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| Chapter VII. What is useful is the same as what is virtuous; nothing is more useful than love, which is gained by gentleness, courtesy, kindness, justice, and the other virtues, as we are given to understand from the histories of Moses and David. Lastly, confidence springs from love, and again love from confidence.
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Chapter VII.
What is useful is the same as what is virtuous; nothing
is more useful than love, which is gained by gentleness, courtesy,
kindness, justice, and the other virtues, as we are given to understand
from the histories of Moses and David. Lastly, confidence springs
from love, and again love from confidence.
28. There is
therefore not only a close intercourse between what is virtuous and
what is useful, but the same thing is both useful and virtuous.
Therefore He Who willed to open the kingdom of heaven to all sought not
what was useful to Himself, but what was useful for all. Thus we
must have a certain order and proceed step by step from habitual or
common acts to those which are more excellent, so as to show by many
examples the advancement of what is useful.
29. And first we may know there is nothing
so useful as to be loved,424
nothing so useless
as not to be loved; for to be hated in my opinion is simply fatal and
altogether deadly. We speak of this, then, in order that we may
take care to give cause for a good estimate and opinion to be formed of
us, and may try to get a place in others’ affections through our
calmness of mind and kindness of soul. For goodness is agreeable
and pleasing to all, and there is nothing that so easily reaches human
feelings. And if that is assisted by gentleness of character and
willingness, as well as by moderation in giving orders and courtesy of
speech, by honour in word, by a ready interchange of conversation and
by the grace of modesty, it is incredible how much all this tends to an
increase of love.425
30. We read, not only in the case of private
individuals but even of kings, what is the effect of ready and willing
courtesy, and what harm pride and great swelling words have done, so
far as to make even kingdoms to totter and powers to be
destroyed. If any one gains the people’s favour by advice
or service, by fulfilling the duties of his ministry or office, or if
he encounters danger for the sake of the whole nation, there is no
doubt but that such love will be shown him by the people that they all
will put his safety and welfare before their own.
31. What reproaches Moses had to bear from
his people! But when the Lord would have avenged him on those who
reviled him, he often used to offer himself for the people that he
might save them from the divine anger.426
With what gentle words used he to
address the people, even after he was wronged! He comforted them
in their labours, consoled them by his prophetic declarations of the
future, and encouraged them by his works. And though he often
spoke with God, yet he was wont to address men gently and
pleasantly. Worthily was he considered to stand above all
men. For they could not even look on his face,427
and refused to believe that his sepulchre
was found.428
He had
captivated the minds of all the people to such an extent; that they
loved him even more for his gentleness than they admired him for his
deeds.
32. There is David too who followed his steps, who
was chosen from among all to rule the people. How gentle and
kindly he was, humble in spirit too, how diligent and ready to show
affection. Before he came to the throne he offered himself in the
stead of
all.429
As king he showed himself an equal
to all in warfare, and shared in their labours. He was brave in
battle, gentle in ruling, patient under abuse, and more ready to bear
than to return wrongs. So dear was he to all, that though a
youth, he was chosen even against his will to rule over them, and was
made to undertake the duty though he withstood it. When old he
was asked by his people not to engage in battle, because they all
preferred to incur danger for his sake rather than that he should
undergo it for theirs.
33. He had bound the people to himself
freely in doing his duty; first, when he during the division among the
people preferred to live like an exile at Hebron430
rather than to reign at Jerusalem; next,
when he showed that he loved valour even in an enemy. He had also
thought that justice should be shown to those who had borne arms
against himself the same as to his own men. Again, he admired
Abner, the bravest champion of the opposing side, whilst he was their
leader and was yet waging war. Nor did he despise him when suing
for peace, but honoured him by a banquet.431
When killed by treachery, he mourned
and wept for him. He followed him and honoured his obsequies, and
evinced his good faith in desiring vengeance for the murder; for he
handed on that duty to his son in the charge that he gave him,432
being anxious rather that the death of an
innocent man should not be left unavenged, than that any one should
mourn for his own.
34. It is no small thing, especially in the
case of a king, so to perform humble duties as to make oneself like the
very lowest. It is noble not to seek for food at another’s
risk and to refuse a drink of water, to confess a sin, and to offer
oneself to death for one’s people. This latter David did,
so that the divine anger might be turned against himself, when he
offered himself to the destroying angel and said: “Lo I
have sinned: I the shepherd have done wickedly, but this flock,
what hath it done? Let Thy hand be against me.”433
35. What further should I say? He
opened not his mouth to those planning deceit, and, as though hearing
not, he thought no word should be returned, nor did be answer their
reproaches. When he was evil spoken of, he prayed, when he was
cursed, he blessed. He walked in simplicity of heart, and fled
from the proud. He was a follower of those unspotted from the
world, one who mixed ashes with his food when bewailing his sins, and
mingled his drink with weeping.434
Worthily,
then, was he called for by all the people. All the tribes of
Israel came to him saying: “Behold, we are thy bone and thy
flesh. Also yesterday and the day before when Saul lived, and
reigned, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel.
And the Lord said to thee, Thou shalt feed My people!”435
And why should I say more about him
of whom the word of the Lord has gone forth to say: “I have
found David according to My heart”?436
Who ever walked in holiness of
heart and in justice as he did, so as to fulfil the will of God; for
whose sake pardon was granted to his children when they sinned, and
their rights were preserved to his heirs?437
36. Who would not have loved him, when they
saw how dear he was to his friends? For as he truly loved his
friends, so he thought that he was loved as much in return by his own
friends. Nay, parents put him even before their own children, and
children loved him more than their parents. Wherefore Saul was
very angry and strove to strike Jonathan his son with a spear because
he thought that David’s friendship held a higher place in his
esteem than either filial piety or a father’s authority.438
37. It gives a very great impetus to mutual
love if one shows love in return to those who love us and proves that
one does not love them less than oneself is loved, especially if one
shows it by the proofs that a faithful friendship gives. What is
so likely to win favour as gratitude? What more natural than to
love one who loves us? What so implanted and so impressed on
men’s feelings as the wish to let another, by whom we want to be
loved, know that we love him? Well does the wise man say:
“Lose thy money for thy brother and thy friend.”439
And again: “I will not
be ashamed to defend a friend, neither will I hide myself from
him.”440
If, indeed,
the words in Ecclesiasticus testify that the medicine of life and
immortality is in a friend;441
yet none has ever
doubted that it is in love that our best defence lies. As the
Apostle says: “It beareth all things, believeth all things,
hopeth all things, endureth all things; love never
faileth.”442
38. Thus David failed not, for he was
dear to all, and wished to be loved
rather than feared by his subjects. Fear keeps the watch of
temporal protection, but knows not how to keep guard
permanently.443
| 443 Cic. de
Off. II. 7, § 23. | And so
where fear has departed, boldness often creeps in; for fear does not
force confidence but affection calls it forth.
39. Love, then, is the first thing to give
us a recommendation. It is a good thing therefore to have our
witness in the love of many.444
| 444 Cic. de
Off. II. 8, § 30. | Then arises
confidence, so that even strangers are not afraid to trust themselves
to thy kindness, when they see thee so dear to many. So likewise
one goes through confidence to love, so that he who has shown good
faith to one or two has an influence as it were on the minds of all,
and wins the good-will of all.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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