Homilies
of St. John Chrysostom,
archbishop of
constantinople,
on the
second epistle of St. paul the
apostle.
to the
corinthians.
————————————
Homily I.
2 Cor. i. 1; 4
Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of
God, and Timothy our brother, unto the Church of God, which is at
Corinth, with all the saints which are in the whole of Achaia:
grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; Who comfort us in all
our affliction, that we may be able to comfort them that are in any
affliction through the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted
of God.
It is meet to enquire,
first, why to the former Epistle he adds a second: and what can
be his reason for thus beginning with the mercies and consolation
of God.
Why then does he add a second Epistle? Whereas in
the first he had said, “I will come to you, and will know not the
word of them which are puffed up, but the power;” (1 Cor. iv. 19.) and again towards the end
had promised the same in milder terms, thus, “I will come unto
you when I shall have passed through Macedonia; for I do pass
through Macedonia; and it may be that I shall abide, or even winter
with you;” (1 Cor. xvi.
5, 6.) yet now
after along interval, he came not; but was still lingering and
delaying even though the time appointed had passed away; the Spirit
detaining him in other matters of far greater necessity than
these. For this reason he had need to write a second Epistle,
which he had not needed had he but a little out-tarried his time.357
| 357 εἰ παρὰ μικρὸν
ὑστέρησεν. |
But not for this reason only, but also because they
were amended by the former; for him that had committed fornication
whom before they applauded and were puffed up about, they had cut
off and separated altogether. And this he shows where he says,
“But if any hath caused sorrow, he hath caused sorrow not to me,
but in part (that I press not too heavily) to you all. Sufficient
to such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the
many.” (2 Cor. ii. 5,
6.) And as he proceeds,
he alludes again to the same thing when he says, “For behold that
ye were made sorry after a godly sort, what earnest care it wrought
in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation,
yea, what fear, yea, what longing, yea, what zeal, yea, what
avenging! In every thing ye approved yourselves to be pure in
this matter.” (2 Cor.
vii. 11.)
Moreover, the collection358
which he enjoined, they gathered
with much forwardness. Wherefore also he says, “For I know your
readiness of which I
glory on your behalf to them of
Macedonia,
that Achaia hath been prepared for a year past.” (
2 Cor. ix. 2.) And Titus too, whom he
sent, they received with all
kindness, as he shows when he says
again, “His inward affection is more
abundantly toward you,
whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with
fear and
trembling ye received him.” (
2 Cor. vii. 15.) For all these reasons he
writes the second
Epistle. For it was right
that, as when they were in fault he
rebuked
them, so upon their amendment he should approve and commend them.
On which account the
Epistle is not very severe
359
throughout, but only in a few parts
towards the end. For there were even amongst them
Jews who
thought highly of themselves, and
accused Paul as being a boaster
and worthy of no regard; whence also that
speech of theirs; “His
letters are weighty, but his bodily presence is
weak, and his
speech of no account:” (
2 Cor. x. 10.) meaning thereby, when he is
present he appears of no account, (for this is the meaning of,
“his bodily presence is
weak,”) but when he is away he
boasts
greatly in what he writes, (for such is the signification of “his
letters are weighty.”) Moreover, to enhance their own credit
these persons made a pretence of receiving nothing, to which he
also alludes where he says, “that wherein they
glory, they may be
found even as we.” (
2
Cor. xi. 12.) And
besides, possessing also the
power of
language, they were forthwith
greatly elated. Wherefore also he calls himself “rude in
speech,” (
2 Cor. xi.
6.) showing that he
is not
ashamed thereof; nor deems the contrary any great
acquisition. Seeing then it was likely that by these persons some
would be
seduced, after commending what was right in their
conduct,
and beating down their senseless
360
pride in the things of Judaism, in
that out of
season they were contentious to observe them, he
administers a
gentle361
rebuke on this subject
also.
[2.] Such then, to speak summarily and by the way,
appears to me the argument of this Epistle. It remains to
consider the introduction, and to say why after his accustomed
salutation he begins, as he does, with the mercies of God. But
first, it is necessary to speak of the very beginning, and inquire
why he here associates Timothy with himself. For, he saith,
“Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and
Timothy our brother.” In the first Epistle he promised he would
send him; and charged them, saying, “Now if Timothy come, see
that he be with you without fear.” (1 Cor. xvi. 10.) How then is it that he
associates him here in the outset with himself? After he had been
amongst them, agreeably to that promise of his teacher, “I have
sent unto you Timothy who shall put you in remembrance of my ways
which be in Christ,” (1
Cor. iv. 17.) and had set
everything in order, he had returned back to Paul; who on sending
him, had said, “Set him forward on his journey in peace that he
may come to me, for I expect him with the brethren.” (1 Cor. xvi. 11.)
Since then Timothy was restored to his teacher, and
after having with him set in order the things in Asia, (for, says
he, “I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost,” 1 Cor. xvi. 8;) had crossed again into
Macedonia; Paul not unreasonably associates him hereafter as
abiding with himself. For then he wrote from Asia, but now from
Macedonia. Moreover, thus associating him he at once gains
increased respect for him, and displays his own exceeding
humility362
: for
Timothy was very inferior to himself, yet doth
love bring all
things together. Whence also he everywhere makes him equal with
himself; at one time saying, “as a
child serveth a
father so he
served with me;” (
Philip. ii. 22.) at another, “for he
worketh the
work of the
Lord, as I also do;” (
1 Cor. xvi. 10.) and here, he even calleth
him, “
brother;” by all making him an object of respect to the
Corinthians amongst whom he had been, as I have said, and given
proof of his worth.
“To the Church of God which is at Corinth.”
Again he calleth them “the Church,” to bring and bind them all
together in one. For it could not be one Church, while those
within her were sundered and stood apart. “With all the saints
which are in the whole of Achaia. In thus saluting all through
the Epistle addressed to the Corinthians, he would at once honor
these, and bring together the whole nation. But he calls them
“saints,” thereby implying that if any be an impure person, he
hath no share in this salutation. But why, writing to the mother
city, does he address all through her, since he doth not so
everywhere? For instance, in his Epistle to the Thessalonians he
addressed not the Macedonians also; and in like manner in that to
the Ephesians he doth not include all Asia; neither was that to the
Romans written to those also who dwell in Italy. But in this
Epistle he doth so; and in that to the Galatians. For there also
he writeth not to one city, or two, or three, but to all who are
scattered every where, saying, “Paul an Apostle, (not from men
neither through man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father,
Who raised Him from the dead,) and all the brethren which are with
me, unto the Churches of Galatia. Grace to you and peace.”
(Gal. i. 1–3.) To the Hebrews also he
writes one Epistle to all collectively; not distinguishing them
into their several cities. What then can be the reason of this?
Because, as I think, in this case all were involved in one common
disorder, wherefore also he addresses them in common, as needing
one common remedy. For the Galatians were all of them infected.
So too were the Hebrews, and so I think these (Achaians) also.
[3.] So then
having brought the whole nation together in one, and saluted them
with his accustomed greeting, for, saith he, “Grace to you and
peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:” (2 Cor. i. 2.) hear how aptly to the
purpose in hand he begins, “Blessed be the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all
comfort.” (ver. 3.) Do you ask, how is
this aptly to the purpose in hand? I reply, Very much so; for
observe, they were greatly vexed and troubled that the Apostle had
not come to them, and that, though he had promised, but had spent
the whole time in Macedonia; preferring as it seemed others to
themselves. Setting himself then to meet this feeling363
against him,
he declares the cause of his absence; not however directly stating
it, as thus; “I know, indeed, I
promised to come, but since I was
hindered by
afflictions forgive me, nor
judge me
guilty of any sort
of contempt or neglect towards you:” but after another manner
he invests the subject at once with more
dignity and
trustworthiness, and gives it greatness by the
nature of the
consolation
364
| 364 ἐπαίρων τῇ παραμυθίᾳ τὸ πρᾶγμα. |
, so that
thereafter they might not so much as ask the reason of his delay.
Just as if one, having
promised to come to one he longed for, at
length arriving after
dangers innumerable, should say, “
Glory to
Thee, O
God, for letting me see the sight so longed for of his dear
countenance!
