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ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

HOMILIES ON SECOND TIMOTHY

[Translated by the Rev. James Tweed, M.A., of Corpus Christi College,
Cambridge; re-edited by the Rev. Philip Schaff, D.D., LL.D.]


HOMILY I: 2 TIMOTHY i. 1, 2.

"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the
promise of life which is in Jesus Christ, to Timothy, my dearly beloved
son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our
Lord."

   WHAT is the reason of his writing this second Epistle to Timothy? He
had said, "I hope to come unto thee shortly" (1 Tim. iii. 14), and as this
had not taken place, instead of coming to him, he consoles him by a letter,
when he was grieving perhaps for his absence, and oppressed by the cares of
the government, which he had now taken in hand. For even great men, when
they are placed at the helm, and are charged with the direction of the
Church, feel the strangeness of their position, and are overwhelmed, as it
were, by the waves of business. This was particularly the case when the
Gospel was first preached, when the ground was everywhere unturned, and all
was opposition and hostility. There were, besides, heresies commencing from
the Jewish teachers, as he has shown in his former Epistle. Nor does he
only comfort him by letters, he invites him to come to him: "Do thy
diligence," he says, "to come  shortly unto me," and, "when thou comest,
bring with thee the books, but especially the  parchments." (2 Tim. iv. 9
and 13.) And he seems to have written this Epistle when his end was
approaching. For he says, "I am now ready to be offered up"; and again, "At
my first answer no man stood with me." (2 Tim. iv. 6 and 16.) To set all
this right, he both offers consolation from his own trials, and also says,

   "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the
promise of life which is in Christ Jesus."

   Thus at the very commencement he raises up his mind. Tell me not, he
says, of the dangers here. These obtain for us eternal life, where there is
no peril, where grief and mourning flee away. For He hath not made us
Apostles only that we might encounter dangers, but that we might even
suffer and die.(1) And as it would not be a consolation to recount to him
his own troubles, but rather an increase of his grief, he begins
immediately with offering comfort, saying, "According to the promise of
life which is in Jesus Christ." But if it is a "promise," seek it not here.
For, "hope that is seen is not hope." (Rom. viii. 24.)

   Ver. 2. "To Timothy, my dearly beloved son."

   Not merely his "son," but, "dearly beloved"; since it is possible for
sons not to be beloved. Not such, he means, art thou; I call thee not
merely a son, but a "dearly beloved son." As he calls the Galatians his
children, but at the same time complains of them; "My little children," he
says, "of whom I travail in birth again." (Gal. iv. 19.) And he bears
particular testimony to his virtue by calling him "beloved." For where love
does not arise from nature, it must arise from the merit of the object.
Those who are born of us, are loved not only on account of their virtue,
but from the force of nature; but when those who are of the faith are
beloved, it is on account of nothing but their merit, for what else can it
be? And this especially in the case of Paul, who never acted from
partiality. And further, he shows by calling him his "beloved son," that it
was not because he was offended with him, or despised him, or condemned
him; that he did not come to him.

   Ver. 2. "Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and Christ Jesus
our Lord."

   These things which he before prayed for, he again invokes upon him. And
observe how, at the very beginning, he excuses himself for not having come
to him, nor seen him. For his words, "Till I come," and, "Hoping to come to
thee shortly," had led Timothy to expect his coming soon. For this he
excuses himself, but he does not immediately mention the cause of his not
coming, lest he should grieve him mightily. For he was detained in prison
by the emperor. But when at the end of the Epistle he invited him to come
to him, then he informed him of it. He does not at the outset plunge him
into sorrow, but encourages the hope that he shall see him. "Greatly
desiring to see thee," and "Do thy diligence to come unto me shortly." (2
Tim. i. 4, and iv. 9.) Immediately therefore he raises him up, and proceeds
to praise him.

   Ver. 3, 4. "I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure
conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers
night and day; greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears,
that I might be filled with joy."

   "'I thank God,' he says, 'that I remember thee,' so much do I love
thee." This is a mark of excessive love, when a man glories in his
affection from loving so much. "I thank God," he says, "Whom I serve": and
how? "With a pure conscience," for he had not violated his conscience. And
here he speaks of his blameless life, for he everywhere calls his life his
conscience. Or because I never gave up any good that I purposed, for any
human cause, not even when I was a persecutor. Wherefore he says, "I
obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief" (1 Tim. i. 13);
all but saying, "Do not suspect that it was done of wickedness." He
properly commends his own disposition, that his love may appear sincere.
For what he says is in fact, "I am not false, I do not think one thing and
profess another." So in the book of Acts we read he was compelled to praise
himself. For when they slandered him as a seditious man and an innovator,
he said in his own defense, "Ananias said to me, The God of our fathers
hath chosen thee that thou shouldest know His will, and see that Just One,
and shouldest hear the voice of His mouth. For thou shalt be His witness
unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard." (Acts xxii. 14, 15.) In the
same manner here, that he may not, as if he bad been forgetful, have the
character of one void of friendship and conscience, he justly praises
himself, saying, that "without ceasing I have remembrance of thee," and not
simply that, but "in my prayers." That is, it is the business of my
prayers, that which I constantly continue to perform. For this he shows by
saying, "For this I besought God day and night, desiring to see thee." Mark
his fervent desire, the intensity(1) of his love. And again, his humility,
how he apologizes to his disciples, and then he shows that it was not on
light or vain grounds; and this he had shown us before, but again gives
proof of it. "Being mindful of thy tears." It was natural for Timothy, when
parting from him,(2) to mourn and weep, more than a child torn away from
the milk and from the breast of its mother. "That I may be filled with joy;
greatly desiring to see thee." I would not willingly have deprived myself
of so great a pleasure, though I had been of an unfeeling and brutal
nature, for those tears coming to my remembrance would have been enough to
soften me. But such is not my character. I am one of those who serve God
purely; so that many strong motives urged me to come to thee. So then he
wept. And he mentions another cause, and that of a consolatory kind.

   Ver. 5. "When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in
thee."

   This is another commendation, that Timothy came not of Gentiles, nor of
unbelievers, but of a family that served Christ from the first. (Acts xvi.
1, 3.)

   "Which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice."

   For Timothy, it says, "was the son of a certain woman which was a
Jewess, and believed." How a Jewess? how believing? Because she was not of
the Gentiles, "but on account of his father, who was a Greek, and of the
Jews that were in those quarters, he took and circumcised him." Thus, as
these mixtures of Jews and Gentiles took place, the Law began gradually to
be dissolved. And mark in how many ways he shows that he did not despise
him. "I serve God," he says, "I have a true conscience" for my part, and
thou hast thy "tears," and not thy tears only, but for "thy faith," because
thou art a laborer for the Truth, because there is no deceit in thee. As
therefore thou showest thyself worthy of love, being so affectionate, so
genuine a disciple of Christ; and as I am not one of those who are devoid
of affection, but of those who earnestly pursue the Truth; what hindered me
from coming to thee?

   "And I am persuaded that in thee also."

   From the beginning, he means, thou hast had this excellency. Thou
receivedst from thy forefathers the faith unfeigned. For the praises of our
ancestors, when we share in them, redound also to us. Otherwise they avail
nothing, but rather condemn us; wherefore he has said, "I am persuaded that
in thee also." It is not a conjecture, he means, it is my persuasion; I am
fully assured of it. If therefore from no human motive thou hast embraced
it, nothing will be able to shake thy faith.

   Ver. 6. "Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift
of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands."

   You see how greatly dispirited and dejected he considers him to be. He
almost says, "Think not that I despise thee, but be assured that I do not
condemn thee, nor have I forgotten thee. Consider, at any rate, thy mother
and thy grandmother. It is because I know that thou hast unfeigned faith
that I put thee in remembrance." For it requires much zeal to stir up the
gift of God. As fire requires fuel, so grace requires our alacrity, that it
may be ever fervent. "I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the  gift
of God, that is in thee by the putting on   of my hands," that is, the
grace of the Spirit, which thou hast received, for presiding over the
Church, for the working of miracles, and for every service. For this grace
it is in our power to kindle or to extinguish; wherefore he elsewhere
says," Quench not the Spirit." (1 Thess. v. 19.) For by sloth and
carelessness it is quenched, and by watchfulness and diligence it is kept
alive. For it is in thee indeed, but do thou render it more vehement, that
is, fill it with confidence, with joy and delight. Stand manfully.

   Ver. 7. "For God bath not given us the spirit  of fear, but of power,
and of love, and of a sound mind."

   That is, we did not receive the Spirit, that we should shrink from
exertion, but that we may. speak with boldness. For to many He gives a
spirit of fear, as we read in the wars of the Kings. "A spirit of fear fell
upon them." (Ex. xv. 16?) That is, he infused terror into them. But to thee
He has given, on the contrary, a spirit of power, and of love toward
Himself. This, then, is of grace, and yet not merely of grace, but when we
have first performed our own parts. For the Spirit that maketh us cry,
"Abba, Father," inspires us with love both towards Him, and towards our
neighbor, that we may love one another. For love arises from power, and
from not fearing. For nothing is so apt to dissolve love as fear, and a
suspicion of treachery.

   "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of
love, and of a sound mind":(1) he calls a healthy state of the soul a sound
mind, or it may mean sobriety of mind, or else a sobering of the mind, that
we may be sober-minded, and that if any evil befall us, it may sober us,
and cut off superfluities.

   MORAL. Let us then not be distressed at the evils that happen to us.
This is sobriety of mind. "In the season of temptation," he says, "make not
haste." (Ecclus. ii. 2.) Many have their several griefs at home, and we
share in each other's sorrows, though not in their sources. For one is
unhappy on account of his wife, another on account of his child, or his
domestic, another of his friend, another of his enemy, another of his
neighbor, another from some loss. And various are the causes of sorrow, so
that we can find no one free from trouble and unhappiness of some kind or
other, but some have greater sorrows and some less. Let us not therefore be
impatient, nor think ourselves only to be unhappy.

   For there is no such thing in this mortal life as being exempt from
sorrow. If not to-day, yet to-morrow; if not to-morrow, yet some later day
trouble comes. For as one cannot sail, I mean, over a long sea, and not
feel disquietude, so it is not possible to pass through this life, without
experience of sorrow, yea though you name a rich man; for in that he is
rich, he hath many occasions of inordinate desires,(2) yea, though the king
himself, since he too is ruled by many, and cannot do all that he would.
Many favors he grants contrary to his wishes, and more than all men is
obliged to do what he would not. How so? Because he has many about him who
wish to receive his gifts.  And just think how(3) great is his  chagrin,
when he is desirous to effect something, but is unable, either from fear or
suspicion, or hindered by enemies or by friends. Often when he has
succeeded in achieving some end, he loses all the pleasure of it, from many
becoming at enmity with him. Again, do you think that they are free from
grief, who live a life of ease? It is impossible. As a man cannot escape
death, so neither can he escape sorrow. How many troubles must they endure,
which we cannot express in words, and which they only can know by
experience! How many have prayed a thousand times to die, in the midst of
their wealth and luxury! For luxury by no means puts men out of the reach
of grief: it is rather the very thing to produce sorrows, diseases, and
uneasiness, often when there is no real ground for it. For when such is the
habit of the soul, it is apt to grieve even without a cause. Physicians say
that from a weak state of the stomach arise sorrows(1) without any
occasion; and does not the like happen to ourselves, to feel uneasy,
without knowing any cause for it? In short, we can find no one who is
exempted from sorrow. And if he has less occasion for grief than ourselves,
yet he thinks otherwise, for he feels his own sorrows, more than those of
other men. As they who suffer pain in any part of their bodies, think that
their sufferings exceed their neighbor's. He that has a disease of the eye,
thinks there is nothing so painful, and he that has a disorder in the
stomach, considers that the sorest of diseases, and each thinks that the
heaviest of sufferings, with which he is himself afflicted. So it is with
sorrow, each thinks his own present grief the most severe. For of this he
judges by his own experience. He that is childless considers nothing so sad
as to be without children; he that is poor, and has many children,
complains of the extreme evils of a large family. He who has hut one, looks
upon this as the greatest misery, because that one, being set too much
store by, and never corrected, becomes willful, and brings grief upon his
father. He who has a beautiful wife, thinks nothing so bad as having a
beautiful wife, because it is the occasion of jealousy and intrigue. He who
has an ugly one, thinks nothing worse than having a plain wife, because it
is constantly disagreeable. The private man thinks nothing more mean, more
useless, than his mode of life. The soldier declares that nothing is more
toilsome, more perilous, than warfare; that it would he better to live on
bread and water than endure such hardships. He that is in power thinks
there can be no greater burden than to attend to the necessities of others.
He that is subject to that power, thinks nothing more servile than living
at the beck of others. The married man considers nothing worse than a wife,
and the cares of marriage. The unmarried declares there is nothing so
wretched as being unmarried, and wanting the repose of a home. The merchant
thinks the husbandman happy in his security. The husbandman thinks the
merchant so in his wealth. In short, all mankind are somehow hard to
please, and discontented and impatient. When condemning the whole race, he
saith, "Man is a thing of nought" (Ps. cxliv. 4), implying that the whole
kind is a wretched unhappy creature. How many long for old age! How many
think youth a happy time! Thus each different period has its unhappiness.
When we find ourselves censured on account of our youth, we say, why are we
not old? and when our heads are hoary, we ask whither has our youth flown?
Numberless, in short, are the occasions of sorrow. There is one path only
by which this unevenness can be escaped. It is the path of virtue. Yet that
too has its sorrows, only they are sorrows not unprofitable, but productive
of gain and advantage. For if any one has sinned, he washes away his sin by
the compunction that comes of his sorrow. Or, if he has grieved in
sympathizing with a fallen brother, this is not without its recompense. For
sympathy with those that are in misery gives us great confidence towards
God.

   Hear therefore what philosophy is taught by the example of Job in holy
Scripture! Hear also what Paul saith: "Weep with them that weep"; and
again, "Condescend to men of low estate." (Rom. xii. 15, 16.) For, by the
communication of sorrow, the extreme burden of it is lightened. For as in
the case of a heavy load, he that hears part of the weight relieves him who
was bearing it alone, so it is in all other things.

   But now, when any one of our relatives dies, there are many who sit by
and console us. Nay, we often raise up even an ass that has fallen; hut
when the souls of our brethren are falling. we overlook them and pass by,
as if they were of less value than an ass. And if we see any one entering
into a tavern indecently; nay, if we see him drunk, or guilty of any other
unseemly action, we do not restrain him, we rather join him in it. Whence
Paul has said: "They not only do these things, but have pleasure in them
that do them." (Rom. i. 32.) The greater part even form associations(2) for
the purposes of drunkenness. But do thou, O man, form associations to
restrain the madness of inebriety. Such friendly doings are beneficial to
those who are in bonds or in affliction. Something of this kind Paul
enjoined to the Corinthians, alluding to which he says, "That there be no
gatherings when I come." (1 Cor. xvi. 2.) But now everything is done with a
view to luxury, reveling, and pleasure. We have a common seat, a common
table, we have wine in common, and common expenses, but we have no
community of alms. Such were the friendly doings in the time of the
Apostles; they brought all their goods into the common stock. Now I do not
require you to bestow all, but some part. "Let  each lay by him in store on
the first day of the  week, as God has prospered him," and lay it down as a
tribute for the seven days. In this  way give aims, whether more or less.
"For  thou shalt not appear before the Lord empty." (Ex. xxiii. 15.) This
was said to the Jews, how much more then to us. For this cause the poor
stand before the doors, that no one may enter  empty, but each may do alms
at his entrance. Thou enterest to implore mercy. First show mercy. He that
comes later owes the more. For when we have been first, he that is second
pays down more.(1) Make God thy debtor, and then offer thy prayers. Lend to
Him, and then ask a return, and thou shalt receive it with usury. God wills
this, and does not retract. If thou ask with alms, He holds himself
obliged. If thou ask with alms, thou lendest and receivest interest. Yes, I
beseech you! It is net for stretching out thy hands thou shalt be heard
stretch forth thy hands, not to heaven, but to the poor. If thou stretch
forth thy hand to the hands of the poor, thou hast reached the very summit
of heaven. For He who sits there receives thine alms. But if thou liftest
them up without a gift, thou gainest nothing. If the king, arrayed in
purple, should come to thee and ask an alms, wouldest thou not readily give
all that thou hast? But now when thou art entreated through the poor, not
by an earthly but a heavenly King, dost thou stand regardless, and defer
thy gift? What punishment then dost thou not deserve? For the being heard
depends not upon the lifting up of thy hands, nor on the multitude of thy
words, but upon thy works. For hear the prophet, "When ye" spread "forth
your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers,
I will not hear." (Isa. i. 15.) For he ought to be silent, who needs mercy,
and not even to look up to heaven; he  that hath confidence may say(3)
much. But what says the Scripture, "Judge for the fatherless, plead for the
widow, learn to do good." (Isa. i. 17.) In this way we shall be heard,
though we lift not up our hands, nor utter a word, nor make request. In
these things then let us be zealous, that we may obtain the promised
blessings, through the grace and lovingkindness, &c.

HOMILY II: 2 TIMOTHY i. 8-10.

"Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His
prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel according
to the power of God; Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling,
not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace,
which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began; but is now made
manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ."

   THERE is nothing worse than that man should measure and judge of divine
things by human reasonings. For thus he will fall from that rock(2) a vast
distance, and be deprived of the light. For if he who wishes with human
eyes to apprehend the rays of the sun will not only not apprehend them,
but, besides this failure, will sustain great injury; so, but in a higher
degree, is he in a way to suffer this, and abusing the gift of God, who
would by human reasonings gaze intently on that Light. Observe accordingly
how Marcion, and Manes, and Valentinus, and others who introduced their
heresies and pernicious doctrines(4) into the Church of God, measuring
divine things by human reasonings, became ashamed of the Divine economy.
Yet it was not a subject for shame, but rather for glorying; I speak of the
Cross of Christ. For there is not so great a sign of the love of God for
mankind, not heaven, nor sea, nor earth, nor the creation of all things out
of nothing, nor all else beside, as the Cross. Hence it is the boast of
Paul, "God forbid that I should glory, save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus
Christ." (Gal. vi. 14.) But natural men, and those who attribute to God no
more than to human beings, stumble, and become ashamed. Wherefore Paul from
the first exhorts his disciple, and through him all others, in these words:
"Be not thou ashamed of the testimony of our Lord," that is,(5) Be not
ashamed, that thou preachest One that was crucified, but rather glory in
it." For in themselves death and imprisonment and chains are matters of
shame and reproach. But when the cause is added before us, and the mystery
viewed aright, they will appear full of dignity, and matter for boasting.
For it was that death which saved the world, when it was perishing. That
death connected earth with heaven, that death destroyed the power of the
devil, and made men angels, and sons of God: that death raised our nature
to the kingly throne. Those chains were the conversion of many. "Be not"
therefore "ashamed," he says, "of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His
prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel"; that is,
though thou shouldest suffer the same things, be not thou ashamed. For that
this is implied appears from what he said above; "God hath given us a
spirit of power, and of love, and of a sound mind"; and by what follows,
"Be thou partaker of the sufferings of the Gospel": not merely be not
ashamed of them, but be not ashamed even to experience them.

   And he does not say, "Do not fear," but, the more to encourage him, "be
not ashamed," as if there were no further danger, if he could overcome the
shame. For shame is only then oppressive, when one is overcome by it. Be
not therefore ashamed, if I, who raised the dead, who wrought miracles, who
traversed the world, am now a prisoner. For I am imprisoned, not as a
malefactor, but for the sake of Him who was crucified. If my Lord was not
ashamed of the Cross, neither am I of chains. And with great propriety,
when he exhorts him not to be ashamed, he reminds him of the Cross. If thou
art not ashamed of the Cross, he means, neither be thou of chains; if our
Lord and Master endured the Cross, much more should we chains. For he who
is ashamed of what He endured, is ashamed of Him that was crucified. Now it
is not on my own account that I bear these chains; therefore do not give
way to human feelings, but bear thy part in these sufferings. "Be partaker
of the afflictions of the Gospel." He says not this, as if the Gospel could
suffer injury, but to excite his disciple to suffer for it.

   "According to the power of God; Who hath saved us, and called us with a
holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose
and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began."

   More especially because it was a hard thing to say, "Be partakers of
afflictions," he again consoles him.(1) Reckon that thou sustainest these
things, not by thine own power, but by the power of God. For it is thy part
to choose and to be zealous, but God's to alleviate sufferings and bid them
cease.(2) He then shows him the proofs of His power. Consider how thou wast
saved, how thou wast called. As he elsewhere says, "According to His power
that worketh in us." (Eph. iii. 20.) So much was it a greater exercise of
power to persuade the world to believe, than to make the Heavens. But how
was he "called with a holy calling"?(3) This means, He made them saints,
who were sinners and enemies. "And this not of ourselves, it was the gift
of God." If then He is mighty in calling us, and good, in that He hath done
it of grace and not of debt, we ought not to fear. For He Who, when we
should have perished,(4) saved us, though enemies, by grace, will He not
much more cooperate with us, when He sees us working? "Not according to our
own works," he says, "but according to his own purpose and grace," that is,
no one compelling, no one counseling Him, but of His own purpose, from the
impulse of His own goodness, He saved us; for this is the meaning of
"according to His own purpose." "Which was given us before the world
began." That is, it was determined without beginning that these things
should be done in Christ Jesus. This is no light consideration, that from
the first He willed it. It was not an after-thought. How then is not the
Son eternal? for He also willed it from the beginning.

   Ver. 10. "But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour
Jesus Christ, Who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and
immortality to light by the Gospel."

   Thou seest the power, thou seest the gift bestowed not by works, but
through the Gospel. These are objects of hope: for both were wrought in His
Body. And how will they be wrought in ours? "By the Gospel."

   Ver. 11. "Whereunto I am appointed a preacher and an Apostle, and a
teacher of the Gentiles."

   Why does he so constantly repeat this, and call himself a teacher of
the Gentiles? Because he wishes to persuade them that they also ought to
draw close to the Gentiles. Be not therefore dismayed at my sufferings. The
sinews of death are unstrung. It is not as a malefactor that I suffer, but
because I am "a teacher of the Gentiles." At the same time he makes his
discourse worthy of credit.

   Ver. 12. "For the which cause I also suffer these things, nevertheless
I am not ashamed. For I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He
is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day."

   "I am not ashamed," he says. For are chains, are sufferings, a matter
for shame? Be not then ashamed! Thou seest how he illustrates his teaching
by his works. "These things," he says, "I suffer": I am cast into prison, I
am banished; "For I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is
able to keep that which I have committed to Him(1) against That Day." What
is(2) "that which is committed"?(3) The faith, the preaching of the Gospel.
He, who committed this to him, he says, will preserve it unimpaired. I
suffer everything, that I may not be despoiled of this treasure, and I am
not ashamed at these things, so long as it is preserved uninjured. Or he
calls the Faithful the charge which God committed  to him, or which he
committed to God. For he says, "Now I commit you to the Lord." (Acts xx.
32.) That is, these things will not be unprofitable to me. And in Timothy
is seen the fruit of the charge thus "committed." You see that he is
insensible to sufferings, from the hope that he entertains of his
disciples.

   MORAL. Such ought a Teacher to be, so to regard his disciples, to think
them everything. "Now we live," he says, "if ye stand fast in the Lord."
And again, "What is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? are not even
ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ?" (1 Thess. iii. 8, and ii.
19.) You see his anxiety in this matter, his regard for the good of his
disciples, not less than for his own.(4) For teachers ought to surpass
natural parents, to be more zealous than they. And it becomes their
children to be kindly affectioned towards them. For he says, "Obey them
that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your
souls as they that must give account." (Heb. xiii. 17.) For say, is he
subject to so dangerous a responsibility, and art thou not willing to obey
him, and that too, for thy own benefit? For though his own state should be
good, yet as long as thou art in a bad condition his anxiety continues, he
has a double account to render. And consider what it is to be responsible
and anxious for each of those who are under his rule. What honor wouldest
thou have reckoned equal, what service, in requital of such  dangers? Thou
canst not offer an equivalent. For thou hast not yet devoted thy soul for
him, but he lays down his life for thee, and if he lays it not down here,
when the occasion requires it, he loses it There. But thou art not willing
to submit even in words. This is the prime cause of all these evils, that
the authority of rulers is neglected, that there is no reverence, no fear.
He says, "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves."
But now all is turned upside down and confounded. And this I say not for
the sake of the rulers; (for what benefit will they have of the honor they
receive from us,(5) except so far as we are rendered obedient;) but I say
it for your advantage. For with respect to the future, they will not be
benefited by the honor done them, but receive  the greater condemnation,
neither will they he injured as to the future by ill treatment, but will
have the more excuse. But all this I desire to be done for your own sakes.
For when rulers are honored by their people, this too is reckoned against
them; as in the case of Eli it is said, "Did I not choose him out of his
father's house?" (1 Sam. ii. 27.) But when they are insulted, as in the
instance of Samuel, God said, "They have not rejected thee, but they have
rejected Me." (1 Sam. viii. 7.) Therefore insult is their gain, honor their
burden. What I say, therefore, is for your sakes, not for theirs. He that
honors the Priest, will honor God also; and he who has learnt to despise
the Priest, will in process of time insult God. "He that receiveth you," He
saith, "receiveth Me." (Matt. x. 40.) "Hold my priests in honor" (Ecclus.
vii. 31?), He says. The Jews learned to despise God, because they despised
Moses, and would have stoned him. For when a man is piously disposed
towards the Priest, he is much more so towards God. And even if the Priest
be wicked,  God seeing that thou respectest him, though unworthy of honor,
through reverence to Him, will Himself reward thee. For if "he that
receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's
reward" (Matt. x. 41); then he who honoreth and submitteth and giveth way
to the Priest shall certainly be rewarded. For if in the case of
hospitality, when thou knowest not the guest, thou receivest so high a
recompense, much more wilt thou be requited, if thou obeyest him whom He
requires thee to obey. "The Scribes and Pharisees," He says, "sit in
Moses' seat; all therefore, whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe
and do, but do not ye after their works." (Matt. xxiii. 2, 3.) Knowest thou
not what the Priest is? He is an Angel(6) of the Lord. Are they his own
words that he speaks? If thou despisest him, thou despisest not him, but
God that ordained him. But how does it appear, thou askest, that he is
ordained of God? Nay, if thou suppose it otherwise, thy hope is rendered
vain. For if God worketh nothing through his means, thou neither hast any
Laver, nor art partaker of the Mysteries, nor of the benefit of Blessings;
thou art therefore not a Christian. What then, you say, does God ordain
all, even the unworthy? God indeed doth not ordain all, but He worketh
through all, though they be themselves unworthy, that the people may be
saved. For if He spoke, for the sake of the people, by an ass, and by
Balaam, a most wicked man, much more will He speak by the mouth of the
Priest. What indeed will not God do or say for our salvation? By whom doth
He not act? For if He wrought through Judas and those other that
"prophesied," to whom He will say," I never knew you; depart from Me, ye
workers of iniquity" (Matt. vii. 22, 23); and if others "cast out devils"
(Ps. vi. 8); will He not much more work through the Priests? Since if we
were to make inquisition into the lives of our rulers, we should then
become the ordainers(1) of our own teachers, and all would be confusion;
the feet would be uppermost, the head below. Hear Paul saying, "But with me
it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's
judgment." (1 Cor. iv. 3.) And again, "Why dost thou judge thy brother?"
(Rom. xiv. 10.) For if we may not judge our brother, much less our teacher.
If God commands this indeed, thou doest well, and sinnest if thou do it
not; but if the contrary, dare not do it, nor attempt to go beyond the
lines that are marked out. After Aaron had made the golden calf, Corah,
Dathan, and Abiram raised an insurrection against him. And did they not
perish? Let each attend to his own department. For if he teach perverted
doctrine, though he be an Angel, obey him not; but if he teach the truth,
take heed not to his life, but to his words. Thou hast Paul to instruct
thee in what is right both by words and works. But thou sayest, "He gives
not to the poor, he does not govern well." Whence knowest thou this? Blame
not, before thou art informed. Be afraid of the great account. Many
judgments are formed upon mere opinion. Imitate thy Lord, who said, "I will
go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry
of it, and if not, I will know." (Gen. xviii. 21.) But if thou hast
enquired, and informed thyself, and seen; yet await the Judge, and usurp
not the office of Christ. To Him it belongs, and not to thee, to make this
inquisition. Thou art an inferior servant, not a master. Thou art a sheep,
be not curious concerning the shepherd, lest thou have to give account of
thy accusations against him. But you say, How does he teach me that which
he does not practice himself? It is not he that speaks to thee. If it be he
whom thou obeyest, thou hast no reward. It is Christ that thus admonishes
thee. And what do I say? Thou oughtest not to obey even Paul, if he speaks
of himself, or anything human, but the Apostle, that has Christ speaking in
him. Let not us judge one another's conduct, but each his own. Examine
thine own life.

   But thou sayest, "He ought to be better than I." Wherefore? "Because he
is a Priest." And is he not superior to thee in his labors, his dangers,
his anxious conflicts and troubles? But if he is not better, oughtest thou
therefore to destroy thyself? These are the words of arrogance.(2) For how
is he not better than thyself? He steals, thou sayest, and commits
sacrilege! How knowest thou this? Why dost thou cast thyself down a
precipice? If thou shouldest hear it said that such an one hath a purple
robe,(3) though thou knewest it to be true, and couldest convict him, thou
declinest to do it, and pretendest ignorance, not being willing to run into
unnecessary danger. But in this case thou art so far from being backward,
that even without cause thou exposest thyself to the danger. Nor think thou
art not responsible for these words. Hear what Christ says, "Every idle
word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of
judgment." (Matt. xii. 36.) And dost thou think thyself better than
another, and dost thou not groan, and beat thy breast, and bow down thy
head, and imitate the Publican?

   And then thou destroyest thyself, though thou be better. Be silent,
that thou cease not to be better. If thou speak of it, thou hast done away
the merit; if thou thinkest it, I do not say so; if thou dost not think it,
thou hast added much. For if a notorious sinner, when he confessed, "went
home justified," he who is a sinner in a less degree, and is conscious of
it, how will he not be rewarded? Examine thy own life. Thou dost not steal;
but thou art rapacious, and overbearing, and guilty of many other such
things. I say not this to defend theft; God forbid! deeply lament if there
is any one really guilty of it, but I do not believe it. How great an evil
is sacrilege, it is impossible to say. But I spare you. For I would not
that our virtue should be rendered vain by accusing others. What was worse
than the Publican? For it is true that he was a publican, and guilty of
many offenses, yet because the Pharisee only said, "I am not as this
publican," he destroyed all his merit. I am not, thou sayest, like this
sacrilegious Priest. And dost not thou make all in vain?

   This I am compelled to say, and to enlarge upon in my discourse, not so
much because I am concerned for them, but because I fear for you, lest you
should render your virtue vain by this boasting of yourselves, and
condemnation of others. For hear the exhortation of Paul, "Let every one
prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and
not in another." (Gal. vi. 4.)

   If you had a wound, tell me, and should go to a physician, would you
stay him from salving and dressing your own wound, and be curious to
enquire whether the physician had a wound, or not? and if he had, would you
mind it? Or because he had it, would you forbear dressing your own, and
say, A physician ought to be in sound health, and since he is not so, I
shall let my wound go uncured? For will it be any palliation(1) for him
that is under rule, that his Priest is wicked? By no means. He will suffer
the destined punishment, and you too will meet with that which is your due.
For the Teacher now only fills a place. For "it is written, They shall all
be taught of God." (John vi. 45; Isa. liv. 13.) "Neither shall they say,
Know the Lord. For all shall know Me from the least to the greatest." (Jer.
xxxi. 34.) Why then, you will say, does he preside? Why is he set over us?
I beseech you, let us not speak ill of our teachers, nor call them to so
strict an account, lest we bring evil upon ourselves. Let us examine
ourselves, and we shall not speak ill of others. Let us reverence that day,
on which he enlightened(2) us. He who has a father, whatever faults he has,
conceals them all. For it is said, "Glory not in the dishonor of thy
father; for thy father's dishonor is no glory unto thee. And if his
understanding fail, have patience with him." (Ecclus. iii. 10-12.) And if
this be said of our natural fathers, much more of our spiritual fathers.
Reverence him, in that he every day ministers to thee, causes the
Scriptures to be read, sets the house in order for thee, watches for thee,
prays for thee, stands imploring God on thy behalf, offers supplications
for thee, for thee is all his worship. Reverence all this, think of this,
and approach him with pious respect. Say not, he is wicked. What of that?
He that is not wicked,(3) doth he of himself bestow upon thee these great
benefits? By no means. Everything worketh according to thy faith. Not even
the righteous man can benefit thee, if thou art unfaithful, nor the
unrighteous harm thee, if thou art faithful. God, when He would save His
people, wrought for the ark by Oxen.(4) Is it the good life or the virtue
of the Priest that confers so much on thee? The gifts which God bestows are
not such as to be effects of the virtue of the Priest. All is of grace. His
part is but to  open his mouth, while God worketh all: the Priest only
performs a symbol.(5) Consider how wide was the distance between John and
Jesus. Hear John saying, "I have need to be baptized of Thee" (Matt. iii.
14), and, "Whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose." (John i. 27.)
Yet notwithstanding this difference, the Spirit descended. Which John had
not. For "of His fullness," it is said, "we all have received." (John i.
16.) Yet nevertheless, It descended not till He was baptized. But neither
was it John who caused It to descend. Why then is this done? That thou
mayest learn that the Priest performs a symbol.(6) No man differs so widely
from another man, as John from Jesus, and yet with him(7) the Spirit
descended, that we may learn, that it is God who worketh all, that all is
God's doing. I am about to say what may appear strange, but be not
astonished nor startled at it. The Offering is the same, whether a common
man, or Paul or Peter offer it. It is the same which Christ gave to His
disciples, and which the Priests now minister. This is nowise inferior to
that, because it is not men that sanctify even this, but the Same who
sanctified the one sanctifies the other also. For as the words which God
spake are the same which the Priest now utters, so is the Offering the
same, and the Baptism, that which He gave. Thus the whole is of faith. The
Spirit immediately fell upon Cornelius, because he had previously fulfilled
his part, and contributed his faith. And this is His Body, as well as that.
And he who thinks the one inferior to the other, knows not that Christ even
now is present, even now operates. Knowing therefore these things, which we
have not said without reason, but that we may conform your minds in what is
right, and render you more secure for the future, keep carefully in mind
what has been spoken. For if we are always hearers, and never doers, we
shall reap no advantage from what is said. Let us therefore attend
diligently to the things spoken. Let us imprint them upon our minds. Let us
have them ever engraved upon our consciences, and let us continually
ascribe glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

HOMILY III: 2 TIMOTHY i. 13-18.

"Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith
and love which is in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed unto
thee keep by the Holy Ghost Which dwelleth in us. This thou knowest, that
all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus
and Hermogenes. The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he
oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain:  but, when he was in
Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me. The Lord grant unto
him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things
he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well."

   NOT by letters alone did Paul instruct his disciple in his duty, but
before by words also which he shows, both in many other passages, as where
he says, "whether by word or our Epistle" (2 Thess. ii. 15), and especially
here. Let us not therefore suppose that anything relating to doctrine was
spoken imperfectly. For many things he delivered to him without writing. Of
these therefore he reminds him, when he says, "Hold fast the form of sound
words, which thou hast heard of me." After the manner of artists, I have
impressed on thee the image of virtue, fixing in thy soul a sort of rule,
and model, and outline of all things pleasing to God. These things then
hold fast, and whether thou art meditating any matter of faith or love, or
of a sound mind, form from hence your ideas of them. It will not be
necessary to have recourse to others for examples, when all has been
deposited within thyself.

   "That good thing which was committed unto thee keep,"--how?--"by the
Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us." For it is not in the power of a human
soul, when instructed with things so great, to be sufficient for the
keeping of them. And why? Because there are many robbers, and thick
darkness, and the devil still at hand to plot against us; and we know not
what is the hour, what the occasion for him to set upon us. How then, he
means, shall we be sufficient for the keeping of them? "By the Holy Ghost";
that is if we have the Spirit: with us, if we do not expel grace, He will
stand by us. For, "Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that
build it. Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain."
(Ps. cxxvii. 1.) This is our wall, this our castle, this our refuge. If
therefore It dwelleth in us, and is Itself our guard, what need of the
commandment? That  we may hold It fast, may keep It, and not banish It by
our evil deeds.

   Then he describes his trials and temptations, not to depress his
disciple, but to elevate him, that if he should ever fall into the same, he
may not think it strange, when he looks back and remembers what things
happened to his Teacher. What then says he? Since it was probable that
Timothy might be apprehended, and be deserted, and be relieved by no
friendly attention, or influence, or assistance, but be abandoned even by
his friends and the faithful themselves, hear what he says, "This thou
knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me." It seems
that there were then in Rome many persons from the regions of Asia. "But no
one stood by me," he says, no one acknowledged me, all were alienated. And
observe the philosophy of his soul. He only mentions their conduct, he does
not curse them, but he praises him that showed kindness to him, and invokes
a thousand blessings upon him, without any curse on them. "Of whom is
Phygellus and Hermogenes. The Lord give mercy to the house of Onesiphorus,
for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain. But, when he was
in Rome, he sought me out diligently and found me." Observe how he
everywhere speaks of the shame, and not of the danger, lest Timothy should
be alarmed. And yet it was a thing that was full of peril. For he gave
offense to Nero by making friends with one of his prisoners.(2) But when he
was in Rome, he says, he not only did not shun intercourse with me, but
"sought me out very diligently, and found me."

   "The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that
day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest
very well."

   Such ought the faithful to be. Neither fear, nor threats, nor disgrace,
should deter them from assisting one another, standing by them and
succoring them as in war. For they do not so much benefit those who are in
danger, as themselves, by the service they render to them, making
themselves partakers of the crowns due to them. For example, is any one of
those who are devoted to God visited with affliction and distress, and
maintaining the conflict with great fortitude; whilst thou art not yet
brought(3) to this conflict? It is in thy power if thou wilt, without
entering into the course, to be a sharer of the crowns reserved for him, by
standing by him, preparing his mind,(1) and animating and exciting him.
Hence it is that Paul elsewhere says, "Ye have done well that ye did
communicate with my affliction. For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and
again unto my necessity." (Phil. iv. 14, 16.) And how could they that were
far off share in the affliction of him that was not with them? How? He
says, "ye sent once and again unto my necessities." Again he says, speaking
of Epaphroditus, "Because he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life,
that he might supply your lack of service toward me." (Phil. ii. 30.) For
as in the service of kings, not only those who fight the battle, but those
who guard the baggage, share in the honor; and not merely so, but
frequently even have an equal portion of the spoils, though they have not
imbrued their hands in blood, nor stood in array, nor even seen the ranks
of the enemy; so it is in these conflicts. For he who relieves the
combatant, when wasted with hunger, who stands by him, encouraging him by
words, and rendering him every service, he is not inferior to the
combatant.

   For do not suppose Paul the combatant, that irresistible and invincible
one, but some one of the many, who, if he had not received much consolation
and encouragement, would not perhaps have stood, would not have contended.
So those who are out of the contest may perchance be the cause of victory
to him, who is engaged in it, and may be partakers of the crowns reserved
for the victor. And what wonder, if he who communicates to the living is
thought worthy of the same rewards with those who contend, since it is
possible to communicate after death even with the departed, with those who
are asleep, who are already crowned, who want for nothing. For hear Paul
saying, "Partaking in the memories of the Saints."(2) And how may this be
done? When thou admirest a man,(3) when thou doest any of those acts for
which he was crowned, thou art evidently a sharer in his labors, and in his
crowns.

   "The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that
day." He had compassion on me, he says, he shall therefore have the like
return in that terrible Day, when we shall have need of much mercy. "The
Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord." Are there two Lords then? By
no means. But "to us there is one Lord Christ Jesus, and one God." (1 Cor.
viii. 6.) Here those who are infected with the heresy of Marcion assail
this expression; but let them learn that this mode of speech is not
uncommon in Scripture; as when it is said, "The Lord said unto my Lord"
(Ps. cx. 1); and again, "I said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord" (Ps. xvi.
2); and, "The Lord rained fire from the Lord." (Gen. xix. 24.) This
indicates that the Persons are of the same substance, not that there is a
distinction of nature. For we are not to understand that there are two
substances differing from each other, but two Persons, each being of the
same substance.

   Observe too, that he says, "The Lord grant him mercy." For as he
himself had obtained mercy from Onesiphorus, so he wished him to obtain the
same from God. MORAL. And if Onesiphorus, who exposed himself to danger, is
saved by mercy, much more are we also saved by the same. For terrible
indeed, terrible is that account, and such as needs great love for mankind,
that we may not hear that awful sentence, "Depart from me ... I never knew
you, ye that work iniquity" (Matt. vii. 23); or that fearful word, "Depart,
ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels"
(Matt. xxv. 40): that we may not hear, "Between us and you there is a great
gulf fixed" (Luke xvi. 16): that we may not hear that voice full of horror,
"Take him away, and cast him into outer darkness": that we may not hear
those words full of terror, "Thou wicked and slothful servant." (Matt.
xxii. 13, and xxv. 26.) For awful truly and terrible is that tribunal. And
yet God is gracious and merciful. He is called a God "of mercies and a God
of comfort" (2 Cor. i. 3); good as none else is good, and kind, and gentle,
and full of pity, Who "willeth not the death of a sinner, but that he
should be converted and live." (Ez. xviii. 24; xxxiii. 11.) Whence then,
whence is that Day so full of agony and anguish? A stream of fire is
rolling before His face. The books of our deeds are opened. The day itself
is burning as an oven, the angels are flying around, and many furnaces are
prepared. How then is He good and merciful, and full of lovingkindness to
man? Even herein is He merciful, and He shows in these things the greatness
of His lovingkindness. For He holds forth to us these terrors, that being
constrained by them, we may be awakened to the desire of the kingdom.

   And observe how, besides commending Onesiphorus, he specifies his
kindness, "he oft refreshed me"; like a wearied wrestler overcome by heat,
he refreshed and strengthened him in his tribulations. And in how many
things he ministered to me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well. Not only at
Ephesus, but here also he refreshed me. For such ought to be the conduct of
one on the watch and awakened to good  actions. not to work once, or twice,
or thrice, but through the whole of life. For as our body is not fed once
for all, and so provided with sustenance for a whole life, but needs also
daily food, so in this too, godliness requires to be supported every day by
good works. For we ourselves have need of great mercy. It is on account of
our sins that God, the Friend of man, does all these things, not that He
needs them Himself, but He does all for us. For therefore it is that He has
revealed them all, and made them known to us, and not merely told us of
them, but given us assurance of them by what He has done. Though He was
worthy of credit upon His word only, that no one may think it is said
hyperbolically, or in the way of threatening merely, we have further
assurance by His works. How? By the punishments which He has inflicted both
publicly and privately. And that thou mayest learn by the very examples, at
one time he punished Pharaoh, at another time He brought a flood of water
upon the earth, and that utter destruction, and again at another time a
flood of fire: and even now we see in many instances the wicked suffering
vengeance, and punishments, which things are figures of Hell.

   For lest we should slumber and be slothful, and forget His word, He
awakens our minds by deeds; showing us, even here, courts of justice,
judgment seats, and trials. Is there then among men so great a regard for
justice, and doth God, whose ordinance even these things are, make no
account of it? Is this credible? In a house, in a market-place, there is a
court of justice. The master daily sits in judgment upon his slaves, calls
them to account for their offenses, punishes some and pardons others. In
the country, the husbandman and his wife are daily at law. In a ship, the
master is judge, and in a camp the general over his soldiers, and
everywhere one may see judicial proceedings. In trades, the master judges
the learner. In short all, publicly and privately, are judges to one
another. In nothing is the consideration of justice overlooked, and all in
every place give account of their actions. And is the inquisition for
justice here thus spread through cities, through houses, and among
individuals; and is there no regard for what is justice there, where "the
right hand of God is full of righteousness" (Ps. xlviii. 10), and "His
righteousness is as the mountains of God"? (Ps. xxxvi. 6.)

   How is it then that God, "the righteous Judge, strong and patient" (Ps.
vii. 11, Sept.), bears thus with men, and does not exact punishment? Here
thou hast the cause, He is longsuffering, and thereby would lead thee to
repentance. But if thou continuest in sin, thou "after thy hardness and
impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath." (Rom. ii. 5.) If then
He is just, He repays according to desert, and does not overlook those who
suffer wrongfully, but avenges them. For this is the part of one who is
just. If He is powerful, He requites after death, and at the Resurrection:
for this belongs to him who is powerful. And if because He is longsuffering
He bears with men, let us not be disturbed, nor ask, why He does not
prosecute vengeance here? For if this were done, the whole human race
before this would have been swept away, if every day He should call us to
account for our transgressions, since there is not, there is not indeed, a
single day pure from sin, but in something greater or less we offend; so
that we should not one of us have arrived at our twentieth year, but for
His great long-suffering, and His goodness, that grants us a longer space
for repentance, that we may put off our past transgressions.

   Let each therefore, with an upright conscience, entering into a review
of what he has done, and bringing his whole life before him, consider,
whether he is not deserving of chastisements and punishments without
number? And when he is indignant that some one, who has been guilty of many
bad actions, escapes with impunity; let him consider his own faults, and
his indignation will cease. For those crimes appear great, because they are
in great and notorious matters; but if he will enquire into his own, he
will perhaps find them more numerous. For to rob and to defraud is the same
thing, whether it be done for gold or silver; since both proceed from the
same mind. He that will steal a little would not refuse to steal much, if
it fell in his way; and that it does not, is not his own choice, but an
accidental circumstance. A poor man, who robs a poorer, would not hesitate
to rob the rich if he could. His forbearance arises from weakness, and not
from choice. Such an one, you  say, is a ruler; and takes away the property
of those who are under his rule. And say, dost not thou steal? For tell me
not that he steals talents, and you as many(1) pence. In giving alms, some
cast in gold, while the widow threw in two mites, yet she contributed not
less than they. Wherefore? Because the intention is considered, and not the
amount of the gift. And then, in the case of alms, thou wilt have God judge
thus, and wouldest, because of thy poverty, receive no less a reward for
giving two mites than he who lays down many talents of gold? and is not the
same rule applicable to wrongful dealings? How is this consistent? As she
who contributed two mites was considered equal to the greatest  givers,
because of her good intention, so thou, who stealest two mites, art as
culpable as those mightier robbers. Nay, if I may give utterance to
something strange, thou art a worse robber than they. For a man would be
equally an adulterer, whether he committed the sin with the wife of a king,
or of a poor man, or of a slave: since the offense is not judged by the
quality of the persons, but by the wickedness of his will who commits it;
so is it likewise in this case. Nay, I should call him who committed the
sin with an inferior perhaps more guilty, than him who intrigued with the
queen herself. For in this case, wealth, and beauty, and other attractions
might be pleaded, none of which exist in the other. Therefore the other is
the worse adulterer. Again, he seems to me a more determined drunkard, who
commits that excess with bad wine; so he is a worse defrauder, who does not
despise small thefts; for he who commits great robberies, would perhaps not
stoop to petty thefts, whereas he who steals little things would never
forbear greater, therefore he is the greater thief of the two. For how
should he despise gold, who does not despise silver? So that when we accuse
our rulers, let us recount our own faults, and we shall find ourselves more
given to wrong and robbery than they; unless we judge of right and wrong
rather by the act, than by the intention of the mind, as we ought to judge.
If one should be convicted of having stolen the goods of a poor man,
another those of a rich man, will they not both be punished alike? Is not a
man equally a murderer, whether he murder a poor and deformed, or a rich
and handsome, man? When therefore we say that such an one has seized upon
another person's land, let us reflect upon our own faults, and then we
shall not condemn other men, but we shall admire the longsuffering of God.
We shall not be indignant that judgment does not fall upon them, but we
shall be more slow to commit wickedness ourselves. For when we perceive
ourselves liable to the same punishment, We shall no longer feel such
discontent, and shall desist from offenses, and shall obtain the good
things to come, through the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus
Christ, to whom with the Father, &c.

HOMILY IV: 2 TIMOTHY ii. 1-7.

"Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same
commit thou to faithful men, who shall beable to teach others also. Thou
therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. no man that
warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may
please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. And if a man also strive
for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. The
husbandman that laboreth must be first partaker of the fruits. Consider
what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things."

   THE young sailor at sea is inspired with great confidence, if the
Master of the ship has been preserved in a shipwreck. For he will not
consider that it is from his inexperience that he is exposed to the storm,
but from the nature of things; and this has no little effect upon his mind.
In war also the Captain, who sees his General wounded and recovered again,
is much encouraged. And thus it produces some consolation to the faithful,
that the Apostle should have been exposed to great sufferings, and not
rendered weak by the utmost of them. And had it not been so, he would not
have related his sufferings. For when Timothy heard, that he who possessed
so great powers, who had conquered the whole world, is a prisoner, and
afflicted, yet is not impatient, nor discontented upon the desertion of his
friends; he, if ever exposed to the same sufferings himself, would not
consider that it proceeded from human weakness, nor from the circumstance
of his being a disciple, and inferior to Paul, since his teacher too
suffered the like, but that all this happened from the natural course of
things. For Paul himself did this,(1) and related what had befallen him,
that he might strengthen Timothy, and renew his courage. And he shows that
it was for this reason he mentioned his trials and afflictions, in that he
has added, "Thou, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in
Christ Jesus." What sayest thou? Thou hast shaken us with terrors, thou
hast told us that thou art in chains, in afflictions, that all have
forsaken thee, and, as if thou hadst said thou hadst not suffered anything,
nor been abandoned by any, thou addest, "Thou therefore, my son, be
strong"?--And justly too. For these things were to thy strengthening more
than to his.(1) For if I, Paul, endure these things, much more oughtest
thou to bear them. If the master, much more the disciple. And this
exhortation he introduces with much affection, calling him "son," and not
only so, but "my son." If thou art a son, he means, imitate thy father. If
thou art a son, be strong in consideration of the things which I have said,
or rather be strong, not merely from what I have told you, but "of God."
"Be strong," he says, "in the grace that is in Christ Jesus"; that is,
"through the grace of Christ." That is, stand firmly. Thou knowest the
battle. For elsewhere he says, "We wrestle not against flesh and blood."
(Eph. vi. 12.) And this he says not to depress but to excite them. Be sober
therefore, he means, and watch have the grace of the Lord cooperating with
thee, and aiding thee in thy contest, contribute thy own part with much
alacrity and resolution. "And the things that thou hast heard of me among
many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men"; to "faithful" men,
not to questioners nor to reasoners, to "faithful." How faithful? Such as
betray not the Gospel they should preach. "The things which thou hast
heard," not which thou hast searched out. For "faith cometh by hearing, and
hearing by the word of God." (Rom. x. 17.) But wherefore, "among many
witnesses"? As if he had said: Thou hast not heard in secret, nor apart,
but in the presence of many, with all openness of speech. Nor does he say,
Tell, but "commit," as a treasure committed is deposited in safety. Again
he alarms his disciple, both from things above and things below. But he
says not only "commit to faithful men"; for of what advantage is it that
one is faithful, if he is not able to convey his doctrine to others? when
he does not indeed betray the faith; but does not render others faithful?
The teacher therefore ought to have two qualities, to be both faithful, and
apt to teach; wherefore he says, "who shall be able to teach others also."

   "Thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." Oh,
how great a dignity is this, to be a soldier of Jesus Christ! Observe the
kings on earth, how great an honor it is esteemed to serve under them. If
therefore the soldier of the king ought to endure hardness, not to endure
hardness is not the part of any soldier. So that it behooves thee not to
complain, if thou endurest hardness, for that is the part of a soldier; but
to complain, if thou dost not endure hardness.

   "No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life,
that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. And if a man
also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned except he strive
lawfully."

   These things are said indeed to Timothy, but through him they are
addressed to every teacher and disciple. Let no one therefore of those who
hold the office of a Bishop disdain to hear these things, but let him be
ashamed not to do them. "If any one strive for masteries," he says, "he is
not crowned, except he strive lawfully." What is meant by "lawfully"? It is
not enough that he enters into the lists, that he is anointed, and even
engages, unless he comply with all the laws of the exercise, with respect
to diet, to temperance and sobriety, and all the rules of the wrestling
school, unless, in short, he go through all that is befitting for a
wrestler,(2) he is not crowned. And observe the wisdom of Paul. He mentions
wrestlers and soldiers, the one to prepare him for slaughter and blood, the
other with reference to endurance, that he might bear everything with
fortitude, and be ever in exercise.

   "The husbandman that laboreth must be first partaker of the fruits."

   He had first spoken from his own example as a teacher. He now speaks
from those that are more common, as wrestlers and soldiers, and in their
case he sets before him the rewards. First, that he may please him who hath
chosen him to be a soldier; secondly, that he may be crowned; now he
proposes a third example that more particularly suits himself. For the
instance of the soldier and the wrestler corresponds to those who are under
rule, but that of the husbandman to the Teacher. (Strive) not as a soldier
or a wrestler only, but as a husbandman too. The husbandman takes care not
of himself alone, but of the fruits of the earth. That is, no little reward
of his labors is enjoyed by the husbandman.

   Here he both shows, that to God nothing is wanting, and that there is a
reward for Teaching, which he shows by a common instance. As the
husbandman, he says, does not labor without profit, but enjoys before
others the fruits of his own toils, so is it fit that the teacher should
do: either he means this, or he is speaking of the honor to be paid to
teachers, but this is less consistent. For why does he not say the
husbandman simply, but him "that laboreth"? not only that worketh, but that
is worn with toil? And here with reference to the delay of reward, that no
one may be impatient, he says, thou reapest the fruit already, or there is
a reward in the labor itself. When therefore he has set before him the
examples of soldiers, of wrestlers, and husbandmen, and all figuratively,
"No one," he says, "is crowned except he strive lawfully." And having
observed that "the husbandman who laboreth must first be partaker of the
fruits," he adds,

   "Consider what I say, and the Lord give thee understanding in all
things."

   It is on this account that he has spoken these things in proverb and
parable. Then again to show his affectionate disposition, he ceases not to
pray for him, as fearing for his own son, and he says,

   Ver. 8, 9. "Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was
raised from the dead, according to my Gospel. Wherein I suffer trouble as
an evil-doer, even unto bonds."

   On what account is this mentioned? It is directed chiefly against the
heretics, at the same time to encourage Timothy, by showing the advantage
of sufferings, since Christ, our Master, Himself overcame death by
suffering. Remember this, he says, and thou wilt have sufficient comfort.
"Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the
dead." For upon that point many had already begun to subvert the
dispensation, being ashamed at the immensity of God's love to mankind. For
of such a nature are the benefits which God has conferred upon us, that men
were ashamed to ascribe them to God, and could not believe He had so far
condescended. "According to my Gospel." Thus he everywhere speaks in his
Epistles, saying "according to my Gospel,"(1) either because they were
bound to believe him, or because there were some who preached "another
Gospel." (Gal. i. 6.)

   "Wherein I suffer trouble," he says, "as an evil-doer, even unto
bonds." Again he introduces consolation and encouragement from himself, and
he prepares(2) his hearer's mind with these two things; first, that he
should know him to endure hardness; and, secondly, that he did not so but
for a useful purpose, for in this case he will gain, in the other will even
suffer harm. For what advantage is it, that you can show that a Teacher has
exposed himself to hardship, but not for any useful purpose? But if it is
for any benefit, if for the profit of those who are taught, then it is
worthy of admiration?

   "But the word of God is not bound." That is, if we were soldiers of
this world, and waged an earthly warfare, the chains that confine our hands
would avail. But now God has made us such that nothing can subdue us. For
our hands are bound, but not our tongue, since nothing can bind the tongue
but cowardice and unbelief alone; and where these are not, though you
fasten chains upon us, the preaching of the Gospel is not bound. If indeed
you bind a husbandman, you prevent his sowing, for he sows with his hand:
but if you bind a Teacher, you hinder not the word, for it is sown with his
tongue, not with his hand. Our word therefore is not subjected to bonds.
For though we are bound, that is free, and runs its course. How? Because
though bound, behold, we preach. This is for the encouragement of those
that are free. For if we that are bound preach, much more does it behoove
you that are loose to do so. You have heard that I suffer these things, as
an evil-doer. Be not dejected. For it is a great wonder, that being bound I
do the work of those that are free, that being bound I overcome all, that
being bound I prevail over those that bound me. For it is the word of God,
not ours. Human chains cannot bind the word of God. "These things I suffer
on account of the elect."

   Ver. 10. "Therefore I endure all things," he says, "for the elect's
sake, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with
eternal glory."

   Behold another incentive. I endure these things, he says, not for
myself, but for the salvation of others. It was in my power to have lived
free from danger; to have suffered none of these things, if I had consulted
my own interest. On what account then do I suffer these things? For the
good of others, that others may obtain eternal life. What then dost thou
promise thyself? He has not said, simply on account of these particular
persons; but "for the elect's sake." If God has chosen them, it becomes us
to suffer everything for their sakes. "That they also may obtain
salvation." By saying, "they also," he means, as well as we. For God hath
chosen us also; and as God suffered for our sakes, so should we suffer for
their sakes. Thus it is a matter of retribution, not of favor. On the part
of God it was grace, for He having received no previous benefit, hath done
us good: but on our parts it is retribution, we having previously received
benefits from God, suffer for these, for whom we suffer, in order "that
they may obtain salvation." What sayest thou? What salvation? Art thou who
wast not the author of salvation to thyself, but wast destroying thyself,
art thou the author of salvation to others? Surely not, and therefore he
adds, "salvation that is in Christ Jesus"; that which is truly salvation,
"with eternal glory." Present things are afflictive, but they are but on
earth. Present things are ignominious, but they are temporary. They are
full of bitterness and pain; but they last only to-day and to-morrow.

   Such is not the nature of the good things, they are eternal, they are
in heaven. That is true glory, this is dishonor.

   MORAL. For observe, I pray, beloved, that is not glory which is on
earth, the true glory is in heaven. But if any one would be glorified, let
him be dishonored. If he would obtain rest, let him suffer affliction. If
any one would be forever illustrious, would enjoy pleasure, let him despise
temporal things. And that dishonor is glory, and glory dishonor, let us now
set before us to the best of our power, that we may see what is real glory.
It is not possible to be glorified upon earth; if thou wouldest be
glorified, it must be through dishonor. And let us prove this in the
examples of two persons, Nero and Paul. The one had the glory of this
world, the other the dishonor. How? The first was a tyrant, had obtained
great success had raised many trophies, had wealth ever flowing in,
numerous armies everywhere; he had the greater part of the world and the
imperial city subject to his sway, the whole senate crouching to him, and
his palace too(1) was advancing with splendid show. When he must be armed,
he went forth arrayed in gold and precious stones. When he was to sit still
in peace, he sat clothed in robes of purple. He was surrounded by numerous
guards and attendants. He was called Lord of land and sea, Emperor,(2)
Augustus, Caesar, King, and other such high-sounding names as implied(3)
flattery and courtship; and nothing was wanting that might tend to glory.
Even wise men and potentates and sovereigns trembled at him. For beside all
this, he was said to be a cruel and violent man. He even wished to be
thought a god, and he despised both all the idols, and the very God Who is
over all. He was worshiped as a god. What greater glory than this? Or
rather what greater dishonor? For--I know not how--my tongue is carried
away by the force of truth, and passes sentence before judgment. Meanwhile
let us examine the matter according to the opinion of the multitude, and of
unbelievers, and the estimation of flattery.

   What is greater in the common estimation of glory than to be reputed a
god? It is indeed a great disgrace that any human being should be so mad,
but for the present let us consider the matter according to the opinion of
the multitude. Nothing then was wanting to him, that contributes to human
glory, but he was worshiped by all as a god. Now in opposition to him, let
us consider Paul. He was a Cilician, and the difference between Rome and
Cilicia, all know. He was a tent-maker, a poor man, unskilled in the wisdom
of those without, knowing only the Hebrew tongue, a language despised by
all, especially by the Italians. For they do not so much despise the
barbarian, the Greek, or any other tongue as the Syriac, and this has
affinity with the Hebrew. Nor wonder at this, for if they despised the
Greek, which is so admirable and beautiful, much more the Hebrew. He was a
man that often lived in hunger, often went to bed without food, a man that
was naked, and had not clothes to put on; "in cold, and nakedness," as he
says of himself. (1 Cor. xi. 27.) Nor was this all; but he was cast into
prison at the command of Nero himself, and confined with robbers, with
impostors, with gave-breakers, with murderers, and he was, as he himself
says, scourged as a malefactor. Who then is the more illustrious? The name
of the one the greater part have never heard of. The other is daily
celebrated by Greeks, and Barbarians, and Scythians, and those who inhabit
the extremities of the earth.

   But let us not yet consider what is the case now, but even at that time
who was the more illustrious, who the more glorious, he that was in chains,
and dragged bound from prison, or he that was clothed in a purple robe, and
walked forth from a palace? The prisoner certainly. For the other, who had
armies at his command, and sat arrayed in purple, was not able to do what
he would. But the prisoner, that was like a malefactor, and in mean attire,
could do everything with more authority. How? The one said, "Do not
disseminate the word of God." The other said, "I cannot forbear; 'the word
of God is not bound.'" Thus the Cilician, the prisoner, the poor tent-
maker, who lived in hunger, despised the Roman, rich as he was, and
emperor, and ruling over all, who enriched so many thousands; and with all
his armies he availed nothing. Who then was illustrious? who venerable? He
that in chains was a conqueror, or he that in a purple robe was conquered?
He that standing below, smote, or he that sitting above, was smitten? He
that commanded and was despised, or he who was commanded and made no
account of the commands? He who being alone was victorious, or he who with
numerous armies was defeated? The king therefore so came off, that his
prisoner triumphed over him. Tell me then on whose side you would be? For
do not look to what comes afterwards, but to what was then their state.
Would you be on the side of Nero, or of Paul? I speak not according to the
estimate of faith, for that is manifest; but according to the estimate of
glory, and reverence, and preeminence. Any man of right understanding would
say, on the side of Paul. For if to conquer is more illustrious than to be
conquered, he is more glorious. And this is not yet much, that he
conquered, but that being in so mean a state he conquered one in so exalted
a condition. For I say, and will not cease to repeat it, though bound with
a chain, yet he smote him that was invested with a diadem.

   Such is the power of Christ. The chain surpassed the kingly crown, and
this apparel was shown more brilliant than that. Clothed in filthy rags, as
the inhabitant of a prison, he turned all eyes upon the chains that hung on
him, rather than on the purple robe. He stood on earth bound down and
stooping low, and all left the tyrant mounted on a golden chariot to gaze
on him. And well they might. For it was customary to see a king with white
horses, but it was a strange and unwonted sight to behold a prisoner
conversing with a king with as much confidence as a king would converse
with a pitiful and wretched slave. The surrounding multitude were all
slaves of the king, yet they admired not their lord, but him who was
superior to their lord. And he before whom all feared and trembled, was
trampled upon by one solitary man. See then how great was the brightness of
these very chains!

   And what need to mention what followed after these things? The tomb of
the one is nowhere to be seen; but the other lies in the royal city itself,
in greater splendor than any king, even there where he conquered, where he
raised his trophy. If mention is made of the one, it is with reproach, even
among his kindred, for he is said to have been profligate. But the memory
of the other is everywhere accompanied with a good report, not among(1) us
only, but among his enemies. For when truth shines forth, it puts to shame
even one's enemies, and if they admire him not for his faith, yet they
admire him for his boldness and his manly freedom. The one is proclaimed by
all mouths, as one that is crowned, the other is loaded with reproaches and
accusations. Which then is the real splendor?

   And yet I am but praising the lion for his talons, when I ought to be
speaking of his real honors. And what are these? Those in the heavens. How
will he come in a shining vesture with the King of Heaven! How will Nero
stand then, mournful and dejected! And if what I say seems to thee
incredible and ridiculous, thou art ridiculous for deriding that which is
no subject for laughter. For if thou disbelievest the future, be convinced
from what is past. The season for being crowned is not yet come, and yet
how great honor has the combatant gained! What honor then will he not
obtain, when the Distributor of the prizes shall come! He was among
foreigners, "a stranger and a sojourner" (Heb. xi. 13), and thus is he
admired: what good will he not enjoy, when he is amongst his own? Now "our
life is hid with Christ in God" (Col. iii. 3); yet he who is dead worketh
more and is more honored than the living. When that our life shall come,
what will he not participate? What will he not attain?

   On this account God made him enjoy these honors, not because he wanted
them. For if when in the body he despised popular glory, much more will he
despise it now that he is delivered from the body. Nor only on this account
has He caused him to enjoy honor, but that those who disbelieve the future
may be convinced from the present. I say that when the Resurrection shall
be, Paul will come with the King of Heaven, and will enjoy infinite
blessings. But the unbeliever will not be convinced. Let him believe then
from the present. The tent-maker is more illustrious, more honored than the
king. No emperor of Rome ever enjoyed so great honor. The emperor is cast
out, and lies, no one knows where. The tent-maker occupies the midst of the
city, as if he were a king, and living. From these things believe, even
with respect to the future. If he enjoys so great honor here, where he was
persecuted and banished, what will he not be when he shall come hereafter?
If when he was a tent-maker, he was so illustrious, what will he be when he
shall come rivaling the beams of the sun? If in so much meanness he
overcame such magnificence, to whom, at his coming, will he not be
superior? Can we avoid the conclusion? Who is not moved by the fact, that a
tent-maker became more honorable than the most honored of kings? If here
things happen so beyond the course of nature, much more will it be so
hereafter. If thou wilt not believe the future, O man, believe the present.
If thou wilt not believe invisible things, believe things that are seen: or
rather believe things which are seen, for so thou wilt believe things which
are invisible. But if thou wilt not, we may fitly say with the Apostle, "We
are pure from your blood" (Acts xx. 26): for we have testified to you of
all things, and have left out nothing that we should have said. Blame
yourselves therefore, and to yourselves(2) will ye impute the punishment of
Hell. But let us, my beloved children, be imitators of Paul, not in his
faith only, but in his life, that we may attain to heavenly glory, and
trample upon that glory that is here. Let not any things present attract
us. Let us despise visible things, that we may obtain heavenly things, or
rather may(3) through these obtain the others, but let it be our aim
preeminently to obtain those, of which God grant that we may be all
accounted worthy, through the grace and lovingkindness, &c.

HOMILY V: 2 TIMOTHY ii. 11-14.

"It is a faithful saying: for if we be dead with Him, we shall also live
with Him: if we suffer, we shall also reign with Him: if we deny Him, He
also will deny us: if we believe not, yet He abideth faithful: He cannot
deny Himself. Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before
the Lord, that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the
subverting of the hearers."

   MANY of the weaker sort of men give up the effort of faith, and do not
endure the deferring of their hope. They seek things present, and form from
these their judgment of the future. When therefore their lot here was
death, torments, and chains, and yet he says, they shall come to eternal
life, they would not have believed, but would have said, "What sayest thou?
When I live, I die; and when I die, I live? Thou promisest nothing on
earth, and dost thou give it in heaven? Little things thou dost not bestow;
and dost thou offer great things?" That none therefore may argue thus, he
places beyond doubt the proof of these things, laying it down beforehand
already, and giving certain signs. For, "remember," he says, "that Jesus
Christ was raised from the dead"; that is, rose again after death. And now
showing the same thing he says, "It is a faithful saying," that he who has
attained a heavenly life, will attain eternal life also. Whence is it
"faithful"? Because, he says, "If we be dead with Him, we shall also live
with Him." For say, shall we partake with Him in things laborious and
painful; and shall we not in things beneficial? But not even a man would
act thus, nor, if one had chosen to suffer affliction and death with him,
would he refuse to him a share in his rest, if he had attained it. But how
are we "dead with Him"? This death he means both of that in the Layer, and
that in sufferings. For he says, "Bearing about in the body the dying of
the Lord Jesus" (2 Cor. iv. 10); and, "We are buried with Him by baptism
into death" (Rom. vi. 4); and, "Our old man is crucified with Him"; and,
"We have been planted together in the likeness of His death." (Rom. vi. 5,
6.)  But he also speaks here of death by trials: and  that more especially,
for he was also suffering trials when he wrote it. And this is what he
says, "If we have suffered death on His account, shall we not live on His
account? This is not to be doubted. 'If we suffer, we shall also reign with
Him,'" not absolutely, we shall reign, but "if we suffer," showing that it
is not enough to die once, (the blessed man himself died daily,) but there
was need of much patient endurance; and especially Timothy had need of it.
For tell me not, he says, of your first sufferings, but that you continue
to suffer.

   Then on the other side he exhorts him, not from the good, but from the
evil. For if wicked men were to partake of the same things, this would be
no consolation. And if having endured they were to reign with Him, but not
having endured were not indeed to reign with Him, but were to suffer no
worse evil, though this were terrible, yet it would not be enough to affect
most men with concern. Wherefore he speaks of something more dreadful
still. If we deny Him, He will also deny us. So then there is a retribution
not of good things only, but of the contrary. And consider What it is
probable that he will suffer, who is denied in that kingdom. "Whosoever
shall deny Me, him will I also deny." (Matt. x. 33.) And the retribution is
not equal, though it seems so expressed. For we who deny Him are men, but
He who denies us is God; and how great is the distance between God and man,
it is needless to say.

   Besides, we injure ourselves; Him we cannot injure. And to show this,
he has added, "If we believe not, He abideth faithful: He cannot deny
Himself": that is, if we believe not that He rose again, He is not injured
by it. He is faithful and unshaken, whether we say so or not. If then He is
not at all injured by our denying Him, it is for nothing else than for our
benefit that He desires our confession. For He abideth the same, whether we
deny Him or not. He cannot deny Himself, that is, His own Being. We may say
that He is not; though such is not the fact. It is not in His nature, it is
not possible for Him not to be, that is, to go into nonentity.(1) His
subsistence always abides, always is. Let us not therefore be so affected,
as if we could gratify or could injure Him. But lest any one should think
that Timothy needed this advice, he has added,

   "Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the
Lord, that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting
of the hearers." It is an overawing thing to call God to witness what we
say, for if no one would dare to set at nought the testimony of man when
appealed to, much less when the appeal is to God. If any one, for instance,
entering into a contract, or making his will, chooses to call witnesses
worthy of credit, would any transfer the things to those who are not
included? Surely not. And even if he wishes it, yet fearing the credibility
of the witnesses, he avoids it. What is "charging them before the Lord"? he
calls God to witness both what was said, and what was done.

   "That they strive not about words to no profit;" and not merely so, but
"to the subverting of the hearers." Not only is there no gain from it, but
much harm. "Of these things then put them in remembrance," and if they
despise thee, God will judge them. But why does he admonish them not to
strive about words? He knows that it is a dainty(1) thing, and that the
human soul is ever prone to contend and to dispute about words. To guard
against this, he has not only charged them "not to strive about words," but
to render his discourse more alarming, he adds, "to the subverting of the
hearers."

   Ver. 15. "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that
needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

   Everywhere this "not being ashamed"! And why is he ever so careful to
guard him against shame? Because it was natural for many to be ashamed both
of Paul himself, as being a tent-maker, and of the preaching, since its
teachers perished. For Christ had been crucified, himself was about to be
beheaded, Peter was crucified with his head downwards, and these things
they suffered from audacious and despicable men. Because such men were in
power, he says, "Be not ashamed"; that is, fear not to do anything tending
to godliness, though it be necessary to submit to slavery or any other
suffering. For how does any one become approved? By being "a workman that
needeth not to be ashamed." As the workman is not ashamed of any work, so
neither should he be ashamed who labors in the Gospel. He should submit to
anything.

   "Rightly dividing the word of truth."

   This he hath well said. For many distort it, and pervert it in every
way, and many additions are made to it. He has not said directing it, but
"rightly dividing," that is, cut away what is spurious, with much vehemence
assail it, and extirpate it. With the sword of the Spirit cut off from your
preaching, as from a thong, whatever is superfluous and foreign to it.

   Ver. 16. "And shun profane novelties of speech."(2)

   For they will not stop there. For when anything new has been
introduced, it is ever producing innovations, and the error of him who has
once left the safe harbor is infinite, and never stops.

   "For they will increase unto more ungodliness," he says,

   Ver. 17. "And their word will eat as doth a canker."

   It is an evil not to be restrained, not curable by any medicine, it
destroys the whole frame. He shows that novelty of doctrine is a disease,
and worse than a disease. And here he implies that they are incorrigible,
and that they erred not weakly but willfully.

   "Of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus,"

   Ver. 18. "Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the
resurrection is past already, and overthrow the faith of some."

   He has well said, "They will increase unto more ungodliness." For it
appears indeed to be a solitary evil, but see what evils spring out of it.
For if the Resurrection is already past, not only do we suffer loss in
being deprived of that great glory, but because judgment is taken away, and
retribution also. For if the Resurrection is past, retribution also is
past. The good therefore have reaped persecutions and afflictions, and the
wicked have not been punished, nay verily, they live in great pleasure.(3)
It were better to say that there is no resurrection, than that it is
already past.

   "And overthrow," he says, "the faith of some."

   "Of some," not of all. For if there is no resurrection, faith is
subverted. Our preaching is vain, nor is Christ risen; and if He is not
risen, neither was He born, nor has He ascended into heaven. Observe how
this error, while it seems to oppose the doctrine of the Resurrection,
draws after it many other evils. What then, says one, ought we to do
nothing for those who are subverted?(4)

   Ver. 19. "Nevertheless," he says, "the foundation of God standeth sure,
having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His. And, Let every one
that nameth the name of the Lord(5) depart from iniquity."

   He shows that even before they were subverted, they were not firm. For
otherwise, they would not have been overthrown at the first attack, as
Adam(1) was firm before the commandment. For those who are fixed not only
are not harmed through deceivers, but are even admired.

   And he calls it "sure," and a "foundation"; so ought we to adhere to
the faith; "having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His." What is
this? He has taken it from Deuteronomy;" that is, Firm souls stand fixed
and immovable. But whence are they manifest? From having these characters
inscribed upon their actions, from their being known by God, and not
perishing with the world, and from their departing from iniquity.

   "Let every one," he says, "that nameth the name of the Lord depart from
iniquity."

   These are the distinguishing marks of the foundation. As a(3)
foundation is shown to be firm, and as letters are inscribed upon a stone
that the letters may be significant. But these letters are shown by works,
"Having," he says, "this seal" fixed thereon, "Let every one that nameth
the name of the Lord depart from iniquity." Thus if any one is unrighteous,
he is not of the foundation. So that this too is of the seal, not to do
iniquity.

   MORAL. Let us not therefore put off from us the royal seal and token,
that we may not be of those who are not sealed, that we may not be unsound,
that we may be firmly grounded, that we may be of the foundation, and not
carried to and fro. This marks them that are of God, that they depart from
iniquity. For how can any one be of God Who is just, if he does iniquity,
if by his works he opposes Him, if he insults Him by his misdeeds? Again we
are speaking against injustice, and again we have many that are hostile to
us. For this affection, like a tyrant, has seized upon the souls of all,
and, what is worse, not by necessity nor violence, but by persuasion and
gentle insinuation, and they are grateful for their slavery. And this is
indeed the misery; for if they were held by constraint and not by love,
they would soon depart. And whence is it, that a thing which is most
bitter, appears to be sweet? whence is it that righteousness, which is a
most sweet thing, becomes bitter? It is the fault of our senses. Thus some
have thought honey bitter, and have taken with pleasure other things that
were noxious. And the cause is not in the nature of things, but in the
perverseness of the sufferers. The judging faculty of the soul(4) is
disordered? Just as a balance, if its beam be unsteady,(6) moves round, and
does not show accurately the weight of things placed in it; so the soul, if
it has not the beam of its own thoughts fixed, and firmly riveted to the
law of God, being carried round and drawn down, will not be able to judge a
right of actions.

   For if any one will examine carefully, he will perceive the great
bitterness of injustice, not to those who suffer it, but to those who
practice it, and to these more than to the others. And let us riot speak of
things future, but for the present of things here. Hath it not battles,
judgments, condemnation, ill will, abuse? what is more bitter than these?
Hath it not enmities, and wars, and accusations? what is more bitter than
these? Hath it not conscience continually scourging and gnawing us? If it
were possible, I could wish to draw out from the body the soul of the
unrighteous man, and you would see it pale and trembling, ashamed, hiding
its head, anxiously fearful, and self-condemned. For should we sink down
into the very depths of wickedness, the judging faculty of the mind(7) is
not destroyed, but remains unbribed. And no one pursues injustice thinking
it to be good, but he invents excuses, and has recourse to every artifice
of words to shift off the accusation. But he cannot get it off his
conscience. Here indeed the speciousness of words, the corruption of
rulers, and multitudes of flatterers, is often able to throw justice into
the shade, but within, the conscience(8) has nothing of this sort, there
are no flatterers there, no wealth to corrupt the judge. For the faculty of
judging is naturally implanted in us by God, and what comes from God cannot
be so corrupted. But uneasy slumbers, thick-coming fancies, and the
frequent recollections of guilt, destroy our repose. Has any one, for
instance, unjustly deprived another of his house? not only is he that is
robbed rendered unhappy, but the man who robbed him. If he is persuaded of
a future judgment, (if indeed any one is so persuaded,) he groans
exceedingly, and is in misery. But if he believes not in futurity, yet he
blushes for shame; or rather there is no man, whether Greek, Jew, or
heretic, who is not afraid of a judgment to come.

   And although he is not a philosopher with respect to futurity; yet he
fears and trembles at what may befall him here, lest he may have some
retribution in his property, his children, his family, or his life. For
many such visitations God inflicts. For since the doctrine of the
Resurrection is not sufficient to bring all men to reason, He affords even
here many proofs of His righteous judgment, and exhibits them to the world.
One who has gained wrongfully is without children, another falls in war,
another is maimed in his body, another loses his son. He considers these
things, on these his imagination dwells, and he lives in continual fear.

   Know you not what the unrighteous suffer? Is there no bitterness in
these things? And were there nothing of this sort, do not all condemn him,
and hate and abhor him, and think him less rational than a beast, even
those who are themselves unrighteous? For if they condemn themselves, much
more do they condemn another, calling him rapacious, fraudulent, a
pestilent fellow. What pleasure then can he enjoy? He has only the heavier
care and anxiety to preserve his gains, and the being more anxious and
troubled. For the more wealth any one gets about him, the more painful
watchfulness does he store up for himself. Then what are the curses of
those whom he has wronged, their pleadings against him?(1) And what, if
sickness should befall him? For it is impossible for one, who has fallen
into sickness, however atheistically. he may be inclined, not to be anxious
about these things, not to be thoughtful, when he is unable to do anything.
For as long as we are here, the soul enjoying itself, does not tolerate
painful thoughts: but when it is about to take its flight from the body,
then a greater fear constrains it, as entering into the very portals of
judgment. Even robbers, whilst they are in prison, live without fear, but
when they are brought to the very curtain of the court,(2) they sink with
terror. For when the fear of death is urgent, like a fire consuming all
things besides, it obliges the soul to philosophize, and to take thought
for futurity. The desire of wealth, the love of gain, and of bodily
pleasures, no longer possesses it. These things passing away like clouds,
leave the judging faculty clear, and grief entering in softens the hard
heart. For nothing is so opposite to philosophy, as a life of pleasure;
nor, on the other hand, is anything so favorable to philosophy as
affliction. Consider what the covetous man will then be. For, "an hour of
affliction," it is said, "maketh a man forget much pleasure." (Ecclus. ii.
27.) What will then be his state, when he considers those whom he has
robbed, and injured, and defrauded, when he sees others reaping the fruits
of his grasping, and himself going to pay the penalty? For it cannot,
indeed it cannot be, that when fallen into sickness he should not reflect
upon these things. For often the soul of itself is distracted with agony
and terror. What a bitterness is this, tell me! And with every sickness
these things must be endured. And what will he not suffer when he sees
others punished or put to death?

   These things await him here. And as to what he must undergo hereafter,
it is not possible to say what punishment, what vengeance, what torments,
what racks are reserved for him There. These things we declare. "He that
hath ears to hear, let him hear." (Luke viii. 8.) We are for ever
discoursing of these things, not willingly, but of necessity. For we could
wish there were no obligation to mention such things at all. But since it
must be, we would at least, by a little medicine, deliver you from your
disease, and restore you to health. But whilst you remain in this sickness,
it would show a mean and weak spirit, not to say cruelty and inhumanity, to
desist from the healing treatment. For if when physicians despair of our
bodies, we beseech them not to neglect us, not to cease to our last breath
applying whatever is in their power, shall we not much more exhort
ourselves? For perhaps when we have come to the very gates of Hell, the
vestibule of wickedness itself, it may be possible to recover, to renew our
strength, to lay hold on eternal life! How many, who have heard ten times
and remained insensible, have afterwards at one hearing been converted! Or
rather, not at one hearing; for though they seemed insensible at the ten
discourses, yet they gained something, and afterwards showed all at once
abundant fruit. For as a tree may receive ten strokes, and not fall; then
afterwards be brought down all at once by a single blow: yet it is not done
by that one blow, but by the ten which made that last successful. And this
is known to him who sees the root, though he who takes his view of the
trunk above knows it not. So it is in this case. And thus often, when
physicians have applied many remedies, no benefit is perceived; but
afterwards some one comes in and effects an entire cure. Yet it is not the
work of him alone, but of these who have already reduced the disorder. So
that, if now we do not bring forth the fruits of hearing the word, yet
hereafter we shall. For that we shall bring them forth, I am fully
persuaded. For it is not, indeed it is not possible that such eager desire,
such a love of hearing, should fail of its effect. God forbid! But may we
all. having become worthy of the admonitions of Christ, obtain the
everlasting blessings, &c.

HOMILY VI: 2 TIMOTHY ii. 20, 21.

"But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but
also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor. If a
man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor,
sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good
work."

   MANY men are still even now perplexed to account for the fact, that the
wicked are suffered to remain, and are not yet destroyed. Now doubtless
various reasons may be assigned for this, as, that they may be converted,
or that by their punishment they may be made an example to the multitude.
But Paul here mentions a similar case. For he says,

   "In a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but
also of wood and earth." Showing by this, that as in a great house it is
likely there should be a great difference of vessels, so here also, in the
whole world, for he speaks not of the Church only, but of the world at
large. For think not, I pray, that he means it of the Church; for there he
would not have any vessels of wood or of earth, but all of gold or silver
where is the body of Christ, where is that "pure virgin, without spot, or
wrinkle, or any such thing." (Eph. v. 27.) And this is what he means to say
Let it not disturb thee that there are corrupt and wicked men. For in a
great house there are such vessels. But what then? they do not receive the
same honor. But some are to honor and some to dishonor. "Nay," says one,
"in a house they may be of some use, but not at all in the world." Though
God employs them not for such honorable service, he makes use of them for
other purposes. For instance, the vainglorious man builds much, so does the
covetous man, the merchant, the tradesman, the magistrate; there are
certain works in the world suited to these. But the golden vessel is not of
such a nature. It is employed about the royal table. He does not say
however that wickedness is a necessary thing, (for how should it be?) but
that the wicked also have their work. For if all were of gold or of silver,
there would be no need of the viler sort. For instance, if all were hardy,
there would be no need of houses; if all were free from luxury, there would
be no need of dainties. If all were careful only for necessaries, there
would be no need of splendid building.

