486 God's Long-suffering with wicked Rich Men. HOMIL. make just acquisitions, as having received from God, spend XXXIV. on the commands of God: but they who in the act of 17. 31. 2 gol μίαν. acquiring offend God, in the expending also do the same: consuming it on harlots and parasites, or burying and shutting it up, but laying out nothing upon the poor. “And wherefore,” saith one, "doth God suffer such men to be rich?" Because He is long-suffering; because He would bring us to repentance; because He hath prepared hell; because He hath appointed a day, in which He is to judge the Acts world1. Whereas, did He use at once to punish them that are rich and not virtuously, Zaccheus would not have had an appointed time for repentance, so as even to restore fourfold whatever he had unjustly taken, and to add half of his goods; nor Matthew, to be converted and become an Apostle, taken off as he would have been before the due season; nor yet many other such. Therefore doth He bear with them, calling all to repentance. But if they will not, but continue in the same, they shall hear Paul saying, that after their hardness and impenitent heart they treasure up unto themselves wrath against the day 3 Rom. of wrath, and revelation, and righteous judgment of God3: which wrath that we may escape, let us become rich with the riches of heaven, and follow after the laudable sort of poverty. For thus shall we obtain also the good things to come: the which may we all obtain, through the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, with the Holy Ghost, be glory, power, and honour, now, and for ever, and world without end. Amen. 2. 5. HOMILY XXXV. 1 COR. xiv. 1. Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts; but rather that may prophesy. ye Wherefore also strains himself, He that is in that are before THUS, inasmuch as he had with exactness rehearsed unto them all the excellence of charity, he exhorts them in what follows, with alacrity to lay hold of it. he said, Follow after: for he that is in chace, beholds that only which is chased, and towards that he and leaves not off until he lay hold of it. chace, when by himself he cannot, by those him he doth overtake the fugitive, beseeching those who are near with much eagerness to seize and keep it so seized for him, until he shall come up. This then let us also do. When of ourselves we do not reach unto charity, let us bid them that are near to her hold her, till we come up with her, and when we have apprehended, no more let her go, that she may not again escape us. For continually she springs away from us, because we use her not as we ought, but prefer all things unto her. Therefore we ought to make every effort, so as perfectly to retain her. For if this be done, we require not henceforth much labour, nay rather scarce any; but taking our ease, and keeping holiday1, we shall march on in1anthe narrow path of virtue. Wherefore he saith, Follow after rugor. her. Then that they might not suppose, that for no other end he brought in the discourse of charity, except that he might extinguish the gifts, he subjoins as follows; πανη τες. HOMIL. 488 Comparison of Gifts: why Tongues were preferred: Ver. 1. And desire spiritual gifts; but rather that ye may prophesy. Ver. 2. For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue, speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the Spirit he speaketh mysteries. Ver. 3. But he that prophesieth, speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. At this point he proceeds to make a comparison between the gifts, and lowers that of the tongues, neither signifying it to be altogether useless, nor very profitable by itself. For in fact they were greatly puffed up on account of this, because the gift was considered to be a great one. And it was thought great, because the Apostles received it first, and with so great display; it was not however therefore to be esteemed above all the others. Wherefore then did the Apostles receive it before the rest? Because they were to go abroad every where. And as in the time of building the tower the one tongue was divided into many; so then the many tongues frequently met in one man, and the same person used to discourse both in the Persian, and Roman, and Indian, and many other tongues, the Spirit sounding within him: and the gift was called the gift of tongues, because he could all at once speak divers languages. See accordingly how he both depresses and elevates it. Thus by saying, He that speaketh with tongues, speaketh not unto men, but unto God, for no man understandeth him, he depressed it, implying that the profit of it was not great; but by adding, howbeit in the Spirit he speaketh mysteries, he again elevated it, that it might not seem to be superfluous, and useless, and given in vain. But he that prophesieth, speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. Seest thou by what he signifies the choice nature of this gift? i. e. by the common benefit? and how every where he gives the higher honour to that which tends to the profit of the many? For do not the former speak unto men also? tell me. But not so much to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. So that the being possessed by the Spirit, is common to both, as well to him that prophesieth, as to him that speaketh with tongues; but in this, the one, (he, I mean, who prophesieth,) hath the advantage, in that he is also pro why Prophecy preferable: yet Tongues not disparaged. 489 fitable unto the hearers. For they who spake with tongues 1 COR. were not understood by them that had not the gift. What then? Did they edify no man? "Yes," saith he, "themselves alone:" wherefore also he adds, Ver. 4. He that speaketh in an unknown tongue, edifieth himself. And how, if he know not what he saith? Why, for the present, he is speaking of them who understand what they say;-understand it themselves, but know not how to render it unto others. -But he that prophesieth, edifieth the Church. Now as great as is the difference between a single person and the Church, so great is the interval between these two. Seest thou his wisdom, how he doth not thrust out the gift and make nothing of it, but signifies it to have some advantage, small though it be, and such as to suffice the possessor only? [2.] Next, lest they should suppose that in envy to them. he depresses the tongues (for the more part had this gift) to correct their suspicion he saith, Ver. 5. I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the Church may receive edifying. 14-6. But rather and greater, do not mark opposition, but supe- (2.) riority. So that hence also it is evident, that he is not disparaging the gift, but leading them to better things, displaying both his carefulness on their behalf, and his spirit free from all envy. For neither did he say, "I would that two, or three," but that ye all spake with tongues; and not this only, but, also, that ye prophesied; and this rather than that; for greater is he that prophesieth. For since he hath established and proved it, he next proceeds also to assert it; not however simply, but with a qualification. Accordingly he adds, except he interpret; since if he be able to do this, I mean the interpreting, "he hath become equal unto the prophet," so he speaks, because then there are many who reap the advantage of it;" a thing to be especially observed, how this throughout, before all else, is his object. 66 Ver. 6. But now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to 490 Illustration from Musical Instruments. HOMIL. you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, XXXV. or by doctrine? "And why speak I,” saith he, " of the rest? Nay, let the person who speaketh with tongues be Paul: yea even so will no good come of it to the hearers." And these things he saith, to signify that he is seeking their profit, not bearing any grudge against them that have the gift; since not even in his own person doth he shrink from pointing out their unprofitableness. And indeed it is his constant way to work out the disagreeable topics in his own person: as in the beginning of the Epistle he said, "Who then is Paul? and who is Apollos? and who is Cephas?" The same then he doth also here, saying, Not even I shall profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by prophesying, or by knowledge, or by doctrine. And what he means is, " if I say not somewhat that can be made intelligible to you, and that may be clear, but merely make display of my having the gift of tongues;tongues which when ye have heard, ye will go away with no sort of profit. For how should you profit, by a voice which ye understand not?" [3.] Ver. 7. Yet even the things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped? "And why do I say," saith he, “that in our case this is unprofitable, and that only useful, which is clear and easy to be apprehended by the hearers? Since even in musical instruments without life one may see this: for whether it be pipe or harp, yet if it be struck or blown confusedly and unskilfully, without proper cadence or harmony, it will captivate none of the hearers. For even in these inarticulate sounds there is need of some distinctness: and if thou strike not or breathe into the pipe according to art, thou hast done nothing. Now if from things without life we require so much distinctness, and harmony, and appropriateness, and into those inarticulate sounds we strive and contend to infuse so much meaning, much more in men, endued with life and reason, and in spiritual gifts, ought one to make significancy an object. Ver. 8. For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? |