for grass. Of which same grass it is said by the voice of our John 10, Redeemer, Bij Me if any man enter i)ty he shall be saved, and shall go in and out^ and find pasture. But most often, which is wont to be a grievous woe to those that love, the life of the wicked is arrayed against the holy aims of the good, and when the soul is transported in heavenly aspirations, the purpose of mind, which we have begun with well, is dashed to the ground, being crossed by the words and practices of the foolish; so that the soul, which had already soared up to things above in the eflbrts of contemplation, for the defeating of the foolishness of the froward, girds itself for the encounter down below. AVhence also it is added, Ver. 6. Or can thai which is unsavoury he eaten, not seasoned with salt '^ Or can any one taste, what by being tasted bri?igs death? xiii. 15. For the words and the practices of the carnal introduce themselves like food into our minds, so as to be swallowed up in the belly of complacence. But any of the Elect eateth not that which is ^ unsavory,' for setting apart in judgment the words and the deeds of the froward, he puts them away from Earthli/ talk unsavoury. Painful things hard to choose. 375 the mouth of his heart. Paul forbade unsavoury meat to be Book offered for the food of souls, when he said to his disciples, Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt.
And to the Psalmist also the words of the children of perdition tasted unsavoury in the mouth of the heart, when Ps. 119, he said, Tlie wicked have related tales to^ me which are^^^^y not after Thy Law. But often, when the words of the wicked press themselves with importunity into our ears, they beget in the heart a war of temptation. And though both reason reject and the tongue censure them, yet that is with difficulty mastered within, which without is sentenced with authority. Whence it is necessary that that should never even reach the ears, which the mind must keep off fi'om the avenue of the imagination by exercising watchflilness. Holy men, then, whereas their hearts pant with aspirations after Eternity, lift themselves to such an exalted elevation of life, that to hear any longer the things that are of the world they account to be a grievous burthen bearing them down. For they reckon that to be impertinent and insufferable, which does not tell of what their hearts are full of.
16. Now it often happens that the mind is already trans- ported to the realms on high in desire, is already entirely parted asunder from the foolish converse of earthly men, but is not yet braced to prefer the crosses of the present life for the love of God; already it seeks the things on high, already it contemns the grovelling follies below, but it does not yet turn itself to the endurance of the adversity which it has to bear. And hence it is added.
Or can any one taste that, which by being tasted brings death?
17. For it is hard to seek after that which torments, to follow that which makes life depart. But very often the life of the righteous stretches itself up to such a height of virtue, that both within it rules in the citadel of interior reason, and without, by bearing with it, brings the folly of some to con- version; for we must needs bear with the weaknesses of those, whom we are striving to draw on to strong things. For neither does any man lift up one that is fallen, save he, who in compassion bends the uprightness of his position. But when we compassionate the weakness of another, we are ^70 Bitter things if row ^weet to keavenlt/ rnindsi.
Jcr»«i, the mote strongly aeiTed as to our own; jio that, from love H;;^^ of the things of futurity, the soul prepares itself to meet the ilk of the present time, and looks out for the hurts of the body, which it used to fe^ir* For its heavenly aspirations being enlarged, it h more and more straitened, and v/hen it mm how great h the sweetness of the eternal land, it fervestly loves for the mhe of that the bitter tast(e» of the pr<?s^ent life* Whence after the disdain of ^ unsavoury meat,' after the inipog^ibility of the tasting of death, it is with propriety Mibjoined, Ter, 7. T/w Ihiiii/.