Chapter XVII.

What virtues ought to exist in him whom we consult. How Joseph and Paul were equipped with them.

86. Such, then, ought he to be who gives counsel to another, in order that he may offer himself as a pattern in all good works, in teaching, in trueness of character, in seriousness. Thus his words will be wholesome and irreproachable, his counsel useful, his life virtuous, and his opinions seemly.

87. Such was Paul, who gave counsel to virgins,471    1 Cor. vii. 25. guidance to priests,472    1 Tim. iv. 12 ff. so as to offer himself as a pattern for us to copy. Thus he knew how to be humble, as also Joseph did, who, though sprung from the noble family of the patriarchs, was not ashamed of his base slavery; rather he adorned it with his ready service, and made it glorious by his virtues. He knew how to be humble who had to go through the hands of both buyer and seller, and called them, Lord. Hear him as he humbles himself: “My lord on my account knoweth not473    “propter me.” Cod. Dresd., Ed. Med. have “præter me.” what is in his house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand, neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife; how, then, can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”474    Gen. xxxix. 8, 9. Full of humility are his words, full, too, of chastity. Of humility, for he was obedient to his Lord; of an honourable spirit, for he was grateful;475    “humilitatis, quia domino deferebat; honorificentiæ, quia referebat gratiam.” Others read: “humilitatis…deferebat honorificentiam, quia,” etc. full, also, of chastity, for he thought it a terrible sin to be defiled by so great a crime.

88. Such, then, ought the man of counsel to be. He must have nothing dark, or deceptive, or false about him, to cast a shadow on his life and character, nothing wicked or evil to keep back those who want advice. For there are some things which one flies from, others which one despises.476    Cic. de Off. II, 10, § 36. We fly from those things which can do harm, or can perfidiously and quietly grow to do us hurt, as when he whose advice we ask is of doubtful honour, or is desirous of money, so that a certain sum can make him change his mind. If a man acts unjustly, we fly from him and avoid him. A man that is a pleasure seeker and extravagant, although he does not act falsely, yet is avaricious and too fond of filthy lucre; such an one is despised. What proof of hard work, what fruits of labour, can he give who gives himself up to a sluggish and idle life, or what cares and anxieties ever enter his mind?

89. Therefore the man of good counsel says: “I have learnt in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content.”477    Phil. iv. 11. For he knew that the root of all evils is the love of money,478    1 Tim. vi. 10. and therefore he was content with what he had, without seeking for what was another’s. Sufficient for me, he says, is what I have; whether I have little or much, to me it is much. It seems as though he wanted to state it as clearly as possible. He makes use of these words: “I am content,” he says, “with what I have.” That means: “I neither have want, nor have I too much. I have no want, for I seek nothing more. I have not too much, for I have it not for myself, but for the many.” This is said with reference to money.

90. But he could have said these words about everything, for all that he had at the moment contented him; that is, he wanted no greater honour, he sought for no further services, he was not desirous of vainglory, nor did he look for gratitude where it was not due; but patient in labours, sure in his merits, he waited for the end of the struggle that he must needs endure. “I know,” he says, “how to be abased.”479    Phil. iv. 12. An untaught humility has no claim to praise, but only that which possesses modesty and a knowledge of self. For there is a humility that rests on fear, one, too, that rests on want of skill and ignorance. Therefore the Scripture says: “He will save the humble in spirit.”480    Ps. xxxiv. [xxxiii.] 18. Gloriously, therefore, does he say: “I know how to be abased;” that is to say, where, in what moderation, to what end, in what duty, in which office. The Pharisee knew not how to be abased, therefore he was cast down. The publican knew, and therefore he was justified.481    S. Luke xviii. 11.

91. Paul knew, too, how to abound, for he had a rich soul, though he possessed not the treasure of a rich man. He knew how to abound, for he sought no gift in money, but looked for fruit in grace. We can understand his words that he knew how to abound also in another way. For he could say again: “O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged.”482    2 Cor. vi. 14.

92. In all things he was accustomed both to be full and to be hungry. Blessed is he that knows how to be full in Christ. Not corporal, but spiritual, is that satiety which knowledge brings about. And rightly is there need of knowledge: “For man lives not by bread alone, but by every word of God.”483    Deut. viii. 3. For he who knew how to be full also knew how to be hungry, so as to be always seeking something new, hungering after God, thirsting for the Lord. He knew how to hunger, for he knew that the hungry shall eat.484    S. Matt. v. 6. He knew, also, how to abound, and was able to abound, for he had nothing and yet possessed all things.485    2 Cor. vi. 10.

91 CAPUT XVII.

Quas virtutes in eo quem consulamus, inesse oporteat: et qua ratione iisdem Joseph ac Paulus ornati fuerint?

86. Talis itaque debet esse qui consilium alteri 0126C det, ut se ipsum formam aliis praebeat ad exemplum bonorum operum, in doctrina, in integritate, in gravitate; ut sit ejus sermo salubris atque irreprehensibilis, consilium utile, vita honesta, sententia decora.

87. Talis erat Paulus, qui consilium dabat virginibus (I Cor. VII, 25 et seq.), magisterium sacerdotibus (Tit. II, 7), ut primum se ipsum formam nobis praeberet ad imitandum. Ideo et humiliari sciebat, sicut scivit et Joseph, qui summo ortus patriarcharum genere, non dedignatus degenerem servitutem, exhibebat eam obsequiis, illustrabat virtutibus. Scivit humiliari, qui et venditorem et emptorem passus est, et dominum appellabat eum. Audi humiliantem se: Si Dominus meus propter me nihil scit in domo sua, et omnia quaecamque habet, 0126D dedit in manus meas, neque subtractum est a me quidquam praeter te, quia uxor illius es; quomodo faciam 0127A verbum malum hoc, et peccabo coram Domino (Gen. XXXIX, 8 et seq.)? Plena vox humilitatis, plena castimoniae: humilitatis, quia domino deferebat; honorificentiae, quia referebat gratiam: plena quoque castimoniae, quia turpi flagitio contaminari grave peccatum putabat.

88. Talis igitur debet esse consiliarius, qui nihil nebulosum habeat, nihil fallax, nihil simulatum, quod vitam ejus ac mores refellat; nihil improbum ac malevolum, quod avertat consulentes. Alia sunt enim quae fugiuntur, alia quae contemnuntur. Fugimus ea quae possunt nocere, quae malitiose possunt in noxam serpere; ut si is qui consulitur, dubia sit fide, et pecuniae avidus, ut possit pretio mutari: si injuriosus, hic fugitur ac declinatur. Qui vero voluptuarius, 0127B intemperans, etsi alienus a fraude; tamen avarus et cupidior lucri turpis, hic contemnitur. Quod enim specimen industriae, quem fructum laboris edere potest, quam recipere animo curam ac sollicitudinem, qui se torpori dederit atque ignaviae?

89. Ideo boni vir consilii dicit: Ego enim didici, in quibus sum, sufficiens esse (Phil. IV, 11). Sciebat enim omnium malorum radicem esse avaritiam, et ideo suo contentus erat, alienum non requirebat (I Tim. VI, 10). Satis mihi est, inquit, quod habeo; sive parum, sive plurimum habeam, mihi plurimum est. Expressius aliquid dicendum videtur. Signato verbo usus est: Sufficit mihi, inquit, in quo sum; id est, nec deest, nec superfluit. Non deest, quia nihil quaero amplius: non superfluit, quia non solum 0127C mihi habeo, sed pluribus. Hoc de pecunia.

92 90. Caeterum de omnibus dici potest quia sufficiebant illi praesentia, hoc est, non honorem majorem, non obsequia uberiora desiderabat; non gloriae immodicae cupidus, aut gratiam indebite quaerebat: sed debiti finem certaminis, patiens laboris, securus meriti praestolabatur: Scio, inquit, et humiliari (Phil. IV, 12). Non ergo indocta humilitas, sed quae habeat sui modestiam et scientiam, laudi datur. Est enim humilitas formidinis, est imperitiae atque ignorantiae; et ideo Scriptura ait: Et humiles spiritu salvabit (Psal. XXXIII, 19). Praeclare ergo dixit: Scio et humiliari, id est, quo in loco, qua moderatione, quo fine, in quo officio, in quo munere. Nescivit Pharisaeus humiliari, ideo dejectus 0127D est: scivit publicanus, ideo justificatus est (Luc. XVIII, 11 et seq.).

91. Sciebat et abundare Paulus, quia animum habebat divitem; etsi thesaurum divitis non habebat. 0128A Sciebat abundare, qui non quaerebat datum in pecunia, sed requirebat fructum in gratia. Possumus et sic intelligere, quia sciebat abundare, qui poterat dicere: Os nostrum patet ad vos, o Corinthii, cor nostrum dilatatum est (II Cor. VI, 11).

92. In omnibus erat imbutus, et saturari et esurire. Beatus qui sciebat saturari in Christo. Non ergo illa corporalis, sed spiritualis est satietas, quam operatur scientia. Et merito scientia opus est; quia non in pane solo vivit homo, sed in omni verbo Dei (Deut. VIII, 3). Ergo qui sic sciebat saturari et sic esurire, sciebat ut semper nova quaereret, esuriret Deum, sitiret in Dominum. Sciebat esurire, qui sciebat quia esurientes manducabunt (Matth. V, 6): sciebat et poterat abundare, qui nihil habebat, et 0128B possidebat omnia (II Cor. VI, 10).