 Chapter 22 of On the Duties of the clergy. Book the second. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. On the Duties of the clergy by Saint Ambrose. Book the second. Chapter 22. We must observe a right standard between too great mildness and excessive harshness. They who endeavor to creep into the hearts of others by a false show of mildness, gain nothing substantial or lasting. This the example of Absalom plainly enough shows. Moreover, due measure befits even our words and instructions, that it may not seem as though there was either too great mildness or too much harshness. Many prefer to be too mild, so as to appear to be good. But it is certain that nothing feigned or false can bear the form of true virtue. Nay, it cannot even last. At first, it flourishes. Then, as time goes on like a flower, it fades and passes away. But what is true and sincere has a deep root. To prove by examples our assertion, that what is feigned cannot last. But flourishing just for a time quickly fails. We will take one example of pretense and falsehood from that family, from which we have already drawn so many examples to show their growth in virtue. Absalom was King David's son, known for his beauty, of splendid appearance and in the heyday of youth. So that no other such man as he was found in Israel. He was without a blemish from the soul of his food to the crown of his head. He had for himself a chariot and horses and fifty men to run before him. He rose at early dawn and stood before the gate in the way, and whoever he knew to be seeking the judgment of the king, he called to himself, saying, From what city art thou? And he answered, I, thy servant and of one of the tribes of Israel. And Absalom answered, Thy words are good and right. Is there none given thee by the king to hear thee? Who will make me a judge? And whosoever will come unto me, that hath need of judgment, I will give him justice? With such words he cajewed them. And when they came to make obeisance to him, stretching forth his hand, he took hold of them and kissed them. So he turned the hearts of all to himself, for flattery of this sword quickly finds its way to touch the very depths of the heart. Those spoiled and ambitious men chose what for a time seemed an honor to them, and was pleasing and enjoyable. But whilst that delay took place, which the prophet, being prudent above all, thought ought to intervene, they could no longer hold out or bear it. Then David, having no doubt about the victory, commanded his son to those who went out to fight, so that they should spare him. He would not engage in the battle himself, lest he should seem to be taking up arms against one who was still his son, though attempting to destroy his father. It is clear, then, that those things are lasting and sound, which are true and grow out of a sincere and not a false heart. Those, however, which are brought about by pretense and adulation, can never last for long. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information, auto-volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Or those who are allured by adulation would ever be faithful to them. For the former are ever ready to sell themselves, whilst the latter cannot put up with a hard rule. They are easily one with a little adulation, but if one reproves them by a word, they murmur against it. They give one up, they go away with hostile feelings, they forsake one in anger. They prefer to rule rather than to obey. They think that those whom they ought to have placed over them ought to be subject to themselves, as though indebted to them by their kindness. What man is there that thinks those will be faithful to himself, whom he believes he will have to bind to himself by money of lattery? For he who takes thy money supposes that he is cheaply held and looked down upon unless the money is paid again and again. So he frequently expects his price, whilst the other who is met with prayer and flattery is always wanting to be asked. On the duties of the clergy by St. Ambrose Book II Chapter 24 We must strive for a preferment only by right means. An office undertaken must be carried out wisely and with moderation. The inferior clergy should not detract from the bishop's reputation by feigned virtues. Nor again should the bishop be jealous of a cleric, but he should be just in all things and especially in giving judgment. I think, then, that one should strive to win preferment, especially in the church, only by good actions and with the right aim. So that there may be no proud conceit, nor idle carelessness, no shameful disposition of mind, no unseemly ambition. A plain simplicity of mind is enough for everything and commands itself quite sufficiently. When in office again it is not right to be harsh and severe, nor may one be too easy. Lest, on the one hand, we should seem to be exercising a despotic power and, on the other, to be by no means filling the office we had taken up. We must strive also to win many by-kindnesses and duties that we can do and to preserve the favor already shown us, for they will with good reason forget the benefits of former times if they are now vexed at some great wrong. For it often enough happens that those, one has shown favor to and allowed to rise step by step are driven away if one decides in some unworthy way to put another before them. But it is seemly for a priest to show such favor in his kindnesses and his decisions as to guard equity and to show regard to the other clergy as to parents. Those who once stood approved should not now become overbearing, but rather, as mindful of the grace they have received, stand firm in their humility. A priest ought not to be offended if either cleric or attendant or any ecclesiastic should win regard for himself by showing mercy or by fasting or by uprightness of life or by teaching and reading. For the grace of the church is the praise of the teacher. It is a good thing that the work of another should be praised if only it be done without any desire to boast. For each one should receive praise from the lips of his neighbor and not from his own mouth and each one should be commended by the work he has done, not merely by the wishes he had. But if anyone is disobedient to his bishop and wishes to exalt and appraise himself and to overshadow his bishop's merits by feigning the parents of learning or humility or mercy, he is wandering from the truth in his pride. For the rule of truth is to do nothing to advance one's own cause whereby another loses ground, no to use whatever good one has to the disgrace or blame of another. Never protect a wicked man, nor allow the sacred things to be given over to an unworthy one. On the other hand, do not harass and press hard on a man whose fault is not clearly proved. Injustice quickly gives offense in every case, but especially in the church, where equity ought to exist, where like treatment should be given to all, so that a powerful person may not claim the more, nor a rich man appropriates the more. For whether we be poor or rich, we are one in Christ. Let him that lives a holy life claim nothing more thereby for himself, for he ought rather to be the more humble for it. In giving judgment, let us have no respect of persons. Favour must be put out of sight and the case be decided on its merits. Nothing is so great as strain on another's good opinion or confidence, as the fact of our giving away the cause of the weaker to the more powerful in any case that comes before us. The same happens if we are hard on the poor, whilst we make excuses for the rich man when guilty. Men are ready enough to flatter those in high positions, so as not to let them think themselves injured or to feel vexed as though overthrown. No fear is to give offence then do not undertake to give judgment. If thou art a priest or some cleric, do not urge it. It is allowable for thee to be silent in the matter if it be a money affair, though it is always due to consistency to be on the side of equity. But in the cause of God, where there is danger to the whole church, it is no small sin to act as though one saw nothing. End of chapter 24 Chapter 25 This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. On the Duties of the Clergy by St. Ambrose Book II Chapter 25 Benefits should be conferred on the poor rather than on the rich, for these latter either think a return is expected from them or else they are angry at seeming to be indebted for such an action. But the poor man makes God the debtor in his place and freely owns to the benefit he has received. To these remarks is added a warning to despise riches. But what advantage is it to thee to show favour to a rich man? Is it that he is more ready to repay one who loves him? We generally show favour to those from whom we expect to receive a return of favour. But we ought to think far more of the weak and helpless, because we hope to receive on behalf of him who has it not a recompense from the Lord Jesus, who in the likeness of a marriage feast has given us a general representation of virtue. By this he bids us confer benefits rather than those who cannot give them to us in return, giving us to bid to our feasts and meals, not to those who are rich but those that are poor. For the rich seem to be asked that they may prepare a banquet for us in return. The poor, as they have nothing wherewith to make return when they receive anything, make the Lord to be our recompense who has offered himself as surety for the poor. In the ordinary cause of things too, the conferring of a benefit on the poor is of more use than it is conferred on the rich. The rich man scorns the benefit and is ashamed to feel indebted for a favour. Nay, moreover, whatever is offered to him he takes as due to his merits, as though only a just debt were paid him. Or else he thinks it was but given because the giver expected a still greater return to be made him by the rich man. So, in accepting a kindness, the rich man, on that very ground, that he has given more than he ever received. The poor man, however, though he has no money wherewith he can repay, at least shows his gratitude. And herein it is certain that he returns more than he received. For money is paid in coins, but gratitude never fails. Money grows less by payment, but gratitude fails when held back and is preserved when given to others. Next, a thing the rich man avoids, but the poor man owns that he feels bound by the debt. He really thinks help has been given him, not that it has been offered in return for his honour. He considers that his children have been again given him, that his life is restored and his family preserved. How much better then is it to confer benefits upon the good than on the ungrateful? Wherefore, the Lord said to his disciples, take neither gold nor silver nor money, whereby as with the sickle he cuts off the love of money that is ever growing up in human hearts. Peter also said to the lame man, who was always carried even from his mother's womb, silver and gold have I none, but what I have give I thee. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth arise and walk. So he gave not money, but he gave health. How much better it is to have health without money than money without health? The lame man rose. He had not hoped for that. He received no money, though he had hoped for that. But riches are hardly to be found among the saints of the Lord, so as to become objects of contempt to them. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. On the Duties of the Clergy by St. Ambrose Book II Chapter 26 How long standing an evil love of money is is plain from many examples in the Old Testament and yet it is plain too how idle a thing the possession of money is. But man's habits have so long applied themselves to his admiration of money, but no one is thought worthy of honour unless he is rich. This is no new habit. Nay, this vice, and that makes the matter worse, grew long years ago in the hearts of men. When the city of Jericho fell at the sound of the priest's trumpets and Joshua the son of Nun gained the victory, he knew that the valor of the people was weakened through love of money and desire for gold. For when Achan had taken a garment of gold and two hundred shekels of silver and a golden ingot from the spoils of the ruined city, he was brought before the Lord and could not deny the theft, but owned it. Love of money then is an old, an ancient vice, which showed itself even at the declaration of the Divine Law, for a law was given to check it. On account of love of money, Achan thought Balaam could be tempted by rewards to curse the people of our fathers. Love of money would have won the day too, had not God bidden him hold back from cursing. Overcome by love of money, Achan led to distraction all the people of the fathers. So Joshua the son of Nun, who could stay the son from setting, could not stay the love of money in man from creeping on. At the sound of his voice the son stood still, but love of money stayed not. When the son stood still, Joshua completed his triumph, but when love of money went on, he almost lost the victory. Why? Did not the woman Delilah's love of money deceive Samson the bravest man of all? So he who had torn asunder the roaring lion with his hands, who, when bound and handed over to his enemies alone, without help, burst his bonds and slew a thousand of them, who broke the cords into woven with sinews as though they were but the slight threads of a net? He, I say, having laid his head on the woman's knee, was robbed of the decoration of his victory-bringing hair, that which gave him his might. Money flowed into the lap of the woman, and the favor of God foresook the man. Love of money then is deadly. Seductive is money, whilst it also defiles those who have it, and helps not those who have it not. Supposing that money sometimes is a help, yet it is only a help to a poor man who makes his want known. What good is it to him who does not long for it, nor seek it? Who does not need its help and is not turned aside by pursuit of it? What good is it to others if he who has it is alone the richer for it? Is he therefore more honorable because he has that whereby honor is often lost? Because he has what he must guard rather than possess? We possess what we use, but what is beyond our use brings a snow-fruit of possession, but only the danger of watching. End of chapter 26 Chapter 27 Orb on the Duties of the Clergy Book II This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. On the Duties of the Clergy by St. Ambrose Book II Chapter 27 In contempt of money there is the pattern of justice, which virtue, bishops and clerics ought to aim it together with some others. A few words are added on the duty of not bringing an excommunication too quickly into force. To come to an end, we know that contempt of riches is a form of justice, therefore we ought to avoid love of money and strive with all our powers never to do anything against justice, but to guard it in all our deeds and actions. If we would please God, we must have love, we must be of one mind, we must follow humility, each one thinking the other higher than himself. This is true humility, when one never claims anything proudly for oneself, but thinks oneself to be the inferior. The bishop should treat the clerics and attendants who are indeed his sons as members of himself and give to each one that duty for which he sees him to be fit. Not without pain is a limb of the body cut off, which has become corrupt. It is treated for a long time to see if it can be cured with various remedies. If it cannot be cured, then it is cut off by a good physician. Thus it is a good bishop's desire to wish to heal the weak, to remove the spreading ulcers, to burn some parts and not to cut them off, and lastly, when they cannot be healed, to cut them off with pain to himself. Wherefore that beautiful rule of the Apostle stands forth brightly, that we should look each one not on his own things, but on the things of others. In this way it will never come about that we shall in anger give way to our own feelings and see it more than is right in favour to our own wishes. End of Chapter 27 Chapter 28 of On the Duties of the Clergy Book II This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org On the Duties of the Clergy by St. Ambrose Book II Chapter 28 Mercy must be freely shown, even though it brings an odium of its own. With regard to this, reference is made to the well-known story about the sacred vessels which were broken up by Ambrose to pay for the redemption of captives, and very beautiful advice is given about the right use of the golden silver which the church possesses. Next, after showing from the action of Holy Lawrence what are the true treasures of the church, certain rules are laid down which ought to be observed in melting down and employing for such uses the consecrated vessels of the church. It is a very great incentive to Mercy to share in others misfortunes, to help the needs of others as far as our means allow, and sometimes even beyond them. For it is better for Mercy's sake to take up a case or to suffer odium rather than to show hard feeling. So, I once brought odium on myself and brought the sacred vessels to redeem captives, a fact that could displease the Aryans. Not that it displeased them as an act, but as being a thing in which they could take hold of something for which to blame me. Who can be so hard, cruel, iron-hearted, as to be displeased because a man is redeemed from death or a woman from barbarian impurities, things that are worse than death, or boys and girls and infants from the pollution of idols, whereby through fear of death they were defiled? Although we did not act thus without good reason, yet we have followed it up among the people so as to confess and to add again and again that it was far better to preserve souls than gold for the Lord. For he who sent the apostles without gold also brought together the churches without gold. The church has gold, not to store up but to lay out and to spend on those who need. What necessity is there to guard what is of no good? Do we not know how much gold and silver the Assyrians took out of the temple of the Lord? Is it not much better that the priest should melt it down for the sustenance of the poor if other supplies fail than that a sacrilegious enemy should carry it off and defile it? Would not the Lord himself say, why did thou suffer so many needy to dive hunger? Surely thou hadst gold? Thou shouldst have given them sustenance. Why are so many captives brought on the slave market and why are so many unredeemed left to be slain by the enemy? It had been better to preserve living vessels than gold ones. To this no answer could be given. For what would thou say, I feared that the temple of God would need its ornaments? He would answer, the sacraments need not gold, nor are they proper to gold only, for they are not bought with gold. The glory of the sacraments is the redemption of captives. Truly they are precious vessels, for they redeem men from death. That indeed is the true treasure of the Lord which affects what his blood affected. Then indeed is the vessel of the Lord's blood recognized, when one sees in either redemption so that the chalice redeems from the enemy those whom his blood redeemed from sin. How beautifully it is said, when long lines of captives are redeemed by the church, these Christ has redeemed. Behold the gold that can be tried, behold the useful gold, behold the gold of Christ which frees from death, behold the gold whereby modesty is redeemed and chastity is preserved. These then I preferred to hand over to you as free men, rather than to store up the gold. This crowd of captives, this company surely is more glorious than the sight of cups. The gold of the redeemer ought to contribute to this work, so as to redeem those in danger. I recognize the fact that the blood of Christ not only glows in cups of gold, but also by the office of redemption has impressed upon them the power of the divine operation. Such gold the holy martyr Lawrence preserved for the Lord. For when the treasures of the church were demanded from him, he promised that he would show them. On the following day he brought the poor together. When asked where the treasures were, which he had promised, he pointed to the poor saying, these are the treasures of the church. And truly they were treasures in whom Christ lives, in whom there is faith in him. So too the apostle says, we have this treasure in earthen vessels. What greater treasures has Christ than those in whom he says he himself lives. For thus it is written, I was hungry and he gave me to eat. I was thirsty and he gave me to drink. I was a stranger and he took me in. And again, what thou didst do one of these, thou didst it unto me. What better treasures has Jesus than those in which he loves to be seen? These treasures Lawrence pointed out and prevailed. For the persecutors could not take them away. Jehoekim, who preserved his gold during the siege and spent it not in providing food, saw his gold carried off and himself led into captivity. Lawrence, who preferred to spend the gold of the church on the poor, rather than to keep it in hand for the persecutor, received the sacred crown of martyrdom for the unique and deep-sighted vigor of his meaning. Or was it perhaps said to Holy Lawrence, thou shouldst not spend the treasures of the church or sell the sacred vessels? It is necessary that everyone should fill this office with genuine good faith and clear-sighted forethought. If anyone derives profit from it for himself, it is a crime. But if he spends the treasures on the poor or redeems captives, he shows mercy. For no one can say, why does the poor man live? None can complain that captives are redeemed. None can find fault because a temple of the Lord is built. None can be angry because a plot of ground has been enlarged for the burial of the dead. In these three ways, it is allowable to break up, melt down or sell even the sacred vessels of the church. It is necessary to see that the mystic cup does not go out of the church lest the service of the sacred challenge should be turned over to base uses. Therefore vessels were first sought for in the church, which had not been consecrated to such holy uses. Then broken up and afterwards melted down, they were given to the poor in small payments and were also used for the ransom of captives. But if new vessels fail, all those which never seem to have been used for such a holy purpose, then, as I have already said, I think that all might be put to this use without irreverence. End of Chapter 28 Chapter 29 of On the Duties of the clergy Book II This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org On the Duties of the clergy by St. Ambrose Book II Chapter 29 The property of widows, or of all the faithful, that has been entrusted to the church, ought to be defended though it brings danger to oneself. This is illustrated by the example of Anias the priest and Avambro's Bishop of Ticinum. Great care must be taken that the property entrusted by widows remains inviolate. It should be guarded without causing complaint, not only if it belongs to widows, but to anyone at all. For good faith must be shown to all, though the cause of the widow and orphans comes first. So everything entrusted to the temple was preserved in the name of the widows alone, as we read in the book of the Maccabees. For when information was given of the money which Simon treacherously had told King Antiochus could be found in large quantities in the temple at Jerusalem, Heliodorus was sent to look into the matter. He came to the temple and made known to the high priest his hateful information and the reason of his coming. Then the priest said that only means for the maintenance of the widows and orphans was laid up there. And when Heliodorus would have gone to seize it and to claim it on the king's behalf, the priests cast themselves before the altar after putting on their priestly robes and with tears cold on the living god who had given them the law concerning trust money to show himself as guardian of his own commands. The changed look and color of the high priest showed what grief of soul and anxiety and tension of mind were his. All wept, for the spot would fall into contempt if not even in the temple of God's safe and faithful guardianship could be preserved. Women with breasts girded and virgins who usually were shut in knocked at the doors. They ran to the walls. Others looked out of the windows, all raised their hands to heaven in prayer that God would stand by his laws. But Heliodorus, undeterred by this, was eager to carry out his intention and had already surrounded the treasury with his followers when suddenly there appeared to him a dreadful horseman all glorious in golden armor, his horse also being adorned with costly ornaments. Two other youths also appeared in glorious might and wondrous beauty, in splendor and glory and beauty as a ray. They stood round him and on either side beat the sacrilegious wretch and gave him stroke after stroke without intermission. What more need I say? Shutting by darkness he fell to the ground and lay there nearly dead with fear at this plain proof of divine power, nor had he any hope of safety left within him. Joy returned to those who were in fear, fear fell on those who were so proud before. And some of the friends of Heliodorus in their trouble besought Onius asking life for him since he was almost at his last breath. When therefore the High Priest asked for this, the same youths again appeared to Heliodorus clad in the same garments and said to him, Give thanks to Onius the High Priest for whose sake thy life is granted thee. But do thou, having experienced the scourge of God, go and tell thy friends how much thou hast learnt of the sanctity of the temple and the power of God. With these words they passed out of sight. Heliodorus then, his life having come back to him, offered a sacrifice to the Lord. Gave thanks to the Priest Onius and returned with his army to the King saying, If thou hast an enemy or one who is plotting against thy power, send him thither and thou wilt receive him back well scourged. Therefore, my sons, good faith must be preserved in the case of trust money and care too must be shown. Your service will glow the brighter if the oppression of a powerful man, which some widower often cannot withstand, is checked by the assistance of the church, and if he show that the command of the Lord has more weight with you than the favor of the rich. He also remember how often we entered on a contest against the royal attacks on behalf of the trust money belonging to widows, yay, and to others as well. You and I shared this in common. I will also mention the late case of the church at Decinium, which was in danger of losing the widows trust money that it had received. For when he who wanted to claim it on some imperial rescript demanded it, the clergy did not maintain their rights, for they themselves, having once been called to office and sent to intervene, now supposed that they could not oppose the emperor's orders. The plain words of the rescript were read, the orders of the chief officer of the court were there. He who was to act in the matter was at hand. What more was to be said? It was handed over. However, after taking counsel with me, the holy bishop took possession of the rooms to which he knew that the widow's property had been carried. As it could not be carried away, it was all set down in writing. Later on it was again demanded on proof of the document. The emperor repeated the order and would meet us himself in his own person. We refused. And when the force of the divine law and a long list of passages and the danger of Heliodorus were explained, at length the emperor became reasonable. Afterwards again an attempt was made to seize it, but the good bishop anticipated the attempt to restore it to the widow's all he had received. So faith was preserved, but the oppression was no longer a cause for fear. For now it is the matter itself, not good faith, that is in danger. End of chapter 29 Chapter 30 of On the Duties of the Clergy Book II This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org On the Duties of the Clergy by St. Ambrose Book II Chapter 30 The ending of the book brings an exhortation to avoid ill will and to seek prudence, faith and the other virtues. My sons, avoid wicked men, guard against the envious. There is this difference between a wicked and an envious man. The wicked man is delighted at his own good fortune, but the envious tortured the thought of another's. The former loves evil, the latter hates good. So he is almost more bearable who desires good for himself alone than he who desires evil for all. My sons, think before you act and when you have thought long then do what you consider right. When the opportunity of a praiseworthy death is given, let it be seized at once. Glory that is put off flies away and is not easily laid hold of again. Love faith, for by his devotion and faith Josiah won great love for himself from his enemies. For he celebrated the Lord's Passover when he was 18 years old as no one had done it before him. As then in zeal he was superior to those who went before him. So do ye, my sons, show zeal for God. Let zeal for God search you through and devour you so that each one of you may say the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. An apostle of Christ was called the zealot. But why do I speak of an apostle? The Lord himself said, the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. Let it then be real zeal for God. Not mean earth is zeal for that causes jealousy. Let there be peace among you which passes all understanding. Love one another. Nothing is sweeter than charity. Nothing more blessed than peace. Ye yourselves know that I have ever loved you and do now love you above all others. As the children of one father ye have become united under the bond of brotherly affection. Whatsoever is good, that hold fast. And the God of peace and love be with you in the Lord Jesus to whom be honour and glory, dominion and might, together with the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen. End of chapter 30. This concludes the reading of Book II of On the Duties of the Clergy by St. Ambrose. Chapter 1 of On the Duties of the Clergy Book III This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org On the Duties of the Clergy by St. Ambrose Book III Chapter 1 We are taught by David and Solomon how to take counsel with our own heart. Scipio is not to be accounted prime author of the saying which is ascribed to him. The writer proves what glorious things the holy prophets accomplished in their time of quiet was by examples of their and others' leisure moments what a just man is never alone in trouble. The prophet David taught us that we should go about in our heart as though in a large house that we should hold converse with it as if with some trusty companion. He spoke to himself and conversed with himself as these words show. I said, I will take heed to my ways. Solomon his son also said drink water out of thine own vessels and out of the springs of thy wells that is use thine own counsel for counsel in the heart of a man is as deep waters let no stranger it says share it with thee let the fountain of thy water be thine own and rejoice with thy wife who is thine from thy youth let the loving hind and pleasant dough converse with thee Scipio therefore was not the first to know that he was not alone when he was alone or that he was least at leisure when he was at leisure for Moses knew it before him who when silent was crying out who when he stood at ease was fighting may not merely fighting but triumphing over enemies whom he had not come near so much was here it is he held up his hands yet he was no less active than others for he with his hands at ease was overcoming the enemy whom they that were in the battle could not conquer thus Moses in his silence spoke and in his ease labored hard and were his labors greater than his times of quiet who being in the mount for 40 days received the whole law and in that solitude there was one not far away to speak with him quence also David says I will hear what the Lord God will say within me how much greater a thing is it for God to speak with anyone than for a man to speak with himself the apostles passed by and their shadows cured the sick their garments were attached and health was granted Elijah spoke the word and the rain ceased and fell not on the earth for three years and six months again he spoke the barrel of meal failed not and the cruise of oil wasted not the whole time of that long famine but as many delight in warfare which is the most glorious to bring the battle to an end by the strength of a great army or by the merits before God alone Elijah rested in one place while the king of Syria waged a great war against the people of our fathers and was adding to its terrors by various treacherous plans and was endeavoring to catch them in an ambush but the prophet found out all their preparations and being by the grace of God present everywhere in mental vigor he told the thoughts of their enemies to his countrymen and warned them of what places to beware and when this was known to the king of Syria he sent an army and shut in the prophet Elijah prayed and caused all of them to be struck with blindness to those who had come to besiege him and to Samaria's captives let us compare this leisure of his with that of others other men for the sake of rest are wont to withdraw their minds from business and to retire from the company and companionship of men to seek the retirement of the country or the solitude of the fields or in the city to give their minds a rest and to enjoy peace and quietness but Elijah was ever active in solitude he divided Jordan on passing over it so that the lower part flowed down whilst the upper returned to its source on Carmel he promises the woman who so far had had no child that the son now unhoped for should be born to her he raises the debt to life he corrects the bitterness of the food and makes it to be sweet by mixing meal with it having distributed 10 loaves to the people for food he gathered up the fragments that were left after they had been filled he makes the iron head of the axe which had fallen off and was sunk deep in the river Jordan to swim by putting the wooden handle in the water he changes leprosy for cleanness drought for rain famine for plenty when can the upright man be alone since he is always with God when is he left forsaken who is never separated from Christ who says shall separate us from the love of Christ I am confident that neither death nor life nor angel shall do so and when can he be deprived of his labor who never can be deprived of his merits wherein his labor received its crown by what places is he limited to whom the whole world of riches is a possession by what judgment is he confined who is never blamed by anyone for he is as a known yet well known as dying and behold he lives as sorrowful yet always rejoicing as poor yet making many rich as having nothing and yet possessing all things for the upright man regards nothing but what is consistent and virtuous