23. The first words, then, of blessed Job being ended, his friends that had come in pity to comfort him, set themselves by turns to the upbraiding of him; and while they launch out to words of strife, they drop the purpose of pity, which they had come for. And indeed they do this mth no bad intent, but, though they manifest feeling for the stricken man, they supposed him to be no otherwise stricken than for his wickedness; and whereas guarded speech does not follow that good intention, the very purpose of mercy is turned into the sin of an offence. For it was their duty to consider to whom and on what occasion they spake; in that he, to whom they had come, was a righteous man, and besieged with the strokes of God's hand; and so they should from his past life have estimated those words of his mouth, which they were unable to understand, and not have convicted him fi'om present strokes, but have entertained fear for their own lives, and not as it were by reasoning have lifted themselves above, but by lamenting joined themselves to that stricken Saint, so that their knowledge might in no wise display itself in words, but that great teacher, grief, might instruct the tongue of the comforters to speak aright. And though they perchance might in any thing be of a different mind, as- suredly it was meet that they should express these feelings with humility, lest by words without restraint they should accumulate wounds upon the smitten soul.
24. For it often happens that, because they cannot be understood, either the doings or the sayings of the better men are displeasing to the worse; but they are not to be rashly censured by them, inasmuch as they cannot be appre- hended in their true sense. Often that is done in pursuance Censuring betfcr men a sin like Uzzah\s. 259 of policy' by greater men, which is accounted an eiTor R^ok by their inferiors. Often many things are said by the, < ^|- _ strong, which the weak only decide upon, because they know pensatone nothing about them. And this is well represented by thatin ec'o- Ark of the Testament beins: inclined on one side by the°°?^3^- kme kickmg, which the Levite desning to set upright, 6, 7. because he thought it would fall, he immediately received sentence of death. For what is the mind of the just man but the Ark of the Testament? which, as it is being carried, is inclined by the kicking of the kine; in that it sometimes happens that even he, who rules well, being shaken by the disorder of the people subject to him, is moved by nought else than love to a condescension in policy. But in this, which is done in ])olicy, that very bending, that is, of strength is accounted a fall by the inexperienced; and hence there are some of those that are in subjection, who j)ut out the hand of censure against it, yet by that very rashness of theirs they forthwith drop from life. Thus the Levite stretched forth his hand as it were in aid, but he lost his life in being guilty of offence, in that while the weak sort censure the deeds of the strong, they are themselves made outcasts from the lot of the living. Sometimes too holy men say some things con- descending to the meanest subjects, while some things they deliver contemplating the highest; and foolish men, because ihey know nothing of the meaning either of such condescen- sion or elevation, presumptuously censure them. And what is it to desire to set a good man right for his condescension, but to lift up the ark that is inclined with the presuming hand of rebuke? what is it to censure a righteous man for unapprehended words, but to take the move he makes in his strength for the downfall of error.'' But he loses his life, who lifts up the ark of God with a high mind; in that no man would ever dare to correct the upright acts of the Saints, unless he first thought better things of himself. And hence this Levite is rightly called Oza, which same is by interpretation * the strong one of the Lord,' in that the presumptuous severally, did they not audaciously conclude themselves * strong in the Lord,' would never condemn as weak the saying and doings of their betters. Therefore while the friends of blessed Job leap forth against him, as if in s2 260 He may seek explanation, hut must do it humbly.
Job 3, God's defence, they transgress the rule of God's ordinance in -„-^— behaving proudly.
'2o. But when any of the doings of better men are dis- pleasing to the less good, they are by no means to hold their peace about the considerations which influence their minds, but to give utterance thereto with a great degree of humility, so that the purpose of him, whose feelings are pious, may, in a genuine manner, keep the form of upright- ness, in proportion as he goes by the pathway of lowliness. Thus both all that we feel is to be freely expressed, and all that we express is to be uttered with the deepest humility, lest even what we intend aright we make other than right, by putting it forth in a spirit of pride. Paul had spoken many things to his hearers with humility, but it was with still more humility that he busied himself to appease them about that Heb.13 ^ui^ble exhortation itself, saying. And I beseech you, brethren, 22. sujfer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words. And likewise bidding farewell to the Ephesians at Miletus, who were deeply grieved and loudly lamenting, he recalls his humility to their remem- Acts brance,in these words, Therefore watch, and remember, that 20, 31. by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. Again he says to the same Enh 4 P<^^'^ons by letter, / therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, 1. beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called. Therefore let him infer from hence, if he ever thinks rightly at all, with what humility the disciple ought to address the Master, if the Master of the Gentiles himself, in the very things which he proclaims with authority, be- seeches the disciples so submissively. Let every one collect from hence in what a spirit of humility he should commu- nicate to those, from whom he has received examples of good living, all that he perceives aright, if Paul submitted himself in a humble strain to those, whom he himself raised up to life.
26. But Eliphaz, who is the first of the fiiends to speak, though he came with pity to console, yet in that he departs from meekness of speech, is ignorant of the rules of consoling; and while he neglects the guarding of his lips, he is guilty of excess, even to offering insult to the afflicted man, saying, JoVs Friettch', though in the U'rony, utter much truth. 261 The tiger hath perished for lack of prey ^ the roaring of the Book Hotly and the voice of the fierce lioness\ and the teeth of the '■— young lions are broken: i. e. by the teeth of a tiger marking lo. ii'. out blessed Job, as it were, with the fault of variedness;*^-*^'" by tJte roaring of the lion, denoting that man's terribleness; by the voice (f the lioness, the loquacity of his wife; and by the broken teeth of the young lions, signifying the gkittony of his sons brought to ruin. And hence the sentence of God rightly reproves the feeling of the friends, which had lifted itself up in swelling reproach, saying. Ye have not spoken of-^^^^^j Me the thing that is right, as My servant Job hath.
27. But I see that we must enquire, wherefore Paul makes use of their sentiments with so much weight of authority, if these sentiments of theirs be nullified by the Lord's rebuke? For they are the words of Eliphaz which he brought before the Corinthians, saying. For it is written, He taketh the i Cot. 3, nise in their own craftiness. How then do we reject as evil l^Jj - what Paul establishes by authority? or how shall we account 13. that to be right by the testimony of Paul, which the Lord by His own li])s determined not to be right } lUit we speedily leani how little the two are at variance together, if we more exactly consider the words of that same Divine sentence, which assuredly having declared, Ye have not spoken of Me the thing that is right; thereupon added, as 3Iy servant Job. It is cleai' then that some things contained in their sayings were right, but they are overcome by comparison with one who was better; for among other things, which they say without reason, there are many forcible sentences they utter in addressing blessed Job; but when comj)ared with his more forcible sayings ihey lose the power of their forci- bleness. And many things that they say are admirable, were they not spoken against the afflicted condition of the holy man. So that in themselves they are great, but because they aim to j)ierce that righteous j)erson, that greatness loses its weight, for with whatever degree of strength, it is in vain that the javelin is sent to strike the hard stones, since it glances off the further with blunted point, the more it comes hurled with strength. Therefore, though the sayings of Job's friends be very forcible in some points, yet, since they strike the Saint's well-fenced life, they turn back all the point of 262 Heretics, like Job's Frie?ids, mix truth and error. Job 3, their sharpness. And therefore because they are both great eye : — in themselves, and yet ou^ht never to have been taken up 'against blessed Job, on the one hand let Paul, weighing them by their intrinsic excellence, deliver them as authori- tative, and on the other let the Judge, forasmuch as they were delivered without caution, censure them in respect of the quality of the individual.
•28. But, as we have said above that these same friends of blessed Job contain a figure of heretics, let us now search ^ out how their words agree with heretics; for some of the opinions which they hold are very right, but in the midst of these they fall away to coriiipt notions; for heretics have this especial peculiarity, that they mix good and evil, that so they may easily delude the sense of the hearer. For if they always said wrong, soon discovered in their wrongheaded- iiess, they would be the less able to win a way for that, which they desire. Again, if they always thought right, then, surely, they would never have been heretics. But whilst with artfulness of deceiving they engage themselves with either, both by the evil they vitiate the good, and by the good they conceal the evil, to the end that it may be readily admitted; just as he that presents a cup of poison, touches the brim of the cup with honied sweets, and while this that has a sweet flavour is tasted at the first sip, that too wliich brings death is unhesitatingly swallowed. Thus heretics mix right with wrong, that by making a shew of good things, they may draw hearers to themselves, and by setting forth evil they may corrupt them with a secret pestilence. Yet it sometimes happens that being corrected by the preaching and admonitions of Holy Church, they are healed from such a contradiction in views, and hence the friends of blessed Job offer the sacrifice of their reconciliation by the hands of the same holy man, and even under attainder they are restored to the favour of the LukeU Supreme Judge. Of whom we have a fitting representation ^^' in that cleansing of the ten lepers. For in leprosy both a portion of the skin is brought to a bright hue, and a portion remains of a healthy colour. Lepers therefore are a figure of heretics, for in that they blend evil with good, they cover the complexion of health with spots. And hence that they may They begin gently^ but end in violence. 263 be healed, they rightly cry oat, Jesus, MasterK For whereas Book they notify that they have gone \NTong in His words, they '■ — humbly call Him Master when they are to be healed, and so ceptor, soon as they retm-n to acknowledge the Master, they are at once ^^^S- brought back to the right state ol health. Hut as on the savings of his friends we have carried the preface to our interpretation somewhat far, let us now consider minutely the ver}' words themselves which they spake. The account goes on; C. iv. 1, 2. Then Eliphaz the Temaniie ansuered and said, If ue assay to commune with thee, uilt thou be grieved ^ 29. It has been already declared above, what there is set xii. forth in the interpretation of these names. Therefore, because we are in haste to reach the unexamined parts, we forbear to imfold again what has been already delivered. Accorfhngly this is to be heedfully observed, that they, that bear the semblance of heretics, begin to speak softly, sapng, If we assay to commune uith thee, uilt thou be grieved?
> For heretics dread to incense their hearers at the outset of / their commmiing with them, lest they be listened to with / ears on the watch, and they carefully shun the paining of them, that they may catch their unguardedness, and what I they put forward is almost always mild, while that is harsh which they cunningly introduce in going on. And hence at this time the friends of Job begin with the reverence of a gentle address, but they burst forth even to launching the darts of the bitterest invectives; for the roots of thorns themselves are soft, yet from that ver}' softness of their own they put Ibrth that whereby they pierce. It goes on; JJut who can hold in^ the discourse conceived f 'thusV.
30. There be three kinds of men, which ditt'er from one xiii. another by qualities carried forward in gradation. For there are some, who at the same time that they conceive evil sentiments to speak, restrain themselves in their speech by none of the graveness of silence; and there are others, who, whereas they conceive evil things, withhold themselves with a strong control of silence. And there are some, who being made strong by the exercise of virtue, are advanced even to so great a height, that, as to speaking, they do not even conceive any evil thoughts in the heart, which they should have to restrain by keeping silence. It is shewn 264 Need of self-restraint. Job's zeal in well-doing.
Job 4, then to which class Eliphaz belongs, who bears witness that „ '' he cannot * withhold his conceived discourse.' Wherein too HIST.
he made known this, that he knew that he would give offence by speaking. For he would never be anxious to withhold words that he cannot, unless he were assured beforehand that he would be inflicting wounds by the same; for good men check precipitancy of speech with the reins of counsel, and they take heedful thought, lest, by giving a loose to the wantonness of the tongue, they should by heedlessness of • con- speech pierce their hearer's spirits^; hence it is well said by sci6ntiam Solomon, He that letteth out water is a head of strife. For t'J^'J* ' the water is let out,' when the flowing of the tongue is let loose.
Vulg. And he that ' letteth out water,' is made the ' beginning of strife,' in that by the incontinency of the lips, the com- mencement of discord is afforded. Thus, as the wicked are light in mind, so they are precipitate in speech, and neglect to keep silence, thoroughly considering w'hat they should 2 con- say. And what a light spirit^ conceives, a lighter tongue delivers apace. Hence on this occasion Eliphaz infers from his own experience a thing, which in a feeling of hopeless- ness he believes concerning all men; saying, But who can withhold his conceived discourse? It proceeds; Ver. 3, 4. Behold, thou hast instructed many., and thou hast strengtlioicdthe weak hands. Thy words have npholden him thai was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees. xiv. 31. If the text of the historical account be regarded in itself, it is of great service to the reader, that in blessed Job, instead of the ripping up of vices, proclaim is made of his virtues by his reviling friends; for the testimony to our manner of life is never so strong, as when commendable things are told by him, who aims to fasten guilt upon our head. But let us consider of v/hat a lofty height that man was, who by instructing the ignorant, strengthening the weak, upholding the faltering, amid the cares of his household, amidst the charge of countless concerns, amidst anxious feelings for his children, amidst the pursuit of so many laborious occupations, devoted himself to putting others in the right way. And being busied indeed, he executed these offices, yet being free, he did service in the master's office of Some praise given to gain credit for calumny. 265 instruction. By exercising superintendence, he disposed of Book temporal tilings, by preaching, he announced eternal truths; — '— uprightness of life, both by practice he shewed to all beholders, and by speech he conveyed to all that heard him. But all that are either heretics or bad men, in recording the excellencies of the good, turn them into grounds of accusa- tion. Hence Eliphaz deduces occasion of reviling against blessed Job from the same quarter, whence he related com- mendable things of him; for it goes on, Ver. 5. But now it is come upon thee^ and thou faintest; it toucheth tJiee, and thou art troubled.
3*2. All men of froward mind assail the life of the righteous xv. in two ways; for either they assert that what they say is wrong, or that what they say aright they never observe; and hence blessed Job is reproved by his friends further on for his mode of speech, whereas now he is torn in pieces for having spoken right things, but not having observed them. And so at one time the speech, and at another time the practice of the good meets with the disapproval of the wicked, in order that either the tongue being rebuked may hold its peace, or ihe life, being convicted by the testimony of that same tongue of theirs, may give way under the charge. And mark that first they bring forward commendations of the tongue, and afterwards complain of the weakness of the life. For the wicked, that they may not openly shew themselves to be evil, sometimes say such good things of the just, as they know to be already received concerning them by others also. But as we have said above, these very points they forthwith strain to the increase of guilt, and from hence, that they spoke favourable things also, they point out that credit is to be given them in the reverse, and with more seeming truth they intimate evil things, in proportion as they commended the good witli seeming zeal. Thus they wrest words of favourable im])ort to the service of accusation, in that they afterwards more deeply wound the life of the righteous from the same source, whence a little before in semblance thev vindicated it. But it often happens that their good qualities, which they first condenni when possessed, they afterwards admire, as if departed. And hence Eliphaz, as he declares them to be 266 Fear leads to strenylh, strength to Palioicc.
Job 4, departed, subjoins the virtues of the holy man, enumerating — ^ — them, and saying, » V.thus Ver. 6. ^ Where is thy fear, thy strength, thy patience, and the perfectness of thy ways? xvi. 33. All which same he makes to succeed that sentence which he set before, saying, But note a stroke is come upon thee, and tliou faintest; ittoucheih thee, and thou art troubled. Thus he declares that they were brought to nought all of them together, in this, that he blames blessed Job's being troubled by the scourge. Yet it is to be well taken notice of, that though he chides unbeiittingly, yet the ranks of virtues he fitly describes; for in enumerating the virtues of blessed Job, he marked out his life in four stages, in that he both added strength to fear, and patience to strength, and to patience, perfection. Since one sets out in the way of the Lord with fear, that he may go on to strength; for as in the world boldness begets strength, so in the way of God bold- ness engenders weakness; and as in the way of the world fear gives rise to weakness, so in the way of God fear pro- Prov.14, duces strength; as Solomon witnesses, who says. In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence. For ' strong confidence' is said ' to be in the fear of the Lord,' in that, in truth, our mind so much the more valorously sets at nought all the teiTors of temporal vicissitudes, the more thoroughly that it submits itself in fear to the Author of those same temporal things. And being stablished in the fear of the Lord, it encounters nothing without to fill it with alarm, in that whereas it is united to the Creator of all things by a righ- teous fear, it is by a certain powerful influence raised high above them all. For strength is never shewn saving in adversity, and hence patience is immediately made to succeed to strength. For every man proves himself in a much truer sense to have advanced in ' strength,' in proportion as he bears with the bolder heart the wrongs of other men. For he was little strong in himself, who is brought to the ground by the wickedness of another. He, in that he cannot bear to face opposition, lies pierced with the sword of his cowardice. But forasmuch as perfection springs out of patience, immediately after patience we have Eliphaz thinks the righteous perish not here. 267 the perfectness of his ways introduced. For he is really Book perfect, who feels no impatience towards the imperfection of — — his neighbour; since he that goes off, not being able to bear the imperfection of another, is his own witness against himself, that he is not yet perfectly advanced. Hence Truth says in the Gospel, In your patience possess ye yowr Luke2i, souls. For what is it to possess our souls, but to Uve by the ^ ' rule of perfection in all things, to command all the motions of the mind from the citadel of virtue? He then that main- tains patience possesses his soul, in that from hence he is endued with strength to encounter all adversities, whence even by overcoming himself he is made master of himself; and as he quells himself in a manner worthy of all praise, he comes forth unquelled with dauntless front, because by conquering himself in his pleasures, he makes himself in- vincible to reverses. But as Eliphaz rebuked him ^vith reviling, so now he adds a few words, as if in exhortation, saying, \'er. 7. Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished heiny innocent? or where were the rigJiteous cut off?
34. Whether it be heretics, of whom we have said that the xvii. friends of blessed Job bore an image, or whether any of the froward ones, they are as blameable in their admonitions, as they are immoderate in their condemnation. For he says, Who ever perished beiny innocent? or where were the riyh- < teous cut off? Since it otten happens that in this life both ) * the innocent perisli/ and ' the righteous are' utterly * cut ^ off,' yet in perishing they are reserved to glory etenial. For if none that is innocent perished, the Prophet would not say, The riyh teous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart. If Is. 67, God in His providential dealings did not carr>' off the righteous. Wisdom would never have said of the righteous man, Yea, speedily was he taken atvay, lest that wickedness \y\sd. 4, should alter his understand iny. If no visitation ever smote * the righteous, Peter would never foretell it, saying. For /AeiPet.4, time is come that judyment must beyin at the house of God. They then are really righteous, who are furnished forth by the love of the Country above to meet all the ills of the present life. For all that fear to endure ills here, for the sake of eternal blessings, clearly arc not righteous men. But Kliphaz does not t;ike account either that tlir righteous are 268 Evil-doers seldoni recompensed in this life.
Job 4, cut off, or that the inuocent perish here, in that oftentimes ~jj7^^*^^^y ^^^^ serve God, not in the hope of heavenly glory, but for an earthly recompense, make a fiction in their own head of that which they are seeking after, and, taking upon them- selves to be instructors, in preaching earthly immunity, they shew by all their pains what is the thing they love. It goes on;