Moralia in Job 1330

God permits the hearts of the proud to be oppressed by earthly affairs and desires. As if he says: as I. For the proud and impious the Lord by just judgment hides in the dust, because he permits their hearts to be oppressed by those very earthly affairs which, despising the love of the Creator, they choose. Whence also, when in the last judgment he examines their life, he does not acknowledge it, as though hidden from himself, saying: 'I know not who you are' (Luke 13:27). The life of the wicked is hidden under the dust, because it is cast down and weighed down by lowest desires. For whosoever still craves the things that are of the world, as it were does not appear before the face of the true light, because he lies hidden under the dust of earthly thought.

This dust of wicked thoughts the oppressed mind endures, which the wind of most wicked temptation brings. Hence it is that concerning every soul weighed down by earthly desires it is said, under the figure of Ephraim, through the prophet: 'Ephraim is become as bread baked under the ashes, that is not turned' (Hos. 7:8). For from our well-formed nature there is in us an intention which may rise up to God; but from wickedly accustomed conduct there is present a pleasure which presses us upon the present world. But bread baked under the ashes is cleaner on that part which it conceals below, and dirtier on that part on which above it bears the ash.

Whosoever therefore neglects the intention by which he ought to have sought God, as it were, after the manner of bread baked under the ashes, presses the cleaner part below; and when he willingly endures the cares of the world, he as it were bears the heaped ash above. But the bread baked under the ashes would be turned, if it were to repel the ash of carnal desires, and were to display above the good intention which by despising it it had a while ago oppressed within itself. But it refuses to be turned, when the mind, pressed by love of worldly cares, neglects to cast off the mass of the superimposed ash, and, while it does not crave to rise up into good intention, as it were presses the cleaner face beneath. While by being proud they seek higher things, they are thrust back to lower things. But fittingly it is subjoined:

'And at the same time sink their faces in the pit.' As if he says: as I. For by just judgment the Lord sinks the faces of the proud in the pit, because he casts down below the intention of their heart which raises itself above men. For he regards lowest things whose face is bent toward the pit. And well is it said of the proud that their faces are sunk into the pit, because they seek the depths while by being proud they crave higher things; and the more they raise themselves by extolling themselves, the more they tend to lower things by falling. For they seek earthly glory, and the things they look upon are lowest, while by being proud they pursue high things. Whence in a wondrous and diverse manner the matter is wrought, that the humble seek heaven while they cast themselves lower;

the proud crave lowest things, while by despising others they are as it were extolled in higher places. These, while they despise themselves, are joined to heavenly things; those, while they raise themselves, are divided from the higher things, and, so to speak, the latter by exalting themselves depress themselves, the former by depressing themselves exalt themselves. And well is it said of the proud through the Psalmist: 'But he humbleth sinners even to the earth' (Ps. 146:6), because, while coveting the things that are below, and by extolling themselves raising themselves, having lost heaven, what else do they seek than the earth? For whom this very thing is now to have fallen into the depths—to have left the higher things and sought the low. Rightly therefore are their faces said to be sunk in the pit, because, following the lowest things, they tend toward the abyss of hell.

For by just judgment it is wrought, that those whom here voluntary aversion blinds, there the worthy pit of punishment may hide from the sight of the true light. Since therefore the holy man was so shaken by the terror of the divine power, that it was said to him: 'If thou hast an arm as God, and if thou thunderest with a like voice, scatter the proud in thy fury, and looking on every arrogant one, humble him,' and the rest which God indeed can do, but man scarcely suffices to hear, all these things which the Lord had premised with what intention, he shows by the end of a subjoined conclusion, saying: