Morals on the Book of Job (Moralia in Iob)

after the striking of ' the cheek,' it is properly added. They have taken their fill of my punishments, for that punishment does fill them to satisfaction, which chastises the mind of the Church in an especial manner. It goes on ; Ver. 11. Qod hath shut me up with the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked. xiii. 16. The people of the Elect is ' shut up with the ungodly man,' when its flesh is given up in this present time to the persecutions of our old adversary ; and it is ^ turned over,' not to the spirit, but ' the hands of the wicked;' in that in proportion as they cannot take it captive in mind, they are the more pitilessly inflamed against the flesh thereof. But the People of Holy Church, when it begins to suffer adversities to an extreme degree, and sees the weak ones in her going off" to worse and worse, recalls to mind the times of her peace, when she fed her faithful children with the richness of her preaching Hence it is fitly added; Ver. 13. /, the same that was once rich, am crushed o?i a sudden. xiv. 17. Herein, viz. that he declared himself to be ' crushed on a sudden,' he denoted the unguarded mind of weak })ersons : who, whilst they are not skilled to foresee the evils Persecution humbles weak members of the Church, 97 which are destined to come, find them more severe in proBook portion as they also undergo them contrary to expectation.

'. But to stedfast minds adversities do not come on a sudden, in that tliey are foreseen before they come. And this Holy Church too does now undergo in certain backsliding people, who, after the richness of instruction, are sometimes so crushed by sudden assaults of evil, that they fall as deeply in certain wicked practices, as if they had never been vouchsafed the food of the word. It proceeds ; He hath held my neck, and broken me in two, and set me up for His mark,

As in evil the ' neck' denotes pride, so in good it denotes the lifting up in freedom ; whence it is sometimes the case that ' pride' itself is also put for the authority belonging to that lifting up ; as when the Lord says by way of promise to Holy Church by the Prophet, / will set thee I^^60, for the pride of ages. And because in time of persecution some that are weak do not dare to preach with freedom the truths they have a sense of, it is rightly said of this enemy, He hath held my neck, and broken me in two. But perchance those are denoted by the appellation of ' neck,' who, in the season of her peace, are lifted up more than befits, and by occasion of defending the cause of right minister to the evil of self-exalting ; which same in time of persecution feel adversity the more sensibly on this account, that they are elevated by prosperity. Concerning whom it is rightly said. He hath held m,y neck, and broken me in two ; i. e. the pride which she had in her weak members, He bowed down by the severity of His smiting. And set me up for His mark. It is known that ' a mark' is for this reason * set up,' that it may be hit by the sending of the arrow. And so the faithful people is ' set as a mark' to its enemy, in that he is ever assaulting it with his blows and afflicting it with his persecutions :

for he that undergoes perpetual ills in this life, as if set for a mark, receives blows from one striking him ; and hence the great Preacher, when he was suffering the ills of persecution, and groaning beneath the persecuting efforts of his enemies, to comfort the tender soul of the disciples touching his troubles, says. For yourselves know that we are i The?. appointed tJiereunto. As if he said to them in plain words ; ^' •^' 98 Temptation around ; concurrence gives it potcer to wound. Job 16,' Wherefore at this season do ye wonder at my wounds, when, _l?:_if we seek the joys of the eternal world, we have come hither LLEG.^^^ this, even to be stricken?' It proceeds; Ver. 13. He hath co77ipassed me about with His lances. He hath wounded my loins together. He hath not spared, and He hath poured out my bowels upon the ground. xvi. 19. These particulars would seem to accord with blessed Moral. Jq]3 ^f^^y ^j^g letter, in that it is said, He hath compassed me with His lances, He hath wounded my loins together. He hath not spared ; if that were not added, which is not read as written about him, he hath poured out my bowels upon the ground. From which circumstance it follows, that whereas we cannot find this after the letter, we should investigate after the spirit those points, which in his words sound as of the fact of history.

Holy Church is ' beset with lances' by her enemy, whensoever she is in her members assaulted by the cunning assailant with the darts of temptation ; and it is well said that we are ' encompassed with lances,' in that our old enemy assails us on every side with the wounding of temptation. Thus oftentimes whilst the appetite is restrained, that lust may be brought under, the dart of vainglory strikes the mind ; but if the body is not worn down by the infliction of abstinence, the flame of lust kindles itself against the soul: often whilst we strive to observe economy, we fall into stinginess ; and often whilst we give profusely the things we possess, we are led into avarice, in that we seek to make up again what we may have to give. Whereas then the darts of the old enemy assail us in every direction, it is rightly said now, he hath compassed me about with his lances. And because, in the case of every sin, the crafty enemy indeed recommends it, but we by consenting to his recommendations execute it, it is fitly subjoined, he hath wounded my loins together, for in the loins lust is seated. Hence he who desired to eradicate the delight of lust from the heart, 1 Pet. 1, preached the words. Gird up the loins of your mind. And so when our old enemy draws the faithful people into lust, surely he smites that people ' in the loins;' in which place it is deserving of observation, that he does I'uM/we-not say ' he has wounded',' but, he hath wounded my loins ^i^convni-^^9^^^^^^' ' ^^^ ^^ t^ talk is sometimes an act of one person, neravit* Men of hidden life exposed.

Every sin weakens. 99 but to * talk together' of two or perhaps of many, so our old Book enemy, in that he does not hurry us into sin without our own will, is never said ' to wound our loins,' but, ' to wound our loins together :' in that what he prompts us amiss we fulfil by following of our own will ; and, as it were, ' wound ourselves together' in union with him, because we are at the same time led to commit the evil deed of free will. It goes on; he hath not spared; as if he said, * he hath not ceased;' and he hath poured out my bowels iipo)i the ground. What else are we to understand by ' the bowels' of Holy Church, save the minds of those who contain in themselves certain of her mysteries, who are devoted to the interior Sacraments? But our old adversary, when he draws over to secular concerns any of the faithful, who appeared to be devoted to the interior sacraments, does, surely, * pour out her bowels upon the ground ;' in that he treads those down in things below, who were before buried from sight in secret and spiritual practices. It goes on ; Ver. 14. He hath hrokeii me with breach upon breach.

In her weak members Holy Church is ' broken with breach upon breach,' when sin is added to sin, that transgression should be brought to a more dreadful pitch. Thus for him, whom avarice forces to robbery and robbery leads into deceit, so that the sin committed is further defended by falsehood, how else is it with this man, but that he is broken with breach upon breach ? When too it is well said by the Prophet; Cursing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, lioa. 4, and adultery, have overflowed, and blood toucheth blood.^' For by the title of ' blood' sin is used to be denoted; whence one who longs to be set free from sin exclaims in penitence, Deliver me from bloodK So * blood toucheth blood,' when Ps. 6i, sin has heaped on sin ; and whereas when breach is added if'to breach, the powers of our old enemy are the more terribly mbus increased against us, it is rightly added ; He runneth upon me like a giant.

The enemy is easy to be resisted, if he is not consented to, whether in many backslidings, or in one for a continuance. But if the soul has been accustomed to submit to his persuasions, the oftener it subjects itself to him, it makes him the harder to itself to bear, so that it has not the power 100 Stroiif/ members of Holy Church suffer for the weak. Job 16, to Struggle against him ; in that our wicked adversary, ' like ^^'^^^ a giant,' fights against it, when it is vanquished by bad habit: yet very often Holy Church, even after sins have been committed, brings back the minds of the faithful to penitence, and cleanses avray the sins of practice by the efficacy of a voluntary self-chastening. Whence it is well added; Ver. 15. / have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and covered my flesh with ashes. xix. 22. What ought to be understood by ' sackcloth and ashes,' but penance ; what by * the skin' and ' the flesh,' but sin of the flesh? And so whereas there are persons who after the backsliding of the flesh are brought back to penance, it is as if ' sackcloth were sewn upon the skin,' and ' the flesh covered with ashes;' because the guilt of the flesh is ' covered with ashes' by penance, that it should not be seen for its avenging in the inquest of the strict Judge.

But Holy Church, when she withdraws her weak members from sins, and conducts them to the remedy of penance, these she surely aids with her tears, that they may recover strength to receive the grace of their Maker, and in the strong she bewails what she has not done, which yet in her weak members she has as it were done herself. Hence it is well added yet further ; Ver. 16. My face is swelled with weeping. XX. 23. For ' the face' of Holy Church are those, who being set in posts of governorships appear the foremost, that in their goodly appearance should be the honour of the faithful people, even if there were aught deformed in the body hidden from sight. Which same persons that are set over the people bewail the sins of those that go weakly, and so chasten themselves for the downfall of others as if for their own. And often when they see some returning to pardon after sin, and others persisting in wickedness, they marvel at the secret counsels of Almighty God, but cannot fathom them. For they are dumb at the things which they do not understand. And hence it is fitly added; And mine eyelids have become darkened. xxi. 24. For they are rightly entitled * eyelids,' who are on their watch for the fore-ensuring the paths of the feet; but when not even the rulers on the watch can understand the ST.

fVIC»-;At. L'S ' - ^ .^y I Christ suffered without sin. His Blood never hidden. 101 secret judgments of God, * the eyelids' of Holy Church are Book * darkened ;' but, as I remember that I have already often said, blessed Job, while bearing a type of Holy Church, uses at one time the voice of the body, and at another time the voice of the Head ; and while he is speaking of her members, he is raised on a sudden to speak the words of her Head. Whence here too it is added; Ver. 17. / have suffered this without the wickedness of mine hand, whilst I made pure prayers to God.

He suffered without the wickedness of His hand, Whol Pet. did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth, and yet ' * endured the pain of the Cross for our redemption. Who only above all others ' made pure prayers to God,' in that even in the very anguish of His Passion He prayed in behalf of His persecutors, saying. Father, forgive them, for theg Luke know not what they do. For what can be described, what ^^» ^^* can be conceived more pure in prayer, than when the mercifulness of intercession is vouchsafed even those, from whose hands pain is undergone ? Whence it was brought to pass, that that Blood of our Redeemer, which His persecutors in raging had spilt, afterwards in believing they drank, and proclaimed Him to be the Son of God. Concerning which same Blood it is fitly subjoined ; Ver. 18. O earth, cover thou not my blood; and let my cry find no place to lie hid in thee,

It was said to man on his committing sin, Earth thoiL art, and unto earth shall thou return; and this ' earth' ?if"* ^' does not ' cover the blood' of our Redeemer : in that each several sinner taking to himself the price of his redemption makes confession and sings praise, and publishes it to all of his neighbours that he is able. Moreover, ' earth did not cover His blood,' in that Holy Church has now preached the mystery of His redemption in all parts of the world. And observe what is added: And let my cry find no place to lie hid in thee. For the very blood of redemption that is taken is itself * the cry' of our Redeemer. Hence Paul too says, And to the Blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better ijeh.\2, things than that of Abel. It had been said of the blood of ^^* Abel ; The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto Me from Gen. 4 the ground. But ' the Blood of Jesus speaketh better things ^^102 Christy not known of men, had His Witness above. Job 16, than the blood of Abel,' because the blood of Abel brought the death of his fratricidal brother, but the blood of the AliLEG. Lord won life for His persecutors. So then that the Sacraments of our Lord's Passion may not be ineffectual in us, we are bound to imitate that which we take, and to preach to others what we adore.

