20. What does it mean that he first says: "Do whatever your hand finds," and then adds: "You shall wait seven days for me, until I come and show you what you are to do"? But he who had received the signs by which he would know himself anointed king by the Lord was to be tested as to whether he would recognize those very signs. This indeed suits a spiritual rather than a historical explanation. For we have said that coming to the hill of the Lord pertains to the perfect knowledge and love of the Redeemer, and being filled with the gift of prophecy pertains to the power of the Holy Spirit. He says therefore: "When all these signs have come upon you, do whatever your hand finds." Because whoever is certain of the intimate inspiration of the Holy Spirit can be confident both in the purpose of good work and in the ordering of preaching. He likewise said: "You shall wait seven days for me, until I come; and I will show you what you are to do." Because the chief pastors of the holy Church, while they are uncertain about the progress of those beneath them, are very anxious to recognize it in them by sure indications. But what are the indications of the Spirit, if not the surpassing gifts of humility? For the Holy Spirit, the greater the light of virtues with which He illuminates the hearts of the elect, the more abundantly He enriches them with the gift of humility. For the loftier they are in merits, the lowlier they are through the virtue of humility. He therefore who is commanded to go down to Gilgal before the prophet and to wait, is clearly given the burden of obedience for the purpose of testing his humility. It is also the right order of a chosen way of life that one should not impose obedience on others which he himself has not taken care to render to others. He is therefore commanded to wait, so that it may be recognized whether he is truly humble. If, then, the sign of a perfect preacher is the fullness of the Holy Spirit, and the virtue of humility is the sign of that fullness, what is said in praise of humility except that its gifts are the signs of signs?
21. But because the king who is about to sacrifice is commanded to be preceded by the prophet, we discern better the things that are said if they are examined in order. Gilgal is indeed interpreted as "wheel." But what does the wheel signify in this place, if not the life of the obedient? A wheel indeed advances by turning, and now seeks the heights, now the depths. So indeed is the life of the obedient, because it does below what draws it upward, and sees above what it performs below, as if it is raised to the heights and set down to the depths. For what the obedient do below, they lift upward; because when they obey the commands of their superiors, the things they perform are earthly, but from the earthly things they do, they await heavenly rewards. Likewise, what they hold above, they bend toward the earth, because in order to perform earthly things well, they contemplate heavenly things, and they do only that which they perceive to be fitting to that supreme happiness. Indeed, commanding Moses to turn this wheel, the Lord said: "Make all things according to the pattern shown to you on the mountain" (Exod. 25:40). For he who saw on the heights what he made in the depths surely bent the upper part of the wheel toward the earth. He had also raised the lower part to the heights, who said: "The Lord lives, in whose sight I stand" (3 Kings 17:1). He stood indeed in the lowest place through the humility of obedience, while he rebuked the faithless king; but he raised the level ground of his work to the height of divine contemplation, so that he might turn the running wheel most excellently, while in his earthly work he looked to what heavenly reward he might merit. This indeed is the pattern of chosen obedience: that in everything we do outwardly, we look to the power of the Creator present everywhere. Thus indeed in the submission of our obedience we can have both uprightness of work and growth in devotion. We are indeed upright in work then, because we exert ourselves in the labor of obedience for him whom we behold. We are also devout, because we believe we please him whom we regard as the observer of our labors and the bestower of eternal recompense. And because the commands of superiors must be observed with perfect humility, it is well said to Saul: "You shall wait seven days." For the number seven stands for the gifts of the sevenfold Spirit. We wait seven days for the teachers of the Church when, through the power of the sevenfold Spirit, we receive such great clarity of inward devotion that we in no way neglect their precepts. In this place it should be noted that he did not say: "You shall be in Gilgal for seven days," but: "You shall wait for me seven days, after you have gone down before me." We go down before the preacher when we do what is commanded us by his judgment. Then indeed we are said to descend, because we subject our minds to their authority. But to wait seven days is to fulfill the good of obedience with every light of the heart. Which we certainly do when we pass over neither the hard nor the easy commands of our superiors. For the Lord wanted no day to be devoid of this light, when he said: "Whoever breaks one of these least commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:19). And because the perfect obedience that we render to men is a gift of the Creator, he who waits seven days is said to offer an oblation and to sacrifice peace offerings. The oblation is indeed the Lord's because it is offered to men for God's sake, but what is offered to men is received by God. The victims are the services of the obedient, because when we submit to men for God's sake, we overcome the proud spirits. By other virtues we indeed assail the demons; through obedience we conquer them. Therefore those who obey are victors, because while they perfectly subject their own will to others, they themselves through obedience exercise dominion over the fallen angels.
