Morals on the Book of Job (Moralia)

1. 76. The spirits of the Angels did for this reason sin without forgiveness, because they might have stood the stronger in proportion as no mixture with flesh held them in bonds.

But man for this reason obtained pardon after sin, that in a body of flesh he got that wherein he should be beneath himself. And hence in the eye of the Judge this frailty of the flesh alone is a ground for shewing pity; as where it is said by the Psalmist, But He is full of compassion, and will Ps. 78, forgive their iniquity, and not destroy them; yea, many a time

' ' turned He His anger atvay from them, and did not stir up all His urath, and remembered that they uere but flesh.

And so man was ' made as the clay' in that he was taken out of clay, for the making of him. For clay is made, when

> se con- water is sprinkled^ in with earth. Therefore man is made as waters the flesh. Which name the holy man excellently represents to the pitifulness of the Judge, when he beseeches saying. Remember, 1 pray Thee, that Thou hast made me as the clay. As if be said in plain words; ' Consider the frailty of the flesh, and remit the guilt of my sin.* Where moreover the death of that flesh is openly added, in that the words are immediately brought in;

And wilt Thou bring me jmto dust again? li. 77. As if he begged openly, saying, ' Remember, I pray

Thee, that by tlxe ilesh 1 came from earth, and by the death Book thereof, I tend to earth. Thus regard tho substance of my -^— origin, and the penalty of my end, and be the I'eadier to spare the sin of a transient being;' but as he has given out the sort and kind of man as created, lie now subjoins the order of man as propagated, saying, Ver. 10, 11. Hast Thou not poured me out like milk, and curdled me like cheese? Thou hast clothed me with skin andjiesh, and hast fenced 7ne uHh hones and sinews.

78. For man when fashioned was moulded like clay, but Hi. being propagated he is ' poured out like milk' in the seed, and is ' curdled like cheese' in the flesh, and he is ' clothed with skin and flesh,' and is rendered firm by bones and sinews. Therefore by clay we have set forth to us the character of the first creating, but by milk the order of the subsequent conception, in that by the stages of curdling, it goes on little by little to be wrought strong into bones. But the account of the body as it was created is but slender praise of God, unless at the same time there be afterv^'ards set forth the marvellous inspiration of its quickening. Hence it is added, Thou hast granted me life and mercy.

79. But the Creator vouchsafes to us blessings in vain, liii. except He Himself keep safe all whatsoever He giveth. It follows. And Thy visitation hath preserved my spirit. Nov/ all this that we have spoken of the exterior man, in what sense it may accord vv^ith the interior man, it is well to unfold and exhibit in few -words.

Remember, I beseech Thee, that Thou hast made me as the clay.

80. For our interior man proves like clay, in that the grace Mohal. of the Holy Spirit is infused into the earthly mind, that it may be lifted up to the understanding of its Creator. For the thinking faculty in man, which is dried up by the barrenness of its sin, through the power of the Holy Spirit grows green, like land when it is watered. Now it very often happens that whilst we use without let or hindrance the endowments of virtue by gift from above, by being used to such uninterrupted prosperity we are lifted up to self-confidence. Whence it very often happens that the same Holy Spirit, Which had exalted us, leaves us for a time, in order to shew mere man to himself. And this is what the holy man im-

55'2 The inner man begins as milk, grow^ to bone and sineio.

Job 10, mediately sets forth, when he adds, A/id icill Thou bring me

'- — into dust (uiain? Yox as bv tlie vvitlidrawal of the Spirit the soul IS leit for a sjjacc under tcniptauon, it is as it tlie ground were dried of its former moisture; that by being so forsaken it may be made sensible of its weakness, and leam how man was dried up without the infusion of heavenly grace. And he is fitly described as being ' brought into dust again,' in that when he is left to himself lie is caught up by the breath of every temptation. But whereas on being left we are exposed to shocks, those gifts vv'hich we knew when we were inspired, we now think of more nicely. Whence he adds, Hast Thou not poured me out like milk, and curdled me like cheese'^ For when by the grace of the Holy Spirit our mind is mthdrawn from the way of its former conversation, it is as if milk poured out/ in that it is formed in the sort of tenderness and delicacy of a new beginning. And it is ' curdled like cheese,' in that it is bound up in the consistency of consolidating thought, never from henceforth to let itself go loose in desires, but concentrating itself in a single affection, to rise up into a substantial remoulding. But ifc very often happens that the flesh, from old habit, murmurs against this spiritual embryo, and the soul meets with war from the man which it bears about without it. And hence he adds. Thou hast clothed me nilh skin and ■flesh. For the interior man is ' clothed with skin and flesh,' since wherein it is raised up to things above, it is straitly blockaded wilh the besieging of fleshly motions. Now one that is going on to righteousness our Creator never forsakes under temptation, Who by the inspiration of His Grace preventeth even him that is sinning; but the soul that is lifted up He both lets loose to wars without, and endues with strength within. And hence it is yet further fitly subjoined,.z4;/c? /<«.?/ fenced me nitli hones and sinens. With ' flesh and skin we are clothed,' but we are ' fenced with bones and sinews,' in that though we receive a shock by temptation assaulting us from without, yet the hand of the Creator stnngthens us within, that we should not be shattered. And so by the promptings of the flesh, He abases us in respect of His gifts, but by the bones of virtue He strengthens us against temptations. Therefore he says, Thou hast clothed me with skin andjlesh, and hast fenced me tcith honc'^ and sineu's. As if it were in plain words, ' Without Thou dost abandon me to Book undergo trial, yet within, that I may not perish, Thou — -^— keepest me by bracing me with virtue.' And for this reason He gives us righteousness to hve as we Qught, because in His loving-kindness He spares the past misdeeds whereby we have done amiss. And hence it is further added with propriety,

T/ioii hast yranled me life and mercij. 81. P'or ' life' is granted, when goodness is inspired into evil minds, but ' life' cannot be had without ' mercy,' in that the Lord does not aid us to obtain the endowments of righteousness, unless He first in mercy remit our past iniquities. Or surely, He ' grants us life and mercy,' in that by the same mercy, with which He prevents us that we may lead a good life, continuing on afterwards He keep us safe. For except He add mercy, the life which He vouchsafes cannot be preserved; since we are daily growing old by the mere customariness of our human life, and by the impulse of the outward man we are carried out of interior life by loose thought; so that unless heavenly visiting either by piercing our hearts quicken us in love, or by scourging us renew us in fear, the soul is wholly and entirely ruined by a sudden downfall, when it seemed to be made new by a long course of devotion to virtue. Hence he subjoins. And Thy vlniaiion hath preserved my spirit. For the visitation of the Most High preserves man's spirit, when, it being richly endowed with graces, He does not cease either to scourge it with the rod, or to pierce it with love. For if He bestows gifts, but does not raise it up by continually restoiing it, the blessing is speedily lost, which is not preserved by the Giver. But mark how the holy man, whilst he views himself in a humble light, disco\ ers tlie secrets of Divine mercy destined to be universally bestowed, and whilst he truly confesses his own weakness, he is suddenly transported on high to learn the calling of the Gentiles. For he forthwith adds,

Ver. 13. Thoiiyh Fiion hide these ttiinys in Thine heart; yet I know that Thou reniemherest all.

82. As if it were in ]jlain words; ' Why do I tremble for liv. myself, who know that Thou dost gather in one even all nations? Which nevertheless Thou ' hidest in Thine heart,'

Job 10, in that Thou dost not yet make it known by open revelation, -— ^ — but Thou, That ' rcuiemberest all,' givest me, doubtless, assurance of pardon.' But it is to be borne in mind, that in certain deeds we are both made certain of pardon, and after the commission of the sins are strengthened to have confidence of our absolution by subsequent chastisement and penance, yet we are still touched with the remembrance of the wickedness we have committed, and, unwilling and abhorring it, are preyed upon by unlawful thoughts. And hence it is fitly subjoined,

Ver. 14. If I have sinned, and Thou sparedst me at the hour, wherefore dost Thou not let me he clean from mine iniquity? Iv. 83. The Lord ' spare th sin at the hou:,' when the moment that we yield tears, He does away with the guilt of sin. But He doth not ' let us be clean from our iniquit},' in that of free will indeed we commiited the sin, but sometimes against our will we undergo the remembrance of it with a sense of pleasure; for often that, which has been put away from the sight of the just Judge by tears intervening, recurs to mind, and the conquered habit strives to insinuate itself again for the entertaining of delight, and is renewed again in the former, contestwith revived assault, that what it once did in the body, it may afterwards go through in the mind by intruding thought; which same that spiritual wrestler knew how to regard with Ps.38,5, heedful eye, who said, My scars^ stink, and are corrupt catrices'i^'^^'o^'9^'^ my foolishness. For what are ' scars' but the healings of wounds? And so he who lamented his scars, beheld his pardoned wickednesses return to his remembrance for the entertaining of delight. Since for scars to grow corrupt is for wounds of sins, already healed, again to insinuate themselves in the tempting of us, and at their suggestions, after the skin of penitence has grown over, to be sensible of the stench and pain of sin again. Wherein there is at once both nothing done outwardly in deed, and sin is committed within in the thought alone, and the soul is laid under a close bond of guilt except it do away with it by heedful lamentation. Deut. 84. Whence it is well said by Moses, If there be among Yi ' you any man that is not clean hy reason of a dream that chanceth him by niyht, then shall he go abroad without the

Legal uncleanness of the night, type of evil thoughts. bb5 ciDHp, he shall not come uilhiu the camp: hut it shall be Book It hen evening cometh on lie shall iiash himself tcith water: and when the sun is down he shall come into the camp again. For ' the dream that chanceth by night' is the secret tempting, whereby there is something foul conceived in the heart in dark thought, which nevertheless is not fulfilled in the deed of the body. Now, if there be any that is ' not clean by reason of a dream that chanceth him by night,' he is bidden to go abroad without the camp, in that it is meet that he that is defiled with impure thought, should look upon himself as unworthy the society of the faithful, that he should set before his eyes the deserts of his sin, and look down upon himself in the scale of good men. And so for ' one unclean to go abroad out of the camp' is for one hard bestead by the assaults of impurity, to look down upon himself by comparison with men of continency. And ' when evening cometh on he washes himself with water,' in that seeing his offence he has recourse to tears of penitence, that by weeping he may wash out every thing that hidden defilement brings home to the soul's charge. ' And when the sun is down he shall come into the camp again,' in that when the heat of temptation has subsided, it follows that he should again take confidence to join the company of the good. For after washing with water, when the sun is set, he returns to the camp, who after tears of penance, when the flame of unlawful thought is quenched, is restored to assume the claims of the faithful, that he should not any longer account himself far removed from others, who rejoices that he is clean by the departure of the inward burning. But herein be it known that it is for this reason that we are sometimes diiven to straits by the impulse of unlawful thought, because we are ready to employ ourselves in certain courses of earthly conduct, though not unlawful. And when even in the very least things we come in contact with earthly conduct in desire, the might of our old enemy gaining strength against us, our mind is defiled by no little urgency of temptation. And hence the Priest of the Law is Lev. i, enjoined to consume with iixe. the limbs of the victim cut^ into pieces, the head, and the parts about the liver; but the inwards and the legs he is to wash with water first. For we

556 Parts of the very sacrifice need luashing.

Job 10, offer our own selves a sacrifice to God, when we dedicate our

-lives to the service of God, and we set the members of the ' sacrifice cut into pieces u])on the fire, when we offer up the deeds of our lives dividing them in the virtues. The head and the parts contained about the liver we burn, when in our faculty of sense, whereby all the body is governed, and in our hidden desires we are kindled with the flame of divine love. And yet it is bidden, that the feet and the inwards of the victim be washed with water. For with the feet the earth is touched, and in the inwards dung- is carried, in that it very often happens that already in the desire of our hearts we burn for eternity, already with an entire feeling of devotion we pant in longing desire for the mortification of ourselves; but whereas by reason of our frailty there is still a mixture of earth in what we do, even some of the things forbidden which we have already subdued, we are subject to in thought, and while unclean temptation defiles our thoughts, what else is this than that ' the inwards' of the victim carry dung? But that they may be fit to be burnt, let tliem be washed, in that it is necessary that tears of fear wash out the impure thoughts of the heart, for" love from on high to consume them in acceptance of the sacrifice, and whatever the mind is subject to, proceeding either from untried conflict, or from the remembrance of former practice, let it be washed, that it may burn with so much the sweeter odour in the sight of its Beholder, in proportion as when it begins to draw near to Him, it sets upon the altar of its prayer along with itself nought earthly, nought impure. Therefore let the holy man regard the wretchedness of the human mind, how often it defiles itself with unhallowed thoughts, and after the.Judge's remission of the guilt of our doings, ev^en whilst he bewails his own case, let him.shew to us ours, for ourselves to bewail, saying, //" / have sinned, and thou sparedst me at the hour, wherefore dost thou not let me be clean from mine iniquity? As if he said in plain words; ' If Thy forgiveness has taken away my sin, why does it not sweep it from my memory also?' Oftentimes the mind is so shaken from its centre at the recollection of sin, that it is prompted to the commission thereof far worse than it had been before subjected to it, Book and when entangled it is filled with fears, and being driven ^^' with different impulses, throws itself into disorder. It dreads lest it should be overcome by temptations, and in resisting, it shudders at this very fact, that it is harassed with the long toils of conflict. Hence it is fitly subjoined,

Ver. 15. If F be ivicked, woe unto me; and if I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head: I am full of affliction and misery.

85. Yea, the wicked man has ' woe,' and the righteous lv'i> man ' affliction,' in that both everlasting damnation follows the lost sinner, and each one of the Elect is purified by the pains of temporary affliction. The wicked man lifts up his head, yet when so lifted up he cannot escape the woe that pursues him. The righteous man, faring ill Avith the toils of his conflict, is not suffered to lift up his head, but while hard pressed, he is freed from everlasting affliction. The one sets himself up in pleasure, but is plunging himself into the punishment that succeeds. The others sinks himself to the earth in sorrow, yet hides himself from the weight of eternal visitation. Thus let the holy man consider how man either in striving against evil, is afflicted with present (rouble, or giving up the contest, he is delivered over to eternal anguish, and let him say, If I be wicked, woe unto me; and if 1 be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head: lamffull of affliction andmisery; as if he lamented openly, saying, ' Either bowed down under the desires of the flesh, I am exposed to eternal punishment, or if I fight against unlawful impulses, 1 am tormented with present woe. seeing that I am not quit of the toils of the fight.' But the Providence of the Most High does for this reason suffer us who serve Him with all the bent of the mind, to be buffeted by the assaults of oar flesh, lest our mind, by presuming on its own security, dare to lift itself up in pride, that whereas, when a shock comes it is filled with fears, it may set the foot of hope the stronger, in the aid of its Maker alone. Plence it is further added filly,

86. When a lioness liunts for food for her whelps, she ^vii.

Job 10, ruslies with ravening jaws into the pitfall. For as the account goes from certain countries, they make a pit. in her path, and deposit a sheep in it, that the lioness in her ravening a])pclite may be provoked to precipitate herself into it, and they make it both nanow and deep at the same time, that she may have room to tumble into it in circling round it, but never get out by taking a leap. There is another pit too dug, which is to be close to the former, but which is joined to the one in which the sheep is, by the opening of the part at the bottom. And in this is put a cage, that the lioness tumbling in, forasmuch as she is pressed b>' terrors from above, when she goes about as it were to hide herself in the more secret part of the pit, may of her own w ill go into the cage; her savage temper being now no longer an object of feai*, seeing that she is lifted up enclosed in the cage. For the beast that threw itself of its own accord into the pit is brought back to the regions above hedged round with bars. Thus, thus is it that the mind of man is taken, which being created in the liberty of free will, whilst it craved to feed the desires of the flesh, was like a lioness seeking food for her cubs, and fell into the pit of self-deception, in that at the suggestion of the enemy it stretched forth the hand to take the forbidden food, but it quickly found a cage in the pit, in that coming by its own act to death, it exposed itself at once to the prison house of its own corruption, and is brought back to the free air by grace intervening. But whereas it tries to do many things, and has no power, it is bound by the hindrances of that same corruption, as though by the bars of a cage. It is now free of that pit of damnation into which it had fallen, in that receiving help from the hand of Kedemption, in being brought back to pardon, it has got above the punishment of the death to follow. But yet, being shut in close, it feels the cage, in that it is encircled by the bands of heavenly discipline, that it may not roam through the desires of the flesh. And she that of her own will went down into the pit, returns to the free air in confineraent, in that she both fell into sin by the liberty of the will, and yet the grace of the Creator holds her in by constraint, and against her will, from following her own motions. And so after the pit she has the cage to bear, in that being rescued from eternal punishment.

she is withheld from the motions of a froward liberty, under Book the controlling hand of the heavenly Artificer. Therefore he '— says aright, And by reason of pride, Thou uilt take me like a lioness; in that both when free, man brought death upon himself through food, and on being brought back to pardon, he lives shut up under discipline for his greater good. Therefore like a lioness he was taken by reason of pride, in that the disci])line, that belongs to his corrupt condition, now keeps him down from the very same cause, that not fearing the transgression of the commandment he boldly leapt into the pit.

87. But if for a short space we turn aside the eye of our mind from the sin of our first parent, we find that we ourselves are every day taken like the lioness, by the evil habit of pride. For it often happens that by the virtues that have been vouchsafed him, man is lifted up into the boldness of selfpresumption, but by a wonderful ordering of Providence, some object is set before his eyes for him to fall therein. And whilst he seeks something in sin, what else is this but that he longs for the prey in the pit? With open mouth he falls by his own act, but has no power to rise by his own strength. And whereas he sees that of himself he is nothing, assuredly he learns Whose aid he must seek. Yet the heavenly Compassion draws him, thus taken out of the pit, as it were, in that as soon as his weakness is known. It restores him to pardon. And so like a lioness, by reason of pride that man hastes back to the upper regions within the cage'', who when he is lifted up in the score of virtuous attainments, after he has fallen into evil desires, is bound fast in humility. For whereas he had in the first case brought himself to destruction by his presuming on self, it is brought to ])ass by wonderful pitifulness, that he now lives walled in by the knowledge of his own weakness. And because the holy man sees that this often happens to his fellow creatures, he adopts in his own person the cry of peril that belongs to us, that when we read of his lamentations, we may be instructed what the things are in ourselves that we ought to lament. Now when pride uplifts the mind, the

Job 10, piercing sense of love for the Highest departs from us, but — — when grace from above descends upon us, immediately it prompts us to longings lor itsell in tears. And hence it is fitly subjoined,

And returning, Thou dost torture we marvellously. Ivm. 88. "When we are forsaken by our Creator, we do not at all feel even the very ills of our abandonment. For in proportion as our Creator goes far off from us, our mind becomes more hardened in insensibility, loves nothing that is of God, entertains no longing for things above, and because it has no warmth of interior love, it lies frozen towards the earth, and in a pitiable wa}'^ it becomes every day the more self-secure, in proportion as it becomes worse; and whereas it no longer remembers whence it has fallen, and no longer dreads the punishments to come, it knows nothing how deeply it is to be bewailed. But if it be touched by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, at once it wakes up to the thought of its ruin, rouses itself in the pursuit after heavenly things, glows with the hot emotions of love towards the Highest, takes thought of the ills which every way beset it round about, and she weeps while making progress, who before was going to ruin in high glee. Therefore it is well said to the Creator, And returning Thou dost torture me marvellously. For by the same act whereby Almighty God in visiting our soul lifts it to the love of Himself, He makes it the more to sorrow in tears. As if it were in plain words, ' In going from me Thou dost not influence me, because Thou renderest me insensible, but when Thou returnest, Thou dost torture me, because whilst Thou dost cause Thyself to enter into me. Thou shewest to me mine own self, and how deeply I am to be pitied.' And hence he never says tliat he is tortured judicially, but ' marvellously,' since while the mind is transported on high in weeping, with a feeling of joy it marvels at the pains of its piercing sorrow, and it is its joy to be so touched, because it sees that by its anguish it is lifted up on high. But often when heavenly Pity sees us slacken in the exercising ourselves in holy desires, It presents to our view the example of those that cleave to Itself, that the mind which is unbraced by indolence, in proportion as it observes in the case of others the advancement of minds Bciok well awake, may take shame for the dulness of sloth in itself. Hence it is rightly added,

Ver. 17. 77/0/^ rcncwest Tliy witnesses (ujainst nte, and niuUipliest Thy wrath: and pains war in me.

89. For ' God's witnesses' are they, who bear witness by lix. the practice of holy works, what are the rewards of Truth that shall overtake the Elect. Hence too those, whom we see to have suffered for the sake of the Truth, we style in the Greek tongue, ' Martyrs,' i. e. witnesses. And the Lord says by John in the Angel's voice, Even in those days,Tiev.2, wherein Antipas was my faithjul witness, who was slain ^^' among you. Now the Lord ' renews His witnesses against us' when He multiplies the lives of the Elect to confront our wickedness, for the purpose of convicting and of instructing us. And so His ' witnesses are renewed against us,' in that all things that they do are opposed to the ends and aims of our wickedness. Hence too the word of Truth is called ' an adversary,' where it is said by the voice of the Mediator in the Gospel, Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou^^^^^-^y art in the icay with him. And the sons of perdition in their persecutions say concerning that same Redeemer, ^«ri //e 25Wisd.2, clean contrary to our doings; and soon afterwards. For His ih.i5. life is not like other men's. Thus the Lord ' renews His witnesses against us,' in that the good things which we neglect to do ourselves, He shews us to be done by others to our upbraiding, that we who are not inflamed by precepts, may at least be stirred up by examples, and that in longing after righteousness, our mind may account nothing to be difficult to itself, that it sees to be done perfectly by others; and it is very commonly brought to pass, that while we behold the good actions of another man's life, we are more anxiously afraid of the deficiencies of our own, and it is made appear the plainer by what a weight of judgment we are afterwards assailed, in proportion as we are now widely at variance with the ways of the good.

90. Hence after the renewal of the witnesses has been mentioned it is thereupon fitly added, And multipUest Thy wrath upon me. God's wrath is said to be ' multiplied upon

5G2 IVIiat gladdens m in others makes us fear for ourselves.

J<jii i(», us/ in proportion as it is shewn to bo manifold, since by the very lives and labours of the good we are instructed, if, whilst we have time, we will not amend our ways now, what a terrible visitation shall be dealt us hereafter. For we see the Elect of God at one and the same time leading godly lives and undergoing numberless sore hardships. And there-. fore we collect from hence with what rigour the strict Judge will There smite those whom He condemns, if he so torments 1 Peter here below those whom He loves; as Peter witnesses, who ' says. For the time is come t/iat judgment must begin at the house of God, and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God? Therefore Almighty God, when He ' renews His witnesses' against us, ' multiplies His wrath,' in that in proportion as He sets before our eyes the life of the good, He shews with what severity He will smite obduracy in the commission of sin at the Judgment. Now whereas He multiplies His gifts to those alone that follow Him, He shews that He has already forsaken those that go on in sloth. Thus when we see good things in others, it is very necessary to mix exultation with the dread that we feel, and dread with our exultation, that both charity may rejoice for the proficiencies of other men, and conscience tremble for its own frailties. But when we are gladdened with the proficiency of a brotlier, when we calculate the severity of the interior Judge against us for our mere slothfulness by itself, what is there left but that the mind turn back to search into itself, and that whatever it meets with in itself, that is blameworthy, whatever that is bad, it should chastise? Hence it is fitly subjoined. Pains fight in me. For upon considering the witnesses of God, ' pains fight in us,' in that whilst we behold their deeds, that command our admiration, our own life, which by coniparison with theirs is displeasing in our eyes, we visit with serious self-chastening, that whatever pollution our deeds may have caused in us, our tears may wEtsh clean, and if the guilt of taking pleasure therein still somewhat defiles us, the chastening of a sorrowful heart may cleanse away the stain. Therefore because blessed Job has his eye fixed on the life of the fathers of old time, he ascertains more exactly what he ought to bewail in

JoUs tvis/i before explained. It is well to look to the end. 5(>3 himself. And by the preceptorship of extraordinary sorrow, Book wliilst he bewails his own case, he instructs us to lamentation, — - that in proportion as we perceive excellencies in other men, we may anxiously fear for our own offences in the sight of the strict Judge. It goes on,

Ver. IS. JV/iere/ore then hast T/iou brought mc/orth out of Ix. the womb. Oh that I had been consumed, and no eye hadseen me.

91. Which same sentiment he had already uttered in his first speech, saying, Why died I not from the womb? and^°^^' whilst he subjoins that which he adds here, I should have been as though I had not been, I should hare been carried from the i€omb to the grave; he adds in other words, but no other sense, saying. Or as a hidden untimely birth I had not been., as infants lohich never saw light. But forasmuch ^ ^^^' as we have made out these particulars very much at length above, to avoid wearying the reader we forbear to unfold points already explained. It goes on,

Ver. 20. Will not the small number of my days be finished, in a short time?

92. He shews himself to live with good heed and circum- Ixi. spection, who, in considering the shortness of the present life does not look to the furtherance but to the ending of it, so as to gather from the end, that all is nought that delights while it is passing. For hence it is said by Solomon, But //"Ecdes.

a man live many years and rejoice in them all, yet let him '

remember the time of darl^ness, and the days that shall be many; and when they come, the past shall be convinced of xianitu. Hence again it is written, Whatsoever thou takes f^cduts.

iti hand, remember thine end, and thou shall never do amiss. '

Therefoi'e when sin tempts the mind, it is requisite that the soul should regard the shortness of its gratification, lest iniquity hurry it on to a living death, when it is plain that a mortal life is quickly speeding to an end. But often the eye of our contemplation is bewildered, while our pain is heightened by thickening scourges. It is good to bewail the exile of the present life, yet for mere anguish alone the mind cannot take account of the ills of its blind state.

And let me go, that I may bewail my sorrow a little.

93. For as moderate distress gives vent to tears, so excessive Ixii.

Job 10, sorrow checks ihein, since tliat t>rief" ilsclf is as it were made

„ void of grief, which by swallowing up the mind of the person afflicted, takes away the sense of grief Therefore the holy man shrinks from being stricken more than he is equal to bear, saying, Aticl let me ffo, that I may bewail my sorrow a little. As if it were in plain words, ' Qualify the strokes of Thy scourging, that, my pains being made moderate, in weeping I may have power to estimate the miseries I endure.' Which same nevertheless may likewise be understood in another sense. For oftentimes the sinner is so bound by the chains of his wickedness, that he bears indeed the burthen of his sins, and knows not that he is bearing it. Often if he does know with what an amount of guilt he is burthened, he strives to break loose and cannot, so as to hunt it down in himself with free spirit and full conversion. Thus he is unable to ' bewail his sorrow,' for at once he sees the guilt of his sinful state, and by reason of the weight of earthly business, is not at liberty to bewail it. He is unable to ' bewail his sorrow,' who strives indeed to resist evil habits, yet is weighed down by the still increasing desires of the flesh. The presence of this sorrow had inflicted anguish Ps. 38, upon the spirit of the Prophet, when he said, 3Ty sorrow is

^ '• ^^" continually before me; for I will decUve my iniquity, I will he sorry for my sin; but the bands of his sin being loosed, he knew that he was ' let go,' who gave vent to his exultation,

Ps. iiG, saying. Thou hast loosed my bonds, I ivill offer to Thee the

94. Therefore God then ' lets us go' to bewail our sorrow, when He both shews us the evil things that we have done, and helps us to bewail the same, when we know them; He sets our transgressions before our eyes, and with the pitying hand of grace unlooses the bands of the heart, that our soul may lift itself up to liberty for the work of repentance, and loosed from the fetters of the flesh, may with free spirit stretch out towards its Maker the footsteps of love. For it very commonly happens that we the same persons blame our course of life, and yet readily do the very thing that we justly condemn in ourselves. The spirit lifts us up to righteousness, the flesh holds us back to habit; the soul struggles against self-love, but quickly overcome with delight is made captive. Thus it is well said, Let me go that I may Book bewail mg sorrow a little. For except we be ' let go' in — ^—^ mercy from the guilt of sin, with which we are tied and bound, we cannot lament that which we grieve for in ourselves being set against ourselves.

But the woe of our guiltiness is then really bewailed, when that dark retribution of the place below is fore -reckoned with lively apprehension. Hence it is fitly added,

Ver. 21. Before I go u-hence I shall not return, even to a land of darkness, and covered icith the shadow of death.

95. For what is denoted by ' the land of darkness' saving Ixiii. the dreary caverns of Tartarus, which are covered by the shadow of eternal death, in that it keeps all the damned for evermore severed from the light of life. Neither is the place below improperly called a land. For all they that have been made captive by it, are held fast and firm. As it is written; One generation passeth aicay, and another gene-Ece]. l, ration cometh, but the earth abidelh for ever. Thus the dungeons of hell are rightly designated ' a land of darkness,' for all, whom they receive doomed to punishment, they torment with no tra,nsient infliction or phantasm of the imagination, but keep in the substantial vengeance of everlasting damnation. Yet they are sometimes deuoted by the title of ' a lake,' as the Prophet bears witness, when he says, Theg Ezek. Jtave borne their shame with them that go down into the 25." lake. Thus hell is both called ' a land,' because it holds stedfastly all that it takes in, and ' a lake,' because it swallows up those whom it has once received, ever tossing and quaking in weltering floods of torment; but the holy man, whether in his own voice or in the voice of mankind, beseeches that he may be ' let go' before he departs, not because he that bewails his sin is to ' go to the land of darkness,' but because every one that neglects to bewail it doth assuredly go thither, according as the creditor says to his debtor, ' Pay thy debt, before thou art put in bonds for the debt;' whereas he is not put in bonds, if he delays not to pay all that he owes. In which place too it is rightly added. Whence I shall not return, in that His pity in sparing never any more sets them free, whom His justice in judging once assigns their doom

Jon 10, in the places of punishment, which same places are yet more jj.-^ — minutely described, where it is said,

Vcr. 2'2. A land of misery and darkness. Ixiv. 96. ' Misery' has relation to jiain, ' darkness' relates to blindness. That land then which holds all those that are banished the presence of the strict Judge, is entitled ' aland of misery and darkness,' for pain without torments those, whom blindness darkens within, severed from the true Light. Not but that ' the land of misery and darkness' may be understood in another sense also. For this land too, in which we are born, is indeed ' a land of misery,' but not ' of darkness,' in that we here suffer the many ills of our corrupt condition, yet whilst we are in it, we are still brought back to the light through the grace of conversion; as Truth coun- Johni2, sels us. Who saith, Walk while ye have the light, lest dark- ^^' ness come upon you. But that land is ' a land of misery and darkness' together, for every one, that has gone down to suffer the woes thereof, never any further returas to the light; for the describing of which same it is further added. Where is the shadow of death, loithoiit any order. Ixv. '^7. As external death divides the flesh from the soul, so internal death severs the soul from God- Thus the ' shadow of death' is the darkness of separation, in that every one of the damned, whilst he is consumed with everlasting fire, is in darkness to the internal light. Now it is the nature of fire to give out both light and a property of consuming from itself, but the fire that is the avenger of past sins has a consuming property but no light. It is hence that ' Truth' saith to the Mat. 25, lost, Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, pre- ^^- pared for the devil and his angels. And representing in one Mat.22, individual the whole body of them all, He saith, Bind him ^- hand and foot, and lake him away, and cast him into outer darkness. Accordingly, if the fire that torments the lost could have had light, he that is cast off would never be said to ' be cast into darkness.' Hence too the Psalmist hath it; Ps.58 8.-^'^'^ hath fallen upon them, and they have not seen the sun. Vuig. Pqi- ' f^j.Q falls' upon the ungodly, but ' the sun is not seen' on the fire falling; for as the Hame of hell devours them, it blinds them to the vision of the true Light, that at the same time both the pain of consuming fire should torment them Book...... IX without, and the infliction of blindness darken them within, — ^-^— so that they, who have done wrong against their Maker both in body and in heart, may at one and the same time be punished in body and in heart, and that they may be made to feel pangs in both ways, who, whilst they lived here, ministered to their depraved gratifications in both. Whence it is well said by the Prophet, Which are gone down to hellY^^^^^- tvith their weapo7is of ivar. For the arms of sinners are the members of the body, by means of which they execute the wrong desires they conceive. Hence it is said rightly by Paul, Neither yield ye your members as instruments o,/"Ro«i. 6, unrighteousness unto sin. And so to ' go down into hell with the weapons of war' is together with those same members, with which they fulfilled the gratifications of self-indulgence, to undergo the torments of eternal condemnation, that at that time woe may every way swallow them up, who being now subjected to their gratifications, every way fight against His justice. Who judgeth justly.

98. But that is very wonderful that is said, ivithout order, since Almighty God, Who punishes evil things well, never permits even the torments to be ' without order;' because ' the very i j-ead punishments that proceed from the scales of justice, cannot' ^^^'^•' in any way be inflicted ' without order.' For how is it that there is no order in His punishment, since according to the measure of his guilt is likewise the recompense of vengeance which pursues every one' of the damned. For hence it is written. But mighty men shall be mightily tormented, and Yfisd. 6 stronger torment shall come upon the stronger ones. Hence ^' ^' it is uttered in the sentence of Babylon, Hoiv much *A<?Rev. 18 Jiath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment'^- and sorrow give her. If then the infliction is marked out according to the measure of the sin, it is undeniably true that there is order preserved in the punishments, and except the acts of desert did distribute His aggregate of torment, the Judge that shall come would never declare that He will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, a^r/Mat. 13, bind them in bundles to burn them. For if there were no order observed in dealing punishment, why are the tares that are to be burnt bound in bundles? But doubtlcf^s to bind up

568 Punishment, loell ordered for desert, yet confounds. Job 10, the bundles for the biirniiio-, is to unite hke to hke of those

— ^ — that arc destined to be given over to evcrhisting fire, tliat all whom a like sin ])ollutes, an equal punislnnent may bind in one, and that tliey who were defiled by iniquity in no degree dissimilar, may suffer by torments not dissimilar either, that condenniation may dash to the earth together tliose whom pride uplifted together, and that all, whom ambition made to swell in no unlike ]iro]Jortion, no unlike proportion of suffering may wring hard, and alike flame of punishment torment those whom a like flame of sin kindled in the fire of lust. For as in the John 14, house of our Father there are ' many mansions' aeeording to the diversities in virtue, so a difference in guilt subjects the damned to a difference of punishment in the fires of hell, which hell, though it be one and the same for all, by no means burns all men in one and the same sort. For as we are all reached b}' one sun, yet we do not all glow beneath it in one class, for it is according to the kind of the body that the burthen of the heat too is felt, in the same way there is to the damned but one hell that torments all, yet not one that consumes all men in one kind of manner, lor what on the one side an unequal degree of healthiness in bodies occasions, that same on the other an unequal case of merit produces. How then is it said that there is ' no order' in the punishments, wherein without doubt every man is tormented after the measure of his sin?

99. But after the holy man brought in the shadow of death, he adds what great disorder there is in the soids of the dannied, since the very punishments, Avhich come well ordered by justice, are doubtless far from well ordered in the heart of those undergoing death. For as we have said above, whilst every one of the damned is consumed with flames without, he is devoured by the fire of blindness within, and being in the midst of woe, he is confounded both within and without; so that he is worse tormented by his own confusion. Thus to rejected souls there will be ' no order' in their punishment, because their very confusion of mind torments most cruelly in their death; which same His equity in judging appoints by His wonderftd power, that a punishment as it were ' without order' may cimfound the soul. Or, verily, order is said to be wanting to His punishments, in that when things arise lor their punishment, their proper character is not ix.

preserved to them. Whence the words arc forthwith

And everlasting horror dnelh.,

100. In the torments of this life fear has pain, pain has no fear, in tliat pain never torments the mind, when it has ah'eady begun to suffer what it feared. But hell both ' the shadow of death' darkens and ' everlasting horror inhabits;' in that they all, that are given over to its fires, both in their punishments undergo pain, and, in the pressure of pain coming upon them, they are ever stricken with fear, so that they both suffer what they dread, and unceasingly dread what they are suffering. For it is written concerning them,

For Iheir rcorm shall not die, neither their jire he quenclied.^- ^^'

Here the flame that burns gives light; There, as we have shewn by the words of the Psalmist, the fire that torments veils the light. Here fear is gone so soon as the thing that was feared has begun to be suffered; There pain rends at the same time that fear pinches. Thus in a horrible manner there will then be to the damned pain along with terror, a flame together with dimness. Then, then, alas! the weight of heavenly equity must be fell by the damned, that they who whilst they lived were not afraid to be at variance vvitli the

Will of the Creator, may one day in their destruction find their very torments at variance with their own properties, that in proportion as they are at strife with themselves, their torments may be increased, and as they issue in diverse lines may be felt in many ways. And these punishments both torture those that are plunged therein beyond their powers, and at the same time preserve them alive, extinguishing in them the forces of life, that the end may so afllict the life, that torment may ever live witliout end, in that it is both hastening after an end through torments, and failing holds on without end. Therefore there is done upon the wretches death without deatli, an end without ending, failing without failing; in that both death lives, and the end is ever beginning, and the failing is unable to fail. Therefore whereas deatli at the same time slays and does not exlinguisli, jiain torments but does not banish fear, the flame burns but does not dispel the darkness, for all that is gathered from a knowledge of the

Jon io,i)vosenl life, the punislmients are without orckT, in tliat thev do not retain their own character tliroiigh all particulars.

101. Though there the fire both gives no light for comfort, yet, that it may torment the more, it does give light for a ])urpose. For the damned shall see, by the flame lighting them, all their followers along with themselves in torment, for the love of whom they transgressed, that whereas they had loved the life of such in a carnal manner against the precepts of the Creator, the destruction of those very persons may also afflict them for the increase of their condemnation. Which doubtless we gather from the testimony of the Gospel, wherein, as ' Truth' declares, that rich man, whose lot it was to descend into the torments of eternal fire, is described as remembering his five brethren, in that he asked of Abraham that he would send to them for their instruction, lest a like punishment should torment them coming thither at some future time. Therefore it is plain without doubt that he who remembers his absent kindred to the increase of his pain, might a little while after even see them present to his eyes to the augmentation of his punishment. But what wonder is it if he beholds the damned also burnt along with himself, who to the increase of his woe saw that Lazarus whom he has scorned in the bosom of Abraham. He, therefore, to whom the very Elect Saint appeared, that his pangs might be added to, why are we not to believe that he might behold in punishment those, whom he had loved in opposition to God? From which it is collected, that those whom the sons of perdition now love with inordinate affection, by a marvellous disposition of judgment, they Avill then see their fellows in torment; that the carnal tie, which was ]3referred to their Maker, may increase the pangs of their own punishment, being cursed before their eyes by a like retribution. Thus the fire that torments in darkness must be supposed to preserve light for torture. And if we cannot prove this from testimonies by the expression of the very thing, then it remains that we shew it from the reverse.

102. For the Three Children of the Hebrew People, when the fire of the furnace was kindled by command of the king of Chaldaja, were cast into it with hands and feet tied. Yet when that king commiserating them sought them in the fire of" the furnace, he saw Ihcni walkhio; about with untouched Book garments. Where it is plain to infer, that by the wonderful dispensation of our Creator, the property of fire, being modified into an opposite power, at the same time never touched their garments, and yet burnt their chains, and for those holy men the flame was both cooled for the infliction of torment, and burnt out for the service of unbinding. And so as fire knows how to burn to the Elect in consolation, and yet knows not how to burn in punishment, so in the reverse case, at the same time tliat the flame of hell yields no light to the damned in the grace of consolation, it does yield light in punishment, that the fire of punishment may both glow with no brightness to the eyes of the damned, and for the increase of their pain may shew how the objects of their afiection are tormented. And what wonder is it if we suppose that hell fire contains at the same time the infliction of darkness and of light, when we know by experience that the flame of torches too burns and is dark. The devouring flame then consumes those, whom carnal gratification now pollutes. The gaping and immeasurable gulf of hell swallows up Then all whom vainglory exalts now, and they who by any sinful practice fulfilled here below the will of the crafty counsellor, then being cast off are brought to torments along with their leader.

103. And though thei'e is a great difference between the nature of men and angels, yet those are involved in one and the same punishment, who are bound by one and the same guilt in sin. Which is well and shortly conveyed by the Prophet, when he says, Asshur is there and all his company: Ezek. Ids graves are about him. For who is set forth by the title ^^^ 22- of Asshur, the proud king, saving that old enemy who fell by pride, who for that he draws numbers into sin, descends with all his multitude into the dungeons of hell. Now ' graves' are a shelter for the dead. And what other suii'ercd a bitterer death than he, who, in setting his Creator at nought, forsook life } And when human hearts admit hiui in this state of death, assuredly they become his graves. Now ' his graves are about hiin,' in that all in whose souls he now buries hhnself by their affections, hereafter he joins to himself by torments. And whereas the lost now admit evil spirits within

57'2 Good icorh.s to he done in time.

Job 10, themselves by committinj^ unlawful deeds, then the graves will burn together with the dead.

104. See how we are informed, what ])umshment is in store for the damnerl, and, by Holy Writ instructing us, have no reason to question, how great may be the fire in damnation, how great the darkness in that fire, how great the terror in that darkness. But what does it advantage us to foreknow these things, if it is not our lot to escape them? Therefore with the whole bent of our mind, we must make it our business, that when the oj)porlunity of being at liberty is ours, by application to living well, we escape the avenging torments of evil doers. For it is hence said by Solomon,

Eccles. W/intsoever thy lunnl Jindetli io do, do it iiitJi thy niiyjit;

' ' for there is no icork, nor device, nor knoiiledge, nor u-isdom,

U.BoG.in tlie grave, u-hither thou goent. Hence Isaiah saith. Seek ye the Lord nhile He may be found, call ye upon Him

2 Cor. uhile He is near. Hence Paul says, Behold now is the

' ' accepted time; heliold now is the day of salvation. Hence Gal. 6, he says again. Whilst we have opportunity, let us do good 10., „

105. But very often the soul girds itself up to walk in the way of uprightness, shakes off" sloth, and is so transported into heavenly realms in affection, that it well nigh seems that there is nothing of it left here below; and yet when it is brought back to take account of the flesh, without which the course of the present life can never be accomplished, this keeps it weighed down below, as if it had not as yet reached aught of things above. When the words of the heavenly oracle are heard, the soul is uplifted into love of the heavenly land; but when the occupation of tlie present life rises up anew, it is buried under the heap of earthly cares, and tlie seed of the hope above comes to nothing in the soil of the heart, because the thorn of care below grows rank. Which same thorn ' Truth' uproots with the hand of holy exhorta-

Matt. tion by Himself, laying, Take therefore no thought for the

'Rom morrow. And in op])osition to this, it is said by Paul, Make

13, u. ^iQt provision J'or thejlesh to fulfil tlie lusts thereof But in these words of the Captain and the soldier we see that the soul is then pierced thereby with a mortal wound, when a balance of measure is not kept therein.

106. For whilst we still live in mortal flesh, concern for Book

so that it should serve the mind as discretion dictates. For whereas ' Truth' forbids us to be anxious for the morrow, He does not deny us to take thought in a certain way for the ]5resent things, which Me does forbid us to extend to the lime that succeeds. And truly while Paul will not let provision be made for the flesh in the lusts thereof, most cer- Rom. tainly he does permit it to be made in things of necessity. ' Thus the care of the flesh must be restrained under the discreet guidance of a complete control, that it may always obey and never rule, that it may not as a mistress bring the soul under its power, but being subjected to the dominion of the mind, may like a handmaid wait in attendance, that it may come when bidden, and when repressed dart off" at a beck of the heart; that it may scarcely shew itself in the rear of holy thought, and never present itself to one front to front Avhen full of right thoughts. Which is well conveyed to us in the account contained in the sacred Lesson, when Abraham is^^en. 18, related to have met the three Angels. For he met them by ' " himself, as they were coming, without the door of the tent, but Sarah stood behind the door; for the Man and the master as it were of the spiritual house, i. e. our understanding, ought, in the acknowledgment of the Trinity, to issue out of the close chamber of the flesh, and, as it were, to go forth out of the door of his dwelling-place below; but let care of the flesh, as a woman, not shew herself out of doors, and let her be ashamed to display herself ostentatiously, that being as it were behind the back of the husband, under the discreet guidance of the Spirit, busied with necessary things alone, she may learn never to go wantonly uncovered, but to be regulated by modesty. But oftentimes, when she is charged never to presume on herself, but to resign herself wholly to undoubting hope in God, she turns away her ear, and disbelieves that, her exertions ceasing, the means of life can be forthcoming to her. And hence this same Sarah, upon hearing the promises of God, laughs, and for laughing is chidden, and still, so soon as she is chidden, she is made a fruitful mother. And she who in the vigour of youth had no power to conceive, when broken by the years of age, conceived j.iuio, in a withered woinU; in that ulien care of the flesh has - — '^^— ceased to entertain conlickncc in self, by promise from God it receives against hope that which from human reasoiung it doubted its ever obtaining. Hence he that is begotten is well called Isaac, i. e. ' laughing,' in that when it conceives sureness of hope in the Highest, what else does our mind give birth to but joy? Therefore we must take heed lest care of the flesh either transgress the limits of necessity, or in that which it discharges with moderation, presume on itself. For oftentimes the mind is betrayed to account that to be necessary, which it desires for pleasure, so that it reckons all that takes its ftiucy to be ' the useful' that we owx' to life. And often because the effect follows the forecasting, the mind is lifted up in self-confidence. And when that is in its hand which is lacking to the rest, it exults in secret thought for the greatness of its foresight, and is so much the further removed from real foresight, in proportion as it is ignorant of the exaltation that it is feeling. Therefore we ought to bethink ourselves, with a heedful earnestness of vigilance, whether of what we execute in deed or what we revolve in heart, lest either earthly care, to the incumbrance of the mind, be multiplied without, or at least lest the spirit be lifted up within for its control thereof; that whilst we dread the judgment of God with temporal heed, we may escape the woes of everlasting horror.'

1. As often as a mighty wrestler is gone down into the arena of the lists, those who prove no match for him in strength by turns present themselves for the working oi his overthrow, and as fast as one is overcome another is directly raised up against him, and, he being subdued, another takes his place, that they may sooner or later find his strength in wrestling more yielding, in that his repeated victory by itself wears it out, so that as each fresh opponent comes to the encounter, he who cannot be overcome by the nature of their powers, may at least be got the better of by the changing of the persons. Thus, then, in this theatre of men and Angels, blessed Job approved himself a mighty wrestler, and how he prevailed against the charges of his adversaries, he shews by his continuance in unabated force; to whom first Eliphaz presents himself, and next Bildad, and finally Zophar puts himself forward in their place in the overthrow of him, and these lift up themselves with all their might to deal him blows, yet never reach so far as to strike the height of that well-fenced breast. For their very words plainly imply that they deal their blows upon the air, in that as they do not rebuke the holy man aright, the words of smiting beinguttered in empty air are lost; and this is clearly shewn, whereas the answer of Zophar the Naamathite begins with insult, in that he says,

Chap. xi. 2. Should not he that talketh much hear in his turn? and should a man full of words be Justified?

2. It is the practice of the impertinent ever to answer by the opposite what is said aright, lest, if they assent to the things asserted, they should seem inferior. And to these the words of the righteous, however small in number they have been heard, are ' nuich,' in that as they cut their evil habits r576 Job^s words too true to suit tvith Zophar''s vanity.

Jon 11, to tlie quick, they fall heavy upon the hearing, whence that is even wrested to a crime, which by a ngbt declaration is pronounced against crimes. For the very person, who had delivered strong sentences on grounds of truth, Zophar rebukes and calls full of words, in that, whereas wisdom reprimands sins by the mouth of the righteous, it sounds like superfluity of talkativeness to the ears of the foolish. For froward men account nothing right, but what.they themselves think, and they reckon the words of the righteous idle in the degree that they find them differing from their own notions. Nor yet did Zophar deliver a fallacious sentiment, ' that a man lull of words could never be justified,' in that so long as any one lets himself out in words, the gravity of silence being gone, he parts with the safe keeping Isa. 32, of the soul. For hence it is written, And the work of Prov righteousness, silence. Hence Solomon saith. He that hath 25, 28. no rule over his own spirit in talking, is like a city that is broken doivn, and ivithout ivalls. Hence he says again, Prov. In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin. Hence the Ps'. 140 Psalmist bears witness, saying, Let not a man full of words il.Vulg. be established upon the earth; but the worth of a true sentence is lost, when it is not delivered under the keeping of discretion. Thus it is a certain truth, that ' a man full of words cannot be justified,' but a good thing is not well said, because there is no heed taken to whom it is spoken. For a true sentence against the wicked, if it is aimed at the virtue of the good, loses its own virtue, and bounds back with blunted point, in proportion as that is strong which it hits. But that the wicked cannot hear good words with patience, and that wherein they neglect the amending of their life, they brace themselves up to words of rejoinder, Zophar plainly instructs us, in that he subjoins;

Ver. 3, Should men hold their peace at thee only? and when thou mockest at others, shall no man confute thee? iii. 3. The uninstructed mind, as we have said, is sorely galled by the sentences of truth, and reckons silence to be a punishment; it takes all that is said aright to be the disgrace of mocking at itself. For when a true voice addresses itself to the ears of bad men, guilt stings the recollection, and in the rebuking of evil practices, in proportion as the mind is

'The froward think to be clear hy charging others. 577 touched with consciousness within, it is stirred up to eager- Book ness in gainsaying without; it cannot bear the voice, in that '— being touched in the wound of its guilt it is put to pain, and by that which is delivered against the wicked generally, it imagines that it is itself attacked in a special manner; and v^^hat it inwardly remembers itself to have done, it blushes to hear the sound of without. Whence it presently prepares itself for a defence, that it may cover the shame of its guilt by words of froward gainsaying. For as the righteous, touching certain things which have been done unrighteously by them, account the voice of rebuke to be the service of charity, so the froward reckon it to be the insult of mockery. The one sort immediately prostrate themselves to shew obedience, the other are lifted up to shew the madness of self-defence. The one sort take the helping hand of correction as the upholding of their life, by means of which whilst the sin of the present life is corrected, the wrath of the Judge that is to come is abated; the other, when they find themselves assailed by rebuke, see therein the sword of smiting, in that whilst sin is unclothed by the voice of chiding, the conceit of present glory is spoilt. Hence ' Truth' says by Solomon in commendation of the righteous man. Give instruction to a wise Pror. 9, man, and he will hasten to receive it; hence he makes * nothing of the obstinacy of the wicked, saying, He that^^'^-T' reproveth a scorner getteth to himself ivrong. For it generally happens that when they -cannot defend the evils that are reproved in them, they are rendered worse from a feeling of shame, and carry themselves so high in their defence of themselves, that they rake out bad points to urge against the life of the reprover, and so they do not account themselves guilty, if they fasten guilty deeds upon the heads of others also. And when they are unable to find true ones, they feign them, that they may also themselves have things they may seem to rebuke with no inferior degree of justice. Hence Zophar, for that it stung him to be as it were mocked at by reproof, forthwith subjoins with lying lips,

Ver. 4. For Thou hast said, My speech is pure, a fid I am clean in Thine eyes.