Blessed be Thou, O
God, from what perils hast Thou
delivered me!” for such a doxology is an answer to him who was
preparing to find fault, and will not let him so much as complain
of the delay; for one that is thanking
God for deliverance from
such great calamities he cannot for
shame drag to the bar, and bid
clear himself of loitering. Whence
Paul thus begins, “
Blessed
be the
God of mercies,” implying by the very words that he had
been both brought into and
delivered from mighty perils. For as
David also doth not address
God every where in one way or with the
same titles; but when he is upon
battle and
victory, “I will
love
Thee, he saith, O
Lord my
strength; the
Lord is my buckler
365
:” when
again upon delivery from
affliction and the
darkness which
overwhelmed him, “The
Lord is my
light and my
salvation;” (
Ps.
xxvii. 1.) and as
the immediate occasion suggests, he names Him now from His
loving-
kindness, now from His
justice, now from His
righteous
judgment:—in like way
Paul also here at the beginning describeth
Him by His
loving-
kindness, calling Him “the
God of mercies,”
that is, “Who hath showed me so great mercies as to bring me up
from the very
gates of
death.”
And thus to have mercy is the peculiar and excellent
attribute of God, and the most inherent in His nature; whence he
calleth Him the “God of mercies.”
And observe, I pray you, herein also the
lowly-mindedness of Paul. For though he were in peril because of
the Gospel he preached; yet saith he not, he was saved for his
merit, but for the mercies of God. But this he afterwards
declareth more clearly, and now goes on to say, “Who comforteth
us in all affliction.” (2 Cor. i. 4.) He saith not, “Who
suffereth us not to come into affliction:” but, “Who
comforteth in affliction.” For this at once declareth the power
of God; and increaseth the patience of those afflicted. For,
saith he, “tribulation worketh patience.” (Rom. v. 3.) And so also the prophet,
“Thou hast set me at large when I was in distress.” (Ps. iv. 1.) He doth not say, “Thou
hast not suffered me to fall into affliction,” nor yet, “Thou
hast quickly removed my affliction,” but, whilst it continueth,
“Thou hast set me at large:” (Dan. iii. 21. &c.) that is, “hast
granted me much freedom and refreshment.” Which truly happened
also in the case of the three children, for neither did He prevent
their being cast into the flame, nor when so cast, did He quench
it, but while the furnace was burning He gave them liberty. And
such is ever God’s way of dealing; as Paul also implies when he
says, “Who comforteth us in all affliction.”
But he teaches something more in these words: Do
you ask what? Namely, that God doeth this not once, nor twice,
but without intermission. For He doth not one while comfort,
another not, but ever and constantly. Wherefore he saith, “Who
comforteth,” not, “Who hath comforted,” and, “in all
affliction,” not, “in this or that,” but, “in all.”
“That we may be able to comfort them which
are in any affliction through the comfort wherewith we ourselves
are comforted of God.” See you not how he is beforehand366
with his
defence by suggesting to the hearer the thought of some great
affliction; and herein also is his modesty again apparent, that he
saith not for their own merits was this
mercy showed, but for the
sake of those that need their assistance; “for,” saith he,
“to this end hath He
comforted us that we might
comfort one
another.” And hereby also he manifesteth the excellency of the
Apostles, shewing that having been
comforted and breathed awhile,
he lieth not softly down as we, but goeth on his way to
anoint367
| 367 i.e., for the combat. |
, to nerve,
to
rouse others. Some, however, consider this as the
Apostle’s
meaning. “Our consolation is that of others also:” but my
opinion is that in this
introduction, he is also censuring the false
Apostles, those
vain
boasters who sat at
home and lived in luxury; but this covertly
and, as it were, incidentally, the leading object being to
apologise for his delay. “For,” [he would say,] “if for
this end we were
comforted that we might
comfort others also, do
not
blame us that we came not; for in this was our whole time
spent, in
providing against the conspiracies, the
violence, the
terrors which assailed us.”
[4.] “For as the sufferings of Christ
abound unto us, even so our comfort also aboundeth through
Christ.” Not to depress the disciples by an aggravated account
of his sufferings; he declareth on the other hand that great and
superabundant was the consolation also, and lifteth up368
| 368 ἀνιστησιν. The word has here probably the
double sense, “raiseth up the depressed,” and “lifteth upward
towards heaven.” |
their
heart
not hereby alone, but also by putting them in
mind of
Christ and
calling the sufferings “His,” and
369
prior to the consolation deriveth a
comfort from the very sufferings themselves. For what
joy can I
have so great as to be partaker with
Christ, and for His sake to
suffer these things? What consolation can equal this? But not
from this source only does he raise the spirits of the
afflicted,
but from another also. Ask you what other? In that he saith,
“abound:” for he doth not say, “As the sufferings of
Christ” are “in us,” but as they “abound,” thereby
declaring that they
endure not His sufferings only, but even more
than these
370
| 370 St. Chrysostom does not, of course, mean, for
an instant, to compare the sufferings of the Apostles with those of
our Lord in themselves, but in one point only, their
number. His sufferings alone were meritorious and well-pleasing
in themselves, their’s in Him only; His turned away the
Father’s wrath, their’s were accepted by Him, when reconciled;
His were spiritual also, their’s bodily only; His were borne by
His own power, through His divinity, their’s not by their own,
but through His indwelling Spirit; but, while of course, beyond all
thought inferior in every other respect, S. Chrysostom infers from
the Apostle’s words, that their bodily sufferings outnumber His,
though these also were, (he insists throughout) not their’s, but
His in these His members, bestowed by Him, borne through Him and
acceptable in Him. The whole comment is a development of the
word περισσεύει “aboundeth,”
whence he infers that they were “more abundant,” περισσά: (as, plainly, the bodily
sufferings of the army of Martyrs have been more
numerous.) Yet though true, the statement, if repeated by one
less reverent and not corrected by the vivid consciousness that
these too were His sufferings, would become profane. |
. For,
saith he, “not whatsoever He
suffered, that have we
suffered;
“but even more
371
,” for,
consider, “
Christ was cast out,
persecuted,
scourged,
died,”
but we, saith he, “more than all this,” which even of itself
were consolation enough. Now let no one
condemn this
speech of
boldness; for he elsewhere saith, “Now I
rejoice in my
sufferings, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the
afflictions of
Christ in my
flesh.” (
Col. i. 24.) Yet neither here nor there
is it from
boldness or any presumptousness. For as they
wrought
greater
miracles than He according to that saying of His, “he
that believeth on Me shall do greater works than these,” (
John xiv. 12.) but all is of Him that
worketh in them; so did they
suffer also more than He, but all
again is of Him that comforteth them, and fitteth them to bear the
evils that betide them.
With which respect Paul aware how great a thing he
had said, doth again remarkably restrain it by adding, “So our
comfort also aboundeth through Christ;” thus at once ascribing
all to Him, and proclaiming herein also His loving-kindness; for,
he saith not, “As our affliction, such our consolation;” but
“far more;” for, he saith not, “our comfort is equal to our
sufferings,” but, “our comfort aboundeth,” so that the season
of struggles was the season also of fresh crowns. For, say, what
is equal to being scourged for Christ’s sake and holding converse
with God; and being more than match for all things, and gaining the
better of those who cast us out, and being unconquered by the whole
world, and expecting hence such good things “as eye hath not
seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of
man!” (1 Cor. ii.
9.) And what is equal
to suffering affliction for godliness’ sake, and receiving from
God consolations infinite, and being rescued from sins so great,
and counted worthy of the Spirit, and of being sanctified and
justified, and regarding no man with fear and trembling, and in
peril itself outshining all.
[5.] Let us then not sink down when tempted. For
no self-indulger hath fellowship with Christ, nor sleeper, nor
supine [person], nor any of these lax and dissolute livers. But
Whoso is in affliction and temptation, this man standeth near to
Him, whoso is journeying on the narrow way. For He Himself trode
this; whence too He saith, “the Son of Man hath not where to lay
His head.” So then grieve not when thou art in affliction;
considering with Whom thou hast fellowship, and how thou art
purified by trials; and how great gain is thine. For there is
nothing miserable save the offending against God; but this apart,
neither afflictions nor conspiracies, nor any other thing hath
power to grieve the right-minded soul: but like as a little
spark, if thou cast it into a mighty deep, thou presently puttest
it out, so doth even a total and excessive sorrow if it light on a
good conscience easily die away and disappear.
