VER. 8 — 13. ST. LUKE. 553 And I say to you,Make to yourselvesfriendsof themammon ofunrighteousness,fyc. AUG. That which the Hebrews callAug. mammon, in Latin is "riches." As if He said,"Make toSerm'113' yourselvesfriendsof the richesof unrighteousness." Now somemisunderstandingthis,seizeupon the thingsof others, andso give something to the poor,and think that they are doingwhat is commanded. That interpretationmust be Prov.3,9. correctedinto,Give alms of your righteouslabours. For you LXX- willnot corruptChristyour Judge. If from the plunder of a poorman, you were to giveany thing to the judge thathe mightdecide foryou, and thatjudge should decide for you, suchisthe forceof justice,that you would be illpleasedin yourself.Do not then make to yourselfsuch a God. God isthe fountainof Justice,give not your alms then from interestand usury. I speak to the faithful,to whom we dispensethe body of Christ. But ifyou have such money, itisof evilthat you have it. Be no longer doers of evil. Zacchenssaid,Half my goods I give to thepoor. See how Luke19, he runs who runs to make friendsof the mammon of un- 8' righteousness;and not to be held guiltyfrom any quarter,he says,IfI have takenany thingfrom any one,I restorefour fold. According to another interpretation,the mammon of unrighteousnessarealltherichesof the world,whenever they come. For if you seek the true riches,there are some in whichJob when naked abounded,when he had hisheartfull towardsGod. The othersarecalledrichesfrom unrighteous ness;because they are not true riches,for they are fullof poverty,and ever liableto chances. For ifthey M'eretrue riches,they would giveyou security. AUG. Or the richesof unrighteousnessare so called,be- Aug.de causethey are not richesexcept to the unrighteous,and Ev_i ji suchas restin theirhopes and the fulnessof theirhappi-q•3*- ness. But when these things are possessedby the right eous,they have indeed so much money, but no richesare theirsbut heavenly and spiritual.AMBROSE. Or he spoke of the unrighteous Mammon, because by the variousen ticementsof richescovetousnesscorruptsour hearts,thatwe may be willingto obey riches. BASIL. Or if thou hastBasil. succeededto a patrimony, thou receivestwhat has been °m' amassed by the unrighteous; for in a number of pre-