7. " When He had thus spoken. He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, ' Chap. XV. 5.
and He spread the clay upon iiis eyes, and said unto him, Go and wash in the pool of Siloam (which is, by interpretation, Sent). He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing." As these words are clear, we may pass them over.
8. " The neighbors therefore, and those who saw him previously, for he was a beggar, said, Is not this he who sat and begged? Some said, It is he: others. No; but he is like him." The opening of his eyes had altered his countenance. " He said, I am he." His voice utters its gratitude, that it might not be condemned as ungrateful. " There- fore said they unto him. How were thine eyes opened? He answered, The man who is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me. Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and saw." See, he is become the herald of grace; see, he preaches the gospel; endowed with sight, he becomes a confessor. That blind man makes confession, and the heart of the wicked was troubled; for they had not in their heart what he had now in his counte- nance, "They said to him. Where is he who hath opened thine eyes? He said, I know not." In these words the man's own soul was like that of one only as yet anointed, but not yet seeing. Let us so put it, breth- ren, as if he had that anointing in his soul. He preaches, and knows not the Being whom he preaches.
9. " They brought to the Pharisees him who had been blind. And it was the Sabbath when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes. Then again the Pharisees also asked how he had received his sight. And he said unto them. He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see. Therefore said some of the Pharisees; " not all, Init some; for some were already anointed. ^Vnat then said those who neither saw nor were anointed? " This man is not of God, because he keep- eth not the Sabljath." He it was rather who kept it, who was without sin. For this is the spiritual Sabbath, to have no sin. In fact, brethren, it is of this that God admonishes us, when He commends the Sabbatli to our notice: "Thou shalt do no servile work " ^ These are God's words when commending the Sabbath, "Thou shalt do no servile work." Now ask the former lessons, what is meant by servile work;** and listen to the Lord: " Every one that committcth sin is the ser- vant of sin."'^ Hut tlichc men, neither see- ing, as I said, nor anointed, kept the Sabbath carnally, and profaned it spiritually. " Others 7 Lev. xxiii. f.
8 Tract. XX. 2.
' Chap, viii, 34.
248 THE WORKS OF ST. AUGUSTIN.
[Tractate XLIV.
said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles?'' These were the anointed ones. "And there was a division among them." The day had divided between the hght and the darkness. " They say then unto the blind man again. What sayest thou of him who hath opened thine eyes? " What is thy feeling about him? what is thine opinion? what is thy judgment? They sought how to revile the man, that he might be cast out of the synagogue, but be found by Christ. But he steadfastly expressed what he felt. For he said, "That he is a prophet." As yet, in- deed, anointed only in heart, he does not thus far confess the Son of God, and yet he speaks not untruthfully. For the Lord saith of Himself, "A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country." ' 10. "Therefore the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, till they called the parents of him that received his sight;" that is, who had been blind, and had come to the posses- sion of sight. "And they asked them, saying. Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see? His parents an- swered them, and said. We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind: but how he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not. And they said. Ask himself; he is of age, let him speak of himself." He is indeed our son, and we might justly be compelled to answer for him as an infant, because then he could not speak for himself: from of old he has had power of speech, only now he sees: we have been ac- quainted with him as blind from his birth, we know him as having speech from of old, only now do we see him endowed with sight: ask himself, that you may be instructed; why seek to calumniate us? " These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had conspired already, that if any man did confess that He was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue." It was no longer a bad thing to be put out of the synagogue. They cast out, but Christ re- ceived. " Therefore said his parents. He is of age, ask himself."
11. " Then again called they the man who had been blind, and said unto him. Give God the glory." What is that, "Give God the glory"? Deny what thou hast received. Such conduct is manifestly not to give God the glory, but rather to blaspheme Him. " Give God," they say, " the glory: we know that this man is a sinner. Then said he. If he is a sinner, I know not: one thing I know, ' Matt. xiii. 57.
that whereas I was blind, now I see. Then said they to him. What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes? " And he, indignant now at the hardness of the Jews, and as one brought from a state of blindness to sight, unable to endure the blind, " answered them, I have told you already, and ye have heard: wherefore would ye hear it again? Will ye also become his disciples?" What means, " Will ye also," but that I am one already? "Will ye also be so?" Now I see, but see not askance.
12. "They cursed him, and said. Thou art his disciple," Such a malediction be up- on us, and upon our children! For a male- diction it is, if thou layest open their heart, not if thou ponderest the words. " But we are Moses' disciples. We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is." Would ye had known that "God spake to Moses!" ye would have also known that God preached by Moses. For ye have the Lord saying, " Had ye believed Moses, ye would have also be- lieved me; for he wrote of me." - Is it thus ye follow the servant, and turn your back agfainst the Lord? But not even the servant do ye follow; for by him ye would be guided to the Lord.
13. " The man answered and said unto them, Herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. Now we know that God heareth not sinners; but if any man is a wor- shipper of God, and doeth His will, him He heareth." He speaks still as one only anointed. For God heareth even sinners. For if God heard not sinners, in vain would the publican, casting his eyes on the ground, and smiting on his breast, have said, " Lord, be merciful to me a sinner." And that con- fession merited justification, as this blind man enlightenment. " Since the yorld began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. If this man were not of God, he could do nothing." With frankness, constancy, and truthfulness [he spoke]. For these things that were done by the Lord, by whom were they done but by God? Or when would such things be done by disciples, were not the Lord dwelling in them?
14. " They answered and said unto him. Thou wast wholly born in sins." What means this " wholly"? Even to blindness of the eyes. But He who has opened his eyes, also saves him wholly: He will grant a resur- rection at His right hand, who gave enlight- 2 Chap. V. 46.
Tractate XLV.]
OX THE GOSPEL OF ST. JOHN.
249 enment to his countenance. " Thou wast al- together born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out." They had made him their master; many questions had they asked for their own instruction, and they un- gratefully cast forth their teacher.
15. But, as I have already said before, brethren, when they expel, the Lord receiv- eth; for the rather that he was expelled, was he made a Christian. '* Jesus heard that they had cast hnn out; and when He had found him. He said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? " Now He washes the face of his heart. " He answered and said," as one still only anointed, "Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen Him, and it is He that talketh with thee." The One is He that is sent; the other is one washing his face in Siloam, which is interpreted, Sent. And now at last, with the face of his heart washed, and a conscience purified, acknow- ledging Him not only as the son of man, which he had believed before, but now as the Son of God, who had assumed our flesh, " he said. Lord, I believe." It is but little to say, " I believe: '' wouldst thou also see what he believes Him? " He fell down and wor- shipped Him."
16. "And Jesus said to him. " Now is He, the day, discerning between the light and the darkness. " For judgment am I come into this world; that they who see not might see, and they who see might be made blind." What is this. Lord? A weighty subject of inquiry hast Thou laid on the weary; but re- vive our strength that we may be able to un- derstand what Thou hast said. Thou art come "that they who see not may see:" rightly so, for Thou art the light: rightly so, for Thou art the day: rightly so, for Thou deliverest from darkness: this every soul ac- cepts, every one understands. What is this that follows, "And those who see may be made blind? " Shall then, because Thou art come, those be made blind who saw? Hear what follows, and perhaps thou wilt understand.
17. By these words, then, were "some of the Pharisees" disturbed, "and said unto Him, Are we blind also?" Hear now what it is that moved them, "And they who see ma}- be made blmd." " Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin;" while bliixlness itself is sin. "If ye were blind," that is, if ye considered yourselves blind, if ye called yourselves blind, ye also would have recourse to the physician: " if" then in this way " ye were blind, ye should have no sin;" for I am come to take away sin. "But now ye say, We see; [therefore] your sin remaineth." Wherefore? Because by saying, " We see:" ye seek not the phy- sician, ye remain in your blindness. This, then, is that which a little above we did not understand, when He said, " I am come, that they who see not may see; " for what means this, " that they who see not may see "? They who acknowledge that they do not see, and seek the physician, that they may receive sight. And they who see may be made blind:" what means this, " they who see may be made blind "? That they who think they see, and seek not the physician, may abide in their blindness. Such discerning therefore of one from another He called judgment, when He said, " For judgment I am come into this world," whereby He distinguishes the cause of those who believe and make con- fession from tlie proud, who think they see, and are therefore the more grievously blinded: just as the sinner, making confession, and seeking the physician, said to Him, "Judge me, O God, and discern my cause against the unholy nation,''' -namely, those who say, "We see," and their sin remaineth. But it was not that judgment He now brought into the world, whereby m the end of the world He shall judge the living and the dead. For in respect to this He had said, " I judge no man; " - seeing that He came the first time, " not to judge the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." ^ ■ Ps. xliii. I.
' Chap. viii. 15.
3 Chap. iii. 17.
TRACTATE XLV Chaptkk X. i-io.
I. Our Lord's discourse to the Jews began i one. For when the Lord had said. " F()r judg- in connection with the man who was born ment I am come into this work!; that they blind and was restored to sight. Your Char-: who see not might see, ami they who see migiu ity therefore ought to know and be advised be made lilind,"- which, on the occasion of that to-day's lesson is interwoven with that | its reading, we expouniled according to our 250 THE WORKS OF ST. AUGUSTIN.
[Tractaie XLV, ability, — some of the Pharisees said, "Are we blind also?^' To whom He replied. " If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; [therefore] your sin remain- eth."' To these words He added what we have been hearing to-day when the lesson was read.
2. " Verily, verily, I say unto you. He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber." For they declared that they were not blind; yet could they see only by being the sheep of Christ. Whence claimed they possession of the light, who were acting as thieves against the day? Be- cause, then, of their vain and proud and in- curable arrogance, did the Lord Jesus subjoin these words, wherein He has given us also salutary lessons, if we lay them to heart. For there are many who, according to a cus- tom of this life, are called good people, — good men, good women, innocent, and observers as it were of what is commanded in the law; paying respect to their parents, abstaining from adultery, doing no murder, committing no theft, giving no false witness against any one, and observing all else that the law re- quires— yet are not Christians; and for the most part ask boastfully, like these men, *' Are we blind also?" But just because all these things that they do, and know not to what end they should have reference, they do to no purpose, the Lord has set forth in to-day's lesson the similitude of His own flock, and of the door that leads into the sheepfold. Pagans may say, then. We live well. If they enter not by the.door, what good will that do them, whereof they boast? For to this end ought good living to benefit every one, that it may be given him to live for ever: for to whomsoever eternal life is not given, of what benefit is the living well? For they ought not to be spoken of as even living well, who either from blindness know not the end of a right life, or in their pride despise it. But no one has the true and cer- tain hope of living always, unless he know the life, that it is Christ; and enter by the gate into the sheepfold.
3. Such, accordingly, for the most part seek to persuade men to live well, and yet not to be Christians. By another way they wish to climb up, to steal and to kill, not as the shepherd, to preserve and to save. And thus there have been certain philosophers, holding many subtle discussions about the virtues and the vices, dividing, defining, draw- ing out to their close the most acute processes I Chap. ix. 30-41.
of reasoning, filling books, brandishing their wisdom with rattling jaws; who would even dare to say to people. Follow us, keep to our sect, if you would live happily. But they had not entered by the door: they wished to des- troy, to slay, and to murder.
4. What shall I say of such? Look, the Pharisees themselves were in the habit of reading, and in what they read, their voices re-echoed the Christ, they hoped He would come, and recognized Him not when present; they boasted, even they, of being amongst those who saw, that is, among the wise, and they disowned tlie Christ, and entered not in by the door. Therefore would such also, if they chanced to seduce any, seduce them to be slaughtered and murdered, not to be brought into liberty. Let us leave these also to themselves, and look at those who glory in the name of Christ Himself, and see whether even they perchance are entering in by the door.
5. For there are countless numbers who not only boast that they see, but would have it appear that they are enlightened by Christ; yet are they heretics. Have even they some- how entered by the gate '^ Surely not. Sab- ellius says. He who is the Son is Himself the Father; but if the Son, then is there no Father. He enters not by the door, who as- serts that the Son is the Father. Arius says. The Father is one thing, the Son is another thing. He would say rightly if he said, An- other person; but not another thing. ^ For when he says, Another thing, he contradicts Him who says in his hearing, " I and my Father are One. '^ ^ Neither does he therefore enter by the door; for he preaches a Christ such as he fabricates for himself, not such as the truth declares Him. Thou hast the name, thou hast not the reality. Christ is the name of something; keep hold of the thing itself, if thou wouldst benefit by the n^me. Another, I know not from whence, says with Photinus,* Christ is mere man; He is not God. He en- ters not in by the door, for Christ is both man and God. But why need I make many refer- ences, and enumerate the many vanities of heretics? Keep hold of this, that Christ's sheepfold is the Catholic Church. Whoever would enter the sheepfold, let him enter by the door, let him preach the true Christ. Not only let him preach the true Christ, but seek Christ's glory, not his own; for many, by seeking their own glory, have scattered Christ's sheep, instead of gathering them. For Christ the Lord is a low gateway: he who 2 Or, " substance:" Alius, non aiiud.
3 Ver. 38, unum: lit. " one thing or substance."
4 Bishop of Sirmium, who published his heretical opinions about A.D. 343.
Tractaie XLV.]
ON THE GOSPEL OF ST. JOHN.
251 enters by this gateway must humble himself, that he may be able to enter with head un- harmed. But he that humbleth not, but ex- alteth himself, wishes to climb over the wall; and he that climbeth over the wall, is exalted only to fall.
6. Thus far, however, the Lord Jesus speaks in covert language; not as yet is He understood. He names the door, He names the sheepfold, He names the sheep: all this He sets forth, but does not yet explain. Let us read on then, for He is coming to those words, wherein He may think proper to give us some explanation of what He has said; from the explanation of which He will per- haps enable us to understand also what He has not explained. For He gives us what is plain, for food; what is obscure, for exercise. " He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way." Woe to the wretch, for he is sure to fall! Let him then be humble, let him enter by the door: let him walk on the level ground, and he shall not stumble. " The same," He says, ** is a thief and a robber. " The sheep of an- other he desires to call his own sheep, —his own, that is, as carried off by stealth, for the purpose, not of saving, but of slaying them. Therefore is he a thief, because what is an- other's he calls his own; a robber, because what he has stolen he also kills. " But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep: to him the porter openeth." Concerning this porter we shall make inquiry, when we have heard of the Lord Himself what is the door and who is the shepherd. " And the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name." For He has their names written in the book of life. " He call- eth his own sheep by name." Hence, says the apostle, "The Lord knoweth them that are His."' "And he leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger do they not follow, but do flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers." These are veiled words, full of topics of inquiry, preg- nant with sacramental signs. Let us follow then, and listen to the ALaster as He makes some opening into these obscurities; and [Per- haps by the opening He makes. He will cause us to enter.
7. "This parable sjjnke Jesus unto them;' but they understood not wiiat He spake unto them." Nor wc also, perhai)s. What, then, is the difference between them and us, before even we can understand these words? I'his, ' 2 Tim. ii. Kj that we on our part knock, that it may be opened unto us; while they, by disowning Christ, refused to enter for salvation, and preferred remaining outside to be destroyed. Li as far, then, as we listen to these words with a pious mind, in as far as, before we un- derstand them, we believe them to be true and divine, we stand at a great distance from these men. For when two persons are listen- ing to the words of the gospel, the one im- pious, the other pious, and some of these are such as neither perhaps understands, the one says, It has said nothing; the other says. It has said the truth, and what it has said is good, but we do not understand it. This lat- ter, because he believes, now knocks, that he may be worthy to have it opened up to him, if he continue knocking; but the other still hears the words, *' If ye believe not, ye shall not understand."- Why do I draw your at- tention to this? Even for this reason, that when I have explained as I can these obscure words, or, because of their great abstruseness, I have either myself failed to arrive at an un- derstanding of them, or wanted the faculty 'of explaining what I do understand, or every one has been so dull as not to follow me, even when I give the explanation, yet should he not despair of himself; but continue in faith, walk on in the way, and hear the apostle say- ing, "And if in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless whereto we have already at- tained, let us walk therein." ^ 8. Let us begin, then, with hearing His exposition of what we have heard Him pro- pounding. " Tiien said Jesus unto them again. Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep." See, He has opened the very door which was shut in His former descnj)tion. He Himself is the door. We have come to know it; let us enter, or rejoice that we are already witliin. ".Ml that ever came are thieves and robbers." Wliat is this, Lord, "All that ever came "? How so? hast Thou not come? But understand; I said, "All that ever came," meaning, of course, ex- clusive of myself. ■• Let us recollect then. Before His coming came the prophets: were they thieves and robbers? God forbid. They dill not come apart from Him, for they came - Is.i. vii. q, according to the ScpHia^int, which, howt-ver, can hardly be said hcri' ti>).;ivf the mcanmic "f the llt-brcw Ic-xt. Our Kn>;lish version givL-s u pretty corrt-ct tr.iii'.l.iiion of the latter. -- Tk.
^ Phil. iii. is, 16.
* t'lirlcr till-: /it'sit/i-s, afmrt /ruin, tnyscl/. These words are an explanation suKnested by Aunustin himself. The words, " TTjju f^ou," " before me,' of the received text, which are un- doubtedly K*'nuine, were wanting; in the version here us<'d by Au- fjustin, just lis ill the Valerate. It is supposed that the authors t>f thesi' versions had brrn tempted to omit them, liecause of the use made of their, by some early heretics to throw discredit on the Old 'I'estumcnt Scri|)tures.— I'k.
252 THE WORKS OF ST. AUGUSTIN.
[Tractate XLV.
with Him. Wlien about to come, He sent iieralds, but retained possession of the hearts of His messengers? Do you wish to know that they came with Him, who is Himself ever existent? Certainly He assumed human flesh at the time appointed. But what means that "ever"? "In the beginning was the Word."' With Him, therefore, came those who came with the word of God. "I am," said He, "the way, and the truth, and the life."^ If He is the truth, with Him came those who were truthful. As many, there- fore, as were apart from Him, were "thieves and robbers," that is, had come to steal and to destroy.