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002 - Homily II · Three Homilies on the Devil

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Speaker 1: Omily two from three Homilies on the Devil by Saint
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Speaker 1: John Crusostom. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain.
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Speaker 1: Homily two against those who object because the devil has
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Speaker 1: not been put out of the world, and to prove
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Speaker 1: that his wickedness does no harm to us, if we
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Speaker 1: take heed concerning repentance. When Isaac in old time was
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Speaker 1: desirous to eat a meal at the hands of his son,
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Speaker 1: he sent his son forth from the house to the chase.
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Speaker 1: But when this Isaac was desirous to accept a meal
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Speaker 1: at my hands, he did not send me forth from
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Speaker 1: the house, but himself ran to our table. What could
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Speaker 1: be more tenderly affectionate than he, what more humble, who
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Speaker 1: thought fit to show his warm love thus, and deigned
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Speaker 1: to descend so far On this account, surely, we, also,
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Speaker 1: having spent the tones of our voice and the strength
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Speaker 1: of our feet over the morning discourse, when we saw
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Speaker 1: his fatherly face, forgot our weakness lay our side, our
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Speaker 1: fatigue were uplifted with pleasure. We saw his illustrious, poory head,
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Speaker 1: and our soul was filled with light. On this account, two,
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Speaker 1: we set our table with readiness, in order that he
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Speaker 1: should eat and bless us. There is no fraud in
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Speaker 1: guile here as there was then there. One indeed was
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Speaker 1: commanded to bring the meal, but another brought it. But
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Speaker 1: I was commanded to bring it and brought it to
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Speaker 1: bless me. Then, O, my Father, with spiritual blessing, which
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Speaker 1: we all also pray ever to receive, and which is
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Speaker 1: profitable not only to thee, but also to me and
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Speaker 1: to all these, entreat the common master of us all
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Speaker 1: to prolong thy life to the old age of Isaac.
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Speaker 1: For this is both for me and for these, more
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Speaker 1: valuable and more needful than the dew of heaven and
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Speaker 1: the fatness of the earth. But it is time to
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Speaker 1: proceed to set out our table. What then, is this
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Speaker 1: the remains of what was lately said, with a view
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Speaker 1: to our love of you. For still still we renew
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Speaker 1: our discourse concerning the Devil, which we started two days ago,
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Speaker 1: which we also addressed to the initiated this morning, when
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Speaker 1: we discourse to them about renunciation and covenant. And we
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Speaker 1: do this not because our discourse about the devil is
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Speaker 1: sweet to us, but because the doctrine about him is
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Speaker 1: full of security for you, For he is an enemy
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Speaker 1: and a foe and it is a great security to
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Speaker 1: know clearly the tactics of your enemies. We have said
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Speaker 1: lately that he does not overcome by force, nor by tyranny,
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Speaker 1: nor through compulsion, nor through violence, since were this so,
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Speaker 1: he would have destroyed all men. And in testimony of
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Speaker 1: this we brought forward the swine against which the demons
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Speaker 1: were unable to venture anything before the permission of the Master,
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Speaker 1: the herds and flocks of Job, For not even did
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Speaker 1: the devil venture to destroy these until he received power
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Speaker 1: from above. We learned therefore this one thing, first, that
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Speaker 1: he does not overcome us by force or by compulsion.
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Speaker 1: Next after that we added that even when he overcomes
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Speaker 1: by deceitfulness, not thus does he get the better of
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Speaker 1: all men. Then again we brought that athlete Job himself
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Speaker 1: into the midst, against whom he set countless schemes going,
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Speaker 1: and not even thus got the better of him. But
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Speaker 1: Withdrew defeated, one question still remains, what then is this
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Speaker 1: matter that if he does not overcome, says one, by force,
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Speaker 1: yet by deceitfulness, And this account, it were better that
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Speaker 1: he should be destroyed. For if Job got the better
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Speaker 1: of him, yet Adam was deceived and over thres thrown. Now,
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Speaker 1: if once for all he had been removed from the world,
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Speaker 1: Adam would never have been overthrown. But now he remains
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Speaker 1: and is defeated, indeed by one, but gets the better
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Speaker 1: of many. Ten overcame him, but he himself overcomes and
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Speaker 1: wrestles down ten thousand. And if God took away from
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Speaker 1: the world, these ten thousand would not have perished. What then,
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Speaker 1: shall we say to this that first of all, they
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Speaker 1: who overcame are more valuable far than they who are defeated,
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Speaker 1: even if the latter be more in the former less
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Speaker 1: for better is one saith he that doeth the will
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Speaker 1: of God than ten thousand transgressors. And next that if
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Speaker 1: the antagonist were taken away, he who overcomes is thereby injured.
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Speaker 1: For if thou lettest the adversary remain, the more slothful
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Speaker 1: are injured not on account of the more diligent, but
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Speaker 1: by their own slothfulness. As if thou takest away the antagonist,
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Speaker 1: the more diligent are betrayed on account of the sloth
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Speaker 1: and neither exhibit their own power nor win crowns. Perhaps
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Speaker 1: he have not yet understood what has been said. Therefore
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Speaker 1: it is necessary that I should say it again more clearly.
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Speaker 1: Let there be one antagonist, but let there also be
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Speaker 1: two athletes about to wrestle against him. And of these
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Speaker 1: two athletes, let one be consumed with gluttony, unprepared, void
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Speaker 1: of strength, nerveless, but the other diligence of good habit,
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Speaker 1: passing his time in the wrestling school, in many gymnastic exercises,
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Speaker 1: and exhibiting the practice which bears upon the contest. If
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Speaker 1: then thou takest away the antagonist, which of these two
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Speaker 1: hast thou injured, this slothful, prey and unprepared, or the
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Speaker 1: earnest one who has toiled so much? It is quite
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Speaker 1: clear that it is the earnest one, for the one
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Speaker 1: indeed is wronged by the slothful after the antagonist has
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Speaker 1: been taken away. But the slothful, while he remains, is
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Speaker 1: no longer injured on account of the earnest, for he
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Speaker 1: has fallen owing to his own slothfulness. I will state
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Speaker 1: another solution of this question, in order that thou mayst
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Speaker 1: learn that the devil does not injure, but their own
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Speaker 1: slothfulness everywhere overthrows those who do not take heed. Let
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Speaker 1: the devil be allowed to be exceedingly wicked, not by nature,
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Speaker 1: but by choice and conviction, or that the devil is
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Speaker 1: not by nature wicked, learned from his very names. For
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Speaker 1: the devil the slanderer, that is, is called so from slandering.
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Speaker 1: For he slandered man to God, saying, doth job reverence
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Speaker 1: thee for nought? But put out thine hand and touch
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Speaker 1: what he hath see. If he will not blaspheme thee
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Speaker 1: to thy face. He slandered God again to man, saying
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Speaker 1: fire fell from heath and burnt up the sheep. For
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Speaker 1: he was anxious to persuade him that this warfare was
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Speaker 1: stirred up from above out of the heavens. And he
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Speaker 1: set the servant at variance with the master, and the
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Speaker 1: master with his servant. Rather, he did not set them
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Speaker 1: at variance, but attempted to, indeed, but was not able,
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Speaker 1: in order that whenever thou mayst set another servant at
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Speaker 1: variance with his master, adam with God, and believing the
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Speaker 1: devil slander, thou mayst learn that he gained strength not
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Speaker 1: owing to his own power, but from that man's slothfulness
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Speaker 1: and carelessness. He has called the devil. Therefore, on that account.
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Speaker 1: But to slander and to refrain from slander is not natural,
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Speaker 1: but an action which takes place, and which ceases to
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Speaker 1: take place, occurring and ceasing to occur. Now, such things
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Speaker 1: do not reach the rank of the nature or the
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Speaker 1: essence of a thing. I know that this consideration about
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Speaker 1: essence and acts accident is hard to be grasped by many.
