Jobni2, jj^ fji^y ffian serve Me, let him follow Me. To these ways he recalled the swelling hearts of the Disciples, when they were already seeking room for glory, but knew not the path- way of that glory, saying, Are ye able to drink of the cup that I sliall drink of? For they had been seeking the Tlieir high estate J'oiwd shortlived at its end. 285 height of that session with Him on the right hand and on the Hook left hand, but how great the narrowness of the pathway ' thereunto they did not see; and hence the cup of the Passion is at once presented to their eyes as a thing for them to imitate, that, surely, if they were maldng for the joys of exalt- edness, they should first find the way of humility. And therefore because the sinner is careless to have an eye to the ways of God, but is bent on those only wherein he may be made to delight in a carnal manner, it is rightly said in this place. For Iris eyes are upon his ways. It proceeds; Ver. 24. They are exalted for a Utile while, but they shall not hold on.
10. The glory of bad men, whilst it is for the most part viii. extended into a multitude of years, is by the minds of the weak reckoned to be long and as it were stable; but when an instantaneous end cuts it off, surely it proves to its face that it was short, because the end by putting a limit makes it known that that which was capable of passing away was little. And so ' they are exalted for a little while, and do not hold on,' because from the mere circumstance that they seek to appear high, they are by self-exalting made far removed from the true essence of God. For they are not able to hold on, because they are severed from the solid basis of the Eternal Essence, and they undergo this first ruining, that by glorying in self they fall in themselves. For hence it is said by the Psalmist, Thou castcdst them down, when they ivere lifted^'^' 73, up; because they are brought down within, in proportion as they arise vvrongly without. Regarding this shortness of temporal glory, he saith again; / have seen the wicked above Ps. ^1, measure exalted, and lijted up like a cedar of Libanus; I passed by, and lo, he was gone. Hence again he saith, jPor ib. lo. yet a little while, and the ivicked shall not be. Hence James says. For what is your life? it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time. Hence the Prophet reflecting on the shortness of carnal glory, tells it forth, saying, Allls.40, flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower ' of hay. For the power of the wicked is likened to the ' flower of hay,' because the glory of the flesh, whilst it shines bright, it falls, whilst it is exalted in itself, cut off by a sud- den end it is brought to a close. For in the same way by 286 Bad metis glory rujts to (in end as other earthly thinys.
Job 24, tlio blowing of breezes the stubble is caught on high, but by ~ — '— an instantaneous flill it is brought back to earth Vjelow.
Thus the smoke is lifted up to the clouds, but suddenly whilst swelling out it is scattered to nought. Thus the vapour from beneath thickening lifts itself on high, Vjut the ray of the sun when risen clears it away, as though it had not been. Thus on the surface of the herbs the moisture of the dew of night is sprinkled, but by the sudden heat of the light of day it is dried away. Thus the foamy bubbles of water, raised on showers beginning, come forth racing from within, but being burst asunder they come to nought the more quickly in proportion as being inflated they are raised higher, and when they grow to a head, so as to appear, in growing they make it that they should ' not hold on.' Therefore concerning the wicked that are swoln with the exaltation of temporal glory, and yet not enduring with any stedfastness in this glory, let it be rightly said, they are exalted Jor a little?ihile, bid they shall not hold on. Of whom it is yet further added; And they shall be brought low as all thinys, and shall be taken away. ix. 11. Such should be the advancement of contemplation, that it should be carried off from few things to the taking a view of many, from many to taking a view of all things, so that being led forth step by step it should advance, and whilst judging all things transitory should by comprehending itself grow forth well nigh incomprehensibly. Hence the holy man, whilst he was sifting the glory and the failing of the wicked, stretched to * all things' presently the eye of the mind, saying, they shall be brought low as all things, and shall be taken away; * all things' earthly assuredly. As though he said in plain words; ' They cannot any way stand, because the very things flee away as well whereon they rest for support, and while they are in love with things temporal, along with these by the currency of time they inin to an end.' But it may be asked, whereas it is said by Eccl. 1, Solomon, One generation passeth away, and another gene- ration Cometh; but the earth abidcth for ever; why does blessed Job declare that * all things are brought low, and taken away?' Yet this we easily sift out, if we keep distinct The essence of thiiujs abides, t heir forms pass aicay. 287 how earth and heaven either pass away or remain. For ^^°'f both these in respect of that figure whicli they now have pass away, yet in respect of their essence they are held in being without end. Hence it is said by Paul, For #/jeiCor.7, fashion of this iiwrld passeth away. Hence Truth saith by Itself, Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words ^^^-'^'^^ shall not pass away. Hence it is told John by the voice of the Anj»el, There shall be a new heaven and a new earth.^^"^-^^) Which indeed are not to be created other things, but these very same are renewed. And thus heaven and earth at once * pass away' and ' shall be,' seeing that both by fire i'rom that fashion which they now have they are clean wiped out, and yet in their own nature are ever preserved. Hence it is said by the Psalmist, Thou shall change them, and they Ps. 102, shall be changed. Which same final changing of themselves they do now announce to us by those very successions, wherel;y for our services they unceasingly shift about. For the earth by the dryness of winter falls off from its fashion, by the moisture of spring it is made green. Heaven is every day overlaid by the darkness of night, and renewed by the brightness of day. Hence, then, hence let every believer gather that these things both perish, and yet by renewal are restored, which it is plain are now perpetually as it were from decay being refitted. In the midst of all this then the holy man, whilst he beholds the course of the wicked, makes it known with what a visitation they are one day to come to nought, when lie forthwith adds; And as the tops of ears of corn they shall be crushed.
i 12. For the tops of the ears of corn are the beards; now x.
^.ihe beards come out joined in an ear of corn, but going on growing little by little they are separated from one another bristly and rougli. Thus, verily, ihus, as to this world's glory do the evil-minded rich ones rise up. For by a fellowship of nature they are joined to one another, but going on increasing they are in turn divided against one another. For one looks down upon another, and a second is inflamed against a third with the torches of envy; they then who by the swelling of the mind separate themselves from the unity of charity, as it were after the way of beards stand bristling against one another. What then might I have called the evilminded 288 Bad men bealcn out as heardHj'rorn the (/rain hi Judt/iuent. Job '24, nc]i ones of this world l)iit a kind of beards of the human - — '— race, who while they are lifted high against one another, but with one consent press hard U])on the life of the good, are indeed divided against themselves, yet with one accord bear down the grains beneath.
13. At this present time then the beards s])ring up on high, the grains lie hidden; because both the power of lost sinners towers high, and the glory of the Elect does not appear. The one shew themselves off in the high estate of honours, the others lower themselves in humility. But the time of winnowing will arrive, which is calculated both to break the bristling of the beards, and not to bruise the solid grains. For then the pride of the wicked is broken in pieces, then the life of the Elect is shewn to view, with w-hat faultlessness it shines bright; in that while the unrighteous are undone, by this very crushing of the beard it is brought to pass that the grains should appear, which were holden out of sight; and when the beards are broken, the whiteness of the grains is made to appear, because upon the wicked falling into ever- lasting punishments, the righteousness of the Saints is manifested, with what truth it is shining white. Whence Matt. 3, too it is rightly said by John, Whose /an is in His hand, and He will throughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner: but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. So let blessed Job mark with what awful visitation the pride of bad men shall be broken, and com- paring them to beards that perish, let him say, Like the tops of ears of corn they shall he crushed. Surely because the bristling of the proud is broken by the stress of the final winnowing, whereas now looking down upon the life of the Elect it is lifted up. It proceeds; Ver. '25. And if it be not so now, who will convict me of having lied, and set my words before God? xi. 14. If it be not so as he tells, then surely all people are able to convict him of falsehood. Why then is it said, And if it be not so now, who will convict me of having lied? i, e. whilst we know that, one who is false, it is allowed any one to find fault with? But if we sift out the sense of the speaker with exact questioning, how right the things are that he put forth, we speedily discover. For the righteous The proud ynay not judije the words oj the Ri(/hteoffs. 289 man, though he does ever speak any thing wrong, yet it is Book far from meet that he should be judged by the unrighteous ' and ill living. Whence the holy man lowering the pride of his friends, not even if it be so, but even * if it be not so' as he set forth, is confident that he can never be found fault with, because assuredly those are able rightly to reprove things that are false, who are not taught to do things that are false. For the daring of reproof against deceit those persons lose, who still live on principles of deceit. There- fore he says, And if it he not so now, who loill convict me of having liedf As if he said in plain words; * All things are so as I have set forth, but if they were not so, T could not a whit be charged home with them by you; for whilst ye still give way to your own deceit, ye are not able to find fault with the deceit of another.'
15. In which place it is fitly added; And to set my words before God. For whoever really finds fault with false say- ings in the true way, in thinking on the things he has heard and estimating them by the rule of truth ' sets words before God,' because to himself in the eye of Truth he makes proof what he should outwardly decree against falsehood. Since * to set words before God' is with the interior Judge kept in view to estimate the exterior sayings. Thus the holy man does not reckon it possible for his ' words to be set before God' by friends behaving with pride. As if he said in plain terms, * The things which I utter ye are for this reason unable to set before the Judge, because by committing sin ye hide His face from you?' Which same, however, nothing hinders from being understood in type of Holy Church as well, which whilst for her weak members she is found fault with by the scofiing of heretics, laughs to scorn that same craftiness of their scoffing, because with God it is more tolerable that a man should be prostrated in weakness and in ignorance, in conjunction with humility, than that he should compass high themes with self-exaltation. But forasmuch as the holy man had uttered many words against those, who by transitory power are made proud, and with windy honours swell themselves out; by his rebuke Bildad the Shuhite gaining ground has his eyes opened to see with Whom true power is deposited; saying, VOL. II. u Lit. xii.
•290 Peace among Anyels that ivork seeming contraries.
Job 26, Ver. 2. Dominio7i and fear are with Him; Who make th ' peace in His high places.
16. As though he expressed himself in plain words; * He only truly terrifies the hearts of mortals, Who by the power of His Divine nature truly possesses these.' For what terror does the power of man infuse, which knows not when it may lack the right of that power? Now it is rightly said, He maketh peace in His high places. Because there are many things at variance with themselves below, but they run ansvverably to the harmonious fulness of things above, and by the causing of the interior peace it is brought to pass, that oftentimes the things that are without, are ordered with- out peace. Thus the good. Almighty God is advancing to merit, when He permits the bad to rage against their life; and things above are made to fit together in harmony, whilst those below are thrown into confusion; because in the heavenly world He joins His Elect to the choirs of the Angels by the same means, whereby in the earthly and lowest scene of things, He bears the practices of lost sinners opposing His behests.
17. But herein it is of interest to us to enquire, if the highest peace is maintained ' in the high places,' what that is Dan. 10, which is said to Daniel by the Angel, / am come for thy words; but the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Blichael, one of the chief y. 20. princes, came to help me. And a little afterward; And now a ill I return to fight with the prince of the Persians. For when I was going forth there appeared the prince of the Greeks coming. Whom else then but Angels does he call the ' princes' of the nations, that could have had the power to resist him as he went forth? Accordingly what peace can there be ' in the high places,' if even among the Angelical spirits themselves also there is a conflict of warring earned on, who are always standing present to the view of Truth? But because there are fixed charges of the Angels set to superintend the regulating of the several particular nations, when the practices of the subject peoples deserve the assist- ance of the presiding spirits against one another, the spirits themselves that are set in charge are said to come against one another. Thus the Angel that spake to Daniel is known Presidi7i(/ Anijeh help nations as they deserve. 291 to have been appointed over the captives of the Israelitish Book .. • XVII People established in Persia, but Michael is ascertained to ' be the ruler of those who remained in the land of Judaea from among the same people. And hence it is said a little afterwards to Daniel by this same Angel; A}id there is none v. 21. that holdeth with me in these things, hut Micliael, your prince. Concerning whom he says this too which we have before said, hut, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me. Who whereas he is never said ' to be with,' but to ' come to help,' is plainly seen to be set over that people which was held captive in another part. What then is it for the Angel to say, I am come for thy words, hut the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me, but to tell his doings to those under him? As if he said in plain terms; ' The claims^ of thy prayers indeed demand that the Israelitish ** merita People should be loosed from the yoke of their captivity, but there is still in that same people that which must be purged by the dominion of the Persians; so that touching the liberation of that people the prince of Persia should by rights withstand me, though to thy prayers the tears of those too who were left in Judaea come in aid.' Whence he subjoins that too which we said; But, lo, Michael, your prince, came to help me. And when he goes forth in order to fight against the prince of the Persians, there appeareth to him the prince of the Greeks coming towards him. By which circumstance it is implied that against the Greeks too Judaea had been guilty of somewhat, on account of whom without a doubt it was that he withstood the rescuing of her. So the Angel hears effec- tually the prayers of the Prophet, but the prince of Persia with- stands, because though the life of the righteous one making supplication already claims the rescue of the People, yet the life of that same People still withstands, that whereas those that had been brought into captivity were not yet completely purified, Persia should rightfully have the dominion over them still. Michael gives aid, but the prince of Greece comes to battle, because that lengthened captivity of the People suffer- ing oppression might indeed have merited pardon, but to the benefit of their liberation that also stood opposed, which they had done wrong against the Greeks. Therefore it is I rightly said that the Angels come against each other, because 29*2 Anyels can be numbered by God, not by man.
Job 25, the claims of the nations under them arc reciprocally at odds „_l: — with one another. For the lofty Spirits that are princes to those nations never fight in behalf of those that act unjustly, but justly judge and try their deeds. And when either the guilt or guiltlessness of each separate nation is brought into the debate of the Court Above, the ruling Spirit of that nation is said to have won in the conflict or not to have won; the one identical victory of all of whom, however, is the Supreme Will of their Maker above them, which Will whilst they ever have before their eyes, what they have not the power they have not the mind to obtain. Therefore it is well said, Who 7naketh peace in His higlt places. It follows; Ver. 3. Is there any number of His soldiers'^ xiii. 18. In the cognizance of human reason there is not any number of the spirits above, in that it cannot tell how great is that concourse of the Invisible Host, whereof it is said by Dan. 7, Daniel, Thousand thousands ministered unto Him. and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The num- ber of the citizens above is represented as infinite and definite, in order that that which relatively to God is capable of being numbered may be shewn relatively to man to be incapable of being numbered. Though it is one thing ' to stand before,' and another thing to ' minister to.' For those Powers stand before Him without a doubt, which never go forth for the communicating things to men. But those * minister to' Him, who come for discharging the offices of bearers of tidings; yet these same beings also, by the act of contemplation, are not withdrawn from the interior world. And because they are more in number that ' minister' than those that preeminently ' stand before Him,' the number of those so ' standing in presence' is represented as being definite, but of those that * minister' as indefinite.
19. Now the Angelical spirits we rightly call 'the soldiers' of God, because we are not unaware that those war against the powers of the air, which same conflicts however they carry on not by labour but by authority; for whatsoever thing, in acting against impure spirits, they desire for, by the aid of Him Who ruleth all things, they are equal to. So of this Luke 2, army when our King was born it is written, And suddenly there was with the anyel a multitude of the heavenly host.
Man dark in himselt\ and unclean in his origin. '293 Unto which same heavenly^ host the number of the Elect of Book men too is joined, who by the lofty aspirations of the mind - are set free from the bondage of an earthly conversation. Concerning whom it is said by Paul, No man that warreth eniangleth himself with the affairs of this life. Which same though now they be shewn few in number, yet in the invisible country they reign innumerably many, in that though by comparison with the evil-minded they are few, yet in the concourse of their assemblage they cannot be any way measured. But because the goodness of those soldiers is set firm not by their own powers, but by the inspiration of grace from Above, it is rightly added.
And upon ivhom doth not His light arise?
20. For ' the light' of God is preventing grace, which if it xiv. never arose of free gift in our heart, assuredly our mind would remain dim in the darkness of its sins. And hence it is added; Ver. 4. Call a man he justijied being compared with God? or can he be found clean that is born of a woman?
21. This verse is spoken above by blessed Job, and is xv. now repeated in the upbraiding of him; since every just man is just by illumination from God, not by comparison with God. For man's righteousness when compared with the Maker is unrighteousness, since, even although man had held fast in his own estate of creation, the creature could never be equalled to the Creator. To which creature how- soever, unto heavier burthens of deficiency, there accrued sin also, which the serpent by plotting brought in, and woman proving frail recommended. Hence now, forasmuch as man is born by the agency of woman who is made subject to sin, the frailty of the first guilt is inherited in the offspring; and because the branch of the human race was made rotten in the root, it does not hold up in the greenness of its creation. Hence it is rightly said now. Can a man he justified being compared with God? or can he be found clean that is horn of a woman? As if it were expressed in plain terms, ' Let not man entertain pride against his Creator, let him reflect whence he came hither, and understand what he is.' But observe, there are those that when by the gift of the Spirit they are holpen against the frailty of their flesh.
294 They thai shine on earth still not clean before G'od.
Job 25, are made to erect themselves, gleam forth in virtues, yea, flash out in the marvels of miraculous signs as well, yet is T XT there no man who may pass through life free from sin, so long as he bears upon him flesh of corruption. Whence it is yet further added; Ver. 5. Behold even to the moon, and it shinelh not; yea, the stars are not pure in His sight. xvi. 22. What is denoted by ^ the moon' but the whole Church together? what by ' the stars^ but the souls of the several persons that live rightly? who amidst the practices of wicked men, whilst they are conspicuous by rare virtues, as it were shine in the darkness of night Whence likewise it Phil. 2, is said by Paul to the disciples; Among wJtom ye shine like lights in the world. For that Holy Church is represented by the designation of ' the moon,' the Prophet bears witness, Hab. 3, saying, The sun ivas lifted up, and the moon stood in her order. For on ' the sun being lifted up, the moon is esta- blished in her order,' in that on our Lord ascending into the heavens, Holy Church is thereupon made strong in the authoritative function of preaching. And that by the title of * stars' the Elect are represented, Paul again informs us, 1 Cor. by saying. For one star differethfrom another star in glory, ' * So * the moon doth not shine, and the stars are not clean in His sight,' because rieither doth Holy Church by her own power shine forth in so many miracles, except the gifts of pre- venting grace fall in showers upon her, nor are the minds of the several persons that live rightly clean of the stains of sinful practices, if they be judged apart from pity; because in the eyes of the strict Judge every single individual his own proneness to corruption doth pollute, unless the grace of One sparing day by day wipe this away. For the mind of the Elect strives to go forth to the liberty of righteousness, but is still bound and tied with the fetters of frailty, and it longs indeed perfectly to get the better of offences, but so long as it is fettered by the corruption of the flesh, it is tied with the chains thereof, ev^en when it would not be. Hence therefore let him collect with what a load of sins they are borne down, who neglect to war against the same, if not even they entirely get the better of evil doing, who strenuously fight against it. And hence it is said, Behold even to the moon, and it Carnal man rotlenness, a tvonn born o] corruption, 295 shineth not, a?id the stars are not pure in His sight; it is Book directly added; ' Ver. 6. How much more is man rottenness, and the son of man a xoorm?
23. As if it were in plain words; ' If those very persons xvii. also cannot be void of contagion, who amidst the darkness of the present life shine bright by virtuous attainments, with what guilt of wickedness are they bound, who still live after the flesh? If those persons cannot be free from sin, who are already walking in the way of heavenly desires, what they who still lie under the loads of sinful habits? who whilst they are abandoned to the gratifications of their fleshly part, still bear the yoke of rottenness? Hence Peter saith; And if the i Pet. 4, righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and ' the sinner appear? Hence it is said by Isaiah, Upon the Ja. 32, land of My people shall come up thorns and briars; how ' much more upon all the houses of joy i?i the joyous city. For by * the land of His People,' the Lord meaneth the mind of all of the Elect. Upon which He tells of ' thorns and briars coming up;' because He sees that not even that very mind is free from the prickles of bad habits. But ' the house of joy in the joyous city' is the mind of the wicked, which whilst it neglects to regard the punishments that are destined to come, in the gratification of the flesh going away from itself, revels in empty mirth. Thus he saith; Upon the land of My people shall come up thorns and briars, how much more upon all the houses of joy in the joyous city.
As if He said in plain words; If evil habits sink low even the minds of those, who for desire of the heavenly country put themselves to pain, what guilty courses are they brought under, who without any apprehension abandon themselves in the gratification of the flesh?
24. But it is a point to be noticed in his discourse how Bildad observed the order of our creation and of our birth, in that he calls * man' not ' a worm,' but * rottenness,' but * the son of man' * a worm.' For the first parent of the human race was * man,' not ' the son of man;' from whom whosoever came forth, was not only ' man,' but ' the son of man' as well. As then from man springs the son of man, so from rot- tenness springs the worm. Whence man is rightly called 2i)6 Job' a slroiiyest point comes last.
Job 26, * roltciuiess,' but the. son of niaii * a worm.' For the first ' '— man was * rottenness' not ' a worm,' in that though by death ho turned to * rottenness,' yet he did not come by a birth out of rottenness. But he that is the son of man is called ' a worm,' because he is henceforth propagated from the cor- ruption of mortal bodies.
25. Therefore because the words of his friends are con- cluded, blessed Job sets on with a more penetrating acuteness of the suing, and his words are proportion ably strong as they are the last; seeing that even in the same way it is the usage of lawyers, that the argument, by which they beforehand see that they are above their adversaries, they reserve for the conclusion of the suit. It follows;