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God rewards the seeking unity with men who hate us. 449

Father he said, By this shall all men know that Thou hast Roм. sent Me, if they be one.

15, 7.

John17,

Let us obey then, and knit ourselves to one another. Fors. in this place it is not any longer the weak, but all that he is rousing. And were a man minded to break with thee, do not thou break also. Nor give utterance to that cold saying, 'Him I love that loveth me? if my right eye does not love me, I tear it out.' For these are satanical sayings, and fit for publicans, and the little spirit of the Gentiles. But thou that art called to a greater estate, and art enrolled in the books of Heaven, art liable to greater laws. Do not speak in this way, but when he is not minded to love thee, then display the more love, that thou mayest draw him to thee. For he is a member; and when by any force a member is sundered from the body, we do every thing to unite it again, and then pay more attention to it. For the reward is the greater then, when one draws to one a person not minded to love. For if He bids us invite to supper those that cannot make us any recompense, that what goes for recompense may be the greater, much more ought we to do this in regard to friendship. Now he that is loved and loveth, does pay thee a recompense. But he that is loved and loveth not, hath made God a debtor to thee in his own And besides, when he loves thee he needs not much pains; but when he loves thee not, then he stands in need of thy assistance. Make not then the cause for painstaking a cause for listlessness; and say not, because he is sick, that is the reason I take no care of him, (for a sickness indeed the dulling of love is,) but do thou warm again that which hath become chilled. But suppose he will not be warmed, ' what then?' is the reply. Continue to do thy own part. What if he grow more perverse?' He is but procuring to thee so much greater return, and shews thee so much the greater imitator of Christ. For if the loving one another was to be the characteristic of disciples, (For hereby, He says, John13, shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye love one another,) consider how great an one loving one that hates us must be. For thy Master loved those that hated Him, and called them to Him; and the weaker they were, the greater the care He shewed them; and He cried and said, They that Mat. 9,

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450 Men's unkindness to be met with love for God's sake.

HOMIL. are whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. XXVII. And He deemed publicans and sinners worthy of His table.

46.

And as great as was the dishonour wherewith the Jewish people treated Him, so great was the honour and concern He shewed for them, yea, and much greater. Him do thou also emulate for this good work is no light one, but one without which not even he that is a martyr can please God much, as Paul says'. Say not then, I get hated, and that is why I do not love. For this is why thou oughtest to love most. And besides, it is not in the nature of things for a man who loves to be soon hated, but brute as a person may be, he loves them that love him. For this He says the Mat. 5, heathens and the publicans do. But if every one loves those that love him, who is there that would not love those who love while they are hated. Display then this conduct, and cease not to use this word,' Hate me as much as you may, I will not leave off loving thee,' and then thou wilt humble his quarrelsomeness, and cast out all coldness". For this dis10-order comes either from excessive heat', or from coldness; but both of these is the might of love wont to correct by its warmth. Did you never see those who indulge a base love beaten, spit upon, called names, ill-treated in a thousand ways by those fornicatresses? What then is it that breaks off this love? The insolences? By no means, they even kindle it the more. And yet they who do these things, besides being harlots, are of a disreputable and low grade. But they who submit to it, have often illustrious ancestors to count up, and much other nobility to boast of. Yet still even this does not break the tie, nor keep them aloof from her whom they love. And are we not ashamed then to find what great 2 v. p. power the love of the devil2 and the demons hath, and not to be able to practise as much in the love according to God? Dost thou not perceive that this is a very great weapon against the devil? Do you not see, that that wicked demon stands by, dragging to himself the man thou hatest, and desiring to snatch away the member? And dost thou run

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414.

See St. Chrys. ad loc. Hom. 32. on 1 Cor. Tr. p. 446. in some places he seems to speak exclusively of love to one's neighbour in quoting this passage,

but he always views this as the carrying out of love toward God. see p. 401.

8 Μs. ψύξιν ἐξέβαλες. Sav. ψυχή luaλúžas. soften any soul.

Unchristian sayings of defiance admired.

