IV. 20. No Pardon to be obtained in the other World. 195 God of all is provoked, we gape, and throw ourselves back, MATT. and live in luxury and in drunkenness, and do all things as usual. And when shall we be able to propitiate Him? and how shall we by this very thing fail to provoke Him so much the more? For not so much sinning, as sinning without even pain, causes in Him indignation and wrath. Wherefore it were meet after all this to sink into the very earth, and not so much as to behold this sun, nor to breathe at all, for that having so placable a Master, we provoke Him first, and then have no remorse for provoking Him. And yet He assuredly, even when He is wroth, doeth not so as hating and turning away from us, but in order that in this way at least He may win us over to Himself. For if He continued after insult befriending thee, thou wouldest the more despise Him. Therefore in order that this may not be, He turns away for a little while, to have thee ever with Himself. 2. [6.] Let us now, I pray you, take courage at His love to man, and let us shew forth an anxious repentance, before the Day come on, which permits us not to profit thereby. For as yet all depends on us, but then He that judges hath alone control over the sentence. Let us therefore come before His face with confession1; let us bewail, let us mourn. For if we1 Ps. 95, should be able to prevail upon the Judge before the appointed xx. Day to forgive us our sins, then we need not so much as enter into the court; as on the other hand, if this be not done, He will hear us publicly in the presence of the world, and we shall no longer have any hope of pardon. For no one of those who have not done away with their sins here, when he hath departed thither shall be able to escape his account for them; but as they who are taken out of these earthly prisons are brought in their chains to the place of judgment, even so all souls, when they have gone away hence bound with the manifold chains of their sins, are led to the awful judgment-seat. For in truth our present life is nothing better than a prison. But as when we have entered into that apartment, we see all bound with chains; so now if we withdraw ourselves from outward show, and enter into each man's life, into each man's soul, we shall see it bound with chains more grievous than iron and this most especially if thou enter into the 196 Sinful Habits are like Prisoners' Chains. HOMIL. Souls of them that are rich. For the more men have about XIV. 20. them, so much the more are they bound. As therefore with regard to the prisoner, when thou seest him with irons on his back, on his hands, and often on his feet too, thou dost therefore most of all account him miserable; so also as to the rich man, when thou seest him encompassed with innumerable affairs, let him not be therefore rich, but rather for these very things wretched, in thine account. For together with these bonds, he hath a cruel jailor too, the wicked love of riches; which suffers him not to pass out of this prison, but provides for him thousands of fetters, and guards, and doors, and bolts; and when he hath cast him into the inner prison, persuades him even to feel pleasure in these bonds; that he may not find so much as any hope of deliverance from the evils which press on him. And if in thought thou wert to lay open that man's soul, thou wouldest see it not bound only, but squalid, and filthy, and teeming with vermin. For no better than vermin are the pleasures of luxury, but even more abominable, and destroy the body more, together with the soul also; and upon the one and upon the other they bring ten thousand scourges of sickness. On account then of all these things let us entreat the Redeemer of our souls, that He would both burst asunder our bands, and remove this our cruel jailor, and having set us free from the burden of those iron chains, He would make our spirits lighter than any wing. And as we entreat Him, so let us contribute our own part, earnestness, and consideration, and an excellent zeal. For thus we shall be able both in a short time to be freed from the evils which now oppress us, and to learn in what condition we were before, and to lay hold on the liberty which belongs to us; unto which God grant we may all attain, by the grace and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ, to Whom be glory and power for ever and ever. Amen. Our Lord and His Disciples in the Mount. 197 HOMILY XV. MATT. v. 1, 2. And Jesus seeing the multitudes went up into the mountain, and when He was set, His disciples came unto Him. And He opened His mouth, and taught them, saying. SEE how unambitious He was, and void of boasting: in MATT. V. 1, 1. that He did not lead people about with Him, but whereas, when healing was required, He had Himself gone about every where, visiting both towns and country places; now when the multitude is become very great, He sits in one spot: and that not in the midst of any city or forum, but on a mountain and in a wilderness; instructing us to do nothing for display, vi and to separate ourselves from the tumults of ordinary life, i μέσω and this most especially, when we are to study wisdom, and to discourse of things needful to be done. But when He had gone up into the mount, and was set down, His disciples came unto Him. Seest thou their growth in virtue? and how in a moment they became better men? Since the multitude were but gazers on the miracles, but these from that hour desired also to hear some great and high thing. And indeed this it was that set Him on His teaching, and made Him begin this discourse. For it was not men's bodies only that He was healing, but He was also amending their souls; and again from the care of these He would pass to attendance on the other. Thus He at once varied the succour that He gave, and likewise mingled with the instruction afforded by His words, the manifestation of His glory from His works; and besides, He θορύβων 198 Christ preached to all through His Disciples. HOMIL. Stopped the shameless mouths of the heretics, signifying by XV. this His care of both parts of our being, that He Himself is 1-3. 1 δημώδες 2 the Maker of the whole creation. Therefore also on each nature He bestowed abundant providence, now amending the one, now the other. And in this way He was then employed. For it is said, that He opened His mouth, and taught them. And wherefore is the clause added, He opened His mouth? To inform thee that in His very silence He gave instruction, and not when He spoke only: but at one time by opening His mouth, at another uttering His voice by the works which He did. But when thou hearest that He taught them, do not think of Him as discoursing with His disciples only, but rather with all through them. For since the multitude was such as a multitude ever is1, xáμ and consisted moreover of such as creep on the ground, He vwv,al.ig- withdraws the choir of His disciples, and makes His discourse xquivar unto them: in His conversation with them providing that συρομέ the rest also, who were yet very far from the level of His sayings, might find His lesson of self-denial no longer grievous unto them. Of which indeed both Luke gave intimation, when he said, that He directed His words unto them and Matthew too, clearly declaring the same, wrote, His disciples came unto Him, and He taught them. For thus the others also were sure to be more eagerly attentive to Him, than they would have been, had He addressed Himself unto all. [2.] Whence then doth He begin? and what kind of foundations of His new polity doth He lay for us? Let us hearken with strict attention unto what is said. For though it was spoken unto them, it was written for the sake also of all men afterwards. And accordingly on this account, though He had His disciples in His mind in His public preaching, yet unto them He limits not His sayings, but applies all His words of blessing without restriction. Thus He said not, "Blessed are ye, if ye become poor," but Blessed are the poor. And I may add that even if He had a St. Luke 6, 20. And He lifted up His eyes on His disciples, and said.' And v. 27, 'I say unto you which hear.' The Blessing of the Poor in Spirit. 199 V.3. spoken of them, the advice would still be common to all. For Matt. so, when He saith, Lo! I am with you always, even unto the end of the world', He is discoursing not with them only, but Matt. also, through them, with all the world. And in pronouncing 28, 20. them blessed, who are persecuted, and chased, and suffer all intolerable things; not for them only, but also for all who arrive at the same excellency, He weaves His crown. However, that this may be yet plainer, and to inform thee that thou hast great interest in His sayings, and so indeed hath all mankind, if any choose to give heed; hear how He begins these wondrous words. Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom v. 3. of Heaven. What is meant by the poor in spirit? The humble and contrite in mind. For by spirit He hath here designated the soul, and the faculty of choice. That is, since many are humble not willingly, but compelled by stress of circumstances; letting these pass, (for this were no matter of praise,) He blesses them first, who by choice humble and contract themselves. 2 But why said he not, "the humble," but rather the poor? Because this is more than that. For He means here them who are awestruck, and tremble at the commandments of God. Whom also by His prophet Isaiah God earnestly accepting said, 2 To whom will I look, but to him who is meek3 and quiet, 2 Isaiah and trembleth at My words? For indeed there are many. 66, 2. kinds of humility: one is humble in his own measure, another 3rawuνὸν, with all excess of lowliness. It is this last lowliness of mind LXX. which that blessed Prophet commends, picturing to us the temper that is not merely subdued, but utterly broken, when he saith, The sacrifice for God is a contrite spirit, a contrite Ps. 51, and an humble heart God will not despise. And the Three Children also offer this unto God as a great sacrifice, saying, Nevertheless, in a contrite soul, and in a spirit of lowliness, may we be accepted. This Christ also now blesses. [3.] For whereas the greatest of evils, and those which make havoc of the whole world, had their entering in from pride:-for both the Devil, not being such before, did thus Daniel 3, 39. LXX; or Song of the Three Holy Children, v. 16. 17. LXX. |