Morals on the Book of Job (Moralia)

God' or can he be found clean thai is horn of a woman f

21 This verse is spoken above by blessed Job, and is w. now repeated in the upbraiding of him; since every just man,. jnst by illumination from God, not by comparison with God. For man's righteousness when compared with the Maker is unrighteousness, since even although man had held fast in his own estate of creation, the creature could never be equalled to the Creator. To which creature howsoever unto heavier burthens of deficiency, there accrued sin also, which the serpent bj plotting brought in, and woman proving frail recommended. Hence now, forasmuch as man is born bv the agency of woman who is mad, subject to sin, the frailty of the first guilt is inherited in the offspring; and because the branch of the human rare was made rotten in the root, it does not hold up in the greenness ol its creation. Hence it is rightly said now. Can a man be justified being compared with God* or ran he be found clean that is horn of a woman ■ As if it were expressed in plain terms, ' Let not man entertain pride against bis ( reator, let him reflect whence be came hither, and understand what he is' But observe, there are those that when by the gift ol the Spirit thev are holpen against the frailty ol their flesh, thai thim ■ ' "a ih giill not cli an flash out in tin marvel* of miraculous rigi 1, j t La persons that live rightl)? who amidst the practice men, whilst they are conspicuous by rare virtu thine in the darkni ss of night Whence likewise it i bj I Viiil to the disciples; imong whom ye nhine like lights in the world. For that Holy Church is represented by the designation of* the d n,1 the Proph< t bears wil ing, The tun was lifted up. and the moon Hood in her! "ii ' the sun 1" ing lifted up, the moon is established in her order,' in that on our Lord ascending into the heavens, Holy Church i* thereupon made strong in the authoritative function of preaching. \n<l that by the title stars1 the Elect are represented, Paul again informs us, by saying, / ttar dtfferethfrom another eta* in glory.

s.i ' the moon doth nol shine, and the stars are nol clean in Ih- sight,1 because neither <l<.ili II »ly Church by her own power shine forth in bo many miracles, except the gifts of preventing grace fall in showers upon her, nor are the minds of the I ins thai live rightly clean of the stains of sinful practices, if thej be judged apart from pitj; because in the of th. strict Judgt Bingle individual his own proneni ruption doth pollute, unless th< I One ing day by day wipe this away. For the mind of the Elect Btrives to go forth t<« ih liberty of righteousness, but istill bound and tinl with th fetters of frailty, and it longs ind< ed ]•' rfl ctlj to gi t the l" tt. r "i offences, but so long as it i- fettered b) the corruption of the flesh, it is tied with the chains th< u of, - ven when it would not be. Hence therefon let him collect with what i load of sins the} are born* down, who 'I. -I. ct to n mi. ii nut even thej entire!} lh< better of evil doing, who strenuously fight against it. \'i.i henc( ii laid, Behold even to thi moon, and it shitieth nut, tind lite Stars urc not inire in Hi* sight; it i

23. Lb it' it were in plain words; ' It' those eery persona Jtvii. also cannot be void of contagion, who amidst the darkni - the present life shim- bright by rirtuous attainments, with what,uruilt of wickedness are tin y bound, who still live after the flesh? If those persons cannot be free from sin. who already walking in the way of heavenly desires, whal they who still lie under the loads of sinful habits? who whilst they arc abandoned to the gratifications of their fleshly part, still bear the yoke of rottenness? Hence Peter saith; Andif the\\ righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly <in<l iJw sinner appear? Hence it is Baid by Isaiah, Upon the] land of My people shall come u/> thorns and briars; how much more upon all the houses of joy in the joyous city. For by 'the land of His People,' the Lord meaneth the mind of all ol' the Elect. Upon which He nils of ' thorns and 1 aiars coming up;1 because lie sees that not even that \ery mind is free from the prickles of had habits. But ' the house of joy in the joyous city" is the mind of the wicked, which whilst it neglects to regard the punishments that destined to come, in the gratification of the flesh going awaj from it-, it. revels in empty mirth. Thus he saith; Upon the land of Mij people shall come up thorn's and briars, how m licit more Upon (ill the houses of joy in lite joyOUS cilij.

As if He said in plain words; It' evil habits sink low even the minds of those, who for desire of the heavenly countrv put themselvi - to pain, what guilty courses are they brought under, who without any apprehension abandon themselves in the gratification of the flesh?

■j I But it is a point to be noticed in his discourse how Bildad observed the order of our en ation ami of our birth, in that he calls 'man1 not • a worm,1 hut' rottenness,' hut ' the

-.Hi at man" ' a worm." for the first parent of the human i," not • the -on of man;" from whom w ] came forth, was not only ' man," hut ' tin son of man" as well. Vs then from man springs the son of man, bo from rottenness s|>rim.,r- the worm. vVbenc< man is rightly called

'- v tirongest point comet last.

be turned to ' rottenness,1 yet he did not come by a birth

<>ut..I rottenness. But he th.it is tin son of man is railed '.1 worm,1 because be i- henceforth propagated from the corruption "i iii"i tal bodies.

25 rherefore because the words of his friends are concluded, blessed Job seta on frith a more penetrating acuu d< — of the suing, and his words are proportionably strong ai they the last; seeing that even in the same way ii is the usage of lawyers, that the argument, by which they beforehand see conclusion of the suit. It folio* b;

<. \wi. I, -j. Iini Job answered amd said, Of whom art limn the helper f whether of one that is powerless f or dost limn siisiiiin tin1 arm of him that it mil strong f

XVIU. 26. To help one that is weak is an act of charity, to wish to help one that is powerful, of pride; ami so because his trie nds, whilst bearing the likeness of lien tics, on the plea of helping God, endeavoured to make a display of their own wisdom, Bildad is justly found fault with, that it should be said. Of whom art Hum tin /ii//ni whether of one tlmi is powerlest or dost thou sustain tin arm qf him thai it >/<>t strong \- it be said in plain irords; ' While thou settest thyself to help Bim, under Whose greatness thou dost sink lO the earth, all the encouragement which thou alibrdest comes of ostentation, not of pi< t\.'

"J7. But herein it is requisite to he known, that even God,

Who surelj i- not ■ powerless,1 we help whilst acting with > humility. And hence it is said by Paul, For >•< are helpert oj Qod. For when to bim, whom He doth Himself bj interior grace pervade, ire bj the voice of exhortation contribute, this which lie through the Spirit brings to pass within, we ontwardl) bj the office of the roice do assist, and then only is,,iir exhortation brought to completion, when God was in '*'• "• th« heart, to be aided. Henc< He saith elsewhere; So then neithet it h* that planteih any thing, neither he thai water-, ih: hut Ood that giveth the increase. For to ' plant1 and ' "in r* is to • help,1 both irhieh will he hut a void ministration, if m the heart God ' giveth not the increase." But tli' \ who have high thoughts of their own power of mind, will no1 Boob be helpers of God with humility; because whilst they reckon themselves to be of use to God, thej are making themselves Btrangera to the firuil of usefulness. Ind hence it is said to the disciples by the voice of Truth, When ye shall haveUka done all thou things thai are commanded you, say, II e are " unprofitable servants, we have done that which nets our duty to do. It proceeds;

Ver.3. To whom has/ thou given counsel? perchance to him lh<tt hath not wisdom f

28. To * give counsel to one that is foolish1 is an office of xix. charity, to give it to one that is wise, of ostentation; but to give it to Wisdom Itself, of wrongmindedness; and because those who we have said bear the likeness of heretics, by their mode of speech, were administering to ostentation rather than to usefulness, it is yet further added rightly against Bildad,

And shewn thine own prudence overmuch.

To one to whom there is right prudence it is not overmuch, because according to Paul's declaration, he seeketh not to be wise above the degree that he on (//it to be wise. But to whomsoever there is overmuch prudence, there is not right prudence. For whilst it is carried beyond due measure, it is made to turn off on one side or another of offence. Now they shew their prudence to be ' overmuch,1 who aim to appear fuller of prudence in comparison of others; whence it very frequently happens that whilst they have not the art to be wise in moderation, they even speak things that are foolish. On account of which circumstance, the actual excess of prudence is yet further subjoined, that it should be said,

Ver. 4. Whom wouldest thou have taught ' Was it not Him Who made the breathwayf

•2!>. By the ' breathway1 we live, by prudence we are wise. xx. But it is ours first to live, and afterwards to be imbued with wisdom; because in order that we have the power to be wise, it is first brought to pass that we should have being. He, then, Who bestowed life, the same doubtless gave prudence as well. But because Bildad thought blessed Job was scourged for sin, that secret judgment of God which he should have adored in humility, he set himself with over- mi ipiriU unable to rise n/>.

m oing temerii) i" p uelrate to ihe bottom. And bo thai rerj < me be pn fern i\ hims< ii before in respect of prudence,

Wli nenl without understanding it be judged.

mis < m< li bimself before in prudt n wise more than He, the verj Being from Whom be had i\cn it him that be Bhonld be. But because bl< Job whilst bearing a type of Holy Church delivered ■ few things in the rebuking of proud men, who. he was not i.urn<>- rant, bore a liken< sa of heretics, according as he Baid al / Ei eason with God; first shewing ilml ye a forgers oj lies, and followers oj wrong tenets; In- suddenly lilt- himself up t < » instruction, ami in opposition t<> the ignorance "t the highminded, he opens wide the breadth of his knowled Baj ing,

\ v In, ih, giants groan under //" w\. 80. For it wa-> fitting thai by rebuking he should first beat down tin- swelling of earthly wisdom, and by instruction afterwards pa— on t<> words replete with mysteries. Thus by 'giants/ either apostate Angels, or all proud men may without objection!»■ understood. For hence it i> ><ai»l by tin Prophet, //" -liittl shall //"/ lire, the giants shall n<>i rise u/> again. For whom does he call 4 the dead1 saving sinners, ami u hum does In- <1 signate ' giants1 savj those, who ov< i ami above take pride in Bin. Now tin- former do ' ma live,1 because bj Binning they have forfeited the hie of ti^hn ousneas; ihese latter too ' cannot ris • np again1 after di ath, iuse, an r their ti •;■ being swoln with pride, they do not havi recourse t" the remedies ot penitence. Hence it i- written again, ///'• >h<di that wandereth md of the wag muli rstanding shall remain m the congregation of the dead. For whosoever forsakes the waj of righteousm whose miinl.. r doee be join bimself, Baving t<> tin number of the proud Bpiritsi \"\\ it is well Baid in opposition t<> the high-minded, /.", the giants groan under the waters* As it it wi i' i xpressed in plain speech; ' Wh in fore on thi knowledge should man lie proud, when the abyss of ignobottom tin \cr\ proudest «'i the spirits <>i the \ 81. But ii l'\ in- name ol 'the giants1 tin powerful ones of this world arc denoted, in * the waters' ire may have the Boom

Tin' waters, which limit seest, are peoples, Now against him that is filled with pride it is well spoken; ho, the giants groan under the waters; because all that are high and lifted up, while in this life they long to attain the highest pitch of honours, groan under the burthens of peoples. For in pro-j portion a> a man is the higher lifted up here, he is burthened w itii so much the heavier cares. And to those rery same people in mind and thoughts he is put under, whom in dignity he is put over. And by these words it is u,ll shewn in brief that all pride lies prostrat on the ground by the mere ad by which it liiis itself up on high, s i as to be the iffectually bowed down beneath all things from th< same cause, that it would lain he set above all. For man when he is lifted up in high stations, hears so many in auratx r over him, as he rules persons put beneath him. lint those, that are associated with such persons, arc by fellowship in their labour themselves also weighed to the ground. For together with them they likewise bear the toilsomeness of the burthen, whilst along with them they go alter the gloriousness of the honour. Bence whereas he said, Lot the ijianls groan under the waters; he directly

And they thai dwell along with (hem.

•')■-'. As though he said; ' Equally with them do they wii. groan,1 who by taking delight art associated to their glory.

