Book 3
Ambrose discusses the relationship between the "beneficial" and "honourable." He cites examples of the behaviours which might bring one a gain but are utterly shameful like, for example, speculating on the grain market (c. 36-52). Then he speaks about hunting for inheritances:
57. There is nothing more odious than to have no love for what is honourable, to have an enthusiasm for the kind of practices that belong with the lowest of trades and for dishonest gain, to have a heart that burns with greed, to spend day and night in open–mouthed pursuit of the chance to inflict damage on another person's inheritance, and never to lift the spirit to focus on the splendour of what is honourable, and never to contemplate the beauty of true glory. 58. This is how some people succeed in obtaining inheritances: they go after them like hunters pursuing their quarry, and win them by pretending to show how restrained and serious they are. Such behaviour is repugnant to the purpose of a Christian man, for anything that has been elicited by artifice and contrived by deceitful behaviour is bereft of the merit of honesty. Even people who have never assumed any office in a church order believe it inappropriate to solicit an inheritance by putting on an affected manner. Those who are at the end of life ought to be left to come to their own decisions, and given freedom to make their wills as they see fit —they are not going to be able to alter them thereafter. For it is not honourable to divert hard–earned savings which may be due to others or set aside for them. The obligation of the priest or minister is to be helpful to everyone, if possible, and harmful to no one. 59. In the end, if it is not possible to offer assistance to one person without injuring another, it is better to help neither of them than to cause problems for either one. Since this is so, it is not for a priest to get involved in cases which concern financial affairs: in these situations, it is very often impossible to avoid an outcome at which the defeated party takes offence, for he assumes that his defeat has been aided and abetted by the person who has been acting as mediator. So the priest's task is to harm no one, but to be ready to help everyone— though the power to put this into practice belongs to God by getting involved—though bitterness and animosity will very often be generated by anyone who tries to defend a man's life, and it is a glorious thing if you are actually prepared to expose yourself to danger in those circumstances. Let us then observe the principle which should govern the duty of a priest: that he should harm no one, not even when provoked or offended by an injustice of any kind. A truly good man says this: ‘If I have repaid evil to those who rendered good to me . . . ’. After all, what glory is there is merely refraining from injuring somebody who has not injured us? It really is a virtue, though, if, when you have been injured by someone, you show him forgiveness.
(trans. Davidson 2001: 389-91; summary M. Szada)