19. And this is allowed by secret providence to be brought about, that when the soul has now begun to arise to uprightness, it should be assailed by the remnant of its wickedness, in order that this very assault may either exercise it if it resist, or if it be beguiled by enjoyment may break it down. Therefore it is well said here, Jf He overturn all thing&^ or shut them up together, who shall gainsay Him? Or who can say to Him, Why doest Thou so? For God's decree can neither lose any thing by opposition, nor be ascertained by enquiry, when He either withdraws the good graces which He had vouchsafed, or not entirely withdrawing them, lets them be shaken by the assault of evil inclinations. For oftentimes the heart is lifted up in higlimindedness vvhen it is
594 ' Vanity* of man not sin, hut allied to it.
jo» 11, established strongly in virtue by instances of joyful success,
— lil- but when our Creator beholds the motions of presumption ]uiKin<i; in the heart, He forsakes man for the shewing him to liimself, that his soul thus forsaken may discover what slie is, in that she wrongly exulted in herself in a feeling of security. Hence whereas it is said that ' all is overturned and shut up together,' ho therefore adds,
Ver. 11. For He kiioiveth the vanity of men; alien He seetli wiclcedness also, doth He not consider it? ^i. 20. As if he were subjoining in explaining the things premised, saying, ' Because He sees that by suffering them evil habits gain growth, by judging He brings to nought His gifts.' Now the right order is observed in the account, in that vanity is first described to be known, and afterwards iniquity to be considered. For all iniquity is vanity, but not all vanity, iniquity. For we do vain things as often as we give heed to what is transitory. Whence too that is said to rnnish, which is suddenly withdrawn from the eyes of the
Ps.39,5. beholder. Hence the Psalmist saith. Every man living is altogether vanity. For herein, that by living he is only tending to destruction, he is rightly called ' vanity' indeed; but by no means rightly called ' iniquity' too. For though it is in punishment of sin that he conies to nought, yet this particular circumstance is not itself sin, that he passes swiftly from life. Thus all things are vain that pass by. Whence
Eccles. too the words are spoken by Solomon, All is vanity.
^'^' 21. But 'iniquity' is fitly brought in immediately after
* vanity.' For whilst we are led onwanls through some things transitory, we are to our hurt tied fast to some of them, and when the soul does not hold its seat of uncliangeableness, running out from itself it goes headlong into evil ways. From vanity then that mind sinks into iniquity, which from being familiar with things mutable, whilst it is ever being hurried from one sort to another, is defiled by sins springing up. It is possible too that ' vanity' may be taken for sin, and that by the title of ' iniquity' weightier guilt may be designated; for if vanity were not sometimes sin, the Psalmist
Ps.39,6. would not have said, Though man ualketh in the image of
^"'^" God, surely he is disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoiceth not who shall gather them. For though we preserve the image of the Trinity in our natural con.stiUition, Book yet being disturbed by the vain motions of self-indulgence, we go wrong in our practice; so that in ever-alternating forms lust agitates, fear breaks down, joy beguiles, grief oppresses. Therefore from vanity, as we have also said above, we are led to iniquity, when first we let ourselves out in light misdemeanors, so that habit making all things light, we are not at all afraid to commit even heavier ones too afterwards. For while the tongue neglects to regulate idle words, being caught by the custom of engrained carelessness, it fearlessly gives a loose to mischievous ones. Whilst we give ourselves to gluttony we are straightway betrayed into the madness of an unsteady mind, and when the mind shrinks from overcoming the gi-atitication of the flesh, it very often plunges even into the whirlpool of imbelief. Hence Paul, looking at the mischiefs that befel the Israelitisli people, in order to keep off from his hearers threatened ills, was justly mindful to relate in order what took place, saying, Neither he ye 1 Cor. idolaters^ as were some of them; as it is written, The people^^ 32 sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to plaj/. For eating 6. and drink set them on to play, and play drew them into idolatry; for if the offence of vanity is not restrained with care, the unheeding mind is swiftly swallowed up by iniquity, as Solomon testifies, who says, He that despiseth small things falleth little by little. For if we neglect to take heed to little things, being insensibly led away, we perpetrate even greater things with a bold face; and it is to be observed, that it is not said that iniquity is ' seen,' but that it is ' considered.' For we look more earnestly at those things which we consider. Thus God ' knoweth the vanity of men, and considereth their iniquity,' in that He leaves not even their minor offences unpunished, and prepares Himself with greater earnestness to smite their worse ones. Therefore whereas men set out with lighter misdeeds, and go on to those of a graver order, vanity overcasts while iniquity blinds the mind, which same mind, so soon as it has parted with the light, presently lifts itself so much the higher in swoln pride, in proportion as being taken in the snares of iniquity, it withdraws further from the truth. Hence also he fitly sets forth whereunto vanity forces men joined with iniquity, in that he forthwith adds,
Job 11, Ver. 12. For the vain man is exalted in pride.
^ g^ - 22. For it is the end of vanity, whereas it mangles the ii, heart by sin, to render it bold by the offence, so that, ibrgetf'ul of its guiltiness, the soul which feels no sorrow to have lost its innocency, blinded by a righteous retribution, should at the same time part with humility also; and it very often happens, that, enslaving itself to unlawful desires, it rids itself of the yoke of the fear of the Lord; and as if henceforth at liberty for the commission of wickedness, it strives to put in execution- all that self-indulgence prompts. Hence when the vain man is said to be exalted in pride, therefore it is brought in,
And tJdnketli himself free horn like a wild ass's colt. xiii. 23. For by 'a wild ass's colt' is set forth every kind of wild animals, which being left free to the motions of nature, are not held by the reins of persons ruling them. For the fields leave animals in a state of liberty both to roam where they list, and to rest when they are wearied; and though man is immeasurably superior to insensate beasts, yet that is very often not allowed to man, which is granted to brute creatures. For those animals, which are never kept for any other end, assuredly never have their movements held in under the bands of discipline; but man, who is being brought to a life hereafter, must of necessity be held in all his movements under the controlling hand of discipline, and like a tame animal render service, bound with reins, and live restricted by eternal appointments. He then that seeks to put in practice in unrestrained liberty all the things that he has a desire for, what else is this but that he longs to be like the wild ass's colt, that the reins of discipline may not hold him in, but that he may boldly run at large through the forest of desires.''