451

15, 7.

by, and give up the prize of the conflict? For thy brother, Rom. lying between you, is the prize. And if thou get the better, thou receivest a crown; but if thou art listless, thou goest away without a crown. Cease then to give utterance to that satanical saying, ' if my eye hates me, I cannot see it.' For nothing is more shameful than this saying, and yet the generality lay it down for a sign of a noble spirit. But nothing is more ignoble than all this, or more senseless, or more foolish. Therefore I am indeed quite grieved that the generality should hold the doings of vice to be those of virtue, that looking down on men, and despising them, should seem to be honourable and dignified. And this is the devil's greatest snare, to invest iniquity with a good repute, whereby it becomes hard to blot out. For I have often heard men taking credit to themselves at their not going near those who are averse to them. And yet thy Master found a glory in this. How often do not men despise1 Him? how often disru· shew aversion to Him? Yet He ceaseth not to run unto them. Say not then that 'I cannot bear to come near those that hate me,' but say, that I cannot bear to despise2 those 2izzrú. that despise me.' This is the language of Christ's disciple, as the other is of the devil's.

This makes men honourable

σαν

32, 32.

and glorious, as the other doth shameful and ridiculous. It is on this ground we feel admiration for Moses, because even when God said, Let Me alone, that I may destroy them in Exod. Mine anger, he could not bear to despise those who had so often shewn aversion to him, but said, If Thou wilt forgive them their trespass, forgive it; but if not, blot out me also. This was owing to his being a friend of God, and a copyer of Him. And let us not pride ourselves in things for which we ought to hide our faces. Nor let us use the language of these lewd fellows, that are the scum of men, I know how to scorn thousands. But even if another use it, let us laugh him down, and stop his mouth for taking a delight in what he ought to feel ashamed of. What say you, pray, do you scorn

μου μισή με οὐδὲ ἰδεῖν αὐτὸν βούλομαι,
which seems more proverbial, (if the
aorist will bear this construction as Mat.
13, 14.) and agrees with p. 449.

h So mar. and Ms. Sav. and Ben. 'If my brother hates me, I do not even wish to see him.' Perhaps the true reading is, If my eye hates me, I do not even wish it to see, ἰὰν ὁ ὀφθαλμός

So mar. and Ms. Sav. more cruel.

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HOMIL. a man that believes, whom when unbelieving Christ scorned XXVII. not? Why do I say scorned not? Why He had such love towards him, when he was vile and unsightly, as even to die for him. He then so loved, and that such a person, and do you now, when he has been made fair and admirable, scorn him; now he is a member of Christ, and hath been made thy Master's body? Dost thou not consider what thou art uttering, nor perceive what thou art venturing to do? He hath Christ as a Head, and a Table, and a Garment, and Life, and Light, and a Bridegroom, and He is every thing to him, and dost thou dare to say, 'this fellow I despise?' and not this only, but thousands of others along with him? Stay thee, O man, and cease from thy madness; get to know thy brother. Learn that these be words of unreasonableness, and frenzy, and say on the contrary, though he despise me ten thousand times, yet will I never stand aloof from him. In this way thou wilt both gain thy brother, and wilt live to the glory of God, and wilt share the good things to come. To which God grant that we may all attain, by the grace and love toward man, &c.

k Ms. alexgov, Sav. ixegèv, an enemy.

HOMILY XXVIII.

ROM. XV. 8.

Now I say that Jesus Christ was a Minister of the circumcision for the Truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers.

AGAIN, he is speaking of Christ's concern for us, still hold- Rom. ing to the same topic, and shewing what great things He hath 15, 8. done for us, and how He pleased not Himself. And beside this, there is another point which he makes good, that those of the Gentiles are debtors to a larger amount unto God. And if to a larger amount, then they ought to bear with the weak among the Jews. For since he had spoken very sharply to such, lest this should make these elated, he humbles their unreasonableness, by shewing that it was by promise made to the fathers that they had the good things given them, while they of the Gentiles had them out of pity and love toward man only. And this is the reason of his saying, And that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy. But that what is said may be made plainer, just listen once more to the words themselves, that you may see what 'Christ's having been made a Minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers,' means. What then is that which is stated? There had been a promise made to Abraham, saying, unto thee will I give the Gen. 12, earth, and to thy seed, and in thy seed shall all the nations7. be blessed. But after this, they of the seed of Abraham all became subject to punishment. For the Law wrought

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