— — — strengtli with God, and }>y its condescension melts, as it were, and waters tlje thirsty earth, to bear fruits. And because water is first brought up from belo\N', that it may afterwards be returned in showers from above; so do lioly men, when placed on tlie lofty eminence of their virtues, consider from whence they are elevated, for fear of despising the meanness of others' infirmity. Waters, then, return, as it were, to the earth from which they have been raised, when nghteous men, condescending to sinners, cease not to remember what once they were. Paul had certainly been hitherto but water on the earth, when he knew the Law carnally. But when raised up to heavenly knowledge, he was converted into snow; because he changed his former feeble knowledge into the solidity of true w^isdom; and yet, condescending to his brethren, he returned as snow to the earth. For even after his lieights of virtue, he acknowledges } ^^^' how unworthy he was, saying. Who was before a blasphemer and a persecutor, ^^c. Behold how considerately he calls to mind his own weakness, so as to bear with equanimity the weaknesses of others. For Paul returned, as water, after being in heaven, to the earth from which it had been taken, when, after the great secrets of his contemplation, he called to mind that he was a sinner, in order that he might benefit sinners by his humility. Let us see therefore how this water, which is to be turned into solid snow, is drawn up to its 2 Cor. highest level. He says, Whether we he beside ourselves, it ' * is to God. Let us see how the snow returns to the ground, ibid. to water it, while melting. He says, Or whether tee be sober, it is for your cause. Let us see with what hand it is guided, and can be raised up, when low, and be brought back again ibid. 14. when raised up. He says. For the love of Christ constraineth us. Because therefore the love of Christ, which raises the minds of Saints to heavenly things, shapes them by its considerate control even to humble condescension, for the love of the brethren, it is rightly said. Who ordereth the snow to descend on the earth. Where it is also fitly subjoined. And the rains of the winter, and the shower of His strength.
45. For this present life is indeed winter: in which though hope even now^ raises us up to things above, yet the Rain of preaching ends icith lointer of this life. 233 cold torpor of our mortality still binds us. Because it is Book ., XXVII.
written, 77/6" corruptible body iceiijheth down the soul, and ' the eartlilij habitation presseth dotvn the sense that museth 15. on many thinys. But this winter has rains, which are doubtless the preachings of rulers. Of which rains it is in truth said by Moses, Let my speech be expected as the rain, and^^^^' my words descend as the dew. These rains doubtless are suited to the winter, and will cease in the summer; because now that the heavenly life is hidden from the eyes of the carnal, it is necessary for dew to be poured on us by the preachings of holy men. But when the heat of eternal judgment has glowed, no one will then find the words of preachers necessary. Because every one is brought back to his own conscience, on the coming of the Judge, so as to understand what is holy, when he cannot any longer perform it, and to learn from the punishment of his perverseness the right which he ought to have pursued. Whence it is well said by the Prophet, Gather them together as ajiock for a saci'ifice,^^^. 12, and sanctify them in the day of slaughter. For the reprobate are sanctified in the day of slaughter: for they then perceive the holiness, which they ought to have pursued, when they cannot now avoid the punishments which their depravity deserves. But since holy preaching will cease with this present life, that is the rains with the winter; to the soul which is departing, and hastening to the summer regions of eternal happiness, it is rightly said by the voice of the Bridegroom persuading it; Arise, haste, my beloved,^^-my fair one, and come: for the winter hath past, the rain 10. 11.'
hath passed and is gone. For as the winter passes away, the rain departs: because when the present life is over, in which the torpor of the corruptible flesh had surrounded us with a mist of ignorance, all the ministry of preaching ceases. For we shall then behold that more clearly with our own eyes, which we now hear more obscurely by the voices of the Saints. The Lord therefore orders the snow, and the rains of the winter, to descend on the eiuth, while He humbles the hearts of the Saints to the ministry of preaching, for the correction of sinners, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Where it is rightly added, And the shower of His strength. 46. For the shower of the strength of God, is the preaching Job 37, ilis Godhead; for the shower of His weakness is the preach- 1 Cor ^^^ ^'^^ Maidiood, of vvliich it is said l^y Paul, The weakness 1,26. of God is sirorujer than men. And again, Thoiujh lie v:as 13 4. crucified through weakness^ yet He liveth by the pov:er of Ood. But holy men so preach the weakness of Ilis Manhood, as to pour also into the hearts of their hearers the strength of His Godhead. Let us hear, through the thunder John 1, of the cloud, the shower of His strength; In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word ibid. 14. was God. Let us hear also the shower of His weakness; The Word ivas made flesh, and dwelt among us. Let us hear the ibid. 3. shower of His strength; All things were made by Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made. What was made in Him was life. Let us hear also ibid. 11. the shower of His weakness; He came unto His oivn, and His own received Him not. He commands therefore the shower of His strength to descend on the earth, because He so preaches to us the weaknesses of His Manhood by the voices of His vSaints, as to make known to us also the wonders and the strength of His Godhead. But when we hear the power of our Maker, we arc immediately brought back to our own hearts by the compulsion of fear, aud, considering that so great a Judge is over us, we examine 1 Mrs. what we have done (worthily, and what) ^ unworthily. Whence ^^^^' it is well subjoined, Ver. 7. Who sealeth the hand of all men, that every one may know his works. I XXV. 47. For men scorn to think of the sins they commit. But when they hear the power of heavenly severity, they discern this burden of misdeeds which weighs them down. For being roused by the words of preaching, they keep on the watch, in order to consider to what punishments the merit of their former doings is leading them. When, then, the shower of His strength descends on the earth, a seal is made in the hand of each one, for him to know his works; because when the Virtue of His Incomprehensible Majesty is acknowledged, his own life is weighed more carefully by each person. 48. But this can also be understood in another sense. For the Almighty Creator has made man a rational creature, distinguished from all which are void of sense and reason; God compels men to knoxo tlicir own loorhs. 235 in order that he should not be ignorant of what he has done. Book For he is compelled by the law of nature to know whether* '- what he is doing is right or wrong. For why is he brought to judgment for his conduct, if he could be ignorant of what he has done? And therefore even they, who scorn to be instructed by the precepts of the Lord, know whether the things they ai'e doing are good or evil. For if they do not know they are doing good, why do tliey ostentatiously boast of some of their doings } Again, if they know not that they are doing wrong, why do they shrink from the eyes of others in these very doings? For they are witnesses to themselves, that they know what they are doing is wrong, because they are ashamed of being seen by others. For if they did not really believe it to be wrong, they would not be afraid of its being seen by others. Whence it is well said by a certain wise man; When wickedness is fearful, it heareth Wisd.
testimony to its own condemnation. For when fear assails ' and convicts the conscience of what it has done, it furnishes testimony against itself, that its conduct is deserving of condemnation. The contrary to which is said by John, ^i Johns, our heart condemn us not, we have conjldence toward God. Let the wicked fly then from the eyes of men; they certainly cannot fly from themselves. For that they know the sin which they commit, they have their conscience as a witness, they have their reason as a judge. Li the sin therefore which they commit, they first find the judgment of their reason against them, and they are afterwards brought to the strictness of the eternal judgment. And this is perhaps that which is said by the Psalmist, Deep calleth unto deep Ps.42,7.
with the voice of Thy water-spouts. Because, when by a wondrous course of secret dispensation, the evil which is committed is not snftered to be unknown, a sinner both condemns himself at once in his conscience by his own sentence, and after his own condemnation hastens to the sentence of the eternal Judge. For deep then to call on deep, is to pass from one judgment to another. Let holy preachers proceed then to reprove the conduct of sinners, but let wicked hearers despise the words of the righteous.
Let them defend their wickedness as much as they please, and multiply their shameless deeds by a more shameless '23(5 Antichrist, and sinners, dens of the evil beast.
Job 37, defence. They iirc certaiiily witnesses to themselves in '- — their conscience tliat they are without excuse. J^'or by the very fact that (iocl has created man a rational being, He puts a seal in the hand of all men, that every one may know his own works. But because Kliu has stated his opinion of the wickedness of men one by one, he turns at once the eyes of his mind to the author of wickedness hiinself, by whose means each separate wickedness takes its rise; that, because he had assailed in this one verse the members of a wicked head, he might also briefly describe the head himself of these members. Or certainly, because he had mentioned above the virtues of the clouds of God, he now proceeds to set forth also the assaults of the adversary against the life of the righteous. For it follows, Ver. 8. The beast will enter his covert^ and will abide in his den.
xxvi. 49. Who else is understood by the name of the beast, except our ancient enemy, who cruelly aimed at the deception of the first man, and mangled by his wicked advice the integrity of his life } against whom it is promised by the words of the Prophet, concerning the restoration of the Is. 35,9. Church of the Elect to its ancient condition, And no evil beast shall pass through it. But when after the coming of the Redeemer, after the voices of preachers, after the thunder, as it were, of the clouds, this beast has seized that accursed person, Antichrist, what else does he do but enter his covert, in order to abide in his own den } For that vessel of the devil is the den and covert of the beast, so that, when lying in ambush against men who are journeying through this life, he both escapes their notice by his wonders, and kills them by his malice, in his person. But yet he possesses even now the hearts of all reprobates, before he manifests himself openly; and occupies them by his secret wickedness, as though they were his own den; and conceals himself in their gloomy minds, in order to effect all the hurt he desires against the good. Were not the hearts of the persecuting Jews, the den of this beast; in whose designs he long lurked secretly, but suddenly burst forth with the voices of those who cried, Johnl9, Crucify, Crucify? And because he could not reach so far in his temptation, as to wound the mind of our Redeemer, he He dwells in them, hut cannot in the righteous. 237 was oagiT for His death in the flesh. This beast doubtless Book 1 XXVII possessed the hearts of many of the Elect, but the Lamb has, -^ '- by His death, expelled him from them. Whence also He says in the Gospel, Now shall the prince of this world 6e John 12, cast out. For while He has, by a wonderful and righteous judgment, enlightened and accepted the confessions of the humble. He has forsaken and closed the eyes of the proud.
Whence it is said to Him by the Psalmist, Thou hast ap- Ps. 104, pointed darktie.<is, and it became night, in it all the beasts of the woods will pass through: the t/oung of lions roaring to seize their prey, and to seek their food from God. For God in truth appoints darkness, when, in inflicting judgment in requital for sins, He withdraws the light of His wisdom.
And it is made niglit, because the mind of wicked men is blinded with the errors of their own ignorance. In which all the beasts of the field pass through, when malignant spirits, lurking under the gloom of deceit, pass through into the hearts of the reprobates, by fulfilling their evil purposes.
In which also the young of lions roar, because spirits rise up with importunate temptations, as the ministers of most wicked, but yet preeminent, powers. But yet they seek their food from God; because doubtless they are unable to catch souls, unless by a just judgment they are permitted by God to prevail. Where it is also fitly subjoined, TJie sun hath ibid. 22.
arisen, and theij are gathered together, and have laid them down in their dens. Because, when expelled from the minds of the faithful, by the Light of the Truth manifested in the flesh, they returned, as it were, to their dens, when they held the hearts of unbelievers only. That then which is there called the den of lions, is here termed the den of the beast.
50. But I think it ought to be specially observed, that this beast is said, not only to enter his den, but to abide therein. For he sometimes enters even the minds of the good, he suggests unlawful thoughts, he wearies them with temptations, he endeavours to turn aside the uprightness of the spirit to the pleasure of the flesh; he also strives to carry out delight as far as to consent: but yet he is kept from prevailing by the opposition of aid from on high. He can enter therefore into the minds of the good, but cannot 288 'I'liC' Eh'f (Irirr. cml ihontjhh from the hmrCsi door.
Jon 37, abide therein, because tlie heart of the righteous is not 1— the den of tliis beast. For he doubtless abides in and occu])ios the minds of those, whom lie possesses as his own den: because he fust leads on their thoughts to wicked desires, and afterwards leads their wicked desires even to the commission of most sinful deeds. For the reprobate do not endeavour to repel, with the upright hand of judgment, the suggestions of him, to whose wishes they desire to yield, by submissive delight. And when any evil thought arises in their hearts, it is cherished at once by the eagerness of delight; and when no resistance is made to him, he is strengthened immediately by consent, and consent is instantly carried into outward act, but outward act is also made worse by habit. This beast then is well said to abide in his cave; which keeps hold of the thoughts of the reprobate, till it also pierces their life with the sting of evil deeds.
