In Jeremiah it says, Jerusalem has committed a great sin, and it has thus fallen into turmoil. All those who honored it now despise it, because they have seen its abomination.^[1] Through Solomon, however, he attenuates the severity and harshness of the accusation and shows the sweetness of his pedagogy, saying, My son, do not despise the Lord’s corrections, and do not spurn his reproofs. In fact, the one whom the Lord loves, he corrects, and he always scourges the one he accepts,^[2] whereas the sinner shuns reproof. Therefore let the just one accuse me, says the Scripture, and correct me, but let not the oil of sinners anoint my head.^[3]

Because the Lord loves judgment and will not abandon his holy ones.^[1] In what sense does the Lord love judgment? Because nothing in him is not weighed thoroughly, nothing happens without a reason. Consequently you also, knowing that the Lord loves judgment, do everything with an honest and truthful judgment. Thus you will listen to the admonition of him who says, Do everything sensibly, drink wine with prudence.^[2]

Through Solomon it is rightly said, One who minds the wind will never sow, and one who watches the clouds will never reap.^[1] What is expressed by the wind but the temptation of evil spirits? And what are the clouds, which are moved by the wind, if not the hostility of evil people? Clearly, the clouds are blown by the wind because evil people are excited by the breath of unclean spirits. Consequently, the one who pays attention to the wind will not sow, and one who watches the clouds will never reap, because the one who fears the temptation of evil spirits and the persecution of human beings will neither sow the grain of good works nor cut the sheaves of holy retribution. The precipitous, who anticipate the time for good actions, pervert their merit and frequently fall into evil, because they have no discernment of the good. They do not inquire into what would be the right moment to do something but for the most part only think of this once they have done it, with an awareness that it should have been done differently. To these, under the guise of speaking to a pupil, Solomon says, Do nothing without counsel, and after you have done it you will not regret it.^[2] And further, Let your eyelids precede your steps.^[3] Our eyelids precede our steps when good counsel precedes our action. The one who neglects to consider in advance what he expects to do straightens his steps, closes his eyes and arrives at the end of his way but does not precede his steps with foresight. Consequently, he more quickly stumbles, because he does not pay attention, with the eyelids of counsel, to where to plant the foot of his works.

Who were the horsemen who formed three bands, that is, who armed themselves in three ways and surrounded the camels in a threefold war?^[1] These were spiritual horsemen, that is, spirits of the air, who in their aerial wickedness roam the earth, plow the sea, rush through the air, stronger and faster than any wind, water or storm. It is right to also call them horsemen, because they sit on all lustful and indecent people as on horses, stoking their desires and hounding them until they carry out their iniquity and their desires—those about whom it is said that the adulterer neighs like a stallion under whoever rides him. And, Do not be like the horse or the mule, without intelligence.^[2] And further, They are like stallions, each one neighing after the wife of his neighbor.^[3] These, therefore, are the horses of the devil, these are the evil horses—these, and all those who are in the service of his iniquity, those whose feet run to evil, because the feet of these horses hasten to shed blood,^[4] and their utterly perverse riders are the demons and spirits of the air.