約伯倫理 第 1154 章

Verse 32. — 'From the monstrous he hides the light.' 24. To the proud the knowledge of truth is denied. — Monstrous indeed are they who exalt themselves with lofty thoughts. Against whom it is said through Isaiah: 'Woe to you who are wise in your own eyes, and prudent before your own selves' (Isaiah 5:21). Against whom Paul also says: 'Be not wise in your own conceits' (Romans 12:16). But from these monstrous ones the light is hidden, because indeed to the proud the knowledge of truth is denied. Whence Truth itself says: 'I confess to thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to little ones' (Matthew 11:25): calling the proud, plainly, the wise and prudent.

For he who did not subjoin 'Thou hast revealed them to the foolish,' but 'to little ones,' showed that he condemned swelling pride, not sharpness of mind. Whence elsewhere too it is said: 'The Lord keeps the little ones' (Psalm 116:6). And that it may be shown what this same littleness is called, it is added: 'I was humbled, and he delivered me' (ibid.). Since, therefore, there are many in the Church who disdain to be little ones, even in the place of humility they by no means cease to be monstrous within themselves. These you may often see exalted with honors, reveling in pleasures, expanded by the multiplication of possessions. These often seek nothing especially save to be over the rest, they rejoice to be feared by many, they neglect to live rightly, and covet to have the reputation of a right life;

they seek flatteries, they swell with favors. And because they are ready in things abundantly present to themselves, they do not seek the joys to come. And while manifold activity occupies them, it also shows them to be alien even from their own selves. And yet, if any trial of faith arise, because in it they are contained at least outwardly in appearance, they defend it with words, defend it with labors, and lay claim to the heavenly homeland, yet do not love it. 25. Many fight for the land of promise, which nevertheless they by no means love. The example of the Gadites and Reubenites.

— These are well expressed in Moses by the sons of Reuben and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, who, possessing much cattle and beasts of burden, while beyond the Jordan they coveted the plains they had seen, refused to have an inheritance in the land of promise, saying: 'The land which the Lord smote in the sight of the sons of Israel is a most fertile region for the pasturing of animals; and we thy servants have very many beasts of burden, and we beseech that, if we have found grace before thee, thou wouldst give it to us thy servants for a possession, nor make us cross over the Jordan' (Numbers 32:4-5). Those, therefore, who possess very many beasts refuse to cross the Jordan, because those whom the many entanglements of the world occupy do not seek the dwelling of the heavenly homeland.

But that very faith which they hold outwardly in appearance rebukes them, lest they grow torpid in the delight of ease, and by their example break others from the endurance of labor and the zeal of long-suffering. Whence it is said to them through Moses: 'Shall your brethren go to the fight, and will you sit here? Why do you subvert the minds of the sons of Israel?' (ibid., 6-7). But because they blush not to defend what they confess, for that same faith which they have professed they hasten to the contest, and claim it not for themselves but for their neighbors. Whence also they say to Moses: 'We will build folds for the sheep, and stalls for the beasts of burden, and fortified cities for our little ones; but we ourselves, armed and girded, will go forth to battle before the sons of Israel' (ibid., 16-17).

They presently come as strong men on behalf of others, and free the land of promise from the enemies, and leave it; and return beyond the Jordan to pasture their herds. For many, though faithful, occupied with present cares, pasture their herds as it were beyond the Jordan, because contrary to the faith of baptism they serve perishable things with their whole mind and every desire. Yet these same, as we have said, when the trial of faith arises, are girded with the arms of defense. By overcoming they slaughter the enemies of the faith, and yet do not love the inheritance of the land of promise, that is, the fruit of faith; and so they fight for it in such a way that they nevertheless deposit their pledges outside it. For because they keep their little ones outside, they have no affection in dwelling in it.

Whence they return to the plains, because from the high summits of the mountains, as from the hope of heavenly things, they slip down, so as to feed brute animals outside the land of promise, because for the pasturing of their various desires they labor at the irrational motions of the soul, because they know not how great is the brightness of eternal light, being blinded by transitory occupations; and while they are proud over earthly things, they shut against themselves the entrance of the heavenly light. Whence rightly now it is said: 'From the monstrous he hides the light.' Yet sometimes the grace from above regards these monstrous ones,

and afflicts them with the very occupations of their abundant things, and interweaves into their prosperities tribulations that are indeed adverse but gentle, so that, saddened, they may return to the heart, and recognize how vainly they are occupied in perishing things. Whence here too, after the light is said to be withdrawn, it is fittingly subjoined: