they fear the punishments He threatens. For as that is true which He will say to those who
are set on the right hand, “Come, ye blessed of My Father, receive the kingdom prepared
for you from the foundation of the world;” 2560 so is that true, which they on the left hand
will hear, “Depart ye into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his Angels.”2561 For
this very opinion, by which men think that Christ’s threatenings against the unrighteous
and the abandoned are not true, has arisen from this, that they see many nations and multi-
tudes innumerable subject to His Name; so that hence Christ appears to them to be a
phantom, because He walked upon the sea; that is, He seems to speak falsely in His threats
of punishment, because, as it were, He cannot destroy such numberless people who are
subject to His Name and honour. But let them hear Him, saying, “It is I;” let them not
therefore “be afraid,” who believing Christ to be true in all things, not only seek after what
He hath promised, but avoid also what He hath threatened; because though He walk upon
the sea, that is, though all the nations of men in this world are subject unto Him; yet is He
no phantom, and therefore He doth not speak falsely, when He saith, “Not every one that
saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.” 2562
10. What then does Peter’s daring to come to Him on the waters also signify? For Peter
generally stands for a figure of the Church. What else then do we think is meant by, “Lord,
if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water;”2563 but, Lord, if Thou art true, and in
nothing speakest falsely, let Thy Church also be glorified in this world, because prophecy
hath proclaimed this concerning Thee. Let her walk then on the waters, and so let her come
to Thee, to whom it is said, “The rich among the people shall entreat Thy favour.”2564 But
since to the Lord the praise of men is no temptation, but men are ofttimes in the Church
disordered by human praises and honours, and well nigh sunk by them; therefore did Peter
tremble in the sea, terrified at the great violence of the storm. For who does not fear those
words, “They who call thee blessed cause thee to err, and disturb the ways of thy feet?”2565
And because the soul hath much wrestling against the eager desire of human praise, good
is it in such peril to betake one’s self to prayer and earnest entreaty: lest haply he who is
charmed with praise, be overwhelmed and sunk by blame. Let Peter cry out as he totters in
the water, and say, “Lord, save me.” For the Lord will reach forth His hand, and though He
chide, saying, “O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” wherefore didst thou not
look straight forward upon Him to whom thou wast making thy way, and glory only in the
2560 Matt. xxv. 34.
2561 Matt. xxv. 41.
2562 Matt. vii. 21.
2563 Matt. xiv. 28.
2564 Ps. xlv. 12.
2565 Isa. iii. 12, Vulgate.
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On the words of the Gospel, Matt. xiv. 24, ‘But the boat was now in the…