The Rhinoceros a type ofpride and wilfulness. 425
cause while the life of the humble rises to veneration, the Book
pride of the haughty has fallen. Because therefore blessed — 1
Job is a type of Holy Church, and Almighty God foresaw
that, in the early times of the rising Church, the mighty of
this world would refuse, witli the stubborn neck of their
heart, to undertake its light burden, let Him say
;
Ver. 9. Will the rhinoceros be willing to serve thee?
'2. For the rhinoceros is quite of an untamed nature, so \\,
that, if it is ever taken, it cannot in any way be kept. For,
as is said, it dies immediately from being unable to bear it.
But its name when interpreted means in the Latin tongue,
* a horn on the nostril.' And what else is designated by the
nostril, but folly ; what by the horn, but pride ? For that
folly is usually understood by the nostril, we have learned
on the evidence of Solomon, who says ; As a ring ofgold in Piov.
a swine''s nostrils, so is a beautiful andfoolish woman. For *^j 22.
he saw heretical doctrine shining with brilliancy of eloquence,
and yet not agreeing with the proper understanding of
wisdom, and he says, A ring of gold in a swlne''s nostrils ;
that is, a beautiful and involved expression in the under-
standing of a foolish mind : from which gold depends,
through its eloquence, but yet, through the weight of
earthly intention, like a swine, it looks not upwards. And
he proceeded to explain it, saying, A beautiful andfoolish
woman : that is, heretical teaching ; beautiful in words,
foolish in meaning. But, that pride is frequently understood
by a horn, we have learned on the evidence of the Prophet,
who says; / said to the wlc/ced, deal not wickedly, and lOp,^-.
the sinners, lift not up your horn. What is, therefore, desig-
nated by this rhinoceros, but the mighty of this world, or
the supreme powers themselves of the kingdoms therein,
who, elated by the pride of foolish boasting, whilst they are
puffed up by false honour without, are made inwardly des-
titute by real miseries? To whom it is well said; ^^yEcclus.
boastest thou, O dust and ashes? But at the very beginning 10, 9.
of the rising Church, when the might of the wealthy was
raising itself against her, and was panting for her death,
with the unboundcdness of so great cruelty, when, anxious
from so many tortures, and pressed by so many persecutions,
she was giving way; who could then believe that she would
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