約伯倫理 第 947 章

47. The Church snatches its prey from the devil when it recalls anyone from error or sin. — Oh, what a prey she carried off from the mouth of the devil, when by converting that very ravisher, Saul, she snatched him—when, still 'breathing out threatenings,' having received letters, he was going to Damascus, and, while by persecuting he was gathering the faithful as a prey for the devil, by coming to know the faith he was himself gathered to Christ (cf. Acts 9)! As often does the Church carry off a prey from the teeth of the wicked one, as often as by preaching she tears a soul away from the bite of error. For who can more truly be called wicked than the devil? Whose molars we crush, as often as by disputing against his snares we point out his hidden contrivances;

and, as it were, we take a prey from his teeth, because the mind which he had already bitten by breaking it unto sin, we recall unto the salvation of life by converting it. For by the molars are signified his hidden snares, but by the teeth the now open perpetration of guilt is shown. Concerning which molars and teeth it is written through the Psalmist: 'God shall break their teeth in their mouth; the Lord shall crush the molars of the lions' (Ps. 57:7). But the holy man asserts that he first crushes the molars, so that afterward he might have been able to carry off a prey from his teeth, because we then truly take a prey from his teeth, when first we know how to crush his molars.

For first it is necessary to bring to light the hidden contrivances of his counsels, so that afterward we may be able to recall the soul of our hearer from an open fall. The very supreme Shepherd of the Church was crushing the molars of this wicked one by preaching, when he said: 'Be sober and watch, because your adversary the devil goeth about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist, strong in faith' (1 Pet. 5:8-9). Against this lion holy Church, because she beholds his snares, fortifies the cautious of faith. Whose molars she breaks as often as she destroys the arguments of heretics; and as often does she tear a prey from his teeth, as often as by preaching she converts anyone from error.

And because most of the just will be those who believed they would depart from this world in a time of ecclesiastical peace, blessed Job, while he narrates his own things, also indicates the voices of the just who follow, saying: