Grapes And Thorns, Figs And Thistles

Nunquid colligunt de spinis uvas, aut de tribulis ficus? Spina namque quamvis a principio floribus candeat, non ideo uvas affert, quia non manet in vite, etsi videntur uvae pendere super eam. Vitis autem Christus est, et omnia membra ejus palmites. Idcirco solummodo eorum est uvas ferre, opera videlicet Spiritus sancti, quae inebriant mentem. Quas profecto cum videris inter spinas, noveris non ex eis esse; et ideo sic uvam carpe ut spinam caveas. Spinarum autem est, dilacerare tangentem se et disrumpere; quia haeretici verborum aculeis universos dilaniant et affigunt. Porro tribuli nullam dulcedinem ficus ferunt; quia fornicarii et scelerum amatores sine fructu ad tempus florent. Quibus duobus bene omnes, qui de massa perditionis sunt, etsi ad nos veniant, extra nos ad ignem sine fructu futuri figurantur. Undeo primo homini dicitur: Cum operatus fueris terram, spinas et tribulos germinabit tibi. Quas isti miseri in carne et in animo, quia terra sunt, nutrientes, hortos ferre nequeant vineae, de qua Pater agricola est, et omnes palmites propagantur. Neque de tribulis ficus generantur, quos mittit ficulnea grossiores, sed ex sua propagine; quae carnis sunt ex Adam sentiunt, et ea solummodo sectantur. Sanctus Paschasius Radbertus Corbeiensis, Expositio In Evangelium Matthaei, Lib IV Cap VII Source: Migne PL 120.323c-324a

Are grapes gathered from thorns, figs from thistles? 1 For though in the beginning a thorn bush may be adorned with flowers, it does not thus bring forth grapes, because it is not part of the vine, even if it seems that grapes should come forth from it. The vine is Christ, and all his members are branches. 2 Therefore it is they alone who bear grapes, that is, the works of the Holy Spirit, which inebriate the mind. And certainly when you see them among thorns, you know they are not from them, and so lay hold of the grape and beware the thorn. For it is of thorns to cut and rend the one who touches them, for all the stings of the words of heretics tear and snare. Then thistles do not bear the sweetness of the fig, because the lovers of fornication and crimes do not bring forth fruit in its season. By which two types are contained all who are of the damned mass, even if they do come to us, and who outside of us, without fruit for the future, are shaped for fire. Whence it is said to the first man: 'When you shall work the land, it shall bear thorns and thistles for you.' 3 Which things they feed on who are wretched in flesh and soul, because they are of the earth, and they unable to bear the gardens of the vine, of which the Father is the farmer, 4 and all the branches spread forth. Nor do thistles produce the figs which the greater fig trees send forth, but they produce from their own seed, which know they are of the flesh of Adam, and these things alone they pursue. Saint Paschasius Radbertus, Commentary On The Gospel of Saint Matthew, Book 4, Chap 7 1 Mt 7.16 2 Jn 15.5 3 Gen 3.18 4 Jn 15.1