Who does not see how impious and how sacrilegious it is if a person, who has been converted to good things through penance for his past evils, believes that there can be no forgiveness for any sin?^[1] What else is being done with these words than that the hand of the all-powerful physician is being pushed away by the vice of despair, from effecting human salvation? For the physician himself says, Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do.^[2] If our physician is an expert, he can cure all maladies. If God is merciful, he can forgive all sins. A goodness that does not conquer every evil is not a perfect goodness, nor is a medicine perfect for which any disease is incurable. It is written in the sacred writings, Against wisdom, evil does not prevail;^[3] and the omnipotence of our physician is made known by such words in the psalm: Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits—who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good as long as you live so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. What, I ask, do we think cannot be forgiven us when the Lord forgives all our iniquities? Or what do we think cannot be healed in us, when the Lord heals all our diseases? Or how is there anything still lacking to the healed and justified person whose desire is satisfied with good things? Or how is he not believed to gain the benefit of complete forgiveness to whom a crown is given together with love and mercy? Therefore, let no one despairing of the physician remain in his infirmity; let no one, downplaying the mercy of God, waste away in iniquities. The apostle calls out that Christ died for the ungodly.^[4]

If you^[1] did not wish to be contentious, I think you would now see how correctly we understand what you are trying to explain differently. When the prophet said, who forgives all your faults—something that is done by the remission of all sins—he immediately added who heals all your diseases. He wants us to understand the evils with which the saints will never finish their internal warfare until those evils are healed or, as far as possible in this life, progressively diminished. Not even when the virtue of chastity stands unshaken is there no sickness by which the flesh lusts against the spirit. When there is no sickness, the spirit does not lust against it, because it lusts in order at least by not consenting to obtain health, since it is unable to do so by not fighting. We are speaking of that whose resistance to us we perceive within us; if an alien nature, we must get rid of it; if our own, it must be healed. If we say it is an alien nature and must be gotten rid of, we agree with the Manichaeans.^[2] Let us, then, confess it is our own nature that must be healed, and thus we shall at the same time be clear of Manichaeans and Pelagians.^[3]

He is the Beginning, O God, in which you made heaven and earth. In this wonderful way you spoke and created them in your Word, in your Son, who is your strength, your wisdom and your truth.

Who can understand this mystery or explain it to others? What is that light whose gentle beams now and again strike through to my heart, causing me to shudder in awe yet firing me with their warmth? I shudder to feel how different I am for it: yet in so far as I am like it, I am aglow with its fire. It is the light of Wisdom, Wisdom itself, which at times shines on me, parting my clouds. But when I weakly fall away from its light, those clouds envelop me again in the dense mantle of darkness that I bear for my punishment. For my strength ebbs away for very misery,^[1] so that I cannot sustain my blessings. And so I shall remain until you, O Lord, who have pardoned all my sins, also heal all my mortal ills. For you will rescue my life from deadly peril, crown me with the blessings of your mercy, content all my desire for good, restore my youth as the eagle’s plumage is restored. Our salvation is founded on the hope of something,^[2] and in endurance we await the fulfillment of your promises. Let those who are able listen to your fulfillment of your promises. Let those who are able listen to your voice speaking to their hearts. Trusting in your inspired words, I shall cry out, What diversity, Lord, in your creatures! What wisdom has designed them all!^[3] The Beginning is Wisdom, and Wisdom is the Beginning in which you made heaven and earth.

Finally, after redemption from all decay, what remains but the crown of justice? Certainly that remains; but even with that, or rather under that, take care the head is not too swollen to receive the crown. Listen, pay attention to the psalm, and see how the crown refuses to fit a swollen head. After saying, who redeems your life from decay, he went on, who crowns you. Now here you were on the point of saying, Crowns you: that means my merits are being acknowledged; my virtue has brought this about; a debt is being paid, not a gift being presented. Listen rather to the psalm. After all, here is something you also say: Every person is a liar.^[1] So listen to what God is saying: Who crowns you with compassion and mercy. So it is out of mercy that he crowns you, out of compassion that he crowns you. I mean to say, you did not deserve to be called, and being called to be justified, and being justified to be glorified.

