HOMILY XV.] HOMILIES ON TIMOTHY. 461 Whereas he says to Timothy, " Meditate upon these things ; give thyself wholly to them " ; and, " Give attendance to reading, to exhorta tion, to doctrine ; for in doing this thou shalt save both thyself, and them that hear thee." (i Tim. iv. 15, 1 6.) These are the men whom he wishes to be honored most of all, and he adds the reason, for they sustain great labor. For when one is neither watchful, nor diligent, but merely sits in his stall easy and unconcerned, 1 whilst another wears himself out with anxiety and exertion, 2 especially if he is ignorant of profane literature, ought not the latter to be honored above all others, who more than others gives himself up to such labors ? For he is ex posed to numberless tongues. One censures him, another praises him, a third mocks him, another finds fault with his memory and his composition, and it requires great strength of mind to endure all this. It is an important point, and contributes much to the edification of the Church, that the rulers of it should be apt to teach. If this be wanting, many things in the Church go to ruin. Therefore in addi tion to the qualifications of hospitality, modera tion, and a blameless life, he enumerates this also, saying, "Apt to teach." For why else indeed is he called a teacher? Some say that he may teach philosophy by the example of his life, so that all else is superfluous, and there is no need of verbal instruction in order to pro ficiency. But why then does Paul say, " espec ially they who labor in the word and doctrine " ? For when doctrines are concerned, what life will answer the purpose? And of what word is he speaking? Not of pompous language, nor of discourse set off with external 3 decora tions, but that which possesses the mighty power of the Spirit, and abounds with wisdom and understanding. It needs not set phrases, but thoughts to give it utterance, not skill in com position, but power of mind. Ver. 19. "Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses." May we then receive an accusation against .a younger man, or against any one at all with out witnesses? Ought we not in all cases to come to our judgments with the greatest exact ness? What then does he mean? Do not so, he means, with any, but especially in the case of an elder. For he speaks of an elder not with respect to office, but to age, since the young more easily fall into sin than their elders. And it is manifest from hence that the Church, and even the whole people of Asia, had been now intrusted to Timothy, which is the reason why he discourses with him concerning elders. . 2 /neAfToii . He seems to mean in preparing his discourses. 8 Or perhaps " heathenish." Ver. 20. "Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear." Do not, he says, hastily cut them off, but carefully enquire into all the circumstances, and when thou hast thoroughly informed thyself, then proceed against the offender with rigor, that others may take warning. For as it is wrong to condemn hastily and rashly, so not to punish manifest offenses is to open the way to others, and embolden them to offend. " Rebuke," he says, to show that it is not to be done lightly, but with severity. For thus others will be deterred. How is it then that Christ says, " Go and tell him his fault between him and thee alone, if one sin against thee." (Matt, xviii. 15.) But Christ Himselfpermits him to be censured in the Church. What then? is it not a greater scandal, that one should be rebuked be fore all? How so? For it is a much greater scandal, that the offense should be known, and not the punishment. For aswhen sinners go unpun ished, many commit crimes ; so when they are punished, many are made better. God Himself acted in this manner. He brought forth Pha raoh, and punished him openly. And Nebu chadnezzar too, and many others, both cities and individuals, we see visited with punishment. Paul therefore would have all stand in awe of their Bishop, and sets him over all. And because many judgments are formed upon suspicion, there ought, he says, to be witnesses, and men to convict the offender according to the ancient law. " At the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every matter be established. Against an elder receive not an accusation." (Deut. xix. 15.) He does not say, " do not condemn," but " receive not an accusation," bring him not to judgment at all. But what if the two witnesses are false? This rarely happens, and it may be discovered upon examination on the trial. For since offenses are committed in secret, we ought to be satis fied with two witnesses, and this is sufficient proof of investigation. But what if the offenses be notorious, and yet there are no witnesses, only a strong suspicion ? It has been said above that he ought " to have a good report of them which are without." (i Tim. iii. 7.) Let us therefore love God with fear. The law indeed is notmade for a righteousman ; but since the greater part are virtuous from constraint rather than from choice, the principle of fear is of great advantage to them in eradicating their desires. Let us therefore listen to the threatenings of hell fire, that we may be ben efited by the wholesome fear of it. For if God, intending to cast sinners into it, had not previ ously threatened them with it, many would have plunged into it. For, if with this terror agitat-