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CHAPTER IV. VERSES 1-3.
"I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord,
beseech you, to walk worthily of the calling
wherewith ye were called, with all lowliness and
meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one
another in love; giving diligence to keep the
unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."
Great has the power of Paul's chain been shown
to be, and more glorious than miracles. It is
not in vain then, as it should seem, nor
without an object, that he here holds it
forward, but as the means of all others most
likely to touch them. And what saith he? "I
therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech
you, to walk worthily of the calling wherewith
ye were called."
And how is that? "with all lowliness and
meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one
another in love."
It is not the being merely a prisoner that is
honorable, but the being so for Christ's
sake. Hence he saith, "in the Lord,"
i.e., the prisoner for Christ's sake.
Nothing is equal to this. But now the chain is
dragging me away still more from my subject, and
pulling me back again, and I cannot bear to
resist it, but am drawn along
willingly,-yea, rather, with all my heart;
and would that it were always my lot to be
descanting on Paul's chain.
But now do not become drowsy: for I am yet
desirous to solve that other question, which
many raise, when they say, Why, if
tribulation be a glory, how came Paul himself
to say in his defence to Agrippa, "I would to
God that whether with little or with much not
thou only, but also all that hear me this day,
might become such as I am, except these
bonds?" (Acts xxvi: 29.) He said not
this, God forbid! as deeming the thing a
matter to be deprecated; no; for had it been
such, he would not have gloried in bonds, in
imprisonments, in those other tribulations; and
when writing elsewhere he saith, "Most gladly
will I rather glory in my weaknesses." (2
Cor. xii: 9.) But what is the case? This
was itself a proof how great a thing he
considered those bonds; for as in writing to the
Corinthians he said, "I fed you with milk,
not with meat, for ye were not yet able to bear
it;" (1 Cor. iii: 2.) so also here.
They before whom he spoke were not able to hear
of the beauty, nor the comeliness, nor the
blessing of those bonds. Hence it was he
added, "except these bonds." To the Hebrews
however he spoke not thus, but exhorted them to
"be bound with" (Heb. xiii: 3.) them
that were in bonds. And hence too did he
himself rejoice in his bonds, and was bound,
and was led with the prisoners into the inner
prison. Mighty is the power of Paul's chain!
A spectacle this, which may suffice for every
other, to behold Paul bound, and led forth
from his prison; to behold him bound, and
sitting within it, what pleasure can come up to
this? What would I not give for such a sight?
Do ye see the emperors, the consuls, borne
along in their chariots and arrayed in gold, and
their body-guard with every thing about them of
gold? Their halberds of gold, their shields of
gold, their raiment of gold, their horses with
trappings of gold? How much more delightful
than such a spectacle is his! I would rather
see Paul once, going forth with the prisoners
from his prison, than behold these ten thousand
times over, parading along with all that
retinue. When he was thus led forth, how many
Angels, suppose ye, led the way before him?
And to show that I speak no fiction, I will
make the fact manifest to you from a certain
ancient narrative.
Elisha the prophet, (perhaps ye know the
man,) at the time (2 Kings vi: 8-12.)
when the king of Syria was at war with the king
of Israel, sitting at his own home, brought to
light all the counsels which the king of Syria
was taking in his chamber with them that were
privy to his designs, and rendered the king's
counsels of none effect, by telling beforehand
his secrets, and not suffering the king of
Israel to fall into the snares which he was
laying. This sorely troubled the king; he was
disheartened, and was reduced to greater
perplexity, not knowing how to discover him who
was disclosing all that passed, and plotting
against him, and disappointing his schemes.
Whilst therefore he was in this perplexity, and
enquiring into the cause, one of his armor.
bearers told him, that there was a certain
prophet, one Elisha, dwelling in Samaria,
who suffered not the king's designs to stand,
but disclosed all that passed. The king
imagined that he had discovered the whole
matter. Sure, never was any one more miserably
misled than he. When he ought to have honored
the man, to have reverenced him, to have been
awed that he really possessed so great power, as
that, seated, as he was, so many furlongs
off, he should know all that passed in the
king's chamber, without any one at all to tell
him; this indeed he did not, but being
exasperated, and wholly carried away by his
passion, he equips horsemen,.and soldiers,
and dispatches them to bring the prophet before
him.
Now Elisha had a disciple as yet only on the
threshold of prophecy, (2 Kings vi:
13ff.) as yet far from being judged worthy of
revelations of this kind. The king's soldiers
arrived at the spot, as intending to bind the
man, or rather the prophet.-Again I am
falling upon bonds, so entirely is this
discourse interwoven with them.-And when the
disciple saw the host of soldiers, he was
affrighted, and ran full of trembling to his
master, and told him the calamity, as he
thought, and informed him of the inevitable
peril. The prophet smiled at him for fearing
things not worthy to be feared, and bade him be
of good cheer. The disciple, however, being
as yet imperfect, did not listen to him, but
being still amazed at the sight, remained in
fear. Upon this, what did the prophet do?
"Lord," said he, "open the eyes of this
young man, and let him see that they which are
with us, are more than they which are with
them;" (2 Kings vi: 16, 17.) and
immediately he beheld the whole mountain, where
the prophet then dwelt, filled with so great a
multitude of horses and chariots of fire. Now
these were nothing else than ranks of Angels.
But if only for an occasion like this so great a
band of Angels attended Elisha what must Paul
have had? This is what the prophet David tells
us. "The Angel of the Lord encampeth round
about them that fear Him." (Ps. xxxiv:
7.) And again; "They shall bear thee up in
their hands, test thou dash thy foot against a
stone." (Ps. xci: 2.) And why do I
speak of Angels? The Lord Himself was with
him then as he went forth; for surely it cannot
be that He was seen by Abraham, and yet was
not with Paul. No, it was His own promise,
"I am with you alway, even unto the end of the
world." (Matt. xxviii: 20.) And
again, when He appeared to him, He said,
"Be not afraid, but speak, for I am with
thee, and no man shall set on thee to harm
thee." (Acts xviii:
9, 10.) Again, He stood by him in a
dream, and said, "Be of good cheer, for as
thou hast testified concerning me at Jerusalem,
so must thou bear witness also at Rome."
(Acts xxiii: II.)
The saints, though they are at all times a
glorious sight, and are full of abundant grace,
yet are so, most of all, when they are in
perils for Christ's sake, when they are
prisoners; for as a brave soldier is at all
times and of himself a pleasing spectacle to them
that behold him, but most of all when he is
standing, and in ranks at the king's side;
thus also imagine to yourselves Paul, how great
a thing it was to see him teaching in his bonds.
Shall I mention, in passing, a thought,
which just at this moment occurs to me? The
blessed martyr Babylas was bound, and he too
for the very same cause as John also was,
because he reproved a king in his transgression.
This man when he was dying gave charge that his
bonds should be laid with his body, and that the
body should be buried bound; and to this day the
fetters lie mingled with his ashes, so devoted
was his affection for the bonds he had worn for
Christ's sake. "He was laid in chains of
iron" as the Prophet saith of Joseph. (Ps.
cv: 18.) And even women have before now had
trial of these bonds.
We however are not in bonds, nor am I
recommending this, since now is not the time for
them. But thou, bind not thine hands, but
bind thy heart and mind. There are yet other
bonds, and they that wear not the one, shall
have to wear the other. Hear what Christ
saith, "Bind him hand and foot." (Matt.
xxii: 13.) But God forbid we should have
trial of those bonds! but of these may He grant
us even to take our fill!
On these accounts he saith, "I, the prisoner
in the Lord, beseech you to walk worthily of
the calling wherewith ye were called." But
what is this calling? Ye were called as His
body, it is said. Ye have Christ as your
head; and though you were "enemies," and had
commit-the misdeeds out of number, yet "hath
He raised you up with Him and made you to sit
with Him." (Eph. ii: 6.) A high
calling this, and to high privileges, not only
in that we have been called from that former
state, but in that we are called both to such
privileges, and by such a method.
But how is it possible to "walk worthily" of
it? "With all lowliness." Such an one walks
worthily. This is the basis of all virtue. If
thou be lowly, and bethink thee what thou art,
and how thou wast saved, thou wilt take this
recollection as a motive to all virtue. Thou
wilt neither be elated with bonds, nor with
those very privileges which I mentioned, but as
knowing that all is of grace, thou wilt humble
thyself. The lowly-minded man is able to be at
once a generous and a grateful servant. "For
what hast thou," saith he that thou didst not
receive?" (1 Cor. iv: 7.) And again,
hear his words, "I labored more abundantly
than they all; yet not I, but the grace of
God which was with me." (1 Cor. xv:
10.)
"With all lowliness," saith he; not that
which is in words, nor that which is in actions
only, but even in one's very bearing and tone
of voice: not lowly towards one, and rude
towards another; be lowly towards all men, be
he friend or foe, be he great or small. This
is lowliness. Even in thy good deeds be lowly;
for hear what Christ saith, "Blessed are the
poor in spirit;" (Matt. v: 3.) and He
places this first in order. Wherefore also the
Apostle himself saith, "With all lowliness,
and meekness, and long-suffering." For it is
possible for a man to be lowly, and yet quick
and irritable, and thus all is to no purpose;
for oftentimes he will be possessed by his
anger, and ruin all.
"Forbearing," he proceeds, "one another in
love."
How is it possible to forbear, if a man be
passionate or censorious? He hath told us
therefore the manner: "in love," saith he.
If thou, he would say, art not forbearing to
thy neighbor, how shall God be forbearing to
thee? If thou bearest not with thy
fellow-servant, how shall the Master bear with
thee? Wherever there is love, all things are
to be borne.
"Giving diligence," saith he, "to keep the
unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."
Bind therefore thy hands with moderation.
Again that goodly name of "bond." We had
dismissed it, and it has of itself come back on
us again. A goodly bond was that, and goodly
is this one also, and that other is the fruit of
this. Bind thyself to thy brother. They bear
all things lightly who are bound together in
love. Bind thyself to him and him to thee;
thou art lord of both, for whomsoever I may be
desirous to make my friend, I can by means of
kindliness accomplish it.
"Giving diligence," he says; a thing not to
be done easily, and not in every one's power.
"Giving diligence," he proceeds, "to keep
the unity of the Spirit." What is this
"unity of Spirit?" In the human body there
is a spirit which holds all together, though in
different members. So is it also here; for to
this end was the Spirit given, that He might
unite those who are separated by race and by
different manners; for old and young, rich and
poor, child and youth, woman and man, and
every soul become in a manner one, and more
entirely so than if there were one body. For
this spiritual relation is far higher than the
other natural one, and the perfectness of the
union more entire; because the conjunction of
the soul is more perfect, inasmuch as it is both
simple and uniform And how then is this unity
preserved? "In the bond of peace." It is
not possible for this to exist in enmity and
discord. "For whereas there is," saith he,
"among you jealousy and strife, are ye not
carnal, and walk after the manner of men?"
(1 Cor. iii: 3.) For as fire when it
finds dry pieces of wood works up all together
into one blazing pile, but when wet does not act
at all nor unite them; so also it is here.
Nothing that is of a cold nature can bring about
this union, whereas any warm one for the most
part can. Hence at least it is that the glow of
charity is produced; by the" bond of peace,"
he is desirous to bind us all together. For
just in the same way, he would say, as if thou
wouldest attach thyself to another, thou canst
do it in no other way except by attaching him to
thyself; and if thou shouldest wish to make the
tie double, he must needs in turn attach himself
to thee; so also here he would have us tied one
to another; not simply that we be at peace, not
simply that we love one another, but that all
should be only even one soul. A glorious bond
is this; with this bond let us bind ourselves
together with one another and unto God. This
is a bond that bruises not, nor cramps the hands
it binds, but it leaves them free, and gives
them ample play, and greater courage than those
which are at liberty. The strong if he be bound
to the weak, will support him, and not suffer
him to perish: and if again he be tied to the
indolent, him he will rather rouse and animate.
"Brother helped by brother," it is said,
"is as a strong city." This chain no distance
of place can interrupt, neither heaven, nor
earth, nor death, nor any thing else, but it
is more powerful and strong than all things.
This, though it issue from but one soul, is
able to embrace numbers at once; for hear what
Paul saith, "Ye are not straitened in us,
but ye are straitened in your own affections; be
ye also enlarged." (2 Cor. vi: 12.)
Now then, what impairs this bond? Love of
money, passion for power, for glory, and the
like, loosens them, and severs them asunder.
How then are we to see that they be not cut
asunder? If these tempers be got rid of, and
none of those things which destroy charity come
in by the way to trouble us. For hear what
Christ saith, (Matt. xxiv: 12.)
"Because iniquity shall be multiplied, the
love of the many shall wax cold." Nothing is
so opposed to love as sin, and I mean not love
towards God, but that towards our neighbor
also. But how then, it may be said, are even
robbers at peace? When are they, tell me?
Not when they are acting in a spirit which is
that of robbers; for if they fail to observe the
rules of justice amongst those with whom they
divide the spoil, and to render to every one his
right, you will find them too in wars and
broils. So that neither amongst the wicked is
it possible to find peace: but where men are
living in righteousness and virtue, you may find
it every where. But again, are rivals ever at
peace? Never. And whom then would ye have me
mention? The covetous man can never possibly be
at peace with the covetous. So that were there
not just and good persons, even though wronged
by them, to stand between them, the whole race
of them would be torn to pieces. When two wild
beasts are famished, if there be not something
put between them to consume, they will devour
one another. The same would be the case with
the covetous and the vicious. So that it is not
possible there should be peace where virtue is
not already put in practice beforehand. Let us
form, if you please, a city entirely of
covetous men, give them equal privileges, and
let no one bear to be wronged, but let all wrong
one another. Can that city possibly hold
together? It is impossible. Again, is there
peace amongst adulterers? No, not any two will
you find of the same mind.