Such then was the spring of Paul’s continual
joy: because in whatever was of God he was full of hope; and did
not so much as take count of ills so great, but though he grieved
as a man yet sank not. So too was that Patriarch encompassed with
joy in the midst of much painful suffering; for consider, he
forsook his country, underwent journeyings long and hard; when he
came into a strange land, had “not so
much as to set his foot on.” (Acts vii. 5.) Then again a famine
awaited him which made him once more a wanderer; after the famine
again came the seizure of his wife, then the fear of death, and
childlessness, and battle, and peril, and conspiracies, and at the
last that crowning trial, the slaying of his only-begotten and
true372
| 372 γνησίον, i.e., the son of
the true wife, as opposed to the son of the bondwoman. |
son, that
grievous irreparable [
sacrifice.] For think not, I
pray you, that
because he readily obeyed, he felt not all the things he
underwent. For though his
righteousness had been, as indeed it
was, inestimable
373
, yet was he
a man and felt as
nature bade. But yet did none of these things
cast him down, but he stood like a
noble athlete, and for each one
was proclaimed and
crowned a victor. So also the
blessed Paul,
though seeing
trials in very
snow-showers assailing him
daily,
rejoiced and exulted as though in the mid-
delights of
Paradise.
As then he who is gladdened with this
joy cannot be a prey to
despair; so he who maketh not this his own is easily overcome of
all; and is as one that hath unsound
armor, and is
wounded by even
a common stroke: but not so he who is well encased at all points,
and
proof against every shaft that cometh upon him. And truly
stouter than any
armor is
joy in
God; and whoso hath it, nothing
can ever make his head droop or his
countenance sad, but he beareth
all things nobly. For what is worse to bear than
fire? what more
painful than continual
torture? truly it is more overpowering
374
in
pain than
the loss of untold
wealth, of
children, of any thing; for, saith
he, “
Skin for
skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his
life.” (
Job ii.
4.) So nothing can be
harder to bear than bodily
pain; nevertheless, because of this
joy
in
God, what even to hear of is intolerable, becomes both tolerable
and longed for: and if thou take from the
cross or from the
gridiron the martyr yet just breathing, thou wilt find such a
treasure of
joy within him as admits not of being told.
[6.] And doth any one say, What am I to do375
; for now is
no time of martyrdom? What sayest thou? Is now no time of
martyrdom? Never is it not a time; but ever is it before our
eyes; if we
376
will keep
them open. For it is not the hanging on a
cross only that makes a
Martyr, for were this so, then was Job excluded from this
crown;
for he neither stood at bar, nor heard
Judge’s voice, nor looked
on executioner; no, nor while hanging on
tree aloft had his sides
mangled; yet he
suffered worse than many martyrs; more sharply than
any stroke did the tale of those successive messengers strike, and
goad him on every side: and keener the gnawings of the
worms
which
devoured him in every part than
thousand
executioners.
Against what martyr then may he not worthily
be set? Surely against ten thousand. For in every kind [of
suffering] he both wrestled and was crowned; in goods, and
children, and person, and wife, and friends, and enemies, and
servants, (for these too even did spit in his face,) in hunger and
visions and pains and noisomeness; it was for this I said he might
worthily be set, not against one nor two nor three, but against ten
thousand Martyrs. For besides what I have mentioned, the time
also maketh a great addition to his crown; in that it was before
the Law, before Grace, he thus suffered, and that, many months, and
each in its worst form; and all these evils assailed him at once.
And yet each individual evil by itself intolerable, even that which
seemeth most tolerable, the loss of his goods. For many have
patiently borne stripes, but could not bear the loss of their
goods; but rather than relinquish any part of them were content
even to be scourged for their sake and suffer countless ills; and
this blow, the loss of goods, appeared to them heavier than all.
So then here is another method of martyrdom for one who bears this
loss nobly. And doth any ask, How shall we bear it nobly? When
thou hast learned that by one word of thanksgiving thou shalt gain
more than all thou hast lost. For if at the tidings of our loss
we be not troubled, but say, “Blessed be God,” we have found
far more abundant riches. For truly such great fruit thou shalt
not reap by expending all thy wealth on the needy, by going about
and seeking out the poor, and scattering thy substance to the
hungry, as thou shalt gain by the same word. And so neither Job
do I admire so much in setting wide his house to the needy, as I am
struck with and extol his taking the spoiling of his substance
thankfully. The same in the loss of children it happeneth to
see. For herein, also, reward no less than his who offered377
his son and
presented him in
sacrifice shalt thou receive, if as thou seest
thine
die thou shalt thank the
God of
love. For how shalt such an
one be less than
Abraham? He saw not his son stretched out a
corpse, but only looked to do so. So if he
gain in the comparison
by his purpose to
slay and his stretching forth his
hand to take
the knife, (
Gen.
xxii. 10.) yet doth he
lose in that the
child is
lying dead here. And besides, he had
some
comfort in the prospect of a good
work done, and the thought
that this so excellent achievement was the
work of his own
fortitude, and that the voice he heard came from above made him the
readier. But here is no
such thing. So that he had need have a
soul of adamant, who can
bear with calmness to see a
child, his only one, brought up in
affluence, in the
dawn378
of fair
promise,
lying upon the
bier
379
| 379 βάθρον, bench, Ben. βόθρου. |
an
outstretched
corpse. And should such an one, hushing to
rest the
heavings of
nature, be strengthened to say the words of Job without
a tear, “The
Lord gave, the
Lord hath taken away;”
(
Job i. 21.) for those words’ sake
alone, he shall stand with
Abraham himself and with Job be
proclaimed a victor. And if, staying the wailings of the
women
and
breaking up the
bands of mourners, he shall
rouse them all to
sing glory [to
God], he shall receive above, below,
rewards
unnumbered; men admiring,
angels applauding,
God crowning him.
[7.] And sayest thou, How is it possible for one
that is man not to mourn? I reply, If thou wilt reflect how
neither the Patriarch nor Job, who both were men, gave way to any
thing of the kind; and this too in either case before the Law, and
Grace, and the excellent wisdom of the laws [we have]: if thou
wilt account that the deceased has removed into a better country,
and bounded away to a happier inheritance, and that thou hast not
lost thy son but bestowed him henceforward in an inviolable spot.
Say not then, I pray thee, I am no longer called “father,” for
why art thou no longer called so, when thy son abideth? For
surely thou didst not part with thy child nor lose thy son?
Rather thou hast gotten him, and hast him in greater safety.
Wherefore, no longer shalt thou be called “father” here only,
but also in heaven; so that thou hast not lost the title
“father,” but hast gained it in a nobler sense; for henceforth
thou shalt be called father not of a mortal child, but of an
immortal; of a noble soldier; on duty continually within [the
palace]. For think not because he is not present that therefore
he is lost; for had he been absent in a foreign land, the title of
thy relationship had not gone from thee with his body. Do not
then gaze on the countenance of what lieth there, for so thou dost
but kindle afresh thy grief; but away with thy thought from him
that lieth there, up to heaven. That is not thy child which is
lying there, but he who hath flown away and sprung aloft into
boundless height. When then thou seest the eyes closed, the lips
locked together, the body motionless, Oh be not these thy thoughts,
“These lips no longer speak, these eyes no longer see, these feet
no longer walk, but are all on their way to corruption!” Oh say
not so: but say the reverse of this, “These lips shall speak
better, and the eyes see greater things, and the feet shall mount
upon the clouds; and this body which now rotteth away shall put on
immortality, and I shall receive my son back more glorious. But
if what thou seest distress thee, say to thyself the while, This is
[only] clothing and he has put it off to receive it back more
precious; this is an house and it is taken down to be restored in
greater splendor. For like as we, when purposing to take houses
down, allow not the inmates to stay, that they may escape the dust
and noise; but causing them to remove a little while, when we have
built up the tenement securely, admit them freely; so also doth
God; Who taking down this His decaying tabernacle hath received him
the while into His paternal dwelling and unto Himself, that when it
hath been taken down and built anew He may then return it to him
more glorious.
Say not then, “He is perished and shall no
more be;” for these be the words of unbelievers; but say, “He
sleepeth and will rise again,” “He is gone a journey and will
return with the King.” Who sayeth this? He380
that hath
Christ speaking in him.
“For,” saith he, “if we believe that
Jesus died and rose
again” and
revived, “even so them also which
sleep in
Jesus
will
God bring with Him.” (
1 Thess. iv. 14.) If then thou
seek thy son,
there
seek him where the King is, where is the
army of the
Angels;
not in the
grave; not in the
earth; lest whilst he is so highly
exalted, thyself remain grovelling on the ground.
If we have this true wisdom, we shall easily repel
all this kind of distress; and “the God of mercies and Father of
all comfort” comfort all our hearts, both those who are oppressed
with such grief and those held down with any other sorrow; and
grant us deliverance from all despair and increase of spiritual
joy; and to obtain the good things to come; whereunto may all we
attain, through the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus
Christ, with Whom unto the Father, together with the Holy Spirit,
be glory, power, honor, now and ever, and world without end.
Amen.
E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
