But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ; by whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world.

“Mindful of him, do ye by all means know that Jesus the Lord was truly born of Mary, being made of a woman; and was as truly crucified. For, says he, "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of the Lord Jesus." And He really suffered, and died, and rose again. For says [Paul], "If Christ should become passible, and should be the first to rise again from the dead." And again, "In that He died, He died unto sin once: but in that He liveth, He liveth unto God." Otherwise, what advantage would there be in [becoming subject to] bonds, if Christ has not died? what advantage in patience? what advantage in [enduring] stripes? And why such facts as the following: Peter was crucified; Paul and James were slain with the sword; John was banished to Patmos; Stephen was stoned to death by the Jews who killed the Lord? But, [in truth, ] none of these sufferings were in vain; for the Lord was really crucified by the ungodly.”

“Moreover, they affirm that the Apostle Paul himself made mention of this cross in the following words: "The doctrine of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but to us who are saved it is the power of God." And again: "God forbid that I should glory in anything save in the cross of Christ, by whom the world is crucified to me, and I unto the world."”

“The assertion, then, may be hazarded, that it has been shown that death is the fellowship of the soul in a state of sin with the body; and life the separation from sin. And many are the stakes and ditches of lust which impede us, and the pits of wrath and anger which must be overleaped, and all the machinations we must avoid of those who plot against us,-who would no longer see the knowledge of God "through a glass." "The half of virtue the far-seeing Zeus takes from man, when he reduces him to a state of slavery." As slaves the Scripture views those "under sin" and "sold to sin," the lovers of pleasure and of the body; and beasts rather than men, "those who have become like to cattle, horses, neighing after their neighbours' wives." The licentious is "the lustful ass," the covetous is the "savage wolf," and the deceiver is "a serpent." The severance, therefore, of the soul from the body, made a life-long study, produces in the philosopher gnostic alacrity, so that he is easily able to bear natural death, which is the dissolution of the chains which bind the soul to the body. "For the world is crucified to me, and I to the world," the [apostle] says; "and now I live, though in the flesh, as having my conversation in heaven."”

“Paul proclaims in a loud and lofty voice, "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." And yet a virgin in the Church glories concerning her fleshly appearance and the beauty of her body! Paul adds, and says, "For they that are Christ's have crucified their flesh, with its faults and lusts." And she who professes to have renounced the lusts and vices of the flesh, is found in the midst of those very things which she has renounced! Virgin, thou art taken, thou art exposed, thou boastest one thing and affectest another. You sprinkle yourself with the stains of carnal concupiscence, although you are a candidate of purity and modesty. "Cry," says the Lord to Isaiah, "All flesh is grass, and all the glory of it as the flower of the grass: the grass withereth, and the flower fadeth; but the word of the Lord endureth for ever." It is becoming for no Christian, and especially it is not becoming for a virgin, to regard any glory and honour of the flesh, but only to desire the word of God, to embrace benefits which shall endure for ever. Or, if she must glory in the flesh, then assuredly let her glory when she is tortured in confession of the name; when a woman is found to be stronger than the tortures; when she suffers fire, or the cross, or the sword, or the wild beasts, that she may be crowned. These are the precious jewels of the flesh, these are the better ornaments of the body.”

“But they say that the gods do this, not through fear, but through hatred; as though it were possible for any one to hate another, unless it be him who injures, or has the power of injuring. Yea, truly, it would be consistent with their majesty to visit those whom they hated with immediate punishment, rather than to flee from them. But since they can neither approach those in whom they shall see the heavenly mark, nor injure those whom the immortal sign as an impregnable wall protects, they harass them by men, and persecute them by the hands of others: and if they acknowledge the existence of these demons, we have overcome; for this must necessarily be the true religion, which both understands the nature of demons, and understands their subtlety, and compels them, vanquished and subdued, to yield to itself.”

“Such is a soul winged with heavenly love. For if those who cherish the foul earthly passion which men call love, think nothing either glorious or precious, but those things alone which tend to gratify their lust, they think both glorious and honorable, and their mistress is everything to them; much more do those, who have been taken captive by this heavenly love, think nothing of the cost. Would that I could bring forward examples of all this from among ourselves: but since we are at a loss for such, we must needs betake ourselves to this same Paul. Observe him then, how he felt towards the whole world. "The world is crucified unto me," he says, "and I unto the world": I am dead to the world, and the world is dead to me.”

“For when thou hast gone forth from the world, inasmuch as it is its custom to pursue after those who forsake it and depart from it, turn thee to fight against it, and be thou crucified to it, remembering that which Paul spake, "I am crucified to the world, and the world is crucified to me." Lighten therefore from off thee the weight of the world, that the war which thou art preparing against it may be easy to thee, and instead of the Jordan, go down into the waters of knowledge, and after thy submersion cleave unto the rule of the Spirit. And the participation in the sufferings of Christ consisteth not in a man giving alms, and in shewing his lovingkindness unto those who are needy, but in his dying wholly and entirely to the world, and to the body, and to the lusts, and to the passions, and in a man crucifying his old man with all the lusts thereof, even as Paul also spake concerning himself, "I am crucified unto the world." And the whole feeling of the world was annulled in him, after the manner in which it is annulled in those who are dead in nature, for as the dead body feeleth not any one thing which is brought nigh unto it, even so in that man, who hath been crucified with Christ, and who hath put to death in himself all the old man, is there no perception of anything which is in the world; and for this reason also Paul calleth "dead" those who stand in this rule of perfection. For the righteous man who dwelleth in the world, and who hath a wife, and children, and riches, and possessions, cannot be called dead, because all his life is like unto that of a living man; for the dead man is not married, and he begetteth not, while the righteous are united unto their wives, and beget children, and do other things which follow in their train.”

“After the Apostle has explained the wicked intention of those who were seducing, here he intimates his own. And first he sets down his own intention; second, he shows the sign of this intention, at the words "by whom the world to me," etc.; third, he assigns the reason for his intention, at the words "in Christ Jesus," etc. He says therefore: the intention of those seducing is apparent, because they glory in the flesh, but I seek another glory, namely in the cross. And this is what he says: "God forbid that I should glory," etc. See that where the philosopher of the world blushed, there the Apostle found a treasure. What seemed folly to that one became wisdom and glory to the Apostle, as Augustine says. For each one glories in that thing by which he is reckoned great. Thus he who reckons himself great in riches glories in them, and so of the others. For he who reckons himself great in nothing else except in Christ, glories in Christ alone. Such, however, was the Apostle. Hence he said above, chapter 2, verse 20: "I live, now not I, but Christ truly lives in me." And therefore he glories in nothing but Christ, but especially in the cross of Christ, and this because in it are found all the things in which men are accustomed to glory. For some glory in the friendship of great men (say, of kings or princes): and this the Apostle found most of all in the cross, because there is shown an evident sign of divine friendship, Romans 5:8: "But God commends his charity in us," etc. For nothing so shows his charity toward us, as the death of Christ. Hence Gregory: "O inestimable love of charity. That you might redeem a slave, you handed over your Son." Likewise some glory in knowledge. And this the Apostle found more excellent in the cross. 1 Corinthians 2:2: "For I judged not myself to know anything among you, except Jesus Christ," etc. For in the cross is the perfection of the whole law, and the whole art of living well. Likewise some glory in power. And this the Apostle had to the greatest degree through the cross. 1 Corinthians 1:18: "The word of the cross is foolishness to those who perish, but to those who are being saved, that is, to us, it is the power of God." Likewise some glory in liberty obtained. And this the Apostle attained through the cross. Romans 6:6: "Our old man is crucified, that we may no longer serve sin." Likewise some glory in being taken up into some great college. But through the cross of Christ they are taken up into the heavenly college. Colossians 1:20: "Making peace through the blood of his cross, whether the things that are in the heavens, or the things that are on the earth." Likewise some glory in the triumphal sign of victory. But the cross is the triumphal sign of Christ's victory against the Demons. Colossians 2:15: "Despoiling the principalities and powers, he confidently led them away, openly triumphing over them," etc. Wisdom 14:7: "Blessed is the wood by which justice is done." He then adds the sign of his own intention, saying "by whom the world to me," etc. But because what he says, "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross," etc., is an exceptive proposition, including one affirmative and another negative, therefore he sets down a twofold sign, proving each proposition. And first indeed he proves the negative, namely that he glories in nothing but the cross; and this, when he says "by whom the world is crucified to me," etc. For that in which someone glories is not dead in his heart, but rather that which he despises is. Psalm 30:13: "I am given over to oblivion like one dead from the heart." Now it is manifest that the world, and all the things that are in the world, were dead in the heart of Paul, Philippians 3:8: "I have reckoned all things as dung, that I may gain Christ." Therefore he does not glory in the world, nor in the things that are in the world, and this is what he says: truly I glory in nothing else, except in the cross of Christ, "by whom" — namely, by Christ crucified — "the world is crucified to me," that is, it is dead in my heart, so that I desire nothing in it. Second he proves the affirmative, namely that he glories in the cross of Christ, saying that he is crucified to the world. For he who glories in something, displays that in himself, and desires to make it manifest; but the Apostle displays nothing in himself, nor desires to make anything manifest, except what pertains to the cross of Christ, and therefore he glories only in it. And this is what he says: "and I to the world," namely, I am crucified; as if he were to say: I bear the insignia of the cross, and I am reckoned as dead. And therefore just as the world shudders at the cross of Christ, so it shudders at me. Colossians 3:3: "For you are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God," etc. But the reason why he does not glory in anything else, he shows by adding "for in Christ Jesus," etc. For indeed he glories most in that which avails and helps toward being joined to Christ, for this is what the Apostle desires, namely, to be with Christ. And because the Jewish rite does not avail for this, nor the observance of the Gentiles, but the cross of Christ alone, therefore he glories only in it. And this is what he says: "in Christ neither circumcision avails anything" — that is, the Jewish rite — "nor uncircumcision" — that is, the observance of the Gentiles — that is, for justifying and joining to Christ, "but a new creature" avails for this. This indeed is clear from what was said above at verse 6 (in almost the same words): "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith which works through love." Faith, therefore, formed by charity, is the new creature. For we were created and brought forth into the being of nature through Adam; but that creature indeed was already old, and grown old, and therefore the Lord, bringing us forth, and establishing us in the being of grace, made a certain new creature. James 1:18: "That we may be some beginning of his creature." And it is called new, because through it we are renewed unto a new life; and through the Holy Spirit, Psalm 103:30: "Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created, and you shall renew the face of the earth." And through the cross of Christ, 2 Corinthians 5:17: "If there be any new creature in Christ," etc. Thus therefore through the new creature, namely through faith in Christ and the charity of God, which is poured forth in our hearts, we are renewed, and joined to Christ.”

“But God forbid that I should glory, &c. The adversative but marks a contrast between the glory of the Judaisers in circumcision and the glorying of S. Paul in the Cross. The Cross of course stands for itself and all the redemptive benefits it bestows, and in it is shown the greatness of man’s sin and the depth of God’s love. S. Augustine (Serm. 20 de Verbis A post) says: “ The Apostle might well have gloried in the wisdom of Christ, or His majesty, or His power ; but it was the Cross he specified. The philosopher’s shame is the Apostle' s boast. He glories in his Lord. What Lord ? Christ crucified. In Him are conjoined humility and majesty , weakness and power, life and death. Would you come to Him f Despise not these ; be not ashamed ; you have received the sign of the Cross on your forehead as on the seat of shame." S. Bernard (Serm. 25 in Cant.) says: “He thinks nothing more glorious than io bear the reproach of Christ. The shame of the Cross is pleasing to kirn who is not unpleasing to the Crucified." THE WORLD CRUCIFIED 341 And again he writes ( Serm . 1 de S. Andrea ) : M The Cross is precious , capable of being loved, and is a cause of exultation . The wood of the Cross puts forth blossoms , bears pleasant fruit , drops the oil of gladness, exudes the balsam of temporal gifts . It is no woodland tree, but a tree of life, to those who lay hold of it It bears lifegiving fruits , else how should it occupy the Lords land, that most precious soil, to which it was affixed by nails which were, as it were, its roots t ” So (in Ep . 190 ad Innocent. Pont) he says : “ I see three principal things in this work of our salvation : the form of humility, in which Christ emptied Himself; the measure of charity, which stretched itself even to death, and that the death of the Cross ; the sacrament of redemption, whereby He bore that death He vouchsafed to take upon Him” By whom the world is crucified unto me. As the world shrinks from the Cross or any crucified corpse, so do I shrink from the pomps and vanity of the world. Whatever, as S. Bernard says, the world thinks of the Cross, that do I think of worldly pleasures ; and whatever the world thinks of pleasure, that do I think of the Cross. A simpler explanation, however, is to take crucified in the general meaning of death, that being the consequence of crucifixion. The Apostle used the term crucified to maintain the continuity of his subject Being crucified with Christ, he says, I am a new creature, and breathe a new life. I am dead to the worldly things clung to by the Jews (he still has these in his mind) ; I am not held by them or by the opinions, applause, or hatred of anybody whatsoever, as the Judaisers are. And by consequence all worldly things are, so far as I am concerned, dead — they have no power to affect me. The world is crucified to me ; it cannot hold me. I am crucified to the world ; I do not regard it The world cannot hurt me, nor do I desire anything from it S. Ignatius, writing to the Romans, said : “ My love is crucified, and hence corruptible food and worldly pleasure delight me not. I long for the bread of God, that bread which cometh down from heaven, which is the Ilesh of Christ. With Him I am crucified.” Cassian (de Institut. Renunt. iv. 34, 35) relates the beautiful 342 THE EPISTLE TO THE description of the monastic ideal given to a novice by Abbot Pinusius. He put before him Christ crucified : “ Renunciation of the world is nothing but the choice of the Cross and the mortified life. You know, therefore , that this day you have done with the world its activity and its delights , and that as the Apostle says , you are crucified to the world and the world to you . Consider , then, the conditions of life under the Cross, under the shadow of which you are henceforth to dwell. For it is no longer you that live, but He liveth in you who was crucified for you. As He hung on the Cross, so must we be in this life, mortifying our flesh in the fear of the Lord, with all its affections and lusts; not serving our own wills, but nailing them to His Cross. So shall we fulfil the Lord's command, * He that taketh not up his cross and followeth not after Me is not worthy of Me.' " He then describes in detail the way we should be crucified with Christ: “If it be ashed, How can a man take up his cross and be crucified while still living, 1 reply : Our cross is the fear of the Lord ; as the crucified man has no power over his own members , so are we to order our wills, not after our own desires, but according to the fear of the Lord, which constraineth us. And just as the man fastened to a cross regards not things present, studies not his own feelings, is not anxious about the morrow, is stimulated by no worldly desires, grieves not over present injuries, thinks not of the past, and, while still breathing, holds that he has done with the elements of this world, sending on his spirit thither where he will soon be, so must we be crucified by the fear of the Lord to all these things, not only to sins of the flesh, but to all earthly things, keeping our eyes intent on the land to which we hope every moment to travel." The Apostle here is speaking not only to religious, but to all Christians, who by baptism have renounced the world, with its conventional ideals and low code of honour. The world may say : “Go to market — adapt yourself to everybody; be a heretic with heretics, a politician with politicians ; and when you dine with them, eat flesh as they do, even on a fast day.” But the Christian will reply that he is dead to a life of this sort, and is bound to live the Christ life. Though he be called Papist, hypocrite, Jesuit, he THE CRUCIFYING OF THE FLESH 343 will care nothing. The world scorns a man who refuses to fight a duel when challenged. The Christian will be content to know that duelling is forbidden by the law of Christ, and will despise the stupid opinions of a stupid world, preferring to follow the wisdom of Christ, which condemns all duelling as wicked and foolish. He will recollect that Christian fortitude is seen in bearing injuries in the defence of our country or ourselves, not in the retaliation of insults and injuries. S. Bernard (Serm. 7 in Quadrag.) says that there are three steps in the way of perfection through crucifixion to the world. “ The first is to bear ourselves as pilgrims who , if they see men quarrelling, give no heed; if they see men marrying or making merry , pass by as pilgrims who are longing to reach their country , and who , therefore , decline to trouble themselves with anything but food and raiment The second is to bear ourselves as though we were dead, void of feelings knowing no difference between praise or blame , between flattery or calumny , nay , deaf to everything , even as a dead man . Happy is the death which thus keeps us spotless , nay, which makes us wholly foreigners to this world. But as the Apostle says , he who lives not in himself must have Christ living in him. All else must find him dead ; the things of Christ alone must find him living. The third is that He be not merely dead but crucified. Sensual pleasure, honours , riches, fame — all that the world delights in must be a cross to us. All that the world regards as painful must be gladly chosen by us and clung to” S. Bernard then adds a figurative explanation of this passage: “ The Apostle might not improperly be understood to mean that the world was crucified to him so far as its character was concerned it being bound by the chains of its vices , and that he was crucified to the world by the pity he felt for its condition.” And I unto the world. Blessed Dorotheus ( Biblioth . SS. Patrum, vol. iii.) asks : “ How is the world crucified to any one f When he renounces it and lives a life of solitude , having left father and mother and all earthly possessions. How is a man crucified to the world 1 Again , by renunciation ; when any one , after retiring from the world, Digitized by 1 344 THE EPISTLE TO THE strives against his own lusts and his own will and subdues the motions of the flesh within. We religious seem to ourselves to have crucified the worlds because we have left it and retired to our monasteries ; but we are unwilling to crucify ourselves to the world. Its blandishments still have power over us ; we have still a lurking love for it; we hanker after its glory , its pleasures , its gaiety , and for these vile things cherish the passions which once swayed us. What madness is this to leave what is precious amd worry ourselves over what is despicable. If we have renounced the worlds we ought also to have renounced all worldly desires as well." This explanation is, however, too narrow. The Apostle is speaking to all, and not to religious alone. Moreover, crucifixion to the world and crucifixion of the world are not two distinct things, as Dorotheus seems to think, but two sides of the same thing”

“For in Christ Jesus,.... These words are omitted in the Syriac and Ethiopic versions; See Gill on Gal 5:6, Co1 7:19, they contain a reason why the apostle gloried in a crucified Christ, and looked upon the world as dead to him, and he to that, in every state of it; particularly as it may design "the worldly sanctuary" of the Jews, and all the rites and ceremonies appertaining to it; and among the rest circumcision, which availeth not anything; neither as a command, type, or privilege; or in the business of salvation, being abolished by Christ: nor uncircumcision; being now no bar to the Gospel, Gospel ordinances, or a Gospel church state; or to any of the blessings of the everlasting covenant, which come upon the uncircumcision, as well as the circumcision. But to apply these words to baptism and non-baptism is a wretched perversion, and making a very ill use of them, whereby the minds of men are worked up to an indifference to a Christian institution; for though baptism is of no avail in the business of salvation, yet it cannot be said of it, as of circumcision, that it avails not anything as a command; for it is a standing ordinance of Christ; or as an emblem and sign, for it is significative of the death and burial, and resurrection of Christ; or as a privilege, for it is of use to lead the faith of God's people to his blood and righteousness for pardon and justification; for he that believes, and is baptized, shall be saved; and it is necessary to church communion: and, on the other hand, it cannot be said that non-baptism avails not; it is a bar to church fellowship; and a neglect of baptism in those who are the proper subjects of it, is resented by Christ, and is a rejecting of the counsel of God against themselves; which was the case of the Pharisees, in the time of John the Baptist: but a new creature. The phrase is Rabbinical; See Gill on Co2 5:17 by which is meant, not a new creation of a man, as a man, of the members of his body, or of the faculties of his soul; nor of an external reformation, or a walking in newness of life, which is the fruit and effect of this new creation work; but an internal principle of grace, a good work of God begun in the soul, called the hidden man of the heart, the new man, Christ formed in us, of which faith that works by love is a part: this is called a "creature", and so not of man, but God; for none can create but himself; and in which work man is purely passive, as the heavens and the earth were in their creation: it is "but" a creature, and therefore needs divine support, fresh strength from God, and frequent supplies of grace to maintain and preserve it; nor is it to be trusted in, but the grace which is in Christ, from whence it comes, and by which it is secured. This is a "new" creature, in opposition to the old man; and because it is a principle in man, which never was there before; it consists of a new heart and spirit, of new eyes, ears, hands, and feet, expressive of new principles and actions, of new light, life, love, desires, joys, comforts, and duties: now this is of avail; it is a branch of the new covenant of grace, which God has therein promised to bestow on his people; it is an evidence of interest in Christ, the new and living way to the Father, and eternal life; such are newborn babes, regenerated persons, and have a right and meetness for the kingdom of God; shall possess the new Jerusalem, shall dwell in the new heavens and new earth; they are called by the Lord's new name, the adopted children of God; and have a new song put into their mouths, which none but redeemed and newborn souls can sing; and shall drink the new wine of endless joys and everlasting pleasures with Christ, in his Father's kingdom. These words are said to be taken out of the Apocalypse of Moses, a spurious book, but without any foundation.”

“But God forbid that I should glory - Whatever others may do, or whatever they may exult or glory in, God forbid that I should exult, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ; in the grand doctrine, that justification and salvation are only through Christ crucified, he having made an atonement for the sin of the world by his passion and death. And I glory, also, in the disgrace and persecution which I experience through my attachment to this crucified Christ. By whom the world is crucified unto me - Jewish rites and Gentile vanities are equally insipid to me; I know them to be empty and worthless. If Jews and Gentiles despise me, I despise that in which they trust; through Jesus, all are crucified to me - their objects of dependence are as vile and execrable to me, as I am to them, in whose sight these things are of great account.”

“Translate, "But as for me (in opposition to those gloriers 'in your flesh,' Gal 6:13), God forbid that I," &c. in the cross--the atoning death on the cross. Compare Phi 3:3, Phi 3:7-8, as a specimen of his glorying. The "cross," the great object of shame to them, and to all carnal men, is the great object of glorying to me. For by it, the worst of deaths, Christ has destroyed all kinds of death [AUGUSTINE, Tract 36, on John, sec. 4]. We are to testify the power of Christ's death working in us, after the manner of crucifixion (Gal 5:24; Rom 6:5-6). our--He reminds the Galatians by this pronoun, that they had a share in the "Lord Jesus Christ" (the full name is used for greater solemnity), and therefore ought to glory in Christ's cross, as he did. the world--inseparably allied to the "flesh" (Gal 6:13). Legal and fleshly ordinances are merely outward, and "elements of the world" (Gal 4:3). is--rather, as Greek, "has been crucified to me" (Gal 2:20). He used "crucified" for dead (Col 2:20, "dead with Christ"), to imply his oneness with Christ crucified (Phi 3:10): "the fellowship of His sufferings being made conformable unto His death."”