Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament

⁷ The Master of the Angels cries out, the Word of God, by whom all reasonable souls are without failing fed, the Food That refreshes, and abides Entire, cries out and says, “Learn of Me.” Let the people hear Him, saying, “Learn of Me.” Let them make answer, “What do we learn of You?” For we must be going to hear I know not what from the Great Artificer, when He says, “Learn of Me.” Who is it that says, “Learn of Me”? He who formed the earth, who divided the sea and the dry land, who created the fowls, who created the animals of the earth, who created all things that swim, who set the stars in the heaven, who distinguished the day and the night, who established the firmament, who separated the light from the darkness, He it is who says, “Learn of Me.”

Is He haply about to tell us this, that we should do these things with Him? Who can do this? God Only does them. “Fear not,” He says, “I am not laying any burden on you. 'Learn of Me,' this which for your sake I was made. 'Learn of Me,'” says He, “not to form the creature which by Me was made. Neither do I tell you indeed, to learn those things which I have granted to some, to whom I would, not to all, to raise the dead, to give sight to the blind, to open the ears of the deaf; nor to wish as for some great thing to learn these things of Me.”

The disciples returned with joy and exultation, saying, “Lo, even the devils are subject unto us through Your Name.” And the Lord said to them, “In this rejoice not, that the devils are subject unto you; rejoice rather, because your names are written in heaven.” To whom He would, He gave the power to cast out devils, to whom He would, He gave the power to raise the dead. Such miracles were done even before the Incarnation of the Lord; the dead were raised, lepers were cleansed; we read of these things.

And who did them then, but He who in after time was the Man-Christ after David, but God-Christ before Abraham? He gave the power for all these things, He did them Himself by men; yet gave He not that power to all. Ought they to whom He gave it not to despair, and say that they have no part in Him because they have not been thought worthy to receive these gifts? In the body are various members: this member can do one thing, that another. God has compacted the body together, He has not given to the ear to see, nor to the eye to hear, nor to the forehead to smell, nor to the hand to taste; He has not given them these functions; but to all the members has He given soundness, has given union, has given unity, has by His Spirit quickened and united all alike.

And so here He has not given to some to raise the dead, to others He has not given the power of disputation; yet to all what has He given? “Learn of Me, that I am meek and lowly in heart.” Forasmuch as we have heard Him say, “I am meek and lowly in heart;” here, my Brethren, is our whole remedy, “Learn of Me, that I am meek and lowly in heart.” What does it profit a man if he do miracles, and is proud, is not meek and lowly in heart? Will he not be reckoned in the number of those who shall come at the last day, and say, “Have we not prophesied in Your Name, and in Your Name have done many mighty works?” But what shall they hear? “I know you not, Depart from Me, all you that work iniquity.”