MONITION.
I hesitated for some time whether I should make this public or not; but since it exists in ancient manuscripts, and is otherwise very brief, let it have a place among the spuria.
[813] BY THE SAME CHRYSOSTOM. ON THE PRIESTHOOD, SEVENTH DISCOURSE.
O marvelous wonder! O unspeakable power! O fearful mystery of the priesthood—intellectual and holy, venerable and blameless—which Christ, coming to the worthy, has bestowed. I fall down and plead with tears and groanings, that I may mirror myself in this treasure of the priesthood, for those who guard it worthily and piously. For it is a bright and incomparable shield, and an unshaken tower, an indivisible wall; for its foundation is firm, reaching from the earth even unto the heavenly vault. And what do I say, brothers? That it touches the highest vaults, it goes freely into the very heavens of heavens, and walks brilliantly and easily in the midst of the incorporeal angels. And what do I say, in the midst of the powers above? It becomes a confident of the Lord of the angels Himself, the Creator and Light-giver, and as much as it wishes, it immediately receives its requests with great boldness. I do not cease, brothers, from hymning and glorifying the rank of the dignity which the Trinity has given to the sons of Adam, through which the world has been saved, and the creation has been illumined, through which mountains and hills and glens and ravines have been filled with the bright and venerable conduct of the blessed race—I mean, of the monks, as Isaiah the most bright-voiced said, that "From the tops of the mountains they shall lift up their voices, men for glorification." Through which also lawlessness has been removed from the earth, through which temperance dwells on the earth, through which the devil, having fallen, has been brought to naught, the licentious have become sanctified vessels, the fornicators pure and undefiled, the foolish have become guides of righteousness; through which also the power of death has been brought to naught, and Hades has lost its strength, and the curse of Adam has been loosed, and the heavenly bridal chamber has been made ready; through which the nature of men is transformed into the power of the incorporeal. What shall I say, or what shall I praise? For the gift of the degree of the priesthood surpasses both speech and conception. And, as I think, this is what Paul, struck with awe, hints at, saying: "O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!" It is high-flying from earth to heaven, most swiftly offering our requests to God; it intercedes with the Lord on behalf of the servants. And let us take heed, brothers, clearly to this mystical and fearful story, that without the venerable priesthood, forgiveness of sins is not given to mortals. Set your mind, brothers—for you are lovers of piety, radiating the light of the teachings. What is it that we said before concerning the mystery of the priesthood? The vine-branch, and the grain of wheat, and the priesthood possess harmony; the branch and the wheat are handmaidens, but the priesthood is by nature free. When, therefore, the three meet to reside upon the treasures, each offers to the king the power of its own fruits for a sweet-smelling savor; the branch gives forth the blood, and likewise the wheat the bread, while the priesthood freely and with boldness flies high from the earth to heaven, until it 814 sees Him who is invisible, and having worshipped before the high throne, it stands and pleads for the servants to the Lord, bearing the tears and groans of fellow-servants and offering them to the Lord; likewise asking for consolation at once and repentance, forgiveness and mercy from the compassionate King, so that the Comforter Spirit might come down and sanctify the gifts lying on the earth. And when the fearful mysteries are offered, full of immortality, through the presiding priest making intercession for all, then indeed souls approach, receiving purification from their stains through the mysteries.
See, you lovers of God, how the two on the earth do not work, unless the heavenly decree comes and sanctifies the gifts. Have you seen, O man, a bright miracle? Have you seen how easily a holy rank cleanses the stains of souls? Blessed is the Savior who wrought on the earth this most bright and cleansing gift, having illumined the priests with grace, to shine as luminaries in the world. The people before us received a horn of oil, and attained progress; but we, the worthless slaves of the Blessed One, have received not a horn, nor sensible oil, but the Head Himself, the High and fearful One, descended from heaven, and bestowed upon us in the laying on of hands His own Spirit, that which came as fire upon the apostles. O unspeakable power that made [Him] rest and dwell in us through the laying on of the hands of the priests! O what a great rank the fearful priesthood possesses! Blessed is he who conducts himself in it purely and blamelessly. Peter, who was called Cephas, who was caught by the edge of the sea, who was testified to by the great Shepherd that "Upon this rock I will build My Church," through the priesthood received also the keys of the heavens. In like manner also Paul, he who was once a persecutor, having been deemed worthy of this, became winged and ran, preaching in earth and sea the resurrection from the dead.
Let us return to Abel the just, who became a priest in the beginning of creation, and let us learn from him that he was sacrificing his offering to God in the beginning. Did not fire, having descended from heaven, consume his sacrifice? And when he offered the firstfruits to God, as the Scripture says, "God looked upon the sacrifice of Abel, but upon that of Cain He was not pleased." And again Noah, who was saved in the ark, when the water abated, and he sat upon the mountains of Ararat, he immediately participated in this priesthood, and offered a sacrifice sincerely to God for a sweet-smelling savor. Wherefore God established a covenant with him, that He would no longer bring a flood upon the earth, and He gives him a blessing to increase and multiply. Have you seen the wonder-working of the priesthood? Have you seen the first priest Abel in the former creation, how he brought down fire from heaven upon the earth because of his blameless whole-burnt offering? Have you seen again Noah, the venerable priest in the second creation, how God established a covenant with him? Abraham was deemed worthy to participate in this,
and offered Isaac to God, and performed the priestly office with his own inward parts. There God shows him a great miracle: the birth of the Lord in the plant of Sabeque, the growth in an instant, and that of the blessing which He Himself blessed: *In thy seed shall all nations be blessed.* Moses also was deemed worthy of this, having ascended the mountain of Sinai to God and received the law from Him; whence also his face was glorified, so that it appeared above the sun. In like manner also Aaron was deemed worthy of this, having become an intercessor before God for the sins of the people. For Moses and Aaron A are among His priests. Likewise also Phinees with this all-holy thing prevented death from that people; and Elias again, having been clothed with this, was heard in fire, and slaughtered the shame-bearing priests. Let us learn therefore, brothers, that the dignity of the priesthood is great and burdensome. Glory to the Only-Begotten and only Good One, who granted it to His own apostles, through His own new and holy covenant, that they also might show us a pattern in the laying on of their hands upon the worthy. Let us all therefore sincerely honor those who hold the degree of the priesthood, knowing that if anyone loves the friends of the king, the king loves him very much more. Let us love therefore the priests of God, since they are friends of God, and intercede for us always; honor the priests, fulfilling the command of Christ which says, that *He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward.* But if you are ignorant of a casual priest, whether he is worthy of the degree or unworthy, do not for that reason disregard the command of Christ. For just as gold is not harmed when mingled with mud, nor does a bright pearl change, when it is joined with certain unclean things; in the same way also the priesthood is not stained by anyone, even if he who receives it is unworthy. If indeed B anyone is deemed worthy to come to this dignity, and walks in it worthily and blamelessly, he procures for himself life and an incorruptible crown; but if anyone dares to come to it unworthily, he procures for himself the outer darkness and a merciless judgment. But indeed I give you a pattern, O man, lest you dare in your arrogance to take unworthily the degree of the priesthood, since God does not approve of those who have been ordained arrogantly. Know therefore what those wretches suffered, who opposed Moses C and Aaron, and acted rashly, shamelessly, and stubbornly in offering incense to God; did not fire consume them all, because they dared to approach a degree of which they were not worthy? Again, also Mary the prophetess of God, for merely saying a slight word to Moses concerning the priesthood, such a blemish did the Most High appoint for her, that having become leprous, she might be separated for seven days outside the camp. And now, brothers, live purely in this, imitating Moses and Aaron and Eleazar. Consider these pious priests, how they warded off in it the encampments of the enemies. Having this, Moses stretched out his hands to God, and struck Amalek an incurable blow; Abraham, having girded himself with this, routed the kings; Melchizedek, having taken this, blessed Abraham with a special blessing. Were you deemed worthy, brother, to receive the degree of the priesthood? Have diligence to be well-pleasing to Him who enlisted you, in purity and in righteousness and in spiritual wisdom and in bright virginity. Be a fervent zealot like Elias, a guardian like Jeremiah, sober like Joseph, and pure like Jesus, hospitable like Abraham, tenderhearted like David, and meek like Moses; gather the one who has wandered, bind the lame, raise up the one who fell, aid the infirm, and all things similar. But I am struck with awe, beloved, at what some of the foolish are accustomed to dare, and attempt shamelessly and rashly to take the priesthood, not having been called by the grace of Christ, ignorant that the wretches are heaping fire and death upon themselves. I do not tell you, man, not to take the priesthood rashly, but not even to touch anything else of the vessels of the all-holy worship, if indeed you have read what Uzzah suffered, in his touching of the ark of God. Always be mindful, beloved brother, of this divine word of the Most High, the one spoken through Isaiah the prophet: *On whom shall I rest, but on the meek and humble and him who trembles at my words?* Always be mindful of this command, and acquire as a treasure the meek mind, that you may thus be able to ascend mentally to the Jerusalem above, and offer mental sacrifices to the King and God upon the altar above, where crowns of incorruption are woven; and there before the angels Christ will crown you with a crown of immortality, and with the armies above you will sing a hymn of victory to the holy Trinity, unto the ages of the ages. Amen. D
A SERMON BY THE SAME: That it behooves the disciple of Christ to be gentle, and not to be quickly angered.
The divine voice of the Lord in the Gospels teaches us, which fulfills the law, not abolishing it, not to be angry with a brother, and through this addition of the word He fulfilled, *Thou shalt not kill*, removing the very root of murder, and purifying the heart from within, and not the hands from without. For He imposed a punishment not like that which the law does, the immediate one, but that which is at the judgment, saying: *For he who is angry with his brother without cause, shall be liable to the judgment.* For the punishments from Christ are not swift, as in the law; but there is much delay of the retributions according to justice, but the judgment is terrible later on. Just as He commands greater things, so also He is more greatly longsuffering, seeking the purification of the heart, which is difficult to accomplish. Wherefore even if we should be led into anger, He does not punish immediately; for if He punished immediately, there would be no return through repentance. For this reason He puts off the punishment, so that we may have time for repentance, so that the one who was angered yesterday at his brother, may repent today, and pledge to himself to be no longer angry with his brother; and little by little we become like God. For He changes us from those things which alienate our life from the likeness of God, and leads us to the good which is according to nature, after the present; for we are led to that which is according to nature, and to the communion of the divine Spirit, and the continuous life with God, striving for such things. Let us attend to ourselves, and not neglect