to acquiesce in Him to whom John bare witness. But when they said, “We do not know;”
Jesus answered them. “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.” And they
were confounded; and so was fulfilled, “I have prepared a lamp for Mine Anointed, His
enemies will I clothe with confusion.”
3. Are not Martyrs witnesses of Christ, and do they not bear witness to the truth? But
if we think more carefully, when those Martyrs bear witness, He beareth witness to Himself.
For He dwelleth in the Martyrs, that they may bear witness to the truth. Hear one of the
Martyrs, even the Apostle Paul; “Would ye receive a proof of Christ, who speaketh in
Me?”3820 When John then beareth witness, Christ, who dwelleth in John, beareth witness
to Himself. Let Peter bear witness, let Paul bear witness, let the rest of the Apostles bear
witness, let Stephen bear witness, it is He who dwelleth in them all that beareth witness to
Himself. For He without them is God, they without Him, what are they?
4. Of Him it is said, “He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, He gave gifts
unto men.”3821 What is, “He led captivity captive”? He conquered death. What is, “He led
captivity captive”? The devil was the author of death, and the devil was himself by the Death
of Christ led captive. “He ascended up on high.” What do we know higher than heaven?
Visibly and before the eyes of His disciples He ascended into heaven. This we know, this
we believe, this we confess. “He gave gifts unto men.” What gifts? The Holy Spirit. He who
giveth such a Gift, what is He Himself? For great is God’s mercy; He giveth a Gift equal to
Himself; for His Gift is the Holy Spirit, and the Whole Trinity, Father and Son and Holy
Spirit, is One God. What hath the Holy Spirit brought us? Hear the Apostle; “The love of
God,” saith he, “hath been shed abroad in our hearts.”3822 Whence, thou beggar, hath the
love of God been shed abroad in thine heart? How, or wherein hath the love of God been
shed abroad in the heart of man? “We have,” saith he, “this treasure in earthen vessels.”
Why in earthen vessels? “That the excellency of the power may be of God?”3823 Finally,
when he had said, “The love of God hath been shed abroad in our hearts;” that no man
might think that he hath this love of God of himself, he added immediately, “By the Holy
Spirit, who hath been given to us.” Therefore, that thou mayest love God, let God dwell in
thee, and love Himself in thee, that is, to His love let Him move thee, enkindle, enlighten,
arouse thee.
5. For in this body of ours there is a struggle; as long as we live, we are in combat; as
long as we are in combat, we are in peril; but, “in all these things we are conquerors through
Him who loved us.”3824 Our combat ye heard of just now when the Apostle was being read.
3820 2 Cor. xiii. 3, Vulgate.
3821 Ps. lxviii. 18; Eph. iv. 8.
3822 Rom. v. 5.
3823 2 Cor. iv. 7.
3824 Rom. viii. 37.
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On the words of the Gospel, John v. 31, ‘If I bear witness of myself,’ etc.;…