()8. Though the Angelical nature, by being fixed in con- xxxviii 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; Hon- much 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 consider- 2 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.?
69. 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 ' Ange- ific 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 T V.
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 pros- Some, 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.
72. 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.
75. 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?
77. 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.
78. Which same sentence would have been true, had it xlv. 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 where-Is.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.
79. 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 arrep- removed 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.
80. 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 Scrip- tors could not find the passage.
X 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 } 81. 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.