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TITUS iii. 8--11.
"These things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which
have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These
things are good and profitable unto men. But avoid foolish questions,
and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law, for
they are unprofitable and vain. A man that is an heretic after the
first and second admonition reject. Knowing that he that is such is
subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself."
HAVING spoken of the love of God to man, of His ineffable
regard for us, of what we were and what He has done for us, he has
added, "These things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they
which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works";
that is, Discourse of these things, and from a consideration of them
exhort to almsgiving. For what has been said will not only apply to
humility, to the not being puffed up, and not reviling others, but to
every other virtue. So also in arguing with the Corinthians, he
says, "Ye know that our Lord being rich became poor, that we
through His poverty might be rich." (2 Cor. viii. 9.) Having
considered the care and exceeding love of God for man, he thence
exhorts them to almsgiving, and that not in a common and slight
manner, but "that they may be careful," he says, "to maintain good
works," that is, both to succor the injured, not only by money, but
by patronage and protection, and to defend the widows and orphans, and
to afford a refuge to all that are afflicted. For this is to maintain
good works. For these things, he says, are good and profitable unto
men. "But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and
contentions, and strivings about the law, for they are unprofitable
and vain." What do these "genealogies" mean? For in his Epistle
to Timothy he mentions "fables and endless genealogies." (1 Tim.
i. 4.) [Perhaps both here and there glancing at the Jews, who,
priding themselves on having Abraham for their forefather, neglected
their own part. On this account he calls them both "foolish and
unprofitable"; for it is the part of folly to confide in things
unprofitable.] "Contentions," he means, with heretics, in which
he would not have us labor to no purpose, where nothing is to be
gained, for they end in nothing. For when a man is perverted and
predetermined not to change his mind, whatever may happen, why
shouldest thou labor in vain, sowing upon a rock, when thou shouldest
spend thy honorable toil upon thy own people, in discoursing with them
upon almsgiving and every other virtue? How then does he elsewhere
say, "If God per-adventure will give them repentance" (2 Tim.
ii. 25); but here, "A man that is an heretic after the first and
second admonition reject, knowing that he that is such is subverted and
sinneth, being condemned of himself"? In the former passage he
speaks of the correction of those of whom he had hope, and who had
simply made opposition. But when he is known and manifest to all, why
dost thou contend in vain? why dost thou beat the air? What means,
"being condemned of himself"? Because he cannot say that no one has
told him, no one admonished him; since therefore after admonition he
continues the same, he is self-condemned.
Ver. 12. "When I shall send Artemas unto thee, or Tychicus;
be diligent to come unto me to Nicopolis." What sayest thou? After
having appointed him to preside over Crete, dost thou again summon him
to thyself? It was not to withdraw him from that occupation, but to
discipline him the more for it.
For that he does not call him to attend upon him, as if he took him
everywhere with him as his follower, appears from what he adds:
"For I have determined there to winter."
Now Nicopolis is a city of Thrace.
Ver. 14. "Bring Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey
diligently, that nothing be wanting unto them."
These were not of the number to whom Churches had been intrusted, but
of the number of his companions. But Apollos was the more vehement,
being "an eloquent man, and mighty in the Scriptures." (Acts
xviii. 24.) But if Zenas was a lawyer, you say, he ought not to
have been supported by others. But by a lawyer here is meant one
versed in the laws of the Jews. And he seems to say, supply their
wants abundantly, that nothing may be lacking to them.
Ver. 14, 15. "And let ours also learn to maintain good works
for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful. All that are with me
salute thee. Greet them that love us in the faith."
That is, either those that love Paul himself, or those men that are
faithful.
"Grace be with you all. Amen."
How then dost thou command him to stop the mouths of gainsayers, if he
must pass them by when they are doing everything to their own
destruction? He means that he should not do it principally for their
advantage, for being once perverted in their minds, they would not
profit by it. But if they injured others, it behooved him to
withstand and contend with them; and manfully await them, but if thou
art reduced to necessity, seeing them destroying others, be not
silent, but stop their mouths, from regard to those whom they would
destroy. It is not indeed possible for a zealous man of upright life
to abstain from contention, but so do as I have said. For the evil
arises from idleness and a vain philosophy, that one should be occupied
about words only. For it is a great injury to be uttering a
superfluity of words, when one ought to be teaching, or praying, or
giving thanks. For it is not right to be sparing of our money but not
sparing of our words; we ought rather to spare words than our money,
and not to give ourselves up to all sorts of persons.
What means, "that they be careful to maintain good works"? That
they wait not for those who are in want to come to them, but that they
seek out those who need their assistance. Thus the considerate man
shows his concern, and with great zeal will he perform this duty. For
in doing good actions, it is not those who receive the kindness that
are benefited, so much as those who do it that make gain and profit,
for it gives them confidence towards God. But in the other case,
there is no end of contention: therefore he calls the heretic
incorrigible. For as to neglect those for whom there is a hope of
conversion is the part of slothfulness, so to bestow pains upon those
who are diseased past remedy is the extreme of folly and madness; for
we render them more bold.
"And let ours," he says, "learn to maintain good works for
necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful." You observe that he is
more anxious for them than for those who are to receive their
kindnesses. For they might probably have been brought on their way by
many others, but I am concerned, he says, for our own friends. For
what advantage would it be to them, if others should dig up treasures,
and maintain their teachers? This would be no benefit to them, for
they remained unfruitful. Could not Christ then, Who with five
loaves fed five thousand men, and with seven loaves fed four thousand,
could not He have supported Himself and His disciples?
MORAL. For what reason then was He maintained by women? For
women, it is said, followed Him, and ministered unto Him. (Mark
xv. 41.) It was to teach us from the first that He is concerned
for those who do good. Could not Paul, who supported others by his
own hands, have maintained himself without assistance from others?
But you see him receiving and requesting aid. And hear the reason for
it. "Not because I desire a gift," he says, "but I desire fruit
that may abound to your account."
(Phil. iv. 17.) And at the beginning too, when men sold all
their possessions and laid them at the Apostles' feet, the
Apostles, seest thou, were more concerned for them than for those who
received their alms. For if their concern had only been that the poor
might by any means be relieved, they would not have judged so severely
of the sin of Ananias and Sapphira, when they kept back their money.
Nor would Paul have charged men to give "not grudgingly nor of
necessity." (2 Cor. ix. 7.) What sayest thou, Paul? dost
thou discourage giving to the poor? No, he answers; but I consider
not their advantage only, but the good of those who give. Dost thou
see, that when the prophet gave that excellent counsel to
Nebuchadnezzar, he did not merely consider the poor. For he does not
content himself with saying, Give to the poor; but what? "Break
off thy sins by almsdeeds, and thine iniquities by showing mercy to the
poor." (Dan. iv. 27.) Part with thy wealth, not that others
may be fed, but that thou mayest escape punishment. And Christ again
says, "Go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor . . . and
come and follow Me." (Matt. xix. 21.) Dost thou see that the
commandment was, given that he might be induced to follow Him? For
as riches are an impediment, therefore he commands them to be given to
the poor, instructing the soul to be pitiful and merciful, to despise
wealth, and to flee from covetousness. For he who has learnt to give
to him that needs, will in time learn not to receive from those who
have to give.
This makes men like God. Yet virginity, and fasting, and lying on
the ground, are more difficult than this, but nothing is so strong and
powerful to extinguish the fire of our sins as almsgiving. It is
greater than all other virtues. It places the lovers of it by the side
of the King Himself, and justly. For the effect of virginity, of
fasting, of lying on the ground, is confined to those who practice
them, and no other is saved thereby. But almsgiving extends to all,
and embraces the members of Christ, and actions that extend their
effects to many are far greater than those which are confined to one.
For almsgiving is the mother of love, of that love, which is the
characteristic of Christianity, which is greater than all miracles,
by which the disciples of Christ are manifested. It is the medicine
of our sins, the cleansing of the filth of our souls, the ladder fixed
to heaven; it binds together the body of Christ. Would you learn how
excellent a thing it is? In the time of the Apostles, men selling
their possessions brought them to them, and they were distributed.
For it is said, "Distribution was made unto every man according as
he had need." (Acts iv. 35.) For tell me how, setting aside
the future, and not now considering the kingdom that is to come, let
us see who in the present life are the gainers, those who received, or
those who gave. The former murmured and quarreled with each other.
The latter had one soul. "They were of one heart, and of one
soul," it is said, "and grace was upon them all." (Acts iv.
32.) And they lived in great simplicity. Dost thou see that they
were gainers even by thus giving? Tell me now, with whom would you
wish to be numbered, with those who gave away their possessions, and
had nothing, or with those who received even the goods of others?
See the fruit of almsgiving, the separations and hindrances were
removed, and immediately their souls were knit together. "They were
all of one heart and of one soul." So that even setting aside
almsgiving, the arting with riches is attended with gain. And these
things I have said, that those who have not succeeded to an
inheritance from their forefathers may not be cast down, as if they had
less than those who are wealthy. For if they please they have more.
For they will more readily incline to almsgiving, like the widow, and
they will have no occasion for enmity towards their neighbor, and they
will enjoy freedom in every respect. Such an one cannot be threatened
with the confiscation of his goods, and he is superior to all wrongs.
