{"author":null,"canonical_references":[],"database_sha256":"8cfbe7284c6936871d57c02dc6aa63ebbdfd4722422d539dd9f716e46e91112e","date_end":null,"date_start":null,"edition_year":null,"id":"sermonindex-ecf-534","native_reference":{"book_number":690,"chapter_from":4,"chapter_to":4,"system":"MyBible module coordinates (mapping unverified)","verse_from":10,"verse_to":10},"public_import_allowed":false,"record_kind":"verse-keyed-module-record","review_required":["English edition and exact text","author/work attribution","dating","verse mapping and citation kind","reuse and attribution","split author quotations and deduplicate"],"review_status":"unreviewed","source_html":"<p><b>Augustine of Hippo</b>: \"In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us:\" we did not love Him first: for to this end loved He us, that we may love Him: \"And sent His Son to be the Atoner for our sins:\" \"litatorem,\" i.e. one that sacrifices. He sacrificed for our sins. Where did He find the sacrifice? Where did He find the victim which he would offer pure? Other He found none; His own self He offered.<br/><i>— Ten Homilies on 1 John 7</i></p><p><b>Augustine of Hippo</b>: This we have said in the case where the things done are similar. In the case where they are diverse, we find a man by charity made fierce; and by iniquity made winningly gentle. A father beats a boy, and a boy-stealer caresses. If thou name the two things, blows and caresses, who would not choose the caresses, and decline the blows? If thou mark the persons, it is charity that beats, iniquity that caresses. See what we are insisting upon; that the deeds of men are only discerned by the root of charity. For many things may be done that have a good appearance, and yet proceed not from the root of charity. For thorns also have flowers: some actions truly seem rough, seem savage; howbeit they are done for discipline at the bidding of charity. Once for all, then, a short precept is given thee: Love, and do what thou wilt: whether thou hold thy peace, through love hold thy peace; whether thou cry out, through love cry out; whether thou correct, through love correct; whether thou spare, through love do thou spare: let the root of love be within, of this root can nothing spring but what is good.<br/><i>— Ten Homilies on 1 John 7</i></p><p><b>Bede</b>: We come to God not by our own merits but by the bestowal of his grace alone, as John bears witness when he says that we did not love God but rather he loved us.<br/><i>— Homilies on the Gospels 2.3</i></p><p><b>Bede</b>: In this is love, etc. We did not love him first. For he loved us to the extent that we might love him. Grace indeed goes before man, that he may love God, by which love he works good things. Whence the Psalmist says: My God, his mercy shall anticipate me (Ps. LVIII).<br/><i>— Commentary on the Catholic Epistles</i></p><p><b>Bede</b>: And he sent his Son to be the propitiation, etc. And this is the greatest sign of divine love for us, because when we did not yet know how to ask him for forgiveness for our sins, he sent his Son to us, who, to those believing in him, would grant pardon freely and call us to the fellowship of paternal glory. In some Codices, this verse is read thus: And he sent his Son to be the altar sacrifice for our sins. The altar sacrifice means a sacrificer. For the Son of God sacrificed for our sins not by offering cattle, but by offering himself. Hence Paul rightly admonishes, saying: Therefore be ye imitators of God, as beloved children, and walk in love, as Christ also loved us, and gave himself up for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor (Eph. V). In agreement with this is what John also here adds in exhortation, saying:<br/><i>— Commentary on the Catholic Epistles</i></p><p><b>John Cassian</b>: The perfect love with which God first loved us will come into our hearts, for our faith tells us that this prayer of our Savior will not be in vain.<br/><i>— CONFERENCE 10.7</i></p>","source_html_sha256":"5ce86eec9b045908482480e898df6fbd0a7bba1f18653bc3ff34057ac84fdc77","source_module":"ECF","source_row_id":534,"source_url":"https://www.sermonindex.net/commentary/ecf/","text_sha256":"9f6fc1474887f1f18684ef37d2cbc468b1c3253b89b8229a1f363b7b21062bbd","translator":null,"work":null}