HOMILY V.] HOMILIES ON TIMOTHY. 493 not about words to no profit, but to the subvert ing of the hearers." It is an overawing thing to call God to witness what we say, for if no one would dare to set at nought the testimony of man when appealed to, much less when the ap peal is to God. If any one, for instance, enter ing into a contract, or making his will, chooses to call witnesses worthy of credit, would any transfer the things to those who are not included ? Surely not. And even if he wishes it, yet fear ing the credibility of the witnesses, he avoids it. What is "charging them before the Lord"? he calls God to witness both what was said, and what was done. " That they strive not about words to no profit ; " and not merely so, but " to the sub verting of the hearers." Not only is there no gain from it, but much harm. " Of these things then put them in remembrance," and if they despise thee, God will judge them. But why does he admonish them not to strive about words? He knows that it is a dainty 1 thing, and that the human soul is ever prone to con tend and to dispute about words. To guard against this, he has not only charged them " not to strive about words," but to render his dis course more alarming, he adds, " to the subvert ing of the hearers." Ver. 15. "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." Everywhere this "not being ashamed" ! And why is he ever so careful to guard him against shame? Because it was natural for many to be ashamed both of Paul himself, as being a tent- maker, and of the preaching, since its teachers perished. For Christ had been crucified, him self was about to be beheaded, Peter was cruci fied with his head downwards, and these things they suffered from audacious and despicable men. Because such men were in power, he says, " Be not ashamed " ; that is, fear not to do anything tending to godliness, though it be necessary to submit to slavery or any other suffering. For how does any one become approved ? By being "a workman that needeth not to be ashamed." As the workman is not ashamed of any work, so neither should he be ashamed who labors in the Gospel. He should submit to anything. " Rightly dividing the word of truth." This he hath well said. For many distort it, and pervert it in every way, and many additions are made to it. He has not said directing it, but " rightly dividing," that is, cut away what is spurious, with much vehemence assail it, and extirpate it. With the sword of the Spirit cut off from your preaching, as from a thong, what ever is superfluous and foreign to it. Ver. 16. "And shun profane novelties of speech." 2 For they will not stop there. For when any thing new has been introduced, it is ever pro ducing innovations, and the error of him who has once left the safe harbor is infinite, and never stops. " For they will increase unto more ungodli ness," he says, Ver. 17. " And their word will eat as doth a canker." It is an evil not to be restrained, not curable by any medicine, it destroys the whole frame. He shows that novelty of doctrine is a disease, and worse than a disease. And here he implies that they are incorrigible, and that they erred not weakly but willfully. "Ofwhom is Hymeneus and Philetus," Ver. 1 8. "Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past al ready, and overthrow the faith of some." He has well said, "They will increase unto more ungodliness." For it appears indeed to be a solitary evil, but see what evils spring out of it. For if the Resurrection is already past, not only do we suffer loss in being deprived of that great glory, but because judgment is taken away, and retribution also. For if the Resur rection is past, retribution also is past. The good therefore have reaped persecutions and afflictions, and the wicked have not been pun ished, nay verily, they live in great pleasure; It were better to say that there is no resurrec tion, than that it is already past. " And overthrow," he says, " the faith of some." " Of some," not of all. For if there is no resurrection, faith is subverted. Our preaching is vain, nor is Christ risen ; and if He is not risen, neither was He born, nor has He ascended into heaven. Observe how this error, while it seems to oppose the doctrine of the Resurrec tion, draws after it many other evils. What then, says one, ought we to do nothing for those who are subverted? 4 Ver. 19. "Nevertheless," he says, "the foun dation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His. And, Let every one that nameth the name of the Lord r> depart from iniquity." He shows that even before they were sub verted, they were not firm. For otherwise, they 2 Gr. Kaivo<t>tai>iois, for Ktroc/xoi tas. 3 Old Lat. here has, " so then the just have suffered tribulations and griefs in vain. But that is so far from being the truth, that con trariwise even in this life the good are fed with their own hopes, and have a foretaste of eternal felicity, persevering always with a serene and tranquil spirit, and the wicked, persecuted by the scourge of their own conscience, begin to suffer even here what they are to suffer for ever." But this seems an interpolation. See, however, on Rom. v. 5, Horn. ix. 4 al. "Thus much of those who ate subverted; but of those who are not so, what says he?" = E. V. " of Christ."