4. Whoso remembers the words of blessed Job, knows how iv. falsely this charge is fastened upon his voice. For how

Job 11, could he call himself pure, who says, If I justify myaelf

'- — mine own mouth shall condemn me; but there is this in the

Job 9,* wickedness of the unrighteous, that, while it refuses to 20' bewail real evil things in itself, it invents them in others, for it makes use of it as a solace of evil doing, if the life of the reprover can be also stained with false accusations. But we must know that for the most part the wicked wish what is good so far as the lips, in order that they may shew that that is bad which we have at present^ and as if from the good will they bear others, they pray for favourable circumstances, in order that they may appear full of kindly affection. Whence too Zophar forthwith subjoins, saying.

But oh that God would speak with thee, and open His lips unto thee! V. 5. For man by himself speaks to himself when in all that he thinks he is not withdrawn by the Spirit of the Di^-ine Being from the sense of canial wisdom; when the flesh puts forth a sense, and inviting the mind as it were to the understanding of it, sends it forth abroad. And hence ' Truth' MarkSjSaith to Peter, who was still full of earthly notions. For ^^' thou savourest not the things that he of God, but the things that be of men. Yet, vvhen he made a good confession, the Mat. 16, words are spoken, Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father which is in Heaven. Now what do we understand by ' the lips' of God saving His judgments? For when the lips are closed the voice is kept in, and the meaning of the person keeping silence is not known; but when, the lips being opened, speech is put forth, the mind of the person speaking is found out. So ' God opens His lips' when He manifests His will to men by open visitations. For He as it were speaks with open mouth, when the veil of interior Providence being drawn aside. He declines to conceal what is His will. For as it were with closed lips He forbears to indicate His meaning to us, when by the secresy of His judgments He conceals wherefore He does any thing. Zophar therefore, in order that he might reprove blessed Job on the gi-ounds of a carnal understanding, and shew what kindness of disposition he himself was of, wishes good things for him, which even when they are there present he does not know to be so, saying, Bnt oh that God would

God's secret Judyments, loken He leaves us to be tried. 579 speak with thee, and open His lips with thee. As if lio were Book to say in plain words, ' I feel for thy uninstructedness more than for thy chastening, in that I know thee to be endued with the wisdom of the flesh alone, and void of the Spirit of Truth. For didst thou discern the secret judgments of God, thou wouldest not give utterance to such daring sentences against Him.' And because when Almighty God raises us to take a view of His judgments, He forthwith puts to flight the mists of the ignorance that is in us, what instruction comes to us by His lips being opened, he forthwith shews by adding in the words,

Ver. 6. And that He would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, and that her law is manifold.

6. The public works of Supreme Wisdom are when vi Almighty God rules those whom He creates, brings to an end the good things which He begins, and aids by His inspiration those wdiom He illumines with the light of His visitation. For it is plain to the eyes of all men, that those whom He created of His free bounty. He provides for witli lovingkindness. And when He vouchsafes spiritual gifts, He Himself brings to perfection what He has Himself begun in the bounteousness of His lovingkindness. But the secret works of Supreme Wisdom are, when God forsakes those whom He has created; when the good things, which He had begun in us by preventing us. He never brings to completion by going on; when He enlightens us with the brightness of His illuminating grace, and yet by permitting temptation of the flesh, smites us with the mists of blindness; when the good gifts which He bestowed. He cares not to preserve to us; when He at the same time prompts the desires of our soul towards Himself, and yet by a secret judgment presses us with the incompetency of our weak nature.

7. Which same secrets of His Wisdom, but few have strength to investigate, and no man has strength to find out; in that it is most surely just that that which is ordained not unjustly above us, and concerning us, by immortal Wisdom, should be hidden from us while yet in a mortal state. But to contemplate these same secrets of His Wisdom is in some sort already to behold the power of His incomprehensible

')80 Zophars presumption. QoiTs law of Charity is manifuld.

Job 11, nature, in that though we fail in the actual investigation of TT ' His secret counsels, yet by that very failure Me more thoroughly learn Whom we should fear. Paul had strained to Eom. reach these secrets of that Wisdom, when he said, O the depth

' ' of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His Judgments, and His %cays past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been His counsellor? He, in a part above, turning faint even with the mere search, and yet through faintncss advancing to the knowledge of his own weakness, Eom. 9, saith beforehand the words, Nay but 0 man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to Him that formed it. Why hast Thou made me thus? He, then, that being unable to attain to the secrets of God, returned back to the recognition of his own weakness, and by thus falling short, recalled himself to the instructing of himself, in not finding out the secrets of wisdom, so to say, he did find them out. For when his strength failed him for the investigation of the counsels of the Most High, he learned how to entertain fear with greater humility, and the man whom his own weakness kept back from the interior knowledge, humility did more thoroughly unite thereto. Thus Zophar, who is both instructed by the pursuit of knowledge, and uninstructed by the effrontery of highswoln speech, because he has no weight himself, wishes for a better man that thing which he has, saying, But oh thai God would speak nith thee, and open His lips unto thee; that He might sheiv thee the secrets of wisdom. And by wishing he also shews off that wisdom wdierewith he reckons himself to be equipped above his friend, when he thereupon adds. And that her law is manifold. What should the ' law' of God be here taken to mean, saving charity, whereby we ever read in the inward parts after what manner the precepts of life should be maintained in outward action } For concerning this Law it is delivered by the voice of ' Truth,' John 15, This is My commandment, that ye love one another. Conj^om cerning it Paul says. Love is the fulfilling of the law. Con- 13, 10. cerning it he saith again. Bear ye one another'' s burthens, '"' and so fulfil ye the lata of Christ. For what can the Law of

Christ be more fitly understood to mean than charity, which we Book then truly fulfil w hen we bear the burthens of our brethren '- — fi'om the principle of love?

8. But this same Law is called 'manifold;' in that charity, full of eager solicitude, dilates into all deeds of virtue. It sets out indeed with but two precepts, but it reaches out into a countless number. For the beginning of this Law is, the love of God, and the love of our neighbour. But the love of God is distinguished by a triple division. For we are bidden to love our Maker' with all our heart' and ' with all our soul' and ' with all our might.' Wherein we are to take note that when the Sacred Word lays down the precept that God should be loved, it not only tells us with what, but also instructs us with how much, in that it subjoins, ' with all;' so that indeed he that desires to please God perfectly, must leave to himself nothing of himself And the love of our neighbour is carried down into two precepts, since on the one hand it is said by a certain righteous man, Do that to no man Tob. 4, which thou hatest. And on the other ' Truth' saith by Himself, Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that tnen^^^^- 7, should do to you, do ye even so to them. By which two precepts of both Testaments, by the one an evil disposition is restrained, and by tlie other a good disposition charged upon us, that every man not doing the ill which he would not wish to suffer, should cease from the working of injuries, aud again that rendering the good which he desires to be done to him, he exert himself for the service of his neighbour in kindness of heart. But while these same two are thought on with heedful regard, the heart is made to open itself wide in innumerable ofiices of virtue, lest whether for the admitting of things which it ought not, the mind being agitated be heated by passions; or for the setting forth of whatsoever it ought, being undone by indolence, it may be rendered inactive. For when it guards against doing to another what it would noton any account itself undergo at the hands of another, it looks about itself on every side with a heedful eye, lest pride lift it up, and while cutting down set up the soul even to contempt of our neighbour; lest coveting mangle the thought of the heart, and while stretching it wide to desire

58'2 Manifold offices of true Charity toioard men.

Job 11, the things of another, straitly confine it; lest lust pollute the MoiTAT ^®^^"*» ^^^ corrupt it, thus become the slave of its passions, in forbidden courses; lest anger increase, and inflarae it even to giving vent to insult; lest envy gnaw it, and lest jealous of the successes of others it consume itself with its own torch; lest loquacity drive on the tongue beyond all bounds of moderation, and draw it out even to the extent of license in slander; lest bad feeling stir up hatred, and set on the lips even to let loose the dart of cursing. Again, when it thinks how it may do to another what it looks for at the hands of another for itself, it considers how it may return good things for evil, and better things for good; how to exhibit towards the impertinent the meekness of longsuffering; how to render the kindness of good will to them that pine with the plague of malice, how to join the contentious with the bands of peace, how to train up the peaceable to the longing desire of true Peace; how to supply necessary things to those that are in need; how to shew to those that be gone astray the path of righteousness; how to soothe the distressed by words and by sympathy; how to quench by rebuke those that bum in the desires of the world; how by reasoning to soften down the threats of the powerful, how to lighten the bands of the oppressed by all the means that he is master of; how to oppose patience to those that offer resistance without; how to set forth to those that are full of pride within a lesson of discipline together with patience; how, with reference to the misdeeds of those under our charge, mildness may temper zeal, so that it never relax from earnestness for the rule of right; how zeal may be so kindled for revenge, that yet by kindling thus it never transgress the bounds of pity; how to stir the unthankful to love by benefits; how to preserve in love all that are thankful by services; how to pass by in silence the misdoings of our neighbour, when he has no power to coiTCCt them; how when the}' may be amended by speaking to dread silcYice as consent to them; how to submit to what he passes by in silence, yet so that none of the poison of annoyance bury itself in his spirit; how to exhibit the service of good will to the malicious, yet not so as to depart from the claims of righteousness from kindness; how to render all things to his neighbours that he is master of, Rook yet in thus rendering them not to be swelled with pride; in '- — the good deeds which he sets forth to shrink from the precipice of pride, 3'et so as not to slacken in the exercise of doing good; so to lavish the things which he possesses as to take thought how great is the bounteousness of his Rewarder, lest in bestowing earthly things he think of his poverty more than need be, and in the offering of the gift a sad look obscure the light of cheerfulness.

