sprinkled with ashes and girded about with sackcloth, may fast and pray, beseeching God himself to stretch forth his hand to save us, and stay this desolating evil. For need is there indeed of His hand, that mighty, that marvellous hand. Greater things are required of us, that of the Ninevites of old. Yet three days,' said the prophet, and Nineveh shall be distroyed,'-a fearful message, and burthened with a tremendous threat.

You know how terrible a disaster that of Nineveh must have been, for lately has the same warning been given to us. Not that any prophet has come, commissioned to raise his voice amongst us,―for all unworthy are we to hear such a voice; but the warning was sounded forth more distinctly than by any trumpet. But it is not for the material city that I mourn. The Church of God has been overthrown, and its members overwhelmed in the evil; nay more, and they that are in high places are involved in the same guilt as the rest. The calamity is worse, in proportion as the distress is heavier upon them. Wonder not, then, that I should exhort you to do greater things than the Ninevites; nay more, not only do I proclaim a fast, but suggest to you the remedy that raised up that city when falling. And what was that? Listen to it in the words of the prophet: The Lord saw that they turned away, every one from his evil way, and He repented of the evil which he said he would do unto them.' This let us do; all of us, both we and you. Let us renounce the passion for riches, the lust of glory, the selfseeking that leads to all evil; beseeching God to stretch forth his hand, and to raise up our fallen nature. And well may we do this, for our fear is not for the same objects as theirs. In the destruc

tion of their city, buildings were to be destroyed, and bodies to perish but now it is heavier evils than these; souls, immortal souls are about to be delivered over to the fire that is never quenched. Let us implore Him, let us confess unto Him, let us give thanks unto Him for what is past, let us entreat his mercy for what is to come, that we may be accounted worthy to be delivered from the evils to come, and be enabled to lift up our thanksgivings to the kind and loving God and Father, to Whom, with the Son and the Holy Spirit, be all glory, might, and honour, now and for evermore.

Amen.

A remarkable earthquake happened in Antioch, in the year 395, and at the same period took place the persecution of the orthodox prelates, among whom were several personal friends of Chrysostom. The above Homily may doubtless be referred to that period.]

THE TEMPLE OF THE LORD.

[The unction of St. Chrysostom when upon this favorite topic is very remarkable. Take the following among very many instances.]

Divine service is performed in our churches, the people daily frequent the same, and ye are satisfied. But let no man judge hence the condition of the Church. Do ye ask, then, whence shall it be known? By the piety to be found therein; by our returning home each day with gain, having gathered fruit, be it much or be it little; and by our not having frequented the church merely to fulfil an ancient law, and for the sake of appearance. Which

of us hath become amended by having attended divine service during a whole month? This is the question. The very circumstance, which would appear to argue for a happy state of the Church, proveth its ill condition; for we attend the church, but derive therefrom no gain. Would, indeed, that this were all; but there is something worse. What fruit reap ye from attendance here? Had ye derived benefit from it, ye would already have led true Christian lives; since so many prophets speak to you twice in the week, so many apostles and evangelists, -since all these set before you the doctrines of salvation, and instruct you fully in those things which are able to renew your minds. The soldier, who frequenteth the gymnasium, becometh more skilled in the affairs of war; the wrestler, who exerciseth himself in the palæstra, becometh more dextrous in wrestling; the medical student, who visiteth his teacher, becometh more expert, and increaseth his knowledge. What have ye gained? I inquire not of those, who have only become members of the Church within the last year, but of those who have assisted at divine service from their earliest childhood. Do ye suppose that piety consisteth in a constant attendance at church? If we bring no fruit thence, it were better to have remained at home.Our fathers built not the church for us, that we should come forth from our private dwellings to assemble and exhibit ourselves therein; for this might have equally occurred in the forum, or in the baths, or in the public processions ;-but they built it that those who teach, and those who learn, should meet together, and that the instructed should be amended by the instructors. Our duties have degenerated into a habit, adopted solely for the sake of appear

ances. The Easter festival arriveth, great tumult prevaileth, great crowds assemble, much disorder reigneth in the church. I will not say, that many men are there present; for they do not deserve the name of men. The festival is over, the tumult abateth, and an unavailing repose succeedeth. How many nightly vigils do we keep? and how many sacred songs do we pour forth? and what is the result? Better had they never been. Many are even led by vanity to the performance of these sacred duties. Think ye how my bowels yearn, when I behold all my labor lost? Ye indeed reply, We know the Scriptures. What then? Your gain, your advantage will be to prove this knowledge by your works. Perhaps ye will say, We pray. But how will prayer advantage you, without the aid of works? Hear what Christ saith: Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father, which is in heaven.'

We wash our hands when we enter the church, but we wash not our hearts. And yet the hands emit not the voice; it is the soul, which sendeth forth the words; it is the soul, which God regardeth. To pray with unwashed hands is of little moment; but to pray with an unwashed soul is of all evils the worst. There are some, who having committed a thousand sins in the course of the day, bathe themselves in the evening; then enter the church, and lift up their hands with confidence, as if by this external purification of water they had thrown off all uncleanness. Were this the case, it would be a great gain to bathe daily. Could the bath cleanse men, and free them from sin, I would never cease to enjoin you to partake of it. But this is an ab

surdity, a madness, the sport and delusion of a child. God abhorreth not the impurity of the body, but the uncleanness of the soul. Let us, therefore, learn what it is, which defileth a man: let us learn and avoid it; for even in the church we see this custom prevail with many. They are careful to enter with cleansed garments, and with washed hands; but they take no account to present a pure soul before God.-Hom. xxix. on Acts of Apos.

[Finding on one occasion, a comparatively small congregation assembled in the church, he censured the indifference, with which the majority of nominal Christians regarded the concerns of religion.]

Once in the course of the week we are assembled here; but not even on this one day can they lay aside worldly cares. And if any one upbraid them, they straightways plead poverty, the necessity of procuring subsistence, or urgent business,—a defence more wicked than the charge, which is brought against them. For can a heavier accusation be made, than that of regarding any call more urgent, than the concerns of God? And were their defence even true, it would, as I have already said, be itself an accusation. But, without one word from me, the day after the morrow will discover to you, that it is an excuse and pretext for idleness. The whole city will then migrate to the Circus; and houses and forums will be deserted to view that illicit show.Here we behold even the chief place in the church unoccupied; but there not only the hippodrome, but also the upper seats, houses, roofs, precipitous walls, and a thousand other places are filled. And neither poverty, nor business, nor bodily infirmity, nor lameness, nor any other similar hindrance, restraineth this incontrollable madness. But men, weighed