Sermon 197

"Behold the creator of the world."

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness. Whose, if not also of the Jews and the Gentiles? But it might be said: Why against the ungodliness of the Gentiles? For the Gentiles never received the Law and thus have not become transgressors. Rightly, the wrath of God is revealed against the Jews, to whom the Law was given, and who did not wish to observe it; but it was not given to the Gentiles. Look, brothers, and understand how he shows all to be guilty, and all in need of salvation and the mercy of God. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness. See how he did not say: They do not have the truth, but: They, he says, hold the truth in unrighteousness. And as if you were to ask, saying: How can those who did not receive the Law have the truth? He follows: Because what is known of God is manifest in them. And how could what is known of God be manifest in them who did not receive the Law? He follows and says: For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made; even His eternal power and Godhead. Surely we understand, being understood are seen. Why would he regard the works and not seek the maker? Do you regard the fruit-bearing earth, do you regard the sea full of its animals, do you regard the air full of birds, do you regard the sky shining with stars, and the rest, and not seek the creator of such a work? But you say to me: I see these, but I do not see Him. For these things to be seen, He gave the eyes of the body, for Him to be seen, He gave the mind. For you do not see the soul of a man either. Just as you understand from the movements and administration of the body the soul, which you do not see: so from the administration of the whole world, and from the government of the very souls, understand the Creator. But it is little to understand. For they understood; and see what the Apostle says: Because, knowing God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were they thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. By what merit, if not pride? For see the following: Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. For they ought not to have arrogated to themselves what He had given, nor pride themselves on that which they had not from themselves, but from Him. Which they surely ought to have rendered, that they might be healed by Him who gave that they might see for holding what they could see. For if they did this, they would maintain humility, and could be purified, and cling to that most blessed contemplation. But because there was pride in them, a false and deceitful and proud one placed himself among them, promising them that their souls would be purified by certain stages of pride, and made them worshipers of demons. Hence all sacred things celebrated by the pagans, which they say avail for the purification of their souls. And hear what the Apostle says consequently, because they received these as a reward for pride; because they did not glorify God in the manner He should be glorified. And they changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man. Now there are idols. And indeed those of all the Greeks and other nations, which have the likeness of men. But there is no greater and more superstitious idolatry than that of the Egyptians; for Egypt flooded the world with such figments, as the Apostle afterward says. When he had said: Made like to corruptible man; he added: and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Indeed, brothers, have you seen in other temples an idol with a dog’s head or a bull’s head, and effigies of other irrational animals? For these are the idols of the Egyptians. The Apostle encompassed both kinds: Made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves. Their misfortunes are from the impiety of pride. These sins indeed, because they are from pride, are not only sins but also punishments. For when he says: God gave them up, it is already a vengeance of a certain sin, that they should do these things. Who exchanged the truth of God for a lie. What is: Exchanged the truth of God for a lie? In the likeness, surely, of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. And lest anyone say: I do not worship an idol, but what the idols signify; he immediately added: And worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator. Understand wisely. They either worship the idol, or the creature. He who worships an idol converts the truth of God into a lie. For the sea is truth; but Neptune is a lie made by man, the truth of God converted into a lie: because God made the sea; man, however, the idol of Neptune. Thus God made the sun; man, by making an idol of the sun, converted the truth of God into a lie. But lest they say: I do not worship an idol, but I worship the sun; therefore he said: They worshiped the creature rather than the Creator.

But perhaps someone will say: Even if He was humbly born, He wished to boast in the nobility of His disciples. He did not choose kings, or senators, or philosophers, or orators: rather, He chose common people, the poor, the unlearned, fishermen. Peter a fisherman, Cyprian an orator. Unless a fisherman faithfully preceded, an orator would not humbly follow. Let no one among the lowly despair of themselves: let them hold onto Christ, and their hope will not be in vain.

What did Simon want, other than to be praised in miracles, to be exalted in pride? For it was pride that compelled him to believe that the gift of the Holy Spirit could be bought with money. The Apostle, contrary to this pride, remaining in humility, intensely fervent in spirit at midday, shining with wisdom, says: Neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. For he had said: I planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the growth. And again: Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? See how he refuses to be cultivated for Christ and does not wish to present himself to the fornicating soul instead of the bridegroom. Isn't planting and watering considered great? But neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything. How did he fear? He does not consider himself anything for the salvation of those whom he desired to build up in Christ.

Neither did the Apostle himself want hope to be placed in him, but in the truth which he proclaimed. What was said through him was better than he through whom it was proclaimed. Although, he says, "If we." This is little; listen further: he says, "Or an angel from heaven should preach to you something different from what you have received, let him be accursed." He saw that a false mediator could transform itself into an angel of light and announce something false. Just as proud men wish to be adored as God, to arrogate whatever they can to themselves, to name themselves, and, if possible, to surpass Christ himself in glory: so the devil and his angels. The Donatists have Donatus instead of Christ. If they were to hear some pagan detracting from Christ, they might perhaps bear it patiently, more so than if they were to hear someone detracting from Donatus.

For Christ himself speaks in his saints, as the Apostle says: Do you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me? And although he says: Neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters; but God who gives the growth; not because he wanted himself to be loved, but because he wanted Him in himself to be loved: he nevertheless bears witness to some, saying: Because you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. Therefore, in all his saints, he himself is to be loved, who said: I was hungry, and you gave me to eat. For he did not say: You gave them; but: You gave me. Such is the love of the head for his body!

What is Juno? Juno, they say, is the air. For a long time now it has been inviting us to worship the sea in Neptune, to worship the earth in the image of the ground: now it invites us to worship the air. These are the elements by which this world consists. Therefore, the Apostle Paul, proposing this in his Epistle: Beware, he says, lest anyone deceive you through philosophy and vain deceit, according to the elements of this world. For he referred to those who explain idols as if more wisely. Therefore, when he mentioned philosophy, in the same place he said, according to the elements of this world: not warning against any worshipers of idols, but against more learned interpreters of signs.