1^2 Sinners to he shamed by sheuhuj them the life of the <)ood.
Job S3, of tho righteous. But wJicii tlic shade of this temporal ——corruption lias inclined, vvlien this mortal state has passed away, because wc behold the light of the day itself within us, we do not seek to be kindled with the love of it by the examples of others. But now, since we cannot as yet behold it, it is specially necessary for us to be roused by looking at the conduct of those who have followed it perfectly. Let us see then how beauteous is the activity of those who pursue their course, and learn how disgraceful is the sloth of the sluggish. For as soon as w^e behold the conduct of the virtuous, do we condemn ourselves with the punishment of confusion within. Shame presently assails the mind; soon does guilt condemn us with just severity: and we are sore displeased even with that, in which perchance we still disgracefully feel pleasure, Ez. 43, 18. Whence it is w-ell said by Ezekiel, Son of man. shew the temple to the house of Israel, that they may he covfoiinded by their iniquities, and measure the fabric, and blush for all that they have done. For the temple of God is shewn to the children of Israel to their confusion; when it is shewn to sinners to their confusion, with w^hat great sanctity the soul of each righteous person shines forth, which God inhabits by His inspiration; in order that they may see therein the good which they slight, and blush in themselves at the evil which they commit. But to measure the fabric, is accurately to weigh the conduct of the righteous. But while we measure the fabric, we must needs blush at all that we have done: because the more accurately we consider and enquire into the conduct of the good, the more severely do we reprove in ourselves all our iniquity. But the Prophet is rightly told, to shew the temple. For since a sinner makes shifts not to consider the righteousness of the just, he should learn it at all events by the voice of the preacher. But to shew the temple to sinners, is to relate the deeds of the virtuous to those who refuse to consider them of their own accord.
They then, as we said, who desire to attain to the highest eminence, must necessarily always attend to the progress of their superiors, in order that they may condemn their o^vn' fault with greater severity, as they behold in them a higher object of admiration.
I Gifts varied that each niay he humbled by his tcants. 03 19. But why do we say this of sinners, when we see the Book workers of righteousness themselves also carried forward with ' so higli a dispensation? For one receives the gift of wisdom, and yet reaches not the grace of extraordinary abstinence. Another is endowed with great power of abstinence, but yet is not enlarged in the loftiest contemplation of wisdom.
Another is able to foresee all future events by the spirit of prophecy: but yet cannot alleviate the evils of present annoyance, by the gift of healing. Another by the gift of healing alleviates the evils which immediately annoy us, but yet, from not possessing the spirit of prophecy, is ignorant of the future. Another is able to give liberally to the indigent much of what is his own, but yet cannot boldly confront the evil doers. Another boldly confronts evil doers, in God's behalf, but yet refuses to give all his goods to the needy. Another by already constraining himself even from idle talk, subdues the wantonness of the tongue, but yet does not trample down the emotions of anger which still rise within him. Another now" perfectly controls his rising passion, but still allows his tongue full range in pleasantry. What is it then, that this man needs that good quality, in which another is strong, and that another, though powerful in many ways, yet sighs for the lack of those excellencies, which he observes others abundantly enjoying? Except it be that we are so dealt with by a marvellous dispensation, that by means of this which another enjoys, and this man has not, the one may be shewn to be superior to the other: so that the more a man considers, from the virtues which he has not, that he is inferior to those that possess them, he may the more eagerly advance towards humility. And thus it comes to pass, that while they behold in each other something to admire, their separate virtues both keep them from loftiness of pride, and kindle in them a desire after greater progress. For we prepare ourselves with great anxiety to undertake our own improvement, when we observe in others that virtue which we have not ourselves. Whence the prophet Ezekiel, when he had described the flying animals, subjoined, And I heard^z.3, behind me a voice of a great commonoii, saying. Blessed be *^' the glory of the Lord^from His holy place, and the sound of the tvings of the living creatures, striking one against the G4 Holy Crdatin'es stirred up by each other''s wings.
Job 33, other. For what must wc undcrsland by the wings of living • '- — creatures, but tljc virtues of the Saints? For when tliey desj^ise tlie tilings of earth, they rise on their wings to 18.40, heaven. Whence it is rightly said by Isaiah, They who trust in the Lord shall renew their slrenyth^ they shall take wings as eagles. The ilying creatures then strike one another with their wings, because the minds of the Saints, in their desires after heavenly things, are urged on by the mutual consideration of each other's virtues. For a man strikes me with his wing, who kindles me with desire of better things by the example of his own holiness. And I strike with my wing the next living creature, if ever I present to another person a good deed for him to imitate.
