You who love instruction, and are eager
to listen, receive once again the sacred words: delight yourselves in
the honey of wisdom; for so it is written, “Good words are honeycombs,
and their sweetness is the healing of the soul.” For the labour of the
bees is very sweet, and benefits in many ways the soul of man: but the
divine and saving (honey) makes those in whom it dwells skilful in every
good work, and teaches them the ways of (spiritual) improvement. Let us
therefore, as I said, receive again in mind and heart the Saviour’s
words. For He teaches us in what manner we ought to make our requests
unto Him, in order that the act may not prove unrewarded to them who
practise it; and that no one may anger God, the bestower of gifts from
on high, by means of those very things by which he imagines that he
shall gain some benefit. For it is written. “There is a righteous man,
who perishes in his righteousness.”
For see, I pray, an instance of this
clearly painted, so to speak, in the parable set before us. One who
prayed is condemned because he did not offer his prayer wisely. “For two
men, it says, went up unto the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee, and
the other a publican.” And here we must admire the wise arrangement of
Christ our common Saviour, in all things whatsoever He does and says.
For by the parable previously read to us, He called us to diligence, and
to the duty of offering prayer constantly: for the Evangelist said,
“And He spoke unto them also a parable, to the intent that men ought
always to pray, and must not grow weary.” Having then urged them to
diligence in constant prayer, yet, as I said, lest by doing so
sedulously but without discretion, we should enrage Him Whom we
supplicate, He very excellently shows us in what way we ought to be
diligent in prayer. “Two men then, He says, went up unto the temple to
pray.” Observe here, I pray, the impartiality and entire fairness of the
unerring Nature: for He calls those who were praying men, since He
looks not so much at wealth or power; but regarding their natural
equality, He considers all those who dwell upon earth as men, and as in
no respect different from one another.
And what then was the manner of their
prayer? “The Pharisee, it says, prayed thus to himself. God, I thank You
that I am not like the rest of mankind, extortioners, unjust,
adulterers, or as this publican.” Many at once are the faults of the
Pharisee: for first of all he is boastful, and without sense; for he
praises himself, although the sacred Scripture cries aloud, “Let a
neighbour praise you, and not your own mouth: a stranger and not your
own lips.” But, O excellent sir, one may well say to him, Behold, those
who live in the practice of good and holy actions, as any one may see,
are not very ready to listen to the words of flatterers: yes, and even
if men extol them, they often are covered with shame, and drop their
eyes to the ground, and beg silence of those that praise them. But this
shameless Pharisee praises and extols himself because he is better than
extortioners, and the unjust, and adulterers. But how did it escape your
notice, that a man’s being better than the bad does not necessarily and
of course prove him to be worthy of admiration: but that to vie with
those who habitually excel, is a noble and honourable thing, and admits a
man into the number of those who are justly praised.
Our virtue therefore must not be
contaminated with fault, but must be single-minded and blameless, and
free from all that can bring reproach. For what profit is there in
fasting twice in the week, if your so doing serve only as a pretext for
ignorance and vanity, and make you supercilious and haughty, and
selfish? You tithe your possessions, and make a boast thereof: but you
in another way provoke God’s anger, by condemning men generally on this
account, and accusing others; and you are yourself puffed up, though not
crowned by the divine decree for righteousness, but heap, on the
contrary, praises upon yourself. “For I am not, he says, as the rest of
mankind.” Moderate yourself, O Pharisee: “put a door to your tongue, and
a lock.” You speak to God Who knows all things. Await the decree of the
Judge. None of those skilled in the practice of wrestling ever crowns
himself: nor does any man receive the crown of himself, but awaits the
summons of the arbiter. Lower your pride: for arrogance is both accursed
and hated by God. Although therefore you fast with puffed up mind, your
so doing will not avail you: your labour will be unrewarded; for you
have mingled dung with your perfume. Even according to the law of Moses a
sacrifice that had a blemish was not capable of being offered to God:
for it was said unto him, “Of sheep, and ox, that is offered for
sacrifice, there must be no blemish therein.” Since therefore your
fasting is accompanied by pride, you must expect to hear God saying,
“This is not the fast that I have chosen, says the Lord.” You offer
tithes: but you wrong in another way Him Who is honoured by you, in that
you condemn men generally. This is an act foreign to the mind that
fears God: for Christ even said, “Judge not, and you shall not be
judged: condemn not, and you shall not be condemned.” And one also of
His disciples said, “There is one Lawgiver, and Judge: why then do you
judge your neighbour?” No man because he is in health ridicules one who
is sick for being laid up and bedridden: rather he is afraid, lest
perchance he become himself the victim of similar sufferings. Nor does
any man in battle, because another has fallen, praise himself for having
escaped from misfortune. For the infirmity of others is not a fit
subject for praise for those who are in health: nay, even if any one be
found of more than usually vigorous health, even then scarcely does he
gain glory thereby. Such then was the state of the self-loving Pharisee.
But what of the publican? He stood, it
says, “afar off,” not even venturing, so to speak, to raise up his eyes
on high. You see him abstaining from all boldness of speech, as having
no right thereto, and smitten by the reproaches of conscience: for he
was afraid of being even seen by God, as one who had been careless of
His laws, and had led an unchaste and dissolute life. You see also that
by his external manner, he accuses his own depravity. For the foolish
Pharisee stood there bold and broad, lifting up his eyes without
scruple, bearing witness of himself, and boastful. But the other feels
shame at his conduct: he is afraid of his Judge, he smites upon his
breast, he confesses his offences, he shows his malady as to the
Physician, he prays that he may have mercy. And what is the result? Let
us hear what the Judge says, “This man, He says, went down to his house
justified rather than the other.”
Let us therefore “pray without ceasing,”
according to the expression of the blessed Paul: but let us be careful
to do so aright. The love of self is displeasing to God, and He rejects
empty haughtiness and a proud look, puffed up often on account of that
which is by no means excellent. And even if a man be good and sober, let
him not on this account suffer himself to fall away into shameful
pride: but rather let him remember Christ, Who says to the holy
apostles, “When you have done all those things, those namely which have
been commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants, we have done that
which was our duty to do.” For we owe unto God over all, as from the
yoke of necessity, the service of slaves, and ready obedience in all
things. Yes, though you lead an excellent and elect life, don’t exact
wages from the Lord; but rather ask of Him a gift. As being good, He
will promise it you: as a loving Father, He will aid you. Restrain not
yourself then from saying, “God be merciful to me the sinner.” Remember
Him Who says by the voice of Isaiah, “Declare you your sins first, that
you may be justified:” remember too that He rebukes those who will not
do so, and says, “Behold, I have a judgment against you, because you say
‘I have not sinned’.” Examine the words of the saints: for one says,
“The righteous is the accuser of himself in the beginning of his words.”
And another again, “I said, I will confess against myself my
transgression unto the Lord: and you forgave the iniquity of my heart.”
What answer then will those make to this,
who embrace the new tenets of Novatus, and say of themselves that they
are pure? Whose prayer do they praise? That of the Pharisee, who
acquitted himself, or that of the Publican, who accused himself? If they
say that of the Pharisee, they resist the divine sentence; for he was
condemned as being boastful: but if that of the Publican, why do they
refuse to acknowledge their own impurity? Certainly God justifies those
who know well their transgressions, and are willing to confess them: but
these men will have the portion of the Pharisee.
We then say, that in many things we “all
of us offend,” and that no man is pure from uncleanness, even though his
life upon earth be but one day. Let us ask then of God mercy; which if
we do, Christ will justify us: by Whom and with Whom, to God the Father,
be praise and dominion, with the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen.
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