Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume IV/Commodianus/The Instructions of Commodianus/Chapter 76

LXXVI.&#8212;Of Those Who Gossip, and of Silence.

When a thing appears to anybody of no consequence, and is not shunned, and it rushes forth, as if easy, whilst thou abusest it.&#160; Fables assist it when thou comest to pour out prayers, or to beat thy breast for thy daily sin.&#160; The trumpet of the heralds sounds forth, while the reader is reading, that the ears may be open, and thou rather impedest them.&#160; Thou art luxurious with thy lips, with which thou oughtest to groan.&#160; Shut up thy breast to evils, or loose them in thy breast.&#160; But since the possession of money gives barefacedness to the wealthy, thence every one perishes when they are most trusting to themselves.&#160; Thus, moreover, the women assemble, as if they would enter the bath.&#160; They press closely, and make of God&#8217;s house as if it were a fair.&#160; Certainly the Lord frightened the house of prayer.&#160; The Lord&#8217;s priest commanded with &#8220;sursum corda,&#8221; when prayer was to be made, that your silence should be made.&#160; Thou answerest fluently, and moreover abstainest not from promises.&#160; He entreats the Highest on behalf of a devoted people, lest any one should perish, and thou turnest thyself to fables.&#160; Thou mockest at him, or detractest from thy neighbour&#8217;s reputation.&#160; Thou speakest in an undisciplined manner, as if God were absent&#8212;as if He who made all things neither hears nor sees.