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| Homily VIII
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Homily VIII.
An exhortation to virtue—and particularly upon the
passage, “God was walking in Paradise in the cool of the
day:”—and again on the subject of abstaining from oaths.
Ye have lately heard,
how all Scripture bringeth consolation and comfort, although it be
an historical narrative. For instance, “In the beginning, God
created the heaven and the earth,”1366
was an historical declaration; but
it was shewn in our discourse, that this sentence was one pregnant
with comfort; as, for example, that God made us a twofold table,1367
| 1367 τρ€πεζαν,
i.e., of refreshment, as “for thee and for thy recreation,”
Hom. VII. (3). What he says presently of the trees has not occurred
in these Homilies. | by
spreading out the sea and the land at the same time; by kindling
above the twofold lights, the sun and moon; by determining the
twofold seasons of their course, the day and night, the one for
labour, and the other for rest. For the night ministers to us no
less benefit than the day. But as I said with reference to trees,
those which are barren, rival in their utility those which bear
fruit; since we are thus not necessitated to touch those trees
which are pleasant for food, for the purposes of building. The wild
and untamed animals are also subservient to our need, in no less a
degree than the tame animals; by driving us together, through the
fear of them, into cities; making us more cautious, and binding us
to one another; and by exercising the strength of some, and freeing
others from their sicknesses; for the physicians concoct many
medicines out of these;1368
and by reminding us of our ancient
sin. For when I hear it said, “The fear of you, and the dread of
you, shall be upon all the wild beasts of the earth:”1369
and then
observe, that this honour was afterwards curtailed, I am reminded
of sin, which hath dissipated the fear of us, and undermined our
authority. Thus I become a better and a wiser1370
| 1370 Or, more sober,
σωφρον™στερος. | man, whilst I learn the harm that
sin hath occasioned us. As then, what I said was, that the things
alluded to, and others of a similar kind, which God, who is the
Maker, knoweth of, contribute not a little to our present life; so
now also I say, that the night no less than the day brings along
with it its advantage, being a rest from labours, and a medicine
for disease. Often, indeed, physicians, though exerting themselves
in many ways, and preparing an endless variety of remedies, are not
able to deliver the man who is labouring under infirmity. But sleep
coming upon him of its own accord hath entirely removed the
disease, and freed them1371
from an infinite deal of trouble.
Night, again, is not only a medicine for bodily labours, but also
for mental diseases, in giving rest to anguished souls. Ofttimes it
happeneth that some one hath lost a son;1372
| 1372 Comp. Apoll. Rhod. Arg. iii.
746,
“The traveller now,
And the tired porter, claimed the
boon of sleep,
The mother’s self, of children late
bereaved,
Sunk in deep slumber lay.”
and Virgil’s imitation,
Æn. iv. 522. | and comforters without number have
been of no avail to withdraw him from tears and groans. But on the
approach of night, conquered by the despotic power1373
of sleep,
he hath closed his eyelids in slumber, and received some small
relief from the miseries of the day time.
2. And now, I pray you, let us proceed to the
subject which hath given rise to these observations. For well I
know, that ye are all eagerly awaiting this matter; and that each
one of you is in pain till he learn on what account this Book was
not given from the beginning. But even now I do not see that the
time is fit for a
discourse on this subject. And why so? Because the week hath nearly
arrived at its close with us, and I fear to touch upon a subject,
the exposition of which I should presently afterwards be obliged to
cut short. For the subject requires of us several days in
succession, and a continuous effort of memory: wherefore we must
again defer it.1374
| 1374 Tillemont places this Homily on Friday, but the
reference to the last is “lately,” not “yesterday,” so that
it was probably delivered on Saturday, as Montfaucon supposes. The
Ben. reading gives, “For a subject of several days in succession
requires a continued recollection,” &c. | But take
it not amiss! we will assuredly pay you the debt with interest; for
thus it is expedient both for you, and for us who are to discharge
it. Meanwhile, however, let us now speak on that subject which we
left out yesterday. And what was it we left out yesterday? “God
was walking,” it says, “in Paradise in the cool of the
day.”1375
What is
here meant, I ask? “God was walking!” God was not walking; for
how should He do this who is everywhere present and filleth all
things? But He caused a perception of this sort in Adam, in order
that he might collect1376
himself; that he might not be
careless; that in flying and in hiding himself, he might present
beforehand some portion of the excuse, even before any words had
passed. For even as those who are about to be led to the tribunal,
to sustain the charges respecting the crimes they have committed,
present themselves before those who are to try them with a squalid,
begrimed, sad, and subdued visage, in order that from their
appearance, they may incline them to loving-kindness, mercy, and
forgiveness, so also did it happen in the case of Adam. For it was
necessary that he should be led to this Tribunal in a subdued
state. Therefore God took him beforehand, and humbled him. But that
some one was walking there, he perceived; but whence came he to
suppose that God was walking there? Such is the habitual custom of
those who have committed sin. They are suspicious of all things;
they tremble at shadows; they are in terror at every sound, and
they imagine that every one is approaching them in a hostile
manner. Often therefore the guilty, when they observe people
running on another business, suppose that they are come against
them; and when others are conversing one with another on quite a
different subject, they that are conscious of sin suppose they are
conversing about them.
3. For such is the nature of sin, that it
betrays whilst no one finds fault; it condemns whilst no one
accuses; it makes the sinner a timid being; one that trembles at a
sound; even as righteousness has the contrary effect. Hear, at
least, how the Scripture describes this cowardice of the former,
and this boldness of the latter. “The wicked flee when no man
pursueth.”1377
How doth
he flee when no man pursueth? He hath that within which drives him
on—an accuser in his conscience; and this he carries about
everywhere; and just as it would be impossible to flee from
himself, so neither can he escape the persecutor within; but
wherever he goeth,1378
he is scourged, and hath an
incurable wound! But not such is the righteous man. Of what nature
then is he? Hear: “The righteous is bold as a lion!” Such a man
was Elias. He saw, for instance, the king coming towards him, and
when he said, “Why is it that thou pervertest Israel?”1379
| 1379 ἳνα
τί διαστρ™φεις. There is not authority for why
dost thou, instead of art thou he that. The word
pervertest is the LXX. rendering of
רבע, disturbest, and seems to mean “turnest
from right worship,” for “from allegiance;” but the meaning
of the Hebrew seems to be troublest (i.e., with
famine), as in E.V.: comp.
Jos. vii. 25, where they render it
“destroy.” | he
answered, “I pervert not Israel, but thou and thy father’s
house.”1380
Truly, the
just man is bold as a lion; for he stood up against the king just
as a lion doth against some vile cur. Although the one had the
purple, the other had the sheepskin, which was the more venerable
garment of the two; for that purple brought forth the grievous
famine; but this sheepskin effected a liberation from that
calamity! It divided the Jordan! It made Elisha a two-fold1381
Elias! O
how great is the virtue of the Saints! Not only their words; not
only their bodies, but even their very garments are always esteemed
venerable by the whole creation. The sheepskin of this man divided
the Jordan! the sandals of the Three Children trampled down the
fire! The word of Elisha changed the waters, so that it made them
to bear the iron on their surface! The rod of Moses divided the Red
Sea and cleft1382
the rock!
The garments of Paul expelled diseases! The shadow of Peter put
death to flight! The ashes of the holy Martyrs1383
| 1383 See Hom. I. 5. The like is said of the
relics of St. Epiphanius, in the second part of the Homily against
the Peril of Idolatry, quoted from Cassiodori Hist. Eccl.
Trip. ix. 48 (Soz. vii. 27). | drive away demons! For this reason
they do all things with authority, even as Elias did. For he looked
not on the diadem, nor the outward pomp1384
of the king, but he looked on the
soul clad in rags, squalid, begrimed, and in a more wretched
condition than that of any criminal; and seeing him the captive and
slave of his passions, he despised his power. For he seemed to see
a king but in a scene,
and not a real one. For what was the
advantage of outward abundance, when the poverty within was so
great? And what harm could outward poverty do, when there was such
a treasure of wealth within? Such a lion also was the blessed Paul;
for when he had entered into the prison, and only raised his voice,
he shook all the foundations; he gnawed in pieces1385
the
fetters, employing not his teeth, but words; on which account it
were fitting to call such men not merely lions, but something more
than lions; for a lion ofttimes, after he hath fallen into a net,
is taken; but the Saints when they are bound, become still more
powerful; just as this blessed man did then in the prison, having
loosed the prisoners, shaken the walls, and bound the keeper, and
overcome him by the word of godliness. The lion uttereth his voice,
and putteth all the wild beasts to flight. The Saint uttereth his
voice, and driveth away the demons on every side! The weapons of
the lion are a hairy mane, pointed claws, and sharp teeth. The
weapons of the righteous man are spiritual wisdom, temperance,
patience, contempt of all present things. Whoever hath these
weapons shall not only be able to deride wicked men, but even the
adverse powers themselves.
4. Study then, O man, the life according to
God, and no one shall conquer thee at any time; and although thou
mayest be accounted the most insignificant of men, thou shalt be
more powerful than all. On the other hand, if thou art indifferent
about virtue of soul, though thou wert the most powerful of men,
thou wilt easily be worsted by all that assail thee. And the
examples already quoted proved this. But if thou art desirous, I
will also endeavour to teach thee by actual facts1386
| 1386 He seems to mean “by experience,”
i.e., if they would follow his advice. The new Coll. mss., and from it Harmar, however, read
δἰ ›τ™ρων, “through other
(examples),” which removes the difficulty. | the
unconquerableness of the righteous, and the vulnerable condition of
sinners. Hear then how the prophet intimates both these
particulars. “The ungodly,” saith he, “are not so, but are
like the chaff which the wind scattereth away from the face of the
earth.”1387
For even
as chaff lies exposed to the gusts of wind, and is easily caught up
and swept along, so is also the sinner driven about by every
temptation; for whilst he is at war with himself, and bears the
warfare about with him, what hope of safety does he possess;
betrayed as he is at home, and carrying with him that conscience,
which is a constant enemy? Such, however, is not the nature of the
righteous man. But what manner of man is he? Hear the same prophet,
saying, “They that trust in the Lord are as Mount Zion.”1388
What means
then, “As Mount Zion?” “He shall not be shaken,” saith he,
“for ever.” For whatever engines thou bringest up, whatever
darts thou hurlest, desiring to overturn a mountain, thou wilt
never be able to prevail; for how canst thou? thou wilt break in
pieces all thine engines, and exhaust thine own strength. Such also
is the righteous man. Whatever blows he may receive, he suffereth
no evil therefrom; but destroyeth the power of those who take
counsel against him, and not of men only, but of demons. Thou hast
heard often what engines the Devil brought up against Job; but not
only did he fail to overthrow that mountain, but drew back
exhausted, his darts broken to pieces, and his engines rendered
useless, by that assault!
5. Knowing these things, let us take heed to our
life; and let us not be earnest as to the goods that perish;
neither as to the glory that goeth out; nor as to that body which
groweth old; nor as to that beauty which is fading; nor as to that
pleasure which is fleeting; but let us expend all our care about
the soul; and let us provide for the welfare of this in every way.
For to cure the body, when diseased, is not an easy matter to every
one; but to cure a sick soul is easy to all; and the sickness of
the body requires medicines, as well as money, for its healing; but
the healing of the soul is a thing that is easy to procure, and
devoid of expense. And the nature of the flesh is with much labour
delivered from those wounds which are troublesome; for very often
the knife must be applied, and medicines that are bitter; but with
respect to the soul there is nothing of this kind. It suffices only
to exercise the will, and the desire, and all things are
accomplished. And this hath been the work of God’s providence.
For inasmuch as from bodily sickness no great injury could arise,
(for though we were not diseased, yet death would in any case come,
and destroy and dissolve the body); but everything depends upon the
health of our souls; this being by far the more precious and
necessary, He hath made the medicining of it easy, and void of
expense or pain. What excuse therefore, or what pardon shall we
obtain, if when the body is sick, and money must be expended on its
behalf, and physicians called in, and much anguish endured, we make
this so much a matter of our care (though what might result from
that sickness could be no great
injury to us), and yet treat the soul with
neglect? And this, when we are neither called upon to pay down
money; nor to give others any trouble; nor to sustain any
sufferings; but without any of all these things, by only choosing
and willing, have it in our power to accomplish the entire
amendment of it; and knowing assuredly that if we fail to do this,
we shall sustain the extreme sentence, and punishments, and
penalties, which are inexorable! For tell me, if any one promised
to teach thee the healing art in a short space of time, without
money or labour, wouldest thou not think him a benefactor? Wouldest
thou not submit both to do and to suffer all things, whatsoever he
who promised these things commanded? Behold, now, it is permitted
thee without labour to find a medicine for wounds, not of the body,
but of the soul, and to restore it to a state of health, without
any suffering! Let us not be indifferent to the matter! For pray
what is the pain of laying aside anger against one who hath
aggrieved thee? It is a pain, indeed, to remember injuries, and not
to be reconciled! What labour is it to pray, and to ask for a
thousand good things from God, who is ready to give? What labour is
it, not to speak evil of any one? What difficulty is there in being
delivered from envy and ill-will? What trouble is it to love
one’s neighbour? What suffering is it not to utter shameful
words, nor to revile, nor to insult another? What fatigue is it not
to swear? for again I return to this same admonition. The labour of
swearing is indeed exceedingly great. Oftentimes, whilst under the
influence of anger or wrath, we have sworn, perhaps, that we would
never be reconciled to those who have injured us. Yet afterwards,
when our wrath was quenched, and our anger allayed, desiring to be
reconciled, and restrained by the obligation of these oaths, we
have suffered the same anguish, as if we were in a snare, and held
fast by indissoluble bonds. Of which fact the Devil being aware,
and understanding clearly that anger is a fire; that it is easily
extinguished, and that when it is extinguished, then reconciliation
and love follows; wishing this fire to remain unquenched, he often
binds us by an oath; so that although the anger should cease, the
obligation of the oath remaining may keep up the fire within us;
and that one of these two things may take place, either that being
reconciled we are forsworn, or that not being reconciled we subject
ourselves to the penalties of cherishing malice.
6. Knowing these things then, let us avoid
oaths; and let our mouth continually practise the saying,
“Believe me;”1389
| 1389 i.e., instead of any stronger
asseverations. | and this will be to us a
foundation for all pious behaviour;1390
for the tongue, when it has been
disciplined to use this one expression, is ashamed, and would blush
to utter words that are disgraceful and ugly; and should it at any
time be drawn away by habit, it will be checked again, by having
many accusers. For when any one observes him who is not a swearer
giving utterance to foul words, he will take his advantage over
him, and ridicule, and exclaim tauntingly, “Thou who sayest in
all affairs, ‘Believe me,’ and venturest not to utter an oath,
dost thou disgrace thy tongue with these shameful expressions?”
So that being forcibly urged by those who are with us, even if
unwilling, we shall return again to a pious behaviour. “But
what,” says one, “if it be necessary to take an oath?” Where
there is a transgression of the law, there is no such thing as
necessity. “Is it possible then,” it is replied, “not to
swear at all?” What sayest thou? Hath God commanded, and darest
thou to ask if it be possible for His law to be kept? Why, truly it
is a thing impossible that His law should not be kept; and I am
desirous to persuade you from present circumstances of this; that
so far from its being impossible not to swear, it is impossible to
swear.1391
| 1391 That is, assuming men to act as reasonably in
their relations to God, as they do in their relations to man. | For
behold, the inhabitants of the city were commanded to bring in a
payment of gold,1392
| 1392 The tax which was demanded previously to the
sedition, and before alluded to, Hom. III. 18. | such as it might have seemed
beyond the power of many to do; yet the greater part of the sum has
been collected; and you may hear the tax gatherers saying, “Why
delay, man? Why put us off from day to day? It is not possible to
avoid it. It is the law of the Emperor, which admits of no
delay.” What sayest thou, I ask? The Emperor hath commanded thee
to bring in thy money, and it is impossible not to bring it in! God
hath commanded thee to avoid oaths! and how sayest thou, it is
impossible to avoid them!
7. I am now for the sixth day admonishing you
in respect of this precept. Henceforth, I am desirous to take
leave1393
| 1393 συντ€ξασθαι, used as
‡ποτ€ξασθαι
(that word having passed rather to the sense of renouncing,
see St. Cyr. Hier. Cat. xix.). See Du Cange, who quotes
Conc. Chalc. act i., and many other passages. | of you,
meaning to abstain from the subject, that ye may be on your guard.
There will no longer be any excuse or allowance for you; for of
right, indeed, if nothing had been said on this matter, it ought to
have been amended of yourselves, for it is not a thing of an
intricate nature, or
that requires great preparation. But since ye have enjoyed the
advantage of so much admonition and counsel, what excuse will ye
have to offer, when ye stand accused before that dread tribunal,
and are required to give account of this transgression. It is
impossible to invent any excuse; but of necessity you must either
go hence amended, or, if you have not amended, be punished, and
abide the extremest penalty! Thinking, therefore, upon all these
things, and departing hence with much anxiety about them, exhort ye
one another, that the things spoken of during so many days may be
kept with all watchfulness in your minds, so that whilst we are
silent, ye instructing, edifying, exhorting one another, may
exhibit great improvement; and having fulfilled all the other
precepts, may enjoy eternal crowns; which God grant we may all
obtain, through the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus
Christ, by whom and with whom be glory, to the Father, together
with the Holy Ghost, for ever and ever. Amen.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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