HOMILY II.] HOMILIES ON TIMOTHY. 413 to have 1 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. Ver. 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" (Matt, xxiii. 8) ; and the Apostle again, " For neither do they keep the law, but that they may glory in your flesh." (Gal. vi. 13.) They desire preeminence, he means, and on that account disregard truth. " Understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm." Here he censures them, because they know not the end and aim 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, 2 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, it drops into contentiousness, and the eye of the mind is blinded. For he that is possessed by any desire for these temporal things, intoxi cated, as he is, with passion, cannot be an im partial judge of truth.3 " Not knowing whereof they affirm." For it is probable that they spoke of the law, and enlarged on its purifications and other bodily rites. The Apostle then forbearing to censure these, as either nothing, or at best a shadow 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 use less to us, much more the others. Ver. 8, 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 law fully, is it not good? Nay, even so it is good. But what he means is this ; if any one fulfills it in his actions ; for that is to " use it lawfully/ as here intended. But when they expound it in their words, and neglect it in their deeds, that is using it unlawfully. For such an one uses it, but not to his own profit. And another way may be named besides. What is it? that the law, if thou use it aright, sends thee to Christ. For since its aim is to justify man, and it fails 1 Montf. would insert Bel, " so that we have need of the direc tion," and so old Lat. 2 i.e. as being attached to it. 3 So Horace : Male venint examinat omnis, Comtptus judex, 111 holds that judge the balances of truth, Who takes a bribe. i Ep. xvi. 52. to effect this, it remits us to Him who can do so. Another way again of using the law law fully, is when we keep it, but as a thing super fluous. And how as a thing superfluous? As the bridle is properly used, not by the prancing horse that champs it, but by that which wears it only for the sake of appearance, so he uses the law lawfully, who governs himself, though not as constrained by the letter of it. He 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,4 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 condem nation of conscience than the punishment here after. Moreover he calls him a righteous man, who has attained unto virtue. He therefore 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 knowl edge, 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 at reward. He that is under the law doth it not as he that is above the law. For 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, " Wilt thou not be afraid of the power ? do that which is good" (Rom. xiii. 3) : 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 hath some hurt, and not to the sound and healthy man. " But for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners." He calls the Jews " lawless and disobedient " too. " The law (he says) worketh wrath," that is, to the evil doers. But what to him who is deserving of reward ? " By the law is the knowledge of sin." (Rom. iii. 20.) What then with respect to the righteous ? " the law is not made," he says, "for a righteous man." Wherefore? Be cause he is exempted from its punishment, and Oderutitpeccare botii virtntis amore. Tis love of virtue makes good men hate vice. Hor.