IV. 7.

Not of witchcraft, as the Rule of life introduced shews. 113 Heaven, and cometh to judge quick and dead. Whence 2 COR. then the persuasiveness of these sayings, tell me? From none other thing, but from the Power of God. For, in the first place, innovation itself was offensive to all; but when too one innovates in such things, the matter becomes more grievous when one tears up the foundations of ancient avaμocustom, when one plucks laws from their seat. And besides χλεύη. all this, neither did the heralds seem worthy of credit, but they were both of a nation hated amongst all men, and were timorous and ignorant. Whence then overcame they the world? Whence cast they out you, and those your forefathers who were reputed to be philosophers, along with their very gods? Is it not quite evident, that it was from having God with them? For neither are these successes of human, but of some divine and unspeakable, power. - 'No,' saith one, but of witchcraft.' Then certainly ought the power of the demons to have increased, and the worship of idols to have extended. How then have they been overthrown, and have vanished, and our things the reverse of these? So that from this even it is manifest, that what was done was the decree of God; and not from the Preaching only, but also from the rule of life itself. For when was virginity so largely planted every where in the world? when contempt of wealth, and of life, and of all things besides? For such as were wicked, and wizards, would have effected nothing like this, but the contrary in all respects: whilst these introduced amongst us the life of angels; and not introduced merely, but succeeded also in it in our own land, in that of the barbarians, in the very extremities of the earth. Whence it is manifest that it was the power of Christ every where that effected all, which every where shineth, and swifter than any lightning illumeth the hearts of men. All these things, then, considering and accepting what hath been done, as a clear proof of the promise of the things to come, worship with us the invincible might of The Crucified, that ye may both escape those intolerable punishments, and obtain that everlasting kingdom; of which may all we partake through the grace and love towards men of our Lord Jesus Christ; to Whom be glory world without end. Amen.

So one MS. at any rate; Ben. " this innovation."

I

114 God's grace keeps even earthen vessels safe from harm.

HOMILY IX.

2 COR. iv. 8, 9.

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken.

He still dwells upon proving, that the whole work is to be ascribed to the power of God, repressing the highmindedness of those that glory in themselves. For not this only,' saith he, is marvellous, that we keep this treasure in earthen vessels, but that even when enduring ten thousand hardships, and battered on every side, we [still] preserve and lose it not. Yet though there were a vessel of adamant, it would neither have been strong enough to carry so vast a treasure, nor have sufficed against so many machinations; yet, as it is, it both bears it, and suffers no harm, through God's grace.' For, we are troubled on every side, saith he, but not distressed. What is, on every side? In respect of our foes, in respect of our friends, in respect of necessaries, in respect of other needs, by them which be hostile, by them of our own household.' But we are not distressed. And see how he speaks contrarieties, that thence also he may shew the strength of God. For, we are troubled on every side, yet not distressed, saith he; we are perplexed, but not in despair; that is, 'we do not quite fall off. For we are often, indeed, wrong in our calculations, and miss our aim, yet not so as to fall away from what is set before us: for these things are permitted by God for our discipline, not for our defeat.'

περικρουόμενοι, a term especially used of striking upon vessels, to sound them.

baλoyouμela. The Ben. Ed. has λyou in defiance of Mss.

Why so tried. Gain by trials. The resurrection shewn. 115

Ver. 9. Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not 2 Cor. destroyed.

IV.

9-11.

stles'.

ib.

For these temptations do indeed befal, but not the consequences of the temptations. And this indeed through the Power and Grace of God. In other places indeed he says that these things were permitted, in order both to their own 11i.e. the humblemindedness, and to the safety of others: for lest Iposhould be exalted above measure, there was given to me a thorn, 2 Cor. 12, 7. he says: and again, Lest any man should think of me above 6. that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me; and in another place again, that we should not trust in ourselves: 2 Cor. here, however, that the power of God might be manifested. 1, 9. Seest thou how great the gain of his temptations? For it both shewed the power of God, and more disclosed His grace. For, saith He, My grace is sufficient for thee. It also anointed 2 Cor. 12, 9. them unto lowliness of mind, and prepared them for keeping down the rest, and made them to be more hardy. For Rom. 5, patience, saith he, worketh experience, and experience hope. For they who had fallen into ten thousand dangers, and through the hope they had in God, had been raised, were annytaught to hold by it more and more in all things.

Ver. 10. Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be manifest in our body.

And what is the dying of the Lord Jesus, which they bare about? Their daily deaths, by which also the resurrection was shewed. For if any believe not,' he says, that Jesus died and rose again, beholding us every day die and rise again, let him believe henceforward in the resurrection.' Seest thou how he has discovered yet another reason for the temptations? What then is this reason? That His life also might be made manifest in our body. He says, ' by snatching us out of the perils. So that this, which seems a mark of weakness and destitution, this, [I say,] proclaims His resurrection. For His power had not so appeared in our suffering no unpleasantness, as it is now shewn, in our suffering indeed, but without being overcome.'

Ver. 11. For we which live are also delivered unto death

• So Chrysostom: Rec. text " always." Just below he inserts, as will be geen, "in us."

4.

κόντις.

116 'Death' is peril, 'life' ease. The Psalmist's comfort, theirs. HOMIL. for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in us in our mortal flesh.

IX.

2 Tim. 2, 11.

For every where, whenever he has said any thing obscure, he interprets himself again. So then he has done here also, giving a clear interpretation of this, which I have cited. For therefore' we are delivered, he says, 'in other words, we bear about His dying, that the power of His life may be made manifest, Who permitteth not mortal flesh, though undergoing so great sufferings, to be overcome by the snow-storm of these calamities.' And it may be taken too in another way. How? As he says in another place, If we be dead with Him, we shall also live with Him. For as we endure His dying now, and choose, whilst living, to die for His sake: so also will He choose, when dead, to beget us then unto life. For if we from life come into death, He also will from death lead us by the hand into life.'

Ver. 12. So then death worketh in us, but life in you. 1 LiteSpeaking no more of death in the strict sense', but of rally, the death. temptations and of rest. For we indeed,' he says, are in perils and temptations, but ye in rest; reaping the life which is the fruit of these perils. And we indeed endure the dangerous, but ye enjoy the good things; for ye undergo not so great trials.'

[2.] Ver. 13. We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; 2 know we also believe, and therefore speak; that He which raised ing that &c. Rec. up the Lord Jesus, shall raise up us also by Jesus.

10.

3

Text. He has reminded us of a Psalm which abounds in heavenly Ps. 116, wisdom3, and especially fitted to encourage' in dangers. For this saying that just man uttered, when he was in great íp. dangers, and from which there was no other possibility of (2.) recovery, except by the aid of God. Since then kindred

φίαν.

circumstances are most effective in comforting, therefore he says, having the same Spirit; that is, by the same succour by which he was saved, we also are saved; by the Spirit through which he spake, we also speak.' Whence he shews, that between the New and Old Covenants great harmony exists, and that the same Spirit wrought in either; and that not we alone are in dangers, but all those of old were so too; 5- and that we must find a remedy through faith and hope, and

σθαι.

5

The Resurrection for us. Sorrows here, how made to vanish. 117

IV.

not seek at once to be released from what is laid upon us. 2 COR. For having shewed by arguments the resurrection and the 14-18. life, and that the danger was not a mark of helplessness or destitution; he thenceforward brings in faith also, and to it commits the whole. But still of this also he furnishes a proof, the resurrection, namely, of Christ, saying, we also believe, and therefore speak. What do we believe? tell me.

Ver. 14, 15. That He which raised up Jesus, shall raise up us also, and shall present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.

1

ματος.

Again, he fills them with lofty thoughts', that they may govńnot hold themselves indebted to men, I mean to the false" Apostles. For the whole is of God, Who willeth to bestow upon many, so that the grace may appear the greater. For your sakes, therefore, was the resurrection and all the other things. For He did not these things for the sake of one only, but of all.

Ver. 16. For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

How perishes? Being scourged, being persecuted, suffering ten thousand extremities. Yet the inward man is renewed day by day. How is renewed? By faith, by hope, by a forward will, finally, by braving those extremities. For in proportion as the body suffers ten thousand things, in the like proportion hath the soul goodlier hopes, and becometh brighter, like gold refined in the fire more and more. And see how he brings to nothing the sorrows of this present life.

R. T.

Ver. 17, 18. For the light affliction, he saith, which is 2 our, but for a moment, worketh3 in excess and unto excess 3 workan eternal weight of glory. While we look not at the things eth for which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.

us, R.T.

24.

Having closed the question in the issue of hope, (and, as he said in his Epistle to the Romans, We are saved by hope, but Rom. 8, hope that is seen is not hope; establishing the same point here also,) he sets side by side the things present with the things to come, the momentary with the eternal, the light with the weighty, the affliction with the glory. And neither is he