Morals on the Book of Job (Moralia)

xxxiv. 68. For though the just are possessed by no riot of carnal desires, yet the clog of corruption binds them down in this Wisd.9, life with hard chains; for it is written, For the corruptible body presseth doum the soul, and the earthly tabernacle weigheth down the mind that museih upon many things. So herein even, that they are still mortal beings, they are weighed down by the burthen of their state of corruption, and chained and bound by its clogs, in that they are not yet risen in that liberty of an incorruptible life. For they meet with one thing from the mind, and another from the body, and they are spent every day in the inward conflict with themselves. Are -they not indeed bound with the hard chain of vexation, whose mind, without labour, is dissolved in ignorance, and is not trained without the strivings of labour.? When forced it stands erect, of itself it lies prostrate, and yet as soon as raised up, it forthwith falls, by conquering itself with Book laborious effort, its eyes are opened to see heavenly things, — but recoiling, it flees the light, which had illuminated it. Are they not bound fast with the hard chain of vexation, who when their fired soul draws them with a perfect desire to the bosom of inward peace, suffer perturbation from the flesh in the heat of the conflict? And though this now no longer encounters it face to face, as though drawn up with hostile front, yet it still goes muttering like a captive in the rear of the mind, and, though with fears, it yet defiles with vile clamouring the form of fair tranquillity in the breast. Therefore, though the Elect subdue all enemies with a strong hand, since they long for the security of inward peace, it is yet a grievous vexation to them to have something still to vanquish. And leaving these out of the question, they endure over and above those chains too, which a sore necessity outwardly fastens upon them; for to eat, to drink, and to be tired, are chanis of corruption, and chains too, which can never be unloosed, save when our mortal nature is turned into the glory of an immortal nature; for we fill our body with food to sustain it, lest it fail from extenuation; and we thin it down by abstinence, lest it oppress by repletion. We quicken it by motion, lest it be killed by lying motionless, but by setting it down we soon stop its motions, that by that very activity it may not give under. We clothe it with garments as a succour to it, lest the cold destroy it, and cast off" these succours so sought after, lest the heat should parch it. Exposed then to so many vicissitudes and chances, what else do we, but drudge to the corruptibility of our state of being, that howsoever the multiplicity of the services rendered to it may sustain that body, which the fretting care of a frail nature subject to change weighs to the ground. Hence Paul says well. For the creature was Rom. 8, made subject to vanity^ not willingly, but by reason of him ' who hath subjected the same in hope. Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. For * the creature is made subject to vanity, not willingly,' in that man, who willingly left the footing of inborn firmness, being pressed down by the weight of a deserved mortality, is the unwilling

•loB 3, slave of the corruption of his changeftil conditioi). But this

„■— — creature is then rescued from the slavery of corruption, when in risnig agani it is lifted uncorrupt to the glory of the sons of God. Here then the Elect are bound with vexation, in that they are still ])ressed down by the curse of their corrupt condition. But when we are stripped of our corruptible flesh, we are as it were loosened from those chains of vexation, whereby we are now held bound. For we already long to come into the presence of God, but we are still hindered by the clog of a mortal body. So that we are justly called ' prisoners,' in that we have not as yet the advance of our desire to God free before us. Hence Paul, whose heart was set upon the things of eternity, yet who still carried about him the load of his corruption, being in bonds Phil. 1, exclaims, Havinn a desire to be itn/oosed and to he with 23..

Christ. For he would not desire to be ' unloosed,' unless, assuredly, he saw himself to be in bonds. Now because he saw that these bonds were most surely to be burst at the

Resurrection, the Prophet rejoiced as if they were already

Ps.iifi, burst asunder, when he said, Thou hast loosed my bonds. I xoill offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving. Let the holy man then reflect that inward light is the haven that receives converted sinners, and let him say, There the xcicked cease from, trouble. Let him reflect, that holy men, being awearied with the exercising of desire, enjoy the deeper repose in that inmost bosom, and let him say. And there the tceary in strength are at rest. Let him reflect, that being absolved from all the bonds of corruption at once and together, they attain those uncorrupt joys of liberty. And the former prisoners are alike without vexation. And it is well said, the former prisoners^ for while that ever present bliss

'B.' and is in his view, all that shall be, and is going •, seems as

^rone '^"^ l^liowgli past. For whilst the end of all things is awaited, all that passes away is accounted already to have been. But let him tell what all they, for whom the interior rest is there in store, shall meanwhile have done here. It goes on; non ex- They have not heard the voice of the e.xactor.

runt 69. Who else is to be understood by the title of the

XXXV. ' exactor,' saving that insatiate prompter, wlio for once bestowed the coin of deceit upon mankind, and from that time ceases not daily to claim the debt of death? Who Book

. IV lent to man in Paradise the money of sm, but by the '— multiplying of wickedness is daily exacting it with usury? Concerning this exactor, Truth saith in the Gospel, And the Lukei2, Judge deliver thee to the ^officer. Therefore the voice ofiy/g^,. this exactor is the tempting of persuasion to our hurt. And ''^'''"'*' we hear the voice of the exactor, when we are smitten with his temptation, but we do not hear it effectually- if we resist ^ej'awrf?. the hand that smites, for he ' hears' that feels the temptation, but he hears effectually who yields to the temptation. So let it be said of the righteous, They have not heard tJie voice of the exactor; for though they hear his prompting in that they are tempted, they do not hear it effectually, for that they take shame to yield thereto, but because whatsoever the mind loves with great affection, it is often repeating even in utterance of the lips; blessed Job, in that he views the crowds of inward peace with fulness of affection, again employs himself about the description^ of it, saying, distinV^

70. Forasmuch as there is to us in this life a difference in works, doubtless there will be in the future life a difference in degrees of dignity, that whereas here one surpasses another in desert, there one may excel another in reward. Hence Truth says in the Gospel, In My Father's house are many John H, mansions. But in those ' many mansions,' the very diversity^" of rewards will be in some measure in harmony. For an influence so mighty joins us together in that peace, that what any has failed to receive in himself, he rejoices to have received in another. And thus they that did not equally labour in the vineyard, equally obtain all of them a penny. And indeed with the Father are ' many mansions,' and yet the unequal labourers receive the same penny, in that the blessedness of joy will be one and the same to all, yet not one and the same sublimity of life to all. He had seen the small and great in this light, who said in the voice of the Head; Thine eyes did see My substance, yet being imperfect, Ps. 139, and in Thy book were all My mernbers written. He beheld 'the small and the great together,' when he declared, //ePs. H5, will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great.

