Blessed is he who scatters the evils he has gathered, standing pure before the pure Judge. A A chapter concerning what has been said: O soul, do not be negligent, for you must shortly undergo the weighing of the terrible judgment of Christ our God, since you do not know when death comes.
BY THE SAME BLESSED NILUS
Sermon on that passage of the Gospel which says, "Now, he who has a moneybag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack, and he who has none, let him sell his garment and buy a sword."
CHAPTER 1.
The proposed passage, according to the literal history, seems to contain many contradictions, and it conflicts with the other exhortations of the Lord. Yet, according to the sublimity of its more profound meaning, it brings forward utility for those being taught, and it indicates the careful attentiveness of the Teacher: how that divine preceptor institutes hortatory discourses adapted to the states of those progressing toward perfection according to the proportion of their growth. For in what way does He now command them to take a sword, when He had already instructed them to offer their cheek to those who strike them? And how, furthermore, does He order those to sell their garment and buy a sword, who, according to the tradition received from Him—not to have two tunics—possessed only the one garment they wore? B Unless He wished for the apostles to go about naked; but this is confessedly indecent, and not in accordance with the Lord’s teaching. For He who took care of their freedom—preserving for them, regarding the soul, immunity from cares by their possessing nothing—could never have neglected what is fitting by ordering them to walk about with a naked body. For just as it is foreign to the pursuit of wisdom to advance beyond necessity and to clothe the soul in superfluous and vain solicitudes, so too is it an insane thing, and alien to a state of temperance, to reject the necessary ministry of the body. Therefore, it is necessary to seek a solution adapted to both precepts, and to demonstrate that what proceeds from both is reasonable and convenient; for it is because the first command was fitting for those recently introduced, but the second for those who are perfect. For even if it is indecent, according to the literal word, to walk about with a naked body, D yet, speculatively, this not only becomes one excellently, but it is also very useful. It is therefore permissible, for one who defends the history...
A of these things, and for those who have subsequently made progress and are no longer liable to harm from them, to use them again without fear. They are no longer, like the multitude, suffering from an attachment to money, nor are they overcome by the deception of avarice. He says: “When I sent you without a moneybag and a knapsack, did you lack anything? But now I say to you: He who has a moneybag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack.” For it was necessary for them, at the beginning, by carrying nothing with them, to gain experience of the power of the Master, who provided for the needs of the body daily without care. And not only this, but also what was mentioned a moment ago, so that having been exercised in poverty, they might acquire an immovable habit of it, having little by little mastered a detachment from self B by means of that avarice which has destroyed many. For this is what even cast Judas into the pit of betrayal, having accustomed him to money through his being entrusted with the purse of the service of the faithful.
CHAPTER II
Furthermore, regarding this: “He who has a sword, let him take it, and he who does not have one, let him sell his garment and buy a sword,” I do not know what defensive response he who maintains the historical letter will give, since the Lord wishes his disciples to be peaceful and benign everywhere. Come, therefore, let us see how this same commandment is impossible bodily and according to the letter, but is possible, and useful, spiritually. When the Lord was near to his passion and was about to approach the cross—by C the treachery of the Jews, but by his own consent for the sake of the salutary mystery of the human race—he says these things, preparing the disciples for battle against those who were standing in battle array against the truth. I say a battle, not one of wrangling, which is an affect directed by anger as its leader, but a battle having a certain virtuous zeal for divine contention, and a zeal for the worship of God that is enflamed: for he already saw the impudent dogs, the Jews, raging against divine doctrine and hastening to tear down the saving proclamation. Therefore, inciting his own to that struggle against them, he bids them lay aside their former gentleness, and to move toward the refutation of those who were attempting to overthrow the truth with more aggressive speech. For a Christian has need, above all, D of necessary clothing, of a demeanor befitting his name. For a grave dress and a gentle character adorn a Christian no less than clothing; but there is also a need for weapons of words in the time of the battle against those who oppose us. For at the time, he says, when I sent you as teachers in Israel, you well demonstrated a peaceful state, drawing the disobedient to obedience through such a way of life, and leading them to be compliant with the mildness...
A (for a righteous life is more effective for persuasion than the intensity of words, offering itself as a credible plea to the acquaintance). But since, after my departure, the enemies of the truth will attack this state, let whoever cares for their moral condition depart from this pursuit for a time, and prepare themselves for the contest. For it is not absurd, on account of the primary concerns, to abandon the lesser for a time, and by changing one’s mildness, to become a soldier.
CHAPTER III.
For the prophet also admonishes this, saying: “Let the fighter be mild.” And just as that prophetic utterance says: B “They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks,” so too, when the war against the passions has ceased, and the powers of the soul have become instruments of agriculture, it is on the contrary good to set aside the appropriate adornment and prepare for battle, when the call to war is sounded, and to take up the sword for the sake of the Lord's commandments, stripping off the garment of moral virtues, even if one must fight naked; for perhaps such a one will fight more securely than the one who is clothed. C For the prophet signifies this, saying: “Flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not hold his strength, and the fighter shall not save his soul, and the swift of foot shall not be saved.” And he adds: “He shall be pursued naked in that day.” He wishes him to be such a one, naked, and selling his garment and buying a sword, not rejecting what seems indecent according to the letter, for the sake of the truth of what is signified. For, wishing that men should always adapt themselves to what is occurring, he often advises even opposites; and at one time, as we have already said, he teaches us to be slapped and not to be indignant, D but at another time to carry a sword, displaying a warlike appearance and profession, and by one's look alone, striking terror into the enemies before the attempt. And indeed, even to the prophet who a little before commanded that weapons of war be made into agricultural tools, another prophet, by contrast, gives orders to make agricultural tools into weapons of war. For the one says: “Beat your swords into plowshares, and your spears into pruning hooks.” But the other: “Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears.” These prophets give contradictory advice according to the letter, but not according to the meaning. For the one advises those beginning the war against the passions, but the other advises those who have put the enemies to flight. Therefore, it is good to be clothed for a time, and conversely, to be stripped when one must acquire a sword instead of a garment. For a garment does not contribute as much to the matter of security as a sword does; for a garment is an ornament, but not security, whereas a sword provides much protection to the fighter. And that such a thing is useful for a time
A of security, and that one who has reached perfection and ascended to the roof of contemplation is forbidden to turn back, the Lord teaches clearly, saying: “He who is on the roof, let him not descend to take his garment.” (Matt. xxiv, 17)
CAPUT IV.
Verum, there are also roofs of arrogant estimation, upon which the prophetic word accuses those who have ascended, saying: “What has happened, that you have all ascended to empty roofs?” (Isa. xxii, 1) For that roof was not the height of well-founded virtue, but a swelling of new inflation or elation of soul, making the conduct of life upon such a height dangerous and prone to slipping; but the roof of truth stands firmly, having virtue built up with moderate opinion B of mind, from which it is not possible to fall; for this is the safe crown of the roof, keeping him who has ascended above naked and innocent as in paradise. But if anyone, while the war against the passions is at rest, does not put off such a garment, and does not transfer the labor in moral virtues to acquiring the power of the Word, and does not desire eventually to free the body from untimely labor after the one who behaves insolently against it through pleasures has passed by, such a one, I say, is reproved on the ground that he has not yet fittingly put on both the selling of the garment and the purchasing of the sword, as one may hear the writer of Proverbs saying: “Take away thy garment; for he has passed by who causes injury.” (Prov. xx, 16) For the study devoted to the exercise of divine words causes the body no less labor C and weariness than the studious institution which is held in the active life of austerity. Moreover, it provides something more to the one laboring for the purity of life, since the intellect has no time to turn back or to be at leisure for those passions which wish to disturb it, because of the persistence and assiduity of thought regarding better things. For the labor of the austere life, while the body is afflicted, perhaps gives time to the passions to move the intellect toward its own worldly filth; but contemplation, holding the whole mind to itself, does not permit it to be distracted—I do not say by passion, but not even by human thought, perhaps calling it to necessary want. For the pleasure of contemplation, having that which is delightful tempered with that which is useful, overcomes not only pleasure imbued with passion, but even natural necessity. Paul, knowing this well, says: D “Bodily exercise is profitable for a little, but piety is profitable for all things,” (1 Tim. iv, 8) testifying to the usefulness of the former in time, and granting to the latter a perpetual, stable, and lasting aid; since even in the future age bodily exercise ceases, but knowledge receives the addition of perfection, progressing from seeing through a mirror and in a riddle to seeing face to face those things which are hoped for.
CAPUT V.
Exuenda igitur, tanquam vestis, corporalis exerci-
A And one must acquire, as the price of what has been sold, the sword of piety, which will be useful for the protection and security of one's possessions. This sword also becomes a boast—not the boast of the destructive arrogance of a foolish pride, but a feeling of gratitude acknowledging the aid of God, as it was said to someone: "Your helper shall defend you, and the sword shall be your boast, and your enemies shall lie to you, and you shall trample upon their necks." Thus is the garment sold, and thus is the sword purchased. It provides the possession of that which was not previously had, and it remains as a state (habit), even if it remains idle in its operation. For a state (habit), even if it should remain inactive from the work required of it, nevertheless, since it has its powers strengthened, when it wishes to operate, it possesses by nature an unobstructed capacity—like a craftsman who manifests the precision of his knowledge in materials, but when he is idle for lack of them, his knowledge remains—it is not destroyed. For how could she who has stripped off such a garment, and is compelled again to use it on account of her condescension to the more imperfect, say: "I have put off my tunic, how shall I put it on?" unless such a garment B remained, even though laid aside, vacant of its operation, and existing by the power of the state (habit)? He, therefore, who sells the garment, altogether purchases the sword, not losing the former, but acquiring the latter. But what kind of sword does he purchase? Is it the one of which Christ says: "I did not come to bring peace, but a sword?" He calls the word of preaching a sword. For just as a sword divides things that are joined together by nature and cuts a continuous body into parts, so the word of preaching, entering into every house, at that time separated those who were evilly united by infidelity from one another, separating son from father, daughter from mother, and daughter-in-law from mother-in-law; by severing and dissociating them, and by cutting nature itself, He was demonstrating the goal of the Lord’s command: that it was for a very useful purpose, and for the benefit of men, that He ordered the apostles to take a sword.
CHAPTER VI
C Immediately, therefore, Peter answers, saying that they have two swords, which the Lord also said were sufficient for the struggle that was at hand. These are, as the Apostle says, the refutation of those who oppose, and the exhortation of the faithful; for thus, writing to Titus, he entrusts these to teachers, saying: "That he may be able both to exhort in sound doctrine, and to refute those who contradict," dividing the word into two species; for one species is that of the teaching towards the faithful, and the other is against the enemies of the truth. The one is the refutation of falsehood, and the other is the confirmation of the truth. That he calls the word a sword is manifest to all, since that saying is well-worn and ready to hand: "For the word of God is living, and effective, and sharper than any two-edged sword." D For here the
A two swords can be said to be explanation and truth. For when these are yoked to the word, they sufficiently subdue those who are opposed. For this reason, the high priest also had upon the breastplate placed mystically upon his chest both manifestation and truth: manifestation for the clarification of what is said, and truth for the refutation of falsehood. Therefore, Peter is seen to have used the sword clearly, when he cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest; and he was performing this mystically and symbolically at the same time. For in the beginning of the preaching, the apostles were also performing the legal rite, leading to the door him who said, "I am the door," those who claimed to have loved the dominion of the law, and having taken the buckle of discipline, they attempted to pierce the servile hearing unto the obedience of liberty. But when the Jews judged themselves unworthy B of eternal life, and there was a necessity henceforth to turn to the Gentiles, then by the word of the Spirit they cut off their hearing completely, as they were no longer worthy of the word of liberty. For the saying, "It was necessary for the word of God to be spoken first to you," was a way of piercing servile hearing unto liberty; but the further pronouncement, "Since you judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we turn to the Gentiles," was a way of completely cutting off their hearing.
CHAPTER VII
And Paul says the same thing, telling them: "You who are justified by the law have fallen from grace." For to fall from grace was the same as being cut off from the word of liberty. For this reason the Lord also says, "Going, teach all nations," after the cutting off of their ear, opening the ear of the nations unto obedience. This, too, the Old Scripture has long since testified from above, C openly prophesying both things: that the ear of those would be cut off, and that this would be added to the nations. For to the Synagogue Ezekiel says, "They shall cut off your nostrils and your ears." For they neither perceived the good fragrance of the ointments of Christ, as she says, "We will run in the fragrance of your ointments," nor did they wish to hear the voice of the Shepherd as sheep, being mutilated and crippled in the vital parts of their senses. But Isaiah introduces her who has been chosen from the nations, the bride, saying, "He has added to me an ear to hear, and the discipline of the Lord opens my ears." For just as He added an ear to her, so He cut off that of the others. And these things have been said sufficiently concerning those who sold the garment and received the sword. Let us now see if all of us, in wearing such a garment, wear it correctly, since it is D written concerning some that they shall repay every garment woven with deceit, and a garment with barter, and concerning others, that
they bind up their garments with ropes, making veils that hang from the altar. A Do they not, then, possess a stole mixed with deceit—those who, in heresies, wrap themselves in the garments of moral virtues in order to set an ambush for the simpler ones, setting these forth not so much by truth as by a show of opinion, as if they were their own, and assuming a mild and gentle appearance, by which they lure those who are hooked for destruction?
CHAPTER VIII
These ones, however, in the future age shall return those garments with a transformation; for they shall not receive the rewards of their labors, but shall pay for the punishment and chastisement of their deception, God exacting vengeance upon those who put on garments not their own, as he says in the prophet; for everything that is not done for the sake of the good itself, but for the sake of something else, is not only without reward, but is also liable to be brought to account, B especially when it is done for the ambush of those who see, becoming a bait of destruction to the more simple-minded. For vainglory renders the labor of virtue useless, and deprives the one who toils of eternal rewards; this is the wage of great labors, becoming a reward of cheap price, and the fame of laborious struggles is temporal, a quickly passing honor, withering before it has blossomed, and aging and falling away before it has flourished as it ought. But a form of religious piety artificially feigned with deception has not only a futile toil, but also a dangerous one, being judged not to the loss of rewards alone, but to a long and C extremely painful punishment. To some who had toiled in this way, and embraced such a labor, the Apostle said: "Have you suffered so many things in vain, if indeed it be in vain?" [Galat. III, 4] The one "in vain" he assigned to the loss of rewards, but the "if indeed it be in vain," to the lamentation of the punishment to be expected.
Furthermore, some perhaps among the ecclesiastics, by binding their garments with ropes, make veils hanging from the altar, imitating by their hypocrisy those who under the veil minister purely within the holy places. For a veil that covers is one thing, and a veil that overshadows is another, even if the similarity of the names hides the difference that exists in the things themselves. For a veil that overshadows is fashioned as chance provides, out of necessity, D so that things needing concealment might not be published in the open, being hung by certain side-knots from the right and left, and with nothing overtopping it in height; but the veil that covers is let down from overtopping knots, the very origin of its name signifying the flight of the linen from a higher part. And perhaps, when we embrace labor in virtues on account of the Lord who sees in secret, and hide from the eyes of men who are below, we spread out what is done to Him who alone watches from above.
CHAPTER IX
Since also that table of proposition is said—the cause of its
hanging above depends on the complacency of God; and in similar fashion the veil that covers is suspended, let down from above; and under this covering veil we perform the sacred ministrations, while we accomplish some good deed. But when, putting forward the appearance of temperance or poverty, we do the contrary in secret, and, having stretched out our covering veils with the cords of our sins, we perform some things in disguise, while we fashion others in a feigned appearance, covering over the hidden shame with a grave honesty, and deceiving the eyes of men with fraud for the sake of a pious and virtuous glory, then under a veil we reprehensibly hide things that are worthy of condemnation if they were to be investigated. For just as virtue, when practiced in secret, has God as its praiser, and when revealed, is clearly proclaimed, so too malice, while it lies hidden, has a suspended punishment and chastisement, but when exposed and detected, it leads to the final condemnation. B But even if such men remain unnoticed here, hiding their corrupt occupation under a seemingly grave appearance, they will be utterly unmasked there, with their delusion removed, and the truth appearing and shining forth of its own accord. For concerning these, perhaps Isaiah says: "The Lord will reveal their figure in that day" (Isa. xxii, 8). But not all who pursue the good are like this, even if some, in their hunting for human glory, pursue the practice of piety towards God not in purity; for one must not, on account of the deceivers, be troublesome also to the earnest. For there are those who truly pursue virtue, and do not lie regarding their profession through their works, but conform what is hidden to what is seen, and possess the appearance as an interpretation of the reality, not appearing only in what they profess, but also being what they are named, or even striving to be more than they are named for the sake of God who searches all things, which are moving in the recesses of the heart, and who renders to each according to his own work, and not according to his reputation. C But in other ways, some again fail in these matters by missing the true goal, being lifted up, and thinking that they have acquired the world of virtue by their own power.
CHAPTER X
D For it is rare and very difficult for one who bears the magnitude of virtue not to be puffed up in his mind, and not to be inflated by his successes, but to remain humble, and, as one might say, unleavened; for unleavened dough is not puffed up when coming into contact with fire, but remains in its humble form; and likewise the humble man is not lifted up when pursuing virtue, as he checks the swelling of arrogance with piety. To these the legislator recommends having the fear of God before one's eyes, always setting this as a pedagogue and holy corrector of unreasonable elation. For the command to make fringes of hyacinthine thread on the corners of the garment, and for them to see these always as a reminder of the divine commandments—this seems to me to signify something through a symbol. For just as the fringe is the extremity of the garment,