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| The Author Goes on with the Interpretation of the Same Passage. PREVIOUS SECTION - NEXT SECTION - HELP
Chapter IV.—The Author
Goes on with the Interpretation of the Same Passage.
If, then, the rivers of Babylon are the streams of
voluptuousness, as wise men say, which confuse and disturb the soul,
then the willows must be chastity, to which we may suspend and draw up
the organs of lust which overbalance and weigh down the mind, so that
they may not be borne down by the torrents of incontinence, and be
drawn like worms to impurity and corruption. For God has bestowed
upon us virginity as a most useful and a serviceable help towards
incorruption, sending it as an ally to those who are contending for and
longing after Zion, as the psalm shows, which is resplendent charity
and the commandment respecting it, for Zion is interpreted “The
commandment of the watchtower.”2621
2621 In
Hebrew the word means simply “a memorial.” | Now, let us here enumerate the
points which follow. For why do the souls declare that they were
asked by those who led them captive to sing the Lord’s song in a
strange land? Surely because the Gospel teaches a holy and secret
song, which sinners and adulterers sing to the Evil One. For they
insult the commandments, accomplishing the will of the spirits of evil,
and cast holy things to dogs, and pearls before swine,2622 in the same
manner as those of whom the prophet says with indignation, “They
read the law2623
2623
i.e., To those without. |
without;”2624 for the Jews
were not to read the law going forth out of the gates of Jerusalem or
out of their houses; and for this reason the prophet blames them
strongly, and cries that they were liable to condemnation, because,
while they were transgressing the commandments, and acting impiously
towards God, they were pretentiously reading the law, as if, forsooth,
they were piously observing its precepts; but they did not receive it
in their souls, holding it firmly with faith, but rejected it, denying
it by their works. And hence they sing the Lord’s song in a
strange land, explaining the law by distorting and degrading it,
expecting a sensual kingdom, and setting their hopes on this alien
world, which the Word says will pass away,2625 where those who carry them captive entice
them with pleasures, lying in wait to deceive them.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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