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009 - Homily 20 - MT 616-23 On Treasures in Heaven · Sermon on the Mount - Commentary

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Speaker 1: Homily twenty Saint John Chrysostom. HOMILYE is on the Gospel
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Speaker 1: of Saint Matthew, translated by the Reverend Sir George Previst
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Speaker 1: m A. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain.
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Speaker 1: Homie twenty Matthew six sixteen through twenty three. And when
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Speaker 1: ye fast, be not as the hypocrites of a said countenance,
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Speaker 1: For they disfigure their faces that they may appear unto
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Speaker 1: men to fast. Here it were well to sigh aloud
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Speaker 1: and to wail bitterly, For not only do we imitate
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Speaker 1: the hypocrites, but we have even surpassed them. For I know, yea,
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Speaker 1: I know many, not merely fasting and making a display
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Speaker 1: of it, but neglecting to fast, and yet wearing the
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Speaker 1: masks of them that fast, and cloaking themselves with an
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Speaker 1: excuse worse than their sin. For I do this, say
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Speaker 1: they that I may not offend the many? What sayest
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Speaker 1: thou there is a law of God which commands these things.
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Speaker 1: And dost thou talk of offense? And thinkest thou that
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Speaker 1: in keeping it thou art offending, in transgressing it, delivering
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Speaker 1: men from offense? And what can be worse than this folly,
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Speaker 1: wilt thou not leave off becoming worse than the very hypocrites,
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Speaker 1: and making thine hypocrisy double. And when thou considerest the
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Speaker 1: great excess of this evil, wilt that not be abashed
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Speaker 1: at the force of the expression now before us. And
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Speaker 1: that he did not say they act apart merely, but
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Speaker 1: willing also to touch them more deeply, he saith, for
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Speaker 1: they disfigure their faces, that is, they corrupt they mar them.
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Speaker 1: But if this be a disfiguring of the face to
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Speaker 1: appear pale for vainglory, what should we say concerning the
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Speaker 1: women who corrupt their faces with colorings and paintings to
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Speaker 1: the ruin of the unchased sort of young men. For
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Speaker 1: while those harm themselves only, these women harm both themselves
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Speaker 1: and them who behold them. Wherefore we should fly both
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Speaker 1: from the one pest and from the other, keeping at
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Speaker 1: distance enough and to spare. For so he not only
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Speaker 1: commanded to make no display, but even to seek to
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Speaker 1: be concealed, which thing he had done before. Likewise, And
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Speaker 1: whereas in the matter of almsgiving he did not put
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Speaker 1: it simply, but having said, take heed not to do
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Speaker 1: it before men, he added to be seen of them.
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Speaker 1: Yet concerning fasting in prayer, he made no such limitation.
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Speaker 1: Why could this have been, because for almsgiving to be
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Speaker 1: altogether concealed is impossible, but for prayer and fasting it
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Speaker 1: is possible. As therefore, when he said, let not thy
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Speaker 1: left hand know what thy right hand doeth, it was
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Speaker 1: not of hands that he was speaking, but of the
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Speaker 1: duty of being strictly concealed from all. And as when
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Speaker 1: he commanded us to enter into our closet, not there
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Speaker 1: alone absolutely, nor there primarily did he command us to pray,
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Speaker 1: but he covertly intimated the same thing again. So likewise,
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Speaker 1: here in commanding us to be anointed, he did not
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Speaker 1: enact that we positively must anoint ourselves, For then we
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Speaker 1: should all of us be found transgressors of this law.
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Speaker 1: And above all, surely they who have taken the most
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Speaker 1: pains to keep it, the societies of the monks, who
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Speaker 1: have taken up their dwelling on the mountains. It was
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Speaker 1: not this, then that he enjoined, but forasmuch as the
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Speaker 1: ancients had accustomed to anoint themselves continually when they were
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Speaker 1: taking their pleasure and rejoicing. And this one may see
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Speaker 1: clearly from David, and from Daniel. He said that we
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Speaker 1: were to anoint ourselves, not that we should positively do this,
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Speaker 1: but that by all means we might endeavor with great
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Speaker 1: strictness to hide this our acquisition, and to convince thee
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Speaker 1: that so it is he himself, when, by action exhibiting
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Speaker 1: what he enjoined in words, having fasted forty days and
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Speaker 1: fasted in secret, did neither anoint nor wash himself. Nevertheless,
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Speaker 1: though he did not these things, he most assuredly fulfilled
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Speaker 1: the whole without vainglory. It is this, then, that he
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Speaker 1: enjoins on us, likewise, both bringing before as the hypocrites,
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Speaker 1: and by a twice repeated charge dissuading the hearers in
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Speaker 1: somewhat else. He signified by this name this of hypocrites.
