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ST. JOHN CHRYSTOSTOM

HOMILIES 18-26 ON THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW

[Translated by Rev. Sir George Prevost, Baronet, M.A.
of Oriel College, Oxford.]


HOMILY XVIII: MATT. V. 38, 39, 40.

"Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a
tooth. But I say unto you, that ye resist not the evil:(1) but whosoever
shall smite thee on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any
man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy
cloak also."

   SEEST thou that it was not of an eye that He was speaking before, when
He made the law to pluck out the offending eye, but of him who by his
friendship is harming us, and casting us into the gulf of destruction? For
He who in this place uses so great strength of expression, and who, not
even when another is plucking out your eye, permits you to strike out his;
how should He have made it a law to strike out one's own?

   But if any one accuses the ancient law, because it commands such
retaliation, he seems to me very unskillful in the wisdom that becomes a
legislator, and ignorant of the virtue of opportunities, and the gain of
condescension. For if he considered who were the hearers of these sayings,
and how they were disposed, and when they received this code of laws, he
will thoroughly admit the wisdom of the Lawgiver, and will see that it is
one and the same, who made both those laws and these, and who wrote each of
them exceeding profitably, and in its due season. Yes, for if at the
beginning He had introduced these high and most weighty commandments, men
would not have received either these, or the others; but now ordaining them
severally in their due time, He hath by the two corrected the whole world.

   And besides, He commanded this, not that we might strike out one
another's eyes, but that we might keep our hands to ourselves. For the
threat of suffering hath effectually restrained our inclination to be
doing.

   And thus in fact He is silently dropping seed of much self-restraint,
at least in that He commands to retaliate with just the same acts. Yet
surely he that began such transgression were worthy of a greater
punishment, and this the abstract nature of justice(1) demands. But
forasmuch as He was minded to mingle mercy also with justice, He condemns
him whose offenses were very great to a punishment less than his desert:
teaching us even while we suffer to show forth great consideration.

   Having therefore mentioned the ancient law, and recognized it all, He
signifies again, that it is not our brother who hath done these deeds, but
the evil one. For this cause he hath also subjoined, "But I say unto you,
that ye resist not the evil one." He did not say, "resist not your
brother," but "the evil one," signifying that on his motion men dare so to
act; and in this way relaxing and secretly removing most of our anger
against the aggressor, by transferring the blame to another.

   "What then?" it is said, "ought we not to resist the evil one?" Indeed.
we ought, but not in this way, but as He hath commanded, by giving one's
self up to suffer wrongfully; for thus shall thou prevail over him. For one
fire is not quenched by another, but fire by water. And to show thee that
even under the old law he that suffered rather prevails, that he it is who
wins the crown; examine just what is done, and thou wilt see that his
advantage is great. For as he that hath begun with unjust acts, will have
himself destroyed the eyes of both, his neighbor's and his own (wherefore
also he is justly hated of all, and ten thousand accusations are aimed at
him): so he that hath been injured, even after his equal retaliation, will
have done nothing horrible. Wherefore also he hath many to sympathize with
him, as being clear from that offense even after he hath retaliated. And
though the calamity be equal to both parties, yet the sentence passed on it
is not equal, either with God, or with men. It should seem then, that
neither is the calamity equal in the end.

   Now whereas at the beginning He said, "he that is angry with his
brother without a cause," and "he that calleth him feel shall be in danger
of hell fire," here He requires yet more entire self-restraint, commanding
him that suffers ill not merely to be quiet, but even to be more
exceedingly earnest in his turn,(2) by offering the other cheek.

   And this He saith, not as legislating about such a blow as this only,
but as teaching also what forbearance we should practise in all our other
trials. For just as when He saith, "whose calleth his brother feel, is in
danger of hell," He speaks not of this word only, but also of all reviling;
even so here also He is making a law, not so much for our bearing it
manfully, when smitten, as that we should be undisturbed, whatever we
suffer. Because of this He both there singled out the extremest insult, and
here hath set down that which seems to be of all blows most opprobrious,
the blow on the cheek, so full of all insolence. And He commands this as
having regard both of him that strikes and of him that is stricken. Since
both he that is insulted will not think that he suffers any harm, being
thus framed to self-restraint (nay, he will not even have any sense of the
insult, as striving rather for a prize than as receiving a blow); and he
that is offering the affront will be made ashamed, and not add a second
blow, though he be fiercer than any wild beast, yea, rather will condemn
himself heartily for the former. For nothing so restrains the wrong doers,
as when the injured bear what is done with gentleness. And it not only
restrains them from rushing onward, but works upon them also to repent for
what has gone before, and in wonder at such forbearance to draw back. And
it makes them more our own, and causes them to be slaves, not merely
friends, instead of haters and enemies; even as avenging one's self does
just the contrary: for it both disgraces each of the two, and makes them
worse, and their anger it heightens into a greater flame; yea, often no
less than death itself is the end of it, going on from bad to worse.
Wherefore He not only forbade thee to be angry when smitten, but even
enjoined thee to satiate the other's desire, that so neither may the former
blow appear to have befallen thee against thy will. For thus, lost as he
may be to shame, thou wilt be able to smite him with a mortal blow, rather
than if thou hadst smitten him with thine hand; or if his shamelessness be
still greater, thou wilt make him gentle in proportion.

   2. "And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat,
let him have thy cloak also."(1)

   For not in the matter of blows only, but of our goods also, He would
have such forbearance exhibited. Wherefore He again employs the same strong
figure.(2) That is, as in the other case He commands to overcome in
suffering, so here again, by allowing ourselves to be deprived of more than
the wrong doer expected. However, He did not put it so merely, but with
something to enhance it: not saying, "give thy cloak to him that asketh,"
but "to him that would sue thee at the law," that is, "if he drag thee into
court, and give thee trouble."

   And just as, after He had bidden not to call another fool, nor to be
angry without cause, He went on and required more, in that He commanded to
offer the right cheek also; even so here, having said, "Agree with thine
adversary," He again amplifies the precept. For now He orders us not only
to give what the other would have, but even to show forth a greater
liberality.

   "What then!" one may say, "am I to go about naked?" We should not be
naked, if we obeyed these sayings with exactness; rather more abundantly
than any should we be clothed. For first, no one would attack men of this
disposition; and next, if there chanced to be any one so savage and
ungentle, as to proceed even so far, yet many more would be found to clothe
him, who acted with such self-denial, not with garments only, but even with
their own flesh, if it were possible.

   Further: even though one were of necessity to go about naked on account
of this sort of self-denial, neither so were it any disgrace. Since Adam
too was "naked"(3) in paradise, "and was not ashamed;" and Isaiah was
"naked, and barefoot," and more glorious than all the Jews;(4) and
Joseph(5) also, when he stripped himself, did then more than ever shine
forth. For to be thus naked is no evil, but to be so clad, as we now are,
with costly garments, this is both disgraceful and ridiculous. For this
cause, you see, those had praise of God, but these He blames, both by
prophets and by apostles.

   Let us not therefore suppose His injunctions impossible. Nay, for
besides their expediency, they are very easy, if we are sober-minded; and
the profit of them is so great as to be an exceeding help, not to ourselves
only, but to those also who are using us despitefully. And in this chiefly
stands their excellence, that while they induce us to suffer wrong, they by
the same means teach them also that do the wrong to control themselves. For
while he on his part thinks it a great thing to take what belongs to
others, but thou signifiest to him, that to thee it is easy to give even
what he doth not ask: while thou bringest in liberality for a counterpoise
to his meanness, and a wise moderation to his covetousness: consider what a
lesson he will get, being taught not by sayings, but by actual deeds, to
scorn vice and to seek after virtue.

   For God will have us profitable not to ourselves alone, but to all our
neighbors as well. Now if thou givest, and abstainest from suing, thou hast
sought thine own advantage only; but if thou give him some other thing,
thou hast made him too better, and so sent him away. Of this nature is
salt, which is what He would have them to be; seeing it both recruits(6)
itself, and keeps all other bodies with which it may associate: of this
nature is light; for it shows objects both to a man's self and to all
others. Forasmuch then as He hath set thee in the rank of these things,
help thou likewise him who is sitting in darkness, and teach him that
neither before did he take any thing by force: persuade him that he hath
done no despite. Yea, for thus thou thyself also wilt be had in more
respect and reverence, if thou signify that thou gavest freely and wert not
robbed. Make therefore his sin, through thy moderation, an instance of
thine own bounty.

   3. And if thou think this a great thing, wait, and thou wilt see
clearly, that neither yet hast thou attained to perfection. For not even
here doth He stop with thee, who is laying down the laws of patient
endurance, but He proceeds even further, thus saying,

   "If any one shall compel thee to go one mile, go with him twain."(7)

   Seest thou the height of self-denial? in this at least, that after
giving thy coat, and thy cloak, not even if thine enemy should wish to use
thy naked body for hardships and labors, not even so (saith He), must thou
forbid him. For He would have us possess all things in common, both our
bodies and our goods, as with them that are in need, so with them that
insult us: for the latter comes of manliness, the former of mercifulness.

   Because of this, He said, "If any one shall compel thee to go one mile,
go with him twain:" again leading thee higher up, and commanding thee to
show forth the same kind of ambition.

   For if the things of which He spake at the beginning, being far less
than these, have so great blessings pronounced on them; consider what sort
of portion awaits them, who duly perform these, and what they become even
before their rewards, in a human and passible(1) body winning entire
freedom from passion. Since when neither insult, nor blows, nor the
spoiling of their property, galls them; while they give way to no such
thing, but rather add in large measure to their endurance; reflect what
kind of training their soul is undergoing.

   On this account then, as in regard of blows, as in regard of our goods,
so in this case also, He hath bidden us act. "For why," saith He, "do I
mention insult, and property? Though he should want to make use of thy very
own limbs for toil and weary work, and this unjustly, do thou again conquer
and overpass His unjust desire."

   For "to compel"(2) is this, to drag unjustly and without any reason,
and by way of despite. Nevertheless, for this also be thou ready in thy
station, so as to suffer more than the other would fain do to thee.

   "Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee,
turn not thou away."(3)

   These last are less than what went before; but marvel not, for this He
is ever wont to do, mingling the small with the great. And if these be
little in comparison with those, let them hearken, who take the goods of
others, who distribute their own among harlots, and kindle to themselves a
double fire, both by the unrighteous income, and by the pernicious outlay.

   But by "borrowing," here, He means not the compact with usury, but the
use merely. And elsewhere He even amplifies it, saying that we should give
to them, from whom we do not expect to receive?

   4. "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor,
and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, love your enemies, and pray for
them which despitefully use you: bless them that curse you, do good to them
that hate you. That ye may become like(5) your Father which is in Heaven;
for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain
on the just and on the unjust."(6)

   See how He hath set the highest pinnacle on our good deeds. For this is
why He teaches not only to endure a blow, but to offer the right cheek
also; not only to add the cloak to the coat, but to travel also two miles
with him who compels thee to go one; in order that thou mightest receive
with all facility that which is much more than these. "But what," one may
say, "is more than these?" Not even to count as an enemy him who is doing
these things: or rather even somewhat else more than this. For He said not,
"do not hate," but "love;" He said not, "do not injure," but "do good."

   And if any one should examine accurately, he will see that even to
these things somewhat is added, much greater than they are. For neither did
He simply command to love, but to pray.

   Seest thou how many steps He hath ascended, and how He hath set us on
the very summit of virtue? Nay, mark it, numbering from the beginning. A
first step is, not to begin with injustice: a second, after he hath begun,
to vindicate one's self by equal retaliation; a third, not to do unto him
that is vexing us the same that one hath suffered, but to be quiet; a
fourth, even to give one's self up to suffer wrongfully; a fifth, to give
up yet more than the other, who did the wrong, wishes; a sixth, not to hate
him who hath done so; a seventh, even to love him; an eighth, to do him
good also; a ninth, to entreat God Himself on his behalf. Seest thou, what
height of self-command? Wherefore glorious too, as we see, is the reward
which it hath. That is, because the thing enjoined was great, and needed a
fervent(7) soul, and much earnestness, He appoints for it also such a
reward, as for none of the former. For He makes not mention here of earth,
as with respect to the meek; nor of comfort and mercy, as with regard to
the mourners and the merciful; nor of the kingdom of Heaven; but of that
which was more thrilling than all; our becoming like God, in such wise as
men might become so. For He saith, "That ye may become like unto your
Father which is in Heaven."

   And observe, I pray thee, how neither in this place, nor in the
preceding parts, doth He call Him His own Father, but in that instance,
"God," and "a great King," when he was discoursing about oaths, and here,
"their Father." And this He doth, as reserving for the proper season what
He had to say touching these points.

    5. Then, bringing the likeness yet closer, He saith,

   "Because He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and
sendeth rain upon just and unjust."(1)

   "For He too, so far from hating." so He speaks, "even pours benefits on
those that insult Him." Yet surely in no respect is the case parallel, not
only because of the surpassing nature of His benefits, but also by reason
of the excellence of His dignity. For thou indeed art despised by thy
fellow-slave, but He by His slave, who hath also received ten thousand
benefits from Him: and thou indeed givest words, in praying for him, but
He, deeds, very great and marvellous, kindling the sun, and giving the
annual showers. "Nevertheless, even so I grant thee to be mine equal, in
such wise as it is possible for a man so to be."

   Hate not then the man that doeth thee wrong, who is procuring thee such
good things, and bringing thee to so great honor. Curse not him that uses
thee despitefully; for so hast thou undergone the labor, but art deprived
of the fruit; thou wilt bear the loss, but lose the reward; which is of the
utmost folly, having borne the more grievous, not to bear what is less than
it. "But how," saith one, "is it possible for this to take place?" Having
seen God become man, and descend so far, and suffer so much for thy sake,
dost thou still inquire and doubt, how it is possible to forgive thy
fellow-servants their injuriousness? Hearest thou not Him on the cross,
saying, "Forgive them, for they know not what they do?"(2) Hearest thou not
Paul, when he saith, "He who is gone up on high, and is sitting on the
right hand intercedeth for us?"(3) Seest thou not that even after the
cross, and after He had been received up, He sent the apostles unto the
Jews that had slain Him, to bring them His ten thousand blessings, and
this, though they were to suffer ten thousand terrors at their hands?

   6. But hast thou been greatly wronged? Nay, what hast thou endured like
thy Lord, bound, beaten with whips, with rods, spit upon by servants,
enduring death, and that death, which is of all deaths the most shameful,
after ten thousand favors shown? And even if thou hast been greatly
wronged, for this very cause most of all do thou do him good, that thou
mayest both make thine own crown more glorious, and set thy brother free
from the worst infirmity. For so too the physicians, when they are kicked,
and shamefully handled by the insane, then most of all pity them, and take
measures for their perfect cure, knowing that the insult comes of the
extremity of their disease. Now I bid thee too have the same mind touching
them that are plotting against thee, and do thou so treat them that are
injuring thee. For it is they above all that are diseased, it is they who
are undergoing all the violence. Deliver him then from this grievous
contumely, and grant him to let go his anger, and set him free from that
grievous demon, wrath. Yea, for if we see persons possessed by devils, we
weep for them; we do not seek to be ourselves also possessed.

   Now let us do this too likewise with respect to them that are angry;
for in truth the enraged are like the possessed; yea rather, are more
wretched than they, being mad with consciousness of it. Wherefore also
their frenzy is without excuse. Trample not then on the fallen, but rather
pity him. For so, should we see any one troubled with bile, blinded and
giddy, and straining to east up this evil humor, we stretch forth a hand,
and continue to support him through his struggles, and though we stain our
garments, we regard it not, but seek one thing only, how we may set him
free from this grievous distress. This then let us do with respect to the
angry also, and continue to bear them up when vomiting and struggling; nor
let him go, until he put from him all the bitterness. And then shall he
feel toward thee the greatest thankfulness; when he is at rest, then he
will know clearly from how great trouble thou hast released him.

   But why do I speak of the thanks from him? for God will straightway
crown thee, and will requite thee with ten thousand honors, because thou
hast freed thy brother from a grievous disease; and that brother too will
honor thee as a master, ever reverencing thy forbearance.

   Seest thou not the women that are in travail, how they bite those that
stand by, and they are not pained? or rather they are pained, but bear it
bravely, and sympathize with them who are in sorrow and are torn by those
pangs. These do thou too emulate, and prove not softer than women. For
after these women have brought forth (for these men are more feeble minded
than women), then they will know thee to be a man in comparison.(1)

   And if the things enjoined be grievous, consider that to this end
Christ came, that He might implant these things in our mind, that He might
render us profitable both to enemies and friends. Wherefore also He
commands us to have a care of both these: of our brethren, when He saith,
"If thou bring thy gift;" of our enemies, when He makes a law both to love
them, and to pray for them.

   7. And not only from the example they have in God, doth He urge them on
to this, but also from the contrary.

   "For if ye love those," saith He, "that love you, what reward have ye?
do not even the publicans the same?"(2) This Paul also saith, "Ye have not
yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin."(3) If then thou doest these
things, thou hast taken thy stand with God; but if thou forsakest them,
with the publicans. Seest thou how that the interval between the
commandments is not so great as the difference between the persons? Let us
not therefore infer this, "the injunction is hard;" but let us consider
also the reward, and think whom we are like, if we duly perform it, and to
whom equal, if we wander from it.

   Thus then to our brother He commands us to be reconciled, and not to
desist till we have removed the enmity: but when He is discoursing of
persons generally, He subjects us no longer to this necessity, but requires
only what is on our part; in this way also making the law easy. For
inasmuch as He had said, "They persecuted the prophets which were before
you;" lest on occasion of those very words they should be unfavorably
disposed towards them, He bids them not only to endure such as do so, but
even to love them.

   8. Seest thou how He pulls up by the roots wrath, and sensual lusts, as
well as that of riches, that of glory, all that belongs to this life? For
this he had done indeed from the first, but much more now. For the poor,
and the meek, and the mourner, empties himself of his anger; the just and
the merciful, of the lust of riches; the pure in heart is delivered from
wicked lusts; he that is persecuted and suffers insults, and is evil spoken
of, is practising of course entire contempt of things present, and is clear
from pride and vainglory.

   Having therefore loosed the hearer from these bonds, and having
anointed him for the conflicts, again in another way He roots up these
passions, and with increased strictness. For having begun by anger, and
having cut out on every side the sinews of this passion; having said, "he
that is angry with his brother," and "he that calleth fool," or "Raca," let
him be punished: and "he that is offering his gift, let him not approach
the table until he have done away the enmity;" and "he that hath an
adversary, before he see the tribunal, let him make the enemy a friend:" He
makes a transition to lust again, and saith, "he that beholds with unchaste
eyes, let him be punished as an adulterer;" whoso is offended by an
unchaste woman, or by a man, or by any other of those belonging to him, let
him cut off all these; "he that hath a woman by law of marriage, let him
never cast her out, and look to another." For hereby He hath pulled up the
roots of wicked lust. Then after this He restrains the love of riches,
commanding neither to swear, nor to lie, nor to keep hold of the very cloak
with which one may chance to be clad, but rather to give up one's coat too,
to him who would have it, and one's bodily services; completely and more
than completely taking away our longing for riches. Then after all these
things, and the varied garland of these commandments, He goes on to say
"pray for them which despitefully use you:" leading us up to the very
highest summit of self-control.

   For as being meek is not so much as to take smiting, nor being
merciful, as to give one's coat also together with one's cloak, nor being
just, as to bear injury, nor being a peacemaker, as to follow even when
smitten and compelled; so also to suffer persecution is not so much as to
bless when persecuted. Seest thou how by degrees He leads us up into the
very arches, of Heaven?

   9. What then can we deserve, who are commanded to emulate God, and are
perhaps in a way not so much as to equal the publicans? For if "to love
them that love us" be the part of publicans, sinners, and heathens: when we
do not even this (and we do it not, so long as we envy our brethren who are
in honor), what penalty shall we not incur, commanded as we are to surpass
the scribes, and taking our place below the heathens? How then shall we
behold the kingdom, I pray thee? how shall we set foot on that holy
threshold, who are not surpassing even the publicans? For this He covertly
signified, when He said, "Do not even the publicans the same?"

   And this thing most especially we may admire in His teaching, that
while in each instance He sets down with very great fullness the prizes of
the conflicts; such as "to see God," and "to inherit the kingdom of
Heaven," and "to become sons of God," and "like God," and "to obtain
mercy," and "to be comforted," and "the great reward:" if anywhere He must
needs mention things grievous, He doth this in a subdued tone. Thus in the
first place, the name of hell He hath set down once only in so many
sentences; and in some other instances too, it is with reserve that He
corrects the hearer, and as though he were managing His discourse rather in
the way of shaming than threatening him; where He saith, "do not even the
publicans the same?" and, "if the salt have lost its savor;" and, "he shall
be called least in the kingdom of Heaven."

   And there are places where He puts down the sin itself by way of
punishment, leaving to the hearer to infer the grievousness of the
punishment: as when He saith, "he hath committed adultery with her in his
heart;" and, "he that putteth away causeth her to commit adultery;" and,
"That which is more than these is of the evil one." For to them that have
understanding, instead of the mention of the punishment, the very greatness
of the sin is sufficient for correction.

   Wherefore also He here brings forward the heathens and the publicans,
by the quality of the person putting the disciple to shame. Which Paul too
did, saying, "Sorrow not, even as the rest which have no hope;"(1) and,
"Even as the Gentiles which know not God."(2)

   And to signify that He requires nothing very overpowering, but a little
more than was accustomed, He saith,

   "Do not even the Gentiles(3) the same?"(4) Yet nevertheless He stops
not the discourse at this, but makes it end with His rewards, and those
good hopes, saying,

   "Be ye therefore perfect, as your Heavenly Father."(5)

   And He intersperses everywhere abundantly the name of the heavens, by
the very place thoroughly elevating their minds. For as yet, I know not
how, they were somewhat weak and dull.

   10. Let us then, bearing in mind all the things which have been said,
show forth great love even towards our enemies; and let us east away that
ridiculous custom, to which many of the more thoughtless give way, waiting
for those that meet them to address them first. Towards that which hath a
great blessing, they have no zeal; but what is ridiculous, that they follow
after.

   Wherefore now dost thou not address him first? "Because he is waiting
for this," is the reply. Nay, for this very reason most of all thou
shouldest have sprung forward to him, that thou mightest win the crown.
"No," saith he, "since this was his object." And what can be worse than
this folly? That is, "Because this," saith he, "was his object;--to become
procurer of a reward for me;--I will not put my hand to what he has thus
suggested." Now if he first address thee, thou gainest nothing, even though
thou accost him. But if thou be first to spring forward and speak to him,
thou hast made thyself profit of his pride, and hast gathered in a manner
abundant fruit from his obstinacy.(6) What is it then but the utmost folly,
when we are to reap so large fruit from bare words, to give up the gain;
and condemning him, to stumble at the very same thing? For if thou blamest
him for this, that he first waits to be addressed by another, wherefore
dost thou emulate that same thing which thou accusest? That which thou
saidst was evil, why art thou to imitate the same as good? Seest thou how
that nothing is more senseless than a man who associates with wickedness?
Wherefore, I entreat, let us flee this evil and ridiculous practice. Yea,
for ten thousand friendships hath this pestilence overthrown, many enmities
hath it wrought.

   For this cause then let us anticipate them. Since we who are commanded
to take blows, and be compelled to journey,(7) and to be stripped by
enemies, and to bear it; what kind of indulgence should we deserve,
exhibiting so great contentiousness in a mere formal address?

   11. "Why," saith one, "we are despised and spit upon, the moment we
have given him up this." And in order that man may not despise thee, dost
thou offend God? And in order that thy frenzied fellow servant may not
despise thee, dost thou despise the Lord, who hath bestowed on thee
benefits so great? Nay, if it be amiss that thine equal should despise
thee, how much more that thou shouldest despise the God that made thee?

   And together with this, consider that other point also; that when he
despises thee, he is at that very moment employed in procuring to thee a
greater reward. Since for God's sake thou submittest to it, because thou
hast hearkened to His laws. And this, to what kind of honor is it not
equal? to how many diadems? Be it my portion both to be insulted and
despised for God's sake, rather than to be honored by all kings; for
nothing, nothing is equal to this glory.

   This then let us pursue, in such wise as Himself commanded, and making
no account of the things of men, but showing forth perfect self restraint
in all things, let us so direct our own lives. For so even now, from this
very timer we shall enjoy the good things of the heavens, and of the crowns
that are there, walking as angels among men, going about in the earth like
the angelic powers, and abiding apart from all lust, from all turmoil.

   And together with all these things we shall receive also the
unutterable blessings: unto which may we all attain, by the grace and love
towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory, and power, and
worship, with the unoriginate Father, and the Holy and Good Spirit, now and
always, even forever and ever. Amen


HOMILY XIX: MATT. VI. 1.

"Take heed that ye do not your alms(1) before men, to be seen of them."

   HE roots out in what remains the most tyrannical passion of all, the
rage and madness with respect to vainglory, which springs up in them that
do right. For at first He had not at all discoursed about it; it being
indeed superfluous, before He had persuaded them to do any of the things
which they ought, to teach in which way they should practise and pursue
them.

   But after He had led them on to self-command, then He proceeds to purge
away also the alloy which secretly subsists with it. For this disease is by
no means of random birth; but when we have duly performed many of the
commandments.

   It behooved therefore first to implant virtue, and then to remove the
passion which mars its fruit.

   And see with what He begins, with fasting, and prayer, and almsgiving:
for in these good deeds most especially it is wont to make its haunt. The
Pharisee, for instance, was hereby puffed up, who saith, "I fast twice a
week, I give tithes of my substance."(2) And he was vainglorious too in his
very prayer, making it for display. For since there was no one else
present, he pointed himself out to the publican,(3) saying, "I am not as
the rest of men, nor even as this publican."(4)

   And mark how Christ began, as though He were speaking of some wild
beast, hard to catch, and crafty to deceive him who was not very watchful.
Thus, "take heed," saith He, "as to your alms." So Paul also speaks to the
Philippians; "Beware of dogs."(5) And with reason, for(6) the evil beast
comes in upon us secretly, and without noise puffs all away, and
unobservedly carries out all that is within.

   Forasmuch then as He had made much discourse about almsgiving, and
brought forward God, "Who maketh His sun to rise on the evil and the
good,"(7) and by motives from all quarters had urged them on to this, and
had persuaded them to exult in the abundance of their giving; He finishes
by taking away also all things that encumber this fair olive tree. For
which same cause He saith, "Take heed that ye do not your alms before men,"
for that which was before mentioned, is "God's" almsgiving.

   2. And when He had said, "not to do it before men," He added, "to be
seen of them." And though it seems as if the same thing were said a second
time, yet if any one give particular attention, it is not the same thing,
but one is different from the other; and it hath great security, and
unspeakable care and tenderness. For it may be, both that one doing alms
before men may not do it to be seen of them, and again that one not doing
it before men may do it to be seen of them. Wherefore it is not simply the
thing, but the intent, which He both punishes and rewards. And unless such
exactness were employed, this would make many more backward about the
giving of alms, because it is not on every occasion altogether possible to
do it secretly. For this cause, setting thee free from this restraint, He
defines both the penalty and the reward not by the result of the action,
but by the intention of the doer.

   That is, that thou mayest not say, "What? am I then the worse, should
another see?"-- "it is not this," saith He, "that I am seeking, but the
mind that is in thee, and the tone of what thou doest." For His will is to
bring our soul altogether into frame, and to deliver it from every disease.
Now having, as you see, forbidden men's acting for display, and having
taught them the penalty thence ensuing, namely, to do it vainly, and for
nought, He again rouses their spirits by putting them in mind of the
Father, and of Heaven, that not by the loss alone He might sting them, but
also shame them by the recollection of Him who gave them being.

   "For ye have no reward," saith He, "with your Father which is in
Heaven."(1)

   Nor even at this did He stop, but proceeds yet further, by other
motives also increasing their disgust. For as above He set forth publicans
and heathens, by the quality of the person shaming their imitators, so also
in this place the hypocrites.

   "Therefore when thou doest thine alms," saith He, "do not sound a
trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do."(2)

   Not that they had trumpets, but He means to display the greatness of
their frenzy, by the use of this figure of speech, deriding and making a
shows of them hereby.

   And well hath He called them "hypocrites" for the mask was of mercy,
but the spirit of cruelty and inhumanity. For they do it, not because they
pity their neighbors, but that they themselves may enjoy credit; and this
came of the utmost cruelty; while another was perishing with hunger, to be
seeking vainglory, and not putting an end to his suffering.

   It is not then the giving alms which is required, but the giving as one
ought, the giving for such and such an end.(4)

   Having then amply derided those men, and having handled them so, that
the hearer should be even ashamed of them, He again corrects thoroughly the
mind which is so distempered: and having said how we ought not to act, He
signifies on the other hand how we ought to act. How then ought we to do
our alms?(5)

   "Let not thy left hand know," saith He, "what thy right hand doeth."(6)

   Here again His enigmatical meaning is not of the hands, but He hath put
the thing hyperbolically. As thus: "If it can be," saith He, "for thyself
not to know it, let this be the object of thine endeavor; that, if it were
possible, it may be concealed from the very hands that minister." It is
not, as some say, that we should hide it from wrong- headed(7) men, for He
hath here commanded that it should be concealed from all.

   And then the reward too; consider how great it is. For after He had
spoken of the punishment from the one, He points out also the honor derived
from the other; from either side urging them, and leading them on to high
lessons. Yea, for He is persuading them to know that God is everywhere
present, and that not by our present life are our interests limited, but a
yet more awful tribunal will receive us when we go hence, and the account
of all our doings, and honors, and punishments: and that no one will be hid
in doing anything either great or small, though he seem to be hid from men.
For all this did He darkly signify, when He said,

   "Thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly."(8)

   Setting for him a great and august assemblage of spectators, and what
He desires, that very thing bestowing on him in great abundance. "For
what," saith He, "dost thou wish? is it not to have some to be spectators
of what is going on? Behold then, thou hast some; not angels, nor
archangels, but the God of all." And if thou desire to have men also as
spectators, neither of this desire doth He deprive thee at the fitting
season, but rather in greater abundance affords it unto thee. For, if thou
shouldest now make a display, thou wilt be able to make it to ten only, or
twenty, or (we will say) a hundred persons: but if thou take pains to lie
hid now, God Himself will then proclaim thee in the presence of the whole
universe. Wherefore above all, if thou wilt have men see thy good deeds,
hide them now, that then all may look on them with the more honor, God
making them manifest, and extolling them, and proclaiming them before all.
Again, whereas now they that behold will rather condemn thee as
vainglorious; when they see thee crowned, so far from condemning, they will
even admire thee, all of them. When therefore by waiting a little, thou
mayest both receive a reward, and reap greater admiration; consider what
folly it is to cast thyself out of both these; and while thou art seeking
thy reward from God, and while God is beholding, to summon men for the
display of what is going on. Why, if display must be made of our love, to
our Father above all should we make it; and this most especially, when our
Father hath the power both to crown and to punish.

   And let me add, even were there no penalty, it were not meet for him
who desires glory, to let go this our theatre, and take in exchange that of
men. For who is there so wretched, as that when the king was hastening to
come and see his achievements, he would let him go, and make up his
assembly of spectators of poor men and beggars? For this cause then, He not
only commands to make no display, but even to take pains to be concealed:
it not being at all the same, not to strive for publicity, and to strive
for concealment.

   3. "And when ye pray," saith He, "ye shall not be as the hypocrites,
for they love to pray standing in the synagogues, and in the corners of the
streets. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward."(1)

   "But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast
shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret."

   These too again He calls "hypocrites," and very fitly; for while they
are feigning to pray to God, they are looking round after men; wearing the
garb not of suppliants, but of ridiculous persons. For he, who is to do a
suppliant's office, letting go all other, looks to him alone, who hath
power to grant his request. But if thou leave this one, and go about
wandering and casting around thine eyes everywhere, thou wilt depart with
empty hands. For this was thine own will. Wherefore He said not, "such
shall not receive a reward," but, "they have it out:" that is, they shall
indeed receive one, but from those of whom they themselves desire to have
it. For God wills not this: He rather for His part was willing to bestow on
men the recompence that comes from Himself; but they seeking that which is
from men, can be no longer justly entitled to receive from Him, for whom
they have done nothing.

   But mark, I pray thee, the lovingkindness of God, in that He promises
to bestow on us a reward, even for those good things which we ask of Him.

   Having then discredited them, who order not this duty as they ought,
both from the place and from their disposition of mind, and having shown
that they are very ridiculous: He introduces the best manner of prayer, and
again gives the reward, saying, "Enter into thy closet."

   "What then," it may be said, "ought we not to pray in church?" Indeed
we ought by all means, but in such a spirit as this. Because everywhere God
seeks the intention of all that is done. Since even if thou shouldest enter
into thy closet, and having shut the door, shouldest do it for display, the
doors will do thee no good.

   It is worth observing in this case also, how exact the definition,
which He made when He said, "That they may appear unto men." So that even
if thou shut the doors, this He desires thee duly to perform, rather than
the shutting of the doors, even to shut the doors of the mind. For as in
everything it is good to be freed from vainglory, so most especially in
prayer. For if even without this, we wander and are distracted, when shall
we attend unto the things which we are saying, should we enter in having
this disease also? And if we who pray and beseech attend not, how do we
expect God to attend?

   4. But yet some there are, who after such and so earnest charges,
behave themselves so unseemly in prayer, that even when their person is
concealed, they make themselves manifest to all by their voice, crying out
disorderly,(3) and rendering themselves objects of ridicule both by gesture
and voice. Seest thou not that even in a market place, should any one come
up doing like this, and begging clamorously, he wilt drive away him whom he
is petitioning; but if quietly, and with the proper gesture, then he rather
wins over him that can grant the favor?

   Let us not then make our prayer by the gesture of our body, nor by the
loudness of our voice, but by the earnestness of our mind: neither with
noise and clamor and for display, so as even to disturb those that are near
us, but with all modesty,(1) and with contrition in the mind, and with
inward tears.

   But art thou pained in mind, and canst not help crying aloud? yet
surely it is the part of one exceedingly pained to pray and entreat even as
I have said. Since Moses too was pained, and prayed in this way and was
heard; for this cause also God said unto him, "Wherefore criest thou unto
me."(2) And Hannah too again, her voice not being heard, accomplished all
she wished, forasmuch as her heart cried out.(3) But Abel prayed not only
when silent, but even when dying, and his blood sent forth a cry more clear
than a trumpet.(4)

   Do thou also then groan, even as that holy one, I forbid it not.
"Rend," as the prophet commanded,(5) "thine heart, and not thy garments."
Out of deeps call upon God, for it is said, "Out of the depths have I cried
to Thee, O Lord."(6) From beneath, out of the heart, draw forth a voice,
make thy prayer a mystery. Seest thou not that even in the houses of kings
all tumult is put away, and great on all sides is the silence? Do thou also
therefore, entering as into a palace,--not that on the earth, but what is
far more awful than it, that which is in heaven,--show forth great
seemliness. Yea, for thou art joined to the choirs of angels, and art in
communion with archangels, and art singing with the seraphim. And all these
tribes show forth much goodly order, singing with great awe that mystical
strain, and their sacred hymns to God, the King of all. With these then
mingle thyself, when thou art praying, and emulate their mystical order.

   For not unto men art thou praying, but to God, who is everywhere
present, who hears even before the voice, who knows the secrets of the
mind. If thou so pray, great is the reward thou shalt receive.

   "For thy Father," saith He, "who seeth in secret, shall reward thee
openly."(7)

   He said not, "shall freely give thee," but, "shall reward thee;" yea,
for He hath made Himself a debtor to thee, and even from this hath honored
thee with great honor. For because He Himself is invisible, He would have
thy prayer be so likewise.

   5. Then He speaks even the very words of the prayer.

   "When ye pray," saith He, "use no vain repetitions, even as the heathen
do."(8)

   You see that when He was discoursing of almsgiving, He removed only
that mischief which comes of vainglory, and added nothing more; neither did
He say whence one should give alms; as from honest labor, and not from
rapine nor covetousness: this being abundantly acknowledged among all. And
also before that, He had thoroughly cleared up this point, when He blessed
them "that hunger after righteousness."

   But touching prayer, He adds somewhat over and above; "not to use vain
repetitions." And as there He derides the hypocrites, so here the heathen;
shaming the hearer everywhere most of all by the vileness of the persons.
For since this, in most cases, is especially biting and stinging, I mean
our appearing to be likened to outcast persons; by this topic He dissuades
them; calling frivolousness, here, by the name of "vain repetition:" as
when we ask of God things unsuitable, kingdoms, and glory, and to get the
better of enemies, and abundance of wealth, and in general what does not at
all concern us.

   "For He knoweth," saith He, "what things ye have need of."(9)

   And herewith He seems to me to command in this place, that neither
should we make our prayers long; long, I mean, not in time, but in the
number and length of the things mentioned. For perseverance indeed in the
same requests is our duty: His word being, "continuing instant in
prayer."(10)

   And He Himself too, by that example of the widow, who prevailed with
the pitiless and cruel ruler, by the continuance of her intercession;(11)
and by that of the friend, who came late at night time, and roused the
sleeper from his bed,(12) not for his friendship's, but for his
importunity's sake; what did He, but lay down a law, that all should
continually make supplication unto Him? He doth not however bid us compose
a prayer of ten thousand clauses, and so come to Him and merely repeat it.
For this He obscurely signified when He said, "They think that they shall
be heard for their much speaking."

   "For He knoweth," saith He, "what things ye have need of." And if He
know, one may say, what we have need of, wherefore must we pray? Not to
instruct Him, but to prevail with Him; to be made intimate with Him, by
continuance in supplication; to be humbled; to be reminded of thy sins.

   6. "After this manner, therefore, pray ye," saith He: "Our Father,
which art in heaven."(1)

   See how He straightway stirred up the hearer, and reminded him of all
God's bounty in the beginning. For he who calls God Father, by him both
remission of sins, and taking away of punishment, and righteousness, and
sanctification, and redemption, and adoption, and inheritance, and
brotherhood with the Only-Begotten, and the supply of the Spirit, are
acknowledged in this single title. For one cannot call God Father, without
having attained to all those blessings. Doubly, therefore, doth He awaken
their spirit, both by the dignity of Him who is called on, and by the
greatness of the benefits which they have enjoyed. But when He saith, "in
Heaven," He speaks not this as shutting up God there, but as withdrawing
him who is praying from earth, and fixing him in the high places, and in
the dwellings above.

   He teaches, moreover, to make our prayer common, in behalf of our
brethren also. For He saith not, "my Father, which art in Heaven," but,
"our Father," offering up his supplications for the body in common, and
nowhere looking to his own, but everywhere to his neighbor's good. And by
this He at once takes away hatred, and quells pride, and casts out envy,
and brings in the mother of all good things, even charity, and exterminates
the inequality of human things, and shows how far the equality reaches
between the king and the poor man, if at least in those things which are
greatest and most indispensable, we are all of us fellows. For what harm
comes of our kindred below, when in that which is on high we are all of us
knit together, and no one hath aught more than another; neither the rich
more than the poor, nor the master than the servant, neither the ruler than
the subject, nor the king than the common soldier, nor the philosopher than
the barbarian, nor the skillful than the unlearned? For to all hath He
given one nobility, having vouchsafed to be called the Father of all alike.

   7. When therefore He hath reminded us of this nobility, and of the gift
from above, and of our equality with our brethren, and of charity; and when
He hath removed us from earth, and fixed us in Heaven; let us see what He
commands us to ask after this. Not but, in the first place, even that
saying alone is sufficient to implant instruction in all virtue. For he who
hath called God Father, and a common Father, would be justly bound to show
forth such a conversation, as not to appear unworthy of this nobility, and
to exhibit a diligence proportionate to the gift. Yet is He not satisfied
with this, but adds, also another clause, thus saying,

   "Hallowed be Thy name."

   Worthy of him who calls God Father, is the prayer to ask nothing before
the glory of His Father, but to account all things secondary to the work of
praising Him. For "hallowed" is glorified. For His own glory He hath
complete, and ever continuing the same, but He commands him who prays to
seek that He may be glorified also by our life. Which very thing He had
said before likewise, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may
see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."(2) Yea,
and the seraphim too, giving glory, said on this wise, "Holy, holy,
holy."(3) So that "hallowed" means this, viz. "glorified." That is,
"vouchsafe," saith he, "that we may live so purely, that through us all may
glorify Thee." Which thing again appertains unto perfect self-control, to
present to all a life so irreprehensible, that every one of the beholders
may offer to the Lord the praise due to Him for this.

   "Thy kingdom come."(4)

   And this again is the language of a right-minded child, not to be
rivetted to things that are seen, neither to account things present some
great matter; but to hasten unto our Father, and to long for the things to
come. And this springs out of a good conscience, and a soul set free from
things that are on earth. This, for instance, Paul himself was longing
after every day: wherefore he also said, that "even we ourselves, who have
the first-fruits of the Spirit, groan, waiting for an adoption, the
redemption of our body."(5) For he who hath this fondness,(6) can neither
be puffed up by the good things of this life, nor abashed by its sorrows;
but as though dwelling in the very heavens, is freed from each sort of
irregularity.(7)

   "Thy will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven."

   Behold a most excellent train of thought! in that He bade us indeed
long for the things to come, and hasten towards that sojourn; and, till
that may be, even while we abide here, so long to be earnest in showing
forth the same conversation as those above. For ye must long, saith He, for
heaven, and the things in heaven; however, even before heaven, He hath
bidden us make the earth a heaven and do and say all things, even while we
are continuing in it, as having our conversation there; insomuch that these
too should be objects of our prayer to the Lord. For there is nothing to
hinder our reaching the perfection of the powers above, because we inhabit
the earth; but it is possible even while abiding here, to do all, as though
already placed on high. What He saith therefore is this: "As there all
things are done without hindrance, and the angels are not partly obedient
and partly disobedient, but in all things yield and obey (for He saith,
'Mighty in strength, performing His word');(1) so vouchsafe that we men may
not do Thy will by halves, but perform all things as Thou wiliest."

   Seest thou how He hath taught us also to be modest, by making it clear
that virtue is not of our endeavors only, but also of the grace from above?
And again, He hath enjoined each one of us, who pray, to take upon himself
the care of the whole world. For He did not at all say, "Thy will be done"
in me, or in us, but everywhere on the earth; so that error may be
destroyed, and truth implanted, and all wickedness cast out, and virtue
return, and no difference in this respect be henceforth between heaven and
earth. "For if this come to pass," saith He, "there will be no difference
between things below and above, separated as they are in nature; the earth
exhibiting to us another set of angels."

    8. "Give us this day our daily bread."(2)

    What is "daily bread"? That for one day.(3)

    For because He had said thus, "Thy will be done in earth as it is in
heaven," but was discoursing to men encompassed with flesh, and subject to
the necessities of nature, and incapable of the same impassibility with the
angels:--while He enjoins the commands to be practised by us also, even as
they perform them; He condescends likewise, in what follows, to the
infirmity of our nature. Thus, "perfection of conduct," saith He, "I
require as great, not however freedom from passions; no, for the tyranny of
nature permits it not: for it requires necessary food." But mark, I pray
thee, how even in things that are bodily, that which is spiritual abounds.
For it is neither for riches, nor for delicate living, nor for costly
raiment, nor for any other such thing, but for bread only, that He hath
commanded us to make our prayer. And for "daily bread," so as not to "take
thought for the morrow."(4) Because of this He added, "daily bread," that
is, bread for one day.

   And not even with this expression is He satisfied, but adds another too
afterwards, saying, "Give us this day;" so that we may not, beyond this,
wear ourselves out with the care of the following day. For that day, the
intervals before which thou knowest not whether thou shalt see, wherefore
dost thou submit to its cares?

   This, as He proceeded, he enjoined also more fully, saying, "Take no
thought for the morrow." He would have us be on every hand unencumbered and
winged for flight, yielding just so much to nature as the compulsion of
necessity requires of us.

   9. Then forasmuch as it comes to pass that we sin even after the
washing of regeneration, He, showing His love to man to be great even in
this case, commands us for the remission of our sins to come unto God who
loves man, and thus to say,

   "Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors."(6)

   Seest thou surpassing mercy? After taking away so great evils, and
after the unspeakable greatness of His gift, if men sin again, He counts
them such as may be forgiven. For that this prayer belongs to believers, is
taught us both by the laws of the church, and by the beginning of the
prayer. For the uninitiated could not call God Father. If then the prayer
belongs to believers, and they pray, entreating that sins may be forgiven
them, it is clear that not even after the layer is the profit of repentance
taken away. Since, had He not meant to signify this, He would not have made
a law that we should so pray. Now He who both brings sins to remembrance,
and bids us ask forgiveness, and teaches how we may obtain remission and so
makes the way easy; it is perfectly clear that He introduced this rule of
supplication, as knowing, and signifying, that it is possible even after
the font(1) to wash ourselves from our offenses; by reminding us of our
sins, persuading us to be modest; by the command to forgive others, setting
us free from all revengeful passion; while by promising in return for this
to pardon us also, He holds out good hopes, and instructs us to have high
views(2) concerning the unspeakable mercy of God toward man.

   But what we should most observe is this, that whereas in each of the
clauses He had made mention of the whole of virtue, and in this way had
included also the forgetfulness of injuries (for so, that "His name be
hallowed," is the exactness of a perfect conversation; and that "His will
be done," declares the same thing again: and to be able to call God
"Father," is the profession of a blameless life; in all which things had
been comprehended also the duty of remitting our anger against them that
have transgressed): still He was not satisfied with these, but meaning to
signify how earnest He is in the matter, He sets it down also in
particular, and after the prayer, He makes mention of no other commandment
than this, saying thus:

   "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will
forgive you."(3)

   So that the beginning is of us, and we ourselves have control over the
judgment that is to be passed upon us. For in order that no one, even of
the senseless, might have any complaint to make, either great or small,
when brought to judgment; on thee, who art to give account, He causes the
sentence to depend; and "in what way soever thou hast judged for thyself,
in the same," saith He, "do I also judge thee." And if thou forgive thy
fellow servant, thou shalt obtain the same favor from me; though indeed the
one be not equal to the other. For thou forgivest in thy need, but God,
having need of none: thou, thy fellow slave; God, His slave: thou liable to
unnumbered charges; God, being without sin. But yet even thus doth He show
forth His lovingkindness towards man.

   Since He might indeed, even without this, forgive thee all thine
offenses; but He wills thee hereby also to receive a benefit; affording
thee on all sides innumerable occasions of gentleness and love to man,
casting out what is brutish in thee, and quenching wrath, and in all ways
cementing thee to him who is thine own member.

   For what canst thou have to say? that thou hast wrongfully endured some
ill of thy neighbor? (For these only are trespasses, since if it be done
with justice, the act is not a trespass.) But thou too art drawing near to
receive forgiveness for such things, and for much greater. And even before
the forgiveness, thou hast received no small gift, in being taught to have
a human soul, and in being trained to all gentleness. And herewith a great
reward shall also be laid up for thee elsewhere, even to be called to
account for none of thine offenses.

   What sort of punishment then do we not deserve, when after having
received the privilege, we betray our salvation? And how shall we claim to
be heard in the rest of our matters, if we will not, in those which depend
on us, spare our own selves?

   10. "And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from the evil one:
for Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen."(5)

   Here He teaches us plainly our own vileness, and quells our pride,
instructing us to deprecate all conflicts, instead of rushing upon them.
For so both our victory will be more glorious, and the devil's overthrow
more to be derided. I mean, that as when we are dragged forth, we must
stand nobly; so when we are not summoned, we should be quiet, and wait for
the time of conflict; that we may show both freedom from vainglory, and
nobleness of spirit.

   And He here calls the devil "the wicked one," commanding us to wage
against him a war that knows no truce, and implying that he is not such by
nature. For wickedness(6) is not of those things that are from nature, but
of them that are added by our own choice. And he is so called pre-
eminently, by reason of the excess of his wickedness, and because he, in no
respect injured by us, wages against us implacable war. Wherefore neither
said He, "deliver us from the wicked ones," but, "from the wicked one;"
instructing us in no case to entertain displeasure against our neighbors,
for what wrongs soever we may suffer at their hands, but to transfer our
enmity from these to him, as being himself the cause of all our wrongs.

   Having then made us anxious as before conflict, by putting us in mind
of the enemy, and having cut away from us all our remissness; He again
encourages and raises our spirits, by bringing to our remembrance the King
under whom we are arrayed, and signifying Him to be more powerful than all.
"For Thine," saith He, "is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory."

   Doth it not then follow, that if His be the kingdom, we should fear no
one, since there can be none to withstand, and divide the empire with him.
For when He saith, "Thine is the kingdom," He sets before us even him, who
is warring against us, brought into subjection, though he seem to oppose,
God for a while. permitting it. For in truth he too is among God's
servants, though of the degraded class, and those guilty of offense; and he
would not dare set upon any of his fellow servants, had he not first
received license from above. And why say I, "his fellow servants?" Not even
against swine did he venture any outrage, until He Himself allowed him;(1)
nor against flocks, nor herds, until he had received permission from
above.(2)

   "And the power," saith He. Therefore, manifold as thy weakness may be,
thou mayest of right be confident, having such a one to reign over thee,
who is able fully to accomplish all, and that with ease, even by thee.

   "And the glory, for ever. Amen." Thus He not only frees thee from the
dangers that are approaching thee, but can make thee also glorious and
illustrious. For as His power is great, so also is His glory unspeakable,
and they are all boundless, and no end of them. Seest thou how He hath by
every means anointed His Champion, and hath framed Him to be full of
confidence?

   11. Then, as I said before, meaning to signify, that of all things He
most loathes and hates bearing malice, and most of all accepts the virtue
which is opposite to that vice; He hath after the prayer also again put us
in mind of this same point of goodness; both by the punishment set, and by
the reward appointed, urging the hearer to obey this command.

   "For if ye forgive men," saith He, "your heavenly Father will also
forgive you. But if ye forgive not, neither will He forgive you."(3)

   With this view He hath again mentioned heaven also, and their Father;
to abash the hearer by this topic likewise; that he of all people, being of
such a Father, should be made a wild beast of; and summoned as he is to
heaven, should cherish an earthly and ordinary(4) sort of mind. Since not
by grace only, you see, ought we to become His children, but also by our
works. And nothing makes us so like God, as being ready to forgive the
wicked and wrong-doers; even as indeed He had taught before, when He spake
of His "making the sun to shine on the evil and on the good."(5)

   For this same cause again in every one of the clauses He commands us to
make our prayers common, saying, "Our Father," and "Thy will be done in
earth as it is in heaven," and "Give us the bread, and forgive us our
debts," and "lead us not into temptation," and "deliver us;" everywhere
commanding us to use this plural word, that we may not retain so much as a
vestige of anger against our neighbor.

   How great punishment then must they deserve, who after all this, so far
from themselves forgiving, do even entreat God for vengeance on their
enemies, and diametrically as it were transgress this law; and this while
He is doing and contriving all, to hinder our being at variance one with
another? For since love is the root of all that is good, He removing from
all sides whatever mars it, brings us together, and cements us to each
other. For there is not, there is not one, be he father, or mother, or
friend, or what you will, who so loved us as the God who created us. And
this, above all things, both His daily benefits and His precepts make
manifest. But if thou tell me of the pains, and of the sorrows, and of the
evils of life; consider in how many things thou offendest Him every day,
and thou wilt no longer marvel, though more than these evils should come
upon thee, but if thou shouldest enjoy any good, then thou wilt marvel, and
be amazed. But as it is, we look upon the calamities that come upon us, but
the offenses, whereby we offend daily, we consider not: therefore we are
perplexed. Since if we did but reckon up with strictness our sins of one
day only, in that case we should know well how great evils we must be
liable to.

   And to let pass the other misdoings of which we have been guilty, each
one for himself, and to speak of what have been committed this day;
although of course I know not in what each of us may have sinned, yet such
is the abundance of our misdoings, that not even he who knew all exactly
would be able to choose from among these only. Which of us, for instance,
hath not been careless in his prayers? Which hath not been insolent, or
vainglorious? Who hath not spoken evil of his brother, hath not admitted a
wicked desire, hath not looked with unchaste eyes, hath not remembered
things with hostile feeling, even till he made his heart swell?

   And if while we are in church, and in a short time we have become
guilty of so great evils; what shall be when we are gone out from hence? If
in the harbor the waves are so high, when we are gone forth into the
channel of wickednesses, the forum I mean, and to public business, and our
cares at home, shall we indeed be able so much as to know ourselves again?

   But yet from our so great and so many sins, God hath given us a short
and easy way of deliverance, and one that is free from all toil. For what
sort of toil is it to forgive him that hath grieved us? Nay, it is a toil
not to forgive, but to keep up our enmity: even as to be delivered from the
anger, both works in us a great refreshment, and is very easy to him that
is willing. For there is no sea to be crossed, nor long journey to be
travelled, nor summits of mountains to be passed over, nor money to be
spent, no need to torment thy body; but it suffices to be willing only, and
all our sins are done away.

   But if so far from forgiving him thyself, thou makest intercession to
God against him, what hope of salvation wilt thou then have, if at the very
time when thou oughtest rather to appease God, even then thou provokest
Him; putting on the garb of a suppliant, but uttering the cries of a wild
beast, and darting out against thyself those shafts of the wicked one?
Wherefore Paul also, making mention of prayer, required nothing so much as
the observance of this commandment; for He saith, "lifting up holy hands
without wrath and doubting."(1) And if when thou hast need of mercy, not
even then wilt thou let go thine anger, but art rather exceedingly mindful
of it, and that, although thou knowest thou art thrusting the sword into
thyself; when will it be possible for thee to become merciful, and to spew
out the evil venom of this wickedness?

   But if thou hast not yet seen this outrageousness in its full extent,
suppose it happening among men, and then thou wilt perceive the excess of
the insolence. As thus: should one approach thee who are a man, seeking to
obtain mercy, and then, in the midst of his lying on the ground, should see
an enemy, and leaving off to supplicate thee, begin to beat him; wouldest
thou not make thyself more angry with him? This do thou consider as taking
place with regard to God also. For so thou likewise, making supplication
unto God, leavest thy supplication in the midst, and smitest thine enemy
with thy words, and insultest the laws of God. Him who made a law to
dismiss all anger, thou art summoning against those that have vexed thee,
and requiring Him to do things contrary to His own commandments. Is it not
enough for thee in the way of revenge, that thou thyself transgressest the
law of God, but entreatest thou Him likewise to do so? What? hath He
forgotten what He commanded? What? is He a man who spake these things? It
is God, who knows all things, and whose will is, that His own laws be kept
with the utmost exactness, and who, so far from doing these things which
thou art requiring of Him, doth even regard thee who sayest these things,
merely because thou sayest them, with aversion and hatred, and exacts of
thee the most extreme penalty. How then seekest thou to obtain of Him
things, from which He very seriously bids thee refrain?

   Yet some there are, who have come to such a point of brutishness, as
not only to make intercession against their enemies, but even to curse
their children, and to taste, if only it might be, of their very flesh; or
rather they are even tasting thereof. For tell me not this, that thou hast
not fixed thy teeth in the body of him that vexed thee; since thou hast
done, at least as far as concerned thee, what is much more grievous; in
claiming that wrath from above should fall upon him, and that he should be
delivered over to undying punishment, and be overthrown with his whole
house.

   Why, what sort of bites are as ferocious as this? what kind of weapons
as bitter? Not so did Christ instruct thee; not so did He command thee to
stain thy mouth with blood. Nay, mouths made bloody with human flesh are
not so shocking as tongues like these.

   How then wilt thou salute thy brother? how wilt thou touch the
sacrifice? how taste the Lord's blood, when thou hast so much venom upon
thy mind? Since when thou sayest, "Rend him in pieces, and overthrow his
house, and destroy all," when thou art imprecating on him ten thousand
deaths, thou art in nothing different from a murderer, or rather from a
wild beast that devours men.

   Let us cease then from this disease and madness, and that kindliness
which He commanded let us show forth towards them that have vexed us: that
we may become like "our Father which is in heaven." And we shall cease
therefrom, if we call to mind our own sins; if we strictly search out all
our misdeeds at home, abroad, and in the market, and in church.

   12. For if for nothing else, surely for our disrespectfulness here we
are worthy to undergo the utmost punishment. For when prophets are
chanting, and apostles singing hymns, and God is discoursing, we wander
without, and bring in upon us a turmoil of worldly business. And we do not
afford to the laws of God so great stillness, even as the spectators in the
theatres to the emperor's letters, keeping silence for them. For there,
when these letters are being read, deputies at once, and governors, and
senate, and people, stand all upright, with quietness hearkening to the
words. And if amid that most profound silence any one should suddenly leap
up and cry out, he suffers the utmost punishment, as having been insolent
to the emperor. But here, when the letters from heaven are being read,
great is the confusion on all sides. And yet both He who sent the letters
is much greater than this our king,(1) and the assembly more venerable: for
not men only, but angels too are in it; and these triumphs, of which the
letters bear us the good tidings, are much more awful than those on earth.
Wherefore not men only, but angels also and archangels; both the nations of
heaven, and all we on the earth, are commanded to give praise. For, "Bless
the Lord," it is said, "all His works."(2) Yea, for His are no small
achievements, rather they surpass all speech, and thought, and
understanding of man.

   And these things the prophets proclaim every day, each of them in a
different way publishing this glorious triumph. For one saith, "Thou hast
gone up on high, Thou hast led captivity captive, and hast received gifts
amongst men."(3) And, "The Lord strong and mighty in battle."(4) And
another saith, "He shall divide the spoils of the strong."(5) For indeed to
this purpose He came, that He might "preach deliverance to captives, and
recovery of sight to the blind."(6)

   And raising aloud the cry of victory over death, he said, "Where, O
Death, is thy victory? Where, O Grave, is thy sting?"(7) And another again,
declaring glad tidings of the most profound peace, said, "They shall beat
their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks."(8)
And while one calls on Jerusalem, saying, "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of
Sion, for lo! thy King cometh to thee meek, riding upon an ass, and a young
colt;"(9) another proclaims His second coming also, saying on this wise,
"The Lord, whom ye seek, will come, and who will abide the day of His
coming?(10) Leap ye as calves set free from bonds."(11) And another again,
amazed at such things, said, "This is our God; there shall none other be
accounted of in comparison of Him."(12)

   Yet, nevertheless, while both these and many more sayings than these
are being uttered, while we ought to tremble, and not so much as account
ourselves to be on the earth; still, as though in the midst of a forum, we
make an uproar and disturbance, and spend the whole time of our solemn
assembly(13) in discoursing of things which are nothing to us.

   When therefore both in little things, and in great, both in hearing,
and in doing, both abroad, and at home, in the church, we are so negligent;
and together with all this, pray also against our enemies: whence are we to
have any hope of salvation, adding to so great sins yet another grievous
enhancement, and equivalent to them all, even this unlawful prayer?

   Have we then hereafter any right to marvel, if aught befall us of the
things which are unexpected and painful? whereas we ought to marvel when no
such thing befalls us. For the former is in the natural order of things,
but the latter were beyond all reason and expectation. For surely it is
beyond reason, that they who are become enemies of God, and are provoking
Him to anger, should enjoy sunshine and showers, and all the rest; who
being men surpass the barbarity of wild beasts, setting themselves one
against another, and by the biting of their neighbors staining their own
tongues with blood: after the spiritual table, and His so great benefits,
and His innumerable injunctions.

   Therefore, considering these things, let us cast up that venom; let us
put an end to our enmities, and let us make the prayers that become such as
we are. Instead of the brutality of devils, let us take upon us the
mildness of angels; and in whatsoever things we may have been injured, let
us, considering our own case, and the reward appointed us for this
commandment, soften our anger; let us assuage the billows, that we may both
pass through the present life calmly, and when we have departed thither,
may find our Lord such as we have been towards our fellow-servants. And if
this be a heavy and fearful thing, let us make it light and desirable; and
let us open the glorious gates of confidence towards Him; and what we had
not strength to effect by abstaining from sin, that let us accomplish by
becoming gentle to them who have sinned against us (for this surely is not
grievous, nor burdensome); and let us by doing kindnesses to our enemies,
lay up beforehand much mercy for ourselves.

   For so both during this present life all will love us, and above all
others, God will both befriend and crown us, and will count us worthy of
all the good things to come; unto which may we all attain, by the grace and
love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and might for
ever and ever. Amen.


HOMILY XX.(1): MATT. VI. 16.

"And when ye fast, be not as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance. For they
disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast."

   HERE it were well to sigh aloud, and to wail bitterly: for not only do
we imitate the hypocrites, but we have even surpassed them. For I know, yea
I know many, not merely fasting and making a display of it, but neglecting
to fast, and yet wearing the masks of them that fast, and cloaking
themselves with an excuse worse than their sin.

   For "I do this," say they, "that I may not offend the many." What
sayest thou? There is a law of God which commands these things, and dost
thou talk of offense? And thinkest thou that in keeping it thou art
offending, in transgressing it, delivering men from offense? And what can
be worse than this folly?

   Wilt thou not leave off becoming worse than the very hypocrites, and
making thine hypocrisy double? And when thou considerest the great excess
of this evil, wilt thou not be abashed at the force of the expression now
before us? In that He did not say, "they act a part," merely, but willing
also to touch them more deeply, He saith, "For they disfigure their faces;"
that is, they corrupt, they mar them.

   But if this be a disfiguring of the face, to appear pale for vainglory,
what should we say concerning the women who corrupt their faces with
colorings and paintings to the ruin of the unchaste sort of young men? For
while those harm themselves only, these women harm both themselves and them
who behold them. Wherefore we should fly both from the one pest and from
the other, keeping at distance enough and to spare. For so He not only
commanded to make no display, but even to seek to be concealed. Which thing
He had done before likewise.

   And whereas in the matter of almsgiving, He did not put it simply, but
having said, "Take heed not to do it before men," He added, "to be seen of
them;" yet concerning fasting and prayer, He made no such limitation. Why
could this have been? Because for almsgiving to be altogether concealed is
impossible, but for prayer and fasting, it is possible.

   As therefore, when He said, "Let not thy left hand know what thy right
hand doeth," it was not of hands that He was speaking, but of the duty of
being strictly concealed from all; and as when He commanded us to enter
into our closet, not there alone absolutely, nor there primarily, did He
command us to pray, but He covertly intimated the same thing again; so
likewise here, in commanding us "to be anointed," He did not enact that we
positively must anoint ourselves; for then we should all of us be found
transgressors of this law; and above all, surely, they who have taken the
most pains to keep it, the societies of the monks, who have taken up their
dwelling on the mountains. It was not this then that He enjoined, but,
forasmuch as the ancients had a custom to anoint themselves continually,
when they were taking their pleasure and rejoicing (and this one may see
clearly from David(1) and from Daniel);(2) He said that we were to anoint
ourselves, not that we should positively do this, but that by all means we
might endeavor, with great strictness, to hide this our acquisition. And to
convince thee that so it is, He Himself, when by action exhibiting what He
enjoined in words, having fasted forty days, and fasted in secret, did
neither anoint nor wash Himself: nevertheless, though He did not these
things, He most assuredly fulfilled the whole without vainglory. It is this
then that He enjoins on us likewise, both bringing before us the
hypocrites, and by a twice repeated charge dissuading the hearers.

   And somewhat else He signified by this name, this of hypocrites,(3) I
mean. That is, not only by the ridiculousness of the thing, nor by its
bringing an extreme penalty, but also by showing that such deceit is but
for a season, doth He withdraw us from that evil desire. For the actor
seems glorious just so long as the audience is sitting; or rather not even
then in the sight of all. For the more part of the spectators know who it
is, and what part he is acting. However, when the audience is broken up, he
is more clearly discovered to all. Now this, you see, the vainglorious must
in all necessity undergo. For even here they are manifest to the majority,
as not being that which they appear to be, but as wearing a mask only; but
much more will they be detected hereafter, when all things appear "naked
and open."(4)

   And by another motive again He withdraws them from the hypocrites, by
showing that His injunction is light. For He doth not make the fast more
strict, nor command us to practise more of it, but not to lose the crown
thereof. So that what seems hard to bear, is common to us and to the
hypocrites, for they also fast; but that which is lightest, namely, not to
lose the reward after our labors, "this is what I command," saith He;
adding nothing to our toils, but gathering our wages for us with all
security, and not suffering us to go away unrewarded, as they do. Nay, they
will not so much as imitate them that wrestle in the Olympic games, who
although so great a multitude is sitting there, and so many princes, desire
to please but one, even him who adjudges the victory amongst them; and
this, though he be much their inferior. But thou, though thou hast a
twofold motive for displaying the victory to Him, first, that He is the
person to adjudge it, and also, that He is beyond comparison superior to
all that are sitting in the theatre,--thou art displaying it to others, who
so far from profiting, do privily work thee the greatest harm.

   However, I do not forbid even this, saith He. Only, if thou art
desirous to make a show to men, also, wait, and I will bestow on thee this
too in fuller abundance, and with great profit. For as it is, this quite
breaks thee off from the glory which is with me, even as to despise these
things unites thee closely; but then shalt thou enjoy all in entire
security; having, even before that last, no little fruit to reap in this
world also, namely, that thou hast trodden under foot all human glory, and
art freed from the grievous bondage of men, and an become a true worker of
virtue. Whereas now, as long at least as thou art so disposed, if thou
shouldest be in a desert, thou wilt be deserted by all thy virtue, having
none to behold thee. This is to act as one insulting virtue itself, if thou
art to pursue it not for its own sake, but with an eye to the ropemaker,
and the brazier, and the common people of the baser sort, that the bad and
they that are far removed from virtue may admire thee. And thou art calling
the enemies of virtue to the display and the sight thereof, as if one were
to choose to live continently, not for the excellency of continence, but
that he might make a show before prostitutes. Thou also, it would seem,
wouldest not choose virtue, but for the sake of virtue's enemies; whereas
thou oughtest indeed to admire her on this very ground, that she hath even
her enemies to praise her,--yet to admire her (as is meet), not for others,
but for her own sake. Since we too, when we are loved not for our own, but
for others' sake, account the thing an insult. Just so I bid thee reckon in
the case of virtue as well, and neither to follow after her for the sake of
others, nor for men's sake to obey God; but men for God's sake. Since if
thou do the contrary, though thou seem to follow virtue, thou hast provoked
equally with him who follows her not. For just as he disobeyed by not
doing, so thou by doing unlawfully.

   2 "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth."(5) Thus, after He
hath east out the disease of vainglory, and not before, He seasonably
introduces His discourse of voluntary poverty.(1) For nothing so trains men
to be fond of riches, as the fondness for glory. This, for instance, is why
men devise those herds of slaves, and that swarm of eunuchs, and their
horses with trappings of gold, and their silver tables, and all the rest of
it, yet more ridiculous; not to satisfy any wants, nor to enjoy any
pleasure, but that they may make a show before the multitude.

   Now above He had only said, that we must show mercy; but here He points
out also how great mercy we must show, when He saith, "Lay not up
treasure." For it not being possible at the beginning to introduce all at
once His discourse on contempt of riches, by reason of the tyranny of the
passion, He breaks it up into small portions, and having set free the
hearer's mind, instills it therein, so as that it shall become acceptable.
Wherefore, you see, He said first "Blessed are the merciful;" and after
this "Agree with thine adversary;" and after that again, "If any one will
sue thee at the law and take thy coat, give him thy cloak also;" but here,
that which is much greater than all these. For there His meaning was, "if
thou see a law-suit impending, do this; since to want and be freed from
strife, is better than to possess and strive;" but here, supposing neither
adversary nor any one at law with thee, and without all mention of any
other such party, He teaches the contempt of riches itself by itself,
implying that not so much for their sake who receive mercy, as for the
giver's sake, He makes these laws: so that though there be no one injuring
us, or dragging us into a court of justice, even so we may despise our
possessions, bestowing them on those that are in need.

   And neither here hath He put the whole, but even in this place it is
gently spoken; although He had in the wilderness shown forth to a
surpassing extent His conflicts in that behalf.(2) However He doth not
express this, nor bring it forward; for it was not yet time to reveal it;
but for a while He searches out for reasons, maintaining the place of an
adviser rather than a lawgiver, in His sayings on this subject.

   For after He had said, "Lay not up treasures upon the earth." He added,
"where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and
steal."

   For the present He signifies the hurtfulness of the treasure here, and
the profit of what is there, both from the place, and from the things which
mar it. And neither at this point doth He stop, but adds also another
argument.

   And first, what things they most fear, from these He urges them. For
"of what art thou afraid?" saith He: "lest thy goods should be spent, if
thou give alms? Nay, then give alms, and so they will not be spent; and,
what is more, so far from being spent, they will actually receive a greater
increase; yea, for the things in heaven are added unto them."

   However, for a time He saith it not, but puts it afterwards. But for
the present, what had most power to persuade them, that He brings forward,
namely, that the treasure would thus remain for them unspent.

   And on either hand He attracts them. For He said not only, "If thou
give alms, it is preserved:" but He threatened also the opposite thing,
that if thou give not, it perishes.

   And see His unspeakable prudence. For neither did He say, "Thou dost
but leave them to others;" since this too is pleasant to men: He alarms
them however on a new ground, by signifying that not even this do they
obtain: since though men defraud not, there are those which are sure to
defraud, "the moth" and "the rust." For although this mischief seem very
easy to restrain, it is nevertheless irresistible and uncontrollable, and
devise what thou wilt, thou wilt be unable to check this harm.

   "What then, doth moth(3) make away with the gold?" Though not moth,(3)
yet thieves do. "What then, have all been despoiled?" Though not all, yet
the more part.

   3. On this account then He adds another argument, which I have already
mentioned, saying,

   "Where the man's treasure is, there is his heart also."(4)

   For though none of these things should come to pass, saith He, thou
wilt undergo no small harm, in being nailed to the things below, and in
becoming a slave instead of a freeman, and casting thyself out of the
heavenly things, and having no power to think on aught that is high, but
all about money, usuries and loans, and gains, and ignoble traffickings.
Than this what could be more wretched? For in truth such an one will be
worse off than any slave, bringing upon himself a most grievous tyranny,
and giving up the chiefest thing of all, even the nobleness and the liberty
of man. For how much soever any one may discourse unto thee, thou wilt not
be able to hear any of those things which concern thee, whilst thy mind is
nailed down to money; but bound like a dog to a tomb, by the tyranny of
riches, more grievously than by any chain, barking at all that come near
thee, thou hast this one employment continually, to keep for others what
thou hast laid up. Than this what can be more wretched?

   However, forasmuch as this was too high for the mind of His hearers,
and neither was the mischief within easy view of the generality, nor the
gain evident, but there was need of a spirit of more self-command to
perceive either of these; first, He hath put it after those other topics,
which are obvious, saying, "Where the man's treasure is, there is his heart
also;" and next He makes it clear again, by withdrawing His discourse from
the intellectual to the sensible, and saying,

   "The light of the body is the eye."(1)

   What He saith is like this: Bury not gold in the earth, nor do any
other such thing, for thou dost but gather it for the moth, and the rust,
and the thieves. And even if thou shouldest entirely escape these evils,
yet the enslaving of thine heart, the nailing it to all that is below, thou
wilt not escape: "For wheresoever thy treasure may be, there is thine heart
also." As then, laying up stores in heaven, thou wilt reap not this fruit
only, the attainment of the rewards for these things, but from this world
thou already receivest thy recompence, in getting into harbor there, in
setting thine affections on the things that are there, and caring for what
is there (for where thou hast laid up thy treasures, it is most clear thou
transferrest thy mind also); so if thou do this upon earth, thou wilt
experience the contrary.

    But if the saying be obscure to thee, hear what comes next in order.
"The light of the body is the eye; if therefore thine eye be single, thy
whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body
shall be full of darkness. But if the light that is in thee be darkness,
how great is the darkness He leads His discourse to the things which are
more within the reach of our senses. I mean, forasmuch as He had spoken of
the mind as enslaved and brought into captivity, and there were not many
who could easily discern this, He transfers the lesson to things outward,
and lying before men's eyes, that by these the others also might reach
their understanding. Thus, "If thou knowest not," saith He, "what a thing
it is to be injured in mind, learn it from the things of the body; for just
what the eye is to the body, the same is the mind to the soul." As
therefore thou wouldest not choose to wear gold, and to be clad in silken
garments, thine eyes withal being put out, but accountest their sound
health more desirable than all such superfluity (for, shouldest thou lose
this health or waste it, all thy life besides will do thee no good): for
just as when the eyes are blinded, most of the energy of the other members
is gone, their light being quenched; so also when the mind is depraved, thy
life will be filled with countless evils:(3)--as therefore in the body this
is our aim, namely, to keep the eye sound, so also the mind in the soul.
But if we mutilate this, which ought to give light to the rest, by what
means are we to see clearly any more? For as he that destroys the fountain,
dries up also the river, so he who hath quenched the understanding hath
confounded all his doings in this life. Wherefore He saith, "If the light
that is in thee be darkness, how great is the darkness?"(2)

   For when the pilot is drowned, and the candle is put out, and the
general is taken prisoner; what sort of hope will there be, after that, for
those that are under command?

   Thus then, omitting now to speak of the plots to which wealth gives
occasion, the strifes, the suits (these indeed He had signified above, when
He said, "The adversary shall deliver thee to the judge, and the judge to
the officer"); and setting down what is more grievous than all these, as
sure to occur, He so withdraws us from the wicked desire. For to inhabit
the prison is not nearly so grievous, as for the mind to be enslaved by
this disease; and the former is not sure to happen, but the other is
connected as an immediate consequent with the desire of riches. And this is
why He puts it after the first, as being a more grievous thing, and sure to
happen.

   For God, He saith, gave us understanding, that we might chase away all
ignorance, and have the right judgment of things, and that using this as a
kind of weapon and light against all that is grievous or hurtful, we might
remain in safety. But we betray the gift for the sake of things superfluous
and useless.

   For what is the use of soldiers arrayed in gold, when the general is
dragged along a captive? what the profit of a ship beautifully equipped,
when the pilot is sunk beneath the waves? what the advantage of a well-
proportioned body, when the sight of the eyes is stricken out? As
therefore, should any one cast into sickness the physician (who should be
in good health, that he may end our diseases), and then bid him lie on a
silver couch, and in a chamber of gold, this will nothing avail the sick
persons; even so, if thou corrupt the mind (which hath power to put down
our passions),(1) although thou set it by a treasure, so far from doing it
any good, thou hast inflicted the very greatest loss, and hast harmed thy
whole soul.

   4. Seest thou how by those very things, through which most especially
men everywhere affect wickedness, even by these most of all He deters them
from it, and brings them back to virtue? "For with what intent dost thou
desire riches?" saith He; "is it not that thou mayest enjoy pleasure and
luxury? Why now, this above all things thou wilt fail to obtain thereby, it
will rather be just contrary." For if, when our eyes are stricken out, we
perceive not any pleasant thing, because of such our calamity; much more
will this be our case in the perversion and maiming of the mind.

   Again, with what intent dost thou bury it in the earth? That it may be
kept in safety? But here too again it is the contrary, saith He.

   And thus, as in dealing with him that for vainglory fasts and gives
alms and prays, by those very things which he most desires He had allured
him not to be vainglorious:- -"for with what intent," saith He, "dost thou
so pray and give alms? for love of the glory that may be had from men? then
do not pray thus," saith He, "and so thou shalt obtain it in the day that
is to come:"--so He hath taken captive the covetous man also, by those
things for which he was most earnest. Thus: "what wouldest thou?" saith He,
"to have thy wealth preserved, and to enjoy pleasure? Both these things I
will afford thee in great abundance, if thou lay up thy gold in that place,
where I bid thee."

   It is true that hereafter He displayed more clearly the evil effect of
this on the mind, I mean, when He made mention of the thorns;(2) but for
the present, even here He hath strikingly intimated(3) the same, by
representing him as darkened who is beside himself in this way.

   And as they that are in darkness see nothing distinct, but if they look
at a rope, they suppose it to be a serpent, if at mountains and ravines,
they are dead with fear; so these also: what is not alarming to them that
have sight, that they regard with suspicion. Thus among other things they
tremble at poverty: or rather not at poverty only, but even at any trifling
loss. Yea, and if they should lose some little matter, those who are in
want of necessary food do not so grieve and bewail themselves as they. At
least many of the rich have come even to the halter, not enduring such ill
fortune: and to be insulted also, and to be despitefully used, seems to
them so intolerable, that even because of this again many have actually
torn themselves from this present life. For to everything wealth had made
them soft, except to the waiting on it. Thus, when it commands them to do
service unto itself, they venture on murders, and stripes, and revilings,
and all shame. A thing which comes of the utmost wretchedness; to be of all
men most effeminate, where one ought to practise self-command, but where
more caution was required, in these cases again to become more shameless
and obstinate. Since in fact the same kind of thing befalls them, as one
would have to endure who had spent all his goods on unfit objects. For such
an one, when the time of necessary expenditure comes on, having nothing to
supply it, suffers incurable evils, forasmuch as all that he had hath been
ill spent beforehand.

   And as they that are on the stage, skilled in those wicked arts, do in
them go through many things strange and dangerous, but in other necessary
and useful things none so ridiculous as they; even so is it with these men
likewise. For so such as walk upon a stretched rope, making a display of so
much courage, should some great emergency demand daring or courage, they
are not able, neither do they endure even to think of such a thing. Just so
they likewise that are rich, daring all for money, for self-restraint's
sake endure not to submit to anything, be it small or great. And as the
former practise both a hazardous and fruitless business; even so do these
undergo many dangers and downfalls, but arrive at no profitable end. Yea,
they undergo a twofold darkness, both having their eyes put out by the
perversion of their mind, and being by the deceitfulness of their cares
involved in a great mist. Wherefore neither can they easily so much as see
through it. For he that is in darkness, is freed from the darkness by the
mere appearance of the sun; but he that hath his eyes mutilated not even
when the sun shines; which is the very case of these men: not even now that
the Sun of Righteousness hath shone out, and is admonishing, do they hear,
their wealth having closed their eyes. And so they have a twofold darkness
to undergo, part from themselves, part from disregard to their teacher.

   5. Let us then give heed unto Him exactly, that though late we may at
length recover our sight. And how may one recover sight? If thou learn how
thou wast blinded. How then wast thou blinded? By thy wicked desire. For
the love of money, like an evil humor(1) which hath collected upon a clear
eyeball, hath caused the cloud to become thick.

   But even this cloud may be easily scattered and broken, if we will
receive the beam of the doctrine of Christ; if we will hear Him admonishing
us, and saying, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth."

   "But," saith one, "what avails the hearing to me, as long as I am
possessed by the desire?" Now in the first place, there will be power in
the continual hearing to destroy even the desire. Next, if it continue to
possess thee, consider that this thing is not really so much as a desire.
For what sort of desire is this, to be in grievous bondage, and to be
subject to a tyranny, and to be bound on all sides, and to dwell in
darkness, and to be full of turmoil, and to endure toils without profit,
and to keep thy wealth for others, and often for thy very enemies? with
what sort of desire do these things agree? or rather of what flight and
aversion are they not worthy? What sort of desire, to lay up treasure in
the midst of thieves? Nay, if thou dost at all desire wealth, remove it
where it may remain safe and unmolested. Since what you are now doing is
the part of one desiring, not riches, surely, but bondage, and affront,(2)
and loss, and continual vexation. Yet thou, were any one among men on earth
to show thee a place beyond molestation, though he lead thee out into the
very desert, promising security in the keeping of thy wealth,--thou art not
slow nor backward; thou hast confidence in him, and puttest out thy goods
there; but when it is God instead of men who makes thee this promise, and
when He sets before thee not the desert, but Heaven, thou acceptest the
contrary. Yet surely, how manifold soever be their security below, thou
canst never become free from the care of them. I mean, though thou lose
them not, thou wilt never be delivered from anxiety lest thou lose. But
there thou wilt undergo none of these things: and mark, what is yet more,
thou dost not only bury thy gold, but plantest it. For the same is both
treasure and seed; or rather it is more than either of these. For the seed
remains not for ever, but this abides perpetually. Again, the treasure
germinates not, but this bears thee fruits which never die.

   6. But if thou tellest me of the time, and the delay of the recompence,
I too can point out and tell how much thou receivest back even here: and
besides all this, from the very things of this life, I will try to convict
thee of making this excuse to no purpose. I mean, that even in the present
life thou providest many things which thou art not thyself to enjoy; and
should any one find fault, thou pleadest thy children and their children,
and so thinkest thou hast found palliation enough for thy superfluous
labors. For when in extreme old age thou art building splendid houses,
before the completion of which (in many instances) thou wilt have departed;
when thou plantest trees, which will bear their fruit after many years;(3)
when thou art buying properties and inheritances, the ownership of which
thou wilt acquire after a long time, and art eagerly busy in many other
such things, the enjoyment whereof thou wilt not reap; is it indeed for
thine own sake, or for those to come after, that thou art so employed? How
then is it not the utmost folly, here not at all to hesitate(4) at the
delay of time; and this though thou art by this delay to lose all the
reward of thy labors: but there, because of such waiting to be altogether
torpid; and this, although it bring thee the greater gain, and although it
convey not thy good things on to others, but procure the gifts for thyself.

   But besides this, the delay itself is not long; nay, for those things
are at the doors, and we know not but that even in our own generation all
things which concern us may have their accomplishment, and that fearful day
may arrive, setting before us the awful and incorruptible tribunal. Yea,
for the more part of the signs are fulfilled, and the gospel moreover hath
been preached in all parts of the world, and the predictions of wars, and
of earthquakes, and of famines, have come to pass, and the interval is not
great.

   But is it that thou dost not see any signs? Why, this self-same thing
is a very great sign. For neither did they in Noah's time see any presages
of that universal destruction, but in the midst of their playing, eating,
marrying, doing all things to which they were used, even so they were
overtaken by that fearful judgment. And they too in Sodom in like manner,
living in delight, and suspecting none of what befell them, were consumed
by those lightnings, which then came down upon them.

   Considering then all these things, let us betake ourselves unto the
preparation for our departure hence.

   For even if the common day of the consummation never overtake us, the
end of each one is at the doors, whether he be old or young; and it is not
possible for men after they have gone hence, either to buy oil any more, or
to obtain pardon by prayers, though he that entreats be Abraham,(1) or
Noah, or Job, or Daniel.(2)

   While then we have opportunity, let us store up for ourselves
beforehand much confidence, let us gather oil in abundance, let us remove
all into. Heaven, that in the fitting time, and when we most need them, we
may enjoy all: by the grace and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ,
to whom be the glory, and the might, now and always, and forever and ever.
Amen.


HOMILY XXI: MATT. VI. 24.

"No man can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the
other, or else he will hold to one and despise the other."

   SEEST thou how by degrees He withdraws us from the things that now are,
and at greater length introduces what He hath to say, touching voluntary
poverty, and casts down the dominion of covetousness?

   For He was not contented with His former sayings, many and great as
they were, but He adds others also, more and more alarming.(1)

   For what can be more alarming than what He now saith, if indeed we are
for our riches to fall from the service of Christ? or what more to be
desired, if indeed, by despising wealth, we shall have our affection
towards Him and our charity perfect?(2) For what I am continually
repeating, the same do I now say likewise, namely, that by both kinds He
presses the hearer to obey His sayings; both by the profitable, and by the
hurtful; much like an excellent physician, pointing out both the disease
which is the consequence of neglect, and the good health which results from
obedience.

   See, for instance, what kind of gain He signifies this to be, and how
He establishes the advantage of it by their deliverance from the contrary
things. Thus, "wealth," saith He, "hurts you not in this only, that it arms
robbers against you, nor in that it darkens your mind in the most intense
degree, but also in that it casts you out of God's service, making you
captive of lifeless riches, and in both ways doing you harm, on the one
hand, by causing you to be slaves of what you ought to command; on the
other, by casting you out of God's service, whom, above all things, it is
indispensable for you to serve." For just as in the 'other place, He
signified the mischief to be twofold, in both laying up here, "where moth
corrupteth," and in not laying up there, where the watch kept is
impregnable; so in this place, too, He shows the loss to be twofold, in
that it both draws off from God, and makes us subject to mammon.

   But He sets it not down directly, rather He establishes it first upon
general considerations, saying thus; "No man can serve two masters:"
meaning here two that are enjoining opposite things; since, unless this
were the case, they would not even be two. For so, "the multitude of them
that believed were of one heart and of one soul,"(1) and yet were they
divided into many bodies; their unanimity however made the many one.

   Then, as adding to the force of it, He saith, "so far from serving, he
will even hate and abhor:" "For either he will hate the one, "saith He,"
and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other."
And it seems indeed as if the same thing were said twice over; He did not
however choose this form without purpose, but in order to show that the
change for the better is easy. I mean, lest thou shouldest say, "I am once
for all made a slave; I am brought under the tyranny of wealth," He
signifies that it is possible to transfer one's self, and that as from the
first to the second, so also from the second one may pass over to the
first.

   2. Having thus, you see, spoken generally, that He might persuade the
hearer to be an uncorrupt judge of His words, and to sentence according to
the very nature of the things; when he hath made sure of his assent, then,
and not till then, He discovers Himself. Thus He presently adds, "Ye cannot
serve God and mammon." Let us shudder to think what we have brought Christ
to say; with the name of God, to put that of gold. But if this be shocking,
its taking place in our deeds, our preferring the tyranny of gold to the
fear of God, is much more shocking.

   "What then? Was not this possible among the ancients?" By no means.
"How then," saith one, "did Abraham, how did Job obtain a good report?"
Tell me not of them that are rich, but of them that serve riches. Since Job
also was rich, but he served not mammon, but possessed it and ruled over
it, and was a master, not a slave. Therefore he so possessed all those
things, as if he had been the steward of another man's goods; not only not
extorting from others, but even giving up his own to them that were in
need. And what is more, when he had them they were no joy to him: so he
also declared, saying. "If I did so much as rejoice when my wealth waxed
great:"(2) wherefore neither did he grieve when it was gone. But they that
are rich are not now such as he was, but are rather in a worse condition
than any slave, paying as it were tribute to some grievous tyrant. Because
their mind is as a kind of citadel occupied by the love of money, which
from thence daily sends out unto them its commands full of all iniquity,
and there is none to disobey. Be not therefore thus over subtle.(3) Nay,
for God hath once for all declared and pronounced it a thing impossible for
the one service and the other to agree. Say not thou, then, "it is
possible." Why, when the one master is commanding thee to spoil by
violence, the other to strip thyself of thy possessions; the one to be
chaste, the other to commit fornication; the one to be drunken and
luxurious, the other to keep the belly in subjection; the one again to
despise the things that are, the other to be rivetted to the present; the
one to admire marbles, and walls, and roofs, the other to contemn these,
but to honor self-restraint: how is it possible that these should agree?

   Now He calls mammon here "a master," not because of its own nature, but
on account of the wretchedness of them that bow themselves beneath it. So
also He calls "the belly a god,"(4) not from the dignity of such a
mistress, but from the wretchedness of them that are enslaved: it being a
thing worse than any punishment, and enough, before the punishment, in the
way of vengeance on him who is involved in it. For what condemned criminals
can be so wretched, as they who having God for their Lord, do from that
mild rule desert to this grievous tyranny, and this when their act brings
after it so much harm even here? For indeed their loss is unspeakable by so
doing: there are suits, and molestations, and strifes, and toils, and a
blinding of the soul; and what is more grievous than all, one falls away
from the highest blessings; for such a blessing it is to be God's servant.

   3. Having now, as you see, in all ways taught. the advantage of
contemning riches, as well for the very preservation of the riches, as for
the pleasure of the soul, and for acquiring self-command, and for the
securing of godliness; He proceeds to establish the practicability of this
command. For this especially pertains to the best legislation, not only to
enjoin what is expedient, but also to make it possible. Therefore He also
goes on to say,

   "Take no thought(5) for your life,(6) what ye shall eat."

   That is, lest they should say, "What then? if we cast all away, how
shall we be able to live?" At this objection, in what follows, He makes a
stand, very seasonably. For as surely as if at the beginning He had said,
"Take no thought," the word would have seemed burdensome; so surely, now
that He hath shown the mischief arising out of covetousness, His admonition
coming after is made easy to receive. Wherefore neither did He now simply
say, "Take no thought," but He added the reason, and so enjoined this.
After having said, "Ye cannot serve God and mammon," He added, "therefore I
say unto you, take no thought. Therefore;" for what? Because of the
unspeakable loss. For the hurt you receive is not in riches only, rather
the wound is in the most vital parts, and in that which is the overthrow of
your salvation; casting you as it does out from God, who made you, and
careth for you, and loveth you.

   "Therefore I say unto you, take no thought." Thus, after He hath shown
the hurt to be unspeakable, then and not before He makes the commandment
stricter; in that He not only bids us cast away what we have, but forbids
to take thought even for our necessary food, saying, "Take no thought for
your soul, what ye shall eat." Not because the soul needs food, for it is
incorporeal; but He spake according to the common custom. For though it
needs not food, yet can it not endure to remain in the body, except that be
fed. And in saying this, He puts it not simply so, but here also He brings
up arguments, some from those things which we have already, and some from
other examples.

   From what we have already, thus saying:

   "Is not the soul more than meat, and the body more than the
raiment?"(1)

   He therefore that hath given the greater, how shall He not give the
less? He that hath fashioned the flesh that is fed, how shall He not bestow
the food? Wherefore neither did He simply say, "Take no thought what ye
shall eat," or "wherewithal ye shall be clothed;" but, "for the body," and,
"for the soul:" forasmuch as from them He was to make His demonstrations,
carrying on His discourse in the way of comparison. Now the soul He hath
given once for all, and it abides such as it is; but the body increases
every day. Therefore pointing out both these things, the immortality of the
one, and the frailty of the other, He subjoins and says,

   "Which of you can add one cubit unto his stature?"(2)

   Thus, saying no more of the soul, since it receives not increase, He
discoursed of the body only; hereby making manifest this point also, that
not the food increases it, but the providence of God. Which Paul showing
also in other ways, said, "So then, neither is he that planteth any thing,
neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase."(3)

   From what we have already, then, He urges us in this way: and from
examples of other things, by saying, "Behold the fowls of the air."(4)
Thus, lest any should say, "we do good by taking thought," He dissuades
them both by that which is greater, and by that which is less; by the
greater, i.e. the soul and the body; by the less, i.e. the birds. For if of
the things that are very inferior He hath so much regard, how shall He not
give unto you? saith He. And to them on this wise, for as yet it was an
ordinary(5) multitude: but to the devil not thus; but how? "Man shall not
live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of
God."(6) But here He makes mention of the birds, and this in a way greatly
to abash them; which sort of thing is of very great value for the purpose
of admonition.

   4. However, some of the ungodly have come to so great a pitch of
madness, as even to attack His illustration. Because, say they, it was not
meet for one strengthening(7) moral principle, to use natural advantages as
incitements to that end. For to those animals, they add, this belongs by
nature. What then shall we say to this? That even though it is theirs by
nature, yet possibly we too may attain it by choice. For neither did He
say, "behold how the birds fly," which were a thing impossible to man; but
that they are fed without taking thought, a kind of thing easy to be
achieved by us also, if we will. And this they have proved, who have
accomplished it in their actions.

   Wherefore it were meet exceedingly to admire the consideration of our
Lawgiver, in that, when He might bring forward His illustration from among
men, and when He might have spoken of Moses and Elias and John, and others
like them, who took no thought; that He might touch them more to the quick,
He made mention of the irrational beings. For had He spoken of those
righteous men, these would have been able to say, "We are not yet become
like them." But now by passing them over in silence, and bringing forward
the fowls of the air, He hath cut off from them every excuse, imitating in
this place also the old law. Yea, for the old covenant likewise sends to
the bee, and to the ant,(1) and to the turtle, and to the swallow.(2) And
neither is this a small sign of honor, when the same sort of things, which
those animals possess by nature, those we are able to accomplish by an act
of our choice. If then He take so great care of them which exist for our
sakes, much more of us; if of the servants, much more of the master.
Therefore He said, "Behold the fowls," and He said not, "for they do not
traffic, nor make merchandise,"(3) for these were among the things that
were earnestly forbidden. But what? "they sow not, neither do they reap."
"What then?" saith one, "must we not sow?" He said not, "we must not sow,"
but "we must not take thought;" neither that one ought not to work, but not
to be low-minded, nor to rack one's self with cares. Since He bade us also
be nourished, but not in "taking thought."

   Of this lesson David also lays the foundation from old time, saying
enigmatically on this wise, "Thou openest Thine hand, and fillest every
living thing with bounty;"(4) and again, "To Him that giveth to the beasts
their food, and to the young ravens that call upon Him."(5)

   "Who then," it may be said, "have not taken thought"? Didst thou not
hear how many of the righteous I adduced? Seest thou not with them Jacob,
departing from his father's house destitute of all things? Dost thou not
hear him praying and saying, "If the Lord give me bread to eat and raiment
to put on?"(6) which was not the part of one taking thought, but of one
seeking all of God. This the apostles also attained, who cast away all, and
took no thought: also, the "five thousand," and the "three thousand."(7)

   5. But if thou canst not bear, upon hearing so high words, to release
thyself from these grievous bonds, consider the unprofitableness of the
thing, and so put an end to thy care. For

   "Which of you by taking thought" (saith He) "can add one cubit unto his
stature."(8)

   Seest thou how by that which is evident, He hath manifested that also
which is obscure? Thus, "As unto thy body," saith He, "thou wilt not by
taking thought be able to add, though it be ever so little; so neither to
gather food; think as thou mayest otherwise." Hence it is clear that not
our diligence, but the providence of God, even where we seem to be active,
effects all. So that, were He to forsake us, no care, nor anxiety, nor
toil, nor any other such thing, will ever appear to come to anything, but
all will utterly pass away,

   Let us not therefore suppose His injunctions are impossible: for there
are many who duly perform them, even as it is. And if thou knowest not of
them, it is nothing marvellous, since Elias too supposed he was alone, but
was told, "I have left unto myself seven thousand men."(9) Whence it is
manifest that even now there are many who show forth the apostolical life;
like as the "three thousand" then, and the "five thousand."(10) And if we
believe not, it is not because there are none who do well, but because we
are far from so doing. So that just as the drunkard would not easily
believe, that there exists any man who doth not taste even water (and yet
this hath been achieved by many solitaries in our time(11)); nor he who
connects himself with numberless women, that it is easy to live in
virginity; nor he that extorts other men's goods, that one shall readily
give up even his own: so neither will those, who daily melt themselves down
with innumerable anxieties, easily receive this thing.

   Now as to the fact, that there are many who have attained unto this, we
might show it even from those, who have practised this self-denial even in
our generation.

   But for you, just now, it is enough to learn not to covet, and that
almsgiving is a good thing; and to know that you must impart of what ye
have. For these things if thou wilt duly perform, beloved, thou wilt
speedily proceed to those others also.

   6. For the present therefore let us lay aside our excessive
sumptuousness, and let us endure moderation, and learn to acquire by honest
labor all that we are to have: since even the blessed John, when he was
discoursing with those that were employed upon the tribute, and with the
soldiery, enjoined them "to be content with their wages."(12) Anxious
though he were to lead them on to another, and a higher self-command, yet
since they were still unfit for this, he speaks of the lesser things.
Because, if he had mentioned what are higher than these, they would have
failed to apply themselves to them, and would have fallen from the others.

   For this very reason we too are practising you(13) in the inferior
duties. Yes, because as yet, we know, the burden of voluntary poverty is
too great for you, and the heaven is not more distant from the earth, than
such self-denial from you. Let us then lay hold, if it be only of the
lowest commandments, for even this is no small encouragement. And yet some
amongst the heathens have achieved even this, though not in a proper
spirit, and have stripped themselves of all their possessions.(1) However,
we are contented in your case, if alms are bestowed abundantly by you; for
we shall soon arrive at those other duties too, if we advance in this way.
But if we do not so much as this, of what favor shall we be worthy, who are
hidden to surpass those under the old law, and yet show ourselves inferior
to the philosophers among the heathens? What shall we say, who when we
ought to be angels and sons of God, do not even quite maintain our being as
men? For to spoil and to covet comes not of the gentleness of men, but of
the fierceness of wild beasts; nay, worse than wild beasts are the
assailers of their neighbor's goods. For to them this comes by nature, but
we who are honored with reason, and yet are falling away unto that
unnatural vileness, what indulgence shall we receive?

   Let us then, considering the measures of that discipline which is set
before us, press on at least to the middle station, that we may both be
delivered from the punishment which is to come, and proceeding regularly,
may arrive at the very summit of all good things; unto which may we all
attain, by the grace and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom
be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.


HOMILY XXII: MATT. VI. 28, 29.

"Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do
they spin. And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was
not arrayed like one of these."

   HAVING spoken of our necessary food, and having signified that not even
for this should we take thought, He passes on in what follows to that which
is more easy. For raiment is not so necessary as food.

   Why then did He not make use here also of the same example, that of the
birds, neither mention to us the peacock, and the swan, and the sheep? for
surely there were many such examples to take from thence. Because He would
point out how very far the argument may be carried both ways:(1) both from
the vileness(2) of the things that partake of such elegance, and from the
munificence vouchsafed to the lilies, in respect of their adorning. For
this cause, when He hath decked them out, He doth not so much as call them
lilies any more, but "grass of the field."(3) And He is not satisfied even
with this name, but again adds another circumstance of vileness, saying,
"which to-day is." And He said not, "and to-morrow is not," but what is
much baser yet, "is east into the oven." And He said not, "clothe," but "so
clothe."

   Seest thou everywhere how He abounds in amplifications and intensities?
And this He doth, that He may touch them home: and therefore He hath also
added, "shall He not much more clothe you?" For this too hath much
emphasis: the force of the word, "you," being no other than to indicate
covertly the great value set upon our race, and the concern shown for it;
as though He had said, "you, to whom He gave a soul, for whom He fashioned
a body, for whose sake He made all the things that are seen, for whose sake
He sent prophets, and gave the law, and wrought those innumerable good
works; for whose sake He gave up His only begotten Son."

   And not till He hath made His proof clear, doth He proceed also to
rebuke them, saying, "O ye of little faith." For this is the quality of an
adviser: He doth not admonish only, but reproves also, that He may awaken
men the more to the persuasive power of His words.

   Hereby He teaches us not only to take no thought, but not even to be
dazzled at the costliness of men's apparel. Why, such comeliness is of
grass, such beauty of the green herb: or rather, the grass is even more
precious than such apparelling. Why then pride thyself on things, whereof
the prize rests with the mere plant, with a great balance in its favor?

   And see how from the beginning He signifies the injunction to be easy;
by the contraries again, and by the things of which they were afraid,
leading them away from these cares. Thus, when He had said, "Consider the
lilies of the field," He added, "they toil not:" so that in desire to set
us free from toils, did He give these commands. In fact, the labor lies,
not in taking no thought, but in taking thought for these things. And as in
saying, "they sow not," it was not the sowing that He did away with, but
the anxious thought; so in saying, "they toil not, neither do they spin,"
He put an end not to the work, but to the care.

   But if Solomon was surpassed by their beauty, and that not once nor
twice, but throughout all his reign:--for neither can one say, that at one
time He was clothed with such apparel, but after that He was so no more;
rather not so much as on one day did He array Himself so beautifully: for
this Christ declared by saying, "in all his reign:" and if it was not that
He was surpassed by this flower, but vied with that, but He gave place to
all alike (wherefore He also said, "as one of these:" for such as between
the truth and the counterfeit, so great is the interval between those robes
and these flowers):--if then he acknowledged his inferiority, who was more
glorious than all kings that ever were: when wilt thou be able to surpass,
or rather to approach even faintly to such perfection of form?

   After this He instructs us, not to aim at all at such ornament. See at
least the end thereof; after its triumph "it is cast into the oven:" and if
of things mean, and worthless, and of no great use, God hath displayed so
great care, how shall He give up thee, of all living creatures the most
important? Wherefore then did He make them so beautiful? That He might
display His own wisdom and the excellency of His power; that from
everything we might learn His glory. For not "the Heavens only declare the
glory of God,"(1) but the earth too; and this David declared when he said,
"Praise the Lord, ye fruitful trees, and all cedars."(2) For some by their
fruits, some by their greatness, some by their beauty, send up praise to
Him who made them: this too being a sign of great excellency of wisdom,
when even upon things that are very vile (and what can be viler than that
which to-day is, and to-morrow is not?) He pours out such great beauty. If
then to the grass He hath given that which it needs not (for what doth the
beauty thereof help to the feeding of the fire?) how shall He not give unto
thee that which thou needest? If that which is the vilest of all things, He
hath lavishly adorned, and that as doing it not for need, but for
munificence, how much more will He honor thee, the most honorable of all
things, in matters which are of necessity.

   2. Now when, as you see, He had demonstrated the greatness of God's
providential care, and they were in what follows to be rebuked also, even
in this He was sparing, laying to their charge not want, but poverty, of
faith. Thus, "if God," saith He, "so clothe the grass of the field, much
more you, O ye of little faith."(3)

   And yet surely all these things He Himself works. For "all things were
made by Him, and without Him was not so much as one thing made."(4) But yet
He nowhere as yet makes mention of Himself: it being sufficient for the
time, to indicate His full power, that He said at each of the commandments,
"Ye have heard that it hath been said to them of old time, but I say unto
you."

   Marvel not then, when in subsequent instances also He conceals Himself,
or speaks something lowly of Himself: since for the present He had but one
object, that His word might prove such as they would readily receive, and
might in every way demonstrate that He was not a sort of adversary of God,
but of one mind, and in agreement with the Father.

   Which accordingly He doth here also; for through so many words as He
hath spent He ceases not to set Him before us, admiring His wisdom, His
providence, His tender care extending through all things, both great and
small. Thus, both when He was speaking of Jerusalem, He called it "the city
of the Great King;"(5) and when He mentioned Heaven, He spake of it again
as "God's throne;"(6) and when He was discoursing of His economy in the
world, to Him again He attributes it all, saying, "He maketh His sun to
rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the
unjust."(1) And in the prayer too He taught us to say, His "is the kingdom
and the power and the: glory." And here in discoursing of His providence,
and signifying how even in little things He is the most excellent of
artists, He saith, that "He clothes the grass of the field." And nowhere
doth He call Him His own Father, but theirs; in order that by the very
honor He might reprove them, and that when He should call Him His Father,
they might no more be displeased.

   Now if for bare necessaries one is not to take thought, what pardon can
we(2) deserve, who take thought for things expensive? Or rather, what
pardon can they deserved who do even without sleep, that they may take the
things of others?

   3. "Therefore take no thought, saying, what shall we eat? or, what
shall we drink? or, wherewithal shall we be clothed? For after all these
things do the nations of the world seek."(3)

   Seest thou how again He hath both shamed them the more, and hath also
shown by the way, that He had commanded nothing grievous nor burdensome? As
therefore when He said, "If ye love them which love you," it is nothing
great which ye practise, for the very Gentiles do the same; by the mention
of the Gentiles He was stirring them up to something greater: so now also
He brings them forward to reprove us, and to signify that it is a necessary
debt which He is requiring of us. For if we must show forth something more
than the Scribes or Pharisees, what can we deserve, who so far from going
beyond these, do even abide in the mean estate of the Gentiles, and emulate
their littleness of soul?

   He doth not however stop at the rebuke, but having by this reproved and
roused them, and shamed them with all strength of expression, by another
argument He also comforts them, saying, "For your Heavenly Father knoweth
that ye have need of all these things." He said not, "God knoweth," but,
"your Father knoweth;" to lead them to a greater hope. For if He be a
Father, and such a Father, He will not surely be able to overlook His
children in extremity of evils; seeing that not even men, being fathers,
bear to do so.

   And He adds along with this yet another argument. Of what kind then is
it? That "ye have need" of them. What He saith is like this. What! are
these things superfluous, that He should disregard them? Yet not even in
superfluities did He show Himself wanting in regard, in the instance of the
grass: but now are these things even necessary. So that what thou
considerest a cause for thy being anxious, this I say is sufficient to draw
thee from such anxiety. I mean, if thou sayest, "Therefore I must needs
take thought, because they are necessary;" on the contrary, I say, "Nay,
for this self-same reason take no thought, because they are necessary."
Since were they superfluities, not even then ought we to despair, but to
feel confident about the supply of them; but now that they are necessary,
we must no longer be in doubt. For what kind of father is he, who can
endure to fail in supplying to his children even necessaries? So that for
this cause again God will most surely bestow them.

   For indeed He is the artificer of our nature, and He knows perfectly
the wants thereof. So that neither canst thou say, "He is indeed our
Father, and the things we seek are necessary, but He knows not that we
stand in need of them." For He that knows our nature itself, and was the
framer of it, and formed it such as it is; evidently He knows its need also
better than thou, who art placed in want of them: it having been by His
decree, that our nature is in such need. He will not therefore oppose
Himself to what He hath willed, first subjecting it of necessity to so
great want, and on the other hand again depriving it of what it wants, and
of absolute necessaries

   Let us not therefore be anxious, for we shall gain nothing by it, but
tormenting ourselves. For whereas He gives both when we take thought, and
when we do not, and more of the two, when we do not; what dost thou gain by
thy anxiety, but to exact of thyself a superfluous penalty? Since one on
the point of going to a plentiful feast, will not surely permit himself to
take thought for food; nor is he that is walking to a fountain anxious
about drink. Therefore seeing we have a supply more copious than either any
fountain, or innumerable banquets made ready, the providence of God; let us
not be beggars, nor little minded.

   4. For together with what hath been said, He puts also yet another
reason for feeling confidence about such things, saying,

   "Seek ye the kingdom of Heaven, and all these things shall be added
unto you."(4)

   Thus when He had set the soul free from anxiety, then He made mention
also of Heaven. For indeed He came to do away with the old things, and to
call us to a greater country. Therefore He doeth all, to deliver us from
things unnecessary, and from our affection for the earth. For this cause He
mentioned the heathens also, saying that "the Gentiles seek after these
things;" they whose whole labor is for the present life, who have no regard
for the things to come, nor any thought of Heaven. But to you not these
present are the chief things,(1) but other than these. For we were not born
for this end, that we should eat and drink and be clothed, but that we
might please God, and attain unto the good things to come. Therefore as
things here are secondary in our labor, so also in our prayers let them be
secondary. Therefore He also said, "Seek ye the kingdom of Heaven, and all
these things shall be added unto you."

   And He said not, "shall be given," but "shall be added," that thou
mightest learn, that the things present are no great part of His gifts,
compared with the greatness of the things to come. Accordingly, He doth not
bid us so much as ask for them, but while we ask for other things, to have
confidence, as though these also were added to those. Seek then the things
to come, and thou wilt receive the things present also; seek not the things
that are seen, and thou shalt surely attain unto them. Yea, for it is
unworthy of thee to approach thy Lord for such things. And thou, who
oughtest to spend all thy zeal and thy care for those unspeakable
blessings, dost greatly disgrace thyself by consuming it on the desire of
transitory things.

   "How then?" saith one, "did He not bid us ask for bread?" Nay, He
added, "daily," and to this again, "this day," which same thing in fact He
doth here also. For He said not, "Take no thought," but, "Take no thought
for the morrow," at the same time both affording us liberty, and fastening
our soul on those things that are more necessary to us.

   For to this end also He bade us ask even those, not as though God
needed reminding by us, but that we might learn that by His help we
accomplish whatever we do accomplish, and that we might be made more His
own by our continual prayer for these things.

   Seest thou how by this again He would persuade them, that they shall
surely receive the things present? For He that bestows the greater, much
more will He give the less. "For not for this end," saith He, "did I tell
you not to take thought nor to ask, that ye should suffer distress, and go
about naked, but in order that ye might be in abundance of these things
also:" and this, you see, was suited above all things to attract them to
Him. So that like as in almsgiving, when deterring them from making a
display to men, he won upon them chiefly by promising to furnish them with
it more liberally;--"for thy Father," saith He, "who seeth in secret, shall
reward thee openly;"(2)--even so here also, in drawing them off from
seeking these things, this is His persuasive topic, that He promises to
bestow it on them, not seeking it, in greater abundance. Thus, to this end,
saith He, do I bid thee not seek, not that thou mayest not receive, but
that thou mayest receive plentifully; that thou mayest receive in the
fashion(3) that becomes thee, with the profit which thou oughtest to have;
that thou mayest not, by taking thought, and distracting thyself in anxiety
about these, render thyself unworthy both of these, and of the things
spiritual; that thou mayest not undergo unnecessary distress, and again
fall away from that which is set before thee.

   5. "Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for sufficient unto the
day is the evil thereof:" that is to say, the affliction, and the bruising
thereof.(4) Is it not enough for thee, to eat thy bread in the sweat of thy
face? Why add the further affliction that comes of anxiety, when thou art
on the point to be delivered henceforth even from the former toils?

   By "evil" here He means, not wickedness, far from it, but affliction,
and trouble, and calamities; much as in another place also He saith, "Is
there evil in a city, which the Lord hath not done?"(5) not meaning
rapines, nor injuries,(6) nor any thing like these, but the scourges which
are borne from above. And again, "I," saith He, "make peace, and create
evils:"(7) For neither in this place doth He speak of wickedness,(8) but of
famines, and pestilences, things accounted evil by most men: the generality
being wont to call these things evil. Thus, for example, the priests and
prophets of those five lordships, when having yoked the kine to the ark,
they let them go without their calves,(9) gave the name of "evil" to those
heaven-sent plagues, and the dismay and anguish which thereby sprang up
within them.

   This then is His meaning here also, when He saith, "sufficient unto the
day is the evil thereof." For nothing so pains the soul, as carefulness and
anxiety. Thus did Paul also, when urging to celibacy, give counsel, saying,
"I would have you without carefulness."(1)

   But when He saith, "the morrow shall take thought for itself," He saith
it not, as though the day took thought for these things, but forasmuch as
He had to speak to a people somewhat imperfect, willing to make what He
saith more expressive, He personifies the time, speaking unto them
according to the custom of the generality.

   And here indeed He advises, but as He proceeds, He even makes it a law,
saying, "provide neither gold nor silver, nor scrip for your journey."(2)
Thus, having shown it all forth in His actions, then after that He
introduces the verbal enactment of it more determinately, the precept too
having then become more easy of acceptance, confirmed as it had been
previously by His own actions. Where then did He confirm it by His actions?
Hear Him saying, "The Son of Man hath not where to lay His head."(3)
Neither is He satisfied with this only, but in His disciples also He
exhibits His full proof of these things, by fashioning them too in like
manner, yet not suffering them to be in want of anything.

   But mark His tender care also, how He surpasses the affection of any
father. Thus, "This I command," saith He, "for nothing else. but that I may
deliver you from superfluous anxieties. For even if to-day thou hast taken
thought for to-morrow, thou wilt also have to take thought again to-morrow.
Why then what is over and above? Why force the day to receive more than the
distress which is allotted to it, and together with its own troubles add to
it also the burden of the following day; and this, when there is no chance
of thy lightening the other by the addition so taking place, but thou art
merely to exhibit thyself as coveting superfluous troubles?" Thus, that He
may reprove them the more, He doth all but give life to the very time, and
brings it in as one injured, and exclaiming against them for their
causeless despite. Why, thou hast received the day, to care for the things
thereof. Wherefore then add unto it the things of the other day also? Hath
it not then burden enough in its own anxiety? Why now, I pray, dost thou
make it yet heavier? Now when the Lawgiver saith these things, and He that
is to pass judgment on us, consider the hopes that He suggests to us, how
good they are; He Himself testifying, that this life is wretched and
wearisome, so that the anxiety even of the one day is enough to hurt and
afflict us.

   6. Nevertheless, after so many and so grave words, we take thought for
these things, but for the things in Heaven no longer: rather we have
reversed His order, on either side fighting against His sayings. For mark;
"Seek ye not the things, present," saith He, "at all;" but we are seeking
these things for ever: "seek the things in Heaven," saith He; but those
things we seek not so much as for a short hour, but according to the
greatness of the anxiety we display about the things of the world, is the
carelessness we entertain in things spiritual; or rather even much greater.
But this doth not prosper for ever; neither can this be for ever. What if
for ten days we think scorn? if for twenty? if for an hundred? must we not
of absolute necessity depart, and fall into the hands of the Judge?

   "But the delay hath comfort." And what sort of comfort, to be every day
looking for punishment and vengeance? Nay, if thou wouldest have some
comfort from this delay, take it by gathering for thyself the fruit of
amendment after repentance. Since if the mere delay of vengeance seem to
thee a sort of refreshment, far more is it gain not to fall into the
vengeance. Let us then make full use of this delay, in order to have a full
deliverance from the dangers that press upon us. For none of the things
enjoined is either burdensome or grievous, but all are so light and easy,
that it we only bring a genuine purpose of heart, we may accomplish all,
though we be chargeable with countless offenses. For so Manasses had
perpetrated innumerable pollutions, having both stretched out his hands
against the saints, and brought abominations into the temple, and filled
the city with murders, and wrought many other things beyond excuse; yet
nevertheless after so long and so great wickedness, he washed away from
himself all these things? How and in what manner? By repentance, and
consideration.

   For there is not, yea, there is not any sin, that doth not yield and
give way to the power of repentance, or rather to the grace of Christ.
Since if we would but only change, we have Him to assist us. And if thou
art desirous to become good, there is none to hinder us; or rather there is
one to hinder us, the devil, yet hath he no power, so long as thou choosest
what is best, and so attractest God to thine aid. But if thou art not
thyself willing, but startest aside, how shall He protect thee? Since not
of necessity or compulsion, but of thine own will, He wills thee to be
saved. For if thou thyself, having a servant full of hatred and aversion
for thee, and continually going off, and fleeing away from thee, wouldest
not choose to keep him, and this though needing his services; much less
will God, who doeth all things not for His own profit, but for thy
salvation, choose to retain thee by compulsion; as on the other hand, if
thou show forth a right intention only, He would not choose ever to give
thee up, no, not whatever the devil may do. So that we are ourselves to
blame for our own destruction. Because we do not approach, nor beseech, nor
entreat Him, as we ought: but even if we do draw nigh, it is not as persons
who have need to receive, neither is it with the proper faith, nor as
making demand, but we do all in a gaping and listless way.

   7. And yet God would have us demand things of Him, and for this
accounts Himself greatly bound to thee.(1) For He alone of all debtors,
when the demand is made, counts it a favor, and gives what we have not lent
Him. And if He should see him pressing earnestly that makes the demand, He
pays down even what He hath not received of us; but if sluggishly, He too
keeps on making delays; not through unwillingness to give, but because He
is pleased to have the demand made upon Him by us. For this cause He told
thee also the example of that friend, who came by night, and asked a
loaf;(2) and of the judge that feared not God, nor regarded men.(3) And He
stayed not at similitudes, but signified it also in His very actions, when
He dismissed that Phoenician woman, having filled her with His great
gift.(4) For through her He signified, that He gives to them that ask
earnestly, even the things that pertain not to them. "For it is not meet,"
saith He, "to take the children's bread, and to give(5) it unto the dogs."
But for all that He gave, because she demanded of him earnestly. But by the
Jews He showed, that to them that are careless, He gives not even their
own. They accordingly received nothing, but lost what was their own. And
while these, because they asked not, did not receive so much as their very
own; she, because she assailed Him with earnestness, had power to obtain
even what pertained to others, and the dog received what was the
children's. So great a good is importunity. For though thou be a dog, yet
being importunate, thou shalt be preferred to the child being negligent:
for what things affection accomplishes not, these, all of them, importunity
did accomplish. Say not therefore, "God is an enemy to me, and will not
hearken." He doth straightway answer thee, continually troubling him, if
not because thou art His friend, yet because of thine importunity. And
neither the enmity, or the unseasonable time, nor anything else becomes an
hindrance. Say not, "I am unworthy, and do not pray;" for such was the
Syrophoenician woman too. Say not, "I have sinned much, and am not able to
entreat Him whom I have angered;" for God looks not at the desert, but at
the disposition. For if the ruler that feared not God, neither was ashamed
of men, was overcome by the widow, much more will He that is good be won
over by continual entreaty.

   So that though thou be no friend, though thou be not demanding thy due,
though thou hast devoured thy Father's substance, and have been a long time
out of sight, though without honor, though last of all, though thou
approach Him angry, though much displeased; be willing only to pray, and to
return, and thou shalt receive all, and shall quickly extinguish the wrath
and the condemnation.

   But, "behold, I pray," saith one, "and there is no result." Why, thou
prayest not like those; such I mean as the Syrophoenician woman, the friend
that came late at night, and the widow that is continually troubling the
judge, and the son that consumed his father's goods. For didst thou so
pray, thou wouldest quickly obtain. For though despite have been done unto
Him, yet is He a Father; and though He have been provoked to anger, yet is
He fond of His children; and one thing only doth He seek, not to take
vengeance for our affronts, but to see thee repenting and entreating Him.
Would that we were warmed in like measure, as those bowels are moved to the
love of us. But this fire seeks a beginning only, and if thou afford it a
little spark, thou kindlest a full flame of beneficence. For not because He
hath been insulted, is He sore vexed, but because it is thou who art
insulting Him, and so becoming frenzied. For if we being evil, when our
children molest(6) us, grieve on their account; much more is God, who
cannot so much as suffer insult, sore vexed on account of thee, who hast
committed it. If we, who love by nature, much more He, who is kindly
affectioned beyond nature. "For though," saith He, "a woman should forget
the fruits of her womb, yet will I not forget thee."(1)

   8. Let us therefore draw nigh unto Him, and say, "Truth, Lord; for even
the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table."(2) Let us
draw nigh "in season, out of season:" or rather, one can never draw nigh
out of season, for it is unseasonable not to be continually approaching.
For of Him who desires to give it is always seasonable to ask: yea, as
breathing is never out of season, so neither is praying unseasonable, but
rather not praying. Since as we need this breath, so do we also the help
that comes from Him; and if we be willing, we shall easily draw Him to us.
And the prophet, to manifest this, and to point out the constant readiness
of His beneficence, said, "We shall find Him prepared as the morning."(3)
For as often as we may draw nigh, we shall see Him awaiting our movements.
And if we fail to draw from out of His ever-springing goodness, the blame
is all ours. This, for example, was His complaint against certain Jews,
when He said, "My mercy is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it
goeth away."(4) And His meaning is like this; "I indeed have supplied all
my part, but ye, as a hot sun coming over scatters both the cloud and the
dew, and makes them vanish, so have ye by your great wickedness restrained
the unspeakable Beneficence."

   Which also itself again is an instance of providential care: that even
when He sees us unworthy to receive good, He withholds His benefits, lest
He render us careless. But if we change a little, even but so much as to
know that we have sinned, He gushes out beyond the fountains, He is poured
forth beyond the ocean; and the more thou receivest, so much the more doth
He rejoice; and in this way is stirred up again to give us more. For indeed
He accounts it as His own wealth, that we should be saved, and that He
should give largely to them that ask. And this, it may seem, Paul was
declaring when He said, that He is "rich unto all and over all that call
upon Him."(5) Because when we pray not, then He is wroth; when we pray not,
then doth He turn away from us. For this cause "He became poor, that He
might make us rich;"(6) for this cause He underwent all those sufferings,
that He might incite us to ask.

   Let us not therefore despair, but having so many motives and good
hopes, though we sin every day, let us approach Him, entreating,
beseeching, asking the forgiveness of our sins. For thus we shall be more
backward to sin for the time to come; thus shall we drive away the devil,
and shall call forth the lovingkindness of God, and attain unto the good
things to come, by the grace and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ,
to whom be glory and might forever and ever. Amen.


HOMILY XXIII: MATT. VII. 1.

"Judge not, that ye be not judged."

   WHAT then? Ought we not to blame them that sin? Because Paul also saith
this selfsame thing: or rather, there too it is Christ, speaking by Paul,
and saying,(1) "Why dost thou judge thy brother? And thou, why dost thou
set at nought thy brother?" and, "Who art thou that judgest another man's
servant?"(2) And again, "Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the
Lord Come."(3)

   How then doth He say elsewhere, "Reprove, rebuke, exhort,"(4) and,
"Them that sin rebuke before all?"(5) And Christ too to Peter, "Go and tell
him his fault between thee and him alone," and if he neglect to hear, add
to thyself another also; and if not even so doth he yield, declare it to
the church likewise?"(6) And how hath He set over us so many to reprove;
and not only to reprove, but also to punish? For him that hearkens to none
of these, He hath commanded to be "as a heathen man and a publican."(7) And
how gave He them the keys also? since if they are not to judge, they will
be without authority in any matter, and in vain have they received the
power to bind and to loose.

   And besides, if this were to obtain, all would be lost alike, whether
in churches, or in states,(8) or in houses. For except the master judge the
servant, and the mistress the maid, and the father the son, and friends one
another, there will be an increase of all wickedness. And why say I,
friends? unless we judge our enemies, we shall never be able to put an end
to our enmity, but all things will be turned upside down.

   What then can the saying be? Let us carefully attend, lest the
medicines of salvation, and the laws of peace, be accounted by any man laws
of overthrow and confusion. First of all, then, even by what follows, He
hath pointed out to them that have understanding the excellency of this
law, saying, "Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but
considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

   But if to many of the less attentive, it seem yet rather obscure, I
will endeavor to explain it from the beginning. In this place, then, as it
seems at least to me, He doth not simply command us not to judge any of
men's sins, neither doth He simply forbid the doing of such a thing, but to
them that are full of innumerable ills, and are trampling upon other men
for trifles. And I think that certain Jews too are here hinted at, for that
while they were bitter accusing their neighbors for small faults, and such
as came to nothing, they were themselves insensibly committing deadly(10)
sins. Herewith towards the end also He was upbraiding them, when He said,
"Ye bind heavy burdens, and grievous to be borne, but ye will not move them
with your finger,"(11) and, "ye pay tithe of mint and anise, and have
omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith."(12)

   Well then, I think that these are comprehended in His invective; that
He is checking them beforehand as to those things, wherein they were
hereafter to accuse His disciples. For although His disciples had been
guilty of no such sin, yet in them were supposed to be offenses; as, for
instance, not keeping the sabbath, eating with unwashen hands, sitting at
meat with publicans; of which He saith also in another place, "Ye which
strain at the gnat, and swallow the camel."(13) But yet it is also a
general law that He is laying down on these matters.

   And the Corinthians(14) too Paul did not absolutely command not to
judge, but not to judge their own superiors, and upon grounds that are not
acknowledged; not absolutely to refrain from correcting them that sin.
Neither indeed was He then rebuking all without distinction, but disciples
doing so to their teachers were the object of His reproof; and they who,
being guilty of innumerable sins, bring an evil report upon the guiltless.

   This then is the sort of thing which Christ also in this place
intimated; not intimated merely, but guarded15) it too with a great terror,
and the punishment from which no prayers can deliver.

   2. "For with what judgment ye judge," saith He, "ye shall be judged.

   That is, "it is not the other," saith Christ, "that thou condemnest,
but thyself, and thou art making the judgment-seat dreadful to thyself, and
the account strict." As then in the forgiveness of our sins the beginnings
are from us, so also in this judgment, it is by ourselves that the measures
of our condemnation are laid down. You see, we ought not to upbraid nor
trample upon them, but to admonish; not to revile, but to advise; not to
assail with pride, but to correct with tenderness. For not him, but
thyself, dost thou give over to extreme vengeance, by not sparing him, when
it may be needful to give sentence on his offenses.

   Seest thou, how these two commandments are both easy, and fraught with
great blessings to the obedient, even as of evils on the other hand, to the
regardless? For both he that forgives his neighbor, hath freed himself
first of the two from the grounds of complaint, and that without any labor;
and he that with tenderness and indulgence inquires into other men's
offenses, great is the allowance2) of pardon, which he hath by his judgment
laid up beforehand for himself.

   "What then!" say you: "if one commit fornication, may I not say that
fornication is a bad thing, nor at all correct him that is playing the
wanton?" Nay, correct him, but not as a foe, nor as an adversary exacting a
penalty, but as a physician providing medicines. For neither did Christ
say, "stay not him that is sinning," but "judge not;" that is, be not
bitter in pronouncing sentence.

   And besides, it is not of great things as I have already observed), nor
of things prohibited, that this is said, but of those which are not even
counted offenses. Wherefore He said also.

   "Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye?"(3)

   Yea, for many now do this; if they see but a monk wearing an
unnecessary garment, they produce against him the law of our Lord,(4) while
they themselves are extorting without end, and defrauding men every day. If
they see him but partaking rather largely of food, they become bitter
accusers, while they themselves are daily drinking to excess and
surfeiting: not knowing, that besides their own sins, they do hereby gather
up for themselves a greater flame, and deprive themselves of every plea.
For on this point, that thine own doings must be strictly inquired into,
thou thyself hast first made the law, by thus sentencing those of thy
neighbor. Account it not then to be a grievous thing, if thou art also
thyself to undergo the same kind of trial.

   "Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye."(5)

   Here His will is to signify the great wrath, which He hath against them
that do such things. For so, wheresoever He would indicate that the sin is
great, and the punishment and wrath in store for it grievous, He begins
with a reproach.6) As then unto him that was exacting the hundred pence, He
said in His deep displeasure, "Thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that
debt;"(7) even so here also, "Thou hypocrite." For not of protecting care
comes such a judgment, but of ill will to man; and while a man puts forward
a mask of benevolence, he is doing a work of the utmost wickedness, causing
reproaches without ground, and accusations, to cleave unto his neighbors,
and usurping a teacher's rank, when he is not worthy to be so much as a
disciple. On account of this He called him "hypocrite." For thou, who in
other men's doings art so bitter, as to see even the little things; how
hast thou become so remiss in thine own, as that even the great things are
hurried over by thee?

   "First cast out the beam out of thine own eye."

   Seest thou, that He forbids not judging, but commands to cast out first
the beam from thine eye, and then to set right the doings of the rest of
the world? For indeed each one knows his own things better than those of
others; and sees the greater rather than the less; and loves himself more
than his neighbor. Wherefore, if thou doest it out of guardian care, I bid
thee care for thyself first, in whose case the sin is both more certain and
greater. But if thou neglect thyself, it is quite evident that neither dost
thou judge thy brother in care for him, but in hatred, and wishing to
expose him. For what if he ought to be judged? it should be by one who
commits no such sin, not by thee.

   Thus, because He had introduced great and high doctrines of self
denial, lest any man should say, it is easy so to practise it in words; He
willing to signify His entire confidence, and that He was not chargeable
with any of the things that had been mentioned, but had duly fulfilled all,
spake this parable. And that, because He too was afterwards to judge,
saying, "Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites."1) Yet was not he
chargeable with what hath been mentioned; for neither did He pull out a
mote, nor had He a beam on His eyes, but being clean from all these, He so
corrected the faults of all. "For it is not at all meet," saith He, "to
judge others, when one is chargeable with the same things." And why marvel
at His establishing this law, when even the very thief knew it upon the
cross, saying to the other thief, "Dost not thou fear God, seeing we are in
the same condemnation;"2) expressing the same sentiments with Christ?

   But thou, so far from casting out thine own beam, dost not even see it,
but another's mote thou not only seest, but also judgest, and essayest to
cast it out; as if any one seized with a grievous dropsy, or indeed with
any other incurable disease, were to neglect this, and find fault with
another who was neglecting a slight swelling. And if it be an evil not to
see one's own sins, it is a twofold and threefold evil to be even sitting
in judgment on others, while men themselves, as if past feeling, are
bearing about beams in their own eyes: since no beam is so heavy as sin.

   His injunction therefore in these words is as follows, that he who is
chargeable with countless evil deeds, should not be a bitter censor of
other men's offenses, and especially when these are trifling. He is not
overthrowing reproof nor correction, but forbidding men to neglect their
own faults, and exult over those of other men.

   For indeed this was a cause of men's going unto great vice, bringing in
a twofold wickedness. For he, whose practice it had been to slight his own
faults, great as they were, and to search bitterly into those of others,
being slight and of no account, was spoiling himself two ways: first, by
thinking lightly of his own faults; next, by incurring enmities and feuds
with all men, and training himself every day to extreme fierceness, and
want of feeling for others.

   3. Having then put away all these things, by this His excellent
legislation, He added yet another charge, saying,

   "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls
before swine."3)

   "Yet surely further on," it will be said, "He commanded, "What ye have
heard in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops."4) But this is in no
wise contrary to the former. For neither in that place did He simply
command to tell all men, but to whom it should be spoken, to them He bade
speak with freedom.5) And by "dogs" here He figuratively described them
that are living in incurable ungodliness, and affording no hope of change
for the better; and by "swine," them that abide continually in an unchaste
life, all of whom He hath pronounced unworthy of hearing such things. Paul
also, it may be observed, declared this when He said, "But a natural man
receiveth not the things of the Spirit, for they are foolishness unto
him."5) And in many other places too He saith that corruption of life is
the cause of men's not receiving the more perfect doctrines. Wherefore He
commands not to open the doors to them; for indeed they become more
insolent after learning. For as to the well-disposed and intelligent,
things appear venerable when revealed, so to the insensible, when they are
unknown rather. "Since then from their nature, they are not able to learn
them, "let the thing be hidden," saith He, "that6) at least for ignorance
they may reverence them. For neither doth the swine know at all what a
pearl is. Therefore since he knows not, neither let him see it, lest he
trample under foot what he knows not."

   For nothing results, beyond greater mischief to them that are so
disposed when they hear; for both the holy things are profaned by them, not
knowing what they are; and they are the more lifted up and armed against
us. For this is meant by, "lest they trample them under their feet, and
turn again and rend you."8)

   Nay, "surely," saith one, "they ought to be so strong as to remain
equally impregnable after men's learning them, and not to yield to other
people occasions against us." But it is not the things that yield it, but
that these men are swine; even as when the pearl is trampled under foot, it
is not so trampled, because it is really contemptible, but because it fell
among swine.

   And full well did He say, "turn again and rend you:" for they feign
gentleness,9) so as to be taught: then after they have learnt, quite
changing from one sort to another, they jeer, mock and deride us, as
deceived persons. Therefore Paul also said to Timothy,1) "Of whom be thou
ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words;" and again in another
place, "From such turn away,"2) and, "A man that is an heretic, after the
firs and second admonition, reject.''3)

   It is not, you see, that those truths furnish them with armor, but they
become fools in this way of their own accord, being filled with more
willfulness. On this account it is no small gain for them to abide in
ignorance, for so they are not such entire scorners. But if they learn, the
mischief is twofold. For neither will they themselves be at all profited
thereby, but rather the more damaged, and to thee they will cause endless
difficulties.

   Let them hearken, who shamelessly associate with all, and make the
awful things contemptible. For the mysteries we too therefore celebrate
with closed doors, and keep out the uninitiated, not for any weakness of
which we have convicted our rites, but because the many are as yet
imperfectly prepared for them. For this very reason He Himself also
discoursed much unto the Jews in parables, "because they seeing saw not."
For this, Paul likewise commanded "to know how we ought to answer every
man."4)

   4. "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and
it shall be opened unto you."5)

   For inasmuch as He had enjoined things great and marvellous, and had
commanded men to be superior to all their passions, and had led them up to
Heaven itself, and had enjoined them to strive after the resemblance, not
of angels and archangels, but as far as was possible) of the very Lord of
all; and had bidden His disciples not only themselves duly to perform all
this, but also to correct others, and to distinguish between the evil and
them that are not such, the dogs and them that are not dogs although there
be much that is hidden in men):--that they might not say, "these things are
grievous and intolerable, "for indeed in the sequel Peter did utter some
such things, saying, "Who can be saved?"6) and again, "If the case of the
man be so, it is not good to marry): in order therefore that they might not
now likewise say so; as in the first place even by what had gone before He
had proved it all to be easy, setting down many reasons one upon another,
of power to persuade men: so after all He adds also the pinnacle of all
facility, devising as no ordinary relief to our toils, the assistance
derived from persevering prayers. Thus, we are not ourselves, saith He, to
strive alone, but also to invoke the help from above: and it will surely
come and be present with us, and will aid us in our struggles, and make all
easy. Therefore He both commanded us to ask, and pledged Himself to the
giving.

   However, not simply to ask did He command us, but with much assiduity
and earnestness. For this is the meaning of "seek." For so he that seeks,
putting all things out of his mind, is taken up with that alone which is
sought, and forms no idea of any of the persons present. And this which I
am saying they know, as many as have lost either gold, or servants, and are
seeking diligently after them.

   By "seeking," then, He declared this; by "knocking," that we approach
with earnestness and a glowing mind.

   Despond not therefore, O man, nor show less of zeal about virtue, than
they do of desire for wealth. For things of that kind thou hast often
sought and not found, but nevertheless, though thou know this, that thou
art not sure to find them, thou puttest in motion every mode of search; but
here, although having a promise that thou wilt surely receive, thou dost
not show even the smallest part of that earnestness. And if thou dost not
receive straightway, do not even thus despair. For to this end He said,
"knock," to signify that even if He should not straightway open the door,
we are to continue there.

5. And if thou doubt my affirmation, at any rate believe His example.

   "For what man is there of you," saith He, "whom if his son ask bread,
will he give him a stone?"(7)

   Because, as among men, if thou keep on doing so, thou art even
accounted troublesome, and disgusting: so with God, when thou doest not so,
then thou dost more entirely provoke Him. And if thou continue asking,
though thou receive not at once, thou surely wilt receive. For to this end
was the door shut, that He may induce thee to knock: to this end He doth
not straightway assent, that thou mayest ask. Continue then to do these
things, and thou wilt surely receive. For that thou mightest not say, "What
then if I should ask and not receive?" He hath blocked up(1) thy approach
with that similitude, again framing arguments, and by those human things
urging us to be confident on these matters; implying by them that we must
not only ask, but ask what we ought.(2)

   "For which of you is there, a father, of whom if his son shall ask
bread, will he give him a stone?" So that if thou receive not, thy asking a
stone is the cause of thy not receiving. For though thou be a son, this
suffices not for thy receiving: rather this very thing even hinders thy
receiving, that being a son, thou askest what is not profitable.

   Do thou also therefore ask nothing worldly, but all things spiritual,
and thou wilt surely receive. For so Solomon,(3) because he asked what he
ought, behold how quickly he received. Two things now, you see, should be
in him that prays, asking earnestly, and asking what he ought: "since ye
too," saith He, "though ye be fathers, wait for your sons to ask: and if
they should ask of you anything inexpedient, ye refuse the gifts; just as,
if it be expedient, ye consent and bestow it." Do thou too, considering
these things, not withdraw until thou receive; until thou have found,
retire not; relax not thy diligence, until the door be opened. For if thou
approach with this mind, and say, "Except I receive, I depart not;" thou
wilt surely receive, provided thou ask such things, as are both suitable
for Him of whom thou askest to give, and expedient for thee the petitioner.
But what are these? To seek the things spiritual, all of them; to forgive
them that have trespassed, and so to draw nigh asking forgiveness; "to lift
up holy hands without wrath and doubting."(4) If we thus ask, we shall
receive. As it is, surely our asking is a mockery, and the act of drunken
rather than of sober men.

   "What then," saith one, "if I ask even spiritual things, and do not
receive?" Thou didst not surely knock with earnestness; or thou madest
thyself unworthy to receive; or didst quickly leave off.

   "And wherefore," it may be inquired, "did He not say, what things we
ought to ask"? Nay verily, He hath mentioned them all in what precedes, and
hath signified for what things we ought to draw nigh. Say not then, "I drew
nigh, and did not receive." For in no case is it owing to God that we
receive not, God who loves us so much as to surpass even fathers, to
surpass them as far as goodness doth this evil nature.

   "For if ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children,
how much more your heavenly Father."(5)

   Now this He said, not to bring an evil name on man's nature, nor to
condemn our race as bad; but in contrast to His own goodness He calls
paternal tenderness evil,(6) so great is the excess of His love to man.

   Seest thou an argument unspeakable, of power to arouse to good hopes
even him that hath become utterly desperate?

   Now here indeed He signifies His goodness by means of our fathers, but
in what precedes by the chief among His gifts, by the "soul,"(7) by the
body. And nowhere doth He set down the chief of all good things, nor bring
forward His own coming:--for He who thus made speed to give up His Son to
the slaughter, "how shall He not freely give us all things?"--because it
had not yet come to pass. But Paul indeed sets it forth, thus saying, "He
that spared not His own Son, how shall He not also with Him freely give us
all things."(8) But His discourse with them is still from the things of
men.

   6. After this, to indicate that we ought neither to feel confidence in
prayer, while neglecting our own doings; nor, when taking pains, trust only
to our own endeavors; but both to seek after the help from above, and
contribute withal our own part; He sets forth the one in connection with
the other. For so after much exhortation, He taught also how to pray, and
when He had taught how to pray, He proceeded again to His exhortation
concerning what we are to do; then from that again to the necessity of
praying continually, saying, "Ask," and "seek," and "knock." And thence
again, to the necessity of being also diligent ourselves.

   "For all things," saith He, "whatsoever ye would that men should do to
you, do ye also to them."(9)

   Summing up all in brief, and signifying, that virtue is compendious,
and easy, and readily known of all men.

   And He did not merely say, "All things whatsoever ye would," but,
"Therefore all things whatsoever ye would." For this word, "therefore," He
did not add without purpose, but with a concealed meaning: "if ye desire,"
saith He, "to be heard, together with what I have said, do these things
also." What then are these? "Whatsoever ye would that men should do to
you." Seest thou how He hath hereby also signified that together with
prayer we need exact conversation?(1) And He did not say, "whatsoever
things thou wouldest to be done unto thee of God, those do unto thy
neighbor;" lest thou should say, "But how is it possible? He is God and I
am man:" but, "whatsoever thou wouldest to be done unto thee of thy fellow
servant, these things do thou also thyself show forth towards thy
neighbor." What is less burdensome than this? what fairer?

   Then the praise also, before the rewards, is exceeding great.

"For this is the law and the prophets." Whence it is evident, that virtue
is according to our nature; that we all, of ourselves, know our duties; and
that it is not possible for us ever to find refuge in ignorance.

   7. "Enter ye in at the strait gate, for wide is the gate and broad is
the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
and strait is the gate and narrow(2) is the way which leadeth unto life.
and few there be that find it."(3)

   And yet after this He said, "My yoke is easy, and my burden is
light."(4) And in what He hath lately said also, He intimated the same: how
then cloth He here say it is strait and confined? In the first place, if
thou attend, even here He points to it as very light, and easy, and
accessible. "And how," it may be said, "is the narrow and confined way
easy?" Because it is a way and a gate; even as also the other, though it be
wide, though spacious, is also a way and a gate. And of these there is
nothing permanent, but all things are passing away, both the pains and the
good things of life.

   And not only herein is the part of virtue easy, but also by the end
again it becomes yet easier. For not the passing away of our labors and
toils, but also their issuing in a good end (for they end in life) is
enough to console those in conflict. So that both the temporary nature of
our labors, and the perpetuity of our crowns, and the fact that the labors
come first, and the crowns after, must prove a very great relief in our
toils. Wherefore Paul also called their affliction "light"; not from the
nature of the events, but because of the mind of the combatants, and the
hope of the future. "For our light affliction," saith he, "worketh an
eternal weight of glory, while we look not at the things which are seen,
but at the things which are not seen."(5) For if to sailors the waves and
the seas, to soldiers their slaughters and wounds, to husbandmen the
winters and the frosts, to boxers the sharp blows, be light and tolerable
things, all of them, for the hope of those rewards which are temporary and
perishing; much more when heaven is set forth, and the unspeakable
blessings, and the eternal rewards, will no one feel any of the present
hardships. Or if any account it, even thus, to be toilsome, the suspicion
comes of nothing but their own remissness.

   See, at any rate, how He on another side also makes it easy, commanding
not to hold intercourse with the dogs, nor to give one's self over to the
swine, and to "beware of the false prophets;" thus on all accounts causing
men to feel as if in real conflict. And the very fact too of calling it
narrow contributed very greatly towards making it easy; for it wrought on
them to be vigilant. As Paul then, when he saith, "We wrestle not against
flesh and blood,"(6) cloth so not to cast down, but to rouse up the spirits
of the soldiers: even so He also, to shake the travellers out of their
sleep, called the way rough. And not in this way only did He work upon men,
to be vigilant, but also by adding, that it contains likewise many to
supplant them; and, what is yet more grievous, they do not even attack
openly, but hiding themselves; for such is the race of the false prophets.
"But look not to this," saith He, "that it is rough and narrow, but where
it ends; nor that the opposite is wide and spacious, but where it issues."

   And all these things He saith, thoroughly to awaken our alacrity; even
as elsewhere also He said, "Violent men take it by force."(7) For whoever
is in conflict, when he actually sees the judge of the lists marvelling at
the painfulness of his efforts, is the more inspirited.

   Let it not then bewilder us, when many things spring up hence, that
turn to our vexation. For the way is strait, and the gate narrow, but not
the city.(8) Therefore must one neither look for rest here, nor there
expect any more aught that is painful.

   Now in saying, "Few there be that find it," here again He both declared
the carelessness of the generality, and instructed His hearers not to
regard the felicities of the many, but the labors of the few. For the more
part, saith He, so far from walking this way, do not so much as make it
their choice: a thing of most extreme criminality. But we should not regard
the many, nor be troubled thereat, but emulate the few; and, by all means
equipping(1) ourselves, should so walk therein.

   For besides that it is strait, there are also many to overthrow us in
the way that leads thither. Wherefore He also added,

   8. "Beware of false prophets, for they will come to you in sheep's
clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."(2) Behold together with
the dogs and swine another kind of ambush and conspiracy, far more grievous
than that. For those are acknowledged and open, but these shaded over. For
which cause also, while from those He commanded to hold off, these He
charged men to watch with exact care, as though it were not possible to see
them at the first approach. Wherefore He also said, "beware"; making us
more exact to discern them.

   Then, lest when they had heard that it was narrow and strait, and that
they must walk on a way opposite to the many, and must keep themselves from
swine and dogs, and together. with these from another more wicked kind,
even this of wolves; lest, I say, they should sink down at this multitude
of vexations, having both to go a way contrary to most men, and therewith
again to have such anxiety about these things: He reminded them of what
took place in the days of their fathers, by using the term, "false
prophets," for then also no less did such things happen. Be not now, I pray
you, troubled (so He speaks), for nothing new nor strange is to befall you.
Since for all truth the devil is always secretly substituting its
appropriate deceit.

   And by the figure of "false prophets," here, I think He shadows out not
the heretics, but them that are of a corrupt life, yet wear a mask of
virtue; whom the generality are wont to call by the name of impostors.(3)
Wherefore He also said further,

   "By their fruits ye shall know them."(4)

   For amongst heretics one may often find actual goodness,(5) but amongst
those whom I was mentioning, by no means.

   "What then," it may be said, "if in these things too they counterfeit?"
"Nay, they will be easily detected; for such is the nature of this way, in
which I commanded men to walk, painful and irksome; but the hypocrite would
not choose to take pains, but to make a show only; wherefore also he is
easily convicted." Thus, inasmuch as He had said, "there be few that find
it," He clears them out again from among those, who find it not, yet feign
so to do, by commanding us not to look to them that wear the masks only,
but to them who in reality pursue it.

   "But wherefore," one may say, "did He not make them manifest, but set
us on the search for them?" That we might watch, and be ever prepared for
conflict, guarding against our disguised as well as against our open
enemies: which kind indeed Paul also was intimating, when he said, that "by
their good words they deceive the hearts of the simple."(6) Let us not be
troubled therefor, when we see many such even now. Nay, for this too Christ
foretold from the beginning.

   And see His gentleness: how He said not, "Punish them," but, "Be not
hurt by them," "Do not fall amongst them unguarded." Then that thou
mightest not say, "it is impossible to distinguish that sort of men," again
He states an argument from a human example, thus saying,

   "Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? even so every
good tree bringeth forth good fruit, but the corrupt tree bringeth forth
evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a
corrupt tree bring forth good fruit."(7)

   Now what He saith is like this: they have nothing gentle nor sweet; it
is the sheep only so far as the skin; wherefore also it is easy to discern
them. And lest thou shouldest have any the least doubt, He compares it to
certain natural necessities, in matters which admit of no result but one.
In which sense Paul also said, "The carnal mind is death; for it is not
subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be."(8)

   And if He states the same thing twice, it is not tautology. But, lest
any one should say, "Though the evil tree bear evil fruit, it bears also
good, and makes the distinction difficult, the crop being twofold:" "This
is not so," saith He, "for it bears evil fruit only, and never can bear
good: as indeed in the contrary case also."

   "What then? Is there no such thing as a good man becoming wicked? And
the contrary again takes place, and life abounds with many such examples."

   But Christ saith not this, that for the wicked there is no way to
change, or that the good cannot fall away, but that so long as he is living
in wickedness, he will not be able to bear good fruit. For he may indeed
change to virtue, being evil; but while continuing in wickedness, he will
not bear good fruit.

   What then? did not David, being good, bear evil fruit? Not continuing
good, but being changed; since, undoubtedly, had he remained always what he
was, he would not have brought forth such fruit. For not surely while
abiding in the habit of virtue, did he commit what he committed.

   Now by these words He was also stopping the mouths of those who speak
evil at random, and putting a bridle on the lips of all calumniators. I
mean, whereas many suspect the good by reason of the bad, He by this saying
hath deprived them of all excuse. "For thou canst not say, 'I am deceived
and beguiled;' since I have given thee exactly this way of distinguishing
them by their works, having added the injunction to go to their actions,
and not to confound all at random."

   9. Then forasmuch as He had not commanded to punish, but only to beware
of them, He, at once both to comfort those whom they vex, and to alarm and
change them, set up as a bulwark against(1) them the punishment they should
receive at His hands, saying,

   "Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast
into the fire."(2)

   Then, to make the saying less grievous, He added,

   "Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them."(3)

   That He might not seem to introduce the threatening as His leading
topic, but to be stirring up their mind in the way of admonition and
counsel.

   Here He seems to me to be hinting at the Jews also, who were exhibiting
such fruits. Wherefore also He reminded them of the sayings of John, in the
very same terms delineating their punishment. For he too said the very
same, making mention to them of an "axe," and of a "tree cut down," and of
"unquenchable fire."

   And though it appear indeed to be some single judgment, the being burnt
up, yet if one examine carefully, these are two punishments. For he that is
burnt is also cast of course out of God's kingdom; and this latter
punishment is more grievous than the other. Now I know indeed that many
tremble only at hell, but I affirm the loss of that glory to be a far
greater punishment than hell. And if it be not possible to exhibit it such
in words, this is nothing marvellous. For neither do we know the
blessedness of those good things, that we should on the other hand clearly
perceive the wretchedness ensuing on being deprived of them; since Paul, as
knowing these things clearly, is aware, that to fall from Christ's glory is
more grievous than all. And this we shall know at that time, when we shall
fall into the actual trial of it.

   But may this never be our case, O thou only-begotten Son of God,
neither may we ever have any experience of this irremediable punishment.
For how great an evil it is to fall from those good things, cannot indeed
be accurately told: nevertheless, as I may be able, I will labor and strive
by an example to make it clear to you, though it be but in some small
degree.

   Let us then imagine a wondrous child, having besides His virtue the
dominion of the whole world, and in all respects so virtuous, as to be
capable of bringing all men to the yearning of a father's affection. What
theft do you think the father of this child would not gladly suffer, not to
be cast out of Him society? And what evil, small or great, would he not
welcome, on condition of seeing and enjoying Him? Now let us reason just so
with respect to that glory also. For no child, be he never so virtuous, is
so desirable and lovely to a father, as the having our portion in those
good things, and "to depart and be with Christ."(4)

   No doubt hell, and that punishment, is a thing not to be borne. Yet
though one suppose ten thousand hells, he will utter nothing like what it
will be to fail of that blessed glory, to be hated of Christ, to hear "I
know you not,"(5) to be accused for not feeding Him when we saw Him an
hungered.(6) Yea, better surely to endure a thousand thunderbolts, than to
see that face of mildness turning away from us, and that eye of peace not
enduring to look upon us. For if He, while I was an enemy, and hating Him,
and turning from Him, did in such wise follow after me, as not to spare
even Himself, but to give Himself up unto death: when after all this I do
not vouchsafe to Him so much as a loaf in His hunger, with what kind of
eyes shall I ever again behold Him?

   But mark even here His gentleness; in that He doth not at all speak of
His benefits, nor say, "Thou hast despised Him that hath done thee so much
good:" neither cloth He say, "Me, who brought thee from that which is not
into being, who breathed into thee a soul, and set thee over all things on
earth, who for thy sake made earth, and heaven, and sea, and air, and all
things that are, who had been dishonored by thee, yea accounted of less
honor than the devil, and did not even so withdraw Himself, but had
innumerable thoughts for thee after it all; who chose to become a slave,
who was beaten with rods and spit upon, who was slain, who died the most
shameful death, who also on high makes intercession for thee, who freely
gives thee His Spirit, who vouchsafes to thee a kingdom, who makes thee
such promises, whose will it is to be unto thee Head, and Bridegroom, and
Garment, and House, and Root, and Meat, and Drink, and Shepherd, and King,
and who hath taken thee to be brother, and heir, and joint-heir with
Himself; who hath brought thee out of darkness into the dominion of light."
These things, I say, and more than these He might speak of, but He mentions
none of these; but what? only the sin itself.

   Even here He shows His love, and indicates the yearning which He hath
toward thee: not saying, "Depart into the fire prepared for you," but
"prepared for the devil." And before He tells them what wrongs they had
done, and neither so doth He endure to mention all, but a few. And before
these He calls the other sort, those who have done well, to signify from
this too that He is blaming them justly.

   What amount of punishment, then, is so grievous as these words? For if
any one seeing but a man who was his benefactor an hungered, would not
neglect him; or if he should neglect him, being upbraided with it, would
choose rather to sink into the earth than to hear of it in the presence of
two or three friends; what will be our feelings, on hearing these words in
the presence of the whole world; such as He would not say even then, were
He not earnestly accounting for His own doings? For that not to upbraid did
He bring these things forward, but in self-defense, and for the sake of
showing, that not without ground nor at random was He saying, "depart from
me;" this is evident from His unspeakable benefits. For if He had been
minded to upbraid, He would have brought forwards all these, but now He
mentions only what treatment He had received.

   10. Let us therefore, beloved, fear the hearing these words. Life is
not a plaything: or rather our present life is a plaything, but the things
to come are not such; or perchance our life is not a plaything only, but
even worse than this. For it ends not in laughter, but rather brings
exceeding damage on them who are not minded to order their own ways
strictly. For what, I pray thee, is the difference between children who are
playing at building houses, and us when we are building our fine houses?
what again between them making out their dinners, and us in our delicate
fare? None, hut just that we do it at the risk of being punished. And if we
do not yet quite perceive the poverty of what is going on, no wonder, for
we are not yet become men; but when we are become so, we shall know that
all these things are childish.

   For so those other things too, as we grow to manhood, we laugh to
scorn; but when we are children we account them to be worth anxiety; and
while we are gathering together potsherds and mire we think no less of
ourselves than they who are erecting their great circuits of walls
Nevertheless they straightway perish and fall down, and not even when
standing can they be of any use to us, as indeed neither can those fine
houses. For the citizen of Heaven they cannot receive, neither can he bear
to abide in them, who hath his country above; but as we throw down these
with our feet, so he too those by his high spirit. And as we laugh at the
children, weeping at that overthrow, even so these also, when we are
bewailing it all, do not laugh only, but weep also: because both their
bowels are compassionate, and great is the mischief thence arising.

   Let us therefore become men. How long are we to crawl on the earth,
priding ourselves on stones and stocks? How long are we to play? And would
we played only! But now we even betray our own salvation; and as children
when they neglect their learning, and practise themselves in these things
at their leisure, suffer very severe blows; even so we too, spending all
our diligence herein, and having then our spiritual lessons required of us
in our works, and not being able to produce them, shall have to pay the
utmost penalty. And there is none to deliver us; though he be father,
brother, what you will. But while these things shall all pass away, the
torment ensuing upon them remains immortal and unceasing; which sort of
thing indeed takes place with respect to the children as well, their father
destroying their childish toys altogether for their idleness, and causing
them to weep incessantly.

   11. And to convince thee that these things are such, let us bring
before us wealth, that which more than anything seems to be worthy of our
pains, and let us set against it a virtue of the soul (which soever thou
wilt), and then shalt thou see most clearly the vileness thereof. Let us, I
say, suppose there are two men (and I do not now speak of injuriousness,(1)
but as yet of honest wealth); and of these two, let the one get together
money, and sail on the sea, and till the land, and find many other ways of
merchandise (although I know not quite, whether, so doing, he can make
honest gains); nevertheless let it be so, and let it be granted that his
gains are gotten with honesty; that he buys fields, and slaves, and all
such things, and suppose no injustice connected therewith. But let the
other one, possessing as much, sell fields, sell houses, and vessels of
gold and silver, and give to the poor; let him supply the necessitous, heal
the sick, free such as are in straits, some let him deliver from bonds,
others let him release that are in mines, these let him bring back from the
noose, those, who are captives, let him rescue from their punishment. Of
whose side then would you be? And we have not as yet spoken of the future,
but as yet of what is here. Of whose part then would ye be? his that is
gathering gold, or his that is doing away with calamities? with him that is
purchasing fields, or him who is making himself a harbor of refuge for the
human race? him that is clothed with much gold, or him that is crowned with
innumerable blessings? Is not the one like some angel come down from Heaven
for the amendment of the rest of mankind; but the other not so much as like
a man, but like some little child that is gathering all together vainly and
at random?

   But if to get money honestly be thus absurd, and of extreme madness;
when not even the honesty is there, how can such a man choose but be more
wretched than any? I say, if the absurdity be so great; when hell is added
thereto, and the loss of the kingdom, how great wailings are due to him,
both living and dead?

   12. Or wilt thou that we take in hand some other part also of virtue?
Let us then introduce again another man, who is in power, commanding all,
invested with great dignity, having a gorgeous herald, and girdle, and
lictors, and a large company of attendants. both not this seem great, and
meet to be called happy? Well then, against this man again let us set
another, him that is patient of injuries, and meek, and lowly, and long
suffering; and let this last be despitefully used, be beaten, and let him
bear it quietly, and bless them that are doing such things.

   Now which is the one to be admired, I pray thee? He that is puffed up,
and inflamed, or he that is self-subdued? Is not the one again like the
powers above, that are so free from passion, but the other like a blown
bladder, or a man who hath the dropsy, and great inflammation? The one like
a spiritual physician, the other, a ridiculous child that is puffing out
his cheeks?

   For why dost thou pride thyself, O man? Because thou art borne on high
in a chariot? Because a yoke of mules is drawing thee? And what is this?
Why, this one may see befalling mere logs of wood and stones. Is it that
thou art clothed with beautiful garments? But look at him that is clad with
virtue for garments, and thou wilt see thyself to be like withering hay,
but him like a tree that bears marvellous fruit, and affords much delight
to the beholders. For thou art bearing about food for worms and moths, who,
if they should set upon thee, will quickly strip thee bare of this adorning
(for truly garments and gold and silver, are the one, the spinning of
worms; the other earth and dust, and again become earth and nothing more):
but he that is clothed with virtue hath such raiment, as not only worms
cannot hurt, but not even death itself. And very naturally; for these
virtues of the soul have not their origin from the earth, but are a fruit
of the Spirit; wherefore neither are they subject to the mouths of worms.
Nay, for these garments are woven in Heaven, where is neither moth, nor
worm, nor any other such thing.

   Which then is better, tell me? To be rich, or to be poor? To be in
power, or in dishonor? In luxury, or in hunger? It is quite clear; to be in
honor, and enjoyment, and wealth. Therefore, if thou wouldest have the
things and not the names, leave the earth and what is here, and find thee a
place to anchor in Heaven: for what is here is a shadow, but all things
there are immovable, stedfast, and beyond any assault.

   Let us therefore choose them with all diligent care, that we may be
delivered from the turmoil of the things here, and having sailed into that
calm harbor, may be found with our lading abundant, and with that
unspeakable wealth of almsgiving; unto which God grant we may all attain,
by the grace and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be the
glory and the might, world without end. Amen.


HOMILY XXIV: MATT. VII. 21.

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom
of Heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven."

   WHEREFORE said He not, "but he that doeth my will?" Because for the
time it was a great gain(1) for them to receive even this first; yea it was
very great, considering their weakness. And moreover He intimated the one
also by the other. And withal this may be mentioned, that in fact there is
no other will of the Son besides that of the Father.

   And here He seems to me to be censuring the Jews chiefly, laying as
they did the whole stress upon the doctrines, and taking no care of
practice. For which Paul also blames them, saying, "Behold thou art called
a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, and knowest His
will:"(2) but thou art nothing advantaged thereby, so long as the
manifestation by life and by works is not there.

   But He Himself staid not at this, but said also what was much more:
that is,

   "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in
thy name?"(3) For "not only," saith He, "is he that hath faith, if his life
be neglected, cast out of Heaven, but though, besides his faith, he have
wrought many signs, yet if he have done nothing good, even this man is
equally shut out from that sacred porch." "For many will say unto me in
that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?" Seest thou how
He secretly brings in Himself also here and afterwards, having now finished
His whole exhortation? how He implies Himself to be judge? For that
punishment awaits such as sin, He hath signified in what precedes; and now
who it is that punishes, He here proceeds to unfold.

   And He said not openly, I am He, but, "Many will say unto me;" making
out again the same thing. Since were He not the judge, how could He have
told them, "And then will I profess unto them, depart from me, I never knew
you?"(4)

   "Not only in the time of the judgment, but not even then, when ye were
working miracles," saith He. Therefore He said also to His disciples,
Rejoice not, that the devils are subject unto you, but because your names
are written in Heaven."(5) And everywhere He bids us practise great care of
our way of life. For it is not possible for one living rightly, and freed
from all the passions, ever to be overlooked; but though he chance to be in
error, God will quickly draw him over to the truth.

   But there are some who say, "they made this assertion falsely;" and
this is their account why such men are not saved. Nay then it follows that
His conclusion is the contrary of what He intends. For surely His intention
is to make out that faith is of no avail without works. Then, enhancing it,
He added miracles also, declaring that not only faith, but the exhibiting
even of miracles, avails nothing for him who works such wonders without
virtue. Now if they had not wrought them, how could this point have been
made out here? And besides. they would not have dared, when the judgment
was come, to say these things to His face: and the very reply too, and
their speaking in the way of question, implies their having wrought them: I
mean, that they, having seen the end contrary to their expectation, and
after they had been here admired among all for their miracles, beholding
themselves there with nothing but punishment awaiting them;--as amazed and
marvelling they say, "Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?" how then
dost thou turn from us now? What means this strange and unlooked- for end?

   2. But though they marvel because they are punished after working such
miracles, yet do not thou marvel. For all the grace was of the free gift of
Him that gave it, but they contributed nothing on their part; wherefore
also they are justly punished, as having been ungrateful and without
feeling towards Him that had so honored them as to bestow His grace upon
them though unworthy.

   "What then," saith one, "did they perform such things while working
iniquity?" Some indeed say that it was not at the time when they did these
miracles that they also committed iniquity, but that they changed
afterwards, and wrought their iniquity. But if this be so, a second time
the point at which He is laboring fails to be established. For what He took
pains to point out is this, that neither faith nor miracles avail where
practise is not: to which effect Paul also said, "Though I have faith, so
that I could remove mountains, and understand all mysteries, and all
knowledge, and have not charity, I am nothing."(1) "Who then are these
men?" you ask. Many of them that believed received gifts such as He that
was casting out devils,(2) and was not with Him; such as Judas; for even he
too, wicked as he was, had a gift. And in the Old Testament also this may
be found, in that grace hath oftentimes wrought upon unworthy persons, that
it might do good to others. That is, since all men were not meet for all
things, but some were of a pure life, not having so great faith, and others
just the contrary; by these sayings, while He urges the one to show forth
much faith, the others too He was summoning by this His unspeakable gift to
become better men. Wherefore also with great abundance did He bestow that
grace. For "we wrought," it is said, "many mighty works." But "then will I
profess unto them, I knew you not." For "now indeed they suppose they are
my friends; but then shall they know, that not as to friends did I give to
them."

   And why marvel if He hath bestowed gifts on men that have believed on
Him, though without life suitable to their faith, when even on those who
have fallen from both these, He is unquestionably found working? For so
Salaam was an alien both from faith and from a truly good life;
nevertheless grace wrought on him for the service(3) a of other men. And
Pharaoh too was of the same sort: yet for all that even to him He signified
the things to come. And Nebuchadnezzar was very full of iniquity; yet to
him again He revealed what was to follow after many generations.(4) And
again to the son of this last, though surpassing his father in iniquity, He
signified the things to come, ordering a marvellous and great
dispensation.(5) Accordingly because then also the beginnings of the gospel
were taking place, and it was requisite that the manifestation of its power
should be abundant, many even of the unworthy used to receive gifts.
Howbeit, from those miracles no gain accrued to them; rather they are the
more punished. Wherefore unto them did He utter even that fearful saying,
"I never knew you:" there being many for whom His hatred begins already
even here; whom He turns away from, even before the judgment.

   Let us fear therefore, beloved; and let us take great heed to our life,
neither let us account ourselves worse off, in that we do not work miracles
now. For that will never be any advantage to us, as neither any
disadvantage in our not working them, if we take heed to all virtue.
Because for the miracles we ourselves are debtors, but for our life and our
doings we have God our debtor.

   3. Having now, you see, finished all, having discoursed accurately of
all virtue, and pointed out the pretenders to it, of divers kinds, both
such as for display fast and make prayers, and such as come in the sheep's
hide; and them too that spoil it, whom He also called swine and dogs: He
proceeds to signify how great is the profit of virtue even here, and how
great the mischief of wickedness, by saying,

   "Whosoever therefore heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them,
shall be likened unto a wise man."(6)

   As thus: What they shall suffer who do not (although they work
miracles), ye have heard; but ye should know also what such as obey all
these sayings shall enjoy; not in the world to come only, but even here.
"For whosoever," saith He," heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them,
shall be likened to a wise man."

   Scent thou how He varies His discourse; at one time saying, "Not every
one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord," and revealing Himself; at another
time, "He that doeth the will of my Father;" and again, bringing in Himself
as judge, "For many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not
prophesied in thy name, and I will say, I know you not." And here again He
indicates Himself to have the power over all, this being why He said,
"Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine."

   Thus whereas all His discourse had been touching the future; of a
kingdom, and an unspeakable reward and consolation, and the like; His will
is, out of things here also to give them their fruits, and to signify how
great is the strength of virtue even in the present life. What then is this
her strength? To live in safety, to be easily subdued by no terror, to
stand superior to all that despitefully use us. To this what can be equal?
For this, not even he that wears the diadem can provide for himself, but
that man who follows after virtue. For he alone is possessed of it in full
abundance: in the ebb and flow(1) of the things present he enjoys a great
calm. The truly marvellous thing being this, that not in fair weather, but
when the storm is vehement, and the turmoil great, and the temptations
continual, he cannot be shaken ever so little.

   "For the rain descended," saith He, "the floods came, the winds blew,
and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon the
rock."(2)

   By "rain" here, and "floods," and "winds," He is expressing
metaphorically the calamities and afflictions that befall men; such as
false accusations, plots, bereavements, deaths, loss of friends, vexations
from strangers, all the ills in our life that any one could mention. "But
to none of these," saith He, "doth such a soul give way; and the cause is,
it is founded on the rock." He calls the stedfastness of His doctrine a
rock; because in truth His commands are stronger than any rock, setting one
above all the waves of human affairs. For he who keeps these things
strictly, will not have the advantage of men only when they are vexing him,
but oven of the very devils plotting against him. And that it is not vain
boasting so to speak, Job is our witness, who received all the assaults of
the devil, and stood unmoveable; and the apostles too are our witnesses,
for that when the waves of the whole world were beating against them, when
both nations and princes, both their own people and strangers, both the
evil spirits, and the devil, and every engine was set in motion, they stood
firmer than a rock, and dispersed it all.

   And now, what can be happier than this kind of life? For this, not
wealth, not strength of body, not glory, not power, nor ought else will be
able to secure, but only the possession of virtue. For there is not, nay
there is not another life we may find free from all evils, but this alone.
And ye are witnesses, who know the plots in king's courts, the turmoils and
the troubles in the houses of the rich. But there was not among the
apostles any such thing.

   What then? Did no such thing befall them? Did they suffer no evil at
any man's hand? Nay, the marvel is this above all things, that they were
indeed the object of many plots, and many storms burst upon them, but their
soul was not overset by them, nor thrown into despair, but with naked
bodies they wrestled, prevailed, and triumphed.

   Thou then likewise, if thou be willing to perform these things exactly,
shall laugh all ills to scorn. Yea, for if thou be but strengthened with
such philosophy as is in these admonitions, nothing shall be able to hurt
thee. Since in what is he to harm thee, who is minded to lay plots? Will he
take away thy money? Well, but before their threatening thou wast commanded
to despise it, and to abstain from it so exceedingly, as not so much as
even to ask any such thing of thy Lord. But doth he cast thee into prison?
Why, before thy prison, thou wast enjoined so to live, as to be crucified
even to all the world. But doth he speak evil? Nay, from this pain also
Christ hath delivered thee, by promising thee without toil a great reward
for the endurance of evil, and making thee so clear from the anger and
vexation hence arising, as even to command thee to pray for them. But doth
he banish thee and involve thee in innumerable ills? Well, he is making the
crown more glorious for thee. But doth he destroy and murder thee? Even
hereby he profits thee very greatly, procuring for thee the rewards of the
martyrs, and conducting thee more quickly into the untroubled haven, and
affording thee matter for a more abundant recompence, and contriving for
thee to make a gain of the universal penalty.(3) Which thing indeed is most
marvellous of all, that the plotters, so far from injuring at all, do
rather make the objects of their despite more approved. To this what can be
comparable? I mean, to the choice of such a mode of life as this, and no
other, is.

   Thus whereas He had called the way strait and narrow; to soothe our
labors on this side also, He signifies the security thereof to be great,
and great the pleasure; even as of the opposite course great is the
unsoundness, and the detriment. For as virtue even from things here was
signified by Him to have her rewards, so vice also her penalties. For what
I am ever saying, that I will say now also: that in both ways He is
everywhere bringing about the salvation of His hearers on the one hand by
zeal for virtue, on the other by hatred of vice. Thus, because there would
be some to admire what He said, while they yield no proof of it by their
works, He by anticipation awakens their fears, saying, Though the things
spoken be good, hearing is not sufficient for security, but there is need
also of obedience in actions, and the whole lies chiefly in this. And here
He ends His discourse, leaving the fear at its height in them.

   For as with regard to virtue, not only from the things to come did He
urge them (speaking of a kingdom, and of Heaven, and an unspeakable reward,
and comfort, and the unnumbered good things): but also from the things
present, indicating the firm and immoveable quality of the Rock; so also
with respect to wickedness, not from the expected things only doth He
excite their fears (as from the tree that is cut down, and the unquenchable
fire, and the not entering into the kingdom, and from His saying, "I know
you not"): but also from the things present, the downfall, I mean, in what
is said of the house.

   4. Wherefore also He made His argument more expressive, by trying its
force(1) in a parable; for it was not the same thing to say, "The virtuous
man shall be impregnable but the wicked easily subdued," as to suppose a
rock, and a house, and rivers, and rain, and wind, and the like.

   "And every one," saith He, "that heareth these sayings of mine, and
doeth them not, shall be likened to a foolish man, which built his house
upon the sand."(2)

   And well did He call this man "foolish": for what can be more senseless
than one building a house on the sand, and while he submits to the labor,
depriving himself of the fruit and refreshment, and instead thereof
undergoing punishment? For that they too, who follow after wickedness, do
labor, is surely manifest to every one: since both the extortioner, and the
adulterer, and the false accuser, toil and weary themselves much to bring
their wickedness to effect; but so far from reaping any profit from these
their labors, they rather undergo great loss. For Paul too intimated this
when he said, "He that soweth to his flesh, shall of his flesh reap
corruption."(3) To this man are they like also, who build on the sand; as
those that are given up to fornication, to wantonness, to drunkenness, to
anger, to all the other things.

   Such an one was Ahab, but not such Elijah (since when we have put
virtue and vice along side of one another, we shall know more accurately
the difference): for the one had built upon the rock, the other on the
sand; where fore though he were a king, he feared and trembled at the
prophet, at him that had only his sheepskin. Such were the Jews but not the
apostles; and so though they were few and in bonds, they exhibited the
steadfastness of the rock; but those, many as they were, and in armor, the
weakness of the sand. For so they said, "What shall we do to these men?"(4)
Seest thou those in perplexity, not who are in the hands of others, and
bound, but who are active in holding down and binding? And what can be more
strange than this? Hast thou hold of the other, and art yet in utter
perplexity? Yes, and very naturally. For inasmuch as they had built all on
the sand, therefore also were they weaker than all. For this cause also
they said again, "What do ye, seeking to bring this man's blood upon
us?"(5) What saith he? Dost thou scouge, and art thou in fear? entreatest
thou despitefully, and art in dismay? Dost thou judge, and yet tremble? So
feeble is wickedness.

   But the Apostles not so, but how? "We cannot but speak the things which
we have seen and heard."(6) Seest thou a noble spirit? seest thou a rock
laughing waves to scorn? seest thou a house unshaken? And what is yet more
marvellous; so far from turning cowards themselves at the plots formed
against them, they even took more courage, and cast the others into greater
anxiety. For so he that smites adamant, is himself the one smitten; and he
that kicks against the pricks, is himself the one pricked, the one on whom
the severe wounds fall: and he who is forming plots against the virtuous,
is himself the one in jeopardy. For wickedness becomes so much the weaker,
the more it sets itself in array against virtue. And as he who wraps up
fire in a garment, extinguishes not the flame, but consumes the garment; so
he that is doing despite to virtuous men, and oppressing them, and binding
them, makes them more glorious, but destroys himself.(7) For the more ills
thou sufferest, living righteously, the stronger art thou become; since the
more we honor self-restraint, the less we need anything; and the less we
need anything, the stronger we grow, and the more above all. Such a one was
John; wherefore him no man pained, but he caused pain to Herod; so he that
had nothing prevailed against him that ruled; and he that wore a diadem,
and purple, and endless pomp, trembles, and is in fear of him that is
stripped of all, and not even when beheaded could he without fear see his
head. For that even after his death he had the terror of him in full
strength, hear what He saith, "This is John, whom I slew,"(1) Now the
expression, "I slew," is that of one not exulting, but soothing his own
terror, and persuading his troubled soul to call to mind, that he himself
slew him. So great is the force of virtue, that even after death it is more
powerful than the living. For this same cause again, when he was living,
they that possessed much wealth came unto him, and said, "What shall we
do?"(2) Is so much yours, and are ye minded to learn the way of your
prosperity from him that hath nothing? the rich from the poor? the soldiers
from him that hath not even a house?

   Such an one was Elias too: wherefore also with the same freedom did he
discourse to the people. For as the former said, "Ye generation of
vipers;"(3) so this latter, "How long will ye halt upon both your hips?"(4)
And the one said, "Hast thou killed, and inherited?"(5) the other, "It is
not lawful for thee to have thy brother Philip's wife."(6)

   Seest thou the rock? Seest thou the sand; how easily it sinks down, how
it yields to calamities? how it is overthrown, though it have the support
of royalty, of number, of nobility? For them that pursue it, it makes more
senseless than all.

   And it doth not merely fall, but with great calamity: for "great
indeed," He saith, "was the fall of it." The risk not being of trifles, but
of the soul, of the loss of Heaven, and those immortal blessings. Or rather
even before that loss, no life so wretched as he must live that follows
after this; dwelling with continual despondencies, alarms, cares,
anxieties; which a certain wise man also was intimating when he said, "The
wicked fleeth, when no man is pursuing."(7) For such men tremble at their
shadows, suspect their friends, their enemies, their servants, such as know
them, such as know them not; and before their punishment, suffer extreme
punishment here. And to declare all this, Christ said, "And great was the
fall of it;" shutting up these good commandments with that suitable ending,
and persuading even by the things present the most unbelieving to flee from
vice.

   For although the argument from what is to come be faster, yet is this
of more power to restrain the grosser sort, and to withdraw them from
wickedness. Wherefore also he ended with it, that the profit thereof might
make its abode in them.

   Conscious therefore of all these things, both the present, and the
future, let us flee from vice, let us emulate virtue, that we may not labor
fruitlessly and at random, but may both enjoy the security here, and
partake of the glory there: unto which God grant we may all attain, by the
grace and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory
and the might forever and ever. Amen.


HOMILY XXV: MATT. VII. 28.

"And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were
astonished at His doctrine."(1)

   YET was it rather natural for them to grieve at the unpleasantness of
His sayings, and to shudder at the loftiness of His injunctions; but now so
great was the power of the Teacher, that many of them were even caught
thereby, and thrown into very great admiration, and persuaded by reason of
the sweetness of His sayings, not even when He ceased to speak, to depart
from Him at all afterwards. For neither did the hearers depart, He having
come down from the mountain, but even then the whole auditory followed Him;
so great a love for His sayings had He instilled into them.

   But they were astonished most of all at His authority. For not with
reference to another, like the prophet and Moses, did He say what He said;
but everywhere indicating Himself to be the person that had the power of
deciding. For so, when setting forth His laws, He still kept adding, "But I
say unto you." And in reminding them of that day, He declared Himself to be
the judge, both by the punishments, and by the honors.

   And yet it was likely that this too would disturb them. For if, when
they saw Him by His works showing forth His authority, the scribes were for
stoning and persecuting Him; while there were words only to prove this, how
was it other than likely for them to be offended? and especially when at
first setting out these things were said, and before He had given proof of
His own power? But however, they felt nothing of this; for when the heart
and mind is candid, it is easily persuaded by the words of the truth. And
this is just why one sort, even when the miracles were proclaiming His
power, were offended; while the other on hearing mere words were persuaded
and followed Him. This, I would add, the evangelist too is intimating, when
he saith, "great multitudes followed Him,"(1) not any of the rulers, nor of
the scribes, but as many as were free from vice, and had their judgment
uncorrupted. And throughout the whole gospel thou seest that such clave
unto Him. For both while He spake, they used to listen in silence, not
making any intrusion, nor breaking in upon the connexion of His sayings,
nor tempting Him, and desiring to find a handle like the Pharisees; and
after His exhortation they followed Him again, marvelling.

   But do thou mark, I pray thee, the Lord's consideration, how He varies
the mode of profiting His hearers, after miracles entering on words, and
again from the instruction by His words passing to miracles. Thus, both
before they went up into the mountain, He healed many, preparing the way
for His sayings; and after finishing that long discourse to the people, He
comes again to miracles, confirming what had been said by what was done.
And so, because He was teaching as "one having authority," lest His so
teaching should be thought boasting and arrogant, He doth the very same in
His works also, as having authority to heal; that they might no more be
perplexed at seeing Him teach in this way, when He was working His miracles
also in the same.

   2. "For when He was come down from the mountain, there came a leper,
saying, Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean."(2) Great was the
understanding and the faith of him who so drew near. For he did not
interrupt the teaching, nor break through the auditory, but awaited the
proper time, and approaches Him "when He is come down." And not at random,
but with much earnestness, and at His knees, he beseeches Him,(3) as
another evangelist saith, and with the genuine faith and right opinion
about him. For neither did he say, "If Thou request it of God," nor, "If
Thou pray," but, "If Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean." Nor did he say,
"Lord, cleanse me," but leaves all to Him, and makes His recovery depend on
Him, and testifies that all the authority is His

   "What then," saith one, "if the leper's opinion was mistaken?" It were
meet to do away with it, and to reprove, and set it right. Did He then so
do? By no means; but quite on the contrary, He establishes and confirms
what had been said. For this cause, you see, neither did He say, "Be thou
cleansed," but, "I will, be thou clean;" that the doctrine might no longer
be a thing of the other's surmising, but of His own approval.

   But the apostles not so: rather in what way? The whole people being in
amazement, they said, "Why give heed to us, as though by our own power or
authority we had made him to walk?"(4) But the Lord, though He spake
oftentimes many things modestly, and beneath His own glory, what saith He
here, to establish the doctrine of them that were amazed at Him for His
authority? "I will, be thou clean." Although in the many and great signs
which He wrought, He nowhere appears to have uttered this word. Here
however, to confirm the surmise both of all the people and of the leper
touching His authority, He purposely added, "I will."

   And it was not that He said this, but did it not; but the work also
followed immediately. Whereas, if he had not spoken well, but the saying
had been a blasphemy, the work ought to have been interrupted. But now
nature herself gave way at His command, and that speedily, as was meet,
even more speedily than the evangelist hath said. For the word,
"immediately," falls far short of the quickness that there was in the work.

   But He did not merely say, "I will, be thou clean," but He also "put
forth His hand, and touched him;" a thing especially worthy of inquiry. For
wherefore, when cleansing him by will and word, did He add also the touch
of His hand? It seems to me, for no other end, but that He might signify by
this also, that He is not subject to the law, but is set over it; and that
to the clean, henceforth, nothing is unclean.(1) For this cause, we see,
Elisha did not so much as see Naaman, but though he perceived that he was
offended at his not coming out and touching him, observing the strictness
of the law, he abides at home, and sends him to Jordan to wash. Whereas the
Lord, to signify that He heals not as a servant, but as absolute master,
doth also touch. For His hand became not unclean from the leprosy, but the
leprous body was rendered clean by His holy hand.

   Because, as we know, He came not to heal bodies only, but also to lead
the soul unto self-command. As therefore He from that time forward no more
forbad to eat with unwashen hands, introducing that excellent law, which
relates to the indifference of meats; just so in this case also, to
instruct us for the future, that the soul must be our care;--that leaving
the outward purifications, we must wipe that clean, and dread the leprosy
thereof alone, which is sin (for to be a leper is no hindrance to virtue):-
-He Himself first touches the leper, and no man finds fault. For the
tribunal was not corrupt, neither were the spectators under the power of
envy. Therefore, so far from blaming, they were on the contrary astonished
at the miracle, and yielded thereto: and both for what He said, and for
what He did, they adored his uncontrollable power.

    3. Having therefore healed his body, He bids him,

   "Tell no man, but show himself to the priest, and offer the gift that
Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them."(2)

   Now some say, that for this intent He bade him tell no man, that they
might practise no craft about the discerning of his cure; a very foolish
suspicion on their part. For He did not so cleanse as to leave the
cleansing questionable, but He bids him "tell no man," teaching us to avoid
boasting and vainglory. And yet He well knew that the other would not obey,
but would proclaim his benefactor: nevertheless He doth His own part.

   "How then elsewhere doth He bid them tell of it?" one may ask. Not as
jostling with or opposing Himself, but as teaching men to be grateful. For
neither in that place did He give command to proclaim Himself, but to "give
glory to God;"(3) by this leper training us to be clear of pride and
vainglory, by the other to be thankful and grateful; and instructing on
every occasion to offer to the Lord the praise of all things that befall
us. That is, because men for the most part remember God in sickness, but
grow slacker after recovery; He bids them continually both in sickness and
in health to give heed to the Lord, in these words, "give glory to God."

   But wherefore did He command him also to show himself to the priest,
and to offer a gift? To fulfill the law here again.(4) For neither did He
in every instance set it aside, nor in every instance keep it, but
sometimes He did the one, sometimes the other; by the one making way for
the high rule(5) of life that was to come, by the other checking for a
while the insolent speech of the Jews, and condescending to their
infirmity. And why marvel, if just at the beginning He Himself did this,
when even the very apostles, after they were commanded to depart unto the
Gentiles, after the doors were opened for their teaching throughout the
world, and the law shut up, and the commandments made new, and all the
ancient things had ceased, are found sometimes observing the law, sometimes
neglecting it?

   But what, it may be said, doth this saying, "Show thyself to the
priest," contribute to the keeping of the law? No little. Because it was an
ancient law, that the leper when cleansed should not entrust to himself the
judgment of his cleansing, but should show himself to the priest, and
present the demonstration thereof to his eyes, and by that sentence be
numbered amongst the clean. For if the priest said not "The leper is
cleansed," he remained still with the unclean without the camp. Wherefore
he saith, "Show thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses
commanded." He said not, "which I command," but for a time remits him to
the law, by every means stopping their mouths. Thus, lest they should say,
He had seized Upon the priests' honor; though He performed the work
Himself, yet the approving it He entrusted to them, and made them sit as
judges of His own miracles "Why, I am so far," He saith, "from striving
either with Moses or with the priests, that I guide the objects of my favor
to submit themselves unto them."

   But what is, "for a testimony unto them"? For reproof, for
demonstration, for accusation, if they be unthankful. For since they said,
as a deceiver and impostor we persecute Him, as an adversary of God, and a
transgressor of the law; "Thou shalt bear me witness," saith He, "at that
time, that I am not a transgressor of the law. Nay, for having healed thee,
I remit thee to the law, and to the approval of the priests;" which was the
act of one honoring the law, and admiring Moses, and not setting himself in
opposition to the ancient doctrines.

   And if they were not in fact to be the better, hereby most of all one
may perceive His respect for the law, that although He fore-knew they would
reap no benefit, He fulfilled all His part. For this very thing He did
indeed foreknow, and foretold it: not saying, "for their correction,"
neither, "for their instruction," but, "for a testimony unto them," that
is, for accusation, and for reproof, and for a witness that all hath been
done on my part; and though I foreknew they would continue incorrigible,
not even so did I omit what ought to be done; only they continued keeping
up to the end their own wickedness.(1)

   This, we may observe, He saith elsewhere also; "This gospel shall be
preached in all the world for a testimony to all the nations, and then
shall the end come;"(2) to the nations, to them that obey not, to them that
believe not. Thus, lest any one should say, "And wherefore preach to all,
if all are not to believe?"--it is that I may be found to have done all my
own part, and that no man may hereafter be able to find fault, as though he
had not heard. For the very preaching shall bear witness against them, and
they will not be able hereafter to say, "We heard not;" for the word of
godliness "hath gone out unto the ends of the world."(3)

   4. Therefore bearing these things in mind, let us also fulfill all our
duties to our neighbor, and to God let us give thanks continually. For it
is too monstrous, enjoying as we do His bounty in deed every day, not so
much as in word to acknowledge the favor; and this, though the
acknowledgment again yield all its profit to us. Since He needs not, be
sure, anything of ours: but we stand in need of all things from Him. Thus
thanksgiving itself adds nothing to Him, but causes us to be nearer to Him.
For if men's bounties, when we call them to memory, do the more warm us
with their proper love- charm;(4) much more when we are continually
bringing to mind the noble acts of our Lord towards us, shall we be more
diligent in regard of His commandments.

   For this cause Paul also said, "Be ye thankful."(5) For the best
preservative of any benefit is the remembrance of the benefit, and a
continual thanksgiving.

   For this cause even the awful mysteries, so full of that great
salvation, which are celebrated at every communion, are called a sacrifice
of thanksgiving,(6) because they are the commemoration of many benefits,
and they signify the very sum of God's care for us, and by all means they
work upon us to be thankful. For if His being born of a virgin was a great
miracle, and the evangelist said in amaze, "now all this was done;" His
being also slain, what place shall we find for that? tell me. I mean, if to
be born is called "all this;" to be crucified, and to pour forth His blood,
and to give Himself to us for a spiritual feast and banquet,--what can that
be called? Let us therefore give Him thanks continually, and let this
precede both our words and our works.

   But let us be thankful not for our own blessings alone, but also for
those of others; for in this way we shall be able both to destroy our envy,
and to rivet our charity, and make it more genuine. Since it will not even
be possible for thee to go on envying them, in behalf of whom thou givest
thanks to the Lord.

   Wherefore, as you know, the priest also enjoins to give thanks for the
world, for the former things, for the things that are now, for what hath
been done to us before, for what shall befall us hereafter, when that
sacrifice(7) is set forth.

   For this is the thing both to free us from earth, and to remove us into
heaven, and to make us angels instead of men. Because they too form a
choir, and give thanks to God for His good things bestowed on us, saying,
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards
men."(8) "And what is this to us, that are not upon earth, nor are men?"
"Nay, it is very much to us, for we have been taught so to love our fellow
servants, as even to account their blessings ours."

   Wherefore Paul also, everywhere in his epistles, gives thanks for God's
gracious acts to the world.

   Let us too therefore continually give thanks, for our own blessings,
and for those of others, alike for the small and for the great. For though
the gift be small, it is made great by being God's gift, or rather, there
is nothing small that cometh from Him, not only because it is bestowed by
Him, but also in its very nature.

   And to pass over all the rest, which exceed the sand in multitude; what
is equal to the dispensation(1) that hath taken place for our sake? In that
what was more precious to Him than all, even His only-begotten Son, Him He
gave for us His enemies; and not only gave, but after giving, did even set
Him before us as food;(2) Himself doing all things that were for our good,
both in giving Him, and in making us thankful for all this. For because man
is for the most part unthankful, He doth Himself everywhere take in hand
and bring about what is for our good. And what He did with respect to the
Jews, by places, and times, and feasts, reminding them of His benefits,
that He did in this case also, by the manner of the sacrifice bringing us
to a perpetual remembrance of His bounty in these things.

   No one hath so labored that we should be approved, and great, and in
all things right-minded, as the God who made us. Wherefore both against our
will He befriends us often, and without our knowledge oftener than not. And
if thou marvel at what I have said, I point to this as having occurred not
to any ordinary person, but to the blessed Paul. For even that blessed man,
when in much danger and affliction, often besought God that the temptations
might depart from him: nevetheless God regarded not his request, but his
profit, and to signify this He said, "My grace is sufficient for thee, for
my strength is made perfect in weakness."(3) So that before He hath told
him the reason, He benefits him against his will, and without his knowing
it.

   5. Now what great thing doth He ask, in requiring us to be thankful in
return for such tender care? Let us then obey, and everywhere keep up this.
Since neither were the Jews by anything ruined so much, as by being
unthankful; those many stripes, one after another, were brought upon them
by nothing else than this; or rather even before those stripes this had
ruined and corrupted their soul. "For the hope of the unthankful," saith
one, "is like the winter's hoar frost;"(4) it benumbs and deadens the soul,
as that doth our bodies.

   And this springs from pride, and from thinking one's self worthy of
something. But the contrite will acknowledge grounds of thanksgiving to
God, not for good things only, but also for what seem to be adverse; and
how much soever he may suffer, will count none of his sufferings
undeserved. Let us then also, the more we advance in virtue. so much the
more make ourselves contrite; for indeed this, more than anything else is
virtue. Because, as the sharper our sight is, the more thoroughly do we
learn how distant we are from the sky; so the more we advance in virtue, so
much the more are we instructed in the difference between God and us. And
this is no small part of true wisdom,(5) to be able to perceive our own
desert. For he best knows himself, who accounts himself to be nothing. Thus
we see that both David and Abraham, when they were come up to the highest
pitch of virtue, then best fulfilled this; and would call themselves, the
one, "earth and ashes,"(6) the other, "a worm;"(7) and all the saints too,
like these, acknowledge their own wretchedness. So that he surely who is
lifted up in boasting, is the very person to be most ignorant of himself.
Wherefore also in our common practice we are wont to say of the proud, "he
knows not himself," "he is ignorant of himself." And he that knows not
himself, whom will he know? For as he that knows himself will know all
things, so he who knows not this, neither will he know the rest.

   Such an one was he that saith, "I will exalt my throne above the
Heavens."(8) Being ignorant of himself, he was ignorant of all else. But
not so Paul; he rather used to call himself "one born out of due time,"(9)
and last of the saints,(10) and did not account himself to be worthy so
much as of the title of the apostles, after so many and so great deeds of
goodness.

   Him therefore let us emulate and follow. And we shall follow him, if we
rid ourselves of earth, and of things on earth. For nothing makes a man to
be so ignorant of himself, as the being rivetted to worldly concerns: nor
does anything again so much cause men to be rivetted to worldly concerns,
as ignorance of one's self: for these things depend upon each other. I
mean, that as he that is fond of outward glory, and highly esteems the
things present, if he strive for ever, is not permitted to understand
himself; so he that overlooks these things will easily know himself; and
having come to the knowledge of himself, he will proceed in order to all
the other parts of virtue.

   In order therefore that we may learn this good knowledge, let us,
disengaged from all the perishable things that kindle in us so great flame,
and made aware of their vileness, show forth all lowliness of mind, and
self-restraint: that we may attain unto blessings, both present and future:
by the grace and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom be
glory, might, and honor, to the Father, together with the Holy and Good
Spirit, now and ever, and world without end. Amen.

HOMILY XXVI: MATT. VIII. 5.

"And when He was entered into Capernaum, there came unto Him a centurion,
beseeching Him, and saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home(1) sick of the
palsy, grievously tormented."

   THE leper came unto Him "when He was come down front time mountain,"
but this centurion, "when He was entered into Capernaum." Wherefore then
did neither the one nor the other go up into the mountain? Not out of
remissness, for indeed the faith of them both was fervent, but in order not
to interrupt His teaching.

   But having come unto Him, he saith, "My servant lieth at home sick of
the palsy, grievously tormented." Now some say, that by way of excuse he
mentioned also the cause, why he had not brought him. "For neither was it
possible," saith he, "paralyzed as he was, and tormented, and at his last
gasp, to lift and convey him." For that he was at the point of expiring,
Luke saith; "He was even ready to die."(2) But I say, this is a sign of his
having great faith, even much greater than theirs, who let one down through
the roof.(3) For because he knew for certain, that even a mere command was
enough for the raising up of the patient, he thought it superfluous to
bring him.

   What then doth Jesus? What He had in no case done before, here He
doeth. For whereas on every occasion He was used to follow the wish of His
supplicants, here He rather springs toward it, and offers not only to heal
him, but also to come to the house. And this He doth, that we might learn
the virtue of the centurion. For if He had not made this offer, but had
said, "Go thy way, let thy servant be healed;" we should have known none of
these things.

   This at least He did, in an opposite way, in the case also of the
Phoenician woman. For here, when not summoned to the house, of His own
accord He saith, He will come, that thou mightest learn the centurion's
faith and great humility; but in the case of the Phoenician woman, He both
refuses the grant, and drives her, persevering therein, to great
perplexity.

   For being a wise physician and full of resources, He knows how to bring
about contraries the one by the other.(4) And as here by His freely-offered
coming, so there by His peremptory putting off and denial, He unfolds the
woman's faith. So likewise He doth in Abraham's case, saying, "I will by no
means hide from Abraham my servant;"(5) to make thee know that man's kindly
affection, and his care for Sodom. And in the instance of Lot,(6) they that
were sent refuse to enter into his house, to make thee know the greatness
of that righteous man's hospitality.

   What then saith the centurion? "I am not worthy that thou shouldest
come under my roof."(7) Let us hearken, as many as are to receive Christ:
for it is possible to receive Him even now. Let us hearken, and emulate,
and receive Him with as great zeal; for indeed, when thou receivest a poor
man who is hungry and naked, thou hast received and cherished Him.

   2. "But say in a word only,(1) and my servant shall be healed."

   See this man also, how, like the leper, he hath the right opinion
touching Him. For neither did this one say, "entreat," nor did he say,
"pray, and beseech," but "command only." And then from fear lest out of
modesty He refuse, He saith,

   "For I also am a man under authority, having under me soldiers; and I
say to this man, go, and he goeth; and to another, come, and he cometh; and
to my servant, do this, and he doeth it."(2)

   "And what of that," saith one, "if the centurion did suspect it to be
so? For the question is, whether Christ affirmed and ratified as much."
Thou speakest well, and very sensibly. Let us then look to this very thing;
and we shall find what happened in the case of the leper, the same
happening here likewise. For even as the leper said, "If thou wilt" (and
not from the leper only are we positive about His authority, but also from
the voice of Christ; in that, so far from putting an end to the suspicion,
He did even confirm it more, by adding what were else superfluous to say,
in the phrase,. "I will, be thou cleansed," in order to establish that
man's doctrine): so here too, it is right to see whether any such thing
occurred. In fact, we shall find this same thing again taking place. For
when the centurion had spoken such words, and had testified His so great
prerogative; so far from blaming, He did even approve it, and did somewhat
more than approve it. For neither hath the evangelist said, that He praised
the saying only, but declaring a certain earnestness in His praise, that He
even "marvelled;" and neither did He simply marvel, but in the presence
also of the whole people, and set Him as an example to the rest, that they
should emulate Him.

   Seest thou how each of them that bore witness of His authority is"
marvelled at? And the multitudes were astonished at His doctrine, because
He taught as one having authority;"(3) and so far from blaming them, He
both took them with Him when He came down, and by His words of cleansing to
the leper, confirmed their judgment. Again, that leper said, "If thou wilt,
thou canst make me clean;"(4) and so far from rebuking, He on the contrary
cleansed him by such treatment as He had said. Again, this centurion saith,
"Speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed: "(5) and "marvelling"
at him, He said, "I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel."(6)

   Now, to convince thee of this by the opposite also; Martha having said
nothing of this sort, but on the contrary, "Whatsoever thou wilt ask of
God, He will give Thee;"(7) so far from being praised, although an
acquaintance, and dear to Him, and one of them that had shown great zeal
toward Him, she was rather rebuked and corrected by Him, as not having
spoken well; in that He said to her, "Said I not unto thee, that if thou
wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?"(8) blaming her, as
though she did not even yet believe. And again, because she had said,
"Whatsoever Thou wilt ask of God, He will give Thee;" to lead her away from
such a surmise, and to teach her that He needs not to receive from another,
but is Himself the fountain of all good things, He saith, "I am the
resurrection and the life;"(9) that is to say, "I wait not to receive
active power,(10) but work all of myself."

   Wherefore at the centurion He both marvels, and prefers him to all the
people, and honors him with the gift of the kingdom, and provokes the rest
to the same zeal. And to show thee that for this end He so spake, viz. for
the instructing of the rest to believe in like manner, listen to the
exactness of the evangelist. how he hath intimated it. For,

   "Jesus," saith He, "turned Him about, and said to them that followed
Him, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel."(11)

   It follows, that to have high imaginations concerning Him, this
especially is of faith, and tends to procure the kingdom and His other
blessings. For neither did His praise reach to words only, but He both
restored the sick man whole, in recompence of his faith, and weaves for him
a glorious crown, and promises great gifts, saying on this wise,

   "Many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down in the
bosoms of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob; but the children of the kingdom
shall be cast out."(12)

   Thus, since He had shown many miracles, He proceeds to talk with them
more unreservedly.

   Then, that no one might suppose His words to come of flattery, but that
all might be aware that such was the mind of the centurion, He saith,

   "Go thy way; as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee."(1)

   And straightway the work followed, bearing witness to his character.(2)

   "And his servant was healed from that hour."

   Which was the result in the case of the Syrophoenician woman also; for
to her too He saith, "O woman, great is thy faith; be it unto thee even as
thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole."(3)

   3. But since Luke, also relating this miracle, inserts by the way a
good many other things, which seem to indicate some disagreement; these too
must be explained by us.

   What then saith Luke? He sent elders of the Jews unto Him entreating
Him to come.(4) But Matthew saith, that he approached himself, and said, "I
am not worthy." And some indeed say, the one is not the same as the other,
though they have many points of resemblance. Thus, of the one it is said,
that "He both hath builded our synagogue, and loveth our nation; "(5) but
concerning this other Jesus Himself saith, "I have not found so great
faith, no not in Israel." And touching the former, He did not say, "many
shall come from the east;" whence it is likely that he was a Jew.

   What then are we to say? That this solution is indeed easy, but the
question is, whether it be true. To me this one seems to be the same as the
other. How then, it may be asked, doth Matthew relate, that he himself
said, "I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof," but Luke,
that he sent for Christ to come? To me Luke seems to be intimating to us
the flattery of the Jews; and that persons in affliction, being unsettled,
form to themselves many different counsels. For it is likely that the
centurion, when he wished to have gone, was stopped by the Jews, flattering
him, and saying, "We will go and bring Him."

   See at least that even their entreaty is full of flattering. "For He
loveth our nation" (so it runs), "and our synagogue He builded:"(6) neither
know they for what to praise the man. For whereas they ought to have said,
He was minded himself to come and entreat Thee, "but we forbad him, seeing
his affliction, and the calamity lying upon his house;" and so they should
have set forth the greatness of his faith; this they say not, for neither
were they willing, for envy, to declare the man's faith: but they chose
rather to cast a shade over his virtue, for whom they had come to make
their supplication, lest He who was entreated, should seem to be some great
one; than by proclaiming the other's faith, to accomplish that for which
they had come. For envy is enough to blind the understanding. But He who
knows the secret things, even against their will proclaimed that centurion.

   And that this is true, hear Luke himself again, interpreting it. For he
himself saith on this wise: "When He was now not far off, he sent, saying,
O Lord, trouble not Thyself: for I am not worthy that Thou shouldest enter
under my roof."(7) That is, when he was freed from their importunity, then
he sends, saying, "Think not it was for sloth that I came not, but I
accounted myself unworthy to receive Thee in my house." And if Matthew
saith that not by his friends, but by himself did he say this; that
proves(8) nothing; for the question is, whether each of them has set before
us the zealousness of the man, and his having had the right opinion
concerning Christ. But it is likely, that after sending his friends, he
himself also came and said these things. And if Luke did not speak of the
one, no more did Matthew of the other; and this is not the part of men
disagreeing amongst themselves, but rather of those that are filling up the
things omitted by one another. But see by another thing also how Luke hath
proclaimed his faith, saying that his servant "was ready to die."(9)
Nevertheless, not even this cast him into despondency, neither did it cause
him to give up: but even so he trusted that he should prevail. And if
Matthew affirm Christ to have said, "I have not found so great faith, no,
not in Israel," and hereby to show clearly that he was not an Israelite;
while Luke saith, "He built our synagogue;" neither is this a
contradiction. For it was possible for one, even though not a Jew, both to
build the synagogue, and to love the nation.

   4. But do not thou, I pray thee, merely inquire what was said by him,
but add thereto his rank also, and then thou wilt see the man's excellency.
Because in truth great is the pride of them that are in places of command,
and not even in afflictions do they take lower ground. He, for example, who
is set down in John, is for dragging Him unto his house, and saith, "Come
down, for my child is ready to die."(1) But not so this man; rather he is
far superior both to him, and to those who let down the bed through the
roof For he seeks not for His bodily presence, neither did He bring the
sick man near the physician; a thing which implied no mean imaginations
concerning Him, but rather a suspicion of His divine dignity. And he saith,
"speak the word only." And at the beginning he saith not even, "speak the
word," but only describe his affliction: for neither did he, of great
humility, expect that Christ would straightway consent, and inquire for his
house. Therefore, when he heard Him say, "I will come and heal him," then,
not before he saith, "speak the word." Nor yet did the suffering confound
him, but still under calamity he reasons coolly,(2) not looking so much to
the health of the servant, as to the avoiding all appearance of doing
anything irreverent.

   And yet it was not he that pressed it, but Christ that offered it:
nevertheless even so he feared, lest perchance he should be thought to be
going beyond his own deservings, and to be drawing upon himself a thing
above his strength.(3) Seest thou his wisdom? Mark the folly of the Jews,
in saying, "He was worthy for whom He should do the favor."(4) For when
they should have taken refuge in the love of Jesus towards man, they rather
allege this man's worthiness; and know not so much as on what ground to
allege it. But not so he, but he affirmed himself even in the utmost degree
unworthy, not only of the benefit, but even of receiving the Lord in his
house. Wherefore even when he said, "My servant lieth sick," he did not
add, "speak," for fear lest he should be unworthy to obtain the gift; but
he merely made known his affliction. And when he saw Christ zealous in His
turn, not even so did he spring forward, but still continues to keep to the
end his own proper measure.

   And if any one should say, "wherefore did not Christ honor him in
return?" we would say this, that He did make return to him in honor, and
that exceedingly: first by bringing out his mind, which thing chiefly
appeared by His not coming to his house; and in the second place, by
introducing him into His kingdom, and preferring him to the whole Jewish
nation. For because he made himself out unworthy even to receive Christ
into his house, he became worthy both of a kingdom, and of attaining unto
those good things which Abraham enjoyed.

   "But wherefore," one may say, "was not the leper commended, who showed
forth things greater than these?" For he did not so much as say, "speak the
word," but what was far more, "be willing only," which is what the prophet
saith concerning the Father, "He hath done whatsoever He pleased."(5) But
he also was commended. For when He said, "Offer the gift that Moses
commanded, for a testimony unto them,"(6) He means nothing else but, "thou
shalt be an accuser of them, in that thou didst believe." And besides, it
was not the same for one that was a Jew to believe, and for one from
without that nation. For that the centurion was not a Jew is evident, both
from his being a centurion and from its being said, "I have not found so
great faith, no, not in Israel." And it was a very great thing for a man
who was out of the list of the Jewish people to admit so great a thought.
For he did no less than imagine to himself, as it seems to me, the armies
in Heaven; or that the diseases and death, and everything else, were so
subject to Him, as his soldiers to himself.

   Wherefore he said likewise, "For I also am a man set under authority;"
that is, Thou art God, and I man; I under authority, but Thou not under
authority. If I therefore, being a man, and under authority, can do so
much; far more He, both as God, and as not under authority. Thus with the
strongest expression He desires to convince Him, that he saith this, as one
giving not a similar example, but one far exceeding. For if I (said he),
being equal in honor to them whom I command, and under authority, yet by
reason of the trifling superiority of my rank am able to do such great
things; and no man contradicts me, but what I command, that is done, though
the injunctions be various ("for I say to this man, go, and he goeth; and
to another, come, and he cometh":(7)) much more wilt Thou Thyself be able.

   And some actually read the place in this way, "For if I, being a man,"
and having inserted a stop, they add, "having soldiers under authority
under me."

   But mark thou, I pray thee, how he signified that Christ is able both
to overcome even death as a slave, and to command it as its master. For in
saying, "come, and he cometh," and "go, and he goeth;" he expresses this:
"If Thou shouldest command his end not to come upon him, it will not come."

   Seest thou how believing he was? For that which was afterwards to be
manifest to all, here is one who already hath made it evident; that He hath
power both of death and of life, and "leadeth down to the gates of hell,
and bringeth up again."(1) Nor was he speaking of soldiers only, but also
of slaves; which related to a more entire obedience.

   5. But nevertheless, though having such great faith, he still accounted
himself to be unworthy. Christ however, signifying that he was worthy to
have Him enter into his house, did much greater things, marvelling at him,
and proclaiming him, and giving more than he had asked. For he came indeed
seeking for his servant health of body, but went away, having received a
kingdom. Seest thou how the saying had been already fulfilled, "Seek ye the
kingdom of heaven, and all these things shall be added unto you."(2) For,
because he evinced great faith, and lowliness of mind, He both gave him
heaven, and added unto him health.

   And not by this alone did He honor him, but also by signifying upon
whose casting out he is brought in. For now from this time forth He
proceeds to make known to all, that salvation is by faith, not by works of
the law. And this is why not to Jews only, but to Gentiles also the gift so
given shall be proffered, and to the latter rather than to the former. For
"think not," saith He, "by any means, that so it hath come to pass in
regard of this man alone; nay, so it shall be in regard of the whole world.
And this He said, prophesying of the Gentiles, and suggesting to them good
hopes. For in fact there were some following Him from Galilee of the
Gentiles. And this He said, on the one hand, not letting the Gentiles
despair, on the other, putting down the proud spirits of the Jews.

   But that His saying might not affront(3) the hearers, nor afford them
any handle; He neither brings forward prominently what He hath to say of
the Gentiles, but upon occasion taken from the centurion; nor doth He use
nakedly the term, Gentiles: not saying, "many of the Gentiles," but, "many
from east and west:"(4) which was the language of one pointing out the
Gentiles, but did not so much affront the hearers, because His meaning was
under a shadow.

   Neither in this way only doth He soften the apparent novelty of His
doctrine, but also by speaking of "Abraham's bosom" instead of "the
kingdom." For neither was that term familiar to them:(5) moreover, the
introduction of Abraham would be a sharper sting to them. Wherefore John
also spake nothing at first concerning hell, but, what was most apt to
grieve them, He saith, "Think not to say, we are children of Abraham."(6)

   He is providing for another point also; not to seem in any sense
opposed to the ancient polity. For he that admires the patriarchs, and
speaks of their bosom as an inheritance of blessings, doth much more than
sufficiently remove also this suspicion.

   Let no man therefore suppose that the threat is one only, for both the
punishment of the one and the joy of the other is double: of the one, not
only that they fell away, but that they fell away from their own; of the
other, not only that they attained, but that they attained what they had no
expectation of: and there is a third together with these, that the one
received what pertained to the other. And he calls them "children of the
kingdom," for whom the kingdom had been prepared: which also more than all
was apt to gall them; in that having pointed to them as being in their
bosom by His offer and promise, after all He puts them out.

   6. Then, because what He had said was mere affirmation, He confirms it
by the miracle; as indeed He shows the miracles in their turn, by the
subsequent accomplishment of the prediction. He accordingly, who
disbelieves the health which the servant then received, let him from the
prophecy, which hath this day come to pass, believe that other also. For so
that prophecy again, even before the event, was made manifest to all by the
sign which then took place. To this end, you see, having first uttered that
prediction, then and not before He raised up the sick of the palsy; that He
might make the future credible by the present, and the less by the greater.
Since for virtuous men to enjoy His good things, and for the contrary sort
to undergo His penalties, were nothing improbable, but a reasonable event,
and according to the tenor of laws: but to brace up the feeble, and to
raise the dead, was something beyond nature.

   But nevertheless, unto this great and marvellous work the centurion too
contributed no little; which thing, we see, Christ also declared, saying,
"Go thy way, and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee." Seest
thou how the health of the servant proclaimed aloud both Christ's power,
and the faith of the centurion, and also became a pledge of the future? Or
rather it was all a proclamation of Christ's power. For not only did He
quite heal the servant's body, but the soul also of the centurion He did
Himself bring over unto the faith by His miracles.

   And do thou look not to this only, that the one believed, and the other
was healed, but marvel how quickly also. For this too the evangelist
declared, saying, "And his servant was healed in the self-same hour:" even
as of the leper also he said, "he was straightway cleansed." For not by
healing, but by doing so both in a wonderful manner and in a moment of
time, did He display His power. Neither in this way only doth He profit us,
but also by his constant practice, in the manifestation of His miracles, of
opening incidentally His discourses about His kingdom, and of drawing all
men towards it. For, those even whom He was threatening to cast out, He
threatened not in order to cast them out, but in order that through such
fear, He might draw them into it by His words. And if not even hereby were
they profited, theirs is the whole blame, as also of all who are in the
like distemper.

   For not at all among Jews only may one see this taking place, but also
among them that have believed. For Judas too was a child of the kingdom,
and it was said to him with the disciples, "Ye shall sit on twelve
thrones;"(1) yet he became a child of hell whereas the Ethiopian, barbarian
as he was, and of them "from the east and west," shall enjoy the crowns
with Abraham, and Isaac; and Jacob. This takes place among us also now.
"For many," saith He, "that are first shall be last, and the last
first."(2) And this He saith, that neither the one may grow languid, as
unable to return; nor the others be confident, as standing fast. This John
also declared before from the beginning, when he said, "God is able of
these stones to raise up children unto Abraham."(3) Thus, since it was so
to come to pass, it is proclaimed long before; that no one may be
confounded at the strangeness of the event. But he indeed speaks of it as a
possible thing (for he was first); Christ on the other hand as what will
surely be, affording the proof of it from His works.

   7. Let us not then be confident, who stand, but let us say to
ourselves, "Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall;"(4)
neither let us who are fallen despair, but let us say to ourselves, "He
that falleth, doth he not arise?"(5) For many even who have mounted to the
very summit of Heaven, and have shown forth all austerity, and had made
their abode in the deserts, nor saw any woman so much as in a dream; having
become a little remiss, have been tripped up, and have come unto the very
gulf of wickedness. While others again from thence have gone up to Heaven,
and from the stage and orchestra have passed over unto the discipline of
angels, and have displayed so great virtue, as to drive away devils, and to
work many other such miracles. And of these examples both the Scriptures
are full, and our life is also full. Even whoremongers and effeminate
persons stop the mouths of the Manichaeans, who say that wickedness is
immoveable, enrolling themselves on the devil's side, and weakening the
hands of them that would wish to be in earnest, and overturning all our
life.

   For they who inculcate these things, not only injure men as to the
future, but here also turn all things upside down, for their own part at
least. Because when will any regard virtue, from among those that are
living in wickedness, so long as he accounts his return that way, and His
change for the better, a thing impossible? For if now, when both laws
exist, and penalties are threatened, and there is common opinion to recall
the ordinary sort, and hell is looked for, and a kingdom promised, and
wrong things reproached, and the good praised; hardly do any choose the
labors that are to be undergone for virtue's sake: shouldest thou take away
all these things, what is there to hinder ruin and corruption universal ?

   Knowing therefore the devil's craft, and that as well the lawgivers of
the Gentiles as the oracles of God, and the reasonings of nature, and the
common opinion of all men, yea barbarians, and Scythians, and Thracians,
and generally all, are directly opposed both to these, and to such as
strive to enact the doctrines of fate: let us be sober, beloved, and
bidding farewell to all those, let us travel along the narrow way, being
both confident and in fear: in fear because of the precipices on either
side, confident because of Jesus our guide. Let us travel on, sober and
wakeful. For though but for a little while one slumber, he is swept away
quickly.

   8. For we are not more perfect than David, who by a little carelessness
was hurled into the very gulf of sin. Yet he arose again quickly. Look not
then to his having sinned only, but also to his having washed away his sin.
For to this end He wrote that history, not that thou shouldest behold him
fallen, but admire him risen; to teach thee, when thou art fallen, how thou
shouldest arise. Thus, as physicians choose out the most grievous diseases,
and write them in their books, and teach their method of cure in similar
cases; if so be men having practised on the greater, may easily master the
less; even so God likewise hath brought forward the greatest of sins, that
they also who offend in small things may find the cure of these easy, by
means of the other: since if those admitted of healing, much more the less.

   Let us look then to the manner both of the sickness, and of the speedy
recovery of that blessed man. What then was the manner of his sickness? He
committed adultery and murder. For I shrink not from proclaiming these
things with a loud voice. Since if the Holy Ghost thought it no shame to
record(1) all this history, much less ought we to draw any shade over it.
Wherefore I not only proclaim it, but I add another circumstance also. For
in fact, whosoever hide these things, they most of all men throw his virtue
into the shade. And as they that say nothing of the battle with Goliath
deprive him of no small crowns, so also they that hurry by this history.
Doth not my saying seem a paradox? Nay, wait a little, and then ye shall
know that with reason have we said this. For to this end do I magnify the
sin, and make my statement stranger, that I may the more abundantly provide
the medicines.

   What is it then which I add? The man's virtue; which makes the fault
also greater. For all things are not judged alike in all men. "For mighty"
men (it is said) "shall be mightily tormented: "(2) and "He that knew his
Lord's will, and doeth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes."(3) So
that more knowledge is a ground of more punishment. For this same reason
the priest, if he commit the same sin as those under government, shall not
have the same to endure, but things far more grievous.

   Perhaps, seeing the charge against him amplified, ye tremble and fear,
and marvel at me, as though I were going down a precipice. But I am so
confident on that righteous man's behalf, that I will proceed even farther;
for the more I aggravate the charge, so much the more shall I be able to
show forth the praise of David.

   "And what more than this," you will say, "can be uttered?" Abundantly
more. For as in the case of Cain, what was done was not a murder only, but
worse than even many murders; for it was not a stranger, but a brother,
whom he slew; and a brother who had not done but suffered wrong; not after
many murderers, but having first originated the horrid crime: so here too
that which was perpetrated was not murder only. For it was no ordinary man
that did it, but a prophet: and he slays not him that had done wrong, but
him that had suffered wrong; for indeed he had been mortally wronged, by
the forcing away his wife: nevertheless after that he added this also.

   9. Perceive ye, how I have not spared that righteous one? how without
any the least reserve I have mentioned his offenses? But yet, so confident
am I concerning his defense, that after so great load as this of his sin, I
would there were present both the Manichaeans who most deride all this, and
they that are diseased in Marcion's way,(4) that I might fully stop their
mouths. For they indeed say "he committed murder and adultery;" but I say
not this only, but have also proved the murder to be twofold, first from
him who suffered the wrong, then from the quality of the person who
offended. For it is not the same thing, for one to whom the Spirit was
vouchsafed, and on whom so great benefits had been conferred, and who had
been admitted to such freedom of speech, and at such a time of life, to
venture on crimes of that sort; as without all these, to commit this self-
same thing. Nevertheless even in this respect is that illustrious man most
of all worthy of admiration, that when he had fallen into the very pit of
wickedness, he did not sink nor despair, nor cast himself down in
supineness, on receiving of the devil so fatal a wound; but quickly, or
rather straightway, and with great force, he gave a more fatal blow than he
had received.

   And the same thing occurred, as if in war and in battle some barbarian
had struck his spear into the heart of a chieftain, or shot an arrow into
his liver, and had added to the former wound a second more fatal than it,
and he that had received these grievous blows, when fallen, and wallowing
in much blood all about him, were first to rise up quickly, then to hurl a
spear at him that wounded him, and exhibit him dead on the ground in a
moment. Even so in this case also, the greater thou declarest the wound, so
much the more admirable dost thou imply the soul of him that was wounded to
be, that he had power after this grievous wound both to rise up again, and
to stand in the very forefront of the battle array, and bear down him that
had wounded him.

   And how great a thing this is, they best know, whosoever are fallen
into grievous sins. For it is not so much a proof of a generous and
vigorous soul to walk upright, and to run all the way (for such a soul hath
the good hope going along with it, to cheer and to rouse it, to nerve and
render it more zealous); as after those innumerable crowns, and so many
trophies, and victories, having undergone the utmost loss, to be able to
resume the same course. And that what I say may be made plain, I will
endeavor to bring before you another example, not at all inferior to the
former.

   For imagine, I pray thee, some pilot, when he had compassed seas
without number, and sailed over the whole ocean; after those many storms,
and rocks and waves, to sink, having with him a great freight, in the very
mouth of the harbor, and hardly with his naked body to escape this grievous
shipwreck; how would he naturally feel towards the sea, and navigation, and
such labors? Will such a one then ever choose, unless he be of a very noble
soul, to see a beach, or a vessel, or a harbor? I trow not; but he will lie
hiding his face, seeing night all through the day, and shrinking from all
things; and he will choose rather to live by begging, than to put his hand
to the same labors.

   But not such was this blessed man; but though he had undergone such a
shipwreck, after those innumerable troubles and toils, he stayed not with
his face covered, but launched his vessel, and having spread his sails, and
taken the rudder in hand, he applies himself to the same labors, and hath
made his wealth more abundant again. Now if to stand be so admirable, and
not to lie down for ever after one has fallen; to rise up again, and to do
such deeds, what crowns would not this deserve ?

   And yet surely there were many things to drive him to despair; as
first, the greatness of his sins; secondly, that not at the beginning of
life, when our hopes also are more abundant, but near the end, these things
befell him. For neither doth the merchant, who hath just gone out of the
harbor and been wrecked, grieve equally with him, who after very many
traffickings strikes on a rock. Thirdly, that when he had already obtained
great wealth, he incurred this. Yea, for by that time he had stored up no
small merchandise: for instance, the deeds of his early youth, when he was
a shepherd; those about Goliath, when he set up the glorious trophy; those
pertaining to his self- command respecting Saul. Since he showed forth even
the evangelical long-suffering, in that he got his enemy ten thousand times
into his hands, and continually spared him; and chose rather to be an
outcast from his country and from liberty, and from life itself, than to
slay him that was unjustly plotting against him. Likewise after his coming
to the kingdom, there were noble deeds of his to no small amount.

   And besides what I have said, his credit also among the many, and his
fall from glory so bright, would cause no ordinary perplexity. For the
purple did by no means so much adorn him, as the stain of his sin disgraced
him. And ye know of course what a great thing it is for evil deeds to be
exposed, and how great a soul is required in such an one, not to despond
after the censure of the multitude, and when he hath so many witnesses of
his own offenses.

   Nevertheless all these darts that noble person drew out of his soul,
and so shone forth after this, so wiped out the stain, became so pure, that
his offspring even after his death had their sins mitigated by him: and
that which was said of Abraham, we find God saying the same of this man
also; or rather, much more of the latter. For with respect to the patriarch
it is said, "I remembered my covenant with Abraham;"(1) but here He saith
not "the covenant," but how? "I will defend this city for my servant
David's sake."(2) And besides, on account of His favor towards him, He
suffered not Solomon to fall from the kingdom. great as the sin was which
he had committed. And so great was the glory of the man, that Peter, so
many years after, in exhorting the Jews, spake on this wise: "Let me freely
speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried."(3)
And Christ too, discoursing with the Jews, signifies him after his sin to
have had the Spirit vouchsafed to such a degree, that he was counted worthy
to prophesy again even concerning His Godhead; and thereby stopping their
mouths, He said, "How then doth David in spirit call Him Lord, saying, The
Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand ?"(4) And much as with
Moses, so it fell out also with David. For as Miriam, even against Moses'
will, was punished by God for insolence to her brother,(5) because He
greatly loved the holy man; even so this man, injuriously treated by his
son, God did swiftly avenge, and that against his will.

   These things then are sufficient, yea rather before all others these
are sufficient to indicate the man's excellency. For when God pronounces
His judgment, we ought to inquire no further. But if ye would become
particularly acquainted with His self command, ye may by perusing his
history after his sin, perceive his confidence towards God, his
benevolence, his growth in virtue, his strictness unto his last breath.

   10. Having then these examples, let us be sober, and let us strive not
to despond, and if at any time we fall, not to lie prostrate. For not to
east you into slothfulness, did I speak of the sins of David, but to work
in you more fear. For if that righteous man through a little remissness
received such wounds, what shall we have to suffer, who are every day
negligent? Do not therefore look at his fall, and be remiss, but consider
what great things he did even after this, what great mournings, how much
repentance he showed forth, adding his nights to his days, pouring forth
fountains of tears, washing his couch with his tears, withal clothing
himself in sackcloth.

   Now if he needed so great a conversion, when will it be possible for us
to be saved, feeling insensible after so many sins? For he that hath many
good deeds, would easily even by this throw a shade over his sins; but he
that is unarmed, wherever he may receive a dart, receives a mortal wound.

   In order therefore that this may not be so, let us arm ourselves with
good works; and if any offense have befallen us, let us wash it away: that
we may be counted worthy, after having lived the present life to the glory
of God, to enjoy the life to come; unto which may we all attain, by the
grace and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ, to 'whom be glory and
might forever and ever. Amen.


Taken from "The Early Church Fathers and Other Works" originally published
by Wm. B. Eerdmans Pub. Co. in English in Edinburgh, Scotland, beginning in
1867. (LNPF I/X, Schaff). The digital version is by The Electronic Bible
Society, P.O. Box 701356, Dallas, TX 75370, 214-407-WORD.

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