594 GOSPEL ACCORDING TO CHAP. XVII.
carnallifewhich isfedby thebodilysenses,and descendto
takeaway thisworld'svessels.Itfollows,And he thatisin
thefield,lethim not returnback; thatis,he who labours
in theChurch,as Paul plantingand Apolloswatering,let
him notlookbackupon theworldlyprospectswhich he has
renounced.
THEOPHYL. Matthew relatesallthesethingsto havebeen
saidby ourLord,with referencetothe destructionofJeru
salem,thatwhen the Romans came upon them, theywho
were on the housetopshouldnot come down to takeany
thing,but flyatonce,nor theythatwerein thefieldreturn
home. And surelysoitwas atthetakingofJerusalem,and
againwillbe at the coming ofAntichrist,but much more
at the completionof allthings,when thatintolerablede
structionshallcome.
EUSEB. He herebyimpliesthata persecutionwillcome
from the son of perditionupon Christ'sfaithful.By that
day then He means the time previousto the end of the
world,in which letnot him who isflying'return,norcare
to losehisgoods,lesthe imitateLot'swife,who when she
fledout of the cityofSodom, turningback,died,and be
came a pillarofsalt.
AMBROSE. Becausethus she lookedbehind,she lostthe
giftofhernature. For Satanisbehind,behindalsoSodom.
Whereforefleefrom intemperance,turn away from lust,for
recollect,thathe who turnednot back to hisold pursuits
escaped,becausehe reachedthemount; whereasshelooking
back towhat was leftbehind,couldnot even by theaidof
her husband reachthe mount, but remainedfixed.AUG.
Lot'swiferepresentsthosewho intimeof troublelookback
and turn asidefrom the hope of the divinepromise,and
henceshewas made a pillarof saltasa warningtomen not
to do likewise,and to seasonas it were theirhearts,lest
theybecome corrupt.
THEOPHYL. Next followsthe promise,Whosoevershall
seek,fyc.as ifhe said,Let no man in the persecutionsof
Antichristseekto securehislife,forhe shallloseit,but
whoso shallexposehimselfto trialsand death shallbe
safe,neversubmittinghimselfto the tyrantfrom hislove
oflife.CYRIL.How a man may losehisown lifetosaveit,