Latest / Sermon on the Mount - Commentary / 005 - Homily 17 - MT 527-37 On Integrity

Transcript

005 - Homily 17 - MT 527-37 On Integrity · Sermon on the Mount - Commentary

0:00
Speaker 1: Homily seventeen, Saint John Chrysostom Homilie's on the Gospel of
0:06
Speaker 1: Saint Matthew, translated by the Reverend Sir George Previst m A.
0:13
Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Homily seventeen,
0:19
Speaker 1: Matthew five twenty seven through thirty seven. Ye have heard
0:26
Speaker 1: that it was said to them of old time, thou
0:30
Speaker 1: shalt not commit adultery. But I say unto you that
0:35
Speaker 1: every one who looketh upon a woman to lust after
0:38
Speaker 1: her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
0:45
Speaker 1: Having now finished the former commandment, and having extended it
0:50
Speaker 1: unto the height of self denial, he, advancing in course
0:55
Speaker 1: and order, proceeds accordingly unto the second herein to obeying
1:01
Speaker 1: the law. And yet it may be said, this is
1:05
Speaker 1: not the second, but the third, for neither is the first.
1:10
Speaker 1: Thou shalt not kill, But the Lord thy God is
1:15
Speaker 1: one lord. Wherefore it is worth inquiring too why he
1:21
Speaker 1: did not begin with that? Why was it then? Because
1:26
Speaker 1: had he begun from thence, he must have enlarged it
1:30
Speaker 1: also and have brought in himself together with his father.
1:35
Speaker 1: But it was not as yet time to teach any
1:38
Speaker 1: such thing about himself. And besides, he was for a
1:43
Speaker 1: while practicing his moral doctrine, only being minded from this
1:48
Speaker 1: first and from his miracles, to convince the hearers that
1:53
Speaker 1: he was the son of God. Now, if he had
1:56
Speaker 1: said it once before he had spoken or done anything,
2:02
Speaker 1: ye have heard that it was said to them of
2:04
Speaker 1: old time, I am the Lord thy God, and there
2:08
Speaker 1: is none other but me. But I say unto you,
2:12
Speaker 1: worship me even as him. This would have made all
2:17
Speaker 1: regard him as a madman. For if, even after his
2:22
Speaker 1: teaching and his so great miracles, while not even yet
2:28
Speaker 1: was he saying this openly, they called him possessed with
2:31
Speaker 1: a devil. Had he before all these attempted to say
2:36
Speaker 1: any such thing, what would they not have said? What
2:41
Speaker 1: would they not have thought? But keeping back at the
2:45
Speaker 1: proper season his teaching on these subjects, he was causing
2:49
Speaker 1: that the doctrine should be acceptable to the many. Wherefore
2:54
Speaker 1: now he passed it by quickly. But when he had
2:57
Speaker 1: everywhere established it by his merricles and by his most
3:01
Speaker 1: excellent teaching, he afterwards unveiled it in words. Also for
3:08
Speaker 1: the present, however, by the manifestation of his miracles, and
3:13
Speaker 1: by the very manner of his teaching, he unfolds it
3:16
Speaker 1: on occasion, gradually and quietly, for his enacting such laws,
3:23
Speaker 1: in such corrections of laws with authority, would lead on
3:28
Speaker 1: the attentive and understanding hearer by little and little unto
3:33
Speaker 1: the word of his doctrine. For it is said they
3:37
Speaker 1: were astonished at him because he taught not as their scribes,
3:44
Speaker 1: for beginning from those passions which most belong to our
3:48
Speaker 1: whole race, anger I mean and desire. For it is
3:53
Speaker 1: these chiefly that bear absolute sway within us, and are
3:57
Speaker 1: more natural than the rest. He with great authority, even
4:03
Speaker 1: such as became a legislator, both corrected them and reduced
4:08
Speaker 1: them to order with all strictness. For he said not
4:13
Speaker 1: that the adulterer merely is punished, but what he had
4:17
Speaker 1: done with respect to the murderer. This he doth here,
4:21
Speaker 1: also punishing even the unchaste. Look to teach thee wherein
4:26
Speaker 1: lies what he had more than the scribes. Accordingly, he saith,
4:33
Speaker 1: he that looketh upon a woman to lust after her
4:36
Speaker 1: hath already committed adultery with her. That is, he who
4:42
Speaker 1: makes it his business to be curious about bright forms
4:46
Speaker 1: and to hunt for elegant features, and to feast his
4:49
Speaker 1: soul with the sight, and to fasten his eyes on
4:53
Speaker 1: fair countenances. For he came to set free from all
4:58
Speaker 1: evil deeds, not the body, but the soul too, before
5:02
Speaker 1: the body. Thus, because in the heart we receive the
5:07
Speaker 1: grace of the spirit, he cleanses it out first. And
5:12
Speaker 1: how one may say, is it possible to be freed
5:15
Speaker 1: from desire? I answer first, if we were willing, even
5:21
Speaker 1: this might be deadened and remain inactive in the next place.
5:28
Speaker 1: He doth not here take away desire absolutely, but that
5:32
Speaker 1: desire which brings up in men from sight. For he
5:36
Speaker 1: that is curious to behold fair countenances is himself chiefly
5:41
Speaker 1: the enkindler of the furnace of that passion, and makes
5:45
Speaker 1: his own soul a captive, and soon proceeds also to
5:49
Speaker 1: the act. Thus we see why he said, not whosoever
5:54
Speaker 1: shall lust to commit adultery, but whosoever shall to lust.
6:02
Speaker 1: And in the case of anger he laid down a
6:05
Speaker 1: certain distinction, saying without a cause, and for no, but
6:11
Speaker 1: hear not so. Rather once for all he took away
6:15
Speaker 1: the desire. Yet surely both are naturally implanted, and both
6:21
Speaker 1: are set in us. For our profit both anger and desire,
6:26
Speaker 1: the one that we may chastise the evil and correct
6:30
Speaker 1: those who walk disorderly, the other that we may have children,
6:35
Speaker 1: and that our race may be recruited by such successions.
6:40
Speaker 1: Why then, did he not make a distinction here also, nay,
6:45
Speaker 1: very great is the distinction, which, if thou attend, thou
6:49
Speaker 1: wilt see here also included. For he said, not simply
6:55
Speaker 1: whosoever shall desire, since it is possible for one to
6:59
Speaker 1: desire even when sitting in the mountains. But whosoever shall
7:04
Speaker 1: look to lust, that is to say, he who gathers
7:09
Speaker 1: in lust unto himself, he who, when nothing compels him,
7:14
Speaker 1: brings in the wild beast upon his thoughts when they
7:17
Speaker 1: are calm. For this comes no longer of nature, but
7:22
Speaker 1: a self indulgence. This, even the ancient scripture corrects from
7:27
Speaker 1: the first, saying, contemplate, not beauty, which is another's. And then,
7:35
Speaker 1: lest any one should say, what then if I contemplate
7:39
Speaker 1: and be not taken captive? He punishes the look lest
7:45
Speaker 1: confiding in this security, thou shouldst sometimes fall into sin?
7:51
Speaker 1: What then, one may say, if I should look and desire, indeed,
7:56
Speaker 1: but do no evil? Even so thou art set among
8:01
Speaker 1: the adulterers, for the lawgiver hath pronounced it, and thou
8:06
Speaker 1: must not ask any more questions. For thus looking once
8:12
Speaker 1: twice or thrice, thou wilt perhaps have power to refrain.
8:18
Speaker 1: But if thou art continually doing this, and kindling the furnace,
8:24
Speaker 1: thou woult surely be taken, for thy station is not
8:27
Speaker 1: beyond that nature which is common to men. As we then,
8:33
Speaker 1: if we see a child holding a knife, though we
8:36
Speaker 1: do not see him, hurt, beat him, and forbid his
8:39
Speaker 1: ever holding it. So God likewise takes away the unchaste
8:45
Speaker 1: look even before the act, lest at any time thou
8:49
Speaker 1: shouldst fall in act. Also, for he who hath once
8:53
Speaker 1: kindled the flame, even when the woman whom he hath
8:57
Speaker 1: beheld is absent, is forming by by himself continually images
9:02
Speaker 1: of shameful things, and from them often goes on even
9:06
Speaker 1: to the deed. For this cause, Christ takes away even
9:11
Speaker 1: that embrace which is in the heart. Only what now
9:16
Speaker 1: can they say, who have those virgin inmates? Why, by
9:21
Speaker 1: the tender of this law they must be guilty of
9:23
Speaker 1: ten thousand adulteries daily, beholding them with desire. For this cause,
9:30
Speaker 1: the blessed Job also laid down this law from the beginning,
9:34
Speaker 1: blocking out from himself on all sides this kind of gazing.
9:39
Speaker 1: For in truth, greater is the struggle on beholding and
9:44
Speaker 1: not possessing the object of fondness. Nor is the pleasure
9:49
Speaker 1: so great which we reap from the sight as the
9:53
Speaker 1: mischief we undergo from increasing this desire, thus making our
9:58
Speaker 1: opponents strong, and giving more scope to the devil, and
10:03
Speaker 1: no longer able to repulse him. Now that we have
10:07
Speaker 1: brought him into our inmost parts, and have thrown our
10:11
Speaker 1: mind open unto him. Therefore he saith commit no adultery
10:17
Speaker 1: with thine eyes, and thou wilt commit none with thy mind.
10:23
Speaker 1: For one may indeed behold in another way, such as
10:27
Speaker 1: are the looks of the chaste. Wherefore he did not
10:31
Speaker 1: altogether prohibit our seeing, but that seeing which is accompanied
10:36
Speaker 1: with desire. And if he had not meant this, he
10:41
Speaker 1: would have said simply he who looketh on a woman.
10:46
Speaker 1: But now he said not thus, but he who looketh
10:50
Speaker 1: to lust, he who looketh to please his sight. For
10:55
Speaker 1: not at all to this end did God make thee eyes,
10:59
Speaker 1: that thou thou shouldst thereby introduce adultery, But that beholding
11:04
Speaker 1: his creatures, thou shouldst admire the artificer. Just then, as
11:11
Speaker 1: one may feel wrath at random, so may one cast
11:15
Speaker 1: looks at random. That is, when thou doest it for lust. Rather,
11:21
Speaker 1: if thou desirest to look in thine pleasure, look at
11:25
Speaker 1: thine own wife, and love her continually, no law forbids that.
11:31
Speaker 1: But if thou art to be curious about the beauties
11:34
Speaker 1: that belong to another, thou art injuring both thy wife
11:39
Speaker 1: by letting thine eyes wander elsewhere, and her on whom
11:44
Speaker 1: thou hast looked by touching her unlawfully. Since although thou
11:50
Speaker 1: hast not touched her with the hand, yet hast thou
11:54
Speaker 1: caressed her with thine eyes, for which cause this also
11:58
Speaker 1: is accounted adultery. And before that, great penalty draws after
12:03
Speaker 1: it no slight one of its own. For then all
12:08
Speaker 1: within him is filled with disquiet and turmoil, and great
12:12
Speaker 1: is the tempest, and most grievous the pain. And no
12:16
Speaker 1: captive nor person in chains can be worse off than
12:20
Speaker 1: a man in this state of mind. And oftentimes she
12:25
Speaker 1: who hath shot the dart is flown away, while the
12:29
Speaker 1: wound even so remains. Or rather, it is not she
12:34
Speaker 1: who hath shot the dart, but thou gavest thyself the
12:38
Speaker 1: fatal wound by thine unchaste. Look, and this I say
12:44
Speaker 1: to free modest women from the charge, since assuredly should
12:49
Speaker 1: one deck herself out and invite towards herself, the eyes
12:53
Speaker 1: of such as fall in her way. Even though she
12:57
Speaker 1: smite not himn that meets with her, she incures the
13:01
Speaker 1: utmost penalty. For she mixed the poison, she prepared the hemlock,
13:07
Speaker 1: even though she did not offer the cup. Or rather
13:11
Speaker 1: she did also offer the cup, though no one were
13:15
Speaker 1: found to drink it. Why then doth he not discourse
13:19
Speaker 1: with them? Also, it may be said, because the laws
13:24
Speaker 1: which he appoints are in every case common, although he
13:27
Speaker 1: seemed to address himself unto men only, for in discoursing
13:32
Speaker 1: with the head he makes his admonition common to the
13:36
Speaker 1: whole body. Also for woman in man he knows as
13:40
Speaker 1: one living creature, and nowhere distinguishes their kind. But if
13:45
Speaker 1: thou desirest to hear also his rebuke for them. In particular,
13:51
Speaker 1: listen to Isaiah in many words, inveighing against them and
13:55
Speaker 1: deriding their habit, their aspect, their gait, their trailing garments,
14:01
Speaker 1: their tripping feet, their drooping necks. Here with him the
14:06
Speaker 1: blessed Paul, also setting many laws for them, and both
14:11
Speaker 1: about garments and ornaments of gold, and plaiting of hair,
14:16
Speaker 1: and luxurious living, and all other such things, vehemently rebuking
14:22
Speaker 1: this sex and Christ too by what follows next obscurely
14:28
Speaker 1: into me did this very same? For when he saith
14:32
Speaker 1: pluck out and cut off the eye that offendeth thee,
14:36
Speaker 1: he speaks as indicating his anger against them. Wherefore also
14:42
Speaker 1: he subjoins, if thy right I offend thee, pluck it
14:47
Speaker 1: out and cast it from thee. Thus lest thou shouldst say,
14:52
Speaker 1: but what if she be akin to me? What if
14:55
Speaker 1: in any other way she belonged to me? Therefore he
14:59
Speaker 1: is given these injunctions, not discoursing about our limbs. Far
15:05
Speaker 1: from it. For nowhere doth he say that our flesh
15:08
Speaker 1: is to be blamed for things. But everywhere it is
15:12
Speaker 1: the evil mind that is accused. For it is not
15:15
Speaker 1: the eye that sees, but the mind and the thought. Often,
15:20
Speaker 1: for instance, we being wholly turned elsewhere, our eye sees
15:25
Speaker 1: not those who are present. So that the matter does
15:29
Speaker 1: not entirely depend upon its working. Again, had he been
15:34
Speaker 1: speaking of members of the body, he would not have
15:37
Speaker 1: said it of one eye, nor of the right eye only,
15:42
Speaker 1: but of both. For he was offended by his right eye,
15:47
Speaker 1: most evidently will incure the same evil by his left. Also,
15:52
Speaker 1: why then did he mention the right eye and add
15:55
Speaker 1: the hand, to show THEE that not of limbs is
15:59
Speaker 1: his speaking, but of them who are near unto us. Thus,
16:05
Speaker 1: if saith he, thou so lovest any one as though
16:10
Speaker 1: he were instead of a right eye, if thou thinkest
16:13
Speaker 1: him so profitable to THEE as to esteem him in
16:17
Speaker 1: place of a hand, and he hurts thy soul, even
16:21
Speaker 1: these do thou cut off? And see the emphasis, For
16:26
Speaker 1: he said, nott withdraw from him, But to show the
16:30
Speaker 1: fullness of the separation, pluck it out, saith he, and
16:35
Speaker 1: cast it from THEE. Then, forasmuch as his injunction was sharp,
16:42
Speaker 1: he shows also the gain on either hand, both from
16:45
Speaker 1: the benefits and from the evils. Continuing in the metaphor,
16:50
Speaker 1: for it is profitable for THEE, saith he that one
16:54
Speaker 1: of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole
16:58
Speaker 1: body should be cast into for while he neither saves
17:03
Speaker 1: himself nor fails to destroy thee too, what kindness is
17:08
Speaker 1: it for both to sink? Whereas if they were separated,
17:12
Speaker 1: one at least might have been preserved. But why did Paul, then,
17:17
Speaker 1: it may be said, choose to become a cursed not
17:21
Speaker 1: on condition of gaining nothing, but with a view to
17:25
Speaker 1: the salvation of others. But in this case the mischief
17:29
Speaker 1: pertains to both. And therefore he said not pluck out only,
17:35
Speaker 1: but also cast from thee to receive him again no
17:40
Speaker 1: more if he continues as he is, For so shalt
17:44
Speaker 1: thou both deliver him from a heavier charge and free
17:48
Speaker 1: thyself from ruin. But that thou mayest see yet more
17:53
Speaker 1: clearly the profit of this law. Let us, if you
17:57
Speaker 1: please try what hath been said in the case of
18:01
Speaker 1: the body itself by way of supposition. I mean, if
18:06
Speaker 1: choice were given, and thou must, either keeping thine eye,
18:10
Speaker 1: be cast into a pit and perish, or plucking it
18:14
Speaker 1: out preserve the rest of thy body, wouldst thou not,
18:18
Speaker 1: of course, except the latter. It is plain to every one,
18:23
Speaker 1: for this were not to act as one hating the eye,
18:26
Speaker 1: but as one loving the rest of the body. This
18:30
Speaker 1: same reckoning do thou make with regard to men also
18:33
Speaker 1: and women, that if he who harms thee by his
18:37
Speaker 1: friendship should continue incurable, his being thus cut off will
18:43
Speaker 1: both free thee from all mischief, and he also will
18:47
Speaker 1: himself be delivered from the heavier charges, not having to
18:51
Speaker 1: answer for thy destruction along with his own evil deeds.
18:55
Speaker 1: Seeest thou, how full the law is of gentleness and
18:59
Speaker 1: tends dure care in that which seems to men in
19:03
Speaker 1: general to be severity, how much love towards man it discloses.
19:09
Speaker 1: Let them hearken to these things who hasten to the
19:13
Speaker 1: theaters and make themselves adulterers every day. For if the
19:19
Speaker 1: law commands to cut him off, whose connection with us
19:23
Speaker 1: tends to our hurt, what plea can they have, who,
19:28
Speaker 1: by their haunting those places attract towards them daily those
19:33
Speaker 1: even that have not yet become known to them, and
19:37
Speaker 1: procured to themselves occasions of ruin without number. For henceforth
19:43
Speaker 1: he not only forbids us to look unchastely, but having
19:48
Speaker 1: signified the mischief, thence ensuing, he even straightens the law
19:53
Speaker 1: as he goes on, commanding to cut off and dissever
19:58
Speaker 1: and cast somewhere far away. And all this he ordains,
20:02
Speaker 1: who hath uttered words beyond number about love, that in
20:07
Speaker 1: either way thou mightst learn his providence, And how from
20:10
Speaker 1: every source he seeks Thy prophet. Now it hath been said,
20:17
Speaker 1: whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her
20:21
Speaker 1: a writing of divorcement. But I say unto you, whosoever
20:26
Speaker 1: shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication,
20:31
Speaker 1: causeth her to commit adultery, And whosoever marrieth her that
20:36
Speaker 1: is put away, committeth adultery. He goes not on to
20:41
Speaker 1: what lies before him until he have well cleared out
20:45
Speaker 1: the former topics. For low he shows as yet another
20:50
Speaker 1: kind of adultery. And what is this? There was an
20:55
Speaker 1: ancient law made that he who hated his wife for
20:59
Speaker 1: what ever kind of cause, should not be forbidden to
21:03
Speaker 1: cast her out and to bring home another instead of her.
21:08
Speaker 1: The law, however, did not command him simply to do this,
21:13
Speaker 1: but after giving the woman a writing of divorcement, that
21:17
Speaker 1: it might not be in her power to return to
21:19
Speaker 1: him again, that so at least the figure of the
21:22
Speaker 1: marriage might remain. For if he had not enjoined this,
21:28
Speaker 1: but were lawful first to cast her out and take another,
21:32
Speaker 1: then afterwards to take back the former. The confusion was
21:36
Speaker 1: sure to be great. All men continually taking each other's
21:40
Speaker 1: wives in the matter, thenceforth, would have been direct adultery.
21:46
Speaker 1: With a view to this he devised is no small
21:49
Speaker 1: mitigation the writing of divorcement. But these things were done
21:54
Speaker 1: by reason of another, a far greater wickedness. I mean,
22:00
Speaker 1: had he made it necessary to keep in the house
22:03
Speaker 1: her even that was hated, the husband hating would have
22:07
Speaker 1: killed her. For such was the race of the Jews.
22:11
Speaker 1: For they who did not spare children, who slew prophets
22:15
Speaker 1: and shed blood as water. Much more would they have
22:19
Speaker 1: showed no mercy to women. For this cause. He allowed
22:24
Speaker 1: the less to remove the greater evil. For that this
22:28
Speaker 1: was not a primary law. Hear him saying, Moses wrote
22:33
Speaker 1: these things, according to the hardness of your hearts, that
22:37
Speaker 1: she might not slay them in the house, but rather
22:40
Speaker 1: put them out. But for as much as he had
22:43
Speaker 1: taken away all wrath, having forbidden not murder only, but
22:49
Speaker 1: even the mere feeling of anger, he with ease introduces
22:54
Speaker 1: this law. Likewise, with this view, also he is ever
22:58
Speaker 1: bringing to mind the former to signify that his sayings
23:03
Speaker 1: are not contrary to them, but in agreement, that he
23:07
Speaker 1: is enforcing, not overthrowing them, perfecting, not doing them away,
23:14
Speaker 1: and observe him everywhere, addressing his discourse to the man. Thus,
23:20
Speaker 1: he that putteth away his wife saith. He causeth her
23:25
Speaker 1: to commit adultery. And he that marrieth a woman put
23:28
Speaker 1: away committeth adultery. That is the former, though he take
23:34
Speaker 1: not another wife. By that act alone, hath made himself
23:38
Speaker 1: liable to blame, having made the first an adulterress. The
23:44
Speaker 1: latter again is become an adulterer by taking her who
23:47
Speaker 1: is another's. For tell me not this the other hath
23:53
Speaker 1: cast her out? Nay, for when cast out, it continues
23:57
Speaker 1: to be the wife of him that expelled her. Then,
24:01
Speaker 1: lest he should render the wife more self willed, by
24:05
Speaker 1: throwing it all upon him who cast her out, he
24:09
Speaker 1: hath shut against her also the doors of him who
24:12
Speaker 1: was afterwards receiving her. And that he saith. He who
24:18
Speaker 1: marrieth her that is put away, committeth adultery, and so
24:23
Speaker 1: makes the woman chaste, even though unwilling, and blocks up
24:28
Speaker 1: altogether her access to all, and suffers her not to
24:32
Speaker 1: give an occasion for jealousy. For she who hath been
24:36
Speaker 1: made aware that she positively must either keep the husband
24:40
Speaker 1: who was originally allotted to her, or, being cast out
24:45
Speaker 1: of the house, not have any other refuge. She, even
24:50
Speaker 1: against her will, was compelled to make the best of
24:53
Speaker 1: her consort. And if he discoursed not at all unto
24:57
Speaker 1: her concerning these things, mar not, for the woman is
25:02
Speaker 1: rather a weak creature for this cause, letting her go
25:07
Speaker 1: in his threatening against the men, he fully corrects her remissness,
25:12
Speaker 1: just as if any one who had a prodigal child
25:15
Speaker 1: leaving him should rebuke those who make him such, and
25:20
Speaker 1: forbid them to have intercourse or to approach him. And
25:24
Speaker 1: if that be galling call to mind, I pray thee
25:28
Speaker 1: his former sayings on what terms he had blessed his hearers,
25:33
Speaker 1: And thou wilt see that it is very possible and easy.
25:38
Speaker 1: For he that is meek and a peacemaker, and poor
25:42
Speaker 1: in spirit and merciful, How shall he cast out his wife,
25:48
Speaker 1: he that is used to reconcile others. How shall he
25:52
Speaker 1: be at variance with her that is his own? And
25:56
Speaker 1: not thus only bid? In another way, also he had
26:00
Speaker 1: lightened the enactment forasmuch as even for him he leaves
26:05
Speaker 1: one manner of dismissal when he saith, except for the
26:10
Speaker 1: cause of fornication, since the matter had else come round
26:15
Speaker 1: again to the same issue. For if he had commanded
26:19
Speaker 1: to keep her in the house, though defiling herself with many,
26:24
Speaker 1: he would have made the matter and again an adultery.
26:28
Speaker 1: Seest thou, how these sayings agree with what had gone before.
26:33
Speaker 1: For he who looks not with unchaste eyes upon another
26:36
Speaker 1: woman will not commit horedom, And not committing horedom, he
26:42
Speaker 1: will give no occasion to the husband to cast out
26:46
Speaker 1: his wife. Therefore, you see after this he presses the
26:51
Speaker 1: point without reserve, and builds up this fear as a bulbark,
26:56
Speaker 1: urging on the husband a great danger if he do
26:59
Speaker 1: cast her out, in that he makes himself accountable for
27:03
Speaker 1: her adultery. Thus, lest thou being told pluck out the eye,
27:10
Speaker 1: should it suppose this to be said even of a wife.
27:14
Speaker 1: He added in good time this corrective in one way, only,
27:19
Speaker 1: giving leave to cast her out, but no otherwise. Again,
27:24
Speaker 1: you have heard that it was said to them of
27:26
Speaker 1: old time, thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shall perform
27:32
Speaker 1: unto the Lord thine oaths. But I say, unto you,
27:36
Speaker 1: swear not at all. Why did he go straightway not
27:40
Speaker 1: to theft, but to false witness, passing over that commandment.
27:46
Speaker 1: Because he that steals doth upon occasion swear also. But
27:51
Speaker 1: he that knows not, either swearing or speaking falsehood, much
27:56
Speaker 1: less will he choose to steal, so that by this
28:01
Speaker 1: he hath overthrown the others sin likewise, since falsehood comes
28:05
Speaker 1: of stealing. But what means thou shalt perform unto the
28:10
Speaker 1: Lord thine oaths? It is this, thou shalt be true
28:15
Speaker 1: in swearing. But I say, unto you, swear not at all.
28:22
Speaker 1: Next to lead them farther away from swearing by God,
28:26
Speaker 1: he saith neither by Heaven, for it is God's throne,
28:31
Speaker 1: nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of
28:34
Speaker 1: his feet, nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city
28:39
Speaker 1: of the Great King. Still speaking out of the prophetical writings,
28:44
Speaker 1: in signifying himself not to be opposed to the ancients,
28:49
Speaker 1: this was because they had a custom of swearing by
28:52
Speaker 1: these objects, and he intimates this custom near the end
28:55
Speaker 1: of his Gospel. But mark, I pray thee on what
29:00
Speaker 1: ground he magnifies the elements, not from their own nature,
29:05
Speaker 1: but from God's relation to them, such as it had
29:09
Speaker 1: been in condescension declared, for because the tyranny of idolatry
29:14
Speaker 1: was great, that the elements might not be thought worthy
29:18
Speaker 1: of honor for their own sake. He hath assigned this
29:21
Speaker 1: cause which we have mentioned, which again would pass on
29:25
Speaker 1: to the glory of God. For he neither said because
29:30
Speaker 1: heaven is beautiful and great, nor because earth is profitable,
29:36
Speaker 1: but because the one is God's throne, the other his
29:40
Speaker 1: footstool on every side, urging them on towards their Lord.
29:47
Speaker 1: Neither by the head saith he because thou canst not
29:50
Speaker 1: make one hair white or black. Here again, not as
29:56
Speaker 1: wondering at men hath he withdrawn him from swearing by
30:00
Speaker 1: his head, for so man himself would be worshiped, but
30:04
Speaker 1: as referring the glory to God, and signifying that thou
30:08
Speaker 1: art not master even of thyself. And of course therefore
30:12
Speaker 1: not of the oaths made by thy head. For if
30:16
Speaker 1: no one would give up his own child to another,
30:20
Speaker 1: much more will not God give up his own work
30:23
Speaker 1: to thee For though it be thy head, yet it
30:27
Speaker 1: is the property of another. And so far from being
30:31
Speaker 1: master thereof thou shalt not be able to do with it,
30:36
Speaker 1: know not the least thing of all. For he said
30:39
Speaker 1: not thou canst not make one hair grow, but not
30:45
Speaker 1: so much as change its quality. But what it may
30:49
Speaker 1: be said, if any one should require an oath and
30:53
Speaker 1: apply constraint, let the fear of God be more powerful
30:57
Speaker 1: than the constraint. If thou art to bring forward such excuses,
31:03
Speaker 1: thou wilt keep none of the things which are enjoined. Yea.
31:08
Speaker 1: For first, with respect to thy wife, thou wilt say
31:12
Speaker 1: what if she be contentious and extravagant? And then as
31:17
Speaker 1: to the right eye, what if I love it and
31:20
Speaker 1: am quite on fire and of the unchaste? Look what
31:25
Speaker 1: then if I cannot help seeing and of our anger
31:29
Speaker 1: against a brother? What if I be hasty and not
31:32
Speaker 1: able to govern my tongue? And in general all his
31:37
Speaker 1: sayings thou mayest on this wise trample underfoot. Yet surely,
31:42
Speaker 1: with regard to human laws, thou darest not in any
31:46
Speaker 1: case use this allegation, nor say what then if this
31:51
Speaker 1: or that be the case. But willingly or unwillingly thou
31:56
Speaker 1: receivest what is written. Besides, thou wilt never have compulsion
32:02
Speaker 1: to undergo at all. For he that hath hearkened unto
32:06
Speaker 1: those former blessings, and hath framed himself to be such
32:10
Speaker 1: as christ enjoined, will have no such constraint to endure
32:14
Speaker 1: from any being held in reverence and veneration by all.
32:20
Speaker 1: But let your yea be yea, and your nay nay.
32:24
Speaker 1: For that which exceedeth these cometh of the evil one?
32:29
Speaker 1: What is it then that exceeds yea and nay? It
32:33
Speaker 1: is the oath, not the perjury? For this latter is
32:37
Speaker 1: quite acknowledged, and no man needs to learn that it
32:41
Speaker 1: is of the evil one, and it is not an excess,
32:45
Speaker 1: but an opposite, whereas an excess means something more and
32:50
Speaker 1: added over and above, which kind of thing swearing is? What, then,
32:57
Speaker 1: saith one? Was it of the evil one? And if
33:01
Speaker 1: it was of the evil one? How was it a law? Well?
33:06
Speaker 1: The same thing thou wilt say concerning the wife? Also,
33:10
Speaker 1: how was that now accounted adultery which was before permitted?
33:16
Speaker 1: What now may one reply to this? That the precepts
33:19
Speaker 1: then uttered had reverence to the weakness of them who
33:22
Speaker 1: were receiving the laws. Since also to be worshiped with
33:27
Speaker 1: the vapor of sacrifice is very unworthy of God, just
33:32
Speaker 1: as to lisp is unworthy of a philosopher. That kind
33:37
Speaker 1: of thing, accordingly was now laid down to be adultery,
33:41
Speaker 1: and swearing to be of the evil one. Now that
33:44
Speaker 1: the principles of virtue have advanced, but if these things
33:49
Speaker 1: had been from the first laws of the devil, they
33:53
Speaker 1: would not have attained to so great goodness. Yea, For
33:57
Speaker 1: had those not been forerunners in the first place, these
34:02
Speaker 1: which we now have would not have been so easily received.
34:07
Speaker 1: Do not thou then require their excellency now when their
34:12
Speaker 1: use is past, but then when the time was calling
34:17
Speaker 1: for them, Or rather, if thou wilt even now, yea,
34:22
Speaker 1: For now also is their virtue shown, And most of
34:26
Speaker 1: all for the very cause by reason of which we
34:30
Speaker 1: find fault with them. For their appearing such now is
34:34
Speaker 1: the greatest commendation of them. For had they not brought
34:39
Speaker 1: us up well and made us meet for the reception
34:42
Speaker 1: of the greater precepts, they would not have appeared. Such.
34:48
Speaker 1: Therefore as the breast, when it hath fulfilled all its part,
34:52
Speaker 1: and is dismissing the child to the more manly diet.
34:56
Speaker 1: After that appears useless, and the parents, who before thought
35:00
Speaker 1: it necessary for the babe, now abuse it with ten
35:04
Speaker 1: thousand mockeries, and many, even not content with words of abuse,
35:09
Speaker 1: anoint it also with bitter drugs, that when their words
35:13
Speaker 1: have not power to remove the child's unseasonable propensity towards it,
35:18
Speaker 1: the real things may quench their longing. So also Christ
35:23
Speaker 1: saith that they are of the evil one, not to
35:27
Speaker 1: indicate that the old law is of the devil, but
35:31
Speaker 1: in order that with most exceeding earnestness, he might lead
35:35
Speaker 1: them away from their ancient poverty. And to them he
35:39
Speaker 1: saith these things. But with regard to the Jews, who
35:44
Speaker 1: were insensible and persevered in the same ways, he hath
35:48
Speaker 1: anointed their city all round with the terror of captivity,
35:52
Speaker 1: as with some bitter drug, and made it inaccessible. But
35:57
Speaker 1: since not even this had power to restrain them, but
36:01
Speaker 1: they desired to see it again, running to it, just
36:05
Speaker 1: as a child to the breast, he hid it from
36:08
Speaker 1: them altogether, both pulling it down and leading away the
36:12
Speaker 1: more part of them far from it. As it is
36:16
Speaker 1: with our cattle, many, by shutting out the calves in time,
36:21
Speaker 1: induced them to forego their old familiar use of the milk.
36:26
Speaker 1: But if the old law had belonged to the devil,
36:30
Speaker 1: it would not have let people away from idolatry, but
36:33
Speaker 1: rather would have drawn them on and cast them into it.
36:37
Speaker 1: For this did the devil desire. But now we see
36:41
Speaker 1: the opposite effect produced by the old law. And indeed
36:46
Speaker 1: this very thing the oath was ordained of old for
36:49
Speaker 1: this cause, that they might not swear by the idols,
36:54
Speaker 1: for ye shall swear saith he by the true God.
37:00
Speaker 1: They were then no small advantages which the law affected,
37:04
Speaker 1: but rather very great, for that they came unto the
37:07
Speaker 1: strong meat was the work of its care. What, then,
37:12
Speaker 1: it may be said, is not swearing of the evil one? Yes,
37:18
Speaker 1: indeed it is altogether of the evil one. That is
37:22
Speaker 1: now after so high a rule of self restraint. But
37:27
Speaker 1: then not so. But how one may say, should the
37:32
Speaker 1: same thing become at one time good, at another time
37:36
Speaker 1: not good? Nay, I say the very contrary. How could
37:42
Speaker 1: it help becoming good and not good? While all things
37:45
Speaker 1: are crying aloud that they are so, the arts, the
37:50
Speaker 1: fruits of the earth, and all things else. See it,
37:55
Speaker 1: for example, taking place first in our own kind, thus
38:01
Speaker 1: to be carried in the earliest age of life is good,
38:05
Speaker 1: but afterwards pernicious. To eat food that hath been softened
38:10
Speaker 1: in the mouth in the first scene of our life
38:13
Speaker 1: is good, but afterwards it is full of disgust. To
38:18
Speaker 1: be fed upon milk, and to fly to the breast
38:22
Speaker 1: is it first profitable and healthful, but tends afterwards to
38:27
Speaker 1: decay and harm. Seest thou, how the same actions, by
38:32
Speaker 1: reason of the times appear good, and again not so? Yea.
38:38
Speaker 1: And to wear the robe of a child as well
38:41
Speaker 1: as long as you are a boy, But contrariwise, when
38:45
Speaker 1: you are become a man, it is disgraceful. Wouldst thou
38:50
Speaker 1: learn of the contrary case too? How to the child
38:54
Speaker 1: again the things of the man are unsuited. Give the
38:58
Speaker 1: boy a man's robe, and great will be the laughter,
39:02
Speaker 1: and greater the danger he being often upset and walking
39:06
Speaker 1: after that fashion, Allow him to handle public affairs, and
39:11
Speaker 1: to traffic and sow and reap, and great again will
39:16
Speaker 1: be the laughter. And why do I mention these things
39:21
Speaker 1: when killing, which among all is acknowledged to be an
39:24
Speaker 1: invention of the evil one? Killing, I say, having found
39:29
Speaker 1: its proper occasion, caused Phineas, who committed it to be
39:34
Speaker 1: honored with the priesthood, for that killing is a work
39:38
Speaker 1: of him whom I just now mentioned. Hear what Christ
39:41
Speaker 1: saith ye will do the works of your father. He
39:46
Speaker 1: was a man's layer from the beginning, But Phineas became
39:51
Speaker 1: a man slayer, and it was counted unto him. So
39:54
Speaker 1: he speaks for righteousness. And Abraham again on becoming not
40:00
Speaker 1: a man's layer only, but which was far worse this
40:04
Speaker 1: slayer of his child, one more and more approbation, and
40:10
Speaker 1: Peter too wrought a twofold slaughter. Nevertheless, what he did
40:15
Speaker 1: was of the spirit. Let us not then examine simply
40:19
Speaker 1: the acts, but the season two, and the causes, and
40:23
Speaker 1: the mind, and the difference of persons, in whatsoever else
40:28
Speaker 1: may accompany them. These let us search out with all exactness,
40:33
Speaker 1: for there is no arriving at the truth otherwise. And
40:37
Speaker 1: let us be diligent if we would attain into the
40:40
Speaker 1: kingdom to show forth something more than the old commandments,
40:46
Speaker 1: since we cannot otherwise lay hold of the things of heaven.
40:50
Speaker 1: For if we arrive but at the same measure that
40:53
Speaker 1: of the ancients, we shall stand without that threshold. For
41:00
Speaker 1: except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes
41:04
Speaker 1: and pharisees, ye cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven. Yet,
41:10
Speaker 1: although so heavy a threat is set down, there are
41:14
Speaker 1: some who, so far from overpassing this righteousness, even come
41:19
Speaker 1: short of it. So far from shunning oaths, they even
41:23
Speaker 1: swear falsely, so far from avoiding an unchaste gaze, they
41:29
Speaker 1: even fall into the very act of wickedness. And all
41:33
Speaker 1: the rest of the things which are forbidden they dare
41:37
Speaker 1: to do is though past feeling, waiting for one thing
41:42
Speaker 1: only the day of punishment, and the time when they
41:46
Speaker 1: are to pay the most extreme penalty for their misdoings.
41:50
Speaker 1: And this is the portion of those only who have
41:53
Speaker 1: ended their lives in wickedness. For these have reason to despair,
41:58
Speaker 1: and thenceforth to ex spect nothing else but punishment. Whereas
42:03
Speaker 1: they who are yet here may have power both to
42:07
Speaker 1: renew the fight and to conquer and be crowned with
42:10
Speaker 1: ease despond Not therefore, O man, neither put away thy
42:16
Speaker 1: noble earnestness, For in truth the things are not grievous
42:20
Speaker 1: which are enjoined. What trouble is it I pray thee
42:25
Speaker 1: to shun an oath? What does it cost any money?
42:29
Speaker 1: Is it s wet and hardship? It is enough to
42:32
Speaker 1: have willed only, and the whole is done. But if
42:37
Speaker 1: you allege to me thine habit. For this very reason,
42:41
Speaker 1: most of all do I say that thy doing right
42:44
Speaker 1: is easy, for if thou bring thyself to another habit,
42:49
Speaker 1: thou hast affected all. Consider, for example, how among the Greeks,
42:54
Speaker 1: in many instances persons lisping have entirely cured by much
43:00
Speaker 1: practice their halting tongue, while others, who were used to
43:04
Speaker 1: shrug up their shoulders in an unseemly way, and to
43:08
Speaker 1: be continually moving them by putting a sword over them,
43:12
Speaker 1: have broken themselves of it. For since you are not
43:16
Speaker 1: persuaded out of the scriptures, I am compelled to shame
43:20
Speaker 1: you by them that are without. This. God also did
43:24
Speaker 1: unto the Jews when he said, go ye forth unto
43:28
Speaker 1: the isles of Chittam, and send unto Kedar, and know
43:33
Speaker 1: if nations will change their gods, which yet are no gods.
43:37
Speaker 1: And to the brutes, likewise he sends us, oftentimes saying,
43:42
Speaker 1: on this wise, go to the end thu sluggard, and
43:46
Speaker 1: emulate her ways, and go forth to the bee. This. Therefore,
43:52
Speaker 1: I also now say unto you. Consider the philosophers of
43:56
Speaker 1: the Greeks, and then you will know of how great
43:59
Speaker 1: punishment we are worthy who disobey the laws of God,
44:04
Speaker 1: and that they for seemliness before men have taken exceeding pains.
44:09
Speaker 1: And you bestow not the same diligence, No, not for
44:13
Speaker 1: the things of heaven. But if thou shouldst reply, habit
44:18
Speaker 1: has a wonderful power to beguile, even those who are
44:22
Speaker 1: very much in earnest. This I likewise acknowledge. However, there
44:27
Speaker 1: is another thing which I say with it, that as
44:31
Speaker 1: it is powerful to beguile, so also it is easy
44:35
Speaker 1: to be corrected. For if thou wilt set over thyself
44:39
Speaker 1: at home many to watch thee, such as thy servant,
44:43
Speaker 1: thy wife, thy friend, thou wilt easily break off from
44:48
Speaker 1: the bad habits, being hard pressed and closely restrained by all.
44:54
Speaker 1: If thou succeed in doing this for ten days only,
44:57
Speaker 1: thou wilt after that no longer know any further time,
45:02
Speaker 1: but all will be secured to thee rude to denew
45:05
Speaker 1: in the firmness of the most excellent habit. When therefore
45:10
Speaker 1: thou art beginning to correct this, though thou shouldst transgress
45:14
Speaker 1: thy law a first, a second, a third, a twentieth time,
45:20
Speaker 1: do not despair, but rise up again and resume the
45:24
Speaker 1: same diligence, and thou wilt surely prevail for perjuries. Surely
45:31
Speaker 1: is no trifling mischief. If to swear is of the
45:34
Speaker 1: evil one, how great the penalty which false swearing will bring.
45:40
Speaker 1: Did ye give praise to what hath been said? Nay?
45:44
Speaker 1: I want not applause, nor tumults, nor noise. One thing.
45:50
Speaker 1: Only do I wish that, quietly and intelligently, listening, you
45:55
Speaker 1: should do what is said. This is the applause. This
46:00
Speaker 1: thee pontegyric for me. But if thou praisest what I say,
46:06
Speaker 1: but doest not with thou applaudest, greater is the punishment,
46:11
Speaker 1: more aggravated the accusation, And to us it is shame
46:15
Speaker 1: and ridicule. For the things here present are no dramatic spectacle.
46:22
Speaker 1: Neither do ye now sit gazing on actors that ye
46:25
Speaker 1: may merely applaud. This place is a spiritual school. Wherefore
46:31
Speaker 1: also there is but one thing aimed at duly to
46:35
Speaker 1: perform the things that have been spoken, and to show
46:39
Speaker 1: forth our obedience by our works. For then only shall
46:43
Speaker 1: we have obtained all, since, as things are, to say
46:47
Speaker 1: the truth, we have fairly given up in despair. For
46:52
Speaker 1: I have not ceased giving these admonitions, either to those
46:55
Speaker 1: whom I meet in private or in discourse with you.
46:59
Speaker 1: All in come. Yet I see no advantage. It all gained,
47:03
Speaker 1: but you are still clinging to the former rude beginnings.
47:07
Speaker 1: Which thing is enough to fill the teacher with weariness.
47:12
Speaker 1: See for example, Paul himself hardly bearing it because his
47:16
Speaker 1: scholars were delaying a long time in their earlier lessons.
47:21
Speaker 1: For when for the time saith he you ought to
47:24
Speaker 1: be teachers, ye have need to be taught again, which
47:28
Speaker 1: be the first principles of the oracles of God. Wherefore
47:32
Speaker 1: we too mourn and lament. And if I see you persisting,
47:37
Speaker 1: I will forbid you for the future to set foot
47:40
Speaker 1: on this sacred threshold and partake of the immortal mysteries
47:45
Speaker 1: as we do fornicators and adulterers and persons charged with murder. Yea,
47:52
Speaker 1: For it is better to offer our accustomed prayers with
47:55
Speaker 1: two or three who keep the laws of God, than
47:59
Speaker 1: is sweep together a multitude of transgressors and corruptors of others.
48:05
Speaker 1: Let me have no rich man, no potentate puffing at
48:09
Speaker 1: me here and drawing up his eyebrows. All these things
48:13
Speaker 1: are to me a fable, a shade, a dream. For
48:17
Speaker 1: no one of those who are now rich will stand
48:21
Speaker 1: up for me there when I am called to account
48:24
Speaker 1: and accused as not having thoroughly vindicated the laws of
48:29
Speaker 1: God with all due earnestness. For this this ruined even
48:34
Speaker 1: that admirable old man, though in his own life giving
48:39
Speaker 1: no handle for blame. Yet for all that, because he
48:43
Speaker 1: overlooked the treading underfoot of God's laws, he was chastised
48:47
Speaker 1: with his children and paid that grievous penalty. And if
48:53
Speaker 1: where the absolute authority of nature was so great, he
48:56
Speaker 1: who failed to treat his own children with due firmness
49:00
Speaker 1: endured so grievous a punishment, what indulgence shall we have,
49:05
Speaker 1: freed as we are, from that dominion, and yet ruining
49:09
Speaker 1: all by flattery. In order therefore that ye may not
49:14
Speaker 1: destroy both us and your own selves. With us be persuaded,
49:19
Speaker 1: I entreat you set very many to watch over you
49:23
Speaker 1: and call you to account, and so free yourselves from
49:27
Speaker 1: the habit of oaths that going on orderly. From thence,
49:32
Speaker 1: ye may both, with all facility, succeed in attaining unto
49:36
Speaker 1: all other virtue, and may enjoy the good things to come,
49:41
Speaker 1: which God grant that we may all win by the
49:44
Speaker 1: grace and love towards men of our Lord Jesus Christ,
49:48
Speaker 1: to whom be glory and might now and always even
49:53
Speaker 1: forever and ever Amen. End of Homily seventeen