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Speaker 1: But there are they who are able to lend a
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Speaker 1: finer year. Wherefore, also we have spoken these things. Do
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Speaker 1: you wish that I should come to another name? You
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Speaker 1: shall see that that also is not a name which
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Speaker 1: belongs to his essence or nature. He is called wicked,
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Speaker 1: But his wickedness is not from his nature, but from
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Speaker 1: his choice. For even this at one time is present,
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Speaker 1: at another time is absent. Do not thou then say
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Speaker 1: this to me that it always remains with him? For
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Speaker 1: it was not indeed with him at the beginning, but
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Speaker 1: afterwards came upon him. Wherefore he is called apostate. Although
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Speaker 1: many men are wicked, he alone is called wicked by
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Speaker 1: pre eminence. Why then is he thus called, because though
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Speaker 1: in no way wronged by us, having no grudge, whether
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Speaker 1: small or great, when he saw mankind had in honor
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Speaker 1: he straightway envied him is good. What therefore could be
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Speaker 1: worse than this wickedness, except when hatred and war exist
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Speaker 1: without having any reasonable cause. Let the devil then be
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Speaker 1: let alone, and let us bring forward the creation, in
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Speaker 1: order that thou mayst learn that the devil is not
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Speaker 1: the cause of ills to us, if we would only
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Speaker 1: take heed, in order that thou mayst learn that the
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Speaker 1: weak and choice, and that the unprepared and the slothful,
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Speaker 1: even were there no devil, falls and casts himself into
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Speaker 1: many a depth of evil. The devil is evil, I
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Speaker 1: know it myself, and it is acknowledged by all. Yet
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Speaker 1: give heed strictly to the things which are now about
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Speaker 1: to be said, For they are not ordinary matters, but
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Speaker 1: those about which many words, many times, and in many
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Speaker 1: places arise, about which there is many a fight in battle,
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Speaker 1: not only on the part of the faithful against unbelievers,
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Speaker 1: but also on the part of the faithful against the faithful.
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Speaker 1: For this is that which is full of pain. The
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Speaker 1: devil then is acknowledged, as I said, to be evil
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Speaker 1: by all. But what shall we say about this beautiful
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Speaker 1: and wondrous creation? Pray, is the creation too wicked and
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Speaker 1: who is so corrupt, who is so dull and demented
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Speaker 1: as to accuse the creation, What then shall we say
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Speaker 1: about this? For it is not the wicked, but it
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Speaker 1: is both beautiful and the token of wisdom and power
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Speaker 1: and loving kindness of God. Here at least, how the
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Speaker 1: prophet marvels at it, saying, how are thy works magnified? O,
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Speaker 1: Lord in wisdom, thou hast made them all? He did
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Speaker 1: go through them one by one, but withdrew before the
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Speaker 1: incomprehensible wisdom of God. And that he has made it
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Speaker 1: thus beautiful and vast, Ones, saying, from the vastness and
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Speaker 1: beauty of the creatures, the originator of them is proportionately
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Speaker 1: seen here too, Paul, saying, for the invisible things of Him,
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Speaker 1: since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being
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Speaker 1: perceived through the things that are made. For each of
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Speaker 1: these by which he spake declared that the creation leads
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Speaker 1: us to the knowledge of God, because it causes us
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Speaker 1: to know the Master fully. What then, if we see
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Speaker 1: this beautiful and wondrous creation itself becoming a cause of
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Speaker 1: impiety to many, shall we blame it? And no wise
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Speaker 1: but them who are unable to use the medicine rightly.
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Speaker 1: Whence then, is this which leads us to the knowledge
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Speaker 1: of God a cause of impiety? The wise saith he
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Speaker 1: were darkened in their understandings, and worshiped and served the
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Speaker 1: creature more than the Creator. The devil is nowhere here,
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Speaker 1: a demon is nowhere here to the Creation alone is
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Speaker 1: set before us as the teacher of the knowledge of God.
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Speaker 1: How then has it become the cause of impiety, not
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Speaker 1: owing to its own nature, but owing to the carelessness
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Speaker 1: of those who do not take heed? What then shall
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Speaker 1: we take away even the creation? Tell me? And why
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Speaker 1: do I speak about the creation? Let us come to
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Speaker 1: our own members, For even these we shall find to
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Speaker 1: be the cause of destruction if we do not take heed,
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Speaker 1: not because of their own nature, but because of our sloth.
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Speaker 1: And look, and I was given in order that thou
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Speaker 1: mayst behold the creation and glorify the Master. But if
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Speaker 1: thou dost not use the eye well, it becomes to
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Speaker 1: thee the minister of adultery. A tongue has been given
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Speaker 1: in order that thou mayest speak well, in order that
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Speaker 1: thou mayest praise the Creator. But if thou givest not
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Speaker 1: excellent heed, it becomes the cause of blasphemy to thee
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Speaker 1: in hands. We're given thee that thou mayst stretch them
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Speaker 1: forth unto prayer. But if thou art not wary, thou
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Speaker 1: stretchest them out unto covedness. Feat were given in order
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Speaker 1: that thou mayst run into good works, But if thou
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Speaker 1: art careless, thou wilt cause wicked works by means of them.
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Speaker 1: Dost thou see that all things hurt the weak man.
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Speaker 1: Dost thou see that even the medicines of salvation inflict
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Speaker 1: death upon the weakness, not because of their own nature,
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Speaker 1: but because of his weakness. God made the heaven in
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Speaker 1: order that thou mayst wonder at the work and worship
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Speaker 1: the Master. But others, leaving the Creator alone, have worshiped
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Speaker 1: the heaven, and this from their own carelessness and senselessness.
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Speaker 1: But why do I speak of the creation assuredly? What
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Speaker 1: could be more conducive to salvation than the Cross? But
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Speaker 1: this cross has become an offense to the weak. For
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Speaker 1: the word of the Cross is to them that are
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Speaker 1: perishing foolishness, But to those which are being saved it
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Speaker 1: is the power of God. And again we preach Christ
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Speaker 1: crucified under the jews of stumbling block and under the
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Speaker 1: gentile's foolishness. But what could be more fit for teaching
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Speaker 1: than Paul and the apostles? But the apostles became a
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Speaker 1: savor of death to many, he says, at least to
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Speaker 1: one a savor from death unto death, to the other
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Speaker 1: a savior from life unto life. Dost thou see that
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Speaker 1: the weak is hurt even by Paul, But the strong
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Speaker 1: is injured not even by the devil. Dost thou wish
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Speaker 1: that we should exercise the argument in the case of
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Speaker 1: Jesus Christ. What is equal to that salvation? What is
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Speaker 1: more profitable than that presence? But this very saving presence,
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Speaker 1: so profitable, became an additional means of chastising to many,
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Speaker 1: For for judgment saith. He came I into this world
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Speaker 1: that they which see not may see, and that they
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Speaker 1: which see may become blind. What dost thou say the
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Speaker 1: light became a cause of blindness? The light did not
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Speaker 1: become a cause of blindness. But the weakness of the
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Speaker 1: eyes of the soul was not able to entertain the light.
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Speaker 1: Thou hast seen that a weak man is hurt on
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Speaker 1: all sides, but the strong is benefited on all sides.
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Speaker 1: For in every case the purpose is the cause. In
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Speaker 1: every case the disposition is master. Since the devil, if
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Speaker 1: thou wouldst understand, it is even profitable to us if
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Speaker 1: we use him aright, and benefits us greatly, and we
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Speaker 1: gain no ordinary advantages. And this we showed in a
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Speaker 1: small degree from the case of Job. And it is
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Speaker 1: possible also to learn this from Paul, For writing about
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Speaker 1: the fornicator, he thus speaks, deliver such an one unto
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Speaker 1: Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit
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Speaker 1: may be saved. Behold, even the devil has become a
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Speaker 1: cause of salvation, but not because of his own disposition,
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Speaker 1: but because of the skill of the apostles. As the physicians,
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Speaker 1: taking serpents and cutting off their destructive members, prepare medicines
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Speaker 1: for antidotes, so also did Paul. He took whatever was
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Speaker 1: profitable of the chastening that proceeds from the devil, and
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Speaker 1: left the rest alone norder that thou mayst learn that
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Speaker 1: the devil is not the cause of salvation, but that
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Speaker 1: he hasted to destroy and devour mankind, but that the apostle,
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Speaker 1: through his own wisdom cut his throat. Here in the
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Speaker 1: second Epistle to the Corinthians. What he saith about this
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Speaker 1: very fornicator, confirm your love towards him, lest by any
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Speaker 1: means such an one should be swallowed up over by
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Speaker 1: much sorrow, and we be taken advantage of by Satan.
