Morals on the Book of Job (Moralia)

they tell of the interior life, they lilt us up to the high walls maMmi, of the Citj Above, which same walls, surely, except any be ",',',,'!"., humble they do not ascend. Whence it is there added byB. i.§. that same Wisdom; If any be <t Utile <>n<\ let him come unto* '.11#'

Me. As if she said in plain terms; * Whosoever accounts himself great in his own ey< s, contracts the avenue of his approach unto Me; for there is a loftier reaching unto Me in proportion as the mind of each one is in himself the more truly abased.1

44. But with whatever degree of goodness a man may be advanced, with whatever knowledge he may he made to grow, he cannot fathom to the bottom, what a governance of judgments the Lord rules us with. Therefore let him say, The pillars of heaven tremble, and arc astonished at his nod; because in most things not those even are able to reach the lofty height of His will, who whilst announcing see the rewards of that will. Which, as we said above, there is nothing hinders being interpreted of the Holy Angels as well; because the very Powers of the heavenly world themselves, which behold Him without ceasing, in that very contemplation of theirs are made to tremble. But that that should not be a trembling of woe to them, it is one not of tear, but of admiration. Now because he had brought in how gnat the consternation of his wonderment was, he now relates the order of our salvation. It follows;

Ver. 12. In His might the seas are suddenly gathered together, and His wisdom hath struck the proud one.

45. What else is denoted by the title of r ive the NXX present world, wherein the hearts of men Beeking after earthly things swell with the diverse billows of the thoughts? which Bame being stirred up by the exaltation of pride, whilst with cross sway thej thwart one another, do,,s with confronting waters dash tin nisei ther. But henceforth w • D tfl ur gathered together in His might,1 because on ih Lord beioR made Incarnate, the discordant hearts of

worldlj men believe in agreement I [encefortb Pt U i ' walks on the - use t>> the preachers of Christ, these once swelling hearts are by lowly hearing bowed down t<> the earth, so that in tin' Gospel too it justly represented the tli Dess "i this world, that tin- Btormy water of the m a, its Uing being forced down, iras trodden by the feet of the! \ in what manner that was done is disclosed, when it is said, His wisdom hath struck the proud one.

Hi. Who else is here called ' proud,' Baring he who said,.. / will ibove tli'' height of ///<• clouds, I will be like f//c Most High; and concerning whom it is spoken by the;.. voice of God, Who is made that If should fear none, "ml '' himself is king over all the sons qf pride. Willi reference to whom moreover the prophet David agrees with this ut. nee, saying, Thou hast abased the proud num. like "if '"• wounded. Bui though to the Bimple nature of Deity it is not one thing t<> he, and another thing to be wise, nor one thing to he wise, and another to he Btrong, forasmuch as the Btrengtli is identically the same that the wisdom, ami the wisdom that the essence of the Deitj is, yel I consider it a thing to he regarded with lively attention, thai this man being filled with the prophetic spirit, chose to describe the proud devil as stricken by ' the wisdom* rather than the p of God For he saith not,' Ilis might,' but, ' His wisdom hath Btruck tin- proud one/ I or. as we have said, although by righl of simple Nature, the Might of God is the Wisdom of God, vet as to the appearance, the Lord 01 ercame the devil, not b\ power, but by reason; lor the devil himself, by overthrowing ns in that root of our first parent, as it were rightfully held man under his thraldom, who w hilsi he was created with tree will, yielded consent to him. when he prompted what v. g unjust. For when created to life in the freedom of his own will, he w.i> of his..wn accord mule the debtor to ill. Thert fore BUCh a I -ion was i<( be done away; hm: ifice it could not be done awa) ■ \ sacrifice ought after, bul what sacrifice could he found

I or neither was il just that for hould he slam sacrifices of brute beasts

the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with '•

animal, i. e. in the stead of man, were DOl proportionate victims, a man was to be Bough! out, who Bhould be offered for men, that for a reasoning being committing Bin there might be offered a reasoning victim. Bui what of the fact, that a man without sin could nol be found: And the victim offered in our stead, when could it cleanse as from sin, if the actual victim itself was not without Bin's contagion? Since it being defiled could never have cleansed the defiled. Therefore that it might be a rational victim, Man was to be offered, but that it might cleanse man from his sins, Man and that Man without sin. But who might there!"• man withoul sin, if he was descended from a combination in sin: Thereupon in our behalf the Son of God came into the womb of the Virgin; there for our sakes He was made Man. Nature, not sin, was assumed by Mini. He offered a sacrifice in our behalf, He set forth His own Body in behalf of sinners, a victim void of sin, that both by human nature He might be capable of dying, and by righteousness be capable of purifying. This One, then, when the ancient enemy saw after the Baptism, then directly fell upon Him with temptations, and by diverse avenues strove to insinuate hints. If into His interior; he was overcome and laid prostrate by the D sinlessness of His unconquerable mind.

47. But because to the interior his Btrenglh did not reach, he betook himself to His outward man, that because he was subdued by the prowess of the bouI, Him, Whom he had not the power to deceive by temptation, he might at all events by the death of the flesh seem to vanquish. And, as it has been said before us. he had leave granted to him against that, which the Mediator had taken from us mortals. But where he had power t<> do something, there he was vanquished utterly on every side; and from the Same cause that he obtained the power outwardly to kill the flesh of the Lord, his interior power, whereby he held us fast, was killed. For he was himself vanquished within. whilst in seeming he vanquished without: and he, who of held us the debtors of death, ol right l<»st in us the i < right of death; because by means of his ministers, he sought for the flesh "f Him to be done t" death, in Whom he found do whit of the debt of sin. Tims our Lord did in our behalf paj d( iih not due, thai d< ath due might not injure as; and so ii i- well said, ind His wisdom hath struck the proud one; itise our old enemj bj the exct bs of his presumption lost

:i him, irhom by the Ian of wicked persuasion b I possession of; and whilst he audaciously went after Him, in

Whom there was nought at his command, bj right he lost him, whom lir as it were justly held bound. Therefore he was ■ stricken by wisdom,' and not by power, in that while he is let loose for the tempting God, he is unfastened from ing man; bo that him that was under him, he should lose by the Bame act, whereby he had ventured to come t<> an encounter with Him, Who is over him. But npon the

Lord being killed in the flesh, what gloriousness of powers came npon his Preachers is related, when it is added,

\ er. 18. His Spirit garnished the heom us.

\wi. |v what • heavens,1 saving those concerning whom it is

I'-.r.M. written, The heavens are telling the glory ofGodf Which

Which we have l< arnt by Luke's relating, who saith, Suddenly there canu <> sound from heaven, as oj a rushing mighty wind, and it Jilted all the house where they were sittings and ii sut upon each of them: and they were nil filled nilJi the /In/if Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. From Him, then, they received the adornments of prowess, whom an exceeding disfigurement of feaz before had possession of Forwe know that first one of the Apostles, i. e. <>f the ' heavens,1 how often, before the grace of the Holy Spirit was vouchsafed, whilst he feared t<» die, he denied ' the Life;1 who not by punishmi nts, not by inflictions, not by the dreadful power of anj one, bnt by the simple interrogation <>i a single slave, was brought to the ground. \nd truly that that slave the st. rner n \ might not exhibit as an object to cause alarm, it was bj a maidservant putting the question that he was tried.

o, that the weakness of such b sex, b) the lowness of bet

Glory qf the Apostles after Pentecost. -<ll office as well might be made contemptible, he was questioned Booi iiw aoor. Bee bow contemptible the person is that is Bought 17.

out foi the purpose of trying him, that it might be plainly brought ti> light, what excessive weakness <>f fear possessed him, who even before the voice of a maidservant of the door could not stand fast

49. But this one a little before so full of affright, what after the Coming of the Holy Spirit he became, let us now see. Sualy we have learnt by Luke's attesting it, with what an authoritativeness he preached the Lord, in opposition to the priests and rulers. For when upon a miracle being wrought inquiry had arisen, and the rulers from among the priests, the elders, and the scribes laid their hands together in the persecution of the Apostles, Betting those persons in the midst, they busied themselves to ask in what power they had wrought the miracle. Unto whom Peter being Idled with the Holy Spirit spake, Ye rulers qf the people and ciders; Acts 4, man, by what means lie is made whole; be il known unto you nil, and t<> all the people of Israel, that by the Name of

raised from the dead, even by Him doth this man stand here before you whole. And when the rage of tin persecutors against this grew to a head, and the priests and rulers forbade those nun to preach Jesus, with what independent power

Peter rose in height against the wrath of the rulers, is made plain, when it is there added directly, But Peter andthev.19.

Apostles answered and said unto them, It is right to obey

God rather than man. But when the commands of those withstanding did not repress the influence of the persons preaching, it comes to scourges. For it is added, Ami when Arts 5 the chief priests had beaten them, they commandt d that they UK should not speak in the Same of Jesus, and let them go.

But that the prowess of the Apostles not even scourges had power to restrain, is openly shewn, when it is immediately introduced next, And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame fur the Same of Jesus. And immediately even after the rejoicing of their scourges what they did we have pointed

US / Saint* ad rued by tin Spirit with sundry Otfts.

little while before full oi fears, boh Bpeaka with ton flaahea forth with miracles, with free voice rebukes Onunbelief ol the priests and rulers, givea to the real for the pri ichii f J iuj an example of independence. That he should not speak iu 1 1 1 ^ Name, he ia reatrained by scourgand yel ia nol withheld. Be - ta at nought the tea of those that scourged him, who.1 little while back had dreadi '1 the words <>i those thai questioned him. And he that when asked a question Bhrunk in consternation iii.ui the powers ol a maidservant, when beaten with th< I icK the powers of the rulers. For being henceforth blished by the efficacy of the Holy Spirit, the heights

..i" this world he trod down with the heel <>f liberty, that he should siv that thai was low down on the earth, whatever it u.is tint swelled high against the grace of the Creator.

50. I bi -.in- the "in. urn ins of the heavens, these are the gifts of tin- Spirit, thai are used t" be manifested by divers powers, which as divided by the bestowal of secret distribution Paul reckons up, saying, For to one is given by the Spirit the n ord oj a isdom: t<> another the word ofknowU dge by tin tame Spirit; /<> anothet faith by the tame Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the tame Spirit; to another ()<•■ working "f miracles; /<> another prophecy; /<> another discerning oj spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; / another ///•■ interpretation <>/ tongues. Ml which directly afterwarda including mini'' bj a general statement he says, But all these worketh thai <ai, and the self-same Spirit, i/n iding /<- '" ry man severally at He <> ill. Oi these ' heat ena1 too it i-, said in the Psalm, By th< hand of the Lord wen //"■ heavens set fast. Of these ornaments <>i the Spirit also it is added, //"/ </// //"• /"-" i r of them by the Spirit of His mouth. Th. refore it is w.ii said, His Spirit haih garnished the heavens; because tin- holy Preachera, except the] received the gifts of the Paraclete, that were promised t" them, would not hare shone with any comeliness of might But because when ii"- Holy Apostles were beautified with the grace of the gifta ol rirtue, the preachingof life gained ground againat the hearts ot unbelievers, and our old eneny being i apelled bv the voices "I the preachers, abandoned ihe minds of the Booi unl)clic\ ( rs, which be had close beset; after the ornaments of-.

the heavens it is fitl\ subjoined;

And by the midwifery oj His hand il ■ ^ rpt nt it

51. For who is described 1»\ the designation of the ' ser- wxii. pent,' lmt <>ur old enemy, at once slipperj and crooked, who for the deceiving of man spake with the mouth of a Berpent.: Of whom it is Baid by the Prophet, Leviathan the bar-ser- i-.jr.i. pent j the crooked onei who was for this reason allowed to speak with the mouth of a Berpent, thai by that verj vessel of his in in might learn what he was that dwell within. For a serpent is not only crooked but slippery as well; and bo because he stood not in the uprightness of truth, he entered into a crooked animal, and because if to his first suggestion resistance be not made in a moment whilst it is not perceived lie slips in entire into the interior of the heart, he made Bpeecfa to man by a slippery animal. Now ' the dens' of this serpent were the hearts of wicked men. Which same because he drew on to his own depravity, he as it were rested in the dwelling place of them. But ' by the midwifery of the Lord's hand, the crooked serpent is driven out of his own dens,' in that whilst the Divine grace heals us, he that had held possession of us, our old enemy, is cast out of ns, as Truth Incarnate says, Now shall th<- prince of this world Johni*, be cast out. Hence all the Saints now already he does not possess by holding, but persecutes by trying. For because he does not reign in them within, he fights against th< m without, and because he lias lost his dominion in the interior, he sets on foot wars in the exterior. For him That One drove forth from the carnal hearts of men. Who for the sake of men came to the State of Incarnation; and when as He took seisin of the hearts of unbelievers, He as it were put His band to the dens of the serpent Whence it is rightly said by the Prophet: Ami ///>■ sucking child si, nil play mi is. n, the hole '.'I' the asp, "ml the weaned child shall /mi hts hand ' ' ' on tin' cockatrice* den. They shall not hurl nor destroy in all My Holy Mountain. For whom does he call ' the sucking child,' or 'the weaned child,* saving the Lord: And what did In d note by 'the hole of the asp,' and ' the cockatrice

Tims it is hence said in the Song of Songs, on the coming Cut 4, of the Spouse; Thou shall be crowned from tic- top "f Aiit'iiKi, from (In- />>/< "/' s/,,nir and Hermon, from the linns' dens. For what else is denoted bj the t i 1 1 • • of the lnuis hut the devils, which rage against us with the furj «'f the deadliest crueltj: Ami because the ann< re are call faith, whose hearts were once4 the dens "i lions,' when by their confession the Lord is believed t<> have overcome death, it is as n He wen 'crowned from the lions1 dens.' I.1 crown is the recompense of victory. So often thi □ do th< faithful "il< r a crown n> Him, asthej confess that 1 1< has overcome death bj virtue of the Resurrection. And so ' the Lion is driven from Ins den,1 because - l>> the midwifer) of the Lord's hand,1 ' the crooked serpent is hindered from dwelling in the dens,' which be had possession of. For be went forth defeated from the hearts "i believers, irho had aforetime ruled over them with ih<- septic,,1 unbelief.

Observe bow in a few short sentences the holy man related the order "i the Lord's \ ■ 1 \ < at, set forth its weighty charges, and in admiring described what b) His Inc rnation ible to bi done* Bui He, Who wrought marvellous things when He < ame in humility, cannot be viewed with all the great terribleness 1 1 « ■ shall come with, when He appeareUi in the mightiness of lii^ Majesty. I'll— order of Ili^ first \d\i,11 nii-lii 1m- \ 1. u. (1 au<\ estimate d, in bo far as in coming i" redeem carnal beings, ll«- abated tin- greatness <>i His Divinitj to carnal eyes. Bui who might bear the terrors of lli^ Highness, when with the power <>i 1I1- Second kdvent fan i v. raising judgment b) fire, He shall glow in the Majestj Boo", of Ili- power? Whence the holy man describee His first Advent, bnt is exhausted for the second, Baying,

Ver. l l. A", these things have been spoken for part of His ways; and whilst we scarcely hear a little drop >.>/' Bis words, who shall be able to look on the thunder of His Majesty '

54. What ia meant in this place by the designation ofxxriii. tlif k ways,1 but the Lord's modes of acting? Hence too the Lord saith by the Prophet; For My ways are not as yom b.66,8. ways. Accordingly in telling of the Advent of the Lord, he had described the ways of God in part; because lli^ method of acting b) which He created da was one thing, and that by which He redeemed us another. Thus those things, which he told touching the Lord's way of acting, making light of by comparison with the final Judgment, he says, to, these things are spoken for part 0/ His ways. Which he also calls ' a little (hop of Hi> words,' for whatsoever thing that is high, whatsoever thing that is terrible, we whilst set in this life arc brought to know by the contemplation of Him, from the vast ocean of the secrets of Heaven wells out to us like a slight drop of the liquid element Above. And who shall be able to look on the thunder of His Majesty? As though he expressed himself in plain words; k tf we scarce endure the wonders <>t His humility, the loud and dreadful Advent of His Majesty with what iters. ■ do we encounta r? This thundering of His Advent the Psalmist also sounds <>ut, savm-. Our God shall come in state, our 9ods and shall****?- not keep silence, a Jin- shall devour before Him, and a mighty tempest round about Him. Hence Zephaniah the Prophet tells it out, saying, The Great Day of the Lord is Z^^ near; it is near and hasteth greatly. The voice of the Day of the Lord is bitter: the mighty nan, shall be troubled there. That Day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day oj wasteness and desolation, a day oj darkness and gloominess, >< day of cloud and whirlwind, a day of the trumpet, and of >< dreadful sound. The terror then of the Strict Inquest, which Zephaniah calls ' the Trumpet,1 blessed

Job designates ' thundering.' Which Joel also viewing saith. Lei all il"' inhabitants qf the land be troubled; for**

i of gloominess, a day of cloud and whirl- 'wind, I the Day of the Lord is great, and very terrible, and who shall sustain it? But how incomprehensible and unimaginable thai Greatness wherewith He shall come in His Second Manifesting, in some degree we estimate aright, ii u. consider with heedful reflection the weight} particulars of His firsl Idvent. Surely that He might redeem us from death, th. Lord came to die, and the impoverishment and punishments of our flesh He underwent in His own Body; Who before He came n> the stock of the ('ms-.. Buffered Himself to be bound, t" be spit on, t<> be mocked and to be beaten with blows on His cheek. Observe to what disgracenil treatment He for out sakes consented to come, and yet, before He permitted Himself to be laid hold of, He questioned Hi*- persecutors, saying, Whom seek ye f To Whom they thereupon gave answer, Jesus of Nazareth. And when He said n> them directly, / am He, He only uttered a roice Of the mildest answer, and at once prostrated His anncd persecutors to the earth. What then shall ll<' do when lie cometh to judge the world, who l>\ one utterance of His voice smote Hi- enemies, even when He came to be judged? What is that Judgment which He exercises as immortal, Who in a single utterance could nut In: endured when He was about to die? Who may sustain His math, \\ hose very mildness ei en could not!.><• sustained f So then h t the holj man consider it and say. And whilst we scara ly hear a little drop of His words, who shall be able to look on the thundering of His Majesty?

It is the case for the most part in Holy Writ that there are things of a mystical nature so represented, that nevertheless they seem put forth in accordance with the historical relation. But oftentimes such sort of descriptions are mixed together in that same historical relation, whereby the whole outside of history is rendered null1; which same whilst they i cassesound of nothing belonging to the history, oblige the reader tur to look for something else in them. For things being spoken that we suppose plain, when we find any particulars interspersed with a more obscure meaning, we are as it were pricked by a kind of spurs, that we should both be alive for the understanding some things in a deeper sense, and that we should take even those things as put forth in a more obscure sense, which we looked upon as spoken in their plain import. Whereas, then, blessed Job was speaking of the Word of the Lord, and the greatness of His thundering, next in order to these words it is directly introduced;

•2. By which same verse it is shewn in how great mystery i. the words of this most saintly man are delivered, when ' a parable,' i.e. a simile, is described as ' taken up' by him, who utters nothing below in the way of simile- or comparison. For be it far from us in this place to interpret a ' parable1 that musical instrument1. Sine neither is it allowable i" suppose that under infliction of chastenings he used music, when Truth saitli by His Scripture, Music in mourning is Eceius.

S18 Job declare*, tik* Holy Church, his faith in God.

l; cu '/ /'//' "/// of imso*. The irord ' parable,1 thru, baring ■ en named, see bon we non learn, the text itself telling it, 'not l»\ the text onlj to estimate his words, tad bo thing must be drawn to turn to that likeness, bj which the Church i- denoted in ■ figure. tad indeed in the very inning of his speaking, the things said are put forth in ■ plain sense, bnt the) are entwined with more obscure ones subjoined For be l" gins as he is used, with;i plain mode of speech, but he finishes his words with a description; n.int through mystical significations tad bo be saith,

\. i. 2. it God ln< ih. Who hath taken away my judgment, and the Almighty, Who hath brought my tout to bittern* ii.:i. By \\ huh same words blessed.!'>!> at once tell> his own circumstances, and represents the times of Holy Church under affliction, wherein she is borne down by the open Growardneas of unbelievers, and vexed by the bitterness of persecution. For in two ways the Church is Bubjecl t" be tried by her adversaries, viz. thai she Bhould suffer persecution either by words or Bwords. Now Holy Church aims with the greatest diligence to possess wisdom and patience. And her wisdom is i \< rcised when -he i- tried with words, her patience i- < u rcised when she is tried with swords Now, however, he is speaking of th.it persecution, wherein -lie is provoked nut by swords, hut by false statements Now we know numbers, who when they encounter some things adverse in this lite, do not believe that God is. bnt there are -"me that hold that God is, but does not concern Himse tin the Least with the affairs of men. For <>i tin one no Ood, But the latter say in him, How doth God know '

\n<l it there knowledge in tin Most High tad again;

".)«/ they fay again; Hie Tjord shall not see, neither shall th< God of Jacob regard it. Thus this person who bore i type "i Holy Church, whilst Bel fast in the very bitterness "i his affliction, made answer against them both. For as life has ■ being,1 but death bas not, t>> avow that God is, he saith, i G I liveth, but that he might tell that God concerns

Himself with the affairs ot mortals, he added. Who hath taken away my judgment, and hath brought my soul to

God permits Satan1* wrong for right ends. 319 bitterness. For these ills which he Buffers he bears record Boo« that he suffers not by accident, l»ut by God Who ordereth all things, nor does he attribute the power for Ins bitten to his tempter, but to liis Creator.

4. For he knows that the devil, though he Is ever aiming at the afflicting of the just, yel if he do not receive the power from our Maker is not empowered in the least degree for am tittle of temptation. And hence all the devil's will is unjust, and yet whilst God permits it, all his power is just. For of himself he dots unjustly seek to try men indifferently, but those thai require to be tempted, in so far as they require to be tried, God does not permit to 1"' tried otherwise than justly. Whence also in the Books of the Kings it is written of the devil, That the evil spirit of the Lord came "/'"//' sS;""- Saul. Where the question justly occurs, ' II' it was the Spirit of the Lord, why should it be called an evil spirit? and it' an evil spirit, why the Lord's?' But in two words there is comprehended at once the just power and the unjust will in the devil. For both he himself is called an evil spirit in respect of a most evil will, and the same spirit is called the Lord's spirit in respect of the most just powei bestowed on him. And so it is well said; God live/It, JU><> hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty, Who Jmili brought my soul in bitterness. For though the enemy rage furiously, who longs t<> deal the blow, vet it i> the

Creator, Who permits him to have power fur any thing. Bui forasmuch as the holy man by invoking the life of God bound himself to somewhat, let us hear what in 30 obliging himself lie subjoins It follows;

Ver.?>, 1. All the while my breath is in me, and the Spirit of God is in my nostrils, my lips shall not speak iniquity, //'ir iinj tongue meditate falsehood.

5. What he first calls 'iniquity,' this repeating afterwards iii. he calls ' falsehood.' For both all ' falsehood' is ' iniquity,' and all ' iniquity* ' falsehood,' because, whatever thing is at variance with truth is surely at odds with equity. But between this which he expresses, ' to speak' and that which he adds afterwards, to "meditate,' there is a wide difference. For sometimes it is a worse thing to 'meditate' falsehood than to speak it. For to speak is very frequently a matter of precipitation, but lo ' meditate1 of purposed wickedness. Ami who could 1"' ignorant bj what great difference the sin if distinguished, whether a man till a li« bj precipitation or "t let purpose I Bui the holj man, to I"- entirely attached to tin- truth, telle thai In- would neither In- of set purpose, nor h\ precipitation. For all lying is verj serious!) t" be guarded against, though Bometimes then i- a <■. it tin soil «•!' lying which 1- of lighter complexion, if a man lie in rendering ■ml. But se< ing th.it it is mitten, The mmitli tint belieth

1. 11. slayeth tin' tout. \ml. Tli'iH shall destroy nil them that tpeak leasing. This kind of lying also those thai are p eschen with tin' greatest care* so that not even the life <>!' an\ man should by deceit of theirs!<«■ defended, l< Bt they hurt their own souls, whilst tlu\ busy themselves t<» give Life to another's flesh: though tin- same particular Kind of sin we believe to be verj easily remitted. For if any sin is bj godlj practice ensuing after t<> be done away, how much more is this easily wiped off, which pitirulness, the mother of i works, hi rsi If accompanii b f <i. Hut thi re are some that from the deceit "I the midwives endeavour to establish that this Bpecies of lying is cot sin, chiefly because, upon those midwives lying, it is written, i< '/'//'// tin' Lord made them houses. By which mode of mpensing it is rather learnt what the offence of lying earns; for the profits <>i their kindness which might h.i\ < be< □ r< paid them in everlasting life, on account of the sin of lying mixing in arc diverted into an earthly recompense, thai in their own life, which they were read) i<> defend bj lying, the) Bhould receive hack the good which they did, and not have an) reward of their recompensing, that they might look forward n> beyond. For ii the thing be weighed with exactness, it was n < 'in the love "i the prest at life they lied, not from the being bent on the recompense; for 1>\ the act of sparing, they endeavoured t" protect the life of the infants; hut h\ the act ol lying, their own life.

7. Ami though in the old Testament a lew such cases maj possibly be discovered, yet almost on u<> occasion will

The Gospel stricter than the Law. Job's honest firm* I

Ibe attentive reader there find this or a like kind of lying practised bj those thai were perfect, although the lie might seem to bear Borne Bort of semblance of truth; and perchance if might be an offence of a lighter complexion under the Old Testament, wherein by victims of bulls and goats, the sacrifice was not the very Truth itself, bul a shadow of the truth. For in the New Testament, after Truth has been manifested by flesh, we are advanced by a higher scale of precepts, audit is meet and right that certain actions which in that People were instrumental to a Bdadow of the Truth, we Bhould give over. But if there be any man, who would defend his lying by the Old Testament, because there perhaps it was less detrimental to particular persons, b< mQ8i needs be compelled to say that the robbing of an.. tin ft property, and the retaliation of an injury, which were there allowed to those in a weak Btate, cannot be injurious to himself. All of which it is plain to all mm with whal Bevere strictures Truth doth visit. Which ' Truth' now henceforth, the shadow of the betokenment of Him Bet aside, is brought to light in very flesh. But as the hdly man gives his word neither to ' speak' nor ' meditate falsehood,' these actual particulars, wherein he agrees with the truth, he subjoins, carrying it..n;

Ver. ~>. Ood forbid that I should justify you; till I die, I trill not depart from mine innocency.

B. Forhe would' depart from his innocency,' ifher< ckoned iv. good things of bad persons; as Solomon bears witness, who BaHh, He that fustifieth the wicked, and he that condemnethVrow.17, the Just; even they both are abomination to the Lord. For there are persons, who, whilst they extol with commendation - of men ill done, heighten that which they ought to have rebuked. For hence it is said by th Prophet, Woe tol those that sen- pillows under every elbow qf the hand, and make cushions under the head of every age. For a ' pillow' iv put for this, that we may rest the easier. Therefore whoever flatters persons doing wjrongrj is putting a pillow under the head or the elbow of one lying, so that the man that Bhould have been chidden on account of sin, being d up therein by commendations, should rest at his i Hence again it is written. Ami one built up " wall, >>">/, lo, the term of ' a wall,1 the hardness nsi himsell barners ■ >! sin; but ihey ' daub tne rail,* who Rati r those that commit sins, that what the first) l,\. kedly build, those sam ■ persons bj spreading holj man, as he does not thins what is bad of the good, w hat is good of the bad; saj m_rid that I should Judge you Just: till I die, I will not

Where be subjoins in plain

\:. <;. My righteot illicit I began to holdfast,

HI not abana l i • his righteousm bs1 thai be had ' begun with,1 he would

1 abandon,1 if he went out of the way into the praiaii p< rsons committing sin. But because we then more truly keep

. from the sins of others when we first keep ourselves safe from our own, why he is bo afraid to be guilty touching those, he giv< a the grounds of the principle, when he adds;

mnl I ought not to be drawn into guilt, in that I have ommit sin in my own affairs.1 But it is a thing lo be known, that everj one that is at variance with the preci pts of the Lord in practice, as often as he hears them, is reproached and confounded by his own heart, because that which he fa done is brought t" recollection.

For w itself t" have done amiss, the ace by itself - n If. Whence the i io, prophet David l Then nun/ / not be d\ 'ashamed1 is everj man, when either bj reading or It them he turns his eye t" the precepts <>r God, which by his way of living he has disregarded. Thus it is b) the i Form, (f our heart condemn

I" Foi with God both these two do <>i necessity match

. thai practice should be sustained by prayer, and prayer by practice. Thus it i- hence thai Jeremiah Baith; Let us search and try our ways, and turn again t<> ///>■ Lord, Let us tin hji our hearts with our hands 10. 4i.f iintn Qod iii the heavens. For to ' Bearch our ways' is I silt what i- inmost in the thoughts. Bui he ' lifts up his heart with lus hands,1 who strengthens liis prayer by good works. For be that prays, but shuts his eyes i<» practice, ' lilts ujt the heart,1 but does not * lift up the hands.1 But whosoever practises, but does not pray, k lifts up the bands,1 but does not ' lift up the heart.1 \ud so according to the voice of John, the heart then acquires confidence in prayer, when no wickedness of life withstands it. Of which same confidence it is rightly said now by the holy man; For neither <lntl) mine heart reproach me in "it my life. As though he said in plain speech, ' li nevt r remembers to have been guilty of that, whereby it might be made ashamed in its prayers.1 But it may be asked, on what principle he declare a that he is not reproached by his heart, seeing that he accusi - himself above ^( having sinned, saying, / have sinned: Job 7, what shall I <t<> unto Thee, 0 Thou Preserver of men? Or20, surely, If I would Justify myself, mine own mouth shall 9 f 20. condemn me.

11. But it is requisite to be known that there are sins that by righteous men are possible to be avoided, and there are some sins which even by righteous men are not possible lo be a\oid.d. For what man's heart, whilst bound up with this corruptible flesh, does not Blip in ill bent thought, even if he be not plunged into the very pit of consenting! And yet to think these same wrong thoughts is to commit sin. But while there is a resisting of the thought, the soul is fir from being confounded. And so the mind of the righteous, though it be free from had practice, yet som< times it foils to the ground in had thinking. Thus then into sin too it slips, because in the thought of the heart at all events it is made to swerve, and vet it hath not that whereon to upbraid it- If afterwards in weeping, because it recovers itself before that it falls by consenting. And s,, with just propriety lie who confessed himself a sinner, declares that he is never upbraided by his heart, because though perhaps by thinking unlawful thoughts he ever fell short of righteousness, yet by the

.<•«.'! La, inns,,/ 11,, lit ( hurch within <nul without her pale. solute Bf I the soul, he resisted the thought It

\, j 7. /.,; mine < m my be like the ungodly, and he that th up against me as the unrighteous. m. is, i,, ||,,k Writ, the words Mike as' and 'as if arc times pal not fors likeness, but for the reality. Whence

John i. we have that; And we beheld Hi* glory, the glory as oj llt< only-begotten oj the Father. And thus here also ' like,1 and •as1 Beem to be said rather foT the sake of affirmation than similitude. Now between the ungodly and the wicked man there ifl wont to be this difference sometimes, thai every ungodly man is unrighteous, but nol everj unrighteous man ungodly. For the ' ungodly' is pul instead of unbeliever, i. c. a Btranger to the godliness of religion. But a man is called unrighteous, who by wrongness of practice is at variance with righteousness, even if he doee perhaps bear the name of the Christian Faith. Therefore by the typical voice of blessed Job, Holy Church, which is Bubjed t<> sonic gainsaying the right Faith, avouches that she lias an 'ungodly man her enemy.' But because Bhe has to hear others under the cloke of the faith within her pale living in bad practices, Bhe abhors the 'unrighteous1 man as being her adversary. But if Mike* and ■ as1 ii ia right we Bhould understand as pat on accounl of • likeness,1 Holy Church brands in a likeness i<> the ungodly those uh"iii she is subject to living in a carnal manner within In r pale. For within her bounds he is an enemy to her, who whilst he maintains himself a believer ly professions, denies it bj practices. And because he accounts him as an unbeliever, \\h<>, whilst set within her pale in semblance, only assails her with mischief of evil doing, he rightly says, Hint enemy it like the n/nj<><i/i/, and In- thai riseth up against me as the unrighteous. As though he said in plain speech; ' He is at variance with me in faith as well, who does not agret with me in practice.1 It follows;

\ r. B. For wliai is the hope of tin- hypocrite, if he seixt n i ih covetousness, tun/ God free not his soul? vii. 18. The hypocrite, who in the Latin language is termed

'-mi pretender1, aims not to be but t<> appear just, and therefore In- i- a i 'v. tous robber, because whereas while doing wickedly he desires to It revered for sanctity, he Beizes en the praise hi a life not bis own. Hut it is said to be the aim of Booh hypocrites, that both what tiny are fchej may keep back, ami what they are not they may make themselves known to nun as being; so that they should surpass their own measure in esteem, and by credit lor conduct shew themselves t<> excel the rest of the world. The\ 6SCh( W the seeming to lie that which they are, and before the eyes of men they clothe themselves with a kind of overlaid respectability of innoeency. Hence in the Gospel they arc rightly upbraided by the voice of our Redeemer, when the words are spoken to them, // '" Siat.23, unto you, hypocrites! for ye are like unt<> whited sepulchres, " which indeed appear to men beautiful out 'ward, hut are within full of dead wen's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, hut within ye are full of covetousness and iniquity. Contrariwise all that are Saints really not only do not ever at all covet glory that is beyond their measure, but do also eschew appearing that very thing, which they have obtained to he. And hence that great Preacher of truth, in speaking against the false apostles; while he was relating the extraordinary excellences of his practice for the instruction of his disciples: whilst he was describing that he had undergone such countless perils in accumulated persecution, and after this made mention of his having been carried up to the third heaven, and into Paradise again, where he had power to learn things so great, as he had not power in any degree to tell; was on the point perhaps of telling things still more marvellous of himself, yet holding himself in from human applause by deep reflecting he adds, But now I spare, lest any man -2 Cor. should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or ' that he heareth of me. He then had somewhat yet further to be declared concerning himself, who ' forbears' to speak, But the great Preacher did both, that both by telling the things which he had done he might instruct his disciples, and by being silent keep himself safe within the bounds of humility. For he would have been over ungracious, if he had withheld all relating to himself from the disciples; rind perhaps incautious over much, if even to the disciples he had uttered all about himself. But in a wonderful way, as has been said, he did both the one and the other, so that bi

Joi B7,speaking he might instruct ihe life of tlu.se that heard him, • id i'\ holding his peace preserve his own. I i \llU n d< h rv( - to be known, that holy men as often.is tli.\ communicate any thing concerning themselves to their followers, are imitating the custom of their Creator For God, Who forbids us thai we never be commended by niir <>\\n lips, in Holy Writ does alter His own praises; not that H<' Himself needs them, Who cannot be a gainer by praises; but whilst He relates to as His greatness, He lifts up our ignorance t<> Himself, and by telling His own good He teaches us; whereas man would never know Him, ii He had been minded to be silent about Himself. And so He lor tliis reason Bhews His own praises, that we may be aide l.\ bearing to know, by knowing to Love, by loving to follow, by following to obtain, and by obtaining to enjoy the vision Pi. in of Him. Whence the Psalmist saith, H will tell the people 6- ///,• power of His works, <ui<l that He >/i">/ give them the heritage of the heathen. As if he expressed himself in plain terms; ' For this reason 1 le tells the mightim ss of 1 lis doing, that lie that bean ill thereof may be enriched with His gifts.1 Therefore holy men, imitating the way of their Creator, sometimes reveal things that concern themselves, that those who hear them they may instruct, not that tluy may themselves be gaimrs, and yet in these things they keep guard o\ i r themselves by bethinking themselves deeply, [esl whilst they lift 1 1 1 > others from an earthward bent, they should thcnisehes be sunk in the coveting of earthly applause. Whose statement— hypocrites lor the most pari follow, but the meaning of their statements tlie\ are wholly blind to, because what the righteous do with a view to the advantaging of their neighbour, this these same do with a view to the extending of their own name. Hut the holy man beholding that hypocrites seek not at nil after future glory, but desire to posses themselves of present glory, says, What is ih< hope at the hypocrite f in that while he loves the present things, Rom. 8, he bones not for the future. For it is written. For what n)tnni 9et ill' why doth he yet hope for And so for this reason there is mi the part of the hypocrite no advancing in any degree to the eternal rewards by hope, because that which required t-. be SOUghl elsewhere, he makes it his pride to

God will not hear at last those who hear not Him now.

have in possession here. And because his offence was el Booi forth, the punishment too is subjoined, when it is forthwith '

// ill God hear hi< cry, when trouble cometh upon him f

15. ' His crj in the time of his straits God heareth oot,' viii.

because in the time of tranquillity he did not himself)n;ir the Lord crying in His precepts. For it is written: f/eProv.

that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall he abomination. Ami so the holy man seeing that all they that arc indifferent to practise what is right now, in the time at the end betake themselves to words of beseeching, saith; Will God hear his cryf By which words assuredly he follows close upon the words of our Redeemer,

Who saith. Last of nil come the foolish virains a&o.Matt.

saying, /.'in/. Lord, open in us. And it is answered them, Verily / say unto you, I know you not. Because great severity is exercised then, in proportion as now greatei mercy is prolonged1, and He does then with strictness put' alforth judgmenl upon persons not corrected, Who nowfefore. patiently bestow- pity upon them going on transgressing. tand For hence it is the Prophet saith, Seek ye the Lord, while Is.55,6. IL may be found; cull ye upon Him, while He is mar. Now lie is not seen, and ' is near,' then He shall he seen, and shall not ' be near.' He hath not yet appeared in judgment, and if He be sought. He is found. Tor in a wonderful way, when lie appeareth in judgment lie i^ at once able to be seen, and unable to be found. Hence Solomon describes Wisdom at once caressing sweetly, and judging dreadfully, saying, Wisdom crieth without; she utlerethVnv.i, her voice in tlw streets. Whose language he also tells, adding, How loin/, ye simple ones, will ye lore simplicity, and funis delight in their men harm, and silly ones hole k moiled ye S 'I urn you at my reproof. Behold, 1 will pour out nil/ Spirit unto you: 1 will make known mij /cords unto you. Mark with what kind of words her sweetness in calling is expressed. Let u^ see now in what ways her severity in upbraiding is told, that in the end sooner or later her strictness in punishing may have free scope. Because I h called, and ye refused, I have stretched out my hand; and

/ ill, world excludes deity ht in G

' nt nought all 1/11/ counsel, I • now be) how she will mi lite tli..s!', w In mi Bhe bears with bo much longsuffering, never turning back to her: / also will laugh at yout destruction, I will mock when your fear cometh, when sudden calamity falU th on you, and your destruction riseth as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you, I i shall they call nji"it me, but I will not answer. They shall rise up early, but they shall not find me. By the mouth of Solomon then, the wisest of men, all particulars are carefull} >ci forth relating to the Judgment from Above: use -In- both at first (.'alls ns sweetly, and afterwards upbraids it- terribly, and at tin Last condemns us irretrievably. \nd so it i- well said; Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh //})<>» him? Surely because the hypocrite then findeth not a remedy in crying, who now lets slip tin.' fitting opportunity of crying. Concerning whose wickedness it is) 1 1 further added;

\ i. 10. Or it ill lie ix able I" delight himself in ih<- Umighty i\.!<•. Foi In' that is overcome by the love of earthlj things, in no degree delights himself in < rod. The bouI ind< ed ran never exist without its delight, for it delights itself either in things below or in things above, and in proportion as it is i mployed with higher devotion towards those abovt. it rs deadened with the greater loathing towards those below, and as it glows with a keener interest for those below, it cools in proportion with an accursed insensibility from these above. For both cannot possibh!><• loved together and alike. Hence tin \)n,siir John, well knowing that amongst tin- thorns of worldlj attachments the crop of lieavenlj charity tan never Bhoot, before he produces the is <ii' ihe love eternal, with the bolj band "t the word icates from the hearts of his hearers the thorns of worldly affections, in the words, /.<</< //../ the world, neither the things thai are in i/t. world. And he directly Bubjoins, in/ limn love tin' world, ih< loot.-/' the Father is nut in liim Is it In -iid in express terms; ' Both tins, loves not contain themselves in one and th< saint heart, noi

/>' ad ut; it call mi (it'll in trouble only. Error refuted. 829 docs the crip of charitj from Above shoot in thai heart, Booi wherein the thorni ol gratification down below kill it' And nX.'"' he reckons up all the prickles arising from that gratification flesh, mill the Inst of the eyes, mill the pride of l\fe} which is imt iif th,' Father, but is of the world. And tin- world passeth away, and the hut thereof. And bo the ' hypocrite cannot delight himself in God,1 because heavenly desires never spring forth in his mind, seeing surely that the thome of earthly love overlay it. Of whom it is fitly added;

Will he always cull upon God?

17. For it is then that the hypocrite ' calls upon God,1 *• when the wretchedness of earthly circumstances wrings him hard. For when in this world he has obtained the carrying out of the good fortune sought lor, his Maker, Who vouchsafed him this same good fortune, he asks not lor. But because, as we said before, the art of those that teach should be, that in their hearers' minds they should first aim to destroy what is wrong, and afterwards to preach what is right; (lest the hearts that are full of evil things should not contain the good seed of holy preaching, whence it is said to Jeremiah, See, I have this day set thee over th<j mi linns and Jet. l, over tlw kingdoms, to root out mid in pull down "nil to destroy "ml in throw down, i" /mild and to plant. For it is first hidden him that he should pull down, and afterwards that he should build, first to pluck up, and afterwards to plant; because the foundation of rightful truth is not laid, except the edifice of error he first pulled down;) blessed Job after that he had made the case of the Universal Church his answer to the statements of his friends as if in opposition to words of heretics, and thai by a manifold rejoinder he had destroyed their pride, describes himself henceforth to teach; that is, that he might be plainly seen in those things which he added to plant what is right, but in those that he premised to have plucked up what is wrong. It goes mi;

/ will teach you by the hand "i dud, that which is with the Almighty; I will md conceal.

1^. In such a way does blessed lob speak in his own xj words as to denote something connected with what relates to

I or ll"l\ Church in leaching, in bo far as it is expels. I, dienl i" Irao* it, bides not a particle of truth. 'I bus because

"the II. ui.l of God1 is ■ name for the Bon; for, by Him were all things made; sin- tells that by the Hand of God slu- hat-In b those, whom she n as continuing foolish in their own wisdom. As it she Baid in plain words; ' 1 know not any thing of myself; but whatever I perceive of the Truth, this l comprehend by the bountifulneas of that same Truth. ^> e for this reason are not embned with right wisdom, because this Bame wisdom that you have you ascribe not to the Hand of God, but to your own selves.' For the adversaries "t Holy Church, it' they do at times perceive anj thing true, this they attribute t<> their own pow< re, and they deprive themselves so much the more of the Wisdom from Above, in the Bame proportion as they wish to have it appropriated to themselves as being derived from their own wits. Unt<> whom it is sometimes vouchsafed for their judgment, tint they should indeed know some things aright, bnt by this rery same knowledge he rendered the more obnoxious t" punishment Whence it is fitly added;

\ i r. 12. Behold, all ye yourselves know: why then <!<> ye utter vain things without can xjj 19, it i*. written; \ml tlmt tervant, which knew his loroVt Lnkeis, nil/. and prepared ii'ii himself) neither tii<t according to Itis wills shall be beaten with many stripes, lint he thai hin n- nut,,nnl iliil nut worthily, shall be beaten with Jew 9 tripes. And again it is written; Therefore tn him thai hiiiiitrlh to tin good, tiinl doeth it not, /<< him it XS sin.

