Moralia in Job 861

35. The Church is founded upon the Gentiles and Jews reduced to nothing by sin.—For what is designated by the name of earth but the holy Church, which, while it receives the words of preaching, renders the fruit of good work? Of which it is said through Moses: 'Let the earth hear the words from my mouth, let my speech be awaited like rain' (Deut. XXXII, 2). And what by nothing but the Gentile peoples are designated? Of whom it is said through the prophet: 'All nations are reputed as nothing and vanity before him' (Isaiah XL, 17). In that nothing, therefore, the earth is suspended, which before was held void by the north, because those hearts of the Gentiles are filled with the charity of God, which before had been pressed by the torpor of the devil. [Or,

By this void may also be designated the unbelief of Judea, and by the earth, as we said, the fructification of the holy Church. Let the holy man therefore behold the fall of perishing Judea, and discern the merits of the Gentile world returning to pardon, and say: 'Who stretches out the north over the void, and hangs the earth upon nothing.' For because the hearts of the Jews, empty of faith, are subjected to the devil, he stretches out the north over the void. But because, with no merits existing, as it was said: 'For nothing you shall save them' (Psalm LV, 8 [Vulg.]), the Lord founded his Church upon the Gentiles, who are called nothing through the prophet, aptly following he adds: 'He hangs the earth upon nothing.'

But by what order this was done, he weaves together, adding with a marvellous reasoning. For he says: