Sermon XXXVI. On the Order to be Observed in the Acquisition of Knowledge

"If thou know not thyself, go forth."

I have come to-day, my brethren, with the purpose of fulfilling my promise, of gratifying your desires, and of discharging a duty which I owe to God. Therefore, as you perceive, three motives move me to speak, fidelity to engagement, fraternal charity, and the fear of the Lord. If I am silent, my own mouth shall condemn me. But what if I speak? Of a truth, I fear the same judgment, that, whilst saying and not doing, I shall be again condemned by my own mouth. Do you, then, assist me by your prayers, that I may be able always both to say what is expedient and to practise what I preach. You are aware that the subject I have selected for the present discourse is ignorance, or rather the varieties of ignorance. For, as you remember, I spoke of two kinds, namely, ignorance of ourselves and ignorance of God, both of which I said were criminal and to be avoided. It remains for me now to explain this subject more clearly and to discuss it more exhaustively. But it appears to me that I ought first to inquire whether every kind of ignorance is blameworthy. I am not inclined to think that such is the case, since we shall not be condemned for not knowing everything, and there are many, yea, innumerable things whereof ignorance is no obstacle to salvation. For instance, in what way would your spiritual interests suffer from lack of acquaintance with the mechanical arts, such as that of the carpenter, or the mason, or any other of those trades which men are wont to ply for temporal uses? Even without any knowledge of those arts which are called liberal, and the study and exercise of which are considered more noble and profitable, countless multitudes of men have saved their souls, pleasing God by their virtues and their works. How many, for example, does the Apostle enumerate in his Epistle to the Hebrews, who became dear to God, less by their knowledge of literature, than by the purity of their conscience and the sincerity of their faith! All pleased the Lord whilst they lived here below, not by the profundity of their learning, but by the merit of their virtues. Neither St. Peter nor St. Andrew, noi the sons of Zebedee, nor any of their fellow-apostles, was chosen from the schools of philosophy or rhetoric. And yet, by means of them, the Saviour "wrought salvation in the midst of the earth." Not that they could say, like the holy man Ecclesiastes, that they surpassed all others in wisdom; but "in their faith and in their meekness" the Lord saved them, and even sanctified them, even appointed them to be the instructors of others. For they made known to the world His "ways of life," and that "not in loftiness of speech," nor "in the learned words of human wisdom," but as "it pleased God by the foolishness of their preaching to save them that believe," since "the world by wisdom knew not God."

Perhaps you consider me unduly severe and narrow in my views on human knowledge, and suppose that I am censuring the learned and condemning the study of literature. God forbid that I should do so! I am well aware how much her learned members have benefited and do still benefit the Church, whether by refuting her opponents or by instructing the ignorant. And I have read what the Lord says by the mouth of His Prophet Osee, "Because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will reject thee, that thou shalt not do the office of priesthood to Me"; and by His Prophet Daniel, "But they that are learned shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that instruct many to justice, as stars for all eternity." Nevertheless, I remember also to have read that "knowledge puffeth up," and "He that addeth knowledge, addeth also labour." You perceive, my brethren, that there are distinctions in knowledge, since there is one kind that inflates with vainglory, and another which sobers us. Now, I wish to know which of these two varieties seems to you the more useful or the more necessary for salvation, that which purls us up with pride, or that which pains and humbles? But I feel sure you prefer the sobering knowledge to the inflating. For whereas our spiritual health is destroyed by -he swelling of vanity, the desire of its recovery is excited by the bitterness of humiliation. And he who desires salvation will ask for it and so draw nigh to it, "for every one that asketh receiveth." Finally, He "Who healeth the broken of heart," detests the man that is swollen with pride; since, as we read in Wisdom, "God resist eth the proud and giveth His grace to the humble." And St. Paul thus exhorts the faithful, "I say, by the grace that is given me, to all that are among you, not to be more wise than it behoveth to be wise, but to be wise unto sobriety." He does not forbid them to bu; wise, but only to be "more wise than it behoveth." But what does he mean by the expression "to be wise unto sobriety"? He means, no doubt, to admonish us that we must examine most carefully what objects of knowledge have the first and strongest claim to our study. For "the time is short." Now, all knowledge is good in itself, provided, however, that it be founded on truth. But we, my brethren, who are in a hurry to work out our salvation "with fear and trembling," in the limited time allowed us, we certainly should devote our first and best attention to the acquisition of that knowledge which appears to be most intimately connected with our spiritual welfare. Do not medical doctors assert that it is a part of their remedies to determine what their patients shall take first at meals, what next, and in what quantity they are to use each kind of meat? For although it is manifest that all species of food are good in themselves, as having been created by God for our use, nevertheless we may easily render them bad for us, by failing to observe the due measure and order. Understand, then, of the varieties of knowledge what I have said of the varieties of food.

But I had better send you to St. Paul himself, whom I acknowledge as my master. For the doctrine which I preach is not mine but his. Yet in another sense it is mine, because it is the doctrine of truth. "If any man," says the Apostle, "think that he knoweth anything, he hath not yet known as he ought to know." You observe, my brethren, that he does not commend the knowing of many things in one who is ignorant of the right manner of knowing, j You observe, I say, how he makes the fruit and utility of knowledge to consist mainly in the right manner of knowing. ^What, thief ore, does he mean by the right manner of knowing? Evidently he wishes to teach us by these words in what order, with what ardour, and with what intention each kind of knowledge should be acquired. In what order, because we ought first to learn those truths which most immediately concern our salvation. With what ardour, because that knowledge should be most eagerly pursued which most powerfully conduces to charity. With what intention, because the motive of our studies must not be vainglory, curiosity, or anything such, but only our own spiritual advancement and the edification of our neighbour. There are some who desire to know simply for the sake of knowing, and this is shameful curiosity. And there are some who desire to know in order that they may become known themselves, and this is shameful vanity. To such persons, certainly, can be applied what the satirist says of the vainglorious man: —

"You rate the worth of knowledge low

Unless your neighbours know you know."¹

And some there are who desire to know in order to trade with their knowledge, bartering it for gold or for honours, and this is shameful traffic. But there are some also who desire to know in order to edify, and this is charity. And some, finally, who desire to know in order to be edified, and this is prudence.

Of the above-mentioned classes, the last two alone are free from the guilt of abusing knowledge, for only these seek understanding as a means of well-doing. And we read in the psalms, "A good understanding to all that do it," i.e., to all who have the good will to guide themselves by its prescriptions. As for the others, let them attend to the words of St. James, "To him who knoweth to do good, and doth it not, to him it is sin." To express the same truth metaphorically, to him who takes food and does not digest it, to him it is harmful. For food which is badly prepared or ill-digested generates noxious humours and thus injures instead of promoting bodily health. In just the same way, extensive knowledge stored up in the memory — which is, as it were, the stomach of the soul — unless it has been cooked over the fire of charity and so distributed and disposed amongst our spiritual members — which are our habits and our acts — so that the soul herself derives a goodness, as our lives and morals testify, from the goodness of the things she knows — unless this be the case, our knowledge shall be imputed to us as sin, and shall be likened to the undigested meat which gives rise to bad and unwholesome humours. Or does it not seem to you that sin is an unwholesome humour? Are not loose morals unwholesome humours? Does not such a one, viz., "he who knoweth to do good and doth it not," sutler in his conscience the torments and inflammations of spiritual indigestion? And does he not hear within himself the doom of death and damnation as often as he calls to mind those words spoken by Christ, "The servant who knew the will of his Lord, and did not according to His will, shall be punished with many stripes." And see if perhaps it be not in the person of such souls that the Prophet Jeremias exclaims, "My bowels, my bowels are in pain." But possibly the repetition is intended to signify a twofold sense, so that besides the meaning just mentioned, there is need to look for another. This is what occurs to me. The Prophet may also have spoken thus in his own proper person, to indicate that, though full of knowledge and burning with the fire of charity, and longing to communicate these spiritual treasures to others, he yet was unable to find any willing to hear him; and so what he could not distribute became, as it were, a burden to himself. Accordingly, the holy teacher of the Church weeps both for those who proudly refuse to learn how they should regulate their lives, and also for those who, possessing that knowledge, live nevertheless in disregard of the law. Thus much in explanation of the Prophet's repetition. Do you not perceive now, my brethren, with how much truth the Apostle says that "knowledge puffeth up"? Consequently, I desire that my soul should learn in the first place to know herself, for this is rev quired by reason both of utility and right order. By reason of good order, since the first object and truth for each is that which he is himself. And by reason of utility, because such knowledge does not inflate us with pride, but rather humbles us, and is thus an excellent preparation for the spiritual edifice we intend to raise. For this edifice cannot remain standing unless it be firmly grounded on the foundation of humility. Now, the soul can find nowhere a more fit and efficacious means for humiliating her than in a true knowledge of herself. Only let her not dissimulate; let there be no guile in her spirit; let her place herself as she really is before her own eyes; and let nothing be allowed to distract her attention from herself. Contemplating herself thus in the light of truth, she shall discover how far removed she is from the ideal of perfection. Then, groaning in her wretchedness, for her real wretchedness can no longer remain concealed from her, will she not cry out to the Lord, with the Prophet, "In Thy truth Thou hast humbled me"? For how can she help being truly humbled in this true knowledge of herself, when she beholds herself laden with sins, oppressed with the weight of this corruptible body, entangled in worldly cares, polluted with the filth of carnal desires, blind, earthward stooping, feeble, involved in many errors, exposed to a thousand dangers, agitated by a thousand fears, disquieted by a thousand suspicions, discouraged by a thousand difficulties, burdened with a thousand necessities, prone to vice, indisposed for virtue? What motive for pride can such a one have? How can such a one haughtily lift up her eyes or boldly hold her head erect? Will she not rather, according to the words of the Psalmist, be "converted in her anguish, whilst the thorn is fastened?" Yes, she will be converted to tears; she will be converted to lamentations and groans; she will be converted to the Lord. Then will she cry out in her humility, with the Prophet, "Heal my soul, for I have sinned against Thee." And being now converted, she will receive consolation from the Lord, because He is "the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation."

As for me, my brethren, so long as I look upon myself, "my eye abideth in bitterness." But if I lift up my face and turn my gaze to the help of the divine compassion, the depressing vision of my own un worthiness is relieved by the joyous vision of God, and I say to Him, "My soul is troubled within myself, therefore, will I remember Thee." Nor is that an unimportant vision of the Deity, which gives us the experience of Him as loving and gracious; because in truth, "He is gracious and merciful, patient and rich in mercy, and ready to repent of the evil," since goodness is His very nature and it is peculiar to Him "to show mercy always and to spare." By this experience, therefore, and in this order, God gives us a saving knowledge of Himself. Man first recognises the helplessness of his condition. He then cries to the Lord. The Lord hears and makes answer to him, "I will deliver thee and thou shalt honour Me." And thus the knowledge of oneself leads on to the knowledge of God. He is perceived by means of His own image, which is renewed in us, whilst we, confidently "beholding the glory of the Lord with open face, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord."

But now, lastly, observe that both self-knowledge and the knowledge of God are alike essential for salvation, so that it is impossible to save one's soul in the absence of one or other. For if you do not know yourselves, you cannot have in you either the fear of God or true humility. Now, I leave it to yourselves, my brethren, to decide whether or not you can count upon your salvation without the fear of God and without humility. I am glad to learn from that murmur you have made that you have not the mind, or rather the madness, to take the affirmative view. Consequently, there is no need for me to labour a point already sufficiently clear. But let me call your attention to the other questions. Or, perhaps, I had better break off here for the sake of the drowsy. I expected to complete in one discourse my promised instructions concerning the two kinds of ignorance. And I should do so in fact, only that this sermon has already wearied many of you and is judged to be tedious. For I can see some yawning, and some even fast asleep. However, I am not surprised. The unusual length of last night's vigils accounts for their heaviness and excuses it. But this defence is not possible in the case of all. For what shall I say of those who have succumbed to sleep, both here and during the divine office? But I will not shame them further. It is enough to have made them sensible of their fault. And I am sure they will be more vigilant in future, fearing the penalty of my animadversion. In that expectation I will spare them for this time. And although reason demands that this discourse should be completed without a break, out of charity for them I will now interrupt it, making an end where the end is not, and will resume the discussion on another occasion. But let the offenders, in gratitude for the mercy they have obtained, glorify with us all the Bridegroom of the Church, Jesus Christ, Our Lord, Who is over all things, God blessed for ever. Amen.

Footnotes

1. "Scire tuum nihil est, nisi te scire hoc sciat alter."-*- Persius. ↩