The Institutes, Book VII

Book VII

• The Institutes VII.1 — How our warfare with covetousness is a foreign one, and how this fault is not a natural one in man, as the other faults are. How our warfare with covetousness is a foreign one, and how this fault is not a natural one…vatican.va
• The Institutes VII.2 — How dangerous is the disease of covetousness. But this disease coming upon us at a later period, and approaching the soul from without, as it can be the more easily guarded against and resisted, so, if it is…vatican.va
• The Institutes VII.3 — What is the usefulness of those vices which are natural to us. For example, do not we see those natural impulses of the flesh not only in boys in whom innocence still anticipates the discernment of good and evil, but…vatican.va
• The Institutes VII.4 — That we can say that there exist in us some natural faults, without wronging the Creator. If then we say that these impulses were implanted in us by the Creator, He will not on that account seem blameworthy, if we…vatican.va
• The Institutes VII.5 — Of the faults which are contracted through our own fault, without natural impulses. But we affirm that some faults grow up without any natural occasion giving birth to them, but simply from the free choice of a…vatican.va
• The Institutes VII.6 — How difficult the evil of covetousness is to drive away when once it has been admitted. Wherefore let not this evil seem of no account or unimportant to anybody: for as it can easily be avoided, so if it has once got…vatican.va
• The Institutes VII.7 — Of the source from which covetousness springs, and of the evils of which it is itself the mother. Of the source from which covetousness springs, and of the evils of which it is itself the mother. When then this vice…vatican.va
• The Institutes VII.8 — How covetousness is a hindrance to all virtues. With such strides then in a downward direction he goes from bad to worse, and at last cares not to retain I will not say the virtue but even the shadow of humility,…vatican.va
• The Institutes VII.9 — How a monk who has money cannot stay in the monastery. And so having money to provide for his wanderings, with the assistance of which he has fitted himself as it were with wings, and now being quite ready for his…vatican.va
• The Institutes VII.10 — Of the toils which a deserter from a monastery must undergo through covetousness, though he used formerly to murmur at the very slightest tasks. And so he is driven about, and more and more inflamed with the love of…vatican.va
• The Institutes VII.11 — That under pretence of keeping the purse women have to besought to dwell with them. Hence many are led on over an abrupt precipice, and by an irrevocable fall, to death, and not content to possess by themselves that…vatican.va
• The Institutes VII.12 — An instance of a lukewarm monk caught in the snares of covetousness. I know of one, who thinks himself a monk, and what is worse flatters himself on his perfection, who had been received into a monastery, and when…vatican.va
• The Institutes VII.13 — What the elders relate to the juniors in the matter of stripping off sins. But let not this seem superfluous or objectionable to any one. For unless the different kinds of sins are first explained, and the origin and…vatican.va
• The Institutes VII.14 — Instances to show that the disease of covetousness is threefold. And so this disease and unhealthy state is threefold, and is condemned with equal abhorrence by all the fathers. One feature is this, of which we…vatican.va
• The Institutes VII.15 — Of the difference between one who renounces the world badly and one who does not renounce it at all. Of the difference between one who renounces the world badly and one who does not renounce it at all. Of those then…vatican.va
• The Institutes VII.16 — Of the authority under which those shelter themselves who object to stripping themselves of their goods. Of the authority under which those shelter themselves who object to stripping themselves of their goods. These…vatican.va
• The Institutes VII.17 — Of the renunciation of the apostles and the primitive church. As if he (who, by his assertion that he was endowed with the privileges of a Roman citizen from his birth, testifies that he was no mean person according…vatican.va
• The Institutes VII.18 — That if we want to imitate the apostles we ought not to live according to our own prescriptions, but to follow their example. That if we want to imitate the apostles we ought not to live according to our own…vatican.va
• The Institutes VII.19 — A saying of S. Basil, the Bishop, directed against Syncletius. There is current a saying of S. Basil, Bishop of Cæsarea, directed against a certain Syncletius, who was growing indifferent with the sort of…vatican.va
• The Institutes VII.20 — How contemptible it is to be overcome by covetousness. And so if we want to strive lawfully in our spiritual combat, let us expel this dangerous enemy also from our hearts. For to overcome him does not so much show…vatican.va
• The Institutes VII.21 — How covetousness can be conquered. And in this case it will be the greatest victory and a lasting triumph, if, as is said, the conscience of the monk is not defiled by the possession of the smallest coin. For it is…vatican.va
• The Institutes VII.22 — That one who actually has no money may still be deemed covetous. For it is possible even for one who has no money to be by no means free from the malady of covetousness, and for the blessing of penury to do him no…vatican.va
• The Institutes VII.23 — An example drawn from the case of Judas. Would you like to know how dangerously and harmfully that incitement, unless it has been carefully eradicated, will shoot up for the destruction of its owner, and put forth…vatican.va
• The Institutes VII.24 — That covetousness cannot be overcome except by stripping one's self of everything. This is a sufficiently dreadful and clear instance of this tyranny, which, when once the mind is taken prisoner by it, allows it to…vatican.va
• The Institutes VII.25 — Of the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira, and Judas, which they underwent through the impulse of covetousness. Of the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira, and Judas, which they underwent through the impulse of covetousness.…vatican.va
• The Institutes VII.26 — That covetousness brings upon the soul a spiritual leprosy. And such are seen to be lepers in spirit and heart, after the likeness of Gehazi, who, desiring the uncertain riches of this world, was covered with the…vatican.va
• The Institutes VII.27 — Scripture proofs by which one who is aiming at perfection is taught not to take back again what he has given up and renounced. Scripture proofs by which one who is aiming at perfection is taught not to take back…vatican.va
• The Institutes VII.28 — That the victory over covetousness can only be gained by stripping one's self bare of everything. That the victory over covetousness can only be gained by stripping one’s self bare of everything. This then is the…vatican.va
• The Institutes VII.29 — How a monk can retain his poverty. And we can only preserve this virtue unimpaired if we remain in a monastery, and as the Apostle says, having food and clothing, are therewith content.vatican.va
• The Institutes VII.30 — The remedies against the disease of covetousness. Keeping then in mind the judgment of Ananias and Sapphira let us dread keeping back any of those things which we gave up and vowed utterly to forsake. Let us also…vatican.va
• The Institutes VII.31 — That no one can get the better of covetousness unless he stays in the Cœnobium: and how one can remain there. That no one can get the better of covetousness unless he stays in the Cœnobium: and how one can remain…vatican.va