91. So, then, man rose because man died; man was raised again, but God raised him. Then it was man according to the Flesh, now God is all in all.124    1 Cor. xv. 28. For now we know not Christ according to the flesh,125    2 Cor. v. 16. but we possess the grace of that Flesh, so that we know Him the firstfruits of them that rest,126    1 Cor. xv. 23. the firstborn of the dead.127    Col. i. 18. Now the first-fruits are undoubtedly of the same nature and kind as the remaining fruits, the first of which are offered to God as a petition for a richer increase, as a holy thank-offering for all gifts, and as a kind of libation of that nature which has been restored. Christ, then, is the firstfruits of them that rest. But is this of His own who are at rest, who, as it were, freed from death, are holden by a kind of sweet slumber, or of all those who are dead? “As in Christ all die, so too in Christ shall all be made alive.”128    1 Cor. xv. 22. So, then, as the firstfruits of death were in Adam, so also the firstfruits of the resurrection are in Christ.

92. All men rise again, but let no one lose heart, and let not the just grieve at the common lot of rising again, since he awaits the chief fruit of his virtue. All indeed shall rise again,129    1 Cor. xv. 23. but, as says the Apostle, “each in his own order.” The fruit of the Divine Mercy is common to all, but the order of merit differs. The day gives light to all, the sun warms all, the rain fertilises the possessions of all with genial showers.

93. We are all born, and we shall all rise again, but in each state, whether of living or of living again, grace differs and the condition differs. For, “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, the dead shall rise incorruptible and we shall be changed.”130    1 Cor. xv. 52. Moreover, in death itself some rest, and some live. Rest is good, but life is better. And so the Apostle rouses him that is resting to life, saying: “Rise, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.”131    Eph. v. 14. Therefore he is aroused that he may live, that he may be like to Paul, that he may be able to say: “For we that are alive shall not prevent those that are asleep.”132    1 Thess. iv. 14. He speaks not here of the common manner of life, and the breath which we all alike enjoy, but of the merit of the resurrection. For, having said, “And the dead which are in Christ shall rise first,” he adds further; “And we that are alive shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet Christ in the air.”133    1 Thess. iv. 17.

94. Paul certainly is dead, and by his honourable passion exchanged the life of the body for everlasting glory; did he then deceive himself when he wrote that he should be caught up alive in the clouds to meet Christ? We read the same too of Enoch134    Gen. v. 24. and of Elijah,135    2 [4] Kings ii. 11. and thou too shalt be caught up in the Spirit. Lo the chariot of Elijah, lo the fire, though not seen are prepared, that the just may ascend, the innocent be borne forth, and thy life may not know death. For indeed the apostles knew not death, according to that which was said: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, many of those standing here shall not taste death until they see the Son of man coming in His kingdom.”136    S. Matt. xvi. 28. For he lives, who has nothing in him which can die, who has not from Egypt any shoe or bond, but has put it off before laying aside the service of this body. And so not Enoch alone is alive, for not he alone was caught up; Paul also was caught up to meet Christ.

95. The patriarchs also live, for God could not be called the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, except the dead were living; for He is not the God of the dead but of the living.137    S. Luke xx. 38. And we, too, shall live if we be willing to copy the deeds and habits of our predecessors. We are astonished at the rewards of the patriarchs, let us copy their faithfulness; we tell of their grace, let us follow their obedience; let us not, enticed by appetite, fall into the snares of the world. Let us lay hold of the opportunity, of the commandment of the Law, the mercy of our vocation, the desire of suffering. The patriarchs went forth from their own land, let us go forth in purpose from the power of the body; let us go forth in purpose as they in exile; but they esteemed that not to be exile which the fear of God caused, necessity did not enforce. They changed their land for another soil, let us change earth for heaven; they changed in earthly habitation, let us change in spirit. To them Wisdom showed the heaven illuminated with stars,138    Gen. xv. 5. let it enlighten the eyes of our heart. Thus does the type agree with the truth, and the truth with the type.

96. Abraham, ready to receive strangers, faithful towards God, devoted in ministering, quick in his service, saw the Trinity in a type;139    Gen. xviii. 2. he added religious duty to hospitality, when beholding Three he worshipped One, and preserving the distinction of the Persons, yet addressed one Lord, he offered to Three the honour of his gift, while acknowledging one Power. It was not learning but grace which spoke in him, and he believed better what he had not learnt than we who have learnt. No one had falsified the representation of the truth, and so he sees Three, but worships the Unity. He brings forth three measures of fine meal, and slays one victim,140    Gen. xv. 6 ff. considering that one sacrifice is sufficient, but a triple gift; one victim, an offering of three. And in the four kings,141    Gen. xiv. who does not understand that he subjected to himself the elements of the material creation, and all earthly things in a sign whereby the Lord’s Passion was prefigured? Faithful in war, moderate in his triumph, in that he preferred not to become richer by the gifts of men, but by those of God.

97. He believed that he when old could beget a son,142    Gen. xv. 6. and judged himself when a father able to sacrifice his son; nor did his fatherly affection tremble when duty aided the right hand of the old man,143    Gen. xxii. 11. for he knew that his son would be more acceptable to God when sacrificed than when whole. Therefore he brings his well-beloved son to be sacrificed, and offered promptly him whom he had received late; nor is he restrained by being called by the name of father, when his son called him “Father,” and he replied, “My son.” Dear pledges of love are these names, but the commands of God are loved still more. And so although their hearts felt for each other, their purpose remained firm. The father’s hand stretched out the knife over his son, and the father’s heart struck the blow that the sentence might not fail of being carried out; he feared lest the stroke should miss, lest his right hand should fail. He felt the movings of fatherly affection, but did not shrink from the work of submission, and hastened his obedience, even when he heard the voice from heaven. Let us then set God before all those whom we love, father, brother, mother, that He may preserve for us those whom we love, as in the case of Abraham we behold rather the liberal Rewarder than the servant.

98. The father offered indeed his son, but God is appeased not by blood but by dutiful obedience. He showed the ram in the thicket144    Gen. xxii. 13. in the stead of the lad, that He might restore the son to his father, and yet the victim not fail the priest. And so Abraham was not stained with his son’s blood, nor was God deprived of the sacrifice. The prophet spoke, and neither yielded to boastfulness nor continued obstinate, but took the ram in exchange for the lad. And by this is shown the more how piously he offered him whom he now so gladly received back. And thou, if thou offer thy gift to God, dost not lose it. But we are tenacious of our own; God gave His only Son for us,145    Rom. viii. 32. we refuse ours. Abraham saw this and recognized the mystery, that salvation should be to us from the Tree, nor did it escape his notice that in one and the same sacrifice it was One that seemed to be offered, Another which could be slain.

99. Let us, then, imitate the devotion of Abraham, let us imitate the goodness of Isaac, let us imitate his purity. The man was plainly good and chaste, full of devotion towards God, chaste towards his wife. He returned not evil for evil, yielded to those who would thrust him out, received them again on their repentance, neither violent towards insolence, nor stubborn towards kindness. Fleeing from strife when he went away from others, ready to forgive when he received them again, and still more lavish of goodness when he forgave them. The fellowship of his company was sought, he gave in addition a feast of pleasure.

100. In Jacob, too, let us imitate the type of Christ, let there be some likeness of his actions in ourselves. We shall have our share with him, if we imitate him. He was obedient to his mother, he yielded to his brother, he served his father-in-law, he sought his wages from the increase, not from a division of the flocks. There was no covetous division, where his portion brought such gain. Nor was that sign without a purpose, the ladder from earth to heaven,146    Gen. xxviii. 12. wherein was seen the future fellowship between men and angels through the cross of Christ, whose thigh was paralyzed,147    Gen. xxxii. 25. that in his thigh he might recognize the Heir of his body, and foretell by the paralyzing of his thigh the Passion of his Heir.

91. Ergo resurrexit homo, quoniam homo mortuus est: resuscitatus homo, sed resuscitans Deus. Tunc secundum carnem homo, nunc per omnia Deus: nunc enim secundum carnem jam non novimus Christum, sed carnis gratiam tenemus; ut ipsum primitias quiescentium, ipsum primogenitum ex mortuis noverimus. Primitiae utique ejusdem sunt generis atque naturae, cujus et reliqui fructus quorum pro laetiore proventu primitiva Deo munera deferuntur, sacrum munus pro omnibus, et quasi reparatae quaedam 1341B libamina naturae. Primitiae ergo quiescentium Christus. Sed utrum suorum quiescentium, qui quasi mortis exsortes dulci quodam sopore teneantur, an omnium mortuorum? Sed sicut in Adam omnes moriuntur, ita et in Christo omnes vivificabuntur (I Cor. XV, 22). Itaque sicut primitiae mortis in Adam, ita etiam primitiae resurrectionis in Christo.

92. Omnes resurgunt, sed nemo desperet, neque justus doleat commune consortium resurgendi; cum praecipuum fructum virtutis exspectet. Omnes quidem resurgent, sed unusquisque, ut ait Apostolus, in suo ordine (Ibid., 23). Communis est divinae fructus clementiae, sed distinctus ordo meritorum. Dies omnibus lucet, sol omnes populos fovet, pluvia possessiones omnium uberiore imbre fecundat.

1341C 93. Omnes nascimur, omnes resurgemus: sed in utroque vel vivendi, vel reviviscendi gratia dispar, diversa conditio. In momento enim, in ictu oculi, in novissima tuba mortui resurgent incorrupti, et nos immutabimur (Ibid., 52). Quinetiam in ipsa morte quiescunt alii, vivunt alii. Bona quies, sed vita melior. Denique Paulus ad vitam excitat quiescentem, dicens: Surge, qui dormis, et exsurge a mortuis, et illuminabit tibi Christus (Ephes. V, 14). Ergo hic excitatur, ut vivat, ut similis Pauli sit, ut possit dicere: Quia nos qui vivimus, non praeveniemus eos qui dormierunt (I Thess. IV, 14). Non enim communem hunc vivendi loquitur usum, spirandique commercium, sed meritum resurgendi. Nam cum dixisset. Et mortui qui in 1159 Christo sunt, resurgent 1341D primi (Ibid., 15); subjecit deinde: Et nos qui vivimus, simul cum illis rapiemur in nubibus obviam Christo in aera.

94. Utique mortuus est Paulus, et passione venerabili vitam corporis cum immortali gloria commutavit: 1342A num fefellit ergo qui se viventem scripsit in nubibus obviam Christo esse rapiendum? Hoc enim de Enoch legimus (Gen. V, 24), aut Elia (IV Reg. II, 11): sed et tu rapieris in spiritu. Ecce currus Eliae, ecce ignes, etsi non videntur, parantur; ut justus ascendat, innocens transferatur, et tua vita mori nesciat. Denique apostoli mori nescierunt; unde et dictum est: Amen, amen dico vobis, multi ex his astantibus non gustabunt mortem, donec videant Filium hominis venientem in regno suo (Matth. XVI, 28). Vivit enim qui non habet, quod moriatur in eo, qui non habet ex Aegypto calceamentum aliquod aut vinculum: sed exuit illud priusquam corporis hujus deponat officium. Non solus itaque Enoch vivit, quia non solus est raptus: rapitur et Paulus obviam 1342B Christo.

95. Vivunt etiam patriarchae; neque enim aliter Deus Abraham, Deus Isaac, et Deus Jacob, nisi mortui viverent, diceretur; Deus enim mortuorum non est, sed viventium (Luc. XX, 38). Vivemus et nos, si gesta moresque majorum voluerimus imitari. Miramur patriarcharum praemia, imitemur obsequia: praedicamus gratiam, sequamur obedientiam, non escis inducti, saeculi laqueos incidamus. Arripiamus opportunitatem temporis, praescriptum Legis, clementiam vocationis, desiderium passionis. Exierunt de terra sua patriarchae, et nos exeamus proposito de corporis potestate; nos exeamus proposito, illi exsilio: sed exsilium non putarunt, quod devotio obiret, non necessitas imperaret. Illi terram solo mutarunt, 1342C nos terram coelo mutemus: illi habitatione, nos spiritu. Illis illuminatum stellis coelum ostenderit sapientia, nostri cordis oculos illuminet. Sic typus veritati, et veritas concurrit typo.

