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-mighty, presenting them. Finally, when the same Psalmist writes, "Incline your ear to me," it signifies being heard. Furthermore, Dionysius states that ears in angels denote not only the power of participation but also the knowledge through which they understand themselves to be participants in divinity. To "hear with the ear," as read in Matthew, indicates apprehending secret doctrine. Origen interprets "hearing in secret," as found in Jeremiah, as spiritual understanding. Again, in the sacred pages, the ear designates clemency, and sometimes intellect, as in Luke: "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." A stopped ear in Isaiah proclaims that the occasion for sin has been removed. Similarly, an ear torn away by the Supreme God, according to Gregory, demonstrates an intellect open to knowledge. To "reveal the ear," as read in Job, is nothing other than to expand the heart's hearing through hardships and lashes. Having "open ears and not hearing" in Isaiah is attributed by Saint Jerome to the Jews, who were devoted to the literal letter of the law but refused to grant faith to Christ when he explained its mystical sense.

Ultimately, in mystical doctrine, all theologians understand the ear to mean the obedience that everyone owes to the Supreme God, mindful of Adam, who was deprived of Paradise after scorning obedience. Moses indicated this when he smeared the tip of the right ear of Aaron and his sons with the blood of the second sacrificed ram. For this reason, we read in Psalm 39: "You have perfected ears for me"—though others read it as "you have bored through"—since in Deuteronomy, according to Mosaic law, slaves could either embrace freedom at the end of their service or surrender themselves into their master's power. If the latter was chosen as a sign of voluntary servitude, the master would pierce the slave's ear with an awl.

The same is to be understood regarding a man faithful to Christ under the Law of Grace, offering his ear to God so that he might make it capable of receiving divine precepts. Furthermore, Lyranus explains the bored ear as a sign of service and obedience. To the aforementioned, let us add that the right ear in the sacred pages signifies the intention of heavenly vision, while the left ear signifies the intention of pious operation.

The nose is also assigned to God in the sacred pages, denoting the investigation by which God "scents" the hearts of men. Thus, we read that when Noah sacrificed, the Lord smelled a "sweet-smelling savor," because a sacrifice offered by a virtuous and just man is exceedingly pleasing to God. Indeed, nostrils are also attributed to the soul, signifying the inner virtue through which divine matters are perceived. Elsewhere in the Canticles, a nose like the tower of Lebanon demonstrates a strong and vivid judgment.

Through the nostrils from which smoke emerges in Job, the snares of the Devil are expressed—always exhaling—through which he secretly tries to scent the thoughts of our hearts. Finally, when we read in the Psalmist, "They have noses and shall not smell," it refers to those who are filled with the instrument of spiritual fragrance but nevertheless do not use it.

The cheeks, which are mentioned in many places in the sacred pages, can be explained as the cheeks of the Church—namely, the priests and preachers who adorn the Church; standing out in the sight of the people, they are seen clearly as if upon the face of the Church.

The cheeks of the bride in the Canticles can represent the inner affections of the soul. When, in the previously cited passage, the "cheeks of the turtledove" are named, they indicate virgins and others devoted to the work of modesty. In the same place, "cheeks like beds of spices sown by perfumers" are the mystical cheeks of the bridegroom—namely, the martyrs of Christ, who did not hesitate to shed their blood for the faith. Thus, they are called blushing cheeks, while the beauty of the Christian faith is spread and publicized through them. Finally, when we read in Isaiah, "I gave my cheeks to those who pluck," this is to be understood literally as the Passion of Christ.

Concerning the face: among the four Evangelists, we read of the "face of a man," which can denote Matthew, because he began the start of his Gospel with human generation. However, according to Saint Augustine, this human face signifies Saint Mark, who demonstrates Christ as man. Likewise, when we read in the sacred scriptures that God "breathed the breath of life into the face of man," it is to be understood that God communicated all the senses to the head of man; for the face in that place, as the more worthy part,