The benefit unspeakable to owner and people. 263 VIII. because it is so quiet, so free from distraction of business, ACTS what will it not be when this is added to it? The country 25. with a Church is like the Paradise of God. No clamour there, no turmoil, no enemies at variance, no heresies: there you shall see all friends, holding the same doctrines in common. The very quiet shall lead thee to higher views, and receiving thee thus prepared by philosophy, the presbyter shall give thee an excellent cure. For here, whatever we may speak, the noise of the market drives it all out: but there, what thou shalt hear, thou wilt keep fixed in thy mind. Thou wilt be quite another man in the country through him and moreover to the people there he will be director, he will watch over them both by his presence and by his influence in forming their manners. And what, I ask, would be the cost? Make for a beginning a small house' to1 τάξει serve as temple. Thy successor will build a porch, his ναοῦ. successor will make other additions, and the whole shall be put to thy account. Thou givest little, and receivest the reward for the whole. At any rate, make a beginning: lay a foundation. Exhort one another, vie one with another in this matter. But now, where there is straw and grain and such like to be stored, you make no difficulty of building: but for a place where the fruits of souls may be gathered in, we bestow not a thought; and the people are forced to go miles and miles, and to make long journeys, that they may get to Church! Think, how good it is, when with all quietness the priest presents himself in the Church, that he may draw near unto God, and say prayers for the village, day by day, and for its owner! Say, is it a small matter, that even in the Holy Oblations evermore thy name is included in the prayers, and that for the village day by day prayers are made unto God? How greatly this profits thee for all else! It chances that certain (great) persons dwell in the neighbour 1 Συμβαίνει τινὰς ἐκ γειτόνων οἰκεῖν Kai éπITρóπovs Ĕxew. Sav. marg. Aéyew. The meaning is not clearly expressed, but it seems to be this; "It chances that some important personage has an estate in your neighbourhood, and occasionally resides there. His overseer informs him of your Church: he sends for your presbyter, invites him to his table, gains from him such information XVIII. 264 Make a beginning, in the right spirit. HOMIL. hood, and have overseers: now to thee, being poor, one of them will not deign even to pay a visit: but the presbyter, it is likely, he will invite, and make him sit at his table. How much good results from this! The village will in the first place be free from all evil suspicion. None will charge it with murder, with theft: none will suspect any thing of the kind. They have also another comfort, if sickness befall, if death.-Then again the friendships formed there by people as they go side by side (to and from the Church) are not struck up at random and promiscuously: and the meetings there are far more pleasant than those which take place in marts and fairs. The people themselves also will be more respectable, because of their presbyter. How is it you hear that Jerusalem was had in honour in the old times above all other cities? Why was this? Because of the then prevailing religion. Therefore it is that where God is honoured, there is nothing evil: as, on the contrary, where He is not honoured, there is nothing good. It will be great security both with God and with men. Only, I beseech you, that ye be not remiss: only may you put your hand Jer. 15, to this work. For if he who brings out the precious from the vile, shall be as the mouth of God; he who benefits and recovers so many souls, both that now are and that shall be even until the coming of Christ, what favour shall not that person reap from God! Raise thou a garrison against the devil: for that is what the Church is. Thence as from head-quarters let the hands go forth to work: first let the people hold them up for prayers, and then go their way to work. So shall there be vigour of body; so shall the tillage be abundant; so shall all evil be kept aloof. It is not possible to represent in words the pleasure thence arising, until it be realized. Look not to this, that it brings in no revenue: if thou do it at all in this spirit, then do it not at all; if thou account not the revenue thou gettest thence greater than from the whole estate beside; if thou be 19. your people; no troublesome inquisition and èK YEIT. e. g. Tivàs ek Tây duvaTWTégwv čk yelt, oikeiv. κι ὅλως εἰ οὕτω ποιεῖς μὴ ποιήσῃς. Ben. Si omnino id facias, ne facias tamen.' Neander, 'Wenn du so handelst, wirst du nichts thun,' as if it were οὐ ποιήσεις. No outlay so profitable as this. 265 VIII. 25. 15-17. not thus affected, then let it alone; if thou do not account Acrs this work to stand thee more in stead than any work beside. What can be greater than this revenue, the gathering in of souls into the threshing-floor which is in heaven! Alas, that ye know not how much it is, to gain souls! Hear what Christ says to Peter, Feed My sheep. If, seeing the emperor's John21, sheep, or herd of horses, by reason of having no fold or stable, exposed to depredation, thou wert to take them in hand, and build a fold or stables, or also provide a shepherd or herdsman to take charge of them, what would not the emperor do for thee in return? Now, thou gatherest the flock of Christ, and puttest a shepherd over them, and thinkest thou it is no great gain thou art earning? But, if for offending even one, a man shall incur so great a punishment, how can he that saves so many, ever be punished? What sin will he have thenceforth? for, though he have it, does not this blot it out? From the punishment threatened to him that offends, learn the reward of him that saves. Were not the salvation of even one soul a matter of great importance, to offend would not move God to so great anger. Knowing these things, let us apply ourselves forthwith to this spiritual work. And let each invite me, and we will together help to the best of our ability. If there be three joint-owners, let them do it by each bearing his part: if but one, he will induce the others also that are near. Only be earnest to effect this, I beseech you, that in every way being well-pleasing unto God, we may attain unto the eternal blessings, by the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom to the Father and the Holy Ghost together be glory, dominion, and honour, now and ever, world without end. Amen. HOMILY XIX. ACTS viii. 26, 27. And the Angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. And he arose and went. a It seems to me, this (Philip) was one of the seven: for from Jerusalem he would not have gone southwards, but to the north; but from Samaria it was towards the south. The same is desert: so that there is no fear of an attack from the Jews. And he did not ask, Wherefore? but arose v.27.28. and went. And, behold, it says, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. High encomiums for the man, that he, residing in Ethiopia and beset with so much business, and when there was no festival going on, and living in that superstitious city, came to Jerusalem for to worship. Great also is his studiousness, v.29-31. that even sitting in his chariot he read. And, it says, the a So all the Mss. and the Catena; except E. which having already made Chrys. affirm that Philip was one of the seven, supra, p. 254, and note m, gives a different turn to this passage. "It seems to me, that he received this command while in Samaria: because from Jerusalem one does not go southward, but to the north: but from Samaria it is to the south." An unnecessary comment; for it would hardly occur to any reader of the Acts to suppose that Philip had returned to Jerusalem. b"Behold, an eunuch, (comp. p. 271, note n.) a barbarian-both circumstances calculated to make him indisposed to study-add to this, his dignified station and opulence: the very circumstance of his being on a journey, and riding in a chariot: for to a person travelling in this way, it is not easy to attend to reading, but on the contrary very troublesome yet his strong desire The Eunuch a pattern of earnest piety. 267 VIII. 26-39. Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this Acts chariot. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him reading the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? Observe again his piety; that though he did not understand, he read, and then after reading, examines. And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. The place of the Scripture which he v.32-35. read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened He not His mouth in His humiliation His judgment was taken away: and who shall declare His generation? for His life is taken from the earth. And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same Scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. Observe how it is Providentially ordered. First he reads, and does not understand: then he reads the very text, in which was the Passion, and the Resurrection, and the Gift. And as they went on their way, they came unto v. 36. a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? Mark the eager desire, mark the exact knowledge. And he commanded the chariot v.38.39. to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. of the Lord bear him away? shewn to be more wonderful. not know him. Consequently с and earnestness set aside all these hindrances, &c." Hom. in Gen. xxxv. §. 1. Throughout the exposition of the history of the eunuch there given, (t. iv. p. 350-352.) he is called a barbarian: so in the tenth of the "Eleven Homilies,"§. 5. t. xii. 393,394. he is called a 'barbarian,' and 'alien,' àλλópuλos, but also a Jew' aλx' οὐχ ὁ βάρβαρος τότε ἐκεῖνος ταῦτα εἶπε (viz. excuses for delaying baptism) kal ταῦτα Ἰουδαῖος ὢν κ. τ. λ. i. e. as Matthai explains in 1., 'a Jewish But why did the Spirit proselyte.'-Both expositions should be |