Morals on the Book of Job (Moralia)

pasture; they go forth, and return not unto them.

xiv. 49. Holy Scripture terms ' pasture' that food of eternal verdure, where our refreshment will no longer waste away with any dryness of failing. Of which pasture it is said by

Ps. 23,1. the Psalmist, Tlie Lord ruleth me, and I shall want nothing; He hath placed me there in a place of pasture. And again, Ps.95,7. Bui we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. And of these pastures, doubtless, the Truth saj^s, by Itself;

Johnio, /j'y Me, if any one hath entered in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and shall find pasture. They go therefore to the pasture; because, on going forth from their bodies, they find those refreshments of eternal verdure. They go forth, and return not unto them; because, when they have been caught up in that contemplation of joys, they no longer need to hear the words of teachers. Having gone forth, therefore, they do not return to them; because, escaping the difficulties of this life, they require no longer to receive from teachers the preaching of life. For then Jer. 31, that is fulfilled which is written. Each man shall no longer

^*" teach his neighbour, and each his brother, saying, Know the Lord, for all shall know Me, from the least of them even unto the greatest, saith the Lord. Then is fulfilled that which the Truth says iu the Gospel, / shall declare to you Book plainly of My Father, For the Son in truth plainly declares,-^-^' ot the rather; because, as we have said before, in that He 25. is the Word, He enlightens us by the nature of the Godhead. For men seek not then for the words of teachers, which are streamlets, as it were, from the tongue of man, when they are Iheiiiselves already derived from the fount of Truth Itself.

After much then had been said, under the figurative bending down of hinds, concerning the virtue of teachers, His words are now directed to the conduct of those, who seek (or the secresy of retired conversation; to whom, since they obtain their very rest of cessation by the Divine aid, and not by their own strength, it is said by the Lord;

Ver. 5. Who hath sent out the wild ass free, and who hath loosed his bands?

50. Understand, Except Myself. For the vdld ass, who xv. dwells in solitude, signifies, not inaptly, the life of those who dwell far removed from the crowds of people. And it is fitly also called free, because great is the drudgery of secular pursuits, with which the mind is grievously wearied, though it toil therein of its own accord. And to be freed from the condition of this slavery is no longer to desire any thing in this world. For prosperity while sought for, and adversities also while dreaded, oppress, as it were, with a kind of servile yoke. But if any one has but once freed the neck of his mind from the dominion of temporal desires, he enjoys already a kind of liberty even in this life, whilst he is affected by no longing for happiness, and is constrained by no dread of adversity. The Lord beheld this heavy yoke of slavery set hard on the necks of worldly men, when He was saying, Co7ne unto 3Ie, all ye that labour and are heavy laden^ and Mat.Wy J will refresh you. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of'^—^^- Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your soids: for My yoke is sweet, and My burden light. For it is, as we have said, a rough yoke, and weight of heavy bondage, to be subject to temporal concerns, to court the things of earth, to retain things which are gliding away, to wish to stand in things which stand not, to seek after passing objects, but yet to be unwilling to pass away with what are passing. For while all things, contrary to

Job 39, our wish, fly away, those things which had previously dis- — '- — tressed the mind from its longing to acquire them, oppress it afterwards with the fear of loss. He therefore is set free, who, having trampled down earthly desires, is exonerated, in security of mind, from seeking after temporal things. And who hath loosed his bands? Thou understandest. Except Myself.

51. But the bands of each one are loosed, when by Divine help the inward bonds of carnal desires are burst asunder. For when a holy intention calls to conversion, but the infirmity of the flesh still calls back from this intention, the soul is fettered and impeded, as it were, by certain bonds. For we often see many desiring indeed a life of holy conversation, but fearing at one time the onset of present mishaps, and at another future adversities, so as to be unable to attain it. And while they look forward, as if with caution, reud'in-to evils which are uncertain, they are incautiously retained in the bands of their own sins. For they place many things before their eyes, on the occurrence of which in their course of life, they are afraid that they can not stand firm. Of whom P"""^'- Solomon well says; The way of the slothful is as an hedge of thorns. For when they seek the way of God, the suspicions of their fears stand in their way, and wound them, as the thorns of hedges which oppose them. But since this obstacle is not wont to oppose the Elect, he there proceeds to add, ibid. The way of the righteous is without an obstacle. For whatever adversity may have fallen in their way of life, the righteous stumble not against it. Because with the bound of eternal hope, and of eternal contemplation, they leap over the obstacles of temporal adversity. The Lord therefore looses the bands of the wild ass, when He tears off from the mind of each of His Elect the bonds of weak thoughts, and kindly rends asunder every thing which was binding his enchanted mind. It follows;

Ver. 6. To ivhom I have given a house ifi the solitude^ and his tabernacles in the land of saltness. ^^'^' 52. Ought we in this place to understand the solitude of the body, or the solitude of the heart? But what avails the solitude of the body, if the solitude of the heart be wanting? For he who lives bodily removed from the world, but yet plunsres into the tumults of human conversation with the Book thoughts of worldly desires, is not in solitude. But if any ^— - one be bodily oppressed with crowds of people, and yet suffers from no tumults of worldly cares in his heart, he is not in a city. To those therefore of good conversation solitude of mind is first granted, in order that they may keep down within the rising din of worldly desires, that they may restrain by the grace of heavenly love the cares of the heart which bubble up from its lowest depths, and drive away from the eyes of the mind with the hand of gravity, all the motions of trifling thoughts which importunately present themselves, as flies which are flitting around them: and may seek for themselves some secret spot with the Lord within, there to speak with Him silently by their inward longings, when the noise is still fiom without.

53. Of this secret place of the heart it is said elsewhere; There became silence in heaven fur about half an hour. For Rev. 8, the Church of the Elect is called ' heaven,' which, as it rises to * eternal and sublime truths by the elevation of contemplation, abates the tumults of thoughts which are springing up from below, and makes a kind of silence within itself for God. And since this silence of contemplation cannot be perfect in this life, it is said to have been made for half an hour. For whilst the tumultuous noises of thoughts force themselves into the mind against its will, they violently draw the eye of the mind, even when steadily fixed on things above, to view again those of earth. Whence it is written; The corrujJtibleVi \sAom body presseth down the soul, and the earthly habitation ' ' ivciyheth down the sense that museth on many things. This silence is therefore well described as having been made not for a whole, but for * a half hour:' because contemplation is never perfected here, however ardently it be begun. Which is also suitably described by the Prophet Ezekiel, who witnesses that he saw in the hand of a man, for the measure of the city built on the mountain, a reed of six Ez. 40, cubits and a span. For the Church is in truth situated on the mountain of the Elect, because it is not founded on the lowest desires. But what is pointed out by the cubit, except work, and what by the number six but the perfection of the work, because the Lord also is said on the sixth day to have

Job 39, completed all His works? What therefore does the span

^ — beyond the six cubits suggest, but the power of contemplation, which shews to us already the beginning of the eternal and seventh rest? For because the contemplation of eternal things is not here perfected, the measure of the seventh cubit is not completed. Because therefore the Church of the Elect completes all things which requii'e to be done, the city presents itself as placed in six cubits on the mountain. But because it here beholds as yet only the beginnings of contemplation, of the seventh cubit it reaches only the span.

54. But it ought to be known that we do not at all reach the height of contemplation, if we cease not from the oppression of outward care. We do not at all look into ourselves, so as to know that there is within us one rational part that rules, another animal part which is ruled, unless we are made dead to all outward disturbance by returning to the secresy of this silence. Which silence of ours Adam Gen. 2, also whcn sleeping rightly typified, out of whose side the ^^' ^^' woman presently came. Because, whoever is hunied forward to the understanding of things within, closes his eyes to visible objects: and he then distinguishes in himself those qualities which ought either to rule manfully, or those which, as being weak, can submit: that there is one part of him which has power to rule as a man, another to be ruled, as a woman. In this silence of the heart, then, while we are awake inwardly by contemplation, we are sleeping, as it were, outwardly. Because then men who are separated, that is who are freed from carnal desires, inhabit this silence of the heart, the Lord gave to this wild ass a house in the solitude, that he might not be oppressed with a crowd of temporal desires.

