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| Why the Great are Compared to Little Children.
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16. Why the Great are Compared to Little
Children.
But first we may expound it in simple fashion.
One, expounding the word of the Saviour here after the simple method,
might say that, if any one who is a man mortifies the lusts of manhood,
putting to death by the spirit the deeds of the body, and “always
bearing about in the body the putting to death of
Jesus,”5927
to such a degree
that he has the condition of the little child who has not tasted
sensual pleasures, and has had no conception of the impulses of
manhood, then such an one is converted, and has become as the little
children. And the greater the advance he has made towards the
condition of the little children in regard to such emotions, by so much
the more as compared with those who are in training and have not
advanced to so great a height of self-control, is he the greatest in
the kingdom of heaven. But that which has been said about little
children in respect of lustful pleasures, the same might also be said
in regard to the rest of the affections and infirmities and sicknesses
of the soul, into which it is not the nature of little children to
fall, who have not yet fully attained to the possession of reason; as,
for example, that, if any one be converted, and, though a man, such an
one becomes as a child in respect of anger; and, as is the child in
relation to grief, so that sometimes he laughs and plays at the very
time that his father or mother or brother is dead, he who is converted
would become such an one as little children; and, having received from
the Word a disposition incapable of grief, so that he becomes like the
little child in regard to grief. And the like you will say about
what is called pleasure, in regard to which the wicked are irrationally
lifted up, from which little children do not suffer, nor such as have
been converted and become as little children. As, then, it has
been accurately demonstrated also by others, that no passion is
incident to the little children who have not yet attained to full
possession of reason; and if no passion, clearly fear also; but, if
there be anything corresponding to the passions, these are faint, and
very quickly suppressed, and healed in the case of little children, so
that he is worthy of love, who, being converted as the little children,
has reached such a point as to have, as it were, his passions in
subjection like the little children. And with regard to fear,
therefore, similar things to those spoken might be conceived, that the
little children do not experience the fear of the wicked, but a
different thing, to which those who have an accurate knowledge of
questions in regard to the passions and their names give the name of
fear; as, for example, in the case of children there is a forgetfulness
of their evils at the very time of their tears, for they change in a
moment, and laugh and play along with those who were thought to grieve
and terrify them, but in truth had wrought in them no such
emotion. So too, moreover, one will humble himself like the
little child which Jesus called; for neither haughtiness, nor conceit
in respect of noble birth, or wealth, or any of those things which are
thought to be good, but are not, comes to a little child.
Wherefore you may see those who are not altogether infants, up to three
or four years of age, like to those who are of mean birth, though they
may seem to be of noble birth, and not appearing at all to love rich
children rather than the poor. If, therefore, in the same way as
according to their age children are affected towards those passions
which exalt the senseless, the disciple of Jesus under the influence of
reason5928
has humbled himself
like the little child which Jesus showed, not being exalted because of
vainglory, nor puffed up on the ground of wealth, or raiment, nor
elated because of noble birth, in particular are they to be received
and imitated in the name of Jesus, who have been converted as the Word
showed, like the little child which Jesus took to Him; since especially
in such the Christ is, and therefore He says, “Whosoever shall
receive one such little child in My name receiveth Me.”5929
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