Commentary on Isaiah (Super Isaiam)

“Write the vision, and make it plain upon tablets, that he who reads it may run through it: because the vision is yet far off, and it will appear at the end. Habakkuk 2. From these words three things can be gathered concerning the book of the prophet Isaiah, which we have in hand: namely, the author, the manner, and the matter. Concerning the first, three things are set down: namely, the author, the author's minister, and the minister's office, or gift. The author is shown in the command of the one speaking: hence it is premised: the Lord answered me, and said: write the vision, etc. For the author of sacred Scripture is the Holy Spirit. Below, 48: now the Lord has sent me, etc.; 2 Peter I, 21: for not by the will of man, etc. For the spirit speaks mysteries, as is said in 1 Cor. 14. The minister is shown in the act of writing: for he says, write. Now the tongue of the prophet was the instrument of the Holy Spirit, as in Psalm 44 it is said: my tongue is the pen of a scrivener, writing swiftly. And 1 Cor. 3: what then is Apollo? And what is Paul? The ministers of him in whom you have believed. But the office of the minister is shown in the privilege of vision: for he says, vision. For he who today is called a prophet, was formerly called a seer, as is said in 1 Kings 9. And Numbers 12: if there be among you a prophet of the Lord, I will appear to him in a vision, or I will speak to him in a dream. Thus, then, the author is evident; but the manner is shown in what follows, and make it plain: for the manner of this prophecy is plain and open. Hence, as is said in the prologue, he does not seem to prophesy of things to come, but rather to weave a history of things past. And concerning this three things are set down: the making-plain of the vision, the reason for the making-plain, and the consequent usefulness. The first is shown in what he says, make it plain. Now the sight, or vision, is made plain by him in three ways. First, by the adapting of a likeness; second, by the expressing of the meaning; third, by the elegance of the words. And in these three this prophet excels the other prophets. For he sets forth beautiful and courtly likenesses, which indeed are necessary for us, on account of the connaturality of sense to reason: for it is natural to our reason to receive from sensible things: hence it grasps more keenly those things whose likenesses it sees with sense. Hence Dionysius, in the second epistle to Titus, demonstrates this, namely that sensible figures are necessary in the Scriptures: whoever, when they have heard plain things, compose within themselves a certain figure leading them by the hand to the understanding of theology. And Hosea 12: by the hands of the prophets I have been likened. He excels also in the expression of the meaning, so that he seems to weave not prophecy, but Gospel, as is said in the helmeted prologue. Hence it was said to him, below, 40: lift up your voice, fear not, say to the cities of Judah, etc. He excels also in the elegance of words, as a noble man of urbane eloquence, as is said in the prologue; and Prov. 15: the tongue of the wise adorns knowledge. But the reason for this making-plain is touched on next, when he says, upon tablets. For there are tablets of the law, there are tablets of the stony heart, and there are tablets of the soft and fleshly heart. 2 Cor. 3: our epistle you are (...) written not on tablets of stone, but on fleshly tablets of the heart. The first tablets, (namely) of the law, were written by the finger of God, as is said in Exodus 31. And therefore that Scripture is profound and obscure, and full of many mysteries. Hence it was fitting that a plain prophecy be written over those tablets by the finger of man, for the sake of making it plain — below, 8: take to yourself a great book, and write in it with the stylus of a man. But upon the second tablets, namely the stony hearts, it was fitting to write plainly for the sake of refuting. Matthew 15: well has Isaiah prophesied of you, saying: this people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. But upon the third tablets, namely the fleshly hearts, it was fitting to write plainly for the sake of instructing. 2 Esdras 8: mark it in the book of the law of God, distinctly and openly, for the sake of understanding. And it follows: and they understood when it was read. But the usefulness of the making-plain is shown in what follows, that he may run through it. For to run through is to arrive at the end swiftly by running. Now the end is threefold: namely, the end of the law, the end of the precept, and the end of life. The end of the law is Christ unto justice for everyone that believes, as is said in Romans 10. The end of the precept is charity: 1 Timothy 1. The end of life is death, Matthew 21: he who perseveres unto the end, he shall be saved. He says therefore: that he who reads may run through it; as if he were to say: that he who reads may, without the hindrance of doubt, run through it by believing in Christ, and believing, may love, and in love may persevere. The matter is touched on in what follows: because the vision is yet far off. And the matter of this book is principally the appearing of the Son of God: hence it is read in the Church in the time of Advent. Now the appearing of the Son of God is threefold. The first, by which he appeared in the flesh, made man. Titus 3: the kindness and humanity of God our Savior appeared. The second, by which he appeared through faith, believed by the world. Titus 2: the grace of God our Savior has appeared, instructing us. The third, by which he will appear through sight in glorification. 1 John 3: we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him. And these appearings are the matter of this book. Hence it is said in the prologue, that all his concern is about the coming of Christ, and the calling of the nations. But certainly he who was afterward seen thus, was still, in his own times, far off. Indeed far off, because exalted in the equality of majesty. Job 36: every man beholds afar off. Behold, God is great, surpassing our knowledge. He was also far off, because hidden in the foreordination of the Father. Eph. 3: what is the dispensation of the mystery hidden from ages in God. He was also far off, because deferred in the expectation of the fathers. Hebrews 11: according to faith, all these died, not having received the promises, but beholding them afar off. But certainly now what was far off has been made near, because what was exalted has been made lowest. For the Word was made flesh: John 1. What was hidden has been made public, because the only-begotten, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared it: (ibid.). What was deferred, has now begun to be possessed by the saints in glory. Matthew 25: come, ye blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom prepared for you from the origin of the world. Thus, then, he could say: the vision is yet far off, and will appear at the end. For the first appearing was at the end of the law: because when the fullness of time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, made under the law: Galatians 4. But the second was at the end of idolatry. Below, 19: behold, the Lord will ascend upon a swift cloud, and will enter Egypt, and the idols of Egypt will be moved at his presence. But the third will be at the end of all misery, which God will wipe away from the eyes of the saints, and there will no longer be mourning, nor labor, nor any sorrow, since the former things have passed away: Apocalypse 21. And these are the last things of which it is said, Ecclesiasticus 48, concerning Isaiah: with a great spirit he saw the last things, and comforted them that mourned in Sion, even for ever; and he showed the things to come and the hidden things before they came to pass.”

“To this work, however, Jerome prefixes a prologue, in which he does three things. First he shows the manner of speaking; second, the manner of prophesying, at the place, "then this too must be added"; third, the manner of treating the matter, at the place, "he prophesied, moreover." He shows the manner of speaking, concerning the ornament of the preface, from two things. First from the order of the words; second from the elegance of the words, at the place, "and first concerning Isaiah." Concerning the first he does three things. First he removes the order supposed by certain persons, namely the metrical order; second he demonstrates the order kept by the prophet, at the place, "but that in Demosthenes"; third he shows that he himself has imitated this same manner in his translation, at the place, "we too." "By verses," that is, by brief clauses, "written out," that is, marked off, "bound by meter." Meter, in Greek, is called "measure": hence a thing is said to be described metrically where a fixed measure of feet, syllables, and times is kept; from which law the prophets are exempt. And "to have something of the Psalms," that is, something like them, or of the works of Solomon, as regards the end of the Proverbs, and in the Song of Songs; "in Demosthenes," the Greek, "Tully" the Latin, orators, who wrote in prose by cola and commata. There are three divisions in the Scriptures: comma, colon, and period, on the likeness of the human body, in which there are certain distinctions within the parts of a single member; as there are joints, and distinct members, such as the hands and feet, and again the whole body. To the first distinction corresponds the division that is made by commata, because "comma" is the same as a cutting or division; to the second corresponds that which is made by cola, because "colon" is interpreted as "member"; but to the whole corresponds the period: for "period" is called a going-around, from "peri," which is "around," and "hodos," which is "way." But only the line of a circle is complete, as the Philosopher proves. Now these divisions are taken in the Scriptures in three ways. First, according to Isidore, in verses, a comma is when after two feet there follows one syllable, which is part of another foot, because then one foot is cut short, as in: "gloria, laus, et honor." Cola, however, are when two feet are taken without a following syllable, as "carmina dulcia." But a period is when the whole sentence, delivered metrically, is completed. In the second way, in prose, according to Isidore and Tully, a comma is when incomplete clauses are uttered with pauses, as below, chapter 1: "woe to a sinning nation, a people laden with iniquity, wicked children"; and it is called a sub-distinction. Cola are when complete clauses are uttered with a pause, although the sentence is not yet complete, and it is called a distinction, as that same place: "they have forsaken the Lord, they have blasphemed the Holy One of Israel, they are estranged backward." A period is when a complete sentence consists of several clauses. In a third way, "comma" is taken by Rabanus for a single chapter, upon that verse of Jeremiah 48: "we have heard the pride of Moab"; where he says: "in the comma above he provoked to penance," that is, in the chapter above. But it is taken here in the second way. "A new translation," first published by us from Hebrew into Latin, in a new kind, the manner that exists among the Hebrews being kept, by cola and commata, which was not kept in other translations. "And first concerning Isaiah." Here he shows the manner of speaking as regards the elegance of the words; and concerning this he does three things. First he sets down the manner; second he assigns the reason from the condition of the speaker, at the place, "inasmuch as, being a noble man"; third he concludes an excuse for the defect in his translation arising from such a manner, at the place, "whence it happens," etc. "Eloquent," that is, may he appear learned in eloquence; "noble," in lineage, because he was the maternal grandfather, or kin, of Manasseh king of Judah, as is said in the history. "Whence it happens." Things that are said beautifully in one language do not sound beautiful when translated into another; and therefore, the more he, beyond the other prophets, employed a more beautiful eloquence, the more his translation falls short of his beauty. "The flower," that is, the sweetness and ornament. "Then this too must be added." Here he shows the open and express manner of prophesying: and concerning this he does three things. First he shows the manner of prophesying that has been stated; second, from the manner, he concludes the reason for the defect in the ancient translation of the Seventy, at the place, "whence I conjecture"; third he excludes the contradiction of rivals, at the place, "nor am I ignorant," etc. "Not a prophet," as if obscuring the truth under a riddle, "mysteries," that is, secrets, from "mystim," which is "secret," as the incarnation: below, chapter 10: "a son is given to us"; the passion: below, chapter 53: "he shall be led as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the one shearing him he shall be silent": and many other things. "Clearly," expressly. "You would think," you could think, on account of the expression of the deed as accomplished, not as regards the manner, which can be expressed more of things past than of things future: whence in this the Evangelist surpasses the prophet. "I conjecture," I judge under a certain conjecture; "to the heathen," that is, to the gentiles, from "ethnon," which is "nation." "Pearls." Matthew 7: "one precious pearl having been found." "Hidden," concealed. Hence he does three things. First he states the defect; second, the reason for the defect, at the place, "lest the holy thing"; third he proves it through his own edition, at the place, "which, when this." "Hidden things," that is, the mysteries. "Nor am I ignorant." Here he refutes the false judgment of those who contradict, and concerning this he does three things. First he shows through the cause that their judgment is false; second he convicts them by an example, at the place, "and nonetheless"; third he shows them the correct order, at the place, "let them read." Concerning the first he does three things. First he shows the cause of the false judgment on the part of the intellect, namely ignorance; second, on the part of the affections, namely envy, at the place, "we too"; third he concludes his own constancy amid contradictions, at the place, "knowing therefore how much labor." Psalm 17: "dark water in the clouds of the air." An objection: above he said, "clearly," that is, expressly, that this one speaks the mysteries of Christ. I answer: this is true as regards certain more principal things. "By bites," that is, by detractions. "I put my hand into the flame," that is, I expose myself to danger. And he alludes to a common proverb, which took its origin from this: that Scaevola put into the fire the hand with which he had killed Cillius, believing he was killing Silla, saying: "let the hand perish that wrought this crime." "For zeal," that is, for the exercise of knowledge. "He prophesied." Here he sets down the manner of treating the subject: and concerning this he does three things. First he touches on the order of the treatise, as regards time and matter and manner together; second he touches on the intention, at the place, "since sometimes"; third, from the intention, he concludes with the petition of a prayer, at the place, "which, the more."”

“The vision of Isaiah, son of Amos. This book is divided into two parts: a preface, and the treatise, which begins at the words, Hear, O heavens. The preface is set forth as a kind of title, for the manifestation of the work that follows. Now it is manifested from four things. First, from the genre of the work; second, from the author, at the word, Isaiah; third, from the subject matter, at the words, which he saw; fourth, from the time, at the words, in the days. The genre of the work is shown in that he says, vision; in which it differs from the historical books, because it is prophecy. Hosea 12: I have multiplied visions. And it follows: in the hands of the prophets I have been likened. Here three things must be seen. First, how vision relates to prophecy; second, concerning the modes of prophetic visions; third, concerning the difference of prophetic vision from other visions. Concerning the first, it must be known that prophecy can have a twofold interpretation, according as it can come from phanos, which is appearance, or from for, faris. According to the first derivation, a prophet is called one having an appearance of those things that are far off; and according to this, prophecy differs from vision in mode, because appearance signifies the relation of the visible thing to the one seeing, but vision the contrary. Again, they stand in relation by way of addition: because vision is of whatever things, but prophecy is of those things that are far off. Now certain things are said to be far off from our knowledge in two ways: simply, and in a certain respect. Simply far off are future contingents open to either outcome, of which a determinate knowledge cannot be had either in themselves or in their causes; and prophecy is properly concerned with these. In a certain respect far off are those things whose knowledge escapes the one who knows, such as certain past things and certain present things: and of these there is not prophecy simply, but only with respect to those who do not know them. But according to the second derivation, a prophet is called, as it were, one speaking from afar. And thus prophecy adds, over and above vision, the act of exterior declaration, and vision will be material with respect to prophecy. Concerning the second, it must be known that the modes of prophetic visions are distinguished according to the things in which the foreknowledge of a future contingent is received. Now that is either a species made in the sense, and it is called a bodily vision, because the sense receives species from the bodies present of which they are; or it is a species received in the imagination, and it is called a spiritual vision, because in it is first manifested the act and property of spirituality, which is to know a thing abstracted from matter; or it is a species existing only in the intellect, and it is called an intellectual vision. And it must be known that prophecy is preserved in these three as a potential whole is in its parts, whose nature is that according to its perfect power it is in one, and in the others a certain participation and a certain mode of it; just as it is in the soul, that its whole power is preserved perfectly in the rational soul; and the sensitive soul does not have the perfect power of the soul, and the vegetable soul still less. On account of which Gregory says that plants do not live by a soul, but by greenness. Likewise too, both bodily vision and spiritual or imaginary vision are something of prophecy; but they cannot be called true prophecy, unless intellectual vision is added, in which is the complete nature of prophecy. Daniel 10: for understanding is needed in vision; whence it precedes: and he understood the word, namely Daniel. Vision, however, is said first and properly of bodily vision. And because all our knowledge is from the senses, among which sight is more excellent both in subtlety and in universality, because it shows us more differences of things; therefore the name of vision is transferred to the other interior kinds of knowledge. Concerning the third, it must be known that not every intellectual vision is a prophetic vision: for there is a certain vision for which the natural light of the intellect suffices, such as the contemplation of invisible things through the principles of reason; and in this contemplation the philosophers placed the highest happiness of man. There is again a certain contemplation to which man is sufficiently raised by the light of faith, such as that of the saints who are on the way. There is also a certain contemplation of the blessed in the homeland, to which the intellect is raised by the light of glory, seeing God through His essence, insofar as He is the object of beatitude; and this, fully and perfectly, exists only in the homeland: but sometimes someone is raised to it in rapture, even while existing in this mortal life, as was the case in the rapture of Paul. 2 Corinthians 12: I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago, whether in the body, etc., where the Gloss says that he saw as those do who are of the third hierarchy. But none of these is a prophetic vision, because for it neither the natural light nor the light of faith suffices; but the intellect of the prophet is raised to it by the light of grace freely given, which is the gift of prophecy: yet it does not attain to seeing God as He is the object of beatitude, but as He is the reason of those things which pertain to the disposition of men in the world. Likewise, not every bodily or imaginary vision is called prophetic, but only that which comes about through a species specially ordained to this by divine power, so that it may be a sign of some future thing, whether the one seeing, or another, receives the understanding of it. The author is touched upon in that he says, Isaiah, son of Amos. And although this Amos was a prophet, who is placed in the title of the prophecy according to the rule of the Hebrews, nevertheless he is not the one who is among the number of the twelve prophets; because among the Hebrews each of the two is written with different letters. The subject matter is touched upon in that he says, which he saw over Judah and Jerusalem, because it concerns those things which pertain to Judah and Jerusalem, so that the word super is taken to mean concerning, according to the translation of Symmachus, or to mean against, according to the Septuagint: so that Judah is taken for the land of the two tribes, and Jerusalem for the metropolis of that region. Or Judah for the lot of Judah, and Jerusalem for the lot of Benjamin, because it was within his lot as regards the body of the city, which was on the slope; although as regards the summit of the mountain, on which was the tower of David and the temple, it belonged to the house of God, as can be gathered from Joshua 15. In the days. Here the work is made known from the time; and four kings are set down, in whose time Isaiah put forth this prophecy: whence some divide this book according to the times of the kings under whom he received the revelation. So that in the first part are set down those things which were seen in the time of Uzziah; in the second, those things which were seen in the time of Jotham, namely in chapter 6: in the year in which he died; in the third, those things which were seen in the time of Ahaz, from chapter 7 to the end of 14, where it is said: in the year in which King Ahaz died; and from there to the end, those things which were seen in the time of Hezekiah. But it is asked why he does not make mention of the kings of Israel, just as Hosea in his title makes mention of Jeroboam, son of Joash, since they were contemporaries. To which it must be said that this one prophesied principally against the two tribes; and therefore he has only their kings in the title; but that one against both. Again it is asked why no mention is made of Manasseh, king of Judah, under whom the prophet also lived, since it is established that he did not lose the spirit of prophecy. To which it must be said that all the things which are written in this book, he saw in the times of the prophets. But it was not fitting that a prophecy which is principally one of consolation should end in a threat; or that in the time of an evil king, who provoked the wrath of God, the consolation of God should be preached. Jeremiah 15: I will give them over to fury unto all the kingdoms of the earth.”

“Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth. Here begins the treatise of this book, from which the division will be taken according to what the subject matter requires. Now it has been said that its principal intention concerns the coming of Christ, and the calling of the Gentiles. Now it is clear that all the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth, as is said in Psalm 24. Hence, when Christ was born, it was said by Simeon, Luke 2: behold, this one is set for the fall and the resurrection of many in Israel. And when the Gentiles were entering in, it was said by the Apostle, Romans 11: blindness in part has happened in Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles should come in. This book, therefore, is divided into two parts. In the first is set forth the threat of divine justice unto the destruction of sinners; in the second, the consolation of divine mercy unto the resurrection of the just, chapter 40, there, "be comforted." The first is divided into three. For since he speaks principally concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the first part he threatens the two sinning tribes; in the second, others who persecute them, chapter 7, "and it came to pass." In the third he delivers them from threatening enemies, chapter 32, "behold in justice." The first is divided into two. In the first he reproaches their fault and threatens a correcting punishment; in the second he threatens a punishment condemning the incorrigible, chapter 6: "in the year that king Uzziah died." The first is divided into two. In the first he charges the fault on the side of aversion, in the second on the side of conversion, chapter 2, there, "the word which he saw." The first into two. In the first he charges against them the sin of aversion from the worship of God; in the second, from justice toward one's neighbor, there, "how has she become." The first into three. In the first he rebukes the fault; in the second he threatens punishment for the fault, there, "your land is desolate." In the third he seeks a remedy for the punishment, there, "hear the word of the Lord." The first into three. In the first he seeks a witness for the judgment; in the second he charges the deformity of the sin, there, "I have nourished sons"; in the third he shows the incorrigibility of the sinners, there, "upon what shall I strike you." Now he calls upon the creature as witness in the judgment of sin, which had also been witness in the binding of the precept. Deuteronomy 32: "Hear, O heavens, the things I speak" — for indeed the creature had been witness of the obligation to the precept. Deuteronomy 32. Now it is invoked as arbiter of the transgression. Psalm 49: "he called the heaven from above." But at another time it will be called as an instrument of divine vengeance. Wisdom 16: "the creature, serving its Creator, will grow fierce in torment against the unjust." But it seems unfitting that earth and heaven, which are insensible creatures, should be called upon to hear. But it must be said that, with respect to those who are of a rational nature, the insensible creature is called upon to show forth the divine power. Job 38: "I shut it up within my bounds." And Romans 4: "he calls the things that are not as though they were." And by the evidence of a deed. 2 Kings 12: "I indeed will do this thing in the sight of all Israel, and in the sight of the sun." And Luke 19: "the stones will cry out, if these should be silent, I say to you"; to aggravate malice. Jeremiah 2: "Be astonished, O heavens, at this, and, O gates thereof, be very desolate." To magnify joy. Psalm 95: "Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth exult." To astonish sorrow. Hosea 4: "Because of this the land shall mourn, and everyone who dwells in it shall languish." As if he were to say: your sin is so evident that it would be convicted by irrational things, if it could be so; and likewise concerning the others. Or there is here a metonymy, so that heaven is put for the Angels, and earth for men. "Heavens" — plural for singular. Or because, according to the letter, there are many heavens and one center, which is the earth. "The Lord has spoken." That you may hear him speaking, by whose speaking you were made. Psalm 148: "He spoke, and they were made; he commanded, and they were created." "Hear, O heavens" — as being distant; "give ear, O earth" — as being near. "I have nourished sons." Here he shows the deformity of the sin, and concerning this he does three things. First he shows contempt in the affection; second, ignorance in the intellect, there, "the ox has known"; third, aversion in the effect of the deed, there, "woe to the sinful nation," etc. And this order is kept, so that ignorance is aggravated by contempt, lest ignorance excuse contempt. He aggravates the contempt by the benefit bestowed; hence concerning the first he does two things. First he calls to mind the benefit; second, the vice of ingratitude, there, "but they." Now he sets down a threefold benefit. The first is that of filial adoption, when he says, "sons." Exodus 4: "Israel is my firstborn son." The second, that of careful upbringing, there, "I have nourished." Wisdom 16: "You nourished your people with the food of Angels." The third, that of singular exaltation, there, "and I have exalted." Wisdom 11: "showing, by the thirst which then was, how you exalted your own, and slew their adversaries." The first as regards the assumption and exaltation of the fathers; the second, in the deliverance of the sons; the third, in the subjugation of the enemies. "They have despised me." (Here he sets down the vice of ingratitude.) Jeremiah 3: "As if a woman should despise her lover, so has the house of Israel despised me." Now he aggravates the ignorance by the example of brute beasts; hence concerning this he does two things. First he brings in the knowledge of brute beasts; second, the ignorance of sinners, there, "but Israel" — "the ox has known" — by a certain custom of benefit. "But Israel." He charges against them a twofold ignorance: namely, of the one commanding, when he says, "has not known me," against what he had said, "his possessor"; and against the meaning of the name; "Israel" is interpreted "seeing God." John 16: "they have not known the Father, nor me." Ignorance of the law: "has not understood," against what he had said, "the manger," and what he had said, "people," who is subject to the precepts of the lawgiver. Hosea 8: "I will write for them my manifold laws, which have been reckoned as though foreign." Now he aggravates the effect of the deed by confirmed practice; hence first he shows the confirmation; second, their aversion, "they have forsaken." He shows the confirmation, first, through the custom of sin, which induces a habit; hence he says, "sinful nation." For thus a sinner is by habit as a singer is by art, or by office; below, chapter 48: "I have called you a transgressor from the womb." Second, through the readiness of sin, which is, as it were, a certain heaviness in the one sinning; (hence he says: "a people laden with iniquity"). Gregory: "a sin which is not washed away by penance soon, by its own weight, drags one to another." Psalm 13: "their feet are swift to shed blood." Third, from the succession of sin: because, imitating the sins of their fathers, they have them as if by propagation; hence he says, "wicked seed," that is, of the most wicked, according to another translation. Psalm 105: "we have sinned with our fathers, we have acted unjustly, we have done iniquity." Fourth, as to the magnitude of the sins, when he says, "wicked children." Ezekiel 22: "slanderous men have been in you, to shed blood, (...) they have wrought wickedness in the midst of you." Below, chapter 57: "are you not wicked children, a lying seed?" "Upon which — adding." Here he shows the incorrigibility of the sin, removing a threefold mode of correction. First, that which is through the divine scourge, saying, "upon which," that is, to what end, "adding," namely, that from where correction comes, from there you add sins? Jeremiah 2: "in vain have I struck your children: they have not received discipline." Second, that which is through the counsel or help of a neighbor, when he says, "every head is languid": because no one is fit to come to another's aid, on account of his own weakness. And this he shows as regards the person of the king or the prince, saying: "every head is languid." 1 Kings 15: "Did you not, when you were little in your own eyes, become head over the tribes of Israel?" As regards the person of the priest, "every heart is mourning": for the heart is the first to receive life from the soul and to transmit it into the body, being as it were a medium between soul and body; so the priest is a medium between God and the people. Exodus 4: "you shall be to him in those things that pertain to God." As regards the person of a private man, when he says: "from the sole of the foot"; below, chapter 56: "all have turned aside, each to his own way." And it must be noted that the unfitness of the king is shown in languor, because he could have come to aid by punishing, through power. Ecclesiasticus 7: "seek not to become a judge, unless you are able by strength to break through iniquity." That of the priest is shown in mourning, through which he becomes unfit for the sacrifices, by which he used to expiate sins. Leviticus 10: "how could I eat it, or please the Lord in the ceremonies, with a mournful mind?" Psalm 99: "enter into his sight with exultation." But the private man could correct by example; and therefore he is shown to be unfit through sin, which is designated in the privation of health: Psalm 13: "all have turned aside, together they have become unprofitable"; namely, for correcting. Third, there, "wound and bruise," he removes the mode that is through human effort, as when someone is disposed toward grace, which blots out sins, through good works. Hence he says: "wound" — evident guilt, and "bruise" — hidden envy, and "swelling sore" — inflating pride — "is not bound up" by the restraining bond of the law. Jeremiah 2: "of old you have broken my yoke, you have burst my bonds, you have said, I will not serve" — as to the first: "nor cured with medicine" — charity healing — as to the second: Proverbs 10: "charity covers all sins": "nor fomented with oil" — humility soothing — (as to the third), Judith 9: "the prayer of the humble and meek has always pleased you." Ecclesiasticus 3: "the greater you are, the more humble yourself in all things." Proverbs 15: "a mild answer breaks wrath." Judges 9: "can I forsake my fatness, which both gods and men make use of?" "Your land." Here he threatens punishment; and first he sets down the judgment of the one punishing; second, whatever comfort of consolation there is, there, "unless the Lord." He sets down a threefold punishment. First, as to the destruction of possessions; hence he says, "your land is desolate," as to the open fields, which will be as uncultivated as a desert. Below, chapter 7: "for briers and thorns shall be in all the land." "Your cities are burned," as to the towns. Amos 2: "I will send a fire into Judah, and it shall devour the houses of Jerusalem." Jeremiah 4: "I looked, and behold Carmel a wilderness, and all its cities were destroyed at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the wrath of his fury." The second punishment is as to the destruction of the produce of the land; hence he says: "they devour the region," as to the fruits. Deuteronomy 28: "let it devour the fruit of your cattle, and the fruits of your land, until you perish." "It shall be desolate," as to the destruction of trees and vineyards. Jeremiah 4: "woe to us, for we are laid waste." Third, as to the captivity of men; hence he says: "the daughter of Zion shall be left" — that is, Jerusalem, or the temple, whence was the guard of the whole province — "as a lonely one," and "as a shelter in a vineyard," after the vintage. Below, chapter 5: "for the vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel, and the man of Judah his delightful plant." "As a hut in a field of cucumbers," after the last fruits have been gathered, by which he signifies the fathers. Hosea 9: "as the first fruits of the fig tree, in its top, I saw their fathers." "As a city that is laid waste," because it was the metropolis. Ezekiel 33: "the city is laid waste, said he who had come from Jerusalem." Jeremiah 6: "this is the city of visitation: all calumny is in the midst of her." "Unless the Lord of hosts." Here is set down the consolation from the promise of a seed to be delivered. Now the Lord left them the seed of the flesh gathered together. Below, chapter 43: "from the east I will bring your seed, and from the west I will gather you." The seed of blessing promised. Galatians 3: "to Abraham were the promises made, and to his seed." The seed of preaching spread abroad. Below, chapter 27: "he who shall go forth with impetus from Jacob, and Israel shall flourish and bud: and they shall fill the face of the world with seed." The new seed of the saints. Below, chapter 66: "as the new heavens and the new earth, which I make to stand before me, so shall your seed stand, and your name, says the Lord." "I have nourished sons," etc. Here three things are noted: the benefit of nourishment, the privilege of exaltation, the contempt of ingratitude. Now he nourished them in the time of the law, when the heir was still a little child, Galatians 4, first refreshing them with promises in the fathers. Galatians 3: "to Abraham were the promises made." Second, governing by judgments in the lawgivers, Psalm 147: "he has not done in like manner to every nation, and his judgments he has not made manifest to them." Third, defending by aids in the judges and kings, Judith 5: "their God defends them, and we shall be a reproach to all the earth." Fourth, he instructed by admonitions in the prophets, Malachi 2: "and the Lord has been witness between you and the wife of your youth." Fifth, he corrected by scourges through enemies, 2 Maccabees 6: "for indeed not to allow sinners to act according to their own mind for a long time, but to apply vengeance at once, is a mark of great kindness." But he exalted them in the time of grace, first, as to the assumption of flesh. Hebrews 2: "nowhere does he take hold of the Angels; but he takes hold of the seed of Abraham." Second, by personal preaching, Matthew 10: "I was not sent but to the sheep that are lost of the house of Israel." Third, by his own manner of life, John 10: "many good works have I done among you: for which work," etc.; fourth, by the working of miracles, John 5, and Luke 7: "because a great prophet has risen up among us, and because God has visited his people." Fifth, by the preaching of the disciples, Psalm 44: "instead of your fathers, sons are born to you: you shall make them princes over all the earth." But, on the contrary, they revile the lineage of Christ, Luke 4: "is not this the son of Joseph?" They condemn his teaching, Matthew 26 and Luke 23: "from Galilee even to this place, we have found this man perverting our nation." They blaspheme his life, Matthew 9: "why does your master eat with publicans and sinners?" They pervert his miracles, Matthew 12: "he casts out devils by the prince of devils." They kill his disciples, Matthew 10: "behold, I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves."”

“Hear the word of the Lord. Here the remedy against the punishment is set forth; and first he calls them to hear; second he removes the useless remedy, at the words, What are they to me? Third the wholesome counsel is applied, at the words, Wash yourselves, be clean. Now he calls to hearing, first the greater ones, saying: Hear the word of the Lord, you princes; second the lesser ones, at the words, people of Gomorrah, Matth. 10: amen I say to you, et cetera. But why does he invite the greater ones to hear, the lesser ones to perceive? Because the things that are heard by the greater ones, the lesser ones easily perceive. Again, since he leaves them a seed, why does he compare them to those? And it must be said that, as regards the incorrigible, he compares them for two reasons. On account of the likeness of sin: below, 2: and they have clung to foreign children; and on account of publication: below, 3: they have proclaimed their sin as Sodom, and have not hidden it. And although there were five, he compares them chiefly to these, because they are the chief among the others. And for this reason too he compares the princes to Sodom, because that city was the metropolis, as is clear from Genes. 14. Now it belongs to princes to hear the word from the Lord and to impose the law on the people; and therefore he invites them to the hearing of the word, and the people to the perceiving of the law. What are they to me? Here he shows the uselessness of the remedy that they were applying: and first as regards the offerings of sacrifices; second as regards the celebrations of feasts, at the words, The new moon and the sabbath; third as regards prayers to God, at the words, and when you stretch out your hands. Concerning the first he does two things. First he reproves the offering of animate things; second of inanimate things, at the words, incense is an abomination. Now in the sacrifices of animals there was something that went wholly to the worship of God; as the holocaust, as it were wholly burnt, from olon, which is whole, and cauma, which is burning. Lev. 1; the fat, which was wholly burned, Levitic. 3, and the blood, which was wholly poured out, Levitic. 17, but there were certain things that went partly to the worship of God, partly to the use of the minister: as the victim for sin; except when it was for the sin of the priest or of the multitude, Levitic. 4. But there were certain things of which something went to the worship of God, and something to the use of the minister, and something went to the offerer himself, as in the peace-offerings, which were offered for thanksgiving, or for well-being, Levitic. 4. And according to these three it is divided into three parts. First he reproves the sacrifices divided into three, namely the peace-offerings. And first he sets down the reproof, saying, What are they to me, that is, to what end do you offer to me the multitude of your victims, as though not mine? And they are called victims, either because the bound animal was led to the priest, or because it was offered for a victory had or to be had. Then he sets down the reason for the reproof, saying, I am full: either on account of distaste, because they are not good: Genes. 4: but unto Cain and his gifts he had not respect: or on account of dominion: Psalm. 49: mine are all the beasts of the forests, the cattle on the mountains and the oxen. Second, he reproves those things that were offered wholly to God. And first he sets down the reproof of those three; and he sets down only three animals, because from these were made only the sacrifices that were from the herds: certain sacrifices were also made from birds, turtledoves and young pigeons: but this was on account of the deficiency of poverty, as is clear in Levitic. 1 and 4 and in several other places. And again their use was not universal in all cases, because a peace-offering was not offered from these. Then he sets down the reason for the reproof, at the words, when you come, as if to say: you offend me more by walking in my courts and polluting them, than a holocaust can please: hence I do not accept this communion. Psalm. 39: holocaust and offering for sin thou didst not require. Jerem. 7: I spoke not to your fathers, and I commanded them not, in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning the word of holocausts and victims; but this I commanded them, to hear my voice; and I will be to you a God, and you shall be to me a people. Third he reproves those things that were owed to God and to the priest, saying: offer no more. Jerem. 11: shall the holy flesh take away from thee thy evils, in which thou hast boasted? And Mich. 6: what worthy thing shall I offer to the Lord? (...). Shall I offer him holocausts and calves of a year old? Can he be appeased with thousands of rams, or with thousands of fat he-goats? Incense. Here he reproves the offerings of inanimate things, for all of which he sets down incense, because this was more worthy among the others, as the incense-compound, concerning which Exod. 30, and more common, as regards frankincense, which was placed and added to any such offering, and was wholly burnt to God. Below, 66: he who remembers frankincense, as one who blesses an idol. But an objection is raised concerning this from what the Gloss says, that God never loved their sacrifices, though he commanded them to be made. Genes. 8: and the Lord smelled the odor of sweetness; and he said to him: I will no more curse the earth for man's sake. And it must be said: that in any sacrifice there is something to be considered on the part of the offerer, and something on the part of the thing offered. On the part of the thing offered, our sacrifices please God of themselves, but not the sacrifices of the ancients; and this is because that is called pleasing or loved of itself which has in itself that by which it is loved, as the honorable good; but what is loved only through the relation of that thing to another is not called loved of itself, just as being cut or being burned is said to be loved, according as it is referred to the end of health. But our sacrifices contain in themselves the grace of sanctification, according to which they are acceptable to God; but those sacraments or sacrifices of the ancients were only signs of these; and therefore they were not loved of themselves. But on the part of the offerer, both ours and theirs can be acceptable on account of the devotion of the offerer. A fourfold time, therefore, can be distinguished. The first, before the written law and idolatry; and then the ancient sacrifices made by the holy fathers were pleasing both on account of the devotion of the offerer and on account of the signification of the thing offered. The second time is under the written law; and then, idolatry having intervened, something was added on account of which they simply displeased, because it was not fitting that God should be pleased by the same thing by which the Devil was worshipped: and on the other hand one utility was added on the part of the offerer, that it might be a remedy against idolatry for a people prone to this. Hence also nothing was commanded concerning sacrifices before the fashioning of the idol. And thus the authority of Jeremiah adduced is to be understood. The third time was under the prophets, in which, on account of the sins of the people, they no longer pleased on the part of the offerer, but only insofar as they were a sign. Hence according to this they did not appease God, but rather offended. The fourth time is under grace, when now their use has been wholly abolished, because, the truth having come, the figure ceased.”

“The new moon and the sabbath. Here he removes the celebrations of solemnities. And first, as to the future, he sets down the intent of the prohibition, saying, The new moon. Psalm 80: Blow the trumpet in the new moon, as a sign of your solemn day. The sabbath. Exodus 20: other festivities. Leviticus 23: these are the feasts of the Lord, which you shall call most solemn and most holy. Your assemblies are wicked. Below, 58: behold, in the day of your fast your own will is found, and you exact all your debtors. Second, at your Kalends, as to the present he sets down hatred, saying: Kalends, which above is the new moon. Whence in another Psalter: Sound the trumpet at the beginning of the month. Lamentations 2: the Lord hath delivered over to oblivion in Sion the festival and the sabbath, and to reproach and to the indignation of his fury the king and the priest. Third, as to the past, he sets down weariness, saying: they are become troublesome to me: and he sets down two things: the heaviness of the burden: they are become troublesome, Psalm 37: as a heavy burden they are become heavy upon me: second, the labor of the one who bears it: I have labored in enduring. Isaiah 43: thou hast made me to labor in thy iniquities. And he speaks of God after the manner of men: because it is said to be burdensome for a man to labor at what does not please him. And when you shall stretch forth. He reproves their prayers: and first he sets down the reproof; second the reason for the reproof, at, for your hands. Concerning the first he does two things. First he reproves as to the sign of devotion, at, and when you shall stretch forth. Lamentations 3: let us lift up our hearts with our hands to heaven, to God. And below, 65: all the day I have spread forth my hands to an unbelieving people, who walk in a way that is not good. Second, the prolixity of prayer (at: and when you shall multiply), Proverbs 28: he who turns away his ear that he may not hear the law, his prayer shall be execrable. For your hands are full of blood, which you have shed. Psalm 13: their feet are swift to shed blood. Proverbs 1: keep back thy foot from their paths: for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood. Wash yourselves. Here he sets down wholesome counsel; and concerning this he does three things. First he sets down the efficacious remedy; second the effect of the remedy, at, come; third the punishment against contempt, at, but if you will not. The remedy consists in two things: in the flight from evil and the following of good, at, learn. Evil is put to flight in two ways. By the purging of the past; and as to this he says, wash yourselves, Jeremiah 4: wash thy heart from malice, Jerusalem, that thou mayest be saved: how long shall hurtful thoughts abide in thee? Second, by caution as to the future: and this comes about in three ways. That he not think evil in his heart: be clean. Proverbs 22: he who loves cleanness of heart, for the grace of his lips shall have the king for his friend. That he not fulfill in deed what he has thought: Micah 2: woe to them that devise that which is unprofitable, and work evil in their beds: in the morning light they do it. Take away the evil, namely, the deed. That he not complete what he has begun: cease to act perversely. Jeremiah 2: keep back thy foot from being bare, and thy throat from thirst. A swift runner explaining his ways, in the same, 2. Learn to do well. Here he sets down the remedy as to the following of good: and first that they may learn it; second that they may fulfill it in deed, at, relieve the oppressed. For one works good in ordering himself; and as to this he says, learn to do well. Jeremiah 6: be instructed, Jerusalem, lest perhaps my soul depart from thee, lest perhaps I make thee a desert land, and uninhabitable. In relation to one's neighbor; and this is what he says, seek judgment. Job 29: the cause which I knew not, I searched out most diligently. Jeremiah 6: stand upon the ways, and see, and ask concerning the ancient paths. Relieve the oppressed. Here he sets down the fulfilling of the work in relieving the wretched. Now what makes one wretched is either violence: and as to this he says, relieve the oppressed: Proverbs 24: deliver them that are led to death, and cease not to free them that are drawn to destruction: or the ignorance of youth: judge for the fatherless: Ecclesiasticus 4: be to the fatherless as a father in judging: or the weakness of sex: defend the widow. Job 29: the ear that heard blessed me, and the eye that saw gave witness to me. And come. Here he promises the effect: and concerning this three things are set down. First, the obligation of the one who promises, when he says, come; as if he were to say: if you do what I say, and what I promise does not follow, I bind myself to this, that you may accuse me. This Job lamented, 9: there is none that can reprove both, and lay his hand between the two. Second, the cessation of evils: if your sins be. And he promises specifically the cleansing from sins: because when the cause ceases, the effect ceases; he touches on two kinds of sin. That which is from burning love, which is noted in the scarlet on account of its intense redness, against which he sets the whiteness of cold snow. Job 9: if I shall be washed as it were with snow waters, and my hands shall shine ever so clean, et cetera. And that which is sin from deadening fear, which is noted in the crimson, whose color approaches whiteness: against which he sets wool: Ezekiel 27: in the multitude of divers riches, in wools of the best color; Matthew 28: his countenance, etc.; Daniel 7: his garment white as snow, and his hair like white wool. Third, the restitution of good things is set down: if you be willing, and will hearken, the good things of the land. Psalm 26: I believe to see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living. You shall eat. Below, 65: behold my servants shall eat, and you shall be hungry. But if you will not. He sets down the punishment against contempt. And first he sets down the contempt, saying: but if you will not, Zechariah 8: I thought to afflict you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath. Second, he threatens the sword of vengeance; the sword shall devour you. Ezekiel 5: I will draw the sword after them, and I will accomplish my fury, and I will cause my indignation to rest upon them. Third, he shows the judgment to be unchangeable: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken. Numbers 23: God is not as a man, that he should lie, nor as the son of man, that he should be changed.”

“How is she become a harlot. Here he shows their sin according to the turning away from justice toward one's neighbor: and concerning this he does three things. First he describes the fault; second he threatens the punishment, at the place, Therefore thus saith the Lord; third, the sequel of the punishment, at the place, And I will restore. Concerning the first, first he reproves the sin of the people; second, the sin of the priest, at thy silver; third, the sin of the prince, at thy princes. In the people he reproves two things, aggravating by comparison to their former state: namely, venality by comparison to their former fidelity: whence, how is she become a harlot? Jer. 2: under every leafy tree and upon every high hill thou didst lie down, a harlot: and cruelty by comparison to justice and judgment, which is the execution of justice. Ps. 93: until justice be turned into judgment. Whence he says: but now murderers. Hosea 4: cursing and lying and killing and theft and adultery have overflowed, and blood hath touched blood. The sin of the priest he reproves in two things. In the corruption of the truth of doctrine: whence he says: thy silver is turned into dross. Ps. 11: the words of the Lord are pure words, silver tried by the fire, proved from the earth, refined seven times. Jer. 5: the prophets have prophesied a lie. Second, in the remission of the severity of discipline, which is signified in the wine: for this is the wine which the Samaritan poured in: Luke 10. Whence he says: thy wine. Ezech. 13: woe to them that sew. Thy princes. Here he reproves the sin of the princes: and first he shows them unfaithful in the execution of their office, in that they carry it out for their own advantage and not that of the people. Amos 6: anointed with the best ointment, drinking wine in bowls. Ezech. 34: woe to the shepherds of Israel, that feed themselves. Should not the flocks be fed by the shepherds? And for this he says, faithless. Second he shows them transgressors in the harboring of evildoers: companions of thieves, by defending them and affording them patronage: Hosea 6: as the throats of robber men, the princes of the priests. Prov. 1: son, walk not with them. Third he shows them corrupted in the receiving of gifts. Below, 5: Woe to you that justify the wicked for gifts, and take away the justice of the just from him. Whence he says: they love gifts — received ones; they follow after — things promised or hoped for. Fourth, he shows them unjust in the repulsion of the poor, saying they judge not for the fatherless. Jer. 5: they have not judged the cause of the widow, they have not directed the cause of the fatherless. Therefore thus saith the Lord. Here he threatens the punishment: and first, of the prelates; second, of the subjects, at and I will turn. Concerning the first he sets down three things. First, the power of the one punishing, in authority, saying, the Lord. Malachi 1: if I be the Lord, where is my fear? saith the Lord. In the multitude of ministers: of hosts. Job 25: is there any numbering of his soldiers? In strength, mighty. Job 9: he is wise in heart and mighty in strength: who hath resisted him, and hath had peace? Second he sets down the will of the one punishing. Ah, namely to them, I will comfort myself, since their punishment will be a consolation. Below, 63: the day of vengeance is in my heart, the year of my recompense is come. Third he sets down the cruelty of the punishment: at and I will take vengeance on my enemies: as if to say: I will punish you as enemies. Deut. 32: I will render vengeance to my enemies, and repay them that hate me. And I will turn. Here he threatens the punishment of the subjects. And first is set down the preparation of the one punishing, at and I will turn my hand upon thee to punish thee, which, in sparing, I had held as it were folded up. Job 19: the hand of the Lord hath touched me. Second, the completion of the punishment: I will melt away, by the fire of tribulation, to the pure, until whatever is to be purged is purged. Matt. 5: thou shalt not go out from thence till thou repay the last farthing. Third, the multitude of punishments: I will take away all thy tin: because for every sin, below, 40: she hath received of the hand of the Lord double for all her sins. And I will restore. Here he sets down the sequel of the punishment: and first, as regards those corrected, renewal; second, as regards the obstinate, consumption, at and he shall crush. For by the same fire (as Augustine says) gold is proved, and straw smokes. Concerning the first he does three things. First he promises renewal as regards the amendment of the prelates; second, as regards the restoration of good name, at after this thou shalt be called; third, as regards the observance of justice, at Zion in judgment. He says therefore: I will restore the judges, as regards the secular princes, whose office it is to judge the people, and thy counsellors, that is, the priests, whose office it is to minister the counsels of God to the peoples: Malachi 2: the lips of the priests keep knowledge, and they seek the law at his mouth: because he is the angel of the Lord of hosts: as they were before, as Moses and Joshua, who pleased God. Jer. 3: I will give you pastors according to my own heart, and they shall feed you with knowledge and doctrine. And thou shalt be called, that is, thou shalt recover thy fame, so that thou art called such as thou wast before, the city of the just, that is, in which justice is kept. Below, 62: thou shalt no more be called Forsaken, neither shalt thou any more be called Desolate; but thou shalt be called My will is in her. Zion in judgment, through the execution of justice, shall be redeemed, from those who wrong her; and they shall bring her back in justice; for judgment is to bring back to equality, in which justice consists. Ps. 71: to judge thy people with justice, and thy poor with judgment. Jer. 23: a king shall reign (...) and shall do justice and judgment in the land. And he shall crush. Here is set down the destruction of the obstinate; and concerning this he does three things. First he foretells the destruction; second, the manner of the destruction, at they shall be confounded; third, he takes away the hope of escape, at and thy strength shall be. And since the punishment is ordered against the fault, therefore concerning the first he touches on the fault in two ways. On the part of turning, as regards the crime of idolatry: whence he says, the wicked; and as regards the sin of pleasure and luxury: whence he says, sinners: because men are most prone to such things; against which he ordains the punishment of crushing, wherein a punishment is marked out to match the wrong inflicted. Jer. 17: crush them with a double destruction; as it were for a double sin. Second, on the part of turning away, because they have forsaken the Lord; against which he ordains the punishment of consumption, saying, they shall be consumed; in which he designates the punishment of desertion: for what is consumed goes into nothing, and all things would fall into nothing, unless the hand of the Lord held them together; as Gregory says. Jer. 17: O Lord, all that forsake thee shall be confounded: they that depart from thee shall be written in the earth: because they have forsaken the vein of living waters, the Lord. They shall be confounded. Here he sets down the manner of the destruction: and first, as regards the confusion of sin; second, as regards the taking away of good, at when you shall be. Concerning the first, against idolatry he ordains confusion, saying: they shall be confounded for the idols, that is, on account of the idols. Ps. 96: let them all be confounded that adore graven things: against pleasure, shame, when he says: you shall be ashamed of the gardens, that is, of the pleasurable places, which you had chosen, of your luxury. Rom. 6: what fruit had you in those things, of which you are now ashamed? For confusion regards more the evil; but shame regards the fault. For carnal sins (as Gregory says) are of lesser fault and greater infamy. And the reason is, that they are according to the baser powers, and most material ones: and yet they are innate and connatural and subject to passion. When you shall be. Here is set down the taking away of good: and first, of that which pertains to protection and adornment, which is signified in the taking away of leaves; second, of that which pertains to fruit, at as a garden without water, barren. And in contrast it is said of the just man, Ps. 1: he shall be as a tree which is planted near the running waters. And it shall be. Here he takes away from them the hope of escape: and he sets down three things. First he takes away from them the support of their own strength: whence he says: thy strength shall be as the ash of tow, which is quickly consumed. Ecclus. 21: the congregation of sinners is like tow heaped together. Second, the help of idols, saying: your work, namely of idols, which your hands have wrought, as a spark, which is of no consequence. Deut. 32: where are their gods, in whom they trusted? And yet it is burnt up: whence follows, and it shall be kindled. Below, 50: walk in the light of your fire. Third, the help of men: and there shall be none to quench it. Ezech. 20: the flame of the kindling shall not be quenched, and every face shall be burnt in it, from the south even to the north; and all flesh shall see.”

“The word which. Here he begins to reprove their guilt on the part of their conversion; and it is divided into three parts. In the first he reproves them for the guilt they were committing in the worship of idols; in the second, for that which they were committing in the oppression of men: chapter 3, "for behold"; in the third, for the guilt they were committing in the abuse of things: chapter 5, "I will sing to my beloved." The first is divided into two: into the title and the tract. The second is at "and it shall come to pass." And he here places the word at the beginning of the chapter, because the prophecy is especially about the incarnate Word. Amos 3: the Lord will not do a word, unless he shall have revealed his secret to his servants the prophets. And it shall come to pass. Here he carries out his intention. And it is divided into three parts. In the first he promises the remedy of salvation, lest by the weight of the guilt that follows he should lead them into despair; in the second he shows the guilt's culpability, at "thou hast cast off"; in the third he threatens the scourge of punishment, at "therefore forgive not." Concerning the first, three things are set down: first, the preparation of salvation; second, the conversion of the Gentiles, at "and they shall flow"; third, the calling of the Jews at the end, at "house of Jacob." Concerning the first, three things are set down. First, the time of salvation: whence he says, "And it shall come to pass." And he joins it to the preceding prophecy, or to that which he heard from the Lord, as Gregory says on the beginning of Ezekiel. "In the last days"; that is, in the time of grace, which is called the last, because no other observance of religion shall succeed it. Matthew, the last chapter: "behold I am with you even to the consummation of the world." Genesis 49: "gather yourselves together, sons of Israel, that I may announce to you the things that shall come to you in the last days." But it seems that this salvation, which is through the incarnation of the Son of God, ought to have been prepared from the beginning of the human race: because the sooner a disease is met with medicine, the more easily it is cured. To this it must be said that medicine ought to be offered according to the condition of the disease. And because the sin of man was through pride, by which he despised the precepts of God, it was fitting that, in order to receive the medicine of salvation, he should be prepared through humility, so that he might recognize the weakness of his own powers: because neither in the natural law nor in the written law, even when helped, could he provide for himself; and thus he would seek the medicine the more humbly and ardently, the less he found help for himself within himself. Second, the power of the one saving, when it is said, "the mountain of the house of the Lord," on which the house of the Lord is founded. Ezekiel 40: "he set me down upon a high mountain." Third, the degree of the one saving: "on the top of the mountains," that is, of the greater, "and it shall be raised above the hills," that is, the lesser princes. Below, chapter 52: "behold my servant shall understand, he shall be exalted and lifted up, and shall be exceedingly high." And they shall flow unto it. Here the conversion of the Gentiles is set down; and concerning this he sets down three things. First, the conversion itself; second, he declares the order of the conversion, at "and the peoples shall go"; third, he promises peace to those converted, at "and he shall judge the nations." He says, therefore, as to the first: "and they shall flow," in which multitude and haste are noted, "all nations," that is, some out of all the nations. Jeremiah 31: "I will bring them through the torrent of waters, in a straight way, and they shall not stumble in it." The order of the conversion was that through the calling of those who were of the Jews, the Gentiles were converted. And therefore he sets down three things concerning the second: first, those calling; second, the calling itself, at "come"; third, the reason of the order, at "for out of Sion." He says, therefore: "peoples," that is, those who were of the Jews, "many," not all — in which is noted the fewness of the Jews converted with respect to the multitude of the Gentiles — "shall go," believing with the steps of faith, "and shall say." 2 Corinthians 4: "we also believe, for which cause we also speak." Come. Here the calling is set down. Now they call unto three things: to the eminence of faith — whence he says, "come," by consent, "let us go up" by faith "to the mountain of the Lord," that is, to Christ, "and to the house of the God of Jacob," that is, to the Church. Jeremiah 31: "arise, and let us go up to Sion, to the Lord our God: for thus says the Lord: rejoice with gladness, Jacob." Hebrews 12: "the ascent to mount Sion," etc. Second, to doctrine, when he says: "he will teach us his ways," that is, the precepts by which one goes to him. Canticles 8: "there thou shalt teach me, and I will give thee a cup of spiced wine, and new wine of my pomegranates." Third, to obedience: "and we will walk," after him, "in his paths" of counsels. Jeremiah 6: "ask for the old paths, which is the good way, and walk in it." For out of Sion. Here he sets down the reason of the order, saying: "for out of Sion," not out of mount Sinai, "shall the law go forth," understood spiritually, "and the word of the Lord," that is, the Gospel, "out of Jerusalem," on account of the contemplation of peace: for salvation is of the Jews. John 4. And below, chapter 27: "they who go forth with vigor from Jacob shall flourish, and Israel shall bud."”

“And he shall judge. Here he promises peace to those converted; and concerning this he does three things. First he sets down the effective cause of peace; second, the sign of peace: and they shall beat their swords; third, the fruit of peace: nation shall not lift up. The effective cause of peace is the judgment of the king; and therefore he first says: he shall judge the nations, giving them laws, and shall rebuke the peoples, correcting sins. Below, 11: he shall judge the poor in justice, and shall rebuke in equity for the meek of the earth. The sign of peace is that instruments of war are turned into the cultivation of the field: hence he says: and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares. Psalm 45: he shall break the bow, and shatter the weapons. The fruit of peace is in the removal of enemies: hence he says: nation shall not lift up sword against nation. Below, 26: the old error has departed, you will keep peace, peace, because we have hoped in you. But against this, because afterward there were many wars. The Gloss answers, that they were not so great as before. Hence in the time of Antichrist, although there is to be the greatest persecution of the saints, yet they will have great peace among themselves, as was the case in the time of Diocletian. Or it should better be said that it refers to the peace made through Christ, which will be completed in the future. House of Jacob. Here is set down the calling of the Jews made after the conversion of the Gentiles: either from the person of the prophet, or from the person of the Gentiles, so that those who were at the head may be at the tail. Romans 11: blindness in part has happened until the fullness of the Gentiles should come in, and thus all Israel would be saved. Let us walk — together and in harmony, that there may be one fold. John 10: and there shall be one fold and one shepherd. In the light. John 12: walk while you have the light. For you have cast off. Here he shows their guilt: first in general; second in particular, at the place, and they have had soothsayers. Concerning the first he does two things. First he shows their distancing from God, when he says, for you have cast off: and as the Gloss continues: they are rightly to be called, because you have cast off. Jeremiah 22: why are he and his seed cast out, and cast forth into a land which they have not known. Second he gives the reason for the distancing, namely because they are filled with iniquity, as of old, in Egypt. Jeremiah 23: the land is filled with adulteries; for there is no cause of distancing from God except sin. Hence below, 59: your sins have divided between you and God. And soothsayers. Here he sets down their fault in particular; and especially concerning idolatry, which he charges against them in three ways. First as to their pagan manner of life; second as to the occasion of idolatry, at the place, the land is filled; third as to the observance of the cult, at the place, and the land is filled. He reproves their pagan manner of life in two respects. First as to the diviners and soothsayers whom they had: hence he says: soothsayers — that is, those who foretell future things from the voice and chattering of birds — they have had, like the Philistines, among whom this superstition especially flourished, against what is commanded in Deuteronomy 18: take care lest you wish to imitate the abominations of those nations. And immediately below: let there not be found among you one who consults soothsayers, and observes dreams and auguries. But it seems that augury is not a sin. For birds have a better estimative sense than fish, which are more watery; but sailors, from the movement of certain fish, take conjectures about a coming storm: therefore also through birds something can be foretold about future things. And it must be said that God has provided for each thing those means by which it can be preserved in being, according to the capacity of its nature: and therefore to man he gave reason, by which, through deliberation, he can discover for himself remedies against harmful things. And because in brute animals reason is lacking, he ordained that what is lacking from reason, nature should supply; and therefore to such creatures are given, naturally, weapons and coverings, which man acquires for himself through art. Likewise also there was created in them a certain natural power of estimation, impelling them to perform the works of their species. Hence they are acted upon rather than act, as the Damascene says. And since the lower nature is regulated by the higher nature and is moved by it, there remain in them impressions of the higher motions, stirring up a motion of this kind by which they are moved to provide for themselves in what is necessary. And in such matters, to take a conjecture from birds, or the movements of birds, or of other animals, is not a sin; but only concerning those things which have their cause from free will, which does not operate by the necessity of the stars. Second, as to unnatural passions, to which they were subject: hence he says: to strange children — that is, foreigners, or those alien from God — they clung, through shameful abuse. Romans 1: males working shameful acts with males. 2 Maccabees 4 speaks of this vice: for this was, moreover, a certain increase and advance of pagan and foreign manner of life, on account of the wicked and unpriestly Jason's nefarious and unheard-of crime. The land is filled. Here he sets down the occasion of idolatry, which is avarice or likeness. Ephesians 5: or avarice (...) which is the service of idols. First, therefore, he shows their avarice as to the multiplication of things pertaining to the necessity of sustenance, when he says, the land is filled: in which the abundance of things is noted; and there is no end: in which is noted the insatiability of the avaricious man, who will not be filled with money. Ecclesiasticus 5: the avaricious man will not be filled with money; and he who loves riches will receive no fruit from them. And Hosea 2: I gave them grain, wine and oil and silver, and I multiplied them, and gold; which they made into Baals. Second, as to things which pertain to the use of the one who carries, when he says, filled. Psalm 19: these in chariots, and these on horses; but we, etc. And the land is filled. Here he charges against them the cult of idolatry; and he aggravates this from three things. First from the multitude, when he says, and it is filled. Hosea 7: Ephraim has multiplied altars for sinning. Jeremiah 2: under every leafy tree and on every high hill you lay down, a harlot. Second from the vileness of the idols: because it is the work of their own hands, and still more what their fingers have made. Psalm 113: the idols of the nations are silver and gold, the works of the hands of men. Third from the dignity of man: and therefore he says: man, who was made to the image of God, has bowed himself down, subjecting himself to idols; the man, who seemed virtuous as to what he had acquired, has been humbled. Psalm 48: man, when he was in honor, did not understand; he was compared to senseless beasts, and became like them. Below, 44: he bows down before it, and worships, and says, deliver me.”

“Therefore do not forgive. Here he threatens them with punishment. And it is divided into two parts. In the first he shows that danger is imminent for them; in the second he concludes with the remedy of escape, there, "Cease, therefore." Now he shows that danger is imminent for them by removing three things. First, presumption concerning divine mercy; second, confidence in one's own power, there, "the lofty eyes"; third, the remedy that remained in the trust placed in other things, there, "in that day a man shall cast forth idols." And because divine mercy has no measure, but always exalts over judgment (James 2), therefore he does not remove it by foretelling that it will fail, but by imprecating that it be just. He therefore does two things. First he sets down the imprecation, saying: since they do such shameful evils, therefore do not forgive them; as if to say: it would be just that you show them mercy in nothing. Jeremiah 5: Shall I not judge for these things, says the Lord, and shall not my soul take vengeance on such a nation? Second, he ironically sets down counsel for escape, saying, "Enter"; as if to say: since he himself does not forgive, it remains that you hide yourselves from his face. "Enter into the rock": literally, into the clefts of the rocks to remain there; "hide in the dug ground," that is, in the caverns of the earth, "from the face of the fear of the Lord," that is, from the face of those through whom God shows himself to be feared and glorified. Jeremiah 18: Leave the cities. But this will not avail them: whence in Psalm 138: Whither shall I go from your spirit, and whither shall I flee from your face? Bernard expounds this of Christ. For the rock was Christ: 1 Corinthians 10. Into him one must enter through the affection of devotion. He says therefore: I confidently take for myself what I lack from the bowels of Jesus Christ. For the bowels of mercy have flowed forth abundantly, nor are there lacking openings through which they may flow out: for they dug his hands, and pierced his feet. Song of Songs 2: Arise, make haste, my love (...) and come into the openings of the rock. The lofty eyes. Here he removes from them confidence in their own power; and concerning this he does two things. First he excludes the power of resisting; second he repels the precaution of hiding, there, "and they shall enter." Concerning the first he does three things. First he sets down his intention; second he explains the manner, there, "for the day"; third he concludes the proposition. And it shall be bowed down. But he sets down two things to exclude the power of resisting. First, their depression, both as regards the pride of heart, when he says, "the eyes," that is, pride, "lofty," that is, of a powerful man, "humbled," that is, they shall be humbled — the past tense for the future, on account of the certainty of the prophecy. Proverbs 30: A generation whose eyes are lofty, and whose eyelids are lifted up on high. Job 40: Look on all the proud, and confound them, and crush the wicked out of their place. Then also as regards the nobility of race: whence he says, "the height of men," that is, the nobility of race. Amos 2: I destroyed the Amorrhite before their face, whose height was the height of the cedars. Second, he sets down the exaltation of the one punishing: "shall be exalted," that is, he who seemed weak in expectation will appear lofty in the act of punishing. Psalm 9: The Lord shall be known doing judgments. Below 5: The Lord of hosts shall be exalted in judgment. For the day of the Lord. Here is set down the manner in which the foregoing is fulfilled: and first as regards the depression of men; second as regards the taking away of things, there, "and upon all." He says therefore first: this that has been said will come to pass because it is the day of the Lord, that is, the time of vengeance: below 63: The day of vengeance is in my heart, the year of my recompense has come; "of hosts," so that there be no doubt about his victory, to whom so great a multitude of servants is subject: it will come like a heavy weight to crush, "upon every proud and lofty one," that is, upon him who is exalted more on account of the great things he has; "and upon every arrogant one," who is lifted up on account of that which he does not have. Gregory: he is arrogant who attributes to himself what he does not have. Proverbs 8: Arrogance and pride, and the wicked way, and the double tongue, I detest. And it shall be humbled. Luke 14: He who exalts himself shall be humbled. And upon all the cedars. Here he sets down the taking away of the things that serve for defense: and first as regards those things that pertain to the preparation of siege-engines: either on account of height — and so he says, "upon all the cedars"; or on account of strength — and so he says, "upon every oak." Zechariah 11: Open your gates, O Lebanon, that fire may devour your cedars. And further on: Howl, oaks of Bashan, because the fortified forest is cut down. Second, as regards those things that pertain to the fortification of places: either from nature — "and upon all the high mountains," Ezekiel 6: Thus says the Lord God to the mountains and hills, to the rocks and valleys; or from craftsmanship — "and upon every lofty tower." Zephaniah 1: A day of the trumpet and of the alarm upon the fortified cities, and upon the lofty corners; and I will afflict men. Third, as regards those things that pertain to the abundance of provisions; and so he says: "upon all the ships," in which they are carried, "of Tarshish," that is, of the sea. Below 23: Howl, ships of the sea, for the house from which they were wont to come has been laid waste. And upon everything that is beautiful to see. This pertains to the provoking of enemies, or to the increase of those who fight. Judith 10: Who could despise the people of the Hebrews, who have such beautiful women? And it shall be bowed down. Here he as it were concludes the proposition; and it is entirely the same as what was said before, except that something is added about the destruction of idols, so that he alone may be shown to be lofty, when he says, "and the idols." Ezekiel 6: Your idols shall be broken and shall cease, and your shrines shall be crushed. And they shall enter into the caves. Here he sets down the precaution of hiding, and it is the same as before, except that here it is foretold as it were as future, since he had already expounded the power that would be cast down, by foretelling it and not by imprecating it. Psalm 62: They shall enter into the lower parts of the earth, they shall be delivered into the hands of the sword, they shall be the portions of foxes. In that day. Here he removes the third thing, namely, trust in idols. And first he removes the help, so that one might worship. Ezekiel 8: And having entered I saw; and behold every likeness of creeping things, and the abomination of animals, and all the idols of the house of Israel, painted. Below 31: In that day a man shall cast away his idols of silver, and the idols which his hands made unto sin. Second, he repeats the recourse of hiding, there, "and he shall enter." Apocalypse 6: Every bondman and freeman hid themselves in the caves, and in the rocks of the mountains. Cease, therefore. Here he sets down sound counsel for escaping: therefore, since all these things will not avail you, cease from man, that is, cease from offending him, namely Christ. Whose spirit is in his nostrils, that is, who breathes through his nostrils, and lives like other men as regards his humanity. Because he himself is reckoned lofty, as regards his divinity, by the saints and by the angels. Psalm 112: The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above all the heavens. Or otherwise: he speaks of God after the likeness of man, by the figure of anthropopathy. From man, that is, God, whose spirit is in the nostrils: he speaks after the likeness of one who is angry, who, on account of the increase of breath, blows it out through the nostrils; whence Homer says that strong men used to blow out harsh strength through each nostril. Psalm 17: at the blast of the breath of your wrath. Below 30: his fury burning, and heavy to bear. And again: a breath as an overflowing torrent, even to the midst of the neck, to destroy the nations unto nothing: and this is referred back to the first point, in which he removed presumption concerning the mercy of God; for he himself is lofty, distinctively, as it were alone, over against the second.”

“"Behold, for the ruler." Here begins the second part, in which he accuses their sin as regards the oppression of their neighbors; and it is divided into two parts. In the first is set down the refutation of those who oppress; in the second, the consolation of the oppressed, chapter 4: "and they shall take hold." And because violent dominion is not only a fault of man, but also a punishment from God judging the sins of the people, as is said in Job 34: "who makes a hypocrite reign because of the sins of the people": therefore the first part is divided into two parts. For in the first, it is foretold insofar as it is a punishment inflicted by God; in the second, it is accused insofar as it is a fault committed by man, at the place, "my people." The first is divided into two. In the first he threatens the subversion of government; in the second he assigns the reason for what has been said, at the place, "for it is ruined." The first into three. In the first, those fit for the office of government are taken away; in the second, the unworthy are set in charge, at the place, "and I will give boys"; in the third, those called are refused, at the place, "a man shall take hold." The first into two. In the first he takes away one fit for the office of governing; in the second, one useful for the aid of the ruler, at the place, "and the counselor." The first into three, according to the three things required for the fitness of prelates. For first he takes away one fit as regards power; in the second as regards sagacity, at the place, "the judge"; in the third as regards authority, at the place, "the old man." Power is required in a leader or king for waging the wars of the people, and for restraining lawless acts: Ecclesiasticus 9: "do not seek to become a judge, unless you have the strength to break through iniquities": and this consists in three things, according to which the first part is divided into three parts; namely, in strength of body, which consists in three things: namely, in vigor of constitution; and as to this he says: therefore I warn that you be still; for, that is, because, behold, it is at hand, he will take away the strong, that is, one well in the health of his constitution. In the robustness of limbs; and thus he says, strong, because strength consists in bones and sinews, as the Philosopher says. Again, in abundance of food; and thus he says, all the strength of bread, in which all food and drink is signified. Ecclesiasticus 29: "the beginning of the life of man is water and bread and clothing." Second, the power spoken of consists in constancy of heart; and thus he says, strong, according as it comes from fortitude, which is a virtue of the soul. Third, it consists in the exercise of the art of war, and thus he says, a man of war. But wisdom is required for exercising judgments; on account of which Solomon asked wisdom from God. 3 Kings 3: "you will give your servant a teachable heart (...) that he may discern between good and evil." And this is had in three ways. Either by human instruction; and as to this he says, judge, as it were one skilled in law: or by divine inspiration; and as to this he says, prophet: or by the revelation of a demon; and as to this he says, soothsayer, because at the altars of demons they divined, and sometimes spoke the truth. Authority is necessary for reverence; and this consists in three things. In the dignity of office; and as to this he says, prince, etc.; and by these he understands all the other princes, as the Gloss says: in the honesty of morals; the old man, in morals. In the maturity of countenance; honorable in countenance. But some are useful to princes for the governing of the people, or for dispatching doubtful matters; and as to this he says, counselor: or for making buildings; the wise man of the architects, from archos, which is chief, and techne, which is art, and especially of the mechanical arts. An architect is called the principal craftsman, who commands the craftsmen to introduce the form, and to prepare the matter, according to the consideration of the end, the knowledge of which he holds in use or in reason. But wisdom, according to the Philosopher, is spoken of in two ways; namely, universal and particular. Defining the particular, he says it is a virtue by which a man is set at the furthest point of any art whatsoever, as of medicine: and a physician is called wise who is most certain in the things belonging to medicine; and likewise a wise craftsman; and so of the others. And it is taken in this way here. Universal wisdom is that which is the furthest point in all arts and sciences; and this is that by which a man is set in the knowledge of the most noble things, namely of separate substances, or spiritual ones. And this, according to the Philosopher, is metaphysics, and according to us, theology. Third, someone is necessary for instructing in divine things: and as to this he says: and prudent in mystical speech, from mystim, which is secret, that is, of divine words which are secret. And concerning all these it is had in 4 Kings, the penultimate chapter, that they were carried away by Nebuchadnezzar into Babylon. He also carried Joachim away into Babylon, and the king's mother, and the king's wives, and the eunuchs, and led the judges of the land into captivity. "And I will give boys." Here is shown the subversion of government as regards the fact that the unworthy are put in charge. And it is divided into two. In the first is set down the prelacy of the unworthy; in the second, the consequent disturbance of the people, at the place, "and the people shall fall"; and they are unworthy as regards a lack of wisdom and of age; and thus he says: I will give boys: and as regards a lack of virtue; and thus he says: and effeminate ones, that is, wanton and feeble. Hosea 13: "I will give you kings in my fury." But a threefold effect of this government in the disturbance of the people is touched upon. First, a universal dissension: whence he says: the people shall fall, from the unity of peace, through which it is a people, man to man, that is, against. Proverbs 11: "where there is no governor, the people shall fall." Zechariah 10: "they were led away like a flock: they shall be afflicted, because they have no shepherd." Second, the dissolution of friendship: each one to his neighbor, that is, against his neighbor. Jeremiah 10: "every brother, supplanting, will be supplanted, and every friend will walk deceitfully." Third, confusion of order: the child shall behave insolently against the old man. Lamentations 4: "they did not blush at the faces of the priests, nor did they have pity on the old." "He shall take hold." Here he shows the subversion of government as regards the fact that those invited refuse (the office), as something ruinous. And it is divided into two parts. In the first is set down the invitation of those choosing; in the second, the refusal of the one elected, at the place, "and he shall answer." Concerning the first, three things are set down: namely, the election itself, the occasion of the election, the imposition of the office. The election is disordered, because it is by one only; whence he says: thence there shall be tumult, for: that is, because they will not choose in common; but a man shall take hold of his brother, one joined by blood, of the household of his father, accepted by familiarity, however lowly he may even be. Micah 3: "who builds Zion in blood, and Jerusalem in iniquity." And this is against the form observed in Numbers 17, in the election of princes made by the command of the Lord, by the authority of the prelate, and the consent of the multitude. But the occasion is base, because it is on account of riches: whence he says: you have a garment: for he hopes for temporal assistance; and this is against the form handed down in Exodus 18: "provide out of all the people able men, and fearing God, in whom there is truth, and who hate avarice; and appoint from among them rulers of thousands and of hundreds," etc., "who may judge the people at all times." But the imposition is dangerous: whence he says: be a prince over us; but this ruin, that is, danger, is under your hand, that is, under your custody and your defense. 3 Kings 20: "keep this man, who if he shall have escaped, your life shall be for his life." "He shall answer." Here is set down the refusal of the one elected: and first is shown a reasonable excuse; second, the refutation of the office is concluded, at the place, "do not." In the excuse he puts forward three things; namely, his inability to repel harmful things: I am not a physician, namely such that I could heal your miseries. Jeremiah 8: "is there no balm in Gilead, or is there no physician there?" To supply a lack: and in my house there is no bread, by which I might supply the lack of your hunger. Lamentations 4: "the little ones asked for bread, and there was none to break it for them." To foster or preserve what is necessary; nor a garment, by which warmth is preserved. Proverbs, the last chapter: "she shall not fear for her household from the colds of snow. For all her household are clothed with double garments." "Do not appoint me prince of the people." Here the refutation of the office is concluded, where a threefold reason is set down, namely, the hindrance of devout contemplation, Judges 9: "can I forsake my fatness, which gods and men make use of?" Of sweet affection: below: "can I forsake my sweetness?" Of spiritual exultation: "can I forsake my wine, which cheers God and men, and be promoted among the other trees?"”

“For Jerusalem is ruined. Here he gives the cause of what has been said, namely of the renunciation: and first he gives the proximate cause, namely the punishment of universal ruin: hence it is said in the person of the prophet: therefore he will refuse — "for," that is "because," Jerusalem is ruined, that is, the city itself; and Judah, that is, the province itself, has collapsed, through punishment, from its integrity. Below 23: they have led its strong men into captivity, they have undermined its houses, they have set it in ruin. Second, he gives the remote cause, namely guilt. And it is divided into three parts. In the first he aggravates the guilt; in the second he ordains punishment against the guilt, at the words, woe to their soul; third he shows the justice of the one who punishes, at the words, say to the just. He aggravates the sin from three things. From the species of the sin, because it is blasphemy against God: hence he says: therefore it has collapsed, because their tongue is against the Lord. Below 57: over whom have you sported, over whom have you opened wide your mouth, and put out your tongue? Second, from the novelty of the sin: hence he says: their devisings are against the Lord. Hosea 7: now their own devisings have surrounded them, they have been made before my face. Third, from the publication of the sin: hence he says: the recognition of their face; and this, because they made their sin, recognized from their face, known to others. It shall answer them, as a punishment as regards gesture. And as to the commending of the sin he says: and they have preached their sin as Sodom, that is, they have praised it. Jer. 2: you have made yourself a harlot's forehead, and you have refused to blush. It is expounded otherwise in the Gloss: the recognition of their face, that is, the knowledge of their sins, which they will have in the intellect, since the senses are in the face — it shall answer them, when they ask why they are punished. Or otherwise: the recognition of their face, that is, the remorse of conscience, shall answer them, as a punishment. And mystically this is referred to the sin by which, seeing Christ, they refused to recognize him, concerning which conscience will accuse them, according to what the Gloss says. And because the justice of God does not allow such grave evils to go unpunished, therefore woe to their soul, not only to their body: for evils have been rendered to them, in the foreknowledge of God; or the past tense is put for the future. And lest the punishment be thought to involve everyone, the justice of God in discerning the good from the evil is subjoined: and concerning this he does two things. First he sets down the reward of the good, saying, say to the just man — whoever he may be — that it shall be well with him, when others shall be damned, because he shall eat the fruit, that is, the reward, of his own devisings, as it were receiving the fruit of the good things he has thought out. For just as the wicked are solicitous to find ways by which sin may be committed, so too the good are solicitous to devise how they may be able to please God. 1 Cor. 7: he who is without a wife is solicitous for the things that are the Lord's, how he may please God. Ps. 127: because you shall eat the labors of your hands, you are blessed, and it shall be well with you. Second he sets down the punishment of the wicked, saying, woe to the wicked unto evil, that is, for the evil that impends over him. The retribution of his own hands — Ps. 9: the sinner is caught in the works of his own hands. My people. Here the oppression of the people is censured, according as it is the sin of the man who oppresses. And it is divided into two parts. In the first the vice of oppression is set down; in the second the judgment of punishment is brought in, at the words, the Lord stands up to judge. Now some oppressed the people in three ways. For first, the princes oppressed by violence, seizing: and as to this he says: they have despoiled my people, of their goods. Ezek. 22: they oppressed the people of the land with oppression, and seized violently; they afflicted the needy and the poor. Second, the women, drawing them on to concupiscence, and even to idolatry, as is said of Solomon, 3 Kings 11; and as to this he says: their women have ruled over them. Ecclus. 9: do not give a woman power over your soul, lest she enter in upon your strength. Third, the prophets, deceiving through the cunning of flattery; and as to this he says, my people; as if to say: I was accustomed to speak to you through the prophets; but because they are liars, I will speak to you through myself, lest it seem that it ought not to be believed, that a prophet speaks against a prophet. They deceive, by promising security. They lay waste, by furnishing occasion for guilt. Mic. 3: thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who lead my people astray, who bite with their teeth, and preach peace. Jer. 14: the prophets say to them: you shall not see the sword, and there shall be no famine among you; he will give you true peace in this place. He stands up to judge. Here judgment is brought in to punish the oppressors: and it is divided into two: in the first the judgment against the oppressing princes is set down; in the second, against the women, at the words, and the Lord said. The false prophets deceived in order to despoil the people; and therefore they have the same judgment as the princes. Ezek. 13: they profaned me among my people, for a handful of barley and a piece of bread. Concerning the first he does three things. First the judge is brought in: hence he says, he stands up to judge. Mic. 4: he shall judge many peoples. Dan. 7: the judgment sat, and the books were opened. Second the accused are brought in: hence he says: the Lord will come to judgment with the elders, namely the priests, and the princes, the kings and the leaders. Ezek. 34: I will judge between cattle and cattle, and between ram and he-goat. Third the cause is set down: and first the accusation of the plaintiff is brought in, when he says, you have devoured: Mic. 3: they have eaten the flesh of my people; second the rebuke of the judge is set down, when he says: why do you crush, by afflicting, and grind the faces of the poor, by wasting them with hunger? Amos 4: you do wrong to the needy, and you shall crush the poor. For God himself will be both the plaintiff and the judge. The fruit of the just man, which he renders: of his own operation, John 10: go and bear fruit, and let your fruit remain; of his own preaching, Hebrews, last chapter: let us offer the sacrifice of praise always to God, that is, the fruit of the lips of those confessing his name; of his own confession. Which he receives: of the remission of guilt, Is. 27: the iniquity of the house of Jacob shall be forgiven, and this is all the fruit, that his sin be taken away; of the participation of grace, Gal. 5: but the fruit of the spirit: charity, joy, etc.; of the contemplation of wisdom, Prov. 3: her acquisition is better than the trading of gold and silver, her first and purest fruits. Which he seeks: in the enjoyment of God, Song 2: his fruit is sweet to my throat; in the fellowship of the heavenly choir, Ezek. 36: mountains of Israel, put forth your branches, and yield your fruit to my people Israel; in the reception of the divine gift, Song 4: your shoots are a paradise of pomegranates, with the fruits of apples.”

“'And the Lord said, for this.' Here the divine judgment against the women is set forth: and first the fault is laid open; second, the punishment is foretold, at the words, 'he will make bald.' The first is divided into two. In the first he accuses them of pride; in the second, of wantonness, at the words, 'and with nods.' Concerning the first he does two things. In the first he accuses the pride in the heart, when he says: 'because they have been lifted up in pride.' Psalm 130: 'Lord, my heart is not exalted.' Second, he accuses the sign of pride in the body: 'they walked with neck outstretched,' which is a sign of pride. Job 15: 'he ran against him with neck erect, and is armed with a fat neck.' 'And with nods.' Here he accuses their wantonness in four things, by which they provoked men to lust. First, in sight itself: hence he says, 'and with nods.' Proverbs 6: 'let not your heart covet her beauty, lest you be caught by her nods.' Second, in play: 'and they clapped.' The Gloss: by playing. Ecclesiasticus 9: 'do not be continually with a dancing girl (...) lest perhaps you perish by her power.' Third, in gait: 'and they walked.' Proverbs 7: 'garrulous, wandering, unable to bear rest, nor able to keep her feet at home.' Fourth, by wanton adornment, 'with measured step.' The Gloss: adorned from the plunder of the poor. Proverbs 7: 'behold, a woman meets him, decked out in harlot's attire, prepared to catch souls.' 'He will make bald.' Here he threatens the punishment: and first as to the taking away of ornaments; second, as to the comfort of men, at the words, 'the most beautiful men also.' Concerning the first he does two things. First he takes away from them the ornaments that are signs of unfitting gladness and wantonness; in the second he recompenses signs of sadness and misery, at the words, 'and it shall be, instead of sweet.' Concerning the first he does two things. First he takes away from them the natural adornment of the hair; second, the artificial, at the words, 'in that day.' He says therefore first, 'he will make bald,' as to the real hair. Below, 15: 'upon all its heads there shall be baldness.' 'He will lay bare,' as to the false hair, which is like a garment. Deuteronomy 32: 'from the captivity of the bared head of the enemies.' 'In that day.' Here he takes away from them the artificial ornaments; and first those that pertain to the adornment of the members; second, those that pertain to the care of ornaments, at the words, 'and pins, and mirrors.' Concerning the first he does two things. First he takes away those that pertain to the adornment of the parts; second, those that pertain to the adornment of the whole, at the words, 'and the changes of raiment.' Concerning the first he does two things: first he takes away what pertains to the members of the body; second, what pertains especially to the organs of the senses, at the words, 'and the little smelling-bottles.' Concerning the first he does two things. First he takes away those things that pertain to the members of the lower part of the body; second, those that pertain especially to the members of the head, at the words, 'and headdresses.' He says therefore first, as to the feet, the ornaments of footwear; whatsoever kind, and especially the 'little moons,' certain figures made on the footwear of gilded leather. Song of Songs 7: 'how beautiful are your feet in sandals, O prince's daughter.' Second, as to the neck, 'chains,' certain ornaments of the neck hanging down to the breast, given in honor of victory. Proverbs 1: 'that grace may be added to your head, and a chain to your neck.' Third, as to the breast, he says, 'necklaces,' any ornaments whatsoever, but especially the clasps by which the breast is secured, lest the garments come open. Song of Songs 7: 'the joints of your thighs are like necklaces, which have been fashioned by the hand of a craftsman.' Fourth, as to the arms, he says, 'bracelets,' ornaments of the arms, named from the shoulder [armus]. Exodus 35: 'the men, along with the women, provided bracelets.' 'And headdresses.' Here he sets down the ornaments of the head: and first as to the crown of the head. 'Headdresses,' ornaments of the head in the manner of a crown. Judith 10: 'she placed a headdress upon her head, her hair having been parted.' Second, as to the hair, he says: 'hairpins,' certain instruments made of silver or gold in the manner of a sharp stick, by which women part their hair in front of the forehead, just as was said in Judith, in the same place: 'she parted the hair of her head.' Third, as to the neck, he touches on two things. First, 'periscelides,' from 'peri,' which is 'around,' and 'colon,' which is 'member,' as it were an ornament around a member. Haymo says that it is made of gold in the likeness of bracelets, and is placed around the neck. The Gloss says that it is upon the feet, similar to bracelets. Others say that they are a certain ornament placed around the edges of garments, like gold embroidery, or certain furs, or something of this kind. And this can stand together with both of the aforesaid; for in this way they are both around the neck and around the feet. For garments have such things both in the hoods and in the lower hems, and thus they adorn the neck indirectly. Numbers 31: 'for this reason we offer, each in the gifts of the Lord, whatever of gold we were able to find in the plunder: periscelides, and bracelets, rings.' Second, he sets down the immediate ornaments of the neck, when he says, 'little chains,' namely certain chains inlaid with little rods of gold and silver in the manner of a moray eel, which are placed around the neck. Song of Songs 1: 'we will make you little chains of gold, inlaid with silver.' And because the neck is the middle between the head and the body, its adornment overflows into both; and therefore it is placed with both. 'And little smelling-bottles.' Here are set down those things that pertain to the organs of sense: and first as to smell. 'Little smelling-bottles,' certain small boxes in which they used to put musk and the like, or also certain vessels, like little 'apples' made of silver, pierced in the manner of a censer, in which fire and something fragrant is placed. Song of Songs 1: 'we will run to the fragrance of your ointments.' Second, as to hearing, 'earrings,' certain circles of gold or silver, which are placed in the ears of women pierced for this purpose. Hosea 2: 'she adorned herself with her earring and her necklace, and went after her lovers.' Third, as to touch, which is most vigorous in the fingers. 'Rings.' Numbers 31, the authority already adduced above: 'for this reason we offer rings, etc.' Fourth, as to sight, 'jewels' hanging on the forehead, with which the women of Egypt were adorned. Exodus 25: 'you shall take onyx stones and jewels for adorning the ephod and the breastplate.' Of taste he makes no mention, because its instrument is internal, and is not adorned. 'And the changes of raiment.' Here he sets down the ornaments pertaining to the whole body; and first for putting on; and thus he says: 'changes of raiment,' that is, different pairs of garments. Zechariah 3: 'I have clothed you with changes of raiment; and he said, place the turban.' Second, for covering: and thus he says, 'cloaks.' Genesis 24: 'but she, quickly taking a cloak, covered herself.' Third, for lying down, and thus he says, 'linen sheets.' John 20: 'Peter came, and went into the tomb, and saw the linen cloths lying there.' 'And pins.' Here he sets down the things that pertain to the care of ornaments; and first for arranging them. 'Pins.' Matthew 19: 'it is easier for a camel to enter through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.' Second, for discerning, 'and mirrors,' by which women discern whether they are well adorned. Exodus 38: 'he also made the bronze laver with its base from the mirrors of the women who kept watch before the door of the tabernacle and the court.' Third, for covering the ornaments; and first for covering the ornaments of the shoulders, 'and fine linen cloths,' delicate veils by which the shoulders are covered, as is done in Campania by the women. Proverbs, last: 'she made fine linen and sold it, and delivered a girdle to the Canaanite.' Second, for covering the ornaments of the head, 'headbands,' that is, veils. Or better, it should be said that they are called certain bindings, by which women bind their hair, made in the manner of a net; and thus it is taken in Exodus 28: 'and you shall bind it with a hyacinth-blue band,' namely the plate of purest gold, on which the holy name of the Lord was written. Third, for covering the ornaments of the whole body, he says, 'theristra.' The Gloss: a very fine woman's garment, penetrable to sight, suitable for summer, and named from this; for 'theria' means 'summer.' And women especially were accustomed to wear this sort of thing over silk garments. Genesis 38: 'the garments of her widowhood having been laid aside, she took up a summer garment.' Of many of these it is said, Ezekiel 16: 'I clothed you with embroidered garments, I shod you with hyacinth-blue, and I girded you with fine linen, and I clothed you with delicate garments (...) and I put bracelets on your hands, and a chain around your neck, and I put earrings upon your face, and circles in your ears, and a crown of beauty upon your head.' 'And it shall be.' Here, the ornaments of wantonness having been taken away, he changes them into the trappings of misery. And first, as to that which is external, he says: 'it shall be instead of sweet odor': for odor is from without. Joel 2: 'its stench shall rise up, and its rottenness shall rise up, because it has acted proudly.' Second, as to that which is around, he says, 'instead of a girdle, a rope.' Job 12: 'he looses the belt of kings, and girds their loins with a rope.' Third, as to that which is above, he says, 'instead of curled hair.' Fourth, as to that which is within: 'instead of a breast-band.' The Gloss: by which the breasts are restrained, that is, compressed, lest by their size they cause an unseemliness. 'The most beautiful men also.' Here he takes away from them the comfort of men as to four things. Now women delight in the beauty of men; and as to this he says: 'the most beautiful men also, by the sword.' Lamentations 4: 'her Nazirites were whiter than snow, more radiant than milk, more ruddy than ancient ivory, more beautiful than sapphire.' Second, in strength; and as to this he says, 'and the strong.' Below, 23: 'into captivity.' Third, they delight in dignity; and as to this he says: 'and they shall mourn,' inwardly, 'and shall lament,' outwardly, 'her gates,' that is, the judges sitting in the gates. Lamentations 2: 'her gates have been brought down into the ground; and he has destroyed and broken her bars, her king.' Fourth, they delight in the pleasantness of men; and as to this he says: 'and desolate she shall sit upon the ground.' Lamentations 1: 'he has made me desolate, wasted with grief all the day.' It is asked first, concerning this chapter, about what he says, 'the soothsayer.' For it seems according to this that it is lawful to inquire about the future from soothsayers: for to take away something unlawful is not a punishment, but rather a benefit. Furthermore, the same seems to follow from the Gloss, that they sometimes speak the truth; but the truth is to be accepted from anyone whatsoever; therefore also from them. Furthermore, since demons are the clearest mirrors according to intellect, as Dionysius says, it seems that in those things which pertain to knowledge, it is at least not evil to receive something from them; and thus to attend to divinations will be lawful; and especially since no knowledge is evil, and divination implies knowledge. To this it must be said that divination, by its very name, denotes the usurpation of a divine act, and this especially in the knowledge of future things which cannot naturally be known. For there are certain future things which have determinate causes in nature, from which they necessarily arise, like an eclipse of the sun; and concerning these there is no divination. Certain others also have determinate causes from which they arise for the most part, like dryness in summer under the Dog Star: hence concerning these there is no divination. Such indeed are the prognostications of physicians about health or death, and of sailors about a coming storm; unless perhaps they are foretold as future with, as it were, unshakeable certainty, because this belongs to God alone. There are also certain future things which do not have determinate causes in nature, and especially those which come about from free choice; and of these no one has foreknowledge except God, to whom all things are present on account of the stability of his eternity, or someone receiving it from God. And if indeed such things are foretold by divine inspiration, it will be prophecy, and not divination: but if by one's own contrivance, deceitfully, for the sake of some gain, as old women do, it is called divination, and is a sin, both on account of the lie — because they assert uncertain things as true — and on account of the deception, and on account of the usurpation of the deity. Likewise it is called divination if it is done by the counsel of demons in any way whatsoever; who indeed can foretell certain future things, either those of which they themselves are the cause, or those which they themselves know through the revelation of the good angels, or those which they themselves know by natural knowledge, in those things which have determinate causes in nature — hidden from us, but known to them, both on account of the keenness of their intelligence and on account of the experience of a long time. And yet it is always a sin to inquire from them, and an apostasy from the faith, as Augustine says. And this for three reasons: first, because although they speak the truth, yet their intention is always to deceive; second, because they cannot have certain knowledge, except concerning those things which they know through revelation; third, because we cannot at the same time be partakers of the gifts of God and of the devil. And this is the chief reason among all. And although it is, absolutely speaking, a benefit to take such things away, nevertheless it is a punishment to those who follow such things, because it is contrary to their will. Then it is asked concerning choral dances, whether they can be practiced without sin, on account of what he says, 'and they clapped': for he accuses it as though it were a sin. To which indeed it must be said that play in itself is not evil; for otherwise there would not be, in games, the virtue that is called eutrapelia: but according as it is ordered to a different end, and clothed with different circumstances, it can be an act of virtue or of vice. For since it is impossible always to act in the active and contemplative life, it is therefore necessary sometimes to interpose joys amid cares, lest the mind be broken by excessive severity, and so that afterward a man may more readily devote himself to the works of the virtues. And if games are engaged in for such an end, with the other circumstances, it will be an act of virtue, and can be meritorious, if it is informed by grace. Now these circumstances seem to be especially observed in choral dancing: that the person not be unfitting, such as a cleric, or a religious; that it be at a time of gladness, such as for the sake of deliverance, or at weddings, and the like; that it be done with honest persons, and with honest singing; and that the gestures not be too wanton — and whatever other things there are of this kind. But if it is done to provoke wantonness, and according to other undue circumstances, it is clear that the act will be vicious. Then it is asked concerning the adornment of women, whether it is lawful for women to adorn themselves. And it seems that it is not, on account of what is said here, and 1 Timothy 2: 'not with braided hair, or gold and silver, or pearls, or costly clothing; but what befits women, etc.' And it must be said that adornment is to be measured especially according to the manner and measure of the person, and according to intention. For if women wear ornaments befitting their state and dignity, so that they conduct themselves with moderation in their doings according to the custom of the country, it will be an act of the virtue of modesty, which sets a measure in gait, dress, and all outward movements, and it can be meritorious, if it is with grace. Likewise if she does this in order to please her husband fittingly, whom she has, or whom she ought to take, and so that she may be set apart from other women. But if they wear ornaments more costly than befits them, it will be arrogance, or even something deformed by the vice of lust, if they do it to provoke desire toward themselves.”

“And seven women shall take hold. After he condemns the calumny of the oppressors in chapters 2 and 3, in this chapter the prophet sets forth the consolation of the oppressed; and it is divided into two parts. In the first he consoles them against the oppression of women; in the second against the oppression of tyrants, there, at "in that day." Now women are accustomed to be troublesome to husbands in three respects: namely, in contempt of husbands; and as to this he says: and seven women shall take hold — which the Gloss expounds according to the letter, because it could be that after the captivity, many husbands having been killed, more women remained, so that seven would seek to have one husband. Below, 13: a man shall be more precious than gold, and a human being more than the purest gold. Second, they are accustomed to be troublesome in excess of food and clothing; and as to this he says: we will eat our own bread; as if to say: he will not need to give them expenses. Proverbs, the last chapter: she is become like the merchant's ship, bringing her bread from afar. She sought wool and flax, and worked by the counsel of her hands. Third, they are troublesome in the arrogance of pride; and as to this he says: only let thy name be called upon us, that we may be called thy wives: take away the reproach — namely, of barrenness. Deuteronomy 7: there shall not be among you a barren one of either sex, whether among men or among your flocks. But from this it seems that it is lawful to have several wives, because God never consoles by means of what is unlawful. Moreover: every sin is unnatural; but for one man to have several wives is natural, because one man can impregnate several. To this it must be said that, as the Philosopher says, the union of male and female among men is not only for the sake of generation, as among brute animals, but also for the advantage of life: whence the male and the female have different functions, in which they assist one another. According, then, as something is variously ordered to these ends, accordingly it is variously called natural or unnatural. For that which can in no way stand together with the said end is altogether unnatural, and can never be good, as the sodomitic vice; and likewise this, that one woman have several husbands, because one woman is not impregnated by several; and as regards civil life, because one woman is not ruled by several, but the contrary. Something can stand in relation to the said end indifferently, so far as it is in itself; and this can be determined at different times in different ways, according to different circumstances, by the lawgiver; and it will be positive justice, as in the case of the degrees of consanguinity. But there is something by which someone can attain the end, yet which is an impediment to the end, in the majority of cases. And this, so far as it is in itself, is unnatural; but it can be lawful according to the dispensation of the lawgiver attending to special cases; and of this sort is that one man have several (wives): for one man can rule several according to civil life, and one man can impregnate several. But nevertheless some impediment attends generation, since it is necessary that the seed of the man be digested; and this cannot happen in those who come together frequently: for which reason such persons are frequently sterile. And it impedes the common life still more; because perfect friendship, such as that between a man and his wife, on account of which a man even leaves his father and mother (Genesis 2), cannot exist toward many.”

