You exclaim, How fitting it was for Jeremiah, with the chorus of the prophets and all the saints, to cry out, ‘Who will give water to my head, and a fountain of tears to my eyes,’ that he might bewail the sins of the foolish people, because the church of Christ expelled the teachers of the Pelagian error. If you wish to weep wholesomely, weep for this, that you are involved in that error, and let your tears wash you clean of the new plague. Are you ignorant, or have you forgotten or do you wish not to know that the holy, the one, the Catholic church was also signified by the word Paradise?

Let us collect ourselves, I exhort you. There are daily wars, submersions of towns, innumerable destructions all around us, and on every side the wrath of God is enclosing us as in a net. As though we were well-pleasing to him, we are secure. We all make our hands ready for unjust gains and not for helping others. We are all ready to plunder, but no one is ready to protect. Each one of us has much anxiety over how he may add to his wealth. No one has anxiety over how he may save his own soul. One fear possesses all, that we should not become poor. No one is in anguish and trembling out of fear that we should fall into hell. These things call for lamentation, these call for accusation, for eternal damnation. I do not wish to speak of these things, but I am constrained by my grief. Forgive me. I am forced by sorrow to utter many things, even those that I do not wish to say. I see that our wound is grievous, that our calamity is beyond comfort, that woes have overtaken us that exceed the consolation. We are undone. O that my head were waters and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might lament. Let us weep, beloved, let us groan.

They were fabricating deceit, engaging in blackmail, leveling false accusations against neighbors. For this is what he says, Deceit, not faith, prevails over the land, for they proceed from evil to evil. Because of this he exposes their evil, which never changes as they move from evil to evil, immediately adding the reason they neglect the divine law: because they do not know me, says the Lord.

For every brother will utterly supplant, and every friend will walk deceitfully. And a man shall mock his brother, and they will not speak the truth, for they have bent their tongue like a bow for lies and not for truth. But often a pretended patience excites to anger more keenly than words, and a spiteful silence exceeds the most awful insults in words. The wounds of enemies are more easily borne than the deceitful blandishment of mockers, as is well said by the prophet.

What do we do with such a useful member? With it we pray to God. With it we make amends. With it we utter praises. With it we sing with one voice in harmony to God. With it every day we show ourselves kind and considerate when we talk to others or give them advice. What are we doing at this very moment? This very tongue of mine is performing you a service. What are we to do, in order not to transgress with the tongue? Especially as it is written, Death and life are in the hands of the tongue,^[1] and again it is written, I saw many fall by the edge of the sword, but not like those who fell by the tongue.^[2] Again it is written, And the tongue is established among our members, as something that defiles our whole body.^[3] And yet again the same Lord says, They have taught their tongues to speak lies.

Everyone is so inflamed by the love of sin and desire to carry out what they like, that they look out with watchful care for an opportunity to commit wickedness. They are afraid of being too slow to enjoy their lusts, even glorying in their shame and the great number of their crimes, as the apostle says in censure.^[1] They seek credit for themselves out of their own confusion. The prophet Jeremiah also maintains that they commit their heinous crimes not only willingly and with ease of heart and body but with laborious efforts to such an extent that they come to toil to carry them out. They are even impeded from their deadly quest of sin by the burdensome effort the actualizing of their evil desires requires, as he says: They have labored to do wickedly.

The insincere are to be admonished to learn how heavy is the labor of deception. They endure it with guilt. They are afraid of being found out. They are ever seeking dishonest defenses. They are agitated by fearful suspicions. But there is nothing safer to defend than sincerity, nothing easier to say than truth. For, when obliged to defend its deceit, the heart is wearied with hard labor. For it is written, The labor of their own lips shall cover them.^[1] For what now fills them then covers them, since it then presses down with sharp retribution one whose soul it now elevates with a mild uneasiness. It is said through Jeremiah, They have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity. Said more plainly: They who might have been friends of truth without labor, labor to sin.

A most base pest, my beloved, is double dealing and hypocrisy in our actions and conduct, by which a person uses the pretense of pleasant-spoken words and of a tongue anointed, so to speak, with the honey of deception, while the heart is full of utter bitterness. Of such we say, in the words of one of the holy prophets, Their tongue is a piercing arrow; the words of their mouth are deceitful. He speaks peacefully to his neighbor, and enmity is in his heart. And again, Their words are smoother than oil, yet are they arrows.^[1] By which is meant that they have the force of darts falling violently and shot forth from bows.

Matthew says that when the traitor drew near to Christ, our common Savior, he kissed him and added, Hail, Master.^[1] How can you say Hail to him who by means of your word and deed is made the prey of death? How could such a word possibly be true? We thus see that, inasmuch as that false one, Satan, was within him, he used falsehood even in saying Hail. Because of deeds like this, the prophet says, Their tongue is a piercing spearhead. The words of their mouth are deceitful. To his neighbor he speaks things of peace, but in his soul there is enmity.

I was then about sixteen years of age. I did not know the true God. I was taken as a captive to Ireland with many thousands of people, and deservedly so, because we had turned away from God^[1] and did not keep his commandments^[2] and did not obey our priests, who used to remind us of our salvation. The Lord brought over us the wrath of his anger^[3] and scattered us among many nations,^[4] even unto the utmost part of the earth,^[5] where now my insignificance is placed among strangers.

Because they had not been enlightened by the many exhortations he had delivered in Jerusalem, he wept for their blindness. The prophets also did this. Let us now do so as well. Now is the time to mourn and weep and lament. It is timely also for us to say now, Call for the mourning women, and send to them that are wise women, and let them speak. Perhaps we shall thus be able to drive the disease of avarice from those who are building elaborate homes, from those who are securing fields for themselves by fraud.

By windows he refers to the error of their thinking: through them they gave entrance to the error and the blow inflicted by it. You would not be wide of the mark to call the body’s senses windows—sight, taste, smell, hearing and touch. Both life and death can enter through these. For example, the person who looks with restraint reaps life, while the one looking immoderately gains death. The truthful tongue procures salvation for the soul, while the lying one brings about ruin; and likewise with the rest, as you can easily learn.

Amid so many passions of this body of ours, amid so many enticements of this world, who indeed can keep his footstep safe and undefiled? The eye looks back and leads the mind’s perception astray, the ear hears and turns one’s attention away, a whiff of fragrance hinders thought, a kiss of the mouth introduces guilt, a touch kindles the fire of passion. Death has entered in through the window, the prophet said. Your eye is your window. If you look at a woman to lust after her, death has entered in;^[1] if you listen to the harlot’s words, death has entered in; if licentiousness takes hold of your senses, death has gone in.

O Lord, keep watch over my mouth, for it is written, Death and life are in the power of the tongue.^[1] Again, you have declared, I tell you, that of every idle word people speak, they shall give account on the day of judgment.^[2] The prophet prays, therefore, that his words may not be vain but holy and pleasing to God. Set a guard at the door of my lips.^[3] He is asking for a guard around his lips like the rampart of a castle, that he may never capitulate to sin. It is Jeremiah who says, Death has come up through our windows. A person has five windows: sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch. If I look at a woman to lust after her, I have already committed adultery in my heart, and death has come through my window of sight. If the sound of the harp, organ or flute unnerves me, death has entered my soul through the sense of hearing. Again, if I touch something soft and supple, and wantonness breaks down the resistance of my flesh, death has entered through touch, and so down the line.

One window is one of our senses. The Bridegroom looks out through it. Another window is another sense. Through it he gazes with active concern for our well-being. For what senses are there through which the Word of God does not look out? The following example teaches us what looking out through the windows means and in what way the Bridegroom sees through them. Where he does not look out, there is death found coming up, as we read in Jeremiah: See, death is come up through your windows. When you look on a woman to lust after her,^[1] death comes up through your windows.

We can take the windows as meaning the bodily sense through which life or death gains entrance to the soul. That is what the prophet Jeremiah means when, speaking of sinners, he says, Death is coming up through your windows.^[1] How does death come up through windows? If the eyes of a sinner should look on a woman to lust after her. He who has looked on a woman thus has committed adultery with her in his heart.^[2] Then death has gained entrance to that soul through the windows of the eyes.

The prophet says, Death is come up through the windows. Surely he does not mean actual windows—otherwise we could shut our windows and never die. But the bodily senses—sight, hearing, and so on—are windows to us and death enters us through them if we sin with them.

What is the philosophy that the apostle bids us shun? This, then, the wisdom of the world is foolishness with God.^[1] The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.^[2] Let no one therefore glory on account of pre-eminence in human thought. For it is written well in Jeremiah, Let not the wise person glory in his wisdom, and let not the mighty person glory in his might, and let not the rich person glory in his riches. But let him that glories glory in this, that he understands and knows that I am the Lord, that executes mercy and judgment and righteousness on the earth: for in these things is my delight, say the Lord.

Each one looking not to his own interests but to those of others,^[1] that one may not glory in his prudence, for the virtue of the humble is not to boast of their knowledge, since it is common to all. In repressing the mind’s audacity, it is helpful not to despise others or to assume a special knowledge or holiness ourselves.

Let not the wise person glory in his wisdom or the strong person in his strength, for that which is worth boasting about is not ours but is the gift of God. The wisdom is from him, and the strength is from him and so with the rest.

Our turning away from God is our own act, and this is evil will. But our turning to God is not possible, except he rouses and helps us, and this is good will. What do we have that we have not received? But if we received, why do we glory as if we had not received? Therefore, he that glories must glory in the Lord.^[1]

We must trust in God only, and in him we must glory. In Jeremiah: Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the strong man glory in his strength, nor let the rich man glory in his riches. But let him that glories glory in this, that he understands and knows that I am the Lord, who does mercy, and judgment, and righteousness upon the earth, because in them is my pleasure, says the Lord. TO QUIRINUS:

No sensible person, then, will be proud of his wisdom or of possessing the other goods I have mentioned but will follow the excellent advice of blessed Anna and of the prophet Jeremiah: Let not the wise person glory in his wisdom, and let not the strong person glory in his strength, and let not the rich person glory in his riches.^[1] But what is true glory, and what makes a person great? In this, says the prophet, let him that glories, glory that he understands and knows that I am the Lord. This constitutes the highest dignity of humankind, this is his glory and greatness. Truly it is to know what is great and to cleave to it, and to seek after glory from the Lord of glory.

Let us therefore be of humble mind, laying aside all haughtiness, pride and foolishness, and all angry feelings. Let us act according to that which is written, for the Holy Spirit says, Let not the wise person glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty person glory in his might, neither let the rich person glory in his riches. But let him that glories glory in the Lord, in diligently seeking him, and doing judgment and righteousness.^[1] Let us be especially mindful of the words of the Lord Jesus that he spoke, teaching us meekness and patient endurance. For thus he spoke: Be merciful, that you may obtain mercy. Forgive, that it may be forgiven to you. As you do, so shall it be done to you. As you judge, so shall you be judged. As you are kind, so shall kindness be shown to you. With what measure you measure, with the same it shall be measured to you.^[2] 1

Let us celebrate joyfully the coming of our salvation and redemption. Let us celebrate the feast day, on which the great and eternal Day came from the great and eternal Day into this so brief and temporal day of ours. He it is who was made for us justice and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, Whoever boasts should boast in the Lord.^[1]

Thanks must be given because many in absolute number are delivered freely by grace, although few compared with those who perish, so that no one may be lifted up as if he deserved it, but that every mouth may be stopped,^[1] and one who glories may glory in the Lord.

The only true salvation is if Christ saves me, for then I will be saved. The horse is a false hope for deliverance. False also are all others besides God for salvation. On account of this I might say to him, Save me, Lord, and I will be saved, and I say this if I can say also the next words after every boast that is renounced. For you are my boast or when I fulfill the commandment that says, Let not the wise person boast in his wisdom, and let not the strong person boast in his strength, or the rich person in his riches; let him who boasts boast in this, to understand and know that I am Lord. Blessed is one who has renounced every boast here below, such as in so-called noble birth and in beauty and in corporeal things, in riches, in vainglory, since he is content with one boast, that he may say, For you are my boast.

The novelty of the expression may perhaps deter not only the Jews but even some of our brothers. For Paul, who introduces circumcision of the heart, seems to assume things that are impossible. For how shall it be possible that a member be circumcised that, covered by the internal viscera, lies hidden even from the view of people? Let us return, therefore, to the words of the prophets that, with the aid of your prayers, these matters about which we are inquiring might become clear. Ezekiel the prophet says, No stranger uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh shall enter my sanctuary.^[1] Likewise elsewhere no less the prophet, reproaching, says, All strangers are uncircumcised in the flesh, but the sons of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart. It is pointed out, therefore, that unless one has been circumcised in the heart and the flesh, he shall not enter the sanctuary of God.

The ancient Scriptures therefore teach the benefit of spiritual circumcision and that bodily circumcision makes no difference.^[1] For it is not the Gentiles who are accused of being uncircumcised but the Jews, who were physically circumcised but whose heart was uncircumcised.