55. It follows. And his tabernacles in the land of saltness. Saltness is wont to kindle thirst. And because holy men, as long as they dwell in the tabernacles of this life, are inflamed by the daily warmth of their desire to seek their heavenly country, they are said to have their tabernacles in the land of saltness. For they are in truth incessantly inflamed, in order to thirst, they thirst to be satisfied, as it Matt. 6, is written. Blessed are they tvho hunyer and thirst after riyhteousness, for they shall be filled. It follows;

56. To scorn the multitude of the city, is to avoid the

evil employments of human conversation, so as no longer to take pleasure in imitating the abandoned manners of earthly men, who, through the abundance of iniquity, are many. For they desire to enter, with the few, the narrow gate, and seek not, with the many, to enter the broad roads which lead to destruction..For they carefully behold by Whom, and for what, they are created; and from a right consideration of the image they have received, they disdain to follow the vulgar herd. Whence it is said by the voice of the Bridegroom to the Bride, in the Song of Songs, If thousol. knowest not thyself, O beautiful among women, go forth,^°'^^^^' and go thy way after the footsteps of the Jiocks, and feed thy kids. For she who is beautiful among women knows herself, when every Elect soul, though placed amongst sinners, remembers that it was fashioned after the image and similitude of its Creator, and goes on, in accordance with the similitude it has perceived. But if it knows not itself, it goes forth; because, being expelled from the secret recess of its own heart, it is dissipated by outward objects of desire. But when it has gone forth, it goeth after the footsteps of the flocks, because namely, forsaking its own inward thoughts, it is led to the broad way, and follows the examples of the peoples. And it no longer feeds lambs, but kids, because it strives to nourish, not the harmless thoughts of the mind, but the evil motions of the flesh. Because then every Elect and continent person scorns to go after the footsteps of the herds, let it be rightly said, He scorneth the multitude of the city. Where it is also fitly subjoined;

He heareth not the cry of the exactor.

57. What other exactor can be understood, but the devil, xviii. who once offered to man in paradise the coin of evil persuasion, and seeks to exact from him daily the guilt of this debt? The word of this exactor is the beginning of evil persuasion. The cry of this exactor is temptation, no longer gentle, but violent. This exactor cries out, when he tempts mightily. Not to hear then the voice of the exactor, is not at all to consent to the violent emotions of temptations. For a man would hear, if he were to do the things which

Job 39, hc suggests. But when he scorns to do perversely, it is — '■ — rightly said, He heareth not the cry of the exactor.

58. But some persons in this place wish the belly to be understood by the exactor. For it exacts from us a kind of debt; because it requires even by nature the daily fruit of human labour to be spent on it. Whilst abstinent men, then, who in this place are typified by the word ' wild ass,' repress by force the desires of the appetite, they contemn, as it were, the words of the clamouring exactor. But since many contests of virtues against innumerable vices befal the continent man, why, in speaking of the cry of the exactor being despised, is it said of the belly alone, that he restrains its impulse and assault, except that no one gains the palm of the spiritual contest, unless he has first conquered the incentives of the flesh, by afflicting the concupiscence of the belly? For we cannot stand up to the conflict of the spiritual contest, unless the enemy who is posted within, that is to say, the appetite of gluttony, is first conquered; because if we overthrow not those evils which are nearer to us, we doubtless proceed in vain to attack those which are further off". For war is in vain waged in the plain against outward foes, if a treacherous citizen is retained within the very walls of the city. The mind also of the combatant is itself kept back, by the grievous disgrace of confusion, from engaging in the spiritual contest, when, feeble in its battle with the flesh, it is wounded and overcome by the swords of gluttony. For when it sees itself defeated by trifles, it is ashamed to engage in greater dangers.

59. But some, ignorant of the order of the contest, neglect to tame their appetite, and proceed at once to spiritual battles. And though they sometimes display many acts of great bravery, yet from the sin of gluttony ruling over them, they lose, by the allurement of the flesh, all that they have done boldly; and, while the belly is not restrained, all their virtues are overwhelmed at once by the lust of the flesh.

2 Kiugs Whence it is written also of the victory of Nabuchodonosor, jtr^52 TJiG (^hief of the cooks destroyed the walls of Jerusalem. For

12. Oxf. what does Scripture signify and express by the walls of

* deT™ Jerusalem, but the virtues of a soul which is tending to the

Siitan beaten in thejlesh. Five ways of gluttony. 406 vision of peace? Or who is understood by the chief of the Book cooks, but the belly, which is served with most diligent care by cooks? The chief of the cooks then destroys the walls of Jerusalem, because the belly, when it is not restrained, destroys the virtues of the soul. Hence is it that Paul was withdrawing the strength of the chief of the cooks, who was contending against the walls of Jerusalem, when he was saying, I chastise my body, and bring it into subjection, lest l Cor. perchance having preached to others, I myself become a ' cast-away. Hence he also premised, saying, / so run, not ih. 26. as uncertainly, sojight I, not as if beating the air. Because when we restrain the flesh, we beat with these blows of our abstinence not the air, but unclean spirits; and when we subject that which is within us, we inflict blows * on adver- ' pugnos saries set without. Hence is it that when the king of Babylon orders the furnace to be kindled, he commands a heap of bitumen, tow, pitch, and firebrands to be furnished. But yet he consumes not in this fire the abstinent youths; Dan. 4, because, though the ancient enemy presents to our view innumerable desires of dainties, to increase the fire of lust, yet the grace of the Holy Spirit breathes into holy minds, in order that they may remain uninjured by the heats of carnal concupiscence: so that though the flame may burn so far as to tempt the heart, yet the temptation may not blaze forth as far as to consent.

60. It should also be known, that the vice of gluttony tempts us in five ways. For it sometimes anticipates the seasons of want: but sometimes does not anticipate them, but seeks for daintier food. Sometimes it looks for those things, which must be taken, to be prepared more carefully; but sometimes it agrees with both the quality of, and the season for, its food, but exceeds, in the quantity of what is to be taken, the measure of moderate refreshment. But sometimes that which it longs for is even of a baser kind, and yet it sins more fatally through the heat of unbounded desire. For Jonathan deserved in truth the sentence of i Sam. death from the mouth of his father, because in taking honey ' he anticipated the time which had been fixed for eating. And the people which had been brought out of Egypt, died in the desert, because it despised the manna, and sought for

Job 39, fleshly food, which it counted more dehcate. And the first — - — fault of the sons of Eli arose from this, that the servant, at 1 Sam. their desire, would not receive cooked meat for the priest, ' * after the ancient custom, but sought for raw flesh, for him to serve up with greater daintiness. And when it is said to Ez. 16, Jerusalem, This was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance, it is plainly shewn that she forfeited her salvation, because, with the sin of pride, she exceeded the measure of moderate refreshment. And Gen.25, Egau lost the glory of the birth-right, because he desired mean food, namely, lentils, with great eagerness of longing; and when he preferred this, even to selling his birth-right, he shewed with what eageniess he was panting after it. For it is not the food, but the desire that is in fault. Whence also we frequently lake some delicate fare without blame, and take a taste of meaner food, not without guilt of conscience. For this Esau, whom we have spoken of, lost in truth his birth-right, through lentils, and Elias preserved the virtue of his body by eating flesh in the desert. Whence also the ancient enemy, because he knows that it is not food, but the desire of food, that is the cause of damnation, both subjected the first man to himself, not with flesh, but an apple; and tempted the second Man not with flesh, but with bread. Hence it is that the fault of Adam is commonly committed, even when mean and worthless food is taken. For it is not Adam alone who has received the prohibiting command to abstain from the forbidden ft-uit. For when God points out certain aliments as injurious to our health. He, by a kind of sentence, forbids us to use them. And while we desire and taste noxious food, what else do we do in truth but eat of what is forbidden?

61. Those things must therefore be taken, which the necessity of nature requires, and not those which gluttony suggests. But it is a great effort of discretion to give this exactor something, and yet to refuse him something: both to restrain gluttony by not giving, and by giving to support nature. And this discretion is perhaps suggested, when it is said; He heareth not the cry of the exactor. For the word of this exactor is the necessary demand of nature. But his cry is the appetite of gluttony going beyond the measure of necessity. This wild ass then hears the word of this exactor, Book and liears not his cry; because a discreet and abstinent man ^^^' both supplies his belly so far as to temper his need, and restrains it from pleasure.

62. But it should be known that pleasure so veils itself under necessity, that a perfect man can scarce discern it. For whilst necessity asks for a debt to be paid, pleasure secretly demands a longing to be fulfilled; it hurries the \ appetite onward the more fearlessly, the more it conceals itself under the creditable profession of relieving a necessity. But frequently pleasure secretly attached follows behind in the very course of eating; though sometimes impudently free it endeavours even to go first. But it is easy to discover when pleasure anticipates its necessity, though very difficult to discern when it secretly connects itself with that very eating which is necessary. For because it follows the natural appetite which goes first, it seems, as it were, to advance slowly behind. For at that time, when the demand of necessity is paid, because pleasure is, through eating, blended with necessity, it is not known what necessity demands itself, and what (as has been said) pleasure secretly demands. But we frequently both distinguish them, and yet, from knowing that they are mutually connected together, take pleasure, when hurried beyond proper bounds, in being wittingly deceived: and whilst the mind flatters itself on the necessity, it is deceived by pleasure. For it is written; Make not provision for the Jlesh in the desires thereof. "Rom.] 3, That therefore which is forbidden to be done in desire, is " yielded in necessity.

63. But often, whilst we incautiously condescend to necessity, we are enslaved to desires. And sometimes, while we endeavour to oppose our desires too immoderately, we increase the miseries of necessity. For it is necessary for a man so to maintain the citadel of continence, as to destroy, not the flesh, but the vices of the flesh. For frequently, when the flesh is restrained more than is just, it is weakened even for the exerci.se of good works, so as to be unequal to prayer also or preaching, whilst it hastens to put out entirely the incentives ol' vices within itself. For this very man, whom we bear outwardly, we have as the assistant of our inward

Job 39, intention, and both the motions of wantonness are within

8 • — '- — it, and there also abound in it the appliances of good works. But often, whilst we attack an enemy therein, we kill a citizen also whom we love; and often while we spare, as it were, a fellow-citizen, we nurture an enemy for battle. For our vices become proud upon the same food, on which our virtues are noui'ished and live. And when a virtue is nomished, the strength of our vices is frequently increased. But when unbounded abstinence weakens the power of vices, our virtue also faints and pants. Whence it is necessary for our inward man to preside, as a kind of impartial arbiter between itself, and him whom it bears without: in order that its outwai'd man may both be always able to serve at its appointed ministry, and never proudly oppose it with unshackled neck; nor be moved if it whispers any suggestion, provided it always tramples it down with the heel of authority stamped upon it. And thus, whilst we allow our vices, when checked, to struggle against us, and yet prohibit their engaging with us on equal terms, it comes to pass that neither our vices prevail against our virtue, nor does our virtue again settle down to rest with entire extinction of our ' o"" vices. In which way alone' our pride is utterly extinguished, alone' because though it may serve for victory, yet a continual fight is reserved for us, to keep down the pride of our thoughts. And hence, because every abstinent person both complies with the demands of necessity, and yet opposes violent pleasure, it is well said in this place also by the voice of the Lord, He heareth not the cry of the exactor. But since a discreet person raises himself the more to the understanding of higher things, the more he chastises in himself the incentives of the flesh, after his scorning the cry of the exactor, it is rightly subjoined;

Ver. 8. He looks round on the mountains of his pasture. xix. 64. The mountains of his pasture are the lofty contemplations of inward refreshment. For the more holy men abase themselves outwardly with contempt, the more abundantly are they supported within with the contempla- Ps. 84, tion of revelations. Whence it is written; He hath disposed the ascents in his heart in the valley of tears; because those, whom the valley of humility outwardly imprisons in tears,

Angels beheld around. Eternal blessings sought. -109 the ascent of contemplation elevates within. The mountains Book v v v of pasture are also the lofty powers of angels: which - therefore refresh us here by ministering^ and assisting, because they are fattened there with the inward dew of contemplation. And because, by the bounty of God, they protect us in every contest, they are well said to be beheld around. For we behold them present on all sides around us, by whose defence we are protected against our adversaries on every side. The mountains of pasture can be taken, still further, for the lofty sentences of Holy Scripture, of which it is said by the Psalmist; The high hills for I he stags, Ps- 104, because those who know already how to make the leaps of contemplation, ascend the lofty summits of the Divine sentences, as the tops of mountains. And because the feeble cannot reach in Iruth to these tops, it is there rightly subjoined, The rock is a refuge for the urchins, because, namely, their understanding does not sublimely exercise the feeble, but faith alone in Christ humbly keeps them in. It follows;

He searchelh after every green thing.

65. For parched in truth are all things, which, fashioned xx. for a time, are dried up from the sweetness of the present life by the coming end, as if by the summer sun. But those are called green, which fade not away by any shortness of existence. For this wild ass then to seek every green thing, is for each holy man, despising transitory things, to long for those which are to endure for ever.

But all these things which have been said of the wild ass, can be understood in another way also. Which we explain, having repeated the former verse, in order to leave to the judgment of the reader what he believes is to be preferred. After, then, the dispensation of preachers has been described under the figure of hinds, to shew by Whom this same virtue of preaching is given, the mention of our Lord's Incarnation is immediately subjoined, so that it is said, Ver. 5. Who hath sent out the unld ass free? 6(5. Nor let any consider it unbecoming that the Incarnate xxi. Lord can be typified by such an animal; whilst it is admitted by all that He is spoken of, in Holy Scripture, as, in a certain sense, both a worm and a beetle..\s it is written; But /Ps.22,6. VOL. in. E e

Job 39, am, a worm, and no man. And as it is said by the Prophet ^^ 2 i^ the Septuagint, A beetle cried out from the wood. Since 11. then He is typified by the mention of such vile and abject things, what is said offensively of Him, of Whom it is admitted that nothing is said appiopriately? For He is called a lamb, but it is for His innocence. He is called a lion, but it is for His might. He is also sometimes compared to a serpent, but it is for His death, or for His wisdom. And He can therefore be spoken of figuratively by all these, because none of all these can be essentially believed of Him. For were He to be really one of these essentially. He could no longer be termed another. For were He properly called a lamb, He could no longer be called a lion. If He were properly called a lion. He would not be signified by a serpent. But we say all these things of Him in figure, with the greater latitude, the further removed they are from His essence. The wild ass can therefore designate the Incarnate Lord. For the wild ass is an animal of the fields. And because the Incarnate Lord profited the Gentiles more » corpus than the Jews, when, assuming a living body ', He went, as 'it were, not into the house, but rather into the field. Of Ps. 50, which field of the Gentiles it is said by the Psalmist; The ^^' beauty of the field is ivith Me. The Incainate Lord therefore. Who in the form of God is equal to the Father, is in the form of a servant less than the Father, in which He is also less than Himself. Let it be said therefore by the Father of the Son in the form of a servant; Who hath sent out the wild ass free, and who hath loosed his bands? For every one who sins is the servant of sin. And because the Incarnate Lord was made partaker of our nature, not of our sin, He is said to have been sent forth fi-ee, because He is not held under the dominion of sin. Of Whom it is written Ps.88,5. elsewhere; Free among the dead. He is said to have been sent forth free, because taking our nature, He is not at all held by the yoke of iniquity. And though the stain of our guilt touched Him not, yet the suffering of our mortality bound Him. Whence also after He is said to have been sent forth free, it is rightly added of Him; And who hath loosed His bands? xxii. 67. For His bands were then in truth loosened, when the infirmities of His Passion were cbaiiffed into the glow of Book

... XXX His Resurrection. For the Lord had those infirmities of our '- mortal state, which we endure as the desert of our iniquity, as a kind of bands with which He wished of His own accord to be bound, even to death, and which He loosed marvellously by His Resurrection. For to be hungry, to thirst, to be weary, to be bound, to be scourged, and to be crucified, was the bond of our mortality. But when on the completion of His death the veil of the temple was rent, the rocks were cleft, the tombs were opened, the barriers of hell were laid bare, what else is shewn by so many arguments of such mighty power, but that those bands of our infirmity were loosened, that He, Who had come to take on Him the form of a servant, might return in freedom to heaven even with His members? Of which bonds of His the Apostle Peter witnesses, saying, Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of hell, ^cu 2, because it uas,not possible for Him to be holden of it. And because after His Death and Resurrection He deigned to call the Gentiles to the grace of faith, after His bands are said to have been loosened, it is fitly subjoined;

Ver. 6. To Whom I have given a house in the solitude, and His tabernacle in the land of sallness.

68. For in the Gentile world, in which there was no xxiii. Patriarch, no Prophet, there was hardly a man to exercise his reason to gain a knowledge of God. Of this solitude it is said by Isaiah; The desert and the pathless land shall rejoice, is. 35,1. and the solitude shall exult and blossom as the lily. And again it is said of the Church; He will make her desert as ls.5\, 3. delights, and her solitude as the garden of the Lord. But this same solitude, which, before it knew the true wisdom of God, had brought forth saltness, is mentioned again as a land of saltness; because it produced no verdure of good understanding, and savoured only of what was wrong. He receives therefore his house in the solitude, and His tabernacle in the land of saltness, because God when Incarnate for men, forsook Judaea, and possessed the hearts of the Gentiles. Whence it is said to Him by the voice of the Father, through the Prophet; Ask of Me, and I will give thee the heathen Ps. 2, 8, for Thine inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Thy possession. Who, as He is God, j^ives all things with the

Job 39, Father, as He is Man, receives of the Father among all things, j^j^^ as it is written; He hath given Him authority to execute 27. judgment also, because He is the Son of man. And it is Johnis, written again; Knowing that the Father had given all things John 6 *'^^^ ^^^ hands. Or as He Himself says; All that the 37. Father giveth 3Ie shall come to Me. But if it is now asked what is the difference between a house and a tabernacle; a house is for a dwelling place, a tabernacle for a journey. He possessed therefore on His coming the hearts of the Gentiles as if they were tabernacles, but, strengthening them by righteousness, He made them His house by inhabiting. And because He scorned to imitate the conduct of those to whom He had come, it is rightly subjoined; Ver. 7. He scorneth the multitude of the city. xxiv. 69. That is. He despises the customs of human conversation. For having been made a Man amongst men, He refused to observe the practice of men. For He was therefore made a Man amongst us, not only to redeem us by the shedding of His blood, but also to change us by setting an example. He found therefore one thing in our conversation at His coming, and taught us another by His life. For all the progeny of the haughty race of Adam were striving to seek after the prosperity of the present life, to avoid its adversities, to escape disgrace, to follow glory. The Incarnate Lord came amongst them courting adversity, scorning prosperity, embracing insults, flying from glory. For when the Jews had wished to make liim their king. He shrunk from being a king. But when they were endeavouring to kill Him, He came of His own accord to the scaffold of the cross. He therefore avoided that which all seek after, He sought after that which all avoid; He caused all to marvel that both He Himself rose again when dead, and by His death raised others from death. For there are in truth two lives of a man who exists in the body, one before death, the other after the resurrection; one of which all practically knew, but knew not the other; and mankind were directing their thoughts to that only which they knew. The Lord came in the flesh, and while He took on Himself the one. He pointed out the other. While He took on Himself that which was known to us, He pointed out to us that which was unknown to us. For by His dying He practised that Book life which we possess, by rising again He disclosed that life ■^^^ for which we are to seek, instructing us by His example, that this life which we pass before our death, is not to be loved on its own account, but to be tolerated on account of the other. Because then, by practising a new conversation amongst men, He followed not the customs of Babylon, it is well written of Him, He scorneth the mullitude of the city.

70. Or certainly, because He forsook the many who were wandering along the broad way, and chose the few who were walking through narrow paths. For to ' scorn the multitude of the city,' is to reject from a share in His Kingdom that portion of mankind which enters the broad way, which also through the abundance of iniquity is many.

He heareth not the cry of the exactor.

71. As was said before, what exactor can be understood xxv, in this place, but the devil? who by his wicked persuasion held out the hope of immortality, but by deceiving exacted the tribute of death; who by his persuasion introduced sin, by his cruelty exacts punishment. The word of this exactor is his crafty persuasion of man before death, but his ' cry' is his violent seizure of him after death. For those whom he secretly intercepts before death, he violently hurries to share with him his punishment after death. But because the Lord when drawing near to death feared not the violent assaults of this exactor, (as He Himself says, For the prince John \i, of this world cometh and hath nothing in Me,) it is well said, He heareth not the cry of the exactor. For the exactor of mankind came to Him, because he saw Him to be a man. But Him Whom He believed to be a man despised for His weakness, he felt, by his power, to be above man.

72. Laban doubtless represented this exactor, when coming with wrath, he demanded his idols which wereGen.Si, with Jacob. For Laban is interpreted ' whitening.' But the devil is appropriately understood by whitening, who though dark through his deserts, transforms himself into 2 Cor. an angel of light. Him did Jacob serve, that is, the Jewish ^^' ^'** people, on the part of the reprobate, from whose flesh the

Job 39, Lord Incarnate came. But by Laban can this world also be — - — represented, which follows Jacob with fury, because it endeavours to oppress by persecution all the Elect, who are members of our Redeemer. Jacob carried off the daughter of this person, that is, either of the world or of the devil, when Christ united to Himself the Church from the Gentile world. Whom he takes away also from the house of her Ps. 45, father, because He says to her by the Prophet; Forget thine otvn people^ and thy father's house. But what is designated Col. 3, by idols but avarice? Whence it is said by Paul; And ^' covetoiisness, uhich is idolatry. Laban therefore on coming Gen.31, found not the idols upon.Jacob, because when the devil ^^* displayed the treasures of the world, he found not in our Redeemer the traces of earthly concupiscence. But those ib. 34. idols which Jacob had not, Rachel covered by sitting. For by Rachel, which also means ' a sheep,' is typified the Church. But to sit, is to seek after the humility of penitence, as it is Ps. 127 written; Arise, after ye have sat down. Rachel therefore 2- covered the idols by sitting, because Holy Church, by following Christ, covered, with penitence, the vices of earthly concupiscence. Of this covering of vices it is said by the Ps.32,1. Psalmist; Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven ^ and ivhose sins are covered. That Rachel then signified us, who press down idols by sitting, if we condemn the sins of covetousness by penitence. But this covetousness is not wont to befal those, who run like men in the way of the Ps. 31, Lord, to whom it is said; Do tnaiifully, and let your heart ^*- be strengthened; but those especially who walking, as it were, with effeminate step, are relaxed by the blandishments of the world. Whence also in that place these are the Gen.31 words of this same Rachel, According to the custom of 35- women it now is happening to me. Laban therefore finds not the idols upon Jacob, because the crafty exactor found nothing to blame in our Redeemer. Of which exactor it is said to our Redeemer by the Prophet, when He was deliver- Is 9 4 "^S ^^^® Gentile world from his dominion; For thou hast overcome the yoke of his burden, and the rod of his shoulder, and the sceptre of his oppressor, as in the day of Madian. For the Lord in rescuing the Gentile world, overcame the yoke of its burden, when He delivered it, by His coming, from that bondage to the tyranny of the devil. He over- Book came tlie rod of its shoulder, when He kept his blow, which - was oppressing it heavily in consequence of wickedness, from redeemed mankind. He overcame the sceptre of its oppressor, when He swept away from the heart of the faithful, that kingdom of the same devil, who had been wont to exact the due tribute of punishments for the fatal peipetration of sins.

73. But let us hear how these things were done. It is immediately subjoined. As in the day of Madian. I think it will not be amiss if we consider at greater length this war of the Madianites, which was intentionally introduced by the Prophet in comparison with the coming of the Lord. ForJudg. 7, in the book of Judges Gedeon is described as having fought ^"~^^' against the Madianites. When he was bringing forth the multitude of the army to war, he was ordered by a Divine admonition, to remove from the conflict of battle all whom on coming to the water he beheld drinking the water with bended knees. And the result was, that only three hundred men remained, who had drunk the water in their hands, standing. With these he proceeds to the battle, and he equipped them not with arms, but with trumpets, lamps, and pitchers. For, as is there written, they placed the lighted lamps in the pitchers, and held their trumpets in their right hand, but their pitchers in their left, and on coming close to their enemies, they sounded with the trumpets, they brake the pitchers, the lamps appeared: and their enemies alarmed on one hand with the sound of the trumpets, and on the other by the glittering of the lamps, were turned to flight. Why then is it that such a battle is brought forward by the Prophet, and why is victory in that battle compared to the coming of our Redeemer? Did the Prophet intend to point out to us that that victorious battle under the command of Gedeon was a type of the coming of our Redeemer? Such deeds were doubtless there wrought, which, the more they exceed the usual mode of fighting, are the less removed from the mystery of prophecy. For who ever went forth to battle with pitchers and lamjjs? Who, when going against arms, ever abandoned his arms? These things would have been truly absurd to us, had they not been terrible to the

Job 39, enemies. But Ave have learned by the evidence of the

'- — victory itself, not to regard these things which were done as of little account. Gedeon, therefore, coming to the battle, signifies to us the coming of our Redeemer, of Whom it is Ps. 24, written; Lift up, O princes, your gates, and be ye -lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of Glory shall come in. Who is this King of Glory? The Lord strong and mighty. TJie Lord mighty in battle. He prophesied of our Redeemer, not only by his doings, but also by his name. For Gedeon is interpreted ' going about in the womb.' For our Lord embraces all things by the power of His majesty, and yet He came, through the grace of the dispensation assuming man's nature in the womb of the Virgin. Who then is He Who goes about in the womb, except Almighty God, redeeming us by His own dispensation, embracing all things by His Godhead, and taking man's nature in the womb? In which womb He was both Incarnate, and not confined; because He was both within the womb by the substance of His infirmity, and beyond the world by the power of His majesty. But Madian is interpreted ' from judgment' For that His enemies were to be repulsed and destroyed, was not from the imperfection of their conqueror, but from the judgment of Him, Who judgeth rightly. And for this reason they are called ' from judgment:' because, being aliens from the grace of the Redeemer, they bear, even in their designation, the desert of just condemnation.

74. Against these Gedeon proceeds to battle with three hundred men. The plenitude of perfection is usually understood by the number ' hundred.' What then is designated by the number hundred taken thrice, except the perfect knowledge of the Trinity? For with those our Lord destroys the adversaries of the faith, with those comes down to the contests of preaching, who can understand Divine truths, who know how to think accurately of the Trinity, Which is God. But we nmst observe, that this number three hundred 'TofT, is comprised in the letter Tau', which bears a resemblance notri- of the cross. For if there were added over the transverse line, the projecting part of the cross, it would no longer be a resemblance of the cross, but the cross itself. Because then that number of three hundred is comprised in the letter Tau, and bv the letter Tau, as wc have said, a resemblance of the Book cross is set forth, by those three hundred followers of Gedeon, ^-^ — ' those persons are not inappropriately designated, to whom it is said, If any man will come after Me, let him deny linked, himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. And these take up the cross more truly, as they follow the Lord, the more severely they both tame themselves, and are tortured with the compassion of charity towards their neighbours. Whence it is said also by the prophet Ezekiel, Mark TauEz.9,4. upon the foreheads of the men that groan and lament. Or certainly, by these three hundred who are comprised in the letter Tau, it is expressed that the sword of the enemy is overcome by the wood of the cross. And they are brought to the river, to drink the waters; and whoever drank the waters with bended knees, were removed from the struggle of war. For by the waters is designated the doctrine of wisdom, but by the unbended knee righteous conduct. They therefore who are reported to have bent their knees, while drinking the water, retired from the strife of battles, having been forbidden; because Christ proceeds to battle against the enemies of the faith, with those who when they drink the streams of doctrine, distort not the uprightness of their actions. For all are said at that time to have drunk the water, but not all to have stood with unbended knee. And they who bent their knees, while they were drinking the waters, were rejected, because, as the Apostle witnesses. For not the hearers of the laiv are just before God, but the Rom. 2, doers of the law will he justified. For since dissoluteness ^' of conduct is, as we have said, signified by this very bending of the knees, it is rightly again said by Paul, Lift Heb.i2, up the hands that hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight steps with your feet. They therefore proceed, under Christ as their leader, to battle, who exhibit in their conduct that which they profess with their mouths, who drink spiritually the streams of doctrine, and yet are not carnally distorted by wicked works; because, as it is written, Praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner. Ecclus.

75. They go forth therefore to battle with trumpets, with ' " lamps, and with pitchers. This, as we have said, was an unusual order of battle. They sounded with the trumpets,

Job 39, and the pitchers were held in their left hands. But lamps — '■ — were placed within the pitchers; but, when the pitchers were broken, the lamps appeared, and by their flashing light the affrighted enemies are put to flight. By the trumpets is designated therefore the loud voice of preachers, by the lamps the brightness of their miracles, by the pitchers the frailness of their bodies. For our Leader led forth with Him, to the contest of preaching, such as by making light of their bodily safety, would overthrow their enemies by dying, and would overcome their swords, not by arms, not by words, but by patience. For our Martyrs came armed under their Leader to battle, but armed with trumpets, with pitchers, with lamps. And they sounded \vith their trumpets, when preaching; they broke their pitchers, when exposing their bodies to dissolution by the swords of the enemy in their suffering; they shone forth with lamps, when after the dissolution of their bodies they flashed forth with miracles. And their enemies were presently put to flight, because, when they beheld the bodies of dead Martyrs glittering with miracles, they were overpowered by the light of truth, and believed that which they had impugned. They sounded therefore with the trumpets, that the pitchers might be broken; the pitchers were broken, that the lamps might appear; the lamps appeared, that the enemies might be put to flight. That is, the Martyrs preached, till their bodies were dissolved in death; their bodies were dissolved in death, that they might shine forth with miracles; they shone forth with miracles, that they might overthrow their enemies with divine light; so that they might no longer stand up - and resist God, but submit to, and be afraid of, Him.

76. And it must be observed, that the enemies stood firm before the pitchers, but fled before the lamps; doubtless because the persecutors of Holy Church resisted the preachers of the faith while yet in the body, but were put to flight by the miracles which were manifested after the dissolution of their bodies, because, terrified by fear, they ceased from persecuting the faithful. They were afraid, in truth, at the lamps of miracles which appeared, when the pitchers of their bodies had been broken, at the preaching of the trumpets.

77. We must also notice that which is there written; that Book they held the trumpets in their right hand, but the pitchers in their left. For we are said to have on the right hand, whatever we consider a great thing; but on the left, that which we regard as nothing. It is therefore well written in that place, that they held the trumpets in their right hand, but the pitchers in their left; because the Martyrs of Christ consider the grace of jireaching as a great thing, but the benefit of their bodies as of the least moment. But whoever thinks more of the benefit of the body, than of the grace of preaching, holds the trumpet in his left hand, but the pitcher in his right. For if the grace of preaching is attended to in the first place, and in the next place the benefit of the body, it is certain that the trumpets are held in the right hand, and the pitchers in the left. Hence the Lord says in the Gospel, Neither do they light a candle, and put it under Matt. 6, a bushel, bat on a candlestick. For by a bushel is mider- ^^' stood temporal advantage, but by a candle the light of preaching. To place therefore a light under a bushel, is, for the sake of temporal advantage, to conceal the grace of ])reaching, which none of the Elect surely does. And it is well there added, But upon a candlestick. For by a candlestick is designated the position of the body, on which a candle is placed above, when the duty of preaching is prefeiTed to the body. It is therefore well said by the Prophet, Tliou Is. 9, 4. hast overcome the sceptre of his oppressor, as in the day of Madian. But since we have made a long digression for the sake of expounding the testimony of the Prophet, let us return to the regular order of our work. After, therefore, it was said, He heareth not the cry of the exactor; because, namely, our Lord when manifested in the flesh despised the snares of the great enemy, He rightly subjoins what He did further in behalf of His Elect, saying;

78. Mountains we understand to be all the lofty ones of xxvi. this world, who were swollen in their hearts with earthly loftiness. But since the Lord engrains ' even such, when ' invisconverted, into the body of Hit Church, and, turning them*^^'^**" from their former pride, transforms them into His own mem-

Job 39 bers, these are raounlains of His pasture; doubtless, because ^- - He is satisfied with the conversion of the wandering, and John 4, the humility of the proud. As He Himself says, My meat ^*' is to do the icill of Him that sent Me. And as He commanded the Apostles, when sent forth to preach, saying, John 6, Labour not for the meat ivhich jjerisheth, but for that which endureth unto eternal life. Of these mountains it is Ps.95,4. said b}' the Prophet, TJie Lord will not reject His people, ' for in His hand are all the ends of the earth, and the heights of the hills He beholdeth. For the heights of the mountains are surely the loftinesses of the proud. Which the Lord is said to behold, that is, to change from their iniquity for the better. For the Lord converts the person whom He Luke22, looks on. Whence it is written. The Lord turned, and ^'•^^' looked upon Peter; and Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said, Before the cock crow thou shalt deny Me thrice; and he went out, and wept bitterly. And Prov. as Solomon says, A King that sitteth on the throne of judg- ^^' ^' ment, scattereth away all evil with His look. Of this looking at the mountains it is said again by the Prophet, P8.97 5. The mountains melted like tc ax from the face of the Lord; because, after the hardness of their perversity, they were melted by the Divine fear, and subsided from their former rigid swelling.