Jobs, 71. And it is well added, And the servant is free from,v-^— his master. For it is written, Every one that sinneth is the John 8, servant of sin. For whosoever yields himself np to bad desire, submits the neck of his mind, till now free, to the dominion of wickedness. Now we withstand this master, when we stniggle against the evil whereby we had been taken captive, when we forcibly resist the bad habit, and treading under all froward desires, maintain against the same the right of inborn liberty, when we strike our sin by penitence, and cleanse the stains of pollution with our tears. But it oftentimes happens, that the mind indeed already bewails what it remembers itself to have done amiss, that already it not only forsakes its misdeeds, but even chastises them with the bitterest lamentations, yet while it recalls to memory the things that it has done, it is affrighted and sorely dismayed against the Judgment. It already turns itself with a perfect intention, but does not yet lift itself up in a perfect state of security, for while it weighs the rigid exactness of the final scrutiny, it trembles with anxiety between hope and fear, for it knows not, when the righteous Judge comes, what He will reckon, what He will remit of the deeds done. For it remembers what evil deeds it has committed, but it cannot tell whether it has worthily bewailed the commission of them, and it dreads lest the vastness of the sin exceed the measure of penance. And it is very often the case that ' Truth' already remits the sin, yet the troubled soul, whilst it is full of anxiety for itself, still trembles for the ]iardon thereof. So that in this present life the servant already escapes from his master, yet he is not free from him, in that by chastisement and penance man already forsakes his sin, yet he still fears the strict Judge for the recompensing of it. There then ' the servant will be free from his master,' when there will be no longer misgiving about the pardon of sin, when the recollection of its sin no longer condemns the soul, now secured, where the conscience does not tremble under a sense of guilt, but exults in the pardon of the same in a state of freedom.

72. But if man is reached there by no remembrance of his sin, how does he congratulate himself that he has been saved therefrom? Or how does he return thanks to his

Benefactor for the pardon, which he has received, if by an Book intervening forgetfuhiess of his past wickedness, he knows not that he is a debtor to suffer punishment? For we must not pass over negligently that which the Psalmist says, /P9.89,i. will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever. For how does he ' sing of the mercies of God for ever,' if he knows not that he has been miserable; and if he has no recollection of past misery, whence does he answer with praises the bestowal of mercy? And again, we must enquire how the mind of the Elect can be in perfect bliss, if amidst its joys the memory of its guilt reaches it? Or how does the glory of indefectible light shine out, when it is overcast by the sin that is recalled to mind? But be it known, that just as oftentimes now in joy we call to mind sad things, so in the future life, we bringback the memory of past sin without any hurt to our bliss. For it very often happens, that in the season of health, we recall to mind past pains without feeling pain, and in proportion as we remember ourselves sick, the more we hug ourselves in health. And so in that blissful estate there will be a remembrance of sin, not such as to pollute the mind, but to attach us the more closely to our joy, that while the mind without pain remembers itself of its pain, it may the more clearly perceive itself to be a debtor to the physician, and so much the more cherish the health it has received, in proportion as it remembers what it has escaped of uneasiness. And so then, placed in that state of bliss, we so regard our evil deeds without loathing, as now being set in light, without any inward blindness of the heart, we see the darkness with our mind; for though that be dim which we perceive with the imagination, this comes from the sentence of light, not from the misfortune of blindness. And thus throughout eternity we render to our Benefactor the praise of His mercy, yet are in no degree oppressed with the consciousness of wretchedness; for whilst we review our evils without any evil betiding the mind, on the one hand there will never be ought to defile the hearts that render praise on the score of past wickednesses, and again there will always be somewhat to inflame them to the praise of their Deliverer. Therefore, because the repose of inward light does in such sort transport the great ones into itself, that yet it does not

•240 The Converted herea tier free even from past siu.

Job 3, leave the little ones, It-lit be rightly said, the small and great

_Jh are there. Now forasumch as the mind of the converted

°"*'" sinner is there touched by tlie recollection of his sin in such sort that he is not overwhelmed by any confusion at that recollection, it is fitly subjoined, And the servant is free from his master.

1. Though the appointments of God are very much i. hidden from sight, why it is that in this life it is sometimes ill with the good and well with the wicked, yet they are then still more mysterious " when it both goes well with the good here below, and ill with the wicked. For when it goes ill with the good, and well with the bad, this perhaps is found to be for that both the good, if they have done wrong in any thing, receive punishment here that they may be more completely'' freed fi*om eternal damnation, and the wicked meet here with the good things, which conduce to this life, that they may be dragged to unmitigated torments hereafter. And hence these words are spoken to the rich man, when burning in hell, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime j > receicedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things. 16, 25. But when it is well with the good here and ill with the wicked, it is very doubtful, whether the good for this reason receive good things, that they may be set forward and advance to something better, or whether by a just and secret appointment they receive here the reward of their deeds, that they may prove void of the rewards of the life to come; and whether afflictions for this reason "come upon the wicked, in order that by correcting, they may be the means of preserving them from everlasting punishments, or whether their punishment only begins here, that, one day to receive completion, it should lead to the final torments of hell. Therefore, because in the midst of the divine appointments the

Job 3, human mind is closed in by the great darkness of its un- ""• certainty, holy men, when they see this world's prosperity to be their lot, are disquieted with fearful misgivings. For they fear lest they should receive here the fiuits of their labours. They fear lest Divine Justice should see in them a secret wound, and in loading them with external blessings should withhold them from the interior. But when they exactly consider, that they never do good saving that they may please God only, nor triumph in the veiy exuberance of their prosperity, then indeed they less fear hidden judgments to their hurt in their good fortune, yet they ill endure that good fortune, in that it impedes the interior purpose of the heart, and they reluctantly submit to the caresses of this present life, forasmuch as they are not ignorant that they are in some degree retarded thereby in their interior longing. For honour in this world is more engrossing than the contempt thereof, and the rise of prosperity weighs upon them more than the pressure of a hard necessity. For sometimes when a man is outwardly straitened by the latter, he is the more entirely set at liberty to fix his desire upon the interior good; but by the other the mind, while forced to yield to the mil of many, is kept back from the race of its own desire. And hence it is that holy men are in greater dread of prosperity in this world than of adversity. For they know that while the mind is under soft and beguiling impressions, it is sometimes apt to give itself up to be di*awn away after external objects. They know that oftentimes the secret thought of the heart so beguiles it, that it does not see how it is changed. And they consider too, what the eternal blessings are which they desire, and they see what a mere nothing all is that courts and smiles upon us after the manner of things temporal, and their mind bears the worse all the prosperity of this world, in proportion as it is pierced with love of heavenly happiness; and it is planted so much the more erect in contempt of the delightfulness of the present life, the more it perceives that this is beguiling it by stealth in the disregard- of eternal glory. Hence when blessed Job, having his eye fixed upon the rest above, had said, The small and great are there; and the servant is free from his master. He therefore adds.

2. Ill holy Scripture prosperity is sometimes represented by —^ — the title of light, and this world's adversity by the name of ^'' night. Hence it is well said by the Psalmist, As is its Ps, 139, darkness, so also is its light. For as holy men thus trample Vulg. upon the prosperity of this state by contemning it, as also they sustain its adverse fortune by trampling upon it, by an exceeding highmindedness laying under their feet alike the good and the ill of the world, they declare. As its darkness, so also is its light. As though they said in plain words, ' as its griefs do not force down the resoluteness of our fixed mind, so neither can its caresses corrupt the same.' But since these last, as we have said above, though they fail to lift up the mind of the lighteous, do yet cause them disquietude; holy men, who know themselves to be in misery in this wearisome exile, shrink from shining in its prosperity. Hence it is well said at this time. Wherefore is light given to one that is in misery? for ' light is given to those in misery,' when they, who, by contemplating things above, see themselves to be in misery in this our pilgrimage, have the brightness of transitory prosperity bestowed upon them; and when they are deploring grievously, that they are slow in returning to their country, they are over and above constrained to bear the burthen of honours. The love of eternal things is crushing them, and at the same time the glory of temporal things smiles upon them. When these reflect what the things are, which keep them down below, and what those are that they see not of the things above, what those are that set them up on earth, and what they have lost of heavenly blessings, they are stung with regret of their prosperity. For though they see that they are never wholly overwhelmed thereby, yet they anxiously consider that their thoughts are divided between the love of God, and the gifts of His hand; and hence when he says, Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery? he subjoins forthwith. And life unto the bitter in soid?

3. For all the Elect are bitter in soid, in that either they \w^ never cease to punish themselves by weeping for the transgressions they have committed, or they afflict themselves with regrets, that banished here far from the face of their

•244 Bad men know not Iheir own misenj.

Job 3, Creator, they are not yet admitted to tlie bliss of tlie eternal country; and of their hearts it is well said by Solomon, The heart kjioiceth its own bitterness, and a stranger shall not intermeddle with his joy. For the hearts of the reprobate are likewise in bitterness, for that they are afflicted even by their very bad passions themselves. Yet they know not of this very bitterness, because having voluntarily blinded their own eyes, they cannot estimate what they are undergoing; but on the contrary the heart of a good man knoweth its own bitterness, for it knows the hard condition of this place of exile, wherein it is cast forth to be torn in pieces; and it sees how tranquil is all that it has lost, how troubled the condition it has fallen into. Yet this embittered heart is one day brought back to its own joy, and a stranger shall not intermeddle therewith, in that he, who now casts himself forth without, away from this sorrow of the heart, in his aims, will then remain shut out from its interior festival.

4. Tiiey then that are in bitterness of soul, long to be wholly dead to the world, that, as they themselves aim at nothing in this present world, so they may not henceforth be fettered by the world with any ties; and it very often happens that a person has already ceased to retain the world in his affections, but the world still ties down that person by its business, and he indeed is already dead to the world, but the world is not yet dead to him. For in a certain sense the 'D.'de-^^'oi'l<^l) still alive, regards^ him, so long as it strives to carry sires i^ij^ away in its actions, when he is bent another way. below) Hence, since Paul both himself utterly contemned the world, and saw that he was become such an one as this world could not possibly desire, having burst the bonds of this life, and Gal. c being henceforth at liberty, he rightly exclaims, The world '^- is crucified to me, and I unto the world. For ' the world was crucified to him,' because being now dead to his affections it was no longer an object of love to him; and he had likewise ' crucified himself to the world,' in that he studied to shew himself thereto in such alight, that, as though dead, he might never be coveted by it. For if there be a dead person, and one alive in the same place, though the dead sees not the living, yet the living person does see the dead, but if both are dead, neither can possibly see the other. Thus he, who no longer loves the world, but yet even against his will Book is loved by the world, though he himself being as it were '- — dead sees nothing of the world, yet the world not being dead sees him; but if he neither himself retains the world in his affections, nor again is retained in the affections of the world, then both are mutually dead to one another; in that whereas neither seeks the other, it is as if the dead heeded not the dead. Therefore, because Paul neither souglit the glory of the world, nor was himself sought out by the same, he glories both in being himself crucified to the world, and in the world being crucified to him. Now because there are many that desire this, who yet do not altogether rise up to the very extreme point of such a state of deadness, they may well lament and say; Wherefore is light give?! to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul. For ' life is given to those in bitterness,' when the glory of this world is bestowed upon the sad and sorrowful, in which same life they do not spare themselves the chastening of most urgent fear; for though they do not themselves hold to the world, yet they still dread being such as the woi'ld holds to; and except they were living to it in some slight degree, it would never surely love them for their serviceableness to its interests; just as the sea keeps living bodies in her own bosom, but dead ones she forthwith casts out fi'om herself It proceeds;

5. For they desire to mortify themselves wholly, and to be iv. entirely extinct of the life of temporal glory, but by the secret appointments of God they are often forced either to take the lead in command, or to busy themselves with dignities imposed on them, and in these circumstances they unceasingly look for a perfect mortification, but this exi^ected death cometh not; in that the use of them is still alive to temporal glory even against their will, though they submit to that gloiy from the fear of God, and while they inwardly retain their aim after piety, they outwaidly discharge the functions of their station, that they should neither quit their perfection in their inward pui-pose, nor set themselves against the dispensations of their Creator in a spirit of pride. For by a marvellous pitifulness of the Divine Nature it comes to pass, that, when he, who aims at contemplation with a

'24t) Holy desires groiv by the check of labour for others.

Jon 3, perfect heart, is busied with human affairs, his perfect mind

'— at once profits many that are weaker, and iu whatever degree he sees himself to be imperfect, he rises therefiom more perfect to the crowning ])ohit of humihty. For sometimes by the very same means, whereby holy men suffer loss in their own longings, they bear off the larger profits by the conversion of others, for, while it is not permitted them to give themselves thereto as they desire, it is their grateful oflice to carry off along with themselves others, whom they are associated with. And so it is effected by a wonderful dispensation of pity, that by the same means, whereby they

> lie- seem to themselves to be the more undone S they rise tionem ^' Now sometimes they fail to attain the desires, that they have conceived, for this reason, that by the very interposing of the delay, they may be made to expand to the same objects with an enlarged embrace of the mind, and by a striking dispensation it is effected that that, which if fulfilled might perhaps become thin and poor, being kept back, gains growth. For they desire so to mortify themselves that, if it may be vouchsafed, they may already perfectly behold the face of their Creator, but their desire is delayed that it may gain increase, and it is fostered in the bosom of its slow advancement that it may grow larger. Hence the Bride, Cant. 3, panting with desire of her Bridegroom, justly cries out, By night on my bed I sought him, whom my soid loveth: 1 sought him, but I found him not. The Spouse hides himself when He is sought, that not being found He may be sought for with the more ardent affection, and she in seeking is withheld, that she cannot find Him, in order that being rendered of larger capacity by the delay she undergoes, she may one day find a thousandfold what she sought. Hence when blessed Job said. Which long for death, but it cometh not; that he might the more minutely particularize this very desire of those seekers, he thereupon adds;

And dig for it as for hid treasures. V. 7. For all men that seek for a treasure by digging, the deeper they have begun to go, Idndle to the work with the greater energy; for in the same proportion that they reckon themselves to be now, at this moment, approaching the Book buried treasure, they strive with increased efforts in digging ^' for it. They, then, that perfectly desire the morlilication of themselves, seek it as they thai dig for hid treasures, for the nearer they are brought to their object, the more ardent they shew themselves in the work. Therefore they never flag in their labour, but increase the more in the exercise thereof; for that in the degree, that they reckon on their reward as now nearer at hand, they spend themselves the more gladly in the work. Hence Paul says well to some, that were seeking the hid treasure of the eternal inheritance. Not forsaking B-ehAO^ the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is; ' but consoling^ one another, and so much the more as ye see^y-conthe day approaching. For to give consolation to the labourer, is to continue labouring in like manner to him, the sight of a fellow labourer being the alleviation of our own labour, as, when a companion joins us in a journey, the way itself is not shortened, yet the toilsomeness of the way is alleviated by the society of a companion. Therefore, whereas Paul looked for their consoling one another in their labours, he added these words, and so much the more as ye see the day approaching. As though he said, ' let your labour increase the more, that now the reward of your labour itself is nigh at hand.' As if he expressed himself in plain words, ' Do ye seek a treasure? Then ye should dig for it with the greater ardour, that ye have by digging reached by this time close to the gold ye were in quest of.'

8. Though this, that he says, Which long for death and it Cometh not; and dig for it as for hid treasures, may be taken in another sense also. For in that we cannot perfectly die to the world, unless we bury ourselves within the invisible depths of our own heart from all things visible, they that long for the mortifying of themselves, are well compared to those that dig for a treasui'e. For we die to the world by means of an unseen wisdom, of which it is said by Solomon, If thou seekest her as silver, and diggest for her as for hid Prov. 2, treasures. Since wisdom lieth not on the surface of things, for it is deep in the unseen. And we then lay liold on the mortification of ourselves, in attaining wisdom, if, relinquishing visible things, we bury ourselves in the invisible; if we

Job 3, so seek for her in the digging of the litart, that every ima-

—^^ — gination, which the mind conceives, of an earthly nature, she puts from her with the hand of holy discemment, and acquaints herself with the treasure of virtue which was hidden from her. For she soon finds a treasure in herself, if she thrust from her that heap of earthly thoughts, which lay as a wretched load upon her. Now because he describes death coveted as a treasure, he rightly subjoins;

Ver. 22. Which rejoice exceedingly and are glad, when they can find the grave. vi. 0. For as the grave is that place wherein the body is buried, so lieavenly contemplation is a kind of spiritual grave wherein the soul is buried. For in a certain sense we still live to this world, when in spirit we roam abroad therein. But we are buried in the grave as dead, when being mortified in things without, we secrete ourselves in the depths of interior contemplation. And therefore holy men never cease to mortify themselves with the sword of the sacred Word to the importunate calls of earthly desires, to the throng of unprofitable cares, and to the din of obstreperous tuinults, and they bury themselves within before God's presence in the bosom of the mind. Hence it is well said by the

Ps. 31, Psalmist, And Thou shall hide them in the secret of Thy presence from the strife of tongues. Which though it be not until afterwards fully brought to pass, is yet even now in a great measure accomplished, when with the feeling of delight they are caught away into the inward parts from the strife of temporal desires, so that, whilst their mind wholly expands in every part to the love of God, it is not rent and torn by any useless anxiety. Hence it is that Paul had seen those disciples as dead, and as it were buried in the grave Col. 3, by contemplation, to whom he said, Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. He, then, that seeks for death rejoices when he finds the grave; for whoso desires to mortify himself, is exceeding joyful on finding the rest of contemplation; that being dead to the world he may lie hid, and bury himself in the bosom of interior love from all the disquietudes of external things.

10. But since in addition to this, that he speaks of a treasure being dug up, the finding of a grave is further introduced, it is needftil that our mind's eye should keep this Book in view, that the ancients buried their dead with their wealth. '- —

He, then, that seeks for a treasure, ' rejoices when he has found the grave,' in that when we, in quest of wisdom, turn the pages of Holy Writ, when we trace out the examples of those that have gone before us, we as it were derive joy from the grave, for we find the mind's wealth among the dead, who, because they* are perfectly dead to this world, rest in Jy^fJ^^"^' secret with their riches beside them. And so he is made 'for they rich by the grave, who, following the example of the righ- ^ °' teous, is raised up in the excellency of contemplation. But when he asks, saying, Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery? he intimates the reason for which he ventures to put such a question, by saying,

Ver. 23. Why is light given to a man ivhose way is hid, and whom Ood hath encompassed with darkness?

11. For ' man's way is hid to him,' in that though he vii. already takes cognizance of the kind^ of life that he is lead-^qualiing, he does not yet know to what issue it tends. Though his affections are now fixed on things above, though he seeks them with all his longings, he is yet ignorant whether he shall persevere in the same longings. For forsaking our sins we strive after righteousness, and we know whence we are come, but we know nothing whereunto we may arrive. We know what we were yesterday, but we cannot tell what we may chance to be to-morrow. ' Man's way then is hid to him,' in that he so sets the foot of his labour, that, this notwithstanding, he can never foresee the issue of the accomplishment thereof.

12. Now there is also another ' hiding of our way.' For there are times when we are ignorant, whether the very things which we believe we do aright, are rightly done in the strict Judge's eye. For, as we have also said a long way above, it often happens that an action of ours, which is cause for our condemnation, passes with us for the aggrandizement of virtue. Often by the same act, whereby we think to appease the Judge, He is urged to anger, when favourable. As Solomon bears witness, saying, Tliere is a Prov. way ivhich seemeih rigid unto a man; hat the end thereoj'^^^ 12. are the icays of death. Hence, whilst holy men are getting

•250 Good men left still in doubt of their Jinal.success*

Job 3, tlie mastciy over their evil habits, their very good practices

^ — even become an object of dread to them, lest, when they desire to do a good action, ihey be decoyed by a semblance of the thing, lest the balefid canker of corruption lurk under the fair appearance of a goodly colour. For they know that they are still charged with the burthen of corruption, and cannot exactly discern the things that be good. And when they biing before their eyes the standard of the final Judgment, there are times when they fear the very things which they approve in themselves; and indeed they are in mind wholly intent on the concerns of the interior, yet alarmed from uncertainty about their doings, they know aiot whither they arc going. Hence after he had said, Wherefore is light given to one that is in misery '^ it is with proi)riety added, to a man whose ivay is hid? As though the words were, ' Why has that man this life's success for his portion, who knows not of his course of conduct, in what esteem it is held by his Judge. And it is rightly subjoined. And whom God hath encompassed with darkness. For man is ' encompassed with darkness,' since howsoever he may bui'n with heavenly longings, he is ignorant how it goes with him in the interior. And he is in great fear lest aught concerning himself should meet him in the Judgment, which is now hidden from himself in the aspirations of holy fervour. ' Man is encompassed with darkness,' in that he is closed in by the clouds of his own ignorance. Is not that man ' encompassed with darkness,' who most often neither remembers the past, nor finds out the future, and scarce knows the present? That wise man had seen himself Wisd.9, tobe encompassed with darkness, when he said. And uith labour do we find the things that are before us; but the things that are in heaven who shall search out?

Tlie Projihet beheld himself ' encompassed with' such ' darkness,' when he was unable to discover the interior Ps. 18, springs of His inmost economy, saying. He made darkness His secret place. For the Author of our being, in that, when we were cast out into this place of exile, He took from us the light of His vision, buried Himself from our eyes as it were ' in the secret place of darkness.'

13. Now as often as we attentively regard this same dark- iiess of our blind estate, we stir up the mind to lamentation. Book For it weeps for the state of blindness, which it is under without, if it remember in humility that it is bereft of light in the interior, and when it looks to the darkness which sun'ounds it, it is wrung with ardent longing for the inward brightness, and rent with thought's whole effort, and that light above, which as soon as created it relinquished, now debarred, it makes the object of its search. Whence it very often happens that that radiance of inward joy bursts out amidst those very tears of piety; and that the mind, which had lain torpid in a state of blindness, being fed with sighs, receives strength to gaze at the interior brightness. Whence it rightly jDroceeds,

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

And my roarings are poured out like overflowing waters.

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

•252 The Riyhleons fear lest they sin in their good tvorks.

Job 3, they weep over, whilst they shrink from the events that still

'■ — await them, in that they are unknown, there are gathered in them as it were a kind of billows, as of water, which spend themselves in the roarings of grief, as upon a shore beneath them. The holy man then saw how great are the billows of our thoughts in our penitential niouniing, and he called the very waves of our grief overflowing waters, saying. And my roarings are like overjlowing waters. Now there are times when the righteous, as we likewise said a little above, even in the midst of their very good works, are affrighted and give themselves to continual mourning, lest they should offend by some secret misdemeanour therein. And when God's scourges suddenly take hold of them, they imagine that they have done despite to the grace of their Maker, in that being either impeded by infirmities, or weighed down with sadness, they are not ready to perform works of mercy to their neighbours; and their heart turns to mourning, for that the body is become slack to its devout ministration. And whereas they see that they are not adding to their reward, they fear that their past deeds also have been displeasing. Hence when blessed Job described his roaring like overflowingwaters, he thereupon added, ^ Ver. 25. For the thing that I greatly feared is come iipon me, and that which I am afraid of is come unto me. X. 16. The righteous therefore lament and fear, and torment themselves with bitter lamentations, because they dread to be given over, and though they rejoice in their own cor- ' correp-rection', the correction itself disturbs their fearful spirits, '° lest the evil, which they arc undergoing should not be the merciful stroke of discipline, but the righteous visitation of vengeance. And the Psalmist reflecting thereupon says Ps. 90, with justice. Who knoweth the poiver of Thine anger? For the power of God's anger cannot be conceived by our faculties, in that His dispensation, by its undisccrned provisions concerning us, often takes us up in that very point where it is.counted to abandon us, and in the very thing wherein it is supposed to take us up, it forsakes us. So that very often that is rendered grace to us, which we call wrath, and that is sometimes wrath, which we account to be grace. For strokes of affliction are the correction of some men, but others they lead to a frenzy of impatience, and Book there are some whom prosperity, in that it soothes them, ^' cahns from a state of madness, while there are others whom, seeing that it uplifts them, it wholly turns adrift from every hope of conversion. Now vice forces all men down beneath, but some the more easily return from thence, that they take the greater shame to themselves to have fallen thereunto. And attainments in virtue in every case raise men on high, yet sometimes some men, in that swelling thoughts are engendered from their virtues, fall down by the very pathway of their rise. And so forasmuch as the power of God's wrath is little knoAvn, under all circumstances it must needs be unceasingly feared. It proceeds;

Ver. 26. Did I not dissemble it? Did 1 not hold mi/soVuig. peace? Did I not rest quiet? Yet wrath came upon me.

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

*254 Power and freedom kepi by sparing the use of litem.

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

Babylon, while he was secretly revolving in his own mind, Dan. 4, in tlic pride of his heart, saying, Is not this fjreat Babylon which I have builded? was suddenly turned into an irrational beast. For he lost all that he had been made, because he would not humbly keep back what he had done; and because in the piide of his heart he lifted himself up above men, he lost that very human faculty, which he had in common with man. And often they that are in power burst out at random into insulting language towards their dependants, and this merit, viz. that they serve their office of authority with vigilance, they lose by reason of their forwardness of speech, plainly considering with overlittle dread the words of the Judge, that Matt.5, }j(3 ^^/((j shall say to his brother without cause Thou fool, makes himself obnoxious to hell fire. Often they that are in power, whereas they know not how to refrain lawful actions, slide into such as arc unlawful, and unquiet. For he alone is never brought down in things unlawful, who is careful to restrain himself at times even from things lawful. It is with the bands of this selfsame restraint that Paul shewed himself 1 Cor. 6, to be bound for good, when he says, All things are lauful to me, but all things are not expedient; and in order to shew in what exceeding freedom of mind he was set at large by reason of this very restraint, he thei'eupon added. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the potcer of any. For when the mind pursues after the desires that it entertains, it is convicted of being enslaved to the things, by the love of which it is subdued. But Paul, * to whom all things are lawful,' is ' brought under the power of none;' in that by restraining himself even from things lawful, those very objects, which, if enjoyed, would weigh him down, being contemned, he rises above.

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

19. Moreover they rest, that bear themselves well in power, in that they prefer to lay aside, at intervals, the din of earthly business for the love of God, lest whilst the lowest objects incessantly occupy the mind, it should altogether fall away from the highest. For they know that it can never be lifted up to things above, if it be continually busied in those below with tumultuous care and concern; for what should that mind gain concerning God in the midst of business, which, even when at liberty, strives with difficulty to apprehend aught that concerns Him? And it is well said by the Psalmist, Keep Ps. 46, yourselves aloof, and know that I am God. For he that ^^• neglects to ' keep himself aloof to God, by his own judgment upon himself hides the light of God's vision from his eyes. Hence moreover it is declared by Moses, that those fish that Lev. ii, have no fins should not be eaten. For the fish, that have fins, are wont to make leaps above the water. Thus they only pass into the body" of the Elect in the manner of food, who, whilst they yield themselves to the lowest charges, can sometimes by the mind's leaps mount up to things on high, that they may not always be buried in the deeps of care, and be reached by no breath of the highest love as of the fi'ee air. They, then, who are busied in temporal affairs, then only manage external things aright, when they betake them with solicitude to those of the interior, when they take no delight in the clamours of disquietudes without, but repose within themselves in the bosom of tranquil rest.

20. For men of depraved minds never cease to keep on the tumult of earthly business within their own breasts, even when they are unemployed. For they retain pictured in imagination the things, which their love is fixed on, and e ' in corpore,' but he seems to use are of doubtful reading. This may be the ablative so, though many passages taken, < in the feeding of the body.'

•250' Qnietnefis and inuard life of (jood men, as Jacob.

Job 3, though they be employed in no outward work, yet within —^ — themselves they are toiling and labouring under the weight of an unquiet quiet. And if the management of these same things be accorded to them, they wholly go forth from themselves, and follow after these temporal and transient conceras by the ])ath of their purpose of mind, with the unintermitted steps of the thoughts. But pious minds, on the one hand, seek not such things when lacking, and on the other, they bear them with difficulty, when present, for they fear lest by the care of external things they be made to go out of themselves. Which same is well represented in the life of those two Gen. 25, brothers, concerning whom it is written. And Esau was a Viiie cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain ' so ixx. man dwelling in tents. Or it is said in 'the other translation, he dwelt at home. For what is represented by Esau's himting but the life of those, who, giving a loose to themselves in external pleasures, follow the flesh? and, moreover, he is described to be a man of the field, for the lovers of this world cultivate the external in the same proportion, that they leave uncultivated their internal parts. But Jacob is recorded to be a plain man, dwelling in tents, or dwelling at home, in that, truly, all, that seek to avoid being dissipated in external cares, abide plain men in the interior, and in the dwelling place of their conscience; for to ' dwell in tents,' or ' in the house,' is to restrain one's self within the secrets of the heart, nor ever to let themselves run loose without in their desires, lest, while men gape after a midtitude of objects without, they be led away from themselves by the alienation of their thoughts. So let him, who was tried and trained in prosperity, say. Did I not dissemble it? Did I not hold my peace? Did 1 7iot rest quiet? For, as we have said above, when holy men receive the smiles of transitory prosperity, they ' dissemble' the favour of the world, as though they were ignorant of it, and with a resolute step they inwardly trample upon that, whereby they are outwardly lifted up. And they ' hold their peace,' in that they never clamour with the uproar of wicked doings. For all iniquity has its voice belonging to it in the secret judgments of God. Hence it is Gen. 18, written, The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great. And ^^' they ' rest quiet,' when they are not only hurried away by no unruly appetite of tein})oral desires, but over and above Book eschew the busying themselves out of due measure with the ^' necessary concerns of this present life.

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

22. And it is well added, Yet indignation came upon me. For with wonderful skilfulness of instruction, when about to tell of the chastisements, he premised the good deeds, that each man might hence be led to consider what punishments await sinners hereafter, if the righteous even are chastised here with strokes so strong. For it is hence that Peter says, For the time is come that judgment must begin \ Pet.4, at the house of God. And, if the rigldeous scarcely be saved, ^"^^ '^• lohere shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Hence Paul, after he said many things in commendation of the Thessalonians, straightway added. So that ue ourselves glory 2Thes^. in you in the churches of God, for your patience and faith ^' ** ^' in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure;

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

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

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

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

200 He may seek explanation, but nnist do it Innnbhj.

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

25. But when any of the doings of better men are dis-

])leasing to tlie less good, they are by no means to hold their peace about the considerations which influence their minds, but to give utterance thereto with a great degi'ee of humility, so that the puri)osc of him, whose feelings are pious, may, in a genuine manner, keep the form of uprightness, in proportion as he goes by the pathway of lowliness. Thus both all that we feel is to be fi*eely expressed, and all that we express is to be uttered with the deepest humility, lest even what we intend aright we make other than right, by putting it forth in a sjiirit of pride. Paid had spoken many things to his hearers with lunnility, but it was with still more humility that he busied himself to appease them about that Heb 13 li'^wii^^G exhortation itself, saying, And I beseech you^bretlircn, 22. suffer the irord of exit or tation: for I have written a letter tinto you in few icords. And likewise bidding farewell to the Ephesians at Miletus, who were deeply grieved and loudly lamenting, he recalls his humility to their remem- ^p^g brance, in these words. Therefore trntch, and remember, that 20, 31. by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. Again he says to the same Eph 4 P^^'i^ons by letter, / therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, 1. beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called. Therefore let him infer from hence, if he ever thinks rightly at all, with what humility the disciple ought to address the Master, if the Master of the Gentiles himself, in the very things which he proclaims with authority, beseeches the disciples so submissively. Let every one collect from hence in what a spirit of humility he should comuninicate to those, from whom he has received examples of good living, all that he pei'ceives aright, if Paul submitted himself in a humble strain to those, whom he himself raised up to life.

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

The tiger hath perished for lack of prey, the roaring of the Book lion, and the voice of the fierce lioness^, and the teeth of the ^' young lions are broken: i. e, by the teeth of a tiger marking lo. u. out blessed Job, as it were, with the fault of variedness;'^-*^"^ by the roaring of the lion, denoting that man's terribleness; by the voice of the lioness, the loquacity of his wife; and by the broken teeth of the young lions, signifying the gluttony of his sons brought to ruin. And hence the sentence of God rightly reproves the feeling of the friends, which had lifted itself up in swelling reproach, saying. Ye have not spoken o/'Jol' 42, Me the thing that is right, as My servant Job hath.

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

Job 3, their shaii)nc'ss. And tlierofore because tliey are both great i

.?_: in themselves, and yet ought never to have been taken up against bk'ssed Job, on the one hand let Paul, weighing them by their intrinsic excellence, deliver them as authoritative, and on the other let the Judge, forasmuch as they werr delivered without caution, censure them in respect of the quality of the individual.

'28, But, as we have said above that these same friends of blessed Job contain a figure of lieretics, let us now search out how their words agree with heretics; for some of the opinions which they hold are very right, but in the midst of these they fall away to corrupt notions; for heretics have this especial peculiarity, that they mix good and evil, that so they may easily delude the sense of the hearer. For if they always said wrong, soon discovered in their wrongheadedness, they would be the less able to win a way for that, which they desire. Again, if they always thought right, then, surely, they would never have been heretics. But whilst with arttUlness of deceiving they engage themselves with either, both by the evil they Adtiate the good, and by the good they conceal the evil, to the end that it may be readily admitted; just as he that presents a cup of poison, touches the brim of the cup with honied sweets, and while this that has a sweet flavour is tasted at the first sip, that too which brings death is unhesitatingly swallowed. Thus heretics mix right with wrong, that by making a shew of good things, they may draw hearers to themselves, and by setting forth evil they may corrupt them with a secret pestilence. Yet it sometimes happens tliat being corrected by the preaching and admonitions of Holy Church, they are healed from such a contradiction in views, and hence the friends of blessed Job offer the sacrifice of their reconciliation by the hands of the same holy man, and even under attainder they are restored to the favom- of the Lukei4, Supreme Judge. Of whom we have a fitting representation ^^- in that cleansing of the ten lepers. For in leprosy both a portion of the skin is brought to a bright hue, and a portion remains of a healthy colour. Lepers therefore are a figure of heretics, for in that they blend evil with good, they cover the complexion of health with spots. And hence tliat they may be healed, they rightly cry out, Jesus, Master^. For whereas Book they notify that they have gone wrong in His words, they ^' humbly call Hiui Master when they are to be healed, and so cep^tor, soon as they return to acknowledge the Master, they are at once ^"'sbrought back to the right state of health. But as on the sayings of Ills friends we have carried the preface to our interpretation somewhat far, let us now consider minutely the very words themselves which they spake. The account goes on;

C. iv. 1, 2. Then Eliphaz the TemanUe ansuercd and said, 1/ we assay to commune ivith thee, uili thou be grieved Y

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

Ij we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? For heretics dread to incense their hearers at the outset of their communing with them, lest they be listened to with ears on the watch, and they carellilly shun the paining of them, that they may catch their unguardedness, and what they put forward is almost always mild, while that is harsh which they cunningly introduce in going on. And hence at this time the friends of Job begin with the reverence of a gentle address, but they burst forth even to launching the darts of the bitterest invectives; for the roots of thorns themselves are soft, yet from that very softness of their own they put forth that whereby they pierce. It goes on;

But ivho can hold in^ the discourse conceived:Y 'thusV.

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

Job 4, tlic'ii to whicli class Elipliuz belongs, who bt-ais witness that

,' ' ' he cannot ' withhold his conceived discourse.' Wherein too he made known this, tliat he know that he would give offence by speaking. For he would never be anxious to withhold words that he cannot, unless he were assured beforehand that he would be inflicting wounds by the same; for good men check precipitancy of speech with the reins of counsel, and they take heedful thought, lest, by giving a loose to the wantonness of the tongue, they should by heedlessness of ' CO"- speech pierce their hearer's spirits'; hence it is well said by tiam Solomon, He that letleth out water is a head of strife. For \l°\. * ^^^ water is let out,' when the floAving of the tongue is let loose. Vulg. And he that ' letteth out water,' is made the ' beginning of strife,' in that by the incontinency of the lips, the commencement of discord is afforded. Thus, as the wicked arc light in mind, so they are precipitate in speech, and neglect to keep silence, thoroughly considering what they should -con- say. And what a light spirit'^ conceives, a lighter tongue '^ delivers apace. Hence on this occasion Eliphaz infers from his own experience a thing, which in a feeling of hopelessness he believes concerning all men; saying, But who can icifhhold his conceived discourse!^ It proceeds;

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

Ver. 5. But 9iow it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.

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

Job 4, departed, subjoins the virtues of the holy man, enumerating them, and saying.

• v.thus Ver. 6. ' Where is thy fear ^ thy strength^ thy patiencejand the perfeciuess of thy tvays? xvi. 33. All which same he makes to succeed that sentence which he set before, saying, But now a stroke is come upon thee ^andtliou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled. Thus he declares that they were brought to nought all of them together, in this, that he blames blessed Job's being troubled by the scourge. Yet it is to be well taken notice of, that though he chides unbeiittingly, yet the ranks of virtues he fitly describes; for in enumerating the virtues of blessed Job, he marked out his life in four stages, in that he both added strength to fear, and patience to strength, and to patience, perfection. Since one sets out in the way of the Lord with fear, that he may go on to strength; for as in the world boldness begets strength, so in the way of God boldness engenders weakness; and as in the way of the world fear gives rise to weakness, so in the way of God fear ])ro- Prov.14, duces strength; as Solomon witnesses, who says, I)t the fear of the Lord is strong confidence. For ' strong confidence' is said ' to be in the fear of the Lord,' in that, in truth, our mind so much the more valorously sets at nought all the terrors of temporal vicissitudes, the more thoroughly that it submits itself in fear to the Author of those same temporal things. And being stablishcd in the fear of the Lord, it encounters nothing without to till it with alarm, in that whereas it is united to the Creator of all things by a righteous fear, it is by a certain powerful influence raised high above them all. For strength is never shewn saving in adversity, and hence patience is immediately made to succeed to strength. For every man proves himself in a much truer sense to have advanced in ' strength,' in proportion as he bears with the bolder heart the wrongs of other men. For he was little strong in himself, who is brought to the ground by the wickedness of another. He, in that he cannot bear to face opposition, lies pierced with the sword of his cowardice. But forasmuch as perfectiou springs out of patience, immediately after patience we have the perfectness of his ways introduced. For he is really Book perfect, who feels no impatience towards the imperfection of '- his neighbour; since he that goes off, not being able to bear the imperfection of another, is his own witness against himself, that he is not yet perfectly advanced. Hence Truth says in the Gospel, In your patience possess ye yowrLuke2i, souls. For what is it to possess our souls, but to Hve by the ^^' rule of perfection in all things, to command all the motions of the mind from the citadel of virtue? He then that maintains patience possesses his soul, in that from hence he is endued with strength to encounter all adversities, whence even by overcoming himself he is made master of himself; and as he quells himself in a manner worthy of all praise, he comes forth unquelled with dauntless front, because by conquering himself in his pleasures, he makes himself invincible to reverses. But as Eliphaz rebuked him with reviling, so now he adds a few words, as if in exhortation, saying,

Ver. 7. Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off?

34. Whether it be heretics, of whom we have said that the xvii. friends of blessed Job bore an image, or whether any of the froward ones, they are as blameable in their admonitions, as they are immoderate in their condemnation. For he says, Who ever perished being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off? Since it often happens that in this life both ' the innocent perish,' and ' the righteous are' utterly ' cut off,' yet in perishing they are reserved to glory eternal. For if none that is innocent perished, the Prophet would not say. The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart. If Is. 57, God in His providential dealings did not carry off the righteous, Wisdom would never have said of the righteous man. Yea, speedily was he taken away, lest that wickedness y^'isi], 4, should alter his understanding. If no visitation ever smote the righteous, Peter would never foretell it, saying. For M<?iPet.4, time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God. They then are really righteous, who are furnished forth by the love of the Country above to meet all the ills of the present life. For all that fear to endure ills here, for the sake of eternal blessings, clearly are not righteous men. But Eliphaz does not take account either that the righteous are

26*8 Evil-doers seldom recompensed in this life.

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

Ver. 8, 9. Even, as I hare see)i, they that plough iniquity, > V. so. and^ sow sorrows, and reap the same, hy the blast of God do they perish, and by the breath of His nostrils are they consumed. xviii. 35. To ' sow griefs' is to utter deceits, but to ' reap griefs' is to prevail by so speaking. Or, sm'ely, they ' sow griefs,' who do frovvard actions, they ' reap giiefs,' when they are punished for this frowardness. For the harvest of giief is the recompense of condemnation, and vvhereas it is immediately introduced thai they that ' sow and reap griefs,' ' perish by the blast of God,' and are ' consumed by the breath of His nostrils,' in this passage the ' reaping of grief is shewn to be not punishment as yet, but the still further peifecting of wickedness, for in ' the breath of His nostrils' the punishment of that ' reaping' is made to follow. Here then they ' sow and reap griefs,' in that all that they do is wicked, and they thrive in that very wickedness, as is said of Ps.10,5. the wicked man by the Psalmist, His nays are always grievous; Thy judgments are Jar above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at tliem. And it is soon after ver. 7. added concerning him, under his tongue is labour and grief So then he ' sows griefs,' when he does wicked -things, he * reaps giiefs,' when liom the same wickednesses he grows to temporal greatness. How then is it that they ' perish by the blast of God,' who are for the most part permitted to abide long here below, and in greater prosperity than the righteous? For hence it is said of them again by the Ps. 73, Psalmist, They are not in trouble as other men, neither are they plagued like other folk. Hence Jeremiah saith, Jer. 12, Wherefore doth the tcay of the wicked prosper ^ For be- Ecclus. cause, as it is written. For the Lord is - a long-sujfering,'J' reuarder, He oftentimes for long bears with those, whom He condemns for all eternity. Yet sometimes He strikes quickly, in that He hastens to the succour of the pusillani-

Ellphaz says 0/ this world what is true of the next. 260 inity of the innocent. Therefore Almighty God sometimes Book permits the wicked to have their own way for long, that— Zi_ the ways of the righteous may be more purely cleansed. Yet sometimes He slays the unrighteous with speedy destruction, and by their ruin He strengthens the hearts of the innocent. For if He were now to smite all that do evil, on whom would He yet have to shew forth the final Judgment } And if He never at any time smote any man, who would ever have believed that God regarded human affairs? Sometimes then He strikes the bad, that He may shew that He does not leave wickedness unpunished. But sometimes He bears with the wicked for long, that He may teach the heedful what judgment they are reserved for.

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

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

270 JVhat is meant by the blast of Cod's breath. J'^B."?, our evil ways without, and ordains iuderment within. And

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

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

«V.thus Ver. 11. ^The tiger perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lions'' nhelps are scattered abroad. XX. 39. For whom does he denote by the name of ' tiger' but blessed Job, marked with the stamp of changeableness or covered with the spots of dissimulation.? For every dissembler, in that he desires to appear righteous, can never shew himself pure in all things; for while he assumes some virtues in hypocrisy, and secretly gives way to vicious Book habits, some concealed vices speedily break out upon the '— surface, and exhibit the hide of overlaid hypocrisy, like a coat for sight, varied with their admixture, so that it is very often a marvel how one, who is seen to be master of such great virtues, should be at the same time stained with such damnable deeds. But truly every hypocrite is a tiger, in that while he derives a pure colour from pretence, it is striped with the intermediate blackness of vicious habits. For it often happens that while he is extolled for pureness of chastity, he renders himself foul by the stain of avarice. Often while he makes a fair shew by the good quality of bountifulness, he is stained with spots of lust. Often while he is clad in the bright array of bountifulness and chastity, he is blackened by ferociousness in cruelty, as if from a zealous sense of justice. Often he is arrayed in bounty, chastity, pitifulness, in a fair outside, but is marked with the interspersed darkness of pride. And thus it comes to pass, that whereas by the intermixture of vicious habits, the hypocrite does not present an unstained appearance in himself, the tiger, as it were, cannot be of one colour. And this same ' tiger' seizes the prey, in that he usurps to himself the glory of human applause. For he, that is lifted up by usurped praise, is as it were glutted with the prey. And it is well that the applause that hypocrites have is called ' prey.' For it is nought else than a prey, when the things of another are taken away by violence. Now every hypocrite, in that by counterfeiting the life of righteousness he seizes for himself the praise that belongs to the righteous, does in truth carry off what is another's. Thus Eliphaz, who knew that blessed Job had walked in ways worthy to be praised in the period of his wellbeing, concluded from the stroke that came after that he had maintained these in hypocrisy, saying. The tiger perisheth for lack of prey. As if he had said plainly, ' The shifting of thine hypocrisy is at end, because the homage of applause is also taken from thee, and thine hypocrisy is in ' lack of prey,' in that being stricken by the hand of God, it lacks the favourable regards of man.'

40. But in the translation of the Septuagint, it is not said ' the tiger,' but ' the Myrmicoleon perisheth for lack of

Job 3, prey.' For the Myrmicoleon is a very little creature, a foe to

-y/ — ants, which hides itself under the dust, and kills the ants laden with grains, and devours them thus destroyed. Now

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

Alleo. Ver. 10. The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the lioness, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken. xxi. 4]. Forasmuch as the nature of every thing is compomided of different elements, in Holy Writ different things are allowably represented by any one thing. For the lion has magnanimity, it has also ferocity: by its magnanimity then it represents the Lord, by its ferocity the devil. Hence it is Rev. 5, declared of the Lord, Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David hath prevailed. Hence it is written of the

1 Pet. devil, Your adversary, the devil, like a roaring lion, ualketJi. ' ' about seeking whom he may devour. But by the title of a ' lioness' sometimes Holy Church, sometimes Babylon is represented to us. For on this account, that she is bold to encounter all that withstand, the Church is called a ' lioness,' as is proved by the words of blessed Job, who in pointing out Judaea forsaken by the Church, says, The sons of the traders have not trodden, nor the lionesn passed hy it. And Book sometimes under the title of a lioness is set forth the city of ^' this world, which is Babylon, which ravins against the lifes. Vulg. of the innocent with terribleness of ferocity, which being wedded to our old enemy like the fiercest lion, conceives the seeds of his froward counsel, and produces from her own body reprobate sons, as cruel whelps, after his likeness. But the ' lion's whelps' are reprobate persons, engendered to a life of sin by the misleading of evil spirits, who both all of them together constitute that great city of the world which we have declared before, even Babylon; and yet these same sons of Babylon severally are called not ' a lioness' but ' a lioness's whelps.' F'or as the whole Church together is denominated Sion, but the several individual Saints the sons of Sion, so both the several individuals among the reprobate are called the children of Babylon, and all the reprobate together are designated the same Babylon.

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

Ver. 11. The tiger perisheth for lack of prey, and theVulg. lions' whelps are scattered abroad.

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

'274 Safari, like the ant-linn, terrible tu the weak.

Job 4, lie fonnerly ilosignatcd by tlu.' munc ol" a ' lion.' For Satan "• both lor liis cruelty is called ' a lion,' and for the varionsness ^''''** of his manifold cunning hu is not unsuitably designated ' a tiger.' For one while he ])resents himself to man's senses lost as he is, one while he exliibits himself as an Angel of light. Now by caressing he works upon the minds of the foolish sort, now by sti iking terror he forces them to commit sin. At one time he labours to win men to evi\ ways without disguise, at another time he cloaks himself in his promptings under the garb of virtue. This beast, then, which is so variously spotted, is rightly called ' a tiger,' being with the LXX called an ' Ant-lion,' as we have said above. Which same creature, as we have before shewn, hiding itself in the dust kills the ants carrying their corn, in that the Apostate Angel, being cast out of heaven u])on the earth, in the very pathway of their practice besets the minds of the righteous, providing for themselves the provender of good works, and whilst he overcomes them by his snares, he as it were kills by surprise the ants can-ying their grains. And he is rightly called ' Ant-lion,' i. e. ' a lion and ant.' For as we have said, to the ants he is ' a lion,' but to the birds of the air, ' an ant,' in that our old enemy, as he is strong to encounter those that yield to him, is weak against such as resist him. For if consent be yielded to his persuasions, like a lion he can never be sustained, but if resistance be offered, like an ant he is ground in the dust. Therefore to some he is * a lion,' to others * an ant,' in that carnal minds sustain his cruel assaults with difficulty, but spiritual minds trample upon his weakness with virtue's foot. Heretics then, because ihey are full of pride by pretension to sanctity, say as it were in exultation, T/te Ant-liou, or probably, the tiyer perisheth for lack of prey. As though the words were plainly expressed, ' The old foe has no prey in us, in that, as far as regards our purposes, he already lies defeated.' Now it is for this reason that he is again mentioned under the title of ' an Ant lion,' or of ' -a tiger,' who had been already set forth by the ' roaring of the lion broken,' because whatever is said in joy, is repealed over and over. For when the mind is full of exultation, it redoubles the expressions. And hence the Psalmist, from true joy, frequently repeats this, that he was assured that he had been heard, saying, The Lord hath Book heard the voice of my weeping. The Lord hath heard my ^^—^ —. supplications. The Lord hath received my prayer. 9.

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

Noiv a secret teord was spoken to me. Vuig.

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

Job 4, And mine ear as it uere by.stealth received the veins^ of

' Vulg. They ' receive the veins of uiiispers by stealth, in that abaudoninj,' tlic gi-acc of knowledge in fellowship, they do not enter thereinto by the door, as the Lord witnesses, Who

John saith, He that entcreth not by the door into the sheep/old,

^'^'^''^'but cliuibeth up some other tray, the same is a thief and a robber; But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. Therefore he ' receives the veins of divine whispers by stealth,' wOio, whilst the door of public preaching for receiving the knowledge of His excellency is forsaken, searches out the gaps and chinks of afroward understanding. But because the thief and robber, who enters by another way, both loves the darkness, and abhors the clearness of the light, it is properly added;

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

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

Ver. 14. Fear came upon me and tremhliny, which made all my bones to shake.

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

Ver. 15, 16. And when a spirit passed before my face, the hair (f my flesh stood np. TJiere stood, one, hnt I knew not the face of h im.

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

An imaye was before mine eyes, and I heard the voice as it were of a liyht breath of air.

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

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