96. Abraham paratus excipiendis hospitibus (Gen. XVIII, 2), fidelis Deo, impiger ministerio promptus officio, Trinitatem in typo vidit, hospitalitatem religione cumulavit, tres suspiciens, unum adorans; et personarum distinctione servata, unum tamen Dominum nominabat, tribus honorificentiam muneris deferens, et unam significans potestatem. Loquebatur enim in eo non doctrina, sed gratia: et melius credebat ille, quod non didicerat, quam nos qui didicimus. Nemo enim typum falsaverat veritatis, et ideo tres videt, sed unitatem veneratur. Tres mensuras 1342D similaginis promit, unum immolat vitulum; satis credens unum esse sacrificium, trium munus: unam hostiam, trium gratiam. Nam in quatuor regibus (Gen. XIV, 1 et seq.) quis non intelligat quod materialis elementa naturae, praefiguratae Dominicae 1343A passionis indicio, et omnia sibi mundana subjecerit? Fidelis in bello, abstemius in triumpho, qui donis non hominum ditescere, sed Dei mallet.

1160 97. Generare se posse filium senex credidit, immolare posse se filium pater judicavit (Gen. XXII, 11): nec patrius trepidavit affectus, cum senis dexteram pietas adjuvaret; sciebat enim acceptiorem Deo filium immolatum esse, quam sanum. Ergo adducit ad sacrificium filium dilectissimum; et quem sero susceperat, cito obtulit: nec paterni nominis appellatione revocatur, cum ille patrem vocaret, hic filium. Chara quidem nominum pignora, sed amabiliora Dei praecepta. Itaque licet compaterentur corda, vota durabant. Distrinxit super filium gladium paterna manu, et patrio percussit affectu, 1343B ne periret poena: trepidavit, ne ictus erraret, dextera deficeret. Sensit pietatis affectum, sed non omisit devotionis negotium: et properabat obsequium, etiam cum audiret oraculum. Unde nos quoque Deum omnibus, quos diligimus, praeferamus, patri, fratribus, matri; ut possit nobis servare dilectos, sicut in Abraham uberiorem remuneratorem, quam ministrum videmus.

98. Obtulit quidem filium pater, sed Deus non sanguine, sed pietate placatur. Ovem pro homine demonstravit in ligno; ut et filium patri redderet, nec periret hostia sacerdoti. Itaque nec Abraham parricidio cruentatus est, nec Deus sacrificio defraudatus. Vidit propheta, nec affectavit jactantiam, nec tenuit pertinaciam: ovem pro homine mutavit. Quo 1343C magis ostenditur, quam religiose obtulerit, quem tam libenter recepit. Et tu si Deo munus tuum offeras, non amittis. Sed avari sumus. Deus unicum Filium morti pro nobis obtulit (Rom. VIII, 32), nos nostros negamus. Vidit hoc Abraham, et agnovit mysterium, salutem nobis in ligno futuram: nec latuit in uno eodemque sacrificio aliud esse quod videretur offerri, aliud quod posset occidi.

99. Imitemur ergo Abrahae devotionem, imitemur Isaac bonitatem, imitemur castimoniam. Bonus plane et pudicus vir, devotus Deo, castus uxori: qui injuriam non reddidit, excludentibus cessit, poenitentes eosdem recepit, nec protervus contumaciae, nec durus gratiae. Litium fugitans, cum recederet: facilis veniae, cum reciperet: profusior bonitate, 1343D cum ignosceret. Petebatur societatis consortium, adjunxit convivium voluptatis.

100. Imitemur etiam in Jacob typum Christi, sit ejus in nobis aliqua similitudo factorum. Erimus consortes, si fuerimus imitatores. Matri obedivit, fratri cessit, socero servivit, mercedem de lucris, non de gregis divisione quaesivit. Non avara divisio, ubi lucrativa portio. Nec illa otiosa significatio, scala 1344A de coelo (Gen. XXVIII, 12), quod per crucem Christi angelorum atque hominum futura consortia viderentur. Cui obstupefactum est femur (Gen. XXXII, 29), ut in femore suo agnosceret generationis haeredem, et obstupefactio femoris passionem prophetaret haeredis.