HOMILY XL] HOMILIES ON COLOSSIANS. " Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer each one." That it may not be full of hypocrisy, for this is not " grace," nor " a season ing with salt." For instance, if it be needful to pay court to any one without incurring danger, refuse not [to do so] ; if the occasjon require that thou discourse civilly, think not the doing so flattery, do everything that pertaineth to honor, so that piety be not injured. Seest thou not how Daniel payeth court to an impious man? Seest thou not the three children, how wisely they bore themselves, showing both cour age, and boldness in speaking, and yet nothing rash nor galling, for so it had not been boldness, but vainglory. "That ye may know," he saith, " how ye ought to answer every man." For the ruler ought to be answered in one way, the ruled in another, the rich in one way, the poor in an other. Wherefore ? Because the souls of those who are rich, and in authority, are weaker, more inflammable, more fluctuating, so that towards them, one should use condescension ; those of the poor, and the ruled, firmer and more intelli gent, so that to these one should use greater boldness of speech ; looking to one thing, their edification. Not that because one is rich, an other poor, the former is to be honored more, the latter less, but because of his weakness, let the former be supported, the latter not so : for instance, when there is no cause for it, do not call the Greek " polluted," nor be insulting ; but if thou be asked concerning his doctrine, answer that it is polluted, and impious ; but whennone asketh thee, nor forceth thee to speak, it becomes thee not causelessly to challenge to thee his enmity. For what need is there to pre pare for thyself gratuitous hostilities? Again, if thou art instructing any one ; speak on the subject at present before thee, otherwise be si lent. 1 If the speech be "seasoned with salt," should it fall into a soul that is of loose texture, it will brace up its slackness ; into one that is harsh, it will smooth its ruggedness. Let it be gracious, and so neither hard, nor yet weak, but let it have both sternness and pleasantness there with. For if one be immoderately stern, he doth more harm than good ; and if he be im moderately complaisant, he giveth more pain than pleasure, so that everywhere there ought to be moderation. Be not downcast, and sour vis- aged, for this is offensive ; nor yet be wholly re laxed, for this is open to contempt and treading under foot ; but, like the bee, culling the virtue of each, of the one its cheerfulness, of the other its gravity, keep clear of the fault. For if a physician dealeth not with all bodies alike, much more ought not a teacher. And yet better will the body bear unsuitable medicines, than the 1 ewei criya, i.e. since (if it be not so) be silent. soul language ; for instance, a Greek cometh to thee, and becomes thy friend ; discourse not at all with him on this subject, until he have be come a close friend, and after he hath become so, do it gradually. See, when Paul also had come to Athens, how he discoursed with them. He said not, " O pol luted, and all-polluted"; but what? "Ye men of Athens, in all things I perceive that ye are somewhat superstitious." 2 (Acts xvii. 22.) Again, when to insult was needful, he refused not ; but with great vehemency he said to Ely- mas, " O full of all guile and all villainy, son of the devil, enemy of all righteousness." For as to have insulted those had been senselessness, so not to have insulted this one had been soft ness. Again, art thou brought unto a ruler on a matter of business, see that thou render him the honors that are his due. Ver. 9. "They shall make known unto you," he saith, " all things that are done here." Why didst thou not come with them, says one ? But what is, " They shall make known unto you all things"? My bonds, that is, and all the other things that detain me. I then, who pray to see them, who also send others, should not myself have remained behind, had not some great ne cessity detained me. And yet this is not the language of accusation yes, of vehement ac cusation. For the assuring them that he had both fallen into trials, and was bearing them nobly, is the part of one who was confirming the fact, and lifting up again their souls. Ver. 9. "With Onesimus," he saith, "the be loved, and faithful brother." Paul calleth a slave, brother : with reason ; seeing that he styleth himself the servant of the faithful. (2 Cor. iv. 5.) Bring we down all of us our pride, tread we under foot our boastful- ness. Paul nameth himself a slave, he that is worth the world, and ten thousands of heavens ; and dost thou entertain high thoughts? He that seizeth all things for spoil as he will, he that hath the first place in the kingdom of heaven, he that was crowned, he that ascended into the third heaven, calleth servants, "breth ren," and "fellow-servants." Where is your madness? where is your arrogance? So trustworthy was Onesimus become, as to be entrusted even with such things as these. Ver. 10. "And Mark," he saith, "the cousin of Barnabas, touching whom ye received com mandments, receive him." Perhaps they had received commandments from Barnabas. 2 &ei.a-iSai^ove<TTfpov<;. The word does not convey quite the re proach which the E. V. does. It may be rendered, " I see that ye are rather given to the fear of divinities." [Ormore probably, " very religious," as in American App. to Rev. Ver. The adjective may have either the good or the bad sense; and the comparative may mean more than a little, " somewhat," or more than common, quite," "remarkably," or more than enough, "too." Only the :onnection can in such cases decide, and that is not here conclusive. -J.A. B.]