Jer. 4, Whence the Lord well says to Judaea bv the Prophet, How long shall hurtful ihotights abide in thee f For He does not blame for their coming, but for their remaining there. And unlawful thoughts come even unto good hearts, but they are forbidden to remain; because the righteous, in order to keep the house of conscience from being taken, drive away the enemy from the very threshold of the heart. And if he has 1 Oxf. ever secretly crept ^ by sudden suggestions in front of the < sub- entrance, yet he does not reach to the gate of consent, repit.' \i ^as to this beast doubtless that Peter, overcome by the Luke22, iinpulse of sudden fear, opened the gate of his heart, by '~ ' denial, but he withstood it by a speedy discovery, he closed it by his tears. But because the ancient enemy has not only entered and occupied the hearts of persecutors, but has also occupied and possessed them, let it be rightly said, The beast will enter his covert, and will abide in his den. For we learn how much he dwelt in the minds of the Jews, when we hear their plans, on the evidence of the Gospel narrative. For therein it is described, with what eager cruelty they raged for His death, when they beheld our Lord quickening the dead; how many evil designs they ardently wished to carry out against Him, but yet feared the people; how many opportunities they sought of killing Him, and could not find them; how many hands of aliens they Jews Jigured in ^ the South ^ Pilate in * Arctur?is.^ 239 used to carry out their cruel wishes; because they wave Him Book up to the Gentiles to be killed, Whom they themselves were ~ ' not able legally to put to death; in order that the Roman governor might perform that by his mere power, which they eagerly insisted ought to be done, merely from their malice. Whence it is also fitly subjoined, Ver. 9. A tempest will come fortli from the inner parts, and cold from Arcturus.
51. When Holy Scripture mentions the inner parts, in xxvii. opposition to Arcturus, it designates the quarter of the South, opposite to the yjarts of the North. Whence it is written in this same book; WJio makelh Arcturus, and the 0?'ions,Joh9,9. and the inner parts of the South. Because then the sun pervades with greater warmth the inner parts of ihe South, but does not pursue its course at all in the North ^, by the Mn Arcword 'inner parts' in this place is expressed the Jewish people, ^^^' but by the term 'Arcturus' the Gentile people. For they who had known the One and Invisible God, and obeyed His Law, at least carnally, were kept, as it were, in the warmth of faith, under the glow of the midday sun. But because the Gentiles had not attained to any knowledge of heavenly wisdom, they were remaining, as it were, in the cold, without the sun, under the North. But because a tempest impels, but cold oppresses with torpor ', it is now rightly said, A tempest will come forth from the inner parts, and cold from Arcturus. As if it were plainly said; From the Jews there arises persecuting malice, and from the Gentiles oppressing power. For the precepts of the Law had not forbidden the performance of miracles, and yet the Jews sought to kill the Redeemer of the human race on account of these very miracles. And hence when unable to fulfil what they had begun, they flocked to the hall of Pilate, in order that he, whom no law could restrain when murdering unjustly, miglit himself put Him to death. A tempest therefore came forth from the inner parts, and cold from Arcturus, whilst the Gentile judge perpetrated with the authority of Rome,. that which tlie Jews requested through envy. Whence it is well subjoined still further against this same envy, Ver. 10. When God hloweth, the ice congeals.
52. Because, as the Holy Spirit breathed on the hearts of xxviii.
240 Jce of Pcrsrciifion thdirrd hy tin" S/nrit of God.
Job 37, the faitliful, and conferred frreatcr miracles of power, be- '— iiun)l)ing envy grew up tlie more in tlie sluggisli hearts of the faitliless; and the unbelievinj^ multitude became hardened against God, from the same causes, as the humble people softened the obduracy, with which it had bound itself. For when God blew on them, they were turned into ice, who said, through envy of the miracles they had witnessed; Johiil2, Behold, the whole world hath fjone after Him. They were beholding the signs, perceiving the miracles performed hy His ministers, and foreseeing, that the whole world was now about to follow the preaching of the faith; and yet, the more the Holy Spirit had filled the world, the more firmly was the malice of envy binding their minds. The water therefore had been turned into ice, when sluggish Judaea was still remaining in envy, as the whole world was going after God. But because Divine Power was sufficient to soften the hardness even of such great cruelty, and to melt the hearts of unbelievers to love Him, after this ice it is immediately well subjoined; And the waters are again poured forth abundantly.
xxix. 53. For the Lord has in truth poured forth the waters abundantly, after this ice; for after He had endured the hardness of the Jews, even unto death, He immediately melted their hearts from the hardness of unbelief, by breathing on them the love of Himself; in order that they might afterwards run the more eagerly to obey Him, the more obstinately they had before resisted His commands. Whence Ecclus. it is well said by a certain wise man, As ice in fair weather, ' * SO shall thy sins he melted away. The Prophet had desired Ps. 126, to be freed from the ice of this torpor, when saying. Turn *• our captivity^ O Lord^ as the stream in the South. Of these waters, that is, of people flocking together to the Lord, it is Ps. 147, said again. He will send forth His icord, arid will melt them: His breath will blow, and the waters will flow.
Waters run from ice, because many great preachers are made out of hard persecutors. Ice therefore melts in water, when the numbness of inward cold is changed into the irrigation of preaching. Was not PcUil ice, who when going Acts 9, to Damascus, after he had received letters, was seeking to ^' check the seeds of the word of God, which had been scattered] The corn of God noiu needs tJie rain of instruction. 241 in the heart of ihe faithful, as if in the earth, that they mit^ht Book •. " xxvir not spring up to the perfection of good deeds? But this iccl-^ -* returned in water; because lie afterwards watered with the streams of holy exhortation those whom he before endeavoured to oppress with persecution, in order that there might arise a more abundant harvest of the Elect, in so much as the shower of God was watering it from the mouth even of a persecutor. Whence it is well subjoined; Ver. 1 1. The corn desireth clouds.
54. For what are all the Elect, but the corn of God, to xxx. be treasured up in the heavenly garners? Which now bear with the chaff in the threshing of the floor; because ill this purification of Holy Church, they endure the contrary habits of the reprobate, till the inward Husbandman separates them with His fan of judgment, and taking His Elect, as grains now cleaned, into the heavenly habitations, consigns the chaff to eternal fires. Whence it is well said by John, Whose fan is in His hand, and He will throughly Matt. 3, purge His floor, and will gather the wheat into His barn^ ' but He icill burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. But this corn, till it attain to the perfection of its fruits, looks for the rains of the clouds, in order to its growth. Because the mind of good men is watered with the words of preachers, lest it should be drained of the moisture of charity by the sun of carnal desires. The heavenly Husbapdman had beheld this corn growing up in the world, and desiring the clouds, when He was saying, The harvest indeed is plenteous, \i^ti.<i^ hut the labourers are few. But pray ye the Lord of the^'^'^^' harvest, to send forth labourers into His harvest. Those therefore which here are called ' corn/ are there called ' harvest,' but they who are here called ^ clouds,' are there called * labourers,' because holy preachers are both clouds and labourers; clouds, namely, by their doctrine, labourers by their life; clouds because they flow into us by their words, labourers, because they cease not to do what they speak. Whence it is subjoined; And the clouds scatter their light.
55. For, for clouds to scatter their light, is for holy xxxi. preachers to spread abroad examples of conduct, both by their words and actions. But though they scatter the light VOL. III. R 24*2 G()J*s Ministers yuidtd to visit whom He with.
Job 37, of thcir inward message, yet they do not attain to the con-^^' version of all the hearts which they desire. For it follows; Yer. 12. Which traverse all thinr/s in a circuit, whithersoever the will of their Ruler shall lead them.
