He warns him against heretics, and exhorts him to the exercise of piety.
He prophecieth that certaine should depart from the Catholike faith, vvilling Timothee therfore to inculcate to the people those articles of the said faith. 7 Item to exercise him self in spiritual exercise, 12 to gette authoritie by example of good life, 13 to studie, to teach, to increase in the grace giuen him by holy orders.
1Now the Spirit manifestly saith that in the last times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to spirits of error and doctrines of devils,Ma lo spirito dice apertamente, che negli ultimi tempi alcuni apostateranno dalla fede, dando retta agli spiriti ingannatori, e alle dottrine dei demoni.AND the Spirit manifestly saith that in the last times certain • shal depart from the faith attending to spirites of errour, and doctrines of diuels,Spiritus autem manifeste dicit, quia in novissimis temporibus discedent quidam a fide, attendentes spiritibus erroris, et doctrinis dæmoniorum, 2Speaking lies in hypocrisy and having their conscience seared,Per ipocrisia dicendo la falsità, avendo la coscienza coperta di turpi marche,speaking lies in hypocrisie, and hauing their conscience seared,in hypocrisi loquentium mendacium, et cauteriatam habentium suam conscientiam, 3Forbidding to marry, to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving by the faithful and by them that have known the truth.Ordinando di non contrar matrimonio, di astenersi dai cibi creati da Dio, perché ne usassero con rendimento di grazie i fedeli, e quelli, che hanno conosciuta la verità.• forbidding to marie, to abstaine from meates vvhich God created to receaue vvith thankes-giuing for the faithful, and them that haue knovven the truth.prohibentium nubere, abstinere a cibis, quod Deus creavit ad percipiendum cum gratiarum actione fidelibus, et iis qui cognoverunt veritatem. 4For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be rejected that is received with thanksgiving:Dappoiché tutto quello, che Dio ha creato, è buono, e nulla è da rigettarsi, ove con rendimento di grazie si prenda:For euery creature of God is good, and nothing to be reiected that is receiued • vvith thankes-giuing.Quia omnis creatura Dei bona est, et nihil rejiciendum quod cum gratiarum actione percipitur: 5For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.Imperocché vien ad esser santificato per la parola di Dio, e pell'orazione.For it is • sanctified by the vvord of God and praier.sanctificatur enim per verbum Dei, et orationem. 6These things proposing to the brethren, thou shalt be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished up in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which thou hast attained unto.Se tali cose proporrai a' fratelli, sarai buon ministro di Cristo Gesù, nudrito delle parole della fede, e della buona dottrina, nella quale tu sei versato.These things proposing to the brethren, thou shalt be a good minister of Christ IESVS, nourished in the vvordes of the faith and the good doctrine vvhich thou hast attained vnto.Hæc proponens fratribus, bonus eris minister Christi Jesu enutritus verbis fidei, et bonæ doctrinæ, quam assecutus es.
7But avoid foolish and old wives fables: and exercise thyself unto godliness.Ma le profane favole da vecchiarelle rigettale, ed esercitati nella pietà.But folish and old vviues fables auoid: and exercise thy self to pietie.Ineptas autem, et aniles fabulas devita: exerce autem teipsum ad pietatem. 8For bodily exercise is profitable to little: but godliness is profitable to all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.Imperocché l'esercizio del corpo serve a poco: ma è buona a tutto la pietà avente le promesse della vita di adesso, e della futura.For corporal exercise is profitable to litle: but pietie is profitable to al things: hauing promisse of the life that novv is, and of that to come.Nam corporalis exercitatio, ad modicum utilis est: pietas autem ad omnia utilis est, promissionem habens vitæ, quæ nunc est, et futuræ. 9A faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.Parola fedele, e sommamente accettevole.A faithful saying and vvorthie of al acceptation.Fidelis sermo, et omni acceptione dignus. 10For therefore we labour and are reviled, because we hope in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, especially of the faithful.Imperocché per questo ci affatichiamo, e siamo maledetti, perché abbiamo speranza in Dio vivo, il quale è salvatore di tutti gli uomini, massimamente de' fedeli.For to this purpose vve labour and are reuiled, because vve hope in the liuing God vvhich is the Sauiour of al men, especially of the faithful.In hoc enim laboramus, et maledicimur, quia speramus in Deum vivum, qui est Salvator omnium hominum, maxime fidelium. 11These things command and teach:Annunzia, e insegna tali cose.Commaund these things and teach.Præcipe hæc, et doce. 12Let no man despise thy youth: but be thou an example of the faithful, in word, in conversation, in charity, in faith, in chastity.Nissuno disprezzi la tua giovinezza: ma sii tu il modello de' fedeli nel parlare, nel conversare, nella carità, nella fede, nella castità.Let no man contemne thy youth: but be an example of the faithful, in vvord, in conuersation, in charitie, in faith, in chastitie.Nemo adolescentiam tuam contemnat: sed exemplum esto fidelium in verbo, in conversatione, in caritate, in fide, in castitate. 13Till I come, attend unto reading, to exhortation and to doctrine.Fino a tanto che io venga attendi alla lettura, all'esortare, ed all'insegnare.Til I come, attend vnto reading, exhortation, doctrine.Dum venio, attende lectioni, exhortationi, et doctrinæ. 14Neglect not the grace that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with imposition of the hands of the priesthood.Non trascurare la grazia, che è in te, la quale ti è stata, data per rivelazione, con l'imposizione delle mani del presbiterio.Neglect not the grace that is in thee: vvhich is giuen thee by prophecie, vvith imposition of the handes of priesthod.Noli negligere gratiam, quæ in te est, quæ data est tibi per prophetiam, cum impositione manuum presbyterii.
15Meditate upon these things, be wholly in these things: that thy profiting may be manifest to all.Queste cose medita, in queste sta' fisso, affinché sia manifesto a tutti il tuo avanzamento.These things doe thou meditate, be in these things: that thy profiting may be manifest to al.Hæc meditare, in his esto: ut profectus tuus manifestus sit omnibus. 16Take heed to thyself and to doctrine: be earnest in them. For in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee.Attendi a te, ed all'insegnare: e in questo persevera. Imperocché ciò facendo, salverai te stesso, e quelli, che ti ascoltano.Attend to thy self, and to doctrine: be earnest in them. For, this doing, thou shalt saue both thy self and them that heare thee.Attende tibi, et doctrinæ: insta in illis. Hoc enim faciens, et teipsum salvum facies, et eos qui te audiunt.
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In the last times. Literally, last days; that is hereafter, or in days to come.
Witham
To spirits of error and doctrines of devils; or, to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, as in the Protestant translation. The sense must be, that men shall teach false doctrine by the suggestion of the devil. (Witham)
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Witham
Their conscience seared; hardened: a metaphor from the custom of burning malefactors with a hot iron. (Witham)
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Witham
Forbidding to marry, to abstain from meats, etc. Here says St. Chrysostom[Ver. 3. St. Chrysostom, Greek: om. ib. ou koluomen, me genoioto. St. Jerome, (lib. 1. contra Jovinian. tom. 4. p. 156) Si nupserit Virgo, non peccavit....non illa Virgo, quae se semel Dei cultui dedicavit; harum enim si qua nupserit, habebit damnationem. See St. Augustine (lib. 30. contra Faust. ch. VI.) Both as to marriage and meats.] are foretold and denoted the heretics called Encratites, the Marcionites, Manicheans, etc. who condemned all marriages as evil, as may be seen in St. Irenaeus, Epiphanius, St. Augustine, Theodoret, etc. These heretics held a god who was the author of good things, and another god who was the author or cause of all evils; among the latter they reckoned, marriages, fleshmeats, wine, etc. The doctrine of Catholics is quite different, when they condemn the marriages of priests and of such as have made a vow to God to lead always a single life; or when the Church forbids persons to eat flesh in Lent, or on fasting-days, unless their health require it. We hold that marriage in itself is not only honourable, but a sacrament of divine institution. We believe and profess that the same only true God is the author of all creatures which are good of themselves; that all eatables are to be eaten with thanksgiving, and none of them to be rejected, as coming from the author of evil. When we condemn priests for marrying, it is for breaking their vows and promises made to God of living unmarried, and of leading a more perfect life; we condemn them with the Scripture, which teaches us that vows made are to be kept; with St. Paul, who in the next 1 Timothy (ver. 12) teaches us, that they who break such vows incur their damnation. When the Church, which we are commanded to obey, enjoins abstinence from flesh, or puts a restraint as to the times of eating on days of humiliation and fasting, it is by way of self-denial and mortification: so that it is not the meats, but the transgression of the precept, that on such occasions defiles the consciences of the transgressors. "You will object, (says St. Chrysostom) that we hinder persons from marrying; God forbid," etc. St. Augustine, (lib. 30. contra Faustum. ch. VI.) "You see (says he) the great difference in abstaining from meats for mortification sake, and as if God was not the author of them." We may observe that God, in the law of Moses, prohibited swine's flesh and many other eatables; and that even the apostles, in the Council of Jerusalem, forbad the Christians, (at least about Antioch) to eat at that time blood and things strangled; not that they were bad of themselves, as the Manicheans pretended. (Witham)
Challoner
St. Paul here speaks of the Gnostics and other ancient heretics, who absolutely condemned marriage and the use of all kind of meat, because they pretended that all flesh was from an evil principle: whereas the Church of God so far from condemning marriage, holds it to be a holy sacrament, and forbids it to none but such as by vow have chosen the better part: and prohibits not the use of any meats whatsoever, in proper times and seasons, though she does not judge all kinds of diet proper for days of fasting and penance. (Challoner)
We may see in the earliest ages[centuries] of Christianity, that some of the most infamous and impure heretics that ever went out of the Church, condemned all marriage as unlawful, at the same time allowing the most unheard of abominations: men without religion, without faith, without modesty, without honour. See St. Clement of Alexandria, lib. 3. Strom.
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Witham
It is sanctified by the word of God, and prayer. That is, praying that they may not, by the abuse we make of them, be an occasion to us of sinning and offending God. (Witham)
Calmet
The use of all kinds of meat is in itself good; but if it were not, it would become sanctified by the prayer which we usually pronounce over it, and by the word of Christ, who has declared that not that which enters the mouth defiles a man. (Calmet)
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Witham
Old wives' fables.[Ver. 7. Bebelous.] Some understand the groundless traditions of the Jews; others the ridiculous fictions of Simon Magus and his followers. In the Greek they are called profane fables. (Witham)
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Menochius
Some think St. Paul alludes in this verse to the corporal exercises of wrestlers, which procured them but a little short renown, whereas the works of piety have a more lasting reward. (Menochius; Tirinus)
St. Bernard
Corporal exercises of temperance, mortification, etc. are good, but not to be compared with the spiritual virtues of charity, piety, etc. (St. Bernard)
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Witham
Of all men, and especially of the faithful, who have received the grace of faith. (Witham)
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Witham
Let no man despise thy youth. That is, let thy behaviour be such that no one can have occasion to despise thee. He seems then about the age of forty. (Witham)
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Witham
Attend to reading, etc. He recommends to him the reading of the Holy Scriptures; which, says St. Ambrose, (lib. 3. de fid. ch. VII.) is the book of priests. (Witham)
4:14
Neglect not the grace. The Greek seems to imply the gifts of the Holy Ghost, given by the sacraments,[Ver. 14. Gratiam, charismatos.] by prophecy; which may signify, when the gift of preaching or of expounding prophets was bestowed upon thee.
Witham
With the imposition of the hands of the[Ver. 14. Presbyterii, tou presbuteriou. See Luke xxii. 26. and Acts xxii. 5., where presbuterion is taken for a number of Jewish priests.] priesthood. Some expound it, when thou didst receive the order of priesthood, or wast made bishop: but the sense rather seems to be, when the hands of priests of the first order (that is, of bishops) were laid upon thee, according to St. Chrysostom. (Witham)
St. Augustine sayeth that no man can doubt whether holy orders be a sacrament; and that no one may argue that he uses the term improperly, and without due precision, he joineth this sacrament in nature and name with baptism (Contra Ep. Parmen. lib. 2. ch. XIII.) St. Ambrose on this verse understands in the words imposition of hands, all the holy action and sacred words done and spoken over him when he was made a priest; whereby, says the saint, he was designed to the work, and received authority that he durst offer sacrifice in our Lord's stead unto God.
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Forbidding to marry, to abstain from meats.... He speaks of the Gnostics, the Marcionites, the Eneratites, the Manicheans, and other ancient heretics, who absolutely condemned marriage, and the use of all kind of meat; because they pretended that all flesh was from an evil principle. Whereas the church of God, so far from condemning marriage, holds it a holy sacrament; and forbids it to none but such as by vow have chosen the better part: and prohibits not the use of any meats whatsoever in proper times and seasons; though she does not judge all kind of diet proper for days of fasting and penance.
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1. Shal depart.] Al Heretikes are apostataes from the faith. It is the proper description of Heretikes, 〈Greek〉 to forsake their former faith, and to be Apostataes, as the Greeke vvord importeth: to giue care to particular spirites of error & deception, rather then to the Spirit of Christ in his Church, to folovv in hypocrisie and shevv of vertue the pernicious doctrine of Diuels, vvho are the suggesters and prompters of al Sectes, and are lying spirites in the mouthes of al Heretikes and false preachers: men that haue put their conscience to silence and made it senses to the holy (hurches admonition: cap. 1. 19. the Apostle noting once before also in this same Epistle, that Heretikes haue no conscience, vvhich is the cause both of their fall and of their obduration in heresie.
•. Forbidding to marrie.] The old Heresies against matrimonie. He speaketh (saith S. Chrysostom) of the Manichees, Encratites, and Marcionistes. h•. 12 in 1 Tim. S. Ambrose vpon this place, addeth to these the Patritians also. S. Irenaeus li. 1 c. 30. S. Epiphanius har. 45. 26. 61. 30. S. Hierom 1 cont. louin. c. 1. & ep. 50 c. 1 & 3. S. Augustine har. 25. 40. and generally al antiquitie affirme the same both of them, and also of the Heretikes called Apostolici, Ebionitae, and the like. Their heresie about mariage vvas, that to marrie or to vse the act of matrimonie, is of Satan, as S. Irenaeus vvitnesseth li. 1 c. 22: and that the distinction of male and femal and the creation of man and vvoman for generation, came of an il God. They taught their hearers, Aug. har. 46. saith S. Augustine, that if they did vse vvomen, they should in any vvise prouide that they might not conceiue or beare children, Clemens Alexandrinus (li. 3. Strom, in principie) vvriteth, that such admit no mariage nor procreation of children, lest they should bring into the vvorld creatures to suffer miserie and mortalitie. And this is the damnable opinion concerning mariage, noted here by the Apostle.
For the second point consisting in the prohibition of meates or vse of certaine creatures made to be eaten, The old Heresies about abstin••e from meates. the said Heretikes or diuers of them (for they vvere not al of one sect touching these points) taught, that men might not eate certaine sortes of meates, specially of beastes and liuing creatures, for that they vvere not made (say they) of the good God, but of the euil. And vvine they called the gall of the Prince of darkenes, and not to be drunke at al, and the Vine vvhereof it came, to be of the Diuels creation. And diuers other creatures they cōdemned as things by nature and creation polluted and abominable. August. har. Manich. 46. & har. 25 Tatian. & toto libro de m•r. Manich. to. 1. Lo these vvere the Heretikes and their heresies vvhich S. Paul here prophecieth of, The Catholikes impudently charged vvith the said old heresies. that forbid mariage and meates as you haue heard, for vvhich they and their folovvers vvere condemned in diuers Councels.
Is it not novv an intolerable impudencie of the Protestants, vvho for a smal similitude of vvordes in the eares of the simple, apply this text to the fastes of the Church, and the chastitie of Priests and Religious? Abstinence from certaine meates is no condemnation of the meates. As though either by appointing or vsing some daies of abstinence from certaine meates, the Church or any Catholike man condemned the said meates, vnles the Rechabites Hierom. 35. or the Nazarites Num. 6. or the Niniuites Ion. 3. or Moyses Exod. 34. or Elias 3 Reg. 19. or holy. Anna the vvidow Luc. 2 or Iohn Baptist Mat. 3 & 9. or Christ him. self M•. 4. commending, vsing, and folovving a prescript number of fasting daies, or God him self that in the very beginning, in Paradise, prescribed abstinence from the fruite of one certaine tree, and after appointed so many fastes in the Lavv, vnles he therfore, condēned his ovvne creatures, & the rest, those creatures from vvhich they abstained. Diuers good causes of abstinence. No, there be many good and lavvful causes to forbid some or to abstaine frō some meates: as, for obedience, as in Paradise: for significatiō, as the Ievves: for that they haue been offered to Idols, as in the Epistle to the Corinthians: for chastening the bodie and penance, for health also: and onely those causes are vnlavvful for vvhich the Manichees and other Heretikes abstained.
Concerning mariage likewise, Forbidding certaine persons to marrie is no condemnation of matrimonie. they may as vvel charge God or the Church for forbidding the father to marrie the daughter, or the brother the sister, or other prohibited persons in the Lavv: as vvel might they charge Christ and the Apostle for prohibiting the man to marrie, during his vviues life: and appointing vvidowes that serue the Church, to liue vnmaried, and not admitting a maried woman as vvel as vvidovv, nor her that hath had moe husbands, as vvel as her that hath beē maried but once: as they charge the Church for not admitting maried persons to the altar, Catholikes esteeme matrimonie more then the Protestants doe. and for forcing them & Religious persons to keepe their promis of chastitie. No, the holy Church is so farre from condemning wedlocke, that she honoureth it much more then the Protestants, accounting it an holy Sacrament, vvhich they do not, who onely vse it to iust as the Heathen doe, and not to religion.
But it is an old deceitful practise of Heretikes to charge Catholike men vvith old condemned heresies. The Eutychians slaundered the Councel of Chalcedon and S. Leo to be Nestorians, and to make two persons in Christ, because they said there vvere tvvo natures. Vigilius li. 5. cont. Eu•ychen. Arius charged Alexander his Bishop of Sabellianisme, for auouching the vnitie of substance in Trinitie. Socrat. li. 1. c. 3. Iulianus accused S. Augustine of the heresie of Apollinaris. li. 5. con•. Iulian. c. 15. Other Pelagians chalenged him for condemning mariage. The Protestants obiectōs answered long ago by S. Hierom and S. Augustine. Retrait. li. 2. c. 53. And that our Protestants bragge not to much of their goodly inuention, louinian the old Heretike, their Maister in this point, accused Aug. li. 2 c. 5 de nupt. & c•ncupise. the holy doctors and Catholikes vpon this same place, to be Manichees, and to condemne meates and mariage, as both S. Hierom and S. Augustine do testifie. And they both answer to the Heretike, that the Church in deede & Catholikes do abstaine frō some for euer, and some for certaine daies, and euery Christian man lightly al the 40 daies of Lent fast: not for that they thinke the meates vncleane, abominable, or of an il creation, as the Manichees do: but for punishment of their bodies and taming their concupiscences. Hiero. li. 2. cont. Iouin. c. 11. Aug. cont. Adimantum c. 14. Li. de mor. Cath. Eo. Hiero. in c. 4. ad Galat. And as for mariage, the said doctors answer, that no Catholike man condemneth it for vnlavvful, as the old Heretikes did, but onely preferreth virginitie and continencie before it, as a state in it self more agreable to God and more meete for the Cleargie. See S. Augustine against Faustus the Manichee li. 30 c. 5. 6. and har. 25 in the name, Apostolici. S. Hierom ep. 50. c. 1. & 3. Al this the Catholikes continually tel the Aduersaries, and they can not but see it. Yet by accustomed audacitie and impudencie they beare it out still.
Concordance 2 Tim. 3.
Concordance 3 Pet. 3.
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Concordance Iude v. 18.
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4. With thankes giuing.] By the most aūcient custom of the faithful both before Christ and sithence, Blessing of the table or of meates, specially by a Priest. men vse to blesse their table and meates, by the hand and word of a Priest, if any be present, othervvise by such as can conueniently do it. And in husbandmens houses vvhere they haue no other meanes, they should at least blesse Gods giftes and them selues vvith a Pater noster or the signe of the Crosse: not onely to acknowledge from whom they haue their concinual sustenauce, but also to blesse their meate and sanctifie it. For the Greeke vvord vsed of S. Paul, 〈Greek〉. by Ecclesiastical vse, vvhē it cōcerneth meates, signifieth not onely thankes giuing, but blessing or sanctifying the creatures to be receiued, as being al one vvith 〈Greek〉, and in English vve call it grace, not onely that after meate, which is onely thankes to God, but that before meate, vvhich is alvvaies a benediction of the creatures, as it is plaine in the prescript and vsual formes of grace. For vvhich cause a Priest should euer do it rather then a lay man or any of inferior order in the Cleargie. In so much that S. Hierom (ep. 85) reprehendeth certaine Deacons vvhom he savv say grace or blesse the meate and the companie, To blesse is a preeminence of the better person. in the presence of a Priest. Vvho also recordeth (in the life of S. Paul the holy Eremite) the great curtesie and humilitie of him and S. Antonie, yelding one to the other the preeminence of blessing their poore dinner. For to blesse is a great thing, Hebr. 7. and a Priestly prerogatiue, as the Apostle vvitnesseth, declaring the preeminence of Melchise dec in that he blessed Abraham. Read the note folowing.
We see plainely by these vvordes such abstinence only to be disalovved as condemneth the creatures of God to be naught by nature & creation.
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5. Sanctified.] No creature il by nature, yea one more sanctified then an other. Al creatures be of Gods creation, none of the Diuel, or of any other cause and beginning, as the Manichees blasphemed: and therfore none are il, abominable, or vncleane by creation, nature, and condition, but al good and made for mans vse, though al be not alike holy nor equally sanctified. God made seuen daies, but he sanctified onely one of them, he made al places, but he sanctified none but the Temple and such like deputed to his seruice, as the Arke, the altar, and the rest vvhich vvere by sacred vse both holy them selues, and gaue also holines and sanctification to things that touched them or vvere applied vnto them. Holy times and places, & euery thing deputed to the seruice of God, holy. So our Sauiour saith, Mat. 23. that the Temple sanctified the gold, and the altar the gift, and generally al creatures secured from common and profane vse, to religion and vvorship of God, are made sacred thereby. So the places and daies of Gods apparition or vvorking some special vvonders or benefites tovvard the people, vvere holy, as Bethel, 2 Pet. 1. Sinai, and others. And much more those times and places of Christes Natiuitie, Passion, burial, Resurrection, Ascension: vvhich is so plaine a case, that the h•l vvhere he vvas transfigured onely, is called therfore by S. Peter, the holy mount.
These therfore be holy memories and monuments of al sortes sanctified, besides that creatures (as vve see here) be sanctified also by the vvord of God and praier, that is to say, by benediction & inuocation of our Lordes holy name vpon them, Creatures hallovved by the signe of the Crosse. specially by the signe of the Crosse, as S. Chrysostom noteth on this place, ho. 12 in 2 ad Tim. by the vvhich the aduersarie povver of Satan vsurping vniustly vpon Gods creatures through mans sinne, and seeking deceitfully in or by the same to annoy mans body or soule, is expelled, and the meates purged from him and made holesom. S. Gregorie (li. 1 Dialog. c. 4.) recordeth that the Diuel entered into a certaine religious vvoman by eating the herbe letti•e vnblessed. The blessing of our meate vvhat a vertue it hath. And S. Augustine li. 18. de ciu. Dei •. 18. shevveth at large, vvhat vvaies he hath by meates and drinkes and other vsual creatures of God, to annoy men: though is povver be much lesse then it vvas before Christ but still much desire he hath on al sides to molest the faithful by abusing the things most neere and necessarie vnto them, to their hurt both bodily and Ghostly. for remedie vvhereof, this sanctification vvhich the Apostle speaketh of, 〈Greek〉. is very soueraine, pertaining not onely to this common and more vulgar benediction of our meates and drinkes, but much more (as the proprietie of the Greeke vvord vsed by the Apostle for sanctification, doth import) to other more exact sanctifying and higher applying of some creatures, and blessing them to Christes honour in the Church of God, and to mans spiritual and corporal benefites.
For as S. Augustine vvriteth li. 2 de pe•. merit. c. 26. besides this vsual blessing of our daily foode, the Cathecumens (that is, such as vvere taught tovvard Baptisme) are sanctified by the signe of the Crosse, Holy bread. and the bread (saith he) vvhich they receiue, thought it be not the body of Christ, yet is holy, and more holy then the vsual bread of the table. He meaneth a kinde of bread then halovved, specially for such as vvere not yet admitted to the B. Sacrament: either the same, or the like to our holy bread, vsed in the Church of England and France on Sundaies. And it vvas a common vse in the primitiue Church to blesse loaues, and send them for sacred tokens from one Christian man to an other. August. ep. 31. 34. 35. 36. and that not among the simple and superstitious (as the Aduersaries may imagine) but among the holiest, learnedst, and vvisest. Such halovved breads did S. Paulinus send to S. Augustine and Alipius, and they to him againe, calling them blessings. Read S. Hierom in the life of Hilarion (post medium:) hovv Princes and learned Bishops & other of al sortes came to that holy man for holy bread, panem benedictum. In the primitiue Church the people commonly brought bread to the Priests to be halovved. Author op. imp. ho. 14 in Mt. The 3 Coūcel of Carthage cap. 24. maketh mention of the blessing of milke, honie, grapes, and corne. See the 4 Canon of the Apostles. And not onely diuers other creatures vsed at certaine times in holy Churches seruice, as vvaxe, fire, palmes, ashes, but also the holy oile, Chrisme, and the vvater of Baptisme, that also vvhich is the cheefe of al Priestly blessing of creatures, The signe of the crosse vsed in blessing. the bread and vvine in the high Sacrifice, be sanctified, for vvithout sanctification, yea (as S. Augustine affirmeth tract. 118. in Ioan.) vvithout the signe of the Crosse, none of these things can rightly be done.
Can any man novv maruel that the Church of God by this vvarrāt of S. Paules vvord expoū ded by so long practise and tradition of the first fathers of our religion, doth vse diuers elements and blesse them for mans vse and the seruice of God, The Churches exorcismes. expelling by the inuocatiō of Christes name, the aduersarie povver from them, Luc. •. according to the authoritie giuen by Christ, Super omnia d•monia, ouer al Diuels: and by praier, vvhich importeth as the Apostle here speaketh, desire of help, as it vvere by the vertue of Christ to combat vvith the Diuel, and so to expel him out of Gods creatures, vvhich is done by holy exorcisme, and euer beginneth, Adiutorium nostrum in nomine Domini, as vve see in the blessing of holy vvater and the like sanctification of elements. Holy vvater. Vvhich exorcismes, namely of children before they come to Baptisme, see in S. Augustine li. 6 cont. Iulian, c. 5. & de E•. dogmat. 6. 31. Denupt. & concupis. li. 1 6. 20. and of holy vvater, that hath been vsed these 1400 yeres in the Church by the institution of Alexander the first, in al Christian countries, and of the force thereof against Diuels, see a famous historie in Eusebius li. 5. c. 21. and in Epiphanius her. 30 Ebionitarum. See S. Gregorie to S. Augustine our Apostle, of the vse thereof in halovving the Idolatrous temples to be made the Churches of Christ. apud Bedam li, 1 c. 30 hist. Angl. Remember hovv the Prophet Eliseus applied salt to the healing and purifying of vvaters, 4 Reg. 2: hovv the Angel Raphael vsed the liuer of the fish to driue avvay the Diuel, The force of sanctified creatures. Tob. 6. 8: hovv Dauids harp and Psalmodie kept the euil spirit from Saul, 1 Reg. 16: hovv a peece of the holy earth saued such a mans chamber from infestatiō of Diuels, August. de Ciuit. dei li. 22. c. 8: The holy land. how Christ him self, both in Sacramēts, & out of them, occupied diuers sanctified elements, some for the health of the body, some for grace and remission of sinnes, Relikes. and some to vvorke miracles by. See in S. Hierom against Vigilantius c. 2. hovv holy Relikes tormēt them. theodoret. li. 36. 3. In the historie of Iulianus the Apostata, The crosse. hovv the signe of the Crosse: The name of IESVS. in the Actes (cap. 19) hovv the name of IESVS yea and of Paul putteth them to flight.
Furnish your selues vvith such examples and groundes of Scriptures and antiquitie, and you shal contemne the Aduersaries cauillations and blasphemies against the Churches practise in such things, and further also finde, these sacred actions and creatures, not only by increase of faith, feruor, and deuotion, to purge the impuritie of our soules, and procure remission of our daily infirmities, but that the cheefe Ministers of Christes Church, by their soueraine authoritie graunted of our Lord, Remission of venial sinnes annexed to halovved creatures. may ioyne vnto the same, their blessing and remission of our venial sinnes or spiritual dettes: Ia. c. 5. as vve see in S. Iames, remission of al sinnes to be annexed to the vnction vvith holy oile, vvhich to the Catholikes is a Sacrament, but to the Protestants vvas but a temporal ceremonie, and to some of them not of Christes institution, but of the Apostles onely. In their ovvne sense therfore they should not maruel that such spiritual effectes should procede of the vse of sanctified creatures, vvhereas venial trespasses be remitted many vvaies, though mortal ordinarily by the Sacraments onely. S. Gregorie. S. Gregorie did commonly send his benediction and remission of sinnes, in and vvith such holy tokens as vvere sanctified by his blessing and touching of the Apostles bodies and Martyrs Relikes, as novv his successors do in the like halovved remembrances of religion. See his 7 booke, epistle 126: and 9 booke, epistle 60. Thus therfore and to the effectes aforesaid the creatures of God be sanctified.
If any man obiect that this vse of creatures is like coniuration in Necromancie, The difference betvvene the Churches exorcismes & other coniurations. he must knovv the difference is, that in the Churches sanctifications and exorcismes, the Diuels be commaunded, forced, and tormented by Christes vvord and by praiers: but in the other vvicked practises, they be pleased, honoured, and couenanted vvithal: and therfore the first is godly and according to the Scriptures, but Necromancie abominable and against the Scriptures.
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Concordance 1. Tim. 1, 4. Tit. 3, 9.
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Some (saith S. Chrysost.) expound this of fasting, but they are deceiued-for fasting is a spiritual exercise. See a goodly commentarie of these vvordes in S. August. li. de mor. Eccl. Cath. c. 33.
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14. The grace.] Grace giuen in the Sacramēt of Orders. S. Augustine declareth this grace to be the gift of the holy Ghost giuen vnto him by receiuing this holy Order, vvhereby he vvas made fitte to execute the office to his ovvne saluation and other mens. And note vvithal, that grace is not onely giuen in or vvith the Sacraments, by the receiuers faith or deuotion, but by the Sacrament, per impositionem, by imposition of handes. for so he speaketh 2 Tim. 1. which is here said, cum impositione, vvith imposition.
14. With imposition.] Consecratiō of Priests by imposition of handes. S. Ambrose vpon this place, implieth in the vvord Imposition of hands, al the holy action and sacred vvordes done and spoken ouer him vvhen he vvas made Priest. Whereby (saith he) he vvas designed to the vvorke, and receiued authoritie, that he durst offer sacrifice in our Lordes steede vnto God. So doth the holy Doctor allude vnto the vvordes that are said novv also in the Catholike Church to him that is made Priest: Accipe potestatem offerendi pro viuis & mortuis in nomine Domini, that is, Take or receiue thou authoritie to offer for the liuing and the dead in the name of our Lord. In Esa. c. 58. for the vvhich S. Hierom also (as is noted before) saith, that the ordering of Priests is, by imposition of handes and imprecation of voice.
14. Of Priesthod.] Holy Orders a Sacrament. The practise of the Church giueth vs the sense of this place, vvhich the auncient Councel of Carthage doth thus set dovvne. Conc. Carth. 4 c. 3. When a Priest taketh orders, the Bishop blessing him and holding his hand vpon his head, let al the Priests present lay also their hands on his head by the Bishops hands &c. Vvho seeth not novv, that holy Orders giuing grace by an external ceremonie and vvorke, is a Sacrament? So al the old Church counteth it. And S. Augustine (cont. ep. Parmen. li. 2 c. 13.) plainely saith that no man doubteth but it is a Sacrament, and lest any man thinke that he vseth not the vvord Sacrament proprely and precisely, he ioyneth it is nature and name vvith Baptisme. Againe vvho seeth not by this vse of imposition of hands in giuing Orders and other Sacraments, Beza in cap. 6. Act. that Christ, the Apostles, and the Church may borovv of the Ievvish rites, certaine conuenient ceremonies and Sacramental actions, seing this same (as the Heretikes can not deny) vvas receiued of the maner of Ordering Aaron and the Priests of the old lavv or other heads of the people? See Exod. 39. Num. 27, 23.
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16. Saue both thy self.] Men also are called sauiours vvithout derogatiō to Christ. Though Christ be our onely Sauiour, yet the Scriptures forbeare not to speake freely and vulgarly and in a true sense, that man also may saue him self and others. But the Protestants notvvithstanding folovv such a captious kind of Diuinitie that if a man speake any such thing of our Lady or any Sainct in heauen, or other meane of procuring saluation, they make it a derogation to Christes honour. Vvith such hypocrites haue vve novv a daies to do.
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Tertullian † AD 220 The Prescription Against Heretics 7
These are “the doctrines” of men and “of demons”
Tertullian † AD 220 On Monogamy 15
… What heresy, if we judge second marriage, as being unlawful, akin to adultery? For what is adultery but unlawful marriage? The apostle sets a brand upon those who were wont entirely to forbid marriage, who were wont at the same time to lay an interdict on meats which God has created.
Tertullian † AD 220 On Fasting 2
… And accordingly (they think) us to have been even then prenoted as “in the latest times departing from the faith, giving heed to spirits which seduce the world, having a conscience inburnt with doctrines of liars.”
Tertullian † AD 220 On Fasting 12
… Grant that from the time of John the Paraclete had grown mute; we ourselves would have arisen as prophets to ourselves, for this cause chiefly: I say not now to bring down by our prayers God’s anger, nor to obtain his protection or grace; but to secure by premunition the moral position of the “latest times;”
St Hippolytus † AD 235 The Refutation of All Heresies 8.13
… because every creature of God is good, and nothing to be rejected which is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen De Principiis 2.7.3
… depraved by a spirit of error, rather than instructed by the teaching of the Holy Spirit, according to the declaration of the apostle, “Following the doctrine of devils, forbidding to marry, to the destruction and ruin of many, and to abstain from meats, that by an ostentatious exhibition of stricter observance they may seduce the souls of the innocent.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus 5.64
… speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them who believe;”
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 14.16
… together, let not man put asunder,” but man wishes to put asunder what God hath joined together, when, “falling away from the sound faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons, through the hypocrisy of men that speak lies, branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron, forbidding,” not only to commit fornication, but “to marry,”
Novatian † AD 258 A Treatise of Novatian Concerning the Trinity 29
… “And I think also that I have the Spirit of God.” Of Him he says: “The Spirit of the prophets is subject to the prophets.” Of Him also he tells: “Now the Spirit speaketh plainly, that in the last times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, doctrines of demons, who speak lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience cauterized.”
Novatian † AD 258 On the Jewish Meats 5
… says that in the last days some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving by them which believe and those who know God.”
Archelaus † fl. AD 278 The Acts of the Disputation with the Heresiarch Manes 35
… speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving.”
St Peter of Alexandria † AD 311 The Genuine Acts of Peter 1
“Wherefore take heed unto yourselves, and the whole flock over which the Holy Ghost has appointed you as overseers in succession—thee Achillas in the first place, and next to thee Alexander. Behold with living voice I protest to you, that after my death men will arise in the Church speaking perverse things,
St Alexander of Alexandria † AD 326 Epistles on the Arian Heresy and the Deposition of Arius 2.5
… “Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in My Name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.” Paul, too, having learnt these things from the Saviour, wrote, “In the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils which turn away from the truth.”
St Hilary of Poitiers † AD 367 De Trinitate or On the Trinity 10.2
… in their godless folly do not know with what spirit they reject the sound, and yearn after the corrupt doctrine, let them hear the words of the same Apostle to the same Timothy, But the Spirit saith expressly that in the last days some shall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils through the hypocrisy of lying talk
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Deposition of Arius 5
… for many shall come in My name, saying, I am Christ, and the time draweth near, and they shall deceive many: go ye not after them ;” while Paul, who was taught these things by our Saviour, wrote that “in the latter times some shall depart from the sound faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, which reject the truth
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 To the Bishops of Egypt 2
… For we know that, as it is written, ‘in the latter times some shall depart from the sound faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils, that turn from the truth
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.) 1.3
… But what is not from our fathers, but has come to light in this day, how can it be but that of which the blessed Paul
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 17.33
33. And that the Holy Ghost subsists, and lives, and speaks, and foretells, I have often said in what goes before, and Paul writes it plainly to Timothy: Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in later times some shall depart from the faith
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 2.15
134. Such men, who sow disputes—that is to say, heretics—the Apostle bids us leave alone. Of them he says in yet another place, that “certain shall depart from the faith, giving heed to deceitful spirits, and the doctrines of devils.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 7
He had said in the former Epistle, that “the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 55.36
… having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 14.10
10. If the Manichæans disapprove of Moses on this account, let them confess that they are worshippers of idols and devils. This, indeed, may be the case without their being aware of it. The apostle tells us that "in the last days some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and to doctrines of devils, speaking lies in hypocrisy."
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 15.10
… For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving."
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 30.1
1. Faustus said: You apply to us the words of Paul: "Some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to lying spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their consciences seared as with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, abstaining from meats, which God has created to be received with thanksgiving by believers."
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Baptism, Against the Donatists 3.19
… and this thou hast done." For she turns all the sacraments, and the words of the sacred books, to the images of her own idols, with which her carnal mind delights to wallow. Nor yet, because those images are false, and the doctrines of devils, speaking lies in hypocrisy,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Work on the Proceedings of Pelagius 32
… Who would be bold enough to assert this? The very fact that he was an apostle showed, of course, that he possessed the grace of the apostolate . He possessed also that of prophecy ; for was not that a prophecy of his in which he says: “In the last times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils?”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 7.32
… And the same thing we read that one of them openly proclaimed in the fourth book of Kings: “I will go forth,” he said, “and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.” On which the Apostle, when reproving those who are deceived by them, adds as follows: “giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils speaking lies in hypocrisy.”
Socrates Scholasticus † AD 440 The Ecclesiastical History of Socrates Scholasticus 1.6
… for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ: and shall many deceive many’; and ‘the time is at hand; Go ye not therefore after them.’ And Paul, having learned these things from the Saviour, wrote, ‘That in the latter times some should apostatize from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits, and doctrines of devils,’
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 The Book of Pastoral Rule 3.19
… i. 15 ). Let the former hear, Whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their own confusion ( Philip. iii. 19 ). Let the latter hear, Some shall depart from the faith; and a little after, Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth (
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 Register of the Epistles of St. Gregory the Great 8.2
… Yet it becomes you, most holy ones, ever to recall to mind what the preacher to the Gentiles says; In the last times perilous times shall be at hand, and there shall be men loving themselves, covetous, lifted up (
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St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 2.21
… but very skilfully also by means of the lyric poet Pindar, when he describes to the Demiurge the case of Pelops, whose flesh was cut in pieces by the Father, and then collected and brought together, and compacted anew by all the gods, did she in this way indicate Pandora and these men having their consciences seared
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 History of Arian Opinions 1
32. The forementioned parties then had proceeded thus far, when they were stopped and deposed. But well I know, not even under these circumstances will they stop, as many as have now dissembled,
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 On Virginity 8
… We put forward the pleasure of it instead, as a most doughty champion on its behalf. It may be however, notwithstanding this, that there is some need of such a treatise, occasioned by those who travesty the teaching of the Church. Such persons
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 7
… since in fact that mount was at that time filled with all kinds of persons of that description. Form then in thy mind an image of that amphitheatre, and hate thou this, which is the devil’s. Neither do thou condemn the severity of my speech. For I neither “forbid to marry,”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Corinthians 27
… i. 8 .) but in reproof, as when he says, “Whosoever of you would be justified by the law, ye are fallen away from grace.” ( Gal. v. 4 .) And at one time he calls the corrupters “dogs,” saying, “Beware of dogs:” ( Philip. iii. 2 .) at another, “having their consciences seared with a hot iron.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Philippians 2
For not only does he command them the preaching of the Gospel, but likewise fasting and virginity, in such sort as will not only deprive them of their reward, but will bring down heavy evil on those who pursue that course. Concerning whom he says elsewhere, also, “Branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron.” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 20.16
… It was when, in passing through a field, the disciples plucked the ears of corn because they were hungry. Your doctrine would lead you to call this murder. Your mind is an altar, not of God, but of lying devils, by whose doctrines the evil conscience is seared as with a hot iron,
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St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 1.24.2
… This heretic was the first to affirm that two kinds of men were formed by the angels,—the one wicked, and the other good. And since the demons assist the most wicked, the Saviour came for the destruction of evil men and of the demons, but for the salvation of the good. They declare also, that marriage and generation are from Satan.
Tertullian † AD 220 The Prescription Against Heretics 33
… A part of it, however, is maintained by Marcion and Apelles and Valentinus, and all other impugners of the resurrection. Writing also to the Galatians, he inveighs against such men as observed and defend circumcision and the (Mosaic) law. Thus runs Hebion’s heresy. Such also as “forbid to marry” he reproaches in his instructions to Timothy.
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 1.24
… What could have been a better proof of a perfect goodness, than the recovery of the whole man to salvation? Totally damned by the Creator, he should have been totally restored by the most merciful god. I rather think that by Marcion’s rule the body is baptized, is deprived of marriage,
Tertullian † AD 220 On Fasting 2
… whereas faith, free in Christ, owes no abstinence from particular meats to the Jewish Law even, admitted as it has been by the apostle once for all to the whole range of the meat-market —(the apostle, I say), that detester of such as, in like manner as they prohibit marrying, so bid us abstain from meats created by God.
St Hippolytus † AD 235 The Refutation of All Heresies 7.18
… You say that there is a good Deity who destroys the works of the Demiurge: then do not you plainly preach to your pupils, as the good Deity, the Friendship of Empedocles. You forbid marriage, the procreation of children, (and) the abstaining from meats which God has created for participation by the faithful, and those that know the truth.
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 4.27
… and neither condemn the men as sinners, nor abhor the flesh as strange food; for the Apostle knows some of this sort, when he says: forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by them that believe
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Ephesians 20
… Therefore he saith, “He that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.” ( 1 Cor. vi. 17 .) Mark how earnestly he endeavors to unite both flesh with flesh, and spirit with spirit. And where are the heretics?
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Colossians 12
… The fact of marriages being thus performed, thus depraved, hath gained the thing an ill name: for “marriage is honorable, and the bed undefiled.” ( Heb. xiii. 4 .) Why art thou ashamed of the honorable, why blushest thou at the undefiled? This is for heretics,
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 22.13
… Yet it is these who say: “‘Unto the pure all things are pure;’ my conscience is sufficient guide for me. A pure heart is what God looks for. Why should I abstain from meats which God has created to be received with thanksgiving?”
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 48.2
… “We are no disciples of Marcion or of Manichæus, to detract from marriage. Nor are we deceived by the error of Tatian, the chief of the Encratites, into supposing all cohabitation unclean. For he condemns and reprobates not marriage only, but foods also which God has created for us to enjoy.
St Jerome † AD 420 Against Jovinianus 2.5
… But what need is there of argument when Scripture clearly teaches that every moving creature, like herbs and vegetables, were given to us for food, and the Apostle cries aloud ‘All things are clean to the clean, and nothing is to be rejected, if it be received with thanksgiving,’ and
St Jerome † AD 420 Against Jovinianus 2.10
… and supposed there was a difference between one day and another, for example, that the Sabbath, and the New Moons, and the Feast of Tabernacles were holier than other days, were commanded to eat herbs which are indifferently partaken of by all. But such as were of stronger faith believed all meats and all days to be alike.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 28.4
… —if we say thus, what then shall be our answer when perverse men such as he himself prophetically described arise, forbidding marriage,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 20.20
… You have been led by lying devils, not in self-denial, but in blasphemous error, "to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving."
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 30.5
… For, after speaking of abstaining from meats, which God has created to be received with thanksgiving by believers, the apostle goes on, "And by them who know the truth; for every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer."
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 9.2
2. The Lord, in that He came to the marriage to which He was invited, wished, apart from the mystical signification, to assure us that marriage was His own institution. For there were to be those of whom the apostle spoke, “forbidding to marry,”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 21.13
… “Abstaining from meats which God has created to be received with thanksgiving by the faithful and those who know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused if it is partaken of with thanksgiving.” For “if a man thinks that a thing is common, to him it is common.”
Socrates Scholasticus † AD 440 The Ecclesiastical History of Socrates Scholasticus 2.43
… Let it be noted that Meletius was appointed his successor, of whom we shall hereafter speak. Eustathius indeed was subsequently condemned by a Synod convened on his account at Gangra in Paphlagonia; he having, after his deposition by the council at Cæsarea, done many things repugnant to the ecclesiastical canons. For he had ‘forbidden marriage,’
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Tertullian † AD 220 On the Apparel of Women ii.9
… Why, are there not many, withal, who so do , and seal themselves up to eunuchhood for the sake of the kingdom of God, spontaneously relinquishing a pleasure so honourable, and (as we know) permitted? Are there not some who prohibit to themselves (the use of) the very “creature of God,”
Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus 8.32
… “For every creature is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.”
Novatian † AD 258 On the Jewish Meats 5
… “To the pure all things are pure; but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure, but even their mind and conscience is defiled.” Moreover, in another place: “For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused which is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the Word of God and prayer.”
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.) 2.19
… saying concerning the creatures, ‘The earth is full of Thy creation,’ and ‘the creation itself groaneth together and travaileth together ;’ and in the Apocalypse it says, ‘And the third part of the creatures in the sea died which had life;’ as also Paul says, ‘Every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving
St Basil the Great † AD 379 The Letters 199
XXVIII. It has seemed to me ridiculous that any one should make a vow to abstain from swine’s flesh. Be so good as to teach men to abstain from foolish vows and promises. Represent the use to be quite indifferent. No creature of God, received with thanksgiving, is to be rejected.
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Against Eunomius 1-2.37
What, too, does Paul, the follower of Christ, say? He, too, in his deep wisdom teaches the same. He, who declares that “everything is good, and nothing to be rejected, if it be received with thanks
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 On Virginity 12
… For, be it observed, there is no such thing in the world as evil irrespective of a will, and discoverable in a substance apart from that. Every creature of God is good, and nothing of His “to be rejected”; all that God made was “very good
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 The Great Catechism 6
… Now, by a provision of the supreme Mind there is an intermixture of the intellectual with the sensible world, in order that nothing in creation may be thrown aside
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 1 Timothy 12
Ver. 4 . “For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving.”
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 22.29
… And what concord hath Christ with Belial?” How can Horace go with the psalter, Virgil with the gospels, Cicero with the apostle? Is not a brother made to stumble if he sees you sitting at meat in an idol’s temple? Although “unto the pure all things are pure,” and “nothing is to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving,”
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 54.9
9. In saying this, I do not of course condemn food which God created to be enjoyed with thanksgiving,
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 79.7
… And do not fancy that you eschew meat diet when you reject pork, hare, and venison and the savoury flesh of other quadrupeds. It is not the number of feet that makes the difference but delicacy of flavour. I know that the apostle has said: “every creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Confessions 10.31
46. Thou hast taught me, good Father, that “unto the pure all things are pure;” but “it is evil for that man who eateth with offence;” “and that every creature of Thine is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with, thanksgiving;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 47.4
… He does not sin who, unwittingly, afterwards partakes of food which he formerly refused because it had been offered to an idol. A kitchen-herb, or any other fruit of the ground, belongs to Him who created it; for “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof,” and “every creature of God is good.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 82.27
27. For to believers, and to those who know the truth, as the apostle testifies (unless here too, perhaps, he is deceiving his readers), “every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Acts or Disputation Against Fortunatus the Manichaean 2
… If therefore we are commanded to make a tree either good or evil, it is ours to choose what we will. Therefore concerning that sin of man and concerning that habit of soul formed with the flesh the apostle says: "Let no one seduce you;" "Every creature that has been made by God is good."
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 14.11
… And in what they call their service of the Creator they really serve their own fancy, and not the Creator at all. For they deny that God created those things which the apostle plainly declares to be the creatures of God, when he says of food, "Every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it is received with thanksgiving."
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Concerning the Nature of Good, Against the Manichæans 34
Likewise because sin, or unrighteousness, is not the striving after evil nature but the desertion of better, it is thus found written in the Scriptures: "Every creature of God is good."
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 73.1
… For when evil becomes our delight, and what is good the reverse, we ought to be entreating God rather to win us back to the love of the good, than to grant us the evil. Not that it is wrong to eat flesh, for the apostle, speaking of this very thing, says, “Every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused which is received with thanksgiving;
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 126.4
… but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.” What is this? when He said, what goeth into the mouth, He meant only the mouth of the body. For meat goeth in, and meats defile not a man; because, “All things are clean to the clean;” and, “every creature of God is good, and none to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving.”
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Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 11.14
… it is not the meat but the conscience of him who eats with doubt which defiles him that eateth, for “he that doubteth is condemned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith,” and as nothing is pure to him who is defiled and unbelieving, not in itself, but because of his defilement and unbelief, so that which is sanctified through the word of God and prayer
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 The Great Catechism 37
… For as in that case, too, the grace of the Word used to make holy the Body, the substance of which came of the bread, and in a manner was itself bread, so also in this case the bread, as says the Apostle
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants 2.42
… and what they receive is holy, although it is not the body of Christ,—holier than any food which constitutes our ordinary nourishment, because it is a sacrament. However, that very meat and drink, wherewithal the necessities of our present life are sustained, are, according to the same apostle, “sanctified by the word of God and prayer,”
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St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 1
… For virtues and vices are the food of the soul, and it can eat either of these two meats, and incline to either of the two, according to its own will. If it is bent toward virtue, it will be nourished by virtues, by righteousness, by temperance, by meekness, by fortitude, as Paul saith; ‘Being nourished by the word of truth
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 7
… The Apostle exhorts his beloved son Timothy, in his first Epistle, ‘to be nourished with the word of faith, and the good doctrine whereto he had attained.’ And in the second, ‘Preserve thou the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 1 Timothy 12
Ver. 6 . “If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.”
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Minucius Felix † AD 260 The Octavius of Minucius Felix 11
“And, not content with this wild opinion, they add to it and associate with it old women’s fables:
Arnobius † AD 327 The Seven Books of Arnobius Against the Heathen. (Adversus Gentes.) 5.14
… For whence could the violet’s sweet scent have come had not the addition of those ointments modified the putrefying smell of the member? Pray, when you read such tales, do you not seem to yourselves to hear either girls at the loom wiling away their tedious working hours, or old women seeking diversions for credulous children,
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 11
… for bodily exercise profiteth little; but godliness is profitable for all things, since it has the promise of the present life, and of that which is eternal
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 13
… Therefore the blessed Paul, when urging us to such exercises as these, and having before measured himself by them, says, ‘Therefore I take pleasure in afflictions, in infirmities.’ And again, ‘Exercise thyself unto godliness
St Basil the Great † AD 379 De Spiritu Sancto 14
… Surely it is altogether childish, and like a babe who must needs be fed on milk, to be ignorant of the great mystery of our salvation; inasmuch as, in accordance with the gradual progress of our education, while being brought to perfection in our training for godliness,
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Against Eunomius 6.4
… Well, we may safely allow nurses and old wives to jest with children, and to lay down the meaning of dreams as they choose: but when inspired Scripture is set before us for exposition, the great Apostle forbids us to have recourse to old wives’ tattle
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 1 Timothy 12
Ver. 7 . “But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.”
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St Dionysius of Alexandria † AD 265 Containing Various Sections of the Works 5.1
… On those, again, who pause and refresh themselves in the course as they are moved or as they are able, let us not press very hard:
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Duties of the Clergy 1.36
… “Mortify, therefore, your members which are on the earth.” This, indeed, is meant for all the faithful. But thee, especially, my son, he urges to despise riches and to avoid profane and old wives fables—allowing nothing but this: “Exercise thyself unto godliness, for bodily exercise profiteth a little, but godliness is profitable unto all things.”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Duties of the Clergy 2.6
23. But we do not reckon usefulness by the value of any gain in money, but in acquiring godliness, as the Apostle says: “But godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 1.18
… which therefore that God might demonstrate, He gave more than the devil asked; for the latter said, “Put forth thine hand, and touch him;” but God said not thus, but, “I deliver him unto thee.” For just as in the contests of the outer world, the combatants that are vigorous, and in high condition of body,
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 1 Timothy 12
… Hence he is not speaking of the discipline of the body. What we need, therefore, is the exercise of the soul. For the exercise of the body hath no profit, but may benefit the body a little, but the exercise of godliness yields fruit and advantage both here and hereafter.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Confessions 4.15
… And not being able to perceive these in the mind, I thought I could not perceive my mind. And whereas in virtue I loved peace, and in viciousness I hated discord, in the former I distinguished unity, but in the latter a kind of division. And in that unity I conceived the rational soul and the nature of truth and of the chief good
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Of Holy Virginity 24
… certainly it is so called for this end, because it is being gathered together for a future and eternal life. Although, therefore, it have the promise of the present, and of a future life, yet in all its good works it looks not to “the things that are seen, but to what are not seen. For what are seen are temporal; but what are not seen, are eternal.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Morals of the Catholic Church 33
… They read to them the apostle’s precept to his disciple to "take a little wine for his many infirmities." Then they diligently exercise piety; bodily exercise, they know, profiteth for a short time, as the same apostle says.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 41.4
4. “The Lord help him” ( ver. 3 ). But when? Haply in heaven, haply in the life eternal, that so it remain to worship the devil for earthly needs, for the necessities of this life. Far be it! Thou hast “promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 102.13
… for Thou art strong to set me free, who hast been strong to humble me. “But Thou, O Lord, endurest for ever: and Thy remembrance throughout all generations” ( ver. 12 ). “Thy remembrance,” because Thou dost not forget: “throughout all generations,” forasmuch as we know the promise of life, both present and future.
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 1.10
… And of this the blessed Apostle also clearly speaks, when he says that “bodily exercise is profitable for a little: but godliness” (by which he certainly means love) “is profitable for all things, having the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 17.14
… And so in this matter an improvement in a short-sighted arrangement is not to be reckoned a breach of a spiritual promise. For whatever is done out of the love of God and desire for goodness, which has “promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come,”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 17.28
… In the same way we must swear for the purity of our chastity, and we ought to do the same for faith, and sobriety and justice, to all of which we must cling with unchangeable persistence, and to forsake which even for a little is worthy of blame. But in the case of those bodily exercises, which are said to be profitable for a little,
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 Register of the Epistles of St. Gregory the Great 9.123
… But, as becomes wise nobles, bring ye back your whole heart to the care of your souls, and fear the strict judgment all the more as it is so much nearer at hand. Devote yourselves to piety, of which it is written that It hath promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come (
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St Ignatius of Antioch † AD 108 Epistle to the Ephesians: Shorter and Longer Versions 8
… even as faith cannot do the works of unbelief, nor unbelief the works of faith. But ye, being full of the Holy Spirit, do nothing according to the flesh, but all things according to the Spirit. Ye are complete in Christ Jesus, “who is the Saviour of all men, specially of them that believe.”
St Ignatius of Antioch † AD 108 Epistle to the Magnesians: Shorter and Longer Versions 1
… For as one who has been thought worthy of a divine and desirable name, in those bonds which I bear about, I commend the Churches, in which I pray for a union both of the flesh and spirit of Jesus Christ, “who is the Saviour of all men, but specially of them that believe;”
St Ignatius of Antioch † AD 108 Epistle to the Philippians 0
Ignatius, who is also called Theophorus, to the Church of God which is at Philippi, which has obtained mercy in faith, and patience, and love unfeigned: Mercy and peace from God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, “who is the Saviour of all men, specially of them that believe.”
Tertullian † AD 220 On Modesty 2
“But,” say they, “God is ‘good,’ and ‘most good,’ and ‘pitiful-hearted,’ and ‘a pitier,’ and ‘abundant in pitiful-heartedness,’ which He holds ‘dearer than all sacrifice,’ ‘not thinking the sinner’s death of so much worth as his repentance’, ‘a Saviour of all men, most of all of believers.’
Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus 4.28
… For He Himself is said to be the Saviour of all men, especially of them that believe;
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 6.37
… If any one sin, we read, “We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but for those of the whole world,” since He is the Saviour of all men,
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 6.38
… “If any man sin,” we read, “we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for our sins only, but for the sins of the whole world?” Paul’s dictum appears to me to be to the same effect, when he says,
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 On 'Not Three Gods.' 1
… and if Godhead also is one of the good names and concepts, it would not be proper to divide the name into a plurality, since the unity existing in the action prevents plural enumeration. And as the Saviour of all men, specially of them that believe
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 1 Timothy 12
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.”
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 1 Timothy 17
A teacher has need not only of authority, but of gentleness, and not only of gentleness, but of authority. And all these the blessed Paul teaches, at one time saying, “These things command and teach” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Christian Doctrine 4.16
… And these three apostolic epistles ought to be constantly before the eyes of every one who has obtained the position of a teacher in the Church. In the First Epistle to Timothy do we not read: “These things command and teach?”
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 The Book of Pastoral Rule 3.25
… By which example it is plainly shewn that none who is weak should venture to teach, if that child was willing to be taught by asking questions, who by the power of His divinity supplied the word of knowledge to His teachers themselves. But, when it is said by Paul to his disciple, These things command and teach: let no man despise thy adolescence (
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St Ignatius of Antioch † AD 108 Epistle to the Magnesians: Shorter and Longer Versions 3
… Wherefore youth is not to be despised when it is devoted to God. But he is to be despised who is of a wicked mind, although he be old, and full of wicked days. Timothy the Christ-bearer was young, but hear what his teacher writes to him: “Let no man despise thy youth, but be thou an example of the believers in word and in conduct.”
St Ignatius of Antioch † AD 108 Epistle to Hero, a Deacon of Antioch 3
… They baptize, offer sacrifice, ordain, and lay on hands; but thou ministerest to them, as the holy Stephen did at Jerusalem to James and the presbyters. Do not neglect the sacred meetings [of the saints]; inquire after every one by name. “Let no man despise thy youth, but be thou an example to the believers, both in word and conduct.”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 The Epistles of Cyprian 64.3
… But if, further, he shall harass and provoke you with his insults, you must exercise against him the power of your dignity, by either deposing him or excommunicating him. For if the Apostle Paul, writing to Timothy, said, “Let no man despise thy youth,”
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 2
… But the wise servants of the Lord, who have truly put on the man which is created in God , have received gospel words, and reckon as a general commandment that given to Timothy, which saith, ‘Be thou an example to the believers in word, in conversation, in love, in faith, in purity
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Duties of the Clergy 2.17
87. Such was Paul, who gave counsel to virgins, guidance to priests,
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Thessalonians 1
… For he says, “Him therefore I hope to send forthwith.” ( Philip. ii. 23 .) But here it was not so; but he had just returned to him, so that he naturally joined in the letter. For he says, “Now when Timothy came from you unto us.” ( 1 Thess. iii. 6 .) But why does he place Silvanus before him,
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 1 Timothy 10
… iii. 6 .) Wishing them to point out such an one, he used this word. For, otherwise, what hindered him from saying, “Not a young man”? For if youth only was an objection, why did he himself appoint Timothy, a young man? (and this he proves by saying to him, “Let no man despise thy youth.”) (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 6
How is it then he says, “Rebuke with all authority” ( Tit. ii. 15 .); and again, “Let no man despise thy youth” (
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 79.7
… Do not be disturbed because the apostle allows none to be chosen as a widow under threescore years old, neither suppose that he intends to reject those who are still young. Believe that you are indeed chosen by him who said to his disciple, “Let no man despise thy youth,”
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 82.8
… or if in this passage he prefers to follow the Hebrew he will find that candidates for the priesthood must be thirty years old. And that he may not venture to say that “old things are passed away; and, behold, all things are become new,” let him hear the apostle’s words to Timothy, “Let no man despise thy youth.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 22.7
… and as to the portion which he does accept, receiving it not for his own sake, seeing that he ought to live wholly in the sight of God and to despise human applause, but for the sake of those whose welfare he cannot promote if by too great self-abasement he lose his place in their esteem. For to this pertains that word, “Let no man despise thy youth;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Christian Doctrine 4.27
… Wherefore the apostle, writing to Timothy, after telling him, “Let no man despise thy youth,” adds immediately the course by which he would avoid contempt: “but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”
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St Ignatius of Antioch † AD 108 Epistle to Hero, a Deacon of Antioch 1
… “For who shall eat or who shall drink without Him? For if anything be beautiful, it is His; and if anything be good, it is His.” Give attention to reading,
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 10.4
… ” The former parables He spoke to the multitudes; but this and the two which follow it, which are not parables but similitudes in relation to the kingdom of heaven, He seems to have spoken to the disciples when in the house. In regard to this and the next two, let him who “gives heed to reading”
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 10.15
… We must endeavour, therefore, in every way to gather in our heart, “by giving heed to reading, to exhortation, to teaching,”
St Basil the Great † AD 379 The Letters 260.2
2. You have asked for a solution of that famous passage which is everywhere interpreted in different senses, “Whosoever slayeth Cain will exact vengeance for seven sins.” Your question shews that you have yourself carefully observed the charge of Paul to Timothy,
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Treatise Concerning the Christian Priesthood 4
8. Hear also what he says in his charge to his disciple:
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 19
… It would be time enough to talk of “the same things,” when we both knew the things, and exhibited them in our practice. Or rather, even then, the reading of them would not be superfluous. What equal to Timothy? tell me that: and yet to him says Paul, “Give attention to reading, to exhortation. (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 31
… For it says, “All these things are types (A.V. ensamples) and are written for our instruction.” ( 1 Cor. x. 11 .) Wherefore to Timothy too he says, “Give heed to reading, to exhortation” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Corinthians 29
… For none is equal to this. Wherefore also he said, “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word and in teaching.” ( 1 Tim. v. 17 .) And to Timothy he wrote, saying, “Give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to teaching; neglect not the gift that is in thee.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 6
Do you see how he everywhere draws him off from questions; not that he was not able to overthrow them; for he was well able. For had he not been able he would have said, Be diligent, that thou mayest be able to refute them; as when he says, “Give attendance to reading, for by so doing thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee.” (
Rufinus of Aquileia † AD 411 The Apology of Rufinus. Addressed to Apronianus, in Reply to Jerome's Letter to Pammachius 2.34
… Was Paul illiterate? we ask; He who was a Hebrew of the Hebrews, touching the law a Pharisee, brought up at the feet of Gamaliel? Could not he, when he was at Rome, have supplied any deficiencies of Peter? Is it conceivable that they, who prescribed to their disciples that they should give attention to reading,
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 The Book of Pastoral Rule 2.11
… and, since it is undoubtedly evident that, when driven by the tumults of external occupations, it loses its balance and falls, one ought incessantly to take care that through keen pursuit of instruction it may rise again. For hence it is that Paul admonishes his disciple who had been put over the flock, saying, Till I come, give attendance to reading (
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St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Apology to the Emperor. (Apologia Ad Constantium.) 26
… Such a complaint was made by Ezekiel against the Pastors of old ; and the blessed Apostle Paul, knowing this, has charged every one of us through his disciple, saying, ‘Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 3
… For he who tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread; but the paths of the slothful are strewn with thorns;’ so that the Spirit forewarns a man not to fall into them, saying, ‘Break up your fallow ground, sow not among thorns
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 49
… For it is time for them to think that the grace of the Font is nothing, if some are found to despise it. But you have received it, beloved Dracontius; do not tolerate your advisers nor deceive yourself. For this will be required of you by the God who gave it. Have you not heard the Apostle say, ‘Neglect not the gift that is in thee
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Corinthians 32
“Secondly, prophets.” For they used to prophesy, as the daughters of Philip, as Agabus, as these very persons among the Corinthians, of whom he saith, “Let the prophets speak, two or three.” (c. xiv. 29 .) And writing also to Timothy, he said, “Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Philippians 1
… For this cause in writing to Timothy, he said, “Fulfil thy ministry,” when he was a Bishop. For that he was a Bishop appears by his saying to him, “Lay hands hastily on no man.” ( 1 Tim. v. 22 .) And again, “Which was given thee with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 1 Timothy 5
… So it was said by prophecy, “Separate me Barnabas and Saul.” ( Acts xiii. 2 .) In this way Timothy also was chosen, concerning whom he speaks of prophecies in the plural; that, perhaps, upon which he “took and circumcised him,” and when he ordained him, as he himself says in his Epistle to him, “Neglect not the gift that is in thee.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 30
… and these are no small [advantages] for teaching, but great and opportune introductions for it: ye will be more able than we both to reprove and to exhort. And not this only, but because I am but one, whereas ye are many; and ye will be able, however many, to be teachers. Wherefore I entreat you, do not “neglect this gift.” (
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 53.3
… and being in a readiness to revenge all disobedience.” He writes to Timothy who had been trained in the holy writings from a child exhorting him to study them diligently and not to neglect the gift which was given him with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 146
… if any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. For a bishop must be blameless as the steward of God.” And to Timothy he says: “Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Answer to the Letters of Petilian, the Donatist 2.107
… and, in the second place, you are wholly ignorant in what sense it was spoken. The apostle, writing to Timothy, gives this warning to none other than Timothy himself, to whom he says in another place, "Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery."
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Grace and Free Will 4
… readiness to will, so also let there be a prompt performance;” then he remarks to Timothy about the younger widows, “When they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they choose to marry.” So in another passage, “All that will to live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution;” while to Timothy himself he says, “Neglect not the gift that is in thee.”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 13.12
… “For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do, of His good pleasure.” And therefore he warns Timothy and says: “Neglect not the grace of God which is in thee;” and again: “For which cause I exhort thee to stir up the grace of God which is in thee.”
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Tertullian † AD 220 On Exhortation to Chastity 10
… by parsimony of the flesh you will gain the Spirit. For let us ponder over our conscience itself, (to see) how different a man feels himself when he chances to be deprived of his wife. He savours spiritually. If he is making prayer to the Lord, he is near heaven. If he is bending over the Scriptures, he is “wholly in them.”
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 11
… should not despise the things in which he had been instructed by him,’ and enjoined on him, ‘Remember Jesus Christ, who rose from the dead, of the seed of David, according to my Gospel .’ And speaking of these things being delivered to him, to be always had in remembrance, he immediately writes to him, saying, ‘Meditate on these things: be engaged in them.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 1 Timothy 12
“Put them in remembrance of these things, meditate upon
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 1 Timothy 13
Ver. 15 . “Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 1 Timothy 15
… Whereas he says to Timothy, “Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them”; and, “Give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine; for in doing this thou shalt save both thyself, and them that hear thee.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 8
… ix. 15 .) And again, “How sweet are Thy words unto my throat.” (He said not to my hearing, but to my “throat”); “more than honey and the honeycomb to my mouth.” ( Ps. cxix. 103 .) And Moses says, “Thou shalt meditate in them continually, when thou risest up, when thou sittest, when thou liest down.” ( Deut. vi. 7 .) “Be in them” (
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Pope St Clement I † AD 99 The Second Epistle of Clement 15
I think not that I counted trivial counsel concerning continence; following it, a man will not repent thereof, but will save both himself and me who counselled.
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 2.11
… Is this the reason why the Apostle, after speaking of the supreme excellency of the life of God and being led to the highest expression about it, says about God (showing in this a true understanding of that saying, “I live, saith the Lord”); “who only hath immortality.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Treatise Concerning the Christian Priesthood 4
8. Hear also what he says in his charge to his disciple: “Give heed to reading, to exhortation, to teaching,” and he goes on to show the usefulness of this by adding, “For in doing this thou shalt save both thyself and them that hear thee.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 1 Timothy 13
Ver. 16 . “Take heed,” he says, “unto thyself, and unto the doctrine: continue in them.” That is, take heed to thyself, and teach others also.
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1. BUT THE SPIRIT MANIFESTLY SAITH, THAT IN THE LAST TIMES SOME SHALL DEPART FROM THE FAITH. — The Apostle admonished Timothy the Bishop at the end of the preceding chapter, that he should conduct himself sincerely and rightly and preach in the Church, which is the pillar and ground of truth. The Apostle here adds the reason, namely that heretics, enemies of truth and the Church, will arise and seduce many, as if to say: See, O Bishop, that you watch and keep guard against them. Note: "The Spirit," namely the Holy Spirit, through me and other Prophets predicts this "manifestly," in Greek ῥητῶς, that is precisely, certainly, in prescribed and express words: for these are called ῥητά; "that (which) in the last;" in Greek it is not ἐσχάτοις, but ὑστέροις, that is later, or following (for this is what the Hebrew אחרית acharit signifies, by which name the Prophets call the time of the Messiah, which our Interpreter rendered as last); "times shall depart," in Greek ἀποστήσονται, that is shall fail, shall revolt, shall apostatize from the faith. GIVING HEED TO SPIRITS OF ERROR (our text reads πλάνης, now they read πλάνοις, that is to deceivers, seducers and those leading into error; but the sense comes to the same thing), AND DOCTRINES OF DEVILS. — Whence rightly here Chrysostom, homily 12, asserts that every heresy and the dogmas of heretics are from the devil: of which thing a witness is Cassian, Conference 7, XXXII: "We have heard," he says, "him confessing most openly that he inspired the heresy of Arius and Eunomius." And Irenaeus, book I, chapter IX, and book II, chapter LVII, relates that Simon Magus, and Marcus, and other heresiarchs had demons as attendants and familiars: just as on the other hand the Church has as an attendant, as it were an assessor and counselor, the Holy Spirit. When many visited Fulbert, Bishop of Chartres, he, having caught sight of Berengarius among the others, with all the force he could muster, indicated that he should be expelled, protesting that a monstrous demon stood close beside him, and with a beguiling hand was drawing many to follow him, and with a foul breath was corrupting them, as William of Malmesbury relates, On the Deeds of the English, book III, and Baronius, in the year of the Lord 1028. Maximilian I the Emperor, in the diet of Augsburg, in the year of the Lord 1518, dining publicly, seeing Luther, said to a certain baron, his cupbearer: "I see a demon of the lowest sort in bodily form crouching upon the shoulders of that monk, and while you survive, I being dead, that monk will stir up in the empire the gravest tumults, calamities and miseries." Nay, the heresiarchs themselves confess the same thing. Luther, in his book On the Angular Mass, testifies concerning himself (for these are his own words) that the devil and he know each other mutually and familiarly, and have eaten together more than one bushel of salt; and that he has frequently visited him with sweet address, and has roused him at night, and urged him to write against the Mass, and has supplied him with arguments for that purpose. Zwingli, in his book On the Supplement to the Eucharist, relates that when he was anxiously thinking how he might twist the words of the institution of the Sacrament of the Body of Christ into an alien sense, a monitoring spirit appeared to him in the dead of night on April 13; and he doubts whether it was white or black. Erasmus Albertus, an Ecclesiastic of Basel, writes that a singing demon appeared to Carlstadt preaching, in the form of a man of greater stature, three days before he died. And Calvin, in a letter to Bucer warning him to abstain from insults and curses, replied that it was not the fault of his nature, but of his genius, namely the devil as his attendant: for neither a good genius nor an angel can be the instigator and suggester of cursing. More examples of heretics who had great communion with the demon are recounted by our Peter Thyraeus, disputation On the Demoniacal, part II, chapter XXI. The Apostle, however, properly alludes to the heresy of Mani, which was properly a doctrine of demons, because he made a demon the maker of visible things, but God of invisible things; indeed St. Chrysostom, secondly, understands by demons men who are leaders of errors and crimes. Thus Judas by Christ, John VI, 71, is called "a devil" with emphasis, on account of the magnitude of his malice: "One of you," he says, "is a devil." For those things which follow are more properly suited to men than to devils, namely "speaking lies, and having their conscience seared," etc. Thirdly, Vatablus understands δαιμονίων not substantively, so as to signify devils, but adjectively, so as to signify divine; for heretics pretend to be divine, and prophets sent by God. But the first sense is the simplest and most proper.
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2. In hypocrisy speaking lies. — That is to say, these demons of deception through these apostate men, or rather these apostates afflicted by a demon will speak lies, and will teach errors "in hypocrisy," that is, in simulation, and, as Ambrose says, in pretense, because they will simulate through flattering words, through citation of Scripture, through simulation of a pure and holy life, that they speak and teach truth, not lies. Thus the Manichaeans and Encratites, whom the Apostle properly censures here, as I shall say shortly, although they lived most shamefully and most licentiously at home and in secret, nevertheless outwardly and externally they simulated that they lived chastely and holily, and so much did they condemn marriages, even legitimate ones, as Epiphanius and Augustine teach. HAVING A SEARED CONSCIENCE. — It seems that all these genitives refer to "demons," as if demons have a seared conscience, and this is true. But you will better refer these genitives not to demons, but to the noun "some," as if distributive of that, that is to say, Some will depart from the faith, namely of apostates, speaking lies, having a seared conscience, etc.; for this properly pertains to men. Whence it would have been more conveniently and clearly said in the nominative: "Some speaking lies, and having a seared conscience;" but by Hebraism he preferred to say it in the genitive, because the genitive of demons preceded, even if it does not properly pertain to it: for thus the Hebrews agree a noun or verb sometimes with the nearer noun, not however with that which it properly refers to, and with which it ought to agree in Latin and Greek syntax. Thus Job XV, 20, "the number of years are hidden," that is, "is hidden." Ecclesiastes X, 1, "the flies of death destroy," that is, "destroy," "the sweetness of the ointment." The same thing happens here, especially because these heretical men are demoniac, and as if afflicted by a demon, so that they appear to be demons, as Chrysostom says. Heretics therefore have a seared conscience, that is, as Beza translates it, a conscience amputated by cautery. But the Greek word signifies to burn with a cautery, not however to amputate by cautery. Again, a cautery does not amputate the member to which it is applied, but perforates it. A conscience therefore is seared, as the Syrian translates it, marked and burned with an indelible cautery of infamy, namely on account of lusts and other shameful crimes. He alludes to the stigmata, which are burned into malefactors with a hot iron, such as Calvin, on account of sodomy at Noyon in Picardy, was burned, not only his familiar Jerome Bolsec, a doctor of medicine, in Calvin's Life, but also many other most grave men assert, that is to say, Paul: These heretics have not so much the body, as the soul stigmatic on account of the disgraces of life. Thus Chrysostom, Theophylactus and others. Irenaeus relates, book I, chapter XXIV, and Epiphanius, concerning the Gnostics and Carpocratians, that they turned away from the procreation of children, and marked their disciples with a cautery in the upper part of the right ear. Perhaps Paul looked back to them here, that is to say, Just as they have an ear marked with a cautery, so also a conscience. Ambrose notes that by this cautery not only is the mark of infamy already mentioned signified, but also secondly, the corruption of morals; and thirdly, their immutability. Whence St. Thomas: "Just as a cautery," he says, "is a corruption in the flesh by fire, or hot iron, from which putrefaction immediately proceeds: so from the fire of a perverted will, as it were seared, the conscience is ulcerated, and false doctrine of demons proceeds." But Theodoret, alluding to the third, namely to the immutability of morals, by a seared conscience takes their extreme stupor. "For a place," he says, "burned with a cautery loses its former sensation." Thus also Francis Turrian in Canon 44 of the Apostles: "A seared conscience," he says, "the Apostle calls that which has lost the sensation of sin, like a part burned with a cautery," which has now reached insensibility, of which I spoke in Ephesians IV, 19. Thus this cautery is almost the same as the spirit of compunction, of which I spoke in Romans XI, 8. Fourthly, by the burning of the cautery could be understood the heat of concupiscence and lust, that is to say, These heretics are hypocrites: for outwardly they appear cold and chaste, and forbid marriage; but inwardly in conscience they are burned and inflamed with the cautery of concupiscence. Although the Greek word is in the past tense, and does not properly signify those who are burned with a cautery, but those who have been burned. The first sense therefore is most genuinely the true one.
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3. FORBIDDING TO MARRY, TO ABSTAIN FROM FOODS. — This is an Attic ellipsis: for the word κελευόντων, that is commanding, must be supplied, "to abstain from foods." He speaks against the Simonians, Saturninus (who lived in the time of the Apostles), Ebion, the Manichaeans, the Marcionites, the Encratites, who said that marriages, wine, meats, etc., were not created by the good God, but by an evil one, namely the devil, and therefore these things were by their nature evil and to be avoided, and that by eating and using them man was infected and defiled. This is evident first from the reasoning by which the Apostle impugns them, when he adds: "Because every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected that is received with thanksgiving," that is to say, These men err, while they teach that certain creatures are by their nature evil and to be avoided; for every creature of God is good, and was given by God for the use of man. Second, the Fathers teach this expressly with common consent, Chrysostom, Theophylactus, Oecumenius, Ambrose here, and Augustine, in the book Against Adimantus, chapter XIV: "These," he says, "he properly designates, who abstain from such foods not in order either to restrain their own concupiscence or to spare the weakness of another, but because they think the very meats unclean, and deny that their creator is God." Third, because this was the heresy of the Encratites, whose author was Tatian, a disciple of St. Justin, Irenaeus teaches, book I, chapter XXX, and hence they were called Encratites, that is, the continent. "Sprung from Saturninus," says Irenaeus, "and Marcion, who are called the Continent, they announced abstinence from marriages, frustrating the ancient formation of God, and indirectly accusing him who made male and female for the generation of men, and they introduced abstinence from those things which are called among them animals, being ungrateful to him who made all things, God." Concerning Marcion, Epiphanius has this, heresy 42: "This man (Marcion) teaches not to eat of animate things, pronouncing guilty of judgment those who eat flesh, as if they were eating souls." Concerning Saturninus and his followers, Irenaeus, book I, chapter XXII, thus says: "They say that marriage and generation are from Satan; but many of those who are from Saturninus abstain from animals, seducing many by such perfect continence." Concerning the Manichaeans, Epiphanius is a witness, heresy 66, that they teach the same thing concerning abstinence from animate things as Marcion: "The one eating," he says, "flesh, the Manichaean says eats a soul, and is himself guilty, so that he himself becomes such a thing: if he eats gold, so that he becomes a bull; if he eats a pig, so that he becomes a pig; and so of the rest. Wherefore these abstain from animate things. And if anyone," says the Manichaean, "takes a wife, he himself also after his departure from this life passes into another body, and becomes a woman, as he himself was born: he also says that God made the body evil, but God the good made souls." From these words it is clear that the Manichaeans abstained from the flesh of animals for a twofold reason: first, because they thought flesh was evil, made by an evil God; second, because they thought that one eating the flesh of an animal killed and ate that same animal's soul, and was guilty of soul-murder, or even homicide. For some among them thought that all living things lived by a rational soul. Hence they neither wished to reap grain, nor to grind it, nor to cook bread; but only ate what had been cooked by others, and that only after a prior protestation and excuse made with fear and dread. Whence this was their blessing of the table and bread, as testified by Cyril of Jerusalem, in catechesis 63: "I did not sow you: let he who sowed you be reaped. I did not reap you: let he who reaped you reap. I did not cook you in fire: let he who cooked you cook. Another did this, and brought you to me, I eat without guilt." They used this prayer, partly to remove from themselves the guilt of soul-murder or homicide; partly because they thought that he who ate bread otherwise and fearlessly would likewise be changed into bread, and be eaten in turn by others. These things are evident from Epiphanius and Theodoret, in the book of Heretical Fables. Whence St. Augustine, in the book On Heresies, concerning the heresy of the Manichaeans, says that some of them, namely the principal ones, neither ate flesh, nor eggs, nor milk, nor even wine, saying that wine is the gall of the prince of darkness, and he adds: "These also," he says, "teach their hearers that, if they use wives, they should nevertheless avoid conception and generation, lest the divine substance, which enters into them through food, be bound in fleshly chains in offspring; whence they condemn marriages without hesitation, and forbid them as much as they can, since they forbid generation, on account of which marriages are coupled." He has similar things in book XXX Against Faustus, chapters V and VI, where he teaches that the Apostle here rebukes and condemns them, but not Catholics, who abstain from marriages or flesh out of zeal for virtue. "He," Augustine says, "forbids marrying, who says this is evil, not he who prefers another good to this good." Concerning the Severians, Epiphanius teaches the same thing, in heresy 45: "These," he says, "teach that the vine was born from the devil, and that woman is the work of Satan." He narrates that the Archontics taught the same thing, in heresy 40: "And therefore," he says, "those who contract marriage, the Archontics say they fulfill the work of Satan, and they add that half of man is of God, half of the devil: for from the navel and above they say is the formation of God, but from the navel and below is the formation of the evil part. Wherefore they say all things according to pleasure, and the sting of desire, and lust are done from the navel and below." Concerning Ebion, who was a contemporary of St. John the Apostle, the same Epiphanius narrates, in heresy 30, that he abstained from living things and from flesh, and from every food made from flesh; and when asked the reason, he gave this: that flesh was procreated from the mixture of bodies, and therefore was polluted and unclean. Whence it follows that he condemned marriages and the use of marriage. Hence St. Ignatius in his epistle to the Philadelphians, after making mention of Ebion: "If anyone," he says, "calls corruption and defilement a legitimate mixture, and the procreation of children, or thinks some food abominable: such a one has as a cohabitant the apostate dragon." Behold, as if depicted in a picture, the doctrine of demons, which Paul here censures. Note: All these heresies indirectly overturned the mystery of the incarnation, of which in the preceding chapter, last verse. For if flesh is not good, nor from a good God, then neither is the flesh of Christ good, nor from a good God. Again, therefore, the father of Christ is not God the creator of all, but an evil genius. And this the Apostle signifies tacitly here, and therefore he premised the fundamental dogma concerning the incarnation of Christ; then he subjoin to it these heresies, as if opposed to it, and which are refuted by this fundamental dogma. Therefore the Novatians ineptly twist these things against the celibacy of priests and the fastings of the Church. For the Church does not forbid marriages or flesh, as if they were evil in themselves, as the aforementioned heretics did, whom the Apostle here censures; but to restrain concupiscence, and to exercise obedience and penance: just as God forbade Adam the eating of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and Jonadab, son of Rechab, forbade his sons and descendants the use of wine, and many other things: who, obedient to their father, merited to receive a blessing from God, Jeremiah XXXV. Thus John the Baptist is praised for abstinence in Matthew III, 4. Thus the Fathers everywhere praise the fastings of the ancient holy Hermits, Monks and Christians. For some of them abstained entirely from animate things, others ate only fish, others tasted fish only and fowl. Some abstained from eggs, others lived on dates alone or the fruits of trees, and that once a day; others took food only once in two or three days, and that sparingly, for example five dates. Some ate dry bread, as may be seen in the Lives of the Holy Fathers, and in Prosper, book II On the Contemplative Life, chapter XVII and following, and in Cassian, Conference 21 On the Remission of Lent. Note here the sophism of the Novatians: for they argue from what is said with qualification to what is said absolutely, in this manner: The Pontiffs prohibit marriage to clerics, therefore they prohibit marriage; which the Apostle here refutes. For it is just as if I should say: The magistrate forbids carpenters, masons or smiths to exercise carpentry; therefore the magistrate forbids carpentry to be exercised. Again, States forbid ministers of the Gospel to exercise shoemaking or latrine-cleaning; therefore they forbid shoemaking or latrine-cleaning. But if States do not wish ministers to engage in these vile mechanical arts for the sake of their dignity, do they therefore prohibit these mechanical arts, or forbid them to be exercised by others? If the Emperor does not wish to admit Clerics, Doctors, Physicians, Theologians, Jurists to military service; does he therefore prohibit the clerical state, medicine, theology, jurisprudence? The Apostle, V, 12, condemns the marriage of widows who marry after taking a vow of continence: "Because," he says, "they have made void their first faith;" does he therefore condemn marriage? Whence the Fathers cited rightly refute these Novatians, and especially St. Augustine expressly, book XXX Against Faustus, chapter VI: "You see therefore," he says, "how much difference there is between those who exhort to virginity, preferring a greater good to a lesser good; and those who prohibit marriage, condemning more vehemently the intercourse of procreation, which alone is properly nuptial: how much difference there is between those who abstain from foods on account of their sacred significance, or on account of the mortification of the body; and those who abstain from foods which God created, saying that God did not create them. Therefore that doctrine is of the Prophets and Apostles; this is of demons, liars." WHICH GOD CREATED TO BE RECEIVED WITH THANKSGIVING BY THE FAITHFUL, AND BY THOSE WHO HAVE KNOWN THE TRUTH,—that is to say, God who created all foods, and saw all things that He had made, and they were very good, Genesis I, created these foods for the use and eating of men, not voracious, delicious, gluttonous eating, but sober and moderate, so that those eating of them might give thanks to God, the author and giver of foods. By this very fact that the Apostle says: "Which," namely foods, "God created," he cuts off, says Chrysostom, the heresy of those who introduce uncreated matter, from which foods and bodies were created, which Marcion, the Manichaeans and similar heretics do, who posit two gods, good and evil. Note: The Apostle says foods created for the faithful, not that he denies they were created also for the use of the unfaithful and Gentiles; but so that he may oppose the faithful, that is Christians, to the Jews; the truth of the new law to the shadow of the old law, that is to say, No food is forbidden to Christians on account of uncleanness, whether natural or legal, as many were formerly forbidden to the Jews: for Christians have in place of the old shadow the truth of the Gospel, which teaches that all foods are clean and given to man for eating and use with thanksgiving. Thus Theophylactus. Secondly, he rather opposes the faithful to the heretics, whom he here censures, that is to say, The heretics mentioned above abstain and forbid certain foods as if by their nature evil and unclean: but the faithful, who have known the truth, know that they are deceived, and that God the good created all good things, and therefore all good foods are given to them by God for their use. Add, that all things were created for the sake of the faithful and the elect: for this was the chief end of God the creator in creation, namely that things created by Him should serve His faithful and friends, and that from them they should recognize and praise God their creator. Wine therefore, meats, birds, fish and all foods were not created to fill the bellies of gluttons and wicked men, but to nourish the faithful and the holy. For they are worthy of all foods and delicacies, and they use these things soberly and rightly to the praise and thanksgiving of God their creator. Moreover, that thanksgiving should not only be deferred but even placed before food and refreshment, St. Basil teaches, Reg. 56, cap. II, and Chrysostom, hom. 50 in Matt.: "When," he says, "Christ multiplied the loaves, then he looked up to heaven, partly so that what we have said would be confirmed, partly teaching us not to approach the table unless we first give thanks to him who provided us with food." And St. Hilary, expounding those words of St. Mark XIV, 23, "And whilst they were eating, Jesus took bread and blessed and broke it, etc., and having taken the chalice, giving thanks gave it to them, and they all drank of it": "Just as," he says, "the Apostles gave thanks before they drank, so also they give thanks after they drank. Whence it is said: And a hymn being said, they went out unto mount Olivet; so that you may learn to render thanksgivings to God both before food and after food." And St. Ephrem, adhortatione 1, tom. II: "Follow the canon," he says, "or rule with all reverence and fear of God: and although food is allowed to be taken twice a day, always take food with thanksgiving." The formula of thanksgiving, which the monks in the desert used to employ after supper, Chrysostom delivers to us to imitate, hom. 56 in Matt., and it is this: "Blessed be God, who feeds me from my youth, who gives food to all flesh, fills our hearts with joy and gladness, that always having sufficiency we may abound unto every good work in Christ Jesus our Lord, with whom be glory, honor and dominion unto thee with the Holy Ghost forever. Amen. Glory be to thee, O Lord, glory be to thee, O Holy One, glory be to thee, O King, for thou hast given us food; fill us with joy and gladness in the Holy Ghost, that we may be found acceptable in thy sight, and may not be ashamed when thou shalt render to every one according to his works."
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4. BECAUSE EVERY CREATURE OF GOD IS GOOD, AND NOTHING IS TO BE REJECTED, WHICH IS RECEIVED WITH THANKSGIVING. — Here the Apostle clearly uncovers the root of the error and the error itself, namely that these heretics forbade marriages and meats as if they were creatures of an evil god, and therefore by their nature unclean, and would contaminate the one eating them with their uncleanness. Against these, the Apostle established the contrary foundation of faith and truth, saying that every creature is good, inasmuch as it was created by a good God, and consequently none should be rejected as if by its nature evil and unclean, but any may be used as clean and good with thanksgiving. Now the Church, prescribing fasting and abstinence from meats, does not forbid them as if they were by nature evil; and therefore has nothing in common with these heretics, whom Paul here reproves: for if a physician forbidding pork, venison, beef, or any salted or smoked meat to a sick man, as harmful to his health, does not contradict the Apostle, nor has anything in common with these heretics; therefore neither does the Church, forbidding meats on certain days for the health of the soul, and for the restraint of luxury and concupiscence, contradict the Apostle, or consent to these heresies. Hear St. Augustine, lib. XXX Contra Faustum, cap. III: "Believe," he says, "that God's servants, who abstain from meats, do not reject them as unclean, which were made by God; but rather abstain from richer food and drink solely by the chastisement of the body." Moreover, when he says: "Nothing is to be rejected which is received with thanksgiving," he alludes to the frequent blessings and to the new dishes repeatedly blessed by the Hebrews, by which they give thanks to God for them, and as it were sanctify them. For when better wine is set before them, they say: "Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, who art good and dealest kindly with all." And this blessing they call "The Blessing of the Good and Beneficent One." When aromatics are set before them, they say: "Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the world, Creator of aromatic trees." This blessing they call Bircat hammugmar, that is, the blessing of the completed, namely of the banquet, because aromatics and other fragrant things were wont to be set before them last, as is also the custom among us. When some sweet fragrance is set before them, they say: "Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, who createst aromatic species." This blessing they call Bircat hamuscak, that is, the blessing of delicacies, or of a desired thing. When fruits of trees are set before them, they say: "Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, who createst the fruits of trees." When provisions are set before them they say: "Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, who createst kinds of foods." This blessing they call Bircat hapharpheret, that is, the blessing of provisions. From all these things it appears that those ancient Jews were accustomed to take no foods without blessing and thanksgiving. If the Hebrews so often repeat blessings for the praise of God, what is fitting for Christians to do? Certainly the Apostle here insinuates that they did this from the practice of the Hebrews; for the first Christians were Hebrews.
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5. FOR IT IS SANCTIFIED BY THE WORD OF GOD AND PRAYER. — This is a concession, as if to say: I have already said that any food is not unclean, and therefore it is lawful to eat it; but suppose it were unclean in some way, for instance because it was forbidden by the old law, or because it was sacrificed to the devil, or was afflicted or corrupted by him; suppose, I say, it were unclean in this or another way, it is nevertheless "sanctified," that is, cleansed and purified, "by the word of God" and prayer, that is, by blessing, which is made by the word of God and prayer. Thus from Chrysostom, Theophylactus: "Let us grant," he says, "that something is unclean; but you have a remedy: make the sign of the cross, give thanks, glorify God; and the uncleanness is gone. For thanksgiving purges all things. But he who is ungrateful is himself unclean and polluted; therefore what is sacrificed to idols, we can thus cleanse, if we are ignorant that it is idol-meat. But if we eat it knowingly, we are unclean, not because that idol-meat is unclean, but because we have transgressed the law commanding us not to communicate at the table of demons. Therefore your will and mind are defiled, and the food was not polluted." Where note: Just as, as St. Chrysostom and Theophylactus teach, the eating of idol-meats defiled a man, not through the uncleanness of the flesh, but through disobedience; so the eating of flesh in Lent defiled a man, not through the flesh, as if it were unclean, but through disobedience. Note first: "sanctified" here is the same as purified; or secondly, "sanctified," that is, offered to God through thanksgiving and blessing, as it were, and consecrated. It alludes to the blessing of the table of the Hebrews, which they themselves call kiddusch, that is, sanctification, namely of foods, and still call it; the formula of which is this: "Blessed be the Lord our God, King of the world, who feedeth all the world with goodness, grace, beneficence and mercy, who giveth food to all flesh: by whose goodness food hath not failed us hitherto, nor shall it ever fail, on account of His great name. For He alone is He who nourisheth and preserveth all things and doeth good to all, and prepareth food for each of His creatures which He hath created. Blessed art thou, O Lord, who feedest all." Then the father of the family taketh a cup filled with wine in his right hand, and in this manner consecrateth it, saying: Barukatta Jehova Elohenu, melek haolam, bore peri haggephen, that is, "Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the world, Creator of the fruit of the vine." This blessing formula being said, he himself first of all tasteth the wine, and straightway offereth it to all reclining at table to taste. And this prayer they are wont to call in Hebrew kiddusch, that is, sanctification. After the blessing and drinking of the cup, he straightway taketh bread, which ought to consist of a whole loaf, and holding it with both hands, consecrateth it with these words: "Praised and blessed art thou, O Lord our God, who bringest forth bread from the earth." And this being said, the father of the family eateth a little of the bread, and at the same time distributeth a morsel of it to each reclining at table. Which being done, then at last they lay hands on the remaining foods. This rite of blessing the cup and bread they observe only on festival days: for at other times they are wont to consecrate bread only, and not the cup likewise. Note secondly, that it is possible to distinguish here "the word of God" from prayer, so that prayer is the same as the blessing of the table; the word of God is either Christ, the Son of God, who is wont to be invoked in the blessing of the table, as St. Thomas wishes; or rather it is the reading of Holy Scripture, which, as I shall presently say, is wont to be used at table according to the custom of the ancients. But secondly, better, by hendiadys, or epexegesis, we shall take these two for the same thing, as if to say: By "the word of God and prayer," that is, by the word of God, which is prayer. Indeed, Oecumenius says that the "of God" is placed here in inverted order and ought to follow "prayer," as if to say: By the word and prayer of God, that is, which is made to God. Where note thirdly, that the blessing of the table is called by three names here. First, in the preceding verse, it is called "thanksgiving," because the ancients and Christ Himself are wont to begin the blessing of the table from thanksgiving, as is evident in the multiplication of loaves and the institution of the Eucharistic table. And hence it is that Matthew and Mark say that Christ blessed the bread (of the Eucharist), but Luke and Paul say that Christ gave thanks, although all say the same thing: namely, they wish to signify that Christ, by giving thanks to the Father, blessed the bread, and invoked the wonted power and benevolence of the Father, that through consecration He might convert the bread into the body of Christ. Secondly, the blessing of the table is called "the word of God," because it is made by the invocation of Christ or of the most holy Trinity, which the word of God teacheth us to invoke. Again, it is commonly done among the Ecclesiastics through the Word of God, that is, through certain verses from Holy Scripture, especially taken from the Psalms, for example these: "The eyes of all hope in thee, O Lord: thou openest thy hand, and fillest every living creature with blessing," etc., or similar ones. Thirdly, this same blessing is called "prayer," because it is properly a prayer and invocation. For which note fourthly: By this blessing and invocation of God, which we place before the table, we show and profess first, that we have received all foods and dishes from God, that we receive them, and that we hope hereafter to receive them, and we tacitly give thanks to God for them. For as often as we sit down to table, so often do we come to a living discourse on God's beneficence, which bestows so many foods and drinks; and we ought to think that this is as it were our manna, which from heaven rains down upon our table equally as upon the Hebrews in the desert, daily. "The table," says Chrysostom, homily 79 to the People, "taking its beginning from prayer and ending in prayer, shall never fail, but shall bring forth all good things to us more abundantly from the fountain." Secondly, by this prayer we show that we wish to eat these things to the honor of God, and we tacitly offer them to God. Whence also the Gentiles, as Plutarch testifies in the Symposiacs, used to consecrate to the gods τὰς ἀπαρχὰς, that is, the first fruits, before taking food; and then not unbecomingly, nor tumultuously, but with a certain reverence they approached the banquet, not otherwise than to a sacred feast; which custom is observed even today among well-mannered Christians. Thirdly, we pray and ask that we may not rush upon foods like beasts or unbelievers without any pious thought, or remembrance of God. Whence also the Turks, before they take food, are accustomed to put forward a prayer, as witnesses are the legates of Christian Princes with the Turk. And concerning the Essenes, not Christians, but Jews, thus writes Josephus, book II of the War, chapter VII: "A priest," he says, "precedes the food with a word, nor is it permitted anyone to taste anything unless prayer be first offered to God. After the end of the meal also they repeat their vows: for both when they begin and when they end, as it were singing praises to God the giver of sustenance." Fourthly, by this blessing we ask that the use of food be useful and salutary for both body and soul; so that, as it is said in Psalm 103, "wine cheereth the heart of man, and bread strengtheneth man's heart: for thou openest (O Lord) thy hand, and all things shall be filled with goodness." Fifthly, by this blessing we ask that while eating, the mind may be nourished by some pious thought or reading, especially this, that we may think that in the very use of bodily food, we must eat not only that we might be satisfied, but that we might also work the food which perisheth not, but remaineth unto life eternal, John VI; and, as it is said in Luke XIV, that we may think also of eating bread in the kingdom of heaven. Hence pious reading of Holy Scripture was long ago applied to the table both by others and by the Essenes, as Philo testifies, in the book On the Contemplative Life; and that the same ought to be applied, St. Augustine teaches, epistle 109, and St. Basil in the Shorter Rules, chapter CXXX; indeed, such reading here Vatablus and others think is signified by the Apostle through "the word of God." Sixthly, by the same we ask that food be not infected by the devil or by magical power, nor that the devil or concupiscence through food incite us to gluttony, drunkenness, lusts: for intemperance easily creeps in during eating and drinking, and many with that Rich Man, Luke XVI, are wholly in delights. And so St. Augustine rightly admonishes, book X of the Confessions, XXXI: "This," he says, "thou hast taught me, O Lord, that as medicines, so food I should take," and below: "Who is there, O Lord, who is not drawn somewhat beyond the bounds of necessity? whoever there is, is great, let him magnify thy name: but I am not, because I am a sinful man." Hence Prudentius in the hymn before food prescribes this pious and beautiful formula of praying as it were a blessing: Without thee nothing is sweet, O Lord; Nor does it avail to desire anything with the mouth, Cups and foods unless first, Christ, thy favor shall have imbued them, All things being sanctified by faith. and below: Let our dishes taste of God, Let Christ flow into the plates, Serious things, playful things, words, jests. Finally, whatever we are and do, Let the threefold heavenly piety govern. and near the end: Grant, O wealthy God, these things to thy servants Praying rightly, that the body Refreshed by scanty food may be lightened, Nor let the sluggish stomach weighed down By immoderate feasts Burden the viscera so much, That it may preserve the liver unharmed. For how much power the demon usurped for himself over foods before Christ, so that through them he might harm men, St. Augustine teaches, book XVIII of the City of God, chapters XVII and XVIII; and St. Gregory, book I, Dialogues 4, recounts that a demon invaded a nun because she had taken lettuce without a blessing having been first given. Whence Chrysostom, prescribing a remedy against these diabolic poisonings, the sign of the cross and blessing: "The remedy," he says, "is at hand; impress the sign of the cross upon it (the food, or the thing which you wish to use), give thanks, render glory to God, and straightway all uncleanness departs." Hence by the holy Fathers and Hermits of old, equally as by the Church even now, there were blessed not only the waters of the baptismal font, but also breads, honey, milk, wine, and other things on appointed days, so that the power and might of the devil might be driven out from them, and through these consecrations there might come about health of mind and body to those who would use them. Thus on the day of Easter in many places they consecrate milk, honey, meats, eggs, breads, hams, etc.; on the day of St. John they bless wine; on the day of St. Stephen, pastures; on the day of St. Mark, crops; on the day of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, herbs, plants, roots, fruits of trees, so that thereafter a singular divine power might attend them. For, as the Apostle says here, "the creature of God is sanctified through the word of God and prayer."
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6. THESE (all things now said) PROPOSING TO THE BRETHREN (Christians), YOU WILL BE A GOOD MINISTER OF CHRIST JESUS, NOURISHED IN THE WORDS OF FAITH, AND OF GOOD DOCTRINE WHICH YOU HAVE ATTAINED. — Note: For "nourished," in Greek it is ἐντρεφόμενος, that is, nourished, and as if educated in the very bosom of piety. Thus from Chrysostom Theophylactus: "For just as," he says, "we always take bodily nourishment, so we ought always to be nourished and formed by the principles and words of faith." It could secondly, ἐντρεφόμενος be translated, "nourishing others:" for it is a middle participle; and this aptly coheres with what follows: "Which you have attained," that is to say, hand on to others what you have learned from me. Note secondly: For "which you have attained," in Greek it is ᾗ παρηκολούθηκας, that is, "which you have followed," in which from youth you have been engaged, that is to say, as Chrysostom and Theophylactus: You have been constantly engaged and exercised in the study of divine letters, O Timothy. For those who follow the whole series of a thing in order, so that they omit nothing, are said in Greek παρακολουθεῖν, says Erasmus.
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7. AVOID PROFANE AND OLD WIVES' FABLES (namely, that is to say, profane ones). — In Greek, παραιτοῦ, that is, reject. Chrysostom understands Jewish fables, others poetic and Platonic ones (for poets and philosophers were celebrated at Ephesus). Yet although the Apostle understands all these fables in general, he nevertheless looks more to the fables of heretics, especially the Simonians, who wove together very long fables about the creation of things, about battles of angels, about marriages of gods, about a good and evil God, about creatures and good and evil foods (for he dealt with these a little before), as may be seen in Epiphanius, Irenaeus and Augustine, in the book On Heresies. Laertius relates that when Plato was discoursing about his specific and generic ideas, and had on his lips "tableness" and "cupness," Diogenes mocking his subtle trifles said: "I see a table and a cup, but I do not see tableness and cupness; I will drink from a cup, you drink from cupness;" whom Plato eluded: "It is no wonder," he said, "for you have eyes by which tables and cups are perceived; but you do not have a mind by which tableness and cupness are perceived." Gorgias too, the sophist, when he heard two uneducated philosophers, one proposing ridiculous things, the other responding with alien and insipid things: "Which," he said, "is more foolish, he who milks a goat, or he who holds a sieve beneath it?" Demonax likewise, when those curiously asking whether the world was endowed with soul and reason, and whether it was round: "You," he said, "are overly concerned about the world, you think too little about your own cleanliness." EXERCISE YOURSELF UNTO GODLINESS, — that is, concerning godliness, or in godliness. See Canon 25. For "exercise," in Greek it is γύμναζε, that is, exercise yourself athletically, as an athlete or fighter of Christ, in the arena or stadium of godliness, so that you may obtain its prize. Note = exercise: for godliness indeed and every virtue and art is learned, acquired and perfected more through assiduous exercise than through much speculation. Hence Apelles, Pliny says, in book XXXV, chapter X, had it as a custom that he never spent a day so occupied that he did not draw a line and paint. Whence that saying: Let no day pass without a line drawn remaining. It is asked what "godliness" signifies here. First, Chrysostom understands a right life and Christian morals. "Godliness," he says, "is the norm of the most upright life, and the discipline of the best conduct." Second, Ambrose understands mercy and beneficence toward one's neighbor. For this in Greek is εὐσέβεια, and in Latin godliness is sometimes said, because God commands works of mercy and testifies that they please Him more than sacrifices, and that He is especially honored by them. Thus St. Augustine, book X of The City of God, I. Third, Nilus, Maximus, Philotheus understand apathy and contemplation of God, as I shall say shortly. Fourth, most excellently and most properly, "godliness" regards God, and is the worship of God and sincere affection toward Him, and zeal for internal devotion, stirring up hope, fear and love of God. Whence the Septuagint are accustomed to translate "fear of the Lord" as godliness, as in Job chapter XXVIII, verse 28, where the Hebrew and Latin have: "The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom itself;" the Septuagint translate θεοσέβεια, that is, godliness is wisdom. Thus Proverbs IX, 10, for what we have: "The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord;" the Septuagint translate, the beginning of wisdom is θεοσέβεια, that is, godliness toward God. Thus often in Scripture to fear God means to worship God, and the fear of God means the worship of God or godliness. Thus Paul takes "godliness" properly, VI, 6: "There is," he says, "great gain in godliness with sufficiency;" and verse 11, he distinguishes godliness from charity and other virtues: "Follow," he says, "justice, godliness, faith, charity, patience, meekness." Thus also it is evident that it is taken here from the reason which he adds: "For in this," he says, "we labor and are reviled, because we hope in the living God," as if to say, Because through hope and prayer we exercise ourselves in godliness and the worship of the true God, therefore we are reviled. Note here: He opposes this godliness to profane fables; and he signifies this opposition by the adversative conjunction "but," as if to say, Vain and curious men exercise themselves in reading, hearing, telling fables: but you, O Timothy, exercise yourself in godliness, that is, in divine things to be read, thought upon, meditated upon, so that you may stir up in yourself their love, affection and devotion, which you may then pour out upon others: not therefore in these trifles, which distract the mind and fill it with vain phantasms; but exercise yourself in godliness. For this godliness is the foundation of all virtue, and especially of zeal for souls.
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8. FOR BODILY EXERCISE IS PROFITABLE TO A LITTLE, etc. — You will ask, what is meant here by "bodily exercise"? I answer, many understand fasting, that is to say, fasting and mortification of the body are of little moment, if you compare them with piety, that is with the worship of God and compassion toward one's neighbor. Thus Ambrose, Anselm, St. Thomas and Bernard in his Apology to Abbot William. But this is refuted by Chrysostom, Theophylactus and others, both because nothing about fasting preceded here, and if the Apostle were speaking of it, he would say clearly: Fasting is profitable to a little; and also because fasting, says Chrysostom, is not bodily but spiritual exercise, and it has equally with piety the promise not only of this life but also of the future. For rightly from St. Basil, Ambrose, in the book On Elijah and Fasting, chapter III: "What is fasting, except the substance and image of the heavenly? Fasting is the refreshment of the soul, the food of the mind. Fasting is the life of angels, fasting is the death of guilt, the destruction of sins, the remedy of salvation, the root of grace, the foundation of chastity. By this one reaches God more swiftly in step." And, as St. Ephrem, speaking On Fasting, chapter IX, says: "Fasting is a vehicle to heaven. Fasting raises up the Prophets, teaches legislators wisdom. Fasting is the good guardian of the soul and the secure cohabitant of the body. Fasting is a weapon for strenuous soldiers, and exercise for athletes. Fasting repels temptations, anoints toward piety. Fasting extinguished the fire of virtue, stopped the mouths of lions, directs prayers to heaven. Fasting is the mother of holiness, the discipline of youth, the ornament of the aged." Secondly, this bodily exercise could better be understood of fasting and mortification of the body, which preceded unprofitable fables, that is to say, Do not exercise or wear out your body or tongue in recounting fables: for this is the business of women and fabulists; but exercise your mind in piety and the study of devotion: for this antithesis seems to be signified by the word "but" (autem) which preceded in the preceding verse, as I said there. Thirdly and properly, "bodily exercise" is called in Greek σωματική γυμνασία, that is, gymnastics, wrestling and the exercise of athletes, by which they exercise their body in running, wrestling, jumping, fighting and other ways: for the Apostle plays upon the Greek word γύμναζε, and urges its force and energy, that is to say, I said γύμναζε, that is, practice gymnastics, but in the arena of piety; for bodily gymnastics, namely the wrestling and bodily exercise of athletes, is profitable to a little, namely for health, or for the prize and temporal reward only. But piety, which is the worship of God, is very profitable for procuring the health of the soul, and for meriting the prize of eternal life, and for teaching others, and for leading them to faith and salvation, as follows; and therefore this piety is profitable for all things, because, as I have said, it is the foundation, source and parent of all virtues. Hence St. Augustine, epistle 52, defining piety: "Piety," he says, "is the true worship of the true God, whence all the duties of living rightly are derived;" and Eusebius, book VIII of the Preparation for the Gospel, chapter II, affirms that all virtues are as it were parts of piety. Whence also the Emperor Theodosius placed the happiness of a Christian man in piety, who, dying, as Nicephorus says, book XIII, chapter 1, commended nothing so earnestly to his sons Arcadius and Honorius as that they preserve true piety, through which peace and all good things flourish. For the Apostle, writing to the Greeks, is accustomed often to allude to their palaestras and contests, and to compare to them the palaestras and contests of Christian piety. Thus in I Corinthians, chapter IX, verses 24 and 25: "Know you not that they that run in the stadium, all run indeed, but one receiveth the prize? So run that you may obtain. And every one that striveth for the mastery, refraineth himself from all things; and they indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible one." What is this other than what he says here, though in different words? "Bodily exercise is profitable to a little: but piety is profitable to all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." Note in passing: Exercise of the body, especially before food, greatly contributes to health, as physicians teach and experience shows. Hence Socrates walked more vigorously before dinner; when asked why, he said that by walking he was "purchasing hunger" so that he might dine better. Thus Cyrus did not dine unless he had first exercised his body and sweated, as Xenophon testifies. Thus in the Indian letters we read that certain rulers there were accustomed daily before food to exercise their bodies vigorously and for a long time, and thus attained to a long and vigorous old age, so that when they were seventy years old, they scarcely appeared to be forty. To King Ptolemy, while traveling through Egypt, when bread was given to him in a house, nothing seemed more pleasant than that bread. "For hunger is the best seasoning;" but this is procured by labor. Thus Cicero, book V of the Tusculan Disputations. "A rustic," says St. Bernard to the brothers, "has hard sinews, strong muscles: exercise does this, or care of the body becomes ingrained: will makes use, use makes exercise, exercise supplies strength." On the contrary, Cassian, book IX: "Without exercise," he says, "when customary studies are not frequently pursued, arms in bodies and talents grow sluggish in arts." Aristotle, book V of the Metaphysics: "Exercise," he says, "is the cause of health, and conversely." Gellius, book XI: "Human life," he says, "is properly like iron. If you exercise iron, it wears away; if you do not exercise it, rust nonetheless destroys it. So too with men: exercising wears them away; if you exercise nothing, inertia and torpor brings more harm than exercise." Plato used to admonish that "we should exercise neither body without soul nor soul without body, but should care for both equally. For one is the way of athletes, the other of the idle." Thus Laertius, book III. Among the Lacedaemonians a certain broth was held in esteem, which they called black; wherefore Dionysius, tyrant of Sicily, bought a Lacedaemonian cook and ordered him to prepare this for him. He did so: when the king tasted it, he spat it out as if it were unpleasant. Then the cook said: "This broth, O king, must be taken after you have exercised yourself in the manner of the Lacedaemonians." Thus Plutarch, in the Laconic Sayings. If bodily exercise confers so much benefit on the body, how much more will spiritual exercise confer on the soul and spirit! See the sayings at Leviticus, chapter XXIII, 28. Fourth, St. Nilus, Maximus and Philotheus, according to Turrian, book V, On the Letters of the Pontiffs, chapter VI, thus explain "bodily exercise," that is, the restraint of passions, to be of little moment compared to piety, that is, compared to apatheia and contemplation of God, which apatheia induces. But this sense is too sublime; and it is not literal, but accommodated or symbolic. Add that, unless it be rightly understood, it savors of something Stoic or Origenistic. For that complete apatheia of the Stoics, which is moved by no fear, anger, or desire whatsoever, is impossible to attain in this life: for whoever were thus, would be either an angel or a stone, as Jerome says to Ctesiphon. The Fathers cited, therefore, and the ancient Hermits, who placed all perfection in apatheia, understand such apatheia, not one which has or feels no passion or movement of desire whatsoever, but one which feels them more rarely and coldly, and easily suppresses and restrains them, from their long and constant mortification and victory. HAVING PROMISE OF THE LIFE THAT NOW IS, AND OF THAT WHICH IS TO COME. — "Of the life that now is," namely that here we may live a peaceful, long-lived life and one furnished with all necessary things. This promise, therefore, is that which Christ proposes, Matthew VI, 33: "Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God, and his justice, and all these things shall be added unto you." You will say: The pious are often poor and miserable, indeed they die of hunger and hardships; therefore piety does not have the promise of a peaceful and blessed present life. I answer to the antecedent that this happens from time to time; but then God compensates this deficiency of the present life promised by him with spiritual gifts and eternal delights: for thus if I have promised you gold, I abundantly fulfill my promise if I give you a horse in place of gold. See the sayings at Ephesians VI, 2. Note this passage for the merits of good and pious works; for God has promised the reward of life not only present but also future, not freely but for pious works, that is, on account of pious works as if merits. Beza denies this: because, he says, this promise of God is voluntary and gratuitous. But he is wrong: for although the promise is gratuitous on the part of God promising, it is not gratuitous on the part of him to whom it is promised; for from him it requires work and labor, whence the thing promised is not given to him freely, but as a reward for labor. Just as therefore a master voluntarily promises a laborer a reward for labor, if he is willing to undertake it; and yet the laborer, by laboring in the fields, truly merits the same through his labor: so also to piety, that is to works of piety, this Apostle promises from God eternal life as if a reward; for whatever is promised with the condition of works, or on account of works, has the character of a reward and merit.
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9. A FAITHFUL SAYING, AND WORTHY OF ALL ACCEPTANCE. — "Saying," namely that which preceded, to wit that godliness hath the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come: thus Chrysostom; and this is argued by the word "for" (for), which follows. For since Paul by the words already cited promises to the godly the goods of future life which no one has seen; hence lest anyone doubt concerning these things, he adds that this saying and promise is faithful, that is certain and indubitable. See the things said at cap. I, 18.
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10. FOR THIS (namely on account of godliness, and that we may obtain the life eternal promised to the godly, and to those contending for godliness) WE LABOUR (we endure great labours) AND ARE REVILED (ὀνειδιζόμεθα, that is, we are assailed with insults and reproaches), BECAUSE WE HOPE (ἠλπίκαμεν, that is, we have hoped or have fixed our hope) IN THE LIVING GOD, WHO IS THE SAVIOUR OF ALL MEN, ESPECIALLY OF THE FAITHFUL, as if to say, says Hesselius: It is a great argument that life is laid up in the future for godliness, that we so constantly endure so many labours, and all the Saints endure them, that they may persevere in godliness. Whence martyrdom or testimony is called death undergone for godliness. Thus in I Cor. XV, the Apostle proves the resurrection from the daily perils which he underwent, and from the fight which he had at Ephesus; which would have profited him nothing, if man perished like beasts. Thus says the martyr Justin, lib. IV Ecclesiast. Histor., cap. VIII: "For I myself also, instructed in the Platonic sects, hearing Christians to be ill-spoken of, and seeing them fearless in undertaking death, and enduring every torment, considered that it would be impossible for them to live in malice and in lust." Note, that God is said to be "the saviour of all men," that is, the preserver and keeper of body and soul of each one in the present life; but "especially of the faithful," because He will preserve and save them not only in the present, but also in the future life. Thus Chrysostom and Ambrose. Secondly and more plainly, God is the "saviour of all men," as far as it concerns His part, because He has exhibited to all Christ the saviour, and the means by which they are able to be saved: yet He is especially the saviour of the faithful, because to these He has actually conferred faith, hope, grace, the greatest and most proximate aids to salvation, and He cares for and loves these before others. For it is certain that God loves more, holds dear and cares for the faithful, the just and His friends, than the unfaithful, the impious and His enemies. Thus Theophylactus and Anselm.
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12. LET NO MAN DESPISE THY YOUTH. — For "youth," the Greek is νεότητος, that is, "youthfulness": for Timothy was not properly an adolescent at twenty-three years of age, as Cardinal Hugo wishes, but a young man, who had not yet reached the established age and perfect maturity worthy of a Bishop. Perhaps therefore he was thirty years old or thereabouts: for youth extends thus far and even further. Some think this precept is directed not to Timothy, but to the Ephesians his subjects, as though the Apostle commands them not to despise their Bishop Timothy, as being a young man. Secondly and better, others think this is directed to Timothy, as if to say: O Timothy, although you are young, nevertheless guard your authority and use your power where the matter and the salvation of souls demands it. Thus Chrysostom. Thirdly and most rightly, the same Chrysostom and Ambrose, as if to say: Although you are young, nevertheless conduct yourself so holily and gravely that you are not despised as an imprudent and frivolous young man, but rather that all revere you as a most loving father and one endowed with the prudence and maturity of old age. For, as St. Augustine, book IV of On Christian Doctrine, chapter XXVII, says: "The life of the speaker has greater weight in securing obedience, whatever the gravity of his words;" and on the contrary, "whose life is despised, it remains that his preaching be despised," says St. Gregory, homily 12 in the Gospels. This sense is required by what follows. Chryostom objects here: Where will the modesty and gentleness of the priest shine forth, if he is always in honor and never despised? And he answers: In those things indeed which pertain to himself, if the priest or Bishop is despised, he ought to bear it most constantly: for thus through patience the virtue of his preaching is shown. But in those things which touch the salvation of others, let him not at all submit to contempt. For that would not be gentleness, but foolishness; nor is gentleness needed here, but authority, lest the utility of the Church perish. BUT BE AN EXAMPLE (τύπος, that is, a form, norm and exemplar of life, which all may behold, that they may imitate it, and conform themselves to it as to an animate law, says Chrysostom) TO THE FAITHFUL IN WORD (that is, in grave discourse, and such as befits a Bishop), IN CONVERSATION (that is, in life and manner of living), IN CHARITY (the Greek texts add, ἐν πνεύματι, that is, in spirit, so that you may show that you have zeal and love of God), IN FAITH (that is, in the rectitude and constancy of faith), IN CHASTITY, — that is, in the complete purity of life. Morally note here, that the abilities of men are to be judged not by antiquity, but by integrity. Hence in Wisdom, chapter IV, verse 8, it is said: "A venerable old age is not that of long time, nor counted by the number of years: but the understanding of a man is grey hairs, and a spotless life is ripe old age." Thus Ambrose, sermon 90 On St. Agnes, says: "Infancy was reckoned in years, but there was immense old age of mind." Thus St. Ignatius, epistle to the Magnesians: "Daniel," he says, "became most wise at twelve years of age, and filled with the Holy Spirit, and he made manifest that those elders having vain grey hairs were slanderers and desirers of another's beauty. Samuel also, when he was very small, rebuked Heli the priest, who was ninety years old, by reproof, because he honored his sons above God. Similarly Jeremiah hears from the Lord: Say not that thou art a child. Solomon, beginning to reign in the twelfth year of his age, solved the question of the harlots concerning the children. And Josias, at eight years of age, began to overturn the altars and monuments, to cut down the groves, to cast down the temples which had been consecrated to demons." Note secondly, that Prelates ought to teach more and conciliate authority to themselves by example of holy life, than by learned teaching and preaching. For men, says Seneca, believe their eyes more than their ears. Hence St. Peter, epistle I, chapter V, prescribes to Pastors that they be "a form to the flock;" and Christ says: "You are," he says, "the salt of the earth, and the light of the world: a city seated on a mountain cannot be hid." On which account St. Jerome most excellently admonishes Heliodorus the Bishop in the epitaph of Nepotian: "In you," he says, "the eyes of all are directed, your house and your conversation as if placed in a mirror, is the teacher of public discipline; whatever you do, all think they ought to do the same. Beware lest you commit what those who wish to reprove may seem to have justly torn to pieces; or those who wish to imitate, are forced to do wrong."
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13. WHEN I COME, ATTEND TO READING, TO EXHORTATION AND TO DOCTRINE. — "Holy Scripture," says Ambrose, book III On the Faith, chapter VII, "is a priestly book;" and, as St. Dionysius says, Ecclesiastical Hierarchy, chapter I, "it is the substance of our priesthood." Hence Chrysostom infers, homily 2 On Providence: Every time of life is brief: and if it were even the longest, it would have to be consumed in the knowledge of Holy Scriptures. Thus Paul, though near to death, nevertheless commanded sacred books to be brought to him, II Timothy IV, 13. To which passage St. Thomas refers that St. Ambrose (which is also related in his Life) never ceased until his final illness from writing, commenting upon and expounding the sacred Letters, and so his commentary on Psalm XLVII: "Great is the Lord and exceedingly to be praised," was immortal. A similar account is told by the author of the Life of the Venerable Bede.
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14. DO NOT NEGLECT THE GRACE THAT IS IN YOU, WHICH WAS GIVEN TO YOU THROUGH PROPHECY, WITH THE IMPOSITION OF THE HANDS OF THE PRESBYTERY. — Note: For "grace," in Greek it is χάρισμα, that is, a gift, namely the office and order of Bishop: thus Ambrose; and, as Chrysostom says, the authority and office of teaching, concerning which he has already spoken: "Attend to doctrine;" which the Bishop receives in his ordination along with the grace necessary for this office and duty. For it regards charity, faith, chastity, which he required in Timothy, verse 12. For the Greek χάρισμα signifies not only grace freely given, but also sanctifying grace, as is evident from Rom. VI, 23: "Grace (in Greek χάρισμα) of God is life eternal." Rom. V, 15: "Not as the offense, so also the gift (in Greek χάρισμα)," namely of the grace of Christ justifying. I Corinth. VII, 7: "Each one has his own gift (in Greek χάρισμα, namely of chastity) from God." Note secondly: This grace was given to Timothy "through prophecy," that is, through revelation, by which God commanded Timothy to be ordained Bishop, cap. I, verse 18, as if to say, Prove and strive that you show yourself true to the prophecies made concerning your ordination. St. Jerome, however, in his letter to Evagrius, takes prophecy here properly for the prediction of future things, or rather for the interpretation of the Scriptures. The Apostle hints that Timothy received this in his ordination greater and clearer than before. But the grace already mentioned, namely the authority of teaching, or the office of Bishop, was not given to Timothy through such a prophecy; but rather this prophecy was given on account of the grace and talent of the episcopate, so that he might discharge it rightly. Again Vatablus explains thus: Do not neglect the grace which was given to you through, that is, for prophecy, that is, doctrine, namely that you might prophesy, that is, teach the people; but this too seems forced. For the Greek εἰς means not "for," but "through." Therefore the first sense is the genuine one. Some learned men understand by prophecy sacred prayer, or mystical words, namely the very form of Ordination itself, as if the Apostle here designates the very form of the Sacrament of Orders, and soon after its matter, when he adds: "With the imposition of hands." This exposition seems to some new and unusual, but it is not really so. For the Apostle, I Corinth. XIV, 5 and elsewhere, calls prophecy any sacred prayer and discourse, especially that which is mysterious and mystical, such as were formerly the forms of the Sacraments. Note thirdly: "With the imposition of the hands of the presbytery," that is, through the imposition of the hands of the presbytery, namely through the ordination of the presbytery, that is, the assembly of presbyters, namely the elders, that is, Bishops. For a Bishop is ordained by three other Bishops, who impose hands on the Bishop being ordained. Thus Chrysostom, Theophylactus, Oecumenius, Theodoret. So also with newly ordained priests, when they are ordained, the Bishop, and after the Bishop all the priests in turn impose hands, as the Council of Carthage IV commands, canon 30. Otherwise Anselm: "through the imposition of the hands of the presbytery," that is, he says, through the ordination by which you were ordained and consecrated presbyter, that is, Bishop. And Maldonatus in his manuscript Notes takes by "presbytery" the order of priests. Again Vatablus understands by "the imposition of the hands of the presbytery" the election by which Timothy was elected by the presbyters, that is, the Christian elders, as Bishop: for the imposition of hands is the external sign of election, he says, as if to say, By the imposition of hands as a sign you were elected as Bishop by the Christian senate, which is at Ephesus; which words smack of heresy: for they suggest that the lay and civil senate constitutes and ordains Bishops and other ministers of the Church. Add that we nowhere read that laymen imposed hands on Bishops or presbyters. Certainly these and many other things were stuffed into and foisted upon Vatablus, a Catholic man, by heretics who published his writings. Hence note fourthly, that Order is a Sacrament: for along with the office which it confers, it confers also the grace necessary for that office. And the matter of the Sacrament here is the imposition of hands, under which the rest is understood: but the form is the words by which, together with the matter, the Bishop confers sacred power on the one ordained. This will be more evident from the second epistle, cap. I, verse 6. Whence St. Augustine in Questions on the Old and New Testament, Question XX, from John XX, where Christ, breathing upon the Apostles, said, "Receive the Holy Spirit": "This breathing," he says, "is a certain grace, which is poured in through tradition to those ordained, by which commendations are held; whence Paul said: Do not neglect the grace," etc. Note fifth: Hence some probably teach with Sylvester, in the word Ordo, II, § 4, and Bellarmine, lib. I On the Sacrament of Orders, cap. IX, against D. Soto, Ruard and Navarre, that the imposition of hands is of the essence of Orders, especially Episcopal. Because Scripture, Councils and the Fathers everywhere call Orders the imposition of hands. For this imposition signifies that those to be ordained are consecrated and offered to God as victims; for thus formerly priests imposed hands upon the victim when they offered it to God, Exodus cap. XXIX, vers. 10, 15, 19, by this rite signifying that they transfer the victim from their hand and power into the right of God. By a similar ceremony the ancient Romans renounced their slaves when they restored them to their freedom; for holding the head of the slave they said: "I wish this man to be free;" and they sent him forth by their hand. Thus also the children of Israel, imposing hands upon the Levites, renounced them as it were from themselves, and offered and consecrated them to God, Num. VIII, 10. Let priests therefore know that by this ceremony they are consecrated to God, so that they dedicate themselves wholly to him, no longer living for themselves, but spending and overflowing their whole life in divine ministries, especially in procuring the salvation of others. The Gentiles did the same: for Livy narrates, lib. I, dec. I, in the chapter on Numa Pompilius, that when he was initiated into the highest priesthood, hands were imposed upon him. Second, by this imposition of hands, says Amalarius, lib. I On Ecclesiastical Office, cap. XII, is signified the descent of the Holy Spirit, which the ordainer prays to be given to the one being ordained, and his governance, direction and protection, namely that the Holy Spirit may govern and direct the one being ordained as it were by his hand. Whence St. Dionysius On Ecclesiastical Hierarchy, cap. V, pag. 3: "By the imposition of hands," he says, "is indicated the protection of the prince and prefect of God, by which internally those themselves upon whom hands are imposed are governed by him as sons: which bestows upon them virtue and strength, and repels the adverse powers." Third, this imposition of hands signifies not only governance and protection, but also the fullness of spirit and grace which is given to the ordained, and the power which they receive over others. Whence St. Dionysius above: "The imposition of hands," he says, "teaches that those who are bound to sacred Orders perform all sacred actions as it were under God, inasmuch as they have him as the guide and ruler of all their operations." Thus Num. XXVII, 18, Joshua was filled with the spirit of wisdom, because Moses laid his hands upon him, as it were consecrating him as leader of the people. Thus Christ, Matt. XIX, imposed hands upon little children, and ascending into heaven, with hands raised, blessed his disciples, by this very act signifying that he bestows many gifts upon them from his fullness. Hence St. Jerome, in cap. LIX of Isaiah, says that ordination is called by the Greeks χειροτονίαν, that is the imposition of hands, because it is fulfilled, that is perfected and consummated, not only by the invocation of the voice or mystical words, but also by the imposition of hands. Finally, note that here by presbyters are signified Bishops; for not simple presbyters, but Bishops imposed hands upon Timothy the Bishop. See what is said Philip. I, 1. Therefore Erasmus and Kemnitius wrongly wish that there was once no difference between presbyter, priest and Bishop.
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MEDITATE THESE THINGS. — Ταῦτα μελέτα, that is, care for these things, be diligent in these, apply constant study and all the powers of body and soul to these and direct them toward these.
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16. ATTEND TO THYSELF (so that you frequently examine, scrutinize, correct and compose all your actions and morals), AND TO DOCTRINE, — namely so that you teach others. These two duties are those of a Bishop, indeed of any pastor, teacher and preacher, namely that he first teach himself, then others. For those who neglect themselves and pour themselves out entirely in care for their neighbors labor with a fading spirit, and benefit neither themselves nor others. Live for yourself, attend to yourself, if you wish to benefit others. St. Bernard beautifully says, lib. II On Consideration to Eugenius: "Four things," he says, "I think you should consider, yourself, those under you, those around you, those above you. Let your consideration of yourself begin, lest you extend yourself in vain to other things, neglecting yourself. What does it profit you if you gain the whole world, losing yourself alone? And if you are wise, wisdom is lacking to you, if you are not wise to yourself. How much lacking? as indeed I have perceived, entirely. You may know all mysteries, you may know the breadths of the earth, the heights of heaven, the depths of the sea, if you do not know yourself, you will be like one building without a foundation, making ruin, not a structure. Whatever you build outside yourself will be like a heap of dust, exposed to the winds," etc. FOR IN DOING THIS, THOU SHALT BOTH SAVE THYSELF AND THEM THAT HEAR THEE. — Note that he who attends to himself saves himself; and he who attends to doctrine saves others. Behold here Paul calls Timothy and the like saviors of themselves and others. Thus Obadiah, vers. 21, predicts that saviors shall ascend upon mount Sion. Therefore no injury is done to Christ if we call the Saints saviors and advocates of ours, if we call the blessed Virgin our lady, patroness and hope.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
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Superius instruxit Timotheum de pertinentibus ad ordinationem Ecclesiae in spiritualibus; secundo quantum ad documentum fidei, cultum Dei, et dispositionem ministeriorum, hic instruit eum de ordinatione Ecclesiae quantum ad exteriora. Et primo quantum ad cibos; secundo quantum ad status hominum et divitias, ibi quicumque sub iugo. Item primo agit de usu ciborum, secundo de dispensatione ciborum, cap. V, ibi viduas honora. Item, primo excludit superstitiosam abstinentiam; secundo praefert pietatem abstinentiae licitae, ibi exerce te. Item, primo praenuntiat falsam doctrinam de illicita abstinentia; secundo instruit eum haec proponere fratribus, ibi haec proponens. Item primo, errorem manifestat; secundo excludit ipsum, ibi quos Deus. Item, primo praenuntiat errorem futurum ex parte deceptorum; secundo ex parte decipientium, ibi in hypocrisi. Item ponit actorem denuntiationis; secundo fidei defectum, ibi quia in novissimis; tertio causam defectus, ibi attendentes. Dicit ergo: magnum est pietatis sacramentum quod iustificatum est in spiritu, sed supra hoc sacramentum spiritus sanctus aliquid praenuntiat futurum. Ad eum enim pertinet revelare mysteria. II Cor. XV, v. 2 et Io. XVI, 13: quae ventura sunt, annuntiabit vobis. Spiritus ergo praenuntiat prius secreta in corde patris futura. Sed olim loquebatur in similitudinibus. Num. XII, v. 6: si quis fuerit inter vos propheta domini, in visione apparebo ei, vel per somnium loquar ad illum. Os. XII, 10: ego visionem multiplicavi, et in manu prophetarum assimilatus sum. Sed in novo testamento spiritus sanctus manifeste dicit. Io. XVI, 25: et palam de patre meo annuntiabo vobis. Et praenuntiat defectum fidei futurum; unde dicit in novissimis temporibus, et cetera. Novissimum tempus dicitur ultima aetas, quia nos sumus in quos fines saeculorum devenerunt. Tamen in hoc tempore amplius novissimum est, quanto magis propinquum novissimae diei. Et sicut in primitiva Ecclesia, propter propinquitatem ad Christum et sacramenta recenter instituta, fuit ferventissima fides, sic in novissimis temporibus, in comparatione ad tempus apostolorum, discedent quidam a fide, quia carnales erunt, sed magis in fine abundabunt errores. Gen. XLIX, 1: congregamini, ut annuntiem quae ventura sunt vobis novissimis diebus, et cetera. Causa defectus est duplex: una ex parte Diaboli seducentis. II Cor. XI, 3: timeo ne sicut serpens Evam seduxit astutia sua, et cetera. Et ideo dicit attendentes spiritibus erroris, scilicet Daemonibus, quorum est officium in errorem mittere. Io. VIII, 44: mendax est, et pater eius. III Reg. ult.: egrediar, et ero spiritus mendax, et cetera. Et dicit spiritibus, quia Daemon maior multos habet ministros. Sed quomodo attendent eis? Numquid eos videbunt? Non, sed loquentur in eis. Et ideo addit secundam causam, scilicet falsam doctrinam. Et secundum Glossam dicit hic falsos doctores, Daemones, nec immerito. Sicut enim boni homines interdum dicuntur Angeli, sic isti propter excellentem malitiam Daemones dicuntur. Io. VI, 71: nonne ego duodecim vos elegi? Et unus est ex vobis Diabolus. Ex parte decipientium est duplex causa: una, eorum falsitas; alia, perversitas conscientiae eorum.
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Quantum ad primum dicit Daemoniorum, id est, hominum a Daemone possessorum, et horum dico loquentium mendacium. Ier. c. XXIII, 26: usquequo istud est in corde prophetarum vaticinantium mendacium, et prophetantium seductiones cordis sui? Et nota quod per mendacium simplex absque pallio apparentiae, non posset aliquis decipere quempiam. Et ita hi neminem possent fallere, nisi praetenderent aliquod pallium, vel bonae intentionis, vel simulationis, vel falsae auctoritatis. I Cor. III, 18: nemo vos seducat, et cetera. II Tim. III, 5: habentes quidem speciem pietatis, id est, fictam pietatem. Et Daemoniorum, dico, habentium conscientiam cauteriatam. Cauterium est corruptio in carne per ignem, ex qua egreditur continue putredo. Ita ex igne perversae voluntatis, irae, odii, concupiscentiae, ulceratur conscientia, et Daemoniorum egreditur falsa doctrina. Tit. I, v. 15: coinquinatae sunt eorum mentes. Deinde ostendit quae sit ista falsa doctrina, et tangit haeresim Manichaeorum, qui damnant matrimonium, contra illud Matth. XIX, 6: quos Deus coniunxit, homo non separet; I Cor. VII, 36: mulier non peccat si nubat. Item Manichaei prohibent usum ciborum, id est, mandant abstinere a cibis. Abstinere autem a cibis potest quis licite intentione domandi carnem, sicut Timotheus abstinebat a vino, vel propter scandalum, sicut dicit apostolus I Cor. VIII, 13: si esca scandalizat fratrem meum, non manducabo carnes in aeternum. Item illicite: uno modo propter legis praeceptum, quasi legalia adhuc essent servanda, contra quod loquitur ad Gal. II. Alio modo secundum haeresim Manichaeorum, non quia prohibitum lege (quam damnant), sed quia dicunt quod in carnibus, ovis, et vino, et huiusmodi, id est, in aliqua talium particula, divina natura est commixta, quod non potest de Deo putari. Non videtur autem hoc dicere de cibis legalibus, quia dicit in novissimis diebus, sed de prohibitis a Manichaeis. Et istos Manichaeos Daemones vocat, quia inter omnes haereses plus dant Diabolo de honore, quia ponunt eum principium ex aequo cum Deo bono, ponentes eum principium visibilium. Improbat autem apostolus hanc erroneam doctrinam dupliciter, scilicet ex intentione Dei creantis cibos; secundo ex conditione creaturae, ibi omnis creatura. Dicit ergo quod prohibent abstinere, et hoc contra intentionem Dei, qui creavit eos ad percipiendum. Gen. IX, 3: sicut olera virentia dedi vobis omnia, et cetera. Sed dicis: numquid plantae propter animalia, et animalia propter homines? Respondeo. Dicendum est quod sic, secundum etiam philosophum in I Polit., quia imperfectum ordinatur ad perfectius. Et ideo sicut in generatione est multiplex perfectio: primo scilicet plantarum, deinde animalium, et ultimo humana, ita in usu rerum. Et ideo ad percipiendum, sed cum gratiarum actione. I Thess. ult.: in omnibus gratias agite; quia scilicet concessa sunt vobis a Deo. Ps. XXI, 26: edent pauperes, et cetera. Et subdit fidelibus, quia illi qui percipiunt cum gratiarum actione, sunt fideles. Nullus enim potest gratias agere Deo in eo quod illicitum est. Stultus enim est qui agit gratias de fornicatione Deo, quia Deus non est actor malorum. Ergo ille gratias agit qui habet hoc, quod usus ciborum sit licitus. Et hoc quidem innotescit per fidem solam. Et ex ista ratione dicit fidelibus.
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Deinde cum dicit qui cognoverunt veritatem, quia omnis, etc., improbat errorem ex conditione creaturae. Et primo proponit creaturam esse bonam secundum se; secundo quantum ad usum.
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Dicit ergo omnis creatura est bona, scilicet in sua natura. Gen. I, 31: vidit Deus cuncta quae fecerat, et erant valde bona. A bono etiam actore nihil est nisi bonum. Sed quia multa sunt in se bona, quorum tamen usus non est bonus, ideo probat omnem creaturam esse bonam non solum in se sed et quantum ad usum. Et primo ponit intentum, secundo probat, ibi sanctificatur enim. Dicit ergo nihil reiiciendum est, scilicet ex debito divinae legis, quamvis ex alia causa: sicut venenum comedere, inquantum cibus non est peccatum, sed reiiciendum est inquantum est mortiferum. Similiter nec alii cibi, inquantum res tales sunt, non sunt reiiciendi, sed inquantum incitant ad lasciviam. Ergo secundum discretionem rationis, et ordinationem charitatis, non sunt reiiciendi. Matth. XV, 11: omne quod intrat in os, non coinquinat hominem, et cetera. Quare ergo aliqui cibi in veteri lege sunt prohibiti? Augustinus ponit rationem contra Faustum, quia in illo statu, non solum per verba, sed etiam per acta praefiguratus est Christus. Et ideo in cibis, vestibus et sacrificiis fuerunt figurae futuri status. Non ergo prohibentur secundum se, sed quia immundorum figurae sunt, sicut porcus est signum immundae vitae. Et ideo prohibitio carnis eius est signum quod in lege Christi est prohibita omnis immunditia. Et est exemplum Augustini. Hoc nomen fatuus potest considerari secundum quod est vox composita ex litteris, et sic est bona, vel inquantum signum et significativa talis rei, et sic mala est et prohibita. Omnis ergo creaturae usus secundum se est bonus. Cuius ratio est, quia si esset malus, hoc non posset esse nisi inquantum Diabolus, post peccatum hominis, accepisset potestatem super eos: quia ex quo homo peccavit, accepit in hominem potestatem, et in ea quae sunt eius. Sed per Christum est ablata haec potestas, et haec vocatur sanctificatio. Unde omnia quaecumque benedicimus exorcizantur primo, et ibi est oratio expellens Diabolum.
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Et ideo dicit sanctificatur enim per verbum Dei, id est, per Christum, qui omnes sanctificat, Io. XVII, 9, et per orationem fidelium. Iac.: multum valet deprecatio iusti assidua.
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Supra reprobavit superstitiosam ciborum abstinentiam, hic mandat Timotheo ut doctrinam praemissam proponat fidelibus, et primo ostendit quid debet proponere; secundo quid debet vitare, ibi ineptas autem. Proponit ergo duas rationes quare debet proponere praemissa: unam ex commisso sibi officio; secundam ex eius educatione. Dicit ergo haec, quae dixi supra, scilicet quod omnis creatura est bona et quod nihil reiiciendum, etc., proponens, et cetera. Timotheus enim constitutus erat in officio ministerii Christi, quia omnes habentes officium praedicandi et regendi constituuntur ministri Christi. I Cor. IV, 1: sic nos existimet homo ut ministros Christi, et cetera. Ille autem est bonus minister qui sequitur intentionem domini sui. Christus autem hoc docuit: Matth. c. XV, 11: nihil quod intrat in os coinquinat. Et ideo hoc officium requirit illud docere. Item ipsa educatio hoc requirit. Prov. XXII, 6: adolescens iuxta viam suam, etiam cum senuerit, non recedet ab ea. Et ideo inconveniens est quod aliqui nutriti veritate doctrinae recedant ab ea. Unde recedens a doctrina, qua Ecclesia suos parvulos instruit, non est bonus minister Christi. Et ideo dicit enutritus verbis fidei, et cetera. Verbum enim Dei est spirituale nutrimentum quo sustentatur anima, sicut corpus per cibum. Matth. IV, 4: non in solo pane vivit homo, sed in omni verbo quod procedit de ore Dei. Hoc verbum fidei instruit primo circa credenda, et sic dicit enutritus verbis fidei, secundo circa agenda, et sic subiungit et bonae doctrinae. Vel fidei verbum, quod et simplices habent, et bonae doctrinae, quam spirituales magistri. Deinde cum dicit ineptas, etc., ostendit quid vitandum sit, quia fabulae ineptae et inanes. Fabula enim secundum philosophum est composita ex miris, et fuerunt in principio inventae ut dicit philosophus in poetria, quia intentio hominum erat ut inducerent ad acquirendum virtutes, et vitandum vitia. Simplices autem melius inducuntur repraesentationibus quam rationibus. Unde in miro bene repraesentato videtur delectatio, quia ratio delectatur in collatione. Et sicut repraesentatio in factis est delectabilis, ita repraesentatio in verbis: et hoc est fabula, scilicet dictum aliquod repraesentans, et repraesentando movens ad aliquid. Antiqui enim habebant aliquas fabulas accommodatas aliquibus veris, qui veritatem occultabant in fabulis. Duo ergo sunt in fabula, quod scilicet contineat verum sensum, et repraesentet aliquid utile. Item quod conveniat illi veritati. Si ergo proponatur fabula, quae non potest repraesentare aliquam veritatem, est inanis; sed quae non proprie repraesentat, est inepta, sicut fabulae de Thalmuth. Deinde cum dicit exerce, etc., exclusa superstitiosa abstinentia, hic comparat abstinentiam virtuosam aliis virtutibus. Et sciendum est quod Timotheus erat homo valde abstinens. Unde dicit infra V, 23, quod modico vino utatur, et forte ut sit sollicitus de his quae ad misericordiam pertinent, quia qui non parcunt sibi, frequenter nec aliis parcunt. Et ideo inducit eum ut pietatem praeferat abstinentiae. Et primo inducit eum ad pietatem; secundo praefert eam abstinentiae, ibi nam corporalis; tertio confirmat quoddam dictum, ibi promissionem; quarto dat formam docendi pietatem, ibi praecipe haec.
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Dicit ergo exerce teipsum ad pietatem. Pietas est, per quam parentibus patriaeque benevolentiae officium impedimus, sicut religio, per quam cultum debitum Deo exhibemus. Pietas enim importat quamdam affectionem ad suum principium. Principium autem generationis est pater et patria. Et ideo oportet quod homo circa eos sit benevolus. Pater autem omnium est Deus. Mal. c. I, 6: si ego pater, ubi est honor meus? Et ideo nomen pietatis est derivatum ad cultum Dei, ut dicit Augustinus IV de Civ. Dei. Unde eusebia est idem quod pietas. Iob c. XXVIII, 28: ecce pietas ipsa est sapientia, secundum aliam translationem, ubi nostra sic habet: ecce timor domini ipsa est sapientia. Tit. I, 1: in agnitione veritatis, quae est secundum pietatem. Sed quantum ad terrenam pietatem, competit pietati ut homo sit benevolus compatriotis; sed quantum ad Christianam pietatem requiritur, ut homo omnibus hominibus sit benevolus, quia omnes sumus eiusdem patriae. Et ideo pietas sumitur pro misericordia. Cum ergo dicit exerce teipsum ad pietatem, potest accipi secundum quod pertinet ad cultum Dei, et ad opera misericordiae exhibenda. Glossa: ad pietatem, id est, ad cultum omnipotentis Dei, et opera misericordiae. Et dicit exerce, non fac, quia exercitium dicit promptitudinem; et hoc ideo, quia exercitatus facit levius, delectabilius, et stabilius. Prov. XXIV, 27: diligenter exerce agrum tuum.
