27. Indeed in all spiritual delights, which unmarried women enjoy, their holy conversation ought also to be with caution; lest haply, though their life be not evil through haughtiness, their report be evil through negligence. Nor are they to be listened to, whether they be holy men or women, when (upon occasion of their neglect in some matter being blamed, through which it comes to pass that they fall into evil suspicion, from which they know that their life is far removed) they say that it is enough for them their conscience before God, despising what men think of them, not only imprudently73    al. “impudenter,” “with lack of modesty.” but also cruelly; when they slay the souls of others; whether of such as blaspheme the way of God, who following their suspicion are displeased at what is the chaste life of the Saints, as though it were shameful, or of such also as make excuse, and imitate, not what they see, but what they think. Wherefore whosoever guards his life from charges of shameful and evil deeds, does good to himself; but whosoever guards his character too, is merciful also towards others. For unto ourselves our own life is necessary, unto others our character; and certainly even what we mercifully minister unto others, for their health, abounds also to our own profit. Whence not in vain the Apostle, “We provide good things,” saith he, “not only before God, but also before men;”74    2 Cor. viii. 21. [See R.V.] also he saith, “Please ye all men through all things; even as I also please all men through all things, not seeking what is of profit unto myself, but what unto many, that they may be saved.”75    1 Cor. x. 33 Also in a certain exhortation he says, “For the rest, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are holy, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are most dear, whatsoever things are of good report; if any virtue, if any praise, these things think on, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me.”76    Phil. iv. 8, 9 You see how among many things, unto which by exhortation he admonished them, he neglected not to set, “whatsoever things are of good report;” and in two words included all things, where he saith, “if any virtue, if any praise.” For unto virtue pertain the good things of which He made mention above; but good report unto praise. I think that the Apostle took not the praise of men for any great thing, saying in another place, “But to me it is the least thing, that I be judged of you, or of day of man;”77    1 Cor. iv. 3 and in another place, “If I were pleasing men, I should not be a servant of Christ;”78    Gal. i. 10 and again, “For our glory is this, the testimony of our conscience.”79    2 Cor. i. 12 But of these two, that is, of a good life, and a good report, or as is said more shortly, of virtue and praise, the one for his own sake he most wisely kept, the other for the sake of others he most mercifully provided. But, forasmuch as human caution, how great soever, cannot on every side avoid most malevolent suspicions, when for our good report we shall have done whatever we rightly can, if any, either by falsely pretending evil things of us, or from believing evil of us, endeavor to stain our fair fame, let there be present the solace of conscience, and clearly also the joy, in that our reward is great in Heaven, even when men say many evil things of us,80    Matt. v. 11, 12 and we yet live godly and righteously. For that reward is as the pay of such as serve as soldiers, through the arms of righteousness, not only on the right hand, but on the left also; that is to say, through glory and mean estate, through ill report and good report.81    2 Cor. vi. 7, 8

CAPUT XXII.

27. Famae bonae cura. In omnibus sane spiritualibus deliciis, quibus fruuntur innuptae, sancta earum conversatio cauta etiam debet esse; ne forte cum mala vita non sit per lasciviam, mala sit fama per negligentiam. Nec audiendi sunt, sive viri sancti, sive feminae, quando reprehensa in aliquo negligentia sua, per quam fit ut in malam veniant suspicionem, unde suam vitam longe abesse sciunt, dicunt sibi coram Deo sufficere conscientiam, existimationem hominum non imprudenter solum, verum etiam crudeliter contemnentes; cum occidunt animas aliorum, sive blasphemantium viam Dei, quibus secundum suam suspicionem quasi turpis quae casta est displicet vita sanctorum, sive etiam cum excusatione imitantium, non quod vident, sed quod putant. Proinde quisquis a criminibus flagitiorum atque facinorum vitam suam custodit, sibi bene facit: quisquis autem etiam famam, et in alios misericors est. Nobis enim necessaria est vita nostra, aliis fama nostra: et utique etiam quod aliis ministramus misericorditer ad salutem, ad nostram quoque redundat utilitatem. Unde non frustra Apostolus: Providemus, inquit, bona, non solum coram Deo, verum etiam coram hominibus (II Cor. VIII, 21). Item dicit: 0449 Placete omnibus per omnia, sicut et ego omnibus per omnia placeo, non quaerens quod mihi utile est, sed quod multis, ut salvi fiant (I Cor. X, 33). In quadam etiam exhortatione dicit: De caetero, fratres, quaecumque sunt vera, quaecumque sancta, quaecumque justa, quaecumque casta, quaecumque charissima, quaecumque bonae famae, si qua virtus, si qua laus, haec cogitate, quae et didicistis, et accepistis, et audistis, et vidistis in me (Philipp. IV, 8 et 9). Cernis quemadmodum inter multa quae exhortando commonuit, non neglexerit ponere, quaecumque bonae famae; duobusque verbis cuncta concluserit, ubi ait, si qua virtus, si qua laus. Ad virtutem namque pertinent quae antea memoravit bona; fama vero, ad laudem. Puto quod non laudem hominum pro magno sumebat Apostolus, alio loco dicens, Mihi autem minimum est ut a vobis dijudicer, aut ab humano die (I Cor. IV, 3); et alibi, Si hominibus placerem, Christi servus non essem (Galat I, 10); et iterum, Nam gloria nostra haec est, testimonium conscientiae nostrae (II Cor. I, 12). Sed illorum duorum, id est, bonae vitae et bonae famae, vel quod brevius dicitur, virtutis et laudis, unum propter se ipsum sapientissime retinebat, alterum propter alios misericordissime providebat. Sed quoniam quantalibet humana cautela suspiciones malevolentissimas non potest omni ex parte vitare, ubi pro existimatione nostra quidquid recte possumus fecerimus, si aliqui de nobis vel mala fingendo , vel male credendo, famam nostram decolorare conantur, adsit conscientiae solatium, planeque etiam gaudium, quod merces nostra magna est in coelis, etiam cum dicunt homines mala multa de nobis, pie tamen justeque viventibus (Matth. V, 11, 12). Illa enim merces tanquam stipendium est militantium, per arma justitiae, non solum dextera, verum et sinistra; per gloriam scilicet et ignobilitatem, per infamiam et bonam famam (II Cor. VI, 7, 8).