For ' His cry does find a place to lie hid in us,' if what the mind has been brought to believe the tongue is silent about. But that His cry may not lie hid in us, it remains that each one of us according to his small measure should make known to his neighbours the mystery of his own quickening. It is good to recall the eyes of the interior to the hour of the Lord's Passion, when the Jews raged against Him in persecution, and the Disciples fled from Him in alarm. For He that appeared to die in the flesh was not in any wise believed to be God. Hence it is properly added in this place, Ver. 19. Also, now, behold my witness is in heaven, and ^^consci-my hearts associate^ is on high. meus ' '^'^' ^^^' when the Son was brought to His downfall on lit.' w^ earth, there was a witness to Him in heaven. Since the OCCOVlplice,' Father is the witness of the Son ; concerning Whom He *^^^'^^ Himself saith in the Gospel, A7id the Father Himself. knows ^ ' "^ mj/ Which hath sent Me, hath home witness of Me. Who is also ^^^.'^ rightly called ' mine heart's associate,' in that with one will, John 5, and with one counsel, the Father acts always in union ?J\i, with the Son. Whose witness too He is, in that 9io man Mat.

11, ' 27. knoweth the Son but the Father. Thus He had then ' a witness in heaven,' and His * heart's associate' on high, when they, who saw Him dying in the flesh, had their eyes closed to see the power of His Divine nature ; and whereas men did not know, yet in the hour of death the Mediator between God and man did know, that the Father was working together with Himself. Which perhaps may be likewise applied to the voice of His Body. For Holy Church for this reason undergoes the miseries of this life, that the grace above may lead her on her way to the rewards of eternity. She slights the death of her flesh, because she is intent on the glory of the resurrection ; and what she suffers is transitory, what she expects everlasting, concerning which same everlasting blessings she has no misgiving, in that she has already a Our Lord * knows our frame' as having taken it on Him. 103 faithful testimony in the glory of her Redeemer. For she Book sees with the mind the resurrection of His flesh, and is strongly fortified to have hope, in that what she sees already brought to pass in her Head, she hopes without doubting will also follow in His Body, which is herself. Which same Church the Psalmist seeing destined to continue in everlasting perfection, describes her under the title of the moon.

A P^89, perfect moon for everlasting. And whereas the Resurrection of the Lord heartens her to entertain the hope of a Resurrection, he properly added. And a faithful witness in heaven. Forasmuch as that she may not tremble for her own resurrection, she has Him in heaven for a witness, Who rose again from the dead; and so let the faithful People when it suffers adversity, when it is harassed with sore tribulations, lift up the mind to the hope of the glory to follow, and trusting in the resurrection of the Redeemer, let it say. Also now behold my witness is in heaven, and mine associate on high. W^ho is also rightly called ' an associate,' in that He was acquainted with our nature, not only by creating, but by taking it upon Himself. For His knowing is His having undertaken what belongs to us. Whence too it is said by the Psalmist, For He knoweth our frame. For what wonPs. 103, der is it if He is said emphatically * to know our frame,' ^'^* when it is plain that there is nothing that He does not know? But His ' knowing our frame,' is His having taken it upon Himself out of pitifulness.

Yet this voice may together with blessed Job suitably apply to each one of ourselves as well ; for every man who in what he does aims at human praises, seeks a * witness' on earth; but he that is eager to please Almighty God by his deeds, takes thought that he has a ' witness in heaven.' And it often happens that the very good things themselves in us are found fault with by inconsiderate men; but he that ' has a witness in heaven,' has no need to fear men's reproofs. Hence it is yet further added ; Ver. 20. My friends are full of words ; but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.

For what is denoted by the eye, but the intent of the heart ? as it is written, if thine eye be single ^ thy whole body Matt. 6, shall be fidl of light. For when any thing is done with a^^* i 04 Job's wish to know why God thus dealt with him. JOB 16, good intention, the enacting of that intention contracts no ^ — ■*— soil in the sierht of God; and so when friends are full of Moral. . v Hist, words, i. e. when the very same persons detract that are joined with us in faith, ' the eye' must needs ' pour out tears to God,' that so the whole bent of our heart may run out in the piercing of interior love, and lift itself up to the things of the interior, the more exactly that being forced back by external reproaches, it is driven to turn back within, lest it should vanish away without. It proceeds ; Ver. '>]. Oh! that a man were so judged with God, as a son of man is Judged with his fellow! xxvi* 30. We acknowledge indeed always that we are sinners, ' yet often, when laid under the rod, we do not know for what sin in particular we are stricken, and we sift ourselves with minute examining, that if we might in any way be able we might trace out the cause of our being struck;

and whereas this is for the most part hidden from us, our blindness becomes a load upon us, and we are the more pained at what we are suffering. But any one that ' comes to judgment with his neighbour,' both says w^hat he thinks, and knows w^hat answer is made in return, and strikes a blow where he will, and know^s from what quarter he is struck. But he that is smittten with the visitation of God, while he knows indeed that he is beaten, but knows not why he is beaten, as it were himself says what he thinks, but does not know what may be said against him; seeing that he himself indeed groans under the rod, but God does not declare openly for what cause of vengeance He strikes him. Therefore it is said now. Oh! that a man were so judged with God, as a son of man is judged with his neighbour! As if it were expressed in plain words ; * As in all, that I say, 1 am heard, so would that I heard all that is said concerning me.' Which, nevertheless, can never be brought about in this life, in that there is a great obstruction before the eyes of our heart, against our beholding the subtle nature of God, even our mere frailty by itself; but we shall then see Him with clearness by Whom we are now searchingly beheld, when this frailty laid aside, we attain to the gi'ace of the 1 Cor.

interior contemplation, of which Paul saith, For then shall I 13, 12. know, as also I am known. Hence blessed Job, seeing that This life returns not. Wasting of spirit through fear. 105 that knowledge can never be in the fullest way perfected Book here, groans indeed over the blindness of the present life; yet consoles himself by the shortness thereof, saying, Ver. 2*2. When a few years are come, then I shall go the tvay whence I shall not return.

Every thing that passes is short, even though it should seem slow in being finished, but in the way of death we ' go, and do not return by it,' not because we are not brought back by rising again to the life of the flesh, but because we do not come again to the labours of this mortal life, or to earn rewards by our labours. Chap. xvii. ver. 1. My spirit shall be wasted to tJdmiess,

' The spirit is wasted to thinness,' by the fear of judgment; in that the minds of the Elect, the more they feel themselves to be approaching the final Judgment, tremble so much the more fearfully in the searching of their own selves; and if they ever find in themselves any carnal thoughts, they consume them by the fervour of their penance ; nor do they suffer their thoughts to expand with carnal delight, in that they pass sentence and inflict punishment on themselves more rigorously in proportion as they are awaiting the strict Judge close at hand; whence it comes to pass, that they look upon their departure as always near. For the minds of the lost do many things wickedly on this account, because they suppose themselves living here for long ; and so ' the spirit of the righteous is wasted to thinness,' but the spirit of the wicked is thickened. For in proportion as they swell out in self-elation, they have not the wearing down of the spirit: but the righteous, whilst they consider the shortness of their life, eschew the sins of pride and impurity. And hence it is added ; My days shall be shortened, and the grave only is left me, ?3. For he that bethinks himself what he will be in death, is always rendered fearful in practice, and from the very cause that henceforth he does not as it were live in his own eyes, he does genuinely live in the eyes of his Creator;

he goes after nothing of a nature to pass away, he withstands all the desires of the present life, and views himself as almost dead, in that he is not unaware that he is destined to die. For 1 06 Job^ not sinning wickedly, a type of Him Who sinned not. Job 17, a perfect life is an imitation of death, which while the '- — righteous diligently enact, they escape the snares of sins. Ecclus. Whence it is written, Whatsoever thou takest in hand, reHist, 'mewtber thy latter end, and thou shall never do amiss. And Alleg. jjgj^(,g blessed Job, because he sees that his ' davs are shortened,' and reflects that ^ the grave only is left him,' fitly subjoins, / have not sinned, and mine eye ahideth in bitternesses. XXX. 34. As if he expressed himself in plain words; ' I have not been guilty of sin, and I have undergone scourges.' But on this point, seeing that in many passages of this history he confesses himself to have been guilty of sinning, is the mind moved by the thought with what reason he now denies himself to have committed sin ? But with reference to this the reason quickly occurs, in that neither did he sin to such an extent as to deserve strokes of the rod, nor yet was capable of being without sin. For that he was stricken not for the correcting of sin, but the increasing of grace, the Judge Himself bears witness, Who praises while He strikes.

And again, that he was not without sin neither does he himself deny, who is commended by the Judge, and therefore commended because he denies it not. But I think that we shall make out these words the better, if we understand them as spoken in the voice of the Head. For our Redeemer, in coming for our Redemption, at once did not sin and did * undergo bitterness,' in that being without sin He undertook the punishment of our sin, in Whose voice it is added, Ver. 3. Set me free, and put me beside thee, and let the hand of any one fight against me. xxxi. 35. For He did not sin either in thought or deed; He was made to ' abide in bitterness' by His Passion, He was ' set free' by the Resurrection, He was ' put beside' the Father by His Ascension; in that having gone up into heaven He sitteth on the right hand of God. And because, after the glory of His Ascension, Judaea was stirred up in the persecuting of His Disciples, it is rightly said here. Let the hand of any one fight against tne. For the madness of the persecutors did then rage on His members, then the flame of cruelty blazed out against the life of the faithful; but where should the The wicked keep far from discipline^ and in loiu pursuits. 107 wicked go, or what should they do, whilst He Whom they Book persecuted ou earth was now seated in heaven ? Concerning _i 1 whom it is yet further added ; Ver. 4. Thou hast removed their heart far from discipline.

For if they had been acquainted with the keeping of discipline, nor ever despised the precepts of our Redeemer, the mere mortal condition of their flesh by itself would have excited them to the love of the life immortal ; for this very thing, even our being subject to corruption in this life, is of the scourge of discipline. For to be made to feel annoyance from heat and cold, from hunger and thirst, to be afl3icted with diseases, and one day even to be put out of existence, what else are all these, but the scourges of sin ? Now there are some that both undergo scourges, and yet never fashion anew their life by the fear of Him Who scourges them. WTience it is rightly said now, 2'hou hast removed their heart far frorn discipline ; in that though the body is under discipline, yet the heart is not under discipline, so long as a person is stricken with the rod, and yet not brought back to humbleness of mind. Nor yet is this spoken in such a sense, as if the Almighty and Merciful God 'removed the heart of man far from discipline,' but that having fallen away of his own accord, there in executing judgment He suffered him to remain, where he had fallen ; as we also say to Him in praying. And lead us not into temptation, i. e. ' do not ever suffer us to be led into temptation.' It proceeds ; Therefore they shall not be exalted.

For if the heart were under discipline, it would seek after things above, it would not be openmouthed to obtain transitory good things. Of those, then, whose heart is not under discipline, it is rightly said. Therefore they shall not be exalted, in that while let go at large in the lowest enjoyments, they are ever longing for the good things of earth, they never lift the heart to the delights of heaven; for they would be exalted, if they lifted their minds to the hope of the heavenly country; but they, who do not make it their business to guard their way by discipline, ever in their desires lie grovelling in things below, and, what is more grievous, in lying low set themselves up, in that they are uplifted on the ground of things transitory. And they may 108 SatarCs delusive promises to his followers. Job 17, be uplifted, but cannot be exalted, in that they are sunk the — deeper below, by the very act by which they are rendered A li L E O higher to themselves; and so the heart that is without discipline cannot be exalted, in that the human mind, as when elevated amiss it is forced down below, so forced down aright is lifted up on high. It proceeds; Ver. 5. He promiseth prey to his friends; and the eyes of his children shall fail, xxxiv. 38. After that blessed Job had uttered a sentence relating to the multitude of the wicked, i.

e. the body of our old enemy; he directly shifts the sentence to the very leader of them, i. e. the head of all the children of perdition, and retunis from the plural to the singular number : for the devil and all wicked people are so one body, that it very often happens that the body is rated with the name of the head, and the head designated by the title of the body. Thus the body is rated with the name of the head, when it is said of a bad John 6, man. And one of you is a devil. And again the head is ^^* designated by the title of the body, when it is said of the Mat.13, apostate Angel himself, A man^ that is an enemy hath done ^^' , this. Thus the prince of all the wicked has some for * inimi- ^ associates' and some as ' children.' For who are his ^Q> associates, but those apostate Angels, who fell with him from the seat of the heavenly country ? or what others has he as children, saving bad men, who are begotten by his evil persuading in the practice of wickedness. Whence too it is Johns said by the voice of Truth to unbelievers, Ye are of your ^^' father the devil.

So that evil author of enor promises ' prey' to his ' associates,' in that he promises the evil spirits the souls of bad men to be seized at their latter end ; and the eyes of his children shall fail^ in that while he sets on the aims of men to look for earthly things only, he causes them to love that which they cannot keep for long: for neither can the bent of misdirected love remain, when it appears that both that which he loves, and he himself, who loves it, are tending to nought at a rapid rate. It may also be, that by ' the associates' perhaps are understood all those that are most cruel and already full of every kind of wickedness ; but by the sons, those who being still deluded by beguiling promises, are Seeming Judgments against the Righteous perplex many. 109 being nourished up to increasing of wickedness ; that henceBook forth the devil should as it were by the title of wickedness, — have these as his * associates,' who now no longer have whereunto to grow in perdition, while these he has as sons, whom he suckles with promises, that they may go on advancing to worse. But ' the eyes of his children shall fail,' in that the aims of the wicked fall to the ground, when all . that they go after here, they leave behind, and there suffer without end what is fitted to fill them with grief It proceeds ; Ver. 6. He hath made me^ as it were, a hytvord of the people, and I am an example before them,

This let blessed Job say in his own person, yea andxxxv. in the voice of all of the Elect. For every one that is stricken with the rod, is, as it were, * made a byword of the people,' in that every fool, when he desires to curse any one, takes up his cursing in a likeness to him, whom he sees stricken with a temporal stroke, and wishes that punishment for his adversary, which he sees to have befallen the righteous man. And so it comes to pass that with persons not endowed with a right perception, the upright man is brought into an example, while both the punishment of the just passes current for the condemnation of him, and the glory that is in store for him is not foreseen by any expectance of faith. It proceeds ; Ver. 7. Mine eye is dim, for indignation, and all my members are as it were brought to nothing.

For ' the eye is dim for indignation,' when those veryxxxvi. persons likewise, who in the Lord's Body, i. e. in the Church, are endued with the light of truth, whilst they see themselves too long despised and disdained by the wicked, are confounded in astonishment at the inscrutable judgment, and fail to fathom the secret of God ; for what reason it is that the wicked are suffered to prevail against the innocence of the good ? For who is not amazed, when Herodias by her daughter's dancing obtains at the hands of the drunken king, that the head of that Friend of the Bridegroom, that * Prophet, and more than a Prophet,^ should be brought before the faces of his guests upon a charger? Now when the just are * dimmed in indignation,' the weak very commonly go head1 1 0 The ' Innocent'' lioio ' stirred against tlte hypocrite.^ Job. 17, long into actual infidelity; whence it is added, And my mem- " ' hers are as it were hr ought to nothing. For by the terra of A T T 1? fl *^ members,' we have the tenderness of the weak set forth, who, while they behold bad men flourishing, and good men tormented, are sometimes brought to this pass, that they regret that they even began in good things, and so speedily fall back to doing evil things, as if the good they had begun were a detriment to their life.

But this that he says, Mine eye is dimmed in indignation, he unfolds in plainer words, when he adds ; Ver. 8. Upright men shall he astonied at this, and the innocent shall stir up himself against the hypocrite. xxxvii. 42. In this place, ' the innocent' is taken for the as yet im- ^^'^' perfectly righteous, who, as yet but commencing in good ways, though he is not minded to do mischief to others, yet is not at all able himself to do things that are perfect; and because the hearts of the little ones, while they see the wicked flourishing in the present life, are set on fire with the brands of envy ; (for a man the more envies others present good in proportion as he less despises it himself Since of that which cannot be possessed by all men all of it together, what »«desit' this one has would be so much lacking^ to the other.) Now fit ' or ' ^ ^^^ innocent is kindled against the hypocrite,' when even he 'deficit.' who is not used to injure any one, envies the glory of the dissembler. But if in this passage the innocent means any one perfect in goodness, ' the innocent is moved against the hypocrite ;' when he both sees him flourishing, and contemns him and all his flourishing, and by preaching the things that are right plainly says that he ought to be despised by others, the more in proportion as he sees him eagerly in quest of things, which cannot abide with him for long, and in this point of view it is yet further added ;

Ver. 9. Tlie righteous also shall hold on his way, and to clean hands he shall add strength, xxxviii. 43. On considering the hypocrite, * the righteous holds on his way,' in that whilst he sees that it is by a wicked will that he obtains the things that are of the world, he is himself tied and bound the stronger to the love of heavenly things, knowing that to good desires eternal rewards shall not be wanting, whereas both to bad and double hearts the good i Clean hands strengthened. The self-wise most foolish. 1 1 1 things of time are not denied ; from which circumstance it Book • XIII comes that * to clean hands he adds strength,' in that seeing 1bad men win temporal glory, he brings his good works to perfection, and looks down upon temporal things from the loftier height in proportion as he sees them to abound even to the wicked. For he sees how much those things deserve to be despised, which Almighty God vouchsafes even to bad men: for if they were primarily great, the Creator would never vouchsafe them to His adversaries; and hence he considers that it is to himself an unworthy thing, that he should go after that good, which he sees to abound even to the wicked; but he applies his mind to the winning of heavenly blessings, which can never be shared with him by the children of perdition. Thus after he had introduced the outward advancements of the wicked, and the interior advancements of the good, he brought forward words of exhortation, saying, Ver. 10. But as for you all, do ye turn and come now,

Which same words of exhortation he properly frames to the Elect, whom he calls to the eternal world; who are bidden in two ways, viz. that they should ' turn,' and that they should ^ come;' * turn' by faith, ' come' by practice. Or indeed that they ' turn' by abandoning evil deeds, and * come' by doing good ones; as it is written. Depart from Vs. 37 y evil, and do good: but that is wonderful which is added, And may I not find one wise man among you.

For what does this mean, that he bids them to wisdom, and yet wishes that he may not find them wise, saving that they cannot come to true wisdom, who are deceived in confidence in their own false wisdom ? Concerning whom it is written. Woe unto you that are wise in your own eyes, and prudent is. 5, <2i, in your own sight ; and to whom it is said again. Be 7iot wise ^om, with your own selves; whence that same great preacher ^^' ^^* sought that those, whom he found carnally wise, in order that they might attain true wisdom, should first become foolish ; saying. If any 7nan among you seeraeth to he wise \ Cor. in this world, let him, become a fool, that he may he wise, ^' ^^* And * Truth' saith by Itself, / thaiik Thee, O Father, Lord Mditt. of heaven and earth, hecause Thou hast hid these things from ^i> ^5. 112 Power and persecution both bring eartlily cares. Job 17, the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. And so because they that are wise in themselves cannot Lit. come to true wisdom, blessed Job, being anxious for the conversion of his hearers, rightly desires that he may not ' find any wise man among them.' As if he said to them in plain speech; * Learn to be foolish in your own selves, that ye may be truly wise in God.' It goes on ;

Ver. II. My days are past away, my thoughts are scattered, racking my heart. xli. 46. The Holy Church of the Elect sees that the spaces of Mo^AL^^^ life pass in periods of day and night, in that it is hers in adversity to have ' a night,' and in prosperity, ' a day.' For there riseth as it were light unto her fi'om the tranquillity of peace, and night from the grief of persecution. Now as often as after the pauses of rest she returns to the toilsomeness of persecution, growing to a head against her, she testifies that her * days have past;' in which days, however, she is accustomed to be weighed down with so much the heavier cares, in proportion as she bethinks her that for that very tranquillity of rest a more exact reckoning is required of her by the Judge. For in the tranquil state of peace, at one time she is employed with the profits of souls, at another time she attends to the ministrations of earthly things, which same ministrations of earthly affairs are more burthensome to the minds of good men, in proportion as by the act of looking at them they are torn away though but for a brief space from looking at the things of heaven. Whence blessed Job, whether in his own voice, or the voice of the Church Universal, after testifying that ' his days were past,' thereupon subjoined.

My thoughts are scattered, racking my heart; in that when temporal glory is gone to the minds of the good, even that charge of earthly stewardship is likewise removed from them, which seemed to be torturing them within their thoughts; for while they aim to be always bent upward for the perception of the things of heaven, by this very circumstance that sometimes in their earthly stewardships they are made to descend to take thought of the lowest matters, they feel themselves to be put to torture. Whence it is brought to pass, that the very hostility of persecution is Lights and shades ofli/'e. State of departed souls changed. 113 itself too changed into a mighty exultation of joy, on account Book of the repose of the heart that is obtained. Hence it is fitly added ; Ver. 12. They have cha7igcd the night into day>

For ' the thoughts being scattered change night into day/ in that it is sometimes more grateful to the righteous through adversity to undergo sufferings, rather than as the effect of prosperity to be harassed with the charge of earthly ministering. But because they have learnt by paying attention that both adversity passes away, and prosperity dawns again, it is fitly added; And again after darkness I look for light.

For ' the light is looked for after darkness,' in that after the night of the present life, the light eternal is discerned, or adversity and prospersity do so alternate here, that they do not cease to succeed one another by turns. Whence it comes to pass that even in the light night is suspected, and in the night light is presumed on; as when it is written. In the day of prosperity he not forgetful of Ecc]us. affliction, and in the day of affliction be not forgetful of ^^ prosperity. But mark, forasmuch as we have been redeemed by the grace of our Maker, we henceforth have this boon of heavenly bestowal, that when we are removed from dwelling in our flesh, we are at once carried of!' to receive heavenly rewards; in that since our Creator and Redeemer, penetrating the bars of hell, brought out from thence the souls of the Elect, He does not permit us to go there, from whence He has already by descending set others free. But they who were brought into this world before His Coming, whatsoever eminency of righteousness they may have had, could not on being divested of the body at once be admitted into the bosom of the heavenly country"; seeing that He had not as yet come. Who by His own descending should unloose the bars of hell, and place the souls of the righteous henceforth in their everlasting seat.

Hence blessed Job, both feeling the stroke of affliction, and knowing that the recompensing of the righteous was as yet delayed, fitly subjoins; * He says elsewhere that the more are kept elsewhere, and that all have perfect souls are admitted now to heaven, to wait till the Judgment for their bjjdiett where the Body of Christ is, quoting tobebroughtinto the heavenly mansions. Phil. i. 13. He adds that the less perfect Dial. iv. 25. 114 Saints of old not p7mishe(l though in hell. Man's corruption. Job 17, Ver. 13. If I wait, hell is mine house; and J have made — '. — -my hed in the darkness, ^YiY 49. For the former Saints could undergo adversity, and yet could not, when brought out of the body, be at once freed from the regions of hell; in that He had not yet come, -Who should descend thereinto without sin, that He might set free those, who were there bound by right of sin. And man then ' made his bed in darkness,' when he forsook the light of righteousness by consenting to the crafty Prompter: and whereas in those very regions of hell the souls of the righteous were kept imprisoned without torment, so that both on behalf of original sin they should still go down thereunto, and yet by right of their own deeds not undergo punishment ; to have * made their bed in the darkness,' in a manner, is to have I grave prepared themselves rest in hell.