9. Therefore the Law of God is rightly called manifold, in this respect, that whereas it is one and the same principle of charity, if it has taken full possession of the mind, it kindles her in manifold ways to innumerable works. The diverseness whereof we shall set forth in brief if we go through and enumerate her excellencies in each of the Saints severally. Thus she in Abel both presented chosen gifts to God, and without resistance submitted to the brother's sword; Enoch she both taught to live in a spiritual way among men, and even in the body can'ied him away from men to a life above. Noah she exhibited the only one pleasing to God when all were disregarded, and she exercised liim on the building of the ark with application to a long labour, and she preserved him the survivor of the world by the practice of religious works. In Shem and Japhet she humbly felt shame at the father's nakedness, and with a cloak thrown over their shoulders hid that which she looked not on. She, for that she lifted the right hand of Abraham for the death of his son in the yielding of obedience, made him the father of a numberless offspring of the Gentiles. She, because she ever kept the mind of Isaac in purity, when his eyes were now dim with age, opened it wide to see events that should come to pass long after. She constrained Jacob at the same time to bewail from the core of his heart the good child taken from him, and to bear with composure the presence of the wicked ones. She instructed Joseph, when sold by his brethren, both to endure servitude with unbroken freedom of spirit, and not to lord it afterwards over those brethren with a high mind. She, when the peo]ile erred, at once prostrated Moses in prayer, even to the beseeching for death, and lifted him up in eagerness of indignant feeling even to the

684 Charity can he severe as well as indulgent.

Job 11, extent of slaying the people; so that he should both offer

'- — himself to die in behalf of the perishing multitude, and in the stead of the Lord in His indignation straightway let loose his rage against them when they sinned. She lifted the arm of Phinces in revenge of the guilty souls, that he should pierce them as they lay with the sword he had seized, and that by being wroth he might appease the wrath of the Lord. She instructed Jesus the spy, so that he both first vindicated the truth by his word against his false countrymen, and afterwards asserted it with his sword against foreign enemies. She both rendered Samuel lowly in authority, and kept him unimpaired in his low estate, who, in that he loved the People that persecuted him, became himself a witness to himself that he loved not the height from whence he was thrust down. David before the wicked king she at once urged with humility to take flight, and filled with pitifulness to grant pardon; who at once in fearing fled from his persecutor, as his lord, and yet, when he had the power of smiting him, did not acknowledge him as an enemy. She both uplifted Nathan against the king on his sinning in the authoritativeness of a free rebuke, and, when there was no guilt resting on the king, humbly Is. 20 2. prostrated him in making request. She in Isaiah blushed not for nakedness of the flesh in the work of preaching, and the fleshly covering withdrawn, she penetrated into heavenly mysteries. She, for that slie taught Elijah to live spiritually with the earnestness of a fervent soul, carried him off even in the body also to enter into life. She, in that she taught Elisha to love his master with a single affection, filled him with a double portion of his master's spirit. Through her Jeremiah withstood that the people should not go down into Eg^'pt, and yet by cherishing them even when they were disobedient he even himself went down where he forbad the going down. She, in that she first raised Ezekiel from all earthly objects of desire, afterwards suspended him in the air by a lock of his he&d. She in the case of Daniel, for that she refrained his appetite from the royal dainties, closed for him the very mouths of the hungry lions. She, in the Three Children, for that she quenched the flames of evil inclinations in them whilst in a condition of peace, in the season of affliction abated the verv flames in the furnace. She in Peter both stoutly withstood the threats of frowning rulers, and in the Book setting aside of the rite of circumcision, she heard the words of inferiors with humility. She, in Paul, both meekly bore the violence of persecutors, and yet in the matter of circumcision boldly rebuked the notion of one by great inequality his superior. ' Manifold' then is this Law of God, which undergoing no change accords with the several particulars of events, and being susceptible of no variation yet blends itself with varying occasions.

10. The multiplicity of which same law, Paul rightly counts up, in the words. Charity suffereth long, and is • Cor. kind; envieth not, vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,Q^' doth not behave itself unseemly, seekeih not her oivn, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, rojoiceth not in iniquity, hut rejoiceth in the truth. For charity ' suffereth long,' in that she bears with composure the ills that are brought upon her. She ' is kind,' in that she renders good for evil with a bounteous hand. She ' envieth not,' in that from her coveting nought in the present life, she thinketh not to envy earthly successes. She ' is not puffed up,' in that whereas she eagerly desires the recompense of the interior reward, she does not lift herself up on the score of exterior good thmgs. She ' doth not behave herself unseemly,' in that in proportion as she spreads herself out in the love of God and our neighbour alone, whatever is at variance with the rule of right is unknown to her., She is not covetous, in that as she is warmly busied within with her own concerns, she never at all covets what belongs to others. ' She seeketh not her own,' in that all that she holds here by a transitory tenure, she disregards as though it were another's, in that she knows well that nothing is her own but what shall stay with her. She ' is not easily provoked,' in that even when prompted by wrongs she never stimulates herself to any motions of selfavenging, whilst for her great labours she looks hereafter for greater rewards. She ' thinketh no evil,' in that basing the soul in the love of purity, while she plucks up all hatred by the roots, she cannot harbour in the mind aught that pollutes. She ' rejoiceth not in iniquity,' in that as she yearns towards all men with love alone, she does not triumph even in the ruin of those that are against her, but she ' rejoiceth in the

Job 10, truth,' ill that lovhig others as herself, by that which she - — '■ — beholds right in others she is filled with joy as if for the growth of her own proficiency. * Manifold,' then, is this * Law of God,' which by the defence of its instructiveness is proof against the dart of every sin which assaults the soul for its destruction, so that whereas our old enemy besets us with manifold encompassing, she may in many ways rid us of him. Which Law if we consider with heedful attention, we are made to know how greatly Ave sin each day against our Maker. And if we thoroughly consider our sins, then assuredly we bear afflictions with composure, nor is any one precipitated into impatience by pain, when conscience gives itself up by its own sentence. Hence Zophar, knowing what it was that he said, but not knowing to whom he said it, after he had premised the words, That He icoulcl shew thee the secrets of uisdom, and that her Law is manifold, forthwith adds,

And that thou mightest know that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth. vii. 1 1. For, as we have said, the pain of the stroke is miti- • gated, when the sin is acknowledged; for every one too bears the knife of the leach the more patiently, in proportion as he sees what he cuts to be gangrened. He therefore that comprehends the manifold character of the Law, reflects how much too little all is that he is suffering; for from this, that the weight of the sin is acknowledged, the pain of the affliction is made less.

12, But herein we must know that it was not without great iniquity that Zophar reproached the righteous man even to the charging him w^ith iniquity. And thus Truth with justice reproves their boldness, but mercifully restores them to favour; for with the merciful Judge a fault never goes without pardon, when it is done through the heat of zealous feeling in the love of Him. For this oftentimes happens to great and admirable teachers, that in proportion as they are inflamed with the depth of charity, they exceed the due measure of correction, and that the tongue utters somewhat that it never ought, because love inflames the heart to the degree that it ought. But the word of offered affront is the more readily spared, in proportion as it is con- sidered fi-om what root it comes. Whence the Lord rightly Book commanded by Moses, saying, As when a man goeth into ~-^ the wood with Ms neighbour merely to hew wood^ and the 19, 5. 6. wood of the axe Jiieth from his hand, and the head slippeth from the helve^ and Hghteth upon his neighbour that he die, he shall flee unto one of these cities and live: lest perchance the kinsman of him whose blood hath been shed pursue the slayer while his heart is hot, and overtake him, and slay him. For we ' go to the wood with a friend,' whensoever we betake ourselves with a neighbour to take a view of our transgressions, and we ' merely hew wood,' when with pious pui-pose we cut away the evil doings of offenders; but the ' axe flieth from his hand,' when rebuke carries itself into severity beyond what ought to be^ and the ' head slippeth from the helve,' when the speech goes off too hard from the act of correcting, and it ' lighteth upon a neighbour, that he die,' in that the offered insult kills its hearer as to the spirit of love. For the mind of the person reproved is instantly hurried into hate, if unmeasured censure condemn it beyond what ought to be. But he that heweth wood carelessly, and kills a neighbour, must take refuge in three cities, that he may live unharmed in one of them, in that if betaking himself to the lamentations of repentance, he be hidden in the unity of the Sacrament under hope faith and charity, he is not held guilty of the manslaughter that has been done; and when the 'kinsman of the slain' has found him he slayeth him not, in that, when the strict Judge comes. Who has united Himself to us by fellowship with our own nature. He doubtless never exacts retribution for guilt of sin from him, whom faith hope and charity hide beneath the shelter of His pardoning grace. Quickly then is that sin done away which is not committed of the set aim of malice. And hence, Zophar both calls him iniquitous, whom a sentence«from above had extolled, and yet he is not rejected and shut out from pardon, in that he is prompted to words of contumely by zeal in the love of God. Who, for that he does not know the merits of blessed Job, further added in illinstructed mockery, saying,

Ver. 7. Canst thou find out the footsteps of Qodf Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

Job 10, 13. What does he call ' the footsteps of God,"' saving the

— -^ — lovingkindness of His visitation? by which same we are y\\\ stimulated to advance forward to things above, when we are influenced by the inspiration of His Spirit, and being carried without the narrow compass of the flesh, by love we see and own the likeness of our Maker pi'esented to our contemplation that we may follow it. For when the love of the spiritual Land kindles the heart, He as it were gives knowledge of a way to persons that follow it, and a sort of footstep of God as He goes is imprinted upon the heart laid under it, that the way of life may be kept by the same in right goings of the thoughts. For Him, Whom we do not as yet see, it only remains for us to trace out by the footsteps of His love, that at length the mind may find Him, to the reaching the likeness contemplation gives of Him, Whom now as it were, following Him in the rear, it searches out by hoh' desires. The Psalmist was well skilled to follow these footsteps of

Ps.63,8. our Creator, when he said, BIy soul foUonx'th hard after Thee. Whom too he busied himself that he might find even

P8.42,2.to attaining the vision of His loftiness, when he said. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: ichen shall I coine and appear before the face of God ^ For then Almighty God is found out by clear conception, when the corruption of our mortality being once for all trodden under our feet. He is seen by us that are taken up into heaven in the brightness of His Divine Nature. But at this present time, the grace of the Spirit which is poured into our hearts lifts the soul from carnal aims, and elevates it into a contempt for transitory things, and the mind looks down upon all that it coveted below, and is kindled to objects of desire above, and by the force of her contemplation she is carried out of the flesh, while by the weight of her corruption she is still held fast in the flesh; she strives to obtain sight of the splendour of uncircumscribed Light, and has not power; for the soul, being burthened with infirmity, both never wins admittance, and yet loves when repelled. For our Creator already exhibits concerning Himself something whereby love may be excited, but He withdraws the appearance of His vision from those so loving. Therefore we all go on seeing only His footsteps, in that only in the tokens of His gifts we follow Him, Whom

God's rjreatncss foils our best attempts at knowledge. 58J) as yet we see not. Which same ' footsteps' cannot be com- Book prehencled, in that it is all unknown, when, where, and by '— what \\ays the gifts of His Spirit come, as ' Truth' bears record, saying, The ivind bloweth where it listeth, and ye John 3, cannot tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth. Now in ' the height of the rewarding the Almighty may be found out in the appearance' afforded to contemplation, yet He can 'per never be found out to perfection. For though sooner or later we see Him in His brightness, yet we do not perfectly \ behold His Essence. For the mind whether of Angels or men, whilst it gazes toward the uncircumscribed Light shrinks into little by this alone, viz. that it is a created being; and by its advancement indeed it is made to stretch above its own reach, yet not even when spread wide can it compass the splendours of Him, Who at once in transcending, in supporting, and in filling, encloses all things. Hence it is yet further added, Ver. 8, 9. He is higher than heaven, what canst thou do? Deeper than hell, what canst tJiou know? His measure is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

14. In that God is set forth as ' higher than heaven,' ^x. ' deeper than hell,' 'longer than the earth,' and ' broader than the sea,' this must be understood in a spiritual sense, inasmuch as it is impious to conceive any thing concerning Him after the proportions of body. Now Fie is ' higher than heaven,' in that He transcends all things by the Incomprehensibility of His spiritual Nature. He is ' deeper than hell,' in that in transcending He sustains beneath. He is ' longer than the earth,' in that He exceeds the measure of created being by the everlasting continuance of His Eternity. He is ' broader than the sea,' in that He so possesses the waves of temporal things in ruling them, that in confining He encompasses them beneath the every way prevailing presence of His Power. Though it is possible that by the designation of

* Heaven' the Angels may be denoted, and by the term ' hell,' the demons, while by the ' earth' the righteous, and by the

* sea' sinners are understood. Thus He is ' higher than the heaven,' in that the very Elect Spirits themselves do not perfectly penetrate the vision of His infinite loftiness.'' He is ' deeper than hell,' in that He judges and condemns the

Job 10, craft of evil spirits with far more searching exactness than

— ' they had ever thought. He is * longer than the earth,' in that He surpasses our loug-sufFcring by the patience of Divine long-suffering, which both bears with us in our sins, and welcomes us when we are turned from them to the rewards of His recompensing. He is * wider than the sea,' in that He every where enters into the doings of sinners by the presence of His retributive power, so that even when He is not seen present by His appearance, He is felt present by His judgment.

iMoRAL. 15. Yet all the particulars may be referred to man alone, so that he is himself ' heaven,' when now in desire he is attached to things above; himself ' hell,' when he lies grovelling in things below, confounded by the mists of his temptations; himself ' earth,' in that he is made to abound in good works through the fertility of a stedfast hope; himself 'the sea,' for that on some occasions he is shaken with alarm, and agitated by the breath of his feebleness. But God is * higher than heaven,' in that we are subdued by the mightiness of His power, even when we are lifted above our own selves. He is ' deeper than hell,' in that He goes deeper in judging than the very human mind looks into its own self in the midst of temptations. He is ' longer than the earth, in that those fruits of our life which He gives at the end, our very hope at the present time comprehends not at all. He is ' wider than the sea,' in that the human mind being tossed to and fro throws out many fancies concerning the things that are coming, but when it now begins to see the things that it had made estimate of, it owns itself to have been too stinted in its reckoning. Therefore He is made ' higher than heaven,' since our contemplation itself fails toward Him. Hence the Psalmist too had set his heart on high, yet he Ps. 139, felt that he had not yet reached unto Him, saying, Thi/ knowledge is too ivonderful for me, it is mighty, I cau not attain unto it. He knew One deeper than hell, who when sifting his own heart, yet dreading His more searching

1 Cor. judgment, said, For I know nothing hy myself, yet am I not

' ■ hereby just ijied: hut He tltai judgeth me is the Lord. He saw One ' longer than the earth,' when he was brought to reflect that the wishes of man's heart were too little for him, saying, Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding ahun- Book dantly above all that we ask or think. He had beheld One ' broader than the sea,' who considered whilst he feared that 20! ' the human njind may never know the immeasurableness of His severity, however it may toss and fret in enquiring after it, saying, JVho knoweth the fower of TJiine anger, and/orVH.QO, fear can tell Thy wrath? Whose Power the inimitable ^^' teacher rightly gives us the knowledge of, when he briefly says, That ye may he able to comprehend with all Saints E^h. 3, tvhat is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height. For God has ' breadth,' in that He extends His love even to gathering in the very persecutors. He has ' length,' in that He leads us onwards by bearing with us in long-suffering to the country of life. He has ' loftiness,' in that He far transcends the understanding of the very beings themselves that have been admitted into the heavenly assemblage. He has ' depth,' in that upon the damned below He displays the visitation of His severity in an incomprehensible manner. And these same four attributes He exercises towards each one of us, that are placed in this life, in that by loving. He manifests His ' breadth;' by suffering, His ' length;' by surpassing not only our understanding, but even our very wishes, His ' height;' and His ' depth,' by judging with strictness the hidden and unlawful motions of the thoughts. Now His height and depth how imsearchable it is no man knows saving he, who has, begun either by contemplation to be carried up on high, or in resisting the hidden motions of the heart to be troubled by the urgency of temptation. And hence the words are spoken to blessed Job, He is higher than heaven, what canst thou do? deeper than hell, whence canst tliou know? As if it were said to him in open contempt, ' His depth and excellency when mayest thou ever discover, who are not taught either to be lifted up on high by virtue, or to deal severely with thyself in temptations. It goes on,

Ver. 10. If He overturn all things, or shut them up together, then who shall gainsay Him? Or who can say to Him, Why doest Thou so?

\Q. The Lord ' overturns heaven,' when by His terrible and x, secret ordering He pulls down the height of man's con-

Job 10, templations. He * subverts hell,'' when He allows the soul of ^j — '— any affiighted under its temptations to fall even into worse exti'emes. He ' overturns the earth,' when He cuts off the fruitlulness of good works by adversities pouring in. He 'overturns the sea,' when He confounds the fluctuations of our wavering spirit, by the rise of a sudden panic. For the heart, disquieted by its own uncertainty, fears horribly for this alone, that she goes thus wavering; and it is as if the sea were overturned, when our very trembling towards God is itself confounded on the terribleness of His judgment being thought on. Whereas therefore we have described in brief, in what sort heaven and hell, earth and sea, are overturned, now the somewhat more difficult task awaits us, to shew how these may be * shut up together.'

17. For it very often happens that the spirit already lifts the mind on high, yet that the flesh assails it with pressing temptations; and when the soul is led forward to the contemplation of heavenly things, it is struck back by the images of unlawful practice being presented. For the sting of the flesh suddenly wounds him, whom holy contemplation was bearing away beyond the flesh. Therefore heaven and hell are shut up together, when one and the same mind is at once enlightened by the uplifting of contemplation, and bedimraed by the pressure of temptation, so that both by straining forward it sees what it should desire, and through being bowed down be in thought subject to that which it should blush for. For light springs from heaven, but hell is held of darkness. Heaven and hell then are brought into one, when the soul which already sees the light of the land above, also sustains the darkness of secret temptation coming from the warfare of the flesh. Yea, Paul had already gone up to the height of the third heaven, already leanit the secrets of Paradise, and yet being still subject to the assaults of the Rom. 7, flesh, he groaned, saying, But I see another law in my members warring 'against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. How then was it with the heart of this illustrious Preacher, saving that God had ' shut up together' heaven and hell, in that he had both already obtained the light of the interior vision, and yet continued to suffer darkness from the flesh.?

Above himself he had seen what to seek after with joy, in Book himself he perceived what to bewail with fear. The light — ^-^ — of the heavenly land had ahead}' shed abroad its rays, yet the dimness of temptation embarrassed the soul. Therefore he underwent hell together willi heaven, in that assurance set him erect in his enlightenment, and lamentation laid him low in his temptation.

18. And it often happens that faith is now vigorous in the soul, and yet in some slight point it is wasted with uncertainty, so that both being well-assured, it lifts itself up from visible objects, and at the same time being unassured it disquiets itself in certain points. For very often it lifts itself to seek after the things of eternit}', and being driven by the incitements of thoughts that arise, it is set at strife with its very own self. Therefore the ' earth and sea are shut up together,' when one and the same mind is both established by the certainty of rooted faith, and yet is influenced by the breath of doubt, through some slight fickleness of unbelief. Did not he experience that '' earth and sea were shut up together' in his breast, who both hoping through faith and wavering through faithlessness, cried, Lord, I believe^ help Thou inine unbelief? Mark 9,

How is it then that at the same time he declares that he believes, and begs to have the unbelief in him helped, saving that he had found out that ' earth and sea were shut up together' in his thoughts, who both being assined had already begun to implore through faith, and being unassured still endured the waves of faithlessness from unbelief.