443 even though he may not fall over, trembles; and very often he is overset by this same trem- bling, and falls to the bottom. So also he who does not avoid sins from afar, but walks near them, will live in fear, and will often fall into them. Besides, he who eagerly looks at strange beauties, although he may not commit adultery, hath in so doing entertained lust; and hath become already an adulterer according to the declaration of Christ;1636 and often by this very lust he is carried on to the actual sin. Let us then withdraw ourselves far from sins. Dost thou wish to live soberly? Avoid not only adultery, but also the licentious glance! Dost thou wish to be far removed from foul words? Avoid not only foul words, but also inordinate laughter, and every kind of lust. Dost thou wish to keep far from committing murders? Avoid railing too. Dost thou wish to keep aloof from drunkenness? Avoid luxury and sumptuous tables, and pluck up the vice by the roots. 13. The licentiousness of the tongue is a great snare, and needs a strong bridle. Therefore also some one saith. “His own lips are a powerful snare to a man, and he is snared by the words of his own mouth.”1637 Above all the other members, then, let us control this; let us bridle it; and let us expel from the mouth railings, and contumelies, and foul and slanderous language, and the evil habit of oaths. For again our discourse hath brought us to the same exhortation. But I had arranged with your charity, yesterday, that I would say no more concerning this precept, forasmuch as enough has been said upon it on all the foregoing days. But what is to become of me? I cannot bear to desist from this counsel, until I see that ye have put it in practice; since Paul also, when he saith to the Galatians, “Henceforth let no man trouble me,”1638 appears again to have met and addressed them.1639 Such are the paternal bowels; although they say they will depart, yet they depart not, until they see that their sons are chastened. Have ye heard to-day what the prophet speaks to us concerning oaths; “I lifted up mine eyes, and I saw,” saith he, “and, behold, a flying sickle, the length thereof twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof ten cubits; and he said to me, What seest thou? and I said, I see a flying sickle, twenty cubits in length, and ten cubits in breadth. It shall also enter into the house,” saith he, “of every one that sweareth in my name, and shall remain1640 in the midst, and shall pull down the stones and the wood.”1641 What, forsooth, 1636 Matt. v. 28. 1637 Prov. vi. 2. 1638 Gal. vi. 17. 1639 He may mean Acts xviii. 23, but this seems to have been earlier. Or perhaps that he spoke afterwards to those who held the like error. See on Acts, Hom. XXXIX. 1640 καταλύσει in LXX. means this, though it is possible St. Chrys. may have taken it in the transitive sense, “shall destroy.” 1641 Zech. v. 1, 4. St. Chrysostom, it should be observed, here only quotes a portion of these verses. See Hom. IX. fin. 649 Homily XV