24. That by the title of a rock Christ is denoted, the great xv. Preacher avouches, saying, Aiid that rock was Christ, i Cor. Which very ' rock' doth now ' pour out rivers of oil' for the ' use of Holy Church, because the Lord by speaking therein gives out the preachings of the interior anointing. ' From this Rock that river of oil issued forth,' the book of Matthew, the book of Mark, the book of Luke, and the book of John. In the several regions of this world for all the preachings she put forth, this * Kock poured out' as many ' rivers of oil' by the mouths of the Apostles. As many times still ' a river of oil is poured out from this Rock,' as often as to the minds of the hearers, to be anointed by the Holy Spirit, those things are explained which are spoken concerning Christ in the old Books. And they are called ' rivers of oil,' because they run out and anoint; in which same he that is dipped is anointed, and he that is anointed is fattened within. Of which fatness doubtless it is that the Psalmist saith. Let my soul be Jilled as Fs.63,5. with marrow and fatness. It may be that by the designation of oil the actual anointing of the Holy Spirit is denoted, whereof it is said by the Prophet; And the yoke shall rot at the Is. \o, presence of the oil. For ' the yoke doth rot at the presence of the oil,' because whilst we are anointed with the grace of the Holy Spirit, we are set free from the bondage of our captivity; and whereas the proud dominion of the evil spirit is thrown off, the yoke is broken in pieces, wherewith the 416 The Church in yood works an rulers in the gate.
Job 28, necks of our liberty were borne down. Of this oil again it is -7 ^written; A vineyard was made to my beloved on the horn^ a Is. 5, 1. child of oil. For ' a child of oil,' the faithful people is called, which is engendered to the faith of God by the interior anointing of the Holy Spirit. And so at that time let Holy Church, being borne down by countless sorrows, recal to remembrance the gifts of the Spirit and the marvellous preachings which are her's now, and let her bewail her own silence, saying, The rock poured me out rivers of oil. To which words he fitly subjoins; Ver. 7 — 10. When I went out to the gate of the city, and in the street they prepared me a chair? The young men saw me and hid themselves, and the old men rose up and stood. The princes ceased to speak, and laid the finger on the mouth. The rulers held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to their mouth. xvi. 25. It was the custom of the ancients, that the elders should sit together in the gates, and judge the cases of those entering in, that so the people of the city might be the more peaceful, in proportion as it was not allowed to those at variance to enter in. Now we in revering the sacred history hold it certain that all this blessed Job did for the sake of the observance of just dealing, and we are led to the investigating the mysteries of the allegory. What then is denoted by ' the gate of the city' saving every good action, by which the soul enters in to the company of the heavenly Kingdom? Hence Ps.9, the Prophet saith; Thou, that liftest me up from the gates of death, that I may declare all Thy praises in the gates of the daughter of Sion. For ' the gates of death' are bad actions, which drag to destruction; but because ^ Sion' is the word for ' a viewing,' ' the gates of Sion' we interpret good actions, by which we enter into the Country Above, that we may view the glory of our King. But what is denoted by the seat but the authority of mastership. Now * a street' in the Greek tongue is equivalent to ' breadth.' And so now Holy Church goes forth to the gate of the city, because that she may obtain access to the heavenly country, she puts herself out in holy actions. For whom there is *a seat prepared in the street,' because in the breadth of high authority she displays the freedom of her mastership. For Holy Church feared by the hght, honoured hy the grave. 417 she that proclaims with piibUc announcement the right Book things she has a perception of as it were ' sits in the street on the seat,' in that she fears no one for her preaching, and oppressed by alarms for no man buries herself under silence. Does not she in public sit in command lo teach, whom at one and the same time truth in perceiving and power in teaching bear up? But whilst he ' went forth to the gate, and sat in the street on the seat,' what was done by the light-minded, what by the grave, he adds, saying; Ver. 8. The young men saw me and hid themselves, and the old men rose up and stood, 26. If we give heed to the history, the things that he said xvii. we believe, if to the allegory, we see the things that he foretold; for those use to be called * young men' who are not burdened with any weightiness of counsels. But Holy Scripture is used to call those ' elders,' not who are ripe by amount of years alone, but by ancientness of character. Hence it was said by one that was wise; For venerable o/c/Wisd.4, age is not that of long time^ nor counted by the number of years; but the understanding of a man is grey hairs, and a spotless life is old age. Whence the Lord also rightly saith to Moses; Gather unto Me seventy men of the elders ^Numb. Israel^ whom thou knowest that they are elders of the^^->^^' people. In whom what else is required saving the old age of the heart, when such sort of persons are bidden to be chosen who are known to be elders? For if it were the old age of the body that were sought for in them, they might have been known by as many as they might have been seen by. But whereas it is said, whom thou knowest that they are elders of the people; doubtless it is clear that the old age of the mind and not of the body is told as fit to be chosen. Thus now ' the young men see Holy Church, and hide themselves, and the old men rise up and stand,' because her activity and uprightness the immature are afraid of, the aged magnify. They that are light of mind flee, but the grave and perfect do homage to her by rising up to the merits of her life. Since the discipline thereof the perfect sort love, the imperfect ones blame. And so ^ the young men see her and hide themselves,' because they are afraid to be detected in their hidden courses of conduct. But ^ the elders rise up VOL. Ti» E e 418 Heretical leaders once forced to keep silence, Job 29, and stand,' because all the perfect make it appear by humility how much they have gained ground in good practice. But At T.'P ri because lie describes all this of his own people, let him describe as well how he is feared by foreign people.
Ver. 9, 10. The princes ceased to speak ^ and laid the finger on the mouth. The riders held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to their throat.
xviii. 27. Who else in this place can be understood as leaders or princes, but the framers of heretical evil.^ Concerning whom Ps. 107, it is said by the Psalmist, Strife was poured out upjon their princes, and they led them aside in the pathless place, and not in the way. For these identical persons, while they are not afraid to interpret the dispensation of God in a wrong sense, assuredly draw the common herds subject to them not into that way which is ' Christ,' but into * a pathless place:' over whom * strife also is rightly said to be poured out,' because by their statements they contradict mutually them- selves. For Arius in receiving three Persons in the Divine Nature believed three Gods as well. Contrary to whom Sabellius taking up one God believed there was one Person. Between whom Holy Church unswervingly holding the right pathway of her preaching both in proclaiming one God, asserts against Sabellius three Persons, and in asserting three Persons, confesses against Arius one God. Again, because in sacred Revelation Maui ch sens found virginity to be commended, he condemned marriage. But on the other hand Jovinian, because he knew mamages to be allowed, despised the pureness of virginity. Whence it takes place that, heretics being always at cross purposes by a wrong apprehension, reciprocally their wickedness is at once in accordance with itself in sin, and at variance with itself in opinion. But on the other hand Holy Church midway between the disputes of either side moves with composed peace, and knows so to receive the higher good, that she also knows to venerate" the lower, so that she should neither equal the highest to the lowest, nor again despise the lowest whilst she venerates the highest. And so now the rulers of heretical multitudes considering well the authority of Holy * He probably uses this strong word on account of the sanctity of marriage.
free io speak in last days. Job blessed as heard and seen. 419 Church cease to speak, and as it were ' put the finger Book on their mouth,' whilst with false complaints they signify — — ^ that they are restrained not by the reasoning of the voice but by the hand of power. ' The rulers hold their peace,' because those same persons who endeavour to draw after tliem the people going wrong, that they should not now dare to utter what is wrong, are checked at once by the weight of authority and the efficacy of reason. Whose ' tongue cleaveth to their throat,' because though they dare not to speak what is bad with an unrestrained utterance, yet ihey inwardly cover up in themselves all the things which they go to work to propound untrue against the true faith; therefore these times, the Church, being seized by the tribu- lation ensuing, calls to mind and laments, saying. When I went out to the gate through the city^ and when they pre- pared me a seat in the street; the young men saw me and hid themselves; and the aged arose and stood up; the princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouths. The leaders held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to their throat. As though she said in plain speech; ' When there was an opportunity given me to preach with a voice publicly raised, every one who was not in subjection to the truth dreaded me.' For at that time, when Holy Church is weighed down by adversity, license of speech is afforded to all the bad preachers severally. Which Jeremiah behold- ing long while beforehand, saith, Even the sea-monsters hare Lam. 4, the breasts; they give suck to their young ones. For what^" else does he designate ' monsters'' saving heretics bearing » lamice the face indeed of a human being, but the hearts of brute creatures through impiety? Which same then ' bare the breast,' when they freely preach their error. Then they * give suck to their young' in that the misattachcd souls of the young ones, while they insinuate therein what is wrong, by nourishing they confirm in impiety. It follows; Ver. 11. TJie ear hearing me, blessed me; and the eye seeing, gave witness to me.
