Sermon LXV. On the Doctrines and Practices of Contemporary Heretics

"Catch us the little foxes that destroy the vines, for our vineyard hath flourished."

I have already preached two sermons to you, my brethren, on this one verse, and I am now about to begin the third, that is, if you do not think it will weary you too much to listen. For it seems to me that there is need of another discourse on the same text. As regards our own domestic vineyard, which you are, I have, I think, said enough in the preceding discussions to protect it against the cunning wiles of the three species of foxes, by which I mean flatterers, detractors, and certain seducing spirits, well skilled and well practised in the art of counterfeiting good with evil. But I have not been equally zealous for the wider vineyard of the Lord. I refer to that vineyard which has covered the whole earth, and of which we ourselves are a portion, an exceedingly great vineyard, planted by the Hand of Christ, redeemed with His Blood, watered with His teaching, propagated by His grace, fertilised by His Spirit. Being more concerned for my private vineyard, I have been wanting to that which is universal. But I now feel impelled to espouse its cause on account of the multitude of its despoilers, the paucity of its protectors, and the difficulty of its defence. What makes the difficulty is the fact that the despoilers are concealed from us. The Church has had her foxes from the very beginning, but until now they have always been speedily exposed and caught. The heretic of former times waged war against her openly— indeed it was this especially that made him a heretic, his desire to achieve a public triumph— the heretic, I say, formerly attacked the Church in the open and was vanquished. Thus this species of fox was easily taken. What matter if, when the truth had been vindicated, the heretic continued obstinate in the darkness of his proud conceits, and, fettered to powerlessness, was cast out to wither alone?¹ Even so, the fox was judged to be caught, by the fact that the impious doctrine had been condemned and its impious author driven forth to live thenceforward as an example for others, since he could no longer bear any fruit for himself. For to such are given, to use the expression of the Prophet Osee, "a womb without children and dry breasts." That is to say, error cannot bud forth anew once it has been publicly confounded, nor can falsity continue to propagate itself after it has been exposed.

But what means shall we employ in order to catch those most malevolent foxes which are better pleased to injure us by secret fraud than to conquer us by open violence, and which will not even show themselves but prefer to creep upon us unawares? Heretofore the common aim of all heretics has been to win human glory by the display of superior knowledge. But the heretic with us now, more malicious and more cunning than any that went before him, is also singular in this, that he can prosper on the ruin of others, without seeking any further advantage for himself. The modern error, warned, as I believe, by the fate of its predecessors (which could not escape when exposed, but were caught immediately), is careful to work out the "mystery of iniquity" with a new kind of craft, and does it all the more freely the less it is suspected. Its propagators are said to have appointed secret meeting-places. "They have confirmed for themselves an evil word," as is written in the psalm. "Never betray the secret," they tell their followers, "even though it be necessary to swear and to perjure yourselves in order to preserve it." But otherwise they will refuse to take any oath under any circumstances, on account of what they read in the Gospel, "I say to you not to swear at all neither by heaven nor by the earth." "O foolish and slow of heart," filled plainly with the Pharisaical spirit, thus to "strain at a gnat and swallow a camel"! Are we then allowed to commit perjury, though forbidden to take oaths? Or will you say that the necessity of guarding your secrets and that alone makes it lawful both to swear and to swear falsely? Then show me the passage of Scripture which authorises such an exception, you who vainly make it your boast that you pass over not seven one jot or tittle of the law. But it is manifest that whilst you superstitiously abstain from taking lawful oaths you have no scruple at all about the heinous crime of perjury.

O unspeakable perversity! What was intended simply as a caution, viz., '* I say to you not to swear at all," these heretics observe pertinaciously and consider a command; and at the same time, according to their whim and as if it were something quite indifferent, they dispense themselves in that which has the sanction of immutable law, namely the prohibition against perjury. "No," they will say to me, "it is not so; we only permit perjury when there is no other way to preserve our secret."² As if, forsooth, it were not "the glory of God to reveal the word." Is it that they envy God His glory? I am more inclined to believe that is shame which seals their lips, shame for a secret which they know to be shameful. For they are accused of privately indulging in unmentionable crimes against morals. So it is said that the tails of foxes emit an evil smell.

However, I will say nothing concerning the practices which they refuse to acknowledge. But let them answer to those charges which they cannot deny. Do they justify their secrecy by the Gospel which warns us in truth not to "give that which is holy to dogs" or "to cast pearls before swine"? But if they admit this, they must consequently esteem as dogs and swine all (except themselves) who claim to belong to the Church, and this would be equivalent to avowing openly that they themselves are not Christians at all.³ For they think it a duty to withhold that secret of theirs, whatever it is, from everyone without exception who does not adhere to their own sect. Yet although they really entertain such convictions, they will refuse to answer, lest they should be found out. This is what they endeavour to avoid by every possible means, but they shall not succeed. Come, tell me, my good man, who art "more wise than it behoveth to be wise, and art at the same time a greater fool than words can express: Is the mystery which thou guardest of God or is it not? If it is of God, why dost thou not reveal it for His greater glory? For "it is the glory of God to reveal the word." If the mystery is not of God, why dost thou put thy trust in that which has no relation to God, unless because thou art a heretic? Therefore either let them reveal their secret unto the glory of God; or let them acknowledge that it is no mystery of God and thereby acknowledge themselves to be heretics; or finally let them confess that they are the declared enemies of God's glory, inasmuch as they are unwilling to publish what they know would be likely to advance its interests. For the oracle of Scripture stands firm, "It is the glory of kings to conceal the speech, and the glory of God to reveal the word. ' '⁴ Wilt thou not ' ' reveal the word ' '? Then thou refusest to glorify God. But perchance thou dost not recognise the authority of this inspired Book? So indeed it is. These sectarians who claim that they alone have zeal for Scripture, receive no more of it than the Gospel. Let them, therefore, explain how they fulfil what the Gospel enjoins, where it is written, "That which I tell you in the dark, speak ye in the light; and that which you hear in the ear, preach ye upon the house tops." Now you may no longer take refuge in silence. How long will you keep concealed that which God commands you to publish? How long will your gospel remain hidden? I am beginning to grow suspicious of it. It cannot certainly be the same as St. Paul's, for he declares that his gospel was not hidden. "And if our gospel is also hid," he adds, "it is hid in them that are lost." Take care lest in these words the Apostle is alluding to yourselves with whom the Gospel is found to be hid. If this be the case, you are evidently lost. But perhaps you do not receive even St. Paul? I have indeed been told this of some amongst you. For you do not agree amongst yourselves on every point, although you are all at one in dissenting from us.

However, unless I mistake, you all unanimously admit, as of equal authority with the Gospel itself, the words and writings and traditions of those who lived with the Saviour on earth. Now, I ask: did they keep their gospel hidden? Did they conceal in silence the infirmities of God in the flesh, the horrors of His death, the ignominy of His cross?" Verily, their sound hath gone forth unto all the earth."Where is that imitation of the apostolic mode of life which you make your boast? The apostles proclaimed aloud their message; whilst you speak in whispers. They preached in public; you teach" in a corner."They '* fly as clouds"; you conceal yourselves in dark and subterranean caverns. What do you exhibit in yourselves which gives you any kind of resemblance to the apostles? They indeed led women about with them, but they did not, as you do, keep women within enclosures. There is a great difference between these two things. And your practice is open to grave suspicion. As for the apostolic custom, who could suspect any evil of men capable by their sanctity of raising the dead? Do thou likewise, and I shall believe thee as safe as if thy companions were men. Otherwise thou v/actest imprudently in taking apostolic liberties without the safeguard of apostolic holiness. To be always in the occasion of sin and never to fall, is not that a greater miracle than to raise the dead? And if thou canst not do that which is less, who shall believe thee to be capable of the greater? Thou art placed daily and hourly in dangerous occasions, at meals, at rest, at work, in conversation. And are we to suppose that thou continuest always faithful? However, let us grant it to be really so. StiJl I cannot get rid of my suspicions; so that thou art a scandal to me. Remove from me the cause of the scandal, and thereby thou shalt prove thyself to be sincerely zealous for the Gospel. Does not the Gospel condemn him who scandalises any member of the Church? But thou art scandalising the Church herself. Thou art the fox that destroys the vineyard. Help me, my brethren, to catch him. Or rather do you, ye blessed angels, catch him for us. He is extremely cunning. He is "covered with his iniquity and his impiety." He is so little and so subtle that human eyes are baffled in watching him. But shall he be able to escape your eyes? Therefore it is to you, as being His friends and companions, that the Bridegroom addresses the words, "Catch us the little foxes." Do, then, what is commanded you. Catch for us this many-faced little fox which we have been so long pursuing in vain. Teach us and admonish us how to detect his frauds. For thus we shall have caught him: as a false Catholic i he can do us far more mischief than when he stands i revealed as a true heretic. But it is not in the power/ of one man to read the heart of another unless he is assisted by the light of the Holy Ghost or interiorly instructed by angelic inspirations. What sign will you give us, O benevolent spirits, whereby this most impious of heresies, well-skilled to lie both by word and by deed, may be made manifest to the whole world?

The recent destruction of the vines tells us unmistakably that the fox has been busy there. But the wily beast has so cleverly covered his footprints by I know not what artful device, that human intelligence cannot easily discover at what point he entered or where he made his way out. The mischief done is manifest enough, but the author thereof cannot be detected, so cunningly does he conceal himself and his wickedness under an exterior of affected innocence. Examine one of these heretics concerning his faith and you will find him perfectly orthodox. Listen to his conversation and you will never hear anything in the least worthy of censure. Yea, he even proves by his actions the sincerity of his words. You may see him bearing testimony to his faith by frequenting the churches, showing honour to the priests, offering his gifts, making his confession, and approaching the holy table. What greater proof of fidelity can you require? Then, as regards his life and morals, he overreaches no man, he circumvents no man, he does violence to no man. His face is pale and wan from rigorous fasting, and far from eating his bread idle, he earns his lively-hood by the labour of his hands. Where now is the fox? We had him secured just a moment since, and lo! he has slipped from our grasp. How has he disappeared so suddenly? But let us give instant chase. Let us follow his footprints. By his fruits we shall know him. Certainly, the destruction of the vines proves him to be a real fox. For what do we behold? Wives forsaking their husbands and husbands abandoning their wives in order to join themselves to these sectaries! Clerics and priests, old and young, having deserted their churches and people, are often to be seen amongst them side by side with weavers, male and female! Is not this a dreadful destruction of the vines! Have we not here the work of the foxes?

But perhaps not all these people reveal their true character thus plainly by such disorders. And even where they do, it is almost impossible to convict them. How, then, are we to catch them? Let us return to their custom of living with females, because this is a practice which is common to them all. I say therefore to one of them— A word with thee, my good friend. Who is this lady and wherefore does she live with thee? Is she thy wife? "No/* he answers, "my vow hinders me from marrying." Is she thy daughter? "She is not." Who then is she, thy sister, perhaps? or thy niece? or at least some one related to thee by ties of consanguinity or affinity? "No, there is no relationship at all between us." But if that be the case, art thou not exposing thyself to danger? Besides, thou art certainly acting against obedience. Let me tell thee, if thou knowest it not, that the Church forbids the cohabitation of men and women who have bound themselves by vow to continency.⁵ Therefore send away thy companion, unless thou wishest to scandalise the Church. Otherwise, thy manifest guilt herein shall unquestionably render the other charges against thee, even though they cannot be proved, at least very credible.

But perchance he will reply, "Show me the place where the Gospel prohibits such cohabitation?" Hast thou appealed to the Gospel? To the Gospel thou shalt go. If thou wert obedient to the Gospel, thou certainly wouldst not give scandal. For the Gospel plainly forbids scandal-giving. But thou art giving scandal by not dismissing this female as the Church requires of thee. Hitherto thou wert only under suspicion. Henceforth thou shalt be considered an open despiser of the Gospel, and an enemy of the Church. What is your verdict, my brethren? If he is showru to be so obstinate that he will neither obey the Gospell nor submit to the authority of the Church, what! further subterfuge remains to him? Does it not appear manifest to you that the fraud has been exposed and the fox caught? If he refuses to put away his associate, he refuses to remove the scandal. If he refuses to remove the scandal which he has it in his power to remove, he stands convicted of offending against the Gospel. And what is left for the Church but to cut him off who refuses to cut off the cause of scandal? Otherwise she would become a participant in his disobedience. For she has been commanded by Christ in the Gospel not to spare her own eye&, her hands or her feet, if ever they should become a source of scandal to her, but to pluck them out or cut them off and cast them from her. "If he will not hear the Church," says the Lord, speaking of the scandal-giver, "let him be to thee as the heathen and the publican."

