604 GOSPEL ACCORDING TO CHAP. XVIII. sinned,yetfarlessifhe had sparedthePublican,butnow in one word he bothassailstheabsent,and inflictsa wound on Hom.3. him who was present.To givethanksisnot to heap re-ln att proacheson others.When thou returnestthanksto God, letHim be allin allto thee. Turn not thy thoughtsto Basil. men, nor condemn thy neighbour.BASIL.The differenceubisup. betweenthe proud man and the scornerisin the outward .form alone. The one is engaged in revilingothers,the otherinpresumptuouslyextollinghimself.CHRYS. He who railsatothersdoesmuch harm bothto himselfand others. First,thosewho hearhim arerenderedworse,forifsinners theyaremade gladinfindingone asguiltyasthemselves;if righteous,theyareexalted,beingledby thesinsofothersto thinkmore highlyofthemselves.Secondly,thebodyofthe Church suffers; forthosewho hearhim arenotallcontent toblamethe guiltyonly,but to fastenthereproachalsoon the Christianreligion.Thirdly,the gloryof God isevil spokenof;forasourwell-doingmakes the name of God to be glorified,sooursinscauseittobe blasphemed.Fourthly, theobjectofreproachisconfounded[andbecomesmore reck lessand immoveable.Fifthly,therulerishimselfmade liable topunishmentforutteringthingswhicharenotseemly. THEOPHYL. It becomesus not onlyto shun evil,butalso todo good; and soafterhavingsaid,/ am notas othermen are,extortioners,unjust,adulterers,he adds somethingby Sabbatho.way of contrast,I fasttwicein a week. They calledthe week theSabbath,fromthelastday of rest.The Pharisees fastedupon thesecondand fifthday. He thereforesetfast ingagainstthepassionofadultery,forlustisbornofluxury; buttotheextortionersand usuristshe opposedthepayment oftithes; asitfollows,I givetithesofallI possess; asifhe says,So faram I from indulgingin extortionor injuring, Greg.19.thatI evengiveup what ismy own. GREG. So itwas pride Mor.c.21.tnatlai,l^re to niswyy.enemiesthe citadelof hisheart, which prayerand fastinghad in vainkept closed.Of no use are allthe otherfortifications,as long as thereisone placewhichtheenemy hasleftdefenceless. AUG. Ifyou lookintohiswords,you willfindthatheasked nothingofGod. He goesup indeedtopray,butinsteadof askingGod,praiseshimself,and eveninsultshim thatasked.