As those who fly unincumbered with clothes are not easily caught, but
they who are incumbered with many garments and a long train are soon
overtaken, so it is with the rich man and the poor. The one, though
he be taken, will easily make his escape, whilst the other, though he
be not detained, is incumbered by cords of his own, by numberless
cares, distresses, passions, provocations, all which overwhelm the
soul, and not these alone, but many other things which riches draw
after them. It is much more difficult for a rich man to be moderate
and to live frugally, than for the poor, more difficult for him to be
free from passion. Then he, you say, will have the greater
reward.--By no means.--What, not if he overcomes greater
difficulties?--But these difficulties were of his own seeking. For
we are not commanded to become rich, but the reverse. But he prepares
for himself so many stumbling-blocks and impediments.
Others not only divest themselves of riches, but macerate their
bodies, as travelers in the narrow way. Instead of doing this, thou
heatest more intensely the furnace of thy passions, and gettest more
about thee. Go therefore into the broad way, for it is that which
receives such as thee. But the narrow way is for those who are
afflicted and straitened, who bear along with them nothing but those
burdens, which they can carry through it, as almsgiving, love for
mankind, goodness, and meekness. These if thou bearest, thou wilt
easily find entrance, but if thou takest with thee arrogance, a soul
inflamed with passions, and that load of thorns, wealth, there is
need of wide room for thee to pass, nor wilt thou well be able to enter
into the crowd without striking others, and coming down upon them on
thy way. In this case a wide distance from others is required. But
he who carries gold and silver, I mean the achievements of virtue,
does not cause his neighbors to flee from him, but brings men nearer to
him, even to link themselves with him. But if riches in themselves
are thorns, what must covetousness be? Why dost thou take that away
with thee? Is it to make the flame greater by adding fuel to that
fire? Is not the fire of hell sufficient? Consider how the Three
Children overcame the furnace. Imagine that to be hell. With
tribulation were they plunged into it, bound and fettered; but within
they found large room; not so they that stood around without.
Something of this kind even now will be experienced, if we will
manfully resist the trials that encompass us. If we have hope in
God, we shall be in security, and have ample room, and those who
bring us into these straits shall perish. For it is written, "Whoso
diggeth a pit shall fall therein." (Ecclus. xxvi. 27.) Though
they bind our hands and our feet, the affliction will have power to set
us loose. For observe this miracle. Those whom men had bound, the
fire set free. As if certain persons were delivered up to the servants
of their friends, and the servants, from regard to the friendship of
their master, instead of injuring them, should treat them with much
respect; so the fire, when as it knew that the Three Children were
the friends of its Lord, burst their fetters, set them free, and let
them go, and became to them as a pavement, and was trodden under their
feet. And justly, since they had been cast into it for the glory of
God. Let us, as many of us as are afflicted, hold fast these
examples.
But behold, they were delivered from their affliction, you say, and
we are not. True, they were delivered, and justly; since they did
not enter into that furnace expecting deliverance, but as if to die
outright. For hear what they say: "There is a God in Heaven,
Who will deliver us. But if not, be it known unto thee, O King,
that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which
thou hast set up." (Dan. iii. 17, 18.) But we, as if
bargaining on the chastisements of the Lord, even fix a time,
saying, "If He does not show mercy till this time." Therefore it
is that we are not delivered. Surely Abraham did not leave his home
expecting again to receive his son, but as prepared to sacrifice him;
and it was contrary to his expectation that he received him again safe.
And thou, when thou fallest into tribulation, be not in haste to be
delivered, prepare thy mind for all endurance, and speedily thou shalt
be delivered from thy affliction. For God brings it upon thee for
this end, that He may chasten thee. When therefore from the first we
learn to bear it patiently, and do not sink into despair, He
presently relieves us, as having effected the whole matter.
I should like to tell you an instructive story, which has much of
profit in it. What then is it? Once, when a persecution arose, and
a severe war was raging against the Church, two men were apprehended.
The one was ready to suffer anything whatever; the other was prepared
to submit with firmness to be beheaded, but with fear and trembling
shrunk from other tortures. Observe then the dispensation towards
these men. When the judge was seated, he ordered the one who was
ready to endure anything, to be beheaded. The other he caused to be
hung up and tortured, and that not once or twice, but from city to
city. Now why was this permitted? That he might recover through
torments that quality of mind which he had neglected, that he might
shake off all cowardice, and be no longer afraid to endure anything.
Joseph too, when he was urgent to escape from prison, was left to
remain there. For hear him saying, "Indeed I was stolen away out
of the land of the Hebrews; but do thou make mention of me to the
king." (Gen. xl. 14, 15.) And for this he was suffered to
remain, that he might learn not to place hope or confidence in men,
but to cast all upon God. Knowing these things therefore let us give
thanks to God, and let us do all things that are expedient for us,
that we may obtain the good things to come, through Jesus Christ our
Lord, with whom to the Father be glory, with the Holy Ghost, now
and ever, and world without end. Amen.
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