se, of the prohibition to sow strange doctrine in
the Church, which is a spiritual vineyard. Likewise "the field," i.e.
the Church, must not be sown "with different seeds," i.e. with
Catholic and heretical doctrines. Neither is it allowed to plough
"with an ox and an ass together"; thus a fool should not accompany a
wise man in preaching, for one would hinder the other.

Reply Obj. 10: [*The Reply to the Tenth Objection is lacking in the
codices. The solution given here is found in some editions, and was
supplied by Nicolai.] Silver and gold were reasonably forbidden
(Deut. 7) not as though they were not subject to the power of man,
but because, like the idols themselves, all materials out of which
idols were made, were anathematized as hateful in God's sight. This
is clear from the same chapter, where we read further on (Deut.
7:26): "Neither shalt thou bring anything of the idol into thy house,
lest thou become an anathema like it." Another reason was lest, by
taking silver and gold, they should be led by avarice into idolatry
to which the Jews were inclined. The other precept (Deut. 23) about
covering up excretions, was just and becoming, both for the sake of
bodily cleanliness; and in order to keep the air wholesome; and by
reason of the respect due to the tabernacle of the covenant which
stood in the midst of the camp, wherein the Lord was said to dwell;
as is clearly set forth in the same passage, where after expressing
the command, the reason thereof is at once added, to wit: "For the
Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and
to give up thy enemies to thee, and let thy camp be holy (i.e. clean),
and let no uncleanness appear therein." The figurative reason for
this precept, according to Gregory (Moral. xxxi), is that sins which
are the fetid excretions of the mind should be covered over by
repentance, that we may become acceptable to God, according to Ps.
31:1: "Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins
are covered." Or else according to a gloss, that we should recognize
the unhappy condition of human nature, and humbly cover and purify
the stains of a puffed-up and proud spirit in the deep furrow of
self-examination.

Reply Obj. 11: Sorcerers and idolatrous priests made use, in their
rites, of the bones and flesh of dead men. Wherefore, in order to
extirpate the customs of idolatrous worship, the Lord commanded that
the priests of inferior degree, who at fixed tim