[4.] But why speak I of friends? the lovers of money have often ignored nature itself. Such a one knows not kindred, remembers not companionship, reverences not age, has no friend, but will be ill-disposed towards all, and above all others to himself, not only by destroying his soul, but by racking himself with ten thousand cares, and toils, and sorrows. For he will endure foreign travels, hatreds, dangers, plots, anything whatever, only that he may have in his house the root of all evil, and may count much gold. What then can be more grievous than this disease? It is void of any luxury or pleasure, for the sake of which men often sin, it is void of honor or glory. For the lover of money suspects that he has tens of thousands, and really has many, who accuse, and envy, and slander, and plot against him. Those whom he has wronged hate him as having been ill-used; those who have not yet suffered, fearing least they may suffer, and sympathizing with those who have, manifest the same hostility; while the greater and more powerful, being stung and indignant on account of the humbler sort, and at the same time also envying him, are his enemies and haters. And why speak I of men? For when one hath God also made his enemy, what hope shall there then be for him? what consolation? what comfort? He that loves riches will [2610] never be able to use them; he will be their slave and keeper, not their master. For, being ever anxious to make them more, he will never be willing to spend them; but he will cut short himself, and be in poorer state than any poor man, as nowhere stopping in his desire. Yet riches are made not that we should keep, but that we should use them; but if we are going to bury them for others, what can be more miserable than we, who run about desiring to get together the possessions of all men, [2611] that we may shut them up within, and cut them off from common use? But there is another malady not less than this. Some men bury their money in the earth, others in their bellies, and in pleasure and drunkenness; together with injustice adding to themselves the punishment of wantonness. Some minister with their substance to parasites and flatterers, others to dice and harlots, others to different expenses of the same kind, cutting out for themselves ten thousand roads that lead to hell, but leaving the right and sanctioned road which leads to heaven. And yet it hath not greater gain only, but greater pleasure than the things we have mentioned. For he who gives to harlots is ridiculous and shameful, and will have many quarrels, and brief pleasure; or rather, not even brief, because, give what he will to the women his mistresses, they will not thank him for it; for, "The house of a stranger is a cask with holes." ( Prov. xxiii. 27 , LXX.) Besides, that sort of persons is impudent, [2612] and Solomon hath compared their love to the grave; and then only do they stop, when they see their lover stripped of all. Or rather, such a woman doth not stop even then, but tricks herself out the more, and tramples on him when he is down, and excites much laughter against him, and works him so much mischief, as it is not possible even to describe by words. Not such is the pleasure of the saved; for neither hath any there a rival, but all rejoice and are glad, both they that receive blessings, and they that look on. No anger, no despondency, no shame, no disgrace, besiege the soul of such a one, but great is the gladness of his conscience, and great his hope of things to come; bright his glory, and great his distinction; and more than all is the favor and safety which is from God, and not one precipice, nor suspicion, but a waveless harbor, and calm. Considering therefore all these things, and comparing pleasure with pleasure, let us choose the better, [2613] that we may obtain the good things to come, through the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
[2575] "But he said unto them, Except I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side." N.T.
[2576] "will not," N.T.
[2577] Ver. 26. "And after eight days again His disciples were within, and Thomas with them; then came Jesus, the door being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you." N.T.
[2578] pachutetos
[2579] al. "raiseth Himself," or, "is raised."
[2580] or, "henceforth," loipon
[2581] According to Savile's conject. and two mss. pos an tauta for pos entautha
[2582] "of His disciples, which are not written in this book," N.T.
[2583] Ver. 31. "But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that," &c. N.T.
[2584] "of Tiberias; and on this wise showed He Himself," N.T.
[2585] a keraton
[2586] "Thomas, called Didymus."
[2587] "Nathanael of Cana in Galilee."
[2588] "two other of His disciples," N.T.
[2589] Ver. 3, 4. "Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus." N.T.
[2590] Luke xxiv. 37. "But they were terrified and affrighted."
[2591] al. "dispose."
[2592] "Children, have ye," N.T.
[2593] or, "fish," prosphagion, that which is eaten with the bread.
[2594] Ver. 5, 6, and 8. "They answered Him, No. And He said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. And the other disciples came in a little ship, for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits, dragging the net with fishes." N.T.
[2595] Ver. 7. "Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea." N.T.
[2596] Ver. 11. "Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken." N.T.
[2597] Ver. 9, 10. "As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught." N.T.
[2598] "ask him, Who art Thou?" N.T.
[2599] "knowing that," N.T.
[2600] Ver. 13. "Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise." N.T.
[2601] "was manifested to His disciples." N.T.
[2602] sunalizomenos autois en. The words are rendered as above in the margin of the Auth. Version, and St. Chrys. seems to have so understood them. The Vulgate has, "convescens " The literal sense is either "eating salt with them," or, as in the text of Auth. Version, " being assembled with."
[2603] al. "increase that longing."
[2604] a gapen
[2605] ho eros
[2606] a gapes
[2607] al. "much more those (i.e. the opposite) when not done."
[2608] i.e. our members in Christ.
[2609] al. "will not."
[2610] al. "From his riches? he will."
[2611] al. "get together all."
[2612] lit. "forward."
[2613] al. "the better things."