For it was sad weariness^ to the Elect, after the dissolution of the flesh, not yet to see the likeness of the Creator. Which wearisomeness blessed Job not improperly designates ' darkness.' But whereas this came in the punishment of infirmity, he rightly adds that same infirmity directly, saying, Ver. 14. / have said to corruption, TJiou art my father, and to the worm. Thou art my mother and my sister. xlv. 50. What does this mean, that he said to corruption. Thou art my father; saving that every man descends from an already corrupted origin } and hence it is added. And to the worm, Thou art my mother and my sister; in this way, viz. that we come into this world at once from corruption itself, and along with corruption itself. For as regards the matter of corruptible flesh, the worm is our ' mother and sister,' in that we both come forth out of corruption, and come with corruption which we carry about us. And if we may understand it in a spiritual sense, nature is not unappropriately called our ' mother,' and habit too a * sister,' in that we are from the one, and along with the other; which same ' mother and sister' are ' worms,' in that in virtue of a corrupt nature and evil habit we are necessitated, as by a kind of ' worms,' so by disquieting thoughts to be gnawed in the mind.

For the corrupted nature of the flesh, and bad habit, in that they generate numberless cares in the heart of our frailty, are well called ' worms our mother and sister.' For Hopes of the Patriarchs painfully delayed. 115 cares gnaw the mind, while they disquiet it. For righteous men Book do not cease either heedfully to take thought and counsel what 'they are to do, or thoughtfully to look into it, whither they are destined to be led after the present life. And so because the Elect then, before the Coming of the Lord, both saw that they were in the toils of the present life, and still after the present life did not as yet receive the heavenly blessings, they were made to smart* with many thoughts of heart. 'urebanFor they waited for the grace of the Redeemer, and yet by living in the flesh could not attain thereto: whence it is fitly added, Ver. 15. Where then is nou' my eccpectation ?

What could be the ^ expectation' of the righteous, but God Who justifieth the righteous, Who should freely go down to (what was) the punishment of mankind, and by the efficacy of His righteousness set free the captives of death ? For they never ceased to expect His appearing with intent expectation; they knew that it was to come, but they sought for it to come quickly. Wherefore he does not say, * Where, then, is my expectation ?' but, where then is noiv my expectation ? For in that he adds, now, he shewed that what was to come one day, he desired might come without delay. It goes on, A7id who considereth my patience ?

He expressed the longing desire, wherewith whilst set in the flesh he hastes to be redeemed, and brought back from hell to the regions above. And indeed it belonged to but few men to enter into the consideration of these things, that they should learn to think of the labours of the present life, or of the subsequent delay after death. Both of which the just gi'ieved to be subject to before the coming of our Redeemer. And hence it is rightly said, And who considereth my patience ? Verily, there is not lacking One, to * consider patience.' But when God does not hear quickly, He is said, as it were, not ' to consider.' For the Redemption of mankind itself, which came at the end of the world, by those who came before from the beginning of the world was accounted slow, in that during a long period of time they were severed from the recompensing of the heavenly things, as Truth testifies, Which saith, Many prophets and kings have desired to .s-^e Lukeio, 116 Jolis Ion flings. How he could speak of the * lowest Ilell.^ Job 17, those things ivhich ye see^ and have not seen them. And so — :j^ — '- — as to that which is now said, Who corisidercth my patience? the breathings of fervent desire are laid open. For neither, as we said before, does God forbear to consider the patience of the righteous;

but not ^ to have regard,' in a manner, means to appear less quickly answering to the aspirations of longing desire, and by lengthened periods of time to delay the grace of His Dispensation. Therefore let him say, Who considereth my patience? in that what is short to Him that ordereth, is long to him that loves. Hence, still reflecting on the privations of his delay, he repeats that which he had already said before; and being destined to descend below, he redoubles the voice of his grief, saying, Ver. 16. All of mine shall descend, into the lowest helL xlviii. 53. Whereas it appears that among those below the righteous are held bound not in places of punishment, but in the bosom of tranquillity above, an important question springs up before us, why it is that blessed Job declares, saying, All of mine shall descend into the lowest hell; who even if before the Advent of the Mediator between God and man he had to descend into hell, yet it is plain that into the * lowest heir he had not to descend. Does he call the very higher regions of hell, ' the lowest hell V Plainly because in relation to the loftiness of heaven, the region of this sky may not unappropiiately be called the lower region. Whence when the Apostate Angels were plunged from the seats of heaven into this darksome region of the air, the Apostle 2 Pet.

2, Peter says, For if God spared not the Angels that sinned, but delivered them, dragged down with infernal chains, into hell-i to he reserved for torments in the Judgment. If then relatively to the height of heaven this darksome air is infernal, relatively to the elevation of this air, the earth which lies below may be taken both as infernal, and as deep ; and relatively to the height of that earth, even those parts of hell which are higher than the other mansions of the place below, may in this place not unsuitably be denoted by the designation of the lowest hell ; in that what the sky is to heaven, and the earth to the sky, the same is that higher hollow of the regions below to the earth.

But that is very wonderful which he subjoins. All of Job held his soul for all. His fears of Jud(j)iie)it.. 117 mine shall descend ; for whereas the soul alone shall descend Book into the regions of hell, how is it that the holy man tells that ^- ' all of his' shall descend there, but that he saw himself to be there entire where he perceives the great weight of his recompense? seeing that this which he leaves of himself without sense on the earth, until he returns to the incorruption of the resurrection, he does not feel to be himself. And so he declares that ' all of his will descend into the lowest hell,' whither he sees his soul only shall descend; in that the whole of him is there, where he is capable of having a sense of that which he has got. Or, surely, ' all of his did descend into hell,' in that the recompensing of all his toils was as yet expected to be received only in the rest of hell; and all that he has done as it were ' descends' there, in that there he finds rest in his recompensing for all things. Whence also the expected rest is itself added, when the words are thereupon introduced. Dost thou think at least there will be rest for me there?

By which same words he both makes known what he desires, and yet marks that he is still doubtful of receiving the rest, lest he whose holy works so many scourges followed, should by the hidden judgment of the heavenly Judge, after temporal scourges, have lasting torments likewise following him. Wherein it behoves ourselves to consider with exceeding fear which of us is now secure of the everlasting rest, if even he still trembles for it, proclaim of whose virtue the very Judge, Who smites, does Himself sound. For if theiT^et.i, righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the sinner and the inigodli/ appear? For blessed Job knew that he should attain to rest after the strokes of affliction, but that he might shake our hearts with fear, he himself seemed to doubt "about the recompensing of Eternal rest, when he says, Dost thou thitik? plainly that we might think well with what exceeding apprehension we ought ever to dread the Judgment to come, if even he, who was commended by the Judge, was not yet in his own words secure of the rewards of the Judgment.

All heretics think that in some things that are known to her Holy Church is full of pride, while some things they '^^^^^* fancy that she does not even understand. Whence Bildad the Shuhite, as it were, asserts that blessed Job had broken out into pride, when he declares ^ that he ' casts abroad words.' ' * f^*^^" . tur' is But he gives a token with what pride he was himself swoln, used who supposed that blessed Job spoke things that he did not*^^* understand ; and whereas all heretics complain that they are despised by Holy Church in her estimate of them, it is fitly subjoined, Ver. 3. Wherefore are we counted as beasts, and reputed as vile in your sight ?

It is natural to the human mind to suppose that the ^^^' thing that it does is done to itself. Thus they believe themselves to be despised, who are used to despise the ways of the good; and whereas in such things as are capable of being understood by reason, the Church proves against heretics that what they make up is unreasonable, they imagine them120 Heretics think tlie Church proud, violent, and exclusive. Job 18, selves to be counted as Mjcasts' in her view. On which - — '— supposition of their being despised, they directly break out in disdain, and are urged to abuse of that Church. Whence it is added ; Vcr. 4. Why dost thou ruifi thy soul in thy fury ? \y. 4. Heretics esteem whether a strong feehng for the rule of right, or the spiritual grace of holy preaching, not as good weight of virtue, but as the madness of fury. By which same fury they believe that ' the souls of the faithful are ruined,' in that they imagine that the life of the Church is destroyed by the very same means whereby they see she is made to kindle against themselves. It goes on; Shall the earth he forsaken for thee 9 V. 5. For they think that they themselves worship God every where, that they themselves have occupied the whole world. What is it then to say, SJiall the earth he forsaken for thee'i but wdiat they often say to the faithful, viz.

' that if this thing which you say be true, all the earth is forsaken by God, which we ourselves already occupy from the multitude of us.' Now the holy Church universal proclaims that God cannot be truly worsiiipped saving within herself, asserting that all they that are without her shall never be saved. But conversely heretics, who are confident that it is possible for them to be saved even without her pale, maintain that the Divine aid is rendered to them in every place. Whence they say; Shall the earth he forsaken for thee? i. e. 'is it so, that whosoever is out of thee cannot be saved?' Whence it is added further; And shall the rocks be moved out of their place ? vi. 6. Heretics call those persons ' rocks' who in their views by the sublimity of their thoughts stand out in the human race, which same they glory that they have for teachers. But when Holy Church addresses herself to the task of gathering together the different erring preachers within the bosom of the right faith, what else is this but that she ' removes the rocks from their places,' that having a right view of things, they may lie down in humility within her, w^ho aforetime were standing stiff in their own wrong notions } But heretics altogether make against the doing of this, and withstand the * rocks being moved out of their places' on account of her Afflictions of good men mistaken for Judgments. 121 voice, because thev are averse that the\', vvlio amoiit^ themBook selves, being Hfted up in their thoughts, were embued with false doctrine, by coming to her should think what is true in a humble spirit.

Now it very often happens that heretics, when they see any persons within the bosom of Holy Church travailing whether with want or calamities, lift themselves up directly in the presumption of righteousness, and whatsoever they see to have happened of an adverse kind to the faithful, they suppose it is done for their iniquities, not knowing doubtless that the complexion of the present life does not in the least degree prove the worth of men's conduct. For very often both good things befal the bad, and bad ones befal the good, on the very principle that real goods are reserved for the good, and real ills for the bad, in the season of the eternal recompensing. Thus Bildad bearing a figure of heretics, who lift themselves up on the grounds of this life's good fortune, swells against the strokes of blessed Job, as if with their voice in opposition to the reproach of the righteous, and expressly he is arguing against the ungodly indeed, but how wickedly he speaks in such terms against a good man, he is not aware. Thus he added, saying, Ver. 5. S/tall not the light of the wicked be put out, and the /lame of his fire cease to shine ?

If he says this in describing the present life, he is mistaken; in that very often both the light of prosperity is seen in the ungodly, and the darkness of ignominy and poverty envelopes the godly. But if his discourse points to this, viz. to shew what the ungodly meet with in their end, it is said with truth, Shall not the light of the wicked be put out, and the flame of his fire cease to shine ? Which if it might have been rightly spoken in regard to an ungodly man, ought never to have been delivered against a holy man set fast in the midst of scourges. But let us, considering well the powers of his arm in delivering sentences, reflect how strongly he hurls the darts, and let us cease to look at him w^liom, while so hurling them, he aims to hit, knowing surely that he strikes a stone with foiled blows. So let him say; Shall not the light of the wicked be put out ? For even the ungodly have their ' light,' i. e. the good fortune of the present 122 Light of the wicked to be quenched at last. Job 18, life. ]5ut * the light of the wicked shall be put out/ in that 1^ — '- — this present life's good fortune is speedily terminated along with life itself. Whence it is fitly added; and the flame of his fire shall tiot shine*

For every ungodly man has a ' flame of his own fire,' which he kindles in his heart from the heat of temporal desires, whilst he burns now with these now with those lusts, and fans his thoughts into a bigger flame by the diverse flatteries of the world. But if a fire has no flame, it does not shine by shedding any light. And so the flame of the fire is his outward beauty or power, which comes from his burning within. For what he anxiously desires to get, he very often wins, to the heaping up of his own ruin; and whether in the power of the loftiest pitch, or in the wealth of multiplied increase, he as it were shines in external glory. But ' the flame of his fire shall not shine,' in that, in the day of his departure hence, all the fair shew without is removed, and he is consumed by his own burning within alone. And ' so the flame' is removed from the ' fire,' when his exterior glory is separated from his interior burning. Even the righteous too have a flame of their fire, but one doubtless to shine bright, in this respect, that their desires give light in good works. But the light of the wicked does not shine in the least, in that hereby, viz. that they aim at what is evil, they are forced to darkness. And hence it follows ;

Ver. 6. The light shall he dark in his tabernacle. viii. 10. If we very frequently take darkness for sorrow, we ought without unfairness to take light for joy. And so ^ the light is dark in his tabernacle,' in that in his conscience, which he inhabits in wickedness, the joy which he had from things temporal is brought to an end. Whence too it is fitly added; And the candle that is over him shall be put out. For to speak in language grounded on the usage of man 3^, Mucernaa ' candle ^' is a light in an earthen vessel, but a light in an earthen vessel, is delight in the flesh. And so ' the candle that is over him is put out,' in that when the recompensing of his wickednesses comes upon the ungodly man, carnal delight is brought to nought in his heart. Now it is well that it is not said of this candle, ' which is by him,' but The Wicked work their own confusion. 123 ' which is over him,' in that earthly enjoyments possess the Book mind of the bad, and so swallow it up in delight, that they -are * over' it, and not ' by' it. But the righteous even when they have the good fortune of the present life, are taught to force it to bow beneath them, that this, viz. that they are made glad in themselves with good things, they may get above by the counsel of a steadied mind, and surmount by the control of virtue.

And so ' the candle' of the wicked man, ' which is over him, is put out,' in that his joy is quickly brought to an end, which possessed him wholly in this life, and the man, who now wickedly lets himself out at large in pleasures, punishment hereafter closely encompasses round about in w^oe. Whence it is yet further added ; Ver. 7. The steps of his strength shall be straitened.

For now as it were he puts forth * the steps of his strength,' as often as he executes the violent acts of his power. But ' the steps of his strength shall be straitened,' in that the resources of his wickedness, which he now displays in his own gratification, punishment hereafter binds fast. It goes on; And his own counsel shall cast him down.

Every bad man makes it his counsel now to aim at x. present things, to abandon the things of eternity, to do what is unjust, to sneer at what is just; but when the Judge of the just and unjust shall come, every ungodly person is ' cast down by his counsel,' in that for this that he chose to go after here with bad intent, he is drowned in the darkness of eternal woe. For that man whom temporal glory uplifts here, punishment without end there sinks down. He who here revels in self-gratification, is there tortured with everlasting vengeance. And it often happens that the very prosperity of this life, which is so eagerly hankered after by the ungodly, so clogs their steps, that even when they have the mind to return to good works, they are scarcely able : in that they have not the power to do what is right, while they fear to displease the lovers of this world. Whence it is brought to pass, that through that glory which the ungodly man derives from sin, his sins are yet further doubled and redoubled. Which Bildad rightly sets forth, when he adds ; 1*24 Sin entanr/les in sin. Satan'' s thirst J'or man's ruin. Job 18, Ver. 8. Fo7 he hath put his own foot into the net, and he ' * walketh in the ^ meshes of it. ^maculis xi. 13. lie, who ' puts his feet into a net,' cannot get them Moral.

out, when he has a mind; so he that lets himself down into habits of sin, cannot rise up the moment he wishes it ; and he ' that walketh in the meshes of a net,' entangles his steps in walking, and when he tries to extricate himself to walk, he is tied and bound that he cannot. ' For it very often happens that a man, beguiled by the delightfulness of this world, reaches after the gloriousness of the honour thereof, that he attains to the effecting of his desires, and rejoices to have attained the object which he sought after; but seeing that the good things of this world, when not possessed, are objects of love, and very often, when possessed, grow worthless, he learns by the act of obtaining how worthless that is which he sought after. Whence being brought back to himself, he looks out how without sin to get quit of that which he sees himself to have gotten with sin; but the very same dignity which entangled him, holds him fast, and he cannot without further sins flee from thence, whereunto he came not without sin. And so he has ' put his feet into the net, and walketh in the meshes thereof,' in that when he strives to get quit, he then sees in a true light with what hard knots he is held bound. For we do not even know of our binding in a true sense, save when in striving to get free, we as it were try to lift our feet.

And hence he makes known this same binding, by adding, Ver. 9. The gin shall take him by the heel ; in that the end shall be made fast in sin. And because the enemy of mankind, when he binds up in sin the life of each individual, eagerly pants after his death, it is rightly added ; And thirst shall burn furiously against him. ^11' 14. For our old enemy, when he ensnares the life in sin, thirsts that he may drink the death of the sinner. Which however may also be understood in another sense. For the evil mind when it sees that it has been brought into sin, seeks with a certain superficialness of thought to escape out of the snares of sin ; but fearing either the threats or reGreediness like the dropsy. Hidden snares. 195 proaches of men, it chooses rather to die for ever, than Book to undergo a little of adversity for a season, whence it abandons itself wholly to evil ways, in which it perceives itself to be already once bound. And so he whose life is bound fast in sin even to the end, has his * heel held by the gin.' But forasmuch as in the same degree that he minds that he is tied and bound with evil habits, he is in despair of his return, by that very despairing he henceforth kindles more fiercely to the lusts of this world, the heat of desire arises within him, and the mind having been ensnared by previous sins, is inflamed to even worse transgressions.

And hence it is added ; And thirst shall hum furiously against him. For in his mind there is a * thirst that burns out against him,' in that in proportion as he is used to do wicked things, he is the more vehemently on fire to drink down evil. Since for the ungodly man to ' thirst' is to lust after the good things of this world. And hence our Redeemer cures th(f man with the dropsy before the Pharisee's house, and when he was ai'guing against avarice, it is written, And the Pharisees also Lukeie, who were covetous heard all things; and they derided Him. ' What does it mean then that the man with the dropsy is cured before the house of the Pharisee, but that by the sickness of one man's body the sickness of heart in another is represented? For one sick of a dropsy, the more he drinks, thirsts the more, and every covetous person redoubles his thirst by drinking, in that when he has got the things he desires, he pants the more in desiring others. For he that by getting is made to long for more, has his thirst increased by drinking. It goes on; Ver. 10. His snare is buried in the earthy and his trap upon the way.

His ^ snare is buried in the earth,' when sin is hidden under earthly interests. For our enemy in executing his plots shews to the human mind something to long after in earthly gain, and hides the snare of sin, that it may bind his soul tight, so that he should see indeed what he might set his heart on, and yet never see in what a snare of sin he is putting his foot. Now a trap^ has its name from entrapping, i deciAnd ' a trap is' then ' placed' by our old enemy ^ upon the P^^^ way,' when in the course of this world's practice, which the 1 26 Satan sets traps in the path of each man^s temper. Job 18, mind is bent to follow, the snare of sin is prepared, which MonAL. same would not so easily entrap, if it were possible to be seen. For a trap is so set, that, while the meat is displayed, it is not itself seen by the passers by. For like to meat in a trap is gain with sin, and the prosperity of this world with wickedness ; and so when gain is sought after by one with a covetous view, it is as if the trap which is not seen laid hold of the foot of the mind. Thus there are often set before the mind along with sin, honours, riches, health, and temporal life, which, while the weak mind sees like food, and does not see the trap, by the meat, which on seeing it longs after, it is caught fast in the sin, which is not seen.

For there are kinds of tempers which border upon certain bad qualities. Thus harsh tempers are usually found to be united either to cruelty or to pride ; but tempers that are soft, and joyous beyond what is becoming, are sometimes allied to lust and dissoluteness. Therefore the enemy of mankind surveys the tempers of each individual, to see what bad quality they are allied to, and he sets those objects before the face, which he sees the mind is most readily inclined to, so thiit to the soft and joyous tempers he often proposes dissoluteness, and sometimes vainglory, but to harsh dispositions he proposes pride or cruelty, and so there he sets a trap, where he sees the path of the mind to be, in that he there introduces peril by deception, where he has found that there is the ' way' of a kindred turn of thought. And, whereas all that the bad man does, he fears to undergo too, and reckons that to be doing by all others toward himself, which he himself prepares for all others, whom he is able, it rightly follows ; Ver. 1 1 . Terrors shall make him afraid o?i every side. xiv. 16. For he imagines all men to be such toward himself, as he himself strives to be towards all. And what effect these same terrors have in his conduct, is brought in, when it is said ; And shall entangle his feet.

For if ' the feet be entangled,' they cannot have free steps, and are not able to accomplish any journey ; in that their own entanglements hold them fast. Therefore bad desires force into vilest practice, and vilest practice holds fast in terror; which same terror entangles the feet, that they should have no Past sin holds man ensnared. His ' strength hungerbitten.'' 127 power to step out into right practice. And it often happens Book that a person for this reason fears to be good, that he may not — 'himself suffer that at the hands of the wicked, which he remembers himself to have done to the good; and whereas he dreads to undergo that thing which he has himself done, on every side affrighted, on every side full of misgiving, he as it were has his feet entangled, who is ensnared by fear; he is able to do nothing freely; in that he has in a manner lost his going in good practice by the same act, whereby he stepped out of the line into the evil which he set his heart on. It goes on ; Ver. 12. Let his strength he hungerhiiten, and starvation invade his ribs.

After the manner of Holy Scripture, he has the appearance of wishing that which he foresees will be, not surely in the spirit of one uttering curses, but of one pronouncingprophecies. Thus every man, in that he consists of soul and flesh, is as it were made up of strength and weakness. For by virtue of that part, by which he was created a reasoning spirit, he is not improperly called ' strong,' but in respect of that, by which he is of a fleshly substance, he is weak. And so ' the strength' of man is the reasoning soul, which is able to resist by reason the tendencies to evil that assail it. And hence it is said again by blessed Job, Thou hast strengthened ^oh 14^ him for a white, that he migfit pass through for evermore. Since from a reasoning soul man derives it, that he should live for evermore. And so this wicked man's * strength is hungerbitten,' in that his soul is not fed by any refreshment of the interior food. Of which same hunger God saith by the Prophet; / loill send a famine in the hind, not a famine ^^os 8, of bread nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the word of the Lord.

And it is well added. And starvation invade his ribs. For the ribs lace in the bowels, that lying out of sight within they should be fortified by their solidity. And so the * ribs' of every one are the senses' of the mind, which fence the hidden i Vide thoudits. Therefore ' starvation invades the ribs,' when all^. ^''f' J^ _ ' 4o. note. spiritual refreshment being removed, the senses of the mind fail, and cannot either rule or guard their thoughts. * Starvation invades the ribs' of the wicked man, in that the interior hunger debilitates the senses of the mind, that they may not 128 Prlde^ ' the firathorn of death ^ consumes the. Wicked^ Job 18, rule their thoughts at all. For when the senses of the mind ^-^^are dulled, the thouorhts issue forth to things without, and. Moral. . ' mii i ^ , ^ ■ ^ • i i as it were, the ribs being weak, the bowels which might have lain in secret in a sound state, are poured forth without. Hence it comes that when the thoughts are spread abroad without, the mind being deceived goes after the image of exterior glory, and is pleased with nothing save what it beholds beautiful without; against whom the words yet further subjoined are fitly directed; Ver. 13. Let it devour the beauty of his skin; and let the firstborn death consume his arms. xvi.

