did he speak, or even think; but steadily bore all, tho bereaved of them after bestowing on them so much care.  For as an accomplished statuary framing golden images adorns them with great care, so he sought properly to mold and adorn their souls.  And as a husbandman assiduously waters his palm-trees, or olives, inclosing them and cultivating them in every suitable way; so he perpetually sought to enrich each one’s soul, as a fruitful olive, with increasing virtue.  But he saw the trees overthrown by the assault of the evil spirit, and exposed on the earth, and enduring that miserable kind of death; yet he uttered no reviling word, but rather blest God, thus giving a deadly blow to the devil.

Should you say that Job had many sons, but that others have frequently lost their only sons, and that his cause of sorrow was not equal to theirs, you say well; but I reply, that Job’s cause of sorrow was not only equal, but far greater.  For of what advantage was it to him that he had many children?  It was a severer calamity and a more bitter grief to receive the wound in many bodies.

Still, if you wish to see another holy man having an only son, and showing the same and even greater fortitude, call to mind the patriarch Abraham, who did not indeed see Isaac die, but, what was much more painful, was himself commanded to slay him, and did not question the command, nor repine at it, nor say, “Is it for this thou hast made me a father, that thou shouldest make me the slayer of my son?  Better it would have been not to give him at all, than having given him thus to take him away.  And if thou choosest to take him, why dost thou command me to slay him and to pollute my right hand?  Didst thou not promise me that from this son thou wouldst fill the earth with my descendants?  How wilt thou give the fruits, then, if thou pluck up the root?  How dost thou promise me a posterity, and yet order me to slay my son?  Who ever saw such things, or heard of the like?  I am deceived; I have been deluded.”  No such thing did he say, or even think; he said nothing against the command, he did not ask the reasons; but hearing the Word—­“Take thy son, thine only son whom thou lovest, and carry him up to one of the mountains which I shall show thee,” he complied so readily as even to do more than was commanded.  For he concealed the matter from his wife, and he left the servants at the foot of the Mount in ignorance of what was to be done, and ascended, taking only the victim.  Thus not unwillingly, but with promptness, he obeyed the command.  Think now what it was, to be conversing alone with his son, apart from all others, when the affections are the more fervently excited, and attachment becomes stronger; and this not for one, or two, but for several days.  To obey the command speedily would have been wonderful; but not so wonderful as, while his heart was burdened and agitated for many days, to avoid indulging in human tenderness toward his son.  On this account God appointed for him