Homily XIV.
ROM. VIII. 12, 13.-"Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the
flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall
die; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye
shall live."
After showing how great the reward of a spiritual life is, and that
it maketh Christ to dwell in us, and that it quickeneth our mortal bodies,
and wingeth them to heaven, and rendereth the way of virtue easier, he
next fitly introduces an exhortation to this purpose. "Therefore" we ought
"not to live after the flesh." But this is not what he says, for he words
it in a much more striking and powerful way, thus, "we are debtors to the
Spirit." For saying, "we are debtors not to the flesh," indicates this.
And this is a point he is everywhere giving proof of, that what God hath
done for us is not matter of debt, but of mere grace. But after this, what
we do is no longer matter of free-will offering, but of debt. For when
he saith, "Ye are bought with a price, be not ye the servants of men" (1
Cor. vii. 23); and when he writes, "Ye are not your own" (ib. vi. 19);
and again in another passage he calls these selfsame things to their mind,
in these words, "If (most mss. om. "if") One died for all, then all died1
that they should not henceforth live unto themselves." (2 Cor. v. 15.)
And it is to establish this that he says here also, "We are debtors;" then
since he said we are "not" debtors "to the flesh," lest you should again
take him to be speaking against the nature of the flesh, he does not leave
speaking, but proceeds, "to live after the flesh." For there are many things
which we do owe it, as giving it food, warmth, and rest, medicine when
out of health, clothing, and a thousand other attentions. To prevent your
supposing then that it is this ministration he is for abrogating when he
says, "We are not debtors to the flesh," he explains it by saying, "to
live after the flesh." For the care that I am for abrogating is, he means,
that which leadeth to sin, as I should be for its having what is healing
to it. And this he shows further on. For when he says, "Make not provision
for the flesh," he does not pause at this, but adds, "to fulfil the lusts
thereof." (Rom. xiii. 14.) And this instruction he gives us here also,
meaning, Let it have attention shown it indeed, for we do owe it this,
yet let us not live according to the flesh, that is, let us not make it
the mistress of our life. For it must be the follower, not the leader,
and it is not it that must regulate our life, but the laws of the Spirit
must it receive. Having then defined this point, and having proved that
we are debtors to the Spirit, to show next for what benefits it is that
we are debtors, he does not speak of those past (a thing which serves as
a most striking proof of his judgment), but those which were to come; although
even the former were enough for the purpose. Yet still he does not set
them down in the present case, or mention even those unspeakable blessings,
but the things to come. For a benefit once for all conferred does not,
for the most part, draw men on so much as one which is expected, and is
to come. After adding this then, he first uses the pains and ills that
come of living after the flesh, to put them in fear, in the following words;
"For if ye live after the flesh ye shall die," so intimating to us that
deathless death, punishment, and vengeance in hell. Or rather if one were
to look accurately into this, such an one is, even in this present life,
dead. And this we have made clear to you in the last discourse. "But if
ye through the Spirit, do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live."
You see that it is not the essence of the body whereof we are discoursing,
but the deeds of the flesh. For he does not say, "if ye through the Spirit
do mortify" the essence "of the body," but "the deeds of" it, and these
not all deeds, but such as are evil. And this is plain in what follows:
for if ye do this, "ye shall live," he says. And how is it in the nature
of things for this to be, if it was all deeds that his language applied
to? for seeing and hearing and speaking and walking are deeds of the body;
and if we mortify these, we shall be so far from living, that we shall
have to suffer the punishment of a manslayer. What sort of deeds then does
he mean us to mortify? Those which tend toward wickedness, those which
go after vice, which there is no other way of mortifying save through the
Spirit. For by killing yourself you may put an end to the others.2 And
this you have no right to do. But to these (you can put an end) by the
Spirit only. For if This be present, all the billows are laid low, and
the passions cower under It, and nothing can exalt itself against us.3
So you see how it is on things to come, as I said before, that he grounds
his exhortations to us, and shows that we are debtors not owing to what
has been already done only. For the advantage of the Spirit is not this
only, that He hath set us free from our former sins, but that He rendereth
us impregnable against future ones, and counts us worthy of the immortal
life. Then, to state another reward also, he proceeds:
Ver. 14. "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the
sons of God."
Now this is again a much greater honor than the first. And this is why
he does not say merely, As many as live4 by the Spirit of God, but, "as
many as are led by the Spirit of God," to show that he would have Him use
such power over our life as a pilot doth over a ship, or a charioteer over
a pair of horses. And it is not the body only, but the soul itself too,
that he is for setting under reins of this sort. For he would not have
even that independent, but place its authority5 also under the power of
the Spirit. For lest through a confidence in the Gift of the Font they
should turn negligent of their conversation after it, he would say, that
even supposing you receive baptism, yet if you are not minded to be "led
by the Spirit" afterwards, you lose the dignity bestowed upon you, and
the pre-eminence of your adoption. This is why he does not say, As many
as have received the Spirit, but, "as many as are led by the Spirit," that
is, as many as live up to this all their life long, "they are the sons
of God." Then since this dignity was given to the Jews also, for it says,
"I said ye are Gods, and all of you children of the Most High" (Ps. lxxxii.
6); and again, "I have nourished and brought up children" (Is. i. 2); and
so, "Israel is My first-born" (Ex. iv. 22); and Paul too says, "Whose is
the adoption" (Rom. ix. 4)-he next asserts the great difference between
the latter and the former honor. For though the names are the same, he
means, still, the things are not the same. And of these points he gives
a clear demonstration, by introducing a comparison drawn both from the
persons so advanced (katorqountwn) and from what was given them, and from
what was to come. And first he shows what they of old had given them. What
then was this? "A spirit of bondage:" and so he thus proceeds,
Ver. 15. "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to
fear."
Then not staying to mention that which stands in contradistinction to
bondage, that is, the spirit of freedom, he has named what is far greater,
that of adoption, through which he at the same time brings in the other,
saying, "But ye have received the Spirit of adoption."
But this is plain. But what the spirit of bondage may be, is not so
plain, and there is need of making it clearer. Now what he says is so far
from being clear, that it is in fact very perplexing. For the people of
the Jews did not receive the Spirit. What then is his meaning here? It
is the letter he giveth this name to, for spiritual it was, and so he called
the Law spiritual also, and the water from the Rock, and the Manna. "For
they did eat," he says, "of the same spiritual meat, and all drank of the
same spiritual drink." (1 Cor. x. 3, 1 Cor. x. 4.) And to the Rock he gives
this name, when he says, "For they drank of that spiritual Rock which followed
them." Now it is because all the rites then wrought were above nature that
he calls them spiritual, and not because those who then partook of them
received the Spirit. And in what sense were those letters; letters of bondage?
Set before yourself the whole dispensation, and then you will have a clear
view of this also. For recompenses were with them close at hand, and the
reward followed forthwith, being at once proportionate, and like a kind
of daily ration given to domestic servants, and terrors in abundance came
to their height before their eyes, and their purifications concerned their
bodies, and their continency extended but to their actions. But with us
it is not so, since the imagination even and the conscience getteth purged
out. For He does not say, "Thou shalt do no murder," only, but even thou
shalt not be angry: so too, it is not, "Thou shalt not commit adultery,"
but thou shalt not look unchastely. So that it is not to be from fear of
present punishment, but out of desire towards Himself, that both our being
habitually virtuous, and all our single good deeds are to come. Neither
doth he promise a land flowing with milk and honey, but maketh us joint-heir
with the Only-Begotten, so making us by every means stand aloof from things
present, and promising to give such things especially as are worth the
acceptance of men made sons of God, nothing, that is, of a sensible kind
or corporeal, but spiritual all of them. And so they, even if they had
the name of sons, were but as slaves; but we as having been made free,
have received the adoption, and are waiting for Heaven. And with them He
discoursed through the intervention of others, with us by Himself. And
all that they did was through the impulse of fear, but the spiritual act
through a coveting and a vehement desire. And this they show by the fact
of their6 overstepping the commandments. They, as hirelings and obstinate
persons, so never left murmuring: but these do all for the pleasing of
the Father. So too they blasphemed when they had benefits done them: but
we are thankful at being jeoparded. And if there be need of punishing both
of us upon our sinning, even in this case the difference is great. For
it is not on being stoned and branded and maimed by the priests, as they
were, that we are brought round. But it is enough for us to be cast out
from our Father's table, and to be out of sight for certain days. And with
the Jews the honor of adoption was one of name only, but here the reality
followed also, the cleansing of Baptism, the giving of the Spirit, the
furnishing of the other blessings. And there are several other points besides,
which go to show our high birth and their low condition. After intimating
all these then by speaking of the Spirit, and fear, and the adoption, he
gives a fresh proof again of having the Spirit of adoption. Now what is
this? That "we cry, Abba, Father." And how great this is, the initiated
know (St. Cyr. Jer. Cat. 23, §11, p. 276, O. T.), being with good
reason bidden to use this word first in the Prayer of the initiated. What
then, it may be said, did not they also call God Father? Dost thou not
hear Moses, when he says, "Thou desertedst the God that begot thee?" (Deut.
xxxii. 15. LXX.) Dost thou not hear Malachi reproaching them, and saying,
that "one God formed you," and there is "one Father of you all?" (Mal.
ii. 10. LXX.) Still, if these words and others besides are used, we do
not find them anywhere calling God by the name, or praying in this language.
