[Zion] formed the city that David formerly stormed and afterwards rebuilt.^[1] Of its storming it is written, Woe to Ariel, to Ariel—that is, God’s lion^[2] (and indeed in those days it was extremely strong).

Let us speak of him who thought he was happy since he was chief butler and believed that this was the summit and crown of all power, that he would give the cup to the king.^[1] This was his glory, this was his grandeur in this world; when he was deprived of this he felt sorrow, and when he was restored to it he rejoiced. But this is a dream, and all worldly power is a dream, not a reality. To be sure, he saw by way of a dream that his preeminent position was restored to him. Isaiah also says that people of this kind are such as take delight in prosperity in this world. One who eats and drinks in his sleep thinks he is filled with food and drink, but when he awakens, he begins to be more hungry; then he understands how insubstantial were that dreamer’s food and drink. Just so, one who is asleep in this world and does not open his eyes to the mysteries of God, as long as he is in a deep corporeal sleep, supposes that such worldly power is of some importance, seeing it, as it were, in his dreams. But when he has awakened, he discovers how insubstantial the pleasure of this world is.

Truly, this life is a dream, a dream of riches; for when we seem to have them within our grasp, immediately they slip away. Isaiah expresses this same thought: As when a thirsty man dreams he is drinking and awakens faint and dry, so indeed are the riches of this world; while we are reaching out for them they are gone.

And those who sleep are those who, when they ought to be taking heed and watching with the soul, are not doing this. But by reason of great want of attention they are nodding in resolution and are drowsy in their reflections, such as in their dreaming defile the flesh, and set at nothing that which is highest in authority, and rail at dignities.^[1] And these, because they are asleep, live in an atmosphere of vain and dreamlike fancies concerning realities. [They do not admit] the things that are actually true, but [they are] deceived by what appears in their vain imaginations. In regard to [them] it is said in Isaiah, Like as when a thirsty man dreams that he is drinking, but when he has risen up is still thirsty, and his soul has cherished a vain hope, so shall be the wealth of all the nations, as many as have warred in Jerusalem.

Since you are reasonable, I know that after my exhortation you will not permit yourselves to go beyond the bounds of what you need. But now it is appropriate for me to urge you not only to turn aside from drinking to excess but also to avoid the drunkenness that comes without drinking wine. For this kind is more dangerous. Don’t be astonished at what I say, for it is possible to be drunk without wine. That you may know that this is possible, listen to the prophet, who said, Woe to those who are drunk not from wine. But what is this drunkenness that does not come from wine? It takes many and varied forms. For anger makes us drunk; so too, vainglory, haughty madness, and all the deadly passions that spring up in us produce a kind of drunkenness and satiety that darkens our reason. For drunkenness is nothing more than the distraction of our minds from their natural ways, the straying of reason and the loss of our understanding.

Yes, it is possible to be drunk without wine; it is possible for a sober person to act as if he is drunk and to revel like a prodigal. If one could not get drunk without wine, the prophet would never have said, Woe to those who are drunk not from wine; if one could not get drunk without wine, Paul would never have said, Do not be drunk with wine.^[1] For he said this as if there were a possibility of getting drunk some other way. And it is possible. A person can be drunk with anger, with unseemly desire, with greed, with vainglory, with ten thousand other passions. For drunkenness is nothing other than a loss of right reason, a derangement and depriving the soul of its health.

What are we to do now, my brothers, when crushed, cast down and drunk but not with strong drink or with wine, which excites and obfuscates but for a while, but with the blow which the Lord has inflicted upon us? He says, And you, O heart, be stirred and shaken,^[1] and gives to the despisers the spirit of sorrow and deep sleep to drink.^[2] To [them] he also says, See, you despisers, behold, and wonder and perish.^[3] How shall we bear his convictions; or what reply shall we make, when he reproaches us not only with the multitude of the benefits for which we have continued ungrateful, but also with his chastisements, and reckons up the remedies with which we have refused to be healed?

If they could not believe, what is the sin of a person not doing what he cannot do? But if they sinned by not believing, then they could believe and did not. . . . Then what will we answer about another testimony of the prophet that the apostle Paul cites, saying, Israel did not obtain what he was seeking, but the election did obtain it. The rest indeed have been blinded, as it has been written, ‘God gave them a spirit of insensibility, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear until this present day.’^[1]

You have heard, brothers, the question proposed; you see, of course, how profound it is. But we answer as best we can. They could not believe, because Isaiah the prophet foretold this. But the prophet foretold it because God foreknew that it would be. Why they could not, however, if it should be asked of me, I quickly answer, because they were not willing. For God foresaw their evil will and he, from whom the future cannot be hidden, foretold it through the prophet.

But, you say, the prophet states another cause, not of their will. What cause does the prophet state? That God gave them a spirit of insensibility, eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear, and he blinded their eyes and hardened their heart.^[2] I answer that their will earned even this. For thus God blinds, thus God hardens by abandoning and not helping; and he can do this by a hidden judgment, but he cannot do it by an evil one. The piety of the religious ought altogether keep this unshaken and inviolate; as the apostle says when he was discussing this very same, most difficult question: What shall we say, then? Is there injustice with God? Not at all!^[3] Therefore, if it is not at all the case that there is injustice with God, either when he helps, he acts mercifully, or when he does not help, he acts justly, because he does all things not with rashness but in judgment. Accordingly, if the judgments of the saints are just, how much more so those of the sanctifying and justifying God!^[4] Therefore they are just but hidden.

Not to recognize sins lest penance follow is the wrath of God, as it is written: And the Lord gave to them the spirit of a deep sleep, lest they actually return and be cured and be healed by their lamentations and just satisfactions after their sins. . . . The first degree of felicity is not to sin; the second, to recognize the sins committed. In the former, innocence runs upright and unimpaired to save; in the latter, there follows the remedy to cure. They have lost both of these by offending God. . . . Or do you think, brother, that crimes against God are light matters, small and of little moment, because through them the majesty of an offended God is not sought, because the wrath and fire and day of the Lord are not feared, because, with Antichrist at hand, the faith of a militant people is disarmed while vigor and the fear of Christ are taken away?

For our Lord Jesus Christ did not come as it were to seal up the visions of the prophets. He rather opened and explained those that were of old obscure and sealed, tearing away so to say the seals impressed on them, and taught his disciples the meaning of the Holy Scriptures. Hence he says, Behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah has prevailed, and he has opened the seals that were set on the book,^[1] in John’s Apocalypse. What are these seals but the obscurities of the prophets? Isaiah knew them well and definitely says too: And these words shall be as the words of the sealed book. The Christ of God did not come then to shut up the vision and the prophet but rather to open them and bring them to the light.

What is the gate that is always closed, through which only the Lord God of Israel enters?^[1] Surely it is that about which the Savior spoke in the Gospel: Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, woe to you teachers of the law, woe to you who hold the key of knowledge. You do not enter yourselves, and you prevent those who would from entering.^[2] Isaiah wrote about the same thing, using the metaphor of a book: The words of this book are like sealed words; when you give them to a man who cannot read and tell him to read, he will respond: ‘I don’t know how to read.’ And they will give it to a man who is able to read and tell him to read and he will say: ‘I cannot read because it is sealed.’ This is the same book whose seal no one can break and open either in heaven or on earth or under the earth, except the one about whom John said in the Apocalypse: Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root and race of David, has conquered so that he can open the book and break its seal.^[3] Before the Savior assumed a human body and humbled himself, taking the form of a servant,^[4] the law was closed, the prophets were closed, all knowledge of the Scriptures was closed, and paradise was closed. After he had hung on the cross, however, and said to the thief, Today you will be with me in paradise,^[5] immediately the veil of the temple was cut and everything was opened. And once the veil has been removed, we will say, But we all contemplate the glory of the Lord with unveiled face and are being transformed into his very image from glory to glory.^[6]

He who had revealed manifold truth to Daniel now signifies that the things he has said are matters of secrecy. And he orders him to roll up the scroll containing his words and set a seal upon the book, with the result that many shall read it and inquire as to its fulfillment in history, differing in their opinions because of its great obscurity. And as for the statement, Many shall pass over or go through,^[1] this indicates that it will be read by many people. For it is a familiar expression to say, I have gone through a book, or I have passed through an historical account. Indeed this is the idea that Isaiah also expressed in regard to the obscurity of his own book: And the sayings of that book shall be like the words of a book that is sealed.

And that the things spoken of old by the law and the prophets were all sealed, and that they were unknown to people, Isaiah declares when he says, And they will deliver the book that is sealed to one that is learned, and will say to him, ‘Read this;’ and he will say, ‘I cannot read it, for it is sealed.’ It was right and necessary that the things spoken of old by the prophets should be sealed to the unbelieving Pharisees, who thought that they understood the letter of the law, and be opened to the believing. The things, therefore, which of old were sealed, are now by the grace of God the Lord all open to the saints.

And clearly, if we hear negligently, if we bring no zeal to learning and understanding, not only are the Scriptures of the law and prophets but also of the apostles and Gospels covered for us with a great veil. I fear, however, lest by too much negligence and dullness of heart the divine volumes are not only veiled to us but also sealed, so that if a book should be put into the hand of a man who cannot read to be read, he would say, ‘I cannot read’; if it should be put into the hands of a man who can read, he would say, ‘It is sealed.’ Whence it is shown that we must not only employ zeal to learn the sacred literature, but we must also pray to the Lord and entreat day and night^[1] that the Lamb of the tribe of Judah may come and himself taking the sealed book may deign to open it.^[2] For it is he who opening the Scriptures kindles the hearts of the disciples so that they say, Was not our heart burning within us when he opened to us the Scriptures?^[3]

This is also why Isaiah would say to the Jews: Behold, all of these words will be to you like the words of a sealed book. The skilled reader and the illiterate are equally said to be deprived of fruit, since one is prevented by the seal from penetrating what lies hidden within and the other is shackled by ignorance.

Isaiah [prophesied] that the Jews would not understand the holy Scriptures, but that they would become intelligible in the last times, after Christ had come: And all these words shall be to you as the words of a book that is sealed, which, if you shall give to a man that knows letters to read, he shall say, I cannot read, for it is sealed. . . . But in that day the deaf shall hear the words of the book, and they who are in darkness and in a cloud; the eyes of the blind shall see.^[1]

In the Apocalypse a book is shown sealed with seven seals,^[1] which if you deliver to one that is learned saying, Read this, he will answer you, I cannot, for it is sealed. How many there are today who fancy themselves learned, yet the Scriptures are a sealed book to them, and one which they cannot open save through him who has the key of David, he that opens and no man shuts; and shuts and no man opens.^[2] In the Acts of the Apostles the holy eunuch^[3] when reading Isaiah is asked by Philip, Do you understand what you are reading? The man answered, How can I, except some man should guide me?^[4] To digress for a moment to myself, I am neither holier nor more diligent than this eunuch, who came from Ethiopia . . . and was so great a lover of the law and of divine knowledge that he read the holy Scriptures even in his chariot. Yet although he had the book in his hand and took into his mind the words of the Lord, no, even had them on his tongue and uttered them with his lips, he still did not know him, who—not knowing—he worshiped in the book. Then Philip came and showed him Jesus, who was concealed beneath the letter. Wondrous excellence of the teacher! In the same hour the eunuch believed and was baptized; he became one of the faithful and a saint. He was no longer a pupil but a master; and he found more in the church’s font there in the wilderness than he had ever done in the gilded temple of the synagogue. These instances have been just touched upon by me (the limits of a letter forbid a more discursive treatment of them) to convince you that in the Holy Scriptures you can make no progress unless you have a guide to show you the way.

Leah, too, received children by her handmaid, from the desire of having a numerous family. Zilpah, her handmaid, is, interpreted, an open mouth.^[1] So Leah’s handmaid represents those who are spoken of in Scripture as engaging in the preaching of the gospel with open mouth but not with open heart. Thus it is written of some, This people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. To such the apostle says, You that preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? You that say a man should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery?^[2]

According to what the prophet says, This people honors me with their lips, though their hearts are far from me. To them the Holy Spirit exclaims, But to the wicked person God says, ‘Why do you recite my statutes and profess my covenant with your mouth?’^[1] It is as if he were saying it does you no good to praise God. It is profitable for those who live well to praise him, but if you praise him and do not abandon your sins, it avails nothing. Why do you praise me? Listen to the Scriptures say, Unseemly is praise on a sinner’s lips.^[2] If you live a wicked life and say good things, you do not yet praise God. Again, if when you have begun to live well you attribute it to your own merits, you do not yet praise God. I do not want you to be a robber deriding the cross of our Lord, but neither do I want you as his temple to throw away his merits in you and conceal his wounds.

The habit of sinners is . . . after they have achieved the aspiration of their most wicked plans, they then give thanks to the Godhead since they have attained their wish. But they in their utter wretchedness do not realize that he originates only successful aspirations that are holy. They shall bless not with their hearts but their mouths, the source of hypocritical utterances for the most part. As Isaiah says, This people glorify me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

If the fear of God is not mingled with love, he is not sought in the heart’s entirety. It is certain that it is the keenest of sins for a person to say that he confesses to him with his tongue, while his heart deep down is at odds with him; does God not know all that goes on within us? . . . He does not hear merely what the tongue proclaims, as a human person does. It is the person who faithfully believes his testimonies who truly loves him. Fides (faith) gets its name from words uttered (quod fiant dicta). The Lord himself offers a testimony like this verse when he says, This people glorifies me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

Though we never withdraw ourselves from the Lord since he is wholly everywhere, we nonetheless become distant when we are displaced through the nature of our deeds.

If we do not see our children deriving any benefit from the teachers we send them to, then we blame the teachers and take our children to other teachers. What excuse will we have for putting so much emphasis on earthly things but not putting emphasis on virtue? Our teachers here [at church] are far more numerous. No less than the prophets and apostles and patriarchs and all righteous people are set over you as teachers in every church. And there is no profit in merely chanting out two or three psalms, making the accustomed prayers at random and then being dismissed. Do you think this is enough for your salvation? Have you not heard the prophet (or rather God through the prophet) say, These people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me?

To keep this from being the case with us as well, then wipe out the letters and impressions the devil has engraved on your souls, and bring me a heart that has been set free from worldly tumults so I can write on it what I want to.

Since, then, [Christ] has bestowed such mercy on us, first that we the living do not sacrifice to gods who are dead or worship them but through him know the Father of truth—what is true knowledge concerning him except not to deny him through whom we knew the Father? He himself says, He who confessed me before men, I will confess him before my father.^[1] This, then, is our reward, if we confess him through whom we were saved. But how do we confess him? By doing what he says, and not disobeying his commandments, and honoring him not only with our lips but with all our heart and all our mind.^[2] And he says also in Isaiah: This people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. 2

Suppose someone says, We are Christians too; we believe in the Lord, the Savior. But it is necessary to believe in deed and not in word, not with the tongue but with the heart, lest it also be said to us, This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

Again the form of righteousness is described and magnified when Scripture says, The law of his God is in his heart, and his stride will not be broken.^[1] The law of God is in the heart of the right-eous. Which law? It is not the written law but the natural law, because the law was not laid down for the righteous but for the unrighteous.^[2] The law is in his heart, not superficially, as it is on the lips of the Jews, for he who believes with his heart is justified.^[3] The one who believes also speaks, but the one who speaks does not necessarily believe. For instance, the people did not believe about whom it is written: This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.

What is this obstinacy or what is this presumption to place human tradition before the divine plan and not to notice that God is offended and angered as often as human tradition subverts and disregards the divine precepts? He cries and says through Isaiah, the prophet, This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far separated from me. In vain, moreover, they honor me, teaching the commandments and doctrines of men.

For speaking in this way or in that is not the cause of the thought within us, but the hidden conception of the heart supplies the motive for such and such words, for from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. We make the words interpret the thought; we do not by a reverse process gather the thought from the words. Should both be at hand, a person may certainly be ready in both, in clever thinking and clever expression; but if the one should be wanting, the loss to the illiterate is slight, if the knowledge in his soul is perfect in the direction of moral goodness. This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. What is the meaning of that? That the right attitude of the soul toward the truth is more precious than the propriety of phrases in the sight of God, who hears the groanings that cannot be uttered.^[1] Phrases can be used in opposite senses; the tongue readily serving, at his will, the intention of the speaker; but the disposition of the soul, as it is, so is it seen by him who sees all secrets.

For God is necessary to all things, but nothing is necessary to him. Because, however, he loved everything he created, by the great grace of his kindness he deemed it worthy to invite the soul to come to him through the law, through trials of virtue, through sorrows of the heart, and through the greatness of human works. He gave not only the bread of angels, therefore, but also the flesh of innumerable birds to the concupiscent, even to the ungrateful.^[1] And lest their descendants fail to fear the unpunished crime of the ungrateful, the wrath of God came upon them when their food was still in their mouths because they did not believe in his wonders.^[2]

Their days vanished in emptiness and their years in partying.^[3] Truly, as I have said, you will not desire to do good unless you are compelled by the fear of suffering evil: When he killed them, it says, they sought him, repented, and came to him immediately.^[4] It was then that they remembered that God is their helper and their defense.^[5] But only those who said, You are our God are the ones who lied to him with their tongues, for their hearts were not right within them.^[6] Consequently the Lord said, This people loves me with its lips, but its heart is far from me. Why these people in particular? Because they did not have faith in his covenant.^[7] For without faith, said the apostle, it is impossible to please God.^[8]

This is why he can say, My friends and neighbors drew near and stood against me; and my neighbors stood far off.^[1] Do you understand what I mean? I have called those who approached him neighbors, yet they stood far off; for though they drew near in body, they stood far away in their hearts. Who was so near physically as those who hoisted him onto the cross? Yet who so far away in heart as those who uttered blasphemies? Far distance of this latter kind was mentioned by Isaiah; listen to what he said about being near while really being far away: This people honors me with its lips (that means, they are physically near), but its heart is far from me. The same people are said to be near and yet far: near with their lips, far away in their hearts.

However, the fearful apostles certainly ran far away, so we can more simply and obviously refer the saying to them, understanding it to mean that some of them drew near and others stood far off. Even Peter, who had been bold enough to follow our Lord, was so far off that when questioned and frightened, he three times denied the Lord with whom he had earlier promised to die.^[2]

See, Lord, I will not keep my lips sealed, you know it.^[1] My lips speak, and I will not restrain them. My lips speak to the ears of men and women, but you know my heart. Lord, I will not keep my lips sealed, you know it. A human being hears one thing, but God perceives something else. This is emphasized because our proclamation must not be with our lips only, so that it could be said of us, Do what they tell you, but do not imitate what they do.^[2] Nor must it be said of us, as it was said of that people who praised God with their mouths but not their hearts, This people honors me with its lips, but its heart is far from me. Sing with your lips, but draw near to him with your heart, for the faith that issues in righteousness is in the heart, and the confession that leads to salvation is made with the lips.^[3] This was true of the thief who hung on the cross with the Lord and from the cross acknowledged the Lord. Others failed to recognize the Lord even as he performed miracles, but this man recognized him as he hung upon the cross. The thief was nailed securely in all his limbs: his hands were immobilized by nails, his feet were transfixed, and his whole body fastened to the wood. That body had no use of its other members, but his heart had the use of his tongue. With his heart he believed, and with his lips he made confession. Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom, he said.^[4] He hoped for salvation as a distant prospect and would have been content to receive it after a long delay; his hope stretched toward a far-off future, but the day was not delayed. He prayed, Remember me when you come into your kingdom, but Christ replied, Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.^[5]

God cannot be separated from his creatures by time or space but only by their iniquities. Of the iniquitous, therefore, he said, This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. He also said, I am a God who draws near, not a God who remains far away. If a man tries to hide, will I not see him? Do I not fill heaven and earth?^[1] Nevertheless, blessed David himself said, Those who distance themselves from you will perish.^[2]

This oration is directed against all who act with iniquity.^[1] It is summarized neatly in one sentence by the seventy-second Psalm, wherein the prophet says, How good is the God of Israel to those who are upright in heart! But my feet had almost been moved and my step had nearly slipped, for I was jealous of sinners when I saw the ease of their lives.^[2] This is said particularly against heretics, who, because they are impious, prosper in their ways and generate children of their own, whom they deceive with heresy. They conspire and act with iniquity, all of this for the purpose of plundering the church and of portraying themselves as having been planted by God and having sunk roots and produced children and bore fruit, even while continuing in the wickedness of their intentions. Although they frequently repeat the name of Christ, God does not inhabit them, as Isaiah said: This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

And you know me, Lord, you see me and you prove my heart to be with you. Gather them as sheep for the slaughter and sanctify them on the killing day.^[3] There is no scandal, he says, because all the impious or heretics flourish only for a while, but you know me, Lord, and you prove my heart to be with you.

But if we are impure and unfaithful, all things are profane to us, either due to heresy inhabiting our hearts or to a sinful conscience.^[1] Moreover, if our conscience does not accuse us and if we have pious trust in the Lord, we will pray with the spirit and we will pray with the mind; we will sing with the spirit and sing with the mind,^[2] and we will be far removed from those about whom it is here written: their minds and consciences are polluted.^[3]

They claim to know God, but they deny him with their deeds. They are accursed, disobedient and repelled by every good deed.^[4] It is about these persons whose minds and consciences are polluted, who claim to know God but deny him with their deeds, that it is said in Isaiah: This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. See how they honor God with their lips while fleeing from him in their heart; professing belief in God with words, their works deny him.

We heard in the Gospel the voice of the Lord saying, Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven.^[1] To whom does this word pertain? It is doubtlessly to those to whom he had said in another place: This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. We should be vigilant, therefore, that our lives remain consonant and harmonious with the profession of our lips, for if our works cry out to God with sincerity of conscience and probity of life, the mercy of the Lord will turn toward us whom he has heard.

But perhaps Pelagius thinks that the name of Christ is necessary so that we may learn by his gospel how we ought to live, but not so that by his grace we may also be helped to lead good lives. At least, this consideration should lead him to admit that there are wretched shadows in the human soul, which knows how to tame a lion but not how to live. But are a free will and the natural law sufficient for us to know this? This is the wisdom of speech by which the cross of Christ is made void.^[1] But he said, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, because that cross cannot be made void. And immediately is overthrown that wisdom through the foolishness of preaching, by which those who believe are healed. For if the natural power through free will is sufficient for us not only to know how we ought to live but actually to live well, then Christ died in vain,^[2] then is the scandal of the cross made void.^[3] . . . Ignorant of the justice of God, you are seeking to establish your own justice, and you have not submitted to the justice of God. For even as Christ is the end of the law, so also is he the savior of corrupted human nature, to justice for all who believe.

It is of . . . those . . . who practice idle discourse that God’s Scriptures say superbly: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing the cleverness of the clever.^[1]

Philosophers also declare that they pursue this virtue, but their patience is as false as is their wisdom, for how can anyone be either wise or patient unless he knows the wisdom and patience of God? For he himself warns and states concerning those who think that they are wise in this world: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the prudence of the prudent I will reject.^[1] . . . Therefore, if their wisdom is not true, their patience cannot be true either. For if that man who is humble and meek is patient, and yet we see that the philosophers are not humble or meek but very pleasing to themselves, and displeasing to God by the very fact that they are pleasing to themselves, it is evident that patience is not found where there is the arrogant boldness of an affected freedom and the shameless boasting of the proud and half-naked breast.