“In that day. Here he promises exaltation against the oppression of tyrants: and first as to prosperity in temporal things; second as to holiness in spiritual things, at the words, and it shall be that everyone; third as to security from enemies, at the words, and the Lord created. He promises prosperity, however, in three respects. First as to the honor of men, when he says, in that day, namely after the return from captivity, the branch of the Lord shall be, that is, the sons of Judah, of whom below in 5: the men of Judah are the branch; in magnificence, as to the great things they shall do, and especially in the time of the Machabees, and glory, as to the honor they shall receive. 1 Machabees 15: he saw the glory of Simon, and the splendor in gold and silver, and the abundant array, and was astonished. Second as to the abundance of fruits: and the fruit of the earth exalted, that is, the produce of the earth in abundance. Amos, last chapter: the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that sows seed, and the mountains shall drop sweetness. Psalm 84: our land shall yield her fruit. Third as to the joy of hearts, and exultation to those who shall have been saved, returning from captivity. Below in 51: joy and gladness shall be found in her, thanksgiving, and the voice of praise. And it shall be that everyone. Here he promises holiness in spiritual things: and concerning this he does three things. First he promises the name of holiness made widely known, which would more entice those who desired glory: hence he says, and it shall be, this which follows, in those times, everyone who shall have been left in Sion, in life, and the one remaining shall be called holy by the voice of the victors. Below in 61: you shall be called the priests of the Lord, the ministers of our God, it shall be said to you. Below in 6: the seed of the holy ones shall be that which has stood in it. Second he gives the sign of those made holy: everyone who is written unto life in Jerusalem; that is, everyone whose life and the descent of whose lineage from parents is written in the annals, according to what is read in 1 Esdras chapter 2, concerning certain men who usurped to themselves the office of priests, and whose genealogy was not numbered. Third, the manner of sanctification: if the Lord shall wash away, that is, if however he shall first wash away the filth, of vices, and the blood, of the prophets shed, from the midst of her, not in a corner, in which the publicity of sin is noted, by the spirit of judgment, as to the equity of the punishment, and of burning, that is, of tribulation as to its bitterness. Spirit, that is, wind, metaphorically, by which the threshing-floor is purged. Jeremiah 4: a burning wind in the ways that are in the desert: the ways of the daughter of my people, for winnowing, and for purging, supply (not). And the Lord created. Here he shows security from enemies, and preserves the metaphor: for since he had compared tribulation to burning heat, he compares security to a cloud and a tabernacle, by which one is defended from the heat. And it is divided into two parts. First he promises divine protection under the likeness of a cloud; in the second, under the likeness of a tabernacle, at the words, and there shall be a tabernacle, et cetera. Concerning the first he does three things. First he gives the reason for the protection, and the Lord created. Now, whether in his own foreknowledge or because of the certainty of the prophecy, he uses the past tense for the future; and he says created, because he raised them from a most abject state to so great a glory, just as that which is created comes to be from nothing: over every place of mount Sion, that is, Jerusalem, which lies beneath the citadel of Sion, and the temple, where he has been invoked. Behold the reason for the protection: Jeremiah 14: but you are in us, O Lord, and your holy name has been invoked upon us. Second the protection itself is set down, a cloud. And it is set down according to a comparison to the benefit shown in the going out of the sons of Israel from Egypt: concerning which it is said in Exodus 13: the pillar of cloud never failed them by day; nor the pillar of fire by night before the people. And therefore here he sets down cloud by day, as to the first, and smoke, as to the second, on account of the twofold benefit of fire; namely of heat against cold; and as to this he says, smoke, in which flame is noted, which is smoke set alight, or because it is an effect of heat; and of brightness against darkness; and as to this he says, and brightness. Below in 10: and the light of Israel shall be in fire and his Holy One in flame. Third he sets down the greatness of the protection, over all: because the protection with which God will protect you shall be over all the glory previously granted to you, as it were exceeding it. Haggai 2: great shall be the glory of this latter house more than of the former. And a tabernacle. Here he describes the same benefit through the metaphor of a tabernacle. Hence he sets down those things for which a tabernacle is useful: for it protects against the heat of the sun through shade; and as to this he says, for a shelter in the daytime from the heat, that is, by day; second it protects against the onslaught of a storm by affording security; and as to this he says, and for a security from the whirlwind: for a whirlwind arises from a certain wrestling of winds; third it protects against the dripping of rains through concealment; and as to this he says, and for a hiding-place from the rain. And according to these three, persecution is designated, according to its different degree. Below in 32: there shall be a man as one who is hidden from the wind, and conceals himself from the storm. The Glosses, however, touch on a twofold mystery. Some expound the seven women as the Churches; and according to this, this chapter is divided into three parts. First the betrothal is set down; second the exaltation of the bridegroom, at the words, in that day; third the governance of the bride, at the words, and it shall be that everyone. The betrothal, however, is through faith. Hosea 2: I will betroth you to me in faith. Hence he sets down three things. First the sharing of faith: they shall take hold, through faith; seven women, the seven Churches, concerning which Apocalypse 1: John to the seven Churches, etc., in which are all the Churches, according to the fifth rule of Tyconius. One man, that is, Christ. Canticle, last chapter: I will take hold of you, and lead you into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that bore me. Second the disclosure of hope, which concerns the sacrament to be received: we will eat our own bread, the body of Christ given to us. John 6: the bread that I will give, is my flesh for the life of the world; and which concerns the gift of virtue to be received: we will be covered with our own garments, that is, with virtues. Ezekiel 16: I clothed you with embroidered garments, and shod you with violet-colored shoes (...) and I clothed you with fine linen, and I adorned you with ornaments. Third the desire or petition of charity, which concerns the obtaining of the Christian name. Let only the name be invoked, that we may be called Christians from Christ. Acts 4: there is no other name under heaven whereby we must be saved. And concerning the removal of reproach: take away the reproach that we suffer from the Jews, who say we are without the law. Joshua 5: this day I have taken away the reproach of Egypt from you. Bread gives pardon of fault. Matthew 6: give us this day our supersubstantial bread, and forgive us our debts. It gives the life of grace. John 6: the bread that I will give, is my flesh for the life of the world. It confirms for the battle. Psalm 103: bread strengthens the heart of man. It strengthens for the journey. 3 Kings 19: he walked in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights. It causes a foretasting of glory itself. Wisdom 16: you furnished them bread prepared from heaven without labor, having in itself every delight, and the sweetness of every taste. According to other Glosses it is divided thus. In the first the fullness of grace is noted; in the second the exaltation of glory; in that day; in the third the kindly governance of subjects is set down, and it shall be. Concerning the first he does three things. First the abundance of gifts is set down, seven women, that is, the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, which are called women, because through them one is generated and nourished in God. One man, Christ uniquely, who alone is without sin. John 1: we saw him as it were the only-begotten, full of grace and truth. Second the sufficiency of the gifts in perfect enjoyment: we will eat our own bread, namely of the homeland, which the Holy Spirit perfectly enjoys, whose gifts they are, as does the Son also. John 4: my food is to do the will of him who sent me. In the attestation of Scripture: and we will be covered with our own garments, that is, with the word of God, by which the gifts are adorned, because to them (---). Third the perfection of the gifts through Christ as to the conferring of salvation: your name, that is, the reality of your name, salvation, be invoked upon us, that is, upon those who are filled with us, because of his fullness we have all received grace for grace: John 1. For before Christ the gifts did not lead through to the kingdom. As to the removal of error: take away our reproach, which we suffer from false virtues, which steal away our name. Romans 13: the night has gone before, and the day has drawn near. Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light. Canticle 2: catch us the little foxes that destroy the vineyards. Or the reproach which we suffer in the repulsion of men, who repel us by sinning. Wisdom 1: the holy spirit of discipline will flee from the deceitful, and — it is subjoined — he shall be rebuked by the iniquity that comes upon him. In that day. Here the exaltation is set down: and first as to the working of miracles, in magnificence. Exodus 15: magnificent in holiness, terrible and praiseworthy, and doing wonders. Second as to the glorious resurrection, and glory, below in 52: rise up, rise up, put on your strength, O Sion. Third as to the ascension: the fruit of the earth, that is, the Son of the Virgin, exalted. Below in 52: behold my servant shall understand, he shall be exalted and lifted up, and shall be exceedingly high; as to the veneration of the whole world, concerning which Philippians 2: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, on earth, and under the earth. Exultation, below in 9: they shall rejoice before you as those who rejoice in the harvest, as conquerors exult when they have taken the spoil. And it shall be that everyone. Here the governance is set down: and first as to sanctification; second as to the order of sanctification, at the words, if he shall have washed away; third he sets down the protection of those made holy, and he created. For the holiness of anyone three things are required. First distinction together with faith; and as to this he says: who is left, cast off by unbelievers, as it were distinguished, in Sion, which is a watchtower, because faith sees through a mirror and in an obscure manner: 1 Corinthians 13. And below in 10: in truth the remnant shall be converted, the remnant, I say, of Jacob, to the mighty God. If your people, Israel, shall be as the sand of the sea, the remnant shall be converted. Second tranquility toward peace: remaining, as it were dwelling, in Jerusalem, which is a vision of peace. Below in 52: Jerusalem, the holy city. Third predestination to glory: everyone who is written. Luke 10: rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. Apocalypse 3: I will not blot out his name from the book of life. If he shall have washed away. Here the order of sanctification is set down: and first through the washing of Baptism: filth, of actual vices, blood, of original sin; or filth, of venial sins, blood, of mortal sins. Ezekiel 16: I washed you with water, and cleansed your blood from you. Through the discernment of penance. By the spirit of judgment. 1 Corinthians 11: if we judged ourselves, we would not be judged by the Lord at all; through the charitable passion. By the spirit of burning, that is, of his own charity, than which none was greater. John 15: no one has greater love than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. Matthew 26: this is my blood of the new testament, which shall be shed for many unto the remission of sins. And he created. Here the protection is set down. And he sets down the universality of the protection as to those protected: hence, over all; the diversity as to the things protecting: cloud; and the authority as to the things afflicting: hence, by day. But in those protected there are three things; namely the loftiness of contemplation in the heart, mount Sion. Psalm 124: those who trust in the Lord are as mount Sion; he who dwells in Jerusalem shall not be moved forever. The praises of confession in the mouth, he has been invoked. Romans 10: everyone whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. The honesty of conduct in work, glory. 2 Corinthians 1: this is our glory, the testimony of our conscience. He shall protect, however, through four things. Through the overshadowing spirit, cloud. Luke 1: the power of the Most High shall overshadow you. Through humbling compunction, smoke. Joel 2: I will give wonders in heaven and on earth, blood and fire and vapor of smoke. Through the illuminating truth, brightness. Luke 2: a light for the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel. Through the living Church, tabernacle. Apocalypse 21: behold the tabernacle of God with men, and he shall dwell with them. The things opposing are three. Prosperity lifting up, by day. Adversity breaking constancy, by night. Psalm 120: the sun shall not burn you by day, nor the moon by night; persecution afflicting, by heat, through affliction. Apocalypse 16: and the fourth Angel poured out his vial upon the sun. And it follows: and it was given to him to afflict men with heat, and with fire. Whirlwind, through onslaught. Below in 21: as whirlwinds come from the south wind, it comes from the desert, from a horrible land. From rain, on account of abundance. Matthew 7: the rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell.”

“I will sing to my beloved. Here he charges, thirdly, the sin of the two tribes, which they committed in the abuse of things, under a certain metaphor; and it is divided into two parts. In the first the metaphor is set down; in the second it is explained: for the vineyard. Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets down the title, saying, I will sing, that is, I will pronounce it loudly and openly: below, 40: lift up your voice with strength: to my beloved, that is, to the people of the Jews, a song of my cousin, that is, of the son of my paternal uncle, of his vineyard, that is, of what he did concerning his vineyard. For sometimes the prophets take likenesses for their prophecies from the very deeds that occurred, as is clear in Jer. 32, concerning the sale of a field. Behold, Hanameel the son of Shallum your cousin comes to you saying: buy for yourself my field which is in Anathoth, for it belongs to you, etc. Thus it could also happen, according to the letter, that some cousin of his composed a similar song about his own vineyard. Or otherwise: I will sing a song to my beloved, namely to God, that is, in his own person, to his vineyard. Or otherwise: to my beloved, namely God, a song of my cousin, that is, concerning my cousin, namely the people of the Jews, because we descend from the same parents, of his vineyard, that is, the cousin who is the vineyard of the beloved God. Or mystically, my cousin, of Christ, who is of the same people as I, of his vineyard, that is, of him who complains concerning his vineyard, the synagogue, which brought him bitter fruits in the passion. And note, that a song properly belongs to exultation. Hence here it is improperly called a song, since it is one of grief. Such a song David sang concerning the death of Saul. 2 Kings 1: your renowned ones, O Israel, are slain upon your mountains. How are the mighty of Israel fallen? (...). Mountains of Gilboa, let neither dew nor rain come. Ezek. 32: sing a mournful song. Second, at, the vineyard was made, he sets down the song itself, which contains the metaphor: in which three things are set down. First, the recitation of the cause; second, the interrogation for judgment, at, now therefore, inhabitants; third, the pronouncing of the sentence, at, now I will show. Concerning the first he sets down two things. First, on the part of the complainant, the diligence of cultivation; second, on the part of the vineyard, the wickedness of the fruit, at, and I waited that it should make grapes. Now the diligence of cultivation is shown from three things: in the preparation of the place, in the choice of the branches, and in the costly building. The preparation of the place is first described in three ways. First, as to the fatness of the place: hence he says: a vineyard, concerning which Ps. 79: you transferred a vineyard out of Egypt, you cast out the nations, and planted it: was made for my beloved, that is, for God by way of acquisition, or by God, on a horn, that is, in a high place, in which is noted the mountainous character of the land for the establishing of a good vineyard, on account of this: that it is looked upon by the sun, a son of oil, that is, so fat that it would suffice for an abundance of oil. For it is a property of Hebrew speech that anyone is said to be the son of that thing in which he abounds, just as it is said in 1 Kings 26: as the Lord lives, that you are sons of death. And in this is designated the goodness of the land which was given to the Jews; concerning which Ezek. 20: I lifted up my hand for them, that I might lead them out of the land of Egypt into a land which I had provided for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is excellent among all lands. Second, the diligence of preparation is set down as to the fortification of the place: hence he says, he hedged it about. Hosea 2: I will hedge your way with thorns: in which is signified the guardianship of angels and of good men. Third, as to the clearing: he gathered out the stones from it, that is, he diligently collected them out of it. Ps. 79: you cast out the nations, and planted it. As to the choice of the branches it is said: and he planted it a chosen vine, that is, from chosen branches: hence another translation has, the vine Soreth, which is the noblest kind of vine, in which is signified the goodness of the fathers. Jer. 2: I planted you a chosen vine, wholly a true seed. As to the cost of the building, which pertains to defense, he says: he built a tower in the midst of it; in which royal dignity is shown. Ezek. 16: you became exceedingly beautiful, and you advanced to a kingdom. Song of Songs 4: the tower of David is built with bulwarks. Or the temple, according to others. The use of the tower is for the preservation of the fruit, and for looking out to keep watch. As to the gathering of the fruit he says: a wine-press. Prov. 3: your barns shall be filled with abundance, and your presses shall overflow with wine; in which is noted the altar of holocausts, on account of the shedding of blood. And I waited that it should make. Here is set down the wickedness of the fruit: hence he says: and I waited, according to the order of benefits, that it should make grapes, the fruit of good works, and it made labruscae, that is, wild grapes, so called from this, because they grow on the edges of the roads, namely the hedges: in which the bitterness of vices is noted. Jer. 2: how have you turned for me into a corrupt foreign vine? Micah 7: he who is best among them is like a briar; and he who is upright, like a thorn from a hedge. Now therefore, inhabitants. Here is set down the interrogation of judgment: and concerning this he does two things. First he calls upon the judges, saying: therefore, because I have done what I ought, now, my case having been heard, judge between me and my vineyard. Hosea 2: judge your mother, judge her: for she is not my wife, and I am not her husband. A similar judgment was sought from David concerning himself as if concerning another, 2 Kings 12, over the sin committed by him, namely concerning adultery and the murder of Uriah the Hittite. Second he seeks judgment; and he seeks two things. First, whether he sinned out of negligence; hence he says: what more, beyond what has been said above, ought I to have done? Micah 6: my people, what have I done to you, or in what have I troubled you? Answer me. Second, whether he sinned in the cultivation of the vineyard out of excessive care: hence he says: or perhaps I seem to have done more than was due, in that I expected, by cultivating it well, that it should make grapes, and it made labruscae? As if to say: in this I seem rather to have been excessive, in that I applied so much cultivation to my vineyard. Below, 26: Lord, you have been indulgent to the nation, you have been indulgent to the nation. Have you been glorified? And 48: I called you a transgressor from the womb, for my name's sake. Jer. 11: at the sound of speech, a great fire was kindled in her, and her thickets were burned. The vineyard of carnal concupiscence, Deut. 32: of the vineyard of the Sodomites, etc.; the wine of wrath, Deut. 32: the gall of dragons, an incurable poison; of lust, Apoc. 18: of the wine of her fornication, etc.; of foolish gladness, 3 Esdras 3: it turns every mind to security; of the faithful soul, Song of Songs 2: our vineyard has flourished; the wine of penitence, Luke 10: pouring in oil and wine; of bodily cleanness, Zech. 9: and wine bringing forth virgins; of spiritual gladness, Ps.: wine gladdens the heart of man; of the Church militant, Song of Songs, last chapter: which has peoples; the wine of sacred washing, Num. 15: and wine for the drink-offerings; of fruitful preaching, Ps.: from the fruit of the grain; of devout confession, Song of Songs 7: your throat; of the heavenly homeland, 3 Kings 21, concerning Naboth; the wine of divine enjoyment, Song of Songs 8: I have eaten the honeycomb with the honey; of interior fullness, Esther 1: wine also, as befits royal magnificence; of the congratulation of the saints, Song of Songs, last chapter: I will give you a cup of spiced wine. And now I will show you. Here the sentence is pronounced: and first he arouses attention or a hearing, saying: now, since you do not wish to pronounce the sentence, I will show you what I will do to my vineyard. Below, 48: I foretold it to you from then, before they came I declared it to you; lest perhaps you should say: my idols have done this, and my graven and molten images have commanded these things which you have heard. Second he pronounces the just sentence, that he may take away from the ungrateful the benefit bestowed, when he says, I will take away its hedge. And first he takes away the benefit which pertains to guardianship, which is twofold. That of the angels: and as to this he says, I will take away its hedge, that is, the aid of the angels, by which it was protected against enemies, and it shall be for a spoil, to the nations. Ecclus. 36: where there is no hedge, the possession shall be plundered. There is also the guardianship of prelates; and as to this he says, I will break down its wall, that is, the defenses of the kingdom, concerning which above, 2: and every loftiness of man shall be bowed down: and it shall be for a treading down, that is, made vile. Ps. 79: you have destroyed its wall. Second he takes away the benefit which pertains to the diligence of cultivation: hence he says: and I will make it a wasteland; that is, I will leave it untilled like a desert. It shall not be pruned, by admonition or by the lash of correction when it sins, and it shall not be dug, so that the occasions of evil might be taken away from them, like weeds; and briars and thorns shall grow up over it, that is, greater and lesser sins: or briars of sins, thorns of tribulations. Below, 7: for briars and thorns shall be in the whole land. Third he takes away the benefit of fertility, against which he sets the failure of rain: hence he says: and I will command the clouds that they rain not: according to the letter, or the clouds are the preachers. Below, 60: who are these that fly as clouds, and as doves to their windows? Jer. 3: wherefore the drops of rain have been withheld, and there has been no latter rain. For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts. Here he explains the metaphor: and first as to the vineyard; second as to the cause of the vineyard, at, I waited that it should do judgment. Concerning the first he explains the vineyard, saying, for the vineyard, first, is the house of Israel; either the whole, or as to the ten tribes, which were called Israel after the separation of the kingdom, on account of their multitude. Second, as to the shoot or the branches, the men of Judah, that is, the two tribes in which the worship of God was still observed. Hosea 4: though you play the harlot, Israel, do not at least forsake Judah. Or because from it come the princes. 1 Chron. 5: moreover Judah, who was the strongest among his brothers, from his stock princes sprang. I waited that it should do judgment. Here he explains the cause of the vineyard, which consists in the fault, and the punishment which follows the fault: hence it is divided into three parts. In the first the fault is set down in general; in the second, fault and punishment together in particular, at, woe to you who join house; in the third, punishment in general, at, in all these things. He charges the fault in general as to the prelates, whose task it is to do judgment, in this that he says: I waited, according to the order of benefits, that it should do judgment, judging justly; and behold iniquity, as it were an inequality of judgment. Eccles. 3: I saw under the sun, in the place of judgment, impiety, and in the place of judgment, iniquity. Second, as to the subjects, whose task it is to hold to the justice prescribed for them by the prelates: and justice, which is by comparison to the precepts of the law; and behold a cry, the tumult of those quarreling, or the complaint of the poor. Below, 22: what ails you too, that you also have gone up onto the rooftops, full of clamor, a crowded city, an exultant city. Woe to you who join house to house. Here he sets down their fault in the abuse of things in particular, pursuing it part by part. And it is divided into two parts. In the first he charges them as to the fault itself; in the second as to their persistence in sinning, at, woe to you who draw. Concerning the first he does two things. First he charges them as to the abuse of possessions, which comes about through avarice; in the second as to the abuse of foods, which comes about through gluttony, at, woe to you who rise up. Concerning the first, three things are set down. First the excessive multiplication of possessions is charged: hence he says: woe to you who join house to house, and couple field to field, even to the limit of the place; as far as to the public road. Hosea 5: the princes of Judah have become like those who remove the boundary upon them. Jer. 22: woe to him who builds his house in injustice, and his upper rooms not in judgment. He will oppress his friend without cause, and will not repay him his wages. Who says: I will build myself a wide house, and spacious upper rooms. Micah 2: and they coveted fields, and took them violently, and seized houses, and oppressed a man and his house, a man and his inheritance. Second is set down the appeal of the judge: shall you dwell in the midst of the land? Which is wide and spacious, and given to many for a possession. Gen. 1: increase, and multiply, and fill the earth. Third the threat of punishment is set down: and concerning this two things are set down. First the authority or power of the one who punishes: hence he says: these words are in my ears, of the Lord of hosts, who is able to punish: which I shall tell you, are still sounding in my ears, my inward ears; in which the certainty of the words is noted. Below, 50: he wakens my ear in the morning, that I may hear as a master. The Lord God has opened my ear: and I do not contradict. Second the severity of the punishment is set down, at, unless the houses. And first, as to the solitude of the houses, he says, unless the houses shall be deserted, as to guardianship, and without an inhabitant, as to the solitude of the houses; as if to say: my wrath shall not rest. And it is an aposiopesis, which is a breaking-off of speech. And he sets down those things in which the riches of houses consist: namely in number: and as to this he says, many: in beauty: and as to this he says, beautiful: in size, great. Zeph. 1: and their strength shall be for a spoil, and their houses for a desert. Second, as to the barrenness of the vineyards, he says: ten jugera of vineyard (a jugerum has 120 feet in length) shall make one small flask. Another text has: a bath, which is of the same capacity in liquids, as an ephah in dry things. Third, as to the loss of seed: and thirty modii shall make three, because you shall gather less than you sowed. Haggai 2: when you came to a heap of twenty modii, and there were ten. Others have a cor, or an ephah, which is a tenth part of a cor. Ezek. 45: the ephah and the bath shall be equal, and shall be of one measure, so that the bath may hold the tenth part of a cor, and the ephah the tenth part of a cor.”

