Thomas Aquinas

Above he showed that profane things are to be avoided by an argument taken from harm; here he shows the same thing by an argument taken from fruit. And first he sets forth the avoidance; second, its fruit, at the words *he shall be a vessel*. For he calls the avoidance a cleansing. He says therefore: there are certain vessels unto dishonor; therefore if anyone shall have cleansed himself from these, because the fellowship of such men defiles. Ecclus. 13:1: "He who touches pitch shall be defiled by it." And therefore they are to be fled. 2 Cor. 9: "Go out from the midst and be separated, says the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing," etc.

But the fruit that follows is fourfold. The first is from the ordering toward glory, because *he shall be a vessel unto honor*; because if he is defiled by them, he will be unto dishonor; if he cleanses himself, unto honor. Ps. 138:17: "Friends are made exceedingly honorable," etc. Prov. 25:4: "Take away the rust from silver, and there shall come forth a most pure vessel." The other effects are of grace, of which the first is the sanctification of man; the second is the ordination of man through right intention; the third through the execution of the work. As to the first, therefore, he says *sanctified*. 1 Cor. 6:11: "You are washed, you are sanctified." But as to the second he says *useful to the Lord*. But does he need our service? No. Ps. 15:2: "You have no need of my goods." But he says *useful to the Lord*, that is, its usefulness will redound to the honor of the Lord. Acts 9:15: "that he may carry my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel." As to the third he says *prepared unto every good work*. Ps. 118:60: "I am ready, and am not troubled." And he says *unto every good*, because affirmative precepts do not oblige always. And therefore he ought to be prepared, so that he may act when it is necessary.

Then, when he says *youthful*, he shows how profane things are to be avoided. And he sets down two things to be avoided: the first is depraved conduct; the second is bad doctrine, at the words *but foolish*. Concerning the first he does two things, because first he shows what is to be avoided; second, what is to be followed, at the words *follow after*. He says therefore: I say that you ought to avoid these things, so that you may be a cleansed vessel; therefore *youthful*, etc. It should be considered that he says this because this one was young. And these are the desires of external vanities, and of carnal pleasures. It is natural for the young to desire these things. Eccl. 11:10: "youth and pleasure are vain." Of which there is a twofold reason. One, because they have not experienced other things; the second, because delights of this kind are naturally ordered as a medicine against labors. But nature labors in the young, and therefore they are inclined toward them.

Then, when he says *but follow after justice, faith, hope, charity, and peace*, he shows what things are to be followed. And they are four, of which the first orders one toward subjects, and this is justice, because the prince is the guardian of justice. Prov. 20:8: "The king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters all evil with his look." The second orders one toward him, and this is faith, without which it is impossible to please God, Heb. 11:6. The third is hope. The fourth orders one toward each neighbor, namely charity and peace, which extends even to enemies. 1 Cor. 13:2: "If I should have faith, so that I might move mountains, but have not charity, I am nothing." From charity follows joy. But peace implies ordered concord.

But what he adds, *with those who call upon*, etc., can be expounded in one way by referring it to what was immediately said; as if he were to say: follow after peace with these, etc. And what he says, *out of a pure heart*, is set down, because it is not a specious praise, etc. But Heb. 12:14 says: "Follow peace with all men." Why then is it said here, *with those who call upon the Lord out of a pure heart*? I respond. It must be said that, as much as is in us, we ought to have peace with all, if it can be done; but there cannot be peace between the good and the wicked, because peace implies concord, which cannot be had with the wicked. In another way, *with these*, etc., is read so as to be referred to the whole preceding passage; as if he were to say: follow after justice, peace, and all things, just as also those who call upon, etc., do.

Then, when he says *but foolish*, he exhorts to the avoidance of bad doctrine. And first he teaches what is to be avoided; second, what is to be followed, at the words *but gentle*. Concerning the first he does two things; because first he sets forth the teaching; second, he assigns the reason, at the words *knowing that*. Foolish questions are to be avoided, as to their matter, because they are about foolish things, that is, about those things which are contrary to wisdom, that is, about those things which are against divine wisdom. Man ought not to raise these, but to resist them. Jer. 10:14: "Every man has become foolish by his own knowledge." But he says *without discipline*, as to the manner, because they are clamorous. Or *without discipline* on the part of those things about which doubt is raised, as for instance if one should turn into doubt what the whole Church holds. Job 34:35: "But Job has spoken foolishly, and his words do not sound discipline." But questions are to be loved only insofar as they lead to truth: by this, that it is fitting that all should say one thing. But foolish questions do not lead to truth, but to strife, which is to be avoided. Is. 58:4: "Behold, you fast unto strife and contention," etc. And therefore he says *but the servant of the Lord*, that is, him who gives himself to the service of the Lord, *must not wrangle*. 1 Tim. 3:33: "not quarrelsome."

Then, when he says *but gentle*, he shows what is to be followed. And first he sets down the teaching; second, the reason, at the words *lest at any time he give*. Again, the first is divided into two, because first he sets forth a certain general thing for all; second, certain things necessary for each, at the words *teachable*. The general thing which he who wishes to dispute ought to have, is that he be gentle. Ps. 24:9: "He will teach the meek his ways." For gentleness is a virtue restraining from anger, which disturbs the judgment of reason, which is necessary in inquiry and in the judgment of truth. Matt. 11:29: "Learn from me, because I am meek and humble of heart."

In particular, however, he ought to have, with respect to superiors, teachableness; with respect to persecutors, patience; with respect to false teachers, correction. As to the first he says *teachable*, that is, ready to be corrected by anyone. And this is heavenly wisdom. James 3:17: "But the wisdom that is from above is first indeed chaste; then peaceable, modest, persuadable," etc. As to the second he says *patient*. Ps. 91:15: "They shall be well patient, that they may declare." Prov. 19:11: "The learning of a man is known through patience." As to the third he says *correcting with modesty*, because correction ought to be modest. Gal. 6:1: "You who are spiritual, instruct such a one in the spirit of gentleness," etc.

Then, when he says *lest at any time*, he assigns the reason for the avoidance, and answers a certain tacit question. For someone could say: these resist the truth, and therefore the necessity of correcting is imminent. I respond that God the Father can lead them back to repentance, and toward this the just man ought to strive. And first he sets forth beforehand the repentance, which he ought to intend against adversaries; second, the fruit of repentance; third, the necessity of repentance.

He says therefore *lest at any time*, that is, that God may at some time give them repentance, because they resist out of pride, to whom it seems difficult that repentance be given. Here the error of Pelagius is excluded, who says that the gifts of grace are from our works, which is shown by this to be false, because even the beginning of good things, namely repentance, is given by God. Lam. 5:21: "Convert us, O Lord, to you, and we shall be converted." Prov. 19: "From your fear we have conceived."

But the fruit of repentance is twofold, namely the knowledge of truth, and liberation from the power of the devil. As to the first he says *unto the knowledge of the truth*, because when the truth is resisted out of malice, that very malice of theirs blinds them; therefore when the malice is taken away, they know the truth. John 8:32: "And you shall know the truth." As to the second he says *and may recover themselves from the snares of the devil*, that is, from the occasions of errors on the part of the intellect, such as false imaginings, and on the part of the affections, such as are envy, pride, and things of this kind.

But the necessity of repentance is great, for unless they have it, the devil dominates over them. Hence he says *by whom they are held captive*, because "he who commits sin is the slave of sin," John 8:34. And he says *unto his will*, namely, to be followed. Or: so that he may do his own will concerning man. But on the contrary, he does not immediately cast down as he would wish. It must be said that he obtains only as much as is permitted to him; but it is difficult that what he holds be taken away from him. Is. 49:24: "Shall the prey be taken from the strong? or can that which is taken by the mighty be safe?"