308

Seek their conversion while they live;

HOMIL. of his own person? Had it been spent only to no purpose, XXI. were not that, I ask you, punishment enough! If one who has

been an hired servant twenty years were to find that he has had all his labour in vain, would he not weep and lament, and think himself the most miserable of men? Why, here is a man who has lost all the labour of a whole life: not one day has he lived for himself, but to luxury, to debauchery, to covetousness, to sin, to the devil. Then, say, shall we not bewail this man? shall we not try to snatch him from his perils? For it is, yes, it is possible, if we will, to mitigate his punishment, if we make continual prayers for him, if for him we give alms. However unworthy he may be, God will yield to our importunity. For if Paul shewed mercy on one (who had no claims on his mercy), and for the sake of others spared one (whom he would not have spared), much more is it right for us to do this. By means of his substance, by means of thine own, by what means thou wilt, aid him: pour in oil, nay rather, water. Has he no almsdeeds of his own to exhibit? Let him have at least those of his kindred. Has he none done by himself? At least let him have those which are done for him, that his wife may with confidence beg him off in that day, having paid down the ransom for him. The more sins he has to answer for, the

* Εἰ γὰρ Παῦλος ἕτερον ηλέησε, καὶ
δι' ἄλλους ἄλλων (Ecl. ἄλλον) ἐφείσατο,
To^^ μâλλov nμas TODтo dei Toleiv.
But E. Edd. El dià Пaûλov Tépous
διέσωσε, καὶ δι ̓ ἄλλους ἄλλων φείδεται,
πῶς οὐχὶ καὶ δι ̓ ἡμᾶς τὸ αὐτὸ τοῦτο
épуáσeтai; "If (God) for Paul's sake
saved others, and for some men's sake
spares other men, how shall He not
for our sakes do this same thing ?" In
Hom. xli. in 1 Cor. p. 393. B, Chrys.
uses for illustration Job's sacrifice for
his sons, and adds, "For God is wont
to grant favours to others in behalf of
others, ἑτέροις ὑπὲρ ἑτέρων χαρίζεσθαι.
And this Paul shewed, saying, "Iva èv
πоλλ #роσάп, K. T. X. 2 Cor. i. 11."
But here the reference seems to be to

2 Cor. ii. 10, "To whom ye forgive any
thing, I forgive also; for if I forgave
anything, to whom I forgave it, for
your sakes forgave I it in the person
of Christ."--St. Chrysostom constantly
teaches, as here, that the souls of the

departed are aided by the prayers, alms, and Eucharistic oblations of the living. Hom. xli. in 1 Cor. u. s. "Even if he did depart, a sinner, ... we ought to succour him, in such sort as may be ὡς ἂν οἷόν τε ᾖ), not by tears, but by prayers and supplications, and alms and oblations. For not idly have these things been devised, nor to no purpose do we make mention of the departed in the Divine Mysteries, and for them draw near, beseeching the Lamb Which lieth there, Which taketh away the sins of the world, but in order that some consolation may thence come to them. Nor in vain does he that stands beside the altar, while the dread Mysteries are celebrating, cry out, For all that sleep in Christ, and for them that make the memorials for them.'" See also Hom. iii. ad Phil. p. 217, 218. Comp. S. Cyrill. Hier. Catech. Mystag. V. §. 9. S. Augustin. Serm. 172.

and aid them, when dead, by prayers and alms. 309

IX.

greater need has he of alms, not only for this reason, but ACTS because the alms has not the same virtue now, but far less: 28-38. for it is not all one to have done it himself, and to have another do it for him; therefore, the virtue being less, let us by quantity make it the greatest. Let us not busy ourselves about monuments, not about memorials. This is the greatest memorial: set widows to stand around him. Tell them his

name: bid them all make for him their prayers, their supplications: this will overcome God: though it have not been done by the man himself, yet because of him another is the author of the almsgiving. Even this pertains to the mercy of God: widows standing around and weeping know how to rescue, not indeed from the present death, but from that which is to come. Many have profited even by the alms done by others on their behalf: for even if they have not got perfect (deliverance), at least they have found some comfort thence. If it be not so, how are children saved? And yet there, the children themselves contribute nothing, but their parents do all: and often have women had their children given them, though the children themselves contributed nothing. Many are the ways God gives us to be saved, only let us not be negligent.

How then if one be poor? say you. Again I say, the [4.] greatness of the alms is not estimated by the quantity given, but by the purpose. Only give not less than thine ability, and thou hast paid all. How then, say you, if he be desolate and a stranger, and have none (to care for him)? And why is it that he has none, I ask you? In this very thing thou sufferest thy desert, that thou hast none to be thus thy friend, thus virtuous. This is so ordered on purpose that, though we be not ourselves virtuous, we may study to have virtuous companions and friends-both wife, and son, and friendas reaping some good even through them, a slight gain. indeed, but yet a gain. If thou make it thy chief object not to marry a rich wife, but to have a devout wife, and a

· εὐλαβὴ γυναῖκα καὶ θυγάτριον ἀγα yéolai σeμvóv. A. B. C. In the Edd. καὶ θυγ. σεμνὸν is transposed after μή πλουτοῦντα υἱὸν καταλιπεῖν ἀλλ ̓ εὐλαβῆ: and so in the Ecl. which however retains ȧy. between Ovy. and oeuvóv.

In the old text, wife and daughter are
mentioned first, as the persons most
apt to perform these offices of religion:
in ἀγαγέσθαι there is a zeugma; "to
take to wife, and to have wife and
daughter, &c."

XXI.

310 The souls of the departed are specially aided

HOMIL. religious daughter, thou shalt gain this consolation; if thou study to have thy son not rich but devout, thou shalt also gain this consolation. If thou make these thine objects, then wilt thyself be such (as they). This also is part of virtue, to choose such friends, and such a wife and children. Not in vain are the oblations made for the departed, not in vain the prayers, not in vain the almsdeeds: all those things hath the Spirit ordered', wishing us to be benefited one by the other. See: he is benefited, thou art benefited: because of him, thou hast despised wealth, being set on to do some generous act: both thou art the means of salvation to him, and he to thee the occasion of thine almsgiving. Doubt not that he shall get some good thereby. It is not for nothing that the Deacon cries, "For them that are fallen asleep in Christ, and for them that make the memorials for them." It is not the Deacon that utters this voice, but the Holy Ghost: I speak of the Gift. What sayest thou? There is the Sacrifice in hand, and all things laid out duly ordered: Angels are there present, Archangels, the Son of God is there: all stand with such awe, and in the general silence those stand by, crying aloud: and thinkest thou that what is done, is done in vain? Then is not the rest also all in vain, both the oblations made for the Church, and those for the priests, and for the whole body? God forbid! but all is done with faith. What thinkest thou of the oblation made for the martyrs, of the calling made in that hour, martyrs though they be, yet even "for martyrs"? It is a great honour to be named in the presence of the Lord, when that memorial is celebrating, the dread

2 Hom. iii. in Phil. ad fin. Ouk eikη Taūтa évoμoletýon ind tŵv añоστόλων κ. τ. λ. “ Not idly were these things enacted by the Apostles, that in the dread mysteries there is mention made of the departed: they know that to them great is the gain which accrues, great the benefit. For when the whole congregation stands there, all lifting up their hands, the sacerdotal body (Tλhpwμa iepаTIKOV), and the dread Sacrifice is laid out, how shall we fail to prevail with God, in supplicating for these ?"

- Τί οἴει τὸ ὑπὲρ μαρτύρων προσφέρεσθαι, τὸ κληθῆναι ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ὥρᾳ, κἂν μάρτυρες ὦσι, καν (καὶ Α.) ὑπὲρ μαρτύρων; There is no reason to suppose (as

Neander, Der Heilige Johannes Chrysostomus, t. ii. p. 162.) that the words κἂν μάρτυρες κα T. A. are part of the Liturgy: the meaning is, Think what a great thing it is to be mentioned in that Prayer of Oblation; to be mentioned as the martyrs are mentioned, for of them also, martyrs though they be, the same form of expression is used, vπèр μаρтúρwv.-In the Liturgy of S. Chrysostom the words are, Eri προσφέρομεν σοι τὴν λογικὴν ταύτην λατρείαν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐν πίστει ἀναπαυομένων προπατόρων,πατέρων, πατριαρχῶν, προφητῶν, ἀποστόλων, κηρύκων, εὐαγ γελιστῶν, μαρτύρων κ. τ. λ. See St. Augustine, Hom. on St. John, p. 842. note a.

by the Eucharistic oblations of the living.

311

IX.

Sacrifice, the unutterable mysteries. For just as, so long as the ACTS Emperor is seated, is the time for the petitioner to effect 28-38. what he wishes to effect, but when he is risen, say what he will, it is all in vain, so at that time, while the celebration of the mysteries is going on, it is for all men the greatest honour to be held worthy of mention. For look: then is declared the dread mystery, that God gave Himself for the world: along with that mystery he seasonably puts Him in mind of them that have sinned. For as when the celebration of Emperors' victories is in progress, then, as many as had their part in the victory receive their meed of praise, while at the same time as many as are in bonds are set at liberty in honour of the occasion; but when the occasion is past, he that did not obtain this favour then, no longer gets any so is it here likewise: this is the time of celebration of a victory. For, saith it, so often as ye eat this bread, ye do shew forth the Lord's death. Then let us not approach indifferently, nor imagine that these things are done in any ordinary sort. But it is in another sense that we make mention of martyrs, and this, for assurance that the Lord is not dead: and this, for a sign that death has received its death's blow, that death itself is dead. Knowing these things, let us devise what consolations we can for the departed, instead of tears, instead of laments, instead of tombs, our alms, our prayers, our oblations, that both they and we may attain unto the promised blessings, by the grace and loving-kindness of His only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom to the Father and the Holy Ghost together be glory, dominion, honour, now and ever, world without end. Amen.

i. e. not to intercede on their be. half, but for commemoration of Christ's victory over death, achieved in Himself and in them. The Eucharist is, so to say, Christ's envikia, in which the

Martyrs are eulogised as sharers of
His triumph, (and this is our commemo-
ration of truth,) and the prisoners are
set at liberty, (and in this sense we
name our dead.)

HOMILY XXII.

ACTS x. 1-4.

There was a certain man in Cæsarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.

THIS man is not a Jew, nor of those under the Law, but he had already forestalled our manner of life. Observe, thus far, two persons, both of high rank, receiving the faith, the eunuch at Gaza and this man; and the pains taken on behalf of these men. But do not imagine that this was because of their high rank: God forbid! it was because of their piety. For that the Scripture mentions their dignified stations, is to shew the greatness of their piety; since it is more wonderful when a person being in a position of wealth and power is such as these were. What makes the praise of the former is, his undertaking so long a journey, and this when there was no (festival) season to require it', and his reading on his road, and while riding in his chariot, and his beseeching Philip, and numberless other points: and the great praise of the latter is, that he makes alms and prayers,

* καὶ τὸ, μηδὲ καιροῦ καλοῦντος. As above, xix. p. 266. Chrys. remarks, that there was no festival which required the presence of the eunuch at Jerusalem. Probably he was led to this by the circumstance, that the incident

of the eunuch occurs after the Martyrdom of St. Stephen and the Conversion of St. Paul, i. e. according to the Church Calendar, between the 26th of December and the 25th of January.