“Woe to you who rise up early in the morning to drunkenness. Here he charges them with their fault as regards the abuse of food: and first he charges the fault; second he threatens the punishment, at the words, therefore, captive. Concerning the first he does two things. First he charges gluttony as regards its species, second as regards its effect, at the words, and you do not regard the work of the Lord. Now the species of gluttony are five, which are contained in this verse: too hastily, sumptuously, too much, ardently, studiously. He says therefore first: woe to you who rise up early in the morning — as regards too hastily. Ecclesiastes 10: Woe to thee, O land, whose king is a child, and whose princes eat in the morning. Proverbs 23: When shall I awake, and find wine again? As regards ardently he says, to be pursued. As regards too much he says, even until evening. Proverbs 23: To whom is woe? To whom is a father's woe? To whom are quarrels? To whom are pits? To whom are wounds without cause? To whom is the gouging out of eyes? Is it not to those who tarry long over wine, and who apply themselves to draining the cups? That you may be inflamed with wine — unto luxury, and unto all vices. As regards studiously he says, harp and wine — sought after studiously, because with great zeal they prepare for themselves delight in foods. As regards sumptuously he says, in their feasts, in which great preparations are made and choice foods. Amos 6: you who eat the lamb from the flock, and the calves from the midst of the herd; who sing to the sound of the psaltery: as David they thought they had instruments of song, drinking wine in bowls, and anointed with the best ointment. Now the effect is thoughtlessness: and as regards this he says: and you do not regard the work of the Lord, which you ought to do; nor the works, which he himself has done. Proverbs 20: Wine is a luxurious thing, and drunkenness is riotous. Therefore, captive. Here he sets down the corresponding punishment; and first as regards the affection of the will: hence he says, therefore — as their knowledge is made captive through drunkenness, so shall they themselves be made captive. Hosea 4: My people has fallen silent, because it had not knowledge. But it seems that ignorance does not merit punishment, because it excuses fault. And it must be said that ignorance can denote merely a negation of knowledge; and thus it merits neither punishment nor pardon, as the ignorance of geometry in country-folk. It can also denote a privation of knowledge, such that it leaves behind the aptitude that was due in the subject; and thus it is clear that not to know those things which one is able and bound to know is culpable. Second, he sets down the punishment against the species of gluttony; and thus he sets down hunger and thirst, which correspond to that which is too hastily as regards its cause: because hunger is caused by the fact that someone delays too long in taking food; as if he were to say: you ate too quickly, but you delayed so much that you shall hunger. Again it corresponds to that species which is ardently as regards its own kind: for hunger is a desire for food: hence he says, and the nobles. And he sets down thirst against the multitude of the common people, who are accustomed to quench thirst at least with water; but against the nobles, who abounded in provisions, and were at times burdened with thirst, he sets down hunger. Lamentations 4: It was better for those slain by the sword than for those killed by hunger. Second, against the other species which is too much, he sets down the insatiability of those who take captive, in the captivity — hence he says: therefore Hell has enlarged, that is, death or the Devil, its soul, as regards its desire, opened its mouth, as regards its effect. And he speaks after a human manner, because Hell does not have a soul. Proverbs 27: Hell and destruction are never filled. Or Hell is said to mean Nebuchadnezzar. Habakkuk 2: Hell has enlarged its soul, and it is like death, and is not satisfied. Third, as regards the studious preparation of food, which arises from a certain haughtiness, he sets down the punishment of humiliation, at the words, and they shall go down. And he shows that they are to be humbled in three respects. First as regards captivity: hence he says, they shall go down, as though humbled, to it, namely to the Hell of captivity, its strong ones, as regards the powerful, and its exalted ones, as regards the rich and those eminent in other goods, in which they take pride, and its glorious ones, as regards the noble and famous. Jeremiah 39: and the king of Babylon killed all the nobles of Judah. He also put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him in fetters, that he might be led into Babylon. And further in the same: and the remnant of the people who remained in the city, and the deserters who had fled over to him, and the rest of the common people who remained, Nebuzaradan the captain of the soldiers carried away to Babylon. Second, as regards the abasement of the captives: and man shall be bowed down, existing in captivity, as regards the exalted, and man shall be humbled, as regards the powerful, and the eyes of the lofty, as regards the glorious. Deuteronomy 28: among those nations also you shall not rest; neither shall there be rest for the sole of your foot. Third, as regards the exaltation of God who punishes. And he shall be exalted: he who before was despised shall appear on high, in just judgment, and God, holy in himself, shall be sanctified, that is, shall appear holy. Above, chapter 2: and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. Fourth, against the species which is sumptuously, he sets down the devouring of goods by enemies: and lambs shall feed, that is, shall be eaten by your enemies according to their own order, because the better ones first — as regards the animals; and as regards the produce of the earth, the deserts, that is your fields deserted by you, into fruitfulness, that is, the strangers made more fruitful. Deuteronomy 28: The Lord shall bring you, and your king whom you shall set over you, into a nation which you do not know, you and your fathers. Further in the same: the stranger who dwells with you in the land shall rise above you, and shall be higher. Mystically, the lambs, that is the saints, shall feed — they shall be refreshed with the doctrine of God the Father according to their order, that is, their capacity; the strangers are the Gentiles; and the deserts, left by the Jews, namely the sacred Scriptures, turned into fruitfulness, of spiritual understanding. Woe to you who draw. Here he charges the obstinacy of sinning: and first he charges the fault, second he threatens the punishment, at the words, because of this, as. Concerning the first he does two things. First he charges in general; second he explains in particular, at, who say. He says therefore first: woe to you who draw, that is, drag out iniquity with the cords of vanity, that is, with vain occasions, by which man is drawn to sins, while through increase the fault is prolonged. Proverbs 5: his own iniquities catch the wicked man, and he is bound fast with the cords of his own sins. And this is said as regards common sins; but as regards grave sins he adds: and sin as the cord of a cart, that is, by which a cart is bound and drawn, which is a greater thing. And he designates the gravity of sin by the cart. Below, chapter 58: loose the bonds of wickedness, undo the bundles that weigh down. Who say. Here he shows these vanities in particular, from which they were drawing sin upon themselves; and this in three respects. First as regards contempt of the judge; second as regards the excusing of sin, at the words, woe to you who say; third as regards presumption in sinning, at the words, woe to you who are wise. And here is the threefold cord, which is broken with difficulty: Ecclesiasticus 4. They despised the threat of the judge on account of two things: namely on account of the delay of the sentence: hence he says, let it hasten, and let the work of captivity, which you threaten, come quickly. Ecclesiastes 8: for because sentence is not pronounced quickly against evildoers, the sons of men commit evils without any fear. Second, on account of the removedness of the judge: hence he says, let it draw near: as if he were to say: he is in heaven, and cannot see; so let it become near. Ezekiel 9: for they said: the Lord has forsaken the earth, and the Lord does not see. Note, upon that phrase, and sin as the cord of a cart, that sin is called, first, a cord; and this because it draws, first, toward the example of sin. Proverbs 7: immediately he follows her, like an ox led to the sacrifice, and he does not know that the fool is being drawn to bonds. Second, toward the habit of sinning. Jeremiah 2: a wild ass accustomed to the wilderness, in the desire of his soul drew in the wind of his love. Third, toward the ruin of eternal death. Proverbs 24: deliver those who are being led to death, and do not cease to free those who are drawn to destruction. Second, sin is called vanity; and this because, first, it fails from the imitation of divine truth. Wisdom 13: all men are vain, in whom there is not the knowledge of God. Second, it fails from the attainment of the hoped-for end. Ecclesiastes 2: but to the sinner he has given affliction and superfluous care, that he may add and gather, and hand it over to him who has pleased God. But this too is vanity, and a vain anxiety of mind. Third, it fails from the long duration of time. Ecclesiasticus 17: the son of man is not immortal, and they were pleased in the vanity of malice. Wisdom 5: all those things have passed away like a shadow, and like a messenger running ahead. Third, sin is called a bond; and this because, first, it binds the intellect, lest it see. Wisdom 17: for since the wicked were persuaded that they could dominate the holy nation, they, fettered with the chains of darkness and of a long night, shut up under roofs, were pleasing to everlasting providence. And while they think themselves hidden in their dark sins, they have been scattered by the dark veil of forgetfulness. Second, it binds the hand, lest it do good. Third, the feet, lest they advance. Concerning these two, Matthew 22: bind his feet and hands, and cast him into outer darkness. Fourth, sin is called a cart; and this because, first, it oppresses with the burden of servitude. Jeremiah 16: and there you shall serve strange gods day and night, who will not give you rest. Second, with fear of heart. Wisdom 17: for since wickedness is cowardly, it has been given over to the condemnation of all. Third, with the unquiet of conscience. Below, chapter 57: but the heart of the wicked is like a raging sea, which cannot rest.”

“Woe to you who call evil good. Here is set down the vanity as to the excusing of sin; and first as to the effect, evil for good: Micah 7: they call the evil of their own hands good; second as to the understanding, light for darkness, truth for error: John 3: men loved darkness more than light; third as to the affection, bitter into sweet, esteeming the life of sin sweet. Wisdom 14: and it was not enough for them to have erred concerning the knowledge of God, but living in a great war of ignorance, they call so many and so great evils peace. Woe to you who are wise. Here is set down the third vanity as to the presumption of sinning, which concerns three things. First, the wisdom of the heart, both in speculative matters, who are wise: Proverbs 3: be not wise in your own estimation: and in practical matters, prudent. Romans 12: do not be prudent in your own estimation. Second, as to the power of the body for sinning: who are mighty to drink: they boast that they can drink much, and become drunk, on account of the custom of the land in which mixed wine is drunk. Below, 41: let the islands be silent toward me, and let the nations change strength. Proverbs 2: they rejoice when they have done evil, and exult in most wicked things. Third, as to authority, who justify — that is, you say that you are of such great authority that at your own pleasure you can justify the impious, so that whatever pleases you may have the force of law: below, 10: woe to those who make unjust laws, and who, writing, have written injustices. Proverbs 17: and he who justifies the impious, and he who condemns the just. Micah 3: and if anyone has not put something into their mouth, they sanctify war against him. Because of this, as it devours. Here he threatens punishment. And first he sets down the punishment of consumption under the metaphor of fire. Because of this, that you draw iniquity, setting for yourselves a root in sins. As the flame of fire burns up the stubble which it touches, and the heat of the flame burns that which is distant: for persecution kills those it takes captive, and afflicts others: Deuteronomy 32: without, the sword shall lay them waste, and within, dread: so their root shall be as ashes, as to those things in which they trusted — whether fathers or kinsmen — and their offshoot, the sons, shall go up as dust; in which is noted the strength arising from those causes. Malachi, last chapter: and all the proud, and all who do wickedness, shall be stubble, and it will set them ablaze. Second, he sets down the process and order of the punishment; and first he sets down the cause of the punishment, and especially as to the first vanity, whence he says: for they have cast away the law, despising it in heart, and have blasphemed the holy word of Israel, mocking with the mouth. Jeremiah 32: they have not obeyed your voice, and have not walked in your law. Second, the anger of the one who punishes; therefore he was angry: he speaks after the manner in which the process of anger occurs in men. Psalm 105: the Lord was angry with fury. Third, the infliction of the punishment: and he stretched out his hand, of power to strike, which, folded, he had held back in sparing. Zephaniah 2: and he shall stretch out his hand over the north, and destroy Assyria, and make the beautiful one a wilderness. Fourth, the effect of the punishment in the destruction of the great ones: the mountains were troubled, that is, the great ones, from fear. The Gloss says that he speaks hyperbolically. But against this: then the prophet would have exceeded the truth. And it must be said that in some writings, "hyperbolically" is taken for an excess of truth simply, but in sacred Scripture for an excess of truth according to the opinion of men; as if he were to say: the trouble will be beyond what could be believed. Or otherwise, hyperbole is a certain trope, and in figurative expressions one thing is said and another is understood. Hence there is no falsity as to the sense which it intends to convey, just as also in metaphor; as if he were to say: so great will the trouble be, that the mountains, if it were possible, would be troubled. Psalm 45: the mountains were troubled, etc. And as to the vileness of bodies, they became carcasses. Jeremiah 8: they shall not be gathered nor buried; they shall be as dung upon the face of the earth. The same, 16: they shall die of grievous deaths, and shall not be lamented, and shall not be buried; they shall be as dung upon the face of the earth.”

“In all this the fury has not turned away. Here he sets down the common and final punishment, as regards the captivity by the Romans; and concerning this three things are set down. First, the preparation of the army; second, the disposition of the army, at the place, and behold he hastens; third, the infliction of the punishment, at the place, and he will hold the prey. Concerning the first, three things are set down. First, the indignation of the one gathering, in all this; as if to say: just as you add sins to sins, so he adds punishments to punishments. Below, 9: a man will not spare his brother, and he will turn to the right hand, and will be hungry; and he will eat on the left hand, and will not be satisfied. Second, the raising of the standard, and he will lift up a sign, that is, a standard. Jer. 4: raise up a sign in Sion, take courage, and do not stand still; for I bring evil from the north, and a great destruction. Third, the summoning of the army, and he will whistle, that is, he will inspire. Below, 7. And it will be in that day, the Lord will whistle for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assur; and they will come, and all will rest in the torrents of the valleys. And so that it may terrify the more, he sets down the foreignness of the nation, both as to worship, among the nations, so that they might not revere your holy things; and as to language, from afar, lest they be won over by words; and as to customs, from the ends of the earth, lest they be bound in league with them. Behold he hastens. Here the disposition of the army is set down: and first he shows them ready for coming; second, armed for fighting, his arrows; third, cruel for punishing, his roaring. Concerning the first, two things are set down. First, their swiftness: behold — for certainly — swift. Thren. 4: our persecutors were swifter than the eagles of heaven. Habac. 1: for his horsemen will come from afar; they will fly like an eagle hastening to eat. Jer. 4: behold, he will come up like a cloud, and his chariots like a tempest; his horses are swifter than eagles. Second, the cause of the swiftness according to the removal of a threefold impediment: the first, which could occur from weakness of nature; against which he says: and there is none feeble, who would have to remain behind, nor weary among them, who would have to come late. Below, 40: but they who hope in the Lord will renew their strength; they will take up wings like eagles; they will run, and not grow weary; they will walk, and not faint. Second, against that which could arise from the will. He says: he will not slumber, through sloth, namely so that he would go sluggishly, nor will he sleep, so that he would not come to himself. Prov. 19: sloth casts one into sleep, and a dissolute soul will be hungry. Third, he removes the impediment arising from the necessity of things: nor will the girdle be loosed. And he sets down those things by which travelers are usually hindered from their journey: as if to say: all things will endure more than usual. Deut. 29: I led you forty years through the desert; your garments were not worn out, nor were the shoes of your feet consumed by age. His arrows are sharp. Here he shows them to be armed for fighting: and first as to the goodness of their weapons; and he sets down those things which in those lands are most customary. Sharp arrows, in which the goodness of the arrows is noted; bows bent, in which is the preparation of arms, lest they be hindered in preparing. Psal. 119: the sharp arrows of the mighty. Second, he sets down the conveyances: the hooves of his horses like flint, which is not broken easily, and his wheels like the rush of a tempest, making a great sound on account of their multitude and swiftness. Jer. 4: behold, he will come up like a cloud, and his chariots like a tempest. His roaring. Here he shows them to be cruel for punishing: and first as to fierceness, roaring. Oseae 11: they will walk after the Lord, he will roar like a lion; for he himself will roar, and the sons of the sea will be afraid. Second, as to rapacity: he will roar like the whelps of lions. Ps. 103: the whelps of lions roaring that they may seize. Third, as to cruelty, and he will gnash, which belongs to the boar. Ps. 34: they have gnashed upon me with their teeth. Ps. 79: the boar out of the wood has laid them waste, and a lone wild beast has devoured it. And he will hold. Here the infliction of the punishment is set down, and finally the despair of those punished, at the place, we will look. Concerning the first he sets down three things. First he threatens the seizure: he will hold the prey; as if to say: he will seize you like prey. Nahum 2: the lion has taken enough for his whelps, and has killed for his lionesses, and has filled his dens with prey, and his lair with spoil. Second, the anxious detention: and he will hold fast, lest you go out through their carelessness; and there will be none to deliver, through their powerlessness. Threnorum 1: the Lord has given me into a hand, from which I will not be able to rise. Third, the rigid domination, and he will make a sound, with threats and terrors. Jer. 6: behold, a people will come from the land of the north, and a great nation will rise up from the ends of the earth; it will seize the arrow and the shield; it is cruel, and will not have mercy; its voice will sound like the sea. We will look toward the land. Here he sets down their despair: and first as to help from the earth: we will look toward the land, on every side, and behold darkness, because all were pursuing them; second, as to help from heaven: and the light, of the divine hope, has been darkened in its gloom. Jer. 4: I looked upon the earth, and behold it was empty and nothing; and the heavens, and there was no light in them. And the prophet numbers himself among them through compassion.”

“In the year that the king died. After he reproved the fault in the two tribes, adding the corrective punishment, here he threatens the punishment that finally condemns, namely the punishment of hardening; and therefore this punishment is foretold in the manner of a sentence, and with the solemnity of judgment. This chapter is therefore divided into three parts. In the first, the author of the sentence is described, namely the judge; in the second, the herald of the sentence, the minister of the judge, at the place, "And I said: Woe is me"; in the third, the sentence itself is set down, at the place, "Hear, you that hear." Concerning the first, two things are set down. First, the time of the vision; second, the vision itself, at the place, "I saw the Lord sitting." As to the first, he says: in the year that Ozias died, who in 4 Kings 15 is called Azarias, struck with leprosy by the Lord because he wished to usurp the priestly office, as is said in 2 Paralipomenon 26. But after he was struck, his son Joatham governed the king's house and the kingdom until his death; yet he is not said to have reigned then, but rather to have carried on his father's role; but he first reigned when his father died. Hence this vision was shown while Joatham was reigning, and the preceding matters while Ozias was reigning. I saw the Lord sitting. Here the vision is set down: and first he describes the throne of the judge; second, the ministry of those attending, at the place "Seraphim." Now this vision is said by some to have been imaginary, by others intellectual. And a figure is taken up by the prophet himself from something similar, as Dionysius says in the epistle to Titus, that to the prophets, to the things which they see plainly without figures, figures are put around for the leading-by-hand of the hearers, who through sensible figures can more easily grasp them. However this may be, two things must be seen here. First, the imagining of the figure, whether seen by the prophet, or composed by him; and second, the signification of that figure itself: for in order to signify something spiritually, sensible figures of spiritual things are introduced in sacred Scripture, as Dionysius says: and that will be the literal sense; just as also in metaphorical speech it is not that which is signified by the words, but what the speaker through the words wishes to signify. Concerning the first, then, it must be known that the temple built by Solomon had a height of a hundred and twenty cubits, as is said in 2 Paralipomenon 3, and its height was divided into three houses; of which the highest had sixty cubits, and each of the two lower ones thirty. And of these it is said in 3 Kings 6: by a winding stair they went up into the middle chamber, and from the middle into the third. He saw, then, the throne of the Lord in the highest chamber; on account of which it is said, "high," that is, lofty, as also "lifted up," above all the chambers: and from the brightness of his countenance the middle chamber shone: on account of which it is said: "the house was full of majesty," that is, of his glory; and the things that were under him, that is, the ornaments of his throne, or even the splendor of his garments, or the ranks of his subjects, filled the lowest chamber, into which the priests entered: on account of which he says, "temple." Others say otherwise, that he saw the lofty throne in the middle chamber, which is called the house, which was full of the middle members and arms of the Lord; below, which is called the temple, of the feet and shins; but the head and neck stood forth into the third story. 3 Kings, last chapter: I saw the Lord sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him, on his right hand and on his left. Proverbs 20: the king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters all evil round about him. Concerning the second, it must be known that the signification of this vision is assigned in three ways by different people. For some say that by the sitting on the throne is signified the future oppression of captivity: by the filling of the house with majesty is signified that the enemies who were under his disposition would fill the temple: and the histories touch on this. Jerome, however, expounds otherwise, and better, that by the seat is signified the majesty of the Son of God, on account of which it is said in John 12: these things said Isaias, when he saw his glory, and spoke of him. By the throne are signified the Angels, in whom God sits. Psalm 79: who sittest upon the Cherubim. By the house, the Church triumphant, which is full of his glory. By the temple, the Church militant, which is full of miracles, or of the ranks of Angels, as if guardians. Dionysius expounds otherwise in the 13th chapter of the Celestial Hierarchy, and better, as it seems. By the throne is signified the eminence of the divine nature, and it is called "lofty" on account of its nobility, "lifted up" as if raised above other things, inasmuch as it exceeds all things infinitely; in which he is said to sit on account of immobility. Hence he says in the 9th chapter On the Divine Names: what indeed is to be said of the divine standing, except that it remains fixed singularly in itself in immovable identity? And the whole creature is called the house, which is full of majesty, inasmuch as it is filled with a participation of his goodness according to its capacity. And by the temple he seems to understand the higher creatures themselves, which are filled with the things that are under him, inasmuch as the goodnesses received in them fall short of the goodness of God, which nevertheless they seem to approach. But against this it is objected. Exodus 33: for man shall not see me, and live, that is, living in this mortal flesh. 1 John 4: no man hath seen God at any time. Therefore neither did Isaias. To which it must be said that neither interior nor exterior sight can see unless it be moved by the visible thing; and according as it is more perfectly changed by the visible thing, the better it sees. And then it sees most perfectly when it receives the action of the visible thing according to its whole power. And hence it is that the same thing is seen in different ways by different people, both interiorly and exteriorly; by some better, and by some worse. This visible object, therefore, which is God, nothing comprehends perfectly except that which grasps the whole of him, and therefore he alone sees himself in this way. Hence the heavenly secret (says Chrysostom) is seen by some in its own essence without a medium for this, according to the perfection which those attaining to it have from the divine light received, as by the blessed in their homeland, and by those who are lifted up by rapture to that manner of vision. But by those having a less perfect sight, it is seen according to certain likenesses of his goodness, whether in sensible things, or in images, or in intelligible species. And of this kind is the vision by which the prophets saw through the light of prophecy, and by which we see through faith, and by which he is seen through the light of reason, even by philosophers, who also knew God, as is said in Romans 1. But then there remains the question, whether the prophets received such a vision immediately from God, or through the mediation of Angels. And it seems that it was immediate, from the very manner of speaking: because he says, I saw the Lord, and not, I saw an Angel. Likewise concerning Moses, Exodus 33: the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man is wont to speak to his friend. Likewise they saw in the mirror of eternity, as is commonly said: therefore some saw God. To which it must be said, according to Dionysius, 4th chapter On the Celestial Hierarchy, that no mere man, neither among the fathers of the New nor of the Old Testament, received any revelation from God except through the mediation of Angels. And he says that this is an inviolable law, that through the first mediating things they are led back into the divine; and he proves this by an argument from the greater, because even Moses received the law through the mediation of Angels, who nevertheless saw most excellently; which is proved by that which is found in Galatians 3: what then is the law? It was set because of transgression, until the seed should come to whom God had promised, ordained by Angels in the hand of a mediator. Acts 7: who have received the law by the disposition of Angels, and have not kept it. To the first, then, it must be said that this reasoning can hold both on the part of the end of the vision, and on the part of the principle. On the part of the end, because the Angel revealing intends to lead man into the knowledge of God, and not into the knowledge of himself; and therefore he forms the vision about God, so that from those things which are seen figuratively, something about God may be known. But on the part of the principle, because the whole power of the angelic light for manifesting anything is from God the author, who is the fount of light; just as in demonstrative matters the whole power of the light or manifestation is from the first principles. Hence Gregory says in the Gloss on the third chapter of Exodus: the Angel who is described as having appeared to Moses is announced now as the Lord, now as an Angel. An Angel, because he serves by speaking outwardly; the Lord, because presiding inwardly he grants the efficacy of speaking. For since the one speaking is ruled from within, he is called both Angel through his service, and Lord through his inspiration. To the second it must be said that this is said on account of the most eminent manner of clear vision, by which Moses saw beyond the other prophets, as is said in Numbers 12. To the third it must be said that the mirror of eternity is not said to be God himself, but the very species which are in the soul of the prophet; and they are called a mirror inasmuch as the disposition of eternal wisdom is reflected in them. Seraphim stood. Here he sets down the office of the ministers: and first he describes the order of the ministers; second, their praise, at "And they cried: Holy." Concerning the first he sets down three things. First he sets down the rank of the ministers, saying: the Seraphim stood beneath it, namely the temple, because this order is supreme among all, as Dionysius says in the Gloss here. Also note, that "Seraphim" written with an m is of the plural number and masculine gender, and signifies several of that order; but written with an n it is of the plural number and neuter gender, and signifies the whole host of that order; but "Seraphin" is of the singular number and masculine gender, and signifies only one of that order. Below, 62: upon thy walls, Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen: all the day and all the night they shall never be silent. And he says, "stood," upright through contemplation, as if attending. Second he sets down the adornment of the ministers in the sixfold number of wings. Six wings. Third, the use of the wings: with two they covered his face. In the Hebrew it is said ambiguously; and it can be expounded that they covered the face of God; and thus Jerome takes it: or that they covered their own face; and thus Dionysius takes it, according to whom the sense is that the head was covered, and the feet, and the middle of the body. With two they flew, namely the middle ones. Ezechiel 1: each one with two others covered its body. And below in the same place: and I heard the sound of the wings, like the sound of many waters. The signification of this vision is taken in three ways. The Hebrew says that by the twelve wings are understood the twelve kings who ruled over the people from Ozias, under whom the vision began, and thereafter; of whom only four were just, namely Ozias, Joatham, Ezechias, and Josias: and therefore they flew with four wings. But the others were ashamed before the sight of God, and therefore covered their face: of whom four possessed the kingdom freely, namely Achaz, Manasses, Amon, and Joathan, who were made kings by the people; and these are signified by the wings that were at the head. But the other four possessed the kingdom under the servitude of others. Hence they were made kings by others, and not by the people, as Joachim by Pharaoh, Jechonias and Sedecias and Godolias: of whom it is said in Jeremiah 41, that Ismael and ten men who were with him killed Godolias, whom the king of Babylon had set over the land. For the aforesaid last three were appointed by Nabuchodonosor, king of Babylon. Jerome says that they are called winged, either because they dwell above, or on account of the swiftness of their ministry: and he understands by the twelve wings the ministry of perfection, which is commended in the number twelve, as the twelve gems in the diadem of the priest, and so of the others. And with two they fly, et cetera. Because the things that were before the world or after the world, they conceal from us, and they show what happens in the six ages of the world: or because past and future things are unknown to us, but present things we know; so that this is referred to the act of ministry; and that which he said, "stood," to this, that they attend upon God. Dionysius expounds otherwise, in the 13th chapter of the Celestial Hierarchy and the 4th chapter of the Ecclesiastical; and he says that they are called winged, because after the likeness of one flying, they have a lofty and free contemplation. Now a threefold pair of wings is described; because the Seraphim see the things that pertain to themselves, who are of the first hierarchy, and the things that pertain to the other two more eminently than those; so that by one wing is understood the capacity of nature, and by the other the light participated from God, because by these two they are raised up. But the things that pertain to the hierarchies are from God as from a principle, and are ordered to God as to an end; and in both ways they cannot be perfectly understood by the Angels; which the covering signifies. And there are also, in the Angels themselves, as it were middle things between the beginning and the end; and thus they have perfect and free knowledge of these, and therefore with the two middle wings they flew, and cried. Here he sets down their praise: and concerning this he does three things. First he sets down the manner of praising as to devotion, because they cried out from greatness of affection; as to concord, because "each" cried; and as to order, because "to the other." For one receives from the other, as Dionysius holds. Job 38: where wast thou when the morning stars praised me together, and all the sons of God made a joyful melody? Second he sets down the song of praise, at "holy, holy, holy." And they praise three things. The Trinity of Persons: "holy, holy, holy." The majesty of the Unity: "the Lord God of hosts," who is over all. Apocalypse 4: holy, holy, holy, the Lord God almighty, who is, and who was, and who is to come. The liberality of providence: "all the earth is full of his glory": because even to the last creatures, which are understood by "the earth," he extends the diffusion of his goodness. Jeremiah 23: do not I fill heaven and earth, saith the Lord? And this according to Dionysius, 7th chapter of the Celestial Hierarchy. Jerome: "all the earth is full," through the knowledge of faith. Ecclesiasticus 42: his work is full of the glory of the Lord. Hath not the Lord made the saints to declare all his wonderful works, which the Lord almighty hath confirmed to be established for his glory? Third, at "and the lintels were moved," he sets down the effect of the praise, namely the punishment of sinners. Below, 65: behold my servants shall eat, and you shall be hungry; behold my servants shall drink, and you shall be thirsty; behold my servants shall praise for joyfulness of heart, and you shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for grief of spirit. And the destruction of the temple is signified. The lintels of the hinges were moved. Amos 9: strike the hinge, and let the lintels be moved. And its burning is signified. And the house was filled with smoke, of the burning by the Romans after the faith of Christ was known. Or by the smoke, the unbelief of the Jews; by the moving of the hinges, the removal of the legal observances, or ceremonies, which were as it were shadows closing off the approach to the truth. And I said. Here the herald of the sentence is set down: and first his humility is shown; second his purity, at "and he flew"; third, authority, at "and I heard." Humility, in the confession of sin. Now he confesses a threefold sin. The first, in speech, of omission: "woe," because "I held my peace," by not reproving King Ozias; and thus he laments the fault; "I held my peace" from the praise of God, and thus he laments the loss. Below, 56: his watchmen are all blind, they are all ignorant, dumb dogs not able to bark, seeing vain things, sleeping and loving dreams. Ecclesiasticus 15: praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner. Of commission: because I am a man of polluted lips. Ecclesiasticus 23: let not thy mouth be accustomed to undisciplined speech, for therein is the word of sin. Second, of the company of evil people: "and in the midst of a people." 1 Corinthians 15: for evil communications corrupt good manners. Third, the sin of presumption: "and the king, the Lord of hosts"; as if he were to say: he who is impure cannot enter his temple, how much less can he see him himself; Judges 13: we shall die the death, because we have seen the Lord. And this was out of reverence. But Jacob said, Genesis 32: I have seen the Lord face to face, and my soul has been saved. And this is out of confidence. Jerome: happy the conscience which sinned only in speech, having polluted lips not by its own fault, but that of the people. And he flew to me. Here purity is shown from the purgation of sins: and concerning this three things are set down. The minister of the purgation: "he flew to me"; the instrument of the purgation: "and in his hand a coal from the altar of holocausts." The altar within was of earth, as is said in Exodus 20: you shall make me an altar of earth. But all around it was of stones, where the fires of sacrifice were gathered; and from these he took the coal with tongs, an instrument having two arms, by which the receptive power can be signified; and by the altar, the divine light or goodness itself; and by the coal, the gift received for the office of purgation. Or by the fire, tribulation; by the Seraph, Christ; by the tongs, the two testaments; by the coal, charity, which is in the hand, that is, in his operation. Third, the manner of purging: "and he touched my mouth, and said"; just as in the sacraments there is an action and a form of words; behold, "he touched," expresses the act; and "iniquity shall be taken away," toward men, "sin," toward God. And he does not say, "I will take away," because it belongs to God alone to remit sin. Below, 43: I am, I am he that blot out thy iniquities for my own sake, and I will not remember thy sins. Concerning all these, Daniel 9: behold the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, flying swiftly, touched me at the time of the evening sacrifice, and he instructed me, and spoke to me. But against this it is objected that Dionysius says that those of the higher orders are not sent into ministry; but it is established that the Seraphim are the highest: therefore it does not seem true that they come for the purgation of the prophet. To which it must be said that Gregory touches on this question in a certain homily on the hundred sheep, and leaves it in doubt. But Dionysius expressly holds that only the lower orders are sent to us: and he says that this is by the order of the divine law, that lower things are led back through intermediaries. But as to what is said here, he resolves it in two ways. In one way, that this Angel who purges is called "Seraphim" equivocally, not from the order, but from the act which he then exercised, because he purged with fire, and "Seraphin" means a burning. In the other way, he resolves it by saying that it is properly said of him who is of that order; and he is said to purge, not because he himself immediately purges, but because by his authority, or by an illumination received from him, a lower Angel purged. And he gives an example. Just as a bishop is said to absolve when another absolves by his authority. And therefore, out of reverence, the lower Angel, who formed the vision, refers it back to God first, and to the Seraph second; as if he were to say: I purge you through the light received from God, by the mediation of the Seraph. The Septuagint have "carbuncles," on account of the likeness to fire. For it has a flaming color.”