You say these were the disgraceful acts of a few men and what was not done by all could not injure all. Indeed, I have said above quite often that the crime of one man was the destruction of many among the people of God, just as the people was ruined by Achan’s theft,^[1] just as pestilence arose from Saul’s jealousy,^[2] just as death came from the counting of the people by the holy David. The church of God is as the eye. As a speck of dirt, even though small, which falls into the eye blinds the sight completely, in the same way, if some, even though they are a few in the body of the church, commit filthy acts, they block almost all the light of the splendor of the church.

The characters, then, of rulers are so assigned according to the merits of their subjects, that frequently they who seem to be good are soon changed by the acceptance of power. As holy Scripture observed of the same Saul that he changed his heart with his dignity. Whence it is written, When you were little in your own eyes, I made you the head of the tribes of Israel.^[1] The conduct of rulers is so ordered with reference to the characters of their subjects that frequently the conduct of even a truly good shepherd becomes sinful as a result of the wickedness of his flock. For that prophet David, who had been praised by the witness of God himself, who had been made acquainted with heavenly mysteries, being puffed up by the swelling of sudden pride, sinned in numbering the people. And yet, though David sinned, the people endured the punishment. Why was this? Because in truth the hearts of rulers are disposed according to the merits of their people. But the righteous judge reproved the fault of the sinner by the punishment of those very persons on whose account he sinned. But because he was not exempt from guilt, as displaying pride of his own free will, he himself endured also the punishment of his sin. For that furious wrath which struck the people in their bodies prostrated the ruler of the people by the pain of his inmost heart. But it is certain that the merits of rulers and people are so mutually connected that frequently the conduct of the people is made worse from the fault of their pastors and the conduct of pastors is changed according to the merits of their people.

Again, when David had ordered the people to be numbered, he was deeply afflicted in heart and said to the Lord, I have sinned greatly in the command I have made, and now, O Lord, take away the iniquity of your servant, because I have sinned exceedingly. And the prophet Nathan^[1] was sent again to him to offer him the choice of three things, that he might select what he chose: a famine in the land for three years, flight from the face of his enemies for three months, or pestilence in the land for three days. And David answered, These three things are a great distress to me, yet I shall fall into the hand of the Lord since his mercies are exceedingly great, and I shall not fall into the hands of men. David’s fault was that he desired to know the number of all the people who were with him, and the knowledge of this he should have left to God alone.

And it is said that when the pestilence came upon the people on the first day at dinner time, when David saw the angel striking the people, he said, I have sinned, I, the shepherd, have done evil and this flock, what has it done? Let your hand be upon me and upon my father’s house. So the Lord repented, and he bade the angel to spare the people, but David to offer sacrifice, for sacrifices were then offered for sin, but now they are sacrifices of penance. Thus, by his humility he became more acceptable to God, for it is not strange that people sin, but it is reprehensible if they do not acknowledge that they have erred and humble themselves before God.

Bring a yet graver charge against God and ask him why, when Esau and Jacob were still in the womb, he said, Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.^[1] Accuse him of injustice because, when Achan the son of Carmi stole part of the spoil of Jericho, he butchered so many thousands for the fault of one.^[2] Ask him why for the sin of the sons of Eli the people were well-nigh annihilated and the ark captured.^[3] And why, when David sinned by numbering the people, so many thousands lost their lives. . . .Why should Christ’s coming have been delayed to the last times? Why should he not have come before so vast a number had perished? Of this last question the blessed apostle in writing to the Romans most wisely disposes by admitting that he does not know and that only God does. Do you too, then, condescend to remain ignorant of that into which you inquire. Leave to God his power over what is his own; he does not need you to justify his actions.

Good, therefore, is humility. It delivers those who are in danger and raises those who have fallen. This humility was known to him who said, Behold, it is I that have sinned, and I the shepherd have acted wickedly; and these in this flock, what have they done? Let your hand be against me. Well does David say this who made his kingdom subject to God and did penance and, having confessed his sin, asked pardon. He attained salvation through humility. Christ humbled himself to raise up all, and whoever follows the humility of Christ attains the rest of Christ. ON THE DEATH OF THEODOSIUS 27.^[1]

But those pastors who did not care for the sheep, those were hirelings who used to feed themselves alone. DEMONSTRATION 10.2-3.^[2]

And besides, Christ enjoins nothing impossible, seeing that many have even gone beyond his commands. Who has done this? Paul, Peter, all the company of the saints. No, indeed if I say that they loved their neighbors, I say no great matter: they so loved their enemies as no one would love those who were likeminded with himself. For who would choose for the sake of those likeminded to go away into hell when he was about to depart into a kingdom? No one. But Paul chose this for the sake of his enemies, for those who stoned him, those who scourged him.^[3] What pardon then will there be for us, what excuse, if we shall not show toward our friends even the very smallest portion of that love which Paul showed toward his enemies?

And before him too, the blessed Moses was willing to be blotted out of God’s book for the sake of his enemies who had stoned him.^[4] David also when he saw those who had stood up against him slain, said, I, the shepherd, have sinned, but these, what have they done? And when he had Saul in his hands, he would not slay him but saved him; and this when he himself would be in danger. But if these things were done under the old [covenant], what excuse shall we have who live under the new and do not attain even to the same measure with them? For . . . unless our righteousness exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees, we shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven, how shall we enter in when we have even less than they?