HOMILY III.] HOMILIES ON THESSALONIANS. 335 flattery. For he has not said "ye," but "ye also " l together with the others. Ver. 20. " For ye are our glory and our joy." Chap. iii. i, 2. "Wherefore, when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left behind at Athens alone." Instead of saying, " we chose." " And sent Timothy, our brother and God s minister and our fellow-worker in the Gospel of Christ." And this he says, not as extolling Timothy, but honoring them, that he sent them the fellow- worker, and minister of the Gospel. As if he had said, Having withdrawn him from his labors, we have sent to you the minister of God, and our fellow-laborer in the Gospel of Christ. "To establish you, and to comfort you con cerning your faith." Ver. 3. "That no man be moved by these afflictions." What then does he say here? Because the temptations of the teachers trouble their disci ples, and he had then fallen into many temp tations, as also he himself says, that " Satan hindered us," always saying this ; " both once," he says, "and again I would have come to you," and was not able, which was a proof of great violence. And it was reasonable that this should trouble them, for they are not so much troubled at their own temptations, as at those of their teachers ; as neither is the soldier so much troubled at his own trials, 2 as when he sees his general wounded. " To establish you," he says ; not that they were at all deficient in faith, nor that they required to learn anything. "And to comfort you concerning your faith ; that no man be moved by these afflictions ; for yourselves know that hereunto we are ap pointed." Ver. 4. " For verily, when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we are to suffer af fliction ; even as it came to pass, and ye know." Ye ought not, he says, to be troubled, for nothing strange, nothing contrary to expectation is happening ; which was sufficient to raise them up. For do you see that on this account also Christ foretold to His disciples ? For hear Him saying, " Now I have told you before it came to pass, that when it is come to pass ye may be lieve." (John xiv. 29.) For greatly indeed, greatly does it tend to the comfort of others, to have heard from their teachers what is to hap pen. For as he that is sick, if he hear from his physician that this or that is taking place, is not much troubled ; but if anything happen unex pectedly, as if he too were at a loss, and the 1 [icai i/niei? signifies " ye also," or " even ye," according to the connection. Ellicott thinks Chrys. here displays his " accurate ob servation of language," "ye, as well as my other converts. "- J. A.B.] * [The Greek word is equivalent to both " temptations " and " trials." " Temptations " formerly had a like breadth of meaning, but has been restricted to the bad sense. J. A. B.] disorder was beyond his art, he is afflicted and troubled ; so also is it here. Which Paul fore knowing, foretold to them, " we are about to be afflicted," "as it came to pass, and ye know." He not only says that this came to pass, but that he foretold many things, and they happened. " Hereunto we are appointed." So that not only ye ought not to be troubled and disturbed about the past, but not even about the future, if any such thing should happen, " for hereunto we are appointed." MORAL. Let us hear, who have ears to hear. The Christian is appointed hereunto. For con cerning all the faithful is this said, " Hereunto we are appointed." And we, as if we were ap pointed 3 for ease, think it strange ifwe sufferany thing ; and yet what reason have we for thinking anything strange? For no season of affliction or temptation has overtaken us, but what is common to man. It is a fit season for us to say to you, " Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin" (Heb. xii. 4). Or rather, this is not seasonable for us to say to you but what ? Ye have not yet despised riches. -For to them indeed these words were said with reason, when they had lost all theirown possessions, 4 but this is said to those who retain theirs. Who has been robbed of his riches for Christ s sake? Who has been beaten? Who has been insulted? even in words, I mean. What have you to boast of? What confidence have you to say anything? So many things Christ suffered for us when we were enemies. What can we show that we have suffered for Him? Nothing that we have suffered indeed, but infinite good things that we have received from Him. Whence shall we have confidence in that Day? Know ye not, that the soldier too, when he can show numberless wounds and scars, will then be able to shine in the presence of the king? But if he has no good action to show, though he may have done no harm, he will take rank among the least. But, you say, it is not the season of war. But if it was, tell me, who would contend? Who would attack? Who would break through 5 the phalanx? Perhaps no one. For when I see that you do not despise riches for the sake of Christ, how shall I believe that you will despise blows? Tell me, do you bear manfully those who insult you, and do you bless them? You do not but you disobey. What is attended with no danger, you do not ; and will you en dure blows, inwhich there is much pain and suf fering? Know ye not that it is proper in peace to keep up the exercises of war? 6 Do you not 3 Kcipo-ot. He alludes to the sense " laid," as if it were " laid down to repose." * See Heb. x. 34. Siefwo-e, "push through": thus we read of uiSur/ubs, Angl. " shoving " in hard-fought battles. 8 In pace, ut sapiens, aptarit idonea bello. Hor.