that is, not unclean. But the Apostle calls called, being in uncircumcision? Remain them, "holy," by the intensity of the expres- uncircumcised. Being circumcised, didst thou sion again casting out the dread arising from become a believer? Continue circumcised. that sort of suspicion. For this is the meaning of, "As God hath disVer. 15. "Yet if the unbelieving departeth, tributed unto each man.' "For these are no hinlet him depart," for in this case the matter is drances to piety. Thou art called, being a no longer fornication. But what is the mean- slave; another, with an unbelieving wife; ing of, "if the unbelieving departeth?" For another, being circumcised. instance, if he bid thee sacrifice and take part in his ungodliness on account of thy marriage, or else part company; it were better the marriage were annulled, and no breach made in godliness. Wherefore he adds, "A brother is not under bondage, nor yet a sister, in such cases." If day by day he buffet thee and keep up combats on this account, it is better to separate. For this is what he glances at, saying, But God hath called us in peace." For it is the other party who furnished the ground of separation, even as he did who committed

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uncleanness.

Ver. 16. "For how knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thine husband?" This again refers to that expression, "let her not leave him." That is, "if he makes no disturbance, remain," saith he, "for there is even profit in this; remain and advise and give counsel and persuade." For no teacher will have such power to prevail (Reg. neioa. Bened. ἰσχὺσα:.1) as a wife. And neither, on one hand, doth he lay any necessity upon her and absolutely demand the point of her, that he may not again do what would be too painful; nor, on the other, doth he tell her to despair: but he leaves the matter in suspense through the uncertainty of the future, saying, "For how knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O husband whether thou shalt save thy wife?"

Astonishing! where has he put slavery? As circumcision profits not: and uncircumcision does no harm; so neither doth slavery, nor yet liberty. And that he might point out this with surpassing clearness, he says, “But even (Aλλ' eì zat duvágat) if thou canst become free, use it rather: " that is, rather continue a slave. Now upon what possible ground does he tell the person who might be set free to remain a slave? He means to point out that slavery is no harm but rather an advantage.

Now we are not ignorant that some say, the words, "use it rather," are spoken with regard to liberty: interpreting it, "if thou canst become free, become free." But the expression would be very contrary to Paul's manner if he intended this. For he would not, when consoling the slave and signifying that he was in no respect injured, have told him to get free. Since perhaps some one might say, "What then, if I am not able? I am an injured and degraded person." This then is not what he says: but as I said, meaning to point out that a man gets nothing by being made free, he says, "Though thou hast it in thy power to be made free, remain rather in slavery.'

Next he adds also the cause; "For he that was called in the Lord being a bondservant, is the Lord's free man likewise he that was called, being free, is Christ's bondservant." "For," saith he, "in the things that relate to Christ, [5.] And again, ver. 17. "Only as God both are equal: and like as thou art the slave hath distributed to each man, as the Lord hath of Christ, so also is thy master. How then is called each, so let him walk. Was any one the slave a free man? Because He has freed called being circumcised? let him not become thee not only from sin, but also from outward uncircumcised. Was any called in uncircum-slavery while continuing a slave. For he suffers cision? let him not be circumcised. Circum- not the slave to be a slave, not even though he cision is nothing, and uncircumcision is noth-be a man abiding in slavery: and this is the ing; but the keeping of the commandments of great wonder. God. Let each man abide in that calling But how is the slave a free man while continwherein he was called. Wast thou called, being uing a slave? When he is freed from passions a slave? Care not for it." These things con- and the diseases of the mind: when he looks tribute nothing unto faith, saith he. Be not then down upon riches and wrath and all other the contentious neither be troubled; for the faith like passions. hath cast out all these things.

"Let each man abide in that calling wherein he was called. Hast thou been called, having an unbelieving wife? Continue to have her. Cast not out thy wife for the faith's sake. Hast thou been called, being a slave? Care not for it. Continue to be a slave. Hast thou been [The latter is adopted by Field.]

Ver. 23. "Ye were bought with a price: become not bondservants of men.' This saying is addressed not to slaves only but also to free men. For it is possible for one who is a slave not to be a slave; and for one who is a free man to be

[This is the view of Calvin, Neander, Hoffmann, etc., but Bengel, De Wette. Meyer. Alford, Stanley, Principal Edwards agree with Chrysostom. The question is a very nice one. C.]

a slave." And how can one be a slave and not a slave?" When he doeth all for God: when he feigns nothing, and doeth nothing out of eye-service towards men: that is how one that is a slave to men can be free. Or again, how doth one that is free become a slave? When he serves men in any evil service, either for gluttony or desire of wealth or for office' sake. For such an one, though he be free, is more of a slave than any man.

And consider both these points. Joseph was a slave but not a slave to men: wherefore even in slavery he was freer than all that are free. For instance, he yielded not to his mistress; yielded not to the purposes which she who possessed him desired. Again she was free; yet none ever so like a slave, courting and beseeching her own servant. But she prevailed not on him, who was free, to do what he would not. This then was not slavery; but it was liberty of the most exalted kind. For what impediment to virtue had he from his slavery? Let men hear, both slaves and free. Which was the slave? He that was entreated or she that did entreat? She that besought or he that despised her supplication?

neither chain nor bondage nor the love of his mistress nor his being in a strange land. But he abode free every where. For this is liberty in the truest sense when even in bondage it shines through.

[6.] Such a thing is Christianity; in slavery it bestows freedom. And as that which is by nature an invulnerable body then shews itself to be invulnerable when having received a dart it suffers no harm; so also he that is strictly free then shows himself, when even under masters he is not enslaved. For this cause his bidding is, "remain a slave." But if it is impossible for one who is a slave to be a Christian such as he ought to be, the Greeks will condemn true religion of great weakness: whereas if they can be taught that slavery in no way impairs godliness, they will admire our doctrine. For if death hurt us not, nor scour ges, nor chains, much less slavery. Fire and iron and tyrannies innumerable and diseases and poverty and wild beasts and countless things more dreadful than these, have not been able to injure the faithful; nay, they have made them even mightier. And how shall slavery be able to hurt? It is not slavery itself, beloved, that hurts; but the real slavery is that of sin. And if thou be not a slave in this sense, be bold and rejoice. No one shall have power to do thee any wrong, having the temper which cannot be enslaved. But if thou be a slave to sin, even though thou be ten thousand times free thou hast no good of thy freedom.

In fact, there are limits set to slaves by God Himself; and up to what point one ought to keep them, has also been determined, and to transgress them is wrong. Namely, when your master commands nothing which is unpleasing to God, it is right to follow and to obey; but no farther. For thus the slave becomes free. But if you go further, even though you are free For, tell me, what profit is it when, though you are become a slave. At least he intimates not in bondage to a man, thou liest down in this, saying, "Be not ye the servants of men." subjection to thy passions? Since men indeed But if this be not the meaning, if he bade often know how to spare; but those masters are them forsake their masters and strive content-never satiated with thy destruction. Art thou iously to become free, in what sense did he in bondage to a man? Why, thy master also exhort them, saying, "Let each one remain in the calling in which he is called?" And in another place, (1 Tim. vi. 1, 2.) "As many servants as are under the yoke, let them count their own masters worthy of all honor; and those that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren who partake of the benefit." And writing to the Ephesians also and to the Colossians, he ordains and exacts the same rules. Whence it is plain that it is not this slavery which he annuls, but that which caused as it is by vice befalls free men also: and this is the worst kind of slavery, though he be a free man who is in bondage to it. For what For instance; what did Joseph suffer from profit had Joseph's brethren of their freedom? his mistress to be compared with what she Were they not more servile than all slaves; both suffered from her evil desire? For he indeed speaking lies to their father, and to the mer- did not the things which she wished to put chants using false pretences, as well as to their upon him; but she performed every thing brother? But not such was the free man: which her mistress ordered her, I mean her rather every where and in all things he was spirit of unchastity: which left not off until it true. And nothing had power to enslave him, | had put her to open shame. What master com

is slave to thee, in arranging about thy food, in taking care of thy health and in looking after thy shoes and all the other things. And thou dost not fear so much less thou shouldest offend thy master, as he fears lest any of those necessaries should fail thee. "But he sits down, while thou standest." And what of that? Since this may be said of thee as well as of him. Often, at least, when thou art lying down and sleeping sweetly, he is not only standing, but undergoing endless discomforts in the market-place; and he lies awake more painfully than thou.

the definition of a virgin and her that is not a virgin, he names, not marriage nor continence but leisure from engagements and multiplicity of engagements. For the evil is not in the cohabitation, but in the impediment to the strictness of life.

Ver. 36. "But if any man think that he behaveth himself unseemly toward his virgin." Here he seems to be talking about marriage; but all that he says relates to virginity; for he allows even a second marriage, saying, "only in the Lord." Now what means, "in the Lord?" With chastity, with honor: for this is needed very where, and must be pursued; for else we cannot see God.

Now if we have passed lightly by what he says of virginity, let no one accuse us of negligence; for indeed an entire book hath been

composed by us upon this topic and as we have there with all the accuracy which we could, gone through every branch of the subject, we considered it a waste of words to introduce it again here. Wherefore, referring the hearer to that work as concerns these things, we will say this one thing here: We must follow after continence. For, saith he, "follow after peace, and the sanctification without which no one shall see the Lord." Therefore that we may be accounted worthy to see Him, whether we be in virginity or in the first marriage or the second, let us follow after this that we may obtain the kingdom of heaven, through the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ; to Whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be glory, power, honor, now, henceforth, and for everlasting ages. Amen.

HOMILY XX.

I Cor. viii. I.

Now concerning things sacrificed to idols: we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth

up, but love edifieth.

tended to be more perfect were injured in no common way, partaking in the tables of demons.

than of severe rebuke and wrath. Now herein observe his good sense, how he immediately begins to admonish.

"Now concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge." Leaving alone the weak, which he always doth, he discourses with the strong first. And this is what he did also in the Epistle to the Romans, saying, (Rom. xiv. 10.) "But thou, why dost thou judge thy brother?" for this is the sort of person that is able to receive rebuke also with readiness. Exactly the same then he doth here also.

This then was the subject of complaint. Now It is necessary first to say what the meaning this blessed man being about to correct it, did of this passage is: for so shall we readily com- not immediately begin to speak vehemently; prehend the Apostle's discourse. For he that for that which was done came more of folly sees a charge brought against any one, except than of wickedness: wherefore in the first he first perceive the nature of the offence will instance there was need rather of exhortation not understand what is said. What then is it of which he was then accusing the Corinthians? A heavy charge and the cause of many evils. Well, what is it? Many among them, having learnt that (St. Matt. xv. 11.) "not the things which enter in defile the man, but the things which proceed out," and that idols of wood and stone, and demons, have no power to hurt or help, had made an immoderate use of their perfect knowledge of this to the harm both of others and of themselves. They had both gone in where idols were and had partaken of the tables there, and were producing thereby great and ruinous evil. For, on the one hand, those who still retained the fear of idols and knew not how to contemn them, took part in those meals, because they saw the more perfect sort doing this; and hence they got the greatest injury since they did not touch what was set before them with the same mind as the others, but as things offered in sacrifice to idols; and the thing was becoming a way to idolatry. On the other hand, these very persons who pre

And first he makes void their conceit by declaring that this very thing which they considered as peculiar to themselves, the having perfect knowledge, was common to all. Thus,

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we know," saith he, "that we all have knowledge." For if allowing them to have high thoughts, he had first pointed out how hurtful the thing was to others, he would not have done them so much good as harm. For the ambitious soul when it plumes itself upon any thing,

that is not on his guard, puffing him up and elating him. For arrogance is wont to cause divisions: but love both draws together and leads to knowledge. And to make this plain he saith, "But if any man loveth God, the same is known of Him." So that "I forbid not this,” saith he, "namely, your having perfect knowledge; but your having it with love, that I enjoin; else is it no gain, but rather loss."

