The Necessity of Prudence and Innocence

The farmer is anxious about the millstone being ground and fears the locust, while also dreading the bramble; he closely watches the sheaves, as the hail does not cease and the wounds struggle against the wind-borne plague.

However, once the grain is harvested with the sickle and falls into the hands of the harvester, and is then added to the measures and the wagons with the staff, and is carried to the threshing floor, where the winnowing fan rises, and after being tasted and sealed within the granary, it is guarded, the farmer becomes confident in it and rejoices as one who has grown rich, taking pride in not having labored in vain.

At times, the farmer will open the granaries, loosen the bolts, and throw open the doors to secure them.

On other occasions, he will boast about the grain placed among the merchants, taking pride in the labors of his household hands.

Similarly, the sower of the human race, the farmer of our nourishment, does not feel confident toward Adam until he has seen him moved from the earthly realm, until he has passed through the trials, and until he has navigated the challenges of philosophical dangers.

When Adam finally departs from the earthly realm, the farmer rejoices, is confident, and is dignified, saying to him: 'Well done, good and faithful slave.' Then he adds: 'Enter into the joy of your lord.' And he cries out: 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father.'

In this, the farmer presents the proof of good things, demonstrating that to those who love God, all things work together for good (Romans 8:28).

Whether a person endures much tribulation, or the faithful are constrained by distress, or are seized by nakedness, or surrounded by dangers, or struck by a sword, none of these things will separate the faithful from Christ, nor will the soldier of the king be able to set them apart.

When the faithful are surrounded by siege, they rejoice because they behold Christ as the leader of their joy.

If they are constrained by distress, they are widened by turning toward the Teacher.

If persecution lies in wait, they do not concern themselves with earthly matters while awaiting heaven, but rather, they are made secure so that they do not stumble; if famine is imminent, they are satisfied by touching the bread of life.

If nakedness is imposed upon them, their spirit is clothed, they surround themselves with grace, and they feel no concern for foods or provisions; if danger is threatened, they recognize the General as their equal, the ally they recognize, and they do not allow the Word to be restrained in its boldness; if a sword is struck against them, even when struck, the tongue does not permit itself to be silent.

In the face of every attacker, they stand ready like innocent and pure lambs and ewes, receiving the command of the Shepherd with joy, who says: 'Behold, I am sending you as sheep in the midst of wolves' (Matthew 10:16), which means: take courage and go, hasten quickly, gather the nations, increase the flocks, terrify the wolves, and demonstrate the power of the Shepherd.

You are not less than Moses, nor are you second to Jeremiah, nor was the grace of Ezekiel entrusted to your hand; with you is the one who sent Elijah, and he will also send you, each as a prophet.

Consider who Moses was and to whom he was sent, and how the rod lifted up by him was made straight; for the lawgiver, though naked, was sent to hypocrites, yet the rod of the naked man subdues soldiers and commands armies.

You, however, instead of a full panoply, should arm yourselves with the following commandment: 'Become therefore prudent as the serpents and innocent as the doves.'

For prudence is indeed good, and innocence is equally wonderful, yet when the two are joined, the result has acquired both advantage and utility.

Neither prudence alone nor innocence in its pure state is able to justify or to save a person, which is why it is necessary to possess both the prudence of the serpents and the innocence of the doves together.

For the serpent is prudent but not innocent, and you can see the beast as being venomous and harmful, whereas the dove alone is innocent, making it an easy target for everyone's plots.

You must therefore combine innocence with prudence, becoming innocent in the affairs of life and prudent in spiritual things.

If you buy or sell a field or engage in any other worldly commerce, the innocent has been lost; for to be wronged is more brightly than to do wrong, and to be circumscribed is more profitable than to circumscribe to those who wish to gain the heavenly things rather than the earthly.

But if you study the law, then search for prudence and seek the purpose of the written things, considering how one should act and why, and what the letter intends of the law, and what the spirit of the...