Chapter XI.
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 money which they either never had
before, or which by a bad beginning they kept back, they seek for women
to dwell with them, to preserve what they have unjustifiably amassed or
retained. And they implicate themselves in so many harmful and
dangerous occupations, that they are cast down even to the depths of
hell, while they refuse to acquiesce in that saying of the Apostle,
that “having food and clothing they should be content” with
that which the thrift of the monastery supplied, but “wishing to
become rich they fall into temptation and the snare of the devil, and
many unprofitable and hurtful desires, which drown men in destruction
and perdition. For the love of money,” i.e. covetousness,
“is a root of all kinds of evil, which some coveting have erred
from the faith, and have entangled themselves in many
sorrows.”
882
882
1 Tim. vi. 8–10
.