15. In which place it is fitly added; And to set my words before God. For whoever really finds fault with false sayings in the true way, in thinking on the things he has heard and estimating them by the rule of truth ' sets words before God,' because to himself in the eye of Truth he makes proof what he should outwardly decree against falsehood. Since * to set words before God' is with the interior Judge kept in view to estimate the exterior sayings. Thus the holy man does not reckon it possible for his ' words to be set before God' by friends behaving with pride. As if he said in plain terms, * The things which I utter ye are for this reason unable to set before the Judge, because by committing sin ye hide His face from you?' Which same, however, nothing hinders from being understood in type of Holy Church as well, which whilst for her weak members she is found fault with by the scofiing of heretics, laughs to scorn that same craftiness of their scoffing, because with God it is more tolerable that a man should be prostrated in weakness and in ignorance, in conjunction with humility, than that he should compass high themes with self-exaltation. But forasmuch as the holy man had uttered many words against those, who by transitory power are made proud, and with windy honours swell themselves out; by his rebuke Bildad the Shuhite gaining ground has his eyes opened to see with Whom true power is deposited; saying, VOL. II. u Lit. xii.
•290 Peace among Anyels that ivork seeming contraries.
Job 26, Ver. 2. Dominio7i and fear are with Him; Who make th ' peace in His high places.
16. As though he expressed himself in plain words; * He only truly terrifies the hearts of mortals, Who by the power of His Divine nature truly possesses these.' For what terror does the power of man infuse, which knows not when it may lack the right of that power? Now it is rightly said, He maketh peace in His high places. Because there are many things at variance with themselves below, but they run ansvverably to the harmonious fulness of things above, and by the causing of the interior peace it is brought to pass, that oftentimes the things that are without, are ordered without peace. Thus the good. Almighty God is advancing to merit, when He permits the bad to rage against their life; and things above are made to fit together in harmony, whilst those below are thrown into confusion; because in the heavenly world He joins His Elect to the choirs of the Angels by the same means, whereby in the earthly and lowest scene of things, He bears the practices of lost sinners opposing His behests.
17. But herein it is of interest to us to enquire, if the highest peace is maintained ' in the high places,' what that is Dan. 10, which is said to Daniel by the Angel, / am come for thy words; but the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Blichael, one of the chief y. 20. princes, came to help me. And a little afterward; And now a ill I return to fight with the prince of the Persians. For when I was going forth there appeared the prince of the Greeks coming. Whom else then but Angels does he call the ' princes' of the nations, that could have had the power to resist him as he went forth? Accordingly what peace can there be ' in the high places,' if even among the Angelical spirits themselves also there is a conflict of warring earned on, who are always standing present to the view of Truth? But because there are fixed charges of the Angels set to superintend the regulating of the several particular nations, when the practices of the subject peoples deserve the assistance of the presiding spirits against one another, the spirits themselves that are set in charge are said to come against one another. Thus the Angel that spake to Daniel is known Presidi7i(/ Anijeh help nations as they deserve. 291 to have been appointed over the captives of the Israelitish Book .. • XVII People established in Persia, but Michael is ascertained to ' be the ruler of those who remained in the land of Judaea from among the same people. And hence it is said a little afterwards to Daniel by this same Angel; A}id there is none v. 21. that holdeth with me in these things, hut Micliael, your prince. Concerning whom he says this too which we have before said, hut, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me. Who whereas he is never said ' to be with,' but to ' come to help,' is plainly seen to be set over that people which was held captive in another part. What then is it for the Angel to say, I am come for thy words, hut the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me, but to tell his doings to those under him? As if he said in plain terms; ' The claims^ of thy prayers indeed demand that the Israelitish ** merita People should be loosed from the yoke of their captivity, but there is still in that same people that which must be purged by the dominion of the Persians; so that touching the liberation of that people the prince of Persia should by rights withstand me, though to thy prayers the tears of those too who were left in Judaea come in aid.' Whence he subjoins that too which we said; But, lo, Michael, your prince, came to help me. And when he goes forth in order to fight against the prince of the Persians, there appeareth to him the prince of the Greeks coming towards him. By which circumstance it is implied that against the Greeks too Judaea had been guilty of somewhat, on account of whom without a doubt it was that he withstood the rescuing of her. So the Angel hears effectually the prayers of the Prophet, but the prince of Persia withstands, because though the life of the righteous one making supplication already claims the rescue of the People, yet the life of that same People still withstands, that whereas those that had been brought into captivity were not yet completely purified, Persia should rightfully have the dominion over them still. Michael gives aid, but the prince of Greece comes to battle, because that lengthened captivity of the People suffering oppression might indeed have merited pardon, but to the benefit of their liberation that also stood opposed, which they had done wrong against the Greeks. Therefore it is I rightly said that the Angels come against each other, because 29*2 Anyels can be numbered by God, not by man.
Job 25, the claims of the nations under them arc reciprocally at odds „_l: — with one another. For the lofty Spirits that are princes to those nations never fight in behalf of those that act unjustly, but justly judge and try their deeds. And when either the guilt or guiltlessness of each separate nation is brought into the debate of the Court Above, the ruling Spirit of that nation is said to have won in the conflict or not to have won; the one identical victory of all of whom, however, is the Supreme Will of their Maker above them, which Will whilst they ever have before their eyes, what they have not the power they have not the mind to obtain. Therefore it is well said, Who 7naketh peace in His higlt places. It follows; Ver. 3. Is there any number of His soldiers'^ xiii. 18. In the cognizance of human reason there is not any number of the spirits above, in that it cannot tell how great is that concourse of the Invisible Host, whereof it is said by Dan. 7, Daniel, Thousand thousands ministered unto Him. and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The number of the citizens above is represented as infinite and definite, in order that that which relatively to God is capable of being numbered may be shewn relatively to man to be incapable of being numbered. Though it is one thing ' to stand before,' and another thing to ' minister to.' For those Powers stand before Him without a doubt, which never go forth for the communicating things to men. But those * minister to' Him, who come for discharging the offices of bearers of tidings; yet these same beings also, by the act of contemplation, are not withdrawn from the interior world. And because they are more in number that ' minister' than those that preeminently ' stand before Him,' the number of those so ' standing in presence' is represented as being definite, but of those that * minister' as indefinite.
19. Now the Angelical spirits we rightly call 'the soldiers' of God, because we are not unaware that those war against the powers of the air, which same conflicts however they carry on not by labour but by authority; for whatsoever thing, in acting against impure spirits, they desire for, by the aid of Him Who ruleth all things, they are equal to. So of this Luke 2, army when our King was born it is written, And suddenly there was with the anyel a multitude of the heavenly host.
Man dark in himselt\ and unclean in his origin. '293 Unto which same heavenly^ host the number of the Elect of Book men too is joined, who by the lofty aspirations of the mind - are set free from the bondage of an earthly conversation. Concerning whom it is said by Paul, No man that warreth eniangleth himself with the affairs of this life. Which same though now they be shewn few in number, yet in the invisible country they reign innumerably many, in that though by comparison with the evil-minded they are few, yet in the concourse of their assemblage they cannot be any way measured. But because the goodness of those soldiers is set firm not by their own powers, but by the inspiration of grace from Above, it is rightly added.
And upon ivhom doth not His light arise?
20. For ' the light' of God is preventing grace, which if it xiv. never arose of free gift in our heart, assuredly our mind would remain dim in the darkness of its sins. And hence it is added; Ver. 4. Call a man he justijied being compared with God? or can he be found clean that is born of a woman?
21. This verse is spoken above by blessed Job, and is xv. now repeated in the upbraiding of him; since every just man is just by illumination from God, not by comparison with God. For man's righteousness when compared with the Maker is unrighteousness, since, even although man had held fast in his own estate of creation, the creature could never be equalled to the Creator. To which creature howsoever, unto heavier burthens of deficiency, there accrued sin also, which the serpent by plotting brought in, and woman proving frail recommended. Hence now, forasmuch as man is born by the agency of woman who is made subject to sin, the frailty of the first guilt is inherited in the offspring; and because the branch of the human race was made rotten in the root, it does not hold up in the greenness of its creation. Hence it is rightly said now. Can a man he justified being compared with God? or can he be found clean that is horn of a woman? As if it were expressed in plain terms, ' Let not man entertain pride against his Creator, let him reflect whence he came hither, and understand what he is.' But observe, there are those that when by the gift of the Spirit they are holpen against the frailty of their flesh.
