14, 15.) Peter, again, when he had healed the man lame from his birth, when all were amazed at the miracle, answered and said, “Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this, or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk”? (Acts iii. 12.) Hear also the blessed Paul, saying, “There was given to me a thorn in the flesh, lest I should be exalted above measure.” (2 Cor. xii. 7.) But this, you say, was an expression of humility. Far from it. The thorn was not sent him that he might be humble, nor does he say this only out of humility. There are other causes besides to be assigned for it. Observe therefore how God, accounting for it, says, “My grace is sufficient for thee”; not “that thou mayest not be exalted above measure,” but what? “For my strength is made perfect in weakness.” Two ends therefore were answered at once: what was doing was made clearly manifest, and the whole was ascribed to God. For this cause he has said elsewhere, “We carry this treasure in earthen vessels” (2 Cor. iv. 7.); that is, in bodies weak and liable to suffering. Why? “That the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” If our bodies were not subject to infirmity, all would be ascribed to them. And elsewhere we see him grieving at the infirmity of Epaphroditus, concerning whom he writes, “He was sick nigh unto death, but God had mercy on him.” (Philip. ii. 27.) And many other instances there are of his ignorance of events, which was profitable both for him and his disciples. “Trophimus I have left at Miletum sick.” Miletus was near Ephesus. Did this happen then when he sailed to Judea, or upon some other occasion? For after he had been in Rome, he returned to Spain, but whether he came thence again into these parts, we know not.1437 516 We see him however deserted by all. “For Demas,” he says, “hath forsaken me. Crescens is departed into Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. Erastus abode at Corinth. Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.” Ver. 21. “Do thy diligence to come before winter. Eubulus greeteth thee, and Pudens and Linus, and Claudia.” This Linus, some say, was second1438 Bishop of the Church of Rome after Peter. “And Claudia.” You see how zealous for the faith the women were, how ardent! Such was Priscilla and this Claudia, already crucified, already prepared for the battle! But why, when there were so many faithful, does he mention only these women? Manifestly because they in purpose had already withdrawn from worldly affairs, and were illustrious above other. For a woman, as such, meets not with any impediments. It is the work of divine grace, that this sex should be impeded only in the affairs of this life, or rather not even in them. For a woman undertakes no small share of the whole administration, being the keeper of the house. And 1437 This is, however, a strong presumption that he did. See p. 476, note. 1438 i.e. the next. See Euseb. iii. 2, and note in Reading’s Ed.; also Cave Hist. Lit. Linus is thought not to have survived the persecution of Nero, and probably to have been bishop in St. Peter’s lifetime, and supplied his place when absent. 893 2 Timothy 4:9-13