82. For the motions of the heart are mighty, when they xlv. feel only those things which are virtuous. But we lay down our greatness and our mighty motions, when we are compelled, by the assaults of sin, to consider what we are. We lay aside our mighty motions, when we are no longer raised up by our virtue, but when, by consenting to sin, we are fearful of being ovei*whelmed by that infirmity, with which we are assaulted. For the mind has great confidence in itself, when it sees that its strength is adequate to its wishes. It arrogates at once to itself the assurance of sanctity, and thinks that it is now equal even to all the heights of virtues, which it has conceived in thought only. But when a temptation suddenly arises and pierces it through, it utterly confounds those lofty thoughts, which had sprung up from its virtues. For an unexpected enemy enters, as it were, an unsuspecting city; and the necks of haughty citizens are smitten with a sudden stroke. There is nothing then at that time but continual lamentation, whilst the captured city of the mind is, by means of slaughter, bereft of the glory of its great ones. Whence it is now said. Lay down thy greatness without tribulation^ and all who are mighty in strength. As if it were plainly said, Repress all the pride thou hadst conceived within, at thy good deeds, and lay down those mighty motions of the heart, which thou hadst from thy just doings; because thou now considerest, in the assault of adversity, how vainly thou before entertainedst high thoughts of thyself in thy pride. Which greatness, it is said, must be laid aside without tribulation, doubtless, because when humility makes progress through temptation, that very adversity, which secures the mind from pride, is itself prosperous. But yet this is not effected without great tribulation, when the tranquil mind is assailed by the inroads of temptations, as if by a sudden enem3% For, when the adversity of temptation I i)() Wfak and manifold actin/js of tfie tempted soul.
Jow '^G, forces itsc;lf into tlic mind, it pnidiices therein a kind of dark- "Moir '^^'''''^5 ''^"^^ confounds, with the gloom of its bitterness, that soul which }jad long been enlightened, within itself, by the radiant sweetness of its virtues. Whence it is also fitly subjoined; Ver. 20. Prolong not the night, that people should go up for them. xlvi. 83. For the night is indeed prolonged, when the sorrow, that springs from temptation, is not ended by the rising up of consolation. The night is protracted, because the sorrow of the mind is prolonged by confused thoughts. For whilst the mind, placed in temptation, considers that it is driven away from the former solidity of its virtue, it is blinded by superinduced sorrows, as by a kind of gloom. And its eye is closed to every ray of joy, whilst it anxiously trembles, lest it should entirely lose that which it had before begun to be. Whence it is also well said, that, in this night, people %o up in the place of the strong; because, namely, in this sorrow of temptation, instead of bold emotions, unworthy and manifold thoughts spring up in the heart. For whilst it sees, in this perturbation, that it has already almost lost that which it had been, it heaps up in itself countless waves and tumults. At one time it sorrows that it has lost its tranquillity; at another, it is afraid lest it should fall into evil deeds. At one time it calls to mind on what a height it had stood, at another, it observes in what a depth of vices it is lying, by means of its pleasure. At one time it prepares itself to recover its strength, at another, as though already defeated and crushed, it despairs that it can recover it.
84. When such manifold thoughts then come forth over the convicted mind, people, as it were, rise and press it down in the night. Which people the Prophet had doubtless presumed he could overcome, not by himself, but by the aid Ps. 144, of the Divine protection, when he was saying, 3Iy Protector, a7id in Him ivill I hope, subduing people under me. For people are subjected to holy minds, when foolish thoughts start away from them, at the presence of strict severity; so as not to hurry them through headlong fancies, but, subjected to reason, humbly to cease from the heart. Hence, therefore, the mind which used, in prosperity, to pre- I Danger of gloomy thoughts. Faults assumed to reprove. 197 Slime greater things of itself"^ endures, when plaeecl in tempt- Book ation, the tumults of hope and despair, it is now well said, ^^-^ * Prolong not the night, that people should go up for them. As if it were openly said, Disperse at once the darkness of sorrow, when involved in temptation, lest thou, who hadst thought highly of thyself in tranquillity, shouldest overwhelm thyself more fatally in trouble also, with the gloom of thy thoughts. Which Eliu would properly say, if, however, he knew to whom he was saying it. For these sayings are the less suited to blessed Job, the more deeply all things are known by him. But because, as we have often said, haughty men fall even into insulting words of reproaches, while they presume to teach those, whom they ought not, it is added; Ver. 21. Take heed that thou decline not to iniquity, for thou hast begun to follow this after misery.
85. He follows iniquity after misery, who, after tho evils xlvii. which he endures for his correction, inflames himself, in his glowing heart, with the torches of impatience. Which Eliu believed that blessed Job had done, having heard him speak in bold words, when in the midst of scourges: being ignorant, namely, that every thing which he said, he uttered not from the sin of impatience, but from the virtue of truth, who did not, even when justifying himself, difier from the sentence of the inward Judge. But we must greatly consider how, when saying. Decline not to iniquity, he immediately subjoined of this very iniquity; For thou hast begun to follow this after misery.
86. What is this, that, while he forbids him to decline to it, he condemns him for it, at once, as if he had already declined to it; except that arrogant men wish rather to appear judges, than consolers? Whence also, they sometimes smite, with severe sentences, those faults, which they suspect have arisen in the heart. And, before the fault of the offenders is certain, severe invective of words is brought forward; and a person is struck by their sentence, before any thing appears, to be smitten.
87. Although even just men commonly oppose, by reproof, wicked and secret thoughts; but, when any preceding doings make plain these thoughts, they frequently root out from the hearts of their hearers, by the hand of reproof.
J 98 Holy men sometimes vhfck evil in others leforehand.
Job 36, those sins wliicli have not shewn themselves. But then l_thcy perceive that they are already following from others, which precede. For as physicians of the body discern that some diseases have already appeared, but heal others, that they may nxjt appear; so do holy teachers sometimes restore to health the wounds they have discovered, and sometimes BO deal with men's minds that ihey are not wounded. In whom we must carefully observe, that as they generally reprove known faults with severity, so do they speak against doubtful thoughts, even with calmness. The undoubted they chastise with blows: the doubtful they ward off by taking precautions. But because arrogant men knownot their rule of discrimination, they wound, with the shafts of their sentences, known and unknown, certain and uncertain faults alike. Whence it is now said by Kliu, Take heed that thou decline not to iniquity, for thou hast befjnn to follow this after misery. But because the remarks which follow are drawn out with longer allegation, we conclude thi» book with this close, that it may not be too immoderately extended.
BOOK xxvir.
BOOK xxvir.
The last twelve verses of the thirty-sixth chapter are expounded, with the whole of the thirty- seventh, and their meanings ingeniously examined, for the sake of estahlishing a system of Christian doctrine, and ethics.
1. Whoever is endeavouring to gain knowledge from the i. mighty words of the arrogant, ought carefully to secure himself from imitating their pride of learning, lest, with the words of virtue, he should acquire the vices of their habits, and in attaining to skill in speaking, should wound himself tlirough unskilfulness in living. For when we hear these persons speaking powerful words, and yet observe them proud of their powerful words, we enter, as it were, the garden of learning, and pluck roses from thorns. We need, therefore, careful discrimination, to cull that which is sweet scented, and to avoid that which pricks us: lest the incautious hand of the gatherer should be wounded with the thorn of their habits, if the flower of their words happens to be carelessly gathered. Eliu, therefore, being both learned and arrogant, produces at one while something to give a sweet scent, and at another, something to wound. We must then so gather what is fragrant from his teaching, as yet to carefully guard against the wounds of his pride. Pie introduced, indeed, many remarks above with a moral object, and yet in the words which follow he raised himself solely to the mysteries of prophecy. For he abandons the low ground of morality, and rises to the heights of prophecy.
2. Nor is it to be wondered at, that a haughty man could be filled with the prophetic spirit, when Saul also was in i Sam. the number of the prophets. But why do we say this of ' ' Saul, when we know that even a she ass learned rational ^"^g words from the sight of an Angel? But as the irrationals Peter 200 Prophecy of Christy as above all iMWfjivers.
Job 3(), animal iitt(;rc(l nitioiial words, and vet weut not so far as '- — to take a rational nature in exchange; thus does an unworthy person often receive holy words by the spirit of prophecy, but yet does not attain to deserve the glory of sanctity; so as to rise above himself in his words, and listlessly to sink beneath himself in his life. Whence Eliu, though not now humble, beholds the humble advent of our Redeemer: and announces, in prophecy, Him, Whom he assails with his haughty manners, saying, Ver. 22. Behold, God is lofty in His strength, and none is like Him among lawgivers. ii. 3. As if he said plainly, He, Who will appear humble in weakness, remains lofty in strength, Paul also witnessing 2 Cor. (i^ig^ yvho says, For though He was crucified through weakness, yet He liveth by the power of God. Of Whom it is rightly subjoined. None is like Him among lawgivers. Moses was a lawgiver, Joshua a lawgiver, the Prophets lawgivers also. We can term all lawgivers, who, we know, admonish the people rightly from the Law. But there is no one like to this Mediator among lawgivers. For they, having been called by grace from their sins, return to innocence, and, from what they have experienced in themselves, bring back others by their preaching. But oiu* Redeemer is Man without sin, a Son without adoption, and has never committed any thing which He has disapproved. And He so speaks to the world by His Manhood, as yet to be still the Lord of the same world before all ages by His Godhead. Hence certain persons believed that the Mediator between God and men was like the lawgivers. For when He asked.
Mat. 16, WJtom do men say that the Son of Man is, the disciples answered and said, Some say that He is John the Baptist, others Ellas, others Jeremias, or one of the Prophets. But He doubtless disclosed to Peter how lofty He was in strength; for looking on Him truly, he separated Him from an equality ib. ]6. vvith lawgivers, saying, TJtou art Clwist, the Son of the living God. Whence the Bride rightly says of Him in the Song 1°^' of Songs, By night on my bed I sought Him Whom my soul 3, 1. loveth, 1 sought Him, and I found Him not. And a little ib. 3. after, The watchmen who guard the city found me. Of jb. 5, 7. Whom she says again, They teounded me, they took my cloak.
Tfie Church seeking Christ not yet clearly revealed. 201 And she asks them again, saying, Saiv ye Him WJtom my soul Hook loveth? When 1 had passed hy them hut a little^ I found ^ '- Hint Whom my soul loveth. Song 4. For the Beloved is sought for by night on the bed; ' • because He is longed for in tribulation of spirit, in the secret chambers of the heart. Whom yet the Bride, though seeking, finds not, because every Elect sold is already kindled with the torches of His love, but the sight of Him, which is sought for, is still denied, that the longing of the lover may increase; and water is, as it were, withdrawn in thirst, that the heat of the thirst may be augmented, and that the longer a person thirsts, and longs for it, the more eagerly may he seize it at last when he has found it. But the watchers find her when seeking for Him; and wound her, and take away her cloak: because when anxious teachers meet with any soul, already seeking for a sight of its Redeemer, they wound it, by the word of preaching, with the darts of heavenly love: and if it has any covering of its former conversation, they lake it away; in order that the more it is stripped of the burden of this world, the more quickly may He, Who is sought for, be found by her. But it is well added, When I had passed by them hut a little^ I found Him Whom my soul loveth? because the mind, eager for the sight of Him, would not find Him, Who is above man, unless it were to go be3^ond the estimate of the Prophets, the loftiness of the Patriarchs, and the standard of all men. To pass by the watchers, then, is to postpone, in comparison of Plim, those even whom the soul admires. And He, Who was sought for, is then beheld, if He is believed to be a Man, but yet above the measures of men. Whence it is now well said, None is like Him among lawgivers. But He in truth, appearing to our sight through the infirmity of the flesh, as He rejects some, and calls others, has displayed marvellous judgments, which can be thought upon, and yet not be comprehended by us.
For He ^hys, For judgment have I come into this world, John 9, that thei/ wJiich see not, might see, and that they wjiich see ' might be made blind. And again, I thank Thee, O Fa titer, MdiLM, Lord of heaven and earth, because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and. hast revealed them unto babes. In which judgments the Jews are doubtless 202 Tfiey who sing God's praise know not all His worhs.
Job 30, rejected, the Gentiles galherod. Which fact in trutli we — '• — -' can certainly uonrler at, but are not at all able to search into. Whence it is now also well subjoined hy Kliu, Ver. 28. WJto irill he able to search out His ways? Or who darelJi lo say lo Him, Thou hast wrought iftiquily? iii. 5. As if he said; ' How can He be blamed, Whose doing cannot be searched into? For no one judges properly of that, which he knows not. We ought, therefore, to rest the more silent under His judgments, the more we see that we perceive not the reason of His judgments. Whence it is also well subjoined.
Ver. 24. liememher thai thou knowest not His work, of JVhom men have sung. iv. 6. In Holy Scripture sometimes Angels, and sometimes ^ homi- persons' of perfect life, are called ' men-.' For that an Angel "Tiri. ^^ sometimes called a man, the Prophet Daniel bears wit-Pan. 9, ness, saying, Behold, the man Gabriel. And again, that ^^' persons of perfect life are called by the name of ' men,' ProT. Wisdom declares in the Proverbs, saying, Unto you, O men, / call. Men then sing of the Lord, when either spirits from above, or perfect teachers, make known lo ns His power. But yet His work is not known; because doubtless even they who preach Him, venerate His unpenetrated judgments. They, therefore, both know Him, Whom they preach, and yet know not His works: because they know, by grace, Him, by Whom they were made, but yet cannot understand His judgments, which are wrought by Him even above their undoft'standing. For that Almighty God is not clearly seen 5's. IS, in His doings the Psalmist bears witness, saying, Wlio hath Vs.s6,6.JJictde darkness His secret place. And again, Thy judgments Ps. I04,cfr£? a great deep. And again, TJte deep like a garment is Eccles. ^^^ clothing. Whence also it is well said by Solomon, As lb ^' thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the hones grow together in the belly of her that is with child, so thou knowest not the icorks of God, Who is the Maker of all things.
7. For to state one thing out of many, two little ones come to this light: but to one it is granted to retura to redemption by Baptism; the other is taken away before the regenerating water bedews it. And the son of faithful parents is often Inscrutable judgments. God seen hy all afar off. 203 taken off without faith, while that of unbelievers is renewed Book XXVII by the grant of the Sacrament of faith. But some one may perhaps say, that God knew that he would act wickedly even after Baptism, and that He did not, on that account, bring him to the grace of Baptism. But if this is the case, the sins of some persons are without doubt pxmished even before they are committed. And who, that thinks rightly, would say this, that Almighty God, Who releases some from the sins they have committed, condemns, in others, these very sins, even when not committed? II is judgments are, therefore, hidden; and they ought to be reverenced with an humility, as great as the obscurity by which they cannot be seen. Let him say then, Eemember that thou knowest not His uorky of Whom men have sung. As if he were to say plainly, llie works of Him, of Whom mighty men have spoken, aie concealed from the eyes of thy mind; because they surpass the measure of thy knowledge, inasmuch as thou art circumscribed by thy humanity. It follows, Ver. 25. All men see Hini, every o?ie heholdeth afar off.
8. Every man from the fact that he is created rational, v. ought to conclude from reason that He VVho made him is God. And to see Him at this time, is doubtless to behold, through reason. His sovereign power. But when it is said. All men see Him, it is rightly subjoined, Every one heholdeth afar off. For, to behold Him afar off, is to behold Him at present not in Person, but to think of Him as yet, solely from admiration of His works. Even the Elect behold Him here afar off; because they do not as yet discern His brightness with the keenness of inmost vision. For although they are near Him now by love, yet they are separated from Him by the burden of their earthly habitation; and although they cling close to Him by good living, yet they sigh that they are far removed from the sight of His contemplation. And when the reprobate also see Him coming to judgment, they doubtless behold Him afar off, because they behold Him not in the form of His Godhead, but in His Manhood only, in which alone He could even be comprehended. Because, namely, their own evil deeds, being then brought back to their niemor}', strike against their sight: and while they behold the Manhood of Him, Whose Godhead they see not, they 204 We know Who works, but cannot discern how.
Job 3G, are, in a wonderful manner, far away from the sight of Him '■ — Wliom they ])cho]cl. But when it is said, Rcmeinher that thou knowest not His work, and it is then subjoined, All men see Him, (and to behold lliin, is, as we before said, to infer from reason His all- transcendent essence,) it is a great marvel that we behold God Himself, and yet know not His work. For we cannot doubt of His essence, and yet we remain uncertain of His judgments. That which is highest is plain to us, that which is least is concealed. For His works are surely less than Himself; and yet we behold the Doer, but are in darkness as to His doing: from the very fact, that the reason why any thing is done is uncertain, but Who it is that acts thus uncertainly, is not uncertain. Let him say then, Remember that thou knowest not His work, of Whom men have sung; all men see Him, every one beholdelh afar off. Because we see by reason that He exists. Whose judgments we by no means comprehend. But yet, at present, we behold Him afar off, because we are separated from His strength by the mist of our own infirmity. It follows, Ver. 26. Behold, God is great, surpassing our knoidedge.
vi. 9. He had said above, Behold, God is lofty. He now says ver. 22. ^gain. Behold, God is great. Why is it, that when speaking of God he says, * Behold,' and again repeats, ' Behold,' if it be not that we say, ' Behold' of that thing, which we point out as present? And since God is every where present, when * Behold' is said of Him, He is said to be present even to those who see Him not. But he well says, that He surpasses our knowledge, Who he had said before was seen by all men. Because, though He is beheld by reason, yet His greatness is not penetrated by any subtlety of our senses. For whatever we know of the brightness of His greatness, is beneath Him; and the more we suspect that we comprehend His power, the more are we driven far away from the knowledge of Him. For though our mind is caught up on high, yet it is transcended by the immensity of His greatness. Of Whom we know as it were something in part, when we feel that we are not able to know Him worthily. It follows, The number of His years cannot be reckoned.
vii. 10. He wished, in some way or another, to speak of eternity, and he called the very length of eternity, ' years.'
Eternity expressed by years tcithoiit number, 205 For whcMi we wish to expand tl)o briefness of time, we extend Boon our^noments through hours, our hours through days, our ' days through months, and our months through years. Since then he wished to speak of something very hxrge, but did not find what wider thing to speak of, he multiplied years in God williout reckoning their number, saying, The number of His years cannot be reckoned; in order tliat while he multiplies those things wliich are long in themselves, human weakness may learn that it cannot measure the length of eternity. Stretch therefore thine eye into eternity, that thou mayest see God, either when He is from the beginning, or how far He extends. And there is no boundary any where above, because Pie begins not to be; no boundary any where below, because He ceases not to be. All things are bounded together within Him; but He is extended around all things without space, is spread abroad without place. Behold all things which are made, by the very circumscription of their creation, are encircled by a boundary both above and below. For by their own law, because they begin from not being, they are hastening not to be.
1 1. But some things have marvellously received this, that, though a boundary commences them above, yet no boundary confines them below; and that though they begin to be, yet that they do not cease to be for ever. But their eternity is unlike the liighest eternity, because they began to be eternal. When we look at their extremes, we do not comprehend that end of theirs which is altogether wanting; but when we carry our mind back, we behold their commencement. And while Ave turn our thoughts below and above in them, we do not at all understand how far they extend, but we see from whence ihey begin. But since God has a kind of length of being througli eternity, which neither commences with a beginning, nor is terminated by an end, and which does not admit in itself the from whence, nor until when; let it be said then. The number of His years cannot be reckoned. By the number of His years being mentioned, His Being is shewn to be of long duration. But by its being said to be •beyond number, this same Being is pointed out as infinite and inconiprehensil)le. But we have learned, that He is -lyiown to the minds of men, when all men see Him; and ^20(i Holy Preachers signified hy * ^tars of rain?
Job 3(), that uc behold and admire His greatness, when the number -—^ — of ]lis years is considered beyond number; it now remains for us to hear, what are His doings. It follows, Ver. 27. Who takath away the stars of rain^ and poureth forth shovjers like whirlpools. viii. 12. There are two kinds of just persons in this life; one, namely, of those who live uprightly, but teach nothing; another, of those who live uprightly, and teach accordingly. As in the face of heaven some stars come forth, which no stoiTns succeed: and others come forth, which water the thirsty earth with great showers. As often then as persons live uprightly in Holy Church, but yet know not how to preach this same uprightness, they are stars indeed, but produced in the dryness of the air: because they can give light to others by their example of good living, but cannot rain by their word of preaching. But when certain persons both live uprightly therein, and distil this uprightness into others by their word of preaching, stars appear, as it were, in heaven, to bring on rain, which are so to enlighten others by the merits of their life, as also to rain with the word of preaching. Did not Moses appear in this heaven, as a star of rain; who, when he shone forth from above, watered also the hearts of sinners with the rain of holy exhortation as the thirsty ground beneath, to make it bring forth grass abundantly? Did not Isaiah appear as a star of rain, who in foreseeing and holding up the light of truth, watered the drought of the unbelieving by announcing the words of prophecy?
Were not Jeremiah, and the other Prophets, placed as it were in heaven, like stars of rain, who, when exalted on the high eminence of preaching, while they dared boldly to reprove the depravity of sinnei*s, kept down as it were the dust of human blindness, by watering it with the drops of their words? But since, namely, the judgments of heaven take away from this present life the souls of these persons, enclosed in this corruptible flesh, the stars of rain are withdrawn as it were from the face of heaven. And the stars return into their hidden places, when the souls of the Saints, having completed their courses, are laid up in the treasuries of the Inner Disposal.