20. But since we have said that the conduct of holy men is signified by these living creatures, let us raise our eyes to the light, and consider attentively with what mutual beating of their wings they excite each other. For Paul, when he surpassed the carefulness of other holy men, by labouring more vigorously in preaching, that he might keep himself from pride, and nourish his strength in the bosom of humility, declares in remembrance of his former cruelty, and 1 Cor. on contemplating the innocence of all the Apostles, For ' • I am the least of the Apostles, that am not meet to he called an Apostle^ because I persecuted the Church of God. And primus, yet the chief of these same Apostles, as though in forgetfulpatusV "^^^^ of the preeminence conferred on him, as if he were endowed with less wisdom, admires the wisdom which was in 2 Pet. Paul, saying, As our most beloved brother Paul also, according ' ' ' to the wisdom given unto him, hath written unto you, as also in all his Epistles, speaking ifi them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood. Lo, Paul admires innocence in the Apostles; lo, the chief of the Apostles admires wisdom in Paul. What then is this, except that holy men who mutually prefer others to themselves, from a consideration of their virtues, as flying animals touch each other with the stroke of their wings, in order that they may excite each other to higher flights, the more humbly they observe something in each other to admire? We must therefore infer from hence how anxiously we, who are lying Bad vie n feed pride btj viewing bad examples. 65 the lowest depth, should study the lives of those who Book 3 our superiors; if even they, who have already arrived at ^ '^ oh a height of sanctity, are ever looking out for something admire and imitate in others, in order that by walking in mility they may advance to greater things.
21. But of these things the reprobate are ignorant: for ly ever fix their eyes on the lovrest objects. And if ever 3y come into the way of the Lord, they proceed not to trace t footsteps of those who are better, but always to look at } examples of those who are worse than themselves. Nor they look at the conduct of those to whom they may humbly Qsider themselves inferior, but of those to whom they may )udly prefer themselves. For they look at those who are rse than themselves, to whom they boast that they are preable, and therefore they cannot advance to better things,:ause they consider it sufficient for them that they surpass! very u orst. Wretched men! they go on in their way, i yet look backward. In their hope indeed they do as it re put a foot before; but in looking to evil examples they turn sir eyes behind them. They are anxious to appear upright, t take a crooked standard by which to find that they are;h. For if they wish to know themselves as they really I, they should look at the examples, not of those who are rse, but of such as are better, than themselves. And refore they are not conscious that they are sinners, *ause they do not look at ' men.' For were they to look at n, they would discover how far removed they were from )d men, by their sins. Of this penitent then, who coners the examples of good men, in order to make it clear himself how grievously he has departed from goodness, it;vell said, ^er. 27. He will look on men, and will say, I have ned, and have truly done icrong, and I have not received I deserved, J2. Those even who do not believe that they have sinned, ix. lerally confess themselves sinners. For it is frequently case, that men openly confess themselves sinners, but on iring a true account of their sins, when other persons ick ihem, they boldly defend themselves, and endeavour appear innocent. E\ery one, then, of this character, if he ^OL. III. F 06 Sin confeHHcd felfjiiedly in general, atid out of trial.
Job 33, says tliat lie lias sinned, speaks untruly; inasmuch as lie ■ proclaims liiinscli" a sinner not from tlie inmost heart, but in Prov. ^vords only. For since it is written, 77ie just man in the bc(/inninf/ accuseth himself ''y he wished to gain credit, not to be humbled, by confessing his sin: he desired, by accusing himself, to appear humble, without being so. For did he really wish to be humble, by confessing his sin, he would not attack others when convicting him of the commission of it. The righteous then, in passing sentence on his own conduct, knows from the bottom of his heart, by the examples of holier men, that he really is what he professes to be. For he says, / have sinned, and have truly done wrong. And adds further of the very pain which he is enduring, and have not received as I deserved.
23. For every one when under the rod, thinks still less of his sins, if he considers that he has been smitten either aSj or more than, he deserved. But this man, because the more he considers the examples of greater men, the more strictly does he weigh and test himself, acknowledges that he was smitten less than he deserved. Because he sees, from their righteousness, how heinous is the guilt of his own erring, and does not feel his suffering to be severe, from having learned to pass a severe sentence on his own conduct. But it is very easy for a man, when suffering nothing on account of his sms, to confess himself a sinner. We fearlessly call ourselves unrighteous, when we feel no vengeance for our unrighteousness. For in a time of tranquillity we call ourselves sinners, but when chastened for these very sins, by the blow which falls on us, we murmur. Punishment then puts us to the test, whether we truly acknowledge our fault. Let a righteous man then, from regarding his fault severely, say, even under the rod, I have not received as I deserved. It follows, Ver. 28. For he hath delivered his soul from going onwards to destruction.
X. 24. Because when Divine Grace goes before us in good works, our free will follows it, we, who yield our consent to God Who delivers us, are said to deliver ourselves; and 1 Cor. hence Paul when saying, / laboured more ahundantUj than ' * theij all, for fear he should seem to ascribe his labours to ■^ E. V. He that \'& first in his own cause seGnxQihjicst.
Grace and free will. Light how seen. Alternaiions. 67 himself, immediately added, Yet not /, but the grace of God Book which was icilJi nic. For since he had followed with his free- * will the preventing grace of God in him, he properly adds, with me, that he might neither be unthankful for the Divine gift, nor yet remain a stranger to the merit of free-will. jBnt of him, who by gaining a knowledge of himself consented to Him Who set him free, he rightly saysS He hath delivered^!^\ \^'^ rightly his said from going onwards to destruction. It follows, said.
But that it should live, and see the light.
That is to say, the light of truth, which he could not see when dead in heart. Or certainly, because the Lord has said, / ajn the Light of the world, even the dead also shall John 8, behold the light, when all the ungodly shall have seen Him coming to judgment in the form of Manhood. But he lives, or beholds the light at that time, who has the eyes of his heart set free, and beholds Him in the form of the Godhead. It follows, Ver. 29. All these things Qod worketh three times with every man.
25. Of this man tempted and beaten by the scourge it had xi. been said before. His bread becomes abominable to him in his ver. 22. life, and his soul hath drawn nigh to corruption, and his life to the destroyers. But it was subsequently added, He shall pray unto Qod, and He will be favourable unto him, and he ver. 26. will see His face with joy; and he hath delivered his soul from going onward to destruction, but that it should live, and behold the light. In these expressions, then, now collected and accumulated together, the bitterness of sorrow precedes, the joy of security comes after. And it is presently added, All these things God worketh three times with every mail. As if he were to say. What I have said once of one person only, takes place three times in every person. But we must carefully consider what are these three times, wherein each man is affected with anxiety and sorrow, and is immediately after sorrow called back to the security of joy. For, as I before said, he had stated above, that grievous sorrow first depresses^ a afficit us, and that great delight raises us up afterwards. If we watch then attentively, we find that these three stages of soiTow and joy succeed each other, in the mind of each (iH P((uiJ'<}U<)n:(:d hij j(»u I luce tii/H'S; firsl in Converaiov.
Jon 33, of the Elect, in these following ways, that is to say, in hi^ ^-^ convcrsioi), his leniptalion, and his (l(;atli.
?0. For ill tlial first occasion of conversion, which \vc have mentioned, great is the sorrow of a man, when, from consideiing his own sins, he wishes to burst the fetters of worldly cares, and to walk in the way of God along the course of a secure conversation, to cast aside the heavyburden of tcmpoj'al anxieties, and to bear the light yoke of the Lord, in a bondage akin to freedom. For as he thinks on these things, there occurs to his mind that old familiar y carnal pleasure, which, from having become inveterate, binds him the closer, the longer it has held him; and is the more loath to permit him to escape. And then what pain is there, and what anxiety of heart, when the Spirit calls him on one side, the flesh calls him back on the other, his love for his new life invites him on the one hand, his old depraved habits assail him on the other: on the one side he glows with longings for his heavenly country, and on the other has to bear in himself that desire of the flesh, which pleases him to a certain degree, even against his will? Of a man thus embittered it is rightly said. His bread becomes abominable to him in his life, and his soul hath drawn near to corruption^ and his life to the destroyers. But because Divine Grace does not suffer us to be long exposed to these difficulties, it bursts the chains of our sins, and leads us quickly by its consolation to the liberty of our new life; and the joy which succeeds makes up for the former sorrow. And thus the mind of every one when converted rejoices the more on attaining its wishes, the more it remembers the pain it has endured in its endeavours after them. Unbounded is the joy of the heart: because in its hope of security it now draws near to Him, Whom it desires; so that it can rightly be said of it, He shall pray unto God, and He will be favoiirable unto him, and he shall see His face with Joy.
Or without question, He hath delivered his soul from going onvjarJs to destruction, but that it should live, and see the light.
27. But for fear a man should believe himself holy immediately on his conversion, and security should overthrow him, I The same aijai/i c.vperienced in Temptation. ()f) whom the contest with pain could not overpower, he is Book permitted, in the dispensation of God, after his conversion, -' to be wearied witli the assaults of teni])talions. The Red sea was already crossed by his conversion, but enemies still oppose liim to the face while in the wilderness of this present life. We leave already our past sins behind us, as the Egyptians dead on tlie shore. But destructive vices still assail us, as fresh enemies to obstruct the way on which wo have entered to the land of promise. Our former oflences, as enemies who were pursuing us, have been already laid low by the power of God alone. But the assaults of temptations meet us to our face like fresh enemies, to be overcome witii our own endeavours also. Conversion in truth produces security: but security is commonly the parent of negligence. To keep security from generating carelessness, it is written, My S071, in coming to the service of God, stand injustice and Ecclas. fear, and prepare thy soul for temptation. For he says, not ' for rest, but for temptation, because our enemy is the more eager to conquer us as long as we arc in this life, the more he discerns that we are rebelling against him. He cares not to buffet those, of whom he perceives that he can hold quiet possession. But he is excited the more vehemently against us, inasmuch as he is expelled from our hearts, as if from the rightful possession of his own habitation. It w^as this, which the Lord, in a kind of economv, typified in His own person. For he did not permit the devil to tempt Him till after His Baptism: suggesting to us thereby as a kind of sign Mat. 4, of our own future conversion, that His members would have * to endure more severely the wiles of temptation, after they were beginning to advance Godwards. After the first occasion then of sorrow and joy, which every one feels in his endeavour after conversion, does this second time succeed. Because a man is assaulted with the attack of temptations, in order that he may not become relaxed by the carelessness of security. And he is generally welcomed with great sweetness of consolation, at the beginning of his conversion, but he experiences afterwards the severe labour of probation.
'28. There are in truth three states of the converted; the beginning, the middle, and the perfection. But in this 70 Oocfs dealiny in conversion like His wedding Israel. JoH 33, coinmcncemciit tlioy experience the charms of sweetness, in '- — the mid-lime the contests of temptations, but in the close the plenitude of perfection. Sweets then are first their portion, to comfort, afterwards })ittornessos to exercise, and at last transcendent delights to confirm them. For every man too first soothes his bride with sweet blandishments, though he tries her when now united to him, with sharp reproofs, and possesses her, when she is proved, with thoughts of security. And hence also the people of Israel, on being summoned out of Egypt, when God betrothed Himself to the sacred marriage of the soul, was vouchsafed at first, in the place of pledges, the allurement of miracles; but, after marriage, is exercised with trials in the wilderness, and after trial, is confirmed in the land of promise with the plenitude of virtue. It first then tasted in the miracles that which it was to seek for; afterwards it w^as tried by hard trial, to prove whether it could keep safely what it had tasted; and at the last it also deserved to obtain a fuller enjoyment of that, which it had kept safe when put to the test of suffering. A gentle commencement therefore thus soothes the life of every convert, a rugged course proves it in the way, and afterwards full perfection gives it strength. / 29. For converts are frequently granted either the most ' perfect tranquillity in the flesh, or the gifts of prophecy^ j or the preaching of doctrine, or signs and wonders, or the grace of healing, immediately on their first commencement.
Rut after this they are harassed by the severe trials of temptations, from which, when they first began, they believed ^ themselves entirely free. And it is thus ordained in the dispensation of Divine Grace, to keep them from being assailed with sharp temptations at their first beginning. For if bitter temptations were to befal them at the first, they would fall back with ease on the sins they had abandoned, as having removed but a little distance from them. For they would be again involved from their very nearness, in the sins they first despised. Whence it is also written,, Exodus When Pharaoh had let the people go. the Lord led them ' ' not through the tcay of the land of the Philistines, which is near, thinking lest perhaps they would repent, if they had seen ivar rising up against them, and might return ta Comfort granted Jirsl to prepare for trial. 71 Egypt. War' then is removed out of the way of those who Book wcro coming out of Egypt: because, to those who leave tlie ^^^^-world, there is ])resented at first a kind of trancjuillity, lcst<i)eila' from being alarmed in the tenderness of their first beginning, they should return, through fear, to that world from which they have escaped. They feel, then, first the sweetness of security, they are first nurtured in quietness and peace. But having tasted this sweetness, they endure more patiently the contests with temptations, as they have found in God a liigher object of affection. Whence also Peter is first Mat.i7, led up into the mountain, first beholds the brightness of^* the Lord's transfiguration, and then is afterwards suffered to be tempted by a maid who questioned him; in order that, Mat.26 having become conscious of his state by his weakness under ^^• trial, he might recur with sorrow and love to the sight which he had beheld; and that, when the wave of fear was sweeping him onwards to the ocean of guilt, there might be an anchor of former sweetness, to keep him back. But the struggles with temptations frequently last as long, as the allurements on the first commencement. But frequently there is greater pleasure given at first, and less trial in the season of labour: and frequently again less pleasure at first, and greater trial in the time of labour. But a disproportionate perfection of strength never succeeds the labour of temptation: because every one is rewarded with the plenitude of perfection, according to the result of the contest. But a convert commonly fails, from believing that he has received the confirmation of perfection, when he is welcomed with certain gifts of grace, in the sweetness of his first beginning: and, from not knowing that they are only the comforts given to beginners, be regards them as the consummation of fulness. Whence it happens, that if assailed by any sudden storm of temptation, he suspects that he is overlooked by God, and lost for ever. But if he were not to place such full reliance on his first commencement, he would, when still prosperous, be preparing his mind for adversity, and would afterwards resist the assaults of sin with the more firmness, as having also foreseen them with greater sagacity. For, by foreseeing these evils, he bears them with greater cahnness. But though he foresees, he does not at all decline the contest with them, for the 7-2 TemptationH before un kit own fell after conversion.
Job 33, course of our journey is not brought to a close without going — throu^rli the dust of tein])tation.
t 30. Hut every convert is generally assailed with such ' temptations, as he never remembers to have been attacked witl), before the grace of conversion: not because this same root of temptation did not then exist, but because it did not shew itself. For the mind of man, when engaged with numberless thoughts, frequently remains in a manner unknown to itself, so as to be quite ignorant of what it is suffering: for while it is distracted with many matters, it is diverted from the inward knowledge of itself. But if it desires to have leisure for thinking upon God, and lops off the branches of distracting thought, it then beholds without obstruction, that which springs forth from the inmost depths of the flesh. For if a thistle is growing in the road, it is crushed by the feet of those who journey along it, and its surface is worn away by the constant passing of travellers, so as not to appear. But though the thorns do not shew themselves above and bear fruit, yet the root still remains concealed beneath. But if the feet of travellers have ceased to bruise and tread it down, whatever living power remained buried in the root soon rises to the surface, and shews itself.
It advances in its growth, and comes into view by the thorns that it bears. So also in the heart of the worldly minded, some secret root of temptations seems to grow up with difficulty; for placed as it were in the pathway of daily life, it is crushed by the feet of thoughts which pass over it, and is so trodden down by countless cares, as if by many travellers, as not to be seen. But if the crowd of anxieties is removed by the grace of conversion from the pathway of the heart, so that no importunity of business wears, nor any tumultuous thoughts oppress it, then that which was before concealed is discerned, then the thorn of temptation, springing from the root of sin, freely inflicts its wound. But the hand of the righteous so acts against.it, that, as far as may be, it is not covered and concealed, but torn up by the very roots. But till this is done, this thorn so troubles the mind of ever}^ convert, that he frequently feels as if nearly overwhelmed by sudden temptation, and fears that its wound has been inflicted with fatal effect to the very quick.
Joy (jive n again after the pains of temptation. 73 31. But these assaults of temptation are frequently pro- Book longed when they become comujon, and become, not sharper, ^_^: