Sermon 114B

Sermon 114/B

Sermon of Saint Augustine on the chapter of the Gospel
where the coming of the Lord is proclaimed on the last day

About the latest coming of the Lord.

The Gospel reading, most beloved, which we have now heard, not indeed prepared by us - as is usually done - but nevertheless by the ordination of the Lord, who governs our actions, strongly resonates with this psalm about which we have decided to speak to your charity. For the Lord was speaking about His final advent and the end of the world, and He had already recalled many terrible things that human affairs must endure insofar as the end approaches. Next, accusing those who wish to live securely, not in the realm of security, He frightfully terrified them; saying that the coming of the Son of Man to that judgment - dreadful for all, but yet also desired by the pious faithful - saying therefore that His advent would be as it was in the days of Noah, gravely troubled every heart, if faith is there: For just as, He says, in the days of Noah, they were eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage, buying and selling, while the ark was being built by Noah, and the flood came and destroyed them all. For they pursued a harmful security, all secular joys, and were delighted in these things, until Noah entered the ark, and the flood found them naked and destitute. Thus saying this, He now terrified every soul, but we have time for awakening. The day of judgment is not yet, the flood is not yet; still the incorruptible wood is being cut down from the forest, still the ark is being built.

The construction of the ark in the days of Noah was a proclamation of salvation.

For if they were foolish, and perished deservedly by their own madness and contempt, who did not say in their heart: "Not without cause does this servant of God, just, acceptable to God and wise, construct so great an ark with such effort, with such works, unless he recognized that something was impending for the world. In a way, the construction of this ark is a herald proclaiming: Convert to God." For if they thought this and changed their life, and turning from impiety to God, made enough amends for their sins, groaning for His mercy, they would not perish. For God was merciful to Nineveh and would not be cruel to the whole human race, if they turned to Him. “In three days Nineveh will be overturned,” said Jonah because of their great sins. What is as brief as three days? Yet they did not despair of God's mercy in such a brief period: they believed that even three days of mourning and tears were enough to move His mercy. If then, in three days, that great city had the space to move the mercy of God, in the space of a hundred years during which the ark was being built, if those people changed their ways and habits, offering to God the sacrifice of a contrite heart to appease Him, wouldn't they without any doubt escape that destruction, unharmed from His mercy which they had invoked? Thus, a hundred years of constructing the ark condemns the three days of the Ninevites. But another one greater than Noah: see how long the time is, see from when He has been building this ark. I think, brothers, if the years are counted from when Christ began, cutting down incorruptible wood from the forest of the nations, to build and frame this ark - that is, the Church - they are found to be more than a hundred, more than two hundred, more than three hundred. And behold, so many years have passed, and still it is being built, still Noah cries out, still the construction itself cries out. It will not destroy people, except by unbelief. Let them change their ways; let them believe in God who promises so much, threatens so much, never deceiving in anything.

"Count so many past events that happened, and believe few that remain."

It would take too long to say many things from here, and due to the constraints of time and our common fragility, we hasten to the exposition of this psalm. But I would like someone to briefly tell me why they do not change their bad ways and make them good. What do they lose from it? If they believe, let them do it, because it will be true; if they doubt, let them do it, lest it be true. To those who believe, it is firm; to those who doubt, it is doubtful. I enumerate so many things from the beginning of the world until this day, which according to the Scriptures have happened, so that we read absolutely nothing in the Scriptures of God which we do not now see completed for the most part. Very few things remain: are only the false ones left? Are the few things that remain for the faithful to think about false? Brothers, what is great in this? We desire the work of a mediocre heart. Count so many past things that have happened, and believe the few that remain. The faithful person considers, because it is most firmly true; or at least they ought to consider this, lest perhaps it be true.

Of the pleasant way and the narrow way.

For example, you had a journey through a shortcut, and you intended to take a better road. Someone, just anyone, informed you that that road was beset by robbers. This road, which was reported to you as beset by robbers, is smooth, easy, pleasant, accommodating, and delightful; but someone informed you that it is infested by robbers and so beset that it can either not be traveled or can be traveled only with great difficulty and extreme danger. There is another road: it involves much labor, difficulty, hardness, and narrowness; delights are not only not found there, but barely adequate human kindness is shown. Doesn't your heart immediately tell you, wanting to gain a few days of this life and looking forward to the life eventually ending: "It is better to go this way; although with labor and difficulty and want, although with the grinding down of either ourselves or our animals, still it is better to go this way"? Why is it better? Because it is safer. Now someone, wishing to lead you through that delightful road, says to you: "And did you so quickly believe the one who said this road is beset by robbers?" If you know a trustworthy person - and perhaps someone known to you so well that he has never deceived you - what will you reply? "That man cannot deceive me; I know the man, I have experienced him as a serious person, I have many instances of his reliability: he has always told me the truth, he has never lied." But if you knew the man was like that: let's consider a different case, where someone did not know him. Wouldn't this person also say: "Indeed, I do not know the man and I do not know how truthful he might be: he may be telling the truth, he may be lying; nevertheless, because of the doubt itself, lest perhaps what he says is true, why do I not rather endure the laborious hardship, than undertake the delightful road with danger?"

The Word of God shows us the way of salvation.

Alas, my brothers, we are Christians; we all wish to make a journey; even if we do not wish it, we are making a journey: no one is permitted to remain here, all who come into this life are compelled to pass through the transient nature of time. There is no place for idleness: walk, lest you be dragged. We are met in our journey and as if at a certain road junction by a certain man, not just a man, but God-made-man for the sake of men; he said to us: "Do not go this way; it indeed seems easy and light and delightful, this well-worn and broad path, but the end of this way brings destruction. Since you neither are allowed nor is it beneficial for you to stand and dwell here, you must go, but go this way: you will walk through certain difficulties, but once those difficulties are quickly ended, you will come to a great expanse of joys, and you will escape those traps from which no one who willingly walks that other way escapes." This was said by the one – I believe known to us, if faith is within us. Or is it still pleasing to test the faith of this one? Let us recall past times and the ancient Scriptures. Is not this man the Word of God? Was not this Word later made flesh and dwelt among us? But before being made flesh and dwelling among us, did it not speak through patriarchs and prophets? See what they have foretold to humankind.

We see that the things which God promised have been fulfilled.

God certainly spoke with His word to Abraham, that his offspring would first be - although he, to whom it was spoken, was already old - that offspring would first come from aged Abraham and old, barren Sarah: it was believed, it happened; that this offspring, that is, the people born from him according to the flesh, would be in servitude in Egypt and for how many years: it happened; that they would be freed from that captivity: they were freed; that they would receive the promised land: they received it. Many things were spoken through the prophets; it was said to Abraham himself not only to attend to that people, but, "In your seed," he said, "all nations shall be blessed." Near prophecies were spoken; distant ones were spoken: near prophecies were fulfilled; what was prophesied for the distant future is now happening. The word of God spoke through the prophets that nation would sin, be handed over to the hands of their enemies, because they had offended the Lord: all these things happened; that they would enter into Babylonian captivity: and this too happened; that from there the Christ King would come: Christ came, Christ was born; because he himself foretold that he would come, Christ came. It was said that the Jews would crucify him: they crucified him. It was foretold that he would resurrect and be glorified: it happened; he resurrected, he ascended into heaven. It was foretold that in his name the whole earth would believe, it was foretold that kings would persecute his Church: these things happened. It was foretold that kings would believe in him: we already hold the faith of kings, and do we doubt the faith of Christ? The dissensions of heresies were also foretold: do we not see them too, and groan surrounded by them on all sides? It was foretold that pagans would press the Church for idols: and it happened; it was foretold that the idols themselves would be destroyed through the Church and the name of Christ: and we see this being fulfilled. Scandals were foretold in the very Church, tares were foretold, husks were foretold: we see all these things with our eyes and endure them with whatever strength is given by the Lord. In what did this one who told you, "Go this way," deceive you? Say confidently, if you are faithful, taking so many experiences of this one who speaks to you - test him by deeds, because he has condescended to be tested in this way. Say: "He certainly tells me the truth, I hold all his words true, in nothing has he lied. I know him as such, he is the word of God. He spoke through the mouths of servants, and he did not deceive; can he lie in what he says through his own mouth?" But he who is not yet known to him, who still doubts about Christ, let him also say: "I will go this way, lest perhaps he who the whole world has already believed tells the truth"; and yet it will happen as he himself foretold.

The gifts of Christ are to be desired.

Brothers, many unbelievers will be found on the last day just as that multitude was found in the days of Noah. None escaped except those who were in the ark. Therefore, make yourselves like this: the hands of the craftsman are here, Christ is building the ark. Fit yourselves to him, give yourselves to his hands, be shaped, be joined together; let no one reject the fingers of this artisan. His grace knows how to shape you; just do not be rotten wood of perverse pride. So it will be; however, my brothers, many mock these things.

I see the constraints of time withdrawing the exposition of the psalm from me. For I do not wish to neglect the entrusted passage of the Gospel, as much as the Lord suggests. Therefore, for now, if it pleases your charity, let us defer the psalm. It is not drawn out; soon will come the task they call for. We also have an editor, to whom we may convene. If the people from that broad way, mocking and scoffing at that faithful guide of the journey, run to see the task they are not receiving - and whoever should receive it, deceives themselves; yet to that which they are not receiving, they run thus, and thus they converge - how much more eagerly ought we to convene, to receive what we shall witness! If from me, to prevent you from convening, nothing is poorer; but if from Him from whom I also, nothing is richer, that poor one for us is nothing richer. Let us all receive from Him, let us all rejoice in Him. And if perhaps what He graciously deigns to give He shows through me to you, love even the servant of the editor, but for the sake of the editor, for I also, brothers, in Him and for Him, love you. For outside of Him we all are nothing.

May the day of the Lord find us prepared.

Therefore, I will briefly not remain silent about what from the Gospel reading might perhaps be obscure to someone, with the Lord's help. Let people be afraid, lest they be found in such a condition on that last day. Let us be afraid, my brothers. We are exulting now, we are rejoicing, we are acclaiming. I ask you: let that day find us prepared. He who says that does not lie, he has never lied; if you still doubt, be mindful that it might indeed be true. But one of you might say to me: "Then it is necessary for it to enter into the heart of the faithful"; for in saying these things now I am not making all like those the Lord spoke of: If anyone does not take up his cross and follow me, or I am not making all like those the Lord spoke of: If you wish to be perfect, go, sell all you have, give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven, and come, follow me. Brothers, must we indeed fear that path, where the guide says: Follow me? I know that not all, or certainly many whom I address, will suddenly become such. Therefore, now because it has been heard from the thunder of the Gospel - if there are faithful hearts that tremble -, because it was said: In the days of Noah it was so, they were eating, drinking, marrying, giving in marriage, buying, selling, until Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all, many say to themselves: "We are commanded to wait for that day, and not to be found like those who were found outside the ark and perished in the flood. Certainly, the word of God terrifies us, the trumpet of the Gospel terrifies us. What do we do, if a wife must not be taken?" - a young man, some youth says this -, "must we not eat, must we not drink, must we always fast?" Many say such things. And someone who perhaps wanted to buy something says to himself: "Now nothing should be purchased, lest I be found among those who perished?"

One must not despair about the salvation of the rich.

What then do we do if it is so? We must weep, just as the apostles were saddened for the human race, when they heard the Lord saying what perfection is: Sell all your possessions and come, follow me, for the one to whom it was said went away sorrowful. And when he called Him a good master, from whom he sought advice on eternal life, the master seemed good until he said what was asked of him. He spoke, and saddened. As he went away sad, the Lord followed and said: How difficult it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven! Difficult, but still difficult. The Lord added an example, and what he called difficult he pronounced impossible. He said, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. As if he closed the door against the rich. What will happen, what will happen? It is closed: Knock, and it shall be opened to you. "From where, he says, shall we knock?" From where, but with hands? "What does it mean: from where, but with hands?" From where, but with deeds? Let us see, brothers, if the Lord has provided a place for the rich through such deeds. Let us speak from the Scriptures, lest we be found not as announcers but as flatterers. First, the same Lord in that very place: <Sell all your possessions and come, follow me>. For the disciples were saddened because the Lord said this. And they were certainly not saddened for themselves, for they had left everything and were following the Lord. And saddened, what did they say? Who then can be saved? Now here I ask the apostles: O chief members of Christ, o pillars of that resurrection to be established, why thus, why who then can be saved? Is there despair about the rich? The rich are few, thousands of the poor can be saved. What did the Lord say? It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Did he say: "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a man to enter the kingdom of heaven"? He said: rich man. I will quickly say, brothers – indeed we all wish well, for this is commanded and this is hoped for, but nevertheless I notice in the Scriptures a future heap of chaff to be consumed by fire, and I can say: Would that as few were destined for the fire as there are rich people! Behold, brothers, in this whole populace who hears these words, how many are rich? I did not say this so that they would go into the fire; but as many as are going and those who are going, would that they could be so few as the rich are few in the human race! But now both from the number of the rich many will enter the kingdom of heaven, and from the number of the poor many will go into eternal fire. Until I open this to a few, heed.

In the camel a certain figure of Christ is recognized.

The Lord said it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And the disciples were saddened and said: Who then can be saved? As they considered the multitudes of the poor and so few rich in the human race. But what? They wisely considered not who was wealthy in resources, but who burned with greed. I do not know anyone called rich with all abundance who appears so. But he who holds all that for nothing, despising these things and truly possessing holds them, not being held by them, just as it is written: His hope is in the Lord his God; not arrogant, not boastful, not overpowering to oppress the poor, not greedy, not yearning for others' possessions, not wrongly guarding and hoarding his own, but truly rich towards God and not counting the riches themselves unless the giver of riches. Such a one is both rich and enters the kingdom of heaven. For the disciples having been saddened, the Lord said: "What is difficult for men, is easy for God. You were troubled by the difficulty, because I mentioned a camel through the eye of a needle, and truly difficult and impossible for men, (but) very easy for God. If he wishes, he can also pass that very large beast, which is called a camel, through the eye of a needle." And he deigned to do this himself, and therefore even a rich man can enter the kingdom of heaven, because for his sake the camel went through the eye of a needle. What does this mean? Let us see, if it is apparent. For not without reason John the Baptist, the herald of the Lord, had a garment of camel's hair, because, he who came after the judge to whom he preceded, almost had a cloak from it. I plainly recognize with the mention of the camel a certain figure of my Lord; I recognize greatness, and yet with a humble neck, I recognize greatness, whom no one would burden with sufferings unless he himself laid down on the ground. I also see the eye of the needle, through which so great a one entered. In the needle, I understand puncture, in the puncture suffering, in the eye constriction. Therefore now the camel has entered through the eye of a needle: let the rich not despair, about to follow into the kingdom of heaven.

"God does not regard capability but willingness."

But what kind of rich men? Behold, I do not know whether someone from the sidelines, clothed in rags, rejoiced and smiled when it was said that a rich man does not enter the kingdom of heaven. "I," he said, "will enter. These rags will serve me; those who harm us, who oppress us, will not enter." Indeed, such people will not enter, but see whether you will enter. What if you are poor and greedy, what if you are oppressed by poverty and burn with avarice? Therefore, if you are such, whoever you are, poor man, you did not want to be rich, but you could not. "Peace," he says, "on earth to men of goodwill." Therefore, God does not look at your wealth, but at your will. Consider what your heart is full of, not what your chest is empty of. So if you are of a bad life, with a bad desire, withdraw from the number of God's poor; you will not be among those of whom it is said: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Behold, I find such a rich man—from whose comparison you boasted and dared to aspire to the kingdom of heaven—I find a poor man in spirit, that is, humble, pious, following the will of God, and, if he has perhaps lost some of that abundance, immediately saying: "The Lord gave, the Lord has taken away: blessed be the name of the Lord." O gentle rich man, not resisting the will of God, truly rejoicing from that land of the living! For "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." But you may be insolent, having nothing in your storeroom, yet in the fantasy of desires you dream of vain treasures. Rather, this man, this rich man will enter; against you, the kingdom of heaven will be closed, because it will be closed against the greedy, against the proud and covetous. "But indeed the widow who put two mites into the treasury was poor!" Yes indeed: that widow was poor, but Zacchaeus was rich. Did the widow enter, and Zacchaeus was excluded? Rather, the kingdom is truly of the liberated, because it is given equally to both the poor and the rich. In that kingdom, Zacchaeus will not be richer than that widow, even if he gave more here than she did. For he gave half of his goods to the poor, she gave two mites. They had different means, but they had equal charity.

Paul teaches the rich the way by which entry is made into the kingdom of heaven.

So the rich man enters the kingdom of heaven. Listen to how he is described; how the way is made for him, how he is called to enter, listen those of you who possess worldly wealth, listen and do something before the flood, listen to the apostle writing to Timothy: Command the rich of this age. And as if he had asked what [or what] the Lord commanded: "Sell all you have, give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come with me, follow the Lord" - the Lord had already commanded this: let him hold Christ as the commander, who holds Him as the promise-giver. Whoever wishes, let him do it; let him undertake what was heard from the Lord. To others the apostle says - and through the apostle the Lord: Or do you seek proof of the Christ who speaks in me? What then? Command, he says, the rich of this age, what is the head of evil, what is feared in riches, not to be arrogant. Let us briefly describe this. The rich man easily says, "Bad servant"; he speaks arrogantly and, unless he says so, perhaps does not rule his house. Often he rules more with a terrible word than with a cruel blow. He says this, perhaps the necessity of ruling the house compels him to say it: let him not say it inwardly, let him not say it in his heart, let him not say it in the eyes and ears of God; let him not think himself better because he is rich; let him consider the frailty of his flesh, with garments laid aside. What shall I say, brothers, what shall I say? Let him consider, if all those external ornaments were removed, what kind of rich man he could be, because he is flesh and blood, because he came from the same lump from Adam and Eve, but the rich man cannot consider this: it is difficult to take away all those ornaments from him. It is not to be desired that they be taken away, it was to be desired that they be cast off. Therefore, it is difficult to persuade him what he is, surrounded by all these things. Let him consider himself in his mother's womb, once naked and needy, just like that poor man; he received other clothing upon being born; what he received will remain here, as it was not brought here. Thinking this, the rich man is poor in spirit within, that is, he breathes out pride, he humbles himself. And if he has a terrible face towards those whom it is necessary for him to rule, yet within he has a humble heart before the eyes of God, and he knows with what conscience he strikes his breast. But see if what follows appears in them. For he did not say this: Do not be arrogant, and then stopped; for every rich man would respond to you: "God knows that I am not arrogant; and if I shout, and if I say something harsh, God knows my conscience, that I say these things out of necessity of ruling, not to exalt myself over others" - as if therefore more powerful, because richer. God sees these things within. Let us see what follows. He says, Do not be arrogant, nor hope in the uncertainty of riches. Even here he may still be allowed to speak; and whether he speaks the truth, God alone can see, whether he does not trust in what he has, whether he does not place his hope there; for it follows: But in the living God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

Since the time is short, let us be rich in good works.

"And then what?" he says. Let them be rich in good works. This already emerges and is visible to the eyes of men; it cannot be hidden. Either it is done and appears, or it is not done and there is no way to lie. Let them be rich in good works, generous, and willing to share. Humility is apparent there. You have: let it be shared with him who does not have. Share. And for what good? Let them store up a good foundation for themselves for the future, so that they may obtain true life. If they are such rich people, let them be secure: when the last day comes, they will be found in the ark, they will be in the building, they will not belong to the perdition of the flood; let them not fear because they are rich. And if he is young and cannot control himself, he is allowed to marry. Will the last day find him among those of whom it was said: "They were marrying"? It will not find him so, if it finds him as the apostle says. Behold how he joins them in the ark who feared. For the apostle says: "From now on, brothers, the time is short." And what follows? "It remains that those who have wives be as though they had none, and those who buy as though they did not possess, and those who weep as though they did not weep, and those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, and those who use this world as though they did not use it: for the form of this world is passing away." I want you to be without anxiety. Brothers, if you want to be secure, do not base your happiness on these things. And if some duty or necessity of weakness compels you to make use of these things, do not trust in them, do not cling to them, reckon them among transitory and temporal things. For all these things pass away like a river of things. You see that all those adversities that press upon human matters cut down all these superfluous things.

Bad times run!

Brothers, every day there is grumbling against God: "Bad times and hard times." Nonsense is being punished, as we were saying: "Bad times, hard times, troublesome times"; and yet gifts are being given. They are bad, they are hard: let them correct them. You call the time hard? How much harder are you, who are not corrected by hard times! Such insanity of pomp still thrives, such superfluities are still coveted! Greed has no end, not even when it is cut. I ask, with what things, with what actions do they wish for prosperity, for what security do they desire? Let some security be given: we will see how many diseases will emerge, how much luxury will overflow, greater than now. Security and peace, for the sake of theaters and organs and flutes and pantomimes! You wish to misuse what you desire, therefore you do not receive it. Listen, listen to the apostolic voice, much freer than mine is - for I know how many I offend; consider me more timid: I do not dare to harm. †flictum Listen to what you do not want to hear from the apostle: You desire and do not have - these are apostolic words -; you kill and covet, and you cannot obtain; you quarrel and fight, and you do not have; you ask, and you do not receive, because you ask wrongly, that you may spend it on your passions. Certainly, he did not flatter anyone; in many rotting parts, the iron reached to the living flesh. Let us be healed, brothers, let us correct ourselves, let us correct ourselves: he who came and was mocked is coming back, and he is still mocked because he came; he is coming again, and there will be no time for mocking. My brothers, let us correct ourselves: behold, better times will come, and behold, they will come now. What do you hope for here? Change your place, change your dwelling: "Lift up your hearts." What do you hope for here? The human race has arisen, it has reached a certain youth - these things flourished in the world -, it is declining into old age, it is now near decrepitude. What do you hope for here? Seek something else. Are you seeking rest? You seek a good thing: seek it in its own land. One place is where he descended to you, another is where he commands you to ascend. Do not hope for times other than those read in the Gospel; I do not say this or that: the books of the Lord are on sale every day, the reader reads; buy for yourself and read when you have time, or rather make time: for it is better to make time for this than for trifles. Read what has been foretold up to the end of the world, and believe yourself, do not flatter yourself. Things are not bad because Christ has come, but because they were harsh and bad, he came who would console.

Christ our physician.

Listen, my brothers: it was necessary that such times should come, distressing and harsh. What would we have done if such a great comforter had not been present? The human race was bound to suffer gravely. Like a physician taking charge of one great patient, from Adam until the end, that is, taking charge of the entire wounded human race - since from the time we were born, from the time we were cast out of paradise, indeed illness has existed, but at the end it was bound to be greater, and perhaps near to health for some, near to death for others. Therefore, when the human race was suffering illness, that great physician taking charge of the patient, lying in a certain great bed, the entire world, just like a most skilled physician, observed the times of the ill one, and saw and foresaw what was to come, since he himself managed that same illness on account of his justice to avenge our sin. Therefore, during the milder times of our illness, the physician himself first sent his servants to inspect us, he sent the prophets. They spoke, they preached; he cured some through them and healed them. They predicted a certain great fever to come in the final stages of the illness, and a certain great agitation of this patient, which would require the presence of the physician himself. Therefore, our physician said this: "In the last time, the sick will be more strongly and vigorously agitated, for whose treatment I must come at that time; I will restore, I will comfort, I will exhort, I will promise, I will heal the believer." Thus it was. He came, he became man, sharing in our mortality, so that we might be able to share in his immortality. And still the patient is agitated. And when he breathes heavily in fever and greatly burns, he says to himself: "Since this physician came, I suffer harsher fevers, I am more severely agitated. Oh tremendous burns, from where did they come to me? I think he entered the house with an unlucky step." Thus say all those who still suffer from vanity. Why do they still suffer from vanity? Because they do not want to receive the potion of sobriety from him. You see those miserable ones being agitated by their cares and various tribulations and terrors of the world, and saying: "Since Christ came, we suffer these times; since there are Christians, the world fails in everything." Oh foolish patient, not because the physician came has your illness become graver, but the physician came because your illness was bound to become graver: he foresaw it, he did not cause it; he came, however, to comfort you and make you truly healthy.

Let us be cured willingly so that we are not tormented unwillingly.

For what is taken from you, what is removed but the superfluous? For you were craving harmful things; the things you craved were not beneficial for your fever. Is the physician harsh because he snatches harmful fruits from the patient's hand? What does he take from you but the dangerous indulgence which you desired to indulge to the destruction of your innards? And this, that you groan and murmur, pertains to his medicine. He wishes to cure you, lest you suffer unwillingly. The times must be harsh. Why? So that earthly happiness is not loved. It is entirely necessary - it is medicinal - that this life be disturbed, so that another life is loved. Behold, if there is so much lethargy still clinging to earthly things, still madness in the theaters, what if everything smiled upon vanity, what if your trivialities were struck nowhere? Behold, so many bitterness mixed in, and the world is still sweet. Come on, my most beloved brothers, I beseech you by the Lord, by his cross, by his blood, by his love, by his humility, by his majesty, I beseech and adjure you, not to hear these things in vain, not to think we stand in this place truly as if for a spectacle. His mercy knows, under whose eyes we thus tremble, that we are led by the duty of love, to say these things to you, and compelled by that fear by which we know we ourselves shall give an account to the Lord for all things.