6. But if thou tellest me of the time, and the delay of the recompence, I too can point out and tell how much thou receivest back even here: and besides all this, from the very things of this life, I will try to convict thee of making this excuse to no purpose. I mean, that even in the present life thou providest many things which thou art not thyself to enjoy; and should any one find fault, thou pleadest thy children and their children, and so thinkest thou hast found palliation enough for thy superfluous labors. For when in extreme old age thou art building splendid houses, before the completion of which (in many instances) thou wilt have departed; when thou plantest trees, which will bear their fruit after many years; [902] when thou art buying properties and inheritances, the ownership of which thou wilt acquire after a long time, and art eagerly busy in many other such things, the enjoyment whereof thou wilt not reap; is it indeed for thine own sake, or for those to come after, that thou art so employed? How then is it not the utmost folly, here not at all to hesitate [903] at the delay of time; and this though thou art by this delay to lose all the reward of thy labors: but there, because of such waiting to be altogether torpid; and this, although it bring thee the greater gain, and although it convey not thy good things on to others, but procure the gifts for thyself.
But besides this, the delay itself is not long; nay, for those things are at the doors, and we know not but that even in our own generation all things which concern us may have their accomplishment, and that fearful day may arrive, setting before us the awful and incorruptible tribunal. Yea, for the more part of the signs are fulfilled, and the gospel moreover hath been preached in all parts of the world, and the predictions of wars, and of earthquakes, and of famines, have come to pass, and the interval is not great.
But is it that thou dost not see any signs? Why, this self-same thing is a very great sign. For neither did they in Noah's time see any presages of that universal destruction, but in the midst of their playing, eating, marrying, doing all things to which they were used, even so they were overtaken by that fearful judgment. And they too in Sodom in like manner, living in delight, and suspecting none of what befell them, were consumed by those lightnings, which then came down upon them.
Considering then all these things, let us betake ourselves unto the preparation for our departure hence.
For even if the common day of the consummation never overtake us, the end of each one is at the doors, whether he be old or young; and it is not possible for men after they have gone hence, either to buy oil any more, or to obtain pardon by prayers, though he that entreats be Abraham, [904] or Noah, or Job, or Daniel. [905]
While then we have opportunity, let us store up for ourselves beforehand much confidence, let us gather oil in abundance, let us remove all into Heaven, that in the fitting time, and when we most need them, we may enjoy all: by the grace and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory, and the might, now and always, and forever and ever. Amen.
[883] [Or Homily XXI. in the Latin versions; see note on Homily XIX., sec. 6, p. 134.--R.]
[884] 2 Sam. xii. 20.
[885] Dan. x. 3.
[886] Literally, "actors."
[887] Heb. iv. 13. [R.V., "laid open," tetrachelismna .--R.]
[888] Matt. vi. 19. ["upon the earth," so R.V.--R.]
[889] aktemosun.
[890] Matt. iv. 9, 10.
[891] [s. The Oxford Version has inadvertently rendered it "rust."--R.]
[892] [s. The Oxford Version has inadvertently rendered it "rust."--R.]
[893] Matt. vi. 21. [The correct text of Matt. vi. 21 is rendered, "For where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also" (R.V.), but Chrysostom varies from this both here and below. The plural form has little authority.--R.]
[894] Matt. vi. 22. [R.V., "The lamp of the body," etc.--R.]
[895] Matt. vi. 22, 23. [In verse 23, "If therefore" is the correct reading, and some mss. of the Homilies have this reading here.--R.]
[896] [In the Greek text, the parenthesis extends to this place.--R.]
[897] [These clauses are not parenthetical, but in the Greek define what precedes.--R.]
[898] Matt. xiii. 22.
[899] [och tuche.]
[900] chum.
[901] eperea.
[902] [In the Greek text, bracketted by Field, and in the Latin, occurs this clause: "when" [or "for when"] "thou plantest trees in the field, the fruit of which will yield after many (mura) years."--R.]
[903] alein.
[904] Luke xvi. 24.
[905] Ezek. xiv. 14.