Chapter 26 — The enemies of religious endeavour to cast suspicion upon such of their works as are clearly good

We will now examine how, although the opponents of religious cannot affirm that certain works performed by them, such as prayer, fasting, and miracles, are evil, they try nevertheless to represent them in a false light, and to make them appear suspicious.

Their first contention is that certain bad men, mentioned in the Old and in the New Testament, practiced these works, in order to disguise their wickedness. Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing (Matt 7:15), which means, says the Gloss, that in the sight of men they will, by their prayers, fastings and almsdeeds, resemble the ministers of justice. But their works will avail them nothing, but will rather be imputed to them as sin. (Glossa ordinaria 5, 150 at Matt 7:15 (PL 114:110).) Again, on the words: many will say to me, the Gloss comments: we must beware of those who work miracles in the name of Christ. Our Lord certainly worked them for the sake of unbelievers, but he warned them not to be deceived, nor to think that a visible miracle is necessarily visible wisdom. (Glossa ordinaria 5, 152 at Matt 7:22 (PL 114:111).) From these words, the enemies of religious conclude that men are not to be accepted on account either of their virtues or of their miracles.

It is, however, easy to see that this opinion is unsound, because it is opposed to the words of our Lord (Matt 5:16): let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father. Again, he says that the tree is known by its fruit (Matt 12:33), a good tree by its good, and a bad tree by its bad fruits. St. Peter likewise says: maintain good conduct among the Gentiles, so that in case they speak against you as wrongdoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation (1 Pet 2:12). From these words we see that good works ought to render a man acceptable to his neighbour.

In the same way, a man’s miracles render him and his teaching commendable. For our Lord says: for the works which the Father has granted me to accomplish, these very works which I am doing, bear me witness that the Father has sent me (John 5:36). St. Mark likewise says that the apostles preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it (Mark 16:20). These signs were a testimony both to the men and to their doctrine.

We do not, of course, say that bad men may not give signs of virtue; we speak only of such things as we are capable of judging. Hence if a man show signs of goodness, we naturally conclude that he is good, unless he give proofs of wickedness, to show us that the good which he has manifested did not proceed from him. The Gloss, commenting on the words, you will know them by their fruits (Matt 7:16) says: judge of men not by their clothing but by their works. (Glossa ordinaria 5, 150 at Matt 7:16.) And again, on the words, let not him who eats despise him who abstains (Rom 14:3), the Gloss remarks: there are certain things, such as blasphemy, theft, and the like, which cannot proceed from a virtuous soul. It is permissible for us to judge of such matters as these; for they come under the category of which Christ spoke saying: "by their fruits you shall know them." But in doubtful matters, let us put the most favourable construction on our neighbour’s doings. (Peter Lombard, Commentaries on the Psalms and St. Paul, at Rom 14:3 (PL 191:1512C-D).)

Thus the authors quoted would have us not to be so deceived by good appearances, as to be led away by them into evil or error. But, if anyone who does not seek to seduce others into vice or error, he should be judged on account of his acts to be a good man. Even if he is in reality wicked, this deception is not a dangerous one, for it does not belong to man to judge the secrets of the heart. On the words, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Cor 11:14), the Gloss says: if Satan feigns to do or to say something befitting the good angels, and we even believe him to be himself a good angel, our error will not be harmful or even dangerous. But if the devil begins to tempt us by works not his own, we have need of great watchfulness, lest we be led astray. (Peter Lombard, Commentaries on the Psalms and St. Paul, at 2 Cor 11:14 (PL 192:74C).)

The enemies of religious proceed still further in their malice, and declare that the manifest good works done by religious are hypocrisy. Thus, they say, religious commit a heinous crime. But, they themselves herein resemble the Pharisees, who said to our Lord when he was casting out a devil: he casts out demons by Beelzebub, the prince of demons (Matt 12:24; Luke 11:15). They act like the Pharisees who, as soon as they see another do a good work, ascribe it to hypocrisy. It was to rebuke such judgments that Christ said: the tree is known by its fruit (Matt 12:33).

It is easy to see how much harm such assertions may do. For, if the opinion that a man is to be esteemed a hypocrite on account of his good works is generally accepted, persons will be withheld from performing any acts of virtue; and the same will be the case if everyone is called a hypocrite who embraces a state of perfection after committing great sins. St. Gregory (Moral., 31) combats this idea. For, commenting on the words, though her labor be in vain, yet she has no fear (Job 39:16), he writes: we must remember that our mother the Church nurses certain souls in her tender bosom until she brings them to spiritual maturity. But, such souls have not as yet acquired the habit of holiness, nor are they as yet strong enough to follow the path of perfection. (Gregory the Great, Morals 31.13.24 at Job 39:16 (CCSL 143B; PL 76:586C).) But, he continues, we have no right to call such men hypocrites; for weakness is one thing, and malice another. (Gregory the Great, Morals 31.13.24 at Job 39:16 (CCSL 143B; PL 76:586C).) Thus, according to the teaching of St. Gregory, they only deserve to be called hypocrites who undertake to perform works of perfection in order thereby to cloak their wickedness, and to be able the more easily to injure others. Those who, through weakness, may chance to fall into sin, even after embracing a life of perfection, are not hypocrites.