SACRED THEMES

opinion, which you think was believed in ancient times, is compared with the opinion of David, who says it is better to fall into the hands of the Lord than of men? Tell us, what is this, that he calls the pestilence the hand of the Lord? And he does not call enemies and charity the hand of the Lord? If the hand of the Lord could be said everywhere similarly as in natural means, which moves as its own organs to its obedience, and the reason of nature consists there, what power of argument is it that he prefers to fall into the hand of the Lord than of men, and calls the pestilence by this name? We know indeed that the hand of the Lord is in other things as well, insofar as He moves them like His own organs to His obedience, and the reason of nature holds there; but King David confesses in his own words that the pestilence is called the hand of the Lord in a way far different from the other organs in nature through which God executes His works, and that nothing natural is to be judged here. And if the air is the fleeing cause of the pestilence, why did he not flee? Or if he himself did not want to flee, why did he not order that others in his kingdom receive themselves somewhere in peace? Let us take the argument of the contrary opinion: the air is contagious, therefore it must be fled. But David did not flee, nor did he order any of his subjects to flee. Who does not see that this philosophy about the air was unknown in those times? Or if it was also in use then, in their opinion he sinned gravely because he did not withdraw himself, or if, constrained by his choice, he did not dare to secede, why by retaining the whole kingdom did he want to overthrow it? It is very dotish and ridiculous to think that David either imputed some blame to the inclemency of the air or deviated even a little from piety.