28. Whereas blessed Job avouches himself to be * blessed xix. by those that heard him,' and to ' have witness given to him Hist. by those that saw him,' what he was in speech and what in practice, we have shewn us. For neither is he henceforth I 420 Good witnessed by men in the ChurcKs words and deeds.
^'j^^ 2^ J perfect in practice, whom wickedness of the tongue still "Ij—— withstands, or praiseworthy in speech who does not exhibit in practice the thing that he utters. Therefore that blessed Job being found out by the reproaches of his own friends, might declare that he had both these, he shews himself to have been an object of veneration both to the persons hearing and the persons seeing him. Which if we refer to the voice of Holy Church, that man 'blesses her words,' who A LLEG. completes in practice the things he has heard. That person ' gives testimony to her,' who in patterns of life responds to her by living well. For he in a true sense sees Holy Church, whose life bears witness that he sees her. For to this end the righteousness of the good is seen within her, that all that see her may be corrected of their wicked- nesses. Not yet, then, does he see the good within the pale of Holy Church, who is not reformed from evil habits. But whence ' the testimony is rendered to him,' is shewn, in that he subjoins; Ver. 1*2, 13. Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless^ and him that had none to help him. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I comforted the widow's heart. XX. 29. Great mercifulness these deeds are proofs of, to Hist, c (Jeliver the poor that crieth,' to minister aid to the ' father- less,' to rescue one on the point to perish, to ' cheer the heart of the widow.' For above it was said what he put forth in respect of instruction. For he says; The ear hearing blessed me; but now he relates what he rendered in respect of mercifulness, saying. Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. Since the voice along with the deed of Alleg. necessity accords with itself. These things blessed Job both exhibited to those under him, and thus notwithstanding represented them as destined to be exhibited by Holy Church. Who doth now unceasingly enact both one and the other, that is to say, that her children she should at once feed by speaking, and protect by shielding, so that she should at once by words replenish the good, and by her patronage defend them from the evil. Now it Gen. 1, is well written; Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb Vigour tempered tvith mildness. Help for the helpless. 421 yieldimj seed, and the fruit-tree yielding fruit after his Book kind. Which really and truly happened in such a way, — ^ — — ^ that it was a sign of something really and truly to happen. For by ' the earth' the Church is represented, which both regales us with the provender of the word, and keeps us safe by the shadow of her patronage; which both by speak- ing feeds and by aiding protects, so that she should not only bring forth the herb of refreshment, but also along with the fruit of the deed, the tree of protection.
30. I see that it also deserves to be well considered by Hist. those who head the governments of the common herds, that in saying above, The young men saw me and hid Utemselves; he now affirms, / comforted the widow'' s heart. What great discipline of rule, that before his presence ' the young men' should ' hide themselves!' What great mildness of pitying that by him ' the widows' hearts should be cheered!' For there are some persons so severe that they lose even all gentleness of kindly affeciion, and there are some so mild, that they part with the rights of strict rule. Whence by all rulers both are with all diligence to be maintained, that neither in the rigorousness of discipline they abandon the loving-kindness of a mild disposition, nor again in gentleness abandon severity of discipline, so that they may neither grow hard to the fellow-feeling of pitifulness, when they chastise the contumacious, nor enervate the strong arm of discipline when they cheer the hearts of the weak. Thus, then, let vigour of discipline control mildness, and mildness adorn vigour, and so let the one be recommended by the other, that neither vigour become hard, nor mildness unstrung.
