words, "Now is the Son of man glorified;" what was now so near at hand had actually so that the word "now" may be supposed to been accomplished. Let this suffice your afrefer, not to His impending passion, but to fection to-day; we shall take up, when the His closely succeeding resurrection, as if Lord permits us, the words that follow. TRACTATE LXIV. CHAPTER XIII. 33. 2. There is also another form of His divine presence unknown to mortal senses, of which He likewise says, "Lo, I am with you alway, even to the end of the world." This, at least, is not the same as "yet a little while I am with you;" for it is not a little while until the end of the world. Or if even this is so (for time flies, and a thousand years are in God's sight as one day, or as a watch in the night,)3 yet we cannot believe that He intended any such meaning on this occasion, especially as He went on to say, "Ye shall seek me, and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come." That is to say, after this little while that I am with you, “ye shall seek me, and whither I go, ye cannot come." Is it after the end of the world that, whither He goes, they will not be able to come? And where, then, is the place of which He is going to say a little after in this same discourse, Father, I will that they also be with me where I am"? It was not then of that presence of His with His own which He is maintaining with them till the end of the world that He now spake, when He said, 1. It becomes us, dearly beloved, to keep | presence; but He was no longer with them in in view the orderly connection of our Lord's the fellowship of human infirmity. words. For after having previously said, but subsequently to Judas' departure, and his separation from even the outward communion of the saints, "Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in Him; "—whether He said so as pointing to His future kingdom, when the wicked shall be separated from the good, or that His resurrection was then to take place, that is, was not to be delayed, like ours, till the end of the world; and having then added, "If God is glorified in Him, God shall also glorify Him in Himself, and shall straightway glorify Him," whereby without any ambiguity He testified to the immediate fulfillment of His own resurrection; He proceeded to say, "Little children, yet a little while I am with you.' To keep them, therefore, from thinking that God was to glorify Him in such a way that He would never again be joined with them in earthly intercourse, He said, "Yet a little while I am with you: as if He had said, Straightway indeed I shall be glorified in my resurrection; and yet I am not straightway to ascend into heaven, but * yet a little while I am with you." For, as we find it written in the Acts of the Apostles, He spent forty days with them after His resurrection, going in and out, and eating and drinking: not indeed that He had any experience of hunger and thirst, but even by such evidences confirmed the reality of His flesh, which no longer needed, but still possessed the power, to eat and to drink. Was it, then, 3. That no one, however, may deem that these forty days He had in view when He sense inconsistent with the true one, in which said, "Yet a little while I am with you," or we say that the Lord may have meant the something else? For it may also be under- communion of mortal flesh which He held stood in this way: "Yet a little while I am with the disciples till His passion, when He with you;" still, like you, I also am in this said, "Yet a little while I am with you;" let state of fleshly infirmity, that is, till He should those words also of His after His resurrec die and rise again: for after He rose again tion, as found in another evangelist, be taken He was with them, as has been said, for forty into consideration, when He said, “These days in the full manifestation of His bodily are the words which I spake unto you, while I 66 Yet a little while I am with you;" but either of that state of mortal infirmity in which He dwelt with them till His passion, or of that bodily presence which He was to maintain with them up till His ascension. Whichever of these any one prefers, he can do so without being at variance with the faith. 1 Acts i. 3. 2 Matt. xxviii. 20. 3 Ps. xc. 4. 4 Chap. xvii. 24. " I was yet with you: as if then He was no For whither was it that the disciples could not longer with them, even at the very time that then follow the Lord, but were able afterthey were standing by, seeing, touching, and wards? If we say, to death, what time can talking with Him. What does He mean, be discovered when any one of the sons of then, by saying, “while I was yet with you,' ," men will find it impossible to die; since such, but, while I was yet in that state of mortal in this perishable body, is the lot of man, that flesh wherein ye still remain? For then, in- therein life is not a whit easier than death? deed, He had been raised again in the same They were not, therefore, at that time less flesh; but He was no longer associated with able to follow the Lord to death, but they them in the same mortality. And accord- were less able to follow Him to the life which ingly, as on that occasion, when now clothed is deathless. For thither it was the Lord was in fleshly immortality, He said with truth, going, that, rising from the dead, He should "while I was yet with you," to which we can die no more, and death should no more have attach no other meaning than, while I was yet dominion over Him.3 For as the Lord was with you in fleshly mortality; so here also, with- about to die for righteousness' sake, how could out any absurdity, we may understand His they have followed Him now, who were as words, "Yet a little while I am with you," as yet unripe for the ordeal of martyrdom? Or, if He had said, Yet a little while I am mortal with the Lord about to enter the fleshly like yourselves. Let us look, then, at the immortality, how could they have followed words that follow. Him now, when, even though ready to die, they would have no resurrection till the end of the world? Or, on the point of going, as the Lord was, to the bosom of the Father, and that without any forsaking of them, just as He had never quitted that bosom in coming to them, how could they have followed Him now, since no one can enter on that state of felicity but he that is made perfect in love? And to show them, therefore, how it is that they may attain the fitness to proceed, where He was going before them, He says, “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another " (ver. 34). These are the steps whereby Christ must be followed; but any fuller discourse thereon must be put off till another opportunity. say 4. "Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so I to you now." That is, ye cannot come now. But when He said so to the Jews, He did not add the "now." The former, therefore, were not able at that time to come where He was going, but they were so afterwards; because He says so a little afterwards in the plainest terms to the Apostle Peter. For, on the latter inquiring, "Lord, whither goest Thou?" He replied to him, Whither I go thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards" (ver. 36). But what it means is not to be carelessly passed over, 1 Luke xxiv. 44. 2 Scarcely an admissible use of the " now (apr), which manifestly refers to the time of Jesus saying so to the disciples, and not to the period of their inability to come.-TR. 3 Rom. vi. 9. TRACTATE LXV. CHAPTER XIII. 34, 35. 1. THE Lord Jesus declares that He is giv- new commandment, because He hath divested ing His disciples a new commandment, that us of the old, and clothed us with the new they should love one another. "A new com- man? For it is not indeed every kind of mandment," He says, "I give unto you, that ye love one another." But was not this already commanded in the ancient law of God, where it is written, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself"? Why, then, is it called a new one by the Lord, when it is proved to be so old? Is it on this account a 1 Lev. xix. 18. love that renews him that listens to it, or rather yields it obedience, but that love regarding which the Lord, in order to distinguish it from all carnal affection, added, "as I have loved you." For husbands and wives love one another, and parents and children, and all other human relationships that bind men together: to say nothing of the blameworthy and damnable love which is mutually felt by adulterers and adulteresses, by forni-"Love is strong as death." For by this cators and prostitutes, and all others who are love it is brought about, that, while still held knit together by no human relationship, but in the present corruptible body, we die to this by the mischievous depravity of human life. world, and our life is hid with Christ in God; Christ, therefore, hath given us a new com- yea, that love itself is our death to the world, mandment, that we should love one another, and our life with God. For if that is death as He also hath loved us. This is the love when the soul quits the body, how can it be that renews us, making us new men, heirs of other than death when our love quits the the New Testament, singers of the new song. world? Such love, therefore, is strong as It was this love, brethren beloved, that re- death. And what is stronger than that which newed also those of olden time, who were then bindeth the world? the righteous, the patriarchs and prophets, as 2. Think not then, my brethren, that when it did afterwards the blessed apostles: it is it, the Lord says, "A new commandment I give too, that is now renewing the nations, and unto you, that ye love one another, there is from among the universal race of man, which any overlooking of that greater commandoverspreads the whole world, is making and ment, which requires us to love the Lord our gathering together a new people, the body of God with all our heart, and with all our soul, the newly-married spouse of the only-begotten and with all our mind; for along with this Son of God, of whom it is said in the Song seeming oversight, the words "that ye love of Songs, "Who is she that ascendeth, made one another appear also as if they had white?' Made white indeed, because re- no reference to that second commandment, newed; and how, but by the new command- which says, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as ment? Because of this, the members thereof thyself." For "on these two commandhave a mutual interest in one another; and if ments," He says, "hang all the law and the one member suffer, all the members suffer prophets." But both commandments may with it; and one member be honored, all the be found in each of these by those who have members rejoice with it. For this they hear good understanding. For, on the one hand, and observe, "A new commandment I give he that loveth God cannot despise His comunto you, that ye love one another: " not as mandment to love his neighbor; and on the those love one another who are corrupters, nor other, he who in a holy and spiritual way lov as men love one another in a human way; eth his neighbor, what doth he love in him but they love one another as those who are but God? That is the love, distinguished God's, and all of them sons of the Highest, from all mundane love, which the Lord specand brethren, therefore, of His only Son, ially characterized, when He added, "as ! with that mutual love wherewith He loved have loved you." For what was it but God them, when about to lead them on to the goal that He loved in us? Not because we had were all sufficiency should be theirs, and Him, but in order that we might have Him; where their every desire should be satisfied and that He may lead us on, as I said a little with good things. For then there will be ago, where God is all in all. It is in this way, nothing wanting they can desire, when God also, that the physician is properly said to will be all in all. An end like that has no love the sick; and what is it he loves in them end. No one dieth there, where no one ar- but their health, which at all events he desires riveth save he that dieth to this world, not to recall; not their sickness, which he comes that universal kind of death whereby the body to remove? Let us, then, also so love one is bereft of the soul; but the death of the another, that, as far as possible, we may by elect, through which, even while still remain- the solicitude of our love be winning one an ing in this mortal flesh, the heart is set on the things which are above. Of such a death it is that the apostle said, "For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God."'s And perhaps to this, also, do the words refer, 3 And this love other to have God within us. is bestowed on us by Him who said, “As I have loved you, that ye also love one another." For this very end, therefore, did He love us, that we also should love one another; bestowing this on us by His own love to us, 1 Song of Sol. viii. 5, where Augustin, in dealbata, follows the that we should be bound to one another in Septuagint in their misreading and alteration of the original mutual love, and, united together as members , “from the wilderness (as in chap. iii. 6), into by so pleasant a bond, should be the body of or some such participle. The Vulgate dif Augustin, and reads correctly, de deserto, but interposes so mighty a Head. 66 between this and the next clause another participial expression, know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love 3. By this," He adds, shall all men deliciis affluens, abounding in delights. Our English version fol lows the original.--TR. 21 Cor. xii. 25, 26. 41 Cor. xv. 28. one to another: " as if He said, Other gifts words in that Song of Songs, which is, as it of mine are possessed in common with you were, thy bridal chant, "That there is love in by those who are not mine,-not only nature, thy delights"!? This it is that suffers not life, perception, reason, and that safety which thy soul to perish with the ungodly: it is this is equally the privilege of men and beasts; that judges thy cause, and is strong as death, but also languages, sacraments, prophecy, and is present in thy delights. How wonderknowledge, faith, the bestowing of their ful is the character of that death, which was goods upon the poor, and the giving of their all but swallowed up in penal sufferings, had body to the flames: but because destitute of it not been over and above absorbed in charity, they only tinkle like cymbals; they delights! But here this discourse must now are nothing, and by nothing are they pro- be closed; for we must make a new comfited. It is not, then, by such gifts of mine, mencement in dealing with the words that however good, which may be alike possessed follow. by those who are not my disciples, but by this it is that all men shall know that ye are my disciples, that ye have love one to another." O thou spouse of Christ, fair amongst women! O thou who ascendest in whiteness, leaning upon thy Beloved! for by His light thou art made dazzling to whiteness, by His assistance thou art preserved from falling. How well becoming thee are the 11 Cor. xiii. 1-3. 2 Song of Sol. vii. 6, according to the Septuagint. It is very doubtful, however, whether the LXX. themselves held the meaning drawn from their version by Augustin. It seems all to depend on where they inserted the point of interrogation (;); and the MSS. vary. The Vatican, that in common use, places it after ȧyánn (love), which could hardly have been Augustin's reading. Other MSS. place it at the end of the verse, making the whole a single sentence, as in our English version. Augustin must have found the point immediately after dvvens (“ thou art pleasant "), thus disjoining yarn from what precedes, and making it, with er Hebrew gives some grounds for Augustin's reading: for there is a σου, a clause by itself. The Masoretic punctuation of the larger disjunctive accent over thou art pleasant"), indi cating the central pause of the verse; while the minor disjunctive under may only be intended to make up by emphasis for the abruptness of the language.-TR. 66 TRACTATE LXVI. CHAPTER XIII. 36-38. 1. WHILE the Lord Jesus was commend- kind of desire in his mind; but what the ing to the disciples that holy love wherewith measure of his strength, he saw not. The they should love one another, "Simon Peter weak man boasted of his willingness, but the saith unto Him, Lord, whither goest Thou?" Physician had an eye on the state of his So, at all events, said the disciple to his Mas- health; the one promised, the Other foreknew: ter, the servant to his Lord, as one who was the ignorant was bold; He that foreknew all, prepared to follow. Just as for the same rea- condescended to teach. How much had son the Lord, who read in his mind the pur- Peter taken upon himself, by looking only at pose of such a question, made him this reply: what he wished, and having no knowledge of Whither I go, thou canst not follow me what he was able! How much had he taken now;" as if He said, In reference to the ob- upon himself, that, when the Lord had come ject of thy asking, thou canst not now. He to lay down His life for His friends, and so does not say, Thou canst not; but "Thou for him also, he should have the assurance to canst not now." He intimated delay, with- offer to do the same for the Lord; and while out depriving of hope; and that same hope, as yet Christ's life was not laid down for himwhich He took not away, but rather bestowed, self, he should promise to lay down his own in His next words He confirmed, by proceed- life for Christ! "Jesus" therefore "aning to say, "Thou shalt follow me after-swered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for wards." Why such haste, Peter? The Rock my sake?" Wilt thou do for me what I have (petra) has not yet solidified thee by His not yet done for thee? "Wilt thou lay down Spirit. Be not lifted up with presumption, thy life for my sake?" Canst thou go beThou canst not now;" be not cast now into fore, who art unable to follow? Why dost despair, "Thou shalt follow afterwards." thou presume so far? what dost thou think of But what does he say to this? "Why can- thyself? what dost thou imagine thyself to not I follow Thee now? I will lay down my be? Hear what thou art: "Verily, verily, I life for Thy sake." He saw what was the say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till 66 66 thou hast denied me thrice." See, that is man; but He says, till thou hast denied me how thou wilt speedily become manifest to thy- thrice." What is that "me," but just what self, who art now talking so loftily, and know- He was? and what was He but Christ? Whatest not that thou art but a child. Thou ever of Him, therefore, he denied, he denied promisest me thy death, and thou wilt deny Himself, he denied the Christ, he denied the me thy life. Thou, who now thinkest thyself Lord his God. For Thomas also, his fellowable to die for me, learn to live first for thy-disciple, when he exclaimed, "My Lord and self; for in fearing the death of thy flesh, thou wilt occasion the death of thy soul. Just as much as it is life to confess Christ, it is death to deny Him. 46 my God," did not handle the Word, but only 2. Or was it that the Apostle Peter, as Let on our part, in so speaking, any delight in accusing the first of the apostles; but in looking on him, we ought to take home the lesson to ourselves, that no man should place his confidence in human strength. For what else had our Teacher and Saviour in view, but to show us, by making the first of the apostles himself an example, that no one ought in any way to presume of himself? And that, therefore, really took place in Peter's soul, for which he gave cause in his body. And yet he did not go before in the Lord's behalf, as he rashly presumed, but did so otherwise than he reckoned. For before the death and resurrection of the Lord, he both died when he denied, and returned to life when he wept; but he died, because he himself had been proud in his presumption, and he lived again, because that Other had looked on him with kindness. |