Chap. 4:31. Let All Bitterness, And Wrath, And Anger, And Clamour, And Evil Speaking, Be Put Away From You, With All Mal
HOMILY XV
CHAP. 4:31. LET ALL BITTERNESS, AND WRATH, AND ANGER, AND CLAMOUR, AND EVIL SPEAKING, BE PUT AWAY FROM YOU, WITH ALL MALICE.
As bees will never settle down in an unclean vessel,—and this is the reason why those who are skilled in these matters sprinkle the spot with perfumes, and scented ointments, and sweet odours, and the wicker baskets also, in which they will have to settle as soon as they come out of the hives, with fragrant wines, and all other sweets, that there may be no noisome smell to annoy them, and drive them away again,—so in truth is it also with the Holy Spirit. Our soul is a sort of vessel or basket, capable of receiving the swarms of spiritual gifts; but if there shall be within it gall, and bitterness, and wrath, the swarms will fly away. Hence this blessed and wise husbandman well and thoroughly cleanses our vessels, holding neither knife nor any other instrument of iron, and invites us to this spiritual swarm; and as he gathers it, he cleanses us with prayers, and labours, and all the rest. Mark then how he cleanses out our heart. He has banished lying, he has banished anger. Now, again, he is pointing out how that evil may be yet more entirely eradicated; if we be not, saith he, bitter in spirit. For as it is wont to happen with our bile, if there chance to be but little, there will be but little disturbance if the receptacle should burst: but if ever the strong and biting property of this quality becomes excessive, the vessel which before held it will contain it no longer. It is as if it were eaten through by a scorching fire, it is no longer able to hold it and contain it within its appointed bounds, but is rent asunder by its intense sharpness, and lets it escape and injure the whole body. And it is like some very fierce and frightful wild beast, that has been brought into a city; as long as it is confined in the cages made for it, however it may rage, however it may roar, it will be unable to do harm to any one; but if ever its wrath shall get the better of it, and it shall break through the intervening bars, and be able to leap out, it fills the city with all sorts of confusion and disturbance, and puts all to flight. Such then is the nature also of bile. As long as it is kept within its proper limits, it will do us no great mischief; but as soon as ever the membrane that incloses it bursts, and there is nothing to hinder its being at once dispersed over the whole system, then, I say, at that moment, though it be so very trifling in quantity, yet by reason of the inordinate strength of its quality it taints all the other elements of our nature with its own peculiar virulence. For finding the blood, for instance, near to it, alike in place and in quality, and rendering the heat which is in that blood more acrid, and every thing else in fact which is near it, passing from its just temperature it overflows its bounds, turns all into gall, and therewith at once attacks likewise the other parts of the body; and thus infusing into all its own poisonous quality, it renders the man speechless, and causes him to expire, expelling life. Now, why have I stated all these things with such minuteness? It is in order that, understanding from this literal bitterness the intolerable evil of that bitterness which is figurative, and how entirely it destroys first of all the very soul that engenders it, we may escape experience of it. For as the one inflames the whole constitution, so does the other the thoughts, and carries away its captive to the abyss of hell. In order then that by carefully examining these matters we may escape this evil, and bridle the monster, or rather utterly root it out, let us hearken to what Paul saith, Let all bitterness be (not destroyed, but) put away from you. For what need have I of trouble to restrain it, what necessity is there to keep watch on a monster, when it is in my power to banish him from my soul, to remove him and take him off and exterminate him? Let us hearken then to Paul when he saith, Let all bitterness be put away from you. But, ah, the perversity that possesses us! Though we ought to do every thing to effect this, yet are there some so truly senseless as to congratulate themselves upon this evil, and to pride themselves upon it, and to glory in it, and who are envied by others. ‘A bitter man,’ they say, ‘is such an one, he is a scorpion, a serpent, a viper.’ They look upon him as one to be feared. But wherefore, good man, dost thou fear the bitter person? ‘I fear,’ you say, ‘lest he injure me, lest he destroy me; I am not proof against his malice, I am afraid lest he should take me who am a simple man, and unable to foresee any of his schemes, and throw me into his snares, and entangle us in the toils which he has set to deceive us.’ Now I cannot but smile. And why forsooth? Because these are the arguments of children, who fear things which are not to be feared. Surely there is nothing we ought so to despise, nothing we ought so to laugh to scorn, as a bitter and malicious man. For there is nothing so powerless as bitterness. It makes men fools and senseless.
Do ye not see that malice is blind? Have ye never heard, that he that diggeth a pit for his neighbours, diggeth it for himself? How, you will say, ought we not to fear a soul full of tumult? If indeed we are to fear the bitter in the same way as we fear evil spirits, and fools and madmen, (for they indeed do every thing at random,) I grant it myself; but if, as men subtle in the conduct of affairs, that I never can. For nothing is so necessary for the proper conduct of affairs as prudence; and there is no greater hindrance to prudence than wickedness, and malice, and hollowness. Look at bilious persons, how unsightly they are, with all their bloom withered away. How weakly they are, and puny, and unequal to any thing. So also are souls of this nature. What else is wickedness, but a jaundice of the soul? Wickedness then has no strength in it, indeed it has not. Have ye a mind that I again make what I am saying plain to you by an instance, by setting before you the portraits of a treacherous and a guileless man? Absalom was a treacherous man, and stole all men’s hearts. And observe how great was his treachery. He went about, it saith, and said, Hast thou no judgment? wishing to conciliate every one to himself. But David was guileless. What then? Look at the end of them both, look, how full of utter madness was the former! For inasmuch as he looked solely to the hurt of his father, in all other things he was blinded. But not so David. For he that walketh uprightly, walketh surely; that is, he that manages nothing over-subtilly, the man who devises no evil. Let us listen then to the blessed Paul, and let us pity, yea, let us weep for the bitter-minded, and let us practise every method, let us do every thing to extirpate this vice from their souls. For how is it not absurd, that when there is bile within us, (though that indeed is an useful element, for without bile a man cannot possibly exist, that bile, I mean, which is an element of his nature,) how then, I say, is it not absurd that we should do all we can to get rid of this, though we are so highly benefitted by it; and yet that we should do nothing, nor take any pains, to get rid of that which is in the soul, though it is in no case beneficial, but even in the highest degree injurious. He that would be wise among you, saith he, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. Hearken too again to what Luke saith, They did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and having favour with all the people. Why, do we not see even now that the simple and guileless enjoy the common esteem of all. No one envies such an one in prosperity, no one tramples upon him in adversity, but all rejoice with him when he does well, and grieve with him in misfortune. Whereas whenever a bitter man fares prosperously, one and all lament it, as though some evil thing happened; but if he is unfortunate, one and all rejoice. Let us then pity them, for they have common enemies all over the world. Jacob was a guileless man, yet he overcame the treacherous Esau. For into a malicious soul wisdom shall not enter. Let all bitterness be put away from you. Let not even a relic remain, for it will be sure, if stirred, as if from a smouldering brand, to turn all within to an entire blaze. Let us then distinctly understand what this bitterness is. Take, for example, the hollow-hearted man, the crafty, the man who is on the watch to do mischief, the man of evil suspicion. From him then wrath and anger are ever produced; for it is not possible for a soul like this to be in tranquillity, for the very root of anger and wrath is bitterness. The man of this character is both sullen, and never unbends his soul; he is always moody, always gloomy. For as I was saying, they themselves are the first to reap the fruit of their own evil ways.
And clamour, he adds.
What now, and dost thou take away clamour also? Yes, for the mild man must needs be of such a character, because clamour carries anger, as a horse his rider; tie the horse’s feet, and you will throw the rider.
MORAL. This let women above all attend to, they who on every occasion cry aloud and bawl. There is but one thing in which it is useful to cry aloud, in preaching and in teaching. But in no other case whatever, no, not even in prayer. And if thou wouldest learn a practical lesson, never cry aloud at all, and then wilt thou never be angry at all. Behold a way to keep your temper; for as it is not in nature that the man that does not cry out should be enraged, so is it not that the man who does cry out should be otherwise than enraged. For tell me not of a man being implacable, and revengeful, and of pure natural bitterness, and natural choler. We are now speaking of the sudden paroxysm of this passion.
It contributes then no little to this end, to discipline the soul never to raise the voice and cry aloud at all. Cut off clamour, and thou wilt clip the wings of anger, thou art quelling the first rising of the heart. For as it is impossible for a man to wrestle without lifting up his hands, so is it not in nature that he should be entangled in a quarrel without lifting up his voice. Bind the hands of the boxer, and then bid him strike. He will be unable to do so. So likewise will wrath be disarmed. But clamour raises it, even where it does not exist. And hence it is especially that the female sex are so easily overtaken in it. Women, whenever they are angry with their maidservants, fill the whole house with their own clamour. And oftentimes too, if the house happens to be built along a narrow street, then all the passers by hear the mistress scolding, and the maid weeping and wailing. What can possibly be more disgraceful than this, than the sound of these wailings? All the women round immediately look out at window and ask, What is the matter there? ‘Such an one,’ it is answered, ‘is beating her own maid.’ What ever can be more shameless than this? What then, ought one not to strike at all? No, I say not so, (for it must be done,) but then it must be neither frequently, nor immoderately, nor for any wrongs of thine own, as I am constantly saying, nor for any little failure in her service, but only if she is doing harm to her own soul. If thou chastise her for a fault of this kind, all will applaud, and there will be none to upbraid thee; but if thou do it for any reasons of thine own, all will condemn thy cruelty and harshness. And what is more base than all, there are some so fierce and so savage as to lash them to such a degree, that the bruises will not disappear with the day. For they will strip the damsels, and call their husbands for the purpose, and oftentimes tie them to the pallets. Alas! at that moment, tell me, does no recollection of hell come over thee? What? dost thou strip thy handmaid, and expose her to thy husband? And art thou not ashamed, lest he should condemn thee for it? And then dost thou exasperate him yet more, and threaten to put her in chains, having first taunted the wretched and pitiable creature with ten thousand reproachful names, and called her ‘Thessalian witch, runaway, and prostitute?’ For her passion allows her not to spare even her own mouth, but she looks to one single object, how she may wreak her vengeance on the other, however she may disgrace herself. And then after all these things forsooth, she will sit in state like any tyrant, and call her children, and summon her foolish husband, and treat him as a hangman. Ought these things to take place in the houses of Christians? ‘Aye,’ say ye, ‘but they are a troublesome, audacious, impudent, incorrigible race.’ True, I know it myself, but there are other ways to keep them in order; by terrors, by threats, by words; which may both touch her more powerfully, and save thee from disgrace. Thou who art a gentlewoman hast uttered foul words, and thou disgracest thyself no less than her. Then if she shall have occasion to go out to the bath, there are bruises on her back when she is naked, and she carries about with her the marks of thy cruelty. ‘But,’ say ye, ‘the whole tribe of slaves is intolerable if it meet with indulgence.’ True, I know it myself. But then, as I was saying, correct them in some other way, not by the scourge only, and by terror, but even by encouragement, and by acts of kindness. If she is a believer, she is thy sister. Consider that thou art her mistress, and that she ministers unto thee. If she be intemperate, cut off the temptations to drunkenness, call thy husband, and admonish her. Or dost thou not feel how disgraceful a thing it is for a woman to be beaten? They at least who have enacted ten thousand punishments for men,—the stake, and the rack,—will scarcely ever hang a woman, but limit men’s anger to smiting her on the cheek; and so great delicacy have they observed towards the sex, that not even when there is absolute necessity will they hang a woman, especially if she happen to be pregnant. For it is a disgrace for a man to strike a woman; and if for a man, much more for one of her own sex. It is moreover by these things that women become odious to their husbands. ‘What then,’ ye may say, ‘if she shall act the harlot?’ Marry her to an husband, cut off the temptations to fornication, suffer her not to be too high fed. ‘What then, if she shall steal?’ Take care of her, and watch her.—’Extravagant!’ thou wilt say; ‘What, am I to be her keeper?’ How absurd! And why, I pray, art thou not to be her keeper? Has she not a soul as well as thou? Has she not been vouchsafed the same privileges by God? Does she not partake of the same table? Does she not share with thee the same high birth? ‘But what then,’ ye will say, ‘if she shall be a railer, or a gossip, or a drunkard?’ Yet how many free women are such? Now, God hath charged men to bear with all the failings of women: only, He saith, let not a woman be an harlot, and bear every other failing besides. Yea, be she drunkard, or railer, or gossip, or evil eyed, or extravagant, and a squanderer of thy substance, thou hast her for the partner of thy life. Thou art bound to regulate her. It is for this thou art the head. Regulate her therefore, do thy own part. Yea and if she remain incorrigible, yea though she steal, take care of thy goods, be not so eager to punish her. If she be a gossip, silence her. This is the very highest philosophy.
Now, however, some are come to such a height of indecency as to uncover the head, and to drag their maidservants by the hair.—Why do ye all blush? I am not addressing myself to all, but to those who are carried away into such brutal conduct. Paul saith, Let not a woman be uncovered. And dost thou then entirely strip off her head-dress? Dost thou see how thou art doing outrage to thyself? At least, if she makes her appearance to thee with her head bare, thou callest it an insult. And dost thou say that there is nothing shocking when thou barest it thyself? Then ye will say, ‘what if she be not corrected?’ Chasten her then with the rod and with stripes. And yet how many failings hast thou also thyself, and yet art not thou corrected! These things I am saying not for their sakes, but for the sake of you free-women, that ye do nothing so unworthy, nothing to disgrace you, that ye do yourselves no wrong. If thou wilt learn this lesson in thy household in dealing with thy maidservant, and not be harsh but gentle and forbearing, much more wilt thou be so in thy behaviour to thy husband. For if, where thou hast the power, thou shalt evince that such is not thy practice, much less where there is a check, wilt thou do any thing of the sort. So that the discipline employed about your maidservants, will be of the greatest service to you in gaining the kind affection of your husbands. For with what measure ye mete withal, He saith, it shall be measured unto you again. Set a bridle upon thy mouth. If thou art disciplined to bear the provocations of a servant, thou wilt not be annoyed with the insolence of an equal, and in being above annoyance, wilt have attained to the highest philosophy. But some there are who add even oaths, but there is nothing more shocking than a woman so enraged. But what again, ye will say, if she dress gaily? Why then, check this, and thou hast my consent; but check it by first beginning with thyself, not so much by way of warning, as by example. Be in every thing thyself a perfect pattern.
And let evil speaking, saith he, be put away from you. Observe the progress of mischief. Bitterness produces wrath, wrath anger, anger clamour, clamour evil-speaking, that is, revilings; next from evil-speaking it goes on to blows, from blows to wounds, from wounds to death. Paul, however, did not wish to mention any of these, but only this, let this, saith he, be put away from you, with all malice. What is with all malice? This is said, because all malice ends in this way. For there are some, like those dogs that bite in the dark, which do not bark at all at those that come near them, nor are angry, but which fawn, and display a gentle aspect; but when they catch us off our guard, will fix their teeth in us. These are more dangerous than those that take up open enmity. Now since there are men too that are dogs, who neither cry out, nor fly in a passion, or threaten us when they are offended, yet in secret are weaving plots, and contriving ten thousand mischiefs, and revenging themselves not in words but in deeds, he hints at these. Let those things be put away from you, saith he, with all malice. Do not spare thy words, and then revenge thyself in acts. My purpose in chastising my tongue and curtailing its clamour, is to prevent its kindling up a more violent blaze. But if thou without any clamour art doing the same thing, and art cherishing the lighted wood and the live coals within, where is the good of thy silence? Dost thou not know, that those conflagrations are the most destructive of all which are fed within, and appear not to those that are without? And that those wounds are the deadliest which never break out to the surface; and those fevers the worst which burn up the vitals? So also is this anger the most dangerous that preys upon the soul. But let this too be put away from you, saith he, with all malice, of every kind and degree, great and little. Let us then hearken to him, let us cast out all bitterness and all malice, that we grieve not the Holy Spirit. Let us destroy all bitterness in its foundation; let us cut it up by the very roots. Nothing good, nothing healthful, can ever come from a bitter soul; nothing but misfortunes, nothing but tears, nothing but weeping and wailing. Do ye not see those beasts that roar or cry out, how we turn away from them; the lion, for instance, and the bear? But not so from the sheep; for there is no roaring, but a mild and gentle voice. And so again with musical instruments, those which are loud and harsh are the most unpleasant to the ear, such as the drum and trumpet; whereas those which are not so, but are soothing, these are pleasant, as the flute and lyre and pipe. Let us then attune our soul so as never to cry aloud, and thus shall we be enabled also to gain the mastery over our anger. And when we have cut out this, we ourselves shall be the first to enjoy the calm, and we shall sail into that peaceful haven, which God grant we may all attain, in Jesus Christ our Lord, with Whom, together with the Holy Ghost, be unto the Father, glory, might, and honour, now, and ever, and throughout all ages. Amen.