XIII. Christ's glory in judgment. Confusion of the lost. 153 Achaia. Some say, that the word yokefellow, (Syzygus,) is a Hoм. proper name, but whether it be so, or no, we need not accurately enquire, but remark, how he gives his orders, that these women should enjoy much protection. All we have, saith he, is in the heavens, our Saviour, our MORAL. city, whatever a man can name: whence, saith he, we look (4) for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. And this is an act of His kindness and love toward man. He Himself again cometh to us, he doth not drag us thither, but takes us, and so departs with us. And this is a mark of great honour; for if He came to us when we were enemies, much rather doth He now when we are become friends. He doth not commit this to Angels, nor to servants, but Himself cometh in the clouds, to call us to His royal mansion. And perchance His own, as honoured by Him, shall be carried through the clouds, for we, saith he, who honour Him, shall 1 Thess. be caught up in the clouds, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Who then is found a faithful and wise servant? Who are they that are deemed worthy of such good things? How miserable are those who fail! For if, after losing the kingdom, we were for ever to weep, should we do all we ought? For were you to make mention of hells innumerable, you would name nothing equal to that pain which the soul there sustaineth, when all the world is in confusion, when the trumpets are sounding, when the Angels are rushing forward, the first, then the second, then the third, then ten thousand ranks, are pouring forth upon the earth; then the Cherubim, (and many are these and infinite;) and then the Seraphim; when He Himself is coming, with His ineffable glory; when those meet Him, who had gone to gather the elect into the midst; when Paul, and all who in his time had been approved, are crowned, are proclaimed aloud, are honoured by the King, before all His heavenly host. For if hell did not exist, how fearful a thing it is, that the one part should be honoured, and the other dishonoured! Hell, I confess, is intolerable, yea, very intolerable, but more intolerable than it is the loss of the Kingdom. For tell me, if any king, or the son of a king, having taken his departure, and been successful in 4, 17. 4, 2. 3. 154 Exclusion from Christ's Triumph a bitter punishment. PHIL. innumerable wars, and become the object of admiration, should return with his whole army to any city, in his chariot, with his trophies, with his innumerable bands of soldiers, all adorned with gold, with his spear-men, his body-guard, bearing golden shields, whilst the whole city was adorned with crowns, whilst all the rulers of the world accompanied Him, and all the manhood of foreign nations followed Him, prisoners, præfects, satraps, consuls, tyrants, rulers. Then should he in all this pomp receive the citizens who meet him, and embrace them, and stretch forth his hand, and give them freedom of access, and even converse with them, all standing around, as with friends, and tell them that all that journey was undertaken for their sake, and should then lead one party into his palace, and should leave the other behind, to how great punishment would not this be equal, even were no punishment inflicted. But if in the case of men it were a bitter thing to fall away from this glory, much more is it so with God, when all the heavenly Powers are present with the King, when the demons, bound, and bowing down their heads, and the devil himself is led along in chains, and all might that opposeth itself, when the Powers of the heavens, when He Himself, cometh upon the clouds. Believe me, I have been unable to finish my words, from the grief which had hold of my soul at this relation. Consider of how great glory we shall be deprived, when it is in our power not to be deprived of it. For this is the misery, that we suffer these things, when it is in our power not to suffer them. For when He receiveth the one part to His Father in heaven, and rejecteth the other, whom Angels take and drag against their will, weeping, and hanging down their heads, to the fire of hell, when they have first been made a spectacle to the whole world, what grief, think you, is there? Let us then make haste, while there is time, and take great thought of our own salvation. How many things have we to say like the rich man? If any one would now suffer us, we would take counsel of the things that are profitable! But no one doth suffer us. And that we shall so say, is clear, not from him alone, but from many others. And that you may learn this, how many men have been in fevers, and said, if we XIII. 25. 26. Self-denial a preventive of future punishment. 155 recover, we would not again fall into the same state. Many HOM. such words we shall then say, but we shall be answered as the rich man was, that there is a gulf, that we have received Luke16, our good things here. Let us groan then, I entreat you, bitterly, rather let us not only groan, but pursue virtue too; let us lament now, for salvation, that we may not then lament in vain. Let us weep now, and we shall not weep then, at our evil lot. This weeping is of virtue, that of unprofitable reflection: let us afflict ourselves now, that we may not then; for it is not the same thing to be afflicted here and there. For here, thou art afflicted for a little time, rather thou dost not perceive thy affliction, knowing that thou art afflicted for thy good. But there, the affliction is more bitter, because it is not in hope', nor for any escape, but without limit, and throughout. But may we all be freed from this, and obtain forgiveness. But since there is need of intense diligence, and ceaseless prayer, that we may not fail of this, let us, I beg, be diligent; if we are diligent, we prevail through our prayer: if we pray earnestly, God grants our request; but if we ask Him not, nor do earnestly ought of this sort, nor work, how is it possible, that we, who sleep, should ever succeed? By no means. For it is much if even by running, and exerting ourselves, and being conformed to His death, as Paul said, we shall be able to succeed, not to say sleeping. If by any means I may attain, saith he. But if Paul said, If by any means I may attain, what shall we say? For it is not possible that they who slumber should accomplish even worldly business, not to say spiritual. They who slumber cannot receive ought from their friends, far less from God. Fathers honour not them who slumber, far less doth God, Let us labour for a little time, that we may have rest for ever. We must at all events be afflicted. If we are not afflicted here, it awaits us there. Why choose we not to be afflicted here, that there we may have rest. May we all, having had our conversation worthy of Christ, and having f It is worth observing, that, although he has referred to the rich man in Hades, he is here speaking of Gehenna, and of present self-denial as a means of 156 Conformity to Christ's Death. PHIL. been conformed to His death, obtain the unspeakable joys, 4, 2. 3. in Christ Jesus, with Whom, to the Father together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, power, and honour, now and ever, world without end. Amen. HOMILY XIV. PHIL. iv. 4-7. Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. sent. 4. Luke 6, BLESSED are they that mourn, and woe unto them that Matt. 5, laugh, saith Christ. How then saith Paul, Rejoice in the Lord alway? Is he not here opposed to Christ? God forbid. 25. Woe to them that laugh, said Christ, hinting at the laughter of this world, which ariseth from the things which are preHe blessed also those that mourn, not simply for the loss of relatives, but those who are pricked at heart, who mourn their own sins, who take count of their own faults, or even those of others. This joy is not contrary to that grief, but from that grief it too is born. For he who grieveth for his own faults, and confesseth them, rejoiceth. Moreover, it is possible to grieve for our own sins, and yet to rejoice in Christ. Since then they were afflicted by their sufferings, for to you it is given in this behalf not only to believe but Phil. 1, also to suffer, therefore he saith, Rejoice in the Lord. For 29. this can but mean, Exhibit such a life that you may rejoice. When, therefore, your communion with God is not hindered, rejoice-this is what he means-or else the word in, may |