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013 - Homily 23 Part 2 - MT 713-20 On the Narrow Gate On False Prophets · Sermon on the Mount - Commentary

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  Speaker 1: Homily twenty three, Part two, Saint John Chrysostom. Homily is
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  Speaker 1: on the Gospel of Saint Matthew, translated by the Reverend
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  Speaker 1: Sir George Previst m A. This LibriVox recording is in
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  Speaker 1: the public domain. Homily twenty three, Part two Matthew seven
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  Speaker 1: thirteen through twenty Enter, ye inn at the straight gate.
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  Speaker 1: For wide is the gate, and broad is the way
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  Speaker 1: that leadeth to destruction, And many there be which go
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  Speaker 1: in thereat, and straight is the gait, and narrow is
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  Speaker 1: the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be
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  Speaker 1: that find it. And yet after this he said, my
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  Speaker 1: yoke is easy, and my burden is light. And in
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  Speaker 1: what he hath lately said, also he intimated the same.
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  Speaker 1: How then doth he here say it is straight and confined?
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  Speaker 1: In the first place, if thou attend even here he
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  Speaker 1: points to, it is very light and easy and accessible.
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  Speaker 1: And how it may be said, is the narrow and
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  Speaker 1: confined way easy because it is away and a gait,
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  Speaker 1: even as also the other, though it be wide, though spacious,
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  Speaker 1: is also a way and a gait. And of these
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  Speaker 1: there is nothing permanent, but all things are passing away.
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  Speaker 1: Both the pains and the good things of life. And
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  Speaker 1: not only herein is the part of virtue easy, but
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  Speaker 1: also by the end again it becomes yet easier, for
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  Speaker 1: not the passing away of our labors and toils, but
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  Speaker 1: also their issuing in a good end, for the end
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  Speaker 1: in life is enough to console those in conflict. So
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  Speaker 1: that both the temporary nature of our labors and the
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  Speaker 1: perpetuity of our crowns, and the fact that the labors
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  Speaker 1: come first and the crowns after, must prove a very
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  Speaker 1: great relief in our toils. We're for Paul also called
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  Speaker 1: their affliction light, not from the nature of the events,
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  Speaker 1: but because of the mind of the combatants and the
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  Speaker 1: hope of the future. For our light affliction saith He
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  Speaker 1: worketh an eternal weight of glory. While we look not
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  Speaker 1: at the things which are seen, but at the things
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  Speaker 1: which are not seen. For if to sailors the waves
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  Speaker 1: and the seas, to soldiers their slaughters and wounds, to
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  Speaker 1: husbandmen the winters and the frost, to boxers the sharp blows,
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  Speaker 1: be light in tolerable things, all of them, for the
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  Speaker 1: hope of those rewards which are temporary in perishing. Much more,
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  Speaker 1: when heaven is set forth and the unspeakable blessings and
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  Speaker 1: the eternal rewards. Will no one feel any of the
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  Speaker 1: present hardships, or if any account it even thus to
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  Speaker 1: be toilsome. The suspicion comes of nothing but their own remissness.
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  Speaker 1: See at any rate, how he on another's side also
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  Speaker 1: makes it easy, commanding not to hold intercourse with the dogs,
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  Speaker 1: nor to give oneself over to the swine, and to
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  Speaker 1: beware of the false prophets, Thus on all accounts, causing
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  Speaker 1: men to feel as if in real conflict. And the
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  Speaker 1: very fact too, of calling it narrow, contributed very greatly
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  Speaker 1: towards making it easy for it wrought on them to
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  Speaker 1: be vigilant. Is Paul, then, when he saith we wrestle
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  Speaker 1: not against flesh and blood, doth so not to cast down,
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  Speaker 1: but to rouse up the spirits of the soldiers. Even
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  Speaker 1: so he all so to shake the travelers out of
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  Speaker 1: their sleep, called the way rough. And not in this
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  Speaker 1: way only did he work upon them to be vigilant,
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  Speaker 1: but also by adding that it contains likewise many to
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  Speaker 1: supplant them. And what is yet more grievous, they do
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  Speaker 1: not even attack openly, but hiding themselves. For such is
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  Speaker 1: the race of the false prophets. But look not to this,
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  Speaker 1: saith he. That it is rough and narrow, but where
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  Speaker 1: it ends, Nor that the opposite is wide and spacious,
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  Speaker 1: but where it issues. And all these things he saith
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  Speaker 1: thoroughly to awaken our alacrity, even as elsewhere also he said,
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  Speaker 1: violent men take it by force. For whoever is in conflict,
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  Speaker 1: when he actually sees the judge of the list marveling
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  Speaker 1: at the painfulness of his efforts, is the more inspirited.
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  Speaker 1: Let it not then bewilder us when many things bring up,
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  Speaker 1: Hence to turn to our vexation. For the way is
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  Speaker 1: straight and the gait narrow, but not the city. Therefore
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  Speaker 1: must one neither look for rest here, nor there expect
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  Speaker 1: any more ought that is painful. Now, in saying few
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  Speaker 1: there be that find it here again, he both declares
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  Speaker 1: the carelessness of the generality and instructed his hearers not
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  Speaker 1: to regard the felicities of the many, but the labors
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  Speaker 1: of the few. For the more part, saith he, so
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  Speaker 1: far from walking this way, do not so much as
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  Speaker 1: make it their choice a thing of most extreme criminality.
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  Speaker 1: But we should not regard the many, nor be troubled thereat,
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  Speaker 1: but emulate the few, and by all means equipping ourselves,
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  Speaker 1: should so walk therein. For besides that it is straight,
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  Speaker 1: there are also many to overthrow us in the way
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  Speaker 1: that leads thither. Wherefore he also added, beware of false prophets,
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  Speaker 1: for they will come to you in sheep's clothing, but
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  Speaker 1: inwardly they are ravening wolves. Behold together with the dogs
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  Speaker 1: and swine, another kind of ambush and conspiracy far more
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  Speaker 1: grievous than that, For those are acknowledged and open, but
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  Speaker 1: these shaded over for which cause. Also while from those
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  Speaker 1: he commanded to hold off, these he charged men to
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  Speaker 1: watch with exact care, as though it were not possible
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  Speaker 1: to see them at the first approach. Wherefore he also said,
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  Speaker 1: beware making us more exact to discern them. Then, lest
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  Speaker 1: when they had heard that it was narrow and straight,
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  Speaker 1: that they must walk on a way opposite to the many,
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  Speaker 1: and must keep themselves from swine and dogs, and together
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  Speaker 1: with these from another more wicked kind, even this of wolves.
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  Speaker 1: Lest I say they should sink down at this multitude
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  Speaker 1: of vexations, having both to go away contrary to most men,
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  Speaker 1: and therewith again to have such anxiety about these things.
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  Speaker 1: He reminded them of what took place in the days
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  Speaker 1: of their fathers by using the term false prophets. For then,
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  Speaker 1: also no less did such things happen. Be not now,
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  Speaker 1: I pray you troubled. So he speaks, for nothing new
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  Speaker 1: nor strained is to befall you, since for all true
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  Speaker 1: the devil is always secretly substituting its appropriate deceit. And
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  Speaker 1: by the figure of false prophets, here I think he
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  Speaker 1: shadows out not the heretics, but them that are of
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  Speaker 1: a corrupt life, yet wear a mask of virtue, whom
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  Speaker 1: the generality are one to call by the name of impostors.
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  Speaker 1: Wherefore he also said further, by their fruits, ye shall
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  Speaker 1: know them. For amongst heretics one may often find actual goodness.
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  Speaker 1: But among those whom I was mentioning by no means
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  Speaker 1: what then it may be said, if in these things
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  Speaker 1: too they counterfeit. Nay, they will be easily detected. For
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  Speaker 1: such is the nature of this way in which I
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  Speaker 1: commanded men to walk painful and irksome. But the hypocrite
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  Speaker 1: would not choose to take pains, but to make a
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  Speaker 1: show only. Wherefore also he is easily convicted. Thus, inasmuch
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  Speaker 1: as he had said there be few that find it,
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  Speaker 1: he clears them out again from among those who find it,
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  Speaker 1: not yet fain so to do, by commanding us not
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  Speaker 1: to look to them that wear the masks only, but
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  Speaker 1: to them who in reality pursue it. But wherefore one
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  Speaker 1: may say, did he not make them manifest, but set
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  Speaker 1: us on the search for them, that we might watch
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  Speaker 1: and be ever prepared for conflict, guarding against our disguised
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  Speaker 1: as well as against our open enemies, which kind. Indeed,
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  Speaker 1: Paul also was intimating when he said that by their
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  Speaker 1: good words they deceived the hearts of the simple. Let
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  Speaker 1: us not be troubled. Therefore, when we see many such
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  Speaker 1: even now, nay, for this too Christ foretold from the beginning,
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  Speaker 1: And see his gentleness, how he said, not punish them,
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  Speaker 1: but be not hurt by them. Do not fall amongst
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  Speaker 1: them unguarded. Then that thou mightst not say it is
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  Speaker 1: impossible to distinguish that sort of men. Again, he states
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  Speaker 1: an argument from a human example, thus saying, do men
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  Speaker 1: gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles? Even so,
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  Speaker 1: every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, but the corrupt
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  Speaker 1: tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring
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  Speaker 1: forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth
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  Speaker 1: good fruit. Now what he saith is like this, They
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  Speaker 1: have nothing gentle nor sweet. It is the sheep only
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  Speaker 1: so far as the skin. Wherefore also it is easy
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  Speaker 1: to discern them, unless thou shouldst have any the least doubt.
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  Speaker 1: He compares it to certain natural necessities in matters which
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  Speaker 1: admit of no result, but one in which sense. Paul
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  Speaker 1: also said, the carnal mind is death, for it is
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  Speaker 1: not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
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  Speaker 1: And if he states the same thing twice, it is
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  Speaker 1: not toutology. But lest any one should say, though the
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  Speaker 1: evil tree bear evil fruit, it bears all so good,
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  Speaker 1: and makes the distinction difficult, the crop being twofold, this
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  Speaker 1: is not so, saith he, for it bears evil fruit only,
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  Speaker 1: and never can bear good as indeed in the contrary case.
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  Speaker 1: Also what then is there no such thing as a
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  Speaker 1: good man becoming wicked? And the contrary again takes place,
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  Speaker 1: and life abounds with many such examples. But Christ saith
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  Speaker 1: not this that for the wicked there is no ey
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  Speaker 1: to change, or that the good cannot fall away, but
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  Speaker 1: that so long as he is living in wickedness, he
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  Speaker 1: will not be able to bear good for fruend. For
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  Speaker 1: he may indeed change to virtue being evil, but while
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  Speaker 1: continuing in wickedness, he will not bear good fruit. What then,
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  Speaker 1: did not David, being good, bear evil fruit, not continuing
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  Speaker 1: good but being changed, Since undoubtedly, had he remained always
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  Speaker 1: what he was, he would not have brought forth such fruit,
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  Speaker 1: For not surely while abiding in the habit of virtue
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  Speaker 1: did he commit what he committed. Now by these words,
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  Speaker 1: he was also stopping the mouths of those who speak
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  Speaker 1: evil at random, and putting a bridle on the lips
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  Speaker 1: of all calumniators. I mean, whereas many suspect the good
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  Speaker 1: by reason of the bad, he, by this saying hath
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  Speaker 1: deprived them of all excuse. For thou canst not say
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  Speaker 1: I am deceived and beguiled, since I have given thee
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  Speaker 1: exactly this way of distinguishing them by their works, having
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  Speaker 1: added the injunction to go to their actions, and not
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  Speaker 1: to confound all at random. Then, forasmuch as he had
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  Speaker 1: not commanded to punish, but only to beware of them,
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  Speaker 1: he at once both to comfort those whom they vex
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  Speaker 1: and to alarm and change them, set up as a
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  Speaker 1: bulwark against them, the punishment they should receive at his hands, saying,
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  Speaker 1: every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn
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  Speaker 1: down and cast into the fire. Then, to make the
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  Speaker 1: saying less grievous, he added, wherefore by their fruits, ye
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  Speaker 1: shall know them that he might not seem to introduce
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  Speaker 1: the threatening as his leading topic, but to be stirring
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  Speaker 1: up their mind in the way of admonition and counsel.
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  Speaker 1: Here he seems to me to be hinting at the
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  Speaker 1: Jews also, who were exhibiting such fruits. Wherefore also he
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  Speaker 1: reminded them of the sayings of John in the very
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  Speaker 1: seam terms delineating their punishment. For he too said the
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  Speaker 1: very same, making mention to them of an axe, and
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  Speaker 1: of a tree cut down, and of unquenchable fire. And
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  Speaker 1: though it appear indeed to be some single punishment the
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  Speaker 1: being burnt up, yet if one examined carefully, these are
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  Speaker 1: two punishments. For he that is burnt is also cast,
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  Speaker 1: of course out of God's kingdom. And this latter punishment
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  Speaker 1: is more grievous than the other. Now I know, indeed
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  Speaker 1: that many tremble only at Hell. But I affirm the
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  Speaker 1: loss of that glory to be a far greater punishment
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  Speaker 1: than hell. And if it be not possible to exhibit
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  Speaker 1: it such in words, this is nothing marvelous. For neither
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  Speaker 1: do we know the blessedness of those good things, that
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  Speaker 1: we should, on the other hand, clearly perceive the wretchedness
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  Speaker 1: ensuing on being deprived of them. Since Paul is knowing
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  Speaker 1: these things clearly is aware that to fall from Christ's
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  Speaker 1: glory is more grievous than all and this we shall
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  Speaker 1: know at that time when we shall fall into the
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  Speaker 1: actual trial of it. But may this never be our case,
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  Speaker 1: O Thou only be God and Son of God. Neither
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  Speaker 1: may we ever have any experience of this irremediable punishment.
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  Speaker 1: For how great and evil it is to fall from
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  Speaker 1: those good things cannot indeed be accurately told. Nevertheless, as
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  Speaker 1: I may be able, I will labor and strive by
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  Speaker 1: an example to make it clear to you, though it
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  Speaker 1: be but in some small degree. Let us then imagine
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  Speaker 1: a wondrous child having besides his virtue the dominion of
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  Speaker 1: the whole world, and in all respects so virtuous as
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  Speaker 1: to be capable of bringing all men to the yearning
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  Speaker 1: of a father's affection. What theft do you think the
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  Speaker 1: father of this child would not gladly suffer not to
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  Speaker 1: be cast out of his society. And what evil, small
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  Speaker 1: or great would he not welcome on condition of seeing
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  Speaker 1: and enjoying him. Now, let us reason just so with
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  Speaker 1: respect to that glory also, for no child be he
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  Speaker 1: never so virtuous is so desirable and lovely to a
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  Speaker 1: father as the having our portion in those good things?
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  Speaker 1: And to depart and be with Christ, no doubt hell,
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  Speaker 1: and that punishment is a thing not to be born. Yet,
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  Speaker 1: though in suppose ten thousand hells, he will utter nothing
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  Speaker 1: like what it will be to fail of that blessed
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  Speaker 1: glory to be hated of Christ. To hear, I know
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  Speaker 1: you not to be accused for not feeding him when
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  Speaker 1: he saw him and hungered. YEA better surely to endure
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  Speaker 1: a thousand thunderbolts than to see that face of mildness
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  Speaker 1: turning away from us, and that I of peace not
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  Speaker 1: enduring to look upon us. For if he, while I
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  Speaker 1: was an enemy and hating him and turning from him,
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  Speaker 1: did in such wise follow after me as not to
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  Speaker 1: spare even himself but to give himself up unto death.
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  Speaker 1: When after all this I do not vouchsafe to him
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  Speaker 1: so much as a loaf in his hunger. With what
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  Speaker 1: kind of eyes shall I ever again behold him? But
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  Speaker 1: mark even hear his gentleness, And that ye doth not
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  Speaker 1: at all speak of his benefits, Nor say thou hast
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  Speaker 1: despised him, that hath done THEE so much good. Neither
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  Speaker 1: doth he say me, who brought THEE from that which
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  Speaker 1: is not into being, who breathed into THEE a soul
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  Speaker 1: and set THEE over all things on earth, who for
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  Speaker 1: thy sake made earth and heaven, and sea and air,
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  Speaker 1: and all things that are, who had been dishonored by THEE.
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  Speaker 1: He accounted of less honor than the devil, and did
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  Speaker 1: not even so withdraw himself, but had innumerable thoughts for
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  Speaker 1: THEE after it all, who chose to become a slave,
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  Speaker 1: who was beaten with rods and spit upon, who was slain,
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  Speaker 1: who died the most shameful death, who also on high
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  Speaker 1: makes intercession for THEE, who freely give THEE his spirit,
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  Speaker 1: who outsafes to THEE a kingdom, who makes THEE such promises,
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  Speaker 1: whose will it is to be unto THEE head and bridegroom,
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  Speaker 1: and garment and house, and root, and meat and drink,
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  Speaker 1: and shepherd and king, and who had taken THEE to
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  Speaker 1: be brother and heir enjoint heir with himself, who had
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  Speaker 1: brought THEE out of darkness into the dominion of light.
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  Speaker 1: These things I say, and more than these he might
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  Speaker 1: speak of, But he mentions none of these, but what
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  Speaker 1: only the sin itself. Even here he shows his love
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  Speaker 1: and indicates the yearning which he hath toward THEE, not saying,
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  Speaker 1: depart into the fire prepared for you, but prepared for
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  Speaker 1: the devil. And before he tells them what wrongs they
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  Speaker 1: had done, And neither so doth he endure to mention
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  Speaker 1: all but a f you. And before these he calls
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  Speaker 1: the other sort, those who have done well, to signify
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  Speaker 1: from this too, that he is blaming them justly. What
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  Speaker 1: amount of punishment done is so grievous as these words.
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  Speaker 1: For if any one, seeing but a man who was
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  Speaker 1: his benefactor and hungered, would not neglect him, or if
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  Speaker 1: he should neglect him, being upbraided with it, would choose
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  Speaker 1: rather to sink into the earth than to hear of it.
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  Speaker 1: In the presence of two or three friends, What will
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  Speaker 1: be our feelings on hearing these words in the presence
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  Speaker 1: of the whole world? Such as he would not say
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  Speaker 1: even then, were he not earnestly accounting for his own doings.
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  Speaker 1: For that, not to upbraid did he bring these things forward,
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  Speaker 1: but in self defense, and for the sake of showing that,
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  Speaker 1: not without ground, nor at random was he saying depart
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  Speaker 1: from me. This is evident from his unspeakable benefits. For
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  Speaker 1: if he had been minded to upbraid, he would have
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  Speaker 1: brought forward all these But now he mentions only what
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  Speaker 1: treatment he had received. Let us, therefore, beloved, fear the
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  Speaker 1: hearing these words. Life is not a plaything, or rather,
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  Speaker 1: our present life is a plaything, but the things to
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  Speaker 1: come are not such where perchance or life is not
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  Speaker 1: a plaything only, but even worse than this, for it
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  Speaker 1: ends not in laughter, but rather brings exceeding damage on
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  Speaker 1: them who are not minded to order their own ways strictly.
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  Speaker 1: For what I pray thee is the difference between children
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  Speaker 1: who are playing at building houses and us when we
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  Speaker 1: are building our fine houses. What again, between them making
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  Speaker 1: out their dinners and us in our delicate, fair but
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  Speaker 1: just that we do it at the risk of being punished.
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  Speaker 1: And if we do not yet quite perceive the poverty
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  Speaker 1: of what is going on, no wonder, for we are
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  Speaker 1: not yet become men. But when we are become so
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  Speaker 1: we shall know that all these things are childish, for
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  Speaker 1: so those other things too. As we grow to manhood
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  Speaker 1: we laugh to scorn, But when we are children we
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  Speaker 1: account them to be worth anxiety. And while we are
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  Speaker 1: gathering together potshards and mire, we think no less of
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  Speaker 1: ourselves than they who are erecting their great circuits of walls. Nevertheless,
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  Speaker 1: they straight we perish and fall down. And not even
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  Speaker 1: when standing, can they be of any use to us.
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  Speaker 1: As indeed, neither can those fine houses. For the citizen
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  Speaker 1: of Heaven they cannot receive. Neither can he bear to
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  Speaker 1: abide them, who hath his country above. But as we
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  Speaker 1: throw down these with our feet, so he to those
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  Speaker 1: by his high spirit. And as we laugh at the
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  Speaker 1: children weeping at that overthrow, even so these also, when
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  Speaker 1: we are bewailing at all, do not laugh only, but
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  Speaker 1: weep also, because both their bowels are compassionate, and great
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  Speaker 1: is the mischief, thence arising. Let us therefore become men.
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  Speaker 1: How long are we to crawl on the earth, priding
• 23:32
  Speaker 1: ourselves on stones and stocks? How long are we to play?
• 23:37
  Speaker 1: And would we played only? But now we even betray
• 23:41
  Speaker 1: our own salvation. And as children, when they neglect their
• 23:45
  Speaker 1: learning in practice themselves and these things at their leisure,
• 23:49
  Speaker 1: suffer very severe blows. Even so, we, too, spending all
• 23:55
  Speaker 1: our diligence herein, and having then our spiritual lessons required
• 23:59
  Speaker 1: a us in our works, and not being able to
• 24:02
  Speaker 1: produce them, shall have to pay the utmost penalty, for
• 24:07
  Speaker 1: there is none to deliver us. Though he be father, brother,
• 24:11
  Speaker 1: what you will. But while these things shall all pass away,
• 24:16
  Speaker 1: the torment ensuing upon them remains immortal and unceasing. Which
• 24:21
  Speaker 1: sort of thing indeed takes place with respect to the
• 24:24
  Speaker 1: children as well, their father, destroying their childish toys altogether
• 24:30
  Speaker 1: for their idleness, and causing them to weep incessantly, and
• 24:35
  Speaker 1: to convince thee that these things are such. Let us
• 24:38
  Speaker 1: bring before us wealth that which, more than anything, seems
• 24:42
  Speaker 1: to be worthy of our pains, And let us set
• 24:45
  Speaker 1: against it a virtue of the soul, whichsoever thou wilt,
• 24:50
  Speaker 1: and then shalt thou see most clearly the vileness thereof
• 24:54
  Speaker 1: Let us, I say, suppose there are two men, and
• 24:59
  Speaker 1: I do not now speak of injuriousness, but as yet
• 25:03
  Speaker 1: of honest wealth. And of these two, let the one
• 25:07
  Speaker 1: get together money and sail on the sea, and till
• 25:11
  Speaker 1: the land, and find many other ways of merchandise. Although
• 25:16
  Speaker 1: I know not quite whether so doing he can make
• 25:19
  Speaker 1: honest gains. Nevertheless, let it be so, and let it
• 25:24
  Speaker 1: be granted that his gains are gotten with honesty, that
• 25:28
  Speaker 1: he buys fields and slaves and all such things. And
• 25:33
  Speaker 1: suppose no injustice connected therewith. But let the other one,
• 25:38
  Speaker 1: possessing as much, sell fields, sell houses, and vessels of
• 25:44
  Speaker 1: gold and silver, and give to the poor. Let him
• 25:48
  Speaker 1: supply the necessitous, heal the sick, free, such as are
• 25:53
  Speaker 1: in straits. Some let him deliver from bonds. Others let
• 25:59
  Speaker 1: him release that are in minds. These let him bring
• 26:02
  Speaker 1: back from the news those who are captives. Let him
• 26:07
  Speaker 1: rescue from their punishment. Of whose side then would you be,
• 26:12
  Speaker 1: And we have not as yet spoken of the future,
• 26:15
  Speaker 1: but as yet of what is here. Of whose part
• 26:19
  Speaker 1: then would he be his that is gathering gold, or
• 26:23
  Speaker 1: his that is doing away with calamities? With him that
• 26:27
  Speaker 1: is purchasing fields, or him who is making himself a
• 26:31
  Speaker 1: harbor of refuge for the human race, him that is
• 26:35
  Speaker 1: clothed with much gold, or him that is crowned with
• 26:39
  Speaker 1: innumerable blessings. Is not the one like some angel come
• 26:43
  Speaker 1: down from heaven for the amendment of the rest of mankind,
• 26:48
  Speaker 1: But the other not so much is like a man,
• 26:52
  Speaker 1: but like some little child that is gathering altogether, vainly
• 26:55
  Speaker 1: and at random. But if to get money honestly be
• 27:00
  Speaker 1: thus absurd and of extreme madness, when not even the
• 27:04
  Speaker 1: honesty is there, how can such a man choose but
• 27:08
  Speaker 1: be more wretched than any? I say? If the absurdity
• 27:12
  Speaker 1: be so great, when hell is added there too, and
• 27:17
  Speaker 1: the loss of the kingdom, how great wailings are due
• 27:20
  Speaker 1: to him, both living and dead. Or wilt thou that
• 27:25
  Speaker 1: we take in hand some other part also a virtue?
• 27:29
  Speaker 1: Let Us then introduce again another man who is in power,
• 27:34
  Speaker 1: commanding all invested with great dignity, having a gorgeous herald
• 27:39
  Speaker 1: and girdle, and lictors, and a large company of attendants.
• 27:45
  Speaker 1: Doth not this seem great and meet to be called happy? Well?
• 27:49
  Speaker 1: Then against this man again let us set another, him
• 27:54
  Speaker 1: that is patient of injuries, and meek and lowly and
• 27:58
  Speaker 1: long suffering. And let this last be despitefully used, be beaten,
• 28:05
  Speaker 1: and let him bear it quietly, And bless them that
• 28:08
  Speaker 1: are doing such things. Now, which is the one to
• 28:12
  Speaker 1: be admired? I pray thee? He that is puffed up
• 28:16
  Speaker 1: and inflamed, or he that is self subdued. Is not
• 28:21
  Speaker 1: the one again like the powers above that are so
• 28:24
  Speaker 1: free from passion, but the other like a blown bladder,
• 28:29
  Speaker 1: or a man who hath the dropsy and great inflammation,
• 28:34
  Speaker 1: The one like a spiritual physician, the other a ridiculous
• 28:39
  Speaker 1: child that is puffing out his cheeks. For why dost
• 28:43
  Speaker 1: thou pride thyself, o man, because thou art borne on
• 28:47
  Speaker 1: high in a chariot, because a yoke of mules is
• 28:51
  Speaker 1: drawing thee? But what is this? Why this one may
• 28:56
  Speaker 1: see befalling mere logs of wood and stones? Is it
• 29:00
  Speaker 1: that thou art clothed with beautiful garments? But look at
• 29:04
  Speaker 1: him that is clad with virtue for garments. And thou
• 29:08
  Speaker 1: wilt see thyself to be like withering hay, but him
• 29:12
  Speaker 1: like a tree that bears marvelous fruit and affords much
• 29:16
  Speaker 1: delight to the beholders. For thou art bearing about food
• 29:20
  Speaker 1: for worms and moths, who, if they should set upon thee,
• 29:25
  Speaker 1: wilt quickly strip thee bare of this adorning. For truly,
• 29:30
  Speaker 1: garments in gold and silver are the one the spinning
• 29:34
  Speaker 1: of worms, the other earth and dust, and again become earth,
• 29:39
  Speaker 1: and nothing more. But he that is clothed with virtue
• 29:43
  Speaker 1: hath such raiment as not only worms cannot hurt, but
• 29:47
  Speaker 1: not even death itself, and very naturally, for these virtues
• 29:53
  Speaker 1: of the soul have not their origin from the earth,
• 29:56
  Speaker 1: but are the fruit of the spirit. Wherefore, or neither
• 30:00
  Speaker 1: are the subject to the mouths of worms. Nay, for
• 30:04
  Speaker 1: these garments are woven in heaven, where is neither moth
• 30:09
  Speaker 1: nor worm, nor any other such thing. Which then is
• 30:14
  Speaker 1: better tell me to be rich or to be poor,
• 30:18
  Speaker 1: to be in power or in dishonor in luxury or
• 30:23
  Speaker 1: in hunger. It is quite clear to be in honor
• 30:28
  Speaker 1: and enjoyment and wealth. Therefore, if thou wouldst have the
• 30:33
  Speaker 1: things and not the names, leave the earth and what
• 30:37
  Speaker 1: is here, and find thee a place to anchor in heaven.
• 30:42
  Speaker 1: For what is here is a shadow, but all things
• 30:45
  Speaker 1: there are immovable, steadfast, and beyond any assault. Let us
• 30:52
  Speaker 1: therefore choose them with all diligent care, that we may
• 30:56
  Speaker 1: be delivered from the turmoil of the things here, and,
• 31:00
  Speaker 1: having sailed into that calm harbor, may be found with
• 31:04
  Speaker 1: our leading abundant, and with that unspeakable wealth of almsgiving,
• 31:09
  Speaker 1: unto which God grant, we may all attain by the
• 31:13
  Speaker 1: grace and love towards Man of our Lord Jesus Christ,
• 31:18
  Speaker 1: to whom be the glory and the might world without
• 31:22
  Speaker 1: end Amen, end of Homily twenty three.