Bad Advertisement?
Are you a Christian?
Online Store:Visit Our Store
| Chapter IX. A duty is to be chosen from what is virtuous, and from what is useful, and also from the comparison of the two, one with the other; but nothing is recognized by Christians as virtuous or useful which is not helpful to the future life. This treatise on duty, therefore, will not be superfluous.
PREVIOUS SECTION - NEXT SECTION - HELP 
Chapter IX.
A duty is to be chosen from what is virtuous, and from
what is useful, and also from the comparison of the two, one with the
other; but nothing is recognized by Christians as virtuous or useful
which is not helpful to the future life. This treatise on duty,
therefore, will not be superfluous.
27. The
philosophers considered that duties62
| 62 Cic. de
Off. I. 3, § 9. | were derived
from what is virtuous and what is useful, and that from these two one
should choose the better. Then, they say, it may happen that two
virtuous or two useful things will clash together, and the question is,
which is the more virtuous, and which the more useful? First,
therefore, “duty” is divided into three sections:
what is virtuous, what is useful, and what is the better of two.
Then, again, these three are divided into five classes; that is, two
that are virtuous, two that are useful, and, lastly, the right judgment
as to the choice between them. The first they say has to do with
the moral dignity and integrity of life; the second with the
conveniences of life,
with wealth, resources, opportunities; whilst a right judgment must
underlie the choice of any of them. This is what the philosophers
say.63
28. But we measure nothing at all but that which
is fitting and virtuous, and that by the rule of things future rather
than of things present; and we state nothing to be useful but what will
help us to the blessing of eternal life; certainly not that which will
help us enjoy merely the present time. Nor do we recognize any
advantages in opportunities and in the wealth of earthly goods, but
consider them as disadvantages if not put aside, and to be looked on as
a burden, when we have them, rather than as a loss when expended.
29. This work of ours, therefore, is not
superfluous, seeing that we and they regard duty in quite different
ways. They reckon the advantages of this life among the good
things, we reckon them among the evil things; for he who receives good
things here, as the rich man in the parable, is tormented there; and
Lazarus, who endured evil things here, there found comfort.64
Lastly, those who do not read their
writings may read ours if they will—if, that is, they do not
require great adornment of language or a skilfully-treated subject, but
are satisfied with the simple charm of the subject
itself.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
|
