Table of Contents

THE WORKS OF OUR HOLY FATHER JOHN CHRYSOSTOM, ARCHBISHOP OF CONSTANTINOPLE. COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS.

ARGUMENT

Ephesus is a metropolis of Asia. It was dedicated to Diana, and they worshipped her there especially as, so to speak, a greater goddess; and so great a superstition did those who honoured her practice, that they would not even make known the name of him who had burned her temple, for it was burned. Also, the blessed John the Evangelist spent much time there; for he was even exiled there, and died there. And Paul also left Timothy there, as he says, writing to him: "As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus." And many philosophers, especially those who flourished in Asia, were there. It is said that Pythagoras was from there, for Samos, whence he was, is an Ionian island. And one might still even now find many philosophers there who follow Parmenides and Zeno and Democritus. We have not said these things simply, but to show that Paul needed much diligence in writing to them. It is said that he entrusted to them the deeper concepts, as they were already instructed. The Epistle is full of high thoughts and doctrines.

He writes the Epistle from Rome, being in chains, as he himself says: "Pray for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the Gospel, for which I am an ambassador in bonds." It is full of thoughts that are very high and sublime. For the things which he had almost nowhere else uttered, these he declares here, as when he says: "To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God"; and again, "And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places"; and, "Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit, that the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ."

HOMILY I

"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ."

1. Behold, the "by" he has attributed to the Father. What then? Shall we say that He is lesser? By no means. "To the saints," he says, "which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus." Behold, he calls them saints, men having children and wives and servants. That he calls these such, is plain from the end of the Epistle, as when he says: "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands"; and again, "Children, obey your parents"; and, "Servants, obey your masters." Let us consider how much slothfulness now occupies us, and how rare are the things of virtue, and how great was the abundance of that time of virtuous men, so that even secular men were called saints and faithful.

"Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ." He spoke of grace, and called God Father; for this is the proof of that grace. How? Hear him saying elsewhere: "And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." "And from the Lord Jesus Christ." For our sake Christ came to be, and was seen in the flesh. "Blessed be the God"

he says, "and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." Behold, the God of Him who took on flesh. But if you do not desire this, He is the Father of the Word of God who blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. He hints here at the Jewish blessing; for that was a blessing indeed, but not spiritual. For what did it say? "The Lord will bless you," "He will bless the fruit of your womb," and "He will bless your coming in and your going out" (Num. 6; Deut. 7:13). But here it is not so; but what? "With every spiritual blessing." For what is still lacking to you? You have become immortal, you have become free, you have become a son, you have become just, you have become a brother, you have become a fellow heir; you reign with Him, you are glorified with Him; He has bestowed all things upon you freely. How will He not also, with Him, give us all things? (Rom. 8:32). Your firstfruits are adored by angels, by Cherubim and Seraphim; what is still lacking? "With every spiritual blessing." There is nothing carnal here. Therefore, having said those things, He removed all that, saying, "In the world you will have tribulation" (John 16:33). For just as those under the old law had carnal things and could not hear of spiritual things, so those who attain to spiritual things cannot attain them unless they first depart from carnal ones. What is the "spiritual blessing in the heavenly places"? It is not on earth, he says, as it was among the Jews: "You shall eat the good things of the earth" (Isa. 1:19); and, "Into a land flowing with milk and honey" (Exod. 3:8; Deut. 15:4). But here there is nothing of this sort; but what? "He who loves Me, will keep My commandments, and I and the Father will come to him and make our home with him" (John 14:23). "Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them, will be likened to a wise man who built his house upon the rock, and the winds blew, and the rivers came, and they beat against that house, and it did not fall; for it was founded upon the rock" (Matt. 7:24-25). And what is the rock, if not heavenly things, which are above any change? "For whoever confesses Me," He says, "before men, I also will confess him before My Father who is in heaven. And whoever denies Me, I also will deny him" (Matt. 10:32-33). And, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" (Matt. 5:8); and again, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (v. 3); and again, "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for your reward is great in heaven" (v. 10). You see heaven everywhere, nowhere earth, nor things on earth. And again: "Our citizenship is in heaven, from where we also await the Savior, the Lord Jesus" (Phil. 3:20). "In Christ Jesus." That is, through Christ Jesus; it was not through Moses that this blessing came. Wherefore we excel not only in quality, but also in the Mediator. As he also says in the Epistle to the Hebrews: "And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house, as a minister for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken; but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are" (Heb. 3:5-6). ^C 4. "Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him." This is what he says: By whom He blessed us, by Him He also chose us. He Himself, therefore, will give us all things there; He is the Judge, and He will say: "Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" (Matt. 25:34); and again, "Where I am, I want them also to be" (John 17:24). ^D Now in almost all the Epistles he is eager to show that our things are not new, but were formed and expressed long ago; and that it was not by a change of mind on God's part, but that things were thus dispensed and predestined. And this is of great providence. What is "He chose in Him"? Through faith in Him, Christ accomplished this brilliantly before we were made, or rather, before the world was founded. He rightly called the foundation [Greek: katabolē], i.e., dejection, as if showing that it was cast down from some great height. Great indeed, and ineffable, is the height of God, not in location, but that His nature is raised above all things; and great is the chasm between the created thing and the Creator. Let the heretics be ashamed

on hearing these things.

The choosing, and evidence of God's philanthropy and their own virtue.

^A His coming to bring us from enmity to adoption, is truly a work of surpassing love. In love, he says, having predestined us unto adoption through Jesus Christ unto Himself. Do you see how there is nothing without Christ? How there is nothing without the Father? The one predestined, the other brought us near. And he puts these things forward, exalting what has been done, just as he says elsewhere: Not only so, but we also boast through our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:11). For great indeed are the things given, but they become much greater by being given through Christ; for He did not send any of His servants to the servants, but the Only-Begotten Himself. According to the good pleasure, he says, of His will; that is, because He exceedingly willed it. His desire, as one might say, is this: for everywhere "good pleasure" is the primary will. For there is also another will; for example, the first will is that those who have sinned should not perish; the second will is that those who have become evil should perish. For He does not punish them by necessity, but by will. Such a thing one might observe also in Paul, as when he says: I wish all men to be even as myself (1 Cor. 7:7); and again, I wish the younger women to marry, to bear children (1 Tim. 5:14). Therefore, he calls the first will "good pleasure," the vehement will, the will with desire, the "persuasion"—for I shall not refrain from using a more common word for the sake of the clarity of the simpler ones; for thus we also, declaring the intensity of a will, say, "According to our persuasion." What he says, then, is this: He greatly longs for, He greatly desires our salvation. ^B For what reason, then, does He love us so, and whence does He so cherish us? From goodness alone; for grace is of goodness. For this reason he says, He predestined us unto adoption, willing, and exceedingly wishing this, that the glory of His grace might be shown. According to the good pleasure of His will, he says, to the praise of the glory of His grace, in which He made us accepted in the Beloved. That the glory of His grace might be shown, he says, in which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

3. Therefore, if He made us accepted for this, to the praise of the glory of His grace, and that He might show His grace, let us remain in it. To the praise of His glory. What is this? That someone might praise Him? That someone might glorify Him? We, angels, archangels, but the whole creation? And what of that? Nothing; for the Divine is in need of nothing. For what reason then does He wish to be praised and glorified by us? So that our love toward Him might become warmer. For He longs for nothing from us except our salvation alone, not ministry, not glory, not anything else, and He does everything for this. For one who praises and admires the grace that has been shown to him will be more attentive and more zealous. In which He made us accepted (ἐχαρίτωσεν), he says. He did not say, "which He gave (ἐχαρίσατο)," but, "He made us accepted (ἐχαρίτωσεν)"; that is, He not only freed us from sins, but He also rendered us lovely. Just as if one were to take someone covered in sores, and destroyed by pestilence and disease, and by old age and poverty and famine, and immediately were to produce a young person of perfect form, surpassing all men in beauty, and ^C indeed shedding brilliant rays from his cheeks, and hiding the sun's glittering beams with the shafts of his eyes, and then were to establish him in the very prime of youth, and after that were to clothe him in purple and a diadem and all the royal adornment: so he adorned our soul, and made it beautiful and desirable and lovely. For angels desire to gaze upon such a soul, archangels, all the other powers. Thus He made us both full of grace and desirable to Himself. For, he says, the King will desire your beauty (Ps. 44:12). For see what kind of things we were saying before this that were harmful, what kind of full-of-grace words we speak now. We no longer admire wealth, no longer the things here, but the celestial things and those which are in the heavens. Do we not say that that child is gracious, who, along with the bloom of the body, also has much grace in his words? Such are the faithful. See what kind of things those who are initiated speak. For what would be more gracious than that mouth which utters the marvelous words, and with a pure heart and pure lips partakes of such a mystical table with much brilliance and boldness? What is more gracious than the words by which we renounce the devil? By which we covenant ourselves to Christ? That confession before the washing? That after the washing? Let us consider, as many of us as have corrupted our baptism, and let us mourn, so that we may be able to receive it back again. Through the Beloved, he says, in whom we have redemption through His blood. How? Not only that He gave the Son to be wondered at, ^D but also in this way, that the Loved One Himself was to be slain. Great is the excess—He gave the Loved One for the hated. See how much He honors us. If, when we hated Him and were enemies, He gave the Loved One; what will He not do from now on, when we are reconciled to Him through grace? The forgiveness, he says, of transgressions. He comes down from above to below: having first spoken of adoption and sanctification and being blameless, and then the passion, not diminishing, nor leading the discourse from great things to small, but ascending from small things to great. For nothing is so great as that the blood of God should be poured out for us; and this is greater than the adoption and the other gifts, that He did not even spare the Son. For it is a great thing to be forgiven of sins, but it is a greater thing to be forgiven through the blood of the Master. For that this is much greater than all things, see how even here he cried out, saying: According to the riches of His grace, which He caused to abound toward us. For that too is wealth, but this is much more. Which He caused to abound, he says, toward us. And riches, and, He caused to abound, that is, it was poured out ineffably. It is not possible to represent in words what we have experienced through deeds. For it is wealth, wealth abounding, wealth not of men, but of God, so that from every side it is impossible for it to be described. And showing how He gave it in abundance, In all wisdom and prudence, he says, having made known to us the mystery of His will; that is, having made us wise and prudent with the true wisdom, the true prudence.

^A For He has made known to us all His mysteries. Of His will, he says; as if he were to say, He has made known to us things which were in His own heart: for this is the mystery, which is full of all wisdom and prudence. For what greater thing than this wisdom will you mention? He found those who were of no worth, and He brought them to such riches. What can be equated to this adroit readiness? Who was an enemy, who was hated, is suddenly lifted up on high. And not this alone, but also in this time; and this was of wisdom, and that it was through the cross. A lengthy discourse here offers itself to show how this was of wisdom, and how He made us wise. ^B According to His good pleasure, he says, which He proposed in Him. That is, this He desired, this He was travailing for, that He might be able to speak the mystery to us in this way. What mystery? That He wishes for man to be seated with the powers above. But this was done, ^C In the dispensation of the fullness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, both those in heaven and those on earth in Him. For the things of heaven had been cut off from the things of earth, they did not have one head. For as far as the account of creation was concerned, there was one God; but as far as the account of reconciliation was concerned, not so: for with the error of the nations spread abroad, they had been cut off from His obedience. In the dispensation, he says, of the fullness of the times. He called the fullness of the times itself the dispensation. See how accurately he speaks. And when he had shown that from the Father came the principle, the purpose, the counsel, the first impulse; and from Christ came the completion accomplished through works: he nowhere calls Him a minister. He chose us, he says, in Him, having predestinated us to the adoption of sons through Jesus Christ in Him, and to the praise of the glory of His grace: in whom we have redemption through His blood, which He proposed in the dispensation of the fullness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ. And nowhere did he say He was a minister. But if "in" and "through" indicate ministers, see what the matter comes to. For at the beginning of the Epistle he said, By the will of the Father. The Father, he says, willed; the Son worked. But neither is the Son outside of operation because the Father willed; nor is the Father deprived of will because the Son worked; but the things of the Father and of the Son are common: for All that is mine is yours, He says, and yours are mine. The fullness of the times was His advent. Since, therefore, He had made all things, both through angels, and through prophets, and through the law, and it profited nothing; and there was a danger that man had been made in vain, that he had been brought forth in vain, indeed rather to his own ruin, with all perishing even more than in the flood, He discovered this dispensation, which is made through grace, so that he might not have been created in vain and to no purpose. This fullness of times he calls also wisdom. Why? Because, when they were most about to perish, then they were saved. ^D To sum up, he says. What is to sum up? To join together. But let us strive to approach as closely to the truth itself as possible. For by us indeed, as is held in custom, it is said that an "anakephalaiosis" is to contract into a brief space things that have been said at length, and to state all things that have been said at length in summary. For this is also the case: for things which were being dispensed for a long time, He summed up, that is, He reduced into a total. For the Word consummating, and shortening in righteousness, both comprehends those things, and adds others. This is an "anakephalaiosis" and bringing into a total. There is also another thing which is signified. What is this? He set one head for all, namely Christ according to the flesh, both for angels and for men: that is, and to the angels He gave one beginning, and to men, indeed, that which is according to the flesh, but to those others, God the Word. As if you were to speak of a house, which is partly rotten and weak, but partly valid and strong, He rebuilt the house, that is, He made it stronger, He set a stronger foundation: thus here too He subjected all to one head. For thus will there be unity, thus will the conjunction be accurate and perfect, when all things have been reduced under one head, having a certain necessary bond from above. Having been deemed worthy, therefore, of so great a gift, of so great honor, of so great kindness, let us not bring disgrace upon Him who conferred the benefit upon us, let us not make it so that such grace is in vain for us, let us show an angelic life and angelic virtue, and a manner of conducting life; and I pray and beseech, that all these things may not be for us unto judgment and condemnation, but unto the perception of benefits to be enjoyed: which may we all attain, by the grace and kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, power, and so forth.

HOMILY II

^A CAP. 1 v. 11. *In whom we also are called by lot, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things according to the counsel of his will*, 12. *that we may be unto the praise of his glory, who before hoped in Christ: 13. in whom you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also believing you were signed with the holy Spirit of promise, 14. who is the pledge of our inheritance, unto the redemption of acquisition, unto the praise of his glory.*

1. Paul has endeavored to show in every way the unspeakable love of God towards us, as far as it was possible for him. For that it is not possible to do so with accuracy, hear what he himself says: *O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are his judgments, and unsearchable his ways!* (Rom. 11:33). Nevertheless, he shows it as far as it is possible. What, then, is that which he says: *In whom we also are called by lot, being predestinated?* He said above, *He hath chosen us*. Here he says: *We were called by lot*. ^B But since a lot is a matter of chance, and not of choice or virtue—for it implies ignorance and accident, and often leaves aside those who are virtuous and brings forward those who are worth nothing; see how he corrects this. *Being predestinated*, he says, *according to the purpose of him who worketh all things.* That is to say: We were not called by lot simply, just as we were not chosen simply. For it is God who chose; nor were we called by lot simply, for it is God who ordained the lot; but it was according to his purpose. This is what he says also when writing in the Epistle to the Romans: *To them that are called according to his purpose. Whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified* (Rom. 8:28, 30). Having first said, *To them that are called according to his purpose*, wishing at once to manifest the excellence that is toward others, he also mentioned the "lot," so that he might not take away free will. What is therefore a matter of blessedness, he sets it down as such. For the lot is not a matter of virtue, but, as one might say, of fortune. As if he were to say: When a lot was cast, he chose us. And the whole means: We who were predestinated by his purpose, that is, he chose us and set us apart for himself. For instance, he saw us before we existed as having been obtained by lot. For wonderful is the foreknowledge of God, and ^C it knows all things before they come into being. But you, observe how he strives everywhere to show that this was not a matter of repentance, but that things were thus ordered from above, so that you should have nothing less than the Jews in this regard, and for this reason he does everything for this end. How then does Christ himself say, *I was not sent but to the sheep that are lost of the house of Israel* (Matt. 15:24)? And again he said to his disciples, *Go ye not into the way of the Gentiles, and into the cities of the Samaritans enter ye not* (Matt. 10:5)? And Paul himself again said, *To you it behooved us first to speak the word of God; but because you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold we turn to the Gentiles* (Acts 13:46). For this reason these things are said, so that no one might think that this happened as an afterthought. *According to the purpose*, he says, *of him who worketh all things according to the counsel of his will.* That is to say, he did not work nothing after these things, having ordered everything from above. Thus he himself brings the end *according to the counsel of his will*. So that it was not because the Jews did not pay attention that he called the Gentiles, nor was he compelled, nor did he start from that. *That we may be*, he says, *unto the praise of his glory, who before hoped in Christ: in whom you also, when you had heard the word ^D of truth, the gospel of your salvation.* That is, through whom. See how he makes Christ the cause of all things everywhere, and nowhere the name of a minister or servant; just as he says elsewhere, writing to the Hebrews, that *in times past he spoke to our fathers in the prophets, in these last days hath spoken to us in his Son* (Heb. 1:1, 2). That is, through his Son. *The word*, he says, *of truth*; no longer the word of the type, nor that of the image. *The gospel of your salvation.* And he rightly calls it the gospel of salvation, hinting at the one hand at the law, and at the other at the punishment to come. For the preaching is nothing else than the gospel of salvation, because it no longer destroys those who are worthy of being destroyed. *In whom also believing you were signed with the holy Spirit of promise, who is the pledge of our inheritance.* Again, there is a sign of much providence in being signed, not in being set apart, nor in being called by lot merely, but also in being signed. For just as if one were to make those who have fallen to his lot manifest, so also did God set us apart to believe, and signed us to inherit the things to come.

2. Do you see how, as time proceeds, he makes them admirable? For as long as they were in his foreknowledge, they were manifest to no one; but when they were signed, they became manifest, but not like us: for they will be [11] manifest except for a few. The Israelites were also signed, but by circumcision, just as the cattle and the irrational creatures; we were also signed, but as sons, by the Spirit. What is meant by *the Spirit of promise*? Either that we received him according to the promise. For there are two promises, one through the prophets, another from the Son; through the prophets: hear Joel saying, *I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams* (Joel 2:28): and hear again Christ saying: *And you shall receive the power of the holy Spirit coming upon you, and you shall be witnesses unto me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the extremity of the earth* (Acts 1:8). And yet, he says, it behooved him to be believed as God; but he does not insist upon this, but examines it as one would concerning a man, just as in the Epistle to the Hebrews, saying: *That by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have the strongest comfort* (Heb. 6:18). Thus also here he makes those things which have already been given a proof of the promise of things to come. For this reason he also calls it a pledge; for the pledge is a part of the whole. He purchased, at our expense, our salvation, and gave us the pledge for the time being. Why then did he not give the whole at once? Because we have not yet accomplished the whole. We believed: this is the beginning; he also gave the pledge for our...

^A inheritance.

Such was Paul, who had tasted here of what is there, and for that reason he was pressing on and travailing, desiring to let go of what is here; he was groaning, for he saw with other eyes, as one who had transferred his whole mind thither. You are not a partaker of the things there; therefore you fall short of the words. If we were all partakers of the Spirit, as we ought to be, we would see both the heavens and what the state is there. Whose pledge is it? Of the redemption, of the acquisition: for the redemption becomes pure then. For now, indeed, we are living in the world, and many human things befall us, and we are with the wicked; but the redemption is pure then, when there are no sins, nor human affections, nor are we mingled with all.

Now, however, it is a pledge. For even now we are removed from them, our citizenship is not upon the earth, and we are now outside of the present things, for we are also now strangers. *To the praise of his glory.* He puts this continually. For what reason? That it may be enough to produce faith in the hearers. For if, he says, he were doing these things for our sake, the matter would not be beyond doubt, but if for his own sake, and to show his own goodness, he puts forward as a kind of testimony the cause that these things were not done otherwise—which we see frequently said in the Israelites: *Do for us for thy name's sake* (Ps. cviii, 21), and again God himself was saying, *I do it for my own sake* (Isai. xlviii, 11), and Moses: *Do for us for thy name's sake, if for no other reason.* For this makes the hearers more certain and lifts them up, as those having learned that he will do everything he promises for the sake of his own goodness. But while we hear these things, let us not be sluggish and idle; for even if he does it for his own sake, he still demands our own from us as well. For if, *Those who glorify me I will glorify,* he says, *and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed* (1 Reg. ii, 30), let us consider that he demands our own from us also. And it is the praise of his glory, to save his enemies, but those who, after they have become friends, remain friends. But if they return to their former enmities, all things are done in vain and to no purpose.

^B For there is no other washing, no other reconciliation a second time, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and the emulation of fire which will devour the adversaries. For if, while we are always at enmity with him, we obtain pardon, we will not cease from being his enemies and indulging in pleasure and becoming worse, and being bereft of the Sun of righteousness who has arrived. Do you wish to receive the ray opening your eyes? Make them beautiful, healthy, keen. He shows you the true light: if you flee it and run to the darkness, what will be the excuse, what the pardon? None any longer; for this is the signal of an ineffable hatred. For when you did not know God, that you were his enemy, you were to be granted some pardon; but after you have tasted of his kindness and his honey, if, leaving these, you return to your own vomit, you show nothing else than great signs of hatred and contempt.

“No,” he says, “but nature brings necessity upon me, and although I love Christ, I am compelled by nature.” If you suffer necessity and force, you will be given pardon; but if you fall through sluggishness and negligence, you will not. Sins are not committed out of necessity.

Come, therefore, let us examine this very thing: whether sins come about out of necessity and violence, or out of much sluggishness and negligence. *Thou shalt not kill* (Exod. xx, 13), he says. What necessity, then? What violence drives one to it? Is it necessity, then, to kill? For who would, of his own accord, choose to dip his sword into the throat of his neighbor, and to bloody his right hand? No one. Do you see that, on the contrary, to sin is rather against necessity and violence? For God has implanted in our nature a certain power of love, so that we may love one another interchangeably: *For every animal,* he says, *loves its like, and a man his neighbor* (Eccli. xiii, 15). Do you see that we have the seeds of virtue according to nature? But vice is against nature: if vices are more dominant, this is a proof of our great sluggishness and lethargy.

What then? What necessity leads us to adultery? “Certainly,” he says, “the tyranny of lust.” Why, tell me, I pray? Is it not permitted for you to use your own wife, and to appease your lust? “But I am caught,” he says, “by a certain love for the wife of a neighbor.” This is certainly not of necessity: for love is not of necessity; no one loves by necessity, but by will and free choice. And the desire for intercourse may perhaps compel by necessity; but that you love this or that woman is not of necessity, nor is that thing the desire of intercourse, but vainglory and insolence and pleasures that exceed the measure. For tell me, which is more reasonable: to have her who is wedded, who is the partner in the procreation of children, or her who is not known? Do you not know that intimacies produce friendships? Wherefore it is not of nature. Do not accuse desire; ^C it was given for marriage, it was displayed for the procreation of children, not for adultery, nor for fornication. The laws even know how to show indulgence to sins that are committed out of necessity; but in fact there is no sin which is committed out of necessity, but all come from insolence. For God did not construct the nature such that it should necessarily sin; otherwise, if this were so, there would be no punishment. For in cases of things that are done by force and necessity, not even we demand an account, much less God, who is so merciful, kind, and good. But what, is stealing a matter of necessity? “Yes,” you will say; “for poverty causes this.” Nay, but poverty brings the necessity of working, not of stealing. Poverty, therefore, does the contrary; for to steal is a mark of idleness and sloth; but poverty is not accustomed to breed idleness and sloth, but a love of labor. Wherefore that also is sluggishness.

^A Do you see that virtue is according to nature, but vice is contrary to nature, even as disease and health? And what of lying and perjury, what necessity can they have? None, nor any compulsion, but we come to this of our own will. "We are not believed," one says. We are not believed because we wish it so; for it was in our power to be believed rather from our character than from oaths. For why, tell me, do we believe those who do not even swear, and yet we consider others trustworthy even without oaths? Do you see that there is nowhere a need for oaths? "If such a one says it," he says, "I believe him even without oaths; but as for you, not even with oaths." The oath is therefore superfluous, and is a proof of unbelief rather than of faith. ^B For to be ready to swear does not permit one to have a reputation for piety. So that he who most constantly makes use of an oath, he nowhere has a necessary need for the oath; but he who makes no use of it, he enjoys the need of it himself. Is there need of an oath in order to be believed then? Not at all; for we see that those who do not swear, they are more believed. But what then? Is being insolent a matter of necessity? Yes, he says; for anger leads one on, and inflames, and does not permit the soul to be at rest. O man, it is not of anger, but of littleness of spirit to be insulting; for if it were of anger, all men when angry would not cease to be insulting. We have anger, not that we may insult our neighbors, but that we may convert those who sin, that we may be stirred up, that we may not be sluggish. Anger is placed within us as a sort of goad, that we may gnash our teeth against the devil, that we may be fierce against him, not that we may stand against one another. We possess armor, not that we may war against ourselves, but that we may use the full armor against the enemy. Are you irascible? Be such against your own sins, rebuke your soul, scourge your conscience, be a fierce judge and a bitter exactor of your own faults. This is the profit of anger; for this reason God implanted it in us. But is rapine a matter of necessity? Not at all; for what necessity is there, tell me, to steal? What compulsion? "Poverty," he says, "causes it, and the fear of necessary things." For this reason, therefore, you ought not to steal; for such wealth is not secure. You do the same thing as if someone, being asked why he was laying the foundations of a house upon sand, were to say, "Because of the cold, because of the rain." For this reason, therefore, one ought not to lay them upon sand; for both rain and gusts and wind quickly overturn them. So if you wish to be wealthy, do not covet. If you wish to bequeath wealth to your children, acquire what is just, if there is any such wealth; this remains, and stands firm; but that which is not such, quickly perishes and is destroyed. ^C You wish to be wealthy, tell me, and do you take the possessions of others? Indeed, this is not wealth, but holding one's own; he who holds the property of others cannot be wealthy; since, in this way, even those who sell silk, by taking garments from others, would be called more affluent and wealthier than all; yet though it is theirs for a time, we do not call them wealthy. Why? Because they hold the property of others. For even if the garments happen to be in their hands, the value is not theirs; and even if the value is theirs, this is not wealth. If, then, the bonds that are given do not make men wealthy, because we quickly part with them, how do those things from rapine make men wealthy? ^D But if you desire at all to be wealthy (for the matter is not one of necessity), what is it you wish to enjoy in greater abundance? Is it a longer life? And yet such people quickly become short-lived. For often they pay the penalty for their rapine and covetousness with an untimely death and by not enjoying their possessions, but rather, having taken them, they go off to hell; and often they perish through diseases caused by luxury and by labors and by cares. I would have liked to know for what reason wealth is so eagerly pursued by men. And yet God for this very reason set a measure and limit for nature, in order that we might have no need to seek after wealth, such as ordering the body to be clothed with one garment or even a second, and there is no need of anything superfluous for shelter. Why the ten thousand garments, and those eaten by moths? There is a fixed measure for the stomach, and beyond this, what is given of necessity destroys the whole animal; why the herds and the flocks and the cutting down of debts? We need one roof; why the enclosures and the costly houses? Is it so that vultures and daws may dwell in them, while you strip the poor? And how is this not worthy of hell? Many often in places which they have not even seen, construct buildings flashing with columns and precious stones (for what have they not devised?) and neither have they enjoyed them, nor have any others; for the solitude does not permit them to go there; and not even so do they desist. Do you see that these things are done not even for the sake of making money? But of all these things, madness and folly and vainglory are the cause; which, I pray, let us flee, that we may be able to flee the other evils, and to obtain the good things promised to those who love Him, in Christ Jesus our Lord.

lory are the cause; which, I pray, let us flee, that we may be able to flee the other evils, and to obtain the good things promised to those who love Him, in Christ Jesus our Lord.

HOMILY III

^A Cap. 1. v. 15. *Therefore I also, hearing of your faith, which is in Christ Jesus, and of your love for all the saints, 16. cease not to give thanks for you, making remembrance of you in my prayers, 17. that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18. the eyes of your heart enlightened, that you may know what the hope is of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19. and what is the exceeding greatness of his power towards us, who believe, according to the operation of the might of his power, 20. which he wrought in Christ, raising him up from the dead.*

1. Nothing could be compared to the apostolic affections; nothing was like the compassion and benevolence of blessed Paul, who poured out all his prayers for cities and peoples. And he writes this to all: *I give thanks to God for you, making remembrance of you in my prayers.* Think how many he had in his mind, of whom it was even difficult to remember; [how many he remembered] in his prayers, giving thanks to God for all, as if he himself were affected by the greatest benefits. *Therefore*, he says; that is, because of the future, and the good things reserved for those who rightly believe and live. And it is indeed fair and just to give thanks to God, both for all the things which have been bestowed by Him upon the human race, both before and after: but it is also fair and just to give thanks for the faith of those who believe. *Hearing*, he says, *of your faith, which is in Christ Jesus, and of your love for all the saints.* Everywhere he joins and glues together faith and love, a certain admirable pair. He does not only say the natives, but also all. *I cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers.* What do you seek and ask? *That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and of revelation.* He wants them to learn two things, as one ought to learn: both for what they have been called, and how they have been delivered from former things. But he says that these are three. How, therefore, are they three? [They are] if we learn about future things. For we shall know His ineffable riches, which surpass nature, from the good things reserved [for us]; but from that which we have learned—who we were when we believed, and His power and authority, in that He converted those who had been alienated for so long—we shall know His power. For *the weakness of God is stronger than men* (1 Cor. 1:25). For by the same power by which He raised Christ, He also drew us unto Himself. Nor is His power only up to the resurrection, but much more. *And He made him sit at His right hand, 21. above all principality and power and virtue and dominion and every name that is named; 22. and hath subjected all things under his feet, and gave him to be head over all the Church, 23. which is his body and his fullness, who is indwelt by him who filleth all in all.* He has made us participants in truly great mysteries and arcane truths: and they cannot be otherwise spoken of except by those who are participants of the Holy Spirit, and who enjoy much grace.

rtuo, Lazare, veni foras (Joan. 11. 43), et statim obediit: Petrus dixit Tabithæ, Surge (Act. 9. 40), et non contradixit. Ipse dicet in die ultimo, et omnes resurgent, et cum tanta celerity, so that those who are still alive may not be caught before those who have fallen asleep, in such a way that all things happen in a moment and in the twinkling of an eye.

2. But how does it come to be in the act of believing? Listen to him again saying: How often have I willed to gather your children together, and you would not! (Luc. 13. 34). Do you see that this is more difficult? Wherefore he grounds the whole matter on this. For it is much more difficult by human reasonings to persuade (someone by) free will to work according to nature. The cause is because he himself so wills us to become good willingly. Thus he rightly said, ^A *The surpassing greatness of his power toward us who believe*. For when the prophets achieved nothing, when angels and archangels, when all creation, visible and invisible—the visible being set in our midst and unable to guide us, and the invisible being vast—when his coming was ordered, then it showed that the matter required a divine power. *The riches of his glory*. That is, the ineffable glory. For what speech will be able to set forth that glory of which the saints shall then be partakers? None; but grace is truly needed for the mind to learn and to receive at least some small ray. For they knew certain things even before, but he wished them now to learn more and to know more clearly. Do you see how much he has wrought? He raised Christ: is this a small thing? But see also again: *He seated him at his right hand*. For what speech will be able to set this forth? Him ^B who was from the earth, more mute than the fish, him who had become the plaything of demons, he immediately raised to the heights. Truly the surpassing greatness of his power. And see where he raised him: *In the heavenly places* he made him higher than every created nature, *above every rule and authority*. Above every rule, he says. Truly there is need of the Spirit, of your mind’s enlightenment in *the knowledge of him*; truly there is need of revelation. Consider how great is the interval between human and divine nature: from this lowliness he raised him to that honor; not one step did he transcend, nor a second, nor a third. Behold! He did not say simply, "Above," but, *Far above*. For God is higher than the powers above. So he raised him there, the one from among us, from the lowest pit; he led him to the highest rule, after which there is no other honor. *Of every rule*, he says; not of one and not of another, but *of every rule and authority and power and lordship, and every name that is named*, if anything be in heaven, he has become higher than all. This ^C is concerning him who was raised from the dead, which is worthy of wonder. For it is not at all concerning the Word of God. For what gnats are to men, that is all of creation to God. And why do I say gnats? If all men shall be accounted as spittle, and were considered as the drop of a balance (Isai. 40. 15), place the invisible powers as gnats. Therefore he did not speak in this way concerning the Word of God, but concerning him (who is) from us: this is truly great and admirable. For from the lowest parts of the earth he raised him. If all nations are as a drop, how great then is a man, a part of the drop? But he made this one higher than all, not only in this age, but also in the coming one. Are there names of certain powers unknown to us? And *he put all things under his feet*. He did not simply make him higher, so as to be preferred to them, nor in comparison, but to preside over them as slaves. Behold, things truly to be shuddered at! ^D Every created power has become a slave to man because of the indwelling Word of God. For it is one thing to be above and having no subjects, but being preferred; but here it is not so, but *he put all things under his feet*; and not simply did he put them under, but the ultimate subjection, after which there is none other. Therefore he said, *Under his feet*. *And he gave him as head over all to the Church*. Behold, whither he again raised the Church! As if drawing it by some machine, he raised it to a great height, and seated it upon that very throne. For where the head is, there the body is also; for the head and the body are not separated by any intermediate space; if they were separated, it would not be a body, it would not be a head. *Over all*, he says. What is *over all*? Either Christ who is over all things seen and understood; or he has done this over all good things, to give the Son as head. He did not leave an angel, he did not leave an archangel, he did not leave anyone else higher. And not only in this did he honor us, by raising up one from among us, but because he prepared the whole common race to follow him, to cling to him, to follow him. *Which is his body*. For in order that, having heard "head," you might not think of rule only, but also of stability, and see him not only as a ruler, but as head of the body, *The fulness*, he says, *of him who is filled in all things*. As if this were not sufficient to show the kinship and proximity, what does he say? *The fulness of Christ is the Church*. For indeed the body is the fulness of the head, and the head is the fulness of the body. See what order Paul uses, how he spares no step, so as to set forth the glory of God. *Fulness*, he says; that is, just as the head is filled by the body; for the body consists through all its parts, and has need of each one. See how he introduces him as having need of all in common. For if we are not many, and one is the hand, another the foot, another some other part, the whole body is not filled. Therefore by all his body is filled. Then the head is filled, then the body becomes perfect, when we are all together joined and cemented.

3. Have you seen the riches of the glory of the inheritance? Have you seen the surpassing greatness of the power toward those who believe? Have you seen the hope of his calling? Let us stand in awe of our head, let us consider of what head we are the body, to whom all things are subjected. And we ought to be better than the angels by this example, and greater than the archangels, as being preferred before them all. *He took not hold of angels*, as he says writing to the Hebrews (Hebr. 2. 16), *but of the seed of Abraham*: not of a rule, nor of an authority, nor of a lordship, nor of any other power, but he took up our nature, and seated it above. And what do I say, seated it? He made it his garment, and not simply, but he subjected all things under his feet. How many deaths do you wish there to be? How many souls? Ten thousand and many times more? But you will say nothing equal to this. For he has done two of the greatest things: he himself came to the lowest point of lowliness, and he raised man to a great height. He said that which was first, that he humbled himself so much; he speaks now of that which is higher, the great

^A summit of things. And if we had been thought worthy of nothing, it would have sufficed; or even if we had been thought worthy of this, apart from his being mactated, it would have sufficed: but since these two things exist, what power of speech could possibly conquer and surpass it? The resurrection is not a great matter when I weigh these things. Concerning the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, he speaks, not regarding God the Word. Let us revere the closeness of this kinship, let us fear lest any man be cut off from this body, lest any man fall away, lest any man appear unworthy. If any person were to place a diadem upon our head, if a golden crown, would we not do everything to appear worthy of inanimate stones? But now, it is not a diadem that is placed upon our head, but Christ himself has become our head—which is greater, and we have no regard for it. But the angels indeed revere him, and the archangels, and all those Powers: and shall we, although we are his body, not revere him either on this account or on that? And what hope of our salvation will remain?

The loss of the kingdom of heaven is worse than hell.

Do you not see that even in our own body, whatever is superfluous and useless is cut and amputated? And it brings no profit to the body when it has been mutilated, when it has been affected by death, when it has become putrid, when it has even corrupted the rest? Let us not, therefore, trust because we have once been of his body. But if this body, being natural, is nevertheless cut away, if the intention of the soul does not remain stable and firm, what will it not suffer that is grave? When it is not a participant of this food, when the pores have been obstructed, then it is affected by death: when the passages and ducts are blocked, then it becomes maimed. So we too, when we have obstructed our ears, our soul becomes maimed and mutilated: when we are not participants of the spiritual food, when the depravities of corrupted humors bring harm upon us, all these things beget a disease, a grave disease, a disease that brings wasting and consumption: and for the rest, it will have need of that fire, or it will have need to be divided. For Christ does not endure to enter into the bridal chamber with such a body. If he led away and cast out one who was clothed in a sordid garment, for one who applies filth to the body, what will he not do? How will he not afflict him?

How the body of Christ is to be received, and on what days one used to approach it.

you do choose to approach with? I see a great inconsistency in the matter. At other times, you approach even when you are not clean, but at Pascha, even if you have committed some transgression ^A you approach. O the power of habit! O the power of preconceived notions! The daily sacrifice is in vain, if we stand by the altar, and none partakes. I say these things not that you might partake in a simple manner, but that you might render yourselves worthy. Are you not worthy of the sacrifice, nor of the communion? Then you are not worthy of the prayer either. You hear the deacon standing and saying: "All you who are in penitence, depart." All who do not partake are in penitence. If you are among those in penitence, you ought not to partake; for he who does not partake is among those in penitence. Why then does he say, "Depart, you who cannot pray," while you stand shamelessly? But if you are not of those, but of those who are able to partake, and you care nothing for it, do you think the matter is nothing?

5. Consider, I beseech you. A royal table is present, angels ministering at the table, the King himself is present, and you stand gaping? Your garments are filthy, and you have no concern? But are they clean? Then sit down and partake. He comes every day to see those reclining; He speaks to all; and now in your conscience He will say: "Friends, how did you stand here, not having a wedding garment?" He did not say, "Why did you sit down?" but, before the reclining and the entrance, he calls him unworthy. For he did not say, "Why did you recline?" but, "Why did you enter?" These things he speaks even now to all of us who stand shamelessly and impudently. For every one who does not partake of the mysteries is standing shamelessly and impudently. For this reason those who are in sins are cast out first. For just as when the master is present at the table, it is not fitting for the servants who have offended to be present, but they are removed; so also here, when the sacrifice is brought forth, and Christ is sacrificed, and the Lord’s sheep, ^B when you hear, "Let us all pray together," when you see the veils drawn aside, then think that heaven is being parted from above, and the angels are descending. Just as, therefore, it is not fitting for any of the uninitiated to be present, so neither is it for the initiated, if they are filthy. Tell me, if anyone were invited to a banquet, were to wash his hands and recline, and were ready for the table, then did not partake, does he not insult him who invited him? Would it not be better for such a person not even to have appeared? So you, too, have arrived; you have sung the hymn, you have confessed with all those who are worthy by not having withdrawn with the unworthy; how is it that you have remained, and do not partake of the table? "I am unworthy," he says. Then you are unworthy also of that communion which is in the prayers. For not through the visible elements alone, but also through those chants, the Spirit descends from all sides. Do you not see our servants washing the table with a sponge, and cleaning the house, and thus setting the dishes? This is done through the prayers, through the cry of the deacon; as with a sponge we wash the church, that in a clean church all things may be set forth, that there may be no spot or wrinkle. ^C Unworthy are the eyes of these sights, unworthy are the ears. "Even if a beast," he says, "touches the mountain, it shall be stoned" (Exod. 19: 13). Thus, they were not worthy even of the approach; and yet, after these things, they both approached and saw where the God stood. It is permitted after these things to approach and see; but when He is present, depart; it is not permitted for you any more than for the catechumen. For it is not the same to have not yet received the mysteries, and after having received them to offend and hold them in contempt, and make yourself unworthy of the matter. It was possible to say more and more fearful things, but that we might not burden your mind, these things suffice; for those who are not made sober by these, would not be by more. That, therefore, we may not heap greater judgment upon you, we beseech you, not that you should not appear, but that you should render yourselves worthy of both the presence and the approach. Tell me, if any king were to command and say, "If anyone does this, let him abstain from my table," would you not do everything for the sake of this? He has invited us to the heavens, to the table of the great and admirable King, and we delay and linger, and we do not hasten, nor do we run to the matter, and what hope of salvation do we have? It is not possible to blame weakness, it is not possible to blame nature; slothfulness alone makes us unworthy. These things have been said by us; but He who pricks the hearts, He who gives the spirit of contrition, may He prick your hearts, and put into the depths the seeds, that from fear of Him you may conceive and bring forth a spirit of salvation, and appear with boldness. "For your sons," he says, "are as young olive plants around your table" (Ps. 127: 5). Let there, therefore, be nothing old, nothing wild, nothing untamed, nothing raw. For such are the young plants prepared for fruit, and, I say, the admirable fruit, that of the olive, and strong, that all may be around the table, and not in vain nor as it happens may they assemble here, but with fear and trembling. For so you will see Christ himself there with boldness, and you will be deemed worthy of the heavenly kingdom; of which may it be granted that we all attain, by the grace and love for mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father together with the holy Spirit be glory, dominion, honor, now and always, and for ever and ever. Amen.

HOMILY IV

^A 2. 1. And you, when you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2. in which at one time you walked according to the age of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience, 3. in which we also all at one time lived in the desires of our flesh, doing the will of the flesh and of the thoughts, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the others.

There is a deadness of the body; and there is a deadness of the soul. Now, of the former, to be a participant is neither a crime nor a danger; for it is a matter of nature, not of the soul’s intent and free choice. For it arose from the transgression of the first-formed man, and the matter then transitioned into a condition of nature; otherwise, it will also be quickly dissolved. But the deadness of the soul itself, since it is of the soul’s intent and free choice, carries blame and has no solution. See, therefore, how Paul, having already shown something very great—and that it is a much greater thing to heal a soul affected by death than to raise the dead—now also sets it down as something great: *And you*, he says, *when you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which at one time you walked according to the age of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience*. You see Paul’s gentleness, and how he everywhere consoles the listener, without weighing him down? For since he had said they had reached the extremity of vice (for this is what it means to be affected by death), so as not to weigh them down too heavily (for men are filled with shame when former evils are brought into the open, even if they are finished and carry no danger), he gives them an assistant, so it might not be thought that the whole thing was to be imputed to them—and a strong assistant at that. Who? The devil. He does the same in the Epistle to the Corinthians; for having said, *Be not deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters...* (1 Cor. 6:9-sqq.), and having recounted all the rest, and having subjoined, *shall inherit the kingdom of God*, then he also says: *And such were some of you*. He did not say absolutely, "You were such," but, *tines te, id est*, "Some of you were such," that is, in such a manner were you such.

^B The Manichaeans are rebuked. Here the heretics fiercely contend that these things are said of God, and letting loose their unbridled tongue, they adapt to God things that belong solely to the devil. How, then, shall we stop their mouths? By the words themselves. For if He is just, as you say, yet did these things; this matter is not that of a just man, but of a very unjust and wicked one: and God shall never be wicked. Why then does he call him the ruler of this world? Because the whole of human nature, for the most part, handed itself over to him, and all serve him of their own accord and by free choice of soul. And to Christ, who promises countless good things, no one gives even a thought; but to him who promises nothing of the kind, but leads them off to Gehenna, all yield. And his dominion is in this world; and he has more, and more yielding to him than to God, except for a few, on account of our own sloth. *According to the power*, he says, *of the air, of the spirit*. He says this again to show that he holds a place under the heaven, and the spirits are again airy incorporeal powers, with him working in them. For that his dominion is worldly—that is, that which is dissolved with the present age—hear him saying at the end of the epistle: *Our struggle is not against blood and flesh, but against princes and powers, and against the world-rulers of the darkness of this world* (Eph. 6:12). For lest, when you hear *world-rulers*, you should say that he is also uncreated, he adds, *of the darkness of this world*. Elsewhere also he calls the perverse time an *evil world* (Gal. 1:4), not speaking of the created things themselves. For it seems to me that if he had been a ruler under heaven, he would not have fallen from his rule even after the transgression. *Who now works in the sons of disobedience*. You see that he does not lead by force or by tyranny, but by persuasion? For he said, *apeitheia*, as if to say, by deception and persuasion he draws everyone. Nor does he console them only by giving them a companion, but also by placing himself with them. *In which*, he says, *we also all at one time lived*. *All*: for it is not permitted to say that any one was exempt. *In the desires of our flesh, doing the will of the flesh and of the thoughts, and we were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest*. That is, having no spiritual thoughts. But lest he should call the flesh into envy and hatred, and lest you should think the sin a great one, see how he guards himself. *Doing*, he says, *the will of the flesh and of our thoughts*, that is, the affections of pleasure and the impulses; we irritated God and provoked Him to wrath: that is, we were wrath, and nothing else. For just as he who is a son of man is by nature a man, so we also, as well as the rest, were children of wrath: that is, no one was free, but we all were doing the things that were worthy of the wrath of God.

^C 4. *But God, who is rich in mercy*. He did not say absolutely, "Merciful," but *Rich in mercy*, just as he says elsewhere, *In the multitude of your mercy*; and again, *Have mercy on me according to your great mercy* (Ps. 68:17 and 50:4). *For his great love, with which he loved us*. He shows from where he loved us. For these things do not deserve love, but wrath and extreme punishment. And this, therefore, is from much mercy. 5. *And when we were dead in trespasses, he quickened us together in Christ*. Again, Christ is the mediator, and the matter is worthy of faith. For if the first-fruits are alive, so are we: did He quicken also Him, and us according to the flesh? Did you see the surpassing magnitude of His power toward us who believe? Us who were dead and children of wrath, He quickened. Did you see the hope of the calling? 6. *He raised us up together and he made us sit together*. Did you see the glory of His inheritance? "Yes," you will say, "He raised us up together—that is manifest; but that *He made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus*, how does that stand?" Even as that "He raised us up together" does: for no one has yet been raised, except that, when the head has risen, we also have been raised; just as there also, when Jacob had worshipped, his wife also worshipped Joseph. Thus, therefore, he made us also sit together: for with the head sitting, the body also sits. For this reason he subjoined, *In Christ Jesus*. Or if this is not so, but...

he raised us up through the laver, how then did he make us sit together? *For if we endure,* he says, *we shall also reign with him; if we die, we shall also live with him.* Truly there is need of the Spirit and of revelation, so as to understand the depth of these mysteries. Then, that you may not disbelieve, see what he adds: ^A *That he might show in the ages to come the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.* For since he said the things concerning Christ, and those things were nothing to us (for what, he says, is it to us if he rose again?), he showed, therefore, that it is also to us, if this one is united to us; but he says that even our own things are so individually: for when we were dead in trespasses, he raised us up together and made us sit together. So, as I said, do not disbelieve, having taken the proof both from the former things and from the head and from his desiring to show his goodness. For how will he show it, if this does not come to pass? And *he will show it in the ages to come*. What? That the goods were both great, and more worthy of belief than all things. For now indeed the things said seem to the unbelieving to be nonsense, but then all shall know. Do you wish to learn also how he made us sit together? Hear Christ himself saying to the disciples: *Ye shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel*; and again, *But to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give, but for whom it is prepared by my Father.* So it is prepared. And well did he say, *In kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.* For to sit on the right hand is of honor which is above every honor, and after which there is no other. This, therefore, he says, that we also shall sit. Truly exceeding riches, ^B truly exceeding is the magnitude of his power, to sit with Christ. Even if thou hadst ten thousand souls, wouldst thou not lose them for his sake? For if thou hadst to enter into fire, oughtest thou not to endure this readily? And he himself again says: *I will that where I am, there also my servants may be.* For if one had to be cut to pieces every day, ought one not to gladly accept it for the sake of these things? Consider where he sat. *Above all principality and power.* And with whom do you sit? With him. Who are you? Dead, by nature a child of wrath. And what did you accomplish? Nothing. Truly it is now timely to cry out: *O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!* *For by grace are ye saved,* he says. For ^C that the magnitude of the benefits might not puff you up, see how he humbles you: *By grace are ye saved,* he says. *Through faith.* Then, that he may not again harm the free will, he placed our part also; and again he removed it, and says: *And this is not of ourselves.* Not even faith, he says, is from us; for if he had not come, if he had not called, how could we have believed? For how, he says, shall they believe if they do not hear? So that not even the matter of faith is ours. *It is the gift,* he says, *of God; not of works.* For was faith not enough to save, he says? But that he might not save them empty or idle, he sought this, says God; he said that faith saves, but through God; because for that reason God willed it, faith saved. For otherwise, tell me, how does faith save without works? This very thing is the gift of God, that no one may boast, that he may make us grateful for the grace. What then, he says, did he himself prevent us from being justified by works? By no means; but, *No one,* he says, *was justified by works, that the grace and philanthropy of God might be displayed.* He did not reject us as having works, ^D but, as being already bankrupt through works, he saved us by grace, so that no one henceforth might have whereof to boast.

3. Then, that you may not, upon hearing that it is not of works but by faith that the whole is accomplished, remain idle, see what he added: *For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.* See what he says: he hints at regeneration here. It is truly another creation; from non-being we were brought into being. What we were before, we died, that is, the old man; what we were not before, we became. Therefore, the thing is a creation, and more precious than the other; for from that one we gained life, but from this one, the living well. *Unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them*; not that we should begin, but *that we should walk in them*; for there is need for us of virtue that is continuous and extended until our end. For neither, if one had to walk a road leading to a royal city, and then, having accomplished the greater part of it, were to grow slack and sit down at the very end, would the walking have profited us; so, neither would the hope of the calling profit in any way those who possess the thing, if we do not walk worthily of him who called us. Having been called, therefore, unto good works, let us remain working everything. For this reason we were called, not that we might work one work, but that we might work all. For just as we have five senses, and it is necessary to use all of them appropriately, so it is with all the virtues. But if one be temperate, yet be unmerciful, or be merciful, yet be covetous, or abstain from what belongs to others but not distribute his own, everything becomes in vain. For one virtue alone does not suffice to present us before the judgment seat of Christ with boldness, but there is need for us of much and varied and of every kind, and of all of them. Hear, for, Christ saying to the disciples: *Go ye, make disciples of all nations, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you*; and again, *If any one shall loosen one of these commandments which are least, he shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven*, that is, in the resurrection. For surely he shall not enter into the kingdom; for he knows the time of the resurrection itself to be called a kingdom. If he loosen one, he says, he shall be called least. So that we are in need of all of them. And see how he who is without almsgiving cannot enter, but even if this alone be lacking, we shall depart into the fire. *Depart ye*, he says, *for ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.* For what reason, and why? *Because I hungered, and ye gave me not to eat; I thirsted, and ye gave me not to drink.* Did you see how, being accused of nothing else, they perished for this alone? And the virgins were excluded from the bridal chamber for this cause alone, even though they had temperance; but because they were destitute of the help that comes from almsgiving, they did not enter in with the bridegroom. *Follow peace with all men*, he says, *and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.* Consider, therefore, that without temperance it is not possible to see the Lord; but it is not altogether possible to see him with temperance alone; for often something else stood in the way. Again, should we accomplish all things, but the neighbor...

have profited nothing, not even so shall we enter into the kingdom. Whence is this evident? From the servants to whom the talents were entrusted. For there all virtue was whole and sincere, and nothing had been omitted; but because he was sluggish in the trading, he was deservedly cast out. A person may also be cast into hell from a single insult: for he who says, he says, to his brother, "Fool," shall be liable to the hell of fire. Even if someone should have done all things aright, but is abusive, he shall not enter. Nor let anyone accuse God of cruelty if he expels from the kingdom of heaven those who have fallen in such a way. For if among men anyone should do anything wicked and contrary to the laws, he is banished from the sight of the king, even if he has transgressed only one of the enacted laws; and if the accuser be a slanderer, he loses his office; and if he commits adultery and is convicted, he is rendered unworthy: though he may have done countless things right, he perishes; and if he has committed murder, and it has been proved, this also suffices to destroy him. If the laws of men are kept so precisely, how much more the laws of God? But he is good, you say. How long shall we say these foolish things? I said "foolish," not because He is not good, but because we think His goodness is for us to make use of in this way, even though we have often discoursed about these things a thousand times. For hear the Scripture saying: "Do not say, His mercy is great, he will be propitiated for the multitude of my sins." He does not forbid us to say that His mercy is great; far be it! He does not advise this, but He wants us to say this constantly, and because of this Paul moves all things, but because of those things which follow thereafter. Do not, he says, wonder at God's kindness so as to sin and say, "His mercy will be propitiated for the multitude of my sins," not that we should act in all things relying upon it; otherwise, this goodness will be to the ruin of our salvation; but that we may not despair in our sins, but truly do penance. For the kindness of God leads you to penance, not to more vices. If, however, you become evil and wicked because of His kindness, you rather call Him to hatred and accuse Him before men: for we see many accusing the leniency of God. Wherefore you will pay the penalty if you do not use it as you ought. Is God kind? But He is also a just judge. Does He forgive sins? But He also renders to everyone according to his works. Does He overlook iniquities and take away sins? But He examines them as well. How, therefore, are these things not contradictory? They are not contradictory, if we divide them by times: He takes away sins here through the washing and penance; He examines deeds there through fire and torments. If, therefore, you will say, when I have done even a few evils, I am cast out for one, and fall from the kingdom, why do I not perform all the evils? It is the speech of an ungrateful servant: yet we shall also dissolve this speech. Do not work evils, that you may profit yourself: for we shall all indeed likewise fall from the kingdom; but in hell we shall not suffer the same punishments, but one will pay greater, another milder ones. For if you and he have despised, both he who sins in many things and he who sins in few will alike fall from the kingdom: if, however, you have not despised alike, but one more, and another less, you will feel the difference in hell. Why, then, does He threaten those who have not given alms that they shall go into the fire; and not only into the fire, but that which is prepared for the devil and his angels? Why and for what cause? Nothing irritates God so much as if friends are unjustly harmed. For if we ought to love our enemies, he who even turns away from friends, and is in this worse than the heathen, what punishment will he not deserve? Wherefore here the magnitude of the sin justly made him go with the devil. For woe to him who does not do alms. If this was in the Old, much more in the New Testament: if where it was allowed to possess money, and to enjoy it and take care of it, such great care was taken to bring aid to the poor: how much more where we are commanded to cast away all things? For what did they not do? They offered tithes and again tithes: they helped orphans, widows, and proselytes. But someone admiring said to me, "He gives tithes." How full of shame and disgrace is this, if what was not considered a matter of admiration among the Jews has become admirable among Christians? If then it was a danger to omit tithes, think how great it is now. Again, drunkenness does not have an inheritance in the kingdom. But what is it that is said by many? "If I and he are caught in the same things, it is no small consolation." What shall we say? Certainly your punishment and his will not be the same: otherwise, neither is this a consolation. For the company of the wicked has consolation then, when the evils which we suffer are in proportion equal: but when they have exceeded, and have caused us to go out of our minds, they no longer allow us to have any consolation. For tell the man who has been evilly punished and cast into the fire, "This one or that one is suffering this"; he will not even feel a consolation. Did not all the Israelites perish together? What consolation did this bring them? Did not this very thing cause them greater pain? And therefore they said, "We are lost, we have perished, we are consumed." What, then, is this consolation? in vain do we console ourselves with this hope. There is one sole consolation: not to fall into that fire which cannot be quenched; but to those who have fallen into it, it is not possible to obtain consolation: where there is the gnashing of teeth, where there is weeping, where there is the worm that dieth not, where there is the fire that is not quenched. Will you feel, tell me, I pray, any consolation at all, when you are in affliction and anguish? For henceforth you will be by yourself. Do not, I pray and beseech you, do not let us deceive ourselves in vain, and console ourselves with these words, but let us do those things which will be able to save us. Since it is set before you to sit with Christ, and do you curiously inquire about these things? If there were no other ^A

[37] worthy of a thousand deaths, what will you endure then? For if there were no Gehenna, would not the very thought of the kingdom itself be sufficient to destroy and ruin?[32] And that this is so, it is possible to sufficiently learn from the experience of things. Let us not, therefore, vainly amuse ourselves with such words, but let us be attentive, and take thought for our own salvation, and apply ourselves to virtue, and stir ourselves up to the doing of good works, that we may be deemed worthy to attain such glory in Christ Jesus our Lord.

HOMILY V

^A Eph. 2:11. "Wherefore remember, that you, being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision in the flesh made by hands; 12. that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world."

Many [evidences] show the divine kindness and love toward men: first, that He saved us by Himself, and by Himself in such a way; second, that He saved us while we were such as we were; third, that He raised us up. For all these things by themselves contain the greatest demonstration of His kindness; and these are all the things that Paul is now setting forth. He said that, when we were dead in trespasses and children of wrath, He saved us; now he speaks of what He made us equal to. Wherefore, he says, remember. For it is our custom, for all of us, when we are raised from great worthlessness to equal or even greater honor, not to remember the past, being nurtured by that glory. For this reason he says, Wherefore remember. Wherefore—for what reason? Because we were created for good works. This is sufficient to persuade us to take care of virtue. Remember. For that memory is sufficient to make us grateful toward the Benefactor. ^B That you, once Gentiles. Observe how he pulls down the Jewish advantages, and expresses wonder at the disadvantages of the Gentiles—which were not really disadvantages, but [he speaks] from the manner and the life of each, and persuades them. The so-called uncircumcision. In appearances was the honor, in the flesh the prerogative; for uncircumcision is nothing, and circumcision is nothing. By that which is called, he says, circumcision in the flesh made by hands. That you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. You who are called this by the Jews, he says. Why, however, when he is about to show their benefit in this—in the fact that they were joined to Israel—does he not again pull down the Israelite dignity, but [33] in these things raises it up? He raises it up in necessary things, but pulls it down in these, in which they did not share. For going further, he says, "Fellow-citizens of the saints, and members of the household of God." See how he does not pull it down. These things, he says, are indifferent. Do not think, he says, that because you did not obtain circumcision and are in uncircumcision, that there is any difference. For this was the grievous thing: to be without Christ, to be alienated from the commonwealth of Israel. This, however, is not [the only issue]; but [it is also] to be strangers from the covenants of promise, not to have the hope that is to come, to be without God in the world. To be in this world, all these things were of those [others]. He spoke of those heavenly things, and he speaks also of those on earth, since the Jews had great glory concerning them. So also Christ, comforting His disciples, after saying, "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven," puts the lesser thing: "For so," He says, "persecuted they the prophets which were before you." For this, in regard to the magnitude [of the reward], is less, but in regard to being near [to them] and believing, it is great, and sufficient, and has much strength. Was this, then, what it meant to have a commonwealth? He did not say, Separated, but, Aliens from the commonwealth. He did not say, Not partaking, but, Strangers. Great is the emphasis of the words, showing a great separation. Since even Israelites were outside the commonwealth, but not as aliens, but as slothful; and they fell from the covenants, but not as strangers. And who were the covenants of promise? "To you and to your seed will I give this land" (Gen. 13:15), and whatever other things He promised. Having no hope, he says, and without God. Although they worshipped gods, but they were not [Gods]; for an idol is nothing. But now in Christ Jesus, you, who once were far off, have been made near in the blood of Christ. For He is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of partition, the enmity in His flesh. This, then, is great, he says, that we have come into the commonwealth of the Jews? What are you saying? He summed up all things in the heavens and things upon the earth, and now you speak about Israelites? Yes, he says. For those things must be taken up by faith, but these by the works themselves. But now, he says, in Christ Jesus, you, who once were far off, have been made near to the commonwealth. For the "far off" and the "near" are of choice alone. For He is our peace who has made both one. 1. He shows much of God's love toward us: first, that He saved us by Himself, and by Himself in this way; second, that who we were when He saved us; third, where He raised us. For all these things even by themselves have the greatest proof of His love; and all these things Paul now moves as he writes. He said that, when we were dead in trespasses, and children of wrath, He saved us; now he says who He made us equal to. Wherefore, he says, remember. 2. What is this, "Both one"? He does not say this, that He brought us into that nobility, but that He brought both us and them into a greater one; although for us the benefit is greater. For to them it had been promised, and they were nearer; but to us it had not even been promised, and we were farther off. Wherefore he says, "And that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy." For He promised indeed to the Israelites, but they were unworthy; but to us He promised nothing, but we were even strangers; we had nothing in common with them, and He made us one, not by joining us to them, but by joining both them and us into one. I will provide an example: Let us suppose there are two statues, one of silver and the other of lead, and then both being melted down, the two come up as gold. Behold, he has brought both us and them into a greater nobility; but it is clear that ours [is greater].

^A For to them it had been promised, and they were nearer; but to you, it had not been promised, and we were far off. Wherefore he says, "And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy" (Rom. 15:9). It had been promised indeed to the Israelites, but they were unworthy; to us, however, it had not been promised, we were strangers: there was nothing in common between us and them, yet He made us one, not by joining us to them, but by making both us and them one.

15. "Having abolished the law of commandments in ordinances." Some indeed say that the Law is the middle wall between the Jews and the Greeks; therefore, they say, he called it the law (as it did not allow them to be mixed). But to me it does not seem so; rather, he calls the enmity in the flesh the middle wall, which separates both us and them from God, as the prophet says: "Do not your iniquities separate between me and you?" (Isa. 59:2). And rightly so: for they were like a middle wall of enmity that stood between God and the Jews and the Greeks. But when the Law existed, not only were they not dissolved, but they even grew greater: "For the law," he says, "worketh wrath" (Rom. 4:15). So just as there, in saying, "the law worketh wrath," he does not attribute it all to the law, but it is implied, because we are transgressors; so here too he calls it a middle wall, because while it was not obeyed, it created enmities. The Law was a hedge; but indeed it was intended to make them safe, and therefore it was even named a hedge, that it might fence them in. Hear again the prophet saying: "And I made a hedge around it" (Isa. 5:2); and again, "Why have you broken down its hedge, so that all who pass by the way pluck its fruit?" (Ps. 80:12). So he calls it a safeguard. And again, "I will take away its hedge, and it shall be for trampling"; and again, "He gave the law for help," and, "The Lord made known his judgments, he made known his statutes to Israel" (Ps. 147:19). But it became a middle wall, not making them safe, but separating them from God. ^B Such is the middle wall which is from the hedge. But what manner of thing it is he declares, adding: "the enmity in his flesh." "Having abolished the law of commandments [in ordinances]." How? As one who has fenced in, and has there dissolved the enmity. And he did not only dissolve it, but also through its observance. For what if we had been freed from the former transgression, but still had the necessity to keep it? It would be the same thing again; but He abolished it also: "Having abolished the law of commandments in ordinances," he says. See what great benignity He gave us the law to keep; but because we did not keep it, when we ought to have been punished, He abolished the law: just as if someone, having handed his child over to a tutor, because he does not obey, should even free him from the tutor and take him away. How great is this benignity!

What is, "in ordinances"? He here places a great difference between commandment and ordinances. Either he calls faith itself an ordinance; for by faith alone He made them safe: or he means a precept, as Christ said, "But I say unto you, do not be angry at all" (Matt. 5:22). This is what it means: "If you believe that God raised him from the dead, you shall be saved." And again, "The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart" (Rom. 10:8). "Who shall ascend into heaven, or who shall go down into the abyss, or who has brought him up from the dead?" For life He introduced faith. For lest He should save them without cause, He was both punished Himself, and demanded faith from them through the ordinances.

"That he might reconcile both in one new man unto himself." Do you see, not the Greek made a Jew, but both this one and that one coming to another state? He did not abolish the law that he might make this one another, but that he might "reconcile and create" both. And rightly he used everywhere the word, "Create." And he did not say, "Change," that he might show the efficacy of that which was done, and that even if creation falls under the sight, yet that one is not less than this, and that from now on we should not fall back from natural things. "That he might create both," he says, "unto himself": ^C that is, through himself. He did not charge another with this, but through himself, when he had melted and fused both this one and that one, he produced one, admirable, when he himself was the first to be made that which is greater than the former creation. For this is "unto himself," when he himself first offered the form and the exemplar. For when he had taken the Jew from here and the Greek from there, and he himself had been the middle, and had mixed them, and had wiped away whatever of them was alienated, he refashioned them from above through fire and water: not indeed through water and earth, but through water and fire. The Jew had become circumcised, had become accursed; the Greek had become outside the Law, even above the Greeks and Jews. "Into one new man," he says.

"Making peace": for them; and with God, and among themselves. For not remaining Jews and Greeks could they have been reconciled; unless they had been freed from their own state, how could they have come to another greater one? For the Jew is then joined to the Greek when he has become a believer: as if there were two dwellings, below and above, one admirable and great, they could not see each other until they had gone above. "Making peace"; rather, however, with God: for what follows shows this. For what does he say? He did not say, "Conciliate," but, "Reconcile," showing that before, human nature was easy to reconcile, namely among the saints and before the Law. "In one body," he says, his own indeed, to God. How does this happen? As one who, he says, underwent the punishment that was owed through the cross. "Having slain the enmity in himself." ^D There is nothing more proper than these words, nothing that has greater emphasis. His death slew the enmity, wounded it, and destroyed it. He did not say "Having abolished," he did not say "Having acted only," but also "Having suffered." He did not say, "Having loosened," he did not say, "Having cast away," so that it might never rise again. How then does it rise? From our great wickedness. For as long as we remain in the body of Christ, as long as we are joined, it does not rise, but lies dead; indeed, it never rises at all; but if we give birth to another, it no longer has the one who slew and destroyed it. Do you indeed bring forth another? For the mind of the flesh, he says, is enmity against God. If you think nothing fleshly, another will not be born, but...

that peace shall remain.

For consider what a great evil it is, when God has wrought so much in order that we might be reconciled, and has accomplished it, for us to return again to enmity. For this, there no longer remains the laver, but hell; no longer remission, but inquiry. The mind of the flesh is luxury and dissipation; the mind of the flesh is covetousness and every sin. Why is it called the mind of the flesh? And yet it has wrought nothing without the soul. He is not ^A disparaging the flesh, for even when he says, "The natural man" (1 Cor. 2:14), he does not say this to disparage the soul, but because neither the body nor the soul suffices by itself, if it does not enjoy the impulse from above, to do anything noble and great. Therefore, he calls those things "natural" which the soul works by itself, and he calls those things "carnal" which the body works by itself; not because these are natural, but because, not having enjoyed protection from on high, they perish. Since the eyes also are good, but without light they work ten thousand evils; but this is of their weakness, not of their nature. If the evils were natural, we could never have made use of them for good; for nothing that is natural is evil. What then are the carnal minds? The sins. For when this [the flesh] has gained the mastery, having become exalted over the charioteer, it brings forth ten thousand evils. For the virtue of the flesh is to be subject to the soul, but the vice is for it to rule the soul. Just as, therefore, the horse is good and well-limbed, but this is not shown without a charioteer; so also the flesh will then be good, when we prune away its prancings. ^B But not even a charioteer is shown without skill; for he himself also, without skill, works things more terrible than those. So it is necessary that he stand over them from every side; the Spirit, being this one standing over them, makes the charioteer stronger; this also adorns both the soul and the body. For just as the soul, being in it, shows it to be beautiful, but when it leaves it destitute of its own proper activity and departs, just as when a painter confuses the colors, great deformity comes about, each of the parts hastening toward corruption and dissolution; so also the Spirit, when it leaves both the body and the soul desolate, the deformity becomes worse and greater. Do not, therefore, because the body is less than the soul, revile it. For neither do I endure to revile the soul, because it has no power without the Spirit. But if one must say something, the soul is worthy of greater condemnation. For the body could not work anything without the soul; ^C for even while the latter is being consumed and is not prancing, the soul works many things; just as those conjurers, the magicians, the envious, the poisoners, do most of all consume it.

Moreover, luxury is not a necessity of the body, but of the soul's lack of attention; for food, not luxury, is the necessity of the body. If I wish to drop a strong bridle, I have gagged the horse; but the body is not able to restrain the soul in its own evils. Why, then, does he call it the mind of the flesh? Because it becomes entirely of the flesh. For when this has gained the mastery, then it has sinned, when it has shorn away the mind and the rule of the soul. Therefore, in this is the virtue of the body, in its yielding to the soul, since by itself it is neither good nor evil. For what could the body do by itself? So, by connection, the body is good, good because of its subordination, since by itself it is neither good nor evil, and is suited for this and for that, having an inclination toward both. The body desires, but not fornication nor adultery, but ^D union; the body desires, not luxury, but food; not drunkenness, but drink. For that drunkenness is not a desire of the body, observe how: it does not hold out anymore when you have exceeded the measure, when you have overcome the limits of the body; for all other things belong to the soul, such as when it is carried down into carnal things, when it becomes fat. For even if the body is good, still it is far less than the soul. Just as lead is less than gold, yet it still needs the lead that solders it; so the soul needs the body; or as a noble child is in need of a tutor, so the soul is in need of the body. And do not wonder if I have brought forward such examples. For just as we speak of childish things, not disparaging the age, but the things pertaining to it; so also with regard to the body. But it is possible not to be in the flesh, if we will, just as we act neither in the earth, but in the heavens, and in the Spirit. For the "being somewhere" is not said so much by position in a place, as by disposition. At any rate, we say that many who are somewhere are not, saying, "You were not here." And why do I say these things? We often say, "You are not in yourself," "I am not in myself"; and yet what is more bodily than this, when a man is near to himself? But yet we do not say he is in himself. Let us, therefore, be in ourselves, in heaven, in the Spirit; let us abide in the peace and grace of God, that, having been delivered from all carnal things, we may be able to attain to the promised goods in Christ Jesus our Lord, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, power, honor, now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

HOMILY VI

^AChapter 2, v. 17. *And coming he preached peace to you who were far off, and peace to them who were near. 18. For by him we have access both in one Spirit to the Father. 19. Therefore now you are no more strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and domestics of God.* 20. And of the prophets, since he himself is the chief corner-stone, Christ; 21. *in whom all building framed together groweth into an holy temple in the Lord: 22. in whom you also are built together into an habitation of God in the Spirit.*

He did not send another, nor communicate these things to us through anyone else, but did so by himself. He did not send an angel or an archangel, since the correction of so many evils belonged to no one else, but to his own presence, and to the proclamation of what had been accomplished. The Master took upon himself the role of a minister and almost of a servant, and he came, and he preached peace, "to you," he says, "who were far off, and to those who were near." To the Jews, he says, who were near, if they are compared to us (for he hints that those who were from the Gentiles were far off, inasmuch as they were strangers to the covenants). "For through him we have access, both in one Spirit, to the Father." Peace, he says, with God; for he has reconciled us. For at other times he also says: "My peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you," and again, "Have confidence, I have overcome the world," and, "Whatever you ask in my name, you shall receive," and again, "Because the Father loves you" (John 14:27; 16:33; 14:14; 16:27). These are the signs of peace for both these and those.

^BAnd how? Because through him we have access, both in one Spirit—not you less, and they more, but by one grace. For he dissolved the wrath by his death, and made us acceptable to the Father through the Spirit. Behold again, "in," "by": by himself and the Spirit he led us to him. "Therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens of the saints." You see that we have been inscribed into the same city, not simply of the Jews, but of the saints and great men—namely, Abraham and Moses and Elijah—and we abide and appear in it? For those who say these things manifestly show that they seek a country. No longer strangers to the saints, nor foreigners. For those who are not going to attain the heavenly things are foreigners. For the Son remains, he says, forever. And "domestics," he says, "of God." What they had from the beginning through so many labors, this has rightfully succeeded to you by the grace of God.

"Built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets." Behold the hope of the calling. See how he mingles everything: Greeks, Jews, apostles, prophets, Christ; and sometimes he shows their union from the body, and sometimes from the building. "Built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets." This means that the apostles and prophets are the foundation. And he places the apostles first, though they be the latest in time—or demonstrating this and saying, that both these and those are the foundation, while the whole is one building and one root. Think of the Greeks having the patriarchs as their foundation. Here he says this more properly than when he speaks of insertion; and he touches upon it more closely there. Then he says, "Christ Jesus himself being the chief corner-stone," signifying that Christ contains all things. For the corner-stone both holds the walls and the foundations. "In whom all the building." See how he has joined him, so that he sometimes holds and binds together the whole body from above, and at other times carries the building from below, and is the root. ^CThat, "He created in himself into one new man," means: through himself he joined both walls; and again, that they were created in him. And, "The firstborn," he says, "of every creature" (Col. 1:15); that is, he himself carries all things, in whom the whole building is constructed. Whether he speaks of the roof, or the walls, or anything else, he carries the whole. But elsewhere he calls him the foundation: "For other foundation," he says, "no man can lay, but that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ." In whom, he says, all the building is constructed (1 Cor. 3:11). The matter itself, when accurately and exactly considered, shows that it cannot be laid otherwise unless you have lived exactly and accurately. "It grows," he says, "into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together." He says this more frequently, "Into a holy temple, into an habitation of God in the Spirit." But what does the building mean? That God may dwell in this temple. For each one of you is a temple, and all of you together, and he dwells as if in the body of Christ, and as if in a spiritual temple. Therefore he did not say [italic]prosodos[/italic], that is, approach, but [italic]prosagōgē[/italic], that is, introduction: for we did not approach by ourselves, but were introduced by him. "For no one," he says, "comes to the Father but by me; and again, I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). You are built together into a holy temple.

He links it with the saints, by no means allowing any distance to be kept from Christ. This building is therefore up to the advent. Therefore Paul said: "As a wise architect I laid the foundation," and again here, "No man can lay another foundation besides that which is laid, which is Christ" (1 Cor. 3:10, 11). Do you see that examples are to be taken relative to the subjects, not absolutely? He says this from examples, as when Christ calls the Father the husbandman and himself the root.

(Chapter 3.) 1. "For this cause, I Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus, for you Gentiles." He has spoken of the great care and providence of Christ. From here he proceeds also to his own, which is indeed small and plainly nothing if compared to that; yet it itself is also suitable and sufficient to attract. Therefore, he says, I also am a prisoner. For if my Master was crucified for you, much more am I a prisoner. ^DHe was not only himself a prisoner, but he allows his servants to be prisoners for you Gentiles. Great is the emphasis; not only is he bewildered, but "because of you," he says, "I also have enjoyed such grace."

"If you have heard the dispensation of the grace of..."

God which was given to me for you." He hints at the prediction made to Ananias about him in Damascus, when he said: "Go, for he is a chosen vessel of mine to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings" (Acts 9:15). He calls the revelation a dispensation of grace; that is, "I did not learn it from man, and He deemed it worthy to reveal it even to me, being such as I was, for your sake." For He Himself, he says, spoke to me: "Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles" (Acts 22:21). He rightly called this a dispensation; for it was a great dispensation, to call from above one who was not persuaded by anything else, and to say: "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" and to strike him blind with that ineffable light. "If indeed you have heard," he says, "the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, that by revelation the mystery was made known to me, as I wrote before in a few words." Perhaps he indicated it through some, or had written it not long before. He shows here that everything is of God, that we brought nothing. For tell me, what? Was Paul himself, that great and wonderful man, the student of the law, the one who was exactly educated at the feet of Gamaliel, was he not saved by grace? He rightly calls this a mystery; for it is a mystery that the Gentiles should suddenly be raised to a greater nobility than the Jews. "As I wrote before," he says, "in a few words," that is, briefly. "By which, when you read, you can understand." Indeed! So he did not write everything, nor all that he ought to have written. But in that case, the nature of the matter made it so, whereas in other cases [it was] his care, as among the Hebrews, as among the Corinthians. "By which, when you read, you can understand my insight," he says, "in the mystery of Christ"; that is, how I understood, how I perceived either such things as God said, or that He sits at the right hand. Then also the dignity, that God did not do so for every nation. And what nation is this for which God did so, he declares, adding: ^B "Which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit." What then, tell me, did the prophets not know? How then does Christ say that Moses and the prophets wrote these things about Him? And again, "If you believed Moses, you would believe Me" (John 5:46); and again, "Search the Scriptures, for you think in them to have eternal life, and they are those which testify of Me" (John 5:39)? He says this either because it was not revealed to all men—for he added: "Which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it is now revealed"—or that it was not known in this way through the actual events and deeds, "as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit." For consider: Peter, had he not heard from the Spirit, would not have gone to the Gentiles. For hear what he says: "Surely God gave them the Holy Spirit, as also to us" (Acts 11:17). This is what he means by "in the Spirit," that through the Spirit God deemed them worthy to receive the grace. The prophets spoke, indeed, but they did not know as accurately, since not even the apostles knew [it] after hearing; for it far exceeded human reasoning and the common hope: that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and fellow partakers. ^C What is, "Fellow heirs and fellow partakers of the promise, and of the same body"? This is the great thing, that they are one body, the great intimacy. That they were to be called, they knew; but that it would be on these terms, they did not. This, then, he calls the mystery of the promise. The Israelites participated, but the Gentiles also participated in the promise of God. "In Christ by the gospel." That is, by being sent to them, and by their believing; for not simply, but "by the gospel." But this is nothing great; for it is small, and he reveals to us another, greater thing, that not only man, but not even angels, nor archangels, nor any other created power knew this; for this was a mystery, and was not revealed to anyone. "My insight," he says, "to understand." This is perhaps what he hints at—what he said to them in the Acts regarding what his insight was: that he calls the Gentiles, too. This he calls his own insight, that of the mystery, which he said: that in Himself He would create into one new man. For he learned by revelation that one ought not to abominate the Gentiles, both he and Peter; and this he says in his defense. ^D "Of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God which was given to me according to the working of His power." He said that he was a prisoner, but again he says it was all His, "according to the gift of His grace," saying: for according to the power of the gift did the dignity of this honor come to be. But the gift would not have sufficed, had He not also implanted power. For it was truly of great power, and human zeal did not suffice. For he brought three things to the preaching: a zeal that was burning and reckless, a soul ready to endure anything whatsoever, and insight and wisdom; for the risk-taking and blameless life were not enough, had he not also received the power of the Spirit. And look at him from the very beginning, or rather listen to him writing: "That our ministry may not be blamed" (2 Cor. 6:3); and again, "For our exhortation was not from error, nor from uncleanness, nor in flattering speech, nor in an occasion of avarice" (1 Thess. 2:3). Did you see the blamelessness? And again, "Providing honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men" (Rom. 12:17). Then after these, "I die daily, by our boasting which I have in Christ Jesus" (1 Cor. 15:31); and again, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Tribulation, or distress, or persecution?" (Rom. 8:35); and again, "In much patience, in tribulations, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments" (2 Cor. 6:4-5). Then his dispensation: "I became to the Jews as a Jew, to them that are without law as without law, to them that are under the law as under the law" (1 Cor. 9:20-21). He is shorn, and does a myriad of things. But the head of all is in the power of the Holy Spirit. For "I will not dare to speak," he says, "of any of those things which Christ has not wrought through me" (Rom. 15:18); and again, "For what is it wherein you have been inferior to the rest of the Churches?"; and again, "For I have done nothing less than the chiefest apostles, although I am nothing." For without these, it is not possible. Therefore, they did not become believers through his signs; for he did not perform these signs, nor did he claim to be held in high esteem because of these, but because of the others. For it is necessary to be both blameless, and resourceful, and reckless, and instructive. In these he accomplished the most; if these were present, there was no need of signs.

^A For we truly see him, even before the signs, having accomplished innumerable things of this kind. But now, having none of these, we wish to obtain and effect everything. For if the one be separated from the other, the remainder becomes useless. For what does it profit to be prone to encounter dangers, if one’s life is liable to reproach? For if the Light, he says, that is in you be darkness, how great is the darkness? (Matt. 6:23). And what does an inculpable life profit him who is slothful and somnolent? For if anyone does not take up his cross and follow me, he is not worthy of me (Matt. 10:38); and, Unless one shall lay down his soul for the sheep (John 10:11). But what does it profit to hold both these, and not to be apt for administering, so that one knows how it behooves to answer everyone? Even if signs are not in us, both these should be in us. But yet, bringing all these from himself, he referred the whole to grace. This is the way of a grateful servant. And we would never have learned the things done by him, if he had not been forced by necessity to do them. Are we worthy even to remember Paul? He, even having grace helping him, was not satisfied, but underwent thousands of dangers; we, however, who lack that confidence, from where, tell me, I pray, do we expect that we shall save those who are entrusted to us, or that those will receive it who have not yet accessed it? We, I say, who seek to be filled with pleasures and luxuries, and seek leisure from everywhere, and cannot endure dangers even in our sleep—nay, rather, we do not wish to; and we are as far from his wisdom as heaven is from the earth? Therefore also those who are subject to our administration are far distant from those who were then: since those who were then the disciples were more excellent than those who are now the teachers, as having been caught in the midst of peoples and tyrants, and having enemies on all sides, and yet not even slightly drawn or bent.

^B Hear, for instance, what he says to the Philippians: That it has been granted to you for Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him (Phil. 1:29); again, to the Thessalonians: You have become imitators of the Churches of God which are in Judea (1 Thess. 2:14). And to the Hebrews he wrote: And you received the plundering of your goods with joy (Heb. 10:34). To the Colossians also he bears witness, saying: For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3). And of these same ones, he testifies also that they underwent many dangers. And he says, writing even to the Galatians: You have suffered so much in vain, if indeed in vain (Gal. 3:4). You see that all labored for this, namely, that they might do well. Therefore even then grace was not idle; therefore, because of this, they led their lives in good works. But hear what he writes to the Corinthians, to whom he objects many crimes: does he not testify these things also of them? But your emulation, but your desire (2 Cor. 7:11)? And the things he says to them regarding this matter, you see now are not even done by the teachers. And so all things perish and have perished. The cause, however, is that charity has grown cold, that those who sin are not chastised (hear him writing to Timothy and saying, Argue those who sin before all [1 Tim. 5:20]); that the princes are sick: for while the head is not sound, how shall the remaining body remain in good health? See, therefore, how great the inequality is. For they who live ^C rightly, and who possess-howsoever they may—confidence, have occupied the mountain tops and retreated from the midst, as if away from an enemy and a stranger, or as if not torn from their own body; but the wicked, and those filled with innumerable evils, have leaped into the Churches: the principalities were venal. Innumerable evils are born from this, no one is there who corrects, no one who rebukes; but confusion has accepted a certain way and order. Has someone sinned, and was he accused? He does not put effort into this, that he may show himself innocent, but that he may be able to find accomplices in crime. What shall I do, when the threats of Gehenna are hanging over us? Believe me, if God had not reserved punishment for us there, you would see daily greater tragedies than those Judaic calamities. For what? But let no one be angry, for I will not speak by name: if anyone, when he had come to church, were to examine those who are now and those who are brought with you; nay, truly, not now, but if anyone on the day of Pascha, were to examine exactly all who approach and are washed—after they had approached the mysteries, having received a spirit by which he might accurately know what had been done by them—many things would be found graver than Judaic evils: namely, those who divine with auguries, who use sorceries, lots, and incantations, fornicators, adulterers, drunkards, and the abusive: but the greedy and those who invade the property of others, I am unwilling to mention, lest I touch some of those who are among us. But what, if he had searched all in the world who approach, what crime would he not have found? What if he searched the princes? Are they not money-hungry, buying empires and magistracies, envious, jealous, laboring under vain glory, gluttons, and slaves to money? Since, therefore, there is such great impiety, what grave thing is not to be expected? And that you may know what punishment they are worthy of who are found liable to these sins, think of the ancients: one man, a soldier, stole sacred monies, and all perished. Do you know the history? I speak of that Achar who had stolen the votive offering (Josh. 7). Therefore then the prophet said: Their land is filled with lots and auguries as the land of strangers (Isa. 2:6). But now all things are full of evils everywhere, and no one fears. Finally, let us fear: ^D God knows also how to punish the just with the impious, as happened to the three children in the time of Daniel, as to other innumerable ones, as even in the wars which now still occur. For they, indeed—even the—as much as they have of sins—

ppened to the three children in the time of Daniel, as to other innumerable ones, as even in the wars which now still occur. For they, indeed—even the—as much as they have of sins—let them lay aside, but these, no. Because of all these things, let us ourselves be attentive. Do you not see the wars? Do you not hear of the calamities? Are you not instructed by these? Entire nations and cities have been swallowed up and perished; so many thousands serve the barbarians: if hell does not punish us, let these, at least, punish us and teach us to be wise. Are these threats? Is it not the very things that have occurred? They paid great penalties, but let us give—those who are not punished by their calamities. It is grave and troublesome, I say; I myself also know this, but it brings profit if we attend. For God never brings anything to pass for the sake of grace, but those things which can still restrain the soul and make it modest. For these are for us the causes of future goods; which may it be granted to all of us to attain, by grace and loving-kindness.

HOMILY VII

^A Cap. 3, v. 8. *To me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; 9. And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ; 10. To the intent that now may be made known by the church the manifold wisdom of God... 11. According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.*

1. *The exceeding humility of Paul.* One should not go to physicians without a cause, but in order to learn how to be cured and to apply remedies. And we, too, having come hither, ought not to do this simply, but to learn the height of Paul’s humility. For why? Because he was about to speak of the magnitude of the grace of God, hear what he says: *To me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given.* There is indeed humility ^B also in lamenting over former sins, even though they have been blotted out, and in remembering them, and in being modest, as when he calls himself a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious; but there is nothing on a par with this. For before, he says, such was I, and he calls himself an abortion; but to be modest after so great accomplishments, and to call himself the least of all the saints, is a sign of great and exceeding modesty. He did not say, "Of the apostles," so that even that is less than this. For there he said, *I am not meet to be called an apostle* (1 Cor. 15:9); but here he says he is less than even all the saints. To me, he says, the least of all saints, is this grace given. What grace? *To preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,* and to enlighten all, *what is the dispensation of the mystery which from the beginnings of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ, that now may be made known by the church the manifold wisdom of God.* Be it so, ^C it was not revealed to men: are you enlightening also angels and archangels, and principalities and powers? Yes, he says; for it was hidden in God, and in God who created all things by Jesus. And do you dare to say this? Yes, he says. But whence was this made manifest to the angels? By the Church. And he did not even say simply, The wisdom of God, but, The manifold wisdom. What then is this? Did not the angels know? By no means; for since the principalities did not know, much more would the angels not have known. What then? Did not the archangels know? Not even they; for whence were they to know? By whom being revealed? When we learned it, then they did also, through us. For hear the angel saying to Joseph: *Thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins* (Matt. 1:21). He himself was sent to the Gentiles, but they to the circumcision. Wherefore, that which is more admirable and astonishing, to me, he says, is given to the least. ^D And this, too, was of grace, that the small should be entrusted with the greater things, that he should become the evangelist of these. For he who became the evangelist of greater things, by this is he great. *To preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.* If His riches are unsearchable, even after He has appeared, much more so is His essence. If it is still a mystery, much more so was it before it was made known. For He calls it a mystery for this very reason, because not even the angels knew, nor was it manifest to any other. And to enlighten all, he says, *what is the dispensation of the mystery which from the beginnings of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.* The angels knew only this, that *The Lord’s portion is his people* (Deut. 32:9); and again, *The prince of the Persians withstood me* (Dan. 10:13). Wherefore it is no wonder if they were ignorant of this also. For if they were ignorant of the things of the return, much more of these; for this is the gospel. *Who,* he says, *shall save his people Israel* (Matt. 1:21). Nothing about the Gentiles; but the Spirit reveals concerning the Gentiles. That they were indeed called, they knew, but that it was for the same things, and to sit upon the throne of God, who would have expected this? Who would have believed? *Hid,* he says, *in God.* And he reveals this dispensation more clearly in the Epistle to the Romans. *In God,* he says, *who created all things by Jesus Christ.* And he well mentioned creation, saying, *By Jesus Christ.* For He who created all things by Him, also reveals this by Him; for He has made nothing without Him: *For without him,* he says, *was not any thing made* (John 1:3). Mentioning principalities and powers, he said both those above and those below. *According to the eternal purpose.* Now, he says, it has come to pass, but not now was it determined, but from above it was prefigured. *According to the eternal purpose* which He made in Christ Jesus our Lord; that is, according to the foreknowledge of the ages, foreknowing the things to come; he refers to the future ages: for He knew the things that were to be, and thus determined. *According to the eternal purpose*; perhaps of those things which He did in Christ Jesus, because indeed all things have come to pass through Christ. *In whom,* he says, *we have boldness and access in confidence by the faith of him.* Not as captives, he says, were we brought in, nor as seeking pardon, nor as those who have sinned. And, *For we have boldness,* he says, *in confidence,* that is, with courage. Whence? *By the faith of him. For this cause I bow my knees, that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.* How is it for them? How is it their glory? Because God so loved them, that he gave even the Son for them, and troubles His servants. For in order that these might attain to such great goods, Paul was in bonds. Thus, this is of the great love of God for them; which thing God also says concerning the prophets: *I slew them by the words of my mouth.* But how were they fainting, if another were being afflicted? That is, they were being disturbed, they were being troubled. These things, also, to the Thessalonians

^A he says when writing: "So that no one may be moved in these afflictions." For not only ought one not to be pained, but one ought also to rejoice. For if you accept consolation from the prophecy, we are predicting that we are about to be afflicted here. Why? Because the Master so commanded. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, ^B from whom every paternity in heaven and on earth is named. He shows the affection of his prayer for them. He did not simply say, "I pray," but shows a prayer accompanied by compunction by the fact that he bows his knees. From whom every paternity. He no longer speaks according to the number of the angels, but according to Him who made the heavenly and earthly families, not such as the Judaic ones. "That he may give you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with power by his Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell through faith in your hearts." See with what insatiability he prays for good things for them, so that they may not be carried about. But how does this happen? Through the Holy Spirit ^C for the inner man to have Christ dwell through faith in your hearts. How? "Rooted and grounded in love, that you may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, to know also the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge."

What he began by saying, he says also now. What was it that he said in the beginning? "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, the eyes of your hearts being enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of his power toward us who believe." The same he says now also: ^D "That you may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and breadth and height"—that is, to know the mystery concerning us dispensed with accuracy for this he calls length and breadth, depth and height: that is, to know the magnitude of the love of God, how it is extended on every side. And he described it with bodily figures, showing a man: he comprehends what is above, what is below, and what is on the sides. We have said, he says, that it is not in my power to teach these things, but in the Holy Spirit's. By his power, he says, to be strengthened against temptations, and not to waver and be carried off course. For this reason he says it is not possible to be strengthened otherwise than through the Spirit and temptations. But how does Christ dwell in the hearts? Hear Christ saying: "I and the Father will come, and we will make our abode with him." He dwells, however, not simply, but in the hearts of the faithful which have taken root in his love, which are not carried off course. "That you may be able," he says. Therefore there is need of great strength. But where there is need of such strength, he declares, subjoining, "That you may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the depth and height, and to know what is the love of the knowledge of Christ which surpasses understanding." That you may be filled unto all the fullness of God. But he wishes to signify this: Although the love of Christ far surpasses all human knowledge; yet you will know it, if you have Christ dwelling in you. And not only will you know it from that, but also you will be filled unto all the fullness of God. Where he either hints that it is the same thing—the fullness of God and knowing how in the Father and Son and Holy Spirit one God ought to be adored—or he exhorts that we seriously apply ourselves to this, that we may be filled with every virtue in which God abounds. "Now to him who is able to do all things, more abundantly than we ask or think, according to the power that works in us." According to the power, he correctly said: for from that power we receive things we never hoped for. But that he did more abundantly than what we ask or think is evident from these things which he himself was writing. For I, indeed, he says, pray: but he even without my prayers will do greater things than our requests: not only greater or abundantly, but, "Superabundantly," declaring the magnitude of the gift. Whence is this clear? From the power that works in us. For neither did we ever ask these things, nor did we expect them. To him be the glory, he says, in the Church in Christ Jesus unto all the generations of the age of ages. Amen. He beautifully concluded the prayer with petitions and glorification. For it was fitting that he be glorified and blessed who provided such things. Wherefore this also is part of the admiration, to glorify on account of the things we have attained from God, through Jesus Christ. His glory in the Church, he correctly said: for she alone remains forever. But because she always stands, he wants Him to be glorified by us unto the consummation: for this he signified saying, "Unto all generations of the age." What "paternities" are, it is necessary to say. For here indeed paternities are "tribes" [genera], but in heaven, how, where no one is begotten by another? Or does he call the assemblies there "paternities," that is, nations and kinships? Just as it is found in Scripture, [original-script column: see facsimile], inasmuch as from him fathers are named. But he does not demand everything from God, but also from them faith and love: and not only love, but rooted and grounded, so that neither winds may shake it, nor anything else cast it down. He said tribulations are glory: if, however, mine, much more yours.

^A Paul does not ask "how much," nor does he seek to measure it; for how could he? But he says that it is exceeding and great to learn this very thing; and he declares that he is able to show this even from the knowledge of which we have been deemed worthy. And yet, what is there beyond being strengthened? It is to be in power, just as simply having Christ within is something beyond. The things requested are great, he says, but He knows how to do even more than these, so that we may not only love, but do so exceedingly. Let us therefore take care, beloved, to learn the love of God. This is a great thing; nothing profits us so much, nothing pricks our hearts so much; this is sufficient to overcome our souls even more than the fear of Gehenna.

Whence then shall we know it? From the things already said, and from those that happen every day. For to what end have these things come to be? Out of what need of His? Out of none. He sets love as the cause both above and below; and that is love indeed, when men are benefited without anything having been first done by themselves. Let us therefore mimic this also; let us do good to our enemies, let us approach those who hate us and those who turn away from us. This makes us like to God. For if you love your friend, he says, what is the reward? Even the heathens do this. ^B But what is the proof of love? To love one who hates you. I wish to give an example—forgive me—and I find none in spiritual things; therefore I will speak from those outside. Do you not see those who are in love? How much, though insulted by their beloved, how much, though plotted against, how much, though impoverished, they are nailed to them and inflamed, and love them more than their own souls, spending the night at their very doorsteps? Let us take the example from there—not that we should love such people, I mean harlot women, but that we should love our enemies in this way. For tell me, do they not treat them more insultingly than any enemies, and squander their substance, and insult their very countenance, and command them to do more slavish tasks than their servants? Yet they do not stand apart. And yet no one has such an enemy as he who loves the one he loves. For she is often haughty and beats him and abuses him, and the more she is loved, the more she despises him. And yet what is more beastly than such a conditioned soul? Yet, they love them.

But perhaps we shall find such love even from spiritual things—not of those now, for it has grown cold; but of those great and wonderful men of old. The blessed Moses surpassed even those who love with such passion. How, and in what way? First of all, he abandoned the royal palaces, and the luxury there, and the service, and the being glorified, and chose to be with the Israelites. And yet, not only would no one else have done this, but he would even have been ashamed to be seen as a kinsman to someone else who was being reproved, not only by slaves, but by those accounted as vile; but he not only did not feel ashamed of the kinship, but he even defended them with all his fury, and cast himself into dangers for their sake. How? Seeing, he says, someone doing an injustice, he defended the one being treated unjustly, and killed the one who was doing the injustice. But these things were not yet on behalf of enemies; they were indeed great things, but not as great as what followed.

On the following day, therefore, he saw the same thing happening, and seeing him whom he had defended acting unjustly, he warned him to cease from the injustice. But he, using great ingratitude, says: "Who made you a prince and a judge over us?" (Exod. 2:14). Who would not have been enflamed by these words? If, therefore, what was done before had been done in anger and madness, he would have struck and killed this man too. For surely the one on whose behalf this was done would not have informed on him, but because they were kinsmen, he says, he said these things. When he was being treated unjustly, he uttered nothing of the sort: "Who made you a prince and a judge over us?" Why did you not say this yesterday? Your injustice and cruelty, he says, this is what made me a prince and judge. ^C But now see that some say these same things even to God. For in things where they are treated unjustly, they want Him to be severe, and they accuse Him of His long-suffering; but when they are the ones doing the injustice, no longer. What is more bitter than these words? Yet after this, being sent to the ungrateful, to the thankless, he went and did not shrink back. But even after those signs, and after the miracles that were done through him, they often attempted to stone him, and he escaped their hands; and they were constantly grumbling, yet he loved them with such passion that he said to God, when they had committed that grievous sin: "If you forgive their sin, forgive; but if not, blot me out of the book that you have written" (Exod. 32:31-32). I want, he says, to perish with them, rather than be saved without them. Truly madness, truly a great passion. What are you saying? Do you despise heaven? Yes, he says; for I love those who have treated me unjustly. Do you ask to be blotted out? And what shall I do, he says? For it is love.

What then of the things that followed? Hear what Scripture says elsewhere: "And Moses was afflicted because of them" (Ps. 105:32). How often did they insult him? How often did they vote against him and his brother? How often did they seek to return to Egypt? And after all these things, he was inflamed and frantic, and was ready to suffer everything for their sake. Thus one must love enemies, being consumed and miserable and doing everything and being separated from them, yet desiring their salvation. But what of Paul, tell me, did he not even ask for Gehenna in their stead? But it is necessary to bring the example from the Lord. For so He Himself does, saying that He makes His sun to rise upon the evil and the good (Matt. 5:45), bringing the example from His Father, while we bring it from Christ Himself. He came to them—in the order of the economy, I mean—He became a servant for their sake, He humbled Himself, He emptied Himself, He took the form of a servant; and having arrived, He did not Himself go away into the way of the Gentiles, and He commanded His disciples the same; and not only this, but He went about healing every disease and every infirmity.

HOMILY VIII

^A dispensation, I say, he was made a servant for their sake, he humbled himself, he emptied himself, he took the form of a servant; and when he had come, he did not even go into the way of the Gentiles, and he commanded his disciples likewise: and not only this, but he went about healing every disease and every infirmity.

[a]How one ought to love one’s enemies. What then? All others were struck with astonishment and wondered, and said: Whence come these things to him? (Matt. 13:54) But those upon whom he bestowed benefits said, He has a demon (John 7:20), and he is a deceiver (Matt. 27:63). Did he therefore reject them? By no means, but he benefited them even more upon hearing this, and went to those who were about to crucify him, that he might save them. And after he was crucified, what does he say? Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34). And having suffered evil before, and having suffered evil afterward, even to his last breath he was doing everything for them, interceding for them. And after the cross, what did he not do for them? Did he not send the apostles? Did he not perform signs? Did he not set everything in motion? ^B Thus one ought to love one’s enemies; thus one ought to imitate Christ. Paul did this: pelted with stones, having suffered countless things, he did everything for them. Hear him saying: My heart’s desire and prayer is for them for salvation (Rom. 10:1); and again: For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God (Rom. 10:2); and again: If you, being cut from the wild olive, were grafted in (Rom. 11:17), how much more shall these be grafted into their own olive tree? From how great love do you suppose these words were spoken, from how great benevolence? It cannot be told, it cannot be. Thus one ought to love enemies: this is to love God who has commanded it, who has given the law; to imitate Him is to love an enemy. Consider that you are not doing a kindness to an enemy, but to yourself: you are not loving him, but obeying God. Knowing these things, therefore, let us confirm friendship among ourselves, so that when we have conducted ourselves exactly in it, we may obtain the promised goods in Christ Jesus our Lord, with whom to the Father together with the Holy Spirit be glory, power, and honor, now and always, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

HOMILY VIII

^C Obsecro itaque vos ego vinctus in Domino, ut digne ambuletis vocatione qua vocati estis, cum omni humilitate et mansuetudine. [I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you to walk worthily of the vocation wherewith you have been called, with all humility and meekness.] It is the virtue of teachers not to seek honor, nor glory from those whom they govern, but their salvation, and to do all things for this cause. For he who seeks the former will not be a teacher, but a tyrant. For God did not set you over them for this reason, that you might be more worshiped and observed, but that your own interests might be neglected, and everything that concerns them might be edified. This is the mark of a teacher: such was the blessed Paul, free from all pride; and he was so affected that he truly was one of the many, nay rather, the least of them. For this reason he even calls himself a servant, and speaks of most things as if he were a suppliant. Therefore, see him now also writing nothing imperative, nothing that carries an air of authority, but what is restrained and humble: I beseech you, he says, I the prisoner in the Lord, to walk worthily of the vocation wherewith you have been called. Tell me, I pray, what are you asking for? That you yourself might obtain something? By no means, he says, but that I may bring salvation to others. And yet those who beg, beg for things it is in their own interest to obtain. And this is in my interest, he says: as he also said writing elsewhere: We live now, if you stand in the Lord (1 Thess. 3:8). For he always greatly desired the salvation of his disciples. I the prisoner in the Lord. A great dignity, and one that has great power, greater than a kingdom and a consulship and any other things. ^D Diadem of Emperors. To be in bonds for Christ is thought greater than to sit at his right hand. Which he indeed says also when writing to Philemon: Since I am Paul the aged, and now a prisoner in Christ (Philem. 9). For there is nothing as illustrious as bonds for Christ, and the chains placed upon those holy hands. To be in bonds for Christ is more illustrious than to be an apostle, than to be a teacher, than to be an evangelist. If anyone loves Christ, he knows what is said: if anyone is mad for the Lord and is consumed by his love, he knows the power of the bonds. He would choose to be in bonds for Christ rather than to inhabit the heavens. He showed those hands as more brilliant than any gold, and any royal diadem. For it does not make the head as brilliant as a fillet composed of jewels put upon it, as an iron chain for Christ’s sake. Then, the prison was more illustrious than royal halls. What do I say royal halls? Than heaven itself: for it held one who was Christ’s prisoner. If anyone loves Christ, he knows this dignity, he knows this virtue, he knows how much it has gratified the race of men that he is in bonds for his sake. This perhaps is more illustrious than to sit at his right hand: this is more magnificent than to sit upon twelve thrones, to be in bonds for Christ. And what do I say of human things? I am ashamed to compare riches and golden finery with the bonds. But setting aside those great things, even if the matter had no reward, this alone is a great reward and a sufficient remuneration, to suffer these heavy things for the sake of the one who is loved. They know what is said who love, if not God, then at least men: who rejoice more if they suffer evil for the sake of those they love than if they are honored. This is the prerogative of the holy choir alone, of the apostles, I mean. For hear the blessed Luke saying, They returned rejoicing from the sight of the council, because they were counted worthy to suffer contempt for the name of Christ (Acts 5:41). And to others, indeed, it seems ridiculous that to have been affected with reproach and contempt is to have obtained a dignity, that to be affected with reproach is to be rejoicing: but to those who know the desire of Christ, this is thought the most blessed of all things. If anyone offered me the whole heaven, or that chain, I would prefer the chain: if anyone placed me among the hosts above with the angels, or with the imprisoned Paul, I would choose the prison; if anyone made me one of the Powers that are about the heavens, or about the thrones, or such a

chain, which demons fear and shudder at, but angels revere. Nothing is better than to endure evil for Christ's sake. I do not so much bless Paul because he was caught up into Paradise, as I do because he was cast into prison. 54 I do not so much bless him because he heard unspeakable words, as I do because he endured bonds; I do not so much bless him because he was caught up into the third heaven, as I bless him for the sake of his bonds. For that these are greater than those, hear how he himself knows this. For he did not say, "I beseech you, I who heard unspeakable words," but what? "I beseech you, I, the prisoner in the Lord." And if he does not ascribe this to all his epistles, it is not to be wondered at; for he was not always in bonds, but at certain times. It is more desirable for me to endure evil for Christ, than to be honored by Christ. This is a great honor, this is a glory that surpasses all things. If He who for my sake became a servant, and emptied Himself of glory, did not consider Himself to be in glory so much as when He was being crucified for me, what ought I not to suffer? For hear Him saying, "Glorify Me, O Father" (John 17:1). What are you saying? You are being led to the cross with robbers and grave-robbers, to undergo the death of the accursed, you are about to be spat upon and buffeted, and do you call these things glory? "Yes," He says; "for I suffer these things for the sake of those I love, and I consider these things to be glory now." If He who loved the wretched and miserable calls the matter glory—and it was not being on the Father's throne, nor being in glory, but being in dishonor that was glory, and He preferred this to that—much more ought I to consider these things glory. O the blessed bonds! O the blessed hands which that chain adorned! Paul's hands were not so precious when they raised and lifted up the lame man in Lystra, as they were when they were wearing the bonds. If I had been present at those times, I would most of all have embraced them then, and placed them upon my eyes; I would not have ceased kissing the hands that were deemed worthy to be bound for my Master. Do you marvel at Paul, when the viper fastened onto his hand, and he did nothing? Do not marvel; for he delighted in the chain; and the whole sea delighted in it, for he was bound at that time. If someone had given me the power now to raise the dead, I would not have chosen this, but the chain; if I were free from ecclesiastical cares, and had a sound and healthy body, I would not have refused to make such a long journey for the sake of seeing only the chains, for the sake of seeing the prison where he was bound. And yet his miracles have many signs everywhere, but they are not as desirable as the marks of his passion. And in the Scriptures, performing miracles does not gladden me as much as his suffering evil, being scourged, being dragged about. Truly wonderful are the napkins and aprons from your skin, working paradoxes; but they are not such as those. "Having flayed him," he says, "and laid many 55 stripes on him, they cast him into prison"; and again, "Being bound, they were praising God"; and again, "Having stoned him, they dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead." Do you wish to learn how great a thing it is to have an iron chain for Christ's sake wrapped around a servant's body? Hear Christ Himself saying, "Blessed are you." When? When you raise the dead? No; but when? When you heal the blind? Not at all; but when? "When they reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely for My sake." And if being spoken ill of makes men so blessed, what would suffering ill not work? Hear this blessed man himself saying elsewhere, "Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness" (2 Tim. 4:8). But the bond is brighter than this crown. He says that He will count me worthy of this, and I am not precise about the rest. Suffering evil for Christ is enough for me as a full recompense. Let it be granted to me to utter that saying, that "I fill up the things that are behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh" (Col. 1:24), and I need nothing else. Peter also was counted worthy of this chain: "For he was," it says, "bound, and delivered to soldiers, and he was sleeping" (Acts 12:4-6). He was so glad, and felt no pain, that he even slept; and a deep sleep would not have held him if he had been in much anxiety. He was sleeping while being between the soldiers; and an angel came to him, and struck his side, and raised him. If, therefore, anyone said to me, "What would you prefer? To be the angel who poked Peter, or Peter who was saved?" I would have chosen to be Peter, for whose sake even the angel came. I would wish for those bonds. And how, one says, does he pray to be delivered as if from great evils? Do not marvel; for he prays, fearing lest he should die. And he feared to die because he wished his life to be the object of further sufferings. Hear, then, what the blessed Paul himself says: "To depart and be with Christ is far better, but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for your sakes" (Phil. 1:23, 24). This, too, he called a grace, writing, "For it has been granted to you," he says, "by Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake" (ibid. v. 29). Wherefore this is greater than that; for He granted it. Truly it is a very great grace, and greater than all these, than to stop the sun and the moon, than to move the world; this is greater than to master demons, or to drive them out. They do not groan so much when they are driven out by our faith, as when they see us suffering some evil for Christ's sake, and being bound—for this makes our boldness greater. It is not good to be bound for Christ because the thing gains a kingdom, but because it happens for Christ's sake; I do not bless the bonds because they send one to heaven, but because they are made for the sake of the Master of heaven. 56 What a boast it is to know that one was bound for Christ! What pleasure, what honor, what splendor! I would wish to speak of these things continually; I would wish to hold onto the chain; I would wish, even if I have been deprived of the reality, to wrap the chain around my soul in word, through my disposition. "The prison was shaken," he says, "with Paul bound, and the bonds of all were loosed." Do you see the nature of the bonds loosening the bonds? For just as the Lord's death put death to death, so also Paul's bonds loosed the prisoners, shook the prison, opened the doors; and yet this is not the nature of bonds, but the opposite, to hold the bound man in security.

not to throw the walls open to him. But this is not the nature of bonds in the absolute sense, but of those that are for Christ’s sake. The jailer fell at the feet of Paul and Silas. But neither does this happen by the nature of bonds, that they should lead those who bound them to the feet of the prisoners, but on the contrary, they make the others subject to them. Now, however, the one who was free had fallen at the feet of the bound man; the one who had bound him was begging the prisoner that he might be delivered from fear. "Did you not bind him?" I tell you. "Did you not cast him into the inner prison? Did you not secure his feet in the stocks? Why do you tremble? Why are you in an uproar? Why do you weep? Why have you drawn your sword?" "Nothing of the sort," he says, "I knew not that such was the power of those bound for Christ." What are you saying? Have they received authority to open the heavens, and were they not to open the prison? Were they releasing those who were bound by demons, and was iron to prevail over them? You knew not the men, and for this reason you have obtained pardon. Paul is the one who is bound, whom all the angels revered; he is Paul, whose handkerchiefs and aprons were casting out demons and putting diseases to flight. Yet the bond of the demon is much more adamantine than iron, and unbreakable; for the one binds the soul, the other the body. He, therefore, who looses souls that are bound, could he not loose his own body? He who breaks asunder the bonds of demons, would he not loose the bond of iron? He who by his garments was loosing those prisoners and delivering them from demons, would he not himself by his own power loose himself? For this reason he was first bound, and then loosed the prisoners, that you might learn that the servants of Christ who are bound have far greater power than those who are free. If a free man had done this, it would not have been so wonderful. It was not, therefore, a bond of weakness, but of greater power. For thus the virtue of the saint is shown more brilliantly, when even in bonds he holds dominion over those who are bound, when even in bonds he not only looses himself, but also looses the prisoners. What good are walls? What is the profit in casting him into the inner prison, when he has even opened the outer? Why was this done at night, and why with an earthquake? Grant me a little, and allow me, while I have departed from the apostolic words, to delight myself in the apostolic deeds, to feast in the chain of Paul: permit me to dwell upon it a little longer. I have laid hold of the bond, no one shall take me away. I am now more safely bound by desire than he was then by the wood. No one looses this bond; for it is from the desire of Christ: this neither angels nor the kingdom of heaven can loose. One may hear Paul himself saying: ^A *Neither angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, will be able to separate us from the love of Christ* (Rom. 8.38–39).

On the jailer in whose custody Paul was bound

For it is beautiful and honorable to remember the grace of Christ in the midst of Paul's bonds; nay rather, these things also belonged to the grace of God. For there are those who blame the fact that the jailer was saved, and they find fault with the very things for which they should have admired the clemency of God: nor is it surprising. Such men are weak and sick, who even find fault with food that one ought to admire, and say that honey is bitter. And they who are blind are darkened by the very things from which they ought to be illuminated, as these things happen not from the nature of the things, but from the weakness of those who cannot use them as they ought. What then were they saying? When they ought to have admired ^D that he had taken hold of one who had fallen into the uttermost wickedness and had made him better, they say: "How is it that he did not think this matter to be one of sorcery and incantation, and why did he not rather restrain them and cry out?" To this he used many arguments: first, that he heard them praising God and singing hymns: such hymns they would not have sung if they had been sorcerers: *for he heard them*, he says, *praising God* (Acts 16. 25). And not only this, but they also prevented him from killing himself; for if they had done this for their own sake, they would not have remained inside, but would have escaped beforehand. Moreover, great is their philanthropy—they prevented him from killing himself, who had bound them strongly and cruelly. As if they had said to him: "You have bound us firmly and sharply, so that you yourself might be loosed from the most stinging bonds." For each one is bound by the chains of his own sins. For those indeed are execrable bonds; but these are blessed and greatly to be desired. For that these loosed those, he shows from sensible things. Have you seen those who had been bound with iron loosed? You shall see yourself also loosed from other grievous bonds. These bonds, I say, the bonds of the prisoners, not those of Paul, are what cause those of sins. There were two kinds of prisoners, and the jailer himself was a prisoner. The former were bound by iron, and the latter by sins. Did Paul loose those whom he had full assurance of? And he did so having visible bonds. Thus Christ also did, or rather, the reverse. The former release was a double one: of sins, and of the body. What then does he do? "Take heart, child," he says, "your sins are forgiven." He looses the real release first, then he comes to this.

^A For when some of the scribes said within themselves, "This man blasphemes," Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said: "Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Arise and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins,"—then he says to the paralytic—"Arise, take up your bed, and go into your house" (Matt. 9. 2-6). He confirmed the intelligible by the sensible, having worked upon the soul through the body. And why did He do this? That the saying might be fulfilled: "Wicked servant, I will judge you out of your mouth" (Luke 19. 22). And what did they say? "No one can forgive sins but God alone" (Mark 2. 7); therefore, it follows, neither an angel, nor an archangel, nor any other created power [can do this]. You confessed this. What then ought you to have said? "If I am shown to have forgiven sins, it is clear that I am God." But He did not say this, but what? "But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins,"—then ^B He says to the paralytic, "Arise, take up your bed, and go into your house." Since then, He says, I have done the more difficult thing, it is clear that no excuse or contradiction is left regarding the easy thing. For this reason, He did the intelligible thing first, since there were many who contradicted; but here, He brought them from the intelligible to the sensible. So, their faith was not a matter of light-mindedness. He saw the prisoners, and he saw and heard nothing base; he saw nothing that had been done by sorcery, for they were praising God; he saw that all things were done out of great philanthropy, for they did not defend themselves, although they were able to. For it was in their power to go out having released themselves and the prisoners too; or, if not the prisoners, at least themselves. But they did not do this. Thus, they revered him not only for the miracle, but also for his way of life. ^C How did he call out? With a loud voice, saying, "Do yourself no harm; for we are all here" (Acts 16. 28). You see his lack of vainglory, and his composure, and his affection. He did not say, "Because of us these things have come to pass"; but, as if he were one of the prisoners, he says, "For we are all here." And yet, even if they had not loosed themselves before this, nor through the miracle, it was in their power to be silent, and to let everyone go, even those who were bound. For if they had been silent, and had not restrained him with a loud voice, he would have thrust the sword through his throat. For this reason he also cried out, since he had been cast into the inner prison. "You have done this against yourself," he says, "having cast inside those who were about to free you from danger." But they did not imitate what had been done by Him. Now, had He died, they all would have escaped. You see that they chose to be bound rather than to look on while he was perishing. ^D For this reason, he also reflected with himself, "If they were sorcerers, they would certainly have let those men out and freed themselves from the bonds," for it is likely that many such men had been cast in. Otherwise, having often received sorcerers, and having seen nothing of the sort occur, he marveled. A sorcerer would not have shaken the foundations so as to wake the jailer, and made escape more difficult for himself. But let us look further at the jailer's faith. He asked for lights, he says, and sprang in, and trembling, he fell down before Paul and Silas, and bringing them out, he says, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" (Acts 16. 29-30). Fire he held, and a sword, and he said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" But they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household" (Ibid. v. 31). This is not the way of sorcerers, he says, to hand down such a doctrine; there is no mention of a demon here. Do you see how he was worthy of being saved? For having seen the miracle, and having been delivered from fear, he did not forget what was profitable, but in the midst of such danger 60 he was concerned for the salvation of his soul; and as it behooved him to approach teachers, so he approached them; and he fell at their feet. And they spoke to him, he says, the word of the Lord, and to all who were in his house. And taking them in that very hour of the night, he washed them of their wounds, and he himself was baptized, and all his own immediately. Do you see the warmth of the man? He did not delay, he did not say, "Let it be day, let us see, let us deliberate"; but with much warmth both he and his whole household were baptized; but it is not as most people do now, who neglect both servants and wives and children, leaving them uninitiated. Be, I exhort you, like the jailer; I do not mean the rank, but the disposition. For what is the benefit of rank, when the disposition is weak? Amazing! The cruel, the harsh man, he who lived in a thousand evils, he who was always practicing this, suddenly became so philanthropic, so caring. He washed them, he says, of their wounds. Behold also here again Paul's warmth—bound, whipped, thus he evangelized. O the blessed chain, what labors it travailed during that night! What children it brought forth! And concerning these it is possible to say, "Whom I begat in my bonds" (Philem. 10). Do you see how he rejoices, and desires that the children born from this should be more brilliant? Do you see how great is the wealth of the glory of the bonds, where it makes not only the one who wears them, but also those born by him at that time, brilliant? Those born in Paul's bonds have something more; I do not say in regard to the grace, for the grace is the same, nor in regard to the forgiveness, for the forgiveness of all is the same, but because from the very beginning they are trained to rejoice and exult in such things. In that very hour of the night, he says, taking them, he washed them of their wounds, and he was baptized. And behold then the fruit: he immediately rendered back carnal things. Bringing them up into his house, he immediately set a table, and exulted, having believed in God with all his house. For what was he not about to do, with heaven being opened to him through the opening of the doors of the prison? He washed the teacher, he set a table, and he exulted. Paul's chain entered into the prison, and made all things there a church, and made them all a body of Christ, and set a spiritual table, and gave birth to labors, over which angels rejoice. Was I saying in vain that the prison was more brilliant than heaven? For this was the cause of the joy there. For if there is joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, if where two are gathered together in His name, there Christ is in their midst, where Silas and Paul and the jailer and his whole household are, and such faith, how much more? Observe the intensity of the faith. But this prison reminded me of another prison. Of what, pray?

^A Of that in which Peter was. But there, nothing of the sort happened; rather, he had been handed over to four quaternions of soldiers to guard him, and he was not singing hymns, nor was he awake, but was sleeping; and he had not been beaten with scourges, but the danger was greater. For here, indeed, the whole thing had already been accomplished, and they had paid the penalty; there, however, it had not. Wherefore, even if the lashes had not yet been inflicted, the expectation of what was to come was troubling them. Observe the miracle there as well. Behold, he says, the angel of the Lord stood by, and a light shone in the dwelling; and striking the side of Peter, he awakened him, saying: "Rise quickly." And immediately the chains fell from his hands. ^B So that one might not think that the event was only a matter of light—and he struck Peter. But no one saw the light except him alone, and he thought it was a vision; thus, those who sleep do not perceive the benefits of God. And the angel, he says, said to him: "Gird yourself, and bind on your sandals." And he did so. And he says to him: "Wrap your garment around you, and follow me." And he went out and followed him; and he did not know that it was true what was being done by the angel, but thought he was seeing a vision. And passing through the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate which leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord. And going out they proceeded one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.

Why did this not happen here in the case of Paul and Silas? Because there, they were about to release them; therefore He did not wish them to be released in such a way; but in the case of the blessed Peter, they were about to lead him out to slaughter. What then, you say, would it not have been much more marvelous if, after being led out and handed over into the hands of the king, he had then been snatched away from the very midst of the dangers, and suffered nothing? For thus the soldiers would not have perished. A great question has been set in motion here. God, he says, saved His own servant with the torture of others, with the destruction of others. What then shall we say? First, indeed, that He did not save him with the destruction of others; second, that this did not come about by the dispensation of the event, but by the cruelty of the judge. How? For God so managed and arranged the matter that not only might these not perish, but that he [the jailer] might also be saved; just as here also in the case of the jailer; however, he did not make use of the gift as he ought. But when it was day, he says, there was no small stir among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. What then? ^C Herod forces the matter to be examined, and after an inquiry was made concerning them, he ordered them to be led away. For if he had not inquired, there would have been some excuse; but now he brought them forth, examined them, learned that he had been bound, that the prison was closed and secure, that the guards were before the doors, and that there had been no broken walls, nor doors opened, nor any other sign of villainy. From this fact, one ought to have marveled at the power of God, which had snatched him away from the midst of dangers, and to have adored Him who was able to do these things; but he, however, ordered them to be led away. What, therefore, is the blame here to be imputed to God? For if He had caused the wall to be broken through, and had thus cast him out, peradventure he would have thought that this was to be ascribed to their negligence; but if He so managed and arranged the matter that it was shown that it was not a work of human villainy or sorcery, but of a divine miracle, why did He do this? For if he were going to flee, he would have fled as he was, with the chains; if he were going to flee in confusion, he would not have taken such care as to put on his sandals, but would have left them behind. Now, however, the angel says for this reason, "Bind on your sandals," so that they might learn that he had not done the deed while fleeing, but in great leisure and quiet. For being bound, and between two soldiers, he would not have had so much leisure as to loose his chains, and this while in the inner prison. It is, therefore, to be ascribed to the injustice of the judge, the execution of the guards. ^D For why did the Jews not do this? For I remember another prison, that former one which at Rome, this one also which at Caesarea, and now that which was led in Jerusalem; for when the high priests and Pharisees had heard from those whom they themselves had sent to bring out Peter, that they had found no one inside, but even the doors were closed, and the guards standing before the gates; why did they not kill the guards, but were in doubt as to what had become of them? But if, even against them, though they were breathing out slaughter, they did not devise anything of the sort, much more you, who do everything for their favor. Therefore, punishment pursued him immediately. But if you shift the blame of this matter onto God, shift onto Him also the blame for those killed on the roads, and for the countless others who are unjustly slain, and for the children even who were slaughtered for Christ’s sake; for as with those also, as you say, they were slain, Christ was the cause. Nay rather, not Christ, but the fury and tyranny of the father, Herod. But if you say: "Why did He not snatch him from the hands of Herod?" That also He could have done, but he would have gained nothing from it. For how many times did Christ escape from their hands? What, therefore, did this profit the ungrateful? But from these things which were done, great profit accrues to the faithful; for while the events were proofs, and the very enemies themselves bore witness to what was being performed, the testimony was in no way suspected. As, therefore, there also, their mouths were stopped from nothing else than from the fact that those who had come confessed the things that had been done; so also here. For why did the jailer do nothing of the sort? And yet the things that had happened to Herod were no less than those which happened to this man. For to have learned that he had gone out bound while the doors were closed, to bring on amazement, was no less than to have seen the doors opened; nay, that even could have been considered a vision; this, however, not so, while it is reported accurately and exactly. For which reason, even here, if he had been bad, he would have killed Paul, just as that man killed the soldiers; but he was not. But if we wished to refute those who say, "Why did God allow the children to be killed?" the discourse would be longer than that which we had instituted at the beginning.

^A

But now, having offered many thanks for Paul's chain, let us bring the discourse to a close, since it has been the cause of so many good things for us, after exhorting you not only not to be chagrined if you should suffer any thing for Christ, but even to rejoice as the apostles did, and to boast as Paul said: "I will most gladly boast in my infirmities." For it was on this account that he also heard: "My grace is sufficient for thee." Paul boasts in bonds, and do you pride yourself on wealth? The apostles rejoiced that they were counted worthy to be scourged, and do you seek rest and luxury? How then do you wish to obtain the same things as them, while proceeding in the opposite direction here? And now, he says, "I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there, save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me." Why then do you go, if bonds and afflictions abide you? "For this very reason," he says, "that I may be bound for Christ, that I may die for him. For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ." There is nothing more blessed than that soul. In what does he boast? In bonds, in afflictions, in a chain, in stigmata. "I bear in my body the stigmata of the Lord Jesus Christ," he says, "just as if it were some great trophy." And again, "For the sake of Israel," he says, "I am bound with this chain." And again, "In which I perform the office of an ambassador in a chain." What is this? Are you not ashamed? Are you not afraid to walk about the world a prisoner? Are you not afraid that some one may condemn the weakness of your God? That perhaps some one may not approach on this account? "Such are not my bonds," he says; "they know how to shine even in palaces." "So that my bonds," he says, "have become manifest in all the praetorium, and the more part of the brethren in the Lord, being confident by my bonds, are more abundantly bold to speak the word without fear." Do you see the power of bonds more than of the resurrection of the dead? They saw me bound, and they are the more confident. For where there are bonds, it is necessary that something great should come to pass there; where there is ^B affliction, there is certainly salvation, there is certainly rest, there is certainly great accomplishment. For when the devil kicks, he is then struck; when he binds the servants of God, then the word makes the most progress. And see this happening everywhere. He was bound, and in the prison he wrought such things. "For in these very bonds of mine," he says. He was bound in Rome, and he brought along more; for he was not the only one who was confident, but many others were so through him. He was bound in Jerusalem, and while bound, he harangued and struck the king with amazement, and brought the ruler [64] into fear; for being struck with fear, he says, he released him, and he was not ashamed to learn of the future from the one bound by him. He sailed in bonds, and he released a shipwreck, and he bound the storm. While he was in bonds, that beast [the viper] fastened upon him, and he escaped having suffered no harm. He was bound in Rome, and while bound, he harangued and dragged in thousands, putting forward this very thing in preference to all: I mean the chain. ^C

But it is not possible to be bound with a chain now. But there is another chain, if we will. What is this? To hold the hand, not to be ready for greed. With this chain let us bind ourselves; instead of iron, let the fear of God be ours. Let us loose those bound by poverty and by affliction. It is not equivalent to open the doors of a prison and to release a soul that is shut up; it is not equivalent to unbind the bonds of prisoners and to release those who are shattered in remission. This is greater than that; for of that one there is no reward laid up, but of this there are thousands. Long has the chain of Paul become, and it has occupied us at great length; for it is truly long, and more comely than any golden necklace. This draws the bound like some machine toward heaven, and as if suspended by a golden necklace, it draws them up to heaven itself; and the marvelous thing is, that being bound below, it draws the bound upward. And yet this is not the nature of things; ^D but when God manages affairs, do not seek the nature of things nor their sequence, but things beyond nature and sequence. Let us learn not to be cast down in afflictions, nor to be chagrined. For look at this blessed one: he had been scourged, and scourged severely—"For having laid many stripes upon them," he says—and he had been bound, and this again severely; for he cast him into the inner prison, and with greater security. And being in such straits at midnight, when even those who are quite alert are sleeping, while another harder bond, that of sleep, was pressing upon them, they were singing and praising the Lord. What could be more adamant than these souls? I was reflecting that the children also sang in the fire and in the furnace; perhaps they were reflecting, "We have not yet suffered anything of this sort." But the discourse does well to carry us out to other bonds again and another prison. What am I to do? I wish to be silent, but I cannot. I have found another prison, far more wonderful and astonishing than that one. But shake yourselves awake for me, as if the discourse were now beginning, and approach with alert minds. I wish to break off the discourse, and it does not allow it. For just as some one drinking in the middle of a meal would not be able to stop, even if someone were to promise anything at all; so I, having taken hold of the cup of the wonderful prison of those who are bound for Christ, cannot cease, I cannot hold my peace. For if he himself in prison and in the night did not hold his peace, nor in stripes, shall I hold my peace while sitting in the daytime, speaking with much ease, while those who were bound, who were scourged, who in the middle of the night did not suffer this? The children did not hold their peace in the furnace and in the fire; and are we not ashamed to be silent? Let us see then this prison too. They were bound even here, but it was straightway shown from the very beginning that they were not to be burned, but as if entering a prison. For why do you bind those who are about to be inflamed? They were bound, like Paul, both feet and hands; they were bound with so much wrath. For just as he cast them into the inner prison, so this one ordered the furnace to be heated greatly. But let us see what follows. While they were singing, the prison was shaken, and the doors were opened; and while these were singing, the bonds of both feet and hands were loosed; the prison was opened, and the doors of the furnace were opened; for a dew of the Spirit was whistling through. But nevertheless

many things flow around me; I do not know what I should say first, or what second. Therefore, I ask that no one demand order of me; for there is a great kinship among the things here. Those who were bound with them were loosed, but yet they were sleeping; but here, something else was done for them: those who were casting them in were burned. But that which I wished to say: the king saw them loosed, and fell before them; he saw them singing hymns, and he saw four walking, and he called them. Just as, therefore, Paul would not have gone out, even if he could have, unless he who had cast him in had called him and led him out, so neither did those three children go out until he who cast them in commanded them to go out. What do we learn from this? Neither to hasten to hardships nor to rush to afflictions; nor, on the other hand, to remain in them if there are those who can loose us. But that man indeed fell at their feet; for he was able to enter where the saints were: but this man, when he had come to the door, stood still; for he did not dare to venture near to him who was inside the prison, which he himself had constructed for them by means of fire. But contemplate the words. That man says: "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" (Acts XVI, 30). This man, not indeed with such humility, but he sent forth a voice no less pleasant: "Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, servants of God the Most High, come out, and come hither" (Daniel III, 93). A great honor: "Servants of God the Most High, come out, and come hither." How will they come out, O king? You cast them bound into the fire; have they been in the fire for so long a time? For if they had been of adamant, if of metallic substances, since they were singing that whole hymn, would they not have perished? For this very reason they were saved, because they were singing hymns. The fire reverenced the alacrity of their spirits; it even reverenced that admirable canticle and those hymns. How do you call them? ^A I have said first: "Servants of God the Most High"; for the servants of God can do all things. For if there are some servants of men, and they have no small power, rule, and administration in their masters' affairs, how much more so the servants of God. He sent forth a most pleasant voice; he knew that by it he would most greatly please them. For if, in order to remain servants of God, they entered into the fire, there was no voice more pleasant than this: not if he had called them kings, not if lords of the whole earth, would it have moved them with such pleasure as that which he expressed to them: "Servants of God the Most High." And why are you surprised? For to a great city, which possessed the dominion of the world, and to which its authority gave great spirit, Paul, when writing, placed this, that it might correspond exactly to its dignity—nay, rather, that it might be by far greater, and indeed incomparably greater, than a consulship, and a kingdom, and the empire of the world: "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ" (Rom. I, 1). "Servants of God the Most High." For if, he says, they set such great earnestness on being servants, we will persuade them of this completely. See, therefore, also the piety of the children: they did not become angry, nor were they enraged, nor did they contradict, but they came out. ^B For if they had considered it a punishment that they had been cast into the furnace, they would have been angry at him who had cast them in: but now, nothing of this; but they came out as if they were coming forth from heaven: and that which the prophet says concerning the sun, "As a bridegroom coming out of his bridal chamber" (Ps. XVIII, 6), he who should say this concerning them would not have erred. How so? While he proceeded in that way, they then proceeded more splendidly. For he indeed proceeded, illuminating the world with sensible light; but they, illuminating the world in another way, namely, in a spiritual manner. For on their account the king immediately sent a decree, which contained these words: "The signs and wonders which the Most High God has wrought, have been made known to us as great and strong" (Dan. III, 99–100). They came out, therefore, emitting a splendid ray, which was indeed joyful even in those very regions; but especially could it be extended everywhere through royal letters, and dissolve the darkness that was spread everywhere. "Come out, and come hither." He did not command the furnace to be extinguished, but by this he also honored them greatly, because he believed they were not only able to walk inside, but also to come out while it was still burning.

^C 9. Let us see, if it pleases, the words also of the jailer: "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" What is more pleasant than this voice? It makes the very angels leap for joy: so that it might hear this voice, the Only-Begotten of God became a servant: this voice those who believed from the beginning were saying to Peter: "What shall we do to be saved?" And what does he say? "Believe, and be baptized" (Acts II, 37–38). Paul would have gladly even fallen into Gehenna to hear this voice from the Jews, on account of his desire for their salvation and obedience. But see, he commits everything to them, he asks nothing curiously. But let us see what follows. This man does not say "That I may be saved," but his doctrine appeared clearer and more evident than any voice, and he immediately becomes a preacher. He has no need to be instructed by catechesis, like the jailer; but what? He preaches God, and confesses His power: "In truth I know, that your God is the God of gods, and the Lord of lords, because He sent His angel, and delivered you from the furnace" (Dan. III, 95). And what after this? Not one jailer, but many are instructed by catechesis through royal letters, through the aspect of the events. For that the king could not have lied was evident to all; for he would not have wished to bring these testimonies to captives, nor to lower or depress his own; he would not have wished to offer an opinion of such great madness. Therefore, unless there had been great clarity of truth, he would not have written these things, and that too when so many were present. Do you see how great is the power of bonds, how great the virtue of hymns which are sung in affliction? They did not lose heart, nor were they dejected, but they were then more vehement, then their alacrity of spirit was greater. Deservedly they thought these things. There remains yet one thing. Why, in the prison, were those who were bound loosed, but in the furnace those who cast them in were consumed? And yet the king ought to have suffered this: for neither did they who were binding, nor they who were casting them in, sin as much as he who commanded this to be done. Why, therefore, did those perish? Here there is no great need for the matter to be discussed accurately. For they were impious: therefore it was done with this intent, that the power of the fire might be shown, and the miracle might become greater. If

and he lets go those who were outside in the same way as he brought back those who were within unharmed and unimpassioned? That the power of God might be manifest. But let no one wonder that I set a king in the same category as a prisoner: for he does the same thing. For here there is nothing more illustrious; both profited. But as I said, when the righteous dwell in afflictions, then they are more vehement, when they are in chains. Therefore, having suffered something for Christ’s sake, is it not the most delightful of all consolations? Shall I recall to your memory the face of another prisoner? By which chain shall we come to another prison? Whom do you want? Jeremiah, or Joseph, or John? How many prisons were opened by the grace of Paul’s chain! Do you wish for John? He, too, was once bound for Christ and the law of God. What then? Was he idle while in prison? Nay, but even sending from the prison, he said to his disciples, *Go, tell Christ: Art thou he that is to come, or look we for another?* (Matt. 11: 3). And even being there, he taught; for he was not negligent. But did not Jeremiah prophesy concerning the Babylonian, doing all his own duties even there? And what of Joseph? Was he not bound for thirteen years? But nevertheless, not even there was he forgetful of virtue. And when we have spoken of the bonds of one more, we shall bring our discourse to a close. Our Master also was bound, He who loosed the world from its sins; His hands were bound, which had wrought myriad good deeds; for, it says, *Having bound him, they led him to Caiaphas* (Id. 26: 57). And he who had performed so many miracles was bound. Reflecting on these things, let us never be discouraged, but even if we are bound, let us rejoice; and if we are not in chains, let us be troubled as if we were bound. Do you see how great a good is a bond? Knowing all these things, let us send up thanks to God for all things, in Christ Jesus our Lord.

HOMILY IX.

^A*Chap. 4, v. 1. I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called, 2. with all humility and mildness, with patience, supporting one another in charity, 3. careful to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.*

The power of Paul’s chain has been demonstrated, great and more brilliant than signs. Not in vain, therefore, it seems, does he put it forward here, nor idly, but as one who would persuade most effectively through it. And what does he say? *I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called.* How? *With all humility, with mildness and patience, supporting one another in charity.* It is not simply being a prisoner that is good, but being one for Christ's sake. Therefore he says, *The prisoner in the Lord,* that is, for Christ's sake. Nothing is equal to this. But the chain rather draws us away from the things before us and distracts us, and we do not endure to resist, but are drawn, and that not unwillingly; nay, rather, both willing and praying for it. And would that it were always possible to speak of Paul’s chain. But do not grow weary; for I still wish to say that which many ask: And if afflictions are good, why did he himself, defending himself before Agrippa, say, *I would to God, that both in a little and in much, not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, should become such as I also am, except these bands?* (Act. 26: 29). He did not say this as thinking the matter something to be shunned, far from it; for had it been to be shunned, he would not have boasted in his chains, in his prisons, in his other afflictions; nor, writing, would he have said, *Gladly will I glory in my infirmities* (2 Cor. 12: 9); but what? This very thing was proof that he considered the bonds great. ^BJust as writing to the Corinthians he said: *I gave you milk to drink, not meat; for you were not able as yet* (1 Cor. 3: 2); so also here, they were not able to hear the beauty, nor the adornment, nor the utility of the bonds. For this reason he says, *Except these bonds.* But not so to the Hebrews, rather he exhorted them to be bound with those who were bound. For this reason he himself also rejoiced in his bonds, and was being bound, and was being led off to prison with the prisoners. Great is the power of Paul’s chain; this spectacle is enough for all else, to see Paul bound and being led out of the prison. To see him bound and sitting within, to what pleasure is this not superior? What would I not give for the thing? Do you not see the kings, the consuls being carried on carriages and wearing gold, and the guards having everything of gold, golden spears, golden shields, golden garments, horses adorned with gold? How much more delightful is this than that spectacle? I would have prayed once to see Paul coming out of the prison with the prisoners, rather than those others a myriad times being escorted with that bodyguard. How many angels do you think were going before him when he was led out in that way? And that I do not lie, I will make the matter clear to you from a certain ancient history. Elisha the prophet—perhaps you know the man—when the king of Syria was at war against the king of Israel, sitting at home, all that the king was planning in his chambers with those sharing his counsel, he would bring to light, and was making void the king’s counsels, foretelling the secrets, and not allowing him to fall into the traps which he was setting. This grieved the king, and being discouraged, he remained in great perplexity, not knowing who was bringing all this out and plotting and making void his machineries. To him, then, being in doubt and seeking the cause, one of the armor-bearers said that there was a certain prophet, Elisha, sitting in Samaria, not allowing the king’s mind to stand, but bringing everything. He thought he had found the whole thing. But nothing was more wretched than he. For see, when he ought to have honored the man, to have marveled, to have been amazed, if he truly possessed such power as to sit at so many stadia and know everything in the king’s chamber, with no one reporting it; this he did not do, but being provoked, and becoming only wrathful, having organized horsemen and soldiers, he sends to bring the prophet before him. There was still a disciple to Elisha, in the porches of prophecy, not yet counted worthy of such revelations. The king’s soldiers stood over him, as if to bind the person, or rather the prophet. Again we fall into bonds, and what shall I do? From every side this discourse is woven in this way. And the disciple, having seen the multitude of soldiers, was astonished, and fearful and trembling, having run to his

master, he reported the calamity as he thought, and signified the unavoidable danger. The prophet laughed at him for fearing things that were not to be feared, and exhorted him to take heart. But he, as one who was imperfect, did not believe, but being struck by the sight he had just seen, was held by fear.

What then did the prophet do? "Open, Lord," he said, "the eyes of this young man, and let him see" (4 Kings 6:17); and suddenly the whole mountain on which the prophet dwelt was seen full of fiery horses and such chariots. This was nothing else than the array of angels in their ranks.

^B If Elisha had such a host of angels for this alone, what of Paul? David the prophet also said this: "The angel of the Lord shall encamp round about them that fear him" (Ps. 33:8); and again, "In their hands they shall bear thee up, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone" (Ps. 90:12). And if I speak of angels, the Lord himself was then with him as he went forth. For it is not to be supposed that he was seen by Abraham, but was not with him—for He himself promised, saying, "I am with you all days, even unto the consummation of the world" (Matth. 28:20). And again, having appeared to him, he said, "Do not fear, but speak, for I am with thee, and no one shall set upon thee to hurt thee" (Acts 18:9-10). And to him in his sleep also he stood by, saying, "Be confident; for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome" (Acts 23:11).

The saints are always wonderful and full of much grace; but especially when they are in danger for the sake of Christ, when they are in chains. For just as a brave and vigorous soldier is always a pleasant sight to those who behold him, especially when he stands next to the king himself and is in the line of battle; so also think of Paul, as much as it is possible to see, teaching even while in chains. Shall I tell you of a thought that came into my mind meanwhile? The blessed martyr Babylas was also bound for the same reason for which John was, as one who reproved a king acting iniquitously. When he was dying, he commanded that the chains be placed with his body, and that his body be buried in chains: and now the fetters are there with his ashes. Such was his desire for chains for the sake of Christ. "The iron pierced his soul" (Ps. 104:18), says the prophet concerning Joseph. But now women also have had the experience of these chains; yet we are not bound—nor do I suggest it, since it is not the time for it now. Do not bind your hands, but your mind. There are also other chains; those who do not bear these, will bear those. Hear Christ saying, "Bind his hands and feet" (Matth. 22:13). But God forbid that we should have the experience of those chains, but may it be granted that we be filled with these. Therefore he said, "I, a prisoner in the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation in which you are called" (Ephes. 4:1). We have Christ as our Head, he says again; he raised us up together and made us sit in the heavenly places, when we were enemies and had done innumerable evils. Great is the calling, and it is for great things; not only in that they are from Him, but that they are to such things, and in such a manner.

^C What it is to "walk worthy." But how is one to walk worthy? "With all humility." Whoever is such, walks worthy: this is the foundation of every virtue. If you are humble, and think of what you were when you were saved, you take the memory as an occasion for virtue. You are not puffed up by your chains, nor by these things I have mentioned; but since you know that the whole is of grace, you contract and humble yourself. Whoever is humble can be a grateful servant and mindful of the benefit. For "what hast thou," he says, "that thou hast not received?" (1 Cor. 4:7). Hear him again saying, "I have labored more abundantly than all they: yet not I, but the grace of God with me" (1 Cor. 15:10). "With all humility," he says; not that which is in words, or in deeds alone, but that which is also in manner and gesture and speech. Do not be humble toward this man, but bold toward that one; be humble toward all, whether friend or foe, whether great or small: this is humility. Be humble even in your righteous deeds. For hear Christ saying, "Blessed are the poor in spirit" (Matth. 5:3), and setting this as the first. Therefore he himself also says: "With all humility and meekness and patience." For it is possible that someone is humble, but is sharp and irascible; but that is of no use: for often while he is possessed by anger, he loses everything. "Bearing with one another," he says, "in charity." How can one bear with others if he is irascible, if he is an accuser and a slanderer? He also declared the manner: "In charity," he says. If you do not bear with your neighbor, how will God bear with you? If you do not endure your fellow servant, how will the Lord endure you? Where there is charity, all things can be borne. "Careful to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Bind your hands with gentleness and meekness. Again, a beautiful name is present, the bond: we let go of the one, and the other runs back to us. That is a beautiful bond, and this one is also beautiful, and the other is born from this. Bind yourself to your brother: they bear all things easily, who are linked in charity. Bind yourself to him, and him to you; you are the master of both: for whom I wish to make a friend, I shall be able to do so with ease. "Carefully studying," he says. He shows that the thing is not easily done, nor is it the business of just anyone. "Studying," he says, "to keep the unity of the Spirit." One Spirit, who contains all things, even if they are in different members; so here too. For the Spirit was given for this reason, that he might unite those who are separated by race and character. For an old man and a youth, a pauper and a rich man, a child and a young man, a woman and a man, and every soul should be one thing; and more so than if it were one body. For this kinship is much greater than that one, and this perfection of unity is more excellent. For the conjunction of souls is more accurate and exact, in that it is simpler and has one form. But how is it preserved? "In the bond of peace." It is not possible for it to be where there is enmity and dissension. For "where," he says, "there are among you," among your own selves, "strifes and envies and dissensions, are you not carnal, and walk according to man?" (1 Cor. 3:3). Just as fire—

^A when it finds dry wood, makes everything one blaze; but when it finds wet, it neither works nor binds: so also here. Nothing of those things that are cold can bind, but it is from those that are warm that the greatest part of the heat of charity is born: for it wishes to bind all men together with the bond of peace. For just as he says that if you wish to bind yourself to another, you cannot otherwise do so unless you bind him also to yourself; and if you wish to have a twofold bond, he also must be bound to you: so here also, He wishes them to be bound together among themselves, not only to live together, and not only to love, but for all to be one soul. ^B Beautiful is this bond: with this bond let us bind ourselves both to each other and to God. This bond does not afflict, does not compress the hands that are bound, but releases them and sets them in great spaciousness and makes those who are bound more cheerful than those who are loose. The strong man, when bound with the weak, both carries him and does not allow him to perish; and if he is bound with one who is faint-hearted, he rouses him the more. For "a brother helped by a brother," he says, "is as a fenced city" (Prov. 18:19). This chain cannot be hindered by the interval of roads, neither by heaven, nor by earth, nor by death, nor by any other thing, but it is superior and stronger than all; and this, even though born of one soul, can comprehend many at once. Hear Paul saying: "You are not straitened in yourselves, but in your own bowels. Be you also enlarged" (2 Cor. 6:12). What then is it that damages this bond? The love of money, of authority, of glory, and other such things; it makes them slack and cuts them through. How then, so that they may not be cut through? If these things be removed, and nothing of those things which corrupt charity shall molest. For hear Christ saying: ^C *When iniquity shall abound, the charity of many shall grow cold* (Matt. 24:12). Nothing is so contrary to charity as sin, and I do not say only sin against God, but also that against one's neighbor. How then, he says, do even robbers live in peace? When, tell me? Always, when they do not use the way of robbers. For if, in the matters they share, they do not observe the laws of justice, and assign to each what is just, you will find even them in wars and fights. So that not even in evil things is it possible to find peace; but everywhere it is possible to find it where they live with justice and virtue. But what of this? Do those who are rivals in love live in peace? By no means. But whom would you have me mention? An avaricious man will never live in peace with another avaricious man; for if they were not just and moderate, and even when wronged between themselves, the race would have been scattered. For just as two wild beasts that are starving, if something should not come between them that they might consume, they would devour each other; so it would have happened in the case of the ^D avaricious and the wicked. So that it is not possible for peace to exist unless virtue is first attained. But let us construct, if you will, a city of all avaricious and equal-honored men, and let no one be willing to submit to injustice, but let all be unjust; can that city stand? By no means. But is there peace among adulterers? You will not find even two in agreement. So that there is no cause for this again, other than that charity has grown cold; and the cause of charity growing cold is that iniquity has abounded. For this leads to self-love, and divides and rends the body, and makes it slack and tears it apart. Where there is virtue, it does the opposite; for he who is virtuous is also superior to money. So that even if there are ten thousand in poverty, they could be peaceful; but the avaricious, even if there are but two, can never be at peace.

4. So if we are virtuous, charity will not be lost; for from charity comes virtue, and from virtue comes charity. And how, I say: He who is virtuous does not prefer money to friendship, nor is he mindful of injury, nor does he wrong his neighbor; he does not insult, he bears all things nobly. From these, charity is established. Again, he who loves undergoes all these things. Thus they are productive of one another. And this is demonstrated from there, that charity comes from virtue; for by saying, "When iniquity shall abound, the charity shall grow cold," he indicated this; but that virtue comes from charity, he says, "He that loves his neighbor, hath fulfilled the law" (Rom. 13:8). So it is necessary to be one of two things: either very friendly and loving, or very virtuous. For he who has one, of necessity also possesses the other; and the contrary: he who does not know how to love will also do wicked things; he who does wicked things does not even know how to love. Let us therefore pursue charity; for it is a fortress so that we might not be permitted to suffer any evil; let us bind ourselves together. Let there be nothing deceitful among us, nothing treacherous; for nothing of that sort is found where there is friendship. Another wise man said this also: *If you have drawn a sword upon a friend, do not despair; for there is a returning. If you have opened your mouth upon a friend, do not fear; for there is a reconciliation, without upbraiding, and disclosure of secrets, and a treacherous wound* (Eccl. 22:26, 27). In these things a friend avoids, in the disclosure, he says, of secrets. If therefore we are all friends, there is no need even of secrets; for as one has no secret against himself, nor will he be able to hide himself from himself, so neither from friends. So, there being no secrets, the division from this is impossible. For we have secrets for no other reason than because we do not trust all; so the cooling of charity has made secrets. For what secret do you have? Do you wish to wrong your neighbor? Or do you prevent him from partaking of some good, and because of this you hide it? But it is none of these; but are you ashamed? Then lack of trust is proof of this. If therefore there is charity, there will be no disclosure of secrets, nor yet upbraiding. For who, tell me, and when would he upbraid his own soul? But even if it happens, it is for gain. Since we also upbraid children, wishing to bite them; and Christ also then began to upbraid the cities, saying, *Woe to thee, Chorazin, woe to thee, Bethsaida* (Luke 10:15), that He might deliver them from upbraidings. For nothing is able to lay hold of the mind so much, and rather rouse it, and raise up the fallen. Let us not simply upbraid one another. For what? Will you upbraid him for money? By no means, if you possess things in common. But for sins? Not even this, but rather you will correct him. And "a treacherous wound," he says. What is it? Will he destroy himself? Who will strike? No one. Let us pursue therefore charity. He did not say simply, "Let us love," but, "Let us pursue." Much zeal is needed; it is quickly vanished, it is swift to depart; so many things in life damage this matter. If we pursue it, it will not have time to go away, but we shall quickly draw it out. The charity of God joined heaven to earth; the charity of God seated man upon the kingly throne; the charity of God showed God upon the earth; the charity of God made the Master a servant; the charity of God caused the Beloved to be given up for enemies, the Son for those who hated Him, the Master for servants, God for men, the free man for house-slaves. And it did not stop even there, but it called us to even greater things. For it did not only deliver us from former evils, but also promised to give us other things much greater.

possessions as common. But because of sins? Not even this, but rather you will correct them. And, "A blow," he says, "he will inflict upon a deceitful person?" None. Let us therefore pursue love. He did not say simply, "Let us love," but "Let us pursue." Much zeal and diligence are needed: it vanishes quickly, it is swift to depart; so many things in life bring ruin to this matter. If we pursue it, it will not depart before we have quickly captured it. The love of God joined heaven to earth; the love of God made man sit upon a royal throne; the love of God showed God upon the earth; the love of God made the Master a servant; the love of God caused the Beloved to be betrayed for his enemies, the Son for those who hated him, the Master for his servants, God for men, the Free for the enslaved. Nor did it stop there, but called us to greater things. For it did not only free us from previous evils, but also promised that it would give things much greater. For these things, having given thanks to God, let us pursue every virtue, and above all let us exercise love, that we may be deemed worthy to attain the promised goods, through the grace and kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be glory, power, honor, now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

HOMILY X

Ephesians 4:4. *One body and one spirit, even as you were called in one hope of your calling.*

^A 1. When the blessed Paul exhorts to something greater, being very wise and spiritual, he leads his exhortation from things that are in heaven, as one who learned this very thing from the Lord: just as he says also elsewhere, "Walk in love, even as Christ also loved us and gave himself up for us" (Eph. 5:2); and again, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not think it robbery to be equal with God" (Phil. 2:5-6). He does the same here. For when great examples are proposed, there is vehement emulation and desire. What then does he say, exhorting us to unity? "One body and one spirit, even as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism." What is "one body"? Those who are, everywhere on earth, believers, and who have been, and who are to be. ^B Again, also those who were well-pleasing before the coming of Christ, are one body. How? Because they too knew Christ. Whence is this evident? "Abraham your father," he says, "exulted to see my day; and he saw it, and rejoiced" (John 8:56); and again, "If you believed Moses, you would have believed me also; for he wrote about me" (John 5:46). But they who did not know Him as he spoke—when they knew Him Himself, they even worshiped. Wherefore they too are one body. A body is not disjointed from the spirit; otherwise it would not be a body. For we are accustomed, in things that are united and have much consistency, to say, "It is one body." Thus we also receive one body in unity, with one head. If indeed there is one head and one body, the body consists of honorable and dishonorable members. ^C But neither does the greater thing rise up against the most base, nor does the latter envy the former. And yet, not all things bring the same utility nor the same function, but according to the calculation of necessity; and because all things have been made as necessary and for different uses, all are equal in honor. But some are indeed most excellent, and possess the greatest mastery, while others are less so: as the head is the most excellent of the whole body and possesses greater mastery, as it has in itself all the senses and the sovereignty of the soul; nor can one live without the head; but with feet amputated, many have lived for a long time. It is therefore to them not only superior in position, but also in operation and order. Why do I say this? There are many in the Church who are raised on high, like the head, considering and contemplating the heavenly things, ^D just as the eyes in the head, standing far away from the earth, and having nothing in common with it; others hold the place of the feet, treading the earth, but the feet of the healthy. For it is not imputed to the feet as a vice that they tread the earth, but that they run toward evil: for "Their feet," he says, "run to evil" (Isa. 59:7). Therefore, he says, let not the eyes be lifted up and behave proudly against the feet; nor let the feet envy the eyes, otherwise for each one its own proper beauty is taken away, and its own perfect use and function is hindered: and justly that is said: for he who plots against his neighbor, prepares plots first for himself. If therefore the feet should refuse to carry the head when it is necessary to go out, they bring destruction also upon themselves because of their immobility and sloth; and if the head should wish to take no care of the feet, it is harmed first itself. But that one should not rise up against another is consistent: for it is thus naturally ordered; but how can it be that a man should not rise up against a man? For not one of the angels rises up, since not even they do so against the archangels; nor again can the brutes bear themselves more than I and conceive greater spirits; but where there is parity of honor by nature, and one gift, and this one has nothing more than that one, nor is he surpassed, how is it that he has not risen up? Nay, indeed, because of these things you ought not to rise up against your neighbor. For if all things are common, and one does not have more than another, whence the arrogance? We are participants of the same nature, of soul and body likewise; we breathe the same air, we use the same foods; whence the insurrection? But to be able because of virtue to surpass the incorporeal powers is enough to induce arrogance; nay, indeed, this would not be arrogance. But I am deservedly lifted up against the demon, and indeed greatly lifted up. But see how Paul too was greatly lifted up against the demon. For when the demon was saying great and admirable things about him, he stopped his mouth, not even enduring him when he was flattering. For when the servant girl, who had a spirit of Python, was saying, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who announce to you the way of salvation" (Acts 16:17), greatly rebuking her, he put an end to her impudent tongue. And again, elsewhere he writes, saying, "God will crush Satan under your feet shortly" (Rom. 16:20). Did he make something changed from nature?

2. You see that he makes nothing of the difference of natures, but of the will; for because of will, they are indeed far worse than all. But I do not rise up against an angel. Much more is there a difference there. And yet you ought not to rise up against a man, even more than against an angel. For the one, an angel, is different by nature, which is neither a credit to that one, nor a disgrace to you; but a man is distinguished from a man no longer by nature, but by choice, and he is a man among men, not an angel. Since if he should be an angel, one would not rise up against angels, much more [not] against men who have become angels in this nature. For if one should become in men as virtuous as an angel, much more

should one recognize his superiority to him. Wherefore? Because what he possessed by nature, this man has rightly achieved by free choice and resolve; and also because the angel is removed from you both in place and in that he dwells in heaven, whereas this man spends his time with you and gives you an incentive for zeal. And indeed, this man is even more removed than that one. For, he says, "our commonwealth is in heaven" (Phil. 3:20). But that he is the more removed, hear where his head sits: "On the royal throne," he says. And by as much as the throne is farther from us, so much is this man too. But I see him enjoying honor, you say, and I am led into jealousy. For this is what has turned everything upside down, and has filled not only the inhabited world, but even the Church with ten thousand troubles. And just as wild winds falling upon a peaceful harbor from the opposite direction make it more dangerous than any reef and any strait, so too jealousy, having entered in, has overturned and confounded everything. You have often come upon the burning of great houses; you have seen how the smoke ascends to heaven, and with no one approaching to quench the evil—each man looking only to his own interests—the fire devours everything in deep silence. And often the whole city stands around in a circle, and spectators of the evils stand around, neither allies nor helpers. And one can see all the bystanders doing nothing, but each of them stretching out his hand and pointing out to the person who has just arrived at the place, either a lamp leaping out through the windows, or beams being cast down, or a whole section of the supports torn away and rushing toward the ground. ^A There are many of the bold and reckless who have dared to get near the burning buildings themselves, not so as to reach out a hand and extinguish the evil, but so that the spectacle might be more enjoyable, as they are able to view everything from close range, which often escaped those on the outside. And if the house happens to be splendid and great, it seems to be a pitiable sight, and one worthy of many tears for them. And one can truly see a pitiable sight: the heads of columns turning to dust, and many [columns] themselves being broken in pieces, some by the fire doing its work, and some often by the hands of those who built them pushing them, so that there may not be more fuel for the fire. And one can see images, which had stood with much splendor while the roof was resting upon them, now uncovered, the roof having been removed, and standing in the open air in great deformity. What then? Who could recount the wealth stored inside, the golden garments and the silver vessels? For even where the master alone used to enter with his wife, where the storehouse of many garments and perfumes was, the containers of precious stones—a single pyre having been made, bath-attendants and refuse-sweepers and runaways and everyone at last are inside, and everything inside is water and fire and mud and dust and half-burnt wood. Why have I extended this image further? Not because I wished to describe simply the burning of houses—for what do I care about this?—but wishing to set before your eyes, as far as it is possible, the evils of the Church. For just like a conflagration or a lightning bolt descending from above, so it has been brought down upon the very roof of the Church, and awakens no one; but with the paternal house burning, ^B we are sleeping a deep and insensible sleep. For what has this fire not touched? Which of the statues standing in the Church? For the Church is nothing else than a house built through our own souls. But this house is not all of equal value, but of the stones contributing to it, some are bright and radiant, while others are inferior to those and dimmer, yet much better than others. It is possible to see here many who occupy the rank of gold, gold that adorns the roof; it is possible to see others providing the adornment from statues; it is possible to see many standing as pillars. For He knows how to call men pillars, not because of their strength alone, but because they provide great adornment by their beauty, having gilded heads. It is possible to see a multitude, so as to form for the most part the space and breadth of the surrounding walls; for the great multitude holds the rank of the stones building the walls. This one is greater than that one. Why so? Because what that one possessed by nature, this man has achieved by his own free choice; and because the angel is removed from you both in place and dwells in heaven, whereas this man dwells with you and gives you an incentive for zeal. And indeed, this man is even more removed than that one. For, he says, "our [77] commonwealth is in heaven." And hear where his head sits to show that this one is more removed: "On the royal throne," he says; and by as much as the throne is far from us, by so much is this man too. But I see him enjoying honor, you say, and I am led into jealousy. For this is what has turned everything upside down, and has filled not only the inhabited world, but even the Church with a myriad of troubles. And just as wild winds falling upon a peaceful harbor from the opposite direction make it more dangerous than any reef and any strait, so too the love of glory, having entered in, has overturned and holds fast everything. ^C You have come many times to the burning of great houses; you have seen how the smoke goes up to heaven, and with no one coming near to quench the evil—but with each one looking to his own interests—the fire devours everything with much quietness; and often the whole city stands around in a circle, and spectators of the evils stand around, neither allies nor helpers; and it is possible to see all the bystanders doing nothing, but each of them stretching out his hand, and pointing to the person who just arrived at the place, being shown either a lamp continually leaping through the windows, or beams being cast down, or a whole section of the supports torn away and rushing toward the ground. But there are many of the bold and reckless, who have even dared to come near the burning buildings themselves, not so as to reach out a hand and extinguish the evil, but so that the view might be more pleasant, as they are able to view everything from close by, which often escaped those on the outside. But if the house happens to be splendid and great, it seems to be a pitiable sight, and worthy of many tears for them. And it is truly possible to see a pitiable sight: heads of columns becoming dust, and many broken up, some being wrought by the fire, others often pushed by the hands of those who built them, so that there may not be more fuel for the fire. It is possible to see images, which had stood with much of the adornment, the roof resting upon them, having been uncovered, the roof having been removed, and standing in the open air in great deformity. What then? Who might describe the wealth stored inside, the golden garments, and the silver vessels? For indeed where the master alone entered with his own wife, where the storehouse of many garments and perfumes was, [and] the containers of precious stones, after a single pyre came to be, both bath-attendants and refuse-sweepers and runaways and everyone at last are inside, and everything inside is water and fire and mud and dust, and half-burnt wood. Why did I extend this image further? Not simply wishing to describe the burning of a house; for what is this to me? But wishing to present to your eyes, as far as I am able, the evils of the Church. For just as a conflagration, or some thunderbolt carried from above, thus it has been brought down upon the very roof of the Church, and wakens no one; but with the paternal house burning,

3. But it is better to come to a more brilliant image. ^D This Church has not been built from these stones, but from gold and silver and precious stones, and the gold is scattered everywhere. But oh, for the bitter tears! For the tyranny of vainglory has burned all these things, this all-consuming flame, and no one has risen above the matter; but we stand admiring the flame, yet no longer able to extinguish the evil. And if we extinguish it for a short time, but again after two or three days, as if from some ash, a smoldering spark has overturned everything, and whatever it did not destroy before. Thus indeed it happens here too; for indeed this is wont to happen even in the case of a conflagration. The cause, however, is that the supports of the very pillars of the Church have escaped us, those that sustain the roof, and before, it was holding together the whole construction and wrapped it in fire. For this reason the passage to the remaining walls has become easy. For indeed in the case of buildings, when it takes hold of the wood, it arms itself more against the stones; but when it brings down the pillars and throws them to the ground, no longer is there need [for it] to destroy the rest with the flame. For when those that prop up and support the things above have fallen, those things themselves follow these with great readiness. Thus indeed it has happened even now in the case of the [78] Church; the fire has laid hold of all things; we seek honors from men, and we are set on fire about glory, and we do not hear Job saying: "If I have sinned unintentionally, have I turned away from the crowd?" Did you see a virtuous soul? He was not [79] ashamed, he says, in the sight of the whole multitude to speak of his involuntary sins. But if he was not ashamed, much more ought we to have done this. For "speak you," he says, "your iniquities first, that you may be justified." The vehemence of this evil has become great, everything has been overturned and vanished. We have become slaves of honor, having abandoned God; we can no longer rebuke those who are being ruled, because we ourselves are possessed by the same fever; and we ourselves are in need of healing, we who were appointed by God to heal others. What hope of salvation is left, then, since the

HOMILY XI. Cap. 4. v. 4. One body and one spirit, even as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5. One Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6. One God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all. 7. But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

^A Paul seeks from us not just any kind of love, but that which unites us and makes us hold ourselves so firmly to one another that we cannot be torn apart, and which provides as exact a conjunction as that of members to members. For this is what works great goods. Therefore he says, "One body," because of the agreement, and because we do not covet the goods of others, and because we rejoice together. And when he had shown everything together through this, he aptly said, "And one spirit," showing that from one body there shall be one spirit; or that it is possible for there to be one body but not one spirit—as if someone were a friend of heretics. Or he is urging us toward concord from that [previous thought], namely: you who have received one spirit and have been watered from one fountain, you ought not to dissent. Or by "spirit" here he means the eagerness of the soul.

Then adding, "As you were called," he says, "In one hope of your calling." This is to say: God has called you to the same things, and has not bestowed more upon one than another; to all He gave immortality, to all eternal life, to all immortal glory, to all fraternity, to all an inheritance. He has become the common head of all; He has raised all together and made them sit together. You, therefore, who in spiritual things have such equality of honor, whence are you puffed up and prideful? Because this man is rich, or that one is strong? And how are these not ridiculous? ^B For tell me, if a king or emperor were to take ten men, and clothe them all in purple, and make them sit upon the royal throne, and give the same honor to all, would any one of them dare to reproach the other as being wealthier or more illustrious? By no means. And I have not yet stated the whole argument; for the difference is not so great as that. Are we then equal in the heavens and do we differ below? "One Lord, one faith, one baptism." Behold the hope of the calling. "One God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all." Is He called a greater God for you, but a lesser one for him? Were you saved by faith, but he by works? Was your sin forgiven through baptism, but his— ^C no. ^D

^A And away with such thoughts! "One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." "Above all," that is, Lord and superior to all: "And through all," that is, providing and administering: "And in all," that is, in all He dwells. And yet some say these are names of the Son: wherefore, if it were he who was diminished, that would not be said of the Father. To each, then, our gift is given. What then, he says, whence are the diverse charismata? He considers this point always, for he was wont to bring against them—against the Corinthians and others—not only arrogance, but also to lead them away from grief and envy. For this reason he always holds up the example of the body; for this reason he sets it down here also, ^B since he was about to mention the diverse charismata. He pursues this matter more accurately in the Epistle to the Corinthians, because there especially this malady was raging; here, however, he only hints at it: and see what he says. He did not say, "According to each man's faith," so as not to cast into despondency those who had not attained to great things; but what? "According to the measure of the gift of Christ." The most foundational things, he says, are common to all: baptism, to be saved by faith, to have God as Father, that all partake of the same Spirit. But if anyone has something more in his charisma, do not grieve, since his labor too is greater; for he who received the five talents was asked for five; and he who received the two brought only two, and had nothing less than the other. ^C For this reason, even here he consoles the hearer by the same reasoning, "For the perfecting of the saints," he says, "unto the work of ministry, unto the edification of the body of Christ." For this reason he himself also said, "Woe to me if I preach not the gospel." As if to say, someone received a charisma of apostleship. But woe unto him for this reason, because he received; but you have been delivered from the danger. "According to the measure." What is, "According to the measure"? That is, not according to our merit; since no one would have received what they did receive; but we all have received from the gift.

2. And why does one man have more, and another less? This makes no difference, he says; for the thing is indifferent: for each contributes to the building up. And by this he shows that it was not by his own merit that one received more and another less, but for others, as He himself measured; since even elsewhere he says: ^D "And he placed each of the members of them, as he himself willed." And he does not say the reason, so as not to cast down the spirits of those who hear. Wherefore he says: "Having ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men." As if he were saying: Why are you high-minded? The whole thing is of God. The prophet says in the Psalm: "You received gifts in men"; and He himself says: "He gave gifts to men." This is identical to that. Such also is, "Now that he ascended, what is it, but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is the same also who ascended far above all heavens, that he might fill all things." Hearing these things, do not imagine a relocation. For what he proves in the Epistle to the Philippians, this he does also here. Just as there, when counseling about humility, he brings forward Christ, so indeed also here, saying: "He descended into the lower parts of the earth." For if this were not so, this statement would be superfluous: "Having become obedient unto death." And from the ascending, he hints at the descent. And by "lower parts of the earth," he means death, according to the opinion of men, just as Jacob also said: "You shall lead my old age down with grief to Hades"; and again in the Psalm, "I shall be likened to those who go down to the pit"; that is, to those who have died. Why does he work out this passage here? And what captivity does he speak of? That of the devil; for he took the tyrant captive, I mean the devil, and death, and the curse, and sin. Do you see the spoils and the booty? "Now that he ascended, what is it, but that he also descended?" This is against the followers of Paul of Samosata. "He who descended is the same also who ascended above the heavens, that he might fill all things." "Into the lower," he says, "parts of the earth he descended," after which there are no others; "and he ascended above all," after which there is no other. This is of his operation and of his dominion; for indeed of old all things had been filled. And he gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of ministry, for the edification of the body of Christ. That which he says elsewhere, "Wherefore God also highly exalted him," this he says also here: "He who descended is the same as he who ascended." It did not harm him to descend into the lower parts of the earth, nor did it hinder him from being above the heavens. So that by how much one is humbled, by that much more he is exalted. Just as in the case of water, by how much one bears it downward, by that much more it rises on high, and by how much one shoots from a distance, by that much he attains his mark; so it is with humility. But when we speak of God, it is necessary to conceive of a descent first; but when of man, no longer. And then he shows his providence and his wisdom, and says: He who accomplished such things, and had such power, and did not refuse to descend even to the lower parts for our sake, would not have made the distributions of the charismata simply. And elsewhere he says that the Spirit accomplished this, saying: "In which the Holy Spirit placed you as bishops to shepherd the Church of the Lord." And here he says that the Son, but elsewhere that God; and again: "He himself gave to the Church some as apostles, some as prophets." And in the Epistle to the Corinthians he says: "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase"; and again, "He who plants and he who waters are one; and each shall receive his own reward according to his own labor." So also here. For what if you contribute less? You received as much. First apostles; for they had all things. Second, prophets; for there were some who were not apostles, but prophets, like Agabus. Third, evangelists; those who did not go about everywhere, but only preached the gospel, like Priscilla and Aquila. Pastors and teachers, those who were entrusted with an entire nation. What then? Are the pastors and teachers lesser? And rightly so, those who sit and are occupied with one place, like Timothy or Titus, are lesser than those who go about and preach the gospel. And otherwise, it is not possible to make the subordination and the preference from here, but from another Epistle. "He gave," he says; do not gainsay it. He means by evangelists those who wrote the Gospel. "For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of ministry, for the edification of the body of Christ."

^A Every one performs and perfects; every one ministers. "Until we all come," he says, "into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." He calls "stature" here the perfect knowledge. For just as a man stands firm and stable, while boys are carried about in their minds, so it is with the faithful. "Into the unity," he says, "of the faith." That is, until it is shown that we all have one faith. For this is the unity of the faith, when we are all one, when we all recognize the bond in the same way. Until this time it is necessary to work, if you received a charisma for this reason, that you might edify others. See that you do not overturn yourself out of envy for another. God honored you and appointed you to perfect and complete another. For the apostle also was in this, and the prophet was in this, prophesying and persuading, and the evangelist evangelizing, and the pastor and teacher: all had undertaken one work. Do not tell me of the difference of the charismata; all had one work. When we all believe similarly, then there is unity. For it is clear that he calls it a "perfect man" here. And yet elsewhere he calls us infants, even when we are perfect, but he is looking at something else. For there, indeed, he calls us infants in regard to future knowledge: for having said, "We know in part," he added, "through a glass, in a riddle," and such things (1 Cor. xiii, 9, 12); but here he spoke looking toward another thing, namely, toward the easy slipping and changing: just as he says elsewhere, "But solid food is for the perfect" (Heb. v, 14). Do you see how he also calls them perfect there? See how he has called them perfect here by the things that follow. "That we may ^B no longer be children." This is, he says, the measure, that the little which we have received we should hold fast with all zeal, firmly and stably. "That we may no longer." That "no longer" shows that they had long since been so affected, and he places himself in the place of correction, and he corrects. Therefore he says, "So many have been the builders, that the building might not be shaken, that it might not be carried about, that the stones might be firm and stable." For this is what belongs to such, namely, to fluctuate, to falter, to be carried about and shaken. "That we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, in cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive." And "carried about," he says, with every wind. He followed out the metaphor, showing in what danger those souls are which doubt. "With every wind," he says, "in the sleight of men, in cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive." They are called players at dice (*kybeutai*) who make use of dice. Such are those who are wily and crafty, once they have caught the simpler ones; for those men transpose and transfer everything. Here he touched upon the life also. ^C "But speaking the truth in love, may we grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ; from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love." He interpreted it quite obscurely, because he wished to say everything at once. But this is what he says: As the spirit which descends from the head does not give the power of sensing, which is through the nerves, to all absolutely, but according to the fittingness and proportion of each member; to that which can receive more, more, but less to that which receives less; for this is the root, namely, the spirit; so also Christ. For since the souls are as members attached to him, his providence and the supply of charismata, in accordance with the proportion and fittingness, makes the increase of each member in measure. What is, "By that which every joint supplieth"? This is, through the sensation. For that spirit which is supplied and furnished to the members from the head touches each member and so works. As if one were to say: The body, receiving supply and furnishing in accordance with the proportion of the members which are in it, so makes increase; or otherwise: The members, receiving supply in accordance with the proportion of their measure, are so increased; or even otherwise: The spirit flowing from above abundantly, and touching all the members and being supplied as each is able to receive, so it is increased. And for what reason did he add, "In love"? ^D For it is not possible that that spirit should descend otherwise. For just as, if it should happen that a hand is torn away from the body, the spirit which proceeds from the head, seeking for continuation, when it has not found it, does not leap out from the body, and having passed through it goes to the hand; but if it has not found the member lying there, it does not touch it; so also here, if we be not joined by love. For all these things are said by him as an exhortation to humility. For what, he says, if this one or that one receives more? He has received the same spirit which is emitted from the same head, which works similarly, which touches similarly. Which is built up and joined, that is, which is greatly cared for. For it must be that the body is not just in any manner, but most artfully, situated: for if it has departed from its place, it is no longer situated. Wherefore it is not necessary only that it be united to the body, but also that it hold its own place; for if you have exceeded it, you are not united, nor do you receive the spirit. Do you not see in the displacements of bones, which happen by some accident, when a bone is displaced from its position?

It possesses another from above, which provides the supply. Just as in the body there are such receptive instruments, so it is also with the spirit, the root being entirely from above; for example, the heart [is the root] of the spirit, the liver of the blood, the spleen of the bile, and others for other things; yet all these have their cause from the brain. Thus also God has made man, honoring him greatly, and not wishing to be apart from him, having attached the cause to Himself, yet having established collaborators for Himself; and He has placed one [person] for this, and another for that. For example, the apostle is the most vital vessel of the body, receiving all things from Him. So that, just as through veins and arteries—I speak of the Word—He causes eternal life to run into all. The prophet foretells future things, and He himself brings them to pass; and the former composes the bones, but He himself provides life for them, *for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry*. Love builds up, and the being glued together one to another and being compacted and fitted together, this is what accomplishes it. If, therefore, we wish to enjoy the spirit which is from the Head, let us cleave to one another. For there are two divisions from the ecclesiastical body: one, when we have cooled in love; the second, when we dare to do things unworthy of remaining in that body; for in both ways we separate ourselves from the fullness. But if we are also appointed to build up others, what would those not suffer who do not build up, but even tear apart previously? Nothing will be able to divide the Church as effectively as the love of power; nothing so provokes God as the Church being divided. Even if we have performed myriads of good works, we shall pay a penalty no less than those who have severed the body, those who cut up the ecclesiastical fullness. For the former was done for the gain of the inhabited world, even if it was not from such a design; but this has no usefulness whatsoever, but rather the injury is great. These things have been said by me not only to those who rule, but also to those who are ruled. A certain holy man said something that seemed to be bold, but nevertheless he uttered it. What then is this? He said that not even the blood of martyrdom is able to blot out this sin. For tell me, why do you suffer martyrdom? Is it not for the glory of Christ? He then who surrendered his soul for Christ, how do you plunder the Church, for which Christ surrendered His soul? Hear Paul saying that he is not worthy to be called an apostle, because he persecuted the Church of God, and plundered it. This injury is not less than the one from enemies, but much greater. For that one even renders it more glorious, but this one shames it even before enemies, when it is fought against by its own children. For it seems a great proof of deception among them that those who were born in it and nurtured [in it], and who have learned its secrets exactly, these, being suddenly changed, dispose it [to have the fate] of enemies.

5. Let these things be said by me to those who give themselves indiscriminately to those who tear the Church apart. For if they indeed have contrary doctrines, and for this reason it was not right to mix with them—yet if they think the same things, [it is] much more so. Why? Because the disease is one of the love of power. Do you not know what happened to those around Korah and Dathan and Abiram? Were they alone, or were not also those with them [destroyed]? What do you say? The faith is the same, they are also Orthodox. For what reason then are they not with us? *One Lord, one faith, one baptism*. If their things are right, our things are wrong; but if our things are right, their things are wrong. *Children*, he says, *tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind*. Do you consider this sufficient, tell me, to say that they are Orthodox, while the matter of the ordination is gone and lost? And what is the benefit of the others, if this is not strictly observed? For just as it is right to fight for the faith, so also [it is right] for this. Since, if it is permitted to everyone to fill his own hands, according to the ancients, and to become priests, let them all come forward; in vain has this altar been built, in vain the fullness of the Church, in vain the number of the priests; let us take them away and destroy them. God forbid, he says. You do these things, and you say, God forbid? How do you say, God forbid, when they have happened? I speak and testify, not having my own [interest] in view, but your salvation; but if anyone is indifferent, he would know; but if any of these does not care, yet we care; *I planted*, he says, *Apollos watered, but God gave the increase*. How shall we bear the laughter from the Greeks? For if they reproach us for the heresies, for these things what will they not say? If the doctrines are the same, if the mysteries are the same, for what reason does one ruler seize another Church? You see, he says, that all things of the Christians are filled with vainglory, and there is a love of power among them, and deception; strip them of the multitude, he says, cut out the disease, the corruption of the crowd, and they are nothing. Do you wish me to say what they say about our city? How they slander us for being easy? It is possible, he says, for anyone who wishes to find those who are persuaded, and one would never be at a loss for them. What a mockery! How much shame is this! But there is also another sort of mockery, another sort of shame: If some who are caught among us in the most shameful things are about to receive some punishment, there is much trembling, much fear from every side: Let him not run away, he says, let him not stand with them. For such a one might run away ten thousand times, and be with them—I do not mean those who have sinned; but if anyone happens to be without sin, and wishes to change sides, let him change. For I indeed grieve and beat my breast and lament and have my bowels torn, as being deprived of my own member; yet I do not grieve so much as to be compelled by this fear to do things that are not proper.

HOMILY XII

We do not lord it over your faith, beloved, nor do we command these things as masters; we have been appointed to the ministry of the Word, but we have received no principality nor authority over you; we occupy the place of counselors who offer warnings. A counselor says what proceeds from himself without bringing necessity upon the hearer, but leaves it in his power to choose to do what has been said; he is only liable to blame if he does not say what he was commissioned to say. Therefore, we speak these things, we say these things, so that on that day it may not be permissible for you to say, "No one spoke to us, no one explained it; we were ignorant; we did not think it was any sin." That is why I say and protest that to rend the Church is no less an evil than to fall into heresy. Tell me, if someone who is subject to a king were not to defect to another, nor offer himself to any other king, but were to take the purple garment that the king had received and held, let it all the way down from the clasp, and tear it into many fragments, would he be punished any less than those who had defected to another? And what if, in addition, he were to seize the king himself by the throat and slay him, tearing his body limb from limb—what punishments would he not incur for such deeds? Now, if the one who does this to a fellow servant who is a king suffers punishments greater than can be expressed, what hell will he not deserve who slaughters Christ and tears Him limb from limb? Is it this one, whose threats are held out? I do not think so, but another, far more grievous. ^A Say this, all who are present (for this fault is, for the most part, a woman's), and narrate this example to those who are absent; strike terror into them. If there are those who think that they are causing me pain and thus taking revenge, let them know that they do these things in vain. For if you wish to take revenge on us, I will give you a way by which you can take revenge without damage—or rather, no one can take revenge without damage, but at least with less of it: slap me, spit on me in public, and strike me with blows. Smite me with blows—and you are tearing your Lord apart, and you do not shudder? You lacerate the members of the Lord, and you do not tremble? The Church is a paternal house, one body, and one spirit. But you wish to take revenge on me? Stop at me. Why do you take revenge on Christ for my sake? Or rather, why do you kick against the pricks? And to take revenge is never good nor honest; but when the other is committing the injury, to heap insults upon him is far worse. Have you been injured by us? Why are you troublesome to one who has done you no injury? This is the height of madness. I do not say what I am about to say through irony, nor rashly, but as I feel and as I am affected. I wish that everyone of those who among you have a heart wounded against us, and who mean us ill, and who, on account of this heartache of their own, are hurting themselves, and going elsewhere—I wish that they would rather inflict blows on our very faces and beat us, stripped, with scourges, whether justly or unjustly accused, and vent their rage on us rather than do what they now dare to do. If this were done, there would be nothing for a man of no account or reputation to suffer such things. Otherwise, I, having been injured and insulted, would pray to God, and He would forgive your sins—not because I have such great confidence, but because he who is injured, when he prays for the one who did the injury, has great confidence. "If a man," it says, "sins against a man, they shall pray for him" (1 Kings 2:25). But if I could not, I would seek out other saints, and I would pray, and this they would accomplish. But now, whom shall we entreat, when God has been insulted by us? See the inequality. For of those who do these things to the Church, some never approach at all, or once a year, and then rashly and in any way they can; others indeed do so more frequently, but they too proceed rashly and lightly, babbling about trifles; others, however, who seem to be acting in earnest, these are the ones who are the authors of this calamity. If, therefore, you too are acting in earnest because of these things and are putting your zeal into them, it would be better for you to be ranked with the negligent—or rather, it would be better that neither they should be negligent, nor you such as this; I do not mean you who are present, but those who are jumping ship and deserting. The matter is adultery. If, therefore, you do not admit that these things are said about them, then neither do you about us; for one of the two must have happened against the law. If, therefore, you suspect these things about us, we are ready to yield the office of ruling to whomever you wish, provided that the Church is one; but if we have been legitimately appointed, persuade those who have ascended the seats against the law to resign. I have said these things, not as one commanding, but to keep you safe and to fortify you with certain defenses. Since each person has [to account for] his own age, and is about to render an account for the things he has done, I ask you, when all anger is cast upon us, not to suppose that you yourselves are not liable to give an account, lest you deceive yourselves rashly and lament. For we shall render an account for your souls, but [only] when we have failed, when we have not prayed, when we have not admonished, when we have not protested. After these things, however, grant that I too may say, "I am clean from the blood of all" (Acts 20:26), and, "The Lord will deliver my soul" (2 Tim. 4:18). Say what you wish, and [what is] the just cause for which you withdraw and desert, and I will answer. But you will not say it. I ask you also to stand firm now, that you may bring back those who have withdrawn, that with one mind we may send up thanksgiving to God, for His is the glory forever. Amen. ^{B C D}

HOMILY XII

"This therefore I say and testify in the Lord, that you no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened." ...to the disciples, not only by counseling and teaching, but also by striking with fear and delivering to God. For since the things said by men as by fellow servants are not sufficient to touch the soul, it is necessary to deliver the rest to the Lord. This, therefore, Paul also does. For [he indicates this of the ] disciples, not only by counseling and teaching, but also by terrifying and delivering to God. For since things said by humans, as by fellow servants, are not enough to reach the soul, it is necessary to refer the rest to the Lord. This, therefore, Paul does as well. For it refers to humility and concord, and not to the necessity of one being superior to another, [and he says]: "This therefore I say and testify in the Lord, that you no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk." He did not say, "You no longer walk as you were walking," for the word is harsher, and he revealed [the truth], that from another by [their] example he brought them. And to the Thessalonians...

writing to the Thessalonians ^B also, he does the same by saying: *“Not in the passion of desire, like the other Gentiles”* (1 Thess. 4:5). You are separated, he says, by your dogmas, but the whole [matter] has become God’s; as for me, I seek what is from you—a life and a walk according to God; this is your own. I call the Lord as my witness for what has been said by me, that I did not shrink back, but I spoke just as one ought to walk. *“In the vanity,”* he says, *“of their mind.”* What is the vanity of the mind? Being occupied with vain things. And what are vain things, if not all present things? Concerning which the Ecclesiastes says: *“Vanity of vanities, all is vanity”* (Eccles. 1:2). But someone will say: “If they are vain and vanity, for what cause ^C were they made? If they are the works of God, how are they vain?” And much is the discourse concerning these things. But hear, beloved: He did not say the works of God are vain—God forbid! Heaven is not vain, neither is the earth vain—God forbid! Nor the sun, nor the moon and stars, nor our own body; for all these things are very good. But what is vain? Let us hear the Ecclesiastes himself saying: *“I planted vineyards for myself, I made for myself men singers and women singers, I made for myself pools of waters; there were for me flocks and herds; I gathered gold and silver; and I saw that all is vanity”;* and again, *“Vanity of vanities, all is vanity”* (Eccles. 2:5 et seq.). Hear also the Prophet saying: *“He stores up, and knows not for whom he shall gather them”* (Ps. 38:7). In this regard [there is] vanity of vanities—splendid buildings, much and flowing gold, herds of slaves rushing about the market, pride and vainglory, [vain] notions and arrogance. For all these things are vain; they were not made by God, but were fashioned by us. And why are they vain? Because they have no noble end. Money is vain when it is spent on luxury; but it becomes not vain when it is scattered among the poor. When you spend it on luxury, let us see what their end is: the fatness of the body, eructations, flatulence, a mass of dung, heaviness of head, softness of flesh, and heat and exhaustion. For ^D just as if someone were to labor in vain, repeatedly filling a perforated jar, so also he who seeks luxury pours into a perforated jar. Otherwise, that which is expected to have honor, but has not possessed it, is called vain—which they also call empty, and empty hopes, and that which is for nothing. And simply, that which is useful for nothing is called vain. Let us see, then, if human things are not such. *“Let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we die”* (1 Cor. 15:32). What then is the end, tell me? Corruption. “Let us put on and clothe ourselves,” and what is the limit? Nothing. Some of the Greeks philosophized such things, but in vain; they displayed a hard life, but simply, not looking toward any useful end, but toward vainglory and the honor from the many. But what is the honor from the many? Nothing. For if those themselves who furnish the honor are perishing, much more so is the honor. He who furnishes honor to another ought to furnish it to himself first; but if he does not furnish it to himself, how would he furnish it to another? Yet now we seek even our honors from base and contemptible men, who are themselves without honor and shameful. What honor is this, then?

You see that *“vanity of vanities, all is vanity”*? For this reason he said: *“In the vanity of their mind.”* But is their worship not such? What, then? Are they not wood and stones which are worshipped? He made the sun to shine for us instead of a lamp; who worships his own lamp? The sun provides the light; but when it is not able, a lamp is able; why then do you not worship the lamp? “Yes,” he says, “I worship the fire.” Oh, the laughter! Such is the outrage, and are you not ashamed? Look also at another point: you extinguish what is worshipped! Why do you destroy? Why do you remove your god? Why do you not permit the house to be filled with it? For if fire is god, let it graze upon your body; do not subject your god to the bottom of the pot and the cauldron. Bring it into your chambers, bring it into your silk garments! But you not only do not bringIt in, but if by some accident it finds its way in, you drive it out from every side; you call everyone, and as if some beast had entered, you lament and groan, and call the affair a calamity surpassing measure, that your god is present. I have a God, and I do everything so as to embrace Him, and I consider it my own blessedness, not when He visits my house, but if I draw Him into my own heart. You, too, draw the fire into your heart. These are things of laughter and vanity. Fire is good for use, not for worship; for service, for ministry, for [the purpose of] serving me, not for ruling over me. That was made for me, not I for it. If you worship the fire, why do you yourself lie upon the bed, but command the cook to stand by your god? You yourself take up the cooking, and become a baker if you wish, and a smith, for none of these trades is more honorable, since your god visits these. Why do you deem the trade an insult where your god is so much present? Why do you command your servants, but you yourself do not deign [to work]? Fire is good, since it is of a good Creator, but it is not God; for it was called a work of God, not God. And do you see its unruly nature? How, when it forgets [its place] in a house, it stands nowhere, but if it finds continuous fuel, it destroys everything; and if the hands of builders or some others do not extinguish its madness, it knows no friends, no enemies, but treats everyone in equal fashion. Is this, then, God, and are you not ashamed? Rightly, indeed, he said: *“In the vanity of their mind.”* But, he says, the sun is god. This, tell me, from where, and for what reason? Because it emits much light? Do you not see it overcome by the clouds, and serving under the necessity of nature, and being eclipsed, and hidden by the moon and cloud? And yet a cloud is weaker than the sun, but nevertheless in many places it prevails, and this, too, is a work of the wisdom of God. God must be all-sovereign, but this [sun] is in need of many things; but this is not characteristic of God. For it requires air to shine, and refined air; for when it is greatly thickened, it does not allow the ray to pass through. It requires also water, and other things that check it, so as not to burn everything up. For if springs and lakes and rivers and seas did not sustain some moisture through the return of the vapors, nothing would have prevented all things from being incinerated. “Do you see, therefore,” he says, “that it is god?” Oh, the madness! Oh, the laughter! Because, he says, it can harm, it is god. But in fact, for this very reason it is not God, that in those things in which it harms, it is in need of nothing, but in those things in which it benefits, it needs many other things; but for God, the [capacity for] harming is far removed, while the [capacity for] benefiting is innate. When, therefore, the opposite is the case, how is it god?

^A Does it not need to be in every respect sufficient, whereas this needs many things? But this is not that of God. For it needs air to shine, and that [air] to be thin; for that which is very thick does not allow the ray to pass through. It needs water, too, and something else to contain it, lest it burn. For unless springs and lakes and rivers and seas and all the rest constituted a certain moisture through the emission of vapors, nothing would prevent all things from being set on fire. "You see, then," he says, "that it is a god?" O the insanity! O the ridiculous thing! "Because it can," he says, "harm, it is a god." Yet it is not a god for this reason, because in those matters in which it harms, it needs nothing; but in those in which it benefits, it has need of many [other things]. But from God, harming is indeed removed, while to benefit is His own property. When, therefore, it is that which is contrary, how is it a god? Do you not see that poisonous drugs which bring death harm, and need nothing; but when they benefit, they stand in need of many things? Because of you, therefore, it is such: both beautiful and weak. Beautiful, so that you might acknowledge the Lord; weak, so that you might not say it is the lord. "But it nourishes," he says, "plants and seeds." What then? Is it therefore for this reason also a god? For that [dung] also nourishes. Why is the sickle not added, and the hand of the farmer? Show me the sun nourishing alone, and not needing earth, nor water, nor agriculture; but let the seeds be cast down, and let it display the spikes ^B by sending in its ray. But if it is not its [doing] alone, but also the rains, why is water also not a god? But the question is not about this as yet. Why is the earth also not a god? Why not also manure, and the mattock? Shall we, therefore, worship all these, tell me? O trifles and ineptitudes! And yet the spike could sooner exist without the sun than without the earth and water, and the plants and all other things likewise. And so if the earth were not [present], nothing of these would have appeared. But if someone, as children and women do, should put earth into a tile, under a roof, and place it [there] filled with much manure, it is indeed weak, yet it brings forth plants. And so the earth brings more and the manure, and these ought to be worshipped more than it. It has need of the heaven, lest it harm; it has need of air; it has need of these waters, as it were certain bridles curbing the ferocity of its strength, and not allowing it to cast its ray into every part like a fierce horse. Tell me, truly, where is this one at night? Whither has the god departed? For this is not of a god, namely to be enclosed and contained in a boundary; for this is the condition of bodies alone. "But there is," he says, "a certain power in it, and it is moved." Is that power, therefore, tell me, a god? Why, then, does it itself have need, and does not curb the fire? For the argument returns again to the same point. What, then, is that power? Is it illuminating, or does it itself become illuminated by means of it, while being a partaker of neither of these? Therefore the sun is greater than it. How long shall we be led around a labyrinth?

Homily XIII

¶ 3. "Is it not God," he says, "which we use for so many things?" And about the earth again likewise. Truly, *In the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened.* But he speaks now about life: "The Greeks commit fornication and adultery." Deservedly: for to those who describe such gods for themselves, it is consistent that they do all these things; and if they can escape the eyes of men, there is no one who will restrain them. For what will that which is said about the resurrection be able to [achieve], when it seems to them to be a fable? But what is said about those who are in the underworld? But these also are fables: but see the satanic thought. When they are told that the gods are fornicators, they do not say they are fables, but they believe: but when they speak of punishment, "There are," they say, "poets, and they are inventing everything," so that the state of a good life might be overthrown in every respect.

Against Fate and Metempsychosis

"But the philosophers," he says, "have discovered something truly noble, and better and more excellent than these." How? Those who introduce fate, and say that all things are carried on by no providence, and that there is no care for anyone, but that all things consist of atoms? But those who say that God is a body? But who? Tell me, I pray: those who make human souls to be canine, and persuade men that someone was at one time a dog, and a lion, and a fish? How long will you not cease to trifle, having an understanding that is darkened? For as those who are in darkness, they both say and do everything, both those things which pertain to dogmas and those which pertain to life. For he who is enveloped in darkness sees nothing of those things which are set in the midst, but often, having seen a rope, he thinks it to be a snake born of its own accord; again, restrained by a hedge, he thinks either that some demon or a man is restraining him; and there is much tumult, much perturbation. Such things as these they fear. *They will fear,* he says, *where there is fear* (Ps. 52. 6): but things which are justly feared, they do not fear; but just as infants carried by nurses unexpectedly thrust their hands into the fire and into the lamp with boldness, but fear a man dressed in a sack: so these Greeks also, as being in truth infants, just as even one amongst them said, "The Greeks are always children," they fear things which are not sins, such as pollutions of the body, the funeral of a dead person, the bed, observations of days, and things of this kind; but those things which are truly sins, perjury, adultery, fornication, they have no account of them. But you might see him, indeed, washing himself from the contact of a dead person, but by no means from dead works; and for the sake of money indeed, he puts forth much zeal, but he thinks that his whole strife and controversy is made up by one cock: to such a degree is their mind darkened. Their soul is full of many terrors: as, for instance, this one or that one met me first as I was leaving the house; in all ways, countless evils must befall. Now, the accursed servant giving me my shoes first offered the left; grave calamities and insults are signified. I myself, going out, stepped with my left foot first; this also is a sign of calamities. And these indeed are evils at home: but when gone abroad, my right eye jumps from below; this is an indication of tears. Women also, when the reeds sound by being struck against the straight woods of the loom, or when they themselves part the hair with a comb, they take this for a sign. Again, when they strike the woof with the comb, and they do this more vehemently; then the reeds that are above give forth a clamor because of the intense blow, struck against the straight wood of the loom, they take this for a sign: and they [have] other numberless things.

[The previous pages of the work are not provided, this being the beginning of the assignment.]

we give thanks to God for all things; let us beseech Him that we may not be found unworthy of the gift bestowed upon us; and let us also, with those [who have received this gift], strive to bring what is our own, so that we may teach not only by speaking but also by acting. For thus shall we be able to attain to the ten thousand good things; of which may we all be granted to attain, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom, to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, might, and honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

HOMILY XIII

^A "This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness."

1. These things are spoken not to the Ephesians only, but are said now to you also, and not by us, but by Paul; or rather, not by us, nor by Paul, but by the grace of the Spirit. As therefore it is He who speaks these things, we must so be disposed. And hear what He speaks: "This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart." If then it is ignorance, if it is blindness, why do you reproach them? For it is just that he who is ignorant should not be treated ill nor be reproached, but should be taught what he is ignorant of. But see how He immediately deprives them of excuse. "Who," He says, "being past feeling, have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to the working of all uncleanness with greediness." "Ye, however, have not so learned Christ." He shows here that their life became the cause of their blindness; and the life came from their own sloth and insensibility. "Who," He says, "being past feeling, have given themselves over." When therefore you hear that "God gave them up unto a reprobate mind" (Rom. 1:28), remember this expression, that they "gave themselves over." If then they gave themselves over, how did God give them up? And if God gave them up, how did they give themselves over? Do you see the apparent contradiction? The word "gave up" means this: He has permitted.

Do you see that where a life is not pure, this is the cause of such doctrines? "Everyone," He says, "that doeth evil hateth the light, and cometh not to the light" (John 3:20). For how could a base man, and one who is rather like swine wallowing in the mire, who is defiled by the bodies of all women, and who loves money, and who does not at all aspire to temperance, be able to receive this life? "Working," He says, they made the matter. From this comes the blindness, from this the darkening of the understanding. It is possible to be in darkness even when the light is shining, when the eyes are weak; and they become weak, either by an influx of evil humors, or by a flood of rheum. So it is also here, when the great impetuosity of worldly affairs flows over the perceptive faculty of our mind, it becomes in darkness; and just as if we were lying at the bottom of the water, we could not see the sun, as though the great body of water lying above us were a partition—so it is also in the eyes of the mind; there comes a blindness of the heart when no fear strikes the soul. "There is no fear of God," He says, "before his eyes" (Ps. 35:2). And again, "The fool said in his heart: There is no God" (Ps. 13:1). But blindness comes from nowhere else but from insensibility; this blocks the passages. For when a congealing stream is gathered into one place, the member becomes dead and insensible; and whether you burn it, or cut it, or do anything else, it does not feel. So too those, having once given themselves to lasciviousness, even if you bring the word to them like fire or like steel, nothing touches them, nothing reaches them; for their member is once deadened; and unless you remove the insensibility so as to reach the healthy members, you do everything in vain. "With greediness," He says. Here He especially took away their apology. For it was in their power, if they had wished, neither to be greedy, nor to be lascivious, nor to be gluttonous, and to enjoy the desires; it was in their power also to share in money, it was in their power to partake of pleasure and luxury with moderation; but since they used the matter immoderately, they corrupted everything. "Unto the working of uncleanness," He says. Do you see how He deprives them of excuse, by saying "the working of uncleanness"? They did not sin by falling, He says, but they were working these terrible things, and used the practice with study. "In all uncleanness."

Uncleanness is every adultery, fornication, sodomy, envy, all intemperance and lasciviousness. "Ye, however, have not so learned Christ," He says, "if so be that ye have heard Him, and have been taught in Him, as the truth is in Jesus." The, "If so be that ye have heard Him," is not of one doubting, but of one even strongly asserting, just as he says elsewhere: "If it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you" (2 Thess. 1:6). That is to say, "Ye have not learned Christ on these terms." "If so be that ye have heard Him, and have been taught in Him, as the truth is in Jesus, that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man..."

^A This is, therefore, what it means to learn Christ: to live rightly. For he who lives wickedly ignores God, and is ignored by Him. For hear him saying elsewhere: "They profess that they know God, but in works they deny Him" (Tit. 1:16). As it is truth in Jesus, "that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man." That is to say, you have not made this covenant on these conditions. For among us, things are not vanity, but truth; just as dogmas are true, so is life. For sin and falsehood is vanity; but a right life is truth, for it has a great end, whereas licentiousness ends in nothing. "Who is corrupted," he says, "according to the desires of his deceit." Just as his cravings and desires are corrupted, so is he himself. By death all things are loosened. For hear the Prophet saying: "In that day all his thoughts shall perish" (Ps. CXLV, 4). And not by death alone, but by other things also; for instance, beauty: when disease and old age arrive, it departs, dies, and perishes. The strength of the body likewise falls away by the same things. Pleasures themselves do not have the same delight in old age; and this is clear to us from Barzillai. You all know the history. "And another, again, destroys this same thing, and it is lust." Even as wool is destroyed by those things from which it is born, so also is the old man. For the love of glory destroys, and often pleasures destroy; and often lust has deceived. It is not truly a pleasure, but bitterness and the deceit of the thing, hypocrisy and a theatrical show; and while the face of things appears splendid, the things themselves are nothing other than full of misery, and lack of means, and great poverty; and if you take away the mask and show the face, you will see the deception. For deception is when what exists does not appear, but what is not, is shown. Thus paralogisms come to be. He describes four men to us here, and if you wish, I provide the proof: here two, saying thus: "Put off the old man, be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new man"; in the Epistle to the Romans, others, as when he says, "But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to ^B the law of sin which is in my members" (Rom. VII, 23). And these have a kinship with those; the new corresponds to the inner, the old to the outer. But there are three who are corrupted. Or rather, even now there are three: the new, the old, and this one which is essential and natural. "Be renewed," he says, "in the spirit of your mind." Lest anyone think that he is introducing another man, after he has spoken of the old and the new, see what he says: "Be renewed." To be renewed is when that which has grown old is made new, so that it becomes something else from something else, so that the subject indeed is the same, but the change is in the attribute. Just as the body is the same, but the change is in the attribute, so also here. How, then, can the renewal happen? "In the spirit of your mind," he says. Whoever, therefore, has the old thing will accomplish nothing; for the spirit will not endure old actions. Spirit, he says, of your mind; that is, the spirit which is in the mind. "And put on the new man." Do you see that the subject is one, but there are two garments: that which he puts off, and that which he puts on? "The new man," he says, "who according to God is created in righteousness and holiness of truth." Why, however, does he call virtue "man," and vice "man"? Because a man cannot be shown without action. So that these, no less than nature, show the man, whether good or evil. But as it is easy to put off, so it is possible to see in virtue and vice. The youth who is new is strong; so let us also be strong for the operation of good actions; the youth has no wrinkle; so let us not have; the youth is not carried about, nor can he easily be captured by diseases; therefore, neither let us. "Who is created." See how he calls the bringing of virtue into essence a creation, as having been brought from non-existence to existence. But what is it? Is that creation not according to God? By no means, but the creator of sin is the devil himself. How? For man is not created from water, nor from earth, but in righteousness and holiness of truth. What is this? He created him straightway a son; for this is done by baptism; this is the essence. Rightly he said, "In righteousness and holiness of truth." There was once righteousness, there was also holiness among the Jews, but it was not of truth; rather, that righteousness was a type and image. For being clean in body was a type of cleanliness, not the truth of cleanliness; a type of righteousness, not the truth of righteousness. "In holiness," he says, "and righteousness of truth." And perhaps he says this looking to the false, since many among outsiders seem to be just, but are deceitful. ^C But righteousness is called virtue in general. For hear Christ saying: "Unless your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. V, 20); and again, "He is called just who has nothing for which to be reproached" (1 John III, 9). For even in forensic trials we call him just who has received an injury and not returned it. If, therefore, we too in the dreadful judgment can appear just one to another, we shall be able to obtain some kindness. For as to being seen before God, it is not possible, whatever we may show: for He Himself is always right in the law; just as the Prophet also says: "And that Thou mightest prevail when Thou art judged" (Ps. L, 6). But if we have not corrupted the rights which stand between us, then we shall be just; if we can show that we have received injury, then we shall be just. But how, when having put them on, does he say again, "Put on"? From life, he says, and from works. Then the garment came from baptism, now however from the manner of living and from works: no longer according to the desires of deceit, but according to God. And what is "holy"? That which is clean, that which is owed. Therefore, we call even those who have departed "just": that is, I owe them nothing further, I am not in their debt. So we are wont to say, "I have been absolved," and other such things; that is, I owe nothing. ^D

^C It is our task, therefore, not to divest ourselves of the garment of justice, which the Prophet also calls the garment of salvation, so that we may be made like unto God; for He Himself has put on justice. ^D Let us put on this garment. And to "put on" signifies nothing else but never to lay it aside. For hear the Prophet saying: "He put on cursing like a garment, and it shall come unto him" (Ps. CVIII, 18); and again: "Who clothes Himself with light as with a garment" (Ps. CIII, 2). And again, it is our custom to say of men: "So-and-so has put on so-and-so." Thus, He does not wish us to be in virtue for one day, or a second, or a third, but always, and never to be stripped of this garment. For a man is not so unseemly when naked in body as he is naked in virtue. Here, his fellow servants see him unseemly, but there, the Master and the angels. If, then, you saw someone, tell me, walking naked through the forum, would you not be pained? When, therefore, you run about naked of this garment, what shall we say? Do you not see these beggars, whom it is our custom to call *lotagas*, how they wander about, how we even show mercy to them? Yet there is no pardon for them, for we do not forgive them when, by gambling, they lose their own garments; how then shall God forgive us for losing this garment? For when the devil sees someone naked of virtue, he immediately smears and darkens his face, and wounds him, and compels him to acts of great wickedness. Let us be stripped of riches, that we may not be stripped of justice; the clothing of riches harms this garment; it is a clothing of thorns. Such are thorns, and the more we clothe ourselves with them, the more we are stripped. Licentiousness strips one of this garment; for it is fire, and fire is the consumer of this garment. Wealth is like a moth; just as the moth eats through everything and spares not even silken things, so also does wealth. Let us, therefore, put off all these things, that we may become just, that we may put on the new man. Let us hold onto nothing old, nothing that is seen, nothing that perishes. Virtue is not laborious, it is not difficult to achieve. ^A Do you not see those in the mountains? They abandon houses and wives and children and all worldly authority, and having placed themselves outside the world, wearing sackcloth, lying on ashes, hanging collars of iron about their necks, and shutting themselves up in a small cell, they do not stop even there, but they strain themselves with fasts and perpetual hunger. If I were to command such things now, would you not all have fled? Would you not have said the matter is burdensome? And yet I do not say that one must do such things; for I indeed wish it, but I do not ordain it. But what? Use bathhouses, and tend to your body, and go into the forum, and have a house, and let ministers serve you, and use food and drink; everywhere cast out greed. For that is what creates sin, and the very act, when it exceeds, has become sin. So that greed is nothing else than sin. And further: when anger is stirred up more than it ought to be, then it rushes out to revile, then it does everything unjustly; so too with the desire of bodies, of money, of glory, and of all other things. And do not tell me that they could not; for many who are much weaker, wealthier, and more delicate than you have accepted that hard and rough life. ^B And why do I speak of men? Young women, not yet twenty years of age, who have spent all their time in inner chambers and in the shadows, ^C filled with perfumes and incense in their chambers, lying on soft bedding, themselves delicate by nature, and becoming even softer through much care, having no other work all day long but to beautify themselves, to wear gold, and to enjoy great luxury, not even attending to themselves but having many handmaidens standing by, wearing garments softer than their own bodies, fine and delicate linens, constantly occupied with roses and such-like perfumes—these women, having suddenly been caught by the fire of Christ, laying aside all that sloth and arrogance, and forgetting luxury and their own age, like certain noble athletes they put off those soft things and entered into the midst of the contests. And perhaps I may seem to say unbelievable things, yet they are true. I have heard that these such delicate young women have brought themselves to such austerity that they wore things rougher than haircloth on their bared bodies, and were barefoot on those delicate heels, and lay on pallets; or rather, that they spent the greater part of the night awake, and gave no thought to perfumes or any other such old-time vanities, but even kept their heads, so carefully tended, in neglect, with their hair merely and randomly tied up, so as not to fall into unseemliness. And they have only one evening meal, a meal not even of vegetables or bread, but of fine flour, beans, chickpeas, olives, and figs; and their work is constant spinning, much more difficult than the tasks of the maidens at home. For what? They undertook to serve those who were ill, carrying beds, washing feet; and many of them even cook. So great is the power of the fire of Christ; so does zeal rise above nature. But yet I do not demand any such thing of you, since you wish to be surpassed by women. ^D If, at least, you do what is not burdensome, then refrain from grasping hands and unchaste eyes. What is difficult, tell me, what is hard? Do what is just; wrong no one, neither the poor nor the rich, neither the man in the forum nor the hired laborer; for wrongdoing can reach even to the poor. Or do you not see how many fights these people stir up, and how they overturn everything? Use marriage, have children; for Paul commanded such things, to such he wrote. That contest is great, and the peak is high, and the summit is near to heaven, and you cannot reach to the great? Then strive for the lesser, and desire things that are lower. You cannot dispense with wealth? Then at least do not snatch away the things of others, nor do them wrong. You cannot fast? Then at least do not lead yourself into luxury. You cannot lie on a pallet? Do not make for me silver-bound beds, but use a bed and bedding made not for show, but for rest, nor wrap yourself in ivory beds. Why do you fill your ship with a myriad of cargoes? If you are unburdened, you will fear nothing—neither envy, nor robbers, nor plotters.

to provide comfort? Do not compare for me beds adorned with silver, but use a bed and bedding not made for display, but for rest; and do not use ivory beds: restrain yourself. Why do you fill an entire merchant ship with the countless things that can be brought in? If you are moderate and composed, you will fear nothing: not envy, not robbers, not ambushers. You are not so rich in money as you are in worries: you do not so much abound in possessions as in pangs and dangers. ^B "Those who want to become rich," he says, "bring upon themselves temptations and harmful desires" (1 Tim. 6:9). ^C Those who wish to possess many things endure these. I do not say to serve the one laboring; but at least order a servant to do this. Do you see how it is neither heavy nor burdensome? For how could it be, when tender maidens far surpass us? Let us be ashamed, I pray, because in matters pertaining to the world we yield to them nowhere, not in wars, not in contests; but in spiritual contests they endure more than we do, and snatch greater rewards, and fly higher like certain eagles: whereas we, like jackdaws, always busy ourselves below around the smell and the smoke. For it is truly the way of jackdaws and gluttonous dogs to think about the arrangement of tables and cooks. Hear of the women of old: ^D for they were great and admirable women—such as Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, Deborah, Anna—and even in the time of Christ such there were; but they never went beyond the men, but kept the second place: now, however, on the contrary, women surpass us and cast us into the shade. How ridiculous this is, and how shameful! We hold the place of the head, and we are defeated by the body? We have been appointed to rule over them: not only to rule, but to rule in virtue. For he who rules must especially rule in this, that he surpass in virtue: but if he is surpassed, he no longer rules, nor does he hold the headship.

Women’s virtues and vices. See how great the power of Christ’s coming is? How he has loosed the curse and the malediction? For there are more virgins among women, and greater is the temperance and moderation among them, and more instances of widowhood: a woman would not quickly let move an obscene word. Why then, tell me, do you speak base and obscene things? Do not tell me of the abandoned women: it is true that there is a class of women fond of adorning themselves, and this is their fault. But in this you men also excel them, you who delight in them as much as in your own adornment. For I do not think a woman is so much adorned by her gold ornaments, as the husband by the wife: she is not so pleased with herself because of a gold belt, as he is that his wife wears gold. Therefore, the cause is to be brought back upon you men, who excite the spark and kindle the flame. Otherwise, moreover, the sin is not as great in the woman as it is in the man. You are appointed to compose her: you wish to have the first place everywhere: therefore in this also show from your own affairs that you have no regard for her superfluous expenses. It is more fitting and appropriate for a woman to be adorned than for a man. When you, therefore, do not escape this, how will she escape it? They also have a kind of vain glory; but this is also common to men: they are irascible; and this also is common. But in the things where they excel, they are no longer common—I speak of gravity and honesty, of fervor, of piety, of love toward Christ. Why then, you will say, did he forbid them the seat of the teacher? This also is a sign that there is a great difference between them and the men, and that they were great who were there in those times. For with Paul, I ask you, teaching, and Peter, those holy men, was it fitting for a woman to rush forward to that task? But now we have come to such a measure of wickedness and impropriety that it is even rightfully asked why women do not teach: to such a point have we reached in their weakness. I said these things, not because I wish to lift them up, but to strike shame into ourselves, and to educate and warn us, so that we may take up the rule and the headship that is proper to us, not so that we may be "greater," but so that we may provide for [them] and exercise care and establish a life out of virtue. For then the body will be in the state in which it is fitting, when it has obtained the best prince to rule it. May God grant that both women and men may all live according to God’s pleasure, so that we may all be deemed worthy in that terrible day to enjoy the kindness of the Lord, and to obtain the promised good things, in Christ Jesus our Lord.

HOMILY XIV

Chapter 4, verse 25. Therefore, putting away falsehood, speak truth each one with his neighbor: for we are members one of another. 26. Be angry and do not sin: let not the sun go down upon your anger: 27. neither give place to the devil.

(a) Having spoken of the old man in a general way, he henceforth describes him also in detail. For this teaching is easier to learn, when we also learn it item by item. What then does he say? "Therefore, putting away falsehood." What falsehood? Does he say "idols"? He does not speak of these: for these are indeed falsehood, but it is not of these that we are treating now; for there is nothing in common between them [the believers] and those [idols]; but [he speaks] of the falsehood which one utters to another, which is deceitful and fraudulent. "Speak truth each one with his neighbor." Then, that which also strikes more shame: "For we are members one of another," no one should deceive his neighbor. This is what the psalmist indeed says, tossing it up and down: "Deceitful lips in the heart, and in the heart he spoke evils" (Ps. 11 [12]:3). For there is nothing, there is nothing that equally begets enmities as deceiving and cheating. See how he strikes shame into them everywhere through the body. Let not the eye, he says, deceive the foot, nor the foot the eye. Suppose there is a deep trench, and with reeds placed above on the ground and covered with earth, it offers the eyes the appearance of solid ground; will not the eye use the foot to know if there is a vacancy below, whether it sinks or resists? Will not the foot not deceive, but report what is there? What then, if the eye sees a snake or a beast, does it deceive the foot? Does it not immediately report it? But he, together with—

^A its members, suffers for the sake of the truth, and he does so with readiness and promptness, so to speak. Thus, we too ought not to lie, nor deceive, but be members one of another. This is the mark of friendship; the contrary is the mark of enmity.

What then, he says, if he plots? Learn the truth: for if he is plotting, he is not a member. And he said, "Do not lie to the members." "Be angry, and do not sin." See the wisdom: he both tells us how not to sin, and does not abandon those who disobey again; for he does not forsake his spiritual bowels. For just as a physician prescribes to the sick man what must be done, and even if he does not comply, he does not despise him, but brings in counsel through persuasion, he heals him again; so too does Paul. For he who is acting in that manner searches only for glory, and is stung because he was despised; but he who everywhere seeks the health of him who is sick, looks only to this one thing, how he might raise him who is fallen. This is what Paul does also. He said, "Lie not"; if however, at any time, anger should arise from a lie, even this he heals again. For what does he say? "Be angry, and do not sin." For it is good not to be angry; but if anyone should ever fall into the passion, let him not do so to such an extent. For the sun, he says, let it not set upon your wrath. Do you wish to be filled with anger? One hour is enough for you, and a second and a third; let not the sun depart leaving you enemies. From goodness it rose, let it not depart having shone upon the unworthy. For if the Master sent it out of great goodness, and He Himself forgave you your sins, yet you do not forgive your neighbor, see how great the evil is.

And another thing besides this: the blessed Paul fears the night, lest it, taking the wronged one while he is still inflamed in the solitude, kindle the fire. For as long as you cast out much, while it is day, it is permitted to you to be satisfied; but when evening is about to fall, be reconciled and extinguish the fresh evil. For if night takes hold, the following day will not suffice to extinguish the evil brought together in the night; but even if you cut away the greater part, yet are unable to do it all, it gives back from what is left further power to make the fire more vehement in the coming night. And just as the sun, if the air which has clouded and thickened by night does not suffice to soften and disperse it with its daily heat, provides a cause for winter, as the night takes hold of the remainder and feeds it again with other vapors; so it is also in the case of anger. "Neither give place to the devil." So that to war with one another is to give a place to the devil. For when it is necessary for all to be bound together, and to stand against him, we, having broken the enmity toward him, order ourselves to turn against each other. For the devil never has a place as he does in enmities.

^B 2. Countless evils are born from this source. And just as, so long as stones are adjusted and have no gap, they stand unbroken; but if it happens that a perforation of even a needle's width occurs, or a crack containing the space of a hair comes to be, this destroys and ruins everything; so also in the case of the devil: as long as we are compacted and fitted together, he introduces nothing at all of his own; but when he has even slightly slackened us, he pours in like a mountain torrent. For everywhere he needs only a beginning, and this is what is hard to achieve; but this being achieved, he expands everything for himself; for from then on he has opened the ears to slanders, and those who speak falsehoods are more credible; for they have enmity judging instead of truth deciding. And just as when friendship exists, even true things seem false because of the wicked; so when enmity exists, even false things seem true: another judgment, another tribunal, hearing not with equality, but with much inclination and propensity. For just as lead added to a balance pulls the whole thing down; so also here, the weight of enmity, being heavier than lead.

Therefore, I beseech you, let us do everything so that before the sun sets we may extinguish enmities. For if on the first day you do not prevail, and on the next, many times you have extended it even to a year, and from then on the enmity has increased itself, and needs no one. For making acts to be suspected in a different way, and gestures and anything at all, it turns one into a wild beast and makes one savage, and prepares one to be worse than the demented, not enduring either to speak the name or to hear it, but speaking everything from contentions. How then shall we soften our wrath? How shall we extinguish the flame? If we reflect upon our own sins, and how much we are liable to God; if we reflect, that we are not avenging ourselves on the enemy, but upon ourselves; if we reflect, that we are gladdening the devil, that our enemy, the truly enemy, for whom we wrong our own member. Do you wish to be resentful and an enemy? Be an enemy, but of the devil, not of your own member. ^C God armed us with wrath for this, not so that we might plunge the sword against our own bodies, but that we might immerse the whole blade into the breast of the devil. Lock the sword there up to the hilt, if you wish, and the hilt itself, and never draw it out, but even add another. And this shall be, when we spare ourselves, when we are peacefully disposed toward one another. Let money perish, let glory and acclaim perish: my member is more precious to me than all things. Let us say these things to ourselves; let us not wrong our own nature, so that we may gain money, so that we may obtain glory.

"He that stole, let him steal no more," he says. See what the members of the old man are? Falsehood, resentment, theft. Why did he not say, "He that steals, let him be punished, let him be tortured, let him be racked," but, "let him steal no more; but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth"? Where are the so-called Cathari, full of every filth, and daring to call themselves such? For it is possible, it is possible to strip off the charge, not only by ceasing from ^D the sin, but also by doing some good. Do you see how sins must be absolved? He stole, this is to commit the sin; he does not steal, this is not the sin—

this is not to absolve the sin. But how? If they have labored and shared with others; thus they have absolved the sin. He does not want us simply to work, but to work so that we may share with others; for even he who steals works, but he works evil. ^B 29. Let no evil word proceed out of your mouth. What is an evil word? That which he also calls idle, detraction, obscene speech, scurrility, foolish talking. Do you see how he cuts off the roots of anger, lying, theft, and untimely speech? Now that saying, Let him steal no longer, is not so much spoken to them as a pardon, as it is to make them mild and clement toward those to whom the injury had been done, persuading them to be content that they shall no longer suffer such things. He does well, however, to admonish concerning words; for we pay the penalty not only for our actions, but also for our words. But if any such [word be] good for the edification of the faith, that it may give grace to those who hear. This is: speak only that which edifies the neighbor, and nothing that is superfluous.

3. How the tongue is to be used.

4. Against those who speak evil. Reflect what kind of words your mouth has spoken, what kind of table it has been deemed worthy of, what it touches, what it tastes, what kind of nourishment it enjoys. Do you think you do nothing grievous to your brother by speaking evil to him? How then do you call him brother? If, therefore, you are not—

is this, then, insult? "Our Father." And why? Is this the only thing? Listen also to what follows: "Who art in heaven." You have at once said, "Our Father who art in heaven," and the words have raised you up, they have winged your mind, they have shown that you have a Father in heaven. Do, say, nothing of the things on earth. He has set you in that higher order, He has enrolled you in that choir: why do you drag yourself downwards? You stand beside the royal throne, and do you offer insult? Do you not fear that the King may consider the act an insult? Yet, if a servant among us strikes or insults a fellow-servant, even if he does so justly, we immediately rebuke him, thinking the act an insult; and do you, standing with the Cherubim beside the throne of the King, insult your brother? Do you not see these holy vessels? Is not one use appointed for them forever? Does any one dare use them for any other purpose? You are more holy than these vessels, and by much more holy; why then do you defile and pollute yourself? You stand in the heavens, and do you offer insult? You live with angels, and do you offer insult? You have been deemed worthy of the Master's kiss, and do you offer insult? God has adorned your mouth with so many angelic hymns, with food no longer angelic but above angelic, with His own kiss, with embraces directed toward Him, and do you offer insult? I beseech you, do not. It is the cause of great evils, and should be far from a Christian soul. Are we not persuaded by saying these things to you, nor do we put you to shame? Then it is time to instill fear; for hear Christ saying: "He who says to his brother, Fool, shall be liable to the hell of fire" (Matt. 5:22). And if the lightest of all things brings about Gehenna, to him who utters such audacious words, of what shall he not be worthy? Let us train our mouth toward fair speaking; there is great gain in this, and great is the damage from insult; there is no money to be spent here. Let us put a door and a bolt upon it; let us devour ourselves if ever a burdensome word escapes our teeth; let us beseech God, let us beseech the one insulted, let us not be indignant; it is ourselves we have struck, not him; let us apply the remedy of prayer and reconciliation with the one insulted. If we take such care in words, much more let us set laws for ourselves in our deeds. And if we have friends, or whoever they might be, and they should speak ill of someone, or insult them, demand an accounting from them and exact justice. Let us learn entirely that such a thing is a sin; for if we learn it, we shall quickly desist from it. May the God of peace guard your mind and your tongue, and wall them about with the secure wall of His fear, in Christ Jesus our Lord, with whom to the Father be glory together with the Holy Spirit.

HOMILY XV

Ch. 4, v. 31. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and blasphemy be put away from you with all malice.

1. Just as bees would never allow themselves to fly, as it were, into an unclean vessel—for this reason those skilled in these matters sprinkle the place with incense and perfumes and sweet odors, and with fragrant wines and all other things they coat the inner baskets in which they intend them to alight even as they come forth from the swarms, so that no unpleasant odor may sting them and drive them away again—so also is it in the case of the Holy Spirit. Our soul is a kind of vessel and a small basket, able to receive the swarms of spiritual gifts; but if there is bile and bitterness and wrath within, the swarms fly away. For this reason this blessed and wise farmer thoroughly cleanses our vessels, not holding a sickle or any other iron tool; and he calls us to this spiritual swarm, and gathering it, he cleanses it with prayers and labors and all other things. See, then, how he cleanses our heart: he has driven away falsehood, he has driven away anger. He shows again how evil might be more easily rooted out: if we are not, he says, bitter in our mind. For just as it is accustomed to happen with our bile, if it happens to be but a little, the movement is also slight when the storage-vessel has burst; but whenever the sharpness and biting quality of such a quality abounds, it no longer holds the vessel that previously carried it, but, as if eaten through by a fierce fire, it is no longer able to keep it and hold it within the defined limits, but, torn apart by the measureless sharpness, it lets it come forth to harm the whole body; and just as a beast brought into a city, most fierce and unbearable, as long as it is kept inside within the cages made for it, it will be able to harm no one, even if it rages or cries out; but when it is mastered by rage, and having smashed the bars placed through the middle, it is able to leap out, it fills the city with every tumult and disturbance, and drives everyone away: so also is the nature of bile; as long as it is kept within its proper limits, it does not do us any great harm; but when the membrane containing it has burst, and there is nothing left to prevent it from diffusing through the whole nature, then, indeed then, even though it be so very small in quantity, because of the surpassing power in its quality, it stains all the other elements with its own inherent wickedness. For then, finding blood near in both place and quality, and making the heat in it sharper, and everything nearby that is beyond the bounds of symmetry and moderation in humidity, it creates bile; and then with this it advances upon the other members, and thus, having infused its own wickedness into everything, it renders the man speechless, and causes him to gasp, driving out the soul. Why, then, all these things for us in…

^A exactly and accurately stated? It is so that when we have perceived from the sensible bitterness the unbearable evil of that bitterness which falls under the understanding—which brings the first ruin to the whole soul that begets it, perverting everything upward and downward—we may avoid experiencing it. For as it is with the element itself, so that bitterness, with ignited thoughts, carries away the one who has been caught into the pit of hell. In order, therefore, that by investigating these things precisely we may flee from this evil and bridle the beast, or rather tear it out by the roots, let us obey Paul who says: ^B *Let all bitterness*—he does not say, "be purged," but—*be put away from you* (Eph. IV, 31). For what need is there that these things should cause me trouble, or that I should keep them? What need is there to guard a beast when it is permitted to banish it from the soul, to lead it away and drive it off? Let us obey, therefore, Paul who says: *Let all bitterness be put away from you.* But alas, what perversity holds us! When we ought to do everything on account of this, there are some so demented that they even deem themselves blessed in this matter, and receive pleasure in evil, and boast, and others emulate them. "He is," says one, "a harsh and acerbic man; he is a scorpion, a serpent, a viper"; they consider him terrible. Why then, O man, do you fear that harsh and acerbic person? "So that he may not harm me," he says, "so that he may not destroy me; I am inexperienced in his malice; I fear that if they take me for a simple man, for one who foresees nothing of the man's schemes, he might cast me into his snares and impede me with his nets, prepared by him for our deception." Now I laugh. Why do you laugh? Because these are the words of children who are afraid of things that are not to be feared. And yet, one should not despise anyone in such a way, nor mock anyone in such a way, as the acerbic and evil man. For there is nothing so weak as bitterness: it makes people foolish and senseless.

^B Do you not hear what was said, that he who digs a pit for his neighbor digs it for himself? What then? Is a soul filled with agitation not to be feared? If, indeed, as with demons and madmen, it is necessary to fear also the acerbic, and as with fools (for they do everything rashly and inconsiderately), I also say the same: but if as those who rightly understand how affairs are to be conducted, in this I do not agree. For to administer and manage affairs, there is nothing so apt as prudence; but nothing impedes prudence so much as wickedness and vice, fraud and plots. Do you not see how unpleasant bilious bodies are, when every bloom has withered in them? How weak and slight they are, and inept for all things? Such also are souls of this kind. For there is no other royal disease of the soul than vice and wickedness. It is not, then, it is not a strong and valid thing, depravity. Do you wish me to make clear again what I say, by bringing before you images of a wicked man and a simple, guileless man? Absalom was wicked and crafty, and he was attracting everyone to his own side; see, therefore, how great his astuteness and malignancy was. "Going about," it says, "he used to say: Is there no judgment for you?" (II Reg. XV, 3), wishing to reconcile everyone to himself. But David was simple and guileless. What then? See the end of both; see how great was the folly of that man. For because he looked to nothing else but to harm his father, he was blinded in all other things. But not so David: *For he that walks simply, walks confidently* (Prov. X, 9); that is, he seeks nothing curiously, he plots no evil. Let us obey, therefore, the blessed Paul, and let us pity and bewail the acerbic men, and let us do and perform everything so that we may drain depravity from their souls. For how is it not absurd, since bile is present in us—(even though it is a useful element: for it is impossible for a man to exist without bile—I speak of this elemental bile): how, I say, is it not absurd to evacuate this with all one's might, even though we are greatly helped by it; but to make nothing of that which is in the soul, and to set no effort to evacuate it when it is not in the least useful, but even harms us most? *Whoever wishes,* he says, *to be wise among you, let him become a fool so that he may be wise* (I Cor. III, 18). *And they were taking food with exultation and simplicity of heart, praising God, and they had favor with all the people* (Act. II, 46, 47). ^C Do we not see now also the simple and guileless attaining common honor from everyone? No one envies him who is of this sort, if he conducts his affairs rightly; no one insults him if he has adverse circumstances; but if he has successful affairs, they congratulate him, and if he has fallen, they pity him. But if successful affairs should once befall an acerbic man, all groan as if some evil had happened; but if he has adverse circumstances, all rejoice. Let us therefore pity them; for they have common enemies circulating on all sides. Jacob was guileless; but he overcame the crafty and malignant Esau: *For into a wicked and malignant soul, wisdom will not enter* (Sap. I, 4). *Let all bitterness be put away from you*; let not even a remnant remain. For even this, if it has been stirred, is accustomed to excite the entire pyre within, as from some spark. What, therefore, bitterness is, let us consider accurately. For example, let there be a man who is fraudulent and insidious, crafty and prepared for doing evil, suspicious: from him anger and indignation are always born. For it is impossible for a soul of this sort to be tranquil: for the root of anger and indignation is bitterness and acerbity. He who is of this sort, and prone to heavy anger, never relaxes his soul, as one who is always brooding, always sad. For they themselves, as I said, are the first to feel their own evils. *And clamor,* he says. Why? Do you take away even clamor? For it is necessary that he who is gentle be of such a sort. For clamor is a horse carrying its rider, namely anger and indignation: stop the horse, and you have overturned the rider. Let women especially hear these things, who cry out and shout in every affair. It is useful to clamor in one thing only, namely, in preaching and teaching: but nowhere else, not even in prayer. And if you wish to learn through the things themselves: never clamor, and you will never be angry: behold the way of evacuating anger. For as it is impossible for one who does not clamor to be angry, so it is impossible for one who clamors not to be angry. For do not object to me that one is struck by grave anger, ^D and thus, having reached the point of being hot-tempered and rancorous, we are now discussing this bitter and choleric subject.

^C

3. Therefore, it is no small thing towards this end to train the soul never to scream or shout. You cut off the wings of anger if you remove the clamor; you quell the swelling of the heart. For just as it is impossible to wrestle without raising one’s hands, so it is not possible to be entangled without shouting. Bind the hands of a boxer and bid him box, but he will not be able to; so it is with anger. Clamor excites even him who is not angry; and it is from this especially that the female sex is quickly ensnared, who, when they are angry at their maidservants, fill the entire house with their own screaming; and often, if the house happens to be built by a narrow alley, all the passersby hear her shouting and the maidservant wailing. What could ever be more unseemly than to hear such lamentations? For everyone at once peers in, asking, "What on earth has happened there?" "Such-and-such a woman," she says, "is beating her own slave." What could be more shameless than this? What then, must one not beat her? I do not say this; for it is necessary, but neither constantly, nor immoderately, nor for your own petty wrongs—which I am always saying—nor if she fails in the service, but if she is harming her own soul. If you strike her for such a cause, everyone will praise you, and there will be no one to complain; but if it is for your own, everyone will condemn the cruelty and harshness.

And the most shameful thing of all is that there are some so savage and inexorable that they lash them to such an extent that the welals do not fade even by the same day. For having stripped the girls and called upon the husband for this, they often bind them to the bedsteads. Alas, does the memory of hell not enter into you at that moment, tell me? But you strip the servant girl, and show her to your husband? And are you not ashamed that he might condemn you? And you provoke him all the more, and threaten to bind her, having first showered ten thousand insults on the wretched and miserable creature, calling her "Thessalian," "runaway," "prostitute." For anger does not allow one to spare even one’s own mouth, but it looks to one thing alone: how to take vengeance on her, even if one disgraces oneself. And after all this, she sits there like some tyrant, and calls the children, and having caused the foolish man to stand by, she treats him like an executioner. Should these things happen in the homes of Christians? But the race is wicked, she says, and forward, and shameless, and incorrigible. I know this too; but it is possible to regulate them in another way: with fears, with threats, with words, which are able to wound her more deeply, and free you from the disgrace. You have uttered shameful words, being a free woman, and do you not disgrace yourself more than her? Then, if she needs to go out to the bath-house, there are welts across her back as she is stripped, and she carries about the tokens of your cruelty. But you say, "The servant class is insufferable when it has obtained rest." I know it; but regulate her differently, as I have said, not by lashes alone or by fear, but also by flattery and by doing good. She has become your sister, if she is a believer. Consider that you are the mistress, and she serves you. If she is a drunkard, remove the opportunities for drunkenness; call the husband, and counsel him. Or do you not see how shameful a thing it is for a woman to be beaten? Indeed, even those who have legislated ten thousand things against men, both burnings and tortures, have rarely hung a woman, but they stop their anger at a slap. They use such great reverence towards this nature that they do not hang them ^D even when there is an urgent necessity, and especially when they happen to be pregnant. For it is a disgrace to a man to beat a woman; but if a disgrace to a man, much more so to one of the same nature. From these things women also become hateful to their husbands. What then, she says, when she plays the whore? Yoke her to a husband, remove the opportunities for fornication, do not permit her to be wanton. What then, if she steals? Watch and observe. O the excess! "I shall be a watchman?" she says. O the folly! Why, I ask, will you not be a watchman? Does she not share the same soul as you? Has she not been deemed worthy of the same things by God? Does she not enjoy the same table? Does she not share the same nobility with you? What then, she says, if she is a railery-monger, and a babbler, and a drunkard? How many free women are of this sort! But God has commanded men to bear the faults of their wives. Only let not the wife be an adultress, she says, and bear all the remaining faults. Even if she be a drunkard, even if a railer, even if a babbler, even if an informer, even if extravagant, even if she squanders your substance, you have a partner in life; it is necessary for you to regulate her; for this reason you are the head. Therefore regulate her—do your own part. Even if she remains incorrigible, even if she steals, guard your own things; do not punish her so much; if she be a babbler, stop her mouth. This is of the highest philosophy. But now some have come to such absurdity that they uncover their head, and drag the servant maids by their hair.

4. Why have you all blushed? My discourse is not addressed to all; but to those who are dragged into this beastliness. "Let not a woman be unveiled," says Paul; and do you remove the head-covering entirely? Do you see how you insult yourself? If, therefore, she appears to you with her head bare, you call the thing an insult; but do you, stripping her, say it is nothing serious? Then she says, "What, if she is not corrected by this?" With a rod and blows, reform her. But how many faults do you have, and you are not corrected? These things have been said for us now not for them, but for you, the free, so that you do nothing unseemly, nothing shameful, so that you do not harm yourselves. If you are trained in these matters at home towards your maidservant, and are gentle and not harsh, you will be much more such to your husband. For if you are shown doing nothing of the sort when you have the power, much more, where there is that which hinders, you will perform nothing of the kind. Thus, the philosophy regarding maidservants profits you greatly for the goodwill of your husbands. "For with what measure you mete," he says, "it shall be measured to you again." Place a bridle on your mouth; and if you are exercised in bearing a harsh maidservant with nobility, you will not feel indignant towards your equal even when she insults you; and not being indignant, you have attained the highest philosophy. And there are some who even add oaths; but there is nothing more shameful than one who is angry in such a way. What then, she says, if she adorns herself? Stop this, and I agree; but stop it, beginning from yourself, not so much by fear as by example; be an archetypal image in everything. "And let blasphemy," he says, "be removed from you." See how the evil proceeds. Bitterness bore anger, anger bore wrath, wrath bore clamor, clamor bore blasphemy—that is, insults; blasphemy finally [leads to] blows, [and] the blows [to] wounds, the ...

wounds to death. But Paul did not want to speak of any of these, but only this: ^A “Let it be removed with all malice.” What is that, “with all malice”? For all malice ends in this. For there are some like dogs that bite secretly, who do not bark at one approaching, nor show any resentment, but fawning and displaying an appearance of gentleness, when those who are not on their guard have come close, they fasten their teeth into them; these are more grievous than those who engage in open enmity. Since, therefore, there are also men who are dogs, who do not bark, nor grow angry, nor show resentment to threaten, but who secretly weave plots and devise countless evils, and take vengeance with the facts and deeds themselves, he indicated these too. “Let it be removed,” he says, “from you with all malice.” Do not spare [them] with words, but take vengeance with deeds. I, for this reason, have chastened the tongue and curtailed its clamor, lest it kindle a more violent pyre; but if you do the same even without ^B clamor, and feed the pyre and coals within, what does your silence profit you? Or do you not know that those fires are most grievous which, while being fed within, do not appear to those standing individually outside? and the wounds that do not appear on the surface, and the fevers that burn the internal parts? Thus, therefore, this anger is more grievous, which consumes the soul. But this too, he says, must be removed with all malice, both the small and the great. Let us, therefore, obey him, and remove all bitterness and malice, so that we may not grieve the Holy Spirit: let us remove bitterness by the roots, let us pluck it out. ^C Nothing good or sound can arise from a bitter soul: all is calamity, all is tears, all is lamentation, mourning, and wailing. Do you not see how we turn away from beasts that clamor? Like the lion, the bear; but not the sheep: for there is no clamor there, but a certain gentle voice. Furthermore, of musical instruments, whichever ones clamor are more unpleasant to the sound, such as drums and trumpets; but those that do not emit such a sound, but soften it, are pleasant, such as the flute, the cithara, and the pipes. Thus, let us also compose our soul so that it does not clamor, and in this way we shall be able to overcome anger, and with that cut away, we shall enjoy tranquility first, and shall sail to the calm port; ^D which may it be granted to us all to attain, in Christ Jesus our Lord, with whom to the Father together with the Holy Spirit [be] glory, power, honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

HOMILY XVI.

“Let all bitterness, and anger, and wrath, and clamor, and blasphemy, be removed from you with all malice. Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, even as God also in Christ forgave you.”

1. It is not enough to be free from vice; one must also attain the kingdom of heaven, and there is need of much practice of virtues. For to be delivered from hell, one must abstain from wickedness; but to attain the kingdom, virtue must be embraced. Or do you not know that in external courts, when deeds are examined, and the whole city convenes for the assembly, it happens thus? For in external courts, the old custom was that one should be crowned with a gold crown, not he who had done no evil to the city—for this alone suffices for not suffering punishment—but also he who had bestowed great benefits upon it. Thus it was fitting to be led to this honor. But I know not how it almost escaped me, what it was most necessary for me to say to you. I am resuming the first part of this division, having added a small correction. For since I said that, in order not to fall into hell, a withdrawal from evil is sufficient for us, meanwhile, while speaking, there came into my mind certain terrible threats inflicting punishment, not on those who have committed some evil, but punishing those who have neglected to do some good. And what are these? “When,” he says, “that terrible day shall arrive, on which it is necessary to stand, the Judge sitting on the tribunal, the sheep indeed having been set on the right, but the goats on the left, to the sheep indeed he will say: Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry, and you gave me to eat” (Matt. 25:34-35). This is excellent; for it was necessary for them to receive this recompense for such great kindness: but that those who did not impart to the needy from what they themselves possessed are not only punished in such a way that they be deprived of good things, but are also transmitted to the fire of hell, what reason does this have? But this also has a reason no less fitting than that former one. For by this we are instructed, that those who have indeed done good will enjoy the good things that are in heaven; but those against whom the reproach does not fall that they have done any evil, but who have neglected to do any good, together with those who have done evil, will be led away into the fire of hell. Unless one says that to have done no good is a part of vice; for this is of idleness, and idleness is a part of vice—or rather, not a part, but an occasion and an evil root: for all vice has taught idleness. Let us not, therefore, foolishly put forward these questions. He who has done nothing either of evil or good, what place will he receive? For not to have done good, this is to have done evil. For tell me, if you have a servant who neither steals, nor is abusive, nor contradicts, and abstains from drunkenness and all other things, but sits idle forever, and does none of the things that a servant ought to provide for his master, will you not beat him with lashes, will you not torture him? “Yes,” you will say. “And yet he has done no evil.” This very thing, therefore, is evil. But, if you please, let us lead the discourse also to the rest of life. Let there be some farmer, who brings no evil to our faculties, nor lies in wait, nor

sets himself to any other task in cultivating the earth: shall we not accuse him? And yet, he has done no injury, nor do we have any crime of which to accuse him; but indeed he has done injury by this very thing; for he injures by a common rationale, in not contributing his own service. What then, tell me? If of the artisans and craftsmen, each one should harm neither the one of a different trade, nor even the one of his own craft, but should merely be idle, has your whole life not thus perished and become corrupted? Do you wish that we draw the argument also to the body? Then let not the hand strike the head, nor cut off the tongue, nor gouge out the eye, nor work any other such evil; but let it only remain idle, and not fulfill its own function for the whole body: is it not then worthy to be cut off, or to be carried about idle, and damaging the whole body? And what if the mouth should not devour the hand, nor bite the breast, but should fail in all that it has to do, would it not be better to be stopped up instead? If, therefore, there is great injustice both among servants, and among artisans, and in the whole body, not only in doing some evil, but also in the omission of good, much more would this be the case in the body of Christ.

^B 2. For this reason the blessed Paul also, leading us away from wickedness, bringeth us toward virtue. For what profit is there, tell me, if all the thorns are cut out, if the good seeds are not cast in? For the labor will result in the same damage for us again, if it remains incomplete. For this very reason Paul also, being deeply concerned for us, does not stop his instructions at the cutting out and removal of evils, but also exhorts us to show quickly the planting of good things. For having said, *Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice* (Eph. IV, 31), he added: *And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other* (Eph. IV, 32). These are both habits and dispositions. And it is not enough for the removal of one to establish us back into the disposition of the other, but again there is need of some movement, and an impulse not less than that in the flight from evils, so as to come into the possession of goods. And in the body, if the black is removed from this quality, it does not immediately become white. Rather, let us not test the argument by natural things, but let us bring forward the example among those things which are by choice. He who is not an enemy is not altogether a friend, but there is something middle, which is neither of enmity nor of friendship, in which most men have stood towards us. He who does not weep does not altogether laugh, but there is a middle state. So too here, he who is not bitter is not altogether kind, nor is he who is not wrathful altogether tender-hearted; but there is need again of other diligence, so as to acquire this good.

And see how, according to the rule of excellent husbandry, the blessed Paul clears and cultivates the land committed to him by the Farmer. He has removed the spurious seeds; he exhorts, then, that we should hold the genuine plants. Be ye kind, he says. For if, when the thorns have been torn out, ^C the land remains idle, it will again bear useless herbs. Therefore, it is necessary to forestall its leisure and its idleness with the sowing of good seeds and plants. He removed wrath, he set kindness in its place; he removed bitterness, he set tender-heartedness; he cut out malice and evil speaking, he planted forgiveness; for this is what "forgiving each other" means. Be ye ready to forgive, he says. For this grace is greater than that in money. For he who releases the money to the one who has borrowed from him, performs indeed a new and wonderful work, yet the grace is only as far as the body, even if he renders to himself the reward in the spiritual and soul-related gifts; but he who has forgiven sins has benefited both his own soul and that of him who has obtained the forgiveness; for he has made not only himself, by this way, but also the other more manageable. For we do not so much bite their souls by *not* taking action against those who have wronged us, as we do by forgiving them, putting them to shame and causing them to feel awe. For in that way, we have benefited neither ourselves nor them, but we have harmed both, both by our pursuing the requital according to the rulers among the Jews, and by having kindled the wrath in them; but if we should exchange the injustice with gentleness, having loosened all his wrath, we have seated a tribunal beside him bearing sentences for us, condemning him more severely than we do. For he will judge himself and pass sentence, and he will seek every pretext by which he may pay back the part of patience that was borrowed, with greater measure, knowing that if he should pay back the equal, he is even so diminished, by not being the one who began, but by receiving the example from us, as the one bearing less. He will, therefore, be eager to surpass by the measure, so that he may hide the diminution, which he ^D endured from having come second to the repayment, by the excess of the recompense, and that he may make the diminution which occurred to him from the time of having been wronged first, a common thing through his superabundant gentleness. For men, when they are grateful and mindful of a kindness, do not so much lament over evils as they do over the good things which they might receive from those who have been wronged. For it is of malice, while it is also full of reproach and laughter, a thing to be ashamed of, not to return good for good to one who has been well treated. This, indeed, has praise and applause and commendations from all, the not seeking reprisal after one has been treated ill. For this reason, they are especially bitten by this. So, if you wish to take revenge, take revenge in this way: return good for evil, so that you may make him also a debtor, and win a wonderful victory. Have you been treated ill? Do well, and thus take revenge on the enemy. For if you take action, everyone blames both you and him alike; but if you bear it, they will applaud and admire you in another way, and will accuse him.

3. And what greater thing could happen to an enemy than to see the enemy being admired and applauded by all? What is more bitter to an enemy than to see himself being insulted by all before the eyes of his enemy? If you take revenge on him, you have also been judged perhaps, and you alone have taken revenge; but if you let it go, all will take revenge on him in your stead; which is more grievous than having been treated ill, that the enemy should have so many to take revenge on him. If you open your

[LATIN COLUMN] 115 S. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM, ARCHBISHOP OF CONSTANTINOPLE to endure ill, namely, that the enemy has so many who avenge him. If you open your mouth, they will be silent; but if you are silent, he will be struck not by one mouth, but by the myriad mouths of others, and you avenge yourself all the more. And while many accuse the one who is assailing you with reproach and insult—for they say such words are the result of emotion—when one who has been in no way injured heaps reproaches and insults upon him, then the vengeance is most free from all suspicion. For when those who have suffered nothing grievous, on account of your supreme gentleness, are as indignant and compassionate as if they themselves had been injured, this vengeance is pure from all suspicion. What then, he says, if no one avenges me? It is impossible for men to be made of stone and not to admire such philosophy, and even if they do not avenge me then, they will do so later when they have thought it over, ridiculing him and attacking him with curses. But even if no one else admires you, that person himself will certainly admire you, even if he does not say it. For the judgment of what is good and honorable, even if we have sunk into the very depths of vice, remains incorrupt and cannot be perverted. For why do you think our Lord Jesus Christ says these things: "If anyone strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also" (Matt. 5:39)? Is it not because if someone is gentle and patient, he brings the greatest benefit both to himself and to the other? Furthermore, He commanded to turn the other cheek, so as to satisfy the desire of the one who is angry. For who is so savage as not to be put to shame? Dogs are said to do this: if they bark and attack, and the one whom they attack throws himself on his back and does nothing, he extinguishes all their anger. If, therefore, they show reverence to one who is prepared to suffer at their hands, much more so will the human race, which is more participant in reason. But it is worth while not to pass over what recently came to mind, and was brought forward as testimony. What is this? We were saying concerning the Jews and their rulers, that they were being rebuked for being those who pursued the retribution of a like punishment and the law of retaliation: even though the law permitted them, "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" (Levit. 24:20; Deut. 19:21); yet not so that one might tear out another's eyes, but so that by the fear of suffering, having checked the boldness of doing harm, they might neither do evil to others nor themselves suffer at the hands of others. Therefore He said: "An eye for an eye," to bind that man's hands, not to draw yours out in return; not only to check the injury to your eyes, but to keep his eyes safe and preserved. But the question I was asking, for what reason were they rebuked for using it, when vengeance had been granted to them? What is this? This refers to the remembrance of an injury received. For He grants indeed that one who has suffered may act at once, restraining and checking him, as I have said; but He does not permit one to be mindful of an injury received; for this is no longer the work of anger or of a burning impulse, but of premeditated wickedness. But God forgives those whom the onset of an insolent insult has seized, and who have been provoked to vengeance: therefore He says, "An eye for an eye"; and again, "The ways of those who are mindful of an injury are unto death" (Prov. 12:29). If, however, where it was permitted to pluck out an eye for an eye, such a great punishment is proposed for those who are mindful of injuries received, how much more so for those to whom it is commanded to show themselves ready to suffer? Let us not, therefore, be mindful of injuries, but let us extinguish wrath, that we may be deemed worthy to obtain His mercy. "For with what measure you mete," He says, "it shall be measured to you, and in what judgment you judge, you shall be judged" (Matt. 7:2). Let us therefore be merciful towards our fellow servants, that we may both escape the snares that are in the present life, and in the future day obtain pardon from Him, by grace and loving-kindness, etc.

HOMILY XVII

Things that have passed seem to be more admirable and more worthy of belief. And therefore Paul makes an exhortation from those things which have occurred: for those things indeed have greater force because of Christ. For to say: "Forgive, and it shall be forgiven you," and "If you do not forgive, it shall not be forgiven you" (Matt. 6:14-15); if this is said to philosophers and to those who believe in things to come, it has much power: but Paul inspires shame not only from these, but also from the things that have occurred. For that indeed is to flee punishment; but this is to be a participant in some good. To imitate Christ, he says. This alone is sufficient to exhort one to virtue, to imitate God; this is greater than that—namely, He who "maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matt. 5:45). For He did not say only that we should imitate God, but in those matters in which we are benefited, He wishes us to have the bowels of fathers towards one another: for these bowels are called humanity and mercies. For since it is impossible, being men, that we should neither be troublesome nor be affected by trouble, He found a remedy, that we should mutually confer gifts: "Forgiving," he says, "one another." And yet they are by no means equal: for if you now indeed give and do a favor, he in turn will give and do a favor to you; but to God you have given nothing: and you indeed to a fellow servant; but God to a servant and to an enemy, and to him who hates Him. "Even as God," he says, "in Christ hath forgiven us." This also has a great enigma. He says not simply, without danger He has forgiven us, but with the danger of the Son. In order to forgive you, He sacrificed His Son: you, however, when you often see that the forgiveness is without danger and without cost, you do not do it. Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children, and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. But lest you should think it is a matter of necessity, hear what he says, "He gave himself"; as if he were saying, When you were an enemy, the Lord...

loved you; do you also love your friend—or rather, you will not be able to love even in this way, yet do so as you are able. Bah! What could be more blessed than this utterance? Even if you speak of a kingdom, or anything whatever, nothing is equal to this. ^B You imitate God; you are made like God, when you forgive another. It is more necessary to forgive faults than debts. As for money, if you forgive it, you have not imitated God; but if you forgive faults, you imitate God. But how will you be able to say, "I am a poor man, and I cannot forgive," when, even in the things you can forgive, you do not forgive, and you consider this to be a loss—not rather a wealth, not rather an abundance? "Be ye therefore imitators of God." Behold another, more noble encouragement. "As beloved children," he says. You have another necessity to imitate him, not only by receiving benefits, but by having become his children. "As beloved children." For since not all children imitate their fathers, but the beloved ones do, for this reason he says, "As beloved children." "Walk in love." Behold the basis of all things; since this exists, there is no anger, no wrath, no clamour, no blasphemy, but all these things have been taken away. Therefore he puts this as the foundation. Whence did you become a child? Because it was forgiven you. ^C From the base from which you were deemed worthy of such great honour, from the same base forgive your neighbour. Tell me, if someone, when you were a prisoner and liable for ten thousand evils, led you to a palace; or rather, let us lay aside this: if someone, when you were feverish and gasping your last, benefited you with some medicine, would you not have preferred him to all, and the very name of the medicine? For if we hold seasons and places through which we are benefited as we hold our own souls, much more so the things themselves. Be a lover of love; for through it you were saved, through it you became a son; and if you can save another, will you not use the same medicine, and urge upon everyone to "Forgive, that you may be forgiven"? This is the mark of grateful souls, to be so earnest, and of free and noble ones. "As Christ also loved us," he says. You spare your friends; He [spared] His enemies; therefore that which is done by the Master is much greater. For how is the "As" preserved? Clearly, that we should do good to our enemies. ^D "And gave himself an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour." Do you see that to suffer for enemies is a sweetsmelling savour, and an acceptable sacrifice? If you die, then you will be a sacrifice; this is to imitate God. "But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints." He has spoken about the bitter passion of wrath; he has come to the lesser evil. For that lust is a lesser evil, hear even in the law of Moses saying first, "Thou shalt not kill," which is of wrath, and then, "Thou shalt not commit adultery," which is of lust. For just as bitterness, and clamour, and all malice, and blasphemy, and such things belong to the wrathful man, so also do fornication, uncleanness, and covetousness [belong to the lustful man]; for we desire the same things, namely money and bodies. But just as there he took away clamour, which was the vehicle of wrath, so now [he takes away] filthiness and foolish talking and jesting, which are the vehicle of fornication. "For filthiness," he says, "and foolish talking, or jesting, which are not convenient; but rather giving of thanks." Do not utter funny or shameful things, nor do them, and you will extinguish the flame. "Let it not be once named," he says, "among you"; that is, let it not even be visible anywhere. This he was saying also when writing to the Corinthians: "It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you." That is, "Become all pure." For words are the paths to deeds. Then, so that he might not seem burdensome and harsh, by cutting off jesting, he also added the cause, saying, "which are not convenient," which are nothing to us, he says, "but rather giving of thanks."

2. What benefit is there in saying something funny? You have moved only to laughter. Tell me, will the cobbler work at anything that is not appertaining to his own craft? Or will he possess any such tool? By no means; for things that are not in use are nothing to us. Let there be no idle word; for from the idle [word] we fall even into absurd ones. The present time is not one of relaxation, but of mourning, of afflictions, and of lamentations; and do you jest? What athlete, having entered the stadium, and having left behind the struggle against his opponent, utters funny things? The devil is standing by, he is walking about, roaring, seeking to snatch [someone], he is moving everything and turning everything against your head, and is devising how to cast you out of the nest; he is gnashing his teeth, he is bellowing, he is breathing fire against your salvation; and do you sit there saying funny things, and talking foolishly, and uttering things that are not convenient? Will you therefore be able to overcome him well? We are playing, beloved. Do you wish to learn the conduct of the saints? Hear Paul saying: "By the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears." But if toward the Milesians and Ephesians he used such great earnestness, not saying funny things, but offering his admonition with tears, what could one say about the others? Hear also what he says to the Corinthians: "For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears"; and again, "Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?" Hear also him saying elsewhere, as one longing to depart from the world, so to speak: "For we that are in the tabernacle do groan." And do you laugh and play? It is a time of war, and do you handle the things of those who are dancing in choruses? Do you not see the faces of those who are at war, how they are sullen, how they are strained? For their brow is terrible and full of shuddering. Do you see a severe eye, a heart excited and leaping and springing, a focused mind, trembling and anxious, [with] great order, great composure, great silence in the camps? I do not say [so that you should] not utter a shameful word, but [not even] simply to speak at all. For if, having [such] as their enemies, they [conduct the struggle], those who are at war against perceptible enemies...

and yet are unharmed by their words, they are employing such silence. You, however, who are engaged in the war of words, and are more engaged in these than in the battle, do you believe this part to be harmless? Do you not understand that from this source we are being largely ensnared? You joke and are fond of delicacies, and speak urbanities, and provoke laughter, and you think nothing of the matter? How many perjuries, how many damages, how many foul words arise from witticisms! But, he says, such words are not urbanities. But hear: it expels all cleverness and wit. It is a time for war and for fighting, for vigils, for custody, for armor and for marshalling the battle line; there is no place here for the time of laughter; for this is the time of the world. Hear Christ saying: The world will rejoice, but you will be sorrowful (John 16:20). Christ was crucified because of your sins; and you—you laugh? Slaps and buffets were dealt to him, and he endured such things because of your disaster and the tempest that had overtaken you; and you—you live in delicacies? And how do you not irritate him even more? But since it seems to some that the matter is indifferent, and to avoid it is quite difficult, come, let us discuss it in a few words, teaching how great an evil it is. For this is the work of the devil, to make it so that things that are indifferent are despised. But in the first place, if it were indifferent, even so one ought not to despise it, knowing that from it many evils are born, and increase, and often end in fornication; and that it is not indifferent, is clear from this. Let us see, then, whence it is born; or rather, let us see what it behooves the holy man to be—meek, yielding, mourning, lamenting, afflicted. He, then, who speaks wittily and cleverly is not holy; even if he should be a Greek, such a person is a ridiculous man; these things are permitted only to those who are on the stage. Where there is shame, there is also scurrilousness; where there is untimely laughter, there is also scurrilousness. Hear the prophet saying: Serve the Lord in fear, and rejoice in him with trembling (Ps. 2:11). For scurrilousness renders the soul soft and lazy, it elevates and excites it, and it often brings forth reproaches and insults, and creates wars. And so let what belongs to the child cease. But you do not deem your servant worthy to speak useless things in the marketplace, and yet you yourself, who claim to be a servant of God, speak clever and scurrilous things in the marketplace. It is going well indeed, if the sober soul is not stolen away, and who will not seize and conquer the diffused joy? It will be pricked by itself, and there will be no need for the snares and insults of the devil. But so that you may learn, look also at the name itself: he is called scurrilous who is various, all-changing, unstable, fickle, and turning into every appearance; but this is far removed from those who serve the Rock (Christ). Such a person is easily turned and changed; for he must imitate both appearance, and word, and laughter, and gait, and everything; furthermore, he must also devise jeers and witticisms; for indeed he has need of that too. But it is far from a Christian to attack with comic words. And it is necessary for him who uses scurrilous words to take upon himself superfluous enmities from those who are rashly mocked by the jeers, whether they be present or hear of them while absent. If the thing is beautiful and honorable, why is it left to mimes? You turn into a mime, and you are not ashamed? Why do you not permit your freeborn daughters to do this? Have you not determined that it is a matter of an unrefined, not a modest man? Great evils dwell in the soul that uses scurrilous and clever words, great dissolution, and hence solitude: the structure gapes open, the building withers, fear is banished, piety is absent. You possess a tongue, not to attack with comic words, but to give thanks to God. Do you not see the fools, who are called thus because they move to laughter, and in common parlance are called *kordakes* (a)? These are the *eutrapeloi*, that is, the scurrilous and the clever. Banish, I beseech you, from the borders of your souls this ungrateful grace: it is a matter for parasites, mimes, dancers, and prostitute women; let it be far from a free soul, far from one that is noble, and far from servants. If anyone is infamous, if anyone is foul and obscene, he is also scurrilous. But to many, this thing seems even to be a virtue; and this is something to be mourned. For just as concupiscence gradually arrives at fornication, so also does scurrilousness appear to be a graceful thing; but there is nothing less graceful than this. For hear Scripture saying: Before thunder the lightning hastens, and before a shameful person comes grace (Eccli. 32:14). But there is nothing more shameless than a scurrilous person. Wherefore his mouth is full not of grace, but of pain. Let us banish this custom from our tables. There are also some who teach this to the poor. O the absurdity! They make those who are in afflictions scurrilous! For where is this disease not yet present? Already it has even been introduced into the Church; already it has even touched the Scriptures. Shall I say something, in order to show the excess of the evil? I am indeed ashamed, but nevertheless I will speak; for I wish to show to what point the evil has proceeded, so that I may not seem to be dealing with trivial matters and discussing some small thing, but so that even thus I might be able to lead you away from error. And let no one think that I am inventing, but I shall say what I have heard. There was a certain man among those who boast of their knowledge and are pleased with themselves—and I know that it will come to pass that I shall provoke laughter, but nevertheless I will speak—who, when the table was set, said: "Partake, boys, lest at some time the belly grow angry." And again, others say: "Woe to you, mammon, and to him who does not have you!" And scurrilousness has introduced many absurdities of this kind; as when they say: "The generation is not wayward." But I say this against the absurdity of evil characters; for these are words of a soul deserted by piety and reverence. Are these words not worthy of lightning bolts? One would find many other things of this kind said by these men. Wherefore I beseech you that, having everywhere expelled this evil custom, we speak those things which are fitting for us, and that holy mouths abstain from speaking the words of the infamous and the obscene. For what is the participation of justice with iniquity? Or what society of light with darkness (2 Cor. 6:14)? For it will go well with us if, when we have led ourselves away from all absurdities, we might attain the promised goods, not to mention when we attract so many things, and bring ruin to the perfection of our mind through so many things. For he who speaks scurrilously will quickly be a slanderer; and a slanderer...

that we may all attain [the inheritance] in Christ Jesus our Lord, with whom to the Father together with the Holy Spirit [be] glory, power, honor, now and forever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

HOMILY XVIII

^A Cap. 5. v. 5. *For this you know, knowing that no fornicator, or unclean person, or covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man seduce you with empty words: for because of these things comes the wrath of God upon the children of disbelief.*

1. There were, as it seems, some even among our ancestors who used to slacken the hands of the people, and putting into practice that which was spoken by Ezekiel, or rather, acting the part of the false prophets, who for a handful of barley would profane God before His people; which I think is happening even now among some. ^B Whenever we say, therefore, that he who calls his brother a fool goes away into hell, others say: “Yes, does he who calls his brother a fool go away into hell? Not so,” they say. And when we say that the covetous man is an idolater, they again make light of this, saying that the expression is an exaggeration; and in this way they make little of all the commandments. Him, therefore, the blessed Paul, hinting at such men even then, wrote to the Ephesians, saying: *For this you know, knowing that no fornicator, or unclean person, or covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.* ^C Then he adds: *Let no man seduce you with empty words.* These words are empty which for a time have grace, and are in no way shown by deeds; for the thing is a delusion. *For because of these things comes the wrath of God upon the children of disbelief.* Because of the fornication, he says, because of the covetousness, because of the uncleanness, or also because of these and because of the delusion, since they are deceivers. He calls them “children of disbelief,” meaning those who are exceedingly disobedient, those who disobey Him. *Be not therefore partakers with them. For you were sometimes darkness, but now light in the Lord.* See how wisely he exhorted: ^D first from Christ, that you love one another, and do no one wrong; then again from the punishment and the hell: *For you were sometimes darkness, you say, but now light in the Lord.* Which he also says in the Epistle to the Romans: *What fruit therefore had you then in those things of which you are now ashamed?* And he reminds them of their former wickedness; that is, “Considering what you once were, and what you have now become, do not fall back into your former wickedness, nor offer offense to the grace of God.” *You were sometimes darkness, but now light in the Lord*; not from your own virtue, he says, but through the grace of God this has come to you; that is, “And you were once worthy of the same things, but no longer.” *Walk therefore as children of light.* What is it, *children of light*? He adds next: *For the fruit of the Spirit is in all justice and goodness and truth. Proving what is well-pleasing to the Lord.* In all, he says, *goodness*. This is toward those who are angry, toward the bitter; *And justice*; this is toward the covetous; *And*

truth*. To what purpose does he say these things? Because the covetous man departs from God, just as the idolater does. And do not think this is stated simply; it is a pronouncement of Christ, saying: *You cannot serve God and Mammon* (Matt. VI, 24). Those who serve Mammon have cast off the service of God: but those who have renounced his lordship, yet at heart serve gold, it is clear that they are idolaters. ^A But I have not, he says, made an idol, nor set up an altar, nor sacrificed sheep, nor poured out wine; rather, I have entered the church, and stretched forth my hands to the only-begotten Son of God, and I partake of the mysteries, and I have communion in prayers and all that pertains to a Christian. How then, he says, do I worship idols? And this indeed is the most wonderful thing: that though you have experienced and tasted the loving-kindness of God, and have seen that the Lord is kind, you have abandoned the kind one and admitted and welcomed a cruel tyrant: and you pretend indeed that you do not serve him, but in reality you have subjected yourself to the hard and grievous yoke of the love of money. You have not yet told me what you have done rightly, but [only] the gifts of the Master. Tell me, I beseech you, from what do we judge a soldier? Is it from the fact that he may attend the king as a guard and be fed by him and be called his soldier; or from the fact that he is not well-affected toward him, but pretends to be on his side and to admire his affairs, while he manages the business of his enemies? It is clear, it is from the fact that he is the king's guard. Therefore, he is worthy of more grievous punishment than if he had cast himself off from the service of the king and defected to the enemies. And you, therefore, insult God just as an idolater does, ^B not only with your own mouth, but with those of the countless people who have been wronged. But, he says, he is not an idolater. When, therefore, the Greeks say, "This Christian is covetous," then he does not only insult and bring reproach upon himself through what he does, but he also often compels those who have been wronged to say this: and if they do not say it, it is to be imputed to their own piety. Do we not see things happen in this way? What else is an idolater? Is it not that he often also worships vices, as one who does not rule over them? As for example, when we say that he worships idols, "No," he says, "but Venus, or Mars." And if we say, "Who is this Venus?" the more serious among them say, "Pleasure." "And who is Mars?" "Wrath and spirit." So also you, Mammon. If we say, "Who is Mammon?" "Avarice." And do you worship it? "I do not worship it," he says. Why? Because you do not bow and bend yourself? All the more do you worship it by your deeds and by the things themselves; for this is the greater worship. And that you may learn, look at it in the case of God. Who worship him more, those who stand merely in prayers, or those who do his will? It is plain that it is the latter. So also in the case of Mammon, those who do his will serve him more. But those who worship affections and vices are often removed from them; for you see a worshiper of Mars often conquering rage and repressing it: but in your case, the matter is not so, ^C but you subject yourself to the slavery of the vice. But do you not slaughter sheep? But you slaughter human beings and souls endowed with reason, the former by famine, the latter by blasphemies. There is nothing more Bacchic, nothing more insane than this sacrifice. Who has ever seen souls slaughtered? The altar of avarice is accursed. For if you come to that altar of idols, you will see it smelling of the blood of goats and oxen; but if you come to the altar of avarice, you will see it breathing heavily of human blood: if you stand here, you will not see the wings of birds burning, nor vapor and smoke being sent forth, but human bodies perishing. For some cast themselves headlong, others fit the noose, others drive the sword through the throat. Have you seen cruel and inhuman sacrifices? Do you wish to see worse things than these? I will show you, no longer [merely] human bodies, but souls being sacrificed there. For a soul can be sacrificed with a slaughter that is appropriate to it: for just as there is a death of the body, so there is a death of the soul: *The soul that sins*, he says, *it shall die* (Ezech. XVIII, 4). This is not such a death as the death of the body, but it is a far more grievous death of the soul. For that death of the body, when it has dissolved the soul and the body one from the other, brings to the [body] a rest ^D from many cares and labors; and it transmits it to a manifest place: then when in time it has been dissolved and deprived of breath, it is again gathered together with incorruption, and receives its own soul. But the death of the soul is horrendous and terrible. For even if it has been dissolved, it does not transmit it as the body is transmitted, but having again bound it to the body, into which corruption will fall, it casts it into the fire which cannot be extinguished. This, then, is the death of the soul. As therefore there is a death of the soul, so is there also a slaughter of the soul. What is the slaughter of the body? To be affected by death, and to be cut off from the operation which is from the soul. What is the slaughter of the soul? It too is a mortification. But what is the mortification of the soul? Just as the body is then affected by death, when the soul has left it deserted of its operation: so also the soul is then affected by death, when the Holy Spirit has left it deserted of His operation. These slaughters and immolations are most of all at the altar of avarice: they are not satisfied, nor do they stay their hand until the blood of men is shed, [index: entries preserved] but unless you sacrifice the soul itself, the altar of avarice is not filled, unless it has received the souls of both, namely of him who sacrifices and of him who is sacrificed. For it is necessary that he who sacrifices should first have been sacrificed; and thus he sacrifices, and, being dead, he sacrifices him who is then living. For when he pursues with curses, when he attacks with reproaches and insults, when he is angry and indignant, are not these wounds of the soul incurable? Do you see that it is not a hyperbolic statement? That avarice is idolatry is proven. Do you wish to hear something else, and to learn how avarice is idolatry, and more grievous than the worship of idols? Idolaters worship the creatures of God: *And they worshiped and served the creature*, he says, *rather than the Creator* (Rom. I, 25): but you worship your own creature and work. For the god of avarice is not created, but it is the excess of your own insatiability. And behold the madness and the mockery. Those who worship idols, even if they honor them and worship the creature rather than the Creator—yet you worship your own creature.

even if they are reviled—they stand up to defend them; but you, as if in some kind of drunkenness, worship a thing that is not only not freed from indictment, but is also full of impiety. So you are far worse than them, for you could not offer the apology that it is not evil. Even if they are completely inexcusable, you are 131 much more so, thousands of times over, as you accuse greed, and yet disparage all those who serve it, who are its slaves, and who obey it.

If you wish, let us examine whence idolatry entered in. A certain wise man says that a certain rich man, consumed by an untimely mourning for his son, and having no consolation for his grief, used this to soothe his passion: having made a lifeless image of the deceased, and always gazing upon it, he seemed to have the departed one through the image. But certain flatterers—men whose god is their belly—by serving the image in his honor, advanced the custom into idolatry. It was therefore introduced through the weakness of the soul, through irrational habit, through immoderation. But greed is not so; it is indeed from a weak soul, but from a worse one. No one has lost a son, nor is seeking a comfort for grief, nor is being drawn along by flatterers; but how? I will tell you. Cain committed greed against God; for what should have been given to Him he kept for himself, and what he should have had himself, this he offered to Him, and the evil began from God. For if we are God’s, much more so are the firstfruits of our property. Again, the movement toward women came from greed: "They saw the daughters of men, and they rolled toward the desire"; and from these again to money. For the desire to have more than one's neighbor in matters of this life comes from nowhere else but from the cooling of love; the desire to have more comes from nowhere else than from folly, misanthropy, and arrogance. Do you not see how great the earth is? How the air and the heaven are far greater than our need? For in order that God might quench your greed, he brought forth the created things to such a measure; yet you plunder even so, and you hear that greed is idolatry, and do you not tremble even then? Do you wish to inherit the earth? But do you not have an inheritance in heaven, so that you would deprive yourself?

[4.] Tell me, if someone gave you the power to take everything, would you not have wanted it? It is possible now, if you wish. And yet some say that they are pained when they pass on their estate to others, and they would have preferred to have consumed it themselves rather than see others become its masters. I do not excuse you from this weakness either; for this too is of a weak soul; but nevertheless, even so let this be done: leave Christ as heir in your wills. It would have been better to do so while living; for this would have been of a right intention; but nevertheless, even by necessity, be more magnanimous. For Christ commanded to give to the poor for this reason, that he might make us philosophers while living, that he might persuade us to despise money, 132 that he might teach us to disregard earthly things. This 133 is not a disregard for money, to give to such-and-such person when you are dying and no longer the master; you give not from what is yours anymore, but from sheer necessity; glory goes to death, not to you; this is not love, but spite. But even so, let it be done; even then release the passion. Consider how much you have plundered, how much you have greedily seized; give back all that is fourfold; thus clear your account with God. But there are some who have reached such a pitch of madness and blindness that they do not see even then what is necessary; but as if eager to work a more grievous judgment for themselves from God, so they do everything. For this reason this blessed man said, writing: "Walk as children of light." But the greedy person lives mostly in darkness, and he casts much darkness upon everything. And, "Do not," he says, "participate in the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them; for the things done in secret by them it is shameful even to speak of. But all things being exposed are made manifest by the light."

Listen, I implore you, all you who do not wish to be hated in vain. "He plunders," and you do not expose him? But do you fear the hatred? And yet it is not the case that this is to be hated in vain; but you expose him justly, and do you fear the hatred? Expose the brother, accept enmity for the sake of the love toward Christ, for the sake of the love toward him; prevent him from going into the abyss. For to share a table and kind words and greeting and luxury is not really what friendship is. Let us bestow such gifts upon our friends that we may draw their souls out of the anger of God; seeing them lying in the furnace of wickedness, let us raise them up. But he does not correct himself, you say. But you do what is yours, and you will have made your defense before God. Do not hide the talent; for this reason you have the Word, for this reason you have a tongue and a mouth, that you might correct your neighbor. Irrational creatures alone do not care about their neighbor, nor do they have any account of others; but you, calling God Father and seeing your neighbor as a brother, [when he is] doing ten thousand evils, do you prefer the favor from him to his benefit? Do not, I implore you. There is no proof of friendship such as not neglecting brothers who are sinning. Have you seen them at enmity? Reconcile them. Have you seen them acting greedily? Stop them. Have you seen them being wronged? Stand up [for them]; you have done a favor not to them, but to yourself first. For this reason we are friends, that we may benefit one another. He will hear differently from a friend than from a random person; he will perhaps suspect the random person, and likewise the teacher, but the friend no longer. For the things done in secret it is shameful, he says, even to speak of. But all things being exposed by the light are made manifest. What does he mean here? He says this: that some sins are done here in secret, and some even openly; but there it will not be so; for there is no one who does not know himself to be a sinner. For this reason he says: "But all things being exposed by the light are made manifest."

What then? Was this said here not concerning idolatry, he says? Not so, but the discourse is about life and sins. For everything that is made manifest—

^A that signifies, is light. Therefore, I exhort you, neither be ashamed to reprove, nor be bitter when reproved. For as long as anything is done in darkness, it is done with greater safety; but when it has many witnesses to the things being done, it is illuminated. Therefore, let us do everything above all else, so that we may drive away from our brothers all things that lead to death, so that we may disperse the darkness, so that we may attract the Sun of righteousness. For if there are many luminaries, the way of virtue will be easy for them, and those who are in darkness will be more clearly detected as the light rises and makes the darkness vanish. But on the contrary, one must fear lest they themselves be extinguished, the thickness of the darkness and of the sins prevailing over the light, extinguishing its transparency. Let us be disposed, then, that we may benefit ourselves, so that through all things we may send up glory to the philanthropic God, by grace and philanthropy, and so forth.

HOMILY XIX

"See then carefully how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not become foolish, but understanding what the will of the Lord is."

^A Still he purifies the root of bitterness, still he cuts off the underlying cause of wrath. For what does he say? "See how carefully you walk." He knew that his Master, when sending the disciples like sheep into the midst of wolves, had commanded them to be like doves: "And you shall be," he says, "as simple as doves" (Matt. 10:16). Since, then, they were also among wolves, and it had been commanded them not to take revenge, but to suffer evil, for this reason they had need of such an exhortation. And yet, the former was enough to make them weaker; but when there is an addition of two things, consider the extremity. See, then, how Paul fortifies them and makes them secure: "See how you walk." Entire cities were waging war against them, this war entered even into homes; father against son, son against father, mother against daughter, daughter against mother were divided. What then? Whence were these divisions? They had heard Christ saying: "He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me" (Matt. 10:37). So that they might not think that He was introducing wars and fights to no purpose, since a great wrath was about to arise if they also were to break in, for this reason he says, "See how you walk carefully." This is: besides the preaching, do not give occasion from elsewhere for enmities to be taken up against you; let this be the only cause and occasion of enmities; let no one bring an accusation against you for anything else; but show both honor and all obedience when it does not harm the preaching, when it does not hinder piety. "Render," he says, "to all their dues: to whom tribute is due, tribute; to whom custom, custom" (Rom. 13:7). When others see us being reasonable and good, they will be put to shame. "Not as unwise, but as wise, redeeming the time." He does not urge these things wishing for us to be multifaceted and to turn ourselves into all shapes, but he says this: "Your time is not; now you are sojourners and strangers, and guests and aliens: do not seek honor, do not seek glory, do not seek power, nor vengeance: bear everything, and thus redeem the time; pay out much, and so yield whatever they may wish." The saying is obscure: come, I will attempt to explain it by that example. Think of a soldier who has a splendid house; then some people come in to kill him, and he gives many things, and manages to escape; then we say he has redeemed himself. So you also, you have a great house, and true faith; they break in to take everything; give whatever they may demand: only keep your head—I mean your faith. "For the days," he says, "are evil."

Diei malitia quid sit. What is the "evil of the day"? The evil of the day ought to be around the day. If you learn what the malice in each of us is, you will know what the malice of the day is. What is the malice or vice of the body? A disease. What is the malice of the soul? Vice or depravity. What is the malice of water? Bitterness. And the malice or depravity of each thing is the vice around that nature whose vice it is. If, then, the vice is around the day, it must be around the day itself, around the hours, around the light. So also Christ says: "Sufficient to the day is its own evil" (Matt. 6:34). From this, then, we shall know that too. How then does he call the days evil? How the time evil? Not according to essence, nor the created things, but on account of those things that happen in them; just as we also are accustomed to say, "I have passed an evil and grievous day." And yet how could it be grievous, except from the things that happen in it? The things that happen in it are, it is true, good from God, but they are made evil by evil men. The makers of the evils which happen in the times, therefore, are men; and for this reason the times are called evil. So we also call the times evil. ^B "Therefore," he says, "do not become foolish, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is debauchery." Even the lack of moderation in this makes one spirited, bold, impetuous, irascible, and grave and difficult. Wine was given for joy, not for drunkenness; but now, not to be drunk seems to be the thing of an idle and faint-hearted person, and one that is to be laughed at. What then is the hope of salvation? Is it a subject for laughter not to be drunk, you say, when drunkenness is of all things most ridiculous and ought to be shunned? For it is good for even a private citizen to be kept far removed from drunkenness; but much more for a soldier, who is involved in swords, in blood, and in slaughters; and much more when he is influenced from elsewhere, by the power, by the rule, from living constantly in ambushes and fights. Do you wish to learn where wine is good? Hear the Scripture saying, "Give wine to those in sorrow, and strong drink to those who are bitter in soul" (Prov. 31:6). And deservedly: for it is wont to soften that which is harsh and sad, and to take away that which is cloudy. "Wine gladdens the heart of man" (Ps. 103:15). How then is there drunkenness from wine? For it is not allowed to anyone to work those things that are contrary to themselves. There is not, therefore, drunkenness from wine, but from immoderate use. Wine was not given for any other reason than for the health of the body.

but even to this, immoderation is an obstacle. Hear also the blessed man writing and saying to Timothy: "Use a little wine for thy stomach's sake, and thine often infirmities" (1 Tim. 5:23).

2. For this reason God made our bodies symmetrical, and to be satisfied with little, training us from that point that He made us fit for another life. And He would have wished to give that life from the beginning, but since we made ourselves unworthy, He deferred it; and in the time that He deferred it, He does not even then allow us to enjoy things immoderately; for a cup of wine and one loaf of bread are enough to fill a man's stomach. And Him who rules over all irrational creatures, He has made more needy than them in proportion, and the body small, signifying nothing else than this, that we are hastening to another life. "Be not drunk with wine," he says, "wherein is excess" (Eph. 5:18). For it does not save, but destroys, not only the body, but also the soul. ^A "But be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of Christ" (Eph. 5:19-21). Do you wish, he says, to be joyful? Do you wish to spend the day? I give you a spiritual drink; for drunkenness actually cuts off the clear voice of our tongue, making one stammer, and distorting the eyes and everything else simply. Learn to chant, and you will see the pleasure of the matter; for those who chant are filled with the Holy Spirit, just as those who sing ^B satanic songs are filled with an unclean spirit. What is, "In your hearts to the Lord"? That is, attending with understanding; for those who do not attend, chant simply, uttering the words, while their heart is roving elsewhere. "Always," he says, "giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ unto God and the Father, submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of Christ." That is, "Let your requests be known to God with thanksgiving" (Phil. 4:6); for nothing so gladdens God as when one is thankful. And we can best give thanks by leading our soul away from the things aforementioned, and by purifying it with these things which he mentioned.

But be filled, he says, with the Spirit. Is this within us? Indeed, it is within us. For when we have driven off from our soul lying, when bitterness, when fornication, when uncleanness, when covetousness, when we have become kind, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, when ribaldry is not present, when we have made ourselves worthy, what is there to prevent the Holy Spirit from coming and resting upon us? And He will not simply come, but will fill our heart. When there is so much light within, virtue will no longer be hard for us to achieve, but easy and light. ^C "Always giving thanks," he says, "for all things." What then? Is it necessary to give thanks for all things that happen? Yes; even if it be sickness, even if it be poverty. For if in the Old Testament a certain wise man exhorted, saying: "Whatsoever is brought upon thee take cheerfully, and be patient when thou art changed to a low estate" (Eccl. 2:4); much more should this be done in the New Testament. Even if you do not know the reason, give thanks; for this is thanksgiving. But if, having received benefits and being prosperous and successful and in good circumstances, you give thanks, there is nothing great, nothing wonderful in that; the thing sought is to give thanks when one is in afflictions, when in discouragement. Do not utter anything before this saying: "I thank thee, O Lord." And what do I say regarding afflictions here? We ought to thank God even for the very hell, for the punishments and torments there. For the matter has greatly benefited those who attend, with the fear of hell having been placed in our hearts instead of a bridle. ^D Do not, therefore, give thanks only for manifest benefits, but also for hidden ones, and for those for which we are benefited against our will; for He benefits us in many things even when we do not wish it, and when we do not know it. And if you disbelieve, I will now make the matter clear. Consider for me: do the polluted and faithless Greeks not ascribe everything to the sun, and to their idols? What then? Does He not benefit them too? Is it not of His providence that they live, and are healthy, and beget children, and all such things? What then of the so-called Marcionites? What of the Manichaeans? Do they not even blaspheme Him? What then? Does He not benefit them every day? If He benefits those who do not know these things, how much more us. For what other work does God have than this, to benefit the human race, both through punishments and through reliefs?

Therefore, let us not give thanks only when we are in prosperity; for that is nothing great. And the devil himself knows this; that is why he used to say: "Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath" (Job 1:9, 10). But nothing more was gained by the foul one—and may it never be, and may nothing more be gained by him regarding us. But even when we are in poverty, and when we are in sickness, and when we are in insults, then let us intensify our thanksgiving. And I mean thanksgiving, not with words or tongue, but with deeds and works, and with mind and heart. Let us give thanks to Him with all our soul. For He loves us more than those who begat us; and as much as there is distance between wickedness and goodness, so much is the difference of the love of God compared to that of our parents.

3. And these are not my words, but of Christ Himself who loves us. And hear Him saying: "Which of you is a man, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" (Matt. 7:9, 10, 11). And again hear Him saying elsewhere: "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee, saith the Lord" (Isa. 49:15). For if He does not love us, for what cause did He make us? Was He under some necessity? Was He in need of service and ministry from us? Does He require anything from us? Hear the Prophet saying: "I said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord, for thou hast no need of my goods" (Ps. 15:2). But the ungrateful and senseless people,

^A they say, "Is this the goodness of God, that there should be an equal share of honor for everyone?" Tell me, ungrateful man, what do you say is not of God's goodness, and what do you say is an equality of honor? Here one is mutilated from a child, another is insane and vexed by a demon; another, having reached extreme old age, has passed his whole life in poverty, another in the most grievous diseases: are these the works of providence?

This one is deaf, that one is mute; this one is poor, another a scoundrel and most wicked and filled with countless evils, enjoys riches and feeds harlots and parasites, and possesses famous and magnificent houses, and leads a quiet life devoid of every task. And they gather many such things, weaving a long speech against God's providence. What then? Is there no providence? What then shall we say to those? If they were Greeks, and said to us that the world is administered by someone, we again would say the same to them: What then, is there no providence? How then do you worship gods, and adore demons and heroes? For if there is providence, it takes care of all things. If there are some who take it ill, Christians or even Greeks, and who are wavering, what shall we say to them? Tell me, I pray, have so many goods come about by chance? The daily light, the well-disposed order in things, the dance of the stars, the course of days and nights ^B consisting in equality, the consequence of nature both in plants and in animals and in men? Who, tell me, I pray, administers these? If there is no one who presides, but all things consist by chance; who set this arch so beautiful, so great, I mean the sky, drawn over the earth, and even over the waters? Who gives the times for bearing fruit? Who put such force in seeds and plants?

For what happens by chance is plainly inordinate: but what is well-ordered comes about by art. For what, tell me, I pray? Are the things that happen among us by chance not full of much confusion, and much tumult and disturbance? And I do not say only by chance, but also with someone doing it, but doing it without art. For example: let there be wood and stones, and let there be lime, and taking these, let a man unskilled in building build and work: will he not ruin and corrupt everything? Again, let there be a ship without a pilot; which has all things that a ship ought to have except a pilot, will it be able to navigate, not to mention being instructed? And the earth which is so great, standing upon the water, without any power that contains it, stands firm for such a long time? Do these have any reason? And is it not altogether ridiculous to think these things? And if water also carries the sky, behold another burden: but if the sky too is carried in the water, again another question. But the whole ^C work is of providence. For things which are carried upon waters must not be convex, but concave. Why? Because the body of the concave is immersed entirely in the waters as in a ship: but the body of the convex is entirely above, and the extremities alone hang down and touch. So it needs a hard body, one that is resistant, and one that can contain, so that it may carry the imposed burden. But does the air carry the sky? But that is much heavier and looser than water, and cannot contain even the most subtle thing, let alone such a mass.

Altogether, if we wish to go through ^D what is of providence both universally and individually and minutely, the whole age will fail us. For I shall ask him who is asking these things now: Are these of providence or without providence? If he says, They are not of providence: I shall again ask him, How then were they made? But he will not be able to say any reason. Much more, therefore, you should not ask nor curiously inquire about human affairs. Why? Because man is more excellent and honorable than all these, and these were made on account of him, not he on account of these.

...only evil. If therefore you do not know the wisdom and administration of the care and providence concerning him, how will you be able to know what are the reasons concerning him? Tell me, why did He make him so small, and so distant from the height of the sky, that he doubts about what appears from above? Why are the northern and southern regions uninhabitable? Tell me, why was the night made longer in winter, but shorter in summer? Why is there so much cold? Why heat? Why a mortal body? And I shall inquire of you other innumerable things; and if you wish, I will not cease to ask you, and you will doubt to me in everything. Wherefore this is most of providence, that the reasons are for us arcane and ineffable. For otherwise someone would have thought that man was the cause of the universe, had this not suppressed our intelligence. But, he says, that man is poor, and poverty is an evil. What then of disease? What of blindness? These are nothing, O man: there is one sole evil, to sin, and this we ought to examine only. But while we omit examining the causes of those which are truly evils, we curiously inquire into other things. Why does no one of us ever examine why he sinned? Is it in my power to sin, or not? And what is the need to use a great circuit of words? I shall seek the matter in myself: did I ever overcome my soul? Did I ever overcome anger, either out of shame, or out of human fear? Then after I find that this has been done, I shall grasp that it is in my power 159 to sin. No one examines these things, no one curiously inquires about these, but inconsiderately, as is in Job, "Man is born in vain with words" (Job 11:12). For what is it of your concern whether this one is blind, and that one is poor? God did not order you to consider this, but what you yourself should do. For if you doubt whether some power presides over the world, you are the most senseless of all: but if you are persuaded of this, why do you doubt that it behooves one to please God? "Always giving thanks," he says, "unto God for all things." Go to the doctor's office, and you will see him, when someone is found having a wound, cutting and cauterizing. Concerning you I do not say this, but go to the craftsman's workshop; nor do you ask there the reason, even if you know nothing of the things that are done: and many things seem to you to be doubtful: as when he turns the wood, when he transforms and changes it into another figure. Or rather I lead you to another easier art, as in painting: and there you will be bedazzled. For tell me, does it not seem to you that he acts without consideration in what he does?

^A But if you propose colors, even then you will not be able to learn it exactly. ^B And why speak of workers, painters, and fellow-servants? How, tell me, does the bee construct its hives? Then you will speak of God. Learn the labor of the ant, of the spider, of the swallow, and then you will speak of God. If you are wise, tell me these things; but you cannot. Will you not cease, O man, from seeking what is superfluous? For these things are truly superfluous: will you not cease from idle meddling? Nothing is wiser than this ignorance, in which those who profess to know nothing are the wisest of all, while those who meddle are the most senseless of all. So it is not always a mark of wisdom to profess to know; there are times when it is a mark of folly. For tell me, if of two men, one were to profess that he could measure the air reaching from the earth to heaven, having stretched out measuring tapes, and the other were to laugh and say he did not know, whom shall we laugh at, tell me? The one who says he knows, or the one who is ignorant? Clearly, the one who says he knows. Therefore, the one who is ignorant is wiser than the one who professed to know. What then, if someone were to profess to say how many cups the sea contains, and another were to say he does not know, is not the ignorance not again wiser than the knowledge? Very much so. Why then? Because that ignorance is intense. For he who says he is ignorant knows at least a part. Which part is that? That it is incomprehensible to man; for this is not a small thing. But he who claims to know, he who says he knows is the one who least of all knows, and for this reason he is ridiculous. Woe is me! By how many things are we being schooled [to restrain] ^C our untimely meddling and curiosity, and we do not endure it, but we meddle in the lives of others: why is so-and-so blind, why is so-and-so poor? Therefore, by this logic, we will fall into another sort of nonsense: why is this woman a woman and not all men, why an ass, why an ox, why a dog, why a wolf, why a stone, why wood? And the argument will fall into infinite length. For this reason God has set boundaries for our knowledge, and has implanted them in nature. And look at the extent of this great meddling: that we see such a height from the earth to the sky and suffer nothing, yet when we have climbed a high tower and wish to look down, if we stoop ever so little, a dizziness and vertigo at once seizes us. Tell me the cause of this, but you cannot find it; why does the eye have greater power, yet it is confined by things that are further away?

5. And in the case of hearing, one might see the same thing. For neither will anyone be able to shout so loudly as to fill the air to the extent the eye can take in, nor hear from such a distance. Why are not all members of equal honor? Why did they not receive one use or one place? And Paul searched into these things, or rather he did not search (for he was wise), but having fallen into this passage, he says: *Each of them [he set] as he willed*; to his will he entrusted all things. Therefore, let us also, leaving off searching these things, only give thanks for everything. For this reason, he says, *give thanks for everything*. This belongs to a grateful servant, this to one who is wise, this to one who is prudent; but that [other way] belongs to one who is talkative, idle, and meddlesome. ^D Do you not see among servants that the most despicable servants, who are useless for everything, are also talkative and gossipy, and meddle in the affairs of their masters which they wish to keep hidden? But the prudent and grateful look to one thing only, how they may fulfill their service. He who speaks much accomplishes nothing; just as he who accomplishes much says nothing inappropriately. For this reason Paul was saying, when writing about widows: *And not only are they idle, but also gossips.* Tell me then, what is the greater difference: that of our age compared to that of children, or that of God compared to that of men? Ours compared to gnats, or God's compared to us? It is evident that it is God's compared to us. Why then do you meddle so much? Give thanks for everything. What then, if a Greek asks, he says, how shall I answer? He wants to learn from me if there is providence, for he himself says there is none who provides. Therefore, turning the tables, ask him yourself. But he says there is no providence. That there is providence is clear from what you said, but that it is incomprehensible is clear from the fact that we cannot find the argument. For if in the things which men administer we often do not know the method of administration, and though many things seem to us absurd, we overlook them, how much more in the case of God? But there is nothing absurd in God, nor does it seem so to the faithful. Therefore let us give thanks for everything, let us glorify Him for everything. *Submitting to one another*, he says, *in the fear of God*. For if you submit for the sake of a ruler, or for the sake of money, or for the sake of shame, much more for the sake of the fear of God. Let there be a compensation of servitude and submission; for thus there will not be servitude. Let not one sit in the rank of a freeman and the other in the rank of a slave, but it is better that even masters and slaves serve one another; it is much better to be a slave in this way than in another way a freeman. And let it be clear from the following: if someone has a hundred servants and no one serves among them, and there are another hundred friends serving one another, who will live better? Who with greater pleasure, with greater joy? There is no wrath there, nor irritation, nor anger, nor any other such thing; here there is fear and cowardice; and there [the state of service] is of necessity, but here the whole is of choice; and there they serve one another under compulsion, but here [they serve] because they are grateful. Thus God wants it; for this reason He washed the feet of the disciples. But rather, if you wish to examine it accurately, even in the case of masters there is a compensation of servitude. For why, if pride does not allow the compensation to be seen? For when this one provides bodily service, and you feed the body, and tend to it with food and clothing and shoes, this too is a mode of servitude; for if you do not also provide your own service, neither will he provide his, but he will be free, and no law will compel him to do this if he is not fed. If, therefore, this is the case even among slaves, what is strange if this happens even among the free? *In the fear*, he says, *of Christ submitting*. How much grace there is when we also receive a reward! But he does not want to submit to you? But you submit; do not simply obey, but submit; conduct yourself toward them all as toward masters; for thus you will quickly have them as slaves, enslaved by the most tyrannical power of servitude. For you will win them over all the more when, obtaining nothing from them, you yourself provide what is yours. This is what it means: *Submitting to one another in the fear of Christ*, so that we may hold sway over all.

[LATIN CONTINUATION] afflicted, that we may serve God, that we may preserve love one for another; and then shall we be able to partake of and attain to the loving-kindness of God, by grace and mercies, and so forth.

HOMILY XX

^A “Wives, be in subjection unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the Church, being himself the saviour of the body. But as the Church is subject to Christ, so let the wives also be to their husbands in everything.” ^B A certain wise man, when he had recounted many things in the order of beatitudes, placed also this one among the beatitudes: “And a wife that agrees and consents with her husband” (Ecclesiasticus 25:1). And again elsewhere he places it among the beatitudes, that a wife live together with her husband in concord. Moreover, from the beginning God appears to have taken great care of this conjunction; and speaking of both as of one, he thus said: “Male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27); and again, “There is no male and female” (Galatians 3:28). For there is not so great an intimacy and conjunction of man with man as there is of wife with man, if they be rightly joined. ^C For this reason, a certain blessed man, signifying the highest love, and bewailing one of his friends, and those who were of one soul, did not say father, nor mother, nor son, nor brother, nor friend; but what? “Thy love fell upon me,” he says, “as the love of women” (2 Samuel 1:26). For truly, truly this love is more tyrannical than any tyranny. For others indeed are vehement; but this desire has both vehemence and that which is imperishable—for there is a certain love lurking in nature, and secretly connecting these our bodies. For this reason too, from the beginning was woman from man, and afterwards from man and woman was man and woman. You see the conjunction and the connection, and how He did not allow another substance to enter from without? ^D See also how much He administered and dispensed. He suffered him to marry his own sister—or rather not his sister, but his daughter, or rather not his daughter, but more than daughter, namely his own flesh. But He did all this from a high-sought origin, as in stones, compelling them into one. For He did not make her from without, lest he should apply his mind as to a stranger; nor again did matrimony stop at him, lest he, coercing and compelling himself, should be separated from the rest. And just as in plants those are by far the best and most excellent which have one trunk and extend to many branches—whereby it happens that if all things should be heedlessly upturned about the root, and they should even have many roots, the tree is not at all worthy of admiration—so here too, from one Adam He caused the entire race to be planted, reducing it to a great necessity that it be not torn apart nor separated. And by the more contracting, He caused that sisters and daughters should no longer be taken as wives, lest again we contract love into one, and otherwise be separated from ourselves. For this reason He was saying: “He who created from the beginning, male and female created them,” for homes and cities. For nothing so aligns our life as the love of husband and wife; for it many take up arms, for it they even cast away their soul. For not heedlessly did Paul take great care of this matter, and place his study in it, saying: “Wives, be in subjection unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.” Why? Because if these are in concord, both children are nurtured well, and servants are rightly ordered, and neighbors, and friends, and kinsmen enjoy their good fragrance; but if to the contrary, all things are overturned and confused. ^A And just as when the leaders of an army make peace with each other, all things preserve their consequence; and if those are again disturbed, all things are driven up and down: so too now. Therefore he says, “Wives, be in subjection unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.” Papae! How then do you say elsewhere: “Unless one renounces wife and husband, he cannot follow me” (Luke 14:33)? For if it is fitting to be subject as unto the Lord, how does He say that because of the Lord it is fitting to depart? And in truth it is altogether fitting; but that “as” is not always of perfect equality. Or he says this: ^B “As you know that you serve the Lord,” which he also says elsewhere, that if not for the husband’s sake, but primarily for the Lord’s sake: or, “When you yield to your husband, as serving the Lord, think you are obeying.” For if he who resists these external civil magistrates “resists the ordinance of God” (Romans 13:2), much more does she who is not subject to her husband. Thus God willed from the beginning. Let us place therefore the husband to hold the order and place of the head, but the woman that of the body. Then also he shows from reasons that the husband is the head of the wife, he says, “As Christ is the head of the Church, and he is the saviour of the body. But as the Church is subject to Christ, so let the wives also be to their husbands in everything.” ^C Then after he said, “The husband is the head of the wife, as also Christ is of the Church,” he adds, “And he is the saviour of the body”; for the head is the salvation of the body. Already he has laid for the husband and wife as a foundation love and providence, assigning to each their convenient place, to the husband indeed that of principate and providence, to the wife however that of subjection. Husbands and wives: so too wives to husbands as to God. You have heard the highest love; you have praised and admired Paul, as one who as a man admirable and spiritual was establishing our life. Rightly. But hear what he demands of you: for again he uses the same example: “Husbands,” he says, “love your wives, as also Christ loved the Church.” ^D You have seen the measure of obedience? Hear also the measure [of love].

^A Do you wish your wife to obey you as the Church obeys Christ? Then take care yourself for her, as Christ does for the Church. Even if it should be necessary for you to give your life for her, even if you should be cut to pieces ten thousand times, even if you should suffer or undergo anything whatever, do not refuse; even if you should suffer these things, you have not yet done anything like what Christ has done. For you do these things once already united to her, but He did them for one who turned away from Him and hated Him. Just as He, therefore, drew to Himself one who turned away and hated Him and spat upon Him, ^B by His great care—not by threats, nor by insults, nor by fear, nor by any other such thing—so should you also act toward your wife. Even if you see her disdaining, even if you see her haughty, even if you see her despising you, you will be able to bring her under your feet by your great care for her, by your love, by your friendship. For nothing is more tyrannical than these bonds, especially for a husband and wife. For one might be able to bind a servant by fear, or rather, not even him; for he will quickly leap away and depart. But the partner of one's life, the mother of one's children, the cause of all one's joy, must not be bound by fear and threats, but by love and affection. For what kind of union is it when the wife trembles at her husband? And what pleasure will the husband himself enjoy, living with his wife as with a slave and not as with a free woman? Even if you suffer something for her sake, do not reproach her, for not even Christ did this. And He gave Himself, he says, for her, so that by cleansing her He might sanctify her. Was she then unclean? Was she then harboring a blemish? Was she then ugly? Was she then base? When you take a wife, ^C you do not take such a bride as Christ took the Church, nor one so far removed from you as the Church was from Christ; yet nevertheless, He did not loathe her, nor did He hate her because of the magnitude of her ugliness. Do you wish to hear of her ugliness? Hear Paul saying: “For you were once darkness” (Eph. 5. 8). Do you see her "blackness"? What is blacker than darkness? But look also at her insolence: “living in malice and envy” (Tit. 3. 3). Behold her uncleanness: “disobedient, foolish.” What more need I say? She was both foolish and blasphemous. Yet nevertheless, with so many faults, as if for a beautiful one, as if for one loved, as if for one admirable, so did He give Himself up for the ugly one. And marveling at this, Paul said: “For scarcely for a righteous man will one die”; and again, “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” And having taken such an one, He adorns her and washes her, and does not hold back from doing even this. “That He might sanctify her,” he says, “cleansing her by the washing of water in the word” (Eph. 5. 26). “That He might present her to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she might be holy and without blemish.” By the washing He washes away her uncleanness. “In the word,” he says. By what word? In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. And He did not simply adorn her, but made her glorious, “not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing.” We, therefore, should seek this beauty, and we shall be able to be its creators. Do not seek from your wife that which is not hers. Do you see that the Church held all things from the Lord? From Him she became glorious, from Him she became without blemish. Do not turn away from your wife because of ugliness. Hear the Scripture saying: “The bee is small among birds, and its fruit is the beginning of sweetness” (Eccl. 11. 3). ^D She is God's creation; you do not insult her, but the One who made her. What should the woman do? Do not praise her for beauty; that praise, and that hatred, and that very love, are characteristic of undisciplined souls. Seek the beauty of the soul; imitate the bridegroom of the Church. External beauty is full of arrogance and haughtiness, and it casts one into jealousy, and often makes you suspect absurd things. But does it have pleasure? Only until the first month and the second, or at most, the year; thereafter, no longer, but the wonder fades away through habit. However, the evils added on account of beauty remain: pride, haughtiness, and contempt. But in the case of one who is not such, nothing of the sort occurs; rather, love, having started appropriately, remains fervent, since it is a beauty of the soul and not of the body.

3. The Wife's Excellent Gifts

Tell me, what is better than the heaven, what is better than the stars? Whatever body you might name, it is not so white; whatever eyes you might name, they are not so bright. And when these had come to be, even the angels marveled, and we now marvel, but not in the same way as at the beginning. For such is habit: it does not strike with wonder in the same way. How much more with a woman? And if sickness should occur, the whole thing immediately flies away. Let us seek goodwill, moderation, and mildness from a woman; these are the signs of beauty. Let us not, however, seek the bloom of the body, nor let us complain to her about these things of which she is not the mistress; or rather, let us not complain at all (for it is bold), nor let us be distressed, nor let us be annoyed. Or do you not see how many, having lived with beautiful wives, have ended their lives miserably? And how many, not with very beautiful ones, have lived with great pleasure into extreme old age? Let us wipe away the spot within, let us pluck out the wrinkles within, let us remove the blemishes that are upon the soul. God seeks such beauty; let us prepare her to be beautiful for God, not for us. Let us not seek money, nor external nobility, but the nobility that is in the soul. Let no one expect to grow rich from a wife; for this wealth is shameful and disgraceful; and let no one seek at all to grow rich from this source. “For those who desire to grow rich,” he says, “fall into temptation, and into foolish and harmful desires, and into snares and ruin and perdition” (1 Tim. 6. 9). Therefore, do not seek a surplus of money from a wife, and you will find all other things easily. Who, tell me, having abandoned the more important things, will concern himself with the lesser? But alas! We suffer this everywhere; even if we acquire a child, we are not eager that he become good, but that we might take a rich wife for him; not how he might be well-mannered, but how he might be well-to-do; and even if we pursue a craft, it is not that it might be free of sins, but that it might bring us great profit; and everything has become money. Because of this, everything is corrupted, because that desire possesses us. “So ought,” he says, “men to love their own wives, as their own bodies.” What then is this? As if he had come to a greater image and a more fervent example; and not only this, but also as something closer and more clear.

And what is the manner of it? For the former was indeed necessary. Lest anyone should say, “He was Christ, and he was God, and he gave himself up,” he proves it thereafter by another method, saying: “Thus they ought to do.” It is not a matter of grace, but of debt. Having said, “as their own bodies,” he added, ^B “For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it.” That is, he attends to it with great care. And how is it his flesh? “Hear,” he says, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh.” And not only this, but he says, “They shall be one flesh.” Just as Christ loved the Church. He comes to the first example. “For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.” How? For it is from our own substance that he has been made, just as Eve was flesh from the flesh of Adam. He rightly mentioned bones and flesh, for these are what hold the leadership in us: the flesh and the bones; these are subject as something like a frame, and that as a building. But the former is clear; how then is this? Just as there is such proximity there, he says, so it is here. What is, “of his flesh”? It is, genuinely and by nature, out of him. And how are we thus members of Christ? Since we have been made just as he is. ^C And how are we from his flesh? You know, whoever participates in the mysteries; for from this we are immediately formed. And how? Again, hear this blessed man saying: “Since therefore the children shared in flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared in the same.” But here he shared it with us, not we with him; for we are not of his flesh, and of his bones? And how are we [made] of his flesh, and of his bones? Some say it is the blood and the water, but it is not; but what he wishes to declare is this, that just as he was generated without sexual union from the Holy Spirit, so we too are generated in the laver. See how many examples are given, so that that generation might be believed. Oh, the madness of the heretics! They confess that what is indeed born from the water, what is born, is a true birth; yet that we become his body, they do not accept. If, therefore, they in no way believe that we are thus made, how then do they understand, “of his flesh, and of his bones”? But consider this: Adam was formed, Christ was born; from the side of Adam issued corruption, from the side of Christ sprang ^D life; in paradise death sprouted, on the cross the destruction of it took place.

4. As therefore the Son of God is of our nature, and as he has us within himself, so also do we have him within us. “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall be joined to his wife, and they shall be two into one flesh.” Behold the third justification — he shows that whoever, leaving the parents from whom he is born, is united with her; and from then on, the father and the mother and the son are one flesh, for the son is born from the union of both, when the seeds are mixed; so that all three are one flesh. Thus, therefore, we become one flesh with Christ through participation; and much more so we than the child. But what if one says, “This has been so from the beginning”? Do not say to me, “She is such and such a person.” Do you not see that we have many defects in the flesh? ^A For the one is lame, the other has distorted feet, another has withered hands, another some other member that is sickly and invalid; yet one does not grieve, nor does one cut it off, but one often prefers it to another; and rightly so, for it is one’s own. Thus, therefore, each one has the same love toward himself as he wishes for us to have toward the wife: not because we are participants of one nature, but we hold this stronger justification toward the wife, since there are no longer two bodies, but one, and the other is the head, while the other is the body. And how does he say elsewhere, “The head of Christ is God”? I also say this: that just as we are one body, so also are Christ and the Father one. It is found, therefore, that the Father is also our head. He sets forth two examples, that of the body and that of Christ; and therefore he adds: “This mystery is great; but I am speaking in regard to Christ and in regard to the Church.” What is this? He says it is a great mystery, that the blessed Moses, or rather God, ^B signified something great and marvelous. However, for the time being, he says, “In regard to Christ,” for he too left the Father and descended, and came to the bride, and he became one spirit: “For he who clings to the Lord is one spirit.” And he spoke beautifully: “The mystery is great,” as if he meant to say, But the allegory does not overthrow the love. But you also, individually, let each one love his own wife as himself; but let the wife fear her husband. For it is truly, truly a mystery, and a great mystery: that one leaves those who begat, who gave birth, who reared, and she who conceived, who brought forth with pain and affliction, who have shown so many and such great benefits, with whom there was long-standing use and custom—and leaves them, and clings to her who was not even seen and with whom there was nothing in common, and prefers her to everyone. It is truly a mystery. And the parents, when these things happen, do not grieve, but rather grieve if they do *not* happen, and when resources are spent and an expense is incurred, they rejoice. It is truly ^C a great mystery, possessing a certain arcane wisdom. This Moses, prophesying many centuries ago, declared; this also Paul, crying out, brings forward: “In Christ and in the Church.” But not for his own sake only was this said, but also for the wife; so that he may cherish her as his own flesh, just as Christ [cherished] the Church. “But let the wife fear her husband.” He no longer sets forth only the things of charity, but what? That she should fear her husband. The woman is the second leadership. Let her not, therefore, demand equality of honor; for she is under the head: nor let him despise her as inferior; for she is the body: if the head despises the body, it is itself destroyed. Within the wife, some defects should be endured. Let, therefore, the mutual obedience lead to love. Just as the head, even so the body—the one providing the hands, the feet, and the rest for service.

so she acts in turn, having every perception within herself. Nothing is better than this union. And how, he says, can there be love if there is fear? It is then, most of all, that it can exist. For the wife who fears, also loves; she who loves, fears him as her head and loves him as a member, since the head too is a member of the whole body. For this reason, he has subjected the one and established the other, so that there might be peace. For where there is equality of honor, peace can never exist; nor where a house is democratic, nor where all are rulers, but one must be the ruler. And this is true everywhere in bodily matters; for if the husbands are spiritual, there will be peace. There were five thousand souls, and no one said that any of their possessions were their own, but they were subject to one another. This is proof of wisdom and of the fear of God. He has therefore shown the method of love, but not yet that of fear.

5. And observe how he expands on the part concerning love, describing the things of Christ and the things of his own flesh, ^A *For this cause shall a man leave his father and his mother*, but he does not further expand on the things of fear. Why is this? Because he desires that the principle of love should prevail more. For when this exists, all other things follow; whereas when that other exists, they do not necessarily do so. For the man who loves his wife, even if she does not have much compliance, will endure all things; so difficult and grievous is concord when they are not bound together by the love of tyranny, but fear will not necessarily accomplish this. For this reason, he dwells more on this point, as it is powerful. And the woman, since she is commanded to fear, might appear to be at a disadvantage; but she has the advantage, for the man is commanded the more important thing, to love. What then, he says, if the wife does not fear? Do you love, fulfill your own part. ^B For even if the things from others do not follow, those from us must follow. What do I mean? *Submitting yourselves*, he says, *one to another in the fear of Christ*. What then, if the other party is not submissive? You must obey the law of God. So also here: the woman, even if she is not loved, let her fear nevertheless, so that nothing may be lacking on her part; and the husband, if the woman does not fear, let him love nevertheless, so that he himself may not fall short; for each has received his own task. ^C So this is a marriage made according to Christ, a spiritual marriage and a spiritual birth, not of blood, nor of the travail of birth. Such was that of Isaac; hear the Scripture saying: *And it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women* (Gen. 18. 11). And the marriage is not from passion or from bodies, but entirely spiritual, the soul being united to God by an ineffable union, which He alone knows. For this reason he says: *He who is joined to the Lord is one spirit* (1 Cor. 6. 17). See how he strives to unite the flesh to the flesh, and the spirit to the spirit. Where are the heretics? If marriage were among the things that are condemned, he would not have called them bride and bridegroom; he would not, in exhorting them, have brought forward that saying, *A man shall leave his father and his mother* (Matth. 19. 5), ^D and added again that this is spoken *in Christ and the Church*. For concerning her the Psalmist also says: *Hear, O daughter, and see, and incline your ear, and forget your people, and your father’s house; and the King will desire your beauty* (Ps. 44. 11). For this reason Christ also said: *I proceeded from the Father, and I am come* (John 16. 28). But when I say that he left the Father, do not think of such a thing as happens among men, a transition of places. Just as he is said to have come out, it is not because he departed, but because of the flesh, so also with, *He left the Father*. Why then did he not also say concerning the woman, *She shall be joined to her husband*? Why is this? Because he was discussing love, and was speaking to the husband. For to her, in discussing the matter of fear, he says: *The husband is the head of the wife*; and again, that *Christ also is the head of the Church*. But he discusses with the husband concerning love, and entrusted to him the things of this, and spoke the words concerning love to him, binding him fast and cementing him and making him adhere. He who leaves his father for the sake of his wife, and later leaves and abandons this same wife, of what pardon would he be worthy? Do you not see how much honor God desires her to enjoy, in that, having led you away from your father, he has fastened you to her? What then, he says, if we do our part, but the woman does not follow? *But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases* (1 Cor. 7. 15). But when you hear of fear, do not exact the fear that is proper to a slave, for she is your body; for if you do this, you dishonor yourself, demeaning your own body. What is this fear? That she should not gainsay, that she should not rise up, that she should not desire the first place; it is sufficient for the fear to stand at these bounds. But if you love, as you were commanded, you will accomplish a greater thing; or rather, you will no longer do this by fear, but that love itself will accomplish it. The female sex is somewhat weaker, needing much assistance, much concession. What then would those say who are entering into second marriages? I do not say this to judge, God forbid; for the Apostle even permitted it; but I am very much making a concession; provide all things for her, do all things for her sake, and labor; for a necessity is laid upon you. He does not here deem it worthy to introduce advice from external examples, as he does in many places. For the example of Christ was sufficient, being great and powerful; or rather, it also serves for the matter of submission. *He shall leave*, he says, *his father and his mother*. Behold, this is external. But he did not say, And shall live with, but, *He shall be joined*, signifying the exact union, the love with intensity. And he was not satisfied with this, but by his addition he showed submission in such a way that the two no longer appear as two. He did not say, Into one spirit, he did not say, Into one soul; for that is evident, and possible for all; but so as to be *into one flesh*.

6. This is a second authority, having a beginning and much equality of honor; but nevertheless, the husband has something more. This is the greatest salvation of a house. For the former, that relating to Christ, he took up not only to command love, but also to regulate. *That she might be*, he says, *holy and without blemish*; but the part, *Of the flesh*, is for the purpose of loving, and the part, *He shall be joined*, is likewise for the purpose of loving. If

you make her holy and without blemish, all things follow. Wherefore, let the things of God be sought, and human things will follow with great ease. Compose and regulate your wife, and thus the house is composed. Hear Paul saying: *If they wish to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home* (1 Cor. 14:35). We shall also be fit for administering the Church: for the house is a small Church. Thus, when men and wives are upright, they can excel everyone. ^A Consider Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac, and the three hundred and eighteen house-born slaves, how the whole house was constituted and composed, how full of piety it all was. She fulfilled the apostolic precept, and feared her husband; for hear her saying: *It has not yet happened to me until now, but my lord is elder* (Gen. 18:12). And he in turn loved her in such a way that he was obedient to everything she commanded. And the boy was endowed with virtue, and the slaves themselves were also admirable, who did not hesitate even to enter into danger with their master, and did not delay nor inquire into the cause; but one of those who was in charge was so admirable that to his fidelity was committed the marriage of the only son, as well as the journey outside the borders of the region. For just as when the army has been rightly composed under a general, the enemy does not attack from any direction: so here too, when husband and wife, children and servants are concerned for the same things, there is great concord in the house. Otherwise, if it is not so, the whole is often overturned and dissolved by one wicked servant; and one often destroys and ruins the whole. Let us therefore take great care of our wives, children, and servants, knowing that we shall render the leadership easy for ourselves: and the account of our stewardship will be mild and benign to us, and we shall say: *Behold, I and the children whom God has given me* (Isa. 8:18). If the man is admirable, and a good head, the rest of the body also will suffer no violence.

^B How a man ought to behave toward his wife. How indeed the affairs of the wife and those of the husband should be rightly managed, he has explained exactly and accurately, inasmuch as he exhorted her to fear him as the head, and him to love her as his wife: but, "How," he says, "will these things come to pass?" For that it is necessary, he has shown; but how, I will tell you: if we despise money, if we look to one thing only—namely, the virtue of the soul—if we have the fear of God before our eyes. For what he said when he was discoursing about servants: *Whatsoever each one does, good or evil, this he shall receive from the Lord*; this applies here too. Therefore, she ought to be loved not so much for her own sake as for Christ's sake. This therefore he also hinted at, saying: *As unto the Lord*. Obeying then as unto the Lord, and doing all things for His sake, thus conduct all things: this is sufficient to induce and persuade, and to not allow there to be any strife and dissension. Let no believer slander a husband to his wife: nor let the husband believe lightly and inconsiderately against his wife; nor let the wife investigate ingress and egress lightly and curiously; but neither let the husband make himself worthy of suspicion. For why, tell me, do you give yourself to your friends all day, and to your wife in the evening; and even so you cannot satisfy her, nor remove suspicion? And if your wife accuses you, do not take it ill: it is a matter of friendship, not of arrogance: those are the accusations of a burning love and of a fervent affection and fear. For she fears lest someone steal her marriage-bed, lest someone bring her detriment in the sum of her goods, lest she take away the head, lest she dig through the bed. There is another argument for dissent: let no one care for servants beyond measure, neither the husband for the maid, nor the wife for the servant: for these are sufficient to generate suspicions. For consider those just ones with me: Sarah herself commanded the patriarch to take Hagar; she herself ordered it, no one forced it, nor did the husband invade her; but although he had passed a long time without children, he chose rather never to be a father than to be troublesome to his wife. ^C But yet after all these things, what does Sarah say? *May God judge between me and thee* (Gen. 16:5). If there had been any other man, would he not have been moved to wrath? Would he not have even lifted his hand, almost saying, "What are you saying? I did not want to have intercourse with the woman: the whole thing came from you; and do you accuse me again?" But he said nothing of the sort; but what? *Behold the maid is in thy hands, use her as it pleases thee* (ibid. v. 6). He gave the partner of his bed, lest he should cause Sarah trouble. And yet there is nothing greater than this for the sake of benevolence. For if having been partners of a table causes even robbers to be of one mind with their adversaries (and the psalmist says: *You who took bread together with me* [Ps. 54:15]); to have become one flesh (for this is to be a partner of the bed), is much more sufficient for attracting. But no such just man could be overcome, but he handed her over to his wife, showing that nothing had been done through his own fault, and what is greater, he sent her away when she was pregnant. Who would not have pitied her who had conceived a son from him? But that just man was not swayed: for he preferred love for his wife to all things. ^D How these are to be adorned. Let us also imitate him: let no one reproach his neighbor for poverty, let no one love money; and all things are solved. Nor let the wife say to her husband, "O slothful and cowardly one, full of sluggishness and dullness, lazy and sleepy: he is humble and abject and born in a humble place, but by having entered into dangers and undertaken travels, he has prepared great riches, and his wife wears gold, and travels in a carriage of white mules, and is carried about in every direction, and has flocks of servants and troops of eunuchs: but you are afraid, and you live in vain and uselessly." Let not the wife say these or similar things; for she is the body, not to command the head, but to obey and submit. How then, he says, will she bear poverty? Where will she find consolation? Let her choose those who are poorer than herself, let her consider how many young women, again, noble and born in a noble place, not only received nothing from their husbands, but even gave them their own, and consumed all their own; let her consider what dangers are born from these riches, and she will embrace the life that is agitated by few affairs. In sum, if she be benevolent and well-affected toward her husband, she will say nothing of the sort, but ma-

will rather learn the true wealth, the philosophy that is from above, and she will find no fault in such matters. Let him teach her that poverty is no evil; let him teach her, not merely through what he says, but through what he does; let him teach her to despise glory; and the woman will neither say nor desire anything of the kind. ^A Just as one who receives a statue, so from that very evening when he receives her into the bridal chamber, let him teach her modesty, moderation, and how to live a serious life, straightway from the very beginning and from the very threshold casting down the love of money. Let him instruct her in philosophy, and let him advise her so that there be neither gold hanging upon her ears, nor laid upon her cheeks and neck, nor gold laid out around the bridal chamber, nor gold-wrought and expensive garments stored away. But let her adornment be bright, yet let not the brightness lapse into insult; but leaving such things to those on the stage, let him with great decorum beautify the house, so that it breathes modesty rather than any other fragrance. For from this will come two—nay, three—good things: first, the bride will not grieve when the bridal curtains are removed and the garments, the gold items, and the silver vessels are sent away to each person; second, the bridegroom will not worry about the loss or the safeguarding of the gathered goods. A third thing, moreover, in addition to these, which is the sum of blessings: by these very things he will demonstrate his own judgment, that he rejoices in none of these things, ^B and that he will abolish everything else, and will never allow dances or indecent songs to take place. And I know that I seem ridiculous to some, making such laws; but if you be persuaded by me, as time goes on and you enjoy the benefit of the matter, you will then know the profit. And the laughter will cease, and you will laugh at the current custom, and you will see that what is done now really belongs to thoughtless children and drunken men; but what I suggest belongs to modesty, philosophy, and the highest way of life. What then do I say must be done? Remove from the marriage all shameful and satanic songs, indecent melodies, and the gatherings of dissolute young men, and this will be able to make the bride modest. For straightway she will reason to herself: "Amazing! What kind of man is this? He is a philosopher; he regards this present life as nothing; he brought me into his house for procreation and the rearing of children, for the keeping of the house." But are these things unpleasant to the bride? Until the first day and the second; but afterward, no. On the contrary, she will harvest the greatest pleasure, freeing herself from every suspicion. For he who will not tolerate flutes, dancers, or effeminate songs, even during the time of the wedding, surely he will never tolerate doing or saying anything shameful. After this, when you have removed all these things from the marriage, having taken her, mold her well, extending the sense of shame for a long time and not dissolving it quickly. For even if the maiden is more shameless, she knows how to be silent for a time, fearing her husband and being shy in the presence of these matters. You, therefore, do not dissolve this sense of shame quickly, as do those of the men who are profligate, but extend it for a long ^C time; for this will be a great profit to you. She will not complain for the time being, nor will she find fault with what you ordain.

8. Ordain everything, then, throughout that time when modesty, like some bridle placed upon the soul, does not allow her to complain or to find fault with what is happening. For when she loses her ready speech, with much ease she overturns and confuses everything. What time, then, is more suitable for molding a woman than that in which she respects her husband and still fears and stands in awe of him? Then set all the laws before her, and she will surely be persuaded, both willingly and unwillingly. And how will you not dissolve the modesty? When you yourself also appear no less modest than she, conversing little, and those things themselves with great gravity and reserve; then set before her the arguments concerning philosophy; for the soul receives them; place her in the most beautiful state, I mean modesty. And if you wish, I will also speak by way of example, how one must converse with her. For if Paul did not refrain from saying, "Do not deprive one another" (1 Cor. 7:5), and uttered the words of a matchmaker—or rather, not of a matchmaker, but of a spiritual soul—much more will we not refrain from speaking. What then must one say to her? One must speak to her with much grace: "We, O child, have taken you as a partner in life and have brought you in to share in things that are more precious and more necessary for us, in procreation and in the guardianship of the house." What then do we exhort you? Or rather, before this, discuss matters of love; for nothing contributes so much to persuading the listener to receive what is said as learning that it is said with much love. How then will you show your love? If you say that "Although it was possible to take someone wealthier and from a shining lineage, I did not choose it, but I fell in love with you and your way of life, your decorum, your gentleness, your modesty." Then from these things straightway prepare a path for the arguments concerning philosophy, and accuse wealth with a certain rhetorical circuit. For if you simply stretch out an argument against wealth, you will be burdensome; but if you take hold of a premise, you will accomplish everything. For you will appear to be doing the thing in the way of a defense, not as someone austere and ungracious and petty, but when you take the premise from her own affairs, she will be pleased. You will say, therefore (for it is necessary to take up the argument again), that "Although it was possible to marry a woman who was rich and well-provided, I did not tolerate it." Why? "Not simply, nor in vain; but I was taught well that wealth is no possession at all, but a thing to be despised, and one that is present even with robbers and harlots and tomb-robbers. ^D Therefore, leaving these things aside, I came to the virtue of your soul, which I prefer to all gold. For a sensible and free young maiden, and one who occupies herself with piety, is worth the whole world. Because of these things, therefore, I have embraced you and love you, and I prefer you to my own soul. For this present life is nothing, and I pray and exhort and do everything so that we might be deemed worthy to conduct this present life in this way, so that we might also be able to be together with each other with much ease there in the world to come. For this time is brief and perishable; but if we should be deemed worthy, having pleased God, thus to conduct our life…"

here, we shall always be both with Christ and with each other with greater delight. I prefer your love to all things; nor is there anything so troublesome to me as to be at any time at variance with you; even if it should be necessary to lose all things, and to become poorer than Irus, and to undergo extreme dangers, and to suffer anything whatsoever, all things are to me bearable and endurable, so long as you are well-disposed towards me; and then will children be desirable to me ^A when you are kindly disposed toward me. But it will be necessary for you to do these things as well.

Then also add the apostolic words, because God thus wills that there should be such benevolence between us. For hear the Scripture saying: "For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife" (Ephes. V, 31). Let there be no occasion of ill will between us; let money go, and the multitude of slaves, and external honors: this is to me to be preferred to all things. With what gold, with what treasures, would not these words be more desirable to a wife? Do not fear that she will ever become insolent toward you, but confess that you love her. For harlots indeed, who are now joined with one, now with another, are deservedly puffed up against their lovers when they hear such words; but a free woman and a well-born ^B girl will never be puffed up by these words, but will be much rather softened by them. Show that you make much of having company with her, and that you prefer to be at home because of her rather than in the marketplace; and prefer her to all friends and to the children you have had by her; and let them also be beloved by you because of her. If she does anything good, praise and admire it; if any absurdity happens, and that which is wont to happen to young women, persuade and admonish her. Above and below, decry money and magnificent expenditures, and point out to her the ornament that comes from elegance and modesty, and that which comes from propriety; and constantly teach her things that are profitable.

θ'. Let your prayers be common. Let each one go to church, and let the husband require from the wife a portion of what is said and read there, and she from the husband. If poverty ^C binds you, bring into the midst the holy men, Paul and Peter, who were in greater estimation than all kings and the wealthy, and how they lived their life in hunger and thirst; teach her that nothing in life is terrible except to offend God. If anyone thus marries a wife, he will not be much inferior to monks, nor is he who has married a wife less than those who have not. If you also wish to make meals and to celebrate feasts, do not call anyone unseemly or indecorous, but if you find any holy man who is able to bless your house, and by the entering in of his feet to bring upon it the whole blessing of God, call him.

But I will say another thing: let no one among you be eager to marry a wealthier woman, but rather a poorer one. For she will not come in bringing from her riches so great an occasion of pleasure, as she will bring in trouble from reproaches, ^D from the fact that she demands more than she brought in, from insults, from great expenses and costs, from troublesome and importunate words. Perhaps she will say: "I have consumed nothing of yours as yet, I am still clothed from my own, from those things which my parents gave me." What do you say, O woman? Are you still clothed from your own? And what could be more miserable than this word? You do not have a body of your own, and you have money of your own? You are no longer two bodies after marriage, but you have become into one; and the belongings are two, not one. O love of money! One human being, one animal have you both become, and you still say "mine"? This word is to be execrated, and it was introduced by the devil as a crime. God made all things common for us, which are more necessary than these, and shall these not also be common? It is not allowed to say, "The light is mine, the sun is mine, the water is mine": the things that are greater are all common to us, but shall money not be common? Let money perish a thousand times—or rather, not money, but the habits of the mind which do not know how to use money, but prefer it to all things. And teach these things with the others, but with much grace. For since the exhortation to virtue in itself has much sadness, especially in a tender and young girl, when the words are about philosophy, devise much grace; and above all, uproot and banish from her soul the "mine" and the "thine." If she says, "Mine," say: "What is it you call yours? For I do not know, since I have nothing of my own: how then do you say, 'Mine,' when all things are yours?" Forgive her this word. Do you not see that we do this with small children? When we are holding something, the child snatches it, and wishes to take something else, we yield and say: "Indeed, this and that are yours." Let us also do this with a wife: for her mind is more childlike; and if she says, "Mine," say, "All things are yours, and I am yours." It is not a word of flattery, but of great prudence. Thus you will be able to repress her anger, to extinguish the ailment of the mind. For it is flattery when, for the sake of something evil, you have done what is unseemly and illiberal; but this is the highest philosophy. Say therefore, "I also am yours, O my little daughter." This Paul persuaded me, saying: "The husband has not power over his own body, but the wife does; but you have power all the more over money." You will calm her if you have spoken thus, you will extinguish the flame, you will put the devil to shame, you will make her more of a handmaid than one who is bought with money: by these words you will bind her. For this reason, from those things which you speak, teach her never to say, "Mine and thine." Nor call her carelessly, but with blandishments, with honor, with much love. Honor her, and she will have no need to be honored by others: she will not have need of glory given by others, if she enjoys that which you have bestowed upon her. Prefer her to all things, for the sake of all things, both for beauty and wisdom, and adorn her with praises. Thus also you will persuade her to pay no heed to things from without, but to laugh at all the others. Teach her the fear of God, and all things will succeed for her. For, He says, "Seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you." You must consider how the children of such parents should be, how the servants of such masters; and how all others who approach; for it will come to pass that all will be full of ten thousand goods; as they will be.

their servants to conform themselves to their masters, and to follow their desires; they love the same things, they say the same things, just as they have learned, and they dwell in the same things. If we thus conform ourselves, ^B and attend to the Scriptures, we shall learn most things from them; and so we shall be able to be pleasing to God, and to pass this whole present life with virtue, and to attain the good things promised to those who love Him; of which may we all be counted worthy, by the grace and love for mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, power, and honor, now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

HOMILY XXI

^C *Children, obey your parents in the Lord; for this is right. Honor your father and your mother, which is the first commandment with promise, that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest be long-lived on the earth.*

1. Just as someone building a body first places the head, then the neck, and then the feet, so too the blessed Paul proceeds in his discourse. He spoke about the husband, he spoke about the wife, the second source of authority; now he proceeds, walking in order, to the third; and this is that of the children. For the husband rules over the wife, and the husband and wife over the children. See then what he says: *Children, obey your parents in the Lord; for this is the first commandment with promises.* He does not speak here about Christ, nor about high mysteries; for he is still addressing tender minds; and therefore he makes the exhortation brief, as children are not able to follow a long discourse. For this reason he does not discuss the Kingdom either; for it is not of that age to hear such things; but he says what a childish soul most desires to hear, that he will be long-lived. For if anyone were to inquire why he did not speak about the Kingdom, but placed before them the commandment lying in the Law, we shall say that, because they were more childish, and because he well knew that, with the husband and wife being so disposed according to the law he established, it is not of much labor to subject the children. For when a matter takes a good, strong, and orderly beginning and foundation, everything proceeds in order and by law thereafter with great ease. ^D For the more difficult thing is to lay the foundation and to place the base. *Children,* he says, *obey your parents in the Lord;* that is, according to the Lord. God, he says, has so commanded. What then if they command things that are absurd? In the first place, a father never commands absurd things, even if he himself is absurd; but yet he has insured this, saying: *In the Lord;* that is, in those things where you will not offend God; for if he is a Greek or a heretic, one must no longer obey; for the matter is not in the Lord. But how does he say, *Which is the first commandment?* For the first is, *Thou shalt not commit adultery,* [and] *Thou shalt not murder.* He did not call it first in order, but in promise. For to those others no reward is attached, as they are ordained regarding evil things and the departure from evil things; but in these, as there is a working of good things, a promise is also attached. And see how he has laid a wonderful foundation for the path of virtue in honor and reverence toward parents; and not without reason. Having led them away from wicked deeds, and being about to enter into good ones, he commanded this first—I mean honor toward parents—since they, after God, have been the causes of our very life. So that they might reasonably be the first to enjoy our good things, and then all other men. For if anyone does not have this, he will never be gentle toward those outside.

Having therefore exhorted the children as it was necessary, he moves to the fathers, and says: *And you fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.* He did not say, "Love them"; for nature itself draws them to this even against their will, and it would be superfluous to lay down a law about such things; but what does he say? *Do not provoke your children to anger,* as many do, making them disinherited, and disowning them, and bearing down upon them burdensomely, not as if they were free, but as if they were slaves. For this reason he says: *Do not provoke your children to anger.* Then he shows the head of all, how they might obey, by bringing the cause to the head and the beginning. And just as he showed that the husband becomes the cause of the wife's obedience (for which reason he speaks to him at greater length, exhorting him to draw her to himself by the tyranny of love), so also here he again leads the cause back to him, saying: *But bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.* Do you see that when spiritual things are present, the fleshly ones follow? Do you want your son to be obedient? From the beginning, bring him up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Do not think it superfluous for him to hear the divine Scriptures; for there he will hear this first: *Honor thy father and thy mother.* So that this is done for your own sake. Do not say: "This is for monks; am I making him a monk?" There is no need for him to become a monk. Why do you fear what is full of great gain? Make him a Christian. For it is especially necessary for secular people, especially for children, to know the teachings from thence. For there is much folly in that age, and to that folly a supplement is added by the words of outsiders, when they learn there the heroes admired among them, being slaves to passions and cowardly in the face of death; such as Achilles when he repents, when he dies for the sake of a concubine, when another is drunk, and many other such things. He therefore has need of these medicines.

2. For how is it not absurd to send them to arts and to a teacher, and to do everything for this, but not to bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord?

For this reason we reap the firstfruits of this: raising sons who are bold, intemperate, disobedient, base, and illiberal. Let us not, therefore, do this, but let us obey this blessed one who urges: "Bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." Let us give them an example, taking care from their earliest age to apply them to the reading of the Scriptures. ^A Woe is me! By saying these things constantly, I seem to be raving; nevertheless, I will not cease to do what is mine. Why, tell me, do you not imitate the ancients? Especially you, women, emulate those admirable women. Have you brought forth a son? Imitate Anna; learn what she did: she led him immediately into the temple. Which of you would not prefer her son to be Samuel, rather than a king of the whole world a thousand times over? ^B And how, you say, is it possible for him to become such? Why is it not possible? Because you do not wish it, nor do you entrust him to those who can make him such. And who, you ask, is this? God: for she herself entrusted him to Him. For Heli was not of those who were fully able to mold and form him—for how could he, who could not [form] his own sons?—but the faith of the woman and the alacrity of her spirit accomplished everything. She bore him first and alone, and did not know whether she would bear others. Nor did she say, "I will wait until the infant grows so that he may use things pertaining to this life; I will allow him to tarry a little in his childhood," but having pushed all these things aside, she was concerned only with this: how, from the beginning, a spiritual image might be dedicated to God (1 Kings 2). Let us men be put to shame by the woman’s philosophy: she offered him to God, and left him there. Therefore her marriage also became more splendid, because she sought spiritual things first, because she offered firstfruits; therefore her womb was fertile, and she had other sons; therefore she also saw him flourishing in the world and in good repute. If men return honor to those who honor them, how much more does God, who does this even if He is not honored? How long are we flesh? How long are we bent toward the earth? Let everything be postponed by us to the care of our children, and to their education in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. If from the beginning he learns to be a philosopher, he has acquired riches greater than any riches, and a more powerful glory. ^C You will accomplish nothing as great by teaching him an art and external discipline by which he gets money, as you will if you teach him the art by which he will despise riches. If you wish to make him rich, do this. For he is rich not who needs many riches and is surrounded by many, but who is in need of nothing. Teach your son this, educate him in this: these are the greatest riches. Do not seek how you may render him flourishing and of high repute in external learning, and render him distinguished in glory; but take care to teach him to despise the glory of this life: thence he will become more splendid and more illustrious in glory. It is permitted to both the poor man and the rich man to do these things: one does not learn these from a teacher, nor through an art, but through divine oracles. Do not seek that he might live a long life here, but that he might live one there that is infinite and never ending. Bestow great things upon him, not small things: hear Paul saying, "Bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." Do not put your effort into making him an orator, but educate him so that he may be a philosopher. ^D For if the former is not there, there is no loss; if the latter is absent, there will be no profit from rhetoric, however great. There is need of character, not of the faculty of speaking; of modesty of life, not of vehemence of oratory; of deeds, not of words. These things procure the kingdom; these things bestow even those things that are truly good. Do not sharpen the tongue, but cleanse the soul. I do not say these things to prohibit learning [rhetoric], but to prohibit spending one's effort on those things alone. Do not suppose that these teachings, which are taken from the Scriptures, are the work of monks only: for these are needed most of all for those children who are about to enter into this life of the world. For just as the ship does not need instruction and a helmsman and a just and complete number of sailors for the one who stands perpetually in the harbor, but for the one who is always tossed on the sea: so also for the man in the world and the monk. For the latter indeed is as it were living his life in the harbor, untouched by any waves and far from business, and free from every storm; but the former is perpetually acting on the deep and is situated in the midst of the sea, struggling with many and great waves; and even if he himself does not have need, it is nevertheless necessary that he be prepared so as to obstruct the tongues of others.

3. The defects of the royal court. Wherefore, the more he is of high repute in this life, the more he has need of this education. For even if he be reared in the royal court, there are many there, both Greeks and philosophers, and swollen with respect to present glory, as if in a place filled with dropsical men. Such a thing is the royal court: all are inflated and swollen; but those who are not, put forth effort to become so. Consider, therefore, how great a thing it is for your son, having entered there, to enter as an excellent and most preeminent physician, with instruments that are able to compress the swelling of each one, and to approach each one and discourse, and to make the body that is laboring healthy, applying medicines from the Scriptures and infusing the words of philosophy. For the monk, with whom will he converse? With a wall and a roof? Or with deserts and groves? Or with birds and trees? Such teaching, therefore, is not so very necessary for him; he tries, however, in this matter to behave himself rightly, not only to educate others, but also himself. This teaching, therefore, is needed most of all by those who live in this life: for this man has a greater necessity for sinning than that one. If, however, you wish to learn, he will be even more apt in the world itself. For all will reverence him for these words, when they see him not burning in the fire, nor coveting authority: then he will also attain to it, when he has not coveted it, and he will be more reverend to the king. For it is not possible that he should remain hidden. For among many who are healthy, he who is healthy will be hidden, but among many who are sick, when there is one healthy person, his fame will quickly reach the ears of the king, and he will set him over many nations. Knowing these things, therefore, bring up your children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. But is someone poor? Let him be poor again; but he is nothing the more vile or abject than the one who lives in the royal court, since he is not in the royal court; but he will be held in admiration, and will come quickly even to authority, which is voluntary, and not that which is given by election. For if even the Greeks, when...

men of three-obol status and dogs, by taking upon themselves a certain sort of philosophy—a three-obol one as well (for such is the Greek one), or rather, not even that, but its name—and wrapping themselves in a cloak, and letting their hair grow, put many to shame; how much more will the one who is truly a philosopher? If a false outward appearance, if a mere shadow of philosophy appearing in this way so captures [men], what if we love and [embrace] sincere and genuine philosophy? Will not all attend to it? And will they not entrust houses and wives and children to such men with great security? But such a philosopher, as he is now, does not exist—he does not exist. For this reason, it is not possible even to find an example. For they do exist among monks, but no longer among people in the world. And that they exist among monks, it is possible to bring forward many; however, I will mention one out of many. You know, and you have heard, and some of you even saw the man whom I intend to speak about now; I mean Julian, the wonderful man. He was a rustic man, humble and from humble origins; he was not experienced at all in secular learning, but was filled with that simple philosophy. When he appeared in the cities (and this happened rarely), neither when rhetoricians, nor sophists, nor anyone else was driving into [the city], was such a gathering formed. And what do I say? Is not his name sung more brilliantly even now than those of all kings? But if these things exist in this world—in a world in which the Master has promised us no good thing, in which He said that we are strangers—let us consider how great will be the goods stored up in heaven. If, where they were sojourners, they enjoyed such great honor, where the cities truly are, of what glory shall they enjoy? If there is such care where He promised affliction, how great will be the rest where He truly promises honors? But do you wish that we show some people in the world too? For at present we do not have [any], although there may perhaps be secular people who are moderate, but they have not reached the height of philosophy. Therefore, I will tell you the examples from the ancient and holy men. How many, having wives and rearing children, had nothing less than those who have been mentioned, nothing less? But now it is no longer [possible] because of the existing necessity, as this blessed man says. Whom, then, do you wish I should name? Noah, or Abraham? This man’s son, or that one’s? Or Joseph? But do you wish that we come to the prophets? I mean Moses, Isaiah.

4. But, if it pleases you, let us draw the discourse to Abraham, whom everyone always brings forward to us most of all. Did he not have a wife? Did he not have children? For I also say this to you, which you say to us. He had a wife, but not because he had a wife was he wonderful; he had wealth, but not because he had wealth was he pleasing to God; he wasgetted children, but not because he begat children is he proclaimed blessed; he possessed three hundred and eighteen home-born servants, but he was not admired for this. But do you wish to learn whence? From his hospitality, from his disdain of wealth, from his modesty. For what is it, tell me, of a philosopher? Is it not to despise both wealth and glory? And to be superior to envy and every passion? Come, then, let us bring him into the midst and strip him, and show you what kind of a philosopher he was. First, he did not consider [any land] his homeland. "For go forth," he heard, "from your land, and from your kindred" (Gen. 12:1); and he straightway went forth. He was not tied to a house; for otherwise he would not have gone out; nor to the friendship of custom, nor to anything else. Then, more than all things, he despised glory and wealth; for having routed a war, and being deemed worthy to take the spoils, he spat upon them. But his son, again, was not admired because of wealth, but because of hospitality; not because of children, but because of obedience; not because of his wife, but because of the barrenness in his wife. They did not consider the present life to be anything; they did not acquire wealth; they despised all things. For tell me, which of the plants are best? Are they not those which have their strength from within, and which are not harmed by rains, nor by hail, nor by the violence of winds, nor by any other such irregularity, but stand bare, despising all things, and needing neither walls nor fences? Such is the philosopher, such is that wealth: he has nothing, and he has everything; he has everything, and he has nothing. For the wall is not inside, but from the outside; the fence is not of nature, but is something wrapped around from the outside. What then, tell me? What body is strong? Is it not the one which is healthy, and is not captured by famine, nor by surfeit, nor by cold, nor by heat; or is it the one that is subject to all these things, and needs cooks and weavers and hunters and doctors in order to be healthy? That man is rich, the one who is truly a philosopher, who needs none of these things. For this reason, this blessed man said: "Bring them up in the discipline and admonition of the Lord" (Eph. 6:4). Do not, therefore, wrap them in fences from the outside; for this is wealth, this is glory. For when these fall (and they do fall), the plant stands bare and vulnerable, not only having gained nothing in the past time, but even having been harmed. For those fences that kept it from becoming accustomed to the assaults of the winds now caused it to fall suddenly all at once. So wealth harms more, preparing them to be unpracticed against the irregularities of life. Let us, therefore, prepare our children in such a way as to be able to endure everything, and not to be bewildered by things that come upon them; let us bring them up in the discipline and admonition of the Lord, and a great reward will be stored up for us. For if people who make statues of kings, and paint portraits, enjoy such honor; shall we, by adorning the royal image (for man is the image of God), not enjoy myriad goods, by rendering [them] according to the likeness? For this is [what it means] to be like, the virtue of the soul, when we train children to be good, when [we train them to be] free from anger, when [we train them to be] mindful of no wrong; all these things are proper to God; when [we train them to be] beneficent, when [we train them to be] philanthropic, when we train them to consider present things as nothing. Let this, therefore, be our work: both to fashion and regulate ourselves and them toward what is necessary; since with what boldness shall we stand before the judgment seat of Christ? For if one who has insubordinate children is unworthy of the episcopate, much more [is he unworthy] of the kingdom of heaven. What do you say? Even if we have an unruly wife, even if [we have] children, shall we render an account? Yes, if we do not bring in with accuracy what is our own contribution; for our own virtue does not suffice us for salvation. For if the one who did not deposit the one talent gained nothing, but was even punished in that way; it is clear that one's own virtue does not suffice for salvation, but one also needs that of another. Let us, therefore, make much care for our wives, and much provision for our children and our servants, and much for ourselves, and in our own...

modest, and if we are children, shall we be held accountable to give an account? Most certainly, unless we perform exactly and accurately those things which are to be performed by us: for our own virtue alone does not suffice for salvation. For if he who did not deposit one talent gained nothing, but is even punished for it, it is evident that our own virtue is not sufficient for salvation, but the virtue of another is also needed. Let us therefore take great care of wives, and children, and servants, and of ourselves, and in the ordering of both ourselves and them, let us beseech God that He may offer us aid toward this task. If He sees us caring for this and being anxious about it, He will offer aid; if we have no regard for this matter, He will not stretch forth His hand. For God does not give help to those who are sleeping, but to those who are laboring themselves; for the helper is not for the idle, but for him who also works himself. And God is powerful to bring the work to completion by Himself, that we may all be deemed worthy to attain the promised blessings, through the grace and kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory, power, honor, now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

HOMILY XXII

^AServants, obey your masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling, in the simplicity of your hearts, as to Christ. ^BNot with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with good will doing service, as to the Lord and not to men; knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.

^AThus not only the man, nor the woman, nor the children, but the virtue of servants also contributes to the establishment and ordering of a house. For this reason, the blessed Paul did not neglect even this part; but he comes to it last, since it is last also in dignity. He discourses ^B with them about many things, not as with children, but much more perfectly: for he does not give them the promise here, but in the future. Knowing, he says, that whatsoever good or evil any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord. And already he teaches how to philosophize. For although they are inferior to children in rank, they are nevertheless greater in their own opinion. Servants, he says, obey your masters according to the flesh. The soul that was affected with grief, he immediately lifted up, he immediately comforted. Do not grieve, he says, that you have less than a wife and children: it is the name of servitude only; the lordship is carnal, temporal, and brief: for whatever is carnal is fleeting and not lasting. With fear, he says, and trembling. Do you see that he did not require the same fear from the wife and from the servants? For there he said absolutely, Let the woman fear her husband: here, however, with intensity, With fear and trembling. In the simplicity of your hearts, as to Christ. He says this frequently. What are you saying, O blessed Paul? He is a brother, he has obtained the same things, he is in the same body; nay, he has been made a brother not of his master, but rather of the Son of God; he enjoys all the same things, and you say, Obey masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling? It is for this very reason, he says, that I speak. ^C For if I command children to be subject to one another for the fear of God, as he said above, Subjecting yourselves to one another in the fear of God (Eph. 5:21), even though they are equal in honor: much more the servant. For this is not ignobility, but the first nobility, to know how to be inferior, and to conduct oneself modestly, and to yield to one's neighbor. And free men serve free men with much fear and trembling. In the simplicity of heart, he says. He rightly said this; for it is possible to serve with fear and trembling, yet not from benevolence, but as one may simply happen to do. For many are observed doing many things wickedly against their masters. Therefore he removes also this wicked malice, saying, In the simplicity of your hearts as to the Lord. Not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with good will doing service as to the Lord, and not to men. Do you see how many things he needed in order to insert this good and honest qualification, With good will, I say, and from the heart? For we indeed see many exhibit this to their masters, with fear, I say, and trembling; and at that, many things are brought to pass by the threats of masters: ^D But show, he says, that you serve as the servant of Christ, not as the servant of a man: see to it that what is done by you be your own work, not of necessity. Just as he persuades him who is suffering evil from another, and teaches him through the things that follow, that he should make it his own work, and that he should be of free choice: so also this one. For because he who struck the cheek did not come to this from the mind of him who is struck, but from his own wickedness, what does he say? Offer him the other also (Matt. 5:39); showing that you have not endured that slap against your will. For he who even abundantly exceeded what was to be suffered; he made that which was not his own, his own, in that a slap was inflicted on the other cheek, not merely that he stood it. For this perhaps will seem even to be of fear; but that is of great philosophy. You have shown, therefore, that you also bore this for the sake of philosophy. So now also show that you bear this servitude spontaneously, not so as to please men. Whoever therefore is eager to please men is not a servant of Christ; but whoever is a servant of Christ is not eager to please men. For who, when he is a servant of God, wants to please men? And who, by pleasing men, can be a servant of God? From the heart, he says, with good will doing service. He rightly said thus: for since it is possible to serve even in simplicity, and not wickedly and maliciously, but not with all one's might, but only to fulfill what is owed: for this reason he says, From an alacrity of heart, not from necessity; from free choice, not from malice. If you serve thus, you are not a servant: if out of free will and intent, if with benevolence, if from the heart, if for the sake of Christ. For this servitude performs even that free man Paul, and he cries out saying, For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.

^B See how he removes the ignobility of the servitude. Just as if one had been stripped of his property, if he should receive it back again, he is not stripped, but it consists in his own distinctions, and not in the things suffered.

^A just as here also, through abundance and magnanimity he will appear even more preeminent, and by showing that he did not feel the plunder, he will put the other to shame. Therefore, for the sake of Christ let us serve our masters: *Knowing*, he says, *that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.* Since it was likely that many masters, being unbelievers, would not feel shame, nor reward their servants for their obedience, see how he comforted them so that they might not suspect their recompense, but might have the greatest confidence concerning the reward. For just as those who are well treated, when they do not repay their benefactors, make God their debtor: so too in this case, the masters, if they do not repay you after having received good from you, have repaid you all the more by making God your debtor. *And you masters,* he says, *do the same things toward them.* The same things: what things? Serve with goodwill. But he did not say, "serve," although by saying "the same things," he implied this; for the master also serves. *Not as men-pleasers,* he says, *with fear and trembling,* that is, the fear toward God, fearing lest He should call you to account for your negligence toward your slaves. *Giving up threatening.* Do not be burdensome, he says, nor oppressive. *Knowing that your own Master also is in heaven.* Behold! How great a thing he has uttered! How he has struck fear! That is, by the measure with which you measure, it shall be measured back to you. Do not let it be told to you: "Wicked servant, I forgave you all that debt." *And there is no respect of persons,* he says, *with Him.* Do not think, he says, that He will forgive what is done to the slave as if it were done to a slave. For the laws of the outside world know of a difference between these ranks, because they are the laws of men; but the law of the common Master knows no difference, inasmuch as He does good to all in common, and imparts the same things to all.

But if anyone should ask from where slavery came, and why it entered into human life (for I know that many ask these things gladly and wish to learn), I will tell you: Greed gave birth to slavery, and brutality, and insatiability; since Noah had no slave, nor Abel, nor Seth, nor even those who came after them. Sin gave birth to this thing, and insolence toward parents. Let children hear that they are worthy to be slaves when they are ungrateful toward their parents. Such a person has stripped himself of his nobility; for he who insults his father is no longer a son. And if he who insults his father is not a son, he who insults our true Father, how shall he be a son? He has departed from his nobility, he has committed an outrage against nature. Then also wars and battles took captives. But Abraham had servants, you say. ^B But he did not use them as servants. See how he hangs everything upon the head: the wife, so that, he says, he may love her; the children, so that he may rear them *in the discipline and instruction of the Lord*; the slaves, *Knowing that your own Master also is in heaven.* In this way, he says, you too, since you are slaves, be humane and forgiving. But if you wish to hear, we will say the same things concerning the servants as we said before concerning the children: teach them to be reverent, and entirely everything follows. But now, when someone is going to the theater, and when going to the bath, he drags all his servants along; but to the church, no longer, nor does he compel them to be present and to listen. But how will the servant hear, when you, the master, are attending to other things? Have you bought, have you purchased the servant? Command him first in the things according to God, so that he may be gentle toward his fellow servants, and may make great account of virtue. A man’s house is a city, and each one is the ruler of his own house. And that such is the case for the wealthy is clear, where there are fields and stewards and rulers over rulers; but I say that the house of the poor is also a city. For there are authorities even here; for instance, the husband rules over the wife, the wife over the servants, the servants over their own wives; again, the wives and the men over the children. Does it not seem to you, as if he were some king, having so many subjects under him, and that it is fitting for him to be more orderly and civic-minded than all? For he who knows how to use these differently, knows how to choose suitable commanders, and he will choose brilliant ones. Therefore, the wife will be another king in the house without the diadem, and he who knows how to choose this king will arrange everything else well. ^C *Finally, my brethren,* he says, *be strengthened in the Lord.* When the discourse is about to end, he always uses this mode.

3. Was I not saying correctly from the beginning, that the house of each one is an entire camp? For behold, having established all the authorities, finally he arms them, and leads them out to war. For if no one seizes the authority of another, but each remains in his own place, all things will be well arranged. *Be strengthened,* he says, *in the Lord, and in the power of His might*: that is, in the hope that is in Him through His help. Since he commanded many things that needed to be done, do not fear, he says; cast your hope upon the Lord, and He will make everything easy. *And put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.* He did not say, "Against the fights," nor, "Against the wars," but, "Against the wiles." For the enemy does not wage war against us simply, nor openly, but by a wile. What is a wile? To wile is to deceive, and to take by trickery, which is what happens in the crafts, and in words, and in deeds, and in wrestling matches, in the case of those who lead us astray. What do I say? He never openly puts forward sins; he does not speak of idolatry, but he constructs it otherwise, by using wiles—that is, by making the argument plausible, having used coverings. ^D Now then, by this he has already awakened the soldiers, and made them sober, by persuading and teaching that the battle we face is against one skilled in war, and one who does not wage war simply or openly, but with much wile. And first he raises up the disciples by the nature and the multitude [of the enemy]. Not wishing to cast down the soldiers standing under him, but to lift them up and awaken them, he told of the sophistries, and prepared them to be sober. For if he had merely narrated their power and stopped his discourse there, he would have cast them down; if

however, he shows both before and after that he can be caught and overcome, he stirs them up all the more. For the more clearly the strengths of the adversaries are reported to our [people], the more diligent he makes ours.

12. "For our wrestling," he says, "is not against blood and flesh, but against principalities and powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual things of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Eph. 6:12). ^A After he has exhorted them from the kind of battle, he encourages them by setting forth the rewards. How? When he had said the enemies are vehement, he added that they deprive us of great things. Of what things? The battle is "in the heavenly places"—it is not fought for money, not for glory, but it is fought so that we may not be brought into servitude and captivity. Wherefore, the hostilities are irreconcilable; the contention and the battle is more vehement when it is undertaken for great things; for that "in the heavenly places" signifies "for the sake of heavenly things." Not that they, having attained the victory, gain something, but that they might deprive us of it. As if he were saying that a covenant was concluded for something, that "in" is for "on behalf of," and "in" is for "because of." ^B See how the strength of the enemy stirs us up and makes us sober, because we know that the danger is concerning great things, and that the victory will be for great things; for he strives to cast us out of heaven.

Whom does he call the principalities and the powers and the world-rulers of this world of darkness? Of what darkness? Is it of the night? By no means, but of "wickedness." For "we were," he says, "at some time darkness" (Eph. 5:8), calling wickedness and the depravity which is in the present life darkness. For it will no longer have a place, not in heaven, nor in the world to come.

The Scripture sometimes signifies wicked men by "the world." ^C He calls them "world-rulers," not as those who hold sovereignty in the world, but because they are the causes *of* wicked works. For the Scripture is accustomed to call wicked actions "this world"; as when Christ says, "You are not of this world, just as I am not of the world" (John 17:14; 15:19). Were they not of the world? Were they not surrounded by flesh? Were they not from those who are in the world? And again: "The world hates me; you, however, it cannot hate" (John 7:7), ^D again calling wicked actions the world. Or he calls wicked men "the world" here, for the demons have more dominion over them. "Against the spiritual things of wickedness," he says, "in the heavenly places." He speaks of principalities and powers, just as there are also in the heavenly places thrones, dominions, principalities, [and] powers.

13. "Wherefore," he says, "take up the armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and to stand perfect in all things" (Eph. 6:13). He calls the present life the "evil day," and calls this a wicked age, from the evils done in it. That is: be always armed. "And in all things having perfected," he says; that is, having defeated the vices, the absurd desires, and all things that bring us trouble. He did not say only "to do," but "to perfect," so that they may not only remove them from the midst, but even stand after having removed them; for many who have gained this victory have fallen again. "In all things," he says, "having perfected": not indeed having finished this, but not that; for it is necessary to stand after the victory. They are cast down at times, but those which are cast down come to life again unless we stand; even those things which have fallen rise up again. As long as we stand, they have been cast down; as long as we are not turned around, he does not rise up. "Let us be clothed with the armor of God." If you are able to finish and to stand, why do you flee the battle? Stand, finishing off the enemies, and you have conquered. And do not wonder that he recounts so much about the strength of the enemies; for to recount the strength of enemies does not bring fear and dread, but shakes off sloth and cowardice. "That you may be able to resist in the evil day." He consoles them also by the time. The time, he says, is short; wherefore it is necessary to stand, lest you be worn out after the slaughter. If, therefore, there is a war, if the battle-lines are such, if the principalities are incorporeal, if they are world-rulers, if they are the spiritual things of wickedness; how, tell me, I pray, do you indulge in luxuries? How are you dissolute? How shall we be able to overcome them while unarmed? Let each one say this to himself daily, when anger rules him, when desire [rules him], when he seeks this soft, slippery, and inconstant life. Let him hear the blessed Paul saying, "Our wrestling is not against blood and flesh, but against principalities, against powers." This battle is heavier than the sensible one, [this] struggle is more vehement. Cogitate, therefore, how long this one wrestles, for what he fights, and be more cautious.

"Yes," you will say, "but it would have been necessary for the devil to have been removed from the midst, and all would be saved." Some slothful and cowardly persons pretend these things. When it was fitting, O man, for you to give thanks that, if you wish, you overcome him, instead you even fume, speaking the words of some slothful and sleepy soldier. You know, if you wish, the accounts by which he is apprehended; look around on every side, arm yourself. The battle is not only against the devil, but also against his powers. How, therefore, shall we wrestle with darkness? If we have become light. How with the spiritual things of wickedness? If we have become good. For to good, wickedness and depravity are contrary, and light expels darkness; for if we ourselves are also darkness, we will be entirely caught and overcome. How, therefore, shall we overcome them? If what they are by nature, we have become by free choice and the intent of the mind—namely, outside of flesh and blood—in this way we shall take them and conquer them. For since it is likely that they are agitated by many, "Do not think," he says, "that they themselves wage war with us: the demons who work in them are those who wage the war: our fight is against them." He accomplishes two things from these: he renders them bolder against those who oppose them, and encourages their mind against the enemies. And for what reason has the battle arisen against them for us? Because in the war we have an impregnable ally, namely the grace of the Spirit; we have learned the art, so that we are not able to wrestle against men, but against demons. But if we wish, we shall not even wrestle; for it is a wrestling because we wish. For the virtue of Him who dwells in us is so great that He says: "Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions" (Luke 10:19).

He has given us authority, and not only of wrestling but of not wrestling: but because we are sluggish and dull, we wrestle. For did not Paul wrestle when he heard Him say: "Who shall separate us from ^A the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" (Rom. 8:35). And again, hear him saying: "God shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly" (Rom. 16:20). He had him under subjection; for which reason he also said: "I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her" (Acts 16:18). But this is not the act of one who is wrestling. For he who is wrestling has not yet conquered, but he who has conquered no longer wrestles. He subdued him, he made him captive. Peter also did not wrestle with the devil, but did that which was better than wrestling. Among the faithful, among the obedient, among the catechumens, he prevailed over him by a great superabundance. For this reason the blessed Paul said: "For we are not ignorant of his devices" (2 Cor. 2:11). Hence also he prevailed over him most of all. And again, hear him saying: "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light, as such his ministers also are transformed as the ministers of justice" (2 Cor. 11:14-15). Thus he knew all the battle, and nothing escaped him. And: "The mystery of iniquity," says he, "doth already work" (2 Thess. 2:7). But the wrestling is toward us. For hear him again saying: "I am persuaded that neither angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor virtues, nor things present, nor things to come, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of Christ" (Rom. 8:38-39). He did not say simply, "From Christ," but, "From the love of Christ": for many are united to Christ in appearance, who yet do not love Him. Not only, says he, will you not persuade me to deny, but you will not even persuade me to love Him less. But if the powers above could not have effected this, who else has changed him? He does not say these things as if they were attacking, but by way of hypothesis. Therefore he also said: "I am persuaded." Therefore, he was not wrestling, and yet he fears his wiles. For hear him saying: "I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ" (2 Cor. 11:3). Yes, he says; but he uses this word even for himself, saying: "I fear lest perhaps, when I have preached to others, I myself should become a castaway" (1 Cor. 9:27). How then are you persuaded that no one shall separate you? 5. Do you see that the word belongs to humility and moderation? ^B For he already held heaven; therefore he also said: "For I am conscious to myself of nothing" (1 Cor. 4:4); and again, "I have finished my course" (2 Tim. 4:7). Why then did the devil not hinder him in these things, but in those of his disciples? Why indeed? Because he was not the master of these only, but their choice also. There is where he prevailed: or rather, he did not prevail even there, but rather the sloth of those who were not paying attention. For if they did not fulfill the things from him, either through laziness or through some other such thing, he prevailed over him; but if he himself was doing everything, and they were not being persuaded, he did not prevail over him, but over their disobedience; and the disease did not prevail over the physician, but over the disorder of the patient. For when he himself has prepared everything, and that other ruins everything, the latter is defeated, not the former. So that nowhere did he prevail over Paul. Nevertheless, in our case, it is desirable to be able even just to wrestle. He does not wish this for the Romans, but what? "He shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly" (Rom. 16:20); and to these he wishes this: "To Him who is able to do all things more abundantly than we ask or understand" (Eph. 3:20). He who is wrestling is still held; nevertheless, it is desirable even not to fall. Then the victory becomes glorious, when we have departed from here. For example, let there be some evil desire: the extraordinary thing is not even to receive it, but to extinguish it; but if this is not possible, at least let us wrestle and always hold it; if we depart while wrestling, we have conquered. For it is not as it is with athletes, so also is it here; for there, if you do not throw, you have not conquered; but here, if you are not thrown, you have conquered; if you are not thrown, you have thrown. And reasonably; for there both strive for victory, and if one is thrown, the other is crowned; but here it is not so, but the devil strives for our defeat. When therefore I take away from him that for which he strives, I have conquered; for he is hastening not so as to throw, but so as to throw down along with himself. He is therefore already conquered; for he is already cast, and is in perdition and destruction. But his victory is not in being crowned, but in destroying me; so that if I do not throw him, and am not thrown, I have conquered. What then is a glorious victory? To trample upon him from a position of superiority, just as Paul was doing, thinking the present things to be nothing. Let us also imitate this, and strive to be superior, and provide him with a handle nowhere. ^C Wealth gives him a handle, money, vain glory; and often he has raised him up, and often he has made him savage. But what need of wrestling? What need of a struggle? He who struggles has an uncertain end, whether he be not defeated and be taken; but he who tramples has a clear victory. Therefore let us trample the devil's power, let us trample sins, I mean all things of this life, anger, desire, arrogance, all the passions; that when we have departed there, we may not be found squandering the authority which God has given to us. For thus we shall also attain to future things. But if we are evil regarding this, who will entrust to us the greater things? For if we were not able to trample upon the one who has offended, the disgraced, the despised, the one lying under our feet, how will the Father give us the paternal things? If we did not prevail over the one so subjected, what confidence shall we have to enter into the paternal house? For tell me: if you had a son, and he, leaving the sensible of the servants, should mingle with those who have caused you grief, with those who have been cast out of the paternal house, with those occupied with gambling, and should do this until the end, will he not be disinherited? It is very clear that he will. So also we, if we leave behind the ones who have served well and the angels who have been ordered to us, and associate with the devil, we shall entirely be disinherited. But may it not be that any of us should suffer this, but that, having undertaken the war against him, and having conquered together with the help from above, ^D

we may be inheritors of the kingdom of heaven. ^B If any man has an enemy, if he has been injured by anyone, if anyone is enraged, let him pour out all the wrath that has collected, and all the bitterness, upon the head of the devil. There, anger is a good and honest thing; there, indignation is a useful thing; there, the remembrance of injuries and hatred is a laudable thing. For just as in external matters it is evil to be mindful of injuries received, so here it is good to be mindful of them. Therefore, if you have faults and defects, lay them aside here; if you cannot lay them aside, at least lay them aside together with your members. ^C Has someone struck you? Be mindful of the injury received from the devil, and never compose enmities against him. But has he not struck you? Even so, be mindful of the injury received; because he has treated your Master with contumely, because he has offended, because he harms your brothers, and wages war with them. Be always an enemy, always harsh, always merciless and fierce. Thus he will be humble, thus he will be despicable, thus he will be easy to capture. If we are fierce toward him, he will not be fierce toward us; if we are clement and benevolent, then he will be fierce: do not let us be affected toward him as we are toward our brothers. He is the enemy and foe of life and salvation, both ours and his own. If he does not love himself, how will he be able to love us? Let us therefore draw up our line of battle, and strike him, since we have the greatest ally and helper in the war, our Lord Jesus Christ, who will be able to cause us not to be caught in his snares, and who will deem us worthy of future blessings: which may we all be granted to attain, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory, dominion, honor, now and always, and for ever and ever. Amen.

HOMILY XXIII

^D Chapter 6, v. 14: *Stand therefore, having girt your loins about with truth.*

1. Having organized this army, and having awakened their enthusiasm (for there was need of both, that they should be orderly, and that their spirit should be stirred up); having added courage to them (for there was need of that too), he thereafter arms them. For arms would be of no help if they were not first organized, nor if the soldier’s spirit were not stirred up. For one must first arm him inwardly, and then outwardly. And if this is done commonly in soldiers, much more so in these soldiers who fall under the understanding; or rather, in their case, it is not even permitted to arm them outwardly, but everything is inward: he stirred up and inflamed their spirit, he imbued them with boldness, he ordered them; and finally, he arms them. But see how he induces them to arms. *Stand, therefore*, he says. The first duty of those who are in an orderly line is to know how to stand straight; and from this, many things happen. Therefore he says much about this station, saying also elsewhere: *Watch and stand*; and again, *Stand fast in the Lord*; and again, *Let him who thinks he stands, look lest he fall*; and again, *That you may be able to stand, all things being finished*. He does not mean any station, therefore, but that which is rightly ordered; and those who are experienced in military matters know what the skill of standing is. For if, in boxers and those who wrestle, the trainer teaches this before other-things, namely to stand, much more so in wars and military matters. He who stands upright, stands not dissolutely, yielding to no one: an accurate rectitude is discerned in standing. Wherefore those who are truly upright, they stand: but those who do not stand are not upright, but dissolute and scattered. He who lives in luxury does not stand, but slants; likewise the lascivious man, and the lover of money. He who knows how to stand will, from that very station—as from a certain foundation—have everything that pertains to the struggle easy and ready. *Stand therefore, having girt your loins about with truth.* He does not speak of a literal belt, for all the things here are told so that they may fall under the understanding. But see how he proceeds. First, he girds the soldier. But what is this? He keeps in check by the belt him who overflows with lusts and is dissolute, and has thoughts that crawl upon the ground, not allowing him to be hindered by garments that get tangled with his legs, but letting him run with feet unencumbered. *Stand, therefore, having your loins girt.* But he speaks of the loins here: for just as the keel is in ships, so also the loins are the foundation of our entire body: for they are a foundation, and the whole is built upon them, as physicians say. Therefore he constricts our soul, girding the loins: for he does not mean these loins, but speaks so that it may fall under the understanding. And as the loins are the foundation of those things which are above and below, so it is also with the spiritual loins. Those, therefore, who are weary, often place their hands there, as if on a foundation, that they may support themselves: and thus the belt is used in wars, that it may hold and tighten our foundation. Therefore, running, we are girded: the belt puts our strength in safety. This, therefore, he says, happens also in the soul, and when doing anything we will be strong and valid: for that is what most befits soldiers. *Yes*, you will say, *but we gird these loins with a leather belt; but with what do we gird ours?* With that which is the head and sum of our thoughts, namely, truth: *Having girt*, he says, *your loins about with truth.* Therefore, let us love no lie: let us handle all things in truth: let us not lie to one another: and if it be a matter of glory, let us seek what is true; and if it be life, what is true. If we surround ourselves with this, if we are girded with truth, no one will overcome us. He who seeks the dogmas of truth will not fall to the ground. For that things which are not true are of the earth, is clear from the fact that all those outside serve vices and affections, while they follow their own thoughts. Wherefore, if we are vigilant, we will not be in need of doctrine in the books and writings of the Greeks. Do you see how they are soft and enervated, as those who cannot conceive anything grave and austere about God, which

they are not girded in the truth? Wherefore their loins are loosed, the receptacle of the seeds of generation, and the strength of their reasoning. Nothing, then, is weaker than these.

2. But do you see the Manichaeans again, how they dare to speak everything from their own reasonings? God, he says, could not create the world without matter. Whence is this evident? They say these things from the earth, and from those things which are among us. For man, he says, is not able to act otherwise. Again, see what Marcion says: God could not, having assumed flesh, remain pure. Whence is this evident? Because not even men can, he says. And yet men can. Valentinus, again, having reasonings that drag upon the ground, speaks from the earth; similarly also Paul of Samosata, and Arius. For what does he say? God, he says, could not, in begetting, beget without passion. Whence do you dare to say this, O Arius? From things among us. Do you see that the reasonings of all are dragging upon the ground, all are slackened, breathing of the earth? And as regards doctrines, it is so; but as regards life, again, the fornicators, the lovers of money, they who love glory, they who love all other things, drag upon the ground; they have not those very loins standing firm, so that having labored they may rest; but if they labor, they do not place their hand and stand, but are dissolved. But he who is girded with the truth, first of all, he will never labor; and secondly, even if he should labor, he will rest upon the truth itself. For tell me, what will poverty cause him to labor? By no means; for he rests upon the true riches, and through poverty he will know that which is truly poverty. But will servitude cause him to labor? By no means; for he knows the true servitude. But will sickness? Not even this. "Let your loins," says Christ, "be girded, and your lamps burning," so that they may have the light unquenchable ^A (Luc. 12. 35); just as those departing out of Egypt were commanded to do, and girded they ate the pascha. And for what reason, you ask, did they eat in this way? Do you wish to know the whole account according to history, or according to anagogy? I will surely speak of both; but do you hold fast. For not simply, just to state the solution, do I make this discourse, but that my words may become a work in you. They were, he says, girded, and their staves were in their hands, and the sandals upon their feet, and thus they ate the pascha ^B (Exod. 12. 11). Terrible and fearful are the mysteries, and having much depth. If in the types they were so fearful, much more so in the truth. They go out of Egypt, they eat the pascha. Be attentive, the habit is that of travelers; for to have sandals, and staves in their hands, and to eat standing, signifies nothing else than this. Do you wish to hear the history first, or the anagogy? The history is better. What then does the history mean? The Jews were ungrateful, and were continually forgetting the benefits of God. Desiring, therefore, even against their will that they should come to the memory of them, He ordains this manner of eating the pascha. Why? That in every year, having the necessity to keep the ordinance, they might necessarily remember also the God who led them out. God, therefore, did not bind His benefits to time alone, but also to the form of those who eat. For this reason they eat girded and shod, that being asked they might say that we were prepared for a journey, and that we were about to depart out of Egypt to the land of promise. This indeed is the type according to history; but the truth is this. We also eat the pascha, which is Christ: "For our pascha," he says, "has been sacrificed, even Christ" (1 Cor. 5. 7). Therefore we also eat the pascha, much better than that of the Law. Therefore we also ought to eat shod and girded. Why? That we also may be prepared for the departure, for the passing away from here. Let no one of those who eat this pascha look toward Egypt, but toward heaven, toward the Jerusalem above. For this reason you eat girded, for this reason you eat shod, that you may learn that together with the beginning of eating the pascha, you are obligated to depart and to travel. And he signifies two things: both that we must depart from Egypt, and that we must remain as in a strange land; "For our citizenship," he says, "is in heaven" (Philipp. 3. 20); and that we must always be prepared for the whole life, so that when we are called we may not delay, but say: "My heart is ready" (Psal. 107. 2). But this Paul was able to say, who acknowledged nothing against himself; but I, who am in need of much time for repentance, cannot say it. And that to be girded belongs to a watching soul, hear God saying to that righteous man: "But gird up your loins like a man; for I will ask you, and do you answer me" ^C (Job 38. 3). This He says also to all the saints, and this also to Moses. And he himself too appears girded in Ezekiel; or rather, the angels also appear to us girded, as being soldiers. From being girded comes standing nobly, just as from standing comes being girded. Therefore let us also gird ourselves; for we also are about to depart, and there are many hardships in between. When we cross this field, the devil is standing by immediately, doing everything and contriving, in order that he may take those who have been saved from Egypt, those who have crossed the Red Sea, those who are at once being released from demons and from countless plagues, that he may take these and destroy them. But, if we are sober, we have also as we do a pillar of fire, the grace of the Spirit; the same both illumines and casts a shadow; we have manna; or rather, not manna, but we have that which is much more than manna; a spiritual drink, not water coming forth from a rock. We have also a camp, dwelling in the wilderness even now. For truly, truly the earth has become a wilderness even now, desolate of virtue, and more so than that one. For why was that wilderness to be shunned? Was it not because it had scorpions within it and vipers? In which, he says, no man passed through. But there is not, there is not any land so barren of fruits as human nature.

3. Now how many scorpions, how many vipers in this wilderness, how many snakes, how many these offspring of vipers, which we have now passed through? But let us not fear; for of this departure there is a leader, not Moses, but Jesus. How then shall we not suffer the same things? Let us not do the same things, and we shall not suffer the same things. They murmured, they were ungrateful; let us not therefore suffer these things. ^D

to count as naught. ^A A fruit has been brought to us from heaven, not the grape that is carried in amphorae, but the earnest of the Spirit: the manner of life which is in the heavens, which Paul and the whole chorus of the apostles—those admirable husbandmen—taught. It was not Caleb the son of Jephunneh, nor Joshua the son of Nun, who brought these fruits; but Jesus, the Son of the Father of mercies, the Son of Him who is truly God, brought every virtue, all fruits from thence, [and] the hymns, I mean, he brought to us from heaven. For what the Cherubim say in heaven, He commanded us also to say: "Holy, holy, holy." He brought the life of the angels to us. Angels neither marry nor are given in marriage; this good also He planted here. They do not love money nor other things; this also He instilled in us. They do not die; this also He bestowed upon us: death is no longer death, but sleep. For hear Him saying: "Lazarus our friend sleepeth" (John 11:11). Do you see the fruits of the Jerusalem above? And what is more to be wondered at, the war has not yet been resolved; yet before the promise, He has given us all these things. For they, truly, even when they had come to the land of promise, were laboring; or rather, they were not laboring, for if they had wished to obey God, without weapons and without an arrayed battle-line they would have taken all the cities: they would have routed even Jericho, having the habit of those dancing rather than those fighting. But we, after we have entered into the land of promise, that is, into heaven, do not wage war, but [are] as long as we are in the desert, that is, in the present life. ^B "For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his" (Heb. 4:10). Let us not therefore "be weary in well doing" (Gal. 6:9): for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Do you see how, just as He led them, so He led us also? There He speaks of manna and of the wilderness: "He that had gathered much had nothing over, and he that had gathered little had no lack" (Exod. 16:18; 2 Cor. 8:15). And to us also it is commanded not to "lay up treasures upon earth" (Matt. 6:19). He who lays up treasures prepares food for the immortal worm. But if we lay them up, the worm that is perceived does not now corrupt and destroy them, as it did in the manna, but the worm which, like that fire, is eternal. Let us therefore do all things so that we do not prepare food for the worm: for "he that had gathered much," it says, "had nothing over." For this also happens in our own case daily: for we all fill the same measure of the belly: that which is superfluous, however, is an addition of foolish anxieties. For what He was about to give ^C afterwards, when He said, "Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof" (Matt. 6:34), this He had already taught from above, yet not even so did they receive it. But let us not be insatiable, nor ungrateful, nor seek splendid houses: for we are traveling on a journey, not dwelling [here]. Wherefore, if any one knows that the present life is a kind of journey and military service, and, as one might say, what is called by them a "trench," he will not seek splendid buildings. For who, tell me, I pray, even if he be very wealthy, would of his own accord choose to build splendid houses in what is called a trench? No one: for he would be ridiculous to others, and would be building for his enemies, and would attract them [to himself]. If we are sensible, we shall do the same. The present life differs naught from military service and a trench. Wherefore, I ask, let us do everything so that we lay up no treasures here: for if he who steals comes, we shall quickly emigrate. "Watch," He says, "for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come" (Matt. 24:42), so calling death. Before, therefore, he comes, let us send everything into our fatherland. Here, however, let us be girded, that we may be able to overcome the enemies: having vanquished whom, would that we might be held worthy of incorruptible glory in the day of crowns, by the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom, to the Father and the Holy Spirit, etc.

HOMILY XXIV

^A It has been said in the preceding discourse, that it behooves [the believer] to be composed and ready, so that there may be no obstacle to running. "And having on," He says, "the breastplate of righteousness." Just as a breastplate is invulnerable, so also is righteousness. And here he calls righteousness the life of every kind and that which is practiced according to virtue. No one will ever be able to overthrow him who is such a one; many may wound him, but no one cuts him down, not even the devil himself. As if you should say, "Having braced your breast with just deeds." Concerning these Christ says, "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled" (Matt. 5:6). He who braces himself with it is as strong as a breastplate: he who is of such a character will never be angry. "And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace." This is said somewhat obscurely. What then is it? It has put upon us fair greaves, the preparation of the gospel. Either then he says this, that we should be ready for the gospel, and use this for our feet, and prepare and build a way for it; or, if this be not so, that they themselves should be ready for the departure. The "preparation of the gospel," therefore, is nothing else than an excellent life. Which, indeed, the prophet was saying: "Thy ear attended to the preparation of their heart" (Ps. 10:17, Septuagint). This is, that the heart should be ready and instructed. "Of the gospel," he says, "of peace." He rightly said this: for since he makes mention of war and fighting, he shows that one must fight against the demons: for the gospel is one of peace. That war dissolves another war—namely, that against God: if we wage war with the devil, we have peace with God. Do not fear, then, O beloved, it is the gospel, a good message indeed: the victory has already been acquired. "Above all, taking the shield of faith." He calls faith here, not mere knowledge; for he would not have placed it behind [the other armor]; but the grace through which signs are wrought. And he justly names faith a shield: for just as a shield is placed before the whole body like a bulwark, as if it were a wall: so...

too does faith; for all things yield to it. ^A *In which you shall be able,* he says, *to quench all the fiery darts of the Wicked one.* For nothing can cut through this shield. Hear, for instance, Christ saying to the disciples: *If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, Move from here to there, and it shall move* (Matt. XVII, 19). But how shall we have faith? When we have rightly performed those things. And by "the darts of the Wicked one" he means temptations, and absurd and impious desires. He correctly added, *Fiery:* for such are the desires. And if faith commanded demons, much more does it command the passions of the soul. *And take the helmet of salvation,* he says; that is, of our salvation. For it encircles them, as if leading them out to war. *And the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.* He speaks either of the Spirit, or of the spiritual sword. For by it all things are cut, by it all things are severed, and by it we cut off the head of the dragon. *By all prayer and supplication,* he says, *praying at all times in the Spirit, and in this very thing watching with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints, and for me, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, with boldness, to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I ^B am an ambassador in a chain, that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.* Just as the word of God avails for all things, so too does he who has the spiritual gift. *For the word of God is living,* he says, *and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword* (Hebr. IV, 12). Observe also the prudence of this blessed man. He armed them most diligently: he goes on to teach how one must call upon the King, so that He might reach out His hand, saying: *By all prayer and supplication, praying at all times, in the Spirit.* For it is possible not to pray in the Spirit, when one babbles. *And for this,* he says, *watching,* that is, being sober. For such, he who is armed, he who stands before the King, must be: watchful and sober. *With all perseverance and supplication for all the saints, and for me, that utterance may be given into the opening of my mouth.* What do you say, O blessed Paul? Do you have need of the disciples? And he well said, *In the opening of my mouth.* Therefore he was not rehearsing what he was to say, but, as Christ said: *When they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak; for it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak* (Matt. X, 19): thus he did all things by faith, all things by grace, *with boldness,* he says, *to make known the mystery of the gospel.* That is, that I might offer my defense, as is proper. You are clad in a chain, and do you need others? Yes, he says; since Peter also was clad in a chain, but nevertheless ^C fervent prayer was being made on his behalf (Acts XII, 5). *For which I am an ambassador in a chain, that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.* That is, with boldness, with courage, with much prudence, that I may answer. *But that you also may know the things concerning me, what I am doing, all will be made known to you by Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord.*

2. Since he made mention of bonds, he also allows something to be said by Tychicus on his own behalf. For the things that pertained to doctrine and exhortation, he declared through the Epistle; but the things that were simple reports, he entrusted to the bearer of the Epistle. Wherefore he also added: *That you may know our affairs,* that is, that you may learn. This also showed his love for them, and theirs for him. *Whom I have sent to you for this very purpose,* he says, *that you may know our affairs, and that he may comfort your hearts.* He does not say this simply, but after having said before, *Having put on and having girded yourselves,* which is a sign of ever approaching and being unceasing. For hear the Prophet saying: *Let it be to him as a garment which he puts on, and as a belt which he girds about him continually* (Ps. CVIII, 19). The Prophet also says that God is clothed with a breastplate of righteousness, by this instructing us that we ought to possess these things always, and not for a short time; for there is always need of war. And another elsewhere says: *For the righteous,* he says, *is as bold as a lion* (Prov. XXVIII, 1). For he who is thus armored cannot fear the battle array, but [is able] to leap into the midst of the enemies. And Isaiah says: *How beautiful,* he says, *are the feet of those who bring good tidings of peace* (Isai. LII, 7). Who would not run, who would not serve such a cause, so as to bring tidings of peace, and the peace of God to men, a peace for which men have labored not at all, but God has done the whole thing? And what is the preparation of the gospel, let us hear John saying: *Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight* (Matt. III, 3). But these things were for him because of the baptism; and since there is need of another preparation after the baptism, he shows this, and says: *In the preparation of the gospel of peace;* hinting by this, that one should do nothing unworthy of the peace. Since for the most part the feet are a symbol of life, for this reason he constantly giving counsel says, *See how you walk precisely* (Ephes. V, 15), speaking of the life. Therefore let us live worthy of the gospel, and manifest a life and pure actions through our whole life. Peace has been preached, give to these gospels a ready road: for if you again become enemies, it is no longer a preparation of peace. Be ready, do not delay toward peace. Just as you were ready toward peace and faith, so also persevere. Faith is a shield, ^D receiving first the assaults of the adversaries, and keeping the arms unwounded. If, then, the faith is upright and the life upright, the arms remain unwounded. And he discourses much about faith elsewhere, especially when writing to the Hebrews (Chap. XI), and about hope. Believe, he says, in the future good things, and none of these shall be wounded. For in adversities and in labors, if you set forth hope and faith, you shall keep it unwounded. For he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder to those who seek Him. Faith covers those who believe without curious inquiry; but if there are sophistries and arguments and reproaches, it is not a shield, but it hinders us. Let faith be such that it entirely covers and overshadows. Let it not be short, so that the feet are naked, but something else, but let it be a shield having just symmetry. *Fiery.* There are many arguments that burn the soul, many doubts, many inexplicable questions; but true faith causes all things to cease. The devil casts in many things, inflaming the soul, and bringing in ambiguity, so that when some say, Is there a resurrection? is there a judgment? is there a reward?

But if you have the shield of faith, you will quench the devil’s darts within it. If an absurd desire invades you, if a fire of wicked thoughts is kindled within, oppose to it the faith of future good things, and it will not even appear, but will perish. All the darts: not that it will quench some and not others. Hear Paul saying, *For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us* (Rom. viii. 18). ^B Seest thou how many darts the righteous then quenched? Do they not seem to thee to be fiery darts, given that the patriarch was burned with an internal fire, offering his son? Other righteous men also quenched all his darts. If, then, thoughts wage war, let us set this before us; if lusts and desires, let us use it; if toils and hardships, let us rest in it. It is rightfully that which shields all our arms; if we do not have it, those others will quickly be perforated and injured.

*In all things,* he says, *taking up the shield of faith.* What is, *in all things?* Even in truth, he says, and in righteousness, and in the preparation of the gospel. That is, all these have need of it. Therefore he added, *And take the helmet of salvation.* That is, through it you will henceforth be able to be safe and to escape every danger. For just as a helmet, covering the head accurately on all sides, does not permit it to suffer anything grievous, but preserves it, so also faith serves instead of a shield and instead of a helmet of salvation. For if we have quenched his darts, we will quickly also receive the reasonings that preserve us, which do not permit the faculty that holds the sovereignty to suffer anything. For if these contrary thoughts are quenched, those which are not such, but which save us and make us have good hope, will quickly be born in us; and just as a helmet on the head, they will be present in the faculty that holds sovereignty in us.

[The] Spirit, so that in the future we may not only be safe from the darts that are sent, but that they may even strike the devil himself. For the soul that does not despair, nor receive the fiery darts, will stand with great alacrity against the enemy; it will break through his breastplate with this sword, through which Paul also broke through his thoughts and led them captive, and will cut the dragon asunder, and will amputate his head. Which is the word of God. He calls the word here either his command or his precept, which the apostles, working miracles everywhere in the name of Jesus Christ, were handing down. Let us only observe ourselves in all things, that we may keep the commandments of God; for if we do them, through them we will take from the midst and kill the dragon himself, the crooked serpent.

See here for me the prudence of Paul. For because he said, *You will be able to quench the fiery darts of the devil,* lest he should puff them up, he showed that they have need of God for this more than anything. For what does he say? *By all prayer and supplication.* As if he were to say, These things will be, and you will rightly manage everything, praying. But never, when approaching, ask for yourself alone, and thus you will have God propitious. *By all prayer,* he says, *and supplication,* praying at all times in the Spirit, and being watchful to this very thing in all perseverance, and supplication for all the saints. Do not define to me the times of the day: for hear what he says, *At all times* approach. *Without ceasing,* he says, *praying.* Hast thou not heard how that widow overcame by her assiduity? Hast thou not heard of that friend who obtained his request at midnight through his perseverance? Hast thou not heard of the Syrophoenician woman, how by her perpetual interrogation she invoked the Master? All those obtained through their assiduity. ^C *Praying,* he says, *at all times in the Spirit.* That is, let us seek the things that are of God, nothing worldly, nothing that pertains to this life. Not only, therefore, he says, is there need that we pray without ceasing, but also that we be watchful; *And to this very thing,* he says, *watchful.* Whether he means here vigils, or the sobriety of the soul, I admit both. Seest thou how that Canaanite woman watched, and though the Lord did not answer, but even repelled her and called her a dog, she said, *Yes, Lord, for even the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table* (Matt. xv. 27): and she did not desist before she obtained her petition? And how that widow cried out, and persevered so long, until she put to shame the ruler who neither feared God nor regarded man? And how the friend in the middle of the night persevered, until he caused him to watch, by his assiduity striking him with shame? This is what it means to be watchful.

Wilt thou learn the watchfulness of the soul? Go to Anna, and hear her words: *Adonai, Eloi Sabaoth* were left behind. *They rose up,* he says, *all from the table:* but she was not turned to sleep, not to rest. Whence it seems to me that she even sat at the table lightly, nor was she burdened by any foods, otherwise she would not have shed so many tears. For if we, when we are fasting, scarcely pray, nay rather, we do not even then ever pray: much more she would not have prayed after the table, had she not also been like the fasting at the table. Let this woman put us men to shame; let us be ashamed who pray for the kingdom and yawn, whereas she prays for her son and pours forth tears. And she stood, he says, before the Lord, and what does she say? *Adonai Lord, Eloi sabaoth.* Which is, if thou interpret it, Lord God of powers or of hosts. Her tears ran before her tongue; by these she hoped she would bend God. Where there are tears, there is altogether also affliction: but where there is affliction, there is also much philosophy and attention. *If, hearing,* she says, *Thou wilt hearken to the prayer of Thine handmaid, and wilt give me a son, I will give him to the Lord all the time of his life.* She did not say, For one year or two, as we do; nor did she say, If Thou givest me a son, I will give money; but, I return the gift itself whole, the first-born, the son of prayer. This woman was a daughter of Abraham. And He, being asked, gave him; she however gave even before the petition. But see hence also her piety. *Her voice,* he says, *was not heard; but her lips moved.* Thus does he approach God who wishes to obtain, not soft and lazy, neither yawning, nor dissolute, neither rubbing himself, nor sluggish and negligent. For could not God give even without prayer? Or did He not know even before the petition the desire of the woman? But if He had given before the petition, the alacrity of the woman’s soul would not have appeared, it would not have been...

manifested, she would not have obtained so great a ^A reward. So the delay is not of envy or begrudging, but of providence.

4.

Of the mother of Samuel.

*Peace to the brothers and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.* He prays for them peace and love with faith. He said it well; for he wishes them not simply to possess the word of love, and to mix themselves with those of a different faith. Either this, or he means that, so that they may also have faith, so that they may have confidence also regarding the things to come. The peace toward God, and the love. For if there be peace, love will also be there; if love, peace will also be there. *With faith.* For there is no profit in love without faith; or rather, not even could love exist otherwise. *And grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in incorruption. Amen.* Here he divided, having placed peace separately, and grace. *In incorruption,* he says, *Amen.* What is, *In incorruption?* Either in modesty, or on behalf of incorrupt things; for instance, not in wealth, nor in glory, but in those incorrupt things. The [word] *in* is *through*. *Through incorruption,* he says—that is, through virtue. For every sin is ^C corruption; and just as we say that a virgin is corrupted, so also [we say this of] the soul. For this reason Paul was saying: *Lest by any means your thoughts be corrupted* (2 Cor. 11.3); and again elsewhere, *In teaching incorruption* (Tim. 2.7), he says.

5. For what is, tell me, the corruption of a body? Is it not a dissolution of the whole, and of its composition? This also happens in the soul, when sin enters. For the beauty of the soul is temperance, justice; the health of the soul is fortitude, prudence. For the one who is base is disfigured, and the greedy one, and the one who delivers himself to evil things, and the timid one, is unmanly and weak and has bad health. That sins work corruption is clear from this; for they make [men] base and weak, and cause them to toil. For we say properly that a virgin is corrupted, and for this reason—not that the body alone is corrupted, but because of the transgression; for what is produced is a union; but if this were corruption, marriage also would be corruption. So it is not the union that is corruption, but the sin; for it shamed her. And consider it also in another way: what would be the corruption of a house, if not a dissolution? And everywhere corruption is a certain change for the worse, becoming a different state and the disappearance of the former [state]. For hear the Scripture saying: *All flesh corrupted its way* (Gen. 6.12); and again, *In uncontrollable corruption* (2 Tim. 3.8). Our body is corruptible, but the soul is incorruptible. Therefore we corrupt it: it could not have done this first sin; but whatever happens after the bath, it can also corrupt the soul: for it would not have touched [it], had it not found a corruptible soul. The worm does not touch the incorruptible, and if it touches, it effects nothing. Do not corrupt the soul: for what is corrupted is full of stench. For hear the prophet saying, *My wounds have rotted and are corrupt from the face of my foolishness* (Ps. 37.6). But this very corruption shall put on incorruption; this is not the same thing: for where there is that which is incorrupt, there is not corruption. Therefore corruption is that which has no end, ^D is the death that is immortal; which is what the body would have been if it had remained immortal. Wherefore, if we have departed from this...

^A corruption, let us choose incorruption. Have you defrauded someone or other through avarice and acquired more? The things acquired through avarice perish, but the avarice remains, becoming a cause of corruption; the pleasure you enjoy passes away, but the sin, into which corruption does not fall, remains. It is a grave evil not to put off everything in the present life; it is a great calamity to depart from here having great burdens of sins; for, "In hell," He says, "who shall confess to Thee?" (Ps. VI, 6). There is the judgment; there is no longer time for repentance. How much did the rich man weep? And he accomplished nothing. How many things did those who did not feed Christ say! Yet they were carried off into the eternal fire. How many things did those who practiced iniquity say, "Lord, did we not prophesy in Thy name, and in Thy name cast out devils?" (Matt. VII, 22)? And yet they were not recognized. All these things indeed happen then, but they are of no help unless they have been done now. Let us fear, therefore, lest perhaps we say then, "Lord, when did we see Thee hungry and did not feed Thee?" (Ibid. XXV, 37). Let us feed Him now, not for one, or two, or three days: for, "Alms," He says, "and faith let them not depart from thee" (Prov. III, 3). He did not say, "Do it once, or twice": for the virgins had oil, but not enough. Wherefore we have need of much oil, and we must be as a fruit-bearing olive tree in the house of God. Let us consider, therefore, how many burdens of sins each one of us has, and let us perform works of kindness and mercy that may correspond to them in the balance, or rather, even far more, ^B so that our sins may not only be extinguished, but that works of righteousness may also be reckoned to us for righteousness. For if there be not so many good deeds that we may both put off our crimes and have the remainder imputed to us for righteousness, no one will deliver us from punishment: which may it be given to us all to escape, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father together with the Holy Spirit, etc.