64 AGAINST ASKING. Had not Did they not breathe the same air? some of them wives and children? many of them carry on the various trades of life? Were they not influenced by the same ties and interests? Were there not those among them who had even been sunk in the abyss of crime? But ye say, that these men were largely endowed with the divine grace. That excuse might avail, were it required of us to raise the dead, to open the eyes of the blind, to cleanse the lepers, to make the lame walk, to cast out devils, and to heal other similar diseases by miracles. But how can it hold good in the examination of our works, and the proving of our obedience? Thou also hast received in Baptism the divine grace; hast obtained a share of the Holy Spirit; if not to work miracles, yet sufficient to lead a godly life; this perversion of mind therefore originated solely in our indolence. And Christ awardeth not at the last day an unconditional recompense to those, who have performed miracles, but to those who have obeyed his commandments; for he saith not: 'Come ye blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; because ye performed miracles; but because I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink : I was a stranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick and ye visited Matt. XXV. me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me; and in his enumeration of the blessed he nowhere nameth those, who perform miracles, but those who lead a godly life. Therefore, that this gift of grace no longer is bestowed on man, can neither be to our prejudice, nor will it afford us an excuse, when we shall have to render an ac 35, 36. Matt. V. 3. -12. FOR SIGNS. 65 count of our actions. For we venerate not those holy men on account of their miracles,-that being solely a work of divine power;-but because they led lives pure as those of the angels; and this, through divine assistance, was the work of their own free will. I speak not this of my own authority; but it was asserted by him, who was far advanced in the imitation of Christ; for when Paul, in his Epistle to the Corinthians, combatteth the false apostles, and seeketh to draw a distinction between the true and false service of Christ, he commenceth not by setting forth miracles, but good works; for he saith, Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool,) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thrist, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?' On account of these things do I admire the Apostles; for those, to whom it was permitted, without such things, to perform 2 Cor. xi. miracles, for certain purposes which providence 23-29. chose through them to attain, were not only undeserving of admiration, but will be rejected as false, as Christ himself declareth: saying, F 66 Matt. VII. 22, 23. GRACE AND FREE WILL. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? and then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.' Wherefore likewise he thus exhorted his disciples: In this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are writLuke X. 20. ten in heaven.' A holy and upright conduct, without miracles, will acquire for you the crown of eternal life, and by the absence of miracles will not be rendered less efficacious. A sinful life on the contrary, although accompanied by miracles, will not escape punishment. Such reasoning then is superfluous, and not alone is it superfluous, but it is even perilous; weak points being created thereby for the attacks of heretics. 1 Had these holy men become thus excellent only through the grace of Christ without their own free-will, what prevented all men from having become like unto them? If the divine grace did not first require the efforts of our own will, it would at once have been poured into every soul; for God is no respecter of persons. Because he willeth that we should perform our part, his grace abideth with one, and departeth from another." He however opposes the error of those among his cotemporaries, who made atonement and contrition to consist in certain outward usages, by which no real change could be wrought in the inward 1 Those namely, who like the Manichæans and many of the Gnostics, derive the moral distinctions of the human character and the opposite courses of life pursued by men, not from man's own free will, but from an original fundamental difference of natures, originating in the distinct materials of which they were composed. SECOND WORK ON CONTRITION. 67 man, and which could only have a meaning, when they were the spontaneous expression of profound grief: "To cover ourselves with sack- Idem.f.139. cloth, to seclude ourselves within a narrow chamber, to sit in darkness, this alone is not to mourn; but ever to carry about with us the remembrance of our sins, to search our consciences, and constantly to measure the length of the way, which separateth us from the kingdom of heaven." He then again distinguishes that repentance, which springs from love, and which constitutes pure Christian contrition, from that which is founded upon a fear of hell, such as existed in the bondage under the discipline of the law. "If even eternal punishment Idem.f.140. awaited us not, to be estranged from Christ, the benign, the merciful, who for us gave himself up unto death, who suffered all things, to save us from condemnation, and to reconcile us to his Father, with whom we were at enmity through our sins, although we were not to be excluded from the unspeakable and immortal joys prepared for us, is alone more dreadful than all punishments, and sufficient to awaken souls and preserve them in constant watchfulness." The same thoughts are contained in the second treatise upon this subject addressed to Stelechius. In this treatise he again alludes to the powerful influence of the love of God and Christ, such as inspired the apostles, and contrasts the purity of Christian love with the venality of the bondsman: "What sayest thou, Lib. de wretched, narrow-minded man? a work pleas- Compunct. ing to God awaiteth thy performance, and thou II. f. 150. standest thinking upon a reward? Suppose, if thou perform it, that thou wert to be cast into hell, shouldst thou therefore draw back, and not rather fully accomplish the good work? Dost 68 66 AGAINST FEIGNED HUMILITY. thou perform a work pleasing to God, and seek another reward? Truly thou knowest not how blessed a thing it is to please God, for, if thou didst, thou wouldst set it above every other recompense." This treatise is at the same time remarkable for many original observations, worthy of being treasured up in the mind. Among them we find a warning against confessions of sinfulness, which proceed not from a contrite heart; but either consist in studied forms or originate in momentary ebullitions of feeling: Idem.f.151. When we call ourselves sinners, we speak not with sincerity. This is evident: for when we are thus named by others, we become incensed and consider ourselves insulted. All therefore with us is hypocrisy." How far Chrysostom was, even at this early period of his life, from attaching too great a value to monkhood, and from prizing a mere retirement from the world, -how entirely his attention was directed to the heart, we may perceive from the following Idem.f.144. Words: "Let us not only seek that solitude, which is afforded by the spot, but likewise, that, which consisteth in the disposition of the mind; and, above all, let us lead the soul into that true solitude. For thus David, though dwelling in a great city, administering the affairs of a kingdom, and surrounded by a thousand cares, was more warmly inspired by the love of Christ, than were the monks in the wilderness.” Chrysostom had probably composed his work upon the Priesthood, before he became engaged in the duties of the ministry. We discover therein his views of the dignity of this profession, and the difficulty of fulfilling its duties, combined with many practical truths, which he pronounced in opposition to the prevailing errors and abuses of his age. With re |