John Chapter 15
Ver. 26, 27. "When the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto
you from the Father, even the Spirit of Truth, which proceedeth from the
Father, He shall testify of Me. And ye also shall bear witness, because
ye have been with Me from the beginning."
"He shall be worthy of belief, for He is the Spirit of Truth." On this
account He called It not "Holy Spirit," but "Spirit of Truth." But the,
"proceedeth from the Father," showeth that He knoweth all things exactly,
as Christ also saith of Himself, that "I know whence come and whither I
go" (c. viii. 14), speaking in that place also concerning truth. "Whom
will send." Behold, it is no longer the Father alone, but the Son also
who sendeth. "And ye too," He saith, "have a right to be believed, who
have been with Me, who have not heard from others." Indeed, the Apostles
confidently rely on this circumstance, saying, "We who did eat and drink
with Him." (Acts x. 41.) And to show that this was not merely said to please,
the Spirit beareth witness to the words spoken. (Acts x. 44.)
John Chapter 16
ver. 1. "These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not
be offended."
That is, "when ye see many disbelieve, and yourselves ill-treated."
Ver. 2. "They shall put you out of the synagogues."
(For "the Jews had already agreed, that if any one should confess Christ,
he should be put out of the synagogues"-c. ix. 22.)
"Yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he
doeth God service."
"They shall so seek after your murder, as of an action pious and pleasing
to God." Then again He addeth the consolation,
Ver. 3. "And these things will they do, because they have not known
the Father, nor Me."
"It is sufficient for your comfort that ye endure these things for My
sake, and the Father's." Here He remindeth them of the blessedness of which
He spake at the beginning, "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you,
and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely,
for My sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad; for great is your reward in
heaven." (Matt. v. 11, Matt. v. 12.)
Ver. 4. "These things have I told you, that when the time shall come,
ye may remember them."
"So, judging from these words, deem the rest also trustworthy. For ye
will not be able to say, that I flatteringly told you only those things
which would please you, nor that the words were words of deceit; for one
who intended to deceive, would not have told you beforehand of matters
likely to turn you away. I have therefore told you before, that these things
might not fall upon you unexpectedly, and trouble you; and for another
reason besides, that ye might not say, that I did not foreknow that these
things would be. Remember then that I have told you." And indeed the heathen
always covered their persecutions of them by a pretense of their wickedness,
driving them out as corrupters; but this did not trouble the disciples
who had heard beforehand, and knew for what they suffered. The cause of
what took place was sufficient to rouse their courage. Therefore He everywhere
handleth this, saying, "they have not known Me"; and, "for My sake they
shall do it"; and, "for My Name's sake, and for the Father's sake"; and,
"I suffered first"; and, "from no just cause they dare these things."
[4.] Let us too consider these things in our temptations, when we suffer
anything from wicked men, "looking to the Beginner and Finisher of our
faith" (Heb. xii. 2), and considering that it is by wicked men, and that
it is for virtue's sake, and for His sake. For if we reflect on these things,
all will be most easy and tolerable. Since if one suffering for those he
loves is even proud of it, what feeling of things dreadful will he have
who suffers for the sake of God? For if He, for our sake, calleth that
shameful thing, the Cross, "glory" (c. xiii. 31), much more ought we to
be thus disposed. And if we can so despise sufferings, much more shall
we be able to despise riches, and covetousness. We ought then, when about
to endure anything unpleasant, to think not of the toils but of the crowns;
for as merchants take into account not the seas only, but also the profits,
so ought we to reckon on heaven and confidence towards God. And if the
getting more seem a pleasant thing, think that Christ willeth it not, and
straightway it will appear displeasing. And if it be grievous to you to
give to the poor, stay not your reckoning at the expense, but straightway
transport your thoughts to the harvest which results from the sowing; and
when it is hard to despise the love of a strange woman, think of the crown
which comes after the struggle, and thou shalt easily bear the struggle.
For if fear diverts a man from unseemly things, much more should the love
of Christ. Difficult is virtue; but let us cast around her form the greatness
of the promise of things to come. Indeed those who are virtuous, even apart
from these promises, see her beautiful in herself, and on this account
go after her, and work because it seems good to God, not for hire; and
they think it a great thing to be sober-minded, not in order that they
may not be punished, but because God hath commanded it. But if any one
is too weak for this, let him think of the prizes. So let us do in respect
of alms-doing, let us pity our fellow-men, let us not, I entreat, neglect
them when perishing with hunger. How can it be otherwise than an unseemly
thing, that we should sit at the table laughing and enjoying ourselves,
and when we hear others wailing as they pass through the street, should
not even turn at their cries, but be wroth with them, and call them "cheat"?
"What meanest thou, man? Doth any one plan a cheat for a single loaf of
bread?" "Yes," saith some one. Then in this case above all let him be pitied;
in this case above all let him be delivered from his need. Or if thou art
not minded to give, do not insult either; if thou wilt not save the wreck,
do not thrust it into the gulf. For consider, when thou thrustest away
the poor man who comes to thee, who thou wilt be when thou callest upon
God. "With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again." (Matt.
vii. 2.) Consider how he departs, crushed, bowed down, lamenting; besides
his poverty having received also the blow from your insolence. For if ye
count the begging a curse, think what a tempest it makes, begging to get
nothing, but to go away insulted. How long shall we be like wild beasts,
and know not nature itself through greediness? Many groan at these words;
but I desire them not now, but always, to have this feeling of compassion.
Think, I pray you, of that day when we shall stand before the judgment-seat
of Christ, when we shall beg for mercy, and Christ, bringing them forward,
shall say, "For the sake of a single loaf, of a single obol, so great a
surge did ye raise in these souls!" What shall we reply? What defense shall
we make? To show that He will bring them forward, hear what He saith; "Inasmuch
as ye did it not to one of these, ye did it not to Me." (Matt. xxv. 45.)
They will no more say anything to us, but God on their behalf will upbraid
us. Since the rich man saw Lazarus too, and Lazarus said nothing to him,
but Abraham spake for him; and thus it will be in the case of the poor
who are now despised by us. We shall not see them stretching out their
hands in pitiful state, but being in rest; and we shall take the state
which was theirs (and would that it were that state only, and not one much
more grievous) as a punishment. For neither did the rich man desire to
be filled with crumbs "there," but was scorched and tormented sharply,
and was told, "Thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise
Lazarus evil things." (Luke xvi. 25.) Let us not then deem wealth any great
thing; it will help us on our way to punishment, if we take not heed, just
as, if we take heed, poverty also becomes to us an addition of enjoyment
and rest. For we both put off our sins if we bear it with thankfulness,
and gain great boldness before God.
[5.] Let us then not be ever seeking security here, in order that we
may enjoy security there; but let us accept the labors which are in behalf
of virtue, and cut off superfluities, and seek nothing more than we need,
and spend all our substance on those who want. Since what excuse can we
have, when God promiseth heaven to us, and we will not even give Him bread?
when He indeed for thee maketh the sun to rise, and supplieth all the ministry
of the Creation, but thou dost not even give Him a garment, nor allow Him
to share thy roof? But why speak I of sun and moon? He hath set His Body
before thee, He hath given thee His Precious Blood; and dost thou not even
impart to Him of thy cup? But hast thou done so for once? This is not mercy;
as long as, having the means, thou helpest not, thou hast not yet fulfilled
the whole duty. Thus the virgins who had the lamps, had oil, but not in
abundance. Why, thou oughtest, even didst thou give from thine own, not
to be so miserly, but now when thou givest what is thy Lord's, why countest
thou every little? Will ye that I tell you the cause of this inhumanity?
When men get together their wealth through greediness, these same are slow
to give alms; for one who has learnt so to gain, knows not how to spend.
For how can a man prepared for rapine adapt himself to its contrary? He
who takes from others, how shall he be able to give up his own to another?
A dog accustomed to feed on flesh cannot guard the flock; therefore the
shepherds kill such. That this be not our fate, let us refrain from such
feasting. For these men too feed on flesh, when they bring on death by
hunger. Seest thou not how God hath allowed to us all things in common?
If amid riches He hath suffered men to be poor, it is for the consolation
of the rich, that they may be able by showing mercy towards them to put
off their sins. But thou even in this hast been cruel and inhuman; whence
it is evident, that if thou hadst received this same power in greater things,
thou wouldest have committed ten thousand murders, and wouldest have debarred
men from light, and from life altogether. That this might not take place,
necessity hath cut short insatiableness in such matters.
If ye are pained when ye hear these things, much more I when I see them
taking place. How long shalt thou be rich, and that man poor? Till evening,
but no farther; for so short is life, and all things so near their end,
and all things henceforth so stand at the door, that the whole must be
deemed but a little hour. What need hast thou of bursting storehouses,
of a multitude of domestics and house-keepers? Why hast thou not ten thousand
proclaimers of thy almsdoing? The storehouse utters no voice, yet will
it bring upon thee many robbers; but the storehouses of the poor will go
up to God Himself, and will make thy present life sweet, and put away all
thy sins, and thou shalt gain glory from God, and honor from men. Why then
grudgest thou thyself such good things? For thou wilt not do so much good
to the poor, as to thyself, when thou benefitest them. Thou wilt right
their present state; but for thyself thou wilt lay up beforehand the glory
and confidence which shall be hereafter. And this may we all obtain, by
the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with the
Father and the Holy Ghost be the glory and the might for ever. Amen.
