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ACTS XIlI. 16, 17.
"Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his
hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear
God, give audience. The God of this people
of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the
people when they dwelt as strangers in the land
of Egypt, and with an high arm brought He them
out of it."
BEHOLD Barnabas giving place to
Paul--how should it be otherwise?--to him
whom he brought from Tarsus; just as we find
John on all occasions giving way to Peter: and
yet Barnabas was more looked up to than Paul:
true, but they had an eye only to the common
advantage. "Then Paul stood up," it
says;--this was a custom of the Jews--"
and beckoned with his hand." And see how he
prepares the way beforehand for his discourse:
having first praised them, and showed his great
regard for them in the words, "ye that fear
God," he so begins his discourse. And he
says not, Ye proselytes, since it was a term
of disadvantage. "The God of this people
chose our fathers: and the people"--See, he
calls God Himself their God peculiarly, Who
is the common God of men; and shows how great
from the first were His benefits, just as
Stephen does. This they do to teach them,
that now also God has acted after the same
custom, in sending His own Son; (Luke xx.
13): as (Christ) Himself (does) in the
parable of the vineyard--"And the people,"
he says, "He exalted when it sojourned in the
land of Egypt "--and yet the contrary was the
case: true, but they increased in numbers;
moreover, the miracles were wrought on their
account: "and with an high arm brought He them
out of it." Of these things (the wonders)
which were done in Egypt, the prophets are
continually making mention. And observe, how
he passes over the times of their calamities,
and nowhere brings forward their faults, but
only God's kindness, leaving those for
themselves to think over. "And about the time
of forty years suffered He their manners in the
wilderness." (v. 18.) Then the
settlement. "And when he had destroyed seven
nations in the land of Canaan, He divided
their land to them by lot." (v. 19.) And
the time was long; four hundred and fifty
years. "And after that He gave unto them
judges about the space of four hundred and fifty
years, until Samuel the prophet."* (v.
20.) Here he shows that God varied His
dispensations towards them (at divers times).
"And afterward they desired a king:" and
(still) not a word of their ingratitude, but
throughout he speaks of the kindness of God.
"And God gave unto them Saul the son of
Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the
space of forty years." (v. 21.) "And
when he had removed him, He raised up unto them
David to be their king: to whom also He gave
testimony, and said, I have found David the
son of Jesse, a man after Mine own heart,
which shall fulfil all My will. Of this man's
seed hath God according to His promise raised
unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus." (v. 22,
23.) This was no small thing that Christ
should be from David. Then John bears witness
to this: "When John had first preached before
His coming the baptism of repentance to all the
people of Israel. And as John fulfilled his
course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I
am not He. But, behold, there cometh one
after me, whose shoes of His feet I am not
worthy to loose." (v. 24, 25.) And
John too not merely bears witness (to the
fact), but (does it in such sort that) when
men were bringing the glory to him, he declines
it: for it is one thing (not to affect) an
honor which nobody thinks of offering; and
another, to reject it when all men are ready to
give it, and not only to reject it, but to do
so with such humility. "Men and brethren,
children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever
among you feareth God, to you is the word of
this salvation sent. For they that dwell at
Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew
Him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets
which are read every sabbath day, they have
fulfilled them in condemning Him. And though
they found no cause of death in Him, yet
desired they Pilate that He should be slain."
(v. 26-28.) On all occasions we find
them making a great point of showing this, that
the blessing is peculiarly theirs, that they may
not flee (from Christ), as thinking they had
nothing to do with Him, because they had
crucified Him. "Because they knew Him
not," he says: so that the sin was one of
ignorance. See how he gently makes an apology
even on behalf of those (crucifiers). And not
only this: but he adds also, that thus it must
needs be. And how so? "By condemning Him,
they fulfilled the voices of the prophets."
Then again from the Scriptures. "And when
they had fulfilled all that was written of Him,
they took Him down from the tree, and laid Him
in a sepulchre. But God raised Him from the
dead. And He was seen many days of them which
came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem,
who are His witnesses unto the people--"
(v. 29-31) that He rose again. "And
we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the
promise which was made unto the fathers, God
hath fulfilled the same unto us their children,
in that He hath raised up Jesus again; as it
is also written in the second Psalm, Thou art
My Son, this day have I begotten Thee. And
as concerning that He raised Him up from the
dead, now no more to return to corruption, He
said on this wise, I will give you the sure
mercies of David. Wherefore he saith also in
another Psalm, Thou shall not suffer Thine
Holy One to see corruption. For David,
after he had served his own generation by the
will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto
his fathers, and saw corruption: but He,
Whom God raised again, saw no corruption. Be
it known unto you therefore, men and brethren,
that through this Man is preached unto you the
forgiveness of sins: and by Him all that
believe are justified from all things, from
which ye could not be justified by the law of
Moses." (v. 32-39.) Observe how
Paul here is more vehement in his discourse: we
nowhere find Peter saying this. Then too he
adds the terrifying words: "Beware therefore,
lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in
the prophets; Behold, ye despisers, and
wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your
days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe,
though a man declare it unto you." (v. 40,
41.)
Observe how he twines (the thread of) his
discourse (alternately) from things present,
from the prophets. Thus, "from (this
man's) seed according to the promise "--
(v. 23): the name of David was dear to
them; well then, is it not (a thing to be
desired) that a son of his, he says, should be
their king?-- then he adduces John: then
again the prophets, where he says, "By
condemning they fulfilled," and gain, "All
that was written:" then the Apostles as
witnesses of the Resurrection: then David
bearing witness. For neither the Old
Testament proofs seemed so cogent when taken by
themselves as they are in this way, nor yet the
latter testimonies apart from the former:
wherefore he makes them mutually confirm each
other.
"Men and brethren," etc. (v. 26.) For
since they were possessed by fear, as having
slain Him, and conscience made them aliens
(the Apostles), discourse not with them as
unto Christicides, neither as putting into
their hands a good which was not theirs, but one
peculiarly their own. "For they that dwell at
Jerusalem, and their rulers:" as much as to
say, not ye, but they: * and again,
apologizing even for those, "Because they knew
Him not, and the voices of the Prophets which
are read every sabbath day, in condemning Him,
they fulfilled them." A great charge it is
against them that they continually hearing heeded
not. But no marvel: for what was said above
concerning Egypt and the wilderness, was enough
to show their ingratitude. And observe how this
Apostle also, as one moved by the Spirit
Himself, continually preaches the Passion,
the Burial. "Having taken Him down from the
tree." Observe, what a great point they make
of this. He speaks of the manner of His
death. Moreover they bring Pilate
(conspicuously) forward, that (the fact of)
the Passion may be proved by the mention of the
tribunal (by which he was condemned), but at
the same time, for the greater impeachment of
those (His crucifiers), seeing they delivered
Him up to an alien. And he does not say,
They made a complaint (against Him),
(enetukon, al. antug-kanei) but, "They
desired, though having found no cause of death"
(in Him), "that He should be slain. Who
appeared," he says, "for many days to them
that came up with Him from Galilee to
Jerusalem." (Rom. xi. 2.) Instead of
** he says, "Who are His witnesses unto the
people," to wit, "The men which came up with
Him from Galilee to Jerusalem." Then he
produces David and Esaias bearing witness.
"The faithful (mercies)," the abiding
(mercies), those which never perish. Paul
loved them exceedingly. And observe, he does
not enlarge on the ingratitude of the fathers,
but puts before them what they must fear. For
Stephen indeed with good reason does this,
seeing he was about to be put to death, not
teaching them; and showing them, that the Law
is even now on the point of being abolished:
(ch. vii.) but not so Paul; he does but
threaten and put them in fear. And he does not
dwell long on these, as taking it for granted
that the word is of course believed; nor enlarge
upon the greatness of their punishment, and
assail that which they affectionately love, by
showing the Law about to be cast out: but
dwells upon that which is for their good
(telling them), that great shall be the
blessings for them being obedient, and great the
evils being disobedient.
But let us look over again what has been said.
"Ye men of Israel," etc. (v.
16-21.) The Promise then, he says, the
fathers received; ye, the reality. And
observe, he nowhere mentions right deeds of
theirs, but (only) benefits on God's part:
"He chose: Exalted: Suffered their
manners:" these are no matters of praise to
them: "They asked, He gave." But David
he does praise (and him) only, because from
him the Christ was to come. "I have found
David, the son of Jesse, a man after Mine
own heart, which shall fulfil all My will."
(v. 22.) Observe also; it is with praise
(that he says of him), "David after that he
had served the will of God:" just as
Peter--seeing it was then the beginning of the
Gospel--making mention of him, said, "Let
it be permitted me to speak freely of the
patriarch David." (ch. ii. 29.) Also,
he does not say, Died, but, "was added to
his fathers. Of this man's seed," etc.
"When John," he says, "had first preached
before His entry"--by entry he means the
Incarnation--" the baptism of repentance to
all the people of Israel." (v.
23-25.) Thus also John, writing his
Gospel, continually has recourse to him: for
his name was much thought of in all parts of the
world. And observe, he does not say it "Of
this man's seed," etc. from himself, but
brings John's testimony.
"Men and brethren, children of the stock of
Abraham"--he also calls them after their
father--" unto you was the word of this
salvation sent." (v. 26.) Here the
expression, "Unto you," does not mean,
Unto (you) Jews. but it gives them a right
to sever themselves from those who dared that
murder. And what he adds, shows this plainly.
"For," he says, "they that dwell at
Jerusalem, because they know Him not." (v.
27.) And how, you will say, could they be
ignorant, with John to tell them? What
marvel, seeing they were so, with the prophets
continually crying aloud to them? Then follows
another charge:
"And having found no cause of death in Him:"
in which ignorance had nothing to do. For let
us put the case, that they did not hold Him to
be the Christ: why did they also kill Him?
And "they desired of Pilate, he says, that
He should be slain." (v. 28.) "And
when they had fulfilled all that was written of
Him." (v. 29.) Observe what a point he
makes of showing that the (whole) thing was a
(Divine) Dispensation. See, by saying what
did they persuade men? (By telling them) that
He was crucified? Why, what could be less
persuasive than this? That He was buried--by
them to whom it was promised that He should be
salvation? that He who was buried forgives
sins, yea, more than the Law (has power to
do)? And (observe), he does not say, From
which ye would not but, "from which ye could
not be justified by the Law of Moses." (v.
39.) "Every one," he says: be who he
may. For those (ordinances) are of no use,
unless there be some benefit (accruing
therefrom.) This is why he brings in
forgiveness later: and shows it to be greater,
when, the thing being (otherwise) impossible,
yet this is effected. "Who are His
witnesses," he says, "unto the
people"--the people that slew Him. Who
would never have been so, were they not
strengthened by a Divine Power: for they would
never have borne such witness to blood-thirsty
men, to the very persons that killed Him.
But, "He hath raised up Jesus again: This
day," he says, "I have begotten thee."*
(v. 33.) Aye, upon this the rest follows
of course. Why did he not allege some text by
which they would be persuaded that forgiveness of
sins is by Him? Because the great point with
them was to show, in the first place, that He
was risen: this being acknowledged, the other
was unquestionable.
"Through this man," nay more, by Him, "is
remission of sins." (v. 38.) And
besides, he wished to bring them to a longing
desire of this great thing. Well then, His
death was not dereliction, but fulfilling of
Prophecy.--For the rest, he puts them in
mind of historical facts, wherein they through
ignorance suffered evils without number. And
this he hints in the conclusion, saying,
"Look, ye despisers, and behold." And
observe how, this being harsh, he cuts it
short. Let not that, he says, come upon you,
which was spoken for the others, that "I work
a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though
one declare it unto you." (v. 41.)
Marvel not that it seems incredible: this very
thing was foretold from the first- (that it
would not be believed). "Behold, ye
despisers," as regards those who disbelieve in
the Resurrection.
This too might with reason be said to us:
"Behold ye despisers." For the Church
indeed is in very evil case, although ye think
her affairs to be in peace. For the mischief of
it is, that while we labor under so many evils,
we do not even know that we have any. "What
sayest thou? We are in possession of our
Churches, our Church property, and all the
rest, the services are held, the congregation
comes to Church every day." True, but one is
not to judge of the state of a Church from these
things. From what then? Whether there be
piety, whether we return home with profit each
day, whether reaping some fruit, be it much or
little, whether we do it not merely of routine
and for the formal acquittance of a duty
(afosioumenoi). Who has become a better man
by attending (daily) service for a whole
month? That is the point: otherwise the very
thing which seems to bespeak a flourishing
condition (of the Church,) does in fact
bespeak an ill condition, when all this is
done, and nothing comes of it. Would to God
(that were all), that nothing comes of it:
but indeed, as things are, it turns out even
for the worse. What fruit do ye get from your
services? Surely if you were getting any profit
by them, ye ought to have been long leading the
life of true wisdom (ths filosofias), with so
many Prophets twice in every week discoursing to
you, so many Apostles, and Evangelists, all
setting forth the doctrines of salvation, and
placing before you with much exactness that which
can form the character aright. The soldier by
going to his drill, becomes more perfect in his
tactics: the wrestler by frequenting the
gymnastic ground becomes more skilful in
wrestling: the physician by attending on his
teacher becomes more accurate, and knows more,
and learns more: and thou--what hast thou
gained? I speak not to those who have been
members of the Church only a year, but to those
who from their earliest age have been attending
the services. Think you. that to be religious
is to be constant in Church-going (paraballein
thsunaxei)? This is nothing, unless we reap
some fruit for ourselves: if (from the
gathering together in Church) we do not gather
(suagwmen) (suagwmen) something for
ourselves, it were better to remain at home.
For our forefathers built the Churches for us,
not just to bring us together from our private
houses and show us one to another: since this
could have been done also in a market-place,
and in baths, and in a public procession
:--but to bring together learners and
teachers, and make the one better by means of
the other. With us it has all become mere
customary routine, and formal discharge of a
duty: a thing we are used to; that is all.
Easter comes, and then great the stir, great
the hubbub, and crowding of--I had rather not
call them human beings, for their behavior is
not commonly human. Easter goes, the tumult
abates, but then the quiet which succeeds is
again fruitless of good. "Vigils, and holy
hymn-singing."--And what is got by these?
Nay, it is all the worse. Many do so merely
out of vanity. Think how sick at heart it must
make me, to see it all like (so much water)
poured into a cask with holes in it! But ye
will assuredly say to me, We know the
Scriptures. And what of that? If ye
exemplify the Scriptures by your works, that is
the gain, that the profit. The Church is a
dyer's vat: if time after time perpetually ye
go hence without receiving any dye, what is the
use of coming here continually? Why, the
mischief is all the greater. Who (of you) has
added ought to the customary practices he
received from his fathers? For example: such
an one has a custom of observing the memorial of
his mother, or his wife, or his child: this he
does whether he be told or whether he be not told
by us, drawn to it by force of habit and
conscience. Does this displease thee, you
ask? God forbid: on the contrary, I am glad
of it with all my heart: only, I would wish
that he had gained some fruit also from our
discoursing, and that the effect which habit
has, were also the effect as regards us (your
teachers)--the superinducing of another
habit. Else why do I weary myself in vain,
and talk uselessly, if ye are to remain in the
same state, if the Church services work no good
in you? Nay, you will say, we pray. And
what of that? "Not every one that saith unto
Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the
Kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will
of My Father which is in heaven." (Matt.
vii. 21.) Many a time have I determined to
hold my peace, seeing no benefit accruing to you
from my words; or perhaps there does accrue
some, but I, through insatiableness and strong
desire, am affected in the same way as those
that are mad after riches. For just as they,
however much they may get, think they have
nothing; so I, because I ardently desire your
salvation, until I see you to have made good
progress, think nothing done, because of my
exceeding eager desire that you should arrive at
the very summit. I would that this were the
case, and that my eagerness were in fault, not
your sloth: but I fear I conjecture but too
rightly. For ye must needs be persuaded, that
if any benefit had arisen in all this length of
time, we ought ere now to have done speaking.
In such case, there were no need to you of
words, since both in those already spoken there
had been enough said for you, and you would be
yourselves able to correct others. But the
fact, that there is still a necessity of our
discoursing to you, only shows, that matters
with you are not m a state of high perfection.
Then what would we have to be brought about?
for one must not merely find fault. I beseech
and entreat you not to think it enough to have
invaded the Church, but that ye also withdraw
hence, having taken somewhat, some medicine,
for the curing of your own maladies: and, if
not from us, at any rate from the Scriptures,
ye have the remedies suitable for each. For
instance, is any passionate? Let him attend to
the Scripture-readings, and he will of a
surety find such either in history or
exhortation. In exhortation, when it is said,
"The sway of his fury is his destruction"
(Ecclus. i. 22); and, "A passionate
man is not seemly" (Prov. xi. 25); and
such like: and again, "A man full of words
shall not prosper" (Ps. cxl. 11); and
Christ again, "He that is angry with his
brother without a cause (Matt. v. 22);
and again the Prophet, "Be ye angry, and sin
not" (Ps. iv. 4); and, "Cursed be
their anger, for it was fierce." (Gen.
xlix. 7.) And in histories, as when thou
hearest of Pharaoh filled with much wrath, and
the Assyrian. Again, is any one taken captive
by love of money? let him hear, that "There
is not a more wicked thing than a covetous man:
for this man setteth even his own soul for sale
(Ecclus. ix. 9); and how Christ saith,
"Ye cannot serve God and mammon" (Matt.
vi. 24); and the Apostle, that "the love
of money is a root of all evils" (1 Tim.
vi. 10); and the Prophet, "If riches
flow in, set not your heart upon them" (Ps.
lxii. 10); and many other like sayings.
And from the histories thou hearest of Gehazi,
Judas, the chief scribes, and that "gifts
blind the eyes of the wise." (Exod. xxiii.
8 and Deut. xvi. 19.) Is another proud?
Let him hear that "God resisteth the proud"
(James iv. 6); and, "Pride is the
beginning of sin" (Ecclus. x. 14) and,
"Every one that hath a high heart, is impure
before the Lord." (Prov. xvi. 5.) And
in the histories, the devil, and all the rest.
In a word, since it is impossible to recount
all, let each choose out from the Divine
Scriptures the remedies for his own hurts. So
wash out, if not the whole at once, a part at
any rate, part today, and part to-morrow, and
then the whole. And with regard to repentance
too, and confession, and almsgiving, and
justice also, and temperance, and all other
things, thou wilt find many examples. "For
all these things," says the Apostle, "were
written for our admonition." (1 Cor. x.
11.) If then Scripture in all its
discoursing is for our admonition, let us attend
to it as we ought. Why do we deceive ourselves
in vain? I fear it may be said of us also,
that "our days have fallen short in vanity, and
our years with haste." (Ps. lxxvii.
33.) Who from hearing us has given up the
theatres? Who has given up his covetousness?
Who has become more ready for almsgiving? I
would wish to know this, not for the sake of
vainglory, but that I may be inspirited to more
zeal, seeing the fruit of my labors to be
clearly evident. But as things now are, how
shall I put my hand to the work, when I see
that for all the rain of doctrine pouring down
upon you shower after shower, still our crops
remain at the same measure, and the plants have
waxed none the higher? Anon the time of
threshing is at hand (and) He with the fan.
I fear me, test it be all stubble: I fear,
lest we be all cast into the furnace. The
summer is past, the winter is come: we sit,
both young and old, taken captive by our own
evil passions. Tell not me, I do not commit
fornication: for what art thou the better, if
though thou be no fornicator thou art covetous?
It matters not to the sparrow caught in the
snare that he is not held tight in every part,
but only by the foot: he is a lost bird for all
that; in the snare he is, and it profits him
not that he has his wings free, so long as his
foot is held tight. Just so, thou art caught,
not by fornication, but by love of money: but
caught thou art nevertheless; and the point is,
not how thou art caught, but that thou art
caught. Let not the young man say, I am no
money-lover: well, but perchance thou art a
fornicator: and then again what art thou the
better? For the fact is, it is not possible
for all the passions to set upon us at one and
the same time of life: they are divided and
marked off, and that, through the mercy of
God, that they may not by assailing us all at
once become insuperable, and so our wrestling
with them be made more difficult. What wretched
inertness it shows, not to be able to conquer
our passions even when taken one by one, but to
be defeated at each several period of our life,
and to take credit to ourselves for those which
(let us alone) not in consequence of our own
hearty endeavors, but merely because, by reason
of the time of life, they are dormant? Look at
the chariot-drivers, do you not see how
exceedingly careful and strict they are with
themselves in their training-practice, their
labors, their diet, and all the rest, that
they may not be thrown down from their chariots,
and dragged along (by the reins)?--See what
a thing art is. Often even a strong man cannot
master a single horse: but a mere boy who has
learnt the art shall often take the pair in
hand, and with ease lead them and drive them
where he will. Nay, in India it is said that
a huge monster of an elephant shall yield to a
stripling of fifteen, who manages him with the
utmost ease. To what purpose have I said all
this? To show that, if by dint of study and
practice we can throttle into submission
(agkomen) even elephants and wild horses, much
more the passions within us. Whence is it that
throughout life we continually fail (in every
encounter)? We have never practised this art:
never m a time of leisure when there is no
contest, talked over with ourselves what shall
be useful for us. We are never to be seen in
our place on the chariot, until the time for the
contest is actually come. Hence the ridiculous
figure we make there. Have I not often said,
Let us practise ourselves upon those of our own
family before the time of trial? With our
servants (paidas) at home we are often
exasperated, let us there quell our anger, that
in our intercourse with our friends we may come
to have it easily under control. And so, in
the case of all the other passions, if we
practised ourselves beforehand, we should not
make a ridiculous figure in the contests
themselves. But now we have our implements and
our exercises and our trainings for other
things, for arts and feats of the palaestra,
but for virtue nothing of the sort. The
husbandman would not venture to meddle with a
vine, unless he had first been practised in the
culture of it: nor the pilot to sit by the
helm, unless he had first practised himself well
at it: but we, in all respects unpractised,
wish for the first prizes! It were good to be
silent, good to have no communication with any
man in act or word, until we were able to charm
(katepadein) the wild beast that is within us.
The wild beast, I say: for indeed is it not
worse than the attack of any wild beast, when
wrath and lust make war upon us? Beware of
invading the market-place (Mh embalhs eis
agoran) with these beasts, until thou have got
the muzzle well upon their mouths, until thou
have tamed and made them tractable. Those who
lead about their tame lions in the
market-place, do you not see what a gain they
make of it, what admiration they get, because
in the irrational beast they have succeeded in
producing such tameness--but, should the lion
suddenly take a savage fit, how he scares all
the people out of the market-place, and then
both the man that leads him about is himself in
danger, and if there be loss of life to others,
it is his doing? Well then do thou also first
tame thy lion, and so lead him about, not for
the purpose of receiving money, but that thou
mayest acquire a gain, to which there is none
equal. For there is nothing equal to
gentleness, which both to those that possess
it, and to those who are its objects, is
exceeding useful. This then let us follow
after, that having kept in the way of virtue,
and with all diligence finished our course
therein, we may be enabled to attain unto the
good things eternal, through the grace and mercy
of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom to the
Father and the Holy Ghost together be glory,
might, honor, now and ever, world without
end. Amen.
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