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On the Duties of the Clergy

St Ambrose of Milan, NPNF II.10

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Book 1, 1. A Bishop’s special office is to teach; St.
Book 1, Manifold dangers are incurred by speaking; the remedy for which Scripture shows…
Book 1, Silence should not remain unbroken, nor should it arise from idleness.
Book 1, The same care must be taken that our speech proceed not from evil passions, but…
Book 1, We must guard also against a visible enemy when he incites us by silence; by the…
Book 1, In this matter we must imitate David’s silence and humility, so as not even to…
Book 1, 7. How admirably Ps. xxxix.
Book 1, The word “Duty” has been often used both by philosophers and in the holy…
Book 1, A duty is to be chosen from what is virtuous, and from what is useful, and also…
Book 1, What is seemly is often found in the sacred writings long before it appears in…
Book 1, It is proved by the witness of Scripture that all duty is either “ordinary” or…
Book 1, To prevent any one from being checked in the exercise of mercy, he shows that God…
Book 1, The ideas of those philosophers are refuted who deny to God the care of the whole…
Book 1, 14. Nothing escapes God’s knowledge.
Book 1, Those who are dissatisfied with the fact that the good receive evil, and the evil…
Book 1, To confirm what has been said above about rewards and punishments, he adds that…
Book 1, The duties of youth, and examples suitable to that age, are next put forth.
Book 1, 18. On the different functions of modesty.
Book 1, 19. How should seemliness be represented by a speaker?
Book 1, If we are to preserve our modesty we must avoid fellowship with profligate men,…
Book 1, We must guard against anger, before it arises; if it has already arisen we must…
Book 1, On reflection and passion, and on observing propriety of speech, both in ordinary…
Book 1, Jests, although at times they may be quite proper, should be altogether banished…
Book 1, There are three things to be noticed in the actions of our life.
Book 1, A reason is given why this book did not open with a discussion of the…
Book 1, In investigating the truth the philosophers have broken through their own rules.
Book 1, The first source of duty is prudence, from whence spring three other virtues; and…
Book 1, 28. A community rests upon justice and good-will.
Book 1, 29. Justice should be observed even in war and with enemies.
Book 1, On kindness and its several parts, namely, good-will and liberality.
Book 1, 31. A kindness received should be returned with a freer hand.
Book 1, After saying what return must be made for the service of the above-mentioned…
Book 1, Good-will exists especially in the Church, and nourishes kindred virtues.
Book 1, 34. Some other advantages of goodwill are here enumerated.
Book 1, On fortitude. This is divided into two parts: as it concerns matters of war and…
Book 1, One of the duties of fortitude is to keep the weak from receiving injury;…
Book 1, An even mind should be preserved in adversity as well as in prosperity.
Book 1, We must strengthen the mind against troubles to come, and build it up by looking…
Book 1, One must show fortitude in fighting against all vices, especially against avarice.
Book 1, Courage in war was not wanting in our forefathers, as is shown by the example of…
Book 1, After praising Judas’ and Jonathan’s loftiness of mind, the constancy of the…
Book 1, 42. The powers that be are not needlessly to be irritated.
Book 1, On temperance and its chief parts, especially tranquillity of mind and…
Book 1, Every one ought to apply himself to the duties suited to his character.
Book 1, On what is noble and virtuous, and what the difference between them is, as stated…
Book 1, 46. A twofold division of what is seemly is given.
Book 1, 47. What is seemly should always shine forth in our life.
Book 1, 48. The argument for restraining anger is given again.
Book 1, 49. We must reserve the likeness of the virtues in ourselves.
Book 1, The Levites ought to be utterly free from all earthly desires.
Book 2, Happiness in life is to be gained by living virtuously, inasmuch as thus a…
Book 2, The different ideas of philosophers on the subject of happiness.
Book 2, The definition of blessedness as drawn from the Scriptures is considered and…
Book 2, The same argument, namely, that blessedness is not lessened or added to by…
Book 2, Those things which are generally looked on as good are mostly hindrances to a…
Book 2, On what is useful: not that which is advantageous, but that which is just and…
Book 2, What is useful is the same as what is virtuous; nothing is more useful than love,…
Book 2, Nothing has greater effect in gaining good-will than giving advice; but none can…
Book 2, Though justice and prudence are inseparable, we must have respect to the ideas of…
Book 2, Men entrust their safety rather to a just than to a prudent man.
Book 2, A third element which tends to gain any one’s confidence is shown to have been…
Book 2, No one asks counsel from a man tainted with vice, or from one who is morose or…
Book 2, 13. The beauty of wisdom is made plain by the divine testimony.
Book 2, Prudence is combined with all the virtues, especially with contempt of riches.
Book 2, Of liberality. To whom it must chiefly be shown, and how men of slender means may…
Book 2, Due measure must be observed in liberality, that it may not be expended on…
Book 2, 17. What virtues ought to exist in him whom we consult.
Book 2, We learn from the fact of the separation of the ten tribes from King Rehoboam…
Book 2, Many are won by justice and benevolence and courtesy, but all this must be…
Book 2, Familiarity with good men is very advantageous to all, especially to the young,…
Book 2, To defend the weak, or to help strangers, or to perform similar duties, greatly…
Book 2, We must observe a right standard between too great mildness and excessive…
Book 2, The good faith of those who are easily bought over with money or flattery is a…
Book 2, 24. We must strive for preferment only by right means.
Book 2, Benefits should be conferred on the poor rather than on the rich, for these…
Book 2, How long standing an evil love of money is, is plain from many examples in the…
Book 2, In contempt of money there is the pattern of justice, which virtue bishops and…
Book 2, Mercy must be freely shown even though it brings an odium of its own.
Book 2, The property of widows or of all the faithful, that has been entrusted to the…
Book 2, The ending of the book brings an exhortation to avoid ill-will, and to seek…
Book 3, We are taught by David and Solomon how to take counsel with our own heart.
Book 3, The discussions among philosophers about the comparison between what is virtuous…
Book 3, The rule given about not seeking one’s own gain is established, first by the…
Book 3, As it has been shown that he who injures another for the sake of his own…
Book 3, The upright does nothing that is contrary to duty, even though there is a hope of…
Book 3, 6. We ought not to allow the idea of profit to get hold of us.
Book 3, Strangers must never be expelled the city in a time of famine.
Book 3, That those who put what is virtuous before what is useful are acceptable to God…
Book 3, Cheating and dishonest ways of making money are utterly unfit for clerics whose…
Book 3, We are warned not only in civil law, but also in the holy Scriptures, to avoid…
Book 3, Having adduced examples of certain frauds found in a few passages of the…
Book 3, We may make no promise that is wrong, and if we have made an unjust oath, we may…
Book 3, Judith, after enduring many dangers for virtue’s sake, gained very many and great…
Book 3, 14. How virtuous and useful was that which Elisha did.
Book 3, After mentioning a noble action of the Romans, the writer shows from the deeds of…
Book 3, After saying a few words about Tobit he demonstrates that Raguel surpassed the…
Book 3, With what virtuous feelings the fathers of old hid the sacred fires when on the…
Book 3, In the narration of that event already mentioned, and especially of the sacrifice…
Book 3, The crime committed by the inhabitants of Gibeah against the wife of a certain…
Book 3, After the terrible siege of Samaria was ended in accordance with Elisha’s…
Book 3, Esther in danger of her life followed the grace of virtue; nay, even a heathen…
Book 3, 22. Virtue must never be given up for the sake of a friend.