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This Homily was delivered on the occasion of the Prefect entering the
Church, for the purpose of pacifying the minds of the people, in
consequence of a rumour of an intended sack having been announced to
him, when all were meditating flight. It treats also on the subject
of avoiding oaths, and on the words of the Apostle, "Paul, a
prisoner of Jesus Christ."
1. I COMMEND the Prefect's consideration, that seeing the
city agitated, and every one purposing a flight, he hath come here and
afforded you consolation, and hath led you to entertain favourable
hopes. But for you I blushed, and was ashamed, that after these
long and frequent discourses ye should have needed consolation from
without. I longed that the earth would open and swallow me up, when
I heard him discoursing with you, alternately administering comfort,
or blaming such ill-timed and senseless cowardice. For it was not
becoming, that you should be instructed by him; but you ought
yourselves to be teachers to all the unbelievers. Paul did not permit
even going to law before the unbelievers; but thou, after so much
admonition of our Fathers, hast needed teachers from without; and
certain vagabonds and miscreants have again unsettled this great city,
and set it upon flight. With what eyes shall we hereafter look upon
the unbelievers, we who were so timid and cowardly? With what tongue
shall we speak to them, and persuade them to exercise courage as to
approaching evils, when we became through this alarm more timid than
any hare? "But what could we do," says some one, "we are but
men!" This is indeed the very reason why we ought not to be
terrified, because we are men, and not brutes. For these are scared
by all manner of sounds and noises; because they have not reasoning
power, which is adequate to dispel fear. But thou who hast been
honoured with the gift of speech and reason, how is it that thou
sinkest to their ignoble condition? Hath some one entered the city,
and announced the march of soldiers against it? Be not terrified, but
leaving him, bend the knee: call upon thy Lord: groan bitterly, and
He will keep off the dreaded event.
2. Thou hadst heard indeed a false report of the march, and wert in
danger of being severed from the present life. But that blessed Job,
when the messengers came one after another, and he had heard them
announcing their dreadful news. and adding thereto the insupportable
destruction of his children, neither cried nor groaned, but turned to
prayer, and gave thanks to the Lord. Him do thou too imitate; and
when any comer announces that soldiers have encircled the city, and are
about to plunder its wealth, flee to thy Lord and say, "The Lord
gave, the Lord hath taken away; as it seemeth good to the Lord, so
is it done. Blessed be the name of the Lord for ever." The
experience of the actual events did not terrify him; yet the mere
report frightens thee.
And how are we to be accounted of, who when we are commanded boldly to
encounter death itself, are thus affrighted by a false rumour! The
man who is bewildered con structs fear which is unreal; and trouble
which is not visible; but he who abides in a settled and tranquil
condition of soul, breaks in pieces even that which is real. Seest
thou not pilots; when the sea is raging, and the clouds are rushing
together, and the thunders are bursting forth, and all on board are in
confusion, they seat themselves at the helm without tumult or
disturbance; giving earnest heed to their own art, and considering how
they may ward off the effects of the approaching storm. Be these thy
example; and laying hold of the sacred anchor, the hope that is in
God, remain unshaken and immoveable. "Whosoever heareth these
sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish
man, which built his house upon the sand; and the rain descended, and
the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it
fell, and great was the fall of it." Seest thou that it is the
character of folly to fall down headlong, and to be overthrown? Or
rather, we were not only reduced to the condition of that foolish man,
but our fall was still more wretched. For the house of that man fell
down after the rivers and rains had descended, and the winds had beaten
upon it; but we, when there were no winds striking, nor floods
invading, nor blasts assaulting, before the experience of disaster,
were overturned by a mere rumour, and dropped at once all the
philosophy we were meditating.
3. What think ye are now my thoughts? How should I
conceal,--yea, bury myself? How must I blush with shame? If I
had not been forcibly urged by our Fathers, I would not have arisen,
I would not have spoken, whilst my mind was darkened with sadness
because of your pusillanimity. But neither now have I been able to
recover myself; since anger and sorrow have laid such seige to my
soul. For who would not feel provoked and indignant, that after so
much teaching ye should need the instructions of Gentiles, that ye
might be comforted and persuaded to bear in a manly way the present
alarm. Pray ye therefore that free utterance may be given us in
opening our mouth; and that we may be able to shake off this sadness,
and to hold up again a little; for indeed this shame on account of your
pusillanimity hath greatly depressed our spirits.
4. Lately, I addressed to your Charity many things concerning the
snares lying on all sides of us; and concerning fear and sadness,
sorrow and pleasure; and also concerning the sickle that flieth down
upon the houses of swearers. Now, out of all these many matters, I
would have you especially to remember what I said respecting the
"winged sickle," and its settling in the swearer's house; and
pulling down the stones and the wood, and consuming the whole mass.
And withal, take heed to this; that it is the extreme of folly to
swear by taking the Gospels, and to turn the very Law which forbids
swearing into an oath; and that it is better to suffer loss of property
than to impose an oath on our neighbours; since this is a great honour
to be done to God. For when thou sayest to God, "For thy sake I
have not put such a one, who hath robbed and injured me, on his
oath," God will pay thee back a great recompense on account of this
honour, both here and hereafter. Say these things to others, and
observe them also yourselves. I know that in this place we become more
reverent, and lay aside every evil habit. But what is to be aimed at
is, not that we be lovers of wisdom here only, but that when we
depart, we may take this reverence out with us, where we especially
need it. For those who carry water do not merely have their vessels
full when near the fountain, and empty them when they reach home, but
there they put them away with especial caution, that they may not be
overturned, and their labours rendered useless. Let us all imitate
these persons; and when we come home, let us strictly retain what has
been spoken; since if ye here have gotten full, but return home
empty, having the vessels of your understandings destitute of what ye
have heard, there will be no advantage from your replenishment here.
Shew me not the wrestler in the place of exercise, but of actual
contest; and religion not at the season of hearing, but at the season
of practice.
5.Thou applaudest what is said now. When thou art required to
swear, then remember all these things. If ye quickly accomplish this
law, we will advance our teaching to other and greater things. Lo!
this is the second year that I am discoursing to your Charity; and I
have not yet been able to explain a hundred lines of the Scriptures,
And the reason is, that ye need to learn of us what ye might reduce to
practice at home, and of yourselves; and thus the greater part of our
exhortation is consumed on ethical discourse. But this ought not to
have been so; the regulation of manners you ought to have learnt at
home, and of yourselves; but the sense of the Scriptures, and the
speculations upon them, you might commit to us. If, however, it
were necessary that you should hear such things of us, there was no
need of more than one day: for what there is to be said is of no
diversified or difficult character, or such as requires any
elaboration. For when God declares His sentence, subtle arguments
are unseasonable. God hath said, "Thou shall not swear." Do not
then demand of me the reasons of this. It is a royal law. He who
established it, knows the reason of the law. If it had not been
profitable, He would not have forbidden it. Kings bring in laws,
and not all perchance profitable; for they are men, and cannot be
competent to discover what is useful, like God. Nevertheless, we
obey them. Whether we marry, or make wills, or are about to purchase
servants, or houses, or fields, or to do any other act, we do these
things not according to our own mind, but according to the laws which
they ordain; and we are not entirely at liberty to dispose of the
things which concern ourselves according to our own minds; but in many
cases we are subject to their will; and should we do any thing that is
contrary to their judgment, it becomes invalid and useless. So then
tell me, are we to pay so much respect to the laws of men, and trample
under foot the law of God? What defence, or what pardon can such
conduct be worthy of? He hath said, "Thou shalt not swear." In
order that thou mayest do and speak all things with safety, do not in
practice lay down a law contrary to His.
6. But enough of these matters. Let us now proceed to lay before
you one sentence of those which have been read today, and thus end this
discourse. "Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ," saith he, "and
Timothy the brother." Great is the designation of Paul: no title
of principality and power, but he speaks of bonds and chains! Truly
great indeed! Although many other things made him illustrious; his
being caught up into the third heaven, his being transported to
Paradise, his hearing unutterable words; yet he sets down none of
these, but mentions the chain instead of all, for this made him more
conspicuous and illustrious than these. And why so? Because the one
were the free gifts of the Lord's lovingkindness; and the other the
marks of the constancy and patience of the servant. But it is
customary with those who love, to glory more in the things which they
suffer for those who are beloved, than in the benefits they receive
from them. A king is not so proud of his diadem, as Paul gloried in
his chains. And very justly. For a diadem affords but an ornament to
the crowned head; but the chain is a much greater ornament as well as a
security. The kingly crown often betrays the head it encircles, and
allures innumerable traitors, and invites them to the lust of empire.
And in battles this ornament is so dangerous, that it must be hidden
and laid aside. Hence kings in battle, change the outward dress, and
so mingle in the crowd of combatants; so much betrayal does there
result from the crown; but the chain will bring nothing of this kind
upon those who have it, but altogether the contrary; since if there be
a war, and an engagement with demons, and the hostile powers; the man
who is thus encompassed, by holding forth his chain, repels their
assaults. And many of the secular magistrates not only bear the name
of office while they are in authority, but when they have given up
their authority. Such a one is called an ex-consul, such a one an
ex-praetor. But he, instead of all such titles, says, "Paul the
prisoner."
And very rightly. For those magisterial offices are no complete
evidences of virtue in respect to the soul; for they are to be
purchased by money, and obtained by the solicitations of friends; but
this distinction that is obtained by bonds is a proof of the soul's
love of wisdom, and the strongest sign of a longing for Christ. And
the former are soon gone, but this distinction has none to succeed to
it. Behold at least from that time to the present day how long a time
has passed, and yet the name of this Prisoner has become increasingly
illustrious. As to all the consuls, whoever they were, of former
times, they are passed into silence; and not even their names are
known to the generality of mankind. But the name of this Prisoner,
the blessed Paul, is still great here, great in the land of the
barbarians, great also among the Scythians and Indians; and were you
to go even to the very bounds of the habitable world, you would hear of
this appellation, and whithersoever any one could come, he would
perceive that the name of Paul was borne in the mouths of all men.
And what marvel is it, if it be so by land and sea, when even in the
heavens the name of Paul is great; with angels and archangels and the
powers above, and with the King of these, even God! "But what
were the chains," says some one, "that brought glory to him who was
thus fettered? Were they not formed of iron?" Of iron, indeed,
they were formed; but they contained the grace of the Spirit,
abundantly flourish ing in them; since he wore them for Christ's
sake. Oh, wonder! the servants were bound, the Master was
crucified, and yet the preaching of the Gospel every day increases!
And through the means by which it was supposed that it would be
extinguished, by these very means it was kindled; and the Cross and
bonds, which were thought to be an abomination, these are now become
the symbols of salvation; and that iron was to us more precious than
all gold, not by its intrinsic nature, but for this cause and ground!
7. But here I see an enquiry arising out of this point; and if you
give me your attention, i will both state the question exactly, and
will add the solution. What then is the subject of enquiry? This
same Paul once having come before Festus, whilst discoursing to him,
and defending himself concerning the charges which the Jews had alleged
against him, and telling how he had seen Jesus, how he had heard that
blessed voice; how he had been struck with blindness and recovered
sight, and had fallen down and risen up again; how he had come a
captive into Damascus, bound without chains; after speaking likewise
of the Law and of the Prophets, and shewing that they had foretold
all these things, he captured the judge, and almost persuaded him to
come over to himself. For such are the souls of holy men: when they
have fallen into dangers, they do not consider how they may be
delivered from dangers, but strive every way how they may capture their
persecutors. Just so did it then happen. He came in to defend
himself, and he departed taking the judge with him! And to this the
judge bore witness, saying, "Almost thou persuadest me to be a
Christian." And this ought to have happened today; and this
Prefect, on coming among you, ought to have admired your
magnanimity, your fortitude, your perfect tranquillity; and to have
gone away, taking with him a lesson from your good order, admiring
your assembly, praising your congress, and learning from the actual
fact, how great a difference there is between Gentiles and
Christians!
8. But as I was saying:--When Paul had caught him, and he
said, "Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian," Paul
answered thus, "I would to God that not only thou, but also all
that hear me this day, were both almost and altogether such as I am,
except these bonds." What sayest thou, O Paul? When thou writest
to the Ephesians, thou sayest, "I therefore, the prisoner of the
Lord, beseech you, that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye
are called." And when thou speakest to Timothy, "Wherein I
suffer trouble as an evil-doer, even unto bonds." And again, when
to Philemon, thus; "Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ." And
again, when debating with the Jews, thou sayest, "For the hope of
Israel I am bound with this chain." And writing to the
Philippians, thou sayest, "Many of the brethren in the Lord,
waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word
without fear." Every where thou bearest about the chain, everywhere
thou puttest forward thy bonds, and boastest in the thing. But when
thou comest to the tribunal, thou betrayest thy philosophy, where it
were right to have spoken the most boldly, and sayest to the judge,
"I would to God that thou mightest become a Christian 'without'
these bonds!" Yet surely if the bonds were good, and so good, that
they could be the means of making others to grow bold in the cause of
true religion; (for this very thing thou didst declare before, when
thou saidst, "Many of the brethren, waxing confident by my bonds,
did speak the word without fear"); for what reason dost thou not
glory in this thing in the presence of the judge, but doest even the
reverse?
9. Does not what I say appear a question? The solution of it,
however, I will bring forward at once. For Paul acted thus, not
from distress or fear, but from an abundance of wisdom and spiritual
understanding. And how this was, I proceed to explain. He was
addressing a Gentile, and an unbeliever, who knew nothing of our
matters. Hence he was unwilling to introduce him by way of
disagreeable things, but as he said, "I became to them that are
without law, as without law;" so he acted in the present instance.
His meaning is, "If the Gentile hear of bonds and tribulations, he
will straightway be taking flight; since he knows not the power of
bonds. First, let him become a believer; let him taste of the word
preached, and then he will even of himself hasten towards these bonds.
I have heard the Lord saying, "No man putteth a piece of new cloth
into an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from
the garment, and the rent is made worse. Neither do men put new wine
into old wine-skins; else the wine-skins burst." The soul of this
man is an old garment: an old wine-skin. It is not renewed by the
faith, nor renovated by the grace of the Spirit. It is yet weak and
earthly. It affects the things of this life. It flutters eagerly
after worldly show. It loves a glory that is present. Should he hear
at once, even from the first, that if he becomes a Christian he will
become immediately a prisoner, and will be encompassed with a chain;
feeling ashamed and indignant, he will recoil from the word preached.
Therefore, saith he, "Except these bonds." Not as deprecating
the bonds themselves, God forbid! But condescending to the other's
infirmity; for he himself loved and welcomed his bonds, even as a
woman fond of ornament doth her jewels of gold. Whence is this
apparent? "I rejoice," saith he, "in my sufferings for you, and
fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my
flesh." And again; "Unto you it is given in the behalf of
Christ, not only to believe on Him, but to suffer for His sake."
And again; "And not only so, but we also glory in tribulations."
