Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 57
57.0 On the words of the Gospel, Luke xii. 15, ‘And he said unto them, take heed, and keep yourselves from all covetousness.’ PL 38, 627
57.1 On the words of the Gospel, Luke xii. 15, ‘And he said unto them, take heed, and keep yourselves from all covetousness.’ PL 38, 627
1. I doubt not but that ye who fear God, do hear His word with awe, and execute it with cheerfulness; that what He hath promised, ye may at present hope for, hereafter receive. We have just now heard the Lord Christ Jesus, the Son of God, giving us a precept. The Truth, who neither deceiveth, nor is deceived, hath given us a precept; let us hear, fear, beware. What is this precept then: “I say unto you, Beware of all covetousness”? What is, “of all covetousness”? What is, “of all”? Why did He add, “of all”? For He might have spoken thus, “Beware of covetousness.” It suited Him to add, “of all;” and to say, “Beware of all covetousness.”
Praeceptum de cavenda omni avaritia. Qui Deum timetis, non dubito quin verbum ejus cum timore audiatis, et cum hilaritate faciatis; ut quod promisit, modo speretis, post accipiatis. Dominum modo audivimus praecipientem nobis, Christum Jesum filium Dei. Praecepit nobis Veritas, quae nec fallit, nec fallitur: audiamus, timeamus, caveamus. Quid ergo praecepit? Dico, inquit, vobis, abstinete ab omni avaritia. Quid est, ab omni avaritia? Quid est, ab omni? Quare addidit, ab omni? Posset enim sic dicere, Cavete ab avaritia. Pertinuit ad eum, ut adderet, ab omni; et diceret, Cavete ab omni avaritia.
57.2 PL 38, 628
2. Why He said this, the occasion as it were out of which these words arose, is shown to us in the holy Gospel. A certain man appealed to Him against his brother, who had taken away all his patrimony, and gave not back his proper portion to his brother. Ye see then how good a case this appellant had. For he was not seeking to take by violence another’s, but was seeking only for his own which had been left him by his parents; these was he demanding back by his appeal to the judgment of the Lord. He had an unrighteous brother; but against an unrighteous brother had he found a righteous Judge. Ought he then in so good a cause to lose that opportunity? Or who would say to his brother, “Restore to thy brother his portion,” if Christ would not say it? Would that judge be likely to say it, whom perhaps his richer and extortionate brother might corrupt by a bribe? Forlorn then as he was, and despoiled of his father’s goods, when he had found such and so great a Judge he goes up to Him, he appeals to, he beseeches Him, he lays his cause before Him in few words. For what occasion was there to set forth his cause at length, when he was speaking to Him who could even see the heart? “Master,” he says, “speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.” The Lord did not say to him, “Let thy brother come.” No, He neither sent for him to be present, nor in his presence did He say to him who had appealed to Him, “Prove what thou wast saying.” He asked for half an inheritance, he asked for half an inheritance on earth; the Lord offered him a whole inheritance in heaven. The Lord gave more than asked for.
Qua occasione datum a Christo. Quare hoc dixerit, velut occasio ipsa unde natus est sermo, apparet nobis in sancto Evangelio. Interpellavit enim eum quidam contra fratrem suum, qui totum patrimonium abstulerat, et fratri suo partem suam non reddebat. Quam bonam ergo causam habuerit iste interpellator, advertitis. Non enim rapere quaerebat aliena, sed sua a parentibus sibi relicta quaerebat: ipsa Domino interpellato et judicante poscebat. Habebat iniquum fratrem: sed justum judicem invenerat contra iniquum fratrem. Deberet ergo perdere in tam bona causa istam occasionem? Aut quis diceret fratri ejus, Redde partem suam fratri tuo, si Christus non diceret? Ille judex hoc dicturus erat, quem forte frater ditior et raptor praemio corrumpebat? Miser ergo et paternis opibus destitutus tali ac tanto judice invento accedit, interpellat, rogat, causam suam brevissime exponit. Utquid enim opus erat causam perorare, quando ei loquebatur, qui cor poterat et videre? Domine, inquit, dic fratri meo, ut dividat mecum haereditatem. Non ei dixit Dominus, Veniat frater tuus. Sed nec misit, ut adesset, aut cum adfuisset, interpellatori dixit, Proba quod dicebas. Petebat dimidiam haereditatem, petebat in terra dimidiam: in coelo Dominus offerebat totam. Plus Dominus dabat, quam ille postulabat.
57.3 PL 38, 628
3. “Speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.” Just case, short case. But let us hear Him who at once gives judgment and instruction. “Man,” He saith. “O man;” for seeing thou valuest this inheritance so highly, what art thou but a man? He wished to make him something more than man. What more did He wish to make him, from whom He wished to take covetousness away? What more did He wish to make him? I will tell you, “I have said, Ye are gods, and all of you are children of the Most High.” Lo, what He wished to make him, to reckon him that hath no covetousness among the “gods.” “Man, who made Me a divider among you?” So the Apostle Paul His servant, when he said, “I beseech you, brethren, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no schisms among you,” was unwilling to be a divider. And afterwards he thus admonished them who were running after his name, and dividing Christ: “Every one of you saith, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas, and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?” Judge then, how wicked are those men, who would have Him to be divided, who would not be a divider. “Who,” saith He, “hath made Me a divider among you?”
Divisor haereditatis Christus esse nolens quid doceat. Donatistae notantur.--Dic fratri meo, ut dividat mecum haereditatem. Causa justa, causa brevis. Sed audiamus et judicantem et docentem. Homo, ait, Homo: qui enim pro magno habes istam haereditatem, quid es nisi homo? Volebat illum facere aliquid plus quam est homo. Quid plus illum volebat facere, cui volebat avaritiam tollere? Quid eum plus volebat facere? Dico vobis: Ego dixi, dii estis, et filii Altissimi omnes . Ecce quod eum volebat facere, inter deos numerare qui avaritiam non habet. Homo, quis me constituit divisorem inter vos? Et Paulus apostolus servus ipsius, quando dicebat, Obsecro vos, fratres, ut idipsum dicatis omnes, et non sint in vobis schismata, nolebat esse divisor. Denique monuit eos qui ad ipsius nomen currebant, et Christum dividebant: Unusquisque vestrum dicit, Ego sum Pauli, ego Apollo, ego Cephae, ego Christi. Divisus est Christus? Numquid Paulus pro vobis crucifixus est? aut in nomine Pauli baptizati estis ? Videte ergo, quam mali sint homines, qui volunt esse divisum, qui noluit esse divisor. Quis me, inquit, constituit divisorem inter vos?
57.4 PL 38, 628
4. Thou hast petitioned for a kindness; hear counsel. “I say unto you, Beware of all covetousness.” “Perhaps,” he would say, “thou wouldest call him covetous and greedy, if he were seeking another’s goods; but I say, seek not even thine own greedily or covetously.” This is “Of all, beware of all covetousness.” A heavy burden this! If by any chance this burden be imposed on them that are weak; let Him be sought unto, that He who imposes it, may vouchsafe to give us strength. For it is not a thing to be lightly regarded, my Brethren, when our Lord, our Redeemer, our Saviour, who died for us, who gave His Own Blood as our ransom, to redeem us, our Advocate and Judge; it is no light matter when He saith, “Beware.” He knoweth well how great the evil is; we know it not, let us believe Him. “Beware,” saith He. Wherefore? of what? “of all covetousness.” I am but keeping what is mine own, I am not taking away another’s; “Beware of all covetousness.” Not only is he covetous, who plunders the goods of others; but he is covetous too, who greedily keeps his own. But if he is so blamed who greedily keeps his own; how is he condemned who plunders what is another’s! “Beware,” He saith, “of all covetousness: For a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” He that stores up great abundance, how much does he take therefrom to live? When he has taken it, and in a way separated in thought sufficient to live upon from it, let him consider for whom the rest remains; lest haply when thou keepest wherewith to live, thou art gathering only wherewith to die. Behold Christ, behold truth, behold severity. “Beware,” saith truth: “Beware,” saith severity. If thou love not the truth, fear severity. “A man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” Believe Him, He doth not deceive thee. On the other hand, thou sayest, “Yea, ‘a man’s life’ does ‘consist in the abundance of the things which he possesses.’” He doth not deceive thee; thou deceivest thyself.
Avaritiae damnatur qui vel sua cupide servat, Petisti beneficium: audi consilium. Ego dico vobis, cavete ab omni cupiditate. Forte, inquit, tu avarum et cupidum diceres, si quaereret aliena: ego autem dico, cupide et avare non appetas nec tua. Hoc est, ab omni. Cavete, inquit, ab omni avaritia. Magnum pondus. Si forte hoc pondus infirmis imponitur; rogetur ut qui imponit, vires dare dignetur. Non enim leviter habendum est, fratres mei, quando Dominus noster, Redemptor noster, Salvator noster, qui mortuus est pro nobis, qui sanguinem suum pretium dedit, ut redimeret nos, advocatus et judex noster; non est leve, quando dicit, Cavete. Novit ille quantum mali sit: nos non novimus; illi credamus. Cavete, inquit. Quid? unde? Ab omni avaritia. Meum servo, non alienum tollo. Cavete ab omni avaritia. Non solum avarus est qui rapit aliena; sed et ille avarus est qui cupide servat sua. Sed si sic culpatur qui cupide servat sua; quomodo damnatur qui rapit aliena? Cavete, inquit, ab omi cupiditate: quia non in abundantia hominis est vita ejus ex his quae ibi habet. Multa qui recondit, quantum inde tollit ut vivat? Cum tulerit inde, et quodam modo cogitatione separaverit quod sufficiat unde vivat, videat caetera cui remaneant: ne forte cum servas unde vivas, colligas unde moriaris. Ecce Christus, ecce veritas, ecce severitas. Cavete, dicit veritas: Cavete, dicit severitas. Si non amas veritatem, time severitatem. Non in abundantia hominis est vita ejus ex his quae habet. Crede illi, non te fallit. Contra tu dicis? Imo in abundantia hominis est vita ejus ex his quae habet. Ille te non fallit: tu te fallis.
57.5 PL 38, 629
5. Out of this occasion then, when that appellant was seeking his own portion, not desiring to plunder another’s, arose that sentence of the Lord, wherein He said not, “Beware of covetousness;” but added, “of all covetousness.” Nor was this all: He giveth another example of a certain rich man, “whose ground had turned out well.” “There was,” He saith, “a certain rich man, whose ground had turned out well.” What is, “had turned out well”? The ground which he possessed had brought forth a great produce. How great? So that he could not find where to bestow it: suddenly, through his abundance he became straitened—this old covetous man. For how many years had already passed away, and yet those barns had been enough? So great then was the produce, that the accustomed places were not sufficient. And the wretched man sought counsel, not as to how he should lay the additional produce out, but how he should store it up; and in thinking he discovered an expedient. He seemed as it were wise in his own eyes, by the discovery of this expedient. Knowingly did he think of it, wisely hit upon it. What was this he wisely hit upon? “I will destroy,” he says, “my” old “barns, and will build new ones greater, and will fill them; and I will say to my soul.” What wilt thou say to thy soul? “Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years, take thine ease, eat, drink, be merry.” This did the wise discoverer of this expedient say to his soul.
Dives imprudens qui reservare proponit, non erogare. Ex hac ergo occasione, quia interpellator ille partem suam quaerebat, non alienam invadere cupiebat, nata est ista sententia Domini, ut non diceret, Cavete ab avaritia, sed adderet, ab omni avaritia. Parum fuit: dat alterum exemplum de quodam divite, cui successerat regio. Erat, inquit, homo dives, cui successerat regio. Quid est, successerat? Magnos fructus attulerat regio quam possidebat. Quam magnos fructus? Ut non inveniret ubi poneret: factus est subito per abundantiam angustus, avarus antiquus. Quot enim anni jam transierant, et tamen horrea illa suffecerant? Tantum ergo natum est, ut loca non sufficerent quae solebant. Et quaerebat consilium miser, non quomodo erogaret quod plus natum erat, sed quomodo reservaret: et cogitando invenit consilium. Quasi sapiens sibi visus est, inveniendo consilium. Prudenter cogitavit, sapienter vidit. Quid vidit sapienter? Destruam, inquit, horrea vetera, et faciam nova ampliora, et implebo ea: et dico animae meae. Quid dicis animae tuae? Anima, habes multa bona in annos plurimos reposita, requiesce, manduca, bibe, epulare. Hoc dixit sapiens inventor consilii animae suae.
57.6 PL 38, 629
6. “And God,” who doth not disdain to speak even with fools, “said unto him.” Some of you may peradventure say, And how did God speak with a fool? O, my Brethren, with how many fools does He speak here, when the Gospel is read! When it is read, are not they who hear and do not, fools? What then did the Lord say? For he, I repeat, thought himself wise by the discovery of his expedient. “Thou fool,” He saith; “Thou fool,” who seemest wise unto thyself; “Thou fool,” who hast said to thy soul, “Thou hast much goods laid up for many years: to-day is thy soul required of thee!” Thy soul to which thou hast said, “Thou hast much goods,” to-day is “required,” and hath no good at all. Let it then despise these goods, and be herself good, that when she is “required,” she may depart in assured hope. For what is more perverse than a man who wishes to have “much goods,” and does not wish to be good himself? Unworthy art thou to have them, who dost not wish to be what thou dost wish to have. For dost thou wish to have a bad country house? No indeed, but a good one. Or a bad wife? No, but a good one. Or a bad hood? Or even a bad shoe? And why a bad soul only? He did not in this place say to this fool who was thinking on vain things, building barns, and who had no regard to the wants of the poor; He did not say to him, “To-day shall thy soul be hurried away to hell:” He said no such thing as this, but “is required of thee.” “I do not tell thee whither thy soul shall go; yet hence, where thou art laying up for it such store of things, must it depart, whether thou wilt or no.” Lo, “thou fool,” thou hast thought to fill thy new and greater barns, as if there was nothing to be done with what thou hast.
Animae consulendum non ut habeat bona, sed ut ipsa sit bona. Et Deus ad illum: qui nec cum stultis loqui dedignatur. Aliquis vestrum forte dicat: Et quomodo Deus cum stulto locutus est? O fratres mei, cum quantis stultis hic loquitur, quando Evangelium recitatur? Quando lectum est, qui audiunt et non faciunt, stulti non sunt? Quid ergo ait Dominus? Quia ille sibi iterum in inveniendo consilio sapiens videbatur: Stulte, inquit; Stulte, qui tibi sapiens videris: Stulte, qui dixisti animae tuae, Habes multa bona reposita in annos plurimos: hodie repetitur a te anima tua. Cui dixisti, Habes multa bona; hodie repetitur, et nullum habet bonum. Contemnat haec bona, et sit ipsa bona; ut quando repetitur, exeat secura. Quid enim est iniquius homine, qui multa bona habere vult, et bonus ipse esse non vult? Indignus es qui habeas, qui non vis esse quod vis habere. Numquid enim vis habere villam malam? Non utique, sed bonam. Numquid uxorem malam? Non, sed bonam. Numquid denique casulam malam? Numquid vel caligam malam? Quare animam solam malam? Non hic dixit stulto huic vana cogitanti, horrea aedificanti, et ventres pauperum non videnti; non illi ait, Hodie anima tua rapietur ad gehennam: nihil horum dixit; sed, repetitur a te. Non tibi dico anima tua quo sit itura: hinc tamen ubi illi tanta servas, velis nolis, est migratura. Ecce, stulte, cogitasti implere horrea nova majora, quasi non sit quid inde fiat.
57.7 PL 38, 630
7. But peradventure he was not yet a Christian. Let us hear then, Brethren, to whom as believers the Gospel is read, by whom He who spake these things, is worshipped, whose mark is borne by us on our forehead, and is held in the heart. For of very great concernment is it where a man hath the mark of Christ, whether in the forehead, or both in the forehead and the heart. Ye have heard to-day the words of the holy prophet Ezekiel, how that before God sent one to destroy the ungodly people, He first sent one to mark them, and said to him, “Go and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and moan for the sins of my people that are done in the midst of them.” He did not say, “which are done without them;” but “in the midst of them.” Yet they “sigh and moan;” and therefore are they “marked on the forehead:” in the forehead of the inner man, not the outer. For there is a forehead in the face, there is a forehead in the conscience. So it happens that when the inner forehead is stricken, the outer grows red; either red with shame, or pale with fear. So then there is a forehead of the inner man. There were they “marked” that they might not be destroyed; because though they did not correct the sins which were “done in the midst of them,” yet they sorrowed for them, and by that very sorrow separated themselves; and though separated in God’s sight, they were mixed with them in the eyes of men. They are “marked” secretly, are not hurt openly. Afterwards the Destroyer is sent, and to him it is said, “Go, lay waste, spare neither young nor old, male nor female, but come not near those who have the mark on their forehead.” How great security is granted to you, my Brethren, who among this people are sighing, and moaning for the iniquities which are being done in the midst of you, and who do them not!