294 They thai shine on earth still not clean before G'od.
Job 25, are made to erect themselves, gleam forth in virtues, yea, flash out in the marvels of miraculous signs as well, yet is T XT there no man who may pass through life free from sin, so long as he bears upon him flesh of corruption. Whence it is yet further added; Ver. 5. Behold even to the moon, and it shinelh not; yea, the stars are not pure in His sight. xvi. 22. What is denoted by ^ the moon' but the whole Church together? what by ' the stars^ but the souls of the several persons that live rightly? who amidst the practices of wicked men, whilst they are conspicuous by rare virtues, as it were shine in the darkness of night Whence likewise it Phil. 2, is said by Paul to the disciples; Among wJtom ye shine like lights in the world. For that Holy Church is represented by the designation of ' the moon,' the Prophet bears witness, Hab. 3, saying, The sun ivas lifted up, and the moon stood in her order. For on ' the sun being lifted up, the moon is established in her order,' in that on our Lord ascending into the heavens, Holy Church is thereupon made strong in the authoritative function of preaching. And that by the title of * stars' the Elect are represented, Paul again informs us, 1 Cor. by saying. For one star differethfrom another star in glory, ' * So * the moon doth not shine, and the stars are not clean in His sight,' because rieither doth Holy Church by her own power shine forth in so many miracles, except the gifts of preventing grace fall in showers upon her, nor are the minds of the several persons that live rightly clean of the stains of sinful practices, if they be judged apart from pity; because in the eyes of the strict Judge every single individual his own proneness to corruption doth pollute, unless the grace of One sparing day by day wipe this away. For the mind of the Elect strives to go forth to the liberty of righteousness, but is still bound and tied with the fetters of frailty, and it longs indeed perfectly to get the better of offences, but so long as it is fettered by the corruption of the flesh, it is tied with the chains thereof, ev^en when it would not be. Hence therefore let him collect with what a load of sins they are borne down, who neglect to war against the same, if not even they entirely get the better of evil doing, who strenuously fight against it. And hence it is said, Behold even to the moon, and it Carnal man rotlenness, a tvonn born o] corruption, 295 shineth not, a?id the stars are not pure in His sight; it is Book directly added; ' Ver. 6. How much more is man rottenness, and the son of man a xoorm?
23. As if it were in plain words; ' If those very persons xvii. also cannot be void of contagion, who amidst the darkness of the present life shine bright by virtuous attainments, with what guilt of wickedness are they bound, who still live after the flesh? If those persons cannot be free from sin, who are already walking in the way of heavenly desires, what they who still lie under the loads of sinful habits? who whilst they are abandoned to the gratifications of their fleshly part, still bear the yoke of rottenness? Hence Peter saith; And if the i Pet. 4, righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and ' the sinner appear? Hence it is said by Isaiah, Upon the Ja. 32, land of My people shall come up thorns and briars; how ' much more upon all the houses of joy i?i the joyous city. For by * the land of His People,' the Lord meaneth the mind of all of the Elect. Upon which He tells of ' thorns and briars coming up;' because He sees that not even that very mind is free from the prickles of bad habits. But ' the house of joy in the joyous city' is the mind of the wicked, which whilst it neglects to regard the punishments that are destined to come, in the gratification of the flesh going away from itself, revels in empty mirth. Thus he saith; Upon the land of My people shall come up thorns and briars, how much more upon all the houses of joy in the joyous city.
As if He said in plain words; If evil habits sink low even the minds of those, who for desire of the heavenly country put themselves to pain, what guilty courses are they brought under, who without any apprehension abandon themselves in the gratification of the flesh?
24. But it is a point to be noticed in his discourse how Bildad observed the order of our creation and of our birth, in that he calls * man' not ' a worm,' but * rottenness,' but * the son of man' * a worm.' For the first parent of the human race was * man,' not ' the son of man;' from whom whosoever came forth, was not only ' man,' but ' the son of man' as well. As then from man springs the son of man, so from rottenness springs the worm. Whence man is rightly called 2i)6 Job' a slroiiyest point comes last.
Job 26, * roltciuiess,' but the. son of niaii * a worm.' For the first ' '— man was * rottenness' not ' a worm,' in that though by death ho turned to * rottenness,' yet he did not come by a birth out of rottenness. But he that is the son of man is called ' a worm,' because he is henceforth propagated from the corruption of mortal bodies.
