Fathers

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What the Fathers say

Job 24:19

Western Saints

Gregory the Dialogist

Let him pass to excessive heat from the snow waters. And his sin even to hell. Iniquity is on this account likened to cold, because the mind that sins it binds up with insensibility. Hence it is written; As a fountain has made her waters cold, so she has made her wickedness cold. Contrariwise charity is 'heat,' in this respect that it fires the soul it fills. Of which 'heat' is written, Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. …

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVI ↗

Thomas Aquinas

And to express this he then says, "let him pass over to great heat from freezing waters," as though changing from one vice to a contrary vice because he does not remain in the mean of virtue. All wicked men suffer this punishment because, "the inordinate soul is a punishment unto itself," as Augustine says in the Confessions. …

Commentary on Job ↗