But Call To Remembrance The Former Days, In Which After Ye Were Illuminated, Ye Endured A Great Fight Of Afflictions; Pa
HOMILY XXI
HEB. 10:32–34.
BUT CALL TO REMEMBRANCE THE FORMER DAYS, IN WHICH AFTER YE WERE ILLUMINATED, YE ENDURED A GREAT FIGHT OF AFFLICTIONS; PARTLY, WHILST YE WERE MADE A GAZING STOCK BOTH BY REPROACHES AND AFFLICTIONS, AND PARTLY WHILST YE BECAME COMPANIONS OF THEM THAT WERE SO USED. FOR YE HAD COMPASSION ON THOSE WHO WERE IN BONDS, AND TOOK JOYFULLY THE SPOILING OF YOUR GOODS, KNOWING THAT YE HAVE FOR YOURSELVES IN HEAVEN A BETTER AND AN ENDURING SUBSTANCE.
THE best Physicians after they have made a deep incision, and by the wound have caused the pains to be more intense, soothing the afflicted part, and giving rest and refreshment to the disturbed soul, proceed not to make a second incision, but rather soothe that which has been made with gentle remedies, and such as are calculated to remove the violence of the pain. This Paul also did after he had shaken and cast down their souls, and pierced them with the recollection of Hell, and convinced them, that beyond all doubt he must perish, who does despite to the grace of God, and after he had shewn from the laws of Moses, that they shall be destroyed and that too in a higher degree; and confirmed it by other testimonies, and had said, It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God: then, in order that the soul might not despond through excessive fear, and be swallowed up with grief, he soothes them by his commendations and his exhortation; and he applies [as a remedy] zeal derived from their own conduct. For, he saith, call to remembrance the former days, in which after ye had been enlightened, ye endured a great fight of afflictions. Powerful is the exhortation which is derived from deeds [already done]: for he who begins a work ought to go forward and add to it. It is as if he had said, when ye were brought in [to the Church], when ye were in the rank of learners, ye displayed so great readiness of mind, so great nobleness, but now it is no longer so. And he who encourages, does thus especially encourage them from their own example.
And he did not simply say, ye endured a fight but a great [fight]. Moreover he did not say “temptations” but fight, which is an expression of commendation and of very great praises.
Then he also enumerates them particularly, amplifying his discourse, and multiplying his praises. How? Partly (saith he) whilst ye were made a gazing-stock by reproaches and afflictions, for reproach is a great thing, and calculated to pervert the soul, and to darken the judgment. For hear what the prophet saith: While they daily say unto me, Where is thy God? And again, If the enemy had reproached me, I would have borne it. For inasmuch as the race of men are exceedingly vain-glorious, for this cause are they also easily overcome hereby.
And he did not simply say by reproaches, but expressed that even with great intensifying, being made a gazing-stock [a public display]. For when a person is reproached being by himself, it is indeed painful, but far more so when it is in presence of all. For tell me how great an evil was it, that men who had departed from the meanness of Judaism, and gone over, as it were, to the best course of life, and despised the things of their fathers, should be ill treated by their own people, and have no help!
[2.] I cannot say (saith he) that ye even suffered these things and were grieved, but ye even rejoiced exceedingly. And this he expressed by saying, Whilst ye became companions of them that were so used, and he brings forward the very Apostles themselves. Not only (he means) were ye not ashamed of your own sufferings, but ye even shared with the others who had suffered these things. This too is the language of one who is encouraging and exhorting them. He said not Bear my afflictions, share with me, but respect your own afflictions.
Ye had compassion on them that were in bonds. Thou seest that he is speaking concerning himself and the rest who were in prison. Thus ye did not account bonds to be bonds: but as noble wrestlers so stood ye: for not only did ye need no consolation in your own [distresses], but ye also even became a consolation to others.
And ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods. O! what full assurance of faith! Then he also sets down the motive, not only exhorting them for their struggles, but also that they should not be shaken from the Faith. When ye saw your property plundered (he means) ye endured; for already ye saw Him who is invisible, as though He were visible: which was the effect of genuine faith, and ye displayed your faith by your deeds themselves.
Well then, the plundering was perhaps dependent on the force of the plunderers, and no man could have prevented it; so that as yet it is not manifest, that ye endured the plundering for the faith’s sake (Although this too is manifest. For it was in your power if you had wished it, not to have been plundered, by not believing). But ye did what is far greater than this; the enduring such things even with joy; which was altogether apostolical, and worthy of those noble souls, who rejoiced when they had been scourged. For, it says, they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the Name. But he that endures with joy, shews that he has some reward, and that the matter is no loss but a gain to him.
Moreover the expression ye took unto yourselves shews their voluntary endurance, because, he means, ye chose and accepted.
Knowing (he saith) that ye have for yourselves, a better substance in heaven and an enduring; instead of saying, firm, not perishing, as this [earthly substance] is.
[3.] In the next place after having praised them, he says, (ver. 35) Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. What meanest thou? he did not say, ‘ye have cast it away, and recover it:’ but, which tended much more to strengthen them, ‘ye have it,’ he saith. For to recover again that which has been cast away, requires more labour: whereas not to lose that which is held fast does not. But to the Galatians he says the very opposite: My children, of whom I travail in birth again, till Christ be formed in you; and with reason; for they were rather supine in disposition: whence they needed a sharper word; but these were more faint-hearted, so that they rather needed what was more soothing.
Cast not away therefore (saith he) your confidence, so that they were in great confidence towards God, which hath (he saith) great recompence of reward. “And when shall we receive them (some one might say)? behold! all things [which were to be done] by ourselves have been [done]:” on this account he anticipated them on their own supposition, all but saying, If ye know that ye have in heaven a better substance, seek nothing here.
For ye have need of patience, not of any addition [to your labours], that ye may continue in the same state, that ye may not cast away what has been put into your hands. Ye have no need of anything else, but only so to stand as ye have stood, that when ye have come to the end, ye may receive the promise.
(ver. 36) For (he saith) ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God; ye may receive the promise. Ye have need of one thing only, to bear with the delay; not, to fight again. Ye are [close] at the very crown (he means); ye have borne all the combats of bonds, of afflictions; your goods have been spoiled. What then? Henceforward ye are standing to be crowned: endure this only, the delay of the crown. O the greatness of the consolation! It is as if one should speak to an athlete who had overthrown all, and had no antagonist, and then was to be crowned, and yet endured not that time, during which the president of the games comes, and places the crown [upon him]; and as if he were unable to endure patiently, was wishing to go out, and escape as though he could not bear the thirst and the heat.
He then also hinting this what does he say? (ver 37) Yet a little while and He that cometh will come, and will not tarry. For lest they should say, And when will He come? he comforts them from the Scriptures. For thus also when he says in another place, Now is our salvation nearer, he comforts them on the ground that the time which remained was but short. And this he says not of himself but from the Scriptures. But if from that time it was said, Yet a little while, and He that cometh will come, and will not tarry, it is manifest that now He is nearer at hand. Wherefore also to wait [for Him] is no small reward.
(ver. 38) But the just (he saith) shall live by faith, and if he draw back, My soul hath no pleasure in him. This is a great encouragement, when one points out that they have succeeded in the whole matter and are losing it through a little indolence. (ver. 39) But we are not of them that draw back unto perdition, but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
[4.] (ch. 11:1, 2) But faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. O what an expression has he used, in saying, an evidence of things not seen. For [we say] there is evidence, in the case of things that are exceedingly manifest. Faith then is the seeing things not evident (he means), and brings what are not seen to the same full assurance with what are seen. So then neither is it possible to disbelieve in things which are seen, nor, on the other hand can there be faith, unless a man be more clearly convinced with respect to things invisible, than he is with respect to things that are seen. For inasmuch as the objects of hope seem to be unsubstantial, Faith gives them substantiality, or rather, does not give it, but is itself their substance. For instance, the Resurrection has not come, nor does it exist substantially, but hope brings it into substantial existence in our soul. This is [the meaning of] the substance of things.
If therefore it is an evidence of things not seen, why forsooth do you wish to see them, so as to fall away from faith, and from being just? since the just shall live by faith, whereas ye, if ye wish to see these things, are no longer believing. Ye have laboured (saith he), ye have, struggled: I too allow this, nevertheless, wait; for this is Faith: do not seek the whole here.
[5.] These things were indeed said to the Hebrews, but they are a general exhortation [suited] to many also of those who are here assembled. How, and in what way? to those who are fainthearted; to those who are mean-spirited. For when they see the wicked prospering, and themselves faring ill, they are troubled, they bear it impatiently: while they long for the chastisement of the others, and the inflicting vengeance on them; while they wait for the rewards of their own sufferings. For yet a little time, and He that cometh will come.
Let us then also say this to the slothful: Doubtless there will be punishment; doubtless He will come, henceforth the events of the Resurrection are even at the doors.
Whence [does] that [appear] (you say)? I do not say, From the prophets; for neither is my discourse now addressed to Christians only; but even should there be a heathen here, I am perfectly confident, and bring forward my proofs, and will instruct him. How (you say)?
Christ foretold many things. If those former things did not come to pass, then neither do thou believe these; But if they all came to pass, why dost thou doubt concerning those that remain? Although it were very unreasonable, if nothing had come to pass, to believe concerning those former ones, or when they all have come to pass, to disbelieve these others.
But I will make the matter more plain by an example. Christ said, that Jerusalem should be taken, and should be so taken as never was any city before, and that it should never be raised up any more: and in fact this prediction came to pass. He said, that there should be great tribulation, and it came to pass. He said that like a grain of mustard seed that is sown, so should the preaching [of the Gospel] be extended: and every day we see this running over the world. He said, that they who have left father or mother, or brethren, or sisters, should have both fathers and mothers; And this we see fulfilled in facts. He said, in the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world, that is, no man shall get the better of you. And this we see by the events has really come to pass. He said that the gates of hell shall not prevail against the Church, and that, although it is persecuted, and that no one shall quench the Preaching [of the Gospel]: and the experience of events bears witness to this prediction also: and yet at that time when He said these things, it was very hard to believe Him. Wherefore? because all was [but] words, and He had not as yet given any proofs of the things which had been spoken. So that they now are become far more credible. He said that when the Gospel should have been preached among all the nations, then the end shall come, and lo! now we have arrived at the end: for the greater part of the world hath been preached to, henceforth therefore the end is at hand. Let us tremble, beloved.
[6.] But what, tell me. Art thou anxious about the end of all things? For while it also itself is near, each man’s life and his death is much nearer. For it is said, the days of our years, in them are seventy years; but if [one be] in strength, fourscore years [&c] The day of judgment is near. Let us fear. A brother doth not redeem; shall man redeem? There we shall repent exceedingly, but in death no man shall confess unto Him. Wherefore he saith, Let us prevent His presence with confession, that is, His coming. For here [in this life] indeed, whatever we do has efficacy; but there, no longer. Tell me, if a man placed us for a little while in a flaming furnace, should we not submit to anything in order to escape, even were it necessary to part with our money, nay to undergo slavery? How many are there that have fallen into grievous diseases, who would gladly have chosen to give up all, to be delivered from them, if the choice had been offered them? If in this world then, a disease which can be but of short duration so afflicts us, what shall we do yonder, when repentance will be of no avail?
[7.] Of how many evils are we now full, without being conscious of them? We bite one another, we devour one another, in wronging, accusing, calumniating, being vexed by the credit of our neighbours.
And observe their mischievousness. When a man wishes to destroy the character of his neighbour, he says, ‘Such an one said this of him; O God, forgive me, do not call me to a strict account, I must give account of what I have heard.’ Why then dost thou speak of it at all, if thou dost not believe it? why dost thou repeat it? why dost thou make it credible by its being often reported? why dost thou pass on the story which is not true? Thou dost not believe it, and thou entreatest God not to call thee to strict account? Do not repeat it then, but keep silence, and so free thyself from all fear.
But I know not from whence this disease has fallen upon men. We are become tattlers, nothing remains in our mind. Hear the exhortation of a wise man who saith, Hast thou heard a word? let it die in thee, be bold; it will not burst thee. And again, A fool heareth a word, and travaileth, as a woman in labour of a child. We are ever ready to make accusations, prepared for condemning. Even if no other evil thing had been done by us, this were sufficient to ruin us, and to carry us away to Hell, this involves us in ten thousand evils. And that thou mayest know this certainly, hear what the prophet saith, Thou satest and spakest against thy brother.
But it is not I, you say, but the other [who told me]. Nay rather, it is thyself; for if thou hadst not repeated it, another would not have heard it: or even if he must have heard it, yet still thou wouldest not have been the person to be blamed for the sin. When we ought to shade over and conceal the failings of our neighbours, thou notwithstanding paradest them under a shew of zeal for goodness. Thou becomest, not an accuser, but a gossip, a trifler, a fool. O what cleverness! without being aware of it, thou art bringing disgrace upon thyself as well as on him.
And consider how great are the evils which arise from this. Thou provokest the wrath of God. Dost thou not hear Paul saying about widows, they not only (these are his words) learn to be idle, but tattlers also and busy-bodies, going about from house to house, and speaking things which they ought not. So that even when thou believest the things which are said against thy brother, thou oughtest not even in that case to speak of them; much less, when thou dost not believe them.
But thou [forsooth] lookest to thine own interest? thou fearest to be called to strict account by God? Fear then, lest even for thy tattling thou be called to strict account. For here, thou canst not say, ‘O God call me not to a strict account for [my] light talking:’ for the whole matter is light talking. Why didst thou publish it? why didst thou increase the evil? This is sufficient to destroy us. On this account Christ said, Judge not, that ye be not judged.
But we pay no regard to this, neither are we brought to our senses by what happened to the Pharisee. He said what was true, I am not as this Publican, he said it too in no man’s hearing: yet was he condemned. If he were condemned when he said what was true, and uttered it in no man’s hearing, what fearful [punishment] shall not they suffer, who like gossiping women, carry about every where [stories] that are false, and which they do not themselves believe? what shall they not have to endure?
[8.] Henceforward let us set a door and a bolt before our mouth. For innumerable evils have arisen from tattling; families have been ruined, friendships torn asunder, innumerable other miseries have happened. Busy not thyself, O man, about the affairs of thy neighbour.
But thou art a talkative person and thou hast a weakness [in this respect]? Talk of thine own [faults] to God: thus thy defect will be no longer a defect, but an advantage. Talk of thy own faults to thy friends, those who are thorough friends and righteous men, and in whom thou hast confidence, that so they may pray for thy sins. If thou speak of the [sins] of others, thou art nowise profited, neither hast thou gained anything, but hast ruined thyself. If thou acknowledgest thy own [sins] to the Lord, great is thy reward: for one says, I said, I will confess against myself mine iniquity to the Lord, and Thou forgavest the impiety of my heart.
Dost thou wish to judge? judge thine own sins. No one will accuse thee, if thou condemn thyself: but he will accuse thee, if thou do not condemn thyself: he will accuse thee, unless thou convict thyself; will accuse thee of insensibility. Thou hast seen such an one in anger, irritated, doing something else that is unreasonable? Do thou thyself also at once turn thy thoughts on thy own [faults]: and thus thou wilt not vehemently condemn him, and wilt free thyself from the load of thy past transgressions. If we thus regulate our own conduct, if we thus manage our own life, if we condemn ourselves, we shall probably not commit many sins, and we shall do many good things, being fair and moderate; and shall enjoy all the things that have been promised to them that love God: to which may all attain, by the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father and also to the Holy Ghost, be glory power honour, now and for ever and world without end. Amen.