Chapter VI.—Danger of Having to Take Part in Heathenish Rites, and Revels.

The handmaid of God140    Comp. Luke i. 38, and de Cult. Fem., b. ii. c. i. ad init. dwells amid alien labours; and among these (labours), on all the memorial days141    Nominibus; al. honoribus. of demons, at all solemnities of kings, at the beginning of the year, at the beginning of the month, she will be agitated by the odour of incense.  And she will have to go forth (from her house) by a gate wreathed with laurel, and hung with lanterns, as from some new consistory of public lusts; she will have to sit with her husband ofttimes in club meetings, oft-times in taverns; and, wont as she was formerly to minister to the “saints,” will sometimes have to minister to the “unjust.”142    Sanctis—iniquis.  Comp. St. Paul’s antithesis of ἀδίκων and ἁγίων in 1 Cor. vi. 1.  And will she not hence recognise a prejudgment of her own damnation, in that she tends them whom (formerly) she was expecting to judge?143    See 1 Cor. vi. 2, 3. whose hand will she yearn after? of whose cup will she partake?  What will her husband sing144    See Eph. v. 19. to her, or she to her husband?  From the tavern, I suppose, she who sups upon God145    So Oehler understands (apparently) the meaning to be.  The translator is inclined to think that, adopting Oehler’s reading, we may perhaps take the “Dei” with “aliquid,” and the “cœnans” absolutely, and render, “From the tavern, no doubt, while supping, she will hear some (strain) of God,” in allusion to the former sentence, and to such passages as Ps. cxxxvii. 4 (in the LXX. it is cxxxvi. 4). will hear somewhat!  From hell what mention of God (arises)? what invocation of Christ?  Where are the fosterings of faith by the interspersion of the Scriptures (in conversation)?  Where the Spirit? where refreshment? where the divine benediction?  All things are strange, all inimical, all condemned; aimed by the Evil One for the attrition of salvation!

CAPUT VI.

Moratur Dei ancilla cum laribus alienis, et inter illos omnibus honoribus daemonum , omnibus 1298A solemnibus regum, incipiente anno, incipiente mense, nidore thuris agitabitur. Et procedet de janua laureata et lucernata, ut de novo consistorio libidinum publicarum; discumbet cum marito in sodalitiis, saepe in popinis; et ministrabit nonnunquam iniquis, solita quondam sanctis ministrare; et non hinc praejudicium damnationis suae agnoscet, eos observans, quos erat judicatura? Cujus manum desiderabit ? de cujus poculo participabit? Quid 1299A maritus suus illi, vel marito quid illa cantabit? Audiat sane, audiat aliquid de scena, de taberna, de ganea; quae Dei mentio? quae Christi invocatio? ubi fomenta fidei de Scripturarum interlectione? ubi spiritus refrigerium? ubi divina benedictio? Omnia extranea, omnia inimica, omnia damnata, adterendae saluti a malo immissa.