HOMILY III.] HOMILIES ON THESSALONIANS. 335 how easily it might be. For since they were then much puffed up, there is no need, he says, of much trouble ; it is enough that God comes and is seen, and all are involved in punishment and vengeance. His coming only to some in deed will be Light, but to others vengeance. " And from the glory of His might," he says, " when He shall come to be glorified in His Saints, and to be marveled at in all them that believed." Is God glorified? Yea, he says, in all the Saints. How? For when they that puff so greatly see those who were scourged by them, who were despised, who were derided, even those now near to Him, it is His glory, or rather it is their glory, both theirs and His ; His in deed, because He did not forsake them ; theirs, because they were thought worthy of so great honor. For as it is His riches, that there are faithful men, so also it is His glory that there are those who are to enjoy His blessings. It is the glory of Him that is good, to have those to whom He may impart His beneficence. "And to be marveled at," he says, " in all them that believed," that is, "through them that believed." See here again, "in" is used for "through." For through them He is shown to be admirable, when He brings to so much splendor those who were pitiable and wretched, and who had suf fered unnumbered ills, and had believed. His power is shown then ; because although they seem to be deserted here, yet nevertheless they there enjoy great glory ; then especially is shown all the glory and the power of God. How? " Because our testimony unto you was believed in that day." Ver. ii. "To which end also we pray always for you." That is, when those are brought into public view,who have sufferedunnumbered ills, designed to make them apostatize from the faith, and yet have not yielded, but have believed, God is glo rified. Then is shown the glory of these men also. " Judge none blessed," it says, " before his death." (Ecclus. xi. 28.) On this account he says, in that day will be shown those who believed. "To which end also we pray," he says, " always for you, that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire of goodness and every work of faith, with power." " That He may count you," he says, " worthy of calling " ; for they were not called. Therefore he has added, " and fulfill every desire of good ness." Since he also who was clothed in filthy garments, was called, but did not abide in his calling, but for this reason was the more rejected. "Of the calling," namely, that to the bride- chamber. Since the five virgins also were called. " Arise," it says, " the bridegroom cometh." (From Matt. xxv. 6.) And they prepared them selves, but did not enter in. But he speaks of that other calling. Showing therefore what calling he is speaking of, he has added, " And fulfill every desire of goodness and every work of faith, with power." This is the calling, he says, that we seek. See how gently he takes them down. For that they may not be rendered vain by the excess of commendation, as if they had done great deeds, and may not become slothful, he shows that something still is wanting to them, so long as they are in this life. Which also he said in his Epistle to the Hebrews. " Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin." (Heb. xii. 4.) "Unto all wellpleasing," he says, that is, His gratification, persuasion, full assur ance. That is, that the persuasion l ofGod may be fulfilled, that nothing may be wanting to you, that you may be so, as He wills. " And every work of faith," he says, " with power." What is this ? The patient endurance of persecutions, that we may not faint, he says. Ver. 12. "That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in Him, according to the grace of ourGod and the Lord Jesus Christ." He spoke there of glory, he speaks of it also here. He said, that they are glorified, so that they might even boast. He said, what was much more, that they also glorify God. He said, that they will receive that glory. But here too he means ; For the Master being glorified, the servants also are glorified. For those who glorify their Master, are much more glorified themselves, both by that very thing, and apart from it. For tribulation for the sake of Christ is glory, and that thing he everywhere calls glory. And by how much the more we suffer anything dishonorable, so much the more illus trious we become. Then again showing that this also itself is of God, he says, " according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ " ; that is, this grace He Himself has given us, that He may be glorified in us, and that He may glorify us in Him. How is He glorified in us? Because we prefer nothing before Him. How are we glorified in Him? Because we have received power from Him, so that we do not at all yield to the evils that are brought upon us. For when temptation happens, at the same time God is glorified, and we too. For they glorify Him, because He has so nerved us ; they admire us, because we have rendered ourselves worthy. And all these things are done by the grace of God. Chap. ii. i, 2. "Now we beseech you, brethren, touching the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto God. 1 Downcs explains this, " that which will persuade, i.e. satisfy d." The word is usually put for " determination."