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νων.

but even by Christians'; and there was one man, who went so 1 tŵv Kôn far as to say: "This is enough to make me renounce the faith, enμé"and sacrifice to devils." It was the common subject of jest in the public square, and in all places where idle people met together. One might be heard saying, "I was 'p. 47. C. "the first who laid hands upon such a Monk, and I beat him heartily." A second, "But I was the first to discover his hiding-place." And a third added, "I have exasperated "the judge against him more than any body." Another boasted that he had dragged him along the street and thrown him into a dungeon. And upon this all the bystanders burst out into laughter. Thus did Christians act3, and the Pagans (c. 3.) made a jest of both.

St. John Chrysostom undertook to shew the world their mistake in this matter; not for the sake of the Monks, who indeed gloried in their sufferings, but for the benefit of their calumniators. In the first book, he shews the usefulness of the monastic state, and the necessity of retirement, by reason of the corruption which prevailed at that time, even amongst Christians, especially in the great cities. In the second, he addresses himself to a Pagan father, whom he supposes to be overwhelmed with grief because his son had embraced the monastic state. He shews him that it is the true philosophy ; that by contemning riches, glory and temporal power, a Monk is the richest, the freest, the most powerful and most honoured of all men, and the most able to comfort a father. In order to shew the power of the Monks, he has these remarkable words: "Let us persuade your son to desire any one of the "richest who is also religious', to send him what quantity of "gold you please, or rather to give it to such a poor man; you will see the rich man obey him more readily than one "of your stewards obeys you. And if this person should "become poor, your son might bid another do the same, "and afterwards another." He concludes with this story: "I had a friend', the son of a Pagan, who was rich, in great p. 75. C. (Sav.p.183. "esteem, and considerable in every respect. The father at 31.) "first incensed the magistrates against him, threatened him "with imprisonment, stript him of every thing, and left him "in a strange country, in want even of necessary food. By "this means he hoped to bring him to a more secular life". I BIWTIKW

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lib.ii.p.62.

C. [Sav. p.

174. lin.

19.] (c. 5.)

τέραν ζω

1

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(c. 11. P. 426. E.)

c. 13. p.

101. A.

B. [Sav. 199. 41.] (c. 10.)

[Sav. p. 201. 2.] [* κατεσ κληκός.]

"But finding him invincible, he changed his tone, and he

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now pays his son more respect than if he had been his "father, and though he has several other children of great repute in the world, he says that they are not worthy to "be this one's slaves."

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The third book is addressed to a Christian father, and in it the Saint describes more at length the excellency of the

c. 12.p.99. monastic life. He there plainly says', that we see as few D. [Sav. 201. 37.] Monks grow remiss as we see other men succeed in their studies; and that that which throws the whole world into confusion', is, that we think that it concerns none but Monks [Sav. 202. exactly to practise the rules of the Gospel, and that others 28.] (c. 12. P. 430. C.) are allowed to live in a careless manner. He brings in a c.11.p.97. remarkable story of a Monk, who by the persuasion of a virtuous mother undertook to instruct her son. He carried him from his father's house to another city, under pretence of studying the Greek and Latin authors. There the young man lived in appearance like other people'; there was nothing rigid or severe in his behaviour, nothing particular in his dress, his looks, or the tone of his voice; but in his own house you would have thought him one of the solitaries of the mountains. His house was ordered according to the exactness of a monastery, having nothing in it beyond what was absolutely necessary. As he had great quickness, a small part of the day was sufficient for his study of human literature, and he devoted all the rest to prayer and reading the Holy Scripture, and frequently also the night. He went all day long without eating, frequently two days and even more. He slept in a hair garment, having found out this invention for rising at a moment. He could not endure to have his manner of living mentioned abroad, for there was reality in his virtue, and his tutor had so impressed him with the desire of perfection that all his trouble was in checking him, and keeping him from retiring into solitude. It might reasonably be hoped that youths like him should gain many of their companions to the service of God. St. Chrysostom relates this story, on the authority of the Monk who was the tutor. He considers the monastic state as a school of virtue for every c. 16. p. one, and he advises a father to engage his son in it, as soon [Sav. p. as he comes to a responsible age, (as, for instance, at ten

6

107. B.

years old,) and to leave him in it as long as is necessary, even 207. 18.] (c. 15. p. ten or twenty years', after which he may bring him again 436. C. into the world. This shews that all that were in monasteries P. 109. A. [Sav. p. were not equally engaged to a solitary life.

1

2

208. 28.]

IX. Other

St. Chrysostom.

This Tom. i. p. 1. [Sav. vi.

had

p.55.] (tom.

iv.)

soz. viii. 2.

We find however by St. Chrysostom's two discourses to his friend Theodorus, that it was not looked upon as a matter of works of indifference to quit the exercises of a monastic life in order to return into the world and live without restraint. Theodorus was of a noble family, possessed great riches, great talents, and wrote and spoke with eloquence, being well versed in the pursuits of the rhetoricians and philosophers. When he began to read the sacred writings, and to associate with religious persons, he imitated their mode of life, and signalized himself amongst the solitaries. But he soon yielded to temptation, returned into the world, and had serious thoughts of marriage. He even pretended to justify his conduct by examples drawn from history, in which he was well skilled. St. Chrysostom being informed of it, wrote to him in such strong terms that he brought him back to a better mind; he renounced marriage, quitted his estate, and resumed the monastic life. He was now only twenty years old, and became afterwards Bishop of Mopsuestia in Cilicia. In one of these discourses St. Chrysostom expressly Ep. 2. says; "For a man, who hath been united in heavenly wed- a Theod. lock, to renounce that, and unite himself to a wife, "adultery."

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[ Before

his retreat,

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A. D. 369.

$ 3. p. 38. is [Sav. Aoyos 2. p. 57.] (c. 2. p.588. A.) 6 Tom. i.

whence the

His two discourses On Compunction are referred to this time, and are addressed to two Monks, Demetrius and Stele- P. 121. chius. In the first he says: "When I had resolved to leave Lib.i. c.6. "the city to go to the cells of the Monks, I made strict P. 132. C.. [Sav. p. 145. enquiry who was to supply me with necessaries; whether 27.](p.111. A.) "I could have new bread every day; whether I should not [pany, "be obliged to use the same oil for my lamp and my food; date, A. D. "whether I was to live upon pulse, to be employed in hard 375-6.] [ σκηνάς.] labour, such as digging the ground, and carrying wood or "water; in a word, I was very careful to make myself easy." He corrected' this infirmity so thoroughly that he ran in the Pallad. p. contrary extreme, so that after having been five years in the 17. (41.) desert, finding his constitution weakened, and that he could

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not recover it there, he was forced to return to Antioch, and [A.D.380.]

to enter again into the service of the Church; he was then at least twenty-six years of age.

1 Pall. ubi When he had served' five years' at the altar, probably as supr. (p.42.) Sopos subdeacon, St. Meletius ordained3 him Deacon, being thirtyTois Tpii one years old. It is thought that he at this time composed ἔτεσιν.] [XE POTO- three books, in which he enlarges on God's providential care veirai did for His saints, for the consolation of one of his friends, a τοῦ Μ.] [A.D.33. Monk named Stageirius, who was possessed with an evil ad Stageir. spirit. He had fallen into a deep melancholy since that [Sav. tom. calamity, which had not happened till after" he had "crucified vi. p. 84.] himself to the world," and against which he had in vain [* νηστείαις kal Tavvu- had recourse to all kinds of remedies. In this work St. Chrysostom dwells chiefly upon the advantages of afflictions.

or 381.]

tom.i.p.154.

λοιπῇ σκλη-
ραγωγία.]
* Pallad.
ibid.

[* χειρο-
τονεῖται.]

ineunt.

Tille.]

1 Tom. i.

His capacity for instructing was already universally known, and the people were much benefited by his private exhortations. He was consequently ordained Priest by the Bishop Flavian, and officiated as such at Antioch twelve years. His [A. D. 386 ordination is referred to the year 385'; and as Flavian at the same time conferred the ministry of the word upon him, he made a Homily upon this occasion, which begins with expressions of great astonishment', asking whether it was a dream or a reality, that a man so young and of so little experience was raised to so high a station; and however few years we suppose him to have been a Deacon he could now hardly be less than thirty-five years old. A great (p.838-40.) part of this discourse consists of an eulogy upon Flavian, and 3 Tom. il. soon after St. Chrysostom made a panegyric upon3 St. Meletius, in which he takes notice that he had been dead five years, 537.] (i. P. which fixes the date of this Homily to the year 386.

p.436. [Sav.

vi. p. 443.]
(tom. iv.
p. 834.)

p. 519.

Sav. v. p.

523.
4 Tom. i.

p. 444. (i.
p. 294.)

389.

xiv. c. 4.

47.

He composed several discourses to shew, in opposition to the Anomoans, that the nature of God is incomprehensible Sav. vi. p. to created beings; but of his first sermons, the most famous Fleury.bk. is that Concerning Anathema. Several of the Catholics of and xii. c. Antioch through a mistaken zeal had pronounced anathema against those whom they thought heretics', i. e. against such as were not of their own communion. For the followers of Sav. vi. P. Flavian charged those of Paulinus' party with Sabellianism; Fleury, and the followers of Paulinus accused Flavian's party of Arianism. St. Chrysostom thought himself obliged to speak "" men with minds not

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Tom. i.

p. 691. (i. p. 803.)

439.

bk. xvii. c.

45.

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p. 691. D. against this excess. "I see," says he,

Sav. 439.

lin. 39.

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only undisciplined by the Holy Scripture, but entirely "uninstructed in it, (I omit the rest for shame,) infatuated men, babblers, understanding' neither what they say, nor Tim.1.7. "whereof they affirm; venturing to teach doctrines, though " ignorant, and to anathematize what they know not; so that "infidels make a mock of us." He afterwards represents to them the force of the word anathema', which signifies an* p. 692. (805.) Sav. abandonment to Satan, and adds: "How then do you usurp 440. "so great an authority, which none but the Council of the "Apostles has been honoured with, and those who in all "exactness are their true successors [full of grace and "power]? They exactly kept the commandment, and cast "out the heretics from the Church as though they were "plucking out the right eye. We ought to anathematize 'p. 696. A. "the heresies that are contrary to our tradition; but we Sav. 443. ought always to spare the persons [and pray for their salva"tion]." It is plain that St. Chrysostom in this discourse speaks only against laics, who pronounced anathema against whomsoever they pleased on their own private authority; and we may there too, plainly see the difference between anathema and want of intercommunion, for neither he nor Flavian, nor any of their communion, communicated with the followers of Paulinus.

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6

(809. A.)

p. 417. ii.

v. 511.

It was about the same time that St. Chrysostom first preached' on the Feast of the Nativity of our Saviour, which (Tom. v. had lately been introduced into the Church of Antioch in p.354. Sav. imitation of the Western Church', as he tells us in the begin- sSav.p.512. ning of that discourse. It was whilst he was a Priest, and at lin. 6. Antioch, that he composed his Homilies upon Genesis, during Tom. iv. p. Lent'. He there cites the Hebrew in some places, which he 1,645. Sav. might have learnt by intercourse with the Jews, who were ii. 725. very numerous at Antioch, and by its agreement with the Rom. et Syriac, which was the language of the country. At Antioch, Græc. he likewise explained the Psalms; the entire Gospels of Hom. xx.

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6

v. 1. Morel.

* See Brev.

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Triod.

p. 171. D. et Hom.

"menical] Council of Constantinople, as xli. [Quær. Bishop of Antioch, instead of Paulinus, Hom. Ixiii. in cap. 41. "and was even made a πрóeƐрos of the

p.

"Council." Gieseler, $81. note 22. P. 606. A. ?
and § 92. The happy instrument, by
whom the reunion was effected, (A. D.
413.) was also a successor of St. Mele-
tius. Theodor. v. 25.

cf. tom. v. 198. D.] Tom. v. Sav.i.p.522. and viii.p.1.

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