HOMIL. 70 Force of certain Words in the Account of the Incarnation. But even if they bring in the testimony of those others, 4-6. yet so the tokens of victory would be with us. V. Because the Scripture is wont to put the word "youth," for "virginity;' and this with respect not to women only, but also to men. For it is said, young men and maidens, old men with younger IPs.148, ones1. And again speaking of the damsel, who is attacked, it saith, if the young woman cry out, meaning the Virgin. 12. And what goes before also establishes this interpretation. For he doth not merely say, Behold, the Virgin shall be with child, but having first said, Behold, the Lord Himself shall give you a sign, then he subjoins, Behold, the Virgin shall be 2 Is. 7, with child2. Whereas, if she that was to give birth was not a Virgin, but this happened in the way of marriage, what sort of sign would the event be? For that which is a sign must of course be beyond the course of common events, it must be strange and extraordinary; else how could it be a sign? 14. [5.] Then Joseph, being raised from sleep, did as the Angel of the Lord had bidden him. Seest thou obedience, and a submissive mind? Seest thou a soul truly wakened, and in all things incorruptible? For neither, when he suspected something painful or amiss, could he endure to keep the Virgin with him; nor yet, after he was freed from this suspicion, could he bear to cast her out, but he rather keeps her with him, and ministers to the whole Dispensation. And took unto him Mary his wife. Seest thou, how continually the Evangelist uses this word, not willing that that mystery should be disclosed as yet, and annihilating that evil suspicion? And when he had taken her, he knew her not, till she had brought forth her first born Son. He hath here used the word till, not that thou shouldest suspect that afterwards he did know her, but to inform thee that before the Birth the Virgin was wholly untouched by man. But why then, it may be said, hath he used the word, till? Because it is usual in Scripture often to do this, and to use this expression without reference to limited times. For so with respect to the ark likewise, it is said, The raven returned not till the Deut. 22, 27. In our translation, "the betrothed damsel cried." This place is cited by St. Jerome on 1 Matt. with reference to the same argument. case. 71 1.22,23. 7. St. James our Lord's Brother: his Character. earth was dried up'. And yet it did not return even after MATT. that time. And when discoursing also of God, the Scripture. saith, From age until age Thou art2, not as fixing limits in this 8, 7. 2 Ps. 90, And again when it is preaching the Gospel beforehand, and saying, In his days shall righteousness flourish, and abundance of peace, till the moon be taken away, it' Ps. 72, doth not set a limit to this fair part of creation. So then here likewise, it uses the word till, to make certain what was before the Birth, but as to what follows, it leaves thee to make the inference. Thus, what it was necessary for thee to learn of Him, this He Himself hath said; that the Virgin was untouched by man until the birth; but that which both was seen to be a consequence of the former statement, and was acknowledged, this in its turn he leaves for thee to perceive; namely, that not even after this, she having so become a mother, and having been counted worthy of a new sort of travail, and a child-bearing so strange, could that righteous man ever have endured to know her. For if he had known her, and had kept her in the place of a wife, how is it that our Lord' commits her, as unprotected, and having no one, to His Disciple, and commands him to take her to his own home? John 19, 27. 7, 5. How then, one may say, are James and the others called His Brethren? In the same kind of way as Joseph himself was supposed to be husband of Mary. For many were the veils provided, that the Birth, being such as it was, might be for a time screened. Wherefore even John so called them, saying, For neither did His brethren believe in Him. 5 John [6.] Nevertheless they, who did not believe at first, became afterwards admirable, and illustrious. At least when Paul and they that were of his company were come up to Jerusalem about decrees, they went in straightway unto 6 Acts James. For he was so admired, as even to be the first to 15,4; 16, 4; be entrusted with the Bishop's office. And they say he 21, 18. gave himself up to such great austerity, that even his members became all of them as dead, and that from his continual praying, and his perpetual intercourse with the ground, his forehead became so callous, as to be in no better state than a camel's knees, simply by reason of his striking it so against the earth". This man gives directions to Paul himself, when d See Hegesippus in St. Jerome de Viris Illustr c. 2. V. 6, 7. 1 Acts 72 We must not trust to the Goodness of our Kindred. HOMIL. he was after this come up again to Jerusalem, saying1, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands there are of them that are come together. So great was his understanding and 21, 20. his zeal; or rather so great the power of Christ. For they see also ver. 22. that mock Him when living, after His death are so filled with awe, as even to die for Him with exceeding readiness. Such things most of all shew the power of His Resurrection. For this, you see, was the reason of the more glorious things being kept till afterwards, viz. that this proof might become indisputable. For seeing that even those who are admired amongst us in their life, when they are gone, are apt to be forgotten by us; how was it that they, who made light of This Man living, afterwards thought Him to be God, if He was but one of the many? How was it that they consented even to be slain for His sake, unless they received His resurrection on clear proof? [7.] And these things we tell you, that ye may not hear only, but imitate also his manly severity, his plainness of speech, his righteousness in all things; that no one may despair of himself, though hitherto he have been careless; that he may set his hopes on nothing else, after God's mercy, but on his own virtue. For if these were nothing the better for such a kindred, though they were of the same house and lineage with Christ, until they gave proof of virtue; what favour can we possibly receive, when we plead righteous kinsmen and 2- brethren, unless we be exceeding dut ful, and have lived in virtue? As the Prophet too said, intimating the self 3 Ps. 49, same thing; A brother redeemeth not, shall a man redeem3 ? No, not although it were Moses, Samuel, Jeremiah. Hear, for example, what God saith unto this last, Pray not thou 4 Jer.11, for this people, for I will not hear thee1. And why marvellest thou if I hear not thee?" Though Moses himself and κεῖς 7. 14. 1. 14, 14. 5 Jer.15, Samuel stood before me, I would not receive their supplication for these men." Yea, if it be Ezekiel who entreats, he will be told, Though Noah stand forth, and Job, and 6 Ezek. Daniel, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters®. Though the Patriarch Abraham be supplicating for them that are most incurably diseased, and change not, God will 7 Gen. leave him and go His way, that he may not receive his 81 Sam. Cry in their behalf. Though again it be Samuel who is 16, 1. doing this, He saith unto him, Mourn not thou for SaulR. 16. 18, 33. Diverse Event of Intercessions related in Scripture. 73 Though for his own sister one entreat, when it is not fitting, MATT. he again shall have the same sort of answer as Moses, If her father had but spit in her face1. 1.22,23. 1 Numb. 12, 14. Let us not then be looking open-mouthed towards others. For it is true, the prayers of the saints have the greatest power; on condition however of our repentance and amendment. Since even Moses, who had rescued his own brother and six hundred thousand men from the wrath that was then coming upon them from God, had no power to deliver his sister2; and yet 2 Ex. 32; the sin was not equal; for whereas she had done despite but 12. to Moses, in that other case it was plain impiety, what they ventured on. But this difficulty I leave for you; while that which is yet harder, I will try to explain. For why should we speak of his sister? since he who stood forth the advocate of so great a people had not power to prevail for himself, but after his countless toils, and sufferings, and his assiduity for forty years, was prohibited from setting foot on that land, touching which there had been so many declarations and promises. What then was the cause? To grant this favour would not be profitable, but would, on the contrary, bring with it much harm, and would be sure to prove a stumbling-block to many of the Jews. For if when they were merely delivered from Egypt, they forsook God, and sought after Moses, and imputed all to him; had they seen him also lead them into the land of promise, to what extent of impiety might they not have been cast away? And for this reason also, let me add, neither was his tomb made known. Numb. And Samuel again was not able to save Saul from the wrath from above, yet he oftentimes preserved the Israelites. And Jeremiah prevailed not for the Jews, but some one else he did haply cover from evil by his prophecy. And Daniel saved the barbarians from slaughter3, but he did not deliver the Jews 3 Dan. 2, from their captivity. 3 24. And in the Gospels too we shall see both these events come to pass, not in the case of different persons, but of the same; and the same man now prevailing for himself and now given up. For he who owed the ten thousand talents, though he had delivered himself from the danger by entreaty, yet again he prevailed not1, and another on the contrary, who had Matt. 18,26 e Alluding perhaps to 2 Maccab. 15, 13-16. 34. 74 Trust not to others' Prayers, without your own Alms. HOMIL. before thrown himself away, afterwards had power to help V. 7-9. himself in the greatest degree'. But who is this? He that 1 Luke devoured his Father's substance. 15, 1320. So that on the one hand, if we be careless, we shall not be able to obtain salvation, no not even by the help of others; if, on the other hand, we be watchful,we shall be able to do this by ourselves, and by ourselves rather than by others. Yes; for God is more willing to give His grace to us, than to others for us; that we by endeavouring ourselves to do away His wrath, may both enjoy confidence towards Him, and become better men. Thus He had pity on the Canaanitish woman, thus He saved the harlot, thus the thief, when there was none to be mediator nor advocate. [8.] And this I say, not that we may omit supplicating the saints, but to hinder our being careless, and entrusting our concerns to others only, while we fall back and slumber ourselves. For so when He said, make to yourselves friends', he did not stop at this only, but He added, of the unrighteous mammon; that so again the good work may be thine own; for it is nothing else but almsgiving which He hath here signified. And, what is marvellous, neither doth He make a strict account with us, if we withdraw ourselves from injustice. For what He saith is like this: "Hast thou gained ill? spend well. Hast thou gathered by unrighteousness? scatter abroad in righteousness." And yet, what manner of virtue is this, to give out of such gains? God however, being full of love to man, condescends even to this, and if we thus do, promises us many good things. But we are so past all feeling, as not to give even of our unjust gain, but while plundering without end, if we contribute the smallest part, we think we have fulfilled all. Hast thou not heard Paul saying, He 22 Cor. which soweth sparingly, shall reap also sparingly?? Wherefore then dost thou spare? What, is the act an outlay? is it an expense? Nay, it is gain and good merchandise. Where there is merchandise, there is also increase; where there is sowing, there is also reaping. But thou, if thou hadst to till a rich and deep soil, and capable of receiving much seed, wouldest both spend what thou hadst, and wouldest borrow 9, 6. f St. Luke 16,9. It would seem from this that the saints whom we are to supplicate for their help are those on earth, whom we may assist by our alms. And the examples before tend to confirm this view. |