約伯倫理 第 1441 章 第 2/2 段

In which words, if we take the gate as the entrance by which we enter to the knowledge of the Lord, the lower gate is faith, but the inner court is contemplation. Now the lower gate has breadth in its face, because faith, through the amplitude of its charity, has that operation which is seen by neighbors. When we behold this strongly done by the more perfect, we, who are straitened in good acts, receive through them examples of great operation. And each holy action becomes for us, as it were, a certain breadth of the way, which before was a narrowness of difficulty. The inner court also has a front, because the contemplative life shows, through certain signs of desires and groanings, how much the mind sees that which it so greatly loves.

Now the number ten, multiplied by itself, rises into a hundred. Whence rightly by a hundred is designated great perfection, as Truth says of the elect: Everyone who leaves house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or fields for my name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall possess eternal life (Matt. 19:29). For not for this does any saint forsake earthly things, that he may be able to possess these more manifoldly in this world; because whoever with earthly zeal relinquishes the earth, does not relinquish the earth but desires it. Nor is he who forsakes one wife to receive a hundred;

but by the number of a hundred perfection is designated, after which even eternal life is promised, because whoever for the name of God despises temporal and earthly things, both here receives the perfection of mind, so that he now does not desire the things he despises, and in the sequel arrives at the glory of eternal life by that staff. A hundredfold therefore he receives what he gave, who, receiving the spirit of perfection, does not need earthly things, even if he does not have them. For he is poor who needs that which he does not have. For he who, not having, does not desire to have, is rich. For poverty is in the want of the mind, not in the quantity of possession. For he with whom poverty well agrees is not poor. The man therefore measured the breadth from the face of the lower gate,

to the front of the inner court without, a hundred cubits, because our Redeemer daily, through masters and leaders, measures the life of the faithful in the measure of perfection, whether in the appearance of good work through faith, or in holy desires through contemplation. 17. For many seem, placed in faith, to work great things, but are not measured in a hundred cubits, because through the very things they do they seek earthly glory. And certain ones seem to be tormented by abstinence, to persist in groanings; but their measure is by no means brought to a hundred cubits, because in the things they do they seek the favors of human judgment.

Who then is he that is measured by a hundred cubits, unless it is he whose good operation uses a right intention, so that in what he does he is not turned aside to the seeking of earthly gains or to transitory praises? 18. For behold, to show mercy to neighbors, to give freely of one's possessions, to bestow with swiftness on the needy—this is the breadth in the face of the lower gate. But if, giving your own, you do not desire another's; if you do not seek earthly glory from that same good work—rightly you are measured in the number of a hundred, that is, in perfection. For he who seems to give his own mercifully, and perhaps violently seizes another's, this man still does not know what is the way of perfection, nor has he understood whence one strives toward perfection, because he has not found this very beginning of it.

For first he ought to pluck out covetousness from the mind, and afterward to bestow freely the things he rightly possesses. Whence it is written: Turn away from evil and do good (Ps. 36[37]:27). For what good can that be which he does, who has not yet turned away from evil? And there are certain ones who, as has been said, abstain from foods, torment the flesh, but yet, if they are provoked, are recognized to pant after the glory of the world. These show the front of the inner court, but are not measured by a hundred cubits. 19. These therefore are in the number of the more perfect, of whom it is said through Paul: Who have crucified their flesh with its vices and concupiscences (Gal. 5:24).

And it is to be noted that it is not said that these things are measured within, but without, because, namely, our Redeemer, when through us he either approves or judges the deeds of men, measures not within but without. Whence also he says through the Gospel: By their fruits you shall know them (Matt. 7:16). For we who through that which we see know the mind of the worker which we do not see, whether the breadth which is in the face of the lower gate, or the front of the inner court, we measure without.

For when we behold others giving alms, running together to the afflicted, coming to the aid of the oppressed, seeking nothing of glory in this world, gaping after no gains of this world; and when we see others taming the flesh, persisting in tears, occupied with heavenly words, desiring nothing of transitory honor—what else ought we to do but believe them to be perfect, esteem them holy? Because therefore, through that which we behold, we see them to be perfect, we measure their life by a hundred cubits without. 20. And because many, placed in Judea, but very many placed in the Gentile world, have arrived at this summit of perfection, rightly it is subjoined: Toward the east and toward the north.

For the Jewish people is rightly called the East, from whose flesh he was born who is called the Sun of righteousness. Of whom it is said through the prophet: But to you who fear the Lord, the Sun of righteousness shall arise (Mal. 4:2). But by the North is figured the Gentile world, which long grew torpid in the cold of its perfidy, and in whose heart he reigned who, as the prophet attests, said within himself: I will set my throne toward the North (Isa. 14:13). Since therefore Almighty God incarnate made some perfect out of Judea, others perfect out of the Gentile world, within the holy Church, he measured a hundred cubits not only toward the east, but also toward the north. 21.

But since under the name of the North the discourse has brought in something concerning the Gentile world, it is pleasing to consider how greatly the bowels of our Creator are poured out upon us. For we all come from the Gentile world. Our ancient parents served wood and stones, and, forsaking God by whom they were made, venerated gods whom they had made. But we, through the grace of Almighty God, have been led out to the light from darkness. Let us recall then from what darkness we came, that we may give thanks for the light which we have received. For he does not understand the divine mercy who is not mindful of his own misery. Whence also it is said to God through the Psalmist: Make wonderful your mercies, O Lord, who save those who hope in you (Ps. 16[17]:7).

For then God's mercies become wondrous to us, when the memories of our own misery are recalled to us, because, recalling what we were, we understand to whom we owe what we are. Let us therefore sing with joy to our Creator, because we have shaken off the neck of our mind from the service of the creature. Let us rejoice that there is fulfilled in us what was said through Isaiah: And the bridle of error which was in the jaws of the peoples shall be to you a song, as the voice of a sanctified solemnity (Isa. 30:28-29). For the bridle of error had constrained the jaws of the peoples, when the Gentile world, bound by the error of idols, knew not to give to the true God the praise of confession. But this very bridle of error has now been turned for us into a song, when, rejoicing, we chant and sing:

All the gods of the Gentiles are demons, but the Lord made the heavens (Ps. 95[96]:5). And again: The idols of the Gentiles are silver and gold, the works of the hands of men: they have mouths and shall not speak; they have eyes and shall not see; they have ears and shall not hear; they have feet and shall not walk (Ps. 113[115]:4-7). We therefore who say these things to the Almighty Lord by chanting, have made the very bridle of our error, which had bound our mouths from the praise of God, a song to the true Lord. And it is well said: As the voice of a sanctified solemnity (Isa. 30:29), because while we render to God the praise of confession, we rejoice in a sanctified solemnity.

Let us therefore respond in our morals to the mercy of so great a Redeemer of ours, and we who have known the light, let us decline the darknesses of depraved works. What is there now, I ask, that may please in this world? Everywhere we behold mourning, from every side we hear groans. Cities are destroyed, camps overthrown, fields depopulated, the earth is reduced to a solitude. No inhabitant remains in the fields, almost no dweller in the cities; and yet these very small remnants of the human race are still daily and without ceasing struck down. And the scourges of heavenly justice have no end, because not even amid the scourges are the faults of action corrected. We see some led into captivity, some maimed, others slain. What is there then that may please in this life, my brethren?

If we still love such a world, we love not joys but wounds. And what condition remains for her who once seemed to be the mistress of the world—Rome—we behold. Worn down manifoldly by immense sorrows, by the desolation of her citizens, by the assault of enemies, by the frequency of ruins; so that we see fulfilled in her what was said long before against the city of Samaria by this same prophet: Set on the pot, set it on, I say, and put water into it, and gather its pieces into it (Ezek. 24:3-4). And a little after: Its cooking has boiled over, and its bones are boiled away in the midst of it (Ezek. 24:5). And again: Gather the bones, which I will kindle with fire: the flesh shall be consumed, and the whole composition shall be sodden, and the bones shall melt away.

Set it also empty upon the coals, that it may grow hot, and its brass may melt (Ezek. 24:11). For then the pot was set for us, when this city was established. Then water was put into it, and its pieces were gathered, when peoples flowed together to it from every side, who like hot water grew fervent with the actions of the world, and like pieces of flesh were melted in their own fervor. Of which it is well said: Its cooking has boiled over, and its bones are boiled away in the midst of it, because first indeed in it the action of secular glory grew vehemently hot, but afterward that very glory with its followers failed.

For by the bones are designated the mighty of the world, but by the flesh the peoples, because just as the flesh is carried by the bones, so through the mighty of the world the weakness of the peoples is governed. But behold, now all the mighty of this world have been taken away from her; the bones therefore are boiled away. Behold, the peoples have failed; her flesh has been melted. Let it be said therefore: Gather the bones, which I will kindle with fire; the flesh shall be consumed, and its whole composition shall be sodden, and the bones shall melt away. For where is the senate? Where now is the people? The bones have wasted away, the flesh is consumed, all the pride of secular dignities in her is extinguished. Her whole composition is boiled away.

And yet we few ourselves who remain are still daily pressed by swords, still daily by innumerable tribulations. Let it be said therefore: Set it also empty upon the coals. For since the senate is lacking, the people has perished, and yet in the few who remain sorrows and groans are daily multiplied, Rome now burns empty. But why do we say these things of men, when, as ruins increase, we see the very buildings also destroyed? Whence aptly, of the city now empty, it is subjoined: Let it grow hot, and its brass melt. For now the pot itself also is consumed, in which before both flesh and bones were consumed, because after the men have failed, even the walls fall. But where are those who once rejoiced in her glory? Where their pomp?

Where is the pride? Where the frequent and immoderate joy? 25. There is fulfilled in her what is said against destroyed Nineveh through the prophet: Where is the dwelling of the lions, and the pastures of the whelps of lions (Nah. 2:11)? Were not her leaders and princes lions, who, running through the various provinces of the world, by raging and by killing seized their prey? Here the whelps of the lions found pastures, because boys, adolescents, young secular men, and the sons of secular men flocked hither from every side, when they wished to advance in this world. But now behold, she is made desolate, behold, she is worn down, behold, she is oppressed with groans. Now no one runs to her to advance in this world; now no mighty and violent man has remained who by oppressing plunders prey.

Let us say therefore: Where is the dwelling of the lions, and the pastures of the whelps of lions? There has befallen her what we know was said of Judea through the prophet: Enlarge your baldness like the eagle (Mic. 1:16). For the baldness of a man is wont to occur on the head alone, but the baldness of the eagle occurs in the whole body, because when it grows very old, its plumage and feathers fall from all its members. She therefore enlarges her baldness like the eagle, because she has lost her plumage, she who has lost her people. The feathers of her wings also have fallen, with which she was accustomed to fly to prey, because all her mighty are extinguished, through whom she seized what was another's. 24.

But these things which we say of the affliction of the city of Rome, we know were done in all the cities of the world. For some places have been made desolate by slaughter, some consumed by the sword, some tormented by famine, some swallowed up by the gapings of the earth. Let us therefore despise with our whole soul this present world, whether extinct; let us at least end the desires of the world with the world's end: let us imitate the deeds of the good which we can. For among the east and the north there are many who for the perfection of life are measured by a hundred cubits. For out of Judea and the Gentile world, as has been said, they have grown up to the summit of holiness. Although by the east and the north even the just and sinners may also be understood.

For not without reason are the righteous called the East, they who, born in the light of faith, have persevered in innocence. But by the North we rightly understand sinners, who, having slipped away through the coldness of their mind, have grown torpid beneath the shadow of their sin. Yet because the mercy of Almighty God calls back even such as these to repentance, washes them with compunction and tears, enriches them with virtues, and raises them even to the glory of perfection, they are led not only to the East one hundred cubits but also to the North; for together with the righteous, sinners too, through gifts and repentance, come to perfection, by the bounty of our Lord Jesus Christ, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, God through all ages of ages. Amen.