Morals on the Book of Job (Moralia in Iob)

.3, any change; as it is said to Moses, / AM THAT I AM. \^' And as James represents Him, saying. With Whom is no 17. vnriahleness, neitJier sliadotv of turning. Now whereas every innn, that apprehends something of the Eternal Being by Tlte Image of The Father. The Spirit Mir/hty and yet gentle. 291 contemplation, beliolds tlie Same tluou'^li His coctcrnal Book ... . . v Image, it is rightly subjoined; An image was he/ore mine eye$.

For the Image of the Father is the Son, as Moses teaches in the case of man at his creation; So God created Gen. i, man in His own image; in the Image of God created He '' him. And as the Wise Man, in the setting forth of Wisdom, saith concerning the same Son, For She is the bright nessViisd. of the everlasting light. And as Paul hath it, f^lio being '^^^' the brightness of His glorg, and the express Image ofUeh. i, His Person. When then His Eternity is perceived as far ' as the caj)ability of our frail nature admits. His Image is set before the eyes of the mind, in that when we really strain towards the Father, as far as we receive Him we see Him by His Image, i.e. by His Son. And by That Image, Which was born of Himself without beginning, we strive in some sort to obtain a glimpse of Him, Who hath neither beginning nor ending. And hence this same Tnith saith in the Gospel, No man cometk to the Father but by Me. And J^^" !**> it is well added, And I heard the voice as it were of a light breath.

For what is signified by ' the voice of a light breath,' but the knowledge of the Holy Spirit, Which proceeding firom the Father, and receiving of that which belongeth to the Son, is gently imparted to the knowledge of our John 16, frail nature? Yet when It came upon the Apostles, It^'*' is demonstrated by an outward sound, like a vehement blast, where it is said. And suddenly there came a sotind ^^^^'2, from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind. For when the Holy Spirit imparts Itself to the knowledge of frail humanity. It is both re|)resented by ' the sound of a rushing mighty wind,' and also by the * voice of a gentle breath,' clearly, in that when It comes. It is both * vehement' and * gentle ;' ' gentle,' in that It tempers the knowledge of Itself to our perceptions, so as to be in some sort brought under our cognizance; * vehement,' in that however It may temper that same, yet by Its coming, It confounds while It illumines the darkness of our frail condition. For It touches us but lightly by Its enlightening inlluence, yet It shakes our emptiness with fearful might. '290. God chiefly knoicn by sliyht intimations. Job 4, 6(3 gQ God's voice is heard as if of ' a light breath,' in that the Divine Being never imparts Himself as He is to those that contemplate Him while still in this life, but to the purblind eyes of our mind He discovers His brightness but scantily.

Which is well represented by the very receiving of the Law itself, when it is said that Moses ascended, and God descended upon the Mount. For ' the Mount' is our very contemplation itself, whereinto we ascend, that we may be elevated to see those things which are beyond our frail nature; but the Lord descends thereupon, in that, when we advance much. He discloses some little concerning Himself to our perceptions, if either ' little' or ' somewhat' can be said to be in Him, Who, being always One and abiding the Same, cannot be understood by parts, and yet is said to be participated by His faithful servants, whereas ^ part' is nowise admissible in His Substance. But because we are unable to express Him with perfect speech, being hindered by the scanty measure of our human nature, as by the impotency of the infant state, we give back an echo of Him in some sort with stammering utterj ance. But that when we are lifted up in high contemplation, it is somewhat refined that w^e attain unto in the knowledge I of the Eternal One, is shewn by the words of Sacred Stor}', when the illustrious Prophet Elijah is instructed in the knowledge of God. For when the Lord promised him that 1 Kmgs He would pass by before him, saying, And, behold, the Lord 12.' passeth by, a great and strong wind rending the mountains, and breaking in pieces the rocks before the Lord;

He thereupon added, But the Lord is not in the tvind: and after the wind a quaking, but the Lord is not in the quaking: and after the quaking a fire, but the Lord is not in the *he fiY^ ; and after the fire, a still small voice. For the wind of a before the Lord overturns the mountains, and shatters the gentle ^ocV^, in that the affright, which rushes in upon us from His coming, both casts down the exaltation of our hearts, and melts their hardness. But the Lord is said not to be in the ' wind of quaking''' and in the fire, but it is not denied that He is ' in the still small voice,' in tliat verily when the '' Commotionis^ (Vulg.) without menOxf. Mss. however read commotioniy tiouofearf.h, need not mean earthquake, tlie •wind^ the quaking^ and x\\^ fire. Elijah on the Mount a tyjje of content phition. '21)3 mind is Imng alolt in the height of eoiitemplatiun, whatever Book it has power to see perleclly and completely is not God, but when it sees something of great fineness, this is the same as that he hears belonging to the incomprehensible substance of the DeityFor we as it were perceive a still small voice^ when by a moment's contemplation we taste with finest sense the savour of incomprehensible trutli. Accordingly then onlv is there truth in what we know concernin": God, when we are made sensible that we cannot know any thing fully concerning Him.

Hence it is well added in that place, And it was so v:hen Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face ill his mantle, and xcent out and stood at the entering in of the cave. After the still small voice, the Prophet covers his face with his mantle, because in that very refined contemplation he learns in what a cloak of ignorance man is shrouded; for to draw the mantle over the face is to veil the mind by the consideration of its own infirmity, that it may never presume to seek things above it, that it never rashly open the eyes of the understanding beyond itself, but close them with a feeling of awe to that which it cannot apprehend. And he, in doing such things, is described to have stood at the entering in of the cave. For what is our cave but this dwelling-j)lace of our corrupt nature, wherein we are still held fast from remaining oldness.? But when we begin to take in something of the knowledge of the Divine Being, we as it were already stand * in the entering in of our cave ;' for whereas we cannot make perfect progress, yet panting after the knowledge of the truth, we already catch something of the breath of liberty. So to ' stand at the entering in of the cave,' is, forcing aside the obstruction of our corrupt nature, to begin to issue forth to the knowledge of the truth.

And hence upon the cloud descending on the Tabernacle, the Israelites seeing it afar off Ex. 33, are related to liave stood at the entering in of their tents, ^* in that they, who in some sort behold the coining of the Deity, as it were already issue forth from the habitation of the flesh. Therefore because with whatt'ver amplitude of virtue the human mind may have enlarged its compass, yet it scarcely knows the very outermost extremes that belong to the interior things, it is rightly said here, And I heard a voice an of a light breath ; but as at the time tliat 294 Marias righteousness unriyhteous before God. Job 4, the knowledge of the Deity shews us after all but little con- '■ — earning Itself, It is perfectly instructing the ignorance of our infirmness; let him that ' heard the voice of a light breath/ declare all that he learnt by that same hearing. It goes on ; Ver. 17. Shall mortal man be 7nore Just than Qod? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker '^ xxxvii 67. Human righteousness compared with the righteousness of God is unrighteousness, for even a candle is seen to shine bright in the dark, but being set in the ray of the sun its light is darkened. What then did Eliphaz learn when he was transported in contemplation, saving that man cannot be justified in comparison with God } For we believe that what we do outwardly is righteous, but when we never at all acquaint ourselves with the things of the interior, we are as it were blind whilst set in the ray of the sun.

But when we, * "°" little as we can, discern the one, it is not a little^ that we que judge the others, m that a man judges the darkness more 2 A.B. exactly, in proportion as the brightness^ of light is more p'^* . truly manifested to him. For he, that seeth light, knoweth ty,' what to account of the darkness, as he, that is ignorant of the whiteness of light, lets pass even dark objects for light ones. And it is rightly added. Shall a man be more pure than his Maker? For whoso murmurs at the stroke, what does he, but charge the justice of the striker.? Thus a man accounts himself more pure than his Maker, if he stirs complaint against the scourge, and without doubt he makes Him give place to himself. Whose judgment he blames in the case of his own affliction. Thus, that man may never dare charge his Judge with offence, let him humbly bethink himself that He is the Author of Nature; for He, That with marvellous skill made man out of nothing, does not pitilessly afflict him that He has made; which Eliphaz then learnt when he ' heard the voice as it were of a light breath.' For by the contemplation of the greatness of God we learn, how humbly we should abase ourselves with fear under His visitation. And he, that hath a taste of things above, bears with resignation all events below, in that he perfectly sees within, whereat he should reckon that which he does without.

For he miscounts himself righteous, who knows not the rule of the Supreme Righteousness. And it Aiigelic nature in itself liable to change, 295 often happens that a piece of wood is counted straight, if it ^00^ be not applied to the rule; but so soon as it is put thereto, '— we discover the degree of distortion wherewith it swells out, in that, truly, the straight line cuts oft' and condemns that, which the cheated eye approved as good. Thus l-^lipliaz, in that he beheld things above, delivered a strict judgment on all below, and though it was not rightly he reproved blessed Job, yet by comparison with the Creator of all things he rightly describes the measure of the creature, saying, Xer. 18, 19. Behold, His servants are not sted/ast, and in His Angels He found folly : Hoic much more i?i them that dwell in houses of clay^ whose foundation is in the dust, which shall be consu?ned as by the inoth / ()8. Though the Angelical nature, by being fixed in conxxxviii lemplation of the Creator, remains unchangeable in its own state, yet hereby, tliat it is a created being, it admits in itself the variableness of change. Now to be changed is to go from one thing into another, and to be without stability in one's self. For every single being tends to some other thing by steps, as many in number as it is subject to motions of change.

And it is only the Incomprehensible Nature, which knows not to be moved from its fixed state, in that It knows not to be changed from this, that It is always the Same. For if the essence of the Angels had been strange to the motion of change, being created well by its Maker, it would never have fallen in the case of reprobate spirits from the tower of its blessed estate. But Almighty God in a marvellous manner framed the nature of the highest spiritual \ existences good, yet at the same time capable of change; that both they, that refused to remain, might meet with ruin, and they, that continued in their own state of creation, might henceforth be stablished therein more worthily in ])ro])ortion as it was owing to their own choice, and become so much the more meritorious in God's sight, as they had staid the motion of their nmtability by the stablishing of the will.* I Whereas then this very Angelical nature too is in itself mutable, which same mutability it has hereby overcome, in that it is bound by the chains of love to Him, Who is ever the Same, it is now rightly said. Behold, His servants are not stedfast. And there is forthwith added a proof of tliis same •296 Human nature has its own moth of corruption. Job 4, mutability, in that it is brought in from the case of the apostate — '■ — ^ spirits, And in His Angeh He found folly.

And from the fall of these He rightly draws the consideration of human frailty, when he appends thereto; Honmuch more in them that dwell in houses if clay, whose foundation is earthly, which shall be consumed as by the moth. For we inhabit houses of clay,in that we subsist in earthly bodies. Which Paul consider2 Cor. ing saith well ; But toe have this treasure in earthen vessels. 5' [' And again, For loe know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made witlt hands. ' The earthly foundation' too is the substance of the flesh ; which the Psalmist had Ps. 139, earnestly contemplated in himself, when he said, My bones are not hid from Thee, which Thou madest in secret, and my substance in the lower parts of the earth. Now the moth springs Irorn the garment, and in its production destroys that very garment, whereupon it is produced. And the flesh is as a kind of garment to the soul, but this same garment has withal its moth, in that from itself there arises carnal temptation, whereby it is rent and torn. For our garment is as it were consumed by a kind of moth of its own, in that the corruptible flesh engendereth temptation, and by this is brought to destruction. Man is consumed as if by a moth, in that he has arising from himself that, whereby he is to be broken in pieces.

As though it were in plain words, ' If those spirits cannot be of themselves unchangeable, which are kept down by no infirmity of the flesh, by what inconceivable temerity do men account themselves to hold on stedfastly in good, who, wherein they have their understanding elevating them on high, have the clog of carnal frailty acting as an impediment to them, so that through the evil of a corrupting tendency they contain a cause in themselves, whence they turn old from the interior newness.?

