I.

10

Abraham's Example; true and false Magnanimity.

HOMIL. For tell me, what was there ever more exalted than Abraham? And yet it was he that said, I am but dust and ashes; it was 1 Gen. he who said, 'Let there be no strife between me and thee.

13.8.

2 Gen.

24.

i. e. per

Elam."

But

this man, so humble, despised 3 Persian spoils, and regarded 14.21-not Barbaric trophies; and this he did of much highmind3" Per. edness, and of a spirit nobly nurtured. For he is indeed exalted who is truly humble; (not the flatterer nor the haps, "of dissembler ;) for true greatness is one thing, and arrogance another. And this is plain from hence: if one man esteem clay to be clay, and despise it, and another admire the clay as gold, and account it a great thing; which, I ask, is the man of exalted mind? Is it not he who refuses to admire the clay? And which, abject and mean? Is it not he who admires it and sets much store by it? Just so do thou esteem of this case also; that he who calls himself but dust and ashes is exalted, although he say it out of humility; but that he who does not consider himself dust and ashes, but treats himself lovingly and has high thoughts, this man for his part must be counted mean, esteeming little things to be great. Whence it is clear that out of great loftiness of thought the patriarch spoke that saying, I am but dust and ashes: from loftiness of thought, not from arrogance.

4

For as in bodies it is one thing to be healthy and plump, and another thing to be swoln, although both firm and are betokened by a full habit of flesh, (but in this case of elastic. unsound, in that of healthful flesh;) so also here: it is one

γῶντα,

thing to be arrogant, which is, as it were, to be swoln, and another thing to be high-souled, which is to be in a healthy state. And again, one man is tall from the stature of his person; another, being short, by adding buskins" becomes taller; now tell me which of the two should we call tall and large? Is it not quite plain, him whose height is from himself? For the other has it as something not his own; and stepping upon things low in themselves, turns out a tall person. Such is the case with many men who mount themselves up on wealth and glory; which is not exaltation, for he is exalted

3 iußúdas; a leathern shoe coming half way up the leg, with high heels of cork; used especially by tragic actors to elevate their size. Eschylus, says

Horace, improving tragedy, "docuit magnumque loqui, nitique cothurno." A. P. 280.

Contempt of the World, the Root of Humility.

11

1. 1-3.

fi S. Luke

14. 11.

who wants none of these things, but despises them and has 1 COR. his greatness from himself. Let us therefore become humble that we may become exalted; for he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted. Now the self-willed man is not such as this; rather he is of all characters the most ordinary. For the bubble too is inflated, but the inflation is not sound: wherefore we call these persons "puffed up." Whereas the sober-minded man has no high thoughts, not even in high fortunes, knowing his own low estate; but the vulgar even in his trifling concerns indulges a proud fancy.

[6.] Let us then acquire that height which comes by humility. Let us look into the nature of human things, that we may kindle with the longing desire of the things to come; for in no other way is it possible to become humble, except by the love of what is divine, and the contempt of what is present. For just as a man on the point of obtaining a kingdom, if instead of that purple robe one offer him some trivial compliment, will count it to be nothing; so shall we also laugh to scorn all things present, if we desire that other sort of honour. Do ye not see the children, when in their play they make a band of soldiers, and heralds precede them and lictors, and a boy marches in the midst in the general's place, how childish it all is? Just such are all human affairs; yea and more worthless than these: to-day they are, and to-morrow they are not. Let us therefore be above these things; and let us not only not desire them, but even be ashamed if any one hold them forth to us. For thus, casting out the love of these things, we shall possess that other love which is divine, and shall enjoy immortal glory. Which may God grant us all to obtain, through the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ; to Whom together with the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory, power, honour, now and for evermore, even unto everlasting. Amen.

HOMILY II.

6.

(1.)

1 COR. i. 4, 5.

I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; that in every thing ye are enriched by him.

[1.] THAT which he exhorts others to do, saying, 'Let your re1 Phil.4. quests with thanksgiving be made known unto God, the same also he used to do himself: teaching us to begin always from these words, and before all things to give thanks unto God. For nothing is so acceptable to God, as that men should be thankful, both for themselves and for others: wherefore also he prefaces almost every Epistle with this. But the occasion for his doing so is even more urgent here, than in the other Epistles. For he that gives thanks, does so, both as having received a blessing, and as in acknowledgment of a favour: now a favour is not a debt, nor an exchange, nor a repayment: which indeed every where is important to be said, but much more in the case of the Corinthians, who were gaping after the dividers of the Church.

4; 63. 1.

[2.] Unto my God. Out of great earnestness he seizes on that which is common, and makes it his own; as the prophets 2 Ps. 43. also from time to time use to say, 2 O God, my God; and by way of encouragement he incites them to use the same language also themselves. For such expressions belong to one who is retiring from all secular things, and moving towards Him whom he calls on with so much earnestness: since he alone can truly say this, who from things of this life is ever mounting upwards unto God, and always preferring Him to all, and giving thanks continually, not [only] for the grace already given, but whatever blessing hath been since time bestowed, for this also he offereth unto Him the

at any

a This seems to mean the grace given in Baptism once for all.

St. Paul's Commendations convey Reproof also. 13

1.4-7.

same praise. Wherefore he saith not merely, I give thanks, 1 COR. but at all times, for you; instructing them to be thankful both always, and to no one else save God only.

[3.] For the grace of God. Seest thou how from every quarter he draws topics for correcting them? For where grace is, works are not; where works, it is no more grace. If therefore it be grace, why are ye high-minded? Whence is it that are puffed up?

ye

And by whom was it given? By me

Which is given you. or by another Apostle? Not at all, but by Jesus Christ. For the expression, In Jesus Christ, signifies this. Observe how in divers places he uses the word év, "in," instead of di' ov, 66 through means of whom;" therefore its sense is no less.

That in every thing ye have been enriched. Again, by whom? By Him, is the reply. And not merely ye have been enriched, but in every thing. Since then it is first of all, riches, then, riches of God, next in every thing, and lastly, through the Only-Begotten, reflect on the ineffable treasure!

"Word" [or

Ver. 5. In all utterance, and in all knowledge. utterance,] not such as the heathen, but that of God. For there is knowledge without "word," and there is knowledge with "word." For so there are many who possess knowledge, but have not the power of speech; as those who are uneducated, and unable to exhibit clearly what they have in their mind. Ye, saith he, are not such as these, but competent both to understand and to speak.

Ver. 6. Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you. In the course of his praises and thanksgiving he touches them sharply. "For not by heathen philosophy," saith he, "neither by heathen discipline, but by the grace of God, and by the riches, and the knowledge, and the word given by Him, were you enabled to learn the doctrines of the truth, and to be confirmed unto the testimony of the Lord; that is, unto the Gospel. For ye had the benefit of many signs, many wonders, unspeakable grace, to make you receive the Gospel. If therefore ye were established by signs and grace, why do ye waver?" Now these are the words of one both reproving, and at the same time prepossessing them in his favour.

14.] Ver. 7. So that ye come behind in no gift. A great question

HOMILY II.

6.

(1.)

1 Cor. i. 4, 5.

I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; that in every thing ye are enriched by him.

[1.] THAT which he exhorts others to do, saying, 'Let your re1 Phil.4. quests with thanksgiving be made known unto God, the same also he used to do himself: teaching us to begin always from these words, and before all things to give thanks unto God. For nothing is so acceptable to God, as that men should be thankful, both for themselves and for others: wherefore also he prefaces almost every Epistle with this. But the occasion for his doing so is even more urgent here, than in the other Epistles. For he that gives thanks, does so, both as having received a blessing, and as in acknowledgment of a favour: now a favour is not a debt, nor an exchange, nor a repayment: which indeed every where is important to be said, but much more in the case of the Corinthians, who were gaping after the dividers of the Church.

4; 63. 1.

[2.] Unto my God. Out of great earnestness he seizes on that which is common, and makes it his own; as the prophets 2 Ps. 43. also from time to time use to say, 20 God, my God; and by way of encouragement he incites them to use the same language also themselves. For such expressions belong to one who is retiring from all secular things, and moving towards Him whom he calls on with so much earnestness: since he alone can truly say this, who from things of this life is ever mounting upwards unto God, and always preferring Him to all, and giving thanks continually, not [only] for the grace already given, but whatever blessing hath been since time bestowed, for this also he offereth unto Him the

at

any

2 This seems to mean the grace given in Baptism once for all.