HOMILY XXII.] HOMILIES ON EPHESIANS. 157 we train them to regard the present world as nothing. Let this then be our task, to mold and to direct both ourselves and them according to what is right. Otherwise with what sort of boldness shall we stand before the judgment- seat of Christ? If a man who has unruly chil dren is unworthy to be a Bishop (Tit. i. 6), much more is he unworthy of the kingdom of Heaven. What sayest thou ? If we have an unruly wife, or unruly children, shall we have to render ac count ? Yes, we shall, if we do not with exact ness bring in that which is due from ourselves ; for our own individual virtue is not enough in order to salvation. If the man who laid aside the one talent gained nothing, but was punished even in such a manner, it is plain that one s own individual virtue is not enough in order to salva tion, but there is need of that of another also. Let us therefore entertain great solicitude for our wives, and take great care of our children, and of our servants, and of ourselves. And in our government both of ourselves and of them, let us beseech God that He aid us in the work. If He shall see us interested in this work, and solicitous about it, He will aid us ; but if He shall see us paying no regard to it, He will not give us His hand. For He does not vouchsafe us His assistance when we sleep, but when we labor also ourselves. For a helper, (as the name implies,) is not a helper of one that is inactive, but of one who works also himself. But the good God is able of Himself to bring the work to perfection, thatwe may be all counted worthy to attain to the blessings promised us, through the grace and compassions of His only begotten Son, with Whom together with the Holy Ghost be unto the Father, glory, might, and honor, now and ever, and throughout all ages. Amen. HOMILY XXII EPHESIANS vi. 5-8. " Servants, be obedient unto them that, according to the flesh, are your masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as \rnto Christ; not in the way of eye-service, as men-pleasers : but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart ; with good-will doing service, as unto the Lord, and not unto men : knowing that whatsoever good thing each one doeth, the same shall he receive again from the Lord, whether he be bond or free." THUS then it is not husband only, nor wife, nor children, but virtuous servants also that contrib ute to the organization and protection of a house. Therefore the blessed Paul has not over looked this department even. He comes to it, however, in the last place, because it is last in dignity and rank. Still he addresses much dis course also to them, no longer in the same tone as to children, but in a far more advanced way, inasmuch as he does not hold out to these the promise in this world, but in that which is to come. " Knowing," saith he, " that whatsoever good or evil 1 thing each one doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord," and thus at once instructs them to love wisdom. For though they be inferior to the children in dignity, still in mind they are superior to them. "Servants," saith he, "be obedient to them that, according to the flesh, are your masters." 1 [The words, " or evil," j KOJCOV, are not in the text of this pas sage at all, though Chrysostom has them. Chrysostom and the Patristic writers in general often quote the New Testament without exactness. They quote often from memory, and are seldom critical. Cf. Schaff, Companion to Greek Testament, p. 164. G. A.J Thus at once he raises up, at once soothes the wounded soul. Be not grieved, he seems to say, that you are inferior to the wife and the children. Slavery is nothing but a name. The mastership is "according to the flesh," briefand temporary ; 2 for whatever is of the flesh, is transitory. "With fear," he adds, "and trembling." Thou seest that he does not require the same fear from slaves as from wives : for in that case he simply said, " and let the wife see that she fear her husband " ; whereas in this case he heightens the expression, " with fear," he saith, " and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ." This is what he constantly says. What meanest thou, blessed Paul? He is a brother, or rather he has become a brother, he enjoys the same privileges, he belongs to the same body. Yea, more, he is the brother, not of his own master only, but also of the Son of God, he is partaker of all the same privileges ; yet sayest thou, " obey your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling " ? Yes, for this very reason, he would say, I say it. F"or if I charge free men to submit themselves one to another in the fear of God, as he said above, " submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of Christ " ; if I charge moreover the wife to fear and reverence her husband, although she is his equal ; much more must I so speak to the 2 [" Wrong. It means those who are your human masters, in istinction from Christ, the divine master." Meyer. O. A. a ["With fear and trembling, i.e. with that zeal which is ever eenly apprehensive of not doing enough." Meyer. U. A.