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Hebrews xi. 17--19.
" By faith [Abraham], when he was tried, offered up Isaac; and
he that had received the promises offered up his only-begotten son, of
whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: accounting
that God was able to raise him up even from the dead; from whence also
he received him in a figure,"
GREAT indeed was the faith of Abraham. For while in the case of
Abel, and of Noah, and of Enoch, there was an opposition of
reasonings only, and it was necessary to go beyond human reasonings;
in this case it was necessary not only to go beyond human reasonings,
but to manifest also something more. For what was of God seemed to be
opposed to what was of God; and faith opposed faith, and command
promise.
I mean this: He had said, "Get thee out of thy country, and from
thy kindred, and I will give thee this land." (Gen. xii. 1,
7.) "He gave him none inheritance in it, no not so much as to set
his foot on." (Acts vii. 5.) Seest thou how what was done was
opposed to the promise? Again He said, "In Isaac shall thy seed
be called" (Gen. xxi. 12 ), and he believed: and again He
says, Sacrifice to Me this one, who was to fill all the world from
his seed. Thou seest the opposition between the commands and the
promise? He enjoined things that were in contradiction to the
promises, and yet not even so did the righteous man stagger, nor say
he had been deceived.
For you indeed, he means, could not say this, that He promised ease
and gave tribulation. For in our case, the things which He
promised, these also He performs. How so? "In the world" (He
says), "ye shall have tribulation." (John xvi. 33.) " He
that taketh not his cross and followeth Me, is not worthy of Me."
(Matt. x. 38.) "He that hateth not his life shall not find
it." (John xii. 25.) And, "He that forsaketh not all that
he hath, and followeth after Me, is not worthy of Me." (Luke
xiv. 27, 33.) And again, "Ye shall be brought before rulers
and kings for My sake." (Matt. x, 18.) And again, "A
man's foes shall be they of his own household." (Matt. x.
36.) But the things which pertain to rest are yonder.
But with regard to Abraham, it was different. He was enjoined to do
what was opposed to the promises; and yet not even so was he troubled,
nor did he stagger, nor think he had been deceived. But yon endure
nothing except what was promised, yet you are troubled.
He heard the opposite of the promises from Him who had made them; and
yet he was not disturbed, but did them as if they had been in harmony
[therewith]. For they were in harmony; being opposed indeed
according to human calculations, but in harmony [when viewed] by
Faith. And how this was, the Apostle himself has taught us, by
saying, "accounting that God was able to raise Him up, even from
the dead." By the same faith (he means) by which he believed that
God gave what was not, and raised up the dead, by the same was he
persuaded that He would also raise him up after he had been slain in
sacrifice. For it was alike impossible (to human calculation, I
mean) from a womb which was dead and grown old and already become
useless for child-bearing to give a child, and to raise again one who
had been slain. But his previous faith prepared the way for things to
come.
And see; the good things came first, and the hard things afterwards,
in his old age. But for you, on the contrary, (he says) the sad
things are first, and the good things last. This for those who dare
to say, 'He has promised us the good things after death; perhaps He
has deceived us.' He shows that "God is able to raise up even from
the dead," and if God be able to raise from the dead, without all
doubt He will pay all [that He has promised].
But if Abraham so many years before, believed "that God is able to
raise from the dead," much more ought we to believe it. Thou seest
(what I at first said) that death had not yet entered in and yet He
drew them at once to the hope of the resurrection, and led them to such
full assurance, that when bidden, they even slay their own sons, and
readily offer up those from whom they expected to people the world.
And he shows another thing too, by saying, that "God tempted
Abraham." (Gen. xxii. 1.) What then? Did not God know that
the man was noble and approved? Why then did He tempt him? Not that
He might Himself learn, but that He might show to others, and make
his fortitude manifest to all. And here also he shows the cause of
trials, that they may not suppose they suffer these things as being
forsaken [of God]. For in their case indeed, it was necessary that
they should he tried, because there were many who persecuted or plotted
against them: but in Abraham's case, what need was there to devise
trials for him which did not exist? Now this trial, it is evident,
was by His command. The others indeed happened by His allowance,
but this even by His command. If then temptations make men approved
in such wise that, even where there is no occasion, God exercises
His own athletes; much more ought we to bear all things nobly.
And here he said emphatically, "By faith, when he was tried, he
offered up Isaac," for there was no other cause for his bringing the
offering but that.
After this he pursues the same thought. No one (he says) could
allege, that he had another son, and expected the promise to be
fulfilled from him, and therefore confidently offered up this one.
"And" (his words are) "he offered up his only-begotten, who had
received the promises." Why sayest thou "only-begotten"? What
then? Of whom was Ishmael sprung? I mean "only-begotten"
(he would say) so far as relates to the word of the promise.
Therefore after saying, "Only-begotten," showing that he says it
for this reason, he added, "of whom it was said, In Isaac shall
thy seed be called," that is, "from" him.
Seest thou how he admires what was done by the Patriarch? "In
Isaac shall thy seed be called," and that son he brought to be
sacrificed.
Afterwards, that no one may suppose he does this in despair, and in
consequence of this command had cast away that Faith, but may
understand that this also was truly of faith, he says that he retained
that faith also, although it seem to be at variance with this. But it
was not at variance. For he did not measure the power of God by human
reasonings, but committed all to faith. And hence he was not afraid
to say, that God was "able to raise him up, even from the dead."
"From whence also he received him in a figure," that is in idea, by
the ram, he means. How? The ram having been slain, he was saved:
so that by means of the ram he received him again, having slain it in
his stead. But these things were types: for here it is the Son of
God who is slain.
And observe, I beseech you, how great is His lovingkindness. For
inasmuch as a great favor was to be given to men, He, wishing to do
this, not by favor, but as a debtor, arranges that a man should first
give up his own son on account of God's command, in order that He
Himself might seem to be doing nothing great in giving up His own
Son, since a man had done this before Him; that He might be
supposed to do it not of grace, but of debt. For we wish to do this
kindness also to those whom we love, others, to appear first to have
received some little thing from them, and so give them all: and we
boast more of the receiving than of the giving; and we do not say, We
gave him this, but, We received this from him.
"From whence also" (are his words) "he received him in a
figure," i.e. as in a riddle (for the ram was as it were a figure
of Isaac) or, as in a type. For since the sacrifice had been
completed, and Isaac slain in purpose, therefore He gave him to the
Patriarch.
Thou seest, that what I am constantly saying, is shown in this case
also? When we have proved that our mind is made perfect, and have
shown that we disregard earthly things, then earthly things also are
given to us; but not before; lest being bound to them already,
receiving them we should be bound still. Loose thyself from thy
slavery first (He says), and then receive, that thou mayest receive
no longer as a slave, but as a master. Despise riches, and thou
shalt be rich. Despise glory, and thou shalt be glorious. Despise
the avenging thyself on thine enemies, and then shalt thou attain it.
Despise repose, and then thou shalt receive it that in receiving thou
mayest receive not as a prisoner, nor as a slave, but as a freeman.
For as in the case of little children, when the child eagerly desires
childish playthings, we hide them from him with much care, as a ball,
for instance, and such like things, that he may not be hindered from
necessary things; but when he thinks little of them, and no longer
longs for them, we give them fearlessly, knowing that henceforth no
harm can come to him from them, the desire no longer having strength
enough to draw him away from things necessary; so God also, when He
sees that we no longer eagerly desire the things of this world,
thenceforward permits us to use them. For we possess them as fleemen
and men, not as children.
For [in proof] that if thou despise the avenging thyself on thine
enemies, thou wilt then attain it, hear what he says, "If thine
enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink," and he
added, "for in so doing, thou shalt heap coals of fire on his
head." (Rom. xii. 20.) And again, that if thou despise
riches, thou shalt then obtain them, hear Christ saying, "There is
no man which hath left father, or mother, or house, or brethren, who
shall not receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting
life." (Matt. xix. 29.) And that if thou despise glory, thou
shall then attain it, again hear Christ Himself saying, "He that
will be first among you, let him be your minister." (Matt. xx.
26.) And again, "For whosoever shall humble himself, he shall
be exalted." (Matt. xxiii. 12.) What sayest thou? If I
give drink to mine enemy, do I then punish him? If I give up my
goods, do I then possess them? If I humble myself, shall I then
be exalted? Yea, He says, for such is My power, to give
contraries by means of contraries. I abound in resources and in
contrivances: be not afraid.
The 'Nature of things' follows My will: not I attend upon
Nature. I do all things: I am not controlled by them: wherefore
also I am able to change their form and order.
And why dost thou wonder if [it is so] in these instances? For thou
wilt find the same also in all others. If thou injure, thou art
injured; if thou art injured, then thou art uninjured; if thou
punish, then thou hast not punished another, but hast punished
thyself. For "he that loveth iniquity," it is said, "hateth his
own soul." (Ps. xi. 5, LXX.) Seest thou that thou dost not
injure, but art injured? Therefore also Paul says, "Why do ye not
rather take wrong?" (1 Cor. vi. 7.)Dost thou see that this is
not to be wronged?
When thou insultest, then art thou insulted. And most persons partly
know this: as when they say one to another, "Let us go away, do not
disgrace yourself." Why? Because the difference is great between
thee and him: for however much thou insultest him, he accounts it a
credit. Let us consider this in all cases, and be above insults. I
will tell you how.
Should we have a contest with him who wears the purple, let us
consider that in insulting him, we insult ourselves, for we become
worthy to be disgraced. Tell me, what dost thou mean? When thou art
a citizen of Heaven, and hast the Philosophy that is above, dost
thou disgrace thyself with him "that mindeth earthly things"?
(Phil. iii. 19.) For though he be in possession of countless
riches, though he be in power, he does not as yet know the good that
is therein. Do not in insulting him, insult thyself. Spare
thyself, not him. Honor thyself, not him. Is there not some
Proverb such as this, He that honoreth; honoreth himself? With
good reason: for he honors not the other, but himself. Hear what a
certain wise man says, "Do honor to thy soul according to the dignity
thereof." (Ecclus. x. 28.) "According to the dignity
thereof," what is this? if he have defrauded
(it means), do not thou defraud; if he has insulted, do not thou
insult.
Tell me, I pray thee, if some poor man has taken away clay thrown
out of thy yard, wouldst thou for this have summoned a court of
justice? Surely not. Why? Lest thou shouldst disgrace thyself;
lest all men should condemn thee. The same also happens in this case.
For the rich man is poor, and the more rich he is, the poorer is he
in that which is indeed poverty. Gold is clay, cast out in the yard,
not lying in thy house, for thy house is Heaven. For this, then,
wilt thou summon a Court of Justice, and will not the citizens on
high condemn thee? Will they not cast thee out from their country,
who art so mean, who art so shabby, as to choose to fight for a little
clay? For if the world were thine, and then some one had taken it,
oughtest thou to pay any attention to it?
Knowest thou not, that if thou wert to take the world ten times or an
hundred times, or ten thousand times, and twice that, it is not to be
compared with the least of the good things in Heaven? He then who
admires the things here slights those yonder, since he judges these
worthy of exertion, though so far inferior to the other. Nay, rather
indeed he will not be able to admire those other. For how [can he],
whilst he is passionately excited towards these earthly things? Let us
cut through the cords and entanglements: for this is what earthly
things are.
How long shall we be stooping down? How long shall we plot one
against another, like wild beasts; like fishes? Nay rather, the
wild beasts do not plot against each other, but [against] animals of
a different tribe. A bear for instance does not readily kill a bear,
nor a serpent kill a serpent, having respect for the sameness of race.
But thou, with one of the same race, and having innumerable claims,
as common origin, rational faculties, the knowledge of God, ten
thousand other things, the force of nature, him who is thy kinsman,
and partaker of the same nature--him thou killest, and involvest in
evils innumerable. For what, if thou dost not thrust thy sword, nor
plunge thy right hand into his neck, other things more grievous than
this thou doest, when thou involvest him in innumerable evils. For if
thou hadst done the other, thou wouldst have freed him from anxiety,
but now thou encompassest him with hunger, with slavery, with feelings
of discouragement, with many sins. These things I say, and shall
not cease to say, not preparing you to commit murder: nor as urging
you to some crime short of that; but that you may not be confident, as
if you were not to give account. "For" (it says) "he that taketh
away a livelihood" (Ecclus. xxxiv. 22) and asketh bread, it
says.
Let us at length keep our hands to ourselves, or rather, let us not
keep them, but stretch them out honorably, not for grasping, but for
alms-giving. Let us not have our hand unfruitful nor withered; for
the hand which doeth not alms is withered; and that which is also
grasping, is polluted and unclean.
Let no one eat with such hands; for this is an insult to those
invited. For, tell me, if a man when he had made us lie down on
tapestry and a soft couch and linen interwoven with gold, in a great
and splendid house, and had set by us a great multitude of attendants,
and had prepared a tray of silver and gold, and filled it with many
dainties of great cost and of all sorts, then urged us to eat,
provided we would only endure his besmearing his hands with mire or with
human ordure, and so sitting down to meat with us--would any man
endure this infliction? Would he not rather have considered it an
insult? Indeed I think he would, and would have gone straightway
off. But now in fact, thou seest not hands filled with what is indeed
filth, but even the very food, and yet thou dost not go off, nor
flee, nor find fault. Nay, if he be a person in authority, thou
even accountest it a grand affair, and destroyest thine own soul, in
eating such things. For covetousness is worse than any mire; for it
pollutes, not the body but the soul, and makes it hard to be washed.
Thou therefore, though thou seest him that sitteth at meat defiled
with this filth both on his hands and his face, and his house filled
with it, nay and his table also full of it (for dung, or if there be
anything more unclean than that, it is not so unclean and polluted as
those viands), dost thou feel as if forsooth thou wert highly
honored, and as if thou wert going to enjoy thyself?
And dost thou not fear Paul who allows us to go without restraint to
the Tables of the heathen if we wish, but not even if we wish to those
of the covetous? For, "if any man who is called a Brother" (1
Cor. v. 11), he says, meaning here by Brother every one who is
a believer simply, not him who leads a solitary life. For what is it
which makes brotherhood? The Washing of regeneration; the being
enabled to call God our Father. So that he that is a Monk, if he
be a Catechumen, is not a Brother,' but the believer though he be
in the world, is a Brother. "If any man," saith he, "that is
called a Brother." (1 Cor. v. 11.) For at that time there
was not even a trace of any one leading a Monastic life, but this
blessed [Apostle] addressed all his discourse to persons in the
world. "If any man," he says, "that is called a Brother, be a
fornicator, or covetous or a drunkard, with such an one, no not to
eat." But not so with respect to the heathen: but "If any of them
that believe not," meaning the heathen, "bid you and ye be disposed
to go, whatsoever is set before you eat." (1 Cor. x. 27.)
"If any man that is called Brother be" (he says) "a drunkard."
Oh! what strictness Yet we not only do not avoid drunkards, but even
go to their houses, partaking of what they set before us.
Therefore all things are upside down, all things are in confusion,
and overthrown, and ruined. For tell me, if any such person should
invite thee to a banquet, thee who art accounted poor and mean, and
then should hear thee say, "Inasmuch as the things set before me are
[the fruit] of overreaching, I will not endure to defile my own
soul," would he not be mortified? Would he not be confounded?
Would he not be ashamed? This alone were sufficient to correct him,
and to make him call himself wretched for his wealth, and admire thee
for thy poverty, if he saw himself with so great earnestness despised
by thee.
But we "are become" (I know not why) "servants of men" (1
Cor. vii. 23), though Paul cries aloud throughout, "Be not ye
the servants of men." Whence then have we become "servants of
men"? Because we first became servants of the belly, and of money,
and of glory, and of all the rest; we gave up the liberty which
Christ bestowed on us.
What then awaiteth him who is become a servant (tell me)? Hear
Christ saying, "The servant abideth not in the house for ever."
(John viii. 35.) Thou hast a declaration complete in itself,
that he never entereth into the Kingdom; for this is what "the
House" means. For, He says, "in My Father's House are many
mansions." (John xiv. 2.) "The servant" then "abideth not in
the House for ever." By a servant He means him who is "the servant
of sin." But he that "abideth not in the House for ever," abideth
in Hell for ever, having no consolation from any quarter.
Nay, to this point of wickedness are matters come, that they even
give alms out of these [ill-gotten gains], and many receive
[them]. Therefore our boldness has broken down, and we are not able
to rebuke any one. But however, henceforward at least, let us flee
the mischief arising from this; and ye who have rolled yourselves in
this mire, cease from such defilement, and restrain your rage for such
banquets, if even now we may by any means be able to have God
propitious to us, and to attain to the good things which have been
promised: which may we all obtain in Christ Jesus our Lord, with
whom to the Father together with the Holy Ghost, be glory, power,
honor, now and for ever, and world without end. Amen.
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