He swallows the ground with fierceness and rage: neither does he halt at the sound of the trumpet.
Read Chapter 39
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Ground. This expression is still used by the Arabs, to denote velocity. (Grotius)
Septuagint, "in wrath he will make the earth disappear. "(Haydock)
Mox sanguis venis melior calet, ire viarum Longa volunt latumque fuga consumere campum. (Nemesianus)
Account. Hebrew, "believe that "or "stops not when. "He is so eager to rush forward to battle. Si qua sonum procul arma dedere, Stare loco nescit, micat auribus et tremit artus. (Georg. iii.)
83. The blast of the trumpet sounds against the horse, when any sin, placed nigh, fearfully assails the mind of an Elect one, in that which he does boldly. But raging and snorting he swalloweth the earth, because he rouses himself by his violent ardour; and consumes, by daily advancing, whatever earthly things he finds within him. And he believeth not that the blast of the trumpet soundeth; because he carefully avoids, by firm consideration, all evil which arises from the glory of his virtue. For he would believe that the blast of the trumpet soundeth, if he were, perchance, to be afraid of doing other things which are right, on account of something else which wickedly springs from them. Because, therefore, he is not afraid of acting boldly, even in the presence of temptations sounding against him; he does not, when in his rage, dread the blast of the trumpet. But often, when he sees that he is prosperous in virtues, lest that very prosperity of virtues should exalt him, he rejoices th...
66. For it was said to the first man when he sinned; Earth thou art, and to earth shalt thou go. [Gen. 3, 19] But the trumpets sound, when the powers of this world awfully prohibit holy men from preaching. Because, therefore, a preacher, inflamed by the zeal of the Holy Spirit, ceases not, even when set in the midst of punishments, to attract any sinners whomsoever to himself, he doubtless in his rage swalloweth the earth, but because he fears not at all the threats of persecutors, he believeth not that the blast of the trumpet soundeth. For what else is the ‘trumpet,’ which announces the peril of the contest, but the voice of worldly powers, which prepares when contemned the contest of death for those who resist?
67. This trumpet had been sounded by the chief priests, when they commanded the Apostles, when scourged, not to speak of God; as it is written; They commanded them, when they had been scourged, that they should not preach in the name of Jesus. [Acts 5, 40] But let us see how...