22. But it should be noted that Samuel commanded Saul to go down before him to Gilgal, yet did not want him to offer oblation and sacrifices without him. For he said: "I indeed will come down to you so that you may offer oblation and sacrifice peace offerings. Seven days you shall wait for me, until I come to you, and I will show you what you should do." What is this but that we ought both to be wisely ignorant of our own good deeds, and sometimes to know them usefully? They should indeed be left unknown, lest they furnish occasion for pride to us who are weak; but they should be known by the more perfect, so that they may grow through devotion. Hence it is also fittingly said in the Gospel concerning the pregnant Elizabeth: "And she hid herself for five months" (Luke 1:24). For those who cannot yet be spiritual and strong are designated by the number five. But she who has newly conceived hides herself for five months: because she does good through the bodily senses; but because she is not yet spiritual and strong in this good work, she wisely conceals what she does. He therefore offers sacrifices to God, he offers oblation, who waiting seven days receives the coming prophet: because then what he offers is worthy of God, when the one offering is righteous by the virtue of obedience and filled with fear by the consideration of divine immensity; when he does not believe himself to be anything other than what he knows by the approval of his superiors. For it is as if we offer in the presence of the prophet, when we believe only those works of ours to be worthy of divine acceptance which are approved by the judgment of holy preachers. And because he is said to sacrifice in the presence of the prophet, this assuredly signifies that in our works we ought to trust wise and spiritual men. Because likewise Saul waits seven days, the preacher of the holy Church ought to wisely order the virtue of his subject, so that he does not praise his good deeds before him except when he can despise the favor of his own praise. Hence also the same oblation and sacrifices are declared to be offered by Saul to God, and not to himself. For he offers sacrifices to God who is not vainly puffed up about the virtue he possesses, but attributes everything he accomplishes to the grace of the Creator. This also, because we learn by the teaching of doctors, Samuel fittingly says in concluding his speech: "And I will show you what you should do." He indeed shows the one who waits what he should do: when the one who is known to obey perfectly is taught how he ought to command others. But this is not yet shown to Saul, but is promised. For he is not sent to sacrifice, but to wait. And because we advance by conversation with the saints, it is fittingly added.