Wherefore, if he rejoices and glories in this, and calls it a gift of
grace, it is manifest that when he was addressing the judge, he spoke
to him as he did, for the reason assigned. Moreover, also in a
different passage, when he happened to find a necessity for glorying,
he shews the very same by saying, "Most gladly, therefore, will I
glory in my infirmities . . . . . . in reproaches, in
necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, that the power of
Christ may rest upon me." And again; "If I must needs glory, I
will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities." And
elsewhere, comparing himself with others, and exhibiting to us his
superiority in the comparison, he thus speaks; "Are they ministers
of Christ? (I speak as a fool), I am more." And wishing to
shew this superiority, he did not say that he had raised the dead, nor
that he had expelled demons, nor that he had cleansed lepers, nor that
he had done any other thing of the sort, but that he had suffered those
innumerable hardships. Hence when he said," I am more," he
presently cites the multitude of his trials; "In stripes, above
measure, in deaths oft, in prisons more frequent . . . .. of the
Jews five times received I forty stripes save one, once was I
stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been
in the deep;" and all the rest. Thus Paul everywhere glories in
tribulations; and prides himself upon this circumstance exceedingly.
And very justly. For this it is which especially shews the power of
Christ, viz. that the Apostles conquered by such means; by bonds,
by tribulations, by scourgings, and the worst of ills.
10. For these two things Christ had announced, tribulation and
remission, labours and crowns, toils and rewards, things pleasant and
sad. Nevertheless, to the present life he assigns the sorrowful
things; but for the life to come, he has stored up those which are
pleasant; at once shewing that He did not mean to deceive men, and
wishing by this arrangement to diminish the burden of human woes. For
the imposter first holds out the things which are pleasant, and
afterwards brings forward those which are disagreeable. Thus for
example:--Kidnappers, when they intend to steal and carry off
little children, do not promise them blows and stripes, or any other
thing of that kind, but offer them cakes, and sweetmeats, and such
like, by which the age of childhood is usually gratified; in order
that, enticed by these things, they may sell their liberty, and may
fall into the utmost peril. Moreover, bird-catchers, and
fishermen, thus entice the prey which they pursue, offering first
their usual food, and such as is agreeable to them, and by this means
concealing the snare. So that this is especially the work of
imposters, first to hold out things which are agreeable, but
afterwards to introduce the things which are disagreeable. But the
case is altogether the reverse with those who are really careful and
provident for others. Fathers at least act quite in a contrary manner
to kidnappers. When they send their children to school, they set
masters over them, threaten them with stripes, and encompass them with
fear on all sides. But when they have thus spent the first portion of
their lives, and their habits are formed, they then put them in
possession of honour, and power, and luxury, and all the wealth that
is theirs.
11. And thus God has acted. After the manner of provident
fathers, and not after that of kidnappers, He has first involved us
in things that are grievous; handing us over to present tribulation,
as it were to schoolmasters and teachers; in order that being chastened
and sobered by these things, after shewing forth all patience, and
learning all right discipline, we may afterwards, when formed into due
habits, inherit the kingdom of heaven. He first prepares and fits us
for the management of the wealth He is to give, and then puts us into
the actual possession of riches. For if He had not acted thus, the
giving of riches would have been no boon, but a punishment and a
vengeance. For even as a son that is senseless and prodigal, when he
has succeeded to a paternal inheritance, is precipitated headlong by
this very thing, having none of the practical wisdom requisite for the
economy of wealth; but if he be intelligent, and gentle, and sober,
and moderate, managing his paternal estate as is befitting, he becomes
by this means more illustrious and distinguished: so must it also
necessarily happen in our case. When we have acquired spiritual
understanding, when we have all attained to "perfect manhood," and
the measure of full stature;" then He puts us in possession of all
that He has promised: but now as little children He chastens us,
together with consolation and soothing. And this is not the only
advantage of receiving the tribulation beforehand, but there is also
another, not less than this. For the man who first of all lives
luxuriously, and then has to expect punishment after his luxurious
living, has not even a sense of his present luxury, merely by reason
of the expectation of impending woes; but he who is first in a
sorrowful state, if he is anticipating the enjoyment of good things
afterwards, overlooks present difficulties, in the hope of the good
things which are to come. Not only, then, on account of our
security, but also for our pleasure and consolation hath He ordained
that the things which are grievous should be first; in order that being
lightened with the hope of futurity, we should be rendered insensible
to what is present. And this Paul would shew and make plain, when he
said, "Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for
us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. While we look not
at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen."
He calls tribulation light, not because of the intrinsic nature of
things that are grievous, but because of the expectation of good things
to come. For even as the merchant is indifferent to the labour that
attends navigation, being buoyed up with the hope of a cargo; and as
the boxer bravely sustains the blows on his head, looking to the crown
beyond; so also indeed do we, earnestly gazing towards heaven, and
the good things that are in the heavens, whatever evils come on us,
sustain them all with fortitude, being nerved with the good hope of the
things to come.
12. Therefore let us go home, taking with us this saying; for
though it be simple and short, it nevertheless contains much of the
doctrine of spiritual wisdom. He who is in a state of grief and
tribulation, hath a sufficient consolation; he who lives in luxury and
abundance, hath that which may greatly sober him. For when as thou
sittest at the table thou art reminded of this saying, thou wilt
speedily shrink from drunkenness and gluttony; learning through this
sentence, how needful it is for us to be striving; and thou wilt say
with thyself, "Paul lived in bonds and in dungeons, but I in
drunkenness and at a luxurious table! What pardon then shall I
obtain?" This also is a fit saying for women; since those who are
fond of ornament, and expensive dresses, and bind themselves about
with gold on every side, when they remember this chain, will hate, I
feel assured, and abominate that adorning of themselves; and will
hasten to such bonds as these. For those ornaments have often been the
cause of manifold evils, and introduced a thousand quarrels into a
family, and have bred envy, and jealousy, and hatred. But these
loosed the sins of the wide world, affrighted demons, and drove away
the devil. With these, while tarrying in prison, he persuaded the
jailor; with these he attracted Agrippa himself; with these he
procured many disciples. Therefore he said, "Wherein I suffer
trouble as an evil-doer unto bonds, but the word of God is not
bound." For just as it is not possible to bind a sunbeam, or to shut
it up within the house, so neither the preaching of the word; and what
was much more, the teacher was bound, and yet the word flew abroad;
he inhabited the prison, and yet his doctrine rapidly winged its way
every where throughout the world!
Knowing these things then, let us not be depressed, when adverse
affairs meet us, but then let us be more strong, then more powerful;
"for tribulation worketh patience." Let us not grieve for the
calamities which befall us, but let us in all things give thanks unto
God!
13. We have completed the second week of the fast, but this we
should not consider; for going through the fast does not consist in
merely going through the time, but in going through it with amendment
of manners. Let us consider this; whether we have become more
diligent; whether we have corrected any of our defects; whether we
have washed away our sins? It is common for every one to ask in
Lent, how many weeks each has fasted; and some may be heard saying
that they have fasted two, others three, and others that they have
fasted the whole of the weeks. But what advantage is it, if we have
gone through the fast devoid of good works? If another says, "I
have fasted the whole of Lent," do thou say, "I had an enemy, but
I was reconciled; I had a custom of evil-speaking, but I put a
stop to it; I had a custom of swearing, but I have broken through
this evil practice." It is of no advantage to merchants, to have
gone over a great extent of ocean, but to have sailed with a freight
and much merchandise. The fast will profit us nothing, if we pass
through it as a mere matter of course, without any result. If we
practise a mere abstinence from meats, when the forty days are past,
the fast is over too. But if we abstain from sins, this still
remains, even when the fast has gone by, and will be from this time a
continual advantage to us; and will here render us no small
recompense, before we attain unto the kingdom of heaven. For as he
who is living in iniquity, even before hell, hath punishment, being
stung by his conscience; so the man who is rich in good works, even
before the kingdom, will have the benefit of exceeding joy, in that he
is nourished with blessed hopes.
14. Therefore Christ says, "I will see you again, and your
heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you." A brief
saying, but one that hath in it much consolation. What then is this,
"your joy no man taketh?" if thou hast money, many are able to take
away the joy that comes of thy wealth; as, for instance, a thief, by
digging through the wall; a servant by carrying off what was entrusted
to him; an emperor by confiscation; and the envious man by contumely.
