HOMILY XL] HOMILIES ON TIMOTHY. 441 For there will be wailing inconsolable, all wit nessing each other s torments. Do they who are famishing derive comfort in their distress from the participation of others? It is no con solation surely to see a son, a father, a wife, or grandchildren, suffering the same punishment. If one sees friends in such a case, is it any com fort? None ! None ! It rather adds to the intensity of our own sufferings ! Besides, there are evils, which by reason of their severity can not be mitigated by beingcommon. If two men were together thrown into the fire, would they comfort one another ? Tell me ; if we have ever been attacked by a violent fever, have we not found that all consolation has failed us ? for there are calamities, so overwhelming as to leave no room for comfort in the soul. When a wife has lost her husband, is it a lessening of her grief to number up the many who have suffered the like loss ? Let us not therefore be supported by any such hope, rather let us find our sole consolation in repenting of our sins, in pursuing the good path that leads to Heaven, that we may obtain the kingdom of Heaven, by the grace and lovingkindness of Jesus Christ our Lord, with whom, &c. HOMILY XI i TIMOTHY iii. 8-10. " Likewise must the Deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given much to wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience, j And let these also first be proved : then let them use the office of a Deacon, being found blameless." DISCOURSING of Bishops, and having described their character, and the qualities which they ought to possess, and having passed over the order of Presbyters, he proceeds to that of Deacons. The reason of this omission was, that between Presbyters and Bishops there was no great difference. Both had undertaken the office of Teachers and Presidents in the Church, and what he has said concerning Bishops is applica ble to Presbyters. For they are only superior in having the power of ordination, and seem to have no other advantage over Presbyters. " Likewise the Deacons." That is, they should have the same qualities as Bishops. And what are these same ? To be blameless, sober, hospi table, patient, not brawlers, not covetous. And that he means this when he says "likewise," is evident from what he says in addition, " grave, not doubletongued " ; that is, not hollow or deceitful. For nothing so debases a man as deceit, nothing is so pernickms in the Church as insincerity. " Not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience." Thus he ex plains what he means by " blameless." And here he requires, though in other words, that he be " not a novice," where he says, " Let these also first be proved," where the conjunction " also " is added, as connecting this with what had been said before of Bishops, for nothing intervenes between. And there is the same reason 1 for the "not a novice" in that case. For would it not be absurd, that when a newly purchased slave is not entrusted with anything in a house, till he has by long trial given proofs of his character, yet that one should enter into the Church of God from a state of heathenism, and be at once placed in a station of preemi nence ? Ver. ii." Even so must the women 2 be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things." Some have thought that this is said ofwomen generally, but it is not so, for why should he introduce anything about women to interfere with his subject? He is speaking of those who hold the rank of Deaconesses. Ver. 12. "Let the Deacons be husbands of one wife." This 3 must be understood therefore to relate to Deaconesses. For that order is necessary and useful and honorable in the Church. Ob serve how he requires the same virtue from the Deacons, as from the Bishops, for though they were not of equal rank, they must equally be blameless ; equally pure. " Ruling their children and their own houses well." Ver. 13. " For they that have used the office of a Deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and much boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus." Everywhere they are required to rule their children well, that others may not be scandal ized by their misconduct. " They that use the office of a Deacon well, purchase to themselves a good degree," that is, advancement, " and much boldness in the faith of Jesus Christ " ; as if he would say, that those 1 He had not noticed this reason on the passage, probably be cause he considered that St. Paul purposely deferred it to this place. * E. V.: "Their wives. " Women."] 3 i.e. the verse before. The other is literal. [R. V.: