8o WORKS OF ST. CHRYSOSTOM. [HOMILY VII. equal to this: for "formerly," saith he, such was I; and again he calls himself, " one born out of due time." (i Cor. xv : 8.) But that after so many great and good deeds and at that time he should thus humble himself, and call himself "less than the least of all," this is indeed great and surpassing moderation. " To one who am less than the least of all saints ; " he saith not, "than the Apostles." So that that expression is less strong than this before us. There his words are, "I am not meet to be called an Apostle." (i Cor. xv : 9.) Here he says that he is even less than the least of all saints;" "to me," saith he, "who am less than the least of all saintswas this grace given." What grace? "To preach unto the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all men see what is the dispensation of themys tery, which from all ages hath been hid in God, who created all things, to the intent that now unto the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places, might be made known through the Church the manifold wisdom of God." True, to man it was not revealed ; and art thou enlightening Angels and Archangels and Prin cipalities and Powers ? I am, saith he. For it was " hid in God," even "in Godwho created all things." And dost thou venture to utter this? I do, saith he. But whence hath this been made manifest to the Angels? By the Church. Again he saith, not merely the mani fold (TTOWAO?) but the much-manifold (xoluxot- xfAo?) wisdom, that is, "the multiplied and varied." What then is this? Did not Angels know it ? No, nothing of it ; for if Principali ties knew it not, much less could Angels ever have known it. What then? Did not even Archangels know it? No, nor even they. But whence were they going toknow it ? Whowas to reveal it ? When we were ta-ught it, then were they also by us. 1 For hear what the Angel saith to Joseph ; "Thou shalt call His Name Jesus, for it is He that shall save His people from their sins." (Matt, i : 21.) Paul himself was sent to the Gentiles, the other Apostles to the Circumsion. So that the more marvellous and astonishing com mission was given, saith he, "to me, who am less than the least." And this too was of grace, that he that was least should have the greatest things entrusted to him ; that he should be made the herald of these tidings. For he that is made a herald of the greater tidings, is in this way great. " To preach unto the Gentiles the unsearch able riches2 of Christ." 1 S. Chrysostom says the same, Orat. iv. in Anom. 2. and Horn. i. in Jnan. 2. (ed. Ben.) vid. also Theodoret in Ps. 23. 7. 8. S. Greg. Nycs. Horn. 8 in Cant. p. 596. S. Jerome in lac. [Comp. i Pet. i : 12, vhich things angels desire to look into. G. A.]a [ " The whole divine fulness of salvation, of which Christ is t^e possessor and bestower. and which is of such a nature that the If His "riches are unsearchahle," and that too after his appearing, much more is His essence. If it is still a mystery, much more was it before it was made known ; for a mys tery he calls it on this account, because neither did the Angels know it, nor was it manifest to any one else. " And to make all men see, "saith he, " what is the dispensation of the mystery which from all ages hath been hid in God, who created all things." Angels knew only this, that "The Lord s portion was His people." (Deut. xxxii : 8, 9.) And again it is said, " The Prince of Persia withstood me." (Dan. x: 13.) So that it is nothing to be wondered at that they were ignor ant of this ; for if they were ignorant of the circumstances of the return from the Captivity, much more would they be of these things. For this is the gospel. "It is He that shall save," it saith, " His people." (Matt, i : 21.) Not a word about the Gentiles. But what concerns the Gentiles the Spirit revealeth. That they were called indeed, the Angels knew, but that it was to the same privileges as Israel, yea, even to sit upon the throne of God, this, who would ever have expected ? who would ever have believed ? "Which hath been hid," saith he, "in God." This "dispensation," however, he more clearly unfolds in the Epistle to the Romans. "In God," he continues, "who created all things by Jesus Christ." 3 And he does well to say " by Jesus Christ ; " forasmuch as He who created all things by Him, revealeth also this by Him ; for He hath made nothing without Him; for "without Him," it is said, "was not any thing made." (John i: 30.) In speaking of " principalities" and "pow ers," he speaks both of those above and those beneath. " According to the eternal purpose." It hath been now, he means, brought to pass, but not now decreed, it had been planned before hand from the very first. " According to the eternal purpose which He purposed4 in Christ Jesus our Lord." That is, according to the eter nal foreknowledge ; foreknowing the things to come, i. e., he means the ages to come; for He knew what was to be, and thus decreed it. According to the purpose of the ages, of those, perhaps, which He hath made by Christ Jesus, human intellect cannot explore it so as to form an adequate con ception of it. This does not hinder the proclamation which, on the contrary, is rendered possible by revelation." Meyer. G. A.] 3 [ See note on these words above. G. A.]4 [ This verb, e7roiVe "> has been applied by many to the form ing of the purpose. (So Rev. Ver. ) But it seems best to refer it to the execution of it, regarded as an accomplished fact. Rid* die in Popular Commentary and in Lange. Braune in Lange. Meyer, Ellicott. G. A.]