Page:Writings of Saint Patrick, Apostle of Ireland.djvu/93

Rh 2. 'Patrick says: "Judges of the Church ought not to have the fear of man, but the fear of God, because the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom" (Prov. i. 7).'

3. 'Judges of the Church ought not to have the wisdom of this world, "for the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God," but to have the "wisdom of God" (1 Cor. iii. 19; i. 21).'

4. 'Judges of the Church ought not to take gifts, because "gifts blind the eyes of the wise, and change the words of the just."'

The passage referred to is Ecclesiasticus xx. 31, but the quotation is not exact. The words quoted by Patrick are, munera excæcant oculos sapientium et mutant verba justorum. The Itala and Vulgate have: Xenia et dona excæcant oculos judicum, et quasi mutus in ore avertit correptiones corum, i.e., 'Presents and gifts blind the eyes of judges, and make them dumb in the mouth, so that they cannot correct.' (Douay Version.) The rendering of the latter clause in the Douay Version is a paraphrase of the Latin and Greek.

5. 'Judges of the Church ought not to respect a person in judgment, "for there is no respect of persons with God" (Rom. ii. 11).'

6. 'Judges of the Church ought not to have worldly wisdom (cautelam sæcularem) but Divine examples (before them), for it does not become the servant of God to be crafty or cunning (cautum aut astutum).'