HOMILY III.J HOMILIES ON EPHESIANS. 61 This too is as yet hidden. But what is clear? that through His power we have believed that He hath raised Christ. For to persuade souls, is a thing far more miraculous than to raise a dead body. I will endeavor to make this clear. Hearken then. Christ said to the dead, " Lazarus, come forth," (John xi : 43.) and straightway he obeyed. Peter said, " Tabitha, arise," (Acts ix : 40.) and she did not refuse. He Himself shall speak the word at the last day, and all shall rise, and that so quickly, that " they which are yet alive, shall in no wise precede them that are fallen asleep," (i Thess. iv: 15.) and all shall come to pass, all run together " in amoment, in thetwink ling of an eye." (i Cor. xv : 52.) But in the matter of believing, it is not thus, but how is it ? Hearken then to Him again, how He saith, " How often would I have gathered thy chil dren together, and ye would not." (Matt, xxiii : 37.) You perceive that this last is the more dif ficult. Accordingly, it is upon this that he builds up the whole argument ; because by- human calculations it is far more difficult to influence the choice, than to work upon nature. And the reason is this, it is because He would thus have us become good of our own will. Thus with good reason does he say, 1 "The exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe." Yes, when Prophets had availed nothing, nor Angels, nor Archangels, when the whole crea tion, both visible and invisible, had failed, (the visible lying before us, and without any power to guide us, and much also which is invisible,) then He ordered His own coming, to show us that it was a matter which required Divine power. " The riches of the glory," That is, the unutterable glory ; for what lan guage shall be adequate to express that glory of which the saints shall then be partakers ? None. But verily there is need of grace in order that the understanding may perceive it, and admit even so much as at least one little ray. Some things indeed they knew even before ; now he was desirous that they should learn more, and know it more clearly. Seest thou how great things He hath wrought ? He hath raised up Christ. Is this a small thing ? But look again. He hath set Him at His right hand. And shall any language then be able to represent this? Him that is of the earth, more mute than the fishes, and made the sport of devils. He hath in a moment raised up on high. Truly this is indeed the " exceeding greatnessofHis power." And behold, whither He hath raised Him. " In the heavenly places; " He hath made Him far above all created nature, far above all rule and authority. " Far above all rule," he saith. Need then indeed is there of the Spirit, of an understanding wise in the knowledge of Him. Need then is there indeed of revelation. Reflect, how vast is the distance between the nature of man and of God. Yet from this vile estate hath He exalted Him to that high dignity. Nor does He mount by degrees, first one step, then another, then a third. Amazing ! He does not simply say, "above," but, "far above;" for God is above those powers which are above. And thither then hath He raised Him, Him that is one of us, brought Him from the lowest point to the supremest sovereignty, to that beyond which there is no other honor. Above "all " principality, he says, not, i. e., over oneand not over another, but over all, Rule and authority and power, and domin ion, and every name that is named." Whatever there be in Heaven, He has become above all. And this is said ofHim that was raised from the dead which is worthy of our admiration ; for of God the Word, it can not possibly be, because what insects are in comparison of man, this the whole creation is in comparison of God. If all mankind are to be counted as spittle and were counted as the turn of a balance, consider the invisible powers as insects. But of Him that was one of us, this is great and surprising indeed. For He raised Him up from the very lowest parts of the earth. If all the nations are as a drop, how small a portion then of that drop is a single man ! Yet Him hath He made higher than all things, "not only in this world, but also in that which is to come." Therefore powers there are whose names are to us unintelligible, and unknown. "And He put all things in subjection under His feet." Not simply so set Him above them as to be honored above them, nor by way of comparison with them, but so that He should sit over them as His slaves. Amazing ! Awful indeed are these things ; every created power hath been made the slave of man by reason of God the Word dwelling in Him. 2 For it is possible for a man to be above others, without having others in subjection, but only as preferred before them. But here it is not so. No, " He put all things in subjection under His feet." And not simply put them in subjection, but in the most abject 3 Aia TOV fvoiKovvra. &fbv \6yov. The inhabitation of the Word in our flesh, was a favorite form of speech with the Nestor- ians, who thereby insinuated that the Word dwelt in a man, or denied Christ s unity of person. Yet the phrase is strictly ortho dox, as being derived from John i : 14, and is especially maintained by Cyril, the antagonist of Nestorius, in order to denote that God was in human nature, 1 vid. Cyril in Sckol. 25. Theodor. Eran. ii, Ephracm. Antioch. apud Phot. 229.