25. Therefore because the words of his friends are concluded, blessed Job sets on with a more penetrating acuteness of the suing, and his words are proportion ably strong as they are the last; seeing that even in the same way it is the usage of lawyers, that the argument, by which they beforehand see that they are above their adversaries, they reserve for the conclusion of the suit. It follows; C. xxvi. 1, 2. But Job answered a?id said, Of whom art thou the helper? whether of one that is powerless? or dost thou sustain the arm of him that is 7ioi strong?
xviii. 26. To help one that is weak is an act of charity, to wish to help one that is powerful, of pride; and so because his friends, whilst bearing the likeness of heretics, on the plea of helping God, endeavoured to make a display of their own wisdom, Bildad is justly found fault with, that it should be said. Of whom art thou the helper? whether of one that is powerless? or dost thou sustain the arm of him that is not strong? As if he said in plain words; ' While thou settest thyself to help Him, under Whose greatness thou dost sink to the earth, all the encouragement which thou affordest comes of ostentation, not of piety.'
27. But herein it is requisite to be known, that even God, Who surely is not ' powerless,' we help whilst acting with I Cor. 3, humility. And hence it is said by Paul, For we are helpers of God. For when to him, whom He doth Himself by interior grace pervade, we by the voice of exhortation contribute, this which He through the Spirit brings to pass within, we outwardly by the office of the voice do assist, and then only is our exhortation brought to completion, when God was in '^* '^' the heart, to be aided. Hence He saith elsewhere; So then neither is he that planfeth any thing, neither he that loatereth; but God that giveth the increase. For to * plant' and ' water' is to * help,' both which will be but a void ministration, if in the heart God * giveth not the increase.' But they His frienda presumed in lakimj God^s part. 297 who have high thoughts olthuir own power of mind, will not Book be helpers of God with humility; because whilst they reckon: * themselves to be of use to God, they are making themselves strangers to the fruit of usefulness. And hence it is said to the disciples by the voice of Truth, When ye shall /i«wLuke done all those things that are commanded you, say, IVe are ' unprofitable servants, we have done that ichich was our duty to do. It proceeds; Ver. 3. To whom hast thou given counsel^ perchance to him that hath not wisdom?
28. To * give counsel to one that is foolish' is an office of xix. charity, to give it to one that is wise, of ostentation; but to give it to Wisdom Itself, of wrongmindedness; and because those who we have said bear the likeness of heretics, by their mode of speech, were administering to ostentation rather than to usefulness, it is yet further added rightly against Bildad, And shewn thine own prudence overmuch.
To one to whom there is right prudence it is not overmuch, because according to Paul's declaration, he seeketh not to he wise above the degree that he ought to he wise. But to whomsoever there is overmuch prudence, there is not light prudence- For whilst it is carried beyond due measure, it is made to turn off on one side or another of offence. Now they shew their prudence to be * overmuch,' who aim to appear fuller of prudence in comparison of others; whence it very frequently happens that whilst they have not the art to be wise in moderation, they even speak things that are foolish. On account of which circumstance, the actual excess of prudence is yet further subjoined, that it should be said, Ver. 4. Whom wonldest thou have taught? Was it not Him Who made the breathway?
29. By the ' breathway' we live, by prudence we are wise. xx. But it is ours first to live, and afterwards to be imbued with wisdom; because in order that we have the power to be wise, it is first brought to pass that we should have being. He, then. Who bestowed life, the same doubtless gave prudence as well. But because Bildad thought blessed Job was scourged for sin, that secret judgment of God which he should have adored in humility, he set himself with over- 298 Proud spirils un(thle to rise up.
Job 26, weening temerity to penetrate to the bottom. And so that — — ^ — very One he preferred himself before in respect of prudence, Whose judgment without understanding it he judged. That very One he preferred himself before in prudence, from Whom he received the breathway of life, as though he were wise more than He, the very Being from Whom he had it given it him that he should be. But because blessed Job whilst bearing a type of Holy Church delivered a few things in the rebuking of proud men, who, he was not ignorant, bore a likeness of heretics, according as he said above; Job 13, / desire to reason with God; Jirst shewing that ye are ' ' forgers of lies, and followers of wrong tenets; he suddenly lifts himself up to instruction, and in opposition to the ignorance of the highminded, he opens wide the breadth of his knowledge in sentences, saying, Ver. 5. Lo, the giants groan, under the icaters. xxi. 30. For it was fitting that by rebuking he should first beat down the swelling of earthly wisdom, and by instruction afterwards pass on to words replete with mysteries. Thus by * giants,' either apostate Angels, or all proud men may without objection be understood. For hence it is said by Is. 26, the Prophet, The diead shall not live, the giants shall not ^' rise up again. For whom does he call * the dead' saving sinners, and whom does he designate ' giants' save those, who over and above take pride in sin. Now the former do ' not live,' because by sinning they have forfeited the life of righteousness; these latter too 'cannot rise up again' after death, because, after their transgression being swoln with pride, they do not have recourse to the remedies of penitence. Hence Prov it is written again. The man that wandereth out of the way ' 'of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead. For whosoever forsakes the way of righteousness, to whose number does he join himself, saving to the number of the proud spirits \ Now it is well said in opposition to the high-minded, Lo, the giants groan under the waters* As if it were expressed in plain speech; * Wherefore on the score of knowledge should man be proud, when the abyss of ignorance keeps at the bottom the very proudest of the spirits of the Angels?'
31. But if by the name of ' the giants' the })0werful ones Earthly power hrings burdens and dangers. 299 of this world are denoted, in ' the waters' we may have the Book .. XVII multitudes represented, as John beareth witness, who saith, - The waters, ivJiich thoa seest, are peoples. Now agamst Rev. 17, him that is filled with pride it is well spoken; Lo, the giants groan under the waters; because all that are high and lifted up, while in this life they long to attain the highest pitch of honours, groan under the burthens of peoples. For in proportion as a man is the higher lifted up here, he is burthened with so much the heavier cares. And to those very same people in mind and thoughts he is put under, whom in dignity he is put over. And by these words it is well shewn in brief that all pride lies prostrate on the ground by the mere act by which it lifts itself up on high, so as to be the more effectually bowed down beneath all things from the same cause, that it would fain be set above all. For man when he is lifted up in high stations, bears so many in number over him, as he rules persons put beneath him. But those, that are associated with such persons, are by fellowship in their labour themselves also weighed to the ground. For together with them they likewise bear the toilsomeness of the burthen, whilst along with them they go after the gloriousness of the honour. Hence whereas he said, Lo, the giants groan under the waters; he directly added; And they that dicell along with them.
32. As though he said; ' Equally with them do they xxii. groan,' who by taking delight are associated to their glory. Now the very employment of worldly dignities is borne down with readier vices in proportion as it is charged with heavier cares. For would that the mind of man even at rest might be able to see and eschew sins! And so because he saw that the longed for heights of affairs cannot be administered without sins, and because it is not hidden from the wrath of God, whatsoever is committed of an unlawful kind, he fitly subjoined in pursuance; Ver. 6. Hell is naked before Him, and destruction hath no covering.
33. Which same Paul likewise saith. But all tilings are xxiii. naked and opened unto His eyes. But by the title of * hell' ^eb. 4, and ' perdition' he denoted the devil and all the associates of 300 God puis solid yood in the void where Satan dwelt.
Job 26, his condemnation; but Who that One is before whom ' liell j^— is naked,' he goes on with telling; Ver. 7. He slretcheth out the north over the empty place, xxiv. 34. By the title of the ' north,' in Holy Writ the devil is used to be designated, who with the thought to bind up the hearts of the nations with the iciness of insensibility, said, Is. 14, J will sit also upon the mount of the Covenant, in t!ie sides TO ' of the north. And he is ' stretched over the empty place,' because he has possession of those hearts, that are not filled with the grace of the love of God. Yet is it competent to Almighty God, that even those vessels of the devil, empty of every virtue. He may fill with the gift of His grace, and deposit the solid substance of Divine fear in those persons, whom He does not see stablished by any conduct of righteousness. Hence it is fitly added; And hangeth the earth upon nothing. XXV. f35. For what is denoted by the title of ^ earth,' saving Holy Church; who, whilst she receives the words of preaching, renders back the fruit of good works 1 Whereof it is Deut. said by Moses, Let the earth hear the words out of my lips, ' ' 'let my speech he looked for like the rain. And what but the several gentile peoples are denoted by ' nothing,' of whom it Is. 40, is spoken by the Prophet, All nations before Him aie as nothing, and they are counted to Him less than nothing. In that ' nothing,' then, is * the earth hung suspended,' which before, being a void place, was occupied by the ' north;' because those hearts of the Gentiles became filled with the love of God, which had been aforetime weighed down by a deadness of the devil. But it may be that both by this ' empty place,' the infidelity of Judsea is denoted, and by ' the earth,' as we said, the propagation of Holy Church. Thus let the holy man look at the fall of Juda3a in her perishing, and espy the privileges of the gentile world brought back to pardon, and let him say. He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing. For because the hearts of the Gentiles, being void of faith, were made subject to the devil, ' He stretched the north over the empty place;' and because, there being no Ps. 56, merits forthcoming, (as it is said. For nothing shall Thou ^^^' save them,) upon the Gentiles the Lord founded His Church, He stays too ijrcatjloods of knowledge from the weak. 801 which same Gentiles are by the Prophet called ' nothing,' in Book pursuing the subject he rightly adds, And hangeth the earth — ^ u'pon nothing. Now in what order this thing was done, he continues in subjoining with wonderful method. For he saith, Ver. 8. He hindeth up the waters in his thick clouds, that they should not hurst forth alike beneath.
36. For what does he call ' the waters' in this place but xxvi. knowledge; what ' clouds' but the Preachers? For that in Holy Writ * water' may sometimes be a term used for knowledge, we have been taught by Solomon bearing witness to it, who says. The words of a marCs mouth are as deep Prov. waters, and the ivell-spring of wisdom as a flowing brook, ' ' That, by water knowledge is denoted, the Prophet David bears witness, saying. Dark itater in clouds of the sky, i. e.Ps. 18, secret knowledge in the Prophets, who before the Advent of the Lord, whilst, pregnant with secret sacraments, they were bearing in them boundless mysteries, to the eyes of beholders had their meaning obscured. But by the name of ^ clouds,' what else is denoted in this passage but the holy Preachers, i. e. the Apostles, who being dispatched in every direction through the regions of the world, both knew how to shower in words, and to flash forth ^ in miracles? Whom the Prophet ^ corus-Isaiah beholding long before, said. Who are these that fly Is.qo^q.
as clouds? Thus because this man, filled with the spirit of prophecy, in this utterance of his voice longs that for the praise of God the rise of Holy Church may commence, he betakes himself to tell the order of her rise from the preaching of the Apostles, who took the greatest pains to preach to uninstructed people what was plain and comprehensible, not what was high and arduous. For holy knowledge, which is here set forth by the title of water, if in the same way that they drew it from the heart, so they poured it forth from the lips, by the immensity thereof they would overwhelm rather than water their hearers. Hence his knowledge being unbound within, that it should not burst forth alike beneath, in nourishing his hearers with the dropping of words, that ' cloud' spake, saying, And I brethren could not speak unto i Cor. you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes ' ' * in Christ. I have fed you with milk and not ivith meat. For who could have borne it if he that was caught uj) to the 302 Christ taught the weak not from earthy nor too far ojf.
Job 26, third heaven, tliat was caught into paradise, even hearing -y:^ — unutterable words, which it was not permitted to man to Myst. ' i speak, had opened such unbounded depths of celestial knowledge? or what hearer's power would he not overwhelm, if all that he might have been able to draw within, as far as tongue of flesh may suffice, overflowing without the mighty flood of this water had poured forth?
37. But that uninstructed hearers might be comforted not by an inundation of knowledge, but by the tempered dropping of preaching, God tietJt up the waters in the clouds, that they may not burst forth alike beneath. Because He tempers the preaching of the teachers, that so the infirmity of the hearers, being nourished by the dew of the things spoken, may be made strong. Which is well described in the Gospel by a mystical mode of representation, where it is Luke 6, said, Jesus entered into the boat of Peter, and prayed him /hat he would thrust out a little from the land; and he sat down thus, and taught the people. By Peter's ship what else is denoted but the Church committed to Peter? and that the Lord may preach to the crowds flocking together out of this ship, He orders it to be * thrust out a little from the land.' Which same he neither bids to be carried into the deep, and yet does bid that it be thrust out from the land, signifying, surely, that to uninstructed people His preachers ought not to preach either what is too deep relating to the heavenly world, nor yet what is earthly. And so * water is bound up in the clouds,' because the knowledge of the Preachers, speaking to the minds of the frail, is forbidden to teach as much as it is able to see.
38. Since, for the most part, if the heart of the hearers is spoilt by the vastness of the utterance, the tongue of the persons teaching is mulcted in the damage of indiscretion.
Ex. 21, Whence it is written; And if a man shall open a cistern, or if a man shall dig a pit and, not cover it, and an ox or an ass fall therein, the owner of the pit shall make it good. For what is it ' to open a cistern,' saving with strong understanding to penetrate the mysteries of Holy Writ } And what is understood by an ' ox' and an ' ass,' viz. a clean and an unclean animal, save every believer and unbeliever.? Accordingly, let him that * diggeth a cistern cover it, lest an ox