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EPHESIANS v. 15, 16, 17.
"Look then carefully how ye walk, not as
unwise, but as wise; redeeming the time,
because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not
foolish, but understand what the will of the
Lord is."
HE is still cleansing away the root of
bitterness, still cutting off the very
groundwork of anger) For what is he saying?
"Look carefully how ye walk." "They are
sheep in the midst of wolves," and he charges
them to be also "as doves." For "ye shall be
harmless," saith he, "as doves." (Matt.
x. 16.) Forasmuch then as they were both
amongst wolves, and were besides commanded not
to defend themselves, but to suffer evil, they
needed this admonition. Not indeed but that the
former was sufficient to render them stronger;
but now that there is besides the addition of the
two, reflect how exceedingly it is heightened.
Observe then here also, how carefully he
secures them, by saying, "Look how ye
walk." Whole cities were at war with them;
yea, this war made its way also into houses.
They were divided, father against son, and son
against father, mother against daughter, and
daughter against mother. What then? Whence
these divisions? They heard Christ say, "He
that loveth father or mother more than me, is
not worthy of me." (Matt. x. 37.) Lest
therefore they should think that he was without
reason introducing wars and fightings, (since
there was likely to be much anger produced, if
they on their part were to retaliate,) to
prevent this, he says, "See carefully how ye
walk." That is to say, "Except the Gospel
message, give no other handle on any score
whatever, for the hatred which you will
incur." Let this be the only ground of
hatred. Let no one have any other charge to
make against you; but show all deference and
obedience, whenever it does no harm to the
message, whenever it does not stand in the way
of godliness. For it is said, "Render to all
their dues, tribute to whom tribute, custom to
whom custom." (Rom. xiii. 7.) For when
amongst the rest of the world they shall see us
forbearing, they will be put to shame.
"Not as unwise, but as wise, redeeming the
time."
It is not from any wish that you should be
artful, and versatile, that he gives this
advice. But what he means is this. The time
is not yours. At present ye are strangers, and
sojourners, and foreigners, and aliens; seek
not honors, seek not glory, seek not
authority, nor revenge; bear all things, and
in this way, "redeem the time"; give up many
things, anything they may require. Imagine
now, I say, a man had a magnificent house,
and persons were to make their way in, on
purpose to murder him, and he were to give a
large sum, and thus to rescue himself. Then we
should say, he has redeemed himself. So also
hast thou a large house, and a true faith in thy
keeping. They will come to take all away.
Give whatever they may demand, only preserve
the principal thing, I mean the faith.
"Because the days" saith he "are evil."
What is the evil of the day? The evil of the
day ought to belong to the day. What is the
evil of a body? Disease. And what again the
evil of the soul? Wickedness. What is the
evil of water? Bitterness. And the evil of
each particular thing, is with reference to that
nature of it which is affected by the evil. If
then there is an evil in the day, it ought to
belong to the day, to the hours, to the
day-light. So also Christ saith,
"Sufficient unto the day is the evil
thereof." (Matt. vi. 34.) And from
this expression we shall understand the other.
In what sense then does he call "the days evil
"? In what sense the "time" evil? It is
not the essence of the thing, not the things as
so created, but it is the things transacted in
them. In the same way as we are in the habit of
saying, "I have passed a disagreeable and
wretched day." And yet how could it be
disagreeable, except from the circumstances
which took place in it? Now the events which
take place in it are, good things from God,
but evil things from bad men. So then of the
evils which happen in the times, men are the
creators, and hence it is that the times are
said to be evil. And thus we also call the
times evil.
Ver. 17, 18. "Wherefore," he adds,
"be ye not foolish, but understand what the
will of the Lord is; and be not drunk with
wine, wherein is riot."
For indeed intemperance in this renders men
passionate and violent, and hot-headed, and
irritable and savage. Wine has been given us
for cheerfulness, not for drunkenness. Whereas
now it appears to be an unmanly and contemptible
thing for a man not to get drunk. And what sort
of hope then is there of salvation? What?
contemptible, tell me, not to get drunk, where
to get drunk ought of all things in the world to
be most contemptible? For it is of all things
right for even a private individual to keep
himself far from drunkenness; but how much more
so for a soldier, a man who lives amongst
swords, and bloodshed, and slaughter: much
more, I say, for the soldier, when his temper
is sharpened by other causes also, by power, by
authority, by being constantly in the midst of
stratagems and battles. Wouldest thou know
where wine is good? Hear what the Scripture
saith, "Give strong drink unto him that is
ready to perish, and wine unto the bitter in
soul." (Prov. xxxi. 6.) And justly,
because it can mitigate asperity and gloominess,
and drive away clouds from the brow. "Wine
maketh glad the heart of man" (Ps. civ.
15), says the Psalmist. How then does wine
produce drunkenness? For it cannot be that one
and the same thing should work opposite effects.
Drunkenness then surely does not arise from
wine, but from intemperance. Wine is bestowed
upon us for no other purpose than for bodily
health; but this purpose also is thwarted by
immoderate use. But hear moreover what our
blessed Apostle writes and says to Timothy,
"Use a little wine for thy stomach's sake,
and thine often infirmities."
This is the reason why God has formed our
bodies in moderate proportions, and so as to be
satisfied with a little, from thence at once
instructing us that He has made us adapted to
another life. And that life He would fain have
bestowed upon us even from the very beginning;
but since we rendered ourselves unworthy of it,
He deferred it; and in the time during which
He deferred it, not even in that does He allow
us immoderate indulgence; for a little cup of
wine and a single loaf is enough to satisfy a
manes hunger. And man the lord of all the brute
creation has He formed so as to require less
food in proportion than they, and his body
small; thereby declaring to us nothing else than
this, that we are hastening onward to another
life. "Be not drunk," says he, "with
wine, wherein is riot"; for it does not save
but it destroys; and that, not the body only,
but the soul also.
Ver. 18, 19, 20, 21. "But be
filled with the Spirit; speaking one to another
in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing
and making melody with your heart to the Lord;
giving thanks always for all things in the name
of our Lord Jesus Christ to God even the
Father; subjecting yourselves one to another in
the fear of Christ."
Dost thou wish, he says, to be cheerful, dost
thou wish to employ the day? I give thee
spiritual drink; for drunkenness even cuts off
the articulate sound of our tongue; it makes us
lisp and stammer, and distorts the eyes, and
the whole frame together. Learn to sing
psalms, and thou shall see the delightfulness of
the employment. For they who sing psalms are
filled with the Holy Spirit, as they who sing
satanic songs are filled with an unclean spirit.
What is meant by "with your hearts to the
Lord"? It means, with close attention and
understanding. For they who do not attend
closely, merely sing, uttering the words,
whilst their heart is roaming elsewhere.
"Always," he says, "giving thanks for all
things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ
unto God even the Father, subjecting
yourselves one to another in the fear of
Christ."
That is, "let your requests be made known unto
God, with thanksgiving" (Phil. iv. 6);
for there is nothing so pleasing to God, as for
a man to be thankful. But we shall be best able
to give thanks unto God, by withdrawing our
souls from the things before mentioned, and by
thoroughly cleansing them by the means he has
told us.
"But be filled," says he, "with the
Spirit."
And is then this Spirit within us? Yes,
indeed, within us. For when we have driven
away lying, and bitterness, and fornication,
and uncleanness, and covetousness, from our
souls, when we are become kind,
tender-hearted, forgiving one another, when
there is no jesting, when we have rendered
ourselves worthy of it, what is there to hinder
the Holy Spirit from coming and lighting upon
us? And not only will He come unto us, but
He will fill our hearts; and when we have so
great a light kindled within us, then will the
way of virtue be no longer difficult to attain,
but will be easy and simple.
"Giving thanks always, he says, "for all
things."
What then? Are we to give thanks for
everything that befalls us? Yes; be it even
disease, be it even penury. For if a certain
wise man gave this advice in the Old
Testament, and said, "Whatsoever is brought
upon thee take cheerfully, and be patient when
thou art changed to a low estate" (Ecclus.
ii, 4); much more ought this to be the case
in the New. Yes, even though thou know not
the word, give thanks. For this is
thanksgiving. But if thou give thanks when thou
art in comfort and in affluence, in success and
in prosperity, there is nothing great, nothing
wonderful in that. What is required is, for a
man to give thanks when he is in afflictions, in
anguish, in discouragements. Utter no word in
preference to this, "Lord, I thank thee."
And why do I speak of the afflictions of this
world? It is our duty to give God thanks,
even for hell itself, for the torments and
punishments of the next world. For surely it is
a thing beneficial to those who attend to it,
when the dread of hell is laid like a bridle on
our hearts. Let us therefore give thanks not
only for blessings which we see, but also for
those which we see not, and for those which we
receive against our will. For many are the
blessings He bestows upon us, without our
desire, without our knowledge. And if ye
believe me not, I will at once proceed to make
the case clear to you. For consider, I pray,
do not the impious and unbelieving Gentiles
ascribe everything to the sun and to their
idols? But what then? Doth He not bestow
blessings even upon them? Is it not the work of
His providence, that they both have life, and
health, and children, and the like? And again
they that are called Marcionites, and the
Manichees, do they not even blaspheme Him?
But what then? Does He not bestow blessings
on them every day? Now if He bestows blessings
on them that know them not, much more does he
bestow them upon us. For what else is the
peculiar work of God if it be not this, to do
good to all mankind, alike by chastisements and
by enjoyments? Let us not then give thanks only
when we are in prosperity, for there is nothing
great in this. And this the devil also well
knows, and therefore he said, "Doth Job fear
God for nought? Hast Thou not made an hedge
about him and about all that he hath on every
side? Touch all that he hath; no doubt, he
will renounce Thee to Thy face!" (Job i.
10, 11.) However, that cursed one gained
no advantage; and God forbid he should gain any
advantage of us either; but whenever we are
either in penury, or in sicknesses, or in
disasters, then let us increase our
thanksgiving; thanksgiving, I mean, not in
words, nor in tongue, but in deeds and works,
in mind and in heart. Let us give thanks unto
Him with all our souls. For He loves us more
than our parents; and wide as is the difference
between evil and goodness, so great is the
difference between the love of God and that of
our fathers. And these are not my words, but
those of Christ Himself Who loveth us. And
hear what He Himself saith, "What man is
there of you, who, if his son shall ask him for
a loaf, will 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. vii. 9, 11.) And
again, bear what He saith also 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 not I
forget thee, saith the Lord." (Isa. xlix.
15.) For if He loveth us not, wherefore
did He create us? Had He any necessity? Do
we supply to Him any ministry and service?
Needeth He anything that we can render? Hear
what the Prophet says; "I have said unto the
Lord, Thou art my Lord, I have no good
beyond Thee." (Ps. xvi. 2.)
The ungrateful, however, and unfeeling say,
that this were worthy of God's goodness, that
there should be an equality amongst all. Tell
me, ungrateful mortal, what sort of things are
they which thou deniest to be of God's
goodness, and what equality meanest thou?
"Such an one," thou wilt say, "has been a
cripple from his childhood; another is mad, and
is possessed; another has arrived at extreme old
age, and has spent his whole life in poverty;
another in the most painful diseases: are these
works of Providence? One man is deaf, another
dumb, another poor, whilst another, impious,
yea, utterly impious, and full of ten thousand
vices, enjoys wealth, and keeps concubines,
and parasites, and is owner of a splendid
mansion, and lives an idle life." And many
instances of the sort they string together, and
weave a long account of complaint against the
providence of God.
What then are we to say to them? Now if they
were Greeks, and were to tell us that the
universe is governed by some one or other, we
should in turn address. to them the self-same
words, "What then, are things without a provi
dence? How then is it that ye reverence gods,
and worship genii and heroes?
For if there is a providence, some one or other
superintends the whole." But if any, whether
Christians or Heathen, should be impatient at
this, and be wavering, what shall we say to
them? "Why, could so many good things, tell
me, arise of themselves? The daily light?
The beautiful order and the forethought that
exist in all things? The mazy dances of the
stars? The equable course of nights and days?
The regular gradation of nature in vegetables,
and animals, and men? Who, tell me, is it
that ordereth these? If there were no
superintending Being, but all things combined
together of themselves, who then was it that
made this vault revolve, so beautiful, so
vast, I mean the sky, and set it upon the
earth, nay more, upon the waters? Who is it
that gives the fruitful seasons? Who implanted
so great power in seeds and vegetables? For
that which is accidental is necessarily
disorderly; whereas that which is orderly
implies design. For which, tell me, of the
things around us that are accidental, is not
full of great disorder, and of great tumult and
confusion?
Nor do I speak of things accidental only, but
of those also which imply some agent, but an
unskillful agent. For example, let there be
timber and stone, and let there be lime withal;
and let a man unskilled in building take them,
and begin building, and set hard to work; will
he not spoil and destroy everything? Again,
take a vessel without a pilot, containing
everything which a vessel ought to contain,
without a shipwright; I do not say that it is
unequipped and unfinished, but though well
equipped, it will not be able to sail. And
could the vast extent of earth standing on the
waters, tell me, ever stand so firmly, and so
long a time, without some power to hold it
together? And can these views have any reason?
Is it not the extreme of absurdity to conceive
such a notion? And if the earth supports the
heaven, behold another burden still; but if the
heaven also is borne upon the waters, there
arises again another question. Or rather not
another question, for it is the work of
providence. For things which are borne upon the
water ought not to be made convex, but concave.
Wherefore? Because the whole body of anything
which is concave is immersed in the waters, as
is the case with a ship; whereas of the convex
the body is entirely above, and only the rim
rests upon the surface; so that it requires a
resisting body, hard, and able to sustain it,
in order to bear the burden imposed. But does
the atmosphere then support the heaven? Why,
that is far softer, and more yielding even than
water, and cannot sustain anything, no, not
the very lightest things, much less so vast a
bulk. In fine, if we chose to follow out the
argument of providence, both generally and in
detail, time itself would fail us. For I will
now ask him who would start those questions above
mentioned, are these things the result of
providence, or of the want of providence? And
if he shall say, that they are not from
providence, then again I will ask, how then
did they arise? But no, he will never be able
to give any account at all. And dost thou not
know that?
Much more then is it thy duty not to question,
not to be over curious, in those things which
concern man. And why not? Because man is
nobler than all these, and these were made for
his sake, not he for their sake. If then thou
knowest not so much as the skill and contrivance
that are visible in His providence, how shalt
thou be able to know the reasons, where he
himself is the subject? Tell me, I pray, why
did God form him so small, so far below the
height of heaven, as that he should even doubt
of the things which appear above him? Why are
the northern and southern climes uninhabitable?
Tell me, I say, why is the night made longer
in winter and shorter in summer? Why are the
degrees of cold and heat such as they are? Why
is the body mortal? And ten thousand questions
besides I will ask thee, and if thou wilt,
will never cease asking. And in one and all
thou wilt surely be at a loss to answer. And
thus is this of all things most providential,
that the reasons of things are kept secret from
us. For surely, one would have imagined man to
be the cause of all things, were there not this
to humble our understanding.
"But such an one," you will say, "is poor,
and poverty is an evil. And what is it to be
sick, and what is it to be crippled?" Oh,
man, they are nothing. One thing alone is
evil, that is to sin; this is the only thing we
ought to search to the bottom. And yet we omit
to search into the causes of what are really
evils, and busy ourselves about other things.
Why is. it that not one of us ever examines why
he has sinned? To sin,-is it then in my
power, or is it not in my power? And why need
I go round about me for a number of reasons? I
will seek for the matter within myself. Now
then did I ever master my wrath? Did I ever
master my anger, either through shame, or
through fear of man? Then whenever
I discover this done, I shall discover that to
sin is in my own power. No one examines these
matters, no one busies himself about them: But
only according to Job, "Man in a way
altogether different swims upon words." For
why does it concern thee, if such an one is
blind, or such an one poor? God hath not
commanded thee to look to this, but to what thou
thyself art doing. For if on the one hand thou
doubtest that there is any power superintending
the world, thou art of all men the most
senseless; but if thou art persuaded of this,
why doubt that it is our duty to please God?
"Giving thanks always," he says, "for all
things to God."
Go to the physician's, and thou wilt see him,
whenever a man is discovered to have a wound,
using the knife and the cautery. But no, in
thy case, I say not so much as this; but go to
the carpenter's. And yet thou dost not examine
his reasons, although thou understandest not one
of the things which are done there, and many
things will appear to thee to be difficulties;
as, for instance, when he hollows the wood,
when he alters its outward shape. Nay, I
would bring thee to a more intelligible craft
still, for instance, that of the painter, and
there thy head will swim. For tell me, does he
not seem to be doing what he does, at random?
For what do his lines mean, and the turns and
bends of the lines? But when he puts on the
colors, then the beauty of the art will become
conspicuous. Yet still, not even then wilt
thou be able to attain to any accurate
understanding of it. But why do I speak of
carpenters, and painters, our
fellow-servants? Tell me, how does the bee
frame her comb, and then shalt thou speak about
God also. Master the handiwork of the ant,
the spider, and the swallow, and then shalt
thou speak about God also. Tell me these
things. But no, thou never canst. Wilt thou
not cease then, O man, thy vain enquiries?
For vain indeed they are. Wilt thou not cease
busying thyself in vain about many things?
Nothing so wise as this ignorance, where they
that profess they know nothing are wisest of
all, and they that spend overmuch labor on these
questions, the most foolish of all. So that to
profess knowledge is not everywhere a sign of
wisdom, but sometimes of folly also. For tell
me, suppose there were two men, and one of them
should profess to stretch out his lines, and to
measure the expanse that intervenes between the
earth and heaven, and the other were to laugh at
him, and declare that he did not understand it,
tell me, I pray, which should we laugh at,
him that said he knew, or him that knew not?
Evidently, the man that said that he knew. He
that is ignorant, therefore, is wiser than he
that professes to know. And what again? If
any one were to profess to tell us how many cups
of water the sea contains, and another should
profess his ignorance, is not the ignorance here
again wiser than the knowledge? Surely, vastly
so. And why so? Because that knowledge itself
is but intense ignorance. For he indeed who
says that he is ignorant, knows something. And
what is that? That it is incomprehensible to
man. Yes, and this is no small portion of
knowledge. Whereas he that says he knows, he
of all others knows not what he says he knows,
and is for this very reason utterly ridiculous.
MORAL. Alas! how many things are there to
teach us to bridle this unseasonable impertinence
and idle curiosity; and yet we refrain not, but
are curious about the lives of others; as, why
one is a cripple, and why another is poor. And
so by this way of reasoning we shall fall into
another sort of trifling which is endless, as,
why such an one is a woman? and, why all are
not men? why there is such a thing as an ass?
why an ox? why a dog? why a wolf? why a
stone? why wood? and thus the argument will run
out to an interminable length. This in truth is
the reason, why God has marked out limits to
our knowledge, and has laid them deep in
nature. And mark, now, the excess of this
busy curiosity. For though we look up to so
great a height as from earth to heaven, and are
not at all affected by it; yet as soon as ever
we go up to the top of a lofty tower, and have a
mind to stoop over a little, and look down, a
sort of giddiness and dizziness immediately
seizes us. Now, tell me the reason of this.
No, thou couldest never find out a reason for
it.
Why is it that the eye possesses greater power
than other senses, and is caught by more distant
objects? And one might see it by comparison
with the case of hearing. For no one will ever
be able to shout so loudly, as to fill the air
as far as the eye can reach, nor to hear at so
great a distance. Why are not all the members
of equal honor? Why have not all received one
function and one place? Paul also searched into
these questions; or rather he did not search
into them, for he was wise; but where he comes
by chance upon this topic, he says, "Each one
of them, hath God set even as it hath pleased
Him."
(1 Cor. xii. 18.) He assigns the whole
to His will. And so then let us only "give
thanks for all things." " Wherefore," says
he, "give thanks for all things." This is
the part of a well-disposed, of a wise, of an
intelligent servant; the opposite is that of a
tattler, and an idler, and a busy-body. Do
we not see amongst servants, that those among
them who are worthless and good far nothing, are
both tattlers, and triflers and that they pry
into the concerns of their masters, which they
are desirous to conceal: whereas the intelligent
and well-disposed look to one thing only, how
they may fulfill their service. He that says
much, does nothing: as he that does much,
never says a word out of season. Hence Paul
said, where he wrote concerning widows, "And
they learn not only to be idle, but tattlers
also." (1 Tim. v. 13.) Tell me,
now, which is the widest difference, between
our age and that of children, or between God
and men? between ourselves compared with gnats,
or God compared with us? Plainly between God
and us. Why then dost thou busy thyself to such
an extent in all these questions? "Give thanks
for all things." "But what," say you, "if
a heathen should ask the question? How am I to
answer him? He desires to learn from me whether
there is a Providence, for he himself denies
that there is any being thus exercising
foresight." Turn round then, and ask him the
same question thyself. He will deny therefore
that there is a Providence. Yet that there is
a Providence, is plain from what thou hast
said; but that it is incomprehensible, is plain
from those things whereof we cannot discover the
reason. For if in things where men are the
disposers, we oftentimes do not understand the
method of the disposition, and in truth many of
them appear to us inconsistent, and yet at the
same time we acquiesce, how much more will this
be so in the case of God? However, with God
nothing either is inconsistent, or appears so to
the faithful. Wherefore let us "give thanks
for all things," let us give Him glory for all
things.
"Subjecting yourselves one to another," he
says, "in the fear of Christ." For if thou
submit thyself for a ruler's sake, or for
money's sake, or from respectfulness, much
more from the fear of Christ. Let there be an
interchange of service and submission. For then
will there be no such thing as slavish service.
Let not one sit down in the rank of a freeman,
and the other in the rank of a slave; rather it
were better that both masters and slaves be
servants to one another;-far better to be a
slave in this way than free in any other; as
will be evident from hence. Suppose the case of
a man who should have an hundred slaves, and he
should in no way serve them; and suppose again a
different case, of an hundred friends, all
waiting upon one another. Which will lead the
happier life? Which with the greater pleasure,
with the more enjoyment? In the one case there
is no anger, no provocation, no wrath, nor
anything else of the kind whatever; in the other
all is fear and apprehension.
In the one case too the whole is forced, in the
other is of free choice. In the one case they
serve one another because they are forced to do
so, in the other with mutual gratification.
Thus does God will it to be; for this He
washed His disciples' feet. Nay more, if
thou hast a mind to examine the matter nicely,
there is indeed on the part of masters a return
of service. For what if pride suffer not that
return of service to appear? Yet if the slave
on the one hand render his bodily service, and
thou maintain that body, and supply it with food
and clothing and shoes, this is an exchange of
service: because unless thou render thy service
as well, neither will he render his, but will
be free, and no law will compel him to do it if
he is not supported.
If this then is the case with servants, where
is the absurdity, if it should also become the
case with free men. "Subjecting yourselves in
the fear," saith he, "of Christ." How
great then the obligation, when we shall also
have a reward. But he does not choose to submit
himself to thee? However do thou submit
thyself; not simply yield, but submit thyself.
Entertain this feeling towards all, as if all
were thy masters. For thus shalt thou soon have
all as thy slaves, enslaved to thee with the
most abject slavery. For thou wilt then more
surely make them thine, when without receiving
anything of theirs, thou of thyself renderest
them of thine own. This is "subjecting
yourselves one to another in the fear of
Christ," in order that we may subdue all the
passions, be servants of God, and preserve the
love we owe to one another. And then shall we
be able also to be counted worthy of the
lovingkindness which cometh of God, through the
grace and mercies of His only-begotten Son,
with whom to the Father, together with the
Holy Ghost, be glory, might, honor, now and
forever and ever. Amen.
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