Hieronymus Multi praecepta Dei imbecillitate sua, non sanctorum viribus aestimantes, impossibilia putant esse quae praecepta sunt; et dicunt sufficere virtutibus, non odisse inimicos; ceterum diligere plus praecipi quam humana natura patiatur. Sciendum est ergo Christum non impossibilia praecipere, sed perfecta; quae fecit David in Saul et Absalon; Stephanus quoque martyr pro lapidantibus deprecatus est, et Paulus anathema cupit esse pro persecutoribus suis. Hoc autem Iesus et docuit et fecit, dicens: pater, ignosce illis. Jerome Many measuring the commandments of God by their own weakness, not by the strength of the saints, hold these commands for impossible, and say that it is virtue enough not to hate our enemies; but to love them is a command beyond human nature to obey. But it must be understood that Christ enjoins not impossibilities but perfection. Such was the temper of David towards Saul and Absalom; the Martyr Stephen also prayed for his enemies while they stoned him, and Paul wished himself anathema for the sake of his persecutors. (Rom 9:3) Jesus both taught and did the same, saying, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34) Augustinus Enchir Sed perfectorum sunt ista filiorum Dei: quo quidem se debet omnis fidelis extendere, et humanum animum ad hunc affectum, orando Deum secumque luctando, perducere. Tamen hoc tam magnum bonum, tantae multitudinis non est, quantam credimus exaudiri, cum in oratione dicitur: dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. Aug., Enchir., 73 These indeed are examples of the perfect sons of God; yet to this should every believer aim, and seek by prayer to God, and struggles with himself to raise his human spirit to this tempter. Yet this so great blessing is not given to all those multitudes which we believe are heard when they pray, “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” Augustinus de Serm. Dom Oritur autem hic quaestio, quod huic praecepto domini in quo nos hortatur orare pro inimicis, multae aliae Scripturae partes videntur adversae: quia in prophetis inveniuntur multae imprecationes adversus inimicos, ut est illud Ps. 108, 9: fiant filii eius pupilli. Sed sciendum, quod prophetae solent figura imprecantis futura praedicere. Sed illud magis movet quod dicit Ioannes: est autem peccatum ad mortem, non pro illo dico ut oret quis; aperte enim ostendit esse aliquos fratres pro quibus orare nobis non praecipitur, per hoc quod praemittit: si quis scit peccare fratrem suum etc., cum dominus etiam pro persecutoribus nos iubeat orare. Nec ista quaestio solvi potest, nisi fateamur aliqua peccata esse in fratribus, quae inimicorum persecutione sunt graviora. Nam et Stephanus orat pro eis a quibus lapidatur, quia nondum Christo crediderant; et apostolus Paulus non orat pro Alexandro, quia frater erat et, per invidentiam, fraternitatem oppugnando peccaverat. Pro quo autem non oras, iam non contra illum oras. Sed quid agimus de his contra quos oratum a sanctis accipimus, non ut corrigerentur (nam hoc modo pro ipsis potius oratum est), sed illam ultimam damnationem, non sicut contra domini traditorem per prophetam (nam illa, praedictio futurorum, non optatio supplicii fuit), sed sicut in Apocalypsi legimus martyres orare ut vindicentur? Sed hinc non oportet moveri. Quis enim audeat affirmare utrum contra ipsos homines, an contra regnum peccati petierint? Nam ipsa iustitiae et misericordiae vindicta martyrum, ut evertatur regnum peccati, quo regnante tanta perpessi sunt. Destruitur autem partim correctione hominum, partim damnatione perseverantium in peccato. Nonne tibi videtur Paulus in seipso Stephanum vindicasse cum dicit: castigo corpus meum et in servitutem redigo? Aug., Serm. in Mont., i, 21 Here arises a question, that this commandment of the Lord, by which He bids us pray for our enemies, seems opposed by many other parts of Scripture. In the Prophets are found many imprecations upon enemies; such as that in the 108th Psalm, “Let his children be orphans.” (Ps 109:9) But it should be known, that the Prophets are wont to foretell things