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1 Thessalonians v. 1, 2.
"But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need
that aught be written unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the
day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night."
NOTHING, as it seems, is so curious, and so fondly prone to
pry into things obscure and concealed, as the nature of men. And this
is wont to happen to it, when the mind is unsettled and in an imperfect
state. For the simpler sort of children never cease teasing their
nurses, and tutors, and parents, with their frequent questions, in
which there is nothing else but "when will this be?" and "when
that?" And this comes to pass also from living in indulgence, and
having nothing to do. Many things therefore our mind is in haste to
learn already and to comprehend, but especially concerning the period
of the consummation; and what wonder if we are thus affected, for
those holy men, themselves, were most of all affected in the same
way? And before the Passion, the Apostles come and say to Christ,
"Tell us, when shall these things be, and what shall be the sign of
Thy coming, and of the end of the world?" (Matt. xxiv. 23.)
And after the Passion and the Resurrection from the dead, they said
to Him, Tell us, "dost Thou at this time restore again the kingdom
to Israel?" (From Acts i. 6.) And they asked Him nothing
sooner than this.
But it was not so afterwards, when they had been vouchsafed the Holy
Ghost. Not only do they not themselves inquire, nor complain of this
ignorance, but they repress those who labor under this unseasonable
curiosity. Hear for instance what the blessed Paul now says, "But
concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that
aught be written unto you." Why has he not said that no one knows?
why has he not said, that it is not revealed, instead of saying,
"Ye have no need that aught be written unto you"? Because in that
case he would have grieved them more, but by speaking thus he comforted
them. For by the expression, "Ye have no need," as if it were
both superfluous, and inexpedient, he suffers them not to enquire.
For tell me, what would be the advantage? Let us suppose that the
end would be after twenty or thirty or a hundred years, what is this to
us? Is not the end of his own life the consummation to every
individual? Why art thou curious, and travailest about the general
end? But the case is the same with us in this, as in other things.
For as in other things, leaving our own private concerns, we are
anxious about things in general, saying, Such an one is a
fornicator, such an one an adulterer, that man has robbed, another
has been injurious; but no one takes account of what is his own, but
each thinks of anything rather than his own private concerns; so here
also, each omitting to take thought about his own end, we are anxious
to hear about the general dissolution. Now what concern is that of
yours? for if you make your own a good end, you will suffer no harm
from the other; be it far off, or be it near. This is nothing to
us.
For this reason Christ did not tell it, because it was not
expedient. How, you say, was it not expedient? He who also
concealed it knows wherefore it was not expedient. For hear Him
saying to His Apostles, "It is not for you to know times, or
seasons, which the Father hath set within His own authority."
(Acts i. 7.) Why are you curious? Peter, the chief of the
Apostles, and his fellows, heard this said, as if they were seeking
things too great for them to know. True, you say; but it were
possible to stop the mouths of the Greeks in this way. How? tell
me. Because they say, that this world is a god; if we knew the
period of its dissolution, we should have stopped their mouths. Why,
is this what will stop their mouths, to know when it will be
destroyed, or to know that it will be destroyed? Tell them this,
that it will have an end. If they do not believe this, neither will
they believe the other.
Hear Paul saying, "For yourselves know perfectly that the day of
the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night." Not the general day
only, but that of every individual. For the one resembles the other,
is also akin to it. For what the one does collectively, that the
other does partially. For the period of consummation took its
beginning from Adam, and then is the end of the consummation; since
even now one would not err in calling it a consummation. For when ten
thousand die every day, and all await That Day, and no one is raised
before it is it not the work of That Day? And if you would know on
what account it is concealed and why it so cometh as a thief in the
night, I will tell you how I think I can well account for it. No
one would have ever cultivated virtue during his whole life; but
knowing his last day, and, after having committed numberless sins,
then having come to the Layer, he would so have departed. For if
now, when the fear arising from its uncertainty shakes the souls of
all, still all, having spent their whole former life in wickedness,
at their last breath give themselves up to Baptism,--if they had
fully persuaded themselves concerning this matter, who would ever have
cultivated virtue? If many have departed without Illumination, and
not even this fear has taught them, whilst living, to cultivate the
things that are pleasing to God; if this fear also had been removed,
who would ever have been sober, or who gentle? There is not one And
another thing again. The fear of death and the love of life restrain
many. But if each one knew that to-morrow he would certainly die,
there is nothing he would refuse to attempt before that day, but he
would murder whomsoever he wished, and would retrieve himself by taking
vengeance on his enemies, and would perpetrate ten thousand crimes.
For a wicked man, who despairs of his life here, pays no regard even
to him who is invested with the purple. He therefore who was persuaded
that he must at all events die would both be revenged upon his enemy,
and after having first satisfied his own soul, so would meet his end.
Let me mention also a third thing. Those who are fond of life, and
vehemently attached to the things of this world, would be ruined by
despair and grief. For if any of the young knew that before he reached
old age, he should meet his end, as the most sluggish of wild beasts,
when they are taken, become still more sluggish from expecting their
end, so would he also be affected. Besides, not even the men that
are courageous would have had their reward. For if they knew that
after three years they must certainly die, and before that time it was
not possible, what reward would they have gained for daring in the face
of dangers? For any one might say to them, Because you are confident
of the three years of life, for this reason you throw yourselves into
dangers, knowing that it is not possible for you to pass away. For
he, that expects from each danger that he may come by his death, and
knows that he shall live indeed, if he does not expose himself to
peril, but shall die if he attempts such and such actions, he gives
the greatest proof of his zeal, and of his contempt for the present
life. And this I will make plain to you by an example. Tell me, if
the patriarch Abraham, foreknowing that he should not have to
sacrifice his son, had brought him to the place, would he then have
had any reward? And what if Paul, foreknowing that he should not
die, had despised dangers, in what respect would he have been
admirable? For so even the most sluggish would rush into the fire, if
he could find any one he could trust to ensure his safety. But not
such were the Three Children. For hear them saying, "O king,
there is a God in heaven, who will deliver us out of thine hands, and
out of this furnace; and if not, be it known to thee that we do not
serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up."
(Dan. iii. 17, Sept.)
Ye see how many advantages there are, and yet there are more than
these that arise from not knowing the time of our end. Meanwhile it is
sufficient to learn these. On this account He so cometh as a thief in
the night; that we may not abandon ourselves to wickedness, nor to
sloth; that He may not take from us our reward. "For yourselves
know perfectly," he says. Why then are you curious, if you are
persuaded? But that the future is uncertain, learn from what Christ
has said. For that on this account He said it, hear what he says,
"Watch therefore: for ye know not at what hour" the thief
"cometh." (Matt. xxiv. 42.) On this account also Paul
said, Ver. 3. "When they are saying peace and safety, then
sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with
child; and they shall in nowise escape."
Here he has glanced at something which he has also said in his second
Epistle. For since they indeed were in affliction, but they that
warred on them at ease and in luxury, and then while he comforted them
in their present sufferings by this mention of the Resurrection, the
others insulted them with arguments taken from their forefathers, and
said, When will it happen?
--which the Prophets also said, "Woe unto them that say, Let him
make speed, let God hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the
counsel of the Holy One of Israel come, that we may know it!"
(Isa. v. 19); and again "Woe unto them that desire the day of
the Lord." (Amos v. 18.) He means this day; for he does not
speak simply of persons who desire it, but of those who desire it
because they disbelieve it: and "the day of the Lord," he says,
"is darkness, and not light"--see then how Paul consoles them, as
if he had said, Let them not account their being in a prosperous
state, a proof that the Judgment is not coming. For so it is that it
will come.
But it may be worth while to ask, If Antichrist comes, and Elias
comes, how is it "when they say Peace and safety," that then a
sudden destruction comes upon them? For these things do not permit the
day to come upon them unawares, being signs of its coming. But he
does not mean this to be the time of Antichrist, and the whole day,
because that will be a sign of the coming of Christ, but Himself will
not have a sign, but will come suddenly and unexpectedly. For
travail, indeed, you say, does not come upon the pregnant woman
unexpectedly: for she knows that after nine months the birth will take
place. And yet it is very uncertain. For some bring forth at the
seventh month, and others at the ninth. And at any rate the day and
the hour is uncertain. With respect to this therefore, Paul speaks
thus. And the image is exact. For there are not many sure signs of
travail; many indeed have brought forth in the high roads, or when out
of their houses and abroad, not fore-seeing it. And he has not only
glanced here at the uncertainty, but also at the bitterness of the
pain. For as she while sporting, laughing, not looking for anything
at all, being suddenly seized with unspeakable pains, is pierced
through with the pangs of labor --so will it be with those souls,
when the Day comes upon them.
"And they shall in nowise escape." As he was saying just now.
Vet. 4. "But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day
should overtake you as a thief."
Here he speaks of a life that is dark and impure. For it is just as
corrupt and wicked men do all things as in the night, escaping the
notice of all, and inclosing themselves in darkness. For tell me,
does not the adulterer watch for the evening, and the thief for the
night? Does not the violator of the tombs carry on all his trade in
the night? What then? Does it not overtake them as a thief? Does
it not come upon them also uncertainly, but do they know it
beforehand? How then does he say, "Ye have no need that aught be
written unto you"? He speaks here not with respect to the
uncertainty, but with respect to the calamity, that is, it will not
come as an evil to them. For it will come uncertainly indeed even to
them, but it will involve them in no trouble. "That that Day," he
says, "may not overtake you as a thief." For in the case of those
who are watching and who are in the light, if there should be any entry
of a robber, it can do them no harm: so also it is with those who live
well. But those who are sleeping he will strip of everything, and go
off; that is, those who are trusting in the things of this life.
Ver. 5. "For ye are all," he says, "sons of light, and sons
of the day."
And how is it possible to be "sons of the day "? Just as it is
said, "sons of destruction" and "sons of hell." Wherefore Christ
also said to the Pharisees, "Woe unto you--for ye compass sea and
land to make one proselyte, and when he is become so, ye make him a
son of hell." (Matt. xxiii. 15.) And again Paul said,
"For which things' sake cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of
disobedience." (Col. iii. 6.) That is, those who do the works
of hell and the works of disobedience. So also sons of God are those
who do things pleasing to God; so also sons of day and sons of light,
those who do the works of light. "And we are not of the night nor of
darkness." Ver. 6, 7, 8. "So then let us not sleep, as do
also the rest, but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep
sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the
night.But let us, since we are of the day, be sober."
Here he shows, that to be in the day depends on ourselves. For here
indeed, in the case of the present day and night, it does not depend
on ourselves. But night comes even against our will, and sleep
overtakes us when we do not wish it. But with respect to that night
and that sleep, it is not so, but it is in our power always to have it
day, it is in our power always to watch. For to shut the eyes of the
soul, and to bring on the sleep of wickedness, is not of nature, but
of our own choice. "But let us watch," he says, "and be sober."
For it is possible to sleep while awake, by doing nothing good.
Wherefore he has added, "and be sober." For even by day, if any
one watches, but is not sober, he will fall into numberless dangers,
so that sobriety is the intensity of watchfulness. "They that
sleep," he says, "sleep in the night, and they that be drunken are
drunken in the night." The drunkenness he here speaks of is not that
from wine only, but that also which comes of all vices. For riches
and the desire of wealth is a drunkenness of the soul, and so carnal
lust; and every sin you can name is a drunkenness of the soul. On
what account then has he called vice sleep?
Because in the first place the vicious man is inactive with respect to
virtue: again, because he sees everything as a vision, he views
nothing in its true light, but is full of dreams, and oftentimes of
unreasonable actions: and if he sees anything good, he has no
firmness, no fixedness. Such is the present life. It is full of
dreams, and of phantasy. Riches are a dream, and glory, and
everything of that sort. He who sleeps sees not things that are and
have a real subsistence, but things that are not he fancies as things
that are. Such is vice, and the life that is passed in vice. It
sees not things that are, that is, spiritual, heavenly, abiding
things, but things that are fleeting and fly away, and that soon
recede from us.
But it is not sufficient to watch and be sober, we must also be
armed. For if a man watch and is sober, but has not arms, the
robbers soon dispatch him. When therefore we ought both to watch, and
to be sober, and to be armed, and we are unarmed and naked and
asleep, who will hinder him from thrusting home his sword? Wherefore
showing this also, that we have need of arms, he has added:
Vet. 8. "Putting on the breastplate of faith and love: and for a
helmet the hope of salvation."
"Of faith and love," he says. Here he glances at life and
doctrine. He has shown what it is to watch and be sober, to have
"the breastplate of faith and love." Not a common faith, he says,
but as nothing can soon pierce through a breastplate, but it is a safe
wall to the breast;--so do thou also, he says, surround thy soul
with faith and love, and none of the fiery darts of the devil can ever
be fixed in it. For where the power of the soul is preoccupied with
the armor of love, all the devices of those who plot against it are
vain and ineffectual. For neither wickedness, nor hatred, nor envy,
nor flattery, nor hypocrisy, nor any other thing will be able to
penetrate such a soul. He has not simply said "love," but he has
bid them put it on as a strong breastplate. "And for a helmet the
hope of salvation." For as the helmet guards the vital part in us,
surrounding the head and covering it on every side, so also this hope
does not suffer the reason to falter, but sets it upright as the head,
not permitting anything from without to fall upon it. And whilst
nothing falls on it, neither does it slip of itself. For it is not
possible that one who is fortified with such arms as these, should ever
fall. For" now abideth faith, hope, love." (1 Cor. xiii.
13.) Then having said, Put on, and array yourselves, he himself
provides the armor, whence faith, hope, and love may be produced,
and may become strong.
Ver. 9. "For God appointed us not unto wrath, but unto the
obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for
us."
Thus God has not inclined to this, that He might destroy us, but
that He might save us. And whence is it manifest that this is His
will? He has given His own Son for us. So does He desire that we
should be saved, that He has given His Son, and not merely given,
but given Him to death. From these considerations hope is produced.
For do not despair of thyself, O man, in going to God, who has not
spared even His Son for thee. Faint not at present evils. He who
gave His Only-Begotten, that He might save thee and deliver thee
from hell, what will He spare henceforth for thy salvation? So that
thou oughtest to hope for all things kind. For neither should we
fear, if we were going to a judge who was about to judge us, and who
had shown so much love for us, as to have sacrificed his son. Let us
hope therefore for kind and great things, for we have received the
principal thing; let us believe, for we have seen an example; let us
love, for it is the extreme of madness for one not to love who has been
so treated.
Ver. 10, 11. "That, whether we wake or sleep," he says,
"we should live together with Him. Wherefore exhort one another,
and build each other up, even as also ye do."
And again, "whether we wake or sleep"; by sleep there he means one
thing, and here another. For here, "whether we sleep" signifies
the death of the body; that is, fear not dangers; though we should
die, we shall live. Do not despair because thou art in danger. Thou
hast a strong security. He would not have given His Son if He had
not been inflamed by vehement love for us. So that, though thou
shouldest die, thou wilt live; for He Himself also died. Therefore
whether we die, or whether we live, we shall live with Him. This is
a matter of indifference: it is no concern of mine, whether I live or
die; for we shall live with Him. Let us therefore do everything for
that life: looking to that, let us do all our works. Vice, O
beloved, is darkness, it is death, it is night; we see nothing that
we ought, we do nothing that becomes us. As the dead are unsightly
and of evil odor, so also the souls of those who are vicious are full
of much impurity. Their eyes are closed, their mouth is stopped,
they remain without motion in the bed of vice; or rather more wretched
than those who are naturally dead. For they truly are dead to both,
but these are insensible indeed to virtue, but alive to vice. If one
should strike a dead man, he perceives it not, he revenges it not,
but is like a dry stick. So also his soul is truly dry, having lost
its life; it receives daily num berless wounds, and has no feeling of
any, but lies insensible to everything.