And that the writer^[1] was speaking of baptism is evident from the very words in which it is stated that it is impossible to renew to repentance those who were fallen, inasmuch as we are renewed by means of the laver of baptism, whereby we are born again, as Paul says: For we are buried with him through baptism into death, that, as Christ rose from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we, too, should walk in newness of life.^[2] And in another place: Be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new person that is created after God.^[3] And elsewhere again: Your youth shall be renewed like the eagle, because the phoenix after death is born again from its ashes, as we being dead in sin are through the sacrament of baptism born again to God and created anew. So, then, here as elsewhere, he teaches one baptism. One faith, he says, one baptism.^[4]

But let us speak of death as common to all people. Why should we be afraid of it, when it generally does not harm the soul? For it is written, Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.^[1] Now through death the soul is freed, while it separates itself from the dwelling place of the body and divests itself of the wrappings of disquiet. And so let us too, while we are in the body, following the way of death, raise up our bodies from this fleshly couch and arise from the tomb, as it were. Let us withdraw from the bond of the body and leave all things whatsoever that are of earth, so that when the adversary comes he may find nothing of his in us.^[2] Let us strive for the eternal and fly up to the divine on the wings of love and the oars of charity. Let us rise up from here, that is, from the things of the age and those of the world. For the Lord has said, Arise, let us go from here,^[3] teaching that each one should arise from the earth, raise up his soul that lies on the ground, lift it to the things that are above and call forth his eagle, the eagle of whom it is said, Your youth will be renewed like the eagle’s.

That humans should have two legs and not more is altogether fitting. Wild animals and beasts have four legs, while birds possess two. Hence humans have kinship with the winged flock in that with his vision he aims at what is high. He flies as if on the propulsion of wings by reason of the sagacity of his sublime senses. Hence it was said of him, Your youth is renewed like the eagle’s, because he is near what is celestial and is higher than the eagle, as one who can say, But our citizenship is in heaven.^[1]

Brothers, let your holiness^[1] keep in mind that I recently preached this, namely that a person should be remolded into a younger age through righteousness, and though wearied by the weakness of old age he should be born again into childhood by the character of innocence in such a way that we may see old people become infants again by the mystery that intervenes, for there is a certain renewal in ceasing to be what you were and to take up what you had previously been. I say, there is renewal, which is also why neophytes receive their name, because in some newness they cast off the spots of oldness and have received the grace of innocence, as the apostle says, Put off the old person with his deeds and put on the new person, who was created in the image of God.^[2] Thus also holy David says, Your youth will be renewed like that of an eagle. He understands that the perishable things of our life can be revived through the grace of baptism and that that which had fallen by the oldness of sins can be renewed by a certain youthfulness. But that you may understand that the prophet is speaking about the grace of baptism, he compared the renewal itself to an eagle, a bird which is said to lead a long life by constantly changing its appearance and to grow young with a new set of wings when the old feathers are dying off, in such a way that it clothes itself with a revived newness of clothing as it puts off its old plumage. Thus we understand that it is not the limbs but rather the feathers of the eagle that feel old age. Therefore, it clothes itself anew, and as feathers sprout up anew, the old mother is turned back into a chick. Then she must be compared to chicks, since she with shining feathers must plan inexperienced flights and restrain her once experienced beatings of her wings as if she were a newborn, idle bird in the nest. For although she knows how to fly from her past practice, she nonetheless has little confidence because of the thinness of her feathers. Therefore, the holy psalmist prophesied this concerning the grace of baptism. Our neophytes, recently baptized, have (like eagles) put off the old skin and taken on the new clothing of holiness and are adorned with the revived grace of immortality as with light feathers, while their old blemishes die off, so that in them the dead sins of old age grow old, but life des not grow old, for like an eagle turned back into a chick, they have been called back to infancy. They know about how to live in this age, but they have the carefree state that comes from the healing of righteousness.

Further, the restoration of this [unwritten natural law^[1]] by a written law, after it had been corrupted, was the work of grace. Moreover, the logical consequence was that they who transgressed the precept, once it had been given, be punished and dishonored; this, however, was not what took place. Rather, reinstatement once more and pardon: not due, of course, but given out of mercy and grace. In proof that it was given out of mercy and grace, listen to what David says: The Lord works deeds of mercy and judgment for all that suffer wrong. He has made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the children of Israel. And again: The Lord is good and right-eous; he will give a law to sinners in the way.^[2]

God is not an expression, and he does not have his essence in voice or utterance. God is of himself what also he is believed to be. He is named by those who call on him, not what he is essentially (for the nature of him who alone is unspeakable), but he receives his names from what are believed to be his works in regard to our life. To take an instance ready at hand, when we speak of him as God, we so name him from his overlooking and surveying all things and seeing through the things that are hidden. But if his essence is prior to his works, and if we understand his works by our senses and express them in words as we are best able, why should we be afraid of calling things by words of later origin than themselves? For if we stop interpreting any of the attributes of God until we understand them, and if we understand them only by what his works teach us, and if his power precedes its exercise and depends on the will of God, while his will resides in the spontaneity of the divine nature, are we not clearly taught that the words that represent things are of later origin than the things themselves and that the words that are framed to express the operations of things are reflections of the things themselves? And that this is so, we are clearly taught by holy Scripture, by the mouth of great David, when, as by certain peculiar and appropriate names, derived from his contemplation of the works of God, he thus speaks of the divine nature: The Lord is full of compassion and mercy, long-suffering, and of great goodness. Now what do these words tell us? Do they indicate his operations or his nature? No one will say that they indicate anything but his operations. At what time, then, after showing mercy and pity, did God acquire his name from the display of his works? Was it before a person’s life began? But who was there to be the object of pity? Was it, then, after sin entered into the world? But sin entered after humankind. The exercise, therefore, of pity, and the name itself, came after humanity. What then? Will our adversary [Eunomius], wise as he is above the prophets, convict David of error in applying names to God derived from his opportunities of knowing him? Or, in contending with him, will he use against him the pretense in his stately passage as out of a tragedy, saying that he glories in the most blessed life of God with names drawn from human imagination, whereas it gloried in itself alone, long before people were born to imagine them? The psalmist’s advocate will readily admit that the divine nature gloried in itself alone even before the existence of human imagination but will contend that the human mind can speak only so much in respect of God as its capacity, instructed by his works, will allow. For, as says the Wisdom of Solomon, by the greatness and beauty of the creatures proportionably the Maker of them is seen.^[1]

He is the one about whom the psalm says, The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always accuse, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins or repay us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are far above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him. In all of these great, good things that the Lord gives to the wicked, what else is being sung than undeserved mercy? What else other than free piety is being proclaimed? For in this, that he does not deal with us according to our sins or repay us according to our iniquities, the free justification of the impious is displayed. And in this that as a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him,^[1] the free adoption of children shines through by the same justification by faith. For not as a father has compassion on his children unless becoming our father through grace, he deigned to make us his children. To those who did accept him, he gave power to become children of God.^[2]

So let us at last wind up this sermon. My brothers and sister, I urge you, I beseech you by the Lord and his gentleness, be gentle in your lives, be peaceful in your lives. Peacefully permit the authorities to do what pertains to them, of which they will have to render an account to God and to their superiors. As often as you have to petition them, make your petitions in an honorable and quiet manner. Do not mix with those who do evil and rampage in a rough and disorderly manner; do not desire to be present at such goings-on even as spectators. But as far as you can, let each of you in his own house and his own neighborhood deal with the one with whom you have ties of kinship and charity, by warning, persuading, teaching, correcting; also by restraining him from such seriously evil activities by any kind of threats, so that God may eventually have mercy, and put an end to human evils and may not deal with us according to our sins or requite us according to our iniquities, but as far as the east is from the west may cast our sins for away from us, and that he may be gracious to our sins, lest the nations perhaps should say, Where is their God?^[1]

The shepherd’s most certain knowledge of merits,^[1] by which the sheep will be separated from the goats, is so great that no goat will be placed on the right, just as no sheep will be located on the left. Those merits with which people go forth from this life will remain ceaselessly and unchangeably with them in that other life, whether they are good merits that here divine piety has bestowed or demerits that human wickedness has procured here below. And for this reason, there will be no removal of evil demerits, although there will be an advancement for good merits. The former will remain for punishment; the latter will be perfected in glory. Therefore, that is the time in which God, as it is written in the psalm, does not deal with us according to our sins or repay us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far he removes our transgressions from us.

O wretched person, you have estranged yourself completely from the Lord. But the Lord is good, and he never ‘kept his anger for a testimony, for he delights in mercy,’ and he is ‘able to sink our sins in the depths of the sea,’ for ‘as far as the heavens are from the earth, so far away does he set our sins from us. For he desires not the death of the sinner but his repentance,’^[1] and that the person who has fallen should not remain in his fallen condition but should rise up, and that he who has turned away should not go far off but return quickly to him. Therefore, despair not of yourself; ‘there is hope’ of salvation. For, as it is said, ‘if a tree is cut down, it will sprout again.’^[2] Then, if you will even now listen to me in everything I say to you, you shall have forgiveness from God. He^[3] answered with tears, In all things I will listen to you from now on, O father!

You^[1] do nothing with regard to the reward; you do not act alone in the deed. Your crown comes from him, but the work is yours, although it does not happen without his help. When the apostle Paul, who was first Saul, was an exceedingly cruel and fierce persecutor, he merited nothing good at all but rather a great deal of evil; he deserved to be damned, and not chosen among the elect. Then suddenly, while he was doing evil and meriting evil, he was thrown to the ground by a voice from heaven. The persecutor was cast to the ground, and the preacher was lifted up. Listen to him admitting his own condition: I was once a blasphemer, a persecutor, a man filled with arrogance, but I have been treated mercifully.^[2] Did he say there: The just judge will give an award to me? I have been treated mercifully, he said; I deserved evil but received good. Not according to our sins does he deal with us. I obtained mercy; what was due to me was not given to me, for if what was due had been rendered, punishment would have been given. I did not receive what was due to me, he says; I have been treated mercifully. Not according to our sins does he deal with us.

