HOMILY XVII.] HOMILIES ON.TIMOTHY. 467 and we with great strictness exact services from them, whilst to God we hardly render the small est portion, though the advantage of it would redound to ourselves. For the more zealously we serve God, the greater gainers we shall be. Let us not then deprive ourselves of such im portant benefits. For God is self-sufficient, and wants nothing ; the recompense and the advan tage reverts altogether to us. Let us therefore, I beseech you, be so affected, as serving not God but ourselves, and with fear and trembling let us serve Him, that we may obtain the prom ised blessings, through Jesus Christ our Lord, with whom, &c. HOMILY XVII. i TIMOTHY vi. 2-7. " These things teach and exhort. If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; he is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, suppos ing that gain is godliness : from such withdraw thy self. But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we bronght nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out." A TEACHER has need not only of authority, but of gentleness, and not only of gentleness, but of authority. And all these the blessed Paul teaches, at one time saying, " These things com mand and teach" (i Tim. iv. u) ; at another, " These things teach and exhort." 1 For if phy sicians entreat the sick, not for the benefit of their own health, but that they may relieve their sickness, and restore their prostrate strength, much more ought we to observe this method, of entreating thosewhomwe teach. For the blessed Paul does not refuse to be their servant : " We preach not ourselves," he says, " but Christ Jesus the Lord ; and ourselves your servants for Jesus sake" (2 Cor. iv. 5); and again, "All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos." (i Cor. iii. 12.) And in this service he serves with alacrity, for it is not slavery, but superior to freedom. For He says, " Whoever committeth sin is the servant of sin." (John viii. 34.) " If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing." Presumption therefore arises not from knowledge, but from " knowing nothing." For he that knows the doctrines of godliness is also the most disposed to moderation. He who knows sound words, is not unsound. For what inflammation is in the body, that pride is in the soul. And as we do not in the first case say that 1 Or "entreat." the inflamed part is sound, so neither do we here consider the arrogant. It is possible then to be knowing, and yet to know nothing. For he that knows not what he ought to know, knows nothing. And that pride arises from knowing nothing is manifest from hence. Christ " made Himself of no reputation" (Phil. ii. 7), he there fore who knows this will not be high-minded. Man hath nothing except from God, therefore he will not be high-minded. " For what hast- thou that thou didst not receive?" (i Cor. iv. 7.) He washed the feet of His disciples, how can he who knows this be setting himself up ? Therefore He says, "When ye have done all, say we are unprofitable servants." (Luke xvii. 10.) The publican was accepted only from his humility, the Pharisee perished by his boastful- ness. He who is puffed up knoweth none of these things. Again, Christ Himself says, " If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil ; but if well, why smitest thou me?" (John xviii. 23.) "Doting 2 about questions." To question then is to dote. "And strifes of words" ; this is justly said. For when the soul is fevered with reasonings, and stormy, then it questions, but when it is in a sound state, it does not question, but receives the faith. But from questionings and strifes ofwords nothing can be discovered. For when the things which faith only promises are received by an inquisitive spirit, it neither demonstrates them, nor suffers us to understand them. If one should close his eyes, he would not be able to find anything he sought : or if, again with his eyes open, he should bury him self, and exclude the sun, he would be unable to find anything, thus seeking. So without faith nothing can be discerned, but contentions must needs arise. " \Vhereof come railings, evil sur misings " ; that is, erroneous opinions and doc trines arising from questionings. For when we begin to question, then we surmise concerning God things that we ought not.