3, 4.

634 Miracles nothing, compared with a good Life.

HOMIL. freedom from worldly things. Since surely, had they wanted XLVI. these qualities, and been slaves of their passions, though they had raised ten thousand dead, so far from doing any good, they would even have been accounted deceivers. Thus it is their life, so bright on all sides, which also draws down the grace of the Spirit.

2 John 10, 41.

What manner of miracle did John work, that he fixed on 1 ångrń- himself the attention of so many cities? For as to the fact that he did no wondrous works, hear the Evangelist, saying, John did no miracle2. And whence did Elias become admirable? Was it not from his boldness towards the king? from his zeal towards God? from his voluntary poverty? from his garment of sheep's skin, and his cave, and his mountains? For his miracles He did after all these. And as to Job, what manner of miracle did he work in sight of the Devil, that he was amazed at him? No miracle indeed, but a life that shone and displayed an endurance firmer than any adamant. What manner of miracle did David, yet being young, that God should say, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart? And Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, what dead body did they raise? what leper did they cleanse? Knowest thou not that the miracles, except we be sober, do even harm in many cases? Thus many of the Corinthians were severed one from another; thus many of the Romans were carried away with pride; thus was Simon cast out. Thus he, who at a certain time had a desire to follow Christ, was rejected, when he had been told, The foxes have Matt. holes, and the birds of the air nests1. For each of these, one aiming at the wealth, another at the glory, which the miracles bring, fell away and perished. But care of practice, and love of virtue, so far from generating such a desire, doth even take it away when it exists.

3 Acts 13, 22.

8, 20.

5 Matt. 5, 16.

6 John 21, 16.

And Himself too, when He was making laws for His own disciples, what said He? "Do miracles, that men may see you?" By no means. But what? Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven". And to Peter again He said not, If thou lovest Me," do miracles," but feed my sheep 6. And whereas He every where distinguishes him with James and John above all the rest, for what, I pray thee, did He

Miracles but a Mean, Holiness the End.

635

XIII.

distinguish them? For their miracles? Nay, all alike cleansed Matt. the lepers, and raised the dead; and to all alike He gave 32. that authority.

Whence then had these the advantage? From the virtue in their soul. Seest thou how every where practice is required, and the proof by works? For by their fruits, saith He, ye shall know them1. And what commends our own life? Is it1 Matt. indeed a display of miracles, or the perfection of an excellent conversation? Very evidently it is the second; but as to the miracles, they both have their origin from hence, and terminate herein. For both He that shews forth an excellent life, draws to Himself this gift, and he that receives the gift, receives it for this end, that he may amend other men's lives. Since even Christ for this end wrought those miracles, that having made Himself thereby credible, and drawn men unto Him, He might bring virtue into our life. Wherefore also He lays more stress of the two on this. at all satisfied with the signs only, but He also threatens hell, and promises a kingdom, and lays down those startling laws, and all things He orders to this end, that He may make us equal to the angels.

For He is not

And why say I, that Christ doth all for this object? Why, even thou, should one give thee thy choice, to raise dead men by His Name, or to die for His Name; which, I pray thee, of the two wouldest thou rather accept? Is it not quite plain, the latter? and yet the one is a miracle, the other but a work. And what, if one offered thee to make grass gold, or to be able to despise all wealth as grass, wouldest thou not rather accept this latter? and very reasonably. For mankind would be attracted by this more than any way. For if they saw the grass changed into gold, they would covet themselves also to acquire that power, as Simon did, and the love of money would be increased in them; but if they saw us all contemning and neglecting gold, as though it were grass, they would long ago have been delivered from this disease.

[4.] Seest thou that our practice has more power to do good? By practice I mean, not thy fasting, nor yet thy strewing sackcloth and ashes under thee, but if thou despise wealth, as it ought to be despised; if thou be kindly affectioned, if

4.

11, 29.

636

Miracles and Fasting compared with Charity.

HOMIL. thou give thy bread to the hungry, if thou control anger, XLVI. if thou cast out vain-glory, if thou put away envy. So He Himself used to teach: for, Learn of Me, saith He, for I am 1 Matt. meek and lowly in heart'. He did not say, "for I fasted," although surely He might have spoken of the forty days, yet He saith not this; but, I am meek and lowly in heart. And again, when sending them out, He said not, "Fast," but, Eat 2 Luke of all that is set before you'. With regard to wealth, howcompare ever, He required of them great strictness, saying, Provide not gold, or silver, or brass, in your purses3.

10, 7.8.

1 Cor.

10, 27.

3 Matt. 10, 9.

And all this I say, not to depreciate fasting, God forbid, but rather highly to commend it. But I grieve when other duties being neglected, ye think it enough for salvation, having but the last place in the choir of virtue. For the greatest thing is charity, and moderation, and almsgiving; which hits a higher mark even than virginity.

Wherefore, if thou desire to become equal to the Apostles, there is nothing to hinder thee. For to have arrived at this virtue only suffices for thy not at all falling short of them. avaßaλ- Let no one therefore wait for miracles1. For though the Evil nia. Spirit is grieved, when he is driven out of a body, yet much

λέσθω εἰς

10.

more so, when he sees a soul delivered from sin. For indeed 5 Acts 8, this is his great power5. This power caused Christ to die, that He might put an end to it. Yea, for this brought in death; by reason of this all things have been turned upside down. If then thou remove this, thou hast cut out the nerves of the Devil, thou hast bruised his head, thou hast put an end to all his might, thou hast scattered his host, thou hast exhibited a sign greater than all signs.

The saying is not mine, but the blessed Paul's. For when he had said, Covet earnestly the best gifts, and yet shew 61 Cor. I unto you a more excellent way; he did not speak next 12, 31. of a sign, but of Charity, the root of all our good things. If

then we practise this, and all the self-denial that flows from it, we shall have no need of signs; even as on the other hand, if we do not practise it, we shall gain nothing by the signs.

Bearing in mind then all this, let us imitate those things, whereby the Apostles became great. And whereby did they 7 Matt. become great? Hear Peter, saying, Behold we have forsaken all, and followed Thee; what shall we have therefore"? Hear

We must copy the Self-Denial of the Apostles. 637

XIII.

Mark

also Christ saying to them, Ye shall sit upon twelve thrones, MATT. and, every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, 32. or father, or mother, shall receive an hundred fold in this world, and shall inherit everlasting life'. From all worldly 1ib.v.29. things, therefore, let us withdraw ourselves, and dedicate compare ourselves to Christ, that we may both be made equal to 10, 30. Luke18, the Apostles, according to His declaration, and may enjoy 30. eternal life: unto which may we all attain, by the grace and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ, to Whom be glory and might, for ever and ever. Amen.

HOMILY XLVII.

I Comp. Ps. 78, 2.

MATT. xiii. 34, 35.

All these things spake Jesus unto the multitudes in parables, and without a parable spake He not unto them; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet, saying, I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things that have been kept secret from the foundation of the world1.

BUT Mark saith, As they were able to hear it, He spake 2 Mark the word unto them in parables 2.

4, 33.

Then pointing out that He is not making a new thing, He brings in the Prophet also, proclaiming beforehand this His manner of teaching. And to teach us the purpose of Christ, how He discoursed in this manner, not that they might be ignorant, but that He might lead them to enquiry, he added, And without a parable spake He nothing unto them. Yet surely He did say many things without a parable; but then nothing. And for all this no man asked Him questions, whereas the Prophets, we know, they were often questioning: 3 Ezek. as Ezekiel 3, for instance; as many others: but these did no such thing. Yet surely His sayings were enough to cast 37, 18. them into perplexity, and to stir them up to the enquiry; for indeed a very sore punishment was threatened by those parables: however, not even so were they moved.

12, 9. 24, 19.

v. 36.

4 the house,

(rec.

Wherefore also He left them and went away. For,

Then, saith he, Jesus sent the multitudes away, and went into His house1.

And not one of the Scribes follows Him; whence it is clear text.) that for no other purpose did they follow, than to take hold