7… They who go down on the sea in ships, doing their business on the mighty waters; that is, among many peoples. For that waters are often put for peoples, the Apocalypse of John is witness, when on John’s asking what those waters were, it was answered him, they are peoples. They then who do their business on mighty waters, they have seen the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep. For what is deeper than human hearts? Hence often break forth winds; storms of sedition, and dissensions, disturb the ship. And what is done in them? God, willing that both they who steer, and they who are conveyed, should cry unto Him, He spoke, and the breath of the storm stood. What is, stood? Abode, continued, still disturbs, long tosses; rages, and passes not away. For He spoke, and the breath of the storm stood. And what did that breath of the storm? They go up even to the heavens, in daring; They go down even into the deeps, in fearing. Their soul wasted in miseries. They were disturbed, and moved like a drunken man. They who sit at the helm, and they who faithfully love the ship, feel what I say. Certainly, when they speak, when they read, when they interpret, they appear wise. Woe for the storm! and all their wisdom, he says, was swallowed up. Sometimes all human counsels fail; whichever way one turns himself, the waves roar, the storm rages, the arms are powerless: where the prow may strike, to what wave the side may be exposed, whither the stricken ship may be allowed to drift, from what rocks she must be kept back lest she be lost, is impossible for her pilots to see. And what is left but that which follows? And they cried out unto the Lord when they were troubled, and He delivered them from their distresses. And He commanded the storm, and it stood unto clear air, and the waves of it were still. Hear on this point the voice of a steersman, one that was in peril, was brought low, was freed. I would not, he says, have you ignorant, brethren, of our distress, which befell us in Asia, that we were pressed above strength, and above measure (I see all his wisdom swallowed up), so that we were weary, he says, even of life…

And they were glad, because they were still, and He brought them into the haven of their desire. Let His mercies confess unto the Lord, and His wonders towards the sons of men. Everywhere, without exception, let not our merits, not our strength, not our wisdom, confess unto the Lord, but, His mercies. Let Him be loved in every deliverance of ours, who has been invoked in every distress.

8. And let them exalt Him in the assembly of the people, and praise Him in the seat of the elders. Let them exalt, let them praise, peoples and elders, merchants and pilots. For what has He done in this assembly? What has He established? Whence has He rescued it? What has He granted it? Even as He resisted the proud, and gave grace to the humble: the proud, that is, the first people of the Jews, arrogant, and extolling itself on its descent from Abraham, and because to that nation were entrusted the oracles of God. These things did not avail them unto soundness, but unto pride of heart, rather to swelling than to greatness. What then did God, resisting the proud, but giving grace to the humble; cutting off the natural branches for their pride; grafting in the wild olive for its humility?

He made the rivers a wilderness. Waters did run there, prophecies were in course. Seek now a prophet among the Jews; you find none. For He made the outgoings of waters to be thirst. Let them say, Now there is no prophet more, and He will not know us any more. A fruitful land to be saltpools. You seek there the faith of Christ, you find not: you seek a prophet, you find not: you seek a sacrifice, you find not: you seek a temple, you find none. Wherefore this? From the wickedness of them that dwell therein. Behold how He resists the proud: hear how He gives grace to the humble. He made the wilderness to be a standing water, and the dry ground to be outgoings of waters. And He caused the hungry to dwell there. Because to Him it was said, You are a Priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedek. For you seek a sacrifice among the Jews; you have none after the order of Aaron. You seek it after the order of Melchizedek; you find it not among them, but through the whole world it is celebrated in the Church. From the rising of the sun to the setting thereof the name of the Lord is praised… And they sowed fields, and planted vineyards, and gat fruit of grain: at which that workman rejoices, who says, Not because I desire a gift, but I seek fruit. And He blessed them, and they were multiplied exceedingly, and their cattle were not diminished. This stands. For the foundation of God stands sure; because the Lord knows them that are His. They are called beasts of burden, and cattle, that walk simply in the Church, yet are useful; not much learned, but full of faith. Therefore, whether spiritual or carnal, He blessed them.

9. And they became few, and were vexed. Whence this? From athwart? Nay, from within. For that they should become few, They went out from us, but they were not of us. But therefore he speaks as of these, of whom he spoke before, that they may be discerned with understanding; because he speaks as if of the same, because of the sacraments they have in common. For they belong to the people of God, though not by the virtue, yet surely by the appearance of piety: for concerning them we have heard the Apostle, In the last times there shall come grievous times, for there shall be men lovers of themselves. The first evil is, lovers of themselves; that is, as being pleased with themselves. Would that they were not pleasing to themselves, and were pleasing to God: would that they would cry out in their difficulties, and be freed from their distresses. But while they presumed greatly on themselves, they were made few. It is manifest, brethren: all who separate themselves from unity become few. For they are many; but in unity, while they are not parted from unity. For when the multitude of unity has begun no more to belong to them, in heresy and schism, they are few. And they were vexed, from distress of miseries and grief. Contempt was poured on princes. For they were rejected by the Church of God, and the more because they wished to be princes, therefore they were despised, and became salt that had lost its savour, cast out abroad, so that it is trodden under foot of men. And He led them astray in the pathless place, and not in a way. Those above in the way, those directed to a city, and finally led there, not led astray; but these, where there was no way, led astray. What is, Led them astray? God gave them up to their own hearts’ lusts. For led astray means this, gave them up to themselves. For if you enquire closely, it is they that lead themselves astray… And He helped the poor out of beggary. What means this, brethren? Princes are despised, and the poor helped. The proud are cast aside, and the humble provided for… And made him households like sheep. Thou understandest one poor man and one beggar of him concerning whom he said, He has helped the poor out of misery: this poor man is now many households, this poor man is many nations; many Churches are one Church, one nation, one household, one sheep. These are great mysteries, great types, how profound, how full of hidden meanings; how sweetly discovered, since long hidden. Therefore, the righteous will consider this, and rejoice: and the mouth of all wickedness shall be stopped. That wickedness that does prate against unity, and compels truth to be made manifest, shall be convicted, and have its mouth stopped.

10. Who is wise? And he will consider these things; and will understand the mercies of the Lord…Not his own deservings, not his own strength, not his own power; but the mercies of the Lord; who, when he was wandering and in want, led him back to the path, and fed him; who, when he was struggling against the difficulties of his sins, and bound down with the fetters of habit, released and freed him; who, when he loathed the Word of God, and was almost dying with a kind of weariness, restored him by sending him the medicine of His Word; who, when he was endangered among the risks of shipwreck and storm, stilled the sea, and brought him into port; who, finally, placed him in that people, where He gives grace to the humble; not in that where he resists the proud; and has made him His own, that remaining within he may be multiplied, not that going out he may be minished. The righteous see this, and rejoice. The mouth, therefore, of all wickedness shall be stopped.