約伯倫理 第 227 章

In the same place. — 'As though digging for a treasure.' 7. They grow the more, the nearer the end. — For all who seek a treasure by digging, when they have begun to dig deeper, blaze up the more urgently to the labour; for the more they estimate that they are now drawing near and near to the hidden treasure, the more strenuously do they labour in the digging. They therefore who fully long for their own mortification seek, as it were, digging for a treasure; because the nearer they become to the end, the more ardent do they show themselves in the work. Labouring, then, they do not fail, but rather grow to the exercise of labour; because the nearer they now consider the rewards to be, the more delightfully do they sweat at the work.

Whence, well, Paul says to certain ones who seek the hidden treasure of the eternal fatherland: 'Not forsaking our own assembling together, as the manner of some is, but comforting one another, and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching' (Heb. 10:25). For to comfort one who labours is to persist equally in the labour, because the relief of labour is the sight of a fellow-labourer: just as when a companion is joined on a journey, the way indeed is not taken away, but yet the labour of the journey is lightened by the society of the companion. While Paul, therefore, sought those who would comfort him in his labours, he added, saying: 'So much the more, as ye see the day approaching.' As if he said:

Let the labour grow, the more the very rewards of labour now draw near; as if he plainly said: Do you seek a treasure? Then you ought to dig the more ardently, the nearer you have now come, by digging, to the gold you sought. 8. Those dead to the world hide themselves within, away from earthly things. Although this which is said—'They wait for death, and it comes not, as though digging for a treasure'—can be understood also otherwise. For because we cannot perfectly die to the world unless we hide ourselves within the invisible things of our mind, away from visible things, rightly are they who long for their own mortification compared to those digging for a treasure. For we die to the world through invisible wisdom, concerning which it is said through Solomon:

'If thou seek her as money, and dig for her as for treasures' (Prov. 2:4-5). For wisdom does not lie on the surface of things; because it is hidden among things invisible. And then, touching upon our mortification, we lay hold of wisdom, if, leaving visible things behind, we hide ourselves among the invisible; if, digging our heart, we so seek her, that whatsoever earthly thing the mind conceives, it may cast out from itself with the hand of holy discernment, and may recognise the treasure of virtue which lay hidden from it. For easily does it find the treasure within itself, if it repels from itself that mass of earthly thought which had wickedly pressed it down. And because he speaks of the sought death as a treasure, rightly does he subjoin: