{"collection":"chr","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/chr/ecf/008/0081050.htm","path":"chr/ecf/008/0081050.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/008/0081050.htm","text":"Chapter X.\u2014Poverty Not Necessarily Righteous.\nAnd our father said: \u201cHow then is this? Do we not see many impious men poor? Then do these belong to the saved on this account?\u201d And Peter said: \u201cNot at all; for that poverty is not acceptable which longs for what it ought not. So that some are rich as far as their choice goes, though poor in actual wealth, and they are punished because they desire to have more. But one is not unquestionably righteous because he happens to be poor. For he can be a beggar as far as actual wealth is concerned, but he may desire and even do what above everything he ought not to do. Thus he may worship idols, or be a blasphemer or fornicator, or he may live indiscriminately, or perjure himself, or lie, or live the life of an unbeliever. But our teacher pronounced the faithful poor blessed; 1246 and he did so, not because they had given anything, for they had nothing, but because they were not to be condemned, as having done no sin, simply because they gave no alms, because they had nothing to give.\u201d And our father said: \u201cIn good truth all seems to go right as far as the subject of discussion is concerned; wherefore I have resolved to listen to the whole of your argument in regular order.\u201d\nMatt. v. 3. The Epitomes run thus: \u201cOur Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, said.\u201d And then they quote the words of our Gospel.","title":"Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol VIII: Pseudo-Clementine Literature.: Chapter X","type":"page"}