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[CXI. Ben.]
On the words of the Gospel, Luke 13:21-23 , where the kingdom of God is said to be like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal;
and of that which is written in the same chapter, Lord, are they few that are saved?
1. The three measures of meal
of which the Lord spoke, is the human race. Recollect the deluge; three only remained, from whom the rest were to be re-peopled. Noe had three sons, by them was repaired the human race. That holy woman who hid the leaven,
is Wisdom. Lo, the whole world cries out in the Church of God, I know that the Lord is great.
Yet doubtless there are but few who are saved. You remember a question which was lately set before us out of the Gospel, Lord,
it was said, are there few that be saved?
What said the Lord to this? He did not say, Not few, but many are they who are saved.
He did not say this. But what said He, when He had heard, Are there few that be saved? Strive to enter by the strait gate.
When you hear then, Are there few that be saved?
the Lord confirmed what He heard. Through the strait gate
but few
can enter.
In another place He says Himself, Strait and narrow is the way which leads unto life, and few there be that go thereby: but broad and spacious is the way that leads to destruction, and many there be which walk thereby.
Why rejoice we in great numbers? Give ear to me, you few.
I know that you are many,
who hear me, yet but few
of you hear to obey. I see the floor, I look for the grain. And hardly is the grain seen, when the floor is being threshed; but the time is coming, that it shall be winnowed. But few then are saved in comparison of the many that shall perish. For these same few
will constitute in themselves a great mass. When the Winnower shall come with His fan in His Hand, He will cleanse His floor, and lay up the wheat into the garner; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.
Let not the chaff scoff at the wheat; in this He speaks truth, and deceives no one. Be then in yourselves among many a many, few though ye be in comparison of a certain many. So large a mass is to come out of this floor, as to fill the garner of heaven. For the Lord Christ would not contradict Himself, who has said, Many there are who enter in by the narrow gate, many who go to ruin through the wide gate;
contradict Himself, who has in another place said, Many shall come from the East and West.
Many
then are the few;
both few
and many.
Are the few
one sort, and the many
another? No. But the few
are themselves the many;
few
in comparison of the lost, many in the society of the Angels. Hearken, dearly Beloved. The Apocalypse has this written; After this I beheld of all languages, and nations, and tribes, a great multitude, which no man can number, coming with white robes and palms.
This is the mass of the saints. With how much clearer voice will the floor say, when it has been fanned, separated from the crowd of ungodly, and evil, and false Christians, when those who press
and do not touch
(for a certain woman in the Gospel touched,
the crowd pressed
Christ), shall have been severed unto everlasting fire; when all they then, who are to be damned shall have been separated off, with how great assurance will the purified mass, standing at the Right Hand, fearing now for itself the admixture of no evil men, nor the loss of any of the good, now about to reign with Christ, say, I know that the Lord is great
!
2. If then, my Brethren (I am speaking to the grain), if they acknowledge what I say, predestined unto life eternal, let them speak by their works, not by their voices. I am constrained to speak to you, what I ought not. For I ought to find in you matter of praise, not to seek subjects for admonition. Yet see I will say but a few words, I will not dwell upon it. Acknowledge the duty of hospitality, thereby some have attained unto God. You take in some stranger, whose companion in the way you yourself also art; for strangers are we all. He is a Christian who, even in his own house and in his own country, acknowledges himself to be a stranger. For our country is above, there we shall not be strangers. For every one here below, even in his own house, is a stranger. If he be not a stranger, let him not pass on from hence. If pass on he must, he is a stranger. Let him not deceive himself, a stranger he is; whether he will or not, he is a stranger. And he leaves that house to his children, one stranger to other strangers. Why? If you were at an inn, would you not depart when another comes? The same you do even in your own house. Your father left a place to you, you will some day leave it to your children. Neither do you abide here, as one who is to abide always, nor to those who are so to abide, will you leave it. If we are all passing away, let us do something which cannot pass away, that when we shall have passed away, and have come there whence we may not pass away, we may find our good works there. Christ is the keeper, why do you fear lest you should lose what you spend on the poor? Let us turn to the Lord,
etc.
And after the Sermon.
I suggest to you, Beloved, what ye know already. Tomorrow breaks the anniversary day of the venerable lord Aurelius' ordination; he asks and admonishes you, dear Brethren, by my humble ministry, that you would be so good as to meet together with all devotion at the basilica of Faustus. Thanks be to God.
Source. Translated by R.G. MacMullen. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 6. Edited by Philip Schaff. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1888.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/160361.htm>.
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