79, But we must observe, that He does not say, ' beholdeth,' but looketh round on the mountains of His pasture. For the Lord was iu truth Incarnate in Judaea, which was placed in the midst of the nations. And He therefore looked round on the mountains, because He gathered together, from the whole body of the Gentiles, the proud of this world situated every where around. He feeds therefore in these mountains; because He is satiated with the good works of the converted, as if with green herbs. Hence is it that it is said to Him Sol. by the voice of the Bride in the Song of Songs, Shew me ^^g>^) where Thou f cedes t, where Thou liest at noon. For the Lord is fed, when He is delighted with our good deeds. But He lies down at noon, when, after the heart of the reprobate burning with carnal desires, He finds the cool refreshment of holy thought in the breasts of His Elect. For Matthew had been a kind of mountain, when he was swelling with the profits of the custom house; of whom it Book into his house, and made a f^reat feast. This mountain 29.

therefore produced for this wild ass the herbs of green pasture, because he fed Him outwardly with a feast, and inwardly with banquets of virtues. And this is set forth still more fully, when it is subjoined;

He searcheth after every green thing.

80. For He deserts the parched places, and searches forxxvii. every green thing. For parched are those hearts of men, which, planted in the perishing hope of this world, have no assurance of eternity. But those flourish, which cling to that inheritance of which the Apostle Peter says; To an 1 Pet. inheritance incorruptible, undejiled, and that fadeth not ' aivay. For they are more truly green, the more they plant the root of thought in the portion of an inheritance that fadeth not away. Let every one therefore, who dreads being parched within, fly from the barren desires of this world without. Let every one who longs to be sought for by the Lord, seek for his eternal home, and become verdant in the inward plantation of his heart.

81. Let this twofold exposition of the wild ass be sufBcient. But it must be left to the judgment of the reader, which he thinks best to select. But if he chance to scorn the meaning of either exposition, 1 will willingly myself follow my reader, as a pupil his master, if he thinks more accurately and truly. Because whatever I find he knows better than myself, I believe it to be vouchsafed as a special gift to myself. For all we, who endeavour, full of faith, to utter something concerning God, are organs of truth: and it is in the power of this same Truth, whether It utters Its voice through me to another, or through another to me. For dwelling in the midst of us it deals alike with all, even though they live not alike, and often touches one person to hear plainly what It has s]ioken by another, but often touches another, to utter something clearly to be heard by others.

82. Power of speech is often given to a teacher, for the sake of his hearer, and skill in speaking is often taken away from a teacher, ou account of the guilt of his hearer. Let

Job 39, not the teacher then be puffed up with pride in these cases

'- — in which he preaches copiously, lest his tongue be perchance filled, not for his own, but for his hearers' sake; and let not a hearer be angry, in cases in which a teacher speaks barrenly, lest the tongue of the teacher perchance be dumb, not for his own, but his hearers' rejection. For power of speech is given even to bad teachers for the sake of a good hearer, just as words of preaching were able to abound to the Matt. Pharisees, though it was written of them, All therefore what- ' ' soever they have said to you, observe and do: but do not after their works. But skill in speaking is taken away even from good teachers, for the rejection of their hearers. As is Ez.3,26. said to Ezekiel against Israel; / will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth, and thou shall be dumb, and shall not be as a man reproving, for it is a provoking house. 82. But the word of preaching is sometimes granted on account of both, sometimes withdrawn on account of both. For it is given on account of both, as is said by the voice of Acts 18, God to Paul amongst the Corinthians; Be not afraid, but ibid, lojp^ak. And a little after, For I have much people in this city. But it is withdrawn on account of both, as Eli the priest both knew the wicked conduct of his children, and exercised not the fitting language of reproof, when these the guilt of their sin, and him the punishment of his silence, was plainly about to mulct with the suffering of death. When we know not therefore, amongst these cases, either for whom the fervour of speech is given, or on whose account it is withdrawn, the one safe remedy is, neither to pride ourselves on those gifts which we have received beyond others, nor yet to make jest of another for having received less: but to walk gravely and steadily, with the firm-fixed foot of humility. Because we are in this life the more truly learned, the more we know that our learning cannot be supplied to us from ourselves. Why should therefore any one be proud of his learning, who knows not either when it is given to any one by a secret sentence, or when it is withdrawn? For though fear seems to be always far removed from security; yet there is nothing safer for us than ever to feel fear, under the prevalence of hope, lest our mind should from want of caution plunge itself into sin through desperation, or fall headlong through boasting of its gifts. For the more humbly a man Book trembles for himself, together with hope, before the eyes of ^^^' the strict and merciful Judge, the more firmly does he stand in Him.

1. The devil, through envy, inflicted the wound of pride on healthful man in Paradise; in order that he, who had not received death when created, might deserve it when elated. But since it is competent for Divine power, not only to make good things out of nothing, but also to refashion them from the evils which the devil had committed; the humility of God appeared amongst men, as a remedy against this wound inflicted by the proud devil, that they who had fallen through imitation of their haughty enemy, might rise by the example of their humbled Creator. Against, therefore, the haughty devil, God appeared amongst men, having been made a humble Man. The mighty of this world, that is, the members of the haughty devil, believed Him to be as despicable, as they saw Him to be lowh. For the more the wound of their heart swelled up, the more it despised the soothing remedy. Our medicine therefore being spurned by the wound of the proud, came to the wound of the humble. \ Cor. For, God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. And a work was wrought upon the poor, for the wealthy proud ones afterwards to wonder at. For while they behold in them new virtues, they were afterwards astounded at the miracles of those, whose life they before despised. And thence, returning immediately with fear to their own hearts, they dreaded that sanctity in miracles, which they had scorned iu precepts. Mighty things were therefore confounded by the weak; be- cause while the life of the humble rises to veneration, the Book pride of the haughty has fallen. Because therefore blessed ^^^^' Job is a type of Holy Church, and Almighty God foresaw that, in the early times of the rising Church, the mighty of this world would refuse, with the stubborn neck of their heart, to undertake its light burden, let Him say;

2. For the rhinoceros is quite of an untamed nature, so ii. that, if it is ever taken, it cannot in any way be kept. For, as is said, it dies immediately from being unable to bear it. But its name when interpreted means in the Latin tongue, * a horn on the nostril.' And what else is designated by the nostril, but folly; what by the horn, but pride? For that folly is usually understood by the nostril, we have learned on the evidence of Solomon, who says; As a ring of gold in prov. a swine's nostrils, so is a beautiful and foolish woman. For •*> 22. he saw heretical doctrine shining with brilliancy of eloquence, and yet not agreeing with the proper understanding of wisdom, and he says, A ring of gold in a swine'' s nostrils; that is, a beautiful and involved expression in the understanding of a foolish mind: from which gold depends, through its eloquence, but yet, through the weight of earthly intention, like a swine, it looks not upwards. And he proceeded to ex])lain it, saying, A beautiful and foolish woman: that is, heretical teaching; beautiful in words, foolish in meaning. But, that pride is frequently understood by a horn, we have learned on the evidence of the Prophet, who says; / said to the wicked, deal not wickedly, and to p ^^. the sinners, lift not up your horn. What is, therefore, designated by this rhinoceros, but the mighty of this world, or the supreme powers themselves of the kingdoms therein, who, elated by the ])ride of foolish boasting, whilst they are puffed up by false honour without, are made inwardly destitute by real miseries? To whom it is well said; l^'hy Ecc\x}s. boastest thou, O dust and ashes? But at the very beginning 10,9. of the rising Church, when the might of the wealthy was raising itself against her, and was panting for her death, with the unboundedness of so great cruelty, when, anxious from so many tortures, and pressed by so many persecutions, she was giving way; who could then believe that she would

42G Job humbled by God's Power in bowing down the proud.

