Homilies on the Gospel of St. John and the Epistle to the Hebrews

NPNF (V1-14)St. Chrysostom[8.] “If any man that is called Brother be” (he says) “a drunkard.” Oh! what strictness! Yet wenot only do not avoid drunkards, but even go to their houses, partaking of what they set before us.Therefore all things are upside down, all things are in confusion, and overthrown, and ruined.For tell me, if any such person should invite thee to a banquet, thee who art accounted poor andmean, and then should hear thee say, “Inasmuch as the things set before me are [the fruit] ofoverreaching, I will not endure to defile my own soul,” would he not be mortified? Would he notbe confounded? Would he not be ashamed? This alone were sufficient to correct him, and to makehim call himself wretched for his wealth, and admire thee for thy poverty, if he saw himself withso great earnestness despised by thee.But we “are become” (I know not why) “servants of men” ( 1 Cor. vii. 23 ), though Paul criesaloud throughout, “Be not ye the servants of men.” Whence then have we become “servants ofmen”? Because we first became servants of the belly, and of money, and of glory, and of all therest; we gave up the liberty which Christ bestowed on us.What then awaiteth him who is become a servant (tell me)? Hear Christ saying, “The servantabideth not in the house for ever.” ( John viii. 35 .) Thou hast a declaration complete in itself, thathe never entereth into the Kingdom; for this is what “the House” means. For, He says, “in MyFather’s House are many mansions.” ( John xiv. 2 .) “The servant” then “abideth not in the Housefor ever.” By a servant He means him who is “the servant of sin.” But he that “abideth not in theHouse for ever,” abideth in Hell for ever, having no consolation from any quarter.Nay, to this point of wickedness are matters come, that they even give alms out of these [ill-gottengains], and many receive [them]. Therefore our boldness has broken down, and we are not able torebuke any one. But however, henceforward at least, let us flee the mischief arising from this; andye who have rolled yourselves in this mire, cease from such defilement, and restrain your rage forsuch banquets, if even now we may by any means be able to have God propitious to us, and toattain to the good things which have been promised: which may we all obtain in Christ Jesus ourLord, with whom to the Father together with the Holy Ghost, be glory, power, honor, now and forever, and world without end. Amen.Homily XXVI.Hebrews xi. 20–22“By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. By faith, Jacob when he wasa dying blessed both the sons of Joseph, and worshiped 3281 leaning on the top of his staff. Byfaith, Joseph when he died made mention of the departing of the children of Israel, and gavecommandment concerning his bones.”3281or, “ bowed himself, made obeisance. ”697