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ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

HOMILIES ON FIRST CORINTHIANS, 28-35

[Translated by the Rev. Hubert Kestell Cornish, M.A., late Fellow of Exeter 
College, and the Rev. John Medley, M.A., of Wadham College, Vicar of St. 
Thomas, in the city of Exeter; revised by the Rev. Talbot W. Chambers, 
D.D., Pastor of the Collegiate Reformed Dutch Church, New York.]


HOMILY XXVIII: 1 Cor. xi. 28.

But let a man prove himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of 
the cup.

    WHAT mean these words, when another object is proposed to us? This is 
Paul's custom, as also I said before, not only to treat of those things 
which he had proposed to himself, but also if an argument incidental to his 
purpose occur, to proceed upon this also with great diligence, and 
especially when it relates to very necessary and urgent matters. Thus, when 
he was discoursing with married persons, and the question about the 
servants fell in his way, he handled it very strenuously and at great 
length. Again, when he was speaking of the duty of not going to law before 
those courts, then also having fallen upon the admonition respecting 
covetousness, he discoursed at length concerning this subject likewise. Now 
the same thing he hath also done here: in that having once found occasion 
to remind them of the Mysteries, he judged it necessary to proceed with 
that subject. For indeed it was no ordinary one. Wherefore also he 
discoursed very awfully concerning it, providing for that which is the sum 
of all good things, viz. their approaching those Mysteries with a pure 
conscience. Whence neither was he content with the things said before 
alone, but adds these also, saying,

    "But let a man prove himself:" which also he saith in the second 
Epistle: "try your own selves, prove your own selves:" (2 Cor. xiii. 5.) 
not as we do now, approaching because of the season rather than from any 
earnestness of mind. For we do not consider how we may approach prepared, 
with the ills that were within us purged out, and full of compunction, but 
how we may come at festivals and whenever all do so. But not thus did Paul 
bid us come: he knoweth only one season of access and communion, the purity 
of a man's conscience. Since if even that kind of banquet which the senses 
take cognizance of cannot be partaken of by us when feverish and full of 
bad humors, without risk of perishing: much more is it unlawful for us to 
touch this Table with profane lusts, which are more grievous than fevers. 
Now when I say profane lusts, I mean both those of the body, and of money, 
and of anger, and of malice, and, in a word, all that are profane. And it 
becomes him that approacheth, first to empty himself of all these things 
and so to touch that pure sacrifice. And neither if indolently disposed and 
reluctantly ought he to be compelled to approach by reason of the festival; 
nor, on the other hand, if penitent and prepared, should any one prevent 
him because it is not a festival. For a festival is a showing forth of good 
works, and a reverence of soul, and exactness of deportment. And if thou 
hast these things, thou mayest at all times keep festival and at all times 
approach. Wherefore he saith, "But let each man prove himself, and then let 
him approach." And he bids not one examine another, but each himself, 
making the tribunal not a public one and the conviction without a witness.

    [2.] Ver. 29. "For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and 
drinketh judgment to himself."

    What sayest thou, tell me? Is this Table which is the cause of so many 
blessings and teeming with life, become judgment? Not from its own nature, 
saith he, but from the will of him that approaches. For as His presence, 
which conveyed to us those great and unutterable blessings, condemned the 
more them that received it not: so also the Mysteries become provisions(1) 
of greater punishment to such as partake unworthily.

    But why doth he eat judgment to himself? "Not discerning the Lord's 
body:" i.e., not searching, not bearing in mind, as he ought, the greatness 
of the things set before him; not estimating the weight of the gift. For if 
thou shouldest come to know accurately Who it is that lies before thee, and 
Who He is that gives Himself, and to whom, thou wilt need no other 
argument, but this is enough for thee to use all vigilance; unless thou 
shouldest be altogether fallen.

    Ver. 30. "For this cause many among you are weak and sickly, and not a 
few sleep."

    Here he no longer brings his examples from others as he did in the case 
of the idol-sacrifices, relating the ancient histories and the chastise-
merits in the wilderness, but from the Corinthians themselves; which also 
made the discours, apt to strike them more keenly. For whereas he was 
saying, "he eateth judgment to himself," and, "he is guilty;" that he 
might not seem to speak mere words, he points to deeds also and calls 
themselves to witness; a kind of thing which comes home to men more than 
threatening, by showing that the threat has issued in some real fact. He 
was not however content with these things alone, but from these he also 
introduced and confirmed the argument concerning hell-fire, terrifying them 
in both ways; and solving an inquiry which is handled everywhere. I mean, 
since many question one with another, "whence arise the untimely deaths, 
whence the long diseases of men ;" he tells them that these unexpected 
events are many of them conditional upon certain sins. "What then? They who 
are in continual health," say you, "and come to a green old age, do they 
not sin?" Nay, who durst say this? "How then," say you, "do they not suffer 
punishment?" Because there they shall suffer a severer one. But we, if we 
would, neither here nor there need suffer it.

    Ver. 31. "For if we discerned ourselves," saith he, "we should not be 
judged."

    And he said not, "if we punished ourselves, if we were revenged on 
ourselves," but if we were only willing to acknowledge our offence, to pass 
sentence on ourselves, to condemn the things done amiss, we should be rid 
of the punishment both in this world and the next. For he that condemns 
himself propitiates God in two ways, both by acknowledging his sins, and by 
being more on his guard for the future. But since we are not willing to do 
even this light thing, as we ought to do it, not even thus doth He endure 
to punish us with the world, but even thus spareth us, exacting punishment 
in this world, Where the penalty is for a season and the consolation great; 
for the result is both deliverance from sins, and a good hope of things to 
come, alleviating the present evils. And these things he saith, at the same 
time comforting the sick and rendering the rest more serious. Wherefore he 
saith,

    Ver. 32. "But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord."

    He said not, we are punished, he said not, we have vengeance taken on 
us, but, "we are chastened." For what is done belongs rather to admonition 
than condemnation, to healing than vengeance, to correction than 
punishment. And not so only but by the threat of a greater evil he makes 
the present light, saying, "that we may not be condemned with the world." 
Seest thou how he brings in hell also and that tremendous judgment-seat, 
and signifies that that trial and punishment is necessary and by all means 
must be? for if the faithful, and such as God especially cares for, escape 
not without punishment in whatsoever things they offend, (and this is 
evident from things present,) much more the unbelieving and they who commit 
the unpardonable and incurable sins.

    [3.] Ver. 33. "Wherefore when ye come together to eat, wait one for 
another."

    Thus, while their fear was yet at its height and the terror of hell 
remained, he chooses again to bring in also the exhortation in behalf of 
the poor, on account of which he said all these things; implying that if 
they do not this they must partake unworthily. But if the not imparting of 
our goods excludes from that Table, much more the violently taking away. 
And he said not, "wherefore, when ye come together, impart to them that 
need," but, which has a more reverential sound, "wait one for another." For 
this also prepared the way for and intimated that, and in a becoming form 
introduced the exhortation. Then further to shame them,

    Ver. 34. "And if any man is hungry, let him eat at home."

    By permitting, he hinders it, and more strongly than by an absolute 
prohibition. For he brings him out of the church and sends him to his 
house, hereby severely reprimanding and ridiculing them, as slaves to the 
belly and unable to contain themselves. For he said not, "if any despise 
the poor," but, "if any hunger," discoursing as with impatient children; as 
with brute beasts which are slaves to appetite. Since it would be indeed 
very ridiculous, if, because they were hungry they were to eat at home.

    Yet he was not content with this, but added also another more fearful 
thing, saying, "that your coming together be not unto judgment:" that ye 
come not unto chastisement, unto punishment, insulting the Church, 
dishonoring your brother. "For for this cause ye come together," saith he, 
"that ye may love one another, that ye may profit and be profited. But if 
the contrary happen, it were better for you to feed yourselves at home."

    This, however, he said, that he might attract them to him the more. 
Yea, this was the very purpose both of his pointing out the injury that 
would arise from hence, and of his saying that condemnation was no trifling 
one, and terrifying them in every way, by the Mysteries, by the sick, by 
those that had died, by the other things before mentioned.

    Then also he alarms them again in another way, saying, "and the rest 
will I set in order whensoever I come:" with reference either to some other 
things, or to this very matter. For since it was likely that they would yet 
have some reasons to allege, and it was not possible to set all to rights 
by letter, "the things which I have charged you, let them be observed for 
the present," saith he; "but if ye have any thing else to mention, let it 
be kept for my coming;" speaking either of this matter, as I said, or of 
some other things not very urgent. And this he doth that hence too he may 
render them more serious. For being anxious about his coming, they would 
correct the error. For the sojourning of Paul in any place was no ordinary 
thing: and to signify this he said, "some are puffed up, as though I would 
not come to you;" (1 Cor. iv. 18.) and elsewhere again, "not as in my 
presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation 
with fear and trembling." (Phil. ii. 12.) And therefore neither did he 
merely promise that he would come, lest they should disbelieve him and 
become more negligent; but he also states a necessary cause for his 
sojourning with them, saying, "the rest I will set in order when I come; 
which implies, that the correction of the things that remained, even had he 
not in any case been desirous, would have drawn him thither.

    [4.] Hearing therefore all these things, let us both take great care of 
the poor, and restrain our appetite, and rid ourselves of drunkenness, and 
be careful worthily to partake of the Mysteries; and whatsoever we suffer, 
let us not take it bitterly, neither for ourselves nor for others; as when 
untimely death happen or long diseases. For this is deliverance from 
punishment, this is correction, this is most excellent admonition. Who 
saith this? He that hath Christ speaking in him.

    But nevertheless even after this many of our women are so foolishly 
disposed as even to go beyond the unbelievers in the excess of their 
grief(1). And some do this blinded by their passion, but others for 
ostentation, and to avoid the censures of them that are without: who most 
of all are deprived of excuse, to my mind. For, "lest such a one accuse 
me," saith she, "let God be my accuser: lest men more senseless than the 
brute beasts condemn me, let the law of the King of all be trampled under 
foot." Why, how many thunderbolts do not these sayings deserve?

    Again; If any one invite you to a funeral supper(2) after your 
affliction there is no one to say any thing against it, because there is a 
law of men which enjoins such things: but when God by His law forbids your 
mourning, all thus contradict it. Doth not Job come into thy mind, O woman? 
Rememberest thou not his words at the misfortune of his children, which 
adorned that holy head more than ten thousand crowns, and made proclamation 
louder than many trumpets? Dost thou make no account of the greatness of 
his misfortunes, of that unprecedented shipwreck, and that strange and 
portentous tragedy? For thou possibly hast lost one, or a second, or third: 
but he so many sons and daughters: and he that had many children suddenly 
became childless. And not even by degrees were his bowels wasted away: but 
at one sweep all the fruit of his body was snatched from him. Nor was it by 
the common law of nature, when they had come to old age, but by a death 
both untimely and violent: and all together, and when he was not present 
nor sitting by them, that at least by hearing their last words he might 
have some consolation for so bitter an end of theirs: but contrary to all 
expectation and without his knowing any thing of what took place, they were 
all at once overwhelmed, and their house became their grave and their 
snare.

    And not only their untimely death, but many things besides there were 
to grieve him; such as their being all in the flower of their age, all 
virtuous and loving, all together, that not one of either sex was left, 
that it befel them not by the common law of nature, that it came after so 
great a loss, that when he was unconscious of any sin on his own part or on 
theirs, he suffered these things. For each of these circumstances is enough 
even by itself to disturb the mind: but when we find them even concurring 
together, imagine the height of those waves, how great the excess of that 
storm, And what in particular is greater and worse than his bereavement, he 
did not even know wherefore all these things happened. On this account 
then, having no cause to assign for the misfortune, he ascends to the good 
pleasure of God, and saith, "The Lord gave, the Lord hath taken away.:" as 
it pleased the Lord, even so it happened "blessed be the name of the Lord 
for ever." (Job ii. 21.) And these things he said, when he saw himself who 
had followed after all virtue in the last extremity; but evil men and 
impostors, prospering, luxurious, revelling on all sides. And he uttered no 
such word as it is likely that some of the weaker sort would have uttered, 
"Was it for this that I brought up my children and trained them with all 
exactness? For this did I open my house to all that passed by, that after 
those many courses run in behalf of the needy, the naked, the orphans, I 
might receive this recompense?" But instead of these, he offered up those 
words better than all sacrifice, saying, "Naked came I out of my mother's 
womb, and naked shall I return thither." If however he rent his clothes and 
shaved his head, marvel not. For he was a father and a loving father: and 
it was meet that both the compassion of his nature should be shown, and 
also the self-command of his spirit. Whereas, had he not done this, perhaps 
one would have thought this self-command to be of mere insensibility. 
Therefore he indicates both his natural affection and the exactness of his 
piety, and in his grief he was not overthrown.

    [5.] Yea, and when his trial proceeded further, he is again adorned 
with other crowns on account of his reply to his wife, saying, "If we have 
received good at the hand of the Lord, shall we not endure evil?" (Job ii. 
10.) For in fact his wife was by this time the only one left, all his 
having been clean destroyed, both his children and his possessions and his 
very body, and she reserved to tempt and to ensnare him. And this indeed 
was the reason why the devil did not destroy her with the children, nor 
asked her death, because he expected that she would contribute much towards 
the ensnaring of that holy man. Therefore he left her as a kind of 
implement, and a formidable one, for himself. "For if even out of 
paradise," saith he, "I cast mankind by her means, much more shall I be 
able to trip him up on the dunghill."

    And observe his craft. He did not apply this stratagem when the oxen or 
the asses or the camels were lost, nor even when the house fell and the 
children were buried under it, but so long looking on the combatant, he 
suffers her to be silent and quiet. But when the fountain of worms gushed 
forth, when the skin began to putrify and drop off, and the flesh wasting 
away to emit most offensive discharge, and the hand of the devil was 
wearing him out with sharper pain than gridirons and furnaces and any 
flame, consuming on every side and eating away his body more grievously 
than any wild beast, and when a long time had been spent in this misery(1); 
then he brings her to him, seasoned and worn down. Whereas if she had 
approached him at the beginning of his misfortune, neither would she have 
found him so unnerved, nor would she have had it in her power so to swell 
out and exaggerate the misfortune by her words. But now when she saw him 
through the length of time thirsting for release, and desiring the 
termination of what pressed on him vehemently then doth she come upon him. 
For to show that he was quite worn down, and by this time had become unable 
even to draw breath, yea, and desired even to die, hear what he saith; "For 
I would I could lay hands on myself, or could request another and he should 
do it for me;" And observe, I pray, the wickedness of his wife, from what 
topic she at once begins: namely, from the length of time, saying, "How 
long wilt thou hold out(3)?"

    Now, if often even when there were no realities words alone have 
prevailed to unman a person, consider what it was likely he then should 
feel, when, besides these words, the things themselves also were galling 
him; and what, as it should seem, was worst of all, it was a wife also who 
spake thus, and a wife who had sunk down utterly and was giving herself up, 
and on this account was seeking to cast him also into desperation. However, 
that we may see more clearly the engine which was brought against that 
adamantine wall, let us listen to the very words. What then are these? "How 
long wilt thou hold out? saying, Lo! I wait a short time longer, expecting 
the hope of my salvation." "Nay," saith she, "the time hath exposed the 
folly of thy words, while it is protracted, yet shows no mode of escape." 
And these things she said, not only thrusting him into desperation, but 
also reproaching and jesting upon him.

    For he, ever consoling her as she pressed upon him, and putting her 
off, would speak as follows: "Wait a little longer, and there will soon be 
an end of these things." Reproaching him therefore, she speaks: "Wilt thou 
now again say the same thing? For a long time hath now run by, and no end 
of these things hath appeared." And observe her malice, that she makes no 
mention of the oxen, the sheep or the camels, as knowing that he was not 
very much vexed about these; but she goes at once to nature, and reminds 
him of his children. For on their death she saw him both rending his 
clothes and shaving off his hair. And she said not, "thy children are 
dead," but very pathetically, "thy memorial is perished from the earth, 
"the thing for which thy children were desirable." For if, even now after 
that the resurrection hath been made known children are longed for because 
they preserve the memory of the departed; much more then. Wherefore also 
her curse becomes from that consideration more bitter. For in that case, he 
that cursed, said not, "Let his children be utterly rooted out," but, "his 
memorial from the earth." "Thy sons and thy daughters." Thus whereas she 
said, "the memorial," she again accurately makes mention of either sex. 
"But if thou," saith she, "carest not for these, at least consider what is 
mine." "The pains of my womb, and labors which I have endured in vain with 
sorrow." Now what she means is this: "I, who endured the more, am wronged 
for thy sake, and having undergone the toils I am deprived of the fruits."

    And see how she neither makes express mention of his loss of property, 
nor is silent about it and hurries by; but in that point of view in which 
it also might be most pathetically narrated, in that she covertly refers to 
it. For when she says, "I too am a vagabond and a slave, going about from 
place to place, from house to house," she both hints at the loss and 
indicates her great distress: these expressions being such as even to 
enhance that misfortune. "For I come to the doors of others," saith she; 
"nor do I beg only, but am a wanderer also and serve a strange and unusual 
servitude, going round everywhere and carrying about the tokens of my 
calamity, and teaching all men of my woes;" which is most piteous of all, 
to change house after house. And she stayed not even at these lamentations, 
but proceeded to say, "Waiting for the sun when it will set, and I shall 
rest from my miseries and the pains that encompass me, by which I am now 
straitened. "Thus, that which is sweet to others," saith she, "to behold 
the light, this to me is grievous: but the night and the darkness is a 
desirable thing. For this only gives me rest from my toils, this becometh a 
comfort to my miseries. But speak somewhat against the Lord, and die." 
Perceivest thou here too her crafty wickedness? how she did not even in the 
act of advising at once introduce the deadly counsel, but having first 
pitifully related her misfortunes and having drawn out the tragedy at 
length, she couches in a few words what she would recommend, and doth not 
even declare it plainly, but throwing a shade over that, she holds out to 
him the deliverance which he greatly longed for, and promises death, the 
thing which he then most of all desired.

    And mark from this also the malice of the devil: that because he knew 
the longing of Job towards God, he suffers not his wife to accuse God, lest 
he should at once turn away from her as an enemy. For this cause she no 
where mentions Him, but the actual calamities she is continually harping 
on.

    And do thou, besides what has been said, add the circumstance that it 
was a woman who gave this counsel, a wonderful orator to beguile the 
heedless. Many at least even without external accidents have been cast down 
by the counsel of woman alone.

    [6.] What then did the blessed saint, and firmer than adamant? Looking 
bitterly upon her, by his aspect even before he spake, he repelled her 
devices: since she no doubt expected to excite fountains of tears; but he 
became fiercer than a lion, full of wrath and indignation, not on account 
of his sufferings, but on account of her diabolical suggestions; and having 
signified his anger by his looks in a subdued tone he gives his rebuke; for 
even in misfortune he kept his self-command. And what saith he? "Why 
speakest thou as one of the foolish women?" "I have not so taught thee," 
saith he, "I did not so nurture thee; and this is why I do not now 
recognize even mine own consort. For these words are the counsel of a 
'foolish woman,' and of one beside herself." Seest thou not here an 
instance of wounding in moderation, and inflicting a blow just sufficient 
to cure the disease?

    Then, after the infliction, he brings in advice sufficient on the other 
hand to console her, and very rational, thus speaking: "if we have received 
our good things at the hand of the Lord, shall we not endure our evils?" 
"For remember," saith he, "those former things and make account of the 
Author of them, and thou wilt bear even these nobly." Seest thou the 
modesty of the man? that he doth not at all impute his patience to his own 
courage, but saith it was part of the natural result of what happened. "For 
in return for what did God give us these former things? What recompense did 
he repay? None, but from mere goodness. For they were a gift, not a 
recompense; a grace, not a reward. Well then, let us bear these also 
nobly."

    This discourse let us, both men and women, have recorded, and let us 
engrave the words in our minds, both these and those before them: and by 
sketching upon our minds as in picture the history of their sufferings,(1) 
I mean the loss of wealth, the bereavement of children, the disease of 
body, the reproaches, the mockings, the devices of his wife, the snare of 
the devil, in a word, all the calamities of that righteous man, and that 
with exactness, let us provide ourselves with a most ample port of refuge: 
that, enduring all things nobly and thankfully, we may both in the present 
life cast off all despondency, and receive the rewards that belong to this 
good way of taking things;(2) by the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, with Whom to the Father, with the Holy Ghost, be glory, power, and 
honor, now and forever, world without end. Amen.

HOMILY XXIX: 1 Cor, XII. 1, 2.

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. Ye 
know that when ye were Gentiles, ye were led away unto those dumb idols, 
howsoever ye might be led.

    This whole place is very obscure: but the obscurity is produced by our 
ignorance of the facts referred to and by their cessation, being such as 
then used to occur but now no longer take place. And why do they not happen 
now? Why look now, the cause too of the obscurity hath produced us again 
another question: namely, why did they then happen, and now do so no more?

    This however let us defer to another time, but for the present let us 
state what things were occurring then. Well: what did happen then? Whoever 
was baptized he straightway spake with tongues and not with tongues only, 
but many also prophesied, and some also performed many other wonderful 
works. For since on their coming over from idols, without any clear 
knowledge or training in the ancient Scriptures, they at once on their 
baptism received the Spirit, yet the Spirit they saw not, for It is 
invisible; therefore God's grace bestowed some sensible proof of that 
energy. And one straightway spake in the Persian, another in the Roman, 
another in the Indian, another in some other such tongue: and this made 
manifest to them that were without that it is the Spirit in the very person 
speaking. Wherefore also he so calls it, saying, "But to each one the 
manifestation of the Spirit is given to profit withal;" (v. 7.) calling the 
gifts "a manifestation of the Spirit." For as the Apostles themselves had 
received this sign first, so also the faithful went on receiving it, I 
mean, the gift of tongues; yet not this only but also many others: 
inasmuch as many used even to raise the dead and to cast out devils and to 
perform many other such wonders: and they had gifts too, some less, and 
some more. But more abundant than all was the gift of tongues among them: 
and this became to them a cause of division; not from its own nature but 
from the perverseness of them that had received it: in that on the one hand 
the possessors of the greater gifts were lifted up against them that had 
the lesser: and these again were grieved, and envied the owners of the 
greater. And Paul himself as he proceeds intimates this. Since then here 
from they were receiving a fatal blow in the dissolution of their charity, 
he takes great care to correct it. For this happened indeed in Rome also, 
but not in the same way. And this is why in the Epistle to the Romans he 
moots it indeed, but obscurely and briefly, saying thus: "For even as we 
have many members in one body, and all the members have not the same 
office; so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and severally members 
one of another. And having gifts differing according to the grace that was 
given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion 
of our faith; or ministry, let us give ourselves to our ministry; or he 
that teacheth to his teaching." (Rom. xii. 4 8.) And that the Romans also 
were falling into wilfulness hereby, this he intimates in the beginning of 
that discourse, thus saying: "For I say through the grace given unto me, to 
every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he 
ought to think; but so to think as to think soberly, according as God hath 
dealt to each man a measure of faith." (Rom. xii. 3.) With these, however, 
(for the disease of division and pride had not proceeded to any length,) he 
thus discoursed: but here with great anxiety; for the distemper had greatly 
spread.

    And this was not the only thing to disturb them, but there were also in 
the place many soothsayers, inasmuch as the city was more than usually 
addicted to Grecian customs, and this with the rest was tending to offence 
and disturbance among them. This is the reason why he begins by first 
stating the difference between soothsaying and prophecy. For this cause 
also they received discerning of spirits, so as to discern and know which 
is he that speaketh by a pure spirit, and which by an impure.

    For because it was not possible to supply the evidence of the things 
uttered from within themselves at the moment; (for prophecy supplies the 
proof of its own truth not at the time when it is spoken, but at the time 
of the event;) and it was not easy to distinguish the true prophesier from 
the pretender; (for the devil himself, accursed as he is, had entered into 
them that prophesied, [See 1 Kings xxii. 23.] bringing in false prophets, 
as if forsooth they also could foretell things to come;) and further, men 
were easily deceived, because the things spoken could not for the present 
be brought to trial, ere yet the events had come to pass concerning which 
the prophecy was; (for it was the end that proved the false prophet and the 
true:) -- in order that the hearers might not be deceived before the end, 
he gives them a sign which even before the event served to indicate the one 
and the other. And hence taking his order and beginning, he thus goes on 
also to the discourse concerning the gifts and corrects the contentiousness 
that arose from hence likewise. For the present however he begins the 
discourse concerning the soothsayers, thus saying,

    [2.] "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you 
ignorant;" calling the signs "spiritual," because they are the works of the 
Spirit alone, human effort contributing nothing to the working such 
wonders. And intending to discourse concerning them, first, as I said, he 
lays down the difference between soothsaying and prophecy, thus saying,

    "Ye know that when ye were Gentiles, ye were led away(1) unto those 
dumb idols, howsoever ye might be led." Now what he means is this: "In the 
idol-temples," saith he, "if any were at any time possessed by an unclean 
spirit and began to divine, even as one dragged away, so was he drawn by 
that spirit in chains: knowing nothing of the things which he utters. For 
this is peculiar to the soothsayer, to be beside himself, to be under 
compulsion, to be pushed, to be dragged, to be haled as a mad-man. But the 
prophet not so, but with sober mind and composed temper and knowing what he 
is saying, he uttereth all things. Therefore even before the event do thou 
from this distinguish the soothsayer and the prophet. And consider how he 
frees his discourse of all suspicion; calling themselves to witness who had 
made trial of the matter. As if he had said, "that I lie not nor rashly 
traduce the religion of the Gentiles, feigning like an enemy, do ye 
yourselves bear me witness: knowing as ye do, when ye were Gentiles, how ye 
were pulled and dragged away then."

    But if any should say that these too are suspected as believers, come, 
even from them that are without will I make this manifest to you. Hear, for 
example, Plato saying thus: (Apol. Soc. c. 7. ) "Even as they who deliver 
oracles and the soothsayers say many and excellent things, but know nothing 
of what they utter." Hear again another, a poet, giving the same 
intimation. For whereas by certain mystical rites and witchcrafts a certain 
person had imprisoned a demon in a man, and the man divined, and in his 
divination was thrown down and torn, and was unable to endure the violence 
of the demon, but was on the point of perishing in that convulsion; he 
saith to the persons who were practicing such mystical arts,(2)

     Loose me, I pray you:
 The mighty God no longer mortal flesh
 Can hold.

And again, 

     Unbind my wreaths, and bathe my feet in drops 
 From the pure stream; erase these mystic lines,(3) 
 And let me go. 

For these and such like things, (for one might mention many more,) point 
out to us both of these facts which follow; the compulsion which holds down 
the demons and makes them slaves; and the violence to which they submit who 
have once given themselves up to them, so as to swerve even from their 
natural reason. And the Pythoness too(1): (for I am compelled now to bring 
forward and expose another disgraceful custom of theirs, which it were well 
to pass by, because it is unseemly for us to mention such things; but that 
you may more clearly know their shame it is necessary to mention it, that 
hence at least ye may come to know the madness and exceeding mockery of 
those that make use of the soothsayers:) this same Pythoness then is said, 
being a female, to sit at times upon the tripod of Apollo astride, and thus 
the evil spirit ascending from beneath and entering the lower part of her 
body, fills the woman with madness, and she with dishevelled hair begins to 
play the bacchanal and to foam at the mouth, and thus being in a frenzy to 
utter the words of her madness. I know that you are ashamed and blush when 
you hear these things: but they glory both in the disgrace and in the 
madness which I have described. These then and all such things. Paul was 
bringing forward when he said, "Ye know that when ye were Gentiles, ye were 
led away unto those dumb idols, howsoever ye might be led."

    And because he was discoursing with those who knew well, he states not 
all things with exact care, not wishing to be troublesome to them, but 
having reminded them only and brought all into their recollection, he soon 
quits the point, hastening to the subject before him.

    But what is, "unto those dumb idols?" These soothsayers used to be led 
and dragged unto them.

    But if they be themselves dumb, how did they give responses to others? 
And wherefore did the demon lead them to the images? As men taken in war, 
and in chains, and rendering at the same time his deceit plausible. Thus, 
to keep men from the notion that it was just a dumb stone, they were 
earnest to rivet the people to the idols that their own style and title 
might be inscribed upon them. But our rites are not such. He did not 
however state ours, I mean the prophesyings. For it was well known to them 
all, and prophecy was exercised among them, as was meet for their 
condition, with understanding and with entire freedom. Therefore, you see, 
they had power either to speak or to refrain from speaking. For they were 
not bound by necessity, but were honored with a privilege. For this cause 
Jonah fled; (Jonah, i. 3.) for this cause Ezekiel delayed; (Ezek. iii. 
15.) for this cause Jeremiah excused himself. (Jer. i. 6.) And God thrusts 
them not on by compulsion, but advising, exhorting, threatening; not 
darkening their mind; for to cause distraction and madness and great 
darkness, is the proper work of a demon: but it is God's work to illuminate 
and with consideration to teach things needful.

    [3.] This then is the first difference between a soothsayer and a 
prophet; but a second and a different one is that which he next states, 
saying,

    Ver. 3. "Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking in 
the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed:" and then another: "and that no 
man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but in the Holy Ghost."

 " When thou seest," saith he, "any one not uttering His name, or 
anathematizing Him, he is a soothsayer. Again, when thou seest another 
speaking all things with His Name, understand that he is spiritual." "What 
then," say you, "must we say concerning the Catechumens? For if, no man can 
say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost, 'what must we say of them 
who name indeed His Name, but are destitute of His Spirit(2)? But his 
discourse at this time was not concerning these for there were not at that 
time Catechumens, but concerning believers and unbelievers. What then, doth 
no demon call upon God's Name? Did not the demoniacs say, "We know Thee who 
Thou art, the Holy One of God? (Mark i. 24.) Did they not say to Paul, 
"these men are the servants of the Most High God? (Acts xvi. 17.) They did, 
but upon scourging, upon compulsion; never of their own will and without 
being scourged.

    But here it is proper to enquire, both why the demon uttered these 
things and why Paul rebuked him. In imitation of his Teacher; for so Christ 
did also rebuke: since it was not his will to have testimony from them. And 
wherefore did the devil also practise this? Intending to confound the order 
of things, and to seize upon the dignity of the Apostles, and to persuade 
many to pay attention to them(3): which had it happened, they would easily 
have made themselves appear from hence worthy of credit, and have brought 
in their own designs. That these things then might not be, and the deceit 
might not have a beginning, he stops their mouths even when speaking the 
truth, so that in their falsehoods men should not at all give heed unto 
them, but stop their ears altogether against the things said by them. [4.] 
Having therefore made manifest the soothsayers and the prophets both by the 
first sign and also by the second, he next discourses of the wonders; not 
passing without reason to this topic, but so as to remove the dissension 
which had thence arisen, and to persuade both those that had the less 
portion not to grieve and those who had the greater not to be elated. 
Wherefore also he thus began.

    Ver. 4. "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit."

    And first he attends on him that had the lesser gift, and was grieved 
on this account. "For wherefore," saith he, "art thou dejected? because 
thou hast not received as much as another? Still, consider that it is a 
free gift and not a debt, and thou wilt be able to soothe thy pain." For 
this cause he spake thus in the very beginning: "but there are diversities 
of gifts." And he said not "of signs," nor "of wonders," but of "gifts," by 
the name of free gifts prevailing on them not only not to grieve but even 
to be thankful. "And withal consider this also," saith he, "that even if 
thou art made inferior in the measure of what is given; in that it hath 
been vouchsafed thee to receive from the same source as the other who hath 
received more, thou hast equal honor. For certainly thou canst not say that 
the Spirit bestowed the gift on him, but an angel on thee: since the Spirit 
bestowed it both on thee and him. Wherefore he added, "but the same 
Spirit." So that even if there be a difference in the gift, yet is there no 
difference in the Giver. For from the same Fountain ye are drawing, both 
thou and he.

    Ver. 5. "And there are diversities of ministrations, but the same 
Lord."

    Thus, enriching the consolation, he adds mention of the Son also, and 
of the Father. And again, he calls these gifts by another name, designing 
by this also an increase of consolation. Wherefore also he thus said: 
"there are diversities of ministrations, but the same Lord." For he that 
hears of "a gift," and hath received a less share, perhaps might grieve; 
but when we speak of "a ministration," the case is different. For the thing 
implies labor and sweat. "Why grievest thou then," saith he, "if he hath 
bidden another labor more, sparing thee?"

    Ver. 6. "And there are diversities of workings, but the same God who 
worketh all things in all."

    Ver. 7. "But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit to 
profit withal."

    "And what," saith one, "is a working?" and what "a gift?" and what "a 
ministration?" They are mere differences of names, since the things are the 
same. For what "a gift" is, that is "a ministration," that he calls "an 
operation" also. Thus fulfil thy ministry; (5 Tim. iv. 5. ministry.) and, 
"I magnify my ministration:" (Rom. xi. 13. office.) and writing to Timothy, 
he says, "Therefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of 
God, which is in thee. (2 Tim. i. 6.) And again, writing to the Galatians, 
he said, "for he that wrought in Peter to the Apostleship, the same was 
mighty in me toward the Gentiles. (Gal. ii. 8.) Seest thou that he implies 
that there is no difference in the gifts of the Father, and the Son, and 
the Holy Ghost? Not confounding(1) the Persons, God forbid! but declaring 
the equal honor of the Essence. For that which the Spirit bestows, this he 
saith that God also works; this, that the Son likewise ordains and grants. 
Yet surely if the one were inferior to the other, or the other to it, he 
would not have thus set it down nor would this have been his way of 
consoling the person who was vexed.

    [5.] Now after this, he comforts him also in another kind of way; by 
the consideration that the measure vouchsafed is profitable to him, even 
though it be not so large. For having said, that it is "the same Spirit," 
and "the same Lord," and "the same God," and having thereby recovered him, 
he brings in again another consolation, thus saying, "but to each one is 
given the manifestation of the Spirit to profit withal." For lest one 
should say, "what if there be the same Lord, the same Spirit, the same God? 
yet I have received less:" he saith, that thus it was profitable.

    But he calls miracles a "manifestation of the Spirit," with evident 
reason. For to me who am a believer, he that hath the Spirit is manifest 
from his having been baptized: but to the unbeliever this will in no wise 
be manifest, except from the miracles: so that hence also again there is no 
small consolation. For though there be a difference of gifts, yet the 
evidence is one: since whether thou hast much or little, thou art equally 
manifest. So that if thou desirest to show this, that thou hast the Spirit, 
thou hast a sufficient demonstration.

    Wherefore, now that both the Giver is one and the thing given a pure 
favor, and the manifestation takes place thereby, and this is more 
profitable for thee; grieve not as if despised. For not to dishonor thee 
hath God done it, nor to declare thee inferior to another, but to spare 
thee and with a view to thy welfare. To receive more than one has ability 
to bear, this rather is unprofitable, and injurious, and a fit cause of 
dejection.

    Ver. 8. "For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom; to 
another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit;"

    Ver. 9. "To another, faith in the same Spirit; to another gifts of 
healing in the one Spirit."

    Seest thou how he every where makes this addition, saying, "through the 
same Spirit, and according to the same Spirit?" For he knew that the 
comfort from thence was great.

    Ver. 10. "To another working of miracles; to another prophecies; to 
another discernings of spirits; to another divers kind of tongues; to 
another the interpretation of tongues."

    Thus, since they boasted themselves in this, therefore he placed it 
last, and added,

    Ver. 11. "But all these worketh one and the same Spirit."

    The universal medicine in which his consolation consists is that out of 
the same root, out of the same treasures, out of the same streams, they all 
receive. And accordingly, from time to time dwelling on this expression, he 
levels the apparent inequality, and consoles them. And above indeed he 
points out both the Spirit, and the Son, and the Father, as supplying the 
gifts, but here he was content to make the Spirit, that even hence again 
thou mayest understand their dignity to be the same.

    But what is "the word of wisdom?" That which Paul had, which John had, 
the son of thunder.

    And what is "the word of knowledge?" That which most of the faithful 
had, possessing indeed knowledge, but not thereupon able to teach nor 
easily to convey to another what they knew.

    "And to another, faith:" not meaning by this faith the faith of 
doctrines, but the faith of miracles; concerning which Christ saith, "If ye 
have faith as a grain of mustard-seed, ye shall say to this mountain, 
Remove, and it shall remove." (S. Mat. xvii. 20.) And the Apostles too 
concerning this besought Him, saying, "Increase our faith:" (S. Luke xvii. 
5.) for this is the mother of the miracles. But to possess the power of 
working miracles and gifts of healing, is not the same thing: for he that 
had a gift of healing used only to do cures: but he that possessed powers 
for working miracles used to punish also. For a miracle is not the healing 
only, but the punishing also: even as Paul inflicted blindness: as Peter 
slew.

    "To another prophecies; and to another discernings of spirits." What 
is, "discernings of spirits?" the knowing who is spiritual, and who is not: 
who is a prophet, and who a deceiver: as he said to the Thessalonians, 
"despise not prophesyings :" (Thes. v. 20, 21.) but proving(1) all things, 
hold fast that which is good." For great was at that time the rush(2) of 
the false prophets, the devil striving underhand to substitute falsehood 
for the truth. "To another divers kinds of tongues; to another the 
interpretation of tongues." For one person knew what he spake himself, but 
was unable to interpret to another; while another had acquired both these 
or the other of the two. New this seemed to be a great gift because both 
the Apostles received it first, and the most among the Corinthians had 
obtained it. But the word of teaching not so. Wherefore that he places 
first, but this last: for this was on account of that, and so indeed were 
all the rest; both prophecies, and working of miracles, and divers kinds of 
tongues, and interpretation of tongues. For none is equal to this. 
Wherefore also he said, "Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of 
double honor, especially they who labor in the word and in teaching." (1 
Tim. v. 17.) And to Timothy he wrote, saying, "Give attendance to reading, 
to exhortation. to teaching; neglect not the gift that is in thee." (1 Tim. 
iv. 13, 14.) Seest thou how he calls it also a gift?

    [6.] Next, the comfort which he before gave, when he said, "the same 
Spirit," this also he here sets before us, saying, "But all these worketh 
the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each one severally even as he 
will." And he not only gives consolation but also stops the mouth of the 
gainsayer, saying here, "dividing to each one severally even as he will. 
For it was necessary to bind(3) up also, not to heal only, as he doth also 
in the Epistle to the Romans, when he saith, "But who art thou that 
repliest against God? (Rom. ix. 20.) So likewise here, "dividing to each 
one severally as he will."

    And that which was of the Father, this he signifieth to be of the 
Spirit also. For as concerning the Father, he saith, "but it is the same 
God who worketh all things in all;" so also concerning the Spirit, "but all 
these things worketh one and the same Spirit." But,(4) it will be said, "He 
doth it, actuated by God." Nay, he no where said this, but thou feignest 
it. For when he saith, "who actuateth(5) all things in all," he saith this 
concerning men: thou wilt hardly say that among those men he numbers also 
the Spirit, though thou shouldst be ever so manifold in thy doting and 
madness. For because he had said "through the Spirit," that thou mightest 
not suppose this word, "through," to denote inferiority or the being 
actuated, he adds, that "the Spirit worketh," not "is worked,"(6) and 
worketh "as he will," not as he is bidden. For as concerning the Father, 
the Son saith that "He raiseth up the dead and quickeneth;" in like manner 
also, concerning Himself, that "He quickeneth whom He will:" (S. John v. 
21.) thus also of the Spirit, in another place, that He doeth all things 
with authority and that there is nothing that hinders Him; (for the 
expression, "bloweth where it listeth" [S. John iii. 8,] though it be 
spoken of the wind is apt to establish this;) but here, that "He worketh 
all things as He will." And from another place to learn that He is not one 
of the things actuated, but of those that actuate. "For who knoweth," says 
he, "the things of a man, but the spirit of the man? even so the things of 
God none knoweth save the Spirit of God." (1. Cor. ii. 11.) Now that "the 
spirit of a man," i.e., the soul, requires not to be actuated that it may 
know the things of itself, is, I suppose, evident to every one. Therefore 
neither doth the Holy Ghost, that he may "know the things of God" For his 
meaning is like this, "the secret things of God" are known to the Holy 
Spirit as to the I soul of man the secret things of herself." But if this 
be not actuated for that end, much less would That which knoweth the depths 
of God and needs no actuation for that knowledge, require any actuating 
Power in order to the giving gifts to the Apostles. But besides these 
things, that also, which I before spake of, I will mention again now. What 
then is this? That if the Spirit were inferior and of another substance, 
there would have been no avail in his consolation, nor in our hearing the 
words, "of the same Spirit." For he who hath received from the king, I 
grant, may find it a very soothing circumstance, that he himself gave to 
him; but if it be from the slave, he is then rather vexed, when one 
reproaches him with it. So that even hence is it evident, that the Holy 
Spirit is not of the substance of the servant, but of the King.

    [7.] Wherefore as he comforted them, when he said, that "there are 
diversities of ministrations, but the same Lord; and diversities of 
operations, but the same God;" so also when he said above, "there are 
diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit;" and after this again when he 
said, "But all these worketh the one and the same Spirit, dividing to every 
man severally as he will."

    "Let us not, I pray you, be at a loss," saith he; "neither let us 
grieve, saying, 'Why have I received this and not received that?' neither 
let us demand an account of the Holy Spirit. For if thou knowest that he 
vouchsafed it from providential care, consider that from the same care he 
hath given also the measure of it, and be content and rejoice in what thou 
hast received: but murmur not at what thou hast not received; yea, rather 
confess God's favor that thou hast not received things beyond thy power.

    [5.] And if in spiritual things one ought not to be over-curious, much 
more in temporal things; but to be quiet and not nicely enquire why one is 
rich and another poor. For, first of all, not every single rich man is rich 
from God, but many even of unrighteousness, and rapine, and avarice. For he 
that forbade to be rich, how can he have granted that which he forbade to 
receive?

    But that I may, far above what the case requires, stop the mouths of 
those who concerning these things gainsay us, come, let us carry our 
discourse higher up, to the time when riches used to be given by God; and 
answer me. Wherefore was Abraham rich whereas Jacob wanted even bread? Were 
not both the one and the other righteous? Doth He not say concerning the 
three alike, "I am the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob?" (Exod. 
iii. 6.) Wherefore then was the one a rich man, and the other a hired 
servant? Or rather, why was Esau rich, who was unrighteous and a murderer 
of his brother, while Jacob was in bondage for so long a time? Wherefore 
again did Isaac live in ease all his time, but Jacob in toils and miseries? 
For which cause also he said, "Few and evil are my days." (Gen. xlvii. 9.)

    Wherefore did David, who was both a prophet and a king, himself also 
live all his time in toils? whereas Solomon his son spent forty years in 
security above all men, in the enjoyment of profound peace, glory, and 
honor, and going through every kind of deliciousness? What again could be 
the reason, that among the prophets also one was afflicted more, and 
another less? Because so it was expedient for each. Wherefore upon each our 
remark must be, "Thy judgments are a great deep." (Ps. xxxvi. 6.) For if 
those great and wonderful men were not alike exercised by God, but one by 
poverty, and another by riches; one by ease, and another by trouble; much 
more ought we now to bear these things in mind.

    [8. ] But besides this, it becomes one to consider also that many of 
the things which happen do not take place according to His mind, but arise 
from our wickedness. Say not then, "Why is one man rich who is wicked, and 
another poor who is righteous?" For first of all, one may give an account 
of these things also, and say that neither doth the righteous receive any 
harm from his poverty, nay, even a greater addition of honor; and that the 
bad man in his riches possesseth but a store of punishment on his future 
road, unless he be changed: and, even before punishment, often-times his 
riches become to him the cause of many evils, and lead him into ten 
thousand pitfalls. But God permits it, at the same to signify the free 
choice of the will, and also to teach all others not to be mad nor rave 
after money.

    "How is it then, when a man being wicked is rich, and suffers nothing 
dreadful?" say you. "Since if being good he hath wealth, he hath it justly: 
but if bad, what shall we say?" That even therein he is to be pitied. For 
wealth added to wickedness aggravates the mischief. But is he a good man, 
and poor? Yet is he nothing injured. Is he then a bad man, and poor? This 
is he so justly and by desert, or rather even with advantage to himself. 
"But such an one," say you, "received his riches from his ancestors and 
lavishes it upon harlots and parasites, and suffers no evil." What sayest 
thou? Doth he commit whoredom, and sayest thou, "he suffers no evils?" Is 
he drunken, and thinkest thou that he is in luxury? Doth he spend for no 
good, and judgest thou that he is to be envied? Nay what can be worse than 
this wealth which destroys the very soul? But thou, if the body were 
distorted and maimed, wouldest say that his was a case for great 
lamentation; and seest thou his whole soul mutilated, yet countest him even 
happy? "But he doth not perceive it," say you. Well then, for this very 
reason again is he to be pitied, as all frantic persons are. For he that 
knows he is sick will of course both seek the physician and submit to 
remedies; but he that is ignorant of it will have no chance at all of 
deliverance. Dost thou call such an one happy, tell me?

    But it is no marvel: for the more part are ignorant of the true love of 
wisdom. Therefore do we suffer the extremest penalty, being chastised and 
not even withdrawing ourselves from the punishment. For this cause are 
angers, dejections, and continual tumults; because when God hath shown us a 
life without sorrow, the life of virtue, we leave this and mark out another 
way, the way of riches and money, full of infinite evils. And we do the 
same, as if one, not knowing how to discern the beauty of men's bodies but 
attributing the whole to the clothes and the ornaments worn, when he saw a 
handsome woman and possessed of natural beauty, should pass quickly by her, 
but when he beheld one ugly, illshaped, and deformed, but clothed in 
beautiful garments, should take her for his wife. Now also in some such way 
are the multitude affected about virtue and vice. They admit the one that 
is deformed by nature on account of her external ornaments, but turn away 
from her that is fair and lovely, on account of her unadorned beauty, for 
which cause they ought especially to choose her.

    [9. ] Therefore am I ashamed that among the foolish heathen there are 
those that practise this philosophy, if not in deeds, yet so far at least 
as judgment goes; and who know the perishable nature of things present: 
whereas amongst us some do not even understand these things, but have their 
very judgment corrupted: and this while the Scripture is ever and anon 
sounding in our ears, and saying, "In his sight the vile person is 
contemned, but he honoreth them that fear the Lord: (Ps. xv. 4.) the fear 
of the Lord excelleth every thing(1); fear God, and keep His commandments; 
for this is the whole of man: (Eccles. xii. 13 ;) be not thou envious of 
evil men; (Ps. xlix. 16 ;) all flesh is grass, and all the glory of man as 
the flower of grass;" (Isa. xl. 7.) For these and such-like things though 
we hear every day, we are yet nailed to earth. And as ignorant children, 
who learn their letters continuously, if they be examined concerning their 
order when they are disarranged, naming one instead of another, make much 
laughter: so also ye, when here we recount them in order, follow us in a 
manner; but when we ask you out of doors and in no set order, what we ought 
to place first and what next among things, and which after which; not 
knowing how to answer, ye become ridiculous. Is it not a matter of great 
laughter, tell me, that they who expect immortality and the good "things 
which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart 
of man," should strive about things which linger here and count them 
enviable? For if thou hast need yet to learn these things that riches are 
no great thing, that things present are a shadow and a dream, that like 
smoke they are dissolved and fly away: stand for the present without the 
sanctuary: abide in the vestibule: since thou art not yet worthy of the 
entrance to the palace-courts on high. For if thou knowest not to discern 
their nature which is unstable and continually passing away, when wilt thou 
be able to despise them?

    But if thou say thou knowest, cease curiously to inquire and busy 
thyself, what can be the reason why such an one is rich and such an one 
poor: for thou doest the same when thou askest these questions, as if thou 
didst go round and enquire, why one is fair and another black, or one hook-
nosed and another flat-nosed. For as these things make no difference to us, 
whether it be thus or thus; so neither poverty nor riches, and much less 
than they. But the whole depends upon the way in which we use them. Whether 
thou art poor, thou mayest live cheerfully denying thyself; or rich, thou 
art most miserable of all men if thou fliest from virtue. For these are 
what really concern us, the things of virtue. And if these things be not 
added, the rest are useless. For this cause also are those continual 
questions, because the most think that indifferent things are of importance 
to them, but of the important things they make no account: since that which 
is of importance to us is virtue and love of wisdom.

    Because then ye stand I know not where, at some far distance from her, 
therefore is there confusion of thoughts, therefore the many waves, 
therefore the tempest. For when men have fallen from heavenly glory and the 
love of heaven, they desire present glory and become slaves and captives. 
"And how is it that we desire this," say you? From the not greatly 
desiring that. And this very thing, whence happens it? From negligence. 
And whence the negligence? From contempt. And whence the contempt? From 
folly and cleaving to things present and unwillingness to investigate 
accurately the nature of things. And whence again doth this latter arise? 
From the neither giving heed to the reading of the Scripture nor conversing 
with holy men, and from following the assemblies of the wicked.

    That this therefore may not always be so, and lest wave after wave 
receiving us should carry us out into the deep of miseries and altogether 
drown and destroy us; while there is time, let us bear up and standing upon 
the rock, I mean of the divine doctrines and words, let us look down upon 
the surge of this present life. For thus shall we both ourselves escape the 
same, and having drawn up others who are making shipwreck, we shall obtain 
the blessings which are to come, through the grace and mercy, &c.

HOMILY XXX: 1 Cor. xii. 12.

For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of the 
body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ.

    AFTER soothing them from the considerations that the thing given was of 
free favor; that they received all from "one and the self-same Spirit;" 
that it was given "to profit withal," that even by the lesser gifts a 
manifestation was made; and withal having also stopped their mouth from the 
duty of yielding to the authority of the Spirit: ("for all these," saith 
he, "worketh the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each one severally 
even as he will;" wherefore it is not right to be over-curious:) he 
proceeds now to soothe them in like manner from another common example, and 
betakes himself to nature itself, as was his use to do.

    For when he was discoursing about the hair of men and women, after all 
the rest he drew matter thence also to correct them, saying, "Doth not even 
nature itself teach you that if a man have long hair, it is a dishonor to 
him? but if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her?" (1 Cor. xi. 14, 
15.) And when he spake concerning the idol-sacrifices, forbidding to touch 
them, he drew an argument from the examples also of them that are without, 
both making mention of the Olympic games, where he saith, "they which run 
in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize:" (1 Cor. ix. 24.) and 
confirming these views from shepherds and soldiers and husbandmen. 
Wherefore he brings forward here also a common example by which he presses 
on and fights hard to prove that no one was really put in a worse 
condition: a thing which was marvellous and surprising to be able to show, 
and calculated to refresh the weaker sort, I mean, the example of the body. 
For nothing so consoles the person of small spirit and inferior gifts, or 
so persuades him not to grieve, as the being convinced that he is not left 
with less than his share. Wherefore also Paul making out this point, thus 
expresses himself: "for as the body is one and hath many members. "

 Seest thou his exact consideration? He is pointing out the same thing 
to be both one and many. Wherefore also he adds, pressing the point more 
vigorously, "and all the members of the one body, being many, are one 
body." He said not, "being many, are of one body," but "the one body itself 
is many:" and those many members are this one thing. If therefore the one 
is many, and the many are one, where is the difference? where the 
superiority? where the disadvantage? For all, saith he, are one: and not 
simply one, but being strictly considered in respect of that even which is 
principal, i. e., their being a body, they are found all to be one: but 
when considered as to their particular natures, then the difference comes 
out, and the difference is in all alike. For none of them by itself can 
make a body, but each is alike deficient in the making a body, and there is 
need of a coining together since when the many become one, then and not 
till then is there one body. Wherefore also covertly intimating this very 
thing, he said, "And all the members of the one body, being many, are one 
body." And he said not, "the superior and the inferior," but "being many," 
which is common to all.

