74 WORKS OF ST. CHRYSOSTOM. [CHAPTER VI. envious persons, enchanters, especially cause the body to waste away. But besides this, not even luxury is the effect of the necessity of the body, but rather of the inattentiveness of the soul; for food, not feasting, is the object of the necessity of the body. For if I have a mind to put on a strong curb, I stop the horse ; but the body is unable to check the soul in her evil courses. Wherefore then does he call it the carnal mind ? Because it comes to be wholly of the flesh, for when she has the mastery, then she goes wrong, as soon as ever she has deprived herself of reason, and of the supremacy of the soul. The virtue therefore of the body consists in this, in its submission to the soul, since of itself the flesh is neither good nor evil. For what could the body ever do of itself? It is then by its connection that the body is good, good because of its subjection, but of itself neither good nor evil, with capacity, however, both for one and for the other, and having an equal tendency either way. The body has a natural desire, not however of fornication, nor of adultery, but of pleasure ; the body has a desire not of feasting, but of food ; not of drunkenness, but of drink. For in proof that it is not drunkenness that is the natural de sire of the body, mark how, whenever you ex ceed the measure, when you go beyond the boundary-lines, it cannot hold out a moment longer. Up to this point it is of the body, but all the rest of the excesses, as e. g., when she is hurried away ento sensualities,when shebecomes stupefied, these are of the soul. For though the body be good, still it is vastly inferior to the soul, as lead is less of value than gold, and yet gold needs lead to solder it, and just so has the soul need also of the body. Or in the same way as a noble child requires a conductor, so again does the soul stand in need of the body. For, as we speak of childish things, not to the disparagement of childhood, but only of those acts which are done during child hood ; so also are we now speaking of the body. Yet it is in our power, if we will, no longer to be in the flesh, no, nor upon the earth, but in heaven, and in the Spirit. For our being here or there, is notdetermined somuch by our posi tion, as by our disposition. Of many people, at least, who are in some place, we say they are not there, when we say, " Thou wast not here. And again Thou art not here." And why do I say this? We often say, " Thou art not at (iv) thyself, I am not at (y) myself," and yet what can be more material (a stronger instance of corporeal locality) than this, that a man is near to himself? And yet, notwithstanding, we say that he is not at himself. Let us then be in ourselves, in heaven, in the Spirit. Let us abide in the peace and in the grace of God, that we may be set at liberty from all the things of the flesh, and may be able to attain to those good things which are promised in Jesus Christ our Lord, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, and might, and honor, now and henceforth, and for ever and ever. Amen. HOMILY VI CHAPTER u. VERSES 17-22. "And He came and preached peace to you that were far off, and peace to them that were nigh, for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit unto the Father. So then ye are no more strangers and so- journers, but ye are fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, being built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the chief corner-stone. In whom each several building, fitly framed together, groweth into a holy temple in the Lord. In whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God in the Spirit." HE sent not, saith the Apostle, by the hand of another, nor did He announce these tidings to us by means of any other, but Himself did it in His own person. He sent not Angel nor Archangel on the mission, because to repair so many and vast mischiefs and to declare what had been wrought was in the power of none other, but required His own coming. 1 The Lord then took upon Himself the rank of a ser vant, nay, almost of a minister, "and came, and preached peace to you," saith he, "that were far off, and to them that were nigh." To the Jews, he means, who as compared with our- 1 [This passage does not refer to His bodily advent upon earth,as Chrysostom interprets, but following the account of his crucifix ion more naturally refers to a spiritual advent, namely in the Holy Spirit, (in so far as it is Christ s spirit) Christ Himself came. He is our peace ; yes, and He came and by His spirit and the mouths of the Apostles He preached it. Meyer and Ellicott. G. A.]