HOMILY XX.] HOMILIES ON EPHESIANS. 47 say, where there is fear? It will exist there, I say, preeminently. For she that fears and rever ences, loves also ; and she that loves, fears and reverences him as being the head, and loves him as being a member, since the head itself is a member of the body at large. Hence he places the one in subjection, and the other in authority, that there may be peace ; for where there is equal authority there can never be peace ; neither where a house is a democracy, nor where all are rulers ; but the ruling power must of neces sity be one. And this is universally the case with matters referring to the body, inasmuch as when men are spiritual, there will be peace. There were " five thousand souls," and not one of them said, " that aught of the things which he possessed was his own" (Acts iv. 32), but they were subject one to another; an indication this of wisdom, and of the fear of God. The principle of love, however, he explains ; that of fear he does not. And mark, how on that of love he enlarges, stating the arguments relating to Christ and those relating to one s own flesh, the words, " For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother." (Ver. 31.) Whereas upon those drawn from fear he forbears to enlarge. And why so? Because he would rather that this principle prevail, this, namely, of love ^ for where this exists, everything else follows of course, but where the other exists, not neces sarily. For the man who loves his wife, even though she be not a very obedient one, still will bear with everything. So difficult and imprac ticable is unanimity, where persons are not bound together by that love which is founded in supreme authority ; at all events, fear will not necessarily effect this. Accordingly, he dwells the more upon this, which is the strong tie. And the wife though seeming to be the loser in that she was charged to fear, is the gainer, because the principal duty, love, is charged upon the husband. " But what," one may say, " if a wife reverence me not?" Nevermind, thou art to love, fulfill thine own duty. For though that which is due from others may not follow, we ought of course to do our duty. This is an example of what I mean. He says, "submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of Christ." And what then if another submit not himself? Still obey thou the law of God. Just so, I say, is it also here. Let the wife at least, though she be not loved, still reverence notwithstanding, that nothing may lie at her door ; and let the husband, though his wife reverence him not, still show her love notwithstanding, that he himself be not wanting in any point. For each has received his own. This then is marriage when it takes place according to Christ, spiritual marriage, and spir itual birth, not of blood, nor of travail, nor of the will of the flesh. Such was the birth of Christ, not of blood, nor of travail. Such also was that of Isaac. Hear how the Scripture saith, " And it ceased to be with Sarah after the man ner of women." (Gen. xviii. ii.) Yea, a mar riage it is, not of passion, nor of the flesh, but wholly spiritual, the soul being united to God by a union unspeakable, and which He alone knoweth. Therefore he saith, " He that is joinedunto the Lord is one spirit." (i Cor. vi. 17.) Mark how earnestly he endeavors to unite both flesh with flesh, and spirit with spirit. Andwhere are the heretics? 1 Never surely, if mar riage were a thing to be condemned, would he have called Christ and the Church a bride and bridegroom ; never would he have brought for ward by way of exhortation the words, " A man shall leave his father and his mother"; and again have added, that it was " spoken in regard of Christ and of the Church." For of her it is that the Psalmist also saith, " Hearken, O daugh ter, and consider, and incline thine ear ; forget also thine own people, and thy father s house. So shall the king desire thy beauty." (Ps. xlv. 10, n.) Therefore also Christ saith, "I came out from the Father, and am come." (John xvi. 28.) But when I say, that He left the Father, imagine not such a thing as happens among men, a change of place ; for just in the same way as the word "go forth" is used, not because He literally came forth, but because of His incarnation, so also is the expression, " He left the Father." Now why did he not say of the wife also, She shall be joined unto her husband ? Why, I say, is this? Because he was discoursing concerning love, and was discoursing to the husband. For to her indeed he discourses concerning rever ence, and says, " the husband is the head of the wife " (ver. 23), and again, Christ is the Head of the Church." Whereas to him he discourses concerning love, and commits to him this prov ince of love, and declares to him that which pertains to love, thus binding him and cement ing him to her. For the man that leaves his father for the sake of his wife, and then again, leaves this very wife herself and abandons her, what forbearance can he deserve? Seest thou not how great a share of honor God would have her enjoy, in that he hath taken thee away from thy father, and hath linked thee to her ? What then, a man may say, if our duty is done, and yet she does not follow the exam ple? " Yet if the unbelieving departeth, let him depart ; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases." (i Cor. vii. 15.) 1 The Gnostics, Encratites (Schaff, Church Hist. II. p. 495), and other sects forbade marriage; vid. i Tim. iv. 3. Here the Marcion- tes seem to be intended, whom St. Chrysostom often mentions; vid. supr. Horn. xix. [See SchafTs Church Hist., Vol. II., p. 457- -.A.]