HOMILY XII.] HOMILIES ON COLOSSIANS. 315 selves more nobly in their trials ; but he made them not only the braver, but also the more nearly interested. " Grace be with you. Amen." It is great praise, and greater than all the rest, his saying of Epaphras, " who is [one] of you, a servant of Christ." l And he calleth him a minister for them, like as he termeth himself also a minister of the Church, as when he saith, " Whereof I Paul was made a minister." (Col. i. 23.) To the same dignity he advances this man ; and above he calleth him a " fellow-ser vant " (Col. i. 7), and here, " a servant." " Who is of you," he saith, as if speaking to a mother, and saying, "who is of thy womb." But this praise might have gendered envy ; therefore he commendeth him not from these things only, but also from what had regard to themselves ; and so he does away with envy, both in the former place, and here. "Always," he saith, " striving for you," not now only, whilst with us, to make a display ; nor yet only whilst with you, to make a display before you. By saying, " striv ing," he hath showed his great earnestness. Then, that he might not seem to be flattering them, he added, " that he hath much zeal for you, and for them in Laodicea, and for them in Hierapolis." And the words, "that ye may stand perfect," are not words of flattery, but of a reverend teacher. Both " fully assured " he saith, " and perfect." The one he granted them, the other he said was lacking. And he said not, " that ye be not shaken," but, " that ye may stand." Their being saluted, however, by many, is refreshing to them, seeing that not only their friends from among themselves, but others also, remember them. " And say to Archippus, Take heed to the min istry which thou hast received in the Lord." His chief aim is to subject them to him 2 entirely. For they could no more have complaint against him for rebuking them, when they themselves had taken it all upon them ; for it is not reason able to talk to the disciples about the teacher. But to stop their mouths, he writes thus to them ; "Say to Archippus," he saith, "Take heed." This word is everywhere used to alarm ; as when he saith, " Take heed of dogs." (Phil. iii. 2.) "Take heed lest there shall be any one that maketh spoil of you." (Col. ii. 8.) "Take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours be come a stumblingblock to the weak." (i Cor. viii. 9.) And he always so expresses himself when he would terrify. "Take heed," he saith, "to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfill it." He doth not even 1 [The two following paragraphs go again over the ground of the preceding. Are they notes taken by two hearers, or notes made by the preacher for two occasions? Or does he return and run over the passage again, to see what further remarks it will suggest? The latter seems to be the case in a good many of the Homilies on Acts. Comp. above, on Horn. xi. J. A. B.] - i.e. Archippus. allow him the power of choosing, as he saith himself, " For if I do this of mine own will, I have a reward : but if not of mine own will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me." ( i Cor. ix. 17.) "That thou fulfill it," continually using diligence. "Which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfill it." Again, the word " in" means " through the Lord." He gave it thee, says he, not we. He subjects them also to him,3 when he shows that they had been committed to his hands by God. " Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen." He hath released their terror. For although their teacher be in bonds, yet "grace " releaseth him. This too is of grace, the grant ing him to be put in bonds. For hear Luke saying, The Apostles returned " from the pres ence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the Name." (Acts v. 41.) For both to suffer shame, and to be put in bonds, is indeed to be " counted worthy." For, if he that hath one whom he loveth, deemeth it gain to suffer aught for his sake, much rather then is it so to suffer for the sake of Christ. Repine wa not then at our tribu lations for Christ s sake, but let us also remem ber Paul s bonds, and be this our incitement. For instance : dost thou exhort any to give to the poor for Christ s sake? Remind them of Paul s bonds, and bemoan thy misery and theirs, seeing that he indeed gave up even his body to bonds for His sake, but thou wilt not give a por tion even of thy food. Art thou lifted up be cause of thy good deeds? Remember Paul s bonds, that thou hast suffered nought of that kind, and thou wilt be lifted up no more. Cov- etest thou any of the things that are thy neigh bor s? Remember Paul s bonds, and thou wilt see how unreasonable it is, that whilst he was in perils, thou shouldest be in delights. Again, is thine heart set upon self-indulgence ? Picture to thy mind Paul s prison-house ; thou art his dis ciple, his fellow-soldier. How is it reasonable, that thy fellow-soldier should be in bonds, and thou in luxury ? Art thou in affliction ? Dost thou deem thyself forsaken ? Hear Paul s bonds, 4 and thou wilt see, that to be in affliction is no proof of being forsaken. Wouldest thou wear silken robes? Remember Paul s bonds; and these things will appear to thee more worth less than the filth-bespattered rags of her that sitteth apart. 5 Wouldest thou array thee with golden trinkets? Picture to thy mind Paul s bonds, and these things will seem to thee no better than a withered bulrush. Wouldest thou tire thine hair, and be beautiful to see? Think 3 i.e. Archippus. 4 [So in all the MSS. known to Field. Notice how jejune is the :orrection, "words," which went into the printed editions. J. A. B.J 5 [This also is wanting in the editions, but found in the MSS., md indeed quite in Chrys. s manner. See Isa. Ixiv. 6. J. A. B.J