Sermons 107

We do not hesitate to assert that the author of this homily is St. Maximus, although the opinion of others is different. We rely chiefly upon two codices, that of St. Gall and that of Holy Cross in Jerusalem no. 90, in the first of which it stands under no. 24, and in the second under no. 23. Three other codices plainly confirm the testimony of these: namely the Cassinese no. 12, page 337, which at the head of the homily has: 'On that which is written: Render to God the things that are God's, and concerning those who serve as soldiers, a sermon of St. Maximus the bishop'; the second is codex 99 of Holy Cross in Jerusalem, where under no. 7 the same title is displayed; the third is the Beneventan, page 337, entirely conformable to the foregoing both in inscription and in the name of Maximus.

We know that this homily was attributed in the old editions to Ambrose and also to Augustine; but it is equally known to us that the Benedictine monks of the Congregation of St. Maur judged that it should be left among the spurious works. In the preface to Ambrose's sermons they passed it over in silence, and transferred it to the appendix of St. Augustine's sermons, no. 82. But, someone will say, those same critics seemed to dissent not so much from those who gave the homily to Augustine as from others who gave it to Maximus; for they noted that it certainly did not belong to Augustine, but perhaps not to Maximus either. What then is to be concluded? That the Benedictine editors doubted concerning Maximus; but that they absolutely denied it, not so. For if there had become known to them the codices bearing the name of the holy bishop of Turin,

which we have praised, they would not have hesitated to acknowledge this homily as Maximian. The style, perhaps, which Maximus usually employs, seems dissimilar. But no one is ignorant that in moral discourses Ambrose too, and Augustine and other Fathers, delivered the teachings of eternal life in plainer speech. Some, brethren, who are either held by the belt of military service, or are set in public office, when they sin grievously, are wont to excuse themselves from the penalty of their sin by this plea, that they are soldiers; and lest they ever do any good, they complain that they are occupied with evil deeds; as though the fault lay in men's military service and not in their will: thus they ascribe to their offices what they themselves commit.

For it is not military service that is a fault, but to serve as a soldier for the sake of plunder that is sin. Nor is it criminal to administer public affairs, but to conduct public affairs in order rather to increase one's private estate seems damnable. For this reason certain stipends have been appointed for soldiers; lest, while pay is sought, plunder run riot. But what sort of thing is this: that when someone is reproved by his elders for some fault, and it is charged against certain of them—why he was drunk, why he invaded another's property, why in his turbulence he committed murder—he at once replies: 'What was I to do, a man of the world and a soldier? Was I made a monk or a cleric?' As though everyone who is not a cleric or a monk might be permitted what is not permitted.

To all offices, therefore, a rule of living is prescribed; every sex, age, and rank is summoned to act well. Therefore let no one excuse himself by public duties, let no one complain of the occupation of military service. In every Christian the first military service ought to be that of honesty. For, that we may confirm what we say by evangelical authority, let us look at the reading which was recited a little while ago. For the Gospel says: 'The publicans also came to John to be baptized by him; and they said to him, Master, what shall we do? And he said: Exact no more than what is appointed you.' Honest indeed was the publicans' question, and just the holy prophet's answer.

For they anxiously inquire, lest either through ignorance they fall into sin by exacting more, or by desisting they defraud the public revenue. But he moderately commands that iniquity should have no place, and that the appointed tribute should be levied. For he did not say: 'Exact nothing,' but 'Exact nothing more.' Whence we understand that with God it is not so much the exaction as the unjust exaction that is condemned. For the Lord Himself says: 'Render to God the things that are God's, and to Caesar the things that are Caesar's.' Therefore what Caesar commands must be borne; what the emperor imposes must be tolerated. But it becomes intolerable when he heaps it up with the plunder of extortion.

But what sort of thing is this, that those very men who administer such necessities double sin upon their sins—that is, that they call their frauds and rapines 'profit,' since the plunder itself is turned into their profit? Moreover, they add this to their crimes: that whomsoever they see undefended, these they rather persecute, and they think they have cheated the public necessities unless they have cheated the houses of orphans: so that those whose father perhaps two days before had been a friend, colleague, or brother, are, when death has intervened, regarded as strangers, worthless and wretched, though they are the same man's children. And if there is any widow, she is either so harassed with injuries that she marries again, or, if she wishes to remain in her purpose of chastity, she remains in possession of her means only by giving away her gifts.

When therefore they have filled their little bags with these frauds, you will see them cheerful and careful to hasten to church and to give thanks to God, as though this money were conferred upon them by Him; sinning also in this, that they wish God to be a partaker of their rapines. But the holy Gospel says: 'The soldiers also asked him, saying, And we, what shall we do? And John said to them: Do violence to no man, neither calumniate any; but be content with your pay.' Here now every man who serves as a soldier ought to recognize himself. For Scripture speaks not only of those soldiers who are engaged in armed service, but whosoever uses the belt of his own service is enrolled as a soldier of his own rank.

And therefore this sentence may be applied, for example, to soldiers, to bodyguards, and to all governors, and to whosoever obtains the pay publicly decreed for him; if he seeks more, he is condemned by John's sentence as a calumniator and extortioner. But to such a degree has this evil grown, that now, as if by custom, laws are sold, rights are corrupted, the very verdict is venal, and no cause can now be without a bribe. And this divine sentence, which speaks to soldiers, can also be turned back upon clerics; because, even if they seem not to serve the world as soldiers, yet we do serve as soldiers to the Lord and God, as the Apostle says:

'No one serving as a soldier for God entangles himself in secular affairs.' We seem, I say, not to serve as soldiers, in our loose and flowing tunics, but we have the belt of our warfare, by which the inward parts of chastity are girded up: concerning which belt the Lord says to His Apostles: 'Let your loins be girded, and your lamps burning in your hands.' We are therefore soldiers of Christ, and we receive from Him both pay and a gift, as the blessed Apostle says: 'Who has given us the pledge of the Spirit'; that is, who has enriched us with the recompense of the Holy Spirit. If therefore any of the Christians be perhaps not content with this bounty, and seeks more, by this very thing he begins to lack that which he had merited.

This happens especially to the Arian heretics: for while they seek I know not what more, finding the spirit of error, they have lost the grace of the Holy Spirit. For the Catholic cleric too is held by this sentence. For if he be not content with the stipends which, at the Lord's bidding, he obtains from the altar, but engages in trafficking, sells his intercessions, and gladly embraces the gifts of widows; this man may seem to be a trader rather than a cleric. Nor can we say, 'No one accuses us as invaders, no one charges us with violence,' as though they did not sometimes elicit from widows a greater plunder by flatteries than by torments:

nor does it matter with God whether one seizes another's property by force or by deceit, so long as by any means whatsoever he holds what is another's. Here it ends.