436 WORKS OF ST. CHRYSOSTOM. [HOMILY IX. band " : so that he transgressed, not captivated by appetite, but merely from the persuasion of his wife. The woman taught once, and ruined all. On this account therefore he saith, let her not teach. But what is it to other women, that she suffered this ? It certainly concerns them ; for the sex is weak and fickle, and he is speak ing of the sex collectively. For he says not Eve, but "the woman," which is the common name of the whole sex, not her proper name. Was then the whole sex included in the trans gression for her fault? As he said of Adam, "After the similitude of Adam s transgression, who is the figure of Him that was to come " (Rom. v. 14) ; so here the female sex trans gressed, and not the male. Shall not women then be saved? Yes, by means of children. For it is not of Eve that he says, " If they con tinue in faith and charity and holiness with so briety." What faith? what charity? what holi ness with sobriety? It is as if he had said, " Ye women, be not cast down, because your sex has incurred blame. God has granted you another opportunity of salvation, by the bringing up of children, so that you are saved, not only by yourselves, but by others." See how many questions are involved in this matter. " The woman," he says, " being deceived was in the transgression." What woman? Eve. Shall she then be saved by child-bearing? He does not say that, but, the race of women shall be saved. Was not it then involved in transgression ? Yes, it was, still Eve transgressed, but the whole sex shall be saved, notwithstanding, " by childbear- ing." And why not by their own personal vir tue? For has she excluded others from this salvation? And what will be the case with vir gins, with the barren, with widows who have lost their husbands, before they had children? will they perish ? is there no hope for them ? yet virgins are held in the highest estimation. What then does he mean to say ? Some interpret his meaning thus. As what happened to the first woman occasioned the subjection of the whole sex, (for since Eve was formed second and made subject, he says, let the rest of the sex be in subjection,) so because she transgressed, the rest of the sex are also in transgression. But this is not fair reasoning ; for at the creation all was the gift of God, but in this case, it is the consequence of the woman s sin. But this is the amount of what he says. As all men died through one, because that one sinned, so the whole female race transgressed, because the woman was in the transgression. Let her not however grieve. God hath given her no small consolation, that of childbearing. And if it be said that this is of nature, so is that 1 1 The sense is obscure, but he seems to mean, " the ordinaryway of salvation," and by " consolation," a way of obtaining relief from also of nature ; for not only that which is of nature has been granted, but also the bringing up of children. " If they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety " ; that is, if after childbearing, they keep them 2 in charity and purity. By these means they will have no small reward on their account, because they have trained up wrestlers for the service of Christ. By holiness he means good life, mod esty, and sobriety. Chap. iii. ver. i. "This is a faithful saying." This relates to the present subject, not to what follows, respecting the office of a Bishop. For as it was doubted, he affirms it to be a true saying, that fathers may be benefited by the virtue of their children, and mothers also, when they have brought them up well. But what if she be herself addicted to wickedness and vice ? Will she then be benefited by the bringing up of children? Is it not probable that she will bring them up to be like herself? It is not therefore of any woman, but of the virtuous woman, that it is said she shall receive a great recompense for this also. MORAL. Hear this, ye fathers and mothers, that your bringing up of children shall not lose its reward. This also he says, as he proceeds, " Well reported of for good works ; if she have brought up children." (i Tim. v. 10.) Among other commendations he reckons this one, for it is no light praise to devote to God those chil dren which are given them of God. For if the basis, the foundation which they lay be good, great will be their reward ; as great, if they neg lect it, will be their punishment. It was on ac count of his children that Eli perished. For he ought to have admonished them, and indeed he did admonish them, but not as he ought ; but from his unwillingness to give them pain he de stroyed both himself and them. Hear this, ye fathers, bring your children up with great care " in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." (Eph. vi. 4.) Youth is wild, and requires many governors, teachers, directors, attendants, and tutors ; and after all these, it is a happiness if it be restrained. For as a horse not broken in, or a wild beast untamed, such is youth. But if from the beginning, from the earliest age, we fix it in good rules, much pains will not be required afterwards ; for good habits formed will be to them as a law. Let us not suffer them to do anything which is agreeable, but injurious ; nor let us indulge them, as forsooth but children. Especially let us train them in chastity, for there is the very bane of youth. For this many strug gles, much attention will be necessary. Let us take wives for them early, so that their brides the consequences of sin. See on Stat. Horn. ii. 19, and napafjivffia. elsewhere. - i.e. their children. Colb. eavrovs, which cannot be right.