392 Daniel teaches adraiicemenl by self-control. Job 39, lest the whirlpool of wickedness should swallow us up, —i:-Jthrough the favour of life. For we kindle inextinguishably against us the wrath of the Heavenly Judge, if, even from His very bounty we fight against His goodness. 39. Another, seeking after the sweetness of inward know- ledge, and unable to attain its secrets, looks at the life of Daniel as a pattern, and attains the desired eminence of wisdom. For he in truth who is afterwards called, by the voice of the angel, in consequence of his eagerness after Dan 10,inward knowledge, a man of desires, is said to have first jV*i 8 tamed within him the desires of the flesh in the king's court, 'so that he touched none of the delectable meats, but pre- ferred a harder androugher fare to that whichwas sumptuous and more delicate, in order that he might attain to the delight of inward nourishment, while taking from himself the pleasures of outward food, and that he might enjoy more eagerly the taste of wisdom within, the more firmly he had outwardly restrained his fleshly taste, for the sake of this same wisdom. For if we cut off" a pleasure from the flesh, we presently find a spiritual delight. For if outward wander- ing is shut out, an inward retreat is laid open to the earnest- ness of the mind. For the mora the mind is unable, on account of its discipline, to spread itself beyond itself, the more is it able to extend and advance above itself: because even a tree is compelled to grow in height, which is pre- vented from spreading out into branches: and when we obstruct the streams of a fountain, we provoke the streams to rise to a higher level. Whilst then thoughtful persons look at the life of Saints as a model, the wild goats drop their young on the rocks. Hence it is that Paul was exhort- ing his hearers to bring forth as wild goats in the rocks, when, after having enumerated the virtues of their ancestors, Heb.1'2, he was saying ; Having so great a cloud of witnessesplaced ^' over us, laying aside every weight, and the sin which sur- rounds us, let us run with patience to the contest set before ih.13,7. us. And again; Whose faith imitate, consideri7ig the end of their conversation. 40. But when we conceive in our heart the Divine pre- cepts, we do not bring them forth at once, as if already com- pacted solidly by thought. Whence also blessed Job is (