24. But oftentimes Divine mercy breaks by the encounter of sudden adversity those, whom it sees going into the unrulincss of lawless freedom, that being crushed thej"^ may learn with what dainnable exaltation they had been swoln, that being now tamed by the experience of the scourge, they may like tame animals yield the mind's neck to the reins of the commandments, and go along the ways of the present life at the ruler's beck. With these reins he knew well that he continually with Thee. Whence too that raging persecutor, Book when he was bi'ought away from the field of unbelieving '— self-indulgence to the house of faith, being pricked by the spurs of his ruler, heard the words, It is hard for thee to kick Act? 9, against the pricks. It remains then, if we would not hence- * forth be like the wild ass's colt, that in all that we desire we first look out for the token of the interior appointment, so that our mind in all that it strives at may be held in by the bridle of the Supreme control, and may fulfil its wishes the more effectually to the obtaining of life, by the very same act, whereby even against its will it treads under foot the aims and objects of its own life. Zophar delivered many forcible sayings, but he is not conscious that he is addressing them to a better than himself; whence he still further subjoins in words of upbraiding,
Ver. 13. Thou hast set firm thine heart, and stretched out thine hands towards Him.
25. The heart is not here said to be ' set firm' by virtue but xiv. by insensibility, for every soul that submits itself to the consideration of the interior severity, is directly softened by the fear thereof; and the shaft of divine dread enters into him, in that he carries weak bowels through humility. But he that is hardened by obstinacy in insensibility, as it were sets his heart firm, that the darts of heavenly fear may not pierce it. Whence the Lord says mercifully to some by the Prophet, And I icill take aicaij the stony heart out of you^^zek. and I will yire you a heart of flesh. For He ' takes away ' the stony heart,' when He removes from us the hardness of pride. And He ' gives us a heart of flesh,' when He thereupon changes that same hardness into sensibility. Now by ' hands' as we have often taught are denoted works. To stretch out the hands to God, then, with sin, is to pride ourselves upon the excellency of our works to the prejudice of the grace of the Giver. For he that, speaking in the presence of the Eternal Judge, ascribes to himself the good that he does, stretches out his hands to God in a spirit of pride. It is in this way truly that the lost ever let themselves loose against the Elect, and so heretics against Catholics; that when they are unable to abuse their doings, they set themselves to blame the good for pride in those doings, that those, whom they cannot upbraid for weak points in practice, they may
Job 11, charge with the guilt of high-mindedness. And hence the l^Zllii good things wliicli are done outwardly, they now no longer reckon to be good, in that they are set forth as it were in the prosecution of swelling conceit. And these oftentimes with swelling thoughts rebuke lowly deeds, and know not that they are dealing blows against themselves by their words. But whereas Zophar had hitherto chidden the righteous man with reproof, now, as giving him lessons of instruction, he subjoins, Ver. 13, 14, 15. If the iniquity which is in thine hand thou put far from thee, and wickedness dwell not in thy tabernacle, then shall thou lift up thy face without spot, yea thou shall be stedfast, and shall not fear. XV. 29. Every sin is either committed in thought alone, or it is done in thought and deed together. Therefore ' iniquity in the hand' is offence in deed; but ' wickedness in the tabernacle,' is iniquity in the heart; for our heart is not unfitly called a tabernacle, wherein we are buried within ourselves, when we do not shew ourselves outwardly in act. Zophar therefore, in that he was the friend of a righteous person, knows what he should say, but in that he reproached a righteous person, bearing the likeness of heretics, he does not know how rightly to deliver even the things which he knows. But let us, treading under our feet all that is delivered by him in pride of spirit, reflect how true his words are, if they had but been spoken in a right manner. For first he bids that ' iniquity' be removed from the ' hand,' and afterwards that ' wickedness' be cut off from the ' tabernacle;' for whosoever has already cut away from himself all wicked deeds without, must of necessity in returning to himself probe himself discreetly in the purpose of his heart, lest sin, which he no longer has in act, still hold out in thought. Hence too it is Prov. well said by Solomon, Prepare thy work without, and ^*' 27- diligently work thy field, that afterwards thou inayest build thine house. For what is it when the ' work is prepared,' to ' till the field diligently without,' saving when the briars of iniquity have been plucked up, to train our practice to bearing fruits of recompense? And after the tilling of the field, what else is it to return to the building of our house, than that we very often learn from good deeds the perfect purity of life which we should build up in our thoughts.
For almost all good deeds come from the thoughts, but there book be some fine pohits of thought which have their birth in __2Ll_ action; for as the deed is derived from the mind, so on the other hand the mind is instructed by the deed; for the soul taking the first beginnings of divine love dictates the good things which should be done, but after the deeds so dictated have begun to be fulfilled, being practised by its own actions, it learns how little it saw when it began to dictate good deeds. Thus the ' field is tilled without, that the house may afterwards be built;' for very often we gain from outward practice what an extreme nicety of righteousness we should keep in our hearts; and Zophar was well minded to observe this order, in that he spake first of ' iniquity being put away from the hands,' and afterwards ' wickedness from the tabernacle;' for the mind can never be completely set upright in thought when it still goes astray in deed.
27. Now if we thoroughly wipe away these two, we then directly ' lift our face without spot' to God. For the soul is the inner face of man, by which same we are known, that we may be regarded with love by our Maker. Novv^ it is to lift up this same face, to raise the soul in ' God by appliance toi ai. 'to.' the exercises of prayer. But there is a spot that pollutes the uplifted face, when consciousness of its own guilt accuses the mind intent; for it is forthwith dashed from all confidence of hope, if when busied in prayer it be stung with recollection of sin not yet subdued. For it distrusts its being able to obtain whjft it longs for, in that it bears in mind its still refusing to do what it has heard from God. Hence it is said by John, Beloved, if our heart condemn us Uohns, not, then have we confidence toward God; and whatsoever ' ' we ask we shall receive of Him. Hence Solomon saith, HeFrov. that iurneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his ^' ^' jwayer shall be ahominafion. For our heart blames us in offering u]) our prayers, when it calls to mind that it is set in opposition to the precepts of Him, Whom it implores, and the prayer becomes abomination, when there is a ' turning away' from the control of the law; in that verily it is meet that a man should be a stranger to the favours of Him, to Whose bidding he will not be subject.
28. Wherein there is this salutary remedy, if when the
Job 11, soul reproaches itself upon the remembrance of sin, it first
13—15. bewail that in prayer, wherein it has gone wrong, that where-
MoiiAL. ^g the stain of offences is washed away by tears, in offering up our prayers the face of the heart may be viewed unspotted by our Maker. But we must be over and above on our guard, that the soul do not again fall away headlong to that, which it is overjoyed that it has washed away by tears; but whilst the sin that is deplored is again committed, those very lamentings be made light of in the eyes of the righteous
Ecclus. Jwclge. For we should call to mind what is said. Do not
7, i-i- repeat a irorcl in thy prayer; by which same saying the wise man in no sort forbids us to beseech pardon oftentimes, but to repeat our sins. As if it were expressed in plain words; ' When thou hast bewailed thy misdoings, never again do any tiling for thee to bewail again in prayer.'