21. But because the king who is about to sacrifice is commanded to be preceded by the prophet, we discern better the things that are said if they are examined in order. Gilgal is indeed interpreted as "wheel." But what does the wheel signify in this place, if not the life of the obedient? A wheel indeed advances by turning, and now seeks the heights, now the depths. So indeed is the life of the obedient, because it does below what draws it upward, and sees above what it performs below, as if it is raised to the heights and set down to the depths. For what the obedient do below, they lift upward; because when they obey the commands of their superiors, the things they perform are earthly, but from the earthly things they do, they await heavenly rewards. Likewise, what they hold above, they bend toward the earth, because in order to perform earthly things well, they contemplate heavenly things, and they do only that which they perceive to be fitting to that supreme happiness. Indeed, commanding Moses to turn this wheel, the Lord said: "Make all things according to the pattern shown to you on the mountain" (Exod. 25:40). For he who saw on the heights what he made in the depths surely bent the upper part of the wheel toward the earth. He had also raised the lower part to the heights, who said: "The Lord lives, in whose sight I stand" (3 Kings 17:1). He stood indeed in the lowest place through the humility of obedience, while he rebuked the faithless king; but he raised the level ground of his work to the height of divine contemplation, so that he might turn the running wheel most excellently, while in his earthly work he looked to what heavenly reward he might merit. This indeed is the pattern of chosen obedience: that in everything we do outwardly, we look to the power of the Creator present everywhere. Thus indeed in the submission of our obedience we can have both uprightness of work and growth in devotion. We are indeed upright in work then, because we exert ourselves in the labor of obedience for him whom we behold. We are also devout, because we believe we please him whom we regard as the observer of our labors and the bestower of eternal recompense. And because the commands of superiors must be observed with perfect humility, it is well said to Saul: "You shall wait seven days." For the number seven stands for the gifts of the sevenfold Spirit. We wait seven days for the teachers of the Church when, through the power of the sevenfold Spirit, we receive such great clarity of inward devotion that we in no way neglect their precepts. In this place it should be noted that he did not say: "You shall be in Gilgal for seven days," but: "You shall wait for me seven days, after you have gone down before me." We go down before the preacher when we do what is commanded us by his judgment. Then indeed we are said to descend, because we subject our minds to their authority. But to wait seven days is to fulfill the good of obedience with every light of the heart. Which we certainly do when we pass over neither the hard nor the easy commands of our superiors. For the Lord wanted no day to be devoid of this light, when he said: "Whoever breaks one of these least commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:19). And because the perfect obedience that we render to men is a gift of the Creator, he who waits seven days is said to offer an oblation and to sacrifice peace offerings. The oblation is indeed the Lord's because it is offered to men for God's sake, but what is offered to men is received by God. The victims are the services of the obedient, because when we submit to men for God's sake, we overcome the proud spirits. By other virtues we indeed assail the demons; through obedience we conquer them. Therefore those who obey are victors, because while they perfectly subject their own will to others, they themselves through obedience exercise dominion over the fallen angels.
22. But it should be noted that Samuel commanded Saul to go down before him to Gilgal, yet did not want him to offer oblation and sacrifices without him. For he said: "I indeed will come down to you so that you may offer oblation and sacrifice peace offerings. Seven days you shall wait for me, until I come to you, and I will show you what you should do." What is this but that we ought both to be wisely ignorant of our own good deeds, and sometimes to know them usefully? They should indeed be left unknown, lest they furnish occasion for pride to us who are weak; but they should be known by the more perfect, so that they may grow through devotion. Hence it is also fittingly said in the Gospel concerning the pregnant Elizabeth: "And she hid herself for five months" (Luke 1:24). For those who cannot yet be spiritual and strong are designated by the number five. But she who has newly conceived hides herself for five months: because she does good through the bodily senses; but because she is not yet spiritual and strong in this good work, she wisely conceals what she does. He therefore offers sacrifices to God, he offers oblation, who waiting seven days receives the coming prophet: because then what he offers is worthy of God, when the one offering is righteous by the virtue of obedience and filled with fear by the consideration of divine immensity; when he does not believe himself to be anything other than what he knows by the approval of his superiors. For it is as if we offer in the presence of the prophet, when we believe only those works of ours to be worthy of divine acceptance which are approved by the judgment of holy preachers. And because he is said to sacrifice in the presence of the prophet, this assuredly signifies that in our works we ought to trust wise and spiritual men. Because likewise Saul waits seven days, the preacher of the holy Church ought to wisely order the virtue of his subject, so that he does not praise his good deeds before him except when he can despise the favor of his own praise. Hence also the same oblation and sacrifices are declared to be offered by Saul to God, and not to himself. For he offers sacrifices to God who is not vainly puffed up about the virtue he possesses, but attributes everything he accomplishes to the grace of the Creator. This also, because we learn by the teaching of doctors, Samuel fittingly says in concluding his speech: "And I will show you what you should do." He indeed shows the one who waits what he should do: when the one who is known to obey perfectly is taught how he ought to command others. But this is not yet shown to Saul, but is promised. For he is not sent to sacrifice, but to wait. And because we advance by conversation with the saints, it is fittingly added.