End Of Book Ii.
CHAPTER VIII
Chrysostom even freed his friends from blame by his flight
157. For if not all, yet those to whom it is a pleasure to speak evil, would then have had many grounds to cherish suspicion and to talk of me if I had been ordained, and of those who elected me. Thus,—that they regard wealth, that they admire splendour of rank, and that because they were flattered by me they brought me to this honour: I cannot say whether any one would have suspected even this—that they had been persuaded by bribes.
158. Moreover, (they would have said) “Christ called fishermen and tentmakers to this dignity; but these despise such as are supported by their daily labour, whereas if anyone embraces external learning, and is supported in idleness, they accept and admire him. Why forsooth, have they overlooked those who have endured abundant drudgery for the service of the church, but all at once exalted to this honour one who never tasted labours of this sort, and wasted all his youth in the vain pursuit of external learning?”
159. This and more than this they would have said, had I received the office; but not now; for all pretext of accusation is cut off from them. Nor can they accuse me of flattery or them of venality, save such as may merely wish to rave.
160. For how should he who flattered and bribed in order to obtain an honour, leave it to others, just when he might have received it? This would be as if a man who had expended much labour on a piece of land that its crop might bow down with weight of fruit, and the presses overflow with wine, after innumerable toils, and much expenditure of money, should relinquish to others the produce of his crops just when he ought to reap his corn and gather his vintage.
161. You see that even if what was said was far from the truth, yet still those who desired to slander would have a pretext, as that they had not made the election with just judgment and reason. But I have not allowed them now either to gape, or even to open their mouth. Such otherwise would have been their sayings at the outset, and more than these.
162. But after receiving the ministry, I should not have been competent to defend myself daily against those who uttered accusations, even if I had done everything blamelessly: not to say that I must have had many faults, in consequence of inexperience, and of my youth: but now I have relieved them of this accusation, whereas then I should have involved them in countless reproaches.
163. What would they not have said? “They have committed to thoughtless youths such great and admirable affairs; they have defiled the flock of God; Christian interests have become a sport and a laughing-stock.” But now, “all iniquity shall stop her mouth;” and if they should also say these things about you, nevertheless you will speedily teach them by your deeds, that men ought not to estimate wisdom by age, nor to test the elder by his grey head; nor wholly to exclude the young man from this ministry, but the novice; and there is a great difference between the two.