Morals on the Book of Job (Moralia in Iob)

114, which were seen can, not unfitly, be understood. And He * secretly placed a bar against them, because He strengthened them by the invisible Godhead. Against which the waves of the world come, but they break and are scattered : because haughty men despise thera when they see them, but by experience dread their strength. For when the human race first derided, and then trembled at, the sufferings of the Only-Begotten, it came swelling with pride, like the sea which is about to dash against the opposing doors, and was broken and scattered by their power. . But because this is said to blessed Job, in order that the glorying of his heart, at his many virtues, might be kept down, (lest he should perchance attribute to himself what he knows of his lofty position,) if we consider these words in a moral sense also, we learn how much they were said for his edification. Let Him say therefore, Yer. 8. Who shut up the sea with doors ?

What is this sea, except our heart, agitated by fury, embittered by strife, swelling with the haughtiness of pride, ^°^* darkened by the deceit of wickedness } And how mightily this sea rages, any one observes, who understands in himself the secret temptations of thoughts. For behold we are now abandoning our perversities, we are adhering to proper desires, we are now cutting off, outwardly, our wicked works. But yet we are secretly harassed within, by that tempest of our former life, with which we have come thus far ; and imless the barriers of unbounded fear were confining it, with the thought of the judgment, and dread of eternal torment, all the foundations of the work which has been raised up in us would have utterly fallen. For if that which rages within in suggestion, were to burst forth in deliberate act, the whole fabric of our life would have lain utterly overthrown. For being conceived in iniquity and born in sin, we bring with us into this world a contest, through the plague of innate corruptions, which we must strive hard to overcome. Whence it is rightly said also of the sea ; When it was breaking forth, as if proceeding from the womb. 2i)8 Grace restrains the waves of thought by fear of God. Jon 38, For youlli is the womb of evil thoii''lit. Of which llje Lord says ])y Moses, For the sense ami l/LOHfjht of the human heart is prone to evil from its youth.

Vox the evil of corruption wliich each one of us lias acquired fronri tlie springing up of his carnal desires, bo exercises as he advances in years; and unless the hand of Divine fear speedily repress it, sin quickly swallows up all the goodness of created nature. Let no one then attribute the victory over his thou^^ht to himself, since the Truth says. Who shut up the sea with doors, when it was breaking forth, as if it was proceeding from the womb ? For did not Divine grace restrain the waves of our heart, from the very first beginning of our thoughts, the sea, raging with the storais of temptations, would doubtless have overwhelmed the land of the human heart, so that, washed by the briny waves, it would have become barren ; that is, it would have been charmed by the fatal pleasures of the flesh, and have perished. The Lord then alone shuts up the sea with doors, Who opposes to the evil motions of our hearts the barriers of inspired fear. But because we are prohibited following those things which we behold, because we are debarred from the enjoyment of bodily pursuits, we delight to raise the eyes of our mind even to things invisible, and to behold those very things we are ordered to follow. But what do we ? These things are not yet open to our feeble sight. Behold we are invited to their love, and yet are restrained from their sight, because even if we ever see them by stealth and partially, we are in darkness from our still too imperfect sight.

Whence it is fitly subjoined ; Ver. 9. When I ivas laying the cloud as the garment thereof, and was coveri?ig it with darkness as with swaddling clothes, XX. 44. This tumultuous sea, (our heart, namely, agitated by thoughts,) is covered with a cloud ; because it is so obscured by the confusion of its own restlessness, as not clearly to behold inward peace. This sea is covered with darkness as with swaddling clothes, because it is still kept from the contemplation of sublime truths, by its weak and tender senses. Let us behold Paul covered as it were with a kind of dark1 Cor. ness, as with swaddling clothes, when he says. We now see Man^s strengtii limited. Sin restrained by inspii'ed Virtues. 299 ihrouqh a glass darkly : but ihe/i face to face* Now I knoiv Book J u J J J in part, but then shall I know even as also I am known. For did he not perceive that he was a child in the understanding of heavenly things, he would not have first mentioned, on this point, a comparison of his age, saying. When \ Cor. / was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child,^^' ^^' I thought as a child. We therefore then attain to the strength of youth, when we behold with strong sight that life to which we are tending. But now, since the keenness of our sight is dazzled, through its infirmity, by the light within, our mind is, as it were, held bound by swaddling clothes. Where it is fitly subjoined ; Ver. 10. I surrounded it with my boundaries.

For the Lord surrounds this sea with His boundaries, because He keeps low within the limits of contemplation our heart which is still agitated by the plague and trouble of its corruption ; that (though it desires more) it may not ascend higher than the limit assigned to it. Or certainly the Lord surrounds this sea with His boundaries; because He calms by the secret distributions of His gifts our heart swelling with temptations : at one time keeping a wicked suggestion from arriving at pleasure, and at another a wicked pleasure from breaking out into consent. He then, Who watches the unlawful motions of the heart, and in some cases keeps them from coming as far as to consent, but in others restrains them even from delight, doubtless imposes boundaries on the raging sea, that it burst not forth in act, but that the gently murmuring wave of temptation may dash itself within the secret recesses of the mind. But because it is then mightily restrained, when it is opposed by delight in God and by inspired virtues, it is rightly subjoined ; Ver. 10, 11. And I set a bar and doo7's, and said, Hitherto shall thou come, and thou shall not proceed further, and here shall thou break thy swelling waves.

For what do we understand by * doors,' in a moral sense, but virtues, and what by a ^ bar,' but the strength of charity } These doors, therefore, that is, these virtuous deeds, the raging sea rends af^under, unless charity of mind, secretly placed against them, holds them together. But all Oie goodness of virtues is easily destroyed by a temptation 800 Sin restrained in the Elect by the Power of God. Job 38, of the lieart rushing upon them, unless it be kept finn hy -^ — ^charity rooted witliin. Whence also when Paul was, in his preaching, opposing certain doors of virtues to the sea of temptation, he immediately added to them, as it were, Col. 3, the strength of a bar, saying, But above all these things having cJiarity, which is the bond of perfectness. For charity is called the bond of perfectness, because every good deed which is done, is doubtless fastened thereby, so as not to perish. For any work is speedily plucked up by the tempter, if it is found free from the bond of charity. But if a mind is constrained by the love of God and of its neighbour, when the motions of temptations have suggested to it any wicked thoughts, this very love opposes itself to their progress, and breaks the waves of sinful persuasion by the gates of virtues, and the bar of inmost love. Because therefore the Lord restrains the sins which spring up in the heart, by the strength of inspired charity.

He checks the onset of the rising sea, by barriers barred against it. Anger, it may be, exasperates within, but, that heavenly peace may not be lost, the aid of the tongue is not lent to the agitation of the mind, so that that which sounds tumultuously in the recesses of the heart does not vent itself in words. Lust is kindled in the secret thoughts, but, that it lose not its heavenly purity, thy mind chastens those limbs, which could help to further the uncleanness conceived within ; lest the filthiness of the heart should exhale to the corruption of the body. Avarice excites ; but, that it lose not the kingdom of heaven, the mind, contented with its own lot, confines itself within the bounds of parsimony, lest it should break out in wicked deeds, and lest the heat of inward desire should ooze forth into outward acts. Pride puffs up a man ; but, that he lose not his true dignity, by considering that he is dust, he brings himself down from the loftiness of his conceived pride ; striving, doubtless, that that which he endures in the suggestion of thought, may not burst forth into outward exercise. It is well said, therefore, I set a bar and doors, and said, Hitherto shall thou come, and thou shall not proceed further, and here shalt thou break thy swelling waves, because while each of the Elect is both assaulted by sin, and yet refuses to act upon evil suggestions, the sea is kept, as it were, within Job warned not to attribute this to himself.

SOI bounds. And thoimh it lashes the mind ^vithin, with the Book tumultuous waves of thoughts, yet it passes not over the appointed bounds of holy living. This sea indeed swells itself up, but when it is dashed against the firm deliberation of the heart, it is broken and retires. That blessed Job, then, may not ascribe it to himself that he stands firmly against the storms of his heart, let him hear by the voice of God ; Who shut up the sea with doors, when it was breaking forth as if proceeding from the womb ? and the rest : as if it were plainly said to him ; In vain thou regardest thyself in thy good deeds without, if thou dost not consider Me within. Who calm in thee the waves of temptation. For that thou art able to withstand the waves in act, is of My might, Who break the waves of temptation in the heart.

Thou understandest, as I. For the origin of His Divinity has no before and after. And while Its ever being is through all eternity, while It circumscribes every thing which passes away. It bounds within Itself the ebbings and flowings of times. But because the origin of His Humanity began and ended. It received from time a before and after. But because, when He took on Himself the shadows of our temporal being. He shed on us the light of His eternity, after this beginning w^hich the Creator made for Himself in time, the day-spring rightly learned its own place without time. For because the dawn, or day-spring, is turned from darkness into light, the whole Church of the Elect is, not improperly, designated by the name of dawn, or day-spring. For whilst it is brought from the night of unbelief to the light of faith, it is laid open to the splendour of heavenly brightness, as the dawn bursts into day after the darkness. Whence it is also well said in the Song of Songs, Who is she ^o\. that Cometh forth as the rising daivn? For Holy Church, iJ°^ ' seeking for the rewards of the heavenly life, is called the dawn, because, while it leaves the darkness of sin, it shines with the light of righteousness.

But we have a deeper point to examine, on considering the nature of the dawn, or day-spring. For the day-spring, or dawn, announces that night has already passed, but yet does not present to us the full brightness of day : but whilst they dispel the one, and take up the other, they keep the light intermingled with darkness. What then are all we who follow the truth in this life, but day-spring, or dawn .? 804 The nif/lit (hpartiruj^fnll daylujht not yet come. Job 38, B(3cau.se we now both do some tliincs which are of the light, 12 • . . -*— and yet arc hitlicrto not froc from somcj remains of tlic darkPs. 143, jjgj.j. For it is said to God by the Prophet, /;^ Thy sujht James shall no man living he justified. And it is written again, Rom 7 ^'* many things we offend all. Paul also says, / see another 23. law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and leading me captive to the law of sin which is in my members. Where then the law of sin is contending with the law of the mind, there is surely still day-break; because the light, which has already shone forth, has not yet entirely overpowered the passing darkness. It is yet day-break ; because while the law of the flesh assails the law of the mind, and the law of the mind that of the flesh, light and darkness are contending one against the other. Whence, when Paul Bom. was saying again. The night is far spent ; he did not ' * subjoin, ' The day has come,' but, The day is at hand. For he who says, after the departure of night, not that the day ' has arrived,' but that it is ' at hand,' doubtless proves that he is still in twilight before the sun, and after the darkness.

But the Church of the Elect will then be fully day, when the shade of sin will be no longer blended with it. It will then be fully day, when it has been brightened with the perfect warmth of the inward light. It will be then fully day, when tolerating no longer the seducing remembrance of its sins, it will conceal from itself even all the remains of darkness. Whence also this dawn is well pointed out as still only in progress, when it is said, And hast thou shewn to the day-spring its place ? For that, whose place is pointed out, is certainly being called from one condition to another. For what is the place of dawn but the perfect brightness of the eternal vision ? And when it has been conducted and has arrived thither, it has no longer any of the darkness of the past night. But now, when it is still enduring the annoyances of temptations, because the Church is in intention of heart hastening to another condition, the dawn is proceeding to its place. But if it did not behold this spot with its mind, it would still remain in the night of this life. But when it is daily striving to be perfected, and daily to be increased in light, it already beholds its place, and seeks for the sun to shine fully upon it. The dawn considers its How our Lord taught the Church her true Phice, 305 place, when a holy soul is burning to contemplate the sight Book of its Creator.

The dawn was busily engaged in reaching il its place, when David was saying, My soul thirsfeth for the Ps.42,2. litiiKj God ; when shall I come and appear he/ore the face of God ? The Truth was pointing out its place to the dawn, when It was saying by Solomon, For trJtat hath the wise^ccXes, more than the fool ? and uhat the poor, except to go thither ' ' where there is life ? And this place our Lord after His birth doubtless manifested even to the Patriarchs who preceded His Incarnation ; because unless they knew, by the spirit of Prophecy, that the King of their heavenly country was to become Incarnate, they would not see how desirable are the a^oods of this same country. The Truth made known its place to the dawn, when in the presence of His disciples He isked His Father, saying, Father, I ivill that they also Johni7, whom Thou hast giveii Me, he with Me where I am. He * pointed out its place to the dawn, when saving, JJ'heresoeverMait.2^, fJie carcase is, (here icill also the eagles he gathered together. ' rhe dawn was hastening to arrive at this place, which it had inown, when Paul was saying that he had a. desire to JePhii. 1, iissohed, and to be with Christ. And again, To me to live.^^\, 's CJirist, and to die is gain. And again, We know that if 2 Cor.

mr earthly house of this hahitaiion were dissolved, we^^^' 'lave a building of God, an house not made icith hands, Hernal in tlie heavens. But He well says that He shewed ts place to the dawn after His birth, because before He Him- ;elf made known the blessedness of future retribution by His )wn Body, He confined it in the knowledge of a few. But vhen He took the infirmities of a human birth, He extended he knowledge of coming glory in the love of a countless aultitude. But because compassion so carries on the nystery of the Divine work, that anger still attends it, in irder that the secret Judge may look favourably on and ansom some, and pass over and ruin others, since we have earnt how He enlightens the Elect by His Incarnation, let IS now hear how He condemns the reprobate. It follows ; Ver. 13. Hast Thou held and shaken the ends of the earth, •nd hast Thou shaken the wicked oiit of it ?

The Lord * held the ends of the earth,' because He iii- :ame in the end of the world to the synagogue which was fiiHi God took the last of Israel, and shook out the Wicked. Job 38, now forsaken and snbjcct to foreign kings: and He shook -i~^ — ^tlie wicked out of it, because He cast out even from the ALLliG. ' glory of the carnal sacrifice, those who denied the spiritual preaching of the faith. Or lie certainly held the ends of tlic earth, because He chose out of Juduea a few abject and humble men. He held the ends of the earth, because He forsook the doctors of the law, and chose fishermen. And while He holds the ends of the earth, He shakes the wicked out of it, because while He strengthens weak believers, He condemns the sturdy unbelievers therein. But the word ' shaking,' He also rightly added: because by His coming He stirred up even the hearts of the reprobates with immeasurable fear. Johni2, For they in truth were shaken who were saying, We prevail nothing, behold, the whole world is gone after Him. But a thing which is shaken is wearied out by being drawn hither and thither. Judaea therefore had been shaken, which was John 7, saying of Christ by some, That He is a good Man, and was resisting Him by others, saying. Nay; hut He deceiveth the John 9, people.

It was saying by some. If this Man were not oj God, He could do nothing. And at last it exclaims by Johni 8, others, //' this Man were not a malefactor, ice icould not have d.elivered Him up nnto thee. The reprobate were shaken indeed but not prostrated, when at one time they beheld the miracles with wonder, and at another despised and derided the disgraces of His weakness. Had not they been Johnio, shaken, who were saying, How long dost Thou hold our sou i ill suspense? If Thou he the Christ, tell us\plai7ily. Or He certainly shook and held the ends of the earth, because wher He terrified the feeble hearts of the humble w ith pious fear He did not abandon them to strict judgment. For th(| multitude of the believers in God stood more firmly, fron: the same reason that it was alarmed when humbled u itself. For that God holds firm the person whom He shake.^ 18.66, He teaches by the Prophet, saying, On whom shall M LXX. ^pii'^t rest, but 07i the humble and quiet, and Him ivh trembleth. at My word^? That He holds the person whor He shakes, is intimated by the testimony of Solomon, wh Prov. says, Happy is the man who feareth alway, but he that t ■ * of a hard heart shall fall i?ito mischief. Because therefor the Lord held the ends of Judaea in the Apostles, anThe Jews turned back to earthy and clave not to God's icilL 307 rejected therefrom the Scribes, and Pharisees, and Hii^h Book Priests, as the merit of their iniquity demanded, let us hear what is still added respecting their condemnation. It follows ; Ver. 14. The sedl shall be restored as clay^and shall slaitd as a garment.

What else but ' clay' did the Lord find the people of Israel, whom He came unto when given up to the practices of the Gentiles, and toiling at bricks in Egypt ? And whilst He led it forth by so many miracles to the land of promise, and filled it, when brought thither, with the knowledge of His wisdom, whilst He conferred on it so many secret mysteries by means of Prophecy, what else did He make it but a * seal' for preserving His mystery.? For Divine Prophecy itself kept secret, whatever the Truth revealed of Itself at the end. But when, after so many Divine secrets, after the many miracles which it witnessed at the coming of our Redeemer, it loved its land, in preference to the trutli, (saying by the Priests, 1/ we let Him thus alone^ all mcnJohnU, will believe on Him^ and the Romans will come, and take away our place and nation ;) it returned, as it were, to those bricks, which it had left in Egypt : and that which had been made the seal of God, turned back again to that which it had abandoned. And, having been a ' seal,' it appeared as ' clay' in the eyes of the Truth, when it lost, through the wickedness of impiety, the mysteries of the word, which it had received, and chose to savour only of the things of earth, which pollute.

Where it is fitly subjoined. And shall stand as a garment. For because garments which are unfinished and of thicker texture, even when put on, do not adhere, nor are well fitted to the limbs of the wearer, they are said to stand. Judaea therefore, even when it seemed to be labouring in the knowledge of the truth, stood as a garment; because it professed to serve God in external commands, but refused to cling to Him by the understanding of love. While it observed the letter only, in the precepts of God, and did not through the Spirit unite itself to their inmost meanings, it did not cling, so to speak, to Him Who had put it on. Where it is also fitly subjoined, Ver. 15. From the wicked their light shall be taken away. 308 Wicked sfiahcn out of tJie Cliurch by the last trial. Job 38, 8. Because, wliile they refuse to believe the truth, they lose for ever the knowledge of the Law, and while they boast Alleo. o^ having received tlie Law, they are, doubtless, blinded Pa. 69, ]yy boasting of tlieir knowledge. For it is written, Let their eyes he darkened that then see not. And again it is written, Is. 6, 10. Blind the hearts of this people, and make their ears heart/. John 9, And again it is written, For judgment I have come into this world, that they which see not might see, and that they which see might he made hlind. And because they Vjoasted themselves in the works of the Law against the Giver of the Law, it is fitly subjoined; And the high arm shall he broken. vi. 9. For the high arm is broken, when the proud works of the Law are reproved, by preaching the grace of faith, when Rom. 3, it is said. By the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh he justified.

But all these words can be understood in another sense also. For Holy Scripture is wont to call the Church ' earth.' The Lord therefore holds and shakes the ends of the earth, because He allows the ends of His Church to be agitated by most cruel persecution through the coming of Antichrist, and yet forsakes her not, by permitting it. Sometimes the Lord holds this earth, and shakes it not; sometimes He holds and shakes it; because He possesses it at one time with the tranquil peace of faith, at another orders it to be disturbed with the assault of persecution. H. But when saying. Hast thou held and shaken the ends of the earth, He rightly added immediately, And hast thou shaken the wicked out of it ? For as Paul bears Tit. 1, witness, there are many therein, wJio profess that they know God, but in tvorks deny Him. The Lord therefore shakes the wicked out of it, because those, whom deep-seated sins possess, will then fall into the gulph of open unbelief, and pass over to the heap of chaff, when moved by the breath of that temptation. And though they now conceal themselves within the bosom of the threshing floor, under the semblance of faith, they will then, doubtless, bound forth from the heap of grain, by the fan of strict judgment.

Whence it is also fitly subjoined, Tlie seal shall he restored, as clay. As if he were openly saying; They who Some sealed in the Church shall yet prove clay. 309 now appear in the bosom of the Church as a * seal,' will then Book in the sight of all men be restored as * clay:' that is, they deceive not the judgments of men concerning their profession of religion, but it is proved that they savour of earthly things. For Holy Scripture is wont to use the word ^ seal' for faith, and * clay' for iniquity. For the younger son, who returned to his father, having consumed his substance, received aLukei5, ring as a present. For the Gentile people, which returns to ' God, by penitence, having lost its immortality, is defended by the seal of faith. Whence also it is said to the Church by its Bridegroom, Set Me as a seal upon thine heart. For Sol. a seal is placed on things for the very purpose that they may g°"^ ' not be violated by any boldness of plunderers. The Bridegroom therefore is placed as a seal on the heart, when the mystery of His faith is imprinted for the safe keeping of our thought; in order that that unfaithful servant, namely our adversary, observing our hearts sealed by faith, may not presume to break in upon them with temptation. But by ' clay' worldly infection is set forth, as the Psalmist bears ivitness, who says.

He brought me up out of the pit of misery, Ps.40,2. 2nd the deepest clay. Because many then who are found in worldly infection, are sealed, when brought to the Church, .yith the sacrament of heavenly faith, and yet depart not rom their wicked deeds, and conceal themselves now under he cloke of faith, and yet shew what they really are, when hey have found an opportunity, it is rightly said, The seal 'hall be restored as clay. For those whom we now believe .0 be faithful, we shall then find to be the very enemies of he faith ; and though, when not tempted, they appear to be a seal,' they will doubtless, when tempted, be ' clay.' Whence dso it is rightly said. Shall be restored : for their reprobate ife proves them afterwards to be such, as their conscience •Quid have done before their faith. Of whom it is fitly suboined, A?id shall stand as a garment. 1 3. For Holy Church is now clothed as it were with garments, IS many in number as the faithful, by whose veneration she s honoured. Whence also when the Gentiles were shewn to ler, it is said by the Lord through the Prophet ; As I live, Is. 49, aith the Lord, thou shall surely be clothed with all these, ' with an ornament. But she is now arrayed, in ap310 Unstable profession. Liyht taken from the Wicked, Job 38,pcarance only, with many who seem to be faithful, but when '- — the assault of ])crsecution strikes them, she will be stripped of them and laid bare;

of whose fate it is said, And it sitall stand an a garment, liut to * stand' is put in this place Ps. 1,1. for persisting in sin. Whence it is written. And .stood not in iJie ivay of sinners. Or certainly every reprobate is said to * stand as a garment,' to shew that he cannot stand at all. Because, as a garment, when put on, is stretched by the body, in displaying its appearance, but when taken off is bent and folded together ; so every one, who has fallen back from the stability of Holy Church, was stretched out, as it were, and beautiful, while being worn, but will lie afterwards, when stripped off, broken down and cast aside. But if by ' standing' we understand * continuance,' every reprobate person who endures a short time in this life, which he loves, stands as a garment. Whence also it is said by the Prophet, Ps. 102, All shall wax old as a garment^ and as a covering shall thou change them, and theg shall be changed. These points therefore, which he introduced veiled in a cloud of allegory. he now makes known in plainer words, adding, From the wicked their light shall be taken away. vii. 14. For neither does the light of God now illumine those, who veil the malice of their iniquity with the name of faith For while they neglect to live according to the preaching oi faith, and yet in appearance reverence it, they seek for the honour of this present life under the name of religion ;

and they gain this light from faith, as faith cherishes them in the sight of men. But there are some who sincerely believe the eternal truths which they hear, and yet contradict by evi living the very faith which they profess. These also have their light in darkness, for while they act perversely and ye think rightly about God, they are illumined in a measure b^ the shining of a light, so as not to be quite in darkness And while they love the things of earth more than those o heaven, those that they see more than those they hear of when the season of persecution assaults them, they lose tha sound belief they seemed to possess. And this is specially the case, in a greater degree, at that time, when the head o the wicked himself arising, in the last persecution, agains Holy Church, his boldness attacks it with unrestraine( Men join themselves to Antichrist before his tinie. 311 strength. Then is the heart of each one laid open, when Bock whatever lay concealed is exposed, and they who are now ^^ _ holy in words, but unholy in heart. Tall headlong, on their wickedness being made public, and lose the light of faith which they had in appearance possessed. But it is necessary, amidst all this, for each of us to return to the hidden recess of his heart, and to fear at the fatal results of his doings, lest he fall, as his merits demand, into the number of such men, by the strict justice of the judgmenls of God.

15. But let no one inconsiderately Halter himself, and believe that he therefore is exempt from such a fall, because he thinks that he does not reach to the storm of this tempest. O how many have beheld not the times of that temptation, and yet are involved in the storm of his temptation. Cain saw not the time of Antichrist, and yet was deservedly a limb of Antichrist. Judas knew not the fierceness of that persecution, and yet yielded to the might of his cruelty, by the persuasion of avarice. Simon was far removed from the Acts 8, times of Antichrist, and yet joined himself to his pride, by * perversely seeking for the power of miracles. Thus a wicked body is united to its head, thus limbs to limbs, when they both know not each other in acquaintance, and yet are joined together by wicked doings. For neither had Pevgamos known the books or the words of Balaam, and yet, following his wickedness, it heard in a voice of reproof from above; ThouB.e\.2, hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, tvho taught * Balac to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat and to commit fornication. Both times and places separated the Church of Thyatira from the knowledge of Jezebel; but because equal guilt of life had enthralled it, Jezebel is said to dw^ell therein, and to persist in perverse doings, as the Angel bears witness, who says;

I have a few things against ih. 20. thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce My servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. Behold, because they could be found, who followed the conduct of Jezebel in their reprobate deeds, .Jezebel is said to have been found there: because an agreement of habits makes a corrupt body one, even if times or places sever it asunder. Whence it is that every wicked person, who has already gone 312 Envy^ prides ambittun^ make members of Satan. Job 38, by, survives in bis pervcrs:e imitators, anrl tbat tbc aulbor of inifjiiity, wlio lias not yet come, is abeady visible in tbose wIjo Alleg. 1 John do bis works. J lence John says; Now are Ihere become many ^' ^' Anlichrists, because all wicked persons are even now bis members, wbicb being in trutb born in wickedness, bave 2 Thess. prevented tbeir bead, by evil livin^^ Hence Paul says, TJiat 9 fi "7 " • • ' he mi()hl he revealed in Jiis time; for tJie mystery of imquily doth already work. As if" be were saying ; Then Anticbrist will be manifestly seen ; for be now secretly works bis bidden works in tbe bearts of tbe unrigbteous. For, to say notbing of more open crimes, bebold one man secretly envies bis brotber in bis beart, and if he find an opportunity, strives to supplant bim.

Of wbat olber is be a member, but of him, "Wisd.2, of whom it is written, Tlirough envy of the devil came death ^'*' into the world'? Another, thinking himself a person of great desert, preferring bimself to all, tbrougli swelling of heart, believes all to be inferior to bim. Of wbat other is he a Job 41, member, but of bim of whom it is written, He heholdeth every high thing, and is a king over all the children of pride ? Another seeks for the power of this world, not that be may profit others, but tbat he may not be subject to another. Of what other is he a member, than of him, of whom it Is. 14, is written, Who said, I trill sit in the mount of the testament, in the sides of the north : I will ascend above the height of the clouds, I will be like the Most High ? For tbe Most High alone so rules over all things, as to be unable to be subject to another. Whom tbe devil perversely wished to imitate, when seeking dominion of his own, be refused to be subject to Him. Whoever therefore seeks for power of his own, imitates the devil, because he loathes to submit to bim who is placed over him by Divine ordinance.

There are many things besides, to proclaim certain persons to be faithless, though established in the peace of the. Church. For I see that some persons so accept tbe person of the powerful, as not to hesitate, when requested by bim, to deny, for his good will, the truth in the cause of a John neighbour. And who is Truth, but He who said, / atji the ^^' ' Way, the Truth, and the Life? For John the Baptist died not, when questioned about his confession of Christ, but about tbe truth of justice ; but because Christ is the Trutb, Christ denied hy doing wrong for fear of man. 313 he therefore went even to death for Christ, because namely Book "V Y T V for the truth. Let us suppose that a person has, when ques ^— tioned, accepted the person of tlie powerful, and has denied the trutli, that he might not sutler the wrong even of a word. What, I pray you, would he do in the pain of punishments, who was ashamed of Christ among the scourges of words ? Behold, even after this he is still a Christian before the eyes of men, and yet if God resolved to judge him strictly, he is one no longer.

But I see others, to whom are assigned, through their position as teachers, the duties of exhorting and reproving, who behold some unlawfulness committed, and who yet, when afraid of losing the good will of certain powerful persons, presume not to reprove it. What else doth he, whoever he be, but see the wolf coming, and flee away } He flies, because he was silent ; he was silent, because he despised eternal grace, and preferred temporal glory. Behold he hid himself within the concealments of his silence before the face of a powerful man, and gave way as to open persecution, so also to secret fear. It is well said of such ; They loved the praise of men more than the praise jahn of God. If these things are strictly judged, whoever is such, ^^' ^^* even though public persecution was wanting, yet denied Christ by his silence. There are not wanting then, even in the peace of the Church, the temptations of Antichrist. Let no one then dread those times of the last persecution, as though the only ones. For the cause of Antichrist is continually promoted among the ungodly, because he is even now secretly working his mystery in their hearts. And even if many, now seemingly established within the Church, pretend to be what they are not, they will yet at the coming of the Judge be exposed, as they are. Of whom Solomon well says, I saw the wicked buried, icho even ichen they lived Eccles.

here, were in the holy place, and were praised in the city, as^' ^^* men of just works. After it was said then of the wicked ; The seal shall be restored as clay, and shall stand as a garment, and their light shall be taken axcay from the wicked, (which is certainly to take place in that persecution of Antichrist,) he presently, consoling us concerning the destniction of the same Antichrist, says ; 314 Kxtreme pride, and fall ^ of Anticlirint. Job 38, And the hvjk arm shall he broken. — ~ — 18. For, for what else is the higli arm taken, but the proud Alleo If^^li^css of Antichrist, who is so cxalb.'d over the reprobate minds of men with the pride of worldly glory, that though a sinful man, and yet scorning to be counted a man, he pretends falsely that he is God aV)ove men ? Wlience the 2 Thess. Apostle Paul says ; Ho Ihat he sitleth in the temple of God, ^> *• shewing himself, as if he were God. And to shew his pride more fully, he stated before, Who opjpjoseth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshippjed. For even a man can sometimes be called God, according to Exod. that which is said to Moses, See, I have made thee a god to '' ^* Pharaoh. But a mere man cannot be worshipped as God. But because Antichrist sets himself up over all holy men, and over the power of the Godhead Itself, he endeavours to surpass that which is called God, and that which is worshipped as God, by demanding for himself the name of glory.

But we must observe into what a depth of pride he has fallen, who remained not in that degree of ruin, in which he fell. For both the devil and man fell, by pride, from the state of Is. 14, their own creation, either for him to say, / will ascend above ^^' the height of the clouds, I will be like the Most High, or for Gen. 3, the Other to hear and to believe. Your eyes shall be opjened, ^' and ye shall be as gods. They fell, therefore, both of them, because they desired to be like God, not by righteousness. but by power. But man who had fallen, by perversely aiming at the likeness of God, discerning, when freed by grace, that he was very different from God, through the guilt P5.89,8. of sin, exclaims, O Lord, who is like unto Thee? But the devil, having been justly cast aside in his sinful lapse, continued not in his own degree of ruin ; but the longer he was deprived of the grace of the Almighty; the more did he adc to the guilt of his sins. For he who fell, because he wished inverting the order of things, to be like God, was brought sc far, that entering into Antichrist, he scorned to seem lik( God, and, when condemned, counts Him as his inferior Whom he could not in his pride regard as his equal. Foi when this, which we have stated before, is said of him 2 Thess.

Exalting himself above all that is called God, or that it ^' ^* worshipped; it is openly shewn, that by seeking at first th( God^a mercy in convertiny men from sin at the last. 315 likeness of God, he wished, as it were, to exalt himself Book against God, but that increasing m the sin of pride, he now — __ -' sets himself iij) above all that is called God, or that is worshipped. Because then this his pride will be smitten by the coming of the strict Judge, (as it is written, Who7n the 2ThesB, Lord Jesus shall slay icith the spirit of His mouth, and shall^^ ^' destroy vnth the briyhtness of His coming j) it is rightly said, And the high arm shall be broken. 1J>. But all these expressions, which have been twice disMor. cussed, can be still understood in another sense. For the words of God are conserves S as it were, to give us strength. ' pigAnd just as, the more a conserve is ground, the more does™^"** its virtue increase in the cup ; so the more we bruise the Divine words by expounding them, the more, when we hear them, are we benefited, as if by the draught. Because therefore the merciful God long bears with the sins of men, and frequently converts the minds of sinners, when He sees the end now approaching, He rightly says of Himself, as suggesting the might of so great affection, Ver. 13. Hast thou held and shaken the ends of the earth, and hast thou shaken the wicked out of itf

For by 'earth' is designated man, who savours of things below; to whom it was said in his sin; Earth thou Gbq, 3, art, and to earth shall thou go. But because the merci-^^* ful Creator forsakes not His own work. He both bears with the sins of men, by His wisdom, and at last remits them by their conversion. But, when He beholds hard and insensible minds. He scares them at one time vvith threats, at another with blows, at another with revelations : in order that those which had become hardened by most fatal security may be softened by wholesome fear, so that they may, though at last, return, and blush at least at this, that they have long been waited for. For thus the Lord, because He judges more severely the ends of our life, therefore purges also His Elect more carefully at the close. For it is written; God shall fudge the ends of the earth. He therefore watches i Sam. more anxiously over our closing deeds, the more He con- ' ' siders that the beginnings of our coming life depend upon them. And because He docs this of His mercy; by bringing forward His tenderness, with which He receives even those sinners who have been converted at the last, He instructs 316 Man returned to duy^ and laid hy as a rjarmevt. Job 38, the rigliteousiiess of blessed Job, saying; Ilast t/iou held ^* * _and shaken the ends of the earth, and hast thou shaken the wicked out of it^ Thou uiKhrstandest, As I,\Vho frequently arouse sinners by alarming them at tlieir last moments, hold them fast by converting them, and pluck from their hearts the wicked motions of their thoughts.

And the Lord ri^^htly teaches blessed Job, how He converts sinners at the end. As if He openly said. Observe the power of My mercy, and bring down the pride of thy righteousness. But, that that punishment of former sin accompanies these closing hours of a man, through the death of the flesh, even when he is converted. He immediately teaches, saying ; Ver. 14. Tlie seal shall be restored as clay, and shall stand as a garment. X. 21. For the Lord made man, whom He fashioned after His own likeness, as a kind of seal of His power. But yet it shall be restored as clay ; because, though he may by conversion escape eternal sufferings, yet he is condemned by the death of the flesh, in punishment of the pride he has committed. For man, who has been formed from clay, and adorned with the likeness of the Divine image, having received the gift of reason, forgets, when swelling with pride of heart, that he was formed of the basest materials. Whence it hath been ordered by the marvellous justice of the Creator, that, because he became proud in consequence of that reasonable sense which he received, he should again by death become earth, which he was unwilling humbly to regard himself. And because he lost the likeness of God by sin, but returns by death to the substance of his own clay, it is rightly said ;

The seal shall be restored as clay. And because, when the spirit is summoned from the body, it is stripped, as it were, of its kind of covering of flesh, it is fitly subjoined of the same clay; and shall stand as a garment. For, for our clay to stand as a garment is for it to remain empty and stripped off, even till the time of the resurrection. But because even they do not escape this punishment of pride, who overcome this very pride by living humbly, He subjoins what is the special punishment of the proud, saying ; Ver. 15. From the wicked their light shall be taken away, and the high arm shall be broken. The high brought down. Chrisfs descent into Hell, 317 2'2. For the deatli ol the flesh, which restores the Elect to Book their light, takes away their light from the reprobate. For^-— i— the light of the proud is the glory of this present life. And ^** that light is then withdrawn from it, when it is called by the death of the flesh, to the darkness of its own retributions. For then is the high arm there broken, because loftiness of heart, which has been violently seized on, beyond the order of nature, is scattered by the weight of Divine justice which overwhelms it, in order that how' wickedly it had'Oxf. exalted itself for a while, it may learn when it is crushed forq^ajj^ ever by the weiglit of judgment.

But none of us would know what was to follow after death, did not the Creator of om* life come even to the punishment of our death. For did He not of His own mercy seek the lowest condition. Ho could not justly bring back to the highest, us, w^ho were lost ifter we had received His likeness. Whence it is rightly subjoined ; Ver. 16. Hast thou entered into the depth of the sea, and hast thou walked in the lowest parts of the abyss? '23. As if He said, As I, Who not only sought the sea, that s this world, by assuming the flesh and soul of a man, but dso descended by that flesh voluntarily subjected to death, :o the bottom of the pit, as if to the depths of the sea. For f the ' sea' must be understood to mean the world after the nanner of Scripture language, nothing hinders the ^ depths )f the sea' from meaning the bars of the pit. But the Lord iought this depth of the sea, when He entered the lowest )arts of the pit, in order to rescue the souls of His Elect. vVhence also it is said by the Prophet, Thou ha^t made thela.Sif lepths of the sea a nay, for the ransomed to pass over. For his depth of the sea was, before the coming of the Redeemer, lot a way, but a prison, because it confined within it even he souls of the good, though not in places of punishment, iut the Lord made this depth a way, because He, by coming hither, granted His Elect to pass over from the bars of he pit to heavenly places.

Whence it is there fitly said, or the ransomed to pass over. But that which He had ailed the depths of the sea, repeating in other words He alls the lowest parts of the abyss: because as the abyss of raters is not comprehended Vjy our sight, so are the secrets 318 Christ not bound by sin. His sight of t J le dark doors. Job 38, of the ])it not peiK.'lratod by us witli any sense of our '— understandiniT. For we behold who are withdrawn hence, Myst. . . but we see not wliat retriV)ution of punishments awaits them according to their desert.

But we must carefully notice, that He says that He had walked in the lowest parts of the abyss. For to walk belongs not to one who is bound, but to one who is free. For fetters impede to a like extent the steps of him whom they bind. Because then the Lord endured no bonds of sin, He walked in the pit. For He came unfettered to those Ps. 88, who were bound. Whence it is written, / am become as a man without Jteljj^free among the dead. For the Lord then to walk in the lowest parts of the abyss is for Him to find nothing to detain Him in the place of damnation, as Peter Acts 2, bears witness, who says. Having loosed the pahis of death, because it was not possible for Him to be holden of it. Or certainly, (because, when we are led in walking from place to place, we are found present here and there,) the Lord is said to have walked in the pit, in order to shew that He was present to Elect souls in their several places, by the power Wis(3.7, of His Godhead. Whence also the spirit of wisdom is ^ * described as full of motion, that by means of that which is no where absent. He might be described as meeting us every where. And this descent of His, our Lord regards as more marvellous the more frequently He makes mention of it tc ransomed man.

For repeating it again, He subjoins; Ver. 17. Have the gates of death been opened unto thee and hast thou seen the gloomy doors ? xiii. 25. For the * gates of death' are the adverse powers. Whicl the Lord descended and opened, because by dying H( overcame their strength. Which are by another appellatior called the ' gloomy doors,' because while they are not seen, b^ reason of their crafty concealment, they open to deceivec minds the way of death. Which gloomy doors the Lore beholds; because He both observes and represses the crafty malice of unclean spirits. And did He not, by beholding restrain them, while we know them not, our mind would botl know nothing of their snares, and would be taken and perisl by them. But even we behold these gloomy gates, when w< are illumined with rays of heavenly light. Whence also it ii Breadth of the spiritual earth in the end. 319 said by tlie Prophet, The Lord is my helper, and I shall see Book mine enemies. He therefore Himself beholds our enemies, ^^^^' Ps 118 Who by His gift makes our enemies visible to us. Or 7. * ' certainly, the Lord then beheld the gloomy gates, when penetrating the barriers of the pit, He smote the cruel spirits, and by His death condemned them that presided over death. Which is here spoken of no longer as of a future, but as of a past event ; for this reason, because that which He intended to do in deed. He had already done in predestination. But because the Church increased after His death and resurrection, and was extended in all nations, it is fitly subjoined ; Ver. 18. Hast Ihou considered the breadth of the earth?

For whilst the Lord sought the narrowness of death, He spread abroad His faith in the nations, and extended Holy Church to numberless hearts of believers. To whom it is said by the Prophet, Enlarge the place of thy tent, is. 54^ and extend the curtains of thy tabernacles ; spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes : for thou shall penetrate to the right hand and to the left, and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles. But this breadth of the earth would surely not exist, had He not first despised, in dying, the life which we know, and pointed out by His rising again, the life which we know not. For He opened by His death the eyes of our minds, and shewed us what Avas the life which was to follow. Whence also, observing this order in the Gospel, He says to His disciples. Thus it behoved Christ <(?Luke24, suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day, and that^ ' repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His Name through all nations. For few of the people of Israel believed at His preaching, but numberless peoples of the Gentiles followed the way of life, on His death. For He endured the proud, while He was still living in a suffering condition, but He overthrew them when dead to a life of suffering. Which Samson long before well typified in himself, for he slew but few during his life ;

but on the Judges destruction of the temple he slew a host of enemies, at his ' death. Because the Lord doubtless killed but few from their pride and haui,ditiness* when alive, but more, when the * as we Temple of His body was broken in pieces : and the Elect ^Yead from the Gentiles, whom He endured in His life. He "°t° Bin.' 320 God^s walking in the depths of the soul. joD 30, subdued iill at once hy Mis death. After then He hud ^^' tauj^ht us that He liad penetrated the regions ])elo\v, JIc riglitly subjoined immediately the breadth of the earth to Ije considered, llast tltoa considered the breadth of the earth ? As if He were saying to man when scourged, Think on what I have endured, and consider what I have purchased ; and complain not thyself of the rod, when thou art ignorant what rewards await thee, in retribution. In the midst then of these words of the Creator, 1 think it worth while for us to turn away our eyes for a while from the common and public good, and to observe what He secretly does with each of ourselves. For He says ; Ver. 16. Hast thou entered the depth of the sea? XV. *'^7. For the ' sea' is the mind of man, and God enters its MoR. depths, when it is roused from its inmost thoughts to lamentations of penitence through its knowledge of itself, when He calls to its memory the wickednesses of its former life, and rouses the mind which is agitated by its own confusion.

God penetrates the depth of the sea, when He changes hearts, which are even despaiVed of. For He goes into the sea, when He humbles a worldly heart ; He enters the depth of the sea, when He disdains not to visit minds which are even overwhelmed with sins. Whence it is rightly added in a question ; And hast thou walked in the lowest parts of the abyss ^ For what abyss is there, but the human mind, which while unable to comprehend itself, is like an obscure abyss, hid from itself, in every thing that it is. Whence it is well Hab. 3, said by the Prophet, The abyss uttered its voice froiu the ^^' depth of its thought. For whilst the human mind does not dive into itself, it praises more humbly, by comparison wdth itself, the power of the Divine nature, which it is unable to comprehend.

For God then to walk in the lowest parts of the abyss, is for Him to convert the hearts even of the wickedest men, and, by touching minds which are despaired of, with traces of His visitation, wonderfully to refashion them. For when any one feels compunction after enormous sins, what else is beheld but God walking in the lowest parts of the abyss? For God w^alks, as it were, in the abyss, when He penetrates the gloomy heart, and tramples down the invisible waves of CoiVs power over Iha ^ fjales of death,'' or evil fhoiii/hf.s'. ■i-2 1 jiiis. For wc frequently lament some sins i)iist, iuul arc iJooiv being assaulted by others present; so tliat we are harassed ' it one time by pride, at another by anger, at another by lust, and at another by avarice tempting us. But when the Lord suppresses all these in our heart by the fear of His secret visitation, what else doth He but place His steps in the abyss? Which steps we behold with the mind, when we consider how the gifts of His fear stand up to oppose these rebellious sins. For the Prophet had beheld these steps, when He was saying, 77/// goings ivere scen^ O Ps. G8, God^ the goings of my God, my King, Who is in His holy^ place. For He who beholds the inordinate motions of his mind restrained within him by the memory of the Divine judgments, beholds, as it were, the steps of God walking within him.

Let it be said, therefore, to blessed Job; Hast thou entered the depth of the sea, and hast thou walked in the loicest parts of the abyss? Thou understandest, as I, Who with wondrous pity trample down in the hearts of sinners, at one time anger, at another lust, at another avarice, at another rising pride. As if it were plainly said to him, If thou seest that I alone suppress the lurking vices of the tieart, thou wilt cease to be puffed up with self-justification. \nd because when we are visited by God, we arc led to confession concerning even the secret and unlawful motions )f our mind, it is rightly subjoined ; Ver. 17. Have the gates of death been opened unto thee ?

For the gates of death are wicked thoughts : which ve open to God, when we confess them with weeping in )enitence. For He beholds them even when not confessed ; )ut enters into them, when confessed. For He then in truth 'pens a way for Himself in the gates of death, when we have ut aside evil thoughts, and He comes to us after confession. vnd they are called the gates of death for this reason, Lcause the way to death is always opened through evil houghts. Which is again repeated, when it is subjoined ; And hast thou seen the gloomy doors ?

For the gloomy doors are the lurking evils of the und, which can both exist within, and yet not be observed V another. Which yet the liord beholds, when He destroys in by the secret look of grace. For it is written, The 322 lireadth oj' soul in hidden Sdints needs consideration. Job 38, King WJto sillcth in (he throne of JHd(jrnent, scatter eth away -^ -all evil with His sight. And because every vice contracts, Prov. and every virtue enlarges the mind, after the destruction of ' ' vices it is riglitly subjoined. Hast thou considered the breadth of the earth? lor did not virtue enlarge the mind, ^^°/;^jPaul would not say to the Corinthians, Be ye also enlarged^ and he not yoked with unbelievers. But we must observe carefully that which is said ; Ver. 18. Hast thou considered the breadth of the earth? xvii. 31. For the extent of the inwardly good is not at all comprehended, unless it is carefully considered. For poverty frequently humbles them outwardly, the torture of punishmenl straitens them ; but yet, in the midst of these things, theii inward resolution expands itself ever to hope for heavenly rewards. The Apostles had outwardly been straitened, wiien they were enduring scourges ; but they were standing at liberty in great w4dth within, who had turned, in themselves. Acts 5, these very scourges into joy. For it is written, Tlie Apostlei departed from the presence of the council;

rejoicing thai they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the Name of Jesus. Paul had found this width, in his straits, whc Phil. l,said, But I wish you to know, brethren ^ that the things. tchich happened unto me, have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the Gospel, so that my bonds in Christ were made manifest in all the palace. David was possessing this Ps. 4, i.Yvidth, in the midst of narrowness, when saying, Tliou hast enlarged me in tribulation. This earth, therefore, that is the conscience of holy men, is then enlarged when "it is pressed outwardly with the adversities of this world. Foi when it is driven away from security in this life, it is beater inwardly on itself, so as to stretch toward the hope of heavenlj things. And when it is not allowed to wander abroad, bein^ brought back, as it were, into its own bosom, it is enlarged We however behold what misfortunes good men endure, bu see not how much they rejoice within. We learn, on consi deration, the breadth of their mind, sometimes in their words sometimes in their deeds : but yet we know not how great i the range of that breadth in them. Let human wisdom hea then. Hast thou considered the breadth of the earth ? am let it learn its own folly. As if he said. As I, Who alon J Vayfi of li(jh t and darkness, the passing of good a n d ill.

3*23 fully consider the secret rejoicing of the holy, when surBook rounded with scourges, because I alone mercifully fashion ' them. Or certainly, blessed Job is asked whether he has considered the breadth of the earth, in order that he might be humbled by the example of another's enlargement. As if it were openly said to him, Consider those whom the countless evils of this world cannot conhne, and cease to boast, amid thy blows, of the state of thy own heart. It follows ; Ver. 18 — 20. Tell Me. if thou knowcsl all things, in what path the light divelleth, and what is the place of darkness? that thou inayest take each of them to the hounds thereof and understand the pailis to the house thereof. 32. Blessed Job is tried with a weighty question, in that he is examined as to the way of light and the place of darkness, whether he should bring them each to their boundaries, and should understand the paths to the house thereof For what is understood by the word ' light' but righteousness ? and what is designated by ' darkness' but iniquity ? Whence it is said to some who had been converted from the wickedness of sins, Ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ^eEph. 5, light in the Lord. And it is stated of some w^ho continue in sin, Theg that sleep, sleep in the night. It is said there1 Thesg.

fore to blessed Job, Tell Me, if thou knowest all things, in ' what path the light dwelleth, and what is the place of dark' ness ? As if it were said to him. If thou imaginest that thou hast perfect wisdom, tell Me, either into whose heart that innocency, which is now wanting, is coming, or in whose heart that wickedness, which now exists, remains. Lt what path the light dwelleth : that is, whose mind righteousness comes and fills. And ivhat is the place of darkness, that is, in whom does blind iniquity remain. That thou magest take each of them to the hounds thereof, that is, that thou mayest decide whether he who is now seen to be wicked, finishes his life in iniquity, and wli ether he who is now seen to be righteous, terminates the conclusion of his life with the perfection of righteousness. And understand the paths to the house thereof: that is, that thou mayest consider and discern, either for whom perseverance in good deeds secures an eternal mansion in the Kingdom, or whom evil habits, 3'21 ' Houfic^ I he abidinj cofiditiofi. Mau\s iyiiorance. Job 38,biii(linur to tlic end, condeinn to ( ternal i)uiuslnnent. Fur 1,S— -20. . ^' house' is put for resting place, and 'path' for conduct. A patli therefore leads to a house, because our doings lead on to our resting ])lace. But what man could speak when questioned on these points ?

who could hear them at least without fear ? For we daily see many who shine forth with the light of righteousness, and who are yet at their close obscured with the darkness of wickedness. And we behold many involved in the darkness of sins, and yet at the end of their life suddenly set free and restored to the light of righteousness. We also know that many have preserved entire, even to the end, the path of righteousness which they have once found, and we have beheld that most men have heaped up without ceasing, even to the end, their wickedness which they have once begun.

But who, amid these clouds of secret judgments, can so dart forth the light of his mind, as to distinguish with any discernment, either who continues in sin, or who perseveres in righteousness, or who is converted from the highest to the lowest condition, or who relapses from the highest to the low^est? These points are hid from men's senses, nor is aught known of the end of any one, because the abyss of the divine judgments is not at all penetrated by the eye of the human mind. For we see that that Gentile world which was opposed to God Avas overspread with the light of righteousness, and that Judsea, long beloved, was darkened with the night of unbelief. We know also that the thief passed from the cross to the kingdom, and that Judas sank into hell from the glory of the Apostleship. And again, because destinies once commenced are sometimes not changed, we know that the other thief arrived at punishment, and that the A})ostles enjoyed the appointed kingdom, which they had longed for. Who then can examine in what jDath light dwells, and what is the place of darkness, to bring each of them to its own bounds, and to understand the paths to the house thereof? I see Paul called from that cruelty of per-j secution to the grace of Apostleship; and yet he is so alarmed in the midst of secret judgments, as to fear that he be cast avay, even after he had been called.

For he says, lCor.9, / chasten ivy body, and bring it into subjection, lest, perNot hnoicing the end calls to JiioniUttj and care. 32o chance^ having preached to others^ I mijself should become Hook XT "Y" T Y* a cast-away. And again, I count not myself to have appre- ^-^' hended ; hut one tiling I do, forgetting those things which 13, ii.' are behind, and stretching forth vigself unto those things tvJiich are before, I folio iv the destined mark, to the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. I follow o/'/c^r, ibid. 12. if that I mag apprehend that, for which also I am apprehended. And it certainly had been already said of him by the voice of the Lord, He is a chosen vessel to Me ; and yet Acts 9, he still chastens his body, and is fearful of being rejected. 34. Alas for our wretched selves, who have known as yet no voice of God concerning our election, and are still slumbering in ease, as if from security. But there ought, there ought doubtless to be not only security in our hope, but also fear in our conversation, that the one may encourage us in the contest, the other sting us when listless. Whence it is rightly said by the Prophet, Let them that fear the Lord, Pa. lis, trust in the Lord. As if he were openly saying ; He pre- * sumes in vain on his hope, who refuses to fear God in his doings.

But why is blessed Job questioned on so mighty an enquiry, which is utterly unknown by men, how he understands the end of the just and of the unjust, except that he should turn to his own end, from being unable to understand that of others; and that from being ignorant of his own end, as well as others', he might be afraid at his ignorance, be humbled through his fear; from being humbled might not be elated at his own doings; and from not being elated, might remain stedfast in the citadel of grace ? Let it hd said then to him. Tell 3Te, if thou hast underslanding, in what path the light dwelleth, and what is the place of darkness, that thou mayest take each of them to the bounds thereof. As if it were said; As thou knowest not who are converted from sin to goodness, nor who turn back from goodness to sin ; so also thou dost not understand what is doing towards thyself, as thy merits deserve. And as thou dost not at all comprehend another's end, so art thou also unable to foresee thine own. For thou knowest now what progress thou hast made tliyself, but what I still think of thoe in secret, thou knowest not. Thou now thinkest on thy deeds of righteousness ; but thou knowest not how strictly they are weighed by Me. Woe 326 Man comjirchcuds not his h(ujinnin(j or end.

Job 38, even to the praiseworthy life of incn, if it be jiicl<^ed without ^ mercy, because when strictly exauiined, it is overwhelmed in the presence of the Judge, by the very conduct with which it imagines that it pleases llim. Whence it is rightly said Ps. 143,to God by the Prophet, Enter not into jiiihjment wltJi Thy servant, f 07' in Thy sight shall no man liciny he juslijied. Eccles. Whence it is well said by Solomon, There are righteous ' ' and wise men, and their works are in the hand of God: and yet no man knoweth uhether he is deseriiny of love, or of hatred ; hut all tilings are hcpt uncertain for the time to Prov. come. Hence acrain it is said by the same Solomon, What "0 24 ^ ' ' man will he ahle to imderstand his own way^ And any one doing good or evil is doubtless known by the testimony of his conscience. But it is said that their own way is not know^n to men, for this reason, because even if a man understands that he is acting rightly, yet he knows not, under the strict enquiry, whither he is going. After He has alarmed him then with this consideration of his end. He goes back to examine his beginning: and, that he may not complain wherefore knows he not his end. He mentions also that he does not even understand with what beginning he came hither.

For it follows ; Ver. 21. Didst thou know then that thou wast ahout to be horn, and didst thou know the number of thy days? xix. ^^' As if He were openly saying, What wonder if thou understandest not thine end, since thou dost not comprehend thy beginning? And since thou knowest not with what beginning thou camest hither, what wonder, if thou canst not tell with what end thou art taken away } If therefore it was My work to bring thee forward from secresy to sight at thy beginning, it will be Mine also to bring thee back from sight to secresy. Why complainest thou aught of the dispensation of thy life, who, ignorant of thyself, art supported by the hand of thy Creator ? Thou oughtest therefore to boast thyself the less in what thou dost, the more thou art confined within the bosom of eternity, and knowest not either in what order thou camest hither, nor when, or how thou art taken hence.

But these words can yet be understood in another sense also; Didst thou know then that thou wast about to he Our Lord foreknew Hia Own Coneeption. 3*27 horn, and didst thou know the number of thy days ? Thou Book understandest, As I, Who knew that I was about to bo born, ^ because, even before the birtli of My Manliood, 1 always existed substantially in the Godhead. For men begin then to exist, when they are born in the womb of their mothers. For even the very conception is called nativity, according to that which is written, That which is born in her is of the Mditt.i, Holy Ghost. And they therefore know not that they are about to be born, because they do not exist, before they are created. But God, Who ever existed without beginning, foresaw this of Himself, that He assumed a beginning in the womb of the V^irgin; and because He foreknew, He ordained it; and because He ordained, He doubtless endured nothing in .human form, except of His own free will. Let man then, who could not foresee his own birth, be reproved for complaining of his scourges, if even He, Who foresaw and ordained His own birth, prepared Himself for scourges amongst men. It follows, Yer. 2*2, 23. Hast thou entered into the treasures of snow, cr hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, which I have prepared against the time of the enemy, against the day of battle and war ?

What else must be understood by the ' snow' or ' hail,' but the cold and hard hearts of the wicked ? For as charity is designated by warmth, so also in Holy Scripture wickedness is wont to be designated by cold. For it is written, As a cistern maketh its water cold, so doth its own wickedjer. q, ness make cold the soul. And again, Iniquity shall abound, ^ and the lore of many shall wax cold. What then can 12. be more fitly understood by the cold of snow, or the hardness of hail, than the life of the wicked, which both waxes cold by torpor, and strikes with the malice of hardness .'' Whose life the Lord yet tolerates, because He keeps them for the probation of His just ones. Whence also He rightly subjoined. Which I have j^^'^paf^d, against the time of the enemy, against the day of battle and war. In order that, when our adversary the devil endeavours to tempt us, he may make use of their habits as his weapons against us. For by them he tortures us in his rage, but unwittingly purges us. For they become scourges to our sins, and when we are 3*i8 H((il and li<jlilnin,j inslt uineitts oj (Jod. Joii :i8, smitten by llioir liio, wljicli is sucli, we are freed from — '~~ eternal doatli. Whence it is so ordered, that even the abandoned life of the reprobate benefits the life of the I'dect, and that whilst their ruin furthers our interest, it is thus marvellously ordained, in order that even every thing which is lost, may not be lost to the Elect of God.

This also can be understood in another way, so as not to differ from the exposition of the former verse, since it seems connected with the words that precede it. For because He had pointed out that either the good can be changed to sin, or the wicked to goodness, He immediately jnoceeded to add, Hast thou entered itito the treasures of snow, or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, which I have prepared against the time of the enemy, against the day of battle and war? By either cold, or hard, snow, or hail, we understand, as has been said, the hearts of the wicked. But because Almighty God has chosen His Saints from such, and knows liow many of the Elect He has still stored up amongst the life of the wicked, He fitly says, that He has His treasures in snow or hail. For ' thesaurus' (treasure) is so called from ^so-i?, that is, from its being placed away. And He beholds many long concealed in a life of coldness, whom He brings out, when He orders it, and exhibits glittering with the brightness of righteousness, through grace from on high. rs.51,7. For it is written, Thou shall wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. And He hides them for a long while beneath th€ seal of His foreknowledge, prepared against the day of war and of battle, but the moment He brings them out.

He strikes the opposing breast of the adversaries, with their words and refutations, as if with hailstones. Whence it is Ps. 18, written elsewhere. Through the brigJitness in His presence the clouds passed away, hailstones and coals of fire. For Aug, ad coals pass away through brightness, because holy preachers °^' traverse the whole compass of the world with the brightness of their miracles. And they are called, moreover, hailstones, | and coals of fire; because they both strike with their reproof, and kindle with the flame of charity. The bold reproof of the Saints is also fitly represented by the nature of hail. For hail strikes as it falls, and waters when it melts. But holy men both strike the hearts of their hearers with dread, 3Iany chosen ones yet sloicd in the cold of sin. 3*29 and bedew them with coniCoit. For the Prophet bears witI<ook iiess how they strike, saying, I'licy sJudl speak of the niiyhl ~ — — ' of 77iy terrible (ids, and (hey shall tell of Tliy great nc-ss. o*. ' ' ' And he has proceeded to subjoin, how they bedew with gentleness; They shall utter the memory of the abundance of Thy ih. 7. sweetness, and slndl exult in Thy riyhteousness. Treasures, therefore, are kept in the snow or hail, because many who were frozen in the torpor of iniquity, when taken \\\) unto heavenly grace, shine forth in Holy Church with the light of righteousness, and smite with the blows of their doctrine the evil wisdom of their adversaries.

Whence also it is fitly subjoined, JVhich I have prepared against the time of the enemy, against the day of battle and war. For Said in Irulh had been snow or hail through cold insensibility j but he became snow and hail against the breasts of his adversaries, either by the brightness of righteousness, or by the reproof of his keen eloquence. O what a treasure did the Lord keep him, stored up in snow or hail, when He already secretly beheld him as His own Elect, though placed among the life of the wicked. And to smite how many breasts of His adversaries did He grasp in His hand this hailstone, by which He laid prostrate so many hearts which resisted Plim.

Let no one then boast himself of his own deeds; let no one despair of those, whom he sees still cold. For he sees not the treasures of God in snow and hail. For who could believe that that very person, who at his death kept Acts 7, the raiment of all those who stoned, could go before the^^* martyred Stephen through the grace of apostleship ? If therefore we refer to these secret gifts, or judgments, while not despaiing utterly of any, we do not prefer ourselves in our hearts to those, to whom for a time we have been preferred. For though we now observe how much we have outstripped them, yet we know not how much we may be surpassed ourselves, when they begin the race. It is well, therefore, said to blessed Job, Hast thou entered the treasures of snow, or hast thou beheld the treasures cf the hail, which I have prepared against the time of the enemy, against the day if battle and war? As if it were oi)enly said. Prefer not thyself to any one, by reason of thy doings; for of these, whom thou beholdcst still frozen in sin, thou knowest not 330 Christ the fVot/ hy Which Liyht came, Jun38, what iiiiglity workers of riglitcousness, and defenders of — ^1: sound fiiitli 1 intend to create. But because this is eflected by the coniin*^ of tlie Mediator, it is rightly subjoined;

Ver. 24. By what ivay is the i'ujht scattered'^ xxi. 40. For lie in truth is the way, Who says, I am the Way, John 14, ^/^Q Truth, and the Life. The liglit is, therefore, scattered by this way, because all the Gentile world is enlightened by His presence. But He rightly said. Is scattered, because the light of preaching was not contracted or confined, but shone forth with its brightness far and wide by the voices of the Apostles. But because the power of love glows within, when the light of conversion has been received, in order that either our past sins may be anxiously lamented, or future blessings be most ardently sought for, it is suitably added, The heat is divided over the earth. xxii. 41. For when the light is spread abroad the heat is divided over the earth ; because when righteousness is openly preached, the anxious desire of the heart to seek God is spread forth in the practice of virtues ; so that one person shines forth in the word of wisdom, another in the word of knowledge ; one is mighty in the grace of healing, another in the working of mighty deeds ; and that thus, while they severally receive unequally the gifts of the Spirit, they are all necessarily united to each other, and unanimously inflamed. But after the light is said to be spread abroad, it can readily be understood that persecution is designated by ' heat:' because as the light of preaching shone brightly, so the heat of persecution immediately blazed forth from the hearts of the unbelievers.

For, that persecution is described by ' heat,' the discourse of the Lord bears witness, speaking of the seeds which had been cast on the rocky Matt, ground. When the sun arose they were all scorched, and 13, 6. because they had not root, they withered aivay. And when He expounded it a little after. He called ^ heat,' persecution. The heat therefore is divided over the earth, when the light is spread abroad, because, as the life of the faithful became bright, the cruelty of the faithless was kindled. For the heat was divided, when persecution was raging, now at Jerusalem, now at Damascus, and now in other countries far away. Acts 8, For it is written, At that time there arose a great persecution Heat of persecution. Our liyht is ^ scattered' 331 in the Church, which ivas at Jerusalem, and thei/ were all ^^ock scattered abroad throughout the regions ofJudwa and Samaria. And it is wiilten again ; Saul^ yet breat/iing out threatenings Acts 9, and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto '•^* the high priest, and desired of him letters for him to take to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he had found any of this way, men and icomen, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Because then persecution had increased, now here, now there, they who had known the hght of truth, were panting, as it were, under the burning of the divided lieat.

4*2. But because we have heard blessed Job questioned in the former words, respecting the secret judgment; it now behoves us to examme more accurately this which is said of the scattered light, or divided heat. For he is still examined with lofty questioning, in order that he may at least learn that he is ignorant, and that it may be said to him, By what way is the light spread, the heat divided over the earth? For what is designated by the word ' light' but righteousness ? Of which it is written ; The people ivhich was sitting Is. 9, 2. in darkness, saw a great light. But every thing which is scattered, is thrown, not continuously, but with a kind of intermission. And hght is therefore said to be ' scattered,' because, though we already behold some things as they really are, yet some things we see not, as they are to be seen. For scattered light had possessed the heart of Peter, who had shone forth with such great brightness of faith, and of miracles, and yet, while he was imposing the weight of Gal. 2, circumcision on the converted Gentiles, he knew not what "" * to say aright. Light, therefore, is ' scattered' in this life, because it is not continuously possessed, to the understanding of every thing. For whilst we comprehend one thing as it is, and are ignorant of another, we both see as it were partially in scattered light, and remain partially in darkness. But our light will then no longer be scattered, when our mind, caught up entirely to God, will shine forth.

And because it is not known in what ways this light is insinuated into the heart of man, it is rightly said in a question ; By what way is the light scattered? As if it were openly said ; Tell Me, in what order I pour My righteousness into the secret recesses of the hearts, when I am not •J;j2 Giacc.^ (ind Icwpldiious holh tliat t ihuled. Jgu38,sccii, even in My a])proac]i, and yet I invisibly change tlic — visible doings of men, when I irradiate one and the same mind, at one lime with this, and at another with that virtue, and yet I permit it, through scattered light, still to remain, in a measure, in the darkness of temptation. Let ignorant man be asked, by what way the light is scattered. As if it were openly said, While I soften the hard hearts, bend the rigid, smooth the rough, warm the cold, strengthen the weak, establish the wandering, confirm the wavering, come, if thou canst, incorporeally, and behold, on what minds I shed this light. For all these things we behold when done ; for we know not how they are wrought within. The Truth shews in the Gospel, that this way of light is invisible to us, sayJohn 3, ing; The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof^ and knowest not whence it cometh^ and whither it goeth,

But because, when the light is scattered, temptations presently spring up from the hidden adversary against the enlightened mind, it is rightly subjoined ; The heat is divided over the earth. For the crafty foe strives to inflame with unlawful desires the minds of those whom he sees shining forth wdth the light of righteousness ; so that they frequently feel themselves more assaulted with temptations, than at the time when they beheld not the rays of inward light. Whence also the Israelites, after they had been called, complain against Moses and Aaron of their increasing labour, saying; Exod. Let the Lord see and judge, because ye have made our ' ' savour to stink in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and have given him a sword to slay us. For when they wished to depart from Egypt, Pharaoh had taken away the straw, and yet required works of the same amount. The mind, therefore, secretly murmurs, as it were, against the law, after the knowledge of which it endures sharper stings of temptations, and when it beholds its labours increasing, because it is displeasing to its adversary, it grieves that it stinks, as it were, in the eyes of Pharaoh. Heat, therefore, follows after light; because after the illumination of the heavenly gift, the contest of temptation is increased.

But the heat is rightly said also to be ' divided :' doubtless, because separate persons are not assailed by all Temptiitioti varied by SalnHy tempered hij Ornce. '6\S?t vices, but by certain ones which are near, and placed close J^'^ok to them. For the ancient enemy first beholds the character* of r-^ — "— J ^ ' coneach person, and then applies the snares of temptations. For spersioone person is of a cheerful, another of a morose, another of a *''"' timid, another of a proud disposition. Our secret adversary, in order then to catch us easily, prepares deceptions closelyconnected with our several characters. For because pleasure borders on mirth, he holds out lust as a bait to cheerful dispositions. And because moroseness easily slides into anger, he offers the cup of discord for the morose. Because the timid dread punishments, he threatens terrors to the fearful. And because he beholds the proud elated with praises, he draws them on to whatever he pleases, by flattering applause, lie lays snares therefore against men one by one, by vices adapted to them. For he would not easily lead them captive, if he were either to offer bribes to the lustful, or bodily pleasures to the covetous, or if he were to assail the greedy by the pride of abstinence, or the abstinent by gluttonousncss, or if he were to seek to seize the gentle by eagerness for the contest, or the angry by the dread of fear. Because then, when in the heat of temptation, he craftily lurks in ambush against each one by himself, and secretly lays the snares which are akin to their habits, it is rightly said ; The heat is divided over the earth.

But when it is first stated, By what icay the light is scattered: and is there immediately subjoined. The heat is divided over the earth, it is doubtless indicated that the heat is also divided by the same way, by which the light is scattered. For when the lofty and incomprehensible grace of the Holy Spirit irradiates our minds with its light, it also so disposes and modifies the temptations of the adversary, that either they do not come upon us many together, or else that those only which can be endured, assail the mind already illuminated by God; so that they do not burn us with the fire of their full strength, when they torture us with the heat 'f iheir touch. As Paul bears witness, who says, Bict God^^^^is faithful. Who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ' ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to 'iscape, that ye may be able to bear it. This heat then our rafty snj)plantcr divides in one way, and our^niPirifn, S34 Cod opens the way for the Preaching of Ills Word. Job 38, Creator in anotlier. The one divides, in order thereby to —-slay more speedily; the other, to make it more tolerable. And, because, wlien we are harassed with temptation, we are not only instructed with the Spirit of God within, but are also assisted with the words of preachers without, after the divided heat, it is rightly added, Ver.

25. Who hath given a course for the most violent shower ? xxiii. 47. But if, as we said before, that persecution in the regions of Judaea is designated by the name of divided heat, because this very fierceness of persecution kept not from their office of preaching, through any fear, the holy preachers, who were assisted by the gift from on high, lie fitly subjoins ; Who hath given a course for the most violent showers ? As if He were saying, Except Myself. For to have given a course to the most violent showers, when the heat was divided, is to have strengthened the force of preaching, amid the very difficulties of persecution, in order that the power of preachers might the more increase, the more the cruelty of persecutors stood in their way, so that they might bedew the thirsty hearts of their hearers with drops of rain, and water more abundantly the drought of unbelief; and that though the heat of cruelty was glowing against them, yet the voice of grace might not through them be silent. Paul was both enduring and watering this heat of persecu2 Tim. tion, when saying, / labour even to bonds, as an evil doer^ ' • tut the ivord of God is not bound. Of this shower it is said Is. 5, 6. elsewhere ; / ivill command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. Of this course of the shower which is going on in the hearts of the Elect, the Psalmist witnesses, saying ;

Ps. 147, His word runneth swiftly. But it is generally a showei only, and has no course ; because preaching comes to the ears, but inward grace not acting, it passes not through to tht hearts of the hearers. And of the words of this preaching ii Ps. 77, is said, on account of the Elect ; For thine arrows passeo through. For the arrows of God pass through, when the words of His preaching descend from the ears to the hearts And because this is effected solely by Divine grace, th( Lord witnesses that He has given a course to the shower.

But I see it must be observed, that He calls this sam( Most violent, in hiyh precepts; thundering in terrors. 835 shower not * violent/ but * most violent.* A violent shower Book IS great force; but a most violent one, is the boundless—" -* power of preaching. For it was a violent shower, when holy preachers were advising the belief of eternal joy. But * most violent,' w'hen they were advising men that on account of their hope their interest should be abandoned, all visible objects despised on account of invisible, and that the pains and tortures of this present world should be tolerated for the sake of tlie joys they have heard of. But when so many of the Elect, having learned the fliith, abandoned their possessions, when the heat of persecution was raging, forgot their carnal affection, and exposed their limbs to torture for joy of spirit; what else did the Lord do, but make a course for even the most violent shower, which by bodily words so watered the invisible recesses of the heart, that it [performed even the highest commands? Where it is also fitly subjoined ; And a way for the sounding thunder?

For what is understood by * thunder' except the preaching of heavenly terror } And when the hearts of men feel this terror, they are shaken. But sometimes by thunder is set forth the Incarnate Lord Himself, Who was brought to our knowledge by the concurrent prophecy of the ancient fathers, as if by the clashing together of clouds ; Who, appearing visibly among us, sounded forth awfully those things which were above us. Whence also the Holy Apostles themselves begotten by His grace were called Boanerges, Marks, that is, sons of thunder. But sometimes, as has been said, * thunder' is taken for their preaching, by which the terror of the heavenly judgments is heard. But because any preacher can present words to the ears, but cannot open the hearts, and since, unless Almighty God alone grant the words of preachers a hearing invisibly by inward grace in the hearts of their hearers, that preaching is received in vain by the ear of the hearer, which is prevented by his deaf heart from reaching to his inmost soul ; the Lord asserts that Fie grants a way to the sounding thunder: for when He vouchsafes the words of preaching. He pierces the heart with terror. Paul, the illustrious preacher, when he was awfully sounding forth the heavenly mysteries, seeing that he could not possess 33(> Itain (jircn ht l/w (iciilile descrl ^ }rhere was no ' man. Jon 38, tliis way by hinis(;lf, admonished his disciples, saying, IVithdl r,i~r7,pf'^iyi^^f/ also for us that God would open to us a door oj utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ.

Ho therefore who was speaking mysteries, but was praying for a door to be opened by the Lord for these same mysteries in the heart of his hearers, possessed indeed the thunder already, but was seeking for a way to be granted it from above. John, who 1 John was saying. Ye need not that any man teach you, hut as His ' anointing teacheth you of all thinys, knew that he could not give this way. Paul again taught Who could give this way, 1 Cor. saying, For neither is he that planteth any thiny, neither he that watereth, hut God that giveth the increase. Let us hear then what this shower and thunder effect, when the way has been granted them. It follows; Ver. 26. Tliat it should rain upon the earth without man, in the desert, ivhere no mortal dicelleth. XXV. 50. To rain upon the earth without man in the desert, is to preach the word of God to the Gentile world. For whilst it retained no worship of the Godhead, and shewed in itself no appearance of good works, it was plainly a desert. And because there was therein no lawgiver, nor any one who could seek God in a reasonable way, there was, as it were, ' no man ;' and it remained as if occupied by beasts alone, void of men. Of this land of the desert it is said elsewhere, l3. 43, He made a way in the desert.

Of this preaching vouchsafed Ps. 107 ^^ *^^^ Gentiles, the Psalmist witnesses, saying, He made 3'rivers in the desert. But we must observe, that after the heat was divided over the earth, the most violent shower received its course, that it might rain in the desert. Because after the harshness of persecution became dreadful in Judaa, so as not only not to receive the faith, but even to assail it with the sword, every preacher who had been sent to Israel, turned aside to summon the Gentiles. Whence the holy Apostles say to the persecuting Hebrews whom they abanActsis, don. We ought first to preach the tuord of God to you, hut because ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. When the heat, then, has been divided, the land which is desert, and without man, is watered; because, when the persecution of the faithfid had spread abroad in Judaea, the Gentile worlds Rain on the patlLless desert. Meaning of ^ grass. ^ 337 loiiff since abandoned, and estranj^ed, as it were, from tlie Hodk infusion of reason, is watered by the drops of preaching. ^* But in what state the Gentile world was still found by the preachers, is shewn, when it is added ; Ver. 27. That it should fill the pathh^ss and desolate land. But what it produced when rained on, is shewn, when it is immediately subjoined, And should produce green herbs.

For the Gentile world, to which a way was not open for the word of God, was a long while pathless. For on the coming of our Redeemer it so received the calling of grace, as that there had not been in it before the way of Prophecy. It is also righlly called desolate ; namely, as being destitute of either the wisdom of counsel, or of the fruit of good works. The Lord therefore gave a course to the most violent shower, and a way to the sounding thuuder, that it should rain in the desert, and fill the pathless and desolate land, and should produce green herbs. That is. He added to outward preaching inward inspiration; that the parched hearts of the Gentiles might become green, the closed might be opened, the empty filled, the unfruitful germinate. 5*2. For in holy Scripture * grass' is sometimes taken for the verdure of temporal glory, sometimes for the food of the devil, sometimes for the support of preachers, sometimes for good works, sometimes for the knowledge and doctrine of eternal life. For it is taken for the verdure of temporal glory, as the Propliet says. Let it pass away in the morning Ps.90,6. Hke grass, in the morning let it flourish and pass away. For to flourish and to pass away in the morning like grass, ' s in the prosperity of this world for the beauty of temporal .^lory speedily to dry away.

Grass is taken for the ibod of the llevil, as it is said of him by the Lord, For hint the inoun~^^^^^> I '' , ^ . 20. \ains hear grass. As if He were saying, Whilst proud and jiaughty men exalt themselves in unlawful thoughts and fictions, they feed him with their iniquities. Grass is pointed >ut to be the support of j^reachcrs, when it is said. He Ps. 147, noduceth grass on the mountains^ and herbs for the service pg^ 104 f men. For grass is produced on the mountains, and herbs ^^• or the use of men, when the lofty ones of this world, being ailed to the knowledge of the laith, bestow on holy >reachers, in the journey of this life, food for their sojourn. VOL. III. z 338 * Grafis" put for Doclriue of Klernal Life. Job 38, Grass is put for good works, as it is written, Let the earth bring forth the (jreen (/rass. And though we hold that it Alleo. .... Gen. 1, thus took place historically m the creation of the world, yet ^^* we suppose, without impropriety, the earth to ha\ e been a type of the Church, which brought forth the green grass, in that it produced, at the command of God, fruitful works of mercy. We sometimes take ' gi'ass"* for the knowledge and Jer. 14, doctrine of eternal verdure; as it is said by Jeremiah, The wild asses did stand on the rocks, the// snuffed up the iiinds as dragons ;

their eyes did fail, because there was no grass. By which expression the proud and most wicked persecution of the Jews was prophesied. For they are called in tnith wild asses, for their pride of mind, and dragons, for their virulent thoughts. And they stood on the rocks, because they trusted, not in God, but, in the chief powers of this John world, saying, IVe have no king but Cresar. They snuffed ' ' up the winds as dragons, because being puffed up by the spirit of pride they were swollen with malicious haughtiness. Their eyes failed, because in truth their hope fell short of that which it was aiming at. For loving temporal things, it neglected to wait for eternal, and lost earthly goods, because 1° 48 ^* preferred them to God. For they said, If ive let Him thus alone, all men will believe on Him, and the Roman% will come, and take away both our place and nation. They were afraid lest they should lose their place, if the Lord had not been slain, and yet they lost it, when He was slain. But he adds the reason why these things befel the wretched men, Because there was iio grass: that is, because the knowledge of eternity was wanting in their hearts, and did not refresh them with the food of the verdure of inwarcj doctrine. In this place then what else do we understand hy green herbs, but the knowledge of heavenly doctrine, oil works in accordance ?

The desert earth then is watered bj the rain, for the green herbs to be produced from it, because when the Gentile world enjoyed the shower of holy preaching, it budded forth with both the works of life, and thel herb of doctrine. This verdure is promised to the desen? Is. 35, 7. land by the voice of the Prophet, when it is said. In tht dens, in which the dragons dwelt before, shall rise up the verdure of the reed and bulrush. For what is designated b} Its sprintjiny in Ihe Genl'de world, or iynoranl. muuL 339 the reed but preachers ; and what by the buhush, which Book always grows by the moisture of water, but weak and tender ' hearers of the sacred word ? The verdure of the reed and buh'ush grows up then in the dens of the dragons, because in those peoples, which the malice of the old enemy used to possess, both the knowledge of teachers and the obedience of hearers is collected together.

But these things which have been stated generally of Mor. the Gentile world, we see taking place, if we carefully examine, in individuals within the bosom of Holy Church. For there are many, grievously insensible to the words of God, who are counted under the name of faith, who hear the words of life with their ears, but suffer them not to pass through to the inward places of the heart. What else are these than desert land ? Which land in truth has not a man, because their mind is void of the sense of reason. And no mortal dwells in this land, because if thoughts of reasonable meanings ever spring up in their conscience, they do not remain there. For evil desires find a resting-place in their hearts, but if good desires have ever come there, they pass away, as if urged on. But when the merciful God deigns to give a course to His shower, and a way to the sounding thunder, being stung with grace within, they open the ears of their heart to the words of life. And the pathless land is filled: for while it grants a hearing to the word, it is overwhelmed with mystery. And it brings forth green herbs: because when watered by the grace of compunction, it not only willingly receives the words of preaching, but returns them back with abundant increase ; so that it is now eager to speak what it could not hear, and that that which had become dry, even within, through not listening, feeds with its verdure as many as are hungry.

Whence it is well said by the Prophet, Send forth Tliy Spirit, and they shall he created^ and^^104, Tlwu shall renew the face oj the earth. For thus, thus, the face of the earth is changed by the virtue of renewal, when the mind which before was dry, is watered by the coming of grace, and is, after its former barrenness, arrayed with the verdure of knowledge, as though by grass which it had brought forth. Which grace of our Creator is commended still more highly, when it is subjoined; S4Q The ruin and dew of preach ukj both from God. .Tod 08, VcT. 28, Who is the father (f the rain ? or who hath he- — ' — (fotten the drops of den- ? Al.LEO.-'' . xxvii. 54. As if lie were sayin^^, Kxc^'pt Myself, Who sprinkle, of My free j^race, the barren earth of the human heart with drops of kno\vled«re. For of this rain is said elsewhere, Ps.68,9. Thou ivilt set apart, 0 God, a voluntary rain for thine inheritance. For God sets apart a voluntary rain for His inheritance, because He grants it to us, not for own deserts, but from the bounty of His own benignity. And He is in this place called the father of this rain, for this reason, because His heavenly preaching is begotten in us, not for our merits, but from His grace. For the drops of dew, are the holy preachers themselves, who water the fields of our breast, (parched amid the evils of the present life, as though amid the gloom of a dry night,) with the grace of bounty from Jer.3,3.

above. Of these drops it is said to obstinate Judah ; Therefore the drops of rains have been withholden , and there hath been no latter rain. For the drops of dew are the same as the drops of rains. For w^hen they soften down their preaching by any accommodation, they sprinkle, as it were, the tender dew. But when they say what they think of heavenly things, with the power with which they are strong, they pour forth, as it were, the flowing rain abundantly. Paul was sprinkling the dew, when saying to the 1 Cor. Corinthians, For I determined to know nothing among you, save Jesus Christy and Him crucified. And again he was 2 Cor. pouring forth the rain, saying, O ye Corinthians, our mouth ' ' is opened unto you, our heart is enlarged. Hence it is, that Moses, who knew that he would say bold things to the Deut. strong, and gentle to the weak, observed. Let my speech be ' ^' waited, for as the rain, and let my words descend as the dew. But, lo ! we have heard with what favour the Gentiles are called, let us now hear with what severity Judah is rejected. We have heard how He cultivates what is desert, and waters what is barren : let us now hear how He casts forth those which seem to be, as it were, within. For He does not so gather His Elect, as not also to judge the reprobate;

nor does He so forgive faults to some persons, as not to punish Ecclus.. them in some also. For it is written, For mercy and wrath Ice from heaven^ the wicked, hij creation, from God. 311 come from Him. Whence here also, after He liad inlioduced I^ook so many gifts of grace, He conceals not the judgments of ' His wrath. For it follows; Ver. 29. Oat of ivhose tvotub came the ice, and the frost from Itoaven, alio Juitli (jendered it ? 5d. For what else do we understand by 'frost' or Mce,' but the hearts of the Jews frozen and bound with the torpor of unbelief.? Who formerly by the receiving of the Law, by the keeping of the commandments, by the ministry of sacrifice, by the m^'steries of prophecy, were so kept within the bosom of grace, as if within the womb of the Creator. But because, on the coming of the Lord, being hard bound witli the frost of unbelief, they lost the warmth of faith and charity, being cast forth from the secret bosom of grace, they came forth like ice from the womb of the Creator. A?id the frost from heaven, who hath gendered it ? What else ought * heaven' to be here understood to mean but the lofty life of the saints? To which heaven it is said, Gice ear, 0 heavejf,Deut. and I li'ill speak. Of which abode it is elsewhere written, ' " The soul of the just is the seat of u isdotn".

Because then God is wisdom, if the abode of God is heaven, and the soul of the just is the seat of wisdom, the soul of the just is certainly heaven. Abraham was heaven, Isaac was heaven, Jacob was heaven. But because the persecutors of the Lord, the high priests of the Jews, who were frozen with the torpor of unbelief, sprang from the race of those ancestors, the frost came, as it were, from heaven, because the frozen herd of unbelievers came forth from the lofty offspring of the saints. For when Caiaphas was born from Abraham, what else was it, but that ice came forth from he€ven ? Yet this frost the Lord says that He had gendered, for this reason, because He permitted the Jews, whom He Himself naturally created good, to go forth from Him, by a just judgment, frozen through their wickedness. For the Lord is the Author of nature, not of sin. He engendered therefore, by naturally creating, those whom He suffered, by patiently enduring, to remain in sin. And because those hearts of the Jews, which before were * Perhaps Prov. 12, 23. LXX. A cautious man is the seat of wisdoni. wbere it is read, A prudent man is the Ben. On Horn. 38, in Ev. they suggest throne of sense. In the Syriac version, Wisd. 7, 7, or 27. 342 The Jews hecame hard like the Geutiiea (if old. Job 38, tender, and easily ])ciielratcd ]>v I'ailli, were afterwardh ATrEG ^i^^'^^^'i^^^l i" the obstinacy of unljcliefi it is rightly subjoined;

Ver. 30. The waters are hardened after the likeness of a stone. xxix. 56. For I remember that I have often taught already thai * waters' are taken for peoples. But by a ' stone,' by reason of its very hardness, the Gentile yjeoples are sometimes designated. For they themselves worshipped stones. And ol Ps. 115, these it is said by the Prophet, Let them, that make them, become like unto them, and all who trust in them. Whence John, beholding that the .Jews boasted themselves in theii pedigree, and foreseeing the Gentiles passing over to the stock of Abraham, by the knowledge of the faith, says. Matt. 3, jy^i/iA: not to say within yourselves. We have Abraham to our father ; for I say unto yoUy that God is able of these stones to raise np sons to Abraham. Certainly calling ' stones' the Gentiles, who were hardened in unbelief Because then Judaea first believed in God, while all the Gentile world was remaining in the obstinacy of its unbelief, and because the hearts of the Gentiles were afterwards softened to receive the faith, and the unbelief of the Jews was hardened, it is well said, The waters are hardened after the likeness of a stone. As if He were saying, Those soft hearts of the Jews, easily penetrated by faith, are converted into the insensibility of the Gentiles. For when God in His mercy drew to Him the Gentiles, He repelled Judaea in His wrath.

And it came to pass, that as the Gentiles had been at first hardened against the reception of the faith, so, when the Gentiles were afterwards admitted to the faith, was the people of Judfea hardened in the torpor of unbelief. Whence Kom.li,the Apostle Paul says to these very Gentiles, As ye in timea^ ' past have not believed God, yet now have obtained mercy through their unbelief even so have these not believed, in your mercy, that they also may obtain mercy. For God hath concluded all in unbelief, that He might have mercy np)on all. And accurately considering this his opinion, first concerning the calling of the Jews, and the rejection of the Gentiles, and afterwards concerning the calling of the Gentiles, and the rejection of the Jews, and reflecting that lu* Salan came for Ui like/rosl lo Jiarden Hie reprobate. 343 could not comprehend the secret iudp^ments of God, he subBook • • • . . . XXIX joined in exclamation, O the depth of the riches of the ^ — . ' tvisdorn and knoivledije of God! hniv incomprehensible are ' His judgments^ and His tvays un sear citable. Whence liere also when the Lord was saying of the unbelief of the Jews, The waters are hardened after the likeness of a stone, to shew that His judgments concerning their rejection were secret, He fitly subjoined ; And the surface of the deep is congealed*

Because the eye of the human mind does not at all penetrate the incomprehensibleness of the Divine judgment, from a kind of veil of our ignorance having been thrown over it. For it is written, Tlty judgments are a great deep. Ps.36,6. Let no one then seek to investigate, why, when one is rejected, another is chosen, or, why, when one is chosen, another is rejected, because the surface of the deep is congealed, and as Paul witnesses, His judgments are inscrutablefUom.il, and His ways unsearchable.

But by that which is said, (ver. 29.) Out of whose womb Myst. came the ice, and the frost from heaven,who hath gendered it ? nothing prevents Satan being understood by the frost and ice. For he came forth as if ice from the womb of God, because the teacher of iniquity came forth, frozen with the torpor of sin, from the warmth of His mysteries. He was gendered as frost from heaven, because he was suffered to fall from the highest to the lowest condition, and to go and bind the hearts of the reprobate. And having been fashioned rightly in heaven, when he fell, he bound as frost the hearts of his followers, in the coldness of sin. And what he did amongst men, on coming to the earth, is fully stated, when it is added. The waters are hardened after tlie likeness of a stone. For by ' waters' peoples are designated, but by a * stone' the hardness of this very Satan. The waters therefore were hardened after the likeness of a stone, when he came on earth, because men, imitating his wickedness, lost the soft bowels of charity. And because his crafty designs cannot be detected by men who have been led astray, it is rightly subjoined ; And the surface of the deep is congealed. For one thing lies concealed within him, and another he presents without. For he transforms himself as an angel of 344 Comer is, yroiviiKj proud, (jo Jorth U6 ice.

JoB38,li^ht, and with his cunning art of (lccej)tion frequently prp- -^^poses laudable objects, in order to lead on to unlawful. The surface of the (le(q) is therefore congealed ; for while the fair appearance of his persuasion appears, as it were, hke solid ice on the surface, his wickedness, lurking in the dejith, is not observed. Mob. 59. But we can understand all these in another sense also, if we enquire into them, in their moral meaning. For whilst Ahnighty God fashions the niinds of men in His fear, lie conceives them, as it were, and brings them forth to open virtues, when He advances them onwards. But il they are elated by the virtues they have received, He abandons them. And we often know persons to be smitten by consideration of their sins, to glow with fear of the Divine dread, and, commencing in fear, attain to the highest virtues. But when they are elated by these virtues which they receive, being bound with the snare of vain glory, they return to their former torpqr. When God therefore casts off such persons. He rightly says, Out of whose womb came the ice? For the ice comes forth, as it were, from the womb of God, when those who had before been warm within, become cold, by reason of the gift of virtue, and, being torpid, seek after outward glory, for the very reason by which they ought to glow with greater warmth to love things within.

