約伯倫理 第 178 章

Ver. 10.—Thou hast spoken like one of the foolish women. If we have received good things from the hand of the Lord, why should we not endure the evil? 64. How one must resist against harsh or flattering things.—It is fitting, indeed, that the holy mind should by spiritual reproof restrain whatever carnal thing insolently murmurs within it; lest the flesh, either by speaking harsh things, drag it to that impatience, or by speaking flattering things, dissolve it into the flux of lust. Let manly censure, therefore, refuting the suggestion of unlawful thought, repress the dissolute softness of baseness, saying: Thou hast spoken like one of the foolish women. And again let the consideration of gifts curb the impatience of harsh thought, saying:

If we have received good things from the hand of the Lord, why should we not endure the evil? But whosoever desires to subdue base things, and, by the steps of a true intention, strives toward the eternal summits of inward recompense, the more he beholds himself walled in on every side by the war of baser things, the more robustly he girds himself with the arms of the virtues; and he fears the darts the less, the more strongly he fortifies his breast against these coming things. 65. Vices cover themselves under the appearance of virtues.—But for the most part, while we strive to be propped up by great virtues against this war of temptations, certain vices cover themselves from us under the appearance of virtues, and come to us as it were with a flattering face; but of what adversity they are, is felt once they are examined.

Hence too the friends of blessed Job come together as it were for consolation, but burst forth into insults; because the vices that lie in wait take on the face of virtues, but smite us with hostile invective. For often immoderate anger wishes to seem justice; and often dissolute remissness, mercy. Often incautious fear wishes to appear humility; often unbridled pride, liberty. The friends come, therefore, to console, but slip away into words of rebuke; because indeed the vices, palliated under the appearance of virtues, begin with a flattering surface, but disturb us with harsh contrariety. But it is well said: