Moralia in Job 845

11. 'The earth in its essence shall ever stand, though in its outward form it continually passes away.' — The progress of contemplation ought to be such that from few things one is caught up to the consideration of many, of all things, so that, being led forth by degrees, it may advance, and, judging all transitory things, may by comprehending them grow up almost incomprehensibly. Whence the holy man, when he discussed the glory and the failing of the wicked, at once stretched the eye of his mind to all things, saying: 'They shall be humbled like all things, and shall be taken away.' All earthly things assuredly. As if he plainly said: They can in no way stand, because those very things also flee upon which they lean; and while they love temporal things, they run their course with these through the mutability of time. But it may be asked, since it is said through Solomon:

'One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth standeth forever' (Eccl. I, 4), it may be asked why blessed Job asserts that all things are humbled and taken away. Yet this we easily resolve, if we distinguish either how the earth and heaven pass away, or how they remain. For both of these pass away through that form which they now have, but nevertheless subsist through their essence without end. For hence it is said through Paul: 'For the fashion of this world passeth away' (1 Cor. VII, 31). Hence through Himself the Truth says: 'Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away' (Matt. XXIV, 35). Hence to John it is declared by an angelic voice: 'There shall be a new heaven and a new earth' (Apoc. XXI, 1). Which indeed are not to be created as other,

but these very same are renewed. Heaven therefore and earth both pass away and shall be, because they are both cleansed by fire from that appearance which they now have, and yet are ever preserved in their own nature. Whence it is said through the Psalmist: 'Thou shalt change them, and they shall be changed' (Ps. CI, 27). And indeed they announce that last change of theirs to us now by those very vicissitudes wherewith they unceasingly alternate for our uses. For the earth fails from its own appearance by winter's dryness, and grows green by the moisture of spring. Heaven is daily overcast by the darkness of night, and renewed by the brightness of day. Hence therefore let every faithful soul gather both that these things perish, and yet are restored through renewal, which now, it is agreed, are continually repaired as it were out of decay.

Amid these things therefore the holy man, when he beholds the course of the wicked, makes known with how great a stroke they sometime fail, while he at once subjoins: