Gregory the Great, on 1Sam 6:12

“And the kine took the straight way that leadeth to Bethsames, and they went along the way, lowing as they went: and turned not aside neither to the right hand nor to the left: and the lords of the Philistines followed them as far as the borders of Bethsames.”

“15. To go straight along the road that leads to Beth-shemesh is, in the pursuit of heavenly perfection, to maintain affliction of the flesh through the virtue of discretion. For the cows by no means walk in a straight line if discretion is not preserved in the affliction of the flesh. For when the flesh is afflicted beyond measure, that same flesh, utterly spent, is unable to render aid to the spirit. And if it is not worthily afflicted, while it grows proud, it disdains, as though free and untamed, to serve the mind. Rightly therefore, while the cows are reported to go straight along the road to Beth-shemesh, it is added: "They turned aside neither to the right nor to the left." To turn aside to the right is to press immoderately upon the virtue of abstinence: because through what appears to be a good, we abandon the way, when we so pursue the necessary virtue of abstinence that we withdraw from ourselves the other helps that come from the flesh. To turn aside to the left is to indulge the flesh too abundantly. For through the vice of open laxity we are deflected from the road to Beth-shemesh, when we lead the flesh through delights—we who had known that the way to paradise was appointed in affliction. 16. And because there is no sincerity of a more sparing life if the simplicity of purity in good work does not agree with one's intention, it is carefully expressed: "And they went by one path." For he goes by one path who preserves in right intention the virtue that he displays in good work. On the contrary, it is said of every reprobate: "Woe to the sinner who enters the land by two ways" (Sirach 2:14). For the sinner enters the land by two ways when what he does appears to be of God, but from everything that he outwardly exhibits as religious, he inwardly holds a worldly intention. Moreover, the Lord indicates that His elect go by one path, saying: "If your eye is single, your whole body will be full of light" (Matthew 6:22). Hence Paul says: "Our glory is this: the testimony of our conscience" (2 Corinthians 1:12). Hence David: "All the glory of the king's daughter is from within" (Psalm 44:14). Therefore the cows go by one path toward Beth-shemesh, because the elect, hastening to their eternal homeland, do good works outwardly, but from those same good works they do not seek the rewards of the world. 17. But what is it that is said of these same cows, that they went along the way, lowing as they went? They are said to go forward because holy men do good unceasingly; but they low because they cannot extinguish carnal desires within themselves without great daily tribulation. For to low pertains to the labor of subduing the flesh; but to go forward pertains to the perseverance of good will. For when the flesh is compelled against its nature to suppress carnal motions, it lows, as it were, while it walks, because it is forbidden from fulfilling its own desires. Rightly indeed are these two things described in the progress of the saints, namely, going forward and lowing — because even though for those hastening to the heavenly homeland there is great urgency of desire, there is nonetheless an unconquerable patience in labor. For of these cows going forward, it is said through Ezekiel: They did not turn back when they went (Ezek. 1:12). Paul also expresses both the lowing of the cows and its cause, saying: I see another law contradicting the law of my mind and leading me captive under the law of sin. Wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from the body of this death? (Rom. 7:23, 24.) Therefore the cows low, but they go forward, because holy men, even though the temptations they endure are great, nevertheless do not abandon the way of the heavenly homeland. They go forward likewise, but they low, because even though they hasten toward heavenly things with great desires, they do not obtain the progress of the heavenly journey from the quiet of peace, but from the triumph over temptation. 18. What are the boundaries to which it is necessary for prelates to follow the departing ark of God, and beyond which it is not fitting to proceed in the company of the ark of God? If we understand these boundaries as instruction in sacred Scripture and good works, it does not seem contradictory. But these boundaries of Beth-shemesh are indeed the boundaries of the following leaders, when each one in his own measure is perfected over his subjects in the teaching of sacred Scripture and in the practice of good works. For a pastor is made secure regarding this to the degree that he both carefully perceives spiritual things and grasps by the strength of good works what he has discovered through reason. These boundaries are indeed said to be the boundaries of Beth-shemesh: because, when they worthily receive the learned workers of God, they lead them to the contemplation of the heavenly fatherland. For they are boundaries: because they both receive the worthy to contemplation and expel the unworthy. For if the unlearned presume to raise themselves to contemplate heavenly things more subtly, they go astray in error rather than grasp the light of truth. And unless someone sends good works ahead, he certainly brings it about that he never finds that clarity of inner vision which he desires. Hence the Lord also in the Gospel, as if sending lovers of the contemplative life to the boundaries of Beth-shemesh, says: "He who has my words and does them, he it is who loves me; and he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and I will manifest myself to him" (John 14:21). For he who says that he will manifest himself only to those who love him, and that he loves those who keep his commandments, openly teaches that he does not grant the light of his hidden vision except as a reward for good works.”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.