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| Chapter VII. How admirably Ps. xxxix. [xxxviii.] takes the place of an introduction. Incited thereto by this psalm the saint determines to write on duties. He does this with more reason even than Cicero, who wrote on this subject to his son. How, further, this is so.
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Chapter VII.
How admirably Ps. xxxix.
[xxxviii.] takes the
place of an introduction. Incited thereto by this psalm the saint
determines to write on duties. He does this with more reason even
than Cicero, who wrote on this subject to his son. How, further,
this is so.
23. Not without
thought did I make use of the beginning of this psalm, in writing to
you, my children. For this psalm which the Prophet David gave to
Jeduthun to sing,57
| 57 This psalm in the Hebrew
is inscribed to Jeduthun, one of the three leading musicians in the
temple services. | I urge you to regard,
being delighted myself with its depth of meaning and the excellency of
its maxims. For we have learnt in those words we have just
shortly touched upon, that both patience in keeping silence and the
duty of awaiting a fit time for speaking are taught in this psalm, as
well as contempt of riches in the following verses, which things are
the chief groundwork of virtues. Whilst, therefore, meditating on
this psalm, it has come to my mind to write “on the
Duties.”
24. Although some philosophers have written
on this subject,—Panætius,58
| 58 A Stoic
philosopher who lived and taught at Athens, c. b.c. 120. His chief work was a treatise
περὶ
τοὺ
καθήκοντος, which Cicero himself afterward used as the groundwork of his own book
de Officiis. | for instance,
and his son amongst the Greek, Cicero amongst the Latin,
writers—I did not think it foreign to my office to write also
myself. And as Cicero wrote for the instruction of his
son,59
so I, too, write to teach you, my
children. For I love you, whom I have begotten in the Gospel, no
less than if you were my own true sons. For nature does not make
us love more ardently than grace. We certainly ought to love
those who we think will be with us for evermore than those who will be
with us in this world only. These often are born unworthy of
their race, so as to bring disgrace on their father; but you we chose
beforehand, to love. They are loved naturally, of necessity,
which is not a sufficiently suitable and constant teacher to implant a
lasting love. But ye are loved on the ground of our deliberate
choice, whereby a great feeling of affection is combined with the
strength of our love: thus one tests what one loves and loves
what one has chosen.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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