In his expositions of Holy Scripture he treats of
the threefold sense, the literal, the moral, and the mystical, devoting
more pains, however, and time to the latter than to the former.
He gives special consideration to the mystical interpretation of such
passages as may seem to contain in a literal sense anything diverging
from sound morality. Many of his other mystical interpretations
of plain, simple matters of fact have much beauty, as in his treatment
of the story of the building of the ark, the marriage of Isaac, and the
blessings of the Patriarchs. The literal sense is followed
specially in the Hexaëmeron, the treatise on Paradise, Noah
and the Ark, and the Exposition of the Gospel according to St.
Luke. The moral sense, though referred to throughout his
writings, is more particularly sought out in the Expositions of the
Psalms.