[6.] Since then we have "a rewarder," let us do all things that we may not be deprived of the rewards of virtue. For indeed the neglecting such a recompense, the scorning such a reward, is worthy of many tears. For as to "those who diligently seek Him," He is a rewarder, so to those who seek Him not, the contrary.
"Seek" (He says) "and ye shall find" ( Matt. vii. 7 ): but how can we find the Lord? Consider how gold is found; with much labor. ["I sought the Lord] with my hands" (it is said) "by night before Him, and I was not deceived" ( Ps. lxxvii. 2. See LXX [Ps. lxxvi. 3]), that is, just as we seek what is lost, so let us seek God. Do we not concentrate our mind thereon? Do we not enquire of every one? Do we not travel from home? Do we not promise money?
For instance, suppose that any among us has lost his son, what do we not do? What land, what sea do we not make the circuit of? Do we not reckon money, and houses, and everything else as secondary to the finding him? And should we find him, we cling to him, we hold him fast, we do not let him go. And when we are going to seek anything whatever, we busy ourselves in all ways to find what is sought. How much more ought we to do this in regard to God, as seeking what is indispensable; nay rather, not in the same way, but much more! But since we are weak, at least seek God as thou seekest thy money or thy son. Wilt thou not leave thy home for Him? Hast thou never left thy home for money? Dost thou not busy thyself in all ways? When thou hast found [it], art thou not full of confidence?
[7.] "Seek" (He says) "and ye shall find." For things sought after need much care, especially in regard of God. For many are the hindrances, many the things that darken, many that impede our perception. For as the sun is manifest, and set forth publicly before all, and we have no need to seek it; but if on the other hand we bury ourselves and turn everything upside down, we need much labor to look at the sun; so truly here also, if we bury ourselves in the depth of evil desires, in the darkness of passions and of the affairs of this life, with difficulty do we look up, with difficulty do we raise our heads, with difficulty do we see clearly. He that is buried underground, in whatever degree he sees upwards, in that degree does he come towards the sun. Let us therefore shake off the earth, let us break through the mist which lies upon us. It is thick, and close, and does not allow us to see clearly.
And how, you say, is this cloud broken through? If we draw to ourselves the beams of "the sun of righteousness." "The lifting up of my hands" (it is said) "is an evening sacrifice." ( Ps. cxli. 2.) With our hands let us also lift up our mind: ye who have been initiated know what I mean, [3228] perhaps too ye recognize the expression, and see at a glance what I have hinted at. Let us raise up our thoughts on high.
I myself know many men almost suspended apart from the earth, and beyond measure stretching up their hands, and out of heart because it is not possible to be lifted into the air, and thus praying with earnestness. Thus I would have you always, and if not always, at least very often; and if not very often, at least now and then, at least in the morning, at least in the evening prayers. [3229] For, tell me, canst thou not stretch forth the hands? Stretch forth the will, stretch forth as far as thou wilt, yea even to heaven itself. Even shouldst thou wish to touch the very summit, even if thou wouldst ascend higher and walk thereon, it is open to thee. For our mind is lighter, and higher than any winged creature. And when it receives grace from the Spirit, O! how swift is it! How quick is it! How does it compass all things! How does it never sink down or fall to the ground! These wings let us provide for ourselves: by means of them shall we be able to fly even across the tempestuous sea of this present life. The swiftest birds fly unhurt over mountains, and woods, and seas, and rocks, in a brief moment of time. Such also is the mind; when it is winged, when it is separated from the things of this life, nothing can lay hold of it, it is higher than all things, even than the fiery darts of the devil.
The devil is not so good a marksman, as to be able to reach this height; he sends forth his darts indeed, for he is void of all shame, yet he does not hit the mark; the dart returns to him without effect, and not without effect only, but it [falls] upon his own head. For what is sent forth by him must of necessity strike [something]. As then, that which has been shot out by men, either strikes the person against whom it is directed, or pierces bird, or fence, or garment, or wood, or the mere air, so does the dart of the devil also. It must of necessity strike; and if it strike not him that is shot at, it necessarily strikes him that shoots it. And we may learn from many instances, that when we are not hit, without doubt he is hit himself. For instance, he plotted against Job: he did not hit him, but was struck himself. He plotted against Paul, he did not hit him, but was struck himself. If we watch, we may see this happening everywhere. For even when he strikes, he is hit; much more then [when he does not hit].
[8.] Let us turn his weapons then against himself, and having armed and fortified ourselves with the shield of faith, let us keep guard with steadfastness, so as to be impregnable. Now the dart of the devil is evil concupiscence. Anger especially is a fire, a flame; it catches, destroys, consumes; let us quench it, by longsuffering, by forbearance. For as red-hot iron dipped into water, loses its fire, so an angry man filling in with a patient one does no harm to the patient man, but rather benefits him, and is himself more thoroughly subdued.
For nothing is equal to longsuffering. Such a man is never insulted; but as bodies of adamant are not wounded, so neither are such souls. For they are above the reach of the darts. The longsuffering man is high, and so high as not to receive a wound from the shot. When one is furious, laugh; but do not laugh openly, lest thou irritate him: but laugh mentally on his account. For in the case of children, when they strike us passionately, as though forsooth they were avenging themselves, we laugh. If then thou laugh, there will be as great difference between thee and him, as between a child and a man: but if thou art furious thou hast made thyself a child. For the angry are more senseless than children. If one look at a furious child, does he not laugh at him? "The poor-spirited" (it is said) "is mightily simple." ( Prov. xiv. 29.) The simple then is a child: and "he who is longsuffering" (it is said) "is abundant in wisdom." This "abundant wisdom" then let us follow after, that we may attain to the good things promised us in Christ Jesus our Lord, with whom to the Father together with the Holy Ghost, be glory, power, honor, now and for ever and world without end. Amen.
[3200] "was testified of."
[3201] lalei, with the most approved mss. of the Epistle; the editions have laleitai ; which is the reading of the common texts of the N.T.
[3202] to tes pisteos
[3203] ho ste einai paraklesin humin : the common editions follow mss. in which the very words of Rom. i. 12 have been substituted.
[3204] koines ennoias
[3205] Thus the sentence is inconsequent, as it stands in the best texts: in the common editions it is altered to, "For inasmuch as the Faith was at that time calumniated," &c.
[3206] a napodeikton
[3207] At this place and generally throughout the Homily: the later texts and the common editions insert the words of the Epistle, but not so the best mss. or the old translation.
[3208] e x ouk honton, i.e. "out of nothing."
[3209] "De nihilo nihil" is probably referred to.
[3210] a narchos
[3211] a gennetos
[3212] legontes, an irregular construction: the common texts substitute legousin
[3213] a poroteron
[3214] automatos
[3215] to koinon
[3216] gumnazei
[3217] a xios. St. Chrys. takes the word in its primary sense, "of like value," "worth as much as." See Hom. xxvii. [6], pp. 489 sqq.
[3218] oikeion to pathos
[3219] ta par autou
[3220] The reading of some mss. and of the editions except Savile's was ho kurios instead of ho Suros On this Montfaucon has the note:"This sentence is imperfect. Mutianus's rendering is, On Abel (saith he) He looked, and on his sacrifices.' But in the Syrian language it has, And set [them] on fire.' It would seem, therefore, that we should read, ho Suros, kai enepurisen, eipen The Hebrew words are vys yhvh, which (not the Syriac translator, but) Theodotion renders kai enepurisen ho Theos, And God set [them] on fire,' as may be seen in our edition of the Hexapla, and is proved by Jerome's testimony on the passage. For the Syriac translation is, and God was well pleased.' So perhaps it might be an error of Chrysostom." Four of the six mss. mentioned by Mr. Field [but not the Catena] have Suros. [Field's mss. A and O have kurios.--F.G.]
[3221] he episkope he par autou
[3222] [a postrepsai. Some of Field's mss. read e pistrepsai. The sentence is not clear, but the meaning seems to be, "to guide him back from the evil ways of the world around." The Bened. translator has ad eum avertendum ; Mutianus, ad revocandum eum et dehortandum. The English edition, "to turn him away from [serving God]," is certainly wrong.--F.G.]
[3223] The words of the Septuagint, Gen. iv. 7 , are he martes ; hesuchason : for which St. Chrys. substitutes the words of Ecclus. xxi. 1, he martes ; me prosthes eti. He combines these two texts (either from confusing them or by way of explanation) in three other places. See Mr. Fields' note. The words were addressed to Cain before he killed his brother.
[3224] That is, what the substance of God is, is not a part of what we must believe in order to please Him: nor can it be ascertained by reasonings.
[3225] ta tes ousias
[3226] automata
[3227] automata
[3228] The words of the Liturgy which were said throughout the Church Catholic, "Lift up your hearts," &c.
[3229] e n tais heothinais, en tais hesperinais