^ u/nch mtj mid refused to touch are for my ^iraititem become my meat* XV. IS, f ov the soul oi the righteoti:?, gc^ifi^ ^n lo ^ts progress, wh^em before, when it ^m^d. for its own interests alone, it loathe^d io bear the burthens of another, and, too littk sympathising with others^ cottld not stand against advei'sities, now thai h constrains iU^M to bear with the weakness of its seighbottr, acqtiires strength to ovei-cotn^ adversity, so that im the \m^ of truth it m^\^ the hurts of the present lifi^ With m much the m(}m eourage aft^rtrards, that before it fSed tmm thetn in it^ weaknesf^. For by its bendtug it is made erect, by ii§ drawing io\\m^^ another it is stretehed out, by its fellow-f^di^g it is strengthened, and when it open^ itself Otti in {hi love of otir n^ghbotir, It as it were gathers from J-M^^ii^fl^ with what fesolui#tigs^ to lift itself Up to its Makef. V&f (ihmi^^ whleh lowers m ftecoidlug to the imm (fi ^Mt gyittpathy, lifts ti& the higher npon the height of e^^ntetiiplsition, and enlarged manifold it already b>irns with blggt^f ^k§it^% ftlfgftdy hmi^ high io atiain to the life of the ^pitit^ mi^n thmtgh thfough th^ tofmimis of the body. What ih^i fiibygtimg hg tgfui^^d k) i^tteh^ i\m same for streiitness h0 ftftfetwttrd^ ^iik^h, wh© gi'atee eoniaiuitig his dfesiifes, now t(i^ kve ^i h\^ heavily Connli-y loves even the vety pains, whitdi i^f long he h^d feared/ For if the niind is bent k>w^td.*i Ood with a ^inm^ ptifpoi^e^ whsitevet bittef betldei^ it in ihi.<^ pi-e?etJt life it aeeotinlsj sweel^ all that annoys it te^kwis t'efei, fttid it lotig^ to pm^ even ihtoUfjh detitJij that \i Mm moi-e eomptetely pOf^j^efes itself (d" life/ It desires to be ntierly annihilated beh)W^ thittlttrtay niore iwiX^ moiint on \\\^h^ \h\% till ihk t way be k\m\y ieprei?ietttiFig to b^ Joh*s calUng God Holy shews his wish for sorrow real. 377 the case with the mind of a righteous man in general, and Book with the mind of blessed Job, if he do not himself subjoin '- the words, Ver. 8 — 10. Oh that I might have my request^ and thai God would grant me the thing that I long for! Even that He That hath begun would destroy me. Let Jiim let loose His hand, and cut me ojfl Let this he my comfort; that He should afflict me with sorrow, and not spare* 19, But perchance he entreats such things through stub- xvi, bornness, perchance, in that he wishes to be entirely annihi- lated, he charges the injustice of the smiter* Far be the thought! For with what feeling he begs it, he shews in the following words, saying, Nor nil I L gainsay the speech of the Holy One. So then he never murmurs against the injustice of Him that dealeth the blow, who even amidst the strokes calls his smiter ' the Holy One/ But we ought to know that it is sometimes the adversary, and sometimes God that bruises us with afilietioB. Now by the bruising of the adversary, we are made defaulters in virtue; but when we are broken by the bruising of the Lord, from vicious habits We are made strong in virtue. This bruising the Prophet had foreseen when he said, Thou shall rule them with a rod of Ps, '2,9, iron, Thou shall dash them in pieces like a potter^s vessel. The Ix)rd ' rules and breaks us with a rod of iron,' in that by the strong rule of righleousiiess in His dispensation, while He fe^nimates us within, He distresses us without/ For as He abases the power of the flesh, He exalts the purpose of the (Spirit; and hence this bruising is compared to a potter's vessel, as is also delivered by Paul, ^w/ 2ve have this treasure iniCaf, earthen t'essels. And describing at the same time the dashing ' '' in pieces and the ruling V^^ saitli, Though our outward man^ ^«fe» perish^ yet the inwafd man i& renewed day by day: Let the te'^ holy man who is eager to draw ne^r to God even through shait fttrokes^ exclaim in the spirit of humility, them, Ver. fi^. That He That hath hequn would bruise m^! ^2S' 20.- For very oiien the Lord begins to Work m us ihns/mii brtiising of our vicious habits, but when the mind is lifted np^^^^^' fet the very first step of its progress, and when it already xvii# exalts itself as on the ground of its virtuous attainmentSj it opens ari entrancei to the adversaryj that rages against it^ whd p^iife(fatin^ intd the depths of the heart, dashes in piece??
