288. When, however, human means fail, then it is for you either to
suffer or to expect help from the Lord. No human effort could support
the Jews when they stood by the sea and were surrounded in the rear by
the enemy. Hence, a miraculous deliverance was to be hoped for, or a
sure death to be suffered.

C. NOAH'S OBEDIENCE.

V. 22. _Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did
he._

289. This phrase is very frequent in Scripture. This is the first
passage in which praise for obedience to God is clothed in such a form
of words. Later we find it stated repeatedly that Moses, the people,
did according to all that God commanded them. But Noah received
commendation as an example for us. His was not a dead faith, which is
no faith at all, but a living and active faith. He renders obedience
to God's commands, and because he believes both God's promises and
threats, he carefully carries out what God commanded with reference to
the ark and the gathering of animals and food. This is unique praise
for Noah's faith, that he remains on the royal way--adds nothing,
changes nothing and takes nothing from the divine command, but abides
absolutely in the precept he has heard.

290. It is the most common and at the same time most noxious sin in
the Church, that people either altogether change God's commands or
render something else paramount to them. There is only one royal road
to which we must keep. They sin who swerve too much to the left by
failing to perform the divine commands. Those who swerve to the right
and do more than God has commanded, like Saul when he spared the
Amalekites, also sin even more grievously than those who turn to the
left. They add a sham piety; for, while those who err on the left
cannot excuse their error, these do not hesitate to ascribe to
themselves remarkable merit.

291. And such error is exceedingly common. God is wont sometimes to
command common, paltry, ridiculous and even offensive things, but
reason takes delight in splendid things. From the common ones it
either shrinks or undertakes them under protest. Thus the monks shrank
from home duties and chose for themselves others apparently of greater
glamour. Today the great throng, hearing that common tasks are
preached in the Gospel, despises the Gospel as a vulgar teaching,
lacking in elegance. What noteworthy thing is it to teach that
servants should obey their master and children their parents? Such a
common and oft-taught