But we all, priests and laymen, rulers and ruled, are ordered to pray herein.
And this is the first language we give utterance to, after those marvellous
throes, and that strange and unusual mode of labor. If in any other instances
they so called Him, that was only of their own mind. But those in the state
of grace do it through being moved by the in-working of the Spirit. For
as there is a Spirit of Wisdom, after which they that were unwise became
wise, and this discloses itself in their teaching: and a Spirit of Power
there is, whereby the feeble raised up the dead, and drove out devils;
a Spirit also of the gift of healing, and a Spirit of prophecy, and a Spirit
of tongues, so also a Spirit of adoption. And as we know the Spirit of
prophecy, in that he who hath it foretelleth things to come, not speaking
of his own mind, but moved by the Grace; so too is the Spirit of adoption,
whereby he that is gifted with it calleth God, Father, as moved by the
Spirit. Wishing to express this as a most true descent, he used also the
Hebrew7 tongue, for he does not say only, "Father," but "Abba, Father,"
which name is a special sign of true-born children to their fathers. After
mentioning then the diversity resulting from their conversation, that resulting
from the grace which had been given, and that from their freedom, he brings
forward another demonstration of the superiority which goes with this adoption.
Now of what kind is this?
Ver. 16. "The Spirit Itself beareth witness with our spirit, that
we are the children of God."
For it is not from the language merely, he says, that I make my assertion,
but from the cause out of which the language has its birth; since it is
from the Spirit suggesting it that we so speak. And this in another passage
he has put into plainer words, thus: "God hath sent forth the Spirit of
his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba Father." (Gal. iv. 6.) And what is
that, "Spirit beareth witness with spirit?" The Comforter, he means, with
that Gift, which is given unto us. For it is not of the Gift alone that
it is the voice, but of the Comforter also who gave the Gift, He Himself
having taught us through the Gift so to speak. But when the "Spirit beareth
witness" what farther place for doubtfulness? For if it were a man, or
angel, or archangel, or any other such power that promised this, then there
might be reason in some doubting. But when it is the Highest Essence that
bestoweth this Gift, and "beareth witness" by the very words He bade us
use in prayer, who would doubt any more of our dignity? For not even when
the Emperor elects any one, and proclaims in all men's hearing the honor
done him, does anybody venture to gainsay.Ver. 17. "And if children,
then heirs."
Observe how he enhances the Gift by little and little. For since it
is a possible case to be children, and yet not become heirs (for it is
not by any means all children that are heirs), he adds this besides-that
we are heirs. But the Jews, besides their not having the same adoption
as we, were also cast out from the inheritance. For "He will miserably
destroy those wicked men, and will let out the vineyard to other husbandmen"
(Matt. xxi. 41): and before this, He said that "many shall come from the
East and from the West, and shall sit down with Abraham, but the children
of the Kingdom shall be cast out." (ib. viii. 11, 12.) But even here he
does not pause, but sets down something even greater than this. What may
this be then? That we are heirs of God; and so he adds, "heirs of God."
And what is more still, that we are not simply heirs, but also "joints
heirs with Christ." Observe how ambitious he is of bringing us near to
the Master. For since it is not all children that are heirs, he shows that
we are both children and heirs; next, as it is not all heirs that are heirs
to any great amount, he shows that we have this point with us too, as we
are heirs of God. Again, since it were possible to be God's heir, but in
no sense "joint heir with" the Only-Begotten, he shows that we have this
also. And consider his wisdom. For after throwing the distasteful part
into a short compass, when he was saying what was to become of such as
"live after the flesh," for instance, that they "shall die," when he comes
to the more soothing part, he leadeth forth his discourse into a large
room, and so expands it on the recompense of rewards, and in pointing out
that the gifts too are manifold and great. For if even the being a child
were a grace unspeakable, just think how great a thing it is to be heir!
But if this be great, much more is it to be "joint heir." Then to show
that the Gift is not of grace only, and to give at the same time a credibility
to what he says, he proceeds, "If so be that we suffer with Him, that we
may be also glorified together." If, he would say, we be sharers with Him
in what is painful, much more shall it be so in what is good. For He who
bestowed such blessings upon those who had wrought no good, how, when He
seeth them laboring and suffering so much, shall he do else than give them
greater requital? Having then shown that the thing was a matter of return,
to make men give credit to what was said, and prevent any from doubting,
he shows further that it has the virtue of a gift. The one he showed, that
what was said might gain credit even with those that doubted, and that
the receivers of it might not feel ashamed as being evermore receiving
salvation for nought; and the other, that you might see that God outdoeth
the toils by His recompenses. And the one he has shown in the words, "If
so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together."
