Latter part of Homily XII
Ver. 17. "Brethren, be ye imitators of me, and mark them which so
walk even as ye have us for an ensample."
He had said above, "beware of dogs," from such he had led them away;
he brings them near to these whom they ought to imitate. If any one, saith
he, wishes to imitate me, if any one wishes to walk the same road, let
him take heed to them; though I am not present, ye know the manner of my
walk, that is, my conduct in life. For not by words only did he teach,
but by deeds too; as in the chorus, and the army, the rest must imitate
the leader of the chorus or the army, and thus advance in good order. For
it is possible that the order may be dissolved by sedition.
The Apostles therefore were a type, and kept throughout a certain archetypal
model. Consider how entirely accurate their life was, so that they are
proposed as an archetype and example, and as living laws. For what was
said in their writings, they manifested to all in their actions. This is
the best teaching; thus he will be able to carry on his disciple. But if
he indeed speaks as a philosopher, yet in his actions doth the contrary,
he is no longer a teacher. For mere verbal philosophy is easy even for
the disciple: but there is need of that teaching and leading which comes
of deeds. For this both makes the teacher to be reverenced, and prepares
the disciple to yield obedience. How so? When one sees him delivering philosophy
in words, he will say he commands impossibilities; that they are impossibilities,
he himself is the first to show, who does not practice them. But if he
sees his virtue fully carried out in action, he will no longer be able
to speak thus. Yet although the life of our teacher be careless, let us
take heed to ourselves, and let us listen to the words of the prophet;
"They shall be all taught of God." (Isa. liv. 13) "And they shall teach
no more every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord, for they shall all
know me from the least of them to the greatest of them." (Jer. xxxi. 34)
Hast thou a teacher who is not virtuous? Still thou hast Him who is truly
a Teacher, whom alone thou shouldest call a Teacher. Learn from Him: He
hath said, "Learn of Me, for I am meek." (Matt. xi. 29) Take not heed,
then, to thy teacher, but to Him and to His lessons. Take thence thy examples,
thou hast a most excellent model, to it conform thyself. There are innumerable
models laid before thee in the Scriptures of virtuous lives; whichsoever
thou wilt, come, and after the Master find it in the disciples. One hath
shown forth through poverty, another through riches; for example, Elijah
through poverty, Abraham through riches. Go to that example, which thou
esteemest most easy, most befitting thyself to practice. Again, one by
marriage, the other by virginity; Abraham by marriage, the other by virginity.
Follow whichever thou wilt: for both lead to heaven. One shone forth by
fasting, as John, another without fasting, as Job. Again, this latter had
a care for his wife, his children, his daughters, his family, and possessed
great wealth; the other possessed nothing but the garment of hair. And
why do I make mention of family, or wealth, or money, when it is possible
that even one in a kingdom should lay hold on virtue, for the house of
a king would be found more full of trouble than any private family. David
then shone forth in his kingdom; the purple and the diadem rendered him
not at all remiss. To another it was entrusted to preside over a whole
people, I mean Moses, which was a more difficult task, for there the power
was greater, whence the difficulty too became greater. Thou hast seen men
approved in wealth, thou hast seen them in poverty also, thou hast seen
them in marriage, thou hast seen them in virginity too; on the contrary,
behold some lost in marriage and in virginity, in wealth and in poverty.
For example, many men have perished in marriage, as Samson, yet not from
marriage, but from their own deliberate choice. Likewise in virginity,
as the five virgins. In wealth, as the rich man, who disregarded Lazarus:
in poverty, innumerable poor men even now are lost. In a kingdom, I can
point to many who have perished, and in ruling the people. Wouldest thou
see men saved in the rank of a soldier? there is Cornelius; and in the
government of a household? there is the eunuch of the Ethiopian Queen.
Thus is it universally. If we use our wealth as is fit, nothing will destroy
us; but if not, all things will destroy us, whether a kingdom, or poverty,
or wealth. But nothing will have power to hurt the man, who keeps well
awake.
For tell me, was captivity any harm? None at all. For consider, I pray
thee, Joseph, who became a slave, and preserved his virtue. Consider Daniel,
and the Three Children, who became captives, and how much the more they
shone forth, for virtue shineth everywhere, is invincible, and nothing
can put hindrances in its way. But why make I mention of poverty, and captivity,
and slavery; and hunger, and sores, and grievous disease? For disease is,
more hard to endure than slavery. Such was Lazarus, such was Job, such
was also Timothy, straitened by "often infirmities." (1 Tim. v. 23.) Thou
seest that nothing can obtain the mastery over virtue; neither wealth,
nor poverty, nor dominion, nor subjection, nor the preëminence in
affairs, nor disease, nor contempt, nor abandonment. But having left all
these things below, and upon the earth, it hastens towards Heaven. Only
let the soul be noble, and nought can hinder it from being virtuous. For
when he who works is in vigor, nothing external can hinder him; for as
in the arts, when the artificer is experienced and persevering, and thoroughly
acquainted with his art, if disease overtakes him, he still hath it; if
he became poor, he still hath it; whether he hath his tools in his hand
or hath them not, whether he works or worketh not, he loseth not at all
his art: for the science of it is contained within him. Thus too the virtuous
man, who is devoted to God, manifests his art, if you cast him into wealth,
or if into poverty, if into disease, if into health, if into dishonor,
if into great honor. Did not the Apostles work in every state, "By glory
and dishonor, by good report and evil report"? (2 Cor. vi. 8.) This is
an athlete, to be prepared for everything; for such is also the nature
of virtue.
If thou sayest, I am not able to preside over many, I ought to lead
a solitary life; thou offerest an insult to virtue, for it can make use
of every state, and shine through all: only let it be in the soul. Is there
a famine?/ or is there abundance? It shows forth its own strength, as Paul
saith, "I know how to abound, and how to be in want." (Phil. iv. 12; Acts
xxviii. 30.) Was he required to work? He was not ashamed, but wrought two
years. Was hunger to be undergone? He sank not under it, nor wavered. Was
death to be borne? He became not dejected, through all he exhibited his
noble mind and art. Him therefore let us imitate, and we shall have no
cause of grief: for tell me, what will have power to grieve such an one?
Nothing. As long as no one deprives us of this art, this will be the most
blessed of all men, even in this life as well as in that to come. For suppose
the good man hath a wife and children, and riches, and great honor, with
all these things he remaineth alike virtuous. Take them away, and again
in like sort he will be virtuous, neither overwhelmed by his misfortunes,
nor puffed up by prosperity, but as a rock standeth equally unmoved in
the raging sea and in calm, neither broken by the waves nor influenced
at all by the calm, thus too the solid mind stands firm both in calm and
in storm. And as little children, when sailing in a ship, are tossed about,
whilst the pilot sits by, laughing and undisturbed, and delighted to see
their confusion; thus too the soul which is truly wise, when all others
are in confusion, or else are inopportunely smiling at any change of circumstance,
sits unmoved, as it were, at the tiller and helm of piety. For tell me,
what can disturb the pious soul? Can death? This is the beginning of a
better life. Can poverty? This helps her on toward virtue. Can disease?
She regards not its presence. She regards neither ease, nor affliction;
for being beforehand with it, she hath afflicted herself. Can dishonor?
The world hath been crucified to her. Can the loss of children? She fears
it not, when she is fully persuaded of the Resurrection. What then can
surprise her? None of all these things. Doth wealth elevate her? By no
means, she knoweth that money is nothing. Doth glory? She hath been taught
that "all the glory of man is as the flower of grass." (Isa. xl. 6.) Doth
luxury? She hath heard Paul say, "She that giveth herself to pleasure is
dead while she liveth." (1 Tim. v. 6.) Since then she is neither inflamed
nor cramped, what can equal such health as this?
Other souls, meanwhile, are not such, but change more frequently than
the sea, or the cameleon, so that thou hast great cause to smile, when
thou seest the same man at one time laughing, at another weeping, at one
time full of care, at another beyond measure relaxed and languid. For this
cause Paul saith, "Be not fashioned according to this world." (Rom. xii.
2.) For we are citizens of heaven, where there is no turning. Prizes which
change not are held out to us. Let us make manifest this our citizenship,
let us thence already receive our good things. But why do we cast ourselves
into the Euripus, into tempest, into storm, into foam? Let us be in calm.
It all depends not on wealth, nor on poverty, nor honor, nor dishonor,
nor on sickness, nor on health, nor on weakness, but on our own soul. If
it is solid, and well-instructed in the science of virtue, all things will
be easy to it. Even hence it will already behold its rest, and that quiet
harbor, and, on its departure, will there attain innumerable good things,
the which may we all attain, by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ,
with whom, to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, dominion,
honor, now and ever, and world without end. Amen.
First part of Homily XIII.
Philippians iii. 18-21.-"For many walk, of whom I told you often,
and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of
Christ: whose end is perdition, whose god is the belly, and whose glory
is in their shame, who mind earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven;
from whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall
fashion anew the body of our humiliation, that it may be conformed to the
body of his glory, according to the working whereby He is able even to
subject all things unto Himself."
Nothing is so incongruous in a Christian, and foreign to his character,
as to seek ease and rest; and to be engrossed with the present life is
foreign to our profession and enlistment. Thy Master was crucified, and
dost thou seek ease? Thy Master was pierced with nails, and dost thou live
delicately? Do these things become a noble soldier? Wherefore Paul saith,
"Many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that
they are the enemies of the cross of Christ." Since there were some who
made a pretense of Christianity, yet lived in ease and luxury, and this
is contrary to the Cross: therefore he thus spoke. For the cross belongs
to a soul at its post for the fight, longing to die, seeking nothing like
ease, whilst their conduct is of the contrary sort. So that even if they
say, they are Christ's, still they are as it were enemies of the Cross.
For did they love the Cross, they would strive to live the crucified life.
Was not thy Master hung upon the tree? Do thou otherwise imitate Him. Crucify
thyself, though no one crucify thee. Crucify thyself, not that thou mayest
slay thyself, God forbid, for that is a wicked thing, but as Paul said,
"The world hath been crucified unto me and I unto the world." (Gal. vi.
14.) If thou lovest thy Master, die His death. Learn how great is the power
of the Cross; how many good things it hath achieved, and doth still: how
it is the safety of our life. Through it all things are done. Baptism is
through the Cross, for we must receive that seal. The laying on of hands
is through the Cross. If we are on journeys, if we are at home, wherever
we are, the Cross is a great good, the armor of salvation, a shield which
cannot be beaten down, a weapon to oppose the devil; thou bearest the Cross
when thou art at enmity with him, not simply when thou sealest thyself
by it, but when thou sufferest the things belonging to the Cross. Christ
thought fit to call our sufferings by the name of the Cross. As when he
saith, "Except a man take up his cross and follow Me" (Matt. xvi. 24),
i.e. except he be prepared to die.
But these being base, and lovers of life, and lovers of their bodies,
are enemies of the Cross. And every one, who is a friend of luxury, and
of present safety, is an enemy of that Cross in which Paul makes his boast:
which he embraces, with which he desires to be incorporated. As when he
saith, "I am crucified unto the world, and the world unto me." But here
he saith, "I now tell you weeping." Wherefore? Because the evil was urgent,
because such deserve tears. Of a truth the luxurious are worthy of tears,
who make fat that which is thrown about them, I mean the body, and take
no thought of that soul which must give account. Behold thou livest delicately,
behold thou art drunken, to-day and to-morrow, ten years, twenty, thirty,
fifty, a hundred, which is impossible; but if thou wilt, let us suppose
it. What is the end? What is the gain? Nought at all. Doth it not then
deserve tears, and lamentations, to lead such a life; God hath brought
us into this course, that He may crown us, and we take our departure without
doing any noble action. Wherefore Paul weepeth, where others laugh, and
live in pleasure. So sympathetic is he: such thought taketh he for all
men. "Whose god," saith he, "is the belly." For this have they a God! That
is, "let us eat and drink!" Dost thou see, how great an evil luxury is?
to some their wealth, and to others their belly is a god. Are not these
too idolaters, and worse than the common? And their "glory is in their
shame." (1 Cor. xv. 32.) Some say it is circumcision. I think not so, but
this is its meaning, they make a boast of those things, of which they ought
to be ashamed. It is a fearful thing to do shameful actions; yet to do
them, and be ashamed, is only half so dreadful. But where a man even boasts
himself of them, it is excessive senselessness.
Do these words apply to them alone? And do those who are here present
escape the charge? And will no one have account to render of these things?
Does no one make a god of his belly, or glory in his shame? I wish, earnestly
I wish, that none of these charges lay against us, and that I did not know
any one involved in what I have said. But I fear lest the words have more
reference to us than to the men of those times. For when one consumes his
whole life in drinking and reveling, and expends some small trifle on the
poor, whilst he consumes the larger portion on his belly, will not these
words with justice apply to him? No words are more apt to call attention,
or more cutting in reproof, than these: "Whose god is the belly, whose
glory is in their shame." And who are these? They, he says, who mind earthly
things. "Let us build houses." Where, I ask? On the earth, they answer.
Let us purchase farms; on the earth again: let us obtain power; again on
the earth: let us gain glory; again on the earth: let us enrich ourselves;
all these things are on the earth. These are they, whose god is their belly;
for if they have no spiritual thoughts, but have all their possessions
here, and mind these things, with reason have they their belly for their
god, in saying, "Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die." And about
thy body, thou grievest, tell me, that it is of earth, though thus thou
art not at all injured. But thy soul thou draggest down to the earth, when
thou oughtest to render even thy body spiritual; for thou mayest, if thou
wilt. Thou hast received a belly, that thou mayest feed, not distend it,
that thou mayest have the mastery over it, not have it as mistress over
thee: that it may minister to thee for the nourishment of the other parts,
not that thou mayest minister to it, not that thou mayest exceed limits.
The sea, when it passes its bounds, doth not work so many evils, as the
belly doth to our body, together with our soul. The former overfloweth
all the earth, the latter all the body. Put moderation for a boundary to
it, as God hath put the sand for the sea. Then if its waves arise, and
rage furiously, rebuke it, with the power which is in thee. See how God
hath honored thee, that thou mightest imitate Him, and thou wilt not; but
thou seest the belly overflowing, destroying and overwhelming thy whole
nature, and darest not to restrain or moderate it.
"Whose God," he saith, "is their belly." Let us see how Paul served
God: let us see how gluttons serve their belly. Do not they undergo ten
thousand such deaths? do not they fear to disobey whatever it orders? do
not they minister impossibilities to it? Are not they worse than slaves?
"But our citizenship," says he, "is in Heaven." Let us not then seek for
ease here; there do we shine, where also our citizenship is. "From whence
also," saith he, "we wait for a Saviour," the Lord Jesus Christ: "who shall
fashion anew the body of our humiliation, that it may be conformed to the
body of his glory." By little and little he hath carried us up. He saith,
"From Heaven" and "Our Saviour," showing, from the place and from the Person,
the dignity of the subject. "Who shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation,"
saith he. The body now suffereth many things: it is bound with chains,
it is scourged, it suffereth innumerable evils; but the body of Christ
suffered the same. This, then, he hinted at when he said, "That it may
be conformed to the body of his glory." Wherefore the body is the same,
but putteth on incorruption. "Shall fashion anew." Wherefore the fashion
is different; or perchance he has spoken figuratively of the change.
He saith, "the body of our humiliation," because it is now humbled,
subject to destruction, to pain, because it seemeth to be worthless, and
to have nothing beyond that of other animals. "That it may be conformed
to the body of his glory." What? shall this our body be fashioned like
unto Him, who sitteth at the right hand of the Father, to Him who is worshiped
by the Angels, before whom do stand the incorporeal Powers, to Him who
is above all rule and power, and might? If then the whole world were to
take up weeping and lament for those who have fallen from this hope, could
it worthily lament? because, when a promise is given us of our body being
made like to Him, it still departs with the demons. I care not for hell
henceforth; whatever can be said, having fallen from so great glory, now
and henceforth consider hell to be nothing to this falling away. What sayest
thou, O Paul? To be made like unto Him? Yes, he answereth; then, lest you
should disbelieve, he addeth a reason; "According to the working whereby
He is able even to subject all things unto Himself." He hath power, saith
he, to subject all things unto Himself, wherefore also destruction and
death. Or rather, He doth this also with the same power. For tell me, which
requireth the greater power, to subject demons, and Angels, and Archangels,
and Cherubim, and Seraphim, or to make the body incorruptible and immortal?
The latter certainly much more than the former; he showed forth the greater
works of His power, that you might believe these too. Wherefore, though
ye see these men rejoicing, and honored, yet stand firm, be not offended
at them, be not moved. These our hopes are sufficient to raise up even
the most sluggish and indolent.