    And how is it possible that they should be one? When throwing out the 
difference of the members, thou considerest the body. For the same thing 
which the eye is, this also is the foot in regard of its being a member and 
constituting a body. For there is no difference in this respect. Nor canst 
thou say that one of the members makes a body of itself, but another does 
not. For they are all equal in this, for the very reason that they are all 
one body.

    But having said this and having shown it clearly from the common 
judgment of all, he added, "so also is Christ." And when he should have 
said, "so also is the Church," for this was the natural consequent he doth 
not say it but instead of it places the name of Christ, carrying the 
discourse up on high and appealing more and more to the hearer's reverence. 
But his meaning is this: "So also is the body of Christ, which is the 
Church." For as the body and the head(1) are one man, so he said that the 
Church and Christ are one. Wherefore also he placed Christ instead of the 
Church, giving that name to His body. "As then," saith he, "our body is one 
thing though it be composed of many: so also in the Church we all are one 
thing. For though the Church be composed of many members, yet these many 
form one body."

    [2.] Thus having, you see, recovered and raised up by this common 
example him who thought himself depreciated, again he leaves the topic of 
common experience, and comes to another, a spiritual one, bringing greater 
consolation and indicative of great equality of honor. What then is this?

    Ver. 13. "For in one Spirit, saith he, were we all baptized into one 
body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free."

    Now his meaning is this: that which established us to become one body 
and regenerated us, is one Spirit: for not in one Spirit was one baptized, 
and another another. And not only is that which hath baptized us one, but 
also that unto which(2) He baptized us, i.e., for which(2) He baptized us, 
is one. For we were baptized not that so many several bodies might be 
formed, but that we might all preserve one with another the perfect nature 
of one body: i.e., that we might all be one body, into the same were we 
baptized.

    So that both He who formed it is one, and that into which He formed it 
is one. And he said not, "that we might all come to be of the same body; 
"but, "that we might all be one body." For he ever strives to use the more 
expressive phrases. And well said he, "we all," adding also himself. "For 
not even I, the Apostle, have any more than thou in this respect," saith 
he. "For thou art the body even as I, and I even as thou, and we have all 
the same Head and have passed through(3) the same birth-pains. Wherefore we 
are also the same body." "And why speak I," saith he, "of the Jews? since 
even the Gentiles who were so far off from us, He hath brought into the 
entireness of one body." Wherefore having said, "we all," he stopped not 
here, but added, "whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free." Now if, 
having before been so far off, we were united and have become one, much 
more after that we have become one, we can have no right to grieve and be 
dejected. Yea, the difference, in fact, hath no place. For if to Greeks and 
Jews, to bond and free, He hath vouchsafed the same blessings, how can it 
be that after so vouchsating He divides them, now that He hath bestowed a 
greater perfection of unity by the supply of His gifts?

    "And were all made to drink of one Spirit."

    Ver. 14. "For the body is not one member, but many." i.e., We are come 
to the same initiation, we enjoy the same Table. And why said he not, "we 
are nourished by the same body and drink the same blood?" Because by saying 
"Spirit," he declared them both, as well the flesh as the blood. For 
through both are we "made to drink of the Spirit."

    But to me he appears now to speak of that visitation of the Spirit 
which takes place in us after Baptism and before the Mysteries. And he 
said, "We were made to drink," because this metaphorical speech suited him 
extremely well for his proposed subject: as if he had said respecting 
plants and a garden, that by the same fountain all the trees are watered, 
or by the same water; so also here, "we all drank the same Spirit, we 
enjoyed the same grace," saith he.

    If now one Spirit both formed us and gathered us all together into one 
body; for this is the meaning of, "we were baptized into one body: "and 
vouchsafed us one table, and gave us all the same watering, (for this is 
the meaning of, "we were made to drink into one Spirit(4),") and united 
persons so widely separated; and if many things then become a body when 
they are made one: why, I pray, art thou continually tossing to and from 
their difference? But if thou sayest, "Because there are many members and 
diverse," know that this very thing is the wonder and the peculiar 
excellency of the body, when the things which are many and diverse make 
one. But if they were not many, it were not so wonderful and incredible 
that they should be one body; nay, rather they would not be a body at all.

    [3.] This however he states last; but for the present he goes to the 
members themselves, saying thus:

    Ver. 15. "If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of 
the body; is it therefore not of the body?"

    Ver. 16. "And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not 
of the body; is it therefore not of the body?"

    For if the one being made inferior and the other superior, doth not 
allow their being of the body, the whole is done away. Do not say 
therefore, "I am not the body, because I am inferior." For the foot also 
hath the inferior post, yet is it of the body: for the being or not being 
part of the body, is not from the one lying in this place and the other in 
that; (which is what constitutes difference of place ;) but from the being 
conjoined or separated. For the being or not being a body, arises from the 
having been made one or not. But do thou, I pray, mark his considerate way, 
how he applies their words to our members. For as he said above, "These 
things have I in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos," (1 Cor. iv. 
6.) just so likewise here, to make his argument free from invidiousness and 
acceptable, he introduces the members speaking: that when they shall hear 
nature answering them, being thus convicted by experience herself and by 
the general voice, they may have nothing further to oppose. "For say, if 
you will," saith he, "this very thing, murmur as you please, you cannot be 
out of the body. For as the law of nature, so much more doth the power of 
grace guard all things and preserve them entire." And see how he kept to 
the rule of having nothing superfluous; not working out his argument on all 
the members, but on two only and these the extremes; having specified both 
the most honorable of all, the eye, and the meanest of all, the feet. And 
he doth not make the foot to discourse with the eye, but with the hand 
which is mounted a little above it; and the ear with the eyes. For because 
we are wont to envy not those who are very far above us, but those who are 
a little higher, therefore he also conducts his comparison thus.

    Ver. 17. "If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the 
whole were hearing, where were the smelling?"

    Thus, because, having fallen upon the difference of the members, and 
having mentioned feet, and hands, and eyes, and ears, he led them to the 
consideration of their own inferiority and superiority: see how again he 
consoles them, intimating that so it was expedient: and that their being 
many and diverse, this especially causeth them to be a body. But if they 
all were some one, they would not ben body. Wherefore, he saith, "If they 
were all one member, where were the body?" This however, he mentions not 
till afterwards; but here he points out also something more; that besides 
the impossibility of any one being a body, it even takes away the being of 
the rest.

    "For if the whole were hearing, where were the smelling," saith he.

    [4.] Then because after all they were yet disturbed: that which he had 
done above, the same he doth also now. For as there he first alleged the 
expediency to comfort them and afterwards stopped their mouths, vehemently 
saying, "But all these worketh the one and the same Spirit, dividing to 
each one man severally even as He will:" so also here having stated reasons 
for which he showed that it was profitable that all should so be, he refers 
the whole again to the counsel of God, saying,

    Ver. 18. "But now God hath set the members each one of them in the 
body, even as it pleased Him."

    Even as he said of the Spirit, "as He will," so also here, "as it 
pleased Him." Now do not thou seek further into the cause, why it is thus 
and why not thus. For though we have ten thousand reasons to give, we shall 
not be so able to show them that it is well done, as when we say, that as 
the best Artificer pleased, so it came to pass. For as it is expedient, so 
He wills it. Now if in this body of ours we do not curiously enquire about 
the members, much more in the Church. And see his thoughtfulness in that he 
doth not state the difference which arises from their nature nor that from 
their operation, but that from their local situation. For "now," saith he, 
"God hath set the members each one of them in the body even as it pleased 
Him." And he said well, "each one," pointing out that the use extends to 
all, For thou canst not say, "This He hath Himself placed but not that: 
but every one according to His will, so it is situated." So that to the 
foot also it is profitable that it should be so stationed, and not to the 
head only: and if it should invert the order and leaving its own place, 
should go to another, though it might seem to have bettered its condition, 
it would be the undoing and ruin of the whole. For it both falls from its 
own, and reaches not the other station. [5.] Ver. 19. "And if they were all 
one member, where were the body?" Ver. 20. "But now are they many members, 
but one body."

 Thus having silenced them sufficiently by God's own arrangement, again 
he states reasons. And he neither doth this always nor that, but alternates 
and varies his discourse. Since on the one hand, he who merely silences, 
confounds the hearer, and he, on the contrary, who accustoms him to demand 
reasons for all things, injures him in the matter of faith; for this cause 
then Paul is continually practising both the one and the other, that they 
may both believe and may not be confounded; and after silencing them, he 
again gives a reason likewise. And mark his earnestness in the combat and 
the completeness of his victory. For from what things they supposed 
themselves unequal in honor because in them there was great diversity, even 
from these things he shows that for this very reason they are equal in 
honor. How, I will tell you.

    "If all were one member," saith he, "where were the body?"

 Now what he means is, If there were not among you great diversity, ye 
could not be a body; and not being a body, ye could not be one; and not 
being one, ye could not be equal in honor. Whence it follows again that if 
ye were all equal in honor, ye were not a body; and not being a body, ye 
were not one; and not being one, how could ye be equal in honor? As it is, 
however, because ye are not all endowed with some one gift, therefore are 
yea body; and being a body, ye are all one, and differ nothing from one 
another in this that ye are a body. So that this very difference is that 
which chiefly causeth your equality in honor. And accordingly he adds, "But 
now they are many members, yet one body."

    [6.] These things then let us also consider and cast out all envy, and 
neither grudge against them that have greater gifts nor despise them that 
possess the lesser. For thus had God willed: let us then not oppose 
ourselves. But if thou art still disturbed, consider that thy work is oft-
times such as thy brother is unable to perform. So that even if thou art 
inferior, yet in this thou hast the advantage: and though he be greater, he 
is worse off in this respect; and so equality takes place. For in the body 
even the little members seem to contribute no little, but the great ones 
themselves are often injured by them, I mean by their removal. Thus what in 
the body is more insignificant than the hair? Yet if thou shouldest remove 
this, insignificant as it is, from the eyebrows and the eyelids, thou hast 
destroyed all the grace of the countenance, and the eye will no longer 
appear equally beautiful. And yet the loss is of a trifle; but 
notwithstanding even thus all the comeliness is destroyed. And not the 
comeliness only, but much also of the use of the eyes. The reason is that 
every one of our members hath both a working of its own and one which is 
common; and likewise there is in us a beauty which is peculiar and another 
which is common. And these kinds of beauty appear indeed to be divided, but 
they. are perfectly bound together, and when one is destroyed, the other 
perishes also along with it. To explain myself: let there be bright eyes, 
and a smiling cheek, and a red lip, and straight nose, and open brow; 
nevertheless, if thou mar but the slightest of these, thou hast marred the 
common beauty of all; all is full of dejection; all will appear foul to 
look on, which before was so beautiful: thus if thou shouldest crush only 
the tip of the nose thou hast brought great deformity upon all: and yet it 
is the maiming of but a single member. And likewise in the hand, if thou 
shouldest take away the nail from one finger, thou wouldest see the same 
result. If now thou wouldest see the same taking place in respect of their 
function(1) also, take away one finger, and thou wilt see the rest less 
active and no longer performing their part equally.

    Since then the less of a member is a common deformity, and its safety 
beauty to all, let us not be lifted up nor trample on our neighbors. For 
through that small member even the great one is fair and beautiful, and by 
the eyelids, slight as they are, is the eye adorned. So that he who wars 
with his brother wars with himself: for the injury done reaches not only 
unto that one, but himself also shall undergo no small loss.

    [7.] That this then may not be, let us care for our neighbors as for 
ourselves, and let us transfer this image of the body now also to the 
Church, and be careful for all as for our own members. For in the Church 
ere are members many and diverse: and some are more honorable and some 
more deficient. For example, there are choirs of virgins, there are 
assemblies of widows, there are fraternities(2) of those who shine in holy 
wedlock(3); in short, many are the degrees of virtue. And in almsgiving 
again in like manner. For some empty themselves of all their goods: others 
care for a competency alone and seek nothing more than necessaries; others 
give of their superfluity: nevertheless, all these adorn one another; and 
if the greater should set at nought the less, he would in the greatest 
degree injure himself. Thus, suppose a virgin to deal scornfully with a 
married woman, she hath cut off no small part of her reward; and he again 
that emptied himself of all should he upbraid him that hath not done so, 
hath emptied himself of much of the fruit of his labors. And why speak I of 
virgins, and widows, and men without possessions? What is meaner than those 
who beg? and yet even these fulfill a most important office in the Church, 
clinging to the doors of the sanctuary(1) and supplying one of its greatest 
ornaments: and without these there could be no perfecting the fulness of 
the Church. Which thing, as it seems, the Apostles also observing made a 
law from the beginning, as in regard to all other things, so also that 
there should be widows: and so great care did they use about the matter as 
also to set over them seven deacons. For as bishops and presbyters and 
deacons and virgins and continent persons, enter into my enumeration, where 
I am reckoning up the members of the Church, so also do widows. Yea, and it 
is no mean office which they fill. For thou indeed comest here when thou 
wilt: but these both day and night sing psalms and attend: not for alms 
only doing this; since if that were their object, they might walk in the 
market place and beg in the alleys: but there is in them piety also in no 
small degree. At least, behold in what a furnace of poverty they are; yet 
never shall thou hear a blasphemous word from them nor an impatient one, 
after the manner of many rich men's wives. Yet some of them often lie down 
to their rest in hunger, and others continue constantly frozen by the cold; 
nevertheless, they pass their time in thanksgiving and giving glory. Though 
you give but a penny, they give thanks and implore ten thousand blessings 
on the giver; and if thou give nothing they do not complain, but even so 
they bless, and think themselves happy to enjoy their daily food.

    "Yes," it is replied, "since whether they will or no, they must bear 
it." Why, tell me? Wherefore hast thou uttered this bitter expression? Are 
there not shameful arts which bring gain to the aged, both men and women? 
Had they not power to support themselves by those means in great abundance, 
provided they had chosen to cast off all care of upright living? Seest thou 
not how many persons of that age, by becoming pimps and panders and by 
other such ministrations, both live, and live in luxury(2)? Not so these, 
but they choose rather to perish of hunger than to dishonor their own life 
and betray their salvation; and they sit throughout the whole day, 
preparing a medicine of salvation for thee.

    For do physician stretching out the hand to apply the knife, works so 
effectually to cut out the corruption from our wounds, as doth a poor man 
stretching out his right hand and receiving alms, to take away the scars 
which the wounds have left. And what is truly wonderful, they perform this 
excellent chirurgery without pain and anguish: and we who are set over the 
people and give you so much wholesome advice, do not more truly discourse 
than he doth, who sits before the doors of the church, by his silence and 
his countenance. For we too sound these things in your ears every day, 
saying, "Be not high-minded, O man; human nature is a thing that soon 
declines and is ready to fall away; our youth hastens on to old age, our 
beauty to deformity, our strength to weakness, our honor to contempt, our 
health falls away to sickness, our glory to meanness, our riches to 
poverty; our concerns are like a violent current that never will stand 
still, but keeps hastening down the steep."

    The same advice do they also give and more than this, by their 
appearance and by their experience itself too, which is a yet plainer kind 
of advice. How many, for instance, of those who now sit without, were in 
the bloom of youth and did great things? How many of these loathsome 
looking persons surpassed many, both in vigor of body and in beauty of 
countenance? Nay, disbelieve it not nor deride. For surely, life is full of 
ten thousand such examples. For if from mean and humble persons many have 
oftentimes become kings, what marvel is it if from being great and 
glorious, some have been made humble and mean? Since the former is much the 
more extraordinary: but the latter, of perpetual occurrence. So that one 
ought not to be incredulous that any of them ever flourished in arts, and 
arms, and abundance of wealth, but rather to pity them with great 
compassion and to fear for ourselves, lest we too should sometime suffer 
the same things. For we too are men and are subject to this speedy change.

    [8.] But perchance some one of the thoughtless, and of those who are 
accustomed to scoff, will object to what hath been said, and will 
altogether deride us, saying, "How long wilt l thou not cease continually 
introducing poor men and beggars in thy discourses, and prophesying to us 
of misfortunes, and denouncing poverty to come, and desiring to make us 
beggars?" Not from a desire to make beggars of you, O man, do I say these 
things, but hastening to open unto you the riches of heaven. Since he too, 
who to the healthy man makes mention of the sick and relates their anguish, 
saith it not to make him diseased, but to preserve him in health, by the 
fear of their calamities cutting off his remissness. Poverty seems to you 
to be a fearful thing and to be dreaded, even to the mere name of it. Yea, 
and therefore are we poor, because we are afraid of poverty; though we have 
ten thousand talents. For not he who hath nothing is poor, but he who 
shudders at poverty. Since in men's calamities also it is not those who 
suffer great evils whom we lament and account wretched, but those who know 
not how to bear them, even though they be small. Whereas he that knows how 
to bear them is, as all know, worthy of praises and crowns. And to prove 
that this is so, whom do we applaud in the games? Those who are much beaten 
and do not vex themselves, but hold their head on high; or those who fly 
after the first strokes? Are not those even crowned by us as manly and 
noble; while we laugh at these as unmanly and cowards? So then let us do in 
the affairs of life. Him that bears all easily let us crown, as we do that 
noble champions; but weep over him that shrinks and trembles at his 
dangers, and who before he receives the blow is dead with fear. For so in 
the games; if any before he raised his hands, at the mere sight of his 
adversary extending his right hand, should fly, though he receive no wound, 
he will be laughed to scorn as feeble and effeminate and unversed in such 
struggles. Now this is like what happens to these who fear poverty, and 
cannot so much as endure the expectation of it.

    Evidently then it is not we that make you wretched, but ye yourselves. 
For how can it be that the devil should not hence-forth make sport of thee, 
seeing thee even before the stroke afraid and trembling at the menace? Or 
rather, when thou dost but esteem this a threat, he will have no need so 
much as to strike thee any more, but leaving thee to keep thy wealth, by 
the expectation of its being taken away he will render thee softer than any 
wax. And because it is our nature (so to speak,) not to consider the 
objects of our dread so fearful after suffering, as before and while yet 
untried: therefore to prevent thee from acquiring even this virtue, he 
detains thee in the very height of fear; by the fear of poverty, before all 
experience of it, melting thee down as wax in the fire. Yea, and such a man 
is softer than any wax and lives a life more wretched than Cain himself. 
For the things which he hath in excess, he is in fear: for those which he 
hath not, in grief; and again, concerning what he hath he trembles, keeping 
his wealth within as a wilful runaway slave, and beset by I know not what 
various and unaccountable passions. For unaccountable desire, and manifold 
fear and anxiety, and trembling on every side, agitate them. And they are 
like a vessel driven by contrary winds from every quarter, and enduring 
many heavy seas. And how much better for such a man to depart than to be 
enduring a continual storm? Since for Cain also it were more tolerable to 
have died than to be for ever trembling(2).

    Lest we then for our part suffer these things, let us laugh to scorn 
the device of the devil, let us burst his cords asunder, let us sever the 
point of his terrible spear and fortify every approach. For if thou laugh 
at money, he hath not where to strike, he hath not where he may lay hold. 
Then hast thou rooted up the root of evils; and when the root is no more, 
neither will any evil fruit grow.

    [9.] Well: these things we are always saying and never leave off saying 
them: but whether our sayings do any good, the day will declare, even that 
day which is revealed by fire, which trieth every man's work, (1 Cor. iii. 
13.) which showeth what lamps are bright and what are not so. Then shall he 
who hath oil, and he who hath it not, be manifest. But may none then be 
found destitute of the comfort; rather may all, bringing in with them 
abundance of mercy, and having their lamps bright, enter in together with 
the Bridegroom.

    Since nothing is more fearful and full of anguish than that voice which 
they who departed without abundant almsgiving shall then hear the 
Bridegroom, "I know you not." (S. Mat. xxv. 12.) But may we never hear this 
voice, but rather that most pleasant and desirable one, "Come, ye blessed 
of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of 
the world." (S. Mat. xxv. 34) For thus shall we live the happy life, and 
enjoy all the good things which even pass man's understanding: unto which 
may we all attain, through the grace and mercy, &c.

HOMILY XXXI: 1 Cor. xii. 21.

And the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee: or again the 
head to the feet, I have no need of you.

    Having checked the envy of those in lower rank, and having taken off 
the dejection which it was likely that they would feel from greater gifts 
having been vouchsafed to others, he humbles also the pride of these latter 
who had received the greater gifts. He had done the same indeed in his 
discourse also with the former. For the statement that it was a gift and 
not an achievement was intended to declare this. But now he doth it again 
even more vehemently, dwelling on the same image. For from the body in what 
follows, and from the unity thence arising, he proceeds to the actual 
comparison of the members, a thing on which they ,were especially seeking 
to be instructed. Since there was not so much power to console them in the 
circumstance of their being all one body, as in the conviction that in the 
very things wherewith they were endowed, they were not left greatly behind. 
And he saith, "The eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee: or 
again the head to the feet, I have no need of you."

    For though the gift be less, yet is it necessary: and as when the one 
is absent, many functions are impeded, so also without the other there is a 
maim in the fulness of the Church And he said not,; "will not say," but 
"cannot say." So that even though it wish it, though it should actually say 
so, it is out of the question nor is the thing consistent with nature. For 
this cause having taken the two extremes, he makes trial of his argument in 
them, first in respect of the hand and the eye, and secondly, in respect of 
the head and feet, adding force to the example.

    For what is meaner than the foot? Or what more honorable and more 
necessary than the head? For this, the head, more than any thing, is the 
man. Nevertheless, it is not of itself sufficient nor could it alone 
perform all things; since if this were so, our feet would be a superfluous 
addition. [2.] And neither did he stop here, but seeks also another 
amplification, a kind of thing which he is always doing, contending not 
only to be on equal terms but even advancing beyond. Wherefore also he 
adds, saying,

    Ver. 22. "Nay, much rather those members of the body, which seem to be 
more feeble are necessary:

    Ver. 23. "And those parts of the body which we think to be less 
honorable, upon these we bestow more abundant honor; and our uncomely parts 
have more abundant comeliness."

    In every clause adding the term "body," and thereby both consoling the 
one and checking the other. "For I affirm not this only,(1)" saith he, 
"that the greater have need of the less, but that they have also much need. 
Since if there be any thing weak in us, if any thing dishonorable, this is 
both necessary and enjoys greater honor." And he well said, "which seem," 
and, "which we think;" pointing out that the judgment arises not from the 
nature of the things, but from the opinion of the many. For nothing in us 
is dishonorable, seeing it is God's work. Thus what in us is esteemed less 
honorable than our genital members? Nevertheless, they enjoy greater honor. 
And the very poor, even if they have the rest of the body naked, cannot 
endure to exhibit those members naked. Yet surely this is not the condition 
of things dishonorable; but it was natural for them to be despised rather 
than the rest. For so in a house the servant who is dishonored, so far from 
enjoying greater attention, hath not even an equal share vouchsafed him. By 
the same rule likewise, if this member were dishonorable, instead of having 
greater privileges it ought not even to enjoy the same: whereas now it hath 
more honor for its portion: and this too the wisdom of God hath effected. 
For to some parts by their nature He hath given not to need it: but to 
others, not having granted it by their nature, He hath compelled us to 
yield it. Yet are they not therefore dishonorable. Since the animals too by 
their nature have a sufficiency, and need neither clothing nor shoes nor a 
roof, the greater part of them: yet not on this account is our body less 
honorable than they, because it needs all these things.

    Yea rather, were one to consider accurately, these parts in question 
are even by nature itself both honorable and necessary. Which in truth Paul 
himself imitated, giving his judgment(1) in their favor not from our care 
and from their enjoying greater honor, but from the very nature of the 
things.

    Wherefore when he calls them "weak" and "less honorable," he uses the 
expression, "which seem:" but when he calls them "necessary," he no longer 
adds "which seem," but himself gives his judgment, saying, "they are 
necessary;" and very properly. For they are useful to procreation of 
children and the succession of our race. Wherefore also the Roman 
legislators punish them that mutilate these members and make men eunuchs, 
as persons who do injury to our common stock and affront nature herself.

    But woe to the dissolute who bring reproach on the handy-works of God. 
For as many are wont to curse wine on account of the drunken, and womankind 
on account of the unchaste; so also they account these members base because 
of those who use them not as they ought. But improperly. For the sin is not 
allotted to the thing as a portion of its nature, but the transgression is 
.produced by the will of him that ventures on it.

    But some suppose that the expressions, "the feeble members," and "less 
honorable," and "necessary," and "which enjoy more abundant honor," are 
used by Paul of eyes and feet, and that he speaks of the eye as" more 
feeble," and "necessary," because though deficient in strength, they have 
the advantage in utility: but of the feet as the "less honorable:" for 
these also receive from us great consideration.

    [3.] Next, not to work out yet another amplification, he says,

    Ver: 24. "But our comely parts have no need:"

    That is, lest any should say, "Why what kind of speech is this, to 
despise the honorable and pay court to the less honored?" "we do not this 
in contempt," saith he, "but because they 'have no need.'" And see how 
large a measure of praise he thus sets down in brief, and so hastens on: a 
thing most conveniently and usefully done. And neither is he content with 
this, but adds also the cause, saying, "But God tempered the body together, 
giving more abundant honor unto that part which lacked:"

    Ver. 25. "That there should be no schism in the body."

    Now if He tempered it together, He did not suffer that which is more 
uncomely to appear. For that which is mingled becomes one thing, and it 
doth not appear what it was before: since otherwise we could not say that 
it was tempered. And see how he continually hastens by the defects, saying, 
"that which lacked." He said not, "to that which is dishonorable," "to that 
which is unseemly," but, "to that which lacked, ("that which lacked;" how? 
by nature,) giving more abundant honor." And wherefore? "That there should 
be no schism in the body." Thus because, though they enjoyed an endless 
store of consolation, they nevertheless indulged grief as if they had 
received less than others, he signifies that they were rather honored. For 
his phrase is, "Giving more abundant honor to that which lacked."

    Next he also adds the reason, showing that with a view to their profit 
he both caused it to lack and more abundantly honored it. And what is the 
reason? "That there should be no schism," saith he, "in the body." (And he 
said not, "in the members," but, "in the body.") For there would indeed be 
a great and unfair advantage, if some members were cared for both by nature 
and by our forethought, others not even by either one of these. Then would 
they be cut off from one another, from inability to endure the connection. 
And when these were cut off, there would be harm done also to the rest. 
Seest thou how he points out, that of necessity "greater honor" is given to 
"that which lacketh?" "For had not this been so, the injury would have 
become common to all," saith he. And the reason is, that unless these 
received great consideration on our part, they would have been rudely 
treated, as not having the help of nature: and this rude treatment would 
have been their ruin: their ruin would have divided the body; and the body 
having been divided, the other members also would have perished, which are 
far greater than these.

    Seest thou that the care of these latter is connected with making 
provision for those? For they have not their being so much in their own 
nature, as in their being one, by virtue of the body(2). Wherefore if the 
body perish, they profit nothing by such health as they have sew erally. 
But if the eye remain or the nose, preserving its proper function, yet when 
the bond of union is broken there will be no use for them ever after; 
whereas, suppose this remaining, and those injured, they both support 
themselves through it and speedily return to health.

    But perhaps some one may say, "this indeed in the body hath reason, 
that 'that which lacketh hath received more abundant honor,' but among men 
how may this be made out?" Why, among men most especially thou mayest see 
this taking place. For so they who came at the eleventh hour first received 
their hire; and the sheep that had wandered induced the shepherd to leave 
behind the ninety and nine and run after it, and when it was found, he bore 
and did not drive it; and the prodigal son obtained more honor than he who 
was approved; and the thief was crowned and proclaimed before the Apostles. 
And in the case of the talents also thou mayest see this happen: in that to 
him that received the five talents, and to him that received two, were 
vouchsafed the same rewards; yea, by the very circumstance that he received 
the two, he was the more favored with great providential care. Since had he 
been entrusted with the five, with his want of ability he would have fallen 
from the whole: but having received the two and fulfilled his own duty, he 
was thought worthy of the same with him that had gained the five, having so 
far the advantage, as with less labor to obtain the same crown. And yet he 
too was a man as well as the one that traded with the five. Nevertheless, 
his Master doth not in any wise call him to a strict account, nor compel 
him to do the same with his fellow-servant, nor doth he say, "Why canst 
thou not gain the five?" (though he might justly have said so,) but 
assigned him likewise his crown.

    [4.] Knowing these things therefore, ye that are greater, trample not 
on the less, lest, instead of them, ye injure yourselves. For when they are 
cut off, the whole body is destroyed. Since, what else is a body than the 
existence of many members? As also Paul himself saith, that "the body is 
not one member, but many." If therefore this be the essence of a body, let 
us take care that the many continue many. Since, unless this be entirely 
preserved, the stroke is in the vital parts; which is the reason also why 
the Apostle doth not require this only, their not being separated, but also 
their being closely united. For instance, having said, "that there be no 
schism in the body," he was not content with this, but added, "that the 
members should have the same care one for another." Adding this other cause 
also of the less enjoying more honor. For not only lest they should be 
separated one from another hath God so contrived it, but also that there 
may be abundant love and concord. For if each man's being depends on his 
neighbor's safety, tell me not of the less and the more: in this case there 
is no more and less. While the body continues you may see the difference 
too, but when it perishes, no longer. And perish it will, unless the lesser 
parts also continue.

    If now even the greater members will perish when the less are broken 
off, these ought to care in like manner for the less, and so as for 
themselves, inasmuch as in the safety of these the greater likewise remain. 
So then, shouldst thou say ten thousand times, "such member is dishonored 
and inferior," still if thou provide not for it in like manner as for 
thyself, if thou neglect it as inferior, the injury will pass on to 
thyself. Wherefore he said not only, that "the members should care one for 
another," but he added, "that they should have the same care one for 
another," i.e., in like manner the small should enjoy the same providential 
care with great.

    Say not then, that such is an ordinary person, but consider he is a 
member of that body which holds together the whole: and as the eye, so also 
doth he cause the body to be a body. For where the body is builded up, 
there none hath anything more than his neighbor: since neither does this 
make a body, there being one part greater and another less, but their being 
many and diverse. For even as thou, because thou art greater, didst help to 
make up the body, so also he, because he is less. So that his comparative, 
deficiency, when the body is to be builded up, turns out of equal value 
with thee unto this noble contributions(1): yea, he avails as much as 
thyself. And it is evident from hence. Let there be no member greater or 
less, nor more and less honorable: but let all be eye or all head: will not 
the body perish? Every one sees it. Again, if all be inferior, the same 
thing will happen. So that in this respect also the less are proved equal. 
Yea, and if one must say something more, the purpose of the less being less 
is that the body may remain. So that for thy sake he is less, in order that 
thou mayest continue to be great. And here is the cause of his demanding 
the same care from all. And having said, "that the members may have the 
same care one for another," he explains "the same thing" gain, by saying,

    [5.] Ver. 26. "And whether one member suffereth all the members suffer 
with it; or one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it."

    "Yea, with no other view," saith he, "did He make the care He requires 
common, establishing unity in so great diversity, but that of all events 
there might be complete communion. Because, if our care for our neighbor be 
the common safety, it follows also that our glory and our sadness must be 
common." Three things therefore he here demands: the not being divided but 
united in perfection: the having like care for another: and the considering 
all that happens common. And as above he saith, "He hath given more 
abundant honor to that part which lacked," because it needeth it; 
signifying that the very inferiority was become an introduction to greater 
honor; so here he equalizes them in respect of the care also which takes 
place mutually among them. For "therefore did he cause them to partake of 
greater honor," saith he, "that they might not meet with less care." And 
not from hence only, but also by all that befalls them, good and painful, 
are the members bound to one another. Thus often when a thorn is fixed in 
the heel, the whole body feels it and cares for it: both the back is bent 
and the belly and thighs are contracted, and the hands coming forth as 
guards and servants draw out what was so fixed, and the head stoops over 
it, and the eyes observe it with much care. So that even if the foot hath 
inferiority from its inability to ascend, yet by its bringing down the head 
it hath an equality, and is favored with the same honor; and especially 
whenever the feet are the cause of the head's coming down, not by favor but 
by their claim on it. And thus, if by being the more honorable it hath an 
advantage; yet in that, being so it owes such honor and care to the lesser 
and likewise equal sympathy: by this it indicates great equality. Since 
what is meaner than the heel? what more honorable than the head? Yet this 
member reaches to that, and moves them all together with itself. Again if 
anything is the matter with the eyes, all complain and all are idle: and 
neither do the feet walk nor the hands work, nor doth the stomach enjoy its 
accustomed food; and yet the affection is of the eyes. Why dost thou cause 
the stomach to pine? why keep thy feet still? why bind thy hands? Because 
they are tied to the feet, and in an unspeakable manner the whole body 
suffers. For if it shared not in the suffering, it would not endure to 
partake of the care. Wherefore may have the same care one for another, he 
added, "whether one member suffereth, all the members suffer with it; or 
one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it." "And how do they 
rejoice with it?" say you. The head is crowned, and the whole man is 
honored. The mouth speaks, and the eyes laugh and are delighted. Yet the 
credit belongs not to the beauty of the eyes, but to the tongue. Again if 
the eyes appear beautiful, the whole woman is embellished: as indeed these 
also, when a straight nose and upright neck and other members are praised, 
rejoice and appear cheerful: and again they shed tears in great abundance 
over their griefs and misfortunes, though themselves continue uninjured.

    [6.] Let us all then, considering these things, imitate the love of 
these members; let us not in any wise do the contrary, trampling on the 
miseries of our neighbor and envying his good things. For this is the part 
of madmen and persons beside themselves. Just as he that digs out his own 
eye hath displayed a very great proof of senselessness; and he that devours 
his own hand exhibits a clear evidence of downright madness.

    Now if this be the case with regard to the members, so likewise, when 
it happeneth among the brethren, it fastens on us the reputation of folly 
and brings on no common mischief. For as long as he shines, thy comeliness 
also is apparent and the whole body is beautified. For not at all doth he 
confine the beauty to himself alone, but permits thee also to glory. But if 
thou extinguish him, thou bringest a common darkness upon the whole body, 
and the misfortune thou causest is common to all the members: as indeed if 
thou preservest him in brightness, thou preservest the bloom of the entire 
body. For no man saith, "the eye is beautiful:" but what? "such a woman is 
beautiful." And if it also be praised, it comes after the common encomium. 
So likewise it happens in the Church. I mean, if there be any celebrated 
persons, the community reaps the good report of it. For the enemies are not 
apt to divide the praises, but connect them together. And if any be 
brilliant in speech, they do not praise him alone but likewise the whole 
Church. For they do not say only, "such a one is a wonderful man," but 
what? "the Christians have a wonderful teacher:" and so they make the 
possession common.

[7.] And now let me ask, do heathens bind together, and dost thou divide 
and war with thine own body, and withstand thine own members? Knowest thou 
not that this overturns all? For even a "kingdom," saith he, "divided 
against itself shall not stand." (S. Mat. xii. 25.)

    But nothing so divides and separates as envy and jealousy, that 
grievous disease, and exempt from all pardon, and in some respect worse 
than "the root of all evils." (1. Tim. vi. 12.) For the covetous is then 
pleased when himself hath received: but the envious is then pleased, when 
another hath failed to receive, not when him self hath received. For he 
thinks the misfortunes of others a benefit to himself, rather than 
prosperity; going about a common enemy of mankind, and smiting the members 
of Christ, than which what can be more akin to madness? A demon is envious, 
but of men, not of any demon: but thou being a man enviest men, and with 
standest what is of thine own tribe and family, which not even a demon 
doth. And what pardon shalt thou obtain, what excuse? trembling and turning 
pale at sight of a brother in prosperity, when thou oughtest to crown 
thyself and to rejoice and exult.

    If indeed thou wishest to emulate him, I forbid not that: emulate, but 
with a view to be like him who is approved: not in order to depress him but 
that thou mayest reach the same lofty point, that thou mayest display the 
same excellence. This is wholesome rivalry, imitation without contention: 
not to grieve at the good things of others but to be vexed at our own 
evils: the contrary to which is the result of envy. For neglecting its own 
evils, it pines away at the good fortune of other men. And thus the poor is 
not so vexed by his own poverty as by the plenty of his neighbor; than 
which what can be more grievous? Yea, in this respect the envious, as I 
before said, is worse than the covetous; the one rejoicing at some 
acquisition of his own, while the other finds his delight in some one else 
failing to receive.

    Wherefore I beseech you, leaving this evil way, to change to a proper 
emulation, (for it is a violent thing, this kind of zeal, and hotter than 
any fire,) and to win thereby mighty blessings. Thus also Paul used to 
guide those which are my flesh, and may save some of them." (Rom. xi. 14.) 
For he whose emulation is like what Paul wished for doth not pine when he 
sees the other in reputation, but when he sees himself left behind: the 
envious not so, but at the sight of another's prosperity. And he is a kind 
of drone, injuring other men's labors; and himself never anxious to rise, 
but weeping when he sees another rising, and doing every thing to throw him 
down. To what then might one compare this passion? It seems to me to be 
like as if a sluggish ass and heavy with abundance of flesh, being yoked 
with a winged courser, should neither himself be willing to rise, and 
should attempt to drag the other down by the weight of his carcase. For so 
this man takes no thought nor anxiety to be himself rid of this deep 
slumber, but doth every thing to supplant and throw down him that is flying 
towards heaven, becoming an exact emulator of the devil: since he too, 
seeing man in paradise, sought not to change his own condition, but to cast 
him out of paradise. And again, seeing him seated in heaven and the rest 
hastening thither, he holds to the same plan, supplanting them who are 
hastening thither and hereby heaping up the furnace more abundantly for 
himself. For in every instance this happens: both he that is envied, if he 
be vigilant, becoming more eminent; and he that is envious, accumulating to 
himself more evils. Thus also Joseph became eminent thus Aaron the priest: 
the conspiracy of the envious caused God once and again to give His 
suffrage for him, and was the occasion of the rod's budding. Thus Jacob 
attained his abundant wealth and all those other blessings. Thus the 
envious pierce themselves through with ten thousand evils. Knowing as we do 
all these things, let us flee such emulation. For wherefore, tell me, 
enviest thou? Because thy brother hath received spiritual grace? And from 
whom did he receive it? answer me. Was it not from God? Clearly then He is 
the object of the enmity to Which thou art committing thyself, He the 
bestower of the gift. Seest thou which way the evil is tending, and with 
what sort of a point it is crowning the heap of thy sins; and how deep the 
pit of vengeance which it is digging for thee?

