Others deli<ihi to listen to it luitJun^ 377 sider that Ho was prior to that which Ho Himsolf croated Boof? good. For the silently sounding invisible tongue of com- 2z2^?! punction speaks this to them within. And they hear it the louder within, the more entirely they turn away from the din of outward desires. To these then the harmony of heaven sleeps not, because their mind learns, by applying the ear of love, how great is the sweetness of heavenly praise. For they hear within that which they desire, and are, by their very longing for the Godhead, insti iicted in the rewards of heavenly blessings. Whence also they bear this present life, not only when opposing, but even when favouring them, as a heavy burden ; because every thing which they behold is burdensome to them, whilst they are kept from enjoy- ing that which they hear within. Every thing which is near them they deem heavy, because it is not tliat for which they pant. But their mind which is unceasingly wearied by the very labours of this temporal condition, hangs on the hope of being taken up to that heavenlyjoy, while, as the harmony of heaven bursts forth within on the ear of the heart, they daily expect for themselves the society of the heavenly citizens. That harmony of heavenly praise had burst forth in the ear of him, who was saying, / will enter into ^/i^Ps.42,4. place of the wonderful tabernacle^ even to the house of God^ in the voice of exultation and confession^ the sound of a feasting city. What else therefore but the harmony of heaven was awakening him, who had heard within the voice of exultation and confession, and the sound of a feasting city? 21. But this harmony sleeps for the reprobate, because it does not at all make itselfknown to their hearts by the voice of compunction. For they do not strive to think of that much longed for multitude of heavenly citizens, they behold with no ray of warmth those banquets of inward revelry, they are not borne up within by any wing of contemplation. For they are enslaved to visible objects alone, and therefore they hear within nought of inward sweetness; because, as we said before, the deafening tumults of worldly care oppress them in the ear of their hearts. Because then in the dis- pensation of the secretjudgment that, which is laid open to some, is closed to others ; and that which is disclosed to VOL. III. c c