A A prudent daughter shall bring an inheritance to her husband; and she that brings shame, becomes a sorrow to her father. An audacious one brings shame upon both father and husband, and shall be dishonored by both."
I Tim. v, 14. B "I will that the younger women marry, bear children, and be housewives."
TITLE XI. — That one should not trust anyone rashly.
Micah vii, 5, 6. "Do not believe friends, neither hope in leaders. Beware of her who sleeps in your bosom, that you disclose nothing to her, whatever you do. For the son dishonors the father, and the daughter rises up against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are they who are in his own house."
Jerem. ix, 4. "Let everyone beware of his neighbor, and do not trust in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every friend will walk deceitfully; one will deride his brothers."
Eccli. viii, 21. "Do not do anything secret in the presence of a stranger: for you do not know what it will bring forth. Do not manifest your heart to every man, lest he reproach you."
Eccli. xxvii, 7. "Do not take counsel with him who lies in wait for you; and hide your counsel from those who envy you. Do not manifest your heart to every man."
TITLE XII. — Concerning harvest and vintage.
Lev. xix, 9, 10. "When you reap the harvests of your land, you shall not wholly reap the harvest of your field; and you shall not gather the gleanings of your harvest, and your vineyard you shall not wholly glean, neither shall you gather the scattered grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and the stranger."
TITLE XIII. — Concerning hunters.
Deut. xxii, 6, 7. "If you encounter a bird's nest in the way, on any tree, and the mother is brooding over the chicks or the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the children. You shall surely let the mother go, but the children you may take for yourself, that it may be well with you, and that you may live long."
LETTER I.
TITLE I. — Concerning healings performed by the Lord and the prophets.
IV Kings v, 9, sqq. Naaman came with his chariots, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. D And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, "Go, wash seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh shall return to you, and you shall be cleansed." And Naaman was angry and said, "Behold, I said, he will come out to me and invoke the name of the Lord his God, and will lay his hand over the leprosy, and take it away from my flesh. Are not Arbana and Pharphar, the rivers of Damascus, better than the Jordan and all the waters of Israel? Shall I not go and wash in them, and be cleansed?" And his servants approached and said to him, "Father, if the prophet had commanded you a great thing, would you not have done it? When he said to you, 'Wash and
A And Naaman went down and washed himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God. 4 Kings xx, 4-6. "Isaiah was in the courtyard, and the word of the Lord came to him, saying: Return, and say to Hezekiah, the leader of the people: Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer, and I have seen your tears; behold, I will heal you on the third day, and you shall go up to the house of the Lord, and I will add fifteen years to your days, and I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of the Assyrians." Matthew viii, 1-5. "As he (Jesus) was coming down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And behold, a leper came and worshipped him, saying: Lord, if you will, you can make me clean. And stretching out his hand, he touched him, saying: I will; be clean. And immediately he was cleansed." Ibid., 5-9. "When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him, beseeching him and saying: Lord, my servant lies in the house paralyzed, grievously tormented. Jesus says to him: I will come and heal him. And the centurion answered and said: Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof; but only speak a word, and my servant shall be healed. For I also am a man set under authority, having soldiers under me; and I say to this one, Go, and he goes; and to another, Come, and he comes; and to my servant, Do this, and he does it. And Jesus, hearing this, said to those who were following: Amen I say to you, I have not found so great faith in Israel. And he said to the centurion: Go, and as you have believed, so let it be done to you." B Ibid., 14. "And when Jesus had come into Peter's house, he saw his mother-in-law fever-stricken; and he touched her hand, and the fever left her." Matthew ix, 27-33. "As Jesus was passing by, two blind men followed him, crying out and saying: Have mercy on us, Son of David. Jesus says to them: Do you believe that I can do this? They say to him: Yes, Lord. Then he touched their eyes, saying: According to your faith be it done to you. And their eyes were opened. As they were going out, behold, they brought to him a man who was mute and possessed by a demon; and when the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke." C Matthew xii, 9, 10. "When Jesus had passed from there, he came into their synagogue. And behold, there was a man having a withered hand. Then he says to the man: Stretch out your hand; and he stretched it out, and it was restored to health, just like the other." D Matthew xiv, 15, 16. "They brought to him all who were ill. And they besought him that they might touch only the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched him were saved." Matthew xv, 22, 23. "Behold, a Canaanite woman, having come out from those borders," and the rest. "And great crowds came to him, having with them the lame, the blind, the mute,
A and the mute and the infirm. And they cast them at the feet of Jesus, and he healed them."
Matt. XVII, 14, 15. — "And there came to him a man kneeling down to him, and saying: Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is lunatick, and often falls into the fire, and often into the water. And Jesus said: Bring him hither to me. And he rebuked him, and the devil went out of him."
Matt. XX, 30, 31. — "And behold two blind men sitting by the way side, cried out saying: Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David. And he called them, and said: What will ye that I should do to you? They say to him: Lord, that our eyes may be opened. And Jesus having compassion on them, touched their eyes, and they received sight."
John v, 2. — "And there was a certain man who had had his infirmity eight and thirty years: and Jesus saith to him: Wilt thou be made whole?" etc.
John IX, 6, 7. — "When he had said these things, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and spread the clay upon the eyes of the blind man, and said to him: Go, wash in the pool of Siloe. He went therefore, and washed, and came seeing."
Luc. VIII, 41, 42. — "And behold there came a man named Jairus, and fell down at Jesus' feet, and besought him to come into his house, for he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, and she was dying. And as he went, a woman who was in an issue of blood, touched behind the hem of his garment, and immediately the issue of her blood stopped."
Ibid. 49, 50. — "As he was yet speaking, there came one to the ruler of the synagogue, saying to him: Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the master. And coming into the house, and taking her by the hand, he cried out, saying: Maid, arise. And her spirit returned."
Luc. XIII, 11, 12. — "Behold there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years: and she was bowed together, B neither could she look upwards at all. And Jesus said to her: Woman, thou art delivered from thy infirmity. And immediately she was made straight."
Mark I, 24, 25. — "There was a man in an unclean spirit, and he cried out, saying: Let us alone, what have we to do with thee, Jesus of Nazareth? Art thou come to destroy us? And Jesus threatened him, saying: Speak out, and go out of the man. And he went out of him."
Mark II, 3, 4. — "They come to him bringing one sick of the palsy, and they uncovered the roof, and let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. And Jesus seeing their faith, said to the paralytic: Thy sins are forgiven thee. Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk."
Mark V, 1-13. — "Jesus came into the country of the Gerasenes, and there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. And seeing Jesus afar off, he ran and adored him, and crying with a loud voice, said: What have I to do with thee, Jesus, C Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. And he asked him: What is thy name? And he saith to him: Legion is my name. And they besought him D
A, that he would not send them away out of the country. And there was there a herd of swine feeding; and the demons besought him, saying, “Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.” And Jesus allowed them. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and they were two thousand.
“And they bring unto him one that was deaf and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to lay his hand upon him. And he put his fingers into his ears, and he touched his tongue, and he was healed straightway.” [Mark VII, 34, 35]
“And they bring unto him a blind man, and he put his hands upon his eyes, and he looked up.” [Mark VIII, 22]
“Peter said: ‘Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ, walk.’ And immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength, and he walked.” [Acts III, 6] B
“And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.” [Acts V, 13, 14]
“And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda. And there he found a certain man named Aeneas, which had kept his bed eight years, and was sick of the palsy. And Peter said unto him, ‘Aeneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole,’ and he was healed straightway.” [Acts IX, 32-34]
“And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked. And Paul said, ‘Stand upright on C thy feet,’ and he leaped and walked.” [Acts XIV, 8, 9]
“A certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, and she cried, saying, ‘These men are the servants of the most high God.’ But Paul said: ‘I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.’” [Acts XVI, 16, 17]
“And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him.” [Acts XXVIII, 8, 9]
TITLE II. — Concerning priestly things; and that it is not permitted for a layman to touch a sacred vessel.
“Uzzah reached forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God smote him, and he died by the ark of God.” [II Kings VI, 6, 7] D
“David said: ‘None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath the Lord chosen to minister unto Him for ever.’” [I Chron. XV, 2]
“And the priests stood against Uzziah the king, and said unto him: ‘It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense. Go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed against the Lord, and it shall not be for thine honor from the Lord God.’ And Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense in the temple. And in the”
heat of his anger against the priests, leprosy arose in his forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord.
TIT. III. — Concerning suppliants: and that one ought to hear the petitions of those who entreat.
2 Reg. xix, 18, 19. — “Shimei the son of Gera fell down on his face before the king, as he was passing over the Jordan, and said: Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither remember A all the things which thy servant did perversely in the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem; for I have sinned. And the king said: Thou shalt not die. And he swore to him.”
3 Reg. xiii, 4, 5. — “Jeroboam stretched forth his hand, saying: Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he stretched forth against him, withered, and the altar was rent, and the fat was poured out which was upon it. And the king said to the man of God: Entreat the face of thy God, and let my hand be restored to me. And the man of God entreated, and restored the king’s hand to him, and it became as it was before.”
4 Reg. i, 13, 14. — “The third captain of fifty came to Elias, and bent his knees before Elias, and spoke to him, and said: O man of God, let my life and the life of these fifty thy servants be precious in thy sight. And the angel of the Lord spoke to Elias, and said: Go down with him, be not afraid. And Elias arose, and went down to the king.”
Job xxxvi, 19. — “May thy mind not decline of its own accord from supplication in the distress of the feeble.”
Eccli. iv, 4. — “Reject not the petition of the suppliant, and turn not away thy face from one who is in need.”
S. Greg. Naz. — How shameful it is that we should ask these things of you, and you not grant them! A request must be measured by the one from whom something is asked. For it is equally absurd to ask great things from one who is small, and small things from one who is great. The former is importunate; the latter implies a smallness of mind. Admit the suppliant, for whom the day offers its aid.
TIT. IV. — Concerning equality: and that things ought to be distributed to each according to his merit.
Psal. xvii, 25. — “With the holy thou shalt be holy, and with an innocent man thou shalt be innocent.”
Luc. xx, 25. — “Restore the things that are Caesar’s to Caesar, and the things that are God’s to God.”
Rom. xiii, 7. — “Render to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; honor to whom honor; fear to whom fear.”
S. Cyrilli. — The arbiter of a contest does not D distribute his honors to the athletes simply and rashly, according to anyone’s whim: but rather distributes prizes in proportion to how well each has conducted himself. Equilibrium is the fountain of justice.
Philo. — To bestow equal things on unequals is the greatest injustice.
Josephus. — To do injury to no one, but to cultivate equity, is a potent strength. Whatever is devoid of equity is alien to charity.
TIT. V. — Of physicians and medicine.
A Job XIII, 4. — “You are unjust physicians, and all of you are healers of evil.” Eccli. XXXVIII, 1, 2. — “Honor the physician for the necessities of his price: for the Lord has created him. For from the Most High is healing, and he shall receive gifts from the king. The skill of the physician shall lift up his head, and in the sight of the great he shall be praised. Give place to the physician: for God created him. He that sins in the sight of Him who made him, shall fall into the hands of the physician.”
S. Basil. — They who provide for bodies fortify those who are in health with suitable safeguards to prevent disease; but they do not lay their hand upon those who are already possessed by the affliction. — An unskilled physician, entering to the sick, instead of restoring them to health, takes away even that little remnant of strength which they have left. — Prudent physicians, when they offer more bitter medicines for the sick to swallow who are suffering from loathing, very often smear the cup with honey.
S. Chrysost. — It is my opinion that the physicians of old did not decree that the various instruments of the art should be publicly displayed rashly or without reason, but in order to make those who enjoy sound health more cautious, by showing them clearly how much [help] they will need if they conduct themselves intemperately.
Didymus. — We define a perfect physician as one who omits nothing of what pertains to the utility and healing of the sick. C
Philo. — A good physician would not wish to apply all the healthful things at once, in one day, to the sick person, knowing that he would cause harm rather than benefit; but, having measured out the times, he distributes the saving remedies, and by adding now one thing and now another, he gently restores him to health.
TIT. VI. — Of garments: and that neither men nor women ought to use sumptuous clothing.
Levit. VI, 10. — “The priest shall be clothed in a linen tunic, and he shall put linen breeches about his body.” Levit. XIX, 19. — “Expose a woven garment: and you shall not place anything adulterated upon yourself.” D Deut. XXII, 5, 6. — “A man’s equipment shall not be upon a woman, nor shall a man put on women’s clothing: because everyone who does these things is an abomination to the Lord. You shall not put on an adulterated garment, that there be wool and linen in it.” Eccle. IX, 8. — “At all times let your garments be white.” Eccli. XI, 4. — “In the clothing of garments do not glory.” Isa. III, 16-24. — “Thus says the Lord: For because the daughters of Sion were lifted up, and have walked with a stretched-out neck, and with the nodding of the eyes, and with the tread of the feet,
and while they drew along their tunics, and while they played with their feet: and the Lord shall humble the princesses, the daughters of Sion. And the Lord shall uncover their habit in that day. And the Lord shall take away the glory of their apparel, and their ornaments, and the networks, and the rings, and the bracelets, and the earrings, and the purple-bordered robes, and the wraps that are about the house, and the transparent Laconian garments, and the fine linen, and the hyacinthine, and the fine linen woven with gold and hyacinth, and the veils, and the golden accubitoria. And it shall be to thee instead of a sweet smell, dust; and instead of a girdle, thou shalt be girded with a rope; and instead of the ornament of the head, thou shalt have baldness; and instead of the purple-studded robe, thou shalt be girded with sackcloth. These shall be to thee instead of ornament.”
