Job
1. Blessed Job is asked by God, Who questions him, Book whether he has done such things as man i^ surely unable to do; in order that, when he discovers that he cannot do them, he may fly for refuge to Him, Whom he understands to be the only One Who is able to do them, and that he may appear more powerful before the eyes of his Judge, if he learns more truly his own infirmities. Of that then which is well known to be wonderfully wrought by God, Job is questioned by the Divine Voice; and it is said to him;
Ver. 34. JVilt thou lift tip thy voice in the cloud, and shall the force of the tenters cover thee?
2. For God in truth lifts up His voice in the cloud, when He frames His exhortation to the darkened hearts of unbelievers, by the tongues of His preachers. And the force of the waters covers Him, when the crowd of opposing people oppresses His members who are acting rightly. For hence is that which is written, 77/e xvord of the Lord came to Jer. 26, Jeremiah, saying. Stand in the court of the Lord\^ hoitse^ ' speaking to all the cities of Judah, from which men come to worship in the Lord's house, all the words that L have commanded thee. And a little after, ^//r/ the priests, and Ihe'^^-''—'^' prophets, and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the Lord. And when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking, the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, took him, saying. Let him surely die, why hath he prophesied in the name of the Lord? Behold, the VOL. III. B b
Job 38, Lord lifted up His voice in a cloud, because I^c reproved
^— the darkened minds of the haughty by sending the Prophet against them. Behold, the face of the waters covered Him immediately; because He Himself, Who commanded the words of reproof, suffered all things in the person of Jeremiah from the people who rose against him, and were provoked by reason of their reproof. The Lord also raised up His voice in a cloud by Himself, when on exhibiting Himself before us in His assumed, body, He preached many things to His persecutors, but veiled in enigmatical figures. He raised up His voice in a cloud, because He uttered His truth, as if in darkness, to unbelievers who would not follow Him. Whence also it is well written in the Books of Kings, 8 H)"iT ^^^^ cloud Jil led the house of the Lord, and the priests icere not able to minister because of the cloud. For while the proud high priests of the Jews hear the divine mysteries in parables, as their merits demand, the priests were unable, as it were, to minister in the house of the Lord on account of the cloud. For when they scorn to examine, amid the obscure darkness of allegories, the mystical meanings which are covered with the veil of the letter in the Old Testament, they lost on account of the cloud the ministry which they deserved by their faith. To whom the Lord even now uttered His voice in a cloud, when He spoke even plainly Johnio, concerning Himself. For what is plainer than, / and My John 8 Father are One? What plainer to utter, than. Before ^^- Abraham was, J am? But because the darkness of unbelief had filled the minds of His hearers, an intervening cloud was concealing, as it were, the ray of the sun whicli had been shot forth.
3. For the face of the waters immediately covered Him, at this elevation of voice, because the raging crowd of the people at once rose up against Him. For it is written, John 5, TJiereforc the Jews sought to kill Him, because He not only brake the SahbatJt, but said also that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. Of this force of waters
Ps. 88, He exclaims by the Prophet, They came round about Me all /4<? day like water, they compassed Me about together.