and so although he seems poor to another he is rich to himself for his worth is taken not at the value of the things which are temporal but of the things which are eternal end of chapter 1 chapter 2 of On the Duties of the clergy book the third this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org On the Duties of the clergy by St. Ambrose book the third chapter 2 the discussions among philosophers about the comparison between what is virtuous and what is useful have nothing to do with Christians for with them nothing is useful which is not just what are the duties of perfection and what are the ordinary duties the same words often suit different things in different ways lastly a just man never seeks his own advantage at the cost of another's disadvantage but rather is always on the lookout for what is useful to others as we have already spoken about the two former subjects wherein we discussed what is virtuous and what is useful there follows now the question whether we ought to compare what is virtuous and useful together and to ask which we must follow for as we have already discussed the matters to whether a thing is virtuous or wicked and in another place what is useful or useless so here some think we ought to find out whether a thing is virtuous or useful I am induced to do this lest I should seem to be allowing that these two are mutually opposed to one another when I have already shown them to be one for I said that nothing can be virtuous but what is useful and nothing can be useful but what is virtuous for we do not follow the wisdom whereby the usefulness that consists in an abundance of money is held to be of most value but we follow that wisdom which is of God whereby those things which are greatly valued in this world are counted but as loss for this Hattorthuma which is duty carried out entirely and in perfection starts from the true source of virtue on this follows another or ordinary duty this shows by its name that no hard or extraordinary practice of virtue is involved for it can be common to very many the desire to save money is the usual practice with many to enjoy a well prepared banquet and a pleasant meal is a general habit but to fast or to use self-restraint is the practice of but few and not to be desirous of another's goods is a virtue rarely found on the other hand to wish to deprive another of his property and not to be content with one's due here one will find many to keep company with one those the philosopher would say are primary duties these ordinary the primary are found but with few the ordinary with the many again the same words often have a different meaning for instance we call God good and a man good but it bears in each case quite a different meaning we call God just in one sense and man in another so too there is a difference in meaning when we call God wise and a man wise this we are taught in the gospel be perfect even as your father who is in heaven is perfect I read again that Paul was perfect and yet not perfect for when he said not as though I had already attained either were already perfect but I follow after if that I may apprehended immediately he added we then that are perfect there is a two fold form of perfection the one having but ordinary the other the highest worth the one availing here the other hereafter the one in accordance with human powers the other with the perfection but God is just through all wise above all perfect in all there is also diversity among men themselves Daniel of whom it was said who is wiser than Daniel was wise in a different sense to what others are the same may be said of Solomon who was filled with wisdom above all the wisdom of the ancients and more than all the wise men of Egypt to be wise wise as men are in general is quite a different thing to being really wise he who is ordinarily wise is wise for temporal matters is wise for himself so as to deprive another of something and get it for himself he who is really wise does not know how to regard his own advantage but looks with all his desire to that which is eternal and to that which is seemingly in virtuous seeking not what is useful for himself but for all let us then be our rule so that we may never go wrong between two things one virtuous the other useful the upright man must never think of depriving another of anything nor must he ever wish to increase his own advantage to the disadvantage of another this rule the apostle gives the saying all things are lawful but all things are not expedient all things are lawful but all things edify not let no man seek his own but each one another's that is let no man seek his own advantage but another's let no man seek his own honor but another's wherefore he says in another place let each esteem other better than themselves looking not each one to his own things but to the things of others and let no one seek his own favor or his own praise but another's this we can plainly see declared in the book of Proverbs where the Holy Spirit says through Solomon my son if thou be wise be wise for thyself and thy neighbors but if thou turn out evil thou alone should bear it the wise man gives counsels to others as the upright man does and shares with him in the form of either virtue End of Chapter 2 Chapter 3 of On The Duties Of The Clergy Book 3 This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org On The Duties Of The Clergy by Saint Ambrose Book 3 Chapter 3 The rule given about not seeking one's own gain is established first by the examples of Christ next by the meaning of the word and lastly by the very form and uses of our limbs wherefore the writer shows what a crime it is to deprive another of what is useful since the law of nature as well as the divine law is broken by such wickedness further by its means we also lose that gift that is superior to other living creatures and lastly through it civil laws are abused and treated with the greatest contempt if then anyone wishes to please all he must strive in everything to do not what is useful for himself but what is useful for many as also Paul's drove to do for this is to be comforted to the image of Christ namely when one does not strive for what is another's and does not deprive another of something so as to gain it for oneself for Christ our Lord though he was in the form of God emptied himself so as to take on himself the form of man which he wished to enrich with the virtue of his works will thou then spoil him whom Christ has put on will thou strip him whom Christ has clothed for this is what thou art doing when thou dost attempt to increase an advantage at another's loss think oh man from whence thou hast received thy name even from the earth which takes nothing from anyone but gives freely to all and supplies varied produce for the use of all living things hence humanity is called a particular and innate virtue in man for it assists its partner the very form of thy body and the uses of thy limbs teach thee this can one limb claim the duties of another can the eye claim for itself the duties of the ear or the mouth the duties of the eye or the hand the service of the feet or the feet that of the hands nay the hands themselves both left and right have different duties to do so that if one were to change the use of either one would act contrary to nature we should have to lay aside the whole man before we could change the service of the various members as if for instance we were to try to take food with the left hand or to perform the duties of the left hand with the right so as to remove the remains of food unless of course need demanded it imagine for a moment and give to the eye the power to withdraw the understanding from the head the sense of hearing from the ears the power of thought from the mind the sense of smell from the nose the sense of taste from the mouth and then to assume them itself would it not at once destroy the whole order of nature where for the apostle says well if the whole body were an eye where were the hearing if the whole were hearing where were the smelling so then we are all one body though with many members all necessary to the body for no one member can say of another I have no need of thee for those members which seem to be more feeble are much more necessary and require greater care and attention and if one member suffers all the members suffer with it so we see how grave a matter it is to deprive another with whom we ought rather to suffer of anything or to act unfairly or injurious towards one to whom we ought to give a share in our services this is a true law of nature which binds us to show all kindly feeling so that we should all of us in turn help one another as parts of one body and should never think of depriving another of anything seeing it is against the law of nature even to abstain from giving help we are born in such a way that limb combines with limb and one works with another and all assist each other in mutual service but if one fails in its duty the rest are hindered if for instance the hand tears out the eye has it not hindered the use of its work if it were to wound the foot how many actions would it not prevent but how much worse is it for the whole man to be drawn aside from his duty than for one of the members only if the whole body is injured in one member so also is the whole community of the human race disturbed in one man the nature of mankind is injured as also is the society of the holy church which rises into one united body bound together in oneness of faith and love Christ the Lord also who died for all will grieve that the price of his blood was paid in vain why the very law of the Lord teaches us that this rule must be observed so that we may never deprive another of anything for the sake of an advantage for it says remove not the bounds which thy fathers have set it bids the neighbors ox to be brought back if found wandering it orders a thief to be put to death it forbids the laborer to be deprived of his hire and orders money to be returned without usury it is a mark of kindly feeling to help him who has nothing but it is a sign of a hard nature to extort more than one has given if a man has need of thy assistance because he has not enough of his own wherewith to repay a debt is it not a wicked thing to demand under the guise of kindly feeling a larger sum from him who has not the means to pay off a less amount thou dost but free him from debt to another and bring him under thy own hand and thou callest that human kindness which is but a further wickedness it is in this very matter that we stand before all other living creatures for they do not understand how to do good wild beasts snatch away men share with others wherefore the psalmist says the righteous showeth mercy and giveth there are some however to whom the wild beasts do good they feed their young with what they get and the birds satisfy their brood with food but to men alone has it been given to feed all as though they were their own that is so in accordance with the claims of nature and if it is not lawful to refuse to give how is it lawful to deprive another and do not our very laws teach us the same they order those things which have been taken from others with injury to their persons or property to be restored with additional recompense so as to check the thief from stealing by the penalty and by the fine to recall him from his ways suppose however that someone did not fear the penalty or laughed at the fine would that make it a worthy thing to deprive another of his own that would be a mean vice and suit it only to the lowest of the law so contrary to nature is it that while want might seem to drive one to it yet nature could never urge it and yet we find secret theft among slaves open robbery among the rich but what so contrary to nature as to injure another for our own benefit the natural feelings of our own hearts urges to keep on the watch for all to undergo trouble to do work for all it is considered also a glorious thing for each one at risk to himself to seek the quiet of all and to think it far more thank worthy to have saved his country from destruction than to have kept danger from himself we must think it a far more noble thing to labor for our country than to pass a quiet life at ease in the full enjoyment of leisure end of chapter 3 chapter 4 of on the duties of the clergy book the third this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org on the duties of the clergy by Saint Ambrose book the third chapter 4 as it has been shown that he who injures another for the sake of his own advantage will undergo terrible punishment at the hand of his own conscience it is referred that nothing is useful to one which is not in the same way useful to all thus there is no place among Christians for the question propounded by the philosophers about two shipwrecked persons show love and humility to all hence we infer that a man who guides himself according to the ruling of nature so as to be obedient to her can never injure another if he injures another he violates nature nor will he think that what he has gained is so much an advantage as a disadvantage and what punishment is worse than the wounds of the conscience within what judgment harder than that of our hearts whereby each one stands convicted and accuses himself of the injury that he has wrongfully done against his brother this the scriptures speak of very plainly saying out of the mouth of fools there is a rod for wrongdoing fully then is condemned because it causes wrongdoing ought we not rather to avoid this than death or loss or want or exile or sickness who would not think some blemish of body or loss of inheritance far less than some blemish of soul or loss of reputation it is clear then that all must consider and hold that the advantage of the individual is the same as that of all and that nothing must be considered advantageous except what is for the general good for how can one be benefited alone that which is useless to all is harmful I certainly cannot think that he who is useless to all can be abused to himself for if there is one law of nature for all there is also one state of usefulness for all and we are bound by the law of nature to act for the good of all it is not therefore right for him who wishes the interests of another to be considered according to nature to injure him against the law of nature for if those who run in a race are as one hears instructed and warned each one to win the race by swiftness of food and not by any foul play and to hasten onto victory by running as hard as they can but not to dare to trip up another or push him aside with their hand how much more in the cause of this life ought the victory to be won by us without falseness to another and cheating some ask whether a wise man ought in case of a shipwreck to avoid a plank from an ignorant sailor although it seems better for the common good that a wise man rather than a fool should escape from shipwreck yet I do not think that a Christian a just and a wise man ought to save his own life by the death of another just as when he meets with an armed robber he cannot return his blows lest in defending his life he should stain his love toward his neighbor the verdict on this is plain put up thy sword for everyone that taketh the sword shall perish with the sword what robber is more hateful than the persecutor who came to kill Christ but Christ would not be defended from the wounds of the persecutor for he willed to heal all by his wounds why does thou consider thyself greater than another when a Christian man ought to put others before himself to claim nothing for himself usurp no honors claim no reward for his merits why next art thou not wound to bear thy own troubles rather than to destroy another's advantage for what is so contrary to nature is not to be content with what one has or to seek what is another's and to try to get it in shameful ways for if a virtuous life is in accordance with nature for God made all things very good the shameful living must be opposed to it a virtuous and a shameful life cannot go together since they are absolutely severed by the law of nature end of chapter 4 chapter 5 off on the duties of the clergy book the third this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information auto volunteer please visit LibriVox.org on the duties of the clergy by Saint Ambrose book the third chapter 5 the upright does nothing that is contrary to duty even though there is a hope of keeping it secret to point this out the tale about the ring of Gaijes was invented by the philosophers exposing this he brings forward known and true examples from the life of David and John the Baptist to lay down here already the result of our discussion as though we had already ended it we declare it a fixed rule that we must never aim at anything but what is virtuous the wise man does nothing but what can be done openly and without falseness nor does he do anything whereby he may involve himself in any wrongdoing even where he may escape notice for he is guilty in his own eyes before being so in the eyes of others and the publicity of his crime does not bring him more shame than his own consciousness of it this we can show not by the made up stories which philosophers use but from the true examples of good men I need not therefore imagine a great chasm in the earth which had been loosened by heavy rains and had afterwards burst asunder as Plato does for he makes Gaijes descend into that chasm and to meet there that iron horse of the fable that had doors in its sides when these doors were opened he found a gold ring on the finger of a dead man whose corpse lay there lifeless he, desiring the gold took away the ring but when he returned to the king's shepherds to whose number he belonged by chance having turned the stone inwards towards the palms of his hands he saw all that it was seen by none then when he turned the ring to its proper position he was again seen by all on becoming conscious of this strange power by the use of the ring he committed adultery with the queen killed the king and took possession of the kingdom after slaying all the rest who he thought should be put to death so that they might be no hindrance to him give, says Plato this ring to a wise man that when he commits a fault he may by its help remain unnoticed yet he will be none the more free from the stain of sin than if he could not be hid the hiding place of the wise lies not in the hope of impunity but in his own innocencey lastly, the law is not laid down for the just but for the unjust for the just has within himself the law of his mind and a rule of equity and justice thus, he is not recalled from sin by fear of punishment but by the rule of a virtuous life therefore to return to our subject I will now bring forward not false examples for true but true examples in place of false for why need I imagine a chasm in the earth and a nine horse and a gold ring found on the fingers of a dead man and say that such was the power of this ring that he who wore it could appear at his own will but if he did not wish to be seen he could remove himself out of the side of those who stood by so as to seem to be away this story of course is meant to answer the question whether a wise man on getting the opportunity of using that ring so as to be able to hide his crimes and to obtain a kingdom whether I say a wise man and would consider the stain of sin far worse than the pains of punishment or whether he would use it for doing wickedness in the hope of not being found out why I say should I need the pretense of a ring when I can show from what has been done that a wise man on seeing he would not only be undetected in his sin but would also gain a kingdom if he gave way to it and who on the other hand noted danger to his own safety if he did not commit the crime it chose to risk his own safety so as to be free from crime rather than to commit the crime and so gain the kingdom when David fled from the face of king soul because the king was seeking him in the desert with 3,000 chosen men to put him to death he entered the king's camp and found him sleeping there he not only did him no injury but actually guarded him from being slain by any who had entered with him for when Abishai said to him the Lord hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day now therefore I will slay him he answered destroy him not for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord's anointed and be guiltless and he added as the Lord liveth unless the Lord shall smite him or his day shall come to die or he shall die in battle and he laid it to me the Lord forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the Lord's anointed therefore he did not suffer him to be slain that removed only his spear which stood by his head and his crews of water then whilst all were sleeping he left the camp and went across to the top of the hill and began to reproach the royal attendants and especially their general Abner for not keeping faithful watch on the Lord's anointed king next he showed them where the king's spear and crews were which had stood at his head and when the king caught to him he restored the spear and said the Lord rendered to every man his righteousness and faithfulness for the Lord delivered thee into my hand but I would not avenge myself on the Lord's anointed even whilst he said this he feared his plots and fled changing his place in exile however he never put safety before innocence seeing that when a second opportunity was giving him of killing the king he would not use the chance that came to him and which put in his reach certain safety instead of fear and a kingdom instead of exile where was the use of the ring in John's case who would not have been put to death by Herod if he had kept silence he could have kept silence before him so as to be both seen and yet not killed but because he not only could not endure to sin himself to protect his own safety but could not bear and endure even another sin he brought about the cause of his own death certainly none can deny that he might have kept silence who in the case of Gaiju's deny that he could have remained invisible by the help of the ring but although that fable is the force of truth yet it has this much to go upon that if an upright man could hide himself yet he would avoid sin just as though he could not conceal himself and that he would not hide his person by putting on a ring but his life by putting on Christ as the apostle says our life is hid with Christ in God let then no one here strive to shine let none show pride let none boast Christ will not to be known here he would not that his name should be preached in the gospel whilst he lived on earth he came to lie hid from this world let us therefore likewise hide our life after the example of Christ let us shine boastfulness let us not desire to be made known it is better to live here in humility than there in glory when Christ it says shall appear then shall we also appear with him in glory end of chapter 5 chapter 6 off on the duties of the clergy book the third this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org on the duties of the clergy by Saint Ambrose book the third chapter 6 we ought not to allow the idea of profit to get hold of us what excuses they make who get their gains by selling corn and what answer to be made to them in connection with this certain parables from the gospels and some of the sayings of Solomon are said before our eyes let not therefore expediency get the better of virtue but virtue of expediency by expediency here I mean what is accounted so by people generally let love of money be destroyed let lust die the holy man says that he has never been engaged in business for to get an increase in price is a sign not of simplicity but of cunning elsewhere it says he that seeketh a high price for his corn is cursed among the people plain and definite is the statement leaving no room for debate such as disputatious kind of speaking is won't to give when one maintains that agriculture is considered praiseworthy by all that the fruits of the earth are easily grown that the more a man has sown the greater will be his mead of praise further that the richer returns of his active labours are not gained by fraud and that carelessness in his regard for an uncultivated soil are won't to be blamed I have plowed he says carefully I have sown freely I have tilled actively I have gathered good increase I have stored it anxiously saved it faithfully and guarded it with care now in a time of famine I sell it and come to the help of the hungry I sell my own corn not on others no more than others may even at a less price what fraud is there here when many would come to great danger if they had nothing to buy is industry to be made a crime or diligence to be blamed or foeside to be abused perhaps he may even say Joseph collected corn in a time of abundance and sold it when it was dear is anyone forced to buy that too dear a price is force employed against the buyer the opportunity to buy is afforded to all injury is inflicted on none when this has been said and when man's ideas have carried him so far another rises and says agriculture is good indeed for it supplies fruits for all and by simple industry adds to the richness of the earth without any cheating or fraud if there is any error the loss is the greater for the better a man sores the better he will reap if he has sown the pure grain of wheat he gathers a pure and clean harvest the fruitful earth returns what she has received in manifold measure a good field returns its produce with interest thou must expect payment for thy labor from the crops of the fruitful land and must hope for a just return from the fruitfulness of the rich earth why does thou use the industry of nature and make a cheat of it why does thou grudged for the use of men what is grown for all why lessen the abundance for the people why make want thy aim why make the poor long in a barren season for when they do not feel the benefits of a fruitful season because thou art putting up the price and art storing up the corn they would far rather than nothing should be produced but thou shouldest do business at the expense of other people's hunger thou makeest much of the want of corn a small supply of food thou grownest over the rich crops of the soil thou mournest the general plenty and bewailest the garners full of corn thou art on the lookout to see when the crop is poor and the harvest fails thou rejoices that a curse has smiled upon thy wishes so that none should have their produce then thou rejoices that thy harvest has come then thou collectest wealth from the misery of all and callest this industry in diligence when it is but cunning shrewdness and an adroit trick of the trade thou callest it a remedy when it is but a wicked contrivance shall I call this robbery or own gain these opportunities are seized as those seasons for plunder wherein like some cruel waylare thou mayest fall upon the stomachs of men the price rises higher as though by the mere addition of interest but the danger of life is increased too for then the interest of the stored up crops grows higher as a usurer thou hideest up thy corn as a seller thou puttest it up for auction why does thou wish evil to all because the famine will grow worse as though no corn should be left as though a moor and fruitful year should follow why does thou wish evil to all because the famine will grow worse as though no fruitful year should follow thy gain is the public loss Holy Joseph opened the garners to all he did not shut them up he did not try to get the full prize of the year's produce but assigned it for an eally payment he took nothing for himself but so far as famine could be checked for the future he made his arrangements with careful foresight thou hast read how the Lord Jesus in the gospel speaks of that corn dealer who was looking out for a high prize whose possessions brought him in rich fruits but who as thou still in need said what shall I do I have no room where to bestow my goods I will pull down my barns and build greater though he could not know whether in the following night his soul would not be demanded of him he knew not what to do he seemed to be in doubt so he were in want of food his barns could not take in the year's supply and yet he thought he was in need rightly therefore Solomon says he that withholdeth corn shall leave it for the nations not for his heirs for the gains of avarice have nothing to do with the rites of succession that which is not rightfully got together is scattered as though by a wind by outsiders that sees it and he added he who grasped that the year's produce is cursed among the people but blessing shall be his that imparteth it thou seest then what is said of him who distributes the corn but not of him that seeks for a high prize true expediency does not therefore exist where virtue loses more than expediency gains End of chapter 6 Chapter 7 of On the duties of the clergy Book III This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org On the duties of the clergy by St. Ambrose Book III Chapter 7 Strangers must never be expelled the city in a time of famine In this matter the noble advice of a Christian sage is induced in contrast to which the shameful deed committed at Rome is given by comparing the two it is shown that the former is combined with what is virtuous and useful but the latter with neither but they too who would forbid the city to strangers cannot have our approval they would expel them at every time when they ought to help the great of their common parent they would refuse them a share in the produce made for all and avert the intercourse that has already begun and they are unwilling in a time of necessity to give those with whom they have enjoyed their rights in common a share in what they themselves have beasts do not drive out beasts yet man shouts out man Wild beasts and animals consider food which the earth supplies to be common to all they all give assistance to those like themselves and man who ought to think nothing human foreign to himself fights against his own how much better did he act who, having already reached an advanced age when the city was suffering from famine and as is common in such cases the people demanded that strangers should be forbidden the city having the office of the prefect ship of the city which is higher and the rest called together the officials and richer men and demanded that they should take council for the public welfare he said that it was cruel a thing for the strangers to be expelled as for one man to be cast off by another and to be refused food when dying we do not allow our dogs to come to our table and leave them unfed yet we shut out a man how unprofitable again it is for the world that so many people perish whom some deadly plague carries off how unprofitable for their city that so large a number should perish who are wont to be helpful either in paying contributions or in carrying on business another's hunger is profitable to no man nor to put off the day of help as long as possible and to do nothing to check the want nay more when so many of the cultivators are gone when so many laborers are dying the corn supplies will fail for the future shall we then expel those who are wont to supply us with food are we unwilling to feed in a time of need those who have fed us all along how great is the assistance which they supply even at this time not by bread alone as man live they are even our own family many of them are our own kindred let us make some return for what we have received but perhaps we fear that won't may increase first of all I answer mercy never fails but always finds means of help next let us make up for the corn supplies which are to be granted to them by a subscription let us put that right with our gold and again must we not buy other cultivators of the soil how much cheaper is it to feed than to buy a working man where too can one obtain where find a man to take the place of the former and suppose one finds him do not forget that with an ignorant man used to different ways one may fill up the place in point of numbers but not as regards the work to be done why need I say more when the money was supplied corn was brought in so the city's abundance was not diminished and yet assistance was given to the strangers what praise this act won that holy man from God what glory a man man he indeed had won an honored name who pointing to the people of a whole province could truly say to the emperor all these I have preserved for thee these live owing to the kindness of the senate these thy council has snatched from death how much more expedient was this than that which was done lately at Rome there from that widely extended city were those expelled who had already passed most of their life in it in tears they went forth with their children for whom as being citizens they bewailed the exile which as they said ought to be averted no less did they grieve over the broken bonds of union the severed ties of relationship and yet a fruitful year had smiled upon us the city alone needed corn to be brought into it it could have got help if it had sold corn from the Italians whose children they were driving out nothing is more shameful than to expel a man as a foreigner and yet to claim his services as though he belonged to us how can's thou expel a man who lives on his own produce how can's thou expel him who supplies thee with food thou retainest thy servant and thrustest out thy kindred thou takeest the corn but showest no good feeling thou takeest food by force but does not show gratitude how wretched this is how useless for how can that be expedient which is not seemly of what great supplies from her corporations has Rome at times deprived yet she could not dismiss them and yet escape a famine while waiting for a favourable breeze and the provisions in the hoped four ships how far more virtuous and expedient was that first mentioned management for what is so seemly or virtuous as when the needy are assisted by the gifts of the rich when food is supplied to the hungry when daily bread fails none what so advantageous as when the cultivators are kept for the land and the country people do not perish what is virtuous then is also expedient and what is expedient is virtuous on the other hand what is not expedient is unseemly and what is unseemly is also not expedient end of chapter 7 chapter 8 off on the duties of the clergy book the third this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information auto-volunteer please visit LibriVox.org on the duties of the clergy by Saint Ambrose book the third chapter 8 that those who put what is virtuous before what is useful are acceptable to God is shown by the example of Joshua and the other spies when could our fathers ever have thrown off their servitude unless they had believed that it was not only shameful but even useless to serve the king of Egypt Joshua also in Caleb when sent to spy out the land brought back the news that the land was indeed rich but that it was inhabited by very fierce nations the people terrified at the thought of war refused to take possession of their land Joshua and Caleb who had been sent a spies tried to persuade them that the land was fruitful they thought it unseemly to give way before the heathen they chose rather to be stoned which is what the people threatened than to recede from their virtuous standpoint the others kept dissuading the people exclaimed against it saying they would have to fight against cruel and terrible nations that they would fall in battle and their wives and children would be left for a prey the anger of the Lord burst forth so that he would kill all but at the prayer of Moses he softened his judgment and put off his vengeance knowing that he had already sufficiently punished those who were faithless even if he spared them meanwhile and did not slay the unbelievers however he said they had come to that land which they had refused as a penalty for their unbelief but their children and wives who had not murmured and who owing to their sex and age were guiltless should receive the promised inheritance of that land so the bodies of those of 20 years old and upwards fell in the desert the punishment of the rest was put aside but they who had gone up with Joshua to dissuade the people died forthwith of a great plague Joshua and Caleb entered the land of promise together with those who were innocent by reason of age and sex the better part therefore preferred glory to safety the worst part safety to virtue but the divine judgment approved those who thought virtue was above what is useful whilst it condemned those who preferred what seemed more in accordance with safety than with what is virtuous end of chapter 8 chapter 9 of on the duties of the clergy book the third this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org on the duties of the clergy by St. Ambrose third chapter 9 cheating and dishonest ways of making money are utterly unfit for clerics whose duties to serve all they ought never to be involved in a money affair unless it is one affecting a man's life for them the example of David is given that they should injure none even when provoked also the death of Naboth to keep them from preferring life to virtue nothing is more odious than for a man to have no love for a virtuous life but instead to be kept excited by an unworthy business in following out a low line of trade or to be inflamed by an avaricious heart and by day and by night to be eager to damage another's property not to raise the soul to the splendor of a virtuous life and not to regard the beauty of true praise hence rise inheritances sought by cunning words and gained under pretense of being self-restrained and serious but this is absolutely abhorrent to the idea of a Christian man for everything gained by craft and got together by cheating loses the merit of openness even amongst those who have undertaken no duty in the ranks of the clergy it is considered unfitting to seek for the inheritance of another let those who are reaching the end of their life use their own judgment so that they may freely make their wills as they think best since they will not be able to amend them later for it is not honourable to divert the savings that belong to others or have been got together for them it is further the duty of the priest or the cleric to be of use if possible to all and to be harmful to none if it is not possible to help one without injuring another it is better to help neither than to press hard upon one therefore it is not a priest's duty to interfere in money affairs for here it must often happen that he who loses his case receives harm and then he considers that he has been worsted through the action of the intervener it is a priest's duty to hurt no one to be ready to help all to be able to do this is in God's power alone in the face of life and death without doubt it is a grave sin to injure him whom one ought to help when in danger but it is foolish to gain others hate in taking up money matters though for the sake of a man's safety great trouble and toil may often be undertaken it is glorious in such a case to run risks let then this be firmly held to the priestly duties namely to injure none not even and imbittered by some injury good was the man who said if I have rewarded evil to those who did me good for what glory is it if we do not injure him who has not injured us but it is true virtue to forgive when injured what a virtuous action was that when David wished rather to spare the king his enemy though he could have injured him how useful too it was for it help him when he succeeded to the throne for all learned to observe faith to their king and not to seize the kingdom but to fear and reverence him thus what is virtuous was preferred to what was useful and then usefulness followed on what was virtuous but that he spared him was a small matter he also grieved for him when slain in war and mourned for him with tears ye mountains of Gilboa let neither dew nor rain fall upon you ye mountains of death for there the shield of the mighty is cast away the shield of soul it is not anointed with oil but with the blood of the wounded and the fat of the warriors the bow of Jonathan turned not back and the sword of soul returned not empty soul and Jonathan were lovely and very dear inseparable in life and in death they were not divided they were swifter than eagles they were stronger than lions ye daughters of Israel weep over soul who clothed during scarlet with your ornaments who put on gold upon your apparel how are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle Jonathan was wounded even to death I am distressed for thee my brother Jonathan very pleasant has thou been unto me thy love came to me like the love of women how have the mighty fallen and the longed for weapons perished what mother could weep thus for her only son as he wept here for his enemy who could follow his benefactor with such praise as that with which he followed the man who plotted against his life how affectionately he grieved with what deep feeling he bewailed him the mountains dried up at the prophet's curse and a divine power filled the judgment of him who spoke it therefore the elements themselves paid the penalty for witnessing the king's death and what in the case of Holy Naboth was the cause of his death except his regard for a virtuous life for when the king demanded the vineyard from him promising to give him money he refused the prize for his father's heritage as unseemly he asked to Shan such shame by dying the lord forbidded me that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee that is that such reproach may not fall on me that God may not allow such wickedness to be attained by force he is not speaking about the vines nor has God care for vines or plots of ground but he says it of his father's rights he could have received another or the king's vineyards and been his friend wherein men think there is no small usefulness as far as this world is concerned but because it was base he thought it could not be useful and so he preferred to endure danger with honor intact rather than gain what was useful to his own disgrace I am here again speaking of what is commonly understood as useful not that in which there is the grace of virtuous life the king could himself have taken it by force but that he thought too shameless then when Naboth was dead he grieved the lord also declared that the woman's cruelty should be punished by a fitting penalty because she was unmindful of virtue and preferred a shameful gain every kind of unfair action is shameful even in common things false weights and unjust measures are accursed and if fraud in the market or in business is punished can it seem free from reproach if found in the midst of the performance of the duties of virtue Solomon says a great and a little weight and diverse measures are an abomination before the lord before that it also says a false balance is abomination to the lord but a just weight is acceptable to him end of chapter 9 chapter 10 of on the duties of the clergy book the third this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org on the duties of the clergy by Saint Ambrose book the third chapter 10 we are warned not only in civil law but also in the holy scriptures to avoid fraud in every agreement as is clear from the example of Joshua and the Gibeonites in everything therefore good faith is simply justice is pleasing due measure inequity is delightful but what shall I say about contracts and especially about the sale of land or agreements or covenants are there not rules just for the purpose of cutting out all false deceit and to make him whose deceit is found out liable to double punishment everywhere then does regard for what is virtuous take the lead it shuts out deceit it expels fraud wherefore the prophet David has rightly stated his judgment in general saying he has done no evil to his neighbor fraud then ought to be wanting not only in contracts the defects of those things which are for sale are ordered to be recorded which contracts unless the vendor has mentioned the defects are rendered void by an action for fraud although he has conveyed them fully to the purchaser but it ought also to be absent in all else candor must be shown the truth must be made known the divine scriptures have plainly stated not indeed a legal rule of the lawyers but an ancient judgment of the patriarchs on deceit in that book of the Old Testament which is ascribed to Joshua the son of Nun when the report had gone forth among the various peoples that the sea was dried up at the crossing of the Hebrews that water had flowed from the rock that food was supplied daily from heaven in quantities large enough for so many thousands of the people that the walls of Jericho had fallen in the sound of the holy trumpets being overthrown by the noise of the shouts of the people also that the king of Ai was conquered and had been hung on a tree until the evening then the Gibeonites fearing his strong hand came with Gael pretending that they were from a land very far away and by travelling so long had rent their shoes and worn out their clothing of which they showed proofs that it was growing old they said too that their reason for undergoing so much labour was their desire to obtain peace and to form friendship with the Hebrews and began to ask Joshua to form an alliance with them and he being as yet ignorant of localities and not knowing anything of the inhabitants did not see through their deceit nor did he inquire of God but readily believed them so sacred was one splited word held in those days that no one would believe that others could try to deceive who could find fault with the saints in this namely that they should consider others to have the same feelings as themselves and suppose no one would lie because truth was their own companion they know not what deceit is they gladly believe of others what they themselves are whilst they cannot suspect others to be what they themselves are not hence Solomon says an innocent man believe with every word we must not blame his readiness to believe but should rather praise his goodness to know nothing of ought that may injure another this is to be innocent and although he is cheated by another still he thinks well of all for he thinks there is good faith in all induced therefore by such considerations to believe them he made an agreement he gave them peace and formed a union with them but when he came to their country and the deceit was found out for though they lived quite close they pretended to be strangers the people of our fathers began to be angry at having been deceived Joshua however thought the peace they had made could not be broken for it had been confirmed by an oath for fear that in punishing the treachery of others was breaking his own pledge he made them pay the penalty however by forcing them to undertake the lowest kind of work the judgement was mild indeed but it was a lasting one for in their duties there abides the punishment of their ancient cunning handed down to this day in their hereditary service end of chapter 10 chapter 11 of on the duties of the clergy book the third this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information auto volunteer please visit LibriVox.org on the duties of the clergy by St. Ambrose book the third chapter 11 having adduced examples of certain frauds found in a few passages of the returations he shows that these and all others are more fully and plainly condemned in scripture I shall say nothing of the snapping of fingers or the naked dancing of the air at entering on an inheritance these are well known things nor will I speak of the mass of fishes gathered up at a pretended fishing expedition to excite the biased desires for why did he show himself so eager for luxuries and delicacies as to allow fraud of this character what need is there for me to speak of that well known story of the pleasant and quiet retreat at Syracuse and of the cunning of a Sicilian for he having found a stranger and knowing that he was anxious to buy an estate asked him to his grounds for a meal he accepted and on the following day he came there the sight of a great number of fisherman met his eyes and a banquet laid out in the most splendid profusion in the sight of the guests fishers were placed in the garden grounds where no net had ever been laid before each one in turn presented to the guests what he had taken the fish were placed upon the table and caught the glance of those who sat there a stranger wondered at the large quantity of fish and the number of boats there were the answer given was that this was the great water supply because the fish came there because of the sweetness of the water to be brief he drew on the stranger to be urgent in getting the grounds he willingly allows himself to be induced to sell them and seemingly with a heavy heart he receives the money on the next day the purchaser comes to the grounds with his friends but finds no boat there on asking whether perhaps the fisherman were observing a festival on that day he is told that with the exception of yesterday they were never want to fish there but what power had he to proceed against such a fraud who had so shamefully grasped at such luxuries for he who convicts another of a fault ought himself to be free from it I will not therefore include such trifles as these under the power of ecclesiastical censure for that altogether condemns every desire for dishonourable gain and briefly a few words forbids every sharp and cunning action and what shall I say of him who claims to be there a relegative on the proof of a will which though falsified by others yet was known to be so by him and who tries to make a gain through another's crime though even the laws of the state convict him who knowingly makes use of a false will as guilty of a wrong action but the law of justice is playing namely that a good man ought not to go aside from the truth nor to inflict an unjust loss on anyone nor to act at all deceitfully or to take part in any fraud what is clearer however on this point than the case of Ananias he acted falsely as regards the price he got for his land for he sold it and laid at the apostles feet part of the price pretending it was the whole amount for this he perished as guilty of fraud he might have offered nothing and have acted so without committing a fraud but as deceit entered into his action he gained no favor for his liberality but paid the penalty for his artifice the lord also in the gospel rejected those coming to him with guile saying the foxes have holes for he bids us live in simplicity and innocence of heart David also says Paul has to use deceit as a sharp razor pointing out by this the treacherous man just as an implement of this kind is used to help adorn a man yet often wounds him if anyone makes a show of favor and yet plans deceit after the example of the traitor so as to give up to death him whom he ought to guard let him be looked on in the light of that instrument which is wound to wound owing to the vice of a drunken mind trembling hand thus that man drunk with the wine of wickedness brought death on the high priest Himalek through a terrible act of treachery because he had received the profit with hospitality when the king roused by the stings of envy was following him end of chapter 11 chapter 12 of on the duties of the clergy book the third this is a LibriVox recording which is set in the public domain for more information auto-volunteer please visit LibriVox.org on the duties of the clergy by St. Ambrose book the third chapter 12 we may make no promise that is wrong and if we have made an unjust oath we may not keep it it is shown that Herod sinned in this respect the vow taken by Jeffrey is condemned so are all others which God does not desire to have paid to him lastly, the daughter of Jethar is compared with the two Pythagoreans and is placed before them a man's disposition ought to be undefiled and sound so that he may utter words without dissimulation and possess his vessel in sanctification that he may not dilute his brother with false words nor promise ought dishonorable if he has made such a promise it is far better for him not to fulfill it rather than to fulfill what is shameful often people bind themselves by a solemn oath and though they come to know that they ought not to have made the promise fulfill it in consideration of their oath this is what Herod did as we mentioned before for he made a shameful promise of reward to a dancer and cruelly performed it it was shameful for a kingdom was promised for a dance and it was cruel for the death of a prophet is sacrificed for the sake of an oath how much better perjury would have been than the keeping of such an oath if indeed that could be called perjury which a drunkard had sworn to in his wine cups or an effeminate prophet had promised whilst the dance was going on the prophet's head was brought in on a dish and this was considered an act of good faith when it really was an act of madness never shall I be late to believe that the leader Jephthah made his vow otherwise than without thought when he promised to offer to God whatever should meet him at the threshold of his house on his return for he repented of his vow as afterwards his daughter came to meet him he rent his clothes and said alas my daughter thou hast entangled me thou hast become a source of trouble unto me and though with pious fear and reverence he took upon himself the bitter fulfillment of his cruel task yet he ordered and left to be observed an annual period of grief and mourning for future times it was a hard vow but far more bitter was its fulfillment whilst he who carried it out had the greatest cause to mourn thus it became a rule and a law in Israel from ear to ear as it says that the daughters of Israel went to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year I cannot blame the man for holding it necessary to fulfill his vow but yet it was a wretched necessity which could only be solved by the death of his child it is better to make no vow than to vow what God does not wish to be paid to him to whom the promise was made in the case of Isaac we have an example for the Lord appointed a ram to be offered up instead of him therefore, it is not always every promise that is to be fulfilled nay the Lord himself often alters his determination as the scriptures point out for in the book called Numbers he had declared that he would punish the people with death and destroy them but afterwards by Moses he was reconciled again to them and again he said to Moses and Aaron separate yourselves from among this congregation that I may consume them in a moment and when they separated from the assembly the earth suddenly clave a sander and open her mouth and swallowed up Dathan and Abiram that example of Jephthah's daughter is far more glorious and ancient than that of the two Pythagorians which is accounted so notable among the philosophers one of these when condemned to death by the tyrant Dionysius and when the day of his death was fixed asked for leave to be granted him to go home so as to provide for his family but for fear that he might break his faith and not return he offered a shorty for his own death on condition that if he himself were absent on the appointed day his shorty would be ready to die in his stead the other did not refuse the conditions of shorty ship which were proposed and awaited the day of death with a calm mind so the one did not withdraw himself and the other returned on the day appointed this all seemed so wonderful that the tyrant sought their friendship whose destruction he had been anxious for what then in the case of esteemed and learned men is full of marvel that in the case of a virgin is found to be far more splendid far more glorious as she says to her sorrowing father due to me according to that which hath proceeded out of their mouth but she asked for a delay of two months in order that she might go about with her companions upon the mountains to bewail fitly and dutifully her virginity now given up to death the weeping of her companions did not move her their grief prevailed not upon her nor did their lamentations hold her back she allowed not the day to pass nor did the hour escape her notice she returned to her father as though returning according to her own desire and of her own will urged him on when he was hesitating and acted thus of her own free choice so that what was at first an awful chance became a pious sacrifice end of chapter 12 chapter 13 of chapter 13 chapter 13 of on the duties of the clergy book the third this is LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org on the duties of the clergy by St. Ambrose book the third chapter 13 Judith, after enduring many dangers for virtuous sake gained very many and great benefits see Judith presents herself to thee as worthy of admiration she approaches hollow furnace a man feared by the people and surrounded by the victorious troops of the Assyrians at first she makes an impression on him by the grace of her form and the beauty of her countenance then she entraps him by the refinement of her speech her first triumph was that she returned from the tent of the enemy with her purity unspotted her second that she gained a victory over a man and put to flight the people by her council the Persians were terrified at her daring and so what is admired in the case of those two Pythagoreans deserves also in her case our admiration for she trembled not at the danger of death nor even at the danger her modesty was in a matter of greater concern to good women she feared not the blow of one scoundrel nor even the weapons of a whole army she a woman stood between the lines of the combatants right amidst victorious arms heedless of death as one looks at her overwhelming danger one would say she went out to die as one looks at her faith one says she went but out to fight Judith then followed the call of virtue and as she follows that she wins great benefits it was virtuous to prevent the people of the lord from giving themselves up to the heathen to prevent them from betraying their native rites and mysteries or from yielding up their consecrated virgins their venerable widows the modest matrons to barbarian impurity or from ending the siege by a surrender it was virtuous for her to be willing to encounter danger on behalf of all so as to deliver all from danger how great must have been the power of her virtue that she a woman should claim to give counsel on the chiefest matters and not leave it in the hands of the leaders of the people how great again the power of her virtue to reckon for certain upon