How to be above riches. What are the best stores. 373 thou wilt overcome the assault of the devil. It is in thy power HOM. to acquire great gain. Let us despise wealth, that we may not despise the soul. But how can any one despise it? Dost thou not see in the case of beautiful bodies, and the lovers of them, how as long as they are in their sight the fire is kindled, the flame rises bright; but when any one has removed them afar off, all is extinguished, all is lulled to sleep; so also in the case of wealth, let no one provide gold, nor precious stones, nor necklaces; when seen, they ensnare the eyes. But if thou wouldest be rich like the ancients, be rich not in gold, but in necessary things, that thou mayest bestow on others from that which thou hast ready. Be not fond of ornament. Such wealth is both easy to be assailed by robbers, and a thing that brings us cares. Do not acquire vessels of gold and silver, but let there be stores of bread and wine and oil, not that being sold again they may procure money, but that they may be supplied to those who need. If we withdraw ourselves from those superfluities, we shall obtain heavenly goods; which God grant that we may all obtain, in Jesus Christ our Lord, with Whom, &c. III. For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain. But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you: Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith: For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord. A QUESTION lies before us to-day, which is much disputed, and which is gathered from many sources. But what is this question? For this reason, he says, when I could no longer forbear, I sent Timotheus to know your faith. What sayest thou? He, who knew so many things, who heard unutterable words, who ascended even to the third heaven, doth not he know, even when he is in Athens? And yet the distance is not great, nor has he been long parted from them. For he says, Being taken from you for a short time. Such an one therefore did not know the affairs of the Thessalonians, but is compelled to send Timothy to know their faith, lest, he says, the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain. What then is one to say ? That the Saints knew not all things? Well, that they knew not, one may learn from many instances, both of the early ones, and of those who came after Why the Saints did not know all things. 375 them, as Elisha knew not concerning the woman, and Elijah Hoм. IV. said to God, I only am left, and they seek my life. Where- 2 Kings 19, 10. fore he heard from God, I have left me seven thousand. As 4, 27. Samuel again when he was sent to anoint David, The Lord Kings said to him, Look not on his countenance, nor on the height and 18. of his stature, because I have refused him, for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. 1 Sam. 16, 7. 2 Cor. 12, 7. And this comes to pass out of great care on God's part. How, and in what way? For the sake both of the Saints themselves, and of those who believe in them. For as He permits that there should be persecutions, so He permits that they also should be ignorant of many things, that they may be kept humble. On this account also Paul said, There was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. And again, lest others also should have great imaginations concerning them. For if they thought they were gods from their miracles, much more if they had continued always knowing all things. And this again he also says: Lest any man Ib. 6. should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. And again hear Peter, when he healed the lame man, saying, Why look ye so earnestly on us, as Acts 3, though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk. And if even when they were saying and doing these things, from these few and small miracles, evil imaginations were thus engendered, much more would they have been from great ones. 12. But for another reason to these things were allowed. For that no one might be able to say it was as being other than men that they performed those excellent actions, and so all should become supine, he shews that they also were subject to infirmity, that he might cut off all pretext of impudence from 1 One those who were willing to be undutiful. For this reason he Ms. is ignorant (of some things) for this reason also, after having mar. purposed, he does not come, that they might perceive there ófy. were many things he knew not. Great advantage then came of this. For if there were some yet saying, This man is the Sav. conj. si yàp for yàg av, and late. B. omits a, which comes very so both Musculus and Hervetus trans near it. and S. 376 Temptation may be where there is no wavering. 1 THES. great power of God, and some, that it is this person, or that, 3, 7. unless these things had been so, what would they not have thought? Acts 8, 10. But here, however, there seems to be a censure on them. But to one who considers the matter exactly, it shews their admirable conduct, and proves the excess of their temptations. How? Attend. For if thou first sayest that we are appointed thereunto,' and let no man be moved,' why again. dost thou send Timothy, as if thou fearedst that something might happen, which thou wouldest not wish. This indeed he does from his great love. For those who love suspect even what is safe from their exceeding warmth. But this is from their great temptations. For I said indeed that we are appointed thereunto, but the excess of the temptations alarmed me. Wherefore he has not said, I send him as condemning you, but when I could no longer forbear, which is rather an expression of love. What means, Lest by some means the tempter have tempted you? Dost thou see that to be shaken in afflictions proceeds from the devil, and from his seduction. For when he cannot shake us ourselves, he takes another way, and shakes the weaker sort through our means, which argues exceeding infirmity, and such as admits of no excuse, as he did in the Job 2,9. case of Job, having stirred up his wife, Speak some word LXX. against the Lord, she says, and die. See how he tempted her. But wherefore has he not said, shaken,' but tempted? Because, he says, I only suspected so much, as that you had 1. been tempted. For he does not call his temptation a wavering'. For he who admits his attack is shaken. Strange! how great is the affection of Paul! He did not regard afflictions, nor plots against him. For I think that he then remained there, Acts 20, as Luke says, that he abode in Greece three months, when the Jews laid wait for him. 3. (2) His concern therefore was not for his own dangers, but for his disciples. Seest thou how he surpassed every natural St. Paul's fears, and how he expressed them. 377 IV. parent. For we in our afflictions and dangers lose the Hoм. remembrance of all. But he so feared and trembled for his children, that he sent to them Timothy, whom alone he had for his consolation, his companion and fellow-labourer, and him too in the very midst of dangers. And our labour, he says, be in vain. Wherefore! for even if they were turned aside, it was not through thy fault, not through thy negligence. But nevertheless, though this were the case, I think, from my great love of the brethren, that my labour had been rendered vain. 10. 11. Lest by some means the tempter have tempted you. But he tempts, not knowing whether he shall overthrow. Does he then, even though he knows not, yet assail us, and do we, who know that we shall completely overcome him, not watch? But that he does attack us, though he knows not, he shewed in the case of Job. For that evil demon said to God, Hast Thou not made a hedge about his things within, Job 1, and his things without? Take away his goods, and surely Sept. he will curse Thee to Thy face. He makes trial; if he sees any thing weak, he makes an attack, if strong, he desists. And our labour, he says, be in vain. Let us all hear, how Paul laboured. He does not say work, but labour, he does not say, and you be lost, but our labour. So that even if any thing happened, it was probable. But that it did not. was a great wonder. These things indeed we expected, he says, but the contrary happened. For not only did we receive from you no addition to our affliction, but even consolation. But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity. Brought us good tidings, he says. Do you see the excessive joy of Paul? he does not say, brought us word, but brought us good tidings. So great a good did he think their stedfastness and charity. For it was necessary, the one remaining firm, that the other also must be stedfast. And he rejoiced in their love, because it was a sign of their faith. And that ye have, d gorßáλau rec. Par. and 2 Mss. The connection is difficult. He may mean that St. Paul's labour was so great, that although they did not |