acknowledge should be He? Take away this grace, and what is Christ but a mere man? what
but the same as thou art thyself? He took a Soul, He took a Body, He took a perfect Man;
He uniteth him to Himself, the Lord maketh one Person with the servant. What pre-eminent
grace is this! Christ in heaven, Christ on earth; Christ at once both in heaven and earth; not
two Christs, but the same Christ, both in heaven and earth. Christ with the Father, Christ
in the Virgin’s womb; Christ on the Cross, Christ succouring some souls in hell; and on the
self-same day Christ in paradise with the robber who confessed. And how did the robber
attain2277 to this blessedness, but because he held on that way, in which “He showeth His
salvation”? That way, from which let not thy foot wander. For in that he accused himself,
he praised God, and made his own life blessed. He looked in hope2278 for this from the
Lord, and said to Him, “Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom.”2279
For he considered his own wicked deeds, and thought it much, if mercy should be shown
him even at the last. But the Lord immediately after He had said, “Remember me”—when?
“when Thou comest into Thy kingdom,” saith, “Verily I say unto thee, Today shall thou be
with Me in paradise.” Mercy offered at once, what misery deferred.
8. Hear then the Lord confessing; “I confess to Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and
earth.”2280 What do I confess? Wherein do I praise thee? For this confession, as I have said
before, signifieth praise. “Because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent,
and hast revealed them unto babes.” What is this, Brethren? Understand by that which is
opposed to them. “Thou hast hid these things,” saith he, “from the wise and prudent;” and
he did not say, thou hast revealed them to the foolish and imprudent, but “Thou hast hid
these things” indeed “from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.” To
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these wise and prudent, who are really objects of derision, to the arrogant who in false pre-
tence are great, yet in truth are only swollen up, he opposed not the foolish, nor the im-
prudent, but babes. Who are babes? The humble. Therefore “Thou hast hidden these things
from the wise and prudent.” Under the name of the wise and prudent, He hath Himself ex-
plained that the proud are understood, when He said, “Thou hast revealed them unto babes.”
Therefore from those who are not babes Thou hast hidden them. What is from those who
are not babes? From those who are not humble. And who are they but the proud? O way of
the Lord! Either there was none, or it lay hid, that it might be revealed to us. Why did the
Lord exult? “Because it was revealed unto babes.” We must be little babes; for if we would
wish to be great, “wise and prudent” as it were, it is not revealed unto us. Who are these
great ones? The wise and prudent. “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.”2281
2277 Meruit.
2278 Præsumpsit.
2279 Luke xxiii. 42.
2280 Matt. xi. 25.
2281 Rom. i. 22.
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On the words of the Gospel, Matt. xi. 25, ‘I thank thee, O Father, Lord…