Now the wry employment of' worldly dignities is borne down with readier rices in proportion as it is charged with heavier i.11 s. For would that the mind of man even at rest might be able t" see and eschew sins! And so because be Ban that the longed for heights of affairs cannot he administered without sins, and because it is not hidden from the wrath of

God, whatsoever is committed of an unlawful kind, he iitl\ subjoined in pursuance;

Vet. i;. Hill is naked before Him, and destruction hath mi covering.

33. Which Bam haul likewise Baith, llni nil things an xxiii. naked and opened unto His eyes* \\\n 1>\ the title of* heir lllk '■ and " perdition' h« denoted the devil and all tin associates of

In- condemnation; but Who thai One is before whom* hell., " is naked,1 be km i on « ith telling;

\,. 7. //' Uretcheth out the mirth over tin' empty place. wiv. 84, |',V the title of the ' north,1 in Holy Writ the deril if i (.. be di signati d, rho with the thought ti» bind np th»- beartf <»i 1 1 ■ « - nations wiih the iciness of insensibility, said, i-. 14, / will til alto upon tht mount of the Covenant) in the tide* of the north. \nd be is* stretched over the emptj place,1 because he has possession of those hearts, thai arc nol filled wiih th( i tlic love of God. Yet is it competenl to

Almightj God, that even those vessels of the devil, empty ofeverj virtue, He may fill with the gift of Hi- grace, and deposit tin- solid substance of Divine fear in those persona, whom He does nol see Btablished by any conduct of righteousness. 1 1' nee n is fitlj added; And hangeth the earth upon nothing. \w.:{.'). For what is denoted by the title ot * earth,1 saving Holy Church; who, whilst she receives the words of preaching, renders bacl the fruit of good works? Whereof it is Deot said 1>\ M -. Lei tl"- earth hear the wordt out of my lipt. 'lei my tpeeeh m looked for like the rain. And what hut the red gentile peoples arc denoted bj ' nothing,1 of whom it is Bpoken by the Prophet, All nation* before Him are at nothing) <iml they are counted to Him let* than nothing. In thai ' nothing,1 then, is ' the earth hung suspended,1 which before, being a void place, was occupied by the 'north;1 luse thus.' hearts of the Gentiles became filled with the love "i God, which had been aforetime weighed down by a deadnesa ■>( the devil. But it maj be that both bj this ■ 1 1 1 1 1 > t \ place,1 the infidelity of Judasa is denoted, and by 1 the earth,1 as we said, the propagation of Holy Church. Thus let the h<>]\ man look at the fall of Judaea in her 1 » • riahing, and espy the prii ileges of the gentile world brought bacli to pardon, and let him say, II, Uretcheth out the I* over the empty placet "'"! hangeth the earth upon nothing. For because the hearts of the Gentiles, being void ot faith, wi re made subject to the devil, ' He Btretched the north over the empty place;1 and because, there being no in. in- forthcoming, (as it is said, For nullum/ shall Them ' '$avt them, npontln Gentiles the Lord founded His Church,

/A ttays too great floods of knowledge from the weak* 301 which same Gentiles are by the Prophet called k nothing,1 in pursuing the Bubject he rightly adds, And hangeth the earth N upon nothing. Now in what order this thing was done, he continues in subjoining \\ it li wonderful method. For he saith, \ i r. s. I h bindetti up the waters in hie thick clouds, thai they should not hurst forth alike beneath.

36. For what does he call ' the waters' in this place bnl xwi. knowledge; what ' clouds' but the Preachers? For that in Holy Writ ' water1 may sometimes be a term nsed lor knowledge, we have been taught by Solomon bearing witness to it. wlio says, J%e words of a //nut's mouth are as deep Pror. waters, and tin- well-spring of wisdom as a flowing /no,,/,-.18'4' That, by water knowledge is denoted, the Prophet David hears witness, saying, Dark water hi clouds of the sky, i.e. i'— 18, secret knowledge in the Prophets, who before the Advent of the Lord, whilst, pregnant with secret sacraments, they were bearing in them boundless mysteries, to the eyes of beholders had their meaning obscured. But by the name of clouds,1 what else is denoted in this passage but the holy Preachers, i. e. the Apostles, who being dispatched in every direction through the regions of the world, both knew how to shower in word-;, and to Hash forth1 in miracles? Whom the Prophet ','"nj'<- Isaiah beholding long before, said, Who are these that fly] as clouds ' Thus because this man, filled with the spirit of prophecy, in this utterance of his voice longs that for the praise of God the rise of Holy Church may commence, he betakes himself to tell the order of her rise from the preaching of the Apostles, who took the greatest pains to preach to uninstructed people what was plain and comprehensible, not what was high and arduous. For holy knowledge, which is here set forth by the title of water, if in the same way that they drew it from the heart, so they poured it forth from the lips, by the immensity thereof they would overwhelm rather than water their hearers. Hence his knowledge being unbound within, that it should not burst forth alike beneath, in nourishing his hearers with the dropping of words, that • ( loud1 -pake, saying, Ami J brethren could />>>/ speak unto- Cor. you as unto spiritual, out as u/>i<> carnal, < ven as unto habes ' in Christ. I have fed you with milk and not with meat. For who could have borne it if he that was caught up to the

< 'tut? taught tht ii,<iL not from earthy nor too fan off.

third heaven, thai was caught into paradise, even hearing unutterable words, which it was not permitted to man to ik, had open* d such unbounded depths of eel knowledge? or what hearer's power would he not overwhelm, if all that he might have been able to draw within, as tar as ne of flesh may suffice, overflowing without the mighty flood of tins water had poured forth f

Bui that aninstructed hearers might be comforted m>t by an inundation of knowledge, l>ut by the tempered dropping ol preaching, God tieth up the waters in the clouds, that they may not burst forth alike beneath. Because He tempers the preaching <>f the teachers, that bo 1 1 i * - infirmity of the hearers, being nourished by the dew of the things spoken, may be made Btrong. Which is well described in the Gospel bj a mystir.il mode <>f representation, when it is i.uk.:.. said, Jesus entered into the /""if of Peter, and prayed him down thus, mill taught /In people, Bj Peter's ship what

.Is, iv denoted hut the ('lunch committed to Peter! ami that the Lord ma) preach to tin- crowds Mucking together mit of this ship, Mr orders it to 1" ' thrust out a little from the land.' Which Bame he neither bids to be carried into the deep, and yi 1 does hid that it he thrust out from the land, signifying, surely, that to uninstructed people His preachers ought not to preach cither what is too deep relating to the heavenly world, nor yet what is earthly. Ami s(,

1 wati r is hound up in the clouds,' hecausc the knowledge of the Preach* rs, sp< aking to the minds of the frail, is forbidden to teach;i*- much as it is aide to

38. Since, lor the most part, il the heart of the hearers is spoilt by the vastness of the utterance, the tongue of the persona teaching is mulcted in the damage of indiscretion. W hence it is written; And if a man shall,,/>,?i,, cistern, tail a mini shaU dig a pit uml not cover it, and an <>* or an ass fall therein, the owner oj the pit shall male ii good. For what i it ' to open a cistern,1 saving with Btrong understanding to penetrate the mysteries of Holy Writ? And what is understood bj an • ox1 ami an ' ass,1 viz. a clean and an uncli an animal, Bave everj believer and unbeliever! \elingly, let him that ' digg< ih a cistern cover it, lest an ox