31. Now these works of pitifulness, which we have named above. Holy Church at once exhibits corporally, and ceases Alleg. not to exhibit spiritually. For she ' delivers the poor that crieth,' when to the sinner imploring pardon she remits those sins which he has been guilty of Since it is of such poor that it is said, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is ^/jgMatt.s, kingdom of heaven. And the cry of such poor ones is the cry of those saying in the voice of the Psalmist, Let 77/?/ Ps.79,8.
tender mercy speedily prevent us; for we are made very poor. Now she ' delivers the fatherless who hath no helper,' in that every one who now flying the desires of a persecuting 422 Holy Church comforts the falherless and widowed soul. Job 29, world, his old father the devil being dead, runneth to the Alleg, bosom of Holy Church, finds therein the help of exhortation. It may be that by the title of * the fatherless,' any believer may be understood even with reference to the death of a good father, of the sight of whom he is deprived for a while, though not deprived of solace. And ' the blessing' too ' of him that was ready to perish' comes upon her, when she anticipates the destruction of a sinner, and when by holy admonitions Jam. 5, she brings him back from the pit of sin. Whence it is written; He that converteth a sinner from the error of his way, shall save his soul from death, and shall hide a multi- tude of sins. For if it is a thing of great recompense to rescue from death the flesh sooner or later to die, of what high merit is it to free the soul from death, to live without end in the heavenly country? Now ' the heart of the widow' she ' comforteth,' in that to each faithful soul he that describes the recompenses of the Lord, as it were recalls to remem- brance the blessings of her husband. Unto Whom as the soul is spiritually united, He being dead, she is called * a widow,' but is cheered by the declarations of Holy Church in consequence of His Resurrection. Great consolation therefore doth the heart of the widow receive, when the faithful soul learns by the words of the Church somewhat concerning the Coming of Him, to Whom she is spiritually united. It goes on; Ver. 14. With righteousness was I clothed, and arrayed myself as with raiment. xxi. 32. Surely, when we are clothed with a garment, we are Hist, surrounded on every side, and so he is ' clothed with righteousness as with a garment,' who defends himself on every side with good practice, and leaves no part of his conduct naked to sin; for he that is just in some deeds and unjust in others, it is as if he covered over this side, and exposed that one naked; nor are those henceforth good deeds, which are defiled by other evil deeds springing up.
Eccl. 9, For hence it is said by Solomon, He that offendeth in one Vuig thing^ shall lose many that are good. Hence James saith.
Jam. 2 J^'^f'l whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend ^^' in one point, he shall be guilty of all. Which same sentence of his he himself diligently unfolded, when he Garment of Righteousness tieeded on all sides. 423 added, For He that said. Do nut commit adultery, said Book XIX also. Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yr?/j ^ if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. 2, 11.
33. And so with the eyes of the heart stretched out roundabouts, watching must be enforced by us on every side. Hence it is rightly said by Solomon also. Keep thy Prov. 4, heart with all watching, for out of it are the issues of life. ' For going to say watching, he put first all, without question that each one might scan himself diligently on this side and on that side, and as long as he is in this life know that he is set in pitched battle against spiritual enemies, lest the reward which he is making up by one set of actions, he should lose by another set, lest on this side he bar the door against the enemy, but on another side open an en- trance. For if against plotting enemies a city be encompassed by a great rampart, be girt with strong walls, on every side defended by a sleepless watch, yet a single opening only be left therein undefended through neglect, from this quarter surely the enemy enters in, who seemed to be every way shut out. For that Pharisee who went up into the Temple to pray, with what fortifying he had begirt the city of his soul, let us hear. I fast twice in the week, he says, / j7^WLukel8, tithes of all that I possess. He that set out with / thank Thee, ^^* did, surely, employ extraordinary defences. But let us see where he left an opening undefended for a plotting enemy; Because I am not as this publican. See how he opened the city of his heart to plotting enemies through self-exalting, which city he fruitlessly shut close by fasting and almsgiving. Vainly is all the rest defended, when une spot by which an entrance lies open to the enemy is not defended. He rightly gave thanks, but wrongly exalted himself above the publican. The city of his heart by being lifted up he betrayed, which by living abstemiously, and by giving alms, he guarded. The greedy appetite was subdued by abstinence, the gluttony of the belly was destroyed, a grasping inclination was got the better of, by bountifulness covetousness was kept down. With what great pains do we suppose this to have been done? But, alas! what a series of painful efforts being struck by one bad point fell to the ground! What great excellencies were killed by the sword of one sin! Whence 424 Good works slay the utf guarded through pride.
