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ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

COMMENTARY ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES
HOMILIES 31-42

[Translated by Rev. J. Walker, M.A., of Brasenose College, Rev. J.
Sheppard, M.A., of Oriel College, Oxford, and Rev. H. Browne, M.A., of
Corpus Christi College, Cambridge; revised by George B. Stevens, Ph.D.,
D.D., Professor in Yale University.]


HOMILY XXXI: ACTS XIV. 14, 15.

"Which when the Apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their
clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out and saying, Sirs, why do
ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto
you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made
heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein."

   MARK the vehemence with which all this is done by the Apostles: "rent
their clothes, ran in, cried out," all from strong affection of the soul,
revolted[1] by the things that were done. For it was a grief, indeed a
grief inconsolable, that they should needs be thought gods, and introduce
idolatry, the very thing which they came to destroy! This also was a
contrivance of the devil--but he did not prevail.[2] But what say they? "We
also are men of like passions with you." At the very outset they overthrew
the evil. They said not simply, "Men," but "As ye." Then, that they may not
seem to honor the gods, hear what they add: "Preaching unto you, that ye
should turn from these vanities unto the living God, Who made heaven, the
sea, and all things that are therein." Observe how they nowhere mention
things invisible[3] (b) For[4] they had learnt that one should study not so
much to say somewhat worthy of God, as to say what is profitable for the
hearers. (a) What then? if He be Maker of all things, why does He not also
attend to these things by His Providence?--"Who in times past suffered all
nations to walk in their own ways" (v. 16)-but wherefore He suffered them,
this he does not say, for at present he keeps to the matter of immediate
importance, nowhere bringing in the name of Christ. Observe, he does not
wish to swell the accusation against them, but[5] rather that they
themselves should refer all to God. "Nevertheless, He left not Himself
without witness, in that He did good, giving you rain from heaven, and
fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness." (v. 17.) (c)
See how covertly he puts the accusation "in that He did good," etc. And yet
if God did this, He could not have "let them alone;" on the contrary, they
ought to be punished, for that, enjoying so great benefits, they had not
acknowledged Him, not even as their feeder.[*] "From heaven," he says,
"giving you rain." Thus also David said, "From the fruit of their corn and
wine and oil were they made to abound" (Ps. iv. 7), and in many places
speaking of Creation, he brings forward these benefits: and Jeremiah
mentions first Creation, then Providence (shown) by the rains, so that the
Apostle here discourses as taught from those Scriptures. "Filling," he
says, "with food and gladness." (Jer. v. 24.) With large liberality
(philotimi'as) the food is given, not merely for a frugal sufficiency,
nor stinted by the need. "And saying these things, they scarcely stopped
the multitudes" (v. 18)--indeed by this very thing they gained most
admiration--"from sacrificing to them." Do you observe that this was the
point with them to put an end to that madness? "But there came," it says,
"certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium" (v. 19).--Indeed children of the
devil, that not in their own cities only, but also beyond them, they did
these things, and as much made it their study to make an end of the
preaching, as the Apostles were in earnest to establish it!--"and having
persuaded the multitude and stoned Paul, they dragged him out of the city."
(e) So then, the Gentiles regarded them as gods, but these "dragged" him,
"out of the city, supposing he had been dead. Having persuaded the
multitude"--for it is not likely that all thus reverenced them. In the very
city in which they received this reverence, in the same were they thus
terribly ill treated. And this also profited the beholders. "Lest any man,"
he says, "should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he
heareth aught from me." (v. 20.)--"Howbeit as the disciples stood round
about him, he rose up and came into the city." (d) Here is fulfilled that
saying, "My grace is sufficient for thee, for My strength is made perfect
in weakness." (2 Cor. xii. 9.) Greater this than the raising of the lame
man! (f) "Came into the city." Do you mark the zeal, do you mark how
fervent he[1] is, how set on fire! He came into the city itself again: for
proof that if on any occasion he did retire, it was because he had sown the
word, and because it was not right to inflame their wrath. (h) Then they
went over all the cities in which they had been in danger. "And on the
morrow," it says, "he went forth with Barnabas to Derbe. And when they had
preached the Gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again
to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, confirming the souls of the
disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must
through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." (v. 21, 22.) This
they said, this they showed. But it is purposely so done, not only by[2]
the Apostles, but by the disciples also, that they may learn from the very
outset both the might of the preaching, and that they must themselves also
suffer such things, that they may stand nobly, not idly gaping for the
miracles, but much more (ready) for the trials. Therefore also the Apostle
himself said, "Having the same conflict which ye saw in me and heard."
(Phil. i. 30.) Persecutions succeeded to persecutions: wars, fightings,
stonings. (g) These things, not less than the miracles, both made them more
illustrious, and prepared for them a greater rejoicing. The Scripture
nowhere says that they returned rejoicing because they had done miracles,
but (it does say that they rejoiced), that "they were counted worthy for
that Name to suffer shame." (ch. v. 41.) And this they were taught of
Christ, saying, "Rejoice not that the devils obey you." (Luke x. 20.) For
the joy indeed and without alloy is this, to suffer aught for Christ's
sake. (i) "And that through much tribulation:" what sort of cheering
(protroph') is this? how did they persuade them, by telling them at the
outset of tribulations? Then also another consolation.[3] "And when they
had appointed for them elders in every Church,[*] and had prayed with
fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. (v. 23.)
Do you mark Paul's ardor?--Then other consolation: "Commended them," it
says, "to the Lord. And after they had passed throughout Pisidia, they came
to Pamphylia. And when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down
into Attalia (v. 24, 25): (l) and thence sailed to Antioch, from whence
they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they
fulfilled." (v. 26.) Why do they come back to Antioch? To report what had
taken place yonder. And besides, there is a great purpose of Providence
concerned: for it was needful that they should thenceforth preach with
boldness to the Gentiles. They come therefore, reporting these things, that
they may be able to know them: and it is providentially ordered, that just
then came those who forbade to keep company with the Gentiles in order that
from Jerusalem they might obtain great encouragement, and so go their ways
with boldness. And besides, it shows that in their temper there was nothing
of self-will: for they come, at the same time showing their boldness, in
that without the authority of those (at Jerusalem) they had preached to the
Gentiles, and their obedience, in that they refer the matter to them: for
they were not made arrogant, as (apenoh'thhsan) having achieved so great
successes. "Whence," it says, "they had been recommended to the grace of
God for the work which they had fulfilled." And yet moreover the Spirit had
said, "Separate Me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called
them." (ch. xiii. 2.) "And when they were come, and had gathered the Church
together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how He had
opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles. And there they abode long time
with the disciples." (v. 27, 28.) For the city being great had need of
teachers.--But let us look over again what has been said.

    (Recapitulation.) "Which when the Apostles," etc. (v. 14). First by
the sight they checked them, by rending their garments. This did Joshua the
son of Nun upon the occasion of the defeat of the people. Then think not
that this action was unworthy of them: for such was the eagerness, they
would not otherwise have restrained it would not otherwise have quenched
the conflagration (pu'ran). Therefore when need is to do something that
is fit to be done, let us not decline it. For if even after all this they
hardly persuaded them, if they had not acted thus, what might have been the
consequence? For if they had not done thus, they would have been thought to
make a show of humility (tapeinophronei^n), and to be all the more
desirous of the honor. And observe their language, how in rebuking it is
moderated, alike full of wonder and of rebuke. This above all it was that
hindered them, the saying, "Preaching unto you to turn from these vanities
unto God." (v. 15.) We are men indeed, they say, but greater than these:
for these are dead things, Mark how they not only subvert (the false), but
teach (the true), saying nothing about things invisible--"Who made," say
they, "heaven and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein. Who
in times past," etc. (v. 16, 17.) He names as witnesses even the years (in
their courses).[1] "And there came thither certain Jews," etc. (v. 19.) O
that Jewish madness! Among a people [that had so honored the Apostles, they
bad the hardihood to come, and to stone Paul. "And they dragged him out of
the city," being afraid of those (others),--"Supposing he had been dead."
(k) "Howbeit," etc. "and came into the city." (v. 20.) For that the spirits
of the disciples might not be downcast because they who were accounted gods
suffered such treatment, they came in unto them and discoursed. "Then on
the morrow," etc. And observe, first he goes forth to Derbe, and then comes
back to Lystra and Iconium and Antioch, (v. 21) giving way to them while
their passions are roused, but when they have ceased, then attacking them
again. Do you mark, that it was not by (supernatural) grace that they
managed all that they did, but by their own diligence? "Confirming," it
says "the souls of the disciples:" episthri'zontes, "further
establishing;" so that they were established, but they added more thereto.
"And that we must," etc. (v. 22): they foretold (this), that they might not
be offended. "And when they had appointed for them," etc. Again the
ordinations accompanied with fastings: and again fasting, that purifying of
our souls. (m) "And having prayed," it says, "with fastings, they commended
them unto the Lord" (v. 23): they taught them to fast also in their trials.
(o) Why did they not make elders in Cyprus nor in Samaria? Because the
latter was near to Jerusalem, the former to Antioch, and the word was
strong there; whereas in those parts they needed much consolation,
especially they of the Gentiles, who behooved to have much instruction.
"And when they were come," etc. (v. 27.) They came, teaching them that with
good reason had they been ordained by the Spirit. (n) They said not what
they themselves, but "what God had done with them." It seems to me, that
they mean their trials. It was not for nothing that they, come here, nor to
rest, but providentially guided by the Spirit, to the end that the
preaching to the Gentiles might be firmly established. (p) And mark Paul's
ardor. He does not ask whether it be right to speak to Gentiles, but he
straightway speaks: therefore it is that he says, "I did not refer myself
to flesh and blood." (Gal. i. 16.)

   For it is indeed[1] a great thing, a great, a generous soul (like
this)! How many have since believed, and none of them all has shone like
him! What we want is earnestness, exceeding ardor, a soul ready to
encounter death. Else is it not possible to attain unto the Kingdom, not
being crucified. Let us not deceive ourselves. For if in war it is
impossible to come off safe while living daintily, and trafficking, and
huckstering and idling, much more in this war. Or think ye not that it is a
war worse than all others? (Infra, p. 204, note[1].) "For we wrestle not,"
he says, "against flesh and blood." (Eph. vi. 12.) Since even while taking
our meals and walking, and bathing, the enemy is present with us, and knows
no time of truce, except that of sleep only: nay, often even then he
carries on the war, injecting into us unclean thoughts, and making us lewd
by means of dreams. We watch not, we do not rouse ourselves up, do not look
to the multitude of the forces opposed to us, do not reflect, that this
very thing constitutes the greatest misfortune--that though surrounded by
so great wars, we live daintily as in time of peace. Believe me, worse than
Paul suffered may have to be suffered now. Those enemies wounded him with
stones: there is a wounding with words, even worse than stones. What then
must we do? The same that he did: he did not hate those who cast stones at
him, but after they had dragged him out, he entered again into their city,
to be a benefactor to those who had done him such wrongs. If thou also
endurest him who harshly insults thee, and has done thee wrongs, then hast
thou too been stoned. Say not, "I have done him no injury." For what injury
had Paul done, that he should be stoned? He was announcing a Kingdom, he
was bringing men away from error, and bringing them to God: benefits these,
worthy of crowns, worthy of proclamation by voice of herald, worthy of a
thousand good things--not of stones. And yet (far from resenting) he did[2]
just the contrary. For this is the splendid victory. "And they dragged
him," (v. 19) it says, These too they often drag: but be not thou angry; on
the contrary, preach thou the word with gentleness. Hath one insulted thee?
Hold thy peace, and bless if thou canst, and thou also hast preached the
word, hast given a lesson of gentleness, a lesson of meekness. I know that
many do not so smart under wounds, as they do under the blow which is
inflicted by words: as indeed the one wound the body receives the other the
soul. But let us not smart, or rather feeling the smart let us endure. Do
you not see the pugilists, how, with their heads sorely battered, they bite
their teeth into their lips, and so bear their smarts kindly? No need to
grind the teeth, no need to bite (the lips). Remember thy Master, and by
the remembrance thou hast at once applied the remedy. Remember Paul:
reflect that thou, the beaten hast conquered, and he the beater, is
defeated; and by this hast thou cured the whole. It s is the turning of the
scale a moment and thou hast achieved the whole: be  not hurried away, do
not even move, thou hast extinguished the whole (fire). Great[4] eloquence
of persuasion there is in suffering aught for Christ: thou preachest not
the word of faith, but thou preachest the word of patience
(philosophi'as). But, you will say, the more he sees my gentleness, the
more he sets upon me. Is it for this then that thou art pained, that he
increases thy rewards the more? "But[5] this is the way," you say, "to make
him unbearable." This is mere pretext of thine own littleness of mind: on
the contrary, the other is the way to make him unbearable, namely, that
thou avenge thyself. If God had known, that through forbearance of revenge,
the unjust became unbearable, He would not have done[6] this Himself: on
the contrary, He would have said, Avenge thyself: but He knew, that other
than this is the more likely way to do good. Make not thou a law contary to
God: do as He bids thee. Thou art not kinder than He that made us. He hath
said, "Bear to be wronged:" thou sayest, "I requite wrong for wrong, that
he may not become unbearable." Hast thou then more care for him than God
has? Such talk is mere passion and ill temper, arrogance and setting up
laws against God's laws. For even if the man were hurt (by our
forbearance), would it not be our duty to obey? When God orders anything,
let us not make a contrary law. "A submissive answer," we read, turneth
away wrath" (Prov. xvi. 1): not an answer of opposition. If it profits
thee, it profits him also: but if it hurts thee who art to set him right,
how much more will it hurt him? "Physician, heal thyself." Hath one spoken
ill of thee? Commend him thou. Hath he reviled thee? Praise him thou. Hath
he plotted against thee? Do him a kindness. Requite him with the contrary
things, if at least thou at all carest for his salvation and wish not thou
to revenge thine own suffering. And yet, you will say, though he has often
met with long-suffering from me he has become worse. This is not thine
affair, but his. Wilt thou learn what wrongs God suffered? They threw down
His altars, and slew His prophets (1 Kings xix. 10), vet He endured it all.
Could He not have launched a thunderbolt from above? Nay, when He had sent
His prophets, and they killed them, then He sent His Son (Matt. xxi. 37),
when they wrought greater impieties, then He sent them greater benefits.
And thou too, if thou seest one exasperated, then yield the more: since
this madness has greater need of soothing (paramthi'as). The more
grievous his abuse of thee, the more meekness does he need from thee: and
even as a gale[1] when it blows strong, then it requires yielding to, so
also he who is in a passion. When the wild beast is most savage, then we
all flee: so also should we flee from him that is angry. Think not that
this is an honor to him: for is it an honor we show to the wild beast, and
to madmen, when we turn aside out of their way? By no means it is a
dishonor and a scorn: or rather not dishonor and scorn, but compassion and
humanity. Seest thou not how the sailors, when the wind blows violently,
take down their sails, that the vessel may not sink? how, when the horses
have run away with the driver, he only leads them into the (open) plain,
and does not pull against them that he may not voluntarily exhaust his
strength? This do thou also. Wrath is a  fire, it is a quick flame needing
fuel: do not supply food to the fire, and thou hast soon extinguished the
evil. Anger has no power of itself; there must be another to feed it. For
thee there is no excuse. He is possessed with madness, and knows not what
he does; but when thou, seeing what he is, fallest into the same evils, and
art not brought to thy right senses by the sight, what excuse can there be
for thee? If coming to a feast thou see at the very outset of the feast
some one drunken and acting unseemly, would not he, who after seeing him
makes himself drunk, be much more inexcusable? Just so it is here. Do we
think it any excuse to say, I was not the first to begin? This is against
us, that even the sight of the other in that condition did not bring us to
our fight senses. It is just as if one should say, "I did not murder him
first." For this very thing makes thee deserving of punishment, that even
upon the warning of such a spectacle thou didst not restrain thyself. If
thou shouldest see the drunken man in the act of vomiting, retching,
bursting, his eyes strained, filling the table with his filthiness,
everybody hurrying out of his way, and then shouldest fall into the same
state thyself, wouldest thou not be more hateful? Like him is he that is in
a passion: more than he who vomits, he has his veins distended, his eyes
inflamed, his bowels racked; he vomits forth words far more filthy than
that food; all crude what he utters, nothing duly digested, for his passion
will not let it be. But as in that case excess of fumes (chumwn), making
an uproar in the stomach, often rejects all its contents; so here, excess
of heat, making a tumult in the soul suffers him not to conceal what it
were right to leave unsaid, but things fit and unfit to be spoken, he says
all alike, not putting the hearers but himself to shame. As then we get out
of the way of those that vomit, so let us from those who are angry. Let us
cast dust upon their vomit: By doing what?[2] By holding our peace: let us
call the dogs to eat up the vomit. I know that ye are disgusted at hearing
this: but I wish you to feel this same disgust when ye see these things
take place, and not to be pleased at the thing. The abusive man is filthier
than the dog that returneth to its own vomit. For if indeed having vomited
once he were done with it, he would not be like that dog: but if he vomits
the same things again, it is plain that he does so from having eaten the
same again. What then is more abominable than such an one? What filthier
than that mouth which chews such food? And yet this is a work of nature,
but the other not or rather both the one and the other are contrary to
nature. How? Since it is not according to nature to be causelessly abusive,
but against nature: he speaks nothing then like a man, but part as beast,
part as madman. As then the disease of the body is contrary to nature, so
also is this. And to show that it is contrary to nature, if he shall
continue in it, he will perish by little and little: but if he continue in
that which is natural, he will not perish. I had rather sit at table with a
man who eats dirt, than with one who speaks such words. See ye not the
swine devouring dung? So also do these. For what is more stinking than the
words which abusive men utter? It is their study to speak nothing
wholesome, nothing pure, but whatever is base, whatever is unseemly, that
they study both to do and say: and what is worse, they think to disgrace
others, while they in fact are disgracing themselves. For that it is
themselves they disgrace is plain. For, leaving out of the question those
who speak lies (in their railings), say it be some notorious harlot, or
even from the stage some other (abandoned creature), and let that person be
having a fight with some other person: then let the latter cast this up to
the former (what she or he is), and the former retort upon the latter the
same reproach: which of them is most damaged by the words? For[1] the
former is but called what in fact he or she is, which is not the case with
the other: so that the first gets nothing more in the way of shame (than
there was before), while to the other there accrues a great accession of
disgrace. But again, let there be some hidden actions (mod. text
eirgasmena "which have been done"), and let only the person abusing know
of them: then, holding his peace until now, let him openly parade
(ekpompeue'tw) the reproach: even so, he himself is more disgraced than
the other. How? by making himself the herald of the wickedness, so[2]
getting for himself either the  imputation of not being privy to any such
thing, or the character of one not fit to be trusted. And you shall see all
men forthwith accuse him: "If indeed he had been privy to a murder being
done, he ought to have revealed it all:" and so they regard him with
aversion as not human even, they hate him, they say he is a wild beast,
fierce and cruel: while the other they pardon much rather than him. For we
do not so much hate those that have wounds, as those that compel one to
uncover and show them. Thus that man has not only disgraced the other, but
himself as well and his hearers, and the common nature of men: he has
wounded the hearer, done no good. For this reason Paul says: "If there be
any word that is good for edifying, that it may minister grace unto the
hearers." (Eph. iv. 29.) Let us get a tongue speaking only good things,
that we may be lovely and amiable. But indeed, everything is come to that
pitch of wickedness, that many boast of the very things, for which they
should hide their faces. For the threats of the many are of this kind:
"thou canst not bear my tongue," say they. Words, these, worthy only of a
woman, of an abandoned drunken old hag, one of those that are dragged (to
punishment)[3] in the forum, a procuress. Nothing more shameful than these
words, nothing more unmanly, more womanlike, than to have your strength in
the tongue, and to think great things of yourself because you can rail,
just like the fellows in processions, like the buffoons, parasites, and
flatterers. Swine they are rather than men, who pride themselves upon this.
Whereas you should (sooner) have buried yourself, and if another gave you
this character, should recoil from the charge as odious and unmanly,
instead of that you have made yourself the herald of (your own) disgrace
(hu`brewn). But you will not be able to hurt him you speak ill of.
Wherefore I beseech you, considering how the wickedness is come to such a
height, that many boast of it, let us return to our senses, let us recover
those who are thus mad, let us take away these councils[4] out of the city,
let us make our tongue gracious, let us rid it of all evil speaking, that
being clean from sins, we may be able to draw down upon us the good-will
from above, and to have mercy vouchsafed unto us from God, through the
grace and compassion of His only-begotten Son, with Whom to the Father,
together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, might, honor, now and ever, world
without end. Amen.

HOMILY XXXII: ACTS XV. 1.

"And certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren, and said,
Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved."

   Mark[1] how at every step of the right progress in respect of the
Gentiles, the beginning is brought in as matter of necessity. Before this
(Peter) being found fault with, justified himself, and said all that he
said in the' tone of apology, which was what made his words acceptable:
then, the Jews having turned away, upon this (Paul) came to the Gentiles.
Here again, seeing another extravagance coming in, upon this (the apostle)
enacts the law. For as it is likely that they, as being taught of God,
discoursed to all indifferently, this moved to jealousy them of the Jews
(who had believed). And they did not merely speak of circumcision, but they
said, Ye cannot even be saved. Whereas the very opposite to this was the
case, that receiving circumcision they could not be saved. Do you mark how
closely the trials succeed each other, from within, from without? It is
well ordered too, that this happens when Paul is present, that he may
answer them. "When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and
disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain
other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about
this question." (v. 2.) And Paul does not say, What? Have I not a right to
be believed after so many signs? but he complied for their sakes. "And
being brought on their way by the  Church, they passed through Phenice and
Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great
joy unto all the brethren." (v. 3.) And observe, the consequence is that
all the Samaritans also, learn what has come to the Gentiles: and they
rejoiced. "And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the
Church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that
God had done with them." (v. 4.) See what a providence is here! "But there
rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That
it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of
Moses. And the apostles and elders came together to consider of this
matter. And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up and said unto
them, Men and brethren, ye know how that of old days God made choice among
us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the Gospel, and
believe." (v. 5-7.) Observe Peter from the first standing aloof
(kechwrisme'non) from the affair, and even to this time judaizing. And
yet (says he)" ye know." (ch. x. 45; xi, 2.) Perhaps those were present who
of old found fault with him in the matter of Cornelius, and went in with
him (on that occasion): for this reason he brings them forward as
witnesses. "From old days," he says, "did choose among you." What means,
"Among  you?" Either, in Palestine, or, you being present. "By my mouth."
Observe how he shows that it was God speaking by him, and no human
utterance. "And God, that knoweth the hearts, gave testimony unto them:" he
refers them to the spiritual testimony: "by giving them the Holy Ghost even
as unto us." (v. 8.) Everywhere he puts the Gentiles upon a thorough
equality. "And put no difference between us and them, having purified their
hearts by faith." (v. 9.) From faith alone, he says, they obtained the same
gifts. This is also meant as a lesson to those (objectors); this is able to
teach even them that faith only is needed, not works nor circumcision. For
indeed they do not say all this only by way of apology for the Gentiles,
but to teach (the Jewish believers) also to abandon the Law. However, at
present this is not said. "Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke
upon the neck of the disciples?" (v. 10.) What means, "Tempt ye God?" As if
He had not power to save by faith. Consequently, it proceeds from a want of
faith, this bringing in the Law. Then he shows that they themselves were
nothing benefited by it, and he turns the whole (stress of his speech)
against the Law, not against them, and (so) cuts short the accusation of
them: "which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear. But we believe
that through the grace of the Lord Jesus we shall be saved, even as they."
(v. 11.) How full of power these words! The same that Paul says at large in
the Epistle to the Romans, the same says Peter here. "For if Abraham," says
(Paul), "was justified by works, he hath whereof to glory, but not before
God." (Rom. iv. 2.) Do you perceive that all this is more a lesson for them
than apology for the Gentiles? However, if he had spoken this without a
plea for speaking, he[1] would have been suspected: an occasion having
offered, he lays hold of it, and speaks out fearlessly. See on all
occasions how the designs of their foes are made to work with them. If
those had not stirred the question, these things would not have been
spoken, nor what follows.[*] (Recapitulation.) (b) But[2] let us look more
closely at what has been said. "And certain men," etc. In Jerusalem, then,
there were not any believers from among the Gentiles: but in Antioch of
course there were. Therefore[3] there came down certain yet laboring under
this disease of the love of rule, and wishing to have those of the Gentiles
attached to them. And yet Paul, though he too was learned in the Law, was
not thus affected. "When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small
disputation with them," etc. (v. 2.) But when he returned from thence, the
doctrine also became more exact. For if they at Jerusalem enjoin no such
thing, much more these (have no right to do so). "And being brought on
their way," etc, "they caused no small joy to the brethren." (v. 3.) Do you
mark, as many as are not enamoured of rule, rejoiced in their believing? It
was no ambitious feeling that prompted their recitals, neither was it for
display, but in justification of the preaching to the Gentiles. (v. 4.)
Thus they say nothing of what had happened in the matter of the Jews.[4]
"But there arose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed,"
etc. (v. 5.) (a) But even if they would needs bring over the Gentiles to
their side, they learn that neither must the Apostles overlook it.[5] "And
the Apostles and eiders," etc. (v. 6.) "Among us," he says, "God chose:"
and "from old days:" long ago, he says, not now. And[6] this too is no
small point--at a time when Jews believed, not turned away (from the
Gospel). "Among us;" an argument from the place: "of old days," from the
time. And that expression, "Chose:" just as in their own case[7] he says
not, (so) willed it, but, "Chose that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear
the word of the Gospel and believe." Whence is this proved? From the
Spirit. Then he shows that the testimony given them is not of grace merely,
but of their virtue. "And God which knoweth the hearts bare them witness"
(v. 8); having afforded to them nothing less (than to us), for, he says,"
Put no difference between us and them." (v. 9.) Why then, hearts are what
one must everywhere look to.[1] And it is very appositely said, "God that
knoweth the hearts bare them witness:" as in the former instance, "Thou,
Lord, that knowest the hearts of all men." (ch. i. 24.) For to show that
this is the meaning, observe what he adds, "Put no difference between us
and them." When he has mentioned the testimony borne to them, then he
utters that great word, the same which Paul speaks, "Neither circumcision
availeth anything, nor uncircumcision." (1 Cor. vii, 19.) "That he may make
the twain one in Himself." (Eph. ii. 5.) Of all these the seeds lie in
Peter's discourse. And he does not say (between) them of the circumcision,
but "Between us," that is the Apostles, "and them." Then, that the
expression, "no difference" may not seem an outrage, After faith, he says--
"Having purified their hearts by faith" (v. 10)-He thoroughly cleansed them
first.[2] Then he shows, not that the Law was evil, but themselves weak.--
"But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus we shall be saved
even as they." (v. 11.) Mark how he ends with a fearful consideration.
He[3] does not discourse to them from the Prophets, but from things
present, of which themselves were witnesses. Of course[4] (the Prophets)
also themselves anon add their testimony (infra v. 15), and make the reason
stronger by what has now come to pass. And observe, he first permits the
question to be moved in the Church, and then speaks. "And put no difference
between"--he said  not, them of the circumcision, but "us and them," i.e.
the Gentiles: for[5] this (gradual advance) little by little is stronger.
"Why therefore tempt ye God?" who is become (the) God of the Gentiles: far
this was tempting:[6] * * * whether He is able to save even after the Law.
See what he does. He shows that they are in danger. For if, what the Law
could not do, faith had power to do, "we believe that through the grace of
the Lord Jesus we shall be saved even as they" (comp. Gal. ii. 16): but
faith falling off, behold, themselves (are) in destruction. And he did not
say, Why do ye disbelieve? which was more harsh, but, "Tempt God," and that
when the fact is demonstrated.

   (c) Great effrontery this, of the Pharisees, that even after faith they
set up the Law, and will not obey the Apostles. But see these, how mildly
they speak, and not in the tone of authority: such words are amiable, and
more apt to fix themselves in the mind. Observe, it is nowhere a display of
words, but demonstration by facts, by the Spirit. And yet, though they have
such proofs, they still speak gently. And observe they[7] do not come
accusing those at Antioch, but "declaring all things that God had done with
them:" (v. 4) but thence again these men lay hold upon the occasion (to
compass their own objects), "but there rose up," etc. (v. 1.) Such were the
pains they took in their love of power: and it was not with the knowledge
of the Apostles that they Paul and Barnabas were blamed. But still they
brought forward none of these charges: but when they have proved the
matter, then (the Apostles) write in stronger terms. For gentleness[8] is
everywhere a great good: gentleness, I say, not stupid indifference;
gentleness, not adulation: for between these there is a vast difference.
Nothing ruffled Paul, nothing discomposed Peter. When thou hast convincing
proofs, why lose thy temper, to render these of none effect? It is
impossible for one who is out of temper ever to persuade. Yesterday also we
discoursed about anger; but there is no reason why we should not to-day
also; perchance a second exhortation coming directly after the first will
effect somewhat. For indeed a medicine though of virtue to heal a wound,
unless it be constantly renewed, mars all. And think not that our continual
discoursing about the same things is a condemning of you: for if we
condemned you, we should not discourse; but now, hoping that you will gain
much, we speak these things. Would indeed that we did speak constantly of
the same things: would that there were no other subject of our discourses,
than how we might overcome our passions. For is it not contrary to all
reason, that while emperors, living in luxury and so great honor, have no
subject of discourse either while sitting at table, or at any other time,
save only how to overcome their enemies[1]--and therefore it is that they
hold their assemblies each day, and appoint generals and soldiers, and
demand taxes and tributes; and that of all state affairs, the moving causes
are these two, the overcoming of those who make war upon them, and the
establishing of their subjects in peace--we have no mind for such themes as
this, nor ever even dream of conversing upon them: but how we may buy land,
or purchase slaves, and make our property greater, these are subjects we
can talk about every day, and never be tired of them: while concerning
things in ourselves and really our own, we neither wish to speak ourselves,
nor so much as dream of tolerating advice, nor of enduring to hear others
speaking about them? But answer me, what do you talk about? About dinner?
Why that is a subject for cooks. Of money? Nay, that is a theme for
hucksters and merchants. Of buildings? That belongs to carpenters and
builders. Of land? That talk is for husbandmen. But for us, there is no
other proper business, save this, how we may make wealth for the soul. Then
let not the discourse be wearisome to you. Why is it that none finds fault
with the physician for always discoursing of the healing art, nor with
people of other crafts for talking about their peculiar arts? If indeed the
mastery over our passions were really achieved, so that there were no need
of putting us in mind, we might reasonably be taxed with ambition and
display: or rather, not then either. For even if it were gained, for all
that, there would be need of discoursing, that one might not relapse and
remain uncorrected: as in fact physicians discourse not only to the sick,
but also to the whole, and they have books on this subject, on the one part
how to free from disease, on the other how to preserve health. So that even
if we are well, still we must not give over, but must do all in order to
the preserving of our health. And when we are sick there is a twofold
necessity for advice: first, that we may be freed from the disease;
secondly, that having been freed, we may not fall into it again. Well then,
we are discoursing now by the method of treating the sick, not by the rules
for the treatment of the healthy.

    How then may one root out this evil passion? how subdue
(huposkeli'seie) this violent fever? Let us see whence it had its birth,
and let us remove the cause. Whence is it wont to arise? From arrogance and
much haughtiness. This cause then let us remove, and the disease is removed
together with it. But what is arrogance? whence does it arise? for perhaps
we are likely to have to go back to a still higher origin. But whatever
course the reason of the thing may point out, that let us take, that we may
go to the bottom of the mischief, and pluck it up by the roots. Whence then
comes arrogance? From our not looking into our own concerns, but instead of
that, busying ourselves about the nature of land, though we are not
husbandmen, and the nature of gold, though we are not merchants, and
concerning clothing, and everything else: while to ourselves and our own
nature we never look at all. And who, you will say, is ignorant of his own
nature? Many: perhaps all, save a few: and if ye will, I will show the
proof of it. For, tell me, what is man? If one were asked, will he be able
to answer outright to the questions, In what he differs from the brutes, in
what he is akin to the heavenly inhabitants, what can be made of man? For
as in the case of any other material, so also in this case: man is the
subject-matter, but of this can be made either an angel or a beast. Does
not this seem a strange saying? And yet ye have often heard it in the
Scriptures. For of certain human beings it was said, "he is the angel of
the Lord" (Mal. ii. 7): and "from his lips," saith it, "they shall seek
judgment" (Mal. iii. 1): and again, "I send My angel before Thy face:" but
of some, "Serpents, generation of vipers." (Matt. xii. 34.) So then, it all
depends upon the use. Why do I say, an angel? the man can become God, and a
child of God. For we read, "I have said, Ye are gods, and all of you are
children of the Most High." (Ps. lxxxii. 6.) And what is greater, the power
to become both God and angel and child of God is put into his own hands.
Yea, so it is, man can be the maker of an angel. Perchance this saying has
startled you? Hear however Christ saying: "In the Resurrection they neither
marry nor are given in marriage, but are like unto the angels." (Matt.
xxii. 30.) And again, "He that is able to receive it, let him receive it."
(Matt. xix. 12.) In a word, it is virtue which makes angels: but this is in
our power: therefore we are able to make angels, though not in nature,
certainly in will. For indeed if virtue be absent, it is no advantage to be
an angel by nature; and the Devil is a proof of this, who was an angel
once: but if virtue be present, it is no loss to be a man by nature; and
John is a proof of this, who was a man, and Elias who went up into heaven,
and all those who are about to depart thither. For these indeed, though
with bodies, were not prevented from dwelling in heaven: while those
others, though without bodies, could not remain in heaven. Let no one then
grieve or be vexed with his nature as if it were a hindrance to him, but
with his will. He (the Devil) from being incorporeal became a lion: for lo!
it saith, "Our adversary, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he
may devour (1 Pet. v. 8): we from being corporeal, become angels. For just
as if a person, having found some precious material, should despise it, as
not being an artificer, it will be a great loss to him, whether it be
pearls, or a pearl shell, or any other such thing that he has seen; so we
likewise, if we are ignorant of our own nature, shall despise it much: but
if we know what it is, we shall exhibit much zeal, and reap the greatest
profits. For from this nature is wrought a king's robe, from this a king's
house, from this nature are fashioned a king's members: all are kingly. Let
us not then misuse our own nature to our hurt. He has made us "a little
lower than the angels," (Ps. viii. 5), I mean, by reason of death: but even
that little we have now recovered. There is nothing therefore to hinder us
from becoming nigh to the angels, if we will. Let us then will it, let us
will it, and having exercised ourselves thoroughly, let us return honor to
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, world without
end, Amen.

HOMILY XXXIII: ACTS XV. 13, 15.

"And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and
brethren, hearken unto me: Symeon hath declared how God at the first did
visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. And to this
agree the words of the prophets."

   This (James) was bishop, as they say, and therefore he speaks last, and
herein is fulfilled that saying, "In the mouth of two or three witnesses
shall every word be established." (Deut. xvii. 6; Matt. xviii. 16.) But
observe the discretion shown by him also, in making his argument good from
the prophets, both new and old.[1] For he had no acts of his own to
declare, as Peter had and Paul. And indeed it is wisely ordered that this
(the active) part is assigned to those, as not intended. to be locally
fixed in Jerusalem, whereas (James) here, who performs the part of teacher,
is no way responsible for what has been done, while however he is not
divided from them in opinion.[*] (b) "Men and brethren," he says, "hearken
unto me." Great is the moderation of the man. His also is a more complete
oration, as indeed it puts the completion to the matter under discussion.
(a) "Symeon," he says, "declared:" (namely,) in Luke, in that he
prophesied, "Which Thou hast prepared before the face of all nations, a
light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel."[1]
(c) "How God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a
people for His Name." (Luke ii. 25.) Then, since that (witness), though[2]
from the time indeed he was manifest, yet had not authority by reason of
his not being ancient, therefore he produces ancient prophecy also, saying,
"And to this agree the words of the Prophets, as it is written: After this
I wilt return, and will build again the tabernacle of David which is fallen
down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up." (v.
16.) What? was Jerusalem raised up? Was it not rather thrown down? What[3]
sort of raising up does he call that which took place after the return from
Babylon? "That the residue of men," he says, "may seek the Lord, even all
the Gentiles upon whom My Name is called." (v. 17.) Then, what makes his
word authoritative--"Saith the Lord, which doeth all these things:" and,
for that this is no new thing, but all was planned from the beginning,
"Known unto God are all His works from everlasting."[*] (v. 18.) And then
again his authority (kai` to` axi'wma pa'lin) (as Bishop):
"Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble  not them, which from among the
Gentiles are turned to God: but that we write unto them, that they abstain
from pollution of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled,
and from blood. For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach
him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day." (v. 19-21.) Since[4]
then they had heard of the Law, with good reason he enjoins these things
from the Law, that he may not seem to make it of no authority. And (yet)
observe how he does not let them be told these things from the Law, but
from himself, saying, It is not that I heard these things from the Law, but
how? "We have judged." Then the decree is made in common. "Then pleased it
the Apostles and elders, together with the whole Church, to choose men of
their own company"--do you observe they do not merely enact these matters,
and nothing more?--"and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas:
namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:
and they wrote letters by them after this manner." (v. 22.) And observe,
the more to authenticate the decree, they send men of their own, that there
may be no room for regarding Paul and his company with suspicion. "The
Apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are
of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia." (v. 23.) And mark[5]
with what forbearance of all harsh vituperation of those (brethren) they
indite their epistle. "Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went
out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye
must be circumcised, and keep the Law: to whom we gave no such
commandment." (v. 24.) Sufficient was this charge against the temerity of
those men, and worthy of the Apostles' moderation, that they said nothing
beyond this. Then to show that they do not act despotically, that all are
agreed in this, that with deliberation they write this--"It seemed good to
us, being assembled with one accord, to send men of ours whom we have
chosen" (v. 25)--then, that it may not look like disparagement of Paul and
Barnabas, that those men are sent, observe the encomium passed upon them--
"together with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men that have hazarded their
lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have sent therefore Judas
and Silas; who shall also tell you the same things by mouth. For it seemed
good to the Holy Spirit and to us"--it is not man's doing, it says--"to lay
upon you no greater burden"--again it calls the Law a burden: then
apologizing even for these injunctions--"save these necessary things" (v.
26-28): "That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and
from things strangled, and from fornication from which if ye keep
yourselves, ye shall do well. (v. 29.) For these things the New Testament
did not enjoin: we nowhere find that Christ discoursed about these matters;
but these things they take from the Law. "From things strangled," it says,
"and from blood." here it prohibits murder. (Comp. Gen. ix. 5.) "So when
they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the
multitude together, they delivered the epistle: which when they had read,
they rejoiced for the consolation." (v. 30-31.) Then those (brethren) also
exhorted them: and having established them, for towards Paul they were
contentiously disposed, so departed from them in peace. "And Judas and
Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many
words, and confirmed them And after they had tarried there a space, they
were let go in peace from the brethren unto  the Apostles." (v. 32-33.) No
more factions and fightings, but thenceforth Paul taught.[1]

   (Recapitulation.) "Then all the multitude kept silence," etc. (v. 12.)
There was no arrogance in the Church. After Peter Paul speaks, and none
silences him: James waits patiently, not starts up[2] (for the next word).
Great the orderliness (of the proceedings). No word speaks John here, no
word the other Apostles, but held their peace, for James was invested with
the chief rule, and think it no hardship. So clean was their soul from love
of glory. "And after that they had held their peace, James answered," etc.
(v. 13.) (b) Peter indeed spoke more strongly, but James here more mildly:
for thus it behooves one in high authority, to leave what is unpleasant for
others  to say, while he himself appears in the milder part. (a) But what
means it, "How God first (prw^ton) did visit?" (v. 14.) (It means) from
the beginning (ex archh^s).[3] (c) Moreover he well says," Symeon
expounded" (exhgh'sato) (or, interpreted), implying that he too spake
the mind of others. "And to this agree," etc. Observe how he shows that
this is a doctrine of old time. "To take out of the Gentiles," he says, "a
people for His Name." (v. 15.) Not simply, Chose, but, "for His Name," that
is for His glory. His Name is not shamed by the taking (prolh'psei) the
Gentiles first, but it is even a greater glory.--Here some even great thing
is hinted at: that these are chosen before all.[4] "After this I will
return, and rebuild the tabernacle of David which is fallen down." (v. 16.)
But if one would look into the matter closely, the kingdom of David does in
fact now stand, his Offspring reigning everywhere. For what is the good of
the buildings and the city, with none obeying there? And what is the harm
arising from the destruction of the city, when all are willing to give
their very souls? There is that come which is more illustrious than David:
in all parts of the world is he now sung. This has come to pass: if so,
then must this also come to pass, "And I will build again the ruins
thereof, and I will set it up:" to what end? "that the residue of men may
seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom My Name is called." (v. 17.)
If then it was to this end that the city rose again (namely) because of Him
(that was to come) of them, it shows that of the building of the city the
cause is, the calling of the Gentiles. Who are "the residue?" those who are
then left.[5] "And all the Gentiles, upon whom My Name is called:" but
observe, how he keeps the due order, and brings them in second. "Saith the
Lord, which doeth these things." Not "saith" (only), but "doeth." Why then,
it was God's work.--"But the question is other than this (namely), what
Peter spoke more plainly, whether they must be circumcised. Then why dost
thou harangue about these matters?" For what the objectors asserted, was
not that they must not be received upon believing, but that it must be with
the Law. And upon this Peter well pleaded: but then, as this very thing
above all others troubled the hearers, therefore he sets this to rights
again (therapeu'ei). And observe, that which was needful to be enacted
as a rule, that it is not necessary to keep the Law, this Peter introduced:
but the milder part,[1] the truth which was received of old, this James
saith, and dwells upon that concerning which nothing is[2] written, in
order that having soothed their minds by that which is acknowledged, he may
opportunely introduce this likewise. "Wherefore," saith he, "my sentence
is, not to trouble them which from among the Gentiles do turn unto God"
'(v. 19), that is, not to subvert: for, if God called them, and these
observances subvert, we fight against God. And[3] again, "them which from
the Gentiles," he saith, "do turn." And he says well, with authority, the
"my sentence is. But that we write unto them that they abstain from
pollutions of idols, and from fornication"--(b) and yet they often insisted
upon these points in discoursing to them[4]--but, that he may seem also to
honor the Law (he mentions), these also, speaking (however) not as from
Moses but from the Apostles, and to make the commandments many, he has
divided the one into two (saying), "and from things strangled, and from
blood." (v. 20.) For these, although relating to the body, were necessary
to be observed, because (these things) caused great evils, "For Moses hath
of old times in every city," etc. (v. 21.) This above all quieted them.
(ane'pausen) (a) For this cause I affirm that it is good (so "to write
to them.") Then why do we not write the same injunctions to Jews also?
Moses discourses unto them. See what condescension (to their weakness)!
Where it did no harm, he set him up as teacher, and indulged them with a
gratification which hindered nothing, by permitting Jews to hear him in
regard of these matters, even while leading away from him them of the
Gentiles. See what wisdom! He seems to honor him, and to set him up as the
authority for his own people, and by this very thing he leads away the
Gentiles from him![*] "Being read in the synagogues every sabbath day."
Then why do they not learn (what is to be learnt) out of him, for instance
* * ?[5] Through the perversity of these men. He shows that even these (the
Jews) need observe no more (than these necessary thing's). And if we do not
write to them, it is not that they are bound to observe anything more, but
only that they have one to tell them. And he does not say, Not to offend,
nor to turn them back,[1] which is what Paul said to the Galatians, but,
"not to trouble them:" he shows that the point (kato'rthwma) if carried
is nothing but a mere troubling. Thus he made an end of the whole
matter;[2] and while he seems to preserve the Law by adopting these rules
from it, he unbinds it by taking only these. (c)[3] There was a design of
Providence in the disputation also, that after the disputation the doctrine
might be more firm. "Then pleased it the Apostles to send chosen men of
their own company," etc., no ordinary persons, but the "leading men; having
written" (letters) "by them after this manner. To those in Antioch," it
says, "and Syria and Cilicia." (v. 22, 23) where the disease had its birth.
Observe how they say nothing harsher (phortikw'teron) against those men,
but look to one thing only, namely, to undo (the mischief) which has been
done. For this would make even the movers of the faction there to confess
(that they were wrong). They do not say, The seducers, the pestilent
fellows, or suchlike: though where need is, Paul does this, as when he
says, "O full of all guile" (ch. xiii. 10): but here, the point being
carried, there was no need. And observe, they do not put it, That certain
from us ordered you to keep the Law, but, "Troubled you with words,
subverting your souls,"--nothing could be more proper (kuriw'teron) than
that word: none (of the other speakers) has so spoken of the things done by
those men. "The souls," he says, already strongly established, these
persons are anascheua'zontes as in speaking of a building, "taking them
down again:" displacing them (metatithe'ntes) from the foundation).[4]
"To whom," he says, "we gave no such commandment. It seemed good therefore
to us being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you together
with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men that have hazarded their lives for
the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (v. 25, 26.) If "beloved," they will
not despise them, if they "have hazarded their lives," they have themselves
a right to be believed. "We have sent," it saith, "Judas and Silas, who
shall also tell you the same things by word of mouth." (v. 27.) For it was
necessary that there should be not merely the Epistle there by itself, lest
they should say that Paul and Barnabas had suppressed a (the real purport),
that they said one thing instead of another. The encomium passed upon Paul
stopped their mouths. For this is the reason why neither Paul comes alone
nor Barnabas (with him), but others also from the Church; that he may not
be suspected, seeing it was he that advocated that doctrine: nor yet those
from Jerusalem alone. It shows that they have a right to be believed. "For
it seemed good," say they, "to the Holy Ghost and to us" (v. 28): not
making themselves equal (to Him[6])--they are not so mad. But why does it
put this (so)? Why did they add, "And to us," and yet it had sufficed to
say, "To the Holy Ghost?" The one, "To the Holy Ghost," that they may not
deem it to be of man; the other, "To us," that they may be taught that they
also themselves admit (the Gentiles), although themselves being in
circumcision. They have to speak to men who are still weak and afraid of
them: this is the reason why this also is added. And it shows that it is
not by way of condescension that they speak, neither because they spared
them, nor as considering them weak, but the contrary; for great was the
reverence of the teachers also? "To lay upon you no greater burden "--
they[1] are ever calling it a burden--and again, "save these necessary
things:" for that was a superfluous burden. See here a brief Epistle, with
nothing more in it (than was needed), neither arts of persuasion
(kataskeua`s) nor reasonings, but simply a command: for it was the
Spirit's legislating. "So when they were dismissed they came to Antioch,
and having gathered the multitude together, they delivered to them the
epistle." (v. 30.) After the epistle, then (Judas and Silas) also
themselves exhort them by word (v. 31): for this also was needful, that
(Paul and Barnabas) might be quit of all suspicion. "Being prophets also
themselves," it says, exhorted the brethren "with many words." It shows
here the right that Paul and Barnabas have to be believed. For Paul also
might have done this, but it behooved to be done by these.[2] "And after
they had tarried there a space, they were let go in peace. (v. 33.)

   No[3] more faction. On this occasion, I suppose, it was that they
received the right hand, as he says himself, "They gave to me and Barnabas
right hands of fellowship." (Gal. ii. 9.) There he says, "They added
nothing to me."[*] (ib. 6.) For they confirmed his view: they praised and
admired it.--It shows that even from human reasonings it is possible to see
this, not to say from the Holy Ghost only, that they sinned a sin not easy
to be corrected. For such things need not the Spirit.--It shows that the
rest are not necessary, but superfluous. seeing these things are necessary.
"From which if ye keep yourselves," it saith, "ye shall do well." It shows
that nothing is lacking to them, but this is sufficient. For it might have
been done also without letters, but that there may be a law in writing
(they send this Epistle): again, that they may obey the law (the Apostles),
also told those men (the same things), and they did this, "and confirmed
them, and having tarried a space were let go in peace."

   Let us not then be offended on account of the heretics. For look, here
at the very outset of the preaching, how many offences there were: I speak
not of those which arose from them that were without; for these were
nothing: but of the offences which were within. For instance, first
Ananias, then the "murmuring," then Simon the sorcerer; afterwards they
that accused Peter on account of Cornelius, next the famine,[4] lastly this
very thing, the chief of the evils. For indeed it is impossible when any
good thing has taken place, that some evil should not also subsist along
with it. Let us not then be disturbed, if certain are offended, but let us
thank God even for this, because it makes us more approved. For not
tribulations only, but even temptations also render us more illustrious. A
man is no such great lover of the truth, only for holding to it when there
is none to lead him astray from it: to hold fast to the truth when many are
drawing him away, this makes the proved man. What then? Is this why
offences come? I am not speaking as if God were the author of them: God
forbid! but I mean, that even out of their wickedness He works good to us:
it was never His wish that they should arise: "Grant to them," He saith,
"that they may be one" (John xvii. 21): but since offences do come, they
are no hurt, to these, but even a benefit: just as the persecutors
unwillingly benefit the Martyrs by dragging them to martyrdom, and yet they
are not driven to this by God; just so is it here. Let us not look (only at
this), that men are offended: this very thing is itself a proof of the
excellence of the doctrine--that many stimulate and counterfeit it: for it
would not be so, if it were not good. And this I will now show, and make on
all hands plain to you. Of perfumes, the fragrant spices are they which
people adulterate and counterfeit; as, for instance, the amomum leaf. For
because these are rare and of necessary use, therefore there come to be
spurious imitations likewise. Nobody would care to counterfeit any common
article. The pure life gets many a false pretender to it: no man would care
to counterfeit the man of vicious life; no, but the man of monastic life.--
What then shall we say to the heathen? There comes a heathen and says, "I
wish to become a Christian, but I know not whom to join: there is much
fighting and faction among you, much confusion: which doctrine am I to
choose?" How shall we answer him? "Each of you" (says he) "asserts, 'I
speak the truth.'" (b) No[1] doubt: this is in our favor. For if we told
you to be persuaded by arguments, you might well be perplexed: but if we
bid you believe the Scriptures, and these are simple and true, the decision
is easy for you. If any agree with the Scriptures, he is the Christian; if
any fight against them, he is far from this rule. (a) "But which am I to
believe, knowing as I do nothing at all of the Scriptures? The others also
allege the same thing for themselves. What then (c)if the other come, and
say that the Scripture has this, and you that it has something different,
and ye interpret the Scriptures diversely, dragging their sense (each his
own way)?" And you then, I ask, have you no understanding, no judgment?
"And how should I be able (to decide)," says he, "I who do not even know
how to judge of your doctrines? I wish to become a learner, and you are
making me forthwith a teacher." If he say this, what, say you, are we to
answer him? How shall we persuade him? Let us ask whether all this be not
mere pretence and subterfuge. Let us ask whether he has decided
(kate'gnwke) against the heathen (that they are wrong). The fact[2] he
will assuredly affirm, for of course, if he had not so decided, he would
not have come to (enquire about) our matters let us ask the grounds on
which he has decided, for to be sure he has not settled the matter out of
hand. Clearly he will say, "Because (their gods) are creatures, and are not
the uncreated God." Good. If then he find this in the other parties
(haire'seis), but among us the contrary, what argument need we? We all
confess that Christ is God. But let us see who fight (against this truth),
and who not. Now we, affirming Him to be God speak of Him things worthy of
God, that He hath power, that He is not a slave, that He is free, that He
doeth of Himself: whereas the other says the reverse. Again I ask: if you
would learn (to be) a physician,[3] * * *? And yet among them are many
(different) doctrines. For if you accept without more ado just what you are
told, this is not acting like a man: but if you have judgment and sense,
you shall assuredly know what is good. We affirm the Son to be God, we
verify (epalhtheu'omen) what we affirm: but they affirm indeed, but (in
fact) confess not.--But[4] to mention (something) even plainer: those have
certain persons from whom they are called, openly showing the name of the
heresiarch himself, and each heresy in like manner: with us, no man has
given us a name, but the faith itself. However, this (talk of yours) is
mere pretence and subterfuge. For answer me: how is it that if you would
buy a cloak, though ignorant of the art of weaving, you do not speak such
words as these--"I do not know how to buy; they cheat me"--but do all you
can to learn, and so whatever else it be that you would buy: but here you
speak these words? For at this rate, you will accept nothing at all. For
let there be one that has no (religious) doctrine whatever: if he should
say what you say about the Christians--"There is inch a multitude of men,
and they have different doctrines; this a heathen, that a Jew, the other a
Christian: no need to accept any doctrine whatever, for they are at
variance one with another; but I am a learner, and do not wish to be a
judge"[5]--but if you have yielded (so far as) to pronounce against
(kataginw'skein) one doctrine, this pretext no longer has place for you.
For just as you were able to reject the spurious, so here also, having
come, you shall be able to prove what is profitable. For he that has not
pronounced against any doctrine at all, may easily say this: but he that
has pronounced against any, though he have chosen none, by going on in the
same way, will be able to see what he ought to do. Then let us not make
pretexts and excuses, and all will be easy. For, to show you that all this
is mere excuse, answer me this: Do you know what you ought to do, and what
to leave undone? Then why do you not what you ought? Do that, and by right
reason seek of God, and He will assuredly reveal it to thee. "God," it
saith, "is no respecter of persons, but in every nation he that feareth
Him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with Him." (ch. x. 34, 35.) It
cannot be that he who hears without prejudice should not be persuaded. For
just as, if there were a rule, by which everything behooved to be put
straight, it would not need much consideration, but it would be easy to
detect the person who measures falsely (to`n parametrou^nta
labei^n), SO is it here. "Then how is it they do not see it at a
glance?" Many things are the cause of this: both preconceived opinion, and
human causes: (aiti'ai). The others, say you, say the same thing about
us. How? For are we separated from the Church? have we our heresiarchs? Are
we called after men--as one of them has Marcion,[1] another Manichaeeus, a
third Arius, for the author and leader (of his sect)? Whereas if we
likewise do receive an appellation from any man, we do not take them that
have been the authors of some heresy, but men that presided over us, and
governed the Church. We have no "masters upon the earth"--God forbid--we
have "One Master that is in heaven." (Matt. xxiii. 9, 10.) "And those
also," says he, "say the same." But there stands the name set over them,
accusing them, and stopping their mouths.--How"[2] is it, there have been
many heathen, and none of them asked these questions: and among the
philosophers there were these (differences), and yet none of those holding
the right party (hai'resin) was hindered (thereby)?--Why did not (those
believers) say, when (the others) raised these questions, "Both these and
those are Jews: which must we believe?" But they believed as they ought.
Then let us also obey the laws of God, and do all things according to His
good pleasure,[3] that having virtuously passed this life present, we may
be enabled to attain unto the good things promised to them that love Him,
by the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom to the Father
and the Holy Ghost together, be glory, dominion, honor, now and ever, world
without end. Amen.

HOMILY XXXIV: ACTS XV. 35.

"Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the
word of the Lord, with many others also."

   Observe again their humility, how they let others also take part in the
preaching. "And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again
and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the
Lord, and see how they do. And Barnabas determined to take with them John,
whose surname was Mark. But Paul thought not good (hhxi'ou see note[3],
p. 213) to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and
went not with them to the work. And the contention (or exasperation) was so
sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other." (v. 36-
39.) And already indeed Luke has described to us the character of the
Apostles,[4] that the one was more tender and indulgent, but this one more
strict and austere. For the gifts are diverse--(the gifts, I say), for that
this is a gift is manifest--but the one befitting one, the other another
set of characters, and if they change places, harm results instead of good.
(b) In the Prophets[5] too we find this: diverse minds, diverse characters:
for instance, Elias austere, Moses meek. So here Paul is more vehement. And
observe for all this, how gentle he is. "Thought not good," it says, "to
take him with them that had departed from them from Pamphylia." (a) And
there seems indeed to be exasperation (paroxusmo's), but in fact the
whole matter is a plan of the Divine Providence, that each should receive
his proper place: and it behooved that they should not be upon a par, but
the one should lead, and the other be led. "And so Barnabas took Mark, and
sailed unto Cyprus; and Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended
by the brethren unto the grace of God. And he went through Syria and
Cilicia, confirming the Churches." (v. 39-41.) And this also is a work of
Providence. For the Cyprians had exhibited nothing of the like sort as they
at Antioch and the rest: and those needed the softer character, but these
needed such a character as Paul's. "Which[1] then," say you, "did well? he
that took, or he that left?" * * * (c)For just as a general would not
choose to have a low person always to his baggage-bearer, so neither did
the Apostle. This corrected the other's, and instructed (Mark) himself.
"Then did Barnabas ill?" say you. "And how is it not amiss (a'topon),
that upon so small a matter there should arise so great an evil?" In the
first place then, no evil did come of it, if, sufficing each for whole
nations, they were divided the one from the other, but a great good. And
besides, they would not readily have chosen to leave each other. But
admire, I pray you, the writer, how he does not conceal this either. "But
at any rate," say you, "if they must needs part, let it be without
exasperation." Nay, but if nothing more, observe this, that in this too is
shown what was of man[2] (in the preaching of the Gospel). For if the like
behooved to be shown (even) in what Christ did, much more here. And
besides, the contention cannot be said to be evil, when each disputes for
such objects (as here) and with just reason. I grant you, if the
exasperation were in seeking his own, and contending for his own honor,
this might well be (reproved): but if wishing, both the one and the other,
to instruct and teach, the one took this way and the other that, what is
there to find fault with? For in many things they acted upon their human
judgment; for they were not stocks or stones. And observe how Paul
impeaches (Mark), and gives the reason. For of his exceeding humility, he
reverenced Barnabas, as having been partner with him in so great works, and
being with him: but still he did not so reverence him, as to overlook (what
was necessary). Now which of them advised best, it is not for us to
pronounce: but thus far (we may affirm), that it was a great arrangement of
Providence, if these[4] were to be vouchsafed a second visitation, but
those were not to be visited even once.[*]

   (a) "Teaching and preaching the word of the Lord." (v. 35.) They[5] did
not simply tarry in Antioch, but taught. What did they "teach," and what
"preach" (evangelize)? They both (taught) those that were already
believers, and (evangelized) those that were not yet such. "And some days
after," etc. (v. 36.) For because there were offences without number, their
presence was needed. (d) "How they do," he says. And this he did not know:
naturally. See him ever alert, solicitous, not bearing to sit idle, though
he underwent dangers without end. Do you mark, it was not of cowardice that
he came to Antioch? He acts just as a physician does in the case of the
sick. And the need of visiting them he showed by saying, "In which we
preached the word. And Barnabas determined," etc. (v. 37-40.) (So)
Barnabas[6] "departed, and went not With (him)." (b) The point to be
considered, is not that they differed in their opinions, but that they
accommodated themselves the one to the other (seeing), that thus it was a
greater good their being parted:[7] and the matter took a pretext from this
What then? did they withdraw in enmity? God forbid! In fact you see after
this Barnabas receiving many encomiums from Paul in the Epistles. There was
"sharp contention," it says, not enmity nor quarrelling. The contention
availed so far as to part them. "And Barnabas took Mark," etc. And with
reason: for what each supposed to be profitable, he did not forego[1]
thereafter, because of the fellowship with the other. Nay, it seems to me
that the parting took place advisedly (kata` su'nesin), and that they
said one to another "As I wish not, and thou wishest, therefore that we may
not fight, let us distribute the places." So that in fact they did this,
altogether yielding each to the other: for Barnabas wished Paul's plan to
stand, therefore withdrew; on the other hand, Paul wished the other's plan
to stand, therefore he withdrew. Would to God we too made such separations,
as to go forth for preaching. A wonderful man this is; and exceedingly
great! To Mark this contest was exceedingly beneficial. For the awe
inspired by Paul converted him, while the kindness of Barnabas caused that
he was not left behind: so that they contend indeed, but the gain comes to
one and the same end. For indeed, seeing Paul choosing to leave him, he
would be exceedingly awed, and would condemn himself, and seeing Barnabas
so taking his part, he would love him exceedingly: and so the disciple was
corrected by the contention of the teachers: so far was he from being
offended thereby. For if indeed they did this with a view to their own
honor, he might well be offended: but if for his salvation, and they
contend for one and the same object, to show that he who honored him * * *
had well determined,[2] what is there amiss (a'topon) in it?

   (e) "But Paul," it says, "departed, having chosen Silas, and being
commended to the grace of God." What is this? They prayed it says: they
besought God. See on all occasions how the prayer of the brethren can do
great things. And now he journeyed by land, wishing even by his journeying
to benefit those who saw (tou`s horw^ntas) him. For when indeed they
were in haste they sailed, but now not so. (c) "And he went through Syria
and Cilicia, confirming the Churches. Then came he to Derbe and Lystra."
(v. 41.) Mark the wisdom of Paul: he does not go to other cities before he
has visited them which had received the Word. For it is folly to run at
random. This let us also do: let us teach the first in the first place,
that these may not become an hindrance to them that are to come after.

   "And, behold a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of
a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a
Greek: which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and
Iconium. Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised
him because of the Jews which were in those quarters; for they knew all
that his father was a Greek." (ch. xvi. 1-3.) It is indeed amazing, the
wisdom of Paul! He that has had so many battles about circumcision, he that
moved all things to this end, and did not give over until he had carried
his point, now that the decree is made sure, circumcises the disciple. He
not only does not forbid others, but himself does this thing. (b) "Him," it
says, "he would have to go forth with him." And the wonder is this, that he
even took him unto him.[3] "Because of the Jews," it says, "which were in
those parts:" for they would not endure to hear the word from one
uncircumcised. (a) Nothing could be wiser. So that in all things he looked
to what was profitable: he did nothing upon his own preference
(prolh'psei). (c) And what (then)? Mark the success: he circumcised,
that he might take away circumcision: for he preached the decrees of the
Apostles. "And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the
decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the Apostles and elders which
were at Jerusalem. And so were the Churches established in the faith, and
increased in number daily." (v. 4, 5.) Dost thou mark fighting, and by
fighting, edification? Not warred upon by others, but themselves doing
contrary things, so they edified the Church! They introduced a decree not
to circumcise, and he circumcises! "And so were the Churches," it says,
"established in the faith," and in multitude: "increased," it says, "in
number daily." Then he does not continue to tarry with these, as having
come to visit them: but how? he goes further. "Now when they had gone
throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the
Holy, Ghost to preach the word in Asia," (v. 6.) having left Phrygia and
Galatia, they hastened into the interior. For, it says, "After they were
come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered
them not." (v. 7.) Wherefore they were forbidden, he does not say, but that
they were "forbidden," he does say, teaching us to obey and not ask
questions, and showing that they did many things as men. "And the Spirit,"
it says, "suffered them not: but having passed by Mysia they came down to
Troas." (v. 8.) "And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a
man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and
help us." (v. 9.) Why a vision, and not the Holy Ghost? because He forbade
the other) He would even in this way draw them over: since to the saints
also He appeared in a dream, and in the beginning (Paul) himself saw a
vision, "a man coming in and laying his hands upon him." (ch. ix. 12.)
In[2] this manner also Christ appears to him, saying, "Thou must stand
before Caesar." Then for this reason also He draws him thither, that the
preaching may be extended. This is why he was forbidden to tarry long in
the other cities, Christ urging him on. For these were to enjoy the benefit
of John for a long time, and perhaps did not extremely need him (Paul), but
thither he behooved to go. And now he crosses over and goes forth. "And
after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into
Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach
the Gospel unto them." (v. 10.) Then the writer mentions also the places,
as relating a history, and showing where he made a stay (namely), in the
greater cities, but passed by the rest.  Therefore loosing from Troas, we
came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis;
and from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of
Macedonia, and a colony." (v. 11, 12.) It is a high distinction for a city,
the being a colony. "And in this city we were tarrying certain days." But
let us look over again what has been said. (Recapitulation.) "And after
some days, Paul said," etc. (ch. xv. 36.) He put to Barnabas a necessity
for their going abroad, saying "Let us visit the cities m which we preached
the word." "But Paul begged," etc. (v. 38.) And yet no need for him to beg,
who had to make an accusation presently. This[3] happens even in the case
where God and men are the parties: the man requests, God is wroth. For
instance, when He saith, "If her father had spit in her face" (Num. xii.
14): and again, "Let me alone, and in Mine anger I will blot out this
people." (Ex. xxxii. 32.) And Samuel when he mourns for Saul. (1 Sam. xv.
35.) For by both, great good is done. Thus also here: the one is wroth, the
other not so. The same happens also in matters where we are concerned. And
the sharp contention with good reason, that Mark may receive a lesson, and
the affair may not seem mere stage-playing. For it is not to be thought
that he[4] who bids, "Let not the sun go down upon your wrath," (Eph. iv.
26) would have been wroth because of such a matter as this: nor that he who
on all occasions gave way would not have given way here, he who so greatly
loved Paul that before this he sought him in Tarsus, and brought him to the
Apostles, and undertook the alms in common with him, and in common the
business relating to the decree. But they take themselves so as to instruct
and make perfect by their separation them that need the teaching which was
to come from them. And he rebukes others indeed, but bids do good to all
men. As in fact he does elsewhere, saying, "But ye, be not weary in well-
doing." (2 Thess. iii. 13.) This we also do in our common practice. Here it
seems to me that others also were alike displeased with Paul. And thereupon
taking them also apart, he does all, and exhorts and admonishes. Much can
concord do, much can charity. Though it be for a great matter thou askest;
though thou be unworthy, thou shall be heard for thy purpose of heart: fear
not.

   "He went," it says, "through" the cities "And, behold, there was a
disciple, by name Timothy, who had a good report of the brethren which were
in Lystra and Iconium." (v. 41; xvi. 1.) Great was the grace of Timothy.
When Barnabas departed (ape'sth), he finds another, equivalent to him.
Of him he saith, "Remembering thy tears and thy unfeigned faith, which
dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and in thy mother Eunice." (2 Tim. i,
5.) His father continued to be a Gentile,[1] and therefore it was that
(Timothy) was not circumcised. (a) Observe the Law already broken. Or if
not so, I suppose he was born after the preaching of the Gospel but this is
perhaps not so. (c) He was about to make him a bishop, and it was not meet
that he should be uncircumcised. (e) And this was not a small matter,
seeing it offended after so long a time:[2] (b) "for from a child," he
says, "thou hast known the Holy Scriptures." (ib. iii. 15.) (d) "And as
they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep."
(v. 4.) For until then, there was no need for the Gentiles to keep any
such. The beginning of the abrogation was the Gentiles' not keeping these
things, and being none the worse for it: nor having any inferiority in
respect of faith: anon, of their own will they abandoned the Law. (f) Since
therefore he was about to preach, that he might not smite the Jews a double
blow, he circumcised Timothy. And yet he was but half (a Jew by birth),[3]
his father being a Greek: but yet, because that was a great point carried
in the cause of the Gentiles, he did not care for this: for the Word must
needs be disseminated: therefore also he with his own hands circumcised
him.[*] "And so were the churches established in the faith." Do you mark
here also how from going counter (to his own object) a great good results?
"And increased in number daily." (v. 5.) Do you observe, that the
circumcising not only did no harm, but was even of the greatest service?
"And a vision appeared unto Paul in the night." (v. 9.) Not now by Angels,
as to Philip, as to Cornelius, but how? By a vision it is now shown to him:
in more human sort, not now as before (i.e., v. 6, 7) in more divine
manner. For where the compliance is more easy, it is done in more human
sort; but where great force was needed, there in more divine. For since he
was but urged to preach, to this end it is shown him in a dream: but to
forbear preaching, he could not readily endure: to this end the Holy Ghost
reveals it to him. Thus also it was then with Peter, "Arise, go down." (ch.
x. 20.) For of course the Holy Spirit did not work what was otherwise easy:
but (here) even a dream sufficed him. And to Joseph also, as being readily
moved to compliance, the appearance is in a dream, but to the rest in
waking vision. (Matt. i. 20; ii. 13, 19.) Thus to Cornelius, and to Paul
himself. "And lo, a man of Macedonia," etc. and not simply enjoining, but
"beseeching," and from the very persons in need of (spiritual) cure. (ch.
x. 3; ix. 3.) "Assuredly gathering," it says, "that the Lord had called
us." (v. 10), that is, inferring, both from the circumstance that Paul saw
it and none other, and from the having been "forbidden by the Spirit," and
from their being on the borders; from all these they gathered. "Therefore
loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course," etc. (v, 11.) That is,
even the voyage made this manifest: for there was no tardiness. It became
the very root of Macedonia.[1] It was not always in the way of "sharp
contention" that the Holy Spirit wrought: but this so rapid progress (of
the Word) was a token that the thing was more than human. And yet it is not
said that Barnabas was exasperated, but, "Between them there arose a sharp
contention." (v. 39.) If the one was not exasperated neither was the other.

   Knowing this, let us not merely pick out (ekle'gwmen) these things,
but let us learn and be taught by them: for they were not written without a
purpose. It is a great evil to be ignorant of the Scriptures: from the
things we ought to get good from, we get evil. Thus also medicines of
healing virtue, often, from the ignorance of those who use them, ruin and
destroy: and arms which are meant to protect, are themselves the cause of
death unless one know how to put them on. But the reason is, that we seek
everything rather than what is good for ourselves. And in the case of a
house, we seek what is good for it, and we would not endure to see it
decaying with age, or tottering, or hurt by storms: but for our soul we
make no account: nay, even should we see its foundations rotting, or the
fabric and the roof, we make no account of it. Again, if we possess brute
creatures, we seek what is good for them: we call in both horse-feeders and
horse-doctors, and all besides:[2] we attend to their housing, and charge
those who are entrusted with them, that they may not drive them at random
or carelessly, nor take them out by night at unseasonable hours nor sell
away their provender; and there are many laws laid down by us for the good
of the brute creatures: but for that of our soul there is no account taken.
But why speak I of brute creatures which are useful to us? There are many
who keep small birds (or "sparrows ") "which are useful for nothing except
that they simply amuse, and there are many laws even about them, and
nothing is neglected or without order, and we take care for everything
rather than for our own selves. Thus we make our selves more worthless than
all. And if indeed a person abusively call us "dog," we are annoyed: but
while we are opprobrious to ourselves, not in word, but in deed, and do not
even bestow as much care on our soul as on dogs, we think it no great harm.
Do you see how all is full of darkness? How many are careful about their
dogs, that they may not be filled with more than the proper food, that so
they may be keen and fit for hunting, being set on by famine and hunger:
but for themselves they have no care to avoid luxury: and the brute
creatures indeed they teach to exercise philosophy, while they let
themselves sink down into the savageness of the brutes. The thing is a
riddle. "And where are your philosophic brutes ?" There are such; or, say,
do you not take it to be philosophy, when a dog gnawed with hunger, after
having hunted and caught his prey, abstains from the food; and though he
sees his meal ready before him, and with hunger urging him on, yet waits
for his master? Be ashamed of yourselves: teach your bellies to be as
philosophic. You have no excuse. When you have been able to implant such
philosophic self-command in an irrational nature, which neither speaks nor
hears reason, shall you not much more be able to implant it in yourself?
For that it is the effect of man's care, not of nature is plain: since
otherwise all dogs ought to have this habit. Do you then become as dogs.
For it is you that compel me to fetch my examples thence: for indeed they
should be drawn from heavenly things; but since if I speak of those, you
say, "Those are (too) great," therefore I speak nothing of heavenly things:
again, if I speak of Paul, you say, "He was an Apostle :" therefore neither
do I mention Paul: if again I speak of a man, you say, "That person could
do it:" therefore I do not mention a man even, but a brute creature; a
creature too, that has not this habit by nature, lest you should say that
it effected this by nature, and not (which is the fact) from choice: and
what is wonderful, choice not self-acquired, but (the result of) your care.
The creature does not give a thought to the fatigue, the wear and tear it
has undergone in running down the prey, not a thought to this, that by its
own proper toil it has made the capture: but casting away all these
regards, it observes the command of its master, and shows itself superior
to the cravings of appetite. "True; because it looks to be praised, it
looks to get a greater meal." Say then to yourself, that the dog through
hope of future pleasure, despises that which is present: while you do not
choose for hope of future good things to despise those which are present;
but he indeed knows, that, if he tastes of that food at the wrong time and
against his master's will, he will both be deprived of that, and not get
even that which was apportioned to him, but receive blows instead of food:
whereas you cannot even perceive this, and that which he has learnt by dint
of custom, you do not succeed in acquiring even from reason. Let us imitate
the dogs. The same thing hawks also and eagles are said to do: what the
dogs do with regard to hares[1] and deer, the same do those with regard to
birds; and these too act from a philosophy learnt from men. These facts are
enough to condemn us, these enough to convict us. To mention another thing
:--they that are skilled in breaking horses, shall take them, wild, fierce,
kicking, biting, and in a short time so discipline them, that though the
teacher be not there, it is a luxury to ride them, their paces are so
thoroughly well-ordered: but the paces of the soul may be all disordered,
and none cares for it: it bounds, and kicks, and its rider[2] is dragged
along the ground like a child, and makes a most disgraceful figure, and yet
no one puts curbs on her, and leg-ties, and bits, nor mounts upon her the
skilful rider--Christ, I mean. And therefore it is that all is turned
upside down. For when you both teach dogs to master the craving of the
belly, and tame the fury in a lion, and the unruliness of horses, and teach
the birds to speak plainly, how inconsistent must it not be--to implant
achievements of reason in natures that are without reason, and to import
the passions of creatures without reason into natures endowed with reason?
There is no excuse for us, none. All who have succeeded (in mastering their
passions) will accuse us, both believers and unbelievers: for even
unbelievers have so succeeded; yea, and wild beasts, and dogs, not men
only: and we shall accuse our own selves, since we succeed, when we will,
but when we are slothful, we are dragged away. For indeed many even of
those who live a very wicked life, have oftentimes changed themselves when
they wished. But the cause is, as I said, that we go about seeking for what
is good for other things, not what is good for ourselves. If you build a
splendid house, you know what is good for the house, not what is good for
yourself: if you take a beautiful garment, you know what is good for the
body, not for yourself: and if you get a good horse, it is so likewise.
None makes it his mark how his soul shall be beautiful; and yet, when that
is beautiful, there is no need of any of those things: as, if that be not
beautiful, there is no good of them. For like as in the case of a bride,
though there be chambers hung with tapestry wrought with gold, though there
be choirs of the fairest and most beautiful women, though there be roses
and garlands, though there be a comely bridegroom, and the maidservants and
female friends, and everybody about them be handsome, yet, if the bride
herself be full of deformity, there is no good of all those; as on the
other hand if she were beautiful, neither would there be any loss arising
from (the want of) those, nay just the contrary; for in the case of an ugly
bride, those would make her look all the uglier, while in the other case,
the beautiful would look all the more beautiful: just so, the soul, when
she is beautiful, not only needs none of those adjuncts, but they even cast
a shade over her beauty. For we shall see the philosopher shine, not so
much when in wealth, as in poverty. For in the former case many will impute
it to his riches, that he is not superior to riches:[3] but when he lives
with poverty for his mate, and shines through all, and will not let himself
be compelled to do anything base, then none claims shares with him in the
crown of philosophy. Let us then make our soul beauteous, if at least we
would fain be rich. What profit is it, when your mules indeed are white and
plump and in good condition, but you who are drawn by them are lean and
scurvy and ill-favored? What is the gain, when your carpets indeed are soft
and beautiful, full of rich embroidery and art, and your soul goes clad in
rags, or even naked and foul? What the gain, when the horse indeed has his
paces beautifully ordered, more like dancing than stepping, while the
rider, together with his choral[4] train and adorned with more than bridal
ornaments, is more crooked than the lame, and has no more command over
hands and feet than drunkards and madmen? Tell me now, if some one were to
give you a beautiful horse, and to distort your body, what would be the
profit? Now you have your soul distorted, and care you not for it? Let us
at length, I beseech you, have a care for our own selves. Do not let us
make our own selves more worthless than all beside. If anyone insult us
with words, we are annoyed and vexed: but insulting ourselves as we do by
our deeds, we do not give a thought to it. Let us, though late, come at
last to our senses, that we may be enabled by having much care for our
soul, and laying hold upon virtue, to obtain eternal good things, through
the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom to the Father,
together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, might, honor, now and evermore,
world without end. Amen.

HOMILY XXXV: ACTS XVI. 13, 14.

"And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer
was wont (Chrys. "was thought likely") to be made; and we sat down, and
spake unto the women which resorted thither. And a certain woman named
Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God,
heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things
which were spoken of Paul."

   SEE again Paul judaizing. "Where[1] it was thought," it says, both from
the time and from the place, "that prayer would be.--Out of the city, by a
river side:" for it is not to be supposed that they prayed only where there
was a synagogue; they also prayed out of synagogue, but then for this
purpose they set apart, as it were, a certain place, because as Jews they
were more corporeal--and, "on the sabbath-day," when it was likely that a
multitude would come together.[*] "And we sat down, and spake to the women
which resorted thither." Mark again the freedom from all pride. "And a
certain woman :" a woman and she of low condition, from her trade too: but
mark (in her) a woman of elevated mind (philo'sophon). In the first
place, the fact of God's calling her bears testimony to her: "And when she
was baptized," it says, "she and her household "--mark how he persuaded all
of them--"she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to
the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us[2]"
(v. 15): then look at her wisdom, how she importunes (duswpei^), the
Apostles how full of humility her words are, how full of wisdom. "If ye
have judged me faithful," she says. Nothing could be more persuasive. Who
would not have been softened by these words? She did not request (or,
"claim") did not entreat simply: but she left them to decide, and (yet)
exceedingly forced them: "And she constrained. us," it says, by those
words. And again m a different way: for see how she straightway bears
fruit, and accounts it a great gain. "If ye have judged me," that is, That
ye did judge me is manifest, by your delivering to me such (holy) mysteries
(i.e. sacraments, see p. 225, note[3] ): and she did not dare to invite
them before this. But why was there any unwillingness on the part of Paul
and those with them, that they should need to be constrained? It was either
by way of calling her to greater earnestness of desire, or because Christ
had said, "Enquire who is worthy, and there abide." (Luke x. 8.) (It was
not that they were unwilling), but they did it for a purpose.[3]--"And it
came to pass," it says, "as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed
with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by
soothsaying: the same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men
are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of
salvation." (v. 16, 17.) What may be the reason that both the demon spoke
these words, and Paul forbade him? Both the one acted maliciously, and the
other wisely: the demon wished in fact to make himself credible.[1] For if
Paul had admitted his testimony, he would have deceived many of the
believers, as being received by him: therefore he endures to speak what
made against himself, that he may establish what made for himself: and so
the demon himself uses accommodation (sugkataba'sei) in order to
destruction. At first then, Paul would not admit it, but scorned it, not
wishing to cast himself all at once upon miracles; but when it continued to
do this, and pointed to their work (kai` to` e'rgon edei'knu)
"who preach unto us the way of salvation," then he commanded it to come
out. For it says, "Paul being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I
command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came
out the same hour. (a)[2] And when her masters saw that the hope of their
gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas." (v. 18, 19.) (d) So then Paul
did all, both miracles and teaching, but of the dangers Silas also is
partaker. And why says it, "But Paul being grieved?" It means, he saw
through the malice of the demon, as he saith, "For we are not ignorant of
his devices." (2 Cor. ii. 11.) (b) "And when her masters saw that the hope
of their gains was gone." Everywhere money the cause of evils. O that
heathen cruelty! they wished the girl to be still a demoniac, that they
might make money by her. "They caught Paul and Silas," it says, "and
dragged them into the marketplace unto the rulers, and brought them unto
the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our
city!" (v. 20): by doing what? Then why did you not drag them (hither)
before this? "Being Jews:" the name was in bad odor. "And teach customs,
which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans."
(v. 21.) They made a charge of treason of it (eis` kathosi'wsin
h'gagon). (e) Why did they not say, Because they cast out the demon,
they were guilty of impiety against God? For this was a defeat to them: but
instead of that, they have recourse to a charge of treason (epi`
kathosi'wsin): like the Jews when they said, "We have no king but
Caesar: whoso maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar." (John xix.
14, 12.) (c) "And the multitude rose up together against them: and the
magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them." (v. 22.) O
the irrational conduct! They did not examine, did not allow them to speak.
And yet, such a miracle having taken place, ye ought to have worshipped
them, ought to have held them as saviors and benefactors. For if money was
what ye wished, why, having found so great wealth, did ye not run to it?
This makes you more famous, the having power to cast out demons than the
obeying them. Lo, even miracles, and yet love of money was mightier. (f)
"And when they had laid man)' stripes upon them, they cast them into
prison."--great was their wrath--" charging the jailer to keep them safely"
(v. 23): "who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner
prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks." (v. 24.) Observe, he also
again thrust them into the "inner" prison: and this too was done
providentially, because[3] there was to be a great miracle.[*]

   (Recapitulation.) "Out of the city." (v. 13.) The place was convenient
for hearing the word, aloof from troubles and dangers. (b) "On the
sabbath." As there was no work going on, they were more attentive to what
was spoken. (a) "And a certain woman, named Lydia, a seller of purple" (v.
14): observe how the writer of the history is not ashamed of the
occupations (of the converts): (c) moreover neither was this city of the
Philippians a great one. Having learnt these things, let us also be ashamed
of no man. Peter abides with a tanner (ch. ix. 43): (Paul) with a woman who
was a seller of purple, and a foreigner. Where is pride? "Whose heart the
Lord opened." Therefore we need God, to open the heart: but God opens the
hearts that are willing: for there are hardened hearts to be seen.[1] "So
that she attended to the things which were spoken of Paul." The opening,
then, was God's work, the attending was hers: so that it was both God's
doing and man's. And she was baptized (v. 15), and receives the Apostles
with such earnestness of entreaty; with more than that used by Abraham. And
she speaks of no other token than that whereby she was saved (Gen. xviii.
3): she says not, "If ye have judged me" a great, a devout woman; but what?
"faithful to the Lord:" if to the Lord, much more to you. "If ye have
judged me:" if ye do not doubt it. And she says not, Abide with me, but,
"Come into my house and abide:" with great earnestness (she says it).
Indeed a faithful woman l--"A certain damsel possessed with a spirit of
Python." (v. 16.) Say, what is this demon? The god, as they call him,
Python: from the place he is so called. Do you mark that Apollo also is a
demon? And (the demon) wished to bring them into temptation: (therefore) to
provoke them, "the same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men
are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of
salvation." (v. 17.) O thou accursed, thou execrable one! if then thou
knowest that it is "His way of salvation" that "they show," why dost thou
not come out freely? But just what Simon wished, when he said, "Give me,
that on whomsoever I lay my hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost" (ch.
viii. 19), the same did this demon: since he saw them becoming famous, here
also he plays the hypocrite: by this means he thought to be allowed to
remain in the body, if he should preach the same things. But if Christ
"receive not testimony from man," (John v. 34), meaning John, much less
from a demon. "Praise is not comely in the mouth of a sinner" (Ecclus. xv.
9), much less from a demon. For[2] that they preach is not of men, but of
the Holy Ghost. Because they did not act in a spirit of boasting. "And Paul
being grieved," etc. By their clamor and shouting they thought to alarm
them (the magistrates): saying, "These men do exceedingly trouble our
city." (v. 18-20.) What sayest thou? Dost thou believe the demon? Why not
here also? He saith, They are "servants of the most high God;" thou sayest,
"They exceedingly trouble our city:" he saith, "They show us the way of
salvation;" thou sayest, "They teach customs which are not lawful for us to
receive." (v. 21.) Observe, how they do not attend even to the demon, but
look only to one thing, their covetousness. But observe them (Paul and
Silas), how they do not answer, nor plead for themselves; (b) "For when,"
saith he, "I am weak, then am I strong. My grace is sufficient for thee,
for My strength is made perfect in weakness" (2 Cor. xii. 9): so that by
reason of their gentleness also they should be admired. (a) "And the
magistrates," etc., "charging the jailer to keep them safely" (v. 22): that
they may be the means[3] of a greater miracle. (c) The stricter the
custody, the greater the miracle. It was probably from the wish to cut
short the disturbance, that the magistrates did these things; because they
saw the crowd urgent, and wished to stay their passion at the instant,
therefore they inflicted the stripes: at the same time it was their wish to
hear the matter, and that was why they cast them into prison and gave
charge "to keep them safely." And, it says, "he made them fast in the
stocks" (v. 24), (to xu'lon) as we should say, the nervum
(ne'rbon).

   What tears do not these things call for! (Think) what they suffer,
while we (live) in luxury, we in theatres, we perishing and drowning (in
dissolute living), seeking always idle amusement, not enduring to suffer
pain for Christ, not even as far as words, not even as far as talk. These
things I beseech you let us ever call to mind, what things they suffered,
what things they endured, how undismayed they were, how unoffended. They
were doing God's work, and suffered these things! They did not say, Why do
we preach this, and God does not take our part? But even this was a benefit
to them, even apart [4] from the truth, in the thing itself; it made them
more vigorous, stronger, intrepid. "Tribulation worketh endurance." (Rom.
v. 4.) Then let us not seek loose and dissolute living. For as in the one
case the good is twofold, that the sufferers are made strong, and that the
rewards are great; so in the other the evil is twofold, that such are
rendered more enervated, and that it is to no good, but only evil. For
nothing can be more worthless than a man who passes all his time in
idleness and luxury. For the man untried, as the saying is, is also
unapproved; unapproved not only in the contests, but also in everything
else. Idleness is a useless thing, and in luxury itself nothing is so
unsuited to the end proposed as the leading a luxurious life: for it palls
with satiety, so that neither the enjoyment of the viands is so great, nor
the enjoyment of relaxation, but all becomes vapid, and runs to waste.

   Then let us not seek after this. For if we will consider which has the
pleasanter life, he that is toiled and hardworked, or he that lives in
luxury, we shall find it to be the former. For in the first place,[1] the
bodily senses are neither clear nor sound, but dull (chau^nai) and
languid; and when those are not right, even of health there is plainly no
enjoyment. Which is the useful horse, the pampered or the exercised? which
the serviceable ship, that which sails, or that which lies idle? which the
best water, the running or the stagnant? which the best iron, that which is
much used, or that which does no work? does not the one shine bright as
silver, while the other becomes all over rusty, useless, and even losing
some of its own substance? The like happens also to the soul as the
consequence of idleness: a kind of rust spreads over it, and corrodes both
its brightness and everything else. How then shall one rub off this rust?
With the whetstone of tribulations: so shall one make the soul useful and
fit for all things. Else, how, I ask, will she be able to cut off the
passions, with her edge turned (anaklw'shs) and bending like lead? How
shall she wound the devil?--And then to whom can such an one be other than
a disgusting spectacle--a man cultivating obesity, dragging himself along
like a seal? I speak not this of those who are naturally of this habit, but
of those who by luxurious living have brought their bodies into such a
condition, of those who are naturally of a spare habit. The sun has risen,
has shot forth his bright beams on all sides, and roused up each person to
his work: the husbandman goes forth with his spade, the smith with his
hammer, and each artisan with his several instruments, and you will find
each handling his proper tools; the woman also takes either her distaff or
her webs: while he, like the swine, immediately at the first dawn goes
forth to feed his belly, seeking how he may provide sumptuous fare. And yet
it is only for brute beasts to be feeding from morning to night; and for
them, because their only use is to be slaughtered. Nay, even of the beasts,
those which carry burdens and admit of being worked, go forth to their work
while it is yet night. But this man, rising from his bed, when the (noon-
tide) sun has filled the market-place, and people are tired of their
several works, then this man gets up, stretching himself out just as if he
were indeed a hog in fattening, having wasted the fairest part of the day
in darkness. Then he sits there for a long time on his bed, often unable
even to lift himself up from the last evening's debauch, and having wasted
(still) more time in this (listlessness), proceeds to adorn himself, and
issues forth, a spectacle of unseemliness, with nothing human about him,
but with all the appearance of a beast with a human shape: his eyes rheumy
from the effect of wine,[2] * * * while the miserable soul, just like the
lame, is unable to rise, bearing about its bulk of flesh, like an elephant.
Then he comes and sits in (various) places, and says and does such things,
that it were better for him to be still sleeping than to be awake. If it
chance that evil tidings be announced, he shows himself weaker than any
girl; if good, more silly than any child; on his face there is a perpetual
yawn. He is a mark for all that would do harm, if not for all men, at least
for all evil passions; and wrath easily excites such a man, and lust, and
envy, and all other passions. All flatter him, all pay court to him,
rendering his soul weaker than it is already: and each day he goes on and
on, adding to his disease. If he chance to fall into any difficulty of
business, he becomes dust and ashes,[3] and his silken garments are of no
help to him. We have not said all this without a purpose, but to teach you,
that none of you should live idly and at random. For idleness and luxury
are not conducive to work, to good reputation, to enjoyment.[4] For who
will not condemn such a man? Family, friends, kinsfolk (will say), He is
indeed a very encumbrance of the ground. Such a man as this has come into
the world to no purpose: or rather, not to no purpose, but to ill purpose
against his own person, to his own ruin, and to the hurt of others. But
that this is more pleasant--let us look to this; for this is the question.
Well then, what can be less pleasant than (the condition of) a man who has
nothing to do; what more wretched and miserable? Is it not worse than all
the fetters in the world, to be always gaping and yawning, as one sits in
the market-place, looking at the passers by? For the soul, as its nature is
to be always on the move, cannot endure to be at rest. God has made it a
creature of action: to work is of its very nature; to be idle is against
its nature. For let us not judge of these things from those who are
diseased, but let us put the thing itself to the proof of fact. Nothing is
more hurtful than leisure, and having nothing to do: indeed therefore hath
God laid on us a necessity  of working: for idleness hurts everything. Even
to the members of the body, inaction is a mischief. Both eye, if it perform
not its work, and mouth, and belly, and every member that one could
mention, falls into the worst state of disease: but none so much as the
soul. But as inaction is an evil, so is activity in things that ought to be
let alone. For just as it is with the teeth, if one eats not, one receives
hurt to them, and if one eats things unfitting, it jars them, and sets them
on edge:[1] so it is here; both if the soul be inactive, and if inactive in
wrong things, it loses its proper force. Then let us eschew both alike;
both inaction, and the activity which is worse than inaction. And what may
that be? Covetousness,[2] anger, envyings, and the other passions. As
regards these, let us make it our object to be inactive, in order that we
may obtain the good things promised to us, through the grace and mercy of
our Lord Jesus Christ', with Whom to the Father, together with the Holy
Spirit, be glory, might, honor, now and ever, world without end. Amen.

HOMILY XXXVI: ACTS XVI. 25, 26.

"And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the
prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that
the foundations of the prison were shaken, and immediately all the doors
were opened, and every one's bands were loosed."

   What could equal these souls? These men had been scourged, had received
many, stripes, they had been misused, were in peril of their lives, were
thrust into the inner prison, and set fast in the stocks: and for all this
they did not suffer themselves to sleep, but kept vigil all the night. Do
you mark what a blessing tribulation is? But we, in[3] our soft beds, with
none to be afraid of, pass the whole night in sleep. But belike this is why
they kept vigil, because they were in this condition. Not the tyranny of
sleep could overpower them, not the smart of pain could bow them, not the
fear of evil east them into helpless dejection: no, these were the very
things that made them wakeful: and they were even filled with exceeding
delight. "At midnight," it says, "and the prisoners listened to them :" it
was so strange and surprising! "And suddenly there was a great earthquake,
so that the foundations of the prison were shaken, and immediately, all the
doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed. And the keeper of the
prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, drew out
his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had
been fled." (v. 27.) There was an earthquake, that the keeper should be
roused from sleep, and the doors flew open, that he should wonder at what
had happened: but these things the prisoners saw not: otherwise they would
all have fled:* but the keeper of the prison was about to slay himself,
thinking the prisoners were escaped. "But Paul cried with a loud voice,
saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here" (v. 28.) (b) "Then he
called for lights, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell  down before
Paul and Silas; and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be
saved?" (v. 29-30.) Do you mark how the wonder overpowered him? (a) He
wondered more at Paul's kindness; he was amazed at his manly boldness, that
he had not escaped when he had it in his power, that he hindered him from
killing himself.[1] (c) "And they said, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they spake unto him the word of
the Lord, and to all that were in his house." (v. 31, 35) and (so)
immediately gave proof of their kindness towards him. And he took them the
same hour of the night and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and
all his, straightway." (v. 33.) He washed them, and was himself baptized,
he and his house. "And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat
before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house. And when it
was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, Let those men go." (v.
34, 35.) It is likely the magistrates had learnt what had happened, and did
not dare of themselves to dismiss them. "And the keeper of the prison told
these words to Paul, saying, the magistrates have sent to let you go now
therefore depart, and go in peace. But Paul said unto them, they have
beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison;
and now do they thrust as out privily? nay verily; but let them come
themselves and fetch us out. And the sergeants told these words unto the
magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans. And
they came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to
depart out of the city. And they went out of the prison, and entered into
the house of Lydia: and when they had Seen the brethren, they comforted
them, and departed." (v. 36-40.) Even[2] upon the declaration of the
magistrates Paul does not go out, but for the sake both of Lydia and the
rest he puts them in fear: that they may not be supposed to have come out
upon their own request, that they may set the rest in a posture of
boldness. The impeachment was twofold: that "being Romans," and
"uncondemned," they had openly cast them into prison. You see that in many
things they took their measures as men.

   (Recapitulation) "And at midnight," etc. (v. 25.) Let us compare,
beloved, with that night these nights of ours, with their revellings, their
drunkenness, and wanton excesses, with their sleep which might as well be
death, their watchings which are worse than sleep. For while some sleep
without sense or feeling, others lie awake to pitiable and wretched
purpose, plotting deceits, anxiously thinking about money, studying how
they may be revenged upon those who do them wrong, meditating enmity,
reckoning up the abusive words spoken during the day: thus do they rake up
the smouldering embers of wrath, doing things intolerable.[8] Mark how
Peter slept. (ch. xii. 6.) Both there, it was wisely ordered (that he
should be asleep); for the Angel came to him, and it behooved that none
should see what happened; and on the other hand it was well ordered here
(that Paul should be awake), in order that the keeper of the prison might
be prevented from killing himself. "And suddenly there was a great
earthquake." (v. 26.) And why did no other miracle take place? Because this
was, of all others, the thing sufficient for his conversion, seeing he was
personally in danger: for it is not so much miracles that overpower us, as
the things which issue in our own deliverance. That the earthquake should
not seem to have come of itself, there was this concurrent circumstance,
bearing witness to it: "the doors were opened, and all their bonds were
loosed." And it appears in the night-time; for the Apostles did not work
for display, but for men's salvation "And the keeper of the prison," etc.
(v. 27.) The keeper was not an evil-disposed man that he "thrust them into
the inner prison," (v. 24) was because of his "having received such a
command," not of himself. The man[4] was all in a tumult of perturbation.
"What shall I do to be saved?" he asks. Why not before this? Paul shouted,
until he saw, and is beforehand with him saying, "We are all here. And
having called for lights," it says, "he sprang in, and fell down at the
feet" of the prisoner; he, the prison keeper, saying, "Sirs, what must I do
to be saved?" (v. 28-30.) Why, what had they said? Observe, he does not, on
finding himself safe, think all is well; he is overcome with awe at the
miraculous power.

   Do you mark[1] what happened in the former case, and what here? There a
girl was released from a spirit, and they cast them into prison, because
they had liberated her from the spirit. Here, they did but show the doors
standing open, and it opened the doors of his heart, it loosed two sorts of
chains; that (prisoner)[2] kindled the (true) light; for the light in his
heart was shining. "And he sprang in, and fell before them;" and he does
not ask, How is this? What is this? but straightway he says, "What must I
do to be saved?" What then answers Paul? "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and thou shalt be saved, thou and thine house." (v. 31.) For this above
all, wins men: that one's house also should be saved. "And they spake the
word to him, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same
hour of the night, and washed their stripes," etc. (v. 32, 33), washed them
and was washed: those he washed from their stripes, himself was washed from
his sins: he fed and was fed.[3] "And rejoiced," it says: although there
was nothing but words only and good hopes: "having believed in God with all
his house (v. 34): this was the token of his having believed--that he was
released of all. What worse than a jailer, what more ruthless, more savage?
He entertained them with great honor. Not, because he was safe, he made
merry, but, having believed God. (a) "Believe on the Lord," said the
Apostle: therefore it is that the writer here says, "Having believed,[4]--
(d) Now therefore," it says, "depart, and go in peace" (v. 36):that is, in
safety, fearing no man. (b) "But Paul said unto them" (v. 37): that he may
not seem to be receiving his liberty as one condemned, and as one that has
done wrong: therefore it is that he says, "Having openly beaten us
uncondemned," etc.--that it may not be matter of grace on their part. (e)
And besides, they wish the jailer himself to be out of danger, that he may
not be called to account for this afterwards. And they do not say, "Having
beaten us," who have wrought miracles: for they (the magistrates) did not
even heed these: but, that which was most effectual to shake their minds,
"uncondemned, and being Romans." (c) Observe how diversely grace manages
things: how Peter went out, how Paul, though both were Apostles. "They
feared," (v. 38) it says: because the men were Romans, not because they bad
unjustly cast them into prison,[*] "And besought them to depart out of the
city" (v. 39): begged them as a favor. And they went to the house of Lydia,
and having confirmed her, so departed. For it was not right to leave their
hostess in distress and anxiety. But they went out, not in compliance with
the request of those rulers, but hasting to the preaching: the city having
been sufficiently benefited by the miracle: for it was fit they should not
be there any longer. For in the absence of them that wrought it, the
miracle appeared greater, itself crying out more loudly: the faith of the
jailer was a voice in itself. What equal to this? He is put in bonds, and
looses, being bound: looses a twofold bond: him that bound him, he looses
by being bound. These are indeed works of (supernatural) grace.(f) Let us
constantly bear in mind this jailer,[5] not the miracle: how, prisoner as
he was (the Apostle), persuaded his jailer. What say the heathen? "And of
what things," say they, "was such a man as this to be persuaded--a vile,
wretched creature, of no understanding, full of all that is bad and nothing
else, and easily brought over to anything? For these, say they, are the
things, a tanner, a purple-seller, an eunuch, slaves, and women believed."
This is what they say. What then will they be able to say, when we produce
the men of rank and station, the centurion, the proconsul, those from that
time to the present, the rulers themselves, the emperors? But for my part,
I speak of something else, greater than this: let us look to these very
persons of no consideration. "And where is the wonder?" say you. Why, this,
I say, is a wonder. For, if a person be persuaded about any common things,
it is no wonder: but if resurrection, a kingdom of heaven, a life of
philosophic self-command, be the subjects, and, discoursing of these to
persons of mean consideration, one persuades them, it will be more
wonderful than if one persuaded wise men. For when there is no danger
attending the things of which one persuades people, then (the objector)
might with some plausibility allege want of sense on their part: but when
(the preacher) says--to the slave, as you will have it--" If thou be
persuaded by me, it is at thy peril, thou wilt have all men for thine
enemies, thou must die, thou must suffer evils without number," and yet for
all this, convinces that man's soul, there can be no more talk here of want
of sense. Since, if indeed the doctrines contained what was pleasant, one
might fairly enough say this: but if, what the philosohers would never have
chosen to learn, this the slave does learn, then is the wonder greater.
And, if you will, let us bring before us the tanner himself, and see what
were the subjects on which Peter conversed with him: or if you will, this
same jailer. What then said Paul to him? "That Christ rose again," say you;
"that there is a resurrection of the dead, and a kingdom: and he had no
difficulty in persuading him, a man easily led to anything." How? Said he
nothing about the mode of life; that he must be temperate, that he must be
superior to money, that he must not be unmerciful, that he must impart of
his good things to others? For it cannot be said, that the being persuaded
to these things also was from the want of power of mind; no, to be brought
to all this required a great soul. For be it so, that as far as the
doctrines went, they were rendered more apt to receive these by their want
of intelligence: but to accept such a virtuous, self-denying rule of life,
how could that be owing to any defect of understanding? So that the less
understanding the person may have, if nevertheless he is persuaded to
things, to which even philosophers were unable to persuade their fellow-
philosophers, the greater the wonder--when women and slaves are persuaded
of these truths, and prove it by their actions, of which same truths the
Platos and all the rest of them were never able to persuade any man. And
why say I, "any man?" Say rather, not themselves even: on the contrary,
that money is not to be despised, Plato persuaded (his disciples) by
getting, as he did, such an abundance of property, and golden rings, and
goblets; and that the honor to be had from the many is not to be despised,
this Socrates himself shows, for all that he may philosophize without end
on this point: for in everything he did, he had an eye to fame. And if you
were conversant with his discourses, I might go at great length into this
subject, and show what a deal of insincerity (eirwnei'an) there was in
them,--if at least we may believe what his disciple says of him,--and how
that all his writings have their ground-work in vainglory. But, leaving
them, let us direct the discourse to our own selves. For besides the things
that have been said, there is this also to be added, that men were
persuaded of these things to their own peril. Be not thou therefore
shameless, but let us think over that night, the stocks, and the hymns of
praise. This let us also do, and we shall open for ourselves--not a prison,
but--heaven. If we pray, we shall be able even to open heaven. Elias both
shut and opened heaven by prayer. (James v. 17.) There is a prison in
heaven also. "Whatsoever," He saith, "ye shall bind on earth, shall be
bound in heaven." (Matt. xvi. 19.) Let us pray by night, and we shall loose
these bonds. For that prayers loose sins, let that widow convince us, let
that friend convince us, who at that untimely hour of the night persists
and knocks (Luke xi. 5): let Cornelius convince us, for, "thy prayers," it
says, "and thine alms are come up before God." (ch. x. 4.) Let Paul
convince us, who says, "Now she that is a widow indeed and desolate,
trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications night and day." (1 Tim. v.
5.) If he speaks thus of a widow, a weak woman, much more would he of men.
I have both before discoursed to you on this, and now repeat it: let us
arouse ourselves during the night: though thou make not many prayers, make
one with watchfulness, and it is enough, I ask no more: and if not at
midnight, at any rate at the first dawn. Show that the night is not only
for the body, but also for the soul: do not suffer it to pass idly, but
make this return to thy Master: nay rather (the benefit) itself returns to
thee. Say, if we fall into any difficult strait, to whom do we not make
request? and if we soon obtain our request, we breathe freely again. What a
boon were it for thee, to have a friend to go to with thy request, who
shall be ready to take it as a kindness, and to be obliged to thee for thy
asking? What a boon, not to have to go about and seek one to ask of, but to
find one ready? to have no need of others through whom thou mayest solicit?
What could be greater than this? Since here is One who then does most, when
we make not our requests of others than Himself: just as a sincere friend
then most complains of us for not trusting in his friendship, when we ask
of others to make request to him. Thus also let us act.[1] "But what," you
will ask, "if I should have offended Him?" Cease to give offence, and weep,
and so draw near to Him, and thou wilt quickly render Him propitious as to
thy former sins. Say only, I have offended: say it from thy soul and with a
sincere mind, and all things are remitted to thee. Thou dost not so much
desire thy sins to be forgiven, as He desires to forgive thee thy sins. In
proof that thou dost not so desire it, consider that thou hast no mind
either to practice vigils, or to give thy money freely: but He, that He
might forgive our sins, spared not His Only-begotten and True Son, the
partner of His throne. Seest thou how He more desires to forgive thee thy
sins (than thou to be forgiven )? Then let us not be slothful, nor put off
this any longer. He is merciful and good: only let us give Him an
opportunity. And (even) this (He seeks), only that we may not become
unprofitable, since even without this He could have freed us from them: but
like as we (with the same view) devise and arrange many things for our
servants to do, so does He in the matter of our salvation. "Let us
anticipate His face with thanksgiving." (Ps. xcv. 2. "Let us come before
His presence." E.V.), since He is good and kind. But if thou call not upon
Him, what will He do? Thou dost not choose to say, Forgive; thou wilt not
say it from thy heart, but with thy mouth only. What is it, to call in
truth? (To call) with purpose of heart, with earnestness, with a sincere
mind; just as men say of perfumes, "This is genuine, and has nothing
spurious," so here. He who truly calls on Him, he who truly prays to Him,
continually attends to it, and desists not, until he obtain (his request):
but he who does it in a merely formal manner (aphosiou'menos), and even
this only by way of fulfilling a law, does not call in truth. Whosoever
thou art, say not only, "I am a sinner," but be earnest also to rid thyself
of this character; say not this only, but also grieve. If thou grievest,
thou art in earnest: if thou art not in earnest, thou grievest not: if thou
grievest not, thou triflest. What sort of man is he who shall say, "I am
sick," and not to do all to be freed from his sickness? A mighty weapon is
Prayer. "If ye," saith the Lord, "know how to give good gifts to your
children, how much more your Father?" (Luke xi. 13.) Then wherefore art
thou unwilling to approach Him? He loves thee, He is of more power than all
besides. Both willing is He and able, what is there to hinder? Nothing. But
then, on our part, let us draw near with faith, draw near, offering the
gifts that He desires, forgetfulness of wrongs, kindness, meekness. Though
thou be a sinner, with boldness shalt thou ask of Him forgiveness of thy
sins, if thou canst show that this has been done by thyself: but though
thou be righteous, and possess not this virtue of forgetfulness of
injuries, thou art none the better for it. It cannot be that a man who has
forgiven his neighbor should not obtain perfect forgiveness: for God is
beyond comparison more merciful than we. What sayest thou? If thou sayest,
"I have been wronged, I have subdued my anger, I have endured the onset of
wrath because of Thy command, and dost Thou not forgive?[2] Full surely He
will forgive: and this is plain to all. Therefore let us purge our soul
from all resentment. This is sufficient for us, in order that we may be
heard; and let us pray with watching and much perseverance, that having
enjoyed His bountiful mercy, we may be found worthy of the good things
promised, through the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom
to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, might, honor, now
and ever, world without end. Amen.

HOMILY XXXVII: ACTS XVII. 1, 2, 3.

"Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to
Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: and Paul, as his manner
was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of
the Scriptures, opening and alleging that Christ must needs have suffered,
and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you,
is Christ."

   Again they haste past the small cities, and press on to the greater
ones, since from those. the word was to flow as from a fountain into the
neighboring cities. "And Paul, as his manner was, went into the synagogue
of the Jews." Although he had said, "We turn to the Gentiles" (ch. xiii.
46), he did not leave these alone: such was the longing affection he had
towards them. For hear him saying, "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer
to God for Israel is, that they might be saved" (Rom. x. I): and, "I wished
myself accursed from Christ for my brethren." (ib. ix. 3.) But he did
this[1] because of God's promise and the glory: and this, that it might not
be a cause of offence to the Gentiles. "Opening," it says, "from the
Scriptures, he reasoned with them for three sabbaths, putting before them
that the Christ must suffer." Do thou mark how before all other things he
preaches the Passion: so little were they ashamed of it, knowing it to be
the cause of salvation. "And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul
and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief
women not a few." (v. 4.) The writer mentions only the sum and substance of
the discoursing: he is not given to redundancy, and does not on every
occasion report the sermons. "But the Jews which believed not (the best
texts omit "which believed not"), moved with envy, took unto them certain
lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the
city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring
them out to the people. And when they found them not, they drew Jason and
certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have
turned the world upside down are come hither also; whom Jason hath
received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that
there is another king, one Jesus." (v. 5-7.) Oh! what an accusation! again
they get up a charge of treason against them, "saying, there is another
king (one) Jesus. And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city,
when they heard these things. And when they had taken security of Jason,
and of the other, they let them go." (v. 8, 9.) A man worthy to be admired,
that he put himself into danger, and sent them away from it. "And the
brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who
coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble,"
it says, "than they of Thessalonica: more noble," i. e. more gentle
(epieike'steroi) (in their behavior): "in that they received the word
with all readiness," and this not inconsiderately, but with a strictness
wherein[2] was no passion, "searching the Scriptures whether these things
were so." (v. 10, 11.) "Therefore many of them believed; also of honorable
women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few. But when the Jews of
Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at
Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people. And then
immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but
Silas and Timotheus abode there still." (v. 12-14.) See how he at one time
gives way, at another presses on, and in many things takes his measures
upon human considerations. "And they that conducted Paul brought him unto
Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for to come to
him with speed, they departed." (v. 15.) But let us look again at what has
been said.

   (Recapitulation.) "Three sabbath-days," it says, being the time when
they had leisure from work, "he reasoned with them, opening out of the
Scriptures" (v. 2): for so used Christ also to do: as on many occasions we
find Him reasoning from the Scriptures, and not on all occasions (urging
men) by miracles. Because to this[1] indeed they stood in a posture of
hostility, calling them deceivers and jugglers; but he that persuades l men
by reasons from the Scriptures, is not liable to this imputation. And on
many occasions we find (Paul) to have convinced men simply by force of
teaching: and in Antioch "the whole city was gathered together" (ch. xiii.
44): so[2] great a thing is this also, for indeed this itself is no small
miracle, nay, it is even a very great one. And that they might not think
that they did it all by their own strength, but rather that God permitted
it,[3] two things resulted, namely, "Some of them were persuaded," etc. (c)
"And of devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few
:" * but those others did the contrary: "the Jews moved with envy," etc.
(v. 4, 5) (b) and, from the fact that the being called was itself a matter
of God's fore-ordering, (a) they neither thought great things of themselves
as if the triumph were their own, nor were terrified as being responsible
(for all). But how comes it that he said, "That we should go unto the
heathen, and they unto the circumcision" (Gal. ii. 9), and yet discoursed
to the Jews? (a) He did this as a thing over and above. (b) For[4] he did
other things also more than he was obliged. For instance, Christ ordained
that they should "live by the Gospel" (I Cor. ix. 14; i. 17), but our
Apostle did it not: Christ sent him not to baptize, yet he did baptize.
Mark how he was equal to all. Peter to the circumcision, he to the
Gentiles, to the greater part. (a) Since if it was necessary for him to
discourse to Jews, how said he again: "For He that wrought effectually in
him toward the circumcision, the same was mighty also in me toward the
Gentiles" (Gal. ii. 8)? In the same way as those Apostles also had
intercourse with the Gentiles, though they had been set apart for  the
circumcision, so likewise did our Apostle. The more part of his work indeed
was with the Gentiles: still he did not neglect the Jews either, that they
might not seem to be severed from them. And how was it, you will ask, that
he entered in the first place into the synagogues, as if this were his
leading object? True;but he persuaded the Gentiles through the Jews, and
from the things which he discoursed of to the Jews. And he knew, that this
was most suitable for the Gentiles, and most conducive to belief. Therefore
he says: "Inasmuch as I am the "Apostle of the Gentiles." (Rom. xi. 13.)
And his Epistles too all fight against the Jews.That the Christ," he says,
"must needs have suffered." (v. 3.) If there was a necessity for His
suffering, there was assuredly. a necessity for His rising again: for the
former[5] was far more wonderful than the latter. For if He gave Him up to
death Who had done no wrong, much rather did He raise Him up again. "But
the Jews which believed not took unto them certain of the baser sort, and
set all the city on an uproar (v. 5): so that the Gentiles were more in
number. The Jews thought not themselves enough to raise the disturbance:for
because they had no reasonable pretext, they ever effect such purposes by
means of uproar, and by taking to themselves base men. "And when they found
them not," it says, "they haled Jason and certain brethren." (v. 6.) O the
tyranny! dragged them without any cause out of their houses. "These all,"
say they, "do contrary to the decrees of Caesar" (v. 7): for since they
spoke nothing contrary to what had been decreed, nor made any commotion in
the city, they bring them under a different charge: "saying that there is
another king, one Jesus. * And they troubled the people," etc. (v. 8.) And
what are ye afraid of, seeing He is dead? (b) "And when they had taken
security," etc. (v. 9.) See how by giving security Jason sent Paul away: so
that he gave his life (to the hazard) for him. t (a) "And brethren," etc.
(v. 10.) See how the persecutions in every case extend the preaching. "Now
these," it says, "were more noble than those in Thessalonica" (v. II): i.e.
they were not (men) practising base things, but some[1] were convinced, and
the others (who were not), did nothing (of that sort). (b) "Daily," it
says, "searching the Scriptures whether these things were so:" not merely
upon a sudden impetus or (burst of) zeal. "More noble," it says: i. e. in
point of virtue (a) "Therefore many of them," etc. (v. 12.) And here again
are Greeks. (3) "But when the Jews of Thessalonica," etc. (v. 13), because
there were lewd persons there. And yet that city was greater. But it is no
wonder in the greater city the people were worse nay, of course to the
greater city there go the worse men, where the occasions of disturbances
are many. And as in the body, where the disease is more violent for
having[2] more matter and fuel, just so is it here. (a) But look, I beg
you, how their fleeing was providentially ordered, not from cowardice:
otherwise they would have ceased to preach, and would not have exasperated
them still more. But from this (flight) two things resulted: both the rage
of those (Jews) was quenched, and the preaching spread. But in terms
befitting their disorderly conduct, he says, "Agitating the multitude."
(b) Just what was done at Iconium--that they may have the additional
condemnation of destroying others besides themselves. (ch. xiv. 2, 19.)
This is what Paul says of them: "Forbidding to preach to the Gentiles, to
fill up their sins alway, for the wrath is come upon them to the
uttermost." (1 Thess. ii. 16.) Why did he not stay? for if (at Lystra, ch.
xiv. 19, 21) there, where he was stoned, he nevertheless stayed a long
time, much more here. Why? (The Lord) did not wish them to be always doing
signs; for this is itself a sign, not less than the working of signs--that
being persecuted, they overcame without signs. So that just as now He
prevails without signs, so was it on many occasions His will to prevail
then. Consequently neither did the Apostles run after signs: as in fact he
says himself, "We preach Christ crucified" (1 Cor. i. 23)--to them that
crave signs, to them that crave wisdom, we give that which cannot even
after signs persuade, and yet we do persuade! So that this was a mighty
sign. See then, how when the preaching is extended, they are not in a hurry
to run after signs. a For it was right that thenceforth the believers
should be mighty signs to the rest. Howbeit, by retreating and advancing
they did these things. (a) "And immediately," it says, "the brethren sent
away Paul." (v. 14.) Here now they send Paul alone: for it was for him they
feared, lest he should suffer some harm, the head and front of all being in
fact none other than he. (b) "They sent him away," it says, "as it were
to the sea:" that it might not be easy for them to seize him. For[4] at
present they could not have done much by themselves; and with him they
accomplished and achieved many things. For the present, it says, they
wished to rescue him. (a) So far is it from being the case, that
(supernatural) Grace worked all alike on all occasions: on the contrary, it
left them to take their measures upon human judgment, (only) stirring them
up and rousing them out of sleep, and making them to take pains.[5] Thus,
observe, it brought them safe only as far as Philippi, but no more after
that. "And receiving," it says, "a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for
to come to him with all speed, they departed." (v. 15.) For though he was a
Paul, nevertheless he needed them. And with good reason are they urged by
God to go into Macedonia, for there lay Greece moreover bright (before
them). (ch. xvi. 9.)

   See what zeal the rest of the disciples showed with respect to their
leaders: not as it is now with us, who are separated and divided into great
and small: some of us exalted, while others are envious: for this is the
reason why those are envious, because we are puffed up, because we will not
endure to be put upon a par with them. The reason why there is harmony in
the body, is because there is no puffing up: and there is no puffing up,
because the members are of necessity made to stand in need of each other,
and the head has need of the feet. And God has made this to be the case
with us, and, for all that, we will not endure it: although even without
this, there ought to be love among us. Hear ye not how they that are
without accuse us when they say, "Needs make friendships?" The laity have
need of us; and we again exist for them. Since teacher or ruler would not
exist, if there were not persons to be taught, nor would he perform his
part, for it would not be possible. As the land has need of the husbandman,
and the husbandman of the land, so is it here. What reward is there for the
teacher to receive, when he has none to produce that he has taught? and
what for the taught, who have not had the benefit of the best teaching? So
that we need each other alike in turn, both the governed, them that
govern,[1] and leaders, them that obey: for rulers are for the sake of
many. Since no one is sufficient to do anything by himself alone, whether
need be to ordain (cheirotonh^sai, or to examine men's counsels and
opinions. but they become more honorable by assembly and numbers. For
instance, the poor need givers, the givers again need receivers.
"Considering one another" he says, "to provoke unto love and to good
works." (Heb. x. 24.) On this account the assembly of the whole Church has
more power: and what each cannot do by himself singly, he is able to do
when joined with the rest. Therefore most necessary are the prayers offered
up, here, for the world, for the Church, from the one end of the earth to
the other, for peace, for those who are in adversities. And Paul shows this
when he says, "That for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many
persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf" (2 Cor. i. II); that is,
that He might confer the favor on many. And often he asks for their
prayers. See also what God says with regard to the Ninevites: "And shall
not I spare that city, wherein dwell more than six score thousand persons?"
(Jonah iv. II.) For if, "where two or three," He says, "are gathered
together in My Name" (Matt. xviii. 20), they prevail much, how much more,
being many? And yet thou mayest prevail, though thou be but one; yet not
equally so. For why art thou but one? Why dost thou not make many? Why dost
thou not become the maker of love? Why dost thou not create
(kataskeu'azeis) friendship? Thou lackest the chief excellence of
virtue. For as men's being bad by agreement together more provokes God; so
for men to be good by unanimity delights Him more. "Thou shall not follow a
multitude," He says, "to do evil." (Ex. xxiii. 2.) "They are all gone out
of the way, they are together become unprofitable" (Rom. iii. 12), and have
become as it were men singing m concert in their wickedness. Make for
thyself friends in preference to domestics, and all besides. If the
peacemaker is a son of God, how much more he who makes friends also? (Matt.
v. 9.) If he who reconciles only is called a son of God, of what shall not
he be worthy, who makes friends of those who are reconciled? Let us engage
ourselves in this trade, let us make those who are enemies to each other
friends, and those who are not indeed enemies, but are not friends, them
let us bring together, and before all, our own selves. For as he who is at
enmity in his house, and has differences with his wife, carries no
authority when reconciling others, but will be told, "Physician, heal
thyself" (Luke iv. 23), so will a man be told in this case. What then is
the enmity that is in us? That of the soul against the body, that of vice
against virtue. This enmity let us put an end to, this war let us take
away, and then being in peace we shall also address others with much
boldness of speech, our conscience not accusing us. Anger fights against
gentleness, love of money against contempt of it, envy against goodness of
heart. Let us make an end of this war, let us overthrow these enemies, let
us set up these trophies, let us establish peace in our own city. We have
within us a city and a civil polity, and citizens and aliens many: but let
us banish the aliens, that our own people may not be ruined. Let no foreign
nor spurious doctrine enter in, no carnal desire. See we not that, if any
enemy has been caught in a city, he is judged as a spy? Then let us not
only banish aliens, but let us drive out enemies also. If we see one, let
us deliver up to the ruler, (that is), to conscience (tw(i)^ nw(i)^),
that imagination which is indeed an alien, a barbarian, albeit tricked out
with the garb of a citizen. For there are within us many imaginations of
this kind, which are by nature indeed enemies, but are clad in sheep's
skins. Just as the Persians, when they have put off the tiara, and the
drawers, and the barbarian shoes, and put on the other dress which is usual
with us, and have shorn themselves close, and converse in our own tongue,
conceal war under their outward garb: but once apply the tortures
(basa'nous or "tests "), and thou bringest to light what is hidden: so
here, examine (or "put to the test,")by torture again and again such an
imagination as this, and thou wilt quickly see that its spirit is that of a
stranger. But to show you also by way of example the sort of spies which
the devil sends into us to spy out what is in us, come let us strip one of
them, and examine it strictly at the tribunal: and if you please, let us
bring forward some of those which were detected by Paul. "Which things," he
says, "have indeed a show of wisdom in will-worship, and humility, and
neglecting off the body: not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh."
(Col. ii. 23.) The devil wished to bring in Judaism: now if he had
introduced it in its own form, he would not have carried his point.
Accordingly, mark how he brought it about. "You must neglect the body," he
says: "this is (the true) philosophy, not to admit of meats, but to guard
against them: this is humility." And now again in our own times, in the
case of the heretics, he wished to bring us down to the creature. See then
how he dressed up his deceit. Had he said, "Worship a creature," he would
have been detected: but what says he? "God" (viz. the Son and the Holy
Ghost), he says, "is a created being." But let us lay bare for the decision
of the judges the meaning of the Apostolic writings: there let us bring
him: themselves will acknowledge both the preaching and the language. Many
make gains "that they may have wherewith to give to the poor," unjust
gains: this too is a wicked imagination. But let us undress it, let us
convict it, that we may not be taken by it, but that having escaped all the
devices of the devil, and holding to the sound doctrines with strictness,
we may be able both to pass in safety through this life present, and to
obtain the good things promised, through the grace and mercy of our Lord
Jesus Christ, with Whom to the Father, together with the Holy Ghost, be
glory, might, honor, now and ever, world without end. Amen.

HOMILY XXXVIII: ACTS XVII. 16, 17.

"Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him,
when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. Therefore disputed he in the
synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market
daily with them that met with him."

   Observe how he meets with greater trials among the Jews than among the
Gentiles. Thus in Athens he undergoes nothing of this kind; the thing goes
as far as ridicule, and there an end: and yet he did make some converts:
whereas among the Jews he underwent many perils; so much greater was their
hostility against him.--"His spirit," it says, "was roused within him when
he saw the city all full of idols." Nowhere else were so many objects[1] of
worship to be seen. But again "he disputed with the Jews in the synagogue,
and in the market daily with them that met with him. Then certain of the
philosophers of the Stoics and Epicureans encountered him." (v. 18.) It is
a wonder the philosophers did not laugh him to scorn, speaking in the way
he did. "And some said, What does this babbler mean to say?" insolently, on
the instant:[2]--this is far from philosophy. "Other some said, He seemeth
to be a setter forth of strange gods," from the preaching, because he had
no arrogance. They did not understand, nor comprehend the subjects he was
speaking of--how should they? affirming as they did, some of them, that God
is a body; others, that pleasure is the (true) happiness.[1] "Of strange
gods, because he preached:unto them Jesus and the Resurrection :" for in
fact they supposed "Anastasis" (the Resurrection) to be some deity, being
accustomed to worship female divinities also.* "And having taken him, they
brought him to the Areopagus" (v. 19)--not to punish, but in order to
learn[2]--"to the Areopagus" where the trials for murder were held. Thus
observe, in hope of learning (they ask him), saying, "May we know what is
this new doctrine spoken of by thee? For thou bringest certain strange
matters to our ears"  (v. 20):everywhere novelty is the charge: "we would
fain know therefore, what these things may mean." It was a city of talkers,
that city of theirs. "For all the Athenians and strangers which were there
spent their time m nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new
thing. Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars hill, and said, Ye men of
Athens, I look upon you as being in all things" (v. 21, 22)--he puts it by
way of encomium: (the word) does not seem to mean anything offensive--
deisidaimoneste'rous, that is, eulabeste'rous, "more religiously
disposed. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar
with his inscription, TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. What therefore ye ignorantly
worship, this declare I unto you." (v. 23.)--" On which was inscribed, To
an Unknown God." The Athenians, namely, as on many occasions they had
received gods from foreign parts also--for instance, the temple of Minerva,
Pan, and others from different countries-being afraid that there might be
some other god not yet known to them, but worshipped elsewhere, for more
assurance, forsooth, erected an altar to that god also: and as the god was
not known, it was inscribed, "To an Unknown God." This God then, he tells
them, is Christ; or rather, the God of all. t "Him declare I unto you,"
Observe l how he shows that they had already received Him, and "it is
nothing strange," says he, "nothing new that I introduce to you." All
along, this was what they had been saying: "What is this new doctrine
spoken of by thee? For thou bringest certain strange matters to our ears."
Immediately therefore he removes this surmise of theirs: and then says,
"God that made the world and all things therein, He being Lord of heaven
and earth" --for, that they may not imagine Him to be one of many, he
presently sets them right on this point; adding, "dwelleth not in temples
made with hands" (v. 24), "neither is worshipped with men's hands, as
though he needed anything "--do you observe how, little by little, he
brings in the philosophy? how he ridicules the heathen error? "seeing it is
He that giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; and hath made of
one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth."
This is peculiar to God. Look, then, whether these things may not be
predicated of the Son also. "Being Lord," he saith, "of heaven and earth "-
-which they accounted to be God's. Both the creation he declares to be His
work, and mankind also.[8] "Having determined," he says, "the times [4]
assigned to them, and the bounds of their habitation," (v. 25, 26), "that
they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after Him, and find
Him, though He be not far from every one,of us: for in Him we live, and
move, and have our being: as certain also of your own poets have said, For
we are also His offspring." (v. 27, 28.) This is said by Aratus the poet.
Observe how he draws his arguments from things done by themselves, and from
sayings of their own. "Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we
ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone,
graven by art." (v. 29.) And yet for this reason we ought.[1] By no means:
for surely we are not like (to such), nor are these souls of ours. "And
imagination of man." How so? * * But some person might say, "We do not
think this." But it was to the many that he was addressing himself, not now
to Philosophy. How then did they think so unworthily of Him? Again, putting
it upon their ignorance, he says, "Now the times of ignorance God
overlooked." Having[2] agitated their minds by the fear, he then adds this:
and yet he says, "but now he commandeth all men everywhere to repent." (v.
30.) "Because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world
in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given
assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead." (v. 31.)
But let us look over again what has been said.

   (Recapitulation.) (b) "And while Paul waited," etc. (v. 16.) It is
providentially ordered that against his will he stays there, while waiting
for those others. (a) "His spirit," it says, "within him" parwxu'neto.
It does not mean there, anger or exasperation: just as elsewhere it says,
"There was paroxusmo`s between them." (ch. xv. 30.) (c) Then what is
parwxu'neto? Was roused: for the gift is far removed from anger and
exasperation. He could not bear it, but pined away.[8] "He reasoned
therefore in the synagogue," etc. (v. 17.) Observe him again reasoning with
Jews. By "devout persons" he means the proselytes. For the Jews were
dispersed everywhere before (mod. text "since") Christ's coming, the Law
indeed being henceforth, so to say, in process of dissolution, but at the
same time (the dispersed Jews) teaching men religion.[4] But those
prevailed nothing, save only that they got witnesses of their own
calamities. (e) "And certain philosophers," etc. (v. 18.) How came they to
be willing to confer with him? (They did it) when they salt others
reasoning, and the man having repute (in the encounter). And observe
straightway with overbearing insolence, "some said, What would this babbler
say? For the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit." (1 Cor.
ii. 14.) Other some, He seemeth to be a setter-forth of strange deities:
daimoni'wn, for so they called their gods. "And having taken him, they
brought him," etc. (v. 19.) (a) The Athenians no longer enjoyed their own
laws, but were become subject to the Romans. (g) (Then) why did they hale
him to the Areopagus? Meaning to overawe him--(the place) where they held
the trials for bloodshed. "May we know, what is this new doctrine spoken of
by thee? For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears; we would
fain know therefore what these things mean. For all the Athenians and
strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to
tell, or to hear some new thing." (v. 20, 21.) Here the thing noted is,
that though ever occupied only in this telling and hearing, yet they
thought those things strange--things which they had never heard. "Then Paul
standing in the midst of the Areopagus said, Ye men of Athens, I look upon
you as being in all things more religiously disposed" (v. 22): (f) for the
cities were full of gods (daimo'nwn, al. eidw'lwn): (h) this is why
he says deisidaimoneste'rous. " For as I passed by and viewed the
objects of your worship--he does not say simply tou`s dai'monas (the
demons, or deities), but paves the way for his discourse: "I beheld an
altar," etc. (v. 23.) This is why he says, "I look upon you as being more
religiously disposed, viz. because of the altar. "God," he says, "that made
the world." (v. 24.) He uttered one word, by which he has subverted all the
(doctrines) of the philosophers. For the Epicureans affirm all to be
fortuitously formed and (by concourse) of atoms, the Stoics held it to be
body and fire (ekpu'rwsin). "The world and all that is therein." Do you
mark the conciseness, and in conciseness, clearness? Mark what were the
things that were strange to them: that God made the world! Things which now
any of the most ordinary persons know, these the Athenians and the wise men
of the Athenians knew not. "Seeing He is Lord of heaven and earth:" for if
He made them, it is clear that He is Lord. Observe what he affirms to be
the note of Deity--creation. Which attribute the Son also hath. For the
Prophets everywhere affirm this, that to create is God's prerogative. Not
as those affirm[1] that another is Maker but not Lord, assuming that matter
is uncreated. Here now he covertly affirms and establishes his own, while
he overthrows their doctrine.[2] "Dwelleth not in temples made with hands."
For He does indeed dwell in temples, yet not in such, but in man's soul. He
overthrows the corporeal worship. What then? Did He not dwell in the temple
at Jerusalem? No indeed: but He wrought therein. "Neither is worshipped by
men's hands." (v. 25.) How then was He worshipped by men's hands among the
Jews? Not by hands, but by the understanding. "As though He needed
anything:" since even those (acts of worship) He did not in this sort seek,
"as having need. Shall I eat," saith He, "the flesh of bulls, or drink the
blood of goats?" (Ps. 1. 13.) Neither is this enough--the having need of
naught--which he has affirmed: for though this is Divine, yet a further
attribute must be added. "Seeing it is He that giveth unto all, life and
breath and all things." Two proofs of Godhead: Himself to have need of
naught, and to supply all things to all men. Produce here Plato (and) all
that he has philosophized about God, all that Epicurus has: and all is but
trifling to this! "Giveth," he says, "life and breath." Lo, he makes Him
the Creator of the soul also, not its begetter. See again how he overthrows
the doctrine about matter. "And made," he says, "off one blood every nation
of men to dwell upon all the face of the earth." (v. 26.) These things are
better than the former: and what an impeachment both of the atoms and of
matter, that (creation) is not partial (work), nor the soul of man either?
But this, which those say, is not to be Creator.[4]--But by the mind and
understanding He is worshipped.--" It is He that giveth," etc. He not the
partial (merikoi` dai'mones) deities. "And all things." it is "He,"
he saith.--How man also came into being.[5]--First he showed that "He
dwelleth not," etc., and then declared[6] that He "is not worshipped as
though He had need of aught." If God,[7] He made all: but if He made not,
He is not God. Gods that made not heaven and earth, let them perish. He
introduces much greater doctrines, though as yet he does not mention the
great doctrines; but he discoursed to them as unto children. And these were
much greater than those. Creation, Lordship, the having need of naught,
authorship of all good--these he has declared. But s how is He worshipped?
say. It is not yet the proper time. What equal to this sublimity?
Marvellous is this also--of one, to have made so many: but also, having
made, Himself sustains them (sugkratei^) in being, "giving life and
breath and all things. (b) And hath determined the times appointed, and the
bounds of their habitation, that they should seek God, if haply they might
feel after Him and find Him." (v. 27.) (a) It means either this, that He
did not compel them to ,go about and seek God, but according to the
bounds[9] of their habitation: (c) or this, that He determined their
seeking God, yet not determined this (to be done) continually, but
(determined) certain appointed times (when they should do so): showing[1]
now, that not having sought they had found: for since, having sought, they
had not found, he shows that God was now as manifest as though He were in
the midst of them palpably (pshlaphw'menos). (e) "Though He be not far,"
he saith, "from every one of us," but is near to all. See again the power
(or, "what it is to be God,") of God. What saith he? Not only He gave "life
and breath and all things," but, as the sum and substance of all, He
brought us to the knowledge of Himself, by giving us these things by which
we are able to find and to apprehend Him. But we did not wish to find Him,
albeit close at hand. "Though He be not far from every one of us." Why look
now, He is near to all, to every one all the world over! What can be
greater than this? See how he makes clear riddance of the parcel deities
(tou`s merikou's)! What say I, "afar off?" He is so near, that
without Him we live not: "for in Him we live and move and have our being."
(v. 28.) "In him;" to put it by way of corporeal similitude, even as it is
impossible to be ignorant of the air which is diffused on every side around
us, and is "not far from every one of us," nay rather, which is in us. (d)
For it was not so that there was a heaven in one place, in another none,
nor yet (a heaven) at one time, at another none. So that both at every
"time" and at every "bound" it was possible to find Him. He so  ordered
things, that neither by place nor by t time were men hindered. For of
course even  this, if nothing else, of itself was a help to them--that the
heaven is in every place, that it stands in all time. (f) See how (he
declares) His Providence, and His upholding power(sugkra'thsin); the
existence of all things from Him, (from Him) their working (to`
energei^n), (from Him their preservation) that they perish not. And he
does not say, "Through Him," but, what was nearer than this, "In him."--
That poet said nothing equal to this, "For we are His offspring." He,
however, spake it of Jupiter, but Paul takes it of the Creator, not meaning
the same being as he, God forbid! but meaning what is properly predicated
of God: just as he spoke of the altar with reference to Him, not to the
being whom they worshipped. As much as to say,  "For certain things are
said and done with reference to this (true God), but ye know not that they
are with  reference to Him." For say, of whom would it be properly said,
"To an Unknown God?" Of the Creator, or of the demon? Manifestly of the
Creator: because Him they knew not, but the other they knew. Again, that
all things are filled (with the presence)--of God? or of Jupiter--a wretch
of a man, a detestable impostor! But Paul said it not in the same sense as
he, God forbid! but with quite a different meaning. For he says we are
God's offspring, i.e. God's own,[2] His nearest neighbors as it were. For
lest, when he says, "Being the offspring of God" (v. 29), they should again
say, Thou bringest certain strange things to our ears,[3] he produces the
poet. He does not say, "Ye ought not to think the Godhead like to gold or
silver," ye accursed and execrable: but in more lowly sort he says, "We
ought not." For what (says he)?[4] God is above this? No, he does not say
this either: but for the present this--"We ought not to think the Godhead
like unto such," for nothing is so opposite to men. "But we do not affirm
the Godhead to be like unto this, for who would say that?" Mark[5] how he
has introduced the incorporeal (nature of God) when he said, "In Him,"
etc., for the mind, when it surmises body, at the same time implies the
notion of distance. (Speaking) to the many he says, "We ought not to think
the Godhead like unto gold, or silver, or stone, the shaping of art,"[6]
for if we are not like to those as regards the soul, much more God (is not
like to such). So far, he withdraws them from the notion. But neither is
the Godhead, he would say, subjected to any other human conception. For if
that which art or thought has found--this is why he says it thus, "of art
or imagination of man" --if that, then, which human art or thought has
found, is God, then even in the stone (is) God's essence.--How comes it
then, if "in Him we live," that we do not find Him? The charge is twofold,
both that they did not find Him, and that they found such as these. The
(human) understanding in itself is not at all to be relied upon.--But when
he has agitated their soul by showing them to be without excuse, see what
he says: "The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men
everywhere to repent." (v. 30.) What then? Are none of these men to be
punished? None of them that are willing to repent. He says it of these men,
not of the departed, but of them whom He commands to repent. He does not
call you to account, he would say. He does not say, Took no notice
(parei^den); does not say, Permitted: but, Ye were ignorant.
"Overlooked," i.e. does not demand punishment as of men that deserve
punishment. Ye were ignorant. And he does not say, Ye wilfully did evil.;
but this he showed by what he Said above[1]--" All men everywhere to
repent:" again he hints at the whole world. Observe how he takes them off
from the parcel deities! "Because He has appointed a day, in the which He
will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He hath ordained,
whereof He hath given assurance to all men, in that He raised Him from the
dead." (v. 31.) Observe how he again declares the Passion. Observe the
terror again: for, that the judgment is true, is clear from the raising Him
up: for it is alleged in proof of that. That all he has been saying is
true, is clear from the fact that He rose again. For He did give[2] this
"assurance to all men," His rising from the dead: this (i.e. judgment),
also is henceforth certain.

   These words were spoken indeed to the Athenians: but it were seasonable
that one should say to us also, "that all men everywhere must repent,
because he hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world." See
how he brings Him in as Judge also: Him, both provident for the world, and
merciful and forgiving and powerful and wise, and, in a word possessing all
the attributes of a Creator. "Having given assurance to all men," i.e. He
has given proof in the rising (of Jesus) from the dead.[8] Let us repent
then: for we must assuredly be judged. If Christ rose not, we shall not be
judged: but if he rose, we shall without doubt be judged. "For to this
end," it is said, "did He also die, that he might be Lord both of the dead
and living." (Rom. xiv. 9.) "For we shall all stand before the judgment
seat of Christ, that every one may receive according to that he hath done."
(Rom. xiv. 10, and 2 Cor. v. 10.) Do not imagine that these are but words.
Lo! he introduced also the subject of the resurrection of all men; for in
no other way can the world be judged. And that, "In that He hath raised Him
from the dead," relates to the body: for that was dead, that had fallen.
Among the Greeks, as their notions of Creation, so likewise of the
Judgment, are children's fancies, ravings of drunken men. But let us, who
know these things accurately, do something that is to the purpose: let us
be made friends unto God. How long shall we be at enmity with Him? How long
shall we entertain dislike towards Him? "God forbid!" you will say: "Why do
you say such things?" I would wish not to say the things I say, if ye did
not do the things ye do: but as things are, what is the use now in keeping
silence from words, when the plain evidence of deeds so cries aloud? How
then, how shall we love Him? I have told you thousands of ways, thousands
of times: but I will speak it also now. One way I seem to myself to have
discovered, a very great and admirable way. Namely,[4] after acknowledging
to Him our general obligations,--what none shall be able to express (I
mean), what has been done for each of us in his own person, of these also
let us bethink ourselves, because these are of great force: let each one of
us reckon them up with himself, and make diligent search, and as it were in
a book let him have the benefits of God written down; for instance, if at
any time having fallen into dangers he has escaped the hands of his
enemies; if ever having gone out on a journey at an untimely hour, he has
escaped danger; if ever, having had an encounter with wicked men, he has
got the better of them; or if ever, having fallen into sickness, he has
recovered when all had given him over: for this avails much for attaching
us to God. For if that Mordecai, when the services done by him were brought
to the king's remembrance, found them to be so available, that he in return
rose to that height of splendor (Esther vi. 2-11): much more we, if we call
to mind, and make diligent enquiry of these two points, what sins we have
committed against God, and what good He has done to us, shall thus both be
thankful, and give Him freely all that is ours. But no one gives a thought
to any of these things: but just as regarding our sins we say that we are
sinners, while we do not enquire into them specifically, so with regard to
God's benefits (we say), that God has done us good, and do not specifically
enquire, where, and in how great number and at what time. But from this
time forth let us be very exact in our reckoning. For if any one can recall
even those things which happened long ago, let him reckon up all
accurately, as one who will find a great treasure. This is also .profitable
to us in keeping us from despair. For when we see that he has often
protected us, we shall not despair, nor suppose that we are cast off but we
shall take it as a strong pledge of His care for us, when we bethink us
how, though we have sinned, we are not punished, but even enjoy protection
from Him. Let me now tell you a case, which I heard from a certain person,
in which was a child, and it happened on a time that he was in the country
with his mother, being not yet fifteen years old. Just then there came a
bad air, in consequence of which a fever attacked them both, for in fact it
was the autumn season. It happened that the mother succeeded in getting
into the town before (they could stop her); but the boy, when the
physicians on the spot[1] ordered him, with the fever burning within him,
to gargle his throat, resisted, having forsooth his own wise view of the
matter, and thinking he should be better able to quench the fire, if he
took nothing whatever, therefore, in his unseasonable spirit of opposition,
boy-like, he would take nothing. But when he came into the town, his tongue
was paralyzed, and he was for a long time speechless, so that he could
pronounce nothing articulately; however, he could read indeed, and attended
masters for a long time, but[2] that was all, and there was nothing to mark
his progress. So all his hopes (in life) were cut off, and his mother was
full of grief: and though the physicians suggested many plans, and many
others did so too, yet nobody was able to do him any good, until the
merciful God loosed the string of his tongue (cf. Mark vii. 35), and then
he recovered, and was restored to his former readiness and distinctness of
speech. His mother also related, that when a very little child, he had an
affection in the nose, which they call a polypus: and then too the
physicians had given him over and his father cursed him (for the father was
then living), and (even) his mother prayed for him to die;[3] and all was
full of distress. But he on a sudden having coughed, owing to the
collection of mucus, by the force of the breath expelled the creature
(to thhri'on) from his nostrils, and all the danger was removed. But
this evil having been extinguished, an acrid and viscid running from the
eyes formed such a thick gathering of the humors (ta`s lh'mas), that
it was like a skin drawn over the pupil, and what was worse, it threatened
blindness, and everybody said this would be the issue. But from this
disease also was he quickly freed by the grace of God. So far what I have
heard from others: now I will tell you what I myself know. Once on a time a
suspicion of tyrants was raised in our city--at that time I was but a
youth--and all the soldiers being set to watch without the city as it
chanced, they were making strict[4] inquisition after books of sorcery and
magic. And the person who had written the book, had flung it unbound
(akataskeu'aston) into the river, and was taken, and when asked for it,
was not able to give it up, but was carried all around the city in bonds:
when, however, the evidence being brought home to him, he had suffered
punishment, just then it chanced that I, wishing to go to the Martyrs'
Church, was returning through the gardens by the riverside in company with
another person. He, seeing the book floating on the water at first thought
it was a linen cloth, but when he got near, perceived it was a book, so he
went down, and took it up. I however called shares in the booty, and
laughed about it. But let us see, says he, what in the world it is. So he
turns back a part of the page, and finds the contents to be magic. At that
very moment it chanced that a soldier came by: * * * then having taken from
within,[1] he went off. There were we congealed with fear. For who would
have believed our story that we had picked it up from the river, when all
were at that time, even the unsuspected, under strict watch? And we did not
dare to cast it away, lest we should be seen, and there was a like danger
to us in tearing it to pieces. God gave us means, and we cast it away, and
at last we were free for that time from the extreme peril. And I might
mention numberless cases, if I had a mind to recount all. And even these I
have mentioned for your sakes, so that, if any have other cases, although
not such as these, let him bear them in mind constantly: for example, if at
any time a stone having been hurled, and being about to strike thee, has
not struck thee, do thou bear this ever in thy mind: these things produce
in us great affection towards God. For if on remembering any men who have
been the means of saving us, we are much mortified if we be not able to
requite them, much more (should we feel thus) with regard to God. This too
is useful in other respects. When we wish not to be overmuch grieved, let
us say: "If we have received good things at the hand of the Lord, shall not
we endure evil things?" (Job ii. 10.) And when Paul told them from whence
he had been delivered, (2 Tim. iv. 17) the reason was that he might put
them also in mind. See too how Jacob kept all these things in his mind:
wherefore also he said: "The Angel which redeemed me from my youth up (Gen.
xlviii. 16); and not only that he redeemed him, but how and for what
purpose. See accordingly how he also calls to mind the benefits he had
received in particular. "With my staff," he says, "I passed over Jordan."
(Gen. xxxii. 10.) The Jews also always remembered the things which happened
to their forefathers, turning over in their minds the things done in Egypt.
Then much more let us, bearing in mind the special mercies which have
happened to us also, how often we have fallen into dangers and calamities,
and unless God had held his hand over us, should long ago have perished: I
say, let us all, considering these things and recounting them day by day,
return our united thanks all of us to God, and never cease to glorify Him,
that so we may receive a large recompense for our thankfulness of heart,
through the grace and compassion of His only begotten Son, with Whom to the
Father, together with the Holy Ghost, be glory, might, honor, now and ever,
world without end. Amen.

HOMILY XXXIX: ACTS XVII. 32-34. XVIII. 1.

"And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead,  some mocked: and
others said, We will hear thee  again of this matter. So Paul departed from
among them. Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the
which was Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris, and others
with them. After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to
Corinth."

    What can be the reason that, having persuaded (some so far as to say)
that they would hear him again, and there being no dangers, Paul is so in
haste to leave Athens? Probably he knew that he should do them no great
good; moreover he was led by the Spirit to Corinth.[2] (b) For the
Athenians, although fond of hearing strange things, nevertheless did not
attend (to him); for this was not their study, but only to be always having
something to say; which was the cause that made them hold off from him. But
if this was their custom, how is it that they accuse him, "he seemeth to be
a setter forth of strange gods?" (ch. xvii. 18.) Yes, but these were
matters they did not at all know what to make of. Howbeit, he did convert
both Dionysius the Areopagite, and some others. For those who were careful
Of (right) living, quickly received the word; but the others not so. It
seemed to Paul sufficient to have cast the seeds of the doctrines. (a) To
Corinth then, as I said, he was led by the Spirit, in which city he was to
abide. (c) "And having found a certain Jew named Aquila, of Pontus by
birth, lately come from "Italy"-for the greater part of his life had been
passed there--" and Priscilla his wife, because that Claudius had commanded
all the Jews to depart from Rome." (v. 2.) For though it was in the reign
of Nero that the war against the Jews was consummated, yet from the time of
Claudius and thenceforward it was fanning up, at a distance indeed,[1] so
that, were it but so, they might come to their senses, and from Rome they
were now driven as common pests. This is why it is so ordered by Providence
that Paul was led thither as a prisoner, that he might not as a Jew be
driven away, but as acting under military custody might even be guarded
there. (Having found these,) "he came to them, and because he was of the
same craft, he abode with them and wrought: for by occupation they were
tent-makers." (v. 3.) Lo, what a justification he found for dwelling in the
same house with them! For because here, of all places, it was necessary
that he should not receive, as he himself says, "That wherein they glory,
they may be found, even as we" (2 Cor. xi. 12), it is providentially
ordered that he there abides. "And he reasoned in the synagogue every
sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. And when Silas and
Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was straitened in the word,[2]
testifying to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ." (v. 4, 5.) "And when the
Jews opposed and blasphemed," i.e. they tried to bear him down
(ephre'azon), they set upon him--What then does Paul? He separates from
them, and in a very awful manner: and though he does not now say, "It was
need that the word should be spoken unto you," yet he darkly intimates it
to them?--" and when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his
raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean:
from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles." (v. 6.) "And he departed
thence, and entered into a certain man's house, named Justus, one that
worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue." See how having
again said, "Henceforth--" for all that, he does not neglect them; so that
it was to rouse them that he said this, and thereupon came to Justus, whose
house was contiguous to the synagogue, so that a even from this they might
have jealousy, from the very proximity. "And Crispus, the chief ruler of
the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house." This also was, of
all things, enough to bring them over. "And many of the Corinthians hearing
believed, and were baptized. Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a
vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: for I am with
thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in
this city." (v. 8-10.) See by how many reasons He persuades him, and how He
puts last the reason which of all others most prevailed with him, "I have
much people in this city." Then how was it, you may ask, that they set upon
him? And[4] yet, the writer tells us, they prevailed nothing, but brought
him to the proconsul. "And he continued there a year and six months,
teaching  the word of God among them. And when Gallio was proconsul of
Achaia, the Jews ;made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and
brought him to the judgment-seat." (v. II, 12.) Do you mark why those men
were ever contriving to give a public turn to the misdemeanors (they
accused them of)? Thus see here: (b) "Saying, This fellow seduceth men
contrary to the law to worship God. And when Paul was about to open his
mouth, Gallio said: If indeed it were any wrong-doing or wicked lewdness, O
ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you. But if it be a question
of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge
of such matters. And he drave them from the judgment-seat." (v. 13--16.)
This Gallio seems to me to have been a sensible man. (a) Thus observe, when
these had said, "Against the law he seduceth men to worship God," he "cared
for none of these things:" and observe how he answers them: "If indeed it
were" any matter affecting the city, "any wrong-doing or wicked lewdness,"
etc. (c) "Then all the Jews? took Sosthenes the ruler of the synagogue, and
beat him before the judgment-seat: and Gallio cared for none of these
things" (v. 17): but their beating him he did not take as an insult to
himself. So petulant were the Jews. But let us look over again what has
been said.

   (Recapitulation.) "And when they heard," (ch. xvii. 32) what great and
lofty doctrines, they did not even attend, but jeered at the Resurrection!
"For the natural man," it saith, "receiveth not the things of the Spirit."
(1 Cor. ii. 14.) "And so," it says, "Paul went forth." (v. 33.) How? Having
persuaded some; derided by others. "But certain men," it says, "clave unto
him, and believed, among whom was also Dionysius the Areopagite and some
others."[1] (v. 34.) "And after these things," etc. "And having found a
certain Jew by name Aquila, of Pontus by birth, lately come from Italy,
because that Claudius had ordered all Jews to depart from Rome, he came to
them, and because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and
wrought: for by their occupation they were tent-makers." (ch.xviii. 1-3.)
Being of Pontus, this Aquila * * * .[2] Observe how, not in Jerusalem, nor
near it (the crisis), was hasting to come, but at a greater distance. And
with him he abides, and is not ashamed to abide, nay, for this very reason
he does abide, as having a suitable lodging-place, for to him it was much
more suitable than any king's palace. And smile not thou, beloved, to hear
(of his occupation). For (it was good for him) even as to the athlete the
palaestra is more useful than delicate carpets; so to the warrior the iron
sword (is useful), not that of gold. "And wrought," though he preached. Let
us be ashamed, who though we have no preaching to occupy us, live in
idleness. "And he disputed in the synagogue every sabbath day, and
persuaded both Jews and Greeks" (v. 4): but "when they opposed and
blasphemer" he withdrew, by this expecting to draw them more. For wherefore
having left that house did he come to live hard by the synagogue? was it
not for this? For it was not that he saw any danger here. But therefore it
is that Paul having testified to them--not teaches now, but testifies--
"having shaken his garments," to terrify them not by word only but by
action, "said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads" (v. 6): he
speaks the more vehemently as having already persuaded many. "I," says he,
"am clean." Then we also are accountable for the blood of those entrusted
to us, if we neglect them. "From this time forth I will go to the
Gentiles." So that also when he says, "Henceforth let no man trouble me"
(Gal. vi. 17), he says it to terrify. For not so much did the punishment
terrify, as this stung them. "And having removed thence he came into the
house of one named Justus, that worshipped God, whose house was contiguous
to the synagogue" (v. 7), and there abode, by this wishing to persuade them
that he was in earnest (pro`s ta` ethnh hpei'geto) to go to the
Gentiles. Accordingly, mark immediately the ruler of the synagogue
converted, and many others, when he had done this. "Crispus the ruler of
the synagogue believed in the Lord, with his whole house: and many of the
Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized."--(v. 8.) "With his whole
house:"[3] observe the converts in those times doing this with their entire
household. This Crispus he means where he writes, "I baptized none save
Crispus and Gaius." (1 Cor. i. 14.) This (same) I take to be called
Sosthenes--(evidently) a believer, insomuch that he is beaten, and is
always present with Paul.* "And the Lord said in the night," etc. Now even
the number (of the "much people") persuaded him, but Christ's claiming them
for His own (moved him) more.[4] Yet He says also, "Fear not:" for the
danger was become greater now, both because more believed, and also the
ruler of the synagogue. This was enough to rouse him. Not that he was
reproved[1] as fearing; but that he should not suffer aught; "I am with
thee, and none shall set upon thee to hurt thee." (v. 9, 10.) For He did
not always permit them to suffer evil, that they might' not become too
weak. For nothing so grieved Paul, as men's unbelief and setting themselves
(against the Truth) this was worse than the dangers. Therefore it is that
(Christ) appears to him now. "And he continued a year and six months," etc.
(v. 11.) After the year and six months, they set upon him. "And when Gallio
was proconsul of Achaia," etc. (v. 12, 13), because they had no longer the
use of their own laws.[2] (c) And observe how prudent he is: for he does
not say straightway, I care not, but, "If," says he, "it were a matter of
wrong-doing or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear
with you: but if it be a question of doctrine and words and of your law,
see ye to it, for I do not choose to be a judge of such matters." (v. 14,
15.) (g) He taught[3] them that not such are the matters which crave a
judicial sentence, but they do all things out of order. And he does not
say, It is not my duty, but, "I do not choose," that they may not trouble
him again. Thus Pilate said in the case of Christ, "Take ye Him, and judge
him according to your law." (John xviii. 31.) But they were just like men
drunken and mad. (d) "And he drave them from the judgment-seat" (v. 16)--he
effectually closed the tribunal against them. "Then all" (the Jews) "having
seized Sosthenes the ruler of the synagogue, beat him before the judgment-
seat. And Gallio cared for none of these things." (v. 17). (a) This thing,
of all others, set them on (to this violence)--their persuasion that the
governor would not even let himself down (to notice it). (e) It was a
splendid victory. O the shame they were put to! (b) For it is one thing to
have come off victorious from a controversy, and another for those to learn
that he cared nothing for the affair. (f) "And Gallio cared for none of
these things:" and yet the whole was meant as an insult to him! But,
forsooth, as if they had received authority (they did this). Why did he
(Sosthenes), though he also had authority, not beat (them)? But they were
(otherwise) trained: so that the judge should learn which party was more
reasonable. This was no small benefit to those present--both the
reasonableness of these, and the audacity of those. (h)[4] He was beaten,
and said nothing.

   This man let us also imitate: to them that beat us, let us return blow
for blow, by meekness, by silence, by long-suffering. More grievous these
wounds, greater this blow, and more heavy. For to show that it is not the
receiving a blow in the body that is grievous, but the receiving it in the
mind, we often smite people, but since it is in the way of friendship, they
are even pleased: but if you smite any indifferent person in an insolent
manner, you have pained him exceedingly, because you have touched his
heart. So let us smite their heart. But that meekness inflicts a greater
blow than fierceness, come, let us prove, so far as that is possible, by
words. For the sure proof indeed is by acts and by experience: but if you
will, let us also make the enquiry by word, though indeed we have often
made it already. Now in insults, nothing pains us so much, as the opinion
passed by the spectators; for it is not the same thing to be insulted in
public and in private, but those same insults we endure even with ease,
when we suffer them in a solitary place, and with none by to witness them,
or know of them. So true is it that it is not the insult, as it is in
itself, that mortifies us, but the having to suffer it in the sight of all
men: since if one should do us honor in the sight of all men, and insult us
in private, we shall notwithstanding even feel obliged to him. The pain
then is not in the nature of the insult, but in the opinion of the
beholders; that one may not seem to be contemptible. What then, if this
opinion should be in our favor? Is not the man attempting to disgrace us
himself more disgraced, when men give their opinion in our favor? Say, whom
do the bystanders despise? Him who insults, or him who being insulted keeps
silence? Passion indeed suggests, that they despise him who is insulted:
but let us look into it now while we are free from that excitement, in
order that we may not be carried away when the time comes. Say, whom do we
all condemn? Plainly the man who insults: and if he be an inferior, we
shall say that he is even mad; if an equal, that he is foolish; if a
superior, still we shall not approve of it. For which man, I ask, is worthy
of approval, the man who is excited, who is tossed with a tempest of
passion, who is infuriated like a wild beast, who demeans himself in this
sort against our common nature, or he who lives in a state of calm, in a
haven of repose, and in virtuous equanimity? Is not the one like an angel,
the other not even like a man? For the one cannot even bear his own evils,
while the other bears even those of others also: here, the man cannot even
endure himself; there, he endures another too: the one is in danger of
shipwreck, the other sails in safety, his ship wafted along the favoring
gales: for he has not suffered the squall of passion to catch his sails and
overturn the bark of his understanding: but the breath of a soft and sweet
air fanning upon it, the breath of forbearance, wafts it with much
tranquillity into the haven of wise equanimity. And like as when a ship is
in danger of foundering, the sailors know not what they cast away, whether
what they lay hands upon be their own or other men's property, but they
throw overboard all the contents without discrimination, alike the precious
and what is not such: but when the storm has ceased, then reckoning up all
that they have thrown out, they shed tears, and are not sensible of the
calm for the loss of what they have thrown overboard: so here, when passion
blows hard, and the storm is raised, people in flinging out their words
know not how to use order or fitness; but when the passion has ceased, then
recalling to mind what kind of words they have given utterance to, they
consider the loss and feel not the quiet, when they remember the words by
which they have disgraced themselves, and sustained most grievous loss, not
as to money, but as to character for moderation and gentleness. Anger is a
darkness. "The foot," saith Scripture, "hath said in his heart, There is no
God." (Ps. xiii. 1.) Perhaps also of the angry man it is suitable to say
the same, that the angry man hath said, There is no God. For, saith
Scripture, "Through the multitude of his anger he will not seek" (after
God).[1] (Ps. x. 4.) For let what pious thought will enter in, (passion)
thrusts and drives all out, flings all athwart. (b) When you are told, that
he whom you abused uttered not one bitter word, do you not for this feel
more pain than you have inflicted? (a) If you in your own mind do not feel
more pain than he whom you have abused, abuse still; (but)though there be
none to call you to account, the judgment of your conscience, having taken
you privately, shall give you a thousand lashes, (when you think) how you
poured out a flood of railings on one so meek, and humble, and forbearing.
We are forever saying these things, but we do not see them exhibited in
works. You, a human being, insult your fellow-man? You, a servant, your
fellow-servant? But why do I wonder at this, when many even insult God? Let
this be a consolation to you when suffering insult. Are you insulted? God
also is insulted. Are you reviled? God also was reviled. Are you treated
with scorn? Why, so was our Master also. In these things He shares with us,
but not so in the contrary things. For He never insulted another unjustly:
God forbid! He never reviled, never did a wrong. So that we are those who
share with Him, not ye. For to endure when insulted is God's part: to be
merely abusive, is the part of the devil. 'See the two sides. "Thou hast a
devil" (John vii. 20; ib. xviii. 22), Christ was told: He received a blow
on the face from the servant of the high-priest. They who wrongfully
insult, are in the same class with these. For if Peter was even called
"Satan" (Matt. xvi. 23) for one word; much[2] more shall these men, when
they do the works of the Jews, be called, as those were called, "children
of the devil" (John viii. 44), because they wrought the works of the devil.
You insult; who are you, I ask (that you do so)? Nay, rather the reason why
you insult, is this, that you are nothing: no one that is human insults. So
that what is said in quarrels, "Who are you?" ought to be put in the
contrary way: "Insult: for you are nothing." Instead of that the phrase is,
"Who are you, that you insult?" "A better man than you," is the answer. And
yet it is just the contrary: but because we put the question amiss,
therefore they answer amiss: so that the fault is ours. For as if we
thought it was for great men to insult, therefore we ask, "Who are you,
that you insult?" And therefore they make this answer. But, on the
contrary, we ought to say: "Do you insult? insult still: for you are
nobody:" whereas to those who do not insult this should be said: "Who are
you that you insult not?--you have surpassed human nature." This is
nobility, this is generosity, to speak nothing ungenerous, though a man may
deserve to have it spoken to him. Tell me now, how many are there who are
not worthy to be put to death? Nevertheless, the judge does not this in his
own person, but interrogates them; and not this either, in his own person.
But if it is not to be suffered, that the judge, sitting in judgment,
should (in his own person) speak with a criminal, but he does all by the
intervention of a third person, much more is it our duty not to insult our
equals in rank; for[1] all the advantage we shall get of them will be, not
so much to have disgraced them, as to be made to learn that we have
disgraced ourselves. Well then, in the case of the wicked, this is why we
must not insult (even them); in the case of the good there is another
reason also because they do not deserve it: and for a third,[2] because it
is not right to be abusive. But as things are, see what comes of it; the
person abused is a man, and the person abusing is a man, and the spectators
men. What then? must the beasts come between them and settle matters? for
only this is left. For when both the wrong-doers and those who delight in
the wrong-doing are men, the part of reconciler is left for the beasts: for
just as when the masters quarrel in a house, there is nothing left but for
the servants to reconcile them,--even if this be not the result, for the
nature of the thing demands this,--just so is it here.--Are you abusive?
Well may you be so, for you are not even human. Insolence seemed to be a
high-born thing; it seemed to belong to the great; whereas it belongs
rather to slaves; but to give good words belongs to free men. For as to do
ill is the part of those, so to suffer ill is the part of these.--Just as
if some slave should steal the master's property, some old hag,--such a
thing as that is the abusive man. And like as some detestable thief and
runaway,[3] with studied purpose stealing in, looks all around him, wishing
to filch something: so does this man, even as he, look narrowly at all on
every side, studying how to throw out some (reproach). Or perhaps we may
set him forth by a different sort of example. Just as if[4] one should
steal filthy vessels out of a house, and bring them out in the presence of
all men, the things purloined do not so disgrace the persons robbed, as
they disgrace the thief himself: just so this man, by bringing out his
words in the presence of all men, casts disgrace not on others but on
himself by the words, in giving vent to this language, and be-fouling both
his tongue and his mind. For it is all one, when we quarrel with bad men,
as if one for the sake of striking a man who is immersed in putrefying
filth should defile himself by plunging his hands into the nastiness.
Therefore, reflecting on these things, let us flee the mischief thence
accruing, and keep a clean tongue, that being clear from all abusiveness,
we may be enabled with strictness to pass through the life present, and to
attain unto the good things promised to those that love Him, through the
grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom to the Father and the
Holy Ghost together be glory, might, honor, now and ever, world without
end. Amen.

HOMILY XL: ACTS XVIII. 18.

"And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his
leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla
and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow."

   See how the Law was breaking up; see how they were bound by conscience.
This, namely, was a Jewish custom, to shear their heads agreeably with a
vow. But then there ought to be also a sacrifice (ch. xxi. 26), which was
not the case here.[*]-- "Having yet tarried :" after the beating of
Sosthenes.[1] For it was necessary that he should yet tarry, and comfort
them concerning these things. "He sailed for Syria." Why does he desire
again to come to Syria? It was there that"the disciples were ordered to be
called Christians" (ch. xi. 26): there, that he had been "commended to the
grace of God" (xiv. 26): there, that he had effected such things concerning
the doctrine. "And with him Priscilla"--lo, a woman also[2]---" and
Aquila." But these he left at Ephesus. With good reason, namely, that they
should teach. For having been with him so long time, they were learning
many things: and yet he did not at present withdraw them from their custom
as Jews. "And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself
entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews. When they desired
him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not; but bade them
farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in
Jerusalem." Therefore[3] it was that he was hindered from coming into Asia,
being impelled to what was of pressing moment. Thus observe him here,
entreated (by them) to stay, but because he could not comply, being in
haste to depart, "he bade them farewell." However, he did not leave them
without more ado, but with promise (to return): "But I will return again
unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus." (v. 19-21.) "And when
he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up, and saluted the Church, he went
down to Antioch. And after he had spent some time there, he departed, and
went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening
all the disciples." (v. 22-23.) He came again to those places which he had
previously visited. "And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria,
an eloquent man, and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus." (v. 24.)
Lo, even learned men are now urgent, and the disciples henceforth go
abroad. Do you mark the spread of the preaching? "This man was instructed
in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the Spirit, he spake and
taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.
And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and
Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the
way of God more perfectly." (v. 25-26.) If this man[1] knew only the
baptism of John, how is it that he was "fervent in the Spirit," for the
Spirit was not given in that way? And if those after him needed the baptism
of Christ, much[2] more would he need it. Then what is to be said? For it
is not without a meaning that the writer has strung the two incidents
together. It seems to me that this was one of the hundred and twenty who
were baptized with the Apostles: or, if not so, then the same that took
place in the case of Cornelius, took place also in the case of this man.
But neither does he receive baptism. That expression, then, "they expounded
more perfectly," seems[3] to me to be this, that he behooved also to be
baptized. Because the other twelve knew nothing accurate, not even what
related to Jesus. And it is likely[4] that he did in fact receive baptism.
But if these (disciples) of John,[5] after that baptism again received
baptism, was this needful for the disciples also? And wherefore the need of
water? These are very different from him, men who did not even know whether
there were a Holy Ghost.* "He was fervent," then, "in the Spirit, knowing
only the baptism of John:" but these "expounded to him more perfectly. And
when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the
disciples to receive him; who, when he was come, helped them much which had
believed through grace." (v. 27.) He wished then also to depart into
Achaia, and these[6] also encouraged (him to do so), having also given him
letters. "Who when he was come, helped them much which had believed through
grace: for he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly, showing by
the Scriptures that Jesus was Christ." (v. 28.) "And it came to pass, that,
while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper
coasts"--meaning what we have read as to Caesarea and the other placest"
came to Ephesus, and having found certain disciples (ch. xix. 1), "he said
to them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said
unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And
he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto
John's baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of
repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on Him who
should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus." (v. 2-4.) For that they
did not even believe in Christ is plain from his saying, "that they should
believe on Him that was to come after him." And he did not say, The baptism
of John is nothing, but, It is incomplete. Nor does he add this (in so many
words), but he taught them, and many received the Holy Ghost. "When they
heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul
had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake
with tongues, and prophesied. And all the men were about twelve" (v. 5-7):
so that it was likely they had the Spirit, but it did not appear[7] "And
all the men were about twelve."

   (Recapitulation.) "And they came to Ephesus, and there he left them"
(v. 19): for he did not wish to take them about with him, but left them at
Ephesus. But they subsequently dwelt at Corinth, and he bears high
testimony to them, and writing to the Romans, salutes them. (Rom. xvi. 3.)
Whence it seems to me that they afterwards went back to Rome, in the time
of Nero,[1] as having an attachment for those parts whence they had been
expelled in the time of Claudius. "But[2] he himself went into the
synagogue." It seems to me that the faithful still assembled there, for
they did not immediately withdraw them. "And when they besought him to
stay, he consented not" (v. 20, 21), for he was hastening to Caesarea. "And
having arrived at Caesarea," etc., "passing through the region of Galatia
and Phrygia, confirming all the disciples." (v. 22, 23.) Through these
regions also he merely passes again, just enough to establish them by his
presence. "And a certain Jew, Apollos by name," etc. (v. 24.) For he was an
awakened man, travelling in foreign parts for this very purpose. Writing of
him the Apostle said, "Now concerning Apollos our brother."[3] (1 Cor. xvi.
12.) (b) Whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard," etc. (v. 26.) It was
not for nothing that he left them at Ephesus, but for Apollos' sake, the
Spirit so ordered it, that he might come with greater force to the attack
hepibh^nai upon Corinth. What may be the reason that to him they did
nothing, but Paul they assault? They knew that he was the leader, and great
was the name of the man. "And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia" (v.
27) i.e. in faith, he did all by faith; "the brethren wrote," etc. nowhere
envy, nowhere an evil eye. Aquila teaches, or rather this man lets himself
be taught. He was minded to depart, and they send letters. (a) "For he
mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly," etc. (v. 28.) Now by this,
that he "publicly" convinced them, his boldness was shown: by the clearness
of his arguing, his power was declared: by his convicting them out of the
Scriptures, his skill (of learning). For neither boldness by itself
contributes aught, where there is not power, nor power where there is not
boldness. "He mightily convinced," it says. (b) "And it came to pass," etc.
(ch. xix. 1.) But whence had those, being in Ephesus, the baptism of John?
Probably they had been on a visit at Jerusalem at the time (of John's
preaching), and did not even know Jesus. And he does not say to them, Do ye
believe in Jesus? but what? "Have ye received the Holy Ghost?" (v. 2.) He
knew that they had not, but wishes themselves to say it, that having learnt
what they lack, they may ask. "John verily baptized," etc. (v. 4.) From the
baptism itself he (John) prophesies :[4] and he leads them (to see) that
this is the meaning of John's baptism. (a) "That they should believe on Him
that was to come :" on what kind (of Person)? "I indeed baptize you with
water, but He that cometh after me, shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost?
(Matt. iii. 11.) And when Paul," it says, "had laid his hands upon them,
the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied."
(v. 6.) (b) The gift is twofold: tongues and prophesyings. Hence is
shown an important doctrine, that[5] the baptism of John is incomplete. And
he does not say, "Baptism" of forgiveness, but, "of repentance." What[6]
(is it) then? These had not the Spirit: they were not so fervent, not even
instructed. And why did (Apollos) not receive baptism?[7] (The case) seems
to me to be this: Great was the boldness of the man. "He taught diligently
the things concerning Jesus," but he needed more diligent teaching. Thus,
though not knowing all, by his zeal he attracted the Holy Ghost, in the
same manner as Cornelius and his company.

   Perhaps it is the wish of many, Oh that we had the baptism of John now!
But (if we had), many would still be careless of a life of virtue, and it
might be thought that each for this, and not for the kingdom of heaven's
sake, aimed at virtue. There would be many false prophets: for then "they
which are approved" would not be very "manifest." (1 Cor. xi. 19.) As,
"blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed" (John 20, 29),
so they that (believe)without signs. "Except," saith (Christ), "ye see
signs, ye will not believe." (Ib. iv. 48.) For we lose nothing (by lack of
miracles), if we will but take heed to ourselves. We have the sum and
substance of the good things: through baptism we received remission of
sins, sanctification, participation of the Spirit, adoption, eternal life.
What would ye more? Signs? But they come to an end (alla`
katargei^tai. Thou hast "faith, hope, charity," the abiding things:
these seek thou, these are greater than signs. Nothing is equal to charity.
For "greater than all," saith he, "is charity." (cf. 1 Cor. xiii. 5.) But
now, love is in jeopardy, for only its name is left behind, while the
reality is nowhere (seen), but we are divided each from the other. What
then shall one do to reunite (ourselves)? For to find fault is easy, but
how may one make friendship, this is the point to be studied; how we may
bring together the scattered members. For be it so, that we have one
Church, or one doctrine--yet this is not the (main) consideration: no, the
evil is, that[1] in these we have not fellowship--" living peaceably," as
the Apostle says, "with all men" (Rom. xii. 18), on the contrary, we are at
variance one with another. For be it that we are not having fights every
day, yet look not thou to this, but (to this), that neither have we
charity, genuine and unswerving. There is need of bandages and oil. Let us
bear it in mind, that charity is the cognizance of the disciples of Christ:
that without this, all else avails nothing: that it is an easy task if we
will. Yes, say you, we know all this, but how (to go to work) that it may
be achieved? What (to do), that it may be effected? in what way, that we
may love one another? First, let us put away the things which are
subversive of charity, and then we shall establish this. Let none be
resentful, none be envious, none rejoicing in (others') misfortunes: these
are the things that hinder love; well then, the things that make it are of
the other sort. For it is not enough to put away the things that hinder;
the things that establish must also be forthcoming. Now Sirach tells us the
things that are subversive (of friendship), and does not go on to speak of
the things which make union. "Reproaching," he says, "and revealing of a
secret, and a treacherous wound." (Ecclus. 22, 27.) But in speaking of the
men of those times, these things might well be named, seeing they were
carnal: but in our case, God forbid they should be (even) named. Not[2]
from these things do we bring our inducements for you, but from the others.
For us, there is nothing good without friendship. Let there be good things
without number, but what is the benefit--be it wealth, be it luxury--
without friendship? No possession equal to this, even in, matters of this
life, just as there is nothing worse than men hating (us). "Charity hides a
multitude of sins" (1 Pet. iv. 8): but enmity, even where sins are not,
suspects them to be. It is not enough not to be an enemy; no, one must also
love. Bethink thee, that Christ has bidden, and this is enough. Even
affliction makes friendships, and draws (men) together. "What then," say
you, "now, when there is no affliction? say, how (are we to act) to become
friends?" Have ye not other friends, I ask? In what way are ye their
friends, how do ye continue such? For a beginning, let none have any enemy:
this (in itself) is not a small matter: let none envy; it is not possible
to accuse the man who envies not. (b) How then shall we be warmly affected?
What makes love of persons? Beauty of person. Then let us also make our
souls beautiful, and we shall be amiable one to another: for it is
necessary, of course, not only to love, but also to be loved. Let us first
achieve this point, that we may be loved, and the other will be easy. How
to act that we may be loved? Let us become beautiful, and let us do this,
that we may always have lovers. Let none make it his study to get money, to
get slaves, to get houses, (so much)as to be loved, as to have a good name.
Better is a name than much wealth. For the one remains, the other perishes:
and the one it is possible to acquire, the other impossible. For he that
has got an evil character, will  with difficulty lay it aside: but by means
of his (good) name the poor man may quickly be rich. Let there be a man
having ten thousand talents, and another a hundred friends; the latter is
more rich in resources than the former. Then let us not merely do this, but
let us work it as a kind of trade. "And how can we?" say you. "A sweet
mouth multiplieth its friends, and a gracious tongue." Let us get a well-
spoken mouth, and pure manners. It is not possible for a man to be such,
and not to be known.

   (a) We have one world that we all inhabit, with the same fruits we all
are fed. But these are small matters: by the same Sacraments we partake of
the same spiritual food. These surely are justifications of loving! (c)
Mark[1] how many (inducements and pleas) for friendship they that are
without have excogitated; community of art or trade, neighborhood,
relationships: but mightier than all these are the impulses and ties which
are among us: this Table is calculated more (than all else) to shame us
into friendliness. But many of us who come thereto do not even know one
another. The reason, it may be said, is that there are so many of them. By
no means; it is only our own sluggish indifference. (Once) there were three
thousand (ch. ii. 41)--there were five thousand (iv. 4)--and yet they had
all one soul: but now each knows not his brother, and is not ashamed to lay
the blame on the number, because it is so great! Yet he that has many
friends is invincible against all men: stronger he than any tyrant. Not
such the safety the tyrant has with his body-guards, as this man has with
his friends. Moreover this man is more glorious than he: for the tyrant is
guarded by his own slaves, but this man by his peers: the tyrant, by men
unwilling and afraid of him; this man by willing men and without fear. And
here too is a wonderful thing to be seen--many in one, and one in many. (a)
Just as in an harp, the sounds are diverse, not the harmony, and they all
together give out one harmony and symphony, (c) I could wish to bring, you
into such a city, were it possible, wherein (all) should be one soul: then
shouldest thou see surpassing all harmony of harp and flute, the more
harmonious symphony. (b) But the musician is the Might of Love: it is this
that strikes out the sweet melody, (d) singing[2] (withal) a strain in
which no note is out of tune. This strain rejoices both Angels, and God the
Lord of Angels; this strain rouses (to hear it) the whole audience that is
in heaven; this even lulls (evil) passions--it does not even suffer them to
be raised, but deep is the stillness. For as in a theatre, when the band of
musicians plays, all listen with a hush, and there is no noise there; so
among friends, while Love strikes the chords, all the passions are still
and laid to sleep, like wild beasts charmed and unnerved: just as, where
hate is, there is all the contrary to this. But let us say nothing just now
about enmity; let us speak of friendship. Though thou let fall some casual
hasty word, there is none to catch thee up, but all forgive thee; though
thou do (some hasty thing), none puts upon it the worse construction, but
all allowance is made: every one prompt to stretch out the hand to him that
is failing, every one wishing him to stand. A wall it is indeed
impregnable, this friendship; a wall, which not the devil himself, much
less men, can overpower. It is not possible for that man to fall into
danger who has gotten many friends. (Where love is) no room is there to get
matter of anger, but[3] only for pleasantness of feeling: no room is there
to get matter of envying; none, to get occasion of resentment. Mark him,
how in all things both spiritual and temporal, he accomplishes all with
ease. What then, I pray you, can be equal to this man? Like a city walled
on every side is this man, the other as a city unwalled.--Great wisdom, to
be able to be a creator of friendship! Take away friend: ship, and thou
hast taken away all, thou hast confounded all. But if the likeness of
friendship have so great power, what must the reality itself be? Then let
us, I beseech you, make to ourselves friends, and let each make this his
art. But, lo! you will say, I do study this, but the other does not. All
the greater the reward to thee. True, say you, but the matter is more
difficult. How, I ask? Lo! I testify and declare to you, that if but ten of
you would knit yourselves together, and make this your work, as the
Apostles made the preaching theirs, and the Prophets theirs the teaching,
so we the making of friends, great would be the reward. Let us make for
ourselves royal portraits. For if this be the common badge of disciples, we
do a greater work than if we should put ourselves into the power to raise
the dead. The diadem and the purple mark the Emperor, and where these are
not, though his apparel be all gold, the Emperor is not yet manifest. So
now thou art making known thy lineage. Make men friends to thyself, and
(friends) to others. There is none who being loved will wish to hate thee.
Let us learn the colors, with what ingredients they are mixed, with what
(tints) this portrait is composed. Let us be affable: let us not wait for
our neighbors to move.  Say not, if I see any person hanging back  (for me
to make the first advances),  become worse than he: but rather when thou
seest this, forestall him, and extinguish his bad feeling. Seest thou one
diseased, and addest to his malady? This, most of all, let us make  sure
of--"in honor to prefer one another, to account others better than one's
self" (Rom. xii 10), deem not this to be a lessening of  thyself. f thou
prefer (another) in honor, thou hast honored thyself more, attracting[1] to
thyself a still higher extinction. On all occasions let us yield the
precedence to others. Let us bear nothing in mind of the evil done to us,
but if any good has been done (let us remember only that). Nothing so makes
a man a friend, as a gracious tongue, a mouth speaking good things, a soul
free from self-elation, a contempt of vainglory, a despising of honor. f we
secure these things, we shall be able to become invincible to the snares of
the Devil, and having with strictness accomplished the pursuit of virtue,
to attain unto the good things promised to them that love Him, through the
grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom to the Father and the
Holy Ghost together be glory, dominion, honor, now and ever, world without
end. Amen.

HOMILY XLI: ACTS XIX. 8, 9.

"And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three
months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.
But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way
before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples,
disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus."

   (a) See him in every place forcing his way into the synagogue, and in
this manner departing thence. For in every place, he wished to have the
occasion given him by them.[2] (c) He wished to separate the disciples
thence, and to have the beginning for ceasing to assemble with them, given
by (the Jews) themselves. And it was not for nothing that he did this
(b)which  have said. He was henceforth "provoking them to jealousy." For
both the Gentiles readily received him, and the Jews, upon the Gentiles
receiving him, repented. (a) This is why he continually made a stir among
them,[8] "for three months arguing and persuading concerning the kingdom of
God:" for you must not suppose because you hear of his "speaking boldly,"
that there was any harshness: it was of good things that he discoursed, of
a kingdom: who would not have heard him? "But when divers were hardened,
speaking evil of the way." They might well call it "the way;" this was
indeed the way, that led into the kingdom of heaven. "He departed from
them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one
Tyrannus. And this was done for the space of two years, so that all that
were in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks." (v. 10.)
(a) Do you mark how much was effected by his persisting?[4] "Both Jews and
Greeks heard: (c) all that dwelt in Asia:" it was for this also that the
Lord suffered him not to go into Asia (oh. xvi. 6) (on a former occasion);
waiting, as it seems to me, for this same conjuncture. (Hom. xl. p. 245.)
(b) "And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: so that from
his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the
diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits. went out of them." (v.
11, 12.) Not touched the wearer only (and so were healed), but also
receiving them, they laid them upon the sick (and so healed them).[1] (g)"
He that believed on Me," saith Christ, "doeth greater works than those
which  do." (John xiv. 12.) This, and the miracle of the shadows is what He
meant (in those words). (d) "Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists,
took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the
Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth." (v. 13.)
So entirely did they do all by way of trade! Observe: vagabond, or,
itinerant, Jewish exorcists. And to believe indeed, they had no mind; but
by that Name they wished to cast out the demons. "By Jesus, whom Paul
preacheth." Only see what a name Paul had got! "And there were seven sons
of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. And the evil
spirit answered and said, Jesus  know, and Paul  know; but who are ye? And
the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and
prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and
wounded." (v. 14-16.) They did it in secret: then their impotence is
publicly exposed. (f) Then not the Name does anything, unless it be spoken
with faith. (h) See how they used their weapons against themselves! (j) So
far were they from thinking Jesus to be anything great: no, they must needs
add Paul, as thinking him to be something great. Here one may marvel how it
was that the demon did not cooperate with  the imposture of the exorcists,
but on the contrary exposed them, and laid open their stage-play. He seems
to me (to have done this) in exceeding wrath: just as it might be, if a
person being in uttermost peril, should be exposed by some pitiful
creature, and wish to vent all his rage upon him. "Jesus  know, and Paul
know." For, that there may not seem to be any slight put upon the Name of
Jesus, (the demon) first confesses (Him), and then has permission given
him. For, to show that it was not any weakness of the Name, but all owing
to the imposture of those men, why did not the same take place in the case
of Paul? "They fled out of that house naked and wounded:" he sorely
battered their heads, perhaps rent their garments. (e) " And this became
known to all, both Jews and Greeks, that dwelt at Ephesus, and fear fell
upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. And many of
them that had believed came confessing and making known their practices."
(v. 17, 18.) For since they had got to possess such power as, by means of
the demons, to do such things, well might this be the consequence, "And
many of them that practised curious arts, brought their books together, and
burnt them in the presence of all men; "--having seen that there was no
more use of them now that the demons themselves do these things--" and
reckoned up the price of them, and found the amount fifty thousand pieces
of silver.* So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed." (v. 19, 20.)
(i) "And"[2] (so) "he disputed," in the school of one Tyrannus for two
years :" where were believers, and believers exceedingly (advanced in the
faith). Moreover (Paul) writes (to them) as to great men.

   (Recapitulation.) (b) "And having enteredin to the synagogue," etc. (v.
8.) But[3] why eparrhsia'zeto? t means, he was ready to confront
dangers, and disputed more openly, not veiling the doctrines. (a) "But when
some were hardened, and spake evil of the way, having departed from them,
he separated the disciples." (v. 9.) He put a stop, it means, to their
evil-speaking: he did not wish to kindle their envy, nor to bring them rate
more contention. (c) Hence let us also learn not to put ourselves in the
way of evil-speaking men, but to depart from them: he did not speak evil,
when himself evil spoken of. "He disputed daily," and by this gained the
many, that, being evil intreated and (evil) spoken of, he did not (utterly)
break away from them, and keep aloof. (e) The evil-speakers are defeated.
They calumniated the doctrine itself; (therefore) so as neither to rouse
the disciples to wrath, nor * * them he withdrew,[1] showing that
everywhere alike they repel salvation from them. Here now he does not even
apologize, seeing that the Gentiles everywhere have believed. "n the school
of one Tyrannus:" it was not that he sought the place, but without more ado
where there was a school (there he discoursed).[*] (d) And look, no sooner
is the trial from those without over, than this from the demons begins.
Mark the infatuated Jewish hardness. Having seen his garments working
miracles, they paid no heed to it. What could be greater than this? But, on
the contrary, it resulted in just the opposite effect. f any of the
heathens believe not, having seen the (verb,) dust working these effects,
let him believe.[2] (f) Wonderful, how great the power of them that have
believed! Both Simon for the sake of merchandise sought the grace of the
Spirit, and these for this object did this. What hardness (of heart)! Why
does not Paul rebuke them? t would have looked like envy, therefore it is
so ordered. This same took place in the case of Christ (Mark ix. 36): but
then the person is not hindered, for it was the beginning of the new state
of things: since Judas also is not hindered, whereas Ananias and Sapphira
were struck dead: and many Jews even for opposing (Christ) suffered
nothing, while Elymas was blinded. "For  am not come," saith Christ, "to
judge the world, but that the world might be saved." (John iii. 17.) "And
seven sons," etc. (v. 14.) See the villany of the men! They still continued
to be Jews, while wishing to make a gain of that Name. All that they did
was for glory and profit. (g) Look,[3] in every case, how men are converted
not so much in consequence of good things as of things fearful. n the case
of Sapphira, fear fell upon the Church, and men dared not join themselves
to them: here they received handkerchiefs and aprons, and were healed: and
after this, then they came confessing their sins. (Hereby) the power of the
demons is shown to be a great one, when it is against unbelievers. For why
did he not say, "Who is Jesus?" He was afraid, lest he also should suffer
punishment; but, that it might be permitted him to take revenge upon those
who mocked him, he did this; "Jesus," says he, " know," etc. He was in
dread of Paul. For why did not those wretched men say to him, We believe?
How much more splendid an appearance they would have made had they said
this, that is, if they had claimed Him as their Master? But instead of
that, they spoke even those senseless words, "By Jesus, whom Paul
preacheth." Do you mark the forbearance (of the writer), how he writes
history and does not call names? This makes the Apostles admirable. "And
the evil spirit," etc. (v. 15), for what had happened at Philippi (ch. xvi.
16) had given a lesson to these also. He mentions the name, and the number,
thereby giving to the persons then living a credible proof of what he
wrote. And why were they itinerant? For the sake of merchandise: not
assuredly to bear tidings of the word; how should that be their object?
And[4] how ran they anon, preaching by the things they suffered?
"Insomuch," it says, "that all that dwelt in Asia heard the word of the
Lord." Ought not this to have converted all? And marvel not, for nothing
convinces malice. But come now, let us look at the affair of the exorcists,
with what an evil disposition (they acted). Why the same was not done in
the case of Christ, is an inquiry for another time, and not for the
present, save that this also was well and usefully ordered. It seems to me
that they did this also in mockery, and that in consequence of this
(punishment), none dared even at random to name that Name. Why did this put
them upon confession? Because this was a most mighty argument of God's
omniscience (therefore), before they should be exposed by the demons, they
accused themselves, fearing lest they should suffer the same things. For
when the demons their helpers are their accusers, what hope is there
thenceforth, save the confession by deeds?

   But see, I pray you, after such signs had been wrought, what evils
within a short space ensue. Such is human nature: it soon forgets. Or, do
ye not remember what has been the case among ourselves? Did not God last
year shake our whole city?[1] Did not all run to baptism? Did not
whoremongers and effeminate and corrupt persons leave their dwellings, and
the places where they spent their time, and change and become religious?
But three days passed, and they returned again to their own proper
wickedness. And whence is this? From the excessive laziness. And what
marvel if, when the things have passed away (this be the case), seeing
that, the images lasting perpetually, the result is such? The fate of
Sodom--say, does it not still last (in its effects)?"[2] Well, did the
dwellers beside it become any the better? And what say you to the son of
Noah? Was he not such (as he is represented), did he not see with his eyes
so vast a desolation, and yet was wicked? Then let us not marvel how, when
such things had been done, these Jews (at Ephesus) believe not, when we see
that belief itself often comes round for them into its opposite,[3] into
malignity; as, for instance, when they say that He hath a devil, He, the
Son of God! Do you not see these things even now, and how men are many of
them like serpents, both faithless and thankless, men who, viper-like, when
they have enjoyed benefits and have been warmed by some, then they sting
their benefactors? This we have said, lest any should marvel, how, such
signs having been wrought, they were not all converted, For behold, in our
own times happened those (miracles) relating to the martyr Babylas,[4]
those relating to Jerusalem, those relating to the destruction of the
temples, and not all were converted. Why need I speak of ancient things? I
have told you what happened last year; and none gave heed to it, but again
little by little they fell off and sunk back. The heaven stands perpetually
crying aloud that it has a Master, and that it is the work of an Artificer,
all this that we see--I mean the world--and yet some say that it is not so.
What happened to that Theodorus last year--whom did it not startle? And yet
nothing came of it, but having for a season become religious, they returned
to the point  from which they had started in their attempt to be religious.
So it was with the Jews. This is what the Prophet said of them: "When He
slew them, then they sought Him, and turned early unto God," (Ps. lxxviii.
34.) And what need to speak of those things that are common to all? How
many have fallen into diseases, how many have promised, if raised up, to
work so great a change, and yet they have again become the same as ever!
This, if nothing else, shows that we have natural free-will--our changing
all at once. Were evil natural, this would not be: things that are natural
and necessary, we cannot change from. "And yet," you will say, "we do
change from them. For do we not see some, who have the natural faculty to
see, but are blinded by fear?" (True--) because this also is natural:[* *]
if a different (necessity of) nature come not also into operation:[5]
(thus) it is natural to us, that being terrified we do not see; it is
natural to us that when a greater fear supervenes, the other gives way.
"What then," you will say, "if right-mindedness[6] be indeed according to
nature, but fear having overpowered it cast it out?" What then if I shall
show that some even then are not brought to a right mind, but even in these
fears are reckless? Is this natural? Shall I speak of ancient things? Well
then, of recent? How many in the midst of those fears continued laughing,
mocking, and experienced nothing of the sort? Did not Pharaoh change
immediately, and (as quickly) run back to his former wickedness? But here,
as if (the demons) knew Him not, they (the exorcists) added, "Whom Paul
preacheth," whereas they ought to have said, "the Saviour of the world."
"Him that rose again." By this they show that they do know, but they did
not choose to confess His glory. Wherefore the demon exposes them, leaping
upon them, and saying, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are ye?" So
that not ye are believers, but ye abuse that Name when ye say this.
Therefore the Temple is desolate,[1] the implement easy to be overcome. So
that ye are not preachers; mine, says he, ye are. Great was the wrath of
the demon. The Apostles had power to do this to them, but they did it not
as yet. For they that had power over the demons that did these things to
them, much more had power over the men themselves. Mark how their
forbearance is shown, in that they whom they repulsed do these things,
while the demons whom they courted do the contrary. "Jesus," says he, "I
know." Be ashamed, ye that are ignorant (of Him). "And Paul I know." Well
said, "Think not that it is because I despise them, that I do these
things." Great was the fear of the demon. And why without these words did
he not rend their garments? For so he would both have sated his wrath, and
established the delusion. He feared as I said, the unapproachable force,
and would not have had such power had he not said this. But observe how we
find the demons everywhere more right minded (than the Jews), not daring to
contradict nor accuse the Apostles, or Christ. There they say, "We know
Thee who Thou art" (Matt. viii. 29); and, "Why art Thou come hither before
the time to torment us" (Mark i. 24): and again, "I know Thee who Thou art,
the Son of God." And here, "These men are servants of the most high God"
(ch. xvi. 17): and again, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know." For they
exceedingly feared and trembled before those holy persons. Perhaps some one
of you, hearing of these things, wishes he were possessed of this power, so
that the demons should not be able to look him in the face, and accounts
those saints happy for this, that they had such power. But let him hear
Christ saying, "Rejoice not because the demons are subject unto you" (Luke
x. 20), because He knew that all men rejoice most in this, through
vainglory. For if thou seekest that which pleaseth God, and that which is
for the common good, there is another, a greater way. It is not so great to
free from a demon as it is to rescue from sin. A demon hinders not to
attain unto the kingdom of Heaven, nay, even cooperates, unwillingly
indeed, but nevertheless cooperates by making him that has the demon more
sober-minded; but sin casts a man out.

   But it is likely some man will say, "God forbid it should ever befall
me to be sobered in this way!" Nor do I wish it for you, but a very
different way, that you should do all from love of Christ: if however,
which God forbid, it should so befall you, then even on this behalf I would
comfort you. If then the demon does not cast out (from the kingdom of
heaven), but sin does cast out, to free a man from sin is greater
beneficence.

   From this let us study to free our neighbors, and before our neighbors,
our own selves. Let us see to it, lest we have a demon: let us examine
ourselves strictly. More grievous than a demon is sin, for the demon makes
men humble. See ye not those possessed with a demon, when they have
recovered from the attack, how downcast they are, of how sad a countenance,
how fraught with shame their faces are, how they have not even courage to
look one in the face? See the strange inconsistency! While those are
ashamed on account of the things they suffer, we are not ashamed on account
of the things we do; while they are abashed being wronged, we are not
abashed when doing wrong: and vet their condition is not a subject for
shame, but for pity and tenderness and indulgence: nay, great is the
admiration it calls for, and many the praises, when struggling against such
a spirit, they bear all thankfully: whereas our condition in very deed is a
subject for ridicule, for shame, for accusation, for correction, for
punishment, for the worst of evils, for hell-fire; calling for no
compassion whatever. Seest thou, that worse than a demon is sin? And those
indeed, from the ills they suffer, reap a double profit: first, their being
sobered and brought to more self-control; then, that having suffered here
the chastisement of their own sins, they depart hence to their Master,
purified. For indeed upon this we have often discoursed to you, that those
who are punished here, if they bear it thankfully, may naturally be
supposed to put away thereby many of their sins. Whereas from sins the
mischief resulting is twofold; first, that we offend; secondly, that we
become worse. Attend to what I say. Not this is the only injury we get from
sin, that we commit a sin: but another and a worse is this, that our soul
receives a habit. Just as it is in the case of the body--for it will be
more plain when put in the form of an example--as he who has taken a lever
has got harm not only in this respect, that he is sick, but also that after
the sickness he is become weaker, even though he may return to health after
a long disease: just so in the case of sin, though we may regain health,
yet we are far from having the strength we need. For[1] take the case of
one who has been insolently abusive: does he not suffer his deserts for his
abusive conduct? Aye, but there is another and a worse thing to rue (which
is), that his soul is become more insensible to shame. For from each
several sin that is committed, even after the sin has been done and has
ceased, there remains a kind of venom instilled into our souls. Do you not
hear people saying, when they are recovered from sickness, "I dare not
drink water now?" And yet the man has regained his health: aye, but the
disease has done him this harm also. And whereas those (possessed) persons,
albeit suffering ill, are thankful, we, when faring well, blaspheme God,
and think ourselves very ill used: for you will find more persons behaving
thus in health and wealth than in poverty and sickness. For there stands
the demon over (the possessed), like a very hangman, fierce, uttering many
(menaces), even as a schoolmaster brandishing the lash, and not suffering
them to give way to any laxity. And suppose that some are not at all
brought to a sober mind, neither are these liable to punishment;[2] no
small thing this: even as fools, even as madmen and children, are not
called to account, so neither are these: since for things that are done in
a state of unconsciousness, none can be so merciless as to call the doers
to account. Why then, in a far worse condition than those who are possessed
of evil sprits are we that sin. We do not, indeed, foam at the mouth, nor
distort our eyes, or throw about our hands convulsively; but as for this,
would that we did it in our body and not in our soul! Will you that I show
you a soul, foaming, filthy, and a distortion of the mind's eyes? Think of
those who are in a passion and drunken with rage; can any form be filthier
than the words they discharge? In very deed it is like a sputtering of
noisome slaver. And just as the possessed know none of those who are
present, so neither do these. Their understanding darkened, their eyes
distorted, they see not who is friend, who foe, who worthy of respect, who
contemptible, but they see all alike without a difference. And then, do you
not see them, how they tremble, just like those others? But they do not
fall to the ground, say you? True, but their soul lies on the ground and
fails there in convulsions: since had it stood upright, it would not have
come into the condition it is in. Or think you not that it betokens a soul
abjectly sprawling and lost to all self-possession, the things men can do
and say when drunken with rage? There is also another form of madness worse
than this. What may this be? When men cannot so much as suffer themselves
to vent their anger, but instead of that nourish within their own bosoms,
to their own proper hurt,[3] as it were a very hangman with his lash, the
rancorous remembrance of wrongs. For it is a bane to themselves first, (he
malice that they bear. To say nothing of the things to come, what torture,
think you, must that man undergo in the scourging of his soul, as day by
day he looks how he may avenge himself on his enemy? He chastises himself
first, and suffers punishment, swelling (with suppressed passion), fighting
against himself, setting himself on fire. For needs must the fire be always
burning within thee: while raising the fever to such a height, and not
suffering it to wane, thou thinkest thou art inflicting some evil on the
other, whereas thou art wasting thyself, ever bearing about with thee a
flame which is always at its height, and not letting thy soul have rest,
but evermore being in a state of fury, and having thy thoughts in a turmoil
and tempest. What is more grievous than this madness, to be always smarting
with pain, and ever swelling and inflamed? For such are the souls of the
resentful: when they see him on whom they wish to be revenged, straightway
it is as if a blow were struck them: if they hear his voice, they cower and
tremble: if they be on their bed, they picture to themselves numberless
revenges, hanging, torturing that enemy of theirs: and if, beside all this,
they see him also to be in renown, O! the misery they suffer! Forgive him
the offence, and free thyself from the torment. Why continue always in a
state of punishment, that thou wayest once punish him, and take thy
revenge? Why establish for thyself a hectic disease?[4] Why, when thy wrath
would fain depart from thee, dost thou keep it back? Let it not remain
until the evening, says Paul. (Eph. iv. 26.) For like some eating rot or
moth, even so does it gnaw through the very root of our understanding. Why
shut up a beast within thy bowels? Better a serpent or an adder to lie
within thy heart, than anger and resentment: for those indeed would soon
have done with us, but this remains forever fixing in us its fangs,
instilling its poison, letting loose upon us an invading host of bitter
thoughts. "That he should laugh me to scorn," say you, "that he should
despise me!"[1] 0 wretched, miserable man, wouldest thou not be ridiculed
by thy fellow-servant, and wouldest thou be hated by thy Master? Wouldest
thou not be despised by thy fellow-servant, and despisest thou thy Master?
To be despised by him, is it more than thou canst bear, but thinkest thou
not that God is indignant, because thou ridiculest Him, because thou
despisest Him, when thou wilt not do as He bids thee? But that thine enemy
will not even ridicule thee, is manifest froth hence (that), whereas if
thou follow up the revenge, great is the ridicule, great the contempt, for
this is a mark of a little mind; on the contrary, if thou forgive him,
great is the admiration, for this is a mark of greatness of soul. But you
will say, he knows not this. Let God know it, that thou mayest have the
greater reward. For He says," Lend to those of whom ye hope not to
receive." (Luke vi. 34.) So let us also do good to those who do not even
perceive that one is doing them good, that they may not, by returning to us
praise or any other thing, lessen our reward. For when we receive nothing
from men, then we shall receive greater things from God. But what is more
worthy of ridicule, what more paltry, than a soul which is always in anger,
and wishing to take revenge? It is womanly, this disposition, it is
babyish. For as the babes are angry even with lifeless things, and unless
the mother beats the ground, they will not let go their anger:[2] so do
these persons wish to revenge themselves on those who have aggrieved them.
Why then, it is they who are worthy of ridicule: for to be overcome by,
passion, is the mark of a childish understanding, but to overcome it, is a
sign of manliness. Why then, not we are the objects of ridicule, when we
keep our temper, but they. It is not this that makes men contemptible--not
to be conquered by passion: what makes them contemptible is this--to be so
afraid of ridicule from without, as on this account to choose to subject
one's self to one's besetting passion, and to offend God, and take revenge
upon one's self. These things are indeed worthy of ridicule. Let us flee
them. Let a man say, that having done us numberless ills, he has suffered
nothing in return: let him say that he might again frantically assault us,
and have nothing to fear. Why, in no other (better) way Could he have
proclaimed our virtue; no other words would he have sought, if he had
wished to praise us, than those which he seems to say in abuse. Would that
all men said these things of me: "he is a poor tame creature; all men heap
insults on him, but he bears it: all men trample upon him, but he does not
avenge himself." Would that they added, "neither, if he should wish to do
so, can he:" that so I might have praise from God, and not from men. Let
him say, that it is for want of spirit that we do not avenge ourselves.
This does us no hurt, when God knows (all): it does but cause our treasure
to be in greater safety. If we are to have regard to them, we shall fall
away from everything. Let us not look to what they say, but to what becomes
us. But, says he, "Let no man ridicule me," and some make a boast of this.
O! what folly! "No man," says he, "having injured me, has ridiculed me:"
that is, "I had my revenge." And yet for this thou deservest to be
ridiculed, that thou didst take revenge. Whence came these words among us--
being, as they are, a disgrace to us and a pest, an overthrow of our own
proper life and of our discipline? It is in downright opposition to God
that thou (so) speakest. The very thing which makes thee equal to God--the
not avenging thyself--this thou thinkest a subject for ridicule! Are not we
for these things worthy to be laughed at, both by ourselves, and by the
heathen, when we thus speak against God? I wish to tell you a story of a
thing that happened in the old times (which they tell) not on the subject
of anger, but of money. A man had an estate in which there was a hidden
treasure, unknown to the owner: this piece of ground he sold. The buyer,
when digging it for the purpose of planting and cultivation, found the
treasure therein deposited, and came[3] and wanted to oblige the seller to
receive the treasure, urging that he had bought a piece of ground, not a
treasure. The seller on his part repudiated the gift, saying, "The piece of
ground (is not mine), I have sold it, and I have no concern whatever with
this (treasure)." So they fell to altercation about it, the one wishing to
give it, the other standing out against receiving it. So chanting upon some
third person, they argued the matter before him, and said to him, "To whom
ought the treasure to be assigned?" The man could not settle that question;
he said, however, that he would put an end to their dispute--he would (if
they pleased) be master of it himself. So he received the treasure, which
they willingly gave up to him; and in the sequel got into troubles without
end, and learnt by actual experience that they had done well to have
nothing to do with it. So ought it be done likewise with regard to anger;
both ourselves ought to be emulous[1] not to take revenge, and those who
have aggrieved us, emulous to give satisfaction. But perhaps these things
also seem to be matter of ridicule: for when that madness is widely
prevalent among men, those who keep their temper are laughed at, and among
many madmen he who is not a madman seems to be mad. Wherefore I beseech you
that we may recover (from this malady), and come to our senses, that
becoming pure from this pernicious passion, we may be enabled to attain
unto the kingdom of heaven, through the grace and mercy of His only-
begotten Son, with Whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be
glory, might, honor, now and ever, world without end. Amen.

HOMILY XLII: ACTS XIX. 21, 23.

"After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the Spirit, when he had
passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I
have been there, I must also see Rome. So he sent into Macedonia two of
them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed
in Asia for a season. And the same time there arose no small stir about the
Way."

   HE sends Timothy and Erastus into Macedonia, but himself remains at
Ephesus. Having made a long enough stay in that city, he wishes to remove
elsewhere again. But how is it, that having from the first chosen to depart
into Syria, he turns back to Macedonia? "He purposed," it says, "in the
Spirit," showing that all (that he did) was done not of his own power. Now
he prophesies, saying, "I must also see Rome:" perhaps to comfort them with
the consideration of his not remaining at a distance, but coming nearer to
them again, and to arouse the minds of the disciples by the prophecy. At
this point,[2] I suppose, it was that he wrote his Epistle to the
Corinthians from Ephesus, saying, "I would not have you ignorant of the
trouble which came to us in Asia." (2 Cor. i. 8.) For since he had promised
to go to Corinth, he excuses himself on the score of having loitered, and
mentions the trial relating the affair of Demetrius. "There arose no small
stir about the Way."[*] Do you see the renown[3] (acquired)? They
contradicted, it says: (then) came miracles, twofold: (then) again, danger:
such is the way the threads alternate throughout the whole texture (of the
history). "For a, certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made
silver temples of Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen." (v.
24.). "Which made," it says, "silver temples of Diana." And how is it
possible that temples could be made of silver? Perhaps as small boxes
kibw'ria.[*] Great was the honor paid to this (Diana) in Ephesus; since,
when (Hom. in Eph. Prol.) their temple was burnt it so grieved them, that
they forbade even the name of the incendiary ever to be mentioned. See how,
wherever there is idolatry, in every case we find money at the bottom of
it. Both in the former instance it was for money, and in the case of this
man, for money. (ch. xix. 13.) It was not for their religion, because they
thought that in danger; no, it was for their lucrative craft, that it would
have nothing to work upon. Observe the maliciousness of the man. He was
wealthy himself, and to him indeed it was no such great loss; but to them
the loss was great, since they were poor, and subsisted on their daily
earnings. Nevertheless, these men say nothing, but only he. And observe:[1]
"Whom having collected, and the workmen of like occupation," having
themselves common cause with him, "he said, Sirs, ye know that by this
craft we have our wealth" (v. 25); then he brought the danger home to them,
that we are in danger of falling from this our craft into starvation.
"Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout
all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that
they be no gods, which are made with hands: so that not only this our craft
is in danger to be set at naught; but also, that the temple of the great
goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed,
whom all Asia and the world worshippeth. And when they heard these sayings,
they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the
Ephesians." (v. 26-28.) And yet the very things he spoke were enough to
bring them to true religion: but being poor senseless creatures, this is
the part they act. For if this (Paul being) man is strong enough to turn
away all, and the worship of the gods is in jeopardy, one ought to reflect,
how great must this man's God be, and that he will much more give you those
things, for which ye are afraid. Already (at the outset) he has secured a
hold upon their minds by saying, "This Paul hath turned away much people,
saying, that they be no gods, which are made with men's hands." See what it
is that the heathen are so indignant at; because he said that "they which
be made of men are no gods." throughout, he drives his speech at their
craft. Then that which most grieved them he brings in afterwards. But, with
the other gods, he would say, we have no concern, but that "the temple also
of the great goddess Diana is in danger to be destroyed." Then, lest he
should seem to say this for the sake of lucre, see what he adds: "Whom the
whole world worshippeth." Observe how he showed Paul's power to be the
greater, proving all (their gods) to be wretched and miserable creatures,
since a mere man, who was driven about, a mere tentmaker, had so much
power. Observe the testimonies borne to the Apostles by their enemies, that
they overthrew their worship.[2] There (at Lystra) they brought "garlands
and oxen." (ch. xiv. 13.) Here he says, "This our craft is in danger to be
set at naught.--Ye have filled (all) everywhere with your doctrine." (ch.
v. 28.) So said the Jews also with regard to Christ: "Ye see how the world
is going after Him" (John xii. 19); and, "The Romans shall come and take
away our city." (ch. xi. 48). And again on another occasion, "These that
have turned the world upside down are come hither also." (ch. xvii. 6).--
"And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath." Upon what was
that wrath called forth? On hearing about Diana, and about their source of
gain. "And cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. And the
whole city was filled with confusion: and rushed with one accord into the
theatre." (v. 29). Such is the way with vulgar minds, any trivial occasion
shall hurry them away and inflame their passions. Therefore[3] it behooves
to do (things) with (strict) examination. But see how contemptible they
were, to be so exposed to all (excitements)! "Having caught Gains and
Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they dragged
them:" (here) again recklessly, just as did the Jews in the case of Jason;
and everywhere they set upon them.[4] "And when Paul would have entered in
unto the people, the disciples suffered him not," (v. 30) so far were they
from all display and love of glory. "And certain of the Asiarchs, which
were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure
himself into the theatre" (v. 31) to a disorderly populace and tumult. And
Paul complies for he was not vaingloribly was confused." Such is the nature
of the multitude: it recklessly follows, like fire when it has fallen upon
fuel; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together." (v.
32.) "And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him
forward." It was the Jews that thrust him forward;(1) but as providence
ordered it, this man did not speak. "And Alexander beckoned with the hand,
and would have made his defence unto the people" (v. 33.) "But when they
knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours
cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians?" (v. 34.) A childish
understanding indeed! as if they were afraid, lest their worship should be
extinguished, they shouted without intermission. For two years had Paul
abode there, and see how many heathen there were still! "And when the town
clerk had appeased the people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is
there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is temple-keeper
of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell thing were not
palpable. With this saying first he extinguished their wrath. "And of the
Diopetes." There was another sacred object hiero`n that was so called.
Either he means the piece of burnt earth or her image.(2)(*) This (is) a
lie. "Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to
be quiet, and to do nothing rashly. For ye have brought hither these men,
which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your
goddess." (v. 36, 37.) All this however he says to the people; but in order
that those (workmen) also might become more reasonable, he says: "Wherefore
if Demetrius, and the craftsman which are with him, have a mater against
any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one
another. But if ye enquire anything concerning other matters, it shall be
determined in a lawful assembly. For we are in danger to be called in
question for this day's uproar, there being no cause, for which (matter) we
shall not be able to give an account for this concourse" (v. 38-40.) "A
lawful assembly," he says, for there were three assemblies according to law
in each month; but this one was contrary to law. Then he terrified them
also by saying, "We are in danger to be called to account" for sedition.
But let us look again at the things said.

   (Recapitulation.) "After these things were ended," it says, "Paul
purposed in the Spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia to
go to Jerusalem," saying, "After I have been there, I must also see Rome."
(v. 21.) He no longer speaks here after the manner of a man,(8) or, He
purposed to pass through those regions, without tarrying longer. Wherefore
does he send away Timothy and Erastus? Of this I suppose he says,
"Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left
at Athens alone. He sent away," it says, "two of those who ministered to
him" (1 Thess. iii. 1), both to announce his coming, and to make them more
eager. "But he himself tarried awhile in Asia." (v. 22.) Most of all does
he pass his time in Asia; and with reason: there, namely, was the tyranny,
of the philosophers.(1) (Afterwards) also he came and discoursed to them
again. "And the same time" etc. (v. 23), for indeed the superstition was
excessive (a) "Ye both see and hear," so palpable was the result that was
taking place--" that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia,
this Paul by persuading hath turned away," not by violence: this is the way
to persuade a city. Then, what touched them closely, "that they be no gods
which are made with hands." (v. 26.) He overturns, says he, our craft: (e)
"From this work we have our wealth. Hath persuaded." How(2) did he
persuade--he, a man of mean consideration? How prevail over so great a
force of a man. Even this is enough, that he said, it ought to have been
condemned long ago: if it was strong, it ought not to have been overthrown
so quickly. (b) For, lest they should that a human being should have such
power as this, and if a human being has power to effect such things, why
then one ought to be persuaded by that man, he adds: (f) "not only is this
our craft in danger to be set at naught, but also," as if forsooth alleging
a greater consideration, "the temple of the great goddess Diana," etc. (c)
"whom all with wrath, and shouted, Great is Diana of the Ephesians!" (v.
28.) For each city had its proper gods. (d) They thought to make their
voice a barrier against the Divine Spirit. Children indeed, these Greeks!
(h) And their feeling was as if by their voice they could reinstate the
worship of her, and undo what had taken place! "And the whole city," etc.
(v. 29.) See a disorderly multitude! "And when Paul," etc. (v. 30.) Paul
then wished to enter in that he might harangue them: for he took his
persecutions as occasions for teaching:" but the disciples suffered him
not." Mark, how great forethought we always find them taking for him. At
the very first they brought him out that they might not (in his person)
receive a mortal blow; and yet they had heard him say "I must also see
Rome." But it was providential that he so predicts beforehand, that they
might not be confounded at the event. But they would not that he should
even suffer any evil. "And certain of the Asiarchs besought him that he
would not enter into the theatre." Knowing his eagerness, they "besought
him:" so much did all the believers love him.--"And they drew Alexander,"
etc. (v. 33.) This Alexander, why did he wish to plead? Was he accused? No,
but it was to find an opportunity, and overturn the whole matter, and
inflame(3) the anger of the people. "But when they knew that he was a Jew,
all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana
of the Ephesians." (v. 34.) Do you mark the inordinate rage? Well, and with
rebuke does the town clerk say, "What man is there that knoweth not how
that the city of the Ephesians--"(v. 35) (coming to the point) which they
were frightened about. Is it this,(4) says he, that ye do not worship her?
And he does not say, "That knoweth not" Diana, but, "our city," that it
always worshipped her.(5) "Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken
against." (v. 36.) Why then do ye make a question about them, as if these
things were not plain? (b) Then he quietly chides them, showing that they had
come together without reason. "And to do nothing rashly" he says. Showing
that they had acted rashly. (a) "For ye have brought hither" etc. (v. 37.)
They wanted to make religion the pretext for what concerned their own money-
making: (c) and it was not fight on account of private charges to hold a
public assembly. For he put them to a nonplus, and left them not a word to
say for themselves.(6) "There being no cause," he says, "for this
concourse, for which" (matter) "we shall not(7) be able to give the
account."(v. 40.) See how prudently, how cleverly, the unbelievers (act).
Thus he extinguished their wrath. For as it is early kindled, so also is it
easily extinguished. "And when he had thus spoken," it says, "he dismissed
the assembly." (v. 41.)

   Seest thou how God permits trials, and by them stirs up and awakens the
disciples, and makes them more energetic? Then let us not sink down under
trials: for He Himself will "also make the way of escape, that we may be
able to bear them." (1 Cor. x. 13.) Nothing so makes friends, and rivets
them so firmly, as affliction: nothing so fastens and compacts the souls of
believers: nothing is so seasonable for us teachers in order that the
things said by us may be heard. For the hearer when he is in ease is
listless and indolent, and seems to suffer annoyance from the speaker: but
when he is in affliction and distress, he falls into a great longing for
the hearing. For when distressed in his soul, he seeks on all sides to find
comfort for his affliction: and the preaching brings no small comfort.
"What then," you will say, "of the Jews? How was it that in consequence of
their weakheartedness, they did not hear?" Why, they were Jews, those ever
weak and miserable creatures: and besides, the affliction in their case was
great, but we speak of affliction in moderation. For observe: they expected
to be freed from the evils that encompassed them, and they fell into
numberless greater evils: now this is no common distress to the soul.
Afflictions cut us off from the sympathy we have for the present world as
appears in this, that we wish for death immediately, and cease to be loving
of the body: which very thing is the greatest part of wisdom, to have no
hankering, no ties to the present life. The soul which is afflicted does
not wish to be concerned about many things: repose and stillness are all it
desired, content for its part to have done with the things present, even
though there be nothing else to follow. As the body when wearied and
distressed does not wish to indulge in amours, or gormandizing, but only to
repose and lie down in quiet; so the soul, harassed(1) by numberless evils,
is urgent to be at rest and quit. The soul which is at ease is (apt to be)
fluttered, alarmed, unsettled: whereas in this there is no vacuity, no
running to waste: and the one is more manly, the other more childish; the
one has more water, is tossed to and fro, just so is the soul that our
greatest faults arise out of overmuch pleasure, any one may see. Come, if
you will, let us represent to ourselves two houses, the one where people
are marrying, the other where they are mourning: let us enter in
imagination into each: let us see which is better than the other. Why, that
of the mourner will be found full of seriousness (philosophi'as); that
of the marrying person, full of indecency. For look, (here are) shameful
words, unrestrained laughter, more unrestrained motions, both dress and
gait full of indecency, words fraught with mere nonsense and foolery: in
short, all is ridicule there, all ridiculous.(2) I do not say the marriage
is this; God forbid; but the accompaniments of the marriage. Then nature is
beside itself in excess of riot. Instead of human beings, those present
become brute creatures, some neighing like horses, others kicking like
asses: such utter license, such dissolute unrestraint: nothing serious,
nothing noble: (it is) the devil's pomp, cymbals, and pipes, and songs
teeming with fornication and adultery. But not so in that house where there
is mourning; all is well-ordered there: such silence, such repose, such
composure; nothing disorderly, nothing extravagant: and if any one does
speak, every word he utters is fraught with true philosophy: and then the
wonderful circumstance is, that at such times not men only, but even
servants and women speak like philosophers--for such is. the nature of
sorrow--and while they seem to be consoling the mourner, they in fact utter
numberless truths full of sound philosophy. Prayers are there to begin
with, that the affliction may stop there, and go no further: many a one
comforting the sufferer, and recitals without number of the many who have
the like cause for mourning. "For what is man?" (they ask) (and thereupon)
a serious examination of our nature--"aye, then, what is man?" (and upon
this) an impeachment of the life (present) and its worthlessness, a
reminding (one another) of things to come, of the Judgment. (So from both
these scenes) each returns home: from the wedding, grieved, because he
himself is not in the enjoyment of the like good fortune; from the
mourning, light-hearted, because he has not himself undergone the like
affliction, and having all his inward fever quenched. But what will you?
Shall we take for another contrast the prisons and the theatres? For the
one is a place of suffering, the other of where there is sadness, there
must needs be seriousness. He who aforetime was rich, and inflated with his
own importance, now will even suffer any common person to converse. with
him, fear and sorrow, like some mightier fire, having fallen on his soul,
and softening down his harshness: then he becomes humble, then of a sad
countenance, then he feels the changes of life, then he bears up manfully
against everything. But in a theatre all is the reverse of this--laughter,
ribaldry, devil's pomp, dissoluteness, waste of time, useless spending of
days, planning for extravagant lust, adultery made a study of, practical
training to fornication, schooling in intemperance, encouragement to
filthiness, matter for laughter, patterns for the practice of indecency.
Not so the prison: there you will find humbleness of mind, exhoration
incentive to seriousness, contempt of worldly things; (these) are all
trodden under foot and spurned and, fear stands over (the man there), as a
schoolmaster over a child, controlling him to all his duties. But if you
will, let us examine in a different way.(1) I should like you to meet a man
on his return from a theatre, and another coming out of prison; and while
you would see the soul of the one fluttered, perturbed, actually tied and
bound, that of the other you would see enlarged, set free, buoyant as on
wings. For the one returns from the theatre, enfettered by the sight of the
women there, bearing about chains harder than any iron, the scenes, the
words, the gestures, that he saw there. But the other on his return from
the prison, released from all (bounds), will no longer his own case with that
of (those) others. (To think) that he is not in bonds will make him
thankful ever after; be will despise human affairs, as seeing so many rich
men there in calamity, men (once) having power to do many and great things,
and now lying bound there: and if he should suffer anything unjustly, he
will bear up against this also; for of this too there were many examples
there: he will be led to reflect upon the Judgment to come and will
shudder, seeing here(2) (in the earthly prison) how it will be there. For
as it is with one here shut up in prison, so in that world also before the
Judgment, before the Day that is to come. Towards wife, children, and
servants, he will be more gentle. Not so he that comes from the theatre: he
will look upon his wife with more dislike, he will be peevish with his
servants, bitter towards his children, and savage towards all. Great are
the evils theatres cause to cities, great indeed, and we do not even know
that they are great. Shall we examine other scenes of laughter also, I mean
the feasts, with their parasites, their flatterers, and abundance of
luxury, and (compare with them) places where are the halt and blind? As
before, in the former is drunkenness, luxury, and dissoluteness, in the
latter the reverse.-See also with regard to the body, when it is hot-
blooded, when it is in good case, it undergoes the quickest change to
sickness: not so, when it has been kept low. Then let me make my meaning
clearer to you:--let there be a body having plenty of blood, plenty of
flesh, plump with good living: this body will be apt even from any chance
food to engender a fever, if it be simply idle. But let there be another,
struggling rather with hunger and hardship: this is not easily overcome,
not easily wrestled down by disease. Blood, though it may be healthy in us,
does often by its very quantity engender disease: but if it be small in
quantity, even though it be not healthy, it can be easily worked off. So
too in the case of the soul, that which leads an easy, luxurious life, has
its impulses quickly swayed to sin: for such a soul is next neighbor to
folly, to pleasure, to vainglory also, and envy, and plottings, and
slanderings. Behold this great city of ours, what a size it is! Whence
arise the evils? is it not from those who are rich? is it not from those
who are in enjoyment? Who are they that "drag" men "before the tribunals?"
Who, that dissipate properties? Those who are wretched and outcasts, or
those who are inflated with consequence, and in enjoyment? It is not
possible that any evil can happen from a soul that is afflicted. (James ii.
6.) Paul knew the gain of this: therefore he says, "Tribulation worketh
patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not
ashamed." (Rom. v. 3.) Then let us not sink in our afflictions, but in all
things give thanks, that so we may get great gain, that we may be well-
pleasing to God, who permits afflictions. A great good is affliction: and
we learn this from our own children: for without affliction (a boy) would
learn nothing useful. But we more than they, need affliction. For if there,
when the passions (as yet) are quiet, (chastisement) benefits them, how much
more us, especially possessed as we are by so many! Nay, we behoove rather to have schoolmasters than they: since the faults of children cannot be great, but ours are exceeding great. Our schoolmaster is affliction. Let us then not draw it down willingly upon ourselves, but when it is come let us bear it bravely, being, as it is, always the cause of numberless good things; that so we may both obtain grace from God, and the good things which are laid up from them that love Him, in Christ Jesus our Lord, with Whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, might, honor, now and evermore, world without end. 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/XI, Schaff). The digital version is by The Electronic Bible
Society, P.O. Box 701356, Dallas, TX 75370, 214-407-WORD.

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