Chapter III.
To confess that the Prophet himself was almost not lured into sin, while he was pursuing the peace of sinners; to acknowledge that there is a twofold peace, but that one which has an offense should be avoided; to recognize that there is no relief for sinners in death; to assert that afflictions do not help after death, as demonstrated by the example of Lazarus and the rich man; and to reveal how much they truly benefit in life, by citing David and Job; finally, to affirm that those who have not been afflicted here will be afflicted forever.
5. Finally, he explains what he felt in the following, saying: But my feet were almost moved, my steps were a little less steady: because I became envious of the sinners, seeing the peace of sinners (Psalm 72:2-3). By feet, he does not refer to the steps of the body, but rather the direction and progress, about which he says elsewhere: Let not the foot of pride come to me, and let not the hand of sinners move me (Psalm 35:12). Therefore, it is always necessary to ask that the Lord may direct the steps of our souls, so that they may not slip, and in the slippery path of error, they may not be able to maintain their stability. But the cause of emulation is that it emulates the peace of sinners. But we ought to emulate those things that are good, not those that are full of shame; just as the Apostle Paul also expressed, saying: But it is good to always emulate that which is good (Galatians IV, 18).
6. And let it not bother you that peace was placed in evil. Finally, in the Gospel, you have that there is peace, which Christ rejected, as He Himself says: My peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you (John 14:27). For there is a peace that does not have an offense, and there is one that has it: which is from love, it does not have an offense; which is from deceit, it has. Therefore, the Prophet also says: Peace, peace; but where is peace (Ezekiel 12:10)? Therefore, let us seek the refuge of peace for sinners; for they conspire against the innocent, they gather together to oppress the righteous, to destroy the widow, or to assault her modesty.
7. And therefore, there is no leaning towards their death (Psalm 72): not a leaning, as many Latin manuscripts have been written, but a reclining. For when we labor and bend ourselves to a certain work, and incline ourselves, we are accustomed to recline. But sinners, namely those guilty of grave offenses, and especially the impious, cannot recline themselves; concerning whom it is said: And their back is always bent (Psalm 68:14). For those who have not adhered to Christ do not raise themselves to the celestial things. And therefore, those who die a most wicked death do not rise again with Him, as it is written: The death of sinners is very evil (Psalm 33:22). But whoever dies with Christ and is buried with Him, not only is laid down, but also is raised up. Of whom that saying is fittingly spoken: You have turned all his bed in his sickness (Psalm 40:4); especially if he is a martyr, whose weakness is dissolved by suffering, and death by resurrection.
We saw that rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen, reclining in splendor every day in this world. And from his table, the crumbs that fell were collected by the poor Lazarus, who, while in torment, could not recline in hell. But he could barely lift his eyes to Abraham, not his whole self, and he begged him to send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool his tongue (Luke 16:19 et seq.). Therefore, there was no bending to his death, nor support in his punishment (Psalm 72:4). For whips are of no use after death.
9. And therefore David, while he was in the life of this body, prepared himself for the scourge, so that the Lord would receive him chastised. Consider again to me the holy Job, who was covered with sores and was shaken in all his members, and was full of pains in his whole body, dissolving the clods of earth with the pus and moisture of his wounds, just as when he could not recline himself in this body, he found the rest of death; and therefore, aware of himself, he said: Death is a rest for man (Job 3:23). Therefore, if he was not moved in his affliction, nor did his speech waver on his slippery slope, when in all these things he did not sin with his lips, as Scripture testifies (Job 2:10), but rather found the firmament of his affliction, through which he was strengthened in Christ. So both Job and David, because they were scourged here, had firmament in their affliction; for the father scourges the son whom he receives: but those who are not scourged here, are not received as sons there. And so they are not in the labors of men, and they will not be scourged with men (Psalm 72:5-6); so that they may be scourged forever with the devil.