Signum Christi in fronte intus portantes securi sunt inter malos. Sed fortasse ille nondum fuit christianus. Nos audiamus, fratres, quibus credentibus Evangelium recitatur, a quibus qui illa dixit adoratur, cujus signum a nobis in fronte portatur, et in corde habetur. Interest enim plurimum ubi habeat homo signum Christi, utrum in fronte, an et in fronte et in corde. Audistis quid hodie Ezechiel sanctus propheta loquebatur, quemadmodum antequam mitteret Deus exterminatorem populi iniqui, misit primitus signatorem, et ait illi: Vade, et da signum in frontibus eorum qui gemunt et moerent de peccatis populi mei, quae fiunt in medio eorum. Non dixit, quae fiunt extra ipsos; sed, in medio eorum. Gemunt tamen et moerent: et ideo signati sunt in fronte; in fronte interioris hominis, non exterioris. Est enim frons in facie, est frons in conscientia. Denique aliquando quando interior frons pulsatur, exterior obrubescit: aut pudore obrubescit, aut timore pallescit. Est ergo frons hominis interioris. Ibi signati sunt illi, ne vastarentur: quia etsi peccata quae fiebant in medio eorum, non corrigebant; tamen dolebant, et ipso se dolore separabant; et separati Deo, oculis hominum mixti erant. Signantur occulte, non laeduntur aperte. Mittitur postea vastator, et dicitur ei: Vade, vasta, non parcas minoribus, majoribus, masculis, feminis: sed ad eos qui habent in fronte signum, non appropinques . Quanta securitas vobis data est, fratres mei, qui estis in hoc populo gementes, et moerentes iniquitates quae fiunt in medio vestrum, et non facientes?
57.8 PL 38, 630
8. But that ye may not commit iniquities, “beware of all covetousness.” I will tell you in its full extent, what is “of all covetousness.” In matter of lust he is covetous, whom his own wife suffices not. And idolatry itself is called covetousness; because again in matter of divine worship he is covetous, whom the one and true God suffices not. What but the covetous soul makes for itself many gods? What but the covetous soul makes to itself false martyrs? “Beware of all covetousness.” Lo, thou lovest thine own goods, and dost boast thyself in that thou seekest not the goods of others; see what evil thou doest in not hearing Christ, who saith, “Beware of all covetousness.” See thou dost love thine own goods, thou dost not take away the goods of others; thou hast the fruits of thy labour, they are justly thine; thou hast been left an heir, some one whose good graces thou hast attained has given it to thee; thou hast been on the sea, and in its perils, hast committed no fraud, hast sworn no lie, hast acquired what it hath pleased God thou shouldest; and thou art keeping it greedily as in a good conscience, because thou dost not possess it from evil sources, and dost not seek what is another’s. Yet if thou give not heed to Him who hath said, “Beware of all covetousness,” hear how great evils thou wilt be ready to do for thine own goods’ sake. Lo, for example, it hath chanced to thee to be made a judge. Thou wilt not be corrupted, because thou dost not seek the goods of others; no one giveth thee a bribe and says, “Give judgment against my adversary.” This be far from thee, a man, who seekest not the things of others, how couldest thou be persuaded to do this? Yet see what evil thou wilt be ready to do for thine own goods’ sake. Peradventure he that wishes thee to judge evilly, and pronounce sentence for him against his adversary is a powerful man, and able to bring up false accusation against thee, that thou mayest lose what thou hast. Thou dost reflect, and think upon his power, think of thine own goods thou art keeping, which thou dost love: not which thou hast possessed, but in whose power rather thou art thyself unhappily fixed. This thy bird-lime, by reason of which thou hast not the wings of virtue free, thou dost look to; and thou sayest within thine own self, “I am offending this man, he has much influence in the world; he will suggest evil accusations against me, and I shall be outlawed, and lose all I have.” Thus thou wilt give unrighteous judgment, not when thou seekest another’s, but when thou keepest thine own.
Omnis avaritia, ne peccetur, praecidenda. Ut autem iniquitates non faciatis, Cavete ab omni avaritia. Dico vobis latius, quid est ab omni avaritia. In libidine avarus est, cui uxor non sufficit sua. Et ipsa idololatria dicta est avaritia: quia et in ipsa divinitate avarus est, cui non sufficit Deus unus et verus. Quae sibi facit multos deos, nisi avara anima? Quae sibi facit martyres falsos, nisi avara anima Cavete ab omni avaritia. Ecce amas tua, et jactas te. quia non quaeris aliena: vide quid mali facias non audiendo Christum dicentem, Cavete ab omni avaritia. Ecce amas tua, non tollis aliena: de labore habes, de justitia habes: haeres relictus es, donavit tibi quem promeruisti: navigasti, periclitatus es, fraudem non fecisti, mendacium non jurasti, quod Deus voluit acquisisti: et servas cupide tanquam in bona conscientia, quia non habes de malo, et non quaeris aliena. Si non audieris illum qui dixit, Cavete ab omni avaritia, audi quanta mala facturus es propter tua. Ecce contigit, verbi gratia, ut fieres judex. Non corrumperis, quia non quaeris aliena: nemo tibi dat praemium, et dicit, Judica contra adversarium meum. Absit; homo qui non quaeris aliena, quando tibi hoc persuaderi potest? Vide quid mali facturus sis propter tua. Ille qui vult ut male judices, et pro ipso feras sententiam contra adversarium ipsius, forte potens homo est, et potest tibi calumniam facere, ut perdas tua. Attendis potentiam ipsius, cogitas illam, cogitas tua quae servas, quae amas: non quae possedisti, sed quibus male inhaesisti. Attendis viscum tuum, propter quod liberas virtutis non habes pennas: et dicis apud te ipsum, Offendo hominem istum, multum potest ad tempus; suggeret de me mala, et proscribor, et perdo quod habeo. Judicaturus es male, non cum quaeris aliena, sed cum servas tua.
57.9 PL 38, 631
9. Give me a man who has given ear to Christ, give me a man who has heard with fear “Beware of all covetousness;” and let him not say to me, “I am a poor man, a plebeian of mean estate, one of the common people, how can I hope ever to be a judge? I am in no fear of this temptation, the peril of which thou hast placed before mine eyes.” Yet lo, even this poor man I will tell what he ought to fear. Some rich and powerful person calls thee to give false witness for him. What wilt thou be doing now? Tell me. Thou hast a good little property of thine own; thou hast laboured for it, hast acquired, and kept it. That person requires of thee; “Give false witness for me, and I will give thee so and so much.” Thou who seekest not the things of others, sayest, “That be far from me: I do not seek for what it has not pleased God to give me, I will not receive it; depart from me.” “Hast thou no wish to receive what I give? I will take away what thou hast already.” See now prove thyself, question now thine own self. Why dost thou look at me? Look inward on thine own self, look at thine own self within, examine thine own self within; sit down before thine own self, and summon thine own self before thee, and stretch thyself upon the rack of God’s commandment, and torment thyself with His fear, and deal not softly with thyself; answer thine own self. Lo, if any one were to threaten thee with this, what wouldest thou do? “I will take away from thee what with so great labour thou hast acquired, if thou wilt not give false witness for me.” Give him that; “Beware of all covetousness.” “O my servant,” He will say to thee, “whom I have redeemed and made free, whom from a servant I have adopted to be a brother, whom I have set as a member in My Body, give ear to Me: He may take away what thou hast acquired, Me he shall not take away from thee. Art thou keeping thine own goods, that thou mayest not perish? What, have I not said unto thee, ‘Beware of all covetousness’?”
Rursus de periculo avari vel sua cupide servantis. Da mihi hominem qui audivit Christum, da mihi hominem qui cum timore audivit, Cavete ab omni cupiditate: et non mihi dicat, Ego homo pauper sum, plebeius, mediocris, gregalis; quando spero me judicem futurum? Non timeo istam tentationem, cujus periculum ante oculos posuisti. Ecce dico et pauperi quid timere debeat. Vocat te dives et potens, ut pro illo dicas falsum testimonium. Quid facturus es modo? Dic mihi. Habes bonum peculium: laborasti, acquisisti, servasti. Exigit ille: Dic pro me falsum testimonium, et tantum et tantum dono tibi. Tu qui non quaeris aliena: Absit a me, inquis: non quaero quod mihi noluit Deus dare, non accipio; recede a me. Non vis accipere quod do? quod habes tollo. Ecce modo te proba, modo te interroga. Quid me attendis? Intus te attende, intus te vide, intus te examina; sede ad te, et constitue te ante te, et in equuleum praecepti Dei extende te, et timore torque te, et noli te palpare: responde tibi. Ecce si hoc quisquam minetur, quid facies? Tollo tibi quod cum tanto labore acquisisti, nisi pro me falsum testimonium dixeris. Da illum: Cavete ab omni avaritia. O serve meus, dicet tibi, quem redemi et liberum feci, quem de servo fratrem adoptavi, quem in corpore meo membrum posui, audi me: Tollat quod acquisisti, me tibi non tollet. Ne pereas, servas tua? Nonne tibi dixi, Cavete ab omni cupiditate?
