And if it appears still in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything of skin; it is a spreading disease: you shall burn that in which the disease is with fire.
Read Chapter 13
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Flying, as that in man, ver. 12. Hebrew, "it is a leprosy, which returns and is rooted. "Chaldean, "it spreads. "(Calmet) See Calmet's Diss. on the Leprosy.
This dreadful disorder is very common in Arabia and Palestine. During the holy wars many of the Europeans were infected with it. The Jews believe, that the leprosy of garments and of houses was restrained to Judea, and attacked them only when the people rebelled against God. (Oleaster)
The providence of God often visited those, who would not obey his ministers, with this disorder, Deuteronomy xxiv. 8. and Numbers xii. (Theodoret q. 18.) (Tirinus)
Sometimes we know we have done something poorly and avoid including it in our work. But the guilt of it insinuates itself into other acts of ours. For there are some who are subject to carnal uncleanness but reflect on it and return to themselves; they acknowledge the guilt of their depravity. But when they have recovered from their unclean act, they immediately boast of the good of their chastity and swell up with foolish pride. First an unclean act held sway over their bodies; then unclean pride reigns in their minds. What takes hold of them spiritually is like roaming leprosy. It does not wholly leave the garment but changes its place on it. The garment is each of the faithful in the holy church. A roaming and wandering leprosy lays hold of a garment when, by an unreformed fault, guilt takes hold of that soul that seems to be faithful. Let’s suppose someone boasts when he possesses riches in this world but then hears from the mouth of a preacher that all these material things are go...