378 God men wish self-confidence cured by suffering.
Job 6, all that he may find therehi spnnging fi'om the earnestness —?J of a good beginning, and shews himself the more violent in the breaking of it in proportion as he is the sorer grieved that it had made progress, though but a little way. Whence too, as the Gospel is witness, by the voice of ' Truth,' the unclean spirit, which went out alone, returns with seven other spirits to the neglected dwelling-place of the con- science. Lest then, after the beginnings of divine coii'ection, the old adversary snatch him unawares, and drag him along for the breaking in pieces of his virtues, the holy man fitly beseeches, saying. That He That hath begun would bruise me. As if he said in plain words, ' That which He has begun in me may He not cease to perfect by smiting me, lest He deliver me over forsaken to the adversary to bruise me.' Hence it is fitly subjoined, Tliat He ivould let loose His hand, and cut tne off. xviii. 21. For oftentimes being swoln with the confidence of lengthened prosperity, we are lifted up in a certain kind of frame of self-elation, and when our Creator sees that we are lifted up, but does not exercise His love towards us by stripes. He as it were keeps His hand hid, as to the smiting of our evil ways. Did He not tie the hand of His affection, when He said to the people, when guilty of transgression, Ezek. / ii;ill twt any more be wroth with thee; and, 3Iy ' * jealousy is departed from thee. Therefore, * That He w^ould let loose His hand,' means, ^ that He would exer- cise His affection.' And it is rightly added, ' and cut me off.' For whenever either the sudden pain of the scourge, or the trial of our weakness, falls upon us in a state of security, and elated with the abundance of our virtuous attainments, the pride of our hearts, being cut down, is precipitated from the height of its seat, so that it dares do nothing of itself, but levelled by the blow of its frailty, seeks the hand of one to lift it. Hence it is that, when holy men are looked upon with admiration on the grounds of the secret dispensation of God's providence towards them, they the more dread their very prosperity itself: they long to be subjected to trial, they covet to be stricken, that fear and pain may discipline the unwary mind, lest when an enemy brcaketh out of ambush on this road of our pilgrimage, its self-security cause its gi'cater downfal. Hence the Psalmist Correction desired here for fear of future Judgment. 379 says, Examine me, O Lord, and prove me. Hence he says Book again, For I am ready for the scourges. For because holy men see that the wound of their inward con*uption^ cannot 38, 17. be without putridity, they gladly set them under the hand of the physician for lancing, that the wound being opened, the venom of sin may run out, which, with a whole skin, was inwardly working their destruction. Hence it is yet further added; Ver. 10. And let this be my consolation, that afflicting me with pain He spare not.
22. The Elect, when they know that they have done unlawful things, but find upon careful examination that they have met with no afilictions in return for those unlawful deeds, with the immense force of their fear, are in a ferment with alarm, and labour and travail with dark misgivings, lest grace should have forsaken them for ever, seeing that no recompensing of their ill-doing keeps them safe in the present life; they fear lest the vengeance which is suspended be stored to be dealt in heavier measure at the end; they are eager to be stricken with the correction of a Father's hand, and they reckon the pain of the wound to be the medicine of saving health. Therefore it is rightly said in this place, Let this he my consolation, that afflicting me with grief He spare not. As if it were in plain words, * May He, Who spares people here for this cause, that He may strike them for ever and ever, therefore strike me here, that, by not sparing me. He may spare me for ever. For I console myself in being afflicted, in that conscious of the rottenness of human corruption, by being wounded I gain assurance for the hope of saving health.' And that he uttered it not with a svvoln but with a humble mind, he makes plain, as we have before said, by the addition, in the words, Neither will I gainsay the tvords of the Holy One. 23. Most often the words of God to us are not the sounds xx, of speech, but the enforcement of deed. For He speaks to us in that which He works upon us in silence. Blessed Job then would be gainsaying the words of God, if he murmured at His blows; but what feelings he entertains for his smiter b Ben. * correptionii?,' which seems to be a misprint. Tr.