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Speaker 1: I mean that is, not only by the ridiculousness of
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Speaker 1: the thing, nor by its bringing an extreme penalty, but
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Speaker 1: also by showing that such deceit is but for a season,
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Speaker 1: doth he withdraw us from that evil desire? For the
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Speaker 1: actor seems glorious just so long as the audience is sitting,
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Speaker 1: Or rather not even then in the sight of all,
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Speaker 1: for the more part of the spectators know who it
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Speaker 1: is and what part he is acting. However, when the
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Speaker 1: audience is broken up, he is more clearly discovered to all.
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Speaker 1: Now this you see, the Vainglorious must, in all necessity undergo,
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Speaker 1: For even here they are manifest to the majority, is
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Speaker 1: not being that which they appear to be, but is
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Speaker 1: wearing a mask only. But much more will they be
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Speaker 1: detected hereafter, when all things appear naked and open. And
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Speaker 1: by another motive, again he withdraws them from the hypocrites
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Speaker 1: by showing that his injunction is light. For he doth
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Speaker 1: not make the fast more strict, nor command us to
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Speaker 1: practice more of it, but not to lose the crown thereof,
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Speaker 1: So that what seems hard to bear is common to
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Speaker 1: us and to the hypocrites, for they also fast, but
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Speaker 1: that which is lightest, namely, not to lose the reward
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Speaker 1: after our labors. This is what I command, saith, he
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Speaker 1: adding nothing to our toils, but gathering our wages for
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Speaker 1: us with all security, and not suffering us to go
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Speaker 1: away unrewarded as they do. Nay, they will not so
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Speaker 1: much as imitate them that wrestle in the Olympic Games, who,
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Speaker 1: although so great a multitude, is sitting there and so
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Speaker 1: many princes desire to please, but one, even him who
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Speaker 1: adjudges the victory amongst them, And this though he be
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Speaker 1: much their inferior. But thou, though thou hast a twofold
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Speaker 1: motive for displaying the victory to him, first, that he
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Speaker 1: is the person to adjudge it, and also that he
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Speaker 1: is beyond comparison superior to all that are sitting in
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Speaker 1: the theater. Thou art displaying it to others, who, so
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Speaker 1: far from profiting to privably work THEE the greatest harm. However,
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Speaker 1: I do not forbid even this saith he only if
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Speaker 1: thou art desirous to make a show to men, also wait,
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Speaker 1: and I will bestow on THEE this too, in fuller
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Speaker 1: abundance and with great profit. For as it is, this
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Speaker 1: quite breaks THEE off from the glory which is with me.
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Speaker 1: Even as to despise these things unites THEE closely. But
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Speaker 1: then thou shalt enjoy all an entire security, having even
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Speaker 1: before that last no little fruit to reap in this world. Also,
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Speaker 1: namely that thou hast trodden underfoot all human glory and art,
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Speaker 1: freed from the grievous bondage of men and art become
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Speaker 1: a true worker of virtue, whereas now is long at
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Speaker 1: least as thou art so disposed, if thou shouldst be
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Speaker 1: in a desert, thou wilt be deserted by all thy virtue,
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Speaker 1: having none to behold thee. This is to act as
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Speaker 1: one insulting virtue itself, if thou art to pursue it,
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Speaker 1: not for its own sake, but with an eye to
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Speaker 1: the rope maker and the brazier, and the common people
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Speaker 1: of the baser's sort, that the bad and they that
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Speaker 1: are far removed from virtue may admire THEE. And thou
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Speaker 1: art calling the enemies of virtue to the display and
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Speaker 1: the sight thereof, as if one were to choose to
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Speaker 1: live continently, not for the excellency of countenance, but that
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Speaker 1: he might make a show before prostitutes. Thou also, it
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Speaker 1: would seem, wouldst not choose virtue but for the sake
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Speaker 1: of Virtue's enemies. Whereas thou aughtest indeed to admire her
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Speaker 1: on this very ground, that she hath even her enemies
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Speaker 1: to praise her, yet to admire her as is meet
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Speaker 1: not for others, but for her own sake, Since we too,
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Speaker 1: when we are loved, not for our own, but for
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Speaker 1: other's sake, account the thing an insult. Just so I
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Speaker 1: bid thee reckon in the case of virtue is well,
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Speaker 1: and neither to follow after her for the sake of others,
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Speaker 1: nor for men's sake, to obey God God, but men
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Speaker 1: for God's sake. Since if thou wilt do the contrary,
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Speaker 1: though thou seem to follow Virtue, thou hast provoked equally
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Speaker 1: with him who follows her. Not for just as he
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Speaker 1: disobeyed by not doing so, thou, by doing unlawfully lay
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Speaker 1: not up for yourselves treasures upon earth. Thus after he
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Speaker 1: hath cast out the disease of vainglory, and not before
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Speaker 1: he seasonably introduces his discourse of voluntary poverty for nothing,
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Speaker 1: so trains men to be fond of riches as the
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Speaker 1: fondness for glory. This, for instance, is why men devise
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Speaker 1: those herds of slaves, and that swarm of eunuchs, and
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Speaker 1: their horses with trappings of gold, and their silver tables,
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Speaker 1: and all the rest of it yet more ridiculous, not
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Speaker 1: to satisfy any one, nor to enjoy any pleasure, but
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Speaker 1: that they may make a show before the multitude. Now above,
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Speaker 1: he had only said that we must show mercy. But
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Speaker 1: here he points out also how great mercy we must
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Speaker 1: show when he saith lay not up treasure, for it
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Speaker 1: not being possible at the beginning to introduce all at
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Speaker 1: once his discourse on contempt of riches, by reason of
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Speaker 1: the tyranny of the passion, he breaks it up into
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Speaker 1: small portions, and, having set free the hearer's mind, instills
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Speaker 1: it therein, so is that it shall become acceptable. Wherefore,
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Speaker 1: you see, he said, first, blessed are the merciful, And
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Speaker 1: after this agree with thine adversary. And after that again,
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Speaker 1: if any one will soothe THEE at the law and
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Speaker 1: take thy coat, give him thy cloak. Also. But here
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Speaker 1: that which is much greater than all these. For there
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Speaker 1: his meaning was, if thou see a lawsuit impending, do this,
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Speaker 1: since to want and be freed from strife is better
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Speaker 1: than to possess and strive. But here, supposing neither adversary
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Speaker 1: nor anyone at law with THEE, and without all mention
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Speaker 1: of any other such party, he teaches the contempt of
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Speaker 1: riches itself by itself, implying that not so much for
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Speaker 1: their sake could receive mercy, as for the giver's sake.
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Speaker 1: He makes these laws so that though there be no
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Speaker 1: one injuring us or dragging us into a court of justice,
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Speaker 1: even so we may despise our possessions, bestowing them on
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Speaker 1: those that are in need. And either here hath he
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Speaker 1: put the whole. But even in this place it is
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Speaker 1: gently spoken. Although he had an the wilderness shone forth
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Speaker 1: to a surpassing extent, his conflicts in that behalf. However,
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Speaker 1: he doth not express this, nor bring it forward, for
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Speaker 1: it was not yet time to reveal it. But for
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Speaker 1: a while he searches out for reasons, maintaining the place
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Speaker 1: of an adviser rather than a lawgiver in his sayings
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Speaker 1: on this subject. For after he had said, lay not
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Speaker 1: up treasures upon the earth, he added, where moth and
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Speaker 1: rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal.
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Speaker 1: For the present he signifies the hurtfulness of the treasure
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Speaker 1: here and the profit of what is there, both from
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Speaker 1: the place and from the things which mar it. And
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Speaker 1: neither at this point doth he stop, but adds also
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Speaker 1: another argument. And first, what things they most fear from these?
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Speaker 1: He urges them? Or of what art thou afraid saith
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Speaker 1: he lest thy goods should be spent if thou give alms. Nay,
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Speaker 1: then give alms, and so they will not be spent.
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Speaker 1: And what is more, so, far from being spent, they
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Speaker 1: will actually receive a greater increase. Yea, for the things
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Speaker 1: in heaven are added unto them. However, for a time
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Speaker 1: he sayth it not, but puts it afterwards. But for
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Speaker 1: the present what had most power to persuade them that
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Speaker 1: he brings forward, namely that the treasure would thus remain
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Speaker 1: for them unspent. And on either hand he attracts them,
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Speaker 1: for he said, not only if thou give alms, it
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Speaker 1: is preserved, but he threatens also the opposite thing, that
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Speaker 1: if thou give not, it perishes. And see his unspeakable prudence.
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Speaker 1: For neither did he say, thou dost but leave them
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Speaker 1: to others. Since this too is pleasant to men. He
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Speaker 1: alarms them, however, on a new ground, by signifying that
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Speaker 1: not even this do they obtain. Since though men defraud not,
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Speaker 1: there are those which are sure to defraud the moth
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Speaker 1: and the rust. For although this mischief seem very easy
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Speaker 1: to restrain, it is nevertheless irresistible and uncontrollable, and devise
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Speaker 1: what thou wilt thou wilt be unable to check this harm?
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Speaker 1: What then doth moth make away with the gold, though
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Speaker 1: not moth yet thieves do? What? Then have all been despoiled?
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Speaker 1: Though not all yet? The more part on this account,
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Speaker 1: then he adds another argument, which I have already mentioned, saying,
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Speaker 1: where the man's treasure is, there is his heart also.
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Speaker 1: For though none of these things should come to pass,
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Speaker 1: saith he, thou wilt undergo no small harm in being
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Speaker 1: nailed to the things below, and in becoming a slave
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Speaker 1: instead of a free man, in casting thyself out of
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Speaker 1: the heavenly things, and having no power to think on
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Speaker 1: aught that is high, but all about money, usuries, and loans,
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Speaker 1: and gains, and ignoble traffickings. Than this, what could be
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Speaker 1: more wretched? For in truth, such a one will be
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Speaker 1: worse off than any slave, bringing upon himself a most
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Speaker 1: grievous tyranny, and giving up the chiefest thing of all,
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Speaker 1: even the nobleness and the liberty of man. For how
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Speaker 1: much soever any one may discourse unto THEE, thou wilt
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Speaker 1: not be able to hear any of those things which
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Speaker 1: concern THEE. Whilst thy mind is nailed down to money,
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Speaker 1: but bound like a dog to a tomb. But the
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Speaker 1: tyranny of riches more grievous than by any chain, barking
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Speaker 1: it all that come near thee Thou hast this one
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Speaker 1: employment continually to keep for others what thou hast laid
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Speaker 1: up than this, what can be more wretched? However, forasmuch
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Speaker 1: as this was too high for the mind of his hearers,
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Speaker 1: and neither was the mischief with an easy view of
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Speaker 1: the generality, nor the gain evident, but there was need
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Speaker 1: of a spirit of more self command to perceive either
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Speaker 1: of these. First he hath put it after those other
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Speaker 1: topics which are obvious, saying where the man's treasure is,
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Speaker 1: there is his heart also. And next he makes it
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Speaker 1: clear again by withdrawing his discourse from the intellectual to
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Speaker 1: the sensible, and saying, the light of the body is
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Speaker 1: the eye. What he sayth is like this, bury not
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Speaker 1: gold in the earth, nor do any other such thing
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Speaker 1: for thou dost, but gather it for the moth and
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Speaker 1: the rust and the thieves. And even if thou shouldst
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Speaker 1: entirely escape these evils, yet the enslaving of thine heart,
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Speaker 1: the nailing it to all that is below, Thou wilt
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Speaker 1: not escape, For whensoever thy treasure may be, there is
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Speaker 1: thine heart. Also as then laying up stores in heaven,
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Speaker 1: thou wilt reap not this fruit, only the attainment of
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Speaker 1: the rewards for these things. But from this world thou
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Speaker 1: already receivest thy recompense in getting into harbor there, in
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Speaker 1: setting thine affections on the things that are there, and
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Speaker 1: caring for what is there. For where thou hast laid
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Speaker 1: up thy treasure, it is most clear thou transferrest thy mind.
