Notes: Serm. 5 in Quad — Lam. ii. 19.

But let us return to the Lord Jesus. While, then, our Lord was praying on the mountain, the disciples were in great distress and dismay upon the sea ; for the wind was contrary to them, and the ship was tossed by the winds and waves. Behold them, then, with pity, for they are in much anxiety and distress. For the tempest raged against them, and it was night, and they were without their Lord. But in the fourth watch of the night, the Lord came down from the mountain and came near to them, walking on the sea. Behold Him, then, here as your God, and see how, wearied with long watching and long prayer, He comes down the steep and, it may be, rugged mountain, perhaps barefoot, and how He walks upon the sea with firm step as on land. Thus the creature seemed to recognize the Creator. But when He drew near to the ship, the disciples were afraid and cried out, thinking Him to be a spectre; but the gracious Lord, unwilling that they should be any longer terrified, reassured them, saying, “It is I ; be not afraid.”⁸ Then Peter, confident in the power of the Lord, and at His bidding, began himself to walk on the sea ; but tottering, he soon began to sink, when the Right Hand of the Lord upheld him, and kept him from sinking. On this passage the old commentary says, “The Lord bade him walk upon the sea, that he might manifest His Divine power; He permitted him to sink, lest he should be unmindful of his own weakness, lest he should feel himself to be equal with God and become proud.” But upon the Lord entering the ship the storm ceased, and all became calm. And the disciples reverently received Him, and rejoiced greatly, and remained in perfect tranquillity. Behold Him, then, attentively, and the disciples also, in the circumstances which I have related, for they are beautiful, and afford matter for devout meditation. From this deed, then, you may draw the moral consideration that our Lord acts thus with us daily in a spiritual manner; He suffers and permits His elect to be afflicted in this world, both inwardly and outwardly, for He “scourgeth every son whom He receive th.”⁹ # For those who are without discipline are not sons, as the Apostle says, but bastards. It is, indeed, good for us to undergo trial and affliction here, for we are thereby taught, and gain virtues, and preserve those we have already acquired, and, what is more, we lay up future and eternal rewards thereby. And, therefore, we ought not to be broken in spirit by tribulations, or become impatient, but rather to love and value them. But because the great use of afflictions is unknown to many, they deem them, therefore, hard and insupportable. That you, however, may be well instructed on this matter, and may bear them patiently, I, as usual, bring forward the words of S. Bernard as an authority. He says, ” Tribulation is useful, for it works out our probation, and leads to glory. ‘I am with him/ says the Psalmist, in trouble /¹⁰ etc. Let us, then, give thanks to the Father of mercies, Who is with us in trouble, and ‘ comforteth us in all our tribulation /¹¹ For, I have said, tribulation is a necessary thing, and is converted into glory and changed into joy — joy, indeed, long, which no one may take from usa great joy, a full joy. Tribulation is necessary, and it is a necessity which brings us our crown. Let us not, then, despise it, brethren ; the seed is small, but great are the fruits which spring from it Perhaps it is tasteless, perhaps bitter ; perhaps it is like a grain of mustard seed. We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen in it For the things which are seen are temporal, the things which are not seen are eternal .”¹² And again, “* I am with him in trouble / 6 saith the Lord, and I will seek for no other merit than tribulation. ‘ It is good for me to hold me fast by God/ But not only so, but also ‘ to put my trust in the Lord God/ 6 for ‘ I will deliver him and bring him to honour; yea, I am with him in trouble. My delights/ he says, ‘are with the sons of men/¹³ lie came down to earth, that He might be nigh unto those who are of a contrite heart, that He might be with us in our tribulation. But there shall be a time when we shall be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air ; and so shall we ever be with the Lord, provided that, however, we are in the meanwhile careful to have Him with us now. It is good for me, O Lord, to be in trouble, if only Thou Thyself art with me ; rather than to reign without Thee, to feast without Thee, to glory without Thee. ‘The furnace proveth the potter’s vessels, and tribulation tries the just.¹⁴ Why do we fear? Why do we hesitate ? Why do we shrink from this furnace ? Does the fire rage ? — but the Lord is with us in tribulation. If God be with us, who can be against us ? If He wills to deliver us, who is there who shall take us out of His hand ? Lastly, if He glorify us, who shall humble us?” Again S. Bernard says, “Not only, then, in hope, but in tribulation we glory. ‘Most gladly, therefore/ says S. Paul, ‘will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.’ # That infirmity is to be desired which is compensated by the power of Christ, Who will grant me not only to be weak, but to faint and fail as far as myself is concerned, so that I may be strengthened by the power of the Lord of Hosts. For His ‘ strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Lastly, he says, When I am weak, then am I strong.’” 