HOMILY IV.] HOMILIES ON THESSALONIANS. 341 that when suffering they did not yield, but stood manfully, was sufficient to confirm the disciples. But he reverses the whole matter, and turns the encomium over to them. You have anointed us, he says, you have caused us to breathe again ; you have not suffered us to feel our trials. And he has not said, we breathe again, nor we are comforted, but what? "Now we live," showing that he thinks nothing is either trial or death, but their stumbling, whereas their advancement was even life. How else could any one have set forth either the sorrow for the weakness of one s disciples, or the joy? He has not said we rejoice, but " we live," the life to come. So that without this we do not even think it life to live. So ought teachers to be affected,.so disciples ; and there will be nothing at any time amiss. 1 Then further softening the expression, see what he says, Ver. 9, 10. " For what thanksgiving can we render again unto God for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God ; night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face, and may perfect that which is lacking in your faith?" Not only, he says, are ye the causes of life to us, but also of much joy, and so much that we cannot worthily give thanks to God. Your 2 good behavior, he says, we consider to be the gift of .God. Such kindnesses have you shown to us, that we think it to be of God ; yea, rather, and it is of God. For such a disposition of mind comes not of a human soul or carefulness. " Night and day," he says, " praying exceed ingly." This too is a sign of joy. For as any husbandman, hearing concerning his land that has been tilled by himself, that it is burdened -with ears of grain, longs with his own eyes to see so pleasant a sight, so Paul to see Macedonia. " Praying exceedingly." Observe the excess ; " that we may see your face, and may perfect that which is lacking in your faith." Here there is a great question. For if now thou livest, because they stand fast, and Timothy brought thee " glad tidings of their faith and love," and thou art full of so much joy as not to be able worthily to give thanks to God, how sayest thou here that there are deficiencies in their faith? Were those then the words of flat tery? By no means, far be it. For previously he testified that they endured many conflicts, and were no worse affected than the Churches in Judaea. What then is it? They had not enjoyed the full benefit of his teaching, nor learned all that it behoved them to learn. And 1 O.TO1TOV. 2 So Musculus, who may have had MS. authority. All Greek copies except Catena read " our," which requires <caTop0cofia to be rendered " achievement" in a less proper sense. [Three MSS. give " our," and although two of them form a group that abounds in wrong alterations, yet the present reading is probably correct. J. A. B.] this he shows toward the end. Perhaps there had been questionings among them concerning the Resurrection, and there were many who troubled them, not by temptations, nor by dan gers, but by acting the part of teachers. This is what he says is lacking in their faith, and for this reason, he has so explained himself, and has not said, that you should be confirmed, where indeed he feared concerning the faith itself, " I have sent," he says, "Timothy to confirm you, " but here, " to perfect that which is lack ing," which is rather a matter of teaching than of confirming. As also he says elsewhere, "that ye may be perfected unto every good work." (From i Cor. i. 10, or 2 Tim. iii. 17.) Now the perfected thing is one in which there is some little deficiency : for it is that which is brought to perfection. Ver. n, 12. "Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ direct our way unto you : and the Lord make you to in crease and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we also do toward you." This is a proof of excessive love, that he not only prays for them by himself, but even in his Epistles inserts his prayer. This argues a fer vent soul, and one truly not to be restrained. This is a proof of the prayers made there also, and at the same time also an excuse, as showing that it was not voluntarily, nor from indolence, that they 3 did not go to them. As if he had said, May God Himself cut short the tempta tions that everywhere distract us, so that we may come directly to you. " And the Lord make you to increase and abound." Do you see the unrestrainable madness of love that is shown by his words? "Make you to increase and abound," 4 instead of cause you to grow. As if one should say, that with a kind of super abundance he desires to be loved by them. " Even as we do also toward you," he says. Our part is already done, we pray that yours may be done. Do you see how he wishes love to be extended, not only toward one another, but everywhere? For this truly is the nature of godly love, that it embraces all. If you love indeed such an one, but do not love such an one, it is human love. But such is not ours. " Even as we do also toward you." Ver. 13. "To the end He may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints." He shows that love produces advantage to themselves, not to those who are loved. I wish, he says, that this love may abound, that there may be no blemish. He does not say to stablish 3 St. Paul and Silvanus. * The words are strong, " make you to exceed and overflow."