So then, to return, there is no other reason
for this, than that "love hath waxed cold;"
and the cause again why love hath waxed cold, is
that "iniquity abounds." For this leads to
selfishness, and divides and severs the body,
and relaxes it and rends it to pieces. But
where virtue is, it does the reverse. Because
the man that is virtuous is also above money; so
that were there ten thousand such in poverty they
would still be peaceable; whilst the covetous,
where there are but two, can never be at peace.
Thus then if we are virtuous, love will not
perish, for virtue springs from love, and love
from virtue. And how this is, I will tell
you. The virtuous man does not value money
above friendship, nor does he remember
injuries, nor does wrong to his neighbor; he is
not insolent, he endures all things nobly. Of
these things love consists. Again, he who
loves submits to all these things, and thus do
they reciprocally produce one another. And this
indeed, that love springs from virtue, appears
from hence, because our Lord when He saith,
"because iniquity shall be multiplied, the love
of the many shall wax cold," plainly tells us
this. And that virtue springs from love, Paul
tells us, saying, "He that loveth his
neighbor hath fulfilled the law." (Rom.
xiii: 10.) So then a man must be one of the
two, either very affectionate and much beloved,
or else very virtuous; for he who has the one,
of necessity possesses the other; and, on the
contrary, he who knows not how to love, will
therefore commit many evil actions; and he who
commits evil actions, knows not what it is to
love.
Moral. Let us therefore follow after charity;
it is a safeguard which will not allow us to
suffer any evil. Let us bind ourselves
together. Let there be no deceit amongst us,
no hollowness. For where friendship is, there
nothing of the sort is found. This too another
certain wise man tells us. "Though thou
drewest a sword at thy friend, yet despair not:
for there may be a returning again to favor. If
thou hast opened thy mouth against thy friend,
fear not; for there may be a reconciliation:
except for upbraiding, or disclosing of
secrets, or a treacherous wound: for for these
things a friend will depart."
(Ecclus. xxii: 21, 22.) For
"disclosing," saith he, "of secrets." Now
if we be all friends, there is no need of
secrets; for as no man has any secret with
himself and cannot conceal anything from
himself, so neither will he from his friends.
Where then no secrets exist, separation arising
from this is impossible. For no other reason
have we secrets, than because we have not
confidence in all men. So then it is the waxing
cold of love, which has produced secrets. For
what secret hast thou? Dost thou desire to
wrong thy neighbor? Or, art thou hindering him
from sharing some benefit, and on this account
concealest it? But, no, perhaps it is none of
these things. What then, is it that thou art
ashamed? If so, then this is a token of want
of confidence. Now then if there be love,
there will be no "revealing of secrets,"
neither any "upbraiding." For who, tell me,
would ever upbraid his own soul? And suppose
even such a thing were done, it would be for
some good; for we upbraid children, we know,
when we desire to make them feel. And so
Christ too on that occasion began to upbraid the
cities, saying, "Woe unto thee, Chorazin!
woe unto thee, Bethsaida!" (Luke x:
13.) in order that He might deliver them
from upbraidings. For nothing has such power to
lay hold of the mind, or can more strongly
arouse it, or brace it up when relaxed. Let us
then never use upbraiding to one another merely
for the sake of upbraiding.
For what? Wilt thou upbraid thy friend on the
score of money? Surely not, if at least thou
possessest what thou hast in common. Wilt thou
then for his faults? No nor this, but thou
wilt rather in that case correct him. Or, as
it goes on, "for a treacherous wound;" who in
the world will kill himself, or who wound
himself? No one.
Let us then "follow after love;" he saith not
simply let us love; but let us "follow after
love." (1 Cor. xiv: 1.) There is need
of much eagerness: she is soon out of sight,
she is most rapid in her flight; so many things
are there in life which injure her. If we
follow her, she will not outstrip us and get
away, but we shall speedily recover her. The
love of God is that which united earth to
Heaven. It was the love of God that seated
man upon the kingly throne. It was the love of
God that manifested God upon earth. It was
the love of God that made the Lord a servant.
It was the love of God that caused the Beloved
to be delivered up for His enemies, the Son
for them that hated Him, the Lord for His
servants, God for men, the free. for slaves.
Nor did it stop here, but called us to yet
greater things. Yes, not only did it release
us from our former evils, but promised,
moreover, to bestow upon us other much greater
blessings. For these things then let us give
thanks to God, and follow after every virtue;
and before all things, let us with all
strictness practice love, that we may be counted
worthy to attain the promised blessings; through
the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord
Jesus Christ, with whom, to the Father
together with the Holy Ghost, be glory,
might, and honor, now and for ever and ever.
Amen.
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