54 Lib. de II. f. 546. DISCRETION. the martyr according to the popular tradition, with which much of error was probably blended, his work is replete with enlightened remarks, particularly upon Christian morality. According to this tradition, Babylas had refused to an emperor, professing Christianity, but stained with innocent blood, admittance into the church.1 Chrysostom gives the following opinion respecting the martyr's conduct on that occasion: "Not only must we admire the sinbyl. Tom. cerity of the man, but also the moderation with which it was tempered; for it is the wisdom of Christ alone, which causeth men to observe in conflicts a just discretion. He might have gone further having resolved to hazard his life, he might have assailed the emperor with words of insult, he might have torn the diadem from his head. He acted not thus: for his soul was seasoned with spiritual salt, wherefore in nowise did he rashly yield to temporary impulse, but, in every respect, with due consideration and discretion, he first proved his thoughts by the divine law; and though it may sound strange, I admire not so much his contempt of the tyrant's rage, as the just moderation he preserved. That this latter is more worthy of admiration is manifest, because we find many, who have overcome the former, and yet by not having preserved a just moderation have suffered themselves to be vanquished. Even ordinary men can speak sincerely, albeit, without judgment, but to act thus, when it is necessary, at the right time, with just moderation and reason, requireth a truly great soul." He then compares the martyr, animated by the spirit of active Christian love, with the proud Cynic. If, in 1 Probably a confusion between the persons of Decius and his predecessor, Philippus Arabs. CHRISTIANITY AND CYNICISM. this comparison between heathenism and Christianity, Chrysostom treat that conduct with too great contempt, which by the standard of antiquity is deemed great; yet, in enumerating the features of Cynical philosophy, he justly remarks the absence of that love and humility, by which the Christian is cleansed from his inherent selfishness, and rendered like unto God. As a contrast with cynical conceit he brings forward Christian love working in humility and ever ready to deny itself for the sake of others. He observes, that: "it behoveth a good man in all his actions to have a regard for the general welfare, and by his example to maintain men in the right path; but what city, what family, what man, what woman, hath been saved by one man requesting another not to stand between him and the sun?" Much, however, which he here advances against cynical philosophy and exertions not animated by charity,' might, with equal justice, be applied to the exercise of monastic mortification. He represents the conduct of Babylas, as an example for all Christians: " By this conduct the good man awed infidels, and confirmed the faith of believers; for not to private individuals alone, but to soldiers, generals, and governors, he testified, that with the Christians, when a transgression of the divine law demanded punishment, the emperor and the slave were but names, and that he, who wore the diadem, was no more to be respected than the lowest individual. He taught to Christians the doctrine, that, in his calling, every man ought to perform his part, although at the moment he were 1 § 8. A good man must do all things with reference to the common good, and endeavour to work for the improvement of others. 55 56 WORKS ON CONTRITION. unable to effect any good thereby; for Babylas also, at that time, could not prevail by his sincerity with the emperor, yet was he remiss in nought, which the fulfilment of his duty required." Among the works which Chrysostom composed, while yet a deacon, for the comfort and edification of his Christian brethren, are his two "Treatises upon Contrition," both of which To inquire into the time, at which Chrysostom composed these two treatises, and determine their chronological relationship to each other by their internal evidence, is attended with many difficulties; for Chrysostom was not among those in whose lives important periods are strongly marked by great crisises, and by general or particular changes of opinion, as, for example, was the life of Augustine. In his tranquil and even progress, the same feelings and ideas prevail from his first to his last writings. The subject of these two treatises is well suited to his residence among the monks, and the following passage: “ ότε γαρ πρώην εγω έγνωκειν την πολιν άφεις ἐπι τας σκηνας των poraxor enderr," etc. would seem to speak for its having been written at that period; but that passage, wherein speaking of those, who admitted unworthy persons to baptism and the supper of the Lord, he uses the word "we," can hardly, according to the manner of speech in those days, be applied to a monk, who had only the rank of a reader. Montfaucon, indeed, says something to remove this difficulty. He appeals to the frequent use of the anakoinosis, in the living rhetoric of Chrysostom; but the examples adduced by him are by no means suitable. When by the aid of the anakoinosis, he places himself, as bishop, upon the same footing with laymen; as monk, with men of the world; yet it is not the same thing as an humble reader and monk, speaking in the person of a presbyter or bishop. We should, therefore, understand by the word πρώην, which must always be relative, some rather distant period. We may sooner allow Chrysostom to speak as deacon, because the deacons had some share in the administration of the sacraments. At least Chrysostom himself calls upon the deacons towards the end of his Hom. in Matt. LXXXII. not to admit the unworthy to a participation in the communion: "In distinguishing the worthy from the unwor thy," he says, your true honour and dignity consisteth,-not in your going about with a splendid garb thrown FALSE SPIRITUAL SECURITY. 57 contain many salutary truths, which, but for him, would probably have not been preached in those days. In the first of these treatises, composed at the request of his friend Demetrius, he deprecated the state of spiritual security, in which he observed many to be sunk, and endeavoured to bring them to a conviction of their sinfulness and estrangement from God, as a necessary step to amendment. He considered one of the chief causes of this dangerous security to be a prevailing belief, that in the abstaining from certain notorious vices, and in the outward fulfilment of certain duties, men had performed enough, although they remained ignorant of the spiritual holiness, which finds favor in the sight of God. He complained, that when reminded of the severe duties enjoined in the sacred writings; they tranquillized their consciences by reflecting: " that the expressions Lib. de of scripture were exaggerated,-not intended to be taken literally,-only thus threatening to f. 125. deter men from evil." He therefore called upon them to prove themselves according to the demands of the divine law, and for this purpose drew their attention to some of the precepts in the sermon on the mount, as: " Whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause, shall be in danger of the judgment." In com- Matt.V. 22. batting on this occasion the error of those, who, after the manner of the heathen, continued to make distinctions between man and man, he shewed, that Christians owed the same duties to around you." Since most of his shorter practical treatises were composed, while he was a deacon, these two may well be added to that number. Still, he may have written them as Presbyter. 1 Επι πολλων πολλοί τουτο πασχουσι και τα παντως ἐκβησομενα ὑπερβολικως ειρῆσθαι νομίζουσι. Compunct. 58 Lib. de I. Tom. I. f. 126. TRUE CHRISTIAN LOVE. all men: "Thou art not only to consider, as thy Compunct. brother, the freeman, and him, who is of an equal rank with thyself, but also the slave; for, according to the apostle: there is neither bond nor free, being all one in Christ Jesus.' We shall therefore subject ourselves to the same punishment, if without a cause we be incensed against the slave; FOR HE LIKEWISE IS OUR Gal. III. 28. Matt. V. 23, 24. BROTHER, HAVING BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF TRUE FREEDOM." To prove that the Christian tain the symbol, but its spirit we have lost. |