The Leper and the Divided Soul

The leper is unclean in body, but clean in soul; for the soul is not divided by varying colors. Just as the leper is unsightly in the body, dividing the skin, so is the double heart, divided toward faith and unbelief, unsightly in the soul. As much unpleasantness the leper brings to the sight of the eyes of men, so much unpleasantness a divided soul brings to the eyes of God; for this reason the Scripture says: Woe to the double heart, and to the soul remaining on the side, and to the sinner walking on two paths.

But let us return again to the present matter. 'I will, be cleansed.' O what a wonder! 'I will, be cleansed.' There are, brothers, many words spoken from authority, and many spoken from arrogance. The saying may be of a chance occurrence, but the work follows the authority of the one who is able. If, therefore, he said, 'I will,' and the work did not follow, it was arrogance; but now the work followed the voice. Do not disrespect the word; let the work be ashamed.

See what difference there is between the old law and the new grace in every state. Moses, having descended from the mountain with the first legislation and the first law, commands the lepers to be set apart from the community; Christ, having descended from the mountain, immediately cleanses the leper. For the one banishes the afflictions, but the other heals the afflictions. Christ ascended to the mountain, and Moses ascended; the one so that he might receive, the other so that he might give the law.

Moses ascended and found the mountain filled with trumpets, cloud, thunder, lightning, storm, and the sound of a horn, not because these things were necessary for the glory of the one appearing, but because these things instruct the people into reverence. But the grace of Christ, brothers, sets aside fear and casts out slavery; for we did not receive a spirit of slavery again into fear, but we received a spirit of adoption. And Moses gave ten commandments, but Jesus the Lord gave nine beatitudes. Those experienced in the Scriptures know the truth of the things spoken.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you, when they revile you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely. Why then does the law have ten commandments, and grace nine beatitudes? The number of the ten commandments is equal to...