vEK. 18—23. ST. LUKE. 611 WhereasHe sendshim to the former; as itfollows,TJiou shallnotkill,Thou shaltnot commit adultery.THEOPHYL. Thelawfirstforbidsthosethingstowhichwe aremost prone, asadulteryforinstance,the incitementto which iswithin us,andof our nature; and murder,becauserage isa great andsavagemonster. But theftand bearingfalsewitnessare sinswhichmen seldomfallinto. And besides,the former alsoarethemore grievoussins,thereforeHe placestheftand bearingfalsewitnessin thesecondplace,as bothlesscom mon,and of lessweight than the other. BASIL.Now we Basil.in mustnot understandby thieves,onlysuch as cut stripsoffj"8^cap' hides,orcommitrobberiesinthebaths.But allsuchalsoas, whenappointedleadersof legions,or installedgovernorsof statesornations,areguiltyofsecretembezzlement,orviolent andopenexactions.TIT.BOST.But you may observethat thesecommandments consistin not doing certainthings; thatifthouhastnot committedadultery,thou artchaste; if themstealestnot,honestlydisposed;ifthou bearestnot falsewitness,truth-telling.Virtuethenwe seeisrendered easythroughthe goodnessoftheLawgiver. For He speaks ofavoidingofevil,not practisingofgood. And any cessa tionfromactioniseasierthanany actualwork. THEOPHYL.Becausesinagainstparents,althougha great crime,veryrarelyhappens,He placesitlastof all,Honour thyfatherand mother. AMBROSE. Honour isconcernednot onlywithpayingrespect,but alsowithgivingbountifully. Foritishonouringtorewarddeserts.Feed thyfather,feed thymother,and when thou hastfedthem thou hastnotre quitedallthe pangs and agony thy mother underwentfor thee.To the one thou owestallthou hast,to theotherall thouart. What a condemnation,shouldthe Church feed thosewhom thouartabletofeed. But itmay besaid,What I was going to bestowupon my parents,I preferto give totheChurch. God seeksnot a giftwhichwillstarvethy parents,buttheScripturesaysaswellthatparentsaretobe led,asthattheyareto be leftforGod'ssake,shouldthey checktheloveofa devoutmind. Itfollows,And he said,All thesethingshaveI keptfrom my youthup. JEROME. The young man speaksfalse,forifHier.in hehadfulfilledthatwhichwas afterwardsplacedamong the^aU.'"' 2 R2