Fathers

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What the Fathers say

Job 24:23

Western Saints

Gregory the Dialogist

God hath given unto him room for repentance, and he abuseth it in pride. Whosoever commits sin and lives, such a person Divine Appointment for this reason bears with in iniquity, that it may withhold him from iniquity. But he that is borne with for a longer time, and yet is not withholden from iniquity, is vouchsafed indeed the benefit of the patience Above, yet with the chains of his guilt is by that very benefit binding himself the tighter. …

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVII ↗

Thomas Aquinas

He then gives the reason why the sinner must be punished without mercy, because he did not want to profit from the mercy of God when he could have, and so he says, "God gave him an occasion for penance," in deferring punishment, and this is the reason why he was permitted to live in prosperity for a long time. But what God has offered to him as a good he perverted to an evil, and so he says, "and he abuses it in his pride," by not attributing to the divine mercy the fact that he is not immediately punished after sinning. …

Commentary on Job ↗