Or who hath been His counsellor 'i^ He, in a part above, turning faint even with the mere search, and yet through faintness advancing to the knowledge of his own weakness, Rom. 9, saith beforehand the words. Nay but 0 man, icho art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to Him that formed it, Why hast Thou made me thus? He, then, that being unable to attain to the secrets of God, returned back to the recognition of his own weakness, and by thus falling short, recalled himself to the instructing of himself, in not finding out the secrets of wisdom, so to say, he did find them out. For when his strength failed him for the investigation of the counsels of the Most High, he learned how to entertain fear with greater humility, and the man whom his own weakness kept back from the interior knowledge, humility did more thoroughly unite thereto. Thus Zophar, who is both instructed by the pursuit of knowledge, and uninstructed by the effrontery of highs woln speech, because he has no weight himself, wishes for a better man that thing which he has, saying, But oh that God would speak with thee, and open His lips unto thee; that He might sheiv thee the secrets of wisdom. And by wishing he also shews off that wisdom wherewith he reckons himself to be equipped above his friend, when he thereupon adds.
And that her law is manifold. What should the * law' of God be here taken to mean, saving charity, whereby we ever read in the inward parts after what manner the precepts of life should be maintained in outward action? For concerning this Law it is delivered by the voice of * Truth,' John 15, This is My commandment, that ye love one another. Conj^Qjjj cerning it Paul says. Love is the fulfilling of the law. Con-13, 10. cerning it he saith again. Bear ye one another'^s burthens, ' ' and so fulfil ye the law of Christ. For what can the Law of Two precepts unfold into manifold virtues. 581 Christ be more fitly understood to mean than charity, which we Book then truly fulfil when we bear the burthens of our brethren — — — from the principle of love?
8. But this same Law is called * manifold;' in that charity, full of eager solicitude, dilates into all deeds of virtue. It sets out indeed with but two precepts, but it reaches out into a countless number. For the beginning of this Law is, the love of God, and the love of our neighbour. But the love of God is distinguished by a triple division. For we are bidden to love our Maker' with all our heart' and ' with all our soul' and ' with all our might.' Wherein we are to take note that when the Sacred Word lays down the precept that God should be loved, it not only tells us with what, but also instructs us with how much, in that it subjoins, ' with all;' so that indeed he that desires to please God perfectly, must leave to himself nothing of himself. And the love of our neighbour is carried down into two precepts, since on the one hand it is said by a certain righteous man. Do that to no man Tob. 4, which thou hatest. And on the other ' Truth' saith by ^* Himself, Therefore all things whatsoever ye icouldthat 7nen^'^^^^-7, should do to you, do ye even so to them. By which two ' precepts of both Testaments, by the one an evil disposition is restrained, and by the other a good disposition charged upon us, that every man not doing the ill which he would not wish to suffer, should cease from the working of injuries, aud again that rendering the good which he desires to be done to him, he exert himself for the service of his neighbour in kindness of heart. But while these same two are thought on with heedful regard, the heart is made to open itself wide in innumerable offices of virtue, lest whether for the admittinc' of things which it ought not, the mind being agitated be heated by passions; or for the setting forth of whatsoever it ought, being undone by indolence, it may be rendered inactive. For when it guards against doing to another what it would noton any account itself undergo at the hands of another it looks about itself on every side with a heedful eye, lest pride lift it up, and while cutting down set up the soul even to contempt of our neighbour; lest coveting mangle the thought of the heart, and while stretching it wide to desire 582 Manifold offices of true Charity toivard men.
