Moralia in Job 1293

It is the preacher's office to dig out earthly thoughts, both in his hearers and in himself. — In the horse's hoof the strength of labour is wont to be recognized. What then is designated by the hoof, but the perfection of virtues in the holy preacher? With this hoof, namely, he digs the earth, when by the example of his own works he casts out earthly thoughts from the hearts of his hearers. The hoof digs the earth, because he empties the hearts of his hearers of secular cares, when the good teacher shows by his deeds that the world is to be despised. Let us see with what hoof of displayed virtue Paul digs the earth of his hearers' hearts. For he says to his disciples: These things think on, which ye have both learned and received and heard and seen in me; these do, and the God of peace shall be with you (Phil.

4:8,9,10). And again: Be ye imitators of me, brethren, as I also am of Christ (Ibid., 3:17). Whoever, therefore, corrects others by the example of his own work, without doubt digs the earth with the hoof. We have yet another matter, which we may treat still more subtly concerning the digging of this hoof. For holy men, although with intent eye of the mind they keep watch upon things above, although with the foot of rigid contempt they tread down all things that flow past in the depths, yet from the corruption of the earthly flesh, to which they are still bound, they very often suffer the dust of thoughts in the heart. And while they persuade others outwardly to seek heavenly things, they always inwardly examine themselves with subtle inquiry, lest by any thought lingering long within them they be defiled.

This horse, therefore, digs the earth with his hoof, when every preacher by strong inquiry shakes out the earthly thoughts within himself. The horse digs the earth with his hoof, when he over whom the Lord now presides considers what mass is heaped upon him from old thought, and ceases not to empty himself of it by scrutinizing it. Whence also Isaac is fittingly described as having dug wells among a foreign people (Gen. 26). By which example, namely, we learn that, placed in the hardship of this pilgrimage, we should penetrate the depths of our thoughts; and until the water of true understanding answers us, let the hand of our inquiry in no wise grow sluggish from draining out the earth of the heart.

Yet the Philistines, lying in wait, fill up these wells (Ibid.), because indeed the unclean spirits, when they see us zealously digging the heart, heap upon us gathered thoughts of temptations. Whence the mind must always be emptied, and dug incessantly, lest, if it be left unexamined, the earth of thoughts be heaped upon us even to the swelling of perverse works. Hence it is said to Ezekiel: Son of man, dig the wall (Ezek. 8:8); that is, break the hardness of the heart with frequent blows of scrutiny. Hence the Lord says to Isaiah: Enter into the rock, hide thee in the dug earth, from the face of the fear of the Lord, and from the glory of his majesty (Isa. 2:10). For we enter the rock when we penetrate the hardness of our heart;

and we are hidden in the dug earth from the face of the fear of the Lord, if, casting out earthly thoughts, we are concealed in the humility of our mind from the wrath of the strict Judge. For the more earth is cast out by digging, the deeper the floor is ever shown to be. Whence we too, if we more zealously cast earthly thoughts from ourselves, the more humbly we are found, in that we are hidden within ourselves. — On the imminent day of judgment, a sentence of Gregory. For behold, because the day of divine judgment is at hand, the very face, as it were, of the fear of Him already appears; and by so much the more must each one fear Him with terror, by how much the glory of His majesty draws near. What then must be done, or whither must we flee?

For where can anyone hide from Him who is everywhere? But behold, we are commanded to enter the rock, to be concealed in the dug earth, so that, namely, breaking through the hardness of our heart, we may avoid His invisible wrath by withdrawing within ourselves in our heart from the love of visible things, so that, when the earth of depraved thought is cast out, the mind may be hidden within itself, the more safely the more humbly (Deut. 23:12,13). Hence it is commanded by the Lord through Moses to the people of Israel, that when one goes out to the needs of nature, he should carry a stake in his belt, and hide with dug earth what has been discharged. For, weighed down by the burden of corruptible nature, certain superfluities of thoughts, like burdens of the belly, break forth from the womb of our mind.

But we must carry a stake under our belt, so that, namely, being always girded for reproving ourselves, we may have about us the sharp goad of compunction, which incessantly digs the earth of our mind with the sorrow of penance, and hides that which breaks forth from us as foul. For the discharge of the belly is covered with dug earth by means of the stake, when the superfluity of our mind, examined by subtle self-refutation, is concealed before the eyes of God by the goad of its own compunction. Since, therefore, holy men cease not to reprove and judge whatever unprofitable things they think, let the Lord say of His horse:

He digs the earth with his hoof, that is, whatever earthly thing he sees stirring in his mind, this indeed he breaks with the hard blows of penance brought over it. But when they inwardly judge themselves with strict subtlety, there is now nothing which they need dread outwardly. For by so much the less do they tremble at present evils, by how much the more fully they prepare themselves for good things to come. Whence it is also added: