Christus declarat sponse, quare deus plagauit populum israhel in deserto et non in egypto, et de probacione moysi. Et reprehendit quendam regem cum comminacione, quia non compaciebatur subditis et regebatur per malos consiliarios, nec confidat in hoc, quod antea vocauerat eum amicum.
The Desert of Divine Instruction
God explains that the trials of the Israelites in the desert were a necessary pedagogy of mercy and justice, contrasting the hardened hearts of the people with the compassionate leadership of Moses.
The Lord spoke to his bride, saying: "There were three types of people among the people of Israel." Some of them loved God and Moses; others loved themselves more than God; and others still loved neither God nor Moses, but only earthly things. While these people were in Egypt, they were all called children of God and children of Israel, but they didn't all serve God with the same heart. In the same way, when it pleased God to lead the people out of Egypt, some believed in God and Moses, while others provoked God and Moses to anger. That’s why God showed both His great mercy and His justice to those who were hardened. But you might ask: Why did the Lord lead the people out instead of striking them in Egypt, when He knew that the time for mercy had not yet come and that the malice of men was not yet complete? I myself answer: God chose the people of Israel like students, to instruct and test them in the desert. They needed a guide who would lead them by both word and example. So, for the disciples to be more perfectly instructed, the desert was more necessary than Egypt, so they wouldn't be overly distracted by the Egyptians while under the discipline of God's justice, or be improperly puffed up among the signs of mercy that must not be cast before dogs. Moses, too, as the teacher of the people, had to be tested, so that he who had been made manifest to God might also become known to the disciples as one to be imitated; for he was made more proven by the foolishness of the people, and through the signs he became more distinguished and known to all. I tell you the truth: the people would have been led out even without Moses, and they would have died even without him, but because of Moses' goodness, the people's death was lighter, and because of his love, they were crowned more gloriously. And it's no wonder, because Moses suffered in the death of them all out of compassion. Therefore, the Lord delayed His promise so that the people might be tested, and so that God might be made known through His signs, His mercy, and His patience, and also so that the people’s ingratitude and will might be revealed as a warning for those to come. In the same way, many saints have entered the lands of unbelievers at the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and even though they didn't achieve what they intended, they were still highly crowned for their good will. Because of their patience and good will, God hastened the time for showing mercy and brought the new path they were attempting to its goal all the more quickly. Therefore, the judgments of God are always to be revered and feared, and we must take the greatest care that the human will does not run contrary to the will of God.
The Warning to the Unjust King
The Lord rebukes a specific king for his selfishness, reliance on evil counsel, and failure to emulate the compassion of Moses, warning him that past favor does not exempt him from divine judgment.
But that king I am telling you about, whom you know, was not affected in the same way as Moses. For he didn't care if his entire people died, as long as he alone was saved and honored. And he was governed by diabolical counsel. He refused to let go of his stubbornness and his unstable mind, and he wouldn't take counsel from those he should have listened to—those from whom he could have received the milk of divine wisdom and sound correction. It's no surprise. He comes from a line of people who provoke God, and that's why he can only be corrected by the lash. You should also know that there have been four generations of kings in this kingdom. In the first, there was ambition and cruelty, which God tolerated because of certain good works and because of the sins of the people. In the second, there was incontinence and injustice, which God mercifully humbled and called under the crown. The third generation grew from a root of ambition and a stubborn stock, filled with greed and self-love; therefore, God punished them for a time, so that they might have it easier in the future. In the fourth, there is feigned humility, a lack of justice, and extravagance. Therefore, out of love, I will show him both mercy and judgment. And if he doesn't listen, I will scourge him from head to foot, to such an extent that everyone who hears of it will be amazed and will tremble at God's justice and fairness. He shouldn't rely on the fact that I once called him a friend; instead, he must pay attention to the end of my words—namely, that if he keeps his faith with me, then I will keep my promise.
Read the original Latin
Loquebatur dominus ad sponsam dicens: Tria genera hominum erant in populo israhel. Quidam eorum diligebant deum et moysen, alii plus se quam deum, alii vero nec deum nec moysen sed terrena sola.
Cumque populus iste esset in egypto, omnes vocabantur filii dei et filii israhel, sed non omnes equali mente seruiebant deo.
Sic eciam, cum deo placuit educere populum de egypto, quidam crediderunt deo et moysi, alii autem exacerbabant deum et moysen. Ideo deus ostendit misericordiam suam magnam et iusticiam induratis.
Sed poteris querere: Cur dominus eduxit populum et non magis plagauit eum in egypto, cum ipse presciuit nondum esse tempus miserendi nec malicias hominum esse completas?
Respondeo ego ipse: Deus elegit populum israhel quasi scolares ad instruendum et probandum eos in deserto. Quibus necessarius erat pedagogus, qui verbo et opere precederet eos.
Vt ergo discipuli perfeccius instruerentur, magis necessarium fuit desertum quam egyptus, ne forte in disciplina iusticie dei inquietarentur nimium de egiptiis aut ne inter signa misericordie abscondenda canibus improbe eleuarentur.
Moyses quoque tanquam magister populi probari debuit, vt, qui deo manifestus fuerat, eciam discipulis ad imitandum notus fieret, qui ex populi insipiencia factus est probacior, et ex signis insignior notusque esset vniuersis.
Vere dico, quod eciam sine moyse eductus fuisset populus et sine moyse moriturus erat populus, sed propter bonitatem moysi leuius mortuus est populus et propter caritatem moysi sublimius est populus coronatus. Nec mirum, quia in omnium morte passus est moyses ex compassione.
Ergo ideo dominus distulit promissum suum, vt probaretur populus et deus notus fieret ex signis et misericordia et paciencia sua, populi quoque ingratitudo et voluntas ostenderetur in cautelam futurorum.
Sic eciam multi sancti in terras infidelium intrauerunt ex inspiracione spiritus sancti, qui non consecuti sunt, quod voluerunt, et tamen propter voluntatem bonam sublimiter coronati sunt.
Propter quorum pacienciam et bonam voluntatem deus accelerauit tempus miserendi et viam nouam, quam ipsi attemptabant, eo celerius perduxit ad effectum.
Sic ergo iudicia dei semper veneranda et timenda sunt et summe cauendum, ne voluntas hominis contraria sit voluntati dei.
Verum rex iste, de quo tibi loquor, quem tu nosti, non sic affectus erat sicut moyses. Quia iste non curabat, si totus populus suus moreretur, dum tamen ipse solus saluaretur et honoraretur. Qui et dyabolicis consiliis regebatur.
Qui noluit dimittere pertinaciam et instabilitatem mentis sue, nec voluit obedire in consilio hiis, quibus debuit, de quibus habere poterat lac diuine sapiencie et bone correccionis.
Nec mirum. Nam ipse processit de radice hominis exasperantis deum et ideo non corrigitur nisi per flagella. Scito eciam, quod in isto regno quadruplex generacio regum fuit.
In prima fuit ambicio et crudelitas, quam tolerabat deus propter quedam opera bona et propter peccata populi. In secunda fuit incontinencia et iniusticia, quam misericorditer humiliauit deus et vocauit sub coronam.
Tercia generacio processit de ambiciosa radice et duro stipite, in qua erat cupiditas et amor sui; ideo puniuit eam deus temporaliter, vt leuius haberet in futurum.
In quarta est simulata humilitas et defectus iusticie et prodigalitas. Ideo ex caritate ostendam ei misericordiam et iudicium.
Et si non audierit, flagellabo eum a capite vsque ad calcaneum in tantum, quod omnes qui audierint mirabuntur et contremiscent de dei iusticia et equitate.
Nec confidat, quod dixi eum amicum, sed attendat ad conclusionem verborum, scilicet si tenuerit fidem suam mecum, et tunc tenebo promissionem meam.
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