57.10 PL 38, 631
10. Lo, thou art in confusion, tossed to and fro; thy heart as a ship is shaken about by tempests. Christ is asleep: awake Him, that sleepeth, and thou shalt be exposed no more to the raging of the storm. Awake Him, who was pleased to have nothing here, and thou hast all, who came even to the Cross for thee, whose “Bones” as He was naked and hanging “were numbered” by them that mocked Him; and “beware of all covetousness.” Covetousness of money is not all; “beware of covetousness” of life. A dreadful covetousness, covetousness much to be feared. Sometimes a man will despise what he has, and say, “I will not give false witness; I will not. You tell me, I will take away what thou hast. Take away what I have; you do not take away what I have within. For he was not left a poor man, who said, ‘The Lord gave, the Lord hath taken away; it is done as it pleased the Lord; blessed’ therefore ‘be the Name of the Lord. Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, naked shall I return to the earth.’ Naked outwardly, well-clothed within. Naked as regards these rags, these corruptible rags outwardly, clothed within. With what? ‘Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness.’” But what if he say to thee, when thou hast despised the things which thou possessest, what if he say to thee, “I will kill thee”? If thou have given ear to Christ, answer him, “Wilt Thou kill me? Better that thou shouldest kill my body, than that I by a false tongue should kill my soul! What canst thou do to me? Thou wilt kill my body; my soul will depart at liberty, to receive again at the end of the world even this very body she hath despised. What canst thou do to me then? Whereas if I should give false witness for thee, with thy tongue do I kill myself; and not in my body do I kill myself; ‘For the mouth that lieth killeth the soul.’” But peradventure thou dost not say so. And why dost thou not say so? Thou wishest to live; thou wishest to live longer than God hath appointed for thee? Dost thou then “beware of all covetousness”? So long was it God’s will that thou shouldest live, till this person came to thee. It may be that he will kill thee, to make a martyr of thee. Entertain then no undue desire of life; and so thou wilt not have an eternity of death. Ye see how that covetousness everywhere, when we wish for more than is necessary, causes us to sin. Beware we of all covetousness, if we would enjoy eternal wisdom.
Avaritia vitae etiam ipsa cavenda. Ecce turbaris, ecce fluctuas: cor tuum quasi navis tempestatibus quatitur. Dormit Christus: excita dormientem, et non patieris tempestatem saevientem. Ipsum excita, qui nihil hic habere voluit, et totum habes, qui usque ad crucem pro te pervenit, cujus nudi atque pendentis ossa ab insultantibus numerata sunt: et cave ab omni avaritia. Parum est avaritia pecuniae: cave avaritiam vitae. Horrenda avaritia, metuenda avaritia. Aliquando homo contemnit quod habet, et dicit: Non dico falsum testimonium. Non dico, dicis mihi? Tollo quod habes. Tolle quod habeo: non tollis quod intus habeo. Non enim pauper remanserat qui dicebat: Dominus dedit, Dominus abstulit; sicut Domino placuit, ita factum est; ergo sit nomen Domini benedictum. Nudus exii de utero matris meae, nudus revertar in terram . Nudus foris, intus vestitus. Nudus foris a pannis, et putribilibus pannis; intus vestitus. Unde? Sacerdotes tui induantur justitia . Sed quid si dicat, cum contempseris ea quae possides, quid si dicat: Occido te? Responde illi, si Christum audisti: Occides me? Melius tu occides carnem meam, quam ego per linguam falsam animam meam. Quid facturus es mihi? Occisurus es carnem: exit anima libera, in fine saeculi et ipsam quam contempsit carnem receptura. Quid ergo mihi facturus es? Si autem falsum testimonium dixero pro te, de lingua mea occido me; et non in carne occido me: Os enim quod mentitur, occidit animam . Forte hoc non dicis. Unde non dicis? Vivere vis: plus vis vivere, quam Deus constituit? Certe caves ab omni avaritia? Huc usque Deus voluit ut vivas, quo usque iste ad te accessit. Forte te occisurus est, ut martyrem faciat. Noli habere cupiditatem vivendi; et non habes aeternitatem moriendi? Videtis quia ubique avaritia illa, cum plus volumus quam opus est, facit nos peccare? Caveamus ab omni avaritia, si volumus frui aeterna sapientia.