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Speaker 1: Also so if thou do this upon earth, thou wilt
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Speaker 1: experience the contrary. But if the thing be obscure to thee,
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Speaker 1: hear what comes next in order. The light of the
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Speaker 1: body is the eye. If therefore thine eye be single,
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Speaker 1: thy whole body shall be full of light. But if
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Speaker 1: thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full
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Speaker 1: of darkness. But if the light that is in thee
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Speaker 1: be darkness, how great is the darkness. He leads his
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Speaker 1: discourse to the things which are more within the reach
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Speaker 1: of our senses. I mean, forasmuch as he had spoken
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Speaker 1: of the mind as enslaved and brought into captivity, and
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Speaker 1: there were not many who could easily discern this. He
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Speaker 1: transfers the lesson to things outward and lying before men's eyes,
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Speaker 1: that by these the others also might reach their understanding. Thus,
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Speaker 1: if thou knowest not saith he what a thing it
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Speaker 1: is to be injured in mind, learn it from the
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Speaker 1: things of the body. For just what the eye is
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Speaker 1: to the body, the same is the mind to the soul.
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Speaker 1: As therefore thou wouldst not choose to wear gold and
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Speaker 1: to be clad in silken garments thine eyes withal being
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Speaker 1: put out, but a countess their sound health more desirable
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Speaker 1: than all such superfluity. For it shouldst thou lose this
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Speaker 1: health or waste it all, thy life, besides, will do
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Speaker 1: thee no good. For just as when the eyes are blinded,
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Speaker 1: most of the energy of the other members is gone,
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Speaker 1: their light being quenched, so also when the mind is depraved,
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Speaker 1: thy life will be filled with countless evils. As therefore,
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Speaker 1: in the body, this is our aim, namely to keep
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Speaker 1: the eyes sound, so also the mind in the soul.
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Speaker 1: But if we mutilate this which ought to give light
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Speaker 1: to the rest, by what means are we to see clearly? Anymore.
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Speaker 1: For as he that destroys the fountain dries up also
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Speaker 1: the river. So he who hath quenched the understanding hath
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Speaker 1: confounded all his doings in this life. Wherefore he saith,
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Speaker 1: if the light that is in thee be darkness, how
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Speaker 1: great is the darkness? For when the pilot is drowned,
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Speaker 1: and the candle is put out, and the general is
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Speaker 1: taken prisoner, what sort of hope will there be after
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Speaker 1: that for those that are under command? Thus then, omitting
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Speaker 1: now to speak of the plots to which wealth gives occasion,
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Speaker 1: the strifes, the suits. These indeed he had signified above
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Speaker 1: when he said, the adversary shall deliver thee to the judge,
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Speaker 1: and the judge to the office, Sir. And setting down
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Speaker 1: what is more grievous than all these as sure to occur,
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Speaker 1: he so withdraws us from the wicked desire for to
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Speaker 1: inhabit the prison is not nearly so grievous as for
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Speaker 1: the mind to be enslaved by this disease. And the
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Speaker 1: former is not sure to happen. But the other is
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Speaker 1: connected as an immediate consequent with the desire of riches.
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Speaker 1: And this is why he puts it after the first,
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Speaker 1: as being a more grievous thing and sure to happen.
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Speaker 1: For God, he saith gave us understanding that we might
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Speaker 1: chase away all ignorance and have the right judgment of things,
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Speaker 1: And that using this is a kind of weapon and
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Speaker 1: light against all that is grievous or hurtful. We might
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Speaker 1: remain in safety. But we betray the gift for the
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Speaker 1: sake of things superfluous and useless. For what is the
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Speaker 1: use of soldiers arrayed in gold when the general is
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Speaker 1: dragged along a captive. What is the profit of a
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Speaker 1: ship beautifully equipped when the pilot is sunk beneath the waves.
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Speaker 1: What the advantage of a well proportioned body when the
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Speaker 1: sight of the eyes is stricken out? As therefore, should
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Speaker 1: any one cast into sickness the physician, who should be
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Speaker 1: in good health, that he may end our diseases, and
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Speaker 1: then bid him lie on a silver couch and in
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Speaker 1: a chamber of gold. This will nothing avail the sick persons.
