20. Wherefore, forasmuch as
in the beginning of this little work I had proposed certain two
necessary matters, and had undertaken to follow them out; one which
related to doctrine, the other to exhortation; and I have not
failed in the former part, to the best of my power, according to
the business which I had undertaken; let us come to exhortation, in
order that the good which is known wisely, may be pursued ardently.
And in this matter I give you this advice first, that, how great
soever love of pious continence you feel to be in you, you ascribe
it to the favor of God, and give Him thanks, Who of His Holy Spirit
hath freely given unto you so much, as that, His love being shed
abroad in your heart, the love of a better good should take away
from you the permission of a lawful matter. For it was His gift to
you that you should not wish to marry, when it was lawful, in order
that now it should not be lawful, even if you wished; and that by
this means the wish not to do it might be the more settled, lest
what were now unlawful be done, which was not done even when
lawful; and that, a widow of Christ, you should so far attain as to
see your daughter also a virgin of Christ; for whilst you are
praying as Anna, she hath become what Mary was. These by how much
the more you know them to be gifts of God, by so much the more are
you by the same gifts blessed; yea, rather, you are not so
otherwise than as you know from Whom you have what you have. For
listen to what the Apostle said on this matter, “But we have
received not the spirit of this world, but the Spirit Which is of
God, that we may know what things have been given to us by
God.”2265
Forsooth
many have many
gifts of
God, and by not knowing from Whom they have
them, come to
boast themselves with impious
vanity. But there is no
one
blessed with the
gifts of
God, who is ungrateful to the
Giver.
Forasmuch as, also, whereas in the course of the
sacred Mysteries
we are bidden to “lift up our
hearts,” it is by His help that
we are able, by Whose bidding we are
admonished; and therefore it
follows, that, of this so great good of the
heart lifted up, we
give not the
glory to ourselves as of our own
strength, but render
thanks unto our
Lord God. For of this we are straightway
admonished, that “this is meet,” “this is right.” You
remember whence these words are taken, you recognize by what
sanction
2266
| 2266 “Intus qua sanctione,”
al. “inter quas actiones,” “amongst what actions;”
there are other various readings besides. |
, and by
how great
holiness they are commended within. Therefore hold and
have what you have received, and return thanks to the
Giver. For,
although it be yours to receive and have, yet you have that, which
you have received; forasmuch as to one waxing proud, and impiously
glorying of that which he had, as though he had it of himself, the
Truth saith by the Apostle, “But what hast thou, which thou hast
not received? But, if thou hast received, why boastest thou, as if
thou hadst not received?”
2267
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