(2) there are some who think that they
are exempt from this crime because neither their gold nor possessions are dug
into the earth, yet they have them hidden everywhere. Let nobody be deceived by
these silly ideas. Those who serve earthly cupidity by increasing their wealth
always bury their gold in the earth. This is what the Savior Himself teaches in
the Gospel when he says: ‘Let not up to yourselves treasures on earth.’ And
again: ‘But lay up to yourself treasures in Heaven.’ These things cannot be
heard with carnal hearing. Do all evil men place their bodily treasures in the earth
or do the good store them in heaven? By no means is this the case.
Accordingly, the force of the Holy
Word expressed the effect and power of spiritual things, because earthly and
hellish things are the reward of greed and avarice; heavenly and eternal things
are due to alms-giving and generosity. For that reason there is this difference
between heavenly and earthly treasure that those who lay up treasures through
feed and avarice know they are placing their wealth in hell, while those who
lay them up through alms-giving and kindness rejoice because they are preparing
heavenly treasures. Scripture named the location of treasures according to the
merits of those who lay them up, for treasures are said to be there where they
will be who lay them up. (Salvian, The Four Books of Timothy to the Church,
Book 1, 2, in Salvian: The Writings of Salvian the Presbyter [trans. Jeremiah
F. O’Sullivan; The Fathers of the Church 3; Washington D. C.: The Catholic
University of America Press, 1947], 271-72)
It does not escape my knowledge, O my
mistress the Church, the nourisher of blessed hope, that those statements I
have made in the preceding books are displeasing to many of your children who
love Christ little. I do not put great weight on what they wish, because it is
not strange that words spoken about God should not please them whom perhaps God
Himself does not please. Nor must I expect that they who do not love salvation itself
and their souls should like a discussion which treats of souls and their salvation.
Just as other topics, so also on this topic, my convictions and the judgments
of the saints are sufficient for me. As regards those among us who think the
same as I, we are indeed certain that God Himself also thinks as we think,
because, since the spirit of God remains in His saints, God is doubtless where
that portion is from which the spirit of God has not departed.
Therefore, the opinions of the impious
men, that is, of pagans or men devoted to the world, are either to be judged as
of little or of no value at all. The Apostle says: ‘If I wished to please men,
I would not be a servant of Christ.’ It is harder to bear, I think, that some
of your children, who live under the title of religion, belie the profession of
religion and forsake the world in their dress rather than in their hearts.
Unless I am mistaken, these people think and assert that every Christian, when
dying, should take his relatives rather than Christ into consideration.
Because this attitude of mind is in
itself wholly profane and execrable, they strive, as I think, to cover up this
most pagan assertion with a kind of veiled excuse, and say that only all those
in perfect health who believe in God should be devoted to Christ. In addition,
they say those who are departing from the world should remember their relatives
rather than divine obligations. Just as though some Christians should be healthy
and others dying, and all should present themselves to Christ—some, when they
are healthy, some when they are dying, some early in life, some late in life.
If this is true, each will have one
Christ as a young man and another Christ as one old man; men must be changed as
often in faith as they are in age. If one will be vigorous in the worship of God,
the other will be weak; one healthy, the other sickly. Thus, as the condition of
the human body is variable, so will God Himself be changeable to man, and, as
often as there will be bad health in a man, so often will there be a difference
in his religion. Just as though they who are in health should belong to Christ,
those who are dying should not belong to Christ.
What about the saying: ‘He who shall
have persevered to the end, shall be saved,’ or that oracle of the Divine Word
in the sacred proverbs: ‘Wisdom is proclaimed at the moment of departure.’
These sayings show that, though wisdom is helpful in every age, all men should
be particularly wise when they are leaving this world, because the wisdom of
past years will not fully deserve praise if it does not terminate in a good
end. Wisdom is proclaimed at the moment of departure. Why did the Sacred
Scriptures say that wisdom was proclaimed not in boyhood, not in young manhood,
not when possessions are unimpaired, not when we are prosperous in goods?
Indeed, because whatever is praised in all these is transient. For, as long as
one undergoes change, he cannot be praised without reservation, and therefore,
as Scripture says: 'Wisdom is proclaimed at the moment of departure.' He who is
departing from uncertainties and dangers will merit a sure judgment when he has
escaped the changeableness of all these things, because praise is then
steadfast and lasting when the merit of him who is praised cannot perish.
Scripture says: 'Wisdom is proclaimed at the moment of departure.'
What is the wisdom of the Christian, I
ask? What is it but fear and love of Christ? Scripture says: 'The fear of the Lord
is the beginning of wisdom,' and elsewhere: 'perfect love casts out fear.'
Therefore, as we see, the beginning of wisdom is in the fear of Christ; perfection
in the love of Christ. Thus, if the wisdom of the Christian is in fear and love
of the Lord, in this way we are at length truly wise of we love God always and
above all other things, and this at all times, especially at the moment of
departure from life, because wisdom is proclaimed at the moment of our
departure. (Salvian, The Four Books of Timothy to the Church, Book 4, 1,
in Salvian: The Writings of Salvian the Presbyter [trans. Jeremiah F. O’Sullivan;
The Fathers of the Church 3; Washington D. C.: The Catholic University of America
Press, 1947], 354-56)
. . .
Almost every divine Word has its
opponents. There are as many forms of opposition as there are forms of
commands. If the Lord orders generosity in men, the covetous man is angry. If he
demands frugality, the spendthrift curses. The evil-doer considers the Sacred
Words his own particular enemies. Robbers shudder at whatever is ordained as to
justice. The proud shudder at whatever is ordered as to humility. The drunken
resist where sobriety is proclaimed publicly. The unchaste foully call God to
witness where chastity is ordered. Either nothing just be said or whatever is
said will displease someone of the above-named men. Each evil-doer prefers to
curse the law rather than to correct his own opinion. He prefers to hate God’s commandments
rather than his own vices.
In the midst of these things what do
they do, to whom the duty of speaking is ordered by Christ? They displease God
if they are silent; they displease men if they speak. But, as the Apostle
answered the Jews, it is more expedient to obey God than men. I offer this
advice to all to whom the law of God is heaven and burdensome, when they refuse
to accept to them. For, all who hate the holy commands possess within their
very selves the reason for the hate. To everyone, aversion to the law is not in
the precepts, but in one’s morals. The law is, indeed, good, but the morals are
bad. For this reason, make their morals commendable, nothing that a good law has
ordered will displease them. When anyone has begun to be good, he is unable not
to love the law of God, because the holy law of God has that within itself
which holy men have in their morals. (Salvian, Th Four Books of Timothy to
the Church, Book 4, 9, in Salvian: The Writings of Salvian the Presbyter
[trans. Jeremiah F. O’Sullivan; The Fathers of the Church 3; Washington D.
C.: The Catholic University of America Press, 1947], 370-71)