The holy Doctors may likewise be understood by Mai. 2, ' the Angels,' according as it is said by the Prophet, For the Priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek ' Angeific law at his mouth, for he is the Angel^ of the Lord of hosts. With whatever degree of virtue these may shine, they can never be altogether without sin, so long as they are engaged in the journey of this life, in that their step is God's human Angels not free from folly . *2i)7 doubtless broii":ht into contact either with the mire of unlawful Book practice, or with the dust of the thought of the heart. Now '- — they ' dwell in houses of clay,' who rejoice in this ensnaring life of the flesh. Paul had been brought to contemn the inhabiting this house of clay, when he said. But our to//Phil. 3, versntion is in heaieu. Let him say then, BeJiold, His" servants are not sted'ast, and in His Angels He hath found folly: how much more in them that dwell in houses of clay, nhose foundation is in the dust, which are consumed as by the moth ? As if he had said in plain words, ^ If the pathway of the present life cannot be passed through without defilement by those, who proclaiming the things of eternity, gird themselves up to encounter those of time, what eWls do they undergo, who rejoice to be plunged in the delights of the fleshly habitation ?

* For His servants are not stedfast,' for when the mind strains toward things on high, it is dissipated by the conceits of its own flesh, so that oftentimes whilst the mind pants after the things of the interior, while it looks at heavenly objects alone, smitten by a momentary carnal delight, it lies low severed from itself, and he that felt joy that he had sunnounted the hindrances of his frailty, prostrated by an unexpected wound, is only filled with woe. Pervcrseness then is found even in His Angels, so long as those very men, who proclaim His truth, the surprisals of a deceitful life do at times lie heavy on. So then if even those are smitten by tlie wickedness of this world, whom a holy ])urpose presents erect against the same, with what strokes are not they jnerced, whom nothing less than ' delight in * ipsa their fi-ailty brings to the ground before its darts .^ And th(^se arc well described to be ' consumed,' as it were, * witli a moth.' For a moth does mischief, and makes no sound. So the minds of the wicked, in that they neglect to take account of their own losses, lose their soundness, as it were, without knowing it. For they are losing innocency from the heart, truth liom the lips, contineney from the flesh, aud in the course of time, life Irom the sum of their age.

But they see not one whit that they are unceasingly letting go these same, in that they aic busied with all their heart in temporal concerns. Thus they are * consumed as it were with a moth,' in that they sufler the canker of sin without sound, whilst llu^y 298 Bad men are ever loorhing their own ruin. Job 4, remain ignorant what losses in life and innocency of heart — ^^-^— they are undergoing. Hence it is well added, Ver. 20. They shall be cut off/rom morning to evening. xxxix 70. For the sinner is ' cut off from morning to evening,' in that from the beginning of his life to the end thereof he is ever getting wounded by the commission of sin. For the reprobate by increase in wickedness are at all times redoubling blows upon themselves, cut off by which, they may fall headlong into the pit. And it is well said of them Ps. ,55, by the Psalmist, Bloody and deceit fal men shall not halve their days. For to ' halve our days' is to part off the time of our life misspent in pleasure, for the purpose of penitential mourning, and in parting off to recover the same to a good use. But the wicked never ' halve their days,' in that not even in the end of their time do they change their frowardness of heart. Contrary whereunto Paul rightly exhorts, Eph.

5, saying, Bedeeming the time, because the days are evil. For we ' redeem the time,' when by tears we recover our past life, which by rioting we had lost. It goes on, And because none understandeth, they perish for ever, xl. 71. That is to say, * none' of those, who ' shall be cut off from morning unto evening.' ' None understandeth,' whether of those that perish, or of those who follow the lost ways of Is. 57,1. the perishing. Whence it is elsewhere written. The riyhteous perisheth^andno man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering. Thus, whereas the wicked are set upon temporal things alone, and are unconcerned to learn what blessings are in store for the Elect for everlasting, while they look to the affliction of the just, but never learn what is the recompense of that affliction, they put forth the foot of their conversation into the pit, for they willingly shut their eyes to the light of understanding. For being decoyed by foolish pleasures, whilst for objects, which they see, they entertain an affection, which belongs to time, being meanwhile strangers to themselves, they never see whereunto they are hurrying for all eternity. It is possible too that by the morning may be denoted the prosperous fortune of this world, and by the evening the adverse fortune thereof. So then ' the wicked are cut oif from morning to evening,' in that by running riot through prosSome, brought to under standimj, perish not. 29fi perity they are brou^^lit to ruin, and bcinj^ made impatient Pook by adversity they are lifted u]) to madness. Tliese would — ^uever be cut off from morning to evening, by sin, if they either took prosperity for the salve or adversity for the knife to their sore.

But forasmuch as the assemblage of the human race is never so forsaken, that the whole is let to go to destruction, there be some, that look down upon the enjoyments' of the ])resent life, even when they are present, consider that they are transient, and in the love of the eternal world tread them underfoot. And while they set the step of judgment on this first stage, they mount with invigorated soul to a loftier height, so that they not only contemn all temporal things, for that they must be quickly parted with, but have no desire to attach themselves thereto, even if they might last for ever. And they withdraw their love from the things created in beauty, because they stretch forth by the steps of the heart toward the Father of all Heanty Himself. And there are some that love the good things of the present life, yet never in any wise attain unto them, who pant after temporal blessings with all their hearts' desire, who covet the glory of the world, yet never can make themselves master thereof. For these, so to speak, the heart draws them on to seek the world, the world drives them back to search out the heart. For it often chances that, being bruised by those very adversities which they suffer, they are brought back to reason, and returning back into themselves, they consider how little there is in that, which they were seeking after, and forthwith betake themselves to wee])ing for the foolishness of their desire, and conceive the stronger yearnings lor eternal things, in ])roportion to the folly in which they grieve that they once spent themselves for those of time, llcncc, the wicked having been described, it is well added, Ver.

21. lint Ihey that have been lejt shall be taken auay from am an (J them. 7.3. Whom else do we understand by * tlie left,' but all the xh. despised of this woild .'' whom whilst the present life chooses not for any use of honour, it ' leaves' as being the least and most worthless. But the Ix)rd is said to * take away lliose • Thore is authnrify for tho plural. 300 Christ finds the world's slave, as David the Amalekite's. Job 4, that are left' of the world, in that He condescends to make — choice of the despised of this life, as Paul bears witness, 1 Cor. 1, saying. Not many wise men after thejlesh, not many mighty, 26. 27. ^^qi many nol)le are called : but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty. Which is well represented in the Book of \^^^o Kings by the Egyptian servant fainting in the way, whom the Amalekite abandons taken sick upon the journey, but David finds, refreshes with food, and makes the guide of his route ; he pursues the iVmalekite, finds him feasting, and utterly destroys him. For what does it mean that the Egyptian servant of the Amalekite turns faint upon the journey, but that the lover of this present world, covered with the blackness of his sins, is often abandoned in weakness and contempt by the same world, so that he is no longer able to run therewith, but being broken down by adversity, grows helpless.

But David finds him, in that our Redeemer, Who is in a true sense ' strong of hand,' sometimes turns to the love of Himself those, whom He finds despised as to the glory of the world, in that He refreshes them with the knowledge of the Word. He chose him the guide of his way, in that He makes him even the preacher of Himself. And he, that had no power to follow the Amalekite, becomes the guide of David, in that he, whom the world forsook as worthless, not only when converted entertains the Lord in his affections'^, but by preaching Him brings Him home even to the hearts of others also. And with this same guide David discovers and annihilates the Amalekite as he feasted, in that Christ breaks up the joy of the world by those very men as preachers, whom that world scorned to have for its companions. Therefore because it very often happens that those, whom the world abandons, are chosen of the Lord, it is rightly said in this place, Those, that may have been left, shall be taken from a)nongst tJienf. It proceeds; They shall die, even without wisdom. xlii. 74. How is it that he set forth above the death of the wicked, saying. Because none nnderstandelh they shall perish for ever ; and concerning the Elect of God ihere- <l suas mentes, al. sua mcntc Hidy Writ will resume a subject after interruption.

301 upon subjoined, And they tlmt have heeti left shall be taken Book auat/ from among them ; yet forthwith adds that which '— cannot accord with those Klect ones, saying, They shall die even uifhonf wisdom ? For if they be taken away from among tl)o wioked h\ the hand of God, how are they said ' to die without wisdom ?' Why, doubtless it is tlie fasliion of Holy Writ, in reh\ting any thing, after inserting a sentence that concerns another case, to return straightway to its former subject. Thus after he had said. And because there is none that understand'thy they shall perish for ever ; he immediately brought in the lot of the Elect, saying. But they that have been left shall be taken away from amony them. And again directing the eye of his meaning to that destruction of the wicked, which he had foretold, he suddenly subjoined, tJiey shall die, even nithout n isdom. As if he said, Those of whom I said that * not understanding, they should perish for ever,' will assuredly * die without wisdom." But we shall the better shew that this is at times the way with Holy Writ, if we ])roduce therefrom a similar instance to this. For when Paul the Apostle was counselling his beloved disciple for the settling the offices of the Church, that he might not by chance without due order promote any to Holy Orders, he said, F^ay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of\ Tim.

other mens sins. Keep thyself pure. And forthwith directing ^' '^'^' his words to his bodily infirmities, he says. Drink no longer yer. 23. water, but use a little wine for thy stomach\s sake, and thine often itifirniities. And he immediately subjoins ; Somev^r. 24. men's sifis are open beforehand, going before to judgment, and .some men t/wy follow after. What connection then has that, which he added concerning the sins of different men being hidden and manifest, with this, that he forbad bin) in his weak health to drink water .^ but that after the insertion of a clause concerning his weakness of health he came back again at the end to that, which he had said above, Ijuj hands suddenly on no man^ neither be partaker of oihir fnen\s sins. For in order to shew with what anxious heed these same sins are to be incpiired into, after introducing a cliarge to j)rudence directed against the annoyance of bad liealth, he straightway put in, that in some men they lay exposed to view, in some hidden from sight, saying, Sf^me men's sins are open 302 The ivicked, dying without wisdom^ find not life. Job 5, beforehand going before to Judgment, and some men they — '- — follow after. As then in this sentence Paul does not chime in with these same words, to which, speaking of the weakness of Timotliy's health, he subjoined it, but he has returned to that which he made mention of before after an interruption; so when in this place Eliphaz said concerning the Elect, They that have been left shall be taken from among them, by subjoining thereupon, they die even without wisdom; he forthwith recurs to that, which he delivered concerning the wicked, saying, And because none imderstandeth, they shall perish for ever.

Now it is for this reason that the wicked look down upon the Elect, because they are going toward a life that is invisible through a death that is visible; of whom it is well said in this place, They die even without wisdom. As though it were said in plain words, " They equally indeed eschew death and wisdom; and wisdom they wholly get quit of, but they do not escape the snares of death. And whereas doomed, as they are, to die one day, they might in dying have received life, while they dread the death, which will most surely come, they part both with life and wisdom together." But, on the other hand, the righteous die in wisdom, for that death, which they cannot wholly avoid, when it threatens them for the sake of the ti'uth, they refuse to put off to a later day, and whilst they undergo the same with resignation, they turn the punishment of their race into an instrument of virtue ; that life may be received back from the same quarter, whence, for the deserts of the first sin, it is forced to its end. But because Eliphaz delivered these things with a true meaning against the wicked; in accounting blessed Job to be worthy of blame, he puffed himself up in pride of wisdom. And hence, after declarations so good and righteous, he subjoins words of mocking, and says. Chap. V.

1. Call now, if there be any that will answer thee. xliii. 76. For Almighty God often passes by the prayer of that man in his trouble, who slights His precepts in the season Prov. of rest. Hence it is written. He that turneth away his ear ' " from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination. Now for us ' to call,' is to beseech God with humble prayer; but for God to * answer,' is to vouchsafe an accomplishment Eliphaz right in condemning an angry temper. 303 to our prayers; and so he says, Call now, if anywill answer Book thee. As though he said in plain words, ' However thou 1— mayest cry out in thy distress, thou hast not God answering thee, in that the voice in tribulation findeth not Him, Whom the mind in tranquillity disregarded. Where he adds in yet further derision. And turn thee to some one of the Saints?

As though he said in scorn, ' The Saints too thou xhv. canst never obtain for abettors in thy distress, whom thou wouldest not have for companions in thy mirth. And after this mocking he forthwith adds the sentence, saying, Ver. 2. For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly man.

Which same sentence would have been true, had it not been delivered against the patience of so great a man. But let us weigh well the thing that is said, though it be made to recoil by the virtue of his hearer, that we may shew how right the matter is, which is put forth, if it were not unjustly put forth against blessed Job; since it is written. But Thou, Lord, Judgest with tranquillity. We must above wisd. all things know, that as often as we restrain the turbulent ^^' ^^* motions of the mind under the virtue of mildness, we are essaying to return to the likeness of our Creator. For when the peace of the mind is lashed with Anger, torn and rent, as it were, it is thrown into confusion, so that it is not in harmony with itself, and loses the force of the inward likeness. Let us consider then how great the sin of Anger is, by which, while we part with mildness, the likeness of the image of the Most High is spoilt. By Anger wisdom is parted with, so that we are left wholly in ignorance what to do, and in what order to do it; as it is written. Anger resteth in Ecc. 7, the bosom of a fool; in tliis way, that it withdraws the light of understanding, while by agitating it troubles the mind. By Anger life is lost, even though wisdom seem to be retained;

as it is written. Anger destroyeth even the wise. ForProv. in truth thetnind being in a state of confusion never puts it lx ^ in execution, even if it has power to discern any thing with good judgment. By Anger righteousness is abandoned, as it is written, The wrath of man worketh not the righ-^^m.i, teonsness of God. For whereas the agitated mind works up 304 Anger expels The Spirit, and overpoivers reason. Job 5, to harshness the decision of its reasoning faculty, all that rage suggests, it accounts to be right. By Anger all the Moral. Prov. kindliness of social life is lost, as it is written, Be not the 25' not (companion of an angry man ; lest thou learn his it ays, and V. get a snare to fhy soul. And the same writer. Who can 28 14. dwell ivith^ a man whose spirit is ready to icratJi^? For he 2"°*^^* that does not regulate his feelings by the reason that is proper to man, must needs live alone like a beast. By Prov. Anger, harmony is interrupted ; as it is written, A wrathful not as ^^^ stirrelh up strife, and an angry man diggeth up sins. ^:J*L For ' an angry man diggeth up sins,' since even bad men, whom he rashly provokes to strife, he makes worse than they were. Eph. 4, By Anger the light of truth is lost; as it is written.

Let not the sun go dou'n upon your tvrath. For when wrath brings into the mind the darkness of perturbation, God hides therefrom the ray of the knowledge of Himself. By Anger the brightness of the Holy Spirit is shut out. Contrary whereIs.G6,2.unto, it is written according to the old translation. Upon whom shall My Spirit rest, saving upon him that is hurnhle and peaceful^ and that tremhleth at My ivords ? For when He mentioned the humble man. He forthwith subjoined the word ^ peaceful;' if then Anger steals away peace of mind, it shuts its dwelling place against the Holy Spirit, and the soul being left void by Its departure, is immediately carried into open frenzy, and is scattered away to the very surface from the inmost foundation of the thoughts.

For the heart that is inflamed with the stings of its own Anger beats quick, the body trembles, the tongue stammers, the countenance takes fire, the eyes grow fierce, and they that are well known are not recognised. With the mouth, indeed, he shapes a sound, but the understanding knows nothing what it says. Wherein, then, is he far arrepremoved from brain-struck^ persons, who is not conscious of his own doings } Whence it very often comes to pass that anger springs forth even to the hands, and as reason is gone the further, it lifts itself the bolder. And the mind has no strength to keep itself in, for that it is made over into the power of another. And frenzy employs the limbs without in dealing blows, in proportion as it holds captive \\ ithin the very mind, that is the mistress of the limbs. Bui sometimes titiis Effects of anyer in speech and in silence. 305 it does not put out the hands, but it turns the tongue into Book a dart of cursing. For it implores with entreaty for a '■ — brother's destruction, and demands of God to do that, which the wicked man himself is either afraid or ashamed to do. And it comes to pass that both by wish and words he commits a murder, even when he forbears the hurting of his neighbour with the hands. Sometimes when the mind is disturbed, anger as if in judgment commands silence, and in proportion as it does not vent itself outwardly by the lips, inwardly it burns the worse, so the angry man withholds from converse with his neighbour, and in saying nothing, says how he abhors him.

And sometimes this rigorousness of silence is used in the economy of discipline, yet only if the rule of discretion be diligently retained in the interior. But sometimes whilst the incensed mind foregoes the wonted converse, in the progress of time it is wholly severed from the love of our neighbour, and sharper stings arise to the mind, and occasions too spring up which aggravate her imtation, and the mote in the eye of the angry man is turned into a beam, whilst anger is changed into hatred. It often happens that the anger, which is pent up within the heart from silence, burns the more fiercely, and silently frames clamorous speeches, presents to itself words, by which to have its wrath exasperated, and as if set in judgment on the case, answers in exasperation exceeding cruelly : as Solomon implies in few words, saying. But the expectatio7i qf theVtox. wicked is wrath. And thus it is brought to pass that the ' troubled spirit finds louder riot in its silence, and the flame of pent-up anger preys upon it the more grievously. Hence a certain wise man said well before us ^, The thoughts oj the angry man are a generation qf vipers^ they devour the mind which is their mother.

But we are to know that there be some, whom anger is somewhat prompt in inflaming, but quickly leaves them ; while there are others whom it is slow in exciting, but the longer in retaining possession of. For some, like kindled reeds, while they clamour with their voices, giv^e out something like a crackle at their kindling : those indeed speedily ^ The words ' before us' do not seem ture or Apocrypha. The Ben. Edito .indicate quotation from Holy Scriptors could not find the passage. 306 Divers Characters. Tivo remedies fir anger. Job 5, rise into a flame, but then they forthwith cool down into their ashes; while others, like the heavier and harder kinds of MonAL. wood, are slow in taking fire, but being once kindled, are with difliculty put out ; and as they slowly stir themselves into heat of passion, retain the longer the fire of their rage. Others again, and their conduct is the worst, are both quick in catching the flames of anger, and slow in letting them go ; and others both catch them slowly, and part with them quickly. In which same four sorts, the reader sees clearly that the last rather than the first approaches to the excellence of peace of mind, and in evil the third is worse than the second. But what good does it do to declare how anger usurps possession of the mind, if we neglect to set forth at the same lime, how it should be checked }

For there are two ways whereby anger being broken comes to relax its hold upon the mind. The first method is that the heedful mind, before it begins to do any thing, set before itself all the insults which it is liable to undergo, so that by thinking on the opprobrious treatment of its Redeemer, it may brace itself to meet with contradiction. Which same, on coming, it receives with the greater courage, in proportion as by foresight it armed itself the more heedfully. For he, that is caught by adversity unprovided for it, is as if he were found by his enemy sleeping, and his foe dispatches him the sooner, that he stabs one who offers no resistance. For he, tliat forecasts impending ills in a spirit of earnest heedfulness, as it were watching in ambush awaits the assault of his enemy. And he arrays himself in strength for the victory in the very point wherein he was expected to be caught in entire ignorance. Therefore, before the outset of any action, the mind ought to forecast all contrarieties, and that with anxious heed, that by taking account of these at all times, and being at all times armed against them with the breastplate of patience, it may both in foresight obtain the mastery, whatever may take place, and whatever may not take place, it may account gain. But the second method of preserving mildness is that, when we regard the transgression of others, we have an eye to our own offences, by which we have done wrong in the case of others.

For our own frailty being considered makes excuse for the ills done us Evenjmt anger disturbs the mind. 307 by others. Since that man bears with patience an injury Book that is offered him, who with right feehng remembers that ^perchance there may still be somewhat, in which he himself has need to be borne with. And it is as if fire were extinguished by water, when u]ion rage rising up in the mind each person recalls his own misdoings to his recollection; for he is ashamed not to spare offences, who recollects that he has himself often committed offences, whether against God or against his neighbour, which need to be spared.

But herein w^e must bear in mind with nice discernment that the anger, which hastiness of temper stirs is one thing, and that which zeal gives its character to is another. The first is engendered of evil, the second of good. For if there was no anger originating in virtue. Phinees would never have allayed the fierceness of God's visitation by his sword. Because Eli lacked such anger, he quickened against himself the stirrings of the vengeance of the Most High to an implacable force. For in proportion as he was lukewarm towards the evil practices of those under his charge, the severity of the Eternal Ruler waxed hot against himself. Of this it is said by the Psalmist, Be ye angry, and sin not. Vs. 4,5. Which doubtless they fail to interpret aright, who would ^"^^' only have us angry w^ith ourselves, and not with others likewise, when they sin. For if we are bidden to love our neighbours as ourselves, it follows that we should be as angry with their ening ways as with our own evil practices. Of this it is said by Solomon, Anger^ is better than laughter; Ecc. 7, for by the sadness ofihe countenance the heart is made better, f ' Of this the Psalmist saith again, ^line eye is ^disturbed because Vulg. of anger^. For anger that comes of evil blinds the eye ofay, thus the mind, but anger that comes of zeal disturbs it.

Since ^i'J^ necessarily in whatever degree he is moved by a jealousy forvuig. virtue, the world of contemplation, which cannot be known ^-^^ saving by a heart in tranquillity, is broken up. For zeal for the cause of virtue in itself, in that it fills the mind with disquietude and agitation, presently bedims the eye thereof, so that in its troubled state it can no longer see those objects far up above, which it aforetime clearly beheld in a state of tranquillity. But it is brought back on high with a more penetrating ken by the same means, whereby it is thrown rore^ MonAL 308 Anger may serve, hut must not he let rule. Job 5, back for a while so as to be incapable of seeing. For the same jealousy in behalf of what is right after a short space opens wider the scenes of eternity in a state of tranquillity, which in the mean season it closes from the effects of perturbation. And from the same quarter whence the mind is confounded so as to prevent its seeing, it gains ground, so as to be made clear for seeing in a more genuine way; just as when ointment is applied to the diseased eye, light is wholly withheld, but after a little space it recovers this in truth and reality by the same means, by which it lost the same for its healing. But to perturbation contemplation is never joined, nor is the mind when disturbed enabled to behold that, which even when in a tranquil state it scarcely has power to gaze on; for neither is the sun's ray discerned, when driving clouds cover the face of the heavens; nor does a troubled fountain give back the image of the beholder, which when calm it shews with a proper likeness; for in proportion as the water thereof quivers, it bedims the appearance of a likeness within it.

But when the spirit is stirred by zeal, it is needful to take good heed, that that same anger, which we adopt as an instrument of virtue, never gain dominion over the mind, nor take the lead as mistress, but like a handmaid, prompt to render service, never depart from following in the rear of reason. For it is then lifted up more vigorously against evil, when it does service in subjection to reason; since how much soever our anger may originate in zeal for the right, if from being in excess it has mastered our minds, it thereupon scorns to pay obedience to reason, and spreads itself the more shamelessly, in proportion as it takes the evil of a hot temper for a good quality; whence it is necessary that he who is influenced by zeal for right should above all things look to this, that his anger should never overleap the mind's control, but, in avenging sin, looking to the time and the manner, should check the rising agitation of his mind by regulating it with nicety of skill, should restrain heat of temper, and control his passionate emotions in subjection to the rule of equity, that the punisher of another man may be made more just, in proportion as he has first proved the conqueror of himself; so that he should correct the faults of Anger destroys fools. Envy implies inferiority, 309 transgressors in such a way, that he that corrects should Book himself first make advancement by self-restraint, and pass '— judgment on his own vehemency, in getting above it, lest by being immoderately stined by his very zeal for right, he go far astray from the right.

But as we have said, forasmuch as even a commendable jealousy for virtue troubles the eye of the mind, it is rightly said in this place, For wrath killeth the foolish man; as if it were in plain terms, ' Anger from zeal disturbs the wise, but anger from sin destroys the fool;' for the first is kept in under the control of reason, but the other lords it over the prostrate mind in opposition to reason. And it is well added, , ' • so And envy slayeth the little^ one. Vuig.

For it is impossible for us to envy any but those, whom we think to be better than ourselves in some respect. And so he is ' a little one,' who is slain by jealousy. For he bears witness against his very own self, that he is less than him, by envy of whom he is tormented. It is hence that our crafty foe, in envying of the first man, despoiled him, in that having lost his estate of bliss, he knew himself to be inferior to his immortality. It is hence that Cain was brought down to commit the murder of his brother; in that when his sacrifice was disregarded, he was maddened that he, whose offering God accepted, was preferred to himself; and him, whose being better than himself was his aversion, he cut off, that he might not be at all. Hence, Esau was fired to the persecution of his brother; for, the blessing of the firstborn being lost, which, for that matter, he had himself parted with for a mess of pottage, he bewailed his inferiority to him, whom he surpassed by his birth. Hence his own brethren sold Joseph to Ishmaelites, that were passing by, in that upon the mystery of the revelation being disclosed, they set themselves to resist his advancement, that he might never become superior to themselves. Hence Saul persecutes his servant David by throwing a lance at him, for he dreaded that man growing beyond his own measure, whom he perceived to be daily vvaxing bigger by his great achievements in the virtues.

Thus he is a ^ little one,' who is slain by envy; in that except he himself proved less, he would not grieve for the goodness of another. 310 Envy ruins any virtue that we may have. Job 5, 85. But herein we must bear in mind, that thougli in every — — ^ — evil thing that is done, the venom of our old enemy is infused mto the heart of man, yet m this wickedness, the serpent stirs his whole bowels, and discharges the bane of spite fitted to enter deep into the mind. Of whom also it is Wisd. written, Nevertheless, through envy of the devil came death ' ' into the ivorld. For when the foul sorp of envy corrupts the vanquished heart, the very exterior itself shews, how forcibly the mind is urged by madness. For paleness seizes the complexion, the eyes are weighed clown, the spirit is inflamed, while the limbs are chilled, there is frenzy in the heart, there is gnashing with the teeth, and while the growing hate is buried in the depths of the heart, the pent wound works into the conscience with a blind grief. Nought of its own that is prosperous gives satisfaction, in that a selfinflicted pain wounds the pining spirit, wliich is racked by the prosperity of another: and in proportion as the structure of another's works is reared on high, the foundations of the jealous mind are deeper undermined, that in proportion as others hasten onward to better things, his ov>^n ruin should be the worse ;

by which same downfall even that is brought to the ground, which was believed to have been raised in other doings with perfect workmanship. For when envy has made the mind corrupt, it consumes all that it may have found done aright. Whence it is well said by Solomon, Prov. A sound heart is the life of the JiesJc hut envy the rottenness ' ^^' of the hones. For what is denoted by ' the flesh,' saving weak and tender things? and what by the ' bones,' saving strong deeds.? And it is most common that some with real innoccncy of heart should appear to be vveak in some points of their practice, whilst some now perform deeds of strength before the eyes of men, but yet towards the excellences of others they are inwardly consumed with the plague of envy; and so it is well said, A sound, heart is the life of Hie flesh. In that where inward innoccncy is preserved, even if there be some points weak without, yet they are sometime made strong and fast. And it is rightly added. But envy the rottennes.^ of the bones. For by the bad quality of envy even strong deeds of virtue go for nought before the eyes of God. Since the rotting of the Heavenly desires leave no place fur Envy. 311 bones from envy is the spoiling of the strong things Book even. 1—

But why do we say such things concerning envy, unless we likewise point out in what manner it may be rooted out? For it is a hard thing for one man not to envy another that, which he earnestly desires to obtain ; since whatever we receive that is of time becomes less to each in proportion as there are many to divide it amongst. And for this reason envy wrings the longing mind, because that, which it desires, another man getting either takes away altogether, or curtails in quantity. Let him, then, who longs to be wholly and entirely void of the bane of envy, set his affections on that inheritance, which no number of fellowheirs serves to stint or shorten, which is both one to all and whole to each, which is shewn so much the larger, as the number of those that are vouchsafed it is enlarged for its reception. And so the lessening of envy is the feeling of inward sweetness arising, and the utter death of it is the perfect love of Eternity. For when the mind is withdrawn from the desire of that object, which is divided among a multitude of participators, the love of our neighbour is increased, in proportion as the fear of injury to self from his advancement is lessened. And if the soul be wholly ravished in love of the heavenly land, it is also thoroughly rooted in the love of our neighbour, and that without any mixture of envy.

For whereas it desires no earthly objects, there is nothing to withstand the love it has for its fellow. And what else is this same charity but the eye of the mind, which if it be reached by the dust of earthly love, is forthwith beaten back with injury from its gaze at the inward light? But whereas he is ' a little one,' who loves earthly things, and a great one that longs after the things of eternity, it may be suitably enough rendered in this sense likewise, Atid envy slayeth the foolish ojie; in that no man perishes by the sickness of this plague, except him that is still unhealthy in his desires.

These things then, wliich have been more fully delivered above, I have endeavoured to gather into a small compass after their mystical representation, that by this very repetition it might be recalled to the recollection of my reader, that I minister to the spiritual understanding. And yet, when occasion of usefulness demands, I also busy myself to make out yvTLth minute exactness the letter of the history, but when it is needed I embrace both at the same time, that the allegory may put forth spiritual fruit, which same nevertheless is produced by the historical verity as from the root. Now the friends of blessed Job, who, we have said, bear the likeness of heretics, we by no means condemn for their words throughout; for whereas it is delivered against them by the sentence from above. For ye have not spoken before Job 42, Me the thing that is right ; and it is thereupon added, Like My servant Job ; it is plainly manifest that that is not altogether set at nought, which is only disapproved by comparison with what is better. For they incautiously slip into censure of him, but yet, as they are the friends of so great a man, from familiar intercourse with him they learnt many mystical truths. Whence, as we have also said above, Paul uses their very words, and by taking these in aid of his statement, he testifies that they were delivered from a source of truth.

Which same nevertheless Truth does rightly censure, in that no sentence, however full of force, should be delivered against a holy man. Accordingly the words of Eliphaz may be considered in a mystical sense, whereby he addresses blessed Job, saying. 314 Tke ' Foolish^ here may vican the Jews. Job 5, Ver. 3. I have seen the foolish taking root; but suddenly ■ ' I cursed his ^ beauty. Myst. f ^ , , 1 so V. 3. For the Jewish people shewed itself to be ' foolish, ^^' in that it slightly regarded the very Presence of Eternal Wisdom in the flesh. And it waxed strong, as it were, by taking root, in that it had power over the life of the Elect to the extinction thereof in time. And Eliphaz despises such an one, cursing him, in that all heretics, whom we have said the friends of blessed Job bear a figure of, while they boast themselves in the name of Christ, censure in a way of authority the unbelief of the Jews. Concerning which same foolish one it is forthwith added, Ver. 4. His children are far from safety^ and. they are crushed in the gate, neither shall there be any to deliver them.

They all are ' the children' of this foolish man, who are generated by the preaching of that unbelief, and these * are far from safety,' for though they enjoy the temporal life without trouble, they are stricken the worse with eternal vengeance, as the Lord says concerning these same sons Matt, of such an one, Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypo- ' ' crites, for ye compass sea and laud to make one proselyte, and when he is made ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. It follows, And tliey are crushed in the gate, neither shall there be any to deliver them. Who else is to be understood by the name of gate, but the Mediator John between God and Man, Who saith, / am the door; by Me 10 9. ^ J ' if ciny man enter in, he shall be saved. The sons, then, of this foolish man advance without the gate, and they are ' crushed in the gate,' for the evil offspring of the Jews, before the Mediator's coming, prospered in the observance of the Law, but in the presence of our Redeemer itself they fell away from the service of the Divine Being, proving outcasts by the deserts of their faithlessness. And verily there is none ' to rescue them,' for while they strive by their persecution to kill the Redeemer Himself, they cut themselves off from the proffered means of their rescue.

And it is well added concerning him, Ver. 5. Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, and the armed one shall seize him. iv. 5. Now ' the harvest' of this foolish man was the crop of God^s gifts, when not improved hy us, pass to others. 315 Sacred Writ. For the words of the Prophets are like so Book many grains of the ears, which the foolish man had, but did '— not eat. For the Jewish people indeed held the Law as far as the letter, but, from an infatuated pride, as to the sense thereof, they went hungering. But ^ the hungry eateth the harvest' of this foolish one, in that the Gentile folk eats by taking in the words of the Law, in which the Jewish people toiled and laboured without taking them in. These hungry ones of faith the Lord foresaw, when He had said by the Evangelist, Blessed are they that hunger and thirst afteriAzti.d, righteousness^ for they shall be filled. Of these hungry ones ' Hannah saith prophesying, They that werefidU have hired out i Sam. themselves for bread, and they that were hungry were satis- ' * fied. And as he lost the harvest, it is rightly added how the foolish man himself too perishes, where it is said, And himself shall the armed one seize. The old enemy, being * armed,' seized the Jewish people, for he extinguished in them the life of faith by the darts of deceitful counsel, that in the very point, wherein they imagined themselves to be rooted in God, they might resist His dispensation. And Truth forewarns the Disciples of this, saying. Yea, the time John cometh that whosoever killeth you ivill think thai he doeth ' ' God service. It follows. And the thirsty shall drink his riches.

The riches of this ' foolish' one ' the thirsty drink,' in v. that by the streams of Sacred Writ, which the Jewish people possessed in the display of pride, the converted minds of the Gentiles are watered. And hence it is said to those same persons by the Prophet, Ho, every one that thirsteth, come Isaiah ye to the waters; and he that hath no silver, come ye. For^^' that the divine oracles are denoted by the word ^ silver,' is testified by the Psalmist in these words. The ivords of the Ps. 12, Lord are pure words, as silver tried in the fire. They then ^* that * have no silver,' are bidden to the ' waters,' in that the Gentile world which had never received the precepts of Holy Writ, is satisfied with the outpouring of Divine Revelation, which they now drink of the more eagerly, in proportion as they thirsted for it long time in a state of drought. Thus the very same Divine oracles are called at once ' harvests' and ' riches;' ' harvests,' because they refresh the hun316 Holy Writ supplies both strong meat and easy drink. Job 5, gering soul; ' riches/ because they array us in a rare richness — — -^ — of moral excellences. The same things are said both to Myst. be ' eaten,' and to be * drunk,' for this reason, that whereas there are certain things therein that are obscure, which we understand not without they be interpreted, these same we in a manner swallow eating;

and whereas certain other things indeed, that are easy to be understood, we so take as we find them, these we drink as if unchewed, in that we swallow them unbroken. These things we have rim through in brief mode under their mystical signification, lest perchance we might seem to have passed over any thing; but because they could not be the friends of blessed Job, except in some points they also shone conspicuous for high moral worth, it remains that in their words we examine the force of their import in a moral sense, that, whilst the weight and substance of their speech is made out, it may be shewn what sort of teaching they were masters of. Ver. 3. / have seen the foolish taking root, but suddenly I cursed his beauty. Moral. 7. * The foolish' is as it were made fast in the earth by VI' ' taking root,' in that he is fixed in the love of earth with all his heart's desire. And hence Cain is recorded to have been the first that builded a city in the earth, that it might be plainly shewn, that that same man laid a foundation in the earth, who was turned adrift from the firm hold of our heavenly country. The foolish man as it were lifts himself up by ' taking root,' when he is buoyed up in this world with temporal good fortune, so that he obtains whatsoever he desires, is subject to no crosses, prevails against the weak without meeting with resistance, gainsays those that do well with authority, is ever attaining to better circumstances by means of worse practices, so that from the very cause that he is forsaking the path of life, he lives for the time the happier.

But when the weak see that the wicked flourish, they are alarmed, and being troubled in their own breasts by the prosperity of sinners, they inwardly falter in the mind's footsteps. It was the likeness of these same that the Psalmist took when he Ps. 73, declared, But as for me^ my feet were almost gone^ my steps ^'^' had well nigh slipped; for I was envious at the sinners, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. Worldly glory even note scorned by the wise. 317

But when the strong see their glory, they forthwith fix Book their minds upon the punishment which is to follow after '— that glory, and with deep thought of heart within they contemn that, which swells the proud without with the bigness of empty inflation. It is then well said, / have seen the foolish taking root^ hut suddenly I cursed his beauty. For to ' curse the beauty' of the fool is to condemn his glory by an advised sentence, for he is the more frightfully drowned in tonnents, the higher he is lifted up in sins ; for the being lifted up is transient, but the being punished is perpetual; for he, that meets with honour on his road, will meet with condemnation on his aiTival; and he is as it were coming to a prison through pleasant meadows, who is going on to ruin through this world's prosperity. But it is to be observed, that, when he says that he ' cursed the beauty of the fool,' he directly adds, suddenly; for it is the way with man's weak mind to vary according to the modification of the objects which it beholds. Thus it often happens that his judgment is led by the mere appearance of the object presented, and his bias and feeling are framed according to the thing which is before his eyes. For often persons, while they see the glory of certain individuals, are charmed with the appearances thereof, and account it something great, and heartily wish they might themselves obtain the like;

but when they see the children of glory severally either overthrown of a sudden, or perchance even brought to death, they acknowledge with a sigh that human glory is altogether nought, so as to exclaim at once, ' See what a nothing is man I' Which indeed they would say with more propriety, if when they saw man in possession of glory, then thinking of his destruction, they had felt that transitory power is nought. For it is then that we are to reflect what a nothing human exaltation is, when by its successes it mounts above others; then we ought to reflect with what speed happiness will flee away, when it flourishes, as if for ever, before the eyes of men. For that the glory of a perishable being is nothing in the actual hour of death, any of the weak sort can presently consider. For then even they hold it cheap, who even until death follow after it with affection. So that it is well said, / have seen the foolish taking root, hut suddenly I 318 l^he wicked crushed in the gate of Judgment. Job 5, cursed his beauty. As if he said plainly; * Against the r-r— ^ — beauty of the foolish T admitted no delay in my em'sinff, Moral. -^ . _ . . " . for as soon as I discerned it, I saw along with it the punishment that comes after; for I should not have cursed suddenly, if any delight in that glory had kept hold of me, but I cursed without tardiness, for beholding his punishments which are destined to endure, I condemned his power without hesitating.' But because in every case the more the wicked make way in this world, the greater numbers they drag ial.///6to destruction, it is rightly subjoined.

