Chapter 52 [XXXII.]—Why Christ, After His Resurrection, Withdrew His Presence from the World.

Although, therefore, the Lord wrought many visible miracles in order that faith might sprout at first and be fed by infant nourishment, and grow to its full strength by and by out of this softness (for as faith becomes stronger the less does it seek such help); He nevertheless wished us to wait quietly, without visible inducements, for the promised hope, in order that “the just might live by faith;”424    Hab. ii. 4. and so great was this wish of His, that though He rose from the dead the third day, He did not desire to remain among men, but, after leaving a proof of his resurrection by showing Himself in the flesh to those whom He deigned to have for His witnesses of this event, He ascended into heaven, withdrawing Himself thus from their sight, and conferring no such thing on the flesh of any one of them as He had displayed in His own flesh, in order that they too “might live by faith,” and in the present world might wait in patience and without visible inducements for the reward of that righteousness in which men live by faith,—a reward which should hereafter be visibly and openly bestowed. To this signification I believe that passage must be referred which He speaks concerning the Holy Ghost: “He will not come, unless I depart.”425    John xvi. 7. For this was in fact saying Ye shall not be able to live righteously by faith, which ye shall have as a gift of mine,—that is, from the Holy Ghost,—unless I withdraw from your eyes that which ye now gaze upon, in order that your heart may advance in spiritual growth by fixing its faith on invisible things. This righteousness of faith He constantly commends to them. Speaking of the Holy Ghost, He says, “He shall reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they have not believed on me: of righteousness, because I go to the Father, and ye shall see me no more.”426    John xvi. 8–10. What is that righteousness, whereby men were not to see Him, except that “the just is to live by faith,” and that we, not looking at the things which are seen, but at those which are not seen, are to wait in the Spirit for the hope of the righteousness that is by faith?

CAPUT XXXII.

52. Cur Christus post resurrectionem praesentiam suam mundo subduxerit. Quamvis itaque multa Dominus visibilia miracula fecerit, unde ipsa fides velut quibusdam primordiis lactescentibus germinaret, et in suum robur ex illa teneritudine coalesceret (tanto est enim fortior, quanto magis jam ista non quaerit): tamen illud quod promissum speramus, invisibiliter voluit exspectari, ut justus ex fide viveret, in tantum ut nec ipse qui die tertio resurrexit, inter homines esse voluerit, sed eis demonstrato in sua carne resurrectionis exemplo, quos hujus rei testes habere dignatus est, in coelum ascenderit, illorum quoque se oculis auferens, nihilque tale cujusquam eorum carni jam tribuens, quale in carne propria demonstraverat; ut et ipsi ex fide viverent, ejusque justitiae, in qua ex fide vivitur, praemium quod postea erit visibile, nunc interim per patientiam invisibiliter exspectarent. Ad hunc intellectum credo etiam illud esse referendum, quod ait de Spiritu sancto: Non potest ipse venire, nisi ego abiero. Hoc enim erat dicere, non poteritis juste vivere ex fide, quod de meo dono, id est, de Spiritu sancto habebitis, nisi a vestris oculis hoc quod intuemini abstulero, ut spiritualiter cor vestrum invisibilia credendo proficiat. Hanc ex fide justitiam identidem, loquens de Spiritu sancto, ita commendat: Ille, inquit, arguet mundum de peccato, de justitia, et de judicio: de peccato quidem, quia non crediderunt in me; de justitia, quia ad Patrem vado, et jam non videbitis me (Joan. XVI, 7-10). Quae est ista justitia, qua eum non viderent , nisi ut justus ex fide viveret, et non respicientes quae videntur, sed quae non videntur, spiritu ex fide spem justitiae exspectaremus?