HOMILY X.] HOMILIES ON TIMOTHY. 437 may receive their bodies pure and unpolluted, so their loves will be more ardent. He that is chaste before marriage, much more will he be chaste after it ; and he that practiced fornica tion before, will practice it after marriage. " All bread," it is said, "is sweet to the fornicator." ; (Ecclus. xxiii. 17.) Garlands are wont to be | worn on the heads of bridegrooms, as a symbol of victory, betokening that they approach the marriage bed unconquered by pleasure. But if captivated by pleasure he has given himselfup to harlots, why does he wear the garland, since he has been subdued? Let us admonish them of these things. Let us employ sometimes advice, sometimes warn ings, sometimes threatening. In children we have a great charge committed to us. Let us bestow great care upon them, and do every thing that the Evil One may not rob us of them. But now our practice is the very reverse of this. We take all care indeed to have our farm in good order, and to commit it to a faithful man ager, we look out for it an ass-driver, and mule teer, and bailiff, and a clever accomptant. But we do not look out for what is much more im portant, for a person to whom we may commit our son as the guardian of his morals, though this is a possession much more valuable than all others. It is for him indeed that we take such care of our estate. We take care of our posses sions for our children, but of the children them selves we take no care at all. What an absurdity is this ! Form the soul of thy son aright, and all the rest will be added hereafter. If that is not good, he will derive no advantage from his wealth, and if it is formed to goodness he will suffer no harm from poverty. Wonkiest thou leave him rich ? teach him to be good : for so he will be able to acquire wealth, or if not, he will not fare worse than they who possess it. But if he be wicked, though you leave him bound less wealth, you leave him no one to take care of it, and you render him worse than those who are reduced to extreme poverty. For poverty is better than riches for those children who are not well-disposed. For it retains them in some degree of virtue even against their will. Whereas money does not suffer those who would be sober to continue so, it leads them away, ruins them, and plunges them into infinite dangers. Mothers, be specially careful to regulate your daughters well ; for the management of them is easy. Be watchful over them, that they may be keepers at home. Above all, instruct them to be pious, modest, despisers of wealth, indifferent to ornament. In this way dispose of them in marriage. For if you form them in this way, you will save not only them, but the husband who is destined to marry them, and not the husband only, but the children, not the children only, but the grandchildren. For the root being made good, good branches will shoot forth, and still become better, and for all these you will receive a reward. Let us do all things there fore, as benefiting not only one soul, but many through that one. For they ought to go from their father s house to marriage, as combatants from the school of exercise, furnished with all necessary knowledge, and to be as leaven able to transform the whole lump to its own virtue. And let your sons be so modest, as to be dis tinguished for their steadiness and sobriety, that they may receive great praise both from God and men. Let them learn to govern their ap petites, to avoid extravagance, to be good econ omists, affectionate, and submissive to rule. For so they will be able to secure a good reward to their parents, so all things will be done to the glory of God, and to our salvation, through Christ Jesus our Lord, with whom, &c. HOMILY X. i TIMOTHY iii. 1-4. " If a man desire the office of a Bishop, he desireth a good work. A Bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behav ior, given to hospitality, apt to teach; not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of lilthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity." As now proceeding to discourse of the Epis copal office, he sets out with showing what sort of a person a Bishop ought to be. And here he does not do it as in the course of his exhorta tion to Timothy, but addresses all, and instructs others through him. And what says he ? " If a man desire the office of a Bishop," I do not blame him, for it is a work of protection. If any one has this desire, so that he does not covet the dominion and authority, but wishes to protect the Church, I blame him not. "For he desireth a good work." Even Moses desired