40H Bold freedom of Moses, Nathan, Elijah, and Elisha.
Job 6, land; he thereupon answered with increased authority, It is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abominations of the Egyptians to the Lord our God. It is hence that Nathan encounters the king when guilty; to whom first offering a similar instance of the transgression committed, and holding him convicted by the voice of his own sentence, 2 Sam. he thereupon added, saying, Thou art the man, who hast ' ' done this thing. It is hence that the Man of God, being sent to Samaria to destroy idolatry, when king Jeroboam threw frankincense upon the altar, not fearing the king, not held back by the dread of death, with undaunted spirit, put forth 1 Kings the authority of a free voice against the Altar, saying, O Altar, 13, 2. j^itar, thus saith the Lord; Behold, a child shall be born to the house of David, Josiah by name, and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places. It is hence that when proud Ahab, being bowed down to the service of idols, ventured to 1 Kings upbraid Elijah, saying. Art thou the man that troubleth ' Israel? Elijah forthwith struck the foolishness of the king in his pride with the authoritativeness of a free rebuke, ver. 18. saying, / have not troubled Israel, but thou and thy fathefs house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and have folloiced Baalim. It is hence that Elisha, following his master's true loftiness, confounded for the guilt of unbelief Joram the son of Ahab, when he came to him with 2 Kings the king Jehoshaphat, saying. What have I to do with thee? ^' ^^' Get thee to the prophets of thy father and to the prophets of rer. 14. thy mother. And, As the Lord of hosts liveth, before Whom I stand, surely were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I woidd not look toward 2 Kings thee, nor see thee. Hence it is that the same man held ^' ^'^^^ Naaman fixed before the door of his house, when he came to him with horses and chariots, and did not meet him, set up as he was with abundance of talents and raiment; that he did not open the door of his house to him, but charged him by a messenger that he should wash seven times in the Jordan. Hence too this same Naaman was going away enraged, saying. Behold, I thought he will surely come out to me. It is hence that Peter, when the priests and elders, raging furiously even in scourging, forbade him to speak in the Name of Jesus, straightway made answer with great authority, saying, Strony deeds of Sain is explained by yen tie ones, 407 Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you Book more than unto God^ judge ye. For we cannot but speak the ^^^' things which we have seen and heard. It is hence that when 19. 20.' Paul saw the chief Piiest sitting in judgment* against thecal. Truth, and when his officer had struck him a blow on the^^j^'^"^ cheek, he uttered not a curse, as being moved to wrath, but^nce filled with the Spirit, prophesied with a free voice, saying, God shall smite thee., thou whited icall: for sittest thou /o Acts 23, Judge me after the laic, and commandest me to be smitten^' contrary to the law? It is hence that Stephen not even when doomed to die dreaded to put forth authoritativeness of voice in utterance against the power of his persecutors, saying, Ye stijf necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, Acts 7, ye do alicay resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did,^^' so do ye.
54. But that holy men burst into such high words from passionate affection for Truth, and not from the sin of pride, they themselves plainly point out, in that by other doings and other sayings they make it appear with what great humility they are adorned, and with what great charity they are inflamed toward those whom they rebuke. For pride begets hatred, humility only love. Thus the words which love makes bitter, flow, surely, from the fountain head of humihty. x^ccordingly, how could Stephen utter reproach in pride, who with bended knee prayed for those whom he reproached, when they went on to worse and stoned him, saying. Lord, lay 7iot this sin to their charge.^'^^-^^- How did Paul in pride utter words of bitterness against the Priest and Chief of his nation, who in humility lowers himself to the service of his disciples, saying, For we preach 2 Cor. not ourselves, but Christ Jesus our Lord, and ourselves ' ^* your servants for Christ's sake? How did Peter resist the rulers from pride.? when in compassion to their erring course, he as it were nuikes excuse for their guilt, saying, / wot that ^ctt^ 3, through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. But those ^' thi?igs which God before had shewed by the mouth of all His prophets, that Christ shoidd svffer. He hath so fulfilled. And he draws them in pity to life, saying. Repent ye ver. ii). therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out. How was it from pride that Elisha refused to come to 408 Those who fear not man proved often to he humhle.
Job 6, the sight of Naanian, who not only let himself be seen, but — — '- — even be taken hold of by a woman? concerning whom it is 2 Kings written. And when she came to the 3Ian of God to the hill, ^> '^'^' she caught him by the feet^ but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the Man of God said, Let her alone, for her soul is in bitterness. How was it in pride that Elijah uttered words of reproach against the proud king, seeing that he ran humbly before his chariot, as it is written, And he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab? How was it of pride that the man of God disregarded the presence of Jeroboam, who out of pity straightway restored his withered 1 Kings I'i oil t hand to its former soundness? As it is written, And it ' * caine to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the Man of God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying. Lay hold ver. 6. on Mm. And his hand dried up. And shortly after, And the Man of God besought the face of the Lord, and the king''s It and teas restored him again, and became as it teas before. For as pride cannot give birlh to miraculous powers, we are shewn, in what a spirit of humility the voice of upbraiding issues, in that signs go along with it. How did Nathan swell high in words of rebuke against king David, who when there was sin lacking that deserved rebuke, fell on his face 1 Kings upon tlie ground in his sight? as it is written. And they told ' ^^' the king, saying. Behold, Nathan the Prophet. And when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground. How could Moses, when he freely withstood the ]^]gyptian king, indulge contempt for him, who while he held familiar communing with God, worshipped with self-abasement Jethro his relation who was following him? to whose advice he paid such ready obedience, that after the secret communications of God, he accounted that great gain, which came to him witliout from the lips of man.
55. From one set of deeds of the Saints, then, we learn what account we are to take of another. For holy men are neither free spoken out of ])ride, nor submissive out of fear. But whenever uprightness uplifts them to freedom of speech, thought of their own weakness preserves them in self-abase- liient. For thougli, in chiding them, they smite as from above Joh not self-trusting, though he valued not vain wisdom. 409 the misdoings of offenders, yet judging themselves the more Book exactly in their own eyes, they in a manner take their place '~ amongst the refuse, and as they pursue after wickedness in others, so much the fiercer do they return to keep themselves in check; and, on the other hand, as they never spare them- selves in doing better, they are the more watchful in rebuking the deeds of other men. For what, that is derived from tlie powers of man without, shall strike them with wonder, who alike look down upon themselves, even at the moment that now they have well nigh gotten hold of the summit of interior height. And so for this reason it is right for them to sit in judgment on the loftiness of earthlj' exaltation with- out, for that no load of swelling humour weighs down the eye within. Hence when blessed Job disregards earthly wisdom, and powers, and substance, in those friends that were full of harsh words, saying. Did I say, Bring unto me? or, Give me of your substance? or. Deliver me from the enemy s hand? or, Redeem me from the hand of the mighty? Teach me, and I uill hold my tongue, and cause me to understand wherein I have erred; what opinion he entertains about himself, he makes appear a little below, saying. Yea, ye over- whelm the fatherless. Thus it is clearer than the light what a weak nature he sees himself to be possessed of, in that he calls hvmseM fatlierless. It goes on; Ver. 25. IVJierefore have ye detracted from the words of truth, when there is none of you that is able to convict them?
56. He must himself be pure from evil, who makes it his concern to correct the evil practices of other men^ so as not to be taken up with earthly imaginations, not to give way to grovelling desires, in order that he may the more clearly see what things others ought to avoid, in proportion as he him- self the more thoroughly eschews thim by knowledge and by practice. For the eye which dust weighs upon, never clearly sees the spot upon the limb, and the hands that hold mud can never cleanse away the overcast dirt. And this* according to the order of the old Translation '', the voice of •» i. e. of this passage in Joh. LXX V. the words, For I do not beg strength has V. 25, 26, thus, Bat as it seemeth from i/ou, are suited to the text quoted the u-ords of a trite man are evi/, for from 1 Chron. He can hardly refer to I do nut beg strength from you. And the slight variation in that text, which yoicr reproof shall not make my words does not alter the sense, and perhaps to cease^and I will not hear the sound comes from 2 Kings 16, 8. of your words, then v. 27. as in Eng.
410 Men must he pure to judge. Idle talk breeds detraction. Job 6, God rightly conveyed in sense to David, busied about — —^ — external wars, when It says, Thou slialt not build a temple^ iChroDv/b/' thou art a man of blood. Now he builds God's Temple, ?g' ^' who is devoted to correcting and forming the minds of his neighbours. For we are God's Temple, who are framed to 1 Cor. life by His indwelling, as Paul bears witness, saying. For ' * the temple of God is holy^ which temple ye are. But a man of blood is forbidden to build a temple to God, in that he who is still devoted to carnal practices, must needs blush to instruct the minds of his neighbours spiritually. Therefore it is well said, Wherefore have ye detracted from the words of truth, when there is none of you that is able to convict them? As if it were in plain words; * With what rashness do ye blame all ye hear, who knowing nothing of the causes of my stroke, still utter words that deserve blame.' It goes on, Ver. 26. Ye only set in order speeches to upbraid, and ye speak words against the wind.
57. There are two sorts of speech, which are very trouble- some and mischievous to mankind, the one which aims to commend even froward things, the other which studies to be always carping even at right ones. The one is carried down- ward with the stream, the other sets itself to close the very channels and streams of truth. Fear keeps down the one, pride sets up the other. The one aims to catch favour by applause; anger, in order that it may be manifested in contention, drives forward the other. The one lies grovelling at command; the other is always swelling high in opposition. Accordingly, blessed Job convicts his friends of being of this kind, when he says, Ye do but set in order speeches to up- braid. But he proceeded to make known whence it is that men come even to the effrontery of unjust upbraiding, when he added. And ye speak words to the wind. For to ' speak words to the wind' is to talk idly. For often when the tongue is not withheld from idle w^ords, a loose is even given to the rashness of foolish reviling. For it is by certain steps of its descent, that the slothful soul is driven into the pitfall. Thus while we neglect to guard against idle words, we are brought to mischievous ones, so that it first gives satisfaction to speak of the concerns of others, and afterwards the tongue by detraction carps at the life of those of whom it speaks, and sometimes even breaks out into open rcvilings.
Silence prevents sins that may bring Judgment. 411 Hence the incitements are sown of angry passions, jai's Book arise, the fire-brands of animosity are kindled, peace is altogether extinguished in men's hearts. Hence it is well said by Solomon, He tit at letteth out water is a beginning Prov. of brawls. For to let out water is to let the tongue loose in a ' flood of words, contrary to which he at the same time declares in a favourable sense, savinp:, TJie uords of a man's f^^^'- mouth are as deep waters. He then that letieth out water is a beginning of brawls, for he who neglects to refrain his tongue, dissipates concord. Hence it is written contrariwise, He that silenceth a fool, soften eth wrath. 9fi°To 58. But that every one that is given to much talking Vuig. cannot maintain the straight path of righteousness, the Prophet testifies, in that he saith, For an evil speaker shall^s. 140, 7iol be led right upon the earth. Hence again Solomon pj-ov. saith, In the multitude of ivords there wanteth not sin. ^^j ^^• Hence Isaiah saith. And the cultivation of righteousness, silence; so pointing out that the righteousness of the interior is desolated, when we do not withhold from im- moderate talking. Hence James saith, If any man among ^^^^^^ you think liimself to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. Hence he savs asrain, Let even/ man be swift to hear. Tames slow to speak. Hence he adds again. The tongue is «/^ ib. 3 8.
unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Hence ' Truth' warns us by his own lips, saying. Every idle word that men shall ^iatt. speak, fhey shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. "' For an idle word is such as lacks either cause of just occa- sion, or purpose of kind serviceableness. If then an account is demanded for idle speech, it is very deeply to be con- sidered what punishment followeth after that much talking, wherein we sin even by words of pride.
59. Furthermore, be it known that they are lost to the whole estate of righteousness altogether, who let themselves go in mischievous words. For the mind of man, like water, both when closed round is collected on high, in that it seeks anew the source whence it descended, and when let loose it comes to nought, in that it dissipates itself to no purpose down below. For the mind is as it were drawn out of itself in so many streams, as it lets itself out in superfluous 4l2 Too close sllefice deepens hitter thoughts.
Job 6, words from the strict control of silence. And hence it has ,. — ' — no power to turn back within to the knowledge of itself, in that being dissipated without in much talking, it loses the strength of interior reflection. Therefore it lays itself bare in every part to the inflictions of the plotting enemy, in that it does not hedge itself about with any defence for its safe Prov. keeping. Whence it is written, He that hath no rule over ' ' his own spirit in his talk, is like a city that is broken doivn, and without walls. For because it is without the wall of silence, the city of the mind lies open to the darts of the enemy, and w4ien it casts itself forth of itself in words, it exhibits itself exposed to the adversary, and he gets the mastery of it without trouble, in proportion as the soul that he has to overcome combats against its own self by much talking.
60. But herein be it known, that when we are withheld from speaking by excess of fear, we are sometimes confined within the strait bounds of silence beyond what need be. And whilst we avoid the mischiefs of the tongue without caution, we are secretly involved in worse. For oftentimes while we are overmuch restrained in speech, we are subject to a mischievous degree of much talking in the heart, that the thoughts should be hot within, the more that the violent keeping of indiscreet silence confines them, and most often they let themselves take a wider range in proportion as they reckon themselves to be more secure, in tliat they are not seen by censors without. Whence the mind is sometimes lifted up in pride, and, as it were, regards as weak those persons whom it hears engaged in talk. And when it keeps the mouth of the body shut, it never knows to what degree it is laying itself open to evil by entertaining pride. For it keeps the tongue down, but it sets the heart uj). And whereas it never takes heed to itself from inattention, it censures all the world more freely to itself, in proportion as it does it at the same time the more secretly. And most frequently oversilent people, when they meet with any wrongs, are driven into bitterer grief, the more they do not give utterance to all that they are undergoing. For if the tongue declared with cahnness the annoyance inflicted, grief would flow away from our consciousness. For closed wounds give The Upa need a door trell kept, not a bar. 413 more acute pain, in that when the corruption that ferments Book within is discharged, the pain is laid open favourably for our '— recovery. And generally whilst over-silent men fix their eyes on the faults of any, and yet hold in the tongue in silence, they are, as it were, withdrawing the use of the salve, after the wounds have been seen. For they the more effectually become the cause of death, that they refused by speaking to cast out the poison which they might. And hence if im- moderate silence were not a thing to blame, the Prophet would never say, TVoe is me, for I have held my peace. ^- ^' ^• 61. What then have we here to do, saving that the tongue must be heedfully kept in under the poise of a mighty control, but not that it must be indissolubly chained, lest either being let loose it run out into mischief, or being bound u}^, it be also slack to render service. For hence it is said by one, A wise man icill hold his tongue till he sees opportunity, that when he accounts it convenient, strictness of silence being laid aside, by speaking such things as are meet, he may devote himself to answer the end of usefulness. Hence Solomon saith, A time to keep silence, and a time to speak. For the seasons for changes are to be weighed with dis- cretion, lest either when the tongue ought to be restrained, it let itself out to no purpose in words, or when it might speak to good purpose, it keep itself in from sloth. Which the Psalmist considering comprehended in a brief petition, saying, Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; and a doorps.Hl, of guard on my lips. For a door is opened and shut. He^* then who prayed not that a bar should be set to his lips, but a door, openly shewed that the tongue ought both to be held in by self-control, and let loose on grounds of necessity, that both the voice should open the discreet mouth at the fitting time, and on the other hand silence close it at the fitting time. And because neither the fiiends of Job, nor all heretics, whose likeness they bear, know how to observe this, they are said to * utter words to the wind.' In that the sayings which the weightiness of discretion does not establish firmly, the breath of levity carries along.
BOOK VIII.
He explains part of the sixth Chapter, from verse 27, and the vhole of the seventh and eighth Chapters. In the course of this exposition, from verse 11, to the end of the eighth Chapter, he speaks at length on the sin of hjrpocrisy.
Lit. 1. We have already in the preceding book considered the 'point, that blessed Job is making known to us the force of his humility, when he says, Ver. ^Z. Yea ye oienvhelm the fatherless^ and ye strive to overthrow your friend.
For he shews what great weakness he considers himself to be of, who calls himself fatherless.' But because charity even when wounded cannot quit love, he at once complains that they would have him overthrown, and yet witnesses that he is their fi-iend. Whose words, as we have often said already, in such wise specially apply to himself, that yet by them, in the Spirit of Prophecy, we have at the 2 < sen- same time set forth the sentiment of the faithful People, in seel, the voice of the Church Universal. Which same People, xxiii.§. while encountering the opposition of heretics, both regards itself as weak in humility, and yet never abandons the greatness of keeping love entire. For the People of Holy Church, as it is the child of a dead Father, is not unfitly called ' fatherless,' in that henceforth indeed through faith it follows His life of Resurrection, but does not as yet see Him by His appearing. Xow heretics ' overwhelm the fatherless,' when they bear hard upon the lowliness of the faithful People, by clamorous and false charges, and yet he is a ' friend,' whom they set themselves to ' overthrow,' in that God's faithful People never cease with loving affection to call to the Truth, the very persons whom they suffer as persecutors. But herein it is necessary to be known, that holy men neither dread from weakness to be exposed to falsehoods, nor in being harmed ever hold their peace as to the Truth. Whence it is added; Patience in sufferitig 1o be joined with active lore. 415 Yer. 28. But fulfil what ye have begun; give ear, and see Book 2. For because be does not fear to endure adversities, let ii. bim say, But fulfil what ye have begun; and because be does not withhold the announcements of the Truth from his very persecutors themselves, let him add. Give ear, and see if I lie. As if he said in plain words, ' Neither do I tremble at the mischiefs done me before, nor do I withhold the succours of correction from uugratefiil bearers, in that 1 both have exercise through being driven to straits by misfortune, and gain increase by being kindly devoted to my very persecutors themselves.' For the mind of the Saints, in this war of temptations, being at once defended by the shield of patience, and begirt with the swords of love, obtains resoki- tion for the enduring of bad treatment, and puts forth kindness in the recompensing good, so as both to receive stoutly the weapons of enmities, and return forcibly the darts of love. For he does not in any way go armed to the wars, who either taking a shield, uses no swords, or using swords, is not protected by a shield. And hence the soldier of God, encountered bv a war of adversity, ousrht both to hold before him the shield of patience, lest he perish, and being prompt to preach he should launch the darts of love, that he may win the victory. The sum of which armour Paul briefly informs us of, saying, Charity suffereth long, and is kind. 1 Cor. But when one of either is wanting, charity is not, i. e. if ' *' bearing with the wicked without kindness, he has no love; or again if shewing himself without patience, he neglect to bear with the wicked whom he loves. Therefore that true charity may be retained by us, it must needs be that both patience support kindness, and again kindness support patience, that building up a large edifice as it were in oar breast, both patience may give strength to the tower of kindness, and kindness give grace to the firmly founded edifices of patience. Therefore let blessed Job, as being prompt to patience, say. But fulfil what ye have begun; and as endued with kindness let him add, Give ear, and see if I lie.
3. But because Holy Church, being well trained in the '\]\, school of humility, does not enjoin as by authority the right i\6 Weighing words before speaking hinders strife.