xxxii. 5G, For holy preachers often wish to exhort some persons, but cannot do so. Some they often wish to avoid, but are yet most urgently compelled, by the impulse of inward instigation, to exhort them. Let us behold the cloud of God, how it is led by the hand of Him Who guides it, even to those things which it does not seek after: and is, again, kept from following its own impulse, by the hand of Him •who governs it. When Paul was shaking his raiment, and was wishing to depart from the Corinthians, he surely heard, Acts 18, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace, for I am ' ' with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee, for I have much people in this city. Again, when he had wished iThess.to go to the Thessalonians, he was kept back, and said, / ' * wished to come unto you, even I Paul, both once and again, but satan hindered me. For satan could not of himself hinder the journeys of so mighty an Apostle; but, while opposing, he ignorantly subserved the design of the secret dispensation; in order that Paul, while he wished to visit other persons, and was unable, might more suitably benefit those, from whom he could not depart. The clouds of God, therefore, traverse all things in a circuit, because they illuminate the ends of the world with the light of preaching. But, because being subject to the Divine will, they cannot fulfil their own wishes, they cannot go any where, except where the will of their Ruler shall lead them. Whence it is still further subjoined; To every thing which He shall command them upon the face of the earth. xxxiii. 57. For often when they are led by the will of their Ruler.i they seek to do one thing, but are disposed otherwise. Foi they frequently desire to correct some of their hearers in al gentle way, and yet their.speech is turaed into sharpness. They frequently seek to be severe with others, but yet theii vigour is restrained by the spirit of gentleness. As, therefore^ they cannot go whither they will, so also they cannot act as they will. For because the inward Judge keeps hold oj His gracious teaching granted in divers wags^ and places, 243 them, when He sends them, so also does He modify and Book take them up, when lie leads them on, so that sometimes' — - — -* they aiTauge one thing in their thought, but carry another into effect; they sometimes begin in one way, but end in another. Because then they serve according to that which is commanded them, let it be rightly said, Whithersoever the will of their Ruler shall lead them, to every thing which He shall command them upon the face of the earth. For they find the way of their preaching the more open, in ' that they are guided to it, not by their own will, but that of their Teacher. Whence it is still further subjoined; Ver. 13. Whether in one tribe, or in His own laiid, or in whatsoever place qf His mercy He shall order them to be found, 58. The one tribe of Judah is certainly meant, which isxxxiv. mentioned in Holy Scripture plainly and repeatedly above the rest. For it received a special gift above them all, in that it brought forth from itself the flesh of our Redeemer. But all Judaia together is called the land of the Lord. Deut. Because it then produced to Him the fruit of faith, when the^^' ^^' whole world was in error, the Gentiles having fallen under the worship of idols. But the place of the mercy of God is the Gentile world itself, for if the strict Judge were justly to punish its faults, it would never come to the reconciliation of grace. For, when it had no merits before God, it yet received the grace of reconciliation of His sole mercy. Whence it is well said by Paul, And that the Gentiles should ^om.\b, glorify God for His mercy. Whence it is written again. Which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained ^^^^-'^^ mercy, God therefore leads His clouds, either in one tribe, or in His own land, or in whatsoever place of His mercy He shall order them to be found; because at one time He conferred preachers of the Old and New Testament on the tribe of Judah only, and rejected nearly the whole of Israel by the wicked governing of their kings. At one time. He makes these clouds to rain, even in His own land, because He recalled this same people of Israel to His former favour, after correction in captivity. At another. He wished them to shine forth from the place of His mercy; because He made known by holy preachers even to the Gentiles the 244 Eliu thinks Job a low-rninded hearer.
Job 37, miracles of His power, in order by His sole mercy to free 1_- those from the yoke of error whom His wrath in their innate unbelief was wei^liing down. But behold, because Kliu has perceived future events by the spirit of pro])})ecy, because he has uttered many sublime truths; the hauglity man, wearied with the weight of his pride, is unable to bear the burden of what he says. For he adds at once in a boastful manner, Ver. 14. Hearken unto these things, O Job, stand, and consider the wondrous works of God.
XXXV. 59. He saw him to be lying down, as it were, in comparison with himself, whom he directed to stand at the words of so great preaching. Although even by this word, " Listen^'' which he uses, he inflicts a grievous insult upon Job; because, as we have akeady said of him also before, it is arrogance for an inferior, to wish to extort for himself a hearing from his superior. But although Eliu does not consider to whom he is saying the truths that he utters, yet we, who seek to be instructed by all things, ought carefully to examine the words of his teaching. For perhaps it is said with great skill in virtue. Stand, and consider the wondrous works of God. For there are some who consider the wondrous works of God, but lying down; because they do not follow and admire the power of His doings. For to ' stand,' is to act uprightly. Whence also it is said by Paul,