109 3, 31. The widow of Sarepta. Riches dangerous to the young. in requital make very great returns. If then thou wouldest ROM. leave thy children much wealth, leave them God's care. For He who, without thy having done any thing, gave thee a soul, and formed thee a body, and granted thee life, when He seeth thee displaying such munificence and distributing their goods to Himself along with them, must surely open to them every kind of riches. For if Elijah after having been nourished with a little meal, since he saw that that woman honoured him above her children, made threshing-floors and oil-presses appear in the little hut of the widow, consider what loving care the Lord of Elijah will display! Let us then not consider how to leave our children rich, but how to leave them virtuous. For if they are confident of riches, they will not mind aught besides, in that they have the means of skreening the wickedness of their ways in their abundant riches. But if they find themselves devoid of the comfort to be got from that source, they will do all so as by virtue to find themselves abundant consolation for their poverty. Leave them then no riches, that you may leave them virtue. For it is unreasonable in the extreme, not to make them, whilst we are alive, lords of all our goods; yet after we are dead to give the easy nature of youth full exemption from fear. And yet while we are alive we shall have power to call them to account, and to sober and bridle those that make an ill use of their goods; but if after we are dead we afford them, at the time of the loss of ourselves, and their own youthfulness, that power which wealth gives, endless are the precipices into which we shall thrust those unfortunate and miserable creatures, so heaping fuel upon flame, and letting oil drop into a fierce furnace. And so, if you would leave them rich and safe withal, leave God a debtor to them, and deliver the bequest to them into His hands. For if they receive the money themselves, they will not know even who to give it to, but will meet with many designing and unfeeling people. But if thou beforehand puttest it out to interest with God, the treasure henceforward remains unassailable. And great is the facility wherewith that repayment will be made. For God is well pleased at repaying us what He oweth, and both looks with a more 110 Christ now begs of us that He may repay hereafter. HOMIL. favourable eye upon those who have lent to Him, than on VII. those who have not; and loveth those the most to whom He God oweth the most. And so, if thou wouldest have Him for thy Friend continually, make Him thy Debtor to a large amount. For there is no lender so pleased at having those that owe 15 Mss. to him, as Christ' is rejoiced at having those that lend to Him. And such as He oweth nothing to, He fleeth from; but such as He oweth to, He even runneth unto. Let us then use all means to get Him for our Debtor; for this is the season for loans, and He is now in want. If then thou givest not unto Him now, He will not ask of thee after thy departing hence. For it is here that He thirsteth, here that He is an hungred. Since He thirsteth when He thirsteth after thy salvation; and it is for this that He even begs; for this that He even goeth about naked, negociating immortal life for thee. Do not then neglect Him; since it is not to be nourished that He wishes, but to nourish; it is not to be clothed, but to clothe and to accoutre thee with the golden garment, the royal robe. Do you not see even the more attached sort of physicians, when they are washing the sick, wash themselves also, though they need it not. In the same way He also doth all for the sake of thee who art sick. For this reason also He uses no force in demanding, that He may make thee great returns; that thou mayest learn that it is not because He is in need that He asketh of thee, but that He may set right that thou needest. For this reason too He comes to thee in a lowly guise, and with His right hand held forth. And if thou givest Him a farthing, He turneth not away: and even if thou rejectest Him, He cometh again to thee. For He desireth, yea desireth exceedingly, our salvation: let us then think scorn of money, that we may not be thought scorn of by Christ. Let us think scorn of money, even with a view to obtain the money itself. For if we keep it here, we shall lose it altogether both here and hereafter. But if we distribute it with abundant expenditure, we shall enjoy in each life abundant wealthiness. He then that would become rich, let him become poor, that he may be rich. Let him spend that he may collect, let him scatter that he may gather. But if this is novel and paradoxical, look We cannot reap then but by sowing now. 111 way ROM. to the sower, and consider that he cannot in other 3, 31. HOMILY VIII. HOMIL. 14 Mss. ROM. iv. 1, 2. What shall we then say that Abraham, our father as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. He had said', that the world had become guilty before VIII. God, and that all had sinned, and that boasting was exεἶπεν cluded, and that it was impossible to be saved otherwise than by faith. He is now intent upon shewing that this salvation, so far from being matter of shame, was even the cause of a bright glory, and a greater than that through works. For since the being saved, yet with shame, had somewhat of dejection in it, he next takes away this. suspicion too. And indeed he has hinted at the same already, by calling it not barely salvation, but righteousness. Rom. 4, Therein (he says) is the righteousness of God revealed. For he that is saved as a righteous man has a confidence accompanying his salvation. And he calls it not righteousness only, but also the setting forth of the righteousness of God. But God is set forth in things which are glorious, and shining, and great. However he nevertheless draws support for this from what he is at present upon, and carries his discourse forward by the method of question. And this he is always in the habit of doing, both for clearness sake, and for the sake of confidence in what is said. Rom. 3, Above, for instance, he did it, where he says, What advantage then hath the Jew? and what have we more than 17. 1. 2 с ουσία ἐκβάλ λων Sav. Abraham's case why chosen to prove the value of faith. 113 others? and again, where is boasting? and here, what then, Rom. shall we say that Abraham our father? &c. Now since the 4, 1. 2. Jews kept turning over and over the fact, that the Patriarch, and friend of God, was the first to receive circumcision, he wishes to shew, that it was by faith that he too was justified. And this was quite a vantage ground to insist upon1. For for a person who had no works, to be περι justified by faith, was nothing unlikely. But for a person ins richly adorned with good deeds, not to be made just from hence, but from faith, this is something to cause wonder, 2 6 Mss. the thing and to set the power of faith in a strong light. And this is why he passes by all the others, and leads his discourse back to this man. And he calls him father, as pertaining to the flesh, to throw them out of the genuine relationship 136 Mss. to him, and to pave the Gentiles' way to kinsmanship with him. And then he says, For if Abraham were justified by a works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. After as saying that God justifieth the circumcision by faith and the voices uncircumcision through faith, and making the same sufficiently sure in what he said before, he now proves it by Abraham more clearly than he promised, and pitches the battle for faith against works, and makes this righteous man the subject of the whole struggle; and that not without special meaning. Wherefore also he sets him up very high by calling him forefather, and putting a constraint upon them to comply with him in all points. For, Tell me not, he would say, about the Jew, nor bring this man or that before me. For I will go up to the very head of all, and the source whence circumcision took its rise. For if Abraham, he says, was justified by works, he hath whereof to glory: but not before God. What is here said is not plain, and so one must make it plainer. For there are two gloryings,' one of works, and one of faith. After saying then, if he was a Rom. iii. 9. Tí obv #gonatixous rigirov; as 2 Mss. of Matth. read at the beginning of the last Homily. So too some Mss. of the text, and the Syriac version. b Rom. iv. 27. here Sav. adds, it is excluded.' 4 Mss. omit the words. ε ἀγχιστείαν, which the oratore use for right of inheritance as next of kin. 4 συγγέ |