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Speaker 1: We have snatched beforehand the man from the gullet of
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Speaker 1: the wild beast. He saith for the apostle often used
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Speaker 1: the devil as an executioner. For the executioners punish those
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Speaker 1: who have done wrong, not as they choose, but as
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Speaker 1: the judges allow. For this is the rule for the
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Speaker 1: executioner to take vengeance, giving heed to the command of
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Speaker 1: the judge. Dost thou see to what a dignity the
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Speaker 1: apostle mounted, He who was invested with a body, used
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Speaker 1: the bodyless as an executioner, and that which their common
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Speaker 1: master saith to the devil concerning job, charging him thus
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Speaker 1: touch his flesh, and thou shall not touch his life,
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Speaker 1: giving him a limit and a measure of vengeance, in
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Speaker 1: order that the wild beasts might not be impetuous and
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Speaker 1: leap upon him too shamelessly. This too, the apostle does
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Speaker 1: for delivering the fornicator over to him, he says, for
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Speaker 1: the destruction of the flesh, that is, thou shalt not
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Speaker 1: touch his life. Dost thou see the authority of this servant.
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Speaker 1: Fear not therefore the devil, even if he be bodyless,
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Speaker 1: for he has come in contact with him. And nothing
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Speaker 1: is weaker than he who has come into such contact,
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Speaker 1: even though he be not invested with a body, as
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Speaker 1: then nothing is stronger than he who has boldness, even
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Speaker 1: though he bear about a mortal body. All these things
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Speaker 1: have been now said by me, not in order that
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Speaker 1: I may discharge the devil from blame, but that I
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Speaker 1: may free you from thoughtfulness. For he wishes extremely to
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Speaker 1: attribute the cause of our sins to himself, in order
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Speaker 1: that we, being nourished by these hopes and entering on
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Speaker 1: all kinds of evil, may increase the chastening in our
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Speaker 1: own case, and may meet with no pardon from having
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Speaker 1: transferred the cause to him, just as Eve met with none.
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Speaker 1: But let us not do this, But let us know ourselves,
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Speaker 1: let us know our wounds, or thus shall we be
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Speaker 1: able to apply the medicines. For he who does not
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Speaker 1: know his disease, we give no care heir to his weakness.
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Speaker 1: We have sinned much. I know this well, for we
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Speaker 1: are all liable for penalties. But we are not deprived
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Speaker 1: of pardon, nor shall we fall away from repentance, for
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Speaker 1: we still stand in the arena and are in the
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Speaker 1: struggles of repentance. Art thou old, and hast thou come
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Speaker 1: to the last outlet of life. Do not consider even
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Speaker 1: thus that thou hast fallen from repentance, nor despair of
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Speaker 1: thine own salvation. But consider the robber who was freed
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Speaker 1: on the cross. For what was briefer than that hour
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Speaker 1: in which he was crowned? Yet notwithstanding even this was
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Speaker 1: enough for him for salvation. Art thou young, Do not
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Speaker 1: be confident in thy youth, nor think that thou hast
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Speaker 1: a very fixed term of life. For the day of
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Speaker 1: the Lord so cometh as a thief and the knight.
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Speaker 1: On this account, he has made our end invisible, in
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Speaker 1: order that we might make our diligence in our forethought plain.
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Speaker 1: Dost thou not see men taken away prematurely day after day?
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Speaker 1: On this account, a certain one admonishes make no tarrying
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Speaker 1: to turn to the Lord, and put not off from
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Speaker 1: day to day, least at any time, as thou delayest,
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Speaker 1: thou art destroyed. Let the old man keep this admonition.
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Speaker 1: Let the young man take this advice. Yea art thou
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Speaker 1: in security, In art thou rich, and dost thou abound
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Speaker 1: in wealth? And does no affliction happen to thee Still
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Speaker 1: hear what Paul says. When they say peace and safety,
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Speaker 1: then sudden destruction cometh upon them. Affairs are full of
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Speaker 1: much charge. We are not masters of our end. Let
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Speaker 1: us be masters of virtue. Our master Christ is loving.
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Speaker 1: Do you wish that I shall speak of the ways
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Speaker 1: of repentance? They are many and various and different, and
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Speaker 1: all lead to heaven. The first way of repentance is
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Speaker 1: condemnation of sins. Declare thou for thy sins, that thou
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Speaker 1: mayest be justified. Wherefore also the prophet said, I said,
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Speaker 1: I will speak out my transgression to the Lord, and
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Speaker 1: thou reminiscet the iniquity of my heart. Condemn thyself therefore
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Speaker 1: for thy sins. This is enough for the Master by
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Speaker 1: way of self defense. For he who condemns his sins
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Speaker 1: is slower to fall into them again. Awake thy conscience,
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Speaker 1: that inward accuser, in order that thou mayest have no
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Speaker 1: accuser at the judgment seat of the Lord. This is
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Speaker 1: one way of repentance the best, and there is another
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Speaker 1: not less than this, Not to bear a grudge against
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Speaker 1: thine enemies, to overcome anger, to forgive the sins of
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Speaker 1: our fellow servants. For so will those which have been
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Speaker 1: done against the Master be forgiven us see the second
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Speaker 1: expiation of sins. For if ye forgive saith he your debts,
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Speaker 1: your heavenly Father will also forgive you. You dost thou
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Speaker 1: wish to learn a third way of repentance, fervent and
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Speaker 1: diligent prayer, and do this from the bottom of the heart.
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Speaker 1: Hast thou not seen that widow how she persuaded the
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Speaker 1: shameless judge, But thou hast a gentle master, both tender
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Speaker 1: and kind. She asked against her adversaries. But thou dost
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Speaker 1: not ask against thine adversaries, but on behalf of thy
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Speaker 1: own salvation. And if thou wouldst learn a fourth way,
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Speaker 1: I will say almsgiving, For this has a great power
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Speaker 1: and unspeakable. For Daniel saith to nebecanizer, when he had
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Speaker 1: come to all kinds of evil and had entered upon
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Speaker 1: all impiety, O King, let my counsel be acceptable unto THEE,
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Speaker 1: redeem thy sins by almsgiving, and then iniquities by compassion
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Speaker 1: on the poor. What could be compared with this loving kindness,
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Speaker 1: after countless sins, after so many transgressions. He is prompt
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Speaker 1: that he will be reconciled with him he has come
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Speaker 1: into conflict with, if he will show kindness to his
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Speaker 1: fellow servants, and modesty and humility, not less than all
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Speaker 1: words spoken exhaust the nature of sins, and the public
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Speaker 1: in his proof, being unable to declare his good deeds
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Speaker 1: in sight of all, bringing forward his humility, and laying
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Speaker 1: aside the heavy burden of his sins. See, we have
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Speaker 1: shown five ways of repentance. First the condemnation of sins,
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Speaker 1: Next the forgiveness of our neighbors sins. Thirdly that which
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Speaker 1: comes of prayer, Fourth that which comes of almsgiving, Fifth
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Speaker 1: that which comes of humility. Do not thou then be lazy,
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Speaker 1: but walk in all these day by day, For the
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Speaker 1: ways are easy. Nor canst thou plead poverty. And if
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Speaker 1: thou livest poorer than all, thou art able to leave
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Speaker 1: thine anger and be humble, and to pray fervently and
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Speaker 1: to condemn sins. And thy poverty is in no way
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Speaker 1: a hindrance. And why do I speak thus when not,
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Speaker 1: even in that way of repentance, in which it is
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Speaker 1: possible to spend money, I speak of almsgiving. Not even
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Speaker 1: there is poverty any hindrance to us from obeying the command.
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Speaker 1: The widow who spent the two mites is a proof.
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Speaker 1: Having learned then the healing of our wounds. Let us
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Speaker 1: constantly apply these medicines in order that we may return
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Speaker 1: to health and enjoy the sacred table with assurance and
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Speaker 1: with much glory. Reach Christ, the King of Glory, and
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Speaker 1: attain to everlasting good by the grace and compassion and
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Speaker 1: loving kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom and
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Speaker 1: with whom be glory, power, honor to the Father, Together
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Speaker 1: with the all holy and good and quickening Spirit. Now
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Speaker 1: it always and forever and ever Amen. End of Homily
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Speaker 1: II