499 X. 28. comforts them with the Doctrine of Providence. plots, but even that which is esteemed of all things most MATT. terrible, death? And not death alone, but by violence too? And He said not," ye shall be slain," but with the dignity that became Him, He set this before them, saying, Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear Him Which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell; bringing round the argument, as He ever doth, to its opposite. For what? is your fear, saith He, of death? and are ye therefore slow to preach? Nay for this very cause I bid you preach, that ye fear death: for this shall deliver you from that which is really death. What though they shall slay you? yet over the better part they shall not prevail, though they strive ten thousand ways. Therefore He said not, "Who do not kill the soul," but, who are not able to kill. For wish it as they may, they shall not prevail. Wherefore, if thou fear punishment, fear that, the more grievous by far. Seest thou how again He doth not promise them deliverance from death, but permits them to die, granting them more than if He had not allowed them to suffer it? Because deliverance from death is not near so great as persuading men to despise death. You see now, He doth not push them into dangers, but sets them above dangers, and in a short sentence fixes in their mind the doctrines that relate to the immortality of the soul, and having in two or three words implanted a saving doctrine, He comforts them also by other considerations. text above, Thus, lest they should think, when killed and butchered, that as men forsaken they suffered this, He introduces again the argument of God's providence, saying on this wise: Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them v.29,30. shall not fall into a snare' without your Father. But the 'see rec. very hairs of your head are all numbered. "For what is viler than they?" saith He; "nevertheless, not even these shall be Hom. taken without God's knowledge." For He means not this," by His operation they fall," for this were unworthy of God; but, "nothing that is done is hid from Him." If then He is not ignorant of any thing that befalls us, and loves us more truly than a father, and so loves us, as to have numbered our very hairs; we ought not to be afraid. And this He said, not that ix. 4. XXXIV. HOMIL. God numbers our hairs, but that He might indicate His 2, 3. perfect knowledge, and His great Providence over them. If therefore He both knows all the things that are done, and is able to save us, and willing; whatever ye may have to suffer, think not that as persons forsaken ye suffer. For neither is it His will to deliver you from the terrors, but to persuade you to despise them, since this is, more than any thing, deliverance from the terrors. v. 31. v. 32,33. [3.] Fear ye not therefore; ye are of more value than many sparrows. Seest thou that the fear had already prevailed over them? Yea, for He knew the secrets of the heart; therefore He added, Fear them not therefore; for even should they prevail, it will be over the inferior part, I mean, the body; which though they should not kill, nature will surely take with her and depart. So that not even this depends on them, but men have it from nature. And if thou fear this, much more shouldest thou fear what is greater, and dread Him Who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. And He saith not openly now, that it is Himself, Who is able to destroy both soul and body, but where He before declared Himself to be Judge, He made it manifest. But now the contrary takes place: Him, namely, Who is able to destroy the soul, that is, to punish it, we fear not, but those who slay the body, we shudder at. Yet surely while He together with the soul punishes the body alsɔ, they cannot even chasten the body, much less the soul; and though they chasten it ever so severely, yet in that way they rather make it more glorious. Seest thou how He signifies the conflicts to be easy? Because in truth, death did exceedingly agitate their souls, inspiring terror for a time, for that it had not as yet been made easy to overcome, neither had they that were to despise it partaken of the grace of the Spirit. Having, you see, cast out the fear and distress that was agitating their soul; by what follows He also encourages them again, casting out fear by fear; and not by fear only, but also by the hope of great prizes; and He threatens with much authority, in both ways urging them to speak boldly for the truth; and saith further, Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him Christ and His Saints' mutual Confession. 501 will I also confess before My Father which is in Heaven. MATT. But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also X. 33. deny before My Father which is in Heaven. Thus not from the good things only, but also from the opposites, doth He urge them; and He concludes with the dismal part. And mark His exact care; He said not Me, but in Me, implying that not by a power of His own, but by the help of grace from above, the confessor makes his confession. But of him that denies, He said not, in Me, but Me; for he having become destitute of the Gift, his denial ensues. "Why then is he blamed," one may say," if being forsaken, he denies ?" Because the being forsaken is the fault of the forsaken person himself. But why is He not satisfied with the faith in the mind, but requires also the confession with the mouth? To train us up to boldness in speech, and a more abundant love and determination, and to raise us on high. Wherefore also He addresses Himself to all. Nor doth He at all apply this to the disciples only in person, for not them, but their disciples too, He is now rendering noble hearted. Because he that hath learnt this lesson will not only teach with boldness, but will likewise suffer all things easily, and with ready mind. This at any rate brought over many to the Apostles, even their belief in this word. Because both in the punishment the infliction is heavier, and in the good things the recompense greater. I mean, whereas he that doeth right hath the advantage in time", and the delay of the penalty is counted for gain by the sinner: He hath introduced an equivalent, or rather a much greater advantage, the increase of the recompenses. "Hast thou the advantage," saith He, " by having first confessed Me here? I also will have the advantage of thee, by giving thee greater things, and unspeakably greater; for I will confess thee there." Seest thou that both the good things and the evil things are there to be dispensed? Why then hasten and hurry thyself? and why seek thy rewards here, thou who art saved by hope'? Wherefore, whether thou hast Rom.8, done any thing good, and not received its recompense here, be not troubled; (for with increase, in the time to come, the a Tŷ Xgóvy #λsovex«ï, “he is beforehand with his Rewarder:" his suffer ings, and the sinner's enjoyment, come 502 The Church's Praise, a Token of Praise to come. HOMIL. reward thereof awaits thee): or whether thou hast done any evil, XXX1V. 3, 4. and not paid the penalty, be not easy; for there will vengeance receive thee, if thou turn not and amend. But if thou believe it not, from the things here form thy conjecture about things to come also. Why, if in the season of the conflicts they that confess are so glorious, imagine what they will be in the season of the crowns. If the enemies here applaud, how shall That tenderest of all fathers fail to admire and proclaim thee? Yea, then shall we have both our gifts for the good, and our punishments for the evil. So that such as deny shall suffer harm, both here and there; here living with an evil conscience, though they were never to die, they shall be surely dead; and there, undergoing the last penalty: but the other sort will profit both here and there, both here making a gain of their death, and in this way becoming more glorious than the living, and there enjoying those unspeakable blessings. God then is in no wise prompt to punish only, but also to confer benefits; and for this last more than for the first. But why hath He put the reward once only, the punishment twice? He knows that this would be more apt to correct us. For this cause when He had said, Fear Him Which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell, He saith again, Him will I also deny. So doth Paul also, continually making mention of Hell. Thus we see that He, having by all ways trained on His scholar, (both by opening Heaven to him, and by setting before him that fearful Judgment-seat, and by pointing to the Amphitheatre of Angels, and how in the midst of them the crowns shall be proclaimed, which thing would thenceforth prepare the way for the word of godliness to be very easily received;) in what follows, lest they grow timid and the word be hindered, He bids them be prepared even for slaughter itself; to make them aware that such as continue in their error, will have to suffer (among other things) for plotting against them, [4.] Let us therefore despise death, although the time be not come that requires it of us; for indeed it will translate us to a far better life. "But the body decays." Why, on this account most especially we ought to rejoice, because death decays, and mortality perishes, not the substance of the X. 33. Providential Reasons for the Decay of the Body. 503 body. For neither, shouldest thou see a statue being cast, MATT. wouldest thou call the process destruction, but an improved formation. Just so do thou reason also concerning the body, and do not bewail. Then it were right to bewail, had it remained in its chastisement. "But," saith one," this ought to take place without the decay of our bodies; they should continue entire." And what would this have advantaged either the living or the departed? How long are ye lovers of the body? How long are ye rivetted to the earth and gaping after shadows? Why, what good would this have done? or rather, what harm would it not have done? For did our bodies not decay, in the first place the greatest of all evils, pride, would have continued with many. For if even while this is going on, and worms gushing out, many have earnestly sought to be Gods; what would not have been the result, did the body continue? In the second place, it would not be believed to be of earth; for if, its end witnessing this, some yet doubt; what would they not have suspected, if they did not see this? Thirdly, the bodies would have been excessively loved; and most men would have become more carnal and gross; and if even now some cleave to men's tombs and coffins, after that themselves have perished, what would they not have done, if they had even their image preserved? Fourthly, they would not have earnestly desired the things to come. Fifthly, they that say the world is eternal, would have been more confirmed, and would have denied God as Creator. Sixthly, they would not have known the excellence of the soul, and how great a thing is the presence of a soul in a body. Seventhly, many of them that lose their relations would have left their cities, and have dwelt in the tombs, and have become frantic, conversing continually with their own dead. For if even now men form to themselves images, since they cannot keep the body, (for neither is it possible, but whether they will or no it glides and hurries from them,) and are rivetted to the planks of wood; what monstrous thing would they not then have devised? To my thinking, the generality would have even built temples for such bodies, and they that are skilled in such sorceries would have |