To the Church (Against Avarice)

Contents

Reading pages: 1.1–1.51 · 1.52–2.35 · 2.36–3.15 · 3.16–3.63 · 3.64–3.95 · 4.1–4.50

1. 1.1Writing as “Timothy” to the whole catholic church, Salvian names greed carried even beyond death as the church’s worst plague.
2. 1.2Almost all the church’s members are greedy; the first believers’ readiness to exchange earthly goods for heavenly wealth has vanished.
3. 1.3With the church’s growth in numbers and wealth, vices and indiscipline have grown in step.
4. 1.4The church has grown in numbers but shrunk in faith and devotion.
5. 1.5The church now reads of the apostolic community of goods but no longer lives it.
6. 1.6Most Christians trade their souls for buried wealth, burying their hope with their money.
7. 1.7The hoarder’s soul is weighed down to the earth, and in eternity each keeps what he chose here.
8. 1.8Laying up treasure on earth means serving earthly desire, wherever the money is kept.
9. 1.9Earthly and heavenly treasure are named for where the givers and hoarders will end up.
10. 1.10Since all wish to live forever, all should act accordingly, whatever their condition.
11. 1.11Salvian takes up the excuse that love for one’s children compels the pursuit of wealth.
12. 1.12If affection bred greed, Scripture’s praise of pietas would be false.
13. 1.13Reductio: if affection bred covetousness, affection itself would be to blame and love would be harmful.
14. 1.14Children inherit their parents’ vices before their wealth.
15. 1.15Salvian does not forbid love of children; Christians are commanded to love even enemies.
16. 1.16Children are to be loved above all except God, and in the way God commands.
17. 1.17Scripture tells parents to hand on God’s commands and raise children in the Lord’s discipline.
18. 1.18God does not command parents to amass gold, mansions, or vast estates for their children.
19. 1.19God’s commands to parents are few but saving: to raise children in hope in God.
20. 1.20The wealth God wants for children is faith and holiness, since riches lead most to death.
21. 1.21Parents should give children the eternal treasure of discipline and turn their own fleeting goods into heavenly treasure by good works.
22. 1.22The best gift to a son is to make him God’s treasure.
23. 1.23Salvian proposes to show who gave wealth and why, to establish how it should be used.
24. 1.24All wealth is God’s gift and should be spent in his service.
25. 1.25An analogy: one who tries to steal the ownership of property lent to him for use is the most ungrateful of men.
26. 1.26We hold wealth only as a loan for life from God and should not try to alienate it from him.
27. 1.27Scripture commands honoring God from one’s substance; God calls it ours so that the giver’s reward is greater.
28. 1.28God both invites the devout to give and obliges the undevout to repay.
29. 1.29Paul teaches that God gives riches, and gives them for good works.
30. 1.30God makes some rich so that by good works they may turn temporal wealth into heavenly wealth.
31. 1.31Misusing God-given wealth turns present goods into eternal ruin.
32. 1.32Now even refraining from increasing wealth is counted a virtue, though Scripture condemns merely keeping it.
33. 1.33Those who keep all their wealth until death, or leave it to unworthy heirs, stand condemned by James’s warning to the rich.
34. 1.34James threatens the rich with eternal fire for greed alone, apart from any other sin.
35. 1.35Riches are not evil in themselves; the rich are condemned for misusing them.
36. 1.36Hoarding in the last days adds unbelief to covetousness.
37. 1.37Salvian’s teaching is no harsher than Scripture, which demands renouncing everything.
38. 1.38Salvian’s counsel is mild: if a man has not lived well, he should at least use his wealth well at the end.
39. 1.39Salvian is gentler than James: he wants riches turned into alms that quench sin.
40. 1.40Bequests at death do not suffice without prior renunciation of sin and conversion.
41. 1.41One who stops sinning only at death has not truly renounced sin.
42. 1.42God is not a corrupt judge who sells pardon for money.
43. 1.43Generosity helps those who repent of sins of weakness, not those who sin counting on buying pardon.
44. 1.44The repentant mourn because they recognize their guilt as their own.
45. 1.45Those who have fallen into grave sin should rise again at once by quick repentance.
46. 1.46Like wounds, sins must be treated at once before they fester.
47. 1.47Salvian hesitates to promise anything to those who delay repentance to the end, yet will not forbid a last attempt.
48. 1.48A last attempt at repentance is better than despair, though great lamentation is owed.
49. 1.49A man at death’s door has no time for the fasts and penances that would make satisfaction.