to come in the form of a prayer or wish. This has more weight as a difficulty that John say, “There is a sin unto death, I say not that he shall pray for it;” (1 John 5:16) plainly showing, that there are some brethren for whom he does not bid us pray; for what went before was, “If any know his brother sin a sin, &c.” Yet the Lord bids us pray for our persecutors. This question can only be resolved, if we admit that there are some sins in brethren more grievous than the sin of persecution in our enemies. For thus Stephen prays for those that stoned him, because they had not yet believed on Christ; but the Apostle Paul does not pray for Alexander though he was a brother (2 Tim 4:14), but had sinned by attacking the brotherhood through jealousy. But for whom you pray not, you do not therein pray against him. What must we say then of those against whom we know that the saints have prayed, and that not that they should be corrected, (for that would be rather to have prayed for them), but for their eternal damnation; not as that prayer of the Prophet against the Lord’s betrayer, for that is a prophecy of the future, not an imprecation of punishment; but as when we read in the Apocalypse the Martyrs’ prayer that they may be avenged. (Rev 6:10) But we ought not to let this affect us. For who may dare to affirm that they prayed against those persons themselves, and not against the kingdom of sin? For that would be both a just and a merciful avenging of the Martyrs, to overthrow that kingdom of sin, under the continuance of which they endured all those evils. And it is overthrown by correction of some, and damnation of such as abide in sin. Does not Paul seem to you to have avenged Stephen on his own body, as he speaks, “I chastise my body, and bring it into subjection.” (1 Cor 9:27) Augustinus de quaest. Nov. et Vet. Testam Vel animae occisorum clamant, vindicari se postulantes; sicut sanguis Abel clamavit de terra non voce, sed ratione. Nam et opus opificem laudare dicitur per hoc ipsum quod videntem se oblectet; non enim tam impatientes sunt sancti ut urgeant fieri quod sciunt tempore praefinito futurum. Pseudo-Aug., Hil. Quaest. V. and N. Test. q. 68 And the souls of them that are slain cry out to be avenged; as the blood of Abel cried out of the ground not with a voice, but in spirit. As the work is said to laud the workman, when he delights himself in the view thereof; for the saints are not so impatient as to urge on what they know will come to pass at the appointed time. Chrysostomus in Matth Vide autem quot gradus ascendit, et qualiter nos in ipsum virtutis verticem statuit. Primus gradus est non incipere iniuriam; secundus ut iniuriam ulciscens, aequali supplicio sis contentus; tertius non facere vexanti quae quis passus est; quartus exponere seipsum ad patiendum mala; quintus amplius se tribuere quam ille vult qui fecit mala; sextus non odio habere eum qui hoc operatur; septimus diligere; octavus benefacere; nonus pro ipso orare. Et quia magnum erat praeceptum, praeclarum praemium subdit, scilicet fieri similes Deo; unde dicit ut sitis filii patris vestri qui in caelis est. Chrys. Note through what steps we have now ascended hither, and how He has set us on the very pinnacle of virtue. The first step is, not to begin to do wrong to any; the second, that in avenging a wrong done to us we be content with retaliating equal; the third, to return nothing of what we have suffered; the fourth, to offer one’s self to the endurance of evil; the fifth, to be ready to suffer even more evil than the oppressor desires to inflict; the sixth, not to hate him of whom we suffer such things; the seventh, to love him; the eighth, to do him good; the ninth, to pray for him. And because the command is great, the reward proposed is also great, namely, to be made like unto God, “Ye shall be the sons of your Father which is in heaven.” Hieronymus Si quis enim praecepta Dei custodiat, filius Dei efficitur; ergo non in natura filius est, hic scilicet de quo loquitur, sed arbitrio suo. Jerome For whoso keeps the commandments of God is thereby made the son of God; he then of whom he here speaks is not by nature His son, but by his own will. Augustinus de Serm. Dom Ex illa autem regula intelligendum est quod hic dicitur, qua et Ioannes dicit: dedit eis potestatem filios Dei fieri. Unus enim naturaliter filius est; nos autem potestate accepta efficimur filii, inquantum illa quae ab eo praecipiuntur implemus. Itaque non ait: facite ista, quia estis filii; sed: facite ista, ut sitis filii. Cum autem ad hoc nos vocat, ad similitudinem suam vocat; unde sequitur qui solem suum facit oriri super bonos et malos, et pluit super iustos et iniustos. Potest autem per solem intelligi non iste visibilis, sed ille de quo dicitur: vobis qui timetis nomen domini, orietur sol iustitiae, et per pluviam irrigatio doctrinae veritatis, quia et bonis et malis apparuit et evangelizatus est Christus. Aug., Serm. in Mont., i, 23 After that rule we must here understand of which John speaks, “He gave them power to be made the sons of God.” One is His Son by nature; we are made sons by the power which we have received; that is, so far as we fulfill those things that we are commanded. So He says not, Do these things because ye are sons; but, do these things that ye may become sons. In calling us to this then, He calls us to His likeness, for He saith, “He maketh His sun to rise on the righteous and the unrighteous.” By the sun we may understand not this visible, but that of which it is said, “To you that fear the name of the Lord, the Sun of righteousness shall arise;” (Mal 4:2) and by the rain, the water of the doctrine of truth; for Christ was seen, and was preached to good as well as bad. Hilarius in Matth Vel in Baptismi et spiritus sacramento tribuit solem et pluviam. Hilary Or, the sun and rain have reference to the baptism with water and Spirit. Augustinus de Serm. Dom Vel potest accipi sol iste visibilis, et pluvia qua fructus gignuntur: quia iniqui in libro sapientiae plangunt: sol non ortus est nobis. Et de pluvia spirituali dicitur: mandabo nubibus meis ne pluant super eam. Sed sive hoc sive illud, magna Dei bonitate fit, quae nobis imitanda praecipitur. Non autem solum ait qui facit solem oriri, sed addidit suum, idest quem ipse fecit; ut hinc admoneremur quanta liberalitate ex praecepto eius praestare debemus quod non creamus, sed ex muneribus eius accipimus. Aug. Or we may take it of this visible sun, and of the rain by which the fruits are nourished, as the wicked mourn in the book of Wisdom, “The Sun has not risen for us.” (Wis 5:6) And of the rain it is said, “I will command the clouds that they rain not on it.” (Isa 5:6) But whether it be this or that, it is of the great goodness of God, which is set forth for our imitation. He says not, ‘the sun,’ but, “His sun,” that is, the sun which Himself has made, that hence we may be admonished with how great liberality we ought to supply those things that we have not created, but have received as a boon from Him. Augustinus ad Vincentium Sed sicut ista dona eius laudamus, ita etiam flagella in eos quos diligit cogitemus. Unde non omnis qui parcit, amicus est, nec omnis qui verberat, inimicus; melius est enim cum severitate diligere, quam cum lenitate decipere. Aug., Epist., 93, 2 But as we laud Him for His gifts, let us also consider how He chastises those whom He loves. For not every one who spares is a friend, nor every one who chastises an enemy; it is better to love with severity, than to use lenity wherewith to deceive. Chrysostomus super Matth Caute autem dixit super iustos et iniustos, non super iustos ut iniustos: quia omnia bona Deus non propter homines dat, sed propter sanctos, sicut et flagella propter peccatores; sed in nobis non separat peccatores a iustis, ne desperent; nec in malis iustos a peccatoribus, ne glorientur; maxime cum malis bona non prosint quae male viventes ad praeiudicium suum percipiunt; nec bonis mala noceant, sed magis prosint ad iustitiae lucrum. Pseudo-Chrys. He was careful to say, “On the righteous and the unrighteous;’ for God gives all good gifts not for men’s sake, but for the saints’ sake, as likewise chastisements for the sake of sinners. In bestowing His good gifts, He does not separate the sinners from the righteous, that they should not despair; so in His inflictions, not the righteous from sinners that they should be made proud; and that the more, since the wicked are not profited by the good things they receive, but turn them to their hurt by their evil lives; nor are the good hurt by the evil things, but rather profit to increase of righteousness. Augustinus de Civ. Dei Nam bonus temporalibus bonis non extollitur, nec malis frangitur. Malus autem ideo huiusmodi infelicitate punitur, quia felicitate corrumpitur. Vel ideo ista temporalia bona et mala utrisque voluit esse communia, ut nec bona cupidius appetantur, quae mali habere cernuntur, nec mala turpiter evitentur, quibus et boni afficiuntur. Aug., City of God, book 1, ch. 8 For the good man is not puffed up by worldly goods, nor broken by worldly calamity. But the bad man is punished in temporal losses, because he is corrupted by temporal gains. Or for another reason He would have good and evil common to both sorts of men, that good things might not be sought with vehement desire, when they were enjoyed even by the wicked; nor the evil things shamefully avoided, when even the righteous are afflicted by them. Glossa Amare autem amantem, naturae est; inimicum vero amare est caritatis; et ideo sequitur si enim diligitis eos qui vos diligunt, quam mercedem habebitis, scilicet in caelo? Nullam: de his enim dicitur: recepistis mercedem vestram. Sed tamen haec oportet facere, illa non omittere. Gloss, non occ. To love one that loves us is of nature, but to love our enemy of charity. “If ye love them who love you, what reward have ye?” to wit, in heaven. None truly, for of such it is said, “Ye have received your reward.” But these things we ought to do, and not leave the other undone. Rabanus Si ergo peccatores erga dilectores suos natura duce volunt esse benefici, multo magis vos maioris dilectionis signo amplecti debetis etiam non amantes; unde sequitur nonne et publicani hoc faciunt? Idest qui publica vectigalia exigunt, vel qui publica negotia saeculi vel lucra sectantur. Rabanus If then sinners be led by nature to show kindness to those that love them, with how much greater show of affection ought you not to embrace even those that do not love you? For it follows, “Do not even the publicans so?” “The publicans” are those who collect the public imposts; or perhaps those who pursue the public business or the gain of this world. Glossa Si vero pro his tantum oraveritis qui aliqua affinitate vobis coniuncti sunt, quid amplius habet beneficium vestrum quam infidelium? Unde sequitur et si salutaveritis fratres vestros tantum, quid amplius facitis? Salutatio enim est quaedam species orationis. Nonne et ethnici hoc faciunt? Gloss. non occ. But if you only pray for them that are your kinsfolk, what more has your benevolence than that of the unbelieving? Salutation is a kind of prayer. Rabanus Idest gentiles: nam ethnos Graece, Latine gens dicitur, qui tales sunt ut fuerunt geniti, scilicet sub peccato. Rabanus Ethnici, that is, the Gentiles, for the Greek word is translated ‘gens’ in Latin; those, that is, who abide such as they were born, to wit, under sin. Remigius Quia vero perfectio dilectionis ultra dilectionem inimicorum non potest procedere, ideo postquam dominus praecepit diligere inimicos, subiunxit estote ergo et vos perfecti, sicut et pater vester caelestis perfectus est. Ipse quidem perfectus est ut omnipotens, homo autem ut ab omnipotente adiutus: nam sicut quandoque in Scripturis pro veritate et aequalitate accipitur, ut ibi: sicut fui cum Moyse, ita ero et tecum; aliquando autem pro similitudine, ut hic. Remig. Because the utmost perfection of love cannot go beyond the love of enemies, therefore as soon as the Lord has bid us love our enemies, He proceeds, “Be ye then perfect, as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” He indeed is perfect, as being omnipotent; man, as being aided by the Omnipotent. For the word ‘as’ is used in Scripture, sometimes for identity, and equality, as in that, “As I was with Moses, so will I be with thee;” (Josh 1:5) sometimes to express likeness only as here. Chrysostomus super Matth Sicut enim filii carnales similant patres in aliquo corporis signo, ita filii spirituales Deum in sanctitate. Pseudo-Chrys. For as our sons after the flesh resemble their fathers in some part of their bodily shape, so do spiritual sons resemble their father God, in holiness. Lectio 22 Lecture 22 6:1 Attendite ne iustitiam vestram faciatis coram hominibus, ut videamini ab eis: alioquin mercedem non habebitis apud Patrem vestrum qui in caelis est. 6:1. “Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in Heaven.” Glossa Postquam Christus legem quantum ad praecepta implevit, incipit nunc eam adimplere quantum ad promissa, ut pro caelesti mercede praecepta Dei faciamus, non pro terrenis quae lex promittebat. Omnia autem terrena ad duo potissima reducuntur: scilicet ad humanam gloriam, et ad terrenorum affluentiam; quorum utrumque in lege promissum esse videtur. De gloria enim dicitur in Deuteronomio: faciet te dominus excelsiorem cunctis gentibus quae versantur in terra. De affluentia vero temporalium ibidem subditur: abundare te faciet dominus in omnibus bonis. Et ideo dominus haec duo ab intentione fidelium excludit, scilicet gloriam et terrenorum affluentiam. Gloss., non occ. Christ having now fulfilled the Law in respect of commandments, begins to fulfill it in respect of promises, that we may do God’s commandments for heavenly wages, not for the earthly which the Law held out. All earthly things are reduced to two main heads, viz. human glory, and abundance of earthly goods, both of which seem to be promised in the Law. Concerning the first is that spoken in Deuteronomy, “The Lord shall make thee higher than all the nations who dwell on the face of the earth.” (Deut 28:1) And in the same place it is added of earthly wealth, “The Lord shall make thee abound in all good things.” Therefore the Lord now forbids these two things, glory and wealth, to the attention of believers. Sed sciendum quod appetitus gloriae propinquus est virtuti. Chrys., Hom. xix Yet be it known that the desire of fame is near a kin to virtue. Chrysostomus super Matth Ubi enim res agitur gloriosa, ibi facilius invenit locum gloriationis occasio; et ideo intentionem gloriae primo dominus excludit: prae omnibus enim vitiis carnalibus periculosius hoc esse in hominibus intellexit: cum enim omnia mala servos Diaboli vexent, concupiscentia vanae gloriae magis vexat servos Dei quam servos Diaboli. Pseudo-Chrys. For when any thing truly glorious is done, there ostentation has its readiest occasion; so the Lord first shuts out all intention of seeking glory; as He knows that this is of all fleshly vices the most dangerous to man. The servants of the Devil are tormented by all kinds of vices; but it is the desire of empty glory that torments the servants of the Lord more than the servants of the Devil. Prosper in libro Sentent. August Quas etiam vires nocendi habeat humanae gloriae amor, non sentit nisi qui ei bellum indixerit: quia etsi cuiquam facile est laudem non cupere dum negatur, difficile tamen est ea non delectari cum offertur. Aug., Prosper. Lib. Sentent. 318 How great strength the love of human glory has, none feels, but he who has proclaimed war against it. For though it is easy for any not to wish for praise when it is denied him, it is difficult not to be pleased with it when it is offered. Chrysostomus super Matth Intuere autem qualiter incepit velut de fera aliqua difficile cognita disputans, et apta furari eum qui non valde vigilat: occulte enim ingreditur, et omnia quae intus sunt, insensibiliter aufert. Chrys. Observe how He has begun as it were describing some beast hard to be discerned, and ready to steal upon him who is not greatly on his guard against it; it enters in secretly, and carries off insensibly all those things that are within. Chrysostomus in Matth Et ideo hoc cautius cavendum mandat dicens attendite ne iustitiam vestram faciatis coram hominibus. Cor autem nostrum attendere debemus: invisibilis enim est serpens quem observare iubemur, et latenter ingreditur et seducit. Sed in corde mundo si surreptio inimici successerit, mox homo iustus discernit quia spiritu alieno pulsatur; si autem cor fuerit iniquitatibus plenum, suggestionem Diaboli non facile intelligit; et ideo praemisit ne irascaris, ne concupiscas: quia qui malis istis subiectus est, cor suum non potest attendere. Sed quomodo potest fieri ut non coram hominibus eleemosynam faciamus? Aut si fiat, quomodo non sentiemus? Si enim praesente aliquo occurrerit pauper, quomodo dabitur ei absconse? Sed educendo eum in secreto, videtur quia datur. Sed considera, quia non dixit: ne tantum coram hominibus faciatis; sed addidit ut videamini ab eis. Qui ergo non ideo facit ut ab hominibus videatur, etsi coram hominibus fecerit, non tamen coram hominibus fecisse videtur: qui enim aliquid facit propter Deum, neminem videt in corde suo nisi Deum propter quem facit; sicut artifex eum semper habet prae oculis qui sibi opus faciendum commisit. Pseudo-Chrys. And therefore he enjoins this to be more carefully avoided, “Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men.” It is our heart we must watch, for it is an invisible serpent that we have to guard against, which secretly enters in and seduces; but if the heart be pure into which the enemy has succeeded in entering in, the righteous man soon feels that he is prompted by a strange spirit; but if his heart were full of wickedness, he does not readily perceive the suggestion of the Devil, and therefore He first taught us, “Be not angry, Lust not,” for that he who is under the yoke of these evils cannot attend to his own heart. But how can it be that we should not do our alms before men. Or if this may be, how can they be so done that we should not know of it. For if a poor man come before us in the presence of any one, how shall we be able to give him alms in secret? If we lead him aside, it must be seen that we shall give him. Observe then that He said not simply, “Do not before men,” but added, “to be seen of them.” He then who does righteousness not from this motive, even if he does it before the eyes of men, is not to be thought to be herein condemned; for he who does any thing for God’s sake, sees nothing in his heart but God, for whose sake he does it; as a workman has always before his eyes him who has entrusted him with the work to do. Gregorius Moralium Si ergo dantis gloriam quaerimus, et publicata nostra opera in conspectu illius occulta servamus; si vero per hoc nostram laudem concupiscimus, foras ab eius conspectu iam fusa sunt, etiam si a multis ignorentur. Sed valde perfectorum est, sic ostenso opere, auctoris gloriam quaerere, ut de illata laude, privata nesciant exultatione gaudere, quam infirmi quia perfecte contemnendo non superant, necesse est ut bonum quod operantur, abscondant. Greg., Mor., viii, 48 If then we seek the fame of giving, we make even our public deeds to be hidden in His sight; for if herein we seek our own glory, then they are already cast out of His sight, even though there be many by whom they are yet unknown. It belongs only to the thoroughly perfect, to suffer their deeds to be seen, and to receive the praise of doing them in such sort that they are lifted up with no secret exultation; whereas they that are weak, because they cannot attain to this perfect contempt of their own fame, must needs hide those good deeds that they do. Augustinus de Serm. Dom. In hoc vero quod dicit ut videamini ab eis, nihil addens, apparet hoc eum prohibuisse ut ibi finem nostri propositi collocemus. Nam et apostolus qui dicit: si adhuc hominibus placerem, Christi servus non essem, alio loco dicit: ego omnibus per omnia placeo. Quod non ideo facit ut placeret hominibus, sed Deo, ad cuius amorem corda hominum volebat convertere ex eo quod eis placebat; sicut non absurde loqueretur qui diceret: in hoc opere quo navem quaero, non navem quaero, sed patriam. Aug., Serm. in Mont., ii, 1 In saying