Therefore do not forget one who is weak. Remember, Lord, that you have made me weak. Remember that you have fashioned me as dust.^[1] How will I be able to stand, unless you direct your care always so as to strengthen this clay, so that my strength may proceed from your countenance? When you turn away your face, all things will be troubled.^[2] If you exercise your care, woe is me! You have nothing to behold in me but the contagion of sins. It is no use either to be abandoned or to be examined, for even while we are being looked on, we are committing offenses. Still, we can hold that God does not reject those whom he looks on, because he makes clean those whom he beholds. A fire blazes before him that burns away sin.^[3]

And again I said, Lord, will it be possible in heaven for people to recognize one another, a brother his brother, a friend his friend, a father his own children, or the children their own parents? And I heard a voice saying to me, Hear, John. To the righteous there will be recognition, but to the sinners there will not be. Sinners will not be able to recognize each other in hell. And again I, John, said, Lord, will there be recollection of the things that exit in this world, either fields or vineyards, or other things here? And I heard a voice saying to me, Hear, righteous John. The prophet David speaks, saying, I remembered that we are dust: as for [a] man, his days are as grass; as a flower of the field, so he shall flourish, for a wind has passed over it, and it shall be no more, and it shall no longer remember its place. And again the same said, His spirit shall go forth, and he returns to his earth; in that day all his thoughts shall perish.^[1]

Our life on earth, brothers, is such that our existence is very transitory. We play, as it were, a game on earth: we do not exist, and we are born, and being born we are dissolved. We are like a fleeting dream,^[1] an apparition without substance, the flight of a bird that passes, a ship that leaves no trace on the sea.^[2] We are dust, a vapor, the morning dew, a flower growing but a moment and withering in a moment.^[3] [A] man’s days are as grass: as the flower of the field, so shall he flourish. Beautifully has blessed David meditated on our weakness. Again he says, Declare to me how few are my days.^[4] He defines the days of humankind as the measure of a handbreadth.^[5] What would you say to Jeremiah, who, complaining of his birth, even blames his mother, and that, for the failings of others?^[6] I have seen everything,^[7] says Ecclesiastes. I have reviewed in my mind all human things, wealth, luxury, power, glory that is not stable, wisdom that eludes us more often that it is mastered. ON HIS BROTHER ST.

Concerning the resurrection more will be said later; but now let us return to our immediate subject. We have shown that even holy people have, without any consideration for their merits, suffered many difficult things in this world, together with toil and misery. So David, in self-reflection, says, Remember, Lord, that we are dust; as for [a] man, his days are but as grass; and in another place, [A] man is like a breath, his days pass away as a shadow.^[1] For what is more wretched than we, who are sent into this life as it were plundered and naked, with frail bodies, deceitful hearts, weak minds, anxious in regard to cares, slothful as to labor, prone to pleasures.

Applicable to this difference^[1] is what has been written: And to those who retain his commandments in memory, that they may do them. For many retain them in memory that they may despise them or even deride and attack them. The words of Christ do not abide in those who in a way barely touch him [and] do not take firm hold of him. And therefore [these words] will not be a benefit for those people but a witness [against them]. And because [the words] are in them in such a way that they do not abide in them, for this reason [those people] are bound by them so that they may be judged in accordance with them.

Your will be done on earth as in heaven. God’s divine and blessed angels do the will of God, as David said in the psalm, Bless the Lord, all his angels, mighty in strength, that do his pleasure. So then in effect this is what you^[1] mean when you pray, as in the angels your will is done, so likewise be it done on earth by human beings, O Lord.

Under thrones [Paul] includes the cherubim, giving them this Greek name, as more intelligible than the Hebrew name for them. He knew that God sits upon the cherubim, and so he calls these powers the thrones of him who sits on them. In the same way there are included in the list of Isaiah’s seraphim,^[1] by whom the mystery of the Trinity was clearly proclaimed, when they uttered that marvelous cry holy, being awestruck with the beauty in each person of the Trinity. They are named under the title of powers both by the great Paul and by the prophet David—the latter says, Bless you the Lord all you his powers, you ministers of his that do his pleasure, and Isaiah instead of saying Bless you has written the very words of their blessing, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory, and he has revealed by what one of the seraphim did [to him] that these powers are ministers that do God’s pleasure, effecting the purging of sin according to the will of him who sent them: for this is the ministry of these spiritual beings, namely, to be sent forth for the salvation of those who are being saved.