340 WORKS OF ST. CHRYSOSTOM. [HOMILY IV. shake us ourselves, he takes another way, 1 and shakes the weaker sort through our means, which argues exceeding infirmity, and such as admits of no excuse ; as he did in the case of Job, having stirred up his wife, " Speak some word against the Lord," she says, " and die." (Job ii. 9, Sept.) See how he tempted her. But wherefore has he not said, " shaken," but "tempted"? Because, he says, I only sus pected so much, as that you had been tempted. For he does not call his temptation a wavering. For he who admits his attack is shaken. Strange ! how great is the affection of Paul ! He did not regard afflictions, nor plots against him. For I think that he then remained there, as Luke says, that " he abode in Greece three months, when 2 the Jews laid a plot against him." (Acts xx. 3.) His concern therefore was not for his own dangers, but for his disciples. Seest thou how he surpassed every natural parent ? For we in our afflictions and dangers lose the remembrance of all. But he so feared and trembled for his children, that he sent to them Timothy, whom alone he had for his consolation, his companion and fellow-laborer, and him too in the very midst of dangers. "And our labor," he says, "should be in vain." Wherefore ! for even if they were turned aside, it was not through thy fault, not through thy negligence. But nevertheless, though this were the case, I think, from my great love of the brethren, that my labor had been rendered vain. " Lest by any means the tempter had tempted you." But he tempts, not knowing whether he shall overthrow. Does he then, even though he knows not, yet assail us, and do we, who know that we shall completely overcome him, not watch ? But that he does attack us, though he knows not, he showed in the case of Job. For that evil demon said to God, " Hast Thou not made a hedge about his things within, and his things without? Take away his goods, and surely he will bless3 Thee to Thy face." (Job i. 10, n, Sept.) He makes trial; if he sees anythingweak, he makes an attack, if strong, he desists. "And our labor," he says, "be in vain." Let us all hear, how Paul labored. He does not say work, but "labor"; he does not say, and you be lost, but "our labor." 4 So 1 erepiu? might be taken thus, " when he cannot shake us othej- wise," the other being a last resource against us. 2 The Greek will read thus, but will hardly bear the construction. [The plot was at the end of the three months, and caused him to change his course. J. A. B.]3 [The Hebrew word denotes both bless and curse (perhaps both derived from the idea of supplicating God). The Septuagint trans lates "bless" in i. n and ii. 5, and evades by paraphrases in i. 5, "devised evil against God," and ii. o, "say some word unto the Lord."-J. A. B.] 1 [Three Greek words are employed. The Apostle s term would be better translated " toil"; and so Chrys. remarks, " He does not say work, but toil." The same distinction is to be observed in Rev. that even if anything had happened, it would be happening with some reason. But that it did not happen was a great wonder. These things indeed we expected, he says, but the contrary happened. For not only did we receive from you no addition to our affliction but even con solation. " But when Timothy came even now unto us, and brought us glad tidings of your faith and love." " Brought us glad tidings," he says. Do you see the excessive joy of Paul? he does not say, brought us word, but "brought us glad tidings." So great a good did he think their steadfastness and love. For it was necessary, the one remaining firm, that the other also must be steadfast. And he rejoiced in their love, because it was a sign of their faith. "And that ye have," he says, "good remembrance of us always, longing to see us, even as we also to see you." That is, with praises. Not when we were present, nor when we were working mira cles, but even now, when we are far off, and are scourged, and are suffering numberless evils, "ye have good remembrance of us." Hear how disciples are admired, who have good remem brance of their teachers, how they are called blessed. Let us imitate these. For we benefit ourselves, not those who are loved by us. "Longing to see us," he says, "as we also to see you." And this too cheered them ; for to him who loves, to perceive that the beloved person knows that he is beloved, is a great com fort and consolation. " For this cause, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our distress and affliction through your faith. For now we live if ye stand fast in the Lord." What is comparable to Paul, who thought the salvation of his neighbors was his own, being so affected towards all, as really towards members ? Who now would be able to break forth into such speech? Or rather, who will ever be able to have such a thought? He did not require them to be thankful to him for the trials which he suffered for them, but he was thankful to them that they were not moved on account of his trials. As if he had said, that to you rather than to us was injury done by those trials ; you were tempted rather than we, you who suffered nothing, rather than we who suffered. Because, he says, Timothy brought us these good tidings, we feel nothing of our sorrows, but were comforted in all our affliction ; not in this affliction only. For nothing besides can touch a good teacher, as long as the affairs of his disciples go on to his mind. Through you, he says, we were comforted ; you confirmed us. And yet the reverse was the case. For xiv. 13, " in that they shall rest from their toils, for their works fol low with them." The verb here employed by Chrys., " how Paul labored," signifies weary or suffering labor. J. A. B.]