even though the same do harm to others, yet strongly adheres to it because of the tyranny of vain-glory. Wherefore Paul first examines the matter itself by itself: just as he had done before in the case of the wisdom from without, demolishing it with a high hand. But in that case he did it as we might have expected: for the whole thing was altogether blameworthy and his task was very easy. Wherefore he signifies it to be not only useless, but even contrary to Do you see how he already sounds the first the Gospel. But in the present case it was not note of his discourse concerning love? For possible to do this. For what was done was since all these evils were springing from the folof knowledge, and perfect knowlege. Nor lowing root, i. e., not from perfect knowledge, was it safe to overthrow it, and yet in no other but from their not greatly loving nor sparing way was it possible to cast out the conceit which their neighbors; whence ensued both their had resulted from it. What then doeth he? variance and their self-satisfaction, and all the First, by signifying that it was common, he rest which he had charged them with; both curbs that swelling pride of theirs. For they before this and after he is continually providing who possess something great and excellent are for love; so correcting the fountain of all good more elated, when they alone have it; but if it things. "Now why," saith he, "are ye puffed be made out that they possess it in common up about knowledge? For if ye have not love, with others, they no longer have so much of ye shall even be injured thereby. For what this feeling. First then he makes it common is worse than boasting? But if the other be property, because they considered it to belong to themselves alone.

Next, having made it common, he does not make himself singly a sharer in it with them; for in this way too he would have rather set them up; for as to be the only possessor elates, so to have one partner or two perhaps among leading persons has this effect just as much. For this reason he does not mention himself but all: he said not, "I too have knowledge," but, "we know that we all have knowledge.'

[2] This then is one way, and the first, by which he cast down their pride; the next hath greater force. What then is this? What then is this? In that he shews that not even this thing itself was in all points complete, but imperfect, and extremely

sɔ.

And not only imperfect, but also injurious, unless there were another thing joined together with it. For having said that "we have knowledge," he added, "Knowledge puffeth up, but love edifieth" so that when it is without love, it lifts men up to absolute arrogance.

added, the first also will be in safety. For although you may know something more than your neighbor, if you love him you will not set yourself up but lead him also to the same." Wherefore also having said, "Knowledge puffeth up," he added, "but love edifieth." He did not say, Behaveth itself modestly," but what is much more, and more gainful. For their knowledge was not only puffing them up but also distracting them. On this account he opposes the one to the other.

What

[3] And then he adds a third consideration, which was of force to set them down. then is this? that although charity be joined. with it, yet not even in that case is this our knowledge perfect. And therefore he adds,

"For as yet

Ver. 2. “But if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know." This is a mortal blow. "I dwell not," saith he, "on the knowledge being common to all. I say not that by hating your neighbor and by arrogance, you injure "And yet not even love," you will say, yourself most. But even though you have it by "without knowledge hath any advantage." yourself alone, though you be modest, though Well this he did not say; but omitting it as a you love your brother, even in this case you are thing allowed by all, he signifies that knowl-imperfect in regard of knowledge. edge stands in extreme need of love. For he thou knowest nothing as thou oughtest to know," who loves, inasmuch as he fulfils the commandment which is most absolute of all, even though he have some defects, will quickly be blest with knowledge because of his love; as Cornelius and many others. But he that hath knowledge but hath not love, not only shall gain nothing more, but shall also be cast out of that which he hath, in many cases falling into arrogance. It seems then that knowledge is not productive of love, but on the contrary debars from it him

Now if we possess as yet exact knowledge of nothing, how is it that some have rushed on to such a pitch of frenzy as to say that they know God with all exactness? Whereas, though we had an exact knowledge of all other things, net even so were it possible to possess this knowledge to such an extent. For how far He is apart from all things, it is impossible even to say.

And mark how he pulls down their swelling pride: for he said not, "of the matters before