Have we been wasting our time in this discussion, my brethren? I do not believe so. For we have caught the fox by discovering his tricks. We have unmasked those false Catholics who lay concealed in the Church and were the real devastators of the vineyard. For whilst thou, the secret heretic, "didst take sweet meats together with me" — I mean the Body and the Blood of Christ — whilst "in the house of God we walked with consent," thou hadst an opportunity for persuading, yea, an opportunity for seducing me, according to the words of Wisdom, "The dissembler with his mouth deceiveth his friend." But now, obeying the wis 2 injunction of St. Paul, I can easily "avoid a man that is a heretic, after the first and second admonition, knowing that he that is such a one is subverted"; and therefore I shall be on my guard lest he should become for me a subverter also. Hence it is no small advantage for the just that "the wicked are caught in their own snares," according to the Wise Man's expression; particularly when this happens to such wicked ones as rely more on their skill in setting snares than on open violence. For when the snare happens to fail them they are left resourceless, without the means either of attack or of defence. So it is with the heretics I am speaking of. They are a most contemptible class, without polish or education or the least degree of manly courage. For they are only foxes, and little ones at that. Even the false doctrines which they are accused of holding have nothing defensible about them. They are plausible rather than subtle; and even plausible to none but poor ignorant women and rustics, such as are all the members of this sect, so far as I have been able to ascertain. Nor amongst all their heretical tenets, and they are many, do I remember to have found anything unfamiliar, new, or original, anything which was not preached long ago by the ancient heretics, and opposed and thoroughly refuted by the Catholic doctors. However, it is necessary for you to know exactly what these nonsensical errors are, so I intend to recite them. Some they have themselves unguardedly revealed in replying to questions put by Catholics. Others have been published in the accusations and recriminations which have attended their domestic dissensions. Others again have been made known by former members of the sect on their return to the Church. I do not undertake to disprove them all, for that is not necessary, but simply to explain what they are. And this shall occupy me in my next discourse unto the praise and glory of the name of the Bridegroom of the Church, Jesus Christ Our Lord, Who is over all things, God blessed for ever. Amen.

II. R

Footnotes

1. There is allusion here to John xv. 6, "If any one abide not in Me, he shall be cast forth as a branch and shall wither."— (Translator.) ↩

2. This they doubtless justified by regarding it as a mental reservation; but it was something very different from the mental reservation which Catholic theology allows us to use in certain circumstances, even when we are under oath. Father Rickaby {Moral Phil., p. 233) defines mental reservation as "an act of the mind limiting the spoken phrase so that it may not bear the full sense which at first hearing it seems to bear." Reservation is purely mental when the restricting act of thought is in no way externated; it is said to be broad when the interior restriction is outwardly manifested by the pecuhar circumstances or by the profession of the speaker, in such a way that a prudent listener will take his words as expressing only communicable knowledge. The purely mental reservation differs in nothing from a He. The second kind is then onlv lawful when it IS the sole means of preserving an important secret from one who has no right to the knowledge. To withhold information from those who have the right to demand it, and to do so by mental restriction, is really to be guilty of falsehood. Now, the Church, in her representatives, is certainly entitled to know the reHgious behefs of all who profess to be her children. Hence these heretics were really perjuring themselves, by confirming their falsehoods with oaths.— (Translator.) ↩

3. That is, by dissociating themselves from all other Christians, they would forfeit the claim to universality or catholicity, which is one of the inseparable characteristics of the true Church. St. Augustine used the same argument against the Donatists. — (Translator.) ↩

4. "Gloria regum celare verbum, gloria Dei revelare sermonem. The Vulgate has"Gloria Dei est celare verbum, et gloria regum investigare sermonem ' ' (It is the glory of God to conceal the word, and the glorv of kings to search out the speech — Proverbs xxv. 2). The Greek differs from both, "Δόξα θεοῦ κρύπτει λόγον, δόξα δὲ βασιλέως τιμᾷ πράγματα." (The glory of God conceals the word, the glory of kings honours deeds). St. Bernard's reading is found in many of the Fathers, and agrees with Tobias xii. 7, "It is good to hide the secret of a king, but honourable to reveal and confess the works of God."— (Translator.) ↩

5. "The Ecumenical Council forbids all, whether bishops, priests, deacons, or other clerics, to have under the same roof any woman save a mother, sister, aunt, or other whose relationship precludes all just ground of suspicion" (First Council of Nic«t(325), can. 3, dist. 37). — (Translator.) ↩