William Hone

Now the sow he forbade them to eat ; meaning thus much; thou shalt not join thyself to such persons as are like unto swine; who whilst they live in pleasure, forget their God ; but when any want pinches them, then they know the Lord; as the sow when she is full knows not her master; but when she is hungry she makes a noise ; and being again fed, is silent.

4 Neither, says he, shalt thou eat the eagle, nor the hawk, nor the kite, nor the crow ; that is thou shalt not keep company with such kind of men as know not how by their labour and sweat to get themselves food: but injuriously ravish away the things of others; and watch how to lay snares for them ; when at the same time they appear to live in perfect innocence.

5 (677 So these birds alone seek not food for themselves, but) sitting idle seek how they may eat of the flesh others have provided ; being destructive through their wickedness.

Neither, says he, shalt thou eat the lamprey, nor the polypus, nor the cuttle-fish ; that is, thou shalt not be like such men, by using to converse with them ; who are altogether wicked and adjudged to death. For so those fishes are alone accursed, and wallow in the mire, nor swim as other fishes, but tumble in the dirt at the bottom of the deep.

7 But he adds, neither shalt thou eat of the hare. To what end ?—To signify this to us; Thou shalt not be an adulterer; nor liken thyself to such persons. For the hare every year multiplies the places of its conception; and so many years as it lives, so many it has.

Neither shalt thou eat of the hyena; that is, again, be not an adulterer, nor a corruptor of others; neither be like to such. And wherefore so?—Because that creature every year changes its kind, and is sometimes male and sometimes female.

For which cause also he justly hated the weasel; to the end that they should not be like such persons who with their mouths commit wickedness by reason of their uncleanness ; nor join themselves with those impure women, who with their mouths commit wickedness. Because that animal conceives with its mouth.

What says Moses to Jesus the son of Nun, when he gave that name unto him, as being a prophet that all the people might hear him alone, 697 because the father did manifest all things concerning his son Jesus, in 698 Jesus the Son of Nun ; and gave him that name when he sent him to spy out the land of Canaan; 699 he said: Take a book in thine hands, and write what the Lord saith: Forasmuch as Jesus the Son of God shall in the last days cut off by the roots all the house of Amalek. See here again Jesus, not the son of man, but the Son of God, made manifest in a type and in the flesh.

13 But because it might hereafter be said, that Christ was the Son of David; 700 therefore David fearing and well knowing the errors of the wicked, saith; 701the Lord saith unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

Consider, my children, what that signifies, he finished them in six days. The meaning of it is this; that in 722 six thousand years the Lord God will bring all things to an end.

5 For with him one day is a thousand years; as himself testifieth, saying, Behold this day shall be as a thousand years. Therefore, children, in six days, that is, in six thousand years, shall 723 all things be accomplished.

There is one physician, both fleshly and spiritual; made and not made; God incarnate; true life in death; both of Mary and of God; first passible, then impassible ; even Jesus Christ our Lord.

For the beginning is faith; the end is charity. And these two 811joined together, are of God: but all other things which concern a holy life are the consequences of these. 15 No man professing a true faith, sinneth; neither does he who has charity hate any.

16 812The tree is made manifest by its fruit; so they who profess themselves to be Christians 813are known by what they do.

He that possesses the word of Jesus is truly able to hear his very silence, that he may be perfect; 816and both do according to what he speaks, and be known by those things of which he is silent.

And why are we not all wise, seeing we have received the knowledge of God, which is Jesus Christ? Why824 do we suffer ourselves foolishly to perish; 825not considering the gift which the Lord has truly sent to us?