Chapter XI.—Connection Between Covetousness and Idolatry. Certain Trades, However Gainful, to Be Avoided.

If we think over the rest of faults, tracing them from their generations, let us begin with covetousness, “a root of all evils,”68    1 Tim. vi. 10. wherewith, indeed, some having been ensnared, “have suffered shipwreck about faith.”69    1 Tim. i. 19. Albeit covetousness is by the same apostle called idolatry.70    Col. iii. 5. It has been suggested that for “quamvis” we should read “quum bis;” i.e., “seeing covetousness is twice called,” etc. The two places are Col. iii. 5, and Eph. v. 5. In the next place proceeding to mendacity, the minister of covetousness (of false swearing I am silent, since even swearing is not lawful71    Matt. v. 34–37; Jas. v. 12.)—is trade adapted for a servant of God? But, covetousness apart, what is the motive for acquiring? When the motive for acquiring ceases, there will be no necessity for trading. Grant now that there be some righteousness in business, secure from the duty of watchfulness against covetousness and mendacity; I take it that that trade which pertains to the very soul and spirit of idols, which pampers every demon, falls under the charge of idolatry. Rather, is not that the principal idolatry? If the selfsame merchandises—frankincense, I mean, and all other foreign productions—used as sacrifice to idols, are of use likewise to men for medicinal ointments, to us Christians also, over and above, for solaces of sepulture, let them see to it. At all events, while the pomps, while the priesthoods, while the sacrifices of idols, are furnished by dangers, by losses, by inconveniences, by cogitations, by runnings to and fro, or trades, what else are you demonstrated to be but an idols’ agent? Let none contend that, in this way, exception may be taken to all trades. All graver faults extend the sphere for diligence in watchfulness proportionably to the magnitude of the danger; in order that we may withdraw not only from the faults, but from the means through which they have being. For although the fault be done by others, it makes no difference if it be by my means. In no case ought I to be necessary to another, while he is doing what to me is unlawful.  Hence I ought to understand that care must be taken by me, lest what I am forbidden to do be done by my means. In short, in another cause of no lighter guilt I observe that fore-judgment. In that I am interdicted from fornication, I furnish nothing of help or connivance to others for that purpose; in that I have separated my own flesh itself from stews, I acknowledge that I cannot exercise the trade of pandering, or keep that kind of places for my neighbour’s behoof.  So, too, the interdiction of murder shows me that a trainer of gladiators also is excluded from the Church; nor will any one fail to be the means of doing what he subministers to another to do. Behold, here is a more kindred fore-judgment: if a purveyor of the public victims come over to the faith, will you permit him to remain permanently in that trade? or if one who is already a believer shall have undertaken that business, will you think that he is to be retained in the Church?  No, I take it; unless any one will dissemble in the case of a frankincense-seller too. In sooth, the agency of blood pertains to some, that of odours to others. If, before idols were in the world, idolatry, hitherto shapeless, used to be transacted by these wares; if, even now, the work of idolatry is perpetrated, for the most part, without the idol, by burnings of odours; the frankincense-seller is a something even more serviceable even toward demons, for idolatry is more easily carried on without the idol, than without the ware of the frankincense-seller.72    [The aversion of the early Christian Fathers passim to the ceremonial use of incense finds one explanation here.] Let us interrogate thoroughly the conscience of the faith itself. With what mouth will a Christian frankincense-seller, if he shall pass through temples, with what mouth will he spit down upon and blow out the smoking altars, for which himself has made provision? With what consistency will he exorcise his own foster-children,73    i.e., the demons, or idols, to whom incense is burned. to whom he affords his own house as store-room?  Indeed, if he shall have ejected a demon,74    i.e., from one possessed. let him not congratulate himself on his faith, for he has not ejected an enemy; he ought to have had his prayer easily granted by one whom he is daily feeding.75    i.e., The demon, in gratitude for the incense which the man daily feeds him with, ought to depart out of the possessed at his request. No art, then, no profession, no trade, which administers either to equipping or forming idols, can be free from the title of idolatry; unless we interpret idolatry to be altogether something else than the service of idol-tendence.

CAPUT XI.

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De negotiationibus , si caetera delictorum recogitemus, in primis cupiditatem radicem omnium 0676A malorum, qua quidam irretiti, circa fidem naufragium sunt passi ; quamvis et idololatria ab eodem apostolo dicta sit cupiditas. Tum mendacium, cupiditatis ministrum. Taceo de perjurio, quando ne jurare quidem liceat. Negotiatio servo Dei apta est? Caeterum, si cupiditas abscedat, quae est caussa acquirendi, cessante caussa acquirendi, non erit necessitas negotiandi. Sit nunc aliqua justitia quaestus, secura de cupiditatis et mendacii observatione, in crimen offendere idololatriae eam opinor, quae ad ipsam idolorum animam et spiritum pertinet, quae omne daemonium saginat. Sane annon illa principalis idololatria ? viderint si aedem merces, thura dico et caetera peregrinitatis ad sacrificium idolorum, etiam hominibus ad pigmenta medicinalia , nobis quoque insuper ad solatia sepulturae usui sunt. Certe cum 0676B pompae, cum sacerdotia, cum sacrificia idolorum de periculis, de damnis, de incommodis, de cogitationibus, de discursibus negotiationibusve instruuntur, quid aliud quam procurator idolorum demonstraris? Nemo contendat posse hoc modo omnibus negotiationibus controversiam fieri. Graviora delicta quaeque pro magnitudine periculi diligentiam extendunt observationis, ut non ab his tantum abscedamus, sed et ab iis per quae fiunt. Licet enim ab aliis fiat, non interest, si per me. In nullo necessarius esse debeo alii, cum facit quod mihi non licet. Ex hoc quod vetor facere, intelligere debeo curandum mihi esse, ne fiat per me. Denique in alia caussa non levioris reatus praejudicium istud observo. Nam quod mihi de stupro interdictum sit, aliis ad eam rem nihil aut operae aut 0676C conscientiae exhibeo. Nam quod ipsam carnem meam a lupanaribus segregavi, agnosco me, neque lenocinium, neque id genus lucrum alterius caussa exercere 0677A posse. Sic et homicidii interdictio ostendit mihi lanistam quoque ab Ecclesia arceri: nec per se non faciet, quod faciendum aliis subministrat. Ecce magis proximum praejudicium. Si publicarum victimarum redemptor ad fidem accedat, permittes ei in eo negotio permanere? Aut si jam fidelis id agere susceperit, retinendum in Ecclesia putabis? Non opinor, nisi si quis et de thurario dissimulabit, scilicet ad alios pervenit procuratio sanguinis, ad alios odorum. Si antequam idola in saeculo essent, his mercibus adhuc informis idololatria transigebatur, sic et nunc fere sine idolo opus idololatriae incendiis odorum perpetratur, ecquid majoris operae et erga daemonia thurarius ? nam facilius sine idolo idololatria, quam sine thurarii merce. Ipsius fidei conscientiam perrogemus. Quo ore 0677B christianus thurarius , si per templa transibit, fumantes aras despuet, et exsufflabit , quibus ipse prospexit? Qua constantia exorcizabit alumnos suos, quibus domum suam cellariam praestat? Ille quidem si excluserit daemonium, non sibi placeat de fide. Neque enim inimicum exclusit. Facile debuit de eo impetrare, quem quotidie pascit. Nulla igitur ars, nulla professio, nulla negotiatio, quae quid aut instruendis aut formandis idolis administrat, carere poterit titulo idololatriae: nisi si aliud omnino interpretemur idololatriam, quam famulatum idolorum colendorum.