Even here He shows His love, and indicates the yearning which He hath toward thee: not saying, "Depart into the fire prepared for you," but "prepared for the devil." And before He tells them what wrongs they had done, and neither so doth He endure to mention all, but a few. And before these He calls the other sort, those who have done well, to signify from this too that He is blaming them justly.
What amount of punishment, then, is so grievous as these words? For if any one seeing but a man who was his benefactor an hungered, would not neglect him; or if he should neglect him, being upbraided with it, would choose rather to sink into the earth than to hear of it in the presence of two or three friends; what will be our feelings, on hearing these words in the presence of the whole world; such as He would not say even then, were He not earnestly accounting for His own doings? For that not to upbraid did He bring these things forward, but in self-defense, and for the sake of showing, that not without ground nor at random was He saying, "depart from me;" this is evident from His unspeakable benefits. For if He had been minded to upbraid, He would have brought forwards all these, but now He mentions only what treatment He had received.
10. Let us therefore, beloved, fear the hearing these words. Life is not a plaything: or rather our present life is a plaything, but the things to come are not such; or perchance our life is not a plaything only, but even worse than this. For it ends not in laughter, but rather brings exceeding damage on them who are not minded to order their own ways strictly. For what, I pray thee, is the difference between children who are playing at building houses, and us when we are building our fine houses? what again between them making out their dinners, and us in our delicate fare? None, but just that we do it at the risk of being punished. And if we do not yet quite perceive the poverty of what is going on, no wonder, for we are not yet become men; but when we are become so, we shall know that all these things are childish.
For so those other things too, as we grow to manhood, we laugh to scorn; but when we are children we account them to be worth anxiety; and while we are gathering together potsherds and mire we think no less of ourselves than they who are erecting their great circuits of walls. Nevertheless they straightway perish and fall down, and not even when standing can they be of any use to us, as indeed neither can those fine houses. For the citizen of Heaven they cannot receive, neither can he bear to abide in them, who hath his country above; but as we throw down these with our feet, so he too those by his high spirit. And as we laugh at the children, weeping at that overthrow, even so these also, when we are bewailing it all, do not laugh only, but weep also: because both their bowels are compassionate, and great is the mischief thence arising.
Let us therefore become men. How long are we to crawl on the earth, priding ourselves on stones and stocks? How long are we to play? And would we played only! But now we even betray our own salvation; and as children when they neglect their learning, and practise themselves in these things at their leisure, suffer very severe blows; even so we too, spending all our diligence herein, and having then our spiritual lessons required of us in our works, and not being able to produce them, shall have to pay the utmost penalty. And there is none to deliver us; though he be father, brother, what you will. But while these things shall all pass away, the torment ensuing upon them remains immortal and unceasing; which sort of thing indeed takes place with respect to the children as well, their father destroying their childish toys altogether for their idleness, and causing them to weep incessantly.
11. And to convince thee that these things are such, let us bring before us wealth, that which more than anything seems to be worthy of our pains, and let us set against it a virtue of the soul (which soever thou wilt), and then shalt thou see most clearly the vileness thereof. Let us, I say, suppose there are two men (and I do not now speak of injuriousness, [1042] but as yet of honest wealth); and of these two, let the one get together money, and sail on the sea, and till the land, and find many other ways of merchandise (although I know not quite, whether, so doing, he can make honest gains); nevertheless let it be so, and let it be granted that his gains are gotten with honesty; that he buys fields, and slaves, and all such things, and suppose no injustice connected therewith. But let the other one, possessing as much, sell fields, sell houses, and vessels of gold and silver, and give to the poor; let him supply the necessitous, heal the sick, free such as are in straits, some let him deliver from bonds, others let him release that are in mines, these let him bring back from the noose, those, who are captives, let him rescue from their punishment. Of whose side then would you be? And we have not as yet spoken of the future, but as yet of what is here. Of whose part then would ye be? his that is gathering gold, or his that is doing away with calamities? with him that is purchasing fields, or him who is making himself a harbor of refuge for the human race? him that is clothed with much gold, or him that is crowned with innumerable blessings? Is not the one like some angel come down from Heaven for the amendment of the rest of mankind; but the other not so much as like a man, but like some little child that is gathering all together vainly and at random?
But if to get money honestly be thus absurd, and of extreme madness; when not even the honesty is there, how can such a man choose but be more wretched than any? I say, if the absurdity be so great; when hell is added thereto, and the loss of the kingdom, how great wailings are due to him, both living and dead?
12. Or wilt thou that we take in hand some other part also of virtue? Let us then introduce again another man, who is in power, commanding all, invested with great dignity, having a gorgeous herald, and girdle, and lictors, and a large company of attendants. Doth not this seem great, and meet to be called happy? Well then, against this man again let us set another, him that is patient of injuries, and meek, and lowly, and long suffering; and let this last be despitefully used, be beaten, and let him bear it quietly, and bless them that are doing such things.
Now which is the one to be admired, I pray thee? He that is puffed up, and inflamed, or he that is self-subdued? Is not the one again like the powers above, that are so free from passion, but the other like a blown bladder, or a man who hath the dropsy, and great inflammation? The one like a spiritual physician, the other, a ridiculous child that is puffing out his cheeks?
For why dost thou pride thyself, O man? Because thou art borne on high in a chariot? Because a yoke of mules is drawing thee? And what is this? Why, this one may see befalling mere logs of wood and stones. Is it that thou art clothed with beautiful garments? But look at him that is clad with virtue for garments, and thou wilt see thyself to be like withering hay, but him like a tree that bears marvellous fruit, and affords much delight to the beholders. For thou art bearing about food for worms and moths, who, if they should set upon thee, will quickly strip thee bare of this adorning (for truly garments and gold and silver, are the one, the spinning of worms; the other earth and dust, and again become earth and nothing more): but he that is clothed with virtue hath such raiment, as not only worms cannot hurt, but not even death itself. And very naturally; for these virtues of the soul have not their origin from the earth, but are a fruit of the Spirit; wherefore neither are they subject to the mouths of worms. Nay, for these garments are woven in Heaven, where is neither moth, nor worm, nor any other such thing.
Which then is better, tell me? To be rich, or to be poor? To be in power, or in dishonor? In luxury, or in hunger? It is quite clear; to be in honor, and enjoyment, and wealth. Therefore, if thou wouldest have the things and not the names, leave the earth and what is here, and find thee a place to anchor in Heaven: for what is here is a shadow, but all things there are immovable, stedfast, and beyond any assault.
Let us therefore choose them with all diligent care, that we may be delivered from the turmoil of the things here, and having sailed into that calm harbor, may be found with our lading abundant, and with that unspeakable wealth of almsgiving; unto which God grant we may all attain, by the grace and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and the might, world without end. Amen.
[972] Rom. xiv. 10.
[973] Rom. xiv. 4.
[974] 1 Cor. iv. 5.
[975] 2 Tim. iv. 2.
[976] 1 Tim. v. 20. [R.V., "reprove." The Greek verb is the same in Matt. xviii. 15 also.--R.]
[977] Matt. xviii. 15, 16, 17.
[978] Matt. xviii. 17.
[979] [plesi.]
[980] Matt. vii. 3.
[981] t megal. The article implies the distinction.
[982] Matt. xxiii. 4.
[983] Matt. xxiii. 23.
[984] Matt. xxiii. 24. [R.V., more correctly, "strain out;" the word "at" is probably a typographical blunder of the A.V.--R.]
[985] 1 Cor. iv. 5.
[986] epstese.
[987] Matt. vii. 2.
[988] eranon.
[989] Matt. vii. 3.
[990] Matt. x. 10.
[991] Matt. vii. 5.
[992] hubreo.
[993] Matt. xviii. 32.
[994] Matt. xxiii. 1.
[995] Luke xxiii. 40, 41. [R.V., "Dost thou not even fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation." In several places Chrysostom gives the plural form, as here, but there is little authority for it in the New Testament text.--R.]
[996] Matt. vii. 6. [R.V., "the swine," the article is in the Greek text of the Homily.]
[997] Matt. x. 27.
[998] 1 Cor. ii. 14. In the verse before that to which reference is here made, our Saviour says, "Fear them not therefore." And again in the verse after, "Fear not them which kill the body:" whence the natural conclusion is, that His chief purpose here was to caution His disciples against the fear of man.
[999] 1 Cor. ii. 14. In the verse before that to which reference is here made, our Saviour says, "Fear them not therefore." And again in the verse after, "Fear not them which kill the body:" whence the natural conclusion is, that His chief purpose here was to caution His disciples against the fear of man.
[1000] The words in italics are omitted in the manuscripts. [The construction of the Greek is very difficult, if the mss. text is accepted. One ms., however, has an imperative in the last clause: "let them reverence them," thus relieving the difficulty.--R.]
[1001] emparoinetai .
[1002] [R.V., properly omits "again."--R.]
[1003] epiekeian.
[1004] 2 Tim. iv. 15.
[1005] 2 Tim. iii. 5. [The citation is modified.--R.]
[1006] Titus iii. 10. [R.V., "A man that is heretical (or factious) after a first and second admonition, refuse (or avoid)."--R.]
[1007] Col. iv. 6.
[1008] Matt. vii. 6.
[1009] Matt. xix. 25, and 10.
[1010] Matt. vii. 9. [The citation is not exact. Here, as below, Chrysostom gives the form: "For which is there of you," omitting "man." The Oxford translator follows the A.V. here but not below. "Of whom" (in R.V.) is better English (see below); the Greek is the same in both passages.--R.]
[1011] epetechise.
[1012] [ok aten chr mnou, ll ka chr iten, "not only is it fitting to ask," but to ask what "is fitting."--R.]
[1013] 1 Kings iii. 10-14; 2 Chron. i. 11, 12.
[1014] 1 Tim. ii. 8, perhaps "disputing" rather than "doubting." [R.V. text "disputing," in the margin "doubting." Comp. Homily XIX. 11, p. 138.--R.]
[1015] Matt. vii. 11. ["Heavenly" is substituted for "which is in Heaven."--R.]
[1016] poneran.
[1017] Or "life:" see Matt. vi. 25.
[1018] Rom. viii. 32.
[1019] Matt. vii. 12. [oto is omitted; so the Vulgate.--R.]
[1020] [politea.]
[1021] Confined, tethlimmne .
[1022] Matt. vi. 13, 14. [R.V., "by the narrow gate;" "enter in thereby;" "For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way," &c. Chrysostom introduces verse 14 with ka; and in some mss. of the Homilies t is added. Comp. R.V. margin: "How narrow," etc.--R.]