CAPUT LXII. Quibus modis timor mensuram aequitatis transgreditur
The Two Excesses of Fear
Fear exceeds its measure either by falling short in one thing or by spreading out indiscriminately, as seen in Judas' despair.
Now this son often oversteps the measure of equity in two ways: either because he falls short around one single thing, or because he spreads himself out indiscriminately toward countless things—even useless ones. Who would deny that Judas, after the crime of betrayal, ought rightly to have been afraid? But who doesn't see that this was what was most abominable in him above all else: that while he refused—or didn't know how—to keep measure in his fear, by despairing of himself he heaped onto the evil he could have corrected an end more detestable than the beginning?1
Scattered Fear in the Perfect
Even perfect men, especially those in authority, can be deceived by scattered fear, which arises from love of neighbor and the uncertainty of mishaps.
But that excess of fear which pours itself out indiscriminately toward many different things deceives more easily: for it sometimes creeps up even on perfect men. For which of those in authority, however perfect, while providing the necessities of life for those under him, so moderates the cares of his anxiety that he never fears more than is right about adverse turns of events?2 Now this kind of fear belongs to Reuben only when it does indeed arise, and not from love of the world, but from love of neighbor. But who could list all the uncertain mishaps of trouble rising from every side, for which—if not his own weakness—at least the weakness of those under him forces him to tremble? And who doesn't see how hard it is—indeed, how nearly impossible—never to overstep the bounds of just fear?
The Reuben Allegory: Water and Wine
The allegory of Reuben poured out like water illustrates how outward knowledge, when it breeds fearful anxiety, must be kept within measure.
From this it often happens that the more prudent someone is, the more anxious they also prove to be; and the more clearly anyone knows how to foresee the uncertain turns of the dangers around them, the more they are forced to loosen the reins of their timid worry in every direction. Concerning this, the saying that Jacob speaks of Reuben is also fittingly understood: "You are poured out like water; you shall not grow."✦ For sometimes water is taken to mean the prudence of the flesh, just as wine often stands for a special understanding.3 This water is turned into wine for each person when, with God breathing upon them, they are lifted by the ladder of outward knowledge to the understanding of invisible things—when the invisible things of God are perceived, understood from the creation of the world through the things that have been made.✦ Water of this kind abounds all the more for each person the more freely their mind expands in the knowledge of outward things. Certainly, the more richly this water swells as it carefully looks around at everything, the denser a forest of fearful anxiety it undoubtedly breeds, and the wider it spreads it—which is why it is rightly said here: "You are poured out like water; you shall not grow." So the greatest care must be taken, when the water of worldly knowledge abounds, that fear born of many-sided anxiety not grow beyond measure.
Read the original Latin
Duobus autem modis hic filius aequitatis mensuram saepe supergreditur, aut quia circa unum aliquid minus extenditur, aut quia ad innumera, vel etiam inutilia passim dilatatur. Quis neget Judam post proditionis scelus jure timere debuisse? Sed illud in eo quis non videat supra omnia exsecrabile fuisse, quod, dum in suo timore modum servare noluit vel nescivit, semetipsum desperando malum quod corrigere potuit, detestabiliori exitu quam exordio cumulavit? Sed illa timoris nimietas quae se passim ad multiplicia rerum effundit facilius decipit: perfectis etenim viris quandoque subrepit. Quis namque praelatorum quamlibet perfectus dum subjectis suis vitae necessaria providet, ita sollicitudinis suae curas temperet, ut pro adversis rerum casibus nunquam plus justo formidet? Pertinet autem ad Ruben tunc tantum timor hujusmodi, cum surgit quidem, et non ex amore mundi, sed de dilectione proximi. Sed quis enumerare sufficiat omnes ancipites incommodorum casus hinc indeque surgentium, pro quibus eum trepidare cogit et si non sua, suorum saltem infirmitas subjectorum? Et quis non videat quam sit difficile, imo quam pene impossibile justae formidinis metas nunquam excedere?
Inde fit saepe ut quanto quis prudentior, tanto inveniatur et sollicitior; et quanto quisque novit perspicacius circumstantium periculorum casus ancipites prospicere, tanto cogitur timidae sollicitudinis suae habenas multiplicius relaxare. De quo et illud convenienter intelligitur quod a Ruben per Jacob dicitur: Effusus es sicut aqua, non crescas. Solet enim per aquam quandoque carnis prudentia, sicut per vinum intelligi saepe specialis intelligentia. Haec aqua cuique tunc in vinum vertitur, quando aspirante Deo, per exterioris scientiae scalam ad invisibilium intelligentiam sublevatur, quando invisibilia Dei a creatura mundi per ea quae facta sunt intellecta conspiciuntur. Hujusmodi cuique aqua eo amplius abundat, quo ejus animus in exteriorum scientia copiosius se dilatat. Haec utique aqua quanto uberius excrescit, dum omnia caute circumspicit, tanto procul dubio formidolosae sollicitudinis silvam densiorem gignit, et latius expandit, unde recte hic dicitur: Effusus es sicut aqua, non crescas. Cavendum itaque summopere est, cum mundanae scientiae aqua abundat, ne multiplicis sollicitudinis timor ultra mensuram excrescat.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Gen.49.4 — Unstable as water, you shall not excel, because you went up to your father's bed; then you defiled it. He went up to my couch.
- ↩Rom.1.20 — For since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes have been clearly perceived, being understood through the things that have been made: both his eternal power and divine nature. So they are without excuse.
Notes
- 1 ↩semetipsum desperando: rendered as despair of himself (despair as spiritual act), which compounds the original crime rather than reforming it.
- 2 ↩praelatorum rendered as 'those in authority' (superiors/prelates) rather than the ecclesiastical technical term alone, to keep modern readability while retaining hierarchical care for subjects.
- 3 ↩specialis intelligentia rendered as 'a special understanding' (higher/spiritual insight), parallel to carnis prudentia as 'prudence of the flesh'.
Benjamin Minor (The Twelve Patriarchs / Preparation of the Mind for Contemplation) companion
A daily portion of stillness
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