8. All these things, my brethren,—“because we have known That which is from the beginning, because we are strong, because we have known the Father,”—do all these, while they in a manner commend115    Cognitionem. knowledge, not commend charity? If we have known, let us love: for knowledge without charity saveth not. “Knowledge116    Scientia. puffeth up, charity edifieth.”117    1 Cor. viii. 1. If ye have a mind to confess and not love, ye begin to be like the demons. The demons confessed the Son of God, and said, “What have we to do with Thee?”118    Matt. viii. 29. and were repulsed. Confess and embrace. For those feared for their iniquities; love ye Him that forgiveth your iniquities. But how can we love God, if we love the world? He prepareth us therefore to be inhabited by charity.119    Sed quomodo poterimus amare Deum, si amamus mundum? Parat nos ergo inhabitari charitate, and so Bodl. 813. The ed. of Erasmus has,—separat nos a charitate Dei: “—if we love the world? It separates us from the charity of God.” And so 3 Oxf. mss. Ed. Lugdun., si amamus mundum? Si amamus mundum, separat nos a charitate Dei. Parat nos ergo inhabitare charitatem: “—if we love the world? If we love the world, it separates, &c. He prepares us therefore to inhabit charity.”—Ed. Par. There are two loves: of the world, and of God: if the love of the world inhabit, there is no way for the love of God to enter in: let the love of the world make way, and the love of God inhabit; let the better have place. Thou lovedst the world: love not the world: when thou hast emptied thine heart of earthly love, thou shalt drink in love Divine: and thenceforth beginneth charity to inhabit thee, from which can nothing of evil proceed. Hear ye therefore his words, how he goes to work in the manner of one that makes a clearance. He comes upon the hearts of men as a field that he would occupy: but in what state does he find it? If he finds a wood, he roots it up; if he finds the field cleared, he plants it. He would plant a tree there, charity. And what is the wood he would root up? Love of the world. Hear him, the rooter up of the wood! “Love not the world,” (for this comes next,) “neither the things that are in the world; if any man love the world, the120    Dilectio. love of the Father is not in him.”121    1 John ii. 15.

8. Haec omnia, fratres, quia cognovimus id quod a principio est quia fortes sumus, quia cognovimus Patrem: omnia ista quasi cognitionem commendant, charitatem non commendant? Si cognovimus, amemus: nam cognitio sine charitate non salvos fecit. Scientia inflat, charitas aedificat (I Cor. VIII, I). Si confiteri vultis et non amare, incipitis daemonibus similes esse. Confitebantur daemones Filium Dei, et dicebant, Quid nobis et tibi (Matth. VIII, 29)? et repellebantur. Confitemini, et amplectimini. Illi enim timebant de iniquitatibus suis; vos amate dimissorem iniquitatum vestrarum. Sed quomodo poterimus amare Deum, si amamus mundum? Parat nos ergo inhabitari charitate . Duo sunt amores, mundi et Dei: si mundi amor habitet, non est qua intret amor Dei: recedat amor mundi et habitet Dei; melior accipiat locum. Amabas mundum, noli amare mundum: cum exhauseris cor tuum amore terreno, hauries amorem divinum; et incipit habitare jam charitas, de qua nihil mali potest procedere. Audite ergo verba purgantis modo. Quasi agrum invenit corda hominum: sed quomodo invenit? Si silvam invenit, exstirpat; si agrum purgatum invenit, plantat. Plantare ibi vult arborem, charitatem. Et quam silvam vult exstirpare? Amorem mundi. Audi 1994 exstirpatorem silvae. Nolite diligere mundum, hoc enim sequitur, neque ea quae sunt in mundo. Si quis dilexerit mundum, dilectio Patris non est in ipso.