Ilsharms, GodCscurb. Themercifulapriest,hisrobe,oil,Sfc.235

the rivers even might become wine? wouldest thou not 2 Cor. have destroyed and ruined every thing? If there is a mean 1X"16' in food, which when we overpass we are injured, and yet even so thou canst not bear the curb, but, snapping it asunder, seizest on what every body else hath, to minister to the wicked tyranny of this gluttony; what wouldest thou not have done, if this natural mean were abolished? wouldest thou not have spent thy whole time upon it? Would it then have been well to have strengthened a lust so unreasonable, and not to have prevented the harm arising from excess? and to how many other harms would not this have given birth?

But O the senseless ones! who wallowing, as in mire, in drunkenness and all other debauchery, when they have got a little sober again, sit down and do nothing but utter such sort of sayings,' Why doth this end' in this way?' when theyl &va\lo-ought to be condemning their own transgressions. ForK<Ta' instead of what thou now sayest,' Why hath He set bounds? why do not all things go on without any order?' say,' Why do we not cease from being drunken? why are we never satiated? why are we more senseless than creatures without reason?' For these things they ought to ask one another, and to hearken to the voice of the Apostle, and learn how many good things he witnesseth to the Corinthians proceed from almsgiving, and to seize upon this treasure. For to contemn money, maketh men approved, as he said; and provideth that God be glorifiedj and warmeth love; and worketh in men loftiness of soul; and constituteth them priests, yea of a priesthood that bringeth great reward. For the merciful man is not arrayed in a vest reaching to the feet, nor does he carry about bells, nor wear a crown; but he is wrapped in the robe of loving-kinduuss, a holier than the sacred vestment, and is anointed with oil, not composed of material elements, but manufactureds by the Spirit, and he' y*<»p beareth a crown of mercies, for it is said, Who crowneth^/1^ thee with pity and with mercies; and instead of wearing a.*plate bearing the Name of God, is himself like to God. For how? Ye, saith He, shall be like unto your Father which is Matt 6, in heaven.

236 His awfulaltar is,uot bears, Christ's body; yet neglected.

Homil. Wouldest thou see His altar also? Bezaleel built it . 'not, nor any other, but God Himself; not of stones, but *"' of a material brighter than the heaven, of reasonable souls. But the priest entereth into the holy of holies. Into yet more awful places mayest thou enter when thou offerest this sacrifice, where none is present but thy Father, Matt. 6, Which seeth in secret, where no other beholdcth. 'And how,' saith one, 'is it possible that none should behold, when the altar standeth in public view?' Because this it is that is admirable, that in those times double doors and veils made the seclusion: but now, though doing thy sacrifice in public view, thou mayest do it, as in the holy of holies, and in a far more awful manner. For when thou doest it not for display before men; though the whole world hath seen, none hath seen, because thou hast so done it. For He Matt, 6, said not simply, Do it not before men, but added, to be seen '" of them. This altar is composed of the very members of

Christ, and the body of the Lord is made thine altar. That then revere; on the flesh of the Lord thou sacrificest the victim. This altar is more awful even than this which we now use, not only than that used of old. Nay, clamour not. For this altar is admirable, because of the sacrifice that is laid upon it: but that, the merciful man's, not only on this account, but also because it is even composed of the very sacrifice, which maketh the other to be admired. Again, this is but a stone by nature; but become holy, because it receiveth Christ's Body: but that is holy, because it is itself Christ's Body. So that this, beside which thou, the layman, standest, is more awful than that. Whether then does Aaron seem to thee aught in comparison of this, or his crown, or his bells, or the holy of holies? For what need is there henceforth to make our comparison refer to Aaron's altar, when even compared with this, it has been shown to be so glorious? But thou honourest indeed this altar, because it receiveth Christ's body; but him that is himself the body of Christ thou treatest with contumely, and when perishing, neglectest. This altar mayest thou every where see lying, both in lanes and in market places, and mayest sacrifice upon it every hour; for on this too is sacrifice performed. And as the priest stands invoking the Spirit, so dost thou too invoke DeedshereinvoketheSpiril.Praise,thesmoke,reac1iesGod. 237

the Spirit, not by speech, but by deeds. For nothing doth 2 Cor. so sustain and kindle the fire of the Spirit, as this oil, if ——largely poured out. But if thou wouldest see also what becomes of the things laid upon it, come hither, and I will shew thee them. What then is the smoke, what the sweet savour of this altar? Praise and thanksgiving. And how far doth it ascend? as far as unto heaven? By no means, but it passeth beyond the heaven itself, and the heaven of heaven, and arriveth even at the throne of the King. For, Thy prayers, saith he, and thine alms are come up before Acts io, God. And the sweet savour, which the sense perceives,4" pierceth not far into the air, but this openeth the very vault of heaven. And thou art silent, but thy work speaketh': i &,$ and a sacrifice of praise is made, no heifer slain, nor hide burnt, but a spiritual soul presenting her proper offering For such a sacrifice is more acceptable than any lovingkindness. When then thou seest a poor believer, think that thou beholdest an altar: when thou seest such an one a beggar, not only insult him not, but even reverence him, and if thou seest another insulting him, prevent, repel it. For so shalt thou thyself be able both to have God propitious to thee, and to obtain the promised good things, whereunto may we all attain, through the grace and love towards men of our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom and with Whom, to the Father and the Holy Ghost, be glory, might, honour, now and for ever, and world without end. Amen.

238 Many correctives, yet this Epistle an Eulogium of Paul.

HOMILY XXI.

2 Cor. X. 1, 2.

Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you: but I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.

Having completed, in such sort as behoved, his discourse of almsgiving, and having shewn that he loves them more than he is loved, and having recounted the circumstances of his patience and temptations, he now opportunely enters upon points involving more of reproof, making allusion to the false apostles, and concluding his discourse with more disagreeable matter, and with commendations of himself. For he makes this his business also throughout the Epistle. Which also perceiving, he hence oftentimes corrects himself, saying in so many words'; Do we begin again to commend ourselves? 1 atrrh and further on; We commend not ourselves again, but give cT^i you occasion to glory: and afterwards; lam become a fool c.6,i2. in glorying; ye have compelled me. And many such cor''rectives doth he use. And one would not be wrong in styling this Epistle an euloginm of Paul; he makes such large mention both of his grace and his patience. For since there were some amongst them who thought great things of themselves, and set themselves above the Apostle, and accused him as a boaster, and as being nothing, and teaching no sound doctrine; (now this was in itself the most certain evidence of their own corruptness;) see how he begins his His emphatic preface here. Prays not lobeforcedto smite. 289

rebuke of them; Now I Paul myself. Seest thou what 2 Cor. severity, what dignity, is here? For what he would say is ''' this, ' I beseech you do not compel me, nor leave me to use my power against those that hold us cheap, and think of us as carnal.' This is severer than those threats towards them uttered in the former Epistle; Shall I come unto you with a 1 Cor. rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness? and then' again; Now some are puffed up as though I would not ib.18.19. come to you; but I will come, and will know not the speech of them that are puffed up, but the power. For in this place he shews both things, both his power, and his philosophy and forbearance; since he so beseeches them, and with such earnestness, that he may not be compelled to come to a display of the avenging power pertaining to him, and to smite and chastise them, and exact the extreme penalty. For he implied this in saying, But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with Urn t confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. For the present, however, let us speak of the commencement. Now I Paul myself. Great emphasis, great weight' is here. So he says else-^L"-6" where, Behold I Paul say unto you; and again, As Paul Gal. 5, the aged; and again in another place, Who hath been aphiie.9. succourer of many, and of me. So also here, Now /Rom. Paul myself. This even is a great thing, that himself beseecheth; but that other is greater which he added, saying, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ. For with the wish of greatly shaming them, he puts forward that meekness and gentleness, making his entreaty in this way more forcible; as if he had said, 'Reverence the gentleness of Christ, by which I beseech you.' And this he said, at the same time also shewing, that although they should lay ever so strong* a necessity upon him, he himself is more inclined to this: it is from being meek, not from want of power, that he does not proceed against them: for Christ also did in like manner.

Who in presence am base amongst you, but being absent am bold towards you. What, pray, is this? Surely he speaks in irony, using their speeches. For they said this, that' when he is present indeed, he is worthy of no account,