And so lor the heightening of greater guilt Holy Church tells it that her enemies at once knon what they ought to follow, and will not folio* what they may KUOW. V)f which same

• persons it is elsewhere said; Let tltrut go down quick into helL Those are ' (jiuLdx' that are sensible of the things that ir. done towards them. For the dead neither know nor are

Sensible at all, and so ' the dead' who do not feel are Used to be put for persons that know not, hut ' the quick,1 who are ible, for those thai know. Therefore to 'go down quick into in ir is for persons to sin knowing ami being sensible of it. h goes "ii. This is the portion of an ungodly man with dint, iiml t/i<' heritage of oppressors, which they shall rem ive Booh qf the Almighty. Which same ' portion1 and ' inheritance' he thereupon gives, when he adds;

Ver. 1 i. // his children be multiplied, it is in the sword; inn! his grandchildren shall not be satisfied with bread.

20. The title of the 'ungodly' is nol without meaning xiii. given td heretics, who through the erroneousness of false doctrine are far removed from the knowledge of 1 1 1 * ■ truth; whom in the words following he calls' violent' as well, as being persons who Bet themselves to wrest bj violence to a wrong meaning the sentences of Holy Scripture containing right articles of doctrine. And so they arc k violent' ii not in the goods of men. at all events in the senses of precepts. But thi ' sons of violent men' are the followers of heretics, who while tins consent to their error, are as ii were engendered by their preaching. But while being ' multiplied1 they shall ' be in the sword,1 for though now they grow up in an immense multitude in a ruinous liberty, yet they are smitten by the sentence of tin; Judge to conic. Whence the Lord saith by Moses, Mil sword sltall devour flesh. ForDeut.

'the sword of God devours flesh,' because in the Final Judgment His sentence destroys those, who are carnally wis. On which point it is to be made out why it should be said that the wicked ' receive this portion' and inheritance of theirs from the Almighty: Yet t.. those taking a right view it is plain that though they had it from themselves to act unjustly, yet. it comes before the Equity Above, what is unjustly done justly to judge; 80 thai the Bentence of (bid should orderly appoint lor punishment those whom their ill-ordered conduct drew into sin. Concerning whom it is fitly subjoined; Ami //is grandchildren shall not /,<■ satisfied with bread.

•21. For * the grandchildren' of Heretics are thej that ar< born by the preaching of children in error. And ti • bread fails to satisfy;1 because while in the provender of the sacivd Word they seek to perceive more than they takein, thc\ are ever a hungering to the know ledge of the truth; and the preachings of instruction, which they are busy to seek for questioning, the) are incapable of having lor refreshment. But because from the number of these heretics some Holy

Church gathers in, 8otn< Bhe 1 their wickeddi B8, it i^ therenpon add -I;

Xlv- '22. DoubUeu 'the persona left1 of that tribe of heretics 'an buried in death,' for whereas thej return not to the light of truth, assured]} thej are Bunk down in everlasting punishment bj an earthly perception. And because ii is sometimes the case, thai whilst the Ii ader of the common herds in error is carried «'H t<> punishment, the common herds dial were led astray are new set t" a knowledge <>f the truth, and then the persona und< r them return to true knowledge, when these persons are brought to eternal punishments, who had bet;i wronglj Bel over them, ii is fitlj added; lint his widows shall imt mi />.

xv. 28. \\ horn do we take lor ' his widows' but the subject common herds left deserted for their happiness by his death! For oftentimes, as has been said, when the preacher of i rror is i arried off t<> everlasting punishments, his subject multitudes are bronghl hack t«» the grace of a true acquaintance. For these multitudes the wicked preacher was set over like a husband, because the Beducer of the s(,ul did cleave joined i" tin in for the worse* Or, indeed, 'the widows do not weep,1 because whilst continuing in their erring belief, wherei- dies hold ih- ir preacher to have hern holy, they are beguiled bj a deceitful hope, that they should not mourn. It follows j

Ver. I'l. 17. Though h<- heap up rilverastht earth, and prepan raiment ns the mud; he may prepan. but the just thallput it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver.

*•**. 24. Silver is used to b< interpreted the clearness of sacred Writ, aa it is elsewhere said; '///< words of the Lord an pure Uver tried in a furnace of earth. And because there are those that long t<> have the \\'<.nl of <;«'d not inwardly in the exemplifying but external^ in the display ing, then fore it is said by the Prophet, AH they that are clothed in nlverart cut ojf, being those, who by the word of God do not till themselves \\ ith the interior refreshment, but array themselves in the outward exhibition. Hence their ' silver,1 tin word -I heretics, is compared i- 'earth,1 because, touching the subject of 11«>1\ Writ, that there may be Bome-

.XVII] thing that tin \ know, they toil and strain from the coveting of earthly applause. And thes. too, 'prepare raiment as the iijikI," because they make up testimonies ol Holy Scripture loosely and bedaubingly, whereby they would defend thems 1\« b. He shall ' prepare1 indeed, ' but the just Bball put them on,' because 1 1 1 < - person who is lull of right faith, which is used to Ik- accounted to the Saints for righteous"

. gathers together those Belf-same testimonies of Holy

Writ, which tin heretic adduces, and therefrom he chargi - home thr obstinacj of that one's error. For whereas tiny fetch against us the testimonies <>t' the Sacred Law, they bring with them unto us that whereby the\ maj 1 < defeated. And hence David representing a type of iHr

I..ud. but Goliath the pride of Heretics, tiny spake that in

-. which we arc disclosing in words. Thus Goliath came to battle with a sword, hut David with a shepherd's scrip, but David, defeating that same Goliath, with his own sword slew hi in. Which thing we likewise do, who by His deigning have obtained to be made members of the promised

David6. For when heretics full of pride, and advancing sentences of Holy Writ, we defeat by the same words and scunners, which they bring forward, we as it were, behead Goliath in his pride with his own sword. And sol J

4 tin- just puts on those same garments,1 which the unjust man 'prepares,' bi cause the holy man employs in the service of truth those same sentences by which the had man strives to exhibit himself a master of learning in opposition to the truth. 2d../;/'/ the innocent shall divide the silver. For ' the innocent to divide the Bilver' is to set forth the revelations of the Lord piece b\ piece and with discrimination, and to apply to each individual what may be proportionately suitable. For the Word of the Lord which is here entitled ' silver' or

' garments,' this same is elsewhere denominated ' spoils/

Which the Psalmist likewise witnesses in the way of comparison, saying, / rejoice at Thy 11 brd as on* that Jin deth Pb. Li9, great spoils. Which spoils are so called for this reason, ' because on the Gentile world passing over to the faith of the Lord, the Jews are Bpoiled ot the Sacred Oracles with which thei had been inv< sted. Ind of this division of the silver or ■ ■I spoils it ia i •!-, w li, re said, lit njamin U a raventng woy. in the morning If thall th vour th< prey, am/ <ii night hr shall dividt tfu \i *ils. By which word-., do doubt, die Apostle Paul i<* designated, as being descended from the Btocfc of Benjamin, who ' in the morning devoured tin- pre).' 1>< cause in his first beginnings seizing upon all the believers he able, In- glutted his own cruelty. I'm ' in the evening hr divided the spoils,' because afterwards being made a h. liever, be portioned out the sacred oracles by interpreting tin in.

Though this 'silver,1 which ' the innocent divi may be understood in another sens as well. 1 or 1 1 retit s, that they may be easily able to recommend what is wrong, mix with their statements things that arc right, that the minds (.l those that hear them hv right views they may attract, and bj wrong ones wound. Which same persons, because, in the precepts of God, they arc pied with a sound and unsound r.i le of Bpeech, are, in the Gospel, well represented bj the appearance of the * ten lepers,1 with whose health) colour whereas an evil whiteness i- intermixed, b) this excessive whiteness they arc rendered foul. Hence we are warned, B.19, A*"/ /" think of ourselves more ///'/// we ought to think, but to think soberly. And tins' too, because they do not as ye! ](,\, either God, of Whom the) en nit., in wrong notion-, nor \.i their neighbour, from whom they arc separated, are opposed to the precepts of th Decalogue, and therefore for the beseeching ot the Lord the) come ten in number. Now lor this cause, that they mixed what is Bound with what is unsound, the) are pied with a differenc ot colour; hut because they offended in His precepts, they call Him that whereby tin y had s<> offended, sa) ing, Jesus, Pn,, /. /.- and hereb) the) directly obtained to be healed. Andso because the ( 'atholic maki - out the things thai are thought rightly, or tli.u are thought wrongly by them, * the innocent divideth the silver,' i. e. distinguished what ma) have been b) them delivered eithi r with wholesome or baneful effect It goes on; \ l- // buildeth his house as <i moth. wii. 27. ' I he moth builds a house1 tor itseli b) corrupting, ild tin heretic have hen shewn hv a b tter comparison, who makes a dwelling for his misbelief no ^hcrr

Fleeting things of earth made sure by well bestowing. -^35 save in the minds which be lias corrupted, who also Book engages tor Ins followers to be free from everlasting fire. For he _ pledges to them the refreshment of eternal rest, but his words have no solidity, In cans.' they lack the fulness of truth. Whence it is added, And as the keeper he maketh a booth. For ' the booth of the keeper' is not set firm by any foundation, but tin time passing it is directly destroyed. And the vest promised by heretics is destroyed together with the time, in that alter this life it is not found at all. And because oftentimes Heretics in contempt of the Church Universal are supported by the patronage of the powerful ones of the world, and the rich do not cease to aid them with all the countenance of active agency that they are empowered with, that identical person also, whoever he be, that is made to swell against the face of his Maker by temporal good things, is now touched by the sentence of the holy man, and from the particular ruin of heretics, the discourse is drawn off to a general characterizing of all the self-exalted, when it is

away with him, la- shall open his eyes and shall find nought.

•28. In harmony with which same sentence the Psalmist xviii. saith. All the foolish in heart are troubled, they have slept Ps.75,5. their sleep, and nil the men of riches have found not/tiny in their hands. For in order that the rich after death may ' find something in their hand,' it is told to them before death, in whose hands they should place their riches. Makelnke to yourselves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness, thai ' when ye /"il they amy receive yon into everlasting habitations. When the rich man sleepeth, he shall take nothing away with him. His goods when he dieth he would take away with him, if whilst he lived, at the voice of him that besought him, he had taken them home to himself; for all things l arthly, which we part with by keeping, we keep by bestowing; our patrimony which retained is lost, whilst paid out of hand it remains. For we cannot long continue together with our goods. Since either we by dying abandon tie in. or they by perishing as it were abandon us while living. And so it remains lor us to manage that things

Job 97, doomed unreservedly to perish we ma\ compel to pass ovei

1 Bui ili.ti i- rerj much to be wondered a1 thai is fhi'l nothing. For in order to sleep we close our eyes, and man consists of soul and body, while ii is called sleep of one subject, the waking of the other is shewn t" new; because when the bod} tails asleep in death, then 1 1 1 * - bouI frakes ap in a tnir acquaintance. Ami so ' the rich man sleeps, ami opens In- i j -. because, when lie dies in the tl< >h. hie is compelled to see wbal it despised to foresee. Then ind it wakes up in true acquaintance; then it Bees that all is nothing thai it possessed; lh< a it finds itself empty; wh it used ti> rejoice in being lull of good things above the n -t of the world. It ' Bleeps, and takes away nothing along with it," nothing surely, of the goods thai it possess) d. For the sin of the goods is carried on along with it) though every thing for the sake ol which sin was committed be left behind here. So thru let him go now, and swell himself oul with good things gotten, let him lift himself up above the rest of the world, and pride himself in having what his neighbour has not The time will come Booner or later that he shall awake, and then learn how empty thai was which he had possessed in Bleep. I or it old n happens to the needy whilst Bleeping that he sees himself rich in a dream, and on the Btrength of those acquisitions uplifts his mind, is overjoyed that he has what he hail not. and now counts to be disdainful of those whom it grieved him to be disdained 1>\; hut that suddenly waking up he is grieved that he has woke up, in that meanwhile though hut while

Bleeping he possessed the semblance <<\ riches, lor he groans directly under tin weighl of poverty, ami is wrung by tin Btrailness of his indigence, ami this so much the w as though lint for (he shortest space of time he was even thus eiiiplih rich. I bus, thus, too surely is it with the rich ones (it tins world, win. are Moated with good things acquired. Tin \ have no knowledge to do right by their abundant i ions asleep Ihej are rich; hut on waking up they find

/'//' rich man in hell found his earthly goods nun. -Wi their poverty, because they ' bring nothing with them1 t<> Book thai Judgment, thai is calculated to remain, and in proportion ' ' as they are now lilt. <1 up the higher for a brief Bpace, the more heavily they groan againsl themselves for everlasting. So then lit him Bay, II shall open Ins eyes, and shall find nothing. Because he then ' <>;., us those eyes' to punishments, which here Ik- kepi closi d to mercy. He * opi ds liis eyi s1 and he ' finds not' tin' frail ofpity,in that he kepi them shul licit, when hr did ' find' it. Those also arc slow in k opening their eyes,' who, as Wisdom is witness, arc described as going in the time of their condemnation to say, What hathW*&>&, /utile j rqfited us ' < r what good hath riches with our vaunting ' ' ' brought us? All these things are passi d away like a shad.>-. post tlmi hasteth by. That the things which thei ssed were worthless and transitory they now learn by their which same, so long as they were theirs, seemed to their foolish hearts at once great and lasting. It was late that the rich man ' opened his eyes,' when he saw Lazarus at rest, whom he scorned to see lying at his door. lie understood There the thing that here to do he refused: by his condemnation he was forced t" learn what it was that lie lost, when he did not own his neighbour being in want. Of whom it is j et further added;

Ver. 20. Want shall take hold of him like water} a /■ i -if est shall overwhelm him in the night.

80. L<t us look now at the want of the rich man as xi\. burning, whose abundance was bo greal as feasting. For he

. Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus Lnkei6 that he may dip llw tip of his finger in water, nml cool my8*' tongue, for I <nn tormented in this flame. By which same words it is not this that is made known to us, that there in thai excessive burning a single drop of water i- then asked f >r as;i sufficiency of refreshment, hut that he who has sinned by abundance should there he c tnsumed b) a want burning Forwe see in the words of the rich nian, resulting from tic exactesl judgment of God, how proportionate a punishmenl an-".' red Buch Bin. For moved by want, he is there driven t» beg for the verj least, who here, moved 1>\ covetousm ss, went bo far a-;<> refuse th< verj least. What can he paid hack more cxa'tlv. what more strictly? He begged VOL. II Z

: Ih, ' Lake1 of Hell. Storm of Judgment unforeseen i drop of w.ii. r, win. n ifusi <1 crumbs of bread; and bo ' want taketb 1 » « >1 * 1 of him like water.' That want is then not unsuitably likened to water, because there is thai tormenting in hell, which, as swallowing up those it receives in the depths below, is used to be denoted by the title of a ' lake' Whence it is delivered by the Prophet in the voice of man- Lain, s, kind. My life is fallen into the lake. But by the triumphing..I' those thai are escaped it is sunn-, o herd my God, I ■:. s. cried unto Thee and Thou hast healed inc. () Lord, Thou /uis/ brought up my soul from the grave: Thou hast kept me hum them IJkiI go down into the lake.

81. A tempest s/mll overwhelm him in the night. What in this place does he call ' the night,1 but the hidden time of sudden departing? And by the name of ' tempest1 lie represents the whirlwind of the Judgment. Which the i;. Psalmist also testifies, in the words, Our God shall come in state, our God, and shall not keep silence; afire s/mll devour before Him, and round <il><ml Him (i mighty tempest. Of P T.i, which same ' tempest1 Wisdom also saith by Solomon; / also will laugh at your calamity, I >cill mock when your fear cometh; when your fear cometh us desolation, and your destruction cometh us (i whirlwind. And because the very ignorance of the coming departure is itself called ' Night,' ' in the night a tempest shall overwhelm him,1 i. e. the whirlwind of Divine Judgment, whilst he is ignorant, shall seize Mat.24, upon Him For it is hence that Truth saith by Itself, But hno this, that if the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, mid would not /nice suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready. For in sue// an hour as ye think irii lie- Son of Man cometh. Heme also it is spoken so. against the ' evil servant; /Jut if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My Lorddelayeth His coming; and shall begin tn smite his fellow servants, and t<> eat and drink with the drunken. The Lord of that servant shall come in n day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of. Id nee Paul says to the disciples. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as,i tliu f > i are all the children of the light and the children hi lay. We are not of the night nor of darkness

The Marching mndoj temptation carries off the wicked. 889

I fence to the rich man, ' giving a loose to pride, it is said by the Book voice of God, Thou fool, this night thy.soul shall be required — '!! of thee; then whose shall those things be which thou hasti^*™' provided? In the night he is described as giving up his soul, who whilst not seeing death beforehand is carried off in darkness of the heart. Thus then he sailh,./ tempest shall overwhelm him in the night. For because he is not minded to do the good things that he sees, he is caught by the tempest of his destruction which he seeth not. Of whom it is yet further added;

^ Ver. 21. The scorching wind shall carry him off, and lake him away.

32. Who is in this place called the4 scorching wind' but xx. the evil spirit, who stirs up the flames of divers lusts in the heart, that he may drag it to an eternity of punishments? And so ' the scorching wind' is said to « cany off' any bad men, because the plotter, the evil spirit, who inflames a man whilst living to evil, drags him when dying to torments For that ' the scorching wind' is wont to be meant for the unclean spirit, who by the breath of evil suggesting kindles the hearts of the wicked to earthly desires, the prophet Jeremiah testifies, saying, A pot kindled I see, and the face Jer, thereof by the face of the North. For < the pot kindled' is the 13- ' heart of man boiling with the heatings of worldly concerns, and with the restlessness of desires. Which is "kindled by < the face of the North,' i. c. set on fire by the suggestions of the devil. For (hut very being is used to be called by the title of < the North,' who said, / will sit also upon the mountln. 14, of the congregation, in the sides of the North. I will ascend13- above the heights of the clouds. 'Thus by the burning effect of this scorching wind the mind of each' one of the Fleet is cooled down, when the heal of evil inclinations is extinguished therein, and the flame of carnal desires turned to ice. And hence Holy Church in the praises of her spouse cries out with exultation, / sat 'loan under the shadow of him, whomCmt 2 I had desired. Of the abatement of this heat it is said to3" her by Isaiah, by promise of the Lord, Instead of the around U. 55, willow shall route up the fir-tree, and instead of the nettlesshall maw up (ha myrtle tree. For ' instead of the ground willow there comes up in her the fir-tree,' when in the heart

I the Saints, instead of the Bunkenness of earthly thought,

-2L the 1 1 vation of heavenlj contemplation rises up. Now the

"•,.,, tberofa fierj nature, But the myrtle is said lo l ling virtue, and therefore k instead of the nettle there comes up the myrtle tree,' when the minds of the hteous are brought from the irritation and beat of bad habit lm 9S.in.l quietness of the thoughts, while thej dow no Longer seek earthly things, while they extinguish the flam. 3 of the flesh by heavenly aspirations.

I„ reference too to this cooling of the s..nl, which is i, given from heaven, it is said to Mary, The power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; though on this point, by the ie overshadowing,' cither Nature of God to be made Incai oate might have been denoted. For a shadow is formed by light and body. Now the Lord is Light in r. ap< of the Divine Nature, Who, by means of a bouI intervening,: in her womb in respect of human nature lo ody. And so b< cause the Incorporeal Light was in her womb to be made corporeal, to her, who conceived,]M b eal for corporality, il is said, The power of the

Highest shall oversh* e. The [ncorporeal Light of the 1 >i\ ine Nature shall in thee take the corporeal substance Human Natun Bui now let us carry to an end what we began relating to any wicked man. Accordingly ' the ching wind takes him awaj /in this way, viz. that him whom pirii now kindles with the fire of evil concupiscence, he afterwards carries oil' to the flames of hell. It goes on; And as <> whirlwind shall carry him out of his place. xxi. 3 i. « The place' of the wicked is the gratification of the and the enjoyment of the flesh. Therefore everj le individual is in a manner ' carried nut..this place by;i whirlwind,' when overwhelmed with affright on the Last Da) he is Beveredfrom all his gratifications. < >i which same j ii is directly added with justice,.'. / ■;./■ He shall let loose upon him, and not span. xxii. 35. God, as often as He chastens the sinner by smiting him, foi this rei Lhe Jcourge, that He may

Bui wl ailing He brings his life to an end whilst remaining in Bin, He ' lets loose1 the scourge, but

,t the Same, Who k lei loose' the

Chastisement that amends not, atones not. M\

Bcourge thai He might ' spare,1 one day ' lets it loose1 with Book tlii— new thai He may not spare. For in tliis life the Lord busies Himself so much the more that He may spare, in proportion as He scourges the more in awaiting; as Ho Himself saith to John by the voice of the Angel, As many as Rev. 3, / love, I rebuke and chasten; and as it is elsewhere spoken, For whom the Lord loveth, lie chasteneth. But reversely ttHeb.12, is written of the scourge of condemnation, The wicked r«p glfi taken in the /cork of his own hands. Of whom the Lord saith by Jeremiah, when He seesthe multitudes transgressing irreclaimably, whom lie: now no longer regards as sons under discipline, but as enemies under unmitigated scourging, For I have wounded thee with the wound of an enemy, with Jei a cmel chastisement. And what is said here, and not spare, ' is there likewise brought out in other words; Why cries/ VLT i.-, Zhou for thine affliction? Uty sorrow is incurable. Whence the Elect always make this provision, that they should return to righteousness before the wrath of the Judge is inextinguishably kindled, lest being caught by the last stroke, they find life ended to them, together with sin. For th will then do away with the sin, when it alters the life, since whosesoever ways it does not change, his doings it does not atone for. Therefore all smiting from Cod is eith< • purifying of the present life in us, or a commencement of the punishment that follows. For with reference to those who profit by the scourge it is written, Whoframest pain in p8l <jj the commandment. For in that case when the wicked man20, is scourged and amended, to the commanduH nt he would not give car; to the pain he does. And so there is ' pain framed in the commandment' to him, who by pain as it were in the stead of the commandment is kept back from evil practices. But touching these persons to whom scourges are a curse, not a clearance, it is said, Thou hast stricken them, but they j have not grieved; Thou has/ consumed, them, but they have refuSi., ire correction. With these, their scourges commence in this life, and last on in everlasting smiting. Whence the Lord saith by Moses, For a lire is kindled in, Mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell. Foi far as regards the present smiting it is rightlj said, 1 fire is kindled in Mi/a anger, lhit as regards the eternal damnation.

i lisimm dialely added with propriety, ind shall burn unto the u tt lull. Though by some persons thai is qsed to 1"' i, alleged^ which is written, God judgeth n<>i twice upon the

,17, to this ili. u i- spoken bj the Prophet of the wicked; -in<t

./,,/ second time destroyed litem Hint believed nut.

'I'" which persons, however, if we yield assent, that any sin cannot he twice visited with punishment, t li i >> musl be judged of those ]>< reons smitten lor sin and dying in their sin, that their smiting begun here is complete d there, that

: i the unreformed there should be one and the Bame

. which begins here in time, hut is consummated in eternal punishments, that to those that wholly refuse to be amended, the dealing ol present scourges now should be the beginning of the torments to ensue. And so <;,ni shall let loose upon him, mul not spare. It goes on; ing he shall flee mil of His hand.

amends the wickedness of his behaviour; or otherwise) because in Holj Writ the hand is used to be taken for acting, lie ' flees from the hand of the smiter,1 who, whilst he marks the destruction ofthewicked man, forsakes the path of wickedness. Whence it is yet further added;

\ i r. 2 ••;. He shall l>in<l up his hands over him. xxjv:\l. For to ' bind up the hands' is to establish the practices Heb. 12, of his life in uprightness. Whence Paul too saith, Where' '-• lift up the loosed hands, and the unstrung knees. While, then, the) behold the destruction of another, tiny are made to turn hack to the conscience, to remind themselves of their own, and hv the very same cause wherebj one man is carried to torments, another is fried from torments. And so ' he hinds up his hands over him,' becaUSi he observes in the punishment of another what to be afraid <>f; and whilst he living in transgression so smitten, he hinds fast his own too Loose practices with the sinews of righteousness. \nd so ii is brought to pass that he who, being a had man, whilst living) had drawn numbers into transgression by the delighlfu in, m dying recovers sum, from trans greBsion by tin' terribli ness <>i torments. Which same the)'•"■! Psalmist bears witness to be of advantage to the good as__~H" well, saying, The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth thePs.5f> vengeances he shall wash his hands in the blood of sinners. ' l'"i * in the blood <>f sinners,' when dying, ' the righteous do trash their hands,1 because, when their punishment is seen, the life of the person seeing it is cleansed. It goes on;

And he sh<ttl hiss upon him, beholding It is place.

38. What is expressed in the hissing, hut the straining of \w wonderment? Hut if in the hissing there is some othei meaning sought, when the sinner dies, these that witness his death draw tight the mouth in hissing, in that they are concerted to those spiritual words, whieh they had contemned, so that they henceforth begin to believe and to teach, what before, while they perceived the wicked man thriving, thej used not to believe. For it very often happens that the mind of the weak is the more unsteadied from the hearing <>!' the truth, as it sees the despisers of the truth flourishing; but when just vengeance takes away the unjust, it keeps others away from wickedness. Whence it is said by Solomon; When the pestilent man is punished, the little one will beProv. wiser. Thus the holy man alter he had adequately filled up21' the punishments of the men of power that are lifted up in the world, again directs his words to the pride of heretics, who are lifted up in speech, saying;

Chap. xxviii. ver. 1. The silver hath the beginnings of its veins, and /<> f lie gold there is a place, where they fine it

In silver the power of speaking, in gold brightness of life or of wisdom is used to be denoted. And because heretics are so filled with pride for the brilliancy of their speaking, that they are not based firmly by any authority of the sacred books, (which books are for speaking like a kind o( veins of silver to us, because from those identical books we derive the spring and source of our speaking,) he recalls them to the pages of sacred authority, that if they have a desire to speak in a true way, they may from that source draw forth what to say. And he saith, The stiver hath the beginning of its reins, and to the gold there is a place, (here they fine it.

id in plain words; ' lb thai is fitting himself

True teaching conn tfroux Scripture and old autl to, fox the wnnK of true preaching, the originals of the caaea he

L— must of necessity derive from the sacred page, so as to bring

'round even thing that he speaks to a foundation of divine authority, and in thai set firm the edifice of his own speaking.

I,,,, as fre before said, oftentimes heretics, whilst they are

, r i,, prop up what is bad of their own, broach thin which assuredly arc not maintained in the page of the red 1 ks. And hence the great Preacher admonishes

• his disciple, saying, 0 Timothy, keep thai which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane novelties of speaking, for whereas heretics long to be extolled as if for excellency of wit, they as it were bring out new things which are not maintained in the «»hl books of the ancient Fathers, and thus it follows, that whilst they desire to appear wise, they scatter set ds of loolishn ss to their wretched hearers

10. And it is well added; And to the gold there is a pi ■ where theyjine it. As if he said in plain terms; ' The true wisdom of believers, which has the Church Universal for its place, undergoes tribulation by you persecuting her. but from all the dross of Bins by the fire of your persecution she u. is purified.1 Whence it is written; For gold is tried in the 1 fire, and acceptable men in the furnace of adversity. In which passage this too may be appropriately taken for the meaning, that for their foolish Buffering heretics might seem to be rebuked. For oftentimes for the.Name of Ji bus Christ, our Lord and Redeemer, they Buffer much, and by those same Bufferings they look Tor themselves to become His martvrs. To which persons it is now said by the voice of the holy man; and to the gold there is a place, where they fi in it. For according t<» thai which has been aire d) said even before ns, he that suffers out of the unit) of the Church, punishments he may Buffer, bul a Mam t he eann.it be made; for ' to the gold there is a place, where they fine it." What then, ye heretics, sa} ye to th< Be things? Ye are minded to be * fined1 by the afflicting of the flesh, naj even by martyrdom, but the place where ye must be lined, ye know not. Hear) whal is spoken by the voice of the holy preacher. ■ lo tin gold there is a place, when thej fine it.1 So then, this ' place for the fining,1 tliis furnace, when in the nil \ purged, find \ e out.

Suffering n<> martyrdom out of the " /dace'1 of unity. 345

41. There is one Church, in which he that may have Hook attained to be fined, may likewise be purified from all ' the dross <>| sins, [f for the sake of God ye undergo aught of bitterness, if aught of tribulation, being without her pale, ye can only l>e burnt, ye cannot be purified. Let Jeremiah tell, let him tell in what way the lire of your fining is void of all efficacy. Thejwner melteth in ruin; for their nicked-;Kr- ''• n< SSes are Hal done a/cay. See how the lire externally melting at once administers a punishment of hard suffering, and yet does not clear oil' the sin of misbelief; it both furnishes torments of cruel punishments, and does not cause additions of good merits. Moreover the lire of this lining which is undergone out of the Catholic Church, how utterly it is void of all efficacy the Apostle Paid instructs us, when he says,./;/(/ though 1 give my body to be burned, and hare l Cor.

not charily, it prqfiteth me nothing. For some think wrong things touching God, and others hold what is right about the Creator, but do not maintain unity with their brethren; the one are sundered by erroneousness of faith, and the others by the commission of schism. And hence in the very first part of the Decalogue the sins of both sides are checked, seeing that it is said by the voice of God, And than shall Markl2, tare the Lard thy Cod with all thii/e heart, and with al£jjeat.*6 thy soul, and with all thy might. And it is immediate! - added. And thou shalt lace thy neighbour a* thyself. For whoso imagines what is wrong about God, surely it is evident that he does not ' love God.' Put he who while he entertains right notions about God is divided from the unity of the Holy Church, it is plain that he does not I his neighbour, whom he refuses to have for his fellow.

42. Whosoever, then, is divided from this unity oi' tin Church our Mother, either through heresy in entertaining wrong notions concerning God, or by the erroneousness of schism in not loving his neighbour, is bi reft of the grace of that charity, concerning which Paul saith what we have before given: And though I give my l»><iy to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth nt< nothing. As if he expressed himself in plain utterance; ' Without the bounds oi its place, the fire ol fining being applied to me only afflicts mc with torment, ami does not purify me by its cleansing.1

/ Id a tin d only in Charity. Changed characi

Job 28, This place all they thai are lovers ol holy peac< seek with i *.. "...

hearties! endeavours, this on Becking they find, this finding oi to what sort it ia vouchsafed. For where is it, save in the bosom of oar Catholic.Mother? When) but before the daj linn-; behold, now is I In- day of salvation. And, Seel ye the Lord while Hie may be found, call ye upon Him white

II. u near To what sort of persons, hut to the convi it '1.

who alter tlie imitating of little children are fashioned by humility as their mistress! To whom it is said: Sitjl'<->- little

Matt, the kingdom of heaven. And, Except ye be converted anil become as little children, ye shall >i<>( enter into the kingdom of heaven. And therefore, because there are no true martyrs made saving in the Catholic Church, it is rightly said. To flu' gold there is a place where they fine it. Because the soul would nut he made brighl in the radiance of everlasting beauty, exo< pt, bo t" say, h were firs! burnt lure in the workshop of charily.

Moreover, we art to consider that there are some w bom

Umight) God bj 1 1 - a cr< t a tinsel preserving in innocency from their \erv beginnings promotes to the topmost heights of rirtuous attainments, that, as their age increases, both numerousness of years and Loftiness of merits should simultaneously advanci in them. But others abandoniug in their

>ntset lie Buffers to kro with hail habits fermenting by headlong ways. Yet lor the most pari even these lie has r. gard lo, and for the following alter llim lie kindles them with the

(in' of hoi) lose, and tin- ttchiogs of had propensities engrained in their hearts He converts into a P rvouc of virtue, and they are the more set on lire to the desire of beseeching the pitifulness of God, in proportion as thej are the more iied at the recolh ction of their own wickedneS8 J as it often happens, that in the conflict of the fight tin' soldier, who i-. placed before the eyes of his leader, basely yields to the enemy's valour, and that whilst he powerless!) turns his back he is struck; yet nevertheless being ashamed of this 'j \i...\er\ thing thai he ha- done' disgracefully before his leader's i \.. from tli' mere - ns< ot shame he gath< re greatei fon

Sound iiii'h made from earthly on iron from earth.:*17 and afterwards execul is deeds of prowess, to so high;i Book degree thai be may at once achieve present credit of his ' ' valour, and cover past disgrace of weakness. In a Like way, these persona arc- sometimes more actively established in the service of God bj consequence of past weakness, and such persons for tlie keeping of I lis commandments both the desire of things future draws on, and the remembrance of things past urges forward, that on the one side affection to that which is to come should stimulate, and on the other shame for that which is past spur on. Which same however, while the enemies of the Chinch see to be endowed with the highest virtues, and in their present life cannot any way find out that whereby they may derogate from their merit, they set themselves to impeach them of the past, as the Manichaean assails our Moses, in whom he endeavours to soil with the sin of a past homicide the grace of subsequent virtuous attainments; in whom he heeds not how patient he was afterwards to endure, but how precipitate he was before to strike. Such adversaries as these blessed Job encounterin- with the exactest eye of observation, after that he said, Silver hath the beginning of its reins; and to gold there is a place where tlieyjiiie it; he justly added;

Iron is taken out of the earth.

44. Heretics are used to pride themselves against us byxxvii. the self-priding of their righteousness, and to boast high their practices with the swelling of ostentation, and ourselves, as we have said, they impeach either for being or having been bad persons. Accordingly in a most humble confession, and in a truthful defence against those, the holy man speaks, saving, Iron is taken nut of the earth. As if he said in plain speech; ' men of strength, who by the sharpest swords of their tongues are become iron in this pitched battle of the defending of the faith, were one time but ' earth' in rhe lowest sphere of actions.' For to man on his sinning it was spoken; Earth thou art, and unto earth slialt thou return. Hut ' iron is taken out of the earth/ when the hardy champion of the Church is separated from an earthl) course of conduct, which he before maintained. Accordingly he ought not to be contemned in any thing whatever, that he was, who has already begun to be that

8 js.'i once hard m < vil madt strong for 'good.

Job 98, which be was not vVaa not Matthew found in the earth, — ' irho, involved in earthly matters, served the business of the i. <. ipl of custom f But having been taken out of the earth, lit- was strengthen* '1 into the forcibleness of iron, in thai bj his tongue, as by the sharpest Bword, the Lord in the enforcing of the Gospel pierced the hearts of unbelievers* Ami he thai before was wi as and contemptible by his earthly occupations, was afterwards made strong for heavenly preachings. Hence it is yet further subjoined j

And tht ttone being melted with heat is turned into brass. 15. Then is ' the Btone dissolved with heat,9 when the heart that is hard and cold to the fire of divine love is touched l'\ thai same fire of divine love, and melted in the glowing warmth oi the Spirit, that to the life that follows it should burn with the beal "I its longings, which life on hearing of before, it remained uninfluenced. By the power of which same heat, he is at once softened down to love and invigorated to practice, that as before he was hard in the love "l tin- world, so he should afterwards give himself out strong unto the love of God, and what he declined to give car to before, he should henceforth begin both to believe and to preach. And so, the stone being dissolved with heat is turned into brass, because the hardened mind, being nulled h\ the fire of love from Above, is changed to true strength. So that the sinner that was before unmoved should. wards be made at once strong in respect of authority, and Bounding in n spect of preaching. Which is well spoken 1>\ i. M, Isaiah; They that trust in the Lord shall changt tl 8 * strength. We 'change our strength,' when being converted, we eschew the pr \\r of things with as much powei and might as we before were Becking it. But because the foregoing life is unfairly by adversaries counted to the character of Catholics, it is rightly added;

bounds to the w icked, where they should cease to he wicked.

Eph.5, Whenc< il ia taid to them bj the Apostle; Pi netimes darkness^ but rwu an ye light in the Lord. Like as

God sees ili< end before^ whaU vet men seem to be. 349

The night is/ar spent, the day is at hand; let us therefore Boo« east off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour

of light. Let us walk honestly as in tin- day. Eence also)3 {., in the Song of Songs on the coming of the Church it is said, 1:i- Who is she tlml cometh forth as the morning in rising? Cant. 6

For fitly i^ the Church described by being compared with '"• 1 the morning,1 in that, by the knowledge of the faith she is changed from the darkness of sins to he in the bright light of righteousness. By the term of'all and every « n 1 « ■," he would have both the Elect and the damned to be comprehended. For God both in doing and ordering what is good, yet not doing what is bud, but what by the wicked is done Himself so regulating that the things should not come forth irregularly, ' vieweth the end of all and every one,1 and bears all things patiently, and beholds the goal of the Elect, how that from c\il they are changed to good. He sees, too, the end of the damned, how that for bad practice they are dragged to a punishment worthy of them. He saw the end of Saul when persecuting, wherein prostrated on the earth lie should say, Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do? He saw the end of Acts 9, the seeming-obedient disciple, that for the guilty deed he had6' committed he should tie his throat with a noose, and both punish himself when guilty of sin, and by thus punishing, betray himself the worse. He saw the Ninevites transgressing, but beheld the end of the transgressing jn the repentance of the reformed. He saw likewise Sodom transgressing, but lie beheld the end of the burning of lust in the fire of hell. He saw tli'' end of the Gentile world, how that whilst occupied by the darkness of iniquities, it should be one day brightened with the light of faith. He also saw the end of Judaea, how that from that light of faith, which it held, it should blind itself with the darkness of hardened unbelief. Whence it is yet further added with just applicability,

Ver. 4. The stone likewise of darkness, and ih<> shadow of death, tic torrent divides from the people "n travel.

;7. What was that people of the Jews, hard bv unbeHcf, thatjefused to behold bv faith that "Author of life, whom it tor, told by prophecy, but ' a Btone of darkm bs?1 because it proved at once hard by erne! },■>] i,\ unbelief.

Which same is also called by another term ' the shadow ol l.i il 111, ii Satan's shadow God *s people pilgrin

■. i. nil For a shadow i^ drawn su. Ii and of tbe Bameaort as 1 the outline* irere of that object, from which it is derived And wlm is designated l».\ the name of ' death1 but the devil I ( >t w liuin in a kind of mode <»r representation by his minister '• it is said, And his name teat Death. Of whom that people was a shadow, because in following liis wickeduess, ii pres, ni, (1 in itself a semblance of him. Bu1 what is named bj the title of tin' ' torrent,' save thai fire thai issut - forth from tbe sighl "i the Awful Judge in the final Inquest, and divides the Elect and the damned? Whence too it is said 1>> tin

18. Bui whal People is ' on travel1 in this world, but I which hastening to the inheritance <>f the Elect knowswell thai it has its native country in the heavenly world, and expects thai it will there find its own the more, in proportion as here it reckons all things thai pass away to be unconnected with ii-. If? Tims the ' pilgrim People1 is the number <>f all the Elect, who accounting this life a species of exile to themselves, pant w ith the whole bent <>i the heart after their native country ii,ii, Above; ofwhich persons Paul saith, And confessed that they sni/ such things, declare plainly Umi they seek n country.

This pilgrim state that same Apostle also was undergoing r>5 when be said. Knowing that, whilst we are ni home in thi grma- faith, n<>i by sight. The woes of this pilgrim state he was

"'".'. j in baste to gi t quit of win ji hr said. Having it desire to

Christ, and to die is gain, 'fin burthen of this pilgrimage

Ps. iso, the l'snlniivt felt lying heavj upon him, when he said; ' is me Umi I sojourn in Mesech, that I din II in the tents of Kedat My soul hath been much a sojourner. From this he was panting i" be extricated as Bpecdilj as; ossible, when in- P.; ■ • flamed with hi a> enlj aspirations he said, Mys ml thirsteth '• r God, for tin living God; when shall l rum, and apt " God Bui this desire the) are strangers to, who rfvel

Judgment severs than from the dark and hardened,;351 their heart on earthly gratifications. For whilst they love Boob only the things that arc risible, sorely the invisible things, ■ even it' they believe them to exist, they do not love, in that whilst they follow themselves too much with the outward following, even in the interior they become carnal. Thus both people run together in this life, but do not together attain to the life everlasting, because, Me stone qf darkness and the shadow of death the torrent divides from the people on travel. As if ho said in plain speech, ' Those whom in this present time cither infidelity makes blind, or cruelt) makes hard, the fiery stream that issues from before the Judge Eternal doth then sever from the People of the Elect, that thus from the company of good men the fire of the strict Inquest should part those, whom now the darkness of evil habits makes blind in their lusts.

49. Perhaps by the designation of the ' torrent,' the actual watt ring ofholypTeaching may be understood, according to that, that is said by Solomon; The eye thatsneereth at hisfather and Pror. despiseth the travailqfhismother, lo theravensfrom the torrents ' shall pick it out. For bad men, while they find fault with the judgments of God, do ' sneer at their father,' and heretics of all sorts whilst in mocking they contemn the preaching of Holy Church, and her fruitfulness, what else is this but that they * despise the travail of their mother?' whom we not unjustly call the mother of them as well, because from the same they come forth, who speak against the same, as John bears witness, who says, They went nut from us, but they were not\ John of us; far it they had been of us, they u-<mt,t no doubt have ' continUi d with us. But ' the ravens from the torrents come,' when the true Preachers come forth for the defence of Holy Church from tie streams of the Sacred Hooks. Which same also are rightly termed ' ravens,' because they never pride themselves on the light of their righteousness, but by the grace of humility confess in themselves the blackness of sins. Whence, too, it is Bpok( n b\ the Church of Elect souls. / am Cant 1, black, hut comely. And.John says. If toe say that we tune fWiJobni sin, we <!■<■< in- ourselves. Which same ravens, no doubt,8- ' pick out the eyes' of him that ' sneereth,' because they overcome the aim of bad and froward men. Thus by this testimony, if here,is well ' the torrent1 is to be taken for

('Iiit^t. mad ■ i ust turned away from the Jt joi H preaching; the stone of darkness, and shadow of death, the

L torrent divides from the people on travel; because tinptt aching of the Saints gives over the hardened minds of the

Lost, and b takes itself to the pious hearts of the lowly. Hence it is \ et further subjoined,

Those whom the foot qf the needy man forgot, and the inacci ssible ones.

50. What other in this place is taken t<> be the need] ni.u). saving Him concerning Whom ii is -.ml by Paul, Though II ich, yet for your sokes He became poor.