Lectio 3 Lecture 3 Periculum reprobati Danger of rejection 12:12 Propter quod remissas manus, et soluta genua erigite, [n. 683] 12:12 Wherefore, lift up the hands which hang down and the feeble knees: [n. 683] 12:13 et gressus rectos facite pedibus vestris: ut non claudicans quis erret, magis autem sanetur. [n. 685] 12:13 And make straight steps with your feet: that no one, limping, may go out of the way; but rather be healed. [n. 685] 12:14 Pacem sequimini cum omnibus, et sanctimoniam, sine qua nemo videbit Deum: [n. 686] 12:14 Follow peace with all men and holiness: without which no man shall see God. [n. 686] 12:15 contemplantes nequis desit gratiae Dei: ne qua radix amaritudinis sursum germinans impediat, et per illam inquinentur multi. [n. 690] 12:15 Looking diligently, lest any man be wanting to the grace of God: lest any root of bitterness springing up do hinder and by it many be defiled: [n. 690] 12:16 Ne quis fornicator, aut profanus ut Esau: qui propter unam escam vendidit primitiva sua: [n. 692] 12:16 Lest there be any fornicator or profane person, as Esau who for one mess sold his first birthright. [n. 692] 12:17 scitote enim quoniam et postea cupiens haereditare benedictionem, reprobatus est: non enim invenit poenitentiae locum, quamquam cum lacrimis inquisisset eam. 12:17 For know you that afterwards, when he desired to inherit the benediction, he was rejected. For he found no place of repentance, although with tears he had sought it. 683. Supra monuit Apostolus qualiter nos debemus habere ad mala poenalia sustinenda, hic monet qualiter nos debemus habere ad mala culpae vitanda. 683. Having indicated how we should behave toward enduring evils of chastisement, the Apostle now shows how we should act to avoid the evils of guilt. Et circa hoc duo facit. In regard to this he does two things. Primo enim ponit monitiones suas; First, he gives his admonition; secundo assignat rationes ipsorum, ibi non enim accessistis. second, the reasons, at for you are not come (Heb 12:18). Circa primum duo facit. Concerning the first he does two things. Primo enim monet hominem peccantem; First, he warns men who sin; secundo nondum peccantem, ibi pacem sequimini. second, those not yet sinning, at follow peace. Est autem duplex peccatum, scilicet omissionis, et transgressionis. But there are two kinds of sin: omission and transgression. Primo ergo monet ad dimittendum peccatum omissionis; First, therefore, he warns against sins of omission; secundo ad dimittendum peccatum transgressionis, ibi et gressus rectos. second, against sins of transgression, at and make straight steps. 684. Peccatum autem omissionis duplex est. Unum quando quis omittit bonum facere; aliud, omittendo mala et adversa tolerare. 684. A sin of omission occurs in two ways: one, when a person fails to do good; another, by failing to endure evil and adversity. Quantum ad primum dicit propter quod, scilicet quia disciplina affert fructum pacatissimum, ideo ut vos hunc fructum percipere possitis, erigite manus remissas. Manus enim, cum sit organum organorum, remissa dicitur, quando vacat a bonis operibus, et ideo erigenda est per rectam intentionem ad operandum, quae Deo placent. Thren. III, 41: levemus corda nostra cum manibus ad Deum. Ps. CXL, 2: elevatio manuum, et cetera. Manus enim remissa inducit egestatem et servitutem. Prov. X, 4: egestatem operata est manus remissa: manus autem fortium divitias parat. Item c. XII, 24: manus fortium dominabitur, quae autem remissa est, tributis serviet. In huius signum quando Moyses elevabat manus, vincebat Israel; quando vero remittebat, superabat Amalec, Ex. XVII, 11. In regard to the first he says, wherefore, i.e., because chastisement yields the most peaceable fruit, then to obtain this fruit, lift up the hands which hang down. For since the hand is the organ of organs, it is said to hang down when it stops performing good works; therefore, it must be lifted up by a right intention to do things pleasing to God: let us lift up our hearts with our hands to God (Lam 3:41); the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice (Ps 141:2); the slothful hand has wrought poverty; but the hand of the industrious riches (Prov 10:4); the hand of the valiant shall bear rule, but that which is slothful shall be under tribute (Prov 12:24). As a sign of this, when Moses lifted up his hands, Israel conquered; but when he let them fall, Amalek overcame them (Exod 17:11). Quantum ad illud peccatum omissionis dicitur erigite genua dissoluta. In genibus totum pondus corporis sustentatur. Habent ergo genua dissoluta qui non habent fortitudinem fortiter tolerandi adversa; haec ergo remissio abiicienda est. Iob IV, 3: manus lassas roborasti, et genua trementia confortasti, vacillantes confirmaverunt sermones tui. Is. XXXV, 3: confortate manus dissolutas, et genua debilia roborate. Manus ergo et genua erigite, ut nec otio torpeatis, nec debilitate haesitetis. In regard to the other sin of omission he says to strengthen the feeble knees. The entire weight of the body is held up by the knees. Therefore, those who have not the courage to endure adversity bravely have weak knees. Therefore, this weakness must be put aside: you have strengthened the weary hands; your words have confirmed those who were staggering, and you have strengthened the trembling knees (Job 4:3); strengthen the feeble hands and confirm the weak knees (Isa 35:3). Therefore, lift up the hand and knees and do not give in to idleness or hesitate because of weakness. 685. Deinde cum dicit et gressus rectos, improbat peccatum transgressionis. Istud autem peccatum est obliquitas quaedam et curvitas. Rectum enim dicitur cuius medium non exit ab extremis, id est, cuius operatio non recedit ab intentione et fine debito. 685. Then when he says and make straight steps, he rebukes the sin of transgression. Now that sin is a kind of obliqueness and curvature. For that is straight whose middle does not point to a direction different from the extremes, i.e., whose action does not depart from its proper intention and end. Triplex autem est obliquitas, scilicet in affectu, in operatione et intellectu. Istas tres monet declinare. But there are three kinds of obliqueness: namely in the affections, in action, and in understanding. Ex affectione autem iniqua sequitur obliquitas in intellectu, et depravatio in affectu. Et ideo quantum ad primum, quod est aliorum radix, dicit facite gressus rectos pedibus vestris, id est, rectas affectiones. Sicut enim pedes portant corpus, ita mentem portant affectiones. Recti ergo pedes sunt affectiones rectae. Ez. I, 7: pedes eorum, pedes recti. Rectificate ergo affectiones, quibus totum corpus portatur spiritualiter. Is. XL, 3: rectas facite in solitudine semitas Dei vestri. Hoc est, quantum in vobis est date operam ad hoc. Sed proprie rectificare est solius Dei. Ps. XVI, 5: dirige gressus meos in semitis tuis. From sinful affection follows obliqueness in the understanding and depravity in loving. Therefore, in regard to the first, which is the root of the others, he says, and make straight steps with your feet, i.e., correct affections. For as the feet carry the body, so the affections carry the mind. Therefore, straight feet are proper affections: their feet were straight feet (Ezek 1:7). Therefore, make straight the affections, by which the whole body is carried spiritually. Make straight in the wilderness the paths of our Lord (Isa 40:3), i.e., as far as in you lies, devote yourself to this. Quantum ad secundum dicit ut ne claudicans quis, quantum ad actionem exteriorem. Sicut enim tibia dicitur clauda, quando non sequitur regulam potentiae gressivae, ita operatio claudicat quando sive ad dexteram, id est in prosperis, sive ad sinistram, id est in adversis, non sequitur regulam legis divinae. Is. XXX, 21: haec est via, ambulate in ea, et non declinetis neque ad dexteram, neque ad sinistram. Vel, claudicat, qui caeremonialia observat cum Evangelio. In regard to the second, he says, that no one, limping, as to outward action. For just as the tibia is said to be lame when it does not follow the rule of the locomotive power, so an action is lame when it turns to the right in prosperity or to the left in adversity, and does not follow the rule of divine law: this is the way: walk in it and do not go aside to the right or left (Isa 30:21). Or, he is limping who along with the Gospel observes the ceremonial laws of the Old Testament. Quantum ad obliquitatem intellectus, dicit erret. Malam enim operationem sequitur error intellectus. Prov. XIV, 22: errant omnes qui operantur malum. Sap. II, 21: hoc cogitaverunt, et erraverunt, excaecavit enim eos malitia eorum. In regard to obliqueness of the understanding he says, may go out of the way. For an intellectual error follows an evil action: they err that do evil (Prov 14:22); these things they thought and were deceived; for their own malice blinded them (Wis 2:21). Qui ergo vult illas duas curvitates cavere, habeat pedes et affectiones rectas. Et ideo dicit magis autem sanetur. Sicut enim sanitas corporis consistit in contemperatione humorum, ita sanitas spiritualis in ordinatione affectuum. Ier. XVII, 14: sana me, Domine, et sanabor. Therefore, a person who would avoid those two deviations must have his feet and his affections right; hence, he says, but rather be healed. For just as bodily health consists in the proper balance of the humors, so spiritual health consists in the proper arrangement of the affections: heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed (Jer 17:14). 686. Deinde cum dicit pacem sequimini, etc., monet non peccantem ad vitandum peccatum. 686. Then when he says follow peace, he advises those who do not sin to avoid sin. Et circa hoc duo facit. In regard to this he does two things. Primo enim praemittit quaedam remedia, quae valent ad omnia peccata vitanda; First, he prefaces certain remedies for helping to avoid all sins; secundo specialiter monet ad vitationem eorum, ibi ne qua radix. second, he advises them to avoid all sins, at lest any root. 687. Circa primum sciendum est, quod actionum humanarum sunt diversi fines. Quaedam enim ordinantur ad alium, sicut iustitia, quae ordinat hominem ad proximum. Et istarum finis est pax. Unde Is. XXXII, 17: erit opus iustitiae pax. Quaedam ad ipsum operantem, sicut ieiunare, et istorum finis est puritas. Non enim ieiunamus nisi propter munditiam et puritatem. 687. In regard to the first it should be noted that there are various ends of human actions: for some are ordained to another, as justice ordains a man to his neighbor, and the end is peace; hence: peace will be the work of justice (Isa 32:17). Others are ordained to the one acting, as fasting, and the end is purity. For we fast for the sake of cleanness and purity. Quantum ergo ad primum dicit pacem sequimini, id est, non solum habete, sed quaeratis quomodo cum aliis habeatis. Rom. XII, v. 18: si fieri potest quod in vobis est, cum omnibus hominibus pacem habentes. Ps. XXXIII, 15: inquire pacem, et persequere eam. Quantum ad secundum dicit et sanctimoniam. II Cor. VII, 1: mundemus nos ab omni inquinamento carnis, et spiritus. In regard to the first, he says, follow peace, i.e., do not only have it, but seek how to have it with all men: if it be possible, as much as in you lies, have peace with all men (Rom 12:18); seek after peace and pursue it (Ps 34:15). In regard to the second, he says, and holiness: let us wash ourselves from all defilement of the flesh and of the spirit (2 Cor 7:1). 688. Quod autem ista remedia sint necessaria, ostendit per duo damna, quae incurrimus sine ipsis, scilicet damnum gloriae in futuro, et gratiae in praesenti. 688. He shows that those remedies are necessary by indicating the two injuries we incur without them: the loss of glory in the future and of grace in the present. Quantum ad primum dicit, quod sine pace et sanctimonia nemo videbit Deum, in quo consistit beatitudo. Io. XVII, 3: haec est vita aeterna, et cetera. Quasi dicat: sine pace quo ad proximum, et munditia et puritate quo ad seipsum, nemo potest esse beatus. Matth. V, v. 9: beati pacifici, quoniam filii Dei vocabuntur. Solum autem filiis debetur haereditas divinae visionis. Item Apoc. XXI, 27: non intrabit in ea aliquid coinquinatum. Ps. XIV, v. 1: Domine, quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo, et cetera. Item: quis ascendet in montem Domini, et cetera. In regard to the first, he says, without which no man shall see God, in which happiness consists: this is eternal life: that they may know you, the one true God (John 17:50). As if to say: without peace toward our neighbor, and cleanness and purity in regard to ourselves, we cannot be happy: blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God (Matt 5:9). But the inheritance of the beatific vision is owed only to sons: nothing defiled shall enter into it (Rev 21:27); Lord, who shall dwell in your tabernacle? . . . He that enters without stain (Ps 15:1–2); who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord: or who shall stand in his holy place? The innocent in hands and the clean of heart (Ps 24:3–4). Quantum ad secundum damnum, scilicet gratiae Dei in praesenti, dicit contemplantes, ne quis desit gratiae Dei. Gratia enim per discordiam et immunditiam amittitur. I Cor. XIV, 33: non est Deus dissensionis, sed Cor. XIV, 33: non est Deus dissensionis, sed pacis. Ps. LXXV, 3: in pace factus est locus eius. Hab. I, 13: mundi sunt oculi tui, domine, ne videant malum, et respicere ad iniquitatem non poteris. Sap. I, 5: Spiritus Sanctus disciplinae effugiet fictum, et corripietur a superveniente iniquitate. In regard to the second loss, namely, of God’s grace in the present, he says, looking diligently, lest any man be wanting to the grace of God. For grace is lost by discord and uncleanness: he is not a God of dissension, but of peace (1 Cor 14:33); his place was made in peace (Ps 76:3); your eyes are too pure to behold evil; and you cannot look on iniquity (Hab 1:13); the Holy Spirit of discipline will flee from the deceitful. . . . He shall not abide when iniquity comes in (Wis 1:5).