 The arguments in Homily 1 from the homilies on 1st Timothy by St. John Chrysostom. This is LibriVox Recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information on the volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Arguments. Timothy 2 was one of the disciples of the Apostle Paul. To the extraordinary qualities of this youth, testimony is borne by Luke, who informs us that he was well reported of by the brethren that were in Lystra and Iconium. He became at once a disciple and a teacher and gave this singular instance of his prudence, that hearing Paul preach without insisting upon circumcision and understanding that he had formally withstood Peter upon that point, he chose not only to preach against it, but to submit to that right. For Paul, it is said, took and circumcised him, though he was of an adult age, and so trusted him with his whole economy. The affection of Paul for him is a sufficient evidence of his character, for he elsewhere says of him, ye know the proof of him, that as a son with a father he hath served me in the Gospel. And to the Corinthians again he writes, I have sent unto you, Timothyus, who is my beloved son and faithful in the Lord. And again, let no man despise him, for he worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do. And to the Hebrews he writes, Know that our brother Timothy is set at liberty. Indeed, his love for him is everywhere apparent, and the miracles that are now wrought still attest his claims. If it should be asked why he addresses epistles to Titus and Timothy alone, though Silas was approved, as also was Luke, for he writes, only Luke is with me. And Clement was one of his associates, of whom he says, with Clement and other my fellow laborers, for what reason then does he write only to Titus and Timothy? It is because he had already committed the care of the churches to these, and certain marked places had been assigned to them. But the others were still in attendance upon him, for so preeminent in virtue was Timothy that his youth was no impediment to his promotion. Therefore he writes, Let no man despise thy youth, and again the younger women as sisters. For where there is virtue all other things are superfluous. And there can be no impediment. Therefore, when the apostle discourses of bishops, among the many things he requires in them, he makes no particular mention of age. And if he speaks of a bishop being the husband of one wife and having his children in subjection, this is not said as if it were necessary you should have a wife and children, but that if any should happen from a secular life to be advanced to that office, they might be such as know how to preside over their household and children, and all others committed to them. For if a man were both secular and deficient in these points, how should he be entrusted with the care of the church? But why, you will say, does he address an epistle to a disciple already appointed to the office of a teacher? Auti not to have been made perfect for his office before he was sent? Yes, but the instruction which he needed was not that which was suited to be a disciple, but that which was proper for a teacher. You will perceive him, therefore, through the whole epistle adopting his instructions to a teacher. Thus at the very beginning he does not say, do not attend to those who teach otherwise, but charge them that they teach no other doctrine. Homily 1, 1st Timothy 1, verses 1 and 2. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope, unto Timothy, my own son in the faith, grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. Great and admirable is the dignity of an apostle, and we find Paul constantly setting forth the causes of it, not as if he took the honor to himself, but as entrusted with it, and being under the necessity of so doing. For when he speaks of himself as called, and that by the will of God, and again elsewhere, a necessity is laid upon me. And when he says, for this I was separated. By these expressions, all idea of arrogance and ambition is removed, for as he deserves the severest blame who intrudes into an office which is not given to him by God, so he who refuses and shrinks from it when offered to him incurs blame of another kind, that of rebellion and disobedience. Therefore Paul, in the beginning of this epistle, addresses himself, Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God. He does not say here, Paul called, but by commandment. He begins in this manner that Timothy may not feel any human infirmity from supposing that Paul addresses him on the same terms as his disciples. But where is this commandment given? We read in the Acts of the Apostles, the Spirit said, separate me, Paul and Barnabas. And everywhere in his writings, Paul adds the name of apostle. To instruct his hearers not to consider the doctrines he delivered as proceeding from man, for an apostle can say nothing of his own. And by calling himself an apostle, he at once refers his hearers to him that sent him. In all his epistles, therefore, he begins by assuming this title. Thus giving authority to his words. As here he says, Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the commandment of God our Savior. Now it does not appear that the Father anywhere commanded him. It is everywhere Christ who addresses him. Thus he said unto me, depart, for I will send the far hints unto the Gentiles. And again, now must be brought before Caesar. But whatever the Son commands, this he considers to be the commandment of the Father, as those of the Spirit are the commandments of the Son. For he was sent by the Spirit. He was separated by the Spirit. And this he says was the commandment of God. What then? Does it derogate from the power of the Son that his apostle was sent forth by the commandment of the Father? By no means. For observe how he represents the power as common to both. For having said, according to the commandment of God our Savior, he adds, and the Lord Jesus Christ our hope. And observe with what propriety he applies the titles. And indeed the psalmist applies this to the Father saying, the hope of all the ends of the earth. And again, the Blessed Paul in another place writes, for therefore we both labor and suffer reproach because we have hope in the living God. The teacher must suffer dangers even more than the disciple. For I will smite the shepherd, he says, and the sheep shall be scattered abroad. Therefore the devil rages with greater violence against teachers. Because by their destruction the flock is also scattered. For by slaying the sheep he has lessened the flock, he has ruined the whole flock. So that he, the rather assaults him as working greater mischief by a less effort. And in one soul affecting the ruin of all. For this reason Paul at the beginning elevates and encourages the soul of Timothy by saying, we have God for our Savior and Christ for our hope. We suffer much, but our hopes are great. We are exposed to snares and perils but to save us we have not man but God. Our Savior is not weak for he is God. And whenever be our dangers they will not overcome us. Nor is our hope made ashamed for it is Christ. For in two ways we are enabled to bear up against dangers when we are either speedily delivered from them or supported by good hopes under them. But Paul never calls himself the apostle of the Father but always of Christ because he makes everything common to both. The Gospel itself he calls the Gospel of God and whenever we suffer here he implies, things present are as nothing. Unto Timothy my own son in the faith. This too is encouraging for if he invents such faith as to be called particularly Paul's own son he might be confident also with respect to the future for it is the part of faith not to be cast down or disturbed though circumstances occur that seem contrary to the promises. But observe he says my son that even mine own son and yet he is not of the same substance. But what? Was he of an irrational kind? Well says one he was not of Paul so this does not imply of another. What then? Was he of another substance? Neither was it so for after saying mine own son he adds in the faith to show that he was really his own son and truly from him there was no difference the likeness he bore to him was in respect to his faith as in human births there is a likeness in respect of substance the son is like the father in human beings. The proximity is greater for here a father and a son though of the same substance differ in many particulars as in color figure understanding age bent of mind endowments of soul and body and in many other things they may be like or unlike but there is no such dissimilarity in the divine essence by commandment this is a stronger impression than called as we learn from the other passages as he here calls Timothy mine own son in like manner he says to the Corinthians in Christ Jesus I have begotten you i.e. in faith but he adds the word own to show his particular likeness to him as well as his own love and great affection for him notice again the in to the faith my own son he says in the faith see what an honorable distinction in that he calls him not only his son but his own son verse 2 grace mercy and peace from God our father and Jesus Christ our Lord why is mercy mentioned here and not in the other epistles this is a further mark of his affection upon his son he invokes greater blessings with the anxious apprehension of a parent for such was his anxiety that he gives directions to Timothy which he has done in no other case to attend to his bodily health where he says use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities teachers indeed stand more in need of mercy from God our father he says and Jesus Christ our Lord here too is consolation for if God is our father he cares for us his sons as Christ says what man is there of you whom if his son ask bread he will give him a stone verse 3 as I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus when I went to Macedonia observe the gentleness of the expression more like that of a servant than of a master for he does not say I commanded or bade or even exhorted but I besought thee but this tone is not for all only meek and virtuous disciples are to be treated thus the corrupt and insincere are to be dealt with in a different manner as Paul himself elsewhere directs rebuke them with all authority in here he says charge not beseech but charge some that they teach no other doctrine what means this that Paul's epistle which he sent them was not sufficient nay it was sufficient but men are apt sometimes to slight epistles or perhaps this may have been before the epistles were written he had himself passed some time in that city there was the temple of Diana and there he had been exposed to those great sufferings the assembly in the theater had been dissolved and he had called to him and exhorted the disciples he found it necessary to sail away though afterwards he returned to them it were worth inquiry when he stationed Timothy there at that time for he says that thou might as charge some that they teach no other doctrine he does not mention the persons by name that he might not by the openness of his rebuke render them more shameless there were in that city certain false apostles of the Jews who wished to oblige the facial to observe the Jewish law of all he is everywhere noticing in his epistles and this they did not from motives of conscience so much as from vain glory and as a wish to have disciples from jealousy of the blessed Paul and the spirit of opposition to him this is meant by teaching another doctrine verse 4 neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies by fables he does not mean the law far from it but inventions and forgeries and counterfeit doctrines for it seems the Jews wasted their whole discourse on these unprofitable points they numbered up their fathers and grandfathers that they may have reputation of historical knowledge and research that thou might as charge some but they teach no other doctrine neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies why does he call them endless it is because they had no end or none of any use or none easy for us to apprehend mark how he disproves of questioning for where faith exists there is no need of question where there is no room for curiosity questions are superfluous questioning is the subversion of faith for he that seeks has not yet found he who questions cannot believe therefore it is his advice that we should not be occupied with questions since if we question it is not faith for faith sets reasoning at rest but why then does Christ say seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you and search the scriptures for in them ye think eternal life the seeking there is meant of prayer and vehement desire and he bids search the scriptures not to introduce the labors of questioning but to end them that we may ascertain and settle their true meaning not that we may be ever questioning but that we may have done with it and he justly said charge some that they teach no other doctrine and give he to fables and endless genealogies which minister questions rather than the dispensation of God and faith justly has he said the dispensation of God for great are the blessings which God is willing to dispense but the greatness of them is not conceived by reasoning this must then be the work of faith which is the best medicine of our souls for what is dispensed by faith to receive his mercies and become better men to doubt and to dispute of nothing but to repose and confidence for what minister's questions displaces faith and now which faith has wrought and builded Christ has said that we must be saved by faith this these teachers questioned and even denied more since the announcement was present but the issue of it future faith was required but they being preoccupied by legal observances through impediments in the way of faith he seems also here to glance at the Greeks where he speaks of fables and genealogies for they enumerated their gods let us not then give he to questions for we were called faithful that we might conveniently believe what is delivered to us and entertain no doubt for if the things asserted were human we ought to examine them but since they are of God they are only to be revered and believed if we believe not how shall we be persuaded of the existence of a God for how knowest thou that there is a God when thou callest him to account the knowledge of God is best shown believing in him without proofs and demonstrations even the Greeks know this for they believe their gods telling them sayeth one even without proof and what that they were the offspring of the gods but why do I speak of the gods in the case of a man a deceiver and a sorcerer I speak of Pythagoras they acted in like manner for of him it was said he said it and over their temples was an image of silence and her finger on her mouth compressing her lips and significantly exhorting all that pass by to be silent and were their doctrines so sacred and ours less so and even to be ridiculed what extreme madness is this the tenets of the Greeks indeed are rightly questioned for they were of that nature being but disputes conflicts of reasonings and doubts and conclusions but ours are far from these for human wisdom invented theirs but ours are taught by the grace of the spirit their doctrines are madness and folly ours are true wisdom in their case there is neither teacher nor scholar but all alike are disputants here whether teacher or scholar each is to learn from him from whom he ought to learn and not to doubt but obey not to dispute but believe for all the ancients obtained a good report through faith and without this everything is subverted and why do I speak of it in heavenly things we shall find upon examination that earthly things depend upon it no less for that this there would be no trade or contracts or anything of the sort and if it be so necessary here in things that are false how much more in those this then let us pursue to this let us adhere so shall we banish from our souls all destructive doctrines such for instance that relate to nativity and fate if you believe that there is a resurrection and a judgment you will be able to expel from your mind all those false opinions believe that there is a just God and you will not believe that there can be an unjust nativity believe that there is a God and a providence and you will not believe that there can be a nativity which holds all things together believe that there is a place of punishment and a kingdom and you will not believe in a nativity that takes away our free agency and subjects us to necessity and force so nor plant nor go to war nor engage in any work whatever for whether you will or not things will proceed according to the course of nativity what need have we more of prayer and why should you deserve to be a Christian if there be this nativity for you will not then be responsible and once proceed the arts of life are these two from nativity yes you say it is fated to one to become wise with labor but can you show me one who has learnt an art without labor you cannot it is not then from nativity but from labor that he derives his skill but why does a man who is corrupt and wicked become rich without inheriting it from his father while another amidst infinite labors remains poor for such are the questions they raise always arguing upon wealth and poverty we are taking the case of vice and virtue now in this question talk not of that but show me a man who has become bad whilst he was striving to be good or one that without striving has become good for a fate has any power its power should be shown in the most important things in vice and virtue not in poverty and riches again you ask why is one man sickly and another healthy and another disgraced why does everything succeed well with this man whilst another meets with nothing but failure and impediments lay aside the notion of nativity and you will know believe firmly that there is a god and a providence and all these things will be cleared up but I cannot you say concede that there is a providence when there is such disorder can I believe that the good god the corrupt and dishonest man and not to the virtuous how can I believe this for there must be facts to ground belief well then do these cases proceed from a nativity that was just or unjust unjust you say who then made it not god you say it was unbegotten but how can the unbegotten produce these things for they are contradictions these things are not then in any wise the works of god shall we then inquire who made the earth the sea the heavens the seasons nativity you answer did nativity then produce in things inanimate such order and harmony but in us for whom these things were made so much disorder as if one in building a house should be careful to make it magnificent but bestow not a thought upon his household but who preserves the succession of the seasons who established the regular law of nature who appointed the courses of day and night these things are superior to any such nativity but these you say came to be of themselves and yet how can such a well ordered system spring up of itself but whence you say come the rich the healthy the renowned and how are some made rich by covetedness some by inheritance some by violence and why does god suffer the wicked to be prosperous we answer because the retribution according to the dessert of each does not take place here but is reserved for hereafter show me any such thing taking place then well you say give me here and I do not look after but it is because you seek here that you receive not for if when earthy enjoyment is not within your reach you seek present things so eagerly as to prefer them to future what would you do if you were in possession of unmixed pleasure god therefore shows you that these things are nothing and indifference and if they were not indifference you would not bestow them on such men you would not own that it is a matter of indifference whether one be tall or short, black or white so it is whether one be rich or poor for tell me are not things necessarily bestowed on all equally as the capacity for virtue and the distribution of spiritual gifts if you understood or write the mercies of god you would not complain of wanting earthly goods whilst you enjoyed these best gifts equally with others and in that equal distribution you would not desire superiority in the rest as if a servant enjoying from his masters bounty food, clothing and lodging and all the other necessities equal with his fellow servants should pride himself upon having longer nails or more hair upon his head so it is for a Christian to be elated on account of those things which he enjoys only for a time for this reason it is that god withdraws those things from us to extinguish this madness and transfer our affections from them to heaven but nevertheless we do not learn wisdom as if a child possessing a toy should prefer it to things necessary and his father to lead him against his will to what was better for him should deprive him of his toy so god takes these things from us that he may lead us to heaven if you ask then why he permits the wicked to be rich it is because they are not high in his esteem and if the righteous are too rich it is rather that he allows it to be than that he makes them so now these things we say superficially as to men not knowing the scriptures but our