Let his children be^ s/haiiTef^*' /^'^^^^ safety. For the children of the foolish one are they, that after his copy are brought forth in this world's ambition; who truly are so much the fluther from safety, in proportion as in the practice of iniquity they are stricken by no infirmity. Of these it is well added, Ver. 4. And they shall be crushed in the gate; neither shall there be any to deliver them. vii. 9. For as the entrance of a city is called the ^ gate,' so is the day of Judgment the gate of the Kingdom, since all the Elect go in thereby to the glory of their heavenly country. And hence when Solomon saw this day approaching for the Prov. recompensing of Holy Church, he said. Her husband is ' *■ ■ knOi'cn in the gates, when he sitleth among the elders of the land. For the Redeemer of mankind is the ' husband' of Holy Church, Who shews Himself ^ renowned' in the gates. A.B. Who^ first came to sight in degradation and in mockings, t ie-* but shall appear on high at the entering in of His kingdom: cause ^|-,(j < ^g sitteth among the elders of the land,' for that He shall decree sentence of condemnation together with the holy preachers of that same Church, as Himself declares in Matt, the Gospel, Verily I say unto you. Ye which have followed 19 28 .

' * ' ' ' Me, in the Regeneration , ichen the Son of Man shall sit on the tJirone of His glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Which same Is. 3, Isaiah also foretelling long before uses these words, The Lord tcill enter into judgment with the ancients of His Prov. people. Of these gates Solomon says again. Give her of thv ^^' ^^' fruit of her hands, and her oum works shall praise her in the gates. For Holy Church then receives of ' the fruit of her hands,' when the recompensing of her labours lifts her Spiritual harvest of had men goes to others. 319 up to the entertainment of heavenly blessings, for her * works Book then praise her in the gates,' when the words are spoken to her members in the very entrance to His kingdom ; For Matt. / was an hmtf/red, and ye gave Me meat; 1 teas thirsfi/,'^ ' and ye gave Me drink ; I was a stranger, and ye took Me in ; naked, and ye clothed Me. The children then of this foolish man are lifted up be/ore ' the gate,' but ' in the gate they shall be crushed;' in that the followers of this world cany themselves proudly in the present life, but in the very entrance of the kingdom they are struck with an everlasting visitation. And it is well added, Neither is there any to deliver them.

For * Truth' delivers from eternal woe those whom in temporal weal She straitens by discipline. He, then, that now refuses to be straitened, is left tlien without the means to be ' delivered.' For Him, Whom they care not to have as a Father in training, the wicked in the season of their calamity never find a deliverer in succouring. It proceeds ; Whose harvest the hungry one shall eat up.

Even the foolish man has a ' harvest,' when any wicked man is vouchsafed the gift of a right understanding, is instructed in the sentences of Holy Writ, speaks good words, yet never in any wise does the thing that he says ; gives forth the words of God, yet does not love them; by his praise magnifies them, by his practice tramples on them. Thus because this foolish man both understands and speaks that, which is right, yet does not love this in his doings, while he has a harvest, he goes starving. Which same ' the hungry eateth up,' in that he, who pants after God with holy desires, learns what he hears, and practises what he has learnt. And, whilst he is invigorated by the right preaching of a wrong teacher, what else is this than that he is filled with the produce of the foolish ? Did not ' Truth' charge His ' hungry ones' to eat up the ' harvest' of the foolish, when, they being inflamed by holy desires. He charged them concerning the Pharisees, saying,^// therefore Msitt. whatsoever they bid you observe, observe and do; but do not ' ' ye after their norks. As though He said plainly; * By speaking they rear the harvest of the word, but by evil living they touch it not. Let this harvest then be the reft*eshment 320 Satan lohen armed. Who are the 'thirsty.* Job 5, for your hunger, for it is for you that they reserve it in their _-— :

— own infatuated loathing.' And it is well added, Moral. -xt a i Ver. 5. And the armed man shall seize htm, ix. 11. For our old enemy is conquered as an unarmed man, when, by openly prompting evil things to the mind of man, he aims to destroy all the good together. But he comes ' armed,' when, leaving some good things untouched, he covertly works the ruin of others. For often he does not tempt some people in the understanding, nor oppose them in their meditation on Holy Writ, yet he undoes the life of those in practice, who, while they are praised for the excellence of knowledge, neglect to have regard to the shortcomings of their works, and while the mind is decoyed in the delightfulness of good esteem, no remedy is applied to the wounds of the life ; and thus the ' armed' enemy has swallowed up this man, whom under the cloak of deceit, whilst leaving on one side, he has got the better of on another. It goes on, » so V. And the thirsty shall drink ^ his riches. X. 12. Often the foolish man has a fountain of inward liquid, but he does not drink thereof; in that he is vouchsafed parts to understand, yet he disdains to acquaint himself with the sentences of Holy Writ by the reading of them ; he knows that he has ability to understand by studying, yet he gives over in disdain all study of the lessons of truth.

' The riches' of the mind too are the words of Divine utterance, yet the foolish man regards these riches with his eyes, while he never applies them to the purpose of his own adornment. For on hearing the words of the law he sees indeed that they are great, yet he does not put himself to pains to understand them with any earnestness of love. But, reversely, another man has a thirst, but has not ability; love draws him to meditation, but the dulness of his sense withstands him, and often in the science of the Divine law, he from time to time finds out that by application, which the man of parts remains ignorant of from carelessness. Thus ' the thirsty drink up the riches of this foolish man,' as often as those precepts of God, which the quickwitted know nothing of from disdaining them, the duller sort follow after with warm affection. In these verily the eye of love lights up the Simple minds may rise high through earnestness. 3*21 shades of dulness; for thirst uncloses that to the slower sort, Book which disdain shuts up to the quicker. And they for this ^ ^' reason get to the depths of understancUng, because they do not scorn to practise even the very least things that they have learnt, and while they aid the understanding with the hands, they lift themselves above the level of the clever. Hence it is well said by Solomon, The lizard cUmbeth with Prov.

his hands, and is in kings'" palaces. For commonly ' birds,' ^^' ^^• which have a wing that lifts them up to fly, dwell in the bushes, and the * lizard,' which has no winors for flvinof, ' climbing with hands,' occupies the abode of royalty, in that often any that are quickwitted, while they grow slack from carelessness, continue in bad practices, and the simple folk, which have no wing of ability to stand them in stead, the excellency of their practice bears up to attain to the walls of the eternal kingdom. Whereas then ' the lizard climbeth with his hands,' he ' is in kings' palaces ;' in that the plain man, by earnestness of right practice, reaches that point, whereunto the man of ability never mounts. But having heard this, a question occurs to our mind, wherefore either the gift of understanding is bestowed on a heedless man, or any earnest mind is hindered by its slowness? To which an answer is speedily given, in that it is forthwith added, Ver. 6. ^ There is nothing in the earth without cause. y ^, 13. For on this account it often happens that even a slothful man receives ability, that he may be the more deservedly punished for his carelessness, because he scorns to acquaint himself with that which he might attain to without labour. And on this account the earnest person is straitened with slowness of understanding, that he may obtain so much the larger rewards of compensation, the more he toils in anxiety to find out.

Therefore ' there is nothing in the earth without cause,' since slowness stands the earnest mind in stead for a reward, and to the slothful quickness only thrives for punishment. But for the understanding of those things that be right, we are at one time instructed therein by earnestness of labour, at another time by pains of affliction. Hence after it has been said. There is nothing in the earth without cause, it is fitly added thereupon, Neither doth trouble spring out of the ground. 322 The real cause of trouble is our sin. Jobs, 14. For ' trouble springeth out of the ground,' as it were, —— — when man, being created after the image of God, is scourged ^\\ by things without sense. But because it is by reason of the hidden deserts of men's souls that the open scourges of chastisements are sent forth, it happens at the same time that ' trouble springeth not out of the ground,' since it is the perversity of our sense, which requires that it should be stricken by things that have no sense. For thus we see that for our correction the looked for rain is withheld from the parched earth, and the vaporous air is scorched by the fiery heat of the sun ; the sea rages with bursting tempests, and some embarked to cross its bosom it cuts off, and others are debarred the longed-for passage by the rampant water ;

the earth not only yields sparingly the produce of her fertility, but also destroys the seeds she has received. In all which circumstances we clearly discern that which a wise man Wisd. testifies concerning God, And the world shall fight with ' * Him against the unwise. For * the world fights with the Lord against the unwise,' when even the very contrariety of the elements does service in the chastisement of offenders. Yet neither doth ' trouble spring out of the ground,' for each insensate thing is put in motion to our annoyance, only by the impulse of our own doings. ' Trouble does not spring out of the ground,' for chastisement never a whit springs from that creature that stiikes the blow, but from that one, without doubt, which, by committing sin, drew forth the severity of the stroke. But we must take great and diligent heed, that, when in outward circumstances we are afflicted with a weight of grief, we reach forward in hope to things above ; that the mind may attain the heights above, in proportion as we are chastened by the external punishment. And hence it is justly subjoined, Ver. 7. Man is born to labour, and the bird to flying. xiii. 15. For ' man is born to labour,' in that he, who is furnished with the gilt of reason, bethinks himself that it is wholly impossible for him to pass through this season of his pilgrimage without sorrowing.

Hence when Paul was re1 Thess. counting his woes to his disciples, he justly added. For '^' ^' yourselves know that loe are appointed thereto. But even in that the flesh is afflicted with scourges, the mind is lifted up An earthly life is sore labour. 323 to seek higher things, as Paul again bears witness, saying, Book But though our outward man perish^ yet the inward man is 2 Cor retiewed day by day. So then, ' man is born to labour, and 4, le. a bird to flying,' for the raind flies free on high for the very same reason that the flesh toils the sorer below.

By the designation of *^ man' too, may be represented the life of the carnal sort. And hence Paul savs, For wherei Cor. *' 33 as there is among you envying and strife and divisions, are ' ye not carnal^ Soon after which he subjoins and says, ^rever. 4, ye not men ? In this life, then, ' man is born to labour,' for every carnal person, in seeking to obtain transitory things, is overcharging himself with the burthen of his desires. For it is sore labour to be seeking this same glory of the present life, at times to win it so sought, and to guard it with diligence when won. It is sore labour, with infinite pains to lay hold of that, which he, that shall lay hold, knows can never remain for long. But holy men, forasmuch as they have no fondness for transitoiy objects, are not only laid under no burthen of temporal desires, but even, if crosses on any occasion arise, in these very straits and fain tings are free from trouble. For what is there more severe than scourges? and yet it is written concerning the Apostles when scourged, And they departed from the presence of the council, reActs 5, joicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His Name. WHiat then can be labour to the minds of those, to whom even the chastisement of stripes is not labour ? Man then is * born to labour,' for he really feels the ills of the present state, w^ho is agape after the good things thereof.

For that mind which hangs on the attraction of things above, has beneath it whatsoever is set in motion against it from without. Therefore it is well added, rt//c/ a bird to flying. For the soul withdraws itself from the painfulness of labour, in proportion as it raises itself through hope toward things on high. Was not Paul like a ' bird born to flying,' who in undergoing such countless crosses, said, Our conversation is Phil. 3, in heaven ? And again. We know that if our earthly house 2%^^. of this tabernacle ?rere dissolved, we have a building of God,^^ i. an house not made witJt Jiands, eternal in the heavens. Like a bird, then, he had mounted above the scenes below, whom, while yet lingering on earth in the body, the wing of hope 324 The common works of God really marvellous. Job 5, was already bearing up in the heights. But forasmuch as none by his own strength can transport himself on high, so Moral. ... i i • i • i as to be raised to the invisible world, while he is borne down by visible things, it is immediately added with propriety, Ver. 8. Wherefore I will entreat the Lord, and unto God would I tnake my address. xiv. 17. As though he said in plain words, ' Him I petition, by Whom I know that these things are bestowed.' For if he imagined that he had them by himself, he would not need to make his prayer to God.

It goes on ; Which doeth great things and unsearchable, marvellous things without number. XV. 18. Who may see to the bottom of the marvellous works of Almighty God, how He made all things of nothing, how the very framework of the world is arranged with a marvellous mightiness of power, and the heaven hung above the atmosphere, and the earth balanced above the abyss, how this whole universe consists of things visible and invisible, how He created man, so to say, gathering together in a small compass another world, yet a world of reason; how constituting this world of soul and flesh, He mixed the breath and the clay by an unsearchable disposal of His Might? A part, then, of these things we know, and a part we even are. Yet we omit to admire them, because those things which are full of marvels for an investigation deeper than we can reach, have become cheap from custom in the eyes of men. Hence it comes to pass that, if a dead man is raised to life, all men spring up in astonishment. Yet every day one that had no being is born, and no man wonders, though it is plain to all, v/ithout doubt, that it is a greater thing for that to be created, which was without being, than for that, which had being, to be restored. Because the dry rod of Aaron budded, all men were in astonishment ;

every day a tree is produced from the dry earth, and the virtue residing in dust is turned into wood, and no man wonders. Because five thousand men were filled with five loaves, all men were in astonishment that the food should have multiplied in their teeth ; every day the grains of seed that are sown are multiplied in a fulness of ears, and no man wonders. All men wondered to see water Faith more reasonable than curious questioning. 325 I once turned into wine. Every day the earth's moisture Bdok being drawn into the root of the vine, is turaed by the grape '— into wine, and no man wonders. Full of wonder then are all the things, which men never think to wonder at, because, as we have before said, they are by habit become dull to the consideration of them ; but when he said, which doeth great things, he did well in immediately adding, and unsearchable. For it was but little to do great things, if the things that were done could have been searched to the bottom. And it is rightly added, marvellous things without number. As it would have been but an inferior greatness, if the things, which He created ' unsearchable,' He had made* but few in number. 19. But herein it ought to be impressed upon us, that the Divine miracles should both ever be under our consideration in earnestness of mind, and never sifted in intellectual curiosity.

For it often happens that the thought of man, when, seeking the reason of certain things, it fails to find it out, plunges into a whirlpool of doubt. Hence it comes to pass that some men reflect that the bodies of the dead are reduced to dust, and while they are unable to infer the power of the Resurrection fi'om reasoning, they despair of their being able to be brought back to their former condition. Things that are marvellous then are to be believed on a principle of faith, but not to be pried into by reason. For, if reason set them open before our eyes, they would no longer be marvellous. But when the mind may chance to falter in these, it is needful that such things as it knows by custom, yet does not infer by reason, should be recalled to mind, that by the weight of a similar circumstance one may supply strength to the faith, which one finds to be undermined by one's own shrewdness. For, when the dust of the human flesh is thought on, the mind of some is shaken, and despairs of the time, when dust shall return to flesh, and through the lineaments of the limbs form a body restored to life, when that dryness of earth shall flush into freshness through the living limbs, and fashion itself in distinct parts by the forms and shapes of them. This indeed can never be comprehended a ' fuisset,' Ben.

as from the best Mss. A. B. C. L. M. Some also read ' qui' for but this must be a misprint for ' fecisset,' ' quae.' which we have in several Edd. and Mss. 3'26 The Resury^ection. Gift of Living Water, Job 5, by reason, yet it may be easily believed from example. For — -^ — 'who would imaoine that from a single ffrain of seed a huge Moral. . " . . tree would rise up, unless he had it as a certain fact by experience } In that extreme minuteness of a single grain, and with next to no dissimilarity within itself, where is the hardness of the wood buried, and a pith either tender or hard compared with the wood, the roughness of the bark, the greenness of the root, the savour of the fruits, the sweetness of the scents, the variety of the colours, the softness of the leaves ? Yet because we know this by experience, we do not doubt that all these spring from a single grain of seed. Where then is the difficulty that dust shall return into limbs, when we have every day before our eyes the power of the Creator, Who in a marvellous manner, even from a grain creates wood, and in a still more marvellous manner from the wood creates fruit ? Which doeth great things and unsearcliahle ; marvellous things without number. For the greatness of the Divine works can neither be made out in respect of kind and quality, nor reckoned in respect of quantity.

Hence it is still further added, Ver. 10, 11. WJio givetli rain upon the face of the earth, and sendeth waters upon all things. TVho setteth up on high those that he low; and those which mourn He exalteth with safety. xvi. 20. Forasmuch as we believe that the Mends of blessed ^^^' Job were enlightened by their intercourse with him, we must needs handle these words of Eliphaz in a mystical manner. Thus Almighty God ' gives rain upon the earth,' when He waters the withered hearts of the Gentiles with the grace of heavenly preaching, and He * sendeth waters upon all things,' in that by the fulness of the Spirit He fashions the barrenness of lost man to fruitfulness ; as * Truth' saj's by His own lips. Whosoever drinketli of the water that I shall give him, shall never thirst. But by the title of the universe man is denoted, in that in him there is set forth a tnie likeness and a large participation in common with the universe. For every thing that is either is, yet does not live; or is and lives, yet does not feel; or is and lives and feels, yet neither understands nor discriminates; or is and lives and feels and understands and discriminates. For stones are, Man a little World. Meaning of every creature.'' 327 yet do not live. Trees both are and live, yet do not feel. Book For their verdure is called the life of herbs and of trees, as is declared by Paul concerning seeds, Thou fool!

that which lo^ 36. thou sowest is not quickened except it die. Brute creatures both are and live and feel, yet do not understand. Angels both are and live and feel, and by understanding they exercise discernment. Man, then, in that he has it in common with stones to be, with trees to live, with animals to feel, with angels to discern, is rightly represented by the title of the ' universe,* in whom after some sort the ' universe' itself is contained. And hence ' the Truth' saith to His disciples. Go ye into all the uorld, and preach the Gospel to every creature. That is. He would have every creature to be taken for man only, in whom He created something common with all things.

Though in this place, ' all things' may be understood in another sense also. For the grace of the Holy Spirit in bringing the rich under its iniluence, does not keep back the poor; while it abases the strong, it does not forbid the weak to come to it; while it gathers together the noble, at the same time it lays hold of the base-bom ; while it takes up the wise, it disdains not the foolishness of the unskilful. God, then, ' sendeth waters upon all things,' Who by the gift of the Holy Spirit calleth to the knowledge of Himself from every class of men.

Again it may be that by the designation of * all things,' the mere diversities of characters are set before us. For one is lifted up by pride, another is bent down by the weight of fear, one burns with lust, another pants with avarice, one lets himself sink from listlessness, another is fired with rage. But while, by the teaching of Holy Writ, humility is given to the proud man, confidence bestowed upon the fearful, the lustful cleansed from imparity by devotedness to chastity, the avaricious by moderation cooled from the heat of his covetous desires, the careless liver made erect by the uprightness of an earaest mind, the passionate man restrained from the hastiness of his headlong disposition, God * sendeth water upon all things,' for He adapts the power of His Word in each severally according to the diversity of their characters, that each may find in His revelation that, whereby he may 328 Manna contains all sweetness. The humble exalted, ^oB 5, yield the produce of the virtue that he needs. Hence it is jyj^yg^'said by a wise man of the sweetness of manna, Thou didst Wisd. send them from heaven bread prepared without their labour, ' ' having in itself all deligltt, and (lie sweetness of every taste. For the manna contained in itself all manner of delight and the sweetness of every taste, for this reason, that in the mouth of the spiritual sort it yielded a taste, according to the eater's will, in that the Divine Word, being at the same time suited to all minds, yet never at variance with itself, condescends to the kind and character of its hearers ;

and whereas every elect person understands it with profit according to his own fashion, he as it were turns the manna he received into a taste at v.ill. And forasmuch as after the toils of good practice comes the glory of compensation, it is rightly subjoined after the sending of water, Who setleth up on high those that be lotv, and those which mourn He exalteth with safety. 23. • Those that be low are set on high,' in that they, who are now despised for the love of God, shall then come as judges along with God, as ' Truth' pledges this which we Matt^ have just named to the same humble ones, saying. Ye which ' ' have followed Me, in the Regeneration, when the Son of Man shall sit on the throne of His glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Then ' those that mourn the Lord exalts with safety,' in that they who, being inflamed with desire of Him, flee prosperity, endure crosses, undergo tortures at the hands of persecutors, chasten their own selves with grieving, are then vouchsafed a safety so much the more exalted, as they now from devout affection kill themselves to all the joys of the world. Hence Prov. it is that it is said by Solomon, TJte heart knoweth his own ' * soul's bitterness, and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy.

For the human mind ' knoweth its own soul's bitterness,' when inflamed with aspirations after the eternal land, it learns by wee])ing the sorrowfulness of its pilgrimage. But the ' stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy,' in that he, that is now a stranger to the grief of compunction, is not then a partaker in the joy of consolation. Hence it is that Johnio/ Truth' saith in the Gospel, Verily, verily I say unto you, ^^' that ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice; Love of Eternal things sets men above temporal. 329 and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned Book into joy. And again, And ye therefore now have sorrow, but — I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your 22. joy no man taketh from you. The Lord, then, is said ' to exalt with safety those which mourn,' in that to all, who for His sake are stricken with gi'ief in time, He vouchsafes true salvation for their comfort. But at the same time nothing hinders but that this may be understood of God's Elect even in this life. •24. For those that be ' low are set on high,' in that when they abase themselves in humility, they mount above all sublunary things in the discernment of a lofty mind. And, while they reckon themselves to be worthless in all things, by the discriminating view of a right mind, they surmount and trample upon the glory of this world.

Let us look at lowly Paul. Mark how he says to his disciples. For we preach not 2 Cor. ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your ^' ^* servants for Christ's sake. Let us see this ' humble man set up on high.' He says, K?iow ye not that we shall judge 1 Cor. Angels^ and again. And hath raised us together, and made^^h^ 2 us sit together in heavenly places. Perchance at that moment ^• the chain vvas holding him outwardly fast bound. Yet he had been ' set on high' within, who, by the certainty of his hope, was already sitting in heavenly places. Holy men then are objects of scorn without, and as unworthy persons have every indignity put upon them, yet in sure confidence that they are meet for the heavenly realms, they look with certainty for the glory of the Eternal world. And when they are hard pressed without in the assaults of persecution, they fall back within into the fortified stronghold of their mind; and thence they look down upon all things passing far below them, and amongst them they see passing even themselves as in the body. They dread no threats, for even tortures they so endure as to set them at nought. For it is hence that it is said by Solomon, But (he righteous shall be Prov. bold as a lion. Hence it is written again by the same, The^p' ^' righteous man shall not be grieved by any thing that shall^'^i'^^' happen to him.

For because all the righteous are seated on the lofty height of their purposed mind, whereas in dying they are not sensible of death, it is so in a marvellous 330 The proud and fierce brought down. Job 5, manner, that the missiles of the reprobate at the same time — ^ — ^both strike them, and do not reach them. Those then that are ' low are set up on high,' in that from the veiy circumstance that they despise themselves in all things, they are rendered the more secure against them all.

Contrary to which it is rightly delivered by the Prophet Is. 47, to the lost soul under the likeness of Babylon, Come down 1. . . . . " . and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Bahtjlon, sit on the ground; there is no throne for the daughter of the Chaldeans. For here I think the human mind is called a virgin, not as undefiled, but as unproductive. And forasmuch as Babylon is rendered ' confusion,' the barren soul is rightly named the daughter of Babglon, who, in that she never puts forth good works, whilst she is framed on no method of a right life, is as it were engendered of the parentage of confusion. But if she is called a virgin not as being barren but undefiled, after that she is fallen from the state of saving health, it is only to the increase of her ' confusion' that she is called that which she once was. And it is fitly that the Divine voice, in rebuking her, saith to her. Come down; for the human mind is stationed on high, when it covets the rewards above; but it ' comes down' from this station, when being overcome it yields itself cowardly to decaying worldly desires. And it is immediately subjoined to her with justice, And sit in the dust. For ' coming down she sits in the dust,' in that quitting heavenly scenes, she grovels in the very lowest'', being stained with earthly imaginations.

And here it is yet further added by way of repetition, Sit on the ground. As if in uttering reproaches he said in plain words, ' Because thou refusedst to lift thyself by a heavenly conversation, laid prostrate beneath thyself, be degraded in earthly courses.' And hence it is forthwith added by a necessary consequence. There is no throne for the daughter (f the Chaldeans. For the Chaldeans are translated * fierce.' And they are very fierce, who, pursuing their own wills, refuse to spare even their own lives. J^^arthly desires are ' fierce,' which render the mind hard and insensible not only to the precepts of the Creator, but also to the blows of ^ Ben. ' infinnis/ but this must be, for ' infimis/ the reading of 3 Edd. and as the Translator suggests, a mistake Mss. A. B. C.H. L. M. The loorldly left to self-chosen hand service. 331 stripes. But the * daughter of the fierce ones has no throne,' Book in that the mind that is born to the love of the world by — bad desires, and is by those same desires rendered obdurate, herein that she yields herself to earthly concupiscence, parts with the seat of judgment, and she sits as mistress upon no throne within her, in that she lacks the balance of discernment, and is withheld from the sitting of her judgment, because she ranges abroad among external lusts. For it is clear that that mind, which has lost the seat of counsel within, in a thousand ways dissipates itself without in desires.

And because it shut the eyes to doing what it understands, it is deservedly blinded, so as not even to know what it does; and oftentimes by a deserved visitation it is left in its own will, and is set loose under those verv toilsome services of the world, which it pants after with solicitude. Hence it is fitly added in that place. For thou shalt no more be called tender is. 27, and delicate. Take the millstones, and grind meal. It is ' well known that parents spare their tender daughter, nor charge her with hard and servile employments. So Almighty God as it were calls a daughter tender when He recalls the well-beloved soul of each person from the wearisome services of this world, that, whilst it is charged with external works, it be not hardened to internal desires. But the ' daughter of the Chaldeans' is not called ' soft and tender,' in that the mind, which is abandoned to evil inclinations, is left in this world's travail, the thing which it most anxiously desires. So that like a handmaid she drudges in the service of the world w^ithout, who refuses as a daughter to love God within. Hence she is bidden to ' take the millstone, and grind meal.' A millstone is whirled round in a circle, and the meal is thrown out. Now each separate course of this world's action is a mill, which, while it heaps up a multitude of cares, as it were whirls the minds of men in a circle, and she as it were throws forth the meal from herself, in that, when the heart is turned wrong, she is ever producing infinitely little thoughts.

But it sometimes happens that he, who while at rest is accounted of some worth, on being placed in any scene of action is stripped bare. Hence we have it forthwith subjoined in that place. Uncover thy baseness, make bare the shonlder, uncover the thighs. 332 Madmen take disease for strength. Job 5, pciss over the rivers. For in the execution of a work 2?:Jdi* baseness is uncovered,' in that the base and abject soul is made known in the manifestation of working, whereas before while at rest, it was accounted great. The mind ' makes bare the shoulder,' when it brings to light its practice, which was kept from view. It ' uncovers the thighs,' in that it plainly discovers, by what strides of desire it reaches after the advantages of the world. Furthermore ' it passes over the rivers,' in that it unceasingly pursues the courses of this present life, which are daily running out to their end. And, whilst it gives over one set, and follows after another, it is as it were ever going on from river to river. These things we have delivered by way of discussion in few words, in order to shew where that mind lies grovelling, which has been unseated from the throne of a holy purpose. For if it ever cease to pant after the things which are above it, it plunges even unceasingly below itself. But it is fixed on high, if, abandoning the love of temporal things, it is bound fast to the hope of a changeless eternity.

Lit. 26. It is well said then. Who setieth up on high those that be low. And it is fitly added. And those which mourn He exalteih with safety. Oftentimes in this world even any that be glad of heart are ^ exalted,' whilst they are svvoln by the mere gloriousness of their fortune, but ' those that mourn, the Lord exalts to safety,' in that he raises His sorrowing children to glory by the solid substance of true joy; for they are exalted by safety, and not by madness, who, set fast in good works, rejoice with a sure hope in God. For there are some, as we have said, who both do misdeeds, and yet Prov. 2, do not cease to rejoice. Of whom Solomon saith, Who ^^* rejoice to do evil, and delight in the things that be froicard. Ecc. 8, And acrain. There be wicked men, who are as secure, as though Yu\^. they had the deeds of the righteous. These, truly, are not ' exalted by safety,' but by foolishness, which same are full of pride when they ought to be loaded with sorrow, and for the very reason that these wretched persons let themselves out in exultation, they are wept over by all good men. Verily not unlike to the senses of madmen, they account that insanity, in which they surpass others, to be strength. They know not that it comes from disease, that they are able lo do more The icicked serve God's purpose against their will.

333 than the sane, and they as it were esteem themselves to have Book increased in powers, whilst they are drawing near to the 1end of life by accessions of sickness. These because they have no perception of reason, are wept for, and they laugh, and they expand in an extraordinary exultation of heart, in the very same proportion that from insensibility they are ignorant of the evil they are undergoing. Those then that * mourn' the Lord ' exalts with safety,' in that the mind of the Elect is full of joy, derived, not from the madness of the present life, but from the certain prospect of eternal salvation. Hence it is fitly added immediately afterwards, with respect to this very destruction of the wicked, Ver. 12. He disappointeth the devices of the crafty^ so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise.

The minds of the lost arc ever awake to evil imaginations, but very often the Providence above counteracts them, and though not even when they are crushed with adversities do they amend the wickedness of their counsel, yet that they may never prevail against the good, He puts a check upon their power. And against these it is brought to pass by marvellous retribution, that whilst the effect of their evil doing is lacking to them, still conscience gives them over convicted to the just sentence of the Judge. Whereas then they devise evil things, they shew what they themselves are about; but, whereas they cannot ' perform their enterprize,' they, against whom it was imagined, are protected; and hence is yet further added aright, Ver. 13. He taketh the wise in their own craftiness^ and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong.

For oftentimes, some that are puffed up with human wisdom, when they see that the decrees of God are contrary to their inclinations, set themselves to oppose them with crafty manoeuvres, and that they may bend the power of the dispensation of the Most High to meet their own wishes, they busy themselves in cunning contrivances, they devise schemes of excessive refinement. But they are only executing the will of God by the very way they are labouring to alter it, and whilst they strive to withstand the purpose of the Almighty, they are obeying His behests; for it often happens that that renders good service to His provident 3-34 Joseph's Brethren brought about what they resisted. Job 5, ordering, which on the part of human efforts makes a silly — ^ — ^opposition to Him. Therefore the Lord taketh the wise in their own craftiness^ when the acts of man even then conveniently serve His purposes, when they are opposed to them. Which we shall the better shew, if we bring forward a few instances of actual facts. Joseph's 29^ Joseph had been visited by a dream, how that his thren. brother's sheaves fell down before his sheaf; he had been visited by a dream, how that the sun and moon together with the other stars worshipped him. And because he related these things guilelessly to his brethren, envy and fear of his future dominion over them forthwith smote their breasts ;

and when they saw him coming to them, they said with Gen.37, jjjalice buruinof asrainst him, Behold tins dreamer cometJi. 19. 20. o o ' Come now therefore^ and let us slay him^ and we shall see what good his dreams ivill do him. And fearing to become subject to his dominion, they let down the dreamer into a well, and sell him to Ishmaelites that were passing by. He, then, having been brought into Egypt, subjected to slavery, condemned on the charge of lust, being vouchsafed aid for the merits of his chastity, and set up for his judgment in prophecy, was advanced over the whole of Egypt ; and by the wisdom from on high with prudent foresight he collected stores of corn, and thus met the impending peril of a scarcity. And when the famine poured itself over the earth, Jacob, being distressed for the providing of food, sent his sons into Egypt. They find Joseph, whom they did not know, master of the distribution of corn, and that they might win the favour to have food given them, they were forced to worship the distributor thereof with their necks bent down to the earth. Now then let us consider the course of the transaction, let us consider how the power of God * took the wise in their own very craftiness.' Joseph had for this reason been sold, that he might not be worshipped, yet he was for this reason worshipped, because he was sold;

for they dared to try a thing in craft, that the counsel of God might be changed ; but by resisting they helped on the decree of God, which they strove to get quit of. For they were constrained to execute the will of God by the very act by which they laboured craftily to alter the same. Thus whilst the Divine Saul foiled himself. JonaKs device turned contrary. 335 purpose is shunned, it is fulfilling; thus while human Book wisdom resists, it is ^ caught.' Those brethren feared lest '— Joseph should grow to an height above themselves. But that which was arranged by the Divine disposal, their precautions were the cause and occasion of bringing about. Human wisdom then was * caught' in itself, when in the very way that its purpose was to oppose the wnll of God, it did service toward the completion thereof.

Thus, whereas Saul saw David, his subject, grow up Saul, in a daily advance in valorous achievements, he betrothed his daughter to him in marriage, and demanded that an hundred foreskins of the Philistines should be given by him for her dowry, that when the soldier thus challenged sought to exceed his own measure, being delivered over to the swords of his enemies, he might bring his life to an end; according as it is written. The king requireth not any dowry, i Sam. hut an hundred foreskins of the Philislines^ to be avenged '" of the king\s enemies. But Saul thought to make David fall by the hands of the Philistines. But David, strengthened by the favourable aid of the interior Disposal, engaged himself to give the hundred, and he brought back two hundred foreskins. By the convincing force of which deed Saul being overcome, was * caught' in the purpose of his wisdom by Providence above ; for by the very means that he looked to destroy the life of the rising soldier, he raised to the highest pitch the fame of his merits.

But because the very Elect sometimes strive to be Jonah, sharp-witted in a degree, it is well to bring forward another wise man, and to shew how the craft of mortal men is comprehended in the Inner Counsels. For Jonah desired to be sharp-witted in prudence, when being sent to preach the repentance required of the Ninevites, because he feared that, if the Gentiles were chosen, Juda3a would be forsaken, he refused to discharge the office of that preaching. He sought a ship and settled to fly to Tharsis, but straightway a storm arises, the lot is cast, that it may be found out to whose fault it is owing that the sea is in commotion. Jonah is found in the offence, he is plunged into the deep, devoured by the whale sv>'allowing him, and there he is brought by the beast carrying h^m, where he despised to go of his own accord. 336 The Jews wrought God's pur-pose toward Christ. Job 5, See, the tempest of God finds out the runagate, the lot binds j^j^ him, the sea receives him, the beast encloses him, and because he sets himself against paying obedience to his Maker, he is carried a culprit by his own prison to that place, whither he was sent. When God commanded, man would not administer the prophecy; when God breathed on it, the beast vomits the Prophet. God then ' taketh the wise in their own craftiness,' when He brings back even that to serve the purpose of His will, by which the will of man sets itself in contradiction to Him.

The 32. Let us, yet further, look well into the wisdom of the Hebrews, that wq may see what in its foresight it resisted, what by so resisting it brought about. Surely, when a multitude of believers was gathering together at the miracles of our Redeemer, when the priests of the people, kindled by the torches of envy, declared that all the world were going John 12, after Him, saying, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? Behold, the world is gone after Him; that they might cut away from Him the strength of so great a concourse, they enJohn ii,deavoured to put an end to His power by death, saying, // is expedient that one man die, and not that the whole nation perish. Yet the death of our Redeemer availed to the uniting of His Body, i. e. of the Church, and not to the severing away of it. And hence it is commanded by Lev. 1, the Law, that in representation of our Sacrifice, the throat of ^^* the turtledove or the pigeon should be cut, and not entirely severed, so that even after death the head should cleave to 1 Tim. the body, in that verily the Mediator between God and man, ^' ^' i. e. the Head of all of us, and the Sacrifice of the true cleansing, from the very cause that He underwent death, was more truly joined to us. After the cutting, then, the head of the turtledove adheres to its body, for neither does the death that intervenes sever Christ from His Church.

His persecutors then did that which they laboured after with ])crnicious intent, they brought death upon Him, that so they might cut off from Him the devotedness of the faithful ; but faith only gained growth from thence, whence the cruelty of the faithless looked to extinguish it. And while they reckon that they are cutting off His miracles by persecuting Him, in truth they were forced to extend them without God's Will done by man freely or iimcillingly . 337 knowing it. Therefore the Lord took the wise in their own Book craftiness, when He reduced even that to the service of His pitifulness, in which the fierceness of man raged against Him.

For the Just and Merciful One, as He disposes the deeds of mortals, vouchsafes some things in mercy, and permits other things in anger; and the things which He permits He so bears with, that He turns them to the account of His pm-pose. And hence it isbroughtto pass in a marvellous way, that even that, which is done without the Will of God, is not contrary to the Will of God, For while evil deeds are converted to a good use, the very things that oppose His design, render service to His design. For hence it is said by the Psalmist, 77/6" works of the Lord are great, sought out Ps. ni, unto all His ivills. For His works are so great, that by " ^' every thing that is done by man. His Will is sought out; for it often happens that it is done by the very act, whereby it was thought to be tlu'own aside. Hence again it is said, Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did He in Heaven and in Ps. 135, earth. Hence Solomon saith, Tliere is no wisdom, nor p^^^^ understanding, nor counsel against the Lord. It remains ^l, 30. that, in all that we do, we search out the potency of the Supreme Will, to which same, when we know it, all our conduct ought devoutly to render service, and to follow it as the guide of its course, lest it serve the same even against its will, if it declines it fi'om pride.

For the potency of the Divine purpose cannot be evaded, but he that bridles himself in under His nod, tempers it to himself with great efficacy; and he lightens the weight thereof to himself, who willingly bears it on the bowed shoulder of the heart. But as we have above made mention of His persecutors, let us proceed to shew how the words that are subjoined likewise fit their blindness. It goes on; Ver. 14. Theg shall meet with darkness in the day-time, and grope in the noonday as in the night.

They ' meet with darkness in the day-time,' for in the very presence of Truth, they were blinded by the deceitfulness of unbelief. For we see clearly in the day-time, but in the night the pupil of our eye is dimmed. Therefore whilst the persecutors beheld the miracles of Divine Power, and yet 338 Darkness in the Light. Christ * The Poor Man/ Job 6, doubted of His Divine Nature, they were subjected to — — ^ darkness in the day-time,' for they lost their eyesight in the Proph . 'light. Hence it is that 'Light' Itself admonishes them, John 12, saying, Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come Jer. 15 upon you. It is hence that it is said of Judaea, Her sun is ^' gone down while it was yet day. It is hence that the Prophet again took up in himself the strain of persons in Is. 59, a state of penitence, in these words, We stumble at noonday as in the nighty ive are in dismal places as dead men. Hence Is. 21, aorain He says. Watchman, what of thenight^f Watchman, ' * what of the night ? The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night. For ' the watchman came by night,' in that the Guardian of the human race even shewed Himself manifest in the flesh, and yet Judaea, being close pressed by the darkness of her faithlessness, never knew Him.

Where it is well added in the voice of the watchman. The morning cometh, and also the night. For by His presence hath a new light shone out upon the world, and yet the former darkness remained in the hearts of unbelievers. And it is well said, They shall grope in the noonday as in the night; for we search out by groping that which we do not see with our eyes. Now the Jews had seen His undisguised miracles, and yet they still went on seeking Him, as it were groping Johnio, for Him, when they said, How long dost Thou make us to ^^' doubt? If Thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. See, the light of miracles was before their eyes, yet stumbling in the darkness of their own hearts, they continued to grope in , seeking for Him. And this same blindness of theirs burst out into cruelty, and their cruelty even to the extent of overt acts of persecution. But the Redeemer of mankind could not for long be held by the hands of His persecutors. Hence it is forthwith added; Ver. 15. But He shall save the poor from the sword of their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty. XX. 35. For it is this very Poor Man of whom it is said by 2 Cor. Paul, Though He was rich, yet for our sakes He became poor. ^' ^' And because the Jews in accusing betrayed the Lord, Whom, when so betrayed, the Gentiles put to death, by ' the sword of the mouth' may be signified the tongue of the Hebrews, that '' Perhaps he understands, Quid de node?

' Wherefore by night ?^ His ' needi/ ones' have hope through His Resurrection. 339 were His accusers, of whom the Psalmist saith, Whose teeth Book are spears and arrows^ and their tongue a sharpj sword. For. ' Ps. 57 as the Gospel also witnesses, they cried out, Crucify Him, 4. ' Crucify Him. But by ' the hand of the violent' may be set^g^^gi forth the very Gentile world itself, which crucified Him, Johni9, which in our Redeemer's death fulfilled in act the words of the * Hebrews. God then ' saved this Poor One both from the hand of the violent,' and from ' the sword of the mouth,' in that our Redeemer, in His human Nature, was subjected both to the powers of the Gentiles, and to the tongues of the Jews by dying, but in the power of His Divine Nature He overcame them by rising again. By which same resurrection what else is brought to pass than that our weakness is strengthened to conceive the hope of the life hereafter.? And hence it is well added immediately afterwards, Ver. 16. And so the needy shall have hope.

For when the poor man is rescued, * the needy' is restored to hope, for the lowly people of the faithful is shaken with dismay at our Redeemer dying, but is established firm by His rising again, for the very first poor ones of His people, viz. the chosen Preachers, were smitten by the sight of His death, but restored by the manifesting of His resurrection. When, then, the poor man is saved, ' the needy' recovers hope, for by the Lord rising again in the flesh, every faithful soul is strengthened to have a confident expectation of eternal life. But, now, the Truth has already come in an open manifestation. He has already undergone the death of the flesh, and destroyed the same by rising again, already the glory of the Ascension has ennobled His Resurrection, and yet the tongue of the Hebrews does not yet cease to urge Him with insults; and He indeed suffers them with patience, that by such sufferance He may turn some, and others that refuse to be turned He may one day visit with severer punishment. For the tongue of unbelievers will then be struck dumb from their habit of unbridled speech, when it shall see Him coming as a just Judge, Whom now it has judged unjustly. And hence it is well added. And iniquity shall stop her mouth.

For now iniquity still opens wide her mouth, in that the z 2 340 Envy the darker for light in others. Job 5( tongue of unbelievers never ceases to urge with insults the ^^' ' Redeemer of the human race. But she shall then ' stop her mouth,' when this same, which she will not shut in good will, she shall shut in punishment. Yet this may also be well understood of the conversion of the persecutors. For when * the poor is saved,' whilst ' the needy' returns to hope, iniquity is struck dumb, her mouth being stopped, in that by the miracle of His Resurrection shining out, whilst a full number of unbelievers is brought to the faith, it has ceased from the mocking and abuse of its Redeemer. For its mouth, which it opened in mocking God, it has wow shut in the dread of Him. Moral. 38. It is good to run through these points in a moral sense, putting aside the signification of the Jewish people, and to trace out in what manner they are transacted by wicked men in general. For the minds of the wicked, when they see some things done well by their neighbours, are strained upon the stretched rack of their jealousy, and they undergo the grievous chastisement of their own malice, when with a consuming heart they see good in others. Therefore it is well said, They meet with darkness in the day time.

For when their mind is grieved for the superiority of another, there is an overshadowing from the ray of the light; for oftentimes while they view the unconcealed good qualities in their neighbours, they look closely if there be any evil points lying concealed from sight, and they busy themselves in eager scrutinies, if they may chance to find somewhat with which they may be able to charge them. Sound limbs indeed are all they see, but, with the eyes of the heart closed, they seek Vjy feeling to find a sore. And hence it is rightly subjoined, And grope in the noonday as in the night. The day of good deeds shines outwardly in a neighbour, but they ' grope as it were in the night,' because inwardly they are under the darkness of their jealous feeling. They busy themselves to get to some points which they may censure, they seek out an opening for detraction, but forasmuch as they are unable to find this, they search about in blindness without. Which is well set forth in that occasion, when from the Angels protecting Lot, the inhabitants of Sodom could not find the doorway in his house, as it is written, God saves the Righteous from evil hands and tongues. 34 1 A7id they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came Book near to break the door. But the men put forth their hand, ^^' and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door, t-il^' And they smote the 7nen that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they wearied theuhselves to find the door.

What does it mean that, when the wicked are up in arms against him, Lot is brought back into the house, and defended, but that every righteous mau, while he encounters the assaults of evil ones, is brought back into his interior, and abides undismayed. But the men of Sodom cannot find the door in Lot's house, because the corrupters of souls detect no opening of accusation against the life of the righteous man. For, stricken with bhndness, they as it were go round and round the house, who, under the influence of envy scrutinize words and deeds; but because in the hfe of the just, strong and praiseworthy conduct fronts them every way, groping at random they feel nothing else than the wall. Therefore it is well said, And grope in the noonday as in the night. For while the good, which they see, it is out of their power to impeach, being blinded by wickedness, they search out for impeachment evil which thev see nothinq; of.

And here it is properly subjoined. But he shall save^ex.io. the poor froin the sword of their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty. For the ' poor' is every one that is not set up in his own eyes. And hence ' Truth' saitb in the Gospel, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is Me Matt. 5 kingdom of heaven. Now a person is drawn into sin in two^w^ays. For either he is led on by pleasure, or overcome by fear. For ' the sword of the mouth' is the mischievousness of persuasion, but ' the hand of the mighty' is the opposition of power. But because he that is truly humble, who is here called ' the poor,' as he covets none of the good things of this world, so also undauntedly sets at nought even its adverse fortune, it is well said. But He saveth the poor from the sword of their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty. As if it were put plainly; ' God doth so finnly establish the souls of the humble in Himself, that neither the alluring arts of persuasion can draw them, nor the pains of i)unishment break them in to the practice of sin. For hope rears the 34*2 Mouth of the Wicked stopped. Benefit of correction. Job 6, spirit into the eternal world, and therefore it is not sensible rrz — ^— of any of the ills without, that it falls under.

And hence it Moral. ^ '' ^ ^ ' ver. 16. is Subjoined, So the needy shall have hope. Unto the fruits of which same hope, verily, when the poor man attaineth, every one that is exalted is struck dumb; and hence it is yet further added. And iniquity shall stop her mouth. For the wicked man detracts from the good, and the righteous ways, which he cares not to practise, he never ceases to pull in pieces by slander, but iniquity at that time stoppeth her mouth, when her eyes are opened to see how great is the glory of the recompense provided for righteous souls. For then he is not at liberty to speak against the good, in that torments hold his tongue tied by the deserved retribution of his misdeeds. Hence it is well delivered by Hannah, 1 Sam. speaking in prophecy, He will keep the feet of his Saints, ' * and the toicked shall be silent in darkness. But that every elect soul may escape eternal woe, and the poor mount up to everlasting glory, he must be bruised here below with continual stripes, that he may be found purified in the Judgment. For we are every day borne downwards by the mere weight of our infirmity, but that by the wonderful interposition of our Maker we are relieved by succouring stripes. Hence it is added, Ver. ] 7. Behold, happy is the man whom God correctelh.

xxni. 40. The highest virtue is to avoid sins, that they should never be done, and second to that, at least to amend them when they have been committed. But for the most part we not only never at all avoid sins that threaten, but we do not even open our eyes to them, when committed. And the mind of sinners is enveloped in the deeper darkness, in proportion as it does not see the deficiency of its own blindness. Hence it is very often brought to pass, by the bountifulness of God's gift, that punishment follows upon transgression, and stripes unclose the eyes of the transgressor, which self-security was blinding in the midst of evil ways. For the inactive soul is touched with the rod, so as to be stimulated, in order that he, that has lost, by being self-secure, the firm seat of uprightness, may mark, upon being afflicted, I A.B. where he is laid prostrate; and thus to him^ the very sharp- ' huic' '^^^^^ <jf the correction becomes the source of light; and GocTs chastening not to he called in question. 343 heuce it is said by Paul, But all things that are proved^ Book are made manifest by the light ; for proof of saving health Eph. 5, lies in the force of the pain. Hence it is that Solomon saith^ 13. For healing vAll cause great offences to cease. Hence again ecc. 10, he saith, For whom the Lord loveth He correcteth.