12. But how can they follow Christ, who are held back by the chain of their wealth? Or how can they seek heaven, and climb to sublime and lofty heights, who are weighed down by earthly desires? They think that they possess, when they are rather possessed; as slaves of their profit, and not lords with respect to their own money, but rather the bond-slaves of their money.  These times and these men are indicated by the apostle, when he says, “But they that will be rich, fall into temptation, and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and in perdition. For the root of all evil is the love of money, which, while some have coveted, they have erred23    Some substitute, “have made shipwreck of.” from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”24    1 Tim. vi. 9. But with what rewards does the Lord invite us to contempt of worldly wealth? With what compensations does He atone for the small and trifling losses of this present time? “There is no man,” saith He, “that leaves house, or land, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake, but he shall receive seven fold25    Or, “a hundred-fold.” even in this time, but in the world to come life everlasting.”26    Mark x. 29. If we know these things, and have found them out from the truth of the Lord who promises, not only is not loss of this kind to be feared, but even to be desired; as the Lord Himself again announces and warns us, “Blessed are ye when men shall persecute you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall cast you out, and shall speak of your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake!  Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy; for, behold, your reward is great in heaven.”27    Luke vi. 22.

XII. Sequi autem Christum quomodo possunt qui patrimonii vinculo detinentur? Aut quomodo coelum petunt, et ad sublimia et alta conscendunt qui, terrenis cupiditatibus degravantur? Possidere se credunt qui potius possidentur, census sui servi, nec ad pecuniam suam domini, sed magis pecuniae mancipati. Hoc tempus, hos homines Apostolus denotat dicens: Qui autem volunt divites fieri, incidunt in tentationem et muscipulam et desideria multa inutilia et nocentia , quae mergunt hominem in perditionem et in interitum. Radix enim omnium malorum est cupiditas, quam quidam appetentes erraverunt a fide et inseruerunt se doloribus multis (I Tim., VI, 9). Dominus autem quibus nos praemiis ad contemptum rei familiaris invitat? Parva haec et 0475B exigua hujus temporis damna quibus mercedibus pensat? Nemo est, inquit, qui relinquat domum aut agrum, aut parentes aut fratres, aut uxorem aut filios, propter regnum Dei, et non recipiat septies tantum in isto tempore, in saeculo autem venturo vitam aeternam (Marc. X, 29). Quibus cognitis et de Domini pollicentis veritate compertis, non tantum timenda non est ejusmodi sed et optanda jactura, ipso denuo Domino praedicante et monente: Beati eritis cum persecuti vos fuerint , et separaverint vos et expulerint, et maledixerint nomini vestro ut nequam propter Filium hominis. Gaudete in illa die et exultate; ecce enim merces vestra multa est in coelis (Luc. VI, 22).