2 73 WORKS OF ST. CHRYSOSTOM. [HOMILY IV. feared him only ; for they said not,Where is God ? but, Where is Moses? and his very presence was fearful. So when they did amiss, observe how he punished them. For God indeed was desirous of casting them off; but he would not permit Him. Or rather the whole was of God ; just as when a Father threatens whilst a school master entreats Him, and says, " Forgive them, I pray, on my account, and henceforward I un dertake for them." In this way was the wilder ness a school. And as children who have been a long while at school are desirous of quitting it, so also were they at that time continually desiring Egypt, and weeping, saying, " We are lost, we are wholly consumed, we are utterly undone." (Ex. xvi. 3.) And Moses broke their tablet, having written for them, as it were, certain words (Ex. xxxii. 19) ; just as a school master would do, who having taken up the writ ing tablet, and found it badly written, throws away the tablet itself, desiring to show great anger ; and if he have broken it, the father is not angry. For he indeed was busy writing, but they not attending to him, but turning them selves other ways, were committing disorder. And as in school, they strike each other, so also, on that occasion, he bade them strike and slay each other. And again, having given them as it were lessons to learn, then asking for them, and finding they had not learnt them, he would punish them. For instance. W T hat writings were those that denoted the power of God? The events in P^gypt? Yes, saith one, but these writings represented the plagues, that He pun ishes His enemies. And to them it was a school. For what else was the punishment of your enemies but your benefit? And in other respects too, He benefited you. And it was the same as if one should say he knew his letters, but when asked up and down, should be at fault, and be beaten. So they also said indeed that they knew the power of God, but when asked their knowledge up and down, they could not give it, and therefore were beaten. Hast thou seen water? Thou oughtest to be reminded of the water in Egypt. ForHe that of water made blood, will be also of power to do this.1 As we also say often to the children, " when in a book thou seest the letter A, remember that thou hadst it in thy tablet." Hast thou seen famine? Remember that it was He that destroyed the crops.! Hast thou seen wars? Remember the drowning ! Hast thou seen that they are mighty who inhabit the land? But not mightier than the Egyptians. He who took thee out of the midst of them, will He not much more save thee when out ? But they knew not how to answer their letters out of order, and therefore they were beaten. " They ate," and drank, " and kicked." 1 Or, " to produce this," if he refers to the want of water. (Deut. xxxii. 15.) When fed with their manna they ought not to have asked for luxury, seeing they had known the evils which proceed from it. And they acted precisely as if a free child, when sent to school, should ask to be reckoned with the slaves, and to wait on them, so did these also in seeking Egypt and when receiving all needful sustenance, and such as becomes a free person, and sitting at his father s table, should have a longing for the ill-savored and noisy one of the servants. And they said to Moses, "Yea, Lord, all that thou hast spoken will we do, and be obedient." (Ex. xxiv. 7.) And as it hap pens in the case of desperately bad children, that when the father would put them to death,2 the schoolmaster perseveringly entreats for them, the same was the case at that time also. Why have we said these things ? Because we differ in nothing from children. Wilt thou hear their doctrines also, that they are those of chil dren? "Eye for eye," it is said, "and tooth for tooth." (Lev. xxiv. 20.) For nothing is so eager to revenge as a childish mind. For see ing it is a passion of irrationality, and there is much irrationality, and great lack of considera tion in that age, no wonder the child is tyran nized over by anger ; and so great is the tyranny, that ofttimes after stumbling and getting up again, they will smite their knee for passion, or overturn the footstool, and so will allay their pain, and quench their rage. In some such way as this did God also deal with them, when He allowed them to strike out " Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth," and destroyed the Egyp tians and the Amalekites that had grieved them. And He promised such things ; as if to one who said, " Father, such and such an one has beaten me," the father should then reply, " Such and such an one is a bad man, and let us hate him." So also doth God say, " I will be their enemy that are thine enemies, and I will hate them that hate thee." (Ex. xxiii. 22.) And again, when Balaam prayed, the condescension which was used towards them was childish. For as with children, when having been frightened at any thing not frightful, such as either a lock of wool, or any other thing of like sort, they are sud denly alarmed ; that their fear may not continue in them, we bring the thing up to their hands, and make their nurses show it them : so also did God ; seeing that the Prophet was a terror to them, he turned the terror of him into confi dence. And as children who are under weaning have all manner of things in little baskets, so also did He give them everything, and dain ties in abundance. Still the child longs for the breast ; so did these also for Egypt and the flesh that was there. 1 avc\fiv. Perhaps he means no more than to renounce or dis inherit, as he said above.