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Deinde cum dicit nam corporalis exercitatio ad modicum utilis est, praefert eam abstinentiae. Et primo ostendit ad quid valet exercitatio corporalis; secundo ad quid pietas, ibi pietas autem. Corporalis exercitatio ieiunii et huiusmodi in sua natura non sunt bona, sed poenalia, et si homo non peccasset, nihil horum fuisset, sed sunt bona medicinalia. Sicut enim reubarbarum est bonum inquantum relevat a colera, sic et ista inquantum comprimunt concupiscentias; ergo ad istud modicum sunt utilia. I Cor. IX, 27: castigo corpus meum et in servitutem redigo, et cetera. Col. III, v. 5: mortificate membra vestra, quae sunt super terram. Et ideo si homo esset in statu, in quo non posset peccare, non indigeret ieiunio et huiusmodi. Unde Chrysostomus super illud Matth. XVI: venit Iesus, etc., dicit: Ioannes purus homo indigebat medicina ieiunii: Christus Deus erat et non purus homo, et ideo huiusmodi non indigebat. Ergo ad modicum utilis est, quia tantum ad morbum peccati carnalis, non spiritualis, quia aliquando propter abstinentiam homo iracundiam, inanem gloriam, et huiusmodi incurrit. Deinde cum dicit pietas autem, praefert abstinentiae pietatem, et accipitur hic utroque modo, scilicet pro cultu Dei, et misericordia. Et est ad omnia utilis, quia ad omnia peccata delenda. Eccli. III, 33: ignem ardentem extinguit aqua, et eleemosyna resistit peccatis. Item ad bona promovenda. Eccli. XVII, 18: eleemosyna hominis quasi sacculus, et cetera. Item promeretur specialem Dei misericordiam. Matth. V, 7: beati misericordes, quoniam ipsi misericordiam consequentur. Et ideo ad hoc designandum dominus Matth. XXV, 34, specialiter commemorat opera misericordiae. Quod probat subdens promissionem habens. In praeceptis enim Decalogi unum solum invenitur, quod pertinet ad pietatem, scilicet honorare patrem et matrem, et sub illo continentur omnia praecepta, ad quodcumque beneficium impendendum proximo; et hoc est solum praeceptum, inter ea quae sunt ad proximum, habens promissionem, scilicet ut sis longaevus, etc., Ex. XX, v. 12. Et apostolus hic interpretatur longaevus secundum vitam praesentem, et futuram; unde dicit vitae quae nunc est et futurae. Prov. III, 16: longitudo dierum in dextra eius. Sed tunc est quaestio, quia aliquando invenitur aliquis pietatem sequens, qui tamen non est longaevus. Respondeo. Sicut dicit philosophus, haec bona temporalia intantum sunt bona, inquantum utilia ad felicitatem. Unde si quis haberet tantum de temporalibus quod propter ipsa impediretur a bono virtutis et felicitatis, hoc non esset sibi ad bonam fortunam, sed ad malam, ut dicitur X Ethic. Et longitudo vitae est unum de temporalibus, intantum bonum, inquantum coadiuvat ad virtutem. Aliquando autem est occasio ad peccandum, et ideo Deus aliquando subtrahit eam homini, non quia deficiat a promissione, sed quia dat quod melius est. Sap. IV, 11: raptus est, ne malitia immutaret intellectum eius. Alia est quaestio, quia apostolus praefert pietatem corporali exercitationi, quia habet spem vitae praesentis et futurae. Sed numquid corporalis exercitatio non habet spem? Alias ieiunans non mereretur vitam aeternam. Respondeo. Quando duae virtutes sunt et una continet aliam, illud quod est superioris virtutis per se, competit per accidens inferiori; virtus autem cui competit per se mereri vitam aeternam, est charitas, cuius proprius et immediatus effectus est pietas. Et ideo secundum propriam rationem attingit ad merendam vitam aeternam. Abstinentia autem non, nisi inquantum ordinatur ad charitatem et pietatem, quia si ieiunans non refert hoc ad dilectionem Dei, non meretur vitam aeternam. Tertia quaestio est, quia dicit hic Ambrosius in Glossa: omnis summa disciplinae Christianae in misericordia et pietate est, quam aliquis sequens, si lubricum carnis patiatur, sine dubio vapulabit, non tamen peribit. Ubi primo est dubium de prima eius parte, quia misericordia et pietas immediate ordinantur ad charitatem, in qua est summa Christianae religionis. Respondeo. Quorumdam fuit opinio, sicut Augustinus dicit X de Civ. Dei, quod exercentes pietatis opera, quantumcumque faciant peccata carnalia, finaliter non pereunt aeternaliter. Et ad hoc est auctoritas ista. Item quod habetur Matth. XXV, 41, ubi damnandis solum improperat defectum misericordiae; ergo debetur poena aeterna solum immisericordibus. Augustinus autem dicit contrarium, quia apostolus dicit: quia talia agunt, regnum Dei, et cetera. Quantumcumque enim exercitetur quis in misericordia, si in morte est in peccato mortali, non intrabit in regnum. Ad opposita dicendum est, quod non est misericors qui sibi non miseretur, secundum illud Eccli. XXX, 24: miserere animae tuae placens Deo; et hoc fit si homo coniungatur Deo per amorem, alias non est misericors. Ad illud Evangelii respondet Augustinus quod non quicumque peccat detruditur in Infernum statim, quia remanet ei locus poenitentiae; sed ille detruditur, qui finaliter moritur in peccato, et pertinet poenitentia ad misericordiam. Sed quid dicit: si lubricum, et cetera? Respondeo. Dicendum est, quod loquitur de lubrico mortali. Et quod dicit: non peribit, licet hoc non sit ex condigno, tamen est ex congruo, inquantum disponitur animus ad bonum; unde dominus post lapsum hominem reparat. Et hoc praecipue videtur esse in pietate, quia homo benefaciendo aliis, inducit alios ad orandum pro se: et dominus donat aliquando veniam peccatoribus precibus sanctorum, inquantum impetratur eis venia peccatorum et donum gratiae, quia homo potest mereri ex congruo alteri primam gratiam, alias pro nihilo oraret Ecclesia pro peccatoribus.
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Deinde cum dicit fidelis sermo, ostendit quod promittitur nobis futura vita, et primo ostendit hoc ex labore sanctorum; secundo ex eorum spe, ibi quia speramus; tertio ex benignitate Dei, ibi qui est. Dicit ergo sermo, quod scilicet pietas habet promissionem, est fidelis. Quod supra expositum est. Et quare? In hoc enim, id est, propter hoc, ut consequamur vitam aeternam, laboramus. II Tim. II, 6: laborantem agricolam oportet primum de fructibus percipere. Item ut benefaciamus, licet mala sustineamus; unde dicit benedicimus et maledicimur. Iac. I, 4: patientia opus perfectum habet; et Rom. V, v. 3: patientia probationem operatur, et cetera. Et sustinemus propter spem vitae, quia speramus in Deum vivum, qui est salvator vitae praesentis et futurae. Item ex officio Dei, cuius est salvare. Is. c. XLIII, 11: non est absque me salvator. Et ideo incarnatus est Deus, et vocatus est Iesus. Matth. I, 21: ipse enim salvum faciet populum suum a peccatis eorum.
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Et Iesus idem est quod salvator, quia salvat, salute corporali, quo ad omnes; et ideo dicit omnium hominum. Item spirituali quo ad bonos; et ideo dicit et maxime fidelium.
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Superius apostolus hortatus est Timotheum ad pietatem, hic dat ei formam docendi pietatem; cui primo iniungit ut pietatem doceat; secundo quomodo sit idoneus ad docendum, ibi nemo; tertio quomodo diversos diversimode doceat, ibi seniorem. Doctrina vero pietatis in duobus consistit, scilicet in agendis et credendis. Agenda autem non solum debent instruere si sunt auctoritatem habentes, sed etiam praecipere. Et ideo dicit praecipe haec. Tit. II, v. 15: argue cum omni imperio. Quantum ad credenda dicit et doce. Matth. ult. docete omnes gentes. Iob IV, 3: ecce docuisti plurimos. Deinde cum dicit nemo, ostendit quomodo possit esse idoneus ad praedicta, et primo ad praecipiendum; secundo quomodo ad docendum, ibi dum venio. Circa primum duo facit, quia primo docet quomodo debet excludere contemptum; secundo manifestat per quid excludendum sit, ibi sed exemplum. Praeceptum efficaciam non habet nisi per auctoritatem praecipientis, et ideo quando auctoritas contemnitur, praeceptum frustratur, quod maxime fit in adolescentia, quia tales non creduntur prudentes esse. Unde secundum philosophum, nemo iuvenes elegit duces. Et ideo dicit nemo, etc., quasi dicat: licet sis iuvenis, mores tamen repraesentent senectutem. Tob. I, 4: cum esset iunior. Deinde ostendit quomodo excluditur contemptus, dicens sed esto, etc., ut scilicet talem exhibeas te ut sis exemplum faciendi quod verbo doces. Et notandum, quod in his in quibus praelatus est exemplum, est multiplex differentia. Quaedam enim ordinantur ad proximum, quaedam ad Deum, quaedam ad se. Quantum ad proximum dicit exemplum esto fidelium, ut scilicet quod verbo praecipis, impleas opere. I Petr. ult., 3: forma facti gregis, et cetera. Et hoc in locutione; unde dicit in verbo, scilicet ponderato, ordinato, et circumspecto. Col. c. IV, 6: sermo vester semper in gratia sale sit conditus. I Petr. IV, 11: si quis loquitur, quasi sermones Dei. Item in conversatione exteriori, ut sicut excellit loco et dignitate, ita et honesta conversatione. I Petr. II, 12: conversationem vestram inter gentes habentes bonam, et cetera. Matth. V, 16: videant opera vestra bona, et glorificent patrem vestrum qui in caelis est. Quantum ad Deum ordinatur charitate, quae perficit affectum; unde dicit in charitate. I Cor. XIII, 1: si linguis hominum loquar, et cetera. Col. III, 14: super omnia charitatem habentes. Item per fidem, quae illuminat intellectum; unde dicit in fide. Hebr. c. XI, 6: sine fide impossibile est placere Deo. Quod specialiter competit praelatis, qui sunt custodes fidei. Unde Lc. XXII, 32 specialiter dominus orat pro fide Petri, dicens: ego pro te rogavi, Petre, ut non deficiat fides tua. Quantum ad se, vitam et mentem ordinat castitas, quia indecens est nimis, ut vita ministrorum discordet a vita domini. Eccli. X, v. 2: secundum iudicem populi, sic et ministri eius. Christus autem sic castitatem dilexit, ut de virgine vellet nasci, et ipse eam servavit, ideo sequitur in castitate. Deinde cum dicit dum venio, etc., ostendit quomodo sit idoneus ad docendum, et primo facit hoc; secundo assignat rationem praemissae monitionis, ibi noli negligere. Per duo autem est idoneus ad docendum, scilicet per lectionem, in qua acquirit scientiam, et per exercitium, in quo efficitur promptus.
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Et ideo dicit dum venio, attende lectioni, scilicet librorum sanctorum. I Mac. XII, 9: habentes solatio libros sanctos. Io. V, 39: scrutamini Scripturas. Et hoc significatur Ex. XXV, 12 s., ubi dicitur, quod semper in arca domini debebant esse vectes in circulis, et circuli in angulis: quasi semper parati ad portandum. Ad exercitium autem necessaria est exhortatio nostra quantum ad agenda, doctrina quantum ad cognoscenda. Ideo addit exhortationi et doctrinae. Ier. III, 15: dabo vobis pastores iuxta cor meum, et pascent vos scientia et doctrina. Deinde cum dicit noli, ponit rationem monitionis praemissae; et primo ponit causam ex dono suscepto; secundo causam ex praemio expectato, ibi attende tibi. Item, primo ponit rationem; secundo ostendit quomodo quod in ratione continetur impleri potest, ibi haec meditare. Dicit ergo noli, etc.; quasi dicat: imo attende, quia qui recipit gratiam non debet in ea negligens esse, sed ex ea fructificare debet. Servus abscondens in terra pecuniam, punitur propter negligentiam. Matth. c. XXV, 24 s. Noli ergo negligere gratiam, et cetera. Per hoc intellige, vel dignitatem episcopalem, vel donum scientiae, vel prophetiae, vel miraculorum, quorum nihil debet negligi. II Cor. VI, 1: ne in vanum gratiam Dei recipiatis.
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Dico gratiam, quae data est tibi per prophetiam, id est, per divinam inspirationem. Nam in primitiva Ecclesia, ubi pure et propter Deum electiones fiebant, nullus assumebatur ad episcopatum nisi per electionem divinam, sicut electus est Ambrosius et Nicolaus. Et hanc inspirationem vocat hic prophetiam. Unde Glossa dicit, id est, per sanctorum electionem, quia sancti non eligebant quem a Deo non sciebant electum. Item apostolus praevidebat hunc profuturum esse populo. Prov. XXIX, 18: cum prophetia defecerit, id est, talis modus electionis, dissipabitur populus. Et quomodo? Cum impositione manus presbyteri. Alia littera habet manuum presbyterii. Et, sicut dictum est, nomina presbyteri, vel episcopi sunt promiscua, quia sacerdotes et presbyteri, id est, episcopi, erant, qui recipiebantur cum manus impositione. Num. XXVII, 18: voca Iosue, et impone manum tuam super eum, et cetera. Dominus etiam imposuit manum pueris, ut dicitur Matthaei XIX, 15. Item apostoli septem diaconibus, Act. VI, 6. Et ideo ordinandis in episcopum imponuntur manus. Sed quaestio est, cum episcopus debeat ordinari a tribus, quare hic dicitur singulari numero presbyteri? Respondeo. Hoc ideo dicit, quia etsi conveniant multi, tamen unus est principalis et alii coassistentes. Tamen potest dici, quod tunc haec constitutio nondum erat, et tunc pauci erant episcopi, qui non poterant congregari. Alia littera habet presbyterii, id est, illorum qui sibi imposuerunt manus non inquantum homines, sed inquantum presbyteri. Et haec impositio significat collationem gratiae, non quod ministri dent gratiam, sed quod significant gratiam datam a Christo. Unde illorum est solum, qui sunt ministri Christi. Et ideo dicit presbyterii, vel presbyteri, quia manus impositio, alia est quae fit a diaconibus, et alia quae fit a presbyteris. Deinde cum dicit haec meditare, ostendit quomodo impleatur quod dictum est, ut scilicet continue meditetur ea quae spectant ad officium suum. Hebr. ult.: ipsi enim pervigilant quasi rationem pro animabus vestris reddituri. Haec ergo meditare, id est frequenter cogita, quae sunt ad curam gregis tui. In his esto, id est, tota virtus tua sit ad hoc. Et quare?
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Ut profectus tuus manifestus sit omnibus. Matth. V, 15: nemo accendit lucernam, et in abscondito ponit, et cetera. Phil. IV, 5: modestia vestra nota sit omnibus hominibus.
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Et haec debet servare propter praemium expectatum, propter quod subdit, dicens attende tibi et doctrinae. Aliqui sic attendunt doctrinae, quod sui curam negligunt; sed apostolus dicit quod primo attendat sibi, et postea doctrinae. Eccli. XXX, 24: miserere animae tuae placens Deo. Unde Iesus coepit facere et docere. Insta in illis, id est, instanter exerce. II Tim. IV, 2: insta opportune. Et fructus erit ex hoc copiosus, quia hoc enim faciens, et teipsum, et cetera. Et hoc est magnum. Iac. V, 20: qui converti fecerit peccatorem ab errore vitae suae, salvabit animam suam a morte. Dan. XII, 3: qui ad iustitiam erudiunt multos, quasi stellae, et cetera. Unde doctoribus debetur praemium aureolae. Deinde cum dicit seniorem, etc., ostendit quomodo diversimode diversis suam doctrinam debet tradere, et ponit duas diversitates. Unam secundum aetatem; aliam secundum sexum. Secundum aetatem: primo quantum ad viros, secundo quantum ad foeminas, ibi anus, et cetera. Dicit ergo seniorem, etc., sed obsecra ut patrem, Lev. XIX, 32: honora personam senis. Et ideo non sunt mordaciter increpandi, sed obsecrandi. I Petr. V, 1: seniores qui in vobis sunt, obsecro consenior. Et si Petrus senior hoc faciebat, quanto magis iuvenis hoc debet? Sed contra Is. LXV, 20: puer centum annorum morietur, et peccator centum annorum maledictus erit. Respondeo. Dicendum est, quod senex propter excedentem malitiam perdit honorem senectutis, et tunc increpandus. Iuvenes, ut fratres. Matth. XXIII, 8: omnes vos fratres estis. Ez. XXXIV, 4: cum austeritate imperabitis eis. Ex parte foeminarum est differentia aetatum, quia anus ut matres, maxime quae non sunt iuvenes infra V, 3: viduas honora. Iuvenculas, ut sorores, ex amore charitatis. Et hoc, in omni castitate. Quia amor spiritualis ad mulieres, nisi cautus sit, degenerat in carnalem, ideo in his, quae ad iuvenculas pertinent, adhibenda est castitas: et ideo apostolus addit hoc. Unde Papa scribens eis dicit: dilectis in Christo. Sed viris simpliciter dicit: dilectis filiis.
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Quia in novissimis temporibus discedent quidam a fide. Graece non est ea^axoic;, qua voce alibi saepe Scriptura utitur ad designandam ultimam mundi aetatem, quae ab Apostolorum tempore protenditur usque ad diem extremi judicii. Nam etiam de suo tempore Joannes Apostolus scribit 1. Epist. 2. Filioli, novissima hora est. Et iterum: Nunc Antichristi multi facti sunt: unde scimus, quia novissima hora est. Verum hoc loco Graece uaxepotq est, posterioribus, id est subsequentibus temporibus. Quod ita potest accipi, ut non quodcunque tempus futurum significetur, sed quod proxime instet, jamque sit prae foribus, quasi dicat Apostolus: Tam brevi haec futura Spiritus praedicit, ut seq. 44 * jam nunc tibi, Timothee, adversus ea sit vigilandum. Unde Act. 20. Timotheum cum reliquis Asiae episcopis jam ante praemonuerat, dicens: Ego scio, quoniam intrabunt post discessionem meam lupi rapaces in vos, non parcentes gregi: et ex vobis ipsis exsurgent viri loquentes perversa, ut abducant discipulos post se. Propter quod vigilate. Ex quibus sane liquet, Apostolum loqui de tempore jam instante. Alii putant, ytovissimum et posterius ab Apostolo non distingui. Quod enim hic ait: in posterioribus temporibus, in 2. Epist. cap. 3. dicit: in novissimis diebus, cum et ibi loquatur de malis quibusdam hominibus adeo brevi exorituris, ut eos etiam ipsi Timotheo vitandos denuntiet. Hoc modo novissimum etiam alibi non raro accipitur, ut Matth. 27. Et erit novissimus error pejor priore, Luc. 14. Tunc incipies cum rubore novissimum locum tenere. Sic Christus 1 Cor. 15. vocatur novissimus Adam. Et Gen. 40. Jacob Patriarcha annuntiaturum se dicifc filiis suis, quae ventura esset in diebus novissimis, cum tamen multa ex illis ante ultimam mundi aetatem fuerint impleta, quamvis et ibi LXX. scripserunt ioxaTCOV. Item Dan. 2. Deus indicavit tibi, rex Nabuchodonosor, quae ventura sunt in novissimis diebus, id est quid esset futurum post haec, sicut infra sequitur. Pro verbo discedent, Graece illud est, a quo derivatur airooTaoia, id est defectio. Proinde alii significantius vertunt: deficient sive desciscent quidam, a fide, id est deserent fidem Christianam semel susceptam. Id quod haereticorum est et apostatarum.
Attendentes spiritibus erroris et doctrinis daemoniorum. Graece Spiritibus impostoribus seu deceptoribus. Ambrosianus legit fallacibus, Augusticus seductoribus lib. 15. contra Faustum cap. 10. Videtur interpres pro idavotc, quod in multis Graecis est, logisse rcXavqQ, quod est in Complutensibus et aliis nonnullis, id est erroris, tametsi in sensu non est diversitas. Nam spiritum erroris apud Joannem legimus 1. Epist. 4. pro spiritu deceptore, cui e diverso opponit spiritum veritatis. Porro spiritus impostores Chrysostomus interpretatur ipsos homines, nimirum falsos doctores et Prophetas. Pro quo sensu facit illud Joannis Apostoli loco memorato: Omnis spiritus, qui confitetur, Jesum Christum in carne venisse, ex Deo est; et omnis spiritus, qui solvit Jesum, ex Deo non est, et hic est Antichristus. In quibus utique verbis satis apparet, spiritum intelligi hominem doctorem, seu verum seu falsum. Alii spiritus erroris daemones intelligunt. Hos enim Scriptura spiritus mendaces appellat 3 Reg. ult. et alibi. Favet etiam, quod hic additur: et doctrinis daemoniorum. Sed, hoc non obstante, prior sententia magis placet. Attendunt enim homines spiritibus erroris et doctrinis daemoniorum, dum aues praebent magistris ea docentibus, quae daemonibus suggerentibus didicerunt. Omnis enim haeretica doctrina ex diabolo est, ut idem Chrysostomus ait.
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2. In hypocrisi loquentium mendacium. Graece una composita dictio est <j;£Of$oX6yu)v, mendaciloquorum, ut Augustinus, falsiloquorum, ut Ambrosianus legit. Caeterum genitivus iste, si grammaticam syntaxim verborum Apostoli urgeamus, videbitur prima fronte non alio referri posse, quam ad genitivum praecedentem daemoniorum. Unde quidam etiam per daemonia homines a daemonibus inspiratos intellexerunt. Constat enim hanc partem cum sequentibus ad homines pertinere. Verum quia praeter usum Scripturae est, ut appellatio daemonum seu daemoniorum tribuatur hominibus: idcirco isti genitivi posteriores non referuntur ad substantivum daemoniorum, sed per se sumuntur tanquam substantive positi, ut aeque propinque dependentes a vocabulo doctrinis, velut cum dico: Liber officiorum Ciceronis, id est, qui est Ciceronis. Ita sensus erit: Attendentes doctrinis daemoniorum; doctrinis, inquam, hominum in hypocrisi loquentium mendacium otc. Sicut enim idem liber est Officiorum, ut subjecti seu materiae, et Ciceronis, ut auctoris: ita eaedem doctrinae daemoniorum sunt, velut suggerentium, et hominum hypocritarum, velut proferentium ad alios. Haec constructio clarior erit, si priorem genitivum intelligamus more Hebraico esse positum, pro epitheto seu adjectivo, quasi dicat: Attendentes spiritibus erroneis et doctrinis daemoniacis seu diabolicis, hominum in hypocrisi loquentium mendacium. Jam quod ait in hypocrisi, id est per simulationem aut cum simulatione, id Graeci ad doctrinam referunt, quasi sentiat Apostolus, impostores illos non per ignorantiam, sed simulate falsa locuturos, cum veritatem non ignorent. At hoc pacto non essent haeretici, neque quod Apostolus affirmat, a fide discederent, nisi verbotenus. Quare magis placet lrypocrisin seu simulationem referri ad opera in speciem pia, per quae sanctitatem mentientes, doctrinam suam hominibus commendent, juxta illud Evangelicum: Venient ad vos in vestimentis ovium, Matth. 7. Unde de talibus idem Apostolus in 2. Epist. cap. 3. dicit: Habentes speciem pietatis, virtutem autem abnegantes. Congruit huic sensui, quod mox subjicitur de nuptiis et usu quorumdam ciborum ab illis damnando. Nam ejusmodi doctrina magnam ostendit speciem castitatis et temperantiae.
Et cauteriatam habentium suam conscientiam. Cauteriatam, id est inustam ac notatam cauterio; sumpta metaphora a maleficis, qui ferro candente notari solent, stigmatis cuti impressis. Sic isti, cum sancti haberi velint, tamen conscientiam gerunt impurissimae vitae maculis indelebiliter notatam. Sunt, qui putent Apostolum respicere ad id, quod facturi erant Carpocratiani haeretici, de quibas referunt Irenaeus lib. 1. cap. 24. et Epiphanius in eorum haeresi, quod suos discipulos cauterio notare soleant in superiori parte auriculae dexterae, quasi dicat Apostclus: 6icut aurem habebunt cauteriatam, ita et conscientiam. Bene autem hypocrisin conjungit cum mala conscientia; nam quicumque virtutem simulat, eo ipso sibi testis est, se ea carere.
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3. Prohibentium nubere. Graece vau.slv, id est contrahere matrimonium. Illud autem nubere, foeminis proprium est communi Latinorum usu: tametsi et viris interdum tribuatur.
Abstinere a cibis. Non hic repetendum prohibentium, sed supplendum verbum ei oppositum praecipientium seu jubentium, uti factum ab Erasmo. Nam tales exorituros sentit Apos*olus, qui et prohibeant nubere, et praecipiant a certis cibis abstinere. Hujusmodi phrasim, qua vel contrarium ejus, quod praecessit, vel diversum aliquid in posteriori subauditur; etiam alibi in Scripturis observare est, ut Psalm. 120. Per diem sol non uret te, neque luna per noctem. Jacob 1. Glorietur frater humilis in exaltatione sua, dives autem in humilitate sua. 2 Cor. 5. Per fidem ambulamus et non per speciem. Contendit quidem Oecumenius nihil opus esse diversi verbi supplemento, cum Attice et eleganter dicatur: prohibentium abstinere a cibis, hoc est, prohibentium, ut abstineatur a cibis. Sed exempla, quae profert, non id videntur efficere. Certe Theophylactus, et ipse Graecus, Atticismum hic non agnovit, sed Apostoli sententiam supplendam docet eo modo, quo diximus. Augustinus lib. 2. contra 2. Epist. Pelag. cap. 1. locum hunc ita citat, quasi scripserit Apostolus: prohibentium nubere, abstinentium a cibis etc. Quae lectio perspicuum habet sensum, sed non convenit cum Graeco textu. Videndum nunc, in quibus haereticis haec Apostolica praedictio completa sit: ex quo simul intelligetur, quam improbe et calurnniose totum hunc locum ad Ecclesiam Catholicam ejusque praefectos detorqueant hodierni ejusdem Ecclesiae desertores, ob id, quod illa c mtinentiam exigat ab initiatis et monachis, quodque certis temporibus abstinendum praecipiat a certis cibis. Primum constat, Apostolum loqui de iis, qui nuptias toto genere damnatuii essent ut malas et illicitas; quique certa genera ciborum rejecturi tanquam per se immunda. Liquet hoc ex ipsis Apostoli verbis, quibus absolute dicitur: prohibentium nubere, abstinere a cibis. Magis autem ex iis, quae proxime sequuntur, ubi ex eo, quod omnis creatura Dei bona sit, ostendit, nullum cibum rejiciendum esse, scilicet ut malum et immundum. Id enim est, quod alibi, de cibis agens, inculcat: Omnia esse munda, Rom. 14. et Tit. 1. De nuptiis vero sic Augustinus tract. 9. in Joannem: Futuri erant, inquit, de quibus dixit Apostolus, prohibentes nubere, et dicentes, quod malae essent nuptiae, et quod diabolus eas fecisset. Hunc eundem Apostoli scopum et mentem explicant omnes ejus commeniatorcs tam Graeci quam Latini. Et quidem varias nominant antiquas haereses, in quas plane quadrent Apostoli verba; qualis vel maxime fuit Manichaeorum, qui et nuptias damnarunt velut inventum diaboli; et multa ciborum genera repudiabant, quod a malo Deo creata dicerent; et vinum aversabantur, tanquam felprincipis tenebrarum. Haec enim et hujusmodi de Manichaeis tradunt Epiphanius, Augustinus, aliique veteres. Neque tamen Manichaei primi fuerunt hujus diabolicae doctrinae praecones: nam ante eos Encratitae et Marcionitae, Chrysostomo teste, similia docuerunt; quibus Ambrosianus Patricianos adjungit. Sed quoniam Apostolus ad Timothei cautelam haec scribit, ut adversus eos, qui talia docturi erant, intelligat sibi vigilandum esse; facile patet, eum non ad remotiora solum tempora, sed etiam ad proxima respexisse. Conferantur quae dicta sunt ad v. 1. Fuerunt enim et ipsis Apostolorum temporibus, qui cibos quosdam et nuptias abominarentur; de quibus Ignatius in epist. ad Philadelphios, post damnatam Ebionis haeresim: Si quis, inquit, universa haec confiteatur, sed legitimam commixtionem et liberorum procreationem corruptelam et pollutionem appellat; aut cibos aliquos detestandos putat: talis apostatam illum draconem in se habitantem fovet. Ac rursum in eadem epistola: Uxores, inquit, maritis subditae sint in timore Dei; Virgines Christo, in incorruptione, non abuminantes nuptias, sed id quod praestantius est amplectentes; non in calumniam matrimonii, sed ut liberioribus animis divinae legis meditationi vacent. Haec Ignatius vir Apostolici temporis. Ex quibus verbis apparet, ipsum Ebionem fuisse ejusmodi dogmatum assertorem ac magistrum, etsi non solum. Nam Irenaeus lib. 1. cap. 22. Saturnino ejusque synimystis illa tribuit, ita de eis inter alia scribens: Nubere et generare a Satana dicunt esse. Multi autem ex iis, qui sunt ab eo, et ab animalibus abstinent, perfecta hujusmodi continentia seducentes multos. Refert eadem de Saturnino Theodoretus lib. haereticarum fabularum; quemadmodum et de Ebione Epiphanius haer. 28. Hos igitur, atque alios ejusdem temporis haereticos, ab Apostolo praenuntiatos hoc loco fuisse, plusquam virisimile est; tametsi valet ejus doctrina ad condemnationem omnium sequentium, qui similia docuerunt. Unde Manichaei videntes haec Apostoli verba planissime contra se facere; negabant ea a Paulo scripta, dicentes libros evangeliorum et epistolarum Apostolicarum multis locis esse falsatos; uti legitur apud Augustinum lib. 30. contra Faustum Manichaeum cap. 1. et 2. ipsius Fausti verbis. Patet igitur ex his omnibus, quam perverse locum istum interpretentur hujus saeculi Novatores, cum ex eo legem ecclesiasticam coelibatus sacerdotum, et quorundam ciborum certis diebus praescriptam abstinentiam, suggillant, velut doctrinam daemoniorum. Etenim longe aliud est nuptias damnare, et cibos quosdam nt suapte natura malos et immundos refugere, quam ut daemoniorum doctrinam merito Paulus insectatur: aliud, abstinere a nuptiis, studio perfectioris continentiae; aut a cibis quibusdam, studio temperantiae aut castigandae carnis. Quod utrumque, sive simpliciter, sive ex voto fiat, recte sancteque fieri nemo nisi haerecticus negaverit. Nec vero prohibet Ecclesia nuptias, dum ad sacros ordines homines uxoratos non admittit, aut continentiam professos ad vota Deo reddenda compellit: nihilo magis quam princeps dicendus sit vel agriculturam prohibere, si ad militiam agricolas admittere nolit; vel suos subditos bonis spoliare, dum cogit eos solvere debita. Paulus ipse hac eadem Epistola capite sequenti damnat viduas, quae primam fidem irritam facientes nubere volunt; neque tamen nuptias damnat aut prohibet. Et certe rem bonam justis ex causis ad tempus aut in perpetuum prohiberi cuipiam posse, nulli dubium est. Ita medicus febricitanti usum vini interdicit. laudantur et Rechabitae Jerem. 35., quod perpetuam vini abstinentiam sibi a patre indictam servassent. Imo, prima lex homini data a Deo lex fuit abstinentiae a fructu arboris, re utique bona ac Dei creatura. Non igitur rerum bonarum prohibitiones in universum damnandae sunt, sed interest, quam ob causam et quo fine aliquid prohibeatur. Quod dum adversarii nostri discernere nolunt, antiquas haereses per calumniam nobis impingunt, ipsi veteres haereses resorbentes. Fecit idipsum jam olim Jovinianus haeresiarcha, cujus haec ad Catholicos verba refert Hieronymus lib. 1. adversus eum scripto. Manifestum est, inquit, vos Manichaeorum dogma sectari, prohibentium nubere et vesci cibis, quos Deus creavit ad utendum. Sed huic calumniae tum Hieronymus ibidem, tum Augustinus lib. 2. de nuptiis et concup. cap. 5. et lib. 1. contra duas Epist. Pelag. cap. 2. liquido responderunt. Idem Augustinus lib. 30. contra Faustum cap. 5. et 6. luculente distinguit inter Manichaeos nuptiarum et ciborum quorumdam criminatores, et inter Catholicos pietatis et abstinentiae causa a nuptiis ac certis cibis abstinentes. Qui locus lectu dignus est, utpote mire conducens ad hujus Apostolicae doctrinae germanam intelligentiam, simul et ad retundendam haereticorum nostri temporis impudentiam, qua Scripturam hanc contra sensum omnium veterum atque ipsius Apostoli in Catholicos contorquent. Nec minus dignus lectu ejusdem sancti Augustinus locus contra Adimantum cap. 14. Illos, ait, proprie designat Apostolus, qui a carnibus temperant non propterea, ut concupiscentiam refraenent; et quae seq.
Quos Deus creavit ad percipiendum cum gratiarum actione. His et sequentibus verbis seipsum declarat Apostolus. Dicens enim, quos Deus creavit, significat, nullos cibos per se malos aut immundos esse, quum sint a Deo creati. Addit autem ad percipiendum, Graece ad sumptionem, ut legitimum usum demonstret, gulamque ac delicias excludat. Nam, ut annotat Theophylactus, sumptio mediocritatem habet, deliciae vero et laxus immoderationem. Addit autem cum gratiarum actione, scilicet Deo creatori et largitori referenda, quia indigni sunt Dei beneficiis, qui ea cum gratiarum actione non suscipiunt.
Fidelibus et iis, qui cognoverunt veritatem. Posterior pars exegetica est prioris. Fideles enim sunt ii, qui veritatem divinitus mauifestatam cognoverunt. Hos autem opponit infidelibus, tam haereticis, quam aliis veritatem, de qua hic agitur, ignorantibus. Dativus fidelibus etc. regitur a verbo creavit, non quod infideles Deus exclusos velit ab usu et perceptione suae creaturae, qui solem suum oriri facit super bonos et malos, et pluit super justos et injustos Matth. 5., et qui dat escam omni carni Psalm. 135., quique benefaciens omnibus gentibus, de coelo dat pluvias et tempora fructifera, implens cibo et laetitia corda eorum Act. 14.; sed ideo solos fideles nominat, quoniam caeteri partim vanis ac superstitiosis suis legibus semetipsos privant creaturis Dei, ut haeretici, et inter Philosophos Pythagorici, partim non eo modo, quo debent, utuntur, id est cum sobrietate et gratiarum actione, ut omnes infideles.
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4. Quia omnis creatura Dei bona est. Pars ista secundum Graecos interpretes, quibus annuit Erasmi versio, connectenda est cum praecedenti ad hunc modum: Qui cognoverunt veritatem, hanc nimirum, quod omnis creatura Dei bona sit. Eam veritatem divina Scriptura clarissime expressit, Genes. 1. Vidit Deus, inquit, cuncta, quae fecerat, et erant valde bona. Veritatem hane ignorant, qui cibos aliquos natura seu creatione malos esse docent.
Et nihil rejiciendum, quod cum gratiarum actione percipitur. Contextus sermonis et sensus hujusmodi est: Qui cognoverunt, omnem creaturam Dei bonam esse, et proinde, quod ad cibos attinet, nihil rejiciendum, quod sumitur cum gratiarum actione. Bejiciendum, inquam, ut per se malum aut immundum. Infertur enim haec pars ex antecedente illa: Omnis creatura Dei bona est. Atque hunc intellectum confirmat vox Graeca octcoPXtjtov, id est rejectaneum, quasi per se malum. Nam alioquin ea, quae noxia corporibus et insalubria sunt, recte tanquam nobis mala rejicimus, etsi simpliciter bona sint. Est autem similis ratio de iis, a quibus ob aliquam causam aut Dens ipse, ut primo homini et Judaeis, aut Ecclesia Dei, ut nobis Christianis, abstinendum esse praecepit. Rejiciuntur enim haec a filiis obedientiae, non ut secundum se mala, sed ut lege vel divina vel ecclesiastica vetita. Rursus autem addit: Cum gratiarum actione, quia quamvis sumentis ingratitudo cibum non coinquinet, ipsa tamen sumptio per illam inficitur et immunda redditur; aut certe, quia gratiarum actio protestatio quaedam est cibum, qui percipitur, esse datum a Deo, ac proinde bonum et non rejiciendum.
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5. Sanctificatur enim per verbum Dei et orationem. Graeci putant, hic latere concessionem rhetoricam, quasi dicat Apostolus: Sed demus aliquid esse immundum, habes antidotum in promptu, signum crucis imprime, gratias age Deo, et statim abscedet omnis immunditia. Nam gratiarum actio cuncta purgat. Obstat huic sensui, quod res per se mala sanctificari non possit. Unde magis placet eorum sententia, qui hic occupationem esse dicunt. Poterat enim aliquis fidelis dicere: Nulla quidem creatura Dei per se mala est aut immunda; sed tamen per primam transgressionem, qua homo se subjecit diabolo, etiam ea, quae hominis sunt, ita in potestatem diaboli venerunt, maxime quae ad cibum et potum spectant, ut per ea nocere homini possint, tam spiritu quam corpore. Quod ergo remedium adversus hoc malum? Respondet Apostolus, nihil esse periculi fidelibus et cum gratiarum actione percipientibus, quoniam quod ab iis sumitur, per verbum Dei et orationem sanctificatur. Merito namque sanctificari censetur, quod potestati diaboli subtrahitur, ne per illud aut corpori noceat, aut ad commessationes et ebrietates incitet. Sic enim quodammodo mundatur, et sancto fidelium usui paratur, ut bene Petrus Lombardus in commentario explicat. Fit autem haec sanctificatio per verbum Dei et orationem. Verbum Dei quidam interpretantur verba sacra e Psalmis aut aliunde accepta, quae recitari solent ante sumptionem cibi. Orationem vero, ipsam divini nominis invocationem. Alii, quod magis probo, verbum Dei creditum, id est fidem intelligunt, qua in Christum creditur et diabolo resistitur, juxta illud: Cui resistite fortes in fide, 1 Petr. 5. Nam verbum Dei pro fide, qua illud suscipitur, frequens est in sacris literis, ut ostendimus ad illud Ephes. 5. Mundans eam lavacro aquae in verbo. Et quidem hoc modo verbum Dci videtur exposuisse Prudentius in Hymno ante cibum, ita canens: Te sine dulce nihil, Domine: Nec juvat ore quid appetere, Pocula ni prius atque cibos, Christe, tuus favor imbuerit, omnia sanctificante fide. Orationem vero seu precationem sic miscet Apostolus cum gratiarum actione, de qua supra, sicut in Evangeliis alternantur benedictio et gratiarum actio: non quod idem significent, sed quia partes sunt ejusdem orationis sacrae, qua cum Deo loqnimnr. Qua de re pluribus egimus exponentes illa verba 1 Cor. 10. Calix benedictionis, cui benedicimus etc. Nam et oratio benedictio est, qua nimirum cibus, priusquam sumatur, benedicitur. Porro quod per peccatum hominis diabolo potestas in reliquam creaturam usibus hominum servientem permissa sit, ostenditur ex eo, quod diabolum Scriptura modo principem hujus mundi, modo Deum hujus saeculi appellat. Idipsum indicat Apostolus Rom. 8. dicens: vanitati subjectam esse creaturam, tandemque liberandam a servitute corruptionis. Diserte vero id docent Ambrosius lib. 2. de Abel et Cain. cap. 8. et Augustinus lib. 4. de civitate Dei cap. 19. et 26. et lib. 18. cap. 16. 17. et 18. et serm. 14. de verbis Apostoli. Quibus adde, quod Gregorius narrat lib. 1. dial. cap. 4. de sanctimoniali quadam arrepta a daemone, quod lactucam non prius signo crucis benedictam avide momordisset. Huc pertinet quod legitur 1 Reg. 9. de Samuele: Et ipse benedicit hostiae. Non enim offerebat hostiam, qui non erat sacerdos; sed benedicebat epulo constructo ex carnibus Domino immolatis, idque tanquam Propheta, et tanquam vir primarius, Judex populi. Huc etiam pertinet, atque in hac Scriptura fundatur Ecclesiae vetustissima consuetudo, qua aquae, sali, panibus, fructibus, aliisque variis rebus exorcismos aut benedictiones adhibet; per quas repressa daemonum potestate res illae reddantur utentibus salutares. Hinc denique manavit ad fideles consuetudo benedicendi mensam ante sumptionem cibi; et tam ante, quam post eam Deo gratias agendi. Quum enim cibos sumpturi dona Dei eos agnoscimus, utique gratias agimuS. Sed objiciet adversarius: si sensu memorato sanctificatur cibus per verbum Dei et orationem, igitur Ecclesia causam non habet interdicendi cibos aliquos, tanquam exstimulantes ad vitia carnis; quandoquidem per illam sanctificationem istiusmodi effectus impeditur. Respondeo, sicut non satis est Deum orare, ne intremus in tentationem, sed fugere etiam debemus pericula et occasiones peccandi; ita non satis est per orationem cibos sanctificari, ne per illos aut diabolus noceat, aut concupiscentia nos ad peccata carnis illiciat; sed etiam vitandae sunt hujusmodi peccatorum occasiones; quod fit abstinendo a cibis gulam irritantibus, aut venerea excitantibus, aut aciem mentis retundentibus; maxime si Ecclesiae praeceptum accesserit. Nam qui secus fecerit, oratio ejus, qua voluerit cibos sanctificare, non erit Deo acceptabilis, sed in peccatum reputabitur, utpote ab animo temerario et Deum tentante ac inobedienti profecta.
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6. Haec proponens fratribus, bonus eris minister Christi Jesu. Proponens, Graece, suggerens, aut commonens. Et sensus est: De his, si commonefeceris fideles, si haec, quae dixi, tradideris, scilicet de magno pietatis sacramento, de vitandis doctrinis daemoniorum, et quod omnis creatura Dei bona sit, nihilque rejiciendum, quod cum gratiarum actione percipitur: exhibebis te in officio tibi injuncto bonum ac fidelem ministrum Christi Jesu. Haec Apostoli cohortatio satis significat, haereses, de quibus locutus est, non post saecula, sed brevi exorituras, quasi dicat: Non longe absunt; ideoque jam contra eas vigilandum tibi est, et fratres sana doctrina praemuniendi.
Enutritus verbis fidei et bonae doctrinae, quam assecutus es. Enutritus, Graece IvTpscp6u.svoQ, participium medium, idemque praesentis temporis; nt etiam active verti possit, enutriens vel innutriens, atque hic sit sensus: Ita ostendes tebonum esse ministrnmChristi, quippe qui fratres tanquam filios nutrias et instituas in doctrina rectae fidei. Quo minus passive participium exponi possit, obstare videtur tempus praesens. Non enim jam enutriebatur verbis fidei bonaeque doctrinae Timotheus episcopus atque aliorum doctor; sed olim iis enutritus fuerat, ut qui ab infantia 6acras literas nosset 2 Tim. 3. Quamquam Chrysostomus et Theophylactus sic accipiunt, ut Timotheus jubeatur, velut continuum hauriens nutrimentum, semper animo versare atque tractare, et veluti ruminare doctrinam acceptam. Perinde enim, inquiunt, ut corporis alimentum diebus singulis requirimus; ita fidei sermonibus semper nos oportet innutriri, ut eo vocabulo perseverantiam discendi ac meditandi sanam fidei doctrinam Timotheo commendare voluerit. Unde et Theophylacti interpres vertit: perseverans in sermonibus fidei. Suffragatur huic sensui, quod et paulo inferius sic hortatur Timotheum Apostolus: Haec meditare, in his esto; ut profectus tuus manifestus sit omnibus etc. Jam quod interpres vertit assecutus es, ab Erasmo et Hentenio ita redditur, quam usque secutus es. Alii vertunt, quam assectatus es, id est continuo sectatus, et a cujus veluti Jatere nunquam discessisti. Hanc enim vim Graeci verbi, quo etiam Lucas in prooemio sui evangelii usus est, bene explicat Erasmus in annotationibus utriusque loci, nec non ad illud 2 Ep. 3. Tu aatem assecutus es meam doctrinam. Sentit igitur Apostolus, Timotheum a puero fuisse assiduum bonae doctrinae sectatorem, nec ab ea, quod aliis quibusdam acciderat, temporis progressu degenerasse.
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7. Ineptas autem et aniles fabulas devita. Graece: Profanas autem et aniles fabulas rejice. Eadem apud Ambrosianum lectio est. Hanc partem referunt quidam ad fabulas Judaicas, quas primo capite perstrinxerat etiam sub nomine fabularum. Verum sermonis series magis ostendit, ad haereticorum fabulas Apostolum respicere. Verisimile est autem notari Simonianos, qui testibus Irenaeo, Epiphanio et Augustino longas fabulas texebant de Deo bono et malo, de rerum creatione, de pugna angelorum etc, quae partim profanae erant et impiae, partim aniles et ineptae. Monet igitur Timotheum, ut universum hoc genus rejiciat; id est talia nec doceat alios, nec omnino recipiat aut credat; sed ad pietatis actiones se totum conferat, juxta id quod sequitur:
Exerce autem teipsum ad pietatem. Pietas Graece sua£j3sia, verum et rectum Dei cultum significat, maxime in sacris literis: Hebraea phrasi timor Domini vocatur, frequentissime commendatus in scriptura veteris tesfamenti. Syrus interpres justitiam vertit. Complectitur autem pietas, auctore Chrysostomo, fidem puram, vitamque rectam; quatenus scilicet iis colitur Deus. Igitur exercet semetipsum ad pietatem, qui diligenter incumbit actionibus, quibus Deo placetur atque servitur. Hujusmodi autem sunt omnium virtutum actiones ad Deum relatae; et non sola opera misericordiae, quibus subvenitur necessitati proximorum, ut vult Ambrosianus.
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8. Nam corporalis exercitatio ad modicum utilis est. Ex antithesi corporalis exercitationis ostendit, quam utile sit ad pietafem exerceri. Sed quam intelligat exercitationem corporalem, non perinde liquet. Ambrosianus de jejunio et abstinentia ciborum exponit, non ea, quam Apostolus supra damnavit; sed, ut ait, manente auctoritate creatoris. Haec affirmat parum prodesse, nisi pietas addatur. Quod sane verissimum est: sed non ideo simpliciter verum est, ea parum prodesse; cum externa pietatis opera non sint a pietate ipsa separanda, sive pietatem in Deum intelligas, sive in proximum. Commentarium hunc, falso Ambrosii titulo decepti, sequuntur Anselmus, Aquinas, Cajetanus, aliique Latinorum nonnulli. Maxime vero sibi in eo placent hujus temporis sectarii; nomen exercitationis corporalis extendentes ad omnes actiones externas, quaecunque religionis causa suscipiuntur, ut sunt jejunia, vigiliae, recitationes precum, lectiones, humi cubatio, et quicquid tale est; quas vocant corporis vexationes. Et Catholici quidem memorati jejunium ad modicum utile interpretantur, solum ex comparatione quadam; vel quia jejunans sibi prodest, non proximo; vel, secundumB. Thomam, quia jejunio curatur morbus peccati carnalis, non spiritualis. Interdum enim, inquit, per abstinentiam incurrit homo iracundiam, inanem gloriam, et hujusmodi. Haeretici vero in universum actiones externas religionis causa susceptas extenuant ac parvi faciunt, tanquam puerilis disciplinae rudimenta, quemadmodum Calvinus loquitur. Sed hunc errorem refellere, quo cultus corporalis Deo exhibitus aut damnatur, aut vilipenditur, non est praesentis instituti. Non posse autem de jejunio locum hunc accipi, Chrysostomus et Theophylactus ita probant, quia jejunium non corporalis est exercitatio, sed spiritualis. Neque enim carnem nutrit, sed macerat; neque omnino respectu corporis exercitatio est, sed operis cujusdam vacatio. Vim hujus probationis demonstrat vocabulum Graecum, de quo statim dicemus. Adde quod de jejunio, si recte, legitime et Christiane agatur, multo aliter in evangelio Christus loquitur Matth. 6., quum jejunanti in abscondito promittit a Patre mercedem, utique coelestem. Non igitur ad modicum utile est jejanium. Neque vero Christus rem ad modicum utilem fecit, aut faciendam exemplo suo docuit, quando, ad instructionem totius ecclesiae suae, quadraginta diebus jejunavit. Aliter etiam de jejunio Patres loquuntur, ac nominatim verus Ambrosius, qui in commendationem jejunii librum conscripsit titulo: de Elia et jejunio, ubi inter alia sic ait cap. 3. Quid est jejunium, nisi substantia et imago coelestis? Jejunium refectio animae, cibus mentis est; Jejunium vita est angelorum; Jejunium culpae mors, excidium delictorum, remedium salutis, radix gratiae, fundamentum est castitatis. Hoe ad Deum gradu citius pervenitur. Haec illefere desumpta ex hom. 1. et 2. Basilii de laudibus jejunii. Scribit autem similia in epist. 82. ad Vercell. Quae quidem multum dissonant ab illo Pseudambrosii commentario. Sunt igitur alii, qui putent, Apostolum respicere ad eam ciborum abstinentiam, de qua paulo ante dixerat, abstinere a cibis etc. Sed hic commentarius in diversum peccat. Nam de hujusmodi ciborum observationibus non diceret Apostolus eas ad modicum utiles esse, sed prorsus inutiles, imo noxias et impias, et sicut supra dixit, ad doctrinas daemoniorum pertinentes. Alii, laborem intelligunt corporalem, quo necessaria hujus vitae comparantur, ut sunt operae mechanicae. Rursus alii eam exercitationem significari putant, quae fit causa sanitatis, qualis est ambulatio, equitatio, lusus pilae. Utrique huic sensui satis quadrat, quod ex adverso de pietate subjungitur, eam non solum vitae praesentis habete promissionem, sed etiam futurae. Verum multo probabilius est, sermonem hic esse de exercitatione athletica, quae rit cursu, lucta, pugnis, autalio modo. Nam ab ea libenter solet Apostolus sumere comparationes atque ad eam alludere; ut 1 Cor. 9. Nescitis quod ii, qui in stadio currunt etc, et iterum: Ego igitur sic curro, non quasi in incertum, sic pugno, non quasi aerem verberans. Gal. 5. Currebatis bene. Phil. 3. Ad destinatum persequor, ad bravium supernae vocationis. Denique in 2 ad Tim. epistola cap. 2. Qui certat in agone, non coronatur, nisi legitime certaverit. Et cap. 4. Bonum certamen certavi, cursum consummavi. His accedit, quod Graeca dictio yujivaota, licet ad omne genus exercitationis extendatur; proprie tamen significat eam, qua vestibus abjectis nudi exerceri solent athletae. Hoc exercitationis genus ad modicum utile esse dicit, quia tantum conducit ad corporis sanitatem et robur. Unde qui robusto ac vegeto sunt corpore, per metaphoram athletice valere dicuntur.
Pietas autem ad omnia utilis est. Ad omnia, quae nobis expetenda sunt; vel, ad omnia, hoc est: ad utrumque genus bonorum, et quae sunt hujus vitae, et quae expectantur in futura. Sic enim Apostolus sequentibus verbis seipsum exponit. Sed quaeritur, quomodo pietatem dicat utilem esse ad bona temporalia, cum inordinatum sit, pietatem aliasque animi virtutes ad finem ipsis longe inferiorem, ut sunt omnia corporis bona, referre. Respondeo, ab Apostolo proprie non usum significari, sed fructum consequentem, qui est finis secundarius. Valet enim pietas etiam ad temporalia bona a Deo consequenda, licet non propter haec primario sit ei serviendum.
Promissionem habens vitae, quae nunc est et futurae. Graece promissiones numero plurali. Videtur enim Apostolus significare, quod in sacris literis multae extant hujusmodi promissiones. Nam praesentis quidem vitae promissiones sunt: Custodite leges meas atque judicia, quae faciens homo vivet in eis, Levit. 18. Elige vitam, ut et tu vivas. Deut. 30. Quis est homo, qui vult vitam, diligit dies videre bonos? etc. Psal. 33. et ubicunque in veteri lege servantibus Dei praecepta promittuntur bona temporalia; ut Levit. 26. et Deut. 28. Promissiones autem vitae futurae passim leguntur in scriptura novi testamenti. Quin etiam interdum utriusque vitae promissiones conjunguntur; ut Matth. 6. Quaerite primum regnum Dei et justitiam ejus; et haec omnia adjicientur vobis, et cap. 19. Centuplum accipiet et vitam aeternam possidebit. Ne vero cuiquam falsae videantur promissiones bonorum temporalium, piis ac Deum timentibus factae, propterea quod eis illa saepe non contingant: recte S. Thomas interpretatur, promitti temporalia quatenus bona sint, id est quatenus subserviant aelernis, et ad felicitatem conducant. Ac nihilo minus complentur ejusmodi promissiones, dum compensat Deus spiritualibus bonis, quod in corporalibus deesse videbatur. Multo enim plus praestat, quum dat patientiam, continentiam, gaudium spirituale, quibus augetur meritum vitae aeternae; quam si daret affluentiam bonorum temporalium, quae multis occasionem praebet aeternae perditionis. Porro significat hic locus pietatem mereri vitam aeternam, non ex rei natura, sed ex liberalitate promittentis.
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9. Fidelis sermo, et omni acceptione dignus. Hoc, inquit, quod dixi, pietatem ad omnia utilem esse, maxime ad vitam futuram, certum et indubitatum est et approbatione dignissimum.
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10. In hoc enim laboramus et maledicimur, quia speramus in Deum vivum. Graece, quia speravimus in Deo vivente. Sed praeteiitum illud vim habet praesentis; tale enim est ac si diceretur: Spem collocavimus in Deo vivente; hoc autem est sperare in Deum vivum. Cajetanus probationem Apostoli, quemadmodum et partem praecedentem, fidelis sermo etc, tantum refert ad illam particulam proxime antegressam, et futurae. Verum si tota probatio bene expendatur, inveniettir amplius continere: tametsi ad vitam futuram principaliter Apostolum respicere non est negandum. Probat autem ex tolerantia persecutionum et aerumnarum, quas Christiani patiebantur, sermonem, quem dixerat, fidelem esse et omni acceptione dignum. Propter hoc, inquit, laboramus, id est omnia corporis incommoda sustinemus; maledicimur, Graece, probra seu contumelias patimur, quia spem nostram fixam habemus in Deo vivente; id est eo, qui per essentiam vita est, ac proinde vitae tam praesentis, quam tuturae largitor: quasi dicat, ideo tot incommodis et adversis non succumbimus, quia vitam a Deo non modo praesentem accipimus, sed etiam futuram exspectamus. Unde colligi vult, sermonem, quem de pietate dixerat, fidelem esse etc. Quae collectio talis est, qualis illa ejusdem Apostoli, qua 1 Cor. 15. resurrectionem mortuorum probat ex quotidianis periculis mortis, quae subibat. Quod utique nemo faceret, nisi qui post mortem melius aliquid certissime speraret. Q.uo argumento etiam Justinus Philosophus persuasum se fuisse scribit in apologia, ut Christianus fieret. Utitur eo argumento contra paganos etiam Augustinus lib. 22. de civit. Dei cap. 6.
Qui est salvntor omnium hominum, maxime fidelium. Quo sensu Deus omnium hominum salvator dicatur, variant interpretes. Cajetanus totam sententiam refert ad futurum saeculum; sic enim scribit: In vita futura salvabit Deus omnes homines, quoad vitam corporis, suscitando omnes; maxime autem salvabit fideles, quoniam suscitabit eos ad vitam beatam. Sed hic commentarius parum probabilis est; nusquam enim resurrectio malorum salus vocatur, aut in bonum accipitur, ut salus vocari possit. Verisimilior est Theophylacti interpretatio locum hunc exponentis per illum cap. 2. Qui vult omnes homines salvos fieri. Verumtamen germanus sensus est, quem reddiderunt Chrysostomus, Oecumenius, Ambrosianus, Anselmus, et alii plerique, ut Deus omnium hominuij salvator dicatur, quia dat omnibus aliquam salutem. Nam vita temporalis, et multa ejus vitae bona, omnibus communia sunt; nec aliunde profecta, quamaDeo auctore. Maxime vero et proprie fidelium salvator est, intellige, eorum, qui in fide per charitatem operata perseverant; quia solis et omnibus iis dat vitam aeternam, quae simpliciter salus appellari solet. Nec diversa est ab his B. Prosperi sententia, qui lib. 2. de vocat. gentium cap. 31. locum hunc intellexit de gratia quadam generali, id est bonitate Dei effusa super omnes homines; licet speciali gratia prosequatur suos electos. Plenior autem erit hic commentarius, si cum Chrysostomo dicamus, Deum etiam in hac vita singulari quodam modo fidelium esse salvatorem: quia laborantes adjuvat, ut ad salutem aeternam perveniant, et quia salutem temporalem facit eis esse salutarem, id est, utilem et conducentem ad salutem aeternam; denique quia cooperatur illis omnia in bonum, tam adversa quam prospera. Sensum hunc ipse contextus Apostolicus postulat. Dixerat enim, pietatem habere promissionem vitae praesentis et futurae, quamvis vitae praesentis beneficium Deus faciat omnibus commune etiam impiis et infidelibus. Nam solem suum oriri facit super bonos et malos, Matth. 5. Omnibus bene facit, de coelo dans pluvias, et tempora fructifera. Actor. 14. Omnibus dat vitam, et inspirationem, et omnia. Actorum 17. Quin etiam ad bruta animantia salus haec tsrrena extenditur, dicente Psalmista: Homines et jumenta salvabis Domine, Psalm. 35. Constat autem et ex aliis Scripturae locis, nomen salutis etiam in bonis vitae temporalis intelligi: unde et illud discipulorum in mari periclitantium: Domine salva nos, perimus, Matth. 8. Nam et Joseph patriarcha, quamvis in typo Christi, vocatus est Salvator mundi, propter salutem quandam temporalem, quam mortalibus attulit Genes. 41. Liquet ex his, perperam a nonnullis adduci hunc Apostoli locum, quo stabiliant doctrinam suam de gratia ad salutem sufficiente, quam dicunt omnibus hominibus offerri. Quem sensum Ambrosius Catharinus ex Prosperi loco male intellecto, quem titulo B. Ambrosii citat, fruslra huc invehere conatur. Constat enim ex tota disputatione praecedente, Prosperum eo loco agere de generali beneficentia Dei, qua ad sui notitiam et cultum homines invitat: de qua et Paulus Act. 14., quam tamen negat absque speciali gratia, quae non omnibus, sed paucis datur, ad justitiam et salutem sufficere.
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11. Praecipe haec et doce. Haec, omnia quae dixi de magno pietatis sacramento, de vitandis haeresibus, et sana doctrina retinenda, deque pietate ad omnia utili; praecipe et doce, id est praecipiens doce, cum auctoritate fidelibus trade, tanquam episcopus docendi et praecipiendi potestatem habens; non obstante eo, quod sis adhuc juvenis, unde sequitur:
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12. Nemo adolescentiam tuam contemnat. Adolescentiam dixit interpres, pro juventute, quemadmodum Ambrosianum textum secuti verterunt Erasmus et alii. Juventus autem extenditur ultra triginta annos; ne quis suspicetur Timotheum fuisse adolescentem viginti aut circiter annorum, quando haec ad eum scribebantur. Simile illud Act. 7. Secus pedes adolescentis, qui vocabatur >Saulus; cum ex diligenti temporum supputatione satis appareat, Paulum tunc virum fuisse, ferme triginta quinque annorum. Sensus Apostoli est: Sic age, ut nemo te propter aetatem contemnat: sive, pressius ex Graeco, despiciat. Est enim junior aetas obnoxia contemptui, juxta illud Davidis: Adolescentulus sum ego et contemptus. Psalm. 118. Nam eum propter aetatem a fratribus despectum fuisse, docet historia 1 Reg. 16. et 17. Potest autem praeceptum hoc Timotheo datum bifariam accipi. Uno modo: Non sinas te, quamvis sis juvenis, despici ab iis, quibus praees, sed utere auctoritate et imperio. Quadrat huic sensui, quod praecedit: Praecipe haec et doce. Sic etiam ad Titum scribit cap. 2. Haec loquere et exhortare, et argue cum omni imperio: nemo te contemnat. Altero modo: Ita graviter, caste, sobrie, prudenter te gere, ut nemo propter aetatem minoris te faciat. Huic expositioni favet, quod sequitur.
Sed exemplum esto fidelium in verbo, in conversatione. Exemplum Graece tutcoc, id est forma, quomodo legit Ambrosianus, et noster interpres alibi vertit. Ne propter aetatem Timotheus contemneretur, monet eum Apostolus, ut fidelibus sese praebeat exemplum et formam, ad quam vitam suam instituant et actiones componant. Nemo enim quod imitandum putat contemnit.
In verbo, sive in sermone exemplum est, qui graviter et prudenter ad aliorum aedificationem loquitur; qui disponit sermones suos in judicib Psalm. 111., quique praestat illud 1 Pet. 4. Si quis loquitur, quasi sermones Dei. Chrysostomus verbum doctrinae intelligit; qua nimirum veritas docetur. Qui intellectus accipit probalitatem ex simili loco 2 Cor. 6., ubi exprimitur, in verbo veritatis. Juxta hanc verbi expositionem ille in verbo exemplum se praebet, in quo veritatem et sinceritatem doctrinae homines admirantur. Porro in conversatione exemplum est, qui caeteris externis actibus aedificat alios.
In charitate, scilicet erga proximos, quasi dicat: Omnes actiones tuae sapiant charitatem, non cupiditatem: sentiant fideles, te non tua quaerere, sed quae salutis ipsorum. In loco jam allegato ad Cor. etiam hoc explicatius dictum est: In charitate non ficta. Hic Graeci codices subjungunt, in spiritu: quamvis id Chrysostomus in commentario non attingat. Theophylactus et Oecumenius interpretantur, ordinem spiritualem, aut charisma: tanquam moneat Timotheum Apostolus, ne propter hujusmodi extollatur. Atqui magis apparet, intelligi Spiritum sanctum: id enim exprimitur ibidem ad Cor. In Spiritu S. Est autem exemplum in Spiritu sancto, qui fervorem Spiritus S. et zelum Dei factis se habere declarat.
In fide. Exemplum fidei praebet, qui, sicut Jacobus Apostolus dicit cap. 2. fidem suam ostendit ex operibus: vel potius, secundum alios, qui fidem rectam libere confitetur et praedicat: atque ea re proximos aedificat.
In castitate. Ex hac parte non leve sumitur argumentum pro coelibatu sacerdotum praesertim episcoporum. Praecipitur enim Timotheo episcopo, ut sese formam et exemplar castitatis exhibeat fidelibus. Quomodo autem hoc praestabit episcopus, si illud tantum in eo commendatur, quod praeter uxorem non cognoscat aliam, sed unius mulieris amplexibus contentus sit? quod est infimum genus castitatis, et ab omnibus, ut minimum, exigitur; cum oporteat exemplar esse caeteris excelJentius. Imo magis e contrario tale exemplar propositum avocabit alios a studio virginitatis, seu perpetuae continentiae: cujus formam in typo sibi proposito non conspiciant. Erasmus quidem vertit: In puritate, et in paraphrasi exponit immunitatem ab humanis cupiditatibus; qui sensus etiam sectariis placet: verum textus Ambrosianus nostrae versioni accedit, tam hoc loco, quam 2 Cor. 6. Graeci autem interpretes adeo pro nobis faciunt, ut putent hic insinuari virgineam Timothei castitatem, per quam merito potuerit aliis exemplo ad castitatem praelucere. Constat insuper, Graeco vocabulo dyvsta ut plurimum significari castitatem eam, quae libidines coercet. Qucd ipsum etiam ex aliis Scripturae locis ostenditur, velut sequenti capite: Juvenculas, ut sorores; in omni castitate. Item 2 Cor. 11. Virginem castam exhibere Christo. Tit. 2. adolescentulas prudentes, castas. Quibus locis eadem est vox Graeca, quae hic legitur: nec aliter accipienda, quam pro ea castitate, quam diximus. Quod idem ostendemus de eo, quod eidem Timctheo praecipit sequenti capite: Teipsum castum custodi.
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13. Dum venio, attende lectioni, exhortaiioni et doctrinae. Jam supra capite primo spem Timotheo fecfcrat sui adventus. Qui quidem adventus an secutus fuerit, diximus ibidem et in argum. epist. Interim vero dum differtur, hoc enim est quod ait Dum venio, seu donec veniam, Graece fcoc; fp/oucu, praescribit Timotheo, quid agere debeat. Ac primum ei commendat assiduam lectionem Scripturae sacrae, ut ex ea discat, quod alios doceat. Quod si Timotheo, qui ab infantia sacris literis imbutus erat, et tam multa praesens ab Apostoli ore hauserat, visa fuit haec ad monitio necessaria; quanto magis caeteris episcopis et pastoribus? quos omnes utique Paulus in Timotheo instruit. Ex quo praeterea patet fanaticorum quorundam insania, qui studia doctrinae tanquam inutilii rejicientes, tantum a Spiritu S. illuminationes quaerunt. Porro cum lectio studiumque Scripturae in episcopo et pastore destinetur ad aliorum utilitatem: consequenter monet Timotheum, ut attendat exhortationi et doctrinae, scilicet aliorum: exhortationi quidem, qua fideles assidue cohortetur ad bonam et sanctam conversationem, et ad vitandas haereses; doctrinae vero, qua doceat ignorantes, quid credere, quid agere, quid fugere debeant. Pro exhortatione verti etiam potest consolatione: atque ita Graecam vocem accepit Theophylactu8, putans hic praecipi pastoris officium erga moestos, animoque dejectos. Verum multo latius patet officium exhortationis, ipsam etiam consolationem complectens: itaque non dubium, quin exhortationem significare voluerit Apostolus; nam et alibi doctrinae exhortationem adjungit. Qui docet, inquit, in doctrina, qui exhortatur, in exhortando. Rom. 12. Quem locum etsi Theophylactus similiter de consolatione intelligat; Chrysostomus tamen et alii, longe probabilius, in universum de gratia exhortationis interpretati sunt.
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14. JSoli negligere gratiam, quae in te est. Pro gratia, Graece non est xdpiq, sed ydpioixa,: quo vocabula solet Apostolus significare donum, seu gratiam eam, quae datur ad aliorum utilitatem, quamque Theologi gratiam gratis datam appellant. Sed quaeritur, quod huju»sinodi donum intelligat hoc loco Paulus. Quidam intelligi volunt ipsum ordinem, seu gradum episcopalem, qui consistit in potestate exercendi ea omnia, quae ad episcopi munus spectant. Alii, specialiter doctrinae donum significari putant, id est gratiam docendi: tanquam respiciat Apostolus ad id, quod proxime dixerat, doctrinae. Sunt etiam, qui gratiam hanc exponant de dono prophetiae ac miraculorum; ut meminit S. Thomas. Sed sciendum imprimis, nomine charismatum apud Apostolum non officia, seu gradus ecclesiasticos intelligi, sed dona quaedam ad utilitatem aliorum spectantia: velut dona sapientiae, scientiae, linguarum, interpretationis, exhortationis, prophetiae, miraculorum: cujusmodi enumerat 1 Cor. 12. Quae quidem esse poterant etiam in eo, qui in gradu alicujus officii, seu potestatis nondum esset constitutus. Itaque prima expositio non congruit; praesertim cum in 2. epist. cap. 1. moneat Timotheum, de eadem gratia loquens, ut eam resuscitet: quod parum commode de ordine seu gradu episcopali dicitur. Quoniam autem ad episcopi munus bene et utiliter administrandum non sufficit solum doctrinae, aut prophetiae donum, quomodocunque prophetiam intelligas, sed multis aliis praeterea donis opus est: hinc etiam secunda et tertia expositio convincitur imperfecta. His igitur omissis, ea tenenda seatentia est, quae gratiam hanc generalius interpretatur, eam nimirum, quae Timotheo data erat ad bene exsequendum munus episcopale. Haec autem multa complectitur: ut gratiam docendi, exhortandi, scripturas interpretandi, contradictores redarguendi, et quicquid ejusmodi. Non quod haec omnia et singula repente acceperit Timotheus, tunc quando ordinabatur: sed, cum ordinari in episcopum non debuerit, nisi talibus donis ornatus, quemadmodum ipse Paulus capite superiori praescripsit, intelligendum est, in Timotheo totum hoc genus charismatum episcopo necessariorum confirmatum et auctum fuisse; neque id sine augmento gratiae gratum facientis, utpote quae multo magis ad bene sancteque exsequendum munus episcopale sit necessaria. Neque enim homini ad gratiam vel ejus augmentum disposito charismata Spiritus S. dabantur vacua, sed ipso Spiritu S. comitata, quo scilicet cor hominis amplius purgaretur et sanctificaretur: uti factum esse constat in Apostolis, in Samaritanis, in Cornelio centurione, ejusque sociis, et in Ephesiis, Act. 2. 8. 10. et 19. Quae res etiam apparebit ex loco 2 Tim. 1. Cum autem, ut ex sequentibus patet, Apostolus loquatur de gratia Timotheo data per ceremoniam ordinationis, qua creatus fuit episcopus: jam facile ex dictis intelligitur, ordinem episcopalem esse novae legis sacramentum, quo gratia conferatur, non modo gratuita, sed et gratificans. Quae doctrina magis etiam confirmabitur ex memorato loco 2. epist. Id vero non solum notandum est adversus haereticos, qui sacram ordinationem simpliciter tollunt e numero sacramentorum novae legis; qui error plenius a nobis refutatus est in 4. dist. 24., verum etiam contra quosdam Catholicos negantes episcopatum esse ordinem proprie dictum: qua de re nos ibidem quoque accurate egimus. Certe B. Thomas in commentario hujus loci et 2. ad Tim. 1. Paulum interpretatur de ordinatione Timothei in episcopum, per quam fuit ei collata gratia. Sensit igitur et ipse in ordinatione episcopali gratiam conferri. Porro commonefacit Apostolus hac parte Timotheum, ut donum acceptum non negligat, id est non sinat otiosum apud se residere, more servi inutilis, qui talentum sibi creditum defodit in terra Matth. 25., sed excitet illud et ad usum applicet. Hoc enim est, quod ait in 2. epist. 1. Admoneo te, ut resuscites gratiam Dei etc.
Quae data est tibi per prophetiam: id est secundum prophetiam de te praecedentem, qua nimirum Spiritus S. non solwui testatus est idoneum te esse ad episcopatum: verum etiam ordinari te jussit. Meminit hujus prophetiae Paulus tum ad commendationem Timothei, tum ad sui excusationem. Nam sine hujusmodi divino testimonio non fuisset ausus, Timotheo juveni tantae molis et dignitatis officium imponere. Confirmat hunc sensum id quod primo capite dixit: Secundum praecedentes in te prophetias. Cur autem mutato numero nunc prophetiam dicat, quas antea prophetias: haec est ratio, quia plures quidem erant prophetiae, quoad personas praedicentes, una vero prophetia quoad rem praedictam, seu revelatam. Nam res una et eadem a pluribus praedicebatur: quemadmodum et Act. 13. factum legimus Antiochiae in Pauli et Barnabae deputatione ad gentes convertendas; dicente Spiritu S. Segregate mihi: tanquam ad multos. Erant enim illic prophetae et doctores. Similiter Act. 21. discipuli dicebant Paulo per Spiritum, ne ascenderet Hierosolymam ct 1 Cor. 14. Prophetae duo aut tres dicant.
Cum impositione manuum presbyterii. Presbyterium vocat non officium aut dignitatem auctoritatemve presbyteri sive sacerdotis, ut nonnulli volunt, nominatim Erasmus, qui vertendum putavit: auctoritate sacerdotii; sed coetum seu collegium presbyterorum: ita tamen, ut juxta consuetudinem Scripturae nomine presbyterorum etiam episcopi comprehendantui. Nam de illis Apostolum loqui constat, quorum ipse erat unus. Sic enim ait 2. Epist. 1. de eadem ordinatione Timothei loquens: per impositionem manuum mearum. Adde, quod veteri more Ecclesiae non simplices presbyteri, sed soli episcopi manus imponant episcopo ordinando. Quod et a Chrysostomo est annotatum. Agitur autem, ut dictum est, de Timothei in episcopum ordinatione. Alioqui presbyterii nomen per se generale est, coetum significans eorum, qui quacumque ratione presbyteri vocantur, sive propter ordinem sacrum, sive propter magistratum civilem. Nam apud Cyprianum epist. 46. Cornelius papa collegium sivesenatum cleri Romani, cui praeterpresbyterosintererantquinqueepiscopi, vocat presbyterium. Et Lucas Evangelii 22. nec non Act. 22. presbyterium dixit pro senatu populi, ubi noster interpres modo vertit seniores, modo majores natu. Alibi vero senectutis honor aut, ut aliis placet, senatoria potestas et auctoritas, eo nomine significatur, ut Dan. 13., ubi Latine legitur: Tibi Deus dedit honorem senectutis. Sed ea acceptio non est hujus loci. Porro manuum impositio, cujus et in 2. Epist. meminit, eam ceremoniam significat, quae in ordinandis episcopis, presbyteris et diaconis adhibebatur. Nam et seq. cap. de presbyteris agens: Manus, inquit, cito nemini imposueris. Et Act. 6. leguntur Apostoli manus imposuisse eis, quos diaconos instituebant. Notandum est autem, in hujusmodi Scripturis a parte totum significari. Non enim solum manus imponebantur ordinando, verum etiam verba mystica proferebantur, et alii ritus adhibebantur, sive ad ordinationem peragendam absolule necessarii, et ut loquuntur essentiales, sive dumtaxat solennitatis causa accessorii. Sed Scriptores sacri, volentes occultare profanis lectoribus Christiana sacramenta, satis habuerunt, cum de iis loquondum erat, eam solam ceremoniam exprimere, quae vulgaris esset, et in multis aliis Guil. Estll Comm. Tom. II. soleret usurpari, sive ad substantiam sacramenti pertineret sive non. Nam et confirmationis ac poenitentiae sacramenta partim in Scriptura sacra, partim in antiquorum scriptis, significantur nomine manuum impositionis. Sic igitur et hoc loco Apostolus manuum impositionem nominans, intelligi voluit sacram ordinationem, tametsi pluribus aliis ritibus, iisque secretioribus constantem. Atque hoc est, quod Ambrosianus commentator dicit manus impositiones esse verba mystica, eo nimirum sermonis tropo, quo ex uno aliud illi conjunctum intelligitur. Plura de manuum impositione vide apud Hesselium et in nostro super 4. sent. commentario. Quaeritur autem, cur dixerit Apostolus: Cum impositione manuum presbyterii et non per impositionem, quemadmodum loquitur in 2. Epist. per impositionem manuutn mearum. Responderi potest, hunc locum ex illo interpretandum, ut praepositio cum loco per posita sit. Sed verisimilius est, ea praepositione conjungi impositionem manuum cum prophetia, ut sensus sit: Quae gratia data est tibi per prophetiam, simul et per impositionem manuum presbyterii, quae eam secuta est. Nam prophetiam praecedentem subsequens impositio manuum complebat et ratam faciebat. Iterum quaeritur, quomodo hic manuum impositio tribuatur presbyterio, id est presbyterorum sive episcoporum collegio, cum Paulus in 2. Epist. videatur eara sibi scli vendlcare, dicens: per impositio?tem manuum mearum. Rospondeo, ceremoniam quidem impositionis manuum a nluribus fuisse adhibitam, sed solum Paulum ea peregisse, quae sacramento substantialia erant. Postremo quaeripotest, utrum soli episcopi, an vero etiam simplices presbyteri per impositionem manuum presbyterii ordinentur. Respondeo, modum hunc ordinationis omnibus presbyteris esso communem, et constat ex can. 3. Concil. 4. Carthag. Quod et palam significat Synod. Trid. sess. 14. cap. 3. doctrinae de sacramento extremae unctionis, quum dicit: piesbyterorum nomine apud Jacobum cap. 5. intelligendos esse aut episcopos aut oacerdotes ab ipsis rite ordinatos per impositionem manuum presbyterii. Id tamen est discriminis, quod episcopo ordinando plures episcopi manus impcnant, presbytero unus episcopus cum presbyteris inferioi ibus.
4:15
15. Haec meditare, in his esto. Meditatio non significat nudam animi cogitationem, sed conjunctam cum ea cura, qua quis totus in rem aliquam perficiendam incumbit. Unde alii vertunt: haec exerce, alii haec cura. His enim modis explicatur Graecum jJisAsTa. Demonstrativum pronomen ab Oecumenio refertur ad illud, quod dixerat: Exemplum esto fidelium in verbo, in conversatione etc. Sed rectius Chrysostomus et alii significant ad istud vicinius: Attende lectioni, exhortationi, doctrinae; et Timotheum repetita admonitione hortari, ut haec curet et agat, atque in iis totus sit. TJt profectus tuus manifestus sit omnibus. Graece in omnibus, hoc est, ut Chrysostomus et Theophylactus exponunt, non tantum in conversatione vitae, verum etiam in verbo doctrinae. Nota quidem erat fidelibus Timothei pietas et doctrina, sed vult Apostolus, etiam profectum ejus apparere, quo magis exemplo suo alios aedificet. Quod in episcopo maxime est ne^essarium.
4:16
16. Attende tibi et doctrinae. Graece tibi ipsi. Quod est magis emphaticum. Sensus est: Attende tibi ipsi, ut recte vivas: attende etiam doctrinae, ut alios recte instKuas. Simile illud ejusdem Apostoli Act. 20. Attendite vobis et universo gregi.
Insta in illis. Graece permane, persiste in iis, quasi dicat: Monui te, ut attenderes lectioni, exhortationi, doctrinae: nunc insuper moneo, ut in iis perseveres. Potest etiam referri ad partem proxime praecedentem, hoc modo: Insiste in his duobus, quae dixi, ut et tibi attendas, et doctrinae. Cui sensui bene quadrat, quod sequitur:
Hoc enim faciens et teipsum salvum facies, et eos, qui te audiunt. Exhortatio est ab utilitate seu fructu tam suae quam alienae salutis. Si, inquit, hoc feceris, id est attenderis tibi ipsi atque doctrinae: et teipsum salvum facies, et eos, qui te docentem audient, id est doctrinae tuae credent, obedient, acquiescent. Quomodo dictura est: Qui vos audit, me audit, Luc. 10. Hic observa, Apostolum, qui supra dixerat, Deum esse Salvatorem omnium hominum maxime fidelium, nunc homini tribuere, quod et se salvum faciat et alios, nimirum ut intelligamus liberi arbitrii in homine facultatem et vim opcratricem. Unde et in Scripturis dicitur homo seipsum vel animam suam sanctificare, justificare, castificare, mundare. Salvum autem se facit, non rlando sibi vitam aeternam, sed eam bonis operibus promerendo; alios autem salvos facit, exemplis et doctrinis eos ad salutem adducendo, quomodo de se dicit Apostolus Rom. 11. Et salvos faciam aliquos ex illis, scilicet Judaeis et 1 Cor. 7. Virum salvum facies. Mulierem salvam facies. Quod si recte et secundum Scripturas propter hujusmodi rationes dicitur homo et seipsum et alios salvos facere: ergo male Catholicos haeretici criminantur, quod matrem Dei vitam et spem suam appellent; cum etiam salvatricem appellare possint, ut quae sua apud Deum intercessione quam plurimis hominibus salutem impetret.
4:1
… The A. is like the ideal type; in reality he manifests himself in a plurality of opponents of Christ, authors of the final "apostasy" (cf. I Tim. 4, 1-2; II Tim. 3, 1-5; 4, 3-4; Tertullian, De praescriptione, 4, 33). Polycarp (Ad Phil., 7, 2) echoes his master John.
… (Mt. 24, 3 and 14; Mk. 16, 15-16; Lk. 21, 24; Rom. 9, 25), the appearance of the Antichrist (v.), the conversion of Israel (Hos. 3, 4-5; Rom. 11, 25-27; II Cor. 3, 14-17), the great apostasy (II Thess. 2, 3; Mt. 24, 11-12; Lk. 17, 26-30; 18, 8; I Tim. 4, 1; II Tim. 3, 1), cosmic disturbances (in the sky: Joel 2, 30; Mt. 24, 29, 30; Lk. 21, 25-26, and on the earth: Mt. 24, 7-8; Lk. 21, 25-26).
Encratites (Ἐγκρατῆς, Ἐγκρατῆται, Ἐγκρατῆται)
… This tendency manifests itself as early as apostolic times (1 Tim. 4:1-5) and gradually develops during the 2nd century; the apocryphal Acts of Paul, of Peter, of John favor it. Toward the end of the 2nd century the E. are, according to St. Epiphanius, …
Luke 1:32 f.). This is the conception of the entire New Testament: the messianic time is called: καιρός ἔσχατος (1 Pet. 1:5, 20; Jude 18; 1 Tim. 4:1; 1 John 2:18); πλήρωμα τοῦ χρόνου (Gal. 4:4); τῶν καιρῶν (Eph. 1:10); τὰ τέλη τῶν αἰώνων (1 Cor. 10:11); συντέλεια τῶν αἰώνων (Heb. 9:26; cf. F. Spadafora, Ezechiele, Turin 1948, pp. …
4:2
… 30). Hence the opposition between "the children of the d." and "the children of God" (Jn. 8:44, 47 [Judas is a d.: 6:71]; 1 Jn. 3:8, 10), the former performing the "works of the d." (Acts 13:10) which are summed up in imposture or seduction (Jn. 8:44; 1 Tim. 4:2; Rev. 12:9; 20:9; cf. Acts 5:3-4), by which truth and justice are replaced by sin (Rom. 1:25-27; Jas. 5:19). The Christian must "resist the d." (Jas. 4:7; 1 Pt. 5:8) with "the whole …
4:3
Following the example of the Lord (Mt. 14, 19), and of the Apostles (Act. 27, 35; I Tim. 4, 3-5), the "benedictine" - as the prayer before the meal was called according to its opening word - as a very ancient and general Christian usage is mentioned by Clement of Alexandria (Paedag., …
4:7
… there be no schisms (σχίσματα) among you" (1 Cor. 1:10-13). "O Timothy, guard the deposit; avoid the impious discussions of the false gnosis, τῆς ψευδωνύμου γνώσεως; some, who have adhered to it, have gone far from the faith" (1 Tim. 6:20-21; 1:3-4; 4:7; 2 Tim. 1:13-14; 4:2-4). "From anyone who fosters divisions, separate after a first and second warning" (Tit. 3:10-11). "If anyone does not bring you the doctrine of Christ, do not …
4:9
In this letter too (as in I Tim. 1:15; 3:1; 4:9) there is cited perhaps one of the most ancient Christian maxims, introduced with the words "faithful is the saying" (II Tim. 11 ff.). …
4:11
5) The Apostles, moreover, appear fully aware of their infallibility (Acts 5:32; 15:28) and transmit their powers to their successors (I Tim. 4:11-16; II Tim. 2:2; Tit. 1:5) according to a law of succession clearly attested by St. Clement of Rome (Cor., 44, 1) and already contemplated in the promises of Jesus.
4:12
… The community will, however, have to know the content of these letters from the voice of those through whom Paul exercises his superior authority as Apostle (I Tim. 2:1 ff.; 4:12; 6:3 ff., 21; Tit. 2:1 ff.; 3:15; II Tim. 4:22).
… Churches and received positions of trust from him: among other things he was sent to the Corinthians (v. vol. IV, col. 553 ff.) to calm the tumult of the factions there (I Cor. 4:17; 16:10 ff.), but his timid character and sickly appearance (ibid. 16:10; I Tim. 4:12; 5:23) could not have favored his success,
4:14
… exaggerated sense; 2) they denied any distinction between bishop and priest, confusing the meaning of the word "presbyters," used by St. Paul, when he exhorts Timothy not to neglect the gift received through the imposition of the hands of the presbyterate (I Tim. 4:14); 3) they affirmed the uselessness of prayers for the dead; 4) they rejected obligatory fasts imposed on certain days, since one could fast every day, even on Sunday, but they held that fasts
… others one's own virtue and one's own office; and in the New Testament also as a means of communicating the Holy Spirit (Gen. 48, 14 ff.; Num. 27, 18 and 23; Mk. 5, 25; 8, 23-25; 10, 13 ff.; Lk. 4, 40; 13, 31 etc.; Acts 6, 6; 13, 3; 28, 8; I Tim. 4, 14; II Tim. 1, 6); then with incensation, with the anointing of the sacred oils, especially of chrism, according to the circumstances, with the formula of the consecratory prayer, which, …
… "Dehinc manus imponitur"; St. Cyprian in his Epist., 74, 1: "Ut manus imponatur in poenitentiam"; whereas the use of the plural is more common both in the New Testament documents (cf. Mt. 19, 13, 15; Mk. 10, 16; Acts 8, 17; 19, 6; Hebr. 6, 2; I Tim. 4, 14; 5, 22; II Tim. 1, 6) and among the Greek writers. …
III. FROM THE ASCETIC PERSPECTIVE. - Sacred Scripture and the Doctors insist on condemning negligence, as a probable cause of the loss of Grace and of glory (I Tim. 4:14; I Cor. 16); and they recommend the vigilance and the solicitude of the faithful and prudent servant. …
… In antiquity the only ritual gesture was the imposition of hands (cf. Acts 6:6, 1 Tim. 4:14 and 5:22, and 2 Tim. 1:6); in the Traditio Apostolica of St. Hippolytus the consent of those present comes first, and the imposition of hands is accompanied by a single prayer …
… and the incorporation of the new creature into the Mystical Christ (cf. Rom. 6, 3; Gal. 3, 27; Eph. 3, 6). The Apostle recalls at length the Eucharist (I Cor. 11, 20-32). He speaks of Holy Orders, pointing out its capacity to confer Grace (Act. 20, 28; I Tim. 4, 14; II Tim. 1, 6). Finally he insists on noting the symbolic character of Christian Marriage, which represents the intimate union between Christ and his Church (cf. Eph. 5, 32); and he …
same rite (I Tim. 4, 14; 5, 22; II Tim. 1, 6). But, until the
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Rheims 1582), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.