380 Strength of the Elect patience^ of the wicked stubbornness.
Job 6, is shewn by him, who, as we have ah*eady said, calls Him ' Holy One' from whom be is submitting to blows. It goes nn on Ver. 11- What is my strength that I should hold up? And what is mine end that I should deal patiently? xxi- 24. It is necessary to bear in mind, that the * strength' of the righteous is of one sort, and the strength of iho reprobate of another. For the strength of the righteous is to subdue the flesh, to thwart our own wills, to annihilate the gratifi* cation of the present life, to be in love with the roughnesses of this world for the sake of eternal rewards j to set at nought the allurements of prosperity, to overcome the dread of adversity in our hearts. But the strength of the reprobate is to have the affection unceasingly set on transitory things, to hold out with insensibility against the strokes of our Creator, not even by adversity to be brought to cease from the lovg of temporal things, to go on to the attainment of vain glory even with waste of life, to search out larger measures of wickedness, to attack the life of the good, not only with Words and by behaviour, but even with weapons, to put their trust in themselves, to perpetrate iniquity daily without any diminution of desire. Hence it is that it is said by the Ps*3l, Psalmist to the Elect, Be of good courage^ and let your heart he strengthened^ all ye that hope in the Lord* Hence it is Is* 5, d2, declared by the Prophet to the reprobate, Woe unto yon, that are vitghty to drink wine^ and men of siren glh to mingle strong drink> Hence it is declared by Solomoti, that all the holy without any weakening of desire cOiitem* Cani.5:plate the interior rest. Behold his hed^ ichich is ^otomon^s, threescore valiant men are about it^ of fh^ most valiant of Israel. Hence the Psalmist directing his meaning agaiinst the children of perdition in the Voice of the lledemnel' in Ph\59,3. His Passion, saith, Zoj they ham surprised my souli the mighty have rushed forth against me, Mo^ Well did l^ai^lh Is. 4o, Cditiprehend both sorts of ^t^'ength in the WOrds, But th^y ^uni in thsit he said not they will * take/ but they Will * 4,'liange/ talrg- ^^ eleftrly made kndwn that that Which is laid ftside 1^ «f Oiie sort, and that which is entel'4?d lipdn df Another mti, Good men loiJl not suffer for rvorldlij ends. 381 pains in running after the concupiscence of this world, boldly Book expose themselves to perils, welcome insults for the sake of '- gain, never give back from the hist of their appetites con- quered by any opposition, grow obdurate with scourges, and for the sake of the world undergo the ills of the world, and so to say in seeking the pleasures thereof are parting with them, nor yet in parting with them ever weary. Whence it is well said by Jeremiah in the voice of mankind, iJeLan:, 3, hath made me drmtken with normwood. For one that'^* is drunk knows nothing what he is undergoing. He then is ' drunken '«ith wormwood,' who alienated from the faculty of reason through the love of the present life, whilst whatsoever he undergoes for the sake of the world he accounts but light, is blind to the bitterness of the toil which he is enduring, in that in enjoyment he is led on to the several things in which in chastisement he is wearied out. But on the other hand the righteous man makes it his aim to be weak for undergoing the perils of the world for the world's sake, looks to his own end, marks how transitory the present life is, and refuses to undergo toils without for the sake of that, the enjoyment of which he has overcome within. Let blessed Job then, pressed by the adversities of the present life, say in his own voice, yea, in the voice of all the righteous, WAal u my strength that I should hold up? And what is mine end tfixit I should rleal patiently? As if he made it known in plain words, saying, ' I cannot submit to the ills of the world for the sake of the world, for now I am lio longer strong in the desire tliereof. For while I look to the end of the present life, why do I bear the burthen of that, the longing for which 1 tread under my feet?' And because the unrighteous severally, as we have said, bear the toils thereof with stronger resolution in proportion as they feed with greater avidity on its enjoyment, therefore he rightly subjoins without delay that same strength of the reprobate, in the words, Ver. 12» Neither is my strength the strength qf stones^ nor is myjlesh of brass 9 t^6v For what have vve here denoted bv * brass^ and ^ stones^ xxiU save the hearts of the insensate, who oftentimes even receive llie strokes of the Most High, and yet they are not softened 382 Stones stricken sound not, brass sounds without life.
Job 6, by any strokes of discipline? Contrary vvhereunto, it is said v^ — '- — to the Elect through the Prophet, by promise from the Lord, Ezek. I will take the slony heart out of you, and will give you an i^Cof ^^^^1^1 of flesh, Paul also says, Though I speak with the 13, 1. tongues of men and of Angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinklmg cymbaL For we know that stones when struck cannot give a clear sound, but when brass is struck a very sonorous sound is made by the striking of it; which, because like stones it is without life, has no sense contained in the sound. And there be some, who, like to stones, have become so hardened as to the precepts of religion, that, when the stroke of the visitation of the Most High is proving them, they never return the sound of humble confession. But some differing in no respect from the metallic nature of brass, when they receive the strokes of the smiting of the Most High, give forth the sound of devout confession; but because they do not send out the tones of humility from the heart, when they have been brought back to a state of sound health, they know nothing what they have vowed. The one then, being struck like stones, have no tones at all, while the other in nothing omit the resemblance of brass, who when under the stroke utter good things which they do not feel. The one sort refuse even words to the worship of the smiter. The other sort, in promising what they never fulfil, cry out without any life. Let the holy man then, who amidst the scourges eschewed the hardness of the reprobate, exclaim, Neither is my strength the strength of stones, nor is my flesh of brass. As though he made open confession in plain words, saying,' Under the lash of discipline I keep clear of similarity to the repro- bate. For neither have I become like stones so hardened, that under the impulse of the stroke I turned dumb in the duty of confession; nor again, like brass do I give back the voice of confession, while I know not the meaning of the voice.' But because under the scourge the reprobate are strong unto weakness, and the Elect weak unto strength, blessed Job, while he declares that he is not strong of a diseased sense, makes it plain that he is strong of a state of saving health.
So let him instruct us whence he received this same strength, lest if he ascribes to himself the powers that he has, Job not self'trustinc/. Love of God and man help each other. 383 he be running vigorously to death. For very often virtue Book possessed kills worse than if it were wanting, for while it lifts up the mind to self-confidence, it pierces it with the sword of self-elation, and while as it were it quickens by imparting strength, slays by filling with exaltation, i. e. it forces on to destruction the soul, which, through selftrust, it uproots from trust in the interior strength. But forasmuch as blessed Job is both rich in virtue, and yet has no confidence in himself, and, that I may say so, in powerlessness is possessed of powers, he fitly subjoins these words, saying, Ver. 13. Lo, there is do help to me in myself.
27. It is now made clear to whom the mind of the stricken xxiii. man had recourse for hope, seeing that he declares that there was no hope to him in himself; but because he intimates that in himself he was weak, for the earning' of yet greater^ o^ ' to Strength, let him add how he was even forsaken by his neigh- the hours, ^Mf/ friends also departed from me. But mark, he ™^,"* that was despised without, is seated within upon the throne 2 v. thus of judgment. For at the moment that he declares himself forsaken, he forthwith breaks out into pronouncing sentence, in the words, Ver. 14. Whoso taketh away pity from his fr lend, forsaketh the fear of the Lord.
28. Who else is here denoted by the name of a fi-iend, xxiv. saving every neighbour, who is united to us in a faithful attachment in proportion as, having received from us good service in this present time, he effectually aids us toward attaining hereafter the eternal country.? For because there are two precepts of charity, viz. the love of God and the love of our neighbour, by the love of God the love of our neighbour is brought into being, and by the love of our neighbour the love of God is fostered. For he that cares not to love God, verily knows nothing how to love his neighbour, and we then advance more perfectly in the love of God, if in the bosom of this love we first be suckled with the milk of charity towards our neighbour. For because the love of God begets the love of our neighbour, the Lord, when going on to say in the voice of the Law the words. Thou shall love thy neighbour, prefaced Matt. it by saying. Thou shall love the Lord thy God; for this 39.' reason, that in the soil of our breast He might first fix the I?^"'* ^' 384 A friend not true who fails in adversity.
Job 6, root of His lov^e, so that afterwards in the branches the love of our brethren should shoot forth. As^ain, that the love of God grows to strength by the love of our neighbour, is I John testified bj John, where he says, For he thai hveth not his * ' brother, whom he hath seen^ how can he love God, Whom lie hath not seen? Which love of God, though it has its birth in fear, yet it is changed by growing into affection.
29. But oftentimes Almighty God, to make known how far any one is from the love of Him and of his neighbour, or what proficiency he has made therein, regulating all things in a marvellous order, puts down some by strokes, and sets up others by successes; and as often as He forsakes certain persons in their temporal estate and condition, He shews the evil that lurks in the hearts of certain others. For very often the persons that courted us in the season of prosperity without an equal, are the very ones to persecute us in distress. For when a man in a prosperous condition is beloved, it is very doubtful whether his good fortune or the individual be the object of love. But the loss of prosperity puts to the test the force of the affection. Whence a certain wise man saith Ecclus. rightly, A friend cannot be known in prosperity; and an ' ' enemy cannot be hidden in adversity* For neither does prosperity shew a friend, nor adversity hide an enemy, in that both the first is often hidden by awe for our high fortune,