236

How to obtain glory here and hereafter.

HOMIL. desires more than he has, will never be able to stop, and he XXVIII. desires from no other cause, but only from his love of vain

glory. For tell me, why do so many encircle themselves with multitudes of eunuchs, and herds of slaves, and much show? Not because they need it, but that they may make those who meet them witnesses of this unseasonable display. If then we cut this off, we shall slay together with the head the other members also of wickedness, and there will be nothing to hinder us from dwelling on earth as though it were heaven. Nor doth this vice merely thrust its captives into wickedness, Tapu- but is even co-existent1 with their virtues, and when it is φέστηκε unable entirely to cast us out of these, it still causeth us much damage in the very exercise of thein, forcing us to undergo the toil and depriving us of the fruit. For he that with an eye to this, fasts, and prays, and shews mercy, has his reward. What can be more pitiable than a loss like 2 KÓTTE- this, that it should befal man to bewail himself uselessly and in vain, and to become an object of ridicule, and to lose the glory from above? Since he that aims at both can not obtain both. It is indeed possible to obtain both, when we desire not both, but one only, that from heaven; but he cannot obtain both, who longs for both. Wherefore if we wish to attain to glory, let us flee from human glory, and desire that only which cometh from God; so shall we obtain both the one and the other; which may we all enjoy, through the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom and with Whom, to the Father and the Holy Ghost, be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

σθαι

HOMILY XXIX.

JOHN iii. 22.

And He came and His disciples into the land of Judæa, and there He tarried with them (and baptized).

melts away.

NOTHING can be clearer or mightier than the truth, just as nothing is weaker than falsehood, though it be shaded by ten thousand veils. For even so it is easily detected, it easily But truth stands forth unveiled for all that will behold her beauty; she seeks no concealment, dreads no danger, trembles at no plots, desires not glory from the many, is accountable to no mortal thing, but stands above them all, is the object of ten thousand secret plots, yet remaineth unconquerable, and guards as in a sure fortress those who fly to her by her own exceeding might, who avoids secret lurking places, and setteth what is hers before all men. And this Christ conversing with Pilate declared, when He said, I ever taught openly, and in secret have c. 18,20. I said nothing. As He spake then, so He acted now, for, After this, saith the Evangelist, He went forth and His disciples into the land of Judæa, and there He tarried with them, and baptized. At the feasts He went up to the City to set forth in the midst of them His doctrines, and the help of His miracles; but after the feasts were over, He often went to Jordan, because many ran together there. For He ever chose the most crowded places, not from any love of show or vain-glory, but because He desired to afford His help to the greatest number.

XXIX.

238

Why Jesus baptized not, and John baptized.

HOMIL. Yet the Evangelist farther on says, that Jesus baptized not, but His disciples; whence it is clear that this is his meaning here also. And why did Jesus not baptize? The Baptist had said before, He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Now He had not yet given the Spirit, and it was therefore with good cause that He did not baptize. But His disciples did so, because they desired to bring many to the saving doctrine.

"And why, when the disciples of Jesus were baptizing, did not John cease to do so? why did he continue to baptize, and that even until he was led to prison? for to say,

Ver. 23. John also was baptizing in Enon; and to add,

Ver. 24. John was not yet cast into prison, was to declare that until that time he did not cease to baptize. But wherefore did he baptize until then? For he would have made the disciples of Jesus seem more reverend had he desisted when they began. Why then did he baptize?" It was that he might not excite his disciples to even stronger rivalry, and make them more contentious still. For if, although he ten thousand times proclaimed Christ, yielded to Him the chief place, and made himself so much inferior, he still could not persuade them to run to Him; he would, had he added this also, have made them yet more hostile. On this account it was that Christ began to preach more constantly when John was removed. And moreover, I think that the death of John was allowed, and that it happened didoe very quickly, in order that the whole attention of the multitude might be shifted to Christ, and that they might no longer be divided in their opinions concerning the two.

σιν

Besides, even while he was baptizing, he did not cease continually to exhort them, and to shew them the high and awful nature of Jesus. For he baptized them, and told them no other thing than that they must believe on Him that came after him. Now how would a man who acted thus by desisting have made the disciples of Christ seem worthy of reverence? On the contrary, he would have been thought to do so through envy and passion. But to continue preaching gave a stronger proof; for he desired not glory for himself, but sent on his hearers to Christ, and wrought with

III. 25.

The object of the baptism of John and of the disciples. 239 Him not less, but rather much more than Christ's own dis- JOHN ciples, because his testimony was unsuspected and he was by all men far more highly esteemed than they. And this the Evangelist implies, when he says, that "all Judæa and the Matt. 3, country round about Jordan went out to him, and were baptized." Even when the Disciples were baptizing, yet many did not cease to run to him.

If any one should enquire, " And in what was the baptism of the disciples better than that of John?" we will reply, "in nothing;" both were alike without the gift of the Spirit, both parties alike had one reason for baptizing, and that was, to lead the baptized to Christ. For in order that they might not be always running about to bring together those that should believe, as in Simon's case his brother did, and Philip to Nathanael, they instituted baptism, in order by it to bring all men to them easily, and to prepare a way for the faith which was to be. But that the baptisms had no superiority one over the other, is shewn by what follows. What is that?

Ver. 25. There arose, saith the Evangelist, a question (between some) of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying.

For the disciples of John being ever jealously disposed towards Christ's disciples and Christ Himself, when they saw them baptizing, began to reason with those who were baptized, as though their baptism was in a manner superior to that of Christ's disciples; and taking one of the baptized, they tried to persuade him of this; but persuaded him not. Hear how the Evangelist has given us to understand that it was they who attacked him, not he who set on foot the question. He doth not say, that " a certain Jew questioned with them," but that there arose a questioning from the disciples of John with a certain Jew, concerning purification.

[2.] And observe, I pray you, the Evangelist's inoffensive

ness.

He does not speak in the way of invective, but as far as he is able softens the charge, merely saying, that a question arose; whereas the sequel (which he has also set down in an inoffensive manner) makes it plain that what was said was said from jealousy.

4 Ἰουδαίου τινός.

This reading is of the Greek commentators: the plural found in the Complut. and in most in G. T., Vulgate, and Latin writers.

5.

XXIX.

HOMIL.. Ver. 26. They came, saith he, unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, He that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold the same baptizeth, and all men come to Him.

That is, "He whom thou didst baptize;" for this they imply when they say, " to whom thou barest witness," as though they had said, "He whom thou didst point out as illustrious, and make remarkable, dares to do the same as thou." Yet they do not say, " He whom thou didst baptize" baptizeth; (for then they would have been obliged to make mention of the Voice that came down from heaven, and of the descent of the Spirit ;) but what say they? He that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness; that is, "He who held the rank of a disciple, who was nothing more than we, this man hath separated himself, and 1 Tapa- baptizeth." For they thought to make him jealous', not κνίζειν only by this, but by asserting that their own reputation was now diminishing. All, say they, come to Him. Whence it is evident, that they did not get the better of the Jew with whom they disputed; but they spoke these words because they were imperfect in disposition, and were not yet clear from a feeling of rivalry. What then doth John? He did not rebuke them severely, fearing lest they should separate themselves again from him, and work some other mischief. What are his words?

Ver. 27. A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from above.

Marvel not, if he speak of Christ in a lowly strain; it was impossible to teach all at once, and from the very beginning, men so preoccupied by passion. But he desires to strike them for a while with awe and terror, and to shew them that they warred against none other than God Himself, when they warred against Christ. And here he secretly establishes Acts 5, that truth, which Gamaliel asserted, Ye cannot overthrow it, lest haply ye be found even to fight against God. For to say, None can receive any thing, except it be given him from heaven, was nothing else than declaring that they were attempting impossibilities, and so would be found to fight against God. "Well, but did not Theudas and his b Morel.but he speaks in a manner reservedly.'

39.