One would not err in comparing such men to those who are mad, or
drunk, or delirious. All these things belong to vice, and it is
worse than all these. He that is mad is much allowed for by those who
see him, for his disease is not from choice, but from nature alone;
but how shall he be pardoned, who lives in vice? Whence then is
vice? whence are the majority bad? Tell me, whence have diseases
their evil nature? whence is frenzy? whence is lethargy? Is it not
from carelessness? If physical disorders have their origin in choice,
much more those which are voluntary. Whence is drunkenness? Is it
not from intemperance of soul? Is not frenzy from excess of fever?
And is not fever from the elements too abundant in us? And is not
this superabundance of elements from our carelessness? For when either
from deficiency or excess we carry any of the things within us beyond
the bounds of moderation, we kindle that fire. Again, if when the
fire is kindled, we continue to neglect it, we make a conflagration
for ourselves, which we are not able to extinguish. So is it also
with vice. When we do not restrain it at its beginning, nor cut it
off, we cannot afterwards reach to the end of it, but it becomes too
great for our power. Wherefore, I beseech you, let us do everything
that we may never become drowsy. Do you not see that when sentinels
have only given way a little to sleep, they derive no advantage from
their long watch, for by that little they have ruined the whole,
having given perfect security to him who is prepared to steal. For as
we do not see thieves in the same way that they see us, so also the
devil most of all is ever instant, and lying in wait, and grinding his
teeth. Let us not then slumber. Let us not say, on this side there
is nothing, on that side nothing; we are often plundered from a
quarter whence we did not expect it. So it is with vice; we perish
from a quarter whence we did not expect it. Let us look carefully
round upon all things, let us not be drunken, and we shall not sleep.
Let us not be luxurious, and we shall not slumber. Let us not be mad
for external things, and we shall continue in sobriety. Let us
discipline ourselves on every side. And as men who walk upon a tight
rope cannot be off their guard ever so little, for that little causes
great mischief: for the man losing his balance is at once precipitated
down and perishes; so neither is it possible for us to be off our
guard. We walk upon a narrow road intercepted by precipices on either
side, not admitting of two feet at the same time. Seest thou not how
much carefulness is necessary? Seest thou not how those who travel on
such roads guard not only their feet, but their eyes also? For if he
should choose to gaze on one side, though his foot stand firm, his eye
becoming dizzy from the depth, plunges the whole body down. But he
must take heed to himself and to his steps; wherefore he says,
"neither to the right hand, nor to the left." (Prov. iv.
27.) Great is the depth of vice, high the precipices, much
darkness below. Let us take heed to the narrow way, let us walk with
fear and trembling. No one, who is traveling such a road, is
dissolved in laughter nor heavy with drunkenness, but travels such a
road with sobriety and fasting. No one traveling such a road carries
with him any superfluities; for he would be contented even lightly
equipped to be able to escape. No one entangles his own feet, but
leaves them disengaged, and free to move.
But we, chaining ourselves down with numberless cares, and carrying
with us the numberless burdens of this life, staring about, and
loosely rambling, how do we expect to travel in that narrow road? He
has not merely said that "narrow is the way" (Matt. vii. 14),
but with wonder, "how narrow is the way," that is, exceedingly
narrow. And this we also do in things that are quite objects of
wonder. And "straitened," he says, "is the way which leadeth unto
life." And he has well said it. For when we are bound to give an
account of our thoughts, and words, and actions, and all things,
truly it is narrow. But we ourselves make it more narrow, spreading
out and widening ourselves, and shuffling out our feet. For the
narrow way is difficult to every one, but especially to him who is
incumbered with fat, as he who makes himself lean will not perceive its
narrowness. So that he who has practiced himself in being pinched,
will not be discouraged at its pressure.
