約伯倫理 第 839 章

'The wicked man, feeding the barren, forsaketh the care of the soul.' — What is here called barren, if not the flesh? For while it seeks only present things, it knows not how to beget good thoughts. And what is the widow, if not the soul? Whom, because the Creator willed to join to Himself, He came to the bridal-chamber of the carnal womb, as the Psalmist testifies, who says: 'And He as a bridegroom coming out of His bride-chamber' (Ps. XVIII, 6). She is rightly called a widow, because her Husband endured death for her, and now, hidden from her eyes in the inner sanctuaries of heaven, lives as it were in the region of another land. The wicked man therefore feeds the barren, and neglects to do good to the widow, because, serving the desires of the flesh, he despises the care and life of the soul.

For with all his intent and all his zeal he ponders how the flesh, doomed to die, may subsist without any wants, and he despises to care for the life of the soul, which, whether in death or in blessedness, beyond all doubt lives forever. And rightly, when it was said, 'He fed the barren,' it is at once added, 'and her that beareth not.' For we know that certain women from sacred history were barren, yet in the last time bore children. But the flesh is said to be not only barren, but also one that beareth not, because by its own perception it is unable to beget good thoughts even at the last.

For it already fails from its own vigor, and yet ceases not still to lust after transitory things; and now, wearied from its former strength, it is almost cast off by the very world it loves, and yet still with a shameless effort strives to obtain temporal things. It is no longer able to do perverse deeds, yet it by no means ceases even to think the things it does not do. Rightly therefore is it called not only barren, but also not bearing, which, by its own perception, as we have said, is not fruitful unto the offspring of good thought, not even when it has been weakened. 'The labors of heretics are barren.' — This, however, can also be understood of heretical preachers.

For every preacher of error, while he teaches a people set outside the unity of the Church, assuredly feeds the barren, and her that is not able to bear, because he spends the use of his labor on her who by no means renders spiritual fruits. But he does not do good to the widow, that is, he despises to live for and serve the holy universal Church, whose Husband endured the adversities of death. For to do good to the widow is to labor in the consolation of her who is crushed with love of her dead husband. Whence in the voice of the Psalmist this same widow, namely the holy Church, complains, saying: 'I looked for one that would comfort me, and I found none' (Ps. LXVIII, 21).

For then only does she find one to comfort her, when she beholds many, out of that death which her Husband endured, rising within herself unto life. But often the preacher of error is joined to the rich of this world, who, because they are engrossed in earthly occupations, know not how to detect the craftiness of his words; and while they aspire to be powerful outwardly, they are caught without effort in the snare of perverse preaching. Whence also it is added: