33o WORKS OF ST. CHRYSOSTOM. [HOMILY II. HOMILY II. 2 THESSALONIANS i. i, 2. " Paul, and Silvanus, and Timothy, unto the Church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ : Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." THE greater part of men do and devise all things with a view to ingratiate themselves with rulers, and with those who are greater than themselves ; and they account it a great thing, and think themselves happy, if they can obtain that object. But if to obtain favor with men is so great an advantage, how great must it be to find favor with God ? On this account he always thus prefaces his Epistle, and invokes this upon them, knowing that if this be granted, there will be nothing afterwards grievous, but whatever troubles there may be, all will be done away. And that you may learn this, Joseph was a slave, a young man, inexperienced, unformed, and suddenly the direction of a house was com mitted to his hands, and he had to render an account to an Egyptian master. And you know how prone to anger and unforgiving that people is, and when authority and power is added, their rage is greater, being inflamed by power. And this too is manifest from what he did afterwards. For when the mistress made accusation, he bore with it. And yet it was not the part of those who held the garment, but of him who was stripped, to have suffered violence. For he ought to have said, If he had heard that thou didst raise thy voice, as thou sayest, he would have fled, and if he had been guilty, he would not have waited for the coming of his master. But nevertheless he took nothing of this sort into consideration, but unreasonably giving way altogether to anger, he cast him into prison. So thoughtless a person was he. And yet even from other things he might have conjectured the good disposition and the intelligence of the man. But nevertheless, because he was very unreason able, he never considered any such thing. He therefore who had to do with such a harsh mas ter, and who was intrusted with the administra tion of his whole house, being a stranger, and solitary, and inexperienced ; when God shed abundant grace upon him, passed through all, as if his temptations had not even existed, both the false accusation of his mistress, and the dan ger of death, and the prison, and at last came to the royal throne. This blessed man therefore saw how great is the grace of God, and on this account he in vokes it upon them. And another thing also he effects, wishing to render them well-disposed to the remaining part of the Epistle ; that, though he should reprove and rebuke them, they might not break away from him. For this reason he reminds them before all things of the grace of God, mollifying their hearts, that, even if there be affliction, being reminded of the grace by which they were saved from the greater evil, they may not despair at the less, but may thence derive consolation. As also elsewhere in an Epistle he has said, "For if, while we were enemies,wewere reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, being recon ciled, shall we be saved by His life." (Rom. v. 10.) " Grace to you and peace," he says, " from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." Ver. 3. "We are bound to give thanks to God alway for you, brethren, even as it is meet." Again a sign of great humility. For he led them to reflect and consider, that if for our good actions others do not admire us first, but God, much more also ought we. And in other re spects too he raises up their spirits, because they suffer such things as are not worthy of tears and lamentations, but of thanksgiving to God. But if Paul is thankful for the good of others, what will they suffer, who not only are not thankful, but even pine at it. " For that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the love of each one of you all toward one another aboundeth." And how, you say, can faith increase ? That is whenwe suffer something dreadful for it. It is a great thing for it to be established, and not to be carried away by reasonings. But when the winds assail us, when the rains burst upon us, when a violent storm is raised on every side, and the waves succeed each other then that we are not shaken, is a proof of no less than this, that it grows, and grows exceedingly, and becomes loftier. For as in the case of the flood all the stony and lower parts are soon hidden, but as many things as are above, it reaches not them, so also the faith that is become lofty, is not drawn downwards. For this reason he does not say " your faith groweth," but " groweth exceedingly, and the love of eacfc one of you all toward one another aboundeth." Seest thou how this con tributes for the ease of affliction, to be in close guard together, and to adhere to one another? From this also arose much consolation. The