from Himself to me. Wherefore was He called the Way? That thou mightest understand
that by Him we have access to the Father. Wherefore was He called the Rock? that thou
mightest understand the secure and unshaken character of the faith. Wherefore was He
called the Foundation? That thou mightest understand that He upholdeth all things.
Wherefore was He called the Root? That thou mightest understand that in Him we have
our power of growth. Wherefore was He called the Shepherd? Because He feeds us.
Wherefore was He called a sheep? Because He was sacrificed for us and became a propitiatory
offering. Wherefore was He called the Life? Because He raised us up when we were dead.
Wherefore was He called the Light? Because He delivered us from darkness. Why was He
called an Arm? Because He is of one substance with the Father. Why was He called the
Word? Because He was begotten of the Father. For as my word is the offspring of my spirit,
even so was the Son begotten of the Father. Wherefore is He called our raiment? Because I
was clothed with Him when I was baptized. Why is He called a table? Because I feed upon
Him when I partake of the mysteries. Why is He called a house? Because I dwell in Him.
Why is He called an inmate of the house? Because we become His Temple. Wherefore is
He called the Head? Because I have been made a member of His. Why is He called a Bride-
groom? Because He hath taken me as His bride. Wherefore is He called undefiled? Because
He took me as a virgin. Wherefore is He called Master? Because I am His bondmaid.
9. For observe the Church, how, as I was saying, she is sometimes a bride, sometimes a
daughter, sometimes a virgin, sometimes a bondmaid, sometimes a queen, sometimes a
barren woman, sometimes a mountain, sometimes a garden, sometimes fruitful in children,
sometimes a lily, sometimes a fountain: She is all things. Therefore having heard these things,
think not I pray you that they are corporeal; but stretch thy thought further: for such things
cannot be corporeal. For example: the mountain is not the maid: the maid is not the bride:
the queen is not the bond-maid: yet the Church is all these things. Wherefore? because the
element in which they exist is not corporeal but spiritual. For in a corporeal sphere these
things are confined within narrow limits: but in a spiritual sphere they have a wide field of
operation. “The queen stood on thy right hand.”846 The queen? How did she who was down-
trodden and poor become a queen? and where did she ascend? the queen herself stood on
high by the side of the king. How? because the king became a servant; He was not that by
nature, but He became so. Understand therefore the things which belong to the Godhead,
and discern those which belong to the Dispensation. Understand what He was, and what
He became for thy sake, and do not confuse things which are distinct, nor make the argument
of his lovingkindness an occasion for blasphemy. He was lofty, and she was lowly: lofty not
by position but by nature. His essence was pure, and imperishable: His nature was incorrupt-
ible, unintelligible, invisible, incomprehensible, eternal, unchangeable, transcending the
846 Ps. xlv. 10.
354
Homily II. After Eutropius having been found outside the Church had been…