loS WORKS OF ST. CHRYSOSTOM. [HOMILY XI. generally is a failing of women, 1 relate to them that are absent this similitude which I have made ; startle them. If any think to grieve me and thus to have their revenge, let them be well aware that they do these things in vain. For if thou wishest to revenge thyself on me, I will give thee a method by which thou mayest take vengeance without injury to thyself; or rather without injury it is not possible to revenge thy self, but at all events with less injury. Buffet me, woman, spit upon me, when thou meetest me in the public way, and aim blows at me. Dost thou shudder at hearing this ? When I bid thee buffet me, dost thou shudder, and dost thou tear thy Lord and Master and not shudder? Dost thou pluck asunder the limbs of thy Lord and Master, and not tremble? The Church is our Father s house. " There is one body, and one Spirit." But dost thou wish to revenge thyself on me? Yet stop at me. Why dost thou revenge thyself on Christ in my stead ? nay, rather, why kick against the nails ? In no case indeed is revenge good and right, but to assault one when another has done the wrong is far worse. Is it I that wronged you? Why then inflict pain on Him who hath not wronged you ? This is the very extreme of madness. I speak not in irony what I am about to say, norwithout purpose, but as I really think and as I feel. I would that every one of those who with you are exasperated against me, and who by this exas peration are injuring themselves, and departing elsewhere, would direct his blows at me in my very face, would strip me and scourge me, be his charge againstme just or unjust, and let loose his wrath upon me, rather than that they should dare to commit what they now dare. If this were done, it were nothing ; nothing, that a man who is a mere nothing and of no account what ever, should be so treated. And besides, I, the wronged and injured person, might call upon God, and He might forgive you your sins. Not because I have so great confidence ; but because when he who has been wronged, entreats for him who has done the wrong, he gains great confi dence. " If one man sin against another," it is said, "then shall they pray for him" 2 (i Sam. ii. 25) ; and if I were unable, I might seek for 1 St. Chrysostom was eventually banished and brought to his end by the Empress Eudoxia. Women had taken a strong part with the Arians from the first, to which perhaps he alludes. When Arius began his heresy, he was joined by seven hundred single women. Epiphan. Hcer. 69, 3; vid. also Socr. ii. 2, ofthe Court, Greg. Naz. Or. 48, of Constantinople, &c., &c. 2 [This is the reading of the Septuagint, as follows: av e<? avSpia- nov Tts a/iapTfl, irpocreufOVTO.L jrepi auTou. The Hebrew, however, other holy men, and entreat them, and they might do it. But now whom shall we even en treat, when God is outraged by us ? Mark the consistency; for of those who be long to this Church, some never approach to communicate at all, or but once in the year, and then without purpose, and just as it may happen ; others more regularly indeed, yet they too care lessly and without purpose, and while engaged in conversation, and trifling about nothing : whilst those who, forsooth, seem to be in earnest, these are the very persons who work this mischief. Yet surely, if it is for these things ye are in earnest, it were better that ye also were in the ranks of the indifferent ; or rather it were better still, that neither they should be indif ferent, nor you such as ye are. I speak not of you that are present, but of those who are de serting from us. The act is adultery. And if ye bear not to hear these things of them, neither should ye of us. There must be breach of the law either on the one side or the other. If then thou hast these suspicions concerning me, I am ready to retire from my office, and resign it to whomsoever ye may choose. Only let the Church be one. But if I have been lawfully made and consecrated, entreat those who have contrary to the law mounted the episcopal throne to resign it. These things I have said, not as dictating to you, but only to secure and protect you. Since every one of you is come to age, and will have to give account of the things which he has done, I entreat you not to cast the whole matter on us, and consider yourselves to be irresponsible, that ye may not go on fruitlessly deceiving yourselves, and at last bewail it. An account indeed we shall have to give of your souls ; but it will be when we have been wanting on our part, when we fail to exhort, when we fail to admonish, when we fail to protest. But after these words, allow even me to say that " I am pure from the blood of all men " (Acts xx. 26) ; and that "God will deliver my soul." (Ezek. iii. 19, 21.) Say what ye will, give a just cause why ye depart, and I will answer you. But no, ye will not state it. Wherefore I entreat you, endeavor hence forward both to resist nobly and to bring back those who have seceded, that we may with one accord lift up thanksgiving to God ; for to Him belongs the glory for ever and ever. Amen. is different, and reads, " If one man sin against another, God shall judge him; but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall entreat for him?" So the Rev. Ver. G. A.]