約伯倫理 第 209 章

Same verse.— Who are ready to rouse up Leviathan. 42. They rouse the devil against themselves who despise his tyranny.— For all who trample in mind on the things which are of the world, and desire with full intention the things which are of God, rouse up Leviathan against themselves, because by the incitement of their converted manner of life they inflame his malice. For those who are subject to his will are, as it were, possessed by him by a quiet right, and their proud king enjoys, as it were, a certain security, while with unshaken power he lords it over their hearts. But when the spirit of each one grows warm again toward the desire of its Creator, when it forsakes the torpor of negligence, and kindles the coldness of its former insensibility with the fire of holy love;

when it remembers its inborn liberty, and as a servant blushes to be held by the enemy—because that same enemy considers himself to be despised, because he sees the ways of God to be laid hold of, he grieves that the captive strives against him, and soon he is kindled with zeal, soon he is moved to combat, soon he rouses himself to innumerable temptations against the rebelling mind, and goads himself in every art of laceration, so that by hurling the darts of temptations he may pierce through the heart which he long possessed by a quiet right. For he was, as it were, sleeping while, lulled, he rested in the depraved heart; but he is roused up in the provocation of combat, when he has lost the right of perverse dominion. Let those, therefore, curse this night who are ready to rouse up Leviathan:

that is, let those raise themselves up strongly against sin by a judgment of strictness, who in their temptations do not fear to rouse the ancient adversary. For it is written: 'Son, when you come to the service of God, stand in righteousness and fear, and prepare your soul for temptation' (Ecclesiasticus 2:1). For whoever hastens to be girded in the divine service, what else does he prepare than himself against the combat of the ancient adversary, so that he may free receive blows in the combat, who quietly under tyranny was serving in captivity? But in this very thing, that the mind is girded against the enemy, that it subdues some vices, struggles against others, sometimes something of a fault—which yet does not greatly harm—is permitted to remain. 43.

For the sake of humility God permits that he who has subdued many and grievous vices should not vanquish one very small one.— And often a mind which overcomes many and strong adversities does not vanquish one thing in itself, and perhaps a very small one, however much with great intention it keeps watch. Which is assuredly done by divine dispensation, lest, shining resplendent on every side with virtues, it be lifted up in elation; so that, while it sees in itself some small blameworthy thing, and yet is not able to subdue it, it may by no means ascribe to itself, but to the Author, the victory in those things which it is able strongly to subdue. Whence it is also well subjoined: