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1 COR. XIII. 8.
But whether there be prophecies, they shall be
done away; whether there be tongues, they shall
cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall be
done away.
Having shown the excellency of love from its
being requisite both to the spiritual gifts, and
to the virtues of life; and from rehearsal of
all its good qualities, and by showing it to be
the foundation of exact self-denial; from
another, a third head, again he points out its
worth. And this he doth, first from a wish to
persuade those who seemed to be accounted
inferior that it is in their power to have the
chief of all signs, and that they will be no
worse off than the possessors of the gifts, if
they have this, but rather much better:
secondly, with regard on the other hand to them
that had the greater gifts and were lifted up
thereby, studying to bring them down and to show
that they have nothing unless they have this.
For thus they would both love one another, envy
as well as pride being hereby taken away; and
reciprocally, loving one another, they would
still further banish these passions. "For love
envieth not, is not puffed up." So that on
every side he throws around them an impregnable
wall, and a manifold unanimity, which first
removes all their disorders, and thereby again
waxes stronger. Therefore also he put forward
innumerable reasons which might comfort their
dejection. As thus: both "the same
Spirit," saith he, is the giver; and He
"giveth to profit withal; and divideth as he
will," and it is a gift which He divideth,
not a debt. Though thou receive but a little,
thou dost equally contribute to the body, and
even thus thou enjoyest much honor. And he that
hath the greater, needs thee who hast the less.
And, "Love is the greatest gift, and 'the
more excellent way.'"
Now all this he said doubly to bind them to each
other, both by their not considering themselves
disparaged while they had this; and because,
after pursuit and attainment of it, they
henceforth would not feel human infirmity; both
as having the root of all gifts, and as no
longer capable of contentiousness even though
they had nothing. For he that is once led
captive by love is freed from contentiousness.
And this is why, pointing out to them how great
advantages they shall thence reap, he sketched
out its fruits; by his praises of it repressing
their disorders: inasmuch as each one of the
things mentioned by him was a sufficient medicine
to heal their wounds. Wherefore also he said,
"suffereth long," to them that are at strife
one with another; "is kind," to them that
stand mutually aloof, and bear a secret grudge;
"envieth not," to them that look grudgingly on
their superiors; "vaunteth not itself," to
them that are separated; "is not puffed up,"
to them that boast themselves against others;
"doth not behave itself unseemly," to them
that do not think it their duty to condescend;
"seeketh not her own," to them that overlook
the rest; "is not provoked. taketh not account
of evil," to them that are insolent;
"rejoiceth not in unrighteousness, but
rejoiceth with the truth," to them again that
are envious; "beareth all things," to them
that are treacherous; "hopeth all things," to
the despairing; "endureth all things, never
faileth," to them that easily separate
themselves.
Now then after that in every way he had shown
her to be very exceedingly great, again he doth
so from another most important head, by a fresh
comparison exalting her dignity, and saying
thus; "but whether there be prophecies, they
shall be done away; whether there be tongues,
they shall cease." For if both these were
brought in in order to the faith; when that is
every where sown abroad, the use of these is
henceforth superfluous. But the loving one
another shall not cease, rather it shall even
advance further, both here and hereafter, and
then more than now. For here there are many
things that Weaken our love; wealth,
business, passions of the body, disorders of
the soul; but there none of these.
But although it be no marvel that prophecies and
tongues should be done away, that knowledge
should be done away, this is what may cause some
perplexity. For this also he added, "Whether
there be knowledge, it shall be done away."
What then? are we then to live in ignorance?
Far from it. Nay, then specially it is
probable that our knowledge is made intense.
Wherefore also he said, "Then shall I know,
even as also I am known." For this reason,
if you mark it, that you might not suppose this
to be done away equally with the prophecy and the
tongues, having said, "Whether there be
knowledge, it shall be done away," he was not
silent, but added also the manner of its
vanishing away, immediately subjoining the
saying, Ver. 9. 10. "We know in part,
and we prophesy in part. But when that which is
perfect is come, then that which is in part
shall be done away."
It is not therefore knowledge that is done
away, but the circumstance that our knowledge is
in part. For we shall not only know as much but
even a great deal more. But that I may also
make it plain by example; now we know that God
is every where, but how, we know not. That
He made out of things that are not the things
that are we know; but of the manner we are
ignorant. That He was born of a virgin, we
know; but how, we know not yet. But then
shall we know somewhat more and clearer
concerning these thing. Next he points out also
how great is the distance between the two, and
that our deficiency is no small one, saying,
Vet. 11. "When I was a child, I spake
as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a
child; but now that I am become a man, I have
put away childish things."
And by another example too he manifests the same
thing again, saying, Ver. 12. "For now
we see in a mirror." Further, because the
glass sets before us the thing seen
indefinitely, he added, "darkly," to show
very strongly that the present knowledge is most
partial.
"But then face to face." Not as though God
hath a face, but to express the notion of
greater clearness and perspicuity. Seest thou
how we learn all things by gradual addition?
"Now I know in part; but then shall I know
even as also I have been known." Seest thou
how in two ways he pulls down their pride? Both
because their knowledge is in part, and because
not even this have they of themselves. "For I
knew Him not, but He made Himself known to
me," saith he. Wherefore, even as now He
first knew me, and Himself hastened towards
me, so shall I hasten towards Him then much
more than now. For so he that sits in
darkness, as long as he sees not the sun doth
not of himself hasten to meet the beauty of its
beam, which indeed shows itself as soon as it
hath begun to shine: but when he perceives its
brightness, then also himself at length follows
after its light: This then is the meaning of
the expression, "even as also I have been
known." Not that we shall so know him as He
is, but that even as He hastened toward us
now, so also shall we cleave unto Him then,
and shall know many of the things which are now
secret, and shall enjoy that most blessed
society and wisdom. For if Paul who knew so
much was a child, consider what those things
must be. If these be "a glass" and "a
riddle," do thou hence again infer, God's
open Face, how great a thing It is.
But that I may open out to thee some small part
of this difference, and may impart some faint
ray of this thought to thy soul, I would have
thee recall to mind things as they were in the
Law, now after that grace hath shone forth.
For those things too, that came before grace,
had a certain great and marvellous appearance:
nevertheless, hear what Paul saith of them
after grace came: "That which was made
glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason
of the glory that surpasseth." (2 Cor.
iii. 10).
But that what I say may be made yet clearer,
let us apply the argument to some one of the
rites then performed, and then thou wilt see how
great is the difference. And if thou wilt, let
us bring forward that passover and this, and
then shalt thou be aware of our superiority.
For the Jews indeed celebrated it, but they
celebrated it "so as in a mirror, and
darkly." But these hidden mysteries they never
at any time did even conceive in their mind, nor
what things they prefigured. They saw a lamb
slain, and the blood of a beast, and
door-posts sprinkled with it; but that the Son
of God incarnate shall be slain, and shall set
free the whole world, and shall grant both to
Greeks and Barbarians to taste of this Blood,
and shall open heaven to all, and shall offer
what is there to the whole human race, and
having taken His blood-stained flesh shall
exalt it above the heaven, and the heaven of
heavens, and, in a word, above all the hosts
on high, of the angels and archangels and all
the other powers, and shall cause it shining in
unspeakable glory,--to sit down upon the
throne itself of the King, on the right hand of
the Father these things, I say, no one,
either of them or of the rest of mankind, either
foreknew or was able ever to conceive.
But what say those who shrink from nothing?
That the expression, "now I know in part,"
is spoken in dispensations; for that the
Apostle had the perfect knowledge of God. And
now he calls himself a child? How sees he "in
a mirror?" How "darkly," if he hath the sum
of knowledge? And why doth he refer to it as
something peculiar to the Spirit, and to no
other power in the creation, saying, "For who
among men knoweth the things of a man, save the
spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the
things of God none knoweth, save the Spirit of
God." (1 COR. II. 11.) And Christ
again sayeth that this belongs to Himself
alone, thus saying, "Not that any man hath
seen the Father, save He which is from God,
He hath seen the Father," (John vi.
46.) giving the name, "sight," to the
most clear and perfect knowledge.
And how shall he who knoweth the Essence, be
ignorant of the dispensations? since that
knowledge is greater than this.
"Are we then," saith he, "ignorant of
God?" Far from it. That He is, we know,
but what He is, as regards His Essence, we
know not yet. And that thou mayst understand
that not concerning the dispensations did he
speak the words, "now I know in part," hear
what follows. He adds then, "but then shall
I know, even as also I have been known." He
was surely known not by the dispensations, but
by God.
Let none therefore consider this to be a small
or simple transgression, but twofold, and
threefold, yea and manifold. For not only is
there this impiety that they boast of knowing
those things which belong to the Spirit alone;
and to the only-begotten Son of God, but also
that when Paul could not acquire even this
knowledge "which is in part" without the
revelation from above, these men say that they
have obtained the whole from their own
reasonings. For neither are they able to point
out that the Scripure hath any where discoursed
to us of these things.
But however, leaving their madness, let us
give heed to the words which follow concerning
love. For he was not content with these
things, but adds again, saying, Ver. 13.
"And now abideth, faith, hope, love, these
three; and the greatest of these is love."
For faith indeed and hope, when the good things
believed and hoped for are come, cease. And to
show this Paul said, "For hope that is seen
is not hope; for who hopeth for that which he
seeth." Again, "Now faith is the assurance
of things hoped for, the proving of things not
seed." (Rom. viii. 24; Heb. xi.
1.) So that these cease when those appear;
but love is then most elevated, and becomes more
vehement. Another encomium of love. For
neither is he content with those before
mentioned, but he strives to discover yet
another. And observe: he hath said that it is
a great gift, and a still more excellent way to
these. He hath said, that without it there is
no great profit in our gifts; he hath shadowed
out its image at length; he intends again and in
another manner to exalt it, and to show that it
is great from its abiding. Wherefore also he
said, "But now abideth faith, hope, love,
these three; but the greatest of these is
love." How then is love the greater? In that
those pass away.
If now so great is the virtue of love, with
good reason doth he add and say, "Follow after
love. For there is surely need of
"following," and a kind of vehement running
after her: in such sort doth she fly from us,
and so many are the things which trip us up in
that direction. Wherefore we have ever need of
great earnestness in order to overtake her. And
to point out this, Paul said not, "follow
love," but, "pursue" her; stirring us up,
and inflaming us to lay hold on her.
For so God from the beginning contrived ten
thousand ways for implanting her in us. Thus,
first, He granted one head to all, Adam.
For why do we not all spring out of the earth?
Why not full grown, as he was? In order that
both the birth and the bringings up of children,
and the being born of another, might bind us
mutually together. For this cause neither made
He woman out of the earth: and because the
thing of the same substance was not equally
sufficient to shame us into unanimity, unless we
had also the same progenitor, He provided also
for this: since, if now, being only separated
by place, we consider ourselves alien from one
another; much more would this have happened if
our race had had two originals. For this cause
therefore, as it were from some one head, he
bound together the whole body of the human race.
And because from the beginning the seemed to be
in a manner two, see how he fastens them
together again, and gathers them into one by
marriage. For, "therefore," saith He,
"shall a man leave his father and his mother,
and shall cleave unto his wife; and they shall
be for one flesh." (Gen. ii. 24.) And
he said not, "the woman," but, "the man,"
because the desire too is stronger in him.
Yea, and for this cause He made it also
stronger, that it might bow the superior party
to the absolute sway of this passion, and might
subjugate it to the weaker. And since marriage
also must needs be introduced, him from whom she
sprang He made husband to the woman. For all
things in the eye of God are second to love.
And if when things had thus begun, the first
man straightway became so frantic, and the devil
sowed among them so great warfare and envy; what
would he not have done, had they not sprung from
one root?
Further, in order that the one might be
subject, and the other rule; (for equality is
wont oftentimes to bring in strife;) he
suffered it not to be a democracy, but a
monarchy; and as in an army, this order one may
see in every family. In the rank of monarch,
for instance, there is the husband; but in the
rank of lieutenant and general, the wife; and
the children too are allotted a third station in
command. Then after these a fourth order, that
of the servant. For these also bear rule over
their inferiors, and some one of them is
oftentimes set over the whole, keeping ever the
post of the master, but still as a servant.
And together with this again another command,
and among the children themselves again another,
according to their age and sex; since among the
children the female doth not possess equal sway.
And every where hath God made governments at
small distances and thick together, that all
might abide in concord and much good order.
Therefore even before the race was increased to
a multitude, when the first two only were in
being, He bade him govern, and her obey. And
in order again that He might not despise her as
inferior, and separate from her, see how He
honored her, and made them one, even before her
creation. For, "Let us make for man,"
saith He, "a help meet," implying that she
was made for his need, and thereby drawing him
unto her who was made for his sake: since to all
those things are we more kindly disposed, which
are done for our sakes. But that she, on the
other hand, might not be elated, as being
granted him for help, nor might burst this
bond, He makes her out of his side, signifying
that she is a part of the whole body. And that
neither might the man be elated therefore, He
no longer permits that to belong to him alone
which before was his alone, but effected the
contrary to this, by bringing in procreation of
children, and herein too giving the chief honor
unto the man, not however allowing the whole to
be his.
Seest thou how many bonds of love God hath
wrought? And these indeed by force of nature
He hath lodged in us as pledges of concord.
For both our being of the same substance leads
to this; (for every animal loves its
like;)and the woman being produced from the
man, and again the children from both. Whence
also many kinds of affection arise. For one we
love as a father, another as a grandfather; one
as a mother, another as a nurse; and one as a
son or grandson or great-grandson again, and
another as a daughter, or grand-daughter; and
one as a brother, another as a nephew; and one
as a sister, another as a niece.
And why need one recount all the names of
consanguinity?
And He devised also another foundation of
affection. For having forbidden the marriage of
kindred, he led us out unto strangers and drew
them again unto us. For since by this natural
kindred it was not possible that they should be
connected with us, he connected us anew by
marriage, uniting together whole families by the
single person of the bride, and mingling entire
races with races.
For, "marry not," saith the Lord,
(Levit. xviii. 6.) "thy sister, nor thy
father's sister, nor any damsel which hath such
consanguinity with thee," as utterly hinders
the marriage;" naming the degrees of such
relationship. It is enough for thine affection
towards them that ye were the fruit of the same
birth-pangs, and that the others are in a
different relation to thee. Why dost thou
narrow the breadth of love? Why dost thou idly
throw away a ground of affection towards her,
such as that thou mightest thereby provide
thyself with distinct source for affection to
spring from; I mean, by taking a wife from
another family, and through her a chain of
kinsmen, both mother, and father, and
brethren, and their connexions!
Seest thou by how many ways He hath bound us
together? Nevertheless, not even this sufficed
Him, but He likewise made us to stand in need
of one another, that thus also He might bring
us together, because necessities above all
create friendships. For no other reason neither
suffered He all things to be produced in every
place, that hence also He might compel us to
mix with one another. But having set us in need
of one another, He on the other hand made the
intercourse easy. Since if this were not so,
the matter would have turned out painful and
difficult in another way. For if one that
wanted a physician, or a carpenter, or any
other workman, had need to set off on a long
foreign sojourn, the whole had come to nought.
Here then is why He rounded cities also, and
brought all into one place. And accordingly
that we might easily keep up intercourse with
distant countries, He spread the level of the
sea between us, and gave us the swiftness of
winds, thereby making our voyages easy. And at
the beginning He even gathered all men together
in one spot, and did not disperse them until
they who first received the gift abused their
concord unto sin. However, He hath drawn us
together in every way; both by nature, and by
consanguinity, and by language, and by place;
and as he willed not that we should fall from
paradise; (for had He willed it, He would
not have placed there at all "the man whom He
had formed," but he that disobeyed was the
cause;) so neither was it His will that men
should have divers tongues; since otherwise He
would have made it so from the beginning. But
now "the whole earth was of one language, and
all had one speech." (Gen. xi. 1.)
Here is the reason why, when it was needful
that the earth should be destroyed, not even
then did He make us of other matter, nor did
He translate the righteous man, but leaving him
in the midst of the deluge, like a kind of spark
of the world, He rekindled our race from
thence, even by the blessed Noah. And from
the beginning He made one sovereignty only,
setting the man over the woman. But after that
our race ran headlong into extreme disorder, He
appointed other sovereignties also, those of
Masters, and those of Governors, and this too
for love's sake. That is, since vice was a
thing apt to dissolve and subvert our race, He
set those who administer justice in the midst of
our cities as a kind of physicians, that driving
away vice, as it were a plague to love, they
might gather together all in one.
