of many shall ua.v cold. And there are some who while they shun the cold of their wickednesses come to true faith or to the wearing of sanctity, but because they presume on their own faculties for perceiving more than should be, oftentimes in the faith which they receive they are minded to pry curiously into the things that they do not take in, so as to be held fast in God rather by reason than by faith. But because the mind of man has not power to dive into the mysteries of God, all that they cannot get to the bottom of by reason, they care not to believe, and by overmuch investigation they fall into error. So these, when they did not as yet believe, or were still busied for works of wickedness, were ' snow waters;' but when abandoning carnal deeds, in the faith to which they have been brought they aim to dive deeper than they have capacity for, they are hot beyond w-hat they ought to be. And so touching this wicked kind of person the sentence of one prophesying only and not wishing the thing is t2 27 i) Sin unrrpcnicd here is carried on to Hell.
Job 24, rightly delivered. Let him pass to overmuch heat from the — — '— snow waters. As if it were said in plain speech; ' he that is not restrained in humility under the fetters of self-discipline, from his unbelief, or from the coldness of bad practice, through immoderate wisdom falls into error. Whence too the great Preacher getting quit of this excessive heat of too refined wisdom from the hearts of his disciples saith well, Rom. ^gf f^ j^Q ^i^^ of himself ahove that he ought to he wise; hut to he wise unto sobriety. Lest perchance excessive heat might destroy those, of whom 'snow waters,' i.e. unbelief, or the fruits of deadened actions, held possession in the way to die. And because it is very difficult for him who accounts himself wise to bring down his mind to humility and believe those that preach right things, and reject the view of his own wrong thought, it is rightly said; Ver. 19. And his sin even to helL Ixviii. 82. For sin is ' brought even to hell,' which before the end of the present life is not by chastening reformed unto 1 John repentance. Of which same sin it is said by John, There '^' ' is a sin unto death, I do not say that he shall pray for it. For ' a sin unto death' is a sin even until death in this way, that the pardon of that sin is sought in vain which is not corrected here. Concerning which same it is yet further subjoined; Ver. 20. Let mercy forget him.
Almighty God's mercy is said to ' forget him,' who has forgotten Almighty God's justice, in that whoever does not fear Him now as just, can never find him merciful afterward. Which same sentence is not only held out against him, who abandons the preachings of true faith, but against hira likewise, who being in the right faith lives a carnal life, in that the vengeance of eternal condemnation is not got quit of, whether sin lie in faith or practice. For though the kind of condemnation be unequal, yet guilt which is not wiped away by repentance, there is no means supplied for the absolving thereof. It goes on; Tlie worm is his sweetness. Ixix. 83. Whoever desires to make his way prosperous in this world, to surpass the rest of the world, to swell high with substance and honours, to this man no doubt worldly busi- Ihe delight of the wicked is the won/i, restless and foul. 277 ness is a delight, and repose a labour. For he is very much Book tired if the business of the world be lacking wherewith to be - lired. Now because it belongs to the nature of worms to be put in motion unceasingly every moment, restlessness of thoughts is not unjustly denoted by the name of ' worms.' And so ' the worm is the sweetness' of the wicked soul, in that he is fed to his satisfaction from the same source whence he is unceasingly agitated in restlessness. Moreover it may be that by the title of the ' worm' the flesh may be more plainly denoted. Hence it is said further on, How much less man that is a worm? or the son qfmancA7,i4. ivhich is a worm? And so of every one that is full ofg" ' lust and devoted to the pleasures of the flesh, how great is the blindness is shewn, when it is said. The worm is his sweetness. For what is our flesh but ' rottenness' and ' the worm?' And whosoever pants with carnal desires, what else does he but love ' the worm?' For what the substance of the flesh is, our graves bear witness. What parent, what faithful friend can bear to touch the flesh of one however beloved fraught with worms? And so when the flesh is lusted after, let it be considered what it is when lifeless, and it is understood what it is that is loved. For nothing has so much efficacy to subdue the appetite of carnal desire, as for every one to consider, what that which he loves alive will be when dead. For when we consider the corruption of the flesh, we see in a moment, that when the flesh is unlawfully lusted after, corruption is desired. Therefore it is well said of the mind of the lustful man, the icorin is his sweetness, in that he who is on fire with the desire of carnal corruption, pants after the stink of rottenness.
All this, as I remember that I promised in the beginning B. xi. of this third part, I have run over in brief, that the things which follow after in this work "", as they are involved in great obscurity, may with God's aid be more fully gone into.
•= Opere. Ben. notes that some Mss. read ' corpora/ which would mean ' Volume.'
THE FOURTH PART.
BOOK XVII.
What remains of the twenty-fourth chapter beginning from the middle of verse 20, together with chapters twenty-five and twenty-six entire, he sets forth chiefly in a moral sense.
\^ As often as in the history of the holy man we betake Alleg. ourselves in a new book to unravel the mystery of the typical explanation, it must be either from that man's name or course of suifering that we mainly draw out the mystical interpretation, so that after the manner of dwelling houses, wliilst we set forth a superscription of the title on the very front of the door post, whereas it is known whose house it is, one may enter with greater security. Now 1 remember that I have often said that blessed Job, both by his course of suffering and his name, marked out the sufferings of our Redeemer, and of His Body, i. e. Holy Church. For ' Job' is by interpretation * Grieving-' And who else is represented in this grieving one saving He, concerning Whom it is Is. 53, 4. written. Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our ib. 5. sorrows. Concerning Whom again it is written, And with His bruise we are healed? But his friends bear the likeness of heretics, who, as v^e have often said already, while they set themselves to defend, only offend God. Thus let the holy man by words and wounds so tell things of his own as at tlie same time to set forth ours also, and most often, by the spirit of prophecy, relate things to come, surmount things present, yet sometimes so tell of those present as to be silent touching those future. The keeping then of this exercise of discernment being understood in accordance with the altering of his voice, let our understanding likewise turn about, that it may agree the more truly with his ideas in pro])()rtion as it also shifts itself with his accents. Thus by the preceding words the holy man, in sentences eloquently Ibniied by the The tvicked how forgotten of God, and how remembered. 279 art of wisdom, set forth the offences of the bad man of Book XVII whatever kind, and represented how damnable his conduct -j- — '- was, of whose punishment he directly adds, saying. Moral.
Let hhn not he in remembrance; let him be crushed like an unfrnHful stump.
2. For he is not brought back into the * remembrance' of ii. his Creator, whosoever to the very end of his life is in subjection to evil habits. Since if the recollection of the regard from Above did make itself feh on such an one, assuredly it would recall him from his wickedness. For his deserts require that he should be utterly blotted out from his Maker's remembrance. But it is to be borne in mind that God can never strictly be said to ' remember;' for One Who cannot forget, in what way is it possible for Him to remember? But whereas it is our way that those whom we remember we embrace, but those whom we forget we part far from, after the usage of man God is both said to * remember,' when He bestows gifts, and to forget, when He forsakes one in guilt. But because He weighs all things, views all without any alternating of intermission, He both remembers the good, whom still He never forgets, and no Avise remembers the bad, whom nevertheless in judgment He does ever behold. For He as it were returns to the recollection of the good, which same nevertheless He never quitted, and as it were He never regards the bad, whose deeds howsoever He has an eye on, but reserves for the last scene the judgment of condemnation thereupon. For hence it is written. The eyes of the Lord are in every place, Prov.15, beholding the evil and the good. Hence it is said by the Psalmist, The face of the Lord is upon them that do evil, to Ps. 34, cut ojf the remembrance of them from, the earth. Therefore the persons for Him to punish He does regard, but those very persons before He did not see, in that He ' knows them not.' For He shall say to some at the end, / laiow you not whence Lukeis ye are; depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Thus, in a^^* wonderful way. He both beholds and forgets the life of bad men, in that those whom by severity of sentence He judges, as regards the remembrance of mercy He is ignorant of.
3. And these same, because they do not come into His remembrance, like an unfruitful stump are broken to pieces 280 Fruitless tree broken. TJte FlesJt barren, the soul widowed.
Job 24, by IJis jndginont. P'or the earlli sui)p()rtccl them witli a ri — '- — temporal outfitting, the shower of preaching pomed down on them from above. But because their life never put forth the fruit of good works, the husbandman in anger cut it clean away, that according to the sentence of Truth it might not cumber the space, which another may occupy for fruit. Of Matt. 3, which same * unfruitful stump' it is said by John, And now Luke 3 ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^^ ^^^^^ ^^ ^^'^ ^'^^^ ^/ ^^'^ trees; therefore every ^' tree wJiicli bringeih not forth good fruit shall be hewn down, and cast into the fire. But in this place, in order that the eternal punishments of the lost sinner may be denoted, the tree is not said to be cut away, but to be broken to pieces, in that the death indeed of the flesh cuts off the reprobate, but the punishment ensuing breaks them in pieces. For here it is as it were cut down, when he is severed from the present life. But in hell it is broken in pieces, when he is tortured with everlasting damnation. But the holy man, as he set forth the strict punishment of the frovvard one, at once falls back to the sin, that by the immensity of the unjustness he may effectually teach that that excessive damnation of him was not unjust. It goes on; Ver. 21. For he fed the barren and her that hearetk not., aitd to the widoiv lie did not do good. Ill* 4. Who is it in this place that is denominated ' barren' saving the flesh, which while it goes after things present alone is not able to engender good thoughts? and who is styled ' a widow' but the soul, which same because the Maker was minded to unite to Himself, He came to the marriage chamber of the carnal womb, as the Psalmist Ps 19,6. testifies, who saith, WJncJt is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber'^ And she is rightly called ' a widow,' in that her Husband underwent death in her behalf, and now in the retreats of heaven hidden from her eyes as in the tract of another region He lives. Thus the wicked man ' feeds the barren' and scorns to ' do good to the widow,' because in obeying the desires of the flesh, he makes little of the care of the soul and its hfe. For with the whole bent and with every effort he considers how without necessities of any kind the flesli which is to die may be made to hold on, and he is indifferent to concern himself for the life of the soul.
The Church a Widow, Heretical sects barren. 281 which either in death or in bliss most snrely lives lor Book evermore. Now it is rightly clone that when it is said, - He fed the barren, it is directly added, and her that beareth not. For certain women we know from sacred history were found * barren,' but yet in the end of their days brought forth. But the flesh is not only called barren, but also she that beareth not^ in that of her own wit not even at the last is she capable of begetting good thoughts. For from her own vigour she is now already going off, and yet things transitory she still ceases not to long for, and being now spent of original force, is well nigh thrown off by that very world which she loves, yet by mischievous endeavour still strives to acquire what is temporal. She now no longer has the ability to do wicked things, yet does not a whit cease to mind in thought even the things which she does not in act.
Rightly therefore is she called not only ' barren,' but also * one that beareth not,' in that of her own wit, as we said, for the offspring of good thought, not even when she has become powerless does she conceive.
5. Which same may likewise be understood of heretical persons preaching. For every single preacher of error, while he teaches a people set without the pale of the Church's unity, is surely ^ feeding the barren, and her that cannot bear,' seeing that he is bestowing the serviceableness of his labour upon her, who never makes any return of spiritual fruits. ' Neither does he do good to the widow,* forasmuch as for that Holy Church Universal, whose Husband suffered the adverse treatment of death, he scorns to live to and to serve.
For to * do good to the widow' is to take much pains in the consoling of her, who by the love of her dead Husband is crushed to the ground. And hence by the voice of the Psalmist this same widow, i. e. Holy Church, makes complaint, saying, / looked for comforters, but I found none. Since Ps. 69, then only does she * find a comforter,' when from that death which her husband underwent, she beholds many within herself arise to life. Now very often the preacher of error is allied with the rich of this world, who for this reason, that they strain over earthly employments, are too blind to detect the crafty tricks of the things delivered, and whereas they go about to be powerful without, they are taken without 282 The niiyltty takot in. Had men believe not their ottn life.
Job 24, labour by the noose of froward preaching. Hence too it is '— added; Ver. 22. He took auay the mighty m his migiit. iv. 6. Since in the might of his wickedness the mighty he severally takes away, whilst by the craftiness of bis error he carries off the great ones of this world. In opposition to 1 Cor. 1, whom it is said by Paul, God hath chosen the weak thinys of the world to confound the thinys that are miglity. Now the ' might' of the corrupt preacher is the high-flown science of his speaking, puffed up with which he despises all the rest of the world, and in contempt of all men, as being ]3reeminently proficient in himself, he swells big. Who whilst thinking what is great of himself, and not knowing what is true of God, is parted far from knowledge of the faith, and yet endeavours to make himself appear a preacher thereof. Whence it is further added; And when lie standeth, he will not believe his life. V. 7. Every evil preacher ' standeth' in this world, so long as he lives in an earthly body. But he refuses to * believe his life,' because he is too proud to open his eyes to what is true relating to God. For he would ' believe his life,* if he had right notions concerning the Substance of his Creator. These things, then, we were describing above as spoken of every bad man, but we suddenly made the meaning turn to the preacher of error. Whence it is to be noted, that we are so drawn on to the special case as not yet in any wise to be quite taken off from the general. For every bad man, even if he seem to maintain the faith in the bosom of the Church Universal, ' standeth and believeth not his life,' because they are right things indeed which by faith he understands of his Creator, yet the works of faith he carts not to maintain; and he is convicted of unbelief, in that, even from that which he sets forth as his creed, by his way of 1 John living he is condemned. For hence it is said by John, He ' ' that saith he knowetlt God, and keepetJt not His command- Tit. 1, ments,isa liar. Hence Paul sailh, 7 hey profess that they know God, but in, -works they deny Him. Hence James Jam. 2, saith, Faith without norks is dead. But amidst all this the Creator by a wonderful economy of counsel at once has an eye to offences, and bestows periods of living, that the Lengthened life given for repentance or condemnation. '2SS lengthened portions of temporal life may to the person either Book being converted be turned into the furtherance of reward, or - not being converted to the heightening of condemnation. Hence it is yet further subjoined, Ver. 23. God hath given unto him room for repentance, and he abuseth it in pride.
8. Whosoever commits sin and lives, such a person vi. Divine Appointment for this reason bears with in iniquity, that it may withhold him from iniquity. But he that is borne with for a longer time, and yet is not withholden from iniquity, is vouchsafed indeed the benefit of the patience Above, yet with the chains of his guilt is by that very benefit binding himself the tighter. For because the times of repentance vouchsafed he diverts to sin, the strict Judge in the end converts the instances of mercy bestowed into punishment. Hence it is said by Paul; Or kuowest thou not that ^^^' 2, the longsuffering of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thg hardness and impenitent heart treamrest up unto thyself wrath against the dag of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. Hence Isaiah saith, For the Is. Q^-, child shall die an hundred years old, hut the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed. As though he deterred us in plain words, saying, ' The life of a child indeed is drawn to a great length, in order that he may be corrected of childish doings, but if he be not even by length of time restrained from the commission of sin, this very length of life, which he received in pitifulness, is made to grow to him into an aggravation of cursing.' Whence it is necessary that the longer time that we see ourselves to be waited for, we fear the very seasons of pitifulness before granted' 'praeroas the grounds of condemnation, lest by the clemency ^^^* of the Judge the punishment of the sinner should be heightened, and by the same means whereby any one might have been rescued from death, he should tend to death in a manner the more disastrous. Which is for this reason very often brought to pass, because the eye of the mind is not in the least degree weaned from things present. For the sinner is careless to regard the ways of the Redeemer, and so he grows old in his own paths without stopping. Hence it is added; 284 Worldly men hilenl on fhctr ou')t iraijs, not tJiose of God.
Job 24, For his eyes are upon his ways.
9. For the sinner * regards his own ways,' because he sets vii. Moral, h^^self to mind only, to have an eye only for, things which may stand him in stead for temporal advantage. Thus it is Phil. 2, hence Paul saith, All seek their own, not the thinqfi wJiich are Jesus Chrisfs. For the way of the highminded is pride; the way of the robber, avarice; the way of the lecherous, carnal concupiscence. Thus every bad man bends his eyes down on his own ways, in that he is intent on vicious pursuits alone, that by these he may satisfy his mind. Whence it is said by Solomon, The eyes of a fool are in tlie ends of the earth; because that only they regard with the whole bent of the heart, whereby they may attain to the end of earthly desire. Now the sinner would never fix the gaze of his looking on earth, if he lifted up the eyes of the mind to the holy paths of his Redeemer. Whence it is again said Eccl.2, by Solomon, Tlie wise manh eyes are in his head; in this way, viz. that with undivided intentness the wise man regards Him, of Whom he reflects by faith that he is a member. For these ways of man's walk and conversation, he had Ps. 119, deemed it little worth to have in his eye, who said, I will ^^' meditate in Thy statutes, and have respect unto Thy nays. As if he gave his word in plain terms, saying, ' The tilings which are mine own I henceforth eschew the seeing of, in that by the path of the imitating of Thee I burn to go on in the steps of behaviour.' For he who henceforth withstands the present world, by the continual inciting of love presents the ways of his Redeemer to the eyes of the heart, that so the mind may eschew what is prosperous, be in readiness for what is adverse, desire nought that soothes down, dread nought that is supposed to dismay, account sorrow joy, estimate the delights of the present life as the ills of w^oe, not fear the diminutions of a state of scorn, but thereby seek room for enduring glory. For these ways Truth shewed to the eyes of those that were following Him, when He said, Jobni2, jj^ fji^y ffian serve Me, let him follow Me. To these ways he recalled the swelling hearts of the Disciples, when they were already seeking room for glory, but knew not the pathway of that glory, saying, Are ye able to drink of the cup that I sliall drink of? For they had been seeking the Tlieir high estate J'oiwd shortlived at its end. 285 height of that session with Him on the right hand and on the Hook left hand, but how great the narrowness of the pathway ' thereunto they did not see; and hence the cup of the Passion is at once presented to their eyes as a thing for them to imitate, that, surely, if they were maldng for the joys of exaltedness, they should first find the way of humility. And therefore because the sinner is careless to have an eye to the ways of God, but is bent on those only wherein he may be made to delight in a carnal manner, it is rightly said in this place. For Iris eyes are upon his ways. It proceeds; Ver. 24. They are exalted for a Utile while, but they shall not hold on.
10. The glory of bad men, whilst it is for the most part viii. extended into a multitude of years, is by the minds of the weak reckoned to be long and as it were stable; but when an instantaneous end cuts it off, surely it proves to its face that it was short, because the end by putting a limit makes it known that that which was capable of passing away was little. And so ' they are exalted for a little while, and do not hold on,' because from the mere circumstance that they seek to appear high, they are by self-exalting made far removed from the true essence of God. For they are not able to hold on, because they are severed from the solid basis of the Eternal Essence, and they undergo this first ruining, that by glorying in self they fall in themselves. For hence it is said by the Psalmist, Thou castcdst them down, when they ivere lifted^'^' 73, up; because they are brought down within, in proportion as they arise vvrongly without. Regarding this shortness of temporal glory, he saith again; / have seen the wicked above Ps. ^1, measure exalted, and lijted up like a cedar of Libanus; I passed by, and lo, he was gone. Hence again he saith, jPor ib. lo. yet a little while, and the ivicked shall not be. Hence James says. For what is your life? it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time. Hence the Prophet reflecting on the shortness of carnal glory, tells it forth, saying, Allls.40, flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower ' of hay. For the power of the wicked is likened to the ' flower of hay,' because the glory of the flesh, whilst it shines bright, it falls, whilst it is exalted in itself, cut off by a sudden end it is brought to a close. For in the same way by 286 Bad metis glory rujts to (in end as other earthly thinys.
Job 24, tlio blowing of breezes the stubble is caught on high, but by ~ — '— an instantaneous flill it is brought back to earth Vjelow.
Thus the smoke is lifted up to the clouds, but suddenly whilst swelling out it is scattered to nought. Thus the vapour from beneath thickening lifts itself on high, Vjut the ray of the sun when risen clears it away, as though it had not been. Thus on the surface of the herbs the moisture of the dew of night is sprinkled, but by the sudden heat of the light of day it is dried away. Thus the foamy bubbles of water, raised on showers beginning, come forth racing from within, but being burst asunder they come to nought the more quickly in proportion as being inflated they are raised higher, and when they grow to a head, so as to appear, in growing they make it that they should ' not hold on.' Therefore concerning the wicked that are swoln with the exaltation of temporal glory, and yet not enduring with any stedfastness in this glory, let it be rightly said, they are exalted Jor a little?ihile, bid they shall not hold on. Of whom it is yet further added; And they shall be brought low as all thinys, and shall be taken away. ix. 11. Such should be the advancement of contemplation, that it should be carried off from few things to the taking a view of many, from many to taking a view of all things, so that being led forth step by step it should advance, and whilst judging all things transitory should by comprehending itself grow forth well nigh incomprehensibly. Hence the holy man, whilst he was sifting the glory and the failing of the wicked, stretched to * all things' presently the eye of the mind, saying, they shall be brought low as all things, and shall be taken away; * all things' earthly assuredly. As though he said in plain words; ' They cannot any way stand, because the very things flee away as well whereon they rest for support, and while they are in love with things temporal, along with these by the currency of time they inin to an end.' But it may be asked, whereas it is said by Eccl. 1, Solomon, One generation passeth away, and another generation Cometh; but the earth abidcth for ever; why does blessed Job declare that * all things are brought low, and taken away?' Yet this we easily sift out, if we keep distinct The essence of thiiujs abides, t heir forms pass aicay. 287 how earth and heaven either pass away or remain. For ^^°'f both these in respect of that figure whicli they now have pass away, yet in respect of their essence they are held in being without end. Hence it is said by Paul, For #/jeiCor.7, fashion of this iiwrld passeth away. Hence Truth saith by Itself, Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words ^^^-'^'^^ shall not pass away. Hence it is told John by the voice of the Anj»el, There shall be a new heaven and a new earth.^^"^-^^) Which indeed are not to be created other things, but these very same are renewed. And thus heaven and earth at once * pass away' and ' shall be,' seeing that both by fire i'rom that fashion which they now have they are clean wiped out, and yet in their own nature are ever preserved. Hence it is said by the Psalmist, Thou shall change them, and they Ps. 102, shall be changed. Which same final changing of themselves they do now announce to us by those very successions, wherel;y for our services they unceasingly shift about. For the earth by the dryness of winter falls off from its fashion, by the moisture of spring it is made green. Heaven is every day overlaid by the darkness of night, and renewed by the brightness of day. Hence, then, hence let every believer gather that these things both perish, and yet by renewal are restored, which it is plain are now perpetually as it were from decay being refitted. In the midst of all this then the holy man, whilst he beholds the course of the wicked, makes it known with what a visitation they are one day to come to nought, when lie forthwith adds; And as the tops of ears of corn they shall be crushed.
i 12. For the tops of the ears of corn are the beards; now x.
^.ihe beards come out joined in an ear of corn, but going on growing little by little they are separated from one another bristly and rougli. Thus, verily, ihus, as to this world's glory do the evil-minded rich ones rise up. For by a fellowship of nature they are joined to one another, but going on increasing they are in turn divided against one another. For one looks down upon another, and a second is inflamed against a third with the torches of envy; they then who by the swelling of the mind separate themselves from the unity of charity, as it were after the way of beards stand bristling against one another. What then might I have called the evilminded 288 Bad men bealcn out as heardHj'rorn the (/rain hi Judt/iuent. Job '24, nc]i ones of this world l)iit a kind of beards of the human - — '— race, who while they are lifted high against one another, but with one consent press hard U])on the life of the good, are indeed divided against themselves, yet with one accord bear down the grains beneath.
13. At this present time then the beards s])ring up on high, the grains lie hidden; because both the power of lost sinners towers high, and the glory of the Elect does not appear. The one shew themselves off in the high estate of honours, the others lower themselves in humility. But the time of winnowing will arrive, which is calculated both to break the bristling of the beards, and not to bruise the solid grains. For then the pride of the wicked is broken in pieces, then the life of the Elect is shewn to view, with w-hat faultlessness it shines bright; in that while the unrighteous are undone, by this very crushing of the beard it is brought to pass that the grains should appear, which were holden out of sight; and when the beards are broken, the whiteness of the grains is made to appear, because upon the wicked falling into everlasting punishments, the righteousness of the Saints is manifested, with what truth it is shining white. Whence Matt. 3, too it is rightly said by John, Whose /an is in His hand, and He will throughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner: but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. So let blessed Job mark with what awful visitation the pride of bad men shall be broken, and comparing them to beards that perish, let him say, Like the tops of ears of corn they shall he crushed. Surely because the bristling of the proud is broken by the stress of the final winnowing, whereas now looking down upon the life of the Elect it is lifted up. It proceeds; Ver. '25. And if it be not so now, who will convict me of having lied, and set my words before God? xi. 14. If it be not so as he tells, then surely all people are able to convict him of falsehood. Why then is it said, And if it be not so now, who will convict me of having lied? i, e. whilst we know that, one who is false, it is allowed any one to find fault with? But if we sift out the sense of the speaker with exact questioning, how right the things are that he put forth, we speedily discover. For the righteous The proud ynay not judije the words oj the Ri(/hteoffs. 289 man, though he does ever speak any thing wrong, yet it is Book far from meet that he should be judged by the unrighteous ' and ill living. Whence the holy man lowering the pride of his friends, not even if it be so, but even * if it be not so' as he set forth, is confident that he can never be found fault with, because assuredly those are able rightly to reprove things that are false, who are not taught to do things that are false. For the daring of reproof against deceit those persons lose, who still live on principles of deceit. Therefore he says, And if it he not so now, who loill convict me of having liedf As if he said in plain words; * All things are so as I have set forth, but if they were not so, T could not a whit be charged home with them by you; for whilst ye still give way to your own deceit, ye are not able to find fault with the deceit of another.'