Sufferings of the Elect here are transient. 603 though it be ever failnig in, it is ever pursuing, even when Book it has lost the same. It proceeds; Ver. 16. Thou shall also forget thy misery^ and no more remember it, as waters that pass away.
32. The mind feels the ills of the present life the more xvi. severely, in proportion as it neglects to take account of the good that comes after; and as it will not consider the rewards that are in store, it reckons all to be grievous that it undergoes; and hence the blinded imagination murmurs against the stroke of the scourge, and that is taken for an immeasurable woe, which by the days flowing on in their course is daily /being brought to an end. But if a man once raise himself I to things eternal, and fix the eye of the soul upon those,' objects which remain without undergoing change, he sees i that here below all whatsoever runs to an end is almost nothing at all. He is subject to the adversities of the present life, but he bethinks himself that all that passes away is as nought. For the more vigorously he makes his way into the interior joys, he is the less sensible of pains without.
Whence Zophar, not being afraid with boldfaced hardihood to instruct one better than himself, exhorts to righteousness, and shews how little chastening appears in the eyes of the righteous man. As if it were in plain words; ' If thou hast a taste of the joy which remains within, all that gives pain without forthwith becomes light.' Now^ he does well in likening the miseries of the present life to ' waters that pass away,' for passing calamity never overwhelms the mind of the Elect with the force of a shock, yet it does tinge it with the touch of sorrow. For it drops indeed with the bleeding of the wound, though it is not dashed from the certainty of its salvation. But it often happens that not only stripes inflict bruises, but that in the mind of each one of the righteous the temptings of evil spirits come in force, so that he is grieved by the stroke without, and is in some sort chilled within by temptation. Yet grace never forsakes him, which same the more severely it smites us in the dealings of Providence, so much the more does it watch over us in pity; for when it has begun to grow dark through temptation, the inward light kindles itself again. Whence too it is added; 604 Great joy often granted afier dark temptations.
Job 11, Ver. 17. And the noonday splendour shall rise to thee at -^ — - eventide.
Hist.
xvii. 33. For ' the noonday splendour at eventide' is the renewing of virtue in the season of temptation, that the soul should be reinvigorated by the sudden heat of charity, which but now was full of fear, that the light of grace had sunk to it; which Zophar further unfolds with more exactness, when he subjoins, Ver. 18. And when thou thinkest thyself consiuned^ thou shall arise like the morning star.
xviii. 34. For it often comes to pass that so many temptations beset our path, that the very multitude of them almost inclines us to the downfall of desperation. Hence for the most part, when the mind is turned to weariness, it scarce takes account even of the hurts that its virtue sustains, and notwithstanding that it is wholly filled with pain, it is as if it were now dislocated from the sense of pain, and were unable to reckon up with what a tumult of thoughts it is overrun.
It sees itself momentarily on the point of falling headlong, and grief itself withstands it worse, that it should not lay hold of the arms of resistance. Mists encompass the eyes, wherever turned about, and whereas darkness ever obstructs the sight, the sad soul sees nought else than darkness; but with the merciful Judge it often happens that this very sadness, which even weighs down the effect of prayer, intercedes for us the more piercingly. For then our Creator sees the blackness of our sorrow, and pours back again the rays of the light withdrawn, so that the mind being immediately braced up by His gifts becomes full of vigour, which same a little before contending evil propensities kept down under the heel of pride. At once it shakes off the load of torpor, and bursts with the light of contemplation after the darkness of its troubled state. At once that is raised to the joy of advancement, which amidst temptations was well nigh driven by despair to a sorer fall. Without a conflict of the heart it looks down upon present things, without let of misgiving it trusts in the retribution to come. Therefore when the righteous man * thinks himself consumed, he arises like the morning star,' in that so soon as he has begun to be benighted NoWy the Elect are raised up from temporal sorroios. 605 uith the blackness of temptations, he is restored anew to the Book light of grace, and he in himself manifests the day of righte ^-^— ousness, who the moment before, on the point to fall, dreaded the night of guiltiness. Now the life of the righteous is rightly compared to the ' morning star.' For the morningstar, being precursor of the sun, proclaims the day. And what does the innocency of the Saints proclaim to us, saving the brightness of the Judge, That cometh after? For in our admiration of them we see what we are to account of the Majesty of the true Light. We do not yet behold the power of our Redeemer, but we admire His goodness in the characters of His Elect. Therefore in that the life of the good presents to our eyes on the consideration of it the force of Truth, the ' morning star' aiises bright to us heralding the sun.
35. But be it known that all that we have made out, proceeding upon the opposition of spiritual temptations, may without hindrance be interpreted by external ills, for holy men, because they love the things above from the bottom of their heart, encounter hardships in things below; but at the end they find the light of joy, which in the span of this passing life they care not to have. Whence it is said on this occasion by Zophar, And the noondaij splendour shall arise to thee at eventide. For the sinner's light in the da}'-time is dimness at eventide, in that he is buoyed up with good fortune in the present life, but is swallowed up by the darkness of calamit}- at the end; but to the righteous man the noonday splendour ariseth at eventide, in that he knows what exceeding brightness is in store for him when he has already begun to set. Hence it is written; Whoso Jeareth ^cdus. the Lord, it shall go tcell with him at the last. Hence it is ' declared by the Psalmist; When He giveth His beloved sleep, Ps. 127, ^this is the heritage of the Lord. He, while he is still T'^^'^ set in the strife of this present life as well, ' when he ^^^ thinketh himself consumed, ariseth like the morning star;' because whilst falling outwardly he is renewed inwardly. And the more that he encounters crosses without, the more richly he gleams with the hght of his virtues within, as Paul testifies, who saith. Though our 2 Cot. outward man perish, yet the imvard man is renewed day by ' * GOG Present suffering increases future Joy.
Job M,day. For our light affliction which is but for a moment Hist.
worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. And it ought to be observed, that he never says, ' when thou art consumed,' but, ' when thou thinkest thyself consumed,' in that both that which we see is doubtful, and that which we hope for certain. Whence too the same Paul did not know, but thought, that he was consumed, who even when falling headlong into sufferings and tribulations, shone 2 Cor. bright like the morning star, saying, As dying., and^ behold., ' * ' ive live; as sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as j)oor, yet, making many rich. And we should know that the worse plight the mind of the good is reduced to for the love of the truth, the more sure and certain its hope of the rewards of eternity. Whence too it is justly added; Ver. 18. And thou shall have confidence, because hope is set before thee. xix. 36. For hope lifts itself the more firmly rooted in God, in proportion as a man has suffered harder things for His sake, since the joy of the recompensing is never gathered in eternity, which is not first sown here below in religious sor-Ps. 126, rowing. Hence the Psalmist saith, TJiey went forth and wept as they went, bearing precious seed, but they shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing their sheaves 2 Tim. with them. Hence Paul saith. If ue be dead with Him, ice ^i^^'^"^' shall also live with Him; if we suffer, we shall also reign ActsU,'i^il^i Him. Hence he warns his disciples, saying, A?id ^^* that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. Hence the Angel, shewing the glory of the Bev. 7, Saints to John, saith. These are they that came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore because we now sow in tribulation that we may afterwards reap the fruit of joy, the heart is strengthened with the larger measure of confidence in proportion as it is pressed with the heavier weight of affliction for the Truth's sake. Whence it is therefore fitly added, » V. de- Yea, being dug to the bottom ^, thou shall rest secure.
fossus ^^ For just as present security begets toil to the wicked, so present toil begets perpetual security to the good. Hence he already knew that it was his ' to rest secure after he had Rest succeeds deep self -searching, COT been dug to the bottom,' who said, For I am now ready to Book he offered, and the time of mij departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course: I have kept ^ g.g. the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, ivhich the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day. For as he had striven without giving over against transitory ills, doubtless he reckoned without misgiving on enduring joys.
38. Not but that the expression, * been dug to the bottom,' may be understood in another sense also: for oftentimjes being busied with transitory matters, we neglect to consider in what great things we go wrong; but if the eye of reflection being brought in, the pile of earthly thoughts be discharged from the recesses of the heart, what lay hid from sight w^ithin is f< disclosed to view; whence holy men never cease to explore f 1 the secret hiding places of their souls; minutely searching / themselves, they throw off the cares of earthly things, and their thoughts being thoroughly; dug up from the bottom^, when they find that they are not cankered in any wise i effossis by the guilt of sin, they rest secure in themselves as upon the bed of the heart. For they desire to be hid apart fi*om the coiu'ses of this world. They are always thinking on their own concerns, and when they are not at all tied by the harness of government, they decline to pass judgment on what concerns others. Therefore ' having been dug to the bottom they rest secure,' in that whilst with wakeful eye they dive into their inmost recesses, they withdraw themselves from the toilsome burthens of this world under the disengagement of repose. And hence it is yet further added, Ver. 19. Also thou shall lie down, and there shall he none to make thee afraid.
39. Whosoever seeks present glory doubtless dreads con- xxi. tempt. He, who is ever agape after gain, is ever surely in fear of loss. For that object, the receiving of which is medicine to him, the loss thereof is his wounding, and as he is rivetted under fetters to things mutable and destined to perish, so he lies gi'ovelling beneath, far apart from the stronghold of security. But, on the other hand, whoever is rooted in the desire of eternity alone, is neither uplifted by good fortune nor shaken by adverse fortune; whilst he has G08 Worldly desires cause worldly fears. Menpromise lohatthey value.
Job. 11, nought in the world which he desires, there is nought which TT — he dreads from the world. For it is hence that Solomon Hist.
Prov. saith. It shall not grieve the just whatsoever shall happen Pj.'q^ ' unto him. Hence he says again. The righteous as a bold 28, 1. lion shall be without alarm. Therefore it is rightly said here; Also thou shall lie down, and none shall make thee afraid, in that every one the more completely casts away from himself the fear that cometh from the world, the more thoroughly he overcomes in himself the lust of the world. Did not Paul lie Rom. 8, down and rest in heart without fear, when he said, For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to 1 So come, nor strength^, nor height, nor deptli, nor any other ^' creature shall be able to separate us from, the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. The force of which same love is commended by the true voice of the Holy Cant. 8, Church, where it is said in the Song of songs. For love is strong as death. For love is compared to the force of death, in that that soul which it has once taken possession of, it wholly kills to the deli ghtfuln ess of the world, and sets it up the stronger in authority, that it renders it indifferent towards objects of terror. But herein it is to be known, that when bad men deliver right sentiments, it is very hard for them not to let themselves out upon that, which they are going after in secret within. Hence Zophar forthwith adds; Yea, many shall make suit unto thee.
xxii. 40. For the righteous do not keep themselves in the nan'ow paths of innocency with this view, that they may be implored by others, but whether heretics or any that be perverse, all of them, in that they live with an appearance of innocency among men, have the desire to shew themselves as intercessors in behalf of men, and when in talk they convey holy truths, what they themselves are hankering after, they promise to others as something great; and whilst they tell of heavenly things, they soon shew by their pledges what their hearts are bent on. But lest by long continuing to promise earthly things, they may be made appear what they are, they quickly return to words of uprightness. Whence it is immediately added.
The eyes of the iciched fail ivhen their oljects perish. ()09 But the eyes of the wicked shall fail,arid refuge shall perish Book from them.
41. That by the designation of eyes' the energy of the xxiii.
intention is set forth to us, ' Truth' testifies in the Gospel, saying. If thine eye shall he single^ thy whole body shall he^^^^^-^j full of light. Forasmuch as if a pure intention have preceded our action, howsoever it may seem otherwise to men, yet to the eyes of our interior Judge, the body of the deed that follows after is presented pure. Therefore the * eyes' of the wicked are the intentions of carnal desires in them, and these fail for this reason, that they are careless of their eternal interests, and are ever looking for transitory advantages alone. For they aim to get themselves an earthly name, they wish above all things to grow and increase in temporal goods, they are daily advancing with the tide of transient things to the goal of death; but they think not to take account of the things of mortalit}' upon the principles of their mortal nature. The life of the flesh is failing minute by minute, and yet the desire of the flesh is growing; property gotten is snatched off by an instant end, yet the eagerness in getting is not ended the more; but when death withdraws the wicked, then indeed their desires are ended with their life. And the eyes of these fail them through the Avenging of the Most High, for that they would not fail here by their own determination to earthly gratification. These same eyes of such persons the Psalmist had seen closed to their former enjoyment, when he said. In that day all their Fs. 146, thoughts jwrish. For they meet at once with eternal woes ' they had never thought on, and on a sudden lose the temporal goods, they had long while held and dealt with. And for these * all refuge shall perish,' in that their iniquity finds not w^here to hide itself from the visitation of the searching Judge. For now, when the wicked undergo some slight mishaps or evil chances, they find a hiding-place for refuge, in that they forthwith have recourse to the enjoyment of earthly objects of desire. For that poverty torment them not, they beguile the spirit with riches. Or lest the contempt of their neighbours sink them, they exalt themselves with titles. If the body is cloyed with satiety, it is pampered with the variety of viands set before it. If the mind is weighed (310 Carnal men's hojye, good men's abomination.
Job 11, down by any impulse to sadness, it is immediately relieved -=j— ^ — by the bcguilements of spovtiveness being introduced. Here therefore they have as many places of refuge as they make for themselves entertainments of delight; but one time * refuge shall perish from them,' in that their soul, when all these are gone, sees only itself and the Judge. Then the pleasure is withdrawn, but the guilt of pleasure is preserved; and ere long the miserable wretches leani by their perishing that they were perishable things they had possession of Yet these as long as they live in the body never cease to seek after things of a nature to do them harm. Whence it is still further added, And their hope shall be the abomination of the soul. xxiv. 42. What does the sinner hope for here in all his thoughts saving to surpass others in power, to go beyond all men in the abundance of his stores, to bow down his rivals in lording it over them, to display himself as an object of admiration to his followers, to gratify anger at will, to make himself known as kind and gracious when he is commended, whatever the appetite longs for to offer to it, to acquiesce in all that pleasure dictates by the fulfilling of the thing? Well then is their hope said to be ' the abomination of the soul,' for the very same objects which carnal men go after, all spiritual persons abominate, according to the sentence of righteousness. For that which sinners account pleasure, the righteous, surely, hold for pain. Therefore the hope of the wicked is the abomination of the soul, for the spirit is wasted while the body is at ease. For as the flesh is sustained by soft treatment, so is the soul by hard dealing; soothing appliances cherish the first, harsh methods exercise the last. The one is fed with enjoyment, the last thrives on bitterness. And as hardships wound the flesh, so softness kills the spirit, as things laborious kill the one, so things delightful destroy the other. Therefore the hope of carnal men is said to be the abomination of the soul; in that the spirit perishes for ever by the same means whereby the flesh lives pleasantly for a while.
43. Now Zophar would have said this aright, if blessed Job had not proclaimed it all more fully even by living accordingly. But whereas he sets himself to give an holier Conceit of knowledge breeds foolish contempt, 611 man admonition concerning the way of living, and to instruct Book one more skilled than himself with the tutorage of wisdom, he — ^-^ hy his own act makes the weight of his words light, in that by letting in indiscreetness he undoes all that he says; in that he is pouring on the liquid element of knowledge into a full vessel. For the treasures of knowledge are possessed by the indiscreet just as treasures of corporal substance are often in the possession of fools. For some that are sustained by a full measure of earthly goods at times give largely even to those that have, that they may themselves seem to have them in fuller measure than all men. So the v.icked, since they are imbued with truth, speak in some respects right even to those that are more right than they are, not that they may instruct others that hear them, but that they may make it appear with what a lund of instruction they are furnished. For they hold that they excel all men in wisdom, therefore they imagine that there is nothing that they can say to any man beyond the measure of theii greatness.
Thus all the wicked, thus all heretics are not afraid to instmct their betters with a high tone, in that they look upon all as inferior to themselves. But Holy Church recalls every one that is high minded from the height of his selfesteem, and fashions him anew- by the band of discretion in the jointing of equality. Whence blessed Job, who is a member of the same Holy Church, seeing that the mind of his friend was swoln and big in words of instruction whicli he delivered, thereupon answered, saying, Chap. xii. •2. No doubt but ye are the only men, and tcisdom shall die with you.
44. Whosoever reckons himself to excel all men in the xxv. faculty of reason, what else does such a man but exult that he is the ' only Man?' xA.nd it often ha])pens that when the mind is borne on high through pride, it is uplifted in contempt of all men, and in admiration of self. For self-applause springs up in the imagination, and folly is itself its own flatterer for singularity of wisdom. It ponders all that it has heard, and considers the words that it utters; and it admires its own, and scoffs at those of others. He then, who thinks that he only is wise, what else is this but that he believes that that same ' wisdom dies with him?' For what he denies C12 Job''s friends proud of common attainments.
Job 12, to be ^ith others, ascribing to himself alone, he doth, in -rT—~ tiiith, confine within the period of his brief span. But we are to consider what exact discretion the holy man employs, in order that the arrogance of his friends in the fulness of pride might be brought within bounds, in that he adds forthwith, Ver. 3. But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you, xxvi. 45. For who is ignorant how greatly the practice and the knowledge of blessed Job excels the knowledge that his friends have? Now in order to correct their pride, he asserts that he is ' not inferior' to them, and lest he should transgress the limits of his own humility, he keeps to himself that he is superior to them; not by setting himself above, but by equalling himself to them, he points out what they should learn concerning themselves, who are far unlike to him; that whereas that wisdom which is high is voluntarily bowed down, the knowledge which lies grovelling may never erect itself against the nature of its powers, and he does well that he immediately recalls these to a sense of their equal condition, reflecting that they are swoln to excess as if for singularity in greatness, when he afterwards proceeds.
Yea, who knoweth not such things as these that ye know? xxvii. 46. As though he said in plain words; Since what ye say is known to all men, wherefore are ye puffed up by the knowledge contained in your sayings, as of singular merit? Therefore whereas in bringing back the pride of the self-conceited to a common level of equality, he has reproved with a full correction, he now breaks out into statements of instruction; that his friends having been humbled first might learn the weightiness of Truth, and how reverently they should hear it. It proceeds, Ver. 4. He that is mocked of his neighbour as I am, calleth upon God, and He answereth him, xxviii. 47. Oftentimes the frail mind, when it is welcomed by the breath of human regard on the score of good actions, runs out into outward delights, so that it lays aside what it inwardly desires, and willingly lies all loosely in that which it gives ear to without. So that it does not so much delight to become as to be called blessed; and whereas it gapes after Mockery of men drives holy minds to God. 613 the words of applause, it gives over what it had begun to be; Book I and so it is severed from God by the same means by which — ^-^— it appeared to be commendable in God. But sometimes it presses forward in good practice with a constant heart, and yet is pushed hard by the scoffs of men; it does admirable deeds, and gets only abuse; and he that might have been made to go forth without by commendations, being repulsed by insults, returns back again into himself; and stablishes himself the more firmly in God, that he findeth no place without when he may rest in peace: for all his hope is fixed in his Creator. And amidst scoffs and revilings, the interior Witness is alone implored. And his soul in his distress becomes God's neighbour, in proportion as he is a stranger to the favour of man's esteem. He forthwith pours himself out in prayer, and being pressed without, he is refined with a more perfect purity to penetrate into all within. I'herefore it is well said at this time, He that is mocked of his neighbour as I am, will call upon God, and He will hear him. For whilst the wicked reproach the soul of the good, they are shewing them Whom to seek as the Witness of their actions. And while their soul in compunction braces itself in prayer, it is united within itself to the hearing of the Most High, by the same act whereby it is severed from the applause of man without itself But we ought to note how thoughtfully the words are inserted, as I am.
For there be some men whom both the scoffings of their fellow-creatures sink to the ground, and yet they are not such as to be heard bv the ears of God. For when mocking issues against sin, surely no virtuous merit is begotten in that mocking. For the priests of Baal, when they called upon him with clamorous voices, were mocked by Elijah, when he said. Cry aloud; for he is a god, either he is talking, i Kings or he is staying on a Journey. But this mocking was con- ^^' '^'^' ducive to the service of virtue, in that it came by the deserts of sin. So that it is advisedly said now, He that is mocked of his friend, as I am, calleth upon God, and He heareth him. For the mockery of his fellow-creatures makes Him God's neighbour, whom innocency of life keeps a stranger to his fellow -creatures' wickednesses. It proceeds.