Job 39:23

62. In Holy Scripture by the word ‘quiver’ is designated, sometimes the just and hidden counsel of God; but sometimes the clandestine machination of the wicked. By ‘quiver’ is expressed the just and hidden counsel of God, as this same blessed Job in a former part bears witness, saying, Because He hath opened His quiver, and afflicted me. [Job 30, 11] That is, He has disclosed His hidden counsel, and has wounded me with an open blow. For as arrows lie hid in the quiver, so do sentences lie hid in the secret counsel of God: and an arrow is drawn, as it were, from the quiver, when God launches forth an open sentence from His secret counsel. The machination of the wicked is also designated by the word ‘quiver,’ as is said by the Prophet, They have made their arrows in the quiver, that they may shoot in darkness at the upright in heart. For when the wicked conceal by secret machinations the schemes, which they plan against the good, they prepare, as it were, arrows in the quiver, and in this gloom of the present life, as if in darkness, they strike the upright in heart; because their malicious shafts can both be felt by their wound, and yet cannot be discovered as they are coming. Because therefore the horse of God is alarmed by no adversity, and the more he is opposed, the more ardently is he led against the armed enemies by the power of his intention; his persecutors, who perceive that they are defeated even when striking him, being confounded, have recourse to skill, prepare stratagems, and conceal, as it were, their wounds by launching them from a distance; whence it is now rightly said, Over him will rattle the quiver; that they may strike him from a distance, by secret machination, whom they approach in vain with open onset. This quiver had rattled over the horse of God, when forty men who had conspired for his death, were seeking for Paul to be brought out of prison; that they might kill him, with the blows of their designs, as though secretly, by the craft of arrows, whom they could not at all overcome by the attack of public persecution. The quiver therefore rattled; because the cause of secret machination came to Paul.
63. Although if we attentively enquire, we find a still deeper meaning in the sound of the quiver. For adversaries frequently enter into designs against the good, rely on wicked inventions, betake themselves to devise schemes; but yet themselves engage, themselves send persons, who should disclose these same schemes to the good; in order that, while the preparation of punishment is secretly, as it were, made known to the credulous, it may be the more dreaded; and that wounds suspected may the more disturb the mind of the bearer, than if inflicted. For, while arrows are concealed, and rattle in the quiver, they threaten death even though unseen. The quiver, therefore, rattles against the horse, when the hidden machination of the wicked against a holy preacher discloses, even more fraudulently, the design which it fraudulently conceals; in order that, by launching its threats beforehand, it may frighten, as if by the sound of the quiver, when the preacher of God fears not open insults, as weapons which strike him close at hand. But when he is not alarmed by these same threats, the cruelty of persecutors soon proceeds to open punishments. Whence, after it is said, Over him will rattle the quiver, it is immediately rightly added;
The spear will shake.
64. The spear is shaken against the preacher of God, after the rattling of the quiver, when, after terrors have been displayed, open punishment is now brought forward, striking near at hand. But holy preachers, when they are undergoing punishments in defence of the faith, cease not, even in the midst of blows, to seize those, whom they are able, to the same faith. And when they patiently receive wounds, they skilfully return the arrows of preaching against the hearts of unbelievers. Whence it is sometimes the case, that the very persons who are raging in persecution, grieve not so much, because they do not soften the heart of the preacher, as because, by his words, they lose others also. Because then they do not overcome him by striking him, lest others who hear him should forsake them, they soon prepare, against the words of the speaker, the shield of reply. Whence when He was saying, The spear will shake, He rightly subjoins;
And the shield.
65. For, after the raging persecutor smites with punishment the body of the preacher, he protects the heart of his hearers with the words of his disputation, as if with a shield. The spear, then, is shaken, that the holy man may be smitten; but the shield is placed in the way, that he may not be heard. For the defenders of God have their own arrows in the battle, which they launch more speedily into the hearts of their hearers, as they draw them from the bow of the spirit, that is, from the inmost tension of the heart. For Paul had armed himself with these, in the contest of faith, when saying, I suffer, even to bonds, as an evil doer; but the word of God is not bound. [2 Tim. 2, 9] As if he were saying; I am struck indeed with the spear of punishments, but yet cease not to launch forth the arrows of my words. I receive the wounds of cruelty, but I transfix the hearts of the unbelievers, by speaking the truth. Let it be said therefore; Over him will rattle the quiver, the spear will shake, and the shield. For the quiver rattles against the horse of God, because the counsels of the wicked resound about him; because open punishment is sought for, the spear is shaken; but because he is opposed by disputation also, the shield is wielded before him. But is he at all restrained from his warmth by these means? For with the greater persecution a holy man is oppressed, the more eagerly is he urged on to preach the truth; and, while he submits patiently to his persecutors, he eagerly hastens to attract his hearers to himself.

81. For since he sees that the zeal of a holy mind helps others also against him, he labours to wound it with multiplied temptation. Whence it frequently happens, that they who rule over others under them, endure severer struggles with temptations; in order, that when the leader himself is put to flight, after the manner of bodily contests, the associated unanimity of the resisting host may be dispersed without an effort. Therefore the crafty enemy, devising divers wounds of blows against the heavenly soldier, wounds him at one time by stratagem, by an arrow from the quiver, at another brandishes a spear before his face; because, namely, he both conceals some vices under the guise of virtues, and presents others to his sight openly as they are. For where he perceives the soldier of God to be weakened, he there requires not the veil of deceit. But where he observes that he firmly opposes him, he there doubtless contrives stratagems against his strength. For when he sees any one weak in an allurement of the flesh, he openly sets before his sight the appearance of a body capable of being desired. But if perchance he sees that he is mighty against avarice, he importunately suggests to his thoughts the want of those of his family; in order that, while the mind is directed, with seeming piety, to the care of providing for them, it may be secretly seduced and hurried into sin by seeking after wealth. The arrow then insidiously assails the horse of God, when the crafty enemy conceals for him a vice beneath a virtue. But the spear wounds in close combat, when open wickedness tempts him, even aware of it.
82. But the heavenly soldier is often opposed by the enemy in both ways, at one and the same time; in order that he may be destroyed by some one blow. For the crafty adversary endeavours to strike at the same time, both raging openly, and lurking in ambush; in order that while the arrow is dreaded from a secret spot, the spear may be less feared before his face; or that, while he withstands the spear before his face, the arrow may not be observed when coming from a secret place. For he often puts forward the temptation of lust, and suddenly desisting, more craftily suggests pride at chastity having been preserved. And there are some, who when they observe that many have fallen, from the stronghold of chastity, into the pit of pride, neglecting to watch over their life, are plunged into the filthiness of lust. But there are some, on the other hand, who, while they avoid the uncleanness of lust, plunge, through the height of chastity, into the gulph of pride. A fault therefore, which springs from a vice, is, as it were, a spear striking openly; and a fault which springs from a virtue, is, as it were, an arrow from the quiver wounding in secret. But the horse of God both overcomes the spear before his face, when he tramples down lust; and looks round at the arrow on the side, when, in the cleanness of chastity, he keeps himself from pride. Whence also it is well said by Solomon to one engaged in both contests; The Lord shall be on thy side, and will keep thy foot, that thou be not taken. [Prov. 3, 26] For the foot stretches out to things in front. But he, who beholds those things which are on the side, sees not those things which are before him. And again, he, who from looking forward to guard his foot, beholds what are before, gives up keeping watch at his side. But whilst we perform any act of virtue before our face, we look forward, as it were, where our foot ought to be placed; but when a fault secretly rises up from this virtue, whilst we look forward, as it were, our side is laid open to the arrow. But frequently, when we are afraid of a rising fault, we decline the virtue, which ought to be put in act; and when the side is, as it were, looked round upon, we see not how the foot is to be placed in front. It is, therefore, well said, The Lord shall be on thy side, and will keep thy foot that thou be not taken; because the soldier of God, protected by the shield of Divine grace, both observes, by looking round, what dangers can come forth on the side, and, by advancing forwards, ceases not to place his footsteps before his face. And the crafty enemy who envies him, because he sees that he prevails not at all by quiver and spear, opposes to him his shield; in order that, if he pierces not the breast of his opponent by striking it, he may at least obstruct his onward course by some obstacles. For to his efforts he opposes certain difficulties; and when he is unable to overcome, he however resists him.

Concerning “the exhortation of the captains and the howling of the army,” the tempting vices that fight against us in invisible contest in behalf of the pride that reigns over them, some of them go first, like captains, others follow, after the manner of an army. For all faults do not occupy the heart with equal access. But while the greater and the few surprise a neglected mind, the smaller and the numberless pour themselves upon it in a whole body. For when pride, the queen of sins, has fully possessed a conquered heart, she surrenders it immediately to the seven principal sins, as if to some of her generals, to lay it waste. And an army in truth follows these generals, because doubtless there spring up from them importunate hosts of sins.