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Speaker 1: Even so, if thou corrupt the mind which hath power
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Speaker 1: to put down our passions, although thou set it by
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Speaker 1: a treasure, so far from doing it any good, thou
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Speaker 1: hast inflicted the very greatest loss, and hast charmed thy
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Speaker 1: whole soul. Seest thou, how by those very things which
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Speaker 1: most especially men everywhere affect wickedness. Even by these most
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Speaker 1: of all, he deters them from it and brings them
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Speaker 1: back to virtue. For with what intent dost thou desire riches,
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Speaker 1: saith he, is it not that thou mayst enjoy pleasure
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Speaker 1: and luxury? Why now, this, above all things, you will
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Speaker 1: fail to obtain thereby it will rather be just contrary.
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Speaker 1: For if when our eyes are stricken out, we perceive
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Speaker 1: not any pleasant thing because of such a calamity, much
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Speaker 1: more will this be our case in the perversion and
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Speaker 1: maiming of the mind. Again, with what intent dost thou
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Speaker 1: bury it in the earth, that it may be kept
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Speaker 1: in safety? But here too again it is the contrary,
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Speaker 1: saith he. And thus, as in dealing with him, that
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Speaker 1: for vain glory fasts and gives alms and prays by
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Speaker 1: those very things which he most desires, he had allured
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Speaker 1: him not to be vainglorious. For with what intent saith
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Speaker 1: he dost thou so pray and give alms for love
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Speaker 1: of the glory that may be had from men than
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Speaker 1: do not pray. Thus saith he, and so thou shalt
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Speaker 1: obtain it in the day that is to come. So
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Speaker 1: he hath taken captive the covetous men, also by those
25:28
Speaker 1: things for which he was most earnest. Thus what wouldst
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Speaker 1: thou sayt he to have thy wealth preserved and to
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Speaker 1: enjoy pleasure? Both these things I will afford THEE in
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Speaker 1: great abundance, if thou lay up thy gold in that
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Speaker 1: place where I bid thee. It is true that hereafter
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Speaker 1: he displayed more clearly the evil effect of this on
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Speaker 1: the mind. I mean when he made mention of the thorns.
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Speaker 1: But for the present, even here he hath strikingly intimated
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Speaker 1: the same by representing him as darkened? Who is beside
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Speaker 1: himself in this way? And do is they that are
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Speaker 1: in darkness see nothing distinct? But if they look at
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Speaker 1: a robe, they suppose it to be a serpent. If
26:18
Speaker 1: at mountains and ravines they are dead with fear. So
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Speaker 1: these also what is not alarming to them that have
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Speaker 1: sight that they regard with suspicion. Thus, among other things,
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Speaker 1: they tremble at poverty, or rather not at poverty only,
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Speaker 1: but even at any trifling loss, yea. And if they
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Speaker 1: should lose some little matter, those who are in want
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Speaker 1: of necessary food, do not so grieve and bewail themselves
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Speaker 1: as they At least many of the rich have come
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Speaker 1: even to the halter, not enduring such ill fortune. And
26:57
Speaker 1: to be insulted also, and to be despite fully used,
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Speaker 1: seems to them so intolerable that even because of this again,
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Speaker 1: many have actually torn themselves from this present life. For
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Speaker 1: to everything wealth had made them soft, except to the
27:14
Speaker 1: waiting on it. Thus, when it commands them to do
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Speaker 1: service unto itself, they venture on murders and stripes, and revilings,
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Speaker 1: and all shame, a thing which comes of the utmost wretchedness,
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Speaker 1: to be of all men, most effeminate where one ought
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Speaker 1: to practice self command, but where more caution was required
27:39
Speaker 1: in these cases again to become more shameless and obstinate,
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Speaker 1: since in fact the same kind of thing befalls them,
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Speaker 1: as one would have to endure who had spent all
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Speaker 1: his goods on unfit objects. For such a one, when
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Speaker 1: the time of necessary expenditure comes on, have nothing to
27:58
Speaker 1: supply it, suffer incurable evils, for as much as all
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Speaker 1: that he had hath been ill spent beforehand, And as
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Speaker 1: they that are on the stage skilled in those wicked arts,
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Speaker 1: do in them go through many things strange and dangerous,
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Speaker 1: but in other necessary and useful things, none so ridiculous
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Speaker 1: as they. Even so it is with these men likewise,
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Speaker 1: for so such as walk upon a stretched rope, making
28:29
Speaker 1: a display of so much courage, should some great emergency
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Speaker 1: demand daring or courage, they are not able. Neither do
28:38
Speaker 1: they endure even to think of such a thing. Just
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Speaker 1: so they likewise that are rich, daring all for money
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Speaker 1: for self restraint sake, and do it not to submit
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Speaker 1: to anything, be it small or great. And does the
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Speaker 1: former practice both the hazardous and fruitless business. Even so
28:59
Speaker 1: do these an undergo many dangers and downfalls, but arrive
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Speaker 1: at no profitable end. Yea, they undergo a twofold darkness,
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Speaker 1: both having their eyes put out by the perversion of
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Speaker 1: their mind, and being by the deceitfulness of their cares,
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Speaker 1: involved in a great mist. Wherefore neither can they easily
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Speaker 1: so much as see through it. For he that is
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Speaker 1: in darkness is freed from the darkness by the mere
29:29
Speaker 1: appearance of the sun. But he that hath his eyes mutilated,
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Speaker 1: not even when the sun shines, which is the very
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Speaker 1: case of these men. Not even now that the sun
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Speaker 1: of righteousness has shone out and is admonishing, do they
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Speaker 1: hear their wealth having closed their eyes, And so they
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Speaker 1: have a twofold darkness to undergo, part from themselves, part
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Speaker 1: from disregard to their teacher. Let us then give heed
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Speaker 1: unto him exactly that though late, we may at length
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Speaker 1: recover our sight. And how may one recover sight? If
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Speaker 1: thou learn how thou wouldst blinded? How then what'st thou
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Speaker 1: blinded by thy wicked desire for the love of money?
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Speaker 1: Like an evil humor which hath collected upon a clear eyeball.
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Speaker 1: Hath caused the cloud to become thick. But even this
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Speaker 1: cloud may be easily scattered and broken, if we will
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Speaker 1: receive the beam of the doctrine of Christ, if we
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Speaker 1: will hear him admonishing us and saying, lay not up
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Speaker 1: for yourselves treasures upon earth. But saith one what avails
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Speaker 1: the hearing to me? As long as I am possessed
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Speaker 1: by the desire now in the first place, there will
30:55
Speaker 1: be power in the continual hearing to destroy even the desire. Next,
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Speaker 1: if it continued to possess thee consider that this thing
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Speaker 1: is not really so much as a desire. For what
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Speaker 1: sort of desire is this? To be in grievous bondage,
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Speaker 1: and to be subject to a tyranny, and to be
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Speaker 1: bound on all sides, and to dwell in darkness, and
31:20
Speaker 1: to be full of turmoil, and to endure toils without profit,
31:25
Speaker 1: and to keep thy wealth for others, and often for
31:28
Speaker 1: thy very enemies. With What sort of desire do these
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Speaker 1: things agree, or rather, of what flight and aversion are
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Speaker 1: they not worthy? What sort of desire to lay up
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Speaker 1: treasure in the midst of thieves? Nay, if thou dost
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Speaker 1: at all desire wealth, remove it where it may remain
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Speaker 1: safe and unmolested. Since what thou art now doing is
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Speaker 1: the part of one desiring not riches, surely, but bondage
31:59
Speaker 1: and loss and continual vexation. Yet thou were any one
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Speaker 1: among men on earth to show thee a place beyond molestation.
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Speaker 1: Though he lead THEE out into the very desert, promising
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Speaker 1: security in the keeping of thy wealth, thou art not
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Speaker 1: slow nor backward. Thou hast confidence in him, and puttest
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Speaker 1: out thy goods there. But when it is God instead
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Speaker 1: of men who makes THEE this promise, and when he
32:29
Speaker 1: SAIDs before THEE not the desert, but heaven, thou acceptest
32:34
Speaker 1: the contrary. Yet surely, how manifold soever be their security below,
32:41
Speaker 1: thou canst never become free from the care of them.
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Speaker 1: I mean, though thou lose them, not thou wilt never
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Speaker 1: be delivered from anxiety. Lest thou lose, but there thou
32:54
Speaker 1: wilt undergo none of these things. And mark what is
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Speaker 1: yet more, thou dost not only burie thy gold, but
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Speaker 1: plantest it. For the same is both treasure and seed,
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Speaker 1: or rather it is more than either of these. For
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Speaker 1: the seed remains not forever, but this abides perpetually. Again,
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Speaker 1: the treasure germinates not, but this bears thee fruits which
33:22
Speaker 1: never die. But if thou tellest me of the time
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Speaker 1: and the delay of the recompense, I too can point
33:30
Speaker 1: out and tell how much thou receivest back even here.