    Let us flee it, then, beloved, and neither envy others, nor fail to 
pray for our enviers and do all we can to extinguish their passion: neither 
let us feel as the unthinking do who being minded to exact punishment of 
them, do all in their power to light up their flame. But let not us do so; 
rather let us weep for them and lament. For they are the injured persons, 
having continual worm gnawing through their heart, and collecting a 
fountain of poison more bitter than any gall. Come now, let us beseech the 
merciful God, both to change their state of feeling and that we may never 
fall into that disease: since heaven is indeed inaccessible to him that 
hath this wasting sore, and before heaven too, even this present life is 
not worth living in. For not so thoroughly are timber and wool wont to be 
eaten through by moth and worm abiding therein, as doth the fever of envy 
devour the very bones of the envious and destroy all self-command in their 
soul.

    In order then that we may deliver both ourselves and others from these 
innumerable woes, let us expel from within us this evil fever, this that is 
more grievous than any gangrene: that having regained spiritual strength, 
we may both finch the present course and obtain the future crowns; unto 
which may we all attain, by the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
with Whom to the Father, with the Holy Ghost, be glory, power, honor, now 
and ever, and world without end. Amen.

HOMILY XXXII: 1 Cor. xii. 27.

Now ye are the body of Christ and severally members thereof.

    FOR lest any should say, "What is the example of the body to us? since 
the body is a slave to nature but our good deeds are of choice;" he applies 
it to our own concerns; and to signify that we ought to have the same 
concord of deign as they have from nature, he saith," Now ye are the body 
of Christ." But if our body ought not to be divided, much less the body of 
Christ, and so much less as grace is more powerful than nature.But what is 
the expression, "severally?" "So far at least as appertaineth to you; and 
so far as naturally a part should be built up from you." For because he had 
said, "the body," whereas the whole body was not the Corinthian Church, but 
the Church in every part of the world, therefore he said, "severally:" 
i.e., the Church amongst you is a part of the Church existing every where 
and of the body which is made up of all the Churches: so that not only with 
yourselves alone, but also with the whole Church throughout the word, ye 
ought to be at peace, if at least ye be members of the whole body.

    [2.] Ver. 28. "And God hath set some in the Church: first apostles, 
secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, 
helps, governments, divers kinds of tongues."

    Thus what I spake of before, this also he now cloth. Because they 
thought highly of themselves in respect of the tongues he sets it last 
every where. For the terms, "first" and "secondly," are not used by him 
here at random, but in order by enumeration to point out the more honorable 
and the inferior. Wherefore also he set the apostles first who had all the 
gifts in themselves. And he said not, "God hath set certain m the Church, 
apostles" simply," or prophets," but he employs "first, second," and 
"third," signifying that same thing which I told you of.

    "Secondly, prophets." For they used to whom he saith, "Let the prophets 
speak, two or three." (c. xiv. 29.) And writing also to Timothy, he said, 
"Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy." 
(I. Tim. iv. 14.) And they were much more many that prophesied. And if 
Christ saith, "The Law and the Prophets prophesied until John," (S. Matt. 
xi. 13.) He saith it of those prophets who before proclaimed His coming.

    "Thirdly, teachers." For he that prophesieth speaks all things from the 
Spirit; but he that teacheth sometimes discourses also out of his own mind. 
Wherefore also he said, "Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of 
double honor, especially they who labor in the word and in reaching:" (1. 
Tim. v. 17:) whereas he that speaks all things by the Spirit doth not 
labor. This accordingly is the reason why he set him after the prophet, 
because the one is wholly a gift but the other is also man's labor. For he 
speaks many things of his own mind, agreeing however with the sacred 
Scriptures.

    [3.] "Then miracles, then gifts of healings." Seest thou how he again 
divides the healings from the power, which also he did before. For the 
power is more than the healing: since he that hath power both punishes and 
heals, but he that hath the gift of healings doeth cures only. And observe 
how excellent the order he made use of, when he set the prophecy before the 
miracles and the healings. For above when he said, "To one is given by the 
Spirit the word of wisdom, and to another the word of knowledge," he spake, 
not setting them in order, but indiferently. Here, on the other hand, he 
sets a first and a second rank. Wherefore then doth he set prophecy first? 
Because even in the old covenant the matter has this order. For example, 
when Isaiah was discoursing with the Jews, and exhibiting a demonstration 
of the power of God, and bringing forward the evidence of the worthlessness 
of the demons, he mated this also as the greater evidence of his divinity, 
his foretelling things to come. (Is. xli. 22, 23.) And Christ Himself after 
working so many signs saith that this was no small sign of His divinity: 
and continually adds, "But these things have I told you, that when it is 
come to pass, ye may believe that I am He." (S. John xiii. 19; xiv. 29; 
xvi. 4.)

    "Well then; the gifts of healing are justly inferior to prophecy. But 
why likewise to teaching?" Because it is not the same thing to declare the 
word of preaching and sow piety in the hearts of the hearers, as it is to 
work miracles: since these are done merely for the sake of that. When 
therefore any one teaches both by word and life, he is greater than all. 
For those he calls emphatically teachers, who both teach by deeds and 
instruct in word. For instance: this made the Apostles themselves to become 
Apostles. And those gifts certain others also, of no great worth, received 
in the beginning, as they who said, "Lord, did we not prophesy by Thy Name, 
and do mighty works?" and after this were told, "I never knew you; depart 
from Me, ye that work inquity." (S. Mat. vii. 22. ) But this twofold mode 
of teaching, I mean that by deeds and by words, no bad man would ever 
undertake. As to his setting the prophets first marvel not at it. For he is 
not speaking of prophets simply, but of those who by prophecy do also teach 
and say every thing to the common benefit: which in proceeding he makes 
more dear to us.

    "Helps, governments" What is, "helps?" To support the weak. Is this 
then a gift, tell me? In the first place, this too is of the Gift of God, 
aptness for a patron's office(1); the dispensing spiritual things; besides 
which he calls many even of our own good deeds, gifts;" not he had pointed 
out a great difference, and stirred up the afore-mentioned distemper of 
those that had lesser gifts, he darts upon them in what follows with great 
vehemence, because he had already given them those many proofs of their not 
being left much inferior. What I mean is; because it was likely that on 
hearing these things they would say, "And why were we not all made 
Apostles?"--whereas above he had made use of a more soothing tone of 
discourse, proving at length the necessity of this result, even from the 
image of the body; for "the body," saith he, "is not one member;" and 
again, "but if all were one member, where were the body?" and from the fact 
that they were given for use; for to each one is given "the manifestation 
of the Spirit," saith he, "to profit withal:" and from all being watered 
from the same Spirit: and from what is bestowed being a free gift and not a 
debt; "for there are," saith he, "diversities of gifts, but the same 
Spirit:" and from the manifestation of the Spirit being made alike through 
all; for "to each one," saith he, "is given the manifestation through the 
Spirit:" and from the fact that these things were shaped according to the 
pleasure of the Spirit and of God; "for all these," saith he, "worketh the 
one and the same Spirit, dividing to each one severally even as he will:" 
and, "God hath set the members each one of them in the body, even as it 
pleased Him:" and from the inferior members also being necessary; "for 
those which seem," saith he, "to be more feeble are necessary:" from their 
being alike necessary, in that they " from the greater too needing the 
less: "for the head," saith he, "cannot say to the feet, I have no need of 
you:" from these latter enjoying even more honor; for "to that which 
lacketh," saith he, "He hath given more abundant honor:" from the care of 
them being common and equal; for "for all the members have the same care 
one for another:" and from there being one honor and one grief of them all; 
for "whether," saith he, "one member suffereth, all the members suffer with 
it; or one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it: "--whereas, 
I say, he had above exhorted them by these topics, here and henceforth he 
and he doth not stop at the first and the second gift, but proceeds to the 
last, either meaning this that all cannot be all things, (even as he there 
saith, "if all were one member, where were the body? ") or establishing 
some other point also along with these, which may tell in the way of 
consolation again. What then is this? His signifying that even the lesser 
gifts are contended for equally with the greater, from the circumstance 
that not even these were given absolutely to all? For "why," saith he, 
"dost thou grieve that thou hast not gifts of healing? consider that what 
thou hast, even though it be less, is oftentimes not possessed by him that 
hath the greater." Wherefore he saith,

    Ver. 30. "Do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?"

    For even as the great gifts God hath not vouchsafed all to all men, but 
to some this, and to others that, so also did He in respect of the less, 
not proposing these either to all. And this He did, procuring thereby 
abundant harmony and love, that each one standing in need of the other 
might be brought close to his brother. This economy He established also in 
the arts, this also in the elements, this also in the plants, and in our 
members, and absolutely in all things.

    [5.] Then he subjoins further the most powerful consolation, and 
sufficient to recover them and quiet their vexed souls. And what is this?

    Ver. 31. "Desire earnestly," saith he, "the better gifts. And a still 
more excellent way show I unto you."

    Now by saying this, he gently hinted that they were the cause of their 
own receiving the lesser gifts, and had it in their power, if they would, 
to receive the greater. For when he saith, "desire earnestly," he demands 
from them all diligence and desire for spiritual things. And he said not, 
the greater gifts, but "the better," i.e., the more useful, those which 
would profit. And what he means is this: "continue to desire girls; and I 
point out to you a fountain of gifts." For neither did he say, "a gift," 
but "a way," that he might the more extol that which he intends to mention. 
As if he said, It is not one, or two, or three gifts that I point out to 
you, but one way which leadeth to all these(1): and not merely a way, but 
both "a more excellent way" and one that is open in common to all. For not 
as the gifts are vouchsafed, to some these, to others those, but not all to 
all; so also in this case: but it is an universal girl. Wherefore also he 
invites all to it. "Desire earnestly," saith he, "the better gifts and yet 
show I unto you a more excellent way;" meaning love towards our neighbor,

    Then intending to proceed to the discourse concerning it and the 
encomium of this virtue, he first lowereth these by comparison with it, 
intimating that they are nothing without it; very considerately. For if he 
had at once discoursed of love, and having said, "I show unto you a way," 
had added, "but this is love," and had not conducted his discourse by way 
of comparison; some might possibly have scoffed at what was said, not 
understanding. clearly the force of the thing spoken of but still gaping 
after these. Wherefore he doth not at once unfold it, but first excites the 
hearer by the promise, and saith, " I show unto you a more excellent way," 
and so having led him to desire it, he doth not even thus straightway 
proceed to it, but augmenting still further and extending their desire, he 
discourses first of these very things, and shows that without it they are 
nothing; reducing them to the greatest necessity of loving one another; 
seeing also that from neglect of it sprang that which caused all their 
evils. So that in this respect also it might justly appear great, if the 
gifts not only brought them not together, but divided them even when 
united: but this, when many were so divided, would reunite them by virtue 
of its own and make them one body. This however he doth not say at once, 
but what they chiefly longed for, that he sets down; as that the thing was 
a gift and a most excellent way to all the gifts. So that, even if thou 
wilt not love thy brother on the score of friendship, yet for the sake of 
obtaining a better sign and an abundant gift, cherish love.

    [6.] And see whence he first begins; from that which was marvellous in 
their eyes and great, the gift of tongues. And in bringing forward that 
gift, he mentions it not just in. the degree they had it in, but far more. 
For he did not say, "if I speak with tongues," but,

    Chap. xiii. ver. 1. "If I speak with the tongues of men,--"

    What is, "of men?" Of all nations in every part of the world. And 
neither was he content with this amplification, but he likewise uses 
another much greater, adding the words, "and of angels,--and have not love, 
I am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal."

    Dost thou see to what point he first exalted the gift, and to what 
afterwards he lowered and cast it down? For neither did he simply say, "I 
am nothing," but, "I am become sounding brass" a thing senseless and 
inanimate But how "sounding brass?" Emitting a sound indeed, but at random 
and in vain, and for no good end. Since besides my profiting nothing, I am 
counted by most men as one giving impertinent trouble, an annoying and 
wearisome kind of person. Seest thou how one void of love is like to things 
inanimate and senseless?

    Now he here speaks of the "tongues of angels," not investing angels 
with a body, but what he means is this: "should I even so speak as angels 
are wont to discourse unto each other, without this I am nothing, nay 
rather a burden and an annoyance." Thus (to mention one other example) 
where he saith, "To Him every knee shall bow, of things in heaven and 
things on earth, and things under the earth," (Phil. ii. 10.) he doth not 
say these things as if he attributed to angels knees and bones, far from 
it, but it is their intense adoration which he intends also here he calls 
it "a tongue" not meaning an instrument of flesh, but intending to indicate 
their converse with each other by the manner which is known amongst us.

    [7.] Then, in order th