594

Topics of Consolation in Loss of Children,

XLI.

HOMIL. For if thou bearest it nobly, there will thence accrue some relief both to the departed and to thyself; but if the contrary, thou dost the more kindle God's anger. For if when a servant were chastised by his master, thou didst stand by and complain, thou wouldest the more exasperate the master against thyself. Do not then so; but give thanks, that hereby also this cloud of sadness may be scattered from thee. Say with that blessed one, the Lord gave, and the

21.

1 Job 1. Lord hath taken away'. Consider how many more wellpleasing in His sight have never received children at all, nor been called fathers. "Nor would I wish to have been so," say you, "for surely it were better not to have had experience, than after having tasted the pleasure, to fall from it." Nay, I beseech thee, say not so, provoke not thus also the Lord to wrath: but for what thou hast received, give Him thanks; and for what thou hast not to the end, give Him glory. Job said not, that which thou sayest unthankfully, "it were better not to have received," but both for the one he gave thanks, saying, The Lord gave; and for the other he blessed God, saying, The Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord for ever. And his wife he thus silenced, justifying himself against her, and uttering those admirable words, have we received good at the hand of the Lord, and shall we not receive evil? And yet after this a fiercer temptation befel him: yet was he not even thus unnerved, but in like manner bore it nobly, and glorified God.

"But

I see

This also do thou, and consider with thyself, that man hath not taken him, but God who made him, who more than thyself cares for him, and knows what is good for him: who is no enemy, nor lier-in-wait. See how many, living, have made life intolerable to their parents. seest thou not the right hearted ones?" say you. these too, but even these are not so safe as thy child is. For though they are now approved, yet it is uncertain what their end will be; but for him thou hast no longer any fear, nor dost thou tremble lest any thing should happen to him, or lest he experience any change.

These things also do thou consider respecting a good wife, and guardian of thine house, and for all things give

and in Widowhood.

15. 46.

595 thanks unto God. And even if thou shalt lose a wife, 1 COR. give thanks. Perhaps God's will is to lead thee to conti-. nence, He calls thee to a nobler field of conflict, He was pleased to set thee free from this bond. If we thus command ourselves, we shall both gain the joy of this life, and obtain the crowns which are to come, &c. &c.

HOMILY XLII.

1 COR. XV. 47.

The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.

HAVING said that the natural was first, and the spiritual afterward, he again states another difference, speaking of the earthy and the heavenly. For the first difference was between the present life, and that which is to come: but this between that before grace, and that after grace. And he stated it with a view to the most excellent way of life, saying,-(for to hinder men, as I said, from such confidence in the resurrection as would make them neglectful of their practice, and of perfection, from this topic also again he renders them anxious, and exhorts to virtue, saying,)—The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven; calling the whole by the name of man', and naming the one from the better, and the other from the worse part.

Ver. 48. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy so shall they perish and have an end. As is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly: so shall they abide, immortal and glorious.

What then? Did not This Man too die? He died indeed, but received no injury therefrom, yea rather by this He put an end to death. Seest thou how, on this part of his subject also, he makes use of death to establish the doctrine of the resurrection? "For having, as I said before, the beginning and the head," so he speaks," doubt not of the whole body."

i. e. embodying as it were the whole of the two states of being which he is describing in the personal appellation of

Man: as in the phrase, Old and New
Man: &c.

Earthy, and Heavenly, relate to our Conversation.

597

15.49.

Moreover also he frames hereby in the most excellent way 1 COR. his advice concerning our conversation, setting down standards of a lofty and severe life, and of that which is not such, and bringing forward the principles of both these, of the one Christ, but of the other Adam. Therefore neither did he simply say, of the earth, but earthy, i. e. "gross, nailed down to things present:" and again with respect to Christ the reverse, the Lord from heaven.

[2.] But if any should say, "therefore the Lord hath not a body," because He is said to be from heaven, although what is said before is enough to stop their mouths: yet nothing hinders our silencing them from this consideration also: viz. what is, the Lord from heaven? Doth he speak of His nature, or His most perfect life? It is I suppose evident to every one, that he speaks of His life. Wherefore also he adds,

Ver. 49. As we have borne the image of the earthy, i. e. as we have done evil, let us also bear the image of the heavenly: i. e. let us practise all goodness.

But besides this, I would fain ask thee, is it of nature that it is said, he that is of the earth, earthy, and, the Lord from heaven? "Yea," saith one. What then? Was Adam only earthy, or had he also another kind of substance congenial with heavenly and incorporeal beings, which the Scripture calls soul, and spirit? Every one sees, that he had this also. Therefore neither was the Lord from above only, although He is said to be from heaven, but He had also assumed our flesh. But Paul's meaning is such as this: as we have borne the image of the earthy, i. e. evil deeds, let us also bear the image of the heavenly, the conversation which is in the heavens. Whereas if he were speaking of nature, the thing needed not exhortation, nor advice. So that hence also it is evident, that the expression relates to our conversation.

Wherefore also he introduces the saying in the manner of advice, and calls it an image, here too again shewing that he is speaking of conduct, not of nature. For therefore are we

a As the Manichees did, and before them the Gnostic sects.

bogious. This reading is supported, according to Scholz, by the Alexandrian and six other uncial MSS. It is found in several versions, and has the authority of Irenæus, Origen, Basil, Tertullian,

Cyprian, and other Fathers. In favour
of the reading in our text, φορίσομεν, is
the Vatican MSS. with others of less
authority. Theodoret's words are re-
markable; σε φορέσομεν, He used the
expression prophetically, not horta-
tively."

XLII.

598 How the Kingdom of God is not for Flesh and Blood.

HOMIL. become earthy, because we have done evil: not because we were originally formed earthy, but because we sinned. And so sin came first, and then death, and the sentence, Dust thou 1 Gen.3. art, and unto dust shalt thou return'. Then also entered in the swarm of the passions. For it is not simply, the being born of earth, that makes a man earthy, (since the Lord also páns was of this mass and lump2,) but the doing earthly things: καὶ φυ pares, even as also he is made heavenly, by performing things meet

19.

ράματος.

for heaven.

But enough for why need I labour overmuch in the proof of this, when the apostle himself goes on to unfold the thought to us, thus saying,

Ver. 50. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Seest thou how he explains himself again, relieving us of the trouble? which he often doth: for by flesh, he here denotes men's evil deeds, which he hath done also elsewhere, as when he saith, But ye are not in the flesh and again, So Rom. then they that are in the flesh cannot please Gods. So that 8.8, 9. when he saith, now this I say, he means nothing else than

4

rec. text.

this: "therefore said I these things, that thou mayest learn that evil deeds conduct not to a kingdom." Thus from the resurrection he straightway introduced also the doctrine of the kingdom also; wherefore also he adds, neither doth corang ruption inherit incorruption', i. e. neither shall wickedness , inherit that glory, and the enjoyment of the things incorruptible. For in many other places he calls wickedness by this name, saying, He that soweth to the flesh, shall of the 5 Gal. 6. flesh reap corruptions. Now if he were speaking of the body, and not of evil doing, he would not have said corruption. For he no where calls the body corruption, since neither is it corruption, but a thing corruptible: wherefore proceeding to discourse also of it, he calls it not "corruption," but corruptible, saying, for this corruptible must put on incorruption.

8.

[3.] Next, having completed his advice concerning our conversation, according to his constant custom, blending closely subject with subject, he passes again to the doctrine of the resurrection of the body: as follows:

Ver. 51. Behold, I shew you a mystery.