4So WORKS OF ST. CHRYSOSTOM. [HOMILY II. cified, but rather glory in it." For in them selves death and imprisonment and chains are matters of shame and reproach. But when the cause is added before us, and the mystery viewed aright, they will appear full of dignity, and mat ter for boasting. For it was that death which saved the world, when it was perishing. That death connected earth with heaven, that death destroyed the power of the devil, and made men angels, and sons ofGod : that death raised our nature to the kingly throne. Those chains were the conversion of many. " Be not " there fore " ashamed," he says, " of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner : but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel " ; that is, though thou shouldest suffer the same things, be not thou ashamed. For that this is implied appears from what he said above ; " God hath given us a spirit of power, and of love, and of a sound mind " ; and by what follows, " Be thou partaker of the sufferings of the Gospel" : not merely be not ashamed of them, but be not ashamed even to experience them. And he does not say, " Do not fear," but, the more to encourage him, "be not ashamed," as if there were no further danger, if he could over come the shame. For shame is only then oppres sive, when one is overcome by it. Be not there fore ashamed, if I, who raised the dead, who wrought miracles, who traversed the world, am now a prisoner. For I am imprisoned, not as a malefactor, but for the sake of Him who was crucified. If my Lord was not ashamed of the Cross, neither am I of chains. And with great propriety, when he exhorts him not to be ashamed, he reminds him of the Cross. If thou art not ashamed of the Cross, he means, neither be thou of chains ; if our Lord and Master endured the Cross, much more should we chains. For he who is ashamed of what He endured, is ashamed of Him that was crucified. Now it is not on my own account that I bear these chains ; therefore do not give way to human feelings, but bear thy part in these sufferings. " Be par taker of the afflictions of the Gospel." He says not this, as if the Gospel could suffer injury, but to excite his disciple to suffer for it. " According to the power ofGod ; Who hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began." More especially because it was a hard thing to say, "Be partakers of afflictions," he again con soles him. 1 Reckon that thou sustainest these things, not by thine own power, but by the power of God. For it is thy part to choose and to be zealous, but God s to alleviate sufferings and bid 1 Thus Old Lat. and B. The printed copies add, " by saying, Not according to our works," that is," which is not to the purpose. them cease. 2 He then shows him the proofs of His power. Consider how thou wast saved, how thou wast called. As he elsewhere says, "Accord ing to His power that worketh in us." (Eph. iii. 20.) So much was it a greater exercise of power to persuade the world to believe, than to make the Heavens. But how was he " called with a holy calling"?3 This means, He made them saints, who were sinners and enemies. " And this not of ourselves, it was the gift of God." If then He is mighty in calling us, and good, in that He hath done it of grace and not of debt, we ought not to fear. For He Who, when we should have perished,4 saved us, though enemies, by grace, will He not much more co operate with us, when He sees us working? " Not according to our own works," he says, " but according to his own purpose and grace," that is, no one compelling, no one counseling Him, but of His own purpose, from the impulse of His own goodness, He saved us ; for this is the meaning of " according to His own purpose." "Which was given us before the world began." That is, it was determined without beginning that these things should be done in Christ Jesus. This is no light consideration, that from the first He willed it. It was not an after-thought. How then is not the Son eternal? for He also willed it from the beginning. Ver. 10. "But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ,Who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and im mortality to light by the Gospel." Thou seest the power, thou seest the gift bestowed not by works, but through the Gos pel. These are objects of hope : for both were \\Tought in His Body. And how will they be wrought in ours? "By the Gospel." Ver. ii. "Whereunto I am appointed a preacher and an Apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles." Why does he so constantly repeat this, and call himself a teacher of the Gentiles ? Because he wishes to persuade them that they also ought to draw close to the Gentiles. Be not therefore dismayed at my sufferings. The sinews of death are unstrung. It is not as a malefactor that I suffer, but because I am " a teacher of the Gen tiles." At the same time he makes his discourse worthy of credit. Ver. 12. "For the which cause I also suffer these things, nevertheless I am not ashamed. For I know Whom I have believed, and am per suaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day." " I am not ashamed," he says. For are chains, are sufferings, a matter for shame ? Be 2 B. omits " but," &c. 3 Sav. How was he called? " With a holy calling." 4 So B. Edd. " when we needed to be saved."