a spirited and skilful trainer, but to place the crown on the conquerors head may be that of one who cannot even wrestle, (although it be the crown which adds splendor to the conquer- or,) so also in Baptism. It is impossible to be saved without it, yet it is no great thing which the baptizer doth, finding the will ready prepared. [7.] “Not in wisdom of words, lest the Cross of Christ should be made of none effect.” Having brought down the swelling pride of those who were arrogant because of their baptizing, he changes his ground afterwards to meet those who boasted about heathen wis- dom, and against them he puts on his armor with more vehemency. For to those who were puffed up with baptizing he said, “I give thanks that I baptized no one;” and, “for Christ sent me not to baptize.” He speaks neither vehemently nor argumentatively, but, having just hinted his meaning in a few words, passeth on quickly. But here at the very outset he gives a severe blow, saying, “Lest the Cross of Christ be made void.” Why then pride thyself on a thing which ought to make thee hide thy face?  Since, if this wisdom is at war with the Cross and fights with the Gospel, it is not meet to boast about it, but to retire with shame. For this was the cause why the Apostles were not wise; not through any weakness of the Gift, but lest the Gospel preached suffer harm. The sort of people therefore above mentioned were not those employed in advocating the Word: rather they were among its defamers. The unlearned men were the establishers of it. This was able to check vain glory, this to repress arrogance, this to enforce moderation. “But if it was ‘not by wisdom of speech,’ why did they send Apollos who was eloquent?” It was not, he replies, through confidence in his power of speech, but because he was (Acts xviii. 24, 29) “mighty in the Scriptures,” and “confuted the Jews.” And besides the point in question was that the leaders and first disseminators of the word were not eloquent; since these were the very persons to require some great power, for the expulsion of error in the first instance; and then, namely at the very outset, was the abundant strength needed. Now He who could do without educated persons at first, if afterwards some being eloquent were 14 admitted by Him, He did so not because He wanted them, but because He would make no distinctions. For as He needed not wise men to effect whatever He would, so neither, if any were afterwards found such, did He reject them on that account. [8.] But prove to me that Peter and Paul were eloquent. Thou canst not: for they were “unlearned and ignorant men!”20  As therefore Christ, when He was sending out His disciples into the world, having shewn unto them His power in Palestine first, and said, (St. Luke xxii. 35. (ὑποδήμάτος, rec. text ὑποδηματων.) “When I sent you forth without purse and wallet and shoe, lacked ye any thing?” permitted them from that time forward to possess both a wallet and a purse; so also He hath done here: for the point was the manifestation of 20 ἀγράμματοι καὶ ἰδιῶται. Acts iv. 13: there spoken of St. Peter and St. John, and by St. Chrysostom here quoted from memory as of St. Peter and St. Paul. 28 Homily III