Morals on the Book of Job (Moralia)

14. For the soul's * eating' is its being fed with the con- viii. templations of the light above, and thus it sighs before it eats, in that it first travails with the groanmgs of sorrow, and afterwards is replenished with the cheer of contemplation. For except it sigh, it eats not, in that he that refuses to humble himself, in this exile we are in, by the groanings of heavenly desires, never tastes the delights of the eternal inheritance. P'or all they are stan-ed of the food of truth, that take joy in the emptiness of this scene of our pilgrimage, but he * sighs,' that * eats,' because all who are touched with the love of truth, are at the same time fed with the refreshments of contemplation. The Prophet * ate sighing,' when he said. My tears have been my bread. For the soul is fedPs-42,3. by its own grief, when it is lifted up to the joys above by the tears, which it sheds, and indeed it bears within its sorrowliil sighings, but it receives food for its refreshing, the more the force of its love gushes out in weeping. And hence blessed Job still goes on with the violence of that weeping, adding,

And my roarings are poured out like overflowing waters.

15. Waters, that overflow, advance with a rush, and swell ix. with billows evermore increasing. Now whilst the Elect set the judgments of God before the eyes of their mind, whilst they dread the secret sentence concerning them, whilst they trust to attain to God, but yet arc in fear lest they should not attain, while they call to mind their past doings, which

Job 3, they weep over, whilst they shrink from the events that still await them, in that they are unknown, there are gathered in them as it were a kind of billows, as of water, which spend themselves in the roarings of grief, as upon a shore beneath them. The holy man then saw how great are the billows of our thoughts in our penitential mourning, and he called the very waves of our grief overflowing waters, saying, And my roarinys are like overjlowiny waters. Now there are times when the righteous, as we likewise said a little above, even in the midst of their very good works, are affiighted and give themselves to continual mouniing, lest they should offend by some secret misdemeanour therein. And when God's scourges suddenly take hold of them, they imagine that they have done despite to the grace of their Maker, in that being either impeded by infirmities, or weighed down with sadness, they are not ready to perform works of mercy to their neighbours; and their heart turns to mourning, for that the body is become slack to its devout ministration. And whereas they see that they are not adding to their reward, they fear that their past deeds also have been displeasing. Hence when blessed Job described his roaring like overflowing waters, he thereupon added,

Ver. 25. For the thiny that I yr eat iy feared is come upon me, and that which I am afraid of is come unto me. X. 16. The righteous therefore lament and fear, and torment themselves with bitter lamentations, because they dread to be given over, and though they rejoice in their own cor- ' correp- rection ^, the correction itself disturbs their fearful spirits, **° lest the evil, which they are undergoing should not be the merciful stroke of discipline, but the righteous visitation of vengeance. And the Psalmist reflecting thereupon says Ps. 90, with justice, Who knoweth the power of Thine anyer ^ For ^^' the power of God's anger cannot be conceived by our faculties, in that His dispensation, by its undiscerned provisions concerning us, often takes us up in that very point where it is counted to abandon us, and in the very thing wherein it is supposed to take us up, it forsakes us. So that very often that is rendered grace to us, which we call wrath, and that is sometimes wrath, which we account to be grace. For strokes of aflliction are the correction of

Power makes some proud, others watchful. '253 some men, but others they lead to a frenzy of impatience, and Book there are some wliom prosperity, in that it soothes them, ^— calms from a state of madness, while there are others whom, seeing that it u])lifts them, it wholly turns adrift from every hope of conversion. Now vice forces all men down beneath, but some the more easily return from thence, that they take the greater shame to themselves to have fallen thereunto. And attainments in virtue in every case raise men on high, yet sometimes some men, in that swelling thoughts are engendered from their virtues, fall down by the very pathway of their rise. And so forasmuch as the power of God's wrath is little known, under all circumstances it must needs be unceasingly feared. It proceeds;

Ver. 26. Did I not dissemble it? Did I not hold myaoVn\g. peace? Did I not rest quiet? Vet wrath came upon me.

] 7. Though in every situation of life, we sin in thought, xi. word, and deed, the mind is then humed along in all these three ways with the greater freedom from control, when it is lifted up with this world's good fortune. For when it sees that it surpasses other men in power, feeling proudly, it thinks high things of itself, and when no opposition is offered by any to the autliority of its word, the tongue has the more uncontrolled range along precipitous paths; and while it is permitted to do all that it likes, it reckons all that it likes to be lawfully permitted it. But good men, when supported by this world's power, bring themselves under severer discipline of the mind, in proportion as they know that, from the intolerance of power, they are persuaded to unlicensed acts, as if they were more licensed to do them'. Thus they i vid. b. refrain their hearts from surveying their own glory, they '^^•^•'^* check their tongues from unrestrained talk, they guard their actions from restless roaming. For it often happens that they that are in ])ower lose the good things that they do, because they entertain high conceits, and while they reckon themselves to be of use for every j)urpose, they blast the merit even of the usefulness tliey have laid out. For in order that a man's deeds may be rendered of greater worth, they must needs always appear worthless in his own esteem, lest the.same good action elevate the heart of the doer, and in elevating overthrow its author by selfelation, more

Job 3, effectually than it helps the very persons for whom it may ^—chance to be rendered. For it is hence that the King of

Babylon, while he was secretly revolving in his own mind, Dan. 4, in the pride of his heart, saying, Is not this great Babylon which I have builded? was suddenly turned into an irrational beast. For he lost all that he had been made, because he would not humbly keep back what he had done; and because in the pride of his heart he lifted himself up above men, he lost that very human faculty, which he had in common with man. And often they that are in power burst out at random into insulting language towards their dependants, and this merit, viz. that they serve their office of authority with vigilance, they lose by reason of their forwardness of speech, plainly considering with overlittle dread the words of the Judge, that Matt. 6, lie ^]iQ shall say to his brother without cause Thou fool, makes himself obnoxious to hell fire. Often they that are in power, whereas they know not how to refrain lawful actions, slide into such as are unlawful, and unquiet. For he alone is never brought down in things unlawful, who is careful to restrain himself at times even from things lawful. It is with the bands of this selfsame restraint that Paul shewed himself 1 Cor. 6, to be bound for good, when he says. All things are laicfid to me, but all things are not expedient; and in order to shew in what exceeding freedom of mind he was set at large by reason of this very restraint, he thereupon added. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. For when the mind pursues after the desires that it entertains, it is convicted of being enslaved to the things, by the love of which it is subdued. But Paul, * to whom all things are lawful,' is ' brought under the power of none;' in that by restraining himself even from things lawful, those very objects, which, if enjoyed, would weigh him down, being contemned, he rises above.

18. Let blessed Job then declare for our better instruction what he was when in power, in these words. Did I not dissemble? For when we are in possession of power, it is both to be taken account of for purposes of utility, and to be kept out of sight because of pride, in order that he that uses it, on the one hand, that he may render service therewith, may be aware that he has the power, and on the other, that he may not be elated, may not be aware that he has the Rook power. Now what he was in word of mouth, let him add in '- — these words, Was I jiot silent? What in respect of forbidden deeds, let him further subjoin, Did I not rest quiet? But the being silent and quiet admit of being yet more minutely examined into. Thus, to be silent is to withhold the mind from the cry of earthly desires. For all tumult of the breast is a strong and mighty clamouring.

