be the worse; by which same downfall even that is brought to the ground, which was believed to have been raised in other doings with perfect workmanship. For when envy has made the mind corrupt, it consumes all that it may have found done aright. Whence it is well said by Solomon, Prov. A sound heart is the life of the JiesJc hut envy the rottenness ' ^^' of the hones. For what is denoted by ' the flesh,' saving weak and tender things? and what by the ' bones,' saving strong deeds.? And it is most common that some with real innoccncy of heart should appear to be vveak in some points of their practice, whilst some now perform deeds of strength before the eyes of men, but yet towards the excel- lences of others they are inwardly consumed with the plague of envy; and so it is well said, A sound, heart is the life of Hie flesh. In that where inward innoccncy is preserved, even if there be some points weak without, yet they are sometime made strong and fast. And it is rightly added.
But envy the rottennes.^ of the bones. For by the bad quality of envy even strong deeds of virtue go for nought before the eyes of God. Since the rotting of the Heavenly desires leave no place fur Envy. 311 bones from envy is the spoiling of the strong things Book even. 1— 86. But why do we say such things concerning envy, unless we likewise point out in what manner it may be rooted out? For it is a hard thing for one man not to envy another that, which he earnestly desires to obtain; since whatever we receive that is of time becomes less to each in proportion as there are many to divide it amongst. And for this reason envy wrings the longing mind, because that, which it desires, another man getting either takes away altogether, or curtails in quantity. Let him, then, who longs to be wholly and entirely void of the bane of envy, set his affections on that inheritance, which no number of fellowheirs serves to stint or shorten, which is both one to all and whole to each, which is shewn so much the larger, as the number of those that are vouch- safed it is enlarged for its reception. And so the lessening of envy is the feeling of inward sweetness arising, and the utter death of it is the perfect love of Eternity. For when the mind is withdrawn from the desire of that object, which is divided among a multitude of participators, the love of our neighbour is increased, in proportion as the fear of injury to self from his advancement is lessened. And if the soul be wholly ravished in love of the heavenly land, it is also thoroughly rooted in the love of our neighbour, and that without any mixture of envy. For whereas it desires no earthly objects, there is nothing to withstand the love it has for its fellow. And what else is this same charity but the eye of the mind, which if it be reached by the dust of earthly love, is forthwith beaten back with injury from its gaze at the inward light? But whereas he is ' a little one,' who loves earthly things, and a great one that longs after the things of eternity, it may be suitably enough rendered in this sense likewise, Atid envy slayeth the foolish ojie; in that no man perishes by the sickness of this plague, except him that is still unhealthy in his desires.
THE SECOND PART.
BOOK VI.
The whole of the fifth chapter, beginning at the third verse, is explained first in a spiritual sense, a few parts in an allegorical, and a great many in a moral sense.
i. Saving the historical verity, I proposed to myself to make out the sayings of blessed Job and of his fi'iends by the mystical mode of interpretation: for it is plain to all that are acquainted with the truth, that Holy Writ takes care to hold out in promise the Redeemer of the world in all its state- ments, and that it has aimed to represent Him by all the Elect as by His members. And hence blessed Job is in the Latin tongue rendered ' grieving,' that both by his name and by his wounds the Passion of our Redeemer might be sig- Is. 63,4. nified, of Whom the Prophet saith, Surely He hath home our griefs, and carried our sorrows. x4nd the Tempter, having robbed him of every thing, slew both his servants and his children; in that at the time of His Passion he smote with the weapon of faithlessness not only the Jewish people, that served Him out of fear, but the very Apostles also themselves, that were regenerated in His love. The body of blessed Job is mangled with wounding, for our Redeemer does not disdain to be pierced with nails upon the stock of the Cross. And he received wounds, from the sole of the foot to the very crown of his head, in that not only in her last and lowest members, but even up to the very highest, Holy Church, which is His Body, is hai'assed with persecu- Coi. 1, tion by the raging Tempter. Hence also Paul said. And Jill ^^' up thai which is behind of the afflictions of Christ. And his wife strives to persuade him to curse, in that all the car- nal minds within the pale of Holy Church prove abettors Job* s friends spoke truths hut not of his case. 313 of the cunning Tempter. For she, who prompts him to Book cursing, represents the life of the carnal sort; since, as we have already said above, all persons of unchastened habits within the pale of Holy Church, in proportion as they are brought nigh to the good by their faith, pinch them harder by their life. For because they cannot be avoided, as being of the number of the faithful, they are borne by the faithful as the greater harm, in proportion^ as it is nearer home. i see p. But his friends, who come as if to administer consolation, but run out into words of bitter upbraiding, bear the likeness of heretics, who, in striving to defend God against the righteous, only offend Him.
