Why! have I been thy benefactor? Why! did I redeem thee, that thou lookest to me? It is another who hath bestowed these things on thee. Why dost thou let go thy Master, and look unto thy fellow-servant? Heardest thou not Him saying, "Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart?" [2450] And again, "He that would be first amongst you, let him be servant of all:" and again, "Even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister." [2451] And after these things again, lest taking offense at them who are remiss amongst thy fellow-servants, thou continue in contemptuousness; to draw thee off from that, He saith, "I have made myself an example to you, that as I have done, ye should do also." [2452] But hast thou no teacher of virtue amongst those persons that are with thee, neither such a one as to lead thee on to these things? More abundant then will be the praise, the commendation greater, when not even being supplied with teachers thou hast become one to be marvelled at.
For this is possible, nay very easy, if we be willing: and this they show, who first duly performed these things, as for instance, Noah, Abraham, Melchizedeck, Job, and all the men like them. To them it is needful to look every day, and not unto these, whom ye never cease emulating, and passing about their names in your assemblies. For nothing else do I hear you saying everywhere, but such words as these; "Such a one has bought so many acres of land; such a one is rich, he is building." Why dost thou stare, O man, at what is without? Why dost thou look to others? If thou art minded to look to others, look to them that do their duty, to them that approve themselves, to them that carefully fulfill the law, not to those that have become offenders, and are in dishonor. For if thou look to these, thou wilt gather hence many evil things, falling into remissness, into pride, into condemnation of others; but if thou reckon over them that do right, thou wilt lead thyself on unto humility, unto diligence, unto compunction, unto the blessings that are beyond number.
Hear what the Pharisee suffered, because he let pass them that do right, and looked to him that had offended; hear and fear.
See how David became one to be marvelled at, because he looked to his ancestors that were noted for virtue. "For I am a stranger," saith he, "and a sojourner, as all my fathers were." [2453] For this man, and all that are like him, let pass them that had sinned, and thought of those who had approved themselves.
This do thou also. For thou art not set to judge of the negligences of which others have been guilty, nor to inquire into the sins which others are committing; thou art required to do judgment on thyself, not on others. "For if we judged ourselves," it is said, "we should not be judged, but when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord." [2454] But thou hast reversed the order, of thyself requiring no account of offenses great or small, but being strict and curious about the offenses of others.
Let us no more do this, but leaving off this disorderly way, let us set up a tribunal in ourselves for the sins committed by ourselves, becoming ourselves accusers, and judges, and executioners for our offenses.
But if it be thy will to be busy about the things of other men also, busy thyself about their good works, not their sins, that both by the memory of our negligences and by our emulation for the good works they have done, and by setting before ourselves the judgment-seat from which no prayers can deliver, wounded each day by our conscience as by a kind of goad, [2455] we may lead ourselves on to humility, and a greater diligence, and attain unto the good things to come, by the grace and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ; with whom be to the Father, together with the Holy Ghost, glory, might, honor, now and always, and world without end. Amen.
[2426] Matt. xix. 21.
[2427] Matt. xix. 28.
[2428] Jer. xviii. 7-10.
[2429] Gen. ix. 2.
[2430] Matt. xix. 29. [The citation differs from that in the last Homily. The order here is that of Tischendorf (not of R.V. or rec. text): "or wife" occurs here; "house" is substituted for "houses."--R.]
[2431] Matt. xii. 27.
[2432] Matt. xii. 41.
[2433] 2 Tim. ii. 12.
[2434] Gal. iv. 51.
[2435] Matt. x. 39.
[2436] 1 Cor. vii. 15.
[2437] Matt. xix. 30. ["were" is an emendation of the translator. The Greek is that of the rec. text.--R.]
[2438] Matt. viii. 11, 12.
[2439] Matt. xx. 1. [This long passage agrees closely with the rec. text. In verses 5, 6, the New Testament narrative is abridged, but there are scarcely any other peculiarities.--R.]
[2440] kat lxin.
[2441] Gal. i. 15.
[2442] 1 Cor. x. 3, 4, 5.
[2443] Matt. v. 22.
[2444] hagiasmn, comp. 1 Thess. iv. 3. [R.V., "sanctification."]
[2445] Heb. xii. 14.
[2446] Matt. viii. 20.
[2447] 'Iobela.
[2448] 2 Cor. viii. 1, 2, 3.
[2449] Matt. viii. 20.
[2450] Matt. xi. 29.
[2451] Matt. xx. 27, 28.
[2452] John xiii. 15.
[2453] Ps. xxxix. 12.
[2454] 1 Cor. xi. 31, 32.
[2455] The part in italics is omitted in two manuscripts.