be prophets, they must be kept above suspicion. Now, etc.
Had the Jews been all converted by Jesus Christ, we should have none but doubtful witnesses, and had they been entirely destroyed we should have had no witnesses at all.
The Jews rejected him, but not all. The saints receive him, but not carnal men. Yet this is far from being against his glory, it is the last stroke which perfects it. The argument on their side, the only one which is found in the Talmud and the rabbinical writings, is that Jesus Christ has not subdued the nations sword in hand, _gladium tuum, potentissime_. Is this all they can allege? Jesus Christ has been slain, they say, he was subdued, he has not had dominion over the heathen by his power, he has not distributed the spoil among us, he does not give riches. Is this all they have to allege? This is the very point wherein he seems to me so lovable. I would none of such an one as they represent. It is plain that his life only hinders them from receiving him, by their refusal they become irreproachable witnesses, and what is more, they thereby fulfil the prophecies.
There are those who see clearly that man has no other enemy than lust, which turns him from God, and not God, and that there is no other good but God, not a fat land. Let those who believe that the good of man is in the flesh, and evil that which turns him away from sensual pleasures, besot themselves with them and die in them. But those who seek God with their whole heart, whose only ill is not to see him, whose only desire is to possess him, whose only enemies are those who would turn them from him, who are afflicted when they are surrounded and overwhelmed by such enemies, may take comfort, for I declare to them this joyful news: there is for them a Redeemer, whom I will show them; I will show them that there is for them a God, and I will not show him to others. I will show them that a Messiah has been promised, who will deliver them from their enemies, and that one has come to deliver them from their iniquities, not from their enemies.
It is a wonderful thing, and worthy of all attention, to see the Jewish nation existing so many years in constant misery, it being necessary as a proof of Jesus Christ, both that they should exist to be his witnesses, and should be miserable because they crucified him, and though to be miserable and to exist, are contradictory, this nation still exists in spite of its misery.
When Nebuchadnezzar carried away the people, for fear they should believe that the sceptre had departed from Judah, they were assured beforehand that they would be but a short time in captivity, and would be restored.
They were never without the comfort of their prophets, or the presence of their kings. But the second destruction is without promise of restoration, without prophets, without kings, without comfort, without hope, for the sceptre is taken away for ever.
_Proofs of Jesus Christ._--To have been captive with the assurance of deliverance in seventy years was no true captivity. But now they are captives without hope.
God has promised them that even though he should disperse them to the ends of the earth, nevertheless if they were faithful to the law he would gather them together. They are now very faithful to it, yet remain oppressed.
_Blindness of Scripture._--The Scripture, say the Jews, says that we know not whence Christ should come.
John vii. 27 and xii 34.
The Scripture says that Christ abideth for ever, and he said that he should die. Therefore, says Saint John, they believed him not, though he had done so many miracles, that the word of Isaiah might be fulfilled: _He hath blinded them, etc._ _Contradictions._--The sceptre until Messiah come. Without king or prince.
The eternal law, changed.
The eternal covenant, a new covenant.
The good law, evil precepts, Ezekiel xx.
Apparent discord of the Evangelists.
_Proofs of Jesus Christ._ Why the book of Ruth was preserved.
Why the story of Tamar.
The genealogy of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament is intermixed with so many that are useless, that it cannot be distinguished. If Moses had kept only the register of the ancestors of Jesus Christ, that had been too plain. If he had not marked that of Jesus Christ, it had not been plain enough. But after all, whoso looks closely sees that of Jesus Christ distinctly traced through Tamar, Ruth, etc.
Jesus Christ in an obscurity--as the world calls obscurity--so great, that the historians who wrote only the important matters of States hardly perceived him.
_On the fact that neither Josephus, nor Tacitus, nor other historians, have spoken of Jesus Christ._--So far from this being any argument against, it is rather one for us. For it is certain that Jesus Christ has existed, that his religion has made a great noise, and that these people were not ignorant of it; thus it is plain that they designedly concealed it, or perhaps that they did speak of it, and what they said has been suppressed or altered.
When Augustus learnt that Herod's own son was among the children under the age of two years whom he had commanded to be slain, he said that it was better to be Herod's pig than his son. Macrob. _Saturn_.
Lib. ii., c. 4.
Macrobius, on the Innocents slain by Herod.
_Prophecies._--Great Pan is dead.
Herod believed to be the Messiah. He had taken away the sceptre of Judah, but he was not of Judah. This was held by a considerable sect.
Both Barcoseba and another received by the Jews. And the rumour which was everywhere in those times. Suetonius, Tacitus, Josephus.
In what sort should Messiah come, seeing that by him the sceptre should be eternally in Judah, and at his coming the sceptre should depart from Judah?
To the end that seeing they should not see, and understanding they should not understand, nothing could be better done.
Curse of the Greeks against those who count periods of time.
_Proofs of Jesus Christ._--Jesus Christ said great things so simply that he seems not to have considered them, and yet so tersely that it is clear he had considered them. This clearness joined with simplicity is wonderful.
Who taught the evangelists the qualities of an entirely heroic soul, that they should paint it so perfectly in Jesus Christ? Why did they describe him weak in his agony? Did they not know how to paint a steadfast death? No doubt they did, for the same Saint Luke paints the death of Saint Stephen as braver than that of Jesus Christ.
They describe him therefore as capable of fear before the need of dying came, and then wholly strong.
But when they represent him as so afflicted, it is when he afflicts himself, and when men afflict him, then is he wholly strong.
The style of the Gospel is wonderful in many ways, and in this among others, that it contains no invectives against the executioners and enemies of Jesus Christ. The historians do not rail against Judas, Pilate, nor any of the Jews.
If this modesty of the evangelical writers had been simulated, as well as many other traits of a beautiful character, and they had only simulated it to attract observation, even if they had not dared to draw attention to it themselves, they would not have failed to procure friends, who would have remarked on it to their advantage.
But as they acted thus without dissimulation, and from perfectly disinterested motives, they pointed it out to no one, and I believe that many points of this kind have never been noticed till now, which is an evidence of how dispassionately all was done.
The apostles were either deceived or deceivers. Both hypotheses are difficult; for it is not possible to mistake a man raised from the dead...While Jesus Christ was with them, his presence might sustain them, but after that, what gave them force to act if he did not appear to them?
_Proof of Jesus Christ._--The supposition that the apostles were deceivers is thoroughly absurd. Suppose we follow it out, and imagine these twelve men assembled after the death of Jesus Christ, making a plot to say that he was risen again. By this they attack all earthly powers. The heart of man is strangely inclined to fickleness and change, swayed by promises and by wealth. Had one of these men contradicted themselves under these temptations, nay more, had they done so in prison, in torture and in death, they were lost. Let that be followed out.
Hypothesis that the apostles were deceivers.
The time clearly.
The manner obscurely.
Five typical proofs.
1,600 prophets.
_Atheists._--What reason have they to say it is not possible to rise again? Which is the more difficult, to be born or to rise again; that that which has never been should be, or that what has been should be again? Is it more difficult to come into being than to return to it?
Habit causes the one to seem easy to us, the want of habit causes the other to seem impossible. The popular way of judging.
Why should not a virgin bear a child? does not a hen lay eggs without a cock? What distinguishes these outwardly from others? and who has told us that the hen may not form the germ as well as the cock?
What have they to say against the resurrection, or against the child-bearing of the Virgin? which is the more difficult; to produce a man or an animal, or to reproduce it? And if they had never seen any species of animal, could they guess that they were not produced without connection with each other?
How I hate these follies of not believing in the Eucharist, etc...If the Gospel be true, if Jesus Christ be God, what difficulty is there?
It is impiety not to believe in the Eucharist on the ground that we do not see it.
_THE MISSION AND GREATNESS OF JESUS CHRIST._ We know God only by Jesus Christ. Without this mediator all communion with God is taken away, by Jesus Christ we know God. All who have thought to know God, and to prove him without Jesus Christ, have had but feeble proofs. But for proof of Jesus Christ we have the prophecies, which are solid and palpable proofs. And these prophecies, accomplished and proved true by the event, mark the certainty of these truths, and consequently the divinity of Jesus Christ. In him then, and by him we know God; apart from him, and without the Scripture, without original sin, without a necessary mediator, foretold and come, we could not absolutely prove God, nor teach sound doctrine and sound morality. But by Jesus Christ, and in Jesus Christ we prove God and teach morality and doctrine. Jesus Christ is then the true God of men.
But we know at the same time our misery, for this God is none other than he who repairs our misery. Thus we can only know God well by knowing our sins. Therefore those who have known God without knowing their misery, have not glorified him, but have glorified themselves.
_Quia non cognovit per sapientiam, placuit Deo per stultitiam prædicationis salvos facere._ Not only do we know God by Jesus Christ alone, but we know ourselves by Jesus Christ alone. We know life and death by Jesus Christ alone.
Apart from Jesus Christ we know not what is our life, nor our death, nor God, nor ourselves.
Thus without the Scripture, which has Jesus Christ alone for its object, we know nothing, and see only obscurity and confusion in the nature of God, and in our own nature.
Without Jesus Christ man must be plunged in vice and misery; with Jesus Christ man is free from vice and misery, in him is all our virtue and all our happiness. Apart from him is nought but vice and misery, error and darkness, death and despair.
Without Jesus Christ the world would not exist, for it could only be either destroyed, or a very hell.
It is not only impossible but useless to know God without Jesus Christ. They have not withdrawn from him, but drawn near; they have not abased themselves, but...
_Quo quisque optimus est, pessimus, si hoc ipsum, quod sit optimus, ascribat sibi._ The Gospel only speaks of the virginity of the Virgin up to the time of the birth of Jesus Christ. All with reference to Jesus Christ Jesus Christ, whom the two Testaments regard, the Old as its end, the New as its model, both as their centre.
Scepticism is the truth. For, after all, men before Jesus Christ did not know either where they were or if they were great or little. And those who said one or the other knew nothing about it, and guessed without reason and by chance, yet they always erred in excluding one or the other.
_Quod ergo ignorantes quæritis, Religio annuntiat vobis._ If Epictetus had seen the way with certainty he would have said to men: "You follow a false road"; he shows that there is another, but he does not lead there; it is the way of willing what God wills; Jesus Christ alone leads thither, _via_, _veritas_.
Jesus Christ did nothing but teach men that they were lovers of themselves, that they were slaves, blind, sick, miserable, and sinners, that he would deliver them, enlighten, bless, and heal them, that this would be brought about by hatred of self, and by following him through poverty and the death of the cross.
An artisan who speaks of riches, a lawyer who speaks of war, or of kingship, etc., but the rich man rightly speaks of riches, a king speaks slightingly of a great gift he has just made, and God rightly speaks of God.
Hosea iii.
Isaiah xlii, xlviii., liv., lx., lxi. The last verse. I have foretold it long since, that they might know that it is I.
Jaddus to Alexander.
Man is not worthy of God, but he is not incapable of being rendered worthy.
It is unworthy of God to unite himself to miserable man, but it is not unworthy of God to raise him from his misery.
The infinite distance between body and mind is a figure of the infinitely more infinite distance between mind and charity, for this is supernatural.
All the splendour of greatness has no lustre for those who seek understanding.
The greatness of men of understanding is invisible to kings, to the rich, to conquerors, and to all the great according to the flesh.
The greatness of wisdom, which has no existence save in God, is invisible to the carnal and to men of understanding. These are three orders differing in kind.
Men of great genius have their empire, their glory, their grandeur, their victory, their lustre, and do not need worldly greatness, with which they have nothing to do. They are seen, not by the eye, but by the mind; and that is enough.
The saints have their empire, their glory, their victory, their lustre, and want no glory of the flesh or of the mind, with which they have nothing to do, for these add nothing to them neither do they take away. They are seen of God and the angels, and not by the bodily eye, nor by the curious spirit; God suffices them.
Archimedes without worldly pomp would have had the same reverence. He fought no battles for the eye to gaze on, but he left his discoveries to all minds. O! how brilliant was he to the mind.
Jesus Christ, without riches, and without any exterior manifestation of science, is in his own order of holiness. He gave forth no scientific inventions to the world, he never reigned; but he was humble, patient, holy; holy before God, terrible to devils, without spot of sin. O! in what great pomp, and with what transcendent magnificence did he come to the eyes of the heart, which discern wisdom.
It would have been needless for Archimedes, though of princely birth, to have played the prince in his books on geometry.
It would have been needless to our Lord Jesus Christ for the purpose of shining in his kingdom of holiness, to come as kings come; but he did come in the glory proper to his order.
It is most unreasonable to be offended at the lowliness of Jesus Christ, as if this lowliness were in the same order as was the greatness which he came to display. Let us consider this greatness in his life, in his passion, in his obscurity, in his death, in the choice of his disciples, in their desertion of him, in the secrecy of his resurrection, and the rest, and it will seem so vast as to give no room for offence at a lowliness in another order.
But there are those who can only admire carnal as though there were no mental greatness, and others who only admire mental greatness, as though there were not infinitely greater heights in wisdom.
All bodies, the firmament, the stars, the earth and the kingdoms thereof, are not comparable to the lowest mind, for mind knows all these, and itself; the body nothing.
All bodies together and all minds together, and all they can effect, are not worth the least motion of charity. This is of an order infinitely more exalted.
From all bodies together, we cannot extract one little thought: this is impossible and in another order. From all bodies and minds it is impossible to produce a single motion of true charity, it is impossible, it is in another and a supernatural order.
The Jews, in testing if he were God, have shown that he was man.
The Church has had as much difficulty in showing that Jesus Christ was man, against those who denied it, as in showing that he was God.
And the evidences were equally great.
Jesus Christ is a God to whom we draw near without pride, and before whom we abase ourselves without despair.
Jesus Christ for all, Moses for a people.
The Jews were blessed in Abraham. "I will bless those that bless thee." But all nations are blessed in his seed.
_Parum est ut_, etc. Isaiah.
_Lumen ad revelationem gentium._ _Non fecit taliter omni nationi_, said David in speaking of the Law.
But in speaking of Jesus Christ it must be said: _Fecit taliter omni nationi_.
So it is the property of Jesus Christ to be universal; even the Church offers the sacrifice only for the faithful. Jesus Christ offered that of the cross for all.
The victory over death. What advantageth it a man that he gain the whole world and lose his own soul? He that will save his soul shall lose it.
I am not come to destroy the law, but to fulfil. Lambs took not away the sins of the world, but I am the lamb who take away sins. Moses gave you not that bread from heaven. Moses has not led you out of captivity, and made you truly free.
_Types._--Jesus Christ opened their mind to understand the Scriptures.
There are two great revelations.
1. All things happened to them in figures: _vere Israelitæ, vere liberi_, true bread from heaven.
2. A God humbled to the cross. It was necessary that Christ should suffer and enter into glory, that he should conquer death by death.
Two advents.
The types of the completeness of redemption, as that the sun gives light to all, denote only completeness, but they figuratively imply exclusions, as the Jews elected to the exclusion of the Gentiles denote exclusion.
Jesus Christ the Redeemer of all.--Yes, for he has offered, like a man who has ransomed all who willed to come to him. It is the misfortune of those who die on the way, but as far as he is concerned, he offers them redemption.--That holds good in the example, where he who ransoms and he who hinders from dying are two, but not in Jesus Christ, who does both one and the other.--No, for Jesus Christ in his quality of Redeemer, is not perhaps master of all, and thus so far as in him lies, he is the Redeemer of all.
Jesus Christ would not be slain without the forms of justice, for it is much more ignominious to die by justice than by an unjust sedition.
The elect will be ignorant of their virtues and the reprobate of the greatness of their crimes. "Lord, when saw we thee an hungered or athirst?" etc.
Jesus Christ would none of the testimony of devils, nor of those who were not called, but of God and John the Baptist.
Jesus Christ says not that he is not of Nazareth, to leave the wicked in their blindness; nor that he is not the son of Joseph.
The calling of the Gentiles by Jesus Christ.
The ruin of the Jews and heathen by Jesus Christ.
_THE MYSTERY OF JESUS._ Jesus suffered in his passion the torments which men inflicted on him, but in his agony he suffered torments which he inflicted on himself: _turbare semetipsum_. This is a suffering from no human, but an almighty hand, and he who bears it must also be almighty.
Jesus sought some comfort at least in his three dearest friends, and they were asleep. He prayed them to watch with him awhile, and they left him with utter carelessness, having so little compassion that it could not hinder their sleeping even for a moment. And thus Jesus was left alone to the wrath of God.
Jesus was without one on the earth not merely to feel and share his suffering, but even to know of it; he and heaven were alone in that knowledge.
Jesus was in a garden, not of delight as the first Adam, in which he destroyed himself and the whole human race; but in one of agony, in which he saved himself and the whole human race.
He suffered this sorrow and this desertion in the horror of night.
I believe that Jesus never complained but on this single occasion, but then he complained as if he could no longer restrain his extreme sorrow. "My soul is sorrowful, even unto death."
Jesus sought companionship and consolation from men. This was the only time in his life, as it seems to me; but he received it not, for his disciples were asleep.
Jesus will be in agony even to the end of the world. We must not sleep during that time.
Jesus in the midst of this universal desertion, even that of his own friends chosen to watch with him, finding them asleep, was vexed because of the danger to which they exposed, not him, but themselves; he warned them of their own safety and of their good, with a heartfelt tenderness for them during their ingratitude, and warned them that the spirit is willing and the flesh weak.
Jesus, finding them still sleeping, unrestrained by any consideration for themselves or for him, had the tenderness not to wake them but to let them sleep on.
Jesus prayed, uncertain of the will of his Father, and feared death; but so soon as he knew it he went forward to offer himself to death: Jesus asked of men, and was not heard.
Jesus, while his disciples slept, wrought their salvation. He has wrought that of each of the just while they slept both in their nothingness before their birth, and in their sins after their birth.
He prayed only once that the cup should pass away, and then with submission; but twice that it should come if need were.
Jesus was weary.
Jesus, seeing all his friends asleep and all his enemies wakeful, gave himself over entirely to his Father.
Jesus did not regard in Judas his enmity, but God's order, which he loves and admits, since he calls him friend.
Jesus tore himself away from his disciples to enter into his agony; we must tear ourselves from our nearest and dearest to imitate him.
Jesus being in agony and in the greatest sorrow, let us pray longer...Console thyself, thou wouldest not seek me hadst thou not found me.
I thought of thee in mine agony, such drops of blood I shed for thee.
It is tempting me rather than proving thyself, to think if thou wouldest act well in a case which has not occurred, I will act in thee if it occur.
Let my rules guide thy conduct; see how I have led the Virgin and the saints who have let me act in them.
The Father loves all that I do.
Must I ever shed the blood of my humanity and thou give no tears?
Thy conversion is my affair; fear not and pray with confidence as for me.
I am present with thee by my word in the Scriptures, by my Spirit in the Church and by inspiration, by my power in the priest, by my prayer in the faithful.
Physicians will not heal thee, for thou wilt die at last. But it is I who heal thee and make the body immortal.
Suffer chains and bodily servitude, I deliver thee now only from what is spiritual.
I am to thee more a friend than such or such an one, for I have done for thee more than they; they have not borne what I have borne from thee, they have not died for thee as I have done in the time of thine infidelities and thy cruelties, and as I am ready to do and do in my elect and at the Holy Sacrament.
If thou knewest thy sins thou wouldest lose heart.--I shall lose it then O Lord, for on thy word I believe their malice.--No, for I by whom thou learnest it can heal thee of them, and what I tell thee is a sign that I will heal thee. As thou dost expiate them, thou wilt know them, and it will be said to thee: "Behold, thy sins are forgiven thee!"
Repent then for thy secret sins, and for the hidden malice of those which thou knowest.
Lord, I give thee all.-- I love thee more ardently than thou hast loved thine uncleannesses, _ut immundus pro luto_.
To me be the glory, not to thee, thou worm of earth.
Ask thy director, when my own words are to thee occasion of evil, or vanity, or curiosity.
I see the depths which are in me of pride, curiosity and lust. There is no relation between me and God, nor Jesus Christ the Just One. But he has been made sin for me, all thy scourges are fallen upon him. He is more abominable than I, and far from abhorring me he holds himself honoured that I go to him and succour him.
But he has healed himself, and still more will he heal me.
I must add my wounds to his, and join me to him, and he will save me in saving himself.
But this must not be put off to a future day.
Do little things as though they were great, because of the majesty of Jesus Christ who does them in us, and who lives our life; do great things as though they were small and easy, because of his omnipotence.
_The Sepulchre of Jesus Christ._--Jesus Christ was dead, but seen on the Cross. He was dead, and hidden in the sepulchre.
Jesus Christ was buried by the saints alone.
Jesus Christ worked no miracles at the sepulchre.
Only the saints entered it.
There, not on the Cross, Jesus Christ took a new life.
It is the last mystery of the passion and the redemption.
Jesus Christ had no where to rest on earth but in the sepulchre.
His enemies only ceased to persecute him at the sepulchre.
I consider Jesus Christ in all persons and in ourselves. Jesus Christ as a father in his father, Jesus Christ as a brother in his brethren, Jesus Christ as poor in the poor, Jesus Christ as rich in the rich, Jesus Christ as doctor and priest in priests, Jesus Christ as sovereign in princes, etc. For by his glory he is all that is great, since he is God; and he is by his mortal life all that is miserable and abject. Therefore he has taken this wretched state, to enable him to be in all persons, and the model of all conditions.
The false justice of Pilate only caused the suffering of Jesus Christ; for he caused him to be scourged by his false justice, and then slew him. It would have been better that he had slain him at first. Thus is it with those who are falsely just. They do good works or evil to please the world, and show that they are not altogether of Jesus Christ, for they are ashamed of him. Then at last in great temptations and on great occasions, they slay him.
It seems to me that Jesus Christ after his resurrection allowed his wounds only to be touched: _Noli me tangere_. We must unite ourselves to his sufferings only.
At the Last Supper he gave himself in communion as one about to die; to the disciples at Emmaus as one risen from the dead; to the whole Church as one ascended into heaven.
Compare not thyself with others, but with me. If thou findest me not in those with whom thou comparest thyself, thou comparest thyself with him that is abominable. If thou findest me there compare thyself to me. But who is it that thou dost compare? Thyself, or me in thee?
If it be thyself it is one that is abominable; if it be me thou comparest me to myself. Now I am God in all.
I speak and often counsel thee because thy Guardian can not speak to thee, for I will not that thou shouldest lack a guide.
And perhaps I do so at his prayers, and thus he leads thee without thy seeing it.
Thou wouldest not seek me unless thou didst possess me.
Therefore be not troubled.
Be comforted; it is not from yourself that you must expect it; but on the contrary, expecting nothing from yourself, you must await it.
Pray that ye enter not into temptation. It is dangerous to be tempted, and those alone are tempted who do not pray.
_Et tu conversus confirma fratres tuos._ But before, _conversus Jesus respexit Petrum_.
Saint Peter asked permission to strike Malchus, and struck before having the answer; Jesus Christ answered afterwards.
I love poverty because he loved it. I love wealth because it gives the power of helping the miserable. I keep my troth to everyone; rendering not evil to those who do me wrong; but I wish them a lot like mine, in which I receive neither good nor evil from men. I try to be just, true, sincere, and faithful to all men; I have a tender heart for those to whom God has more closely bound me; and whether I am alone or seen of men I place all my actions in the sight of God, who shall judge them, and to whom I have consecrated them all.
Such are my opinions, and each day of my life I bless my Redeemer who has implanted them in me, who has transformed me, a man full of weakness, misery, and lust, of pride and ambition, into a man exempt from all these evils, by the power of his grace, to which all the glory is due; since of myself I have only misery and sin.
_OF THE TRUE RIGHTEOUS MAN AND OF THE TRUE CHRISTIAN._ _Members. To begin with that._--To regulate the love which we owe to ourselves, we must imagine a body full of thinking members, for we are members of the whole, and see how each member should love itself, etc...If the feet and the hands had each a separate will they could only be in their order in submitting this separate will to the primary will which governs the whole body. Apart from that they are in disorder and misfortune, but in willing only the good of the body they find their own good.
_Morality._--God having made the heavens and the earth, which cannot feel the happiness of their being, he has been pleased to make beings who should know it, and who should compose a body of thinking members. For our members do not feel the happiness of their union, of their admirable intelligence, of the care which nature has taken to infuse into them a mind, and to make them grow and endure. How happy would they be if they could see and feel it. But in order to this they must needs have intelligence to know it, and good will to consent to that of the universal soul. For if, having received intelligence, they used it to retain nourishment for themselves without allowing it to pass to the other members, they would be not only unjust but also miserable, and would hate rather than love themselves, their blessedness as well as their duty consisting in their consent to the guidance of the general soul to which they belong, who loves them better than they love themselves.
To be a member, is to have neither life, being, nor movement save by the spirit of the body, and for the body; the separate member, seeing no longer the body to which it belongs, has only a waning and dying existence. Yet it believes it is a whole, and seeing not the body on which it depends, it believes it depends only on self and wills to constitute itself both centre and body. But not having in itself a principle of life, it only goes astray, and is astonished in the uncertainty of its being; fully aware that it is not a body, yet not seeing that it is a member of a body. Then when at last it arrives at the knowledge of self, it has returned as it were to its own home, and loves itself only for the body's sake, bewailing that in the past it has gone astray.
It cannot by its nature love aught else, if not for itself and to subject it to self, since each thing loves itself above all. But in loving the body it loves itself, because it has no being but in it, by it, and for it. _Qui adhæret Deo unus spiritus est._ The body loves the hand, and the hand, if it had a will, should love itself in the same proportion as that in which it is loved by the soul. All love beyond this is unjust.
_Adhærens Deo unus spiritus est._ We love ourselves because we are members of Jesus Christ. We love Jesus Christ because he is the body of which we are members. All is one, one is in the other, like the Three Persons.
The examples of the noble deaths of the Lacedæmonians and others scarce touch us, for what good do they to us? But the example of the death of the martyrs touches us, for they are our members. We have a common tie with them, their resolution can form ours, not only by example, but because it has perhaps merited ours. There is nothing of this in the examples of the heathen; there is no bond between us.
As we do not become rich by seeing a rich stranger, but by seeing a father or a husband who is so.
We must love God only, and hate self only.
If the foot had always been ignorant that it belonged to the body, and that there was a body on which it depended, if it had only had the knowledge and the love of self, and if it came to know that it belonged to a body on which it depended, what regret, what confusion for the past life, for having been useless to the body from which its whole life was derived, which would have reduced it to nothing if it had rejected it and separated it from itself, as it held itself apart from the body. What prayers for its preservation in the body, with what submission would it allow itself to be governed according to the will which rules the body, even to consent, if need be, that it should be cut off, or it would lose its character of member. For each member must be content to perish for the body, for which alone the whole exists.
To ensure the happiness of the members, they must have one will, and submit it to the body.
It is false that we are worthy of the love of others, it is unjust that we should desire it. If we were born reasonable and impartial, knowing ourselves and others, we should not give this bias to our will. But we are born with it; we are therefore born unjust, for all tends to self. This is contrary to all order. We should look to the general advantage, and the inclination to self is the beginning of all disorder, in war, in politics, in economy, and in man's own body.
The will therefore is depraved. If the members of natural and civil communities tend towards the well-being of the body, the communities themselves should tend to the welfare of another more general body of which they are members. We should therefore look to the whole. We are therefore born unjust and depraved.
He who hates not in himself his self-love, and that instinct which leads him to make himself a God, is indeed blinded. All must see that nothing is so opposed to justice and truth. For it is false that we deserve this, and it is unjust and impossible to attain it, since all demand the same. Manifestly then injustice is innate in us, from which we cannot free ourselves, yet from which we ought to free ourselves.
But no religion has pointed out that this is a sin, or that we are born in it, or that we are bound to resist it, or has thought of offering us a cure.
It is unjust that any should attach themselves to me, even though they do it with pleasure, and voluntarily. I should deceive those in whom I aroused this desire, for I am not the final end of any, nor have I that which can satisfy them. Am I not about to die? And thus the object of their attachment will die. Thus as it would be blameworthy in me to cause a falsehood to be believed, though I should gently insinuate it, though it should be believed with pleasure, and though it should give me pleasure; in like manner it is blameworthy in me if I make myself beloved, and if I draw persons