556 WORKS OF ST. CHRYSOSTOM. [HOMILY III. "Erastus," he says, "abode at Corinth." (2 Tim. iv. 20.) He adds Epaphras, both as known to them, and being of their country. And Mark, as being himself also an admirable man. Why then does he number Demas with these? Per haps it was after this that he became more re miss, when he saw the dangers multiplied. But Luke being last became first. And from these indeed he salutes him, urging him the more to obedience, and calls them his fellow-laborers, and in this way shames him into granting the request. Ver. 25. "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen." MORAL. He hath closed his Epistle with a prayer. And indeed prayer is a great good, salutary, and preservative of our souls. But it is great when we do things worthy of it, and do not render ourselves unworthy. And thou too, therefore, when thou goest to the priest, and he shall say to thee, "The Lord will have mercy on thee, my son," do not confide in the word only, but add also works. Do acts worthy of mercy,God will bless thee,my son, ifindeed thou doest things worthy of blessing. He will bless thee, if thou showest mercy to thy neighbor. For the things which we wish to obtain from God, of those we ought first to impart to our neighbors. But if we deprive our neighbors of them, how can we wish to obtain them? "Blessed," He says, "are the merciful : for they shall obtain mercy." (Matt. v. 7.) For if men show mercy to such, much more will God, but to the unmerciful by no means. " For he shall have judgment without mercy to him that hath showed no mercy." (Jas. ii. 13.) An excellent thing is mercy ! Why then hast thou not done it to another? Dost thou wish to be pardoned, when thou offendest? why then dost thou not thyself pardon him who has offended thee? But thou comest to God, ask ing of Him the kingdom of heaven, and thou thyself dost not give money when it is begged of thee. For this cause we do not obtain mercy, because we do not show mercy. But why ? you say. Is not this also a part of mercy, to show mercy to the unmerciful? Nay I 1 For he that treated with the greatest kindness the hard hearted cruel man, that had done numberless ills to his neighbor, how should he be merciful? What then, say you ? Hath not the Laver saved us, who had committed infinite evils? It hath delivered us from them, not that we should commit them again, but that we may not com mit them. For "how shall we," it is said, "that are dead to sin, live any longer therein " ? (Rom. vi. 2.) " What then ? shall we sin because we are not 1 The negative is understood in " for." under the law? God forbid." (v. 15.) For this cause God hath delivered thee from those sins that thou mightest no more run back to that dishonor. Since even physicians relieve their feverish patients from their heat, not that they may abuse their health to their injury and disorder, (since it would be better to be sick, if one was about to use his health only that he might confine himself again to his bed,) but having learnt the evils that arise from sickness, they may no longer fall into the same, that they may the more securely preserve their health, that they may do everything that conduces to its preservation. How then? you say : what is the lovingkind- ness of God, ifHe is not about to save the bad ? For oftentimes I hear many talking in this way, that He is the Friend of man, and will by all means save all. That we may not therefore vainly deceive ourselves, (for I remember that I made a promise of this kind to you,) come let us to-day move this argument. I lately dis coursed with you about Hell, and I deferred my argument upon the lovingkindness of God. It is proper therefore to-day to resume it. That there will, then, be a hell, we have, as I think, sufficiently proved, bringing forward the deluge, and former evils, and arguing that it is not possi ble that He who performed these things should leave the men of the present age unpunished. For if thus He chastised those who sinned be fore the Law, He will not let those go.unpun ished who after grace have committed greater wickedness. It has been questioned therefore how is He good ? how merciful to man, if at least He punishes? and we have deferred the argu ment, that we might not overwhelm your ears with a multitude of words. Come, to-day let us discharge the debt, and show how good is God, even in punishing. For this discourse would be. suitable for us in oppo sition to the heretics. Let us therefore pay earnest heed to it. God, standing in no need of anything from us, yet created us. For that He stood in need of us, is manifest from His having made us after a long time. ForHe might have made us long ago, if He had needed us. For ifHe Himself was, even without us, and we were made in later times, He made us, not need ing us. He made the Heaven, the earth, the sea, all things that exist, for our sake. Tell me, are not these marks of goodness? And many things one might mention. But to cut short the mat ter, " He maketh the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." (Matt. v. 45.) Is not this a mark of goodness? No, you say. For I said once in conversing with a Marcionite, Are not these things a mark of goodness? and he answered, If