we may bring you to act worthily of the kingdom. Be not then displeased at the heaviness
of our words, for the heaviness of these words lightens our souls from sin.613 Iron is heavy,
and the hammer is heavy, but it forms vessels fit for use, both of gold and silver, and
straightens things which are crooked; and if it were not heavy, it would have no power to
straighten the distorted substance. Thus too our heavy speech has power to bring the soul
into its proper tone. Let us not then flee from heaviness of speech, nor the strokes it gives;
the stroke is not given that it may break in pieces or tear the soul, but to straighten it. We
know how we strike, how by the grace of God we inflict the stroke, so as not to crush the
vessel, but to polish it, to render it straight, and meet for the Master’s use, to offer it glittering
in soundness, skillfully wrought against that Day of the river of fire, to offer it having no
need of that burning pile. For if we expose not ourselves to fire here, we must needs be
burned there, it cannot be otherwise; “For the day of the Lord is revealed by fire.” (1 Cor.
iii. 13.) Better is it that ye be burned for a little space by our words, than for ever in that
flame. That this will indeed be so, is plain, and I have ofttimes given you reasons614 which
cannot be gainsaid. We ought truly to be persuaded from the Scriptures, but forasmuch as
some are contentious, we have also brought forward many arguments from reason. Nothing
hinders that I now mention them, and what were they? God is just. We all acknowledge
this, both Greeks and Jews, and Heretics, and Christians. But many sinners have had their
departure without punishment, many righteous men have had their departure after suffering
ten thousand grievous things. If then God be just, where will He reward their good to the
one, and their punishment to the other, if there be no hell, if there be no resurrection? This
reason then do ye constantly repeat615 to them and to yourselves, and it will not suffer you
to disbelieve the resurrection, and whoso disbelieves not the resurrection will take care to
live with all heed so as to obtain eternal happiness, of which may we all be counted worthy,
by the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom, &c.
613 Al. “is the very thing that gives occasion to our souls to fly from sins.”
614 See on Rom. xvi. 16, Hom. xxxi., Tr. p. 556.
615 κατεπᾴδετε, sing as a charm.
377
Philippians 2:5-8