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028 - Homily 15 - Romans 828 · Homilies on Romans

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  Speaker 1: Section twenty eight of Homilies on Romans by John Chrysostom,
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  Speaker 1: translated by J. B. Morris. This LibriVox recording is in
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  Speaker 1: the public domain. Homily fifteen, Romans eight, verse twenty eight.
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  Speaker 1: And we know that all things work together for good
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  Speaker 1: to them that love God. Here he seems to me
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  Speaker 1: to have mooted this whole topic with a view to
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  Speaker 1: those who were in danger. Or rather not this only,
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  Speaker 1: but also what was said a little before us, For
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  Speaker 1: the words the sufferings of this present time are not
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  Speaker 1: worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be
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  Speaker 1: revealed in us, and those that the whole creation growneth.
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  Speaker 1: And the saying that we are saved by hope, and
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  Speaker 1: the phrase we with patience wait for and that we
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  Speaker 1: know not what we should pray for as we ought,
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  Speaker 1: are all of them said to these. For he instructs
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  Speaker 1: them not to choose just what they may think themselves
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  Speaker 1: to be useful, but what the spirit may suggest. For
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  Speaker 1: many things that seem to one's self profitable do sometimes
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  Speaker 1: even cause much harm. Quiet, for instance, and freedom from
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  Speaker 1: dangers and living out of fear seemed to be advantageous
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  Speaker 1: for them. And what wonder if they did to them,
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  Speaker 1: since to the blessed Pole himself this seemed to be so. Still,
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  Speaker 1: he came afterwards to know that the opposite to all
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  Speaker 1: these are the things advantageous. And when he came to
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  Speaker 1: know it, he was content. So he that besought the
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  Speaker 1: Lord thrice to be freed from hazards, when once he
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  Speaker 1: heard him say, my grace is sufficient for thee, for
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  Speaker 1: my power is perfected in weakness, was afterwards delighted at
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  Speaker 1: being persecuted and insulted, and having irreparable ills done him
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  Speaker 1: for our glory, he says, in persecutions, in insults, in necessities.
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  Speaker 1: And this was his reason for saying, for we know
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  Speaker 1: not what we should pray for as we ought. And
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  Speaker 1: he exhorted all to give up these matters to the spirit,
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  Speaker 1: for the Holy Spirit is very mindful of us, and
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  Speaker 1: this is the will of God. Having then cheered them
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  Speaker 1: by all methods, he proceeds to what we have heard today,
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  Speaker 1: putting forward a reason strong enough to reclaim them. For
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  Speaker 1: he says, we know that all things work together for
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  Speaker 1: good to them that love God. Now, when he speaks
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  Speaker 1: of all things, he mentions even the things that seem painful,
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  Speaker 1: for should even tribulation or poverty, or imprisonment, or famines
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  Speaker 1: or deaths, or anything else whatsoever come upon us. God
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  Speaker 1: is able to change all these things into the opposite.
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  Speaker 1: For this is quite an instance of his unspeakable power,
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  Speaker 1: is making things seemingly painful to be lightsome to us,
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  Speaker 1: and turning them into that which is helpful to us.
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  Speaker 1: And so he does not say that them that love
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  Speaker 1: God no grievance approacheth, but that it even works together
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  Speaker 1: for good. That is to say that He useth the
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  Speaker 1: grievous things themselves to make the persons so plotted against approved.
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  Speaker 1: And this is a much greater thing than hindering the
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  Speaker 1: approach of such grievances, or stopping them when they have come.
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  Speaker 1: And this is what He did even with the Firnace
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  Speaker 1: at Babylon. For he did not either prevent its approach
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  Speaker 1: or extinguish the flame after those saints were cast into it,
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  Speaker 1: but let it bon on and made them by this
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  Speaker 1: very flame greater objects of wonder. And with the apostles
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  Speaker 1: too he wrought other like wonders continually. For if men
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  Speaker 1: who have learned to be philosophic can use the things
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  Speaker 1: of nature to the opposite of their intention and appear
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  Speaker 1: even when living in poverty in easier circumstances than the rich,
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  Speaker 1: and shine through disgrace. Much more will Guard work for
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  Speaker 1: those that love him both these and also greater things
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  Speaker 1: by far, For one needs only one thing, a genuine
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  Speaker 1: love of him, and all things follow that. As then
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  Speaker 1: things seemingly harmful do good to these, so do even
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  Speaker 1: things profitable harm those who love him. Not. For instance,
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  Speaker 1: the exhibition of miracles and rightness of doctrine only injured
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  Speaker 1: the Jews, as did the wisdom of his teaching. And
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  Speaker 1: for the former they called him a possessed person, for
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  Speaker 1: the other one that would be equal to God. And
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  Speaker 1: because of the miracles they even went about to kill him.
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  Speaker 1: But the rucified thief, when nailed to the cross and
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  Speaker 1: reviled and suffering ills unnumbered, not only was not hurt,
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  Speaker 1: but even gained the greatest good therefrom see how for
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  Speaker 1: those who love Guard all things work together for good.
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  Speaker 1: After mentioning then this great blessing, one which far exceeds
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  Speaker 1: man's nature. Since to many this seemed even past belief,
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  Speaker 1: he draws a proof of it from past blessings. In
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  Speaker 1: these words, to them who are called according to his purpose.
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  Speaker 1: Now consider he means from the calling, for instance, what
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  Speaker 1: I have just said, Why then did he not from
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  Speaker 1: the first call all? Or why not paul himself as
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  Speaker 1: soon as the rest This case, then, where he differring
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  Speaker 1: seemed harmful, was still by the event shown to be
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  Speaker 1: for the best the purpose. He here mentions, however, that
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  Speaker 1: he might not ascribe everything to the calling, since in
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  Speaker 1: this way both Greeks and Jews would be sure to cavil.
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  Speaker 1: For if the calling alone were sufficient, how came it
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  Speaker 1: that all were not saved? Hence he says that it
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  Speaker 1: is not the calling alone, but the purs of those
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  Speaker 1: called too, that works the salvation. For the calling was
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  Speaker 1: not forced upon them, nor compulsory. All then were called,
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  Speaker 1: but all did not obey the call Verse twenty nine.
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  Speaker 1: For whom he did fore know, he also did predestinate
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  Speaker 1: to be conformed to the image of his son. See
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  Speaker 1: what superb honor, for what the only begotten was by nature,
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  Speaker 1: This they also have become by grace. And still he
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  Speaker 1: was not satisfied with this calling of them conformed there too,
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  Speaker 1: But even adds another point, that he might be the
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  Speaker 1: first born. And even here he does not come to
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  Speaker 1: a pause. But again after this he proceeds to mention
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  Speaker 1: another point among many brethren, so wishing to use all
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  Speaker 1: means of setting the relationship in a clear light. Now,
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  Speaker 1: all these things you are to take as said of
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  Speaker 1: the incarnation. For according to the guard Head he is
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  Speaker 1: only begotten. See what great things he hath given unto us.
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  Speaker 1: Doubt not then about the future, For he saith even
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  Speaker 1: upon other grounds, is concerned for us by saying that
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  Speaker 1: things were fore ordered in this way from the beginning.
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  Speaker 1: For men have to derive from things their conceptions about them.
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  Speaker 1: But to guard these things have been long determined upon
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  Speaker 1: and were from of old in this position, as regardeth us.
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  Speaker 1: Hence he says verse thirty Moreover, whom he did predestinate them,
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  Speaker 1: he also called, and whom he called them he also justified.
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  Speaker 1: Now he justified them by the wathing of regeneration. And
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  Speaker 1: whom he justified them he also glorified. He glorified them
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  Speaker 1: by the gift by the adoption Verse thirty one. What
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  Speaker 1: shall we then say to these things? As if he
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  Speaker 1: should say, let me then hear know more about the
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  Speaker 1: dangers and the malicious devices from every quarter. For even
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  Speaker 1: if some disbelieve the things to come. Still, they have
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  Speaker 1: not a word to say against the good things that
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  Speaker 1: have already taken place, as for instance, the friendship of
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  Speaker 1: God towards THEE from the first, the justifying the glory.
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  Speaker 1: And yet these things he gave THEE by means seemingly distressing,
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  Speaker 1: and those things which you thought to be disgracing, the cross, scourges, bonds,
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  Speaker 1: these are what have set the whole world aright. As
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  Speaker 1: then by what himself suffered, though of aspect forbidding in
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  Speaker 1: man's eye, even by these he affected the liberty and
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  Speaker 1: salvation of the whole race. So also is he wont
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  Speaker 1: to do in regard to those things which thou endurest
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  Speaker 1: turning thy sufferings unto glory and renown for THEE. If
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  Speaker 1: God be for us, who can be against us? Why
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  Speaker 1: it may be said, who is there that is not
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  Speaker 1: against us? Why the world is against us, both kings
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  Speaker 1: and people, both relations and countrymen. Yet these that be
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  Speaker 1: against us, so far are they from thwarting us at all, that,
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  Speaker 1: even without their will they become to us the causes
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  Speaker 1: of crowns and procurers of countless blessings. In that God's
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  Speaker 1: wisdom turneth their plots unto our salvation and glory. See
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  Speaker 1: how really no one is against us. For it was
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  Speaker 1: this which gave new luster to job, the fact that
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  Speaker 1: the devil was in arms against him. For the devil
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  Speaker 1: moved it once friends against him, his wife against him,
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  Speaker 1: and wounds and servants, and a thousand other machinations. And
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  Speaker 1: yet it turned out that none of them was against
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  Speaker 1: him at all. And yet this was no great thing
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  Speaker 1: to him, though it was great in itself. But what
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  Speaker 1: is a far greater thing is that it turned out
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  Speaker 1: that they were all for him. For since God was
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  Speaker 1: for him, even things seemingly against him all became for him.
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  Speaker 1: And this happened with the apostles too, inasmuch as both
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  Speaker 1: Jews and they of the gentiles, and false brethren, and
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  Speaker 1: rulers and peoples, and famines and poverty and ten thousand
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  Speaker 1: things were against them, and yet nothing was against them.
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  Speaker 1: For the things which made them the most bright and conspicuous,
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  Speaker 1: and gave them praise both of God and of men.
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  Speaker 1: Were these just reflect then what a word Saint Paul
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  Speaker 1: hath uttered about the faithful and those who are truly crucified,
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  Speaker 1: such as not even the emperor with his diadem can achieve.
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  Speaker 1: For against him there are abundance of barbarians that arm themselves,
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  Speaker 1: and of enemies that invaded, and of bodyguards that plot,
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  Speaker 1: and of subjects many that often times are ever and
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  Speaker 1: non rebelling, and thousands of other things. But against the faithful,
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  Speaker 1: who taketh good heed unto God's laws, neither man, nor devil,
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  Speaker 1: nor aught besides can raise opposition. For if you take
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  Speaker 1: away his money, you have become the procurer of a
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  Speaker 1: reward to him. If you speak ill of him by
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  Speaker 1: the evil report, he gains fresh luster in God's sight.
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  Speaker 1: If you cast him into starvation, the more will his
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  Speaker 1: glory and his reward be. If what seems the most
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  Speaker 1: severe stroke of all you give him over to death,
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  Speaker 1: you are twining a crime of martyrdom about him. What then,
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  Speaker 1: is equivalent to this way of life? Being that against
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  Speaker 1: which nothing can be done? But even they that seem
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  Speaker 1: to devise mischief no less of service to him than benefactors.
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  Speaker 1: This is why he says, if God be for us,
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  Speaker 1: who can be against us? Next? Not being satisfied with
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  Speaker 1: what he had already said, the greatest sign of his
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  Speaker 1: love for us, and that which he always is dwelling
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  Speaker 1: over that he sets down Here also I mean the
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  Speaker 1: slaying of his son. For he did not only justify
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  Speaker 1: he means, and glorify us and make us conformed to
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  Speaker 1: that image. But not even his son did he spare
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  Speaker 1: for thee. And therefore he proceeds to say thus thirty two,
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  Speaker 1: he that spared not his own son, but delivered him
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  Speaker 1: up for us all, how shall he not with him
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  Speaker 1: also freely give us all things? And here the words
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  Speaker 1: he uses are high wrought and exceedingly warm to show
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  Speaker 1: his love. How then is he to neglect us in
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  Speaker 1: whose behalf he spared not his own son, but delivered
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  Speaker 1: him up for us all? For reflect what goodness it
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  Speaker 1: is not to spare even his own son, but to
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  Speaker 1: give him up, and to give him up for all,
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  Speaker 1: And those worthless and unfeeling, and enemies and blasphemus. How
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  Speaker 1: then shall he not with them also freely give us
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  Speaker 1: all things? What he means then is as much as follows.
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  Speaker 1: If he gave his own son, and not merely gave him,
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  Speaker 1: but gave him to death. Why doubt any more about
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  Speaker 1: the rest, Since thou hast the master, Why be dubious
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  Speaker 1: about the chattels. When thou hast the Lord, for he
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  Speaker 1: that gave the greater thing to his enemies, how shall
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  Speaker 1: he do else than give thee lesser things to his friends?
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  Speaker 1: Verse thirty three. Who shall lay anything to the charge
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  Speaker 1: of God's elect Here he is against those who say
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  Speaker 1: that faith is no prophet and will not believe the
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  Speaker 1: sudden change? And see how swiftly he stops their mouths
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  Speaker 1: by the worthiness of Him that elected. He does not
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  Speaker 1: say who shall lay anything to the charge of God's
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  Speaker 1: servants or of God's faithful ones, but of God's elect
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  Speaker 1: And election is a sign of virtue. For if when
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  Speaker 1: a horse breaker has selected colts fit for the race,
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  Speaker 1: no one can find fault with them, but he would
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  Speaker 1: get laughed at? Who should find fault? Much more? When
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  Speaker 1: God selecteth souls, are they that lay any charge against
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  Speaker 1: them deserving of laughter? It is God that justifieth Verse
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  Speaker 1: thirty four. Who is he that condemneth? He does not say,
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  Speaker 1: it is God that forgave our sins? But what is
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  Speaker 1: much greater? It is God that justifieth. For when the
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  Speaker 1: judge's sentence declares us just, and judge so such as
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  Speaker 1: that too, what signifieth the accuser. Hence, neither is it
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  Speaker 1: right to fear temptations, for God is for us and
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  Speaker 1: hath shown it by what he hath done, Nor again
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  Speaker 1: jewish triflings. For He has both elected and justified us.
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  Speaker 1: And the wondrous thing is that it was by the
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  Speaker 1: death of his son that he did so, who then
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  Speaker 1: is to condemn us? Since God crowns us, and Christ
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  Speaker 1: was put to death for us, and not only was
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  Speaker 1: put to death, but also after this intercedeth for us.
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  Speaker 1: It is Christ, he says, that died a rather that
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  Speaker 1: is risen from the dead, who is at the right
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  Speaker 1: hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. For
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  Speaker 1: though seen now in his own dignity, he hath not
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  Speaker 1: left caring for us, but even maketh intercession for us.
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  Speaker 1: And still keepeest up the same love, for he was
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  Speaker 1: not contented with being put to death alone. And this
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  Speaker 1: is a sign for the most part of very great
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  Speaker 1: love to be doing not only what falls to his lot,
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  Speaker 1: but also to address another on this behalf, For this
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  Speaker 1: is all he meant to signify by the interceding, using
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  Speaker 1: a way of speaking better suited to man and more condescending,
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  Speaker 1: that he might point out love, since unless we take
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  Speaker 1: the words he spared not also with the same understanding,
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  Speaker 1: many inconsistencies will come of it. That he may see
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  Speaker 1: that such is the point he is aiming at. After
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  Speaker 1: first saying that he is at the right hand, he
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  Speaker 1: next proceeds to say that he maketh intercession for us,
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  Speaker 1: which shows an equality of honor and rank, so that
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  Speaker 1: hence it may appear that the intercession is not a
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  Speaker 1: sign of inferiority, but of love. Only for being at
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  Speaker 1: once life and a well of good things of every kind,
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  Speaker 1: and with the same power as the Father, both to
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  Speaker 1: raise up the dead and to quicken them, and do
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  Speaker 1: all besides that he doth, How could he need be
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  Speaker 1: a suppliant in order to help us? He that of
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  Speaker 1: his own power, set free those who were given over
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  Speaker 1: and condemned, even from that condemnation, and made them righteous
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  Speaker 1: and sons, and led them to the very highest honors,
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  Speaker 1: and brought to pass things which have never been hoped for.
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  Speaker 1: How should he, after having achieved all this, and having
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  Speaker 1: shown our nature on the King's throne, require to be
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  Speaker 1: a suppliant to do the easier things? You see, how
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  Speaker 1: it is shown by every argument that there is no
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  Speaker 1: other reason for his having mentioned intercession, save to show
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  Speaker 1: the warmth and vigorousness of his love for us. For
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  Speaker 1: the Father also is represented to us as beseeching men
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  Speaker 1: to be reconciled to him. For we are ambassadors of Christ,
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  Speaker 1: as though God did beseech you by us. Still though
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  Speaker 1: God beseecheth, and men are ambassadors in Christ's stead to men.
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  Speaker 1: We do not understand on that account anything done unworthy
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  Speaker 1: of that dignity. But one thing only do we gather
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  Speaker 1: from all that is told us, namely the intenseness of
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  Speaker 1: the love. And this let us do here also. If
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  Speaker 1: then the Spirit even maketh intercession for us with groanings
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  Speaker 1: that cannot be uttered, and Christ died and intercedeth for us,
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  Speaker 1: and the Father spared not his own son for THEE,
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  Speaker 1: and elected THEE and justified THEE. Why be afraid any more?
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  Speaker 1: But why tremble when enjoying such great love and having
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  Speaker 1: such great interest taken in THEE in this way, then,
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  Speaker 1: after showing his great providence over us for the first,
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  Speaker 1: he afterwards brings out what comes next in a bold style,
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  Speaker 1: and does not say ye ought also to love him,
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  Speaker 1: but as if grown enthusiastic at this unspeakable providence over us.
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  Speaker 1: He says, use thirty five, who shall separate us from
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  Speaker 1: the love of Christ? And he does not say of God.
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  Speaker 1: So indifferent is it to him whether he mentions the
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  Speaker 1: name of Christ or of God, shall tribulation or distress,
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  Speaker 1: or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril or sword
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  Speaker 1: observe the blessed Paul's judgment. For he does not mention
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  Speaker 1: the things that we are daily getting taken by love
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  Speaker 1: of money, and desire of glory, and the thraldom of anger.
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  Speaker 1: But things that are far more enthralling than these, and
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  Speaker 1: of power to put a force upon nature itself, and
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  Speaker 1: to wrench open the sternness of the resolution many times,
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  Speaker 1: even against our will, are what he puts down here
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  Speaker 1: tribulations and distresses. For even if the things mentioned are
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  Speaker 1: easy to tell up, still each single word has in
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  Speaker 1: thousands of lines of temptation. For when he says tribulation,
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  Speaker 1: he mentions prisons and bonds, and calumnies and banishments and
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  Speaker 1: all the other hardships, So in one word, running through
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  Speaker 1: an ocean of dangers without stint, and exhibiting to us,
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  Speaker 1: in fact, by a single word, all the evils that
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  Speaker 1: men meet with. Yet still he dares them all. Wherefore
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  Speaker 1: he brings them forward in the shape of questions, as
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  Speaker 1: if it was incontrovertible that nothing could move a person
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  Speaker 1: so beloved and who had enjoyed so much providence over him.
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  Speaker 1: Then that this might not seem as if he had
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  Speaker 1: forgotten himself. He brings in the prophet also, who declared
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  Speaker 1: this before a long while ago, and saith verse thirty six.
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  Speaker 1: For thy sake, we are killed all the day long.
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  Speaker 1: We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter, that is,
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  Speaker 1: we are exposed to all to be evil entreated of them.
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  Speaker 1: But yet against so many and so great dangers, and
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  Speaker 1: these recent horrors, the object of our conflicts is given
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  Speaker 1: as a sufficient consolation, or rather not sufficient only, but
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  Speaker 1: even much more. For it is not for men, nor
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  Speaker 1: for any other of the things of this life that
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  Speaker 1: we suffer, but for the king, he says, of the universe.
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  Speaker 1: But this is not the only crown, for he encircles
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  Speaker 1: them with another besides, and that varied and manifold. Since then,
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  Speaker 1: as there were men, they could not have deaths without
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  Speaker 1: number to undergo. He shows that in this way the
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  Speaker 1: prize is none the less. For even if by nature
• 17:31
  Speaker 1: it were fated to die once, by choice, God hath
• 17:34
  Speaker 1: granted us to suffer this every day, if we be
• 17:37
  Speaker 1: so minded. Whence it is plain that we shall depart
• 17:40
  Speaker 1: with as many crowns as we have lived days, or
• 17:42
  Speaker 1: rather with many more. But it is possible in a
• 17:46
  Speaker 1: day to die not once alone or twice, but many times.
• 17:50
  Speaker 1: For he who is ready unto this keeps continually receiving
• 17:53
  Speaker 1: a full reward. This, then, is what the Psalmist hints
• 17:56
  Speaker 1: at when he says all the day. And for this
• 17:59
  Speaker 1: reason the Apostle also brought him before them to rouse
• 18:02
  Speaker 1: them up the moor. For if he means those in
• 18:05
  Speaker 1: the old dispensation who had the land as their reward
• 18:08
  Speaker 1: and the other things which come to a close along
• 18:10
  Speaker 1: with this life, did so look down upon the present
• 18:13
  Speaker 1: life and the temptations and dangers of it. What pardon
• 18:16
  Speaker 1: should we find if we deal so languidly after the
• 18:18
  Speaker 1: promise of heaven in the kingdom above and its unutterable blessings,
• 18:23
  Speaker 1: so as not to come even up to their measure.
• 18:26
  Speaker 1: And this he does not say, indeed, but leaves it
• 18:28
  Speaker 1: to his hearer's consciences, and is satisfied with the quotation alone.
• 18:33
  Speaker 1: He shows too that their bodies become a sacrifice, and
• 18:35
  Speaker 1: that we must not be disturbed or troubled at God
• 18:38
  Speaker 1: having so ordered it. And he exhorts them in other
• 18:41
  Speaker 1: ways besides, for to prevent any from saying that he
• 18:44
  Speaker 1: is merely philosophizing here before having any experience of realities,
• 18:48
  Speaker 1: he adds, we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter,
• 18:51
  Speaker 1: meaning the daily deaths of the apostles. You see this
• 18:55
  Speaker 1: courage and his goodness. For as they he means, when
• 18:58
  Speaker 1: slaughter it make no resistance, so neither do we. But
• 19:02
  Speaker 1: since the feebleness of the mind of man, even after
• 19:04
  Speaker 1: so great things, was afraid of the multitude of temptations,
• 19:08
  Speaker 1: See how he again rouses the hearer and gives him
• 19:11
  Speaker 1: a lofty and exulting spirit by saying verse thirty seven. Nay,
• 19:16
  Speaker 1: in all these things, we are more than conquerors through
• 19:19
  Speaker 1: Him that loved us. For what is indeed wonderful is this,
• 19:23
  Speaker 1: not that we are now conquerors only, but that we
• 19:25
  Speaker 1: are so by the very things meant as plots against us.
• 19:29
  Speaker 1: And we are not merely conquerors, but we are more
• 19:31
  Speaker 1: than conquerors. That is, are so with ease, without toil
• 19:35
  Speaker 1: and labor, For without undergoing the real things. By only
• 19:39
  Speaker 1: setting our mind aright, we raise trophies against our enemies,
• 19:42
  Speaker 1: and with good reason, for it is God that striveth
• 19:45
  Speaker 1: together with us. Do not then be doubtful, if though beaten,
• 19:49
  Speaker 1: we get the better of our beaters. If driven out
• 19:51
  Speaker 1: we overcome our persecutors, If dying we put the living
• 19:55
  Speaker 1: to flight. For when you take the power and also
• 19:57
  Speaker 1: the love of God into account, there is nothing to
• 19:59
  Speaker 1: prevent these wondrous and strange things from coming to pass.
• 20:03
  Speaker 1: And that victory, the most advantageous, should shine upon us.
• 20:07
  Speaker 1: For they did not merely conquer, but in a wondrous way,
• 20:10
  Speaker 1: And so that one might learn that those who plotted
• 20:13
  Speaker 1: against them had a war not against men, but against
• 20:16
  Speaker 1: might invincible. See the Jews then with these among them,
• 20:20
  Speaker 1: and at a loss, quite and saying, what are we
• 20:23
  Speaker 1: to do to these men? For it is marvelous indeed,
• 20:26
  Speaker 1: that though they had hold of them, and had got
• 20:28
  Speaker 1: them liable to their courts, and imprisoned them and beat them,
• 20:31
  Speaker 1: they were yet at a loss and in perplexity, as
• 20:34
  Speaker 1: they got overcome by the very things whereby they expected
• 20:37
  Speaker 1: to conquer. And neither kings, nor people, nor ranks of demons,
• 20:41
  Speaker 1: nor the devil himself had power to get the better
• 20:43
  Speaker 1: of them, but were all overcome at a very great disadvantage,
• 20:48
  Speaker 1: finding that all they planned against them became for them.
• 20:52
  Speaker 1: And therefore he says, we are more than conquerors. For
• 20:55
  Speaker 1: this was a new rule of victory, for men to
• 20:57
  Speaker 1: prevail by their adversaries, and in no instance to be overcome,
• 21:01
  Speaker 1: but to go forth to these struggles as if they
• 21:04
  Speaker 1: themselves had the issue in their own hands. Thus thirty
• 21:08
  Speaker 1: eight and thirty nine, For I am persuaded that neither death,
• 21:12
  Speaker 1: nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present,
• 21:16
  Speaker 1: nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any
• 21:19
  Speaker 1: other creature shall be able to separate us from the
• 21:21
  Speaker 1: Love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord.
• 21:25
  Speaker 1: These are great things here mentioned, but the reason we
• 21:28
  Speaker 1: do not enter into them is because we have not
• 21:30
  Speaker 1: so great love. Yet still, though they are great, as
• 21:34
  Speaker 1: he wished to show, that they were nothing beside the
• 21:36
  Speaker 1: love wherewith he was loved of God. After it. He
• 21:40
  Speaker 1: then places his own, lest he should seem to be
• 21:43
  Speaker 1: saying great things about himself, And what he says is
• 21:45
  Speaker 1: somewhat of this kind. Why speak he means of things
• 21:48
  Speaker 1: present and evils inherited in this life. For even if
• 21:52
  Speaker 1: a person were to tell me of things to come,
• 21:53
  Speaker 1: and of powers, of things such as death and life,
• 21:57
  Speaker 1: of powers such as angels and arch angels, and all
• 22:00
  Speaker 1: the superior orders of beings, even these would be little
• 22:04
  Speaker 1: to me compared with the love of Christ. For even
• 22:07
  Speaker 1: if a person were to threaten me with that future death,
• 22:09
  Speaker 1: to which there is no death to separate me from Christ.
• 22:13
  Speaker 1: Nor if he promised the life without end, would I
• 22:15
  Speaker 1: agree to it? Why mention kings here below and consuls
• 22:20
  Speaker 1: this one or that? For if you tell me of angels,
• 22:23
  Speaker 1: or all the powers above, or all existing things, or
• 22:26
  Speaker 1: all that are to come, they are all small to me,
• 22:29
  Speaker 1: both those in the earth and those in heaven, and
• 22:32
  Speaker 1: those under the earth and those above heaven, compared to
• 22:35
  Speaker 1: this charm. Then, as these were not enough to set
• 22:38
  Speaker 1: before them the strong desire which he had, he gives
• 22:40
  Speaker 1: a being to others again of like magnitude, and says,
• 22:44
  Speaker 1: nor any other creation, And what he means is nearly this,
• 22:49
  Speaker 1: Even if there be any other creation as great as
• 22:51
  Speaker 1: the visible and as great as the intelligible. None of
• 22:54
  Speaker 1: them parts me from that love. This, he says, not
• 22:58
  Speaker 1: as if the angels attempted it, or the other powers
• 23:01
  Speaker 1: far from it, but as wishing to show quite to
• 23:04
  Speaker 1: the utmost the love he had toward Christ. For Christ
• 23:07
  Speaker 1: he loved, not for the things of Christ, but for
• 23:10
  Speaker 1: his sake, the things that were his. And to him
• 23:12
  Speaker 1: alone he looked, and one thing he feared, and that
• 23:14
  Speaker 1: was falling from love. For this thing was in itself
• 23:17
  Speaker 1: more dreadful than hell, as to abide in it was
• 23:20
  Speaker 1: more desirable than the kingdom. What then, should we now
• 23:23
  Speaker 1: deserve when he is found not to esteem even the
• 23:26
  Speaker 1: things in heaven as compared with the desire for Christ.
• 23:29
  Speaker 1: And we set more store by things of Mayer and
• 23:31
  Speaker 1: clay than by Christ. And he, out of desire of him,
• 23:35
  Speaker 1: would take up with falling into Hell and being banished
• 23:38
  Speaker 1: from the kingdom, if the choice between the two were
• 23:41
  Speaker 1: put to him. But we are not even above the
• 23:43
  Speaker 1: present life. Are we worthy then to touch his very shoes,
• 23:47
  Speaker 1: when we have come to be so far short of
• 23:49
  Speaker 1: his largeness of mind? For he, for Christ's sake, does
• 23:53
  Speaker 1: not think anything even of a kingdom but we think
• 23:56
  Speaker 1: slightingly of himself, and things of his we make great
• 23:59
  Speaker 1: account of, and would it were things of his. But
• 24:03
  Speaker 1: now it is not even this, But with a kingdom
• 24:05
  Speaker 1: set before us, we let that alone, and keep pursuing
• 24:09
  Speaker 1: shadows and dreams all our days. And yet God, in
• 24:12
  Speaker 1: his love toward man and exceeding gentleness, hath done the
• 24:15
  Speaker 1: same as if an affectionate father should, on his son's
• 24:19
  Speaker 1: becoming disinclined to a continual stay with him, manage to
• 24:22
  Speaker 1: bring this about in another way. For since we have
• 24:25
  Speaker 1: not the right feeling of desire after him, he keeps
• 24:28
  Speaker 1: putting divose other things before us, so as to hold
• 24:32
  Speaker 1: us to himself. Yet not even for this do we
• 24:35
  Speaker 1: abide with him, but we keep springing off to childish
• 24:38
  Speaker 1: playthings not so poor. But like a noble, spirited child
• 24:42
  Speaker 1: who is open and attached to his father, he seeks
• 24:45
  Speaker 1: only after the father's presence, and other things he sets
• 24:49
  Speaker 1: not so much store by. Or rather it is much
• 24:51
  Speaker 1: more than a child, for he does not value the
• 24:54
  Speaker 1: father and things that are his at the same rate.
• 24:57
  Speaker 1: But when he looks to the father he counts them nothing,
• 25:00
  Speaker 1: but would choose rather to be chastised and beaten so
• 25:03
  Speaker 1: he was with him, than to be apart from him
• 25:05
  Speaker 1: and indulge his ease. Let us then shudder, all of
• 25:09
  Speaker 1: us that do not even feel above money for the
• 25:11
  Speaker 1: sake of God, or rather such of us as do
• 25:13
  Speaker 1: not feel above it for our own sakes. For it
• 25:16
  Speaker 1: was Paul alone who suffered in good, earnest all things
• 25:18
  Speaker 1: for Christ's sake, not for the sake of the kingdom
• 25:21
  Speaker 1: or his own honor, but owing to his affection to him.
• 25:24
  Speaker 1: But as for us, neither Christ nor the things of
• 25:27
  Speaker 1: Christ draw us from the things of this life, but
• 25:30
  Speaker 1: as serpents or snakes or swine, or even as all
• 25:33
  Speaker 1: of them at once. So do we keep dragging on
• 25:36
  Speaker 1: in the Maya? For wherein are we better than those brutes,
• 25:39
  Speaker 1: When with so many and such great examples before us,
• 25:43
  Speaker 1: we still keep looking down and have not the heart
• 25:45
  Speaker 1: to look up to heaven. For ever so little a time.
• 25:48
  Speaker 1: Yet did God give up even his son. But thou
• 25:52
  Speaker 1: wilt not so much as share thy bread with him
• 25:54
  Speaker 1: who is given up for THEE who was slain, for
• 25:56
  Speaker 1: thee the Father for thy sake spared not him, And
• 25:59
  Speaker 1: this too, in he was indeed his son. But thou
• 26:02
  Speaker 1: dost not look upon him even when pining with starvation,
• 26:05
  Speaker 1: And this too, when thou shouldst but spend of his own,
• 26:08
  Speaker 1: and spend it too for thy own good. What can
• 26:11
  Speaker 1: be worse than such a breach of law as this?
• 26:13
  Speaker 1: He was given up for THEE. He was slain for
• 26:15
  Speaker 1: THEE he goeth about in hunger for THEE it is
• 26:19
  Speaker 1: of his own. Thou shouldst give, that thou mayst thyself
• 26:22
  Speaker 1: get the game. And still thou dost not give. What
• 26:25
  Speaker 1: sort of stone is there than which these are not
• 26:29
  Speaker 1: more senseless, who, in despite of such great inducements, continue
• 26:32
  Speaker 1: in this diabolical cruel heartedness. For he was not satisfied
• 26:36
  Speaker 1: even with death and the cross only, but he took
• 26:39
  Speaker 1: up with becoming poor also, and a stranger, and a beggar,
• 26:42
  Speaker 1: and naked, and with being thrown into prison and undergoing sickness,
• 26:46
  Speaker 1: that so at least he might call THEE off. If
• 26:49
  Speaker 1: thou wilt not requite me, he says, as having suffered
• 26:52
  Speaker 1: for THEE, show mercy on me for my poverty. And
• 26:55
  Speaker 1: if thou art not minded to pity me for my poverty,
• 26:57
  Speaker 1: do for my disease be moved, and for my imprisonment
• 27:00
  Speaker 1: be softened. And if even these things make THEE not
• 27:03
  Speaker 1: charitable for the easiness of the request, comply with me.
• 27:07
  Speaker 1: For it is no costly gift I ask, but bread
• 27:09
  Speaker 1: and lodging and words of comfort. But if even after
• 27:12
  Speaker 1: this thou still continuest unsubdued, still, for the kingdom's sake,
• 27:16
  Speaker 1: be improved for the rewards which I have promised, hast
• 27:19
  Speaker 1: thou then no regard even for these. Yet still, for
• 27:22
  Speaker 1: very nature's sake, be softened at seeing me naked. And
• 27:25
  Speaker 1: remember that nakedness wherewith I was naked on the cross
• 27:28
  Speaker 1: for THEE. Or if not this yet that wherewith I
• 27:32
  Speaker 1: am now naked through the poor I was then bound
• 27:35
  Speaker 1: for the Nay, still am so for THEE, that, whether
• 27:39
  Speaker 1: moved by the former ground or the latter, thou mightest
• 27:42
  Speaker 1: be minded to show some pity. I fasted for THEE. Again,
• 27:46
  Speaker 1: I am hungry for THEE. I was athirst when hanging
• 27:49
  Speaker 1: on the cross. I am a thirst also through the poor,
• 27:51
  Speaker 1: that by the former, as also by the latter, I
• 27:53
  Speaker 1: may draw THEE to myself and make THEE charitable to
• 27:56
  Speaker 1: thine own salvation. Hence also of THEE that owest me
• 28:00
  Speaker 1: the requital of benefits without number. I may not request
• 28:03
  Speaker 1: as of one that oweth, but crown THEE as one
• 28:06
  Speaker 1: that favorth me, and a kingdom. Do I give THEE
• 28:09
  Speaker 1: for these small things? For I do not say so
• 28:12
  Speaker 1: much as put an end to my poverty or give
• 28:14
  Speaker 1: me riches. And yet I did become poor for THEE.
• 28:18
  Speaker 1: Yet still I ask for bread and clothing, and a
• 28:20
  Speaker 1: small solace for my hunger. And if I be thrown
• 28:23
  Speaker 1: into prison, I do not insist upon thy loosing my
• 28:25
  Speaker 1: bonds and setting me free. But one thing only do
• 28:28
  Speaker 1: I seek, after that thou wouldst visit me who is
• 28:31
  Speaker 1: bound for THEE, and I shall have received favor enough.
• 28:34
  Speaker 1: And for this only will I give THEE heaven. And
• 28:36
  Speaker 1: yet I delivered THEE from most galling bonds. But for
• 28:40
  Speaker 1: me it is quite enough if thou wilt but visit
• 28:43
  Speaker 1: me when in prison, for I am able indeed to
• 28:45
  Speaker 1: crown THEE. Even without all this. Yet I would fain
• 28:48
  Speaker 1: be a debtor to THEE. That the crown may give
• 28:51
  Speaker 1: THEE some feeling of confidence. And this is why, though
• 28:54
  Speaker 1: I am able to support myself, I come about begging
• 28:57
  Speaker 1: and stand before thy door and stretch out mine head.
• 29:00
  Speaker 1: And since my wishes to be supported by THEE. For
• 29:03
  Speaker 1: I love THEE exceedingly, and so desire to eat at
• 29:05
  Speaker 1: thy table, which is the way with those that love
• 29:08
  Speaker 1: a person. And I glory in this. And when the
• 29:11
  Speaker 1: whole world our spectators, then am I to herald the
• 29:14
  Speaker 1: forth in the hearing of all men, to display THEE
• 29:17
  Speaker 1: as my supporter. Yet we, when we are supported by
• 29:20
  Speaker 1: any one, feel ashamed and cover our faces. But He
• 29:24
  Speaker 1: as loving us exceedingly, even if we hold our peace,
• 29:27
  Speaker 1: will then tell out what we did with much praise,
• 29:30
  Speaker 1: and is not ashamed to say that, when himself was naked,
• 29:33
  Speaker 1: we clothed him and fed him when hungry. Let us
• 29:36
  Speaker 1: then lay all these things to heart, and not be
• 29:39
  Speaker 1: contented with passing me a praises upon them. But let
• 29:42
  Speaker 1: us even accomplish what I have been speaking of. For
• 29:45
  Speaker 1: what is the good of these applauses and clamors. I
• 29:47
  Speaker 1: demand one thing only of you, and that is the
• 29:50
  Speaker 1: display of them in real action, the obedience of deeds.
• 29:54
  Speaker 1: This is my praise, This your gain. This give me
• 29:57
  Speaker 1: more luster than a diadem. When you have left the church,
• 30:00
  Speaker 1: then this is the crown that you will make for
• 30:02
  Speaker 1: me and for you through the hand of the poor,
• 30:05
  Speaker 1: that both in the present life we may be nourished
• 30:07
  Speaker 1: with a goodly hope, and after we have departed to
• 30:10
  Speaker 1: the life to come, we may attain to those good
• 30:12
  Speaker 1: things without number, to which may all of us attain
• 30:15
  Speaker 1: by the grace and love toward Man et cetera. End
• 30:19
  Speaker 1: of Section twenty eight