are now hidden things, are then to be brought to light! But shouldest thou pardon thy neighbours, all these sins which till then await their disclosure are done away with here; and thou wilt depart this life dragging after thee none of that chain of transgressions; so that thou receivest greater things than thou givest. For many such transgressions, indeed, we have often committed which no other person knoweth; and when we think that on that day when our sins shall lie exposed to the eyes of all upon the public theatre of the universe, we are in pain beyond any punishment, whilst choked and strangled by our conscience. Yet this shame, great as it is, these sins, these punishments, great as they are, there is a possibility of purging away through forgiveness exercised toward our neighbour.

God continually exhorts us saying, "Let none of you revengefully imagine evil against his brother in your heart, and let none of you think of his neighbour's malice." (Zech. vii. and viii.) It is not said merely, forego wrath, but retain it not in thy mind; think not of it, part with all thy resentment. Do away the sore; for thou supposest that thou art paying him back the injury, but thou art first tormenting thyself, and setting up thy rage as an executioner within thee in every part, tearing up thine own bounds. For what can be more wretched than a man continually provoked ?

"Rejoice not," the Wise man saith, "when thine enemy stumbleth." (Prov. xxiv. 17.) And tell me not of the greatness of the injuries received; for it is

not this which maketh thy wrath to be retained; but this, that thou art unmindful of thine own offences; that thou hast not before thine eyes either hell or the fear of God.

Neither infirmity of body, nor poverty, nor unlettered ignorance, nor want of leisure, nor any other thing of that kind hast thou to advance. How wilt thou be able to stretch thine hands towards heaven, or how to move thy tongue, or to ask pardon? For although God be desirous to pardon thy sins, thou thyself dost not suffer Him, while thou retainest that of thy fellow servant! But suppose that he is cruel, fierce and savage, and greedy of revenge and retaliation? Why for this reason thou oughtest especially to grant forgiveness. Hast thou been wronged much, and robbed, and slandered, and injured in matters of first importance; and dost thou wish to see thine enemy punished? Yet if thou thyself takest vengeance, and prosecutest it, either by words, by deeds, or imprecation against the adversary; then God will not afterwards prosecute it too, inasmuch as thou hast taken thy revenge; and not only will He not prosecute the matter for thee, but will also demand a penalty of thee, as a despiser of Himself.

Hath thy neighbour wronged and grieved thee, and involved thee in a thousand ills? Be it so, yet do not prosecute vengeance on thine own part, lest thou be treating thy Lord with contempt! Yield the matter to God, and He will dispose of it much better than thou canst desire. To thee He has given charge simply to pray for the injurer; but how to

deal with him, He hath ordered thee to leave to Himself. Never canst thou so avenge thyself, as He is prepared to avenge thee, if thou givest place to Him alone.

Lo! I forewarn, and testify, and proclaim this with a voice that all may hear! Let no one who hath an enemy approach the sacred Table, or receive the Lord's Body. Let no Let no one approaching have an enemy. Hast thou an enemy? Approach not! Wilt thou approach? Be reconciled and then approach, and touch the holy Thing.

Nor indeed is this my declaration rather it is that of the Lord Himself, Who was crucified for us. That He might reconcile thee to the Father, He refused not to be slaughtered, and to shed His Blood. And art thou unwilling to utter a word, or to make the first advance, that thou mayest be reconciled to thy fellow servant? Hear what the Lord saith, “ If thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee." He does not say, “wait for him to come to thee;" nor speak with another as a mediator," but do thou thyself make the advance towards him."

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We are commanded to have only one enemy, the devil. With him never be thou reconciled. But with a brother, never have a heart at emnity! For when thou sayest, "Forgive us as we forgive," and afterwards dost not forgive, thou art supplicating of God nothing else than that He would entirely deprive thee of all excuse or indulgence. No one so truly pollutes the holy Feast, as he does, who while

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Word is not in us." If thou shalt say, I have not sinned, thou makest Him a liar, while thou wishest to make thyself true. How is it possible that God should be a liar and men true, when the Scripture saith the contrary, "Every man a liar, God Alone true?" Consequently, God true through Himself, thou true through God, became through thyself a liar.

And lest haply the Apostle should seem to have given impunity for sins, in that he said, "He is faithful and just to cleanse us from all iniquity;" and men henceforth should say to themselves, Let us sin, let us do securely what we will, Christ purgeth us, He is faithful and just, purgeth us from all iniquity: He taketh from thee an evil security, and putteth in an useful fear. To thine own hurt thou wouldst be secure; thou must be solicitous. For "He is faithful and just to forgive us our faults," provided thou always displease thyself, and be changing until thou be perfected. Accordingly, what follows? "My little children, these things I write unto you, that ye sin not." But perchance sin overtakes us from our mortal life what shall be done then? What? shall there be now despair? Hear: "And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous; and He is the propitiation for our sins." He then is the Advocate, do thou endeavour not to sin; if from the infirmity of this life sin shall overtake thee, see to it straightway, straightway be displeased, straightway condemn it; and when thou hast condemned, thou shalt come assured unto the

Judge. There hast thou the Advocate: fear not to lose thy cause in thy confession. For if oft-times in this life a man commits his cause to an eloquent tongue, and is not lost thou committest thyself to the Word, and shalt thou be lost? Cry, "We have an Advocate with the Father."

Homil. on S. John, Epist. i.

Fourth Saturday in Lent.

ANGER. S. CHRYSOSTOM.

It is impossible for one out of temper to accomplish his purpose, and persuade any; he must make him to whom he speaks still more incredulous. Wherefore we must abstain from anger, and make our words in every way credible by avoiding not only wrath, but also loud speaking, for loud speaking is the fuel of passion.

Let us then bind the horse, that we may subdue the rider; let us clip the wings of our wrath, so the evil shall no more rise to a height. A keen passion is anger; keen and skilful to steal our souls; therefore we must on all sides guard against its entrance. It were strange that we should be able to tame wild beasts, and yet should neglect our own savage minds. Wrath is a fierce fire, it devours all things; it harms