   "If therefore a man purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto
honor, sanctified."  Seest thou that it is not of nature, nor of the
necessity of matter, to be a vessel of gold or of earth, but of our own
choice? For otherwise the earthen could not become gold, nor could the
golden descend to the vileness of the other. But in this case there is much
change, and alteration of state. Paul was an earthen vessel, and became a
golden one. Judas was a golden vessel, and became an earthen one. The
earthen vessels, therefore, are such from uncleanness. The fornicator and
the covetous man become earthen vessels. "But how then does he say
elsewhere, 'We have this treasure in earthen vessels,' so that he does not
despise but honor the earthen vessel, speaking of it as the recipient of
the treasure?" There he shows the nature itself, and not the form of the
material. For he  means to say that our body is an earthen vessel. For as
earthenware is nothing else but baked clay, so is our body nothing but clay
consolidated by the heat of the soul; for that it is earthen, is evident.
For as such a vessel is often by falling broken and dashed to pieces, so
our body falls and is dissolved by death. For how do our bones differs from
a potsherd, hard and dry as they are? or our flesh from clay, being, like
it, composed of water? But, as I said, how is it that he does not speak
contemptuously of it? Because there he is discoursing of its nature, here
of our choice. "If a man," he says, "purge himself from these," not merely
"cleanse," but "cleanse out,"(1) that is, cleanse himself perfectly, "he
shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the Master's use."
The others therefore are useless for any good purpose, though some use is
made of them. "And prepared(2) unto every good work." Even though he do it
not, he is fit for it, and has a capacity for it. We ought therefore to be
prepared for everything, even for death, for martyrdom, for a life of
virginity, or for all these.

   Ver. 22. "Flee also youthful lusts."

   Not only the lust of fornication, but every inordinate desire is a
youthful lust. Let the aged learn that they ought not to do the deeds of
the youthful. If one be given to insolence, or a lover of power, of riches,
of bodily pleasures, it is a youthful lust, and foolish. These things must
proceed from a heart not yet established, from a mind not deeply grounded,
but in a wavering state. What then does he advise in order that none may be
captivated by these things? "Flee youthful" imaginations, "but

   "Follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on
the Lord out of a pure heart."

   He calls virtue in general, "righteousness" godliness of life, "faith,
meekness, charity."

   What is meant by "those that call upon the Lord out of a pure heart"?
It is as if he said, Rejoice not in those who only call upon the Lord; but
those who call upon Him sincerely and unfeignedly, who have nothing of
deceit about them, who approach Him in peace, who are not contentious. With
these associate thyself. But with others be not easy, but only as far as
lies in you, be peaceable.

   Ver. 23. "But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they
do gender strifes."

   Do you see how he everywhere draws him off from questions; not that he
was not able to overthrow them; for he was well able. For had he not been
able he would have said, Be diligent, that thou mayest be able to refute
them; as when he says, "Give attendance to reading, for by so doing thou
shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee." (1 Tim. iv. 13, 16.) But
he knew that it was useless to enter at all into these disputes, that there
will be no end of it, save contentions, enmities, insults, and reproaches.
These "questions" therefore "avoid"; so that there are other questions,
some relating to the Scriptures, some to other things.

   Ver. 24. "And the servant of the Lord must not strive."

   Not even in questions ought he to strive, for the servant of the Lord
must keep far from strife, since God is the God of peace, and what should
the servant of the God of peace have to do with strife?

   "But be gentle unto all men."

   How is it then he says, "Rebuke with all authority" (Tit. ii. 15); and
again, "Let no man despise thy youth" (1 Tim. iv. 12): and again, '"Rebuke
them Sharply"? (Tit. i. 13.) Because this is consistent with meekness. For
a strong rebuke, if it be given with gentleness, is most likely to wound
deeply: for it is possible, indeed it is, to touch more effectually by
gentleness, than one overawes by boldness.

   "Apt to teach"; that is, those who are willing to be taught. For "a man
that is an heretic," he says, "after the first and second admonition
reject." (Tit. iii. 10.) "Patient." He has well added this, for it is a
quality which a teacher above all things ought to possess. All things are
vain without it. And if fishermen do not despair, though often they cast
their nets for a whole day without catching anything, much more should not
we. For see what is the result. From constant teaching, it often happens
that the plow of the word, descending to the depth of the soul, roots out
the evil passion that troubled it. For he that hears often will at length
be affected. A man cannot go on hearing continually without some effect
being produced. Sometimes therefore, when he was on the point of being
persuaded, he is lost by our becoming weary. For the same thing occurs, as
if an unskillful husbandman should in the first year dig about the vine he
had planted, and seeking to reap some fruit in the second year, and again
in the third, and gathering nothing, should after three years despair, and
in the fourth year, when he was about to receive the recompense of his
labors, abandon his vine. And having said, "Patient," he is not satisfied,
but goes on to say,

   Ver. 25. "In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves."

   For he that teaches must be especially careful to do it with meekness.
For a soul that wishes to learn cannot gain any useful instruction from
harshness and contention. For when it would apply, being thus thrown into
perplexity, it will learn nothing. He who would gain any useful knowledge
ought above all things to be well disposed towards his teacher, and if this
be not previously attained, nothing that is requisite or useful can be
accomplished. And no one can be well disposed towards him who is violent
and overbearing. How is it then that he says, "A man that is an heretic,
after the first and second admonition, reject"? He speaks there of one
incorrigible, of one whom he knows to be diseased beyond the possibility of
cure.

   "If God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of
the truth."

   Ver. 26. "And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the
devil."

   What he says amounts to this. Perhaps there will be a reformation.
Perhaps! for it is uncertain. So that we ought to withdraw only from those,
of whom we can show plainly, and concerning whom we are fully persuaded,
that whatever be done, they will not be reformed. "In meekness," he says.
In this temper, you see, we ought to address ourselves to those who are
willing to learn, and never cease from conversing with them till we have
come to the demonstration.(1)

   "Who are taken captive by him at his will." It is truly said, "Who are
taken captive,"(2) for meanwhile they float in error. Observe here how he
teaches to be humble-minded. He has not said, if peradventure you should be
able, but, "if peradventure God should grant them a recovery"; if anything
be done, therefore, all is of the Lord. Thou plantest, thou waterest but He
soweth and maketh it produce fruit. Let us not therefore be so affected, as
if we ourselves wrought the persuasion, even if we should persuade any one.
"Taken captive by him," he says, "to His will."(1) This no one will say
relates to doctrine, but to life. For "His will" is that we live rightly.
But some are in the snare of the devil by reason of their life, we ought
not therefore to be weary even with respect to these.

   "If peradventure," he says, "they may recover, that are taken captive,
unto His will."  Now "If peradventure," implies much longsuffering. For not
to do the will of God is a snare I of the devil.

   For as a sparrow, though it be not wholly enclosed, but only caught by
the foot, is still under the power of him who set the snare; so though we
be not wholly subverted, both in faith and life, but in life only, we are
under the power of the devil. For "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord,
Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven"; and again, "I know you not;
depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (Matt. vii. 21-23.) You set there
is no advantage from our faith, when our Lord knows us not: and to the
virgins he says the same, "I know you not." (Matt. xxv. 12.) What then is
the benefit of virginity, or of many labors, when the Lord knows us not?
And in many places we find men not blamed for their faith, but punished for
their evil life only; as elsewhere, not reproved for evil lives, but
perishing for their pravity of doctrine. For these things hold together.(2)
You see that when we do not the will of God, we are under the snare of the
devil. And often not only from a bad life, but from one defect, we enter
into Hell, where there are not good qualities to counterbalance it, since
the virgins were not accused of fornication or adultery, nor of envy or
ill-will, nor of drunkenness, nor of unsound faith, but of a failure of
oil, that is, they failed in almsgiving, for that is the oil meant.(3) And
those who were pronounced accursed in the words, "Depart from me, ye
cursed, into everlasting fire," were not accused of any such crimes, but
because they had not fed Christ.

   MORAL. Seest thou that a failure in alms-giving is enough to cast a man
into hell. fire? For where will he avail who does not give alms? Dost thou
fast every day? So also did those virgins, but it availed them nothing.
Dost thou pray? What of that? prayer without alms-giving is unfruitful,
without that all things are unclean and unprofitable. The better part of
virtue is destroyed. "He that loveth not his brother," it is said, "knoweth
not God." (1 John iv. 8.) And how dost thou love him, when thou dost not
even impart to him of these poor worthless things? Tell me, therefore, dost
thou observe chastity? On what account? From fear of punishment? By no
means. It is of a natural endowment that thou observest it, since if thou
wast chaste from fear of punishment, and didst violence to nature in
submitting to so severe a rule, much more oughtest thou to do alms. For to
govern the desire of wealth, and of bodily pleasures, is not the same
thing. The latter is much more difficult to restrain. And wherefore?
Because the pleasure is natural, and the desire of it is innate and of
natural growth in the body. It is not so with riches. Herein we are able to
resemble God, in showing mercy and pity. When therefore we have not this
quality, we are devoid of all good. He has not  said, "ye shall be like
unto your Father, if ye fist," nor "if ye be virgins," nor "if ye pray,"
hath He said, "ye shall be like unto your Father," for none of these things
can be applied to God, nor are they His acts. But what? "Be ye merciful, as
your Father in Heaven is merciful." (Luke vi. 36.) This is the work of God.
If therefore thou hast not this, what hast thou? He says: "I will have
mercy, and not sacrifice." (Hosea vi. 6.) God made Heaven, and earth, and
sea. Great works these, and worthy of His wisdom! But by none of these has
He so powerfully attracted human nature to Himself, as by mercy and the
love of mankind. For that indeed is the work of power and wisdom and
goodness. But it is far more so that He became a servant. Do we not for
this more especially admire Him? are we not for this still more amazed at
Him? Nothing attracts God to us so much as mercy. And the prophets from
beginning to end discourse upon this subject. But I speak not of mercy that
is accompanied with covetousness. That is not mercy. For it is not the root
of the thorn but of the olive that produces the oil(4); so it is not the
root of covetousness, of iniquity, or of rapine, that produces mercy. Do
not put a slander on almsgiving. Do not cause it to be evil spoken of by
all. If thou committest robbery for this, that thou mayest give alms,
nothing is more wicked than thy almsgiving. For when it is produced by
rapine, it is not almsgiving, it is inhumanity, it is cruelty, it is an
insult to God. If Cain so offended, by offering inferior gifts of his own,
shall he not offend, who offers the goods of another? An offering is
nothing else but a sacrifice, a purification, not a pollution. And thou who
darest not to pray with unclean hands, dost thou offer the dirt and filth
of robbery, and think thou doest nothing wrong? Thou sufferest not thy
hands to be full of dirt and filth, but having first cleansed these, thou
offerest. Yet that filth is no charge against thee, while the other
deserves reproach and blame. Let it not therefore be our consideration, how
we may offer prayers and oblations with clean hands, but how the things
offered may be pure. If one, after having washed a vessel clean, should
fill it with unclean gifts, would it not be ridiculous mockery? Let the
hands be clean; and they will be so, if we wash them not with water only,
but first with righteousness. This is the purifier of the hands. But if
they be full of unrighteousness, though they be washed a thousand times, it
avails nothing. "Wash you, make you clean" (Isa. i. 16), He says, but does
He add, "Go to the baths, the lakes, the rivers"? No; but what? "Put away
the evil of your doings from your souls." This is to be clean.(1) This it
is to be cleansed from defilement. This is real purity. The other is of
little use; but this bestows upon us confidence towards God. The one may be
obtained by adulterers, thieves, murderers, by worthless, and dissolute,
and effeminate persons, and especially the latter. For they are ever
careful of the cleanliness of their bodies, and scented with perfumes,
cleansing their sepulcher.(2) For their body(3) is but a sepulcher, since
the soul is dead within it. This cleanness therefore may be theirs,(4) but
not that which is inward.

   To wash the body is no great matter. That is a Jewish purification,
senseless(5) and unprofitable, where purity within is wanting. Suppose one
to labor under a putrefying sore, or consuming ulcer; let him wash his body
ever so much, it is of no advantage. And if the putrefaction of the body
receives no benefit from cleansing and disguising the outward appearance;
when the soul is infected with rottenness, what is gained by the purity of
the body? Nothing! Our prayers ought to be pure, and pure they cannot be,
if they are sent forth from a corrupt soul, and nothing so corrupts the
soul as avarice and rapine. But there are some who after committing
numberless sins during the day, wash themselves in the evening and enter
the churches, holding up their hands with much confidence, as if by the
washing of the bath they had put off all their guilt. And if this were the
case, it would be a vast advantage to use the bath daily! I would not
myself cease to frequent the baths,(6) if it made us pure, and cleansed us
from our sins! But these things are trifling and ridiculous, the toys of
children. It is not the filth of the body, but the impurity of the soul, to
which God is averse. For He says, "Blessed are the pure "--does He say in
body? No--"in heart: for they shall see God." (Matt. v. 8.) And what says
the Prophet: "Create in me a clean heart, O God." (Ps. li. 10.) And again,
"Wash my heart from wickedness." (Jer. iv. 14.)

   It is of great use to be in the habit of doing good actions. See how
trifling and unprofitable these washings are. But when the soul is
prepossessed by a habit, it does not depart from it, nor does it venture to
draw nigh in prayer, till it has fulfilled these ceremonies. For instance,
we have brought ourselves to a habit of washing and praying, and without
washing we do not think it right to pray. And we do not willingly pray with
unwashed hands, as if we should offend God, and violate our conscience. Now
if this trifling custom has so great power over us, and is observed every
day; if we had brought ourselves to a habit of almsgiving, and had
determined so constantly to observe it, as never to enter a house of prayer
with empty hands, the point would be gained. For great is the power of
habit both in good things and in evil, and when this carries us on, there
will be little trouble. Many are in the habit of crossing(7) themselves
continually, and they need no one to remind them of it, but often when the
mind is wandering after other things, the hand is involuntarily drawn by
custom, as by some living teacher, to make the sign. Some have brought
themselves into a habit of not swearing at all, and therefore neither
willingly nor unwillingly do they ever do it. Let us then bring ourselves
into such a habit of almsgiving.

   What labors were it worth to us to discover such a remedy. For say,
were there not the relief of almsgiving, while we still by our numberless
sins rendered ourselves liable to Divine vengeance, should we not have
lamented sadly? Should we not have said, O that it were possible by our
wealth to wash away our sins, and we would have parted with it all! O that
by our riches we could put away the wrath of God, then we would not spare
our substance? For if we do this in sickness, and at the point of death we
say, "If it were possible to buy off death, such an one would give all his
possessions"; much more in this matter. For see how great is the love of
God for man. He has granted us power to buy off not temporal but eternal
death. Do not purchase, He says, this short life, but that life that is
everlasting. It is that I sell thee, not the other: I do not mock thee.
Didst thou gain the present life, thou hadst gained nothing. I know the
worth of that which I offer thee. The bargainers and traffickers in worldly
goods do not act thus. They, when they can(1) impose on whom they will,
give a little to receive a great deal. It is not so with God. He gives the
greater by far for the less.

   Tell me, if you were to go to a merchant, and he were to set before you
two stones, one of little worth,(2) and the other very precious, and sure
to fetch a large amount of wealth; if he allowed you for the price of the
cheap one to carry off the more costly, should you complain of him? No! You
would rather admire his liberality. So now, two lives are set before us,
the one temporal, the other eternal. These God offers us for sale, but He
would sell us the latter rather than the former. Why do we complain, like
silly children, that we receive the more precious?(3) Is it possible then
to purchase life for money? Yes, when what we bestow is our own, and not
the property of another; when we do not practice an imposture. But, you
say, henceforth the goods are mine. They are not thine after rapine. They
are still thy neighbor's, though thou wert a thousand times the master of
them. For if thou shouldest receive a deposit, it would not be thine own
even for the short season that the depositor was traveling, though it might
be laid up with thee. If therefore that is not ours, which we received with
the consent and thanks of those who deposited it, even for the short period
that we retain it, much less is that ours, which we plundered against the
will of its owner. He is the master of it, however long thou mayest
withhold it. But Virtue is(4) really our own; as for money, even our own is
not strictly ours, much less that of others. Today it is ours, to-morrow it
belongs to another. What is of virtue is our own possession. This does not
suffer loss, like other things, but is entirely possessed by all who have
it. This therefore let us acquire, and let us despise riches, that we may
be able to attain those real goods, of which God grant that we may be
thought worthy to partake, through the grace and lovingkindness, &c.

HOMILY VII: 2 TIMOTHY iii. 1-7.

"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men
shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud,
blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural
affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers
of those that are good, Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure
more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power
thereof; from such turn away. For of this sort are they, which creep into
houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers
lusts and pleasures, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge
of the truth."

   HE had said in the former Epistle, that "the Spirit speaketh expressly,
that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith" (1 Tim. iv. 1,
2); and elsewhere in this Epistle he foretells that something of this kind
will afterwards happen; and here again he does the same thing: "This know,
that in the last days perilous times shall come." And this he pronounces
not only from the future, but from the past; "As Jannes and Jambres
withstood Moses." And again from reasoning; "In a great house there are not
only vessels of gold and of silver." But why does he do this? In order that
Timothy may not be troubled, nor any one of us, when there are evil men. If
there were such in the time of Moses, and will be hereafter, it is no
wonder that there are such in our times.

   "In the last days perilous times shall come," he says, that is,
exceeding bad times. How shall times be perilous?(5) He says it not blaming
the days, nor the times, but the men of those times. For thus it is
customary with us to speak of good times or evil times, from the events
that happen in them, caused by men. Immediately he sets down the root and
fountain, whence these and all other evils spring, that is,
overweeningness. He that is seized with this passion is careless even of
his own interests. For when a man overlooks the concerns of his neighbor,
and is careless of them, how should he regard his own? For as he that looks
to his neighbor's affairs will in them order his own to advantage, so he
that looks down upon his neighbor's concerns will neglect his own. For if
we are members one of another, the welfare of our neighbor is not his
concern only, but that of the whole body, and the injury of our neighbor is
not confined to him, but distracts with pains all else as well.(1) If we
are a building, whatever part is weakened, it affects the whole whilst that
which is solid gives strength and support to the rest. So also in the
Church, if thou hast slighted thy neighbor, thou has injured thyself. How?
In that one of thy own members hath suffered no small hurt. And if he, who
does not impart of hid possessions, goes into Hell, much more will he be
condemned, who sees a neighbor suffering severer evils, and does not
stretch out his hand, since in this case the loss is more grievous.

   "For men shall be lovers of their own selves." He that loves himself
may be said not to love himself, but he that loves his brother, loves
himself in the truest sense. From self-love springs covetousness. For the
wretched niggardly temper of self-love contracts that love which should be
widely extended, and diffused on every side. "Covetous." From covetousness
springs boastfulness, from boastfulness pride, from pride blasphemy, from
blasphemy defiance and disobedience. For he who exalts himself against men,
will easily do it against God. Thus sins are produced. Often they ascend
from below. He that is pious towards men, is still more pious towards God.
He who is meek to his fellow-servants, is more meek to his Master. He that
despises his fellow-servants, will end with despising God Himself. MORAL.
Let us not then despise one another for that is an evil training which
teaches us to despise God. And indeed to despise one another is in effect
to despise God, Who commanded us to show all regard to one another. And
this may be otherwise manifested by an example. Cain despised his brother,
and so, immediately after, he despised God. How despised Him? Mark his
insolent answer to God; "Am I my brother's keeper?" (Gen. iv. 9.) Again,
Esau despised his brother, and he too despised God. Wherefore God said,
"Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated." (Rom. ix. 13; Mal. i. 2, 3.)
Hence Paul says, "Lest there be any fornicator or profane person as Esau."
(Heb. xii. 16.) The brethren of Joseph despised him, and they also despised
God. The Israelites despised Moses, and they also despised God. So too the
sons of Eli despised the people, and they too despised God. Would you see
it also from the contrary? Abraham, who was tender of his brother's son,
was obedient to God, as is manifest in his conduct with respect to his son
Isaac, and in all his other virtues. Again, Abel was meek to his brother,
and he also was pious towards God. Let us not therefore despise one
another, lest we learn also to despise God. Let us honor one another, that
we may learn also to honor God. He that is insolent with respect to men,
will also be insolent with respect to God. But when covetousness and
selfishness and insolence meet together, what is wanting to complete
destruction? Everything is corrupted, and a foul flood of sins bursts in.
"Unthankful," he says. For how can the covetous man be thankful? To whom
will he feel gratitude? To no one. He considers all men his enemies, and
desires the goods of all. Though you spend your whole substance upon him,
he will feel no gratitude. He is angry that you have not more, that you
might bestow it upon him. And if you made him master of the whole world, he
would still be unthankful, and think that he had received nothing. This
desire is insatiable. It is the craving of disease; and such is the nature
of the cravings of disease.

   He who has a fever can never be satisfied, but with constant desire of
drinking, is never filled, but suffers a continual thirst; so he who is mad
after wealth never knows the fulfillment of his desire; whatever is
bestowed upon him, he is still unsatisfied, and will therefore never be
thankful. For he will feel no gratitude to him, who does not give him as
much as he wishes, and this no one can ever do. And as there is no limit to
his wishes, he will feel no gratitude. Thus no one is so unthankful as the
covetous, so insensible as the lover of money. He is the enemy of all the
world. He is indignant that there are men. He would have all one vast
desert, that he might have the property of all. And many wild imaginations
does he form. "O that there were an earthquake," he says, "in the city,
that all the rest being swallowed up, I might be left alone, to have, if
possible, the possessions of all! O that a pestilence would come and
destroy everything but gold! O that there might be a submersion, or an
eruption of the sea!" Such are his imaginations. He prays for nothing good,
but for earthquakes, and thunderbolts, for wars, and plagues, and the like.
Well, tell me now, thou wretched man, more servile than any slave, if all
things were gold, wouldest thou not be destroyed by thy gold,(2) and perish
with hunger? If the world were swallowed up by an earthquake, thou also
wouldest perish by thy fatal desire. For if there were no other men than
thyself, the necessaries of life would fail thee. For suppose that the
other inhabitants of the earth were destroyed at once, and that their gold
and silver came of its own accord to thee. (For such men fancy to
themselves absurdities, and impossibilities.) But if their gold and silver,
their vests of silk and cloth of gold, came into thy hands, what would it
profit thee? Death would only the more certainly overtake thee, when there
were none to prepare bread or till the earth for thee; wild beasts would
prowl around, and the devil agitate thy soul with fear. Many devils indeed
now possess it, but then they would lead thee to desperation, and plunge
thee at once into destruction. But you say, "I would wish there should be
tilling of the land and men to prepare food." Then they would consume
somewhat. "But I would not have them consume anything." So insatiable is
this desire! For what can be more ridiculous than this? Seest thou the
impossibility of the thing? He wishes to have many to minister to him, yet
he grudges them their share of food, because it diminishes his substance!
What then? Wouldest thou then have men of stone? This is all a mockery; and
waves, and tempest, and huge billows, and violent agitation, and storm,
overwhelm the soul. It is ever hungry, ever thirsty. Shall we not pity and
mourn for him? Of bodily diseases this is thought a most painful one, and
it is called by physicians bulimy,(1) when a man being filled, is yet
always hungry. And is not the same disorder in the soul more lamentable?
For avarice is the morbid hunger of the soul, which is always filling,
never satisfied, but still craving. If it were necessary to drink
hellebore, or submit to anything a thousand times worse, would it not be
worth our while to undertake it readily, that we might be delivered from
this passion? There is no abundance of riches that can fill the belly of
greediness. And shall we not be ashamed, that men can be thus transported
with the love of money, whilst we show not any proportion of such
earnestness in love to God, and honor Him not as bullion is honored? For
money men will undergo watchings, and journeyings and continual perils, and
hatred, and hostility, and, in short, everything. But we do not venture to
utter a mere word for God, nor incur an enmity, but if we are required to
assist any of those who are persecuted, we abandon the injured person,
withdrawing ourselves from the hatred of the powerful, and the danger it
involves. And though God has given us power that we might succor him, yet
we suffer him to perish, from our unwillingness to incur men's hatred and
displeasure. And this many profess to justify, saying, "Be loved for
nothing, but be not hated for nothing." But is this to be hated for
nothing? Or what is better than such hatred? For to be hated on account of
God is better than to be loved on His account: for when we are loved for
God's sake, we are debtors for the honor, but when we are hated for His
sake, He is our debtor to reward us. The lovers of wealth know no limit to
their love, be it never so great; but we, if we have done ever so little,
think that we have fulfilled everything. We love not God as much, no, not
by many times over so much, as they love gold. Their inordinate rage for
gold is a heavy accusation against them. It is our condemnation that we are
not so beside ourselves for God; that we do not bestow upon the Lord of all
as much love as they bestow upon mere earth, for gold from the mine is no
better.

   Let us then behold their madness, and be ashamed of ourselves. For what
though we are not inflamed with the love of gold, while we are not earnest
in our prayers to God? For in their case men despise wife, children,
substance, and their own safety, and that when they are not certain that
they shall increase their substance. For often, in the very midst of their
hopes, they lose at once their life and their labor. But we, though we know
that, if we love Him as we ought to love Him, we shall obtain our desire,
yet love Him not, but are altogether cold in our love both to our neighbor
and to God; cold in our love to God, because cold in our love to our
neighbor. For it is not, indeed it is not possible that a man, who is a
stranger to the feeling of love, should have any generosity or manly
spirit, since the foundation of all that is good is no other than love. "On
this," it is said, "hang all the law and the prophets." (Matt. xxii. 40.)
For as fire set to a forest is wont to clear away everything, so the fire
of love, wherever it is received, consumes and makes way through everything
that is hurtful to the divine harvest, and renders the soil pure and fit
for the reception of the seed. Where there is love, all evils are removed.
There is no love of money, the root of evil, there is no self-love(2):
there is no boasting; for why should one boast over his friend? Nothing
makes a man so humble as love. We perform the offices of servants to our
friends, and are not ashamed; we are even thankful for the opportunity of
serving them. We spare not our property, and often not out persons; for
dangers too are encountered at times for him that is loved. No envy, no
calumny is there, where there is genuine love. We not only do not slander
our friends, but we stop the mouth of slanderers. All is gentleness and
mildness. Not a trace of strife and contention appears. Everything breathes
peace. For "Love," it is said, "is this fulfilling of the law." (Rom. xiii.
10.) There is nothing offensive with it. How so? Because where love exists,
all the sins of covetousness, rapine, envy, slander, arrogance, perjury,
and falsehood are done away. For men perjure themselves, in order to rob,
but no one would rob him whom he loved, but would rather give him his own
possessions. For we are more obliged than if we received from him. Ye know
this, all you that have friends, friends, I mean, in reality, not in name
only, but whoever loves as men ought to love, whoever is really linked to
another. And let those who are ignorant of it learn from those who know.

   I will now cite you from the Scriptures a wonderful instance of
friendship. Jonathan, the son of Saul, loved David, and his soul was so
knit to him, that David in mourning over him says, "Thy love to me was
wonderful, passing the love of women. Thou wast wounded unto death." (2
Sam. i. 25, 26.) What then? did he envy David? Not at all, though he had
great reason. How? Because, by the events he perceived that the kingdom
would pass from himself to him, yet he felt nothing of the kind. He did not
say, "This is he that is depriving me of my paternal kingdom," but he
favored his obtaining the sovereignty; and he spared not his father for the
sake of his friend. Yet let not any one think him a parricide, for he did
not injure his father, but restrained his unjust attempts. He rather spared
than injured him. He did not permit him to proceed to an unjust murder. He
was many times willing even to die for his friend, and far from accusing
him, he restrained even his father's accusation. Instead of envying, he
joined in obtaining the kingdom for him. Why do I speak of wealth? He even
sacrificed his own life for him. For the sake of his friend, he did not
even stand in awe of his father, since his father entertained unjust
designs, but his conscience was free from all such. Thus justice was
conjoined with friendship.

   Such then was Jonathan. Let us now consider David. He had no
opportunity of returning the recompense, for his benefactor was taken away
before the reign of David, and slain before he whom he had served came to
his kingdom. What then? As far as it was allowed him and left in his power,
let us see how that righteous man manifested his friendship. "Very
pleasant," he says, "hast thou been to me, Jonathan; thou wast wounded unto
death." (2 Sam. i. 25, Gr.) Is this all? This indeed was no slight tribute,
but he also frequently rescued from  danger his son and his grandson,
remembrance of the kindness of the father, and he  continued to support and
protect his children,  as he would have done those of his own son.  Such
friendship I would wish all to entertain  both towards the living and the
dead.

   Let women listen to this (for it is on their account especially that I
refer to the departed) who enter into a second marriage, and defile the bed
of their deceased husband, though they have loved him.(1) Not that I forbid
a second marriage, or pronounce it a proof of wantonness, for Paul does not
allow me, stopping my mouth by saying to women, "If she marry she hath not
sinned." (1 Cor. vii. 28 and 40.) Yet let us attend to what follows, "But
she is happier if she so abide." This state is much better than the other.
Wherefore? for many reasons. For if it is better not to marry at all than
to marry, much more in this case. "But some, you say, could not endure
widowhood, and have fallen into many misfortunes." Yes; because they know
not what widowhood is. For it is not widowhood to be exempt from a second
marriage, as neither is it virginity to be altogether unmarried. For as
"that which is comely," and "that ye may attend upon the Lord without
distraction," is the mark of the one state, so it is the mark of the other
to be desolate, to "continue in supplications and prayers," to renounce
luxury and pleasure. For "she that liveth in pleasure is dead whilst she
liveth." (1 Tim. v. 6.) If remaining a widow, thou wouldest have the same
pomp, the same show, the same attire, as thou hadst while thy husband was
living, it were better for thee to marry. For it is not the union that is
objectionable, but the multitude of cares that attend it. But that which is
not wrong, thou dost not: but that which is not indifferent, which is
liable to blame, in that thou involvest thyself. On this account "some have
turned aside after Satan," because they have not been able to live properly
as widows.

   Wouldest thou know what a widow is, and what a widow's dignity, hear
Paul's account of it. "If she have brought up children, if she have lodged
strangers, if she have washed the Saints' feet, if she have relieved the
afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work." (1 Tim. v.
10.) But when after the death of thy husband, thou art arrayed in the same
pomp of wealth, no wonder if thou canst not support widowhood. Transfer
this wealth, therefore, to heaven, and thou wilt find the burden of
widowhood tolerable. But, thou sayest, what if I have children to succeed
to their father's inheritance? Instruct them also to despise riches.
Transfer thy own possessions, reserving for them just a sufficiency. Teach
them too to be superior to riches. But what if besides my silver and gold,
I am surrounded by a crowd of slaves, oppressed by a multitude of affairs,
how shall I be equal to the care of all these things, when deprived of the
support of my husband? This is but an excuse, a pretense, as appears from
many causes. For if thou dost hot deserve wealth, nor seek to increase thy
present possessions, thy burden will be light. To get riches is much more
laborious than to take care of them. If therefore thou cuttest off this one
thing, accumulating, and suppliest the needy out of thy substance, God will
hold over thee His protecting hand. And if thou sayest this from a real
desire to preserve the inheritance of thy fatherless children, and art not,
under this pretense, possessed with covetousness; He who searches the heart
knows how to secure their riches, even He who commanded thee to bring up
children.

   For it is not possible, indeed it is not, that a house established by
almsgiving should suffer any calamity. If it should be unfortunate for a
time, in the end it will prosper. This will be more than spear and shield
to all the household. Hear what the devil says concerning Job. "Hast not
thou made an hedge about him and about his house, and about all that he
hath on every side?" (Job i. 10.) Wherefore? Hear Job himself saying, "I
was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. I was a father to the
orphans." (Job xxix. 15.) As he who does not turn aside from the calamities
of others, will not suffer even in his own misfortunes, because he has
learnt to sympathize; so he who will not bear the griefs of sympathy, will
learn all sorrow in his own person.(1) And, as in the case of a bodily
disease, if, when the foot is mortified, the hand does not sympathize by
cleansing the wound, washing away the discharge, and applying a plaster, it
will suffer the like disease of its own; so she who will not minister to
another when she is not herself afflicted, will have to bear sufferings of
her own. For the evil spreading from the other part will reach to this
also, and the question will not be of ministering to the other, but of its
own cure and relief. So it is here also. He that will not relieve others,
will be a sufferer himself. "Thou hast hedged him in," saith Satan, "within
and without," and I dare not attack him! But he suffered afflictions, you
say. True. But those afflictions were the occasion of great good. His
substance was doubled, his reward increased, his righteousness enlarged,
his crown was splendid, his prize glorious. Both his spiritual and temporal
blessings were augmented. He lost his children, but he received, not these
restored, but others in their room, and those too he had safe for the
Resurrection. Had they been restored, the number would have been
diminished, but now having given others in their stead, He will present
them also at the Resurrection. All these things happened to him, because of
his openhandedness in almsgiving. Let us then do likewise, that we may
obtain the same rewards by the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus
Christ. Amen.

HOMILY VIII: 2 TIMOTHY iii. 1-4.

"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men
shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud,
blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural
affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers
of those that are good, Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures
more than lovers of God."

   IF any now takes offense at the existence of heretics, let him remember
that it was so from the beginning, the devil always setting up error by the
side of truth. God from the beginning promised good, the devil came too
with a promise. God planted Paradise, the devil deceived, saying, "Ye shall
be as gods." (Gen. iii. 5.) For as he could show nothing in actions, he
made the more promises in words. Such is the character of deceivers. After
this were Cain and Abel, then the sons of Seth and the daughters of men;
afterwards Ham and Japhet, Abraham and Pharaoh, Jacob and Esau; and so it
is even to the end, Moses and the magicians, the Prophets and the false
prophets, the Apostles and the false apostles, Christ and Antichrist. Thus
it was then, both before and at that time. Then there was Theudas, then
Simon, then were the Apostles, then too this party of Hermogenes and
Philetus. In short, there was no time when falsehood was not set up in
opposition to truth. Let us not therefore be distressed. That it would be
so, was foretold from the beginning. Therefore he says, "Know that in the
last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own
selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents,
unthankful, unholy, without natural affection." The unthankful then is
unholy, and this is natural, for what will he be to others, who is not
grateful to his benefactor? The unthankful man is a truce-breaker, he is
without natural affection.

   "False accusers," that is, slanderers. For those who are conscious that
they have no good in themselves, whilst they commit many sins and offenses,
find consolation in defaming the characters of others.

   "Incontinent," with respect both to their tongue and their appetite,
and everything else.

   "Fierce," hence their inhumanity and cruelty, when any one is covetous
selfish, ungrateful, licentious.

   "Despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady." "Traitors,"
betrayers of friendship; "heady" having no steadiness; "high-minded,"
filled with arrogance. "Lover of pleasures more than lovers of God."

   Ver. 5. "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof."

   In the Epistle to the Romans, he says somewhat on this wise, "Having
the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law" (Rom. ii. 20), where he
speaks in commendation of it: but here he speaks of this sin as an evil
beyond all other defects. And why is this? Because he does not use the
words in the same signification. For an image is often taken to signify a
likeness; but sometimes a thing without life, and worthless. Thus he says
himself in his Epistle to the Corinthians, "A man ought not to cover his
head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God." (1 Cor. xi. 7.) But
the Prophet says, "Man walketh in an image." (Ps. xxxix. 9, Gr.) And the
Scripture sometimes takes a lion to represent royalty, as, "He couched as a
lion, and as a lion's whelp, who shall raise him up?" (Gen. xlix. 9, Gr.)
And sometimes to signify rapacity, as, "a ravening and a roaring lion."
(Ps. xxii. 13.) And we ourselves do the same. For as things are compounded
and varied in themselves, they are fitly adduced for various images and
examples. As when we would express our admiration of a beautiful woman, we
say, she is like a picture; and when we admire a painting, we say that it
speaks, that it breathes But we do not mean to express the same thing, but
in one case to mark likeness, in the other beauty. So here with respect to
form, in the one passage, it means a model, or representation, a doctrine,
or pattern of godliness; in the other, something that is lifeless, a mere
appear out the power. For as a fair and florid body, when it has no
strength, is like a painted figure, so is a right faith apart from works.
For let us suppose any one to be "covetous, a traitor, heady," and yet to
believe aright; of what advantage is it, if he wants all the qualities
becoming a Christian, if he does not the works that characterize godliness,
but outdoes the Greeks in impiety, when he is a mischief to those with whom
he associates, causes God to be blasphemed, and the doctrine to be
slandered by his evil deeds?

   "From such turn away" he says. But how is this, if men are to be so "in
the latter times"? There were probably then such, in some degree at least,
though not to the same excess. But, in truth, through him he warns all to
turn away from such characters.

   Ver. 6. "For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead
captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lust."

   Vet. 7. "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the
truth."

   Do you see them employing the artifice of that old deceiver, the
weapons which the devil used against Adam? "Entering into houses," he says.
Observe how he shows their impudence by this expression,(1) their
dishonorable ways, their deceitfulness. "Leading captive silly women," so
that he who is easy to be deceived is a "silly woman," and nothing like a
man: for to be deceived is the part of silly women. "Laden with sins." See
whence arises their persuasion, from their sins, from their being conscious
to themselves of nothing good! And with great propriety has he said
"laden."(2) For this expression marks the multitude of their sins, and
their state of disorder and confusion; "led away with divers lusts." He
does not accuse nature, for it is not women simply, but such women as
these, that he blames. And why "divers lusts"? by that are implied their
various faults, their luxury, their disorderly conduct, their wantonness.
"Divers lust" he says, that is, of glory, of wealth, of pleasure, of self-
will, of honor: and perchance other vile desires are implied.

   "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."
He does not say thus to excuse, but to threaten them severely; for their
understanding was callous because they had weighed themselves down with
lusts and sins.

   Ver. 8. "Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also
resist the truth."

   Who are these?(3) The magicians in the time of Moses. But how is it
their names are nowhere else introduced? Either they were handed down by
tradition, or it is probable that Paul knew them by inspiration.

   "Men of corrupt minds," he says, "reprobate concerning the faith."

   Ver. 9. "But they shall proceed no further; for their folly shall be
manifested unto all men, as theirs also was."

   "They shall proceed no further"; how then does he say elsewhere, "They
will increase unto more ungodliness"? (2 Tim. ii. 16.) He there means, that
beginning to innovate and to deceive, they will not pause in their error,
but will always invent new deceits and corrupt doctrines, for error is
never stationary. But here he says, that they shall not be able to deceive,
nor carry men away with them, for however at first they may seem to impose
upon them, they will soon and easily be detected. For that he is speaking
to this effect appears from what follows. "For their folly shall be
manifest unto all." Whence? Every way--" as theirs also was." For if errors
flourish at first, they do not continue to the end for so it is with things
that are not fair by nature, but fair in appearance; they flourish for a
time, and then are detected, and come to nought. But not such are our
doctrines, and of these thou art a witness, for in our doctrines there is
no deceit, for who would choose to die for a deceit?

   Ver. 10. "But thou hast fully known(1) my doctrine." Wherefore be
strong; for thou wert not merely present, but didst follow closely. Here he
seems to imply that the period had been long, in that he says, "Thou hast
followed up my doctrine"; this refers to his discourse. "Manner of life";
this to his conduct. "Purpose"; this to his zeal, and the firmness of his
soul. I did not say these things, he says, and not do them; nor was I a
philosopher in words only. "Faith, longsuffering." He means how none of
these things troubled me. "Charity," which those men had not; "patience,"
nor yet this. Towards the heretics, he means, I show much longsuffering;
"patience," that under persecution.

   Ver. 11. "Persecutions, afflictions"

   There are two things that disquiet a teacher, the number of heretics,
and men's wanting fortitude to endure sufferings. And yet he has[2] said
much about these, that such always have been, and always will be, and no
age will be free from them, and that they will not be able to injure us,
and that in the world there are vessels of gold and of silver. You see how
he proceeds to discourse about his afflictions, "which came upon me at
Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra."

   Why has he selected these instances out of many? Because the rest was
known to Timothy, and these perhaps were new events, and he does not
mention the former ones, for he is not enumerating them particularly, for
he is not actuated by ambition or vainglory, but he recounts them for the
consolation of his disciple, not from ostentation. And here he speaks of
Antioch in Pisidia, and Lystra, whence Timothy himself was. "What
persecutions I endured." There was twofold matter of consolation, that I
displayed a generous zeal, and that I was not forsaken. It cannot be said,
that God abandoned me, but He rendered my crown more radiant.

   "What persecutions I endured: but out of But why, he says, should I
speak only of myself? Each one that will live godly will be persecuted.
Here he calls afflictions and sorrows, "persecutions," for it is not
possible that a man pursuing the course of virtue should not be exposed to
grief, tribulation, and temptations. For how can he escape it who is
treading in the strait and narrow way, and who has heard, that "in the
world ye shall have tribulation"? (John xvi. 33.) If Job in his time said,
"The life of man upon earth h a state of trial" (Job vii. 1, Gr.); how much
more was it so in those days?

   Ver. 13. "But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse,
deceiving, and being deceived?."

   Let none of these things, he says, disturb thee, if they are in
prosperity, and thou in trials. Such is the nature of the case. From my own
instance thou mayest learn that it is impossible for man, in his warfare
with the wicked, not to be exposed to tribulation. One cannot be in combat
and live luxuriously, one cannot be wrestling and feasting. Let none
therefore of those who are contending seek for ease or joyous living.
Again, the present state is contest, warfare, tribulation, straits, and
trials, and the very scene of conflicts. The season for rest is not now,
this is the time for toil and labor. No one who has just stripped and
anointed himself thinks of ease. If thou thinkest of ease, why didst thou
strip, or prepare to fight? "But do I not maintain the fight?" you say.
What, when thou dost not conquer thy desires, nor reset the evil bias of
nature?

   Ver. 14. "But continue thou in the things that thou hast learned and
hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from
a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee
wise unto salvation through the faith which in Christ Jesus."

   What is this? As the prophet David exhorted, saying, "Be not thou
envious against the workers of iniquity" (Ps. xxxvii. 1) so Paul exhorts,
"Continue thou in the things which thou hast learned" and not simply
learned, but "hast been assured of," that is, hast believed. And what have
I believed? That this is the Life. And if thou seest things happening
contrary to thy belief, be not troubled. The same happened to Abraham, yet
he was not affected by it. He had heard, "In Isaac shall they seed be
called" (Gen. xxi. 12); and he was commanded to sacrifice Isaac yet he was
not troubled nor dismayed. Let no one be offended because of the wicked.
This the Scripture taught from the beginning.

   What then, if the good be in prosperity, and the wicked be punished?
The one is likely to happen, the other not so. For the wicked will possibly
be punished, but the good cannot always be rejoicing. No one was equal to
Paul yet he passed all his life in afflictions, in tears and groanings
night and day. "For the space of three years," he says, "I ceased not to
warn every one night and day with tears." (Acts xx. 31.) And again: "That
which cometh upon me daily." (1 Cor. xi. 28.) He did not rejoice to-day,
and grieve to-morrow, but he ceased not daily to grieve. How then does he
say, "Evil men shall wax worse and worse"? He has not said, they shall find
rest, but" they shall wax worse and worse." Their progress is for the
worse. He has not said, they shall be in prosperity. But if they are
punished, they are punished that thou mayest not suppose their sins are
unavenged. For since we are not deterred from wickedness by the fear of
hell, in very tenderness He rouses us from our insensibility, and awakens
us. If no wicked man was ever punished, no one would believe that God
presides over human affairs. If all were punished, no one would expect a
future resurrection, since all had receded their due here. On this account
He both punishes, and forbears to punish. On this account the righteous
suffer tribulation here, because they are sojourners, and strangers, and
are in a foreign country. The just therefore endure these things for the
purpose of trial. For hear what God said to Job: "Thinkest thou that I have
warned thee other- any affliction suffer but the punishment of their sins.
Under all circumstances, therefore, whether afflictive or otherwise, let us
give thanks to God. For both are beneficial. He does nothing in hatred or
enmity to us, but all things from care and consideration for us.

   "Knowing that from a child thou hast known the sacred writings. The
holy Scriptures he calls "sacred writings." In these thou wast nurtured, so
that through them thy faith ought to be firm and unshaken. For the root was
laid deep, and nourished by length of time,(2) nor will anything subvert
it. that is, they will not suffer thee to have any foolish feeling, such as
most men have. For he who knows the Scriptures as he ought, is not offended
at anything that happens; he endures all things manfully, referring them
partly to faith, and to the incomprehensible nature of the divine
dispensation, and partly knowing reasons for them, and finding examples in
the Scriptures. Since it is a great sign of knowledge not to be curious
about everything, nor to wish to know all things. And if you will allow me,
I will explain myself by an example. Let us suppose a river, or rather
rivers (I ask no allowance, I only speak of what rivers really are,) all
are not of the same depth. Some have a shallow bed, others one deep enough
to drown one unacquainted with it. In one part there are whirlpools, and
not in another. It is good therefore to forbear to make trial of all,(3)
and it is no small proof of knowledge not to wish to sound all the depths:
whereas he that would venture on every part of the river, is really most
ignorant of the peculiar nature of rivers and will often be in danger of
perishing from venturing into the deeper parts with the same boldness with
which he crossed the shallows. So it is in the things of God. He that will
know all things, and ventures to intrude into everything, he it is that h
most ignorant what God is. And of rivers indeed, the greater part is safe,
and the depths and whirlpools few, but with respect to the things of God,
the greater part is hidden, and it is not possible to trace out His works.
Why then art thou bent on drowning thyself in those depths?

   Know this, however, that God dispenses all things, that He provides for
all, that we are free agents, that some things He works, and some things He
permits; that He wills noting evil to be done; that all things are not done
by His will, but some by ours also; all evil things by ours alone, all good
things by our will conjointly with His influence; and that nothing is
without His knowledge. Therefore He worketh all things.(4) Thou then
knowing this canst reckon what things are good, what are evil, and what are
indifferent. Thus virtue is good, vice is evil; but riches and poverty life
and death, are things indifferent. If thou knowest this, thou wilt know
thereby, that the righteous are afflicted that they may be crowned, the
wicked, that they may receive the punishment of their sins. But all sinners
are not punished here, lest the generality should disbelieve the
Resurrection; nor all the righteous afflicted, lest men should think that
vice, and not virtue, is approved. These are the rules and limits. Bring
what you will to the test of these, and you will not be perplexed with
doubt. For as there is among calculators the number of six thousand, to
which all things can be reduced, and everything can be divided and
multiplied in the scale of six thousand, and this is known to all who are
acquainted with arithmetic(1); so he who knows those rules, which I will
briefly recapitulate, will never be offended. And what are these? That
virtue is a good, vice an evil; that diseases, poverty, ill-treatment,
false accusations, and the like, are things indifferent; that the righteous
are afflicted here or if ever they are in prosperity, it is that virtue may
not appear odious; that the wicked enjoy pleasure now that hereafter they
may be punished, or if they are sometimes visited, it is that vice may not
seem to be approved, nor their actions to go unpunished; that all are not
punished, lest there should be a disbelief of the time of resurrection;
that even of the good, some who have done bad actions are quit of them
here; and of the wicked, some have good ones, and are rewarded for them
here, that their wickedness may be punished hereafter (Matt. vi. 5); that
the works of God are for the most part incomprehensible, and that the
difference between us and Him is greater than can be expressed. If we
reason on these grounds, nothing will be able to trouble or perplex us. If
we listen to the Scriptures continually, we shall find many such examples.

   "Which are able," he says, "to make thee wise unto salvation."

   For the Scriptures suggest to us what is to be done, and what is not to
be done. For hear this blessed one elsewhere saying, "Thou art confident
that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in
darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes?" (Rom. ii. 19,
20.) Thou seest that the Law is the light of them which are in darkness;
and if that which showeth the letter, the letter which killeth, is light,
what then is the Spirit which quickeneth? If the Old Covenant is light,
what is the New, which contains so many, and so great revelations? where
the difference is as great, as if any one should open heaven to those who
only know the earth, and make all things there visible. There we learn
concerning hell, heaven, and judgment. Let us not believe in things
irrational. They are nothing but imposture. "What," you say, "when what
they foretell comes to pass?" It is because you believe it, if it does come
to pass. The impostor has taken thee captive. Thy life is in his power, he
manages thee as he win. If a captain of robbers should have under his power
and disposal the son of a king, who had fled to him, preferring the desert,
and his lawless company, would he be able to pronounce whether he would
live or die? Assuredly he would, not because he knows the future, but
because he is the disposer of his life or death, the youth having put
himself in his power. For according to his own pleasure, he may either kill
him, or spare his life, as he is become subject to him, and it is equally
at his(2) disposal to sat whether thou shalt be rich or poor. The greater
part of the world have delivered themselves up into the hands of the devil.

   And furthermore, it contributes much to favor the pretenses of these
deceivers, that a man has accustomed himself to believe in them. For no one
takes notice of their failures, but their lucky conjectures are observed.
But if these men have any power of prognosticating, bring them to me, a
believer. I say not this, as magnifying myself, (for it is no great honor
to be superior to these things,) and indeed I am deep-laden with sins; but
with respect to these matters, I will not be humble-minded; by the grace of
God I despise them all. Bring me this pretender to magic; let him, if he
has any power of prognosticating, tell me what will happen to me to-morrow.
But he will not tell me. For I am under the power of the King, and he has
no claim to my allegiance or submission. I am far from his holes and
caverns. I war under the king. "But some one committed theft," you say,
"and this man discovered it." This is not always true, certainly, but for
the most part absurdities and falsehoods. For they know nothing. If indeed
they know anything, they ought rather to speak of their own concerns, how
the numerous offerings to their idols have been stolen, how so much of
their gold has been melted. Why have they not informed their Priests? Even
for the sake of money, they have not been able to give information when
their idol-temples have been burnt, and many have perished with them.(3)
Why do they not provide for their own salty? But it is altogether a matter
of chance, if they have predicted anything. With us there are prophets, and
they do not fail. They do not speak truth in one instance and falsehood in
another, but always declare the truth; for this is the privilege of
foreknowledge.

   Cease, then, from this madness, I beseech you, if at bast you believe
in Christ; and if you believe not, why do you expose yourselves? Why do you
deceive? "How long win ye halt on both your hips?" (1 Kings xviii. 21,
Sept.) Why do you go to them? Why enquire of them? The infant you go to
them, the infant you enquire, you put yourself in slavery to them. For you
enquire, as if you believed. "No," you say, "I do not enquire, as
believing, but making trial of them." But to make trial, whether they speak
the truth, is the part not of one who believes that they are false, but of
one who still doubts. Wherefore then dost thou enquire what will happen?
For if they answered, "This will happen, but do so and so, and thou wilt
escape it"; even in that case thou oughtest by no means to be an idolater;
yet thy madness were not so great. But if they foretell future events,(1)
he that listens to them will gain nothing more than unavailing sorrow. The
event does not happen, but he suffers the uneasiness, and torments(2)
himself.

   If it were for our good, God would not have grudged us this
foreknowledge. He who has revealed to us things in heaven, would not have
envied us. For, "All things," He says, "that I have heard of the Father I
have made known unto you "; and, "I call you not servants, but friends. Ye
are my friends" (John xv. 15.) Why then did He not make these things known
unto us? Because He would not have us concerned about them. And as a proof
that He does not envy us this knowledge, such things were revealed to the
ancients, because they were babes, even about an ass,(4) and the like. But
to us, because He would not have us concerned about such things, He has not
cared to reveal them. But what do we learn? Things which they never knew,
for little indeed were all those things of old. But what we are taught is
this, that we shall rise again, that we shall be immortal, and
incorruptible, that our life shall have no end, that all things will pass
away, that we shall be caught up in the clouds, that the wicked shall
suffer punishment, and numberless other things, and in all these there is
no falsehood. Is it not better to know these than to hear that the ass that
was lost is found? Lo, thou hast gotten thine ass! Lo, thou hast found him!
What is thy gain? Will he not soon be lost again some other way? For if he
leave thee not, at bast thou wilt lose him in thy death. But the things
which I have mentioned, if we will but hold them fast, we shall retain
perpetually. These therefore let us pursue. To these stable and enduring
goods let us attach ourselves. Let us not give heed to soothsayers,
fortune-tellers, and jugglers, but to God who knoweth all things certainly,
whose knowledge is universal. Thus we shall know all that it befits us to
know, and shall obtain all good things, through the grace and
lovingkindness, &c.

HOMILY IX: 2 TIMOTHY iii. 16, 17.

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good
works." [R. V.: Every Scripture inspired of God is also profitable &c.]

   HAVING offered much exhortation and consolation from other sources, he
adds that which is more perfect, derived from the Scriptures; and he is
reasonably full in offering consolation, be- breath, when he saw him
departing as it were in death,(3) rent his garments for grief, what think
to die, and that he could not enjoy his company when he was near his death
which is above all things apt to be distressing? For we are less grateful
for the past time, when we have been deprived of the more recent
intercourse of those who are departed. For this reason when he had
previously offered much consolation, he then discourses concerning his own
death: and this m no ordinary way, but is words adapted to comfort him and
fill him with joy; so as to have it considered as a sacrifice rather than a
death; a migration, as in fact it was, and a removal to a better state.
"For I am now ready to be offered up" (2 Tim. iv. 6), he says. For this
reason he writes: "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,(5) and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness" All what Scripture? all that sacred writing, he means, of
which I was speaking. This is said of what he was discoursing of; about
which he said, "From a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures." All
such, then, "is given by inspiration of God"; therefore, he means, do not
doubt; and it is "profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect,
thoroughly furnished unto all good works"

   "For doctrine." For thence we shall know, whether we ought to learn or
to be ignorant of anything. And thence we may disprove what is false,
thence we may be corrected and brought to a right mind, may be comforted
and consoled, and if anything is deficient, we may have it added to us.

   "That the man of God may be perfect." For this is the exhortation of
the Scripture given, that the man of God may be rendered perfect by it;
without this therefore he cannot be perfect. Thou hast the Scriptures, he
says, in place of me. If thou wouldest learn anything, thou mayest learn it
from them. And if he thus wrote to Timothy, who was filled with the Spirit,
how much more to us!

   "Thoroughly furnished unto all good works";

   Chap. iv. 1. "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus
Christ, Who shall judge the quick and the dead."

   He either means the wicked and the just, or the departed and those that
are still living; for many will be left alive. In the former Epistle he
raised his fears, saying. "I give thee charge in the sight of God, Who
quickeneth all things" (1 Tim. vi. 13): but here he sets before him what is
more dreadful "Who shall judge the quick and the dead," that is, Who shall
call them to account "at His appearing and His kingdom." When shah He
judge? at His appearing with glory, and in His kingdom. Either he says this
to show that He will not come in the way that He now has come, or, "I call
to witness His coming, and His kingdom. He calls Him to witness, showing
that he had reminded Him of that appearing. Then teaching him how he ought
to preach the word, he adds,

   Ver. 2. "Preach the word: be infant in season, out of season; reprove,
rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine."

   What means "in season, out of season"? That is, have not any limited
season: let it always be thy season, not only in peace and security, and
when sitting in the Church. Whether thou be in danger, in prison, in
chains, or going to thy death, at that very time reprove. Withhold not
rebuke, for reproof is then most seasonable, when thy rebuke will be most
successful, when the reality is proved. "Exhort," he says. After the manner
of physicians, having shown the wound, he gives the incision, he applies
the plaster. For if you omit either of these, the other becomes useless. If
you rebuke without convicting you will seem to be rash, and no one will
tolerate it, but after the matter is proved, he will submit to rebuke:
before, he will be headstrong. And if you convict and rebuke, but
vehemently, and do not apply exhortation,(1) all your labor will be lost.
For conviction(2) is intolerable in itself if consolation be not mingled
with it. As if incision, though salutary in itself, have not plenty of
lenitives to assuage the pain, the patient cannot endure cutting and
hacking, so it is in this matter.

   "With all longsuffering and doctrine." For he that reproves is required
to be longsuffering, that he may not believe hastily, and rebuke needs
consolation, that it may be received as it ought. And why to
"longsuffering" does he add "doctrine"? "Not as in anger, not as in hatred,
not as insulting over him, not as having caught an enemy. Far be these
things from thee." But how? As loving as sympathizing with him, as more
distressed than himself at his grief, as melted at his sufferings? "With
all longsuffering and doctrine." No ordinary teaching is implied.

   Ver. 3. "For the time will come when they will not endure sound
doctrine."

   Before they grow stiffnecked,(3) preoccupy them all. For this reason he
says, "in season, out of season "; do everything so as to have willing
disciples.

   "But after their own lusts," he says, "shall they heap to themselves
teachers."

   Nothing can be more expressive than these words For by saying "they
shall heap to themselves," he shows the indiscriminate multitude of the
teachers, as also by their being elected by their disciples. "They shall
heap to themselves teachers" he says, "having itching ears." Seeking for
such as speak to gratify and delight their hearers.

   Ver. 4. "And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and be
turned unto fables."

   This he foretells, not as willing to throw him into despair, but to
prepare him to bear it firmly, when it shall happen. As Christ also did m
saying "They will deliver you up, and they will scourge you, and bring you
before the synagogues, for My name's sake." (Matt. x. 17.) And this blessed
man elsewhere says, "For I know this, that after my departures shall
grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock." (Acts xx. 29.)
But this he said that they might watch, and duly use the present
opportunity.

   Ver. 5. "But watch thou in all things, endure affliction."

   It was for this therefore, that he foretold these things; as Christ
also toward the end predicted that there should be "false Christs and false
prophets; so he too, when he was about to depart, spoke of these things.
"But watch thou in all things, endure affliction"; that is, labor,
preoccupy their minds before this pestilence assails them; secure the
safety of the sheep before the wolves enter in, everywhere endure hardship.

   "Do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry." Thus
it was the work of an evangelist that he should endure hardship, both in
himself, and from those without; "make full proof of" that is, fulfill" thy
ministry." And behold another necessity for his enduring affliction,

   Ver. 6. "For I am now ready to be poured out,(1) and the time of my
departure is at hand."

   He has not said of my sacrifice; but, what is

   Often, when I have taken the Apostle into my hands, and have considered
this passage, I have been at a loss to understand why Paul here speaks so
loftily: "I have fought the good fight." But now by the grace of God I seem
to have found it out. For what purpose then does he speak thus? He is
desirous to console the despondency of his disciple, and therefore bids him
be of good cheer, since he was going to his crown, having finished all his
work, and obtained a glorious end. Thou oughtest to rejoice, he says, not
to grieve. And why? Because, "I have fought the good fight." As a father
whose son was sitting by him, bewailing his orphan state, might console
him, saying, Weep not, my son; we have lived a good life, we have arrived
at old age, and now we leave thee. Our life has been irreproachable, we
depart with glory, and thou mayest be held in admiration for our actions,
Our king is much indebted to us. As if he had said, We have raised
trophies, we have conquered enemies, and this not boastfully. God forbid;
but to raise up his dejected son, and to encourage him by his praises in
heart." (1 Thess. ii. 17.) If he then felt so much at being separated from
his disciples, what thinkest thou were the feelings of Timothy? If on
parting from him whilst living he wept, so that Paul says, "Being mindful
of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy." (2 Tim. i. 4), how much more
at his death? These things then he wrote to console him. Indeed the whole
Epistle is full of consolation, and is a sort of Testament. "I have fought
the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." "A good
fight," he says, therefore do thou engage in it. But is that a good fight,
where there are imprisonment, chains, and death? Yea, he says for it is
fought in the cause of Christ, and great crowns are won in it. "The good
fight"! There is no worthier than this contest. This crown is without end.
This is not of olive leaves. It has not a human umpire. It has not men for
spectator. The theater is crowded with Angels. There men labor many days,
and suffer hardships, and for one hour they receive the crown, and
immediately all the pleasure passes away. But here far otherwise, it
continues for ever in brightness, us both to contend and to run; to
contend, by enduring afflictions firmly, and to run, not vainly, but to
some good end. It is truly a good fight, not only delighting, but
benefiting the spectator: and the race does not end in nothing It is not a
mere display of strength and of rivalry. It draws all up to heaven. This
race is, brighter than the sun's yea, this which Paul ran upon earth, than
that which he runs in heaven. And how had he "finished his course"? He
traversed the whole world, beginning from Galilee and Arabia, and advancing
to the extremities of the each, so that, as he says, "From Jerusalem and
round about unto Illyricum I have fully preached the Gospel of Christ."
(Rom. xv. 19.) He passed over the earth like a bird, or rather more swiftly
than a bird: for a bird only flies over it, but he, having the wing of the
Spirit, made his way through numberless impediments, dangers, deaths, and
calamities, so that he was even teeter than a bird. Had he been a mere
bird, he might have alighted and been taken, but bring upborne by the
Spirit he soared above all snares as a bird with a wing of fire.

   "I have kept the faith," he says. There were many things that would
have robbed him of it, not only human friendships, but menances, and
deaths, and countless other perils: but he stood firm against all. How? by
being sober and watchful. This might have sufficed for the consolation of
his disciples, but he further adds the rewards. And what are these?

   Ver. 8. "Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness."

   Here again he calls virtue in general righteousness. Thou shouldest not
grieve that I shall depart, to be invested with that crown which will by
Christ be placed upon my head. But if I continued here, truly thy mightest
rather grieve, and fear lest I should fail and perish.

   Ver. 8. "Which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that
day, and not to me Christ? By rejoicing at His coming; and he who rejoices
at His coming, will perform works worthy of His joy; he will throw away his
substance if need be, and even his life, so that he may obtain future
blessings, that he may be thought worthy to behold that second coming in a
fitting state, in confidence, in brightness and glory. This is to "love His
appearing." He who loves His appearing will do everything to ensure, before
His general coming, a particular coming to himself. And how, you will say,
is this possible? Hear from Christ, who and make Our abode with him." (John
xiv. promise to come to us in particular: for He says, "We will come and
make Our abode with him." If any man "love His appearing," he will do
everything to invite Him to himself, and to hold Him, that the light may
shine upon him. Let there be nothing unworthy of His coming, and He will
soon take up His abode with us.

   And it is called His "Epiphany,"(1) because He will appear above,(2)
and shine forth from on high. Let us therefore "seek those things that are
above," and we shall soon draw down those beams upon us. None of those who
grovel below, and bury themselves in this lower earth, will be able to view
the light of that Sun. None of those who defile themselves with worldly
things will be able to behold that Sun of right- thyself from that depth,
from the waves of a worldly life, if thou wouldest see the Sun, and enjoy
His appearing. Then thou wilt see Him with great confidence. Be even now a
philosopher. Let not a spirit of perverseness possess thee, lest He smite
thee severely, and bring thee low. Let not thy heart be hardened; nor
darkened, lest thou be shipwrecked there. Let there be no self-deceit. For
the rocks beneath the sea cause the most fatal shipwrecks. Nourish no wild
beasts, I mean evil passions, worse than wild beasts. Confide not in things
ever flowing, that thou mayest be able to stand firmly. None can stand upon
water, but upon a rock all find a secure footing. Worldly things are as
water, as a torrent, that passes away. "The waters," he saith, "are come in
unto my soul." (Ps. lxix. that we suffer for Christ. This divine
incantation let us repeat, and it will charm away the pain of every wound.

   And how can we suffer for Christ, you ask? If one accuse thee falsely
in any case, not on account of Christ, yet if thou bearest it patiently, if
thou givest thanks, if thou prayest for him, all this thou doest for
Christ. But if thou curse him, if thou utter discontent, if thou attempt to
revenge it, though thou shouldest not be able, it is not for Christ's sake;
thou sufferest loss, and art deprived of thy reward on account of thy
intention. For it rests with us either to the disposition of our own minds.
As, for instance, great were the sufferings of Job, yet he suffered with
thankfulness; and he was justified, not because he suffered, but because in
suffering he endured it thankfully. Another under the same sufferings, yet
not the same, for none ever suffered like Job--but under lighter
sufferings, exclaims is impatient, curses the whole world, and complains
against God. He is condemned and sentenced, not because he suffered, but
because he blasphemed; and he blasphemed, not from any necessity arising
from his afflictions, since if necessity arising from events were the
cause, Job too must have blasphemed; but since he, who suffered more
severely, did no such thing, it did not come to pass from this cause, but
from the man's weakness of purpose. We want therefore strength of soul, and
nothing will then appear grievous, but if our soul is weak, we find a
grievance in everything.

   According to our dispositions, all things become tolerable or
intolerable. Let us strengthen our resolution, and we shall bear all things
easily. The tree whose roots are fixed deep in the earth is not shaken by
the utmost violence of the storm, but if it be set lightly in the surface
of the ground, a slight gust of wind will tear it up from the roots. So it
is with us; if our flesh be nailed down by the fear of God, nothing will be
able to shake us; but if we merely intend well, a little shock will subvert
and destroy us. Where- soul cleaveth to Thee "; observe, he says not,
draweth nigh, but "cleaveth to Thee"; and again, "My soul thirsteth for
Thee." (Ps. lxii. 3.) He said not merry "longeth," that he might by such
words express the vehemence of so to cleave and be united to Him, that we
may never be separated from Him. If thus we hold by God, if thus we rivet
our thoughts upon Him, if we thirst with the love of Him, all that we
desire will be ours, and we shall obtain the good things to come, in Jesus
Christ our Lord, to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be glory,
power, and honor, now and for ever. Amen.

HOMILY X: 2 TIMOTHY iv. 9-13.

"Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me: For Demas hath forsaken me,
having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica;
Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Take Mark,
and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry. And
Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus. The cloak that I left at Troas with
Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially
the parchments."

   IT is worth while to enquire why he calls Timothy to him, inasmuch as
he was intrusted with a Church, and a whole nation. It was not from
arrogance. For Paul was ready to come to him; for we find him saying, "But
if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself
in the house of God." (1 Tim. iii.15.) But he was withholden by a strong
necessity. He was no longer matter of his own movements. He was in prison,
and had been confined by Nero, and was all but on the point of death. That
this might not happen before he saw his disciple, he therefore sends for
him, desiring to see him before he dies, and perhaps to deliver much in
charge to him. Wherefore he says "Hasten to come to me before the winter."

   "For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world." He does
not say, "That I may see thee before I depart this life," which would have
grieved him, but "because I am alone," he says, "and have no one to help or
support me."

   "For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is
deputed to Thessalonica"; that is, having loved his own ease and security
from danger, he has chosen rather to live luxuriously at home, than to
suffer hardships with me, and share my present danger. He has blamed him
alone, not for the sake of blaming him, but to confirm us, that we may not
be effeminate in declining toils and dangers, for this is, "having loved
this present world." At the same time he wishes to draw his disciple to
him.

   "Crescens to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia."

   These he does not censure. For Titus was one of the most admirable men,
so that to him he intrusted the affairs of the island, no small island, I
mean, but that great one of Crete.

   "Only Luke is with me." For he adhered to him inseparably. It was he
who wrote the Gospel, and the General(2) Acts; he was devoted to labors,
and to learning, and a man of fortitude; of him Paul writes, "whose praise
is in the Gospel throughout all the Churches." (2 COR. viii. 18.)

   "Take Mark, and bring him with thee, for he is profitable to me for the
ministry."

   It is not for his own relief, but for the ministry imprisoned, he did
not cease to preach. So it was on the same account he sent for Timothy, not
for his own, but for the Gospel's sake, that his death might occasion no
disturbance to the faithful, when many of his own disciples were present to
prevent tumults, and to console those who would scarce have endurance to
bear up at his death. For it is probable that the believers at Rome were
men of consequence.

   "And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus. The cloak that I left at Troas
with Carpus, when thou comest bring with thee, and the books, but
especially the parchments."

   The word here translated "cloak"(4) may mean a garment, or, as some
say, a bag, in which the books were contained. But what had he to do with
books, who was about to depart and go to God? He needed them much, that he
might deposit them in the hands of the faithful, who would retain them in
place of his own teaching. All the faithful, then, would suffer a great
blow, but particularly those who were present at his death, and then
enjoyed his society. But the cloak he requires, that he might not be
obliged to receive one from another. For we see him making a great point of
avoiding this; and elsewhere, when he was addressing those from Ephesus, he
says, "Ye know that 35); and again, "It is more blessed to give than to
receive."

   Ver. 14. "Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil; the Lord reward
him according to his works."

   Here he again makes mention of his trial, not he might bear them
firmly. Though they be mean and contemptible persons, and without honor,
who cause these trials, they ought all, he says, to be borne with
fortitude. For he who suffers wrong from any great personage, receives no
little distinction from the superiority of him who does the wrong. But he
who is injured by a vile and abject person, suffers the greater annoyance.
"He did me much evil," he says, that is, he persecuted me in various ways.
But these things will not go unpunished! For the Lord will reward him
according to his works. As he said above: "What persecutions I endured, but
out of them all the Lord delivered me." (2 Tim iii. 11.) So also here he
consoles his disciples by a double consideration, that he himself had
suffered wrong, and that the other would be rewarded for his evil deeds.
Not that the Saints rejoice in the punishment of their persecutors, but
that the cause of the Gospel required it, and the weaker would derive
consolation from it.

   Ver. 15. "Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our
words."

   That is, he is hostile to us, and opposes us. He has not said, Revenge,
punish, expel him, although by the grace given him he might have so done,
but he does no such thing; nor does he arm Timothy against him, but only
commands him to avoid him, leaving vengeance to God,  and for the
consolation of the weaker he has says these things to prepare the mind of
his disciple, is manifest also from what follows. But see how he mentions
other of his trials.

   Ver. 16. "At my first answer," he says, "no man stood with me, but all
men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge."

   Do you see how he spares his friends, notwithstanding it was a grievous
thing they had done? For it is not the same thing to be despised by aliens,
as by our own friends. Do you see his intense dejection? It cannot be
friends; for these also betrayed me. "All men," he says "forsook me." And
this was no light offense. For if he that in war abandons one who is
exposed to danger, and shrinks from meeting the hands of his enemies, is
justly smitten by his friends, as having utterly betrayed their cause, much
more in the case of the Gospel. But what "first answer" does he speak of?
He had stood before Nero, and had escaped. But afterwards, because he had
converted his cup-bearer, he was beheaded. And here again is encouragement
for his disciple in what follows.

   Ver. 17. "Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me."

   Though deserted by man, God doth not permit him to suffer any harm. He
strengthened me, he says, that is, He gave me boldness in speaking. He
suffered me not to sink.

   "That by me the preaching might be fully known."

   That is, might be fulfilled. Observe his great humility. He does not
say He strengthened me as deserving of His gift, but that "the preaching,"
with which I was intrusted, "might be fully known." As if any one should
wear a purple robe and a diadem, and to that circumstance should owe his
safety. "And that all the Gentiles might hear." What is this? That the
luster of the Gospel, and the care of His Providence for me, might be known
to all.

   "And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion."

   Ver. 18. "And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work."

   See how near he had been to death. He had fallen into the very jaws of
the lion. For he calls Nero a lion from his ferocity, and the violent and
dating character of his government. "The Lord delivered me," he says, "and
will deliver." But if he says, "He will deliver me," why does he say, "I am
ready to be offered"? Attend to the expression, "He delivered me," he says,
"from the lion's mouth"; and again, "He will deliver me," not from the
lion's mouth, but "from every evil work." For then He delivered me from the
danger; but now that enough has been done for the Gospel, He will yet again
deliver me from every sin that is, He will not suffer me to depart with
condemnation. For striving against sin" (Heb. xii. 4), and not yield, is a
deliverance from another lion, even the devil, so that this preservation is
greater than the former when he seems to be given up.

   "And will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom; to Whom be glory for
ever and ever. Amen,"

   This then is salvation, when we shine forth there. But what means, "He
will preserve me unto His kingdom"? He will deliver me from all blame, and
preserve me there. For this is to be preserved unto His kingdom, to die
here on account of it. For "He that hateth his life in this world shall
keep it unto life eternal." (John xii. 25.)

   "To whom be glory." Lo, here is a doxology to the Son.

   Ver. 19. "Salute Priscilla and Aquila, and the household of
Onesiphorus."

   For he was then in Rome, of whom he said "The Lord grant unto him that
he may find mercy of the Lord in that day." (2 Tim. i. 18.) By this naming
of him, he makes those of his household also more zealous in such good
actions.

   "Salute Priscilla and Aquila." These are they of whom he makes
continual mention, with whom too he had lodged, and who had taken Apollos
to them. He names the woman first, as being I suppose more zealous, and
more faithful, for she had then received Apollos; or it might be done
indifferently. And it was to them no slight consolation to be thus
saluted.(1) It conveyed a demonstration of esteem and love, and a
participation in much grace. For the bare salutation of that holy and
blessed man was sufficient to fill with grace him who received it.

   Ver. 20. "Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at
Miletum sick."

   This Trophimus and Tychicus, we know from the book of the Acts, sailed
away with him from Judea, and were everywhere his companions, perhaps as
being more zealous than the rest.

   ""Trophimus I have let at Miletum sick." Why then didst thou not hem
him, instead of leaving him? The Apostles could not do everything or they
did not dispense miraculous gifts upon all occasions, lest more should be
ascribed whose voice was weak. Why was not this defect removed? Nay, he was
often afflicted with grief and dejection, and he was not admitted into the
Land of Promise.

   For many things were permitted by God, that the weakness of human
nature might be manifested. And if with these defects the insensible Jews
could ask, Where is Moses who brought us would they not have been affected
towards him if he had brought them also into the Land of Promise? If he had
not been suffered to be overpowered by the fear of Pharaoh, would they not
have thought him a God? We see that the people of Lystra were thus affected
in the case when they rent their clothes, and ran in among when he had
healed the man lame from his birth, when all were amazed at the miracle,
answered and said, "Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this, or why look ye
so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this
man to walk"? (Acts iii. 12.) Hear also the blessed Paul, saying, "There
was given to me a thorn in the flesh, lest I should be exalted above
measure." (2 Cor. xii. 7.) But this, you say, was an expression of
humility. Far from it. The thorn was not sent him that he might be humble,
nor does he say this only out of humility. There are other causes besides
to be assigned for it. Observe therefore how God, accounting for it, says,
"My grace is sufficient for thee"; not "that thou mayest not be exited
above measure," but what? "For my strength is made perfect in weakness."
Two ends therefore were answered at once: what was doing was made dearly
manifest, and the whole was ascribed to God. For this cause he has said
elsewhere, "We carry this treasure in earthen vessels" (2 COR. iv. 7); that
is, in bodies weak and liable to suffering. Why? "That the excellency of
the power may be of God, and not of us." If our bodies were not subject to
infirmity, all would be ascribed to them. And elsewhere we see him grieving
at the infirmity of Epaphroditus, concerning whom he writes, "He was sick
nigh unto death, but God had mercy on him." (Phil. ii. 27.) And many other
instances there are of his ignorance of events, which was profitable both
for him and his disciples.

   "Trophimus I have left at Miletum sick." Miletus was near Ephesus, Did
this happen then when he sailed to Judea, or upon some other occasion? For
after he had been in Rome, he returned to Spain, but whether he came thence
again into these parts, we know not.(2) We see him however deserted by all.
"For Demas," he says, "hath forsaken me. Crescens is departed into Galatia,
Titus to Dalmatia. Erastus abode at Corinth. Trophimus have I left at
Miletum sick."

   Ver. 21. "Do thy diligence to come before winter. Eubulus greeteth
thee, and Pudens and Linus, and Claudia?'

   This Linus, some say, was second(1) Bishop of the Church of Rome after
Peter. "And Claudia." You see how zealous for the faith the women were, how
ardent! Such was Priscilla and this Claudia already crucified, already
prepared for the battle! But why, when there were so many faithful, does he
mention only these women? Manifestly because they in purpose had already
withdrawn from worldly affairs, and were illustrious above other. For a
woman as such, meets not with any impediments. It is the work of divine
grace, that this sex should be impeded only in the affairs of this life, or
rather not even in them. For a woman undertakes no small share of the whole
administration, being the keeper of the house. And without her not even
political affairs could be properly conducted. For if their domestic
concerns were in a state of confusion and disorder, those who are engaged
in public affairs would be kept at home, and political business would be
ill managed. So that neither in those matters, as neither in spiritual, is
she inferior. For she is able, if so inclined, to endure a thousand deaths.
Accordingly many women have suffered martyrdom. She is able to practice
chastity even more than men, no such strong flame disturbing her;
"holiness, without which no one shall see the Lord" (Heb. xii, 14); and
contempt of wealth, if she will, and in short all other virtues.

   "Do thy diligence to come before winter." See how he urges him, yet he
does not say anything to grieve him. He does not say, "Before I die," lest
he should afflict him; but, "Before winter," that thou be not detained.

   "Eubulus," he says, "greeteth thee, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia,
and all the brethren." He does not mention the rest by name. Seest thou
that those were the most zealous?

   Ver. 22. "The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit."

   There can be no better prayer than this. Grieve not for my departure.
The Lord will be with thee. And he says, not "with thee," but "with thy
spirit." Thus there is a twofold assistance, the grace of the Spirit,(2)
and God helping it. And otherwise God will not be with us, if we have not
spiritual grace. For if we be deserted by grace, how shall He be with us?

   "Grace be with us. Amen."

   Thus he prays for himself too, that they may always be well-pleasing to
Him, that they may have grace together with the spiritual gift, for where
this is, nothing will be grievous. For as he who beholds the king, and is
in favor with him, is sensible of no uneasiness; so though our friends
forsake us, though we be overtaken by calamity we shall feel no distress,
if that grace be with us and fortify us.

   MORAL. But how shall we draw down grace upon us? By doing what is
pleasing to God, and obeying Him in all things. In great houses do we not
see those domestics in favor, who do not regard their own interest, but
with all zeal and alacrity promote their masters' and who not from the
compulsion of the master, but from their own affection and good
disposition, order all things well. When they are always before their eyes,
when they are engaged in the house, when they are not occupied in any
private concerns, nor caring for their own, but rather consider their
masters' concerns as their own. For he who makes what is his own his
master's, does not really give up his own to his master, but makes his
interest his own; he commands even as himself in his affairs,(3) and rules
equally with him. He is often as much feared by the domestics, and whatever
he says his master says too, and he is henceforth dreaded by all his
enemies.

   And if he who in worldly concerns prefers his masters interests to his
own, does not really neglect his own interest, but rather advance it the
more; much more is this the case in spiritual matters. Despise thine own
concerns, and thou wilt receive those of God. This He Himself wills.
Despise each, and seize upon the kingdom of heaven. Dwell there, not here.
Be formidable there, not here. If thou art formidable there thou wilt be
formidable not to men, but to demons, and even to the devil himself. But if
thy dependence is on worldly wealth, thou wilt be contemptible to them, and
often to men too. Whatever be thy riches thou wilt be rich in servile
things. But if thou despisest these, thou wilt be radiant in the house of
the King.

   Such were the Apostles, despising a servile house and worldly wealth!
And see how they commanded in the affairs of their Master. "Let one," they
said, "be delivered from disease, another from the possession of devils:
bind this man, and loose that." This was done by them on earth, but it was
fulfilled as in Heaven. For, "whatever ye shall bind on earth," said He,
"shall be bound in Heaven." (Matt. xviii. 18.) And greater power than His
own did He give them. And that I lie not, appears from His own words. "He
that believeth in Me, greater works shall he do than these which I do."
(John xiv. 12.) Why so? Because this honor is reflected upon the Master.(1)
As in our own affairs, if the servant has great power, the master is the
more admired, for if the servant is so powerful, much more is he who
commands him. But if any man, neglecting his master's service thinks only
of his wife, his son, or his servant, and seeks to be rich, and to lay up
treasure there, by stealing and robbing his master of his possessions, he
is presently ruined, and his wealth perishes with him.

   Wherefore having these examples, I beseech you, let us not regard our
possessions, that we may regard ourselves: nay, let us despise them, that
we may obtain them. If we despise them, He will take care of them; if we
take care of them, God will despise them. Let us labor in the concerns of
God, not in our own, or rather really in our own, for His are our own. I
speak not of heaven,(2) nor of earth, nor of the things of this world:
these are unworthy of Him. And they belong alike to the faithful and the
unbelievers. What then do I speak of as His? His glory and His kingdom.
These are His, and ours for His sake. How? "If we be dead with Him," He
says, "we shall also live with Him. If we suffer, we shall also reign with
Him." (2 Tim. ii. 11.) We are become "joint heirs," and are called His
"brethren." Why do we sink below, when He is drawing us upward towards
Himself? How long shall we be poor, and beggarly? Heaven is set before us;
and do we linger on earth? Is His kingdom opened to us, and do we choose
such poverty as is here? Is life immortal offered us, and do we spend
ourselves for lands, for wood and stones? Be truly rich. I would wish thee
to be so. Be covetous and rapacious, I blame thee not for it. Here it is a
fault not to be covetous, here it is blameworthy not to be grasping. What
then is this? "The kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence, and the violent
take it by force." (Matt. xi. 12.) There be thou violent! be grasping! It
is not diminished by being seized upon. For neither is virtue divided, nor
piety lessened, nor the kingdom of Heaven. Virtue is increased when thou
seizest upon it, whilst temporal goods are lessened when they are seized
upon. And this appears from hence: Let there be ten thousand men in a city;
if all seize on virtue, it is multiplied, for they become righteous in ten
thousand things.(3) If no one seizes upon it, it is diminished, for it is
nowhere to be found.

   Thou seest then that good things are multiplied on being possessed by
many, but earthly goods are rather diminished by seizing. Let us not
therefore sit down content with poverty, but let us choose riches. God is
then rich, when those who enjoy His kingdom are many. "For He is rich," it
is said, "unto all that call upon Him." (Rom. x. 12.) Increase then His
substance; and thou wilt increase it by taking possession of it, by being
covetous of it, by violently seizing it. And truly there is need of
violence. Wherefore? Because there are so many impediments, as wives and
children, cares and worldly business; besides those demons, and him who is
the ruler of them, the devil. There is need then of violence, there is need
of fortitude. He who takes by violence is exposed to toils. How? He endures
all things, he contends against necessities. How? He almost attempts
impossibilities. If such are those who take by violence, and we shrink from
attempting even what is possible, how shall we ever win? or when shall we
enjoy the things for which we strive? "The violent," it is said, "take" the
kingdom of heaven "by force." Violence and rapacity are needed. For it is
not simply set before us, and ready to our hands. He who seizes by
violence, is ever sober and watchful, he is anxious and thoughtful, that he
may make his seizure at a seasonable time. Dost thou not see that in war he
who is about to make a seizure keeps watch and is under arms the whole
night? If then they who aim at seizing upon worldly goods, watch and are
armed all the night long, should we, who wish to seize upon spiritual
things, sleep and snore in the day, and continue always naked and unarmed?
For he who is engaged in sin is unarmed; as he who practices righteousness
is armed. We do not fortify ourselves with almsgiving. We do not prepare
for ourselves lamps that are burning, we do not fence ourselves in
spiritual armor. We do not learn the way that leads thither. We are not
sober and watchful, and therefore we can seize no spoil.

   If a man wishes to make an attempt on a kingdom, does he not set death
before him in a thousand shapes? Is he not armed at all points, does he not
practice the art of war, does he not do everything with this view, and so
rush on to the attack? But we do not act thus. We wish to take the spoil
while we are sleeping, and therefore we come off with empty hands. Dost
thou not see plunderers, how they flee, how rapidly they move? how they
force their way through everything? And there is need of expedition here.
The devil is in pursuit of thee. He orders those before to detain thee. But
if thou art strong, if thou art watchful, thou wilt spurn one, and thrust
aside another, and escape from all, as a bird. Yea, if thou depart hence,
if thou escape from the market and the tumult, I mean this life, and arrive
at those higher regions beyond these, in the world to come. For there, as
in a solitude, there is no tumult, no one to disturb, or to stay thy
course.

   Hast thou seized? Yet a little exertion is needed after the seizure,
that what thou hast seized may not be taken from thee. If we run on, if we
look to none of those things that are set before our eyes, if we consider
nothing but how we may escape from those who would hinder us, we shall be
able to retain with all security what we have seized. Hast thou seized on
chastity? Tarry not; flee beyond the reach of the devil. If he sees that he
cannot overtake thee, he will cease to pursue; as we, when we can no longer
see those who have robbed us, despair of the pursuit, and do not pursue,
nor call on others to stop thief, but suffer them to escape. So do thou run
vigorously at the beginning, and when thou art beyond the reach of the
devil, he will not afterwards attack thee, but thou wilt be in safety,
securely enjoying those unspeakable blessings, which God grant that we may
all obtain through Jesus Christ our Lord. To whom with the Father, and the
Holy Ghost, be glory, power, honor, and worship, now and for ever, and
world without end. Amen.


Taken from "The Early Church Fathers and Other Works" originally published
by Wm. B. Eerdmans Pub. Co. in English in Edinburgh, Scotland, beginning in
1867. (LNPF I/XIII, Schaff). The digital version is by The Electronic Bible
Society, P.O. Box 701356, Dallas, TX 75370, 214-407-WORD.

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