Chapter XI.
To be a just man is to be for the benefit of oneself and one's own salvation; although sometimes the desire to relax can lead to error. It is not always enough to be just in the eyes of God if one is not just in the eyes of men. Ultimately, the mind must fulfill its duty, like the head of a household, amidst passions.
36. 'Go in,' he says, 'you and all your household, into the ark; for I have seen you righteous before me in this generation' (Gen. VI, 18). Clearly, the truth of the prophetic statement is also confirmed in this instance, that a fool is a fool to himself alone, but a wise man benefits himself and many others (Prov. IX, 12). Therefore, Noah, being righteous, deservedly also saved his household in the flood. Similarly, those sailing on the sea and those in the army, if they do not lack the skill of a helmsman, or the foresight of a commander, they are safe from danger with the help of others. But because a good emperor has a good army, we understand that praise of a just man is not overlooked even in it, who established his household in such a way that it shone with the company of virtue, and deservedly found safety in kinship. Nor does it contradict the fact that later either his son or his wife offended. The just man was sleeping when his son erred (Gen. 9:22ff). Also, a woman, being of a weaker sex, troubled by the burden of danger, who believed that the whole world was about to perish in divine fire, why are you surprised if she could not follow the man, when the just man himself, warned by angels, scarcely escaped? But what is surprising if an error overcomes a person, or if attention is relaxed? Argue therefore that even a just person becomes intoxicated. But I think these things should be reserved for their proper place (Below, ch. 29).
Now let us consider what remains. For he rightly said: 'Because I have seen you righteous before me in this generation.' Many people appear righteous to men, but few to God: differently to men, differently to God. To men according to the appearance of life; to God according to the purity of the soul, the truth of virtue; men approve what is external: God examines what is internal. However, he wisely added: 'In this generation'; so that he would not condemn the previous ones, nor exclude the later ones, and rightly attribute the flood to the destruction of that generation which had no share in equity. This according to the letter.
38. However, a higher understanding leads us to think that the strength of the mind is in the soul, and the soul is in the body, just as the head of the household is in his own home. For what the mind is in the soul, that is the soul in the body. If the mind is safe, the house is safe, the soul is safe; if the soul is unharmed, the flesh is unharmed. For the sober mind controls all passions, governs the senses, and regulates speech. Therefore, the Lord rightly says: 'Enter within yourself,' that is, enter into your own mind, into the ruler of your soul; there is salvation, there is guidance; outside is the flood, outside is danger. But if you are virtuous within, you are also safe outside; for where the mind is its own master, there are good thoughts, good actions. For if no vice clouds the mind, there are sincere thoughts. If there is chastity in one's pursuits, let temperance be in one's heart, and no flame of desire will ignite, no wounds of sorrow will emerge. For sobriety of the mind is the medicine of the body.