50. 1.50A failing body cannot undergo the self-punishment of penance.
51. 1.51The only recourse left to the dying sinner is Daniel’s counsel to redeem sins by almsgiving.
52. 1.52Warned by the king’s fate, the dying sinner should give his substance with tears and sorrow.
53. 1.53Gifts please God by the giver’s disposition, and in giving man only returns what is God’s.
54. 1.54Gifts should be offered humbly, as partial payment and supplication, not as a purchase of pardon.
55. 1.55Whatever is given must be given with faith, prayer, and gratitude for the will to give.
56. 1.56Since no one knows the price of his sins, he should give all he can.
57. 1.57Even apart from the gospel’s higher demands, Daniel’s counsel supports Salvian.
58. 1.58Daniel in effect told the king to give everything he could give.
59. 1.59Each must pay the price of his own sins as Daniel taught.
60. 1.60Salvian urges a full reckoning of one’s sins, including those listed by Paul.
61. 1.61Underestimating one’s sins only increases the debt, especially for one who acts at the point of death.
62. 1.62Daniel’s “perhaps” offers hope, not a guarantee of pardon.
63. 1.63Since even Daniel did not promise pardon, the late penitent must give lavishly and presume nothing.
64. 2.1Book 2 takes up the objection that the holy, having no crimes to redeem, need not give away their wealth.
65. 2.2Even the holy are God’s debtors, so their giving is payment, not gift.
66. 2.3Every person owes God for birth, sustenance, and gifts beyond what was needed or asked.
67. 2.4Christ, Lord of all, humbled himself to birth, a manger, and life among sinners for man’s sake.
68. 2.5Christ also endured the insults, trial, scourging, and death of the cross.
69. 2.6No one can repay what God suffered for man, even if that debt is common to all.
70. 2.7A shared debt does not lessen each person’s own obligation.
71. 2.8Christ died wholly for each person, so each owes the whole debt.
72. 2.9Taking comfort in others’ greater sins is unworthy of the holy.
73. 2.10No one can be sure of his standing at God’s judgment.
74. 2.11Though the holy differ greatly from sinners, none can be secure of salvation.
75. 2.12Salvian addresses those professed religious who keep their riches.
76. 2.13Salvian honors those who have embraced poverty as imitators and members of Christ.
77. 2.14The objection: are widows, virgins, continent spouses, monks, and clerics who keep their wealth really in danger?
78. 2.15Appeals to rich saints of the Old Testament no longer apply.
79. 2.16Before the law, possessing wealth was not forbidden.
80. 2.17Under the law, too, wealth justly held was permitted.
81. 2.18Anna, Nathanael, and Tobit exemplify the generous holiness of those under the law.
82. 2.19Obedience under the law was then perfection, but Christians cannot now retreat to the law’s standard.
83. 2.20The gospel demands more than the law: abstinence, fasting, patience, love, purity of the eyes, and continence.
84. 2.21Paul restricts even lawful things, including marriage and possessions, because the world is passing.
85. 2.22Those who bequeath wealth to others disinherit themselves of eternal goods.
86. 2.23Christians owe more than the Jews did because they have received the truth, sonship, the Spirit, and Christ himself.
87. 2.24Since Christ gave himself, Christians owe not only their wealth but themselves.
88. 2.25Paul’s true widow, who rejects luxury, should not be rich.
89. 2.26A true widow must cling to God and prayer, not merely avoid luxury.
90. 2.27Only the soul that clings to God now will be upheld by him hereafter.
91. 2.28Continent married couples, having given themselves to God, should give him their goods as well.
92. 2.29Continent couples should take their wealth with them to God rather than leave it to the world.
93. 2.30The parable of the ten virgins shows that virginity without works of mercy does not save.
94. 2.31Giving a little does not suffice; the foolish virgins’ lamps went out for lack of the oil of good works.
95. 2.32The foolish virgins thought they had enough oil; a virgin today must not repeat their mistake.
96. 2.33The foolish virgins presumed their lamps would burn, and even had some light at first.
97. 2.34A little light that soon goes out is as nothing.
98. 2.35Eternal light requires an abundance of oil, not presumption.
99. 2.36Since no one knows how much giving salvation requires, all should give as much as they can.
100. 2.37Clergy must surpass others in devotion as they do in rank.
101. 2.38Even under the old law the Levites and priests were forbidden to own land.
102. 2.39Christ counseled perfection to the rich young man but commanded poverty to his ministers.
103. 2.40Christ forbade his apostles even a bag, a second tunic, and shoes.
104. 2.41Clergy, successors of the apostles, should not leave rich heirs.
105. 2.42The religious owe more, not less, since they know God’s will.
106. 2.43Religious profession is a vow that increases one’s debt to God.
107. 2.44The irreligious are also debtors, guilty of refusing to know God.
108. 2.45Salvian sets aside the argument from profession and argues from self-interest.
109. 2.46Everyone acts for his own advantage, even the wicked.
110. 2.47The religious chose their way of life in view of the judgment and hell.
111. 2.48They also considered the glories of the new creation and life with God.
112. 2.49The religious embraced religion to obtain these heavenly goods.
113. 2.50Since nothing we own can buy heaven, we should at least give everything.
114. 2.51Scripture praises giving and threatens the greedy with eternal fire.
115. 2.52The condemned of Matt 25 are punished for greed and lack of mercy alone.
116. 2.53Not to avoid the punishment of greed is not to believe Christ, and so not to be a Christian.
117. 2.54Even if the holy have nothing to redeem, they should give to buy the kingdom, unless they doubt Christ can repay.
118. 2.55Giving without faith in Christ’s repayment is useless.
119. 2.56Not giving shows that God is not truly believed.
120. 2.57Refusal to give proves unbelief.
121. 2.58People trust human promises but not God’s.
122. 2.59All human life runs on trust, yet God alone is distrusted.
123. 2.60Objection: some keep wealth from necessity of sex, age, or illness, not unbelief.
124. 2.61Only necessities may be kept; Paul warns that desire for riches leads to destruction.
125. 2.62The weak may keep only what suffices; the rest belongs to religious duty.
126. 2.63A consecrated virgin or widow does not need great wealth to persevere.
127. 2.64A large household disturbs rather than protects a holy woman’s quiet.
128. 2.65Riches hinder religion and deceive by the name of goods.
129. 2.66Salvian concedes that the weak may keep wealth during life if they give it to God at death.
130. 2.67Those who fear poverty now should fear eternal poverty more.
131. 2.68Those who love wealth should seek eternal riches.
132. 2.69It is madness for the rich not even at death to give for their own salvation.
133. 2.70Leaving wealth to others at death is throwing away the last plank of salvation.
134. 2.71Such people are crueler to themselves than any enemy.
135. 2.72Self-disinheritance is a persecution worse than any enemy’s.
136. 2.73Enemies can harm only the body, but the self-disinherited harm their own souls forever.
137. 3.1Book 3 addresses both worldly Christians and the professed religious.
138. 3.2All Scripture testifies that mercy and generosity are the Christian’s chief good.
139. 3.3The parable of the talents shows that wealth is lent by God to be returned with interest.
140. 3.4The bankers of the parable are the poor; giving to them is lending to God.
141. 3.5The rich should give during life, or at least at death.
142. 3.6Love of children cannot excuse failure to give; each is judged for himself.
143. 3.7Parents plead that natural affection overcame their duty to God.
144. 3.8Whoever loves anything more than God has no secure excuse.
145. 3.9Some childless people adopt heirs rather than provide for their souls.
146. 3.10The childless who adopt heirs bind themselves needlessly to ruin.
147. 3.11It is grievous that a dying man thinks only of his heir’s feasting, not of his own soul.
148. 3.12It is monstrous to provide for everyone except oneself.
149. 3.13At the judgment only a good conscience, repentance, and abundant alms will help.
150. 3.14The dying man plans his heirs’ comfort but ignores his own ruin.
151. 3.15While judgment awaits, the dying man dwells on his heir’s feasting.
152. 3.16An heir’s feasting will be no help in hell.
153. 3.17No one should prefer his heirs to his own soul; heirs should rather wish their parents’ salvation.
154. 3.18One should leave all for one’s soul, though some relatives may justly receive something.
155. 3.19Needy relatives and especially those devoted to God may rightly receive bequests.
156. 3.20Love of family offered to God becomes a sacrifice with eternal reward.
157. 3.21Parents often give least to the children they have dedicated to God.
158. 3.22Parents excuse leaving less to children in religion, reducing them to want.
159. 3.23The religious need their share so that they can give it away.
160. 3.24The religious should choose poverty freely, not have it imposed by parents.
161. 3.25Voluntary poverty has a reward, yet religion itself is what makes these parents unjust.
162. 3.26Parents disinherit religious children to keep anything from reaching God.
163. 3.27Favoring worldly children over religious ones discourages religion itself.
164. 3.28Objection: some parents give religious children equal shares, but only for life use.
165. 3.29Leaving religious children only the use of property is designed to keep it from God.
166. 3.30Life-use without ownership lets children live rich but die beggars, and keeps all from God.
167. 3.31Masters give freedmen full rights of ownership, more than such parents give their children.
168. 3.32Such fathers treat their children worse than masters treat freedmen.
169. 3.33Like masters who grant only Latin freedom, such parents deny their children the right to bequeath.
170. 3.34Religious children are treated as Latin freedmen and punished for seeking to be better.
171. 3.35Parents claim good intentions, but their acts reverse the right order of honor.
172. 3.36Parents reverse God’s order by preferring worldly children to holy ones.
173. 3.37The religious have heirs: their own souls.
174. 3.38Even the devil admits that a man values his soul above all.
175. 3.39Those who neglect their souls value themselves less than the devil does.
176. 3.40God’s commands need no human examples, though Salvian will give some.
177. 3.41The apostolic church held all things in common.
178. 3.42The first church was very large: eight thousand joined in two days.
179. 3.43The first believers, with or without children, gave up their goods for God.
180. 3.44Parents may love their children, but second after their own souls.
181. 3.45Riches left to children cannot help parents after death.
182. 3.46The rich man of Luke 16 left wealth to his brothers but could not obtain a drop of water.
183. 3.47The rich man’s relatives, whom he remembered even in torment, could not help him.
184. 3.48The rich man begged relief through the very Lazarus he had despised.
185. 3.49The rich man now longed for the touch of the poor man he had despised.
186. 3.50Today’s rich share the name of the rich man and risk his fate.
187. 3.51In torment, the rich man’s pain far outweighed any pleasure in his heirs’ wealth.
188. 3.52Given the choice, the rich man would have given all his wealth to escape torment.
189. 3.53He would have paid anything for even an hour’s relief.
190. 3.54Repentance after death is too late.
191. 3.55The dead sinner cannot even remember God to pray to him.
192. 3.56Parents should give children discipline and give their wealth for their own salvation.
193. 3.57Even religious people now leave their redemption-price to distant relatives.
194. 3.58The childless invent relatives to inherit rather than provide for their souls.
195. 3.59People invent noble kinships at death to choose heirs, even widows and virgins of holy profession.
196. 3.60Testators buy noble pseudo-relatives with their inheritances to gain honor in death.
197. 3.61The cause of such conduct is unbelief in judgment and resurrection.
198. 3.62Not acting on God’s promises and threats proves unbelief.
199. 3.63Men spend heavily to prepare for human trials whose outcome they cannot buy.
200. 3.64Not preparing for God’s judgment shows lack of belief.
201. 3.65Testators keep their goods until death, showing they value them for themselves.
202. 3.66Testators give nothing until they are wholly gone.
203. 3.67The testator keeps his goods because he thinks them necessary to him while alive.
204. 3.68The testator assumes he will need nothing after death.
205. 3.69Paul teaches that what one sows in this life one reaps after death.
206. 3.70Christ promises reward even for a cup of cold water given in faith.
207. 3.71The cup of cold water shows that no work of faith perishes, not that the rich can buy much with little.
208. 3.72Christ is a sure guarantor who even makes himself a debtor to the poor.
209. 3.73The rich have specific promises: Christ’s word to the rich young man and his command about treasure in heaven.
210. 3.74Christ promises a hundredfold and eternal life to those who give for his sake.
211. 3.75The hundredfold reward is eternal, which makes it worth even more.
212. 3.76What is given to God will be enjoyed after death with increase.
213. 3.77No one in his right mind prefers misery to blessedness.
214. 3.78The dying should give at least to escape eternal punishment.
215. 3.79Failing to give at death shows unbelief in judgment and resurrection.
216. 3.80Speech professes faith, but life and death reveal unbelief.
217. 3.81At death, the only refuge is to offer one’s goods, yet the dying think of legatees.
218. 3.82Neglecting one’s soul at death shows contempt for the Judge.
219. 3.83Christ warns that gaining the world is worthless if the soul is lost.
220. 3.84The soul is worth more than anything, so nothing should be withheld for its sake.
221. 3.85Words without deeds are no proof of faith; Scripture urges good offerings.
222. 3.86God himself begs the sinner to have mercy on his own soul.
223. 3.87Rich relatives crowd the sickbed, and the dying man gives them what his soul needs.
224. 3.88The relatives’ grief is feigned; they are waiting for the dying man’s death.
225. 3.89The dying man abandons his soul for relatives who want him dead.
226. 3.90Scripture commands giving to the poor, not to rich relatives.
227. 3.91Enriching the rich is calling bitter sweet, contrary to God’s will.
228. 3.92The dying should not fear the relatives around them.
229. 3.93The heirs love the patrimony, not the man, and resent that he still lives.
230. 3.94Flatterers are more dangerous than armed enemies, for their victims welcome them.
231. 3.95The dying man should resist his flatterers and provide for his own eternal life.
232. 4.1Book 4: Salvian’s teaching displeases worldly Christians but agrees with the holy, and so with God.
233. 4.2Some professed religious teach that at death kin should come before Christ.
234. 4.3They claim duty to Christ binds the healthy but not the dying.
235. 4.4Such a view makes faith change with age and health.
236. 4.5Scripture demands perseverance to the end, when wisdom is praised.
237. 4.6Praise is secure only at the end, when merit can no longer be lost.
238. 4.7Christian wisdom is the fear and love of God, above all at death.
239. 4.8If kin may come before Christ at death, they could equally do so at any time.
240. 4.9God must always be put first, even at the end, since even the righteous perish if they fall away.
241. 4.10Putting anything before God is the greatest neglect of salvation.
242. 4.11Whoever ranks God last will be ranked last by God.
243. 4.12Claiming no contempt for God is the excuse of every sinner.
244. 4.13Every sin wrongs God, and the excuse itself proves contempt.
245. 4.14Leaving goods to others shows that one does not honor or love God.
246. 4.15Choosing an heir over God is preferring him to God.
247. 4.16Because God gave everything first, he is all the more worthy of our gifts.
248. 4.17Gifts received create a debt of gratitude.
249. 4.18Since all is God’s, giving earns no credit, but withholding deserves punishment.
250. 4.19God needs our gifts not in himself but in his poor, as Matt 25 shows.
251. 4.20Christ declares that he hungers and thirsts, and so is in need.
252. 4.21Christ shares the need of every poor person and so is the neediest of all.
253. 4.22Christ begs in all the poor.
254. 4.23Leaving wealth to the rich while Christ is in need contradicts belief in him.
255. 4.24Religious dress cannot hide unbelief shown by bequests to others.
256. 4.25Bequeathing to others proves one does not believe gifts to God will benefit oneself.
257. 4.26Anyone who believed giving to God would benefit him would give it for himself.
258. 4.27Those who value Christ least will be valued least by him.
259. 4.28Religious profession increases guilt, since judgment begins with God’s house.
260. 4.29Chastity, sobriety, and fasting do not save the greedy, who are condemned for lack of mercy.
261. 4.30Fasting to enrich an heir is worthless.
262. 4.31Ironically, the faster’s only proof at judgment is his heirs’ wealth.
263. 4.32The heirs live like the rich man of Luke 16.
264. 4.33The frugal testator’s savings fund his heirs’ drunkenness and immorality.
265. 4.34Poverty would have saved the testator; his wealth harms both him and his heirs.
266. 4.35Leave your wealth to the poor, and their relief will be your reward.
267. 4.36Leaving one’s wealth to the poor makes Christ the heir and the giver the beneficiary.
268. 4.37Ignoring Christ’s commands at the end shows one does not believe him.
269. 4.38People trust even petty traders and liars with a bond, yet not Christ.
270. 4.39Christ’s bond and sureties are the surest, yet he is refused credit; as one chooses, so one will receive.
271. 4.40Every sinner thinks his own sin pardonable.
272. 4.41The saints judge even their small sins severely, and so are rewarded at the judgment.
273. 4.42Most monks begin their conversion by giving up all their property.
274. 4.43The saints send their goods ahead to their heavenly dwelling before following Christ.
275. 4.44No one can expect God to repay what he never entrusted to him.
276. 4.45Those who do not entrust their wealth to God receive Scripture’s threats against the lukewarm rich.
277. 4.46Presumption about one’s salvation is itself dangerous.
278. 4.47The way to the kingdom is hard, but nothing compares with future glory.
279. 4.48Nothing given for eternal blessedness is too much.
280. 4.49Every command of God offends someone; the wicked would rather hate the law than their vices.
281. 4.50Salvian must speak though it displease men; those who change their ways will come to love God’s law.