2. These things then, wliich have been more fully delivered above, I have endeavoured to gather into a small compass after their mystical representation, that by this very repetition it might be recalled to the recollection of my reader, that I minister to the spiritual understanding. And yet, when occasion of usefulness demands, I also busy myself to make out yvTLth minute exactness the letter of the history, but when it is needed I embrace both at the same time, that the allegory may put forth spiritual fruit, which same nevertheless is produced by the historical verity as from the root. Now the friends of blessed Job, who, we have said, bear the likeness of heretics, we by no means condemn for their words throughout; for whereas it is delivered against them by the sentence from above. For ye have not spoken before Job 42, Me the thing that is right; and it is thereupon added, Like My servant Job; it is plainly manifest that that is not altogether set at nought, which is only disapproved by comparison with what is better. For they incautiously slip into censure of him, but yet, as they are the friends of so great a man, from familiar intercourse with him they learnt many mystical truths. Whence, as we have also said above, Paul uses their very words, and by taking these in aid of his statement, he testifies that they were delivered from a source of truth. Which same nevertheless Truth does rightly censure, in that no sentence, however full of force, should be delivered against a holy man. Accordingly the words of Eliphaz may be considered in a mystical sense, whereby he addresses blessed Job, saying.
314 Tke ' Foolish^ here may vican the Jews.
Job 5, Ver. 3. I have seen the foolish taking root; but suddenly 1 so V. 3. For the Jewish people shewed itself to be ' foolish, ^^' in that it slightly regarded the very Presence of Eternal Wisdom in the flesh. And it waxed strong, as it were, by taking root, in that it had power over the life of the Elect to the extinction thereof in time. And Eliphaz despises such an one, cursing him, in that all heretics, whom we have said the friends of blessed Job bear a figure of, while they boast themselves in the name of Christ, censure in a way of authority the unbelief of the Jews. Concerning which same foolish one it is forthwith added, Ver. 4. His children are far from safety^ and. they are crushed in the gate, neither shall there be any to deliver them. 4. They all are ' the children' of this foolish man, who are generated by the preaching of that unbelief, and these * are far from safety,' for though they enjoy the temporal life without trouble, they are stricken the worse with eternal vengeance, as the Lord says concerning these same sons Matt, of such an one, Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypo- ' ' crites, for ye compass sea and laud to make one proselyte, and when he is made ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. It follows, And tliey are crushed in the gate, neither shall there be any to deliver them. Who else is to be understood by the name of gate, but the Mediator John between God and Man, Who saith, / am the door; by Me ' if ciny man enter in, he shall be saved. The sons, then, of this foolish man advance without the gate, and they are ' crushed in the gate,' for the evil offspring of the Jews, before the Mediator's coming, prospered in the observance of the Law, but in the presence of our Redeemer itself they fell away from the service of the Divine Being, proving outcasts by the deserts of their faithlessness. And verily there is none ' to rescue them,' for while they strive by their persecution to kill the Redeemer Himself, they cut them- selves off from the proffered means of their rescue. And it is well added concerning him, Ver. 5. Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, and the armed one shall seize him.
iv. 5. Now ' the harvest' of this foolish man was the crop of God^s gifts, when not improved hy us, pass to others. 315 Sacred Writ. For the words of the Prophets are like so Book many grains of the ears, which the foolish man had, but did '— not eat. For the Jewish people indeed held the Law as far as the letter, but, from an infatuated pride, as to the sense thereof, they went hungering. But ^ the hungry eateth the harvest' of this foolish one, in that the Gentile folk eats by taking in the words of the Law, in which the Jewish people toiled and laboured without taking them in. These hungry ones of faith the Lord foresaw, when He had said by the Evangelist, Blessed are they that hunger and thirst afteriAzti.d, righteousness^ for they shall be filled. Of these hungry ones ' Hannah saith prophesying, They that werefidU have hired out i Sam. themselves for bread, and they that were hungry were satis- ' * fied. And as he lost the harvest, it is rightly added how the foolish man himself too perishes, where it is said, And himself shall the armed one seize. The old enemy, being * armed,' seized the Jewish people, for he extinguished in them the life of faith by the darts of deceitful counsel, that in the very point, wherein they imagined themselves to be rooted in God, they might resist His dispensation. And Truth forewarns the Disciples of this, saying. Yea, the time John cometh that whosoever killeth you ivill think thai he doeth ' ' God service. It follows.
And the thirsty shall drink his riches.
6. The riches of this ' foolish' one ' the thirsty drink,' in v. that by the streams of Sacred Writ, which the Jewish people possessed in the display of pride, the converted minds of the Gentiles are watered. And hence it is said to those same persons by the Prophet, Ho, every one that thirsteth, come Isaiah ye to the waters; and he that hath no silver, come ye. For^^' that the divine oracles are denoted by the word ^ silver,' is testified by the Psalmist in these words. The ivords of the Ps. 12, Lord are pure words, as silver tried in the fire. They then ^* that * have no silver,' are bidden to the ' waters,' in that the Gentile world which had never received the precepts of Holy Writ, is satisfied with the outpouring of Divine Reve- lation, which they now drink of the more eagerly, in propor- tion as they thirsted for it long time in a state of drought. Thus the very same Divine oracles are called at once ' har- vests' and ' riches;' ' harvests,' because they refresh the hun- 316 Holy Writ supplies both strong meat and easy drink.
Job 5, gering soul; ' riches/ because they array us in a rare richness — — -^ — of moral excellences. The same things are said both to Myst.
be ' eaten,' and to be * drunk,' for this reason, that whereas there are certain things therein that are obscure, which we understand not without they be interpreted, these same we in a manner swallow eating; and whereas certain other things indeed, that are easy to be understood, we so take as we find them, these we drink as if unchewed, in that we swallow them unbroken. These things we have rim through in brief mode under their mystical signification, lest perchance we might seem to have passed over any thing; but because they could not be the friends of blessed Job, except in some points they also shone conspicuous for high moral worth, it remains that in their words we examine the force of their import in a moral sense, that, whilst the weight and substance of their speech is made out, it may be shewn what sort of teaching they were masters of.
Ver. 3. / have seen the foolish taking root, but suddenly I cursed his beauty. Moral. 7. * The foolish' is as it were made fast in the earth by VI' ' taking root,' in that he is fixed in the love of earth with all his heart's desire. And hence Cain is recorded to have been the first that builded a city in the earth, that it might be plainly shewn, that that same man laid a foundation in the earth, who was turned adrift from the firm hold of our heavenly coun- try. The foolish man as it were lifts himself up by ' taking root,' when he is buoyed up in this world with temporal good fortune, so that he obtains whatsoever he desires, is subject to no crosses, prevails against the weak without meeting with resistance, gainsays those that do well with authority, is ever attaining to better circumstances by means of worse prac- tices, so that from the very cause that he is forsaking the path of life, he lives for the time the happier. But when the weak see that the wicked flourish, they are alarmed, and being troubled in their own breasts by the prosperity of sinners, they inwardly falter in the mind's footsteps. It was the likeness of these same that the Psalmist took when he Ps. 73, declared, But as for me^ my feet were almost gone^ my steps ^'^' had well nigh slipped; for I was envious at the sinners, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
Worldly glory even note scorned by the wise. 317 8. But when the strong see their glory, they forthwith fix Book their minds upon the punishment which is to follow after '— that glory, and with deep thought of heart within they contemn that, which swells the proud without with the bigness of empty inflation. It is then well said, / have seen the foolish taking root^ hut suddenly I cursed his beauty. For to ' curse the beauty' of the fool is to condemn his glory by an advised sentence, for he is the more frightfully drowned in tonnents, the higher he is lifted up in sins; for the being lifted up is transient, but the being punished is perpetual; for he, that meets with honour on his road, will meet with con- demnation on his aiTival; and he is as it were coming to a prison through pleasant meadows, who is going on to ruin through this world's prosperity. But it is to be observed, that, when he says that he ' cursed the beauty of the fool,' he directly adds, suddenly; for it is the way with man's weak mind to vary according to the modification of the objects which it beholds. Thus it often happens that his judgment is led by the mere appearance of the object presented, and his bias and feeling are framed according to the thing which is before his eyes. For often persons, while they see the glory of certain individuals, are charmed with the appearances thereof, and account it something great, and heartily wish they might themselves obtain the like; but when they see the children of glory severally either overthrown of a sudden, or perchance even brought to death, they acknowledge with a sigh that human glory is altogether nought, so as to exclaim at once, ' See what a nothing is man I' Which indeed they would say with more propriety, if when they saw man in possession of glory, then thinking of his destruction, they had felt that transitory power is nought. For it is then that we are to reflect what a nothing human exaltation is, when by its successes it mounts above others; then we ought to reflect with what speed happiness will flee away, when it flourishes, as if for ever, before the eyes of men. For that the glory of a perishable being is nothing in the actual hour of death, any of the weak sort can pre- sently consider. For then even they hold it cheap, who even until death follow after it with affection. So that it is well said, / have seen the foolish taking root, hut suddenly I 318 l^he wicked crushed in the gate of Judgment.
Job 5, cursed his beauty. As if he said plainly; * Against the r-r— ^ — beauty of the foolish T admitted no delay in my em'sinff, for as soon as I discerned it, I saw along with it the punish- ment that comes after; for I should not have cursed suddenly, if any delight in that glory had kept hold of me, but I cursed without tardiness, for beholding his punishments which are destined to endure, I condemned his power without hesi- tating.' But because in every case the more the wicked make way in this world, the greater numbers they drag ial.///6- to destruction, it is rightly subjoined. Let his children be^ s/haiiTef^*' /^'^^^^ safety. For the children of the foolish one are they, that after his copy are brought forth in this world's ambition; who truly are so much the fluther from safety, in proportion as in the practice of iniquity they are stricken by no infirmity. Of these it is well added, Ver. 4. And they shall be crushed in the gate; neither shall there be any to deliver them.
vii. 9. For as the entrance of a city is called the ^ gate,' so is the day of Judgment the gate of the Kingdom, since all the Elect go in thereby to the glory of their heavenly country.
And hence when Solomon saw this day approaching for the Prov. recompensing of Holy Church, he said. Her husband is ' *■ ■ knOi'cn in the gates, when he sitleth among the elders of the land. For the Redeemer of mankind is the ' husband' of Holy Church, Who shews Himself ^ renowned' in the gates.
- A.B. Who^ first came to sight in degradation and in mockings, t ie-* but shall appear on high at the entering in of His kingdom: cause ^|-,(j < ^g sitteth among the elders of the land,' for that He shall decree sentence of condemnation together with the holy preachers of that same Church, as Himself declares in Matt, the Gospel, Verily I say unto you. Ye which have followed ' ' ' Me, in the Regeneration, ichen the Son of Man shall sit on the tJirone of His glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Which same Is. 3, Isaiah also foretelling long before uses these words, The Lord tcill enter into judgment with the ancients of His Prov. people. Of these gates Solomon says again. Give her of thv ^^' ^^' fruit of her hands, and her oum works shall praise her in the gates. For Holy Church then receives of ' the fruit of her hands,' when the recompensing of her labours lifts her Spiritual harvest of had men goes to others. 319 up to the entertainment of heavenly blessings, for her * works Book then praise her in the gates,' when the words are spoken to her members in the very entrance to His kingdom; For Matt. / was an hmtf/red, and ye gave Me meat; 1 teas thirsfi/,'^ ' and ye gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took Me in; naked, and ye clothed Me. The children then of this foolish man are lifted up be/ore ' the gate,' but ' in the gate they shall be crushed;' in that the followers of this world cany themselves proudly in the present life, but in the very entrance of the kingdom they are struck with an everlasting visitation. And it is well added, Neither is there any to deliver them. For * Truth' delivers from eternal woe those whom in temporal weal She straitens by discipline. He, then, that now refuses to be straitened, is left tlien with- out the means to be ' delivered.' For Him, Whom they care not to have as a Father in training, the wicked in the season of their calamity never find a deliverer in succouring. It proceeds; Whose harvest the hungry one shall eat up.
10. Even the foolish man has a ' harvest,' when any viii. wicked man is vouchsafed the gift of a right understanding, is instructed in the sentences of Holy Writ, speaks good words, yet never in any wise does the thing that he says; gives forth the words of God, yet does not love them; by his praise magnifies them, by his practice tramples on them. Thus because this foolish man both understands and speaks that, which is right, yet does not love this in his doings, while he has a harvest, he goes starving. Which same ' the hungry eateth up,' in that he, who pants after God with holy desires, learns what he hears, and practises what he has learnt. And, whilst he is invigorated by the right preaching of a wrong teacher, what else is this than that he is filled with the produce of the foolish? Did not ' Truth' charge His ' hungry ones' to eat up the ' harvest' of the foolish, when, they being inflamed by holy desires. He charged them concerning the Pharisees, saying,^// therefore Msitt. whatsoever they bid you observe, observe and do; but do not ' ' ye after their norks. As though He said plainly; * By speaking they rear the harvest of the word, but by evil living they touch it not. Let this harvest then be the reft*eshment 320 Satan lohen armed. Who are the 'thirsty.* Job 5, for your hunger, for it is for you that they reserve it in their _-—: — own infatuated loathing.' And it is well added, Ver. 5. And the armed man shall seize htm, ix. 11. For our old enemy is conquered as an unarmed man, when, by openly prompting evil things to the mind of man, he aims to destroy all the good together. But he comes ' armed,' when, leaving some good things untouched, he covertly works the ruin of others. For often he does not tempt some people in the understanding, nor oppose them in their meditation on Holy Writ, yet he undoes the life of those in practice, who, while they are praised for the ex- cellence of knowledge, neglect to have regard to the short- comings of their works, and while the mind is decoyed in the delightfulness of good esteem, no remedy is applied to the wounds of the life; and thus the ' armed' enemy has swallowed up this man, whom under the cloak of deceit, whilst leaving on one side, he has got the better of on another. It goes on, » so V. And the thirsty shall drink ^ his riches.
X. 12. Often the foolish man has a fountain of inward liquid, but he does not drink thereof; in that he is vouchsafed parts to understand, yet he disdains to acquaint himself with the sentences of Holy Writ by the reading of them; he knows that he has ability to understand by studying, yet he gives over in disdain all study of the lessons of truth. ' The riches' of the mind too are the words of Divine utterance, yet the foolish man regards these riches with his eyes, while he never applies them to the purpose of his own adornment. For on hearing the words of the law he sees indeed that they are great, yet he does not put himself to pains to understand them with any earnestness of love. But, reversely, another man has a thirst, but has not ability; love draws him to meditation, but the dulness of his sense withstands him, and often in the science of the Divine law, he from time to time finds out that by application, which the man of parts remains ignorant of from carelessness. Thus ' the thirsty drink up the riches of this foolish man,' as often as those precepts of God, which the quickwitted know nothing of from disdaining them, the duller sort follow after with warm affection. In these verily the eye of love lights up the Simple minds may rise high through earnestness. 3*21