Matthew § 23

(Comm. in 1 Cor. 12:3.) For all truth by whomsoever uttered is from the Holy Spirit.

But seeing that, however pure an eye one may have, i.e. with however single and sincere a heart one may live, he yet cannot look into the heart of another: whatever things could not have become apparent in deeds or words, are disclosed by trials. Now trial is twofold; either in the hope of obtaining some temporal advantage, or in the terror of losing it. And especially must we be on our guard, lest, when striving after wisdom, which can be found in Christ alone, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; — we must be on our guard, I say, lest, under the very name of Christ, we be deceived by heretics, or by any parties whatever defective in intelligence, and lovers of this world. For on this account He adds a warning, saying, Not every one that says unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of My Father which is in heaven, he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: lest we should think that the mere fact of one saying to our Lord, Lord, Lord, belongs to those fruits; and from that he should seem to us to be a good tree. But those are the fruits, to do the will of the Father who is in heaven, in the doing of which He has condescended to exhibit Himself as an example.

But the question may fairly be started, how with this sentence the statement of the apostle is to be reconciled, where he says, No man speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed; and no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost: for neither can we say that any who have the Holy Spirit will not enter into the kingdom of heaven, if they persevere onwards to the end; nor can we affirm that those who say, Lord, Lord, and yet do not enter into the kingdom of heaven, have the Holy Spirit. How then does no one say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost, unless it is because the apostle has used the word say here in a strict and proper sense, so that it implies the will and understanding of him who says? But the Lord has used the word which He employs in a general sense: Not every one that says unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. For he also who neither wishes nor understands what he says, seems to say it; but he properly says it, who gives expression to his will and mind by the sound of his voice: just as, a little before, what is called joy among the fruits of the Spirit is called so in a strict and proper sense, not in the way in which the same apostle elsewhere uses the expression, Rejoices not in iniquity: as if any one could rejoice in iniquity: for that transport of a mind making confused and boisterous demonstrations of joy is not joy; for this latter is possessed by the good alone. Hence those also seem to say it, who neither perceive with the understanding nor engage with the deliberate consent of the will in this which they utter, but utter it with the voice merely; and after this manner the Lord says, Not every one that says unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. But truly and properly those parties say it whose utterance in speech really represents their will and intention; and it is in accordance with this signification that the apostle has said, No one can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

(Serm. in Mont. ii. 24.) For even in the very name of Christ we must be on our guard against heretics, and all that understand amiss and love this world, that we may not be deceived, and therefore He says, Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord. But it may fairly create a difficulty how this is to be reconciled with that of the Apostle, No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. (1 Cor. 12:3.) For we cannot say that those who are not to enter into the kingdom of heaven have the Holy Spirit. But the Apostle uses the word 'say,' to express the will and understanding of him that says it. He only properly says a thing, who by the sound of his voice expresses his will and purpose. But the Lord uses the word in its ordinary sense, for he seems to say who neither wishes nor understands what he says.

(non occ.) Let us not therefore think that this belongs to those fruits of which He had spoken above, when one says to our Lord, Lord, Lord; and thence seems to us to be a good tree; the true fruit spoken of is to do the will of God; whence it follows, But who doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven, he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.

If we thought only of the particular actions we might encourage three wrong ideas. (1) We might think that, provided you did the right thing, it did not matter how or why you did it — whether you did it willingly or unwillingly, sulkily or cheerfully, through fear of public opinion or for its own sake. But the truth is that right actions done for the wrong reason do not help to build the internal quality or character called a 'virtue', and it is this quality or character that really matters. (If the bad tennis player hits very hard, not because he sees that a very hard stroke is required, but because he has lost his temper, his stroke might possibly, by luck, help him to win that particular game; but it will not be helping him to become a reliable player.) (2) We might think that God wanted simply obedience to a set of rules: whereas He really wants people of a particular sort. (3) We might think that the 'virtues' were necessary only for this present life — that in the other world we could stop being just because there is nothing to quarrel about and stop being brave because there is no danger. Now it is quite true that there will probably be no occasion for just or courageous acts in the next world, but there will be every occasion for being the sort of people that we can become only as the result of doing such acts here. The point is not that God will refuse you admission to His eternal world if you have not got certain qualities of character: the point is that if people have not got at least the beginnings of those qualities inside them, then no possible external conditions could make a 'Heaven' for them — that is, could make them happy with the deep, strong, unshakable kind of happiness God intends for us.

For obeying God's will and not calling on His name, shall find the way to the heavenly kingdom.

(Verse 21.) Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. As he said before, those who have a garment of good life should not be received on account of the wickedness of their teachings: so now he asserts the opposite, that even faith should not be given to those who, although they possess the integrity of faith, live wickedly and destroy the integrity of doctrine with evil deeds. For both the work is necessary for the servants of God, so that both the work is confirmed by speech, and speech is confirmed by works. This statement may seem contrary to that: No one can say, 'Jesus is Lord,' except in the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:3). But it is customary for the sayings of the Scriptures to be taken for actions, as it is immediately approved in the following passages, refuting those who boast of having knowledge of the Lord without works, and they hear from the Savior: Depart from me, you workers of iniquity, I do not know you (Luke 13). And the Apostle speaks in this sense: They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him (Titus 1:16).

As He had said above that those who have the robe of a good life are yet not to be received because of the impiety of their doctrines; so now on the other hand, He forbids us to participate the faith with those who while they are strong in sound doctrine, destroy it with evil works. For it behoves the servants of God that both their work should be approved by their teaching and their teaching by their works. And therefore He says, Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, enters into the kingdom of heaven.

For Scripture uses to take words for deeds; according to which the Apostle declares, They make confession that they know God, but in works deny him. (Tit. 1:16.)

Wherefore said He not, "but he that doeth my will?" Because for the time it was a great gain for them to receive even this first; yea it was very great, considering their weakness. And moreover He intimated the one also by the other. And withal this may be mentioned, that in fact there is no other will of the Son besides that of the Father.

And here He seems to me to be censuring the Jews chiefly, laying as they did the whole stress upon the doctrines, and taking no care of practice. For which Paul also blames them, saying, "Behold thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, and knowest His will:" but thou art nothing advantaged thereby, so long as the manifestation by life and by works is not there.

Otherwise; Having taught that the false prophets and the true are to be discerned by their fruits, He now goes on to teach more plainly what are the fruits by which we are to discern the godly from the ungodly teachers.

And what the will of God is the Lord Himself teaches, This is, (John 6:40.) He says, the will of him that sent me, that every man that seeth the Son and believeth on him should have eternal life. The word believe has reference both to confession and conduct. He then who does not confess Christ, or does not walk according to His word, shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

"Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father Who is in heaven." Here Jesus shows that He is Lord by saying, "Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord." Jesus in fact is saying that He is God. He teaches us that we derive no benefit from our faith if it is without works. "He that doeth the will of My Father." He did not mean, "that did the will of My Father on one occasion" but "that doeth the will of My Father continually until his death." And He did not say, "that doeth My will," lest He scandalize His listeners, but instead, "that doeth the will of My Father." For the will of a father and his son are one and the same, unless the son rebels.

Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord'... Having presented the doctrine, he shows that it must be observed, because nothing else suffices for salvation. In regard to God's commands or doctrine four things are required or praiseworthy: that we confess them with our mouth, that they be confirmed by miracles, that God's word be heard and performed in action. Concerning the first: "Man believes with his heart and he confesses with his lips" (Rom 10:10). Concerning the second: "The Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it" (Mk 16:20). Concerning the third: "He that is of God hears the word of God" (Jn 8:47). Fourthly, it is required that he do: "Be doers of the word, and not hearers only" (Jas 1:22). Hence he wishes to show that three without the fourth do not profit; hence he says, not everyone who says to me 'Lord, Lord'...

But this seems contrary to the Apostle: "No one can say, 'Lord Jesus' except in the Holy Spirit" (1 Cor 12:3). But whoever has the Holy Spirit enters the kingdom of heaven. Augustine answers that "to say" has a number of meanings: general, and strict and proper. Strictly, it is nothing less than to manifest affection and will. In this way the Apostle says: "No one can say 'Lord Jesus' except in the Holy Spirit." And this is no more than to believe and obey the Lord. Likewise, commonly, i.e., to proclaim with the lips in any way whatever. Concerning this, Is (29:13): "This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me." Or, in this way: Not everyone who says to me 'Lord, Lord.' He says the word Lord twice to signify that confession is twofold, namely, of the voice and of praise, neither of which is enough.

Who then will enter? Not one who says "Lord, Lord," but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. "No one ascends into heaven, except he that came down from heaven" (Jn 3:13). Hence no one can ascend, unless he descends like Christ, of whom John (6:38): "I have come down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me." Hence it is necessary to do God's will: "This is the will of God, your sanctification" (1 Th 4:3). Hence David said: "Teach me to do your will" (Ps 143:10). And as the Lord taught us to pray: "Your will be done." But it should be noted that by saying, kingdom, he touches on the eternal reward; hence he says, will enter. For that kingdom consists in spiritual goods, not in external goods; therefore, he says, will enter. Consequently, Song of Songs (1:4) says: "The king has brought me into his chamber." Likewise, he says, of heaven, because although someone here may have riches or honors, all this is for the sake of that. Hence the reward will consist in lofty things.

And besides, it belongs especially to the matter in hand, that, in striving after the contemplation of the truth, we should not only not be deceived by the name of Christ, by means of those who have the name and have not the deeds; but also not by certain deeds and miracles, for when the Lord performed of the same kind for the sake of unbelievers, He has warned us not to be deceived by such things, thinking that an invisible wisdom is present where we see a visible miracle. Hence He annexes the statement: Many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, and in Your name have cast out devils, and in Your name done many wonderful works? And then will I say unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, you that work iniquity. He will not, therefore, recognise any but the man that works righteousness. For He forbade also His own disciples themselves to rejoice in such things, viz. that the spirits were subject unto them: But rejoice, says He, because your names are written in heaven; I suppose, in that city of Jerusalem which is in heaven, in which only the righteous and holy shall reign. Do you not know, says the apostle, that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? 85. But perhaps some one may say that the unrighteous cannot perform those visible miracles, and may believe rather that those parties are telling a lie, who will be found saying, We have prophesied in Your name, and have cast out devils in Your name, and have done many wonderful works. Let him therefore read what great things the magi of the Egyptians did who resisted Moses, the servant of God; or if he will not read this, because they did not do them in the name of Christ, let him read what the Lord Himself says of the false prophets, speaking thus: Then, if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch that the very elect shall be deceived. Behold, I have told you before. 86. How much need, therefore, is there of the pure and single eye, in order that the way of wisdom may be found, against which there is the clamour of so great deceptions and errors on the part of wicked and perverse men, to escape from all of which is indeed to arrive at the most certain peace, and the immoveable stability of wisdom! For it is greatly to be feared, lest, by eagerness in quarrelling and controversy, one should not see what can be seen by few, that small is the disturbance of gainsayers, unless one also disturbs himself. And in this direction, too, runs that statement of the apostle: And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that think differently; if God perhaps will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth. Blessed, therefore, are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Hence we must take special notice how terribly the conclusion of the whole sermon is introduced: Therefore, whosoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, is like unto a wise man, which built his house upon the rock. For no one confirms what he hears or understands, unless by doing. And if Christ is the rock, as many Scripture testimonies proclaim that man builds in Christ who does what he hears from Him. The rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. Such an one, therefore, is not afraid of any gloomy superstitions (for what else is understood by rain, when it is put in the sense of anything bad?), or of turnouts of men, which I think are compared to winds; or of the river of this life, as it were flowing over the earth in carnal lusts. For it is the man who is seduced by the prosperity that is broken down by the adversities arising from these three things; none of which is feared by him who has his house founded upon a rock, i.e. who not only hears, but also does, the Lord's commands. And the man who hears and does them not is in dangerous proximity to all these, for he has no stable foundation; but by hearing and not doing, he builds a ruin. For He goes on to say: And every one that hears these sayings of Mine, and does them not, shall be like a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at His doctrine: for He taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes. This is what I said before was meant by the prophet in the Psalms, when he says: I will act confidently in regard of him. The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried and proved in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. And from this number, I am admonished to trace back those precepts also to the seven sentences which He has placed in the beginning of this sermon, when He was speaking of those who are blessed; and to those seven operations of the Holy Spirit, which the prophet Isaiah mentions; but whether the order before us, or some other, is to be considered in these, the things we have heard from the Lord are to be done, if we wish to build upon a rock.

(Serm. in Mont. ii. 25.) Hereto it also pertains that we be not deceived by the name of Christ not only in such as bear the name and do not the deeds, but yet more by certain works and miracles, such as the Lord wrought because of the unbelieving, but yet warned us that we should not be deceived by such to suppose that there was invisible wisdom where was a visible miracle; wherefore He adds, saying, Many shall say to me in that day.

(ubi sup.) Read also what things the Magi did in Egypt in withstanding Moses.

(Cont. Adv. Leg. ii. 4.) But never let it be said as the Manichees say, that the Lord spoke these things concerning the holy Prophets; He spoke of those who after the preaching of His Gospel seem to themselves to speak in His name not knowing what they speak.

There may be some who, in the beginning, believed rightly and assiduously labored at virtue. They may have even worked miracles and prophesied and cast out demons. And yet later they are found turning aside to evil, to self-assertive deception and desire. Of these Jesus remarks that he "never knew them." He ranks them as equivalent to those who were never known by him at all. Even if they at the outset had lived virtuously, they ended up condemned. God knows those whom he loves, and he loves those who single-mindedly believe in him and do the things that please him.

For by those outward signs, life cannot be obtained by those who work them. For those bodily miracles sometimes show holiness, but do not make it; but these spiritual ones, which are wrought in the mind, do not show but make the virtue of life. The evil can have those, but only the good can enjoy these.

Whence the Truth says of certain ones: Many will say to me in that day: Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, and in your name cast out devils, and in your name done many mighty works? And then I will confess to them: I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of iniquity.

Do not therefore, dearest brethren, love signs which may be had in common with the reprobate; but love these miracles of charity and piety which we have spoken of, which are so much the safer as they are hidden, and for which the recompense with the Lord is so much the greater as the glory among men is less.

(Mor. xx. 7.) By this sentence it is given to us to learn, that among men charity and humility, and not mighty works, are to be esteemed. Whence also now the Holy Church, if there be any miracles of heretics, despises them, because she knows that they have not the mark of holiness. And the proof of holiness is not to work miracles, but to love our neighbour as ourselves, to think truly of God, and of our neighbour better than of ourselves.

They even assure themselves of glory for their prophesying in teaching, for their casting out dæmons, for their mighty works; and hence promise themselves the kingdom of heaven, saying, Have we not prophesied in thy name?

(Verse 22.) Many say to me on that day: Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons, and in your name perform many miracles? It is not always the merit of the one who does the prophesying, performing miracles, and casting out demons, but either the invocation of the name of Christ accomplishes this, or it is for the condemnation of those who invoke it and for the benefit of those who see and hear. So, even though people may despise those who perform miracles, they still honor God, for it is by invoking His name that such great wonders are accomplished. For both Saul (1 Samuel 10) and Balaam (Numbers 23) and Caiaphas (John 11) prophesied, not knowing what they were saying; and Pharaoh (Genesis 41) and Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 2) knew the future through dreams. And in the Acts of the Apostles, the sons of Sceva were seen casting out demons (Acts 19). But it is also narrated that the apostle Judas, with the intention of a traitor, performed many signs among the other Apostles.

Otherwise; To prophesy, to work wonders, to cast out dæmons by divine power, is often not of his deserts who performs the works, but either the invocation of Christ's name has this force; or it is suffered for the condemnation of those that invoke, or for the benefit of those that see and hear, that however they despise the men who work the wonders, they may give honour to God. So Saul and Balaam and Caiaphas prophesied; the sons of Seæva in the Acts of the Apostles were seen to cast out dæmons; and Judas with the soul of a traitor is related to have wrought many signs among the other Apostles.

"Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?" For "not only," saith He, "is he that hath faith, if his life be neglected, cast out of Heaven, but though, besides his faith, he have wrought many signs, yet if he have done nothing good, even this man is equally shut out from that sacred porch." "For many will say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?" Seest thou how He secretly brings in Himself also here and afterwards, having now finished His whole exhortation? how He implies Himself to be judge? For that punishment awaits such as sin, He hath signified in what precedes; and now who it is that punishes, He here proceeds to unfold.

And He said not openly, I am He, but, "Many will say unto me;" making out again the same thing. Since were He not the judge, how could He have told them, "And then will I profess unto them, depart from me, I never knew you?"

But there are some who say, "they made this assertion falsely;" and this is their account why such men are not saved. Nay then it follows that His conclusion is the contrary of what He intends. For surely His intention is to make out that faith is of no avail without works. Then, enhancing it, He added miracles also, declaring that not only faith, but the exhibiting even of miracles, avails nothing for him who works such wonders without virtue. Now if they had not wrought them, how could this point have been made out here? And besides, they would not have dared, when the judgment was come, to say these things to His face: and the very reply too, and their speaking in the way of question, implies their having wrought them: I mean, that they, having seen the end contrary to their expectation, and after they had been here admired among all for their miracles, beholding themselves there with nothing but punishment awaiting them; as amazed and marvelling they say, "Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?" how then dost thou turn from us now? What means this strange and unlooked-for end?

But though they marvel because they are punished after working such miracles, yet do not thou marvel. For all the grace was of the free gift of Him that gave it, but they contributed nothing on their part; wherefore also they are justly punished, as having been ungrateful and without feeling towards Him that had so honored them as to bestow His grace upon them though unworthy.

"What then," saith one, "did they perform such things while working iniquity?" Some indeed say that it was not at the time when they did these miracles that they also committed iniquity, but that they changed afterwards, and wrought their iniquity. But if this be so, a second time the point at which He is laboring fails to be established. For what He took pains to point out is this, that neither faith nor miracles avail where practise is not: to which effect Paul also said, "Though I have faith, so that I could remove mountains, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge, and have not charity, I am nothing." "Who then are these men?" you ask. Many of them that believed received gifts such as He that was casting out devils, and was not with Him; such as Judas; for even he too, wicked as he was, had a gift.

When, namely, He shall come in the majesty of His Father; when none shall any more dare with strife of many words either to defend a lie, or to speak against the truth, when each man's work shall speak, and his mouth be silent, when none shall come forward for another, but each shall fear for himself. For in that judgment the witnesses shall not be flattering men, but Angels speaking the truth, and the Judge is the righteous Lord; whence He closely images the cry of men fearful, and in straits, saying, Lord, Lord. For to call once is not enough for him who is under the necessity of terror.

But note that He says, in my name, not in My Spirit; for they prophesy in the name of Christ, but with the spirit of the Devil; such are the diviners. But they may be known by this, that the Devil sometimes speaks falsely, the Holy Spirit never. Howbeit it is permitted to the Devil sometimes to speak the truth, that he may commend his lying by this his rare truth. Yet they cast out dæmons in the name of Christ, though they have the spirit of his enemy; or rather, they do not cast them out, but seem only to cast them out, the dæmons acting in concert with them. Also they do mighty works, that is, miracles, not such as are useful and necessary, but useless and fruitless.

"Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? And in Thy name cast out devils? And in Thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity." At the beginning of the preaching many who were unworthy cast out demons that fled at the name of Jesus. For the grace was at work even in the unworthy, just as we may be sanctified by unworthy priests. Judas also worked signs, as did the sons of Sceva (Acts 19:14-17). Jesus says, "I never knew you," meaning, "at that time when you were working miracles I did not know you," that is, "I did not love you." Here "know" means "love."

But someone could say that it is enough for salvation to work miracles. He excludes that, because On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name...? He says, many, to signify those who secede from unity, because they are included under a multitude, for "the number of fools is infinite" (Ec 1:15). Likewise, he introduces this to stress what he had said, namely, that every tree that does not bear fruit will be cut down. But he had not said by whom; therefore, he said, to me, appointed as judge, because "the Father has given all judgment to the Son" (Jn 5:22). Likewise, he says, on that day. Day names a terminus, but not according to the quality of time, because the day of judgment is sometimes called night. But sometimes it is called day and sometimes night, because it is not certain when it will come. Hence below (25:6): "At midnight there was a cry, 'Behold the bridegroom! Come and meet him'." The Apostle calls it day in 1 Cor (4:3); and in Ps 37 (v. 6): "He will bring forth my vindication as the light, and my judgment as the noonday." 'Lord, Lord.' He repeats it to signify greater confusion and fear: "They will be disturbed with a horrible fear" (Wis 5:2). Did we not cast out demons in your name? This is a supernatural power: "No power on earth can be compared to this," namely, the devil's power (Jb 41:24).

St. Paul promises to those who love God not, as we should expect, that they will know Him, but that they will be known by Him (1 Cor. viii. 3). It is a strange promise. Does not God know all things at all times? But it is dreadfully re-echoed in another passage of the New Testament. There we are warned that it may happen to any one of us to appear at last before the face of God and hear only the appalling words: "I never knew you. Depart from Me." In some sense, as dark to the intellect as it is unendurable to the feelings, we can be both banished from the presence of Him who is present everywhere and erased from the knowledge of Him who knows all. We can be left utterly and absolutely _outside_—repelled, exiled, estranged, finally and unspeakably ignored. On the other hand, we can be called in, welcomed, received, acknowledged. We walk every day on the razor edge between these two incredible possibilities.

Here it will be enough to say that the Heavenly Society is also an earthly society. Our (merely natural) patriotism towards the latter can very easily borrow the transcendent claims of the former and use them to justify the most abominable actions.... Large areas of "the World" will not hear us till we have publicly disowned much of our past. Why should they? We have shouted the name of Christ and enacted the service of Moloch.

How is it that people who are quite obviously eaten up with Pride can say they believe in God and appear to themselves very religious? I am afraid it means they are worshipping an imaginary God. They theoretically admit themselves to be nothing in the presence of this phantom God, but are really all the time imagining how He approves of them and thinks them far better than ordinary people: that is, they pay a pennyworth of imaginary humility to Him and get out of it a pound's worth of Pride towards their fellow-men. I suppose it was of those people Christ was thinking when He said that some would preach about Him and cast out devils in His name, only to be told at the end of the world that He had never known them. And any of us may at any moment be in this death-trap. Luckily, we have a test. Whenever we find that our religious life is making us feel that we are good—above all, that we are better than someone else—I think we may be sure that we are being acted on, not by God, but by the devil. The real test of being in the presence of God is, that you either forget about yourself altogether or see yourself as a small, dirty object. It is better to forget about yourself altogether.

But we must note especially how great is the order of narration in the mouth of Truth concerning the proud rich man and the humble poor man. For behold it is said: "There was a certain rich man"; and immediately it is added: "And there was a certain beggar, named Lazarus." Certainly among the people the names of the rich are usually known more than those of the poor. What is it, therefore, that the Lord, speaking of a poor man and a rich man, tells the name of the poor man and does not tell the name of the rich man, except that God knows and approves the humble, and does not know the proud? Hence also to some who are proud of the power of their miracles He will say at the end: "I know you not whence you are: depart from me, all you workers of iniquity." But on the contrary, to Moses it is said: "I know you by name." Therefore He says of the rich man: "A certain man." He says of the poor man: "A beggar, named Lazarus." As if He openly said: I know the humble poor man, I do not know the proud rich man. The one I hold as known through approval, the other I do not know through the judgment of reprobation.

But thus the hypocrites boasted, as though they spoke somewhat of themselves, and as though the power of God did not work all these things, being invoked; but reading has brought them the knowledge of His doctrine, and the name of Christ casts out the dæmons. Out of our own selves then is that blessed eternity to be earned, and out of ourselves must be put forth something that we may will that which is good, that we may avoid all evil, and may rather do what He would have us do, than boast of that to which He enables us. These then He disowns and banishes for their evil works, saying, Depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

(Verse 23.) And then I will confess to them, because I never knew you. He said explicitly, I will confess, because he had pretended to speak a long time ago: I do not know you. The Lord does not know those who perish. However, observe why he added, I never knew you, if, according to some, they have always lived among rational creatures.

Emphatically, Then will I confess, for for long time He had forebore to say it.

Note that He says, I never knew you, as being against some that say that all men have always been among rational creatures.

He says not, Who have worked, but, who work iniquity, that He should not seem to take away repentance. Ye, that is, who up to the present hour when the judgment is come, though ye have not the opportunity, yet retain the desire of sinning.

"Not only in the time of the judgment, but not even then, when ye were working miracles," saith He. Therefore He said also to His disciples, "Rejoice not, that the devils are subject unto you, but because your names are written in Heaven." And everywhere He bids us practise great care of our way of life. For it is not possible for one living rightly, and freed from all the passions, ever to be overlooked; but though he chance to be in error, God will quickly draw him over to the truth.

And why marvel if He hath bestowed gifts on men that have believed on Him, though without life suitable to their faith, when even on those who have fallen from both these, He is unquestionably found working? For so Balaam was an alien both from faith and from a truly good life; nevertheless grace wrought on him for the service of other men. And Pharaoh too was of the same sort: yet for all that even to him He signified the things to come. And Nebuchadnezzar was very full of iniquity; yet to him again He revealed what was to follow after many generations. And again to the son of this last, though surpassing his father in iniquity, He signified the things to come, ordering a marvellous and great dispensation. Accordingly because then also the beginnings of the gospel were taking place, and it was requisite that the manifestation of its power should be abundant, many even of the unworthy used to receive gifts. Howbeit, from those miracles no gain accrued to them; rather they are the more punished. Wherefore unto them did He utter even that fearful saying, "I never knew you:" there being many for whom His hatred begins already even here; whom He turns away from, even before the judgment.

Let us fear therefore, beloved; and let us take great heed to our life, neither let us account ourselves worse off, in that we do not work miracles now. For that will never be any advantage to us, as neither any disadvantage in our not working them, if we take heed to all virtue. Because for the miracles we ourselves are debtors, but for our life and our doings we have God our debtor.

For great wrath ought to be preceded by great forbearance, that the sentence of God may be made more just, and the death of the sinners more merited. God does not know sinners because they are not worthy that they should be known of God; not that He altogether is ignorant concerning them, but because He knows them not for His own. For God knows all men according to nature, but He seems not to know them for that He loves them not, as they seem not to know God who do not serve Him worthily.

For death separates the soul from the body, but changes not the purpose of the heart.

But one asks: How do those who cast out devils become rejected? Chrysostom answers that they lie. Another answer is that at one time they were good and worked miracles; later, they became evil. But this cannot stand, because the Lord said, I never knew you. In another way, it must be said that they say, in your name, not in the name of the Holy Spirit. For some act in the name of the Holy Spirit, and some not; as it says in Jeremiah (2:8) that some prophesied in the name of Baal. Some, too, by the arts of magic.

But it may be asked how demons work miracles. I say that they cannot; but they do things that seem to be miracles, although they are not miracles. Miracles are things whose effect is obvious, but the cause is latent. Hence, something that seems marvelous to the ignorant is not so among the wise; for example, an eclipse. Hence, since demons have a truer understanding of natural things, they can do things that seem miraculous to us. In another way, according to Jerome: Among the gifts of the Holy Spirit some are graces gratuitously given, but charity alone distinguishes between the sons of God and sons of the devil: "To each is given the manifestation of the Holy Spirit for the common good" (1 Cor 12:7), or for the growth of his holiness or of the Church, that the faith they preach may be manifested. And thus, even prelates leading a wicked life can work miracles.

And then I will declare to them that I do not know you, that is, I do not approve of you, even when you have worked miracles; II Timothy 2:19: The Lord knows who belong to him.