For do not suppose Paul the combatant, that irresistible and invincible one, but some one of the many, who, if he had not received much consolation and encouragement, would not perhaps have stood, would not have contended. So those who are out of the contest may perchance be the cause of victory to him, who is engaged in it, and may be partakers of the crowns reserved for the victor. And what wonder, if he who communicates to the living is thought worthy of the same rewards with those who contend, since it is possible to commu- nicate after death even with the departed, with those who are asleep, who are already crowned, who want for nothing. For hear Paul saying, “Partaking in the memories of the Saints.”1351 And how may this be done? When thou admirest a man,1352 when thou doest any of those acts for which he was crowned, thou art evidently a sharer in his labors, and in his crowns. “The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day.” He had compassion on me, he says, he shall therefore have the like return in that terrible Day, when we shall have need of much mercy. “The Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord.” Are there two Lords then? By no means. But “to us there is one Lord Christ Jesus, and one God.” (1 Cor. viii. 6.) Here those who are infected with the heresy of Marcion assail this expression; but let them learn that this mode of speech is not uncommon in Scripture; as when it is said, “The Lord said unto my Lord” (Ps. cx. 1.); and again, “I said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord” (Ps. xvi. 2.); and, “The Lord rained fire from the Lord.” (Gen. xix. 24.) This indicates that the Persons are of the same substance, not that there is a distinction of nature. For we are not to understand that there are two substances differing from each other, but two Per- sons, each being of the same substance. Observe too, that he says, “The Lord grant him mercy.” For as he himself had obtained mercy from Onesiphorus, so he wished him to obtain the same from God. Moral. And if Onesiphorus, who exposed himself to danger, is saved by mercy, much more are we also saved by the same. For terrible indeed, terrible is that account, and such as needs great love for mankind, that we may not hear that awful sentence, “Depart from me…I never knew you, ye that work iniquity” (Matt. vii. 23.); or that fearful word, “Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt. xxv. 40.): that we may not hear, “Between us and you there is a great gulf fixed” (Luke xvi. 16.): that we may not hear that voice full of horror, “Take him away, and cast him into outer darkness”: that we may not hear those words full of terror, “Thou wicked and slothful servant.” (Matt. xxii. 13, and xxv. 26.) For awful truly and terrible is that tribunal. And yet God is gracious and merciful. He is called a God “of mercies and a God of comfort” (2 Cor. i. 3.); good as none else is good, and kind, and gentle, and full of pity, Who “willeth not the death of a sinner, but that he 1351 Rom. xii. 13, where some read μνείαις. On the passage, however, he reads χρείαις, “necessities,” as E.V.; see on Rom. Hom. xxi. 1352 B. adds, “when thou buildest his monument.” 839 2 Timothy 1:13-18