4 Again the same writer says, 4 “It is on this account that the Spouse in the Canticles calls the Beloved not a bundle, but a little bundle,¹⁵ because she regards as light everything which is done or suffered for love of Him. Truly, a little bundle ; for unto us a Litde Child 7 is born. Truly, a little bundle ; for ‘ the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For our light affliction/ he says, ‘ which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory/¹⁶ That, then, shall one day be to us a huge pile of glory, which is now but a little bundle of myrrh. Is not that a little bundle, of which it is said the ‘yoke is easy and burden light’? Not, remember, that it is light in itself, for the bitterness of death is no light trial, but a severe one ; but it is light to him who loves.”¹⁷ Again, S. Bernard says on the words, “For the arrow that flieth by day,” “If we are minded to look at the whole body of the Church, we may easily observe that spiritual men are far more fiercely attacked than carnal. This truly is the work of proud and envious malice, which always assails more violently the most perfect, according to these words, ‘ His meat is choice.’¹⁸ Nay, it is, in a certain way, a dispensation of Divine Providence, that the imperfect should not be tempted above that they are able to bear, but with the temptation have a way to escape ; and that the perfect should achieve not only more glorious, but more numerous triumphs over the enemy.” And a little further on he says, “With far greater anxiety and redoubled cunning does the enemy strive to wound us on the right side than on the left, for ifis not so much the substance of the body as the life of the soul which he labours to undermine.” And again, below this, he adds, “We must direct all our resistance to those points where the pressure is most urgent, where the whole weight of the war hangs heaviest, where the entire issue of the struggle depends. Here must be decided the question, whether we shall be conquered and reduced to an ignominious slavery, or conquer and be crowned with glory and triumph.” And again, “This is the favour and mercy of God towards His servants, and His regard for His elect, that whilst He feigns for a while to be unmindful of their left wing, He always stands by and protects the right. Hence it is the prophet’s testimony, i I have set God always before me ; for He is on my right hand, therefore I shall not fall.’”¹⁹ And again S. Bernard says, “Would that Thou wert always on my right hand, good Jesus; and that Thou didst always hold me by it For I know and am certain that no adversity shall hurt me, if no iniquity reigns over me. Let me be cut and beaten on my left, attacked with violence, covered with reproach, I will willingly endure it ; if only during it I am upheld by Thee, and Thou Thyself art my defence upon my right hand.”²⁰ Again, “It is one thing to be prompted by virtue, another to be governed by reason ; it is one thing to be ruled by virtue, another to be delighted with sweetness. For though wisdom is powerful, and virtue sweet, yet — to use words rightly — power characterizes virtue, and calmness of mind, accompanied with a certain spiritual sweetness, appertains to wisdom. This, I believe, the Apostle meant, when, after much exhortation respecting virtue, he added, that wisdom consists in sweetness in the Holy Ghost.²¹ To resist, therefore, to meet violence by counter violence, is that which belongs especially to virtue, is an honour, but it is also a toil. For it is not the same thing to defend your honour with labour, and to possess it in peace. It is one thing to be actuated by virtue, another to enjoy the practice of it Whatever virtue acquires by labour, wisdom enjoys ; and what wisdom enjoins and settles, virtue manages and brings to pass. ‘The wisdom of a learned man cometh by opportunity of leisure,’ 4 says the Wise Man ; the leisure, therefore, of wisdom promotes business, and the more there is of leisure, the more opportunity there is for business in its proper sphere. On the other hand, virtue shines with a greater lustre the more it is exercised, and the proof of its excellence lies in the amount of toil it can undergo. And if any one should define wisdom to be the love of virtue, I do not think that he would be far off the mark. But where love is, labour is not, but sweetness. And perhaps the word for wisdom in Latin is derived from a word which signifies a relish, 1 implying, as a kind of quality or accidental accompaniment of virtue, a sort of sweetness which is imported into that which otherwise would be insipid or bitter. Neither should I quarrel with any one who defined wisdom a taste for good.” And further on the same writer proceeds, “Therefore it is the part of virtue to bear trials bravely ; of wisdom, to find a joy in them. To wait on the Lord 2 and be of a good courage, belongs to virtue ; to taste and see how gracious the Lord is, # appertains to wisdom. And that both may be the better known by the types of character which are produced by them; modesty of mind is a proof of wisdom ; constancy marks the man of virtue. And well is it that wisdom should come after virtue, for virtue is as it were a firm foundation, upon which wisdom builds for herself a house .” 4

