(Vers. 3.). It is better to go to the house of mourning etc. Here the third lesson is noted, in which he prefers affliction to pleasure, namely mourning to feasting. On account of which he says: It is better to go to the house of mourning, where sins are mourned, because Matthew five: "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be consoled"; than to the house of feasting, where delights are found: Proverbs twenty-three: "Do not be among the banquets of drunkards" etc. And the reason for this is: because in banquets man forgets himself, in the house of mourning he remembers his judgment: and therefore he adds: For in that, namely in the house of mourning, the end of all men is brought to mind: Sirach thirty-eight: "Remember my judgment: for yours also shall be so. For me it is today, for you it shall be tomorrow." And the living considers what shall come to pass. And this is most useful: whence Sirach seven: "Remember your last things, and you shall never sin"; and therefore it is said in Sirach thirty-eight: "Remember the last things and forget malice," because, as Jerome says, "he easily despises all things who always considers that he is going to die."
(Vers. 4. 5.). Anger is better than laughter. Here the fourth lesson is noted, in which he prefers sadness to merriment: because the former, namely sadness, corrects, and merriment deceives. And therefore he says: Anger is better than laughter, anger namely, by which one is angered at the sins of others: Hebrews twelve: "He scourges every son whom he receives"; and Revelation three: "Those whom I love, I rebuke and chastise." This anger is better than the laughter of dissimulation: Sirach thirty: "Play with your son, and he will bring you sorrow" etc.: and therefore: Anger is better. And the reason is given: Because by the sadness of the countenance the mind of the offender is corrected: Proverbs twenty-five: "The north wind drives away rain, and a sad countenance a backbiting tongue."
And he confirms this lesson by the judgment of the wise: whence he says: The heart of the wise is where sadness is: but on the contrary: The heart of fools is where merriment is: the former seek sorrowful things in the present, the latter pleasant things: John sixteen: "You shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice." And that the former act wisely, and the latter foolishly, is clear from the outcome, because it is said to the sorrowful in Luke six: "Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh"; and on the contrary to those who rejoice: "Woe to you who laugh, for you shall weep."
(Verse 6. 7.). It is better to be rebuked by a wise man. Here is noted the fifth lesson, by which severity is preferred to softness, as for example harsh rebuke to flattery. On account of which he says: It is better to be rebuked by a wise man than to be deceived by the flattery of fools. Proverbs twenty-seven: "Open rebuke is better than hidden love," because rebuke directs, but flattery deceives. Proverbs sixteen: "A wicked man entices his friend and leads him by a way that is not good." And Isaiah three: "O my people, those who call you blessed, they themselves deceive you," etc.
And he gives the reason by a similitude: because the flattery of a fool lasts but a short time and makes much noise, like thorns kindled under a pot. Therefore he says: For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, it sounds loudly, so is the laughter of a fool. Literally, a fool laughs loudly. Ecclesiasticus twenty-one: "A fool lifts up his voice in laughter, but a wise man will scarcely laugh quietly." Or: loud laughter is when flattery is clamorous. Proverbs twenty-seven: "He who blesses his neighbor with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, shall be like one who curses." But this also is vanity, namely such flattery. In the Psalm: "Vain are the sons of men, liars are the sons of men."
Questions.
I. The question is raised concerning what is said: The day of death is better than the day of birth.
On the contrary: 1. Death is a privation, life is a possession; but a possession always has more of entity and goodness than a privation; therefore life is better than death; therefore the day of birth is better.
2. Furthermore, it is a rule that "that whose corruption is good, its generation is bad." But death is the corruption of life; therefore that whose death is good, its life is bad. But the life of none is bad except a sinner's; therefore the death of none is better than life except a sinner's. But this is false, because a sinner by dying tends toward hell.
I respond: it must be said that something is preferred to another sometimes by reason of itself, sometimes by reason of what follows upon it. That is to be preferred to another by reason of itself which of itself bespeaks more of good, just as a man is better than a horse. In another way, by reason of what follows, and thus death is preferred to life, and that dissolution, namely death, upon which follows rest and being with Christ. And of this death he speaks here, because in life man is in danger, in labor and sorrow; after death he is immediately in joy, security, and tranquility.
I. And the response to the first objection is clear, because death is not preferred by reason of itself.
2. What is objected in the second place can be solved similarly. For death is said to be bad in two ways: either because it takes away a great good, namely the good life, as a good both true and useful; or because it leads to a bad end. In the first way the death of the just is bad, that is, harmful; but in the second way it is exceedingly good, and in this respect it is preferred.
II. Likewise the question is raised concerning what he says: Anger is better than laughter.
On the contrary: 1. Matthew 5: Whoever is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment: but whoever derides is not liable to any punishment: therefore it is worse to be angry than to laugh.
2. Likewise, to laugh can be without fault: but to be angry, since it implies a disturbance of reason, is scarcely without venial fault, and is never without punishment: therefore it is far worse than laughter.
I respond: it must be said that there is to be angry at vice and to be angry by nature: the first is of virtue and good, the second of vice and evil. Similarly, there is to smile at the good and to deride sin: the first is good; the second, evil. And he speaks of anger and laughter insofar as evil is in view.
But then similarly he could give another rule with respect to the good: laughter is better than anger.
And it must be said that in the present life there are more evils than goods: therefore more people ought to grieve than to rejoice; therefore he prefers anger to laughter.
Second, four instructions for having constancy.
Oppression disturbs the wise man. Above he set forth instructions for having moderation; here follows the second part, in which he sets forth instructions for having constancy: and since constancy is lost through oppression and through wrath, and is preserved through patience and through perseverance: therefore four instructions are set forth here. In the first is shown that oppression is to be avoided: in the second, that perseverance is to be loved: in the third, that patience is to be preserved: in the fourth, that wrath is to be fled.
(Verse 8). In the first instruction, therefore, he shows that oppression is to be avoided, because by disturbing a man it renders him inconstant. For this reason he says: Oppression disturbs the wise man. Oppression is a litigious accusation, and therefore one must withdraw from it; Isaiah 54: "Withdraw far from oppression, for you shall not fear." And it shall destroy the strength of his heart, that is, the fortitude of charity: Matthew 24: "Because iniquity shall abound, the charity of many shall grow cold."
(Verse 9). Better is the end etc. Here the second instruction is noted, in which perseverance is preferred to justice merely begun. On account of this he says: Better is the end of a speech than its beginning: it is better to persevere in good than merely to begin: Matthew 10: "He who shall persevere to the end, he shall be saved"; whence Bernard says: "Perseverance is the consummation of all virtues."
Better is the patient one etc. Here the third lesson is noted, in which patience is commended, because without it there cannot be constancy; therefore he says: Better is the patient one than the arrogant: the comparison is improper, because the patient one is good, but the arrogant one is evil: Proverbs 16: "Better is the patient man than the mighty" etc. (Verse 10.). Be not swift etc. Here the fourth lesson is touched upon, in which it is taught that anger is to be fled, because it does not stand well with constancy; therefore he says: Be not swift to anger: James 1: "Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath." And the reason is added: Because anger rests in the bosom of a fool; Job 5: "Wrath kills the foolish man, and envy slays the little one." He well says rests, on account of its duration: for the wise man, even if he grows angry, ought not to preserve it long: Ephesians 4: "Let not the sun go down upon your wrath": but not so the fool: Proverbs 27: "Heavy is the sand" in the bosom of the fool.
Questions.
I. But there is a doubt about what he says: Oppression disturbs the wise man.