Moralia in Job 843

9. 'The sinner, having left the ways of the Lord, delights in his own, that is, in vices.' — For the sinner gazes on his own ways, because he strives to think of and to behold only those things which serve his temporal advantage. For hence Paul says: 'All seek the things that are their own, not the things that are Jesus Christ's' (Phil. II, 21). For the way of the proud is pride; the way of the plunderer, avarice; the way of the wanton, carnal concupiscence. In his own ways therefore every wicked man casts down his eye, because he attends only to vices, that through these he may satisfy his soul. Whence it is said through Solomon: 'The eyes of fools are in the ends of the earth' (Prov. XVII, 24), because they look upon that alone with the whole intent of the heart, whereby they may be led to the end of earthly desire.

But the sinner would by no means fix the gaze of his consideration on the earth, if he lifted the eyes of his mind to the holy paths of his Redeemer. Whence again it is said through Solomon: 'The eyes of a wise man are in his head' (Eccl. II, 14), because indeed every wise man considers with all his intent Him whose member he reckons himself to be through faith. For he had despised to see these ways of human converse, who said: 'I will meditate on Thy commandments, and I will consider Thy ways' (Ps. CXVIII, 15). And so he plainly promises, saying: The things that are mine I now shrink from seeing, because I burn to proceed by the way of imitating Thee with the steps of my conduct.

For he who now renounces the world, by a continual excitement of love sets before the eyes of his heart the ways of his Redeemer, so that his mind may flee prosperity and be prepared for adversity; may desire nothing that soothes, may dread nothing that is thought to terrify; may count joy as sorrow, may weigh the joys of the present life against the losses of sorrow; may not fear the detriments of abjection, but through these may seek the place of abiding glory. For the Truth showed these ways to the eyes of His followers, when He said: 'If any man minister to Me, let him follow Me' (John XII, 26). To these ways He recalled the swelling hearts of the disciples, when they sought the place of glory but were ignorant of the road to that same glory, saying: 'Can you drink the chalice that I shall drink?' (Matt. XX, 22).

For they had sought the height of that eminence at the right hand and the left, but saw not how great was the narrowness of the road unto it. Whence at once the chalice of the passion to be imitated is set before their eyes, so that, forsooth, if they strove toward the joys of sublimity, they might first find the way of humility. Because therefore the sinner neglects to consider the ways of God, but attends only to those in which he carnally delights, it is rightly now said: 'For his eyes are upon his ways.' There follows: