“Who is this who, hiding counsel from me and constraining words in his heart,
thus thinks to conceal them from me?
Gird your loins like a man,
for I shall ask, and you shall answer me.
Where were you when I established the earth?
Just tell me, if you are capable of understanding.
Who assigned its measurements, if you know?
Or who was it who laid a measuring string upon it?
Upon what were its rings established?
And who was it who placed a cornerstone upon it?
When the stars came into being,
all of my angels praised me with a great voice.
And I shut up the sea with a gate
when it rushed coming out from its mother’s womb.
And I made the cloud its clothing,
and swaddling-clothes for it with a mist.
And I assigned limits to it,
setting out barriers and gates.
And I said to it, ‘As far as this you shall come, and you may not go beyond.
But your waves shall be broken within yourself.’” (Job 38:1–11 LXX)
The foundation of this earth is laid, when the first cause of firmness, the fear of God, is breathed in the secret places of the heart. This man does not as yet believe the eternal truths which he hears; when faith is given him, a foundation is now laid for the building up of the subsequent work. He now believes eternal truths, but yet fears them not; he despises the terror of the coming judgment: he boldly involves himself in sins of the flesh and of the spirit. But when the fear of future things is suddenly infused into him, in order that the edifice of a good life may rise up, the foundations are now erected. When the foundation then of a wholesome dread has been laid, and the fabric of virtue is being raised on high, it is necessary for every one to measure his strength, as he is making progress. So that though he has already begun to be great by the Divine building, he may without ceasing look back to what he was; in order that humbly remembering what he was found in merit, he may not arrogate to himself what he has been made by grace. Whence also blessed Job is now brought back to himself by the voice from above, and, that he may not dare to boast of his virtues, he is reminded of his past life. And it is said to him, Where were you when I was laying the foundations of the earth? As if the Truth openly said to the justified sinner, "Attribute not to yourself the virtues which were received from Me. Exalt not yourself against Me by reason of My own gift. Call to mind where I found you, when I laid the first foundations of virtue in you, in My fear. Call to mind where I found you, when I confirmed you in My fear. In order then that I may not destroy in you that which I have built up, you must not cease to consider with yourself, what I found in you." For whom has the Truth not found either in sins or excesses? But after this we can well preserve that which we are, if we never neglect to consider what we were. But pride is yet sometimes wont to steal secretly even into careful hearts, so that the thought of good deeds, though slight and feeble, as it advances to a great height of virtue, forgets its own infirmity, and does not recall to mind what it was in sins. Whence also Almighty God, because He sees that our weakness is increased even by salutary remedies, places limits to our very progress, that we may have some excellencies of virtues, which we have never sought for, and that we may seek after others, and yet be unable to possess them. In order that our mind, when unable to attain these things which it desires, may understand that it possesses not of itself those even which it does possess, and that, from those which are present, those which are wanting may be thought of, and that, by means of those that are profitably wanting, those goods that are present may be humbly preserved.
Gregory the Great, Morals on the Book of Job 28.20
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