HOMILY IV.

1 COR. i. 18-20.

For the preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness; but to us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? Where is the Scribe? Where is the disputer of this world.

TO the sick and broken-spirited even wholesome meats are 1 Cor.1. unpleasant, friends and relations burdensome; who are often- 18-20. times not even recognized, but are rather accounted intruders. Much like this often is the case of those who are perishing in their souls. For the things which tend to salvation they know not; and those who are careful about them they consider to be troublesome. Now this ensues not from the nature of the thing, but from their disease. And just what the insane do, hating those who take care of them, and ever after reviling them, the same is the case with unbelievers also. But as in the case of the former, they who are insulted then more than ever compassionate them, and weep, taking this as the worst symptom of the disease in its intense form, when they know not their best friends; so also in the case of the Gentiles let us act; yea more than for our wives let us wail over them, because they know not the common salvation. For not so dearly ought a man to love his wife as we should love all mankind, and draw them over unto salvation; be a man a Gentile, or be he what he may. For these then let us weep; for the preaching of the Cross is to them foolishness, being itself Wisdom and Power. For, saith he, the preaching of the Cross to them that perish is foolishness.

For since it was likely that they, the Cross being derided by the Greeks, would resist and contend by aid of

IV.

HOMIL. that wisdom, which came (forsooth) of themselves, as being disturbed by the expressions of the Greeks; Paul comforting them saith, Think it not strange and unaccountable, which is taking place. This is the nature of that which we now treat of, to have them that perish fail in acknowledging its power. For they are beside themselves, and behave as madmen; and so they rail and are disgusted at the medicines which bring health.

7.

[2.] But what sayest thou, O man? Christ became a slave for 1 Phil.2. thee, having taken the form of a slave1, and was crucified, and rose again. And when thou oughtest to adore Him risen for this, and admire His loving-kindness; because what neither father, nor friend, nor son, did for thee, all this the Lord wrought, for thee, the enemy and offender-when, I say, thou oughtest to admire Him for these things, callest thou that foolishness, which is full of so great wisdom? Well, it is nothing wonderful; for it is a mark of them that perish not to recognize the things which lead to salvation. Be not troubled therefore, for it is no strange nor unaccountable event, that things truly great are mocked at by those who are beside themselves. Now such as are in this mind you cannot convince by human wisdom. Yea, if you want so to convince them, you do but the contrary. For the things which transcend reasoning require faith alone. Thus, should we set about convincing men by reasonings, how God became man, and entered into the Virgin's womb, and not commit the matter unto faith, they will but deride the more. Therefore they who enquire by reasonings, these are they who perish.

And why speak I of God? for in regard of created things, should we do this, great derision will ensue. For suppose a man, wishing to make out all things by reasoning; and let him try by thy discourse to convince himself how we see the light; and do thou try to convince him by reasoning. Nay, thou canst not for if thou sayest that it suffices to see by opening the eyes, thou hast not expressed the manner, but the fact. For" why see we not," one will say, "by our hearing, and with our eyes hear? And why hear we not with the nostril, and with the hearing smell?" If then, he being in doubt about these things, and we unable to give the explanation of them, he is to begin laughing, shall not we rather

The Glory of the Cross, to be above Reason.

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18-20.

laugh him to scorn? "For since both have their origin from ICOR.1. one brain, since the two members are near neighbours to each other, why can they not do the same work?" Now we shall not be able to state the cause, nor the method of the unspeakable and curious operation; and should we make the attempt, we shall be laughed to scorn. Wherefore, leaving this unto God's power and boundless wisdom, let us be silent.

Just so with regard to the things of God; should we desire. to explain them by the wisdom which is from without, great derision will ensue, not from their infirmity, but from the folly of men. For the great things of all no language can explain.

42.

[3.] Now observe: when I say, "He was crucified;" the Greek saith, "And how can this be reasonable? Himself He helped not when undergoing crucifixion and sore trial at the moment of the Cross: how then after these things did He rise again and help others? For if He had been able, before death was the proper time." (For this the Jews actually said1.) "But Mat. He who helped not Himself, how helped He others? There 27. 41, is no reason in it," saith he. True, O man, for indeed it is above reason; and unspeakable is the power of the Cross. For that being actually in the midst of horrors, He should have shewn Himself above all horrors; and being in the enemy's hold should have overcome; this cometh of Infinite Power. For as in the case of the Three Children, their not entering the furnace would not have been so astonishing, as that having entered in they trampled upon the fire; and in the case of Jonah, it was a greater thing by far, after he had been swallowed by the fish, to suffer no harm from the monster, than if he had not been swallowed at all;—so also in regard of Christ; His not dying would not have been so inconceivable, as that being dead He should loose the bands of death. Say not then, "why did He not help Himself on the Cross?" for He was hastening on to close conflict with death himself. He descended not from the Cross, not because He 2 See Hooker, could not, but because He would not. For Him Whom the tyranny of death restrained not, how could the nails of the Cross restrain? 48. 9. [4.] But these things, though known to us, are not so as yet (2.) to the unbelievers. Wherefore he said, that the preaching of

E.P. v.

IV.

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True Province of natural Wisdom:

HOMIL. the Cross is to them that perish foolishness; but to us who are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the understanding of the prudent will I bring to nothing. Nothing from himself which might give offence, does he advance up to this point; but first he comes to the testimony of the Scripture, and then, furnished with boldness from thence, adopts more vehement words and saith,

Ver. 20, 21. Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? Where is the wise? Where the Scribe? Where the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that, by the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God, by the foolishness of preaching, to save them that believe. Having said, It is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, he subjoins the demonstration from facts, saying, Where is the wise? where the Scribe? at the same time glancing at both Gentiles and Jews. For what sort of philosopher, which among those who have studied logic, which of those knowing in Jewish matters, hath saved us, and made known the truth? Not one. It was the Fishermen's work, the whole of it. Having then inferred what he had in view, and brought down their pride, and said, Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? he states the reason also, why these things were so done. For after that by the wisdom of God, saith he, the world by wisdom knew not God, the Cross appeared. Now what means, by the wisdom of God? The wisdom apparent in those works, whereby it was His will to make Himself known. For to this end did He frame them, 1 àvaλó and frame them such as they are, that by a sort of proportion', from the things which are seen, admiration of the Maker might be learned. Is the heaven great, and the earth boundless? Wonder then at Him who made them. For this heaven, great as it is, not only was made by Him, but made with ease; and that boundless earth too, was brought into being 2 Ps. even as if it had been nothing. Wherefore of the former He 102.25. saith, The works of Thy fingers are the heavens; and conρῶν. cerning the earth, Who hath made the earth as it were nothing. Since then by this wisdom the world was unwilling to acknowledge God, He employed what seemed to be

γως.

τῶν χει

LXX.

3 Isa. 40. 23. LXX.

how it was set down by the Gospel.

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18-20.

foolishness, i. e. the Gospel, to persuade men; not by reason-1COR.1. ings, but by faith. It remains that where God's wisdom is, there is no longer need of man's. For before, to infer that He who made the world, such and so great, must in all reason be a God possessed of a certain uncontrollable, unspeakable power; and by these means to apprehend Him;-this was the part of human wisdom. But now we need no more reasonings, but faith alone. For to believe on Him that was crucified and buried, and to be most fully persuaded that this person Himself both rose again, and sat down on high; this needeth not wisdom, nor reasonings, but faith. For the Apostles themselves came in not by wisdom, but by faith, and surpassed the heathen wise men in wisdom and loftiness, and that so much the more, by how much to raise disputings is less, than to receive by faith the things of God. For this transcends all human understanding.

But how hath He destroyed wisdom? Being made known to us by Paul and others like him, He hath shewn it to be unprofitable. For towards receiving the evangelical proclamation, neither is the wise profited at all by wisdom, nor the unlearned injured at all by ignorance. But if one may speak somewhat even wonderful, ignorance rather than wisdom is a condition suitable for that impression, and more easily dealt with. For the shepherd and the rustic will more quickly receive this, once for all repressing all doubting thoughts, and delivering himself to the Lord. In this way then He hath destroyed wisdom. For since she first cast herself down, she is ever after useful for nothing. Thus when she ought to have displayed her proper powers, and by the works to have seen the Lord, she would not. Wherefore though she were now willing to introduce herself, she is not able. For the matter is not of that kind: this way of knowing God being far greater than the other. You see then, faith and simplicity are needed, and this we should seek every where, and prefer it before the wisdom which is from without. For God, saith he, hath made wisdom foolish.

But what is He hath made foolish? He hath shewn it foolish in regard of receiving the faith. For since they prided themselves on it, He lost no time in exposing it. For what