The Unholy Construction vs. The Spiritual House

Through evil, they produce unavenged snakes, which are trampled by the holy, as the psalm says about the perfect: 'Upon shield and basilisk you will step and trample lion and dragon' (Psalm 91:13). But these are not fabrics of garments covering the shame of sin, but of a useless and dissolvable web, which is also shown by the saying: 'They will not surround themselves from the works of their own hands'—the important one surrounding himself from the works of his own hands, as speaking boldly and thankfully saying: 'My soul will rejoice in the Lord; for he has clothed me with a garment of salvation' (Psalm 68:19), which is a garment Paul says to put on: 'Put on the bowels of mercy' (Psalm 68:2) and the following. And again: 'Put on the Lord Jesus Christ' (Romans 13:14). This garment is not a web; for it is incorruptible and therefore remains; but the web of the evils is unsubstantial; for it is wickedness. Therefore it has been said: 'His sin will be sought and will not be found through it;' for it resembles a web, dissolving; therefore also a tent, but it does not have a house like the one guarding the words of Jesus. If he should attempt to overspread his house, he will not stand.

For instance, the impious one—he who represents the deception of houses by craftiness and bad probability—this one, being convicted by the truth, will not stand, just as his deception cannot even have a standing. And when he is seized, he will not remain. For the thought of the evils, called a tent, is a falling, easily-destroyed thing, so that it has not even seemed to have happened at all. For it is moist under the sun, and from its rot his broom will come out. It is supposed that the life of the impious is something chaotic, as being dissolved by brief heat. And it should not be wondered at, if it is said to be 'moist under the sun'; for there are things that are dissolved under the sun like wax, since also under fire. Thus also the impious will be. For it has been said: 'As wax melts from the presence of fire, so the sinners shall perish from the presence of God' (Psalm 68:1). And being sifted by the 'sun'—not of 'righteousness', but that one, concerning whom it is said: 'The sun of the day shall not burn you' (Psalm 121:6)—it brings out a broom from wickedness and rot, becoming 'under it' the 'planting which the Father did not plant' (Matthew 13:25).

which also shall be uprooted. It lies upon a heap of stones, and in the midst of pebbles it shall live. This he says, because the impious one intends to be an anti-god and an anti-Christ.

For God indeed dwells in a temple and Christ dwells, according to what is said: 'Do you not know that you are a temple of God and the Spirit of God dwells in you?' (1 Cor 3:16), and again it is said: 'If anyone loves me, we will come and make a dwelling with him' (John 14:23). 'For we are the house of Christ, if we hold fast the boldness and the boast until the end' (2 Cor 3:6). A house is a composition of stones according to art, having union with others; such is virtue and purity and the very participation of the One.

But what is the scattering of stones and the mixing of pebbles? It is near to evil, which has no union but disorder. The impious, therefore, has his whole conduct in a house of evil, being scattered like stones being built up among those outside, which do not fit 'the building of the tower' according to the Shepherd. If he presses down, the place will deceive him.

Even if we submit the words, as many as are held firm, to the minds [of which the words spoken by the diligent are near], we should not be surprised. For he said: 'Inquire of the first generation, and search according to the race of the fathers' (Wisdom 10:18), as he himself learned from them; and do not let your thoughts be lost through not knowing, lest you fall into any misfortune.

The 'pressing down' is often taken in Scripture as that: 'Israel was trodden down, and became among the nations as a useless vessel' (Judges 5:23), that is, he is conquered. And again: 'In the rising up of men against us, would they have trodden us down while living?' (Ps 69:1). And again: 'That the mortal might be trodden down by life.'

It is said also concerning the sophists and those advocating the 'wisdoms of this age' and of its 'rulers': 'Their strong ones trod down those holding stones'; what kind of stone, the stone of Christ? 'For the stone was Christ.' Thus also 'Aaron's rod trod down the rods of the Egyptians who rejoiced' (Ex 7:12), being symbolically shown that the confession of the truth conquers the 'false names of knowledges.' If, therefore, he 'presses down' and begins to conquer, 'the place,' which he holds through 'the gathering of stones,' 'will deceive him,' being unsubstantial.