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ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

HOMILIES ADDRESSED TO THE PEOPLE OF ANTIOCH, CONCERNING THE STATUES, XV-XXI

[The Oxford translation, revised by Rev. W. R. W. Stephens, M.A.
Prebendary of Chichester Cathedral, and Rector of Woolbeding, Sussex.]


HOMILY XV.

[Again on the calamity of the city of Antioch. That fear is every way
profitable. That sorrow is more useful than laughter. And upon the saying,
"Remember that thou walkest in the midst of snares."(1) And that it is
worse to exact an oath, than to commit murder.]

1. TO-DAY, and on the former Sabbath,(2) it had behoved us to enter on the
subject of fasting; nor let any one suppose that what I said was
unseasonable.(3) For on the days of the fast, counsel and admonition on
that subject are indeed not at all necessary; the very presence of these
days exciting even those who are the most remiss to the effort of fasting.
But since many men, both when about to enter upon the fast, as if the belly
were on the point of being delivered over to a sort of lengthened seige,
lay in beforehand a stock of gluttony and drunkenness; and again, on being
set at liberty, going forth as from a long famine and a grievous prison,
run to the table with unseemly greediness, just as if they were striving to
undo again the advantage gained through the fast, by an excess of gluttony;
it might have been needful, that then as well as now, we should agitate the
subject of temperance. Nevertheless, we have neither lately said any thing
of that kind, neither shall we now speak upon it. For the fear of the
impending calamity suffices, instead of the strongest admonition and
counsel, to sober the soul of every one. For who is there so miserable and
degraded, as to be drunken in such a tempest? Who is there so insensible,
when the city is thus agitated, and such a shipwreck is threatened, as not
to become abstemious and watchful, and more thoroughly reformed by this
distress than by any other sort of admonition and counsel? For discourse
will not be able to effect as much as fear does. And this very thing it is
now possible to shew from the events which have taken place. How many words
then did we spend before this in exhorting many that were listless, and
counselling them to abstain from the theatres, and the impurities of these
places! And still they did not abstain; but always on this day they flocked
together to the unlawful spectacles of the dancers; and they held their
diabolical assembly in opposition(1) to the full congregation of God's
Church; so that their vehement shouts, borne in the air from that place,
resounded against the psalms which we were singing here. But behold, now
whilst we were keeping silence, and saying nothing on the subject, they of
themselves have shut up their orchestra; and the Hippodrome has been left
deserted! Before this, many of our own people used to hasten to them; but
now they are all fled hither from thence to the church, and all alike join
in praising our God!

2. Seest thou what advantage is come of fear? If fear were not a good
thing, fathers would not have set tutors(2) over their children; nor
lawgivers magistrates for cities. What can be more grievous than hell? Yet
nothing is more profitable than the fear of it; for the fear of hell will
bring us the crown of the kingdom. Where fear is, there is no envy; where
fear is, the love of money does not disturb; where fear is, wrath is
quenched, evil concupiscence is repressed, and every unreasonable passion
is exterminated. And even as in a house, where there is always a soldier
under arms, no robber, nor house-breaker, nor any such evil doer will dare
to make his appearance; so also while fear holds possession of our minds,
none of the base passions will readily attack us, but all fly off and are
banished, being driven away in every direction by the despotic power of
fear. And not only this advantage do we gain from fear, but also another
which is far greater. For not only, indeed, does it expel our evil
passions, but it also introduces every kind of virtue with great facility.
Where fear exists, there is zeal in alms-giving, and intensity of prayer,
and tears warm and frequent, and groans fraught with compunction. For
nothing so swallows up sin, and makes virtue to increase and flourish, as a
perpetual state of dread. Therefore it is impossible for him who does not
live in fear to act aright; as, on the other hand, it is impossible that
the man who lives in fear can go wrong.

3. Let us not then grieve, beloved, let us not despond on account of the
present tribulation, but let us admire the well-devised plan of God's
wisdom. For by these very means through which the devil hoped to overturn
our city, hath God restored and corrected it. The devil animated certain
lawless men to treat the very statues of the Emperor contemptuously, in
order that the very foundations of the city might be razed. But God
employed this same circumstance for our greater correction; driving out all
sloth by the dread of the expected wrath: and the thing has turned out
directly opposite to what the devil wished, by the means which he had
himself prepared. For our city is being purified every day; and the lanes
and crossings, and places of public concourse, are freed from lascivious
and voluptuous songs; and turn where we will there are supplications, and
thanksgivings, and tears, instead of rude laughter; there are words of
sound wisdom instead of obscene language, and our whole city has become a
Church, the workshops being closed, and all being engaged throughout the
day in these general prayers; and calling upon God in one united voice with
much earnestness. What preaching, what admonition, what counsel, what
length of time had ever availed to accomplish these things?

4. For this then let us be thankful, and let us not be petulant or
discontented; for that fear is a good thing, what we have said hath made
manifest. But hear Solomon thus uttering a lesson of wisdom concerning it;
Solomon, who was nourished in every luxury, and enjoyed much security. What
then does he say? "It is better to go to the house of mourning than to the
house of laughter."(1) What sayest thou, I ask? Is it better to go where
there is weeping, lamentation, and groans, and anguish, and so much
sadness, than where there is the dance, the cymbals, and laughter, and
luxury, and full eating and drinking? Yes, verily, he replies. And tell me
why is it so, and for what reason? Because, at the former place, insolence
is bred, at the latter, sobriety. And when a person goes to the banquet of
one more opulent, he will no longer behold his own house with the same
pleasure, but he comes back to his wife in a discontented mood; and in
discontent he partakes of his own table; and is peevish towards his own
servants, and his own children, and every body in his house; perceiving his
own poverty the more forcibly by the wealth of others. And this is not the
only evil; but that he also often envies him who hath invited him to the
feast, and returns home having received no benefit at all. But with regard
to the house of mourning, nothing of this sort can be said. On the
contrary, much spiritual wisdom is to be gained there, as well as sobriety.
For when once a person hath passed the threshold of a house which contains
a corpse, and hath seen the departed one lying speechless, and the wife
tearing her hair, mangling her cheeks, and wounding her arms, he is
subdued; his countenance becomes sad; and every one of those who sit down
together can say to his neighhour but this, "We are nothing, and our
wickedness is inexpressible!"(2) What can be more full of wisdom than these
words, when we both acknowledge the insignificance of our nature, and
accuse our own wickedness, and account present things as nothing? Giving
utterance, though in different words, to that very sentiment of Solomon--
that sentiment which is so marvellous and pregnant with Divine wisdom--
"Vanity of vanities, all is vanity."(3) He who enters the house of
mourning, weeps forthwith for the departed, even though he be an enemy.
Seest thou how much better that house is than the other? for there, though
he be a friend, he envies; but here, though he be an enemy, he weeps. This
is a thing which God requires of us above all, that we should not insult
over those who have occasioned us grief. And not only may we gather these
advantages, but others also which are not less than these. For each one is
also put in mind of his own sins, and of the fearful Tribunal; of the great
Account, and of the Judgment; and although he may have been suffering a
thousand evils from others, and have a cause for sadness at home, he will
receive and take back with him the medicine for all these things. For
reflecting that he himself, and all those who swell with pride, will in a
little while suffer the same thing; and that all present things, whether
pleasant or painful, are transitory; he thus returns to his house,
disburdened of all sadness and envy, with a light and buoyant heart; and
hence he will hereafter be more meek, and gentle, and benignant to all; as
well as more wise; the fear of things to come having made its way into his
soul, and consumed all the thorns.

6. All this Solomon perceived when he said, "It is better to go to the
house of mourning than to the house of drinking."(4) From the one grows
listlessness, from the other an earnest anxiety. From the one, contempt;
from the other, fear; a fear which conducts us to the practice of every
virtue. If fear were not a good thing, Christ would not have expended such
long and frequent discourses on the subject of punishment, and vengeance to
come. Fear is nothing less than a wall, and a defence, and an impregnable
tower. For indeed we stand in need of much defence, seeing that there are
many ambushments on every side. Even as this same Solomon again says
admonishingly, "Perceive that thou goest in the midst of snares, and that
thou walkest on the battlements of cities.'"(5) Oh with how many good
things is this saying pregnant! Yea, not less than the former! Let us then,
write it, each of us, upon our minds, and carry it about ever in our
memories, and we shall not easily commit sin. Let us write it there, having
first learnt it with the utmost exactness. For he does not say,
"Observe"(6) that thou goest in the midst of snares; but, "Perceive!" And
for what reason did he say, "Discern?"(7) He tells us that the snare is
concealed; for this is indeed a snare, when the destruction does not appear
openly, and the injury is not manifest, which lies hidden on all sides.
Therefore he says, "Perceive!" Thou needest much reflection and diligent
scrutiny. For even as boys conceal traps with earth, so the devil covers up
our sins with the pleasures of this life.

7. But" perceive;" scrutinizing diligently; and if any kind of gain falls
in thy way, look not only at the gain, but inspect it carefully, lest
somewhere death and sin lurk within the gain; and shouldest thou perceive
this, fly from it. Again, when some delight or pleasure may chance to
present itself, look not only at the pleasure; but lest somewhere in the
depth of the pleasure some iniquity should lie enveloped, search closely,
and if thou discoverest it, hasten away! And should any one counsel, or
flatter, or cajole, or promise honours, or any other such thing whatever,
let us make the closest investigation; and look at the matter on all sides,
lest something pernicious, something perilous, should perchance befall us
through this advice, or honour, or attention, and we run upon it hastily
and unwittingly. For if there were only one or two snares, the precaution
would be easy. But now, hear how Solomon speaks when he wishes to set forth
the multitude of these; "Perceive that thou goest in the midst of snares;"
he does not say, that thou "goest by" snares, but "in the midst" of snares.
On either side are the pit-falls; on either side the deceits. One goes into
the forum; one sees an enemy; one is inflamed by the bare sight of him! one
sees a friend honoured; one is envious! One sees a poor man; one despises
and takes no notice of him! One sees a rich man; one envies him! One sees
some one injuriously treated; one recoils in disgust! One sees some one
acting injuriously; one is indignant! One sees a handsome woman, and is
caught! Seest thou, beloved, how many snares there are? Therefore it is
said, "Remember that thou goest in the midst of snares." There are snares
in the house, snares at the table, and snares in social intercourse. Very
often a person unwittingly, in the confidence of friendship, gives
utterance to some particular of those matters which ought not to be
repeated again, and so great a peril is brought about, that the whole
family is thereby ruined!

8. On every side then let us search closely into these matters. Often has
a wife, often have children, often have friends, often have neighbours,
proved a snare to the unheeding! And why, it is asked, are there so many
snares? That we may not fly low, but seek the things that are above. For
just as birds, as long as they cleave the upper air, are not easily caught;
so also thou, as long as thou lookest to things above, wilt not be easily
captured, whether by a snare, or by any other device. The devil is a
fowler. Soar, then, too high for his arrows.(1) The man who hath mounted
aloft will no longer admire any thing in the affairs of this life. But as
when we have ascended to the top of the mountains, the city and its walls
seem to us to be but small, and the men appear to us to be going along upon
the earth like ants; so when thou hast ascended to the heights of spiritual
wisdom, nothing upon the earth will be able to fascinate thee; but every
thing, yea even riches, and glory, and honour, and whatever else there be
of that kind, will appear insignificant when thou regardest heavenly
things. According to Paul all the glories of the present life appeared
trifling, and more unprofitable than dead things. Hence his exclamation,
"The world is crucified unto me."(2) Hence also his admonition, "Set your
affections on things above."(3) Above? What kinds of things do you speak of
pray? Where the sun is, where the moon is? Nay, saith he. But where then?
Where angels are? where archangels? where the cherubim? where the seraphim
are? Nay, saith he But where then? "Where Christ sitteth at the right hand
of God."

9. Let us obey then, and let us think of this continually, that even as to
the bird caught in the snare, wings are of no service, but he beats them
about vainly, and to no purpose; so also to thee there is no utility in thy
reasonings,(4) when once thou art powerfully captivated by wicked lust, but
struggle as much as thou mayest, thou art captured! For this reason wings
are given to birds; that they may avoid snares. For this reason men have
the power of thinking; that they may avoid sin. What pardon then, or what
excuse will be ours, when we become more senseless than the brutes? For the
bird which has once been captured by the snare, yet afterwards escaped, and
the deer which has fallen into the net, but has broken through it, are hard
to be captured again with the like; since experience becomes a teacher of
caution to every one. But we, though often snared in the same nets, fall
into the same again; and though honoured with reason, we do not imitate the
forethought and care of the irrational animals! Hence how often do we, from
beholding a woman, suffer a thousand evils; returning home, and
entertaining an inordinate desire, and experiencing anguish for many days;
yet, nevertheless, we are not made discreet; but when we have scarcely
cured one wound, we again fall into the same mischief, and are caught by
the same means; and for the sake of the brief pleasure of a glance, we
sustain a kind of lengthened and continual torment. But if we learn
constantly to repeat to ourselves this saying,(1) we shall be kept from all
these grievous evils.

10. The beauty of woman is the greatest snare. Or rather, not the beauty
of woman, but unchastened gazing! For we should not accuse the objects, but
ourselves, and our own carelessness. Nor should we say, Let there be no
women, but Let there be no adulteries. We should not say, Let there be no
beauty, but Let there be no fornication. We should not say, Let there be no
belly, but let there be no gluttony; for the belly makes not the gluttony,
but our negligence. We should not say, that it is because of eating and
drinking that all these evils exist; for it is not because of this, but
because of our carelessness and insatiableness. Thus the devil neither ate
nor drank, and yet he fell! Paul ate and drank, and ascended up to heaven!
How many do I hear say, Let there be no poverty! Therefore let us stop the
mouths of those who murmur at such things. For it is blasphemy to utter
such complaints. To such then, let us say, Let there be no meanness of
spirit. For poverty brings innumerable good things into our state of life,
and without poverty riches would be unprofitable. Hence we should accuse
neither the one nor the other of these; for poverty and riches are both
alike weapons which will tend to virtue, if we are willing. As then the
courageous soldier, whichever weapon he takes, displays his own virtue, so
the unmanly and cowardly one is encumbered by either. And that thou mayest
learn that this is true, remember, I pray, the case of Job; who became both
rich, and likewise poor, and handled both these weapons alike, and
conquered in both. When he was rich, he said, "My door was open to every
comer."(2) But when he had become poor, "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath
taken away. As it seemed good unto the Lord, so hath it come to pass."(3)
When he was rich, he shewed much hospitality; when he was poor, much
patience. And thou, then,-- art thou rich? Display much bountifulness! Hast
thou become poor? Shew much endurance and patience! For neither is wealth
an evil, nor poverty in itself; but these things, either of them, become so
according to the free choice of those who make use of them. Let us school
ourselves then to entertain no such opinions on these subjects; nor let us
accuse the works of God, but the wicked choice of men. Riches are not able
to profit the little-minded: nor is poverty able ever to injure the
magnanimous. 11. Let us then discern the snares, and walk far off from
them! Let us discern the precipices, and not even approach them! This will
be the foundation of our greatest safety not only to avoid things sinful,
but those things which seem indeed to be indifferent, and yet are apt to
make us stumble towards sin. For example; to laugh, to speak jocosely, does
not seem an acknowledged sin, but it leads to acknowledged sin. Thus
laughter often gives birth to foul discourse, and foul discourse to actions
still more foul. Often from words and laughter proceed railing and insult;
and from railing and insult, blows and wounds; and from blows and wounds,
slaughter and murder. If, then, thou wouldest take good counsel for
thyself, avoid not merely foul words, and foul deeds, or blows, and wounds,
and murders, but unseasonable laughter, itself, and the very language of
banter; since these things have proved the root of subsequent evils.
Therefore Paul saith, "Let no foolish talking nor jesting proceed out of
thy mouth."(4) For although this seems to be a small thing in itself, it
becomes, however, the cause of much mischief to us. Again, to live in
luxury does not seem to be a manifest and admitted crime; but then it
brings forth in us great evils,--drunkenness, violence, extortion, and
rapine. For the prodigal and sumptuous liver, bestowing extravagant service
upon the belly, is often compelled to steal, and to seize the property of
others, and to use extortion and violence. If, then, thou avoidest
luxurious living, thou removest the foundation of extortion, and rapine,
and drunkenness, and a thousand other evils; cutting away the root of
iniquity from its extremity. Hence Paul saith, that "she who liveth in
pleasure is dead while she liveth."(5) Again, to go to the theatres, or to
survey the horse-race, or to play at dice, does not seem, to most men, to
be an admitted crime; but it introduces into our life an infinite host of
miseries. For spending time in the theatres produces fornication,
intemperance, and every kind of impurity. The spectacle of the horse-race
also brings about fightings, railings, blows, insults, and lasting
enmities. And a passion for dice-playing hath often caused blasphemies,
injuries, anger, reproaches, and a thousand other things more fearful
still.

12. Therefore, let us not only avoid sins, but those things too which seem
to be indifferent, yet by degrees lead us into these misdeeds. He, indeed,
who walks by the side of a precipice, even though he may not fall over,
trembles; and very often he is overset by this same trembling, and falls to
the bottom. So also he who does not avoid sins from afar, but walks near
them, will live in fear, and will often fall into them. Besides, he who
eagerly looks at strange beauties, although he may not commit adultery,
hath in so doing entertained lust; and hath become already an adulterer
according to the declaration of Christ;(1) and often by this very lust he
is carried on to the actual sin. Let us then withdraw ourselves far from
sins. Dost thou wish to live soberly? Avoid not only adultery, but also the
licentious glance! Dost thou wish to be far removed from foul words? Avoid
not only foul words, but also inordinate laughter, and every kind of lust.
Dost thou wish to keep far from committing murders? Avoid railing too. Dost
thou wish to keep aloof from drunkenness? Avoid luxury and sumptuous
tables, and pluck up the vice by the roots.

13. The licentiousness of the tongue is a great snare, and needs a strong
bridle. Therefore also some one saith. "His own lips are a powerful snare
to a man, and he is snared by the words of his own mouth."(2) Above all the
other members, then, let us control this; let us bridle it; and let us
expel from the mouth railings, and contumelies, and foul and slanderous
language, and the evil habit of oaths. For again our discourse hath brought
us to the same exhortation. But I had arranged with your charity,
yesterday, that I would say no more concerning this precept, forasmuch as
enough has been said upon it on all the foregoing days. But what is to
become of me? I cannot bear to desist from this counsel, until I see that
ye have put it in practice; since Paul also, when he saith to the
Galatians, "Henceforth let no man trouble me,"(3) appears again to have met
and addressed them.(4) Such are the paternal bowels; although they say they
will depart, yet they depart not, until they see that their sons are
chastened. Have ye heard to-day what the prophet speaks to us concerning
oaths; "I lifted up mine eyes, and I saw," saith he, "and, behold, a flying
sickle, the length thereof twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof ten
cubits; and he said to me, What seest thou? and I said, I see a flying
sickle, twenty cubits in length, and ten cubits in breadth. It shall also
enter into the house," saith he, 'of every one that sweareth in my name,
and shall remain(5) in the midst, and shall pull down the stones and the
wood."(6) What, forsooth, is this which is here spoken? and for what reason
is it in the form of a "sickle," and that a "flying sickle," that vengeance
is seen to pursue the swearers? In order that thou mayest see that the
judgment is inevitable, and the punishment not to be eluded. For from a
flying sword some one might perchance be able to escape, but from a sickle,
falling upon the neck, and acting in the place of a cord,(7) no one can
escape. And when wings too are added, what further hope is there of safety?
But on what account doth it pull down the stones and the wood of the
swearer's house? In order that the ruin may be a correction to all. For
since it is necessary that the earth must hide the swearer when dead; the
very sight of his ruined house, now become a heap, will be an admonition to
all who pass by and observe it, not to venture on the like, lest they
suffer the like; and it will be a lasting witness against the sin of the
departed. The sword is not so piercing as the nature of an oath! The sabre
is not so destructive as the stroke of an oath! The swearer, although he
seems to live, is already dead, and hath received the fatal blow. And as
the man who hath received the halter,(8) before he hath gone out of the
city and come to the pit,(9) and seen the executioner standing over him, is
dead from the time he passed the doors of the hall of justice: so also the
swearer.

14. All this let us consider, and let us not put our brethren on oath.
What dost thou, O man? At the sacred table thou exactest an oath, and where
Christ lies slain, there thou slayest thine own brother. Robbers, indeed,
murder on the highways; but thou slayest the son in the presence of the
mother: committing a murder more accursed than Cain himself; for he slew
his brother in solitude and only with present death; but thou slayest thy
brother in the midst of the church, and that with the deathless death that
is to come! For think you that the church was made for this purpose, that
we might swear? Yea, for this it was made, that we might pray! Is the Table
placed there, that we may make adjurations? It is placed there to this end,
that we may loose sins, not that we may bind them. But thou, if thou
heedest nothing else, reverence at least that book, which thou reachest
forth in putting the oath; and open the Gospel. which thou takest in hand
when thou biddest swear; and when thou hearest what Christ there declares
concerning oaths, shudder and desist! What then does He there say
concerning oaths? "But I say unto you, Swear not at all."(1) And dost thou
convert the Law(2) which forbids swearing into an oath. Oh, what contempt!
Oh, what outrage! For thou doest just the same thing as if any one should
bid the lawgiver, who prohibits murder, become himself a party to the
murder. Not so much do I lament and weep, when I hear that some persons are
slain(3) upon the highway, as I groan, and shed tears, and am horrified,
when I see any one coming near this Table, placing his hands upon it, and
touching the Gospels, and swearing! Art thou in doubt, I ask, concerning
money, and wouldest thou slay a soul? What gainest thou to match the injury
thou doest to thine own soul, and to thy neighbour? If thou believest that
the man is true, do not impose the obligation of the oath; but if thou
knowest him to be a liar, do not force him to commit perjury. "But that I
may have a full assurance:" saith one. Verily, when thou hast not sworn
him, then thou wilt receive a good and full assurance.(4)

15. For now, when thou hast returned home, thou wilt be continually the
prey of conscience, whilst reasoning thus with thyself; "Was it to no
purpose, then, that I put him upon his oath? Was he not really perjured?
Have I not become the cause of the sin?" But if thou dost not put him upon
his oath, thou wilt receive much consolation on returning home, rendering
thanks to God, and saying, "Blessed be God, that I restrained myself, and
did not compel him to swear vainly, and to no purpose. Away with gold!
Perish the money!" for that which specially gives us assurance is, that we
did not transgress the law, nor compel another to do it. Consider, for
Whose sake thou didst not put any one on his oath; and this will suffice
thee for refreshment and consolation. Often, indeed, when a fight takes
place, we bear being insulted with fortitude, and we say to the insulter,
"What shall I do with thee? Such an one hinders me, who is thy patron; he
keeps back my hands." And this is sufficient to console us. So when thou
art about to put any one on his oath, restrain thyself; and stop; and say
to him who is about to swear, "What shall I do with thee? God hath
forbidden me to put any one on oath. He now holds me back." This suffices
both for the honour of the Lawgiver, and for thy safety, and for keeping
him in fear who is ready to swear. For when he seeth that we are thus
afraid to put others on oath, much more will he himself be afraid to swear
rashly. Wouldest thou say thus, thy return to thine own home would be with
much fulness of assurance. Hear God, therefore, in His Commandments, that
He may Himself hear thee in thy prayers! This word shall be written in
heaven, and shall stand by thee on the Day of Judgment, and shall discharge
many sins.

16. This also let us consider not only with respect to an oath, but to
every thing. And when we are about to do any good action for God's sake,
and it is found to bring loss with it, let us look not merely at the loss
connected with the matter, but at the gain which we shall reap by doing it
for God. That is to say, Hath any one insulted thee? Bear it nobly! And
thou wilt do so, if thou thinkest not of the insult merely, but of the
dignity of Him who commands thee to bear it, and thou bearest it meekly.
Hast thou given an alms? Think not of the outlay, but of the produce which
arises from the outlay. Hast thou been mulcted of money? Give thanks, and
regard not only the pain which is the result of the loss, but the gain
which comes of thanksgiving. If we thus regulate ourselves, none of those
heavy events which may befal us will give us pain; but from those things
which may seem to be grievous, we shall be even gainers, and loss will be
sweeter and more desired than wealth, pain than pleasure, and mirth and
insult than honour. Thus all things adverse will turn to our gain. And here
we shall enjoy much tranquillity, and there we shall attain the kingdom of
heaven; which God grant that we may all be deemed worthy to obtain? by the
grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom and with
Whom, to the Father with the Holy Spirit, be glory, dominion, and honour,
now and ever, and world without end. Amen.


HOMILY XVI.

[This Homily was delivered on the occasion of the Prefect(1) entering the
Church, for the purpose of pacifying the minds of the people, in
consequence of a rumour of an intended sack(2) having been announced to
him, when all were meditating flight. It treats also on the subject of
avoiding oaths, and on the words of the Apostle, "Paul, a prisoner of Jesus
Christ."(3)]

1. I COMMEND the Prefect's consideration, that seeing the city agitated,
and every one purposing a flight, he hath come here and afforded you
consolation, and hath led you to entertain favourable hopes. But for you I
blushed, and was ashamed, that after these long and frequent discourses ye
should have needed consolation from without.(4) I longed that the earth
would open and swallow me up, when I heard him discoursing with you,
alternately administering comfort, or blaming such ill-timed(5) and
senseless cowardice. For it was not becoming, that you should be instructed
by him; but you ought yourselves to be teachers to all the unbelievers.(6)
Paul did not permit even going to law before the unbelievers;(7) but thou,
after so much admonition of our Fathers,(8) hast needed teachers from
without; and certain vagabonds and miscreants have again unsettled this
great city, and set it upon flight. With what eyes shall we hereafter look
upon the unbelievers, we who were so timid and cowardly? With what tongue
shall we speak to them, and persuade them to exercise courage as to
approaching evils, when we became through this alarm more timid than any
hare? "But what could we do," says some one, "we are but men!" This is
indeed the very reason why we ought not to be terrified, because we are
men, and not brutes. For these are scared by all manner of sounds and
noises; because they have not reasoning power, which is adequate to dispel
fear. But thou who hast been honoured with the gift of speech and reason,
how is it that thou sinkest to their ignoble condition? Hath some one
entered the city, and announced the march of soldiers against it? Be not
terrified, but leaving him, bend the knee: call upon thy Lord: groan
bitterly, and He will keep off the dreaded event.

2. Thou hadst heard indeed a false report of the march, and wert in danger
of being severed from the present life.(9) But that blessed Job, when the
messengers came one after another, and he had heard them announcing their
dreadful news. and adding thereto the insupportable destruction of his
children, neither cried nor groaned, but turned to prayer, and gave thanks
to the Lord. Him do thou too imitate; and when any comer announces that
soldiers have encircled the city, and are about to plunder its wealth, flee
to thy Lord and say, "The Lord gave, the Lord hath taken away; as it
seemeth good to the Lord, so is it done. Blessed be the name of the Lord
for ever." The experience of the actual events did not terrify him; yet the
mere report frightens thee. And how are we to be accounted of, who when we
are commanded(10) boldly to encounter death itself, are thus affrighted by
a false rumour! The man who is bewildered constructs fear which is unreal;
and trouble which is not visible; but he who abides in a settled and
tranquil condition of soul, breaks in pieces even that which is real. Seest
thou not pilots; when the sea is raging, and the clouds are rushing
together, and the thunders are bursting forth, and all on board are in
confusion, they seat themselves at the helm without tumult or disturbance;
giving earnest heed to their own art, and considering how they may ward off
the effects of the approaching storm. Be these thy example; and laying hold
of the sacred anchor, the hope that is in God, remain unshaken and
immoveable. "Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not,
shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand;
and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat
upon that house; and it fell, and great was the fall of it."(1) Seest thou
that it is the character of folly to fall down headlong, and to be
overthrown? Or rather, we were not only reduced to the condition of that
foolish man, but our fall was still more wretched. For the house of that
man fell down after the rivers and rains had descended, and the winds had
beaten upon it; but we, when there were no winds striking, nor floods
invading, nor blasts assaulting, before the experience of disaster, were
overturned by a mere rumour, and dropped at once all the philosophy we were
meditating.

3. What think ye are now my thoughts? How should I conceal,--yea, bury
myself? How must I blush with shame? If I had not been forcibly urged by
our Fathers, I would not have arisen, I would not have spoken, whilst my
mind was darkened with sadness because of your pusillanimity. But neither
now have I been able to recover myself; since anger and sorrow have laid
such seige to my soul. For who would not feel provoked and indignant, that
after so much teaching ye should need the instructions of Gentiles, that ye
might be comforted and persuaded to bear in a manly way the present alarm.
Pray ye therefore that free utterance may be given us in opening our mouth;
and that we may be able to shake off this sadness, and to hold up again a
little; for indeed this shame on account of your pusillanimity hath greatly
depressed our spirits.

4. Lately, I addressed to your Charity many things concerning the snares
lying on all sides of us; and concerning fear and sadness, sorrow and
pleasure; and also concerning the sickle that flieth down upon the houses
of swearers. Now, out of all these many matters, I would have you
especially to remember what I said respecting the "winged sickle," and its
settling in the swearer's house; and pulling down the stones and the wood,
and consuming the whole mass. And withal, take heed to this; that it is the
extreme of folly to swear by taking the Gospels, and to turn the very Law
which forbids swearing into an oath; and that it is better to suffer loss
of property than to impose an oath on our neighbours; since this is a great
honour to be done to God. For when thou sayest to God, "For thy sake I have
not put such a one, who hath robbed and injured me, on his oath," God will
pay thee back a great recompense on account of this honour, both here and
hereafter. Say these things to others, and observe them also yourselves. I
know that in this place we become more reverent, and lay aside every evil
habit. But what is to be aimed at is, not that we be lovers of wisdom here
only, but that when we depart, we may take this reverence out with us,
where we especially need it. For those who carry water do not merely have
their vessels full when near the fountain, and empty them when they reach
home, but there they put them away with especial caution, that they may not
be overturned, and their labours rendered useless. Let us all imitate these
persons; and when we come home, let us strictly retain what has been
spoken; since if ye here have gotten full, but return home empty, having
the vessels of your understandings destitute of what ye have heard, there
will be no advantage from your replenishment here. Shew me not the wrestler
in the place of exercise, but of actual contest; and religion not at the
season of hearing, but at the season of practice.

5.Thou applaudest what is said now. When thou art required to swear, then
remember all these things. If ye quickly accomplish this law, we will
advance our teaching to other and greater things. Lo! this is the second
year that I am discoursing to your Charity; and I have not yet been able to
explain a hundred lines(2) of the Scriptures, And the reason is, that ye
need to learn of us what ye might reduce to practice at home, and of
yourselves; and thus the greater part of our exhortation is consumed on
ethical discourse. But this ought not to have been so; the regulation of
manners you ought to have learnt at home, and of yourselves; but the sense
of the Scriptures, and the speculations upon them, you might commit to us.
If, however, it were necessary that you should hear such things of us,
there was no need of more than one day: for what there is to be said is of
no diversified or difficult character, or such as requires any elaboration.
For when God declares His sentence, subtle arguments are unseasonable. God
hath said, "Thou shall not swear." Do not then demand of me the reasons of
this. It is a royal law. He who established it, knows the reason of the
law. If it had not been profitable, He would not have forbidden it. Kings
bring in laws, and not all perchance profitable; for they are men, and
cannot be competent to discover what is useful, like God. Nevertheless, we
obey them. Whether we marry, or make wills, or are about to purchase
servants, or houses, or fields, or to do any other act, we do these things
not according to our own mind, but according to the laws which they ordain;
and we are not entirely at liberty to dispose of the things which concern
ourselves according to our own minds; but in many cases we are subject to
their will; and should we do any thing that is contrary to their judgment,
it becomes invalid and useless. So then tell me, are we to pay so much
respect to the laws of men, and trample under foot the law of God? What
defence, or what pardon can such conduct be worthy of? He hath said, "Thou
shalt not swear." In order that thou mayest do and speak all things with
safety, do not in practice lay down a law contrary to His.

6. But enough of these matters. Let us now proceed to lay before you one
sentence of those which have been read to-day, and thus end this discourse.
"Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ," saith he, "and Timothy the brother."(1)
Great is the designation of Paul: no title of principality and power, but
he speaks of bonds and chains! Truly great indeed! Although many other
things made him illustrious; his being caught up into the third heaven, his
being transported to Paradise, his hearing unutterable words; yet he sets
down none of these, but mentions the chain instead of all, for this made
him more conspicuous and illustrious than these. And why so? Because the
one were the free gifts of the Lord's lovingkindness; and the other the
marks of the constancy and patience of the servant. But it is customary
with those who love, to glory more in the things which they suffer for
those who are beloved, than in the benefits they receive from them. A king
is not so proud of his diadem, as Paul gloried in his chains. And very
justly. For a diadem affords but an ornament to the crowned head; but the
chain is a much greater ornament as well as a security. The kingly crown
often betrays the head it encircles, and allures innumerable traitors, and
invites them to the lust of empire. And in battles this ornament is so
dangerous, that it must be hidden and laid aside. Hence kings in battle,
change the outward dress, and so mingle in the crowd of combatants; so much
betrayal does there result from the crown; but the chain will bring nothing
of this kind upon those who have it, but altogether the contrary; since if
there be a war, and an engagement with demons, and the hostile powers; the
man who is thus encompassed, by holding forth his chain, repels their
assaults. And many of the secular magistrates not only bear the name of
office while they are in authority, but when they have given up their
authority. Such a one is called an ex-consul, such a one an ex-praetor. But
he, instead of all such titles, says, "Paul the prisoner." And very
rightly. For those magisterial offices are no complete evidences of virtue
in respect to the soul; for they are to be purchased by money, and obtained
by the solicitations of friends; but this distinction that is obtained by
bonds is a proof of the soul's love of wisdom, and the strongest sign of a
longing for Christ. And the former are soon gone, but this distinction has
none to succeed to it. Behold at least from that time to the present day
how long a time has passed, and yet the name of this Prisoner has become
increasingly illustrious. As to all the consuls, whoever they were, of
former times, they are passed into silence; and not even their names are
known to the generality of mankind. But the name of this Prisoner, the
blessed Paul, is still great here, great in the land of the barbarians,
great also among the Scythians and Indians; and were you to go even to the
very bounds of the habitable world, you would hear of this appellation, and
whithersoever any one could come, he would perceive that the name of Paul
was borne in the mouths of all men. And what marvel is it, if it be so by
land and sea, when even in the heavens the name of Paul is great; with
angels and archangels and the powers above, and with the King of these,
even God! "But what were the chains," says some one, "that brought glory to
him who was thus fettered? Were they not formed of iron?" Of iron, indeed,
they were formed; but they contained the grace of the Spirit, abundantly
flourishing in them; since he wore them for Christ's sake. Oh, wonder! the
servants were bound, the Master was crucified, and yet the preaching of the
Gospel every day increases! And through the means by which it was supposed
that it would be extinguished, by these very means it was kindled; and the
Cross and bonds, which were thought to be an abomination, these are now
become the symbols of salvation; and that iron was to us more precious than
all gold, not by its intrinsic nature, but for this cause and ground!

7. But here I see an enquiry arising out of this point; and if you give me
your attention, i will both state the question exactly, and will add the
solution. What then is the subject of enquiry? This same Paul once having
come before Festus, whilst discoursing to him, and defending himself
concerning the charges which the Jews had alleged against him, and telling
how he had seen Jesus, how he had heard that blessed voice; how he had been
struck with blindness and recovered sight, and had fallen down and risen up
again; how he had come a captive into Damascus, bound without chains; after
speaking likewise of the Law and of the Prophets, and shewing that they had
foretold all these things, he captured the judge, and almost persuaded him
to come over to himself. For such are the souls of holy men: when they have
fallen into dangers, they do not consider how they may be delivered from
dangers, but strive every way how they may capture their persecutors. Just
so did it then happen. He came in to defend himself, and he departed taking
the judge with him!(1) And to this the judge bore witness, saying,
"Almost(2) thou persuadest me to be a Christian."(3) And this ought to have
happened to-day; and this Prefect, on coming among you, ought to have
admired your magnanimity, your fortitude, your perfect tranquillity; and to
have gone away, taking with him a lesson from your good order, admiring
your assembly, praising your congress, and learning from the actual fact,
how great a difference there is between Gentiles and Christians!

8. But as I was saying:--When Paul had caught him, and he said, "Almost
thou persuadest me to be a Christian," Paul answered thus, "I would to God
that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost
and altogether such as I am, except these bonds."(4) What sayest thou, O
Paul? When thou writest to the Ephesians, thou sayest, "I therefore, the
prisoner of the Lord, beseech you, that ye walk worthy of the vocation
wherewith ye are called."(5) And when thou speakest to Timothy, "Wherein I
suffer trouble as an evil-doer, even unto bonds."(6) And again, when to
Philemon, thus; "Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ."(7) And again, when
debating with the Jews, thou sayest, "For the hope of Israel I am bound
with this chain."(8) And writing to the Philippians, thou sayest, "Many of
the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold
to speak the word without fear."(9) Every where thou bearest about the
chain, everywhere thou puttest forward thy bonds, and boastest in the
thing. But when thou comest to the tribunal, thou betrayest thy philosophy,
where it were right to have spoken the most boldly, and sayest to the
judge, "I would to God that thou mightest become a Christian 'without'
these bonds!" Yet surely if the bonds were good, and so good, that they
could be the means of making others to grow bold in the cause of true
religion; (for this very thing thou didst declare before, when thou saidst,
"Many of the brethren, waxing confident by my bonds, did speak the word
without fear"); for what reason dost thou not glory in this thing in the
presence of the judge, but doest even the reverse?

9. Does not what I say appear a question? The solution of it, however, I
will bring forward at once. For Paul acted thus, not from distress or fear,
but from an abundance of wisdom and spiritual understanding. And how this
was, I proceed to explain. He was addressing a Gentile, and an unbeliever,
who knew nothing of our matters. Hence he was unwilling to introduce him by
way of disagreeable things, but as he said, "I became to them that are
without law, as without law;"(10) so he acted in the present instance. His
meaning is, "If the Gentile hear of bonds and tribulations, he will
straightway be taking flight; since he knows not the power of bonds. First,
let him become a believer; let him taste of the word preached, and then he
will even of himself hasten towards these bonds. I have heard the Lord
saying, "No man putteth a piece of new cloth into an old garment, for that
which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made
worse. Neither do men put new wine into old wine- skins; else the wine-
skins burst."(1) The soul of this man is an old garment: an old wine-skin.
It is not renewed by the faith, nor renovated by the grace of the Spirit.
It is yet weak and earthly. It affects the things of this life. It flutters
eagerly after worldly show. It loves a glory that is present. Should he
hear at once, even from the first, that if he becomes a Christian he will
become immediately a prisoner, and will be encompassed with a chain;
feeling ashamed and indignant, he will recoil from the word preached.
Therefore, saith he, "Except these bonds."(2) Not as deprecating the bonds
themselves, God forbid! But condescending to the other's infirmity; for he
himself loved and welcomed his bonds, even as a woman fond of ornament doth
her jewels of gold. Whence is this apparent? "I rejoice," saith he, "in my
sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of
Christ in my flesh."(3) And again; "Unto you it is given in the behalf of
Christ, not only to believe on Him, but to suffer for His sake."(4) And
again; "And not only so, but we also glory in tribulations."(5) Wherefore,
if he rejoices and glories in this, and calls it a gift of grace, it is
manifest that when he was addressing the judge, he spoke to him as he did,
for the reason assigned. Moreover, also in a different passage, when he
happened to find a necessity for glorying, he shews the very same by
saying, "Most gladly, therefore, will I glory in my infirmities ...... in
reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, that the power
of Christ may rest upon me."(6) And again; "If I must needs glory, I will
glory of the things which concern mine infirmities."(7) And elsewhere,
comparing himself with others, and exhibiting to us his superiority in the
comparison, he thus speaks; "Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a
fool), I am more."(8) And wishing to shew this superiority, he did not say
that he had raised the dead, nor that he had expelled demons, nor that he
had cleansed lepers, nor that he had done any other thing of the sort, but
that he had suffered those innumerable hardships. Hence when he said," I am
more," he presently cites the multitude of his trials; "In stripes, above
measure, in deaths oft, in prisons more frequent ..... of the Jews five
times received I forty stripes save one, once was I stoned, thrice I
suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;"(9) and all
the rest. Thus Paul everywhere glories in tribulations; and prides himself
upon this circumstance exceedingly. And very justly. For this it is which
especially shews the power of Christ, viz. that the Apostles conquered by
such means; by bonds, by tribulations, by scourgings, and the worst of
ills.

10. For these two things Christ had announced, tribulation and remission,
labours and crowns, toils and rewards, things pleasant and sad.
Nevertheless, to the present life he assigns the sorrowful things; but for
the life to come, he has stored up those which are pleasant; at once
shewing that He did not mean to deceive men, and wishing by this
arrangement to diminish the burden of human woes. For the imposter first
holds out the things which are pleasant, and afterwards brings forward
those which are disagreeable. Thus for example:--Kidnappers, when they
intend to steal and carry off little children, do not promise them blows
and stripes, or any other thing of that kind, but offer them cakes, and
sweetmeats, and such like, by which the age of childhood is usually
gratified; in order that, enticed by these things, they may sell their
liberty, and may fall into the utmost peril. Moreover, bird-catchers, and
fishermen, thus entice the prey which they pursue, offering first their
usual food, and such as is agreeable to them, and by this means concealing
the snare. So that this is especially the work of imposters, first to hold
out things which are agreeable, but afterwards to introduce the things
which are disagreeable. But the case is altogether the reverse with those
who are really careful and provident for others. Fathers at least act quite
in a contrary manner to kidnappers. When they send their children to
school, they set masters over them, threaten them with stripes, and
encompass them with fear on all sides. But when they have thus spent the
first portion of their lives, and their habits are formed, they then put
them in possession of honour, and power, and luxury, and all the wealth
that is theirs.

11. And thus God has acted. After the manner of provident fathers, and not
after that of kidnappers, He has first involved us in things that are
grievous; handing us over to present tribulation, as it were to
schoolmasters and teachers; in order that being chastened and sobered by
these things, after shewing forth all patience, and learning all right
discipline, we may afterwards, when formed into due habits, inherit the
kingdom of heaven. He first prepares and fits us for the management of the
wealth He is to give, and then puts us into the actual possession of
riches. For if He had not acted thus, the giving of riches would have been
no boon, but a punishment and a vengeance. For even as a son that is
senseless and prodigal, when he has succeeded to a paternal inheritance, is
precipitated headlong by this very thing, having none of the practical
wisdom requisite for the economy of wealth; but if he be intelligent, and
gentle, and sober, and moderate, managing his paternal estate as is
befitting, he becomes by this means more illustrious and distinguished: so
must it also necessarily happen in our case. When we have acquired
spiritual understanding, when we have all attained to "perfect manhood,"
and the measure of full stature;" then He puts us in possession of all that
He has promised: but now as little children He chastens us, together with
consolation and soothing. And this is not the only advantage of receiving
the tribulation beforehand, but there is also another, not less than this.
For the man who first of all lives luxuriously, and then has to expect
punishment after his luxurious living, has not even a sense of his present
luxury, merely by reason of the expectation of impending woes; but he who
is first in a sorrowful state, if he is anticipating the enjoyment of good
things afterwards, overlooks present difficulties, in the hope of the good
things which are to come. Not only, then, on account of our security, but
also for our pleasure and consolation hath He ordained that the things
which are grievous should be first; in order that being lightened with the
hope of futurity, we should be rendered insensible to what is present. And
this Paul would shew and make plain, when he said, "Our light affliction,
which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal
weight of glory. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the
things which are not seen."(1) He calls tribulation light, not because of
the intrinsic nature of things that are grievous, but because of the
expectation of good things to come. For even as the merchant is indifferent
to the labour that attends navigation, being buoyed up with the hope of a
cargo; and as the boxer bravely sustains the blows on his head, looking to
the crown beyond; so also indeed do we, earnestly gazing towards heaven,
and the good things that are in the heavens, whatever evils come on us,
sustain them all with fortitude, being nerved with the good hope of the
things to come.

12. Therefore let us go home, taking with us this saying;(2) for though it
be simple and short, it nevertheless contains much of the doctrine of
spiritual wisdom. He who is in a state of grief and tribulation, hath a
sufficient consolation; he who lives in luxury and abundance, hath that
which may greatly sober him. For when as thou sittest at the table thou art
reminded of this saying, thou wilt speedily shrink from drunkenness and
gluttony; learning through this sentence, how needful it is for us to be
striving; and thou wilt say with thyself, "Paul lived in bonds and in
dungeons, but I in drunkenness and at a luxurious table! What pardon then
shall I obtain?" This also is a fit saying for women; since those who are
fond of ornament, and expensive dresses, and bind themselves about with
gold on every side, when they remember this chain, will hate, I feel
assured, and abominate that adorning of themselves; and will hasten to such
bonds as these. For those ornaments have often been the cause of manifold
evils, and introduced a thousand quarrels into a family, and have bred
envy, and jealousy, and hatred. But these loosed the sins of the wide
world, affrighted demons, and drove away the devil. With these, while
tarrying in prison, he persuaded the jailor; with these he attracted
Agrippa himself; with these he procured many disciples. Therefore he said,
"Wherein I suffer trouble as an evil-doer unto bonds, but the word of God
is not bound."(3) For just as it is not possible to bind a sunbeam, or to
shut it up within the house, so neither the preaching of the word; and what
was much more, the teacher was bound, and yet the word flew abroad; he
inhabited the prison, and yet his doctrine rapidly winged its way every
where throughout the world!

Knowing these things then, let us not be depressed, when adverse affairs
meet us, but then let us be more strong, then more powerful; "for
tribulation worketh patience."(4) Let us not grieve for the calamities
which befall us, but let us in all things give thanks unto God!

13. We have completed the second week of the fast, but this we should not
consider; for going through the fast does not consist in merely going
through the time, but in going through it with amendment of manners. Let us
consider this; whether we have become more diligent; whether we have
corrected any of our defects; whether we have washed away our sins? It is
common for every one to ask in Lent, how many weeks each has fasted; and
some may be heard saying that they have fasted two, others three, and
others that they have fasted the whole of the weeks. But what advantage is
it, if we have gone through the fast devoid of good works? If another says,
"I have fasted the whole of Lent," do thou say, "I had an enemy, but I was
reconciled; I had a custom of evil-speaking, but I put a stop to it; I had
a custom of swearing, but I have broken through this evil practice." It is
of no advantage to merchants, to have gone over a great extent of ocean,
but to have sailed with a freight and much merchandise. The fast will
profit us nothing, if we pass through it as a mere matter of course,
without any result. If we practise a mere abstinence from meats, when the
forty days are past, the fast is over too. But if we abstain from sins,
this still remains, even when the fast has gone by, and will be from this
time a continual advantage to us; and will here render us no small
recompense, before we attain unto the kingdom of heaven. For as he who is
living in iniquity, even before hell, hath punishment, being stung by his
conscience; so the man who is rich in good works, even before the kingdom,
will have the benefit of exceeding joy, in that he is nourished with
blessed hopes.

14. Therefore Christ says, "I will see you again, and your heart shall
rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you."(1) A brief saying, but one
that hath in it much consolation. What then is this, "your joy no man
taketh?" if thou hast money, many are able to take away the joy that comes
of thy wealth; as, for instance, a thief, by digging through the wall; a
servant by carrying off what was entrusted to him; an emperor by
confiscation; and the envious man by contumely. Should you possess power,
there are many who are able to deprive you of the joy of it. For when the
conditions of office are at an end, the conditions of pleasure will also be
ended. And in the exercise of office itself too, there are many accidents
occurring, which by bringing difficulty and care, strike at the root of thy
satisfaction. If thou hast bodily strength, the assaults of disease put a
stop to joy from that source. If thou hast beauty and bloom, the approach
of old age withers it, and takes away that joy. Or if thou enjoyest a
sumptuous table, when evening comes on the joy of the banquet is at an end;
for every thing belonging to this life is liable to damage, and is unable
to afford us a lasting pleasure; but piety and the virtue of the soul is
altogether the reverse of this. If thou hast done an aims, no one is able
to take away this good work. Though an army, or kings, or myriads of
calumniators and conspirators, were to beset thee on all sides, they could
not take away the possession, once deposited in heaven; but the joy thereof
continually abideth; for it is said, "He hath dispersed, he hath given to
the poor, his righteousness endureth for ever."(2) And very justly; for in
the storehouses of heaven it is laid up, where no thief breaks in, nor
robber seizes, nor moth devours.(3) If thou pourest out continued and
fervent prayers, no man will be able to spoil thee of the fruit of them;
for this fruit too is rooted in the heavens; it is out of the way of all
injury, and remains beyond mortal reach. If when evil-treated thou has done
a kind action; if thou hast borne with patience to hear thyself evil spoken
of; if thou hast returned blessings for reproaches; these are good works
that abide continually, and the joy of them no man taketh away; but as
often as thou rememberest these, thou art glad and rejoicest, and reapest
large fruits of pleasure. So also, indeed, if we succeed in avoiding oaths;
and persuade our tongue to abstain from this pernicious practice, the good
work will be finished in a short time, but the delight arising from it will
be continuous and unfailing.

17. And now, it is time that you should be teachers and guides of others;
that friends should undertake to instruct and lead on their neighbours;
servants their fellow- servants; and youths those of their own age. What if
any one had promised thee a single piece of gold for every man who was
reformed, wouldest thou not then have used every exertion, and been all day
long sitting by them, persuading and exhorting. Yet now God promises thee
not one piece of gold, nor ten, or twenty, or a hundred, or a thousand; no,
nor the whole earth, for thy labours, but He gives thee that which is
greater than all the world, the kingdom of heaven; and not only this, but
also another thing besides it. And what kind of thing is that? "He who
taketh forth the precious from the vile,"(4) saith He, "shall be as my
mouth."(5) What can be equal to this in point of honour or security? What
kind of excuse or pardon can be left to those, who after so great a promise
neglect their neighbour's safety? Now if you see a blind man falling into a
pit, you stretch forth a hand, and think it a disgraceful thing to overlook
one who is about to perish? But daily beholding all thy brethren
precipitated into the wicked custom of oaths, dost thou not dare even to
utter a word? Thou hast spoken once, perhaps, and he hath not heard. Speak
therefore twice, and thrice, and as often as it may be, till thou hast
persuaded him. Every day God is addressing us, and we do not hear; and yet
He does not leave off speaking. Do thou, therefore, imitate this tender
care towards thy neighbour. For this reason it is that we are placed with
one another; that we inhabit cities, and that we meet together in churches,
in order that we may bear one another's burdens, that we may correct one
another's sins. And in the same manner as persons inhabiting the same shop,
carry on a separate traffic, yet put all afterwards into the common fund,
so also let us act. Whatever advantages each man is able to confer upon his
neighbour, let him not grudge, nor shrink from doing it, but let there be
some such kind of spiritual commerce, and reciprocity; in order that having
deposited every thing in the common store, and obtained great riches, and
procured a large treasure, we may be all together partakers of the kingdom
of heaven; through the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ,
by Whom and with Whom, to the Father, with the Holy Ghost, be glory, both
now and ever, and world without end. Amen.


HOMILY XVII.

[Of the Commissioners (Hellebichus Commander of the Troops,(1) and
Caesarius Master of the Offices(2)) sent by the Emperor Theodosius for the
inquisition of the offenders, on account of the overturning of the
Statues.]

1. Most opportunely have we all this day sung together, "Blessed be the
Lord God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things. For marvellous, and
beyond all expectation, are the things which have happened? A whole city,
and so great a population, when just about to be overwhelmed--to sink under
the waves, and to be utterly and instantly destroyed--He hath entirely
rescued from shipwreck in a single moment of time! Let us give thanks then,
not only that God hath calmed the tempest, but that He suffered it to take
place; not only that He rescued us from shipwreck, but that He allowed us
to fall into such distress; and such an extreme peril to hang over us. Thus
also Paul bids us "in every thing give thanks."(4) But when he says, "In
every thing give thanks," he means not only in our deliverance from evils,
but also at the time when we suffer those evils. "For all things work
together for good to them that love God."(5) Let us be thankful to Him for
this deliverance from trials; and let us never forget them. Let us devote
ourselves to prayer, to continual supplications, and to much piety.

2. When the sad conflagration of these calamities was first kindled, I
said, that it was a season not for doctrine, but for prayer.(6) The very
same thing I now repeat, when the fire has been extinguished--that it is
now especially, and more than before, a time for prayer; that now is the
season especially for tears and compunction, for an anxious soul, for much
diligence, and for much caution. For at that time the very nature of our
tribulation restrained us, however unwillingly, and disposed us to
sobriety; and led us to become more religious; but now when the bridle is
removed, and the cloud has passed away, there is fear lest we should fall
back again into sloth, or become relaxed by this respite; and lest one
should have reason to say of us too, "When He slew them, then they sought
Him, and returned, and enquired early after God."(7) Wherefore also Moses
admonished the Jews, saying, "When thou shalt have eaten, and drunk, and
art full, remember the Lord thy God."(8) The goodness of your disposition
will now be rendered manifest, if you continue in the practice of the same
piety. For at that time, many imputed your earnestness to fear, and the
approach of calamity; but now, it will be purely your own achievement, if
you still persevere in maintaining this earnestness. Since with a boy too,
as long as he is guided by some tutor whom he fears, if he lives with
sobriety and meekness, there is nothing to admire, for all persons ascribe
the sobriety of the stripling to his fear of the tutor. But when he remains
in the same seemly behaviour, after the restraint from that quarter is done
away with, all persons give him credit too for the sobriety that was seen
in his earlier age. Thus also let us act; let us continue in the same state
of godly fear, in order that for our former diligence too we may gain much
praise from God.

3. We had expected innumerable woes; that our property would be plundered,
that the houses would have been burnt together with their inmates, that the
city would have been plucked up from the midst of the world, that its very
fragments would have been utterly destroyed, and that its soil would have
been placed under the plough! But, lo! all these things existed only in
expectation, and did not come into operation. And this is not the only
wonder, that God hath removed so great a danger, but that He hath also
greatly blessed us, and adorned our city; and by this trial and calamity
hath made us more approved! But how, I will state. When those who were sent
by the Emperor erected that fearful tribunal for making inquisition into
the events which had taken place, and summoned every one to give account of
the deeds which they had perpetrated, and various anticipations of death
pervaded the minds of all, then the monks who dwelt on the mountain-tops
shewed their own true philosophy. For although they had been shut up so
many years in their cells, yet at no one's entreaty, by no one's counsel,
when they beheld such a cloud overhanging the city, they left their caves
and huts, and flocked together in every direction, as if they had been so
many angels arriving from heaven. Then might one see the city likened to
heaven, while these saints appeared everywhere; by their mere aspect
consoling the mourners, and leading them to an utter disregard of the
calamity. For who on beholding these would not deride death, would not
despise life. And not only was this wonderful, but that when they drew nigh
to the magistrates themselves, they spoke to them with boldness on behalf
of the accused, and were all ready to shed their blood, and to lay down
their heads, so that they might snatch the captured from the terrible
events which they expected. They also declared that they would not depart
until the judges should spare the population of the city, or send them
themselves together with the accused to the Emperor. "He," said they, "who
rules over our portion of the world is a godly man, a believer, one who
lives in the practice of piety. We therefore shall assuredly reconcile him.
We will not give you leave, nor permit you to embrue the sword, or take off
a head. But if ye do not desist, we also are quite resolved to die with
them. We confess that the crimes committed are very heinous; but the
iniquity of those deeds does not surpass the humanity of the Emperor." One
of them is also reported to have uttered another saying, full of wisdom, to
this effect:(1) "The Statues which have been thrown down are again set up,
and have resumed their proper appearance; and the mischief was speedily
rectified; but if ye put to death the image of God, how will ye be again
able to revoke the deed! or how to reanimate those who are deprived of
life, and to restore their souls to their bodies?" Many things too they
said to them of the Judgment.

4. Who could but be astonished? Who could but admire the moral wisdom of
these men? When the mother of one of the accused, uncovering her head, and
exposing her grey hairs, laid hold of the horse of the judge by the bridle,
and running beside him through the forum, thus entered with him the place
of justice, we were all struck with astonishment, we all admired that
exceeding tenderness and magnanimity.(2) Ought we not, then, to have been
much more impressed with wonder at the conduct of these men? For if she had
even died for her son, it would have been nothing strange, since great is
the tyranny of nature, and irresistible is the obligation arising from the
maternal pangs! But these men so loved those whom they had not begotten,
whom they had not brought up, yea rather, whom they had never seen, whom
they had not heard of, whom they had never met, whom they knew only from
their calamity, that if they had possessed a thousand lives, they would
have chosen to deliver them all up for their safety. Tell me not that they
were not slaughtered, that they did not pour forth their blood, but that
they used as much boldness with their judges as it was likely that no other
men would do, but such as had already renounced their own lives; and that
with this sentiment they ran from the mountains to the tribunal. For,
indeed, if they had not before prepared themselves against every sort of
slaughter, they would not have been able to speak thus freely to the
judges, or to have manifested such magnanimity. For they remained all day
long sitting before the doors of the place of justice, being prepared to
snatch from the hands of the executioners those who were about to be led
off to punishment!

5. Where now are those who are clad in threadbare cloaks, and display a
long beard, and carry staves in the right hand; the philosophers of the
world,(1) who are more abject in disposition than the dogs under the table;
and do every thing for the sake of the belly? All these men then forsook
the city, they all hasted away, and hid themselves in caves! But they only,
who truly by works manifest the love of wisdom, appeared as fearlessly in
the forum, as if no evil had overtaken the city. And the inhabitants of the
city fled away to the mountains and to the deserts, but the citizens of the
desert hastened into the city; demonstrating by deeds what, on the
preceding days, I have not desisted from saying, that the very furnace will
not be able to harm the man who leads a virtuous life. Such a thing is
philosophy of soul, rising superior to all things, and to all prosperous or
adverse events; for neither is it enfeebled by the former, nor beaten down
and debased by the latter, but abides on the same level through the whole
course of things, shewing its own native force and power! Who, indeed, was
not convicted of weakness by the difficulty of the present crisis? Those
who had held the first offices in our city, who were in places of power,
who were surrounded with immense wealth, and who were in high favour with
the Emperor, leaving their houses utterly deserted, all consulted their own
safety, and all friendship and kindred were found worthless, and those whom
they formerly knew, at this season of calamity, they desired not to know,
and prayed to be unknown of them! But the monks, poor as they were, having
nothing more than a mean garment, who had lived in the coarsest manner, who
seemed formerly to be nobodies, men habituated to mountains and forests; as
if they had been so many lions, with a great and lofty soul, whilst all
were fearing and quaking, stood forth and relieved the danger, and that,
not in the course of many days, but in a brief moment of time! And as
distinguished warriors without coming into close conflict with their
adversaries, but merely by making their appearance in the ranks, and
shouting, put the foe to rout, so also these in one day descended, and said
their say, and removed the calamity, and returned to their own tabernacles.
So great is the moral wisdom that was brought among men by Christ.

6. And why do I speak of the rich, and of those in authority? When those
very persons who had been invested with power to judge the criminals; who
acted with the highest authority, were entreated by these selfsame monks to
grant a sentence of pardon, they said, they had no power over the result;
for that it was unsafe and dangerous, not only to insult the Emperor, but
even to dismiss those who had insulted him, when taken, without punishment.
But these men were too powerful for any one to resist; and besieging them
by magnanimity and perseverance, they induced these officers by their
importunity to exercise a power which they had not received from the
Emperor; and even succeeded in persuading the judges, when men had been
manifestly convicted of the guilt, not to declare the sentence of
condemnation, but to defer the final result to the decision of the Emperor;
and they promised certainly to persuade him to grant a pardon to those who
had transgressed against him; and they were about to set out on a journey
to him. But the judges, reverencing the moral wisdom of these men, and
being struck with their loftiness of spirit, did not permit them to
undertake this long journey, but promised that if they should only receive
their words in writing, they would themselves depart and successfully
importune(2) the Emperor to dismiss all anger (which, indeed, we are now
expecting that he will). For when sentence should have been given, they, on
being admitted into court, uttered words of the highest wisdom, and
besought the Emperor by letters to shew mercy; and they reminded him of the
Judgment, and said that they would lay down their own heads, if his mercy
was not granted. And the judges took down these words in writing, and
departed. This, more than the brightest crown, will adorn our city. And
what has here taken place, the Emperor will now hear; yea, the great City
will hear, and the whole world will hear, that the monks who dwell at the
city of Antioch, are men who have displayed an apostolic boldness; and now
when their letters are read at court, all men will admire their
magnanimity; all men will call our city blessed; and we shall shake off our
evil reputation; and it will be known every where, that what has happened
was not the work of the inhabitants of the city, but of strangers and
corrupt- minded men; and that this testimony of the monks will be a
sufficient evidence of the character of the city.

7. Therefore, beloved, let us not be distressed, but let us entertain
favourable hopes; for if their boldness toward men has been able to prevent
such a danger, then what will not their boldness toward God effect? These
things also let us tell the Greeks, when they dare to dispute with us
respecting their philosophers! From hence it is manifest that their stories
of former days are false, but that the things of old reported among us are
true; that is, the things concerning John, and Paul, and Peter, and all the
rest. For inasmuch as these monks have succeeded to the piety of those men,
they have consequently exhibited their boldness. Inasmuch as they were
brought up in the same laws, they have consequently imitated their virtues.
So that we stand in no need of writings for the purpose of shewing the
apostolical virtues, whilst the very facts cry aloud, and the masters are
shewn forth by the scholars. We have no need of disputation to display the
trifling of the Greeks, and the little-mindedness of their philosophers,
whilst their deeds now loudly proclaim, as they did aforetime, that all
with them is a fable, a stage-play, a piece of acting.

8. And the same magnanimity was displayed by the priests too, as well as
the monks, and they shared among them the charge of our safety. One(1) of
them, indeed, proceeded to court, esteeming all things as secondary to the
love of you; and being himself ready, if he could not persuade the Emperor,
to lay down his own life. And these, who remained here, have displayed the
same virtues as the monks themselves; and holding fast the judges with
their own hands, they would not let them enter into the court, before they
gave a promise respecting the result of the trial. And when they saw them
making signs of refusal, they again exerted themselves with much boldness;
and as soon as they saw that they did consent, embracing their feet and
knees, and kissing their hands, they gave an exceeding proof of either
virtue, of liberty and meekness. For that theirs was not the boldness of
presumption, they plainly signified by their kissing the knees, and
embracing the feet of the judges. Again, in proof that this was not
flattery, nor a kind of fawning servility, nor the fruit of a slavish
spirit, their former acts attested their boldness. And these are not the
only good results we have reaped from the trial, but also an abundance of
sobriety and meekness; and our city has become all at once a monastery.(2)
Not thus would any one have adorned it, had he erected golden statues in
the forum, as it has now been adorned and distinguished, in producing those
beautiful images of virtue, and displaying its true riches!

9. But it may be that the things which the Emperor hath decreed are
painful. No! not even these are really burdensome, but have brought much
advantage with them. For what is there, I ask, which is oppressive in any
of them? that the Emperor hath shut up the Orchestra, that he hath
forbidden the Hippodrome, that he hath closed and stopped up these
fountains of iniquity. May they never again be opened! From thence did the
roots of wickedness shoot forth to the injury of the city!(3) From thence
sprung those who blast its character; men who sell their voices(4) to the
dancers, and who for the sake of three obols prostitute their salvation to
them, turning all things upside down! Art thou distressed, O beloved! for
these things? Truly it were fitting that for these thou shouldest be glad,
and rejoice, and express thy thanks to the Emperor, since his castigation
hath proved a correction, his punishment a discipline, his wrath a means of
instruction! But that the Baths are shut up? Neither is this an intolerable
hardship, that those who lead a soft, effeminate, and dissolute life,
should be brought back, though unwillingly, to the love of true wisdom.

10. But is it complained of, that the Emperor hath taken away the dignity
of the city, and hath no more permitted it to be called a metropolis?(5)
But what was he to do? Could he praise what had been done, and acknowledge
it as a favour? Then who would not have blamed him, for not shewing even
the outward form of indignation? Seest thou not that fathers do many things
of a similar nature towards their children? They turn away from them, and
forbid them the table. This also hath the Emperor done by imposing such
punishments as have nothing in them hurtful, but carry with them much
correction. Think what we expected, and what has taken place, and then we
shall especially discern the favour of God! Dost thou grieve that the
dignity of the city is taken away? Learn what the dignity of a city is; and
then thou wilt know clearly, that if the inhabitants do not betray it, no
one else will be able to take away the dignity of a city! Not the fact that
it is a metropolis; nor that it contains large and beautiful buildings;(6)
nor that it has many columns, and spacious porticoes and walks, nor that it
is named in proclamations before other cities, but the virtue and piety of
its inhabitants; this is a city's dignity, and ornament, and defence; since
if these things are not found in it, it is the most insignificant in the
world, though it may enjoy unlimited honour from Emperors! Dost thou wish
to learn the dignity of thy city? Dost thou wish to know its ancestry? I
will tell it exactly; not only that thou mayest know, but that thou mayest
also emulate. What then is after all the dignity of this city of ours? "It
came to pass, that the disciples were first called Christians at Antioch."
This dignity, none of the cities throughout the world possesses, not even
the city of Romulus herself! For this it can look the whole world in the
face; on account of that love toward Christ, that boldness and virtue.(2)
Dost thou wish farther to hear of a different dignity and commendation
belonging to this city? A grievous famine was once approaching, and the
inhabitants of Antioch determined, as far as each person had the means, to
send relief to the Saints dwelling at Jerusalem.(3) Behold a second
dignity, charity in a time of famine! The season did not make them
niggardly, nor the expectation of the calamity backward in helping; but
when all are apt to be scraping up what is not their own, then they
distributed their own, not merely to those who were near, but also to those
who were living afar off! Seest thou here the faith towards God, and the
love towards their neighbour? Wouldest thou learn another dignity of this
city? Certain men came down from Judaea to Antioch, defiling(4) the
doctrine preached, and introducing Jewish observances.(5) The men of
Antioch did not bear this novelty in silence. They did not hold their
peace, but having come together, and made an assembly, they sent Paul and
Barnabas to Jerusalem, and caused the Apostles to provide that pure
doctrines, cleared from all Jewish imperfection, might be distributed
throughout all parts of the world! This is the dignity of the city! this is
its precedence! this makes it a metropolis, not in the earth, but in
heaven; forasmuch as that all other honours are corruptible, and fleeting,
and perish with the present life, and often come to their end before the
close of it, as they have done in the present instance! To me, a city that
hath not pious citizens is meaner than any village, and more ignoble than
any cave.

11. And why do I speak of a city? For that thou mayest exactly understand
that virtue alone is the ornament of the inhabitants, I will not speak to
thee of a city, but I will endeavour to demonstrate this by bringing
forward what is more venerable than any city--the Temple of God which was
in Jerusalem. For this was the Temple in which were sacrifices and prayers
and services; where was the Holy of Holies, and the Cherubim, the
Covenant,(6) and the golden pot;(7) the great symbols of God's providence
towards that people; where oracles from heaven were constantly being
received, where prophets became inspired, where the fashioning was not the
work of human art, but proceeded from the wisdom of God, where the walls
were on every side resplendent with much gold, and where, in surpassing
excellence, costliness of material and perfection of art met together, and
demonstrated that there was no other temple like this upon earth! Yea
rather, not only the perfection of art, but also the wisdom of God assisted
in that building. For Solomon had learned all, not intuitively and from
himself, but from God;(8) and having received the design of it from the
heavens, he then marked it out and erected it. Nevertheless, this Temple,
thus beautiful and marvellous and sacred, when those who used it were
corrupted, was so dishonoured, despised, and profaned, that even before the
captivity it was called "a den of robbers, a cave of hyaenas;"(9) and
afterwards it was delivered over to hands that were barbarous, polluted,
and profane!

12. Wouldest thou learn the same truth respecting cities? What could be
more illustrious than the cities of Sodom? For the houses and the buildings
were splendid, and so were their walls; and the country was fat and
fertile, and" like the Paradise of God."(10) But the tent of Abraham was
mean and small, and had no fortification. Yet when a foreign war took
place, the strangers broke down and took the walled cities, and departed,
carrying away their inhabitants captives. Abraham, however, the citizen of
the desert, they could not resist when he attacked them! And so it was
likely to be. For he had true piety: a power much greater than numbers and
the defence of walls. If thou art a Christian, no earthly city is thine. Of
our City "the Builder and Maker is God."(11) Though we may gain possession
of the whole world, we are withal but strangers and sojourners in it all!
We are enrolled in heaven: our citizenship is there! Let us not, after the
manner of little children, despise things that are great, and admire those
which are little! Not our city's greatness, but virtue of soul is our
ornament and defence. If you suppose dignity to belong to a city, think how
many persons must partake in this dignity, who are whoremongers,
effeminate, depraved and full of ten thousand evil things, and at last
despise such honour! But that City above is not of this kind; for it is
impossible that he can be a partaker of it, who has not exhibited every
virtue.

13. Let us not therefore be senseless; but then let us grieve when any one
deprives us of our dignity of soul, when we commit sin, when we have
offended the common Lord of all; since as regards the things that have now
befallen us, so far are they from injuring the city, that if we are
watchful, they will greatly benefit us. For even already our city seems to
be like a decorous, noble, sober-minded matron. Fear hath made her gentler
and more dignified, and hath delivered her from those miscreants who were
concerned in the late audacious deeds. Let us therefore not give way to
womanish lamentations. For I have heard many about the forum saying, "Alas!
for thee, Antioch! What hath befallen thee! How art thou dishonoured!"
Truly when I heard, I smiled at the puerile mind which could give vent to
these words! Such words were not becoming now; but when thou seest men
dancing, drunken, singing, blaspheming, swearing, perjuring themselves, and
lying, then apply such a saying as this: "Alas! for thee, O city, what hath
befallen thee!" But if thou seest the forum containing a few meek, modest,
and temperate persons, then pronounce the city, "Blessed!" For the fewness
will never be able to injure it in any respect, if there be virtue withal;
as on the other hand, numbers will never profit it at all, whilst iniquity
is there. "If," saith the prophet, "the number of the sons of Israel be as
the sand of the sea, the remnant shall be saved;"(1) that is to say,
"Multitude will never prevail with Me." So also Christ spoke. He called
cities wretched; not because of their littleness, nor because they were not
of metropolitan rank.(2) And Jerusalem itself again, He calls wretched for
the very same reason, speaking thus; "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem; thou that
killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee!"(3) For
what advantage, I ask, does a multitude bring, if their system of living be
vicious? Nay, on the contrary, even injury results from it. What else,
indeed, hath wrought the evils which have lately sprung up? Was it not the
sloth, the recklessness, and the depravity of the inhabitants? Did the
dignity of the city, did the magnificence of its architecture, or the
circumstance that it was a metropolis, do it any service? If with the king
who is on earth, nothing could protect it when it had done thus amiss, but
all these privileges are taken away; much more with the Lord of angels will
its dignity fail to protect it? For at that Day, it will nought avail us,
that we have dwelt in a metropolis, that has many spacious porticoes, and
other dignities of this kind! And why do I say, at That Day? For as regards
the present life, what can it benefit thee that this thy city is a
metropolis? Pray, has any one restored a distressed family by means of
this? or received any revenue from this dignity? or dispelled sadness? or
got rid of any bodily infirmity? or put away a vice of the soul? Beloved!
let us not trifle, nor regard the opinions of the multitude, but understand
what is indeed the dignity of a city; what it is that makes a city truly a
metropolis?

14. I say all this, though I expect that the city will again regain even
this outward distinction, and appear in its own proper place of precedence.
For the Emperor is both philanthropic and godly. But I am desirous that if
it should be restored, ye may not think too much of this; nor be boastful
of it; nor place the honour of our city to that account. When you wish to
pronounce an encomium on the city, tell me not of the suburb of Daphne,(4)
nor of the height and multitude of its cypresses, nor of its fountains of
waters, nor of the great population who inhabit the city, nor of the great
freedom with which its market-place is frequented even to midnight, nor of
the abundance of its wares! All these are things of the outward sense, and
remain only as long as the present life. But if you are able to mention
virtue, meekness, alms-giving, nocturnal vigils, prayers, sobriety, true
wisdom of soul; commend the city for these things! To those who inhabit the
desert, the presence of these things makes it more illustrious than any
city; and again the vilest of all places,(1) should these things not be
found with its citizens. Let us make this estimate not in the case of
cities only, but also of men. And if you see a big man, who has been
brought into good condition, tall, and surpassing others in length of limb,
do not admire him, until you have ascertained what the man's soul is. Not
from the outward comeliness, but from the beauty that. appertains to the
soul, should we pronounce any persons blessed! David was little, and short
of stature; nevertheless, one so short and little, and bare of all arms,
brought down at one blow so large an army, and treat tower of flesh; and
this without hurling spear, or letting fly arrow, or unsheathing sword, but
doing all with a small pebble! For this reason a certain one exhorts,
saying," Commend not a man for his beauty, neither abhor a man for his
outward appearance. The bee is little among such as fly, but her fruit is
the chief of sweet things."(2)

15. Thus also let us speak both of a city, and of men, and utter such
wisdom one to an other, and be continually thankful to God, as well for
present as for past mercies; and call upon Him in common with all our
might, that those who now dwell in prison(3) may be discharged, and that
those who are about to be sent into exile may return back again. They too
are our members. With us they have buffetted the waves, with us they have
withstood the storm! Let us, then, beseech the merciful God, that with us
they may enjoy the calm! Let no one say, "What farther concerns me? I am
freed from danger; such an one may perish; such another may be destroyed!"
Let us not provoke God by this indifference; but lament, as if we ourselves
were in the same peril. So let us supplicate God with intense earnestness,
fulfilling that saying of Paul, "Remember them that are in bonds, as bound
with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the
body.(4) Weeping also with them that weep; condescending to men of low
estate."(5) This will also be of the greatest advantage to ourselves; for
nothing useth so much to delight God, as that we should be very ready to
mourn for our own members. Him therefore let us supplicate in common, both
for things present, and for things to come; in order that He may deliver us
from punishment hereafter. For the things present, whatever they are, are
endurable, and have an end; but the torments there are immortal, and
interminable! And while we are consoled, let us also ourselves endeavour to
fall no more into such sins, knowing that hereafter(6) we shall enjoy no
pardon! Let us, then, all in common prostrate ourselves before God; and
both while we are here, and when we are at home, let us say, "Thou, O Lord,
art righteous in all things which Thou hast done towards us; for Thou hast
brought upon us by a just judgment whatever Thou hast brought."(7) If "our
sins rise up against us, undertake for us, for thy Name's sake;"(8) and do
not permit us any more to experience such grievous troubles. "Lead us not
into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for Thine is the kingdom, the
Power, and the Glory, for ever and ever. Amen.


HOMILY XVIII.

[The former subject of the Sedition continued; also of fasting; and upon
the Apostolic saying, "Rejoice in the Lord always."(1)]

1. I HAVE observed many persons rejoicing, and saying one to another, "We
have conquered; we have prevailed; the half of the fast is spent." But I
exhort such persons not to rejoice on this account, that the half of the
fast is gone, but to consider whether the half of their sins be gone; and
if so, then to exult. For this is a fit subject of gratification. This is
what is to be sought after, and for which all things are done, that we may
correct our defects; and that we may not quit the fast the same persons as
we entered upon it, but in a cleansed state; and that having laid aside all
that belongs to evil habits, we may thus keep the sacred feast, since if
the case be otherwise, we shall be so far from obtaining any advantage,
that the completion of the fast will be the greatest injury to us. Let us,
therefore, not rejoice that we have gone through the length of the fast,
for this is nothing great; but let us rejoice, if we have got through it
with fresh attainments, so that when this is over, the fruit of it may
shine forth. For the gain of winter is more especially manifested after the
season is gone by. Then, the flourishing corn, and the trees teeming with
leaves and fruit, proclaim, by their appearance, the benefit that has
accrued to them from the winter Let the same thing also take place with us.
For during the winter, we have enjoyed divers and frequent showers, having
been during the fast partakers of a continued course of instruction, and
have received spiritual seeds, and cut away the thorns of luxury.

2. Wherefore let us persevere, retaining with all diligence what we have
heard; that when the fast is over, the fruit of the fast may abound, and
that by the good things we gathered from the fast, we may remember the fast
itself.(1) If thus we fashion ourselves, we shall, when the fast returns,
welcome it again with pleasure. For I see many who are so feeble-minded,
that at the present season they are anxious about the following Lent; and I
have heard many saying, that after their liberation from the fast, they are
insensible to any pleasure from this remission, on account of their anxiety
about the coming year. What can be more feeble-minded than this? I ask; and
what is the cause of this? It is, that when the fast is arrived, we do not
take pains that the concerns of the soul may be well ordered, but we limit
the fast solely to an abstinence from food. Since, were we to reap the full
benefit of it in a reformation of conduct, we should wish the fast to come
round every day, receiving in very deed an experience of its good effects;
and we should never cast away the desire of it, or be dejected and anxious
whilst expecting it.

3. For there is nothing whatever that will be able to afflict one who is
well ordered in mind, and careful about his own soul; but he will enjoy a
pure and continued pleasure. And that this is true ye have to-day heard
from Paul, who exhorts us, saying, "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I
say, rejoice."(2) I know indeed that to many this saying seems impossible.
"For how is it possible," says some one, "that he who is but a man, can
continually rejoice? To rejoice is no hard matter, but to rejoice
continually, this seems to me to be impossible." For many are the causes of
sadness, which surround us on all sides. A man has lost either a son, or a
wife, or a beloved friend, more necessary to him than all kindred; or he
has to sustain the loss of wealth; or he has fallen into sickness; or he
has to bear some other change of fortune; or to grieve for contemptuous
treatment which he did not deserve; or famine, or pestilence, or some
intolerable exaction, or circumstances in his family trouble him;--nay,
there is no saying how many circumstances of a public or private nature are
accustomed to occasion us grief. How then, he may say, is it possible to
"rejoice always?" Yea, Oman! it is possible; and if it were not so, Paul
would not have given the exhortation; nor would a man endowed with
spiritual wisdom have offered such counsel; and for this reason I have
constantly said to you, and will not cease to say, that what ye could no
where have learnt from any other, that wisdom ye may here meditate. For
mankind are universally desirous of pleasure,(3) and of rejoicing; and for
this, they do all, say all, and undertake all things. Therefore it is, that
the merchant goes on a voyage, in order that he may amass wealth; and he
amasses wealth, to the end that he may rejoice over what he has treasured
up. The soldier also for this reason exercises his warfare, and the
husbandman his husbandry; for this each man plies his art. Those also who
love dominion, love it for this end, that they may obtain glory; and they
desire to obtain glory, that they may rejoice; and any one may perceive
that each of our undertakings is directed to this point, and that every man
looking to this makes haste to go towards it through a variety of means.

4. For as I said, all love gladness, but all are not able to attain it,
since they know not the way which leads to it; but many suppose that the
source of it is in being rich. But if this were its source, no one
possessed of wealth would ever be sad. But in fact many of the rich think
life not worth living, and would infinitely prefer death when they
experience any hardship; and of all men these are the most liable to
excessive sadness. For you should not look to their tables, or their
flatterers, and parasites, but to the trouble that comes of such things,
the insults, the calumnies, the dangers, and the distresses, and what is
far worse, that they meet these reverses unpractised, and know not how to
take them philosophically, or to bear with fortitude what befalls them;
whence it happens that calamities do not appear to them such as they are in
their own nature, but even things which are really light come to seem
intolerable; whereas, with regard to the poor, the contrary takes place;
things that are irremediable seem easy to be borne, since they are familiar
with many such. For it is not so much the nature of the events as the
disposition of the sufferers, that makes the evils which come upon us seem
great or small. And that I may not go a long way off for examples of both
these facts, I will speak to you of what has lately befallen ourselves.
Behold then how all the poor escaped, and the populace are delivered from
the danger, and enjoy an entire freedom! but those who manage the affairs
of the city, the men who keep their studs of horses, and preside over the
public games, and such as have borne other public charges,(1) they are now
the inmates of the prison, and fear the worst; and they alone pay the
penalty of the deeds that have been perpetrated by all, and are in a state
of constant terror; and they are now the most wretched of men, not because
of the greatness of the danger, but on account of the luxury in which
hitherto they have lived! Many, at least when exhorted by us, and
counselled to sustain these adverse affairs with fortitude, said this, "We
never practised any thing of the kind, and do not know how to exercise such
philosophy; this is why we need so much consolation."

5. Others again suppose, that to enjoy good health is the source of
pleasure. But it is not so. For many of those who enjoy good health have a
thousand times wished themselves dead, not being able to bear the insults
inflicted on them. Others again affirm, that to enjoy glory, and to have
attained to power, and to administer the highest offices, and to be
flattered by multitudes, is productive of continual gladness. But neither
is this the case. And why do I speak of other offices of power? For
although we were to mount up in thought to royalty itself, and to him who
lives in that station, we should find it encompassed with a diversity of
troubles, and having so many necessary causes the more of sadness, in
proportion as it is surrounded with a greater weight of affairs. And what
need is there to speak of wars, and battles, and the insurrections of
barbarians? Oftentimes he has reason to fear those by whom he is surrounded
at home. For many of those monarchs who have escaped from the hands of
their enemies, have not escaped the conspiracies of their own body-guards.
And kings have of necessity as many causes of sadness as there are waves on
the ocean. But if monarchy is unable to render life devoid of grief, then
what else can possibly achieve this? Nothing, indeed, of this life; but
this saying of Paul alone, brief and simple as it is, will of itself open
to us this treasure.

6. For many words are not needed, nor a long round of argument, but if we
only consider his expression, we shall find the way that leads to it. He
does not simply say, "Rejoice always;" but he adds the cause of the
continual pleasure, saying, "Rejoice in the Lord always." He who rejoices
"in the Lord," can not be deprived of the pleasure by any thing that may
happen. For all other things in which we rejoice are mutable and
changeable, and subject to variation. And not only does this grievous
circumstance attend them, but moreover while they remain they do not afford
us a pleasure sufficient to repel and veil the sadness that comes upon us
from other quarters. But the fear of God contains both these requisites. It
is steadfast and immoveable, and sheds so much gladness that we can admit
no sense of other evils. For the man who fears God as he ought, and trusts
in Him, gathers from the very root of pleasure, and has possession of the
whole fountain of cheerfulness. And as a spark falling upon a wide ocean
quickly disappears, so whatever events happen to the man who fears God,
these, falling as it were upon an immense ocean of joy, are quenched and
destroyed! This indeed is most to be wondered at, that whilst things which
minister sadness are present, the man should remain joyful. For if there
was nothing to produce grief, it would be no great matter to him that he
was able continually to rejoice. But that at a time when he is urged to
sadness by the pressure of many things, he is superior to all these, and is
blithe in the midst of sorrow. this is truly a matter for astonishment! And
as no one would have wondered that the three Children were not burnt, if
they had remained far off from the furnace of Babylon! (for the
circumstance that astonished all was, that having been so long in such
close contact with the fire, they left it more free from hurt than those
who had not been in contact with it); so also we are able to say of the
saints, that if no temptation had fastened itself upon them, we should not
have wondered at their continual rejoicing. But the point worthy of
admiration, and that which surpasses human nature, is this, that being
encircled on all sides with innumerable waves, their condition is easier
than that of those who enjoy an entire calm!

7. From what has been said, it is evident that amongst those who are
outside the church it is impossible to find any situation in life,
encircled with continual gladness from the things without. But that the
believer cannot possibly be deprived of the enjoyment of a continued
pleasure is what I will now proceed to prove, to the end that ye may not
only learn, but also emulate this painless condition of life. For suppose a
man having nothing for which to condemn himself, but cherishing a good
conscience, and yearning after the future state, and the fulfilment of
those good hopes; what, I ask, will be able to throw such a person into
sadness? Does not death seem the most insupportable of all things? Yet the
expectation of this is so far from grieving him, that it makes him the more
joyful; for he knows that the arrival of death is a release from labour,
and a speeding toward the crowns and rewards laid up for those who have
contended in the race of piety and virtue. But is it the untimely end of
his children? Nay, he will also bear this nobly, and will take up the words
of Job, "The Lord gave, the Lord hath taken away; as it seemed good unto
the Lord, so is it come to pass. Blessed be the name of the Lord for
ever."(1) But if death and loss of children cannot grieve, much less can
the loss of money, or dishonour, or reproaches, or false accusations, at
any time affect a soul so great and noble; no, nor anguish of body, since
the Apostles were scourged, yet they were not made sad. This, indeed, was a
great thing; but what is much more, instead of being made sad, they
considered their very scourgings, as a ground of additional pleasure. "And
they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were
counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Christ."(2) Did any person
insult and revile such a one? Well, he was taught by Christ to rejoice in
these revilings. "Rejoice,"(3) saith He, "and be exceeding glad, when they
shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake; for great is
your reward in heaven."(4) But suppose a man hath fallen into disease?
Well, he hath heard another admonishing, and saying, "In disease and
poverty trust thou in Him; for as gold is tried in the fire, so are
acceptable men in the furnace of humiliation."(5) Since, therefore, neither
death, nor loss of money, nor bodily disease, nor dishonour, nor reproach,
nor any other thing of that nature, will be able to grieve him, but makes
him even the more joyful, what foundation for sadness will he have at any
time?

8. "What then," says some one, "used not the Saint to be in sadness? Do
you not hear Paul saying, "I have great heaviness, and continual sorrow in
my heart?"(6) This, indeed, is the thing to wonder at, that sorrow brought
a gain, and a pleasure that resulted from the gain; for as the scourge did
not procure them anguish, but gladness; so also again the sorrow procured
them those great crowns. And this is the paradox; that not only the sadness
of the world, but also its joy, contains extreme loss; but in the case of
spiritual things, it is exactly the reverse; and not the joy only, but the
sadness too contains a rich treasure of good things! But how, I proceed to
explain. In the world, a person often rejoices, on beholding an enemy in
trouble; and by this joy he draws on himself a great punishment. Again,
another person mourns, on seeing a brother fall; and because of this
sadness he will procure for himself much favour with God. Seest thou how
godly sorrow is better and more profitable than the joy of the world? Thus
also Paul sorrowed for sinners, and for those who disbelieved in God; and
this sorrow was the means of laying up a great reward for him. But that I
may make what I say more clear, and that ye may know that although what I
assert is very strange, it is nevertheless true, viz. that grief is often
capable of refreshing distressed souls, and of rendering a burdened
conscience light: consider how often women, when they have lost their most
beloved children, break their hearts, and perish, if they are forbidden to
mourn, and to shed tears. But if they do all which those who are sad, are
wont to do, they are relieved, and receive consolation. And what wonder
that this should be the case with women, when you may even see a prophet
affected in a similar manner? Therefore he was continually saying, "Suffer
me--I will weep bitterly--labour not to comfort me, because of the spoiling
of the daughter of my people."(7) So that, oftentimes, sadness is the
bearer of consolation; and if it is so with regard to this world. much more
with regard to spiritual things. Therefore he says, "Godly sorrow worketh
repentance unto salvation, not to be repented of."(1) This indeed seems to
be obscure; but what he says is to this effect: "If thou grievest over
wealth, thou art nothing profited. If for sickness, thou hast gained
nothing, but hast increased thy affliction."

9. And I have heard many, after such experience, blame themselves, and
say, What advantage is it that I have grieved? I have not recovered my
money, and I have injured myself. But if thou hast grieved on account of
sin, thou hast blotted it out, and hast reaped the greatest pleasure. If
thou hast grieved for thy brethren who have fallen, thou hast both
encouraged and comforted thyself, and hast also restored them; and even if
thou wert not to profit them, thou hast an abundant recompense. And that
thou mayest learn that this grieving for those who have fallen, though we
should not at all benefit them, still brings us a large reward, hear what
Ezekiel says; or rather, what God Himself speaks through him. For when He
had sent certain messengers to overturn the city, and to consume all the
dwellings with sword and fire, along with their inhabitants, He thus
charges one of them: "Set a mark upon the forehead of the men that groan,
and are in anguish." And after charging the others, and saying, "Begin ye
from mine holy ones," He goes on to add, "But upon whomsoever the sign is,
touch them not."(2) For what reason, tell me? Because although they avail
nothing, they nevertheless lament the things which are done, and deplore
them. And again, He accuses others, saying, That in their luxury, and
gluttony, and enjoyment of great security, when they beheld the Jews
carried away into captivity, they did not grieve, nor partake of their
sadness. And hear what He says, reproaching them: "They suffered nothing in
the affliction of Joseph:"(3) meaning by Joseph the whole people. And
again: "The inhabitants of Aenan went not forth to bewail the house next
unto them."(4) For although they are justly punished, God willeth that we
should condole with them, and not rejoice or insult. "For if I that
punish," saith He, "do not this rejoicingly; nor take pleasure in their
punishment; for "I do not at all will the death of the sinner;"(5) it is
right that thou shouldest imitate thy Lord; and shouldest mourn for this
very thing, that the sinner hath provided matter and occasion for a just
punishment." So that if any one entertains a godly sorrow, he will thence
reap a great advantage.

10. Since therefore those who are scourged are more blessed than the
scourgers, and those in tribulation among us than those who are free from
it outside the Christian pale; and those who are sad are more blessed than
those in pleasure; what further source of tribulation shall we have? On
this account we should call no man happy, save him only who lives according
to God. These only the Scripture terms blessed. For "blessed," it is said,
"is the man who hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly. Blessed is
he whom Thou chastenest, and teachest him out of Thy law. Blessed are the
undefiled in the way. Blessed are all they who trust in Him. Blessed is the
people whose God is the Lord. Blessed is he whom his soul condemneth not.
Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord."(6) And again, Christ speaks
thus: "Blessed are they that mourn; blessed are the humble; blessed are the
meek; blessed are the peacemakers; blessed are they who are persecuted for
righteousness' sake."(7) Seest thou how the divine laws everywhere
pronounce blessed none of the rich, or of the well-born, or of the
possessors of glory, but the man who has gotten hold of virtue. For what is
required of us is, that in every thing we do or suffer, the fear of God
should be the foundation; and if you implant this as the root, not merely
will ease, and honour, and glory, and attention, produce fruits that shall
be pleasurable to thee; but hostilities also, and calumnies, and contempt,
and disgrace, and torments, and all things without exception. And just as
the roots of trees are bitter in themselves, and yet produce our sweetest
fruits, so, verily, godly sorrow will bring us an abundant pleasure. They
know, who have often prayed with anguish, and shed tears, what gladness
they have reaped; how they purged the conscience; how they rose up with
favourable hopes! For as I am always saying, it is not the nature of the
things, but our disposition, which is wont to make us sad or joyful. If
then we can render the latter such as it ought to be, we shall have a
pledge for all gladness. And just as, with the body, it is not so much the
nature of the air, or the things it meets from without, as its own internal
condition, that either injures or assists it, so also it is in the case of
the soul; and much more so; for in the one case, there is the necessity of
nature; in the other, the whole is seated in the power of choice. Therefore
Paul, when he had endured innumerable evils--ship-wrecks, wars,
persecutions, plots, the assaults of robbers, and things too numerous to be
recounted, dying also daily deaths--was so far from grieving or being
discontented, that he gloried, and rejoiced, and said, "I now rejoice in my
sufferings, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ
in my flesh."(1) And again: "And not only so, but we glory in
tribulations."(2) Now, glorying signifies an extension of pleasure.

11. If then thou desirest joy, seek not after riches, nor bodily health,
nor glory, nor power, nor luxury, nor sumptuous tables, nor vestures of
silk, nor costly lands, nor houses splendid and conspicuous, nor any thing
else of that kind; but pursue that spiritual wisdom which is according to
God, and take hold of virtue; and then nought of the things which are
present, or which are expected, will be able to sadden thee. Why do I say
to sadden? Verily, the things that make others sad, will prove to thee an
accession of pleasure. For scourges, and death, and losses, and slanders,
and the being evil entreated, and all such things, when they are brought
upon us for God's sake, and spring from this root, will bring into our
souls much pleasure. For no one will be able to make us miserable, if we do
not make ourselves such; nor, on the other hand, blessed, if we do not make
our. selves such, following up the grace of God.

12. And that ye may learn that he only is blessed, who feareth the Lord, I
will now demonstrate this to you, not by what has happened in past times,
but by what has befallen ourselves. Our city was in danger of being utterly
effaced; and no man among the rich, or eminent, or illustrious, dared to
appear in public, but all fled, and hurried out of the way. But they who
feared God, the men who passed their time in monasteries, hastened down
with much boldness, and set all free from this terror; and the terrible
events that had taken place, and the threats which had been expected to be
put into execution, were so far from causing them to fear, or from throwing
them into anxiety, that although they were placed far off from the
calamity, and had no share in it, they cast themselves willingly into the
midst of the fire, and rescued all; and as for death, which seems
universally terrible and awful, they awaited it with the utmost readiness,
and ran to meet it with more pleasure than others do towards principalities
and honours. And why, but because they knew, that this is the greatest
principality and honour? And they shewed in very deed that he only is
blessed who lays hold of the wisdom which is from above, that he undergoes
no change and sustains no adversity, but enjoys a continued tranquillity,
and laughs to scorn all things which seem to be sorrowful. At the present
time at least, those who were once in power are oppressed by ranch sadness,
inhabiting the prison, and loaded with chains, and daily expecting to be
put to death. But these men on the contrary enjoy the purest pleasure; and
if it be their lot to suffer anything terrible, this, and the very things
which seem formidable to others, are welcome to them, for they know well
towards what point they are running, and what lot will await them when they
depart hence. But whilst they live with so much exactness, and smile at
death, they nevertheless grieve for others, and reap therefrom, in turn,
the greatest advantage. Let us then be in earnest to take care of our
souls, and nothing which may come unlooked for can make us sad. And on
behalf of those Who are in prison, let us beseech God that He will deliver
them from their present calamity. For it was in God's power at once to
release us from this dire evil, and not to suffer even the smallest part of
it to remain; but in order that we may not again go back to our former
negligence, He hath provided that the torrent of these evils should subside
gently and by little and little, holding us fast to the same pious
resolutions.

13. And that this is true, and that many would have gone back to their
former supineness, if we had been released from the whole difficulty at
once, is manifest from this circumstance; that whilst yet the remnants of
the calamity are left, whilst the sentence of the Emperor is yet doubtful,
and those who conducted the affairs of the city are all in prison,(3) many
of our fellow inhabitants, through their inordinate desire of bathing, run
to the river, there making endless merriment, behaving wantonly, leaping,
dancing, and dragging women after them. What pardon can such be worthy of?
What kind of excuse can they offer? Or rather, what kind of punishment and
vengeance do they not deserve? The head of the city is in the public
prison; our members are in exile; the sentence concerning them is doubtful;
and dost thou, I ask, dance, sport, and laugh? "Why, we could not endure,"
says some one, "to remain without the bath?" O shameless disposition,
sordid and perverted! How many months, I ask, how many years, have past?
Thou hast not been as yet shut out from the bath for twenty days; and thou
art as much distressed and discontented, as if thou hadst continued without
washing for a whole year! Tell me, was this thy state, when thou wert
expecting an attack from the military, when thou wert daily anticipating
bring put to death, when thou fleddest to the deserts, and wast hurrying to
the mountain tops? If any one had then proposed to thee to remain "a year"
without the bath, so that thou mightest be rescued from the impending
distress, wouldest thou not readily have accepted the proposal, and
submitted to it? When, therefore, it were becoming that thou shouldest give
thanks to God, Who hath freed thee from all these things without any loss,
dost thou again grow wanton and contemptuous; and when the fear has passed
away, turn back afresh to a worse state of negligence? Have these dire
events really touched thee, and yet art thou so desirous of the baths? Why,
if the bath had been permitted, would not the calamity of those who are yet
in confinement have been sufficient to persuade those who are not in the
same grievous condition to be forgetful of every luxury? Life itself is at
stake, and dost thou remember the baths, and desire to be luxurious? Dost
thou despise the danger because thou hast now escaped it? Take heed lest
thou entangle thyself in the necessity of a greater punishment, and call
back in larger measure the wrath which is removed, and experience the very
thing which Christ declared concerning the devils. For He says, that "when
the unclean spirit is gone out, and afterwards findeth the house void and
swept, he taketh seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and entereth
into the soul, and the last state of that man is worse than the first."(1)
Therefore let us also fear, lest now we are liberated from our former
evils, we afterwards by our listlessness draw upon us those which are
greater! I know that ye yourselves(2) are free from this folly; but ye
should restrain, punish, and sober those who walk disorderly, that ye may
always rejoice even as Paul commanded, that both for our own good works,
and for our forethought for others, we may enjoy both here and in the life
to come an abundant recompense; through the grace and lovingkindness of our
Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom, and with Whom, to the Father, with the Holy
Ghost, be glory, honour, and adoration, now and ever, and world without
end. Amen.


HOMILY XIX.

[On the Sunday called "Episozomenes,"(1) to those who had come to Antioch
from the country--also on the subject of avoiding oaths.]

1. YE have revelled during the last few days in the Holy Martyrs! Ye have
taken your fill of the spiritual feast! Ye have all exulted with honest
exultation! Ye have beheld their ribs laid bare, and their loins lacerated;
the blood flowing forth all around; ten thousand forms of torture! Ye have
seen human nature exhibiting that which is above nature, and crowns woven
with blood! Ye have danced a goodly dance throughout the whole city; this,
your noble captain(2) leading you on; but sickness compelled me to remain
at home, although against my will. But if I did not take a part in the
festival, I partook of the pleasure of it. If I could not have the
enjoyment of your public assembly, yet did I share in your gladness. For
such is the power of love, that it makes those who are not actually in the
enjoyment to rejoice equally with those who are; persuading them to think
the good things of their neighbour common to themselves. Therefore even
whilst I sat at home, I was rejoicing with you; and now whilst I am not yet
entirely freed from my sickness, I have risen up, and run to meet you, that
I may see your much desired faces, and take a part in the present festival.

2. For I think the present day to be a very great festival indeed on
account of our brethren, who by their presence beautify our city, and adorn
the Church; a people foreign to us in language,(3) but in harmony with us
concerning the faith, a people passing their time in tranquillity, and
leading an honest and sober life. For among these men there are no
spectacles of iniquity--no horse racings, nor harlots, nor any of that riot
which pertains to a city, but every kind of licentiousness is banished, and
great sobriety flourishes every where. And the reason is, that their life
is a laborious one; and they have, in the culture of the soil, a school of
virtue and sobriety, and follow that art which God introduced before all
others into our life. For before the sin of Adam, when he enjoyed much
freedom, a certain tillage of the ground was enjoined upon him; not indeed
a laborious or a troublesome one, but one which afforded him much good
discipline, for he was appointed, it is said, "to till the garden, and to
keep it." Each of these men you may see at one time employed in yoking the
labouring oxen, and guiding the plough, and cutting the deep furrow; and at
another ascending the sacred pulpit,(1) and cultivating the souls of those
under their authority; at one time cutting away the thorns from the soil
with a bill-hook, at another purging out the sins of the soul by the Word.
For they are not ashamed of work like the inhabitants of our city, but they
are ashamed of idleness, knowing that this has taught every kind of
wickedness; and that to those who love it, it has proved a teacher of
iniquity from the beginning.

3. These are our philosophers, and theirs the best philosophy, exhibiting
their virtue not by their outward appearance, but by their mind. The pagan
philosophers are in character no wise better than those who are engaged on
the stage, and in the sports of actors; and they have nothing to shew
beyond the threadbare cloak, the beard, and the long robe! But these, quite
on the contrary, bidding farewell to staff and beard, and the other
accoutrements, have their souls adorned with the doctrines of the true
philosophy, and not only with the doctrines, but also with the real
practice. And were you to question any one of these, who live a rustic life
at the spade and plough, as to the dogmas respecting which the pagan
philosophers have discoursed an infinite deal, and have expended a
multitude of words, without being able to say any thing sound; one of these
would give you an accurate reply from his store of wisdom. And not only is
this to be wondered at, but that they confirm the credibility of these
doctrines by their actions. For of the fact that we have an immortal soul,
and that we shall hereafter render an account of what we have done here,
and stand before a fearful Tribunal, their minds. are at once thoroughly
persuaded, and they have also regulated their whole course of life by such
hopes as these; and have become superior to all worldly show, instructed as
they have been by the sacred Scriptures, that "all is vanity, yea, vanity
of vanities,"(2) and they do not greedily long for any of those things
which seem to be so splendid.

4. These too know how to philosophize concerning God, even as God hath
determined; and if, taking one of them, you were now to bring forward some
pagan philosopher;--or rather, now you could not find one!(3)--But if you
were to take one of these, and then open the books of their ancient
philosophers, and go through them, and institute an enquiry by way of
parallel as to what these now answer, and the others in their day
philosophically advanced; you would see how much wisdom belonged to the
former, and how much folly to the latter. For whilst some of those would
aver, that the things existing were destitute of a providence, and that the
creation had not its origin from God; that virtue was not sufficient for
itself, but stood in need of wealth, and nobility, and external splendour,
and other things still more ridiculous; and whilst these, on the other
hand, would discourse wisely respecting Providence, respecting the future
Tribunals of judgment, respecting the creative power of God, bringing forth
all things out of nothing, as well as respecting all other points, although
at the same time they were entirely destitute of worldly schooling; who
could but learn from hence the power of Christ, which hath proved these
unlearned and simple persons to be as much wiser than those, who make so
much boast of their wisdom, as men of discretion are seen to be in
comparison of little children? For what harm can result to them from their
simplicity in regard to learning, when their thoughts are full of much
wisdom? And what advantage have those philosophers from this learning, when
the understanding is devoid of right thoughts? It were just as if one
should have a sword that had its hilt of silver, whilst the blade was
weaker than the vilest lead. For truly these philosophers have their tongue
decked out with words and names, but their understanding is full of mere
weakness and good for nothing. Not so with these philosophers, but quite
the reverse. Their understanding is full of spiritual wisdom(1) and their
mode of life is a transcript of their doctrines. Amongst these there are no
luxurious women; there are no ornaments of dress, nor colours, nor paints;
but all such corruption of manners is discountenanced. Hence the population
under their charge are the more readily trained to sobriety, and the law
which Paul gave, when he directed that food and covering should be had, and
nothing more be sought after, they most rigidly observe.(2) Amongst them,
there are no perfumed unguents to fascinate the senses;(3) but the earth
bringing forth herbs, prepares for them a varied fragrance of flowers,
above all the skill of perfumers. For this reason, their bodies as well as
souls enjoy a sound state of health, inasmuch as they have banished all
luxury of diet, and driven off all the evil floods of drunkenness; and they
eat just as much as suffices for subsistence. Let us then not despise them
because of their outward appearance, but let us admire their mind. For of
what advantage is the external habit, when the soul is more wretchedly clad
than any beggar! The man ought to be praised and admired, not for dress,
nay more, not for his bodily form, but for his soul. Lay bare the soul of
these men, and you will see its beauty and the wealth it possesses, in
their words, in their doctrines, and in the whole system of their manners!

5. Let the Gentiles then be ashamed, let them hide their heads, and slink
away on account of their philosophers, and their wisdom, wretched as it is
beyond all folly! For the philosophers that have been amongst them in their
lifetime have hardly been able to teach their doctrines to a very few, who
can easily be numbered; and when any trifling peril overtook them, they
lost even these. But the disciples of Christ, the fishermen, the publicans,
and the tent-makers, in a few years brought over the whole world to the
truth; and when from that time, ten thousand perils have been constantly
arising, the preaching of the Gospel was so far from being put down, that
it still flourishes and increases; and they taught simple people, tillers
of the ground, and occupied with cattle, to be lovers of wisdom. Such are
the persons, who beside all them home; and let us again raise the question
concerning oaths; that from the minds of all we may pluck up by the roots
this evil custom. But first, I desire to put you a little in mind to-day of
the things we spoke of lately.(5)

When the Jews, having been released from Persia, and set free from that
tyranny, were returned back to their own county, "I saw," saith one, "a
flying sickle, twenty cubits in length, and ten cubits broad."(5) They
heard also the Prophet giving them this instruction, "This is the curse,
that goeth forth over the face of the whole land, and entereth into the
house of him that sweareth falsely; and it shall rest in the midst thereof,
and throw down the timber and all the stones." When we had read this
passage, we also enquired then why it was, that it should destroy not the
swearer only, but also his house, and we stated this to be the reason; that
God will have the punishments of the most grievous sins to reason of the
overthrow, might avoid imitating the sin.

7. This also happened at Sodom. For when they burned in their lust one
towards another, then too the very earth itself was burned up, being
kindled by the fire from above. For He designed, that the vengeance of this
sin should permanently remain.

And observe the mercy of God! Those who had sinned, He caused not to
continue burning to the present day, but when they had been for once in
flames, He buried them; and burning up the face of the ground, He placed it
visibly before all who after should desire to look at these things; and now
the sight of the land, through all the generations since, hath given an
admonition beyond all lest ye suffer the lot of Sodom!" For precept
commonly makes not so deep an impression upon the mind as a fearful
spectacle does, which bears upon it the vestigies of calamity through all
time. And persons that have visited these places bear witness, who often,
when they hear the Scripture discoursing of these things, are not much
terrified; site, and see the whole surface of it disfigured, and have
witnessed the effects of the fire, with soil no where visible, but every
thing dust and ashes, they come away astonished with the sight, and taking
with them a strong lesson of chastity. For truly, the very nature of the
punishment was a pattern of the nature of the sin! Even as they devised a
barren intercourse, not having for its end the procreation of children, so
did God bring on them such a punishment, as made the womb of the land ever
barren, and destitute of all fruits! For this reason also He threatened to
destroy the dwellings of the swearers, in order that by their punishments,
they may make others to be more self- controlled.

8. But I am ready to shew to-day, not the destruction of one, two, or
three houses in consequence of oaths, but that of a whole city and of a
people beloved of God; of a nation that had always enjoyed much of the
divine care; and of a race that had escaped many dangers.(1) For Jerusalem
herself, the city of God, which had the holy ark, and all that divine
service;--where there were once prophets, and the grace of the Spirit, and
the ark; and the tables of the covenant, and the golden pot;--where angels
were frequent visitors;--this city, I say, when a multitude of wars took
place, and many foreign nations made attacks upon it, as if girt by a wall
of adamant, ever laughed them all to scorn, and whilst the land was utterly
destroyed, sustained no injury! And not only is this to be wondered at, but
that frequently in driving out its enemies, it inflicted upon them a heavy
blow, and enjoyed so much of the providential care of God, that God Himself
said, "I found Israel as a bunch of grapes in the desert; and I beheld your
fathers as the earliest fruit on the fig tree.''(2) And again, of the city
itself: "As olive berries on the extremity of the highest bough, and they
shall say, Do them no harm."(3) Nevertheless, the city beloved of God; that
had escaped so many perils; that had been favoured with pardon, amidst the
multitude of its sins; that alone had been able to avoid captivity, whilst
all the rest were carried away, not once or twice, but very often; was
ruined solely by an oath. But how, I proceed to state.

9. One of their kings was Zedekiah. This Zedekiah took an oath to
Nebuchadnezzar, king of the barbarians, that he would remain in alliance
with him. Afterwards be revolted, ing the obligation of his oath, and
suffered the things of which ye shall hear presently. But first, it is
necessary to mention the parable of the prophet, in which he enigmatically
represented all these matters: "The word of the Lord," saith he, "came to
me, saying, Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable, and say,
Thus saith the Lord God: A great eagle, with great wings, and long
extended, full of claws."(4) Here he calls the king of the Babylonians an
eagle, and speaks of him as being "great, and long-winged;" and he calls
him long-extended and "full of claws," on account of the multitude of his
army, and the greatness of his power, and the swiftness of his invasion.
For just as the wings and claws of the eagle are his armour, so are horses
and soldiers to kings. This eagle, he goes on to say, "hath the leading(5)
to enter into Lebanon." What is meant by the "leading?" Counsel--design.
And Judaea is called Lebanon, because of its situation near that mountain.
Afterwards, intending to speak of the oaths and treaties, " He took," saith
he, "of the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful field, that it
might take root by great waters. He placed it to be looked upon; and it
grew, and became a weak vine, and of small stature, and it stretched out
its branches towards him, and its roots were under him."(6) Here he calls
the city of Jerusalem(7) a vine; but in saying that it stretched out its
branches towards the eagle, and that its roots were under him, he purposing
to declare the iniquity of this, he saith, "And there was another great
eagle," (speaking of the Egyptian king), "with great wings, and having many
claws;(8) and the vine did bend itself toward him, and its tendril toward
him, and shot out its branches, that it might be watered. Therefore, I
said, Thus saith the Lord God: Shall it prosper?"(9) That is to say, "
after having broken the oath, and the treaties, shall it be able to remain,
or to be safe, or to avoid falling?" Presently, for the purpose of shewing
that this is not to happen, but that it is certainly to be destroyed on
account of the oath, he discourses concerning its punishment, and alleges
the cause. "For its tender roots and its fruits shall become corrupt, and
all which springs therefrom shall be withered."(1) And for the purpose of
shewing that it will not be destroyed by human strength, but because it
hath made God its enemy by means of these oaths, he subjoins, "Not by a
mighty arm, nor by much people, to pluck it up by its roots." Such indeed
is the parable, but the prophet again explains it, when he says, "Behold,
the king of Babylon cometh against Jerusalem."(2) And then, after saying
some other things between, he mentions the oaths and the treaties. "For"
saith he, "he shall make a covenant with him;"(3) and presently, speaking
of the departure from it, he goes on to say, "And he will depart from him,
by sending messengers into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much
people." And then he proceeds to shew that it is on account of the oath
that all this destruction is to take place. "Surely in the place where the
king dwelleth that made him king, he who hath despised My curse, and hath
transgressed My covenant, in the midst of Babylon he shall die; and not by
great power nor surely recompense upon his own head this covenant which he
hath broken; and I will spread My net upon him."(4) Seest thou, that not
once, or twice, but repeatedly, it is said that because of the oath he was
to suffer all these things. For God is inexorable when oaths are treated
contemptuously. Nor merely from the punishment which was brought upon the
city by the oath, but also from the delay, and the postponement, may it be
seen how much God is concerned for the inviolability of oaths. "For it came
to pass," we are told, "in the ninth year of the reign of Zedekiah, on the
tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon came, and
all his host, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it, and built a wall
against it round about, and the city was besieged until the eleventh year
of king Zedekiah, and the ninth day of the month,(5) and there was no bread
for the people to eat, and the city was broken up."(6) He might indeed, at
once from the first day, have delivered them up, and have given them into
the hands of their enemies; but He permitted that they should first be
wasted for the space of three years, and experience a most distressing
siege; to the end that during this interval, being humbled by the terror of
the forces without, or the famine that oppressed the city within, they
might compel the king, however unwillingly, to submit to the barbarian; and
some alleviation might be obtained for the sin committed. And to prove that
this is true, and no conjecture of my own, hear what He saith to him by the
prophet: "If thou shalt go forth to the king of Babylon's princes, then thy
soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou
shalt live, and thine house. But if thou wilt not go forth to the king of
Babylon's princes, then shall this city be given into the hand of the
Chaldeans; and they shall burn it with fire, and thou shalt not escape out
of their hand. And the king said, I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen
to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hands and they mock me.
But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver thee. Obey, I beseech thee, the
word of the Lord, which I speak unto thee; so shall it be better for thee,
and thy soul shall live. But if thou refuse to go forth, this is the word
that the Lord hath shewed me. All the women that are left in the king of
they are turned away from thee, and they shall bring out all thy wives, and
thy children to the Chaldeans, and thou shalt not escape out of their hand,
for thou shalt be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon, and this city
shall be burned with fire.(7)

10. But when He did not prevail with him by this address, but he remained
in his sin and transgression, after three years, God delivered up the city,
displaying at once His own clemency and the ingratitude of that king. And
entering in with the utmost ease, they "burnt the house of the Lord, and
the king's house, and the houses of Jerusalem, and every great house, the
captain of the guard(8) burnt, and overthrew the wall of Jerusalem;(9) and
everywhere there was the fire of the barbarian, the oath being the
conductor of the conflagration, and carrying about the flame in all
directions. "And the captain of the guard carried away the rest of the
people that were left in the city, and the fugitives that fell away to the
king of Babylon.(10) And the pillars of brass that were in the house of the
Lord the Chaldeans brake up, and the bases, and the brazen sea that was in
the house of the Lord, did the Chaldees break in pieces. And the pots, and
the flesh-hooks the golden and silver bowls they took away. Moreover,
Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, took away the two pillars, and the
bases, and the sea which Solomon had made away Seraiah the chief priest,
and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door; and out
of the city one eunuch that was set over the men of war; and five men that
were in the king's presence; and Shaphan the chief captain, and the
principal scribe, and threescore men. And he took these, and brought them
to the king of Babylon, and the king smote them, and slew them."(1)

11. Be mindful therefore, I pray, now of the "flying sickle" that "resteth
in the sweaters house;" and "destroyeth the walls and the timber and the
stones." Be mindful, I pray, how this oath entered into the city, and
overturned houses, and temple, and walls, and splendid buildings, and made
the city an heap; and that neither the Holy of Holies, nor the sacred
vessels, nor any thing else could ward off that punishment and vengeance,
for that the oath had been transgressed! The city, indeed, was thus
miserably destroyed. But the king endured what Was still more wretched and
deplorable.(2) And as the flying sickle overthrew the buildings, so did it
also cut him down in his flight. For "the king," it says, "went forth by
night, by way of the gate, and the Chaldeans encompassed the city, and the
army of the Chaldeans pursued after the king and overtook him, and they
took the king, and brought him to the king of Babylon, and the king of
Babylon gave judgments upon Zedekiah, and slew his sons before his face,
and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters, and carded
him to Babylon." What is meant by the expression, "he spake judgment with
him?" He demanded of him an account of his conduct, he pleaded against him;
and first he slew his two sons, that he might be a spectator of the
calamity of his house, and might behold(4) that deplorable tragedy; and
then he put out his own eyes. For what reason, I ask again, did this occur?
them; and that they who had eyes might discern by him who was bereft of
sight, how great an evil is an oath! Nor only these; but all who dwelt by
the way, beholding the man fettered and blinded, might learn by his
calamity the greatness of his sin. Therefore one of the prophets declares,
"He shall not see Babylon."(5) And another, "He shall be carried away to
Babylon."(6) And the prophecy seems, indeed, to be contradictory. But it is
not so; for both of these are true. For he saw not Babylon, though he was
carried away to Babylon. How then did he not see Babylon? Because it was in
Judaea he had his eyes put out; for where the oath had been set at nought,
there also was it vindicated, and he himself subjected to punishment. And
how was he carried away to Babylon? In a state of captivity. For since the
punishment was twofold, deprivation of sight and captivity, the prophets
took them severally. The one saith, "He shall not see Babylon," speaking of
the loss of his eyes; the other saith, "He shall be carried away to
Babylon," signifying his captivity.

12. Knowing these things, theft, brethren, and gathering up what has been
now advanced, as well as what has been said before; let us at last desist
from this evil custom, yea, I pray and beseech you all! For if in the old
dispensation, when the Jews had not the strictest moral wisdom required of
them, but much condescension was extended to them, such wrath was the
effect of one oath; such capture and captivity; what punishment is it
likely that those who swear should now be subjected to, after an express
law forbidding the practice, and so large an addition of precepts. Is it,
indeed, all that is required, that we come to the assembly, and hear what
is spoken? Why truly it is a reason for greater condemnation, and for more
inevitable punishment, that we are continually hearing, and yet do not what
is bidden! What excuse shall we have, or what pardon, if assembling here
from earliest youth to latest old age, and enjoying the advantage of so
much instruction, we remain just like them, and do not take pains to
correct a single defect. Let no one henceforth allege custom. For this is
the very thing at which I am indignant and provoked, that we are not able
to get the better of custom. And, pray, if we do not get the better of
custom, how can we get the better of concupiscence, which hath its root
even in the principles of our nature; for it is natural to feel desire; but
to desire wickedly, comes after of choice. But this practice of sweating
takes not even its first principle from nature,(1) but from mere
negligence.

13. And that thou mayest learn that not from the difficulty of the thing,
but through our inattention, this sin has advanced to such a pitch, let us
call to mind how many things far more difficult than these, men accomplish;
and that too without expecting any recompense therefrom. Let us think what
services the Devil imposes; how laborious, how troublesome they are; and
yet, the difficulty has not become an obstacle to these services. For what
can be more difficult, I ask, than when any young person delivering himself
up to those, who undertake to make his limbs supple and pliant, uses his
most strenuous exertion to bend his whole body into the exact shape of a
wheel, and to turn over upon the pavement; his powers being tasked at the
same time through the eyes, and through the movement of the hands, as well
as other convolutions for the purpose of being transformed into the
likeness of woman-kind.(2) Yet neither the difficulty of these feats, nor
the degradation arising from them, are thought of. And again, those who are
dragged upon the dancing-stage, and use the members of the body as though
they were wings, who that beholds them can help being struck with wonder?
So too they who toss knives aloft in the air one after another, and catch
them all by the handle, whom might they not put to shame of those who
refuse to undergo any labour for the sake of virtue? And what can any one
say of those men, who balancing a pole on the forehead, keep it just as
steady as a tree rooted in the ground? And this is not the only marvellous
part of the affair but that they set little children to wrestle with one
another on the top of the tree; and neither the hands, nor any other part
of the body assisting, the forehead alone sustains the pole unshaken, and
with more steadiness than any kind of fastening. Again: another walks on
the slenderest rope, with the same fearlessness as men do when they run
over level plains. Nevertheless these things, which even in thought seem
impracticable, have become possible by art. What like this have we, I ask,
to allege concerning oaths? What kind of difficulty? what toil? what art?
what danger? There is only needed on our 14. And do not tell me, "I have
accomplished that thou hast not as yet done any thing; for this little, if
neglected, is destruction to all the rest. Often indeed when men have built
a house, and put on the roof, they have destroyed the whole fabric, by not
making any concern of a single tile that has been shaken off from it. And
one may see the same thing occur with respect to garments; for there too if
a small hole is made, and not repaired, a large rent is the consequence.
And this also is frequently the case in regard to floods; for these, if
they find but a small entrance, let in the whole torrent. Thou also, then,
even if thou hast fortified thyself all around, and but a small part be
left still unfortified, yet block up this also against the devil, that thou
mayest be made strong on all sides! Thou hast seen the sickle! Thou hast
seen the head of John! Thou hast heard the history pertaining to Saul! Thou
hast heard the manner of the Jewish captivity! And beside all these, thou
hast heard the sentence of Christ declaring, that not only to commit
perjury, but to swear in any way, is a diabolical thing, and the whole a
device of the evil one.(3) Thou hast heard that every where perjuries
follow oaths. Putting all these things then together, write them upon thy
understanding. Dost thou not see how women and little children suspend
Gospels(4) from their necks as a powerful amulet, and carry them about in
all places wherever they go. Thus do thou write the commands of the Gospel
and its laws upon thy mind. Here there is no need of gold or property, or
of buying a book; but of the will only, and the affections of the soul
awakened, and the Gospel will be thy surer guardian, carrying it as thou
wilt then do, not outside, but treasured up within; yea, in the soul's
secret chambers. When thou risest up then from thy bed, and when thou goest
out of thine house, repeat this law: "I say unto you, Swear not at all."(1)
And the saying will be to thee a discipline; for there is no need of much
labour, but only of a moderate degree of attention. And that this is true,
may thus be proved. Call thy son, and frighten him, and threaten to lay a
few stripes upon him, if he does not duly observe this law; and thou wilt
see, how he will forthwith abstain from this custom. Is it not therefore
truly absurd, that little children, out of the fear we inspire, should
perform this commandment, and that we should not fear God as our sons fear
us?

15. What then I said before this, I now again repeat. Let us lay down a
law for ourselves in this matter; not to meddle either with public or
private affairs until we have fulfilled this law; and then surely under the
pressure of this obligation we shall easily conquer, and we shall at once
adorn ourselves, and decorate our city. For consider what a thing it would
be to have it said every where throughout the world, "A practice becoming
Christians is established at Antioch, and you will hear no one giving
utterance to an oath, even though the greatest nceessity is laid upon him!"
This is what the neighbouring cities will certainly hear; nay, not the
neighbouring cities only, but even to the ends of the each will the report
be conveyed. For it is indeed probable that both the merchants who mix with
you, and others who arrive from this place, will report all these matters.
When, therefore, many persons in the way of encomium mention the harbours
of other cities, or the markets, or the abundance of wares, enable those
who come from hence to say, that there is that at Antioch, which is to be
seen in no other city; for that the men who dwell there would sooner have
their tongues cut out, than suffer an oath to proceed from their mouths!
This will be your ornament and defence, and not only so, but it will bring
an abundant reward. For others also will certainly emulate, and imitate
you. But if, when a person has gained but one or two,(2) he shall receive
so great a reward from God; what recompense shall ye not receive when ye
are the instructors of the whole world. It is your duty then to bestir
yourselves, to be watchful, and to be sober; knowing that not only from our
own personal good works, but from those we have also wrought in others,
shall we receive the best recompense, and enjoy much favour with God, which
may He grant us all continually to enjoy, and hereafter to obtain the
kingdom of heaven, in Christ Jesus our Lord; to Whom with the Father, and
the Holy Ghost, be glory and power both now and ever, and world without
end. Amen.


HOMILY XX.(1)

That the fast of Lent is not sufficient to make us competent to partake of
the Communion, but that holiness is the first thing required. How it is
possible not to entertain resentment, and that God takes much account of
this law; find that the entertaining of resentment punishes those who are
guilty of it even before they reach the place of torment.--Also concerning
abstinence from oaths, and those who have not succeeded in abstaining from
swearing.

1. AT length the season is verging towards the end of the Fast, and
therefore we ought the more earnestly to devote ourselves to holiness. For
as in the case of those who run a race, all their circuits will be of no
avail if they miss the prize; so neither will any advantage result from
these manifold labours and toils with regard to the fast, if we are not
able to enjoy the sacred Table with a good conscience. For this end are
fasting and Lent appointed, and so many days of solemn assemblies,
auditories, prayers, and teachings, in order that by this earnestness(2)
being cleansed in every, possible way from so that should this not be the
result, we shall have sustained so much labour entirely in vain, and
without any profit. Let every one, therefore, consider with himself what
defect he hath corrected, what good work he hath attained to; what sin he
hath cast off, what stain he hath purged away; in what respect he has
become better. And should he discover that in this good traffic he has made
any gain by the fast, and be conscious in himself of much care taken of his
wounds, let him draw near! But if he hath remained negligent, having
nothing to shew but mere fasting, and hath done nothing which is right
besides, let his remain outside;(1) and then let him enter, when he hath
purged out all these offences. Let no one rest on the fast merely; whilst
continuing unreformed in evil practices. For it is probable, that he who
omits fasting may obtain pardon, having infirmity of body to plead; but it
is impossible that he can have an excuse who hath not amended his faults.
Thou hast not fasted, it may be, on account of bodily weakness. Tell me for
what reason thou art not reconciled to thine enemies? Hast thou, indeed,
here to allege bodily infirmity? Again; if thou retainest envy and hatred,
what apology hast thou then I ask? For no one in offences of this kind is
able to take refuge in the plea of bodily infirmity. And this was a work of
Christ's(2) love toward man, viz. that the chief of the precepts, and those
which maintain our life, should not be impaired in any degree through the
weakness of the body.

2. But since we need to practise all the divine laws alike, and more
especially that which bids us consider no man as an enemy, nor retain
resentment long, but forthwith to be reconciled; suffer us to-day to
discourse to you concerning this commandment. For as it is not to be
imagined that the fornicator and the blasphemer can partake of the sacred
Table, so it is impossible that he who hath an enemy, and bears malice, can
enjoy the holy Communion. And this with good reason. For a man when he has
committed fornication, or adultery, at the same time that he hath
accomplished his lust, hath also completed the sin; and should he be
willing by watchful living to recover from that fail, he may afterwards, by
manifesting great penitence, obtain some relief. But he who is resentful
worketh the same iniquity every day, What excuse can we then have, I ask,
for delivering ourselves willingly to such an evil monster? How canst thou
ask thy Lord to be mild and merciful to thee, when thou hast been so hard
and unforgiving to thy fellow-servant?

3. But thy fellow-servant hath treated thee with contempt perhaps? Yes!
and thou hast treated God with contempt oftentimes. And what comparison is
there between a fellow-servant and the Lord? As to the former, when he was
perchance in some way injured, he insulted thee, and thou wert exasperated.
But thou insultest the Lord, when thou art neither treated with injustice
nor ill-will by Him, but receiving blessing of Him day by day. Consider,
then, that if God chose to search out rigourously what is done against Him,
we should not live a single day. For the prophet saith, "If Thou wilt be
extreme to mark iniquity, O Lord, O Lord, who shall stand?"(3) And, to pass
by all those other things, of which the conscience of every sinner is
aware, and of which he no has no human witness, but God only; were we to be
called to account for those which are open and admitted, what allowance
could we expect for such sins? What if He were to scrutinize our
listlessness and negligence in our prayers; and how, whilst standing before
God and supplicating Him, we do not exhibit even so much fear and reverence
for Him as servants do toward their masters, as soldiers do toward their
officers, as friends do toward friends?(4) When thou discoursest with a
friend, thou givest heed to what thou art doing, but when waiting on God on
account of thy sins, and asking pardon for so many offences, and thinking
that thou shalt obtain forgiveness, thou art often listless; and whilst thy
knees are lying on the ground, thou sufferest thy mind to wander every
where, in the market, or in the house, babbling the while with thy mouth
vainly and to no purpose! And this we experience, not once or twice, but
frequently! Did God then choose to scrutinize this alone, do you think that
we could obtain pardon, or be able to find any excuse? Truly, I think not!

4. But what if the evil-speakings which we unkindly utter every day one
against another, were brought forward against us; as well as the rash
judgments with which we condemn our neighbour; and that for no reason, but
because we are fond of blaming, and given to find fault; what, I say,
should we be able to allege in defence? Again, should He scrutinize those
roving glances of ours, and those evil desires which we carry in the mind,
so frequently admitting disgraceful and impure thoughts from the unlicensed
wandering of the eyes, what punishment must we not sustain? And should He
demand a reason for our revilings, (for He saith, "Whosoever shah say to
his brother, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire,") how could we,
forsooth, open our mouths, or move our lips at all, or say any thing great
or small in reply? Moreover, as to the vainglorious feelings we allow in
our prayers, our facings, our alms-giving, were we to scrutinize, them,--I
do not say, were God, but were we ourselves, who are the sinners, to do
this,--should we be able to lift up our eyes toward heaven? Then, as to the
deceits which we devise one against another--praising a brother now, whilst
he is present, and discoursing as with a friend; and when he is absent,
reviling him; can we endure the punishments of all these? Then what of the
oaths? or what of the lying? what of the perjuries? what of the unjust
anger, and of the envy with which we too often regard men when honoured,
not enemies only, but also friends? Furthermore, what of the fact, that we
are pleased when others suffer evil, and account the misfortunes of others
a consolation for our own distress?

5. But suppose the penalty were exacted for our listlessness in our solemn
assemblies what would our condition be? For this ye cannot but know, that
often whilst God Himself is addressing us all by His prophet, we are
holding frequent and long conversations with those near us, about matters
which in no way concern us. Passing by, then, all the rest, should He
choose to exact of us the penalty due for this sin only, what hope of
salvation will there be? For do not suppose that this offence is a small
one, but if thou wouldest be aware of its magnitude, examine how this very
thing is regarded among men, and then thou wilt perceive the enormity of
the sin. Just venture, when some magistrate is talking to thee, or rather
some friend who is of somewhat superior dignity, to turn from him, and
enter into conversation with thy servant; and thou wilt then perceive, what
thou venturest on in dealing thus with God! For if he be any one of the
more distinguished classes, he will even demand reparation of thee for such
an insult. Yet God, whilst He is treated with as great, and still greater
contempt than this, every day; and that not by one, or two, or three
persons, but by almost all of us; is still forbearing and longsuffering,
not in regard to this alone, but to other things which are far more
grievous. For these things are what must be admitted, and what are obvious
to all, and by almost all men they are daringly practised. But there are
yet others, which the conscience of those who commit them is privy to.
Surely, if we were to think of all this; if we were to reason with
ourselves, supposing even that we were the cruelest and harshest of men,
yet upon taking a survey of the multitude of our sins, we should for very
fear and agony be unable to remember the injury done by others towards
ourselves. Bear in mind the river of fire; the envenomed worm; the fearful
Judgment, where all things shall be naked and open! Reflect, that what are
now hidden things, are then to be brought to light! But shouldest thou
pardon thy neighbour all these sins which till then await their disclosure
are done away with here; and when thou shalt depart this life, thou wilt
not drag after thee any of that chain of transgressions; so that thou
receivest greater things than thou givest. For many such transgressions,
indeed, we have often committed, which no other person knoweth; and when we
think, that on That Day these our sins shall lie exposed to the eyes of
all, upon the public theatre of the universe, we are in pain beyond any
punishment, being choked and strangled by our conscience. Yet this shame,
great as it is; these sins, these punishments, great as they are; there is
a possibility of purging away through forgiveness exercised toward our
neighbour.

6. For indeed there is nothing equal to this virtue.(1) Wouldest thou
learn the power of this virtue? "Though Moses and Samuel stood before Me,"
saith God, "my soul would not regard them."(2) Nevertheless, those whom
Moses and Samuel were not able to snatch away from God's wrath, this
precept when observed was able to snatch away. Hence it is, that He
continually exhorts those to whom He had spoken these things, saying, "Let
none of you revengefully imagine(2) evil against his brother in your
heart," and "let none of you think of his neighbour's malice."(3) It is not
said merely, forego wrath; but retain it not in thy mind; think not of it;
part with all thy resentment; do away the sore. For thou supposest that
thou art paying him back the injury; but thou art first tormenting thyself,
and setting up thy rage as an executioner within thee in every part, and
tearing up thine own bowels. For what can be more wretched than a man
perpetually angry? And just as maniacs, who never enjoy tranquility, so
also he who is resentful, and retains an enemy, will never have the
enjoyment of any peace; incessantly raging, as he does, and daily
increasing the tempest of his thoughts calling to mind his words and acts,
and detesting the very name of him who has aggrieved him. Do you but
mention his enemy, he becomes furious at once, and sustains much inward
anguish; and should he chance to get only a bare sight of him, he fears and
trembles, as if encountering the worst evils, Yea, if he perceives any of
his relations, if but his garment, or his dwelling, or street, he is
tormented by the sight of them. For as in the case of those who are
beloved, their faces, their garments, their sandals, their houses, or
streets, excite us, the instant we behold them; so also should we observe a
servant, or friend, or house, or street, or any thing else belonging to
those We hate and hold our enemies, we are stung by all these things; and
the strokes we endure from the sight of each one of them are frequent and
continual.

7. What is the need then of sustaining such a siege, such torment and such
punishment? For if hell did not threaten the resentful; yet for the very
torment resulting from the thing itself we ought to forgive the offences of
those who have aggrieved us. But when deathless punishments remain behind,
what can be more senseless than the man, who both here and there brings
punishment upon himself, while he thinks to be revenged upon his enemy !For
suppose that we see him still prosperous, then we are ready to die of
chagrin; but if in an adverse condition, we are in fear, lest some
propitious turn of events should take place. But for both of these there is
stored up for us an inevitable punishment. For, "Rejoice not," he saith,
"when thine enemy stumbleth."(1) And tell me not of the greatness of the
injuries received; for it is not this which maketh thy wrath to be
retained; but this, that thou art unmindful of thine own offences; that
thou hast not before thine eyes either hell or the fear of God! To convince
thee that this is true, I will endeavour to make it manifest from the
events which have happened in this city. For when the persons impeached of
those flagrant crimes were dragged to the tribunal of justice;--when the
fire was kindled within, and the executioners stood around, and were
lacerating their ribs,(2) if any one standing beside them had proclaimed,
"If ye have any enemies, dismiss your resentment, and we shall be able to
set you free from this punishment;"--would they not have kissed their very
feet?(3) And why do I say their feet? If one had bidden them take them for
their masters, they would not then have refused. But if punishment that is
human, and hath its bounds, would have triumphed over all anger, much more
would the punishment to come, if it had continual possession of our
thoughts, expel from the soul not only resentment, but every evil
imagination? For what is easier, I ask, than to get rid of resentment
against the injurer? Is there any long journey to be undertaken? Is there
any expenditure of money? Is the aid of others to be invoked? It suffices
only to resolve, and the good deed at once reaches the goal. What
punishment, then, must we not deserve, if on account of worldly affairs we
stoop to slavish occupations; and shew a servility unworthy of ourselves;
and expend money; and enter into conversation with porters, that we may
flatter(4) impious men; and do and say all manner of things, so that we may
perfectly attain the end we have in view; and yet cannot endure, for the
sake of God's laws, to entreat a brother who hath injured us, but consider
it a disgrace to be the first to make advances. Art thou ashamed, tell me,
when thou art going to be the first to make gain? Rather, on the contrary,
you ought to be ashamed of persisting in this passion; and waiting until
the person who has commuted the injury comes to you to be reconciled; for
this is a disgrace, and a reproach, and the greatest loss.

8. For he who comes the first it is, who reaps all the fruit; and when at
the entreaty of another thou layest aside thine anger, the good work is to
be accounted his; for thou hast discharged the law as doing a favour to
him, not as obeying God. But if, when no one entreats, when not even the
man who has done the injury approaches, or solicits thee, thou thyself
dismissing from thy thoughts all shame, and all delay, runnest forward
freely to the injurer, and dost quell anger entirely, the good deed becomes
wholly thine own, and thou shalt receive all the reward. If I say,
"Practise fasting," thy plea, perchance, is bodily weakness. If I say,
"Give to the poor," it is poverty, and bringing up children. If I say,
"Make time for the assembles of the Church," it is worldly cares. If I say,
"'Give heed to what is spoken, and consider the power of what is taught,"
it is want of learning. If I say, "Correct another," you say, "When counsel
is given him, he takes no heed, for I have often spoken, and been scorned."
Frigid, as such pretences are, yet you have some pretences to allege. But
suppose I say, "Dismiss thine anger," which of these wilt thou then
allege?" For neither infirmity of body, nor poverty, nor lack of culture,
nor want of leisure, nor any other thing of that kind hast thou to advance;
but this sin is above all other the most inexcusable. How wilt thou be able
to stretch thine hands toward heaven, or how to move thy tongue, or to ask
pardon? For although God be desirous to pardon thy sins, thou thyself dost
not suffer Him, while thou retainest that of thy fellow-servant !But
suppose that he is cruel, fierce, and savage, and greedy of revenge and
retaliation? Why for this reason thou oughtest especially to grant
forgiveness.(1) Hast thou been wronged much, and robbed, and slandered, and
injured in matters of the first importance; and dost thou wish to see thine
enemy punished? Yet even for this, it will be of use to thee to pardon him.
For suppose that thou thyself takest vengeance, and prosecutest it, either
by words, by deeds, or imprecation against the adversary; then God will not
afterwards prosecute it too, inasmuch as thou hast taken thy revenge; and
not only will He not prosecute the matter for thee, but will also demand a
penalty of thee as a despiser of Himself. For if this same thing takes
place amongst mankind, viz. that if we beat the servant of another, the
master is indignant, and calls the act an insult (for although we be
treated injuriously, whether by slaves, or by freemen, it is fitting that
we should await the legal decisions of magistrates or masters); if then
even amongst men, to avenge ourselves would not be safe, how much more so
when God is the avenger !

9. Hath thy neighbour wronged and grieved thee, and involved thee in a
thousand ills? Be it so, yet do not prosecute vengeance on thine own part,
lest thou do desire to thy Lord !Yield the matter to God, and He will
dispose of it much better than thou canst desire. To thee He has given
charge simply to pray for the injurer; but how to deal with him, He hath
ordered thee to leave to Himself, Never canst thou so avenge thyself, as He
is prepared to avenge thee, if thou givest place to Him alone, and dost not
utter imprecations on him who has aggrieved thee; but sufferest God to be
sole arbiter of the sentence. For although we may pardon those who have
aggrieved us; although we may be reconciled; although we may pray for them;
yet God does not pardon, unless they themselves are converted, and become
better. And He withholds pardon, with a view to their own advantage. For He
proses thee, and approves thee for thy spiritual wisdom; but visits him, in
order that he may not grow worse by thy wisdom. So that the common saying
on this subject is not to the point. For many there are, who when I
reproach them because after being exhorted to be reconciled to their
enemies, they will not be persuaded to it, think fit to proffer this
apology, which is nothing less than a cloak for their iniquity. "I am
unwilling," says one, "to be reconciled, lest I should make the man worse,
more ill-tempered, and more disposed to treat me contemptuously hereafter."
Besides this, they also make this plea: "Many people," say they, "think it
is weakness in me to come first to a reconciliation, and to entreat my
enemy." All these things are foolish; for the Eye that slumbers not has
seen thy good intention; wherefore, it behoveth thee to make no account of
the opinion of thy fellow-servants, when thou hast gained the opinion of
the Judge, Who is about to try thy cause.

10. But if thy concern be, test thine enemy should become worse by thy
clemency learn this,--that it is not thus he is made worse; but far rather
if thou art unreconciled. For although he were the vilest of men; although
he might neither confess nor publish it openly; yet he will silently
approve thy Christian wisdom, and in his own conscience will respect thy
gentleness. Should he, however, persist in the same iniquity, whilst thou
art endeavouring to soften and conciliate, he will have to abide the
heaviest punishment from God. And that ye may know, that although we should
pray for our enemies, and for those who have injured us, God does not
pardon, if they are likely to become worse by our forbearance, I will
mention to you an ancient piece of history. Miriam once spake against
Moses. What then did God do? He sent a leprosy upon her, and made her
unclean; notwithstanding that in other respects she had been meek and
modest. Afterwards, when Moses himself, the party injured, besought that
the wrath might be removed, God consented not: but what did He say? "If her
father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed? Let her
remain," saith He, "without the camp seven days."(1) But what He means is
to this effect. "If," saith He, "she had a father, and he had put her away
from his presence, would she not have undergone the rebuke? I approve thee
indeed for thy fraternal piety, and thy meekness and clemency; but I know
when is the due time to remit her punishment." Do thou then shew all
humanity towards thy brother; and do not pardon his offences in the desire
of a greater punishment for him, but of thy tenderness and good will; yet
understand this very plainly, that the more he shall slight thee, whilst
thou art labouring to conciliate, so much the greater punishment will he
draw down upon himself.

11. What sayest thou? tell me, Is he the worse for thy attentions? This is
blame to him, but thy praise. Thy praise, that, whilst seeing him thus
behave himself, thou didst not desist from doing God's will in conciliating
him. But to him it is blame, because he has not been made better by thy
clemency. But(2) "it is far more desirable that others should be blamed
because of us, than we because of them." Make me not this frigid reply, of
saying, "I am afraid of its being thought that I made an overture to him
out of fear; and that he will therefore despise me the more." Such a reply
indicates a childish and foolish mind, agitated about human approbation.
Let him suppose, that it was out of fear you made the first advance to him;
your reward will be so much the greater; since, being aware of this
beforehand, you still consented to endure all for the fear of God. For he
who is in chase of human approbation, and seeks reconciliation for that
end, curtails the recompense of reward; but he who is quite sure of the
fact, that many will vilify and ridicule him, and even then does not
desist, from the attempt at reconciliation, will have a twofold, yea, a
threefold crown. And this is indeed the man who does it for the sake of
God. Nor tell me, that the man has wronged thee in this, or in that
particular; for if he hath displayed, in his conduct towards thee, every
kind of iniquity that is in man, yet even so God hath enjoined thee to
forgive him all !

12. Lo !I forewarn, and testify, and proclaim this with a voice that all
may hear! "Let no one who hath an enemy draw near the sacred Table, or
receive the Lord's Body !Let no one who draws near have an enemy !Hast thou
an enemy? Draw not near !Wilt thou draw near? Be reconciled, and then draw
near, and touch the Holy Thing !" Nor, indeed, is this my declaration.
Rather it is that of the Lord Himself, Who was crucified for us. That He
might reconcile thee to the Father, He refused not to be sacrificed, and to
shed His blood !And art thou unwilling to utter a word, or to make the
first advance, that thou mayest be reconciled to thy fellow-servant? Hear
what the Lord saith, concerning those who are in this disposition; "If thou
bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath
aught against thee"--He does not say, "wait for him to come to thee," nor
"speak with another as mediator," nor "entreat some other," but "do thou
thyself make the advance towards him." For the exhortation is, "Go thy way,
first be reconciled to thy brother."(3) O transcendent wonder !Does He
Himself account it no dishonour, that the gift should be left unoffered,
and dost thou think it a mark of disgrace to go first and be reconciled?
And how can such a case, I ask, be deemed worthy of pardon? Were you to see
a member of yours cut off, would you not use every exertion so that it
might be reunited to the body? This do with regard to thy brethren; when
thou seest them cut off from thy friendship, make all haste to recover
them! Do not wait for them to make the first advance, but press onward,
that thou mayest be foremost to receive the prize.

13. We are commanded to have only one enemy, the devil With him be thou
never reconciled !But with a brother, never be at enmity in thy heart. And
if there should be any narrowness of soul, let it be only an ephemeral
thing, and never last beyond a day's space. For, "let not the sun," he
saith, "go down upon your wrath."(4) For if, before evening, you are
reconciled, you will obtain some pardon from God. But if you remain longer
at enmity, that enmity is no longer the result of your being suddenly
carried away by anger and resentment, but of wickedness, and of a foul
spirit, and one which makes a practice of malice !And this is not the only
terrible thing, that you deprive yourself of pardon, but that the right
course becomes still more difficult. For when one day is past, the shame
becomes greater; and when the second has arrived, it is still further
increased; and if it reach a third, and a fourth day, it will add a fifth.
Thus the five become ten; the ten, twenty; the twenty an hundred; and
thenceforth the wound will become incurable; for as time goes on, the
breach becomes wider. But do thou, O man, give way to none of these
irrational passions; nor be ashamed, nor blush, nor say within yourself, "A
short time ago we called each other such names, and said a vast number of
things fit or not fit to be spoken; and shall I now hurry at once to a
reconciliation? Who then will not blame my excessive easiness?" I answer,
no one who has sense will blame thy easiness; but when thou remainest
implacable, then, all persons will deride thee. Then thou wilt give to the
devil the advantage of this wide breach. For the enmity becomes then more
difficult to be got rid of, not by mere lapse of time, but from the
circumstances too that take place in the meanwhile. For as "charity
covereth a multitude of sins,"(1) so enmity gives a being to sins that do
not exist, and all persons henceforth, are deemed worthy of credit who turn
accusers; who rejoice in the ills of others, and blaze abroad what is
disgraceful in their conduct.

14. Knowing all these things then, make the first advance to a brother;
lay hold of him before he has entirely shrunk away from thee; and should it
be necessary, to run through all the city on the same day; should it be
necessary to go beyond the walls, or to take a long journey; still leaving
all other things that may be in hand, attend only to this one work of
reconciling thy brother. For if the work be laborious, reflect that it is
for God's sake thou undergoest all this, and thou shalt receive sufficient
consolation. Stir up thy soul also when it is shrinking, and backward, and
bashful, and ashamed, by perpetually harping on this theme and saying, Why
art thou delaying? Why art thou shrinking and holding back? our concern is
not for money, nor for any other of these fleeting things, but for our
salvation. God bids us do all these things, and all things should be
secondary to His commands. This matter is a sort of spiritual merchandise.
Let us not neglect it, let us not be slothful. Let our enemy too understand
that we have taken much pares, in order to do what is well-pleasing unto
God. And though he may again insult, or strike us, or do any other such
thing of a still more grievous kind, let us sustain all things
courageously, since we are not so much benefitting him thereby, as
ourselves. Of all good works, this shall most especially befriend us on
That Day. We have sinned and offended in many and great matters, and have
provoked our Lord. Through His lovingkindness He hath given us this way of
reconciliation. Let us, then, not betray this good treasure. For had He not
power to charge us simply to make reconciliation, and not have any reward
assigned to it? for whom hath He to gainsay or rectify His appointment?
Nevertheless, through His great lovingkindness, He hath promised us a large
and unspeakable reward, and one which we must be especially desirous to
obtain, the pardon of our sins; thus also making this our obedience more
easy of performance.

15. What allowance then can be made for us, if even when we might receive
so great a reward we still do not obey the Lawgiver, but persist in our
contempt; for that this is a contempt is plain from hence. If the Emperor
had laid down a law, that all those who were enemies should be reconciled
to one another, or have their heads cut off, should we not every one make
haste to a reconciliation with his neighbour? Yes !truly, I think so! What
excuse then have we, in not ascribing the same honour to the Lord, that we
should do to those who are our fellow-servants? For this reason we are
commanded to say, "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors."(2)
What can be more mild, what more merciful, than this precept! He hath made
thee a judge of the pardon of thine own offences! If thou forgivest few
things, He forgives thee few! If thou forgivest many things, He forgives
thee many !If thou pardonest from the heart, and sincerely, God in like
manner also pardons thee !If besides pardoning him thou accountest him a
friend, God will also thus deal with thee; so that the more he has sinned,
so much the more is it necessary that we should hasten to a reconciliation;
since it becomes a cause of greater offences being forgiven us.(3) Art thou
willing to learn(4) that there is no pardon for us, if we are mindful of
injuries, and that there is no one who can deliver us? I will make what I
assert plain by an example. Suppose that a neighbour has done you a certain
injury, that he has seized your goods; has confiscated or embezzled them;
and not to confine myself to such a case, let me add to it more things and
worse beside, and whatever you will; he has longed to destroy you; he has
exposed you to a thousand perils; he has manifested every sort of malice
towards you; and left nothing undone that human wickedness can do? For not
to go over every thing separately, suppose that he has injured you to such
an extent as no one ever injured any before ;--why, even in this case, if
you are resentful, you will not be worthy of pardon. And I will explain how
it is so.

16. If one of your servants owed you an hundred pieces of gold; and some
one again was indebted to him in a few pieces of silver; and if the
servants' debtor were to come, and entreat and supplicate you that he might
obtain indulgence, and you were to call in your own servant, and charge
him, saying," Forgive this man the debt, and from the sum thou owest me I
will deduct this debt;" should that servant afterwards be wicked and
shameless enough to seize on his debtor, could any one then rescue him out
of your hands? Would you not most assuredly inflict a thousand stripes upon
him, as having been insulted to the last extremity? And very justly too.
This also God will do: for He will say to thee on That Day, "O wicked and
villainous servant, yea, was it of thine own thou forgavest him? Out of
what thou wert indebted to Me, thou wert ordered to account to him. For
"Remit," He saith, "and I will remit unto thee! although, to speak
truly,(1) if I had not added this condition, it would have been even then
thy duty to have remitted at the instance of thy Lord. But in this case, I
did not command thee as a master, but I asked it as a favour from a friend;
and I asked it out of My own property; and I promised to give greater
things in return; and yet with all this, thou wert not made a better man."
Moreover men, when they act in this manner, put down as much to their own
servants' accounts, as the measure of the debt is. Thus, for example,
suppose the servant owes his master a hundred pieces of gold; and the
debtor of the servant owes ten pieces, should the latter remit his debt,
the master does not remit him his hundred pieces, but these ten only; and
all the rest he still demands. But it is not so with God; if you remit a(2)
few things to your fellow-servant, He remits all your debt.

17. Whence does this appear? From the very Prayer(3) itself. "For if,"
saith He, "ye forgive men their debts, your heavenly Father will forgive
your debts."(4) And as much as the difference is between "a hundred pence"
and "ten thousand talents,"(5) so great is it between the debts on the one
side, and those on the other !

What punishment then must he not deserve, who when he would receive ten
thousand talents, in the room of a hundred pence,(6) yet will not even so
remit this small sum, but offers up the Prayer against himself. For when
thou sayest, "Forgive us, as we forgive," and afterwards dost not forgive,
thou art supplicating of God nothing else than that He would entirely
deprive thee of all excuse or indulgence. "But I do not presume to say,"
replies some one, "Forgive me as I forgive" but only, "Forgive me." But
what matters this? For if thou say it not thyself, yet God so doeth; as
thou forgivest, He forgives. And this He hath made quite evident from what
follows; for there it is said, "If ye forgive not men, neither doth your
heavenly Father forgive you." Think not, therefore, that it is a pious
caution, not to repeat the whole sentence; nor offer up the Prayer by
halves, but as He bade thee so pray thou, in order that the very obligation
of that expression, putting thee daily in fear, may compel thee to the
exercise of forgiveness towards thy neighbours.

18. Do not tell me, "I have besought him many times, I have intreated, I
have supplicated, but I have not effected a reconciliation." Never desist
till you have reconciled him. For He said not, "Leave thy gift, and go thy
way." Entreat thy brother. But, "Go thy way. Be reconciled."(7) So that,
although you may have made many entreaties, yet you must not desist until
you have persuaded. God entreats us every day, and we do not hear; and yet
He does not cease entreating. And dost thou then disdain to entreat thy
fellow-servant. How is it then possible for thee ever to be saved? Suppose
that thou hast often pleaded and been repulsed; for this, however, thou
wilt obtain a larger reward. For in proportion as he is contentious, and
thou perseverest in entreating, so much the more is thy recompense
increased. In proportion as the good work is accomplished with greater
difficulty, and the reconciliation is one of much labour, so much the
greater will be the judgment on him, and so much the brighter will be the
crowns of victory for thy forbearance. Let us not merely applaud all this,
but exemplify it too in our deeds; and never recede from the work, until we
are restored to our former state of friendship. For it is not enough merely
to avoid grieving an enemy, or doing him an injury, or being in our minds
unkindly disposed towards him; but it is necessary that we should prepare
him to be kindly affected towards ourselves. For I hear many saying, "I
have no hostility; I am not annoyed; neither have I any thing to do with
him."(1) But this is not what God commands, that thou shouldest have
nothing to do with him; but that thou shouldest have much to do with him.
For this reason he is thy "brother."(2) For this reason He said not,
"Forgive thy brother what thou hast against him. But what then? "Go thy
way. First be reconciled to him;" and should he have "any thing against
thee," yet desist not, before thou hast reunited the member in friendly
concord." But thou, who in order that thou mayest obtain a useful servant,
tellest out the gold, and discoursest with many merchants, and often
undertakest long journeys, tell me, art thou not up and doing to the
utmost, in order that thou mayest convert an enemy into a friend? And how
then wilt thou be able to call upon God, whilst thou art thus neglecting
His laws? Assuredly, the possession of a servant will be of no great profit
to us; but the making an enemy a friend, will render God propitious and
favourable toward us; and will easily set us free from our sins; and gain
us praise with men, as well as great security in our life; for nothing can
be more unsafe than he who has even only a single enemy. For our earthly
reputation is injured, whilst such a man is saying a thousand evil things
of us to every body. Our minds are also in a state of fermentation, and our
conscience disturbed; and we are exposed to a continual tempest of anxious
thoughts.

19. Now since we are conscious of the truth of all this, let us set
ourselves free from chastisement and vengeance; and let us shew our
reverence for the present feast, by doing all that has been said; and those
same favours which we think to obtain from the Emperor on account of the
feast, let us ourselves enable others to enjoy. For I hear, indeed, many
saying, that the Emperor, out of his reverence for the Holy Passover, will
be reconciled to the city and will pardon all its offences. How absurd then
is it, that when we have to depend for our safety upon others, we bring
forward the feast, and its claims; but that when we are commanded to be
reconciled one with another, we treat this same feast with disdain, and
think nothing of it. No one, truly, so pollutes this holy feast, as he
does, who, whilst he is keeping it, cherishes malignity. Or rather, I might
say, that such a person cannot possibly keep it, though he should remain
without food ten days successively. For where there is enmity and strife,
there can be neither fast nor festival. Thou wouldest not dare to touch the
holy Sacrifice with unwashed hands,(3) however pressing the necessity might
be. Approach not then with an unwashed soul! For this is far worse than the
other and brings a heavier punishment. For(4) nothing so fills the mind
with impurity, as anger remaining constantly within it. The spirit of
meekness settles not where wrath or passion exists; and when a man is
destitute of the Holy Spirit, what hope of salvation shall he have, and how
shall he walk aright? Do not then, O beloved, whilst thou art desirous to
be revenged of thine enemy, cast thyself down headlong; nor cause thyself
to be left alone without the guardianship of God! For, in truth, if the
duty were a difficult one, yet the greatness of the punishment, which
results from this action of disobedience, were sufficient to arouse the
most slothful and supine, and to persuade them to undergo every degree of
labour. But now our argument has shewn that the duty is most easy, if we
are willing.

20. Let us not then be negligent of what is our life, but let us be in
earnest; and do every thing, in order that we may be without an enemy, and
so present ourselves at the sacred Table. For nothing,--nothing, I repeat,
of what God commands will be difficult, if we give heed: and this is
evident from the case of those who are already reformed. How many used to
be cheated by the habit of using oaths, and to fancy this practice
extremely difficult of reformation. Nevertheless, through the grace of God,
when ye put forth but a little effort, ye for the most part washed
yourselves clean of this vice. For this reason I beseech you to lay aside
also what remains, and to become teachers of others. And to those who have
not yet achieved it, but allege to us the length of time during which they
were before swearers, and say that it is impossible for them to pluck up in
a short time that which has been rooted for many years; I would make this
answer, that where any precept among those commanded by God requires to be
put in due practice, there is no need of length of time, nor of a multitude
of days, nor an interval of years; but of fear only, and reverence of soul;
and then we shall be sure to accomplish it, and that in a short time. But
lest you should suppose that I speak these things at random, take a man
whom you think much addicted to swearing; one that swears more times than
he speaks;(1) hand this man over to me for only ten days, and if I do not
rid him of all his habit in these few days, pass the severest sentence on
me.

21. And that these words are not a vain boast, shall be made manifest to
you from things that have already happened. What could be more stupid than
the Ninevites? What more devoid of understanding? Yet, nevertheless, these
barbarian, foolish people, who had never yet heard any one teaching them
wisdom, who had never received such precepts from others, when they heard
the prophet saying, "Yet three days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown,"'
laid aside, within three days, the whole of their evil customs. The
fornicator became chaste; the bold man meek; the grasping and extortionate
moderate and kind; the slothful industrious. They did not, indeed, reform
one, or two, or three, or four vices by way of remedy, but the whole of
their iniquity. But whence does this appear, says some one? From the words
of the prophet; for the same who had been their accuser, and who had said,
that "the cry of their wickedness hath ascended up even to heaven:"(3)
himself again bears testimony of an opposite kind, by saying, "God saw that
every one departed from their own evil ways."(4) He does not say, from
fornication, or adultery, or theft, but from their "own evil ways." And how
did they depart? As God knew, not as man judged of the matter. After this
are we not ashamed, must we not blush, if it turns out that in three days
only the barbarians laid aside all their wickedness, but that we, who have
been urged and taught during so many days,(5) have not got the better of
one bad habit? These men had, moreover, gone to the extreme of wickedness
before; for when you hear it said, "The cry of their wickedness is come up
before me;" you can understand nothing else than the excess of their
wickedness. Nevertheless, within three days they were capable of being
transformed to a state of complete(6) virtue. For where the fear of God is,
there is no need of days, or of an interval of time; as likewise, on the
contrary, days are of no service where there is a want of this fear. For
just as in the case of rusted(7) implement, he that rubs them only with
water, though he spend a long time on them, will not rid them of all that
foulness; but he that puts them in a furnace, will make them presently
brighter than even those newly fabricated: so too a soul, stained with the
rust of sin, if it cleanse itself slightly, and in a negligent way, and be
every day repenting, will gain no further advantage. But if it cast itself
into the furnace, as it were, of the fear of God, it will in a very short
time purge all away.

22. Let us not then be procrastinating till to-morrow. For we "know not
what the next day may bring forth;"(8) nor let us say, "we shall conquer
this habit by little and little;" since this little and little will never
come to an end. Wherefore, dismissing that excuse, we should say, "If we do
not reform the practice of swearing to-day, we will not leave off till we
do,(9) though ten thousand things were to press us; though it were
necessary to die, or to be punished, or to lose all we have; we will not
give the devil the advantage of slackness, nor the pretext of delay."
Should God perceive thy soul inflamed, and thy diligence quickened, then He
also Himself will lend His assistance to thy reformation !Yea, I pray and
beseech you, let us be in earnest, lest we also hear it said of us, "The
men of Nineveh shall rise up, and shall condemn this generation;"(10) for
these, when they had once heard, reformed themselves; but we are not
converted after frequent hearing. These were proficients in every part of
virtue, but we in no part. They when they heard that their city would be
overthrown were affrighted; but we, though we have heard of Hell, are not
affrighted: these, men who did not partake of the instructions of the
prophets; we, enjoying the advantage of perpetual teaching, and of much
grace.

23. These things I now speak to you, not as if reproving you for your own
sins, but for the sake of others; for I know full well that by you (as I
have already observed), this law concerning swearing has been accomplished.
But this does not suffice for our safety, unless by teaching we amend
others, since he who produced the one talent, restoring as he did the whole
portion committed to him, was punished, because he had not enriched that
with which he was entrusted. Wherefore, let us not regard this point, that
we ourselves have been set free from this sin; but until we have delivered
others from it, let us not desist; and let every one offer to God ten
friends whom he has corrected; whether thou hast servants, or
apprentices:(1) or if you have neither servants, nor apprentices, you have
friends; these do thou reform. Further, do not make me this reply; "We have
banished oaths for the most part, and we are rarely caught in that snare;"
but let even this rarity of offending be got rid of. If you had lost one
piece of gold, would you not go about to all persons, searching and making
enquiry, in order to find it? This do also with regard to oaths. If you
perceive that you have been cheated out of one oath, weep, lament, as
though your whole substance were lost. Again I say what I did before. Shut
up thyself at home; make it a subject of practice and exercise along with
thy wife, thy children, and domestics. Say to thyself in the first
instance, "I must not put a finger to private or public matters until I
have rectified this soul of mine." If you will thus school your own sons,
they too will instruct their children in turn, and thus this discipline,
reaching even to the consummation and appearing of Christ, will bring all
that great reward to those who go to the root of the matter. If your son
has learnt to say, "Believe me;"(2) he will not be able to go up to the
theatre, or to enter a tavern, or to spend his time at dice; for that word,
lying upon his mouth instead of a bridle, will make him however unwilling
feel shame and blush. But if at any time he should appear in these places,
it will quickly compel him to retreat.(3) Suppose some persons laugh. Do
thou on the other hand weep for their transgression! Many also once laughed
at Noah whilst he was preparing the ark; but when the flood came, he
laughed at them; or rather, the just man never laughed at them at all, but
wept and bewailed! When therefore thou seest persons laughing, reflect that
those teeth, that grin now, will one day have to sustain that most dreadful
wailing and gnashing, and that they will remember this same laugh on That
Day whilst they are grinding and gnashing !Then thou too shalt remember
this laugh !How did the rich man laugh at Lazarus !But afterwards, when he
beheld him in Abraham's bosom, he had nothing left to do but to bewail
himself !

24. Being mindful then of all these things, be urgent with all, for the
speedy fulfilment of this precept. And tell me not, that you will do this
by little and little; nor put it off till the morrow, for this to-morrow
never finds an end. Forty days(4) have already passed away. Should the Holy
Easter pass away, I will thenceforward pardon no one, nor employ further
admonition, but a commanding authority, and severity not to be despised.
For this apology drawn from custom is of no force. Why may not the thief as
well plead custom, and get free from punishment? Why may not the murderer
and adulterer? Therefore I protest, and give warning to all, that if, when
I have met you in private, and put the matter to the proof (and I will
certainly put it to the proof), I detect any who have not corrected this
vice, I will inflict punishment upon them, by ordering them to be excluded
from the Holy Mysteries;(5) not that they may remain always shut out, but
that having reformed themselves, they may thus enter in, and with a pure
conscience enjoy the Holy Table; for this is to be a partaker of the
Communion! God grant that through the prayers of those who preside over
us,(6) as well as of all the saints, having corrected these and all other
deficiencies, we may obtain the kingdom of heaven through the grace and
lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom to the Father, together
with the Holy Spirit, be glory, honour, and adoration, now and ever, world
without end. Amen.


HOMILY XXI.

On the return of Flavian the Bishop, and the reconciliation of the Emperor
with the city, and with(1) those who had offended in overthrowing the
Statues.

1. TO-DAY, I shall begin with that very same saying with which I have ever
been used to open my address to you during the season of danger, and shall
say together with you, "Blessed be God," Who hath granted us this day to
celebrate this holy Feast with much joy and gladness; and hath restored the
head to the body, the shepherd to the sheep, the master to the disciples,
the general to the soldiers, the High Priest to the Priests! Blessed be
God, "Who doeth exceeding abundantly above what we ask or think!"(2) For to
us it would have seemed sufficient, had we been but delivered from the
hitherto impending evil; and for this we made all our supplication. But the
God who loveth man, and ever in His giving surpasseth our prayers by an
excess of bounty, hath brought back our Father too, sooner than we could at
all have expected. Who would, indeed, have thought that in so few days, he
would have gone, and have had audience with the Emperor, and set us free
from the calamity, and again come back to us so quickly, as to be able to
anticipate the Holy Passover, and to celebrate it with ourselves? Behold,
however, this event, which was so contrary to expectation, hath been
realized !We have received back our Father; and we enjoy so much the
greater pleasure, inasmuch as we have received him back now beyond our
hopes. For all these things, let us give thanks to the merciful God, and be
amazed at the power, the lovingkindness, the wisdom, and the tender care
which has been manifested on behalf of the city. For the devil had
attempted its entire subversion through the daring crimes committed; but
God, by means of this same calamity, hath adorned the city, the Priest, and
the Emperor; and hath made them all more illustrious.

2. The city hath won renown, because when such a danger had overtaken her,
passing by at once all those who were in power, those who were surrounded
with much wealth, those who possessed great influence with the Emperor, it
fled for refuge to the Church, and to the Priest of God, and with much
faith, rested itself entirely upon the hope which is from above! Many
indeed, after the departure of the common Father, were ready to terrify
those who lay in prison, by saying, "The Emperor does not lay aside(3) his
wrath, but is still more provoked, and is thinking of the utter ruin of the
city." But whilst they were whispering all this, and much more, they who
were then in bonds were not the least intimidated, but upon our saying,
"These things are false, and they are a device of the devil, who desires to
fill you with consternation;" they replied to us," We need no consolation
to be addressed to us; for we know where we have taken refuge from the
first; and upon what hope we have rested ourselves. We have fixed our
safety upon the sacred anchor! We have not entrusted this to man, but to
the Almighty God; therefore we are most assuredly confident, that the
result will be favourable; for it is impossible, truly impossible, that
this hope can ever be confounded!" To how many crowns, how many encomiums,
is this equivalent for our city? How much of God's favour will it draw down
upon us too in our other affairs !For it is not, indeed it is not a thing
belonging to a soul of mean order to be watchful against the attack of
temptations, and to look to God; and scorning all that is human, to yearn
after that Divine aid.

3. The city then hath thus won renown; and the Priest again not less than
the city, for be exposed his life for all; and while there were many things
to hinder him, as the winter, his age, the feast, and not less than these,
his sister, then at her last breath, he raised himself above all these
obstacles, and did not say to himself, "What a thing is this? Our only
remaining sister, she who hath drawn the yoke of Christ along with me, and
who hath been my domestic companion so long, is now at her last breath; and
shall we desert her, and go hence, and not behold her expiring, and
uttering her paring words? But she indeed was praying daily, that we might
close her eyes,(4) and shut and compose her mouth, and attend to all other
things pertaining to the burial; but now in this case, as one deserted, and
deprived of a protector, she will obtain none of these offices from her
brother; of him whom she especially desired to obtain them; but when she
gives up the ghost, she will not see him whom she loved more to have with
her than all others? And will not this be heavier to her than dying many
times over? Yes, although I were far away, would it not be right to come
with speed, and do, and suffer any thing, for the purpose of shewing her
this kindness? And now when I am near, shall I leave her, and taking my
departure abandon her? And how then will she sustain the remainder of her
days?"

4. Yet, so far was he from saying any of these things, that he did not
even think of them; but esteeming the fear of God above all the ties of
kindred, he recognized the fact, that as tempests display the pilot, and
dangers the general, so also a time of trial makes the Priest to become
manifest. "All men," saith he, "are eagerly looking on us; the Jews as well
as the Greeks; let us not confound the expectations which these have of us;
let us not overlook so great a shipwreck; but having committed to God all
things that pertain to ourselves, let us venture our life itself too!"
Consider, moreover, the magnanimity of the Priest, and the lovingkindness
of God !All those things which he disregarded, all those he enjoyed; in
order that he might both receive the reward of his readiness, and that he
might obtain a greater pleasure by enjoying them contrary to expectation!
He preferred to celebrate the festival in a foreign place, and far from his
own people, for the sake of the city's safety. But God restored him to us
before the Paschal feast, so as to take a common part with us in the
conduct of the festival; in order that he might have the reward of his
choice, and enjoy the greater gladness !He feared not the season of the
year; and there was summer during the whole period he was travelling. He
took not his age into account; and he dispatched this long journey with
just as much ease as if he had been young and sprightly! He thought not of
his sisters decease nor was enervated by it, and when he returned he found
her still alive, and all things which were disregarded by him, were all
obtained !

5. Thus, the priest hath indeed won renown both with God and man !This
transaction hath also adorned the Emperor with a splendour beyond the
diadem !First, in that it was then made apparent that he would grant that
to the priests which he would not to any other; secondly, that he granted
the favour without delay, and quelled his resentment. But that you may more
clearly understand the magnanimity of the Emperor, and the wisdom of the
priest, and more than both these, the lovingkindness of God; allow me to
relate to you a few particulars of the conference which took place. But
what I am now about to relate I learnt from one of those who were within
the palace; for the Father has told us neither much nor little on the
affair; but ever imitating the magnanimity of Paul, he hides his own good
deeds; and to those who on all sides were asking him questions as to what
he said to the Emperor; and how he prevailed upon him; and how he turned
away his wrath entirely, he replied, "We contributed nothing to the matter,
but the Emperor himself (God having softened his heart), even before we had
spoken, dismissed his anger, and quelled his resentment; and discoursing of
the events that had taken place as if some other person had been insulted,
he thus went over all the events that had happened without anger." But
those things which he concealed from humility, God hath brought to light.

6. And what were these? I will proceed to relate them to you by going a
little farther back in the story. When he went forth from the city, leaving
all in such great despondency, he endured what was far more grievous than
we ourselves suffered, who were in the midst of these calamities. For, in
the first place, meeting in the midst of his journey with those who had
been sent by the Emperor to make inquisition upon the events which had
happened; and learning from them, on what terms they were sent; and
reflecting upon the dreadful events that were in store for the city, the
tumults, the confusion, the flight, the terror, the agony, the perils, he
wept a flood of tears, and his bowels were rent with compassion; for with
fathers, it is usual to grieve much more, when they are not able to be
present with their suffering children; which was just what this most
tender-hearted man now endured; not only lamenting the calamities which
were in reserve for us, but that he was far away from us, whist we were
enduring them. But this was, however, for our safety. For as soon as he had
learned these things from them; more warmly did the fountain of his tears
then gush forth, and he betook himself to God with more fervent
supplication; and spent his nights without sleep, beseeching Him that He
would succour the city, while enduring these things, and make the mind of
the Emperor more placable. And as soon as he came to that great city, and
had entered the royal palace, he stood before the Emperor at a distance,--
speechless,-- weeping,--with downcast eyes,--covering his face as if he
himself had been the doer of all the mischief; and this he did, wishing
first to incline him to mercy by his posture, and aspect, and tears; and
then to begin an apology on our behalf; since there is but one hope of
pardon for those who have offended, which is to be silent, and to utter
nothing in defence of what has been done. For he was desirous that one
feeling should be got rid of, and that another should take its place; that
anger should be expelled, and sadness introduced,(1) in order that he might
thus prepare the way for the words of his apology; which indeed actually
took place. And just as Moses going up to the mount, when the people had
offended, stood speechless himself, until God called him, saying, "Let me
alone, and I will blot out this people;"(2) so also did he now act: The
Emperor therefore, when he saw him shedding tears, and bending toward the
ground, himself drew near; and what he really felt on seeing the tears of
the priest, he made evident by the words he addressed to him; for they were
not those of a person provoked or inflamed, but of one in sorrow; not of
one enraged, but rather dejected, and under constraint of extreme pain.

7. And that this is true, ye will understand when ye hear what were his
words. For he did not say, "What does this mean? Hast thou come heading an
embassy on behalf of impious and abominable men, such as ought not even to
live; on behalf of rebels,(3) of revolutionists, who deserve the utmost
punishment?" But dismissing all words of that sort, he composed a defence
of himself full of respectfulness and dignity; and he enumerated the
benefits, which during the whole time of his reign he had conferred upon
the city; and at each of these be said, "Was it thus I should have been
treated in return for these things? What injuries had I done, that they
should take such revenge? What complaint had they, great or small, that
they must not insult me only, but the deceased also?(4) Was it not
sufficient to wreak their resentment against the living? Yet they thought
they were doing nothing grand, unless they insulted those now in their
graves. Granting that I had injured them, as they suppose; surely it would
have been becoming to spare the dead, who had done them no wrong; for they
could not have the same complaint against them. Did I not ever esteem this
city above every thing, and account it as dearer than my native place? And
was it not a matter of my continual prayers to visit this city; and did I
not make this my oath(5) to all men?"

8. Upon this, the priest sobbing bitterly, and shedding warmer tears, no
longer kept silence: for he saw that the defence of the Emperor was raising
our crime to a still higher amount; but heaving from the bottom of his
heart(6) a deep and bitter sigh, he said, "We must confess, O Emperor, this
love which you have shewn towards our country !We cannot deny it! On this
account, especially, we mourn, that a city thus beloved has been bewitched
by demons; and that we should have appeared ungrateful towards her
benefactor, and have provoked her ardent lover. And although you were to
overthrow; although you were to burn; although you were to put to death; or
whatever else you might do, you would never yet have taken on us the
revenge we deserve. We ourselves have, by anticipation, inflicted on
ourselves what is worse than a thousand deaths !For what can be more
bitter, than when we are found to have unjustly provoked our benefactor,
and one who loved us so much, and the whole world knows it, and condemns us
for the most monstrous ingratitude! If Barbarians had made an incursion on
our city,(7) and razed its walls, and burnt its houses, and had taken and
carried us away captive, the evil had been less. And why so? but because,
whilst you live, and continue such a generous kindness towards us, there
might be a hope that we might again be brought back to our former
condition, and regain a more illustrious liberty. But now, having been
deprived of your favour, and having quenched yore love, which was a greater
security to us than any wall, whom have we left to fly to? Where else shall
we have to look, when we have provoked so benign a lord, so indulgent a
father? So that while they seem to have committed offences of the most
intolerable kind, they have on the other hand suffered the most terrible
evils; not daring to look any man in the face; nor being able to look upon
the sun with free eyes; shame every where weighing down their eyelids, and
compelling them to hide their heads! Deprived of their confidence, they are
now in a more miserable condition than any captives, and undergo the utmost
dishonour; and whilst thinking of the magnitude of their evils, and the
height of insolence to which they have rushed, they can scarce draw breath;
inasmuch as they have drawn on their own heads severer reproaches from all
the inhabitants of the world, than even from him who is seen to have been
insulted.

9. But yet, O Emperor, if you are willing, there is a remedy for the
wound, and a medicine for these evils, mighty as they are! Often, indeed,
has it occurred amongst private individuals, that great and insufferable
offences have become a foundation for great affection. Thus also did it
happen in the case of our human race. For when God made man, and placed him
in Paradise, and held him in much honour; the devil could not bear this his
great prosperity, and envied him, and cast him out from that dignity which
had been granted. But God was so far from forsaking him, that He even
opened Heaven to us instead of Paradise; and in so doing, both shewed His
own lovingkindness, and punished the devil the more severely. So do thou
too now !The demons have lately used all their efforts, that they may
effectually rend from your favour that city which was dearest of all to
you. Knowing this then, demand what penalty you will, but let us not become
outcasts from your former love! Nay, though it is a strange thing, I must
say, display towards us now still greater kindness than ever; and again
write this city's name among the foremost in your love;--if you are indeed
desirous of being revenged upon the demons who were the instigators of
these crimes! For if you pull down, and overturn, and raze the city, you
will be doing those very things which they have long been desiring. But if
you dismiss your anger, and again avow that you love it even as you did
before, you have given them a deadly blow. You have taken the most perfect
revenge upon them by shewing, not only that nothing whatever has come for
them of their evil designs; but that all hath proved the very opposite of
what they wished. And you would be just in acting thus, and in shewing
mercy to a city, which the demons envied on account of your affection; for
if you had not so exceedingly loved her, they would not have envied her to
such a degree! So that even if what I have asserted is extraordinary, it is
nevertheless, true, that what the city hath suffered, hath been owing to
thee, and thy love !What burning, what devastation, so bitter as those
words, which you uttered in your own defence?

10. You say now, that you have been insulted, and sustained wrongs such as
no Emperor ever yet did. But if you will, O most gracious, most wise, and
most religious Sovereign, this contempt will procure you a crown, more
honourable and splendid than the diadem you wear !For this diadem is a
display of your princely virtue, but it is also a token of the munificence
of him who gave it; but the crown woven from this your humanity will be
entirely your own good work, and that of your own love of wisdom; and all
men will admire you less for the sake of these precious stones,(1) than
they will applaud you for your superiority over this wrath. Were your
Statues thrown down? You have it in your power again to set up others yet
more splendid. For if you remit the offences of those who have done you
injury, and take no revenge upon them, they will erect a statue to you, not
one in the forum of brass, nor of gold, nor inlaid with gems; but one
arrayed in that robe which is more precious than any material, that of
humanity and tender mercy !Every man will thus set you up in his own soul;
and you will have as many statues, as there are men who now inhabit, or
shall hereafter inhabit, the whole world! For not only we, but all those
who come after us, and their successors, will hear of these things, and
will admire and love you, just as if they themselves had experienced this
kindness !

11. And to shew that I do not speak this in a way of flattery, but that it
will certainly be so, I will relate to you an ancient piece of history,
that you may understand that no armies, nor warlike weapons, nor money, nor
multitude of subjects, nor any other such things are wont to make
sovereigns so illustrious, as wisdom of soul and gentleness. It is related
of the blessed Constantine, that on one occasion, when a statue of himself
had been pelted with stones, and many were instigating him to proceed
against the perpetrators of the outrage; saying, that they had disfigured
his whole face by battering it with stones, he stroked his face with his
hand, and smiling gently, said, "I am quite unable to perceive any wound
inflicted upon my face. The head appears sound, and the face also quite
sound." Thus these persons, overwhelmed with shame, desisted from their
unrighteous counsel.

This saying, even to the present day, all repeat; and length of time hath
neither weakened nor extinguished the memory of such exalted wisdom. How
much more illustrious is such an action, than any number of warlike
trophies! Many and great titles did he build, and many barbarous tribes did
he conquer; not one of which we now remember; but this saying is repeated
over and over again, to the present day; and those who follow us, as well
as those who come after them, will all hear of it. Nor indeed is this the
only admirable thing; that they will hear of it; but that when men speak of
it, they do so with approbation and applause; and those who hear of it,
receive it with the like; and there is no one who, when he has heard it, is
able to remain silent, but each at once cries out, and applauds the man who
uttered it, and prays that innumerable blessings may be his lot even now
deceased. But if amongst men, this saying has gained him so much honour,
how many crowns will he obtain with the merciful God !

12. And why need I speak of Constantine, and other men's examples, when it
were fitting that I should exhort you by considerations nearer home, and
drawn from your own praiseworthy actions. You remember how but lately, when
this feast was near at hand, you sent an epistle to every part of the world
giving orders that the inmates of the prisons should be set free, and their
crimes be pardoned. And as if this were not sufficient to give proof of
your generosity, you said in your letters, "O that it were possible for me
to recal and to restore those who are dead, and to bring them back to their
former state of life !" Remember now these words. Behold the season of
recalling and restoring the deceased, and bringing them back to former life
!For these are indeed already dead, even before the sentence hath been
pronounced; and the city hath now taken up its tabernacle at the very gates
of Hades! Therefore raise it up again, which you can do without money,
without expense, without loss of time or labour! It is sufficient merely
for you to open your lips, and you will restore to life the city which at
present lieth in darkness. Grant now, that henceforth it may bear an
appellation derived from your philanthropy; for it will not be so much
indebted to the kindness of him who first founded it, as it will be to your
sentence. And this is exceedingly reasonable; for he but gave it its
beginning, and departed; but you, when it had grown up and become great;
and when it was fallen, alter all that great prosperity; will have been its
restorer. There would have been nothing so wonderful in your having
delivered it from danger, when enemies had captured, and barbarians overrun
it, as in your now sparing it. That, many of the Emperors have frequently
done; but should you alone accomplish this, you will be first in doing it,
and that beyond all expectation. And the former of these good deeds, the
protection of your subjects, is not at all wonderful or extraordinary; but
is one of those events which are of continual occurrence; but the latter,
the dismissal of wrath after the endurance of such provocations, is
something which surpasses human nature.

13. Reflect, that the matter now for your consideration is not respecting
this city only, but is one that concerns your own glory; or rather, one
that affects the cause of Christianity in general. Even now the Gentiles,
and Jews, and the whole empire as well as the barbarians, (for these last
have also heard of these events,) are eagerly looking to you, and waiting
to see what sentence you will pronounce with regard to these transactions.
And should you decree a humane and merciful one; all will applaud the
decision, and glorify God, and say one to another, "Heavens !how great is
the power of Christianity, that it restrains and bridles a man who has no
equal upon earth; a sovereign, powerful enough to destroy and devastate all
things; and teaches him to practice such philosophy as one in a private
station had not been likely to display! Great indeed must be the God of the
Christians, who makes angels out of men, and renders them superior to all
the constraining force of our nature!"

14. Nor ought you, assuredly, to entertain that idle fear; nor to bear
with those who say that other cites will become worse, and grow more
contemptuous of authority, if this city goes unpunished. For if you were
unable to take vengeance; and they, after doing these things, had forcibly
defied you; and the power on each side was equally matched; then reasonably
enough might such suspicions be entertained. But if, terrified and half
dead with fear, they run to cast themselves at your feet, through me; and
expect daily nothing else but the pit of slaughter, and are engaged in
common supplications; looking up to heaven and calling upon God to come to
their aid, and to favour this our embassy; and have each given charge about
his private affairs, as if they were at their last gasp; how can such a
fear be otherwise than superfluous? If they had been ordered to be put to
death, they would not have suffered as much as they do now, living as they
have done so many days in fear and trembling; and when the evening
approaches, not expecting to behold the morning; nor when the day arrives,
hoping to reach the evening! Many too have fallen in with wild beasts,
while pursuing their way through desert places, and removing to untrodden
spots; and not men only, but also little children and women; free born, and
of good condition; hiding themselves many days and nights in caves, and
ravines, and holes of the desert! A new mode of captivity hath indeed
befallen the city. Whilst the buildings and walls are standing, they suffer
heavier calamities than when cities have been set on fire !Whilst no
barbarian foe is present, whilst no enemy appears, they are more wretchedly
situated than if actually taken; and the rustling only of a leaf scares
them all every day !And these are matters which are universally known; so
that if all men had seen the city razed to the ground, they would not have
been taught such a lesson of sobriety, as by hearing of the calamities
which have now befallen it. Suppose not, therefore, that other cities will
be made worse in future! Not even if you had overturned other cities, would
you have so effectually corrected them, as now, by this suspense concerning
their fate, having chastised(1) them more severely than by any punishment !

15. Do not, then, carry this calamity any father; but allow them
henceforth to take breath again. For to punish the guilty, and to exact the
penalty for these deeds, were easy and open to any one; but to spare those
who have insulted you, and to pardon those who have committed offences
undeserving of pardon, is an act of which only some one or two are capable;
and especially so, where the person treated with indignity is the Emperor.
It is an easy matter to place the city under the subjection of fear; but to
dispose all to be loving subjects; and to persuade them to hold themselves
well affected towards your government; and to offer not only their common,
but individual prayers for your empire; is a work of difficulty. A monarch
might expend his treasures, or put innumerable troops in motion, or do what
else he pleased, but still he would not be able to draw the affections of
so many men towards himself as may now very easily be done. For they who
have been kindly dealt with, and those who hear of it too, will be well
affected towards you, even as the recipients of the benefit. How much
money, how many labours would you not have expended to win over to yourself
the whole world in a short space of time; and to be able to persuade all
those men who are now in existence, as well as all future generations, to
invoke upon your head the same blessings which they pray for on behalf of
their own children! And if you will receive such a reward from men, how
much greater will you have from God! And this, not merely from the events
which are now taking place, but from those good deeds which shall be
performed by others in time to come. For if ever it should be that an event
similar to what has now occurred should take place, (which God forbid!) and
any of those who have been treated with indignity, should then be
consulting about prosecuting measures against the rioters; your gentleness
and moral wisdom will serve them instead of all other teaching and
admonition; and they will blush and be ashamed, having such an example of
wisdom, to appear inferior. So that in this way you will be an instructor
to all posterity; and you will obtain the palm amongst them, even although
they should attain to the highest point of moral wisdom !For it is not the
same thing for a person to set the first example of such meekness him-sell
and by looking at others, to imitate the good actions they have performed.
On this account, whatever philanthropy, or meekness, those who come after
you may display, you will enjoy the reward along with them; for he who
provides the root, must be considered the source of the fruits. For this
reason, no one can possibly now share with you the reward that will follow
your generosity, since the good deed hath been entirely your own. But you
will share the reward of all those who shall come after, if any such
persons should make their appearance; and it will be in your power to have
an equal share in the merit of the good work along with them, and to carry
off a portion as great as teachers have with scholars. And supposing that
no such person should come into being, the tribute of commendation and
applause will be accumulating to you throughout every age.

16. For consider, what it is for all posterity to hear it reported, that
when so great a city had become obnoxious to punishment and vengeance, that
when all were terrified, when its generals, its magistrates and judges,
were all in horror and alarm, and did not dare to utter a word on behalf of
the wretched people; a single old man, invested with the priesthood of God,
came and moved the heart of the Monarch by his mere aspect and intercourse;
and that the favour which he bestowed upon no other of his subjects, he
granted to this one old man, being actuated by a reverence for God's laws
!For in this very thing, O Emperor, that I have been sent hither on this
embassy, the city hath done you no small honour; for they have thus
pronounced the best and the most honourable judgment on you, which is, that
you respect the priests of God, however insignificant they may be, more
than any office placed under your authority !

17. But at the present time I have come not from these only, but rather
from One who is the common Lord of angels and men, to address these words
to your most merciful and most gentle soul, "if ye forgive men their debts,
your heavenly Father will forgive you your trespasses."(1) Remember then
that Day when we shall all give an account of our actions !Consider that if
you have sinned in any respect, you will be able to wipe away all offences
by this sentence(2) and by this determination, and that without difficulty
and without toil. Some when they go on an embassy, bring gold, and silver,
and other gifts of that kind. But I am come into your royal presence with
the sacred laws; and instead of all other gifts, I present these; and I
exhort you to imitate your Lord, who whilst He is daily insulted by us,
unceasingly ministers His blessings to all !And do not confound our hopes,
nor defeat our promises.(3) For I wish you withal to understand, that if it
be your resolution to be reconciled, and to restore your former kindness to
the city, and to remit this just displeasure, I shall go back with great
confidence. But if you determine to cast off the city, I shall not only
never return to it, nor see its soil again, but I shall in future utterly
disown it, and enrol myself a member of some other city; for God forbid
that I should ever belong to that country, which you, the most mild and
merciful of all men, refuse to admit to peace and reconciliation!

18. Having said this, and much more to the same effect, he so overcame the
Emperor, that the same thing occurred which once happened to Joseph. For
just as he, when he beheld his brethren, longed to shed tears, but
restrained his feeling, in order that he might not spoil the part which he
was playing;(4) even so did the Emperor mentally weep, but did not let it
be seen, for the sake of those who were present. He was not, however, able
to conceal the feeling at the close of the conference; but betrayed
himself, though against his will. For after this speech was finished, no
further words were necessary, but he gave utterance to one only sentiment,
which did him much more honour than the diadem. And what was that? "How,
said he, " can it be any thing wonderful or great, that we should remit our
anger against those who have treated us with indignity; we, who ourselves
are but men; when the Lord of the universe, having come as He did on earth,
and having been made a servant for us, and crucified by those who had
experienced His kindness, besought the Father on behalf of His crucifiers,
saying, "Forgive them, for they know not what they do? "(5) What marvel,
then, if we also should forgive our fellow-servants !And that these words
were not a pretence was proved by all that followed. And not the least,
that particular circumstance which I am now about to mention; for this our
priest, when he would have remained there, and celebrated the feast
together with himself, he urged, though contrary to what he would have
wished,--to use all speed, and diligence, to present himself to his fellow-
citizens. "I know," said he, "that their souls are still agitated; and that
there are many relics of the calamity left. Go, give them consolation ! If
they see the helmsman, they will no longer remember the storm that has
passed away; but all recollection of these sorrowful events will be
effaced!" And when the Priest was urgent, entreating him to send his own
son, he, wishing to give the most satisfactory proof of his having entirely
blotted out from his soul every wrathful feeling, answered; "Pray that
these hindrances may be taken out of the way; that these wars may be put an
end to;(6) and then I will certainly come myself."

19. What could be gentler than such a soul? Let the Gentiles henceforward
be ashamed; or rather, instead of being ashamed, let them be instructed;
and leaving their native error, let them come back(7) to the strength of
Christianity, having learned what our philosophy is, from the example of
the Emperor and of the Priest! For our most pious Emperor stayed not at
this point; but when the Bishop had left the city, and come over the sea,
he dispatched thither also certain persons, being most solicitous and
painstaking to prevent any waste of time lest the city should be thus
deprived of half its pleasure, whilst the bishop was celebrating the feast
beyond its walls. Where is the gracious father that would have so busied
himself on behalf of those who had insulted him? But I must mention another
circumstance that redounds to the praise of the just man.(1) For when he
had accomplished this, he did not make it his endeavour, as any one else
might have done, who was fond of glory, to deliver those letters himself,
which were to set us free from the state of dejection in which we were; but
since he was journeying at too slow a rate for this, he thought proper to
send forward another person in his stead; one among those who were skilled
in horsemanship, to be the bearer of the good news to the city;(2) lest its
sadness should be prolonged by the tardiness of his arrive. For the only
thing he earnestly coveted was this; not that he might come himself,
bringing these favourable tidings, so full of all that is delightful, but
that our country might as soon as possible breathe freely again.

20. What therefore ye then did, in decking the forum with garlands;
lighting lamps, spreading couches(3) of green leaves before the shops, and
keeping high festival, as if the city had just come into being, this do ye,
although in another manner, throughout all time;--being crowned, not with
flowers, but with virtue;--kindling in your souls the light which comes
from good works; rejoicing with a spiritual gladness. And let us never fail
to give God thanks continually for all these things, not only that he hath
freed us from these calamities, but that he also pertained them to happen;
and let us acknowledge his abundant goodness! for by both these has He
adorned our city.(4) Now all these things according to the prophetic
saying, "Declare ye to your children; and let your children tell their
children; and their children again another generation."(5) So that all who
shall be hereafter, even to the consummation, learning this act of God's
lovingkindness towards the city, may call us blessed, in having enjoyed
such a favour;--may marvel at our Sovereign, who raised up the city when it
was so grievously falling;--and may themselves be profited, being
stimulated to piety by means of all which has happened! For the history of
what has lately happened to us, will have power to profit not only
ourselves, if we constantly remember it, but also those who shall come
after us. All these things then being considered, let us always give thanks
to God who loveth man; not merely for our deliverance from these fearful
evils, but for their being permitted to overtake us,--learning this from
the divine Scriptures, as well as from the late events that have befallen
us; that He ever disposes all things for our advantage, with that
lovingkindness which is His attribute, which God grant, that we may
continually enjoy, and so may obtain the kingdom of heaven, in Christ Jesus
our Lord; to whom be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.


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

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