Job 37:18

"While the land of the south is at rest, will you strengthen the heavens with him, and will they spread the light everywhere to the same extent? The land of the south is perfectly understood here by those of the Jews who believed in Jesus Christ. The sun indeed seems more distant from the northern regions and closer to the southern countries. That is why those whom Saint Paul says are nearer, in the light of the Gospel, are here rightly called the land of the south. Moreover, if we call the Evangelists heaven, as in these words: "The heavens declare the glory of God," for it is from them that it is said, "Through all the universe have their accents sounded: their speech has gone to the ends of the earth (2); So may we denominate under the name of earth the multitudes to whom the good news was brought. Although the people of Judea who believed in Christ entered their rest on leaving this world, the authority of the preachers of the Gospel is no less solid in the churches of Gentility; it was therefore through divine mercy and not through the authority of the Christian Church of Judea. So we must see an interrogation in the passage that we explain, and hear it in this sense: When the earth of the south was at rest, that is to say when there was no more in this world of Christian society among the Jews, did you, with him, strengthen the preachers of the Gospel, establish the authority of the divine Scriptures, of which God in His mercy also spread the light among the Jews and among the Gentiles? He attributes this benefit to the grace and goodness of God, so that no one will boast of his merits and fall into that sad pride which lost the Jews.

Thou perchance madest with Him the heavens, which are most solid, as if cast in brass. By 'heavens,' those who are created in the heavens, the angelic spirits, can be designated. Whence also we are instructed by the voice of Truth to say in our Prayer, Thy will be done as in heaven, so in earth. [Matt. 6, 10] That the will of God may be doubtless observed in all things even by human infirmity, as it is done by the higher creation. Of whom it is well said, They are most solid, as if cast in brass. For it is of the nature of brass, that it is difficult to be consumed by rust. And the angelic powers, which stood fixed in Divine love, when the proud angels fell, received this, as their reward of retribution, that they are no longer consumed by any rust of sin stealing upon them, that they continue in the contemplation of their Creator, without end to their felicity, and exist with eternal stability, in that which they were created. Which the very words of the history in Moses concerning the origin of the world will attest, when both the heaven is said to have been first made, and this is after wards called the firmament. [Gen. l, 17] Because, namely, the nature of Angels was both first fashioned more subtilly, in the regions above, and was afterwards still more wonderfully strengthened, that it might never fall. But, as we have often said, by the 'heavens' can be expressed the minds of the Elect, raised up by inward love from all earthly pollutions. For though, in the body, they dwell below, yet, because they cleave in their heart, even now, to the highest objects, they truly say, Our conversation is in heaven. [Phil. 3, 20] Who are most solid, as if cast in brass, because they are not wasted away from the integrity of their original strength, by any rust of changeableness. To whom, boldly bearing up against adversities, it is said by the voice of their Maker, Ye are My friends, which have continued with Me in My temptations. [John 15, 14; Luke 22, 28] But though this learned and haughty one, when endeavouring to make a jest of this holy man, blends noble sayings with his derision, yet he ever falls back, from those noble sayings, into empty words.