And that not only in cities, but also in each
family there might be great unanimity, He
honored the man with rule and superiority; the
woman on the other hand He armed with desire:
and the gift also of procreation of children,
He committed in common to both, and withal He
furnished also other things apt to conciliate
love: neither entrusting all to the man, nor
all to the woman; but "dividing these things
also severally to each;" to her entrusting the
house, and to him the market; to him the work
of feeding, for he tills the ground; to her
that of clothing, for loom and distaff are the
woman's. For it is God Himself who gave to
woman-kind skill in woven work. Woe be to
covetousness, which suffers not this difference
to appear! For the general effeminacy hath gone
so far as to introduce our men to the looms, and
put shuttles into their hands, and the woof,
and threads. Nevertheless, even thus the
forethought of the divine economy shines out.
For we still greatly need the woman in other
more necessary things, and we require the help
of our inferiors in those things which keep our
life together.
And so strong is the compulsion of this need
that though one be richer than all men, not even
thus is he rid of this close conjunction, and of
his want of that which is inferior to himself.
For it is not, we see, the poor only who need
the rich, but the rich also the poor; and these
require those more than the others them. And
that thou mayest see it more clearly, let us
suppose, if it seem good, two cities, the one
of rich only, but the other of poor; and
neither in that of the rich let there be any poor
man, nor in that of the poor any rich; but let
us purge out both thoroughly, and see which will
be the more able to support itself. For if we
find that of the poor able, it is evident that
the rich will more stand in need of them.
Now then, in that city of the affluent there
will be no manufacturer, no builder, no
carpenter, no shoe-maker, no baker, no
husband man, no brazier, no rope-maker, nor
any other such trade. For who among the rich
would ever choose to follow these crafts, seeing
that the very men who take them in hand, when
they become rich, endure no longer the
discomfort caused by these works? How then
shall this our city stand? "The rich," it is
replied, "giving money, will buy these things
of the poor." Well then, they will not be
sufficient for themselves, their needing the
others proves that. But how will they build
houses? Will they purchase this too? But the
nature of things cannot admit this. Therefore
they must needs invite the artificers thither,
and destroy the law, which we made at first when
we were rounding the city. For you remember,
that we said, "let there be no poor man within
it." But, lo, necessity, even against our
will, hath invited and brought them in. Whence
it is evident that it is impossible without poor
for a city to subsist: since if the city were to
continue refusing to admit any of these, it will
be no longer a city but will perish. Plainly
then it will not support itself, unless it shall
collect the poor as a kind of preservers, to be
within itself.
But let us look also upon the city of the poor,
whether this too will be in a like needy
condition, on being deprived of the rich. And
first let us in our discourse thoroughly clear
the nature of riches, and point them out
plainly. What then may riches be? Gold, and
silver, and precious stones, and garments
silken, purple, and embroidered with gold.
Now then that we have seen what riches are, let
us drive them away from our city of the poor:
and if we are to make it purely a city of poor
persons, let not any gold appear there, no not
in a dream, nor garments of such quality; and
if you will, neither silver, nor vessels of
silver. What then? Because of this will that
city and its concerns live in want, tell me?
Not at all. For suppose first there should be
need to build; one does not want gold and silver
and pearls, but skill, and hands, and hands
not of any kind, but such as are become
callous, and fingers hardened, and great
strength, and wood, and stones: suppose again
one would weave a garment, neither here have we
need of gold and silver, but, as before, of
hands and skill, and women to work. And what
if one require husbandry, and digging the
ground? Is it rich men who are wanted, or
poor? It is evident to every one, poor. And
when iron too is to be wrought, or any such
thing to be done, this is the race of men
whereof we most stand in need. What respect
then remains wherein we may stand in need of the
rich? except the thing required be, to pull
down this city. For should that sort of people
make an entrance, and these philosophers, for
(for I call them philosophers, who seek after
nothing superfluous,) should fall to desiring
gold and jewels, giving themselves up to
idleness and luxury; they will ruin everything
from that day forward.
"But unless wealth be useful," saith one,
"wherefore hath it been given by God?" And
whence is it evident, that being rich is from
God? "The Scripture saith, ' The silver
is Mine, and the gold is Mine,' and to
whomsoever I will, I will give it." (Hag.
ii. 8.) Here, if I were not doing an
unseemly thing, I could at this moment laugh
loudly, in derision of those who say these
things: because as little children admitted to a
King's table, together with that food they
thrust into their mouth everything 'that comes
to hand; so also do these together with the
divine Scriptures privily bring in their own
notions. For this, "the silver is Mine, and
the gold is Mine," I know to have been spoken
by the Prophet; but that, "to whomsoever I
will, I will give it," is not added, but is
brought in by these offscourings of the people.
And as to the former, why it was said, I will
explain. The Prophet Haggai, because he was
continually promising to the Jews after their
return from Babylon, that he would show the
temple in its former appearance, and some
doubted of the thing spoken, and considered it
to be well nigh impossible that after being
reduced to dust and ashes, the house should
appear again such as it was;--he, to remove
their unbelief, in the person of God saith
these things; as if he said, "Why are ye
afraid? and why do ye refuse to believe? 'The
silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,' and
I need not to borrow from others, @and so to
beautify the house." And to show [that this
is the meaning he adds, "and the glory of this
house, the latter glory shall be 'greater than
the glory of the former." Let us not then
bring in spiders' webs upon the.royal robe.
For if any person, detected in weaving a
counterfeit thread in a purple vest, is to
suffer the severest punishment, much more in
spiritual things; since neither is it an
ordinary sin, which is hereby committed. And
why say I, by adding and taking away? By a
mere point, and by a mere circumstance of
delivery in the reading, many impious thoughts
have not seldom been brought into being.
"Whence then the rich," saith one? "for it
hath been said, 'Riches and poverty are from
the Lord.'" Let us then ask those who object
these things against us, whether all riches and
all poverty are from the Lord? Nay, who would
say this? For we see that both by rapine, and
by wickedly breaking open of tombs, and by
witchcraft, and by other such devices, great
wealth is gathered by many, and the possessors
are not worthy even to live. What then, tell
me, do we say that this wealth is from God?
Far from it. Whence then? From sin. For so
the harlot by doing indignity to her own body
grows rich, and a handsome youth oftentimes
selling his bloom with disgrace brings himself
gold, and the tomb-spoiler by breaking open
men's sepulchres gathers together unjust
wealth, and the robber by digging through
walls. All wealth therefore is not from God.
"What then," saith one, "shall we say to
this expression?" Acquaint thyself first with
a kind of poverty which proceeds not from God,
and then we will proceed to the saying itself.
I mean, that when any dissolute youth spends
his wealth either on harlots, or on conjurors,
or on any other such evil desires, and becomes
poor, is it not very evident that this hath not
come from God, but from his own profligacy?
Again, if any through idleness become poor, if
any through folly be brought down to beggary, if
any, by taking in hand perilous and unlawful
practices; is it not quite evident, that
neither hath any one of these and other such
persons been brought down to this their poverty
by God?
"Doth then the Scripture speak falsely?"
God forbid! but they do foolishly, who neglect
to examine with due exactness all things
written. For if this on the one hand be
acknowledged, that the Scriptures cannot lie;
and this on the other hand proved, that not all
wealth is from God; the weakness of
inconsiderate readers is the cause of the
difficulty.
[10. ] Now it were right for us to dismiss
you, having herein exculpated the Scripture,
that ye may suffer this punishment at our hands
for your negligence concerning the Scriptures:
but because I greatly spare you and cannot any
longer bear to look on you confused and
disturbed, let us also add the solution, having
first mentioned the speaker, and when it was
spoken, and to whom. For not alike to all doth
God speak, as neither do we deal alike with
children and men. When then was it spoken, and
by whom, and to whom? By Solomon in the Old
Testament to the Jews, who knew no other than
things of sense, and by these proved the power
of God. For these are they who say, "Can
He give bread also?" and, "What sign
showest Thou unto us? Our fathers did eat
manna in the desert:--whose God is their
belly." (Ps. lxxviii. 24. Mat. xii.
38. John vi. 31. Phil. iii. 19.)
Since then they were proving Him by these
things, He saith to them, "This is also
possible with God to make both rich and poor;"
not that it is of course He Himself who maketh
them, but that He can, when He will. Just
as when he saith, "Who rebuketh the sea, and
maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers,"
(Nahum i. 4.) and yet this was never done.
How then doth the prophet say so? Not as
though it were a doing always, but as a thing
that was possible for Him to do.
What kind of poverty then doth He give, and
what kind of wealth? Remember the patriarch,
and thou shalt know the kind of wealth that is
given by God. For He made both Abraham
rich, and after him Job, even as Job himself
saith; "If we have received good from the
Lord, shall we not also receive evil?" (Job
ii. 10.) And the wealth of Jacob thence
had its beginning. There is also a poverty
which cometh from Him, that which is
commended, such as He once would have
introduced to the knowledge of that rich man,
saying, "If thou wouldest be perfect, sell
thy goods, and give to the poor, and come,
follow Me." (Matt. xix. 21. ) And to
the disciples again, making a law and saying,
"Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor two
coats." (Matt. ix. 10.) Say not then
that all wealth is His gift: seeing that cases
have been pointed out of its being collected both
by murderers, and by rapine, and by ten
thousand other devices.
But again the discourse reverts to our former
question: viz. "if the rich are no way useful
to us, wherefore are they made rich?" What
then must we say? That these are not useful who
so make themselves rich; whereas those surely
who are made so by God are in the highest degree
useful. And do thou learn this from the very
things done by those whom we just now mentioned.
Thus Abraham possessed wealth for all
strangers, and for all in need. For he who on
the approach of three men, as he supposed,
sacrificed a calf and kneaded three measures of
fine flour, and that while sitting in his door
in the heat of the day; consider with what
liberality and readiness he used to spend his
substance on all, together with his goods giving
also the service of his body, and this at such
an advanced age; being a harbor to strangers,
to all who had come to any kind of want, and
possessing nothing as his own, not even his
son: since at God's command he actually
delivered up even him; and along with his son he
gave up also himself and all his house, when he
hastened to snatch his brother's son out of
danger; and this he did not for lucre's sake,
but of mere humanity. When, for instance,
they who were saved by him would put the spoils
at his disposal, he rejected all, even to "a
thread and a shoe-latchet." (Gen. xiv.
23.)
Such also was the blessed Job. "For my
door," saith, "was open to every one who
came: (Job. xx. 15.) "I was eyes to
the blind, and feet to the lame: I was a
father of the helpless, the stranger lodged not
without, and the helpless, whatever need they
had, failed not of it, neither suffered I one
helpless man to go out of my door with a empty
bosom." And much more too than these, that we
may not now recount all, he continued to do,
spending all his wealth on the needy.
Wilt thou also look upon those who have become
rich but not of God, that thou mayest learn how
they employed their wealth? Behold him in the
parable of Lazarus, how he imparted not so much
as a share of his crumbs. Behold Ahab, how
not even the vineyard is free from his
extortion: behold Gehazi: behold all such.
Thus they on the one hand who make just
acquisitions, as having received from God,
spend on the commands of God: but they who in
act of acquiring offend God, in the expending
also do the same: consuming it on harlots and
parasites, or burying and shutting it up, but
laying out nothing upon the poor.
"And wherefore," saith one, "doth God
suffer such men to be rich?" Because He is
long-suffering: because He would bring us to
repentance; because He hath prepared hell;
because "He hath appointed a day in which He
is to judge the world." (Acts xvii. 31.)
Whereas did He use at once to punish them that
are rich and not virtuously, Zacchaeus would
not have had an appointed time for repentance,
so as even to restore fourfold whatever he had
unjustly taken, and to add half of his goods;
nor Matthew, to be converted and become an
Apostle, taken off as he would have been before
the due season; nor yet many other such.
Therefore doth He bear with them, calling all
to repentance. But if they will not, but
continue in the same, they shall hear Paul
saying that "after their hardness and impenitent
heart they treasure up unto themselves wrath
against the day of wrath, and revelation, and
righteous judgment of God: (Rom. ii. 5.)
which wrath that we may escape, let us become
rich with the riches of heaven, and follow after
the laudable sort of poverty. For thus shall we
obtain also the good things to come: the which
may we all obtain through the grace and mercy of
our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom to the
Father, with the Holy Ghost, be glory,
power, and honor, now and for ever, and world
without end. Amen.
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