And whilst one man is powerful in signs, another in knowledge, another in prophecy, and another in mighty works, and seeks by these gifts to -please men, he turns all his former inward warmth into torpidity, from loving outward praises. He comes forth therefore as ice from the womb, when, after the favours of gifts, he is separated from the bowels of heavenly compassion. Are not they ' ice,' who in the virtues they receive seek praise from men ? And yet they say to the Judge on His Matt. 7, coming, when recalling His own gifts to His mind ; Lord^ ^^' Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name ? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name have done many mighty works? But He shews how the Lord casts out ib. 23. this ice, saying, / know you not whence ye are. Depart from Me, all ye workers of iniquity. The Lord now bears this ice in His womb, because He tolerates it within the bosom of the Church. But He then openly casts it out, Men\s growing cold of God hg just permission. 345 ivhen He banislies such from tlic secret abodes of heaven by Book the last and ])ublic judgment. What is then the plain object ^ — — ^ of these words, except that Job should be brought down from his lofty virlu(;s, that he should not, in consequence of his former warmth in good living, grow cold through pride, and be repelled and go forth from th j womb of the Godhead, by being swollen up within the bosom of his own heart?

And because by a righteous judgment He pennits haughty minds to go forth to commit sin, from the virtue they have received, it is rightly added, still farther ; And the frost from hiaven, uho hath gendered it? For He frequently vouchsafes the knowledge of Holy Scripture, but when he who receives it is elated by this knowledge, he is, by the anger of the strict Judge, so blinded in the Scripture itself, that he no longer sees its inward meaning, from seeking thereby for outward applause ; and that, though he could be warm by reuiaining within, he goes forth and becomes frozen, and that he who before, when easily led to the knowledge of God, remained unfrozen at the top, becomes hardened, and sinks to the bottom. Is not Holy Scripture ' heaven,' which opening to us the day of understandmg, illuminates us with the Sun of righteousness, and which, while the night of the present life surrounds us, shines for us with the stars of the commandments. But since there must be heresies, that ihey which are approved may be made i Cor. manifest, when the proud mind is kept back from a sound ' ' understanding of Scripture, frost is generated from heaven by the judgment of the strict Judge ; in order that, when Holy Scripture itself glows in the hearts of the Elect, it may cast forth from itself in a frozen condition, those who proudly seek to know it.

For they err in the very point, in which thev should have corrected their faults; and while they fall away from the heavenly understanding of the resplendent Word, both hardened themselves, and about to deceive others, they sink to the bottom, as ice, and bind others also. But yet the Lord says that He Himself genders this frost, not because He Himself fashions the minds of the wicked to sin, but because He does not liberate them from sin. As it is written; I ivill harden the heart of Pharaoh. For because Exod. 340 Falsa sur/dcc. Jtalu and Ice. la a (jood acuHC. Job 38, ij(j lef'uscd lo softer) il in His mercy, He plainly announced -]y£yY that lie had hardened it in I lis severity. ()]. ]5ut, because the image of virtue is retained for the sake of human ])raise, when the virtue of Divine fear, which has begun, is itself lost, it is rightly subjoined; The watera are hardened after the likeness nf a stone, and the surface of the deep is congealed. For waters are hardened by ice at the surface, but remain fluid underneath. And what do we understand by waters but the unstable hearts of the reprobate.^ For when they are deliberately forsaking virtue, they shew themselves forth, in their hypocrisy, as resolute in good works, and whilst they are inwardly gliding down into sins, they outwardly feign themselves imitators of the holy and resolute.

The waters are hardened after the likeness of a stone, and the surface of the abyss is hound together, because their weak and unstable conscience is concealed from men, by a superinduced appearance of sanctity. For when they are inwardly foul in their own sight, they are arrayed before the eyes of others with a kind of comeliness of living.

But, lest any one should wish these words of the Lord to be understood in a good sense, we ought to add it, for 1 perthose also who thus look for it, provided we are not* conP^'f°sidered to have neelected points which needed to be exas we be .... not.' amined. For it is said in the former verse, Who is the rnodo) f<^ther of rain ^ or who hatli begotten the drops of dew? And it is immediately added. Out of whose womb came the ice? and the frost from heaven who hath gendered it? If therefore the following sentence is connected with the preceding words with a similar sense, its meaning is clearly laid open without any obstacle of difficulty even in a good sense. For when the earth is watered by rain, the seeds which have been cast in are pressed down more productively. But again, if the rain waters it too immoderately, it changes the richness and virtue of the corn in the stalk. But if the seed which has been thrown in, is after rain checked by the frost, the more it is kept from appearing too quickly above ground, the more productively does it root itself beneath: and the more it is forbidden to grow, the more it is compelled to multiply: because, when it is kept from too early a growth. God checks His grofchtg corn ullh who! eso)}ie frost. 347 being expaudecl by the slowness of its conception, it is filled Book more abundantly for fruit.

Wliat is meant then by the Lord ^~- ' first speaking of Himself as the father of the rain, but afterwards saying that the ice comes forth from His womb, and declaring that He genders the frost from heaven? Except tiiat He first waters in a wondrous manner the soil of our hearts for the reception of the seeds of the word, by the secret rain of His grace, and that Ho afterwards keeps it down by the discipline of His secret dispensation, lest it should bring forth too luxuriantly with the virtues it has conceived, in order that the rigor of discipline may likewise bind that which the rain of grace received irrigates, lest it turn its fruit into grass, if it produce its virtues, either before it ought, or more than is necessary. For, frequently, when a good work is displayed before it ought by beginners, it is emptied of the grain of perfection, and while virtues are more exuberant than is necessary, they frequently dry up. Whence the Lord either refuses the desires even of His Elect, before the fit time, or again restrains at the fit time their unlimited progress, lest, if they advance either sooner, or farther, than they ought, they should fall into the defect of pride by the greatness of their proficiency. For when the heart is pricked with compunction after sin, the earth, which had been dry, is watered by the pouring of rain upon it ;

and when it proposes to abandon its iniquities and to follow after good works, it receives, as it were, seed after the rain. And many persons, when they conceive holy desires, are burning to exercise themselves at once in the sublimest virtues, so that sin may not only not infect their doings, but may not even assail their thoughts. They are still indeed living in the body, but they wish to suffer no further from their connexion with the present life. They seek to aim at inward stability of mind in their intention, but are driven back by interrupting temptations, in order, namely, that they may remember their own infirmity, and may not be elated at the virtues which they receive. And when this is effected by the wonderful constraint of discipline, what else but frost is gendered from heaven over the watered earth ? What but ice is produced from the womb of God, when the dispcnsa348 Frost of dijjicaiiy and advcrsUy U8ffful. Job38, tion comes forth IVoni its secret place within, and our wills ~MoRr are restrained even in their ^ood desires ? 08. Let us see with what ice of" discipline Paul (that is, the Rom. 7, watered earth) is weighed down, when he says, To irnll is present with me, but to perform what is fjood I find not. For he who asserts that he has the will, makes known what seeds are even now concealed within him by the pouring of grace upon him.

But whilst he finds not to do good, he certainly points out how much ice of the heavenly dispensation weighs on him. Had not this ice pressed their hearts, Oal. 5, to whom he was saying, So that ye cannot do the thirifjs that ye woidd? As if he were plainly saying, The secret seeds of your heart are now seeking to break forth into fruit, but they are kept down by the ice of the heavenly dispensation, in order that they may afterwards shoot forth more productively, the more patiently they bear the weight of the Divine judgment pressing on them.

And because the hearts of men, since they are unable to break out into those virtues which they desire, are frequently harassed with the stings of temptation, so far as they shrink back from carrying out their intention, but yet repress these same temptations of their thoughts, and fashion themselves, by the habit of discipline in a kind of strictness of living, it is well subjoined; The loaters are hardened after the likeness of a stone. Because, though unstable thoughts harass within, yet they do not at all lead to consent in wicked doings. But the mind conceals, under an habitual custom of good living, as if under a kind of exterior hardness, whatever is softened within by the assault of temptation. Whence it is well subjoined ; And the surface of the deep is congealed. Because, even if an evil thought conies as far as to suggestion, it does not break out into consent, because the superinduced rigour of holy discipline suppresses the fluctuating motions of the mind. Qb. But by ' frost' or ' ice' can also be designated the adversity of this present life, which while it keeps down the holy by its asperity, makes them stronger. For while Almighty God permits us to be exercised with annoyances, and carries us on to the condition of a better life bv the Good men frozen over with cautious self-restraint. 349 intervention of son'ow, He crenders with wonderful wisdom Book .

. . XXIX. the frost and ice over the coming fruit; in order that each 'of the Elect may endure in this present life, as if in winter, the adversities of winds and frosts, and may exhibit afterwards, as in the serenity of summer, the fruits which he has here conceived. Whence it is said by the voice of the Bridegroom to every soul which is hastening after the whirlwind of this life to those joys of eternity, Arise, hasten, My^'^^beloved, My fair one, and come. For the winter has already \o^ n.' jiassed, the shower has departed and gone. But because we are relaxed, if prosperity alone attends us, but are the better strengthened for virtues by means of adversities, it is rightly subjoined, Hie waters are hardened after the likeness of a stone. For minds, which had softly melted away through prosperities, become firm when hard pressed by adversities. And water is brought to the likeness of a stone, whenever any one who is weak imitates the sufferings of his Redeemer by endurance received from above. For water had, in truth, hardened after the fashion of stone, when Paul, that former impatient persecutor, was saying, I Jill up those things ^^^-^^ wJncJi are tvanting of the sufferings of Christ in my flesh. QQ. And because persons, when depressed by adversities, guard more carefully their inward gifts, it is rightly added; And the surface of the deep is congealed.

For joy is wont to lay open the secrets of the mind, and, by laying open, to lose them. But when adversities depress us outwardly, they make us more careful within. After frost then or ice, the surface of the deep is congealed, because our mind is strengthened by adversities, to preserve those dee]) gifts which it has received. For Isaiah had congealed the surface of his abyss, when he was saying ; My secret to myself, my Is. 24, secret to myself. Paul had congealed the surface of his ' marer. abyss, who labouring under so many dangers and adversities, under cover of some one else, speaks of himself, saying; / hare heard secret words, which it is not lawful for a man'^ Cor. to utler. And again. But I forbear, lest any man s]iould\\^'Q[ think of me above that which he seeth in me, or heareth any tiling of me. What then had he done, who, when enduring adversity without, was afraid to open the secrets of ^ -s lieart, lest he should perchance vent himself in praises; 350 Pleiades and Arctiiriis. The Sevenfold Spirit, Jon 38, what, but covered tljc abyss of his inward secrets by a coji- '— gealed surface ? U follows^ Vcr. 3 ) . Will thou be ahle to Join tor/ether the shininr/ stays, the Pleiades, or wilt thou be able to break up the circuit of Arc turns ? xxxi. 07. The stars Pleiades, are so called from TrArVrrroj, that is, ^''^* from plurality.

But they were made so near to each other, and yet so distinct, that they can be near together, and yet cannot possibly be united, since they are united in nearness, but disunited as to contact. But Arcturus so illuminates the seasons of night, as placed in tlje axis of heaven, to turn itself in divers ways, and yet never to set. For it does not revolve out of its orbit, but placed in its own position, it inclines to all quarters of the world, though it will never set. What then is it, that man, who was formed from the earth, and placed upon the earth, is questioned as to the government of heaven, that he cannot join together the Pleiades, which he sees were made close to each other and almost united, and that he cannot break up the circuit of Arcturus, though he can behold it almost dissipated by its own rapidity of motion? Is it not, that considering in those His servants, the power of their Creator, he should remember his own weakness, and consider how beyond our comprehension is He, in the very government of His heavenly ministers. Whom he cannot as yet behold in His own majesty? Myst. 68. But why do we say these things, who are urged by the stimulus of reason, to learn the sense of these words pregnant with mystical meaning? For what else do the shining Pleiades, which are also seven in number, indicate, but all the Saints, who amid the darkness of this present life, illumine us with the light of the Spirit of sevenfold grace, who, from the first beginning of the world, even to its end, sent at divers times to prophesy, are in some degree united, and in some degree separate from each other?

For the stars the Pleiades, as was before said, are united to each other in their contiguity, and disunited as to contact. They are situated indeed together, and yet pour forth separately the rays of their light. In like manner all the Saints appearing at different times for the purpose of preaching, are both Saittts united, yet distinct. 351 disunited in our sijjjht of their person, and united in their nooK intention of mind. They sliine together, because they preach ^, — — * One; but they toucli not each other, because they are divided by dift'erent times.

At what difierent times did Abel, Isaiah, and John appear! They were separated indeed in time, but not in the subject of tlieir preaching. For Abel ottered up a lamb in sacrifice, typifying the passion of our Redeemer; of Whose passion Isaiah says; As a lamb before its shearer Ho ivill ^^is.53,7. dumb, and ivill not open His nioutJi. Of whom John also says; Behold the Lamb of God; behold, Who takeih away John i^ the sins of the ivorld. Behold they were sent at different ' times indeed, and yet agreeing in their thought of the innoceucy of our Redeemer, they spake of the same Lamb, John by pointing to Him, Isaiah by foreseeing, and Abel by offering; and Him, Whom John set forth by pointing to Him, and Isaiah set forth in his words, Abel held, in significalion, in his hands.