Gentile state to Christ, is found in the crooked and defective behaviour of the old life; and she, when she saw Isaac, de- scended, in that when the Gentile world knew the Lord, it abandoned its sins, and descending from the height of self-elation sought the lowly walks of humility; and she too in bashfulness covers herself with a veil, in that she is con- founded in His presence for her past life. And hence it is Rom. 6, said by the Apostle to these same Gentiles, What fruit had ^^* ye then in those things tvhereof ye are now ashamed? Whereas then by the sheep we understand the JIebrews_ coming to the faith from the pastures of the Law, nothing hinders but that we understand by the camels the Gentile people, crooked in their ways and laden with idolatrous ceremonials. For because they devised them gods of their own selves whom they should worship, there had grown up as it were out of themselves a load upon their back which they should carry.
' al. * to the reception of grace/ al. Eusebiusspeaksof the camel. DeMart. ' to the grace of perfection.' c. xii.
k ' Torta Gentilium vitiositas.' Thus Camels perhaps Samaritans; Oxen^ the simple. 43 22. Furthermore in that they are common animals, it Book is possible that by camels is represented the life of the Samaritans, ror camels chew the cud, but do not divide the hoof. So likewise the Samaritans do as it were chew thc^^^- H' 4.
cud, in that they receive in part the words of the Law, but do not divide the hoof as it were, forasmuch as they despise it in part. And they bear a grievous burthen upon the mind's back, in that they weary themselves in whatsoever they do without any hope of eternity.
For they are strangers to faith in the Resurrection, and what can be more grievous or more burthensome than to endure the tribulation of this passing state of existence, and yet never, for relief of mind, to look forward to the joy of our reward; but forasmuch as the Lord, when He appeared in the flesh, both filled the Hebrew people with the grace of perfection, and brought some of the Samaritans to the know- ledge of the faith by shewing marvellous works, it might well be said of the shadow which was to express the reality, that he possessed both seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels. It goes on; And Jive hundred yoke of oxen, and Jive hundred she asses.
23. We have said above that by the number fifty, which xvi. is completed by seven weeks and the addition of an unit, rest is signified, and by the number * ten' the sum of perfec- tion is set forth. Now forasmuch as the perfection of rest is promised to the faithful, by multiplying fifty ten times, we in this way arrive at five hundred. But in sacred Writ, the title of ' oxen' sometimes represents the dulness of the foolish sort, and sometimes the life of well doers. For because the stupidity of the fool is represented by the title of an ox, Solomon says rightly, he fjoeth after her straightway, as an Vroy. 7, ox goeth to the slaughter. Again, that the life of every ' labourer is set forth by the title of oxen, the Precepts of the Law are a testimony, which crijoined through Moses; 7%o?^ Deut. shall not muzzle the nx when he trcadeth out the corn. And ' this again is declared in plain words; the labourer is worthy ]^^^e\o, of his hire. By the title of asses, too, we have represented'* sometimes the inertness of fools, sometimes the unrestrained indulgence of the wanton,.sometimes the simj)lemindcdness of the CJentilcs; for the inertness of fools is imaged by the 44 The ox laborious, the ass unreasoning.
Job designation of asses, as where it is said through Moses, Thou — ^— ^ shall not plough tvith an ox awl an ass together. As though he Deut. said, ' do not associate fools and wise men together in ' ' preaching, lest by means of him who has no power to ac- complish the work, jou hinder him who has abundant power.' The unrestrained indulgence of the wanton is likewise set forth by the appellation of asses, as the prophet testifies, Ezek. where he says, whose flesh is as the flesh of asses. Again, ' ' by the title of asses is shewn the simplicity of the Gentiles. Hence when the Lord went up toward Jerusalem, He is re- lated to have sat upon a young ass, for what is it for Him to come to Jerusalem sitting upon an ass, except taking pos- session of the simple hearts of the Gentiles to conduct them to the vision of peace', by ruling and ordering them? And this is shewn by one passage, and that a very easy one; in that both the workmen of Judaea are represented by oxen, and the Gentile peoples by an ass, when it is said by the Is. 1, 3. Prophet, The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master^ s crib. For who appears as the ox, saving the Jewish people, whose neck was worn by the yoke of the Law? and who was the ass but the Gentile world, which was found like a brute animal of every deceiver, and was overlaid with whatever deceit he pleased, without resisting by any exercise of reason? Thus the ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib, in that both the Hebrews found out the God Whom they worshipped but as yet knew Him not, and the Gentile world received the food of the Law, which it had none of. That therefore which is spoken above in the designation of the sheep and of the camels, is here repeated below in the oxen and the asses.
24. Now even before the coming of the Redeemer Judaea possessed oxen, in that she sent out labourers to preach, to Mat.23, whom it is said by the voice of Truth, Woe unto you, Scribes ^^' and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compjass sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. These were weighed down with the heavy yoke of the I^aw, because they were burthened with the ordinances of the external letter, to Mat.ii, whom it is spoken by the voice of Truth, Come unto Me, all *.So the Fathers explain the name Jeriisalcvi.
Their subjection denotes that 0/ Jen and Gentile to Christ. 45 ye that labour and are heavy laden^ and I will refresh yon. Book Take My yoke niwn yov, and learn of Me., for lam meek — '■ — and lowly in heart. Tliat in the Gospel, therefore, rest is promised to those that labour well, is the same thing as that five hundfed yoke of oxen are made mention of in this place; for whereunto does their way lead, who submit their necks to the dominion of our Redeemer, excepting to rest? And hence we are told of five hundred she asses, forasmuch as the Gentile folk that are called, so long as they desire to attain to rest, gladly bear all the burthens of the command- ments; and hence, that this rest should be sought of the Gentiles, Jacob in addressing his sons did mean to signify by the voice of prophecy, saying, Issachar is a strong ass, Gen. -i^, crouching down between the boundaries^: And he saiv that iyuiL rest teas good, and the land that it loas pleasant, and bowed^^^^^^- the shoulder to bear. For to crouch down between the v. bur- boundaries is to rest forestalling the end of the world, and to*^^°^* seek nought of those things, which are now going forward amongst men, but to long after the things that sliall be at the last; and the strong ass sees the rest and the pleasant land, when the simple Gentile world lifts itself up to the strong effort of good works, and that because it is on its way to the land of life eternal; and it bows the shoulder to bear, in that having beheld the rest above, it submits itself in doing its work even to severe precepts, and whatever littleness of mind represents as hard to bear, the hope of the reward makes this appear to it light and easy. So because both Juda3a and the Gentile world are gathered to eternal rest as a portion of the elect, he is rightly related to have pos- sessed five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses. The account goes on; And a very great household.
25. AVhat means it that the number of the animals is first xvii. described, while the household is not mentioned till the end, but that the foolish things of the world are first gathered in to the knowledge of the faith, that afterwards the crafty things of the world may also be called? as Paul bears witness, who says; For ye see your calling^ brethren, how that not fnanyiCor.i, wise men after the Jlesh, not many noble, not many might y,^^'^'' are called; But God hath chosen the foolish things of the 46 Feasting of Job's sons is the Apostles' preaching.
Job world to confound the wise. For the first beginnings' of holy — L_:— Church are reputed to have been without knowledge of cipia letters, plainly for this reason, that in His preachers the Redeemer might manifest to all, that it was not their dis- 2populos course, but their cause, which had influence with the numbers^ that believed unto life. It proceeds; 80 that this man was the greatest of all the men of the East.
xviii. 26. That our Redeemer is styled The East is declared by Zech. 6, w^Q testimony of the Prophet, where he says, And lol the Man 2 Vulg. whose name is The East. And thus all that live in this Orze/iA-, Qpipi^t ^y faith, are rightly called men of the East. Now The because all men are only men, whereas ' The East' Himself ranci ^^ -[^qW^ Go(\ and Man, it is rightly said, He was the greatest of all the men of the East. As though it were said in plain words. He surpassed all those that are born to God in faith. Because it is not by adoption, as others are, but by the Divine Nature that He is exalted, Who though He appeared like to others in His human Nature, yet in His Divine Nature continued above all men without fellow.
Ver. 4. And his sons went and feasted in their houses.
xix. 27. The sons went to feast at their houses, when the Apostles as preachers, in the different regions of the world, served the banquet of virtue to hearers as it were to eaters.
And hence it is said to those very sons concerning the M^*- 14) hungering multitude. Give ye them to eat. x4nd again; And MsLt. 15, 1 will fwt send them a wag fasting, lest theg faint by the ^^' way; that is, let them by your preaching receive the word of consolation, that they may not by continuing to fast to the food of truth, sink under the labours of this life. Hence John 6, again it is said to the same sons. Labour not for " the meat '^'^' which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life. And how these feasts were set forth is added, whereas it is forthwith subjoined.
Every one in his day.
XX. 28. If without any doubt the darkness of ignorance is the night of the soul, the understanding is not improperly styled Rom. the day. And hence Paul says, One man esteemeth one ' ' day above attother; another esteemeth every day alike. As ■" Or, Work not at; the original allows it to be taken of food for others.
The feast they yive is on the tiord 0/ God. 47 if he had said in plain words; ' One man understands some Book things so as that some are left out, and another acquaints '- — himself with all things that are possible to be understood, in such sort as they may be seen. Thus each son sets forth a feast in his day, in that every holy preacher, according to the measure of the enlightening of his understanding, feeds the minds of his hearers with the entertainments of Truth. Paul made a feast in his own day, when he said, But site is icor. happier if she so abide according to my judyment. He '^' ^*^* bade each to take account of his own day; when he said. Let every man he fully persuaded in his own mind. It Rom. u, goes on; "• And sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.
29. The sons call their sisters to the feast, in that the xxi. holy Apostles proclaim to hearers that are weak the joys of the refreshment above, and inasmucli as they see their souls to be starved of the food of truth, they feed them with the feast of God's Word. And it is well said, to eat and to drink with them. For holy Scripture is sometimes meat to us, and sometimes drink, ft is meat in the harder parts, in that it is in a certain sense broken in pieces by being explained, and swallowed after chewing; and it is drink in the plainer parts, in that it is imbibed just as it is found. The Prophet discerned holy Scrij^ture to be meat, which was to be broken in pieces in the explaining, when he said, The youny Lam. 4, children ask, and no man hreaketh it unto them, i. e. the ^' weak ones sought that the stronger declarations of holy Scripture might be crumbled for them by explanation, but he could no where be found who should have explained them. The Proi)het saw that holy Writ was drink, when he said, Ho^ every one that thirstcth come ye to the waters. Is, 66, Had not the j)lain commandments been drink. Truth would ' never have cried out with His own lips; If any man thirst, John 5, let him come unto Me and drink. Tlie Prophet saw that^'' there was, as it were, a lack of meat and drink in Juda?a, when he declared. And their honourable meii are famished, is.6,13. and their multitude dried up with thirst. For it belongs to the few to attain a knowledge of the mighty and hidden meanings, but to the nurlitude it is given to understand the 48 Our Lord cleansed the Apostles after their preaching.
Job plain sense of the history. And therefore he declares that ' the honourable men of Judaea had perished not by thirst, but hunger, in that those who seemed to stand first, by giving themselves wholly to the outward sense, had not wherewithal to feed themselves from the inward parts by sifting their meaning, but forasmuch as when loftier minds fall away from the inward sense, the understanding of the little ones even in the outward meaning is dried up; it is rightly added in this place, And the multitude dried up with thirst. As if he said in plainer words, * whereas the common sort give over taking pains in their own lives, they now no longer seek even the streams of history.' And they bear witness that they understood both the deep and the plain things contained in divine Writ, who in com- Lukeis plaining to the Judge that rejects them, say, We have eaten 26. and drunk in Thy presence; and this they subjoin in plain terms by explaining it; And thou hast taught in our streets. Therefore because the sacred oracles are broken in the more obscure parts, by the explanation thereof, but in the plainer parts are drunk in just as they are found, it may be truly said, And they sent and called for their three sisters, to eat and to drink with them. As though it were said in plain terms, they drew every weak one to themselves by the mildness of their persuasions, that both by setting forward great truths contemplatively, they might feed their minds, and by delivering little things historically, they might give them nourishment. The account proceeds: »v. thug Ver. 5. And it was so, ivhen the days of their feasting^ were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all. xxii. 30. * The days of feasting are gone,' when the ministrations of preaching are brought to an end; and when the feasts were ended. Job offered an holocaust for his sons, in that our Redeemer besought the Father in behalf of the Apostles, when they returned from preaching. Now it is rightly said that he ' sent and sanctified,' in that when He bestowed the j Holy Spirit Which proceeds from Himself, upon the hearts of His disciples, He cleansed them from whatsoever might be in them of offence, and it is rightly delivered that he rose up Job's Intercession. Blessini/ God in an ill sense. 49 early to offer sacrifices; forasmuch as through this His Book offering up the prayer of His Intercessions in our behalf, ^— He dispelled the night of error, and illumined the darkness of man's mind; that the soul might not be polluted in secret by any defilements of sin contracted from the very grace of preaching; that it might never attribute to itself aught that it does; that it might not, by attributing them to itself, lose all the things it had done. Hence it is well added.
For Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and blessed God in their hearts.
31. For this blessing God, which means cursing, is the xxiii. taking glory to one's self from a gift of His hand. Hence the Lord did well to wash the feet of the holy Apostles after their preaching, doubtless with this view, that He might shew plainly, both that very frequently in doing good the dust of sin is contracted, and that the steps of the speakers are often defiled by the same means whereby the hearts of their hearers are purified. For it often happens that some in giving words of exhortation, however poorly, are inwardly lifted up, because they are the channel, by which the grace of purifi- cation comes down; and while by the word they wash away the deeds of other men, they as it were contract the dust of an ill thought from a good course. What then was it to wash the disciples' feet after their preaching, but after the glorious- ness of preaching to wipe off the dust of our thoughts, and to cleanse the heart's goings from inward pride.? Nor does it hinder the universal knowledge which our Mediator has, that it is said. It may be; for knowing all things, but in His mode of speech taking upon Him our ignorance", and, in taking the same, giving us a lesson, He sometimes speaks as it were with our doubts; as where He says. Nevertheless, 'Lrike whe?i the Son of Man coineth shall He find faith on the earth? ' ' When the feasting then was over. Job offered a sacrifice for his sons, saying, It may he that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their heart; in that our Saviour, after He had cleansed His preachers from the evils that beset them even in the midst of the good things which they had done, ke])t ihcm from temptations. It goes on, » So Mm. old Edd. 'in Himself,' hardly have said, see Ep. ad Eulog. I. x. which it has been noted St. Greg, would Kp..39,al.42.andBen.adS.Ath.t.i p.693.
50 Job represents Counsel and Grief in the Church.
JQ^ ^ a Thus did Job continually.
xxiv. 32. Job does not cease ' to oflfer sacrifice continually,' in that our Redeemer offers a holocaust for us without ceasing, Who without intermission exhibits to the Father His Incar- nation in our behalf For His verv Incarnation is itself the offering for our purification, and while He shews Himself as Man, He is the Intercession that washes out man's misdeeds, and in the mystery of His Humanity He offers a perpetual Sacrifice, even because those things too are eternal which He purifies.
33. Now because in the very opening of our exposition we so made the Lord to be set forth in the person of blessed Job, that we said that both the Head and the Body, i. e. both Christ and His Church, were represented by him; therefore since we have shewn how our Head may be taken to be represented, let us now point out, how His Body, which we are, is set forth; that as we have heard from the history somewhat to admire, and learnt from the Head somewhat to believe, we may now deduce from the Body somewhat to maintain in our lives. For we should transform within our- selves that we read, that when the mindis moved by hearing, the life may concur to the execution of that which it has heard.
Job i,i. There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job, XXV. 34. If ' JoV signifies ' grieving' and * Uz' ^ a Counsellor,' every elect person is not improperly represented by either name; in that he certainly abides in a mind of wise counsel, who hastens grieving from things present to things eternal. For there are some that take no heed to their life, and whilst they are seeking transitory objects, and either do not understand those that are eternal, or understanding despise them, they nei- ther feel grief nor know how to entertain counsel, and when they are taking no account of the things above which they have lost, they think, unhappy wretches, that they are in the midst of good things. For these never raise the eyes of their mind to the light of truth which they were created for, they never bend the keenness of desire to the contemplation of their eternal country, but forsaking themselves" amidst those things in which they are cast away, instead of their country they love the exile which is their lot, and rejoice in the darkness which » Perhaps alluding to the Prodigal son, who is said to ' come to himself,' Careless livers have not the sorroivs of thought. 51 they undergo as if in the brightness of the light. But, on the Book contrary, when the minds of the elect perceive that all things transitory are nought, they seek out which be the things for which they were created f', and whereas nothing suffices to the satisfying them out of God, thought itself, being wearied in them by the effort of the search, finds rest in the hope and contemplation of its Creator, longs to have a place among the citizens above; and each one of them, while yet in the body an inhabitant of the world, in mind already soars beyond the world, bewails the weariness of exile which he endures, and with the ceaseless incitements of love urges himself on to the country on high. When then he sees grieving how that that which he lost is eternal, he finds the / salutarj" counsel, to look down upon this temporal scene which he is passing through, and the more the knowledge of that counsel increases, which bids him forsake perishable things, the more is grief augmented that he cannot yet attain to lasting objects. Hence Solomon well says, He that Ecclea. increase th knowledge increaseth sorrow; for he that already ^' ^^' knows the high state which he does not as yet enjoy, is the more grieved for the low condition, in which he is yet held.
35. Job therefore is well said to dwell in the land of Uz, in that the mind of every elect person is kept going grieving in the counsels of knowledge. We must also observe what absence of grief of mind there is in precipitancy of action. For they that live without counsel, who give themselves over precipitately to the issue of events, are meanwliile harassed by no grief of reflection. For he that discreetly settles his mind in the counsels of life, heedfully takes account of himself, exercising circumspection in his every doing, and lest from that which he is doing a sudden and adverse issue should seize him, he first feels at it, gently ajiplying to it the foot of reflection; he takes thought that fear may not withhold him from those things which ought to be done, nor precipitance hurry him into those which ought to be deferred; that evil things may not get the better of him through his desires by an open assault, nor good things work his down- fall insidiously by vain glory. Thus Job dwells in the land P See the opening of St. Hilary de Trinitate, St. Aug. Conf. b. iv. &c.
e2 52 Good begun in fear ^ perfected in love.
Job 1,1. of Uz, in that the more the mind of the elect strives to live by following counsel, so much the more is it worn with the grief of so narrow a way. It goes on; himpiex, j^^^ fj^at man sincere ^ and upright^ one that feared Qod, perfect and eschewed evil.
xxvi. 30. Whoso longs for the eternal country, lives without doubt sincere and upright; I media, perfect in practice, and right in faith, sincere in the good that he does in this lower state, right in the high truths which he minds in his inner self For there are some who in the good actions that they do are not sincere, whereas they look to them not for a reward within but to win favour without. Hence it is well said by Ecclus. a certain wise man, Woe to the sinner that goeth two ways; ^' ^^' for the sinner goes two ways, when at the same time that what he sets forth in deed is of God, what he aims at in thought is of the world.
37. Now it is well said, one that feared God and eschewed evil; in that the holy Church of the elect enters indeed 2al. from upon its paths of simplicity and of uprightness in^ fear, but finishes them in charity, and it is hers then entirely ' to depart from evil,' when she has begun now from the love of God to feel unwillingness to sin. But whilst she still does good deeds from fear, she has not entirely departed from evil; because she sins even herein, that she would sin if she could have done it without punishment. So then when Job is said to fear God, it is rightly related that he also ' departs from evil,' in that whereas charity follows upon fear, that offence which is left behind in the mind is even trodden under foot in the purpose of the heart. And forasmuch as each particular vice is stifled by fear, whilst the several virtues spring from charity, it is rightly added.
And there were horn unto him seven sons and three daughters.
xxvii. 38. For there are seven sons born to us, when by the conception of good intent the seven virtues of the holy Spirit spring up in us. Thus the Prophet particularizes this inward offspring, when the Spirit renders the mind fruitful, Isa. 11 in these words; And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon 2' Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and piety, and Job's sons and daughters represent divers virtues. 53 the spirit of the fear of the Lord shall fill him. So when by Book the coming of the Holy Spirit there is engendered in each — '■ — of us, * wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, piety, and the fear of the Lord,' something like a lasting posterity is begotten in the mind, which preserves the stock of our nobility that is above unto life, for so much the longer as it allies it with the love of eternity. Yet surely fhe seven sons have in us three sisters, forasmuch as all that manly work which these virtuous affections* do, they unite* virtu- with faith, hope, and charity. For the seven sons never attain sensas the perfection of the number ten, unless all that they do be done in faith, hope, and charity. But because this store of antecedent vu-tues is followed by a manifold concern for good works, it is rightly added, Ver. 8. His substance also was seven thousand sheep and three thousand camels.