Let not any one therefore expect that he shall see heaven with ease.
For it cannot be. Let no one hope to travel the narrow road with
luxury, for it is impossible. Let no one traveling in the broad way
hope for life. When therefore thou seest such and such an one
luxuriating in baths, in a sumptuous table, or in other matters having
troops of attendants; think not thyself unhappy, as not partaking of
these things, but lament for him, that he is traveling the way to
destruction. For what is the advantage of this way, when it ends in
tribulation? And what is the injury of that straitness, when it leads
to rest? Tell me, if any one invited to a palace should walk through
narrow ways painful and precipitous, and another led to death should be
dragged through the midst of the market-place, which shall we call
happy? which shall we commiserate? Him, shall we not, who walks
through the broad road? So also now, let us think happy, not those
who are luxurious, but those who are not luxurious.These are
hastening to heaven, those to hell.
And perhaps indeed many of them will even laugh at the things that are
said by us. But I most of all lament and bewail them on this
account, that they do not even know what they ought to laugh at, and
for what they ought especially to mourn, but they confound and disturb
and disorder everything. On this account I bewail them. What sayest
thou, O man, when thou art to rise again, and to give an account of
thy actions, and to undergo the last sentence, dost thou pay no regard
indeed to these, but give thought to gratifying thy belly, and being
drunken? And dost thou laugh at these things? But I bewail thee,
knowing the evils that await thee, the punishment that is about to
overtake thee. And this I most especially bewail, that thou dost
laugh! Mourn with me, bewail with me thine own evils. Tell me, if
one of thy friends perishes, dost thou not turn from those who laugh at
his end, and think them enemies, but love those who weep and
sympathize with thee? Then indeed if the dead body of thy wife were
laid out, thou turnest from him that laughs: but when thy soul is done
to death, dost thou turn from him that weeps, and laugh thyself?
Seest thou how the devil has disposed us to be enemies and adversaries
to ourselves? For once let us be sober, let us open our eyes, let us
watch, let us lay hold on eternal life, let us shake off this long
sleep. There is a Judgment, there is a Punishment, there is a
Resurrection, there is an Inquisition into what we have done! The
Lord cometh in the clouds "Before Him," he says, a fire will be
kindled, and round about Him a mighty tempest" (Ps. 1. 3,
Sept.) A river of fire rolls before him, the undying worm,
unquenchable fire, outer darkness, gnashing of teeth. Although you
should be angry with me ten thousand times for mentioning these things,
I shall not cease from mentioning them. For if the prophets, though
stoned, did not keep silence, much more ought we to bear with
enmities, and not to discourse to you with a view to please, that we
may not, for having deceived you, be ourselves cut in sunder. There
is punishment, deathless, unallayed, and no one to stand up for us.
"Who will pity," he says, "the charmer that is bitten by a
serpent?" (Ecclus. xii. 13.) When we pity not our own
selves, tell me, who will pity us? If you see a man piercing himself
with a sword, will you be able to spare his life? By no means. Much
more, when having it in our power to do well we do not do well, who
will spare us? No one! Let us pity ourselves. When we pray to
God, saying, "Lord, have mercy upon me," let us say it to
ourselves, and have mercy upon ourselves. We are the arbiters of
God's having mercy upon us. This grace He. has bestowed upon us.
If we do things worthy of mercy, worthy of His loving-kindness
towards us, God will have mercy upon us. But if we have not mercy on
ourselves, who will spare us? Have mercy on thy neighbor, and thou
shalt find mercy of God Himself. How many every day come to thee,
saying," Have pity on me," and thou dost not turn towards them;
how many naked, how many maimed, and we do not bend toward them, but
dismiss their supplications. How then dost thou claim to obtain
mercy, when thou thyself dost nothing worthy of mercy? Let us become
compassionate, let us become pitiful, that so we may be well-pleasing
to God, and obtain the good things promised to those that love Him,
by the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with
whom,
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