble, of whom it is here said, “Blessed are
the poor in spirit,” i.e. those not puffed up, not proud: to whom the apostle says, “Be not high-minded, but fear;”33i.e. be not lifted up. Piety34
corresponds to the meek: for he who inquires piously honours Holy
Scripture, and does not censure what he does not yet understand,
and on this account does not offer resistance; and this is to be
meek: whence it is here said, “Blessed are the meek.” Knowledge
corresponds to those that mourn who already have found out in the
Scriptures by what evils they are held chained which they
ignorantly have coveted as though they were good and useful.
Fortitude corresponds to those
hungering and thirsting: for they labour in earnestly desiring
joy from things that are truly good, and in eagerly seeking
to turn away their love from earthly and corporeal things: and of
them it is here said, “Blessed are they which do hunger
and thirst after righteousness.” Counsel corresponds to the
merciful: for this is the one remedy for escaping from so great
evils, that we forgive, as we wish to be 7ourselves
forgiven; and that we assist others so far as we
are able, as we ourselves desire to be assisted where we are
not able: and of them it is here said, “Blessed are the merciful.”
Understanding corresponds to the pure in heart, the eye being as
it were purged, by which that may be beheld which eye hath
not seen, nor ear heard, and what hath not entered into the heart
of man:35 and of them it is here said, “Blessed are the pure in heart.” Wisdom corresponds to the peacemakers, in whom all things are
now brought into order, and no passion is in a state of rebellion against reason, but all things together obey the spirit
of man, while he himself also obeys God: and of them it is here said, “Blessed are the peacemakers.”36
12. Moreover, the one reward, which is
the kingdom of heaven, is variously named according to these stages. In
the first,
just as ought to be the case, is placed the kingdom of heaven,
which is the perfect and highest wisdom of the rational soul.
Thus, therefore, it is said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven:” as if it were said, “The
fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” To the meek an
inheritance is given, as it were
the testament of a father to those dutifully seeking it:
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” To
the mourners comfort, as to those who know what they have lost,
and in what evils they are sunk: “Blessed are they that mourn,
for they shall be comforted.” To those hungering and thirsting, a
full supply, as it were a refreshment to those labouring
and bravely contending for salvation: “Blessed are they which do
hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be
filled.” To the merciful mercy, as to those following a true
and excellent counsel, so that this same treatment is extended
toward them by one who is stronger, which they extend toward the
weaker: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain
mercy.” To the pure in heart is given the power of seeing God, as
to those bearing about with them a pure eye for discerning
eternal things: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see
God.” To the peacemakers the likeness of God is
given, as being perfectly wise, and formed after the image of
God by means of the regeneration of the renewed man: “Blessed
are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of
God.” And those promises can indeed be fulfilled in this life,
as we believe them to have been fulfilled in the case of the
apostles. For that all-embracing change into the angelic form,
which is promised after this life, cannot be explained in any
words. “Blessed,” therefore, “are they which are
persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom
of heaven.” This eighth sentence, which goes back to the
starting-point, and makes manifest the perfect man, is perhaps set
forth in its meaning both by the circumcision on the eighth
day in the Old Testament, and by the resurrection of the Lord
after the Sabbath, the day which is certainly the eighth, and
at the same time the first day; and by the celebration of the
eight festival days which we celebrate in the case of the
regeneration of the new man; and by the very number of
Pentecost. For to the number seven, seven times multiplied, by
which we make forty-nine, as it were an eighth is added, so that
fifty may be made up, and we, as it were, return to the starting-point:
on which day the Holy Spirit was sent, by whom we are led into the
kingdom of heaven, and receive the inheritance, and are
comforted; and are fed, and obtain mercy, and are purified, and
are made peacemakers; and being thus perfect, we bear all
troubles brought upon us from without for the sake of truth
and righteousness.
Chapter V.
13. “Blessed are ye,” says He, “when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you
falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad: for great37 is your reward in heaven.” Let any one who is seeking after the delights of this world and the riches of temporal things
under the Christian name, consider that our blessedness is within; as it is said of the soul of the Church38 by the mouth of the prophet, “All the beauty of the king’s daughter is within;”39
for outwardly revilings, and persecutions, and disparagements are
promised; and yet, from these things there is a great reward
in heaven, which is felt in the heart of those who endure, those
who can now say, “We glory in tribulations: knowing that
tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and
experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love
of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is
given unto us.”
40
For it is not simply the enduring of such things that is advantageous,
but the bearing of such things for the name of Christ
not only with tranquil mind, but even with exultation. For many
heretics, deceiving souls under the Christian name, endure
many such things; but they are excluded from that reward on this
account, that it is not said merely, “Blessed are they which
endure persecution;” but it is added, “for righteousness’ sake.”
Now, where there is no sound
faith, there can be no righteousness, for the just [righteous]
man lives by faith.41
Neither let schismatics promise themselves anything of that reward; for similarly, 8where there is no love, there cannot be righteousness, for “love worketh no ill to his neighbour;”42 and if they had it, they would not tear in pieces Christ’s body, which is the Church.43
Neither let schismatics promise themselves anything of that reward; for similarly, 8where there is no love, there cannot be righteousness, for “love worketh no ill to his neighbour;”42 and if they had it, they would not tear in pieces Christ’s body, which is the Church.43
14. But it may be asked, What is the difference when He says, “when men shall revile you,” and “when they shall say all manner
of evil against you,” since to revile44 is just this, to say evil against?45 But it is one thing when the reviling word is hurled with contumely in presence of him who is reviled, as it was said to
our Lord, “Say we not the truth46 that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?”47 and another thing, when our reputation is injured in our absence, as it is also written of Him, “Some said, He is a prophet;48 others said, Nay, but He deceiveth the people.”49
Then, further, to persecute is to inflict violence, or to assail with
snares, as was done by him who betrayed Him, and by
them who crucified Him. Certainly, as for the fact that this also
is not put in a bare form, so that it should be said, “and
shall say all manner of evil against you,” but there is added the
word “falsely,” and also the expression “for my sake;” I
think that the addition is made for the sake of those who wish to
glory in persecutions, and in
the baseness of their reputation; and to say that Christ
belongs to them for this reason, that many bad things are said
about them; while, on the one hand, the things said are true, when
they are said respecting their error; and, on the other
hand, if sometimes also some false charges are thrown out, which
frequently happens from the rashness of men, yet they do
not suffer such things for Christ’s sake.50 For he is not a follower of Christ who is not called a Christian according to the true faith and the catholic discipline.
15. “Rejoice,” says He, “and be
exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven.” I do not think that
it is the higher
parts of this visible world that are here called heaven. For our
reward, which ought to be immoveable and eternal, is not
to be placed in things fleeting and temporal. But I think the
expression “in heaven” means in the spiritual firmament, where
dwells everlasting righteousness: in comparison with which a
wicked soul is called
earth, to which it is said when it sins, “Earth thou art, and
unto earth thou shalt return.”51 Of this heaven the apostle says, “For our conversation is in heaven.”52
Hence they who rejoice in spiritual good are conscious of that reward
now; but then it will be perfected in every part, when
this mortal also shall have put on immortality. “For,” says He,
“so persecuted they the prophets also which were before you.”
In the present case He has used “persecution” in a general sense,
as applying alike to abusive words and to the tearing in
pieces of one’s reputation; and has well encouraged them by an
example, because they who
speak true things are wont to suffer persecution: nevertheless
did not the ancient prophets on this account, through fear
of persecution, give over the preaching of the truth.