Job 4, inspii'atioii itself is conveyed to the mind. For it is as if It '- — opened ' the veins of its whispering,' when God secretly com- municates to us in what ways He enters into the ear of our understandings. Thus at one time He pierces us with love, at another time with terror. Sometimes He shews us how little the present scene of things is, and lifts up our hearts to desire the eternal world, sometimes He first points to the things of eternity, that these of time may after that grow worthless in our eyes. Sometimes He discloses to us our own evil deeds, and thence draws us on even to the point of feeling sorrow for the evil deeds of others also. Sometimes He presents to our eyes the evil deeds of others, and reforms us from our own wickedness, pierced with a wonderful feeling of compunction. And so to ' hear the veins of Divine whisperinf^ by stealth,'' is to be made to know the secret methods of divine Inspira- tion, at once gently and secretly.
52. Though we may interpret whether ' the whispering' or ' the veins of whispering' in another way yet. For he that ' whispers' is speaking in secret, and he does not give out, but imitates a voice. We, therefore, so long as we are beset by the corruptions of the flesh, in no wise behold the brightness of the Divine Power, as it abides unchangeable in itself, in that the eye of our weakness cannot endure that which shines above us with intolerable lustre from the ray of His Eternal Being. And so when the Almighty shews Himself to us by the chinks of contemplation, He does not speak to us, but whispers, in that though He does not fully develope Himself, yet something of Himself He does reveal to the mind of man. But then He no longer whispers at all, but speaks, when His appearance is manifested to us in certainty. It is hence that Truth saith in the Gospel, Johnie, J ^j^^^ii fififJiQ you plainly of the Father. Hence John saith, 1 John For we shall see Him as He is. Hence Paul saith, Then I'cor. f^^i^ill I know even as also I am known. Now in this present 13, 12. time, the Divine whispering has as many veins lor our ears as the works of creation, which the Divine Being Himself is Lord of; for while we view all things that are created, we are lifted up in admiration of the Creator. For as water that flows in a slender stream is sought by being bored for through veins, with a view to increase it, and as it pours JVfiiht we have sin. Divine Lijht is terrible. -281 forth the more copiously, in proportion as it finds the veins Book more open, so we, whilst we heedfully gather the knowledge '— of the Divine Being from the contemplation of His creation, as it were open to ourselves the ' veins of His whispering,' in that by the things that we see have been made, we are led to marvel at the excellency of the Maker, and by the objects that are in public view, that issues forth to us, which is hidden in concealment. For He bursts out to us in a kind of sound as it were, whilst He displays His works to be considered by us, wherein He betokens Himself in a measure, in that He shews how Incomprehensible He is. Therefore, because we cannot take thought of Him as He deserves, we hear not His voice, yea, scarcely His whispering. For because we are not equal to form a full and perfect estimate of the very things that are created, it is rightly said, Mine ear as it were by stealth received the veins of whispering; in that being cast forth from the delights of paradise, and visited with the punishment of blindness, we scarcely take in * the veins of whispering;' since His very marvellous works themselves we consider but hastily and slightly. But we must bear in mind, that in proportion as the soul being lifted up contemplates His excellency, so being held back it shrinks from His righteous perfectness'. 'rectita- And hence it is rightly added; Ver. 13. In the horror of a vision qf the night.
53. The horroi' of a vision of the niyht is the shuddering xxx. of secret contemplation. For the higher the elevation, whereat the mind of man contemplates the things that are eternal, so nuich the more, terror-struck at her temporal deeds, she shrinks with dread, in that she thoroughly discovers herself guilty, in proportion as she sees herselt to have been out of harmony with that light, which shines in the midst of dark- ness* above her, and then it happens that the mind being -inter- enlightened entertains the greater fear, as it more clearly sees™*^** by how much it is at variance with the rule of truth. And she, that before seemed as it were more secure in seeing no- thing, trembles with sore afl'right from her very own profici- ency itself. Though, whatever her ])rogress in virtue, she does not as yet compass any clear insight into eternity, but still sees with the indistinctness of a certain shadowy imagining. And hence this same is called a vision of the niyht. For as 282 Contemplation. Sleep used for bodily deatk^for Job 4, we have also said above, in the night we see doubtfully, but — — — in the day we see steadily. Therefore because, as regards the contemplating the ray of the interior Sun, the cloud of our corruption interposes itself, nor does the unchangeable Light burst forth such as It is to the weak eyes of our mind, we as it were still behold God ' in a vision of the night,' since most surely we go darkling under a doubtful sight. Yet though the mind may have conceived but a distant idea concerning Him, yet in contemplation of His Greatness, she recoils with dread, amd is filled with a greater awe, in that she feels herself unequal even to the very skirts of the view of Him. And falling back upon herself, she is drawn to Him with closer bonds of love. Whose marvellous sweetness, being unable to bear, she has but just tasted of under an indistinct vision. But, because she never attains to such an height of elevation, unless the importunate and clamorous throng of carnal desires be first brought under governance, it is rightly added.
When deep sleep falleth upon men.
xxxi. ^4. Whoever is bent to do the things which are of the world, is, as it were, awake, but he, that seeking inward rest eschews the riot of this world, sleeps as it were. But first we must know that, in holy Scripture, sleep, when put figuratively, is understood in three senses. For sometimes we have expressed by sleep the death of the flesh, sometimes the stupefaction of neglect, and sometimes tranquillity of life, upon the earthly desires being trodden underfoot. Thus, by the designation of sleep or slumbering the death of the iThess. flesh is implied; as when Paul says, And I would not ' * have you to he ignorant^ brethren, concerning them which ver. 14. are asleep. And soon after. Even so them also ivhich sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him. Again, by sleep is designated the stupefaction of neglect; as where it is said Bom. 13, by that same Paul, Now it is high time to awake out i^Cor ^ sleep. And again. Awake, ye righteous^, and sin not.
15, 34. By sleep too is represented tranquillity of life, when the "^" caraal desires are trodden down; as where these words are uttered by the voice of the spouse in the Song of CanU5,Songs, 1 sleep, but my heart waketh. For, in truth, in pro- portion as the holy mind withholds itself from the turmoil of mental quiet, for listless inactivity. 283 temporal desire, the more ihorouglily it attains to know the Book things of the interior, and is the more quick and awake to inward concerns, the more it withdraws itself out of sight from external disquietude. And this is well represented by Jacob sleeping on his journey. He put a stone to his head and slept. He beheld a ladder from the earth fixed in heaven, the Lord resting upon the ladder, Angels also ascend- ing and descending. For to ' sleep on a journey' is, in the passage of this present life, to rest from the love of things temporal. To sleep on a journey is, in the course of our passing days, to close those eyes of the mind to the desire of visible objects, which the seducer opened to the first of mankind, saying. For God doth knoic iJiat in the day ye eat Gen. 3, thereof, then your eyes shall be opened. And hence it is soon altenvards added. She took of the fruit thereof ^and <iiV/ver.6,7. eat J and ga re also unto her husband with her, and he did eat. And the eyes qf them both were opened. For sin opened the eyes of concupiscence, which innocence kept shut. But to * see Angels ascending and descending,' is to mark the citizens of the land above, either with what love they cleave to their Creator above them, or ^nth what fellow-feeling in charity they condescend to aid our infirmities.
55. And it is very deserving of observation, that he that * lays his head upon a stone,' is he who sees the Angels in his sleep, surely because that same person by resting from external works penetrates internal truths, who with mind intent, which is the governing principle of man, looks to the imitating of his Redeemer. For to ' lay the head upon a stone' is to cleave to Christ in mind. Since they that are withdrawn from this life's sphere of action, yet whom no love transports above, may have sleep, but can never see the Angels, because they despise to keep their head upon a stone. For there are some, who fly indeed the business of the world, but exercise themselves in no virtues. These, indeed, sleep from stujiefaction, not from serious design, and therefore they never behold the things of the interior, becau.se they have laid their head, not upon a stone, but upon the earth. Whose lot it most frequently is, that in proportion as they rest more secure from outward actions, tiie more amply they are gathering in themselves from idleness an uproar of unclean thoughts. And thus under the like- 284 Effort of abstraction needed for contemplation.
Job 4, ness of Judaea the Prophet bewails the soul stupefied by - — ^indolence, where he says, TJie adversaries saw her, and did 7. mock at her sabbaths. For by the precept of the Law there is a cessation from outward work upon the Sabbath Day. Thus her ' enemies looking on mock at her sabbaths,' when evil spirits pervert the very waste hours of vacancy to unlawful thoughts. So that every soul, in proportion as it is supposed to be devoted to the service of God, by being removed from external action, the more it drudges to their tyranny, by entertaining unlawful thoughts. But good men, who sleep to the works of the world, not from inertness, but from virtue, are more laborious in their sleep than they would be awake. For herein, that by abandoning they are made superior to this world's doings, they daily fight against them- selves, maintaining a brave conflict, that the mind be not rendered dull by neglect, nor, subdued by indolence, cool down to the harbouring of impure desires, nor in good desires themselves be more full of fervour than is right, nor by sparing itself under the pretext of discretion, may slacken its endeavour after perfection. These are the things she is employed withal: she both wholly withdraws herself from the restless appetite of this world, and gives over the turmoil of earthly actions, and in pursuit of tranquillity, bent on virtuous attainments, she sleeps waking. For she is never led on to contemplate internal things, unless she be heedfully withdrawn from those, which entwine themselves about her without. And it is hence that Truth declares by His Matt. 6, own mouth. No man can serve two masters. Hence Paul 2%im ^^^^'^^ ^^ man that warreth entanfjleth himself with the 2, 4. affairs of this life, that he may please him that hath chosen him to he a soldier. Hence the Lord charges us by the Ps. 46, Prophet, saying, Be still^, and know that f am the Lord, \y\Q^^Q'TheYeioi'e, because inward knowledge is not cognisable by ie at ^is except there be a rest from outward embarrasments, the leisure m season of the hidden word, and of the whisperings of God, is in this place rightly set forth, when it is said. In the horror of a vision of the night, when deep deep falleth upon men, in that truly our mind is never caught away after the force and power of inward contcm})lation, unless it be first carefully lulled to rest from all agitation of earthly desires. But the Inmian mind, lilted on high by the engine as it were of its H7iat is strongest in us fails hcfore God. -285 contemplation, in proportion as it sees things higlier above Book itself, the more terribly it trembles in itself. And hence it is — fitly added, Ver. 14. Fear came upon me and trembling, which made all my hones to shake.
56. What is denoted by ^bones' but strong deeds? Ofxxxii. which also it is said by the Prophet, He keepeth all fheir^s. 34, bones. And it often happens that the things which men do, they reckon to be of some account, because they know not, how keen is the discernment of His inward sifting; but when, transported on the wings of contemplation, they behold things above, in some sort they melt away from the security they felt in tlieir presumption, and quake in sight of God the more, in ])roportion as lliey do not even reckon their ex- cellences fit for the searching eye of Ilim, Whom they behold. For it is hence that he, who had gained ground in doing strong deeds, being lifted up by the Spirit, exclaimed, All mg bones Ps. 35, shall sag. Lord, who is like utiio TItee? As though he said, ' My rtesh is without words, in that my infirmities are wholly silent before Thee, but my bones sing the praises of Thy greatness. In that the very things, which I thought to be strong in me, tremble at the view of Thee.' It is hence that Manoah shrinking al the vision of the Angel, says, l^Ve shall surely die, Judg. for we have seen The Lord. Whom his wife immediately com- 23.' forts, witli these words, If the Lord were pleased to kill us. He would not have received a burnt-offering, and a meat-offering al our hand. But how is it that the man becomes fearful at the vision of the Angel, and the woman bold; but that as often as heavenly things are shewn us, the spirit indeed is shaken with affright, yet hope has confidence? For hope lifts itself to dare greater feats from the same cause, whereby the spirit is troubled, in that it sees the first the things that are above. '^I'herefore because, when the mind, being lifted on high, beholds the higher depths of the secrets of heaven, all that is most solid of human strength trembles, it is well said here, Fear came upon me and trembling, which made all my bones to shake. As though it were expressed in plain words; * When I perceived the secrets of inmost.subtlety, in that quarter where I thought myself in my own eyes strong, I faltered in the siglit of the Judge/ For contemplating 286 fVe know not ourselves. High visions stay not.
Job ^, the strictness of Divine Justice, we justly fear even for the very works themselves, which we flattered ourselves we had so done that they were strong. For our uprightness, when drawn parallel to the inward rule, if it meets with strict judgment, comes cross, with many sinuosities of its windings, to the inward uprightness. And hence, when Paul both perceived that he had the bones of the several virtues, and yet that these same bones trembled under the searching 1 Cor. scnitiny, he saith. But iciih me it is a verij small thing ' * that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment; yea, I judge not mine own self; for I know nothing against myself.
Yet because, when the ' veins' of the divine ' whispering' were heard, these same bones quaked, he thereupon added, For I am not hereby justified; hut he that judgeth me is the Lord. As though he were to say, ^ I remember that I have done right things, yet I presume not on my merits; for our life is brought to the scrutiny of Him, under Whom even the bones of our strength are dismayed.
57. But when the mind is suspended in contemplation, when, exceeding the narrow limits of the flesh, with all the power of her ken, she strains to find something of the freedom of interior security, she cannot for long rest standing above herself, because though the spirit carries her on high, yet the flesh sinks her down below by the yet remaining weight of her corruption. And hence it is added, Ver. 15. And as a spirit passed before my face, the hair of my flesh stood up. xxxiii 58. ■* A spirit passes before our face,' when we are brought to the knowledge of invisible things, and yet see these same not stedfastly, but with a hasty glance. For not even in the sweetness of inward contemplation does the mind remain fixed for long, in that being made to recoil by the very immensity of the light it is called back to itself. And when it tastes that inward sweetness, it is on fire with love, it longs to mount above itself, yet it falls back in broken state to the darkness of its frailty. And advancing in high per- fection, it sees that it cannot yet see that which it ardently loves, wliich yet it would not love ardently did it not in some sort see the same. Thus the spirit is not stationary, but * passes by;' because our contemplation both discloses to Hairs of the fleshy superfluous thoughts. 287 us, that pant thereafter, the heavenly light, and forthwith Book conceals the same from us failing from weakness. And because in this life, whatever degree of virtue a man may have advanced to, he still feels the sting of corruption, i^or Wisd. the corruptible body presseth down the soul, and the earthy ' tabernacle weigheth down the mind that museth upon many things; therefore it is rightly added. The hair of my flesh stood up.
59. For * the hairs of the flesh' are all the superfluities of human corruption. * The hairs of the flesh' are the imagin- ations of the former life, which we so cut away from the mind, that we let no grief for the loss of them disturb our peace. And it is well said by Moses, Let the Levites shave f^nmh. ^all the hairs of their flesh. For a * Levite' is rendered,y' J j^^^ ^ taken.' And thus it behoves the ' Levites' to shave all * the hairs of the flesh,' in that he who is * taken' into the divine ministrations, ought to shew himself clear of all ima- ginations of the flesh before the eyes of God, that the mind never put forth unlawful thoughts, and so defonn the fair appearance of the soul as it were by sprouting hairs. But whatever perfection of holy living may have raised the condition of any man, yet there still springs up to him from his old state of life somewhat to bear. And hence the same hairs of the Levites are commanded to be shaven, not to be plucked out, for the roots still remain in the flesh to the shaven hairs, and grow again to be again cut off*, in that while we are to use great diligence in cutting off' all rank thoughts, yet they never can be wholly and entirely cut off". For the flesh is ever engendering a rank produce, which the spirit should ever be cutting away with the knife of heedfulness. Yet it is then that we see these things with more exactness, when we j)enetrate into the heights of contemplation; and hence it is rightly said. Whilst a spirit passed before my facey the hair of my Jlesh stood up.
60. For when the human mind is lifted up on the tower of contemplation, it the more cruelly torments itself for its superfluities, in proj)ortion as it ])erceivcs that which it loves to be infinitely refined; and when it beholds that beautiful Being, which it longs for, above its own height, it ?ieverely judges every thing infirm in itself, which it bore 288 Carnal nature sees only the visible.
Job 4, with tranquillity before. Therefore when ' the Spirit passeth '— by,' ' the hairs quake,' in that before the power of compunc- tion, all rank thoughts flee away, that nought that is loose, nought that is dissipated, any longer gives pleasure, for severity of inward visitings kindles the inspired soul even against its own self; and when that which riseth up in the heart of an unlawful kind, is cut away with unintermitted strictness, it very often happens that the invigorated soul enters into its ray of contemplation with a somewhat larger range, and almost arrests the spirit which was ' passing by.' Yet does not this same lingering of contemplation fully dis- cover the force of the Divine nature, for its vastness transcends all human powers thus enlarged and elevated. And hence it is well added; iv.thus Yer. 16. ^ There stood a certain one, hut I could not discern the form tJiereof. xxxiv. 61. For we do not speak oi a certain one, saving surely in the case of him, whom we are either unwilling or unable to express. Now with what feeling it is here said a certain one, is clearly set forth, in that it immediately comes in, but I could not discern the form thereof. For the human soul, being by the vsin of the first of mankind banished from the joys of paradise, lost the light of the invisible, and poured itself out entire in the love of the visible, and was darkened in the interior sight, in proportion as it was dissipated with- out, to the deformment of itself. Whence it comes to pass that it knows nothing, saving the things that it acquaints itself with by the palpable touch, so to say, of the bodily eyes. For man, who, had he been willing to have kept the com- mandment, would even in his flesh have been a spiritual being, by sinning was rendered even in soul carnal, so as to imagine such things only as he derives to the soul through the images of bodily substances. For body is the property of heaven, earth, water, animals, and all the visible things, which he unceasingly beholds; and while the delighted mind wholly precipitates itself into these, it waxes gross, loses the fineness of the inward sense; and whereas it is now no longer able to erect itself to things on high, it willingly lies prostrate in its weakness in things below. But when with marvellous efforts it strives to rise up from the same, it Man learns soinetchat of God from his oum soul. '289 is great indeed, il' the soul, thrusting aside the bodily fonn, Book be brought to the knowledge of itself, so as to think of itself — '- — without a bodily figure, and by thus thinking of itself to prepare itself a pathway to contemplate the substance of Eternity \ 62. Now in this way it shews itself to its own eyes as a kind of ladder, whereby in ascending from outward things to pass into itself, and from itself to tend unto its Maker. For when the mind quits bodily images, entering into itself, it mounts up to no mean height; for though the soul be incor- poreal, yet because she is incorporate with the body, she is known by that property of hers, which is confined within the local bounds of the flesh. And whereas she forgets things known, acquaints herself with such as are unknown, remembers what has been consigned to oblivion, entertains mirth after sadness, is adjudged to j)unishir.ent ^ after joy; she herself > addici- shews by her own diversity in herself, how widely she is*"^ removed from the Substance of eteraal Unchangeableness, Which is always the same, even as It Is; Which every where present, every where invisible, ever}' where whole and entire, every where incomprehensible, is by the longing mind dis- cerned without seeing, heard without uncertainty, taken in without motion, touched without bodily substance, held with- out locality. Now when the mind that is used to cor])oreal objects represents to itself this same Substance, it is loaded with the phantasms of divers images. And whilst it banishes these from the eyes of its attention with the hand of discernment, making every thing give place thereto, it at last beholds It in some degree. And if it does not as yet apprehend what It is, it has surely learnt what It is not. And so because the mind is carried away into unaccustomed ground, when it pries into the Es.sence of the Deity, it is rightly said here, A certnin one stood, hut I could not dis- cerii the form thereof.
63. And it is well said, // stood still; for every created thing, in that it is made out of nothing, and of itself tends to nothing, has not the property to stand, but to run to an end. But a creature endowed with reason, by this very circum- stance, that it is created after the image of its Maker, is fixed * It will hare been observed, that he uses this expression for ' The Eternal One.'
U •290 God stands ever still, hut is seen as in passing.
Job 4, that it should not pass into nothing. Now no irrational '- — creature is ever fixed, but only, so long as, by the service of its appearing, it is completing the form and fashion of the universe, it is delayed in passing away. For though heaven and earth abide henceforth and for ever, still they are at this present time of themselves hastening on to nought; yet for the use of those, whom they serve, they remain to be changed for the better. To ' stand' then is the attribute of the Creator alone, through Whom all things pass away. Himself never passing away, and in Whom some things are held fast, that they should not pass away. Hence our Redeemer, because the fixed state of His Divine Nature could not be comprehended by the human mind, shewed this to us as it were in passing, by coming to us, by being created, born, dead, buried, by rising again, and returning to the heavenly Matt, realms. Which He well shadowed out in the Gospel by the Luke enlightening the blind man, to vvhom when passing on He 18, 40. vouchsafed a hearing, but it was standing still that He healed his eyes. For by the economy of His Human Nature He had His passing on, but the standing by the power of His Divine Nature, in that He is every where present. Thus the Lord is said to hear the complaints of our blind condition in passing, in that being made Man He has compassion on human misery; but He restores light to the eyes standing still, in that He enlightens the darkness of our frail state by the efficacv of His Divine Nature. It is well then that, after it has been said. Then a spirit passed before my face ^ it should be added, hut I could not discern the form thereof. As if it were in plain words, ' Him, Whom 1 perceived in passing, I discovered never to pass.' He then that * passes' is the same as He that ' stands still.' He 'passes,' in that when known He cannot be detained. He ' stands still,' in that, so far as He is known, He is seen to be unchangeable. There- fore, because He, That is ever the Same, is seen by a hasty glance, God at the same time appears both passing and stand- ing still. Or surely His * standing' is His never varying with Ex..3, any change; as it is said to Moses, / AM THAT I AM.