206 WORKS OF ST. CHRYSOSTOM. [HOMILY VI. that of David, how he gat Saul into his power, and yet spared him? Would you see the flat tery of those who murdered Mephibosheth, 1 whom also David slew? In fine, and as it were in outline, to sum up all, audacity is shown when one is enraged, and insults another for no just cause, either to avenge himself, or in some un just way is audacious ; but boldness and courage are when we dare to face perils and deaths, and despise friendships and enmities for the sake of what is pleasing to God. Again, flattery and meanness are when one courts another not for any right end, but hunting after some of the things of this life ; but humility, when one does this for the sake of things pleasing to God, and descends from his own proper station that he may perform something great and admirable. If we know these things, happy are we ifwe do them. For to know them is not enough. For Scripture says, " Not the hearers of a law, but the doers of a law shall be justified." (Rom. ii. 13.) Yea, knowledge itself condemneth, when it is without action and deeds of virtue. Wherefore that we may escape the condemna tion, let us follow after the practice, that we may obtain those good things that are promised to us, by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ. HOMILY VI. PHILIPPIANS ii. 5-8. " Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus : who, being in the form of God, counted it not a prize to be on an equality with God, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross." OUR Lord Jesus Christ, when exhorting His disciples to great actions, places before them Himself, and the Father, and the Prophets, as examples ; as when He says, " For thus they did unto the Prophets which were before you " (Matt. v. 12 ; Luke vi. 23) ; and again, " If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you " (John xv. 20) ; and, " Learn of me. for I am meek" (Matt. xi. 29) ; and again, "Be ye merci ful, as your Fatherwhich is in heaven is merciful." (Luke vi. 36.) This too the blessed Paul did ; in exhorting them to humility, he brought for ward Christ. And he does so not here only, but also when he discourses of love towards the poor, he speaks in this wise. " For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakesHe became poor." (2 Cor. viii. 9.) Nothing rouses a great and philosophic soul to the performance of good works, so much as learning that in this it is likened to God. What encouragement is equal to this? None. This Paul well knowing, when he would exhort them to humility, first beseeches and supplicates them, then to awe 2 them he says, "That ye stand fast in one Spirit "; he says also, that it " is for them an evident token of perdition, but of your salvation." (Phil. i. 1 2 Sam. iv. 8. So some copies ofLXX., for Ishbosheth. 2 ei/TpiTTTiKo)?, usually to "shame," here rather to " make seri ous," i.e. by representing to them the presence of the Holy Spirit. See Phil. ii. 12, 13. 27, 28.) And last of all he says this, "Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, counted it not a prize to be on an equality with God, but emptied Himself, taking upon Him the form of a servant." (Phil. ii. 5-7.) Attend, I entreat you, and rouse yourselves. For as a sharp two-edged sword, wheresoever it falls, though it be among ten thousand phalanxes, easily cuts through and destroys, because it is sharp on every side, and nought can bear its edge ; so are the words of the Spirit. (Heb. iv. 12 ; Rev. i. 1 6.) For by these words he has laid low the followers of Arius of Alexandria, of Paul of Samosata, of Marcellus the Galatian, of Sabellius the Libyan, of Marcion that was of Pontus, of Valentinus, of Manes, of Apollinarius of Lao- dicea, of Photinus, of Sophronius, and, in one word, all the heresies. Rouse yourselves then to behold so great a spectacle, so many armies falling by one stroke, lest the pleasure of such a sight should escape you. For if when chariots contend in the horse race there is nothing so pleasing as when one of them dashes against and overthrows whole chariots with their drivers, and after throwing down many with the charioteers that stood thereon, drives by alone towards the goal, and the end of the course, and amid the applause and clamor which rises on all sides to heaven, with coursers winged as it were by that joy and that applause, sweeps over the whole ground ; how much greater will the pleasure be here, when by the grace of God we overthrow at once and in a body the combina tions and devilish machinations of all these heresies together with their charioteers ? And if it seem good to you, we will first