discourses would be unnecessary if you would believe and take heed to the divine word for that would teach you all things and that you may understand that neither riches nor health nor glory are anything I can show you many who when they might gain wealth do not seek wealth when they might enjoy health mortify their bodies when they might rise to glory make it their aim to be despised but there is no good man who ever studies to be bad let us therefore desist from seeking things below and let us seek heavenly things for so we shall be able to attain them and we shall enjoy eternal delights by the grace and loving kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be glory, power and honor now and ever and world without end Amen End of the argument in Homily 1 Homily 2 from the homilies on 1st Timothy by St. John Chrysostom translated by Philip Shave This Librivox recording is in the public domain Homily 2 1st Timothy 1, verses 5, 6 and 7 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfeigned from which some having swerved have turned aside into vain jangling desiring to be teachers of the law understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirm Nothing is so injurious to mankind as to undervalue friendship and not to cultivate it with the greatest care as nothing on the other hand is so beneficial as to pursue it to the utmost of our power This Christ has shown where he says if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask it shall be done for them of my Father And again, because iniquity shall abound love shall wax cold It is this that has been the occasion of all heresies For men, because they love not their brethren have envied those who were in high repute and from envying they have become eager for power and from a love of power have introduced heresies On this account Paul having said that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine now shows that the manner in which this may be affected is by charity as therefore when he says Christ is the end of the law that is its fulfillment and this is connected with the former so this commandment is implied in love The end of medicine is health but where there is health there is no need to make much a do so where there is love there is no need of much commanding but what sort of love does he speak of? that which is sincere which is not merely in words but which flows from the disposition from sentiment and sympathy from a pure heart he says either with respect to a right conversation or sincere affection for an impure life too produces divisions for everyone that doeth evil hateeth the light there is indeed a friendship even among the wicked robbers and murderers may love one another but this is not from a good conscience not from a pure but from an impure heart not from a faith unfaigned but from that which is false and hypocritical for faith points out the truth and a sincere faith produces love which he who truly believes in God cannot endure to lay aside verse 6 from which some having swerved have turned aside into vain jangling he has well said swerved for it requires skill to shoot straights than not beside the mark to have the direction of the spirit for there are many things to turn us aside from the right course and we should look but to one object verse 7 desiring to be teachers of the law here we see another cause of evil the love of power wherefore Christ said be not ye called rabbi and the apostle again for neither do they keep the law but that they may glory in your flesh they desire preeminence he means and on not account disregard truth understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirm here he censors them because they know not the end of the law nor the period for which it was to have authority but if it was from ignorance why is it called a sin because it was incurred not only from their desiring to be teachers of the law but from their not retaining love nay and their very ignorance arose from these causes for when the soul abandons itself to carnal things the clearness of its vision is dimmed and falling from love and the eye of the mind is blinded for he that is possessed by any desire for these temporal things intoxicated as he is with passion cannot be an impartial judge of truth not knowing whereof they affirm for it is probable that they spoke of the law and enlarged on its purifications and other bodily rights the apostle then for bearing to censor these as either nothing or no and figure of spiritual things proceeds in a more engaging way to praise the law calling the decalogue here the law and by means of it discarding the rest for if even these precepts punish transgressors and become useless to us much more the others verses 8 and 9 but we know that the law is good if a man use it lawfully knowing this that the law is not made for a righteous man the law he seems to say is good and again not good what then if one use it not lawfully is it not good nay even so it is good what he means is this if anyone fulfills it in his actions for that is to use it lawfully as here intended but when they expound it's in their words in their deeds that is using it unlawfully for such in one uses it but not to his own prophet in another way may we be named besides what is it that the law if thou use it a right sends thee to Christ for since its aim is to justify a man and it fails to affect this it remits us to him who can do so another way again of using the law lawfully is when we keep it but as a thing superfluous and how as a thing superfluous as the brittle is properly used not by the prancing horse that champs on it but by that which wears it only for the sake of appearance so he uses the law lawfully who governs himself though not constrained by the letter of it uses the law lawfully who is conscious that he does not need it for he who is already so virtuous that he fulfills it not from fear of it but from a principle of virtue uses it lawfully and safely that is if one so use it not as being in fear of it but having before his eyes rather the condemnation of conscience than the punishment hereafter moreover he calls him a righteous man who has admitted unto virtue uses the law lawfully who does not require to be instructed by it for as points in reading are set before children but he who does what they direct without their aid from other knowledge shows more skill and is a better reader so he who is above the law is not under the schooling of the law for he keeps it in a much higher degree who fulfills it not from fear but from a virtuous inclination since he that fears punishment does not fulfill it in the same manner as he that aims it reward he that is under the law do with it not as he that is above the law what to live above the law is to use it lawfully he uses it lawfully and keeps it who achieves things beyond the law and who does not need its instructions for the law for the most part is prohibition of evil now this alone does not make a man righteous but the performance of good actions besides hence those who abstain from evil like slaves do not come up to the mark of the law for it was appointed for the punishment of transgression such men indeed use it but it is to dread its punishment it is said will thou not be afraid of the power do that which is good which implies that the law threatens punishment only to the wicked but of what use is the law to him whose actions deserve a crown as the surgeon is of use only to him who has some hurt and not to the sound and healthy man but for the lawless and disobedient for the ungodly and for the sinners he calls the Jews lawless and disobedient too the law he says worketh wrath that is to the evildoers but what to him who is deserving of reward by the law is the knowledge of sin what then with respect to the righteous the law is not made he says for a righteous man wherefore because he is exempt from its punishment and he waits not to learn from it what is his duty since he has the grace of the spirit within to direct him for the law was given that men might be chasen by fear of its threatenings but the tractable horse needs not the curb nor the man that can dispense with instruction the school master but for the lawless and disobedient for the ungodly and for sinners for the unholy and profane for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers thus he does not stop at the mention of sins in general nor of these only but goes over several kinds of sin to shame men as it were of being under the direction of the law and having thus particularized some he adds a reference to those omitted though what he had enumerated were sufficient to withdraw men of whom then does he say these things of the Jews for they were murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers they were profane and unholy for these too he means when he says ungodly and sinners and being such the law was necessarily given to them or did they not repeatedly worship idols did they not stone moses were not their hands and brood in the blood of their kindred do not the prophets constantly accuse them of these things but to those who are instructed by a heavenly philosophy these commandments are superfluous for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers for manslayers for them that defile themselves with mankind for men stealers for liars for perjured persons and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine for all the things which he had mentioned were the passions of a corrupted soul and contrary therefore to sound doctrine verse 11 according to the glorious gospel of the blessed god which was committed to my trust thus the law is still necessary for the confirmation of the gospel yet to those who obey it it is unnecessary and he calls the gospel glorious there are some who are ashamed of its persecutions and of the sufferings of christ and so for the sake of these as well as for others of the gospel thus showing that the sufferings of christ are our gory and perhaps he glances to with the future for if our present state is exposed to shame and reproach it would not be so hereafter and it is to those things future and not to things present that the gospel belongs why then did the angel say behold I bring you good tidings of great joy for unto you is born a savior because he was born to be their savior though his miracles did not commence from his birth according the gospel he saith of the blessed god the glory he means is either that of the service of god or in that if the present things are filled with its glory yet much more will things future be so when his enemies shall be put under his feet there shall be nothing opposed when the just shall behold all those blessed things which I had not seen nor ear heard and which have not entered into the heart of man for I will says our savior that they also may be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou has given me let us then learn who these are and let us esteem them blessed they will then enjoy of what light and glory they will then participate the glory of this world is worthless and not enduring or if it abides it abides but till death and after that is wholly extinguished for his glory it says shall not descend after him and with many it lasts not even to the end of life but no such thing is to be thought of in that glory it abides and will have no end for such are the things of God enduring and above all change or end for the glory of that state is not from without but from within I mean it consists not in the multitude of servants or of chariots nor in costly garments independent of these things the man himself is clothed with glory but here without these things the man appears naked in the baths we see the illustrious the undistinguished in the base a like bear often have the greats being exposed to danger in public being left on some occasion by their servants but in that world men carry their glory about with them and the saints like the angels wherever they appear have their glory in themselves they rather as the sun needs no vestures and requires no foreign aid but wherever he appears his glory at once shines forth so shall it be then let us then pursue that glory then which nothing is more venerable and leave the glory of the world as beyond anything worthless boast not of thy clothing and raiment this was the advice given of old to the simple indeed the dancer the harlot the player are a raid in a gayer and more costly robe than now and besides this boasting were of that which if but moths attack they can rob the of its enjoyment thus thou see what an unstable thing it is this glory of the present life thou pridest thyself upon that which insects make and destroy for indian insects it is said spin those fine threads of which your robes are made but rather seek a clothing woven from things above an admirable and radiant vesture raiment of real gold of gold not dug by malfactors hands out of the mine but the produce of virtue let us clothe ourselves with a robe not the manufacture of poor men or slaves but wrought by our lord himself but your garments you say are in rot with gold and what is that to thee he that wrought it not he that wears it is the object of admiration for there it is really do it is not the frame on which the garment is stretched at the fullers but the maker of it that is admired yet the block wears it and has it bound on itself and as that wears it but not for use even so do some of these women for the benefit of the garment to air it they say that it may not be moth eaten it is not then the extreme of folly to be solicitous about a thing so worthless to do anything whatever to risk your salvation for it to make a mock at hell to set God at defiance to overlook Christ hungering talk not of the precious spices of India, Arabia and Persia the moist and the dry the perfumes and the ungents so costly and so useless why a woman thus thou lavish perfumes upon a body full of impurity within why spend on that which is offensive as if one should waste perfumes upon dirt or distill bombs upon a brick there is if you desire it a precious ointment and a fragrance with which you might anoint your soul not brought from Arabia or Ethiopia nor from Persia but from heaven itself purchased not by gold but by a virtuous will and by faith unfamed by this perfume the odor of which is able to fill the world it was of this the apostles savored for we are he says a favor to some of death to others of life and what means this that it is as they say that the swine is suffocated by perfumes but this spiritual fragrance scented not only the bodies but the garments of the apostles and Paul's garments were so impregnated with it that they cast out devils what balmy leaf what casea were so sweet or so efficacious as this perfume or if it puts devils to flight what could it not affect with this ointment let us furnish ourselves and the grace of the spirit will provide it through almsgiving of these we shall savor when we go into the other world and as here he that is perfumed with sweet odors draws upon himself the notice of all and whether at the bath or at the assembly or any other concourse of men all follow him and observe him so in that world when souls come in that are fragrance with this spiritual savor all arise and make room and even here devils and all vices are afraid to approach it and cannot endure it for it chokes them let us then not bear about that perfume which is a mark of a feminism but this is a mark of manhood which is truly admirable which fills us with a holy confidence this is a spice which is not the produce of the earth but springs from virtue which withers not which blooms forever this is it that renders those who possess it honorable with this we are anointed at our baptism then we savor sweetly of it but we must be that we retain the savor of all the priests were anointed with ointments as an emblem of the virtue the fragrance of which a priest should diffuse around him but nothing is more offensive than the savor of sin which made the psalmist say my wounds stink and are corrupt for sin is more foul than purification itself what for instance is more offensive than fornication and if this is not perceived at the time of its commission yet after it is committed its offensive nature the impurity contracted in it in the curse and the abomination of it is perceived so it is with all sin before it is committed it is something of pleasure but after its commission the pleasure ceases and fades away and the pain and shame succeed but with righteousness it is the reverse at the beginning it is attended with toil but in the end with pleasure and repose but even here as in the one case the pleasure of sin is no pleasure because of the expectation of disgrace and punishment so in the other the toil is not felt as toil by reason of the hope of reward and what is the pleasure of drunkenness the poor gratification of drinking and hardly that and insensibility follows and the man sees nothing that is before him and is in a worse state than a mad man what enjoyment remains nay one might well say that there is no pleasure in fornication itself for when passion has deprived the soul of its judgment can there be any real delights as well might we say that the itch is a pleasure I should call that true pleasure when the soul is not affected by passion agitated nor overpowered by the body for what pleasure can it be to grind the teeth to distort the eyes to be irritated and inflamed beyond decency but so far is it from being pleasant that men hasten to escape from it and when it is over are in pain but if it were pleasure they would wish not to escape from it but to continue it it has therefore only the name of pleasure but not such are the pleasures enjoyed by us they are truly delightful they do not agitate nor inflame they leave the soul free and cheer and expand it such was the pleasure of Paul when he said in this I rejoice, yea and I will rejoice and again rejoice in the Lord always for sinful pleasure is attended with shame and condemnation it is indulged in secrets attended with infinite uneasiness but from all these the true pleasure is exempt this then let us pursue that we may attain those good things to come to the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to whom etc End of Homily 2 Homily 3 from the homilies on First Timothy by St. John Chrysostom translated by Philip Shaeff this sleeper box recording is in the public domain First Timothy 1 verses 12, 13 and 14 and I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who had enabled me for that he counted me faithful putting me into the ministry who was before a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief and the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus the advantages arising from humility are generally acknowledged and yet it is a thing not easily to be met with there is affection of humble talking enough and to spare but humbleness of mind is nowhere to be found this quality was so cultivated by the blessed Paul that he is ever looking out for inducements to be humble and he too was one likely to be under violent temptations his own good conscience swelling him up like a gathering humor observed therefore his method in this place I was instructed he had said with the glorious gospel of God of which they who still adhere to the law have no right to partake for it is now opposed to the gospel and their difference is such that those who are actuated by the one are as yet unworthy to partake of the other as we should say that those who require punishments and chains have no right to be admitted into the train of philosophers being filled therefore with high thoughts and having used magnificent expressions he at once depresses himself and engages others also to do the like having said therefore that the gospel was committed to his trust lest this should seem to be said from pride he checks himself at once adding by way of correction I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who hath enabled me for that he counted me faithful putting me into the ministry thus everywhere we see he conceals his own merit and ascribes everything to God and so far only as not to take away free will for the unbeliever might perhaps say if everything is of God and we contribute nothing of ourselves while he turns us as if we were mere wood and stone from wickedness to the love of wisdom why then did he make Paul such as he was and not Judas to remove this objection mark the prudence of his expression which was committed he says to my trust that was his own excellence and merit but not wholly his own for he says I thank Christ Jesus who enabled me this is God's part then his own again because he counted me faithful surely because he would be serviceable of his own part verse 13 putting me into the ministry who was before a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious but I obtain mercy and it ignorantly in unbelief thus we see him acknowledge both his own part and that of God and whilst he obscribes the greater part to the providence of God he extenuates his own yet so far only as we said before as was consistent with free will and what is this who enabled me I will tell you he had so heavy a burden to sustain that he needed much aid from above for think what it was to be exposed to daily insults and mockries and snares and dangers scoffs and reproaches and deaths and not to faint or slip or turn backward but though assaulted every day with darts innumerable to bear up manfully and remain firm and impenetrable this was the effect of no human power and yet not of divine influence alone but of his own resolution also for that Christ chose him with a foreknowledge what he would be is plain from the testimony he bore to him before the commencement of his preaching he is a chosen vessel unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings for as those who bear the royal standard in war require both strength and address that they may not let it fall into the hands of the enemy so those who sustain the name of Christ not only in war but in peace need a mighty strength uninjured from the attacks of accusers great indeed is the strength required to bear the name of Christ and to sustain it well and bear the cross for he who in action or word or thought does anything unworthy of Christ does not sustain his name and has not Christ dwelling in him for he that sustains that name bears it in triumph not in the concourse of man but through the very heavens while all the angels stand in awe and intend upon him and admire him I thank the Lord who has enabled me observe how he thanks God even for that which it was his own part for he acknowledges it as a favor from him that he was a chosen vessel for this O blessed Paul was thy own part for God is no respecter of persons but I thank him that he thought me worthy of this ministry for this is a proof that he esteemed me faithful the steward in a house is not only thankful to his master that he is entrusted but considers it as a sign that he holds him more faithful than others so it is here then observe how he magnifies the mercy and loving kindness of God in describing his former life who was formerly he says a blessed femur and a persecutor and injurious and when he speaks of the still unbelieving Jews he rather extenuates their guilt for I bear them record that they have a zeal for God but not according to knowledge but of himself who says who was a blessed femur and a persecutor observe his lowering of himself so free was he from self-love so full of humility that he is not satisfied to call himself a persecutor and a blessed femur but he aggravates his guilt showing that it did not stop with himself that it was not enough that he was a blessed femur but in the madness of his blasphemy he persecuted those who are willing to be godly but I obtain mercy because I did it ignorantly and unbelief why then did the other Jews not obtain mercy because what they did they did not ignorantly but willfully well knowing what they did for this we have the testimony of the evangelist who gave the Jews believed on him but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God and Christ again said to them how can ye believe who receive honor one from another and the parents of the blind man said these things for fear of the Jews lest they should be put out of the synagogue nay the Jews themselves said perceive ye how we avail nothing behold the whole world has gone after him thus their love of power was everywhere in their way when they admitted that no one can forgive sins but God only and Christ immediately did that very thing which they had confessed to be a sign of divinity this could not be the case of ignorance but where was Paul then perhaps one should say he was sitting at the feet of Gamaliel and took no part with the multitude who conspired against Jesus for Gamaliel does not appear to be an ambitious man then how is it afterwards Paul was found joining with the multitude he saw the doctrine growing and on the point of prevailing and being generally embraced for in the lifetime of Christ the disciples consorted with him and afterwards with their teachers but when they were completely separated Paul did not act as the other Jews did from the love of power but from zeal for what was the motive of his journey to Damascus he thought the doctrine pernicious and was afraid that the preaching of it would spread everywhere but with the Jews it was no concern for the multitude but the love of power that influenced their actions hence they say the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation what fear was this that agitated them but that of man but it is worthy of inquiry how one so skillful in the law as Paul could be ignorant for it is he who says which he had promised before by his holy prophets how is it then that thou knowest not thou who art zealous of the law of their fathers who were brought up at the feet of Gamelio yet they who spent their days on lakes and rivers and the very publicans have embraced the gospel whilst thou that studied the law art persecuting it is for this he condemns himself I am not meat to be called an apostle it is for this he confesses his ignorance which was produced by unbelief for this cause he says that he obtained mercy what then does he mean when he says he counted me faithful he would give up no right of his masters even his own part he ascribed to him and assumed nothing to himself nor claimed for his own glory which was due to God hence in another place we find him exclaiming sirs why do ye these things to us we also are men of like passions with you so again he counted me faithful and again I labored more abundantly than they all yet not I but the grace of God which was with me and again it is he that worketh in us both to will and to do thus in acknowledging that he obtained mercy he owns he deserved punishment since mercy is for such and again in another place he says of the Jews blindness in part is happened to Israel verse 14 and the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus this is added less hearing that he obtained mercy we should understand by it only that being deserving of punishment as a persecutor and blasphemer he was not punished but mercy was not confined to this that punishment was not inflicted many other great favors are implied by it for not only has God released us from the impending punishment but he has made us righteous to and sons and brethren and heirs and joint heirs therefore it is he says that grace was exceedingly abundant for the gifts bestowed were beyond mercy since they are not such as would come of mercy only but of affection and excessive love having thus enlarged upon the love of God which not content with showing mercy to a blasphemer and persecutor inferred upon him other blessings in abundance he has guarded against that error of the unbelievers which takes away free will by adding with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus thus much only he says did we contribute and believed that he is able to save us let us then love God through Christ what means through Christ that it is he and not the law who has enabled us to do this observe what blessings we owe to Christ and what to the law and he says not merely that grace has abounded but abounded exceedingly and bringing at once to the adoption those who deserved infinite punishment and observe again that men is used for through for not only faith is necessary but love since there are many still who believe that Christ is God who yet love him not nor act like those who love him for how is it when they prefer everything to him money, nativity, fates, augury, divinations, omens when we live in defiance of him pray where is our love anyone a warm and affectionate friend let him love Christ but equally so if no more let him love him who gave his son for us, his enemies who had no merits of our own merits did I say who had committed numberless sins who had dared him beyond all daring and without cause yet he after numberless instances of goodness and care that had even then cast us off at the very time the greatest wrong then did he give his son for us and still we after so great benefits after being made his friends and counted worthy through him of all blessings have not loved him as our friend what hope then can be ours you shudder perhaps at the word but I would that you shuddered at the fact, what how should it appear that we do not love God even as our friends you say I will endeavor to show you and would that my words were groundless and to no purpose but I am afraid they are born out by facts for consider friends that are truly friends will often suffer loss for those they love but for Christ no one will suffer loss or even be content with his present state for our friends we can readily submit to insults and undertake quarrels but for Christ we endure enmity and the saying is be loved for nothing but be hated for nothing none of us would fail to relieve a friend who was hungering but when Christ comes to us from day to day and asks no great matter but only bread we do not even regard him though we are nauseously full and swollen with gluttony though our breath portrays the wine of yesterday and waste our substance on harlots and parasites and flatters and even on monsters idiots and dwarfs for men convert the natural defects of such into a matter for amusement again friends that are truly such we do not envy nor are mortified at their success yet we feel this toward the minister of Christ and our friendship for men is seen to be more powerful than the fear of God for the envious and the insincere we respect men more than God and how is this God sees the heart yet man does not forbear to practice deceit in his sight yet if the same man were detected in deceit by men he thinks himself undone and blushes for shame and why speak of this if a friend be in distress we visit him and should fear to be condemned if we deferred it for a little time but we do not visit Christ though he die again and again in prison nay if we have friends among the faithful we visit them not because they are Christians but because they are our friends thus we do nothing from the fear or the love of God but some things from friendship some from custom when we see a friend depart on travel we weep and are troubled and if we see his death we wewail him though we know that we shall not be long separated he will be restored to us at the resurrection but though Christ departs from us or rather we reject him daily we do not grieve nor think it's strange to injure, to offend, to provoke him by doing what is displeasing to him and the fearful thing is not that we do not treat him as a friend for I will show that we even treat him as an enemy how do you ask because the carnal mind is enmity against God as Paul has said and this we always carry about and we persecute Christ when he advances towards us and comes to our very doors for wicked actions in effect do this and every day we subject him to insults by our covetedness and our capacity and does anyone by preaching his word and benefitting his church obtain a good reputation then he is the object of envy because he does the work of God and we think that we envy him but our envy passes on to Christ we effect to wish the benefit to come not from others but from ourselves but this cannot be for Christ's sake but for our own otherwise it would be a matter of indifference whether the good were done by others or ourselves if a physician found himself unable to cure his son who was threatened with blindness would he reject the aid of another who was able to affect the cure far from it let my son be restored he would almost say to him whether it is to be by you or by me and why? because he would not consider himself but what was beneficial to his son so were our regard to Christ it would lead us to say let good be done whether by ourselves or by any other as Paul said whether in pretense or in truth Christ is preached when some would have excited his displeasure against Eldad and Modad because they prophesied envious thou for my sake would God that all the Lord's people were prophets these jealous feelings proceed from vain glory and they are not those of opponents and enemies that anyone speak ill of you love him it is impossible you say nay if you will it is quite impossible for if you love him only who speaks well of you what thanks have you is it not for the Lord's sake but for the sake of the man's kind speech that you do it as anyone injured you do him good for in benefiting him who has benefited you there is little merit have you been deeply wronged or suffered loss make a point of equating it with the contrary yes I entreat you let this be the way we do our own part let us cease from hating our enemies he commands us to love our enemies but we persecute him while he loves us God forbid we all say in words but not so in deeds so darkened are our minds by sin that we tolerate in our actions what in words we think intolerable let us desist then from things that are injurious and ruinous to our salvation that we may obtain those blessings which as friends we may obtain for Christ says I will that where I am there my disciples may be also that they may behold my glory which may we all attain through the grace and love of Jesus Christ End of Homily 3 Homily 4 from the homilies on 1st Timothy by St. John Chrysostom translated by Philip Shaeff this sleeper vox recording is in the public domain 1st Timothy 1 verses 15 and 16 this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am the chief albeit for this cause I obtain mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting the favors of God so far exceed human hope and expectation that often they are not believed for God has bestowed upon us such things as the mind of man never looked for never thought of it is for this reason that the apostles spend much discourse in securing a belief of the gifts that are granted us of God for as men upon receiving some great good ask themselves if it is not a dream as not believing it in the gifts of God what then was it that was thought incredible that those who were enemies and sinners neither justified by the law nor by works should immediately through faith alone be advanced to the highest favor upon this head accordingly Paul has discord at length in his epistle to the Romans and here again at length this is a faithful saying he says that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners as the Jews were chiefly attracted by this he persuades them not to give he to the law since they could not attain salvation by it without faith against this he contends for it seemed to them incredible that a man who had misspent all his former life in vain and wicked actions should hereafter be saved by his faith alone as it is a saying to be believed but some not only disbelieved but even objected as the Greeks do now let us then do evil that good may come this was the consequence they drew in derision of our faith from his words where sin abounded grace did much more abound so when we discourse to them of hell they say how can this be worthy of God when man has found his servant offending he forgives it and thinks him worthy of pardon and does God punish eternally and when we speak of the laver and of the remission of sins through it this too they say is unworthy of God that he who has committed offenses without number should have his sins remitted what perverseness of mind is this what is spirit of contention does it manifest surely if forgiveness is an evil punishment is a good punishment is an evil remission of it is a good I speak according to their notions for according to ours both are good this I shall show at another time for the present would not suffice for a matter so deep and which requires to be elaborately argued I must lay before your charity at a fitting season at present let us proceed with our proposed subject this is a faithful saying he says but why is it to be believed this appears both to precedes and from what follows observe how he prepares us for this assertion and how he then dwells upon it for he had previously declared that he showed mercy to me a blasphemer in a persecutor this was in the way of preparation and not only did he show mercy but he accounted me faithful so far should we be he means from disbelieving that he showed mercy for no one who should see a prisoner palace could doubt whether he obtained mercy and this was visibly the situation of Paul for he makes himself the example nor is he ashamed to call himself a sinner but rather delights in it as he thus can best demonstrate the miracle of God's regard for him and that he had thought him worthy of such extraordinary kindness but how is it that he here calls himself a sinner may the chief of sinners or as he elsewhere asserts that he was touching the righteous which is in the law blameless because with respect to the righteousness which God had wrought the justification which is really sought even those who are righteous in the law are sinners for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God therefore he does not say righteousness simply but the righteousness which is in the law as a man that has acquired wealth with respect to himself appears rich but upon comparison with the treasures of kings is very poor and the chief of the poor so it is in this case compared with angels even righteous men are sinners and of Paul who wrought the righteousness that is in the law was the chief of sinners what other man can be called righteous for he says not this to condemn his own life as impure let this not be imagined but comparing his own legal righteousness with the righteousness of God he shows it to be nothing worth and not only so but he proves those who possess it to be sinners verse 16 how be it for this cause I obtain mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long suffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting see how he further humbles and deprecates himself by naming a fresh and less credible reason for that he obtained mercy on account of his ignorance does not so much imply that he who obtained the mercy was a sinner or under deep condemnation but to say that he obtained mercy in order that no sinner hereafter might despair of finding mercy but that each might feel sure of obtaining the like favor this is an excessive humiliation such that even in calling himself the chief of sinners a blasphemer and a persecutor and one not meet to be called an apostle he had said nothing like it this will appear by an example suppose a populous city all whose inhabitants were wicked some more so and some less so but all deserving of condemnation and let one among that multitude be more deserving of punishment than all the rest and guilty of every kind of wickedness if it were declared that the king was willing to pardon all it would not be so readily believed if they were to see this most wicked wretch actually pardoned there could then be no longer any doubt this is what Paul says that God willing to give men full assurance that he pardons all their transgressions chose as the object of his mercy him who was more a sinner than any when I obtained mercy he argues there could be no doubt of others as familiarly speaking we might say if God pardoned such in one he will never punish anybody and thus he shows that he himself though unworthy of pardon for the sake of others salvation first obtained that pardon therefore he says since I am saved let no one doubt of salvation and observe the humility of this blessed man he says not that in me he might show forth his long suffering but all longsuffering as if he had said greater longsuffering he could not show in any case than in mine nor find a sinner that so required all his pardon all his longsuffering not a part only like those that are only partially sinners but all his longsuffering for a pattern to those who should hereafter believe this is said for comfort for encouragement as he had spoken highly of the son and of the great love which he had manifested lest he should be thought to exclude the father from this he obscribes the glory to him also verse 17 now unto the king, eternal immortal, invisible the only wise god be honor and glory for ever and ever amen for these things then we glorify here let us argue with the heretics speaking of the father he says to the only god is the son then not god the only immortal is the son then not immortal or does he not possess that himself which hereafter he will give to us yes they say he is god and immortal but not such as the father what then is he of an inferior essence and therefore of inferior immortality what then is a greater and a lesser immortality for immortality is nothing less than the not being subject to destruction for there is a greater and a lesser glory but immortality does not admit being greater or less as neither there is a greater and a less health for a thing must either be destructible or altogether indestructible are we men then immortal even as he said surely not why because he has it by nature we adventitiously why then do you make the difference because the father he says is made such as he is by no other but the son is what he is from the father this we also confess not denying that the son is generated from the father incorruptibly when we glorify the father he means for having generated the son such as he is thus you see the father is most glorified when the son had done great things for the glory of the son is referred again to himself and since he generated him omnipotent and such as he is in himself it is not more the glory of the son than of the father that he is self sufficient and self maintained and free from infirmity it is being said of the son that he made the worlds now there is a distinction observed among us between creation and workmanship for one works and toils and executes another rules and why because he that executes is the inferior but it is not so there nor is the sovereignty with one the workmanship with the other for when we hear by whom he made the worlds we do not exclude the father from creation we say to the king immortal do we deny dominion to the son for these are common to the one and the other and each belongs to both the father created in that he begat the creating son the son rules as being lord of all things created for he does not work for a higher nor in obedience to others as workmen do among us but from his own goodness and love for mankind but has the son ever been seen no one can affirm this what means then to the king immortal invisible the only wise god or when it says there is no other name whereby we must be saved and again there is salvation and no other to him be honor and glory forever amen no honor and glory are not mere words and since he has honored us not by words only but by what he has done for us so let us honor him by works and deeds yet this honor touches us while that reaches not him for he needs not the honor that comes from us we do need that which is from him in honoring him therefore we do honor to ourselves he who opens his eyes to gaze on the light of the sun receives delight himself as he admires the beauty of the star but does no favor to that luminary nor increases its splendor for it continues what it was much more is this true with respect to God he who admires and honors God does so to his own salvation and highest benefit and how? because he follows after virtue and is honored by him for them that honor me he says I will honor how then is he honored if he enjoys no advantage from our honor just as he is said to hunger and thirst for he assumes everything that is ours that he may in any ways attract us to him he is said to receive honors and even insults that we may be afraid but with all this we are not attracted toward him let us then glorify God and bear God both in our body and in our spirit but how is one to glorify him in the body sayeth one and how in the spirit the soul is here called the spirit to distinguish it from the body but how may we glorify him in the body and in the spirit he glorifies him in the body who does not commit adultery or fornication who avoids gluttony and drunkenness who does not affect a showy exterior who makes such provision for himself as is sufficient for health only and so the woman who does not perfume or paint her person is required to be such as God made her and adds no device of her own for why does thou add thy own embellishments to the work which God made is not his workmanship sufficient for thee or does thou endeavor to add grace to it as if forsooth thou were the better artist it is not for thyself but to attract crowds of lovers that thou thus adornest thy person and insultest thy creator and do not say what can I do it is no wish of my own but I must do it for my husband I cannot win his love except I consent to this God made thee beautiful that he might be admired even in thy beauty and not that he might be insulted do not therefore make him so ill a return but requite him with modesty and chastity God made thee beautiful that he might increase the trials of thy modesty for it is much harder for one that is lovely to be modest than for one who has no such attractions for which to be courted why does Scripture tell us that Joseph was a goodly person and well favored but that we might the more admire his modesty coupled with beauty has God made thee beautiful why does thou make thyself otherwise for as though one should statue with a dobbling of mire so it is with those women that use paints thou besmirst thyself with red and white earth but the homely you say may fairly have recourse to this and why, to hide their ugliness it is a vain attempt for when was the natural appearance approved upon by that which is studied in artificial and why shouldest thou be troubled at thy want of beauty for here the saying of the wise man command not a man for his beauty neither abhor a man for his outward appearance let God be rather admired the best artificial and not man who has no merits in being such as he is what are the advantages tell me of beauty none it exposes its possessor to greater trials mishaps, pearls and suspicions she that wants it escapes suspicion she that possesses it except she practice a great and extraordinary reserve incurs an evil report and what is worse than all the suspicion of her husband who takes less pleasure in beholding her beauty than he suffers pain from jealousy and her beauty fades in his sight from familiarity while she suffers in her character from the imputation of weakness dispassion and wantonness and her very soul becomes degraded and full of haughtiness to these evils personal beauty is exposed but she who has not this attraction escapes unmolested the dogs do not assail her she is like a lamb reposing in a secure pasture where no wolf intrudes to harass her because the shepherd is at hand to protect her the real superiority is not that one is fair but that the other homely but it is a superiority that one even if she is not fair is unchaste and the other is not wicked tell me wherein is the perfection of eyes is it in there being soft and rolling and round and dark or in their clearness and quick-sightedness is it the perfection of a lamp to be elegantly formed and finally turned or to shine brightly and to enlighten the whole house do not say it is not this and the other is indifferent and this is the real object accordingly we often say to the maid whose charge it is you have made a bad lamp of it so entirely is it the use of a lamp to give light so it matters not what is the appearance of the eye whilst it forms its office with full efficiency we call the eye bad which is dim or disordered for that is bad which does not perform its proper office and this is the fault of eyes and for a nose tell me when is it a good one when is it straight and polished on either side and finally proportioned or when is it quick to receive odors and transmit them to the brain can anyone answer this come now let us illustrate this by an example as of grippers I mean the instruments so called we say those are well made which are able to take up and hold things not those which are only handsomely and elegantly shaped so those are good teeth which are fit for the service of dividing and chewing our food not those which are beautifully set and applying the same reasoning to other parts of the body we shall call those members beautiful which are sound and perform their proper functions so we think that any instruments or plants or animal good not because of its form or color but because it answers its purpose and he has thought a good servant who is useful and ready for our service not one who is comely but desolute I trust you now understand how it is in your power to be beautiful and since the greatest and most important benefits are equally enjoyed by all we are under no disadvantage whether we are beautiful or not we alike behold this universe, the sun, the moon and the stars we breed the same air we partake alike of water and the fruits of the earth and if we may say what will sound strange the homely are more healthy than the beautiful for these to preserve their beauty engage in no labor but give themselves up to indolence and delicate living by which their bodily energies are impaired whilst the others having no such care and attention simply and entirely on active pursuits let us then glorify God and take and bear him in our body let us not affect a beautiful appearance that care is vain and unprofitable let us not teach our husbands to admire the mere outward form for if such be thy adornment his very habit of viewing thy face will make him easy to be captivated by a harlot but if thou teach him to love good manners and modesty he will not be ready to wander for he will see no attractions in a harlot in whom those qualities are not found but the reverse neither teach him to be captivated by laughter nor by loose dress lest thou prepare a poison against thyself accustom him to delight in modesty this thou will do if thy attire be modest but if thou hast a flaunting air an unsteady manner to address him in a serious strain then who will not hold thee in contempt and derision but how is it possible to glorify God in the spirit by practicing virtue by adorning the soul for such embellishment is not forbidden thus we glorify God when we are good in every respect and we shall be glorified by him in a much higher degree in that great day I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us of which that we may be all partakers God grant by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ End of Homily 4 Homily 5 from the homilies on 1st Timothy by St. John Chrysostom translated by Philip Shaff this LibriVox recording is in the public domain 1st Timothy 1 verses 18 and 19 this charge I commit unto thee, Son Timothy according to the prophecies which went before on thee that thou by them mightest war a good warfare holding faith at a good conscience with some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck the office of a teacher and that of a priest is of great dignity and to bring forward one it requires a divine election so it was of old and so it is now when we make a choice without human passion not looking to any temporal consideration swayed neither by friendship nor by enmity for though we be not partakers of so great a measure of the spirit as they, yet a good purpose is sufficient to draw onto us the election of God for the apostles had received the Holy Spirit but having committed the matter to prayer they chose him into the number of the apostles but he looked not to human friendships so now too not to be with us we have advanced to the extreme of negligence and even what is clearly evident we let pass now when we overlook what is manifest how will God reveal to us what is unseen as it is said faithful and that which is little who will commit to you that which is great and true but then when nothing human was done the appointment of priests too was by prophecy what is by prophecy by the Holy Spirit for the prophecy is not only the telling of things future but also of the present it was by prophecy that Saul was discovered hidden among the stuff for God reveals things to the righteous so it was said by prophecy separate me Barnabas and Saul in this way Timothy also was chosen concerning whom he speaks of prophecies in the plural that perhaps upon which he took and circumcised him and when he ordained him as he himself says in his epistle to him neglect not the gift that is in thee therefore to elevate him and prepare him to be sober and watchful he reminds him by whom he was chosen in ordained as if he had said God hath chosen thee he gave thee thy commandments thou was not made by human vote do not therefore abuse or bring into disgrace the appointment of God when again he speaks of a charge which implies something burdensome he adds this charge I commit to thee son Timothy he charges him as his son his own son not so much with arbitrary or despotic authority as like a father he says my son Timothy the committing however implies that it is to be diligently kept and that is not our own for we did not obtain it for ourselves but God conferred it upon us and not it only but also faith and a good conscience what he hath given us then let us keep or if he had not come the faith had not been to be found nor that pure life which we learn by education as if he had said it is not that I charge thee but he who chose thee and this is meant by the prophecies that went before on thee listen to them obey them and say what charges thou that by them thou shouldest war a good warfare they chose thee which they chose thee do thou he named a good warfare since there is a bad warfare of which he says as ye have yielded your members instruments to uncleanliness and to iniquity those men serve under a tyrant but thou servest under a king and why calls he at a warfare to show how mighty a contest is to be maintained by all but especially a teacher with strong arms and sobriety and a wickedness and continual vigilance that we must prepare ourselves for blood and conflicts must be in battle array and have nothing relaxed that thou shouldest war in them he says for as in an army all do not serve in the same capacity but in their different stations so also in the church one has the office of a teacher in this and because this is not sufficient he adds verse 19 holding faith and a good conscience where he that would be a teacher must first teach himself whereas he who has not first been a good soldier will never be a general so it is with the teacher wherefore he sails elsewhere least when I have preached to others I myself should be a cast away holding faith he says and a good conscience when we hear this let us not disdain the exhortations of our superiors though we be teachers for Timothy to whom all of us together are not worthy to be compared receives commands and is instructed that he being himself in the teacher's office much more should we which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck and this follows naturally for when the life is corrupt and from this circumstance many are seen to fall into a gulf of evil and to turn aside into heathenism for that they may not be tormented with the fear of fraternity they endeavor to persuade their souls that what we preach is false and some turn aside from the faith who seek out everything by reasoning for reasoning produces shipwreck while faith is a safe ship they then who turn aside from the faith must suffer shipwreck and this he shows by an example verse 12 of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander and from them he would instruct us you see how even from those times there have been seducing teachers curious inquirers and men holding off from the faith and searching out by their own reasonings as the shipwrecked man is naked in destitute of all things so is he that falls away from the faith without resource he knows not where to stand or where to stay himself nor has he the advantage of a good life so as to gain anything from that quarter for when the head is disordered what avails the rest of the body and if faith without a good life is unavailing how much more is the converse true if God despises his own for our sakes much more ought we to despise our own for his sake for so it is where anyone falls away from the faith he has no steadiness he swims this way and that till at last he is lost in the deep whom I have delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme thus it is blasphemy to search into divine things by our own reasonings for what have human reasonings in common with them but how does Satan instruct them not to blaspheme can he instruct others who has not yet taught himself but is a blasphemer still is it not that he should instruct but that they should be instructed it is not he that does it though such is the result as elsewhere he says in the case of the fornicator to deliver such in one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh not that he may save the body but that the spirit may be saved therefore it is spoken impersonally how then is this affected as executioners though themselves Satan with numberless crimes are made the correctors of others so it is here with the evil spirit but why didest thou not punish them thyself as thou didst that bar jesus it as peter did in anias instead of delivering them to Satan it was not that they might be punished but that they might be instructed for that he had the power appears from other passages what will ye shall I come unto you with a rod and again lest I should use sharpness according to the power which the lord hath given me to edification and not to destruction why did he call upon Satan to punish them that the disgrace might be the greater as the severity and the punishment was more striking rather they themselves chastise those who did not yet believe but those who turned aside why then did peter punish in anias because wilst he was tempting the holy ghost he was still an unbeliever that the unbeliever therefore might learn that they could not escape they themselves inflicted punishment upon them but those who had learnt this yet afterwards turned aside they delivered to Satan showing that they were sustained not by their own power but by their care for them the power against were delivered to him or as kings with their own hands slay their enemies but deliver their subjects to executioners for punishment so it is in this case and these acts were done to show the authority committed to the apostles nor was it a slight power to be able thus to subject the devil to their commands for this shows that he served and obeyed them even against his will and this was no little proof of the power of grace and listen how he delivered them when ye are gathered together and my spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ to deliver such an one unto Satan he was then immediately expelled from the common assembly he was separated from the fold and became deserted and destitute he was delivered to the wolf whereas the cloud designated the camp of the Hebrews so the spirit distinguished the church if anyone therefore was without he was consumed by the judgment of the apostles that he was cast out of the pail so also the Lord delivered Judas to Satan for immediately after the Sop Satan entered into him or this may be said that those whom they wished to amend they did not themselves punish but reserved their punishments for those who were incorrigible in other words that they were the more dreaded for delivering them up to others Job also was delivered to Satan but not for his sins but for the proof of his worth many just instances still occur for since the priests cannot know who are sinners and who are unworthy partakers of the holy mystery God often in this way delivers them to Satan for when diseases and attacks and sorrows and calamities and the like occur is on this account that they are inflicted this is shown by Paul for this cause many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep but how sayeth one but once a year but this is indeed the evil that you determine the worthiness of your approach not by the purity of your minds but by the interval of the time you think it's a proper caution not to communicate often but considering that you are seared by partaking unworthily though only once but to receive worthily though often is salutary it is not presumptuous to receive often though it be once in a whole life but we are so miserably foolish that though we commit numberless offenses in the course of a year we are not anxious to be absolved from them but we are satisfied that we do not often make bold impudently to insult the body of Christ not remembering that those who crucified Christ crucified him but once is the offense then the less because committed it but once Judas betrayed his master but once but then did that exempt him from punishment? why indeed is time to be considered in this matter let our time of coming be when our conscience is pure the mystery at Easter is not of more efficacy than that which is now celebrated it is one and the same there is the same grace of the spirit it is always a Passover you who are initiated know this on the preparation on the Sabbath, on the Lord's day and on the day of martyrs it is the same sacrifice that is performed whereas often he sayeth as you eat this bread and drink this cup you do show the Lord's death no time is limited for the performance of this sacrifice why then is it then called the paschal feast because Christ suffered for us then let not the time therefore make any difference in your approach there is at all times the same power, the same dignity, the same grace one and the same body nor is one celebration of it more or less holy than another in this you know who see upon these occasions nothing new save these worldly veils and a more splendid attendance the only thing that these days have more is that from them commence the day of our salvation when Christ was sacrificed but with respect to these mysteries those days have no further preeminence when you approach to take bodily food you wash your hands and your mouth and when you draw nigh to this spiritual food you do not cleanse your soul but approach full of uncleanliness but you say aren't at the 40 days fasting sufficient to cleanse the huge heap of our sins but of what use is it tell me if wishing to store up some precious ungent you should make clean a place to receive it and a little after having laid it up upon it would not the fine odor vanish this takes place with us too we make ourselves to the best of our power worthy to approach then we defile ourselves again what then is the good of it this we say even of those who are able in those 40 days to wash themselves clean let us then I beseech you not neglect our salvation that our labor not be in vain for he who turns from his sins and goes and commits the same again is like a dog that returned it to his vomit but if we act as we ought and take heed to our ways we shall be thought worthy of those high rewards which that we may all attain God grant through the grace and loving kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ with whom etc end of homily 5