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JOHN i. 14.
"And the Word was made Flesh, and dwelt among us."
1. I DESIRE tO ask one favor of you all, before I touch on
the words of the Gospel; do not you refuse my request, for I ask
nothing heavy or burdensome, nor, if granted, will it be useful only
to me who receive, but also to you who grant it, and perhaps far more
so to you. What then is it that I require of you? That each of you
take in hand that section of the Gospels which is to be read among you
on the first day of the week, or even on the Sabbath, and before the
day arrive, that he sit down at home and read it through, and often
carefully consider its contents, and examine all its parts well, what
is deal what obscure, what seems to make for the adversaries, but does
not really so; and when you have tried, in a word every point, so go
to hear it read. For from zeal like this will be no small gain both to
you and to us. We shall not need much labor to render dear the meaning
of what is said, because your minds will be already made familiar with
the sense of the words, and you will become keener and more
clear-sighted not for hearing only, nor for learning, but also for
the teaching of others.
Since, in the way that now most of those who come hither hear,
competed to take in the meaning of all at once, both the words, and
the remarks we make upon them, they will not, though we should go on
doing this for a whole year, reap any great gain. How can they, when
they have leisure for what is said as a by work, and only in this
place, and for this short time? If any lay the fault on business,
and cares, and constant occupation in public and private matters, in
the first place, this is no slight charge in itself, that they are
surrounded with such a multitude of business, are so continually nailed
to the things of this life, that they cannot find even a little leisure
for what is more needful than all Besides, that this is a mere pretext
and excuse, their meetings with friends would prove against them,
their loitering in the theaters, and the parties they make to see horse
races, at which they often spend whole days, yet never in that case
does one of them complain of the pressure of business. For trifles
then you can without making any excuses, always find abundant leisure;
but when you ought to attend to the things of God, do these seem to
you so utterly superfluous and mean, that you think you need not assign
even a little leisure to them? How do men of such disposition deserve
to breathe or to look upon this sun?
There is another most foolish excuse of these sluggards; that they
have not the books in their possession. Now as to the rich, it is
ludicrous that we should take our aim at this excuse; but because I
imagine that many of the poorer sort continually use it, I would
gladly ask, if every one of them does not have all the instruments of
the trade which he works at, full and complete, though infinite
poverty stand in his way? Is it not then a strange thing, in that
case to throw no blame on poverty, but to use every means that there be
no obstacle from any quarter, but, when we might gain such great
advantage, to lament our want of leisure and our poverty?
Besides, even if any should be so poor, it is in their power, by
means of the continual reading of the holy Scriptures which takes place
here, to be ignorant of nothing contained in them. Or if this seems
to you impossible, it seems so with reason; for many do not come with
fervent zeal to hearken to what is said, but having done this one thing
for form's sake on our account, immediately return home. Or if any
should stay, they are no better disposed than those who have retired,
since they are only present here with us in body. But that we may not
overload you with accusations, and spend all the time in finding
fault, let us proceed to the words of the Gospel, for it is time to
direct the remainder of our discourse to what is set before us. Rouse
yourselves therefore, that nothing of what is said escape you.
"And the Word was made Flesh," he saith, "and dwelt among us."
Having declared that they who received Him were "born of God," and
had become "sons of God," he adds the cause and reason of this
unspeakable honor. It is that "the Word became Flesh," that the
Master took on Him the form of a servant. For He became Son of
man, who was God's own Son, in order that He might make the sons
of men to be children of God. For the high when it associates with
the low touches not at all its own honor, while it raises up the other
from its excessive lowness; and even thus it was with the Lord. He
in nothing diminished His own Nature by this condescension, but
raised us, who had always sat in disgrace and darkness, to glory
unspeakable. Thus it may be, a king, conversing with interest and
kindness with a poor mean man, does not at all shame himself, yet
makes the other observed by all and illustrious. Now if in the case of
the adventitious dignity of men, intercourse with the humbler person in
nothing injuries the more honorable, much less can it do so in the case
of that simple and blessed Essence which has nothing adventitious, or
subject to growth or decay, but has all good things immovable, and
fixed for ever. So that when you hear that "the Word became
Flesh," be not disturbed nor cast down, For that Essence did not
change to flesh, (it is impiety to imagine this,) but continuing
what it is, It so took upon It the form of a servant.
