Christus reprehendit quendam regem et homines temporales, qui industrie sue et magno exercitui et fortitudini corporali et non Deo attribuunt victorias suas contra inimicos, dicens, quod ad bella procedant exemplo Dauid contra gigantem ponendo spem suam in Deo, humana tamen discrecione precedente; quia faciliter vincit, qui Deum habet cooperatorem.
The Folly of Worldly Strength
Christ rebukes the king for relying on his army rather than God, using the example of David to show that true victory comes from divine grace.
The Son says to the bride regarding a certain king of Sweden: "I told you that this king is a boy, and you can understand this from two things: first, from his rule, and second, from his countless army." Didn't David the shepherd defeat the giant? But how? Was it through power and wisdom? Certainly not; it was by divine power. If God hadn't confused the giant's boldness and emboldened the heart of the boy David, how would a boy have ever dared to attack a giant? And how could a stone strike down someone so strong, or reach someone so skilled, unless the power of God had been in that stone? That’s why someone who has God as a partner wins easily; for the person who relies perfectly on God, there’s no need for great physical strength, but only for faith and love. Worldly people think they win by their own physical strength and pin the outcome of a battle on human effort; when they do come out victorious, they credit human ingenuity more than the power of God, even though neither the good nor the bad win without God’s permission and justice. For sometimes the good prosper over the wicked, and conversely, the wicked over the good, by the hidden permission of God. Because so few people, due to a widespread negligence, are willing to consider the patience and justice of God, His power is dishonored, and man is praised and exalted as if he were powerful and achieving victories by his own strength.
The Childlike Vision of a King
The Lord compares the king's superficial judgment to a child's, urging him to seek divine wisdom and humble reliance on God instead of outward display.
I didn't call this king a child without reason. For when a child sees two apples—one completely gilded on the outside but entirely hollow and rotten within, and another that looks less beautiful on the outside but is perfectly fresh inside—the child will choose the one that is beautiful on the outside and rotten within, because he doesn't know how to consider anything except what he sees on the surface. That is how this king will act. It seemed fine to him to march out with a great army, but he didn't know or consider what misery lay hidden inside. He didn't pay attention to how much hunger and pain would follow, or that the poor wretches would go out starving and return in an even more miserable state. It may seem vile and foolish to go forward with a small army, but a great benefit lies hidden within. Therefore, if he proceeds in this way, I will fill his conscience with divine wisdom and strengthen his body with divine fortitude. I can make the weak strong, the humble exalted, and the cast-off honorable. So tell him not to be afraid, but to place his hope in me and to act with both divine wisdom and human foresight, as he is able. And in this way, where human wisdom falls short, charity and a good will shall excuse him.
Five Requirements for the Faithful
Christ outlines five essential spiritual disciplines for those who wish to serve God's honor in their endeavors.
The Son of God says, "Anyone who wants to visit the lands of the infidels must possess five things." First, they must clear their conscience through true compunction and confession, just as if they were about to die immediately. Second, you must set aside all frivolity in your behavior and dress; don't look to new customs, but to those praiseworthy ones established by your predecessors. Third, you must not want to possess anything worldly except for what is necessary and for the honor of God, and if you know of anything acquired wrongly—whether by yourself or by your ancestors—you must be willing to make restitution, no matter how small or large the amount. Fourth, to work toward this: that unbelievers might come to the true faith, not by coveting their riches, their livestock, or anything else, except for the simple necessities of the body. Fifth, to be willing to die gladly for the honor of God, and in this way to prepare oneself beforehand through a praiseworthy life, so that one may deserve to reach a precious death.
Read the original Latin
Filius loquitur ad sponsam de quodam rege Suecie dicens: "Dixi tibi, quod puer est iste rex, et hoc ex duobus poteris intelligere: primo ex regimine suo, secundo ex exercitu innumerabili. Numquid non pastor Dauid vicit gigantem?
Sed quomodo? Numquid potencia et sapiencia? Non vtique, sed virtute diuina. Nisi enim Deus infatuasset audaciam gigantis et animasset mentem pueri Dauid, quomodo puer aggressus fuisset gigantem?
Et quomodo lapis prosterneret tam fortem et attigisset tam doctum, nisi in lapide fuisset virtus Dei? Ideo faciliter vincit, qui Deum habet cooperatorem, nec ei, qui Deo perfecte innititur, opus est multa corporis fortitudine, sed fide et caritate.
Temporales enim homines fortitudine corporali vincere se arbitrantur et exitum pugne ponunt in hominis industria et, cum victores extiterint, plus industrie ascribunt hominis quam virtuti Dei, quamuis nec boni nec mali sine permissione Dei et iusticia victores sunt.
Nam quandoque boni prosperantur super malos et econtrario mali super bonos permissione occulta Dei.
Et quia pacienciam et iusticiam Dei pauci homines propter vniuersalem negligenciam considerare volunt, ideo virtus Dei dehonestatur et homo quasi potens et faciens victorias sua virtute laudatur et exaltatur.
Nec sine causa dixi, quia puer est iste rex. Nam puer cum videt duo poma, aliud quod totum deauratum est exterius et intus totum vacuum et corruptum, aliud vero quod exterius minus est pulchrum sed intus recentissimum, puer magis eliget pomum, quod exterius est pulchrum et intus corruptum, quia nescit considerare nisi illa, que exterius videt.
Sic iste rex faciet. Pulchrum denique sibi videbatur procedere cum magno exercitu, sed nesciebat nec considerabat, que miseria latebat intus. Non attendebat, quanta fames et dolor sequeretur et quod miseri fame egrederentur et miserabiliores reuerterentur.
Vile vero et fatuum videtur cum pauco procedere exercitu, sed magna latet intus vtilitas. Ideo, si ipse sic vadat, ego implebo conscienciam eius diuina sapiencia, ego corpus eius fortificabo diuina fortitudine.
Ego enim possum facere fortem de infirmo, sublimem de humili, honorabilem de abiecto. Igitur dic ei, quod non vereatur sed ponat spem suam in me et faciat cum diuina sapiencia et humana premeditacione, que potest. Et sic, vbi humana sapiencia deficiet, caritas et voluntas bona eum excusabit."
Filius Dei loquitur: "Omnis, qui terras infidelium visitare desiderat, debet habere quinque. Primo exonerare conscienciam suam contricione et confessione vera tamquam statim moriturus.
Secundo debet deponere omnes leuitates in moribus et vestibus, non attendendo ad consuetudines nouas sed ad illas laudabiles a predecessoribus institutas.
Tercio nolle habere aliquid temporale nisi ad necessitatem et honorem Dei et, si scierit aliquid male acquisitum vel per se vel a parentibus, velle restituere quantumcumque paruum vel magnum.
Quarto ad hoc laborare, vt infideles veniant ad veram fidem, non concupiscendo diuicias eorum nec iumenta eorum seu alia nisi ad solam corporis necessitatem. Quintum est velle libenter mori pro honore Dei et sic se ante disponere in laudabili conuersacione, vt ad preciosam mortem mereatur peruenire."
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