HOMILY Ix

HOMILY Ix

CHRYSOSTOM.

[Homiry IX,

WORKS OF ST.

question yet remains for us: Why was it that in the prison on the one hand, the prisoners were loosed, whilst in the furnace the executioners were burnt to death: for that indeed should have been the king's fate, because neither were they who bound them, nor they who cast them into the furnace, guilty of so great sin as the man who commanded this should be done.

Why then did they perish?

On this point there is not any very great need of minute examination ; for they were wicked men.

And therefore this was providentially ordered, that the power of the fire might be shown, and the miracle might be made more signal; for if it thus devoured them that were without, how did it show them unscathed that were within it? it was that the power of God might be made manifest.

And let no one wonder that I have put the king on a level with the jailor, for he did the same thing; the one was in no wise more noble than the other, and they both had their reward. that of John?

He also was once bound for Christ'ssake, and for the law of God. What then ?

Was he idle when he was in prison?

Was it not from thence he sent, by his disciples, and said, ''Art Thou He that cometh, or look we for another ?''(Matt. xi: 2, 3.) Even when there, then, itseems he taught, for surely he did not disregard his duty.

But again, did not Jeremiah prophesy concerning the king of Babylon, and fulfil his work even there in prison?

And what of Joseph?

Was he not in prison thirteen years?

What then?

Not even there did he forget his virtue.

I have yet to mention the bonds of one and therewith will close my discourse.

Our Master Himself was bound, He who loosed the world from sins.

Those hands were bound, those hands that wrought ten thousand good deeds.

For, ''they bound Him,'' it saith, ''and led Him away to Caiaphas; "'

(Matt. xxvii: 2; John. xviil: 24.) yes, He was bound who had wrought so many marvellous works.

But, as I said, the righteous, when they are in tribulations, are then especially more energetic, and when they are in bonds: for to suffer anv thing for Christ's sake is the sweetest of all consolation.

Reflecting on these things, let us never repine ; but whether we be in bonds, let us rejoice ; or whether we be not in bonds, let us be as though we were bound together with Him.

See how great a blessing are bonds!

Knowing all these things, let us send up our thanksgiving for all things to God, through Christ Jesus our Lord with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Ghost, be glory might and honor, now and forever and ever. Amen.

Will ye that I remind you of yet another prison? It seems necessary to go on from this chain to another prison still. And which will ye?

Shall it be that of Jeremiah, or of Joseph, or of John? Thanks to Paul's chain ; how many prisons has it opened to our discourse?

Will ye have

HOMILY Ix.

CHAPTER Iv. VERSES I—3.

Hence he saith, ''in the Lord," i. e., the prisoner for Christ's sake.

Nothing is equal to this.

But now the chain is dragging me away still more from my subject, and pulling me back again, and I cannot bear to resist it, but am drawn along willingly, —yea, rather, with all my heart; and would that it were always my lot to be descanting on Paul's chain.

"'T therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you, to walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love; giving diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

GreEAT has the power of Paul's chain been shown to be, and more glorious than miracles.

It is not in vain then, as it should seem, nor without an object, that he here holds it forward, but as the means of all others most likely to touch them.

And what saith he?

<I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you, to walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called.''

And how is that?

'' with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love."'

But now do not become drowsy: for I am yet desirous to solve that other question, which many raise, when they say, Why, if tribulation be a glory, how came Paul himself to say in his defence! to Agrippa, ''I would to God that whether with little or with much not thou only,

(Field's text has here a much shorter reading as follows:

Fora question now suggests itself to me ; for since Paul in his defence etc.

This reading leaves the sense incomplete.

The reading of the Oxford translator, as given above, is internally more satisfac. tory and is attested by several excellent authorities.

—G. A. ] It is not the being merely a prisoner that is honorable, but the being so for Christ's sake.

HOMILIES ON EPHESIANS.

HomIi_y IX.] but also all that hear me thisday, might become such as ] am, except these bonds?'' (Acts xxvi:

Whilst therefore he was in this perplexity, and enquiring into the cause, one of his armorbearers told him, that there was a certain prophet, one Elisha, dwelling in Samaria, who suffered not the king's designs to stand, but disclosed all that passed.

The king imagined that he had discovered the whole matter. Sure, never was any one more miserably misled than he.

When he ought to have honored the man, to have reverenced him, to have been awed that he really possessed so great power, as that, seated, as he was, so many furlongs off, he should know all that passed in the king's chamber, without any one at all to tell him; this indeed he did not, but being exasperated, and wholly carried away by his passion, he equips horsemen, and soldiers, and dispatches them to bring the prophet before him.

29.) He said not this, God forbid ! as deeming the thing a matter to be deprecated ; no; for had it been such, he would not have gloried in bonds, in imprisonments, in those other tribulations ; and when writing elsewhere he saith,

'* Most gladly will I rather glory in my weaknesses.'' (2 Cor. xii: 9.) But what is the case ?

This was itself a proof how great a thing he considered those bonds; for as in writing to the Corinthians he said, ''I fed you with milk, not with meat, for ye were not yet able to bear it; "'

(1 Cor. ili: 2.) soalso here. They before whom he spoke were not able to hear of the beauty, nor the comeliness, nor the blessing of those bonds.

Hence! it was he added, '' except these bonds.''

'To the Hebrews however he spoke not thus, but exhorted them to '' be bound with "'

Now Elisha had a disciple as yet only on the threshold of prophecy, (2 Kings vi: 13ff.) as yet far from being judged worthy of revelations of this kind.

The king's soldiers arrived at the spot, as intending to bind the man, or rather the prophet.—Again I am falling upon bonds, so entirely is this discourse interwoven with them.—And when the disciple saw the host of soldiers, he was affrighted, and ran full of trembling to his master, and told him the calamity, as he thought, and informed him of the inevitable peril.

The prophet smiled at him for fearing things not worthy to be feared, and bade him be of good cheer.

The disciple, however, being as yet imperfect, did not listen to him, but being still amazed at the sight, remained in fear.

Upon this, what did the prophet do?

<'*Lord,'' said he, 'open the eyes of this young man, and let him see that they which are with us, are more than they which are with them;'' (2 Kings vi: 16, 17.) and immediately he beheld the whole mountain, where the prophet then dwelt, filled with so great a multitude of horses and chariots of fire.

Now these were nothing else than ranks of Angels.

But if only for an occasion like this so great a band of Angels attended Elisha what must Paul have had?

'This is what the prophet David tells us.

''The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him.''

(Ps. xxxiv: 7.) And again; '' They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.'' (Ps. xci: 2.) And why do I speak of Angels?

'The Lord Himself was with him then as he went forth ; for surely it cannot be that He was seen by Abraham, and yet was not with Paul.

No, it was His own promise, 'J am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.''

(Matt. xxvili: 20.) And again, when He appeared to him, He said, '' Be not afraid, but speak, for I am with thee, and no (Heb. xiii: 3.) them that were in bonds. And hence too did he himself rejoice in his bonds, and was bound, and was led with the prisoners into the inner prison.

Mighty is the power of Paul's chain!

A spectacle this, which may suffice for every other, to behold Paul bound, and led forth from his prison; to behold him bound, and sitting within it, what pleasure can come up to this?

What would I not give for such a sight?

Do ye see the emperors, the consuls, borne along in their chariots and arrayed in gold, and their body-guard with every thing about them of gold?

Their halberds of gold, their shields of gold, their raiment of gold, their horses with trappings of gold?

How much more delightful than such a spectacle is his!

I would rathersee Paul once, going forth with the prisoners from his prison, than behold these ten thousand times over, parading along with all that retinue.

When he was thusled forth, how many Angels, suppose ye, led the way before him?

And to show that I speak no fiction, I will make the fact manifest to you from a certain ancient narrative.

Elisha the prophet, ( perhaps ye know the man,) at the time (2 Kings vi: 8-12.) when the king of Syria was at war with the king of Israel, sitting at his own home, brought to light all the counsels which the king of Syria was taking in his chamber with them that were privy to his designs, and rendered the king's counsels of none effect, by telling beforehand his secrets, and not suffering the king of Israel to fall into the snares which he was laying.

This sorely troubled the king ; he was disheartened, and was reduced to greater perplexity, not knowing how to discover him who was disclosing all that passed, and plotting against him, and disappointing his schemes.

1(It is very doubtful that this was Paul's design in saying "'except these bonds."'

It is more probable he wished that others might enjoy the blessings of Christianity without sharing in those sufferings which he himself was glad to endure.—G, A.]

' man shall set on thee to harm thee.'' (Acts xvill:

WORKS OF ST. CHRYSOSTOM.

[ Homiry IX.

thou be lowly, and bethink thee what thou art, and how thou wast saved, thou wilt take this recollection as a motive to all virtue.

Thou wilt neither be elated with bonds, nor with those very privileges which I mentioned, but as knowing that all is of grace, thou wilt humble thyself.

The lowly-minded man is able to be at once a generous and a grateful servant.

'' For what hast thou,'' saith he that thou didst not receive?''

(x Cor. iv: 7.) And again, hear his words, ''I labored more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."' (1 Cor. xv: Io.) g, 10.) Again, He stood by him in a dream, and said, '* Be of good cheer, for as thou hast testified concerning me at Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.'' (Acts xxiii:

II.) The saints, though they are at all times a glorious sight, and are full of abundant grace, yet are so, most of all, when they are in perils for Christ's sake, when they are prisoners ; for as a brave soldier is at all times and of himself a pleasing spectacle to them that behold him, but most of all when he is standing, and in ranks at the king's side; thus also imagine to yourselves Paul, how great a thing it was to see him teaching in his bonds.

'¢With all lowliness,'' saith he; not that which is in words, nor that which is in actions only, but even in one's very bearing and tone of voice: not lowly towards one, and rude towards another; be lowly towards all men, be he friend or foe, be he great or small.

This is lowliness.

Even in thy good deeds be lowly; for hear what Christ saith, '' Blessed are the poor in spirit; '' (Matt. v: 3.) and He places this first in order.

Wherefore also the Apostle himself saith, '' With all lowliness, and meekness, and long-suffering.'' or it is possible for a man to be lowly, and yet quick and irritable, and thus all is to no purpose; for oftentimes he will be possessed by his anger, and ruin all.

Shall I mention, in passing, a thought, which just at this moment occurs to me?

The blessed martyr Babylas' was bound, and he too for the very same cause as John also was, because he reproved a king in his transgression.

This man when he was dying gave charge that his bonds should be laid with his body, and that the body should be buried bound ; and to this day the fetters lie mingled with his ashes, so devoted was his affection for the bonds he had worn for Christ's sake.

'' He was laid in chains of iron'' as the Prophet saith of Joseph.

(Ps. cv: 18.) And even women have before now had trial of these bonds.

We however are not in bonds, nor am I recommending this, since now is not the time for them.

But thou, bind not thine hands, but bind thy heart and mind.

There are yet other bonds, and they that wear not the one, shall have to wear the other.

Hear what Christ saith, '' Bind him hand and foot.'' (Matt. xxii:

13.) But God forbid we should have trial of those bonds! but of these may He grant us even to take our fili !

'< Forbearing,'' he proceeds, '' one another in love.''?

How is it possible to forbear, if a man be passionate or censorious?

He hath told us therefore the manner:

''in love,'' saith he. If thou, he would say, art not forbearing to thy neighbor, how shall God be forbearing to thee ?

If thou bearest not with thy fellow-servant, how shall the Master bear with thee?

Wherever there is love, all things are to be borne.

'*Giving diligence',"' saith he, '' to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.''

Bind therefore thy hands with moderation.

Again that goodly name of '' bond.'"'

We had dismissed it, and it has of itself come back on us again.

A goodly bond was that, and goodly is this one also, and that other is the fruit of this.

Bind thyself to thy brother.

They bear all things lightly who are bound together in love.

Bind thyself to him and him to thee ; thou art lord of both, for whomsoever I may be desirous to make my friend, I can by means of kindliness accomplish it.

On these accounts he saith, ''I, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you to walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called.''

But what isthis calling? Ye were called as His body, it is said.

Ye have Christ as your head; and though you were '' enemies,'' and had committhe misdeeds out of number, yet '' hath He raised you up with Him and made you to sit with Him."' (Eph. ii: 6.) A high calling this, and to high privileges, not only in that we have been called from that former state, but in that we are called both to such privileges, and by such a method.

But how is it possible to '' walk worthily '' of it?

'* With all lowliness.'?

Suchan one walks worthily.

This is the basis of all virtue.

If '¢ Giving diligence,'"' he says; a thing not to be done easily, and not in every one's power.

«Giving diligence,'' he proceeds, '' to keep 1S. Babylas, whom Chrysostom has commemorated in a Homily on his feast day and elsewhere, (Hom. de Bad. t. 2. p. 531. Ed.

2 ["« The reciprocal forbearance in love (ethical habit) (Rom. xv:

1; Gal. vi: 2) is the practical expression of the 'longsuffering,' ''— Meyer.—G, A.

Ben. Hom.in ul. et Gent. t. 2. p. 536.) was Bishop of Antioch about 237—250, when he was Warivred in the Decian persecution, being put into prison, and dying there.

The circumstance mentioned in the text is also to be found in Gent. p. 554.—[See Homily on Babylas, Vol, ix. p. 141, of this Series.—G. A.]

* [ "Giving diligence," participial clause parallel to '' forbearing one another'' which is characterized by the effort by which it must be upheld.''—Meyer.—G. A.]

Homi ty IX.]

HOMILIES ON EPHESIANS.

the unity of the Spirit.''

What is this '' unity of Spirit?''

In the human body there is a spirit which holds all together, though in different members. So is it also here; for to this end was the Spirit given, that He might unite those who are separated by race and by different manners ; for old and young, rich and poor, child and youth, woman and man, and every soul

Now then, what impairs this bond?

Love of money, passion for power, for glory, and the like, loosens them, and severs them asunder.

How then are we to see that they be not cut asunder?

If these tempers be got rid of, and none of those things which destroy charity come in by the way to trouble us.

For hear what Christ saith, (Matt. xxiv: 12.) '* Because iniquity shall be multiplied, the love of the many shall wax cold.'' Nothing is so opposed to love as sin, and I mean not love towards God, but that towards our neighbor also.

But how then, it may be said, are even robbers at peace?

When are they, tell me?

Not when they are acting in a spirit which is that of robbers ; for if they fail to observe the rules of justice amongst those with whom they divide the spoil, and to render to every one his right, you will find them too in wars and broils.

So that neither amongst the wicked is it possible to find peace: but where men are living in righteousness and virtue, you may find it every where.

But again, are rivals ever at peace?

Never.

And whom then would ye have me mention?

The covetous man can never possibly be at peace with the covetous.

So that were there not just and good persons, even though wronged by them, to stand between them, the whole race of them would be torn to pieces. When two wild beasts are famished, if there be not something put between them to consume, they will devour one another.

'The same would be the case with the covetous and the vicious.

So that it is not possible there should be peace where virtue is not already put in practice beforehand.

Let us form, if you please, a city entirely of covetous men, give them equal privileges, and let no one bear to be wronged, but let all wrong one another.

Can that city possibly hold together ?

It is impossible.

Again, is there peace amongst adulterers?

No, not any two will you find of the same mind. become in a manner one, and more entirely so than if there were one body.

For this spiritual relation is far higher than the other natural one, and the perfectness of the union more entire; because the conjunction of the soul is more perfect, inasmuch as it is both simple and uniform.

And how then is this unity preserved?

''In the bond of peace!.''

It is not possible for this to exist in enmity and discord.

'' For whereas there is,'' saith he, '' among you jealousy and strife, are ye not carnal, and walk after the manner of men?'' (x Cor. 1: 3.) For as fire when it finds dry pieces of wood works up all together into one blazing pile, but when wet, does not act at all nor unite them ; so also it is here.

Nothing that is of a cold nature can bring about this union, whereas any warm one for the most part can.

Hence at least it is that the glow of charity is produced; by the '' bond of peace,'' he is desirous to bind us all together.

For just in the same way, he would say, as if thou wouldest attach thyself to another, thou canst do it in no other way except by attaching him to thyself; and if thou shouldest wish to make the tie double, he must needs in turn attach himself to thee; so also here he would have us tied one to another; not simply that we be at peace, not simply that we love one another, but that all should be only even one soul.

A glorious bond is this; with this bond let us bind ourselves together with one another and unto God.

This is a bond that bruises not, nor cramps the hands it binds, but it leaves them free, and gives them ample play, and greater courage than those which are at liberty. The strong if he be bound to the weak, will support him, and not suffer him to perish: and if again he be tied to the indolent, him he will rather rouse and animate.

'' Brother helped by brother,"'' it is said, ''is as a strong city'.''

This chain no distance of place can interrupt, neither heaven, So then, to return, there is no other reason for this, than that ''love hath waxed cold ; ' and the cause again why love hath waxed cold, is that ''iniquity abounds.''

For this leads to selfishness, and divides and severs the body, and relaxes it and rends it to pieces.

But where virtue is, it does the reverse.

Because the man that is virtuous is also above money ; so that were there ten thousand such in poverty they would still be peaceable ; whilst the covetous, where there are but two, can never be at peace.

'Thus then if we are virtuous, love will not perish, for virtue springs from love, and love from virtue.

And how this is, I will tell you.

The virtuous man does not value money above nor earth, nor death, nor any thing else, but it is more powerful and strong than all things.

This, though it issue from but one soul, is able to embrace numbers at once; for hear what Paul saith, " Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own affections ; be ye also enlarged.'' (2 Cor. vi: 12.) 1 [ "While peace one towards another must be the bond which is fo envelope them.''—Meyer.—G. A. friendship, nor does he remember injuries, nor does wrong to his neighbor ; he is not insolent, he endures all things nobly.

Of these things 3 [ This is the rendering of the Septuagint in Prov. xviii: 19, which Chrysostom follows exactly : adeAdds vro adéAhod

BonPovmevos ws moAts Oxvpa.

The.

Rev.

Ver. following the Hebrew, has «'A brother offended is harder to be won than astrong city.' aC. A ]

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( Homity IX.

Again, he who loves submits to | soule And suppose even such a thing were done, it would be for some good; for we upbraid children, we know, when we desire to make them 'feel.

And so Christ too on that occasion began to upbraid the cities, saying, love consists. all these things, and thus do they reciprocally produce one another.

And this indeed, that love springs from virtue, appears from hence, because our Lord when He saith, '' because iniquity shall be multiplied, the love of the many shall wax cold,'' plainly tells us this.

And that virtue springs from love, Paul tells us, saying, '' He that loveth his neighbor hath fulfilled the law.'"' (Rom. xiii: 10.)

So thena man must be one of the two, either very affectionate and much beloved, or else very virtuous ; for he who has the one, of necessity possesses the other; and, on the contrary, he who knows not how to love, will therefore commit many evil actions ; and he who commits evil actions, knows not what it is to love.

'*Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida!'' (Luke x: 13.) in order that He might deliver them from upbraidings.

For nothing has such power to lay hold of the mind, or can more strongly arouse it, or brace it up when relaxed.

Let us then never use upbraiding to one another merely for the sake of upbraiding.

For what?

Wilt thou upbraid thy friend on the score of money?

Surely not, if at least thou possessest what thou hast in common.

Wilt thou then for his faults?

No nor this, but thou wilt rather in that case correct "him?

Or) asit goes) On, esatonee treacherous wound;'' who in the world will kill himself, or who wound himself?

No one.

Morat. Let us therefore follow after charity ; it is a safeguard which will not allow us to suffer any evil.

Let us bind ourselves together.

Let there be no deceit amongst us, no hollowness.

For where friendship is, there nothing of the sort is found.

This too another certain wise man tells us.

'' Though thou drewest a sword at thy friend, yet despair not: for there may be a returning again to favor.

If thou hast opened thy mouth against thy friend, fear not; for there may bea reconciliation: except for upbraiding, or disclosing of secrets, or a treacherous wound: for for these things a friend will depart.'' (Ecclus. xxii: 21, 22.) For ''disclosing,'' saith he, ''of secrets.'""

Now if we be all friends, there is no need of secrets; for as no man has any secret with himself and cannot conceal anything from himself, so neither will he from his friends.

Where then no secrets exist, separation arising from this is impossible.

For no other reason have we secrets, than because we have not confidencc in all men.

So then it is the waxing cold of love, which has produced secrets.

For what secret hast thou?

Dost thou desire to wrong thy neighbor?

Or, art thou hindering him from sharing some benefit, and on this account concealest it ? But, no, perhaps it is none of these things.

What then, is it that thou art ashamed?

If so, then this is a token of want of confidence.

Now then if there be love, there will be no ' revealing of secrets,'? neither any '' upbraiding."'

For who, tell me, would ever upbraid his own Let us then '' follow after love; '' he saith not simply let us love; but let us '' follow after love.'' (1 Cor. xiv: 1.) There is need of much eagerness: she is soon out of sight, she is most rapid in her flight ; so many things are there in life which injure her.

If we follow her, she will not outstrip us and get away, but we shall speedily recover her.

'The love of God is that which united earth to Heaven.

It was the love of God that seated man upon the kingly throne.

It was the love of God that manifested God upon earth.

It was the love of God that made the Lord a servant.

It was the love of God that caused the Beloved to be delivered up for His enemies, the Son for them that hated Him, the Lord for His servants, God for men, the free for slaves. Nor did it stop here, but called us to yet greater things.

Yes, not only did it release us from our former evils, but promised, moreover, to bestow upon us other much greater blessings.

For these things then let us give thanks to God, and follow after every virtue ; and before all things, let us with all strictness. practice love, that we may be counted worthy to attain the promised blessings; through the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus

Christ, with whom, to the Father together with the Holy Ghost, be glory, might, and honor, now and for ever and ever.

Amen.

HomMILy X.]

HOMILIES ON EPHESIANS.

[eal ONY heh Gate ase EPHESIANS iv. 4. so: for example, the head is more a principal member than all the rest of the body, as containing within itself all the senses, and the governing principle of the soul. And to live without the head is impossible ; whereas many persons have lived for a long time with their feet cut off.

So that it is better than they, not only by its position, but also by its very vital energy and its function.

" There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling."

WHEN the blessed Paul exhorts us to anything of special importance, so truly wise and spiritual as he is, he grounds his exhortation upon things in Heaven: this itself being a lesson he had learned from the Lord.

'Thus he saith also elsewhere, " Walk in love, even as Christ also hath loved us."

(ch. v. 2.) And again, " Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, counted it not a prize to be on an equality with God."

(Phil. ii. 5, 6.) This is what he is doing here also, for whenever the examples he is setting before us are great, he is intense in his zeal and feeling.

What then does he say, now he is inciting us to unity?

"There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling: "'

Now why am I saying this?

'There are great numbers in the Church; there are those who, like the head, are raised up to a height; who, like the eyes that are in the head, survey heayenly things, who stand far aloof from the earth, and have nothing in common with it, whilst others occupy the rank of feet, and tread upon the earth; of healthy, feet indeed, for to tread upon the earth is no crime in feet, but to run to evil.

"Their feet," saith the Prophet, "run to evil."

(Isa. lix. 7.) Neither then let these, the head, saith he, be high-minded against the feet, nor the feet look with evil eye at them.

For thus the peculiar beauty of each is destroyed, and the perfectness of its function impeded.

And naturally enough ; inasmuch as he who lays snares for his neighbor will be laying snares first of all for himself.

And should the feet therefore not choose to convey the head anywhere upon its necessary journey, they will at the same time be injuring themselves by their inactivity and sloth.

Or again, should the head not choose to take any care of the feet, itself will be the first to sustain the damage.

However, those members do not rise up one against the other ; it is not likely, for it has been so ordered by nature that they should not.

But with man, how is it possible for him not to rise up against man?

No one, we know, ever rises up against Angels ; since neither do they rise against the Archangels.

Nor, on the other hand, can the irrational creatures proudly exalt themselves over us ; but where the nature is equal in dignity, and the gift one, and where one has no more than another, how shall this be prevented ?

Ver. 5. "One Lord, one faith, one baptism."

Now what is this one body?

'The faithful throughout the whole world, both which are, and which have been, and which shall be. And again, they that before Christ's coming pleased

God, are "one body." How so? Because they also knew Christ.

Whence does this appear?

"Your father Abraham," saith He, "rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it, and was glad."

(John viii. 56.) And again, "If ye had _believed Moses,"

He saith, "ye would have believed Me, for he wrote of Me."

(John v. 46.) And the prophets too would not have written of One, of whom they knew not what they said ; whereas they both knew Him, and worshiped Him.

Thus then were they also "one body."

The body is not disjoined from the spirit, for then would it not be a body.

'Thus it is customary also with us, touching things which are united, and which have any great consistency or coherence, to say, they are one body. And thus again, touching union, we take that to be a body which is under one head.

If there be one head, then is there one body.

The body is composed of members both honorable and dishonorable.

Only the greater is not to rise up even against the meanest, nor this latter to envy the other.

They do not all indeed contribute the same share, but severally according to the proportion of need.

And forasmuch as all are formed for necessary and for different purposes, all are of equal honor.

Some indeed there are, which are more especially principal members, others less And yet surely these are the very reasons why thou oughtest not to rise up against thy neighbors.

For if all things are common, and one has nothing more than another, whence this mad folly?

We partake of the same nature, partake alike of soul and body, we breathe the same air, we use the same food.

Whence this rebellious rising of one against another?

And yet truly the being able by one's virtue to overcome the

WORKSTEE SS 12 CHRYSOSTOM.

([Homity X. the lust of glory entering in, overturns and confounds everything. incorporeal powers, that were enough to lead to arrogance ; or rather arrogance it would not be, for with good reason am I high-minded, and exceedingly high-minded against the evil spirit.

And behold even Paul, how high-minded he was against that evil spirit.

For when the evil spirit was speaking great and marvelous things concerning him, he made him hold his peace, and endured him not even in his flattery.

For when that damsel, "' who had the spirit of divination," cried, saying, '' These men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation" (Acts xvi. 16, 17), he rebuked him severely, and silenced his forward tongue.

And again he elsewhere writes, and says, "God shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly." (Rom. xvi. 20.) Will the difference of nature have any effect? Perceivest thou not that the difference between natures has no effect whatever, but only the difference of purpose? Because of their principle therefore they are far worse than all.

Well, a man may say, but I am not rising up against an Angel, because there is so vast a distance between my nature and his.

And yet surely thou oughtest no more to rise up against a man than against an Angel, for the Angel indeed differs from thee in nature, a matter which can be neither an honor to him, nor a disgrace to thee : whereas man differs from man not at all in nature, but in principle; and there is such a thing as an Angel too even amongst men.

So that if thou rise not up against Angels, much more shouldest thou not against men, against those who have become angels in this our nature ; for should any one among men become as virtuous as an Angel, that man is in a far higher degree superior to thee, than an Angel is.

And why so?

Because what the one possesses by nature, the other has achieved of his own purpose.

And again, because the Angel has his home far from thee in distance also, and dwelleth in Heaven ; whereas this man is living with thee, and giving an impulse to thy emulation.

And indeed he lives farther apart from thee than the Angel.

For "our citizenship," saith the Apostle, "is in Heaven."

(Phil. iii. 20.) And to show thee that this man hath his home still farther distant, hear where his Head is seated; upon the throne, saith he, the royal throne!

And the farther distant that throne is from us, the farther is he also.

Ye have oftentimes been present at the burning of large houses.

Ye have seen how the smoke keeps rising up to Heaven; and if no one comes near to put a stop to the mischief, but every one keeps looking to himself, the flame spreads freely on, and devours everything.

And oftentimes the whole city will stand around ; they will stand round indeed as spectators of the evil, not to aid nor assist.

And there you may see them one and all standing round, and doing nothing but each individual stretching out his hand, and pointing out to some one who may be just come to the spot, either a flaming brand that moment flying through a window, or beams hurled down, or the whole circuit of the walls forced out, and tumbling violently to the ground.

Many too there are of the more daring and venturesome, who will have the hardihood even to come close to the very buildings themselves whilst they are burning, not in order to stretch forth a hand towards them, and to put a stop to the mischief, but that they may the more fully enjoy the sight, being able from the nearer place to observe closely all that which often escapes those at a distance.

Then if the house happen to be large and magnificent, it appears to them a pitiable spectacle, and deserving of many tears.

And truly there is a pitiable spectacle for us to behold; capitals of columns crumbled to dust, and many columns themselves shattered to pieces, some consumed by the fire, others thrown down often by the very hands which erected them, that they may not add fuel to the flame.

Statues again, which stood with so much gracefulness, with the ceiling resting on them, these you may see all exposed, with the roof torn off, and themselves standing hideously disfigured in the open air.

And why should one go on to describe the wealth stored up within? the tissues of gold, and the vessels of silver?

And where the lord of the house and his consort scarcely entered, where was the treasurehouse of tissues and perfumes, and the caskets of the costly jewels,

—all has become one blazing fire, and within now, are bath-men and _street-cleaners, and runaway slaves, and everybody; and everything within is one mass of fire and water, of mud, and dust, and half-burnt beams !

Now why have I drawn out so full a picture as this?

Not simply because I wish to represent to you the conflagration of a house, (for what concern is that of mine?) but because I wish to set before your eyes, as vividly as I can, the calamities. of the Church.

For like a conflagration indeed, or like a thunderbolt hurled from on high, have they lighted upon the roof of the Church, and yet they rouse up no one;

Well, but I see him, thou wilt say, in the enjoyment of honor, and I am led to jealousy.

Why, this is the very thing which has turned all things upside down, which has filled not the world only, but the Church also, with countless troubles.

And just as fierce blasts setting in across a calm harbor, render it more dangerous than any rock, or than any strait whatever; so

HoMILy X.]

HOMILIES ON EPHESIANS.

Od but whilst our Father's house is burning, we are sleeping, as it were, a deep and stupid sleep.

And yet who is there whom this fire does not touch?

Which of the statues that stand in the Church? for the Church is nothing else than a house built of the souls of us men.

Now this house is not of equal honor throughout, but of the stones which contribute to it, some are bright and shining, whilst others are smaller and more dull than they, and yet superior again to others...

There we may see many who are in the place of gold also, the gold which adorns the ceiling.

Others again we may see, who give the beauty and gracefulness produced by statues.

Many? we may see, standing like pillars. For he is accustomed to call men also "pillars" (Gal. ii. 9), not only on account of their strength but also on account of their beauty, adding as they do, much grace, and having their heads overlaid with gold.

We may see a multitude, forming generally the wide middle space and the whole extent of the circumference ; for the body at large occupies the place of those stones of which the outer walls are built.

Or rather we must go on to a more splendid picture yet.

This Church, of which I speak, is not built of these stones, such as we see around us, but of gold and silver, and of precious stones, and there is abundance of gold dispersed everywhere throughout it. _ But, oh the bitter tears this calls forth!

For all these things hath the lawless rule of vainglory consumed; that all-devouring flame, which no one has yet got under.

And we stand gazing in amazement at the flames, but no longer able to quench the evil: or if we do quench it for a short time, yet after two or three days as a spark blown up from a heap of ashes overturns all, and consumes no less than it did before, so it is here also: for this is just what is wont to happen in such a conflagration.

And as to the cause, it has devoured the supports of the very pillars of the Church ; those of us who supported the roof, and who formerly held the whole building together it has enveloped in the flame.

Hence too was a ready communication to the rest of the outer walls: for so also in the case of buildings, when the parts also themselves will speedily enough follow them.

'Thus is it also at this moment with the Church: the fire has laid hold on every part.

We seek the honors that come from man, we burn for glory, and we hearken not to Job when he saith, "Tf like Adam (or after the manner of men) I covered my transgressions By hiding mine iniquity in my bosom, Because I feared the great multitude." 3

Behold ye a virtuous spirit? I was not ashamed, he saith, to own before the whole multitude my involuntary sins:

And if he was not ashamed to confess, much more were it our duty to do so.

For saith the prophet, "' Set thou forth thy cause, that thou mayest be justified.'

(Isa. xliii. 26.) Great is the violence of this evil, everything is overturned by it and annihilated.

We have forsaken the Lord, and are become slaves of honor.

We are no longer able to rebuke those who are under our rule, because we ourselves also are possessed with the same fever as they.

We who are appointed by God to heal others, need the physician ourselves.

What further hope of recovery is there left, when even the very physicians themselves need the healing hand of others?

I have not said these things without an object, nor am I making lamentations to no purpose, but with the view that one and all, with our women and children, having sprinkled ourselves with ashes, and girded ourselves about with sackcloth, may keep a long fast, may beseech

God Himself to stretch forth His hand to us, and to stay the peril.

For need is there indeed of His hand, that mighty, that marvelous hand.

Greater things are required of us than of the Ninevites.

'Yet three days," said the prophet, "and Nineveh shall be overthrown." * (Jonah ili. 4.) A fearful message, and burdened with tremendous threat.

And how should it be otherwise P to expect that within three days, the city should become their tomb, and that all should perish in one common judgment.

For if, when it happens that two children die at the same time in one house, the hardship becomes intolerable, and if to Job this of all things seemed the most intolerable, that the roof fell in upon all his children, and they were thus killed; what must it be to behold not one house, nor two children, but a nation of a hundred and twenty thousand buried beneath the ruins ! fire lays hold of the timbers, it is better armed for its attack upon the stones ; but when it has brought down the pillars and leveled them with the ground, nothing more is wanted to consume all the rest in the flames.

For when the props and supports of the upper parts fall down, those 1 [Field's text has here moAA@ 5€ éxeivwy BeAtiovs instead of moAAw 5€ aAAwy BeAtiovs, which is clearly better than Field's, because it gives a better sense and is well attested.

Indeed, Field, while giving éxe(ywv in his text, says it is used ''durius pro érépwv," and mentions Chrysostom's negligent use of pronouns.—G.

A. | 2 [In Field's text the word '' many," moAAovs, is put in the preceding sentence; but it is better where it stands here, to complete the sentence and to make it correspond with the two preceding sentences. —G. A.

8 Job xxxi. 33, 34.

The verses in the Sept. stand thus:

Ei 6é Kal GmapTwy akovolws expua Thy auaptiav wov.

Ov yap dvetparny moAvoxAtay mAnOous, ToU wy efayopevoat Evwrov avtwy [but Chrysostom quotes only these words: ¢€t cai apaptwy axovoiws dvetpamny modvoxAiay.

The Hebrew is quite different, as shown in rendering of Rev. Ver. (above). —G. A.].

4 [The Septuagint has yet three days, &c., €re Tpeis Nuépar x.t.A.

So Chrysostom quotes it.

The Hebrew text and the Rev.

Ver., following it, have forty days. —G. A.]

WORKERROR

Boil)

CHRYSOSTOM.

([HomiLy XI.

bordptiett "that they turned from their evil way, Ye know how terrible a disaster is this, for lately has this very warning happened to us, not that any prophet uttered a voice, for we are not worthy to hear such a voice, but the warning crying aloud from on high more distinctly than any trumpet.'

However, as I was saying, "' Yet three days," said the prophet, "and Nineveh shall be overthrown." A terrible warning indeed, but now we have nothing even like that ; no, there are no longer "three days," nor is there a Nineveh to be overthrown, but many days are already past since the Church throughout all the world has been overthrown, and leveled with the ground, and all alike are overwhelmed in the evil; nay more, of those that are in high places the stress is so much the greater.

Wonder not therefore if I should exhort you to do greater things than the Ninevites ; and why? nay more, I do not now proclaim a fast only, but I suggest to you the remedy which raised up that city also when falling.

And what was that? e and God repented of the evil which He said He would do unto them."

(Jonah ili. 10.) This let us do, both we and you.

Let us renounce the passion for riches, the lust for glory, beseeching God to stretch forth His hand, and to raise up our fallen members.

And well may we, for our fear is not for the same objects as theirs ; for then indeed it was only stones and timbers that were to fall, and bodies that were to perish ; but now it is none of these; no, but souls are about to be delivered over to hell fire.

Let us implore, let us confess unto Him, let us give thanks unto Him for what is past, let us entreat

Him for what is to come, that we may be counted worthy to be delivered from this fierce and most terrible monster, and to lift up our thanksgivings to the loving God and Father with whom, to the Son, together with the Holy Ghost, be glory, might, and honor, now, henceforth, and for ever and ever.

Amen. aa — es,e ee ee — a S e " God saw their works," saith the |

EQ VED EN= Gr

EPHESIANS iv. 4-7. one body, and yet not one Spirit; as, for instance, if any member of it should be a friend of heretics: or else he is, by this expression, shaming them into unanimity, saying, as it were,

""Ye who have received one Spirit, and have been made to drink at one fountain, ought not to be divided in mind"

; or else by spirit here he means their zeal.

Then he adds, " Even as ye were called in one hope of your calling," that is, God hath called you all on the same terms. He hath bestowed nothing upon one more than upon another.

'To all He hath freely given immortality, to all eternal life, to all immortal glory, to all brotherhood, to all inheritance.

He is the common Head of all; " He hath raised all" up, 'and made them sit with Him.''?

(Eph. ii. 6.) Ye then who in the spiritual world have so great equality of privileges, whence is it that ye are high-minded?

Is it that one is wealthy and another strong? How ridiculous must this be?

For tell me, if the emperor some day were to take ten persons, and to array them all in purple, and seat them on the royal throne, and to bestow upon all the same honor, would any one of these, think ye, venture to reproach another, as being more wealthy or more illustrious than he?

Surely never.

And I have not yet said all; for the difference is not so great in heaven as here

"There is one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all.

But unto each one of us was the grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ."

THE love Paul requires of us is no common love, but that which cements us together, and makes us cleave inseparably to one another, and effects as great and as perfect a union as though it were between limb and limb.

For this is that love which produces great and glorious fruits, .-Tiences he ssaithwthere as. 'S.one, body ''.; one, both by sympathy, and by not opposing the good of others, and by sharing their joy, having expressed all at once by this figure.

He then beautifully adds, "and one Spirit," showing® that from the one body there will be one Spirit : or, that it is possible that there may be indeed

1 Antioch was exposed to earthquakes.

One happened a.p. 395, which might be about the date of these Homilies.

In a.p, 458 it was almost overthrown from this cause.

[See note on preceding page. —G. A.] ® |" The €v o@ua means the totality of Christians as the corpus

(Christz) mysticum,; comp. Eph. ii. 16; Ro. xii. 5; 1 Cor. x. 17, The €v mvevua is the Holy Spirit, the spirit of the corpus mysttcum, comp. Eph. ii. 18; 1 Cor. xii. 13.

The explanation, ' one body and one soul,' is excluded, as at variance with the context by the specifically Christian character of the other elements, and rendered impossible by the correct supplying of éoré (and not ' ye ought ty be')."? — Meyer. —G. A.]

HOMILIES ON EPHESIANS.

HomiLy XI. ] another, but for the work of the church, even as he says further on: below we differ.

There is 'one Lord, one faith, one baptism.""* Behold "the hope of your calling. One God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all."

For can it be, that thou art called by the name of a greater God, another, of a lesser God?

That thou art saved by faith, and another by works?

That thou hast received remission in baptism, whilst another has not?

'There is one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all."' "Who is over all," that is, the Lord and above all; and "through all," that is, providing for, ordering all; and "in you all," that is, who dwelleth in you all.

Now this they own to be an attribute of the Son; so that were it an argument of inferiority, it never would have been said of the ''For the perfecting of the saints unto the work of ministering unto the building up of the body of Christ."

Hence it is that even he himself saith, "Woe is unto me, if I preach not the Gospel." (1 Cor. ix. 16.) For example: he received the grace of Apostleship, but for this very reason, '' woe unto him," because he received it: whereas thou art free from the danger.

"' According to the measure."

What is meant by, "according to the measure'"'?

It means, "not according to our merit," for then would no one have received what he has received: but of the free gift we have all received.

And why then one more, and another less?

There is nothing to cause this, he would say, but the matter itself is indifferent ; for every one contributes towards " the building."

And by this too he shows, that it is not of his own intrinsic merit that one has received more and another less, but that it is for the sake of others, as God Himself hath measured it ; since he saith also elsewhere, '' But now hath God set the members each one of them in the body, even as it pleased Him." (1 Cor. xii. 18.) And he mentions not the reason, lest he should deject or dispirit the hearers.

Father.

"But? unto each one of us was the grace given."

What then? he saith, whence are those diverse spiritual gifts?

For this subject was continually carrying away both the Ephesians themselves, and the Corinthians, and many others, some into vain arrogance, and others into despondency or envy.

Hence he everywhere takes along with him this illustration of the body.

Hence it is that now also he has proposed it, inasmuch as he was about to make mention of diverse gifts.

He enters indeed into the subject more fully in the Epistle to the Corinthians, because it was among them that this malady most especially reigned: here however he has only alluded to jt.

And mark what he says: he does not say, "according to the faith of each," lest he should throw those who have no large attainments into despondency.

But what saith he?

" According to the measure of the gift of Christ."

The chief and principal points of all, he saith, — Baptism, the being saved by faith, the having God for our

Father, our all partaking of the same Spirit, — these are common to all.

If then this or that man possesses any superiority in any spiritual gift, grieve not at it; since his labor also is greater.

He that had received the five talents, had five required of hin; whilst he that had received the two, brought only two, and yet received no less a reward than the other.

And therefore the Apostle here also encourages the hearer on the same ground, showing that gifts are bestowed not for the honor of one above

Ver. 8. "Wherefore he saith, When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men."

As though he had said, Why art thou highminded?

The whole is of God.

The Prophet saith in the Psalm, "Thou hast received gifts among men"? (Ps. Ixviii. 18), whereas the Apostle saith, "He gave gifts unto men."

'The one is the same as the other.'

Ver. 9, 10.

"' Now this, He ascended, what is it, but that He also descended into the lower parts of the earth?

He that descended, is the same also that ascended far above all the Heavens, that He might fill all things."

When thou hearest these words, think not of a mere removal from one place to another; for what Paul establishes in the Epistle to the Philippians (Phil. ii. 5-8), that very argument* is he also insisting upon here.

In the same way as there, when exhorting them concerning lowliness, he brings forward Christ as an example,

—— 3 ['* He quotes Ps. Ixviii. 18, with the freedom of a Messianic interpretation of the words, and his exposition of the Hebrew words yielded essentially the sense expressed by him.

So he took mnp> 1 [Note the triad of trinities: — one body.

1. The Church one spirit. one hope. one Lord.

2. Christ one faith. one baptism. over all.

3. God through all. in all.

— Meyer, substantially. —G. A.] in the sense:

' Thou didst take away gifts to distribute them ameng men,' and then translated this in an explanatory way, édwxe, &c." —

Meyer. —G. A.

4 [This view of Chrysostom is quite at variance with the context.

Ellicott says: To evince still more clearly the correctness of the Messianic application of the words just cited, St. Paul urges the antithesis implied by avé8n, namely, xaré8y, a predication applicable to Christ only, the tacit assumption being that He who is the subject of A ae is one whose seat was heaven.

Compare John iii. 13. — A, 2 ("But (S€) forms the transition from the summary 'all,' 'all,'

'all' to 'each individual' among the Christians."

— Meyer. —G. A.]

WORBSCGRMST: CHRYSOSTOM:

(Homity XI. who hath wrought such things as these, who had such might, and who refused not to go down even to those lower parts for our sakes, never would He have made these distributions of spiritual gifts without a purpose.

Now elsewhere he tells us that this was the work of the Spirit, in the words, "In the which the Holy

Ghost hath made you bishops to feed the Church of God."? And here he saith that it is the Son ; and elsewhere that it is God. "And He gave to the Church some apostles, and some prophets."

But in the Epistle to the Corinthians, he saith, "TI planted, Apollos watered ; but God gave the increase."

And again, " Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: but each shall receive his own reward according to his own labor."

(1 Cor. iii. 6-8.) So is it also here; for what if thou bring in but little?

Thou hast received so much.

First, he says, " apostles '' ;* for these had all gifts ; secondarily, " prophets," for there were some who were not indeed apostles, but prophets, as Agabus ; thirdly, ' evangelists," who did not go about everywhere, but only preached the Gospel, as Priscilla and Aquila ; "' pastors and teachers,'"' those who were entrusted with the charge of a whole nation.

What then? are the pastors and the teachers inferior?

Yes, surely; those who were settled and employed about one spot, as Timothy and Titus, were inferior to those who went about the world and preached the Gospel.

However, it is not possible from this passage to frame the subordination and precedence, but from another Epistle.

"He gave," saith he; thou must not say a word to gainsay it.

Or perhaps by '' evangelists' he means those who wrote the Gospel. so does he here also, saying, "' He descended into the lower parts of the earth."

For were not this so, this expression which he uses, '" He became obedient even unto death" (Phil. i. 8, g), were superfluous ; whereas from His ascending, he implies His descent, and by " the lower parts of the earth," he means " death," according fo the notions of men; as Jacob also said,

"Then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave."

(Gen. xxxil. 48.) And again as it is in the Psalm, "' Lest I become like them that go down into the pit" (Ps. cxliii. 7), that is like the dead.

Why does he descant upon this region here?

And of what captivity does he speak?

Of that of the devil; for He took the tyrant captive, the devil, I mean, and death, and the curse, and sin.

Behold His spoils and His trophies.

'' Now this, He ascended, what is it but that He also descended ?"'

This strikes at Paul of Samosata and his school.!

"He that descended, is the same also that ascended far above all the Heavens, that He might fill all things."

He descended, saith he, into the lower parts of the earth, beyond which there are none other : and He ascended up far above all things, to that place, beyond which there is none other.

This is to show His divine energy, and supreme dominion.

For indeed even of old had all things been filled.

Ver. 11, 12.

"And He gave some to! be apostles ; and some, prophets ; and some, evangelists ; and some, pastors and teachers ; for the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the building up of the body of Christ."

"For the perfecting of the saints unto the work of ministering, unto the building up of the body of Christ." 4

What he said elsewhere, '"' Wherefore also God hath highly exalted Him"

(Phil. ii. 9), that saith he also here.

' He that descended, is the same also that ascended."

It did Him no injury that He came down into the lower parts of Perceive ye the dignity of the office?

Each one edifies, each one perfects, each one ministers. the earth, nor was it any hindrance to His becoming far higher than the Heavens.

So that the more a man is humbled, so much the more is he exalted.

For as in the case of water, the more a man presses it downwards, the more he forces it up; and the further a man retires to hurl a javelin, the surer his aim ; so is it also with humility.

However, when we speak of ascents with reference to God, we must needs conceive a descent first ; but when with reference to man, not at allso.

Then he goes on to show further His providential care, and His wisdom, for He Ver. 13. " Till we all attain,' he proceeds,

"'unto the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a full-grown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ."

By "stature"' here he means perfect " knowledge"; for as a man will stand firmly, whereas

* [Both here and in Hom. xiiv. on Acts (xx. 28) Chrysostom reads xupiov instead of @eov.

The latter is, however, the reading of B., and is adopted by W. & H. and the Rev. Ver. (as well as the textus receptus).—G.

'*The Apostles had an immediate call from Christ, a destination for all lands and a special power of imiracles.

Prophets: not only in the special sense, but also those who spoke under the 27 mediate impulse of the Holy Spirit; Evangelists were subordinates of the Apostles who traveled about.

Pastors and teachers, constituting one and the.same class, were stationary, and probably included presh ters. —Ellicott. —G. A.

1 Paul was Bishop of Antioch A.D. 260-269, when he was deposed for heresy.

Very different accounts are given of his particular doctrines: St. Athanasius may be securely followed, however, who says that he denied the doctrine of our Lord's preéxistence, asserted that He was a mere man, and that the Word of God ee zm Him. vid.

Orat. i. 25, 38; ii. 13; ili. 51.

De decret. 24, &c., [See Schaff's History of Christian Ch., Vol. II., pp. 575, 5

576. oe A.] The | proper relation of these prepositional phrases is brought out in Meyer's translation: He has, with a view to the full furnishing of the saints, given those teachers for the work of ministering, for the edification of the body of Christ.

So Ellicott. —G, A.]

Homiy XI.]

HOMILIES ON EPHESIANS.

children are carried about and waver in mind, so is it also with believers.

"by the sleight of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error."

The word "sleight"? means the art of gamesters.

Such are the "crafty," whenever they lay hold on the simpler sort.

For they also change and shift about everything.

He here glances also at human life.

"To the unity," saith he, " of the faith."

That is, until we shall be shown to have all one faith: for this is unity of faith, when we all are one, when we shall all alike acknowledge the common bond.

Till then thou must labor to this end.

If for this thou hast received a gift, that thou mightest edify others, look well that thou overturn not thyself, by envying another.

God hath honored thee, and ordained thee, that thou shouldest build up another.

Yea, for about this was the Apostle also engaged ; and for this was the prophet prophesying and persuading, and the Evangelist preaching the Gospel, and for this was the pastor and teacher; all had undertaken one common work.

For tell me not of the difference of the spiritual gifts ; but that all had one work.

Now when we shall all believe alike then shall there be unity; for that this is what he calls ''a perfect man," is plain.

And yet he elsewhere calls us " babes" (1 Cor. xlll. 11), even when we are of mature age; but he is there looking to another comparison, for there it is in comparison with our future knowledge that he there calls us babes.

For having said, "We know in part" (1 Cor. xiii. 9, 12), he adds also the word " darkly," and the like: whereas here he speaks with reference to another thing, with reference to changeableness, as he saith also elsewhere, '" But solid food is for fullgrown men."

(Heb. v. 14.) Do you see then also in what sense he there calls them full-grown ?

Observe also in what sense he calls men " perfect'? here, by the words next added, where he says, "that we may be no longer children."

That we keep, he means to say, that little measure, which we may have received, with all diligence, with firmness and steadfastness.

Ver. 15, 16. " But speaking truth," ® saith he, "in love, may grow up in all things into Him, which is the Head, even Christ, from whom,"

(that is, from Christ,) "all the body fitly framed and knit together, through that which every joint supplieth, according to the working in due measure of each several part, maketh increase of the body unto the building up of itself in love."

He expresses himself with great obscurity, from his desire to utter everything at once.

What he means, however, is this.

In the same way as the spirit, or vital principle, which descends from the brain, communicates the sensitive faculty which is conveyed through the nerves, not simply to all the members, but according to the proportion of each member, to that which is capable of receiving more, more, to that which is capable of less, less, (for the spirit is the root or source;) so also is Christ.

For the souls of men being dependent upon Him as members, His provident care, and supply of the spiritual gifts according to a due proportion in the measure of every single member, effects their increase.

But what is.the meaning of this, "by the touch of the supply"

?* that is to say, by the sensitive faculty."

For that spirit. which is supplied to the members from the _ head, " touches,"® each single member, and thus actuates it.

As though one should say, "the body receiving the supply according to the proportion of its several members, thus maketh the increase '''; or, in other words, " the members receiving the supply according to the proportion of their proper measure, thus make increase "' ; or otherwise again thus, "the spirit flowing plenteously from above, and touching' all the members, and supplying them as each is capable of "receiving it, thus maketh increase."

But wherefore doth he add, "fin love"?

Because in no other way is it possible for that Spirit to descend.

For as, in case a hand should happen to be torn from the body, the spirit which proVer. 14. "That we may be no longer."

— The word, "no longer," shows that they had of old been in this case, and he reckons himself moreover as a subject for correction, and corrects himself.

For this cause, he would say, are there so many workmen, that the building may not be shaken, may not be " carried about," that the stones may be firmly fixed.'

For this is the character of children, to be tossed to and fro, to be carried about and shaken.

"That we may be no longer," saith he, "' children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error."

"And carried about," saith he, " with every wind."

He comes to this figure of speech, to point out in how great peril doubting souls are.

'' With every wind," saith he, 2 xnuBeia nuBevTai.

3 ['*aAnBevovres: The common meaning, 'To speak truth,' is clearly unsatisfactory here.

It means ' holding the truth.' ''? — Ellicott.

'' Professing the truth,' Thayer, Lexzcon.

Rev. Ver. has in margin ''dealing truly."

Meyer says it means here, as always, '¢ speaking the truth,"' and correctly. —G. A.

4 ays, '"'joint," Eng. Tr.

Theodoret, too, zz /oc. interprets touch, and considers that it stands for all the senses.

S. Austin translates tactus in Psalm x. 7, de Cru. D. xxii. 18, butin the received meaning.

[See Meyer. —G.A.] 5 [** Meyer still retains the interpretation of Chrysostom and Theodoret that 467 = aicOyoars, "' feeling," '' perception," and connects the clause with avénow morecrar: but the parallel passage, Col. it. 19, leaves it scarcely doubtful that the meaning usually assigned is correct, and that the clause is to be connected with the participles."? —

Ellicott.

So Thayer, Lex., Rev. Ver.—G. A.] 6 amToMeEvor.

7 amTomevor.

1 Si It is not the figure of a building which Paul employs here, but of a ship abandoned to the breakers, on which figurative expression of restless passive subjection to influences, compare jas. i. 6."

— Meyer. —G. A.]

WORKSE@ hes. DT: CHRYSOSTOM.

(Homity XI. a but He supplies them with life, " For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry."

Love builds up, and makes men cleave one to another, and be fastened and fitted together. ceeds from the brain seeks the limb, and if it finds it not, does not leap forth from the body, and fly about and go to the hand, but if it finds it not inits place, does not touch it ; so also will it be here, if we be not bound together in love.

All these expressions he uses as tending to humility.

For what, he seems to say, if this or that man receives more than another?

He has received the same Spirit, sent forth from the same Head, effectually working in all alike, communicating itself to all alike.

Morat.

If therefore we desire to have the benefit of that Spirit which is from the Head, let us cleave one to another.

For there are two kinds of separation from the body of the Church ; the one, when we wax cold in love, the other, when we dare commit things unworthy of our belonging to that body; for in either way we cut ourselves off from the "fullness of Christ."

But if we are appointed to build up others also, what shall not be done to them who are first to make division?

Nothing will so avail to divide the Church as love of power.

Nothing so provokes God's anger as the division of the Church.

Yea, though we have achieved ten thousand glorious acts, yet shall we, if we cut to pieces the fullness of the Church, suffer punishment no less sore than they who mangled His body.

For that indeed was brought to pass for the benefit of the world, even though it was done with no such intention; whereas this produces no advantage in any case, but the injury is excessive.

These remarks I am addressing not to the governors only, but also to the governed.

Now a certain holy man said what might seem to be a bold thing; yet, nevertheless, he spoke it out.

What then is this?

He said, that not even the blood of martyrdom can wash out this sin.?

For tell me for what dost thou suffer as a martyr?

Is it not for the glory of Christ?

Thou then that yieldest up thy life for Christ's sake, how dost thou lay waste the Church, for whose sake Christ yielded up His life?

Hear what Paul saith, "I am not meet to be called an Apostle (1 Cor. xv. 9), because I persecuted the Church of God and made havoc of it?

(Galod rat)?

This vinjuryoas ane tieress than that received at the hands of enemies, nay, it is far greater.

For that indeed renders her even more glorious, whereas this, when she is warred upon by her own children, disgraces her even before her enemies.

Because it seems to them a great mark of hypocrisy, that those who have been born in her, and nurtured in her bosom, and have learned perfectly her secrets, that these should of a sudden change, and do her enemies' work. a - | eee ee " Fitly framed and knit together."

That is, having great care bestowed upon it ; for the body must not be put together anyhow, but with exceeding art and nicety, since if it gets out of place, it is no longer.

So that each must not only be united to the body, but also occupy his proper place, since if thou shalt go beyond this, thou art not united to it, neither dost thou receive the Spirit.

Dost thou not see, that in those dislocations of the bones which take place in any accident, when a bone gets out of its proper place and occupies that of another, how it injures the whole body, and oftentimes will produce death?

So that sometimes it will be found to be no longer worth preserving.

For many in many cases will cut it off, and leave a void in its place ; because everywhere what is in excess is an evil. And so again a e eae O tl es with the elements, if they lose their proper proportion and be in excess, they impair the whole system.

This is the meaning of the being "fitly framed and knit together."

Consider then of how vast importance it is, that each should remain in his own proper place, and not encroach on another which in nowise appertains to him.

'Thou puttest the members together, He supplieth them from above.

For as there are in the body such recipient organs, as we have seen, so is it also with the Spirit, the whole root or source being from above.

For example, the heart is the recipient of the breath, the liver of the blood, the spleen of the bile, and the other organs, some of one thing, others of another, but all these have their source from the brain.

So also hath God done, highly honoring man, and being unwilling to be far from him, He hath made Himself indeed the source of his dependence, and hath constituted them fellowworkers with Himself; and some He hath appointed to one office, and others to another.

For example, the Apostle is the most vital vessel of the whole body, receiving everything from Him ; so that He maketh eternal life to run through them to all, as through veins and arteries, I mean through their discourse. The Prophet foretells things to come, whilst He alone ordereth the same ; Thou puttest the members together,} e Pe E ee ee Sa e gn nea I mean these remarks for those who give 2e Field's text is, cuvriBets Ta méAn, avTds avTots GwHv Xopnyec.

Another text, attested by three MSS., has ovvriBeis ta péoa, avtos avrots Swiv xopnyet.

Savile's text, supported by three MSS., has Kal €xeivos mev ouvTiOer Ta OTA, aU'TOS dé CwHy Xopyyer.

It will be noticed that this same expression occurs a little above, followed by a clause like that which follows here. —G. A.

- a 7S e e 2 ** What sacrifice do they believe they celebrate who are rivals of the Priests?" the Christian name, not even by their blood is this stain washed &.

'""Tf such men were even killed for confession of 1 [The text fluctuates here.

We have given that of Field, though neither it nor any of the other readings yields a satisfactory sense,

. He cannot be a Martyr, who is not in the Church.'"'— St. prian, Treat. V. 12; p. 141.

HOMILIES ON EPHESIANS:

Homity XI.] themselves up indiscriminately to the men who are dividing the Church.

For if on the one hand those men have doctrines also contrary to ours, then on that account further itis not right to mix with them: if, on the other hand, they hold the same opinions, the reason for not mixing with them is greater still.

And why so?

Because then the disease is from lust of authority.

Know ye not what was the fate of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram?

(Num. xvi. 1-35.) Of them only did I say?

Was it not also of them that were with them?

What wilt thou say?

Shall it be said, 'Their faith is the same, they are orthodox as well as we'?

If so, why then are they not with us?

There is "one Lord, one faith, one baptism."

If their cause is right, then is ours wrong; if ours is right, then is theirs wrong.

"Children," saith he, "tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind."

'Tell me, dost thou think this is enough, to say that they are orthodox?

Is then the ordination' of clergy" past and done away?

And what is the advantage of other things,' if this be not strictly them," say they, " of their numbers, and they are nothing.

Cut out the disease, the corrupt multitude."

Would ye have me tell what they say of our city, how they accuse us on the score of our easy compliances?

Any one, say they, that chooses may find followers, and would never be at a loss for them.

Oh, what a sneer is that, what a disgrace are these things!

And yet the sneer is one thing, the disgrace is another.

If any amongst us are convicted of deeds the most disgraceful, and are about to meet with some penalty, great is the alarm, great is the fear on all sides, lest he should start away, people say, and join the other side.

Yea, let such an one start away ten thousand times, and let him join them.

And I speak not only of those who have sinned, but if there be any one free from offense, and he has a mind to depart, let him depart.

I am grieved indeed at it, and bewail and lament it, and am cut to the very heart, as though I were being deprived of one of my own limbs; and yet I am not so grieved, as to be compelled to do anything wrong through such fear as this.

We have "not lordship over your faith" (2 Cor. 1. 24), beloved, nor command we these things as your lords and masters.

We are appointed for the teaching of the word, not for power, nor for absolute authority.

We hold the place of counselors to advise you.

The counselor speaks his own sentiments, not forcing the hearer, but leaving him full master of his choice upon what is said; in this case alone is he blameable, if he fail to utter the things which present themselves.

For this cause do we also say these things, these things do we assert, that it may not be in your power in that day to say, "No one told us, no one gave us commandment, we were ignorant, we thought it was no sin at all."

Therefore I assert and protest, that to make a schism in the Church is no less an evil than to fall into heresy.

Tell me, suppose a subject of some king, though he did not join himself to another king, nor give himself to any other, yet should take and keep hold of his king's royal purple, and should tear it all from its clasp, and rend it into many shreds ; would he suffer less punishment than those who join themselves to the service of another?

And what, if withal he were to seize the king himself by the throat and slay him, and tear his body limb from limb, what punishment could he undergo, that should be equal to his deserts?

Now if in doing this toward a king, his fellowservant, he would be committing an act too great for any punishment to reach ; of what hell shall not he be worthy who slays Christ, and plucks Him limb from limb? of that one which is threatened?

No, I think not, but of another far more dreadful. observed?

For as we must needs contend for the faith, so must we for this also.

For if it is lawful for any one, according to the phrase of them of old, " to fill his hands,''* and to become a priest, let all approach to minister.

In vain has this altar been raised, in vain the fullness of the Church, in vain the number of the priests.

Let us take them away and destroy them. " God forbid!" ye will say.

You are doing these things, and do ye say, " God forbid"?

How say ye, "God forbid," when the very things are taking place?

I speak and testify, not looking to my own interest, but to your salvation.

But if any one be indifferent, he must see to it himself: if these things are a care to no one else, yet are they a care to me.

"I planted," saith he, "Apollos watered, but God gave the increase."

(1 Cor. iii. 6.) How shall we bear the ridicule of the Greeks?

For if they reproach us on account of our heresies, what will they not say of these things?

"If they have the same doctrines, if the same mysteries, wherefore does a ruler in one Church invade another?

See ye,' say they, " how all things amongst the Christians are full of vainglory?

And there is ambition among them, and hypocrisy.

Strip 1 [See Bingham, Ant. Bk. iv. ch. vi. sec. 11.—G. A.] 2 xetpotovias.

At this time there were two orthodox successions in Antioch, that of Paulinus and Evagrius, who were successively representatives of the old line which the Arians had dispossessed, and which Western Christendom supported; and that of Meletius and Flavian, to which St. Chrysostom adhered, and the Eastern Church generally, being the Arian succession conformed to orthodoxy.

The schism was terminated A.D. 392, on the death of Evagrius, though his party continued for twenty years longer.

3 [rwv adAAwv, wanting in the text of Field, is attested by four acy a Nes and yields the only sense that suits the context. —

# Exodus xxix. 9.

Our translation has, '' Thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons"; the margin gives the literal rendering, '' Thou shalt fill the hands of Aaron."

Speak, ye women, that are present, — for this

WORKS ORT,

CHRYSOSTOM.

[Homity XI.

other holy men, and entreat them, and they might do it.

But now whom shall we even entreat, when God is outraged by us? generally is a failing of women,'—relate to them that are absent this similitude which I have made; startle them.

If any think to grieve me and thus to have their revenge, let them be well aware that they do these things in vain.

For if thou wishest to revenge thyself on me, I will give thee a method by which thou mayest take vengeance without injury to thyself; or rather without injury it is not possible to revenge thyself, but at all events with less injury.

Buffet me, woman, spit upon me, when thou meetest me in the public way, and aim blows at me.

Dost thou shudder at hearing this? When I bid thee buffet me, dost thou shudder, and dost thou tear thy Lord and Master and not shudder?

Dost thou pluck asunder the limbs of thy Lord and Master, and not tremble?

'The Church is our Father's house. one Spirit."

But dost thou wish to revenge thyself on me?

Yet stop at me.

Why dost thou revenge thyself on Christ in my stead? nay, rather, why kick against the nails?

In no case indeed is revenge good and right, but to assault one when another has done the wrong is far worse.

Is it I that wronged you?

Why then inflict pain on Him who hath not wronged you?

This is the very extreme of madness.

I speak not in irony what I am about to say, nor without purpose, but as I really think and as I feel.

I would that every one of those who with you are exasperated against me, and who by this exasperation are injuring themselves, and departing elsewhere, would direct his blows at me in my very face, would strip me and scourge me, be his charge against me just or unjust, and let loose his wrath upon me, rather than that they should dare to commit what they now dare.

If this were done, it were nothing ; nothing, that a man who is a mere nothing and of no account whatever, should be so treated.

And besides, I, the wronged and injured person, might call upon God, and He might forgive you your sins.

Not because I have so great confidence ; but because when he who has been wronged, entreats for him who has done the wrong, he gains great confidence.

"If one man sin against another," it is said, "then shall they pray for him"? (1 Sam. ii. 25) ; and if I were unable, I might seek for Mark the consistency; for of those who belong to this Church, some never approach to communicate at all, or but once in the year, and then without purpose, and just as it may happen ; others more regularly indeed, yet they too carelessly and without purpose, and while engaged in conversation, and trifling about nothing: whilst those who, forsooth, seem to be in earnest, these are the very persons who work this mischief.

Yet surely, if it is for these things ye are in earnest, it were better that ye also were in the ranks of the indifferent ; or rather it were better still, that neither they should be indifferent, nor you such as ye are.

I speak not of you that are present, but of those who are deserting from us.

The act is adultery.

And if ye bear not to hear these things of them, neither should ye of us.

'There must be breach of the law either on the one side or the other.

If then thou hast these suspicions concerning me, I am ready to retire from my office, and resign it to whomsoever ye may choose.

Only let the Church be one.

But if I have been lawfully made and consecrated, entreat those who have contrary to the law mounted the episcopal throne to resign it.

"There is one body, and.

These things I have said, not as dictating to you, but only to secure and protect you.

Since every one of you is come to age, and will have to give account of the things which he has done,

I entreat you not to cast the whole matter on us, and consider yourselves to be irresponsible, that ye may not go on fruitlessly deceiving yourselves, and at last bewail it.

An account indeed we shall have to give of your souls; but it will be when we have been wanting on our part, when we fail to exhort, when we fail to admonish, when we fail to protest.

But after these words, allow even me to say that "I am pure from the blood of all men" (Acts xx. 26); and that "God will deliver my soul." (Ezek. ili. 19, 21.)

Say what ye will, give a just cause why ye depart, and I will answer you.

But no, ye will not state it.

Wherefore I entreat you, endeavor henceforward both to resist nobly and to bring back those who have seceded, that we may with one accord lift up thanksgiving to God ; for to Him belongs the glory for ever and ever.

Amen.

1 St. Chrysostom was eventually banished and brought to his end by the Empress Eudoxia.

Women had taken a strong part with the Arians from the first, to which perhaps he alludes.

When Arius began his heresy, he was joined by seven hundred single women.

Epiphan. Her. 69, 3; vid. also Socr. ii. 2, of the Court, Greg. Naz.

Or. 48, of Constantinople, &c., &c. is different, and reads, '' If one man sin against another, God shall judge him; but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall entreat for 2 [This is the reading of the Septuagint, as follows: av eis dvOpwmov Tis auapTy, TpocevsovTat mepi avTov.

The Hebrew, however, him?''?

So the Rev. Ver. —G,. A.]

HomiLy XII.]

HOMILIES ON EPHESIANS.

109g ERO VITY X T:

EPHESIANS lv. 17.

Preacher himself, what he saith ; "I planted me vineyards, I gat me men singers and women singers, I made me pools of water, I had great possession of herds and flocks, I gathered me also silver and gold, and I saw that these are vanity."

(Eccles. ii. 4-8.) And again, '" Vanity of vanities, all things are vanity."

(Eccles. xii. 8.) Hear also what the Prophet saith, "He heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them."

(Ps. xxxix..6.) Such is "vanity of vanities," your splendid buildings, your vast and overflowing riches, the herds of slaves that bustle along the public square, your pomp and vainglory, your high thoughts, and your ostentation.?

For all these are vain; they came not from the hand of God, but are of our own creating.

But why then are they vain?

Because they have no useful end.

Riches are vain when they are spent upon luxury; but they cease to be vain when they are "dispersed and given to the needy."

(Ps. cxii. 9.) But when thou hast spent them upon luxury, let us look at the end of them, what it is ; — grossness of body, flatulence, pantings, fullness of belly, heaviness of head, softness of flesh, feverishness, enervation ; for as a man who shall draw into a leaking vessel labors in vain, so also does the one who lives in luxury and self-indulgence draw into a leaking vessel.

But again, that is called "' vain," which is expected indeed to contain something, but contains it not; —that which men call empty, as when they speak of ' empty hopes."

And generally that is called "vain," which is bare and purposeless, which is of no use.

Let us see then whether all human things are not of this sort.

" Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die."

(1 Cor. xv. 32.) What then, tell me, is the end?

Corruption.

Let us put on clothing and raiment.

And what is the result?

Nothing.

Such are the lives of the Greeks.

They philosophized, but in vain.

They made a show of a life of hardship, but of mere hardship, not looking to any beneficial end, but to vainglory, and to honor from the many.

But what is the honor of the many?

It is nothing, for if they themselves which render the honor perish, much more does the honor.

He that renders honor to another, ought first to render it to himself; for if he gain not honor for him- "This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye no longer walk as the Gentiles also walk, in the vanity of their mind, being darkened in their understanding."

Ir is the duty of the teacher to build up and restore the souls of his disciples, not only by counseling and instructing them, but also by alarming them, and delivering them up to God.

For when the words spoken by men as coming from fellow-servants are not sufficient to kindle the soul, it then becomes necessary to make over the case to God.

This accordingly Paul does also; for having discoursed' concerning lowliness, and concerning unity, and concerning our duty not to rise up one against another, hear what he says.

'This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye no longer walk as the Gentiles also walk."

He does not say, "That ye henceforth walk not as ye are now walking," for that expression would have struck too hard.

But he plainly indicates the same thing, only he brings his example from others.

And so in writing to the Thessalonians, he does this very same thing, where he says, "' Not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles which know not God."

(1 Thess. iv. 5.) Ye differ from them, he means to say, in doctrine, but that is wholly God's work: what I require on your part, is the life and the course of behavior that is after God.

This is your own.

And I call the Lord to witness what I have said, that I have not shrunk, but have told you how ye ought to walk.

"In the vanity," saith he, "of their mind."

What is vanity of mind? It is the being busied about vain things. And what are those vain things, but all things in the present life?

Of-which the Preacher saith, '' Vanity of vanities, all is vanity."'

(Eccles. i. 2.) But a man will say, If they be vain and vanity, wherefore were they made?

If they are God's works, how are they vain?

And great is the dispute concerning these things.

But hearken, beloved: it is not the works of God which he calls vain; God forbid!

The Heaven is not vain, the earth is not vain, —God forbid !

—nor the sun, nor the moon and stars, nor our own body. No, all these are " very good." (Gen. i. 31.) But what is vain?

Let us hear the 1 Modern exegesis has made more logical analysis, and indicated more carefully and correctly the transitions from one thought or branch of the subject to another, than the ancient.

Comp. Meyer, Lightfoot, Schaff, and especially the paragraphing of the Rev. Ver.

On this passage Meyer says: The exhortation begun at vv. 1-3, and interrupted by the digression vv. 4-16, is here resumed by the ovr, and the '' walking worthily " of v. 1 is now followed up in the form,

'that ye no longer walk as the Gentiles also walk," &c.—G. A.] 2 ["'* Vanity' here is rather the subjective sphere in which the walk of the other Gentiles takes place, namely, in nothingness of their thinking and willing (voids), and is to be understood of the whole Hiern and moral character of heathenism."

— Meyer.

I1O

WORKS OF ST. GEERIY SO STOVE

{Homiry XII.

But the sun, they say, is God.

Tell me, how and wherefore.

Is it that he sheds abundance of light?

Yet dost thou not see him overcome by clouds, and in bondage to the necessity of nature, and eclipsed, and hidden by the moon?

And yet the cloud is weaker than the sun; but still it often gains the mastery of him.

And this indeed is the work of God's wisdom.

God must needs be all sufficient: but the sun needs many things ; and this is not like a god.

For he requires air to shine in, and that, too, thin air; since the air, when it is greatly condensed, suffers not the rays to pass through it. He requires also water, and other restraining power, to prevent him from consuming.

For were it not that fountains, and lakes, and rivers, and seas, formed some moisture by the emission of their vapors, there would be nothing to prevent an universal conflagration.

Dost thou see then, say ye, that he is a god?

What folly, what madness!

A god, say ye, because he has power to do harm.

Nay, rather, for this very reason is he no god, because where he does harm he needs nothing ; whereas, where he does good, he requires many things besides.

Now to do harm, is foreign to God's nature; to do good, is His property.

Where then the reverse is the case, how can he be God?

Seest thou not that poisonous drugs injure, and need nothing; but when they are to do good, need many things?

For thy sake then is he such as he is, both good, and powerless; good, that thou mayest acknowledge his

Lord ; and powerless, that thou mayest not say that he is lord.

' But," say they, "he nourishes the plants and the seeds.'"'

What then, at that rate is not the very dung a god? for even that also nourishes.

And why not at that rate the scythe as well, and the hands of the husbandman?

Prove to me that the sun alone does the work of nourishing without needing the help of either earth, or water, or tillage; but let the seeds be sown, and let him shed forth his rays, and produce the ears of corn.

But now if this work be not his alone, but that of the rains also, wherefore is not the water a god also?

But of this I speak not yet.

Why is not the earth too a god, and why not the dung, and the hoeP Shall we then, tell me, worship all?

Alas, what trifling!

And indeed rather might the ear of corn be produced without sun, than without earth and water; and so with plants and all other things.

Were there no earth, none of these things could ever appear.

And if any one, as children and women do, were to put some earth into a pot, and to fill up the pot with a quantity of dung, and to place it under the roof, plants, though they may be weak ones, will be produced from it.

So that the contribution of the earth and of the dung is greater, and these therefore we ought to worship rather than the self, how can he ever render it to another?

Whereas now we seek even honors from vile and despicable characters, themselves dishonorable, and objects of reproach.

What kind of honor then is this?

Perceive ye, how that all|n things are "vanity of vanities'?

Therefore, saith he, 'in the vanity of their mind."

But further, is not their religion of this sort, wood' and stone?

He hath made the sun to shine for a lamp to light us.

Who will worship his own lamp?

'The sun supplies us with light, but where he cannot, a lamp can do it.

'Then why not worship thy lamp?

"Nay," one will say, "I worship the fire."

Oh, how ridiculous !

So great is the absurdity, and yet look again at another absurdity.

Why extinguish the object of thy worship?

Why destroy, why annihilate thy god?

Wherefore dost thou not suffer thy house to be filled with him?

For if the fire be god, let him feed upon thy body.

Put not thy god under the bottom of thy kettle, or thy cauldron.!

Bring him into thy inner chambers, bring him within thy silken draperies.

Whereas not only dost thou not bring him in, but if by any accident he has found entrance, thou drivest him out from every place, thou callest everybody together, and, as though some wild beast had entered, thou weepest and wailest, and callest the presence of thy god an overwhelming calamity.

I have a God, and I do all I can to enshrine Him in my bosom, and I deem it my true bliss, not when He visits my dwelling, but when I can draw Him even to my heart.

Do thou too draw the fire to thine heart.

This is folly and vanity.

_ Fire is good for use, not for adoration ; good for ministration and for service, to be my slave, not to be my master.

It was made for me, not I forit.

If thou art a worshiper of fire, why recline upon thy couch thyself, and order thy cook to stand before thy god?

Take up the art of cookery thyself, become, a baker if thou wilt, or a coppersmith, for nothing can be more honorable than these arts, since these are they that thy god visits.

Why deem that art a disgrace, where thy god is all in all?

Why commit it to thy slaves, and not be ambitious of it thyself?

Fire is good, inasmuch as it is the work of a good Creator, but it is not God.

It is the work of God, it was not called God.

Seest thou not how ungovernable is its nature ;— how when it lays hold on a.building it stops nowhere?

But if it seizes anything continuous, it destroys all; and, except the hands of workmen or others quench its fury, it knows not friends nor foes, but deals with all alike.

Is this then your god, and are ye not ashamed?

Well indeed does he say, "in the vanity of their mind."

1 [Compare 1 Kings xvili. 27, the locus classicus ee Elijah uses his scathing irony against the priests of Baal. —G. A.]

HOMILIES ON EPHESIANS.

sy eS HomiLy XII.] were indeed in the dark, both in those things which concern doctrine, and those which concern life and conduct; for the man who is in darkness sees none of the things which lie before him, but oftentimes when he sees a rope, he will take it for a live serpent ;* or again, if he is caught by a hedge, he will think that a man or an evil spirit has hold of him, and great is the alarm, and great the perturbation.

Such as these are the things they fear.

'There were they in great fear,' it saith, "where no fear was" (Ps. lili. 5) ; but the things which they ought to fear, these they fear not.

But just as children in their nurses' arms thrust their hands incautiously into the fire, and boldly into the candle also, and yet are scared at a man clothed in sackcloth ; just so these Greeks, as if they were really always children, (as some one also amongst themselves has said,* the Greeks are always children,) fear those things that are no sins, such as filthiness of the body, the pollution of a funeral,' a bed, or the keeping of days, and the like: whereas those which,are really sins, unnatural lust, adultery, fornication, of these they make no account at all.

No, you may see a man washing himself from the pollution of a dead body, but from dead works, never ; and, again, spending much zeal in the pursuit of riches, and yet supposing the whole is undone by the crowing of a single cock.

"So darkened are they in their understanding."

Their soul is filled with all sorts of terrors.

For instance:

"Such a person," one will say, "was the first who met me, as I was going out of the house"' ; of course ten thousand evils must certainly ensue.

At another time, 'the wretch of a servant in giving me my shoes,° held out the left shoe first," —terrible mishaps and mischiefs!

"TI myself in coming out set forth with the left foot foremost"'; and this too is a token of misfortune.

And these are the evils that occur about the house.

Then, as I go out, my right eye shoots up from beneath.

'This is a sure sign of tears.

Again the women, when the reeds strike against the standards, and ring, or when they themselves are scratched by the shuttle, turn this also into a sign.

And again, when they strike the web with the shuttle, and do it with some vehemence, and then the reeds on the top from the intensity of the blow strike against the standards and ring, this again they make a sign, and ten thousand things besides, deserving of ridicule.

And so if an ass should bray, or a sun.

He requires the sky, he requires the air, he requires these waters, to prevent his doing harm, to be as bridles to curb the fierceness of his power, and to restrain him from letting loose his rays over the world, like some furious horse.

And now tell me, where is he at night? Whither has your god taken his departure?

For this is not like a god, to be circumscribed and limited.

This is in fact the property of bodies only.

But, say they, there is some sort of power residing in him, and he has motion.

Is this power then, I pray you, itself God? Why then is it insufficient in itself, and why does it not restrain the fire?

For again, I come to the same argument.

But what is that power?

Is it productive of light, or does it by the sun give light, though of itself possessing none of these qualities?

If so, then is the sun superior to it.

How far shall we unwind this maze P Again, what is water? is not that too, they say, a god?

This again is a matter of truly absurd disputation.

Is that not a god, they say, which we make use of for so many purposes?

And so again, in like manner, of the earth. Truly "they walk in the vanity of their mind, being darkened in their understanding."

But these words he is now using concerning life and conduct.

'The Greeks are fornicators and adulterers.

Ofcourse.

They who paint to themselves such gods as these,' will naturally do all these things ; and if they can but escape the eyes of men, there is no one to restrain them.

For what will avail the argument of a resurrection, if it appear to them a mere fable?

Yea, and what that of the torments of hell?

— they too are but a fable.

And mark the Satanic notion.

When they are told of gods who are fornicators, they deny that these are fables, but believe them.

Yet whenever any shall discourse to them of punishment, "these," they say, "are poets, men who turn everything into fable, that man's happy condition may be on all sides overturned."

But the philosophers, it is said, discovered something truly grand, and far better than these.

How?

'They who introduced fate, and who tell us that nothing is providential, and that there is no one to care for anything, but that all things consist of atoms?"

Or, others again who say that God is a body? Or who, tell me, are they?

Are they those who would turn the souls of men into the souls of dogs, and would persuade mankind that one was once a dog, and a lion, and a fish?

How long will ye go on and never cease trifling, "' being darkened in the understanding "' ? for they say and do all things as though they

3 This was the ee in the Schools.

Wid. Sextus Empiricus, Pyrrh. Hypot. 1.

4 The © opt ples to Solon.

Plat. Tim. p. 22, B.

5 Vid. Theophr. Charact. xvi. mepi SerotSaipovias; Guther de FURIE Mantum tn Grev. Thes. 12,1175; Hes. Off. et D. 765, sqq1 [See Schaffs History of the Christian Church, Vol. 1., pp.

72-745 with Literature there noted. —G.

2 [On Democritus and Leucippus, founders of the Atomistic philosophy, see Ueberweg's Hist. of Philosophy (Amer. ed.), Vol. I., pp67-71; on Epicurus, Vol. I., pp. 205-207.

G. A.] 6 Vad. Plin) VV... 2/7; Juv. Sat. 6, 579.

_These and like superstitions are condemned also by Clem. Alex. Strom. vii4, pp. 842844; St. Cyril of Jerus. iv. oh and St. Aust. de Doctr. Christ. ii. 20,

21.

This series, Vol. II., p. 545.

See also St. Chrys. ad L2/uim Catech. ii. 5. This series, Vol. IX., p. 170. —G. A.

WORKS ORGST. CHRYSOSTOM.

([Homity XIIL cock should crow, or a man should sneeze, or|us have been caught, let us break his bonds whatever else may happen, like men bound with | asunder, let us release him from this most bitter ten thousand chains, or, as I was saying, like men confined in the dark, they suspect everything, and are more slavish than all the slaves in the world." and contemptible captivity, let us make him free and unshackled for his course toward Heaven, let us raise up his flagging wings, and teach him to be wise for life and doctrine's sake.

Let us give thanks to God for all things.

Let us beseech Him that He will not declare us unworthy of the gifts offered to. us, and let us ourselves withal endeavor to contribute our own part, that we may teach not only by speaking, but by acting also.

For thus shall we be able to attain His unnumbered blessings, of which God grant we may all be counted worthy, in Christ Jesus our Lord with whom, to the Father and .the Holy Ghost together, be glory, might, and honor, now, henceforth, and for ever and ever.

Amen.

But let it not be so with us.

But scorning all these things, as men living in the light, and having our citizenship in Heaven, and having nothing in common with earth, let us regard but one thing as terrible, that is, sin, and offending against God.

And if there be not this, let us scorn all the rest, and him that brought them in, the Devil.

For these things let us give thanks to God.

Let us be diligent, not only that we ourselves be never caught by this slavery, but if any of those who are dear to HOMILY XobL.

Vv. 17-19.

EPHESIANS 1

"This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye Here he shows us, that the cause of their hardening was their way of life, and that their life was the consequence of their own indolence and want of feeling. no longer walk as the Gentiles also walk, in the vanity of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their heart: who being past feeling, gave themselves up to lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness."

"Who being past feeling,"® saith he, "gave themselves up."

Whenever then ye hear, that " God gave them up unto a reprobate mind" (Rom. 1. 28), remember this expression, that "they gave themselves up."

If then they gave themselves over, how did God give them over? and if again God gave them over, how did they give themselves over?

Thou seest the seeming contradiction.

The word, "gave them over," then, means this, He permitted* them to be given over.

Seest thou, that the impure life is the ground for like doctrines also?

"Every one," saith the Lord, "that doeth ill hateth the light, and cometh not to the light." (John iii. 20.) For how could a profligate man, one more immersed in the practice of indiscriminate lewdness than the swine' that wallow in the mire, and who is a lover of money, and has not so much as any desire after temperance, enter upon a life like this?

'They made the thing, saith he, their " work."® Hence their "hardening" (ver.

THESE words are not addressed to the Ephesians only, but are now addressed also to you; and that, not from me, but from Paul; or rather, neither from me nor from Paul, but from the grace of the Spirit.

And we then ought so to feel, as though that grace itself were uttering them.

And now hear what it saith.

"This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye no longer walk as the Gentiles also walk, in the vanity of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their heart."

If then it is ignorance, if it is hardening, why blame it?? if a man is ignorant, it were just, not that he should be ill-treated for it, nor be blamed, but that he should be informed of those things of which he is ignorant.

But mark how at once he cuts them off from all excuse.

' Who being past feeling," saith he, "gave themselves up to lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness ; but ye did not so learn Christ."

19), hence the " darkness of their understand8 [** The estrangement of the Gentiles from the divine life, indicated i in the preceding verse, is here proved in conformity with exerience. "" _ Meyer. ay ef bi The nd implies" an active giving up, not mere permis- — Meyer, Ellicott, , Thayer. —G, A.

5 [The word "' swine" (yoipwv), though omitted from Field's text, is clearly attested, and cannot be omitted without leaving the sense difficult and obscure. —G. A. sion.

Compare Chrysostom's Commentary on Gal. i. 7.—G. A

|" The cause of this estrangement of the Gentiles from the life of God is the zgnorance which is in them through hardening of heart, consequently due to their own fault." — Meyer. —G. A.]

6 [Namely, '' to woré all uncleanness," &c. —G. A.]

HOMILIES ON EPHESIANS.

HomiLy XIII.] ing."

There is such a thing as being in the dark, even while the light is shining, when the eyes are weak; and weak they become, either by the influx of ill humors, or by superabundance of rheum.

And so surely is it also here ; when the strong current of the affairs of this life overwhelms the perceptive power of the understanding, it is thrown into a state of darkness.

And in the same way as if we were placed in the depths under water, we should be unable to see the sun through the quantity of water lying, like a sort of barrier, above us, so surely, in the eyes strongly affirming: as he also speaks elsewhere,

"Tf so be that it is a righteous thing with God to recompense affliction to them that afflict you."

(2 Thess.i.6.) That is to say, It was not for these purposes that " ye learned Christ."

Ver. 22. "That ye put away as concerning your former manner of life, the old man."

This then surely is to learn Christ, to live rightly ; for he that lives wickedly knows not God, neither is known of Him; for hear what he saith elsewhere, "They profess that they know God, but by their works they deny Him."

(Tit. 1. 16.) of the understanding also a blindness of the heart takes place, that is, an insensibility, whenever there is no fear to agitate the soul.

' There is no fear of God," it saith, "before his eyes"

"As truth is in Jesus; that ye put away as concerning your former manner of life, the old man."

(Ps. xxxvi. 1) ; and again, "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God."

(Ps. xiv. 1.) Now blindness arises from no other cause than from want of feeling; this clogs the channels; for whenever the fluids are curdled and collected into one place, the limb becomes dead and void of feeling; and though thou burn it, or cut it, or do what thou wilt with it, still it feels not.

So is it also with those persons, when they have once given themselves over to lasciviousness : though thou apply the word to them like fire, or steel, yet nothing touches, nothing reaches them ; their limb is utterly dead.

And unless thou canst remove the insensibility, so as to touch the healthy members, everything thou doest is vain.

That is to say, It was not on these terms that thou enteredst into covenant.

What is found among us is not vanity, but truth.

As the doctrines are true, so is the life also.

Sin is vanity and falsehood; but a right life is truth.

For temperance is indeed truth, for it has a great end ; whereas profligacy ends in nothing.

"Which waxeth corrupt," saith he, '"' after the lusts of deceit."

As his lusts became corrupt, so himself also.

How then do his lusts become corrupt?

By death all things are dissolved ; for hear the Prophet, how he saith, "In that very day his thoughts perish."

(Ps. cxlvi.

4.) And not by death only, but by many things besides ; for instance, beauty, at the advance of either disease or old age, withdraws and dies away, and suffers corruption. Bodily vigor again is destroyed by the same means ; nor does luxury itself afford the same pleasure in old age, as is evident from the case of Barzillai:* the history, no doubt, ye know.

Or again, in another sense, lust corrupts and destroys the old man; for as wool is destroyed by the very same means by which it is produced, so likewise is the old man.

"With greediness,"' saith he.

Here he has most completely taken away their excuse ; for it was in their power, if at least they chose it, not to be "greedy," + nor to be " lascivious,"' nor gluttonous, and yet to enjoy their desires.

It was in their power to partake in moderation' of riches, and even of pleasure and of luxury; but when they indulged the thing immoderately,' they destroyed all.

For love of glory destroys him, and pleasures will often destroy him, and "lust" will utterly

"deceive" him.

For this is not really pleasure but bitterness and deceit, all pretense and outward show.

'The surface, indeed, of the things is bright, but the things themselves are only full of misery and extreme wretchedness, and loathsomeness, and utter poverty.

Take off the mask, and lay bare the true face, and thou shalt see the cheat, for cheat it is, when that which is, appears not, and that which is not, is displayed.

And it is thus that impositions are effected.

"To work all uncleanness,"' saith he.

Ye see howshe strips them of all excuse by speaking of " working uncleanness.""

They did not sin, he means, by making a false step, but they worked out these horrid deeds, and they made the thing a matter of study.

" All uncleanness"'; uncleanness is all adultery, fornication, unnatural lust, envy, every kind of profligacy and lasciviousness.

Ver. 20, 21. " But ye did not so learn Christ," he continues, "if so be that ye heard Him, and were taught in Him even as truth is in Jesus."

The Apostle delineates for us four men.'

Of these I shall give an explanation.

In this place he mentions two, speaking thus, " Putting away The expression, "Ifso be that ye heard Him," is not that of one doubting, but of one even

2 [And David said to Barzillai, '' Come and I will sustain thee in Jerusalem."

And Barzillai said unto the king, 'I am this day fourscore years old: can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? wherefore then should thy servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king? " —2 Sam. xix. 31-35.—G if 3 réggapas avOpwrous vroypade,

[From the word used by Chrysostom as the antithesis of mAcovextety, namely, meta TUMmETpias (and compare anétpws below) it is evident he understood the phrase ¢ ev mAcovegia, as the Revisers of Eng. Ver. do, '' with greediness."

But Meyer denies that the word mAcoveg(a ever means anything but "' covetousness "' in the New Test.

So also Ellicott. —G. A.]

WORKS OF ST. CHRYSOSTOM.

[Homity XIII.

Observe here how he calls this realizing of virtue, this bringing of it into being from nothing, a "creation."

But what? was not that other former creation after God?

No, in nowise, but after the devil.

He is the sole creator of sin. the old man, be ye renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new man."

And in the Epistle to the Romans, two more, as where he saith, " But I see a different law in my members watring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in? mysymembers."

2(Romevi. 9233) "And these latter bear affinity to those former two, the "new man" to the "inner man,' and the "old man" to the "outer man."

However, three of these four were subject to corruption.

Or rather there are thrée, the new man, the old, and this, man in his substance and nature.'

How is this?

For man is created henceforth, not of water, nor of earth, but " in righteousness and holiness of truth."

What is thisP He straightway created him, he means, to be a son: for this takes place from Baptism.

'This it is which is the reality, "in righteousness and holiness of truth."

There was of old a righteousness, there was likewise a holiness with the Jews.

Yet was that righteousness not in truth, but in figure.

For the being clean in body was a type of purity, not the truth of purity ; was a type of righteousness, not the truth of mghteousness.

"In righteousness," saith he, "and holiness," which are "of truth."

Ver. 23. " And that ye be renewed," saith he, "in the spirit of your mind."

In order that no one may suppose that, whereas he speaks of old and new, he is introducing a different person, observe his expression,

"That wyewbe renewed7iy alowberrenewedais, when the selfsame thing which has grown old is renewed, changed from one thing into the other.

So that the subject indeed is the same, but the change is in that which is accidental. Just as the body indeed is the same, and the change in that which is accidental, so is it here.

How then is the renewal to take place?

"In the spirit of your mind," saith he.

Whosoever therefore has the Spirit, will perform no old deed, for the Spirit will not endure old deeds.

"In the spirit," saith he, "of your mind," that is, in the spirit which is in your mind?

| Ver. 24. ''And put on the new man."

Seest thou that the subject is one, but the clothing is twofold, that which is put off, and that which is put on? 'The new man," he continues,

'' which after God hath been created in righteousness and holiness of truth."

Now wherefore does he call virtue a man?

And wherefore vice, a man?

Because a man' cannot be shown without acting; so that these things, no less than nature, show a man, whether he be good or evil.

Now as to undress one's self and to dress one's self is easy, so may we see it is with virtue and vice.

'The young man is strong ; wherefore let us also become strong for the performance of good actions.

The young man has no wrinkle, therefore neither should we have.

The young man wavers not, nor is he easily taken with diseases, therefore neither should we be.

And this expression is used with reference to falsehood ; for many there are, who to them that are without, seem to be righteous, yet are false.

Now by righteousness is meant universal virtue.

For hearken to Christ, how He saith, ' Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in nowise enter into the kingdom of heaven."

(Matt. v. 20.) And again, he is called righteous, who has no charge against him ; for so even in courts of justice we say that that man is righteous, who has been unrighteously treated, and has not done unrighteously in return.

If therefore we also before the terrible Tribunal shall be able to appear righteous one towards another, we may meet with some lovingkindness.

Toward God indeed it is impossible we should appear so, whatever we may have to show.

For everywhere He overcometh in what is righteous, as the Prophet? also saith, "That Thou mightest prevail when Thou comest into judgment."

But if we violate not what is righteous towards each other, then shall we be righteous.

If we shall be able to show that we have been treated unrighteously, then shall we be righteous.

How does he say to them who are already clothed, "put on''?

He is now speaking of that clothing which is from life and good works.

Before, the clothing was from Baptism, whereas now it is from the daily life and from works ; no longer "after the lusts of deceit," but " after God."

But what means the word "holy"?

It is that which is pure, that which is due; hence also we use the word of the last duty in the case of the departed, as much as to say, 'I owe them nothing further, I have nothing else to answer 1 waddov b€ TpEls elor, KaLvds Kal maAatds, Kal OUTOS 0 OvVTWwEdyS

Kal duvatkos.

* [Meyer takes a different view, and says: The Holy Spirit is never, in the New Test., designated in such a way that man appears as the subject of the Spirit (thus never: rd mvedua bar, and the like, or as here: 7d mvedma Tov vods wav).

In the second place, the Apostle is here putting forward the moral self-activity of the Christian life, and hence had no occasion to introduce the point:

"Through the Holy Spirit."

Hence wvedua here is the '' human"? spirit, the spirit by which your vovs is governed.

Otherwise Ellicott: Divine spirit united with the human; and so he understands Meyer, but incorrectly.

See Ellicott and Meyer z loc.—G, A.

3 [This passage in the Hebrew (Ps. li. 4) reads, '' And (that thou mayest) be clear when thou judgest.""

Inthe Sept. it is: Kat vu«yons €v TH KpivedOai ae, which is followed by Paul in Rom. iil. 4 (except vixnoecs, fut. ind., instead of aor. subj.).

We have given here the rendering of the Rev. Ver. of Rom. iii. 4.—G. A.]

HomiLy XIII.]

HOMIEIES ON EPHESIANS.

for."

Thus it is usual for us to say, "I have acquitted myself of all obligations,"'* and the like, meaning, "' I owe nothing more." not toilsome, she is not difficult to attain.

Dost thou not see them that are in the mountains?

They forsake both houses, and wives,- and children, and all preéminence, and shut themselves away from the world, and clothe themselves in sackcloth, and strew ashes beneath them ; they wear collars hung about their necks, and have pent themselves up in a narrow cell.

Nor do they stop here, but torture themselves with fastings and continual hunger.

Did I now enjoin you to do the like, would ye not all start away?

Would ye not say, it is intolerable?

But no, I say not that we must needs do anything like this : — I would fain indeed that it were so, still

I lay down no law.

What then?

Enjoy thy baths, take care of thy body, and throw thyself freely into the world, and keep a household, have thy servants to wait on thee, and make free use of thy meats and drinks!

But everywhere drive out excess, for that it is which causes sin, and the same thing, whatever it be, if it becomes excessive, becomes a sin; so that excess is nothing else than sin.

For observe, when anger is excited above what is meet, then it rushes out into insult, then it commits every sort of injury ; so does inordinate passion for beauty, for riches, for glory, or for anything else.

And tell me not, that indeed, those of whom I spoke were strong ; for many far weaker and richer, and more luxurious than thou art, have taken upon them that austere and rugged life.

And why speak I of men?

Damsels not yet twenty years old, who have spent their whole time in inner chambers, and in a delicate and effeminate mode of life, in inner chambers full of sweet ointments and perfumes, reclining on soft couches, themselves soft in their nature, and rendered yet more tender by their over indulgence, who all the day

Jong have had no other business than to adorn themselves, to wear jewels, and to enjoy every luxury, who never waited on themselves, but had numerous handmaids standing beside them, who wore soft raiment softer than their skin, fine linen and delicate, who reveled continually in roses

MoRrAL. Our part then is, never to put off the garment of righteousness, which also the Prophet calls, 'the garment of salvation" (Isa. Ixi. 10), that so we may be made like unto God.

For He indeed hath put on righteousness.

This garment let us put on.

Now the word, "put on," plainly declares nothing else, than that we should never at all put it off.

For hear the Prophet, where he saith, " He clothed himself also with cursing as with his garment, and it came into his inward parts,' n( Ps: i.cix.

18.) . And) again,» "Who coverest Thyself with light as with a garment."

(Ps. civ. 2.) And again, it is usual with us to speak concerning men, such an one has " put on" such an one.

So then itis not for one day, nor for two, nor for three, but he would have us ever arrayed in virtue, and never stripped of this garment.

For aman is not so disfigured when he is stripped of his clothing, as when he is stripped of his virtue.

In the former case his fellow-servants behold his nakedness, in the latter his Lord and the Angels.

If ever thou happen to see any one going out naked through the public square, tell me, art thou not distressed ?

When then thou goest about stripped of this garment, what shall we say?

Seest not those beggars whom we are wont to call strollers," how they roam about, how we pity even them?

And yet nevertheless they are without excuse.

We do not excuse them when they have lost their clothes by gaming; and how then, if we lose this garment, shall God pardon us?

For whenever the devil sees a man stripped of his virtue, he straightway disguises and disfigures his face, and wounds him, and drives him to great straits.

Let us strip ourselves of our riches, that we be not stripped of righteousness.

The garb of wealth mars this garment.

It is a robe of thorns.

Thorns are of this nature ; and the more closely they are wrapped around us, the more naked are we made.

Lasciviousness strips us of this garment ; for it is a fire, and the fire will consume this garment.

Wealth is a moth; and as the moth eats through all things alike, and spares not even silken garments, so does this also.

All these therefore let us put off, that we may become righteous, that we may " put on the new man."

Let us keep nothing old, nothing outward, nothing that is "corrupt.''

Virtue is and such like sweet odors, — yea, these very ones, in a moment, seized with Christ's flame, have put off all that indolence and even their very nature, have forgotten their delicateness and youth, and like so many noble wrestlers, have stripped themselves of that soft clothing, and rushed into the midst of the contest.

And perhaps I shall appear to be telling things incredible, yet nevertheless are they true.

These then, these very tender damsels, as I myself have heard, have brought themselves to such a degree of severe training, that they will wrap the coars1 adwowwoanny.

2 Awtayas.

'The word occurs also i in the Constit. A fost. vil. 32

[along with such words as BAaé, '' dolt" 3 HaYOS, 'sorcerer '"'; pavTUS, 'soothsayer' ; OnpeT dos, **beastcharmer" ; OxAaywryos, ' ' mobleader"'; weprdupara rowy, ' amulet-maker." —G. mn Its derivation is somewhat uncertain.

[Zonaras (C onstantinople, 12 cent. is _ in his Lexicon, gives among other definitions, avAnrs, '* flute_ player''; so also Eustathius (Constantinople, d. 1198), in his famous commentary on Homer, Il. 2, 7785 defines it, from the fact

5 [This reference to the Monks in the mountains (in the neighborhood of Antioch) is one of the indications that these Homilies on Ephesians were delivered while Chrysostom was still at Antioch, and before his elevation to the archbishopric of Constantinople.

Compare also Hom. vi. on Ephesians. — G. A.] _ that A®ros sometimes means a ' flute.'

_ questioned. —G. A.] The persons denoted by it were wandering But this derivation is musicians or buffoons.

WORKSHORTST) CHRYSOSTOM.

(Homity XIII.

matters, to be sure, we in no point yield to them, neither in wars, nor in games; but in the spiritual contest they get the advantage of us, and are the first to seize the prize, and soar higher, like so many eagles:* whilst we, like jackdaws, are ever living in the steam and smoke ; est horsehair about their own naked bodies, and go with those tender soles unsandaled, and will lie upon a bed of leaves: nay more, that they watch the greater part of the night, and that they take no heed of perfumes nor of any other of their old delights, but will even let their head, once so carefully dressed, go without special care, with the hair just plainly and simply bound up, so as not to fall into unseemliness.

And their only meal is in the evening, a meal not even of herbs nor of bread, but of flour and beans and pulse and olives and figs.

They spin without intermission, and labor far harder than their handmaids at home.

What more? they will take upon them to wait upon women who are sick, carrying their beds, and washing their feet.

Nay, many of them even cook.

So great is the power of the flame of Christ ; so far does their zeal surpass their very nature. for truly is it the business of jackdaws, and of greedy dogs, to be setting one's thoughts upon caterers and cooks.

Hearken about the women of old ; they were great characters, great women and admirable ; such were Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Deborah, and Hannah; and such there were also in the days of Christ.

Yet did they in no case outstrip the men, but occupied the second rank.

But now it is the very contrary ; women outstrip and eclipse us.

How contemptible ! What a shame is this!

We hold the place of the head, and are surpassed by the body. We are ordained to rule over them ; not merely that we may rule, but that we may rule in goodness also; for he that ruleth, ought especially to rule in this respect, by excelling in virtue ; whereas if he is surpassed, he is no longer ruler.'

Perceive ye how great is the power of Christ's coming? how He dissolved the curse? For indeed there are more virgins than before among women, there is more modesty in those virgins, and there are more widows.

No woman would lightly utter so much as an unseemly word.

Wherefore then, tell me, dost thou use filthy speech?

For tell me not that they were virgins in despondency or despair.

However, I demand nothing like this of you, seeing ye have a mind to be outstripped by women.

Yet at least, if there be any tasks not too laborious, at least perform these: restrain the rude hand, and the incontinent eye.

What is there, tell me, so hard, what so difficult?

Do what is just and right, wrong no man, be ye poor or rich, shopkeepers or hired servants ; for unrighteousness may extend even to the poor.

Or see ye not how many broils these engage in, and turn all things upside down?

Marry freely, and have children.

Paul also gave charge to such, to such he wrote.

Is that struggle I spoke of too great, and the rock too lofty, and its top too nigh unto Heaven, and art thou unable to attain to such an height?

At least then lay hold on lesser things, and aim at those which are lower.

Hast thou not courage to get rid of thine own riches?

At least then forbear to seize on the things of others, and to do them wrong.

Art thou unable to fast?

At least then give not thyself to self-indulgence.

Art thou unable to lie upon a bed of leaves?

Still, prepare not for yourselves couches inlaid with silver; but use a couch and coverings formed not for display, but for refreshment ; not couches of ivory.

Make thyself small.

Why fill thy vessel with overwhelming cargoes?

If thou be lightly equipped, thou shalt have nothing to fear, no envy, no robbers, no liers in wait.

For indeed thou art not so rich in money as thou art in cares.

Thou aboundest not so much in possessions, as in anxieties and in perils, "which bring in many temptations and lusts." (1 Tim. vi. 9.) These things they endure, who desire to gain great possessions.

I say not, minister unto the sick ; yet, at least, bid thy servant do it.

Seest thou then how that this is no toilsome task? No, for how can it be, when tender damsels surpass us by so great a distance?

Let us be ashamed of ourselves, I entreat you; for in worldly The sex is fond of ornament, and it has this failing.

Yet even in this you husbands surpass them, who pride yourselves even upon them, as your own proper ornament ; for I do not think that the wife is so ostentatious of her own jewels, as the husband is of those of his wife.

He is not so proud of his own golden girdle, as he is of his wife's wearing jewels of gold.

So that even of this you are the causes, who light the spark and kindle up the flame.

But what is more, itis not so great a sin In a woman as ina man.

Thou art ordained to regulate her; in every way thou claimest to have the preéminence.

Show her then in this also, that thou takest no interest in this costliness of hers, by thine own apparel.

It is more suitable for a woman to adorn herself, than for a man.

If then thou escape not the temptation, how shall she escape it? They have moreover their share of vainglory, but this is common to them with men.

'They are in a measure passionate, and this again is common to them with men.

But as to those things wherein they excel, these are 1 [This passage is so like a passage in one of Pindar's Nemean odes that some have thought Chrysostom must have had that in mind.» Pind. Vem. 3. 138: €ote 5 aierds wks év metavots, ds EAaBev aiwa, TnAde METAMALOMEVOS, Sapo.vov aypav mogiv: Kpayérat 6é monates TOAMELVA VEMOVTAL.

2 [Compare Carlyle's Jecture on Cromwell and Napoleon in ye pair and Hero-Worshit.—G. A.]

HOMILIES ON EPHESIANS.

HomiLy XIV.] no longer common to them with men; their sanctity, I mean, their fervency, their devotion, their love towards Christ.

Wherefore then, one may say, did Paul exclude them from the teacher's seat?

And here again is a proof how great a distance they were from the men, and that the women of those days were great.

For, tell me, while Paul was teaching, or Peter, or those saints of old, had it been right that a woman should intrude into the office?

Whereas we have gone on till we have come so debased, that it is worthy of question, why women are not teachers.

So truly have we come to the same weakness as they.

These things I have said not from any desire to elate them, but to shame ourselves, to chastise, and to admonish us, that so we may resume the authority that belongs to us, not inasmuch as we are greater in size, but because of our foresight, our protection of them, and our virtue.

For thus shall the body also be in the order which befits it, when it has the best head to rule.

And God grant that all, both wives and husbands, may live according to His good pleasure, that we may all in that terrible day be counted worthy to enjoy the lovingkindness of our Master, and to attain those good things which are promised in Jesus Christ our

Lord, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Ghost, be glory, might, and honor, now and forever and ever.

Amen.

HOM TL Yse Xb V.

IV. 25-27.

EPHESIANS

earth, it shall by its appearance furnish to the eye an expectation of solid ground, will not the eye use the foot, and discover whether it yields? and is hollow underneath, or whether it is firm and resists?* Will the foot tell a lie, and not report the truth as it is?

And what again?

If the eye were to spy a serpent or a wild beast, will it le to the foot?

Will it not at once inform it, and the foot thus informed by it refrain from going on?

And what again, when neither the foot nor the eye shall know how to distinguish, but all shall depend upon the smelling, as, for example, whether a drug be deadly or not; will the smelling lie to the mouth?

And why not?

Because it will be destroying itself also.

But it tells the truth as it appears to itself.

And what again? Will the tongue lie tothe stomach? Does it not, when a thing is bitter, reject it, and, if it is sweet, pass it on?

Observe ministration, and interchange of service ; observe a provident care arising from truth, and, as one might say, spontaneously from the heart.

So surely should it be with us also ; let us not lie, since we are " members one of another."

'This is a sure token of friendship ; whereas the contrary is of enmity.

What then, thou wilt ask, if a man shall use treachery against thee?

Hearken to the truth.

If he use treachery, he is not a member ; whereas he saith, "lie not towards the members."

" Wherefore, putting away falsehood, speak ye truth each one with his neighbor; for we are members one of another.

Be ye angry, and sin not; let not the sun go down upon your wrath: neither give place to the devil."

Havinc spoken of the "old man" generally, he next draws him also in detail ;! for this kind of teaching is more easily learned when we learn by particulars.

And what saith he?

' Wherefore, putting away falsehood." What sort of falsehood?

Idols does he mean?

Surely not; not indeed but that they are falsehood also.

However, he is not now speaking of them, because these persons had nothing to do with them ; but he is speaking of that which passes between one man and another, meaning that which is deceitful and false.

'Speak ye truth, each one," saith he, "with his neighbor'; then what is more touching to the conscience? still, "because we are members one of another."

Let no man deceive his neighbor.

As the Psalmist says here and there; " With flattering lip and with a double heart do they speak."

(Ps. xii. 2.) For there is nothing, no, nothing so productive of enmity as deceit and guile.

Observe how everywhere he shames them by this similitude of the body.

Let not the eye, saith he, lie to the foot, nor the foot to the eye.

For example, if there shall be a deep pit, and then by having reeds laid across upon the mouth of it upon the earth, and yet concealed under "' Be ye angry, and sin not."

Observe his wisdom.

He both speaks to prevent our sinning, and, if we do not listen, still 1 [** And the 7rs¢ exhortation here was suggested by the immediately preceding aAnOeva,

The figurative form of the precept also (amoOéuevor, 'putting off') is an echo from what precedes." —

Meyer. —G.

2 [*** Members' one of another, and to 'lie' to one another, — how contradictory! '' — Meyer.—G. A. ] 8 [etxec, Field's emendation for the reading eixy of the MSS.

He cites the phrase 70 eikov kat wn avtiturovv from Plato, Cratylus, 420 D.—G. A.]

4 avtTiTuTel.

WORKS OF

12 CHRYSOSTOM.

[Homity XIV. for a tempest, night overtaking the remainder, and feeding it again with fresh vapors: so also is it in the case of anger. does not forsake us ; for his fatherly compassion does not desert him.

For just as the physician prescribes to the sick what he must do, and if he does not submit to it, still does not treat him with contempt, but proceeding to add what advice he can by persuasion, again goes on with the cure ; so also does Paul.

For he indeed who does otherwise, aims only at reputation, and is annoyed at being disregarded ; whereas he who on all occasions aims at the recovery of the patient, has this single object in view, how he may restore the patient, and raise him up again.

This then is what Paul is doing.

He has said, "Tie not."

Yet if ever lying should produce anger,' he goes on again to cure this also.

For what saith he?

"Be ye angry, and sin not."

It were good indeed never to be angry.

Yet if ever any one should fall into passion, still let him not fall into so great a degree.

'" For let not the sun," saith he, " go down upon your wrath."

Wouldest thou have thy fill of anger?

One hour, or two, or three, is enough for thee ; let not the sun depart, and leave you both at enmity.

It was of God's goodness that he rose ; let him not depart, having shone on unworthy men.

For if the Lord of His great goodness sent him, and hath Himself forgiven thee thy sins, and yet thou forgivest not thy neighbor, look, how great an evil is this!

And there is yet another besides this.

The blessed Paul dreads the night," lest overtaking in solitude him that was wronged, still burning with anger, it should again kindle up the fire.

For as long as there are many things in the daytime to banish it, thou art free to indulge it; but as soon as ever the evening comes on, be reconciled, extinguish the evil whilst it is yet fresh ; for should night overtake it, the morrow will not avail to extinguish the further evil which will have been collected in the night.

Nay, even though thou shouldest cut off the greater portion, and yet not be able to cut off the whole, it will again supply from what is left for the following night, to make the blaze moré violent.

And just as, should the sun be unable by the heat of the day to soften and disperse that part of the air which has been during the night condensed into cloud, it affords material

"' Neither give place to the devil."

So then to be at war with one another, is " to give place to the devil'; for, whereas we had need to be all in close array, and to make our stand against him, we have relaxed our enmity against him, and are giving the signal for turning against each other; for never has the devil such place as in our enmities.2

Numberless are the evils thence produced.

And as stones in a building, so long as they are closely fitted together and leave no interstice, will stand firm, while if there is but a single needle's passage through, or a crevice no broader than a hair, this destroys and ruins all; so is it with the devil.

So long indeed as we are closely set and compacted together, he cannot introduce one of his wiles ; but when he causes us to relax a little, he rushes in like a torrent.

In every case he needs only a beginning, and this is the thing which it is difficult to accomplish; but this done, he. makes room on all sides for himself.

For henceforth he opens the ear to slanders, and they who speak lies are the more trusted: they have enmity which plays the advocate, not truth which judges justly.

And as, where friendship* is, even those evils which are true appear false, so where there is enmity, even the false appear true.

There is a different mind, a different tribunal, which does not hear fairly, but with great bias and partiality.

As, in a balance, if lead is cast into the scale, it will drag down the whole ; so is it also here, only that the weight of enmity is far heavier than any lead.

Wherefore, let us, I beseech you, do all we can to extinguish our enmities before the going down of the sun.

For if you fail to master it on the very first day, both on the following, and oftentimes even for a year, you will be protracting it, and the enmity will thenceforward augment itself, and require nothing to aid it.

For by causing us to suspect that words spoken in one sense were meant in another, and gestures also, and everything, it infuriates and exasperates us, and makes us more distempered than madmen, not enduring either to utter a name, or to hear it, but saying everything in invective and abuse.

How then are we to allay this passion?

How shall we extinguish the flame?

By reflecting on our own sins, and how much we have to answer for to God; by reflecting that we are wreaking vengeance, not on an enemy, but on ourselves ; by reflecting that we are delighting the devil, that we are strengthening our enemy, our real

S ea 1 [This seems to be a correct account of the connection, but the exact force of the first imperative it is not easy to determine. Winer

(Grammar of N. T., Thayer's translation, pp. 311, 312) takes it permusstvely: Be angry (I give you leave), but do not sin. He cites in proof Jer. x. 24, which, however, can be otherwise explained, namely, as the imperative of request, used in prayer.

Compare the Lord's prayer.

Meyer says it does not seem logical to connect two imperatives by kai unless they are taken in the sasze sense.

If the first imperative were ferm7sszve, the combination would be exceptive, and aAAa, wovov or mAyv (Jer. x. 24) would be required.

Both imperatives then are jussive, and there is an anger which a man not only may, but ozght, to feel.

So Ellicott and Riddle. — G. A.] * ['* There does not appear any allusion to the possible effect of night upon anger, as Chrysostom here, and Theophylact also." —

Ellicott.

The parallel Pythagorean custom is cited by Ellicott (Hammond and Wetstein): 'If they were ever carried away by anger into railing, before the setting of the sun they gave the right ae ° each other, embraced each other, and were reconciled."? —

3 [This reference to church life is not implied in the context.

He follows up what he said before by saying, Give not to the devil opportunity for being active by an angry state of mind.—G. A.]

4 [Compare Goethe:

Die Freundschaft ist gerecht.

Sie kann allein, Den ganzen Umfang seines Werths erkennen. —G. A.]

HOMILIES ON EPHESIANS.

HomILy XIV.] enemy, and that for him we are doing wrong to our own members.

Wouldest thou be revengeful and be at enmity?

Be at enmity, but be so with the devil, and not with a member of thine own.

For this purpose it is that God hath armed us with anger, not that we should thrust the sword against our own bodies, but that we should baptize' the whole blade in the devil's breast.

'There bury the sword up to the hilt ; yea, if thou wilt, hilt and all, and never draw it out again, but add yet another and another.

And this actually comes to pass when we are merciful to those of our own spiritual family and peaceably disposed one towards another.

Perish money, perish glory and reputation; mine own member is dearer to me than they all.

Thus let us say to ourselves ; let us not do violence to our own nature to gain wealth, to obtain glory. they do away the sin.

He does not simply desire that we should work, but so '"' work" as to "labor," so as that we may " communicate " to others.

For the thief indeed works, but it is that which is evil.

Ver. 29.

"' Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth."

What is '' corrupt speech"?

'That which is said elsewhere to be also "idle, backbiting, filthy communication, jesting, foolish talking."

See ye how he is cutting up the very roots of anger?

Lying, theft, unseasonable conversation.

'The words, however, '' Let him steal no more," he does not say so much excusing them, as to pacify the injured parties, and to recommend them to be content, if they never suffer the like again.

And well too does he give advice concerning conversation ;* inasmuch as we shall pay the penalty, not for our deeds only, but also for our words.

Ver. 28. "Let him that stole,"? saith he, "steal no more."

'"' But such as is good," he proceeds, " for edifying, as the need may be, that it may give grace to them that hear."

Seest thou what are the members of the old man? _ Falsehood, revenge, theft.

Why said he not, " Let him that stole"' be punished, be tortured, be racked ; but, 'let him steal no more''?

That is to say, What edifies thy neighbor, that only speak, not a word more.

For to this end God gave thee a mouth and a tongue, that thou mightest give thanks to Him, that thou mightest build up thy neighbor.

So that if thou destroy that building, better were it to be silent, and never to speak at all.

For indeed the hands of the workmen, if instead of raising the walls, they should learn to pull them down, would justly deserve to be cut off.

For so also saith the Psalmist ; 'The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips."

(Ps. xii. 3.) The mouth, — this is the cause of all evil; or rather not the mouth, but they that make an evil use of it.

From thence proceed insults, revilings, blasphemies, incentives to lusts, murders, adulteries, thefts, all have their origin from this.

And how, you will say, do murders?

Because from insult thou wilt go on to anger, from anger to blows, from blows to murder.

And how, again, adultery?

"Such a woman," one will say, "loves thee, she said something nice about thee."'

'This at once unstrings thy firmness, and thus are thy passions kindled within thee.

'"' But rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have whereof to give to him that hath need."

Where are they which are called pure ;°* they that are full of all defilement, and yet dare to give themselves a name like this?

For it is possible, very possible, to put off the reproach, not only by ceasing from the sin, but by working some good thing also.

Perceive ye how we ought to get quit of the sin? "They stole." This is the sin.

'They stealno more."

'This is not to do away the sin.

But how shall they?

If they labor, and charitably communicate to others, thus will 1 Bantigwuev THY payxatpay Eis TO TOV diaBdAov aT7Hos.

2 ['** The stealer (0 cAéwtwy) is to steal no more.'

The present articiple does not stand for the past, but is used substantively (like

© oreipwv, Matt. xiii. 3). As there were in the apostolic church ' fornicators' (1 Cor. v. 1), so there were also ' stealers,' and the attempts to tone down the word are arbitrary and superfluous."

— Meyer. — G. A.

3 ares The Cathari, or pure, was the title which the Novatians indirectly assumed, by maintaining that none were in God's favor but those who had not sinned after baptism, or who were pure as baptism made them, and by separating from the Church for granting absolution to penitents.

The schism originated at Rome in the middle of the third century.

Accordingly St. Chrysostom in the text says, that whereas all men need pardon continually, they who affected to be clean or pure without securing it were, as being without it, of all men most unclean.

[And he strongly asserts, as against the Novatians, that it zs possible to put away the guilt of sins committed after baptism, by ceasing from the practice of them and working that which is good.

This view, however, differs from the Protestant view, that the putting away the guilt of sin is at first and always through God's mercy and grace in Jesus Christ. —G.A.]

In the sixth of eleven new Homilies edited by the Benedictines, t. xii. p.

355, he says that we may as well talk of the sea being clear of waves as any soul pure from daily sins, though not from transgressing express commandment, yet from vainglory, willfulness, impure thoughts, coveting, lying, resentment, envy, &c., and he mentions as means of washing away sins, coming to Church, grieving for them, confessing them, doing alms, praying, helping the injured, and forgiving injuries.

'* Let us provide ourselves with these," he proceeds, "'every day, washing, wiping ourselves clean, and withal confessing ourselves unprofitable,'' unlike the Pharisee.

'' Thus ordering ourselves, we shall be able to find mercy and pardon in that fearful day,

&c.'?

This homily was delivered at Constantinople.

[On the Novatians, see Schaff, Church History, Il., pp. 196, 197. —G. A.] Therefore Paul said, "such as is good."

Since then there is so vast a flow of words, he with good reason speaks indefinitely, charging us to use expressions of that kind, and giving us a pattern of communication.

What then is this?

By saying, " for edifying," either he means this, that he who hears thee may be grateful to thee: as, for instance, a brother has committed forni4 [The clause, '' And well does he give instruction concerning our words also" (kaAd@s Sé kai mepi Adywy SiddaoxKer), is omitted in the text of Field, but is well attested (three MSS., Sav. text), and almost indispensable to the sense of the passage.

Compare note, p. 82, on Field's text in general.—G. A

WORKS, OF ST. CHRYSOSTOM.

[Homity XIV.

nothing.

For things which seem to be nothing are thus easily thought lightly of ; and those which are thought lightly of go on increasing ; and those which go on increasing become incurable. cation; do not make a display of the offense, nor revel in it; thou wilt be doing no good to him that hears thee; rather, it is likely, thou wilt hurt him, by giving him a stimulus. Whereas, advise him what to do, and thou art conferring on him a great obligation.

Discipline him how to keep silence, teach him to revile no man, and thou hast taught him his best lesson, thou wilt have conferred upon him the highest obligation.

Discourse with him on contrition, on piety, on almsgiving ; all these things will soften his soul, for all these things he will own his obligation.

Whereas by exciting his laughter, or by filthy communication, thou wilt rather be inflaming him.

Applaud the wickedness, and thou wilt overturn and ruin him.

Thou hast a spiritual mouth.

'Think what words thou didst.utter immediately upon being born,'

— what words are worthy of thy mouth.

Thou callest God, "Father," and dost thou straightway revile thy brother?

'Think, whence is it thou callest God, "Father"?

Is it from nature?

No, thou couldest never say so.

Is it from thy goodness?

No, nor is it thus.

But whence then is it?

It is from pure lovingkindness, from tenderness, from His great mercy.

Whenever then thou callest God, " Father," consider not only this, that by reviling thou art committing things unworthy of that, thy high birth, but also that it is of lovingkindness that thou hast that high birth.

Disgrace it not then, after receiving it from pure lovingkindness, by showing cruelty towards thy brethren.

Dost thou call God "Father," and yet revile?

No, these are not the works of the Son of God.

These are very far from Him.

'The work of the Son of God was to forgive His enemies, to pray for them that crucified Him, to shed His blood for them that hated Him.

These are works worthy of the Son of God, to make His enemies, —the ungrateful, the dishonest, the reckless, the treacherous, —to make these brethren and heirs : not to treat them that are become brethren with ignominy like slaves.

Or else he means' thus, "that it may make them, the hearers, full of grace.'"'

For as sweet ointment gives grace to them that partake of it, so also does good speech.

Hence it was moreover that one said, " Thy name is as ointment poured forth."

(Cant. i. 3.) It caused them to exhale that sweet perfume.

Thou seest that what he continually recommends, he is saying now also, charging every one according to his several ability to edify his neighbors.

'Thou then that givest such advice to others, how much more to thyself!

Ver.i3o., " And igrieve' not,' he adds," 'the Holy Spirit of God."

A matter this more terrible and startling, as he also says in the Epistle to the Thessalonians ; for there too he uses an expression of this sort.

"He that rejecteth, rejecteth not man, but God."

*Think what words thy mouth uttered, — of what table these words are worthy.

Think what thy mouth touches, what it tastes, of what manner of food it partakes ! Dost thou deem thyself to be doing nothing grievous in railing at thy brother?

How then dost thou call him brother?

And yet if he be not a brother, how sayest thou, "Our Father'?

For the word " Our" is indicative of many persons.

'Think with whom thou standest at the time of the mysteries!

With the Cherubim, with the Seraphim!

'The Seraphim revile not: no, their mouth fulfills this one only duty, to sing the Hymn of praise, to glorify® God.

And how then shalt thou be able to say with them, " Holy, Holy, Holy,'® if thou use thy mouth for reviling?

'Tell me, I pray.

Suppose there were a royal vessel, and that always full of royal dainties, and set apart for that (1 Thess. iv. 8.) So also here.

If thou utter a reproachful word, if thou strike thy brother, thou art not striking him, thou art " grieving the Holy Spirit."

And then is added further the benefit bestowed, in order to heighten the rebuke.

" And grieve not the Holy Spirit," saith He, 'in whom ye were sealed unto the day of redemption."

He it is who marks us as a royal flock; He, who separates us from all former things; He, who suffers us not to lie amongst them that are exposed to the wrath of God,—and dost thou grieve Him?

Look how startling are his words there; "! For' he thatiresecteth,') saith he, 'irejecteth not man, but God:" and how cutting they are here, 'Grieve not the Holy Spirit," saith he, 'in whom ye were sealed."

3 [evydnaov tiva ev0éws epbeyEw pyjuata réxOeis, K.T.A.

This evidently refers to baptism and the services and words used in connection therewith.

Bingham says, '' The catechumens did not learn the creed and the Lord's prayer till immediately before baptism.''

And Chrysostom says, "'An unbaptized person cannot yet calk God his Father."

St. Augustine also says in one of his homilies, "Now learn the Lord's prayer, which ye must repeat eight days hence, when ye are to be baptized."

So they received it (that is, the Lord's prayer) only on Saturday before Palm Sunday, in order to repeat it on Saturday before Easter, which was the day of their baptism.

Antiquities, Bk. x. ch. v. sec. eh 4 [This paragraph has reference to the celebration of the Eucharist, concerning which, see Chrysostom's Hom. xviii. on 2 Cor. (viii.

24).—G. A.]

5 ayvagerv.

6 G@ytos, ayLOs, ayLOs.

Mora.

Let this seal then abide upon thy mouth," and never destroy the impression.

A spiritual mouth never utters a thing of the kind.

Say not, ' It is nothing, if I do utter an unseemly word, if I do insult such an one."

For this very reason is it a great evil, because it seems to be 1 (Tt means ' that it may impart a blessing, bestow a benefit, on the hearers.' "' — Meyer and Ellicott. —G. A.

2 [This is probably a misapplication of Paul's words here.

The sealing here mentioned is quite the same as at chap. i. 13. —G. A.]

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