Ver. 13, They are rebellious against the light.
Job 24, 70. Very often wicked people at once know the right
-j-^ things that they ought to follow, and yet neglect to follow vii, what they know; and so they are ' rebellious against the light,' in that following their desires, they contemn the good that they know. They then that do wrong not from ignorance, but pride, present the shield of their exaltation against the darts of truth, that they may not be stricken in heart to their good. By which same pride of theirs it is brought to pass, that whereas they will not do the things that they know, neither do they now know the good they should do, but that their own blindness should utterly exclude them from the light of truth. And hence it is fitly subjoined,
Iviii. 71. For they that are first rebels knowing it, are afterwards blinded so as not to know; as it is said of certain, Rom. 1, Because that when they knew God they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful. Of whom it is added a little
V. 28. while afterwards, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient. For because they would not glorify Him Whom they knew, being given over to a reprobate sense, they were left to this fate, that they should not any longer know how to estimate the evil things they did. And it is well said, They know not the ways thereof, neither have returned by the paths thereof. For a ' path' is narrower than a ' way.' Now those that care not to do the plainer good works, never attain to the understanding of the more refined. But Almighty God waited that they might go ' by the paths thereof.' And would that they had been minded even to have ' returned' by them, that the paths of life which they would not keep by innocency they might at least keep by repentance. Wherein of what great mercifulness are the bowels of God is shewn, in that those whom He sees departing from Him, He seeks that they may return. Hence after the sins of those doing wrong having been enumerated. He calls back the Syna-
Jer.3,4.gogue by the voice of Prophecy, saying, Therefore at least from this time cry unto 3Ie, 3Iy Father, Thou art the guide of my youth. It proceeds;
Ver. 14. The 7mirderer rising imth the light killeth the Book jjoor and needy, and in the night is as a thief. -^Hl.
a^ 72. Whereas the murderer in the killing of his neighbours ^\[^^' is wont to come upon them chiefly in the silence of the night, why is it that he is said in this place to ' rise with the light' in order to ' kill the poor and needy,' whilst ' in the night' he is described * to be as a thief?' Now forasmuch as the letter in the bare words alone is not consistent with itself, we are called back for the investigating the hidden meanings of the Spirit. In Holy Scripture the ' morning' is sometimes used to be put for the coming of the Lord's Incarnation, sometimes for the coming of the henceforth dreadful and searching Judge, sometimes for the prosperity of the present life. Thus the coming of the Lord's Incarnation proved a ' morning,' as the Prophet saith, The morning is. 21, Cometh, and also the night; in that both the beginnings'^" of the new light shone forth in the appearing of our Redeemer, and yet the shades of their misbelief were not cleared off fi-om the hearts of the persecutors. Again, by the ' morning' the coming of the Judge is denoted. Whence it is said by the Psalmist, Eni'ly I will destroy all the Vs. loi, wicked of the land. As also when personating the Elect, ^" he says, /// the morning will I stand in Thy presence, and Vs. 5,3. itill look up. Again, by the ' morning' this life's prosperity is represented; as where it is said by Solomon, Woe to thee,^cc.io, O land, when ihy King is a child, and thy princes eat iti the morning. For wdiereas the morning is the first part of the day and the evening the last, we ought not ever to be regaled by this life's prosperity which goes first, but by those things which at the end of the day, that is at the termination of the world, follow after. Thus those ' eat in the morning," who by this world's successes are lifted up, and whilst they passionately interest themselves with present things, pay no heed to the things of the future. For whosoever 1 John hateth his brother is a murderer. So the ' murderer rises ' up with tlie earliest dawn,' in that every wicked man is set up in the glory of the present life, and bears down the life of those, who whilst they thirst after the glory to follow, as it were anxiously look out to be filled in the evening. For the bad man in this world whilst seizing on the dignity of
-|^yg,j,' enacting of what is evil, in proportion as there is no man he loves in the bowels of charity. I^^or as often as in the thoughts of his heart he is maddened against the good, so often does he kill the life of the innocent.
73. And if, God ordaining it, he suddenly lose the glory of the power he has gotten, he changes his place but not his disposition, for he directly falls away to that, which is subjoined, And in the night is as a thief. For in the night of his tribulation and sunkenness, though he has no power to put forth the hand of cruelty, yet to those whom he sees to be empowered, he recommends counsels of wickedness, and goes about hither and thither, and prompts whatever things he is able toward the injuring of the good. And he is rightly called ' as a thief,' because in all those very evil counsels of his he dreads lest he should be caught out. He then that towards the poor and needy is a murderer in the moraing, in the night like a thief is hidden out of sight, in that every bad man, who in this life's prosperity by bearing down kills the life of the humble, being in adversity and abasement, by evil counsels does mischief in a concealed way, and what he is unable to accomplish by himself, that he puts in practice by attaching himself to the powerful ones of this world. It goes on;
Ver. 15. Tfie epe also of the adulterer ivaitelh for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me. Ix. 74. There is nothing to hinder but that this may be understood even after the latter, seeing that he who desires to commit adultery, seeks out the dark. But whereas it is a sentence uttered against Heretics, it is meet that this thing which is declared be understood in a mystical sense. Thus 2 Cor. 2, Paul says. For tve are not as many that adulterate^ the word > Vulg. of God. For the adulterer seeks not offspring, but pleasure 'rantes'^^ the act of camal copulation. And every bad man, and that is also a slave to vain-glory, is rightly said to ' adulterate' the word of God, because by the sacred word of Revelation he desires not to beget children to God, but to exhibit his own knowledge. For he that is drawn to speak by lust of glory, bestows his pains rather on gratification than the production of children. And it is rightly added there. No eye shall see me; because the adultery which is committed in Book the interior is very hard indeed that it should be penetrated ^^^' by the eye of man. Which same the froward soul commits with the more assurance, in proportion as it does not fear being seen by men, whom it may blush at. Moreover it is to be known that as he that commits adultery joins to himself unlawfully the flesh of another man's wife, so all heretics, while they carry off" the faithful soul into their own error, are as it were bearing off* another's wife, in this way; because the soul which is spiritually wedded to God and joined to Him as if in a kind of bridechamber of love, when by wicked persuasions it is led on into corruptness of doctrine, is as it were like the wife of another defiled by the corrupter. And it is well added;
lb. It is for this reason that the adulterer ' disguises his Ixi. face,' that he may not be known. Now every man who either in thinking or in acting lives badly, ' disguises his face,' because by corruptness in doctrine or in practice he is tending to this, that he should not be able to be recognised in the Judgment by Almighty God. Hence He shall say to certain persons at the end, / necer knew you; depart from ¥. ait. T^ Me, ye tliat work iniquity. And what is the ' face' of the human heart, save the likeness of God? which same face the bad man ' disguiseth,' that he may not be able to be known, when his life he discomposes either by bad deeds, or by the error of misbelief. But every such person when he sees the righteous upheld by this world's good fortune, never ventures to prompt what is wrong to them, but if any storm of adversity falls upon those persons, he directly breaks out into words of pestilent persuasion. And hence it is added;
Ver. 16. In the dark they dig tlirough houses, which they had marked for themselves in the day time; they know not the liyht.
76. For what is there here denoted by the title of ' houses' Ixii. but consciences, wherein we dwell, when we do any thing, busying ourselves with it? Whence it is said to one on being healed, Return to thine own house, and shew how i.\AeS, great things God hath done unto thee; i. e. henceforth,^ * secure from the evil habit of sin, turn back to thy conscience.
•27*2 TJie tricked checked and nlarmedhy good wen^s prosperity.
Job -24. and be thou roused into the voice of preaching.' And so 16.
when in the present world the righteous are brightened by the day of prosperity, to those persons the leaders of false tenets are afraid to recommend what is wrong. But they search out counsels, with all care they await the abasement of their prosperity, that in the darkness of adversity they may by their persuading dig through the minds of those, to whom whilst living prosperously they never presumed lo speak wrong things, whom as soon as they see under adversity they rise up and maintain, that no otherwise saving in desert of their sins those suifer such things; because loving the glory of the present life alone, the stroke they take for condemnation. So ' in the dark they dig through houses,' in that the minds of the good by their mere misfortune alone to corrupt is their endeavour. Now it is well said, ivhich tliey had marked in the day time, in that when they saw the righteous to have been made to shine with the light of prosperity, because they were prevented speaking, they were only at liberty for concocting malevolent designs against them. But whether it be heretics or any bad persons, they rejoice when they see the righteous in a depressed condition, whereas when they see those break forth to the height of power for ruling, they are confounded, they are filled with fears, they are consumed with misery. And hence it is added,
Ver, 17. If the morning suddenly appear, it is to them even as the shadow of death. Ixiii. 77. For the wicked look for the afflicting of the righteous, and long to see them in distress, and ' in the dark they dig through houses,' when the heart of the innocent but weak ones they corrupt in the season of their casting down by the worst mode of discourse. But it commonly happens that when they see the good in a sunken state, on a sudden, by the secret appointment of God, any righteous one that seemed to be borne down is upheld by some.share of the world's power, and the prosperity of the present life smiles on him, whom the darkness of adversity before overlaid. Which same j prosperity of that man when the wicked behold, as it has been said, they are troubled. For directly they turn back to their own hearts, they bring back before their minds' eye whatever they remember themselves to have done amiss, they
3ar for even' particular sinful habit to be avenged in them. Book nd by the same means by which he that receives power is aade to shine, the bad man who dreads to be corrected is Larkened in sorrow. And so it is well said. If the morning uddenlyappfar^they think it i^ the shadow of death. For *the Homing' is the mind of the righteous man, which quitting the larknes* of its sin, now breaks out into the light of etemitr, as t is said of Holv Church likewise; IVho i* she that lookelh Song of orlh a-« the morning? Therefore in the same measure that lo. '!verv righteous person shining with the light of righteoosless is in the present life reared to a height with honours, in he same measure before the eves of the wicked comes he ' daikness of death,' in that they who remember that hey have done bad things are in fear of being corrected, ^'or they desire always to have a loose given them in their niquities, to live free from correction, and from sin to have ieligbt; whose fatal mirth is itself appropriately described in Jie words that are directly introduced,
Ard they nalk so in darkness, a-« in the light.
7S. For with a froward mind they delight in deeds of Ixiv. wickedness, through their sin they are day by day being dragged to punishmeni, and are full of assurance. Hence it s said by Solomon, Jnd there are wicked nien that are asEjaA.Sj secure as if they had the deeds of the righteous. Concerning * whom it is written again. JfJio rejoice to do evil, and delight in the most tcicked doings. Thus * they walk in darkness as in the light,' in that they so dehght in the night of sin as if the light of righteousness spread aroimd them. Or otherwise, whereas darkness not inappropriately represents the present life, wherein the consciences of other men are not seen, whilst our light is the eternal land, in which when we look at faces, our hearts within us we mutually see; and ylbecause the wicked so love the present hfe, and embrace these times of exUe, as if they already reigned in their native country, it is rightly said. They icaik in darkness as in the light, in that they are as full of gladness in the present state "if blindness, as if they already enjoyed the light of the temal country. It goes on;
He is light above the face of the umter.
179. From the pluPid number he returns to the singular, Ixr. VOL. II. T
JuB 2-1, because most freqmntly one person begins what is bad, an( _•__ numbers by imitating him follow alter, but the fault is pri marily his, who to the bad men following after furnishe( examples of wickedness; and hence the sentence frequentl; returns to him who was the leader in sin. Now ihe suvfac of water is carried hither and thither by the breath of th air, and not being steadied with any fixedness is put ii motion every where. And so the mind of the wicked man i ' lighter than the surface of water,' in that every breath c temptation that touches it, draws it on without any retardin of resistance. For if we imagine the unstable heart ( any bad man, what do we discover but a surfiice of water s( in the wind } For that man one while the breath of anger drive on, now the breath of pride, now the breath of lust, now th breath of envy, now the breath of falsehood forces along. An so he is ' light above the surface of the water,' whom evei wind of error when it comes drives before it. Whence too iclieel, as the stiihhle he 'ore the wind. For the wicked a: 'made like a wheel,' in that being sent into the round of labou whilst the things that are before they neglect, and thoi \\hicli ought to be given up they follow, in the hind par they are lifted up, and in the fore parts they fall. And thi are likewise rightly compared to ' stubble before the face the wind,' in that, when the breath of temptation comes upo them, having no principle of gravity to rest upon, they a only lifted up to be dashed to the ground, and they oft( account themselves of some merit in proportion as the bl; f of error bears them on high. It goes on;
Let their portion be cursed, iu the earth; and let h ■ vot icalk hij the nai) of tlte vineyards. Ixvi. 80. Whoever in the present life does what is ri< t and meets with misfortunes, is seen indeed to travail in adv - sity, but for the blessing of the everlasting inheritance h( finished complete; but whoever does what is bad and l meets with good fortune, and does not even by the bountil - ness of blessings withhold himself from wicked deeds, is s< Q indeed to prosper, but is tied fast by the bond of everlast g cursing. Hence it is rightly said now. Lei their portion >e cursed in the earth, in that though he is blessed for a ti ', yof (jnkhd hij the C/iurcfi, they go from error to error. 275
'' yet he is held last in the bond of cursing. Concerninff Book ' whom too it is fitly added, He walketh not hij the way of ^ the vitieynrds. For ' the way of the vineyards,' is the riyht- ' iiess of the Churches. Wherein nothing hinders but that we ' understand either the heretic or every carnal man, because '• ' the way of the vineyards,' i. e. the rightness of the Churches, ' is parted with, when either the right faith or the right rule of ' just living is not held. For he ' walks by the way of the ' vineyards,' uho taking to heart the preaching of the Holv " Catholic Church, deviates neither from the right line of faith nor of good deeds. Since to ' walk in the way of the vineyards' is to behold the Fathers of Holy Church as hanging "^' clusters of the vine, whose words whilst he heeds in the toils " of the journey, he is intoxicated with the love of Eternity. it goes on;
Ver. 19. Let him pass to excessive heat from the snow waters.
81. Iniquity is on this account likened to cold, because Ixvii. " the mind that sins it binds up with insensibility. Hence it is written; As n foiaitain has made her waters cold^ so she 3er.G, has made her nickedness cold. Contrariwise charity is
* heat,' in this respect that it fires the soul it fills. Of which
* heat' it is written, Because iniquity shall abound, the love ^iat.'2i, ^fof many shall wa.v cold. And there are some who while they shun the cold of their wickednesses come to true faith or to the wearing of sanctity, but because they presume on their " own faculties for perceiving more than should be, oftentimes in the faith which they receive they are minded to pry curiously into the things that they do not take in, so as to be held fast in God rather by reason than by faith. But because the mind of man has not power to dive into the mysteries of God, all that they cannot get to the bottom of by reason, they care not to believe, and by overmuch investigation they fall into error. So these, when they did not as yet believe,
J or were still busied for works of wickedness, were ' snow waters;' but when abandoning carnal deeds, in the faith to which they have been brought they aim to dive deeper than they have capacity for, they are hot beyond what they ought to be. And so touching this wicked kind of person the sentence of one prophesying only and not wishing the thing is
Job 24, rightly delivered. Let Jiim pasn to overmuch heat from the — — ^— snow waters. As if it were said in plain speech; ' he that IS not restrained in humility under the fetters of self-discipline, from his imhelief, or from the coldness of bad practice, through immoderate wisdom falls into error. Whence too the great Preacher getting quit of this excessive heat of too refined wisdom from the hearts of his disciples saith well, Kom js;[gf iq ]^q ^,^f.g of himself above that he ought to be wise; but to he icise unto sobriety. Lest perchance excessive heal might destroy those, of whom 'snow waters,' i.e. unbelief, oi the fruits of deadened actions, held possession in the way tc die. And because it is very difficult for him who accounts himself wise to bring down his mind to humility and believ those that preach right things, and reject the view of hi own wrong thought, it is rightly said; Ver. 19. And his sin even to hell. Ixviii. 82. For sin is ' brought even to hell,' which before th end of the present life is not by chastening reformed unt 1 John repentance. Of which same sin it is said by John, Ther '*' '■ is a sin tinto death, I do not say that he shall pray for i For ' a sin unto death' is a sin even until death in this wa^ that the pardon of that sin is sought in vain which is n( corrected here. Concerning which same it is yet furth< subjoined;
Ver. 20. Let mercy forget him.
Almighty God's mercy is said to ' forget him,' who h; forgotten Almighty God's justice, in that whoever does n fear Him now as just, can never find him merciful afterwar Winch same sentence is not only held out against him, wJi abandons the preachings of true faitli, but against him li wise, who being in the right faith lives a carnal life, in tb the vengeance of eternal condemnation is not got quit i whether sin lie in faith or practice. For though the kind condemnation be unequal, yet guilt which is not wiped aw by repentance, there is no means supplied for the absolvi thereof. It goes on;
The ivorm is his sweetness. Ixix. 83. Whoever desires to make his way prosperous in t B world, to surpass the rest of the world, to swell high wa substance and lionours, to this man no doubt worldly bi -
•!'he deliyhl of the wicked in the worm, restlesn and foul. 277 less is a delight, and repose a labour. For be is very much Book ircd if the business of the world be lacking wherewith to be '- ircd. Now because it belongs to the nature of worms to be I'-uAut in motion unceasingly every moment, restlessness of c ic thoughts is not unjustly denoted by the name of 'worms.' Ml ^nd so ' the worm is the sweetness' of the wicked soul, T'. in that he is fed to his satisfaction from the same source '■-\». whence he is unceasingly agitated in restlessness. More- ■ci aver it may be that by the title of the ' worm' the flesh J may be more plainly denoted. Hence it is said further t on, How much less man that is a worm? or the son q/' mancA7,u. \i which is a worm? And so of every one that is full of ^ ^^' I lust and devoted to the pleasures of the flesh, how great ' ij is the blindness is shewn, when it is said, Tlie worm is his sweetness. For what is our flesh but ' rottenness' and ' the worm V And whosoever pants with carnal desires, what else ill does he but love ' the worm V For what the substance of the 111 flesh is, our graves bear witness. What parent, what faith- "Iful friend can bear to touch the flesh of one however beloved fraught with worms? And so when the flesh is lusted after, let it be considered what it is when lifeless, and it is understood what it is that is loved. For nothing has so much efficacy to subdue the appetite of carnal desire, as for every one to consider, what that which he loves alive will be when dead. For when we consider the corruption of the flesh, we see in a moment, that when the flesh is unlawfully lusted after, corruption is desired. Therefore it is well said ]iJ of the mind of the lustful man, the icorm is his sireetness, in ^ that he who is on fire with the desire of carnal corruption, pants after the stink of rottenness.
All this, as I remember that I promised in the beginnings, xi. of this third part, I have run over in brief, that the things which follow after in this work % as they are involved in great obscurity, may with God's aid be more fully gone into.
j^ As often as in the history of the holy man we betalce
Alleg, ourselves in a new book to unravel the mystery of the typical explanation, it must be either from that man's name or course of suffering that we mainly draw out the mystical interpretation, so that after the manner of dwelling houses, whilst we set forth a superscription of the title on the very front of the door post, whereas it is known whose house it is, one may enter with greater security. Now I remember that T have often said that blessed Job, both by his course of suffering and his name, marked out the sufferings of our Redeemer, and of His Body, i. e. Holy Church. For ' Job' is by interpretation ' Grieving.' And who else is represented in this grieving one saving He, concerning Whom it is Is.53,4. written. Surely He hath home our griefs, and carried our ib. 5. sorrows. Concerning Whom again it is written, And tcifh His bruise we are healed'^ But his friends bear the likeness of heretics, who, as we have often said already, while they set themselves to defend, only offend God. Thus let the holy man by words and wounds so tell things of his own as at the same time to set forth ours also, and most often, by the spirit of prophecy, relate things to come, surmount things present, yet sometimes so tell of those present as to be silent touching those future. The keeping then of this exercise of discernment being understood in accordance with the altering of his voice, let our understanding likewise turn about, that it may agree the njore truly with his ideas in proportion as it also shifts itself v.ith his accents. Thus by the preceding words the holy man, in sentences eloquently formed by the lie icicked how forgotten of Goil, and how remembered. 279 rt of wisdom, set forth the offences of the bad man of Book i'hatever kind, and represented how damnable his conduct
/^as, of whose punishment he directly adds, saying. Moral.
Let him not be in remembrance; let him be crushed like tn nn/rni/ful stump.
•egard from Above did make itself felt on such an one, issuredly it would recall him from his wickedness. For his leserts require that he should be utterly blotted out from his
Gfod can never strictly be said to ' remember;' for One Who annot forget, in what way is it possible for Him to renember? But whereas it is our way that those whom we emember we embrace, but those whom we forget we part far from, after the usage of man God is both said to ' remember,' when He bestows gifts, and to forget, when
He forsakes one in guilt. But because He weighs all things, views all without any alternating of intermission, He both remembers the good, whom still He never forgets, and no wise remembers the bad, whom nevertheless in judgment
He does ever behold. For He as it were returns to the recollection of the good, which same nevertheless He never quitted, and as it were He never regards the bad, whose deeds howsoever He has an eye on, but reserves for the last scene the judgment of condemnation thereupon. For hence it is written. The eijes of the Lord are in every place, Prov.i5, beholding the evil and ihe good. Hence it is said by the
Psalmist, The face of the Lord is upon them that do evil, to P^- 34, cut ojf the remembrance of them from the earth. Therefore the persons for Him to punish He does regard, but those very persons before He did not see, in that He ' knows them not.' wonderful "ay, He both beholds and forgets the life of bad men, in that those whom by severity of sentence He judges, as regards the remembrance of mercy He is ignorant of.
3. And these same, because they do not come into His remembrance, like an unfruitful stump are broken to pieces
Job 24, by 11 is judgment. For the earth supported them with a - — '- — temporal outfitting, the shower of preaching poured down on them from above. But because their life never put forth the fruit of good works, the husbandman in anger cut it clean away, that according to the sentence of Truth it might not cumber the space, which another may occupy for fruit. Of Matt. 3, which same ' unfruitful stump' it is said by John, And now and cast into the fire. But in this place, in order that the eternal punishments of the lost sinner may be denoted, the tree is not said to be cut away, but to be broken to pieces, in that the death indeed of the flesh cuts off the reprobate, but the punishment ensuing breaks them in pieces. For here it is as it were cut down, when he is severed from the present life. But in hell it is broken in pieces, when he is tortured with everlasting damnation. But the holy man, as he set forth the strict punishment of the froward one, at once falls buck to the sin, that by the immensity of the unjustness he may effectually teach that that excessive damnation of him was not unjust. It goes on;
Ver. 21. For lie fed tlie barren and her that beareth not, and to the widow lie did not do good. 111. 4. Who is it in this place that is denominated ' barren' saving the flesh, which wliile it goes after things present alone is not able to engender good thoughts } and who is styled ' a widow' but the soul, which same because the Maker was minded to unite to Himself, He came to the marriage chamber of the carnal womb, as the Psalmist Ps 19,5. testifies, who saith, Wincit is as a bridegroom coming out oj his chamber? And she is rightly called ' a widow,' in that her Husband underwent death in her behalf, and now in the retreats of heaven hidden from her eyes as in the tract o; another region He lives. Thus the wicked man ' feeds tin barren' and scorns to ' do good to the widow,' because ir obeying the desires of the flesh, he makes little of the care o the soul and its life. For with the whole bent and witl every effort he considers how without necessities of an^ kind the flesh which is to die may be made to hold on, an( hr is indifferent to conccni himself for iho life ol the soul
The Church a Widow, Heretical seels barren. 281 Iwhich eitber in death or in bliss most surely lives for Book levennore. Now it is rightly done that when it is said, '-
\He fed the barren, it is directly added, and her that \beareth not. For certain women we know from sacred [history were found ' barren,' but yet in the end of their days brought forth. But the fiesli is not only called barren, but also she that beareth not, in that of her own wit not even at the last is she capable of begetting good thoughts. For from r/ilher own vigour she is now already going off, and yet things transitory she still ceases not to long for, and being now spent of original force, is well nigh thrown off by that very world which she loves, yet by mischievous endeavour still strives to acquire what is temporal. She now no longer has the ability to do wicked things, yet does not a whit cease to mind in thought even the things which she does not in act. Rightly therefore is she called not only ' barren,' but also ' one that beareth not,' in that of her own wit, as we said, for the offspring of good thought, not even when she has become powerless does she conceive.
5. Which same may likewise be understood of heretical persons preaching. For every single preacher of -error, while he teaches a people set without the pale of the Church's unity, is surely ' feeding the barren, and her that cannot bear,' seeing that he is bestowing the serviceableness of his labour upon her, who never makes any return of spiritual fruits. ' Neither does he do good to the widow,' forasmuch as for that Holy Church Universal, whose Husband suffered the adverse treatment of death, he scorns to live to and to serve. For to * do good to the widow' is to take much pains in the consoling of her, who by tlie love of her dead Husband is crushed to the ground. And hence by the voice of the Psalmist this same widow, i. e. Holy Cliurch, makes complaint, saying, / looked for comforters, but I found none. Since Ps. 69, then only does she ' find a comforter,' when from that death which her husband underwent, she beholds many within herself arise to life. Now very often the preacher of error is allied with the rich of this world, who for this reason, that they strain over earthly emj)loymenls, are too blind to detect the crafty tricks of the things delivered, and whereas they go about to be powerful witliout, they are taken without
Ver. 2'2. He took auay the nnghlif in his nnqht. iv. 6. Since in the might of his wickedness the mighty he severally takes away, whilst by the craftiness of his error he carries off the great ones of this world. In opposition to 1 Cor. 1, whom it is said by Paul, God hath chosen the ueak tilings of the world to confound the tilings that are might g. Now the ' might' of the corrupt preacher is the high-flown science of his speaking, puffed up with which he despises all the rest of the world, and in contempt of all men, as being preeminently proficient in himself, he swells big. Who whilst thinking what is great of himself, and not knowing what is true of God, is parted far from knowledge of the faith, and yet endeavours to make himself appear a preacher thereof. Whence it is further added;
And when he standeth, he will not believe his life. V. 7. Every evil preacher ' standeth' in this world, so long as he lives in an earthly body. But he reti.ises to ' believe his life,' because he is too proud to open his eyes to what is true relating to God. For he would ' believe his life,' if he had right notions concerning the Substance of his Creator. These things, then, we were describing above as spoken of every bad man, but we suddenly made the meaning turn to the preacher of error. Whence it is to be noted, that we are so drawn on to the special case as not yet in any wise to be quite taken off from the general. For every bad man, even if he seem to maintain the faith in the bosom of the Church Universal, ' standeth and believeth not his life,' because they are right things indeed which by faith he understands of his Creator, yet the works of faith he cares not to maintain; and he is convicted of unbelief, in that, even from that which he sets forth as his creed, by his way of
1 John living he is condemned. For hence it is said by John, He ' ' that saith he knoweth God, and keepeth not His command-
Tit. ], men ts, is a liar. Hence Paul saith, Iheg profess that they knoic God, hut in works they deny Him. Hence James Jam. 2, saith, Faith icithout works is dead. But amidst all this the Creator by a wonderful economy of counsel at once has an eye to offences, and bestows periods of living, that the leugtheued portions of temporal life may to the person either Book being converted be turned into the furtherance of reward, or ^^ ^ not being converted to the heightening of condemnation. Hence it is yet further subjoined,
Ver. 23. God hath given unto him room for repentance, and lie abuseth it in pride.
8. Whosoever commits sin and lives, such a person vi. Divine Appointment for this reason bears with in iniquity, that it may withhold him from iniquity. But he that is borne with for a longer time, and yet is not withholden from iniquity, is vouchsafed indeed the benefit of the patience Above, yet with the chains of his guilt is by that very benefit binding himself the tighter. For because the times of repentance vouchsafed he diverts to sin, the strict Judge in the end converts the instances of mercy bestowed into punishment. Hence it is said by Paul; Or knoivest thou not that^°^^^-^, the longsufferiny of God leadeth thee to repentance'^ But after thg hardnesH and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself toralh against the day of wrath and revelation of the riyhteous judgment cf God. Hence Isaiah saith, For the^^-^^j child shall die an hundred years old, hut the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed. As though he deterred us in plain words, saying, ' The life of a child indeed is drawn to a great length, in order that he may be corrected of childish doings, but if he be not even by length of time restrained from the commission of sin, this very length of life, which he received in pitifulness, is made to grow to him into an aggravation of cursing.' Whence it is necessary that the longer time that we see ourselves to be waited lor,we fear the very seasons of pitifulnessbefove granted' 'praeroas the grounds of condemnation, lest by the clemency ^'^ *' of the Judge the punish uient of the sinner should be heightened, and by the same means whereby any one might have been rescued from death, he should tend to death in a manner the more disastrous. Which is for this reason very often brought to pass, because the eye of the mind is not in the least degree weaned from things present. For the sinner is careless to regard the ways of the Redeemer, and so he grows old in his own paths without stopping. Hence it is
Job 24, For his eyes are upon his ivays.
Moral, himself to mind only, to have an eye only for, things which may stand him in stead for temporal advantage. Thus it is Phil. 2, hence Paul saith, All seek l/ieir owiu not the things winch are Jesus ChrisCs. For the way of the highininded is pride; the way of the robber, avarice; the way of the lecherous, carnal concupiscence. Thus every bad man bends his eyes down on his own ways, in that he is intent on vicious pursuits alone, that by these he may satisfy his mind. Whence it is said by Solomon, The eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth; because that only they regard with the whole bent of the heart, whereby they may attain to the end of earthly desire. Now the sinner would never fix the gaze of his looking on earth, if he lifted up the eyes of the mind to the holy paths of his Redeemer. Whence it is again said Eccl.2, by Solomon, The wise man^s eyes are in his head; in this way, viz. that with undivided intentness the wise man regards Him, of Whom he reflects by faith that he is a member, For these ways of man's walk and conversation, he had Ps. 119, deemed it little worth to have in his eye, who said, I will
^^' meditate in Thy statutes, and have respect unto Thy nays. As if he gave his word in plain terms, saying, ' The things I which are mine own I henceforth eschew the seeing of, in I that by the path of the imitating of Tliee I burn to go on in the steps of behaviour.' For he who henceforth withstandsj the present world, by the continual inciting of love presents] the ways of his Redeemer to the eyes of the heart, that scj the mind may eschew what is prosperous, be in readiness foiil what is adverse, desire nought that soothes down, dreacl nought that is supposed to dismay, account sorrow joy estimate the delights of the present life as the ills of woe not fear the diminutions of a state of scorn, but thereby seelij room for enduring glory. For these ways Truth shewed t( the eyes of those that were following Him, when He said Johni2, jj f,)iy man serve Me, let him follotc Me. To these way: he recalled the swelling hearts of the Disciples, when thej were already seeking room for glory, but knew not the path way of that glory, saying, Are ye able to drink of the cn^ that I shall drink of^ For they had been seeking th height of that session with Him on the right liand and on the Book left hand, but how great the narrowness of the pathway "
thereunto they did not see; and hence the cup of the Passion is at once presented to iheir eyes as a thing for them to imitate, that, surely, if they were making for the joys of exaltedness, they should first find the way of humility. And therefore because the sinner is careless to have an eye to the ways of God, but is bcut on those only wherein he may be made to delight in a carnal manner, it is rightly said in this place. For his eyes are upon his ways. It proceeds;
Ver. 24. They are exalted for a little ■while, hut they shall not hold on.
10. The glory of bad men, whilst it is for tlie most part viii. extended into a multitude of years, is by the minds of the weak reckoned to be long and as it were stable; but when an instantaneous end cuts it off, surely it proves to its face that it was short, because the end by putting a limit makes it known that that which was capable of passing away was little. And so ' they are exalted for a little while, and do not hold on,' because from the mere circumstance that they seek to appear high, they are by self-exalting made far removed from the true essence of God. For they are not able to hold on, because they are severed from the sohd basis of the Eternal Essence, and they undergo this first ruining, that by glorying in self they fall in themselves. For hence it is said by the Psalmist, Thou castedst them down, when they icere lifted^^- '3, up; because they are brought down withm, m proportion as they arise wrongly without. Regarding this sliortness of temporal glory, he saith again; / have seen the ivicked above Ps. sr, measure exalted, and lijted up like a cedar of Libanus; I passed by, and lo, he was gone. Hence again he saith, For'^^- lo. yet a little tvhile, and the wicked shall not be. Hence James says, For what is your life? it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time. Hence the Prophet reflecting on the shortness of carnal glory, tells it forth, saying. All Is. 40, flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of hay. For the power of the wicked is likened to the / flower of hay,' because the glory of the flesh, whilst it shines bright, it falls, whilst it is exalted in itself, cut off by a sudden end it is brought to a close. For in the same way by
Job 24,t]ip blowing of breezes the stubble is caught on higli, but by.," an instantaneous fall it is brought back to earth below* Thus the smoke is lifted up to the clouds, but suddenly whilst swelling out it is scattered to nought. Thus the vapour from beneath thickening lifts itself on high, but the ray of the sun when risen clears it away, as though it had not been. Thus on the surface of the herbs the moisture of the dew of night is sprinkled, but by the sudden heat of the light of day it is dried away. Thus the foamy bubbles of water, raised on showers beginning, come forth racing from within, but being burst asunder they come to nought the more quickly in proportion as being inflated they are raised higher, and when they grow to a head, so as to appear, in growing they make it that they should ' not hold on.' Therefore concerning the wicked that are swoln with the exaltation of temporal glory, and yet not enduring with any stedfastness in this glory, let it be rightly said, they are exalted for a Utile uhile,b>jt they shall not hold on. Of whom it is yet further added;
And they shall be brought low as all things, and shall be taken auay. IX. 11. Such should be the advancement of contemplation, that it should be carried off from iew things to the taking a view of many, from many to taking a view of all things, so that being led forth step by step it should advance, and whilst judging all things transitory should by comj^rehending itself grow forth well nigh incomprehensibly. Hence the holy man, whilst he was sifting the glory and the failing of the wicked, stretched to ' all things' presently the eye of the mind, saying, they shall be brought low as all firings, and shall be taken auay; ' all things' earthly assuredly. As though he said in plain words; ' They cannot any way stand, because the very things flee away as well whereon they rest for support, and while they are in love with things temporal, along with these by the currency of time they run to an end.' But it may be asked, whereas it is said by Eccl. 1, Solomon, One generation passeth auay, and another generation Cometh; but the earth abideth for ever; why does blessed Job declare that ' all things are brought low, and taken away.'" Yet this we easily sift out, if we keep distinct pass away, yet in respect of their essence they are held in being without end. Hence it is said by Paul, For the^Corj, fas/lion of this tcorld jxtssef/i aicaij. Hence Truth saith by
Itself, Heaven and earth shall pass aitaif, hut Mij?rorrfs Mat.24, shall not pass awaij. Hence it is told John by the voice of
Wiiich indeed are not to be created other things, but these very same are renewed. And thus heaven and earth at once
* pass away' and ' shall be,' seeing that both by fire from that fashion which they now have they are clean wiped out, and yet in their own nature are ever preserved. Hence it is said by the Psalmist, Thou shall change them, and they Ps.\02, shall be changed. Which same final changing of themselves they do novv annonnce to ns by those very successions, where! y for our services they unceasingly shift about. For the earth by the dryness of winter falls off from its fashion, by the moisture of s]n-ing it is made green. Heaven is every day overlaid by the darkness of night, and renewed by the briglitness of day. Hence, tlien, hence let every believer gather that these things both perish, and yet by renewal are restored, which it is plain are now perpetually as it were from decay being refitted. In the midst of all this then the holy man, wllil^t he beholds the course of the wicked, makes it known with \> hat a visitation they are one day to come to nought, when he Ibrthwith adds;
1*2. For the tops of the ears of corn are the beards; now x. the beards come out joined in an ear of corn, but going on growing little by little they are separated from one another bristly and rough. Thus, verily, thus, as to this world's glory do the evil-minded rich ones rise up. For by a fellowship of nature they are joined to one another, but going on increasing they are in turn divided against one anotlier. For one looks down upon another, and a second is inflamed against a third with the torches of envy; they then who by the swelling of the mind separate themselves from the unity of charity, as it were after the way of beards stand bristling against one another. What then might I have called the evilminded
288 Bad men bealen out as beards from the grain in Judgment. Job 24, rich ones of this world but a kind of beards of the human
'— race, who while they are lifted high against one another, but witli one consent press hard upon the lite ot the good, are indeed divided against themselves, yet with one accord bear down the grains beneath.
13. At this present time then the beards spring up on high, the grains lie hidden; because both the power of lost sinners towers high, and the glory of the Elect does not appear. The one shew themselves off in the high estate of honours, the others lower themselves in humility. But the time of winnowing will arrive, which is calculated both to break the bristling of the beards, and not to bruise the solid grains. For then the pride of the wicked is broken in pieces, then the life of the Elect is shewn to view, with what faultlessness it shines bright; in that while the unrighteous are undone, by this very crushing of the beard it is brought to pass that the grains should appear, which were holden out of sight; and when the beards are broken, the whiteness of the grains is made to appear, because upon the wicked falling into everlasting punishments, the righteousness of the Saints is manifested, with what truth it is shining white. Whence Matt. 3, too it is rightly said by John, Whose fan is in His hand^ ^^" and He will throughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner: hut He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. So let blessed Job mark with what awful visitation the pride of bad men shall be broken, and comparing them to beards that perish, let him say, Like the tops of ears of corn they shall be crushed. Surely because the bristling of the proud is broken by the stress of the final winnowing, whereas now looking down upon the life of the Elect it is lifted up. It proceeds;
Ver. '2b. And if it be not so now, who will convict me of having lied, and set my words before God? xi. 14. If it be not so as he tells, then surely all people are able to convict him of falsehood. Why then is it said. And if it be not so now, vdio will convict me of having lied? i. e. whilst we know that, one who is false, it is allowed any one to find fault with? But if we sift out the sense of the speaker with exact questioning, how right the things are that he put forth, we speedily discover. For the righteous nan, though he does ever speak any thing wrong, yet it is Book ar from meet that he sliould be judged by the unrighteous ' md ill living. Whence the holy man lowering the pride of lis friends, not even if it be so, but even ' if it be not so' as le set forth, is confident that he can never be found fault vith, because assuredly those are able rightly to reprove,hings that are false, who are not taught to do things that ire false. For the daring of reproof against deceit those persons lose, who still live on principles of deceit. Thereore he says, And if it he not so now, who will convict me of having lied? As if he said in plain words; 'All things ire so as I have set forth, but if they were not so, I could lot a whit be charged home with them by you; for whilst ye jtill give way to your own deceit, ye are not able to find 'ault with the deceit of another.'
15. In which place it is fitly added; And to set my words before God. For whoever really finds fault with false sayngs in the true way, in thinking on the things he has heard md estimating them by the rule of truth ' sets words before jrod,' because to himself in the eye of Truth he makes proof vhat he should outwardly decree against falsehood. Since to set words before God' is with the interior Judge kept in.'iew to estimate the exterior sayings. Thus the holy man iocs not reckon it possible for his ' words to be set before jod' by friends behaving with pride. As if he said in plain;ernis, ' The things which I utter ye are for this reason inable to set before the Judge, because by committing sin jre hide His face from you V Which same, however, nothing linders from being understood in type of Holy Church as;7ell, which whilst for her weak members she is found fault;vith by the scoflSng of heretics, laughs to scorn that same jraftiness of their scoffing, because with God it is more,olerable that a man should be prostrated in weakness and in ignorance, in conjunction with humility, than that he should Jompass high themes with self-exaltation. But forasmuch IS the holy man had uttered many words against those, who oy transitory power are made proud, and with windy honours swell themselves out; by his rebuke Bildad the Shuhite gaining ground has his eyes opened to see with Whom true power is deposited; saying,
Job 25, Vei. 2. Dominion a7id fear are ivith Him; Who maketh ' peace in His high places.
16. As though he expressed himself in plain words; ' He only truly terrifies the hearts of mortals, Who by the powei of His Divine nature truly possesses these.' For what teiToi does the power of man infuse, which knows not when it ma) lack the right of that power? Now it is rightly said, Hi maketh peace in His high places. Because there are man\ things at variance with themselves below, but they ruv answerably to the harmonious fulness of things above, anc by the causing of the interior peace it is brought to pass that oftentimes the things that are without are ordered with out peace. Thus the good, Almighty God is advancing t' merit, when He permits the bad to rage against their life and things above are made to fit together in harmony, whilsl those below are thrown into confusion; because in th< heavenly world He joins His Elect to the choirs of th( Angels by the same means, whereby in the earthly anc lowest scene of things, He bears the practices of lost sinneri opposing His behests.
17. But herein it is of interest to us to enquire, if th< highest peace is maintained ' in the high places,' what that i
Dan, 10, which is said to Daniel by the Angel, / am come for th% ^' words; but the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstooi me one and twenty dags: but, lo, llichael, one of the chie^ T. 20. princes, came to help me. And a little afterward; And not ■will I return to fight with the prince of the Persians. Fc when I was going forth there appeared the prince of th Greeks coming. Whom else then but Angels does he call th ' princes' of the nations, that could have had the power t< resist him as he went forth? Accordingly what peace cai there be ' in the high places,' if even among the Angelica spirits themselves also there is a conflict of warring carriei on, who are always standing present to the view of Truth But because there are fixed charges of the Angels set t superintend the regulating of the several particular nations when the practices of the subject peoples deserve the assist ance of the presiding spirits against one another, the spirit themselves that are set in charge are said to come agains one another. Thus the Angel that spake to Daniel is knowi io have been appointed over the captives of the Israehtish Book
People established in Persia, but Michael is ascertained to
DC the ruler of those vvho remained in the land of Judaea rom among the same people. And hence it is said a little ifterwards to Daniel by this same Angel; A)id there is none v. 21.
*.hal holdeth with me in these things, hut Michael, your trince. Concerning whom he says this too which we have aefore said, hut, la, Michael, one of the chief princes, came
'0 help me. Who whereas he is never said ' to be with,' but
,0 ' come to help,' is plainly seen to be set over that people vhich v\ as held captive in another part. What then is it for he Angel to say, / am come for thy ivords, but the prince
>/ the kingdom of Persia withstood me, but to tell his loings to those under him.'' As if he said in plain terms;
The claims' of thy prayers indeed demand that the Israelitish^ merita
People should be loosed from the yoke of their captivity, but here is still in that same people that which must be purged
)y the dominion of the Persians; so that touching the iberation of that people the prince of Persia should by rights irithstand me, though to thy prayers the tears of those too rho were left in Judaja come in aid.' Whence he subjoins hat too which we said; But, lo, Michael, your prince, came
0 help me. And when he goes forth in order to fight against he prince of the Persians, there appeareth to him the prince
•f the Greeks coming towards him. By which circumstance it s implied that against the Greeks too Judaea had been guilty
»f somewhat, on account of whom without a doubt it was that le withstood the rescuing of her. So the Angel hears efFecually the prayers of the Prophet, but the prince of Persia withlands, because though the life of the righteous one making application already claims the I'escue of the People, yet the ife of that same People still withstands, that whereas those hat had been brought into captivity were not yet completely luvified, Persia should rightfully have the dominion over licra still. Michael gives aid, but the prince of Greece comes
0 battle, because that lengthened captivity of the People sufferng oppression might indeed have merited pardon, but to the
•enefit of their liberation that also stood opposed, which hey had done wrong against the Greeks. Therefoi'e it is ightly said that the Angels come against each other, because
292 Anyels can he numbered by God, not by 7nan.
Job 25, the claims of the nations under them are reciprocally at odds?! — with one another. For the lofty Spirits that are princes to those nations never fight in behalf of those that act unjustly, but justly judge and try their deeds. And when either the guilt or guiltlessness of each separate nation is brought into the debate of the Court Above, the ruling Spirit of that nation is said to have won in the conflict or not to have won; the one identical victory of all of whom, however, is the Supreme
Will of their Maker above them, which Will whilst they evei have before their eyes, wliat they have not the power they have not the mind to obtain. Therefore it is well said
Who maketh peace in His Jiiyh places. It follows;
Ver. 3. Is tliere any number of His soldiers?
xiii. 18. In the cognizance of human reason there is not anj number of the spirits above, in that it cannot tell how grea is that concourse of the Invisible Host, whereof it is said bj
Dan. 7, Daniel, TJwusand tliousands ministered unto Him, and tet thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The num ber of the citizens above is represented as infinite an( definite, in order that that which relatively to God is capabL of being numbered may be shewn relatively to man to h incapable of being numbered. Though it is one thing ' t(
' minister to' Him, who come for discharging the oflSces c bearers of tidings; yet these same beings also, by the act c contemplation, are not withdrawn from the interior world. Am because they are more in number that ' minister' than thos that preemmently ' stand before Him,' the number of thos so ' standing in presence' is represented as being definit(
19. Now the Angelical spirits we rightly call 'the soldier of God, because we are not unaware that those war against th powers of the air, which same conflicts however they carr on not by labour but by authority; for whatsoever thing, i acting against impure spirits, they desire for, by the aid <
Him Who ruleth all things, ihey are equal to. So of th ^
Luke 2, army when our King was born it is written. And suddenM there teas with the angel a multitude of the heavenly ho&
Unto which same heavenly host the number of the Elect of Book men too is joined, who by the lofty aspirations of the mind - are set free from the bondage of an earthly conversation. Concerning whom it is said by Paul, No man that warreth eniangleth himself with the affairs of this life. Which same though now they be shewn few in number, yet in the invisible country they reign innumerably many, in that though by comparison with the evil-minded they are few, yet in the concourse of their assemblage they cannot be any way measured. But because the goodness of those soldiers is set firm not by their own powers, but by the inspiration of grace from Above, it is rightly added,
And upon whom doth not His light arise?
20. For ' the light' of God is preventing grace, which if it xiv. never arose of free gift in our heart, assuredly our mind would remain dim in the darkness of its sins. And hence it
A'^er. 4. Can a man he justified being compared with God? or c(}n he be found clean that is born of a woman?
21. This verse is spoken above by blessed Job, and is xv. now repeated in the upbraiding of him; since every just man is just by illumination from God, not by comparison with God. For man's righteousness when compared with the Maker is unrighteousness, since, even although man had held fast in his own estate of creation, the creature could never be equalled to the Creator. To which creature howsoever, unto heavier burthens of deficiency, there accrued sin also, which the serpent by plotting brought in, and woman proving frail recommended. Hence now, forasmuch as man is born by the agency of woman who is made subject to sin, the frailty of the first guilt is inherited in the offspring; and because the branch of the human race was made rotten in the root, it does not hold up in the greenness of its creation. Hence it is rightly said now, Can a man be
(justified being compared with God? or can he be found clean that is born of a woman? As if it were expressed in plain terms, * Let not man entertain pride against his Creator, let him reflect whence he came hither, and understand what he is.' But observe, there are those that when by the gift of the Spirit they are holpen against the frailty of their flesh.
Job 25, arc made to erect themselves, gleam forth in virtues, yea, flash out in the marvels of miraculous signs as well, yet is there no man who may pass through life free from sin, so long as he bears upon him flesh of corruption. Whence it is yet further added;
Ver. 5. Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea^ the stars are not pure in His sight. xvi. 22. What is denoted by ' the moon' but the whole Church together? what by ' the stars' but the souls of the several persons that live rightly? who amidst the practices of wicked men, whilst they are conspicuous by rare virtues, as it were shine in the darkness of night. Whence likewise it Phil. 2, is said by Paul to the disciples; Among whom ye shine like lights in the world. For that Holy Church is represented by the designation of ' the moon,' the Prophet bears witness, Hab. 3, saying, The sun was lifted up, and the moon stood in her order. For on ' the sun being lifted up, the moon is established in her order,' in that on our Lord ascending into the heavens, Holy Church is thereupon made strong in the authoritative function of preaching. And that by the title of ' stars' the Elect are represented, Paul again informs us,
1 Cor. by saying. For one star differ eth from another star in glory. ' ' So ' the moon doth not shine, and the stars are not clean in His sight,' because neither doth Holy Church by her own power shine forth in so many miracles, except the gifts of preventing grace fall in showers upon her, nor are the minds of the several persons that live rightly clean of the stains of sinful practices, if they be judged apart from pity; because in the eyes of the strict Judge every single individual his own proneness to corruption doth pollute, unless the grace of One sparing day by day wipe this away. For the mind of the Elect strives to go forth to the liberty of righteousness, but is still bound and tied with the fetters of frailty, and it longs indeed perfectly to get the better of off'ences, but so long as it is fettered by the corruption of the flesh, it is tied with the chains thereof, even when it would not be. Hence therefore let him collect with what a load of sins they ai*e borne down, who neglect to war against the same, if not even they entirely get the better of evil doing, who strenuously fight against it. And hence it is said, Behold even to the moon, and it hineth not, and the stars are not pure in His siglil; it is Book
Ver. 6. How much more is man rottenness, and the son of nan a worm?
23. As if it were in plain words; ' If those very persons xvii. ilso cannot be void of contagion, who amidst the darkness of
;he present life shine bright by virtuous attainments, with ■vhat guilt of wickedness are they bound, who still live after;he flesh? If those persons cannot be free from sin, who are ilready walking in the way of heavenly desires, what they »ho still lie under the loads of sinful habits? who whilst they ire abandoned to the gi-atifications of their fleshly part, still bear the yoke of rottenness? Hence Peter saith; And if the i Pei. 4, righteous scarcely be sated, where shall the ungodly and ' tlie sinner appear? Hence it is said by Isaiah, Upon the Is. 32, land of My people shall come up thorns and briars; how ' miich more upon all the houses of joy in the joyous city. For by ' the land of His People,' the Lord meaneth the 'mind of all of the Elect. Upon which He tells of ' thorns and briars coming up;' because He sees that not even that ver}' mind is free from the prickles of bad habits. But ' the house of joy in the joyous city' is the mind of the wicked, \\ hich whilst it neglects to regard the punishments that are destined to come, in the gratification of the flesh going away fvum itself, revels in empty mirth. Thus he saith; Upon the laud of My people shall come up thorns and briars, how much more upon all the houses of joy in the joyous city. i As if He said in plain words; If evil habits sink low even the minds of those, who for desire of the hea\'euly country put themselves to pain, what guilty courses are they brought under, who without any apprehension abandon themselves in the gratification of the flesh?
24. But it is a point to be noticed in his discourse how Bildad observed the order of our creation and of our birth, in that he calls ' man' not ' a worm,' but ' rottenness,' but ' the son of man' ' a worm.' f'or the first parent of the human race was ' man,' not ' the son of man;' from whom whosoever came forth, was not only ' man,' but ' the son of man' a.s well. As then from man springs the son of man, so from rottenness springs the worm. Whence man is rightly called
^^6 JoVs strongest point comes last.
Job 26, ' rottenness,' but the son of man ' a worm.' For the first -j-^ man was ' rottenness' not ' a worm,' in that though by death he turned to ' rottenness,' yet he did not come by a birth out of rottenness. But he that is the son of man is called ' a worm,' because he is henceforth propagated from the corruption of mortal bodies.
25. Therefore because the words of his friends are con eluded, blessed Job sets on with a more penetrating acuteness of the suing, and his words are proportionably strong as they are the last; seeing that even in the same way it is the usage of lawyers, that the argument, by which they beforehand see that they are above their adversaries, they reserve for the conclusion of the suit. It follows:
C. xxvi. 1, 2. But Job answered and said. Of whom art thou the helper? whether of one that is powerless? or dost thou sustain the arm of him tJiat is fiat strong? xvni. 26. To help one that is weak is an act of charity, to wish to help one that is powerful, of pride; and so because his i'riends, whilst bearing the likeness of heretics, on the plea of helping God, endeavoured to make a display of their own wisdom, Bildad is justly found fault with, that it should be said, Of whom art thou the helper? whether of one that is poiverless? or dost thou sustain the arm of him that is not strong? As if he said in plain words; ' While thou settest thyself to help Him, under Whose greatness thou dost sink to the earth, all the encouragement which thou afFordest comes of ostentation, not of piety.'
27. But herein it is requisite to be known, that even God, Who surely is not ' powerless,' we help whilst acting with I Cor. 3, humility. And hence it is said by Paul, For we are helpers of God. For when to him, whom He doth Himself by interior grace pervade, we by the voice of exhortation contribute, this which He through the Spirit brings to pass within, we outwardly by the office of the voice do assist, and then only is our exhortation brought to completion, when God was in ^^- ^- the heart, to be aided. Hence He saith elsewhere; So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; hut God that giveth the increase. For to ' plant' and ' water' is to ' help,' both which will be but a void ministration, if in the heart God ' giveth not the increase.' But they who have high thoughts of their own power of mind, will not Book be helpers of God with humility; hecause whilst they reckon ^ "
themselves to be of use to God, they are making themselves strangers to the fruit of usefulness. And hence it is said to the disciples by the voice of Truth, When ye shall hare j^uke done all those things thai are commanded you, say, IVe are^^^ ^^' unprojitahle servants, ice have done that ivhich, was our duty to do. It proceeds;
Ver. 3. To iihom hast thou given counsel? perchance to him that hath not wisdom?
28, To ' give counsel to one that is foolish' is an office of xix. chaiity, to give it to one that is wise, of ostentation; but to give it to Wisdom Itself, of wrongmindedness; and because those who we have said bear the likeness of heretics, by their mode of speech, were administering to ostentation rather than to usefulness, it is yet further added rightly against Bildad,
To one to whom there is right prudence it is not overmuch, because according to Paul's declaration, he seeketh not to be wise above the degree that he ought to be wise. But to whomsoever there is overmuch prudence, there is not right prudence. For whilst it is carried beyond due measure, it is made to turn off on one side or another of offence. Now they shew their prudence to be ' overmuch,' who aim to appear fuller of prudence in comparison of others; whence it very frequently happens that whilst they have not the art to be wise in moderation, they even speak things that are foolish. On account of which circumstance, the actual excess of prudence is yet further subjoined, that it should be said,
Ver. 4. Whom wouldest thou have taught? Was it not Him Who made the breathway?
29. By the ' breathway' we live, by prudence we are wise. xx. But it is ours first to live, and afterwards to be imbued with wisdom; because in order that we have the power to be wise, it is first brought to pass that we should have being. He, then. Who bestowed life, the same doubtless gave prudence as well. But because Bildad thought blessed Job was scourged for sin, that secret judgment of God which he should have adored in humility, he set himself with over-
Job 26, weening temerity to penetrate to the bottom. And so that very One he prefen-ed himself before in respect of pmdence,
Whose judgment without understanding it he judged. That very One he preferred himself before in prudence, from Whom he received the breathway of life, as though he were wise more than He, the very Being from Whom he had it given it him that he should be. But because blessed Job whilst bearing a type of Holy Church delivered a few things in the rebuking of proud men, who, he was not ignorant, bore a likeness of heretics, according as he said above; Job 13, / desire to reason with God; Jirst shewing that ye are ^'^' forgers of lies, and followers of wrong tenets; he suddenly lifts himself up to instruction, and in opposition to the ignorance of the highminded, he opens wide the breadth of his knowledge in sentences, saying,
Ver. 5. Lo, the giants groan under the waters. xxi. 30. For it was fitting that by rebuking he should first beat down the swelling of earthly wisdom, and by instruction afterwards pass on to words replete with mysteries. Thus by '■ giants,' either apostate Angels, or all proud men may without objection be understood. For hence it is said by Is. 26, the Prophet, The dead shall not live, the giants shall not ^*' rise up again. For whom does he call ' the dead' saving sinners, and whom does he designate ' giants' save those, who over and above take pride in sin. Now the former do * not live,' because by sinning they have forfeited the life of righteousness; these latter too 'cannot rise up again' after death, because, after their transgression being swoln with pride, they do not have recourse to the remedies of penitence. Hence Prov it is written again, The man that wandereth out of the way ^^' ^^* of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead. For whosoever forsakes the way of righteousness, to whose number does he join himself, saving to the number of the proud spirits.? Now it is well said in opposition to the high-minded, Lo, the giants groan under the waters. As if it were expressed in plain speech; ' Wherefore on the score of knowledge should man be proud, when the abyss of ignorance keeps at the bottom the very proudest of the spirits of the Angels?'
31. But if by the name of ' the giants' the powerful ones of this world arc denoted, in ' the waters' we may have the Book multitudes rejjresented, as John beareth witness, who saith,
The waters, which tliou seesl, are peoples. Now against Rev. 17, him that is filled with pride it is well spoken; Lo, the giants groan under the waters; because all that are high and lifted up, while in this life they long to attain the highest ])itch of honours, groan under the burthens of peoples. For in proportion as a man is the higher lifted up here, he is biirthened with so much the heavier cares. And to those very same people in mind and thoughts he is put under, whom in dignity he is put over. And by these words it is well shewn in brief that all pride lies prostrate on the ground by the mere act by which it lifts itself up on high, so as to be the more effectually bowed down beneath all things from the same cause, that it would fain be set above all. For man when he is lifted up in high stations, bears so many in number over him, as he rules persons put beneath him. But those, that are associated with such persons, are by fellowship in their labour themselves also weighed to the ground. For together with tliem they likewise bear the toilsomeness of the burthen, whilst along with them they go after the gloriousness of the honour. Hence whereas he said, Lo, the giants groan under the waters; he directly
And tJiey that dicell along uith them.
32. As though he said; ' Equally with them do they xxii. groan,' who by taking delight are associated to their glory. Now the very employment of worldly dignities is borne down with readier vices in proportion as it is charged with heavier cares. For would that the mind of man even at rest might be able to see and eschew sins! And so because he saw that the longed for heights of affairs cannot be administered without sins, and because it is not hidden from the wrath of God, whatsoever is committed of an unlawful kind, he fitly subjoined in pursuance;