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049 - Homily 30 - Romans 1525-27 · Homilies on Romans

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  Speaker 1: Section forty nine of Homilies on Romans by John Chrysostom,
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  Speaker 1: translated by J. B. Morris. This librivarch's recording is in
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  Speaker 1: the public domain. Homily thirty Romans, fifteen, Verses twenty five
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  Speaker 1: to twenty seven. But now I go unto Jerusalem to
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  Speaker 1: minister unto the Saints. For it hath pleased them of
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  Speaker 1: Macedonia and our care to make a certain contribution for
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  Speaker 1: the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. It hath pleased
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  Speaker 1: them verily, and their debtors they are. Since he had
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  Speaker 1: said that I have no longer no more place in
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  Speaker 1: these parts, and I have a great desire these many
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  Speaker 1: years to come unto you. But he still intended to delay,
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  Speaker 1: lest it should be thought that he was making a
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  Speaker 1: jest of them. He mentions the cause also why he
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  Speaker 1: still puts it off, and he says that I am
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  Speaker 1: going unto Jerusalem, and is apparently giving the excuse for
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  Speaker 1: the delay. But by means of this he also makes
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  Speaker 1: good another object, which is the exhorting of them to
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  Speaker 1: alms and making them more in earnest about it. Since
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  Speaker 1: if he had not been minded to effect this, it
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  Speaker 1: had sufficed to say I am going unto Jerusalem. But
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  Speaker 1: now he adds the reason of his journey, For I go,
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  Speaker 1: he says, to minister to the saints. And he dwells
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  Speaker 1: over the subject and enters into reasonings, and says that
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  Speaker 1: they are debtors, and that if the Gentiles have been
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  Speaker 1: made partakers of their spiritual things, their duties also to
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  Speaker 1: minister unto them in caernal things, that they might learn
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  Speaker 1: to imitate these. Wherefore, also there is much reason to
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  Speaker 1: admire his wisdom for devising this way of giving the advice,
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  Speaker 1: for they were more likely to bear it in this
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  Speaker 1: way than if he had said it in the form
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  Speaker 1: of exhortation, as then he would have seemed to be
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  Speaker 1: insulting them, if with a view to incite them, he
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  Speaker 1: had brought before them Corinthians and Macedonians. Indeed, this is
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  Speaker 1: the ground on which he does incite them in that place,
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  Speaker 1: as follows, saying, moreover, brethren, we do you to wit
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  Speaker 1: of the grace of God bestowed on the churches in Macedonia.
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  Speaker 1: And again he incites the Macedonians by these, for your
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  Speaker 1: zeal hath provoked very many, and by the Galatians. In
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  Speaker 1: like manner. He does this as when he says, as
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  Speaker 1: I have given order to the churches of Galicia, even
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  Speaker 1: so do ye. But in the case of the Romans
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  Speaker 1: he does not do so, but in a more covert way.
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  Speaker 1: And he does this also in regard to the preaching,
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  Speaker 1: as when he says, what came the Word of God
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  Speaker 1: out from you? Or came it unto you? Only? For
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  Speaker 1: there is nothing so powerful as emulation, and so he
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  Speaker 1: often employs it. For elsewhere too he says, and so
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  Speaker 1: ordain I in all the churches. And again, as I
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  Speaker 1: teach everywhere in every church, and to the Colossians he says,
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  Speaker 1: that the Gospel of God increaseth and bringeth forth fruit
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  Speaker 1: in all the world. This then he does here also
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  Speaker 1: in the case of alms. And consider what dignity there
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  Speaker 1: is in his expressions, for he does not say, I
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  Speaker 1: go to carry alms, but to minister. But if pole ministers,
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  Speaker 1: just consider how great a thing is doing when the
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  Speaker 1: teacher of the world undertakes to be the bearer, And
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  Speaker 1: when on the point of traveling to Rome, and so
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  Speaker 1: greatly desiring them too, he yet prefers this to that,
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  Speaker 1: for it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Archaea, that
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  Speaker 1: is it meets their approbation, their desire a certain contribution. Again,
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  Speaker 1: he does not say alms, but contribution, and the certain
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  Speaker 1: is not used without a meaning, but to prevent his
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  Speaker 1: seeming to reproach these that he does not say the
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  Speaker 1: poor merely, but the poorer saints. So making his recommendation twofold,
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  Speaker 1: both that from their virtue and that from their poverty.
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  Speaker 1: And even with this alone he was not satisfied. But
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  Speaker 1: he adds they are their debtors. Then he shows how
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  Speaker 1: they are debtors. For if he says the gentiles have
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  Speaker 1: been made partakers of their spiritual things, their debt is
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  Speaker 1: also to minister unto them internal things. It was for
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  Speaker 1: their sakes that Christ came to them. It was that
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  Speaker 1: all the promises were made to them of the Jews.
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  Speaker 1: Of them Christ came. Wherefore also it is said that
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  Speaker 1: salvation is of the Jews from them, with the apostles
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  Speaker 1: from them, the profits from them, all good things. In
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  Speaker 1: all these things, then the world was made a partaker.
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  Speaker 1: If then he says, ye have been made partakers in
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  Speaker 1: that which is greater. And when it was for them
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  Speaker 1: that the banquet was prepared, ye have been brought in
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  Speaker 1: to enjoy the feast that was spread. According to the
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  Speaker 1: parable of the Gospel, ye are debtors. Also to share
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  Speaker 1: your kernel things with them, and to impart to them.
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  Speaker 1: But he does not say to share, but to minister,
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  Speaker 1: so ranking them with ministers and those that pay the
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  Speaker 1: tribute to kings. But he does not say in your
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  Speaker 1: kernel things as he did in their spiritual things. For
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  Speaker 1: the spiritual things were theirs. But the colonel belonged not
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  Speaker 1: to these alone, but were the common property of all.
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  Speaker 1: For he bade money to be held to belong to all,
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  Speaker 1: not to those who were its possessors. Only verse twenty eight.
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  Speaker 1: When therefore I have performed this and have sealed unto
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  Speaker 1: them this fruit, that is, when I have laid it
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  Speaker 1: up as it were in the royal treasuries, as in
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  Speaker 1: a place secure from robbers and danger. And he does
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  Speaker 1: not say alms, but fruit, again, to show that those
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  Speaker 1: who gave it were gainers by it. I will come
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  Speaker 1: by you into Spain, he again mentions Spain, to show
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  Speaker 1: his forwardness and warmth towards them verse twenty nine. And
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  Speaker 1: I am sure that when I come unto you, I
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  Speaker 1: shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the
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  Speaker 1: Gospel of Christ. What is the force of in the
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  Speaker 1: fullness of the blessing, either he speaks of alms or
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  Speaker 1: generally of good deeds. For blessing is a name he
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  Speaker 1: very commonly gives to alms as when he says as
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  Speaker 1: a blessing, and not as covetousness. And it was customary
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  Speaker 1: of old for the thing to be so called. But
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  Speaker 1: as he has here added off the Gospel, on this
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  Speaker 1: ground we assert that he speaks not of money only,
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  Speaker 1: but of all other things, as if he had said,
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  Speaker 1: I know that when I come, I shall find you
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  Speaker 1: with the honor and freshness of all good deeds about you,
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  Speaker 1: and worthy of countless praises in the Gospel. And this
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  Speaker 1: is a very striking mode of advice. I mean this
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  Speaker 1: way of forestalling their attention by encomiums. For when he
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  Speaker 1: entreats them in the way of advice, this is the
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  Speaker 1: mode of setting them right that he adopts Verse thirty.
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  Speaker 1: Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake,
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  Speaker 1: and for the love of the Spirit. Here he again
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  Speaker 1: puts forward Christ and the Spirit, and makes no mention
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  Speaker 1: whatever of the Father. And I say this and that
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  Speaker 1: when you find him mentioning the Father and the Son,
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  Speaker 1: or the Father, only you may not despise either the
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  Speaker 1: Son or the Spirit. And he does not say the spirit,
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  Speaker 1: but the love of the Spirit. For as Christ loveth
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  Speaker 1: the world, and as the Father doth, so doth the
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  Speaker 1: Spirit also. And what is it that thou beseechest us,
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  Speaker 1: Let me hear to strive together with me in your
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  Speaker 1: prayers to God for me Verse thirty one, that I
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  Speaker 1: may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judea.
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  Speaker 1: A great struggle then lies before him, and this too
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  Speaker 1: is why he calls for their prayers. And he does
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  Speaker 1: not say that I may be engaged in it, but
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  Speaker 1: that I may be delivered as Christ commanded pray that
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  Speaker 1: he enter not into temptation. And in saying this he
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  Speaker 1: showed that certain evil wolves would attack them, and those
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  Speaker 1: who were wild beasts rather than men. And out of
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  Speaker 1: this heels have found grounds for another thing, namely for
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  Speaker 1: showing that he with good reason took the offers of
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  Speaker 1: ministering to the saints, if that is, the unbelievers were
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  Speaker 1: in such force that he even prayed to be delivered
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  Speaker 1: from them, For they who were amongst so many enemies
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  Speaker 1: were in danger of perishing by famine also, and therefore
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  Speaker 1: there was absolute need of aid coming from other quarters
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  Speaker 1: to them. And that my service which I have for
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  Speaker 1: Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints, that is, that
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  Speaker 1: my sacrifice may be accepted, that with cheerfulness they may
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  Speaker 1: receive what is given them. See how he again exalts
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  Speaker 1: the dignity of those who were to receive it. Then
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  Speaker 1: he asks for the prayer of so great a people
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  Speaker 1: in order to what was sent being received. And by
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  Speaker 1: this he shows another point also that to have given
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  Speaker 1: alms does not secure its being accepted, for when any
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  Speaker 1: one gives it constrainedly, or out of unjust gains, or
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  Speaker 1: for vanity, the fruit of it is gone verse thirty two.
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  Speaker 1: That I may come unto you with joy by the
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  Speaker 1: will of God, as he had said at the beginning,
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  Speaker 1: if by any means now at length, I might have
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  Speaker 1: a prosperous journey by the will of God to come
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  Speaker 1: unto you. So here again he takes refuge in the
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  Speaker 1: same will, and says that this is why I press
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  Speaker 1: on and wish to be delivered from them, that I
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  Speaker 1: may see you shortly, And that with pleasure, without bringing
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  Speaker 1: any load of heaviness from thence, and may with you
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  Speaker 1: be refreshed. See how he again shows unassumingness, For he
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  Speaker 1: does not say, I may teach you and give you
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  Speaker 1: a lesson, by that I may with you be refreshed.
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  Speaker 1: And yet he was the very man for striving and conflict.
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  Speaker 1: In what sense, then does he say that I may
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  Speaker 1: be refreshed with you. It is to gratify them on
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  Speaker 1: this point too, and to make them the more cheerful
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  Speaker 1: by making them sharers of his crown, and to show
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  Speaker 1: that they too struggle and labor. Then, as was always
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  Speaker 1: his customed to do, he adds prayer after the exhortation
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  Speaker 1: and says verse thirty three. Now the God of Peace
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  Speaker 1: be with you all amen. Chapter sixteen, Verse one, I
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  Speaker 1: commend unto Ephebia sister, which is a deaconess of the church,
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  Speaker 1: which is a deaconess of the church which is at Cancria.
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  Speaker 1: See how many ways he takes to give her dignity.
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  Speaker 1: For he has both mentioned her before all the rest
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  Speaker 1: and called her sister, And it is no slight thing
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  Speaker 1: to be called the sister of Paul. Moreover, he has
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  Speaker 1: added her rank by mentioning her being deaconess verse two,
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  Speaker 1: that he receive her in the Lord as becometh saints,
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  Speaker 1: that is, for the Lord's sake, that she may enjoy
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  Speaker 1: honor among you. For he that receives a person for
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  Speaker 1: the Lord's sake, though it be no great one that
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  Speaker 1: he receives, yet receives him with attention. But when it
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  Speaker 1: is a saint, consider what attention she ought to have
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  Speaker 1: shown her. And this is why he adds, as becometh saints,
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  Speaker 1: such persons ought to be received. For she has two
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  Speaker 1: grounds for her having attention shown her by you, both
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  Speaker 1: that of her being received for the Lord's sake, and
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  Speaker 1: that of her being a saint herself. And that ye
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  Speaker 1: assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you,
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  Speaker 1: not in whatsoever businesses she may be, but in such
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  Speaker 1: as she may ask of you. But she will ask
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  Speaker 1: in such things as lie in your power. Then again
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  Speaker 1: there comes a very great praise of her, for she
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  Speaker 1: hath been a succorer of many, and of myself also
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  Speaker 1: see his judgment. First come the encomiums. Then he makes
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  Speaker 1: an exhortation intervene, and then again gives encomiums, so placing
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  Speaker 1: on each side of the needs of this blessed woman
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  Speaker 1: her praises, For how can the woman be else than blessed?
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  Speaker 1: Who has the blessing of so favorable a testimony from Paul,
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  Speaker 1: who had also the power to render assistance to him
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  Speaker 1: who had righted the whole world. For this was the
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  Speaker 1: summit of her good deeds, and so he placed it
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  Speaker 1: the last, as he says, and of myself also, But
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  Speaker 1: what does the phrase of myself also convey of the
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  Speaker 1: herald of the world, of him who hath suffered so much,
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  Speaker 1: of him who hath suffered so much, of him who
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  Speaker 1: is equal to assisting tens of thousands. Let us then
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  Speaker 1: imitate both men and women, this holy woman and her
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  Speaker 1: that followeth with her husband also, and who are they
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  Speaker 1: those too agreed? He says, Priscilla and Acquilla my helpers
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  Speaker 1: in Christ Jesus, to the excellence of these Saint Luke
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  Speaker 1: also bears witness, partly when he says that Paul abode
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  Speaker 1: with them, for by their occupation they were tent makers,
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  Speaker 1: and partly when he points out the woman as receiving
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  Speaker 1: a polus and instructing him in the way of the Lord.
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  Speaker 1: Now these are great things But what Paul mentions are greater?
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  Speaker 1: And what does he mention In the first place, He
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  Speaker 1: calls them helpers to point out that they had been
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  Speaker 1: sharers of his very great labors and dangers. Then he says, thus,
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  Speaker 1: four who for my life hath laid down their own necks.
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  Speaker 1: You see, they are thoroughly furnished martyrs. For in Nero's time.
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  Speaker 1: It is probable that there were thousands of dangers at
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  Speaker 1: the time, as he even commanded all Jews to be
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  Speaker 1: removed from Rome, unto whom not only I give thanks,
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  Speaker 1: but also all the churches of the Gentiles. Here he
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  Speaker 1: hints at their hospitality and pecuniary assistance, holding them in
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  Speaker 1: admiration because they had both poured forth their blood and
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  Speaker 1: had made their whole property open to all. You see,
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  Speaker 1: these were noble women, hindered no way by their sex
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  Speaker 1: in the course of virtue. And this is as might
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  Speaker 1: be expected. For in Christ Jesus there is neither male
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  Speaker 1: nor female. And what he had said of the former,
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  Speaker 1: that he said also of this, For of her also
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  Speaker 1: he had said, she hath been a succorer of many,
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  Speaker 1: and of myself also. So two of this woman, not
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  Speaker 1: only I give thanks but also all the churches of
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  Speaker 1: the Gentiles. Now that in this he might not seem
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  Speaker 1: to be a flatterer. He also adduces a good many
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  Speaker 1: more witnesses to these women verse five. Likewise, greet the
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  Speaker 1: church that is in their house. For they had been
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  Speaker 1: so estimable as even to make their house a church,
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  Speaker 1: both by making all in it believers, and because they
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  Speaker 1: opened it to all strangers. For he was not in
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  Speaker 1: the habit of calling any houses churches where there was
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  Speaker 1: much piety and much fear of God deeply rooted in them.
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  Speaker 1: And on this ground he said to the Corinthians, also
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  Speaker 1: salute a Quilla and Priscilla with the church that is
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  Speaker 1: in their house. And when writing about Onnissimus, he says, Paul,
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  Speaker 1: and to firelemen, and to the beloved Afia, and to
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  Speaker 1: the church that is in their house. For it is
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  Speaker 1: possible for a man, even in the married state, to
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  Speaker 1: be worthy of being looked up to and noble. See then,
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  Speaker 1: how these were in that state and became very honorable.
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  Speaker 1: And yet their occupation was still far from being honorable,
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  Speaker 1: for they were tent makers. Still their virtue covered all
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  Speaker 1: this and made them more conspicuous than the sun. And
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  Speaker 1: neither their trade nor their marriage was any hurt to them.
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  Speaker 1: But the love which Christ required of them that they exhibited.
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  Speaker 1: For greater love hath no man than this, that a
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  Speaker 1: man laid down his life for his friends. And that
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  Speaker 1: which is a proof of being a disciple, they achieve,
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  Speaker 1: since they took up the cross and followed him. For
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  Speaker 1: they who did this, for Paul, did much rather display
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  Speaker 1: their fortitude in Christ's behalf. Let rich and poor both
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  Speaker 1: hear all this. For if they, who lived from their labor,
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  Speaker 1: and who were managers of a workshop, exhibited such a
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  Speaker 1: profuseness as to be of service to many churches, what
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  Speaker 1: pardon can they expect, who are rich and yet neglect
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  Speaker 1: the poor. For they were not sparing even of their
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  Speaker 1: blood for the sake of God's will. But thou art
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  Speaker 1: sparing even of scanty sums, and many times sparest not
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  Speaker 1: than own soul. But in regard to the teacher, were
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  Speaker 1: they so and not so with regard to the disciples. Nay,
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  Speaker 1: even this cannot be said for the churches of the Gentiles,
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  Speaker 1: he says, thank them. And yet they were of the Jews.
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  Speaker 1: But still they had such a clear faith as to
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  Speaker 1: minister unto them also with all willingness, such ought women
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  Speaker 1: to be, not adorning themselves with broidered hair, or gold
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  Speaker 1: or costly array, but in these good deeds. For what
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  Speaker 1: empress prey was so conspicuous or so celebrated as this
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  Speaker 1: wife of the tent Maker. She is in everybody's mouth,
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  Speaker 1: not for ten or twenty years, but until the coming
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  Speaker 1: of Christ, and all proclaim her face for things such
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  Speaker 1: as adorn far more than any royal diadem. For what
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  Speaker 1: is greater or so great as to have been a
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  Speaker 1: succorer of Paul at her own peril, to have saved
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  Speaker 1: the teacher of the world. And consider how many empresses
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  Speaker 1: there are that no one speaks of, But the wife
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  Speaker 1: of the tent Maker is everywhere reported of with the
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  Speaker 1: tent maker. And the width that the son sees over
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  Speaker 1: is no more of the world than while the glory
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  Speaker 1: of this woman runneth unto Persians and Scythians and Thracians,
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  Speaker 1: And they too, who dwell in the uttermost parts of
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  Speaker 1: the earth, sing of the Christian spirit of this woman.
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  Speaker 1: And bless it how much wealth, how many diadems and purples?
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  Speaker 1: Would you not be glad to venture upon obtaining such
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  Speaker 1: a testimony. For no one can say either that in
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  Speaker 1: dangers they were of this character and lavish with their money,
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  Speaker 1: and yet neglected the preaching. For he calls them fellow
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  Speaker 1: workers and helpers on this ground. And this chosen vessel
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  Speaker 1: does not feel a shame to call the woman his helper,
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  Speaker 1: but even finds an honor in doing so, For it
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  Speaker 1: is not the sex that he minds, but the will
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  Speaker 1: is what he honors. What is equal to this ornament?
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  Speaker 1: Where now is wealth overflowing on every side, and where
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  Speaker 1: the adorning of the person, and where is vain glory?
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  Speaker 1: Learn that the dress of woman is not that put
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  Speaker 1: about the body, but that which decorates the soul, which
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  Speaker 1: is never put off, which does not lie in a chest,
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  Speaker 1: but is laid up in the heavens. Look at their
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  Speaker 1: labor for the Gospel, the crown in martyrdom, the munificence
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  Speaker 1: in money, the love of Paul, the charm they found
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  Speaker 1: in Christ. Compare with this thine own estate, thy anxiety
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  Speaker 1: about money, thy vying with harlots, thy emulating of the grass.
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  Speaker 1: And then thou wilt see who they were and who
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  Speaker 1: thou art, Or rather, do not compare only, but vie
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  Speaker 1: with this woman, and after laying aside the burdens of grass.
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  Speaker 1: For this is what thy costly dressing is. Take thou
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  Speaker 1: the dress from heaven and learn whence Priscilla became such
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  Speaker 1: as she was? How then did they become so? For
• 16:54
  Speaker 1: two years they entertained Paul as a guest. And what
• 16:58
  Speaker 1: is there that these two years may not have done
• 16:59
  Speaker 1: for their souls? What am I to do? Then, you
• 17:03
  Speaker 1: will say, because I have not Paul. If thou be minded,
• 17:06
  Speaker 1: thou mayst have him in a truer sense than they.
• 17:09
  Speaker 1: For even with them, the sight of Paul was not
• 17:12
  Speaker 1: what made them of such a character, but the words
• 17:14
  Speaker 1: of Paul. And so if thou be so minded, thou
• 17:17
  Speaker 1: shalt have both Paul and Peter and John, and the
• 17:20
  Speaker 1: whole choir of the prophets, with the apostles associating with
• 17:23
  Speaker 1: THEE continually. For take the books of these blessed ones
• 17:26
  Speaker 1: and hold a continual intercourse with their writings, and they
• 17:29
  Speaker 1: will be able to make THEE like the tent maker's wife.
• 17:33
  Speaker 1: And why speak I of Paul, For if thou wilt,
• 17:36
  Speaker 1: thou mayst have Paul's master himself. For through Paul's tongue
• 17:39
  Speaker 1: even he will discourse with thee. And in another way again,
• 17:43
  Speaker 1: thou wilt be able to receive this person when thou
• 17:45
  Speaker 1: receivest the saints, when thou tendest those that believe on him,
• 17:49
  Speaker 1: and so even after their departure, thou wilt have many
• 17:51
  Speaker 1: memorials of piety. For even the table at which a
• 17:54
  Speaker 1: holy man ate, and a seat on which he sat,
• 17:57
  Speaker 1: and the couch on which he lay, knoweth how to
• 17:59
  Speaker 1: pierce him that received him even after his departure. How then,
• 18:04
  Speaker 1: think you as that schooner might pierced at entering the
• 18:07
  Speaker 1: upper chamber where Elisha abode, and saw the table, the
• 18:10
  Speaker 1: couch on which the holy man slept, And what religiousness
• 18:13
  Speaker 1: must she have felt come from it? For had this
• 18:16
  Speaker 1: not been so, she would not have cast the child
• 18:18
  Speaker 1: there when dead, nor even have gone in if she
• 18:21
  Speaker 1: had not reaped great benefit from Thence, For if so
• 18:24
  Speaker 1: long time after upon entering in where poor abode, where
• 18:28
  Speaker 1: he was bound, where he sat and discoursed, we are
• 18:32
  Speaker 1: elevated and find ourselves starting off from the places to
• 18:35
  Speaker 1: the recollection of that day, when the circumstances were still fresher.
• 18:40
  Speaker 1: What must those have been likely to feel who had
• 18:42
  Speaker 1: religiously entertained him. Knowing all this, then let us receive
• 18:46
  Speaker 1: the saints, that the house may shine, that it may
• 18:49
  Speaker 1: be freed from choking thorns, that the small abode may
• 18:52
  Speaker 1: become a haven. And let us receive them and wash
• 18:55
  Speaker 1: their feet. Thou art not better than Sarah, nor more noble,
• 18:59
  Speaker 1: nor more wealthy, though thou be an empress. Now she
• 19:02
  Speaker 1: had three hundred and eighteen home born servants at a
• 19:05
  Speaker 1: time when to have two servants even was to be wealthy.
• 19:08
  Speaker 1: And why do I mention thee three hundred and eighteen servants.
• 19:11
  Speaker 1: She had become possessed of the whole world in her
• 19:13
  Speaker 1: seed and in the promises. She had the friend of
• 19:16
  Speaker 1: God for her husband, God himself as a patron, a
• 19:19
  Speaker 1: thing greater than any kingdom. And yet though she was
• 19:22
  Speaker 1: in so illustrious and honorable a state, this woman kneaded
• 19:26
  Speaker 1: the flower, and did all the other servants officers, and
• 19:28
  Speaker 1: stood by them as they banqueted, too, in the rank
• 19:31
  Speaker 1: of a servant. Thou art not of nobler birth than Abraham,
• 19:35
  Speaker 1: who yet did the part of domestics, after his exploits,
• 19:38
  Speaker 1: after his victories, after the honor paid him by the
• 19:40
  Speaker 1: King of Egypt, after driving out the kings of the
• 19:42
  Speaker 1: Persians and raising the glorious trophies, and looked not to this,
• 19:47
  Speaker 1: that in appearance the saints that lodge with THEE are
• 19:50
  Speaker 1: but a poor thing, and as beggars and in rags
• 19:53
  Speaker 1: many times. But be mindful of that voice which says,
• 19:56
  Speaker 1: inasmuch as ye have done it to the least of these,
• 19:58
  Speaker 1: ye have done it unto me. And despise not one
• 20:01
  Speaker 1: of these little ones, because their angels do always behold
• 20:04
  Speaker 1: the face of My Father, which is in heaven. Received
• 20:07
  Speaker 1: them then, with readiness of mind, bringing as they do,
• 20:10
  Speaker 1: ten thousand blessings to THEE through the greetings of peace.
• 20:14
  Speaker 1: And after Sarah reflect upon Rebecca also, who both drew
• 20:17
  Speaker 1: water and gave to drink, and called the stranger in
• 20:20
  Speaker 1: trampling down all haughtiness. However, through this great were the
• 20:24
  Speaker 1: rewards of hospitality she received. And thou, if thou be
• 20:28
  Speaker 1: so minded, wilt receive even greater than those. For it
• 20:31
  Speaker 1: will not be the fruit of the ground only that
• 20:33
  Speaker 1: God will give THEE, but the heaven and the blessings there,
• 20:37
  Speaker 1: and a freedom from Hell and a remission of sins.
• 20:40
  Speaker 1: For great, ye, very great, is the fruit of hospitality
• 20:43
  Speaker 1: thus to Jethro, and that, though he was a foreigner,
• 20:47
  Speaker 1: gained for a relation. Him who with so great power
• 20:50
  Speaker 1: commanded the sea for his daughters too, drew into his
• 20:53
  Speaker 1: net this honorable prey. Setting then thy thoughts upon these things,
• 20:57
  Speaker 1: and reflecting upon thee manly and heroic temper of those women,
• 21:01
  Speaker 1: trample upon the gorgeousness of this day, the adornments of dress,
• 21:05
  Speaker 1: the costly gold and jewelry, the anointing with perfumes, And
• 21:08
  Speaker 1: have done with those wanton and delicate airs, and that
• 21:12
  Speaker 1: mincing walk, and turn all this attentiveness under the soul,
• 21:15
  Speaker 1: and kindle up in thy mind a longing for the heavens.
• 21:19
  Speaker 1: For should but this love take hold of thee, Thou
• 21:22
  Speaker 1: wilt discern the mire and the clay, and ridicule the
• 21:25
  Speaker 1: things now so admired, For it is not even possible
• 21:28
  Speaker 1: for a woman adorned with spiritual attainments to be seeking
• 21:31
  Speaker 1: after this ridiculousness. Having then cast this aside, which wives
• 21:36
  Speaker 1: of the Luda sort of men and actresses and singers
• 21:39
  Speaker 1: have so much ambition, in clad thee with the love
• 21:42
  Speaker 1: of wisdom, with hospitality, with the succoring of the saints,
• 21:45
  Speaker 1: with compunction with continual prayer. These be better than cloth
• 21:49
  Speaker 1: of gold, these more stately than jewels and their necklaces.
• 21:52
  Speaker 1: These both make THEE of good repute among men, and
• 21:55
  Speaker 1: bring THEE great reward with God. This is the address
• 21:59
  Speaker 1: of the church, that of the play houses. This is
• 22:02
  Speaker 1: worthy of heaven, that of horses and mules, that is
• 22:05
  Speaker 1: put even round dead corpses. This shineth in a good
• 22:09
  Speaker 1: soul alone, wherein Christ dwelleth. Let this then be the
• 22:12
  Speaker 1: dress for us to acquire, that we also may have
• 22:15
  Speaker 1: our praise sung everywhere, and be well pleasing to Christ
• 22:19
  Speaker 1: for ever and ever Amen. End of Section forty nine.