約伯倫理 第 503 章

Verses 16, 17. — He knoweth both the deceiver and him that is deceived. He bringeth counsellors to a foolish end, and judges to stupor. God both knows the wiles of the wicked in his examining, and knows them not in love. Since everyone who endeavours to deceive his neighbour is wicked, and to the wicked Truth says: I never knew you; depart from me, all ye that work iniquity (Matth. vii, 23), how is it said in this place that the Lord knoweth the deceiver? But since to 'know' is sometimes said of God as to recognize, sometimes as to approve, he both knows the wicked man, because by recognizing he judges (for he would not have judged any wicked man had he in no way recognized him), and yet he knows not the wicked man, because he does not approve his deeds. He knows, then, because he apprehends;

and he knows not, because he does not recognize him in the likeness of his own wisdom: just as it is said of any truthful man that he knows not falsehood — not that he is ignorant how to reprehend it when a falsehood is spoken by others, but that he both knows that very deceit in his examining, and knows it not in love, namely, that he himself does not do that which he condemns when done by others. And it often comes to pass that some, given to snares, stretch out the toils of their perversity for the life of another; and when someone is seen to be caught, unknowing, in those same snares, it is perhaps doubted whether these things are seen by the divine eye; and men marvel, if God sees these things, why he permits them to happen; but he himself knows both the deceiver and him that is deceived.

For he knows the deceiver, because he often beholds his previous deeds, and by just judgment permits him to fall even into other sins. He knows the deceiver, because, having left him in the hand of his own works, he abandons him that he may rush headlong into worse things, as it is written: He that hurteth, let him hurt still; and he that is in filth, let him be filthy still (Apoc. xxii, 11). He knows also him that is deceived, because men often commit the evils which they know, and are therefore permitted to be deceived, that they may fall into evils which also they know not. Yet this is wont to happen sometimes to the deceived for their purgation, but sometimes for the beginning of their punishment. Foolish is the end of those who do a good thing not with a good intention.

But he bringeth counsellors to a foolish end, when they do even the good that pleases them not with a good intention, but strive after the recompense of a temporal reward. For if the very Only-begotten of the supreme Father, because through his becoming man he announced eternal things, is called the Angel of great counsel, rightly we take preachers to be counsellors, who furnish to their hearers the counsel of life. But when any preacher preaches eternal things in order that he may obtain temporal gains, assuredly he is led to a foolish end, because he tends by his labour toward that from which by rectitude of mind he ought to have fled. The stupor of those who preside over others yet do not keep watch. And it is well subjoined:

And judges to stupor. For all who preside over the examining of others' morals are rightly called judges. But when he who presides in no way solicitously discusses the life of his subjects, nor recognizes whom he should correct and how, the judge is brought to stupor; because he who ought to have judged evil deeds in no way apprehends the things that are to be judged. There follows: