Moralia in Job 1266

80. Christ forsakes the dry hearts; he seeks out those green with faith and hope. — For he forsakes the dry things, and seeks out whatever is green. For the dry hearts of men are those which, planted in the perishing hope of this world, do not have the confidence of eternity. But those are green which cleave to that inheritance, of which the apostle Peter says: Unto an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fades not away (1 Pet. 1:4). For any are so much the more truly green, the more they fix the root of their thought in the lot of the inheritance that fades not away. Whoever therefore dreads to be dry within, let him flee the dry desires of this world without.

Whoever desires to be sought out by the Lord, longing for the eternal fatherland, let him grow green in the interior planting of the heart. 81. St. Gregory's modesty and humility. — But let these things, expounded concerning the wild ass under a twofold understanding, suffice. It is to be left to the judgment of the reader which he should think ought rather to be chosen. And if perhaps he despises the intelligence of both expositions, I gladly, as a disciple his master, will myself follow my reader who thinks more subtly and truly, because I believe it properly granted to me, whatever I know him to feel better than I. [Vet. XXXV.] For all we who, full of faith, strive to sound forth something about God, are organs of truth;

and it is in the power of that same truth whether it sound through me to another, or through another to me. For that very truth, in our midst, being equal to all even though not all live equally, often touches one, that he may hear well what it has sounded through another; but often touches another, that it may sound well what is heard from others. 82. Often the word is granted to the teacher on account of the hearer's merit, or withdrawn on account of his fault. — Often the word is granted to the teacher for the grace of the hearer, and often on account of the hearer's fault the speech is withdrawn from the teacher. In those things, therefore, which the teacher preaches abundantly, let him lift himself up in no exaltation, lest perhaps his tongue be filled not for his own, but for the hearer's grace;

and in those things which the teacher does barrenly, let the hearer not be angry, lest perhaps the teacher's tongue grow torpid not for his own, but for the hearer's reprobation. For on account of the grace of a good hearer, speech is given even to bad teachers, as words of preaching could be supplied to the Pharisees, of whom it is written: All things therefore whatsoever they tell you, observe and do; but according to their works do not do (Matt. 23:3). But on account of the reprobation of the hearers, speech is withdrawn even from good teachers, as is said to Ezekiel against Israel: I will make your tongue cleave to your palate, and you shall be mute, nor as a man rebuking, because it is an exasperating house (Ezek. 3:26). 83.

Sometimes it is given or denied for the merit or fault of both the teacher and the hearers. Let no one be exalted about what he has received. Let fear stir up hope. — But sometimes the speech of preaching is given on account of both, sometimes on account of both is withdrawn. For it is given on account of both, as by the divine voice it is said to Paul at Corinth: Do not fear, but speak (Acts 18:9). And a little after: Because I have much people in this city (ibid. 10). But it is withdrawn on account of both, as Heli the priest both knew the depraved action of his sons, and did not exercise a worthy voice of rebuke; when it was surely to be that in the punishment of death he would chastise both those with the guilt of the crime, and him with the penalty of silence (1 Sam. 3:12ff).

Among these things, therefore, since we are ignorant either for whom the speech is given, or on account of whom it is withdrawn, there is one salutary remedy: neither to exalt ourselves about those things which we have received more than others, nor to deride another about that which he has received less; but, with a fixed foot of humility, to walk gravely and constantly, because in this life we are so much the more truly taught, the more we recognize that doctrine cannot be supplied to us by ourselves. Why then should anyone be proud about doctrine, who by hidden judgment is ignorant either to whom it is given and when, or when and from whom it is withdrawn?

For although fear may always seem to be far removed from security, yet nothing is safer for us than always to fear under hope, lest the incautious mind either by despairing cast itself down into vices, or by exalting itself fall from the gifts. For before the eyes of the strict and merciful judge, the more humbly the mind trembles about itself under hope, the more robustly it stands in him.