John IV
and will separate him, and shall appoint him his portion with unbelievers .”5 O wretches! These words are said of you, who have undertaken the governance of the church, who ought to be irreproachable, without any stain. And when you are seized by death in such negligence , it will be your doom, since the bishop will be seized for punishment, and the people will be invited into the kingdom, since “the day of the Lord shall so come like a thief in the night.”6 But, my fathers, act not incautiously, you are in the place of the apostles , you hold their positions; follow their paths, that you may be numbered in their ranks. But this most blessed John, who ruled the pontificate humbly, led joyous days for all of his life. He ruled his church in peace, fulfilling the divine mandates. He died in body, he was buried, I think, in the narthex of St. Apollinaris. He sat five years, ten months, eighteen days. CONCERNING HOLY JOHN IV, 625–31 . John IV, the thirty-second bishop, a kindly and humble man, wise of heart, prudent in his words, had beautiful eloquence, he led an honest life and good habits with his honeyed speech. He kept the teachings of his predecessors uninjured and safe. However, some say that he redeemed the citizens and city of Classe from an enemy people with much wealth of the church on three occasions, not only the city but, as I said, he redeemed those living in it with all its suburbs.1 For observing the words of the gospel,2 daily he directed his . Luke :–. . Thess. :. z . John IV reigned circa –, during which time no attacks by the Lombards on Classe are known from other sources. It is probable that this passage refers to an event in the reign of John V (LPR, cc. –), who ruled – (Holder-Egger, LPER, , n. ). .The first part of this sermonette seems to belong together with the sermonette in c. . thoughts to what is said, “But learn what this meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice.”3 Hear therefore through the prophet, “Shall I eat the flesh of bullocks? or shall I drink the blood of goats?”4 And hear another prophet, Isaiah, the son of Amos, “When you stretch forth your hands, I will turn away my eyes from you: and when you multiply prayer, I will not hear.”5 Why? What then of those words of David: “Call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.”6 And indeed another prophet: “They will call in the day of trouble, and I will hear.”7 Now what? What then of the prophecy of Isaiah, which you said, “Thus saith the Lord: when thou shalt cry, he shall say to you, Here I am.”8 And he says on the other hand, “I will turn away my eyes from you.”9 One voice cheers us, the other saddens. And why will God not hear us invoking him? On the contrary, he will hear us, but we die. Listen: “Why are your hands full of blood?Wash yourselves, be clean, take away the evil of your devices from my eyes; seek judgment , relieve the oppressed, defend the widows, come now, and then come, and accuse me, saith the Lord.”10 And again, “Woe to you that justify the wicked and for gifts take away the justice of the just.Woe to you that call evil good, and good evil, since there is no joy for the wicked, saith the Lord. But if you remove from you all bands of wickedness and words of discontent, and deal out thy bread to the hungry from your soul and satisfy the afflicted soul,” Isaiah says, “thy God shall be with thee always and shall not turn away from thee. Then shalt thou cry, and the Lord shall hear: and he shall say to you, Here I am.”11 See how quickly God will hear those observing his commandments! Again hear David say of the righteous, “I have been young, and now am old; and I have not seen the just forsaken, nor his seed seeking bread.”12 . Matt. :. . Ps. :. . Isa. :. . Ps. :, esp. the Vetus Latina version. . Ps. :. . Isa. :, esp. the Vetus Latina version. . Isa. :. . Isa. :–. . Isa. :; Isa. :; Isa. :–. . Ps. :. [18.218.55.14] Project MUSE (2024-04-26 07:31 GMT) However, what is written of sinners? “But to the sinner God hath...
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