Ps. 69,1. And again. Save Me, O God, for the waters have come in even unto Afy soul. Which waters He surely endured in
Himself before His death, but in His own people, even after Hook His Ascension. Vox lience is that which He exclaims from ' ' '-'- above, Saul, Sau/, whtf perseculesl thou Me? Behold, He Acts 9, had already ascended into heaven, and yet Saul, still pur-"^" suing Him with the force of unbelieving waters, was touching Him, even as a wave swelling above the rest. For it is He in truth Who speaks right things by the good, He Who is wounded in the sufferings of tlie godly. In order then to shew, by the wondrous unity of charity, that it is He Who preaches by the mouths of His Saints to unworthy hearers, the Lord says, H7// t/ioit li/l up thy voice in the cloud'i^ But to shew that it was He Who was enduring all kinds of adversity in His Saints, He subjoined, And shall the face of the nmters corer tJice? Thou underslandest. As Myself, Whom all the wicked neither understand to be speaking by holy men when preaching, nor see to be suffering by them when dying. The Lord relates therefore what He suffers from men, that the pain of the a/Ilicted man may be mitigated, as if He openly said to him. Weigh carefully My sufferings, and temper thine own with patience. For it is much less for thee to bear wounds, than for Me to bear the sufferings of men '. i hu-
4. But we can consider these words still more minutely, '"^"'^' if we anxiously examine our hearts, in the midst of heavenly gifts. We are al this time indeed faithful, we now believe the heavenly truths which we hear, we now love the things which we believe. But when we arc oppressed by some unnecessary cares, we are darkened by a confusion spread over us; and when God suggests to us, even when sucli, some wonderful notions respecting Himself, He lifts up, as it were. His voice in a cloud. While He speaks of Himself to our benighted minds. He, Who is not seen, is heard, as it were, in a cloud. For most exalted are the truths which we know of [lim, but we do not yet behold Him by that secret inspiration, with which we are instructed. He therefore Who speaks indeed to our hearts, but conceals His sha])c, forms His voice, as it were, in a cloud. But, lo! we now hear the words of God speaking of Himself within, and we now know with what perseverance and with what zeal we ought to cling to His love; and yet we fall back from
Job 38, the height of inward consideration to our usual ways, from
'- — the very changeableness of this mortal condition, and are assaulted by the perverse importunity of impending sins. When, therefore. He insinuates subtle thoughts of Himself in our darkened minds. He raises up His voice in a cloud.
5. But when our veiy notion of God is* overpowered by the tempt:ition of sins, God is covered, as it were, in His voice, by the force of waters. For we cast as many waters over Him, as many forbidden thoughts as we dwell on in our heart, after the inspiration of His grace. But yet He • ' op- forsakes us not even when overwhelmed '; for He returns ai. ' op- immediately to our mind, He disperses the mists of temptpressus.' j^jJQjjg^ He pours on us the shower of compunction, and brings back the sun of subtle understanding. And He thus shews how much He loves us, Who forsakes us not, even when He is rejected; in order that the human mind may, at least when thus instructed, blush to admit temptation within, since its Redeemer ceases not to love it even when wandering. This He endures in us by Himself, this does He daily bear from unbelievers through His preachers. For His gift is cast out by the rising of temptation within us, and yet He is not kept back by our infirmity from pouring into us His gifts. His words are publicly rejected, and yet He is not restrained, by any wickedness of vmbelievers, from bestowing the abundance of His grace. For when wicked men despise preaching, He adds miracles also, for them to reverence. Whence after the voice has been uttered, and the force of the overwhelming waters, it is fitly subjoined;
Ver. 35. Wilt thou send li<j]tinings, and uill they go, and will they return and say to thee. Here we are? ii. 6. For liglitnings come forth from the clouds, just as wonderful works are displayed by holy preachers. Who, as we have often said, are therefore wont to be called ' clouds,' because they flash forth with miracles, and rain with words. And that the hearts of men, after being unmoved by preaching, are confounded by these flashes of miracles, we Ps. 18, have learned by the witness of the Prophet, who says, TJiOU wilt multiply Thy lightnings, and wilt discomfit them. As if he were saying, Whilst they hear not the words of Thy preaching, they arc confoiuidcd by the miracles of the preachers. Whence it is written elsewhere, Thine arrows Book will go in the light, in the splendour of the glittering oft,..^ Thine arms. For the arrows of God to go forth in light, li. is for His words to resound with manifest trutli. But because men frequently despise the words of life, even when understood, miracles are likewise added. Whence he there subjoined, For the splendour of the glittering of Thine arms. For the glittering of arms is the brightness of miracles. For we protect ourselves with arms, we destroy our opponents with arrows. Arms then, with arrows, are miracles together with preaching. For holy preachers strike their adversaries with their words, as if with darts, but they protect themselves with arms, that is, with miracles; in order that as far as they are to be heard, they may sound forth by the force of their darts, and as far as they are to be reverenced, glitter with the arms of miracles. It is said therefore to blessed Job, JVill thou send lightnings, and will they go, and uill they return and say to thee, Here tee are? Thou understandest, * As to Me.' For the lightnings go forth when preachers glitter with miracles, and transfix the hearts of their hearers with heavenly awe. But they return and say. Here we are, when they attribute not to themselves, but to the strength of God, whatever they know they have done powerfully. What is then their saying to God, ' Here we are?' For a kind of obedience is declared in this word. For holy preachers then to return and say, ' Here we are,' is for them to ascribe the glory of grace to Him, from Whom they feel that they have received victory in the contest; lest they attribute to themselves that which they do. And lightnings can go forth in doing their work, but they cannot return in pride.
7. Let us see then the lightning going forth. Peter says to a certain lame man; Silver and gold have I none, but ivhat Acts^ 3, / have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, ^~^' rise up and icalk. And he took him by the right hand, and raised him up: and immediately his feet and soles received strength, and he leaping up stood, and walked. But when the multitude of the Jews had been disturbed by this which had been dune, let us now see the returning lightning, which ' says; Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this, or why look ma. 12. ye on us, as though by our oivn strength or power u-e have
36() Lighlning of Sain fs sod out from contemplation.
Job Si, made this man to walk? The God of Abraham, the God of ^^- Isaac, the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers hath glorified
A'tsS, His Son Jesus. And a little after; Whereof we are witnesses;
'^- '^- and His name, through faith in His name, hath made this man strong, Whom ye have seen and known; and the faith which is by Him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. The lightning therefore went forth, when Peter worked a miracle, it returned when he attributed uhat he had done, not to himself but to its Author. The lightnings go forth when holy preachers display wonderful deeds, but they say on their return, * Here we are,' when, in that which they do, they refer to the power of its Author.
8. But this can be understood in another sense also. For holy men, as was said before, are sent and go forth as lightnings, when they come forth from the retirement of contemjilation, to the public life of employment. They are sent and they go, when, from the secresy of inward meditation, they spread forth into the wide space of active life. But they return and say to God, ' Here we are,' because after the outward works which they perform, they always return to the bosom of contemplation, there to revive the flame of their zeal, and to glow as it were from the touch of heavenly brightness. For they would freeze too speedily amid their outward works, good though they be, did they not constantly return with anxious earnestness to the fire of con-
Eccles, templation. Whence it is well said by Solomon, Vnto the
^ ' '^' place from whence the rivers come, thither they return, to flow again. For they are there called rivers, who are here called lightnings. For because they water the hearts of the hearers, they are called rivers, but because they kindle them, they are called lightnings. Of whom it is written elsewhere, Ps.93,3. The floods have lifted up, 0 Lord, the floods have lifted up Vi<.97,4.their voice. And again, His lightnings enlightened the world. The rivers therefore return to the place from which they go forth; because holy men, (though they come forth, for our sakes, from the sight of their Creator, Whose brightness they endeavour to behold with their mind, to the ministry of active life,) yet unceasingly recur to the holy study ol' contemplation, and if in their preaching they poiu: themselves into our ears bv bodil> words from without, yet do they ever return in their silent thoughts to consider the Book
• XXX Fount of life Itself. Of whom it is also well said, to Jiow again. For did they not constantl}' return with anxious mind to the contemplation of God, their inward drought would doubtless dry up even their outward words of preaching. But while they thirst unceasingly to behold God, rivers are ever springing up, as it were, within, to flow forth without, in order that they may there derive by love the means of flowing down to us in preaching. Let it be said therefore rightly; Wilt thou send forth the lightnings, and will they go, and uill they return and say to thee. Here ue are? Thou undcrstandest, as Myself, Who adapt My preachers, when 1 will, after the grace of contemplation, to the ministry of active life. And yet I ever call them back from outward good deeds, to the inward height of contemplation, in order that they may one while go forth, when commanded, to perform their tasks, and that at another they may dwell with Me more familiarly when recalled to the pursuit of rueditation. They return therefore and say, ' Here we are,' because, though they may seem through their outward acts to be deficient for a little in contemplation, yet by the ardent desires which they ever kindle in their minds, they make known their presence to God, by obeying Him. For to say, ' Here we are,' is to shew that they are present by their love. It follows;
Ver. 36. IVho hath placed wisdom in the inward parts of a man? or who hath given the cock understanding?
9. Who else are designated in this place by the name of iii« the cock, but these same holy preachers, mentioned again in another way, who strive amid the darkness of this present life to announce by their preaching, as if by their notes, the approaching light? For they say; Tlie night is far spent ^Rom. but the day is at hand. Who by their voices arouse the ' sleep of our sluggishness, exclaiming; It is now the hour ih.n. for us to arise from sleep. And again; Awake, ye righteous, i Gor. and sin not. Of this cock it is written again; There he three p^J^J,^ 3*^ things that go well, and a fourth which goeth prosperously: 29— 3i. a lion, the strongest of beasts, tcill not be afraid at the onset of any; a cock girt in the loins; and a ram, whom there is no king who can resist. For Ue is in this ]ilacc mentioned
Job 38, as a lion, of Whom it is written; The lion of the tribe of ^ — T- Judah hath prevailed, Who is called the strongest of 5. beasts, because in Him the weakness of God is stronger than men. Who is not afraid at the onset of any one; for Johni4, He says; The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me. The cock girt in the loins, that is, holy preachers announcing the true mom amid the darkness of this night. Who are girt in the loins, because they keep away from their members the looseness of lust. For it is in the loins in truth that there is lust. Whence it is said to the Luke_ same persons by the Lord: Let your loins be girt about. ' ' And a ram, whom there is no king who can resist. Whom else in this place do we understand by a ram, but the first rank Ps.29,1. of priests in the Church? Of whom it is written: Bring to the Lord the offspring of rams; who lead the people vvhich is walking after their examples like a flock of sheep following them. And whom, if they live spiritually and rightly, no king is at all able to resist; because whatever persecutor may stand in their way, he is not able to hinder their intention. For they know both how to run anxiously to Him, Whom they long for, and to come to Him by dying. The lion is therefore placed first, the cock second, the ram last. For Christ appeared, next the holy jDreachers, the Apostles, and then at length the spiritual fathers, the rulers of the Churches, the leaders, namely, of the flocks, because they are the teachers of the peoples who follow them.
10. But we enforce these points still better, if we subjoin an exposition of the remainder of the same passage. For since after these things Antichrist will also appear, he added Prov. there a fourth point, saying; And he who appeared a fool^ ' ■ after he had been lifted up on high. For if he had understood, he would have laid his hand on his mouth. For he in truth will be lifted up on high when he will feign that he is God. But he will appear a fool when lifted up on high, because he will lail in his very loftiness through the coming of the true Judge. But if he had understood this, he would have laid his hand on his mouth: that is, if he had foreseen his punishment, when he began to be proud, having been once fashioned aright, he would not have been raised up to the boastfulncss of such great pride. And let not that move us which has been said of him above; A fourth, which goeth Book prosperously. For he said that three went well, and a fourth ^^^' prospei-ously. For not every thing which goeth ' prosperously' goeth ' well,' nor in this life does every thing which goeth ' well,' go ' prosperously.' For a lion, a cock, and a ram, go indeed well: but not prosperously here, for they suffer the assaults of persecutions. But the fourth goeth prosperously, and not well: because Antichrist will go on in his craft, but his craft will be prosperous for a short space of this present life, as was said of him under the person of Antiochus by Daniel; Strength was given him against the Dan. 8, continual sacrifice by reason of transgressio7i, and truth shall ' be cast down in the earth, and he shall do and shall prosper. That which Solomon says, goeth prosperously: this Daniel says, shall prosj)er. According to this testimony therefore which is stated by Solomon, A cock girt in its loins, we fitly understood in this place also holy preachers by the cock. The Lord therefore referring all things to Himself, says; Who hath placed wisdom in the inward parts of a man? or who hath given the cock understanding? As if He were saying, Who hath infused into the heart of a man, who savours of human things, the grace of heavenly wisdom? Or who, but Myself, hath given understanding even to holy preachers themselves, to know when, or to whom, they ought to announce the coming morn? For they understand both what to do, and when, for the very reason that they know it, through My revealing it, within. But it must be observed, that divinely inspired wisdom is placed in the inward parts of a man; because, doubtless, as far as concerns the number of the Elect, it is given not in voices only, but also in the thoughts, in order that the conscience may live according to what the tongue speaks, and that its light may shine forth the more brightly on the surface, the more truly it glows in the heart.
11. But it is a matter of great labour to examine with still more minute exposition, that which is added; Or who hath given the cock understanding? For the understanding of teachers ought to be the more subtle, the more it exercises itself in jienetrating things invisible, the more it discusses nothing material, the more, even when speaking by the voice
Job 38, of the body, it transcends every thing which is of the body.
For it would not, in truth, be at all suited to the loftiest subjects, did not the Creator Himself of things above, bestow it on the cock which crows, that is, on the teacher who preaches. The cock also received understanding, first to distinguish the hours of the night season, and then at last to utter the awakening voice. Because, in truth, every holy preacher first considers in his hearers the quality of their life, and afterwards frames the voice of preaching, fitted to instruct them. For to decide on the qualities of sins is, as it were, to distinguish the hours of night, to reprove the darknesses of actions widi fit voices of reproof is, as it were, to distinguish the hours of night., Understanding is therefore given to the cock from above, because to the teacher of truth there is given from above the virtue of discretion, for him to know to whom, what, when, or how to introduce his instruction.
12. For one and the same exhortation is not suited to all; because the same kind of habits does not bind all. For those things that benefit some, often hurt others. For frequently even herbs, which refresh some animals, kill others, and a gentle hiss pacifies horses, urges on dogs; and medicine which lessens one disease, gives strength to another: and bread which strengthens the life of the strong, destroys that of the young. The speech therefore of teachers ought to be fashioned according to the quality of the hearers, in order to suit each class according to their own case, and yet never to fail in the art of general edification. For what are the attentive minds of hearers, but certain strings which are strained tight in a harp? which the skilful performer touches in difierent ways, that they may not produce a discordant sound. And the strings give back an harmonious sound, because they are struck with one plectrum, but with different force. Whence also every teacher, in order to build up all in one virtue of charity, ought not to touch the hearts of his hearers v\ ith one and the same exhortation.
S.Greg. 13. Pqi- xnex^ must be admonished in one way, and women Naz.Or...,,,.,.
2. §.28. Ill another; tlie young ni one way, the old ni another; m one way the poor, and in another the rich; in one way the cheerful, and in another the gloomy; in one way subjects, in another rulers; in one way servants, in another masters;
ill one way the wise of this world, in another the dull; in book one way the shameless, in another the modest; in one way ^^^' the insolent, in another the retiring; in one way the impatient, in another the patient; in one way the well-wishing, in another the envious; in one way the pure, in another the unclean; in one way the healthy, in another the sick; in one way those who fear the rod, and therefore live innocently, in another way those who have become so hardened in iniquity, as not to be corrected by the rod; in one way those who are over silent, in another those who give themselves to much talking; in one way tlie timid, in another the bold; in one way the sluggish, in another the hasty; in one way the gentle, in another the angry; in one way the humble, in another the haughty; in one way the obstinate, in another the inconstant; in one way the gluttonous, in another the abstinent; in one way those who mercifully give away their own, in another those who strive to seize others' goods; in one way those who neither seize the goods of others, nor yet give away their own; and in another those who both give away their own goods which they have, and desist not from seizing those of others; in one way those who are at variance, in another tliose who are reconciled; in one way those who sow strifes, in another the peaceful, I'hose who do not rightly understand the words of the sacred Law must be admonished in one way, in another those who understand them rightly, but speak not of them humbly; in one way those who though they are able to preach in a worthy manner, are afraid from excessive humility, in another those whom imperfection or age excludes from preaching, and whom yet precipitation urges on; in one way those who prosper in their temporal desires, in another way those who desire indeed the things of the world, but who yet are wearied with the toil of adversity: in one way those who are bound in wedlock, in another way those who are free from the bonds of wedlock; in one way those who have had experience of carnal commixtion, in another way those who are ignorant of it; in one way those who deplore the sins of their deeds, in another those who deplore the sins of theu- thoughts; in one way those who lament their sins and yet do not abandon tlieni, in another those who abandon
Job 38, but yet do not lament them: in one way those who even
'■ — praise the unlawful deeds which they commit, in another those who blame their misdeeds, and yet do not avoid them; in one way those who are overcome with sudden concupiscence, in another those who are deliberately fettered with sin; in one way those who commit frequently unlawful deeds though most trifling, and in another those who guard themselves against trifling faults but are sometimes overwhelmed in grievous ones; in one way those who do not even begin good courses, in another those who do not complete what they have begun; in one way those who sin secretly and do right publicly, in another those who conceal the good deeds which they do, and who yet by some things they do publicly allow people to think evil of them. We ought indeed to mention minutely what course of advice should be observed in each particular case, but are hindered by fear of prolixity in our remarks. But we are anxious to carry that out in
]'^^^ another work', by God's help, if some small portion of this rale.' painful life still remains to us.
14. But we have another point which we ought to consider concerning this understanding of the cock, namely, that it is accustomed to utter its louder and longer-drawn strains in the deeper hours of the night, and that when the hour of morn is now approaching, it utters altogether more gentle and feeble notes. And a consideration of the discretion of preachers shews us what the understantling of this cock in these respects suggests to us. For when they are preaching to minds which are still wicked, they declare the teiTors of eternal judgment with loud and great voices, because, namely, they cry out, as it were, in the darkness of the profound night. But when they know that the light of truth is already present to the hearts of their hearers, they turn the loudness of their cry into the gentleness of sweetness; and bring forth, not so much the terrors of punishment, as the allurements of rewards. And they sing at that time even with diminished tones, because as the morn approaches, they preach all the subtlest mysteries, that their followers may hoar more minutely of heavenly things, the nearer they approach to the light of truth, and that the shorter note of the cock niav charm those when awake, whom its long- drawn nolo liad aroused from sleep; in order that every one Book
XXX. who has been corrected, may delight in knowing minutelv " -
the sweets of heaven, who used before to dread adversities from the judgment. Which is well expressed by Moses, when the trumpets are ordered to sound a shorter note, for the summoning forth the host. For it is written. Make thee Numb.
iuo trumpets of beaten silver. And a little after, When ^ji^'s' short blast hath sounded, the camp shall he moved. For the army is led by two trumpets, because the people is called by two precepts of charity to the girding of faith. But they are commanded to be made of silver, in order that the words of preachers may be clear with the brightness of light, and may not confuse the mind of their hearers, by any obscurity of their own. But to be hammered out, for this reason; because it is necessary that they who preach the life to come, should grow up by the blows of present tribulations. But it is well said. When the short blast hath sounded, the camp shall be moved: doubtless, because when the word of preaching is more subtilly and minutely enforced, the hearts of the hearers are more warmly excited to meet the contests of temptations,
15. But there is something else to be carefully observed in the cock, namely, that when it is preparing to utter its note, it first flaps its wings, and striking itself, makes itself more wakeful. And this we behold plainly, if we look carefully at the life of holy preachers. For they, when they utter the words of preaching, first exercise themselves in holy actions, that they may not, while themselves slothful in act, arouse others with their voice. But they first rouse themselves by lofty deeds, and then they render others anxious for well-doing. They first strike themselves with the wings of their thoughts, because whatever is slumbering uselessly within them, they discover by anxious examination, they correct with severe punishment. They first take care to punish their own faults by tears, and then denounce those doings of others which demand punishment. They flap with their wings, therefore, l)efore they utter their song, because, before they put forth the words of exhortation, they proclaim by their deeds all that they intend to say: and when
Job 38, they are perfectly awake in themselves, thev then sitmmon — ^^— others who are shmibering to awake.
]6. But whence is this great wisdom of the teacher, that he is both perfectly awake in himself, and that he also summons the slumberers to awake with a certain elevation of voice; that he first carefully dispels the darkness of sins, and afterwards manifests discreetly the light of preaching, that he suits each one singly, in manner and in time, and that he shews to all at the same time the result of their doings? Whence is it directed to such great subjects, and with such subtlety, unless it be taught invi^ardly l)y Him, by Whom it was created? Because then the credit of such great understanding is not the merit of the preacher, but of his Creator, it is riglitly said by the same Creator, Or lolio hath given the cock understandiny? As if He were saying, Except Myself, Who have instructed the minds of teachers, which I marvellously fashioned out of nothing, more marveliously, to understand those things which are secret. Whence also, to shew that He is not only the Tnspirer of wisdom in the sayings of teachers, but also the Author of their words, he well adds;