29. Therefore that ' the face may be lifted up in prayer without spot,' it behoves that before the seasons of prayer every thing that can possibly be reproved in the act of prayer be heedfully looked into, and that the mind when it stays from prayer as well should hasten to shew itself such, as it desires to appear to the Judge in the very season itself of prayer. For we often harbour some impure or forbidden thoughts in the mind, when we are disengaged from our prayers. And when the mind has lifted itself up to the exercises of prayei', being made to recoil, it is subject to images of the things whereby before it was burthened of free will whilst unemployed. And the soul is now as it were without abihty to lift up the face to God, in that the mind being blotted within, it bluslies at the stains of polluted thought. Oftentimes we are ready to busy ourselves with the concerns of the world, and when after such things we apply ourselves to the business of ]nayer, the mind cannot lift itself to heavenly things, in that th.e load of earthly solicitude has sunk it down below, and the face is not shewn pure in prayer, in that it- is stained by the mire of grovelling imagination.
30. However, sometimes we rid the heart of every encumbrance, and set ourselves against the forbidden motions thereof, even at such times as we are disengaged from prayer, yet because we ourselves commit sins but seldom, we are the more backward in letting go the offences of others, and in Book proportion as our mind the more anxiously dreads to sin, the " — more unsparingly it abhors the injuries done to itself by another; whence it is brought to pass that a man is found slow to grant pardon, in the same degree that by going on advancing, he has become heedful against the commission of sin. And as he I'ears himself to transgress against another, he claims to punish the more severely the transgression that is done against himself. But what can be discovered worse than this spot of bitterness", which in the sight of the Judge' doloris does not stain charity, but kills it outright? For every sin stains the life of the soul, but bitterness maintained against our neighbour slays it; for it is fixed in the soul like a sword, and the very hidden parts of the bowels are gored by the point thereof; and if it be not first drawn out of the pierced heart, no whit of divine aid is won in prayer. For the medicines of health cannot be applied to the wounded limbs, unless the iron be first withdrawn from the wound. Hence it is that ' Truth' saith by Itself, //" ye forgive not men their Matt. 6, trespasses, neither will your Father Which is in Heaven forgive you your trespasses. Hence He enjoins, saying, And when ye stand praying, forgive, f y^ have ought against '^^'^^ any. Hence He saith again. Give, and it shall be given i^^}g^Q'Q^ unto you; forgive, and ye shall he forgiven. Hence to the^*^- form of petition, He affixed the condition of pity; saying. Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass ^'^^tt. 6, against us: that truly the good which we beg from God being pierced with compunction, we first do with our neighbour, being altered by conversion. Therefore we then truly ' lift our face without spot,' when we neither commit forbidden misdeeds, nor retain those which have been committed against ourselves from jealous regard for self; for in the hour of prayer our soul is overwhelmed with sore dismay, if either its practice still continue to pollute it, or bitterness kept for the injuring of another lay charge against it; which two when any one has cleansed away, he forthwith arises free to the things which are subjoined. Yea, thou shall he stedfast, and shall not fear, in that doubtless he fears the Judge the less, the more stedfast he stands in good deeds. F^or he gets the mastery of fears, who retains possession of stedfastness,
Joiiii,in tliat whilst he anxiously busies himself to do what oui -^^^^^^ Creator tenderly enjoins, he bethinks himself in security of that which lie threatens with terribleness.
31. Moreover it should be known, tliat there are some good deeds wherein we persevere unwearied, and again, there are some from which we are continually giving over and falling away, and we are restored to these, not without great endeavours at intervals of time; for in the active life the mind is stablished without failing, but from the contemplative, being overcome by the load of its infirmity, it faints away. For the first endures the more stedfastly in proportion as it opens itself to things about it for our neighbour's ueal; the latter falls away the more sv.iftly, in proportion as passing beyond the barriers of the flesh, it endeavours to soar up above itself. The first directs its way through level places, and therefore plants the foot of practice more strongly; but the other, as it aims at heights above itself, the sooner descends wearied to itself. Which is well and biiefiy conveyed by Ezekiel, when he relates the motions of the living creatures which he had seen, saying, Ez. 1,9. T/wi/ iarued not u-hen they ivent; and soon after he subjoins ^^' in addition, And the living creatures icent and returned. For sometimes the holy ' living creatures go and return not,' and sometimes they ' go and return forthwith;' for when the minds of the Elect, through the grace of an active life being vouchsafed them, abandon the paths of error, they never return to the evil courses of the world which they have forsaken; but when through the gaze of contemplation they are led to stay themselves from this same active life, they ' go and return,' in that hereby, that they are never able to continue for long in contemplation, they again let themselves out in action, that by busying themselves in such things as are immediately near them, they may recruit their strength, and may be enabled by contemplation again to soar above themselves. But while this practice of contemplation is in due method resumed at intervals of time, we hold on assuredly without faiUng all its entireness; for though the mind being overcome by the weight of its infirmity fall short, yet beingrestored again by contiimal efforts it lays hold thereof. Nor should it be said to have lost its firmness in that, which,
Sufferings of the Elect here are transient. (>03 though it be ever failing in, it is ever pursuing, even when Book it has lost the same. It proceeds;
Ver. 16. Thou shalt also forget thy misery, and no more remember it, as waters that pass away.
82. The mind feels the ills of the present life the more xvi. severely, in proportion as it neglects to take account of the good that comes after; and as it will not consider the rewards that are in store, it reckons all to be grievous that it undergoes; and hence the blinded imagination murmurs against the stroke of the scourge, and that is taken for an immeasurable woe, which by the days flowing on in their course is daily being brought to an end. But if a man once raise himself to things eternal, and fix the eye of the soul ujwn those objects which remain without undergoing change, he sees that here below all whatsoever runs to an end is almost nothing at all. He is subject to the adversities of the present life, but he bethinks himself that all that passes away is as nought. For the more vigorously he makes his way into the interior joys, he is the less sensible of pains without. Whence Zophar, not being airaid with boldfaced hardihood to instruct one better than himself, exhorts to righteousness, and shews how little chastening appears in the eyes of the righteous man. As if it were in plain words; ' If thou hast a taste of the joy which remains within, all that gives pain without forthwith becomes light.' Now he does well in likening the miseries of the present life to ' waters that pass away,' for passing calamity never overwhelms the mind of the Elect with the force of a shock, yet it does tinge it with the touch of sorrow. For it drops indeed with the bleeding of the wound, though it is not dashed from the certainty of its salvation. But it often happens that not only stripes inflict bruises, but that in the mind of each one of the righteous the temptings of evil s})irits come in force, so that he is grieved by the stroke without, and is in some sort chilled within by temptation. Yet grace never forsakes him, which same the more severely it smites us in the dealings of Providence, so much the more docs it watch over us in pity; for when it has begun to grow dark through temptation, the inward light kindles itself again. Whence too it is added;
Job 11, Ver. 17. And the noonday splendour shall rise to thee at xvii, 33. For ' the noonday splendoui* at eventide' is tlie renewing of virtue in the season of temptation, that the soul should be reinvigorated by the sudden heat of charity, which but now was (all of fear, that the light of grace had sunk to it; wdiich Zophar further unfolds with more exactness, when he subjoins,
Ver, 18. And when thou thinkest thyself consumed, thou shall arise like the morning star.
xviii. 34. For it often comes to pass that so many temptations beset our path, that the very multitude of them almost inclines us to the downfall of desperation. Hence for the most part, when the mind is turned to weariness, it scarce takes account even of the hurts that its virtue sustains, and notwithstanding that it is wholly filled with pain, it is as if it were now dislocated from the sense of pain, and were unable to reckon up with what a tumult of thoughts it is overrun. It sees itself momentarily on the point of falling headlong, and grief itself withstands it worse, that it should not lay hold of the arms of resistance. Mists encompass the eyes, wherever turned about, and whereas darkness ever obstructs the sight, the sad soul sees nought else than darkness; but wdth the merciful Judge it often ha])pens that this very sadness, which even weighs down the eflbct of prayer, intercedes for us the more piercingly. For then our Creator sees the blackness of our sorrow, and pours back again the rays of the light withdrawn, so that the mind being immediately braced up by His gifts becomes full of vigour, which same a little before contending evil projiensities kept down under the heel of pride. At once it shakes off the load of torpor, and bursts Avith the light of contemplation after the darkness of its troubled state. At once that is raised to the joy of advancement, which amidst temptations was well nigh driven by despair to a sorer fall. Without a conflict of the heart it looks down upon present things, without let of misgiving it trusts in the retribution to come. Therefore when the righteous man ' thinks himself consumed, he arises like the morning star,' in that so soon as he has begun to be benighted
Now, the ^lect are raised up from temporal sorrows. 605 with the blackness of temptations, he is restored anew to the Book light of grace, and he in himself manifests the day of righteousness, who the moment before, on the point to fall, dreaded the night of guiltiness. Now the life of the righteous is rightly compared to the ' morning star.' For the morning star, being precursor of the sun, proclaims the day. And what does the innocency of the Saints proclaim to us, saving the brightness of the Judge, That cometh after } For in our admiration of them we see what we are to account of the Majesty of the true Light. We do not yet behold the power of our Redeemer, but we admire His goodness in the characters of His Elect. Therefore in that the life of the good presents to our eyes on the consideration of it the force of Truth, the ' morning star' aiises bright to us heralding the sun.
35. But be it known that all that we have made out, proceeding upon the opposition of spiritual temptations, may without hindrance be interpreted by external ills, for holy men, because they love the things above from the bottom of their heart, encounter hardships in things below; but at the end they find the light of joy, which in the span of this passing life they care not to have. Whence it is said on this occasion by Zophar, And the 7ioo)idaij splendour shall arise to thee at eventide. For the sinner's light in the daytime is dimness at eventide, in that he is buoyed up with good fortune in the present life, but is swallowed up by the darkness of calamity at the end; but to the righteous man the noonday splendour ariseth at eventide, in that he knows what exceeding brightness is in store for him when he has already begun to set. Hence it is written; Whoso feareih Ecclus. tlie Lord, it shall cjo icell with him at the last. Hence it is ' declared by the Psalmist; When He cjivelh. His beloved sleep, Ps. 127, ^tliis is the heritage of the Lord. He, while he is still T'/,^*^ set in the strife of this present life as well, ' when he'?*'> thinketh himself consumed, ariseth like the morning star;' because whilst falling outwardly he is renewed inwardly. And the more that he encounters crosses without, the more richly he gleams with the liglit of his virtues within, as Paul testifies, who saith. Though our '2 Cot. outward man perish, yet the inward ynan is renewed day by '
GOl) Present suffermfj increases future Joy.
Jon ]\, (1(1//. For our ligjtl affilclion nirich is hut for a moment
'■ — worketli for us a far more exceediny a/nl eternal weigJtt of glory. And it ought to be observed, that he never says, ' when thou ait consumed,' but, ' when thou thinkest thyself consumed,' in that both that which we see is doubtful, and that which we ho])e for certain. Whence too the same Paul did not know, but thought, that he was consumed, who even when falling headlong into sufferings and tribulations, shone 2 Cor. bright like the morning star, saying. As dying, and, behold, '" 'we live; as sorrouful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet tnaking many rich. And we should know that the worse plight the mind of the good is reduced to for the love of the truth, the more sure and certain its hope of the rewards of eternity. Whence too it is justly added;
Ver. 18. And thou shall have confidence, because hope is set before thee. xix. 36. For hope lifts itself the more firmly rooted in God, in proportion as a man has suffered harder things for His sake, since the joy of the recompensing is never gathered in eternity, which is not first sown here below in religious sor- Ps. 126, rowing. Hence the Psalmist saith. They uent forth and wept as they went, bearing precious seed, hut they shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing their sheaves 2 Tim. ii'ith them. Hence Paul saith, If ue be dead tcith Him, ue ^^^■^'^- s] I all also live with Him; if tve suffer, we shall also reign ActaU,'it^ith Him. Hence he warns his disciples, saying, And ^^' that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. Hence the Angel, shewing the glory of the liev. 7, Saints to John, saith, TJiese are they that came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore because we now sow in tribulation that we may afterwards reap the fruit of joy, the heart is strengthened with the larger measure of confidence in proportion as it is pressed with the heavier weight of affliction for.the Truth's sake. Whence it is therefore fitly added, • V. (ic. Yea, being dug to the bottom ', thou shall rest secure.
37. For just as present security begets toil to the wicked, so present toil begets perpetual security to the good. Hence he already knew that it was his ' to rest secure after he had been dug to the bottom,' who said, For I oin now ready to Book he offered, and the lime of nnj departure is at hand. I have -^-l fought a good fight, I hare finished my course: I have kejit 4 q.^' the faith. Hence/'orlh there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness,?ahich the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day. For as he had striven without giving over against transitory ills, doubtless he reckoned without misgiving on enduring joys.
•38. Not but that the expression, ' been dug to the bottom,' may be understood in another sense also: for oftentimes being busied with transitory matters, we neglect to consider in what great things Ave go wrong; but if the eye of reflection being brought in, the pile of earthly thoughts be discharged from the recesses of the heart, what lay hid from sight within is disclosed to view; wdience holy men never cease to explore the secret hiding places of their souls; minutely searching themselves, they throw off the cares of earthly things, and their thoughts being thoroughly dug uj) from the bottom', when they find that they are not cankered in any wise 1 effossi by the guilt of sin, they rest secui^e in themselves as upon the bed of the heart. For they desire to be hid apart from the courses of this world. They are always thinking on their own concerns, and when they are not at all tied by the harness of government, they decline to pass judgment on what concerns others. Therefore ' having been dug to the bottom they rest secure,' in that whilst with wakeful eye they dive into their inmost recesses, they withdraw themselves from the toilsome burthens of this world under the disengagement of repose. And hence it is yet further added,
Ver. 19. Also thou shall lie down, and there shall he none to make thee afraid.
39. Whosoever seeks present glory doubtless dreads con- xxi. tempt. He, who is ever agape after gain, is ever surely in fear of loss. For that object, the receiving of which is medicine to him, the loss thereof is his wounding, and as he is rivetted under fetters to things mutable and destined to perish, so he lies grovelling beneath, far apart from the stronghold of security. But, on the other hand, whoever is rooted in the desire of eternity alone, is neither uplifted by good fortune nor shaken by adverse fortune; whilst he has
1)08 Worldly desires cause worldly fears. Menpromise what they value.
Job. 11, nought in the world which he desires, there is nought which
-^r - he dreads i'roni the world. For it is hence that Solomon
Prov. saith, If shall /lot yrieve the just whatsoever shall happen
Pj.'„y ■ unto liini. Hence he says again. The righteous as a bold
28, 1. lion shall be without alarm. Therefore it is rightly said here;
Also thou shall lie down, and notie shall make thee afraid, in that every one the more completely casts away from himself the fear that cometli from the world, the more thoroughly he overcomes in himself the lust of the world. Did not Paul lie Eom. 8, down and rest in heart without fear, when he said, For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor lyrincipalities, nor poners, nor things present, nor things to
1 So come, nor strength^, nor height, nor depth, nor any other
^^* creature shall he able to separate us from the love of God ichich is in Christ Jesus our Lord. The force of which same love is commended by the true voice of the Holy
Cant. 8, Church, where it is said in the Song of songs, For love is strong as death. For love is compared to the force of death, in that that soul which it has once taken possession of, it wholly kills to the delightfulness of the world, and sets it up the stronger in authority, that it rendei's it indifferent towards objects of terror. But herein it is to be known, that when bad men deliver right sentinients, it is very hard for them not to let themselves out upon that, which they are going after in secret within. Hence Zophar forthwith adds;
Yea, many shall make suit unto thee.
xxii. 40. For the righteous do not keep themselves in the naiTow paths of innocency with this view, that they may be implored by others, but whether heretics or any that be perverse, all of them, in that they live with an appearance of innocency among men, have the desire to shew themselves as intercessors in behalf of men, and when in talk they convey holy truths, what they themselves are hankering after, they promise to others as something great; and whilst they tell of heavenly things, they soon shew by their pledges what their hearts are bent on. But lest by long continuing to promise earthly things, they may be made ai)pear what they are, they quickly return to words of ujirightness. Whence it is immediately added,
The eyes of the xciched fail trhcn their ohjects perish. (109
Bttf the eyes ofilte uicked shall/ail, and refuge ahall perislt Book from them. ^—
41. That by the designation of eyes' the energy of the xxiii. intention is set forth to ns, ' Truth' testifies in the Gospel, saying, If thine eye shall he single, thy whole body shall he Matt. 6, full of light. Forasniiieh as if a pure intention l)ave preceded our action, howsoever it may seem otherwise to men, yet to the eyes of our interior Judge, the body of the deed that follows after is presented pure. Therefore the ' eyes' of the wicked are the intentions of carnal desires in them, and these fail for this reason, that they are careless of their eterual interests, and are ever looking for transitory advantages alone. For they aim to get themselves an earthly name, they wish above all things to grow and increase in temporal goods, they are daily advancing with the tide of transient things to the goal of death; but they think not to take account of the things of mortality upon the principles of their mortal nature. The life of the flesh is failing minute by minute, and yet the desire of the flesh is growing; property gotten is snatched off by an instant end, yet the eagerness in getting is not ended the more; but when death withdraws the wicked, then indeed their desires are ended with their life. And the eyes of these fail them through the Avenging of the Most High, for that they would not fail here by their own determination to earthly gratification. These same eyes of such persons the Psalmist had seen closed to their former enjoyment, when he said, In thai day all their P». 146, thoughts perish. For they meet at once with eternal woes * they had never thought on, and on a sudden lose the temporal goods, they had long while held and dealt with. And for these ' all refuge shall perish,' in that their iniquity finds not where to hide itself from the visitation of the searching Judge. For now, when the wicked undergo some slight mishaps or evil chances, they find a hiding-place for refuge, in that they forthwith have recourse to the enjoyment of earthly objects of desire. For that poverty torment them not, they beguile the spirit with riches. Or lest the contempt of their neighbours sink them, they exalt themselves with titles. If the body is cloyed with satiety, it is pampered with the variety of viands set before it. If the mind is weighed
Job 11, down by any impulse to sadness, it is immediately relieved — by the beguilemeuts of sportivcncss being introduced. Here therefore they have as many places of refuge as they make for themselves entertainments of delight; but one time ' refuge shall perish from them,' in that their soul, when all these arc gone, sees only itself and the Judge. Then the pleasure is withdrawn, but the guilt of pleasure is preserved; and ere long the miserable wretches learn by their perishing that they wore perishable things they had possession of. Yet these as long as they live in the body never cease to seek after things of a natwe to do them harm. Whence it is still further added,
And iJieir hope shall he the ahomination of the soul. xxiv. 42. What does the sinner hope for here in all his thoughts saving to surpass others in power, to go beyond all men in the abundance of his stores, to bow down his rivals in lording it over them, to display himself as an object of admiration to his follov.-ers' to gratify anger at will, to make himself known as kind and gracious when he is commended, whatever the appetite longs for to offer to it, to acquiesce in all that pleasure dictates by the fulfilling of the thing? Well then is their hope said to be ' the abomination of the soul,' for the very same objects which carnal men go after, all spiritual persons abominate, according to the sentence of righteousness. For that which sinners account pleasure, the righteous, surely, hold for pain. Therefore the hope of the wicked is the abomination of the soul, for the spirit is wasted while the body is at ease. For as the flesh is sustained by soft treatment, so is the soul by hard dealing; soothing appliances cherish the first, harsh metliods exercise the last. The one is fed with enjoyment, the last thrives on bitterness. And as hardships wound the flesh, so softness kills the spirit, as things laboi'ious kill the one, so things delightful destroy the other. Therefore the hope of carnal men is said to be the abomination of the soul; in that the spirit perishes for ever by the same means whereby the flesh lives pleasantly for a while.
43. Now Zophar would have said this aright, if blessed Job had not proclaimed it all more fully even by living accordingly. But whereas he sets himself to give an holier
Conceit of knowledge breeds foolish contempt. Oil man admonition concerning the way of living, and to instruct Book one more skilled than himself with the tutorage of wisdom, he '- — by his own act makes the weight of his words light, in that by letting in indiscreetness he undoes all that he says; in that he is pouring on the liquid element of knowledge into a full vessel. For the treasures of knowledge are possessed by the indiscreet just as treasures of corporal substance are often in the possession of fools. For some that are sustained by a frill measure of earthly goods at times give largely even to those that have, that they may themselves seem to have them in fuller measure than all men. So the wicked, since they are imbued with truth, speak in some respects right even to those that are more right than they are, not that they may instruct others that hear them, but that they may make it appear with what a iund of instruction they are furnished. For they hold that they excel all men in wisdom, therefore they imagine that there is nothing that they can say to any man beyond the measure of their greatness. Thus all the wicked, thus all heretics are not afraid to instruct their betters with a high tone, in that they look upon all as inferior to themselves. But Holy Church recalls every one that is high minded from the height of his selfesteem, and fashions him anew by the hand of discretion in the jointing of equality. Whence blessed Job, who is a member of the same Holy Church, seeing that the mind of his friend was swoln and big in words of instruction which he delivered, thereupon answered, saying,
Chap. xii. 2. No donht but ye are ihe only men, and wisdom shall die wit It you.
4.4.. Whosoever reckons himself to excel all men in the xxv. faculty of reason, what else does such a man but exult that he is the ' only Man?' And it often happens that when the mind is borne on high through pride, it is uplifted in contempt of all men, and in admiration of self. For self-applause springs up in the imagination, and folly is itself its own flatterer for singularity of wisdom. It ponders all that it has heard, and considers the words that it utters; and it admires its own, and scoffs at those of others. He then, who thinks that he only is wise, what else is this but that he believes that that same ' wisdom dies with him?' For what he denies
^12 Job's frieiuh proud uf covuiion aiiuinmenis.
Job 12, to be with others, ascribing to himself alone, he doth, in ' truth, confine within the period of his brief span. But we are to consider what exact discretion the holy man employs, in order that tlie arrogance of his friends in the fulness of pride might be brought within bounds, in that he adds forthwith,
Ver. 3. But I have under standing/ as tcell as you; I am not inferior to you. xx\ i. 45. For who is ignorant how greatly the practice and the knowledge of blessed Job excels the knowledge that his friends have? Now in order to correct their pride, he asserts that he is ' not inferior' to them, and lest he should transgress the limits of his own humility, he keeps to himself that he is superior to them; not by setting himself above, but by equalling himself to them, he points out what they should learn concerning themselves, who are far unlike to him; that whereas that wisdom which is high is voluntarily bowed down, the knowledge vvhich lies grovelling may never erect itself against the nature of its powers, and he does well that he immediately recalls these to a sense of their equal condition, reflecting that they are swoln to excess as if for singularity in greatness, when he afterwards proceeds,
Yea, iciio kiioweih not such tilings as these that ye know? xxvii. 46. As though he said in plain words; Since what ye say is known to all men, wherefore are ye puffed up by the knowledge contained in your sayings, as of singular merit? Therefore whereas in bringing back the pride of the self-conceited to a common level of equality, he has reproved with a full correction, he now breaks out into statements of instruction; that his friends having been humbled first might leai'u the wcightiness of Truth, and how reverently they should hear it. it proceeds,
Ver. 4. He tJiat is mocked of his neiyhbuur as I am, catleih upon God, and He ansicereth him. xxviii. 47. Oftentimes the frail mind, when it is welcomed by the breath of human regard on the score of good actions, runs out into outward delights, so that it lays aside what it inwardly desires, and willingly lies all loosely in that which it gives ear to without. So that it does not so much delight to become as to be called blessed; and whereas it gapes after the words of applause, it gives over what it had begun to be; Book and so it is severed from God by the same means by which it appeared to be commendable in God. But sometimes it presses forward in good practice with a constant heart, and yet is pushed hard by the scoffs of men; it does admirable deeds, and gets only abuse; and he that might have been made to go forth without by commendations, being repulsed by insults, returns back again into himself; and stablishcs himself the more firmly in God, that he findeth no place without when he may rest in peace: for all his hope is fixed in his Creator. And amidst scoffs and revilings, the interior Witness is alone implored. And his soul in his distress becomes God's neighbour, in proportion as he is a stranger to the favour of man's esteem. He forthwith pours himself out in prayer, and being pressed without, he is refined with a more perfect purity to penetrate into all within. I'hei'efore it is well said at this time, He that is mocked of his neighbour as I am, will call upon God, and He will hear him. For whilst the wicked reproach the soul of the good, they are shewing them Whom to seek as the Witness of their actions. And while their soul in compunction braces itself in prayer, it is united within itself to the hearing of the Most High, by the same act whereby it is severed from the applause of man without itself. But v/e ought to note how thoughtfully the words are inserted, as I am. For there be some men wjiom both the scofiings of their fellow-creatures sink to the ground, and yet they are not such as to be heard by the ears of God. For when mocking issues against sin, surely no virtuous merit is begotten in that mocking. For the priests of Baal, when they called upon him with clamorous voices, were mocked by Elijah, when he said. Cry aloud; for he is a god, either he is talking, i Kings or he is staying on a journey. But this mocking was con-* '"'• ducive to the service of virtue, in that it came by the deserts of sin. So that it is advisedly said now, He that is mocked of his friend, as I am, calleth upon God, and He heareth him. For the mockery of his fellow-creatures makes Him God's neighbour, whom innocency of life keeps a stranger to his fellow-creatures' wickednesses. It proceeds.
For the upright ma^is simplicity is laughed to scorn.
614 Simplicity of the upright scorned by the World.
Job 12, 48. It is the wisdom of this world to overlay the heart with inventions, to veil the sense with words; things that are
Hist. ^^^^ to shew for tme, what is true to make out fallacious. This is the wisdom that is acquired by the young by practice. Tliis is learnt at a price by children, they that are acquainted with it are fdled with pride, despising other men; they that know nothing of it, being subdued and browbeaten, admire it in others; for this same duplicity of wickedness, being glossed over by a name, is their joy and delight, so long as frowardness of mind goes by the title of urbanity. She dictates to her followers to seek the high places of honour, to triumph in attaining the vain acquisition of temporal glory; to return manifold the mischiefs that others bring upon us; when the means are with us, to give way to no man's opposition; when the opportunity of power is lacking, all whatsoever he cannot accomplish in wickedness to represent in the guise of peaceable good nature. But on the other hand it is the wisdom of the righteous, to pretend nothing in show, to discover the meaning by words; to love the truth as it is, to eschew falsehood; to set forth good deeds for nought, to bear evil more gladly than to do it; to seek no revenging of a wrong, to account opprobrium for the Truth's sake to be a gain. But this simplicity of the righteous is ' laughed to scorn,' in that the goodness of purity is taken for folly with the wise men of this world. For doubtless every thing that is done from innocency is accounted foolish by them, and whatever truth sanctions in practice sounds weak to carnal wisdom. For what seems worse folly to the world than to shew the mind by the words, to feign nothing by crafty contrivance, to return no abuse for wrong, to pray for them that speak evil of us, to seek after poverty, to forsake our possessions, not to resist him that is robbing us, to offer the other cheek to one that strikes us.'* ^V'hence that illustrious Wise one of God speaks well to the lovers of this Exod.8, world, We shall sacrifice the abominalion of the Eayptians to the Lord our God. For the Egyptians loathe to eat the flesh of slieej), but that which the Egyptians loathe, the Israelites offer up to God; for that singleness of conscience, which the unrighteous one and all scorn as a thing most mean and abject, the righteous turn into a sacrifice of virtue,
The ' ricW that arejud(/ed, those loho think themselves so. (5)5 and the just in their worshipping sacrifice purity arid mild- Book ness to God, which the sons of perdition in abomination thereof account weakness. Which same simphcity of the righteous man is briefly yet adequately expressed, in that the words are forthwith introduced;
Ver. 5. A lamp despised in the thowjht of the rich, 49. What is denoted in this place by the title of the ' rich,' xxx. but the highmindedness of the proud, who have no respect for the Judge that shall come, while they are swollen with proud thoughts within themselves? For there are some that by a fortune are not lifted up in pride, but elevated thereby through works of mercy. And there are some who, while they see that they overflow with earthly resources, do not look for the true riches of God, and have no aflection for the eternal land, for they think that this is enough for them, that they are set up with ten)poral goods. The fortune then is not in fault, but the feeling. For all things that God created are good, but he who uses good things amiss, assuredly brings it about that as it were through gluttonness of greedy appetite, he perishes by the bread whereby he ought to live. The beggar Lazarus attained to rest, but torments racked the proud rich one. And yet Abraham was rich, who held Lazarus in his bosom. Yet holding commune with his Maker, he says, / have taken upon me to speak unto the Geu.lS, Lord, which am bat dust and ashes! How then did he know to set a value on riches, who accounted himself to be dust and ashes? or how could his possessions even exalt him, who entertained such poor notions about himself who was the OAvner of them?
50 Yet again there are some, to whom earthly property is not vouchsafed, and yet they are set up in their own eyes, in height of swollen pride. At the same time that there is no fortune at all to uplift these to the display of power, yet the frowardness of their ways assigns them a place among the lost children of riches. All, then, that love of the life to come does not fill with abasement, the sacred word here calls rich. For in the avenging of Judgment, there is no difference to them whether they be swollen with goods, or only in disposition. These, when they see the life of the simple sort in this world to be lowly and abased, forthwith scoff" at them
Job 13, with proud scornings; for they mark that that is wholly wanting
'- — to them without, which they pant after themselves with their best endeavours. Therefore they look down upon them as fools, who are without those things, by the having or merely loving of which they themselves in truth are perishing; and they ta^e those for dead, whom they observe in no sort to live with themselves after the flesh. For he that dies from the desires of this world, is of course held by earthly minds to be utterly dead. Which is well represented by the miracle of our Redeemer when He frees a man from an Mark 9, unclean spirit, concerning which same it is written: And '' the spirit cried and rent him sore, and came out of him, and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, he is dead. But Jesus took him hy the hand, and lifted him up, and he arose: for he looks like one dead that is set free from the power of an evil spirit. For whosoever has already got the better of earthly desires, makes the life of carnal conversation extinct in himself; and he seems dead to the world, in that he lacks the wicked one that possessed him, who urged him by impure desires; and many call him dead, in that they who know not how to live spiritually, look upon him who does not follow carnal good to be wholly lifeless.
51. But because the very scoffers at the simple ones are themselves too enrolled under the name of Christians, beingoverruled by reverence for religion, they are ashamed to make a display of the sin of open scoffing. Whence it happens that full of pride in themselves, and in silence, they scoff" at those whom they take to be utterly mean and abject from their simplicity. Therefore it is well expressed, A lamp is despised in the thought of the rich; for all the proud, whereas they are unskilled to estimate the blessings to come, as we have said above, account him almost as nothing whom they do not see to be possessed of thatwliich they are devoted to. For it often happens that each one of the Elect, who is being conducted to eternal bliss, is overwhelmed here with uniutermittcd calamit}', tliere is no plentifulness of stores that buoys him up, no lustre from titles that makes him conspicuous, no crowd of followers falls to his lot, no pomp of raiment makes him a figure in the eyes of men, but he is regarded as an object of contempt by all men, and accounted unworthy of the regard of this world. Yet in the eyes of the hidden Book Judge he is bright with virtues, and full of lustre from the — — — merits of his life; he dreads to be honoured, he never shrinks from being despised, he disciplines the body by continence, he is fattened by love alone in the soul, he ever sets his mind to bear with patience, and standing erect on the ground of righteousness, he exults in the insults he receives, he compassionates the distressed from his heart, he rejoices in the successes of the good as in his own, he carefully ruminates the provender of the sacred word in his heart, and when examined he is unskilled to give a double answer; * a lamp' because he is bright within, ' despised' because he is not luminous without. Inwardly he glows with the flame of charity, without he shines with no gloriousness of lustre. Therefore he shines and is despised, who, while he glows with virtue, is accounted vile. Hence it is that his own father looked down upon holy David, when he refused to i Sam. present him to the eyes of the Prophet Samuel. He, when he ^^' ^^* had brought out seven sons to receive the grace of anointing, being questioned by the Prophet whether he had gone through the whole number of his children, answered with despair enough, There remaineth yet a little hoy that keepeth the sheep; and when he was brought forward and chosen, he heard the words, Man looketh in the face, but the Lord searcheth the heart. Thus David was a lamp by his innocency, but yet a lamp greatly despised, in that he gave no light to those that regard the outside appearance. But be it known that every righteous man is either without temporal glory, or if he has it, he breaks it beneath himself, that he may fi'eely rise on high above his own honour, lest overcome by enjoyment he be brought down beneath it. It is hence that that illustrious Preacher lowered the glory of his Apostleship before the eyes of men, saying, We have not j Thesy used this power, ichen we might have been burthensonie as^, 6. 7. the Apostles of Christ, but we made ourselves little children among you. But the swelling of the neck still remained in the heart of the hearers of that same person, when they said, For his letters say they are iceighty and powerful, but his 2 Cot. bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible. For^^'^*^' him who they knew could say such things they determined
