Admonition, then, is the censure of loving care, and produces understanding. Such is the Instructor in His admonitions, as when He says in the gospel, “How often would I have gathered thy children, as a bird gathers her young ones under her wings, and ye would not!”[327] And again, the Scripture admonishes, saying, “And they committed adultery with stock and stone, and burnt incense to Baal.”[328] For it is a very great proof of His love, that, though knowing well the shamelessness of the people that had kicked and bounded away, He notwithstanding exhorts them to repentance, and says by Ezekiel, “Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of scorpions; nevertheless, speak to them, if peradventure they will hear.”[329] Further, to Moses He says, “Go and tell Pharaoh to send my people forth; but I know that he will not send them forth.”[330] For He shows both things: both His divinity in His foreknowledge of what would take place, and His love in affording an opportunity for repentance to the self-determination of the soul. He admonishes also by Esaias, in His care for the people, when He says, “This people honour me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” What follows is reproving censure: “In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”[331] Here His loving care, having shown their sin, shows salvation side by side. Upbraiding is censure on account of what is base, conciliating to what is noble. This is shown by Jeremiah: “They were female-mad horses; each one neighed after his neighbour’s wife. Shall I not visit for these things? saith the Lord: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?”[332] He everywhere interweaves fear, because “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of sense.”[333] And again, by Hosea, He says, “Shall I not visit them? for they themselves were mingled with harlots, and sacrificed with the initiated; and the people that understood embraced a harlot.”[334] He shows their offence to be clearer, by declaring that they understood, and thus sinned wilfully. Understanding is the eye of the soul; wherefore also Israel means, “he that sees God”--that is, he that understands God. Complaint is censure of those who are regarded as despising or neglecting. He employs this form when He says by Esaias: “Hear, O heaven; and give ear, O earth: for the Lord hath spoken, I have begotten and brought up children, but they have disregarded me. The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel hath not known me.”[335] For how shall we not regard it fearful, if he that knows God, shall not recognise the Lord; but while the ox and the ass, stupid and foolish animals, will know him who feeds them, Israel is found to be more irrational than these? And having, by Jeremiah, complained against the people on many grounds, He adds: “And they have forsaken me, saith the Lord.”[336]