DEMONSTRATIO XXIII. — DE ACINO. DEMONSTRATION XXIII. — ON THE GRAPE.

And when the measure of the wicked became excessive, the prayer of the righteous was no longer heard. For the Most Holy One said to Jeremiah, "At this time, even if Moses and Samuel should stand before me, my soul would not be pleased with this people. Cast them out from my sight, and let them go forth. And if they ask you, 'Where shall we go?', tell them, 'To death, to death; and to the sword, to the sword; and to famine.' Four plagues I will send upon them." And to Ezekiel also, the Lord said, "If I send a sword upon the land and say to the sword, 'Sword, pass through the land,' and it should be an evil land, even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live, says the Lord of Lords, they would not deliver sons or daughters; they would deliver only their own souls by their righteousness, and the land would become a desolation." It is easy to understand why the prophet was greatly distressed that he should pray and not be heard, and for this reason the Lord gave him a reply regarding those three righteous men to deliver, because this thought had risen in his mind: "Perhaps Noah, Job, and Daniel were heard, each in his own generation, while my prayer, for all its strength, is not heard." Noah was heard, and the members of his house were delivered with him from the anger of the waters of the flood. And Job prayed for his friends,

5. And when the measure of the wicked superabounded, the prayer of the righteous was no longer heard. For the Most Holy One said to Jeremiah: "At this time, if Moses and Samuel stood before me, my soul would not be pleased with this people; but cast them out from my face, and let them go forth. And if they say to you, 'Where shall we go?', say to them: 'To the sword, to captivity, to famine, and to death. Four scourges I will send upon them' Jeremiah 15:1-3." To Ezekiel also the Lord said: "If I send a sword upon this land, and I say: 'Let the sword pass through the land, or a most evil beast;' even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in this land, as I live, says the Lord of Lords, they would not deliver sons or daughters, but they themselves would deliver their souls by their righteousness; but the land shall be for a desolation Ezekiel 14:14, 16." Now, it is easy to understand that the prophet grieved greatly that he should pray and not be heard, and therefore that the Lord gave him a reply by the example of those three righteous men. For such a thought had entered his mind: "Why were Noah, Job, and Daniel heard, each in his own generation, and my prayer is not heard?" Noah, indeed, was heard, and the children of his house were rescued with him from the wrath of the flood. Job prayed for his friends,