HOMILY III.] HOMILIES ON THESSALONIANS. 387 use, injuring those that meddle with it, not only not itself bearing fruit, but even hindering that which was shooting forth. Such is wealth. It not only does not bear eternal fruit, but it even hinders those who wish to gain it. Thorns are the food of irrational camels ; they are devoured and consumed by fire, being useful for nothing. Such also is wealth, useful for nothing, but to kindle the furnace, to light up The Day that burns as an oven, to nourish passions void of reason, revenge and anger. For such is also the camel that feeds on thorns. For it is said by those who are acquainted with such things, that there is no animal so implacable, so sulky and revengeful, as a camel. Such is wealth. It nourishes the unreasonable passions of the soul, but it pierces and wounds the rational, as is the case with thorns. This plant is hard and rough, and grows up of itself. Let us see how it grows up, that we may root it out. It grows in places that are precipitous, stony and dry, where there is no moisture. When therefore anyone is rough and precipitous, that is unmerciful, the thorn grows in him. But when the sons of husbandmen wish to root them up, they do it not with iron. How then ? Hav ing set fire to it, they in that way extract all the bad quality of the land. For since it is not enough to cut away the upper part, whilst the root remains below, nor even to extirpate the root, (for it remains in the earth from its bad quality, and, as when some pestilence has assailed the body, there are still left the remains of it,) the fire from above, drawing up all that moisture ofthe thorns, 1 like some poison, extracts it by means of the heat from the bowels of the earth. For as the cupping glass placed upon the part draws all the disorder to itself, so also the fire draws off all the base quality that was in the thorns, and makes the land pure. On what account then do I say these things ? Because it behoves you to purge off all affection for riches. With us also there is a fire that draws this bad quality from the soul ; I mean that of the Spirit. This if we let work on them, we shall be able not only to dry up the thorns, but also the humor from them, since if they be deeply fixed, all is rendered vain. For mark, Has a rich man entered here, or also a rich woman ? She does not regard how she shall hear the oracles of God, but how she shall make a show, how she shall sit with pomp, how with much glory, how she shall sur pass all other women in the costliness of her garments, and render herself more dignified both by her dress, and look, and gait. And all her care and concern is, Did such a woman see i So Virgil: " Sive illis omne per ignem Excoquitur vitium atque exudat inutilis humor." Georg. i. 87, me ? did she admire me ? Is my beauty hand somely set off? so that her garments may not rot, nor be rent ; and about this is all her care. In like manner also the rich man enters, mean ing to exhibit himself to the poor man, and to strike him with awe by the garments which are about him, and by the number of his slaves, who also stand round, driving off the crowd. But he from his great pride does not condescend even to do this, but considers it a work so unworthy of a gentleman, that although excessively puffed up, he cannot bear to do it, but commits it to his slaves. For to do this requires truly servile and impudent manners. Thenwhen he is seated, the cares of his house immediately intrude them selves, distracting him on every side. The pride that possesses his soul overflows. He thinks that he does a favor both to us, and to the peo ple, and perhaps even to God, because he has entered into the house of God. But he who is thus inflamed, how shall he ever be cured ? Tell me then, if any one should go to the shop of a physician, and not ask a favor of the physi cian, but think that he was doing him a favor, and declining to request a medicine for his wound, should concern himself about his gar ments ; would he go away having received any benefit? I think not indeed. But, with your leave, I will tell you the cause of all these things. They think when they enter in here, that they enter into our presence, they think that what they hear they hear from us. They do not lay to heart, they do not consider, that they are entering into the presence of God, that it is He who addresses them. For when the Reader standing up says, "Thus saith the Lord," and the Deacon stands and imposes silence on all, he does not say this as doing honor to the Reader, but to Him who speaks to all through him. If they knew that it was God who through His prophet speaks these things, they would cast away all their pride. For if when rulers are addressing them, they do not allow their minds to wander, much less would they, when God is speaking. We are ministers, beloved. We speak not our own things, but the things of God, letters coming from heaven are every day read. Tell me then, I beseech you, if now, when we are all present, some one entered, having a gold en girdle, and drawing himself up, and with an air of consequence said that he was sent by the king that is on the earth, and that he brought letters to the whole city concerning matters of importance ; would,you not then be all turned towards him ? Would you not, without anycom mand from a deacon, observe a profound silence ? Truly I think so. For I have often heard letters from kings read here. Then if any one comes from a king, you all attend ; and does a Prophet come from God, and speak from heaven, and