19. Moreover they rest, that bear themselves well in power, in that they prefer to lay aside, at intervals, the din of earthly business for the love of God, lest whilst the lowest objects incessantly occupy the mind, it should altogether fall away from the highest. For they know that it can never be lifted up to things above, if it be continually busied in those below with tumultuous care and concern; for what should that mind gain concerning God in the midst of business, which, even when at liberty, strives with difficulty to apprehend aught that concerns Ilim? And it is well said by the Psalmist, Keep Ps. 46, yourselves alooj\ and know that I am God. For he that ^^' neglects to * keep himself aloof to God, by his own judgment upon himself hides the light of God's vision from his eyes. Hence moreover it is declared by Moses, that those fish that Lev. 11, have no fins should not be eaten. For the fish, that have fins, are wont to make leaps above the water. Thus they onlv pass into the bocly^ of the Elect in the manner of food, who, whilst they yield themselves to the lowest charges, can sometimes by the mind's leaps mount up to things on high, that they may not always be buried in the deeps of care, and be reached by no breath of the highest love as of the free air. They, then, who are busied in tcm])oral affairs, then onlv manage external things aright, when they betake them with solicitude to those of the interior, when ihey take no delight in the clamours of disquietudes witliout, but repose within themselves in the bosom of trancjuil rest.

20. For men of depraved minds never cease to keep on the tumult of earthly business within their own breasts, even when they are unemployed. I'or they retain pictured in imagination the things, which their love is fixed on, and

'256 Quietness and inicard life of good men^ as Jacob.

Job 3, though they be employed m no outward work, yet within

'■ — themselves they are toiling and labouring under the weight of an unquiet quiet. And if the management of these same things be accorded to them, they wholly go forth from themselves, and follow after these temporal and transient concerns by the path of their purpose of mind, with the unintermitted steps of the thoughts. But pious minds, on the one hand,:| seek not such things when lacking, and on the other, they bear them with difficulty, when present, for they fear lest by the k care of external things they be made to go out of themselves. Which same is well represented in the life of those two Gen. 25, brothers, concerning whom it is written, And Esaii was a Yuig. cunning hunter^ a 7nan of the field; and Jacob was a plain 1 so Ixx. man dwelling in tents. Or it is said in Uhe other translation, he dwelt at home. For what is represented by Esau's hunting but the life of those, who, giving a loose to themselves in external pleasures, follow the flesh? and, moreover, he is described to be a man of the field, for the lovers of this world cultivate the external in the same proportion, that they leave uncultivated their internal parts. But Jacob is recorded to be a plain man, dwelling in tents, or dwelling at home, in that, truly, all, that seek to avoid being dissipated in external cares, abide plain men in the interior, and in the dwelling place of their conscience; for to ^ dwell in tents,' or ' in the house,' is to restrain one's self within the secrets of the heart, nor ever to let themselves run loose without in their desires, lest, while men gape after a multitude of objects without, they be led away from themselves by the alienation of their thoughts. So let him, who was tried and trained in prosperity, say. Did I not dissemble it? Did I not hold my peace? Did J not rest quiet? For, as we have said above, when holy men receive the smiles of transitory jDrosperity, they * dissemble' the favour of the world, as though they were ignorant of it, and with a resolute step they inwardly trample upon that, whereby they are outwardly lifted up. And they ' hold their peace,' in that they never clamour with the uproar of wicked doings. For all iniquity has its voice belonging to it in the secret judgments of God. Hence it is G^en. 18, written, The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great. And ^^' they ' rest quiet,' when they are not only hurried away by

Good men fear God's Judgi7ient of their best deeds. 257 no unruly appetite of temporal desires, but over and above Book eschew the busying themselves out of due measure with the '- necessary concerns of this present life.

21. But while they do this, they are still made to feel the strokes of a Father's hand, that they may come to their inheritance the more perfect, in proportion as the rod, striking in pity, is daily purifying them even fiom the very least sins. Thus they are unceasingly doing righteous acts, yet are pei*petually undergoing severe troubles. For often our \ery righteousness itself, when brought to the test of God's righteous eye, proves unrighteousness, and that which is bright in the estimate of the doer, is foul in the Judge's searching sight. Hence when Paul said. For I know nothing by my- \ Cor. self; he forthwith added. Yet am I not Jiereby justified; and"^' '*• immediately implying the reason wherefore he was not justified, he says, Ihit he titat judyeth me is the Lord. As though he said, * For this reason I say that I am not justified herein, viz. that / kiioiv nothing by myself, because I know thai I am tested with gi'eater exactness by Him, That judgeth me.' Therefore we must keep out of sight all that favours us outwardly, we must keep under control whatsoever is clamorous within, we must eschew the things that twine themselves about us as necessary, and yet in all of these we must still fear the chastisements of a strict inquisition; since even our xcry perfection itself does not lack sin, did not the severe Judge weigh the same with mercy in the exact balance of His examination.

22. And it is well added, Yet indignation came upon me. For with wonderful skilfulness of instruction, when about to tell of the chastisements, he premised the good deeds, that each man might hence be led to consider what punishments await sinners hereafter, if the righteous even are cha.stised here with strokes so strong. For it is hence that Peter says, For the time is come that judgment must begin \ Pet.4 at the house of God. And [f the righteous scarcely be saved, ^'^' *^- where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Hence Paul, after he said many things in commendation of the Thessalonians, straightway achled, So that ue ourselves glory iThe%n, in you in the churches of God, for your patience and faith '•^•^• in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure;

Job 3, Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God.

llisT~ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^\^, ' Whilst yoii, that act so uprightly, undergo so many hardships, what else is it than that ye are giving examples of the righteous judgment of God, since from your punishment it is to be inferred in what sort He smites those with whom He is wroth, if He suffers you to be thus afflicted, in whom He delights; or how He will strike those towards whom He shews righteous judgment, if He thus torments your own selves, whom with pitifulness He cherishes in reproving.

23. The first words, then, of blessed Job being ended, his friends that had come in pity to comfort him, set themselves by turns to the upbraiding of him; and while they launch out to words of strife, they drop the purpose of pity, which they had come for. And indeed they do this mth no bad intent, but, though they manifest feeling for the stricken man, they supposed him to be no otherwise stricken than for his wickedness; and whereas guarded speech does not follow that good intention, the very purpose of mercy is turned into the sin of an offence. For it was their duty to consider to whom and on what occasion they spake; in that he, to whom they had come, was a righteous man, and besieged with the strokes of God's hand; and so they should from his past life have estimated those words of his mouth, which they were unable to understand, and not have convicted him fi'om present strokes, but have entertained fear for their own lives, and not as it were by reasoning have lifted themselves above, but by lamenting joined themselves to that stricken Saint, so that their knowledge might in no wise display itself in words, but that great teacher, grief, might instruct the tongue of the comforters to speak aright. And though they perchance might in any thing be of a different mind, assuredly it was meet that they should express these feelings with humility, lest by words without restraint they should accumulate wounds upon the smitten soul.

24. For it often happens that, because they cannot be understood, either the doings or the sayings of the better men are displeasing to the worse; but they are not to be rashly censured by them, inasmuch as they cannot be apprehended in their true sense. Often that is done in pursuance of policy' by greater men, which is accounted an eiTor R^ok by their inferiors. Often many things are said by the, < ^|- _ strong, which the weak only decide upon, because they know pensa- nothing about them. And this is well represented by thatin ec'o- Ark of the Testament beins: inclined on one side by the°°?^3^- kme kickmg, which the Levite desning to set upright, 6, 7. because he thought it would fall, he immediately received sentence of death. For what is the mind of the just man but the Ark of the Testament? which, as it is being carried, is inclined by the kicking of the kine; in that it sometimes happens that even he, who rules well, being shaken by the disorder of the people subject to him, is moved by nought else than love to a condescension in policy. But in this, which is done in ])olicy, that very bending, that is, of strength is accounted a fall by the inexperienced; and hence there are some of those that are in subjection, who j)ut out the hand of censure against it, yet by that very rashness of theirs they forthwith drop from life. Thus the Levite stretched forth his hand as it were in aid, but he lost his life in being guilty of offence, in that while the weak sort censure the deeds of the strong, they are themselves made outcasts from the lot of the living. Sometimes too holy men say some things condescending to the meanest subjects, while some things they deliver contemplating the highest; and foolish men, because ihey know nothing of the meaning either of such condescension or elevation, presumptuously censure them. And what is it to desire to set a good man right for his condescension, but to lift up the ark that is inclined with the presuming hand of rebuke? what is it to censure a righteous man for unapprehended words, but to take the move he makes in his strength for the downfall of error.'' But he loses his life, who lifts up the ark of God with a high mind; in that no man would ever dare to correct the upright acts of the Saints, unless he first thought better things of himself. And hence this Levite is rightly called Oza, which same is by interpretation * the strong one of the Lord,' in that the presumptuous severally, did they not audaciously conclude themselves * strong in the Lord,' would never condemn as weak the saying and doings of their betters. Therefore while the friends of blessed Job leap forth against him, as if in

Job 3, God's defence, they transgress the rule of God's ordinance in

'2o. But when any of the doings of better men are displeasing to the less good, they are by no means to hold their peace about the considerations which influence their minds, but to give utterance thereto with a great degree of humility, so that the purpose of him, whose feelings are pious, may, in a genuine manner, keep the form of uprightness, in proportion as he goes by the pathway of lowliness. Thus both all that we feel is to be freely expressed, and all that we express is to be uttered with the deepest humility, lest even what we intend aright we make other than right, by putting it forth in a spirit of pride. Paul had spoken many things to his hearers with humility, but it was with still more humility that he busied himself to appease them about that Heb.13 ^ui^ble exhortation itself, saying. And I beseech you, brethren, 22. sujfer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words. And likewise bidding farewell to the Ephesians at Miletus, who were deeply grieved and loudly lamenting, he recalls his humility to their remem- Acts brance,in these words, Therefore watch, and remember, that 20, 31. by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. Again he says to the same Enh 4 P<^^'^ons by letter, / therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, 1. beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called. Therefore let him infer from hence, if he ever thinks rightly at all, with what humility the disciple ought to address the Master, if the Master of the Gentiles himself, in the very things which he proclaims with authority, beseeches the disciples so submissively. Let every one collect from hence in what a spirit of humility he should communicate to those, from whom he has received examples of good living, all that he perceives aright, if Paul submitted himself in a humble strain to those, whom he himself raised up to life.

26. But Eliphaz, who is the first of the fiiends to speak, though he came with pity to console, yet in that he departs from meekness of speech, is ignorant of the rules of consoling; and while he neglects the guarding of his lips, he is guilty of excess, even to offering insult to the afflicted man, saying,

The tiger hath perished for lack of prey ^ the roaring of the Book

Hotly and the voice of the fierce lioness\ and the teeth of the '■— young lions are broken: i. e. by the teeth of a tiger marking lo. ii'. out blessed Job, as it were, with the fault of variedness;*^-*^'" by tJte roaring of the lion, denoting that man's terribleness; by the voice (f the lioness, the loquacity of his wife; and by the broken teeth of the young lions, signifying the gkittony of his sons brought to ruin. And hence the sentence of God rightly reproves the feeling of the friends, which had lifted itself up in swelling reproach, saying. Ye have not spoken of-^^^^^j Me the thing that is right, as My servant Job hath.

27. But I see that we must enquire, wherefore Paul makes use of their sentiments with so much weight of authority, if these sentiments of theirs be nullified by the Lord's rebuke? For they are the words of Eliphaz which he brought before the Corinthians, saying. For it is written, He taketh the i Cot. 3, nise in their own craftiness. How then do we reject as evil l^Jj - what Paul establishes by authority? or how shall we account 13. that to be right by the testimony of Paul, which the Lord by His own li])s determined not to be right } lUit we speedily leani how little the two are at variance together, if we more exactly consider the words of that same Divine sentence, which assuredly having declared, Ye have not spoken of Me the thing that is right; thereupon added, as 3Iy servant Job. It is cleai' then that some things contained in their sayings were right, but they are overcome by comparison with one who was better; for among other things, which they say without reason, there are many forcible sentences they utter in addressing blessed Job; but when comj)ared with his more forcible sayings ihey lose the power of their forcibleness. And many things that they say are admirable, were they not spoken against the afflicted condition of the holy man. So that in themselves they are great, but because they aim to j)ierce that righteous j)erson, that greatness loses its weight, for with whatever degree of strength, it is in vain that the javelin is sent to strike the hard stones, since it glances off the further with blunted point, the more it comes hurled with strength. Therefore, though the sayings of Job's friends be very forcible in some points, yet, since they strike the Saint's well-fenced life, they turn back all the point of

262 Heretics, like Job's Frie?ids, mix truth and error. Job 3, their sharpness. And therefore because they are both great

: — in themselves, and yet ou^ht never to have been taken up

'against blessed Job, on the one hand let Paul, weighing them by their intrinsic excellence, deliver them as authoritative, and on the other let the Judge, forasmuch as they were delivered without caution, censure them in respect of the quality of the individual.

•28. But, as we have said above that these same friends of blessed Job contain a figure of heretics, let us now search ^ out how their words agree with heretics; for some of the opinions which they hold are very right, but in the midst of these they fall away to coriiipt notions; for heretics have this especial peculiarity, that they mix good and evil, that so they may easily delude the sense of the hearer. For if they always said wrong, soon discovered in their wrongheadediiess, they would be the less able to win a way for that, which they desire. Again, if they always thought right, then, surely, they would never have been heretics. But whilst with artfulness of deceiving they engage themselves with either, both by the evil they vitiate the good, and by the good they conceal the evil, to the end that it may be readily admitted; just as he that presents a cup of poison, touches the brim of the cup with honied sweets, and while this that has a sweet flavour is tasted at the first sip, that too wliich brings death is unhesitatingly swallowed. Thus heretics mix right with wrong, that by making a shew of good things, they may draw hearers to themselves, and by setting forth evil they may corrupt them with a secret pestilence. Yet it sometimes happens that being corrected by the preaching and admonitions of Holy Church, they are healed from such a contradiction in views, and hence the friends of blessed Job offer the sacrifice of their reconciliation by the hands of the same holy man, and even under attainder they are restored to the favour of the LukeU Supreme Judge. Of whom we have a fitting representation ^^' in that cleansing of the ten lepers. For in leprosy both a portion of the skin is brought to a bright hue, and a portion remains of a healthy colour. Lepers therefore are a figure of heretics, for in that they blend evil with good, they cover the complexion of health with spots. And hence that they may be healed, they rightly cry oat, Jesus, MasterK For whereas Book they notify that they have gone \NTong in His words, they '■ — humbly call Him Master when they are to be healed, and so ceptor, soon as they retm-n to acknowledge the Master, they are at once ^^^Sbrought back to the right state ol health. Hut as on the savings of his friends we have carried the preface to our interpretation somewhat far, let us now consider minutely the ver}' words themselves which they spake. The account goes on;

C. iv. 1, 2. Then Eliphaz the Temaniie ansuered and said, If ue assay to commune with thee, uilt thou be grieved ^

29. It has been already declared above, what there is set xii. forth in the interpretation of these names. Therefore, because we are in haste to reach the unexamined parts, we forbear to imfold again what has been already delivered. Accorfhngly this is to be heedfully observed, that they, that bear the semblance of heretics, begin to speak softly, sapng,

If we assay to commune uith thee, uilt thou be grieved?

> For heretics dread to incense their hearers at the outset of

/ their commmiing with them, lest they be listened to with

/ ears on the watch, and they carefully shun the paining of them, that they may catch their unguardedness, and what

I they put forward is almost always mild, while that is harsh which they cunningly introduce in going on. And hence at this time the friends of Job begin with the reverence of a gentle address, but they burst forth even to launching the darts of the bitterest invectives; for the roots of thorns themselves are soft, yet from that ver}' softness of their own they put Ibrth that whereby they pierce. It goes on;

JJut who can hold in^ the discourse conceived f 'thusV.

30. There be three kinds of men, which ditt'er from one xiii. another by qualities carried forward in gradation. For there are some, who at the same time that they conceive evil sentiments to speak, restrain themselves in their speech by none of the graveness of silence; and there are others, who, whereas they conceive evil things, withhold themselves with a strong control of silence. And there are some, who being made strong by the exercise of virtue, are advanced even to so great a height, that, as to speaking, they do not even conceive any evil thoughts in the heart, which they should have to restrain by keeping silence. It is shewn

Job 4, then to which class Eliphaz belongs, who bears witness that „ '' he cannot * withhold his conceived discourse.' Wherein too he made known this, that he knew that he would give offence by speaking. For he would never be anxious to withhold words that he cannot, unless he were assured beforehand that he would be inflicting wounds by the same; for good men check precipitancy of speech with the reins of counsel, and they take heedful thought, lest, by giving a loose to the wantonness of the tongue, they should by heedlessness of • con- speech pierce their hearer's spirits^; hence it is well said by tiam Solomon, He that letteth out water is a head of strife. For t'J^'J* ' the water is let out,' when the flowing of the tongue is let loose.

Vulg. And he that ' letteth out water,' is made the ' beginning of strife,' in that by the incontinency of the lips, the commencement of discord is afforded. Thus, as the wicked are light in mind, so they are precipitate in speech, and neglect to keep silence, thoroughly considering w'hat they should

2 con- say. And what a light spirit^ conceives, a lighter tongue delivers apace. Hence on this occasion Eliphaz infers from his own experience a thing, which in a feeling of hopelessness he believes concerning all men; saying, But who can withhold his conceived discourse? It proceeds;

Ver. 3, 4. Behold, thou hast instructed many., and thou hast strengtlioicdthe weak hands. Thy words have npholden him thai was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees. xiv. 31. If the text of the historical account be regarded in itself, it is of great service to the reader, that in blessed Job, instead of the ripping up of vices, proclaim is made of his virtues by his reviling friends; for the testimony to our manner of life is never so strong, as when commendable things are told by him, who aims to fasten guilt upon our head. But let us consider of v/hat a lofty height that man was, who by instructing the ignorant, strengthening the weak, upholding the faltering, amid the cares of his household, amidst the charge of countless concerns, amidst anxious feelings for his children, amidst the pursuit of so many laborious occupations, devoted himself to putting others in the right way. And being busied indeed, he executed these offices, yet being free, he did service in the master's office of instruction. By exercising superintendence, he disposed of Book temporal tilings, by preaching, he announced eternal truths; — '— uprightness of life, both by practice he shewed to all beholders, and by speech he conveyed to all that heard him. But all that are either heretics or bad men, in recording the excellencies of the good, turn them into grounds of accusation. Hence Eliphaz deduces occasion of reviling against blessed Job from the same quarter, whence he related commendable things of him; for it goes on,

Ver. 5. But now it is come upon thee^ and thou faintest; it toucheth tJiee, and thou art troubled.

3*2. All men of froward mind assail the life of the righteous xv. in two ways; for either they assert that what they say is wrong, or that what they say aright they never observe; and hence blessed Job is reproved by his friends further on for his mode of speech, whereas now he is torn in pieces for having spoken right things, but not having observed them. And so at one time the speech, and at another time the practice of the good meets with the disapproval of the wicked, in order that either the tongue being rebuked may hold its peace, or ihe life, being convicted by the testimony of that same tongue of theirs, may give way under the charge. And mark that first they bring forward commendations of the tongue, and afterwards complain of the weakness of the life. For the wicked, that they may not openly shew themselves to be evil, sometimes say such good things of the just, as they know to be already received concerning them by others also. But as we have said above, these very points they forthwith strain to the increase of guilt, and from hence, that they spoke favourable things also, they point out that credit is to be given them in the reverse, and with more seeming truth they intimate evil things, in proportion as they commended the good witli seeming zeal. Thus they wrest words of favourable im])ort to the service of accusation, in that they afterwards more deeply wound the life of the righteous from the same source, whence a little before in semblance thev vindicated it. But it often happens that their good qualities, which they first condenni when possessed, they afterwards admire, as if departed. And hence Eliphaz, as he declares them to be

Job 4, departed, subjoins the virtues of the holy man, enumerating

» V.thus Ver. 6. ^ Where is thy fear, thy strength, thy patience, and the perfectness of thy ways? xvi. 33. All which same he makes to succeed that sentence which he set before, saying, But note a stroke is come upon thee, and tliou faintest; ittoucheih thee, and thou art troubled. Thus he declares that they were brought to nought all of them together, in this, that he blames blessed Job's being troubled by the scourge. Yet it is to be well taken notice of, that though he chides unbeiittingly, yet the ranks of virtues he fitly describes; for in enumerating the virtues of blessed Job, he marked out his life in four stages, in that he both added strength to fear, and patience to strength, and to patience, perfection. Since one sets out in the way of the Lord with fear, that he may go on to strength; for as in the world boldness begets strength, so in the way of God boldness engenders weakness; and as in the way of the world fear gives rise to weakness, so in the way of God fear pro- Prov.14, duces strength; as Solomon witnesses, who says. In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence. For ' strong confidence' is said ' to be in the fear of the Lord,' in that, in truth, our mind so much the more valorously sets at nought all the teiTors of temporal vicissitudes, the more thoroughly that it submits itself in fear to the Author of those same temporal things. And being stablished in the fear of the Lord, it encounters nothing without to fill it with alarm, in that whereas it is united to the Creator of all things by a righteous fear, it is by a certain powerful influence raised high above them all. For strength is never shewn saving in adversity, and hence patience is immediately made to succeed to strength. For every man proves himself in a much truer sense to have advanced in ' strength,' in proportion as he bears with the bolder heart the wrongs of other men. For he was little strong in himself, who is brought to the ground by the wickedness of another. He, in that he cannot bear to face opposition, lies pierced with the sword of his cowardice. But forasmuch as perfection springs out of patience, immediately after patience we have the perfectness of his ways introduced. For he is really Book perfect, who feels no impatience towards the imperfection of — — his neighbour; since he that goes off, not being able to bear the imperfection of another, is his own witness against himself, that he is not yet perfectly advanced. Hence Truth says in the Gospel, In your patience possess ye yowr Luke2i, souls. For what is it to possess our souls, but to Uve by the ^ ' rule of perfection in all things, to command all the motions of the mind from the citadel of virtue? He then that maintains patience possesses his soul, in that from hence he is endued with strength to encounter all adversities, whence even by overcoming himself he is made master of himself; and as he quells himself in a manner worthy of all praise, he comes forth unquelled with dauntless front, because by conquering himself in his pleasures, he makes himself invincible to reverses. But as Eliphaz rebuked him ^vith reviling, so now he adds a few words, as if in exhortation,

\'er. 7. Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished heiny innocent? or where were the rigJiteous cut off?

34. Whether it be heretics, of whom we have said that the xvii. friends of blessed Job bore an image, or whether any of the froward ones, they are as blameable in their admonitions, as they are immoderate in their condemnation. For he says, Who ever perished beiny innocent? or where were the riyh- < teous cut off? Since it otten happens that in this life both) * the innocent perisli/ and ' the righteous are' utterly * cut ^ off,' yet in perishing they are reserved to glory etenial. For if none that is innocent perished, the Prophet would not say, The riyh teous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart. If Is. 67, God in His providential dealings did not carr>' off the righteous. Wisdom would never have said of the righteous man, Yea, speedily was he taken atvay, lest that wickedness \y\sd. 4, should alter his understand iny. If no visitation ever smote * the righteous, Peter would never foretell it, saying. For /AeiPet.4, time is come that judyment must beyin at the house of God. They then are really righteous, who are furnished forth by the love of the Country above to meet all the ills of the present life. For all that fear to endure ills here, for the sake of eternal blessings, clearly arc not righteous men. But Kliphaz does not t;ike account either that tlir righteous are

Job 4, cut off, or that the inuocent perish here, in that oftentimes ~jj7^^*^^^y ^^^^ serve God, not in the hope of heavenly glory, but for an earthly recompense, make a fiction in their own head of that which they are seeking after, and, taking upon themselves to be instructors, in preaching earthly immunity, they shew by all their pains what is the thing they love. It goes on;

Ver. 8, 9. Even, as I have seen, they that plough iniquity, 1 V. so. and^ sow sorrows, and reap the same, by the blast of God do they perish, and by the breath of His nostrils are they consumed. xviii. 35. To ' sow griefs' is to utter deceits, but to ' reap griefs' is to prevail by so speaking. Or, sui-ely, they * sow griefs,' who do froward actions, they ' reap giiefs,' when they are punished for this frowardness. For the harvest of grief is the recompense of condemnation, and whereas it is immediately introduced that they that ' sow and reap griefs,' ' perish by the blast of God,' and are ^ consumed by the breath of His nostrils,' in this passage the ' reaping of grief is shewn to be not punishment as yet, but the still further perfecting of wickedness, for in * the breath of His nostrils' the punishment of that ' reaping' is made to follow. Here then they ' sow and reap griefs,' in that all that they do is wicked, and they thrive in that very wickedness, as is said of Ps.10,5. the wicked man by the Psalmist, His ways are always grievous; Thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he pujfeth at them. And it is soon after ver. 7. added concerning him, under his tongue is labour and grief. So then he ' sows griefs,' when he does wicked things, he ' reaps griefs,' when from the same wickednesses he grows to temporal greatness. How then is it that they ' perish by the blast of God,' who are for the most part permitted to abide long here below, and in greater prosperity than the righteous } For hence it is said of them again by the Ps. 73, Psalmist, TJtcy are not in trouble as other men, neither are they plagued like other folk. Hence Jeremiah saith, Jer. 12, Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? For be- Ecclus. cause, as it is written. For the Lord is"^ a long-suffering \'Jt\ re warder. He oftentimes for \ow^ bears with those, whom

He condemns for all eternity. Yet sometimes He strikes quickly, in that He hastens to the succour of the pusillani-

Eliphaz says of this world what is true of the next. *269 mity of the innocent. Tlierefore Almighty God sometimes Book permits the wicked to have their own way for long, that 1- the ways of the righteous may be more purely cleansed. Yet sometimes He slays the unrighteous with speedy destruction, and by their ruin He strengthens the hearts of the innocent. For if He were now to smite all that do evil, on whom would He yet have to shew forth the final Judgment? And if He never at any time smote any man, who would ever have believed that God regarded human affairs.'' Sometimes then He strikes the bad, that He may shew that He does not leave wickedness unpunished. But sometimes He bears with the \vicked for long, that He may teach the heedful what judgment they are reserved for.

36. Thus this sentence of the cutting off of the wicked, if it be not spoken of all men in general at the end of this present state of being, is undoubtedly to a great degree made void of the force of tnuh; but it will then be true, when iniquity shall no longer have reprieve. And perchance it may be more rightly taken in this sense, since neither ^ the innocent perishes' nor ' the u])right is cut off,' in that though here he is worn out in the flesh, yet in the sight of the eternal Judge he is renewed with true health. And they that ^ sow and reap griefs,' * perish by the blast of God,' in that in proportion as they go on here deeper in doing wickedly, they are the more severely stricken with the damnation to follow. But whereas he premises this sentence with the word. Remember, it is clearly evident that something past is recalled to mind, and not any thing future proclaimed. Then therefore Eliphaz would have spoken more truly, if he had believed that these things were wrought on the head of the wicked in general by final vengeance.

37. But this point, that God is said to ' breathe,' claims to be more particularly made out. For we, when we * breathe,' draw the air from the outside within us, and, tluis drawn within, we give it fortli without. God then is said to ' breathe' in recompensing vengeance, in that from occasions without He conceives the puqiose of judgment within Him, and from the internal pur^iose sends forth the sentence without. When God ' breathes' as it were, somewhat is drawn in iVoni things without, when He sees

Job 3, our evil ways without, and ordains judgment within. And

— -^ — again as if by God ' breathing,' the breath is sent forth from within, when from the internal conception of the purpose, the outward decree of condemnation is delivered. And so it is rightly said that they, that ^ sow griefs,' perish ' by the breath of God,' for wherein they execute wicked deeds outwardly, they are deservedly stricken from within. Or, surely, when God is said to ' breathe,' in that the breath of His wrath is immediately introduced, by the designation of His ' breathing' may be denoted that very visitation of His. For when we are wroth, we kindle '^ with the breath of rage. To shew the Lord then meditating vengeance, He is said to ' breathe' in His indignation, not that in His own Nature He is capable of turning or change, but that after long endurance, when He executes vengeance upon the sinner. He, Who continueth tranquil in Himself, seems in commotion to them that perish. For whereas the condemned soul sees the Judge ari'ayed against its doings, He is exhibited to it as troubled, in that it is itself troubled by its own guiltiness before His eyes. But after he had in appearance exhorted him with clemency, he openly subjoins language of reproach, saying, Ver. 10. The roaring of the lio?t, and the voice of the

^y. thus ^lioness, and the teeth of the young lions are broken. xix. 38. For what does he call the roaring of the lion but, as we have said a little above, the severe character of that man? what the voice of the lioness^ but his wife's loquacity? what the teeth of the young lions, but the greediness of his children? For because his sons had perished when feasting, they are denoted by the term of ' teeth;' and while unsparing Eliphaz rejoices that they are all * broken,' he denounces them as deservedly condemned. And he yet further doubles the cruelty of his reproaches, when he adds; sv.thus Ver. 11. ^The tiger perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lions' whelps are scattered abroad.

XX. 39. For whom does he denote by the name of ' tiger' but blessed Job, marked with the stamp of chaugeableness or covered with the spots of dissimulation? For every dis-

Isembler, in that he desires to appear righteous, can never shew himself pure in all things; for while he assumes some virtues in hypocrisy, and secretly gives way to vicious Hooi habits, some concealed vices speedily break out upon the - surface, and exhibit the hide of overlaid hypocrisy, like a coat for sight, varied with their admixture, so that it is very often a marvel how one, who is seen to be master of such great virtues, should be at the same time stained with such damnable deeds. But truly every hypocrite is a tiger, in that while he derives a pure colour from pretence, it is striped with the intermediate blackness of vicious habits. For it often hap])ens that while he is extolled for pureness of chastity, he renders himself foul by the stain of avarice. Often while he makes a fair shew by the good quality of bountifulness, he is stained with spots of lust. Often while he is clad in the bright aiTay of bountifulness and chastity, he is blackened by ferociousness in cruelty, as if fi'om a zealous sense of justice. Often he is arrayed in bounty, chastity, piti fulness, in a fair outside, but is marked with the interspersed darkness of pride. And thus it comes to pass, that whereas by the intermixture of vicious habits, the hypocrite does not ])resent an unstained appearance in himself, the tiger, as it were, cannot be of one colour. And this same ' tiger' seizes the prey, in that he usurps to himself the glory of human applause. For he, that is lifted up by usurped praise, is as it were glutted with the prey. And it is well that the applause that hypocrites have is called

* prey.' For it is nought else than a prey, when the things of another are taken away by violence. Now every hypocrite, in that by counterfeiting the life of righteousness he seizes for himself the praise that belongs to the righteous, does in truth carry off what is another's. Thus Kliphaz, who knew that blessed Job had walked in ways worthy to be praised in the period of his wcllbeing, concluded from the stroke that came after that he had maintained these in hypocrisy, saving, 77/r tifjrr pet islteth Jor lack (tf prey. As if he liad said plainly, ' The sliifling of thine hypocrisy is at end, because the homage of applause is also taken from thee, and thine hypocrisy is in * lack of prey,' in that being stricken by the hand of (iod, it lacks the favourable regards of man.'

40. But in the translation of the Septuagint, it is not said

* the tiger,' but * the Myrmicoleon perisheth for lack qf

Job 3, prey.'' For the Myrmicoleon is a very little creature, a foe to laden with grains, and devours them thus destroyed. Now ' Myrmicoleon' is rendered in the Latin tongue either ' the ants' lion,' or indeed more exactly ' an ant and lion at once.' Now it is rightly called ' an ant and lion;' in that with reference to winged creatures, or to any other small-sized animals, it is an ant, but with reference to the ants themselves it is a lion. For it devours these like a lion, yet by the other sort it is devoured like an ant. When then Eliphaz says, the Ajil-lion perisheth, what does he censure in blessed Job under the title of ' Ant-lion' but his fearfulness and audacity? As if he said to him in plain words, ' Thou art not unjustly stricken, in that thou hast shewn thyself a coward towards the lofty, a bully towards those beneath thee.' As though he had said in plain terms, ' Fear made thee crouch towards the crafty sort, hardihood swelled thee full towards the simple folk, but ' the Ant-lion' no longer hath *prey,' in that thy cowardly selfelation, being beaten down with blows, is stayed from doing injury to others.' But forasmuch as we have said that the friends of blessed Job contain a figure of Heretics, there is a pressing necessity to shew how these same words of Eliphaz are to be understood in a typical sense likewise.

Alleo. Ver. 10. The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the lioness, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken. xxi. 41. Forasmuch as the nature of every thing is compounded of different elements, in Holy Writ different things are allowably represented by any one thing. For the lion has magnanimity, it has also ferocity: by its magnanimity then it represents the Lord, by its ferocity the devil. Hence it is Rev. 5, declared of the Lord, Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Jiidah, the Root of David hath prevailed. Hence it is written of the

1 Pet. devil. Your adversary, the devil, like a roaring lion, walketh about seeking tinhorn he may devour. But by the title of a ' lioness' sometimes Holy Church, sometimes Babylon is represented to us. For on this account, that she is bold to encoimter all that withstand, the Church is called a ' lioness,' as is proved by the words of blessed Job, who in pointing out Judaea forsaken by the Church, says, The sons of the

Heretics fancy they conquer Babylon and her children. 27:3 traders have not trodden^ nor the lioness passed by it. And Book sometimes under the title of a lioness is set forth the citv of — this world, which is Babylon, which ravins against the lifes. Vulg. of the innocent witli terribleness of ferocity, which being wedded to our old enemy like the fiercest lion, conceives the seeds of his froward counsel, and produces from her own body reprobate sons, as cruel whelps, after his likeness. But the * lion's whelps' are reprobate persons, engendered to a life of sin by the misleading of evil spirits, who both all of them together constitute that great city of the world which we have declared before, even Babylon; and yet these same sons of Babylon severally are called not * a lioness' but ' a lioness's whelps.' For as the whole Church together is denominated Sion, but the several individual Saints the sons of Sion, so both the several individuals among the reprobate are called the children of Babylon, and all the reprobate together are designated the same Babylon.

42. But so long as good men remain in this life, they keep watch over themselves with anxious heed, lest the lion that goeth about surprise them by guile, i. e. lest our old enemy slay them under some shew of virtue; lest the voice of the lioness stun their ears, i. e. lest the glon* of Babylon catch away their minds from the love of the heavenly countiy; lest * the teeth of the young lions' bite them, i. e. lest the promptings of the reprobate gain power in their heart. But, on the other hand, heretics are already as if secured touching holiness, because they fancy that they have surmounted all obstacles by the preeminent merit of their life. And hence it is said here. The roaring of the liony and the voice of the lioness^ and the teeth of the young lions are broken. As though it were expressed in plain words; * We for this reason are never beaten and bruised with any strokes, for that we tread under at once the might of the old enemy, and the lust of earthly gloiy, and the promptings of all the reprobate, overcoming them by the preeminence of our life.' Hence it is further added;

Vcr. 11. The tiyrr perishcth for lack of prey ^ and theVulg. lions' whelps are scattered abroad.

43. By the title of a' tiger' he again represents him, whom xxii.

•274 Satan^ like the ant-lion^ terrible to the weak.

Job 4, he formerly designated by tlie name of a ' lion.' For Satan '- — both for his cruelty is called ' a lion ' and for the variousness of his manifold cunning he is not unsuitably designated ' a tiger.' For one while he presents himself to man's senses lost as he is, one while he exhibits himself as an Angel of light. Now by caressing lie works upon the minds of the foolish sort, now by striking terror he forces them to commit sin. At one time he labours to win men to evil ways without disguise, at another time he cloaks himself in his promptings under the garb of virtue. This beast, then, which is so variously spotted, is rightly called ' a tiger,' being with the LXX called an * Ant-lion,' as we have said above. Which same creature, as we have before shewn, hiding itself in the dust kills the ants can-ying their corn, in that the Apostate Angel, being cast out of heaven upon the earth, in the very pathway of their practice besets the minds of the righteous, providing for themselves the provender of good works, and whilst he overcomes them by his snares, he as it were kills by surprise the ants canying their grains. And he is rightly called ' Ant-lion,' i. e. ' a lion and ant.' For as we have said, to the ants he is ' a lion,' but to the birds of the air, * an ant,' in that our old enemy, as he is strong to encounter those that yield to him, is weak against such as resist him. For if consent be yielded to his persuasions, like a lion he can never be sustained, but if resistance be offered, like an ant he is ground in the dust. Therefore to some he is * a lion,' to others ' an ant,' in that carnal minds sustain his cruel assaults with difficulty, but spiritual minds trample upon his weakness with virtue's foot. Heretics then, because they are full of pride by pretension to sanctity, say as it were in exultation, TJie Ant-lion^ or probably, the tiger perisheth for lack of prey. As though the words were plainly expressed, ' The old foe has no prey in us, in that, as far as regards our purposes, he already lies defeated.' Now it is for this reason that he is again mentioned under the title of * an Ant lion,' or of * a tiger,' who had been already set forth by the ' roaring of the lion broken,' because whatever is said in joy, is repeated over and over. For when the mind is full of exultation, it redoubles the expressions. And hence the Psalmist, from true joy, frequently repeats this, that he was assured that he had been lieard, saying, The Lord hath Book lieard the voice of my iceepiug. The Lord hath heard my

44. But when holy men are glad of heart that they have been rescued from some evil habits, they possess* themselves' I-it.

with great fear even in that very gladness. For though they be now rescued from the commotion of any single storm, yet they call to mind that they are still tossing in tlie treacherous waves of an uncertain sea, and they so exult in hope that they tremble in fear, and so tremble in fear that they exult in confidence of hope. Whence it is said by the same Psalmist, Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with P^. 2, trembling. But on the other hand, they, whom a specious shew of sanctity fills with big thoughts, when they get the better of any one evil habit, immediately erect their heart in pride, and as it were glory in the perfection of their lives, and for this, that perchance they have been once snatched from the perils of the storm, they already forget that they are still at sea, they look upon themselves as great in all things, and imagine that they have wholly overcome their old adversary; they regard all men below them, in that they believe that their wisdom places them above all. Whence it is added;

Now a secret irord was spoken to me. Vulg.

45. * A secret word,' heretics pretend to hear, that they xxiii. may bring a certain reverence for their preaching over their hearers' minds. And hence they preach with a secret meaning, that their preaching may seem to be holy, in proportion as it is at the same time hidden. Now they are loath to have a common sort of knowledge, lest they should be placed on a par with the rest of their fellowcreatures, and they are ever making out new things, which whilst others know nothing of, they plume their own selves on the preeminence of their knowledge before inexperienced minds. And this knowledge, as we have said, they teach is occult; for, that they may be able to shew it to be wonderfiil, they aflirni that they obt;iined it by secret means. Hence with Solomon the woman, bearing the semblance of heretics, says, Stolen waters are ' sweeter^ and bread eaten in secret P^ov. 9, is more pleasant. Whence in this place too it is added; i Vulg.

'276 Ileal door of Truth^ the Church's public tencJiing. Job 4, And mine ear as it ii'ere by stealth received the veins^ of

-r—^ — tJte ichispering thereof

I Vulg. They ' receive the veins of whispers by stealth,' in that abandoning the grace of knowledge in fellowship, they do not enter thereinto by the door, as the Lord witnesses, Who

John saith, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, ' * but climbeth up some other icay, the same is a thief and a robber; But lie that enteretli in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. Therefore he ' receives the veins of divine whispers by stealth,' who, whilst the door of public preaching for receiving the knowledge of His excellency is forsaken, searches out the gaps and chinks of a froward understanding. But because the thief and robber, who enters by another way, both loves the darkness, and abhors the clearness of the light, it is properly added;

Ver. 13. In the horror of a vision of the nighty when deep sleep falleth on men, xxiv. 46. It often happens, that while heretics are bent to discourse of things above them, they become their own witnesses against themselves, that what they deliver is not true. For in a vision of the night the sight is uncertain.

^ rimas Therefore they declare that they received * the inklings^ of whispers' in ' the terror of a vision of the night,' for, that the things, which they teach, may be made to appear sublime to others, they declare that they themselves can scarcely comprehend them. But it may be inferred from hence how far that can be rendered certain to their hearers, which they themselves beheld but dubiously. And so is it marvellously ordered, that while they run on speaking of sublime things, in the exposure of folly, they are entangled in the very words of their sublimity. Now to what height they rear themselves for singtdarity of wisdom, is shewn, when he adds in the same breath, when deep sleep falleth upon men. As if it were openly said by heretics, * When men are asleep beneath, we wake to receive heavenly truths, in that to us all that is known, to. the knowledge whereof the dull hearts of men cannot arise.' As if they said in plain words, * In things, wherein our understanding rises erect, the faculties of the rest of the world lie asleep.' But sometimes, when they see that this is disregarded by the hearer, they feign that they are themselves in fear of what they say. Whence Book it is added; '—

Ver. 14. Fear came upon me and trembling, which made all my boftes to shake.

47. For because they desire to appear objects of wonder xxvi. for the loftiness of tlieir instructions, they affect to be awed at the accounts which they make up. And whilst it is a less difficulty to hear than to speak, they are bold enough to put forth that, which, forsooth, they feign that they the very same persons were scai'cely able to hear. Whence it is added yet further;

Ver. 15, 16. And when a spirit passed be/ore mij face, the hair of nnj flesh stood up. Tliere stood one, but I knew twt the face of him.

48. That they may shew that they have been made acquainted with incomprehensible mysteries, they relate, not that * a spirit' stood still, but that it * passed by before their face.' And they pretend that they beheld a countenance they knew not, that they may prove themselves to bo known to Him, Wliom the human mind is not equal to know. And here it is further added;

An image teas before mine eyes, and 1 heard the voice as it were of a light breath of air.

49. Heretics often picture God to themselves by a sensible xxvii. form*, seeing that they are unable to behold Him spiritually.' imagi- And they tell that they hear His ' voice as of a light breath °^^ ^^ of air,' in that for the obtaining the knowledge of His secret things, they delight to have as if a ])articu]ar freedom of intercourse with Him. Tor they never teach the things, which God reveals openly, but such as are breathed into their ears in a secret manner. All this, then, we have said, to indicate what we are to look for in the words of Eliphaz, as be bears the semblance of heretics. But forasmuch as tlie friends of blessed Job would never have been the friends of one so great, unless they had evidently learned something of tnith, which same, while they go wrong in uttering sentences of rebuke, yet do not altogether totter in the knowledge of the truth, let us return upon these same words a little way back, that we may make out more exactly how the, things which are said concerning the perception of

Job 4, truth, may be delivered in a true sense by persons viewing Y— — - things aright. Now sometimes heretics utter things both true and lofty, not that they themselves receive them from above, but because they have learnt them in the controversy of Holy Church, nor do they apply them to the furtherance of conscientious living, but to the display of scientific skill. Whence it very commonly happens, that by knowing they tell high truths, yet in living they know nothing what they tell. Therefore, whether as they represent heretics, who hold, not the life, but the words of knowledge, or whether in the person of the friends of blessed Job, who, doubtless, with regard to their knowledge of the truth, might in seeing realize what they aimed in teaching to give utterance to, let us more minutely examine these sayings which we have gone through, that, while the words of EHphaz are carefully gone into, it may be shewn what knowledge he possessed, though in that knowledge he failed to retain humiUty, who appropriated to himself peculiarly a benefit common to all. For he says,

Ver. 12. Now a hidden word was spoken to me. xxviii. 50. For the invisible Son is called ' the hidden Word,' John 1, concerning Whom John saith, In the beginning was the ^' Word. Which he the same person teaches to be ' hidden' in that he adds, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. But this ' hidden Word' is delivered to the minds of the Elect, when the power of the Only-Begotten Son is made manifest to believers. By ' the hidden word' we may also understand the communication of inward Inspiration, I John concerning which it is said by John, His anointing teacheth ' ' you of all things. Which same inspiration on being communicated to the mind of man lifts it up, and putting down all temporal interests inflames it with eternal desires, that nothing may any longer yield it satisfaction but the things that are above, and that it may look down upon all, that, from human corruption, is in a state of uproar below. And so to hear * the hidden word' is to receive in the heart the utterance of the Holy Spirit. Which same indeed can never be known save by him, by whom it may be possessed. And hence it is said by the voice of Truth concerning

Johiiiijthis hidden utterance. And I will pray the Father, and He 16.17.

shall give you another Comforter^ that He may abide icith B«)ok you for ever; even The Spirit of Truth, whom the irorld '— cannot receive. For as that ' Comforter,' after the Ascension of the Mediator, being another Consoler of mankind, is in Himself invisible, so He inflames each one that He has filled to long after the invisible things. And because worldly heeirts are set upon the things that are seen alone, the wo^ld receiveth Him not, because it doth not rise up to the love of the things that are unseen. For worldly minds, in proportion as they spread themselves out in interests without, contract the bosom of the heart against the admission of Him. And because out of mankind there are few indeed, who, being purified from the pollution of earthly desires, are opened by that purification to the receiving of the Holy Spirit, this word is called ' a hidden word,' since, surely, there are particular persons that receive th'at in the heart, which the generality of men know nothing of. Or tiiily this same inspiration of the Holy Spirit is * a hidden word,' in that it may be felt, but cannot be expressed by the noise of speech. Wlien, then, the inspiration of God lifts up the soul without noise, * a hidden word' is heard, in that the utterance of the Spirit sounds silently in the ear of the heart. And hence it is added;

And mine ear as it were stealthily received the veins of the whispering thereof

51. The ear of the heart * receives stealthily tlie veins of xxix. heavenly whispering,' in that both in a moment and in secret the inspired soul is made to know the subtle quality of the inward utter.ince. For except it bury itself Irom external objects of desire, it fails to enter into the intemal things. It is both hidden that it may hear, and it hears that it may be hidden; in that at one and the same time being withdrawn from the visible world its eyes are upon the invisible, and being replenished with the unseen, it entertains a |>erfect contempt for what is visible. Hut it is to be observed that he does not say. Mine ear received as it were by stealth the whispering thereof y but the veins of the whispering thereof; for * the whispering of the hidden word' is the very utterance of inward Inspiration itself; but * the veins of the whispering' is the name for the sources of the occasions whereby that

Job 4, inspii'atioii itself is conveyed to the mind. For it is as if It '- — opened ' the veins of its whispering,' when God secretly communicates to us in what ways He enters into the ear of our understandings. Thus at one time He pierces us with love, at another time with terror. Sometimes He shews us how little the present scene of things is, and lifts up our hearts to desire the eternal world, sometimes He first points to the things of eternity, that these of time may after that grow worthless in our eyes. Sometimes He discloses to us our own evil deeds, and thence draws us on even to the point of feeling sorrow for the evil deeds of others also. Sometimes He presents to our eyes the evil deeds of others, and reforms us from our own wickedness, pierced with a wonderful feeling of compunction. And so to ' hear the veins of Divine whisperinf^ by stealth,'' is to be made to know the secret methods of divine Inspiration, at once gently and secretly.

52. Though we may interpret whether ' the whispering' or ' the veins of whispering' in another way yet. For he that ' whispers' is speaking in secret, and he does not give out, but imitates a voice. We, therefore, so long as we are beset by the corruptions of the flesh, in no wise behold the brightness of the Divine Power, as it abides unchangeable in itself, in that the eye of our weakness cannot endure that which shines above us with intolerable lustre from the ray of His Eternal Being. And so when the Almighty shews Himself to us by the chinks of contemplation, He does not speak to us, but whispers, in that though He does not fully develope Himself, yet something of Himself He does reveal to the mind of man. But then He no longer whispers at all, but speaks, when His appearance is manifested to us in certainty. It is hence that Truth saith in the Gospel, Johnie, J ^j^^^ii fififJiQ you plainly of the Father. Hence John saith, 1 John For we shall see Him as He is. Hence Paul saith, Then I'cor. f^^i^ill I know even as also I am known. Now in this present 13, 12. time, the Divine whispering has as many veins lor our ears as the works of creation, which the Divine Being Himself is Lord of; for while we view all things that are created, we are lifted up in admiration of the Creator. For as water that flows in a slender stream is sought by being bored for through veins, with a view to increase it, and as it pours

JVfiiht we have sin. Divine Lijht is terrible. -281 forth the more copiously, in proportion as it finds the veins Book more open, so we, whilst we heedfully gather the knowledge '— of the Divine Being from the contemplation of His creation, as it were open to ourselves the ' veins of His whispering,' in that by the things that we see have been made, we are led to marvel at the excellency of the Maker, and by the objects that are in public view, that issues forth to us, which is hidden in concealment. For He bursts out to us in a kind of sound as it were, whilst He displays His works to be considered by us, wherein He betokens Himself in a measure, in that He shews how Incomprehensible He is. Therefore, because we cannot take thought of Him as He deserves, we hear not His voice, yea, scarcely His whispering. For because we are not equal to form a full and perfect estimate of the very things that are created, it is rightly said, Mine ear as it were by stealth received the veins of whispering; in that being cast forth from the delights of paradise, and visited with the punishment of blindness, we scarcely take in * the veins of whispering;' since His very marvellous works themselves we consider but hastily and slightly. But we must bear in mind, that in proportion as the soul being lifted up contemplates His excellency, so being held back it shrinks from His righteous perfectness'. 'rectita- And hence it is rightly added;