460 WORKS OF ST. CHRYSOSTOM. [HOMILY XV, the women will be able to correct that indolence and vanity of mind. But why, since some have fallen away, does he not say that much care is to be taken of them, that they may not fall into the error he has mentioned ? Why has he commanded them to marry? Because marriage is not forbidden, and it is a safeguard to them. Wherefore he adds, that they " give none occasion," or handle, " to the adversary to speak reproachfully. For some are already turned aside after Satan." Such widows as these then he would have re fused, not meaning that there should be no younger widows, but that there should be no adulteresses, that none should be idle, busy- bodies, speaking things that they ought not, that no occasion should be given to the adver sary. Had nothing of this kind taken place, he would not have forbidden them. Ver. 1 6. " If any man or woman that believ- eth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the Church be charged, that it may relieve them that are widows indeed." Observe how again he speaks of those as "widows indeed," who are left destitute, and have no resource from any other quarter. It was better to have it so. For thus two great ob jects were attained. Those J had an oppor tunity of doing good, whilst these were honor ably maintained, and the Church not burdened. And he has well said, "If any believer." For it is not fit that believing women should be maintained by unbelievers, lest they should seem to stand in need of them. And observe how persuasively he speaks ; he has not said, " let them maintain them expensively," but "let them relieve them." "That the Church," he says, " may relieve them that are widows in deed." She therefore has the reward of this help also, for she that helps the Church, helps not her only, but those widows too whom the Church is thus enabled to maintain more bounti fully. " I will therefore that the younger widows " do what? live in luxury and pleasure? By no means ; but " marry, bear children, guide the house." That he may not be supposed to encourage them to live luxuriously, he adds, that they give no occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully. They ought indeed to have been superior to the things of this world, but since they are not, let them abide in them at least upright. Ver. 17, 18. "Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word and doctrine. For the Scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the 1 Gr. fern, referring to the widows kept by their relations, see Horn. xiii. and xiv., or perhaps to ivotnen relieving them. See be low, 1. 9 of this page. Downes, missing the sense, guesses it should be fKflvoi. ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The laborer is worthy of his reward." The " honor " of which he here speaks is at tention to them, and the supply of their neces sities, as is shown by his adding, " Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn" (Deut. xxv. 4) ; and, "The laborer is worthy of his reward." (Luke x. 7.) So when he says, "Honor widows," he means, "support" them in all that is necessary. Thus he says, " That it may relieve those that are widows indeed " ; and again, " Honor widows that are widows in deed," that is, who are in poverty, for the greater their poverty, the more truly are they widows. He alleges the Law, he alleges the words of Christ, both agreeing herein. For the Law says, " Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn." See how he would have the teacher labor ! For there is not, indeed there is not, any other labor such as his. But this is from the Law. But how does he quote from Christ? "The laborer is worthy of his reward." Let us not then look only to the reward, but to the terms of the commandment. " The laborer," he says, " is worthy of his reward." So that if any one lives in sloth and luxury, he is unworthy of it. Unless he is as the ox treading out the corn, and bearing the yoke, in spite of heat and thorns, and ceases not till he has carried the corn into the -granary, he is not worthy. Therefore to teachers should be granted a supply of their necessities without grudging, that they may not faint nor be discouraged, nor by attention to inferior things deprive them selves of greater ; that they may labor for spiritual things, paying no regard to worldly things. It was thus with the Levites ; they had no worldly concerns, because the laity took care to provide for them, and their revenues were appointed by the law, as tythes, offerings of gold, 2 first-fruits, vows, and many other things. And the law properly assigned these things to them, as seeking things present. But I shall say no more than that those who preside ought to have food and raiment, that they may not be distracted by care for these things. But what is double support? Double that of the widows, or of the deacons, or simply, liberal support. Let us not then think only of the double main tenance granted them, but of what is added, "Those who rule well." And what is it to rule well? Let us hear Christ,Who says, "The good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep." (John x. ii.) Thus to rule well is, from our concern for them, never to spare ourselves. " Especially those who labor in the word and doctrine." Where then are those who say that there is no occasion for the word and doctrine ? - Colb. omits this clause; it is perhaps too bold to guess ra airc \v Bv<riui\ , for xpv<rcun , making it, " the share of the sacrifices."