Job 39, subdue those stiff aud stubborn necks of the haughty, and

— - — would bind them, with the gentle bands of faith, when tamed by the yoke of holy fear? For she was tossed about, for a long while, in her beginnings, by the horn of this rhinoceros, and was struck by it, as though to be utterly destroyed. But by the dispensation of Divine grace, she both gained life and strength by death, and this rhinoceros, wearied with striking, bowed down his horn. And that which was impossible to men, was not difficult to God, who crushed the stubborn powers of this world, not by words, but by miracles. For behold we observe daily the rhinoceroses becoming slaves, when we see the mighty of this world, who had before, with foolish pride, relied on their own strength, now subject to God. The Lord was speaking, as it were, of a certain Mat. 19, untamed rhinoceros, when He was saying; A rich man will liardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And when it was ib. 25. replied to Him; And tvho will he able to he saved? He immediately added; With men this is impossible, hut with God all things are possible. As if He were saying; This rhinoceros cannot be tamed by human strength, but yet it can be subdued by Divine miracles. Whence it is here also fitly said to blessed Job, as representing Holy Church; Will the rhinoceros he willing to serve thee? Thou understandest, As Myself, Who bore for a long while with his resisting the preaching of men, but yet suddenly overpowered him with miracles, when thus I willed it. As if He said more plainly; Are they who are proud with foolish haughtiness, subjected to thy preaching, without My assistance? Consider therefore by Whom thou prevailest, and in every thing wherein thou prevailest bow down thy feeling of pride. Or certainly, what wondrous works are wrought at last by the Apostles, who subject the world to God, and bend the pride of the mighty of this world, when subdued to His power, is brought before the notice of blessed Job, to bringdown his confidence, in order that blessed Job may think the less highly of himself, the more he beholds such stubborn souls gathered together to God by others. Let Him say then; Will the rhinoceros he willing to serve theef Thou understandest, As it will serve Me, by means of those, whom I shall have sent. It follows;

Or will it abide bii thy crib? Book

3. By ' crib' in this place, Holy Scripture itself is, not -^^ — ' unfitly, understood; in which holy animals are fed with the ^"" food of the word. Of whom it is said by the Prophet; Tfiine animals will dwell therein. Hence also our Lord, Ps. 68, when born, was found by shepherds in a manger, because His Incarnation is learned in that Scripture of the Prophets, which i-efreshes us. This rhinoceros therefore, that is to say, every haughty person, in the beginning of the rising Church, when it heard the sayings of the Patriarchs, the mysteries of the Prophets, and the secrets of the Gospel, made jest of them; because it scorned the more to be confined and fed in the manger of the Preachers, the more it gave itself up to its own pleasures, and occupied the wide plain of its own desperation. It is this wide plain of the proud that Paul well speaks of, when saying, Who despair- E^h.i, ing, have giren themselves over to lasciviousness, to work all^^' uncleanness with greediness. For every one gives himself wider range in present evil, the more he despairs of attaining eternal blessings after this life. But Almighty God bore for a long time with this rhinoceros, wandering through the plain of sinful pleasure, and yet, when He willed, suddenly fastened it to His own manger, that being safely confined it might receive the food of life, lest it should entirely lose its life through fatal liberty? For behold we now see that the mighty men of this world, and its chief rulers, willingly hear the preachings of the Lord, that they constantly read them, and every where depart not from His manger; because they transgress not, in their conduct, the precepts of the Lord, which they know either by reading or by hearing, but contentedly submit to stand confined, as it were, near the food of the word, that by feeding and abiding there, they may become fat. But, when we behold this wrought by God's agency, what else do we behold but this rhinoceros abiding at tlie manger? But since this rhinoceros, after it has received the food of preaching, ought to display the fruit of good works, it is rightly subjoined;

Ver. 10. Wilt thou bind the rhinocerot nith thy band to plough y

4-. The bands of the Church, are the precepts of disci- iv.

Job 39 pHne. But to plough, is to cleave with the ploughshare of 10- the tougue the soil of the human breast by earnestness of preaching. This rhinoceros therefore, which was before proud and stubborn, is now bound and fastened by the bauds of faith; and he is led from the manger to plough, because he endeavours to make known to others also that very preaching, with which he has himself been refreshed. For we know whh what cruelty this rhinoceros, that is to say, this earthly prince, raged against the Lord; and now we knoAV with what humility he prostrates him beneath Him, by the power of the Lord. This rhinoceros was not only bound, but bound to plough: because, in tiulh, when bound by the bands of discipline, he not only keeps himself from wicked works, but also exercises himself in preaching the holy faith. For behold, as was bftfore said, when we see the rulers and chiefs themselves of human concerns fearing God in their actions, what else do we see them than bound with bands? But when, by the enacting of laws, they cease not to preach that faith which they recently assaulted with persecution, what else do they, but toil at the labours of the plough?

5. We are permitted to see this rhinoceros, that is, this prince of the earth, bound with the bands of faith; how he both wears his horn, by the power of the world, and bears the yoke of faith, by the love of God. This rhinoceros were greatly to be feared, unless he were bound. For he has in truth a horn, but yet he is bound. The lowly have therefore something to love in his bands, the proud have something to fear in his horn. For, as fast bound with thongs, he preserves the geutlenesss of meekness; but, as supported by the horn of earthly glory, he exercises the dominion of power. But frequently, when he is hurried on by the provocation of anger to strike, he is recalled by heavenly fear. And he rouses himself to fury, by his power being provoked; but because he calls to mind the eternal Judge, he bends himself down with fastened horn. I remember, that I myself have frequently seen, that when this rhinoceros was rousing himself to strike a heavy blow, and was threatening, as it were, with elevated horn, death, banishment, and condenniation to the smaller animals, who were suffering under unbounded dread, he extinguished all the blaze of fury within, on the sign of the cross being suddenly iuii)rinted on j^^^j. his brow, that he was converted and hiid aside his threats, XXXf. and, as bound, acknowledged that he could not ])roceed to his resolutions. And not only does he subdue all wrath within himself", but he hastens to implant also every thing which is right, in the feelings of his subjects; in order to shew himself, by the exanijDle of his own humility, that all should reverence Holy Church from their inmost thoughts. Let it be said therefore to blessed Job; Wilt ihou hind the rhinoceros iciih thy hand to plough? As if He plainly said; Dost thou direct the mighty ones of this world, trusting in their foolish pride, to the labour of preaching, and restrain them under the bonds of discipline? Thou understandest. As Myself, who did that, when I willed; Who made My very persecutors, whom I first endured as enemies, to be afterwards themselves the defenders of sound faith. It follows;

Or will he break the clods of the valleys after thee?

6. The overlying clods of cultivated land are wont to ^ press down the seeds which have been thrown in, and to stifle them when springing up. By which clods are signified in this place those, who through their own hardness, and deadly life, neither receive themselves the seeds of the word, nor yet allow others to bring forth fruits of the seeds they have received. For every holy preacher, on coming into the world, had, by preaching the Gospel to the poor, ploughed, as it were, the soft lands of the valleys. But the Church, unable to break down the hardness of some of the haughty, was bearing them when oppressed, as clods thrown upon her labours. For many of perverse mind, relying on this very unbelief of earthly princes, were oppressing the rising Church with the weight of evil living, when they were destroying, for a long while, those whom they could, at one time by their damnable examples, at another by threats, at another by blandishments, lest the cultivated soil of the heart of their hearers should attain to the fruit of spiritual seed. But when Almighty God subdued this rhinoceros with his bands. He broke at once by his aid the hardness of the clods. For He i)resently subjugated the princes of the earth to His faith, and crushed the hard hearts of perse-

Job 39, cutorS) that the broken clods might, as it were, no longer ^}: — oppress with their hardness, but might crumble and bud forth on receiving the seeds of the word. Whence He now rightly says; Or will he break the clods of the valleys after thee? As if He were saying, As after Me, Who, after I enter the mind of any lofty power, not only render it subject to Me, but also train it to crush the enemies of the faith, that the mighty of this world, being bound with the bands of My fear, may not only continue believers in Me, but may also from zeal for Me crush the hardness of another's heart.

7. But this, which we have said of unbelievers, we observe also in many who are reckoned by the name of faith. For many, placed in the midst of lowly brethren, hold the faith in word only, but while they abandon not the swelling of pride, while they oppress those, whom they can, by the infliction of violence, while they themselves receive not at all the seeds of the word, while others are bearing fruit, but turn the ear of their heart from the voice of the adviser, what else are they, but hardened clods lying in the cultivated valleys? Who are the more wicked, inasmuch as they neither bring forth themselves the fruit of humility, and, what is worse, oppress the lowly who are producing it. To break down the hardness of these, Holy Church, because she suffices not with her own strength, sometimes seeks the assistance of this rhinoceros, that is, of an earthly prince, for him to break down the overlying clods, which the humility of the Churches, like the level of the valleys, is bearing. These clods, therefore, the rhinoceros presses and crushes with his foot, because the religion of the prince crumbles, by its power, the hardness of the wicked and powerful, which the humility of the Church is unable to withstand. And since it is the effect of Divine power alone, that the loftinesses of earthly sovereignty are bowed down, to advance the kingdom of heaven, it is now rightly said, Or will he break the clods of the valleys after thee? But that Job may think humbly of his virtues, and, under the name of the rhinoceros, still discern sublime truths concerning the powers of this world, it follows;

Ver. 11. Will thou have confidence in his great strength^ and uilt thou leave to him thy labours?

