Verse 24. — He shall give flint for earth, and golden torrents for flint. The weak, when God heals them, come forth strong, and shine forth to others with doctrine. — What is signified by 'earth' but the weakness of action; what by the hardness of 'flint' but strength? What do we understand by 'golden torrents' but the doctrine of inmost brightness? Now Almighty God, to those turned to him, gives flint for earth, because for weak action he bestows the strength of vigorous work.
He also gives golden torrents for flint, because for vigorous work he multiplies the doctrine of bright preaching, so that any sinner, once converted, may be able both to come forth strong out of weak, and, in his strength, to rise up even to the utterance of words of inmost brightness — to the end that in him both the weakness of action, in which he is dissolved like earth, may be made solid by the strength of good living; and again, when the mind is drawn from a good life, golden torrents may flow down from that very strength, because in the mouth of those who live well the brightness of doctrine overflows. There follows: