How those that are at variance and those that are at peace are to be admonished.

(Admonition 23.)  Differently to be admonished are those that are at variance and those that are at peace.  For those that are at variance are to be admonished to know most certainly that, in whatever virtues they may abound, they can by no means become spiritual if they neglect becoming united to their neighbours by concord.  For it is written, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace (Gal. v. 22).  He then that has no care to keep peace refuses to bear the fruit of the Spirit.  Hence Paul says, Whereas there is among you envying and strife, are ye not carnal (1 Cor. iii. 3)?  Hence again he says also, Follow peace with all men and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord (Heb. xii. 14).  Hence again he admonishes, saying, Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace:  there is one body and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling (Eph. iv. 3, 4).  The one hope of our calling, therefore, is never reached, if we run not to it with a mind at one with our neighbours.  But it is often the case that some, by being proud of some gifts that they especially partake of, lose the greater gift of concord; as it may be if one who subdues the flesh more than others by bridling of his appetite should scorn to be in concord with those whom he surpasses in abstinence.  But whoso separates abstinence from concord, let him consider the admonition of the Psalmist, Praise him with timbrel and chorus (Ps. cl. 4).  For in the timbrel a dry and beaten skin resounds, but in the chorus voices are associated in concord.  Whosoever then afflicts his body, but forsakes concord, praises God indeed with timbrel, but praises Him not with chorus.  Often, however, when superior knowledge lifts up some, it disjoins them from the society of other men; and it is as though the more wise they are, the less wise are they as to the virtue of concord.  Let these therefore hear what the Truth in person says, Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another (Mark ix. 50).  For indeed salt without peace is not a gift of virtue, but an argument for condemnation.  For the better any man is in wisdom, the worse is his delinquency, and he will deserve punishment inexcusably for this very reason, that, if he had been so minded, he might in his prudence have avoided sin.  To such it is rightly said through James, But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.  This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.  But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable (James iii. 14, 15; 17).  Pure, that is to say, because its ideas are chaste; and also peaceable, because it in no wise through elation disjoins itself from the society of neighbours.  Those who are at variance are to be admonished to take note that they offer to God no sacrifice of good work so long as they are not in charity with their neighbours.  For it is written, If thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way first to be reconciled to thy brother, and then thou shalt come and offer thy gift (Matth. v. 23, 24).  Now by this precept we are led to consider how intolerable the guilt of men is shewn to be when their sacrifice is rejected.  For, whereas all evils are washed away when followed by what is good, let us consider how great must be the evils of discord, seeing that, unless they are utterly extinguished, they allow no good to follow.  Those who are at variance are to be admonished that, if they incline not their ears to heavenly commands, they should open the eyes of the mind to consider the ways of creatures of the lowest order; how that often birds of one and the same kind desert not one another in their social flight, and that brute beasts feed in herds together.  Thus, if we observe wisely, irrational nature shews by agreeing together how great evil rational nature commits by disagreement; when the latter has lost by the exercise of reason what the former by natural instinct keeps.  But, on the other hand, those that are at peace are to be admonished to take heed lest, while they love more than they need do the peace which they enjoy, they have no longing to reach that which is perpetual.  For commonly tranquil circumstances more sorely try the bent of minds, so that, in proportion as the things which occupy them are not troublesome, the things which invite them come to appear less lovely, and the more present things delight, eternal things are the less sought after.  Whence also the Truth speaking in person, when He would distinguish earthly from supernal peace, and provoke His disciples from that which now is to that which is to come, said, Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you (Joh. xiv. 27).  That is, I leave a transitory, I give a lasting peace.  If then the heart is fixed on that which is left, that which is to be given is never reached.  Present peace, therefore, is to be held as something to be both loved and thought little of, lest, if it is loved immoderately, the mind of him that loves be taken in a fault.  Whence also those who are at peace should be admonished lest, while too desirous of human peace, they fail entirely to reprove men’s evil ways, and, in consenting to the froward, disjoin themselves from the peace of their Maker; lest, while they dread human quarrels without, they be smitten by breach of their inward covenant.  For what is transitory peace but a certain footprint of peace eternal?  What, then, can be more mad than to love footprints impressed on dust, but not to love him by whom they have been impressed?  Hence David, when he would bind himself entirely to the covenants of inward peace, testifies that he held no agreement with the wicked, saying, Did not I hate them, O God, that hate thee, and waste away on account of thine enemies?  I hated them with perfect hatred, they became enemies to me (Ps. cxxxviii. 21, 22¹²⁷⁸

1278 In English Bible, Ps. cxxxiv.

1279 Ibid., Ps. cxx.

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