only, “That ye be seen of men,” without any addition, He seems to have forbidden that we should make that the end of our actions. For the Apostle who declared, “If I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ;” (Gal 1:10) says in another place, “I please all men in all things. (1 Cor 10:33) This he did not that he might please men, but God, to the love of whom he desires to turn the hearts of men by pleasing them. As we should not think that he spoke absurdly, who should say, In this my pains in seeking a ship, it is not the ship I seek, but my country. Augustinus de Serm. Dom Dicit autem ut videamini ab eis, quia sunt quidam qui sic faciunt iustitiam coram hominibus ut non videantur ab eis, sed ut ipsa opera videantur, et glorificetur pater qui in caelis est: non enim suam iustitiam deputant, sed eius cuius fide vivunt. Aug., Serm. 54. 2 He says this, “that ye be seen of men,” because there are some who so do their righteousness before men that themselves may not be seen, but that the works themselves may be seen, and their Father who is in heaven may be glorified; for they reckon not their own righteousness, but His, in the faith of whom they live. Augustinus de Serm. Dom In hoc etiam quod addit alioquin mercedem non habebitis apud patrem vestrum qui in caelis est, nihil aliud demonstrat, nisi illud, nos cavere oportere ne humanam laudem pro nostrorum operum mercede quaeramus. Aug., Serm. in Mont. That He adds, “Otherwise ye shall not have your reward before your Father who is in heaven,” signifies no more than that we ought to take heed that we seek not praise of men in reward of our words. Chrysostomus super Matth Quid autem a Deo recipies qui Deo nihil dedisti? Nam quod propter Deum fit, Deo datur, et ab eo recipitur; quod autem propter homines fit, in ventos effunditur. Quae est autem sapientia res dare, et verba vacua comparare, et mercedem Dei contemnere? Vel illum aspice a quo laudem expectas, qui te propter Deum facere putat; alioquin vituperaret te magis. Ille autem qui plena quidem voluntate propter homines facit, ille propter homines fecisse videtur. Si autem per alicuius cor cogitatio vana ascendit, desiderans hominibus apparere, anima autem intelligens contradicit, ille non propter homines fecisse videtur: quia quod cogitavit, passio carnis est; quod elegit, iudicium animae. Pseudo-Chrys. What shall you receive from God, who have given God nothing? What is done for God’s sake is given to God, and received by Him; but what is done because of men is cast to the winds. But that wisdom is it, to bestow our goods, to reap empty words, and to have despised the reward of God? Nay you deceive the very man for whose good word you look; for he thinks you do it for God’s sake, otherwise he would rather reproach then command you. Yet must we think him only to have done his work because of men, who does it with his whole will and intention governed by the thought of them. But if an idle thought, seeking to be seen of men, mount up in any one’s heart, but is resisted by the understanding spirit, he is not thereupon to be condemned of man-pleasing; for that the thought came to him was the passion of the flesh, what he chose was the judgment of his soul. Lectio 23 Lecture 23 6:2 Cum ergo facis eleemosynam, noli tuba canere ante te, sicut hypocritae faciunt in synagogis, et in vicis, ut honorificentur ab hominibus. Amen dico vobis, receperunt mercedem suam. 6:2. “Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6:3 Te autem faciente eleemosynam, nesciat sinistra tua quid faciat dextera tua: 6:3. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 6:4 ut sit eleemosyna tua in abscondito, et Pater tuus, qui videt in abscondito, reddet tibi. 6:4. That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret Himself shall reward thee openly. Augustinus de Serm. Dom Generaliter supra dominus iustitiam nominavit cum dixit: attendite ne iustitiam etc.; nunc autem per partes exequitur. Aug., Serm. in Mont., ii, 2 Above the Lord had spoken of righteousness in general. He now pursues it through its different parts.