Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Series II/Volume XI/John Cassian/The Twelve Books/Book VII/Chapter 11

Chapter XI.

That under pretence of keeping the purse women have to besought to dwell with them.

many are led on over an abrupt precipice, and by an irrevocable fall, to death, and not content to possess by themselves that money which they either never had before, or which by a bad beginning they kept back, they seek for women to dwell with them, to preserve what they have unjustifiably amassed or retained. And they implicate themselves in so many harmful and dangerous occupations, that they are cast down even to the depths of hell, while they refuse to acquiesce in that saying of the Apostle, that &#8220;having food and clothing they should be content&#8221; with that which the thrift of the monastery supplied, but &#8220;wishing to become rich they fall into temptation and the snare of the devil, and many unprofitable and hurtful desires, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money,&#8221; i.e. covetousness, &#8220;is a root of all kinds of evil, which some coveting have erred from the faith, and have entangled themselves in many sorrows.&#8221;