約伯倫理 第 606 章

Verse 10. — He has gathered his fury against me, and, gnashing at me, he has raged against me with his teeth; my enemy has gazed at me with terrible eyes. 12. Through the wicked the devil rages, now by hidden, now by open persecution. — What else are all the unrighteous but members of the devil? He therefore does through them whatever he sends into their hearts that they should do. But the devil has even now his fury against holy Church, but his fury is scattered, because he stirs up hidden temptations through individuals. But when he has broken out against her in open persecution, he gathers his fury into her, because in her affliction he binds himself together with his whole intent.

But his members do not, in this time of peace, have their fury gathered against the elect, because they feel that they are less able to fulfill their malice than they wish. But when they have seen that license for their depravity is available to them, they smite her the more boldly, the more also, out of unanimity, they mass themselves together against her. Rightly then is it now said: He has gathered his fury against me. And that his fury may still be more fully set forth, it is said: And gnashing at me, he has raged against me with his teeth. Of whom it is also added: My enemy has gazed at me with terrible eyes.

For that ancient enemy of the Church gnashes his teeth against her, and gazes at her with terrible eyes, because through some he exercises cruelties, and through others he provides for what he may exercise. 13. The teeth of the devil are the persecutors; the eyes, those who govern them by their counsels. — For the teeth of this enemy are the persecutors and butchers of the good, who tear his members, while they afflict His elect with their persecutions. But the eyes of this enemy are those who provide against her the evils which they may do, and by their counsels inflame the cruelties of her persecutors. His ancient adversary therefore gnashes his teeth against her, while through cruel reprobates he pursues in her the life of the good.

He gazes at her with terrible eyes, who by the counsels of the depraved ceases not to search out evils by which he may ever more grievously afflict her. For as the incarnate Truth, in His preaching, chose poor, unlettered, and simple men, so on the contrary that damned man, whom at the end of the world the apostate angel shall assume, is about to choose, for preaching his falsehood, the crafty and double-dealing and those who possess the knowledge of this world. Whence also it is said through Isaiah: Woe to the land with the cymbal of wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, which sends legates by the sea, and in vessels of papyrus upon the waters (Isa. 18:1).

For the land to which woe is said is chiefly that damned man, who is called the cymbal of wings, because those who by pride fly aloft to the height of thought sound forth this same perverse man by their preaching. And this land is rightly said to be beyond the rivers of Ethiopia. For Ethiopia sends forth a black people, and this world too begets every man; because, since it brings forth a sinner, it as it were, like Ethiopia, gives birth to a black people. But the land to which woe is said is declared to be beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, because that damned man is iniquitous with such immensity that he transcends the sins of all sinners. He who sends legates by the sea, because he scatters his preachers into the world.

Concerning whom it is rightly added in what manner they are sent, when it is said: In vessels of papyrus upon the waters. For from papyrus comes paper. What then is designated by papyrus but worldly knowledge? The vessels of papyrus, therefore, are the hearts of worldly teachers. To send legates in vessels of papyrus upon the waters, then, is to place his preaching in the senses of the carnally wise, and to call peoples flowing down to guilt. Those, therefore, who are designated there by the vessels of papyrus, these are designated here, because they see carnally, by the eyes. Concerning whom it is still further added: