St. Paul and St. Peter, their voluntary Poverty. 205

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1 Ps. 37.

what saith the Prophet, Fret not thyself because of the 1COR.5. ungodly, because as grass they shall quickly wither away. For where, tell me, where is he who wrought rapine, after his 1, 2. departure hence? Where are his bright hopes? Where his august name? Are they not all passed and gone? Is it not a dream and a shadow, all that was his? And this you must expect in the case of every such person, both in his own person while living, and in that of him who shall come after him. But not such in the state of the saints, nor will it be possible for you to say the same things in their case also, that it is a shadow, and a dream, and a tale, what belongs to them.

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11. 27.

[13.] And if you please, he who spake these things, the tentmaker, the Cilician, the man whose very parentage is unknown, let him be the example we produce. You will say, "How is it possible to become such as he was?" Do you then thoroughly desire it? Are you thoroughly anxious to become such? "Yes," you will say. Well then, go the same way as he went, and they that were with him. Now what way went he? 2 One saith, In hunger, and thirst, and nakedness. 2 2 Cor. Another, Silver and gold I have none. Thus they had's Acts3, 3 nothing, and yet possessed all things. What can be nobler 6. than this saying? what more blessed or more abundant in 6. 10. riches? Others indeed were making their boast in the contrary (6.) things, saying, "I have this or that number of talents of gold, and acres of land without end, and houses, and slaves." But this man, in order to be naked of all things, shrinks not from poverty, (which is the feeling of the unwise,) nor hides his face, but he even wears it as an ornament.

Where now be the rich men, they who count up their interest simple and compound, they who take from all men and are never satisfied? Have ye heard the voice of Peter, that voice which sets forth poverty as the mother of wealth? That voice which has nothing, yet is wealthier than those who wear diadems? For this is that voice, which having nothing, was raising the dead, and rearing up the lame, and driving away devils, and bestowing such gracious gifts, as those who are clad in the purple robe and lead the mighty and terrible legions never were able to bestow. This is the voice of those who are now removed into heaven, of those who have attained unto that height,

42 Cor.

HOMIL.

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The Riches, even here, of voluntary Poverty.

[14.] Thus it is possible that he who hath nothing may XV. possess all men's goods. Thus may all men's goods be acquired:

1 Acts

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4. 32.

whereas, were we to get all men's goods, we are bereft of all. Perhaps this saying seems to be a paradox; but it is not. "But," you will say, "How does he who hath nothing possess all men's goods? Doth he not much more so, who hath what belongs to all?" By no means: but the contrary. For he who hath nothing commands all, even as they did. And throughout the world all houses were open to them, and they who offered them took their coming as a favour, and they came to them as to friends and kindred. For so they came to the woman who was a seller of purple', and she, like a servant, set before them what she had. And to the keeper of the prison; and he opened to them all his house. And to innumerable others. Thus they had all things, and had 2 Acts nothing: for they said that none of the things which they possessed was their own; therefore all things were theirs. For he that considers all things which are to be common, will not only use his own, but also the things of others as if they belonged to him. But he that parts things off, and sets himself as master over his own only, will not be master even of these. And this is plain from an example. He who possesses nothing at all, neither house, nor table, nor garment to spare, but for God's sake is bereft of all, uses the things which are in common as his own; and he shall receive from all whatsoever he may desire. Thus he that hath nothing possesses the things of all: but he that hath some things, will not be master even of these. For first, no one will give to him that hath possessions; and, secondly, his property shall belong to robbers, and thieves, and informers, and changing events, and be any body's rather than his. Paul, for instance, went up and down throughout all the world, carrying nothing with him, though he went neither unto friends nor kindred. Nay, at first he was a common enemy to all: but nevertheless he had all men's goods, after he had made good his entrance. But Ananias and Sapphira, hastening to gain a little more than their own, lost all, together with life itself. Withdraw then from thine own, that thou mayest use others' goods as thine own.

[15.] But I must stop: I know not how I have been carried

We must not hurry the Reward of our Alms.

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19. 17.

into such a transport in speaking such words as these unto men, ICOR.5. who think it a great thing to impart but ever so little of their own. Wherefore let these my words have been spoken to the perfect. But to the more imperfect, this is what we may say, Give of what you have unto the needy. Increase your substance. For, saith He, 'He that giveth unto the Prov. poor lendeth unto God. But if you are in a hurry, and wait not for the time of retribution, think of those who lend money to men: for not even these desire to get their interest immediately; but they are anxious that the principal should remain a good long while in the hands of the borrower, provided only the repayment be secure, and they have no mistrust of the borrower. Let this be done then in the present case also. Leave them with God, that He may pay thee thy wages manifold. Seek not to have the whole here; for if you recover it all here, how will you receive it back there? And it is on this account that God stores them up there, inasmuch as this present life is full of decay. But He gives even here also; for, Seek ye, saith He, the kingdom of heaven, and all these things shall be added unto you. Well then, let us look towards that kingdom, and not? S.Mat. be in a hurry for the repayment of the whole, lest we diminish our recompense. But let us wait for the fit season. For the interest in these cases is not of that kind, but is such as is meet to be given by God. This then having collected together in great abundance, so let us depart hence, that we may obtain both the present and future blessings; through the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom unto the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory, power, honour, now, henceforth, and for evermore. Amen.

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HOMILY XVI.

1 COR. v. 9, 10, 11.

I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a drunkard, or a railer, or an extortioner; with such an one, no not to eat.

FOR Since he had said, Ye have not rather mourned, that such an one should be taken away; and, Purge out the old leaven; and it was likely that they would surmise it to be their duty to avoid all fornicators: for if he that has sinned imparts some of his own mischief to those who have not sinned, much more is it meet to keep one's self away from those without: (for if one ought not to spare a friend, on account of such mischief arising from him, much less any others:) and under this impression, it was probable that they would separate themselves from the fornicators among the Greeks also, and the matter thus turning out impossible, they would have taken it more to heart: he used this mode of correction, saying, I wrote unto you not to keep company with fornicators, yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world: using the word altogether, as if it were an acknowledged thing. For that they might not think that he charged not this upon them, as being rather imperfect, and attempt to do it under the erroneous impression that they were perfect, he shews that this were even impossible to be done, though they wished

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it ever so much. For it would be necessary to seek another 1COR.5. world. 9,10,11. Wherefore he added, Since ye must needs then go` out of the world. Seest thou that he is no hard master, and that in his legislation he constantly regards not only what may be done, but also what may be easily done. For how is it possible, says he, for a man having care of a house and children, and engaged in the affairs of the city, or who is an artisan or a soldier, (the greater part of mankind being Greeks,) to avoid the unclean who are to be found every where? For by the fornicators of the world, he means those who are among the Greeks. But now I have written unto you, If any brother be of this kind, with such an one no not to eat. Here also he glances at others who were living in wickedness.

But how can one that is a brother be an idolater? As was the case once in regard to the Samaritans, who chose piety but by halves. And besides he is laying down his ground beforehand for the discourse concerning things offered in sacrifice to idols, which after this he intends to handle.

Or covetous. For with these also he enters into conflict. Wherefore he said also, Why do ye not rather suffer wrong? Why do ye not endure to be defrauded? Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud.

Or a drunkard. For this also he lays to their charge further on, as when he says, One is hungry, and another is drunken: and, meats for the belly, and the belly for

meats.

Or a railer, or an extortioner: for these too he had rebuked before.

[2.] Next he adds also the reason why he forbids them not to mix with heathens of that character, implying that it is not only impossible, but also superfluous.

V. 12. For what have I to do to judge them that are without? Calling the Christians and the Greeks," those within" and "those without," as also he says elsewhere', He must also 11 Tim. have a good report of them that are without. And in the Epistle 3. 7. to the Thessalonians he speaks the same language, saying 2, 22 Thes. Have no intercourse with him, that he may be put to shame. And, Count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. Here, however, he does not add the reason. Why?

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