jo6 WORKS OF ST. CHRYSOSTOM. [HOMILY XI.
ceeds from the brain seeks the limb, and if it
finds it not, does not leap forth from the body,
and fly about and go to the hand, but if it finds
it not in its place, does not touch it ; so also will
it be here, if we be not bound together in love.
All these expressions he uses as tending to
humility. For what, he seems to say, if this or
that man receives more than another? He has
received the same Spirit, sent forth from the
same Head, effectually working in all alike, com
municating itself to all alike.
"Fitly framed and knit together."
That is, having great care bestowed upon it ;
for the body must not be put together anyhow,
but with exceeding art and nicety, since if it
gets out of place, it is no longer. So that each
must not only be united to the body, but also
occupy his proper place, since if thou shalt go
beyond this, thou art not united to it, neither
dost thou receive the Spirit. Dost thou not see,
that in those dislocations of the bones which
take place in any accident, when a bone gets
out of its proper place and occupies that of
another, how it injures the whole body, and
oftentimes will produce death ? So that some
times it will be found to be no longer worth
preserving. For many in many cases will cut it
off, and leave a void in its place ; because every
where what is in excess is an evil. And so again
with the elements, if they lose their proper pro
portion and be in excess, they impair thewhole
system. This is the meaning of the being
"
fitly framed and knit together." Consider
then of how vast importance it is, that each
should remain in his own proper place, and not
encroach on another which in nowise appertains
to him. Thou puttest the members together,
He supplieth them from above. For as there
are in the body such recipient organs, as we
have seen, so is it also with the Spirit, the whole
root or source being from above. For example,
the heart is the recipient of the breath, the liver
of the blood, the spleen of the bile, and the
other organs, some of one thing, others of
another, but all these have their source from the
brain. So also hath God done, highly honoring
man, and being unwilling to be far from him,He
hath made Himself indeed the source of his
dependence, and hath constituted them fellow-
workers with Himself; and some He hath ap
pointed to one office, and others to another. For
example, the Apostle is the most vital vessel of
the whole body, receiving everything from Him ;
so that He maketh eternal life to run through
them to all, as through veins and arteries, I
mean through their discourse. The Prophet fore
tells things to come, whilst He alone ordereth
the same ; Thou puttest the members together,
1
1
[The text fluctuates here. We have given that of Field, though
neither it nor any of the other readings yields a satisfactory sense.
but He supplies them with life,
"
For the per
fecting of the saints, for the work of the
ministry." Love builds up, and makes men
cleave one to another, and be fastened and
fitted together.
MORAL. If therefore we desire to have the
benefit of that Spirit which is from the Head, let
us cleave one to another. For there are two
kinds of separation from the body of the Church ;
the one, when we wax cold in love, the other,
when we dare commit things unworthy of our
belonging to that body ; for in either way we
cut ourselves off from the
"
fullness of Christ."
But if we are appointed to build up others also,
what shall not be done to them who are first to
make division? Nothing will so avail to divide
the Church as love of power. Nothing so pro
vokes God s anger as the division of the Church.
Yea, though we have achieved ten thousand
glorious acts, yet shall we, if we cut to pieces
the fullness of the Church, suffer punishment no
less sore than they who mangled His body.
For that indeed was brought to pass for the
benefit of the world, even though it was done
with no such intention ; whereas this produces
no advantage in any case, but the injury is
excessive. These remarks I am addressing
not to the governors only, but also to the
governed. Now a certain holy man said what
might seem to be a bold thing ; yet, neverthe
less, he spoke it out. What then is this? He
said, that not even the blood of martyrdom can
wash out this sin.
2
For tell me for what dost
thou suffer as a martyr? Is it not for the glory
of Christ? Thou then that yieldest up thy life
for Christ s sake, how dost thou lay waste the
Church, for whose sake Christ yielded up His
life ? Hear what Paul saith,
"
I am not meet to
be called an Apostle (i Cor. xv. 9), because I
persecuted the Church of God and made havoc
of it."
(Gal. i. 13.) This injury is not less
than that received at the hands of enemies, nay,
it is far greater. For that indeed renders her
even more glorious, whereas this, when she is
warred upon by her own children, disgraces her
even before her enemies. Because it seems to
them a great mark of hypocrisy, that those who
have been born in her, and nurtured in her
bosom, and have learned perfectly her secrets,
that these should of a sudden change, and do
her enemies work.
I mean these remarks for those who give
Field s text is, arvvnOels TO. fi A *)> "."TO? airrois ^tarjv xPrn An
other text, attested by three MSS., has eruvTiOeis TO. (leva, avros
avTocs a>T) xoprj-yei. Savile s text, supported by three MSS., has
KO.I txelvos pev vvvTidei TO. oara, aiiro? e <ar]v xopriyei. It will be
noticed that this same expression occurs a little above, followed by a
clause like that which follows here. G. A.]
2
"
What sacrifice do they believe they celebrate who are rivals
of the Priests?
"
"If such men were even killed for confession of
the Christian name, not even by their blood is this stain washed out.
. . . He cannot be a Martyr, who is not in the Church." St. Cy
prian, Treat, v. 12, p. 141.