Let us begin therefore, I entreat you, one with making his prayers intense: another with continual weeping: another with downcast [2892] countenance. For not even is this, which is so small, unprofitable: for "I saw" (it is said) "that he was grieved and went downcast, and I healed his ways." ( Isa. lvii. 17, 18.)
But let us all humble our own souls by alms-giving and forgiving our neighbors their trespasses, by not remembering injuries, nor avenging ourselves. If we continually reflect on our sins, no external circumstances can make us elated: neither riches, nor power, nor authority, nor honor; nay, even should we sit in the imperial chariot itself, we shall sigh bitterly: Since even the blessed David was a King, and yet he said, "Every night I will wash my bed," [&c.] ( Ps. vi. 6 ): and he was not at all hurt by the purple robe and the diadem: he was not puffed up; for he knew himself to be a man, and inasmuch as his heart had been made contrite, he went mourning.
[10.] For what are all things human? Ashes and dust, and as it were spray before the wind; a smoke and a shadow, and a leaf driven here and there; and a flower; a dream, and a tale, and a fable, wind and air vainly puffed out and wasting away; a feather that hath no stay, a stream flowing by, or if there be aught of more nothingness than these.
For, tell me, what dost thou esteem great? What dignity thinkest thou to be great? is it that of the Consul? For the many think no greater dignity than that. He who is not Consul is not a whit inferior to him who is in so great splendor, who is so greatly admired. Both one and the other are of the same dignity; both of them alike, after a little while, are no more.
When was he made [Consul]? For how long a time? tell me: for two days? Nay, this takes place even in dreams. But that is [only] a dream, you say. And what is this? For (tell me) what is by day, is it [therefore] not a dream? Why do we not rather call these things a dream? For as dreams when the day comes on are proved to be nothing: so these things also, when the night comes on, are proved to be nothing. For night and day have received each an equal portion of time, and have equally divided all duration. Therefore as in the day a person rejoices not in what happened at night, so neither in the night is it possible for him to reap the fruit of what is done in the day. Thou hast been made Consul? So was I in the night; only I in the night, thou in the day. And what of this? Not even so hast thou any advantage over me, except haply its being said, Such an one is Consul, and the pleasure that springs from the words, gives him the advantage.
I mean something of this kind, for I will express it more plainly: if I say "Such an one is Consul," and bestow on him the name, is it not gone as soon as it is spoken? So also are the things themselves; no sooner doth the Consul appear, than he is no more. But let us suppose [that he is Consul] for a year, or two years, or three or four years. Where are they who were ten times Consul? Nowhere.
But Paul is not so. For he was, and also is living continually: he did not live one day, nor two, nor ten, and twenty, nor thirty; nor ten and twenty, nor yet thirty years--and die. Even the four hundredth year is now past, and still even yet is he illustrious, yea much more illustrious than when he was alive. And these things indeed [are] on earth; but the glory of the saints in heaven what word could set forth?
Wherefore I entreat you, let us seek this glory; let us pursue after it, that we may attain it. For this is the true glory. Let us henceforth stand aloof from the things of this life, that we may find grace and mercy in Christ Jesus our Lord: with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Ghost, be glory, power, honor and worship, now and for ever, and world without end. Amen.
[2863] ton logon tes arches tou Christou. Literally, "the discourse of the beginning of Christ" ; but presently St. Chrys. substitutes for this, he arche tou logou, "the beginning of the doctrine, " as the words are translated in our version.
[2864] ta stoicheia tes arches
[2865] e nedoeuonton autous
[2866] he arche tou logou
[2867] The Faith; pistis with the article in this place and a little below means the Creed; as we say "the Belief." [Yet it would be impossible to substitute the word "Creed" -- "Creed in the resurrection." &c. What is meant is that Christian belief which finds expression in the Creed, as well as elsewhere.--F.G.]
[2868] or "the letters."
[2869] to alpha
[2870] deixai
[2871] That is, the Apostle repudiates the teaching of more than one baptism.
[2872] e x arches
[2873] nepsate
[2874] St. Chrys.'s exposition requires this literal translation of the participle. He gives two explanations of it, "to renew them by crucifying afresh," and "seeing they crucify afresh."
[2875] e ntreptikos
[2876] dia loutrou
[2877] sterrous kainous, Sav. Ben.
[2878] The common editions add houtos oude baptisthenai, "so neither [is it possible] to be baptized [a second time]." The apodosis is wanting in the older text, as it is in several other places.
[2879] [The original has a paronomasia hardly to be reproduced in English. The word is, paradeigmatismos, of which the paradeigmatisai = "put to an open shame," above is the verb.--F.G.]
[2880] The later texts add he auton, "that baptizeth himself." St. Chrys. however is speaking of a bishop who repeats baptism.
[2881] S. B. add palin
[2882] charis. The word is used throughout this passage in the sense of remission, as explained in the next clause.
[2883] The longer text in Sav. and Ben. adds, deutero de hoti ou, "and secondly because it is not," &c.: the shorter text has only oude, omitting "secondly." There are many other instances of a similar negligence of style in the genuine text, as also in other works of St. Chrys.
[2884] The common texts add ta ekei, "the things in heaven." But St. Chrys. is speaking of present privileges here on earth.
[2885] The common texts add kai apo exagoreuseos, "and [of] from confession."
[2886] sustrephon
[2887] kai pistesin. [These same two words, e leemosunai kai pisteis, "almsgiving and acts of faithfulness," are used by the Septuagint to translate "mercy and truth" in Prov. iii. 3 also, as if pisteis were the distinct acts of faithfulness which go to make up truth, comp. true of heart throughout the Psalms.]
[2888] This seems to be an expression of the doctrine of James v. 19, 20 , partially in the language of our Lord, Luke xxii. 33. [Cf. Acts iii. 19.]
[2889] e chein oikeios
[2890] kat eidos
[2891] eis hen, or, "once for all."
[2892] katephein, "seriousness."