willlaughatyourcalamity。\"Thesaints，too，influencedbythesamefeeling，willjoininthederision；for，accordingtoDavid，whentheywitnessthepunishmentofthewicked，\"theyshallfear，andyetlaughatit—videbuntjustiettimebunt，etsupereumridebunt。\"AndJobsays：\"Innocenssubsannabiteos—Theinnocentshalllaughatthem。\"ItisworthyofremarkherethattheveryfirstwordswhichGodaddressedtomanafterhisfallcontain，intheopinionofthefathers，\"bitterirony\"andmockery。AfterAdamhaddisobeyedhisMaker，inthehope，suggestedbythedevil，ofbeinglikeGod，itappearsfromScripturethatGod，asapunishment，subjectedhimtodeath；andafterhavingreducedhimtothismiserablecondition，whichwasduetohissin，Hetauntedhiminthatstatewiththefollowingtermsofderision：\"Behold，themanhasbecomeasoneofus！—EcceAdamquasiunusexnobis！\"—which，accordingtoSt。Jeromeandtheinterpreters，is\"agrievousandcuttingpieceofirony，\"withwhichGod\"stunghimtothequick。\"\"Adam，\"saysRupert，\"deservedtobetauntedinthismanner，andhewouldbenaturallymadetofeelhisfollymoreacutelybythisironicalexpressionthanbyamoreseriousone。\"St。Victor，aftermakingthesameremark，adds，\"thatthisironywasduetohissottishcredulity，andthatthisspeciesofraineryisanactofjustice，meritedbyhimagainstwhomitwasdirected。\"Thusyousee，fathers，thatridiculeis，insomecases，averyappropriatemeansofreclaimingmenfromtheirerrors，andthatitisaccordinglyanactofjustice，because，asJeremiahsays，\"theactionsofthosethaterrareworthyofderision，becauseoftheirvanity—vanasuntesrisudigna。\"Andsofarfromitsbeingimpioustolaughatthem，St。Augustineholdsittobetheeffectofdivinewisdom：\"Thewiselaughatthefoolish，becausetheyarewise，notaftertheirownwisdom，butafterthatdivinewisdomwhichshalllaughatthedeathofthewicked。\"
Theprophets，accordingly，filledwiththeSpiritofGod，haveavailedthemselvesofridicule，aswefindfromtheexamplesofDanielandElias。
Inshort，examplesofitarenotwantinginthediscoursesofJesusChristhimself。St。Augustineremarksthat，whenhewouldhumbleNicodemus，whodeemedhimselfsoexpertinhisknowledgeofthelaw，\"perceivinghimtobepulledupwithpride，fromhisrankasdoctoroftheJews，hefirstbeatsdownhispresumptionbythemagnitudeofhisdemands，and，havingreducedhimsolowthathewasunabletoanswer，What！sayshe，youamasterinIsrael，andnotknowthesethings！—asifhehadsaid，Proudruler，confessthatthouknowestnothing。\"St。ChrysostomandSt。Cyrillikewiseobserveuponthisthat\"hedeservedtoberidiculedinthismanner。\"Youmaylearnfromthis，fathers，thatshoulditsohappen，inourdaythatpersonswhoenactthepartof\"masters\"amongChristians，asNicodemusandthePhariseesdidamongtheJews，showthemselvessoignorantofthefirstprinciplesofreligionastomaintain，forexample，that\"amanmaybesavedwhoneverlovedGodallhislife，\"weonlyfollowtheexampleofJesusChristwhenwelaughatsuchacombinationofignoranceandconceit。
Iamsure，fathers，thesesacredexamplesaresufficienttoconvinceyouthattoderidetheerrorsandextravagancesofmanisnotinconsistentwiththepracticeofthesaints；otherwisewemustblamethatofthegreatestdoctorsoftheChurch，whohavebeenguiltyofit—suchasSt。Jerome，inhislettersandwritingsagainstJovinian，Vigilantius，andthePelagians；
Tertullian，inhisApologyagainstthefolliesofidolaters；St。AugustineagainstthemonksofAfrica，whomhestyles\"thehairymen\"；St。IrenaeustheGnostics；St。BernardandtheotherfathersoftheChurch，who，havingbeentheimitatorsoftheapostles，oughttobeimitatedbythefaithfulinalltimecoming；for，saywhatwewill，theyarethetruemodelsforChristians，evenofthepresentday。Infollowingsuchexamples，IconceivedthatIcouldnotgofarwrong；and，asIthinkIhavesufficientlyestablishedthisposition，Ishallonlyadd，intheadmirablewordsofTertullian，whichgivethetrueexplanationofthewholeofmyproceedinginthismatter：