約伯倫理 第 452 章

Verse 17. — Thou renewest Thy witnesses against me, and multipliest Thy wrath, and punishments war against me. 89. By the examples of the good God recalls us to Himself. — For the witnesses of God are they who, by the exercise of holy work, testify what rewards of truth are to follow the elect. Whence also those whom we know to have suffered for the truth we call by the Greek word martyrs, that is, witnesses. And through John, by an angelic voice, the Lord says: In the days of Antipas My faithful witness, who was slain among you (Revelation 2:13). But the Lord renews His witnesses against us when He multiplies the life of the elect, contrary to our depravity, to convict and to instruct us.

His witnesses, therefore, are set up against us, because all that they do is opposed to the pursuits of our depravity. Whence also the word of truth is called an adversary, when by the voice of the Mediator it is said through the Gospel: Be agreeing with thy adversary quickly, while thou art with him in the way (Matthew 5:25). And concerning this same Redeemer the reprobate say, as they persecute Him: He is contrary to our works (Wisdom 2:12); and a little after: And His life is unlike that of others (ibid., 15). His witnesses, therefore, the Lord sets up against us, because the good deeds which we ourselves neglect to do, He shows to be done by others for our correction;

so that we who are not kindled by precepts may at least be stirred up by examples, and that in the pursuit of righteousness our mind may reckon nothing difficult for itself which it sees perfectly accomplished by others. And it very often happens that when we behold the good things of another's life, we the more anxiously fear the losses of our own; and it becomes plain by how great a weight of chastisement we shall afterward be assailed, in that we now depart far from the ways of the good. 90. Their labor indicates what punishment awaits the reprobate. What motions of the soul the good seen in others ought to arouse. — Whence, after the renewal of the witnesses has been mentioned, it is straightway aptly added: And Thou multipliest Thy wrath.

The wrath of God is said to be multiplied against us by that whereby it is indicated to be manifold, because from the very life and labor of the good we now recognize by how great a chastisement we shall afterward be smitten if, while there is time, we refuse to be amended. For we behold the elect of God both doing pious things and enduring many cruel things. Hence, therefore, it is gathered with how great strictness the strict Judge will smite there those whom He reproves, if here He so torments those whom He loves; Peter bearing witness, who says: It is time that judgment begin at the house of God; and if first at us, what shall be the end of those who believe not the Gospel of God? (1 Peter 4:17).

Almighty God, therefore, when He sets up witnesses against us, multiplies His wrath, because by the same means whereby He sets the life of the good before our eyes, He shows with how great strictness in judgment He will smite the hardness of the depravity we have committed. For when He heaps up gifts only upon those who follow Him, He shows that He has already forsaken the torpid. When we behold the good things in others, therefore, it is very necessary that we mingle both exultation with our fear, and fear with our exultation, so that charity may rejoice over the advances of others, and conscience may tremble over its own weaknesses.

But when we are refreshed by a brother's advancement, when from our very own torpor we weigh the strictness of the inner Judge over us, what remains but that the soul should return to examine itself, and afflict whatever it detects in itself as reprobate, whatever as depraved? Whence it is aptly added: And punishments war against me. When God's witnesses have been considered, punishments war within us, because while we behold their wondrous deeds, we torment with zealous affliction our own life, which by comparison with theirs displeases us; so that whatever their works have polluted in us, our laments may cleanse; and if anything still is defiled by the fault of delight, the punishment of grief may wipe it away.

Blessed Job, therefore, beholding the life of the fathers who went before, more subtly recognizes what he ought to groan over in himself. But by the teaching of great sorrow, while he laments his own things, he instructs us in lamentation: so that, in proportion as we behold virtues in others, we may the more anxiously fear our own offenses before the strict Judge. There follows: