cause the Spirit taught them not, but called to their mind what Christ had said before; and it contributes not a little to the glory of Christ, that they were referred to the remembrance of the words He had spoken to them. At the first then it was of the gift of God that the grace of the Spirit lighted upon them so largely and abundantly; but after that, it was of their own virtue that they retained the Gift. For they displayed a shining life, and much wisdom, and great labors, and despised this present life, and thought nothing of earthly things, but were above them all; and like a sort of light-winged eagle, soaring high by their works, reached to heaven itself, and by these possessed the unspeakable grace of the Spirit. Let us then imitate them, and not quench our lamps, but keep them bright by alms-doing, for Let us so is the light of this fire preserved. HOMILY XXIV. JOHN ii. 23. "Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, in the feast, many believed on Him." [1.] OF the men of that time some clung to their error, others laid hold on the truth, while of these last, some having retained it for a little while again fell off from it. Alluding to these, Christ compared them to seeds not deeply sown, but having their roots upon the surface of the earth; and He said that they should quickly perish. And these the Evangelist has here pointed out to us, saying, "Because He knew all things," 11 4 Ver. 25. "And needed not that any should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.” The meaning is of this kind. "He who dwells in men's hearts, and enters into their thoughts, took no heed of outward words; and knowing well that their warmth was but for a season, He placed not confidence in them as in perfect disciples, nor committed all His doctrines to them as though they had already become firm believers." Now, to know what is in the heart of men belongs to God alone, "who hath fashioned hearts one by one" (Ps. xxxiii. 15, LXX.), for, saith Solomon, "Thou, even Thou only, knowest the hearts (1 Kings viii. 39); Ver. 24. "But Jesus did not commit Himself He therefore needed not witnesses to learn the unto them." "When He was in Jerusalem, at the Passover, in the feast, many believed on Him, when they saw the miracles which He did." 3 For they were the more perfect among His disciples, who came to Him not only because of His miracles, but through His teaching also. The grosser sort the miracles attracted, but the better reasoners His prophecies and doctrines; and so they who were taken by His teaching were more steadfast than those attracted by His miracles. And Christ also called them "blessed," saying, "Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” (c. xx. 29.) But that these here mentioned were not real disciples, the following passage shows, for it saith, "Jesus did not commit Himself unto them." Wherefore? 1 al. "were drawn away." 2 εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, G. T. 3 ἀκριβέστεροι, al. ἀσφαλέστεροι, thoughts of His own creatures, and so He felt no confidence in them because of their mere temporary belief. Men, who know neither the present nor the future, often tell and entrust all without any reserve to persons who approach them deceitfully and who shortly will fall off from them; but Christ did not so, for well He knew all their secret thoughts. And many such now there are, who have indeed the name of faith, but are unstable," and easily led away; wherefore neither now doth Christ commit Himself to them, but concealeth from them many things; and just as we do not place confidence in mere acquaintances but in real friends, so also doth Christ. Hear what He saith to His disciples, "Henceforth I call you not servants, ye are My friends." (c. xv. 14, 15.) Whence is this and why? "Because all things that I have heard of My Father I have made known unto you." And therefore He gave no signs to the Jews who asked for them, because they asked tempting Him. Indeed the asking for signs is a practice of tempters both then and now; for even now there are some that seek them and say, "Why do not miracles take place also at this present time?" If thou art faithful, as thou oughtest to be, and lovest Christ as thou oughtest to love Him, thou hast no need of signs, they are given to the unbelievers. "How then," asks were they not given to the Jews?" Given they certainly were; and if there were times when though they asked they did not receive them, it was because they asked them not that they might be delivered from their unbelief, but in order the more to confirm their wickedness. Chap. iii. 1, 2. "And there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus. The same came to Jesus by night." one, come from God: for no man can do the mira- "No man can do these miracles, except God be with him." Still here Nicodemus speaks like the heretics, in saying, that He hath a power working within Him, and hath need of the aid of others to do This man appears also in the middle of the as He did. What then saith Christ? Observe Gospel, making defense for Christ; for he saith, His exceeding condescension. He refrained "Our law judgeth no man1 before it hear him" for a while from saying, "I need not the help of (c. vii. 51); and the Jews in anger replied to others, but do all things with power, for I am him, "Search and look, for out of Galilee ariseth the Very Son of God, and have the same power no prophet." Again after the crucifixion he be- as My Father," because this would have been stowed great care upon the burial of the Lord's too hard for His hearer; for I say now what I body: "There came also," saith the Evangelist, am always saying, that what Christ desired was, "Nicodemus, which came to the Lord' by night, not so much for a while to reveal His own Digand brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about nity, as to persuade men that He did nothing an hundred pound weight." (c. xix. 39.) And contrary to His Father. And therefore in many even now he was disposed towards Christ, but places he appears in words confined by limits, not as he ought, nor with proper sentiments but in His actions He doth not so. For when respecting Him, for he was as yet entangled He worketh a miracle, He doth all with power, in Jewish infirmity. Wherefore he came by saying, "I will, be thou clean." (Matt. viii. 3.) night, because he feared to do so by day. Yet "Talitha, arise." (Mark v. 41; not verbally not for this did the merciful God reject or re-quoted.) "Stretch forth thy hand." (Mark buke him, or deprive him of His instruction, but iii. 5.) "Thy sins be forgiven thee." (Matt. even with much kindness conversed with him, ix. 2.) "Peace, be still." (Mark iv. 39.) and disclosed to him very exalted doctrines, "Take up thy bed, and go unto thine house." enigmatically indeed, but nevertheless He dis- (Matt. ix. 6.) "Thou foul spirit, I say unto closed them. For far more deserving of pardon thee, come out of him." (Mark ix. 25; not was he than those who acted thus through wick-verbally quoted.) "Be it unto thee even as edness. They are entirely without excuse; but thou wilt." (Matt. xv. 28.) "If any one say he, though he was liable to condemnation, yet (aught) unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath was not so to an equal degree. "How then does need of him." (Mark xi. 3.) "This day shalt the Evangelist say nothing of the kind concern- thou be with Me in Paradise." (Luke xxiii. ing him?" He has said in another place, that " of 43.) "Ye have heard that it was said by them the rulers also many believed on Him, but be- of old time, Thou shalt not kill; but I say unto cause of the Jews they did not confess (Him), you, that whosoever is angry with his brother lest they should be put out of the synagogue without a cause, shall be in danger of the judg(c. xii. 42); but here he has implied the whole ment." (Matt. v. 21, 22.) "Come ye after by mentioning his coming "by night." What Me, and I will make you fishers of men." then saith Nicodemus? (Mark i. 17.) And everywhere we observe that His authority is great; for in His actions no one "Rabbi, we know that Thou art a Teacher 1 μὴ ὁ νόμος ἡμῶν κ.τ.λ. G. Τ. 2 Ιησούν, G. T. 3 περὶ τὸν Χ. 4 Φαρισαίους, G. T. 5 στρέφεται. · ἐνεργούμενον αὐτὸν. 7 μετριάζων. 113 could find fault with what was done. How was thou canst not have a right opinion of Me, for it possible? Had His words not come to pass, the opinion which thou hast is not spiritual, but nor been accomplished as He commanded, any carnal." (Tit. iii. 5.) But He did not speak one might have said that they were the com- thus, as refusing to confound one who had mands of a madman; but since they did come brought such as he had, and who had spoken to pass, the reality of their accomplishment to the best of his ability; and He leads him stopped men's mouths even against their will. unsuspectedly up to greater knowledge, saying, But with regard to His discourses, they might "Except a man be born again." The word often in their insolence charge Him with mad-" again,' in this place, some understand to ness. Wherefore now in the case of Nicodemus, mean "from heaven," others, "from the beginHe utters nothing openly, but by dark sayings ning." "It is impossible," saith Christ, "for one leads him up from his low thoughts, teaching not so born to see the Kingdom of God"; in him, that He has sufficient power in Himself to this pointing to Himself, and declaring that there show forth miracles; for that His Father begat is another beside the natural sight, and that we Him Perfect and All-sufficient, and without any have need of other eyes to behold Christ. Havimperfection. ing heard this, But let us see how He effects this. Nicodemus saith," Rabbi, we know that Thou art a Teacher come from God, for no man can do the miracles that Thou doest, except God be with him." He thought he had said something great when he had spoken thus of Christ. What then saith Christ? To show that he had not yet set foot even on the threshold of right knowledge, nor stood in the porch, but was yet wandering somewhere without the palace, both he and whoever else should say the like, and that he had not so much as glanced towards true knowledge when he held such an opinion of the OnlyBegotten, what saith He? Ver. 3. "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God." 15 Ver. 4. "Nicodemus saith, How can a man be born when he is old?" Callest thou Him "Master," sayest thou that He is "come from God," and yet receivest thou not His words, but usest to thy Teacher a manner of speaking which expresses much perplexity? For the "How," is the doubting question of those who have no strong belief, but who are yet of the earth. Therefore Sarah laughed when she had said, "How?" And many others having asked this question, have fallen from the faith. [3] And thus heretics continue in their heresy, because they frequently make this enquiry, saying, some of them, "How was He begotten?" others, "How was He made flesh?" and subjecting that Infinite Essence to the weakness of their own reasonings. Knowing which, That is, "Unless thou art born again and we ought to avoid this unseasonable curiosity, receivest the right doctrines, thou art wandering for they who search into these matters shall, somewhere without, and art far from the King-without learning the "How," fall away from the dom of heaven." But He does not speak so right faith. On this account Nicodemus, being plainly as this. In order to make the saying in doubt, enquires the manner in which this can less hard to bear, He does not plainly direct it at him, but speaks indefinitely, "Except a man be born again": all but saying, "both thou, and any other, who may have such opinions concerning Me, art somewhere without the Kingdom." Had He not spoken from a desire to establish this, His answer would have been suitable to what had been said. Now the Jews, if these words had been addressed to them, would have derided Him and departed; but Nicodemus shows here also his desire of instruction. And this is why in many places Christ speaks obscurely, because He wishes to rouse His hearers to ask questions, and to render them Seest thou how when one commits spiritual more attentive. For that which is said plainly things to his own reasonings, he speaks ridicuoften escapes the hearer, but what is obscure lously, seems to be trifling, or to be drunken, when renders him more active and zealous. Now he pries into what has been said beyond what what He saith, is something like this: "If thou seems good to God, and admits not the submission art not born again, if thou partakest not of the Spirit which is by the washing2 of Regeneration, be, (for he understood that the words spoken referred to himself,) is confused, and dizzy, and in perplexity, having come as to a man, and hearing more than man's words, and such as no one ever yet had heard; and for a while he rouses himself at the sublimity of the sayings, but yet is in darkness, and unstable, borne about in every direction, and continually falling away from the faith. And therefore he perseveres in proving the impossibility, so as to provoke Him to clearer teaching. "Can a man," he saith, 66 enter into his mother's womb, and be born?” 3 ʊxin, “belonging to the natural life," opposed in N. T. to πνευματική. or, strike." 5 avfev ("again," or "from above"). 6 lit. "introduces." 7 Ben. transposes the clauses. 8 ιλιγγιᾷ. of faith? Nicodemus heard of the spiritual Birth, wherefore Paul hath said to the Corinthians, "I yet perceived it not as spiritual, but dragged have fed you with milk, and not with meat; for down the words to the lowness of the flesh, and hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet made a doctrine so great and high depend upon now are ye able, for ye are yet carnal; for physical consequence. And so he invents fri- whereas there is among you envying, and strife, volities, and ridiculous difficulties. Wherefore and divisions, are ye not carnal?" (1 Cor. iii. Paul said, "The natural1 man receiveth not the 2.) And also in the Epistle to the Hebrews, things of the Spirit." (1 Cor. ii. 14.) Yet even and in many places, one may see Paul asserting in this he preserved his reverence for Christ, for that this is the cause of evil doctrines; for that he did not mock at what had been said, but, the soul possessed by passions cannot behold deeming it impossible, held his peace. There anything great or noble, but as if darkened by a were two difficulties; a Birth of this kind, and sort of film suffers most grievous dimsightedthe Kingdom; for neither had the name of the ness. Kingdom ever been heard among the Jews, nor of a Birth like this. But he stops for a while at the first, which most astonished2 his mind. Let us then cleanse ourselves, let us kindle the light of knowledge, let us not sow among thorns. What the thorns are, ye know, though we tell you not; for often ye have heard Christ call the cares of this present life, and the deceitfulness of riches, by this name. (Matt. xiii. 22.) And with reason. For as thorns are unfruitful, so are these things; as thorns tear those that handle them, so do these passions; as thorns are readily caught by the fire, and hateful by the husbandman, so too are the things of the world; as in thorns, wild beasts, and snakes, and scorpions hide themselves, so do they in the deceitfulness of riches. But let us kindle the fire of the Spirit, that we may consume the thorns, and Let us then, knowing this, not enquire into things relating to God by reasoning, nor bring heavenly matters under the rule of earthly consequences, nor subject them to the necessity of nature; but let us think of all reverently, believing as the Scriptures have said; for the busy and curious person gains nothing, and besides not finding what he seeks, shall suffer extreme punishment. Thou hast heard, that (the Father) begat (the Son): believe what thou hast heard; but do ask not, "How," and so take away the Generation; to do so would be extreme folly. For if this man, because, on hearing of a Gener-drive away the beasts, and make the field clear ation, not that ineffable GENERATION, but this which is by grace, he conceived nothing great concerning it, but human and earthly thoughts, was therefore darkened and in doubt, what punishment must they deserve, who are busy and curious about that most awful GENERATION, which transcends all reason and intellect? For nothing causes such dizziness 3 as human reasoning, all whose words are of earth, and which cannot endure to be enlightened from above. Earthly reasonings are full of mud, and therefore need we streams from heaven, that when the mud has settled, the clearer portion may rise and mingle with the heavenly lessons; and this comes to pass, when we present an honest soul and an upright life. For certainly it is possible for the intellect to be darkened, not only by unseasonable curiosity, but also by corrupt manners; 1 ψυχικός. 2 lit. "shook." for the husbandman; and after cleansing it, let us water it with the streams of the Spirit, let us plant the fruitful olive, that most kindly of trees, the evergreen, the light-giving, the nutritious, the wholesome. All these qualities hath almsgiving, which is, as it were, a seal on those that possess it. This plant not even death when it comes causes to wither, but ever it stands enlightening the mind, feeding the sinews of the soul, and rendering its strength mightier. And if we constantly possess it, we shall be able with confidence to behold the Bridegroom, and to enter into the bridal chamber; to which may we all attain, through the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father and the Holy Ghost be glory, for ever and ever. Amen. 3 al. "dreadful darkness." 4 ἐμπαθῆ. Ο λήμης. lit. "with." τ νεύρα. HOMILY XXV. JOHN iii. 5. "Verily I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God." [1.] LITTLE children who go daily to their teachers receive their lessons, and repeat' them, and never cease from this kind of acquisition, but sometimes employ nights as well as days, and this they are compelled to do for perishable and transient things. Now we do not ask of you who are come to age such toil as you require of your children; for not every day, but two days only in the week do we exhort you to hearken to our words, and only for a short portion of the day, that your task may be an easy one. For the same reason also we divide3 to you in small portions what is written in Scripture, that you may be able easily to receive and lay them up in the storehouses of your minds, and take such pains to remember them all, as to be able exactly to repeat them to others yourselves, unless any one be sleepy, and dull, and more idle than a little child. raiment of death, of cursing, of perdition, he hath not yet received his Lord's token, he is a stranger and an alien, he hath not the royal watchword. "Except," He saith, "a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of heaven." 9 Yet even thus Nicodemus did not understand. Nothing is worse than to commit spiritual things to argument; it was this that would not suffer him to suppose anything sublime and great. This is why we are called faithful, that having left the weakness of human reasonings below, we may ascend to the height of faith, and commit most of our blessings to her 10 teaching;" and if Nicodemus had done this, the thing would not have been thought by him impossible. What then doth Christ? To lead him away from his groveling imagination, and to show that He speaks not of the earthly birth, He saith, "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of heaven." This He spoke, willing to draw him to the faith by the terror of the threat, and to persuade him Let us now attend to the sequel of what has not to deem the thing impossible, and taking been before said. When Nicodemus fell into pains to move him from his imagination as to error and wrested the words of Christ to the the carnal birth. “I mean," saith He, "another earthly birth, and said that it was not possible Birth, O Nicodemus. Why drawest thou down for an old man to be born again, observe how the saying to earth? Why subjectest thou the Christ in answer more clearly reveals the man-matter to the necessity of nature? This Birth ner of the Birth, which even thus had difficulty is too high for such pangs as these; it hath nothfor the carnal enquirer, yet still was able to raise ing in common with you; it is indeed called the hearer from his low opinion of it. What' birth,' but in name only has it aught in comsaith He? 66 'Verily I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God." What He declares is this: "Thou sayest that it is impossible, I say that it is so absolutely possible as to be necessary, and that it is not even possible otherwise to be saved." For necessary things God hath made exceedingly easy also. The earthly birth which is according to the flesh, is of the dust, and therefore heaven is walled against it, for what hath earth in common with And if any one asks, "How of water?" I heaven? But that other, which is of the Spirit, also will ask, How of earth? How was the easily unfolds to us the arches above. Hear, clay separated into different parts? How was ye as many as are unilluminated, shudder, the material uniform, (it was earth only,) and groan, fearful is the threat, fearful the sentence. the things made from it, various and of every "It is not (possible)," He saith, "for one not born of water and the Spirit, to enter into the Kingdom of heaven"; because he wears the mon, in reality it is different. Remove thyself 12 kind? Whence are the bones, and sinews, and arteries, and veins? Whence the membranes, and vessels of the organs, the cartilages, the |