bOHe,asChrist,bypatiencedumb,tho1bolhspake.AbrahamKing,

Hohil. the piety which, when he was both bound and laid on the wood,

— made him not be dismayed, nor struggle, nor accuse his father

as mad; but he was even bound,and lifted up, and laid upon

it, and endured all in silence, like a lamb, yea, rather like

the common Lord of all. For of Him he both imitated the

H. 63,7. gentleness, and kept to the type. For He ums led like a

lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep dumb before his

shearer. And yet Isaac spake; for his Lord spake also.

How dumb then? This meaneth, he spake nothing wilful or

harsh, but all was sweet and mild, and the words more than

the silence manifested his gentleness. For Christ also said,

Johnl8, Jflhave spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well,

why smitest thou Me? and manifested His gentleness more

than if He had held His peace. And as this one speaketh

with his father from the altar, so too doth He from the

Cross, saying, Father, forgive them, for they know not what

Vct. 8. they do. What then said the Patriarch? God will provide

Himself a lamb for a burnt-offering, my son. Either uses

the names of nature; the former, father; the latter, son;

and on either side arduous is the war stirred up, and mighty

1 #*»- the storm, and yet wreck no where: for religion' triumphed

""''"*" over all. Then after he heard of God, he spoke no further

* ri(ai(- word, nor was impertinently curious'. Of such judgment

y' r"""'' was the child even in the very bloom of youth.

Seest thou the king, over how many armies, in how many battles which beset him, he hath been victorious? For the barbarians were not so fearful to the city of Jerusalem, when they assaulted her oftentimes, as were to this man the thoughts on every side besieging him: but still he overcame all. Wouldest thou see the priest also? The instance is at hand. For when thou hast seen him with fire and a knife; and standing over an altar, what doubtest thou after as to his priesthood? But if thou wonklest see the sacrifice also, lo, here a twofold one. For he offered a son, he offered also a ram, yea, more and above all, his own will. And with the blood of the lamb he consecrated his right hand", with the sacrifice of his son, his soul. Thus was he ordained a priest, by the blood of his only-begotten, by Priest, and Prophet. The Christian made so in the haver. 51

the sacrifice of a lamb; for the priests also were consecrated 2 Cor. by the blood of the victims which were offered to God.;'

'Levit.8.

Wouldest thou see the prophet also? It is written, Your John 8, father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it, and' was glad.

So also art thou thyself made king and priest and prophet in the Laver; a king, having dashed to earth all the deeds of wickedness, and slain thy sins; a priest, in that thou offerest thyself to God, and having sacrificed thy body, and being thyself slain also, for if we died with Him, saith2 Tim. he, we shall also live with Him; a prophet, knowing what'' shall be, and being inspired of God', and sealed \ For as' IM* upon soldiers a seal, so is also the Spirit put upon the faithful. And if thou desert, thou art manifest [by it] to all. For the Jews had circumcision for a seal, but we, the earnest of the Spirit. Knowing then all this, and considering our high estate, let us exhibit a life worthy of the grace', that we may' Wi» obtain also the kingdom to come; which may we all obtain Xt,T"through the grace and love towards men of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom, to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, power, honour, now and for ever, and world without end. Amen.

HOMILY IV.

2 Cor. i. 23.

Moreover, I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth.

What sayest thou, O blessed Paul? To spare them thou earnest not to Corinth? Surely thon presentest us with something of a contradiction. For a little above thou saidst, that thou therefore eamest not, because thou purposest not according to the flesh, nor art thine own master, but art led about every where by the authority of the Spirit, and didst set forth thine afflictions. But here thou sayest it was thine own act that thou eamest not, and not from the authority of the Spirit; for he saith, To spare you I came not to Corinth. What then is one to say? either, that this too was itself of the Spirit, and that he himself wished to come, but the Spirit suggested to him not to do so, urging the motive of sparing them; or else, that he is speaking of some other coming, and would signify that before he wrote the former Epistle, he was minded to have come, and for love's sake restrained himself, lest he should find them yet unamended. Perhaps also, after the second Epistle, though the Spirit no longer forbade him to go, he voluntarily stayed away for this reason. And this suspicion is the more probable, that, in the first instance, the Spirit forbade him: but afterwards upon his own conviction also, that this was more advisable, he stayed away.

And observe, I pray you, how he remembers again his own custom, (for this I shall never cease to observe,) of making what seems against him tell in his favour. For since it was In love he came not, to give them space/or repentance. 53

natural for them to suspect this and say, 'It was because 2 Cor. thou hatedst us, thou wouldest not come unto us,' he shews, '24on the contrary, that the cause for which he would not come, was because he loved them.

What is the expression, to spare you? I heard, he saith, that some among you had committed fornication; I would not therefore come and make you sorry: for had I come, I must needs have enquired into the matter, and visited, and punished, and exacted justice from many. I judged it then better to be away, and to give opportunity for repentance, than to be with you, and to visit, and be still more incensed. For towards the end of this Epistle he hath plainly declared it, saying, I fear lest when I come, my God will humble meteor, among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned}?'20already, and have not repented of the lasciviousness and uncleanness' which they have committed. This therefore in this place also he intimates, and he saith it indeed as in his own defence; yet rebukethi them very severely, and putteth i \„„I. them in fear; for he implied, that they were open to punish- f" ment, and will also have somewhat to suffer, unless they be quickly reformed. And he says the same thing again at the end of the Epistle thus; If I come again, I will not spare. 2 Cor. Only there he says it more plainly: but here, as it was the 13» 2proem, he does not say it so, but in a repressed* tone; nor is he»incontent even with this, but he softens down even this, applying rraKpia corrective. For seeing the expression was that of one asserting great authority, (for a man spares those whom he has also power to punish,) in order to soften it, and draw a shade over what seems harsh, he saith,

Ver. 24. Not for that we have dominion over your faith.

That is, I did not therefore say, To spare you I came not, as having dominion over you. Again, he said not you, but your faith, which was at once gentler and truer. For one that hath no mind to believe, who hath power to compel?

But are helpers of your joy?

For since, saith he, your joy is ours, I came not, that I

might not plunge you into sorrow, and increase my own

despondency; but I stayed away, that being reformed by the

threat, ye might be made glad. For we do every thing in 54 This Epistle gentler. He makes his rebukes palatable.

Homil. order to your joy, and endeavour ourselves in this behalf,

— because we are ourselves partakers of it.

For by faith ye stand.

Behold him again, speaking repressedly. For he was afraid to rebuke them again; since he had scourged them severely in the former Epistle, and they had made some reformation. Now if, (now that they were reformed,) they had again received the same reproof, this was likely to throw them back. Whence this Epistle is much gentler than the former.

1 Bee. Chap. ii. 1. But I determined* with myself that I would

text •

deter- nol come again to you in sorrow.

mined The expression again proves that he had already been made sorry from thence, and whilst he seems to be speaking in his own defence, he covertly rebukes them. Now if they had both already made him sorry, and were about again to make him sorry, consider how great the displeasure was likely to be. But he saith not thus, ' Ye made me sorry,' but turns the expression differently, so as to imply the very same thing thus,' For this cause I came not that I might not make you sorry:' which has the same force as what I said, but is more palatable.

[2.] Ver. 2. For if I make you sorry, who is he then that uinki-lli me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me?

What is this consequence? A very just one indeed. For observe, I would not, he saith, come unto you, lest I should increase your sorrow, rebuking, shewing anger and disgust. Then seeing even this was strong, and implied accusation of them, that they so lived as to make Paul sorry, he applies a corrective in the words, For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me?

What he saith is of this kind. 'Even though I were to be in sorrow, being compelled to rebuke you, and to see you sorry, still nevertheless this very thing would have made me glad. For this is a proof of the greatest love, that you hold me in such esteem, as to be hurt at my being displeased with you.' (2.) Behold too his prudence. Their doing what all disciples do, namely, smarting and feeling it when rebuked, he produces as