HOMILY V.] HOMILIES ON PHILIPPIANS. 203 HOMILY V. PHILIPPIANS ii. 1-4. " If there is therefore any comfort in Christ, if any conso lation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and compassions, fulfil ye my joy, that ye be of the same mind, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind; doing nothing through faction or through vainglory; but in lowli ness of mind, each counting other better than him self; not looking each of you to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others." THERE is nothing better, there is nothing more affectionate, than a spiritual teacher ; such an one surpasses the kindness of any natural father. Do but consider, how this blessed one entreats the Philippians concerning the things which were to their own advantage. What says he, in exhorting them concerning concord, that cause of all good things? See how earnestly, how vehemently, with how much sympathy he speaks, "If there be therefore any comfort in Christ," that is, if ye have any comfort in Christ, as ifhe had said, If thou makest any account of me, if thou hast any care of me, if thou hast ever re ceived good at my hands, do this. This mode of earnestness we use when we claim a matter which we prefer to everything else. For if we did not prefer it to everything, we should not wish to receive in it our recompense for all things, nor say that through it all is represented. We indeed remind men of our carnal claims ; for example, if a father were to say, If thou hast any reverence for thy father, if any remem brance of my care in nourishing thee, if any affection towards me, if any memory of the honor thou hast received of me, if any of my kindness, be not at enmity with thy brother ; that is, for all those things, this is what I ask in return. But Paul does not so ; he calls to ourremem brance no carnal, but all of them spiritual bene fits. That is, if ye wish to give me any comfort in my temptations, and encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if ye wish to show any communion in the Spirit, if ye have any tender mercies and compassions, fulfil ye my joy. " If any tender mercies and compassions." Paul speaks of the concord of his disciples as compassion towards himself, thus showing that the danger was extreme, if they were not of one mind. If I can obtain comfort from you, if I can obtain any consolation from your love, if I can communicate with you in the Spirit, if I can have fellowship with you in the Lord, if I can find mercy and compassion at your hands, show by your love the return of all this. All this have I gained, if ye love one another. Ver. 2. " Fulfil ye my joy." That the exhortation might not seem to be made to people who were still deficient, see how he says not, " do me joy," but " fulfil my joy " ; that is, Ye have begun to plant it in me, ye have already given me some portion of peacefulness, but I desire to arrive at its fulness ? Say, what wouldest thou? that we deliver thee from dan gers ? that we supply somewhat to thy need ? Not so, but " that ye be of the same mind, hav ing the same love," in which ye have begun, " being of one accord, of one mind." Just see, how often he repeats the same thing by reason of his great affection ! " That ye be of the same mind," or rather, " that ye be of one mind." For this is more than " the same." " Having the same love." That is, let it not be simply about faith alone, but also in all other things ; for there is such a thing as to be of the same mind, and yet not to have love. " Having the same love," that is, love and be loved alike ; do not thou enjoy much love, and show less love, so as to be covetous even in this matter ; but do not suffer it in thyself. " Of one accord," he adds, that is, appropriating with one soul, the bodies of all, not in substance, for that is impos sible, but in purpose and intention. Let all things proceed as from one soul. What means "of one accord"? He shows when he says " of one mind." Let your mind be one, as if from one soul. Ver. 3. " Doing nothing through faction." He finally demands this of them, and tells them the way how this may be. " Doing noth ing through faction or vainglory." This, as I always say, is the cause of all evil. Hence come fightings and contentions. Hence come en- vyings and strifes. Hence it is that love waxes cold, when we love the praise of men, when we are slaves to the honor which is paid by the many, for it is not possible for a man to be the slave of praise, and also a true servant of God. How then shall we flee vainglory ? for thou hast not yet told us the way. Listen then to what follows. " But in lowliness of mind, each counting other better than himself." Oh how full of true wisdom, how universal a gathering-word 2 of our i [Field here makes a conjectural alteration which is little better, and we follow the documents. J. A. B.] z yvyitpor^a .