what can a man be safe from, that is common to man? These afflictions follow humanity. Are Christians the only men that are poor? that are crossed? or in a prison? If a man be a man, reckon only so, he is liable on that account to these things. Therefore, I say, since we have no way in the world to secure us from suffering, our great concern is to labor that we may suffer in the most comfortable way we can; so as that when it comes to be our lot, we may be capable of counting it all joy. And then we are a thousand times upon better terms, than if we were sure never to feel affliction; for that is only an external good; but the other is a spiritual good. And these are to be estimated according to the capacity and condition of the subject. I hope my flesh, my body, is not capable of so much hurt, as my spirit is of good. To be freed from afflictions, it is true, would be the advantage of the outward man; but to be able to bear them rejoicingly is an advantage to the soul; a thing capable of greater good than my outward man is capable of.

"Then shall my cheerful spirit sing

The darksome hours away,
And rise on faith's expanded wing,
To everlasting day."

MAY 20.

CHRYSOSTOM.

Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree. on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.-Matt. xviii. 19, 20.

SEEST thou how by another motive he puts down our enmities, and takes away our petty dissensions, and draws us one to another, and this not from the punishment only which had been mentioned, but also from the good things which spring from charity? For having denounced those threats against contentiousness, he puts here the great rewards of concord, if at least they who are of one accord do even prevail with the Father, as touching the things they ask, and have Christ in the midst of them.

"Are there then indeed nowhere two of one accord?" Nay, in many places, perchance even everywhere. "How then do

they not obtain all things?" Because many are the causes of their failing. For either they often ask things inexpedient. And why marvellest thou, if this is the case with some others, whereas it was so even with Paul, when he heard, My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is perfected in weakness. Or they are unworthy to be reckoned with them that heard these words, and contribute not their own part, but he seeks for such as are like them; therefore he saith of you, of the virtuous, of them that show forth an angelic rule of life. Or they pray against them that have aggrieved them, seeking for redress and vengeance; and this kind of thing is forbidden, for, Pray, saith he, for your enemies. Or having sins unrepented they ask mercy, which thing it is impossible to receive, not only if themselves ask it, but although others having much confidence towards God entreat for them, like as even Jeremiah praying for the Jews did hear, Pray not thou for this people, because I will not hear thee.

But if all things are there, and thou ask things expedient, and contribute all thine own part, and exhibit an apostolical life, and have concord and love towards thy neighbor, thou wilt obtain on thy entreaty; for the Lord is loving towards man.

Then because he has said, Of my Father, in order that he might show that it is himself that giveth, and not he who begat him only, he added, For wheresoever two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

What then? are there not two or three gathered together in his name? There are indeed, but rarely. For not merely of the assembling doth he speak, neither this doth he require only; but most surely, as I said before also, the rest of virtue too together with this, and besides, even this itself he requires with great strictness. For what he saith is like this, "If any holds me the principal ground of his love to his neighbor, I will be with him, if he be a virtuous man in other respects."

But now we see the more part having other motives of friendship. For one loves, because he is loved, another because he has been honored, a third because such a one has been useful to him in some other worldly matter, a fourth for some other like cause; but for Christ's sake it is a difficult thing to find any one loving his neighbor sincerely, and as he ought to love him. For the more part are bound one to another by their worldly

affairs. But Paul did not love thus, but for Christ's sake; wherefore even when not loved in such wise as he loved, he did not cease his love, because he had planted a strong root of his affection; but not so our present state, but on inquiry we shall find with most men any thing likely to produce friendship rather than this. And if any one bestowed on me power in so great a multitude to make this inquiry, I would show the more part bound one to another by worldly motives.

And this is evident from the causes that work enmity. For because they are bound one to another by these temporal motives, therefore they are neither fervent towards one another, nor constant, but insult, and loss of money, and envy, and love of vainglory, and every such thing coming upon them, severs the love-tie. For it finds not the root spiritual. Since, if indeed it were such, no worldly things would dissolve things spiritual. For love for Christ's sake is firm, and not to be broken, and impregnable, and nothing can tear it asunder; not calumnies, not dangers, not death, no other thing of this kind. For though he suffer ten thousand things, who thus loves; looking to the ground of his love, he will not desist. For he who loves because of being loved, should he meet with any thing painful, puts an end to his love; but he who is bound by this, will never desist.

Wherefore Paul also said, Charity never faileth. For what hast thou to say? That when honored he insults? that receiving benefits he was minded to slay thee? But even this works upon thee to love more, if thou lovest for Christ's sake. For what things are in the rest subversive of love, these here become apt to produce it. How? First, because such a one is to thee cause of rewards; secondly, because he that is so disposed stands in need of more succor, and much attention. Therefore I say, he who thus loves inquires not about race, nor country, nor wealth, nor his love to himself, nor any other such matter; though he be hated, though he be insulted, though he be slain, continues to love, having as a sufficient ground for love, Christ; wherefore also he stands steadfast, firm, not to be overthrown, looking unto him.

but

For Christ so loved his enemies, having loved the obstinate, the injurious, the blasphemers, them that hated him, them that would not so much as see him; them that were preferring wood and stones to him, and with the highest love, beyond which one

can not find another. For greater love hath no man than this, he saith, that one lay down his life for his friends.

And those even that crucified him, and acted in so many instances with contumely against him, see how he continues to treat with kindness. For even to his Father he speaks for them, saying, Forgive them, for they know not what they do. And he sent his disciples, moreover, after these things, unto them.

This love then let us also imitate, unto this let us look, that being followers of Christ, we may attain both unto the good things here, and unto those to come, by the grace and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and might world without end. Amen.

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness.—Col. i. 13.

THE apostle has been hitherto employed in enumerating and enlarging upon those saving benefits which have been bestowed upon us by God the Father; for the benefits of our redemption are so united, that he who is a partaker of one is a partaker of all: Who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light, is the verse preceding. Now in verse 13, the apostle connects two other benefits, without which that preceding one cannot stand; and these are, deliverance from the power of darkness, and translation into the kingdom of his dear Son. We shall now consider the first of these, partly in this, and partly in the following exercise.

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness. In explaining this benefit, three things are to be shown by us: 1. Who hath delivered; 2. Whom, or what sort of persons; 3. From what.

1. Who? God the Father; for these words are immediately connected with the foregoing, Giving thanks to God the Father, who hath made us meet-Who also hath delivered, or hath forcibly plucked us away, as the original Greek word signifies. But the Father being spoken of, we ought to understand the whole Trinity, in these external operations. Wherefore the original author of man's deliverance is the Triune and One God, who purposed this from eternity, and in the fullness of time sent his Son to ac

complish this work which he had decreed. God so loved the world that he sent his only-begotten Son. Therefore it is properly said, "The whole Trinity redeemed man by an act of power; the incarnate Son redeemed him by the effect of his humiliation." And no one else ought to, or could, deliver man, except God alone; of whose power and will he was created out of nothing. None other ought, because "by this act he would forcibly take away from the Creator his own servant," as Tertullian well observes. For so great is this benefit of deliverance, that it binds us more than the benefit of creation itself. If, therefore, one had made us, and another had delivered us, we should have been more strictly bound to that other deliverer than to God the Creator. Hence also another remark of Tertullian, "Who ought to seek the lost sheep? Ought not he who lost it? Who lost it? Was it not he who possessed it? Who possessed it? Was it not he who created it? But neither could any other deliver. For he must necessarily be stronger than the devil who could wrest his prey from him. For no one can enter into a strong man's house and seize his goods, unless he shall have first bound the strong man, and then he shall spoil his house. But who could overcome and bind this prince of darkness who was holding us captive, except the mighty God alone? It was he, therefore, who plucked us from him.

2. Us. We must consider in the second place, Whom, or what sort of persons God delivered. And this consideration may be twofold; of those who were to be delivered, or of those who have been delivered.

While we were to be delivered, that is, previous to our deliverance, we were not only diseased and weak, but were openly and secretly opposed to our own deliverance. The apostle himself paints man in these same colors. For when we were without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. But God commendeth his love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God, by the death of his Son. Rom. v. 1. Observe here the immeasurable love of God, who would deliver such persons, for no one cares to redeem a thing of no value.

2. Observe the infinite power of God, who delivered man in spite of the devil.