The strong cannot beat <t/L stilt less the weak. 808

\ 1 1 makes out dee]) things iu Holy Writ, by silence cover over liis lofty perceptions before those that do not reach that compass, lest by a stnmbling-blocli to the soul he kill either the believing little one. or the unbelieving, who might have been led to believe. For upon the death of the beasts ol burthen there are damages due, plainly because he is convicted of having done that, whereby he is held a debtor for the exercising of penance'. Accordingly, ' the cistern must be covered,' in thai before little minds, deep knowledge requires to be veiled, lest by the same cause that the heart of the teachers is lifted up to the highest things, the infirmitj ol" the learer fall away to the lowest. Accordingly let it be said with justice. He bindeth up the waters in His clouds^ tlml Ui< ij should not burst forth alike beneath. For ' the waters would burst forth alike,' if, in th • presence of weal hearers, the knowledge came forth from the lips of the speaker as great as it is, if all the whole fulness of preaching poured itseb out at once, and reserved nought to itself together with those making progress. For it is fitting that he that preaches should have an eve to the measure of him that hears him, so that the preaching itself may grow with his hearers' stages ot growth. For so does it behove every single preacher to do, as it is dealt with himself from heaven; never to tell to the weak all that he has the perception of, because he himself too, so long as by flesh of mortality he is weak, does not perceive all those things that belong to heaven. And therefore he ought not to preach to the ignorant as much as he ifl acquainted with, because even he himself, touching heavenly mysteries, cannot have his eyes open to see how great they are. For hence it is that Paul the Apostle, after he was admitted to the mysteries of heaven, saith, For now we 8661 Cor. through a glass darkly » but then face to face. And hence13,12, it here follows in continuation;

Vcr.!). He holdeth hoc/,- the face of His Throne, and spreadeth His cloud upon it.

; Qod ' witkkoldeth tkt fact of Hit Throne* at present.

■ -' In the face there i^ wool i>> be shewn forth ac.piaintanceship. Thai ' the bee of His Throne is held back,1 in \wn.,n:it hv "s '",,|is hie the gloriousness of His kingdom in do! perceived, bo i it as it is bad within; 'upon which the cloud1 i- rightlj said ■ to 1>. stretched;1 because ili.it glory of the heavenly kingdom i^ nol seen Midi as it is. For the corruptible body preueth down the goal;,u,d //,,■ earth* t<il» maele weigheth down the mind Unit muteth upon manu thingg. And so against seeing n we are besprinkled with a mist, for we are darkened by the mere <1< >u<lin, -s «,i' qui ignorance. Whence it is rightly s.,j,i by the Psalmist, \nd darkneu was under Hu feet; and He rode abou the Cherubim, and did Jtys He did ftu above the wing* of the wind: ll>- mad, darkneu Hu secret place. For there is 1 darkness to Him under His feet,' in that by those beneath He is not Been in that brightness, wherewith II. exercises dominion among those above. For He 'rode above the (!hi ml. nn. and did flj;' since the 'Cherubim' is a term used for the fulness..f knowledge. By consequence be is said above the fulness..t knowledge t<> have ' ridden, and to have flown,' because the loftiness of His Majesty there is no knowledge doth compass. 'He did fly,' because II.- transported Himself on high, for from the reach of our understanding. ' He did fly above the ivings of the wind; because He transcended the knowledge of souls. II,' made darkness l"" His secret place, because whereas we are dimmed with the mists of our infirmity, 1»\ virtue of.nn- ignorance II.' is hidden from US, th.it lie should n.»t be seen hv us now in eternal and interior Brightness. Hence in the Song of Songs

-..ds,, k is said to 1 1 mi l,\ the Spouse, Escape, my Beloved, escape. ' It escapes hn'». say, as..inn.is thai does nol occur to..in- minds which we wish t<» remember. ■ It.scapes us; we say, when that which ur wish we do not retain in..in- recollection. So Holy Church, ait. a that she sets i..rth the Death and Resurrection and Ascension of our Lord, cries out to Him, full of the Spirit of Prophecy, 1 '/"• ""/ Bek ipe. As though she said; - Thou

1 1mI ■"' made bj the flesh comprehensible, do Thou bj Thy Divine Nature transcend the comprehension of our perception, and in Thine —wo s.ii nn, ain u. Us Incomprehensible.'

And so He ' holdeth back the face of I lis throne,1 because He hideth the power of llis Majesty from mortal 1>< in

10. Bui it' we render His ' throne1 the Angelica] Powers, for mi these same Powers ll«' sitteth enthroned as on a royal scat. ■ He keeps back the lace of I lis Tim air' from as, because so long as we have our subsistence in tins mortal flesh, what and how wonderful those ministrations of the Angels arc we do not perceive. ' And He spreadeth His cloud upon it' assur, dl\ because He both lifts up our heart for making search, and yel it IS brought I" pass b\ a secret mode of control, that by the very endlessness of its searching it is kept back. Whence it is written. The deep uttered its voice at the Hab. 3, loftiness of its imagining. For the mind of man is forced to cry out in admiration, when, in loftiness of survey, it is straitened in its searchings by the very act by which it is enlarged. Or, surely, because we are ourselves the ' throne' of God, He is said not unjustly to ' keep back the face of Ili^ throne,' when our knowledge is prevented advancing to things of a higher range. Upon which same throne God is said ' to spread His cloud,' because remaining Himself invisible, He puts forth secret judgments upon us, that at once a thing should be done in prominency, that we should be able to see, and yet the origin of the deed be bidden in concealment, so that the reason wherefore it be done, we should nee Is not know. Hence too it is fitly added;

Ver. 11. He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the U'j/it and darkness come to an end.

41. Because very often in Holy Writ, as we said above, bj xxviii. the name of waters' peoples are denoted; the Lord compasseth the waters with bounds; because I [e so tempers the knowledge of mankind that until the successions of the chan^mpass away, it cannot perfectly attain to the knowledge of the Interior Brightness. But if by the name of' light' we understand the righteous, and by the designation of ' darkness1 sinners; (and hence Paul saitb, For ye were sometimes "Eph. 5, darkness, but now are ye light,) there is nothing to hinder8' this -.unc thing that we said being understood, ' that the Ct knowledge of eternity is vouchsafed to no one, until the course of the righteous and of the unrighteous is bronghl to an end.' But because it is not wonderful that carnal people know nothing of things above, the holy man lifts VOL. II. x

M, himself up in astonishment at that same Divine power, and

Thepiltars qf heaven tremble, and are astonished at hit wix. 42. What else does he call ' the pillars of heaven1 but tinbolj Angels, or the principal preachers of the Church, over whom in the heavenly world the whole structure <>f the spiritual edifice increasing arose, as I [olj Scripture elsewhere witness, saving, Him that overcometh will I make <> pillar in tli'1 temple (if my Qod. For whoever is established firmly bj a right purpose of mind in the work of God, up as a pillar in the structure of the spiritual edifice; thai I >» in^r placed in this temple, which is the Church, he should be both for usefulness and ornament Hm Job calls those 1 pillars «>l heaven1 whom the Apostle calls v pillars1 <>f the 6*1.9, Church, saying, Peter, and Jam John, which seemed in be pillars, gave ih>- t/n- right hand.

L8. We in;i\ also not inappropriately inn rpret the 'pillars i.t heaven1 the Churches themselves, which being many in iiiiiiitx 1, constitute one Catholic Church spread over the whole face of the earthi Hence too the Apostle John writes to the seven Churches, meaning to denote the one Catholic Church replenished with the Spirit <>i sevenfold grace, and re know that Solomon said <>f the Lord, Wisdom hath builded her house, she /i"(/i hnni out her seven pillars. And ho had Bpoken that, in going on a dulously introduced the Sacraments themselves too, saying, •s'/"- hath hillnl her sacrifices, she hath mingled her wine, she hath alt forth her table; she Imth sent forth her m lidens, that they may cry to the citadel and to the walls of the city. //' <nu/ be a little one, let l-im come to un. I or the Lord ' killed the sacrifices' b) offering Himself <>n <>iu- behalf. He mingled the wine,' blending 1 he cup of His pn c< pis from the bistorica] narration and the spiritual signification.

Whe it is elsewhere written, Fot is the hand of the I u a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture. And II. - 1 forth His table,' i.e. H0I3 Writ, which with the bread ol the word refreshes us when we are wearied, and

Wisdom for the humble. FearbefUsboth men and Angels. 907 come to Him away from the burthens of the world, and i>\ its effect of refreshing strengthens us against our adversaries. Whence t"<> it is elsewhere said by the Church; Thoui preparest a table before me} against them that trouble mt H< ' sent forth I i i ^ maidens,' i. e. the bouIs of the Apostles, being in their actual beginning infirm1, 'that they mi^ht i,.... cry to the citadel and the walls of the city;' in tint whilst