536 WORKS OF ST. CHRYSOSTOM. [HOMILY V. him, who do you think would not be overcome at hearing of such kindness ? But do not think that grace stops at the pardon of former sins it secures us against them in future, for this also is of grace. Since if He were never to punish those who still do amiss, this would not be so much grace, as encouragement to evil and wick edness. " For the grace of God," he says, " hath ap peared, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, right eously, and godly in the present world ; looking for the blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." See, how together with the rewards he places the virtue. And this is of grace, to deliver us from worldly things, and to lead us to Heaven. He speaks here of two appearings ; for there are two ; the first of grace, the second of retri bution and justice. " That denying ungodliness," he says, " and worldly lusts." See here the foundation of all virtue. He has not said "avoiding," but "denying." De nying implies the greatest distance, the greatest hatred and aversion. With as much resolution and zeal as they turned from idols, with so much let them turn from vice itself, and worldly lusts. For these too are idols, that is, worldly lusts, and covetousness, and this he names idolatry. Whatever things are useful for the present life are worldly lusts, 1 whatever things perish with the present life are worldly lusts. Let us then have nothing to do with these. Christ came, " that we should deny ungodliness." 2 Ungodli ness relates to doctrines, worldly lusts to a wicked life. " And should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present world." Dost thou see, what I always affirm, that it is not sobriety only to abstain from fornication, but that we must be free from other passions. So then he who loves wealth is not sober. For as the fornicator loves women, so the other loves money, and even more inordinately, for he is not impelled by so strong a passion. And he is certainly a more powerless 3 charioteer who cannot manage a gentle horse, than he who can not restrain a wild and unruly one. What then ? says he, is the love of wealth weaker than the love of women? This is manifest from many reasons. In the first place, lust springs from the necessity of nature, and what arises from this necessity must be difficult to restrain, since it is implanted in our nature. Secondly, because the ancients had no regard for wealth, but forwomen they had great regard, in respect oftheir chastity. 1 Two MSS. add, " Whatever things go not with us to heaven are worldly lusts." 2 acre^eiaf. 3 OKpar!)?. And no one blamed him who cohabited with his wife according to law, even to old age, but all blamed him who hoarded money. And many of the Heathen philosophers despised money, but none ofthem were indifferent to women, so that this passion is more imperious than the other. But since we are addressing the Church, let us not take our examples from the Heathens, but from the Scriptures. This then the blessed Paul places almost in the rank of a command. " Having food and raiment, let us be therewith content." 4 (i Tim. vi. 8.) But concerning women he says, " Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent" and "come to gether again." (i Cor. vii. -5.) And you see him often laying down rules for a lawful inter course, and he permits the enjoyment of this desire, and allows of a second marriage, and bestows much .consideration upon the matter, and never punishes on account of it. But he everywhere condemns him that is fond of money. Concerning wealth also Christ often commanded that we should avoid the corruption of it, but He says nothing about abstaining from a wife. For hear what He says concerning money; "Whosoever forsaketh not all that he hath" (Luke xiv. 33) ; but he nowhere says, "Who soever forsaketh not his wife " ; for he knew how imperious that passion is. And the blessed Paul says, " Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled " (Heb. xiii. 4) ; but he has nowhere said that the care of riches is honorable, but the reverse. Thus he says to Timothy, " They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts." (i Tim. vi. 9.) He says not, they that will be covetous, but, they that will be rich. And that you may learn from the common notions the true state of this matter, it must be set before you generally. If a man were once for all deprived of money, he would no longer be tormented with the desire of it, for nothing so much causes the desire of wealth, as the pos session of it. But it is not so with respect to lust, but many who have been made eunuchs have not been freed from the flame that burned within them, for the desire resides in other organs, being seated inwardly in our nature. To what purpose then is this said ? Because the covetous is more intemperate than the fornica tor, inasmuch as the former gives way to a weaker passion. Indeed it proceeds less from passion than from baseness of mind. But lust is natural, so that if a man does not approach a woman, nature performs her part and operation. But there is nothing of this sort in the case of avarice. * Two MSS. and Old Lat. add, " And about virgins what says he? I have nocommandment of the Lord." " Which Montf. rejects with little reason.