HOMILY XII.] HOMILIES ON COLOSSIANS. 317 hell, 1 is rather to be desired, than to be with Him ; and to be separated from Him for His sake more to be desired than to be with Him, (for this is what he said, " For I could wish that I myself were anathema from Christ " (Rom. ix. 3)), much more is weeping for His sake. " I ceased not," he saith, " to admonish every one with tears." (Acts xx. 31.) Wherefore? Not fearing the dangers ; no ; but as if one sit ting by a sick man s side, and not knowing what would be the end, should weep for affec tion, fearing lest he should lose his life ; so too did he ; when he saw any one diseased, and could not prevail by rebuke, he thenceforward wept. So did Christ also, that happily they might reverence His tears : thus, one sinned, He rebuked him ; the rebuked spat upon Him, and sprang aloof; He wept, that haply He might win him even so. Remember we these tears : thus let us bring up our daughters, thus our sons ; weeping when we see them in evil. As many women as wish to be loved, let them remember Paul s tears, and groan : as many of you as are counted blest, as many as are in bridal chambers, as many as are in pleasure,, remember these ; as many as are in mourning, exchange tears for tears. He mourned not for the dead ; but for those that were per ishing whilst alive. Shall I tell of other tears ? Timothy also wept ; for he was this man s dis ciple ; wherefore also when writing to him he said, " Remembering thy tears, that I may be filled with joy." (2 Tim. i. 4.) Many weep even from pleasure. So it is also a matter of pleasure, and that of the utmost intensity. So the tears are not painful : yea, the tears that flow from such sorrow are even better far than those due to worldly pleasure. Hear the Prophet saying, " The Lord hath heard the voice of my weep ing, he hath heard the voice of my supplica tion." (Ps. vi. 8.) For where is the tear not useful? in prayers? in exhortations? We get them an ill name, by using them not to what they are given us for. When we entreat a sin ning brother, we ought to weep, grieving and groaning ; when we exhort any one, and he igiveth us no heed, but goeth on perishing, we taught to weep. These are the tears of heavenly vvisdom. When however one is in poverty, or bodily disease, or dead, not so ; for these are n-ot things worthy of tears. ! As then we gain an ill name for laughter also, when we use it out of season ; so too do we for tears, by having recourse to them unseasonably. F.Or the virtue of each thing then discovers it- seilfwhen it is brought to its own fitting work, butt when to one that is alien, it doth no longer so. l For instance, wine is given for cheerfulness. > Sjee St. Chrysostom on Rom. ix. 3, where he says the wish was " to be separated from His presence, not from His love." not drunkenness, bread for nourishment, sexual intercourse for the procreation of children. As then these things have gained an ill name, so also have tears. Be there a law laid down, that they be used in prayers and exhortations only, and see how desirable a thing they will become. Nothing doth so wipe out sins, as tears. Tears show even this bodily countenance beautiful ; for they win the spectator to pity, they make it respected in our eyes. Nothing is sweeter than tearful eyes. For this is the noblest member we have, and the most beautiful, and the soul s own. And therefore we are so bowed there with, as though we saw the soul itself lamenting. I have not spoken these things without a reason ; but in order that ye may cease your attendance at weddings, at dancings, at Satanical performances. For see what the devil hath invented. Since nature itself hath withheld women from the stage, and the disgraceful things enacted there, he hath introduced into the women s apartment the furniture of the theater, I mean, wanton men and harlots. This pestilence the custom of marriages hath intro duced, or rather, not of marriages, far be it, but of our own silliness. What is it thou doest, O man? Dost thou not know what thou art at? Thou marriest a wife for chastity, and pro creation of children ; what then mean these harlots? That there may be, one answereth, greater gladness. And yet is not this rather mad ness? Thou insultest thy bride, thou insultest the women that are invited. For if they are delighted with such proceedings, the thing is an insult. If to see harlots acting indecorously conferreth any honor, wherefore dost thou not drag thy bride also thither, that she too may see? It is quite indecent and disgraceful to introduce into one s house lewd fellows and dancers, and all that Satanic pomp. " Remember," he saith, " my bonds." Mar riage is a bond, a bond ordained of God, a harlot is a severing and a dissolving. It is per mitted you to embellish marriage with other things, such as full tables, and apparel. I do not cut off these things, lest I should seem to be clownish to an extreme ; and yet Rebecca was content with her veil 2 only (Gen. xxiv. 65) ; still I do not cut them off. It is permitted you to embellish and set off marriage with apparel, with the presence of reverend men and reverend women. Why introducest thou those mock eries ? 3 why those monsters ? Tell us what it is thou hearest from them? What? dost thou blush to tell? Dost thou blush, and yet force them to do it? If it is honorable, wherefore dost thou not do it thyself as well ? but if dis graceful, wherefore dost thou compel another? J Oepitrrpov, " summer robe." 3 en-ixopHaTO, subjects of rejoicing for the enemy.