Chapter XIV.

47. Then, further, the statement which follows, “No man can serve two masters,” is to be referred to this very intent, as He goes on to explain, saying: “For either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will372    Alterum patietur; Vulgate, unum sustinebit. submit to the one, and despise the other.” And these words are to be carefully considered; for who the two masters are he forthwith shows, when He says, “Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Riches are said to be called mammon among the Hebrews. The Punic name also corresponds: for gain is called mammon in Punic.373    Augustin is the only one to give this derivation. His residence in North Africa is the explanation of his knowledge of the Punic. The word probably comes from the Chaldee and through the Hebrew word aman, “what is trusted in.” (See Thayer, Lexicon.) But he who serves mammon certainly serves him who, as being set over those earthly things in virtue of his perversity, is called by our Lord the prince of this world.374    John xii. 31 and xiv. 30. A man will therefore “either hate” this one, “and love the other,” i.e. God; “or he will submit to the one, and despise the other.” For whoever serves mammon submits to a hard and ruinous master: for, being entangled by his own lust, he becomes a subject of the devil, and he does not love him; for who is there who loves the devil? But yet he submits to him; as in any large house he who is connected with another man’s maid servant submits to hard bondage on account of his passion. even though he does not love him whose maid-servant he loves.

48. But “he will despise the other,” He has said; not, he will hate. For almost no one’s conscience can hate God; but he despises, i.e. he does not fear Him, as if feeling himself secure in consideration of His goodness. From this carelessness and ruinous security the Holy Spirit recalls us, when He says by the prophet, “My son, do not add sin upon sin, and say, The mercy of God is great ;”375    Ecclus. v. 5, 6. and, “Knowest thou not that the patience376    Patientia…invitat; Vulgate, benignitas…adducit. of God inviteth377    Patientia…invitat; Vulgate, benignitas…adducit. thee to repentance?”378    Rom. ii. 4. For whose mercy can be mentioned as being so great as His, who pardons all the sins of those who return, and makes the wild olive a partaker of the fatness of the olive? and whose severity as being so great as His, who spared not the natural branches, but broke them off because of unbelief?379    Rom. xi. 17–24. But let not any one who wishes to love God, and to beware of offending Him, suppose that he can serve two masters;380    Luther says the world can do it in a masterly way, and carry the tree (or “water” according to the English figure) on both shoulders. This verse is a rebuke to those who think they can combine a supreme affection for heavenly and for earthly things at the same time, and pursue both with equal zeal. and let him disentangle the upright intention of his heart from all doubleness: for thus he will think of the Lord with a good heart, and in simplicity of heart will seek Him.381    Wisd. i. 1.

CAPUT XIV.---47. Quod autem sequitur, et dicit, Nemo potest duobus dominis servire, ad hanc ipsam intentionem referendum est, quod consequenter exponit, dicens: Aut enim unum odio habebit, et alterum diliget; aut alterum patietur, et alterum contemnet. Quae verba diligenter consideranda sunt: nam qui sint duo domini, deinceps ostendit, cum dicit, Non potestis Deo servire et mammonae. Mammona apud Hebraeos divitiae appellari dicuntur. Congruit et punicum nomen: nam lucrum, punice mammon dicitur. Sed qui servit mammonae, illi utique servit, qui rebus istis terrenis merito suae perversitatis praepositus, magistratus hujus saeculi a Domino dicitur (Joan. XII, 31, et XIV, 30). Aut ergo hunc odio habebit homo, et alterum diliget, id est, Deum; aut alterum patietur, et alterum contemnet. Patitur enim durum et perniciosum dominum, quisquis servit mammonae; sua enim cupiditate implicatus, subditur diabolo: et non eum diligit; quis enim est qui diligat diabolum? sed tamen patitur: sicut in majore aliqua domo, qui ancillae alienae conjunctus est, propter cupiditatem suam duram patitur servitutem, etiam si non diligat eum, cujus ancillam diligit.

48. Alterum autem contemnet, dixit; non, odio habebit. Nullius enim fere conscientia Deum odisse potest : contemnit autem, id est non timet eum, quasi de ejus bonitate securus est. Ab hac negligentia et perniciosa securitate revocat Spiritus sanctus, cum per Prophetam dicit, Fili, ne adjicias peccatum super peccatum, et dicas, Miseratio Dei magna est (Eccli. V, 5, 6); et, Ignoras quia patientia Dei ad poenitentiam te invitat (Rom. II, 4)? Cujus enim tanta misericordia commemorari potest, quam ejus qui omnia donat peccata conversis, et oleastrum facit participem pinguedinis olivae? et cujus tanta severitas, quam ejus qui naturalibus ramis non pepercit, sed propter infidelitatem fregit illos (Id. XI, 17-24)? Sed quisquis vus diligere Deum, et cavere ne offendat, non se arbitretur duobus dominis posse servire, et intentionem cordis sui rectam ab omni duplicitate explicet: ita enim sentiet de Domino in bonitate, et in simplicitate 1291 cordis quaeret illum (Sap. I, 1).