Judges 2

Let us consider where he has set his ascent: "In the valley of tears, in the place that he has appointed." We have read in the book of Judges that when the angel came and preached repentance to the people, saying, "You have abandoned the Lord, and the Lord shall abandon you," the Israelites wept aloud when they heard the threat; and that place was called the valley of tears. We have called attention to ancient history in order to avoid heresy. The valley of tears, moreover, we may understand allegorically as this world, for we are not on the mountain, that is, in the kingdom of heaven, but in the valley, in the darknesses of this world; through a fault, we have been cast out of Paradise with Adam into a lowly vale of tears where there is repentance and weeping. "In the valley of tears, in the place that he has appointed." What did the prophet mean? God made this world an arena that here we may strive against the devil, against sin, in order to receive our crown in heaven. Why did he ordain a contest? Could not he save us without the struggle? He gave us, as it were, a master of contests; he gave us a stadium in which to carry on our wrestling against vices, so that afterwards he may crown us meritoriously, not as those who sleep but as those who labor.

The reader of the present lesson was reading it thus: "and the people feared the Lord all the days of Joshua", but we have: "and the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of their elders, who were of longer days after Joshua". We must therefore understand that each one of us secures it for himself, whether he be in good days or in evil, and whether he have "the days of Joshua" — that is, the days of the righteous — or have the days of the impious. For if we understand "the true light, which enlightens every man coming into this world", and offer it our souls to enlighten, or if "the sun of righteousness" rise upon us and "enlighten the world" of our soul, then we too have "the days of Jesus" Christ, the days of salvation. But if anyone offers his soul to receive that light which "shall be extinguished", the light contrary to the truth, and is enlightened by it, he too shall have days, but evil ones, and he will not be among the days of Joshua, but will be among the days of Manasseh, or among the days of Pharaoh, or among the days of some other most wicked man. Therefore, in short, in the days of Ahaz, that iniquitous and most wicked king, Isaiah could not see a vision, could not "see the Lord of Sabaoth seated upon a throne high and lifted up". But from the time that the wicked king died, whose were "the evil days", then the prophet could see the vision of God. And do you wish to know that these days, when they are spoken of in the scriptures as belonging to this man or that, do not signify the span of the life of the one who is spoken of, or of his bodily presence? Hear what the prophet foretold concerning the days of our Lord Jesus Christ: "there shall arise", he says, "in his days righteousness and abundance of peace, until the moon be taken away". If we take this thus, that "in the days" in which the Savior tarried on earth there were days "of righteousness" and days "of peace", how shall we prove that days "of righteousness" arose for those who crucified him and who did not receive his coming and the faith? Or how will "the abundance of peace in his days" be seen to have been among those who delivered him to death by false accusations? How to these will "days of righteousness and" days "of peace" be seen to have arisen, in whose minds the darkness of iniquity and of fury was at work? And again, if this which is written — "there shall arise in his days righteousness and abundance of peace" — be referred to those days which the Savior spent in the flesh, then now, since those days are not present, therefore "his righteousness does not arise" nor is the "abundance" of Christ's "peace" found among the faithful and the religious. Rather, then, each one according to his own acts and manner of life acquires for himself "days" either of iniquity and of war, or "of righteousness" and "of peace". Hear, in short, the prophet saying: "to those who fear my name", he says, "shall the sun of righteousness arise", doubtless that it may make for them "days of righteousness", "days of Jesus". But of the impious he says that "the sun of righteousness" will set for them — doubtless for those in whom righteousness sleeps, and for whom the darkness of iniquity has arisen. And do you wish likewise to learn from the prophet who they are that have "the abundance of peace"? Hear how he says in the psalms: "much peace to those who love your name, and there is no stumbling-block for them". "Days" therefore "of righteousness and abundance of peace shall arise" for "those who love the name of the Lord". But the impious too have their own light, from which doubtless "evil days" arise for them. And do you wish this too to be proved to you from the scriptures? Hear what is written: "light", it says, "is for the righteous always, but the light of the impious shall be extinguished". You see, then, that there is a certain "light proper to the impious", which "shall be extinguished", and a "light of the righteous", which remains "forever". And I do not know whether anyone would understand it so ineptly as to think that there is some other substantial light which is called "of the impious", and another which is "of the righteous". This assuredly can in no way be. For the light of the world made by God is one, which shines upon all in common and equally. But in the manner which we expounded above it must be understood that our soul is either "enlightened by the true light", which will never "be extinguished", which is Christ, or, if it does not have in itself that light which is eternal, it is doubtless enlightened by a temporal and extinguishable light from him "who transfigures himself into an angel of light" and enlightens the heart of the sinner with a false light, so that those things which are present and perishing seem to him to be good and splendid. By this light are enlightened those who call pleasure the highest good; by this light are enlightened those who seek riches and worldly honors and earthly glory as though the memorial of eternity. These too, then, are "in the days" of his light which "shall be extinguished" (for all these things which they do, which they desire and covet, shall be extinguished); by this light are enlightened also the heretics, who proclaim "knowledge falsely so called": hence Marcion, being enlightened, says that the God of the law is just, but not good. If therefore we have rightly understood who are the days that are enlightened by our Lord Jesus Christ, "the true light", and who are the days that are enlightened by him "who transfigures himself into an angel of light", and whose light "shall be extinguished", we can fittingly understand also those "days of Joshua" of which it is said that: "the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua"; for it is certain that whoever has in himself "the days of Jesus serves the Lord", nor can it come to pass that anyone having in himself "the days of Jesus" and "the light" of Christ should serve the devil or serve avarice; nor can it come to pass that one should be enlightened by the light of truth and serve falsehood, nor can one enlightened by the light of sanctification be a slave to lust and uncleanness. And so the Apostle too says: "for what participation is there of righteousness with iniquity? Or what fellowship of light with darkness? And what concord of Christ with Belial? Or what part has the faithful with the unfaithful?". Let us pray, therefore, that Christ, who is "the true light", may always make good days in us, and that never, with the devil enlightening us, may we have in us "evil days", of which the Apostle says: "redeeming the time, because the days are evil". For we have "evil days" when we seek carnal things instead of spiritual, earthly instead of heavenly, perishing things instead of eternal, present things instead of future. If ever, then, you see desires of this kind arising in you, know that you are set in "evil days" and most wicked ones; and therefore persist in prayers, that you may be freed from the "evil day" and, as the Apostle says, be delivered "from the present evil age"; for in the manner which we said above, not only do "days" become "evil", but the "age" too is made "evil".

