25. Nor indeed hath the Holy Spirit failed to speak what should be of open and unshaken avail against these men, most shamelessly and madly obstinate, and should repel their assault, as of wild beasts, from His sheep-fold, by defences that may not be stormed. For, after He had said concerning eunuchs, “I will give unto them in My house and in My wall a named place, much better than of sons and daughters;”45    Is. lvi. 4, 5. [See R.V.] lest any too carnal should think that there was any thing temporal to be hoped for in these words, straightway He added, “An eternal name I will give unto them, nor shall it ever fail:” as though He should say, Why dost thou draw back, impious blindness? Why dost thou draw back? Why dost thou pour the clouds of thy perverseness over the clear (sky) of truth? Why in so great light of Scriptures dost thou seek after darkness from out which to lay snares? Why dost thou promise temporal advantage only to holy persons exercising continence? “An eternal name I will give unto them:” why, where persons keep from all sexual intercourse, and also in the very fact that they abstain from these, have thought of the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord, do you essay to refer them unto earthly advantage? “An eternal name I will give unto them.” Why contend you that the kingdom of heaven, for the sake of which holy eunuchs have made themselves eunuchs, is to be understood in this life only? “An eternal name I will give unto them.” And if haply in this place you endeavor to take the word itself eternal in the sense of lasting for a long time, I add, I heap up, I tread in, “nor shall it ever fail.” What more seek you? What more say you? This eternal name, whatever it be, unto the eunuchs of God, which assuredly signifies a certain peculiar and excellent glory, shall not be in common with many, although set in the same kingdom, and in the same house. For on this account also, perhaps, it is called a name, that it distinguishes those, to whom it is given, from the rest.

CAPUT XXV.

25. Isaiam loqui de aeterno praemio spadonibus promisso. Nec sane Spiritus sanctus tacuit quod contra istos impudentissime ac dementissime pervicaces apertum atque inconcussum valeret, eorumque belluinum impetum ab ovili suo inexpugnabili munitione repelleret. Cum enim dixisset de spadonibus, Dabo eis in domo mea et in muro meo locum nominatum, meliorem multo quam filiorum atque filiarum; ne quis nimium carnalis existimaret aliquid in his verbis temporale sperandum, continuo subjecit, Nomen aeternum dabo eis, nec unquam deerit (Isai. LVI, 4, 5): tanquam diceret, Quid tergiversaris impia caecitas? quid tergiversaris? Quid serenitati veritatis nebulas tuae perversitatis offundis? quid in tanta Scripturarum luce tenebras unde insidieris inquiris? Quid temporalem tantummodo utilitatem promittis continentibus sanctis? Nomen aeternum dabo eis. Quid ab omni concubitu immunes, et eo quoque ipso quo hinc sese abstinent, ea quae sunt Domini cogitantes, quomodo placeant Domino, ad terrenam commoditatem referre conaris? Nomen aeternum dabo eis. Quid regnum coelorum, propter quod se ipsos castraverunt sancti spadones, in hac tantum vita intelligendum esse contendis? Nomen aeternum dabo eis. Et si forte hic ipsum aeternum pro diuturno conaris accipere, addo, accumulo, inculco, Nec unquam deerit. Quid quaeris amplius? quid dicis amplius? Aeternum hoc nomen, quidquid illud est, spadonibus Dei, quod utique gloriam quamdam propriam excellentemque significat, non erit commune cum multis, quamvis in eodem regno et in eadem domo constitutis. Nam ideo fortassis et nomen 0410 dictum est, quod eos quibus datur, distinguit a caeteris.