Job 11, the things of another, straitly confine it; lest lust pollute the j^j^^'^^ heart, and corrupt it, thus become the slave of its passions, in forbidden courses; lest anger increase, and inflame it even to giving vent to insult; lest envy gnaw it, and lest jealous of the successes of others it consume itself with its own torch; lest loquacity drive on the tongue beyond all bounds of moderation, and draw it out even to the extent of license in slander; lest bad feeling stir up hatred, and set on the lips even to let loose the dart of cursing. Again, when it thinks how it may do to another what it looks for at the hands of another for itself, it considers how it may return good things for evil, and better things for good; how to exhibit towards the impertinent the meekness of longsuffering; how to render the kindness of good will to them that pine with the plague of malice, how to join the contentious with the bands of peace, how to train up the peaceable to the longing desire of true Peace; how to supply necessary things to those that are in need; how to shew to those that be gone astray the path of righteousness; how to soothe the distressed by words and by sympathy; how to quench by rebuke those that burn in the desires of the world; how by reasoning to soften down the threats of the powerful, how to lighten the bands of the oppressed by all the means that he is master of; how to oppose patience to those that offer resistance without; how to set forth to those that are full of pride within a lesson of discipline together with patience; how, with reference to the misdeeds of those under our charge, mildness may temper zeal, so that it never relax from earnestness for the rule of right; how zeal may be so kindled for revenge, that yet by kindling thus it never transgress the bounds of pity; how to stir the unthankful to love by benefits; how to preserve in love all that are thankful by services; how to pass by in silence the misdoings of our neighbour, when he has no power to correct them; how when they may be amended by speaking to dread silence as consent to them; how to submit to what he passes by in silence, yet so that none of the poison of annoyance bury itself in his spirit; how to exhibit the service of good will to the malicious, yet not so as to depart from the claims of righteousness from kindness; how to Manifold examplea of God's Law in His Saints. 583 render all things to his neighbours that he is master of, FofK yet in thus rendering them not to be swelled with pride; in -^-^ the gQod deeds which he sets forth to shrink from the precipice of pride, yet so as not to slacken in the exercise of doing good; so to lavish the things which he possesses as to take thought how great is the bounteousness of his Kewarder, lest in bestowing earthly things he think of his poverty more than need be, and in the offering of the gift a sad look obscure the light of cheerfulness.
9. Therefore the Law of God is rightly called manifold, in this respect, that whereas it is one and the same principle of charity, if it has taken full possession of the mind, it kindles her in manifold ways to innumerable works. The diverseness whereof we shall set forth in brief if we go through and enumerate her excellencies in each of the Saints severally.
Thus she in Abel both presented chosen gifts to God, and without resistance submitted to the brother's sword; Enoch she both taught to live in a spiritual way among men, and even in the body canied him away from men to a life above. Noah she exhibited the only one pleasing to God when all were disregarded, and she exercised him on the building of the ark with application to a long labour, and she preserved him the survivor of the world by the practice of religious works. In Shem and Japhet she humbly felt shame at the father's nakedness, and with a cloak thrown over their shoulders hid that which she looked not on. She, for that she lifted the right hand of Abraham for the death of his son in the yielding of obedience, made him the father of a numberless offspring of the Gentiles. She, because she ever kept the mind of Isaac in purity, when his eyes were now dim with age, opened it wide to see events that should come to pass long after. She constrained Jacob at the same time to bewail from the core of his heart the good child taken from him, and to bear with composure the presence of the wicked ones. She instructed Joseph, when sold by his brethren, both to endure servitude with unbroken freedom of spirit, and not to lord it afterwards over those brethren with a high mind. She, when the people erred, at once prostrated Moses in prayer, even to the beseeching for death, and lifted him up in eagerness of indignant feeling even to the 584 Charity can be severe as well as indulgent.
Job 11, extent of slaying the people; so that he should both offer — — ^ — himself to die in behalf of the perishing multitude, and in Moral. i r i t i • xt-. t the stead or tne Lord m His indignation straightway let loose his rage against them when they sinned. She lifted the arm of Phinees in revenge of the guilty souls, that he should pierce them as they lay with the sword he had seized, and that by being wroth he might appease the wrath of the Lord.
She instructed Jesus the spy, so that he both first vindicated the truth by his word against his false countrymen, and aftervrards asserted it with his sword against foreign enemies. She both rendered Samuel lowly in authority, and kept him unimpaired in his low estate, who, in that he loved the People that persecuted him, became himself a witness to himself that he loved not the height from whence he was thrust down. David before the wicked king she at once urged with humility to take flight, and filled with pitifulness to grant pardon; who at once in fearing fled from his persecutor, as his lord, and yet, when he had the power of smiting him, did not acknowledge him as an enemy. She both uplifted Nathan against the king on his sinning in the authoritativeness of a free rebuke, and, when there was no guilt resting on the king, humbly I3.20 2.pi'0i^trated him in making request. She in Isaiah blushed not for nakedness of the flesh in the work of preaching, and the fleshly covering withdrawn, she penetrated into heavenly mysteries. She, for that she taught Elijah to live spiritually with the earaestness of a fervent soul, carried him off even in the body also to enter into life. She, in that she taught Elisha to love his master with a single affection, filled him with a double portion of his master's spirit. Through her Jeremiah withstood that the people should not go down into Egypt, and yet by cherishing them even when they were disobedient he even himself went down where he forbad the going down. She, in that she first raised Ezekiel from all earthly objects of desire, afterwards suspended him in the air by a lock of his head. She in the case of Daniel, for that she refrained his appetite from the royal dainties, closed for him the very mouths of the hungry lions. She, in the Three Children, for that she quenched the flames ofevilinchnations in them whilst in a condition ofpeace,inthe season of affliction abated the verv flames in the furnace. She in Peter both St. PauTs description of Charity illustrated. 585 stoutly withstood the threats of frowning rulers, and in the Book setting aside of the rite of circumcision, she heard the words '— of inferiors with humility. She, in Paul, both meekly bore the violence of persecutors, and yet in the matter of circumcision boldly rebuked the notion of one by great inequality his superior. * Manifold' then is this Law of God, which undergoing no change accords with the several particulars of events, and being susceptible of no variation yet blends itself with varying occasions.
10. The multiplicity of which same law, Paul rightly counts up, in the words. Charity stiff ereth long, and is ^ Cor. kind; envieth not, vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,Q/' ' doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, rojoiceth not in iniquity, hut rejoiceth in the truth. For charity ' sufFereth long,' in that she bears with composure the ills that are brought upon her. She ' is kind,' in that she renders good for evil with a bounteous hand. She ' envieth not,' in that from her coveting nought in the present life, she thinketh not to envy earthly successes. She ' is not puffed up,' in that whereas she eagerly desires the recompense of the interior reward, she does not lift herself up on the score of exterior good things. She * doth not behave herself unseemly,' in that in proportion as she spreads herself out in the love of God and our neighbour alone, whatever is at variance with the rule of right is unknown to her. She is not covetous, in that as she is wannly busied within with her own concerns, she never at all covets what belongs to others. ' She seeketh not her own,' in that all that she holds here by a transitory tenure, she disregards as though it were another's, in that she knows well that nothing is her own but what shall stay with her.
She * is not easily provoked,' in that even when prompted by wrongs she never stimulates herself to any motions of selfavenging, whilst for her great labours she looks hereafter for greater rewards* She ' thinketh no evil,' in that basing the soul in the love of purity, while she plucks up all hatred by the roots, she cannot harbour in the mind aught that polhites. She ' rejoiceth not in iniquity,' in that as she yearns towards all men with love alone, she does not triumph even in the ruin of those that are against her, but she ' rejoiceth in the 586 Patience the i^esult ofknoioing our ill desert.
Job 10, truth,' in that loving others as herself, by that which she - — '- — beholds right in others she is filled with joy as if for the growth of her own proficiency. ' Manifold,' then, is this ' Law of God,' which by the defence of its instructiveness is proof against the dart of every sin which assaults the soul for its destruction, so that whereas our old enemy besets us with manifold encompassing, she may in many ways rid us of him. Which Law if we consider with heedful attention, we are made to know how greatly we sin each day against our Maker. And if we thoroughly consider our sins, then assuredly we bear afflictions with composure, nor is any one precipitated into impatience by pain, when conscience gives itself up by its own sentence. Hence Zophar, knowing what it was that he said, but not knowing to whom he said it, after he had premised the words. That He would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, and that her Law is manifold, forthwith adds, And that thou mighiest know that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth. vii. 11. For, as we have said, the pain of the stroke is miti-• gated, when the sin is acknowledged; for every one too bears the knife of the leach the more patiently, in proportion as he sees what he cuts to be gangrened. He therefore that comprehends the manifold character of the Law, reflects how much too little all is that he is suffering; for from this, that the weight of the sin is acknow^ledged, the pain of the affliction is made less.
12. But herein we must know that it was not without great iniquity that Zophar reproached the righteous man even to the charging him with iniquity. And thus Truth with justice reproves their boldness, but mercifully restores them to favour; for with the merciful Judge a fault never goes without pardon, when it is done through the heat of zealous feeling in the love of Him. For this oftentimes happens to great and admirable teachers, that in proportion as they arc inflamed with the depth of charity, they exceed the due measure of correction, and that the tongue utters somewhat that it never ought, because love inflames the heart to the degree that it ought. But the word of offered affront is the more readily spared, in proportion as it is con- Tlie stroke meant for sin, misguided, may kill a friend. 587 sidered from what root it comes. Whence the Lord rightly Book commanded by Moses, saymg, As when a man goeth i?ito ~-^ the wood with his neighbour merely to hew tvood, and the 19, 5. 6. wood of the axe fiieth from his hand, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour that he die, he shall flee unto one of these cities and live: lest perchance the kinsman of him whose blood hath been shed pursue the slayer while his heart is hot, and overtake him, and slay him. For we ' go to the wood with a friend,' whensoever we betake ourselves with a neighbour to take a view of our transgressions, and we ' merely hew wood,' when with pious purpose we cut away the evil doings of offenders; but the ' axe fiieth from his hand,' when rebuke carries itself into severity beyond what ought to be, and the ' head slippeth from the helve,' when the speech goes off too hard from the act of correcting, and it * lighteth upon a neighbour, that he die,' in that the offered insult kills its hearer as to the spirit of love. For the mind of the person reproved is instantly hunied into hate, if unmeasured censure condemn it beyond what ought to be. But he that heweth wood carelessly, and kills a neighbour, must take refuge in three cities, that he may live unharmed in one of them, in that if betaking himself to the lamentations of repentance, he be hidden in the unity of the Sacrament under hope faith and charity, he is not held guilty of the manslaughter that has been done; and when the * kinsman of the slain' has found him he slayeth him not, in that, when the strict Judge comes. Who has united Himself to us by fellowship with our own nature. He doubtless never exacts retribution for guilt of sin from him, whom faith hope and charity hide beneath the shelter of His pardoning grace. Quickly then is that sin done away which is not committed of the set aim of malice. And hence, Zophar both calls him iniquitous, whom a sentence from above had extolled, and yet he is not rejected and shut out from pardon, in that he is prompted to words of contumely by zeal in the love of God. Who, for that he does not know the merits of blessed Job, further added in illinstructed mockery, saying, Ver. 7. Canst thou find out the footsteps of Godf Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection.^ 588 God sought here hy the ^footsteps' of His Love.
Job 10, 13. What does he call ' the footsteps of God,' saving the lovingkindness of His visitation? by which same we are Hist.
^jjj^ Stimulated to advance forward to things above, when we are influenced by the inspiration of His Spirit, and being carried without the narrow compass of the flesh, by love we see and own the likeness of our Maker presented to our contemplation that we may follow it. For when the love of the spiritual Land kindles the heart. He as it were gives knowledge of a way to persons that follow it, and a sort of footstep of God as He goes is imprinted upon the heart laid under it, that the waj^ of life may be kept by the same in right goings of the thoughts. For Him, Whom we do not as yet see, it only remains for us to trace out by the footsteps of His love, that at length the mind may find Him, to the reaching the likeness contemplation gives of Him, Whom now as it were, following Him in the rear, it searches out by holy desires. The Psalmist was well skilled to follow these footsteps of Ps.63,8.our Creator, when he said, iliy soul followeth hard after Thee. Whom too he busied himself that he might find even Ps.42,2.to attaining the vision of His loftiness, when he said, 3Iy soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before the face of God? For then Almighty God is found out by clear conception, when the corruption of our mortality being once for all trodden under our feet. He is seen by us that are taken up into heaven in the brightness of His Divine Nature. But at this present time, the grace of the Spirit which is poured into our hearts lifts the soul from carnal aims, and elevates it into a contempt for transitory things, and the mind looks down upon all that it coveted below, and is kindled to objects of desire above, and by the force of her contemplation she is carried out of the flesh, while by the weight of her corruption she is still held fast in the flesh; she strives to obtain sight of the splendour of uncircumscribed Light, and has not power; for the soul, being burthened with infirmity, both never wins admittance, and yet loves when repelled. For our Creator already exhibits concerning Himself something whereby love may be excited, but He withdraws the appearance of His vision from those so loving. Therefore we all go on seeing only His footsteps, in that only in the tokens of His gifts we follow Him, Whom GocTs greatness foils our best attempts at knowledge. 589 as yet we see not. Which same ' footsteps' cannot be com- Book prehended, in that it is all unknown, when, "where, and by what ways the gifts of His Spirit come, as ' Truth' bears record, saying, The wind hloweth where it listeth, and ye John 3, cannot tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth. Now in^' the height of the rewarding the Almighty may be found out in the appearance^ afforded to contemplation, yet He can ^ per never be found out to perfection. For though sooner or^^ ^^™ later we see Him in His brightness, yet we do not perfectly behold His Essence. For the mind whether of Angels or men, whilst it gazes toward the uncircumscribed Light shrinks into little by this alone, viz. that it is a created beinor; and bv its advancement indeed it is made to stretch above its own reach, yet not even when spread wide can it compass the splendours of Him, Who at once in transcending, in supporting, and in filling, encloses all things. Hence it is yet further added, Ver. 8, 9. He is higher than heaven, what canst thou do? Deeper than hell, what canst thou know? His measure is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.
14. In that God is set forth as ' higher than heaven,' ix. ' deeper than hell,' * longer than the earth,' and ' broader than the sea,' this must be understood in a spiritual sense, inasmuch as it is impious to conceive any thing concerning Him after the proportions of body. Now He is * higher than heaven,' in that He transcends all things by the IncomprehensibiUty of His spiritual Nature. He is ' deeper than hell,' in that in transcending He sustains beneath. He is ' longer than the earth,' in that He exceeds the measure of created being by the everlasting continuance of His Eternity. He is ' broader than the sea,' in that He so possesses the waves of temporal things in ruling them, that in confining He encompasses them beneath the every way prevailing presence of His Power. Though it is possible that by the designation of ' Heaven' the Angels may be denoted, and by the term ' hell,' the demons, while by the ' earth' the righteous, and by the ' sea' sinners are understood. Thus He is ' higher than the heaven,' in that the very Elect Spirits themselves do not perfectly penetrate the vision of His infinite loftiness? He is ' deeper than hell,' in that He judges and condemns the 590 God transcends the spiritual as the natural ivorld. Job 10, craft of evil spirits with far more searching exactness than they had ever thought. He is ' longer than the earth,' in Lit.
that He surpasses our long-suffering by the patience of Divine long-suffering, which both bears with us in our sins, and welcomes us when we are turned from them to the rewards of His recompensing. He is ' wider than the sea,' in that He every where enters into the doings of sinners by the presence of His retributive power, so that even when He is not seen present by His appearance, He is felt present by His judgment.
Moral. 15. Yet all the particulars may be refen-ed to man alone, so that he is himself ' heaven,' when now in desire he is attached to things above; himself * hell,' when he lies grovelling in things below, confounded by the mists of his temptations; himself ' earth,' in that he is made to abound in good works through the fertility of a stedfast hope; himself ' the sea,' for that on some occasions he is shaken with alarm, and agitated by the breath of his feebleness. But God is ^ higher than heaven,' in that we are subdued by the mightiness of His power, even when we are lifted above our own selves. He is ' deeper than hell,' in that He goes deeper in judging than the very human mind looks into its own self in the midst of temptations. He is ' longer than the earth, in that those fruits of our life which He gives at the end, our veiy hope at the present time comprehends not at all. He is ' wider than the sea,' in that the human mind being tossed to and fro throws out many fancies concerning the things that are coming, but when it now begins to see the things that it had made estimate of, it owns itself to have been too stinted in its reckoning. Therefore He is made * higher than heaven,' since our contemplation itself fails towar^ Him. Hence the Psalmist too had set his heart on high, yet he Pa. 139, felt that he had not yet reached unto Him, saying, 77*?/ ^' knowledge is too wonderful for me, it is mighty, I cannot attain unto it. He knew One deeper than hell, who when sifting his own heart, yet dreading His more searching 1 Cor. judgment, said. For I know nothing by myself yet am I tiot ' * hereby justified: but He that judgelh me is the Lord. He saw One ' longer than the earth,' when he was brought to reflect that the wishes of man's heart were too little for him, God's greatness how discerned. His mysterious judgments. 591 saying, Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abun- Book danthj above all that we ask or think. He had beheld One ^'