468 GOSPEL ACCORDING TO CHAP. XII.
Greg,in nations.GREG. Or else,fireissentupon the earth,when
11"j. by the fierybreathofthe Holy Spirit,the earthlymind has
Hom.2. allitscarnaldesiresburnt up, but inflamedwith spiritual
love,bewailsthe evilithas done; and sotheearthisburnt,
when the conscienceaccusingitself,the heartof the sinner
isconsumed inthesorrowofrepentance.
BEDE. But He adds,I havea baptismto be baptizedwith,
thatis,I have firstto be sprinkledwith the dropsofMy
own Blood,and then to inflamethe heartsof believersby
thefireoftheSpirit.
AMBROSE. But sogreatwas ourLord'scondescension,that
He tellsus He hasa desireof inspiringus with devotion,of
accomplishingperfectioninus,and ofhasteningHis passion
forus; as itfollows,And how am I straitenedtillitbeac
complished? I,r:i!i;.Some manuscriptshave," And how am
coangorI anguished,"thatis,grieved.ForthoughHe hadinHimself
nothingtogrieveHim, yetwas He afflictedby ourwoes,and
atthetimeofdeathHe betrayedtheanguishwhich He un
derwentnotfrom the fearofHis death,but from thedelay
ofourredemption.For he who istroubleduntilhe reaches
perfection,issecureofperfection,fortheconditionof bodily
affectionsnotthe dreadof deathoffendshim. For he who
hasputon the body must sufferallthingswhich are of the
body,hunger,thirst,vexation,sorrow; buttheDivinenature
knows no changefrom such feelings.At thesame timeHe
alsoshews,thatintheconflictof sufferingconsiststhedeath
ofthebody,peaceofmind hasno strugglewithgrief.
BEDE. But the manner in which afterthe baptismofHis
passionand the coming of the spiritualfirethe earthwill
be burnt,He declaresas follows,Supposeye thatI am to
Eph.2,H.givepeace,fyc.CYRIL.What sayestThou,O Lord? Didst
Col.l,20.Thou not come to givepeace,who artmade peaceforus?
making peaceby Thy crosswiththingsin earthand things
John14, in heaven; who saidst,My peaceI giveuntoyou. But it
isplainthatpeaceisindeeda good,butsometimeshurtful,
and separatingus from the loveofGod, thatis,when by it
we unitewiththosewho keepaway fromGod. And forthis
reasonwe teachthe faithfulto avoidearthlybonds. Hence
it follows,For from henceforththere shallbe Jive in one
housedivided,threeagainsttwo,fyc. AMBROSE. Though the