Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament

⁸ But since this is so, what is that which Solomon says, and which we heard first today out of another lesson, “He that winks with the eyes deceitfully, heaps sorrow upon men; but he that reproves openly, makes peace”? If then “he that reproves openly, makes peace;” how “rebuke him between him and you alone”? We must fear, lest the divine precepts should be contrary to one another. But no: let us understand that there is the most perfect agreement in them, let us not follow the conceits of certain vain ones, who in their error think that the two Testaments in the Old and New Books are contrary to each other; that so we should think that there is any contradiction here, because one is in the book of Solomon, and the other in the Gospel.

For if any one unskilful in, and a reviler of the divine Scriptures, were to say, “See where the two Testaments contradict each other. The Lord says, 'Rebuke him between him and you alone.' Solomon says, 'He that reproves openly makes peace.'” Does not the Lord then know what He has commanded? Solomon would have the sinners' hard forehead bruised: Christ spares his shame who blushes for his sins. For in the one place it is written, “He that reproves openly makes peace;” but in the other, “Rebuke him between him and you alone;” not “openly,” but apart and secretly.

But would you know, whosoever you are that thinkest such things, that the two Testaments are not opposed to each other, because the first of these passages is found in the book of Solomon, and the other in the Gospel? Hear the Apostle. And surely the Apostle is a Minister of the New Testament. Hear the Apostle Paul then, charging Timothy, and saying, “Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.” So then not the book of Solomon, but an Epistle of Paul the Apostle seems to be at issue with the Gospel.

Let us then without any prejudice to his honour lay aside Solomon for a while; let us hear the Lord Christ and His servant Paul. What sayest Thou, O Lord? “If your brother sin against you, rebuke him between him and you alone.” What do you say, O Apostle? “Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.” What are we about? Are we listening to this controversy as judges? That be far from us. Yea, rather as those whose place is under the Judge, let us knock, that we may obtain, that it be opened to us; let us fly beneath the wings of our Lord God.

For He did not speak in contradiction to His Apostle, seeing that He Himself spoke “in” him also, as he says, “Would ye receive a proof of Christ, who speaks in me?” Christ in the Gospel, Christ in the Apostle: Christ therefore spoke both; one by His own Mouth, the other by the mouth of His herald. For when the herald pronounces anything from the tribunal, it is not written in the records, “the herald said it;” but he is written as having said it, who commanded the herald what to say.