xxii. 41. For from the time of Adam till the coming of the Lord, he drew after him all the nations of the Gentiles; he went to and fro in the earth, and walked up and down in it, in that he stamped the foot-prints of his wickedness through- out the hearts of the Gentiles. For when he fell fi'om on high he gained lawful possession of the minds of men, be- cause he fastened them as willing captives in the chains of his iniquity; and he wandered the more at large in the world, in proportion as there was no one found who was in all things free from that his guilt. And his having gone to and fro in the world as with power, is his having found no man who could thoroughly resist him. But now let Satan return back, i. e. let the Divine power withhold him from the exe- cution of his wickedness, since He has now appeai'ed in the flesh, Who had no part in the infection of sin from the infirmity of the flesh. He came in humility for the proud enemy himself to wonder at, that he who had set at nought all the mightiness of His Divinity, might stand in awe even of the very infirmities of His Humanity. Wherefore also this very weakness of His human nature is immediately set forth against him with wonderful significance as an object to confound him; whereas it is said, Ver. 8. Hast thou considered My servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth?
xxiii. 42. That Job means by interpretation, ' Grieving,' we have already said a little above. And He is truly called ' Grieving' in figure. Who is declared by the testimony of l8.63,4. the Prophet ^ to bear our griefs.' Who has not His like on the earth; for every man is only man, but He is both God and Man. He has not His like on earth, because though every son by adoption attains to the receiving of the Divine nature, yet none ever receives so much, as to be, by nature, God. He was even rightly styled a servant, because He did not disdain to take the form of a servant. Nor did His taking the humility of the flesh injure His sovereignty, for in Cltrist\s perfect Hutnanity a rebuke to Satan. 1)7 order that He might both take upon Him that which He Book was to save, yet not undergo alteration in that which He had, — '- — He neither lessened the Divine by the Human, nor swal- lowed up the Human in the Divine; for although Paul hath it, Who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to Phil. 2, be equal with God; but *• emptied Himself ^ and took upon Him the form of a servant; yet to Him it is ^ emptying Himself,' of the greatness of His Invisible Being to manifest Himself as Visible; so that the form of a servant should be the covering of That ^^^]ich without limitation enters into all things by virtue of Godhead. Again, God's saying to Satan in figure, Hast Thou considered My servant Job, is His exhibiting in his despite the Only-Begotten Son as an object of wonder in the fonn of a servant. For in that He made Him known in the flesh as of so great virtue. He as it were pointed out to the adversary in his pride what it would grieve him to contemplate; but now that He had brought before him a perfect object for him to admire, it remains that in order to strike down his pride he should further go on to enumerate its excellencies. It goes on, Ver. 8. A perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheiceth evil, 43. For there came among men the Mediator between xxiv, God and Man, the Man Christ Jesus, for the giving an example of living, /?e//<?c/*; in respect of His rigour towards "simplex the evil spirits, upright; for the exterminating -priAe, fearing God; and for the wiping off impurity of life in His Elect, de- parting from evil. For it is said of Him by Isaiah in a special manner. And shall make him of quick understanding in the Js.ii,^. fear of the Lord. And He did in a special manner depart from evil, who refused to imitate the actions which He found among men, since, as Peter bears witness. He did no sin, i'Pet.2, neither uas guile found in His mouth. It follows; ^'^' Ver. 9, 10. Then Satan answered the Lord, and said. Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast not Thou made an hedge about hiin, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
The old enemy knew that tlie Redeemer of mankind was ■ E. V. made Himse/f of no r^utation, which is le»."« literal.
H 98 Salon utider stood not our Lord's humiliation.
Job 1, come to be the conqueror of himself; and hence it is said by --^ — - the man possessed in the Gospel, What have we to do ivith Matt. 8 j Thee, Jesus, Thou Son of God? Art Thou come hither to tor- ^^' mentus before the timef Yet before, when he perceived Him to be subject to passion, and saw that He might suffer all the mortal accidents of humanity, all that he imagined concerning His Divinity became doubtful to him from his exceeding pride. For savouring of nothing else but pride, whilst he beheld Him in humility, he doubted of His being God; Matt. 4, and hence he has recourse to proof by temptation, saying, If Thou he the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. In this way, because he saw that He was subject to passion, he did not believe Him to be God by birth, but to be kept by the grace of God. And for the same reason too he is in this place said to allege, Ver. 10. Hast not Thou made an hedge about him^ and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. XXV. 44. For he urges that both himself and his house are hedged about by God; because he could not find an entrance to His conscience by tempting him. He declares his substance to be hedged about, in that he dares not to attack His elect servants. He complains that God had blessed the work of his hands, and that his substance was increased in the land, for this reason, that he pines at beholding that faith in Him enlarges its bounds, in man's coming to the knowledge of Him by the preaching of the Apostles. For His substance is said to be increasing, all the time that by the labours of the preachers the number of the faithful daily waxes larger. Satan's saying this to God, is his seeing these things with an envious eye. Satan's saying this to God, is his grieving at these things with a pining spirit. It proceeds: Ver. 11. But put forth Thine hand a little, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse Thee to TJiyface. xxvi. 45. For He, Whom he thought in time of tranquillity to be under the keeping of God's grace, he imagined might be led to sin by means of sufl'ering; as though he had plainly said, * One, Who for the miracles which He works is accounted God, The Jewish Church ChrlsVs heritage and first-horn. i)J) being put to llio lest by afflictions, is discovered to be a Book sinner, and nothing better.' So the Lord said to Satan, '- — Ver. 12. Behold, all Unit he hath is in thy jtower; only upon himself put not forth thine hand.
46. Whereas we are examining Holy Scripture under its xxvii. figurative import, by the hand of Satan is to be understood not his power, but the extent of his tempting. All, then, that he hath is given into the hand of the Tempter, and he is only forbidden to put forth his hand upon him, which nevertheless, when his substance is gone, is permitted him; for that first Judaea, which was His possession, was taken from Him in unbelief, and that afterwards His flesh was nailed to the stock of the Cross. He then Who first under- went the opposition of Juda3a, and afterwards came even to the Cross, in a manner first lost that He had, and then in His own Person endured the wickedness of the adversar}^ So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord.
47. Just as it was said above, Satan went forth from Mexxviii. presence of the Lord, in that he attained the objects of his desire; for he was in a certain sense in His presence, all the time that on account of Him, he failed to accomplish all that he mischievously thirsted after.
Ver. 13. And there was a day, nJien his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother s house.
48. We have said that the sons and daughters of blessed xxix. Job were a representation either of the order of the Apostles, or of the whole multitude of the faithful. Now the Lord Incarnate first chose a few out of Judiea unto faith, and afterwards He gathered to Himself the multitude of the Gentile ])eople. But who was the eldest son of the Lord, unless the Jewish people is to be understood, which had been a long time bom to Him by the teaching of the Law which He gave } and who the younger son but the Gentile people, which at the very end of the world was gathered together } And therefore whereas, when Satan was unwittingly contributing to the welfare of the human race, and having cornipted the hearts of those persecutors was demanding warrant for the Passion of the Lord, the Holy Apostles were as yet ignorant that the (ientile world were to be gathered 100 The shnple near to the wise by obedience and charity.
JoBi, to God, and preached to Judaea alone the mysteries of the Faith. When Satan is said to have gone out from the Lord, Alleg the sons and daughters are described to be feasting in the house of their elder brother. For it had been commanded Mat.io, them, Go not into the way of the Gentiles. Now after the ^' Death and Resurrection of our Lord, they turned to preaching to the Gentiles, for which reason too in their Acts we find Acts 13, them saying, It teas necessary that the word of God should ^ ' Jirst have been spoken to you, but since ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. And thus these children of the bride- groom, of whom it is declared, and that by the voice of Matt. 9, the same Bridegroom, The children of the bridechamber shall ^^' not fast as long as the bridegroom is with them, are feasting in the house of their elder brother, for this reason, that the Apostles still continued to be fed with the sweets of Holy Scripture in the gathering of the single people of the Jews.
Ver. 14, 15. And there came a messenger unto Job, and said. The oxen were ploughing, and the asses feeding beside them; And the Sabeansfell upjon them, and took all away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword, and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. XXX. 49. What else do we take the oxen to mean in figure, but well-doers; what the asses, but certain men of simple ways 1 These are properly described to be feeding beside the oxen, because simple souls, even when they are incapable of comprehending deep mysteries, are near to the great % inas- much as they account the excellencies of their brethren to be their own also by force of charity; and while envy of the know- i gg^gj. ledges^ of others is a thing unknown, they are never divided '^"'^ at pasture. The asses then take their food in company with the oxen, in that duller minds, when joined with the wise, are fed by their understanding. Now the Sabeans mean by intei*pretation ^ captivators;' and who are signified by the name of ' captivators,' but the impure spirits who lead all men captive to infidelity, whom they make subject to 5 pueros themselves } These too strike the youths^ with the sword, in that they infiict grievous wounds, with the darts of tempta- tion, upon those whom the constancy of manhood does not » Mss. A. B. D. TjUJ^frrcrnt-'-Trm^iUs' for ' magi'sif The messenger that escapes is Prophecy. 101 yet maintain in freedom and hardiness. These indeed enter Rook fairly upon well-doing, but while still in the delicate state of- '— a first beginning, they are prostrated beneath the unclean spirits that take captive; these are stricken with the sword of the enemy, in that he pierces them with despair of life eternal.
oO. But what is this, that the messenger comes with these words, a?id 1 0)ily am escaped alone? Who is this messenger, who, when the rest are destroyed, * escapes alone,' but the prophetic w^ord, which, whilst all the evils happen, which it foretold, alone returns as it were unharmed to the Lord? For when it is known to speak the truth concerning the fate of the lost, it is in a certain sense shewn to live among the dead. It is hence that the servant is sent to bring down Rebecca, on the occasion of Isaac's marrying; doubtless because the intervening Prophecy does service in espousing the Church to the Lord. So when the Sabeans made their assault, one servant alone escaped to give the tidings, because by means of malignant spirits leading captive weak minds, that declaration of Prophecy was confirmed, which, in fore- telling the same captivity, saith. Therefore My people cire^^^ ^^ gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge. The prophecy therefore is in a manner preserved safe, when the captivity, which it foretold, is brought to light. It proceeds, Ver. 16. While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from Heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
51. All, who held the office of preaching in the Synagogue, were rightly named, * the heavens,' plainly because they were supposed to be imbued with heavenly wisdom; and (or this reason, when Moses was urging the Priests and the people to take heed of his words of admonition, he exclaimed, Give ear, O ye Heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, -q^^^ the words of my mouth; evidently signifying by the Heavens 32, i. the order of rulers, and by the earth the people under them. There is then in this ])lace no unfitness in interpreting tlie Heavens to mean cither the Priests or the Pharisees, or tlie Doctors of the Law, who, to the eyes of men, while they attended on heavenly duties, seemed as it were to shed light 102 The sheep, the simple; the fire, the Rulers' envy.
Job I, from on high. Now because they were greatly stirred up ^j^^^^ in opposition to our Redeemer, it was as though ' fire fell from heaven;' whilst from those very men, who were ac- counted teachers of the truth, the flames of eYixy burst out, to the deceiving of the ignorant people. For we know from the testimony of the Gospel, that through envy at the truths which He taught they sought an opjiortunity for His betrayal, but that from fear of the people they dared not make known what they went about. Hence too it is therein written, that in order to dissuade the John 7, people they say, Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees '. believed on Him? but this people, ivho knoweth not the Law, are cursed. But what do we understand by the sheep and the servants, save all inoffensive, but still as yet fainthearted persons, who, while they feared to undergo the persecution of the Pharisees and the Rulers, were devoured by the fires of infidelity. So let it be said; The fire of God is fallen from Hcaien, and hath burned up the sheep and the servants; i. e. the flame of envy has come down from the hearts of the rulers, and burnt up all that there was of good springing up in the people; for while the wicked rulers are claiming honour to themselves in opposition to the Truth, the hearts of their followers are turned from every right way. And here too it is well added. And I only am escaped alone to tell thee; for whereas the predicted case of wickedness is fulfilled, that word of prophecy escapes the extinction of falsehood, Is. 26, wherein it is said, yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour ^^' them; as though it were plainly expressed, * not only are the wicked afterwards tormented by fire sent in vengeance, but even now they are consumed therewith through envy;' in that they who are hereafter to be visited with the punishment of just retribution, inflict upon themselves here the tortures of envy. And thus the servant flies and returns alone, and announces that the sheep and the servants have been de- stroyed by fire, when Prophecy in forsaking the Jewish people Is. 26, shews that she has declared the trutli, saying. Jealousy has ^^' ^^' taken hold of a people uithout knowledge; as though it said in plain words, * when the people would not make out the words of the Prophets, but gave their belief to the words of the envious, the fire of jealousy consumed them, seeing Chaldeans fierce enemies; Camels, half-believers. 103 that thev were burat in the fire of other men's envy.' It Book goes on, Ver. 17. JVhilst he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the suord; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
5'2. Knowing that the Chaldeans are to be interpreted ^xxii. * fierce ones,' who else are represented by the name of Chal-. deans but the stirrers of that of the persecution, who burst out even in open cries of malice, saying. Crucify Him! Crucify Luke Him I These made themselves into three bands, when the ^jg^j^ ' Pharisees, Herodians, and Sadducees came severally to put i?' ^3. questions. Assuredly they were vanquished by the mouth of Wisdom, but forasmuch as we must suppose that they drew some foolish ones after them, having made themselves into bands, they earned away the camels; for each set of them poisoned the hearts of the foolish according to the evil notions, mth which it was itself embued; and while by their persuasions they drag them to destruction, it was as if they led captive the crooked' minds of the weaker sort. Thus i tortu- when the Lord preached in Samaria, there were many of the Samaritans that were joined to the heritage of that our Redeemer. But did not they, who, on the ground of the seven husbands of one woman that were dead, tempted the Lord against the hope of resurrection, do their best to bring back the believing Samaritans from their faith, who plainly knew nothing of the hope of a resurrection? Who, while they receive some things out of the Law, and disregard others, do as it were, after the manner of camels, ruminate indeed like a clean animal, but like an unclean animal do not cleave the hoof. Though camels which ruminate, yet do not cleave the hoof, are likewise a representation of those in Judaea, who had admitted the historical fact after the letter, but could not spiritually discern the proper force thereof. Upon these the Chaldeans seize in three bands, in that the Pharisees, Herodians, and Sadducees, by their evil persuasions, tuni them aside from all right understanding. And at the same lime they smite the servants with the sword; for though there were those among the people who were now capable of OS as 104 The wilderness, men or spirits forsaken of God.
Job 1, exercising reason, yet these they met not with force of * * reasoning, but with authoritativeness of power; and while they desire to be imitated as rulers by their subjects, not- withstanding if their followers can understand somewhat, yet they drag them to destruction by the prerogative of assumed authority. And it is fitly that one servant escapes from them to bring the tidings, in that when the Pharisees, Herodians, and Sadducees do wickedly, that word of Pro- phecy, whilst forsaking them, is established sure, which saith, Jer.2,8. J;?c? they that handle the Law knew me not. The account proceeds, Ver. 18, 19. While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said. Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother'' s house: Ajid, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, ojid it fell upon thy children, and they are dead.
xxxiii. 53. We have said a little above that by the sons and the daughters we understand the Apostles that preached, and the people under them; who are said to be feasting in their eldest brother'' s house, for that it was in the lot of the Jewish people still that they were fed with the sweets of the sacred truths preached. And, behold, there came a great wind from the ivilderness» The wilderness is the heart of unbelievers, which being forsaken by the Lord is without an inhabitant to tend it. And what is the great wind, but strong tempt- ation? Accordingly there came a great wind from the wilderness; for at the Passion of our Redeemer there came from the hearts of the Jews strong temptation against His faithful followers. The wilderness may likewise not unaptly be taken for the forsaken multitude of impure spirits, from whom came a wind and smote the house, in that they were the source whence the temptations proceeded, and overturned the hearts of the persecutors.
54. But this house wherein the sons were feasting was builded on four corners. Now we know the three orders of Rulers in the Synagogue, viz. the Priests, the Scribes, and the Elders of the people; to whom if we add the Pharisees likewise, wc shall have found the four corners in this house. There came then a wind from the wilderness, and smote the Four corners J four orders. Job's rising^ ChrisCsjudyiug. 105 four corners of the house; in that temptation burst forth Book from the unclean spirits and stirred up the niinds of the four '■ — orders to the wickedness of persecution. That house fell and overwlu'lmed His children, forasmuch as when Judaja fell into the cruelty of persecuting our Lord, it overwhelmed the faith of the Apostles with fears of despair. For they had only to see their Master laid hold of, and, lo, they fled every way, denying Him. And though the Hand within did by foreknowledge hold their spirits in life, yet meanwhile carnal fear cut them off from the life of faith. They then who forsook their Master, when Judaea raged against Him, were as if killed by the house being overthrown, when its comers were smitten. But what do we think became of the flock of the faithful at that time, when, as we know, the very rams took to flight? Now in the midst of these events one escaped to bring tidings, in that the word of Prophecy, which had given warning of these things, approves itself to have been confirmed in saying of the persecuting people, 3Iy beloved one hath done many crimes in Mine house; of Jer. n, the preachers, who though good yet fled at the Passion, My pj^g'^* neighbours stood afar off; saying again of the whole number, 12. who were greatly afraid. Smite the shepherd, and the sheep 13 7* shall be scattered. It proceeds; ^Utt.
Ver. 20. T7ien Job arose, and?'ent his mantle.
55. When his sons were destroyed in the ruin of thexxxiv. house. Job arose, because when Judaea was lost in unbelief, and when the Preachers were fallen in the death of fear, the Redeemer of mankind raised Himself from the death of His carnal nature*^; He shewed in what judgment He abandoned His persecutors to themselves. For His rising is the shewing with what severity He forsakes sinners, just as His lying down is the patient endurance of ills inflicted ''. He rises then, when He executes the decrees of justice against the re])robate. And hence He is rightly described to have rent his ynantle. For what stood as the mantle of the Lord, but the Synagogue, which by the preaching of the Prophets f Man J Mss. omit ' raised Himself, •» Several Mss. omit * just as' &c.
&C.' An old edition reads * in that Pen. doubts if the clause be genuine.
He Hhewed.' Ms. K. ' as indeed He That in the last note is perhaps not did rise in that He shewed.' M. ' in less doubtful, that He raised &c; shewed.'
106 Judtea rent. Head of Priesthood, Beard of Royalty, shorn.
Job], clung to the expectation of His Incarnation? For in the same way that He is now clothed with those by whom He is Eph. 5, loved, as Paul is witness, who says, TJiat He might present ^^' it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot nor wrinkle; (for that which is described as having neither spot or uTinkle J vestis is surely made appear as a spiritual robe *; and at once raiona-^lg^^ in practice, and stretched in hope;) so when Judaea believed Him as yet to be made Incarnate, it was no less a garment through its clinging to Him.
56. But because He was looked for before He came, and coming, taught new truths, and teaching, wrought wonders, and working wonders, underwent wrongs. He rent His mantle, which He had put on Him, seeing that in Judaea some he withdrew from unbelief, whilst some He left therein. What then is the rent mantle but Judaea divided in contrary opinions } For, if His mantle had not been rent, the Evangelist would not have said that, at the preaching of our John 7, Lord, there arose strife among the people; For some said, He is a good man; others said, Nay^ hut He deceiveih the people. For that mantle of His was rent, in that being divided in opinions it lost the unity of concord '. It proceeds; And shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped.
XXXV. 57. What is signified by the hair that was shorn but the ssubtili-^i^^^teness^ of Sacraments.? what by the head but the High tas Priesthood } Hence too it is said to the prophet Ezekiel, And 1. ' thou, son of man, take thee a sharp knife, take thee a harher''s razor, and cause it to pass upon thine head, and upon thy heard; clearly that by the Prophet's act the judgment of the Redeemer might be set out, Who when He came in the flesh ' shaved the head,' in that He took clean away from the Jewish Priesthood the Sacraments of His commandments; ' and shaved the beard,' in that in forsaking the kingdom of Israel, He cut off the glory of its excellency. And what is here expressed by tJie earth, but sinful man } For to the Gen. 3, first man that sinned the words were spoken; Dust thou art, ^^' and unto dust shall thou return. By the name of the earth ' Some Edd. and one Ms. in marg. some that would not believe P" This here add, " "Whereas after His Resur- seems out of place, and of a piece rection He appeared to some that with the two douhtful clauses just would believe, and hid Himself from mentioned.
Our Lord fell down to sinners and Gentiles. 107