33:35
Speaker 1: And besides all this, from the very things of this life.
33:39
Speaker 1: I will try to convict THEE of making this excuse
33:42
Speaker 1: to no purpose. I mean that even in the present life,
33:46
Speaker 1: thou providest many things which thou art not thyself to enjoy,
33:51
Speaker 1: And should any one find fault thou pleadest thy children
33:55
Speaker 1: and their children, And so thinkest thou hast found palliation
33:59
Speaker 1: and none for thy superfluous labors. For when in extreme
34:04
Speaker 1: old age thou art building splendid houses, before the completion
34:08
Speaker 1: of which, in many instances thou wilt have departed, When
34:13
Speaker 1: thou plantest trees which will bear their fruit after many years,
34:18
Speaker 1: when there art buying properties and inheritances, the ownership of
34:22
Speaker 1: which thou wilt acquire after a long time, and art
34:26
Speaker 1: eagerly busy in many other such things, the enjoyment whereof
34:31
Speaker 1: thou wilt not reap, is it indeed for thine own sake,
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Speaker 1: or for those to come after that thou art so employed.
34:41
Speaker 1: How then, is it not the utmost folly here, not
34:45
Speaker 1: at all to hesitate at the delay of time. And
34:48
Speaker 1: this though thou art, by this delay to lose all
34:51
Speaker 1: the reward of thy labors, but there because of such waiting,
34:56
Speaker 1: to be altogether torpid. And this, although it bring thee
35:00
Speaker 1: the greater gain, and although it convey not thy good
35:03
Speaker 1: things unto others, but procure the gifts for thyself. But
35:09
Speaker 1: besides this, the delay itself is not long, Nay, for
35:14
Speaker 1: those things are at the doors. And we know not
35:18
Speaker 1: but that even in our own generation, all things which
35:21
Speaker 1: concern us may have their accomplishment, and that fearful day
35:25
Speaker 1: may arrive, setting before us the awful and incorruptible tribunal. Yea,
35:32
Speaker 1: for the more part of the signs are fulfilled, and
35:35
Speaker 1: the Gospel moreover hath been preached in all parts of
35:39
Speaker 1: the world, and the predictions of wars, and of earthquakes
35:44
Speaker 1: and of famines have come to pass. And the interval
35:48
Speaker 1: is not great. But is it that thou dost not
35:52
Speaker 1: see any signs? Why this self same thing is a
35:57
Speaker 1: very great sign. For neither did they and Noah's time
36:01
Speaker 1: see any presages of that universal destruction. But in the
36:06
Speaker 1: midst of their playing, eating, marrying, doing all things to
36:10
Speaker 1: which they were used, even so they were overtaken by
36:14
Speaker 1: that fearful judgment. And they two in sodom and like manner,
36:20
Speaker 1: living in delight, and suspecting none of what befell them,
36:24
Speaker 1: were consumed by those lightnings which then came down upon them.
36:29
Speaker 1: Considering then all these things, let us betake ourselves under
36:34
Speaker 1: the preparation for our departure. Hence, for even if the
36:38
Speaker 1: common day of the consummation never overtake us. The end
36:43
Speaker 1: of each one is at the doors, whether he be
36:47
Speaker 1: old or young. And it is not possible for men,
36:51
Speaker 1: after they have gone hence, either to buy oil anymore,
36:55
Speaker 1: or to obtain pardon by prayers, though he that entreats
36:59
Speaker 1: be Abraham or Noah, or Job or Daniel. While then
37:05
Speaker 1: we have opportunity, let us store up for ourselves beforehand
37:11
Speaker 1: much confidence. Let us gather oil in abundance. Let us
37:16
Speaker 1: remove all into heaven, that in the fitting time and
37:21
Speaker 1: when we most need them, we may enjoy all. By
37:25
Speaker 1: the grace and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ,
37:30
Speaker 1: to whom be the glory and the might, now and
37:33
Speaker 1: always and forever and ever Amen. End of Homily twenty