Works › Sermons for the Seasons of the Year
Volume 13 · pp. 267–270
Sermon LXIX. On the Fifteenth Sunday After Trinity
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SERMO LXIX.
IN DOMINICA XV POST TRINITATEM.
Nemo potest duobus dominis servire. Matth. VI, 24.
Quatuor sunt hic notanda:
I. Quis sit Dominus, cui ab universis est fideliter serviendum? II. Quis sit ille, cujus servitium ab omnibus est fugiendum? III. In quibus potissimum Dei servitus consistere videatur? VI. Quare quilibet Christo servire teneatur?
I.
De primo nota, quod ille est Dominus, cui servire debemus, quem adorant dominationes, tremunt potestates, videlicet Christus Dominus Deus noster. De isto Domino scribit Paulus I ad Tim. VI, 15 et 16: Est Rex regum, et Dominus dominantium: qui solus habet immortalitatem, et lucem inhabitat inaccessibilem. De isto etiam Domino scribit Joannes in Apoc. XIX, 11, 13 et 16, quod vidit equum album et qui sedebat super eum, vocabatur Fidelis et Verax, et cum justitia judicat, et pugnat.... Et vestitus erat veste aspersa sanguine..., habens in vestimento et in femore scriptum: Rex regum, et Dominus dominantium. Haec exponuntur de Filio Dei, cujus albus equus est caro immaculata quam sumpsit ex Virgine: vestis vero aspersa sanguine est corpus ipsius Filii Dei, quod proprio cruore effusum fuit in cruce: et in hoc vestimento est scriptum: Rex regum, et Dominus dominantium: quia ipsi humiliavit semetipsum usque ad mortem, mortem autem crucis, Deus Pater exaltavit illum, et donavit ille nomen, quod est super omne nomen: ut in nomine Jesu omne genu flectatur, caelestium, terrestrium, et infernorum 1. Huic ergo Domino soli credendum est et serviendum, unde dicit I Reg. VII, 3: Praeparate corda vestra Domino, et servite ei soli.
II.
De secundo nota, quod diabolus est ille Dominus, cujus servitium est fugiendum. Daemones enim sunt crudeles domini, sub quorum manu traditus est mundus iste. Unde dicitur Isa. XIX, 4: Tradam Aegyptum, id est, mundum, in manu dominorum crudelium. De crudelitate quoque daemonum dicitur Jer. VI, 22 et 23: Ecce populus venit de terra Aquilonis.... Sagittam et scutum arripiet: crudelis est, et non miserebitur: et super equos ascendent, praeparati quasi vir ad praelium, adversum te filia Sion. Per populum qui venit de terra Aquilonis, daemones intelliguntur, qui veniunt de regione inferni, ubi hiems regnat aeterna. Per hoc autem quod dicitur, quod super equos ascendent, hoc intelligitur, quod festinant in interitum animarum. Veniunt autem cum sagitta et scuto. Per sagittam notantur plagae irremediabiles quas inferent peccatoribus et sceleratis: per scutum vero signantur illa per quae se modo peccatores excusant a servitio Dei. Haec scuta secum deferent daemones. Ostendent enim miseris peccatoribus, quod quia se excusaverunt ne Christo servirent, propter hoc poenas patientur aeternas. Et certe ipsi crudeles sunt, et numquam animabus damnatis miserebuntur in suppliciis. Stultus est ergo qui servierit ipsis.
SERMON LXIX.
ON THE FIFTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.
No one can serve two masters. Matthew VI, 24.
Four things are to be noted here:
I. Who is the Lord whom all must faithfully serve? II. Who is that one whose service must be fled by all? III. In what things does the service of God seem chiefly to consist? VI. Why is anyone bound to serve Christ?
I.
Concerning the first, note that he is the Lord whom we ought to serve, whom dominations adore and powers tremble before, namely Christ the Lord our God. Concerning that Lord Paul writes, I Timothy VI, 15 and 16: He is King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality and inhabits inaccessible light. Concerning that Lord John also writes in Revelation XIX, 11, 13 and 16, that he saw a white horse, and he who sat upon it was called Faithful and True, and with justice he judges and fights.... And he was clothed with a garment sprinkled with blood..., having written on his garment and on his thigh: King of kings and Lord of lords. These things are expounded concerning the Son of God, whose white horse is the immaculate flesh which he took from the Virgin; but the garment sprinkled with blood is the body of the Son of God himself, which was poured out with his own blood on the cross; and on this garment is written: King of kings and Lord of lords, because he humbled himself even unto death, even the death of the cross, and God the Father exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that in the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of heavenly, earthly, and infernal beings 1. Therefore this Lord alone is to be believed and served; hence I Kings VII, 3 says: Prepare your hearts for the Lord, and serve him alone.
II.
Concerning the second, note that the devil is that lord whose service is to be fled. For demons are cruel lords, under whose hand this world has been handed over. Hence it is said in Isaiah XIX, 4: I will hand over Egypt, that is, the world, into the hand of cruel lords. Concerning the cruelty also of demons Jeremiah VI, 22 and 23 says: Behold a people comes from the land of the North.... It will take up arrow and shield; it is cruel and will not have mercy; and they will mount horses, prepared as a man for battle, against you daughter Sion. By the people that comes from the land of the North, demons are understood, who come from the region of hell, where eternal winter reigns. But by this, that it is said that they will mount horses, this is understood: that they hasten toward the destruction of souls. But they come with arrow and shield. By the arrow are noted the irremediable blows which they will bring upon sinners and criminals; but by the shield are signified those things through which sinners now excuse themselves from the service of God. Demons will carry these shields with them. For they will show miserable sinners that because they excused themselves from serving Christ, on account of this they will suffer eternal punishments. And certainly they are cruel and will never have mercy on damned souls in punishments. Therefore foolish is he who has served them.
III.
De tertio nota, quod potissimum Dei servitus consistit in quatuor, videlicet in sanctitate, in aequitate, et pietate, et castitate.
1. De servitio sanctitatis dicit Dominus Levit. XI, 44: Sancti estote, quia ego sanctus sum. Item, Deut. XXVI, 18 et 19: Et Dominus elegit te, ut sis populus sanctus. Item, Luc. I, 68, 74 et 75: Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel, quia visitavit, et fecit redemptionem plebis suae. Et infra: Ut sine timore, de manu inimicorum nostrorum liberati, serviamus illi.... in sanctitate, et justitia, etc. Sanctitas autem consistit in divino cultu, videlicet in devotione orationum et dulcedine lacrymarum, in sancta meditatione et caelestium contemplatione. Hoc servitium deberent homines Deo impendere in diebus solemnibus, quando vacant ab aliis laboribus. Unde dicitur eis: Memento, ut diem sabbati sanctifices 2. Sed, heu! tunc maxime Deum offendunt: propter hoc daemones derident sabbata nostra, sicut dicitur in Thren. I, 7.
2. De servitio castitatis Apostolus II ad Cor. VI, 4 et 6: Exhibeamus nosmetipsos sicut Dei ministros... in castitate. Item scribit I ad Timoth. V, 22: Teipsum castum custodi. Castitas autem est peredomitis vitiorum furiis munda et honesta totius corporis habitudo. Sed, heu! multi derelicta castitate serviunt immunditiis luxuriae. Unde dicitur IV Reg. XXI, 21 et 22: Servivit Ammon rex immunditiis, et adoravit eas, et dereliquit Dominum Deum patrum suorum. Ammon interpretatur onerans, vel onustus, et significat luxuriosos qui onusti sunt Domino. Laborat enim sustinens immunditias eorum. Unde ipse dicit Isa. I, 14: Laboravi sustinens.
III.
Concerning the third, note that the service of God consists chiefly in four things, namely in sanctity, in equity, in piety, and in chastity.
1. Concerning the service of sanctity the Lord says, Leviticus XI, 44: Be holy, because I am holy. Likewise, Deuteronomy XXVI, 18 and 19: And the Lord has chosen you, that you may be a holy people. Likewise, Luke I, 68, 74 and 75: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, because he has visited and made redemption of his people. And below: That, being freed from the hand of our enemies, without fear we may serve him... in sanctity and justice, etc. But sanctity consists in divine worship, namely in devotion of prayers and sweetness of tears, in holy meditation and contemplation of heavenly things. Human beings ought to spend this service for God on solemn days, when they are free from other labors. Hence it is said to them: Remember to sanctify the sabbath day 2. But, alas, then they offend God most greatly; because of this demons deride our sabbaths, as is said in Lamentations I, 7.
2. Concerning the service of chastity the Apostle says at II Corinthians VI, 4 and 6: Let us show ourselves as ministers of God... in chastity. Likewise he writes at I Timothy V, 22: Keep yourself chaste. But chastity is, after the furies of vices have been thoroughly subdued, the clean and honorable condition of the whole body. But, alas, many, having abandoned chastity, serve the uncleannesses of lust. Hence it is said in IV Kings XXI, 21 and 22: King Ammon served uncleannesses, and adored them, and abandoned the Lord God of his fathers. Ammon is interpreted burdening, or burdened, and signifies the lustful, who are burdensome to the Lord. For he labors while enduring their uncleannesses. Hence he himself says in Isaiah I, 14: I have labored enduring.
3. De servitio aequitatis sive justitiae dicitur Tob. XIII, 8: Convertimini peccatores, et facite justitiam coram Deo, credentes quod faciat vobiscum misericordiam suam. Item, dicitur Tob. XIV, 5, 10 et 11: In hora mortis suae vocavit ad se Tobias Tobiam filium suum, et septem juvenes filios ejus nepotes suos, dixitque eis: Servite Domino in veritate, et inquirite ut faciatis quae placita sunt illi: et filiis vestris mandate ut faciant justitias. Justitia vero est aequitas, jus unicuique rei tribuens pro dignitate cujusque. Pauci sunt faciunt hodie justitiam: propter hoc conqueritur Dominus, Isa. LIX, 14 et 15: Conversum est retrorsum judicium, et justitia longe stetit: quia corruit in plateis veritas, et aequitas non potuit ingredi. Et facta est veritas in oblivionem.
4. De servitio pietatis sive misericordiae scribit Apostolus I ad Tim. IV, 7 et 8: Exerce teipsum ad pietatem. Nam corporalis exercitatio, ad modicum utilis est: pietas autem ad omnia utilis est, promissionem habens vitae, quae nunc est, et futurae. Multumque igitur quisque niti debet, ut sit pius et misericors in eleemosynis dandis, et pauperibus confovendis: quia magna gratia est eis reposita, qui cum pietate sive misericordia moriuntur. Unde dicitur II Mach. XII, 45: Judas Machabaeus considerabat, quod hi, qui cum pietate dormitionem acceperant, optimam haberent repositam gratiam.
IV.
De quarto nota, quod sex causae assignantur, quare quilibet Domino servire teneatur.
Prima causa est servilis conditio. Propter servilem quippe conditionem tenemur ei servire. Ipse enim de limo nos plasmavit, quod recognovit David Rex, ita dicens in Psal. CXV, 16: O Domine, ego servus tuus, et filius ancillae tuae. Quasi dicat: O Domine, ego sum servus tuus, quia ad imaginem tuam me creasti: sum et servus tuus, quia mihi spiraculum vitae, id est, animam inspirasti. Et bene dico, quod sum servus tuus: sum enim filius ancillae tuae, id est, terrae, quae est scabellum pedum tuorum.
Secunda causa est charissima emptio. Pretioso quippe suo sanguine de potestate diaboli nos redemit. Unde dicit Apostolus I ad Corinth. VI, 20: Empti estis pretio magno. Glorificate, et portate Deum in corpore vestro. Et I Pet. I, 18 et 19: Non auro, vel argento redempti estis, sed pretioso sanguine Jesu Christi. Oportet ergo vel Domino serviamus, vel ei totum sanguinem suum quem pro nobis effudit, persolvamus; alioquin contra nos sanguis ejus aget in judicio.
3. Concerning the service of equity or justice it is said in Tobit XIII, 8: Be converted, sinners, and do justice before God, believing that he will do his mercy with you. Likewise, it is said in Tobit XIV, 5, 10 and 11: In the hour of his death Tobias called to himself Tobias his son and the seven young sons of his son, his grandsons, and said to them: Serve the Lord in truth, and seek to do the things that are pleasing to him; and command your sons that they do justices. But justice is equity, giving right to each thing according to the dignity of each. Few do justice today; on account of this the Lord complains, Isaiah LIX, 14 and 15: Judgment has been turned backward, and justice stood far off; because truth fell in the streets, and equity could not enter. And truth was made into oblivion.
4. Concerning the service of piety or mercy the Apostle writes, I Timothy IV, 7 and 8: Exercise yourself unto piety. For bodily exercise is useful for little, but piety is useful for all things, having the promise of the life that now is and of the future life. Therefore everyone ought to strive greatly to be pious and merciful in giving alms and comforting the poor, because great grace is stored up for those who die with piety or mercy. Hence it is said in II Maccabees XII, 45: Judas Maccabaeus was considering that those who had accepted sleep with piety had the best grace stored up.
IV.
Concerning the fourth, note that six causes are assigned why anyone is bound to serve the Lord.
The first cause is servile condition. For because of servile condition we are bound to serve him. For he formed us from mud, which King David acknowledged, speaking thus in Psalm CXV, 16: O Lord, I am your servant and the son of your handmaid. As if he were saying: O Lord, I am your servant because you created me according to your image; and I am your servant because you breathed into me the breath of life, that is, the soul. And I say well that I am your servant, for I am the son of your handmaid, that is, of the earth, which is the footstool of your feet.
The second cause is the most dear purchase. For with his precious blood he redeemed us from the power of the devil. Hence the Apostle says, I Corinthians VI, 20: You have been bought with a great price. Glorify and carry God in your body. And I Peter I, 18 and 19: You were redeemed not with gold or silver, but with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Therefore it is fitting either that we serve the Lord, or that we repay to him all his blood which he poured out for us; otherwise his blood will plead against us in judgment.
Tertia causa est impensi servitii recompensatio. Recompensare quippe debemus Deo servitium, quo nobis servivit. Unde ipse dicit Isa. XLIII, 24: Servire me fecisti in peccatis tuis, praebuisti mihi laborem in iniquitatibus tuis. Omnia quae Dominus fecit in carne, quasi quaedam servitus fuit, videlicet quod jejunavit, quod ploravit, quod praedicavit, quod oravit, quod infirmos curavit, et quod dorsum suum exhibuit percutientibus, et genas vellentibus, et quod faciem suam a conspuentibus non avertit, et quod suum patibulum ipse tulit, et caetera plura.
Quarta causa est propriae promissionis obligatio: promisimus enim in baptismo, quod ei servire deberemus. Unde dicit Eccle. V, 3 et 4: Si quid vovisti Deo, ne moreris reddere: multo enim melius est non vovere, quam post vota promissa non reddere.
Quinta causa est quotidiani boni erogatio. Quotidie namque recipimus beneficia Dei, quo merito deservire debemus. Et certe longum esset singula beneficia Dei, quae quotidie de manu suae clementiae suscipimus, per ordinem recitare. Ut autem de omnibus aliis beneficiis Dei taceam, quantum putatis quod valeat aer quem omni tempore ad inspirandum accipimus et exspirandum?
Sexta causa est aeternae mercedis exspectatio. Unde dicitur Isa. XL, 9 et 10: Dic civitatibus Juda: Ecce Deus vester: ecce Dominus Deus in fortitudine veniet: ecce merces ejus cum eo. Ipse etiam Dominus dicit, Matth. V, 12: Gaudete, et exsultate, quoniam merces vestra copiosa est in caelis. Bene dicit copiosa, quia si numerari possent stellae caeli, numerari etiam poterit merces et praemium servorum Dei.
Rogate ergo Dominum, ut tam fideliter ei in hac vita serviamus, ut post hanc vitam ad mercedem inenarrabilem perveniamus, etc.
The third cause is recompense for service spent upon us. For we ought to recompense God for the service by which he served us. Hence he himself says in Isaiah XLIII, 24: You made me serve in your sins; you provided labor for me in your iniquities. All the things that the Lord did in the flesh were as it were a certain service, namely that he fasted, that he wept, that he preached, that he prayed, that he cured the sick, and that he offered his back to those striking him, and his cheeks to those plucking them, and that he did not turn his face away from those spitting upon him, and that he himself bore his gibbet, and many other things.
The fourth cause is the obligation of one's own promise: for we promised in baptism that we ought to serve him. Hence Ecclesiastes V, 3 and 4 says: If you have vowed anything to God, do not delay to render it; for it is much better not to vow than after vows not to render the things promised.
The fifth cause is the giving out of daily good. For daily we receive God's benefits, for which by merit we ought to serve him. And certainly it would be long to recount in order each benefit of God that we receive daily from the hand of his clemency. But, to be silent concerning all the other benefits of God, how much do you think the air is worth which we receive at every time for breathing in and breathing out?
The sixth cause is expectation of eternal reward. Hence it is said in Isaiah XL, 9 and 10: Say to the cities of Judah: Behold your God; behold, the Lord God will come in strength; behold, his reward is with him. The Lord himself also says, Matthew V, 12: Rejoice and exult, because your reward is abundant in the heavens. He says abundant well, because if the stars of heaven could be numbered, the reward and prize of the servants of God could also be numbered.
Therefore ask the Lord that we may serve him so faithfully in this life that after this life we may come to the ineffable reward, etc.
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