HOMILY VIII.] HOMILIES ON TIMOTHY. 433 ation is not of the place but of the manner of the prayer ; " pray everywhere," but " every where lift up holy hands." That is the thing re quired. And what is "holy"? 1 Pure. And what is pure ? Not washed with water, but free from covetousness, murder, rapacity, violence, " with out wrath and doubting." What means this? Who is angry when he prays? It means, with out bearing malice. Let the mind of him that prays be pure, freed from all passion. Let no one approach God in enmity, or in an unamiable temper, or with "doubting." What is "without doubting " ? Let us hear. It implies that we should have no misgiving but that we shall be heard. For it is said, "whatever ye ask believ ing ye shall receive." (Matt. xxi. 22.) And again, " when ye stand praying forgive, if ye have aught against any one." (Mark xi. 25.) This is to pray without wrath and doubting. But how can I believe that I shall obtain my request? By asking nothing opposed to that which He is ready to grant, nothing unworthy of the great King, nothing worldly, but all spiritual blessings ; if you approach Him " with out wrath," having pure hands, " holy hands " : hands employed in almsgiving are holy. Ap proach Him thus, and you will certainly obtain your request. " For if ye being evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father which is in Heaven give good things to them that ask Him? " (Matt. vii. n.) By doubting he means misgiving. In like manner he says, I will that women approach God without wrath and doubting, lifting up holy hands : that they should not follow their own desires, nor be covetous or rapacious. For what if a woman does not rob or steal herself, but does it through means of her husband? Paul however requires something more of women, that they adorn themselves " in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety ; not with broidered hair or gold or pearls or costly array ; but (which becometh women professing god liness) with good works." But what is this " modest apparel "? Such attire as covers them completely, and decently, not with superfluous ornaments, for the one is becoming, the other is not. MORAL. What? Dost thou approach God to pray, with broidered hair and ornaments of gold? Art thou come to a dance? to a mar riage ? to a gay procession ? There such a broidery, such costly garments, had been season able, here not one of them is wanted. Thou art come to pray, to supplicate for pardon of thy sins, to plead for thine offenses, beseeching the Lord, and hoping to render Him propitious to thee. Why dost thou adorn thyself? This is not the dress of a suppliant. How canst thou groan? How canst thou weep? How pray with fervency, when thus attired? Shouldest thou weep, thy tears will be the ridicule of the be holders. She that weeps ought not to be wear ing gold. It were but acting, and hypocrisy. For is it not acting to pour forth tears from a soul so overgrown with extravagance and am bition? Away with such hypocrisy ! God is not mocked ! This is the attire of actors and dancers, that live upon the stage. Nothing of this sort becomes a modest woman, who should be adorned " with shamefacedness and sobriety." Imitate not therefore the courtesans. For by such a dress they allure their many lovers ; and hence many have incurred a disgraceful suspicion, and, instead of gaining any advantage from their ornaments, have injured many 2 by bearing this character. For as the adulteress, though shemay have a character for modesty, de rives no benefit from that character, in the Day, when He who judges the secrets of men shall make all things manifest ; so the modest woman, if she contrive by this dress to pass for an adul teress, will lose the advantage of her chastity. For many have suffered harm by this opinion. " What can I do," thou sayest, " if another sus pects me?" But thou givest the occasion by thy dress, thy looks, thy gestures. It is for this reason that Paul discourses much of dress and much of modesty. And if he would remove those things which are only the indications of wealth, as gold, and pearls, and costly array ; howmuch more those things which imply studied ornament, as painting, coloring the eyes, a mincing gait, the affected voice, a languishing and wanton look ; the exquisite care in putting on the cloak and bodice, the nicely wrought girdle, and the closely-fitted shoes? For he glances at all these things, in speaking of " modest apparel " and "shamefacedness." For such things are shameless and indecent. Bear with me, I beseech you, for it is not my aim by this plain reproof to wound or pain you, but to remove from my flock all that is unbe coming to them. But if these prohibitions are addressed to those who have husbands, who are rich, and live luxuriously ; much more to those who have professed virginity. But what virgin, you say, wears gold, or broidered hair? Yet there may be such a studied nicety in a simple dress, as that these are nothing to it. You may study appearance in a common garment more than those who wear gold. For when a very dark colored robe is drawn closely round the breast with the girdle (as dancers on the stage are attired), with such nicety that it may neither 2 He means either by jealousy or temptation.