On the Twelve Abuses of the World

from the sons it is shown to be expected. For in four ways the sacred scriptures call [men] fathers: this is a father by nature, by race, by admonition, and by age. For Jacob spoke to Laban concerning a natural father: "Had not the fear of my father Isaac been with me, you would have taken away all that is mine." The father by race is spoken of when the Lord spoke to Moses from the bush: "I am," he said, "the God of your father." A father by age and by admonition is likewise spoken of when Moses says in the Canticle of Deuteronomy: "Ask your father and he will tell you." If, therefore, a natural father is not alive, obedience must be rendered to an admonishing elder. For how will he appear honored in old age who did not endure the labor of discipline in his youth? For whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For all discipline in the present does not seem to be a matter of joy, but of sorrow; afterward, however, it will return the most peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been exercised by it. For just as a fruit is not found on a tree on which blossom? or flower has not first appeared, so he who has not labored in the exercises of some discipline in his youth will not be able to attain legitimate honor in old age. How, then, can there be discipline without obedience? Therefore, a youth without discipline is a youth without obedience. Since even obedience itself, which is the mother of all discipline, requires great exercise—which took the norm of its study from Christ the Lord, who, being obedient to the Father, willingly endured the ignominy of the cross of death.

The Fourth Degree of Abuse

A Rich Man without Alms.

The fourth degree of abuse is a rich man without alms, who hides away superfluous things for the future, which he was guarding for himself, and does not distribute them to the needy who have nothing. By this he causes it to happen that, while he diligently seeks and guards things on earth, he fully loses the treasure of the heavenly homeland—to which the Lord Jesus invited the rich young man who had questioned him about perfection, responding thus: "If you wish to be perfect, go and sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven," which no man can have unless he provides solace to the poor or is poor by his own will. Therefore, do not sleep upon your treasures, because the poor man does not cease to beg. For a rich man, even if he has gathered many things, cannot possess them alone, because the nature of one man does not suffice for many things. What, therefore, is more foolish than to lose the joy of the entire heavenly kingdom for the sake of the food and clothing of one man, and to undergo eternal tortures in hell while awaiting solace? What, therefore, must be lost for the necessity of anyone must be freely distributed for eternal retribution. For all things that are seen are temporal, while those that are not seen are eternal.