2. Wherefore then does he use the expression, "was made"? To
stop the mouths of the heretics. For since there are some who say that
all the circumstances of the Dispensation were an appearance, a piece
of acting, an allegory, at once to remove beforehand their blasphemy,
he has put "was made"; desiring to show thereby not a change of
substance, (away with the thought,) but the assumption of very
flesh. For as when (Paul) says, "Christ hath redeemed us from
the curse of the law, being made a curse for us," he does not mean
that His essence removing from Its proper glory took upon It the
being of an accused thing, (this not even devils could imagine, nor
even the very foolish, nor those deprived of their natural
understanding, such impiety as well as madness does it contain,) as
(St. Paul) does not say this, but that He, taking upon Himself
the curse pronounced against us, leaves us no more under the curse; so
also here he (St. John) says that He "was made Flesh," not by
changing His Essence to flesh, but by taking flesh to Himself, His
Essence remained untouched.
If they say that being God, He is Omnipotent, so that He could
lower Himself to the substance of flesh, we will reply to them, that
He is Omnipotent as long as He continues to be God. But if He
admit of change, change for the worse, how could He be God? for
change is far from that simple Nature. Wherefore the Prophet saith,
"They all shall wax old as doth a garment, and as a vesture shalt
Thou roll them up, and they shall be changed; but Thou art the
same, and Thy years shall not fail." (Ps. cii. 27, LXX.)
For that Essence is superior to all change. There is nothing better
than He, to which He might advance and reach. Better do I say?
No, nor equal to, nor the least approaching Him. It remains,
therefore, that if He change, He must admit a change for the worse;
and this would not be God. But let the blasphemy return upon the
heads of those who utter it. Nay, to show that he uses the
expression,'" was made" only that you should not suppose a mere
appearance, hear from what follows how he clears the argument, and
overthrows that wicked suggestion. For what does he add? "And dwelt
among us." All but saying, "Imagine nothing improper from the word
'was made'; I spoke not of any change of that un- changeable
Nature, but of Its dwelling and in habiting. But that which dwells
cannot be the same with that in which it dwells, but different; one
thing dwells in a different thing, otherwise it would not be dwelling;
for nothing can inhabit itself. I mean, different as to essence; for
by an Union. and Conjoining God the Word and the Flesh are One,
not by any confusion or obliteration of substances, but by a certain
union ineffable, and past understand. Ask not how for It was
MADE, sO as He knoweth."
What then was the tabernacle in which He dwelt? Hear the Prophet
say; "I will raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen."
(Amos ix. II.) It was fallen indeed, our nature had fallen an
incurable fall, and needed only that mighty Hand. There was no
possibility of raising it again, had not He who fashioned it at first
stretched forth to it His Hand, and stamped it mew with His Image,
by the regeneration of water and the Spirit. And observe I pray
you, the awful and ineffable nature of the mystery. He inhabits this
tabernacle for ever, for He clothed Himself with our flesh, not as
again to leave it, but always to have it with Him. Had not this been
the case, He would not have deemed it worthy of the royal throne, nor
would He while wearing it have been worshiped by all the host of
heaven, angels archangel, thrones, principalities, dominions,
powers. What word, what though can represent such great honor done to
our race, so truly marvelous and awful? What angel what archangel?
Not one in any place, whether in heaven, or upon earth. For such
are the mighty works of God, so great and marvelous are His
benefits, that a right description of them exceeds not only the tongue
of men, but even the power of angels.
Wherefore we will for a while dose our discourse, and be silent; only
delivering to you this charge, that you repay this our so great
Benefactor by a return which again shall bring round to us all profit.
The return is, that we look with all carefulness to the state of our
souls. For this too is the work of His lovingkindness, that He who
stands in no need of anything of ours says that He is repaid when we
take care of our own souls. It is therefore an act of extremist
folly, and one deserving ten thousand chastisements, if we, when such
honor has been lavished upon us, will not even contribute what we can,
and that too when profit comes round to us again by these means, and
ten thousand blessings are laid before us on these conditions. For all
these things let us returns glory to our merciful God, not by words
only, but much more by works that we may obtain the good things
hereafter, which may it be that we all attain to, through the grace
and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom and with whom,
to the Father and the Holy Ghost, be glory for ever and ever.
Amen.
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