68. For often the patience of God bears for long with those, whom it already condemns to punishments foreknown; it suffers those to go on thriving, whom it sees still committing worse things. For whereas He sees to what pit of condemnation they are going on, He esteems to be as nothing to them, that the wicked multiply here things which must be abandoned. But he that is wedded to the glory of the present life, counts it great happiness to thrive here according to his wish, though he be driven hereafter to undergo eternal punishment. Therefore that man only sees it to be nothing for the wicked man to thrive, who has already removed the step of his heart from the love of the present world. Hence, in speaking of the after condemnation of the wicked man, it is rightly premised, Ask anyone of the wayfarers, and ye shall "now that he understandeth these same things. For he is called a ‘wayfarer,’ who minds that the present life is to him a way and not a native land, who thinks it beneath him to fix his heart on the love of this passing state of being, who longs, not to continue in a transitory scene of things, but to reach the eternal world. For he that does not aim to be a wayfarer in this world, is far from setting at nought this world’s good fortune, and when he sees those things which he himself covets abounding to others, he wonders. Hence the Prophet David, as he had already passed in heart from the love of the present world, in describing the glory of the wicked man, said; I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading like a green bay tree. [Ps. 37, 35. 36.] But because he did not submit his heart to this world, he justly looked down upon him, saying; I passed on, but, lo, he was not. For the wicked man would have been something in his esteem, if he had not himself passed on in the bent of his mind from this present scene. But this man, who [Oxf. Mss. read ‘qui’] to one not ‘passing by’ would have been something great, to one ‘passing by’ in mind, how little he was, was shewn; in that whilst everlasting retribution is thought on, it is seen how little present glory is. Hence Moses, when he was seeking the glory of heavenly contemplation, said, I will now pass on, and see this great sight. [Ex. 3, 3] For except he had withdrawn the footstep of the heart from the love of the world, he would never have been able to understand things above. Hence Jeremiah entreating for the sorrow of his heart to be taken thought on, saith, All ye that pass by, Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow! [Lam. 1, 12] For they who do not pass through the present life like a way, but think on it as their country, are unskilled to take in with the mind’s eye the sorrow of heart of the Elect. These persons therefore the Prophet looks out, that they may view his sorrow, whose it was not to have set fast their mind in this world. Hence it is said by Solomon, Open thy mouth for the dumb, and in the cause of all such as are passing by. For those are called ‘the dumb,’ who never set themselves against the Preacher’s words by gainsaying them; who are also persons ‘passing by,’ in that they disdain to fix the bent of their mind in the love of the present life. Therefore that the bad man is being ‘reserved for the day of perdition,’ and ‘brought to the day of fury,’ this thing there is none but he who is ‘a wayfarer’ that understandeth, in that he that has set his heart in the present scene of things does not find out the punishments that follow the wicked man.
The weak desire to thrive in this world’s fortune. They dread scourges as evils of great magnitude. In the case of those they see smitten, they measure the offence by the punishment. For those they see struck with the rod, they suppose them to have displeased God. Hence blessed Job’s friends were persuaded that he, whom they beheld under the rod, had been ungodly, that is, as reckoning that if he had not been ungodly, his “dwelling places would have remained.” But no one thinks so except he who still travails with the weariness of infirmity, who firmly sets the footstep of his thoughts in the gratification of the present life, who is not taught to pass on with perfect desires to the eternal land. Hence, it is well added, “Ask every one of them that go by the way. You will know that he understands this same, because the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction, and he is brought to the day of wrath.” Often the patience of God long suffers with those whom it already condemns to a foreknown punishment. It suffers those to go on thriving whom it sees still committing worse things. One who sees the pit of condemnation to which they are going is viewed as nothing to them. The wicked multiply here things that must be abandoned. But one who is wedded to the glory of the present life counts it great happiness to thrive here according to his wishes, though hereafter he is driven to undergo eternal punishment. Therefore, that person only sees it as nothing for the wicked to thrive, who has already removed his heart from the love of the present world. Hence, in speaking of the future condemnation of the wicked, it is rightly premised, “Ask every one of them that go by the way, and you will know that he understands this.” For he is called a “wayfarer,” who minds that the present life is to him only a way and not a native land, who thinks it beneath him to fix his heart on the love of this passing state of being, who longs not to continue in a transitory scene of things but to reach the eternal world.
[AD 604] Gregory the Dialogist on Job 21:29