"The people therefore served the Lord all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders who were after Joshua". Blessed is he who "in the days of Jesus serves the Lord", who is enlightened by his word and his wisdom, who is illuminated by his precepts, who from his teaching receives the light of knowledge. Yet in the second place, and after this man, that man too is blessed who "serves the Lord in the days of the elders who were after Joshua". The "elders" who were either with Joshua or "after Joshua" — who are they but the Apostles, who also by their own writings and precepts enlighten our hearts and make in us likewise certain days out of that light which they themselves, coming, partook of from "the true light"? Whoever therefore is enlightened and instructed by the precepts of the Apostles and is trained by apostolic rules for the service of the Lord — this is the one who is said to "serve the Lord in the days of the elders who were after Joshua". And do you wish to see that, just as the Savior "was the true light, which enlightens every man coming into this world", so the Apostles too were "the light of the world"? In the Gospel it is written, the Lord saying to them: "you are the light of the world". But if the Apostles too are "the light of the world", doubtless by their precepts and commandments they enlighten for us "days" in which "we may serve the Lord".

But as for what he said: "all the days of the elders who were of longer days after Joshua", this too does not seem to me to be said idly, that the "elders who were after Joshua" are said to be "long-lived" or "of longer days". And indeed it belongs to God alone to know who, "after Joshua", among "the elders" made "a longer day", that is, who sent forth from himself a greater light — whether Paul or Peter, Bartholomew or John; yet the saints are said to be "of longer days". But on the contrary, then, when the world shall be filled with stumbling-blocks, when "with iniquity increasing the love of many shall grow cold", and when "the Son of man coming will scarcely find faith upon the earth", then the days to come are said not to be "long", but rather are said to be shortened, as the Lord said that: "unless those days had been shortened, no flesh would be saved". Evil days, therefore, are said to be "shortened", but the good days in which "we serve the Lord" are "long-lived" and of much time and, as it were, of a great span. See, however, that he indicated this too in the Gospel, that: "for the sake of the elect those days shall be shortened". For "the elect", then, "the evil days shall be shortened", the days of iniquity and of stumbling; and, as I judge, once the "evil days" have begun to be "shortened" for the elect, they are always shortened and diminished, until they are reduced to nothing and utterly waste away and at last perish. Of these, I think, was that one too who said: "let that day perish, in which I was born!". Thus, therefore, "for the elect the evil days are shortened" and perish, but the days of the holy elders are long-lived and prolonged. But that too which occurs to us as we speak — and would that it may occur at the Lord's prompting — must not be passed over, namely that he said: "the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua"; he did not say that there was one day of Joshua, but "the days of Joshua" are many. What, then, are these many days that we posit according to this order which we have expounded? I judge thus, that one day of his is righteousness, another sanctification, another prudence, another mercy, and thus through the several good things of the virtues are the "days of Jesus" reckoned, in which "the Lord" is served, because in these virtues of the soul the Lord is pleased. But reckon also his patience a day, and his gentleness and piety and goodness, and call a day of his everything that pertains to virtue. And thus "in all the days of Jesus you will serve the Lord", that is, in all these virtues; for the instruction of holy Scripture does not will that you should have some of these virtues in yourself and neglect others, but that, adorned with all these virtues and set in the acts of them, you should "serve the Lord". And in the same way one has also in himself the "days of the elders" and "in their days serves the Lord", fulfilling that which the Apostle Paul says: "be imitators of me, as I also am of Christ".

"In the days", he says, "of their elders, who knew all the works of the Lord". Who is it that "knows all the works of the Lord", but he who does them? For just as it was said of the sons of Eli that they were "sons of pestilence, not knowing the Lord" — not that they were ignorant of the Lord, who were indeed even teachers of the rest, but because they acted as those act who do not know the Lord — in this way too it must here be understood, when he says: "who knew every work of the Lord". And not only, he says, "did they know the work of the Lord", but he added: "who knew every work of the Lord", that is, who "knew" both the work of the righteousness of the Lord and the work of sanctification and of patience and of gentleness and of piety; and everything whatsoever that comes from the commandments of God is called "the work of the Lord". But just as there is a work of the Lord, so there is doubtless a work of the devil contrary to it. For it is certain that, just as righteousness is the work of God, so also injustice is the work of the devil, and, just as gentleness is the work of God, so also anger or fury is the work of the devil. Those, therefore, are said to "have known" the work of God who do his work. But that it may become still clearer from the authority of the scriptures how Scripture is accustomed to speak of knowing or not knowing, see how it is also written elsewhere: "he who keeps", it says, the commandment "shall not know an evil word". Can it come to pass that "he who keeps the commandment" should "not know evil words"? He does indeed know them, but he is said "not to know" for this reason, that he guards against them and avoids them. But also, as regards what was said of the Lord and Savior himself, that he "knew no sin", it is certain that he is said to have "been ignorant of sin" for this reason, that he did not do the work of sin. In this way, then, he too is said to "know the works of the Lord" who does "the works of the Lord". But he is ignorant of the work of God who does not do the work of God.

But how do we pass over this too, which he added: "who knew the great works of the Lord, which he did in Israel"? For what? Are there any "works of the Lord" that are small, in distinction from which these are called "great"? I judge that every work of God is indeed great, but according to the capacity of those for whom he works, if they be compared with one another, the works of the Lord are said to be either great or small. For example, he led the sons of Israel out of Egypt "with a strong hand" and "an exalted arm"; when Egypt had been smitten with heavenly prodigies, he "made a way in the sea"; he gave manna in the desert to the people; he spoke "from heaven" to Moses; he gave the law written "on tablets of stone". Are not these "great works of God"? But if you compare with these the fact that "God so loved this world that he gave his only Son" for the salvation of the world, you will find that all those are small in comparison with the greatness of this work. Which work we too must both know and believe, and must work "the works of the Lord", not negligently, but faithfully and attentively, so that we too may be found "in the days of Jesus" Christ and "in the days of the elders", his holy Apostles, with whom may we deserve also to receive the fellowship of the heavenly inheritance, through our Lord Jesus Christ himself, "to whom is glory and dominion unto the ages of ages. Amen!".

The death of Jesus too has been read to us. That he, indeed, "the son of Nun", "died" is no wonder; for he paid what was owed to nature. But since we had undertaken to refer these things, which were read concerning the son of Nun, to our Lord Jesus Christ, we must see how it may fittingly be said even of him that: "Jesus died". I think — speaking this too, however, according to the authority of Scripture — that in some Jesus lives, but in some he has "died". In Paul Jesus lives, and in Peter, and in all those who can deservedly say: "and now it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me". And again he says: "for me to live is Christ, and to die is gain". In such men as these, therefore, Jesus is deservedly said to "live". But in whom has "Jesus died"? In those, without doubt, who by repenting often and again transgressing are said as it were to insult the death of Jesus; concerning whom the Apostle, writing to the Hebrews, says: "crucifying again to themselves the Son of God and holding him up to mockery". You see, then, that in those who sin "Jesus" is said not only to "die", but is even asserted to be "crucified" by them and "mocked". But do you yourself also consider within yourself, whether, when you think of avarice and desire to plunder what belongs to others, you can then say that "Christ lives in me". Or if you think of debauchery, if you are driven by rage, if you are inflamed with spite, if you are goaded by envy, if you rave in drunkenness, if you are lifted up with pride, if you rush on in cruelty — can you in all these say that: "Christ lives in me"? Thus, therefore, "Christ dies" in those who sin, in that righteousness works nothing in them, patience nothing, truth nothing, nor all those things which Christ is. But whatever the saints do, it is Christ who is said to work these things, just as the Apostle also says: "I can do all things in him who strengthens me, Christ". And the Lord himself too gave a most beautiful distinction concerning this in the Gospels, when he says: "whoever confesses in me before men, I also will confess in him before my Father, who is in heaven. But whoever denies me before men, I also will deny him before my Father". You have seen that of those who "confess in himself" he said "he confesses", as one who himself lives in them and works the works of life. But in those "who deny" he did not keep the same likeness of the word, so as to say that whoever denies in me, I too will deny in him, but "whoever denies me before men, I too will deny him before my Father", to show that he who indeed "denies" is outside of himself, whereas he who "confesses" is in himself. Therefore for this reason here too Scripture says that, when "Jesus had died", "there arose another generation after those, who did not know Jesus and the works which he did in Israel".

"And the children of Israel did what was wicked before God". Almighty God, our ruler, grant that it may never happen to us that Jesus Christ, after he has risen from the dead, should again die in us. For what does it profit me if in others he lives by virtue and in me he dies by the weakness of sin? What does it profit me if in me and in my heart he does not live, and if in me he does not accomplish the works of life? What does it profit me if in another he is nourished and refreshed by good pursuits, by good faith, by good works, but in me and in my heart he is in a manner suffocated and slain by evil thoughts and unspeakable desires, by the worst pursuits? For see what Scripture adds, that: "there arose", it says, "another generation, which did not know Jesus and the great works which he did". That "generation, which did not know" the Lord "Jesus", is the one of "evil thoughts" and the worst desires, which "proceeds from the heart". This is the "generation which does not know" the Lord "Jesus", nor "the great work which he did in Israel". You see that sinners come to such a point that they even forget that "great" and glorious "work which the Lord did", that he was crucified "for our sins, and rose again for our justification". Whence I believe that, fearing this forgetfulness, the Apostle said to his disciple Timothy, whom he held as especially dear: "be mindful that Christ Jesus has risen from the dead". For he knew that of this so great a work, that "he rose from the dead", forgetfulness could come to be, if a sinful generation should arise in the heart. "There did" therefore "what was wicked before the Lord" "another generation, which knew not Jesus" nor the elders.

"And it served", it says, "the Baalim, and they forsook the Lord God of their fathers". These things indeed the ancients did, but since the things that are written are said to have been written not for their sake, but "for our sake, upon whom the ends of the ages have come", let us see whether these things may seem to be said in greater part of us than of them. And do you wish to see that not by me, but by the Apostle these things are expounded as being about us? Hear himself what he says: "but in Elijah what does the Scripture say, how he pleads with God against Israel? Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have torn down your altars, and I am left alone, and they seek my life. But what does the divine answer say to him? I have left for myself seven thousand men, who have not bent the knee to Baal" — and he adds: "so therefore", he says, "also at this present time a remnant according to the election of grace has been made safe". You see, then, that those who "bent the knee to the Baalim" and "those who did not bend it" he interprets of the remnant of believers and of the multitude of unbelievers. And this he shows: that those who in the time of the Savior proved unbelieving and impious "bent the knee to the Baalim" and adored idols, but those who believe and fulfill the works of faith "did not bend the knee to the Baalim". For nowhere is it reported in the histories or in the Gospels or in any other writings whatever that anyone in the time of the Savior bent the knee to idols, but assuredly this is said of those who, bound and as it were fettered by their sins, were held fast. Whence it is evident that we too, as often as we sin and "are led captive in the law of sin", "bend our knees to the Baalim". But we were not called to this, nor did we believe for this, that we should again serve sin and again "bend the knee" to the devil, but that we should "bend the knee in the name of Jesus", because "in the name of Jesus every knee is bent, of things in heaven and things on earth and things beneath the earth", and that we should bend "our knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom all fatherhood in heaven and on earth is named". But what does it profit me if I "bend the knees" of my body to God, coming to prayer, and "bend the knees" of my heart to the devil? For if I do not "stand firm against the wiles of the devil", I have "bent my knees" to the devil. And if I do not "stand" steadfastly "against" anger, I have "bent my knees" to anger. Likewise, if I do not steadfastly resist lust, I have "bent" the "knees" of my heart to lust. And in each single thing that is contrary to God I shall be seen to do this, unless I "stand" steadfastly and bravely, just as those also did who "worshipped the Baalim and forsook the God of their fathers", who "brought them out of the land of Egypt". Let us not therefore suppose that, because we seem not to worship idols, these things for that reason do not pertain also to some of us. Whatever each one worships above the rest, whatever he admires and loves above all things, this is his God. Indeed, this is what before all things and above all things God demands of man by his commandment: "you shall love", he says, "the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength" — desiring in a manner to lay first claim to himself upon all the affections of the human mind, and knowing that whatever one "loves with all the heart and with all the soul and with all the strength", this is his God. Let each one now examine himself and silently reckon up from his own heart what flame of love above all else and beyond all things burns hottest in him, what affection is cherished in him more ardent than the rest. Do you yourselves hold judgment concerning these things, weigh them on the balance of your own examination, and if there be anything that outweighs in the scale of love, this is your God. But I fear that in very many the love of gold outweighs, and that the weight of avarice, pressing the scale down enough, sinks it. And to such a one it will surely be said: "you cannot serve God and mammon" — that is, avarice. I fear too in others that the love of lust and pleasure outweighs so far as to sink it to the ground; in others that the love of worldly glory and the desire for human dignity weighs down above all; and I think there are very few who, measuring within themselves their own affections and weighing them in the equal balance of the scale, find that the weight of the love of God outweighs above all other things that are human. I know one who had weighed these things within himself with the utmost scrutiny, and, when he had found that all the affections which were within him inclined to that side where the love of God was, said with all confidence that: "neither death nor life nor angels nor powers, neither things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord". But this is Paul, who could so speak these things, because "neither things present nor things to come nor any other creature can separate him from the love of God". But as for us — would that we might say even this, that neither gold nor silver nor the pleasure of the flesh nor the glory of the world and fleeting, temporal dignity, nor bodily delights, nor the favor of children or of a spouse "will be able to separate us from the love of God". Surely let it at least be permitted to us to say with confidence that neither the love of secular literature nor the sophistries of the philosophers nor the deceptions of the astrologers and the feigned courses of the stars, nor the divinations contrived by the stealthy deceit of demons, nor any love of foreknowledge whatsoever, sought through those things which are not lawful, "will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus". Or did not the whole error of the heathen take its beginning from this, when they will that those things which men greatly love should be gods, and ascribe the divine name to any human vices and desires? For those greedy for money and burning with the love of avarice call Mammon, as among the Syrians, the god of that greed; the lovers of lust and pleasure ascribe to themselves Venus as the goddess of this vice by which they are driven. Likewise in the other vices too they have made this very affection, by which they are urged on, their God. Whence the Apostle also says the same thing; for he says: "and avarice, which is the worship of idols". You see, then, that not only to adore an idol, but even to be devoted to "avarice" is reckoned "the worship of idols" and slavery. So therefore we too, when we are so given over to certain vices that we "love them with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our strength", are said to adore idols and "to have gone after strange gods".

"And they adored", it says, "strange gods, the gods of the nations who were round about them, and they provoked the Lord to anger". See how much sins accomplish, that we who sin are said to provoke to anger him in whom there is not only no affection of anger, but not even any other passible movement. Truly he remains unchangeable in his nature and is never disturbed by the affections of anger; but I, through the things in which I transgress, decree anger for myself, just as the Apostle says, teaching this very thing: "but according to your hardness and impenitent heart you treasure up", he says, "for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and of the revelation of the just judgment of God, who will render to each one according to his works".

After the death of Joshua the son of Nave [Nun] they forsook the God of their fathers and served idols, Baalim and Ashtaroth; and the Lord in anger delivered them up to the hands of plunderers, and they continued to be plundered by them and to be sold to their adversaries, and [they] could not at all stand before their enemies. Wherever they went forth, his hand was upon them for evil, and they were greatly distressed. And after this God sets judges, the same as our censors, over them. But not even these did they continue steadfastly to obey. So soon as one of the judges died, they proceeded to transgress more than their fathers had done by going after the gods of others and serving and worshiping them. Therefore the Lord was angry. "Since, indeed," he says, "this nation has transgressed my covenant which I established with their fathers and has not hearkened to my voice, I will not remove from them any of the nations which Joshua left at his death." And thus, throughout almost all the annals of the judges and of the kings who succeeded them, while the strength of the surrounding nations was preserved, he meted wrath out to Israel by war and captivity and a foreign yoke, as often as they turned aside from him, especially to idolatry.

Therefore "they provoked the Lord to anger, and forsook the Lord, they worshipped Baal and Astarte. And the Lord was angry with fury against Israel, and delivered them into the hands of plunderers". As long as one serves God, he is not "delivered into the hands of plunderers". But when he has "forsaken the Lord" and has begun to serve his own passions, then it is said of him that: "God delivered them into passions of ignominy", and again: "he delivered them into a reprobate mind, that they should do those things which are not fitting". Why? Because "they are filled", he says, "with all iniquity, wickedness, fornication, avarice", and all the rest that are named — just as here too now, since "they served", it says, "and adored the Baalim and Astarte, God delivered them into the hands of plunderers; and it came to pass in the hands of their enemies". For these things, as I have already often said, the Jews read as histories of deeds done and past. But "we", "for whose sake these things" are said to be "written", ought to know that, if we have sinned against the Lord and worship the pleasures of our soul and the desires of the flesh as it were as God, we too are delivered up, and by apostolic authority are handed over into the hands of the devil. Hear, then, himself saying of him who had sinned: "I have delivered", he says, "such a man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved". You see, then, that even now not only through his Apostles does God "deliver" transgressors "into the hands of enemies", but also through those who preside over the church and have the power not only of loosing, but also of binding, sinners "are delivered into the destruction of the flesh", when for their offenses they are separated from the body of Christ. And, as it seems to me, even now men are delivered from the church into the power of the devil in two ways: in this manner which we spoke of above, when his offense becomes manifest to the church and he is driven from the church by the priests, so that, marked out by men, he may blush, and being converted there may befall him that which follows: "that the spirit may be saved in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ"; but in another way one is "delivered to the devil" when his sin does not become manifest to men, yet God, "who sees in secret", perceiving his mind and his soul serving vices and passions, and that in his heart it is not he who is worshipped, but either avarice or lust or vainglory or other such things — such a one the Lord himself "delivers to Satan". How does he "deliver him to Satan"? He departs from his mind and turns himself away and flees from his evil thoughts and unworthy desires and leaves the "house" of his heart "empty". And then there shall be fulfilled in that man what is written: "but when the unclean spirit has gone out from a man, he goes about through dry places: and if he does not find rest, he returns to his own house; and finding it vacant and swept, he takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and entering he dwells in that house; and then the last state of that man becomes worse than the first". In this manner, then, it must be understood that God "delivers up" those whom he delivers, not that he himself delivers anyone, but from the fact that he forsakes the unworthy — those, namely, who do not so cultivate themselves and purge themselves from vices that God should gladly dwell in them. When he himself flees and turns away from a soul which is set in uncleanness and vices, it is said to be delivered up from the fact that it is found empty of God and is invaded by the wicked spirit. And therefore let us with the utmost zeal be watchful and hasten to purge ourselves from vices and evil desires, that we may be able to hold God within us and that he may deign to dwell in us, while he is delighted both with our acts and our words and our thoughts, if we conduct according to his will all things that we do, so that, "whether we eat, or whether we drink, or whether we do anything else, we may do all in the name of" our "Lord" Jesus Christ, "to whom is glory and dominion unto the ages of ages. Amen!".

Although all the nations in the surrounding country were subject to king David, still God did not allow the Jebusites to be destroyed entirely, as he himself says elsewhere: "I for my part will not clear away for them any more of the nations. Through them the Israelites were to be made to prove whether they would fear me." For this reason the prophet said to David, "Go up, and build an altar to the Lord in the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite." That pagan king represented the people of the Gentiles. Notice, brothers, that no place in the land of the Jews was found worthy for the altar of the Lord to be built; but in the land of the Gentiles a place is chosen where the angel is seen and the altar of the Lord is built, and thus the wrath of the almighty Lord is appeased. Then already was prefigured the fact that in the hearts of the Jews no worthy place could be found to offer spiritual victims; the land of the Gentiles, that is, the conscience of Christians, is chosen as the place for the Lord's temple.

Divine grace ever stirs up the will of human beings, not so as to protect and defend it in all things in such a way as to cause it not to fight by its own efforts against its spiritual adversaries, the victor over whom may set it down to God's grace, and the vanquished to his own weakness, and thus learn that his hope is always not in his own courage but in the divine assistance and that he must ever fly to his Protector. And to prove this not by our own conjecture but by still clearer passages of holy Scripture let us consider what we read in Joshua the son of Nun: "The Lord," it says, "left these nations and would not destroy them, that by them he might test Israel, whether they would keep the commandments of the Lord their God, and that they might learn to fight with their enemies." And if we may illustrate the incomparable mercy of our Creator from something earthly, not as being equal in kindness but as an illustration of mercy: if a tender and anxious nurse carries an infant in her bosom for a long time in order sometime to teach it to walk, and first allows it to crawl, then supports it that by the aid of her right hand it may lean on its alternate steps, presently leaves it for a little and if she sees it tottering at all, catches hold of it and grabs at it when falling, when down picks it up, and either shields it from a fall or allows it to fall lightly, and sets it up again after a tumble, but when she has brought it up to boyhood or the strength of youth or early manhood, lays upon it some burdens or labors by which it may be not overwhelmed but exercised, and allows it to vie with those of its own age; how much more does the heavenly Father of all know whom to carry in the bosom of his grace, whom to train to virtue in his sight by the exercise of free will, and yet he helps him in his efforts, hears him when he calls, leaves him not when he seeks him, and sometimes snatches him from peril even without his knowing it.

You may read that it was possible for the nations to be exterminated at once out of the land which was given to the children of Israel, and yet that God willed it to be gradually effected. And one may meet with a thousand other incidents, the past or the future possibility of which we might readily admit, and yet be unable to produce any proofs of their having ever really happened. Accordingly, it would not be right for us to deny the possibility of a man's living without sin, on the ground that amongst men none can be found except Him who is in His nature not man only, but also God, in whom we could prove such perfection of character to have existed.

Some of his [humanity's] petitions God grants him promptly (I mean those without which no one can be saved), but some He withholds from him. And on certain occasions He restrains and dispels from him the scorching assault of the enemy, while on others, He permits him to be tempted, that this trial may become to him a cause for drawing near to God (as I said before), and also that he may be instructed and have the experience of temptations. And such is the word of Scripture: "The Lord left many nations, without driving them out; neither delivered He them into the hands of Jesus [Joshua], the son of Navi, to chastise the sons of Israel by them, and that the tribes of the sons of Israel might be taught, and learn war." For the righteous man who has no consciousness of his own weakness walks on a razor's edge, and is never far from falling, nor from the ravening lion—I mean the demon of pride. And again, a man who does not know his own weakness falls short of humility; and he who falls short of this, also falls short of perfection; and he who falls short of perfection is forever held by dread, because his city is not founded on pillars of iron, neither upon lintels of brass, that is, humility.