Chapter XXV.

A reason is given why this book did not open with a discussion of the above-mentioned virtues. It is also concisely pointed out that the same virtues existed in the ancient fathers.

116. Perhaps, as the different classes of duties are derived from these four virtues, some one may say that they ought to have been described first of all. But it would have been artificial to have given a definition of duty at the outset,138 and then to have gone on to divide it up into various classes. We have avoided what is artificial, and have put forward the examples of the fathers of old. These certainly offer us no uncertainty as regards our understanding them, and give us no room for subtlety in our discussion of them. Let the life of the fathers, then, be for us a mirror of virtue, not a mere collection of shrewd and clever acts. Let us show reverence in following them, not mere cleverness in discussing them.

117. Prudence held the first place in holy Abraham. For of him the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and that was counted to him for righteousness;”139 for no one is prudent who knows not God. Again: “The fool hath said, There is no God;”140 for a wise man would not say so. How is he wise who looks not for his Maker, but says to a stone: “Thou art my father”?141 Who says to the devil as the Manichæan does: “Thou art the author of my being”?142 How is Arius143 wise, who prefers an imperfect and inferior creator to one who is a true and perfect one? How can Marcion144 or Eunomius145 be wise, who prefer to have an evil rather than a good God? And how can he be wise who does not fear his God? For: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”146 Elsewhere, too, it stands: “The wise turn not aside from the mouth of the Lord, but come near Him in their confession of His greatness.”147 So when the Scripture says: “It was counted to him for righteousness,” that brought to him the grace of another virtue.

118. The chief amongst ourselves have stated that prudence lies in the knowledge of the truth. But who of them all excelled Abraham, David, or Solomon in this? Then they go on to say that justice has regard to the whole community of the human race. So David said: “He hath dispersed abroad and given to the poor, His righteousness remaineth for ever.”148 The just man has pity, the just man lends. The whole world of riches lies at the feet of the wise and the just. The just man regards what belongs to all as his own, and his own as common property. The man just accuses himself rather than others. For he is just who does not spare himself, and who does not suffer his secret actions to be concealed. See now how just Abraham was! In his old age he begat a son according to promise, and when the Lord demanded him for sacrifice he did not think he ought to refuse him, although he was his only son.149

119. Note here all these four virtues in one act. It was wise to believe God, and not to put love for his son before the commands of his Creator. It was just to give back what had been received. It was brave to restrain natural feelings by reason. The father led the victim; the son asked where it was: the father’s feelings were hardly tried, but were not overcome. The son said again: “My father,” and thus pierced his father’s heart, though without weakening his devotion to God. The fourth virtue, temperance, too, was there. Being just he preserved due measure in his piety, and order in all he had to carry out. And so in bringing what was needed for the sacrifice, in lighting the fire, in binding his son, in drawing the knife, in performing the sacrifice in due order; thus he merited as his reward that he might keep his son.

120. Is there greater wisdom than holy Jacob’s, who saw God face to face and won a blessing?150 Can there be higher justice than his in dividing with his brother what he had acquired, and offering it as a gift?151 What greater fortitude than his in striving with God?152 What moderation so true as his, who acted with such moderation as regards time and place, as to prefer to hide his daughter’s shame rather than to avenge himself?153 For being set in the midst of foes, he thought it better to gain their affections than to concentrate their hate on himself.

121. How wise also was Noah, who built the whole of the ark!154 How just again! For he alone, preserved of all to be the father of the human race, was made a survivor of past generations, and the author of one to come; he was born, too, rather for the world and the universe than for himself. How brave he was to overcome the flood! how temperate to endure it! When he had entered the ark, with what moderation he passed the time! When he sent forth the raven and the dove, when he received them on their return, when he took the opportunity of leaving the ark, with what moderation did he make use of these occasions!

CAPUT XXV.

Exposito cur ductum non fuerit a memoratis virtutibus exordium, easdem in veteribus Patribus exstitisse pressius demonstratur.

116. Haec forsitan aliquis dicat primo loco poni oportuisse, quoniam ab his quatuor virtutibus nascuntur officiorum genera. Sed hoc artis est, ut primo officium definiatur, postea certa in genera 0057C dividatur. Nos autem artem fugimus, exempla majorum proponimus: quae neque obscuritatem afferunt ad intelligendum, neque ad tractandum versutias. Sit igitur nobis vita majorum disciplinae speculum, non calliditatis commentarium: imitandi reverentia, non disputandi astutia.

117. Fuit igitur in sancto Abraham primo loco prudentia, de quo dicit Scriptura: Credidit Abraham Deo, et reputatum est illi ad justitiam (Gen. XV, 6). 0058A Nemo enim prudens, qui Deum nescit. Denique insipiens dixit quia non est Deus (Psal. XIII, 1); nam sapiens non diceret. Quomodo enim sapiens qui non requirit auctorem suum, qui dicit lapidi: Pater meus es tu (Jerem II, 27): qui dicit diabolo, ut Manichaeus: Auctor meus es tu? Quomodo sapiens Arianus, qui mavult imperfectum auctorem habere atque degenerem, quam verum atque perfectum? Quomodo sapiens Marcion atque Eunomius, qui malunt Deum malum quam bonum habere? Quomodo sapiens, qui Deum suum non timet? Initium enim sapientiae timor Domini (Psal. CX, 9). Et alibi habes: Sapientes non declinant de ore Domini, sed tractant 32 in confessionibus suis (Prov. XXIV, 7). Simul quoque dicente Scriptura: Reputatum est ei ad justitiam;0058B alterius virtutis ei gratiam detulit.

118. Primi igitur nostri definierunt prudentiam in veri consistere cognitione. Quis enim illorum ante Abraham, David, Salomonem? Deinde justitiam spectare ad societatem generis humani. Denique David ait: Dispersit, dedit pauperibus, justitia ejus manet in aeternum. Justus miseretur, justus commodat (Psal. CXI, 9). Sapienti et justo totus mundus divitiarum est. Justus communia pro suis habet, sua pro communibus. Justus se ipsum, priusquam alios, accusat. Ille enim justus, qui nec sibi parcit, et occulta sua latere non patitur. Vide quam justus Abraham. In senectute susceperat filium per repromissionem (Gen. XXII, 3 et seq.), reposcenti Domino negandum ad sacrificium, quamvis unicum, non 0058C putavit.

119. Adverte hic omnes virtutes quatuor in uno facto. Fuit sapientiae, Deo credere, nec filii gratiam anteferre auctoris praecepto: fuit justitiae, acceptum reddere: fuit fortitudinis, appetitum ratione cohibere. Ducebat hostiam pater, interrogabat filius, tentabatur affectus patrius, sed non vincebatur. Repetebat filius appellationem paternam, compungebat paterna viscera, sed non minuebat devotionem. 0059A Accedit et quarta virtus, temperantia. Tenebat justus et pietatis modum, et exsecutionis ordinem. Denique dum sacrificio necessaria vehit, dum ignem adolet, dum filium ligat, dum gladium educit, hoc immolandi ordine meruit, ut filium reservaret.

120. Quid sapientius sancto Jacob, qui Deum vidit facie ad faciem, et meruit benedictionem (Gen. XXXII, 1 et seq.)? Quid justius, qui ea quae acquisierat, oblatis muneribus cum fratre divisit? Quid fortius, qui cum Deo luctatus est? Quid modestius eo qui modestiam ita et locis et temporibus deferebat, ut filiae injuriam mallet praetexere conjugio, quam vindicare; eo quod inter alienos positus amori potius consulendum, quam odia colligenda censebat?

121. Noe quam sapiens, qui tantam fabricavit 0059B arcam (Gen. VI, 14 et seq.)! Quam justus, qui ad semen omnium reservatus, solus ex omnibus et praeteritae generationis superstes est factus, et auctor futurae, mundo potius et universis magis quam sibi natus! Quam fortis, ut diluvium vinceret! Quam temperans, ut diluvium toleraret! quando introiret, qua moderatione degeret, quando corvum, quando columbam dimitteret, quando 33 reciperet revertentes, quando exeundi opportunitatem captaret, agnosceret?