But this rule is to be observed not only in widows, but also in virgins and the continent. 'And withal being idle they learn to go about from house to house' — occupied by no care of a household, nor bound by the authority of a husband, nor restrained by the fear of God. 'And not only idle, but also tattlers and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.' Wishing to excuse their own will, they offer to others an evil example. 'I will therefore.' I concede it before they promise what they have no power to fulfil. 'That the younger women marry' — such as he described above. 'Bear children, be mothers of families.' Not to kill; for those who conceive by adultery frequently kill. 'To give no occasion to the adversary for the sake of reviling.'
Or that religion be not blasphemed through them, if they be incontinent. 'For already some.' He gives the reasons why he foretold that they would wish to marry, lest thou suppose that he desired this. 'Are turned aside after Satan' — either denying the faith of God, or even fornicating. 'If any faithful man have widows, let him relieve them, that the Church be not burdened' — in his own house, or among poor kinsfolk. 'That there may be sufficient for those who are widows indeed' — who are forsaken by men. 'The presbyters that rule well' — who fulfil their office — 'let them be counted worthy of double honour' — that is, of office and of labour in the word. 'Especially they who labour in the word, and teach in doctrine.' He did not say 'especially they who have the word,' but 'they who labour.'
For he commanded that it be given to all who have it, that is, who are teachable. For the Scripture says: 'Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn'; and: 'The labourer is worthy of his hire.' He wishes that carnal things be furnished to them by those from whom they receive spiritual things: because, being occupied in teaching, they cannot provide necessities for themselves. 'Against a presbyter receive not an accusation, but under two or three witnesses.' It is unjust to receive an accusation against anyone in his absence, since not even secular courts do this: how much more concerning the Lord's priest? 'Them that sin, rebuke before all.' If it be proven against them, so that either he who is punished may be corrected by the experience, or others may be terrified by the example. 'That the rest also may have fear.'
Seeing that thou hast not even spared a sinning presbyter. 'I charge thee before God and Christ Jesus.' He adjures him with a divine and heavenly adjuration, that no consideration prejudice him against observing these things. 'And the elect angels, that thou keep these things without prejudice' — those who stand before the sacred altars, or who have kept their dignity — 'doing nothing by turning aside to another part' — neither to the right nor to the left. 'Lay hands hastily on no man.' For it is no light sin to cast pearls before swine, and to give what is holy to dogs, and to bestow the ordination of clergy by no means upon the holy and those most learned in the law of God, but upon one's own followers, and upon the ministers of base offices, and — what is more disgraceful than these — at the prayers of little women.
In which is to be considered the wisdom of Christ the Apostle speaking in himself, who, in order to demonstrate the peril of ordination, joined to it the torments of those who sin. 'Neither,' he says, 'be partaker of other men's sins.' As therefore in the ordinations of the wicked he who appoints such men is a partaker of their sins, so in the ordination of the holy he who chooses good men is a partaker of their righteousness. 'Neither be partaker of other men's sins': he says one is made partaker of the sin of him who is ordained without being proved. 'Keep thyself chaste' — that thou mayest be able boldly to reprove others. 'Drink no longer water, but use a little wine, for thy stomach's sake, and thy frequent infirmities.' He gives him counsel, that he care more for the profit of others than for his own abstinence.
For infirmity could hinder the word. 'Some men's sins are manifest' — either while they are being exposed, they are excommunicated; or while they are pre-condemned by present chastisements, which is to be received in the future judgment. 'Going before to judgment.' Sins are those which each man has here committed beforehand — for example, if certain men, deprived of their means by you, are afflicted with want even after our death. 'And some men they follow after.' 'Likewise also the good works are manifest.' Sins going before to judgment are those which are known to all. 'And some men they follow after,' while they are afterward proved in the judgment. Again, otherwise: those sins go before us to judgment which each man has here committed beforehand:
those follow after for which we have given the causes, but which are consummated after our departure: therefore sins of this kind follow after us. If (for example) we have furnished the causes of someone's want, and he is consumed by hunger and destitution after our death. Or, they are judged unto the future judgment: because they cannot long lie hidden. 'Nothing is hidden that shall not be revealed.' Even things that lie hidden for a time cannot be concealed in the judgment. 'And they that are otherwise' — namely the manifest, or the good — 'cannot be hid.' CHAPTER VI. 'Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their masters worthy of all honour' — even unbelievers — 'that the name of the Lord and His doctrine be not blasphemed' — lest thou seem, on the contrary, to have declined for the worse through religion.
'But they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren' — let them not claim equality for themselves — 'but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, who are partakers of the benefit of God.' If they served unbelievers out of a hateful fear, how much more ought they to serve believers out of charity, of whom they have been counted worthy to be partakers? 'These things teach and exhort.' Teach that all these things which I have said ought to be done, and exhort by showing the reward. 'If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to the wholesome words of our Lord Jesus Christ' — the Lord, who speaks through me, Christ — 'and to the doctrine which is according to godliness' — of the New Testament: for the doctrine of the Old is severe rather than godly. 'He is proud, knowing nothing, but sick about questions.'
Lifting himself up above men, knowing nothing, since that wisdom is not from above. 'And strifes of words, whereof come envyings.' Having abandoned the sense of truth, they are ensnared by the ambiguities of words. 'Contentions, blasphemies' — which beget quarrels. 'Evil surmisings' — whether they suspect heresy of one another, or the hearers think the truth to be failing. 'Conflicts of men of corrupt minds, and who are deprived of the truth' — deprived of the integrity of the Gospel or of nature. 'Supposing that gain is godliness' — those who think that the New Testament came for the sake of their own gain. 'But godliness with sufficiency is great gain.' He acquires much who has godliness with sufficiency — of nature, not of avarice. 'Godliness with sufficiency.'
Godliness is the worship of God, as impiety is contempt of Him. 'For we brought nothing into this world' — no doubt because neither can we carry anything out. Naked were we born, naked also shall we die; whatever is found here shall be left here; it is not ours, as of pilgrims. Therefore, content with sufficiency, let us acquire those riches which we may carry with us to our homeland. 'But having food, and wherewith to be covered, with these let us be content.' What he above called sufficiency — whatever is more than these are riches. 'For they that will be rich.' Let those who are rich use their riches well: for they that will be rich are not without temptation, because what increases for them assuredly is diminished for others. 'Fall into temptation.'
The occasion therefore of temptation, and the snare of the devil, is to have riches which not even their own parents had: since indeed the riches their parents left them ought to be dispensed in good works. 'And the snare of the devil, and many desires' — both useless. For the desires of riches are never satisfied: because it is ever in want, while it covets whatever it sees. 'And hurtful' — not only useless. 'Which drown men in destruction and perdition' — while, swollen with the ambition of goods, being raised up to heaven, they are plunged down even to hell; or, desiring others' wealth, they proceed even to the factions of murder. 'For covetousness is the root of all evils.' Because it is either the fount of all crimes or their aid. 'Which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith.'
They have departed from the faith of God's promises. 'And pierced themselves through with many sorrows.' The more one has, the greater torments of anxiety he sustains. Whence the Lord affirmed the word about the tribulations of riches, and that the rest is choked by concupiscences: in short, they do not rule over their riches, but serve them; so that it is said, 'Of how great riches is that man?' — as though you were to say, a bondslave of riches. 'But thou, O man of God' — not a man of riches, but a man of God, whose all things are, and enslaved to God alone. 'Flee these things' — which are the cause of faithlessness and sorrows. 'But follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, charity, patience, meekness.' In these riches I desire thee to be wealthy. 'Fight the good fight of faith.'
It is a good fight to contend not for possession, but for the faith. 'Lay hold on eternal life.' As he says of himself: 'If by any means I may lay hold, on that for which I was laid hold of.' 'Whereunto thou art called' — by renouncing the world and its pomps. 'And hast professed a good profession' — in baptism — 'before many witnesses' — before priests and ministers, and the celestial and divine powers. 'I charge thee before God.' He charges by the power of a father and the authority of a master. 'Who quickeneth' — by whose power and command even dry things flourish again — 'all things' — that live. 'And Christ Jesus, who gave testimony under Pontius Pilate a good confession.' 'Hereafter ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of the power of God.' 'That thou keep the commandment without spot.'
As He kept it unto the end. 'Blameless.' For he stains it, and causes himself to be arraigned, who defiles himself with capital sins. 'Until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.' For he that shall persevere unto the end, the same shall be saved. 'Which in His times He shall show, the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords.' When He wills, He shall show it, who alone is able to do this. 'Who only hath immortality.' He alone properly has it, who granted to angels and men to have it. But we have it neither of ourselves, nor unto ourselves, as He does. Likewise He alone has immutability, because He alone has true eternity: for the soul is indeed immortal, but mutable; yet in God there is no mutability.
'And dwelleth in light inaccessible' — to every creature. 'For no one knoweth the Father, save the Son.' 'Whom no man hath seen' — nay, nor can see — 'to whom be honour and everlasting dominion. Amen.' No man has seen how great He is, but each according to his merit: for we see even the sun the more amply, the purer the keenness of our eyes has been. 'To the rich of this world.' For there are also rich of another world, who buy for themselves gold tried by the Lord. 'Charge' — 'Not to be haughty.' 'Not to be high-minded.' First of all, the first disease of their back. For most hardly wilt thou find a rich man not proud, one who acknowledges the poor or his kinsfolk, and who does not take it grievously that honour due him is by no means paid by an inferior. 'Nor to trust.' By not trusting they become cheap:
when they have become cheap, they are dispensed. 'In the uncertainty of riches' — concerning which thou art uncertain whether they are taken from thee, or thou from them, the more quickly: for with many, they have been taken away along with life; others have foreseen with their own eyes that these would be alienated to others; and not a few have unwillingly left them to strangers. 'But in the living God, who giveth us all things' — whose all things are — 'abundantly' — He who therefore gives abundantly, that we may use them, giving also freely to others; not that, tearing down with great labour, we may build greater barns. 'To enjoy' — not to store up, and to brood over them. 'To do good: to be rich in good works.' Not in gold and silver. 'To distribute readily.' He who distributes readily will soon cease to be rich. 'To communicate' — to make one's own property common:
or, to give here, and receive in the future. 'To lay up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come.' 'Sell all, give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me': this is the foundation of perfection. 'That they may lay hold on the true life.' For this life is not true, because it does not remain in its own state: for all things under the sun are vanity. 'O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust.' Guard the charge entrusted by us; or, keep the deposit of the faith. 'Avoid profane novelties of words.' Which thou hast not heard from me — nor, if it were said by an angel, wouldst thou gladly admit. 'And oppositions.' Questions of the dialectic art set in opposition, and promising an infinite knowledge of things. 'Of knowledge falsely so called, which some professing have erred concerning the faith.'
Of the heretics, who — promising a greater knowledge, like the serpent to Eve — have fallen from the truth of the faith. 'Grace be with thee. Amen.' May it abide forever.