Job 12, could not live in common with themselves, and when they — ■ — both saw him lowly in his mode of life and high in his tone of speech, their pride drove tlicm on, that him whose writings had made him to be feared, his words in presence should make an object of little account. What then was Paul, saving ' a lamp despised in the thought of the rich,' who by the same act whereby he set forth a lesson of humility, got the affronts of highmindedncss from ill-instructed disciples. For in a dreadful way, the sickness of those so filled with pride was increased by the same means, whereby it ought to have subsided; while the proud mind of carnal persons rejected, as if it were worthy of scorn that which their master set forth as deserving of imitation. Was not he * a lamp despised,' who when he shone forth with so many virtues, undervv'cnt such adverse treatment at the hands of liis persecutors? He discharges his mission in chains, and his bonds are made known in all the palace, he is beaten with rods, he is beset with numberless dangers from his own race and from the Gentiles; at Lyslra he is battered with stones, he is dragged by the feet without the city, in that he is taken for dead. But to what point is this ' lamp despised?' Up to what point is it held contemptible? Does it never at any point unveil its lustre? Does it never shew, with what excess of brightness it glows? It does shew clearly. For when it is said that the ' lamp is despised in the thought of the rich,' it is therefore added, Prepared for an appointed time. xxxi. 5*2. For the ' appointed time' for' the despised lamp' is the predestined Day of final Judgment, wherein it is shewn how each one of the righteous, who is now contemned, shines bright in greatness of power. ^ For then they come as judges with God, who now are judged unjustly for God's sake. Then their Light shines over so much the wider space, the more cruelly the persecutor's hand confines and fetters them now. Then it will be made clear to the eyes of the wicked, that they were supported by heavenly power, w ho forsook all earthly things of their free will. W' hence Truth saith lo His Mat. 19, own Elect; Ye uhich have followed Me, in the Reaene-
ration, ivlicn the Son of Man shall sit in the throne of His glory, ye also shall sit npoii twelve thrones, Judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Not that the court of the interior
Assize will have no more than twelve judges, but, surely, that Book by the number twelve the amount of the whole is described; -— ^ — for whosoever being urged by the incitement of divine love, has forsaken all that he possessed here, shall doubtless attain there to the height of judicial power; that he may then come as judge in company with the Judge, who now by consideration of the Judgment chastens himself with voluntary poverty. For hence it is that it is said by Solomon concerning the spouse of Holy Church, Her husband is known Prov. in the gates^tvhen he siilelh among the elders of the hmd.^^'^^' Hence Isaiah says. The Lord will come to judgvnent, uilhis.s, i4. the elders of His people. Hence Truth proclaims these same Elders now no longer servants but friends. Henceforth /John 15, call you not servants, but I have called you friends. And * the Psalmist regarding these same saith. Honourable alsoPs.i39, are thg friends unto me, O God. And whilst he beheld their loftiness of mind, and how they trod down with the heel of the foot the glory of the world, he thereupon added. How slablished is their rule! And that we might not think that they be few, who we learn thus advance even to the summit of such high perfection, he thereupon added. If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand. For as many persons, then, as now wittingly abase themselves for the love of the I'riilh, so many lamps shall then blaze forth in the Judgment. Therefore let it be justly said, A lamp despised in the thought of the rich, prepared for the appointed time; for the soul of every righteous man is despised as abject, when in passing through life he is without glory; but he is beheld as an object to admire, when he shines from on high.
53. Amid these things it is good to lift the eye of the mind to the paths of our Redeemer, and to proceed step by step from the members to the head. For He did Himself prove truly * a lamp' to us, Who by dying upon the Cross for our redemption, poured light through the wood into our benighted minds. John had attained to see that we are lightened by this Lamp, when he said, 77m/ was the true Light, John 1, which lighleih every man that come tit. into the world. Yet"' he saw it ' despised in the thought of the rich,' when he soon after brought in, He came unto His own, and His owuver.w.
J OB 12, received Him not. Herod desired to examine into the
: — flames of this Lamp, when he longed to see the miracles of
Luke23Jthat One, as it is written, For lie was desirous to sec Him of ^- a long season, because lie had heard many things of Him, and he hoped to have seen some miracles done by Him. But this Lamp did not shine forth before his eyes with a single ray of light, in that to him, who sought Him not from piety but from curiosity. He exhibited nothing wonderful concerning Himself. For our Redeemer when He was questioned held His peace, when He was looked for, He scorned to shew forth His miracles, and keeping Himself to Himself in secret, those whom He found looking for outward things He left in their ingratitude without, rather choosing to be openly despised by those who were led by pride, than to be commended with empty voice by those that did not believe. And hence this ' Lamp' is straightway ' despised,' according Luke23, ^Q what is there added, And' Herod with his men of war set Him at nought, and mocked Him, and arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe.
54. Yet the ' despised lamp,' which is subject to scoffings on earth, flashes judgment from heaven. Hence it is justly added here, prepared for an appointed, season. Concerning
Ps. 75,2. which same season He saith by the Psalmist, IVJien I shall receive the time, I will judge nprightly. Hence in the
John 7, Gospel ' Truth' declareth, saying, My time is not yet come.
Acts 3, Hence Peter saith, Whom the heaven must receive until the
^^' times of the restitution of all things. Therefore the ' Lamp' which is now ' despised' is ' prepared' for its coming ' at the appointed season.' For He by Himself judgeth sin on the last Day, Who now bears with the scoffs of sinners, and then
He brings out severity the more rigorously, the more mildly
He now spreads low His patience in calling sinners. For he that awaits long while for some to be converted, if they be not converted, torments them without revoke. Which same truth he conveys by the Prophet in few words, saying.
Is. 42, / have long time liolden my peace, I have been still and refrained myself; now will I cry like a travailing woman.
For as we have already before said, a woman in travail with pain gives forth that which she bore for long in her inmost parts. He then that for long time held his peace, ' crieth like shall shine out in Judgment. 6'21 a travailing woiuan,' in that the Judge that shall come, Who Book for long bore with the deeds of men without taking venge ^-^— ance, sooner or later brings to light with hotness of examination, as if with pain of mind, the sentence of direful visiting which Ue kept within. Therefore let none despise this Lamp, when it is out of sight, lest He burn up His despisers when He shineth from heaven. For to whomsoever He does not now burn to give pardon, He shall then assuredly burn to award punishment. Therefore because by grace from above we are vouchsafed the season of our caUing, whilst there is still the room left, let us by altering our ways for the better flee from the wrath of Him, Who is every where present. For him alone that visitation fails to find, whom correction keeps in hiding.
55. Let it suffice for us by the Lord's bounty to have now ru]i through these particulars in two volumes'. For because* corpovve cannot embrace in a brief exposition the following parts '^^ of the sacred book, drawn out in the stream of mysteries, we must of necessity reserve them for other sheets, that the reader may return the more ardent to the task of reading, in proportion as he has breathing given him by the interruption of what is read.