* The text seems scarcely grammatical, but the sense cannot be far from what is given.
20 Job teas right in saying he was scourged without fault. Job 33, ever Bland on Iiigli ground? As Solomon bears witness, The heart is exalted hejnre destruction, and is brought low 16, 1*8. before honour. It follows, Vcr. 8. Thou hast spoken than in mine ears, and I have heard the voice of thy words. And subjoining the very words, he says, Ver. J) — 11. / am clean, and without spot of sin, and there is no iniquity in me, because He hath found compdaints! in me, therefore He hath counted me as His enemy, He hath placed my feet in the stocks. He hath guarded all my ways. And in answer to these words which he said blessed Job had spoken, he immediately states his own opinion, saying, Ver. 12. This is the thing then in which thou art not justified.
xvi. 30. Blessed Job had indeed truly said, that he had been Job 27, scourged without any fault. For he said of himself exactly Job2,3. what the Lord had said of him to the devil, Thou hast moved Me against him to afflict him without cause. But Eliu did not believe, that his fault doing nothing in it, he could be scourged as a matter of grace. For he did not know that by his scourgings his fault was not con'ected, but his merits increased, and because he had said that he had been scourged without any fault, he reproves him in these words, saying, This is the thing then in which thou art not justified. For it is the special fault of the arrogant, to be more eager to convict, than to console; and to consider that whatever sufferings they see befal men, have befallen them solely from their sins.
They know not how to enquire deeply into the secret judg- 1 some ments of God^, and humbly to investigate that which they Mss.add cannot understand: for while pride at their knowledge raises X)ei« them on high, it frequently casts them down from the secret investigation of God's judgments.
31. For suffering of mind is an impediment in the way of truth: because while it puffs us up, it obscures our view. For if these persons ever seem to acquire wisdom, they feed, as it were, on the husks of things, and not on the marrow of their inmost sweetness; and with their brilliant abilities, they frequently reach only to the outside of things, but know not the savour of their inward taste; for, in truth, though Knoivledye deeply felt does not puff up- 27 sharp-sighted outwardly, they are blind within. Nor do they Book form such a uolion of God, as tastes secretly within, but^L^ * such as when thrown outward gives a sound. And though they gain in their understanding a knowledge of some mysteries, they can have no experience of their sweetness: and if they know how they exist, yet they know not, as I said, how they savour. And so it is frequently the case, that though they speak boldly, yet they know not how to live up to what they profess. Whence a certain wise man well said, 3Iay God YfisAJ, grant me to speak these things according to my sentence. ' For sentence is derived from sense. And a man who wishes sennot merely to speak from outward knowledge, but to feel and ^^^^ experience what he says, is anxious to give utterance to the truths he holds, not as a matter of mere knowledge^, but^sciof real feeling*. But the mind of haughty men doesnot|°^^ senpenetrale the meaning of its own words; because by a righ-tentia teous judgment it is driven away from the inward taste of things, and is wrecked by that applause which it desires from without. Butreal knowledge influences without elating; and makes those whom it has filled, not proud, but son'owful. For when any one is filled therewith, he is in the first place anxious to know himself: and conscious of his own state, he acquires thereby a greater savour of strength, the more truly sensible he is of his own weakness therein. And this very humility opens to him more widely the pathway of this knowledge, and when he beholds his own weakness, this very knowledge opens to him the hidden recesses of sublime secrets; and pressed down by this knowledge, he is made more subtle to press forward into things hidden. Eliu then does not in the scourgings of blessed Job discover, their true reason, because he knows not how to search for it with humility: and being more ready to reproach than to console, he says. It is in this thing, then, that thou art not Justified.
32. We must observe further, that blessed Job said that his Jobi3,2, foot was placed in the stocks, but that he never said that he was clean, in the way in which is objected to him, or free from sin, or without spot, and iniquity. But Eliu, in his desire to reprove austerely what has been said, falsely added what had not been said. For they who are ever eager to reprove and not to encourage, frequently state many false- 28 Plain truths strong when applied to our own case.
Job 33, hoods in their reproofs. For in order to aj)i)ear clever in '• — reproving, they frequently invent statements, for the sake of reproving them, and, being eager, as horses, to run their course of ostentation, they clear the way for assailing those who are subject to them by inventing charges of iniquity. It must be understood besides, as I said above, that haughty men often blend forcible words with their words of boasting, and that sometimes they do not consider how they live, but studiously weigh what they teach. Of such Eliu is a specimen in the present case, who is not so anxious to live well, as to teach well. Since then he speaks, though arrogantly, yet with knowledge, let us pass over the pride of his conduct, and consider the solidity of his teaching. After all these boastful words, then, he begins at length to display his knowledge, and says, Ver. 12. / will answer thee, that God is greater than man. xviii. 33. Some one may perhaps observe. Who knows not that, even without being told it } But no wonder if this remark is believed to be of little value, if it is not considered in the very root of its meaning. He was speaking to one who had been scourged, who had both felt the blows of smiting, and was ignorant of the reason of them. And therefore he remarked, / will answer thee, that God is greater than man; that man, when scourged, yet considering that God is greater than himself, may submit himself to the judgment of Him, to Whom he has no doubt he is inferior, and may believe that that which he suffers from his superior is just, even though he does not know the grounds of its justice. For whoever is smitten for his sins, unless he murmurs and struggles against it, begins at once to be a righteous man, from not impugning the justice of Him who smites him. For man is created inferior to God, and returns to the order of his creation, when he submits himself to the equity of his Judge, even when he cannot comprehend it. It is therefore well said, / will answer thee, that God is greater than man, in order that on considering the power of the Creator, the swelling of the mind may cease to rage, through the thought of the condition in which it was created. Whence David the Prophet, when compelled by the weight of the blows to burst forth into extravagant words, says on bringinghimselfback to the God ausivers us not one by oue, but all in Holy Scripture. 29 consideration of his own origin, / was chc?)ib, and opened not Book my mouth, since Thou hast made me. For he considered in ~'.
wliat rank he was created, and learned tlie justice of the 9,* ' blow; for lie Who kindly created him who as yet was not, surely smote him only with justice when he was now in being. It follows.
Ver. 13, 14. TJiou contendest against Him, because He halJi not replied to thee to all thy ivords. God will speak once, and will not repeat the same thing a second time.
34. It is natural to the afflicted heart, when it beholds any xix. thing going contrary to its wishes, to wish to gain an answer, if ]3ossible, by the voice of God, why things are in this way, and not in that: to consult God in this whole matter under debate, and to acquiesce on learning the meaning of His reply. But Eliu, foreseeing that the Lord was composing holy Scripture, for the purposes of replying therein to the open or secret enquiries of all men, says, Thou contendest against Him, because He hath not replied to all thy words. God will speak once, and uill not repeat the same thing a second time. As if he were to say, God does not reply in private speaking to the hearts of men one by one; but fashions His word in such a manner, as to satisfy the enquiries of all men. For if we look for our own cases one by one, we are sure to find them in the teaching of His Scriptures; nor is there need to seek for a special answer from the voice of God, in our own special sufferings. For there a general reply is given to all of us in our own special sufferings: there the conduct of those who go before is a model for such as come after. To take one instance out of many. We are labouring under some suffering or annoyance of the flesh.
We wish perhaps to know the secret reasons of this suffering or annoyance, in order that we may be comforted in our trial from the very knowledge. But because no special reply is given to us one by one, concerning our own special trials, we betake ourselves to holy Scripture. And there is it that we find what Paul heard when tried by the infirmity of the flesh. My grace is sufficient for thee; for strength is 2 Cor. made perfect in loeakness. And this was spoken to him ^^' ^* in his own peculiar suffering, that it might not be spoken to us one by one. We have heard therefore in holy Scripture 30 God spake once in His word, Only Beyollcn without time.
Job 33, the voice of God to Paul in bis affliction, in order that we — - — ' may not seek to hear it one by one, for our own private consolation, if perchance we arc afflicted. God docs not then reply to all our words, because He will speak once, and will not repeat the same thinfj again; that is. He has provided for our instruction, by what lie stated to our fathers in holy Scripture. Let the teachers then of Holy Church, let even these men of arrogance, announce, (on beholding some within her sinking from faintheartedness,) that God does not reply to all our words, that God will speak once, and will not repeat the same thing twice. In other words. He does not now satisfy the doubts and perplexities of individual men by the voice of the Prophets on every side, or by the ministry of Angels. Because He includes in holy Scripture whatever can possibly befal each one of us, and has provided therein for regulating the conduct of those who come after, by the examples of those who have gone before.
35. But yet this remark, God will speak once, and ivill not repeat the same thing twice, may be understood in a deeper meaning; that the Father begat His Consubstantial, Only-begotten Son. For God's speaking is His having begotten the Word. But for God to speak once, is for Him to have no other Word beside the Only-begotten. And hence it is fitly subjoined. And He icill not repeat the same thing twice, because this very Word, that is, the Son, He begat not otherwise than only-begotten. But in that He says not, " He spake," but " will speak," using, namely, not the past tense but the future, it is plain to all, that neither past nor future time is appropriate to God. Any tense is therefore the more freely used in speaking of Him, since no one is used with strict truth. But any tense whatever could not be freely used, if one at least could be used properly., It is allowable then for any tense to be boldly used in speaking of God, since no one is strictly proper. For the Father begat the Son without regard to time.
26. And who can worthily speak of that ineffable nativity, that the Coeternal is begotten from the Eternal, that He w^ho existed before all ages begat His Equal, that the Son was not posterior to Him Who begat Him.? We can marvel at these things, but it is beyond our power to look into them.
li IVe see Divine things but as light with closed eyes. 31 Bat to be able to wonder at that mighty nativity is in a Book certain degree to see it. But how do we see that which we do by no means comprehend? But we must borrow an instance from the habits of the body to ilhistratc the feelings of the mind. If any one is lying down in a dark place, with his eyes closed, and the light of a candle suddenly flashes before him, his eyes, though closed, are so struck by the very approach of the light, that they open. Why are they thus affected, if they saw nothing when closed? And yet it was not any thing perfect which they could see when closed. For if they had seen the whole object perfectly, why should they when opened seek for something to look at.? And thus, thus are we, when we endeavour to behold ought of the incomprehensible nativity. For even in this, that the mind is struck with surprise at the shining, and «ees in a manner what it is not able really to see, it beholds as if in darkness the power of the light with closed eyes". But because the secret admiration of the Divine Nature is not easily made known to minds which are occupied with worldly desires, he very fitly suggests the way in which God speaks to us, by saying, Ver. 15. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when sleep falleth upon 7ne7i, and they sleep on their bed.
37. What is meant by the word of God being made known xx. to us in a dream, except that we do not learn the secret things of God, if we are kept awake by worldly desires? For in a dream the outward senses are at rest, and inward objects are discerned. If we wish then to contemplate things within, let us rest from outward engagements. The voice of God, in truth, is heard as if in dreams, when, with minds at ease, we rest from the bustle of this world, and the Divine precepts i * Here the older Edd. have a pas- Heeverbegetteth,He surely 'speaketh;' sage which Ben. omits, as it is not though this which we called ' perfect' in the MSS. ' For Eliu says, God we do not say with strictness. For speaketh once; but David, looking to that which is not effected (factum) the nativity of the only-begotten Word, cannot be strictly said to be ' perfected,' says, God spake i.nce.^ For since the (perfectum.) But we express His fulness only-begotten Son and Word of the with a somewhat straitened form of Father is both called ' Born' in re- speech; as also of the Father the Lord spect of perfection, and in respect of saith, Be ye perfect, even as y ur eternity is even said to be in birth; heavenly Father is perfect, (Matt. v.
Holy Scripture useth to say freely of 48.) It looks like a note on the former God that He 'hath spoken,' and ' speak- paragraph, which may have been efh.' For in that He begat the Word written at the foot of the page, perfect, God ' hath spoken,' and in that 32 Men hear CocVs voice when nsleep to cartJihj sounds.
Job 33, arc pondered by us in Uic deep silence of the mind. For wlien ihe mind is at rest from outward employments, the weight of the Divine prcce[)ts is more fully discerned. It is then that the mind penetrates, in a more lively manner, the words of God, when it refuses to admit within the tunndt of worldly cares. But a man is awake to little good purpose, when the turmoil of worldly business gives him unusual disturbance. For the crowd of earthly thoughts, when it clamours around, closes the ear of the mind. And the voice of the presiding judge is less plainly heard in the secret tribunal of the mind, the less the sound of tumultuous cares is kept still. For a man when distracted is not fully equal to attend to both together. But while he seeks for inward instruction, but so as yet to be engaged in outward employments; by opening his ear to things without, he becomes Ex. 2, deaf within. Moses, when living amongst the Egyptians, was, as it were, awake, and so when dwelling in Egypt he did not hear the voice of God. But after that he had fled into the desert, after the slaughter of the Egyptian, and dwelt there forty years, he fell asleep as it were from the disquieting tumults of worldly desires; and therefore it was » meruit vouchsafed him^ to hear the voice of God, because the more indifferent he became through Divine grace to outward objects of desire, the more was he really awake to discern Ex. 19, truths within. And again, when appointed to rule over the people of Israel, he is taken up into the Mount, to learn the precepts of the Law, and is preserved from tumults without, that he might penetrate into mysteries within.
38. And hence is it that holy men, who are obliged by the necessity of their employments to engage in outward pursuits, are ever studiously betaking themselves to the secrets of their hearts; and there do they ascend the height of secret thought, and learn (as it were) the Law in the Mount: when they put aside the tumults of worldly business, and ponder, on the height of their thought, the sentence.of the DiA-ine will. And hence is it that the same Moses frequently retires to the Tabernacle on doubtftd points; and there secretly consults God, and learns what certain decision to come to. For to leave the crowd, and retire to the Tabernacle, is to put aside the tumults of outward objects, and to enter into the God.seeft in qtiiet, (ind by inuujes^ as in a dream. 3o secret recess of the mind. For the Lord is there consulted, Book and we hear inwardly and in silence, what we must do -^- -' openly and without. This course wise rulers daily pursue; when they are aware that they cannot settle doubtful points, they betake themselves to the secret recesses of their mind, as if to a kind of tabernacle. By looking into the Divine Law, they consult the Lord, as it were before the Ark. And what they first hear in silence, they afterwards make known to the world in their conduct. For in order that they may engage in outward em]3loyments without injury to themselves, they constantly take care to withdraw to the secrets of their heart. And they thus hear the voice of God, as it were, in a dream, while they withdraw themselves in the thoughts of their mind from the influence of carnal things. Hence is it that, in the Song of Songs, the Bride who said, / sleep, and^o]om. viy heart is atvake, had heard the voice of the Bridegroom 2°" ' in dreams. As if she were saying, While I give my outward senses rest from the anxieties of this world, I have a more lively perception of inward truths, when my mind is unemployed. I am asleep to outward things, but my heart is awake within, because, when I am insensible as it were to outward objects, 1 have a keen apprehension of inward secrets.
39. Well then says Eliu, that God speaketh by a dream; and fitly did he add. In a vision of the niyht. For a vision of the night usually presents itself to the contemplation of the mind under certain images. But we perceive objects more plainly by daylight, we see less quickly in a vision of the night. And because all holy men, as long as they are in this life, behold the secrets of the Divine Nature only under certain resemblances, (since they do not, as yet, gain a clearer sight of them as they really are;) after Eliu had said that God speaks to us in a dream, he rightly adds, in a vision of the ni(jht. For ' night' is this present life, and as long as we arc in it, we are covered with a mist of uncertain imaginations as far as the sight of inward objects is concerned. For the Prophet was sensible that he was held by a certain mist in his sight of the Lord, when ho says, My soul lonyedls.26,9. for Thee in the night. As if he were to say, I long to behold Thee in the obscurity of this present life, but I am still VOL. III. D 34 Tcdchinfj and discipline in the soul's inner chamber.
Job 33, surroimtlcd by the mist of infirmity. David also wishing to '— avoid the gloom of this hfe, and waiting for the brightness of Ps. 5,3. tlie tiuc light, says, In the jtiornintj I will stand before Thee, and will see. lie who longs for the approach of morning, in order to behohl God, ])erceivcs that he can still see but imj)erfectly, in the night. But because, as we said, sleeping is ceasing from outward action, Eliu rightly adds, When sleep falls upon men. And because holy men, when unemployed in outward action, rest within the chambers of their mind, he fitly sul)joins, and they sleep on their bed. For holy men to sleep in their bed, is for them to take rest in the cliamber Ps.i49, of their mind. Whence it is written, The saints shall exult in glory, they shall rejoice in their beds. Let it be said then that God speaks once to us through a dream in a vision of the night, lohen sleep falls upon men, and they sleep in their bed. Because we then doubtless discern the secrets of the Godhead, when we withdraw ourselves into the chambers of our minds from the tumultuous desires of this world. But because, as we have already frequently said before, the turmoil of worldly business closes the ear, and the rest of secret contemplation opens it, he properly subjoins, Ver. 16. Then He openeth the ears of men, and teaching, instructeth them with discipline. xxi. 40. For wdien they are dead to outward objects, they hear with open ears the causes which come before their inward judgment. And when they consider minutely with themselves either their open punishments, or their secret judgments, they cease not to afflict themselves with tears. Whence it is well said, And teaching. He instructeth them with discipline, because to a mind which reflects and wounds itself with penitence, the sorrows of compunction are like the stripes of a blow. Whence Solomon also rightly uniting together the force of these kinds of Prov.20, blows, says. The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil, and blows in the secret parts of the belly. For by the blueness of a wound he implies the discipline of blows on the body. But blows in the secret parts of the belly are the wounds of the mind within, which are inflicted by compunction. For as the belly is distended when filled with food, so is the mind puffed up when swollen with wicked Joy in godly sorroiv. Four thoughts to cause compuiictlon. 35 ihouo-hts. The blneness then of a wound, and blows in the Book . XXIIl. secret parts of the belly, cleanse away evil, because both -^ ' outward discipline does away with faults, and compunction pierces Ihe distended mind witli the punishment of penance. But they diflcr from each other in this respect, that the wounds of blows give us pain, the sorrows of compunction have good savour. The one afflict and torture, the others restore, when they afBict us. Through the one there is sorrow in affliction, through the other there is joy in grief. But because the very act of compunction wounds the mind, he not unfitly calls it discipline.
41. For there are four modes in which the mind of a righteous man is strongly affected by compunction: when he either calls to mind his own sins, and considers where he HATH been; or when fearing the sentence of God's judgments, and examining his own self, he thinks where he shall be: or when, carefully observing the evils of this present life, he reflects with sorrow where he is; or when he contemplates the blessings of his heavenly country, and, because he does not as yet enjoy them, beholds with regret where he IS NOT. Paul had called to mind his former sins, and was afflicting himself by the sight of what he had been, when he said, / am not worthy to he called an Apostle^ i Cor. because I persecuted the Church of God. Again, from care- *' fully weighing the Divine sentence, he was afraid that it was bad for him in prospect, when he says, I chastise my body, iCov.Q^ and bring it into subjection, lest perchance, when I have preached to others, I myself should become a castaway. And again, he was considering the evils of this present life, when he said. While we are in this body, we are absent from "2, Cor.6, the Lord: and, I see another law in my members, warring ^^^ y against the law of my mind, and bringing me captive to the^^' law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am I who shall deliver me from the body of this death? And again, he was considering the blessings of his heavenly country, when saying. We see now through a glass darkly, I Cor.
hut then face to face. Now I know in part, but then shall 1 ' know, even as also I am known. And again. We know ///(i^2Cor.5, if our earthly house of this habitation be dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in 30 Ills of earl h known by s'ujhl of Heaven. Bodily images^.
Job 33jlie heavens. And looking at the blessings of lliis house, he says to the I^^j)hesians, T/ial ye may know what is the hope 18. 10. of His calliny, and what the riches of fhe (jlory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceediny yreatness of His power toivard us who have believed. But blessed Job 7, 1. Job, considering the evils of this present life, says, The life of man upon the earth is a temptation. Whence David says, Ps.39,6. Every man that liveth is alloyether vanity; and iJiouyh man nallieth in the imaye of God, yet nill he be disquieted in vain. But again, on contemplating his heavenly home, and weighing the evils in which he then was, and considering the Ps. 120, good things which he did not as yet enjoy, he says, Woe is Ps. 31 '^'^ ^^'^^ ^'^y sojourning is prolonged; and, / said in my fear, 22. I am cast out from- the sight of Thine eyes. Being raised up in an ecstasy, which our translators properly intei^jreted fear, he saw that he was cast out from the sight of the eyes of God. For after beholding that inward light, which flashed within his mind with bright rays through the grace of contemplation, he returned to himself; and discerned, by the knowledge he had gained, either the blessings which were there, of which he was deprived, or the evils with which he was here surrounded. For no one is able to look on the ills of life as they really are, if he is unable by contemplation to gain a taste of the blessings of the eternal country. Whence also he knew that he had been cast out of the sight of the eyes of God. For when he. was raised up in a trance, he saw that which, when he fell back on himself, he lamented that he could not of himself behold.
42. For that compunction ^vith which it dispels all bodily imaginations which crowd upon it, and annoy it, and with which it strives to fix the eye of the heart on the very ray of the boundless light, is wont in truth more deeply to affect a perfect mind. For these appearancas of bodily figures it has attracted to itself within, through infirmity of the flesh. But ' when it is completely filled with compunction, it is here specially on its guard, lest the imagination of circumscribed vision should delude it, when it is searching after truth; and it rejects all imaginations which present themselves to it. For since it has fallen, by their means, beneath itself, it endeavours to rise above itself, by escaping from them: and God's teaching ^ discipline, because hard to keep the mind to, 37 after it has been distracted, in an unseemly manner, by many Book XXIII objects, it endeavours to gather itself again together; that '■ prevailing by the mighty jDower of love, it may contemplate,one single and incorporeal Being.
43. And hence it is admitted, at times, to taste some unusual savour of sweetness within, and is suddenly in a measure refreshed, when breathed on by the glowing Spirit; and is the more eager, the more it gains a taste of something to love; and it desires that within itself, which it feels to taste sweetly within, because it has in truth, from the love of its sweetness, become vile in its own sight; and after having been able, in whatever way, to enjoy it, it has discovered what it had hitherto been without it. It endeavours to cling closely to it, but is kept from approaching its strength, by its own remaining weakness; and because it is unable to contemplate its purity, it counts it sweet to weep, and, sinking back into itself, to make its bed in the tears of its own weakness. For it cannot fix the eyes of its mind on that, of which it has only taken a hasty glance within; because it is compelled by its own old habits to sink downwards. It meanwhile pants and strives and endeavours to rise above itself, but sinks back, overpowered with weariness, into its own familiar darkness. But because a mind thus affected, has to endure itself as the cause of a stubborn contest against itself, and because all this controversy about ourselves causes no small amount of pain, when we are engaged in it, whatever pleasure may be blended therewith; Eliu, after having said that God speaks to us in a dream, and that our ears are opened by His words, calls this same opening of the ears a discipline, and with good reason. Because the more the sound of inward wisdom by the grace of its secret inspiration bursts forth upon us, the more does it affect us with distress. For no one would outwardly lament that which he is, if he had not been able to perceive within, that which as yet he is not. For on seeing that we ourselves were created aright, but that we were deceived by giving a fatal consent to the persuasions of the devil, we observe in our own case, that what we made ourselves is one thing, and what we were made is another: that by nature we were sound, but that we became corrupted through our own.
38 Repentance leaves acts of pride, and escapes death.
Job 33, fault. And therefore when wc arc pinched by conscience, -^H —.' we seek to escape from what we ourselves have done, that we may be refashioned after the pattern in which we were first made. Whence it fitly follows, Ver. 17. Tliat He may witltdraw man from the thinrjs that he has done, and mat/ deliver him from pride. xxii. 44. For what has man done of himself but sin? And it is Ecclus. written, Pride is the beginning of all sin. It is rightly said, ' ' then, that when man is v/ithdrawn from what he has done, be is freed from pride. To transgress the commands of our Creator by sin, is to be haughty against Him; because a man casts off, as it were, the yoke of His authority, to Whom he scorns to submit by obedience. On the other hand, he who wishes to avoid what he has done, calls to mind what he was made by God: and humbly returns to the order of his creation, when flying from his own deeds, he loves himself as he was at first created by God. But because eternal glory is obtained, and eternal punishments are avoided, by this wisdom, it is appropriately subjoined, Ver. 18. Rescuing his soul from corruption, and his life ' froY)! passing to the sword.
xxiii. 45. For every sinner, in consequence of his corruption by sin here, is compelled to pass thither to the sword of punishment; that he may be justly punished in that world, by the very sins in which he delighted in this.
We must observe therefore, that God, speaking to us in a tlfeam, delivers us first from corruption, and afterwards from the sword: because in truth He delivers the ' life' of that person from avenging punishment there, whose mind He here withdraws from the allurement of sin. Nor has he any thing to fear therefrom the sword of judgment, whom the pollution of guilt has not here corrupted after his amendment. It is well said then, Rescuing his soul from corruption, and his life from passing to the sword. For to pass from corruption to the sword, is, after the commission of sin, to arrive at the punishments which have to be endured. It follows, Ver. 19. He chastens him also with pain upon his bed^ and makes all his bones to waste anag.
xxiv. 40. By bed, or pallet, or couch in holy Scripture, isunderstood, sometimes carnal pleasure, sometimes a resting Resf, in earthly pleasure, in means of grace, in retirement. 39