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ACTS XX. 1.
"And the barbarous people showed us no little
kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received
us every one, because of the present rain, and
because of the cold. And when Paul had
gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on
the fire, there came a viper out of the heat,
and fastened on his hand."
"Showed," he says, "no little kindness to
us--barbarians" (as they were)--" having
kindled a fire:" else it were of no use that
their lives be saved, if the wintry weather must
destroy them. Then Paul having taken
brushwood, laid it on the fire. See how active
he is; observe how we nowhere find him doing
miracles for the sake of doing them, but only
upon emergency. Both during the storm when
there was a cause he prophesied, not for the
sake of prophesying, and here again in the first
instance he lays on brushwood:-nothing for vain
display, but (with a simple view) to their
being preserved, and enjoying some warmth.
Then a viper "fastened on his hand. And when
the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his
hand, they said among themselves, No doubt
this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath
escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to
live." (v. 4.) Well also was this
permitted, that they should both see the thing
and utter the thought, in order that, when the
result ensued, there might be no disbelieving
the miracle. Observe their good feeling
(towards the distressed), in saying this (not
aloud, but) among themselves--observe
(also) the natural judgment clearly expressed
even among barbarians, and how they do not
condemn without assigning a reason. And these
also behold, that they may wonder the more.
"And he shook off the beast into the fire, and
felt no harm.
Howbeit they looked when he should have
swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but
after they had looked a great while, and saw no
harm come to him, they changed their minds, and
said that he was a god." (v. 5, 6.)
They expected him, it says, to fall down
dead: and again, having seen that nothing of
the kind happened to him, they said, He is a
god. Again (viz. as in ch. xiv. 11),
another excess on the part of these men. "In
the same quarters were possessions of the chief
man of the island, whose name was Publius; who
received us, and lodged us three days
courteously. And it came to pass, that the
father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a
bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and
prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed
him." (v. 7, 8.) Behold again another
hospitable man, Publius, who was both rich and
of great possessions: he had seen nothing, but
purely out of compassion for their misfortune,
he received them, and took care of them. So
that he was worthy to receive kindness:
wherefore Paul as a requital for his receiving
them, "healed him. So when this was done,
others also, which had diseases in the island,
came, and were healed: who also honored us with
many honors; and when we departed, they laded
us with such things as were necessary" (v.
9, 10), both us and the rest. See how
when they were quit of the storm, they did not
become more negligent, but what a liberal
entertainment was given to them for Paul's
sake: and three months were they there, all of
them provided with sustenance. See how all this
is done for the sake of Paul, to the end that
the prisoners should believe, and the soldiers,
and the centurion. For if they were very
stone, yet from the counsel they heard him
giving, and from the prediction they had heard
him making, and from the miracles they knew him
to have wrought, and from the sustenance they by
his means enjoyed, they must have got a very
high notion of him. See, when the judgment is
right, and not preoccupied by some passion, how
immediately it gets right judgings, and gives
sound verdicts. "And after three months we
departed in a ship of Alexandria, which had
wintered in the isle, whose sign was Castor and
Pollux. And landing at Syracuse, we tarried
there three days. And from thence we fetched a
compass, and came to Rhegium: and after one
day the south wind blew, and we came the next
day to Puteoli: where we found brethren, and
were desired to tarry with them seven days: and
so we went toward Rome. And from thence, when
the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us
as far as Appii forum, and the Three
Taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked
God, and took courage." (v. 11-15.)
Already the preaching has reached to Sicily:
see how it has run through (even to those
lands): at Puteoli also they found some:
others also came to meet them. Such was the
eagerness of the brethren, it nothing
disconcerted them, that Paul was in bonds.
But observe also how Paul himself also was
affected after the manner of men. For it says,
"he took courage, when he saw the brethren."
Although he had worked so many miracles,
nevertheless even from sight he received an
accession (of confidence). From this we
learn, that he was both comforted after the
manner of men, and the contrary. "And when we
came to Rome, Paul was suffered to dwell by
himself with a soldier that kept him." (v.
16.) Leave was given him to dwell by
himself. No slight proof this also of his being
held in much admiration: it is clear they did
not number him among the rest. "And it came to
pass, that after three days he called together
them that were the chief of the Jews." After
three days he called the chief of the Jews,
that their ears might not be preoccupied. And
what had he in common with them? for they would
not (else) have been like to accuse him.
Nevertheless, it was not for this that he
cared; it was for the teaching that he was
concerned, and that what he had to say might not
offend them.
(Recapitulation.) "And the barbarians,"
etc. (v. 2.) The Jews then, beholding
all the many miracles they did, persecuted and
har assed (Paul); but the barbarians, who
had seen none, merely on the ground of his
misfortune, were kind to him.--"No
doubt," say they, "this man is a murderer:"
(v. 4). They do not simply pronounce their
judgment, but say, "No doubt," (i.e.)
as any one may see "and vengeance," say they,
"suffereth him not to live." Why then, they
held also the doctrine of a Providence, and
these barbarians were far more philosophic than
the philosophers, who allow not the benefit of a
Providence to extend to things "below the
moon:" whereas (these barbarians) suppose
God to be present everywhere, and that although
a (guilty) man may escape many (a danger),
he will not escape in the end. And they do not
assail him forthwith, but for a time respect him
on account of his misfortune: nor do they openly
proclaim their surmise, but speak it "among
themselves: a murderer;" for the bonds led
them to suspect this. "They showed no small
kindness," and yet (some of them) were
prisoners. Let those be ashamed that say, Do
not do good to those in prison: let these
barbarians shame us; for they knew not who these
men were, but simply because they were in
misfortune (they were kind): thus much they
perceived, that they were human beings, and
therefore they considered them to have a claim
upon their humanity. "And for a great
while," it says, "they expected that he would
die." (v. 6.) But when he shook his
hand, and flung off the beast, then they saw
and were astonished. And the miracle did not
take place suddenly, but the men went by the
length of time, "after they had looked a great
while," so plainly was there no deceit, no
haste here (sunarpagh). "Publius," it
says, "lodged them courteously" (v. 7):
two hundred and seventy-six persons. Consider
how great the gain of his hospitality: not as of
necessity, not as unwilling, but as reckoning
it a gain he lodged them for three days:
thereafter having met with his requital, he
naturally honored Paul much more, when the
others also received healing. "Who also," it
says, "honored us with many honors" (v.
10): not that he received wages, God
forbid; but as it is written, "The workman is
worthy of his meat. And when we departed, they
laded us with such things as were necessary."
(Matt. x. 10.) It is plain that having
thus received them, they also received the word
of the preaching: for it is not to be supposed,
that during an entire three months they would
have had all this kindness shown them, had these
persons not believed strongly, and herein
exhibited the fruits (of their con version):
so that from this we may see a strong proof of
the great number there was of those that
believed. Even this was enough to t establish
(Paul's) credit with those (his fellow
voyagers).
Observe how m all this voyage they nowhere
touched at a city, but (were cast) on an
island, and passed the entire s winter (there,
or) sailing--those being herein under training
for faith, his fellow-voyagers, I mean.
"And after three months we departed in a ship
of Alexandria, which had wintered in the isle,
whose sign was Castor and Pollux." (v.
11.) Probably this was painted on it: so
addicted were they to their idols. "And when
the south wind blew, we came the next day to
Puteoli: where we found brethren, and were
desired to tarry with them seven days: and so we
went toward Rome." (v. 13, 14.)
Observe them tarrying a while, and again
hasting onwards.e) "And from thence, when
the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us
as far as Appii forum, and the Three
Taverns" (v. 15): not fearing the
danger. Paul therefore was now so much
respected, that he was even permitted to be by
himself: for if even before this they used him
kindly, much more would they now. "He was
suffered," it says, "to dwell by himself,
with a soldier that kept him." (v. 16.)
That it might not be possible for any plot to be
laid against him there either--for there could
be no raising of sedition now. So that in fact
they were not keeping Paul in custody, but
guarding him, so that nothing unpleasant should
happen: for it was not possible now, in so
great a city, and with the Emperor there, and
with Paul's appeal, for anything to be done
contrary to order. So surely is it the case,
that always through the things which seem to be
against us, all things turn out for us. "With
the soldier"--for he was Paul's guard.
"And having called together the chief of the
Jews" (v. 17), he discourses to them,
who both depart gainsaying, and are taunted by
him, yet they dare not say anything: for it was
not permitted them to deal with his matter at
their own will. For this is a marvellous
thing, that not by the things which seem to be
for our security, but by their very opposites,
all comes to be for us. And that you may learn
this--Pharaoh commanded the infants to be cast
into the river. (Exod. 1. 22.) Unless
the infants had been cast forth, Moses would
not have been saved, he would not have been
brought up in the palace. When he was safe, he
was not in honor; when he was exposed, then he
was in honor. But God did this, to show His
riches of resource and contrivance. The Jew
threatened him, saying, "Wouldest thou kill
me?" (ib. ii. 14) and this too was of
profit to him. It was of God's providence,
in order that he should see that vision in the
desert, in order that the proper time should be
completed, that he should learn philosophy in
the desert, and there live in security. And in
all the plottings of the Jews against him the
same thing happens: then he becomes more
illustrious. As also in the case of Aaron;
they rose up against him, and thereby made him
more illustrious (Num. xvi. xvii.): that
so his ordination should be unquestionable, that
he might be held in admiration for the future
also from the plates of brasstpn petalwn tou
kalkou). Of course you know the history:
wherefore I pass over the narration. And if ye
will, let us go over the same examples from the
beginning. Cain slew his brother, but in this
he rather benefited him: for hear what
Scripture says, "The voice of thy brother's
blood crieth unto Me" (Gen. iv. 10):
and again in another place, "To the blood that
speaketh better things than that of Abel."
(Heb. xii. 24.) He freed him from the
uncertainty of the future, he increased his
reward: we have all learnt hereby what love God
had for him. For what was he injured? Not a
whit, in that he received his end sooner. For
say, what do they gain, who die more slowly?
Nothing: for the having good days does not
depend on the living many years or few years,
but in the using life properly. The Three
Children were thrown into the furnace, and
through this they became more illustrious:
Daniel was cast into the pit, and thence was he
made more renowned. (Dan. iii. and vi.)
You see that trials in every case bring forth
great good even in this life, much more in the
life to come: but as to malice, the case is the
same, as if a man having a reed should set
himself to fight with the fire: it seems indeed
to beat the fire, but it makes it brighter, and
only consumes itself. For the malice of the
wicked becomes food and an occasion of splendor
to virtue: for by God's turning the
unrighteousness to good account, our character
shines forth all the more. Again, when the
devil works anything of this kind, he makes
those more illustrious that endure. How then,
you will say, was this not the case with Adam,
but, on the contrary, he became more
disgraced? Nay, in this case of all others
God turned (the malice of) that (wicked one)
to good account: but if (Adam) was the worse
for it, it was he that injured himself: for it
is the wrongs that are done to us by others that
become the means of great good to us, not so the
wrongs which are done by ourselves. As indeed,
because the fact is that when hurt by others, we
grieve, but not so when hurt by ourselves,
therefore it is that God shows, that he who
suffers unjustly at the hands of another, gets
renown, but he who injures himself, receives
hurt: that so we may bear the former
courageously, but not the latter. And
besides, the whole thing there was Adam's own
doing. Wherefore didst thou the woman's
bidding? (Gen. iii. 6.) Wherefore when
she counselled thee contraryto God), didst
thou not repel her? Thou wast assuredly thyself
the cause. Else, if the devil was the cause,
at this rate all that are tempted ought to
perish: but if all do not perish, the cause
(of our destruction) rests with ourselves.
"But," you will say, "all that are tempted
ought (at that rate) to succeed." No: for
the cause is in ourselves. "At that rate it
ought to follow that (some) perish without the
devil's having anything to do with it." Yes:
and in fact many do perish without the devil's
being concerned in it: for surely the devil does
not bring about all (our evil doings); no,
much comes also from our own sluggishness by
itself alone: and if he too is anywhere
concerned as a cause, it is from our offering
the occasion. For say, why did the devil
prevail in Judas' case? When "Satan entered
into him" (John xiii. 27), you will say.
Yes, but hear the cause: it was because "he
was a thief, and bare what was put in the
bag." (ib. xii. 6.) It was he that
himself gave the devil a wide room for entering
into him: so that it is not the devil who puts
into us the beginning, it is we that receive and
invite him. "But," you will say, "if there
were no devil, the evils would not have become
great." True, but then our punishment would
admit of no plea for mitigation: but as it is,
beloved, our punishment is more mild, whereas
if we had wrought the evils of ourselves, the
chastisements would be intolerable. For say,
if Adam, without any counsel, had committed
the sin he did, who would have snatched him out
of the dangers? "But he would not have
sinned," you will say? What right hast thou
to say this? For he who had so little
solidity, that was so inert and so ready for
folly as to receive such advice as this, much
more would he without any counsel have become
this (that he did become). What devil incited
the brethren of Joseph to envy? If then we be
watchful brethren, the devil becomes to us the
cause even of renown. Thus, what was Job the
worse for his falling into such helplessness of
distress? "Speak not of this instance," you
will say: " (Job was not the worse,) but
the weak person is the worse." Yes, and the
weak person is the worse, even if there be no
devil. "But in a greater degree," you will
say, "when there is the devil's power working
along with him." True, but he is the less
punished, when he has sinned through the
devil's working with him; for the punishments
are not the same for all sins. Let us not
deceive ourselves: the devil is not the cause of
our taking harm, if we be watchful: rather what
he does, is to awake us out of our sleep; what
he does, is to keep us on the alert. Let us
for a while examine these things: suppose there
were no wild beasts, no irregular states of the
atmosphere; no sicknesses, no pains, no
sorrows, nor anything else of the kind: what
would not man have become? A hog rather than a
man, revelling in gluttony and drunkenness, and
troubled by none of those things. But as it
is, cares and anxieties are an exercise and
discipline of philosophy, a method for the best
of training. For say, let a man be brought up
in a palace, having no pain, nor care, nor
anxiety, and having neither cause for anger nor
failure, but whatever he sets his mind upon,
that let him do, in that let him succeed, and
have all men obeying him: (see whether) such a
man would not become more irrational than any
wild beast. But as it is, our reverses and our
afflictions are as it were a whetstone to sharpen
us. For this reason the poor are for the most
part wiser than the rich, as being driven about
and tost by many waves. Thus a body also,
being idle and without motion, is sickly and
unsightly: but that which is exercised, and
suffers labor and hardships, is more comely and
healthy: and this we should find to hold also in
the case of the soul. Iron also, lying
unused, is spoilt, but if worked it shines
brightly; and in like manner a soul which is
kept in motion. Now these reverses are
precisely what keeps the soul in motion. Arts
again perish, when the soul is not active: but
it is active when it has not everything plain
before it: it is made active by adverse things.
If there were no adverse things, there would be
nothing to stir it: thus, if everything existed
ready-made in beautiful sort, art would not
have found wherein to exercise itself. So, if
all things were level to our understanding, the
soul would not find wherein to exert itself: if
it had to be carried about everywhere, it would
be an unsightly object. See you not, that we
exhort nurses not to make a practice of carrying
children always, that they may not bring them
into a habit (of wanting to be carried) and so
make them helpless? This is why those children
which are brought up under the eyes of their
parents are weak, in consequence of the
indulgence, which by sparing them too much
injures their health. It is a good thing, even
pain in moderation; a good thing, care; a good
thing, want; for they make us strong: good
also are their opposites: but each of these when
in excess destroys us; and the one relaxes, but
the other (by overmuch tension) breaks us.
Seest thou not, that Christ also thus trains
His own disciples? If they needed these
things, much more do we. But if we need them,
let us not grieve, but even rejoice in our
afflictions. For these are remedies, answering
to our wounds, some of them bitter, others
mild; but either of them by itself would be
useless. Let us therefore return thanks to God
for all these things: for He does not suffer
them to happen at random, but for the benefit of
our souls. Therefore, showing forth our
gratitude, let us return Him thanks, let us
glorify Him, let us bear up courageously,
considering that it is but for a time, and
stretching forward our minds to the things
future, that we may both lightly bear the things
present, and be counted worthy to attain unto
the good things to come, through the grace and
mercy of His only begotten Son, with Whom to
the Father and the Holy Ghost together be
glory, might, honor, now and ever, world
without end. Amen.
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