Job 29, it is needful willi great diligence both always to be doing -TT good tilings, and to keep ourselves heedfully in the thought MoKAL. of the heart from the very good things themselves, lest, if they uplift the mind, they be not good, which are enlisted not to the Creator, but to pride.
84. With reference to which particular we are not acting : irregularly, if from the books, though not Canonical, yet ; brought out for the edifying of the Church, we bring forward 1 Mace, testimony. Thus Eleazar in the battle smote and brought ' ' down an elephant, but fell under the very beast that he killed. Whom, then, does this one represent, whom his own victory bore down, but those persons who overcome bad habits, but by being lifted up are brought down under the very things they bring under? For it is as if he died under the enemy he lays low, who is lifted up by the sin that he subdues. Accordingly it deserves above every thing to be considered, that good points cannot avail, if bad ones that creep in unawares are not guarded against. All that is done perishes, if it be not heedfully preserved in humility. Hence Gen. 2, too it is well said of the first parent himself; And ike Lord ^^' put the man into the Paradise of pleasure^ to work and to keep it. For he * worketh,' who does in act the good that is enjoined. But what he has wrought he keepeth not, whom that creepeth upon which is forbidden. Therefore let blessed Job, because he had covered himself on every side with good practice, say, With righteousness I was clothed, and arrayed myself as with a garment. Where it is forthwith added, And my judgment a diadem.
'6b. The judgments of the righteous are rightly compared to a ' diadem,' because by the gloriousness of great practice, they lead to a crown of rewarding. Which same judgments they carry on with themselves day by day in the interior, what they owe to God, what to their neighbour, they look to with quick discernment, and they kindle themselves with ardour to the doing of what is good, and rebuke themselves •' Cited by Cosin, Scholast. Hist, of are discussed. The same work contains Canon, c. viii. art. xcix. where some a general review of authorities on the attempts at reconciling such statements Canon of H. S. a subject too extensive with the decree of the Council of Trent for a mere note.
Jtidijment of the righteous has its crown above. 4*25 with severity for the evil things committed. Hence it is Book XIX well said by Solomon as well; The thoughts of the righteous ^- . Prov.
are judgments. Since witliin they are brought back to their 12, 5. own hearts from all the tumult of the world, and then they mount the tribunal of the mind, and set before the eyes themselves, and their neighbour, and bring forward in the midst the rule of the Testament, wherein it is said, Therefore Matt. 7, all things whatsoever ye ivoidd that men should do unto you,^^' do ye even so unto them. They transfer into themselves the person of their neighbour, and heedfully mark what to themselves, had they been so circumstanced, they would justly have wished done or left undone, and so with strict justice and judgment, they try the cause of themselves and their neighbour by the tables of the Divine Law, in the court of the heart. Therefore it is well said, The thoughts of the righteous are judgments^ because the very interior motion of their heart is itself as it were a kind of scales of judicial power. Which things being done, because they do not look for recompensing below, their judgments are rightly compared to ' a diadem.' For a diadem is set upon the upper part of the body; and so the judgment of the righteous is styled a ^ diadem,' because they do not thereby covet to find their reward by it in things below and of this earth, but up above. It follows; Ver. 15, 16. I was an eye to the blind, and a foot was I to the lame. I ivas a father to the poor, and the cause which I knew not I searched out, 36. Herein the mind of the reader might perchance put xxiii. the question, wherefore it is that blessed Job reckons up his own virtue with so much particularity. For it is a mark of holy men to conceal the good things they may have done, lest it chance that they bring upon themselves the downfall of exaltation. Whence Truth saith by Itself, Take /i6'<?riMatt. 6, that ye do not your righteousness before men, to be seen of^' them. It is hence, too, that in giving light to the two blind men sitting by the way-side. He charged them, saying. See that Matt. 9, no man know it. Of which persons it is thereupon said, that^^* they ' departed and spread abroad the fame of Him through- out all that region.' Now it is a question for us to consider, what this means, that the Almighty Himself, unto Whom to 426 Good works to he concealed on the doer's account,