XL. 5. 574 Love of Applause, what a Snare it is. HOMIL. and take breath?" Though such an one have never so many good works, hardly doth he enter into the Kingdom. For ixrga- nothing is so wont to overthrow1 men, as the honour which comes of the multitude, making them cowardly, ignoble, flatterers, hypocrites. χηλι άζειν Why, for instance, did the Pharisees say that Christ was possessed? Was it not because they were greedy of the honour of the multitude? And whence did the multitude pass the right judgment on Him? Was it not because this disease had no hold on them? For nothing, nothing so much tends to make men lawless and foolish, as gaping after the honour of the multitude. Nothing makes them glorious and immoveable, like despising the same. Wherefore also great vigour of soul is needed for him who is to hold out against such an impulse, and so violent a blast. For as when things are prosperous, he prefers himself to all, so when he undergoes the contrary, he would fain bury himself alive and this is to him both Hell, and the Kingdom, when he hath come to be overwhelmed by this passion. Is all this then, I pray thee, matter of envyings, and not rather of lamentations and tears? Every one surely can see. But thou doest the same, in envying one in that kind of credit, as if a person, seeing another bound and scourged and torn by innumerable wild beasts, were to envy him his wounds and stripes. For in fact, as many men as the multitude comprises, so many bonds also, so many tyrants hath he: and, what is yet more grievous, each of these hath a different mind: and they all judge whatever comes into their heads concerning him that is a slave to them, without examining into any thing; but whatever is the decision of this or that person, this they also confirm. What manner of waves then, what tempest so grievous as this? Yea, such a one is both puffed up in a moment by the pleasure, and is under water again easily, being ever in fluctuation, in tranquillity never. Thus, before the time of the assembly, and of the contests in speaking, he is possessed with anxiety and fear; but after the assembly he is either dead with despondency, or rejoices on the contrary without measure; a worse thing than sorrow. For that pleasure is Adversity better for the Soul than Prosperity. 575 XII 24. not a less evil than sorrow is plain from the effect it has MATT. on the soul; how light it makes it, and unsteady, and fluttering. And this one may see even from those of former times. When, for instance, was David to be admired; when he rejoiced, or when he was in anguish? When, the people of the Jews? groaning and calling upon God, or exulting in the wilderness, and worshipping the calf? Wherefore Solomon too, who best of all men knew what pleasure is, saith, It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to the house of laughter1. Wherefore Christ also blesses 'Eccles. the one, saying, Blessed are they that mourn2, but the 'Matt. other sort He bewails, saying, Woe unto you that laugh, 5, 4. for ye shall weep3. And very fitly. For in delight the Luke soul is more relaxed and effeminate, but in mourning it is 6, 25. braced up, and grows sober, and is delivered from the whole swarm of passions, and becomes higher and stronger. Knowing then all these things, let us shun the glory that comes from the multitude, and the pleasure that springs therefrom, that we may win the real and everlasting glory; 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. 3 7,2. HOMILY XLI. MATT. xii. 25, 26. And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself shall be brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself, shall not stand: and if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? EVEN before now they had accused Him of this, that by Matt. Beelzebub He casteth out the devils1. But whereas then He 9, 34. did not rebuke them, allowing them both to know His power by His more numerous miracles, and by His teaching to learn His Majesty now, since they continued saying the same, He proceeds also to rebuke them, shewing His Godhead by this first, that He made their secrets public; and secondly, by the very act of casting out the devils with ease. And indeed the accusation too was very shameless. Because, as I have said, envy seeks not what to say, but only that it may say somewhat. Yet for all that, not even so did Christ despise them, but defends Himself with the forbearance proper to Him, teaching us to be meek to our enemies; and though they say such things, as we are neither conscious of, nor have they any the least probability, not to be disturbed, nor troubled, but with all longsuffering to render them an account. This then He did most especially on that very occasion, affording the strongest proof, that the things were false that were said by them. For neither was it a demoniac's part to exhibit so much meekness; it was not a demoniac's part to know men's secrets. Our Lord's first Plea for His Miracles. 577 XII.26. For, in truth, both because of the exceeding impudence of MATT. such a suspicion, and because of the fear of the multitude, they durst not publicly make these charges, but were turning them in their mind. But He, to shew them that He knew all that likewise, doth not set down the accusation, nor doth He expose their wickedness; but the refutation He adds, leaving it to the conscience of them that had said it to convict them. For on one thing only was He bent, to do good to them that were sinning, not to expose them. Yet surely, if He had been minded to extend his speech in length, and to make them ridiculous, and withal to have exacted of them also the most extreme penalty, there was nothing to hinder Him. Nevertheless He put aside all these things, and looked to one object only, not to render them more contentious, but more candid, and so to dispose them better towards amendment. How then doth He plead with them? Not by allegation out of the Scriptures, (for they would not so much as attend, but were sure rather to distort their meaning,) but by the events of ordinary life. For every kingdom, saith He, divided against itself shall not stand; and a city and a house, if it be divided, is soon dissolved. ones. For the wars from without are not so ruinous as the civil Yea, and this is the case in bodies too; it is the case even in all things; but for this time He takes His illustration from those that are more publicly known. And yet, what is there more powerful on earth than a kingdom? Nothing, but nevertheless it perishes if in dissension. And if in that case one throw the blame on the great burden of the affairs thereof, as breaking down by its own weight; what wouldest thou say of a city? and what of a house? Thus, whether it be a small thing, or a great, if at dissension with itself, it perishes. If then I, having a devil, do by him cast out the devils, there is dissension and fighting among devils, and they take their stand one against another. But if they stand one against another, their strength is wasted and destroyed. For if Satan cast out Satan, (and He said not "the devils," implying their great unanimity one with another,) he is then divided against himself; so He speaks. But if 578 Our Lord's second Plea for His Miracles: HOMIL. he be divided, he is become weaker, and is ruined; and if XLI. he be ruined, how can he cast out another? 1,2. Seest thou how great the absurdity of the accusation, how great the folly, the inconsistency? Since it is not for the same persons to say first, that He stands, and casts out devils, and then to say, that He stands by that, which it was likely would be the cause of His undoing. [2.] This then being the first refutation, the next after it is that which relates to the disciples. For not always in one way only, but also in a second and third, He solves their objections, being minded most abundantly to silence their shamelessness. Which sort of thing He did also with respect to the Sabbath, bringing forward David, the Priests, the testithat saith, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, the cause of the Sabbath, for which it was ordained; for the Sabbath, saith He, was for man'. This then He doth in the present Mat. 12, 3.5.7.' case also: where after the first He proceeds to a second refutation, plainer than the former. J See and 27. mony do For if I, saith He, by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom your sons cast them out? 2 See here too His gentleness. For He said not, "My Disciples," nor, "the Apostles," but your sons; to the end that if indeed they were minded to return to the same 2ůyívu nobleness with them, they might derive hence a powerful here- spring that way; but if they were uncandid, and continued ditary in the same course, they might not thenceforth be able to good feeling." allege any plea, though ever so shameless. av, But what He saith is like this, " By whom do the Apostles cast them out?" For in fact they were doing so already, because they had received authority from Him, and these men brought no charge against them; their quarrel not being with the acts, but with the Person only. As then it was His will to shew that their sayings arose only from their envy against Him, He brings forward the Apostles; thus: If I so cast them out, much more those, who have received their authority from Me. Nevertheless, no such thing have ye said to them. How then bring ye these charges against Me, the Author of their doings, while acquitting them of the accusations? This however will not free you from your punishment, rather it will condemn you the more. Therefore |