Choice of ititerprefntiofts. Diversity ofiliuminnlion. 421 swelling with tho profits of the custom house ; of whom it Book XXX is also written, that after he believed, he invited our Lord , ^* into his house, and made a great feast. This mountain 29. therefore produced for this wild ass the herbs of green pas- ture, because he fed Him outwardly with a feast, and inwardly with banquets of virtues. And this is set forth still more fully, when it is subjoined ; He searcJieth after every green tiling. 80. For He deserts the parched places, and searches forxxvii. every green thing. For parched are those hearts of men, which, planted in the perishing hope of this world, have no assurance of eternity. But those flourish, which cling to that inheritance of which the Apostle Peter says ; To an\ Pet. inheritance incorruptible, undejiled, and that fadeth not ' aivay. For they are more truly green, the more they plant the root of thought in the portion of an inheritance that fadeth not away. Let every one therefore, who dreads being parched within, fly from the barren desires of this world without. Let every one who longs to be sought for by the Lord, seek for his eternal home, and become verdant in the inward plantation of his heart. 81. Let this twofold exposition of the Avild ass be suffi- cient. But it must be left to the judgment of the reader, which he thinks best to select. But if he chance to scorn the meaning of either exposition, I will w'illingly myself follow my reader, as a pupil his master, if he thinks more accurately and truly. Because whatever T find he knows better than myself, I believe it to be vouchsafed as a special gift to myself. For all we, who endeavour, full of faith, to utter something concerning God, are organs of truth: and it is in tho ]iower ol this sance Truth, whether It utters Its voice through me to another, or through another to me. For dwelling in the midst of us it deals alike with all, even though they live not alike, and often touches one person to hear plainly what It has spoken by another, but often touches another, to utter something clearly to be heard by others. 82. Power of speech is often given to a teacher, for the sake of his hearer, and skill in speaking is often taken away from a teacher, on account of the guilt of his hearer. Let I