Again, “Happy is the man who accepts the sufferings of his body for righteousness’ sake, and is willing to suffer all for the Son of God ; without repining in his heart, and with thanksgiving and praise upon his lips. He who thus exults, is the one who takes up his bed and goes into his house. Our bed is our body, in which before we lay languishing, serving our desires and lusts. We carry it, when we make it obey the spirit” Again, “Truly manifold is the Spirit, who in such manifold ways inspires the sons of men, that there is no one that is hidden from the heat thereof. He is given to them for use, for miracles, for salvation, for help, for solace, for fervour. For the use of life, indeed, He gives both to good and bad, to unworthy and worthy alike, all benefits abundantly, so that He hardly seems to observe any rule of discrimination. He would be ungrateful, who did not recognize in these things the benefits of the Spirit As to miracles, in signs, wonders, and various mighty works which were wrought by the hands of some, He was present It was He who worked so many miracles in days of old, and who fortifies our faith in the present by memories of the past But because to some even this is bestowed without avail to themselves, He in the third place infuses the grace of salvation, the effect of which is, that we turn with all our heart to the Lord our God. Further, the Spirit is given for help, when He²² helpeth our infirmities ’ in all our struggles. And when the Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God, that inspiration is for consolation. He is also given for fervour, when in the hearts of the perfect, breathing with more of vehemency, He enkindles a strong flame of charity, so that we not only rejoice in the hope of the glory of the sons of God, but also in tribulations, deeming reproach glory, disgrace joy, contempt exultation. To all of us, lest I am deceived, the Spirit is given for salvation ; but not to all for fervour. For there are but few who are filled with this Spirit, few who strive earnestly to attain spiritual excellence. We are content with our narrowness, neither do we aspire to liberty, nor ever, perhaps, desire it” 1

Notes: i.e. “Sapientia,” from “sapor.” — Ps. xxvii. 16 — Ps. xxiv. 8 — S. Bernard, Serm, de Passione Dom. in Fer., 4 Hebd. Sane.

Thus you have seen, then, with how many and beautiful reasons, and with what surpassing eloquence, S. Bernard proves to us the advantage of trials. Do not marvel, then, if the Lord permits His own disciples, whom He so greatly loved, to be tossed with tempests, seeing the advantage which they would gain thereby. For several times it is related that their boat was violently beaten by waves and contrary winds, but it was never overwhelmed by them. Learn, then, to turn to account these lessons, and so to establish and direct your heart, that in all adverse events, and oppositions of whatever kind, you may bear yourself patiently and joyfully, and so diligently walk in the path of the Spirit, that, being filled with fervour, you may even desire tribulation for the love of the Lord Jesus, who in His own case, and that of His disciples, has held and pointed out this exalted way.

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Footnotes

1. S. Mark vi. 45 ; S. John vi. 15 ; S. Matt. xiv. 22. ↩

2. S. Luke xviii. i. ↩

3. S. Luke xi. 5. ↩

4. Serm. 9 in Cant ↩

5. S. Mark xi. 24. ↩

6. Ps. xxxvii. 4. ↩

7. Serm. 86 in Cant. ↩

8. S. Matt, xvi. 27. ↩

9. Heb. xii. 6. ↩

10. Ps. xci. 15. * 2 Cor. i. 4. ↩

11. Serm. xvii., Qui habitat. ↩

12. Ps. xci. 15. 0 Ps. lxxiii. 27. ↩

13. Ps. xcL l$. ↩

14. Prov. viii. 31. * 2 Cor. xii. 9. ↩

15. Serm. xxv. in Cant ↩

16. Serm. xliii. in Cant ↩

17. “ Fasciculus.” V. T “Parvulus.” Is. ix. 6. V. ↩

18. 2 Cor. iv. 17. ↩

19. Serm. 43 in Cant ↩

20. Hab. i. 16. V* ↩

21. Ps. xvi. 9. ↩

22. Scrm. 3 in Pent. ↩