19. ' The beauty of his skin' is temporal glory, which whereas it is coveted as an object without us, is retained as a beauty on the skin. But by the title of arms' works are not unfitly set forth, in that the work of the bodj' is done by the arms. And what is death but sin, which kills the soul Rev. 20, to the interior life } Whence it is written ; Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the jirst resurrection^ in that he shall hereafter rise again joyfully in the flesh, who whilst set in this life has risen again from the death of his soul. If then sin is death, ' the firstborn death' may not unsuitably Ecclus. be taken for pride; in that it is written, Pride is the beyin- ^^' ^^' ning of all sin. And so ' the beauty of his skin and his arms the firstborn death devoureth,"* in that the glory or the practice of the bad man is overthrown by pride. For he might have been glorious even in this life without sin, if he bad not been proud. He might in the judgment of His Creator have been commended for some works, if before His eyes pride had not overturned those very works. Thus we often see rich people, who might have had wealth and glory without guilt, if they w^ould have had them with humility.

But they are uplifted by possessions, they are flushed with honours, they disdain the rest of the world, and place their life's whole hope and trust in the mere abundance of good Lukei2, things alone. Hence a certain rich man said. Soul, thou ^^' hast much good laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. Which thoughts of their hearts when the Judge above beholds. He plucks them away for this very confidence of theirs by itself. Hence in this place too it is fitly added ; Satafi shall trample on those in whom sin reigns. 129 Ver. 14. Let his confidence he rooted out of his taherBook . '^ XIV. Tiacle, and let death as a king trample on him. -

In this place by the title of ' death' we have denoted the enemy of the human race himself, who brought in death, who is set forth by a particular minister of his, of whom it is said to John, And his name was Death. And so this Rev. 6, * death,' in the day of departure hence, * tramples upon the wicked man as a king,' in that him, whom he before deceived by soft persuasions, at the last he carries off to punishment in bonds of violence, and forces him down the more cruelly, in proportion as he ties him the stronger in bad deeds. And here too while he possesses the heart of the lost sinner, he ' tramples' upon it, in that as often as he pressed it with feelings of delight, he as it were set upon it the feet of his tvrannical dominion.

But if by the title of ' death,' we are to understand not the devil explicitly, but sin, in consequence of which the lost meet with the doom to be dragged to death, then indeed such ' death tramples on the mind like a king,' when it possesses the same making no resistance. For temptation to sin cannot be away from man whilst set in this life. But it is one thing to resist sin tempting us, and another to be enthralled by it tyrannizing over us. And so the wicked man, because he is not taught to resist the persuasions of sin, and is not afraid to be subdued to its dominion, has it rightly said of him, Death as a king shall trample on him. For it was the reign of this death that Paul was keeping off from the hearts of his disciples, when he said. Let not sin thereRom. 6, fore reign in your mortal body. Since he does not say, * let it not be,' but, let it not reign, in that it cannot help but be, but reign it may not, in the hearts of the good. And so whereas, when a sin strikes the heart of the bad man, it does not find it resist, but bows it under its dominion, let it rightly be said, Let his confidence he rooted out of his tabernacle^ and let death as a king trample on him.

And so ' his confidence is rooted out of the earth,' when the bad man, who in this life had provided for himself many goods after his mind, is brought to nought by death in an instant. And ^ death as a king tramples on him,' in that he is either pressed upon here by evil habits, or at the time 130 Tabernacle of a wicked soul haiinied by devilisk thoughts. Job 18, of his death, hereby, viz. that he is carried off to punishment, he is brouglit under to the power of the devil. Which Moral. . . • i /■ i • i i i • IS thus done m the minds ot the wicked on this account; because, even when the opportunity of committing sin is lacking, the suggestions of the desire are not in the least lacking to their minds. And whereas they do always follow the devil in practice, yet do they doubly bind themselves fast to him in thought. And so there is first sin in thought, and afterwards in act. Whence it is said to the daughter of Is. 47,1. Babylon, Come down and sit in the dust, O Virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the earth. For whereas dust is always earth, earth is not always dust. What then are we to understand by dust but thoughts, which, while they perseveringly and silently fly up in the mind, blind its eyes ?

And what is denoted by * the earth,' but an earthly way of acting? And whereas the mind of the lost sinner is first cast down to imagine wicked things, and afterwards to do them, to the daughter of Babylon, who came down from the judgment of interior uprightness, it is rightly said in a wounding sentence, that first she should ' sit in the dust,' and afterwards ' in the earth,' in that except she had lowered herself in thought, she would never have settled fast in bad practice. It goes on ; Let his fellows dwell in his tabernacle, because he is not. xviii. 22. i. e. In his mind apostate angels shall have their haunt by vilest thoughts, they being ' his fellows,' who for this reason no longer ' is,' because he has departed from the Supreme Essence, and for this is, by a daily augmented declension, as it were tending ' not to be,' in that he has once fallen from Him Who truly is ; who moreover is rightly said * not to be,' in that he has lost well-being, though he has not lost natural being. Still, yet further setting forth these thoughts of the bad man with more minuteness, he subjoins, saying. Let brimstone be scattered upon his habitation. xix. 23. What is ' brimstone' but the fuel of fire, which, however, so cherishes the fire, that it sends out the very foulest stench.

What then do we understand by ' brimstone,' but carnal sin, which, while it fills the mind with wicked thoughts like a kind of ill savours, is kindling everlasting fires for it ; and whilst it spreads the cloud of its stench in the lost soul, Brimsto7ietypifiesunclea7ivess. Thought theroot oftvorks. 131 it is as it were providing against it fuel for the flames to Book come after. For that the ill savour of the flesh is understood 'by brimstone, the mere history of Holy Writ by itself bears record, which relates that the Lord * rained down fire and Gen. 19, brimstone upon Sodom.' Who, when He had determined to punish her carnal wickednesses, by the very character of the punishment marked out the stain of her guilt: since * brimstone' hath stench, and fire burning ; and so, forasmuch as they had been kindled to bad desires in the ill savour of the flesh, it was meet that they should perish by fire and brimstone combined ; that by their just punishment they might be taught what they had done in unjust desire. And so this ' sulphur is scattered upon the habitation' of the wicked man, as often as the corrupt indulgence of the flesh exercises dominion within him; and whereas bad thoughts unceasingly occupy him, and forbid his bringing forth the fruit of good practice, it is rightly added ; Ver. 16. Let his roots be dried up beneath, and above let his crop be spoiled,

For what do we understand by the title of ' roots,' which are set out of sight, and bring forth a shoot into open view, but the thoughts, which, while they are not seen in the heart, produce visible works ? And hence by the title of a ' crop' there is denoted the same visible practice, which is thus produced from a hidden root. And whereas every bad man first dries up in the imaginings of temptation and afterwards dies off* from good deeds, it is rightly said by Bildad, Let his roots be dried up beneath, and above let his crop be spoiled, in that, whereas the wicked man sets his thoughts in things below, and neglects to seek the delights of everlasting greenness, what is this but that he lets his ' roots be dried beneath?' Whose ' crop too is spoiled above,' in that all his practice is counted as nothing in the view of the judgment above, even if it seem good in the eyes of man. Thus the ' roots' are at the bottom, and the * crop' above, in that we first send out good thoughts here, that we may one day deserve to receive the fruit of our good works in eternal recompensing; but every wicked person when he abandons good thoughts, and pours himself forth upon the things that are without, has * his roots dried up below:' but ^ above his crop is 132 The vain ambition of Antichrist for a lasting/ name.

Jot 18, spoiled,' in that he, who persists barren here, after this life is — '- — bidden to no rewards. It goes on ; Ver. 17. Let his rememhrance perish from the earthy and let not his name be repeated hi the streets, xxi. 25. It is deserving of our notice, that Bildad the Shuhite "°^"* so expresses himself of each one of the wicked, that his words are secretly directed against the head of all the wicked ; for the head of the wicked is the devil. And he in his own person having in the last times entered into that vessel of perdition, shall be called * Antichrist,' who will endeavour to spread his name far and wide, which same every individual now likens himself to, when, by the memorial of an earthly name, he strives to extend the gloriousness of his praise, and exults in transitory reputation. Therefore let these words be so understood of each one of the wicked, that they be referred in a particular manner to the head of the wicked himself. Therefore let him say, Let his rememhrance perish front the earthy and let not his name be repeated in the ^■plsitea.' streets, For^ streets are called by a Greek term from width, ™ / and so Antichrist aims to settle the remembrance of himself < broad.' upon earth, when he longs, if it were possible, to remain for ever in temporal glory.

He delights to have ' his name celebrated in the street,' whilst he spreads the working of his wickedness far and wide. But whereas this wickedness of his is not permitted to be reared to a height for a long time, let it be said, Let his remembrance perish from the earthy and let not his name be repeated in the street ; i. e. that he should both quickly part with the fame of his earthly power, and lose all the pleasures of his name, which he had spread far and wide in the shortlived prosperity of time. It goes on; Ver. 18. He shall drive him from light into darkness. xxiii. 26. He is led ' from light to darkness,' when for honour in the present life, he is condemned to eternal punishments. And hence it is more plainly added, And translate him out of the world. For he is ' translated out of the world,' when upon the Judge above appearing, he is taken away from this world, in which he wickedly glories ; and for this, that when the end of the world breaks in upon him, he is condemned with all his followers, it is rightly subjoined; , His seed cut off, Enoch and Ellas to be slain by him. 133 Ver. 9. There shall neither be seed of him, nor offspring Book in his people, nor any remnant in his parts. For it is written, that the Lord Jesns shall consume Am2Thess.

with the Spirit of His month, and shall destroy him with the ' brightness of His coming. And so, then, whereas his wickedness is ended together with the settled constitution of the world, there shall be * no offspring of him left in his people,' in that both he himself and his people along with him are equally forced to punishment; and all the wicked, who by his evil advising were born in bad comses, by the brightness of the Lord's coming are struck with eternal destruction together with that head of theirs. And there is ' no offspring of him remaining in the world,' in that the strict Judge ends the iniquities of that one simultaneously with the end of the world. Now that these words are to be understood expressly of Antichrist is shewn, when it is added; Ver. 20. In his days the last shall be astonied, and horror shall seize on the first.

For he will then let himself loose against the righteous with such a measure of iniquity, that even the hearts of the very Elect shall be struck with no small consternation. Whence it is written. Insomuch that if it were possible, they shall deMat.24, ceive the very Elect. Which, clearly, is said, not because the ^** Elect shall fall, but because they shall tremble with terrible alarms. Now at that time both the latest Elect and the first Elect are described as maintaining the conflict for righteousness against him, in that both they that shall be found among the Elect at the end of the world, are destined to be laid low in the death of the flesh, and they too who proceeded from the former divisions of the w^orld, i. e. Enoch and Elijah, shall be brought back amongst men, and shall be exposed to the savageness of his cruelty still in their mortal flesh. This one's forces let loose in such terrible power, ' the latest are astonied at, and the first do dread,' in that, though in respect of this, viz. that he is lifted up by a spirit of pride, they despise all his temporal power, yet in respect of this, that they are themselves still in mortal flesh, wherein they are liable to suffer temporal anguish, they dread the very punishments, which they bear with resolution; so that there is in them at one and the same time both constancy 134 The wicked go at last to their own place.

Job 18, derived from virtue, and alarm proceeding from the flesh; in p — - — that though they be of the number of the Elect, so that they cannot be overcome by torments, yet from this only that they are men, they fear the very torments, that they overcome. 8o let it be said. In his days the last shall he astonied, and terror shall seize on thejirst. In that he shall then shew forth such signs, and do things so cruel and hard hearted, as to force them to astonishment, whom he shall find at the end of the world, and to pierce with the pang of carnal death the first fathers, who are reserved for his extirpation. Therefore whereas he has described many particulars relating to all the wicked, or to the head of the wicked himself, he immediately adds with a general description, Ver. 21. Surely, such are the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the place of him that knoweth not God. xxiv. 28. For he had said above; He shall drive him from light Moral. ^^^^^ ^arkncss, and translate him out of the world; and upon subjoining his miseries, he added; Surely, such are the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the place of him that knoweth not God. In that he who is now lifted up from not knowing God, is then brought to his own ' dwellings,' when his own wickedness plunges him into woes ;

and one day he finds ' darkness his place,* who, while he made himself glad here in the counterfeit light of righteousness, was occupying the place of another. For bad men in all that they do in dissimulation, are striving to possess themselves of the righteous man's name of credit, as of another's place. But they are then brought to their own place, when they are tormented with everlasting fire, as the desert of their iniquity. For here in all that they do they are ministering to their desire of winning praise, and by the semblance of good works, they are opening wider the bosom of the mind to avarice. So let the wicked man go now, and full blown with complete equipments, let him build his habitations here below, let him spread a name of glory, let him multiply estates, and delight himself in abundant stores, but when he shall be brought to everlasting punishments, then surely he shall know that ' such are the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the place of him that knoweth not God.' Now Bildad said this rightly, but he did not know who it was that he Job vexed with hearing wrong and speaking in vain. 135 was saying it to. But the heart of a good man is seriously Book afflicted, when sentences are pronounced against him upon an unfair estimate. Whence blessed Job directly answered, saying; How long will ye vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words ?

The sayings of the holy man, as we have already often said, are to be understood as spoken sometimes in his own "^^^'^' person, sometimes in the voice of the Head, and sometimes in a figure of the Church Universal. Now the soul of the righteous is deeply distressed, when those persons launch severe sentences against the good, who have not learned to lead good lives, and by the words of the mouth claim righteousness to themselves, to which in practice they are enemies. Whence to the friends of blessed Job, who, as we have already often said, bear a type of heretics, himself rightly answers, How long will ye vex my soul, and wear me with ivo7'ds? For good men are * worn' with the words of the wicked, when those swell out against them in words of the lips, who lie low either in a corrupt faith, or in bad habits. It goes on; Lo, these ten times ye confound me.

On enumerating the successive times of the speeches of Job's friends, we learn that as yet they had spoken but five times. But for this reason, that he had five times heard rebukes from them, and five times himself replied to their rebukes, he says that he had been ten times confounded ; because both herein, viz. that he had been causelessly reproached, he suffered deeply, and in this, that he uttered words of instruction to those that gave no ear, he underwent confusion. And so, while in hearing he held his peace, and in speaking was not heard, that person had trouble put upon him, who both in holding his peace submissively, and in speaking to them fruitlessly, experienced pain within his heart; and hence he says above. What shall I do? If I speak, my gri^ is not assuaged; and though I forbear, it will not depart from me. But if we make these words refer Alleg. to a type of Holy Church, it is well known that it is her great delight to keep the precepts of the Ten Commandments; and the wicked ' confound her ten times,' in that by all that 136 Shame checks some in sin that fear not God. Job 19, they do wrong in their wicked principles, they forsake the ~ — '■ — precepts of the Ten Commandments, and cause confusion to the good as often as they set themselves against the words of God in their doings.

It goes on ; And ye are not ashamed that ye oppress me* xxvii. 31. There are some persons, whom bad principle suddenly springing up invites to the commission of wickedness, yet respect for their fellow-creatures recalls again. And very often from this, viz. that they are made ashamed outwardly, they are brought back into their own interior heart, and pass an inward judgment upon themselves; in that if they are afraid to do what is evil on man's account, how much more ought they not even to have longed after what is evil, on God's account. Who sees all things? And in the case of these persons it is brought to pass, that they correct greater evil by inferior good, i. e. interior sin by exterior shame. Again, there are some, who, when once they have brought themselves to contemn God in their hearts, despise the judgments of their fellow-creatures much more, and all the evil that they long after, they do not blush to execute boldly, which persons secret wickedness invites to the commission of sin, and outward shame holds not back; as it is said also of a Lute certain wicked judge, Which feared not God, neither re- ' ' garded man. Hence too it is said of certain persons sinIs. 3,9. ning with shameless effrontery; And they have declared their sin as Sodom. Thus very often there are such persons enemies of Holy Church, persons who are not withheld from committing wricked things, either by the fear of God, or regard of man ;

and it is well said to these by blessed Job, And ye are not ashamed that ye opp^^ess me; seeing that though it was wrong to have wished bad things, it is worse not to be ashamed of things wrongly desired. It goes on ; Ver. 4. And he it indeed that I have been ignorant, my ignorance remaineth with, myself. xxviii. 32. Heretics have this about them, that they are swoln by the empty pretensions of their knowledge, and often turn to ridicule the simplicity of those that believe rightly, and i account the life of the humble to be of no worth. On the \ other hand Holy Church, in all that she has really wise in | her, keeps low the level of her view in humility, that she be Even their ignorance is good for good men. 137 not puffed up by knowledge, nor be made to swell high on Book the seeking out of things hidden, and venture to dive into points, that are above her powers. For with more profit to herself she is anxious not to know things she is unable to fathom, rather than boldly to define things she does not know. As it is written; It is not good to eat mnch honey: Prov. so he that is a searcher of majesty, shall he overwhelmed by ' glory. For if the sweetness of honey be taken in greater measure than there is occasion for, from the same source whence the palate is gratified, the life of the eater is destroyed.

The ' searching into majesty' is also sweet; but he, that seeks to dive into it deeper than the cognizance of human nature admits, finds the mere gloriousness thereof by itself oppress him, in that, like honey taken in excess, it bursts the sense of the searcher which is not capable of holding it. Now that is said to be * with' us, which is for us ; and on the other hand that is said not to be with us, that is against us ; and so, because his own knowledge puffs out the heart of the heretic, while his perception of his own ignorance abases the faithful, let blessed Job say in his own voice, let him say also in the confession of the Church Universal, And he it indeed that I have heen ignorant, my ignorance shall he with me. As if it were said in express words to Heretics; * All your knowledge is not with you, since it is against you, so long as it uplifts you in foolish pride; but my ignorance is with me, because it is for me ; since, whereas I do not dare to search into any thing relating to God in pride of heart, I keep myself in the truth in a spirit of humility.' And because these very same things that heretics seek to know, they apply perforce to the furtherance of selfelation only, that they may seem learned in contrast to the faithful and humble, it is rightly added ; But ye are set up against me.

But perhaps we shall consider these words more thoroughly, if we point out how they apply to the friends of ^^^^• blessed Job personally in a special sense. For they, when they saw the righteous man smitten, ought to have turned back into their own deepest interior, and not to have persecuted blessed Job with words of upbraiding, but to have bewailed their own case; seeing that, if he was so stricken, 138 Those who spare their own sin proud in judginfj others. Job 19, who served as he did, with what vengeance did they deserve -jj~to be smitten, who had not served like him? And it is rightly said to them, Ye are set up agaiiist me; as if it were said to them in plainer terms; ' Ye who ought by occasion of my being smitten to have been set up against your own selves,' this being the order of such setting up on the side of goodness, viz. that we be first set up against ourselves, and afterwards against the wicked. For he that is set up against the good, is blown out in pride. Thus we are set up against ourselves, when, reviewing our own evil deeds, we smite ourselves with the severe avenging of penance, when we do not spare ourselves at all in our sins, and are not biassed by any fond thoughts towards ourselves, who, if we first rigidly follow up our evil things in ourselves, it is likewise fair, that we should be set up against the evil in others too for their good, and that the evil which we punish in ourselves, we should subdue in others too, by charging it home to them.

But this sort of setting up the wicked know nothing of, because they leave themselves, and attack the good; they iiicline themselves towards themselves, in their secret heart, by the softness of fond flattering, and they are set up against the lives of good men by the severity of harshness, whence it is now rightly said to the friends of blessed Job swelling against him under his scourge. Ye are set up against me : i. e. * Your own selves, that deserve to be rebuked, ye leave, and me ye rebuke with severe sentences.' For he that does not judge himself first, is ignorant what to judge right in another; and if perchance he did know by the hearing what to judge right, yet he is not able to judge rightly the merits of another, who has no rule of judging supplied him by the consciousness of his own innocence. Hence it is that it is said to certain persons dealing deceitfully, when they brought Johns, an adulteress to receive punishment; He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. For they went for the punishing of others' sins, and they had left their own behind; and so they are called back to their conscience within them, that they should first correct their own faults, and then reprove those of others. It is hence that, when Judges ^YiQ tribe of Benjamin was deep sunk in the guilt of carnal llie Proud reproach the Righteous with their troubles, 139 sin, all Israel banded together would have avenged that Book wickedness, yet was once and again itself smitten down in the conflict of war;

but on the Lord being consulted whether they should go to take vengeance, it was commanded them. The People, that went according to the bidding of God's voice, fell both once and again, and then at length effectually smiting the sinning tribe, almost wholly extirpated it. How is it that it is first kindled to the revenge of sin, and yet afterwards itself brought down; but that those are to be chastised first themselves, by whose means the sins of others are chastised; that they may themselves now come cleansed through vengeance, who are forward to chastise the evil of others } Whence it follows that when the vengeance of God's inquest is at rest towards us, our own conscience should reprove its own self, and by its own act lift itself up against self, to sorrows of penance, neither being set up towards the good, and humble towards itself, but unbending towards itself, and bowed low towards all the good. Thus to proud men administering reproof, it is rightly said ; Ye are set up against me, and ye charge me with my reproaches. All persons that are set up, account temporal afflictions to be a grievous reproach, and they think every individual to be the more despised by God, in proportion as they see him scourged with the rod of aflSiction. For they look for nothing in principles, they look for nothing in practices; but whomsoever they see to be stricken in this life, they imagine to be already condemned by God's sentence; whence it is well said on this occasion by the voice of blessed Job; And ye charge me with my reproaches.

In that they, who knew him to be righteous before his strokes, were now judging him to be unrighteous by the mere fact of his being stricken, and hence it very often happens that Heretics, because they see persons within the bosom of Holy Church suffering affliction ; (for it is written of God, And scour geth every son whom He receiveth;) fancy Heb. that the sorrows of the faithful arise from nothing but sin, ^' and themselves they for this reason conclude to be righteous, because being left in the thoughts of their evil ways, lacking the rod, they have become hardened. It proceeds ; 140 Joh calls not God unjust, hut himself innocent. Job 19, Ver. 6. Know now at least that God hath afflicted me with no just judgment. xxxi. 36. O, how hard does the voice of the righteous man sound, sulf'ering under the infliction of the rod ! which same, however, not pride, but grief gave vent to ! Now he is not righteous, who gives up righteousness under sorrow ; and blessed Job, because he had a meek spirit, did not sin even by a hard word. For, if we say that he did err by this voice, we make out that the devil accomplished what he Job 2, 5. purposed, when he said. Touch his bone and his Jlesh, and see if he have not blessed Thee to Thy face. Therefore a serious question arises ;

for if he did not sin in that he says. Know now at least that God has not afflicted me with a just judgment; we agree to God's having done something unjustly, which it is profane to say ; but if he did sin, then the devil made appear concerning him the thing that he promised. And so it must be asserted both that God acted rightly in His dealings with blessed Job, and yet that blessed Job herein, viz. that he says that he ' was not afflicted by a just judgment of God,' did not speak an untruth, and that our old enemy in respect of that which he promised of sin in the blessed man did speak an untruth. For sometimes the words of the good are for this reason supposed wrong, because they are not ever considered in their interior signification. Thus blessed Job had turned his eyes to his own life, and he estimated the strokes which he was undergoing, and saw that it was not just that upon such a life such strokes should be dealt. And when he says that he was not afflicted by a just judgment, he spoke that with unreserved voice, which God in His own secresj' V. 3. had said concerning him to his adversary, thou movedst Me against him, to afflict him. without cause. For what God expresses, that He * had afflicted blessed Job without cause,' this blessed Job asserts again in the words that he was not ' afflicted of the Lord by a just judgment?' Wherein then did he sin, who was in nothing at odds with the sentence of his Maker ?

But perhaps some one will say, that for us to speak that good concerning ourselves, which the Judge may have said in secret concerning us, cannot be done without sin. A man may speak truth for himself on occasion. 141 For he whom the Judge praises, it cannot be doubted, is ^i\? justly praiseworthy; but if he in his own person praises himself, his righteousness is henceforth supposed to be no longer deserving of praise ; and this is said rightly, if what the just Judge delivers in impartial sentence, the person in question should venture to say afterwards concerning himself in pride of heart. For if he himself too continuing in a humble frame, when the occasion or his grief brings it out, has uttered good that is true in his own praise, he has not departed from the line of righteousness, in so far as he was not at all at variance with truth. 88. Whence Paul the Apostle also related many brave things of himself for the edification of his disciples, but he did not commit sin by relating these things, in that both by an undeniable attestation, and a humble mind, he did not depart from the pathway of truth ; and so let blessed Job, conscious of his own life being just, say that he is not afflicted by a just judgment ; neither yet does he sin by that voice, wherein he is not at variance with His Maker, in that he whom God ' smote without cause,' himself also asserts that he was not * afflicted by a just judgment.' But again there arises another question, which I remember has been already solved in the beginning of this work, viz.

whereas Almighty God does nothing without cause, why does Pie bear witness that He had afflicted blessed Job without cause .f* For our just Creator by those many strokes inflicted upon blessed Job did not aim to do away with evil qualities in him, but to increase his merits; and so that was just, which He did in the heightening of his good deserts; but it did not seem equitable, because it was thought to be the punishing of instances of sin. Now blessed Job believed that sins of his doing were obliterated by those scourges, not that his merits were added to, and therefore he calls it ' not a just judgment,' because he tests his life side by side with the scourges : thus, if the life and the scourges be weighed in the scales, that was not equal dealing, which blessed Job, as I have said, supposed to be done to him in the wrathfulness of severity; but if the mercifulness of the Judge be looked to, seeing that by the punishment of the just man the merits of his life are heightened, it was an equal or rather a merciful judgment: 142 GoiJCs final sentence proves that Job did not blaspheme. Job 19, therefore at once Job spoke what was true, so long as he balanced his life with the stroke ; and God did not afflict Job Hist. with an unjust judgment, in that he heightened his merits by the stroke;

and the devil did not achieve what he promised ; seeing that blessed Job, amidst words which sound hard, was neither removed from a true sentence nor a humble mind. But perhaps we shall understand these words of blessed Job less well, if we are not acquainted with the sentence of the Judge ; Who, when He was delivering sentence between the two parties, says to the friends of Job; Job 42, Ye have not spoken of Me the thing that is right, as My \'^-QQY> servant Job hath. Who then is there so^ foolish in mind as ' tarn.' to own that blessed Job had been guilty in his way of speaking, when he is declared to have spoken rightly by the very voice of the Judge itself? Which same voice, indeed, if we refer to the person of Holy Church, we not unsuitably apply it to her weak members, which while, in the season of her persecution, they weigh both her merits and her scourges, forasmuch as they see that the unjust thrive, and the just perish, have no notion that this is just. Now it is well added by the voice of the blessed man. And compassed me with his scourges. xxxii. 39. For it is one thing to be smitten, and another thing to be ' compassed with scourges.' Thus, we are smitten with scourges, when even in our sorrows we have a consolation derived from other sources ;

for when affliction lies so heavy on us that the spirit can no longer take breath by consolation from any one thing ; we are now no longer smitten only, but even ' compassed w4th scourges,' in that we are every way surrounded by the rod of affliction. Thus Paul had 2 Cor. 7, been compassed with scourges, when he said. Without were ^' fightings^ within were fears. He had been compassed with 2 Cor. scourges, when he said. In perils by mine own countrymen, ^^' ^^' in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, with the other particulars, which he so enumerates, as to shew that he no where had rest. But when Holy Church is ' compassed with the scourges' of her tribulation, all the weak in her are brought down in the fall of \ littleness of mind, so that they now suppose themselves disregarded, in proportion as they see that they are the more God, not sJiewlng His judgment, seemed not to judge. 143 slowly heard with effect. And it is rightly added yet further Book likewise in a figure of them by the voice of the holy man, Ver. 7. Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard; I cry aloud, but there is no one to Judge.

Almighty God, knowing what has in it efficacy to prove our good, shuts His ears to hear the voice of persons mourning, that He may add to their advantage, that their life may be purified by punishment, that the tranquillity of rest which can no where be found here, may be sought for elsewhere. But there are some of the faithful even that know nothing of this grace of Providential ordering, in whose person too it is now said; Behold, I cry out of tvrong, but I am not heard; I cry aloud, but there is no one to judge ; for it is said, ' there is no one to judge,' when He veils His eyes to judge, in that beside Him * there is not any to judge' our cause against our adversary. Nor yet is this very thing void of judgment, viz. that judgment is delayed; seeing that at the very time that blessed Job said this, both the merits of the holy man and the punishment of his adversary were increased: so then this very deferring of judgment is the act of a judge. But what God settles justly within is one thing, and what the soul bruised by scourges without seeks after is another. Whence he still further adds of that sinking under scourges, Ver. 8. He hath fenced up my way, that I cannot pass : and He hath set darkness in my paths.

He saw his ' way fenced up' with strokes, when anxiously desiring to pass into a state of security, he was not able to escape the scourges, and whereas he saw himself smitten, and yet did not find in himself a life worthy of such smiting, as it were ^ in the paths' of the heart he met with * the darkness' of his own ignorance, in that he could not fathom the cause wherefore he was so scourged. And this is not unfitly applied to the weak members of Holy Church too, when fi'om this which they remember to have done wickedly, they are made backward in good practice as well, and, frightened by their own weakness, do not venture to attempt strong acts of goodness to match them. For they fear to begin great acts of goodness, who call to mind that they are infirm in their ways; and whereas they very often 144 The weak find their nay dark^ and are shipped of glory. Job 19, do not know the very good, which they should choose, they, — — — as it were, shrink from the ' darkness placed in their paths.' For the mind often becomes so doubtful of its own doings, as not to know at all which is the virtue and which the fault. Thus he ' finds darkness in his path,' who in those things which he desires to do, is ignorant what he ought to choose.

Therefore seeing that there is sin often from infirmity, and sometimes from ignorance, it is said in the person of the members that go weakly. He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass. While in the person of those who see-not clear as to the very good work itself which they should choose, it is added; and He hath set darkness in my paths. For it is punishment of sin, to see the good which we ought to do, and yet not to have the power to fulfil it ; and again it is in still worse punishment of sin, not even to see what we ought to do; and hence against both of these it is said Pf».27,i.by the voice of the Psalmist, The Lord is my Light and my Salvation ; ivhom then shall I fear ? For against the darkness of ignorance the Lord is a ' Light ;' against weakness * Salvation,' whilst He both shews what ought to be desired for the doing it, and supplies the powers, that what He shews may be fulfilled. It goes on ; Ver. 9. He hath stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head. XXXV. 42. That all this suits the person of the blessed man set in the midst of tribulation, there can be no doubt; but, since the words of the historical account are plain, they do not require explaining after the letter, therefore they have to be traced out in their mystical senses.

Thus he says, He hath stripped me of my glory. For the glory of each individual is his righteousness. Now just as a garment protects from the cold, so does righteousness defend from death ; hence righteousness is not improperly likened to a garment, where Ps. 132, it is said by the Prophet; Let Thy priests he clothed with ^' righteousness. But seeing that in the season of her tribulation this garment of righteousness, which covers her in the sight of God, is lost to Holy Church in her members that go weakly, let it be rightly said; He hath stripped me of my glory, i. e. righteousness has been taken away from the weak, whereas it could never possibly have been taken away from Victory and hope of reward lost for a while by the weak. 1 j5 them, if it had been infixed in them from the oround of the Book heart, but for this reason it was possible to be taken away from them, because it was attached to tlicm outwardly, like a garment. Wherein the question offers itself, how they could be called members of Holy Church, who were capable of losing the righteousness which they seemed to maintain. But it is necessary for us to know, that very often righteousness is lost for a while by her weaklj^ members, but when they are afterwards brought back to penitence in the acknowledgment of their fault, they attach themselves to that very righteousness which they had lost more strongly than was supposed credible.

And it is yet further added thereby, and taken the crown from my head. As the head is the first part of the body, so the leading part of the interior man is the mind. Now the crown is the reward of victory, which is set from Above, in order that he that has contended should be rewarded ; and so because many persons, under the pressure of adversities, do not hold out in the contest, in these Holy Church as it were ^ loses a crown from her head:' for ' a crown on the head' is the reward from Above in the mind ; there are a great many who whilst they are pressed with adversities, neglect to take thought of the rewards above, and cannot reach to the completion of victory ; in such, then, ' the crown is taken from the head,' in that the heavenly and spiritual reward is taken away from the aim of the mind, that they should henceforth go after the externally peaceful, nor look out for the eternal rewards, which they used to have at heart.

Or otherwise, ' the head' of the faithful is not inappropriately taken to mean the priests, in that they are the first part of the Lord's members ; and hence it is expressed by the Prophet, that * the head and the tail' are rooted out, in which same place both by the title of the ' head' we have the priests denoted, and by the designation of the ' tail' the reprobate prophet. Therefore ' the crown is taken from the head,' when even they abandon the heavenly rewards, who seemed to have the lead in this body of the Church ; and it generally happens that, when the leaders fall, the army, that followed, is the wider worsted ; and hence directly after 146 Some lose hope in trials, some, stricken in judgment, fail. Job 19, the ills to the greater ones, going on about the manifold -^ — ' undoing of the Church, he added ; Ver. 10. He hath destroyed me on every side, and lam gone; and He hath removed mine hope like as with a tree torn away. xxxvi. 44. The Church is, as it were, ' destroyed on every side,' and undone in her weak members, when those very ones that seemed strong, are brought to ruin; when * the crown is taken away from the head,' i. e. when the rewards of eternity are neglected even by those set at the head;

and it is well added concerning weak ones falling. And mine hope hath He removed like as with a tree torn away ; for a tree is pushed by the wind that it falls, and with him whom threats so terrify, as to make him go headlong into unrighteousness, what else is it, but that a tree met with a blast of the wind, and lost the standing of its uprightness } For he has, as it were, lost hope by the wind, who, subdued by the threats and persuasions of the wicked, has parted with those eternal rewards, which he looked forward to; and because it very often happens that a person, from fear of punishment, gives over righteousness, it is brought to pass by God's decreeing it, that even in giving up righteousness he does not get quit of the punishments, which he was afraid of, and that he who did not fear at all the destruction of the soul, meets even with the ills of the flesh, which he apprehended. Hence it is yet further added; Ver. 11. He hath also kindled His wrath against me, and He counteth me unto Him as one of His enernies. xxxvii. 45. For we have been taught by the excellent Preacher 1 Cor. attesting it, that ' God is faithful, Who will not suffer us to ' * be tempted above that we are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that we may be able to bear Jer.

30, it.' Moreover the Lord says by the Prophet, For I have wounded thee with the wound of an enemy, with a cruel chastisement. He then that is so stricken that his powers are overcome by that striking, the Lord no longer now smites him as a son in the course of discipline, but as an enemy in indignation. Thus when the strokes exceed the power of our patience, it is very much to be feared, lest, our sins Evil spirits permitted to beset the soul as robbers. 147 demanding it, we are now no longer stricken as sons by a Book Father, but as enemies by the Lord; and whereas it very often comes to pass that evil spirits too press home many things to the hearts of the afflicted, and amidst the scourges which strike them outwardly, infuse bad thoughts into their hearts, after the wrath of the Lord it is rightly added; Ver. 12. His robbers come together, and make themselves a way through me.