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1 COR. XII. 12.
For as the body is one, and hath many members,
and all the members of the body, being many,
are one body; so also is Christ.
AFTER soothing them from the considerations
that the thing given was of free favor; that
they received all from "one and the self-same
Spirit;" that it was given "to profit
withal," that even by the lesser gifts a
manifestation was made; and withal having also
stopped their mouth from the duty of yielding to
the authority of the Spirit: ("for all
these," saith he, "worketh the one and the
same Spirit, dividing to each one severally
even as he will;" wherefore it is not right to
be over-curious:) he proceeds now to soothe
them in like manner from another common example,
and betakes himself to nature itself, as was his
use to do.
For when he was discoursing about the hair of
men and women, after all the rest he drew matter
thence also to correct them, saying, "Doth
not even nature itself teach you that if a man
have long hair, it is a dishonor to him? but if
a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her?"
(1 COR. XI. 14, 15.) And when he
spake concerning the idol-sacrifices,
forbidding to touch them, he drew an argument
from the examples also of them that are without,
both making mention of the Olympic games, where
he saith, "they which run in a race run all,
but one receiveth the prize:" (1 COR. IX.
24.) and confirming these views from
shepherds and soldiers and husbandmen.
Wherefore he brings forward here also a common
example by which he presses on and fights hard to
prove that no one was really put in a worse
condition: a thing which was marvellous and
surprising to be able to show, and calculated to
refresh the weaker sort, I mean, the example
of the body. For nothing so consoles the person
of small spirit and inferior gifts, or so
persuades him not to grieve, as the being
convinced that he is not left with less than his
share. Wherefore also Paul making out this
point, thus expresses himself: "for as the
body is one and hath many members. "
Seest thou his exact consideration? He is
pointing out the same thing to be both one and
many. Wherefore also he adds, pressing the
point more vigorously, "and all the members of
the one body, being many, are one body." He
said not, "being many, are of one body," but
"the one body itself is many:" and those many
members are this one thing. If therefore the
one is many, and the many are one, where is the
difference? where the superiority? where the
disadvantage? For all, saith he, are one:
and not simply one, but being strictly
considered in respect of that even which is
principal, i. e., their being a body, they
are found all to be one: but when considered as
to their particular natures, then the difference
comes out, and the difference is in all alike.
For none of them by itself can make a body, but
each is alike deficient in the making a body,
and there is need of a coining together since
when the many become one, then and not till then
is there one body. Wherefore also covertly
intimating this very thing, he said, "And all
the members of the one body, being many, are
one body." And he said not, "the superior
and the inferior," but "being many," which
is common to all.
And how is it possible that they should be one?
When throwing out the difference of the
members, thou considerest the body. For the
same thing which the eye is, this also is the
foot in regard of its being a member and
constituting a body. For there is no difference
in this respect. Nor canst thou say that one of
the members makes a body of itself, but another
does not. For they are all equal in this, for
the very reason that they are all one body.
But having said this and having shown it clearly
from the common judgment of all, he added, "so
also is Christ." And when he should have
said, "so also is the Church," for this was
the natural consequent he doth not say it but
instead of it places the name of Christ,
carrying the discourse up on high and appealing
more and more to the hearer's reverence. But
his meaning is this: "So also is the body of
Christ, which is the Church." For as the
body and the head are one man, so he said that
the Church and Christ are one. Wherefore also
he placed Christ instead of the Church, giving
that name to His body. "As then," saith
he, "our body is one thing though it be
composed of many: so also in the Church we all
are one thing. For though the Church be
composed of many members, yet these many form
one body."
Thus having, you see, recovered and raised up
by this common example him who thought himself
depreciated, again he leaves the topic of common
experience, and comes to another, a spiritual
one, bringing greater consolation and indicative
of great equality of honor. What then is this?
Ver. 13. "For in one Spirit, saith he,
were we all baptized into one body, whether
Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free."
Now his meaning is this: that which established
us to become one body and regenerated us, is one
Spirit: for not in one Spirit was one
baptized, and another another. And not only is
that which hath baptized us one, but also that
unto which He baptized us, i.e., for which
He baptized us, is one. For we were baptized
not that so many several bodies might be formed,
but that we might all preserve one with another
the perfect nature of one body: i.e., that we
might all be one body, into the same were we
baptized.
So that both He who formed it is one, and that
into which He formed it is one. And he said
not, "that we might all come to be of the same
body; "but, "that we might all be one
body." For he ever strives to use the more
expressive phrases. And well said he, "we
all," adding also himself. "For not even
I, the Apostle, have any more than thou in
this respect," saith he. "For thou art the
body even as I, and I even as thou, and we
have all the same Head and have passed through
the same birth-pains. Wherefore we are also
the same body." "And why speak I," saith
he, "of the Jews? since even the Gentiles
who were so far off from us, He hath brought
into the entireness of one body." Wherefore
having said, "we all," he stopped not here,
but added, "whether Jews or Greeks, whether
bond or free." Now if, having before been so
far off, we were united and have become one,
much more after that we have become one, we can
have no right to grieve and be dejected. Yea,
the difference, in fact, hath no place. For
if to Greeks and Jews, to bond and free, He
hath vouchsafed the same blessings, how can it
be that after so vouchsating He divides them,
now that He hath bestowed a greater perfection
of unity by the supply of His gifts?
"And were all made to drink of one Spirit."
Ver. 14. "For the body is not one member,
but many." i.e., We are come to the same
initiation, we enjoy the same Table. And why
said he not, "we are nourished by the same body
and drink the same blood?" Because by saying
"Spirit," he declared them both, as well the
flesh as the blood. For through both are we
"made to drink of the Spirit."
But to me he appears now to speak of that
visitation of the Spirit which takes place in us
after Baptism and before the Mysteries. And
he said, "We were made to drink," because
this metaphorical speech suited him extremely
well for his proposed subject: as if he had said
respecting plants and a garden, that by the same
fountain all the trees are watered, or by the
same water; so also here, "we all drank the
same Spirit, we enjoyed the same grace,"
saith he.
If now one Spirit both formed us and gathered
us all together into one body; for this is the
meaning of, "we were baptized into one body:
"and vouchsafed us one table, and gave us all
the same watering, (for this is the mean ing
of, "we were made to drink into one
Spirit,") and united persons so widely
separated; and if many things then become a body
when they are made one: why, I pray, art thou
continually tossing to and from their
difference?
But if thou sayest, "Because there are many
members and diverse," know that this very thing
is the wonder and the peculiar excellency of the
body, when the things which are many and diverse
make one. But if they were not many, it were
not so wonderful and incredible that they should
be one body; nay, rather they would not be a
body at all.
This however he states last; but for the
present he goes to the members themselves,
saying thus:
Ver. 15. "If the foot shall say, Because
I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is
it therefore not of the body?"
Ver. 16. "And if the ear shall say,
Because I am not the eye, I am not of the
body; is it therefore not of the body?"
For if the one being made inferior and the other
superior, doth not allow their being of the
body, the whole is done away. Do not say
therefore, "I am not the body, because I am
inferior." For the foot also hath the inferior
post, yet is it of the body: for the being or
not being part of the body, is not from the one
lying in this place and the other in that;
(which is what constitutes difference of
place;) but from the being conjoined or
separated. For the being or not being a body,
arises from the having been made one or not.
But do thou, I pray, mark his considerate
way, how he applies their words to our members.
For as he said above, "These things have I
in a figure transferred to myself and
Apollos," (1 COR. IV. 6.) just so
likewise here, to make his argument free from
invidiousness and acceptable, he introduces the
members speaking: that when they shall hear
nature answering them, being thus convicted by
experience herself and by the general voice,
they may have nothing further to oppose. "For
say, if you will," saith he, "this very
thing, murmur as you please, you cannot be out
of the body. For as the law of nature, so much
more doth the power of grace guard all things and
preserve them entire." And see how he kept to
the rule of having nothing superfluous; not
working out his argument on all the members, but
on two only and these the extremes; having
specified both the most honorable of all, the
eye, and the meanest of all, the feet. And he
doth not make the foot to discourse with the
eye, but with the hand which is mounted a little
above it; and the ear with the eyes. For
because we are wont to envy not those who are
very far above us, but those who are a little
higher, therefore he also conducts his
comparison thus.
Ver. 17. "If the whole body were an eye,
where were the hearing? If the whole were
hearing, where were the smelling?"
Thus, because, having fallen upon the
difference of the members, and having mentioned
feet, and hands, and eyes, and ears, he led
them to the consideration of their own
inferiority and superiority: see how again he
consoles them, intimating that so it was
expedient: and that their being many and
diverse, this especially causeth them to be a
body. But if they all were some one, they
would not ben body. Wherefore, he saith,
"If they were all one member, where were the
body?" This however, he mentions not till
afterwards; but here he points out also
something more; that besides the impossibility
of any one being a body, it even takes away the
being of the rest.
"For if the whole were hearing, where were the
smelling," saith he.
Then because after all they were yet disturbed:
that which he had done above, the same he doth
also now. For as there he first alleged the
expediency to comfort them and afterwards stopped
their mouths, vehemently saying, "But all
these worketh the one and the same Spirit,
dividing to each one man severally even as He
will:" so also here having stated reasons for
which he showed that it was profitable that all
should so be, he refers the whole again to the
counsel of God, saying, Ver. 18. "But
now God hath set the members each one of them in
the body, even as it pleased Him."
Even as he said of the Spirit, "as He
will," so also here, "as it pleased Him."
Now do not thou seek further into the cause,
why it is thus and why not thus. For though we
have ten thousand reasons to give, we shall not
be so able to show them that it is well done, as
when we say, that as the best Artificer
pleased, so it came to pass. For as it is
expedient, so He wills it. Now if in this
body of ours we do not curiously enquire about
the members, much more in the Church. And see
his thoughtfulness in that he doth not state the
difference which arises from their nature nor
that from their operation, but that from their
local situation. For "now," saith he,
"God hath set the members each one of them in
the body even as it pleased Him." And he said
well, "each one," pointing out that the use
extends to all, For thou canst not say,
"This He hath Himself placed but not that:
but every one according to His will, so it is
situated." So that to the foot also it is
profitable that it should be so stationed, and
not to the head only: and if it should invert
the order and leaving its own place, should go
to another, though it might seem to have
bettered its condition, it would be the undoing
and ruin of the whole. For it both falls from
its own, and reaches not the other station.
Ver. 19. "And if they were all one
member, where were the body?" Ver. 20.
"But now are they many members, but one
body."
Thus having silenced them sufficiently by
God's own arrangement, again he states
reasons. And he neither doth this always nor
that, but alternates and varies his discourse.
Since on the one hand, he who merely silences,
confounds the hearer, and he, on the contrary,
who accustoms him to demand reasons for all
things, injures him in the matter of faith; for
this cause then Paul is continually practising
both the one and the other, that they may both
believe and may not be confounded; and after
silencing them, he again gives a reason
likewise. And mark his earnestness in the
combat and the completeness of his victory. For
from what things they supposed themselves unequal
in honor because in them there was great
diversity, even from these things he shows that
for this very reason they are equal in honor.
How, I will tell you.
"If all were one member," saith he, "where
were the body?"
Now what he means is, If there were not among
you great diversity, ye could not be a body;
and not being a body, ye could not be one; and
not being one, ye could not be equal in honor.
Whence it follows again that if ye were all
equal in honor, ye were not a body; and not
being a body, ye were not one; and not being
one, how could ye be equal in honor? As it
is, however, because ye are not all endowed
with some one gift, therefore are yea body; and
being a body, ye are all one, and differ
nothing from one another in this that ye are a
body. So that this very difference is that
which chiefly causeth your equality in honor.
And accordingly he adds, "But now they are
many members, yet one body."
These things then let us also consider and cast
out all envy, and neither grudge against them
that have greater gifts nor despise them that
possess the lesser. For thus had God willed:
let us then not oppose ourselves. But if thou
art still disturbed, consider that thy work is
oft-times such as thy brother is unable to
perform. So that even if thou art inferior,
yet in this thou hast the advantage: and though
he be greater, he is worse off in this respect;
and so equality takes place. For in the body
even the little members seem to contribute no
little, but the great ones themselves are often
injured by them, I mean by their removal.
Thus what in the body is more insignificant than
the hair? Yet if thou shouldest remove this,
insignificant as it is, from the eyebrows and
the eyelids, thou hast destroyed all the grace
of the countenance, and the eye will no longer
appear equally beautiful. And yet the loss is
of a trifle; but notwithstanding even thus all
the comeliness is destroyed. And not the
comeliness only, but much also of the use of the
eyes. The reason is that every one of our
members hath both a working of its own and one
which is common; and likewise there is in us a
beauty which is peculiar and another which is
common. And these kinds of beauty appear indeed
to be divided, but they. are perfectly bound
together, and when one is destroyed, the other
perishes also along with it. To explain
myself: let there be bright eyes, and a smiling
cheek, and a red lip, and straight nose, and
open brow; nevertheless, if thou mar but the
slightest of these, thou hast marred the common
beauty of all; all is full of dejection; all
will appear foul to look on, which before was so
beautiful: thus if thou shouldest crush only the
tip of the nose thou hast brought great deformity
upon all: and yet it is the maiming of but a
single member. And likewise in the hand, if
thou shouldest take away the nail from one
finger, thou wouldest see the same result. If
now thou wouldest see the same taking place in
respect of their function also, take away one
finger, and thou wilt see the rest less active
and no longer performing their part equally.
Since then the less of a member is a common
deformity, and its safety beauty to all, let us
not be lifted up nor trample on our neighbors.
For through that small member even the great one
is fair and beautiful, and by the eyelids,
slight as they are, is the eye adorned. So
that he who wars with his brother wars with
himself: for the injury done reaches not only
unto that one, but himself also shall undergo no
small loss.
That this then may not be, let us care for our
neighbors as for ourselves, and let us transfer
this image of the body now also to the Church,
and be careful for all as for our own members.
For in the Church ere are members many and
diverse: and some are more honorable and some
more deficient. For example, there are choirs
of virgins, there are assemblies of widows,
there are fraternities of those who shine in holy
wedlock; in short, many are the degrees of
virtue. And in almsgiving again in like
manner. For some empty themselves of all their
goods: others care for a competency alone and
seek nothing more than necessaries; others give
of their superfluity: nevertheless, all these
adorn one another; and if the greater should set
at nought the less, he would in the greatest
degree injure himself. Thus, suppose a virgin
to deal scornfully with a married woman, she
hath cut off no small part of her reward; and he
again that emptied himself of all should he
upbraid him that hath not done so, hath emptied
himself of much of the fruit of his labors. And
why speak I of virgins, and widows, and men
without possessions? What is meaner than those
who beg? and yet even these fulfill a most
important office in the Church, clinging to the
doors of the sanctuary and supplying one of its
greatest ornaments: and without these there
could be no perfecting the fulness of the
Church. Which thing, as it seems, the
Apostles also observing made a law from the
beginning, as in regard to all other things, so
also that there should be widows: and so great
care did they use about the matter as also to set
over them seven deacons. For as bishops and
presbyters and deacons and virgins and continent
persons, enter into my enumeration, where I am
reckoning up the members of the Church, so also
do widows. Yea, and it is no mean office which
they fill. For thou indeed comest here when
thou wilt: but these both day and night sing
psalms and attend: not for alms only doing
this; since if that were their object, they
might walk in the market place and beg in the
alleys: but there is in them piety also in no
small degree. At least, behold in what a
furnace of poverty they are; yet never shall
thou hear a blasphemous word from them nor an
impatient one, after the manner of many rich
men's wives. Yet some of them often lie down
to their rest in hunger, and others continue
constantly frozen by the cold; nevertheless,
they pass their time in thanksgiving and giving
glory. Though you give but a penny, they give
thanks and implore ten thousand blessings on the
giver; and if thou give nothing they do not
complain, but even so they bless, and think
themselves happy to enjoy their daily food.
"Yes," it is replied, "since whether they
will or no, they must bear it." Why, tell
me? Wherefore hast thou uttered this bitter
expression? Are there not shameful arts which
bring gain to the aged, both men and women?
Had they not power to support themselves by
those means in great abundance, provided they
had chosen to cast off all care of upright
living? Seest thou not how many persons of that
age, by becoming pimps and panders and by other
such ministrations, both live, and live in
luxury? Not so these, but they choose rather
to perish of hunger than to dishonor their own
life and betray their salvation; and they sit
throughout the whole day, preparing a medicine
of salvation for thee.
For do physician stretching out the hand to
apply the knife, works so effectually to cut out
the corruption from our wounds, as doth a poor
man stretching out his right hand and receiving
alms, to take away the scars which the wounds
have left. And what is truly wonderful, they
perform this excellent chirurgery without pain
and anguish: and we who are set over the people
and give you so much wholesome advice, do not
more truly discourse than he doth, who sits
before the doors of the church, by his silence
and his countenance. For we too sound these
things in your ears every day, saying, "Be
not high-minded, O man; human nature is a
thing that soon declines and is ready to fall
away; our youth hastens on to old age, our
beauty to deformity, our strength to weakness,
our honor to contempt, our health falls away to
sickness, our glory to meanness, our riches to
poverty; our concerns are like a violent current
that never will stand still, but keeps hastening
down the steep."
The same advice do they also give and more than
this, by their appearance and by their
experience itself too, which is a yet plainer
kind of advice. How many, for instance, of
those who now sit without, were in the bloom of
youth and did great things? How many of these
loathsome looking persons surpassed many, both
in vigor of body and in beauty of countenance?
Nay, disbelieve it not nor deride. For
surely, life is full of ten thousand such
examples. For if from mean and humble persons
many have oftentimes become kings, what marvel
is it if from being great and glorious, some
have been made humble and mean? Since the
former is much the more extraordinary: but the
latter, of perpetual occurrence. So that one
ought not to be incredulous that any of them ever
flourished in arts, and arms, and abundance of
wealth, but rather to pity them with great
compassion and to fear for ourselves, lest we
too should sometime suffer the same things. For
we too are men and are subject to this speedy
change.
But perchance some one of the thoughtless, and
of those who are accustomed to scoff, will
object to what hath been said, and will
altogether deride us, saying, "How long wilt
l thou not cease continually introducing poor men
and beggars in thy discourses, and prophesying
to us of misfortunes, and denouncing poverty to
come, and desiring to make us beggars?" Not
from a desire to make beggars of you, O man,
do I say these things, but hastening to open
unto you the riches of heaven. Since he too,
who to the healthy man makes mention of the sick
and relates their anguish, saith it not to make
him diseased, but to preserve him in health, by
the fear of their calamities cutting off his
remissness. Poverty seems to you to be a
fearful thing and to be dreaded, even to the
mere name of it. Yea, and therefore are we
poor, because we are afraid of poverty; though
we have ten thousand talents. For not he who
hath nothing is poor, but he who shudders at
poverty. Since in men's calamities also it is
not those who suffer great evils whom we lament
and account wretched, but those who know not how
to bear them, even though they be small.
Whereas he that knows how to bear them is, as
all know, worthy of praises and crowns. And to
prove that this is so, whom do we applaud in the
games? Those who are much beaten and do not vex
themselves, but hold their head on high; or
those who fly after the first strokes? Are not
those even crowned by us as manly and noble;
while we laugh at these as unmanly and cowards?
So then let us do in the affairs of life. Him
that bears all easily let us crown, as we do
that noble champions; but weep over him that
shrinks and trembles at his dangers, and who
before he receives the blow is dead with fear.
For so in the games; if any before he raised
his hands, at the mere sight of his adversary
extending his right hand, should fly, though he
receive no wound, he will be laughed to scorn as
feeble and effeminate and unversed in such
struggles. Now this is like what happens to
these who fear poverty, and cannot so much as
endure the expectation of it.
Evidently then it is not we that make you
wretched, but ye yourselves. For how can it be
that the devil should not hence-forth make sport
of thee, seeing thee even before the stroke
afraid and trembling at the menace? Or rather,
when thou dost but esteem this a threat, he will
have no need so much as to strike thee any more,
but leaving thee to keep thy wealth, by the
expectation of its being taken away he will
render thee softer than any wax. And because it
is our nature (so to speak,) not to consider
the objects of our dread so fearful after
suffering, as before and while yet untried:
therefore to prevent thee from acquiring even
this virtue, he detains thee in the very height
of fear; by the fear of poverty, before all
experience of it, melting thee down as wax in
the fire. Yea, and such a man is softer than
any wax and lives a life more wretched than Cain
himself. For the things which he hath in
excess, he is in fear: for those which he hath
not, in grief; and again, concerning what he
hath he trembles, keeping his wealth within as a
wilful runaway slave, and beset by I know not
what various and unaccountable passions. For
unaccountable desire, and manifold fear and
anxiety, and trembling on every side, agitate
them. And they are like a vessel driven by
contrary winds from every quarter, and enduring
many heavy seas. And how much better for such a
man to depart than to be enduring a continual
storm? Since for Cain also it were more
tolerable to have died than to be for ever
trembling.
Lest we then for our part suffer these things,
let us laugh to scorn the device of the devil,
let us burst his cords asunder, let us sever the
point of his terrible spear and fortify every
approach. For if thou laugh at money, he hath
not where to strike, he hath not where he may
lay hold. Then hast thou rooted up the root of
evils; and when the root is no more, neither
will any evil fruit grow.
Well: these things we are always saying and
never leave off saying them: but whether our
sayings do any good, the day will declare, even
that day which is revealed by fire, which trieth
every man's work, (1 COR. III. 13.)
which showeth what lamps are bright and what are
not so. Then shall he who hath oil, and he who
hath it not, be manifest. But may none then be
found destitute of the comfort; rather may all,
bringing in with them abundance of mercy, and
having their lamps bright, enter in together
with the Bridegroom.
Since nothing is more fearful and full of
anguish than that voice which they who departed
without abundant almsgiving shall then hear the
Bridegroom, "I know you not." (S. Mat.
xxv. 12.) But may we never hear this
voice, but rather that most pleasant and
desirable one, "Come, ye blessed of My
Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you
from the foundation of the world." (S.
Mat. xxv. 34) For thus shall we live the
happy life, and enjoy all the good things which
even pass man's understanding: unto which may
we all attain, through the grace and mercy,
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