Injustice most hurts the doer of it. 163 above man's under- XIV. hear the prophet who saith, I am for peace, but when I speak Hoм. they are for war. This is virtue, this is standing, this maketh us near God; delighteth God, as to remember no evil. from thy sins, this looseth the charges against thee: but if we are fighting and buffeting, we become far off from God: for enmities are produced by contention, and from enmity spring rancours. Cut out the root, and there will be no fruit. Thus shall we learn to despise the things of this life, for there is no contention in spiritual things, but whatever thou seest, either contention, or envy, or whatever a man can mention, all these spring from the things of this life. Every contention hath its beginning either in covetousness, or envy, or vainglory. If therefore we are at peace, we shall learn to despise the things of the earth. Hath a man stolen our money? He hath not injured us, only let him not steal our treasure which is above, saith such an one. Hath he hindered thy glory? Yet not that which is from God, but that which is of no account. For this is no glory, but a mere name of glory, or rather a shame. Hath he stolen thy honour? Rather not thine but his own. For as he who committeth injustice doth not so much inflict as receive injustice, thus too he who plots against his neighbour, first destroyeth himself. For he who diggeth a pit for his neighbour, falleth into Prov. it. Let us then not plot against others, lest we injure our- 26, 27. selves. When we supplant the reputation of others, let us consider that we injure ourselves, it is against ourselves we plot. For perchance with men we do him harm, if we have power, but ourselves in the sight of God, by provoking Him against us. Let us not then injure ourselves. For as we injure ourselves when we injure our neighbours, so by benefitting them we benefit ourselves. If then thy enemy injure thee, consider that he hath benefitted thee, if thou art wise, and so requite him not with the same things, but even do him good. But the blow you say remains severe. Consider then that thou dost not benefit, but punishest him, and benefittest thyself, and quickly you will come to do him good. What then? Shall we act from this motive? We ought not to act on this motive, but if thy heart will not hear other 4, 9. 164 Enemies to be well treated in real kindness. PHIL. reason, induce it, saith he', even by this, and thou wilt quickly persuade it to dismiss its enmity, and wilt for the future do good to thine enemy as to a friend, and wilt thus obtain the good things which are to come, to which God grant that we may all attain in Christ Jesus. Amen. i. e. St. Paul, Rom. 12, 20. on which passage see St. Chrys. who there fully states this view, perhaps the only one that fully explains the difficulty. HOMILY XV. PHIL. iv. 10-14. But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction. I HAVE ofttimes said, that almsgiving hath been introduced not for the sake of the receivers, but of the givers, for the latter are they which make the greatest gain. And this Paul shews here also. In what way? The Philippians had sent him somewhat, after a long time, and had committed the same to Epaphroditus. See then, how when he is about to send Epaphroditus as the bearer of this Epistle, he praises them, and shews that this action was for the need, not of the receiver, but of the givers. This he doth, both that they who benefited him may not be lifted up with arrogance, and that they may become more zealous in well-doing, since they rather benefit themselves; and that they who receive may not fearlessly rush forward to receive, lest they meet with condemnation. For it is more blessed, He saith, to give than Acts to receive. What then means he, when he says, I rejoiced in 20, 35. 4,10-14. 166 St. Paul's implied complaint of past neglect. PHIL. the Lord greatly, not with worldly rejoicing, saith he, nor with the joy of this life, but in the Lord. Not because I had refreshment, but because ye advanced; for this is my refreshment. Wherefore he saith greatly; since this joy was not corporeal, nor on account of his own refreshment, but because of their advancement. Acts 20, 25.34. 15. And see how, when he had greatly rebuked them on account of the times that were passed, he quickly throweth a shadow over this, and teacheth them constantly and always to remain in well doing. Because at the last, saith he. The words, at the last, shew long time to have elapsed. Hath flourished again. As trees which have shot forth, then dried up, and again shot forth. Here he sheweth, that they who had formerly borne flowers, had withered, and after withering again budded forth. So that the word flourished again, has both rebuke and praise. For it is no small thing, that he who hath withered should flourish again. He sheweth also, that it was from indolence all this had happened to them. Your care for me; wherein ye were also careful. Here he sheweth, that even in former time they were wont to be zealous in these things. Wherefore he addeth, your care of me, wherein ye were also careful. And lest you should think, that in other things too they had been more zealous*, and had then withered, and not in this thing alone, behold how he guards this point", by saying, Now at the last your care of me hath flourished again. As if he had said, I apply the words, now at the last, only to this; for in other things it is not so. Here some one may enquire, how when he had said, it is more blessed to give than to receive; and, These hands have ministered to my necessities, and to them that were with me; 1 Cor. 9, and again when writing to the Corinthians, For it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void; he here suffereth his glorying to be made void? And how? By receiving. For if his glorying was, that he received not, how doth he now endure so to do. What shall we say then? Probably, he then did not receive on account of the false Apostles, that wherein they glory, saith a Mar. and B. had become less zealous.' b So Ben. and B. Sav.' see how he added.' Excuses for not giving—or for not working. 167 XV. he, they may be found even as we. And he said not are, but HOM. glory; shewing hereby that they did receive, but secretly. Wherefore, he said, wherein they glory; he too himself received, though not there. Wherefore he also saith, No man shall stop me of this boasting. And he said not simply, shall not stop me, but what? in the regions of Achaia. And again, I robbed other Churches, taking wages of them to do you ser- 2 Cor. 11, 8. vice. Here he sheweth that he did receive. But Paul indeed received rightly, having so great a work; if in truth he did receive. But they who work not, how can they receive? 'Yet I pray,' saith one. But there is no work. may be done together with work. But I fast.' this work. For see this blessed one, preaching in many places, and working too. But ye lacked opportunity. What meaneth lacked opportunity? It came not, saith he, of indolence, but of necessity. Ye had it not in your hands, nor were in abundance. This is the meaning of, Ye lacked opportunity. Thus most men speak, when the things of this life do not flow in to them abundantly, and are in short supply. For this Neither is 1, 13. Not that I speak in respect of want. I said, saith he, now at the last, and I rebuked you, not seeking mine own, nor rebuking you on this account, as if I were in want: for I sought it not on this account. Whence is it evident, O Paul, that thou makest no vain boasting? To the Corinthians he saith, For we write none other things unto you, than 2 Cor. what ye read or acknowledge, and he would not have spoken to them so as to be convicted, he would not, had he been making boasts, have spoken thus. He was speaking to those who knew the facts, with whom detection would have been a greater disgrace. For I have learnt, saith he, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. Wherefore, this is an object of discipline, and exercise, and care, for it is not easy of attainment, but very difficult, and full of toil. In whatsoever state I am, saith he, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Every where and in all things I am instructed. That is, I know how to use little, to bear hunger and want, to abound, and to suffer need. Yes,' saith one, but there is no need of St. Chrys. understands him to be partially excusing them. |