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| 1 Timothy 1:15,16
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Homily IV.
1 Timothy i. 15, 16
“This is a faithful
saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the
world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I
obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all
longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on
Him to life everlasting.”
The favors of God so far exceed human hope and expectation, that often
they are not believed. For God has bestowed upon us such things as the
mind of man never looked for, never thought of. It is for this reason
that the Apostles spend much discourse in securing a belief of the
gifts that are granted us of God. For as men, upon receiving some great
good, ask themselves if it is not a dream, as not believing it; so it
is with respect to the gifts of God. What then was it that was thought
incredible? That those who were enemies, and sinners, neither justified
by the law, nor by works, should immediately through faith alone be
advanced to the highest favor. Upon this head accordingly Paul has
discoursed at length in his Epistle to the Romans, and here again at
length. “This is a faithful saying,” he says, “and
worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to
save sinners.”
As the Jews were chiefly
attracted by this, he persuades them not1128
| 1128 Sav. omits “not”; so the sense will be, that a due
consideration of the Law would prove that men could not be saved by
it. | to give heed to the law, since they
could not attain salvation by it without faith. Against this he
contends; for it seemed to them incredible, that a man who had
mis-spent all his former life in vain and wicked actions, should
afterwards be saved by his faith alone. On this account he
says, “It is a saying to be believed.” But some not only
disbelieved but even objected, as the Greeks do now. “Let us then
do evil, that good may come.” This was the consequence they drew
in derision of our faith, from his words, “Where sin abounded
grace did much more abound.” (Rom. iii. 8; and v. 20.) So when we discourse
to them of Hell they say, How can this be worthy of God? When man has
found his servant offending, he forgives it, and thinks him worthy of
pardon and does God punish eternally? And when we speak of the Laver,
and of the remission of sins through it, this too they say is unworthy
of God, that he who has committed offenses without number should have
his sins remitted. What perverseness of mind is this, what a spirit of
contention does it manifest! Surely if forgiveness is an evil,
punishment is a good; but if punishment is an evil, remission of it is
a good. I speak according to their notions, for according to ours, both
are good. This I shall show at another time, for the present would not
suffice for a matter so deep, and which requires to be elaborately
argued. I must lay it before your Charity at a fitting season. At
present let us proceed with our proposed subject. “This is a
faithful saying,” he says. But why is it to be
believed?
This appears both from what
precedes and from what follows. Observe how he prepares us1129
| 1129 Or,
“gives proof beforehand.” | for this assertion, and how he then dwells
upon it. For he hath previously declared that He showed mercy to me
“a blasphemer and a persecutor”; this was in the way of
preparation. And not only did He show mercy, but “He accounted me
faithful.” So far should we be, he means, from disbelieving that
He showed mercy. For no one, who should see a prisoner admitted into a
palace, could doubt whether he obtained mercy. And this was visibly the
situation of Paul, for he makes himself the example. Nor is he ashamed
to call himself a sinner, but rather delights in it, as he thus can
best demonstrate the miracle of God’s regard for him, and that He
had thought him worthy of such extraordinary kindness.
But how is it, that he here
calls himself a sinner, nay, the chief of sinners, whereas he elsewhere
asserts that he was “touching the righteousness which is in the
law blameless”? (Philip. iii.
6.)
Because with respect to the righteousness which God has wrought, the
justification which is really sought, even those who are righteous1130
in the law are sinners, “for all have
sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Rom. iii. 23.) Therefore he
does not say righteousness simply, but “the righteousness which
is in the law.” As a man that has acquired wealth, with respect
to himself appears rich, but upon a comparison with the treasures of
kings is very poor and the chief of the poor; so it is in this case.
Compared with Angels, even righteous men are sinners; and if Paul, who
wrought the righteousness that is in the law, was the chief of sinners,
what other man can be called righteous? For he says not this to condemn
his own life as impure, let not this be imagined; but comparing his own
legal righteousness with the righteousness of God, he shows it to be
nothing worth, and not only so, but he proves those who possess it to
be sinners.
Ver. 16. “Howbeit for
this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show
forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter
believe on Him to life everlasting.”
See how he further humbles and
depreciates himself, by naming a fresh and less creditable reason. For
that he obtained mercy on account of his ignorance, does not so much
imply that he who obtained mercy was a sinner, or under deep
condemnation; but to say that he obtained mercy in order that no sinner
hereafter might despair of finding mercy, but that each might feel sure
of obtaining the like favor, this is an excess of humiliation, such
that even in calling himself the chief of sinners, “a blasphemer
and a persecutor, and one not meet to be called an Apostle,” he
had said nothing like it. This will appear by an example. Suppose a
populous city, all whose inhabitants were wicked, some more so, and
some less, but all deserving of condemnation; and let one among that
multitude be more deserving of punishment than all the rest, and guilty
of every kind of wickedness. If it were declared that the king was
willing to pardon all, it would not be so readily believed, as if they
were to see this most wicked wretch actually pardoned. There could then
be no longer any doubt. This is what Paul says, that God, willing to
give men full assurance that He pardons all their transgressions,
chose, as the object of His mercy, him who was more a sinner than any;
for when I obtained mercy, he argues, there could be no doubt of
others: as familiarly speaking we might say, “If God pardons such
an one, he will never punish anybody”; and thus he shows that he
himself, though unworthy of pardon, for the sake of others’
salvation, first obtained that pardon. Therefore, he says, since I am
saved, let no one doubt of salvation. And observe the humility of this
blessed man; he says not, “that in me he might show forth”
His “longsuffering,” but “all longsuffering”;
as if he had said, greater longsuffering He could not show in any case than in
mine, nor find a sinner that so required all His pardon, all His
long-suffering; not a part only, like those who are only partially
sinners, but “all” His longsuffering.
“For a pattern to those
who should hereafter believe.” This is said for comfort, for
encouragement.1131
| 1131 προτροπήν, al. ἐπιστρόφην, “bringing about conversion.” | But because he
had spoken highly of the Son, and of the great love which He hath
manifested, lest he should be thought to exclude the Father from this,
he ascribes the glory to Him also.
Ver. 17. “Now unto the
King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and
glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
For these things, then, we
glorify not the Son only, but the Father. Here let us argue with the
heretics. Speaking of the Father, he says, “To the only
God.” Is the Son then not God? “The only immortal.”1132
Is the Son then not immortal? Or does He
not possess that Himself, which hereafter He will give to us? Yes, they
say, He is God and immortal, but not such as the Father. What then? is
He of inferior essence, and therefore of inferior immortality? What
then is a greater and a less immortality? For immortality is nothing
else than the not being subject to destruction. For there is a greater
and a less glory; but immortality does not admit of being greater or
less: as neither is there a greater and a less health. For a thing must
either be destructible, or altogether indestructible. Are we men then
immortal even as He? God forbid! Surely not! Why? because He has it by
nature, but we adventitiously. Why then do you make the difference?
Because the Father, he says, is made such as He is by no other: but the
Son is what He is, from the Father. This we also confess, not denying
that the Son is generated from the Father incorruptibly.1133
And we glorify the Father, he means, for
having generated the Son, such as He is. Thus you see the Father is
most glorified, when the Son hath done great things. For the glory of
the Son is referred again to Him. And since He generated Him omnipotent
and such as He is in Himself, it is not1134
| 1134 It
is necessary here to insert a negative or to read οὔκοῦν for οὐκοῦν. |
more the glory of the Son than of the Father, that He is
self-sufficient, and self-maintained, and free from infirmity. It has
been said of the Son, “By whom He made the worlds.”
(Heb.
i. 2.) Now there is a distinction observed among us between creation
and workmanship.1135
| 1135 κτίσις.
Hales conjectures κτῆσις,
possession. But this may be doubted, as κτίζειν means “to found,” as a king founds a city. The workmen
build, but do not found. | For one works and
toils and executes, another rules; and why? because he that executes is
the inferior. But it is not so there; nor is the sovereignty with One,
the workmanship with the Other. For when we hear, “By whom He
made the worlds,”1136
we do not
exclude the Father from creation. Nor when we say, “To the King
immortal,”1137
| 1137 Or “King of Ages” (αἰ& 240·νων, for which we have no word but “worlds,” taken in an
extended sense). | do we deny
dominion to the Son. For these are common to the One and the Other, and
each belongs to Both. The Father created, in that He begat the creating
Son; the Son rules, as being Lord of all things created. For He does
not work for hire, nor in obedience to others, as workmen do among us,
but from His own goodness and love for mankind. But has the Son1138
ever been seen? No one can affirm this.
What means then, “To the King immortal, invisible, the only
wise1139
| 1139 B.
omits “wise” throughout, and then “only”
applies to the words before, and the argument here is complete; viz.,
that there is One God. of whom all this is said, that is, the Ever
Blessed Trinity. Some good mss. favor this
reading in the text. | God”? Or when it is said,
“There is no other name whereby we must be saved”: and
again, “There is salvation in no other”? (Acts iv.
12.)
“To Him be honor and glory
forever. Amen.”
Now honor and glory are not mere
words; and since He has honored us not by words only, but by what He
has done for us, so let us honor Him by works and deeds. Yet this honor
touches us, while that reaches not Him, for He needs not the honor that
comes from us, we do need that which is from Him.
In honoring Him, therefore, we
do honor to ourselves. He who opens his eyes to gaze on the light of
the sun, receives delight himself, as he admires the beauty of the
star, but does no favor to that luminary, nor increases its splendor,
for it continues what it was; much more is this true with respect to
God. He who admires and honors God does so to his own salvation, and
highest benefit; and how? Because he follows after virtue, and is
honored by Him. For “them that honor Me,” He says, “I
will honor.” (1 Sam. iv. 30.) How then is He
honored, if He enjoys no advantage from our honor? Just as He is said
to hunger and thirst. For He assumes everything that is ours, that He
may in anywise attract us to Him. He is said to receive honors, and
even insults, that we may be afraid. But with all this we are not
attracted towards Him!
Moral.
Let us then “glorify God,” and bear God1140
| 1140 ἄρωμεν. St. Chrys.
is almost the only Greek authority for the reading of the Vulgate, well
known as the Capitulum of the 9th hour, “glorificate et
portate Deum in corpore vestro.” On the passage his reading
so seems not quite decided. See Scholz, and Hom. xviii. on 1 Cor. vi.
20. | both “in our body and in our
spirit.” (1 Cor. vi. 20.) And how is one to
glorify Him in the body? saith one, and how in the spirit? The soul is
here called the spirit to distinguish it from the body. But how may we
glorify Him in the body and in the spirit? He glorifies Him in the body, who
does not commit adultery or fornication, who avoids gluttony and
drunkenness, who does not affect a showy exterior, who makes such
provision for himself as is sufficient for health only: and so the
woman, who does not perfume nor paint her person, but is satisfied to
be such as God made her, and adds no device of her own. For why dost
thou add thy own embellishments to the work which God made? Is not His
workmanship sufficient for thee? or dost thou endeavor to add grace to
it, as if forsooth thou wert the better artist?1141
| 1141 “God never made his work for man to
mend.”—Dryden. |
It is not for thyself, but to attract crowds of lovers, that thou thus
adornest thy person, and insultest thy Creator. And do not say,
“What can I do? It is no wish of my own, but I must do it for my
husband. I cannot win his love except I consent to this.” God
made thee beautiful, that He might be admired even in thy beauty, and
not that He might be insulted. Do not therefore make Him so ill a
return, but requite Him with modesty and chastity. God made thee
beautiful, that He might increase the trials of thy modesty. For it is
much harder for one that is lovely to be modest, than for one who has
no such attractions, for which to be courted. Why does the Scripture
tell us, that “Joseph was a goodly person, and well
favored” (Gen. xxxix. 6.), but that we might
the more admire his modesty coupled with beauty? Has God made thee
beautiful? Why dost thou make thyself otherwise? For as though one
should overlay a golden statue with a daubing of mire, so it is with
those women that use paints. Thou besmearest thyself with red and white
earth! But the homely, you say, may fairly have recourse to this. And
why? To hide their ugliness? It is a vain attempt. For when was the
natural appearance improved upon by that which is studied and
artificial? And why shouldest thou be troubled at thy want of beauty,
since it is no reproach? For hear the saying of the Wise Man,
“Commend not a man for his beauty, neither abhor a man for his
outward appearance.” (Ecclus. xi. 2.) Let God be rather
admired, the best Artificer, and not man, who has no merit in being
made such as he is. What are the advantages, tell me, of beauty? None.
It exposes its possessor to greater trials, mishaps, perils, and
suspicions. She that wants it escapes suspicion; she that possesses it,
except she practice a great and extraordinary reserve, incurs an evil
report, and what is worse than all, the suspicion of her husband, who
takes less pleasure in beholding her beauty, than he suffers pain from
jealousy. And her beauty fades in his sight from familiarity, whilst
she suffers in her character from the imputation of weakness,
dissipation, and wantonness, and her very soul1142
| 1142 Stopping the passage thus, the present reading may
stand. |
becomes degraded and full of haughtiness. To these evils personal
beauty is exposed. But she who has not this attraction, escapes
unmolested. The dogs do not assail her; she is like a lamb, reposing in
a secure pasture, where no wolf intrudes to harass her, because the
shepherd is at hand to protect her.
The real superiority1143
| 1143 πλεονεξία
seems here to be used for “superiority,”
if the reading of B. (not wicked) is correct; and this makes the
best sense. Otherwise, it must stand for
“excess.” | is, not that one is fair, and the other
homely, but it is a superiority that one, even if she is not fair, is
unchaste, and the other is not wicked. Tell me wherein is the
perfection of eyes? Is it in their being soft, and rolling, and round,
and dark, or in their clearness and quicksightedness. Is it the
perfection of a lamp to be elegantly formed, and finely turned, or to
shine brightly, and to enlighten the whole house? We cannot say it is
not this, for the other is indifferent, and this the real object.
Accordingly we often say to the maid whose charge it is, “You
have made a bad lamp of it.” So entirely is it the use of a lamp
to give light. So it matters not what is the appearance of the eye,
whilst it performs its office with full efficiency. We call the eye
bad, which is dim or disordered, and which, when open, does not see.
For that is bad, which does not perform its proper office—and
this is the fault of eyes. And for a nose, tell me, when is it a good
one? When it is straight, and polished on either side, and finely
proportioned? or when it is quick to receive odors, and transmit them
to the brain? Any one can answer this.
Come now, let us illustrate this
by an example—as of gripers, I mean the instruments so called; we
say those are well-made, which are able to take up and hold things, not
those which are only handsomely and elegantly shaped. So those are good
teeth which are fit for the service of dividing and chewing our food,
not those which are beautifully set. And applying the same reasoning to
other parts of the body, we shall call those members beautiful, which
are sound, and perform their proper functions aright. So we think any
instrument, or plant, or animal good, not because of its form or color,
but because it answers its purpose. And he is thought a good1144
servant, who is useful and ready for our
service, not one who is comely but dissolute. I trust ye now understand
how it is in your power to be beautiful.
And since the greatest and most
important benefits are equally enjoyed by all, we are under no
disadvantage. Whether we are beautiful or not, we alike behold this
universe, the sun, the moon, and the stars; we breathe the same air, we partake
alike of water, and the fruits of the earth. And if we may say what
will sound strange, the homely are more healthy than the beautiful. For
these, to preserve their beauty, engage in no labor, but give
themselves up to indolence and delicate living, by which their bodily
energies are impaired; whilst the others, having no such care, spend
all their attention simply and entirely on active pursuits.
Let us then “glorify God,
and take and bear Him in our body.” (1 Cor. vi. 20.) Let us not
affect a beautiful appearance; that care is vain and unprofitable. Let
us not teach our husbands to admire the mere outward form; for if such
be thy adornment, his very habit of viewing thy face will make him easy
to be captivated by a harlot. But if thou teachest him to love good
manners, and modesty, he will not be ready to wander, for he will see
no attractions in a harlot, in whom those qualities are not found, but
the reverse. Neither teach him to be captivated by laughter, nor by a
loose dress, lest thou prepare a poison against thyself. Accustom him
to delight in modesty, and this thou wilt do, if thy attire be modest.
But if thou hast a flaunting air, an unsteady manner, how canst thou
address1145
| 1145 Ben. προσενεγκεῖν, Sav. προεν. | him in a serious strain? and who will
not hold thee in contempt and derision?
But how is it possible to
glorify God in our spirit?1146
| 1146 Ben. “to bear God in our body.” But this seems rather
the subject that has been already discussed. See the beginning of the
Moral. | By practicing
virtue, by adorning the soul. For such embellishment is not forbidden.
Thus we glorify God, when we are good in every respect, and we shall be
glorified by Him in a much higher degree in that great day. For
“I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy
to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us.”
(Rom.
viii. 18.) Of which that we may all be partakers, God grant, by the grace
and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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