WORKS OF ST. CHRYSOSTOM. [HOMILY VIII. all unproductive, all for vengeance ; images of wrath that has gone before, and proofs of that which is to come. Are these too but threatening words? Are these but the sound of words? For to me in deed the former things were not incredible, but things not seen were equally credible with things that were seen. But even to the unbeliever these are sufficient to produce faith. If any one disbelieves hell, let him consider Sodom, let him reflect upon Gomorrah, the vengeance that has been inflicted, and which yet remains. This is a proof of the eternity of punishment. Are these things grievous? And is it not grievous, when you say that there is no hell, but that God has merely threatened it? when you slack the hands of the people? 1 It is thou who disbe- lievest that compellest me to say these things ; it is thou that hast drawn me out into these words. If thou believedst the words of Christ, I should not be compelled to bring forward facts to induce belief. But since you have evaded them, you shall be persuaded hence forth, whether willing or unwilling. For what have you to say concerning Sodom ? Would you wish also to know the cause, for which these things were then done ? It was one sin, a griev ous and accursed one certainly, yet but one. The men of that time had a passion for boys, and on that account they suffered this punish ment. But now ten thousand sins equal and even more grievous than these are committed. Then Hewho for one sin poured forth so much anger, and neither regarded the supplication of Abraham, nor yet Lot who dwelt among them, the manwho from honor to His servants offered his own daughters to insult, will He spare, when there are so many sins? These things truly are ridiculous, trifling, delusion, and diabolical deceit ! Do you wish that I should also bring forward another? You have certainly heard of Pharaoh, king of the Egyptians ; you know therefore the punishment also which he suffered, how even with his whole host, chariots and horses and all, he was engulfed in the Erythraean sea. Would you hear also other examples ? he perhaps was an impious man, or rather not perhaps, but cer tainly he was an impious man. Would you see those also punished, who were of the number of believers, and who held fast to God, but were not of upright life ? Hear Paul saying, " Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them com mitted, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us murmur, as some of them murmured, and perished by the destroyer. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them tempted, and perished by the serpents." (i Cor. x. 8-10.) And if fornication, and if mur- 1 See Heb. xii. 12; Jer. xxxviii. 4. muring had such power, what will not be the effect of our sins ? And if thou dost not now pay the penalty, do not wonder. For they knew not of a hell, there fore they were visited with punishments follow ing close at their heels. But thou, whatever sins thou commit, though thou shouldest escape present penalty, wilt pay for it all There. Did he so punish those who were nearly in the state of children, and who did not sin so greatly and will He spare us? It would not be reason able. For if we commit the same sins with them, we shall deserve a greater punishment than they did. Wherefore? Because we have enjoyed more grace. But when our offenses are numerous, and more heinous than theirs, what vengeance shall we not undergo ? They and let no one think I say it as admiring them, or excusing them ; far be it : for when God pun ishes, he who passes a contrary sentence, does it at the suggestion of the devil ; I say this therefore, not praising them nor excusing them, but showing our wickedness they therefore, although they murmured, were, however, travel ing a wilderness road : but we murmur though we have a country, and are in our own houses. They, although they committed fornication, yet it was just after they came out of the evils of Egypt, and had hardly heard of such a law. But we do it, having previously received from our forefathers the doctrine of salvation, so that we are deserving of greater punishment. Would you hear also of other things? what were their sufferings in Palestine, famines, pesti lences, wars, captivities, under the Babylonians, and under the Assyrians, and their miseries from the Macedonians, and those under Hadrian and Vespasian? I have something that I wish, be loved, to relate to thee ; nay, do not run away ! 2 Or rather I will tell thee another thing before it. There was once a famine, it says, and the king was walking upon the wall ; then a woman came to him and uttered these words : " O king, this woman said to me, Let us roast thy son to-day, and eat him to-morrow mine. And we roasted and ate, and now she does not give me hers." (From 2 Kings vi. 28.) What can be more dreadful than this calamity? Again, in another place the Prophet says, " The hands of the piti ful women have sodden their own children." (Lam. iv. 10.) The Jews then suffered such punishment, and shallwe not much rather suffer? Would,you also hear other calamities of theirs ? Read over Josephus, and you will learn that whole tragedy, if perchance we may persuade you from these things, that there is a hell. For consider, if they were punished, why are we not punished? or how is it reasonable that we are not now punished, who sin more grievously than - fj.r) a7ro7TT)6>/crr)?, perhaps only " turn away."