34 WORKS OF ST. CHRYSOSTOM. [HOMILY X. to be instructed in high doctrines as yet lacking to them, or because that for persons who had been comforted under trials, it were superfluous to hear on these subjects. So that I conjecture, that in this place the Church was now well- grounded, and that these things are said as in finishing. Ver. 1 8. "Wives, be in subjection to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord." That is, be subject for God s sake, because this adorneth you, he saith, not them. For I mean not that subjection which is due to a mas ter, nor yet that alone which is of nature, but that for God s sake. Ver. 19. " Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them." See how again he has exhorted to reciprocity. As in the other case he enjoineth fear and love, so also doth he here. For it is possible for one who love* even, to be bitter. What he saith then is this. Fight not ; for nothing is more bitter than this fighting, when it takes place on the part of the husband toward the wife. For the fightings which happen between beloved persons, these are bitter ; and he shows that it ariseth from great bitterness, when, saith he, any one is at variance with his own member. To love therefore is the husband s part, to yield pertains to the other side. If then each one contributes his own part, all stands firm. From being loved, the wife too becomes loving ; and from her being submissive, the husband becomes yielding. And see how in nature also it hath been so ordered, that the one should love, the other obey. Forwhen the party governing loves the governed, then everything stands fast. Love from the governed is not so requisite, as from the governing towards the governed ; for from the other obedience is due. For that thewoman hath beauty, and the man desire, shows nothing else than that for the sake of love it hath been made so. Do not therefore, because thy wife is subject to thee, act the despot ; nor because thy husband loveth thee, be thou puffed up. Let neither the husband s love elate the wife, nor the wife s subjection puff up the husband. For this cause hath He subjected her to thee, that she may be loved the more. For this cause He hath made thee to be loved, O wife, that thou mayest easily bear thy subjection. Fear not in being a subject ; for subjection to one that loveth thee hath no hardship. Fear not in loving, for thou hast her yielding. In no other way then could a bond have been. Thou hast then thine au thority of necessity, proceeding from nature ; maintain also the bond that proceedeth from love, for this alloweth the weaker to be endur able. 1 1 avexTriv. He seems to mean," to be in an endurable position." [Downes suggested, and Field inclines to approve, that the reading Ver. 20. " Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing in the Lord." Again he has put that, " in the Lord," at once laying down the laws of obedience, and shaming them, and casting them down. For this, saith he, is well-pleasing to the Lord. See how he would have us do all not- from nature only, but, prior to this, from what is pleasing to God, that we may also have reward. Ver. 21. " Fathers, provoke not your children, that they be not discouraged." Lo ! again here also is subjection and love. And he said not, " Love your children," for it had been superfluous, seeing that nature itself constraineth to this ; but what needed correc tion he corrected ; that the love should in this case also be the more vehement, because that the obedience is greater. For it nowhere lays down as an exemplification the relation of hus band and wife; but what? hear the prophet saying, "Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitied them that fear Him " (Ps. ciii. 13, Sept.) And again Christ saith, "What man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone ? or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?" (Matt. vii. 9.) " Fathers, provoke not your children, that they be not discouraged." He hath set down what he knew had the great est power to seize upon them ; and whilst com manding them he has spoken more like a friend ; and nowhere does he mention God, for he would overcome parents, and bow their tender affections. That is, " Make them not more con tentious, there are occasions when you ought even to give way." Next he comes to the third kind of authority. There is here also a certain love, but that no more proceeding from nature, as above, but from habit, and from the authority itself, and the works done. Seeing then that in this case the sphere of love is narrowed, whilst that of obe dience is amplified, he dwelleth upon this, wish ing to give to these from their obedience, what the first have from nature. So that what he dis- courseth with the servants alone 2 is not for their masters sakes, but for their own also, that they may make themselves the objects of tender af fection to their masters. But he sets not this forth openly ; for so he would doubtless have made them supine. Ver. 22. "Servants," he saith, "obey in all things your masters according to the flesh." And see how always he sets down the names, " wives, children, servants," being at once a just should be avtrov, " unrestrained," which in another passage is con fused in a MS. with avexTov. J. A. B.] 2 joLocot?. One would expect iiovov, as he speaks to the masters afterwards. But he may either mean that they were chiefly ad dressed, or that this is the object even ofwhat is addressed to them separately.