8. The Lord asserts that He has confidence in the Book strength of the rhinoceros; because He inclined the powers, — - — ' which He had conferred for a temporal piii-pose on an earthly prince, to minister to His reverence, in order that by the power he had received, through which he had, heretofore, been puffed up against God, he might now bestow on God religious obedience. For the more powerful he is toward the world, the more does he prevail for the Creator of the world. For because he is himself dreaded by his subjects, he persuades them the more readily, the more he points out with his power. Who is truly to be feared. Let it be said then; fVilt thou have conjidence in his great strength? As if it were said. As I, Who see, that the powers of earthly princes are about to submit to My worship. For I regard those things which thou art now doing, as of so much the less consequence, the more I now foresee, that I shall bend down 10 Myself even the greater powers of this world. But it is well subjoined; And will thou leave to him thy labours? For the Lord left His labours to this rhinoceros, because He entrusted to an earthly prince, on his conversion, that Church which He purchased by His own death, because, namely, He committed to his hand the great anxiety of preserving the peace of the faith. It follows;

Ver. 12. Wilt thou trust him, to bring back thy seed to thee, and to gather thyjloor?

9. What else is meant by ' seed,' but the word of preach- / vii. ing? As the Truth says in the Gospel, A sower u:e?it forth ^^^.tis, to sow; and as the Prophet says; Blessed are ye who sow {g^ -^2, upon all waters. What else but the Church, ought to be ^Ounderstood by the threshing floor? Of which it is said by the voice of the Forerunner; And He will throughly purge UHt.3, Hisfloor. Who therefore could believe, in the beginning of ^^" the rising Church, when that unconquered sovereignty of the world was raging with so many threats and tortures against her, that this rhinoceros would bring back seed to God, that is, repay by his works the word of preaching which he had received.? Which of the infirm could then believe, that he would gather His floor.'' B'or behold, he is now promulgating laws for the Church, who was before raging against it with various torments. Behold, vyhatever

Job 39,inations he has been able to seize, he brings by persuasion to the — — — Igrace of faith; ami points out eternal life to those, to whom, when captured, he secures their present life. Why is this? Because he is now, in truth, gathering the floor, which before he used to winnow, by scattering it with his proud horn. Let blessed Job therefore hear what the princes of the Gentiles do, and not exalt himself in himself with the glory of his own so great virtue. Let the powerful prince hear also, with what devotion the mightier princes of this world become the servants of God, and let not him who has a pattern in others, pervert his virtue, in consequence of its f singularity, into the sin of pride. For though God beheld no one like him at that time, yet He foresaw many, by whom to repress his boasting.

10. Because, therefore, earthly princes prostrate themselves before God with great hvnnility, wicked men, wha were before ranked in unbehef against the Church, and were raging with open hostility, now turn to other arguments of fraud. For since they see that those reverence religion, they themselves adopt a respect for religion, and under a despicable garb oppress the conduct of the good, by their wicked habits. For they are in truth lovers of the world, and make a show of that in themselves which man can admire, and unite themselves, not in heart, but in garb, to those who truly despise themselves. For since, though loving present glory, tliey cannot attain to it, they follow it, as if despising it. But they would manifest what they think against the good, if tliev were to find a fitting opportunity for their wickedness. But even these devices of tlie wicked tend to tlie purification of the Elect. For Holy Church cannot pass through the season of her pilgrimage, without the labour of temptation, and though she has no open enemies without, yet she endures false brethren within. For she is ever in array against sin, and, even in the season of peace, has her own contest. And she is perhaps more grievously afflicted, when she is assaulted, not by the blows of strangers, but by the manners of her own children. Whether therefore at that, or this time, she is always engaged in a struggle. For, both in the persecution of princes she is afraid that the good should lose, what they really are, and in the conversion of princes she bears witli the wicked pre- Book tending to be good, which they are not. Whence Ahni^bty ^^'^^' God, because He stated that this rliinoceros had been bound with thongs, immediately subjoined the hypocrisy of the wicked, saying;

Ver. 13. The wing of the ostrich is like the wings of the heron, and of the hawk.

11. Who can be ignorant how much the heron and the viii. hawk surpass all other birds in the swiftness of their flight? But an ostrich has the likeness of their wing, but not the celerity of their flight. For it cannot in truth rise from the ground, and raises its wings, in appearance as if to fly, but yet never raises itself from the earth in flying. Thus, doubtless, are all hypocrites, who, while they simulate the conduct of the good, possess a resemblance of a holy appearance, but have no reality of holy conduct. They have, in truth, wings for flight, in appearance, but in their doing they creep along the ground, because they spread their wings, by the semblance of sanctity, but, overwhelmed by the weight of secular cares, they are not at all raised from the earth. For the Lord in reprobating the appearance of the Pharisees, reproves, as it were, the wing of the ostrich, which did one thing in action, and made a show of another in its colour; saying, Woe unto you. Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; for Mat. 23, ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear'^^ '^'^' beautiful to men outwardly, but are ivithin full of dead men's bones; even so do ye also outwardly appear righteous unto meuy but within ye are fidl of covetousness and iniquity. As if He were saying: The beautiful show of your wings seems to raise you up, but the weight of your conduct weighs you down to the lowest depths. Of this weight it is said by the Prophet, Ye sons of men, how long will ye be heavy in heart? Ps. 4, 3. The Lord promises that He will convert the hypocrisy of this ostrich, when He says by the Prophet; The beasts of la. 43, the field shall honour Me, the dragons and the ostriches. ^^' For what is expressed by the word ' dragons,' but minds openly wicked, which ever creep along the earth in most grovelling thoughts? But what is designated by the word ' ostriches,' but those, who pretend that they are good, who retain a life of sanctity in appearance, as a wing for flight, but use

Job 39, it not in act? The Lord, therefore, says that He is glorified

'— by the dragon, or by the ostrich, because He frequently converts both the openly wicked, and the pretendedly good, to obey Him from their inmost thought. Or certainly, the beasts of the field, that is the dragons and ostriches, glorify the Lord, when that Gentile people, which had before been a member of the devil in this world, exalts the faith which is in Him. And this He both upbraids with the name of * dragon,' on account of its wickedness, and brands with the term ' ostriches,' on account of its hypocrisy. For the Gentile world received, as it were, wings, but was unable to fly; which both possessed the nature of reason, but knew not the operation of reason.

12. We have still something to examine more attentively, respecting the hawk and heron, in considering this ostrich. For the bodies of the hawk and the heron are small, but they are supported with thicker wings; and they therefore fly along with swiftness; because there is little in them which weighs them down, and much which supports them. But the ostrich, on the other hand, is endowed with scantier wings, and is weighed down with a huge body, so that though it desires to fly, yet the very fewness of the feathers supports not in the air the mass of so huge a body. The character of the Elect is, therefore, well signified by the hei'on and the hawk; for as long as they exist in this life, they cannot be without some infection of sin, however small. But since there is little in them which weighs them down, they have abimdant virtue of good doing which exalts them on high. But the hypocrite, on the contrary, though he does many things to raise him up, yet perpetrates many things to weigh him down. For it is not, that the hypocrite does no good things, but he commits many wickednesses, with wiiich to weigh them down. Its few feathers, therefore, raise not up the body of the ostrich, because a multitude of evil doings weighs down the little virtue of the hypocrite. This very wing of the ostrich has also a resemblance in colour to the wings of the heron and the hawk, but has no resemblance to their power. For the wings of these are close and fiimer, and in flying can press down the air by the power of their solidity, lint the loosely-formed wings of the ostrich, on

'ill in icliiys of hypocrisy let tinouijli I he air of praise. 435 the contrary, are unable to take flight, because they are Book overpassed by the very air, which they ought to keep down. '- — - — ' What else then do we observe in these, except that the virtues of the Elect fly forth solid, so as to beat down the winds of human applause? But however right the conduct of the hypocrites may appear, it is not able to fly, because, namely, the breath of human praise passes through the wing of unstable virtue.

13. But behold, when we observe the garb of the good and the evil to be one and the same, when we see the very same appearance of profession in the Elect and the reprobate, whence is our understanding able to discern in its comprehension the Elect from the reprobate, the true from the false } But we learn this the sooner, if we stamp upon our memory the words of our Teacher which have been intimated to us, Who says; By their fruits ye shall know them. For Matt. 7, we must not consider what they display in appearance, but what they maintain in conduct. Whence after having mentioned in this place the appearance of this ostrich. He immediately subjoins its doings, saying;