13. But since the earth would be dried up, if the streams Floods still (fiven, when the rain- stars are withdrawn. *i07 of rain from above were to cease entirely, when the stars Book were withdrawn, it is riglilly said, Who taketh away the— -' stars of rain J and ponrelJi forth the shotcers like whirlpools. For, when the Lord had taken away the Prophets, He sent tlie Apostles in tlieir place; to rain like whirli)ools, after the external preaching of the Law had ceased, when the old fathers had been withdrawn. He conceals therefore the stars of rain, and pours out showers like whirlpools, because after He withdrew the preachers of the Law to His inmost and secret mansions, a more exuberant power of preaching poured forth, by the words of those who came after.
14. By stars of rain can be designated also the holy Apostles, of whom it is said by Jeremiah to rejected Judaea, The stars of rain have been withholden, and there JiathJeT.SjS, been no latter rain. The Lord, therefore, has withdrawn the stars of rain, and has poured forth showers like whirlpools; because, when He took away from Judaea the Apostles who were preaching. He watered the world with the doctrine of new grace. Both of which things can be understood, not improperly, to have been done in the Church. For when He withdrew the souls of the Apostles to the secret recesses of the regions above, on the dissolution of their bodies. He hid, as it were, from the face of heaven the stars of rain.
But, when the stars of rain had been taken away. He gave showers like whirlpools; for, when the Apostles had been withdrawn to the regions above, He disclosed, in more abundant profusion, by the tongues of subsequent expositors, the streams of Divine knowledge which had been long conoealed. For that which they stated briefly, they manifoldly increased by expounding it. Whence this very preaching of expositors is not improperly compared to whirlpools, since, while they collect the sayings of many who precede them, they spread themselves out to a greater depth in what they accumulate. For whilst they unite testimonies to testimonies, they make, as it were, whirlpools from drops. And whilst the Gentile world is daily taught by their words, because the mind of sinners receives heavenly wisdom, the water standing on the earth exliibits, as it were, whirlpools. But let not these expositors prefer themselves in any way to the same Apostles in wisdom.
208 Tjater teachers have their knowledrje from the Apostles.
Job 36, when thoy S])cak at greater length in exposition. For they '— ouglit constantly to remember through whom they have received the discoveries of tliis very wisdom. Whence it is also fitly subjoined, Ver. 28. Which flow from the clouds. ix. 15. For these whirlpools do indeed flow from the clouds; because, if the power of understanding did not begin with the holy Apostles, it would not flow more fully through the mouths of teachers. For by ' clouds' in Holy Scripture, sometimes fickle men, sometimes Prophets, sometimes Apostles, are designated. By clouds the fickleness of the Eccles. human mind is expressed; as Solomon says. He that ohserveth ' ' the windy doth not sow, and he that regardeth the clouds, doth never reap. He doubtless calls the unclean spirit, * wind,' but men who are subjected to him, * clouds;' whom he impels backwards and forward, hither and thither, as often as his temptations alternate in their hearts from the blasts of suggestions. He, therefore, who observes the wind, does not sow; since he who dreads coming temptations, does not direct his heart to good works. And he who regards the clouds, does not reap, since he who trembles from the dread of human fickleness, deprives himself of the recompense of an eternal reward. By ' clouds' are Prophets Ps. 18, set forth, as is said by the Psalmist; Dark ivater in the clouds of the air; that is, hidden wisdom in the Prophets. By ^ clouds' also Apostles are designated, as is said by Is. 6, 6. Isaiah, / will command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. They are ' stars' then, because they shine with the merits of their life; they are ^ clouds,' because they water the parched ground of our heart with the streams of heavenly knowledge. For if they were not ' clouds,' the Prophet Is. 60,8. would not have said, when looking on them. Who are these that Jly as clouds? The whirlpools of showers pour then from the clouds, because the profound instructions of those that follow derived the origin of their wisdom from the holy Apostles. Of which clouds it is still further fitly subjoined.
Which cover all things above. X. 16. When the clouds cover the air above, if we lift up our eyes to the heaven, we behold not the heaven, but them; Examples of Sain Is ^ like chads, be/ wee a as and I he San. '209 nor (Iocs our sicht penetrate the ctiicreal ro<rions, because its Hook .. XXVII. own infirmity conceals tliem from it. And wljen the sun' - shines ibrtli from the heaven, it first feeds itself on the air which is poured between, that so it may afterwards conlem- ]date the rays of the sun in the sky. Because, therefore, we arc carnal men, when \vc endeavour to attain to heavenly things, vrc raise, as it were, our e^'cs to heaven, and direct