OT § 89

The innocent believes every word, etc. John both prohibited this innocence and taught how to have this prudence, when he said, Beloved, do not believe every spirit; but test the spirits, whether they are of God (1 John IV).

A hermit said, 'Do not be pleased at everything that is said, and do not agree with everything that is said. Be slow to believe, and quick to say what is true.'

The wise man fears and departs from evil, etc. Just as it is foolish to trust in one's own eagerness and wish to leap a fast river or a wider abyss, but wise to turn to a plain or bridge, so he who avoids sins as much as possible, fearing he may be involved in evils, is wise. But that man is foolish who sins with disdain, flattering himself that either he will repent of his actions at a later time, or if he suddenly dies, that he will bravely endure the punishments of hell.

The fear of God is Deoj [in Greek]. But if fear is perturbation of mind, as some will have it that fear is perturbation of mind, yet all fear is not perturbation. Superstition is indeed perturbation of mind; being the fear of demons, that produce and are subject to the excitement of passion. On the other hand, consequently, the fear of God, who is not subject to perturbation, is free of perturbation. For it is not God, but failing away from God, that the man is terrified for. And he who fears this-that is, falling into evils-fears and dreads those evils. And he who fears a fall, wishes himself to be free of corruption and perturbation. "The wise man, fearing, avoids evil: but the foolish, trusting, mixes himself with it," says the Scripture.

An impatient man works folly, etc. Certainly an impatient man is reprehensible, but far worse and more hateful to God is the cunning man, although he is considered better among men. For the former openly shows his folly to all, while the latter, in his perverse heart, often feigns simplicity and righteousness, and is pleased to be called holy in human judgment, while in the divine examination he is considered among the reprobate.

The wicked will lie down before the good, etc. In the last judgment, when the righteous are crowned, the reprobate who oppressed them in the present will be condemned. For what is said, Before, that is, before the good, and before the gates of the righteous, pertains not to proximity of place, but to the sight of the good, because they always see the torments of the wicked, so that they may endlessly give greater thanks to their Redeemer. Hence Isaiah says of them, And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me. Their worm does not die, nor is their fire quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh (Isaiah LXVI). But what he says, They shall go forth, does not denote a movement of feet, but a gaze of the eyes, which, placed within the kingdom to see the punishments of the wicked, they send out whenever they wish.

Another brother spoke with the same Theodore, and he began to talk about matters of which he had no experience. Theodore said to him, 'You've not yet found a ship to sail in, nor put your luggage aboard, nor put out to sea, and you're already acting as if you were in the city which you mean to reach. If you make some attempt to do the things you are discussing, then you can talk about them with understanding.'

The crown of the wise is their riches, etc. The wise do not have any earthly gain for riches, but only a crown, which they will receive for their virtues in the future. But the greatest folly of fools is that imprudent and unmindful of eternal things, they rejoice in present advantages only. Imprudence, in fact, is called improvidence.

A faithful witness delivers souls, etc. Christ, who is the faithful witness, liberates souls, as we read in the Apocalypse; and, as the Apostle says, he testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate (I Tim. VI). The devil, who rightly is called the deceitful, proclaims lies, because he pronounces the evils which he suggests to be done as good, and promises eternal joys to those whom he prepares for the torments of hell. Likewise, the catholic teacher liberates souls, who faithfully proclaims, that is, correctly preaches, the testimonies of the Scriptures, and the heretic proclaims lies, or, as in another version it is clearly translated: He stirs up deceit with lies; it is implied he deceives the souls of those whom he has led astray by his error.

"The fear of the Lord is the hope of courage." When you fear the punishment that is threatened, you learn to love the reward that is promised; and thus through fear of punishment you keep on leading a good life, and by leading a good life you acquire a good conscience, so that finally through a good conscience you don't fear any punishment. Therefore, learn how to fear, if you don't want to be afraid.

In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence, etc. The fear of the Lord provides the confidence of strength, because indeed our mind more valiantly despises the terrors of temporal things as much as it submits itself more truly to their creator through strength. The sons of the fear of the Lord are those who are governed by divine fear, just as the sons of power and the sons of resurrection, those who are zealous for virtues, or who pertain to the joys of the resurrection, who will have hope, according to that saying of the Psalmist, Those who fear the Lord, hope in the Lord (Psalm CXIII). Of which hope he consequently adds:

The third part of the perfection of the fear of the Lord consists in the perfect firmness of confidence: because the fear of the Lord is a tower of firmness and confidence, because it renders a person secure from every other fear. "His truth shall encompass you with a shield; you shall not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor the assault and the noonday devil." And in Proverbs: "The fear of the Lord is a tower of strength." He who does not fear God must fear everywhere; and he who truly fears God has what no one can take from him. But he who fears something other than God has what ought to be taken from him. He who fears God cannot lose God. It is not so with money. If a man has money, he fears lest he lose it, and yet he is certain that he will lose it. But he who fears God is secure everywhere.

In the way of God fear produces strength; as Solomon witnesses, who says, "In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence." For 'strong confidence' is said 'to be in the fear of the Lord,' in that, in truth, our mind so much the more valorously sets at nought all the terrors of temporal vicissitudes, the more thoroughly that it submits itself in fear to the Author of those same temporal things. And being stablished in the fear of the Lord, it encounters nothing without to fill it with alarm, in that whereas it is united to the Creator of all things by a righteous fear, it is by a certain powerful influence raised high above them all.