The Unstable House of the Wicked

The teaching of the ancients and the fathers is passed down to those who come later; he prepares it by way of a parable, saying: just as a papyrus without water does not flourish nor rise up as a reed unless it is watered, while it is still upon the earth—so it will not be harvested—so it is impossible, without receiving benefit in the mind from superior things, to bring forth useful fruit.

And he can also speak concerning human affairs, saying that just as these things are watered by water through providence, without which they would be thin and dried up, so also, if anyone falls into calamities and then experiences a change, it is due to providence. And if the things happening through men have even the appearance of a human root, they will not have substance without providence directing them.

Similar to this is what is well said by the Psalmist: 'Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it' (Psalm 127:1). Before drinking, every herb will be dried up (Job 14:7). This is said regarding the former parable concerning every herb. He says, therefore, that whether it be small or great, that which is in life is under providence, being dried up unless this providence watches over it. Thus, in all things, the end of those who forget the Lord will be so.

He says something glorious regarding a concept of unceasing steadfastness: that just as plants not watered by water are dried up, so human affairs happening outside of providence have no substance. If even this author is speaking at the end with a concept concerning the coming age, consider this: for it is not contrary that those who forget the Lord will encounter such an end according to the sensible, as those living prudently have said: 'And they slept in the rest of Hades.' But the hope of the ungodly will perish.

In reality, the hope of the ungodly is not concerning a subsisting thing. For hope is nothing other than, by nature, an expectation of good things. And he who fears expects, but not good things; for fear is an expectation of evils, while hope is of good things. Since, therefore, the ungodly do not expect subsisting things, their hope is destroyed; for as they remain, they use things for pleasures, and in this they have a vain hope. You have this in Proverbs, differing much in wording, but agreeing with what is now said: 'Ab...

When a righteous man dies, he does not regret (Job 27:15); for if the righteous man dies, he finds the things he expected and did not regret having labored for them. Here it is said: 'The hope of the ungodly perishes' (Proverbs 14:34), and in Isaiah: 'Hope to the godly' (Isaiah 57:19). But those 'hoping only in this life' and 'saying: Let us eat and drink,' have a vain and empty hope, stretching themselves toward this visible thing; but Paul says naturally: 'But the hope that is seen is not hope; for what one sees, what does he hope for?' (2 Corinthians 4:18). And his house shall be desolate.

Regarding this sensible thing, it is not entirely true. It is clear, however, that he who transforms the words of Jesus into works builds a dwelling; and this is the virtue, of which the one holding fast will never have this house desolate; for the righteous must remain in his own virtue; for 'his righteousness remains unto the age of ages.' Since evil is without substance, for this reason the wicked man is desolate, being always unstable and possessing nothing firm, because evil itself is a following-after; and if anyone says this also concerning the good, claiming that men acquire virtue by effort, but rather the good itself has happened. 'Therefore the house of the ungodly shall be desolate'; for clearly the truth dissolves the deception. And his tent shall fall away like a spider's web. The spider's web shows variety, constructed from a natural fabric, which is easily dissolved when someone touches it. Thus the works of the wicked and the construction of their way of life resemble a spider's web, not standing firm.

And in Isaiah it is said concerning the wicked who have conceived iniquity and spoken injustice: 'They weave a spider's web, for they conceive pain and bring forth iniquity' (Isaiah 59:5); and their practice is also described, saying: 'They have made wailing shields, and the one about to eat of their prey has crushed a viper and found a basilisk in it; their web shall not be a garment, but a spider's web they weave' (Isaiah 59:6). And see, that regarding their instability, the harmful thing also signifies through the shields. Even if there were a dove according to what is said: 'Who are these? Like clouds flying and like doves with their young' (Isaiah 56:6), it would have wailing, which, having been divided, provides living offspring because of nobility; but the...