752 Analysis of a Grace used in Convents. HOMIL. their way. For sure This Being is not evil, Who sets his own 7,8. stores before all, even before them that blaspheme Him. LV. Then comes the petition: "Fill our hearts with joy and gladness." With what manner of joy then, doth it mean? the joy of this world? God forbid: for had they meant this, they would not have occupied summits of mountains, and deserts, nor wrapt themselves in sackcloth; but that joy they mean, which hath nothing in common with this present life, the joy of angels, the joy above. for And they do not simply ask for it, but in great excess; they say not," give," but," fill," and they say not "us," but "our hearts." For this is especially a heart's joy; For the 1 Gal. 5, fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace1. 22. see 2 Cor. 8, 9. Thus, because sin brought in sorrow, they request that through joy righteousness may be implanted in them, for no otherwise might joy be engendered. "That, always having all sufficiency, we may abound unto every good work." See how they fulfil that word of the Gospel which saith, Give us this day our daily bread, and how they seek even this for spiritual ends. For their phrase is, "That we may abound unto every good work." They said not, "That we may do our duty only," but " even more than what is enjoined," for," that we may abound," means this. And while of God they seek sufficiency in things needful, themselves are willing to obey not in sufficiency only, but with much abundance, and in all things. This is the part of well-disposed servants, this of men strict in goodness, to abound always, and in all things. Then again reminding themselves of their own weakness, and that without the influence from above nothing noble can be done; having said, "that we may abound unto every good work," they add, "in Christ Jesus our Lord, with Whom unto Thee be glory, honour, and might for ever. Amen;" framing this end like their commencement by a thread of thanksgiving. [8.] After this again, they seem to begin afresh, but they are keeping to the same argument. As Paul also in the beginning of an Epistle, having closed with a doxology, where he says, According to the will of our God and Father, to Whom be 2 Gal. 1, glory for ever. Amen2; begins the subject again on which he Exposition of an ancient Grace after Meat. XVI. 753 was writing. And again in another place when he had said, MATT. They worshipped and served the creature more than the 27. Creator, Who is blessed for ever: Amen1; he completed not Rom. his discourse, but begins again. Therefore neither let us blame these qur Angels, as acting disorderly, for that having closed with a doxology they begin again the sacred hymns. For they follow Apostolical laws, beginning from a doxology, and ending therein, and after that end making a commencement again. Wherefore they say, "Glory be to Thee, O Lord; Glory be to Thee, O Holy One; Glory be to Thee, O King; that Thou hast given us food to make us glad." Since not for the greater things only, but also for the lesser, we ought to give thanks. And they do give thanks for these also, putting to shame the heresy of the Manichæans, and of as many as affirm our present life to be evil. For lest for their high self-command, and contempt of the belly, thou shouldest suspect them as abhorring the meats, like the heretics aforesaid, who choke themselves to death; they by their prayer teach thee, that not from abhorrence of God's creatures they abstain from most of them, but as exercising self-restraint. And see how after thanksgiving for His past gifts, they are importunate also for the greater things, and dwell not upon the matters of this life, but mount above the heavens, and say, "Fill us with the Holy Ghost." For it is not even possible to approve one's self as one ought, not being filled with that grace; as there is no doing any thing noble or great, without the benefit of Christ's influences. As therefore when they had said, "That we may abound unto every good work," they added, "In Christ Jesus;" so here also they say, "Fill us with the Holy Ghost, that we may be found to have been well-pleasing before Thee." Seest thou how for the things of this life they pray not, but give thanks only; but for the things of the Spirit, they both give thanks and pray. For, seek ye, saith He, the kingdom of heaven, and all these things shall be added unto you2. 2 ἀπαγχονιζόντων, a strong figurative expression, as it seems, for the unhallowed self-tormenting of the Manichæ ans. In Hom. 42. the word is applied 1, 25. 2 Matt. 6, 33. LV. 9. 754 The Devotion of the Solitaries should be copied HOMIL. And mark too another kind of severe goodness in them; their saying, namely, "That we may be found to have been well-pleasing in Thy sight, not being ashamed." For "we care not," say they, " for the shame that proceeds from the many, but whatever men may say of us, laughing, upbraiding, we do not so much as regard it; but our whole endeavour is not to be put to shame then." But in these expressions, they bring in also the river of fire, and the prizes, and the rewards. 66 They said not," that we be not punished," but, that we be not ashamed." "For this is to us far more fearful than hell, to seem to have offended our Lord." 66 But since the more part and the grosser sort are not in fear of this, they add, “ When Thou renderest to every man according to his works." Seest thou how greatly these strangers and pilgrims have benefitted us, these citizens of the wilderness, or rather citizens of the Heavens? For whereas we are strangers to the Heavens, but citizens of the earth, these are just the contrary. And after this hymn, being filled with much compunction, and with many and fervent tears, so they proceed to sleep, snatching just so much of it as a little to refresh themselves. And again, the nights they make days, spending them in thanksgivings and in the singing of psalms. But not men only, but women also practise this self-denial, overcoming the weakness of their nature by the abundance of their zeal. Let us be abashed then at their earnestness, we who are men, let us cease to be fastened to the things present, to shadow, to dreams, to smoke. For the more part of our life is passed in insensibility. For both the first period of our life is full of much folly, and that again which travels on to old age, makes all the feeling that is in us wither away, and small is the space between, that is able feelingly to enjoy pleasure; or rather, not even that hath a pure participation thereof, by reason of innumerable cares and toils, that harrass it. Wherefore, I pray, let us seek the unmoveable and eternal goods, and the life that never has old age. For even one dwelling in a city may imitate the self-denial even by such as lead a secular life. 755 XVI. of the monks; yea, one who has a wife, and is busied in Matt. a household, may pray, and fast, and learn compunction. 27. Since they also, who at the first were instructed by the Apostles, though they dwelt in cities, yet shewed forth the piety of the occupiers of the deserts: and others again who had to rule over workshops, as Priscilla and Aquila. And the prophets too, all had both wives and households, as Isaiah, as Ezekiel, as the great Moses, and received no hurt therefrom in regard of virtue. These then let us also imitate, and continually offer thanksgiving to God, continually sing hymns to Him; let us give heed to temperance, and to all other virtues, and the self-denial that is practised in the deserts, let us bring into our cities; that we may appear both well-pleasing before God, and approved before men, and attain unto the good things to come, by the grace and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom and with Whom be unto the Father, glory, honour, and might, together with the Holy and Lifegiving Spirit, now and always and world without end. Amen". b The Grace here commented on is in its commencement the same with one still used before meat in collegiate bodies: e. g. in Oriel College, Oxford. "Benedicte Deus, Qui pascis nos in juventute nostra, et præbes cibum omni carni: reple gaudio et lætitia corda nostra, ut nos affatim quod satis est habentes, abundemus ad omne opus HOMILY LVI. MATT. xvi. 28. Verily, verily, I say unto you, There are some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, until they see the Son of man coming in His kingdom. THUS, inasmuch as He had discoursed much of dangers and death, and of His own Passion, and of the slaughter of the disciples, and had laid on them those severe injunctions; and these were in the present life and at hand, but the good things in hope and expectation :-for example, "They save their life who lose it;" "He is coming in the glory of His Father;" "He renders His rewards:"-He willing to assure their very sight, and to shew what kind of glory that is wherewith He is to come, so far as it was possible for them to learn it; even in their present life He shews and reveals this; that they should not grieve any more, either over their own death, or over that of their Lord, and especially Peter in His sorrow. And see what He doth. Having discoursed of hell, and v. 25. of the kingdom, (for as well by saying, He that findeth his life shall lose it, and whosoever will lose it for My sake, shall v. 27. find it; as by saying, He shall reward every man according to his works, He had manifested both of these): having, I say, spoken of both, the kingdom indeed He shews in the vision, but hell not yet. Why so? Because had they been another kind of people, of a grosser sort, this too would have been necessary; but since they are approved and considerate, He leads them on |