B 558 Matth. III, 5. — “John himself had his garment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins.”
S. Basil. Reg. fus. disp. art. 22. — Why we use garments, the Apostle shows us in this one word: “Having food and raiment, let us be therewith content” (I Tim. VI, 8); as if we had need of covering alone, and not also of the variety and the pursuit of its elegance, lest we fall into forbidden luxury—to say nothing more severe. For these things were introduced later through empty and by no means necessary artifice. This the very first use of garments, which God gave to those in need, clearly shows. For God made for them tunics of skins, and clothed them. For the use of tunics of such a kind was sufficient for the covering of the obscene parts of the body. Since, however, another purpose also presents itself to us in garments, namely that C by their help we may gain warmth, for this reason the judgment regarding both matters must be weighed and examined, so that garments may both cover those parts of the body in which there is less decency, and may be a protection for us against the injuries of the air. — The use of a garment must be bounded by that inevitable necessity by which we are driven to it. But if there be an immoderate pursuit concerning them, this proceeds from the disease of avarice, or lust, or vainglory. — The goal of clothing should be but this one thing: that it provide a covering for the flesh, adapted both for winter and for summer.
S. Greg. Naz. — Let us not be effeminate in soft and trailing clothing, and that of which the most beautiful part is uselessness.
The same in laud. Gorg. — She did not employ gold worked by art for the sake of increasing her beauty: not yellow hair, shining both clearly and obscurely; D not the impostures of curls masking a decent head most foully; not the magnificence of a flowing and translucent vestment; not the splendor of stones, and the graces by which the neighboring air is colored, and shapes are illuminated; not the arts and deceptions of painters; not that cheap and low-priced beauty: but she left the fleeting grace of form to those who frequent theaters and public streets, and to whom it is a matter of shame and disgrace to blush.
To be delighted by elegant clothing is merely puerile, and has its pleasure set only in opinion, and mocks the eyes.
The acquisitions of necessary things do not have a harmful quality, but rather an immoderate quantity. — We must not cast away ointment in all respects, but we must use the unguent as a remedy and an aid.
TIT. VII. — Concerning equality; and that all are of the same rank before God.
A Sap. vi, 8. — “He made both small and great, and he has equal care for all.”
S. Greg. Naz. — For Christ, being King, does not wish to be a kind father to some, while showing himself severe toward others.
B S. Cyrilli. — There is no respect of persons with God, just as it is proclaimed in the Holy Scriptures (Rom. ii, 11); but whether a man be great and arrogant, and raised on high by wealth and worldly glory, he shall nevertheless receive an inglorious and unrewarded verdict if he be held bound by vices and crimes; or whether a man be small, and pass his life in poverty and obscurity, he shall be condemned to impurity unless he flourishes with the gifts of virtue.
LETTER K.
Concerning the judgments of God: and that one ought not to be distressed if the just are afflicted with calamities, while to the unjust all things succeed prosperously.
Job xl, 8. — “The Lord said to Job: Will you reject my judgment? Or do you think that I have spoken to you otherwise than so that you might appear just?”
C Job xxi, 7-9. — “Why do the impious live, and have they grown old even in riches? Their seed is according to the desire of their soul, and their children are before their eyes. Their houses are abundant, and there is no fear; there is no scourge from the Lord upon them. They remain as eternal sheep, and their children play, taking up the psaltery and the harp. They have finished their life in good things,” etc.
Psal. xxxv, 7. — “Your justice is as the mountains of God, and your judgments as a great abyss.”
Psal. xxxvi, 35, 36. — “Do not emulate one who prospers in his way, in a man who does injustice. I have seen the impious one superexalted and raised high as the cedars of Libanus; and I passed by, and behold, he was not.”
D Psal. lxxii, 2 and 12. — “My steps were almost poured out, because I was jealous,” etc. — “Behold, they are sinners and abundant in the world,” etc.
Psal. lxxiv, 8. — “God is judge: he humbles this one, and exalts that one.”
Prov. xxiii, 17. — “Let not your heart emulate sinners, but be in the fear of the Lord all the day.”
Prov. xiii, 22. — “The wealth of the impious is stored up for the just.”
Isa. xxix, 5-8. — “The wealth of the impious shall be as dust from a wheel, and as chaff that is caught up; and they shall be as a point. And the wealth of the nations shall be as one dreaming while sleeping, and they shall be in sleep drinking and