Gregory the Great, on Job 21:8

“Their seed continueth before them, a multitude of kinsmen, and of children’s children in their sight.”

“Ver. 8. Their seed is established in their sight with them. 46. For the increase of exceeding happiness, together with a large patrimony, they have heirs too given them; and that no unavoidable temporal circumstance either may remove from their eyes those in whom their soul delights, it is said of this seed of theirs, Their seed is established in their sight. But what if children are vouchsafed, yet the children themselves stricken with barrenness? The family is made extinct in them, in like sort as it was feared it would be made extinct by the barrenness of their parents. It goes on; And a crowd of kinfolk and grandchildren before their eyes. Observe, life is theirs, honours and riches are theirs, children are theirs, grandchildren are theirs. What if any secret fancy gall the mind, and domestic discord pierce the joys of their security? What is the prosperity of this world, if it be not joyful?”

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

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