For he made haste and came down, and gladly received Christ,
and said, "Lo, Lord, the one half of my goods here I give unto
poor people. And yet, over that, if I have in anything deceived
any man, here am I ready to recompense him fourfold as much."
VINCENT: This was, uncle, a gracious hearing. But yet I marvel me
somewhat, wherefore Zachaeus used his words in that manner of
order. For methinketh he should first have spoken of making
restitution unto those whom he had beguiled, and then spoken of
giving his alms afterward. For restitution is, you know, duty, and
a thing of such necessity that in respect of restitution almsdeed
is but voluntary. Therefore it might seem that to put men in mind
of their duty in making restitution first, and doing their alms
afterward, Zachaeus would have spoken more fittingly if he had
said first that he would make every man restitution whom he had
wronged, and then give half in alms of that which remained
afterward. For only that might he call clearly his own.
ANTHONY: This is true, cousin, where a man hath not enough to
suffice for both. But he who hath, is not bound to leave his alms
ungiven to the poor man who is at hand and peradventure calleth
upon him, till he go seek up all his creditors and all those whom
he hath wronged--who are peradventure so far asunder that, leaving
the one good deed undone the while, he may, before they come
together, change that good intent again and do neither the one nor
the other.
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