XIII.

hardship, these are most serviceable both to themselves and MATT. to others, as well for food, as for every thing else. Those, 21. at any rate, who live on them, are in better health; but such as are fed on the others are like them, growing dull and sickly, and rendering their chain more grievous. For nothing is so hostile and hurtful to the body, as luxury; nothing so tears it in pieces, and overloads and corrupts it, as intemperance.

Wherefore above all may this circumstance make one amazed at them for their folly, that not even so much care as others shew towards their wine skins, are these willing to evince towards themselves. For those the wine merchants do not allow to receive more than is fit, lest they should burst; but to their own wretched belly these men do not vouchsafe even so much forethought, but when they have stuffed it and distended it, they fill all, up to the ears, up to the nostrils, to the very throat itself, thereby pressing into half its room the spirit, and the power that directs the living being. What? was thy throat given thee for this end, that thou shouldest fill it up to the very mouth, with wine turned sour, and all other corruption? Not for this, O man, but that thou shouldest above all things sing to God, and offer up the holy prayers, and read out the divine laws, and give to thy neighbours profitable counsel. But thou, as if thou hadst received it for this end, dost not suffer it to have leisure for that ministry, so much as for a short season, but for all thy life subjectest it to this evil slavery. And as if any man having had a lyre given him with golden strings, and beautifully constructed, instead of awakening with it the most harmonious music, were to cover it over with much dung and clay; even so do these men. Now the word, dung, I use not of living, but of luxurious living, and of that great wantonness. Because what is more than necessary is not nourishment, but merely injurious. For in truth the belly alone was made merely for the reception of food; but the mouth, and the throat, and tongue, for other things also, far more necessary than these; or rather, not even the belly for the reception of food simply, but for the reception of moderate food. And this it makes manifest by crying out loudly against us, when we teaze it by this greediness; nor doth it clamour against us only, but also

7.

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Intemperance, the Ruin of the whole Body.

HOMIL. avenging that wrong exacts of us the severest penalty. And XLIV. first it punishes the feet, that bear and conduct us to those wicked revels, then the hands that minister to it, binding them together for having brought unto it such quantities and kinds of provisions; and many have distorted even their very mouth, and eyes, and head. And as a servant receiving an order beyond his power, not seldom out of desperation becomes insolent to the giver of the order: so the belly too, together with these members, often ruins and destroys, from being overstrained, the very brain itself. And this God hath well ordered, that from excess so much mischief should arise; that when of thine own will thou dost not practise selfrestraint, at least against thy will, for fear of so great ruin, thou mayest learn to be moderate.

Knowing then these things, let us flee luxury, let us study moderation, that we may both enjoy health of body, and having delivered our soul from all infirmity, may attain unto the good things to come, by the grace and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ, to Whom be glory and might for ever and ever. Amen.

HOMILY XLV.

MATT. xiii. 10, 11.

And the disciples came and said unto Him, Why speakest Thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them it is not given.

WE have good cause to admire the disciples, how, longing as they do to learn, they know when they ought to ask. For they do it not before all: and this Matthew shews by saying, And they came. And, as to this assertion not being conjecture, Mark hath expressed it more distinctly, by saying, that they came to Him privately'. This then His 1 Mark brethren and His mother should also have done, and not 4, 10. have called Him out, and made a display.

But mark their kindly affection also, how they have much regard for the others, and seek their good first, and then their own. For why, it is said, speakest Thou unto them in parables? They did not say, Why speakest Thou unto us in parables? Yea, and on other occasions also their kindliness towards men appears in many ways; as when they say, Send the multitude away2; and, Knowest thou 2 Luke that they were offended3?

9, 12. 3 Matt.

What then saith Christ? Because it is given unto you, so 15, 12. He speaks, to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, v. 11. but to them it is not given. But this He said, not bringing

in necessity, or any allotment made causelessly and at 'rxań

ρωσις.

XLV.

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How God gives to him that hath.

HOMIL. random, but implying them to be the authors of all their 1, 2. own evils, and wishing to represent that the thing is a Gift, and a Grace bestowed from above.

v. 12.

1 See Luke 8,

18.

v. 13.

It by no means follows, however, because it is a gift, that therefore free will is taken away; and this is evident from what comes after. To this purpose, in order that neither the one sort may despair, nor the other grow careless, upon being told that it is given, He signifies the beginning to be with ourselves.

For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance; but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away, even that which he seemeth to have1.

And although the saying be full of much obscurity, yet it indicates unspeakable justice. For what He saith is like this; When any one hath forwardness and zeal, there shall be given unto him all things on God's part also: but if he be void of these, and contribute not his own share, neither are God's gifts bestowed. For even what he seemeth to have, so He saith, shall be taken away from him; God not so much taking it away, as counting him unworthy of His gifts. This we also do; when we see any one listening carelessly, and when with much intreaty we cannot persuade him to attend, it remains for us to be silent. For if we are

still to go on, his carelessness is aggravated. But him that is striving to learn, we lead on, and pour in much.

And well said He, Even that which he seemeth to have. For he hath not really even this.

Then He also made what He had said more distinct, pointing out the meaning of, To him that hath, shall be given, but from him that hath not, even that which he seemeth to have, shall be taken away.

Therefore, saith He, speak I to them in parables, because they seeing see not.

66 It were meet then," one may say, 66 to have opened their eyes, if they see not." Nay, if the blindness were natural, it were meet to open them; but because it was a voluntary and self-chosen blindness, therefore He said not simply, They see not, but, seeing, they see not; so that the blindness is of their own wickedness. For they saw even devils cast out,

Isaiah's Censure on the Jews' Blindness.

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XIII.

14, 15.

12, 24.

and said, By Beelzebub prince of the devils He castelh out MATT. the devils'. They heard Him guiding them unto God, and evincing His great unanimity with Him, and they say, This Matt. man is not of God. Since then the judgment they pro-13 nounced was contrary both to their sight and hearing, 9, 16. therefore, saith He, the very hearing do I take away from them. For they derive thence no advantage, but rather greater condemnation. For they not only disbelieved, but found fault also, and accused, and laid snares. However, He saith not this, for it is not His will to give disgust in accusing them. Therefore neither at the beginning did He so discourse to them, but with much plainness; but because they perverted themselves, thenceforth He speaks in parables.

[2.] After this, lest any one should suppose His words to be a mere accusation, and lest men should say, Being our enemy He is bringing these charges and calumnies against us; He introduces the Prophet also, pronouncing the same judgment as Himself.

For in them is fulfilled, saith He, the prophecy of Esaias, v. 14. which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand, and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive3.

3 See Is.

Seest thou the Prophet likewise, accusing them with this 6, 9. 10. same accuracy? for neither did He say, Ye see not, but Ye shall see and not perceive; nor again, Ye shall not hear, but Ye shall hear and not understand. So that they first inflicted the loss on themselves, by stopping their ears, by closing their eyes, by making their heart fat. For they not only failed to hear, but also heard heavily, and they did this, He saith,

Lest at any time they should be converted, and I should v. 15. heal them; describing their aggravated wickedness, and their determined defection from Him. And this He saith to draw them unto Him, and to provoke them, and to signify that if they would convert He would heal them: much as if one should say, "He would not look at me, and I thank him; for if he had vouchsafed me this, I should straightway have given in:" and this he saith, to signify how he would have been reconciled. Even so then here too it is said, Lest at any time they should convert, and I should heal them;