From my youth up until now I have spent many years in writing various works and have always tried to teach my hearers the doctrine that I have been taught publicly in church. I have not followed the philosophers in their discussions but have preferred to acquiesce in the plain words of the apostles. For I have known that it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent, and the foolishness of God is wiser than men.^[1] This being the case, I challenge my opponents thoroughly to sift all my past writings and, if they can find anything that is faulty in them, to bring it to light. One of two things must happen. Either my works will be found edifying and I shall confute the false charges brought against me; or they will be found blameworthy and I shall confess my error.^[2]

He forgets the words of the Educator: Every man that passes beyond his own bed, who says in his soul: Who sees me? Darkness compasses me about, and the walls cover me, and no man sees my sins: whom do I fear? The Most High will not remember.^[1] Such a person is most wretched, for he fears only the human observation and thinks to hide from God. He does not know, Scripture continues, that the eyes of the Most High Lord are far brighter than the sun, beholding all the ways of men and looking into the most hidden parts.^[2] Another time, the Educator gives warning through Isaiah: Woe to you who made your counsel in secret and say: Who sees us?

A light that can be seen by the senses may pass unnoticed, but that which illumines the mind cannot be ignored.

Scripture says to Pharaoh, To this purpose have I raised you that I may show my power in you; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.^[1] Then, making a conclusion to both passages, he says, Therefore he has mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardens.^[2] Obviously he treats neither of these with injustice but both with mercy and truth; in spite of that there is an uprising of insolent weakness on the part of those who attempt to comprehend the unsearchable depth of the judgment of God^[3] according to the interpretations of the human heart. The apostle refutes this view when he says, You will say therefore to me: Why does he then find fault? For who resists his will?^[4] Let us imagine this as said to us. What other answer should we make than the one he made? If such ideas disturb us also because we, too, are human, we all have need to listen to the apostle saying, O man, who are you that replies against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it: Why have you made me thus? Or has not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, another unto dishonor?^[5] If this lump of clay were of such indifferent value that it deserved nothing good any more than it deserved anything evil, there would be reason to see injustice in making of it a vessel unto dishonor. But when, through the free will of the first man alone, condemnation extended to the whole lump of clay, undoubtedly if vessels are made of it unto honor, it is not a question of justice not forestalling grace, but of God’s mercy. If, however, vessels are made of it unto dishonor, it is to be attributed to the judgment of God, not to his injustice—far be from us the thought that there could be any such with God! Whoever is wise in this matter with the Catholic church does not argue against grace in favor of merit, but he sings mercy and judgment to the Lord, that he may not ungratefully deny his mercy or unjustly upbraid his judgment.

If a man seems more comely to look upon than clay, this difference was not produced by a change of nature but by the wisdom of the craftsman. Why? Because you are no different from the clay. If you refuse to believe this, let the coffins and the cinerary urn convince you. And you will know that this is the truth if you have gone to visit the tombs of your forebearers. Therefore there is no difference between the clay and the potter.^[1]

God comes down to the level of sinful men and women; the good Lord speaks with his rebellious servants; the holy one calls those who are impure to forgiveness. Humanity created out of mud addresses its Fashioner with familiarity; dust converses with its Maker. Let us, therefore, show awe when we sinners stand in the presence of this Majesty and speak. Even though we are so impure in our deeds, he draws us close to the sight of himself in the spirit; let us therefore repeat with trembling the words of the blessed prophet Isaiah: Woe is me, for I am dazed: I am a man of unclean lips, yet my eyes have beheld the King, the Lord Almighty.^[1]

Note that [Paul] taught Greeks in Jerusalem, and Jews in Damascus^[1] which is a Gentile city, even though this should signify that Gentiles were to be included in the city of God and Jews were to fall into the faithlessness of the Gentiles, in accordance with what Isaiah said, Lebanon shall be changed into Carmel,^[2] and Carmel shall be regarded as a wasteland.

Neither was heaven created in any six-day period and the stars illuminated and the dry land separated from the water and the trees and vegetation planted. Rather, Scripture customarily uses day to denote an unspecified period of time, as the apostle did when he said, Behold, this is the day of salvation.^[1] He was not referring to a particular day but to the entirety of the time of the present life in which we labor for eternal salvation. The prophet also spoke not of one specific day but of numerous moments of divine grace, saying, In that day, the deaf will hear the words of this book. Moreover, it is difficult to understand how in one day God made heaven and earth and all the brush of the field and every plant of every region, unless we say that all creatures were created simultaneously in formless matter, according to which it is written: He who lives forever created all things together.^[2]