37*2 The Cock cries loudest to deepest sleepers. Job 38, but yet do not lament them: in one way those who even '- — praise the unlawful deeds which they commit, in another those who blame their misdeeds, and yet do not avoid them ; in one way those who are overcome with sudden concu- piscence, in another those who are deliberately fettered with sin ; in one way those who commit frequently unlawful deeds though most trifling, and in another those who guard them- selves against trifling faults but are sometimes overwhelmed in grievous ones ; in one way those who do not even begin good courses, in another those who do not complete what they have begun ; in one way those who sin secretly and do right publicly, in another those who conceal the good deeds which they do, and who yet by some things they do publicly allow people to think evil of them. We ought indeed to mention minutely what course of advice should be observed in each particular case, but are hindered by fear of prolixity in our remarks. But we are anxious to carry that out in \'^^ another work^, by God's help, if some small portion of this rale.' painful life still remains to us. 14. But we have another point which we ought to consider concerning this understanding of the cock, namely, that it is accustomed to utter its louder and longer-drawn strains in the deeper hours of the night, and that when the hour ofmorn is now approaching, it utters altogether more gentle and feeble notes. And a consideration of the discre- tion of preachers shews us what the understanding of this cock in these respects suggests to us. For when they are preaching to minds which are still wicked, they declare the terrors of eternal judgment with loud and great voices, because, namely, they cry out, as it were, in the darkness of the profound night. But when they know that the light of truth is already present to the hearts of their hearers, they turn the loudness of their cry into the gentleness of sweet- ness ; and bring forth, not so much the terrors of punishment, as the allurements of rewards. And they sing at that time even with diminished tones, because as themorn approaches, they preach all the subtlest mysteries, that their followers may hear more minutely of heavenly things, the nearer they approach to the light of truth, and that the shorter note of the cock may charm those when awake, whom its long-