Should you possess power, there are many who are able to deprive you
of the joy of it. For when the conditions of office are at an end,
the conditions of pleasure will also be ended. And in the exercise of
office itself too, there are many accidents occurring, which by
bringing difficulty and care, strike at the root of thy satisfaction.
If thou hast bodily strength, the assaults of disease put a stop to
joy from that source. If thou hast beauty and bloom, the approach of
old age withers it, and takes away that joy. Or if thou enjoyest a
sumptuous table, when evening comes on the joy of the banquet is at an
end; for every thing belonging to this life is liable to damage, and
is unable to afford us a lasting pleasure; but piety and the virtue of
the soul is altogether the reverse of this. If thou hast done an
aims, no one is able to take away this good work. Though an army, or
kings, or myriads of calumniators and conspirators, were to beset thee
on all sides, they could not take away the possession, once deposited
in heaven; but the joy thereof continually abideth; for it is said,
"He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor, his righteousness
endureth for ever." And very justly; for in the storehouses of
heaven it is laid up, where no thief breaks in, nor robber seizes,
nor moth devours. If thou pourest out continued and fervent prayers,
no man will be able to spoil thee of the fruit of them; for this fruit
too is rooted in the heavens; it is out of the way of all injury, and
remains beyond mortal reach. If when evil-treated thou has done a
kind action; if thou hast borne with patience to hear thyself evil
spoken of; if thou hast returned blessings for reproaches; these are
good works that abide continually, and the joy of them no man taketh
away; but as often as thou rememberest these, thou art glad and
rejoicest, and reapest large fruits of pleasure. So also, indeed,
if we succeed in avoiding oaths; and persuade our tongue to abstain
from this pernicious practice, the good work will be finished in a
short time, but the delight arising from it will be continuous and
unfailing.
17. And now, it is time that you should be teachers and guides of
others; that friends should undertake to instruct and lead on their
neighbours; servants their fellow-servants; and youths those of their
own age. What if any one had promised thee a single piece of gold for
every man who was reformed, wouldest thou not then have used every
exertion, and been all day long sitting by them, persuading and
exhorting. Yet now God promises thee not one piece of gold, nor
ten, or twenty, or a hundred, or a thousand; no, nor the whole
earth, for thy labours, but He gives thee that which is greater than
all the world, the kingdom of heaven; and not only this, but also
another thing besides it. And what kind of thing is that? "He who
taketh forth the precious from the vile," saith He, "shall be as my
mouth." What can be equal to this in point of honour or security?
What kind of excuse or pardon can be left to those, who after so great
a promise neglect their neighbour's safety? Now if you see a blind
man falling into a pit, you stretch forth a hand, and think it a
disgraceful thing to overlook one who is about to perish? But daily
beholding all thy brethren precipitated into the wicked custom of
oaths, dost thou not dare even to utter a word? Thou hast spoken
once, perhaps, and he hath not heard. Speak there fore twice, and
thrice, and as often as it may be, till thou hast persuaded him.
Every day God is addressing us, and we do not hear; and yet He does
not leave off speaking. Do thou, therefore, imitate this tender care
towards thy neighbour. For this reason it is that we are placed with
one another; that we inhabit cities, and that we meet together in
churches, in order that we may bear one another's burdens, that we
may correct one another's sins. And in the same manner as persons
inhabiting the same shop, carry on a separate traffic, yet put all
afterwards into the common fund, so also let us act. Whatever
advantages each man is able to confer upon his neighbour, let him not
grudge, nor shrink from doing it, but let there be some such kind of
spiritual commerce, and reciprocity; in order that having deposited
every thing in the common store, and obtained great riches, and
procured a large treasure, we may be all together partakers of the
kingdom of heaven; through the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord
Jesus Christ, by Whom and with Whom, to the Father, with the
Holy Ghost, be glory, both now and ever, and world without end.
Amen.
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