446 WORKS OF ST. CHRYSOSTOM. [HOMILY XII. " This is a faithful saying," that is, it is true that godliness is profitable both here and here after. Observe how everywhere he brings in this, he needs no demonstration, but simply declares it, for he was addressing Timothy. So then even here, we have good hopes? For he who is conscious to himself of no evil, and who has been fruitful in good, rejoices even here : as the wicked man on the other hand is punished here as well as hereafter. He lives in perpetual fear, he can look no one in the face with confidence, he is pale, trembling, and full of anxiety. Is it not so with the fraudulent, and with thieves, who have no satisfaction even in what they possess ? Is not the life of murderers and adulterers most wretched, who look upon the sun itself with suspicion? Is this to be called life ? No ; rather a horrid death ! Ver. 10. " For therefore we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of them that believe." This in effect is to say, wherefore do we mor tify ourselves, unless we expect future blessings ? Have we endured so many evils, submitted to so many reproaches, suffered such insults and calumnies, and such numerous calamities in vain ? For ifwe did not trust in the living God, on what account did we submit to these things? But ifGod is here the Saviour 1 of the unbeliev ing, much more is He of the faithful hereafter. What salvation does he speak of? That to come? 2 "Who is the Saviour," he says, " of all men, specially of them that believe." At pres ent he is speaking of that which is here. But how is He the Saviour of the faithful ? Had he not been so, they must long since have been destroyed, for all men have made war upon them. He calls him here to endure perils, that having God for his Saviour he may not faint, nor need any aid from others, but willingly and with fortitude endure all things. Even those who eagerly grasp at worldly advantages, sup ported by the hope of gain, cheerfully undertake laborious enterprises. It is then the last time. For " in the latter times," he says, " some shall depart from the faith." " Forbidding to marry." And do not we forbid to marry ? God forbid. We do not for bid those who wish to marry, but those who do not wish to marry, we exhort to virginity. It is one thing to forbid, and another to leave one to his own free choice. He that forbids, does it once for all, but he who recommends virginity as a higher state, does not forbid marriage, because he prefers virginity. 1 Or Preserver. 2 The Editor ventures to mark this as a question, though not so printed, or so taken in the old Translation. B. once had (v, which gives this sense with or without a question. " Forbidding to marry," he says, " and com manding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving ofthem which believe and know the truth." It is well said, " who know the truth." The former things then were a type. For nothing is unclean by nature, but it becomes so through the conscience of him that partakes of it. And what was the object of the prohibition of so many meats? To restrain excessive luxury. But had it been saidr "eat not for the sake of luxury," it would not have been borne. They were therefore shut up under the necessity of the law, that they might abstain from the stronger principle of fear. The fish was not forbidden, though it was manifestly more unclean than the swine. But they might have learned how pernicious luxury was from that saying of Moses, " Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked." (Deut. xxxii. 15.) Another cause of these prohibitions might be, that being straitened for other food, they might be reduced to slaugh ter sheep and oxen ; he therefore restrained them from other things, on account of Apis and the calf, which was an abomination, ungrateful, polluted, and profane.3 " Put them in remembrance of these things,, meditate upon 4 these things," for by the ex pression, " nourished up in the words of faith and sound doctrine," is implied that he should not only recommend these things to others, but himself practice them. For he says, " Nour ished up in the words of faith, and of good doc trine, whereunto thou hast attained. But refuse profane and old wives fables." W 7 hy does he not say, abstain from them, but " refuse "? He thus intimates that they should be utterly re jected. His meaning is, that he should not enter into any disputation with the teachers of them, but recommend to his own people the things prescribed above. For nothing is to be gained by contending with perverse men, unless where it might have an injurious effect, if we were supposed from weakness to decline arguing with them. "But exercise thyself unto godliness," that is, unto a pure life, and the most virtuous conver sation. He that exerciseth himself, even when it is not the season of contest, acts always as if he were contending, practices abstinence, endures all toils, is always anxious, endures much labor. "Exercise thyself," he saith, "unto godliness; for bodily exercise profiteth little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." And why, says one, does he mention this bodily exercise ? To show by comparison the superiority of the other, in that the former 3 This is scarcely intelligible. B. has, " for he is unclean, who is unthankful, wicked, and profane." * Or practice, v. 15.