Ps.84,3. Psalmist would not say. Yea, the sparrow hath found her an house, and the turtle a nest where she may lay her young. Since henceforth ' the sparrow hath found her an house,' because our Redeemer has entered into the Eternal dwelling- place of heaven. And ^ the turtle hath found a nest,' because Holy Church, influenced by love of the Creator, makes use of frequent sighings, and as it were builds up a ' nest' for herself, i. e. the most peaceful rest of the Faith, wherein her growing children, like callow young, till they fly up to the regions above, she fosters, cherished warm in the bosom of charity. And so because there shall then be those, who thought in the time of peace to take their passage to the regions on high, i. e. to soar away from the nest, their voice is anticipated by the voice of blessed Job, w^hen he says, Holy Church, like the palm, fairest above. 437 Then I said, I shall die in my nest. But because this same Book XIX quietness of peace they promised themselves in a length of ^ - many days, he rightly subjoins, saying, And 1 shall multiply my days as a palm. For the palm advances slowly, but holds on long in greenness. But with many difficulties Holy Church comes to the firm standing of the Faith, and for the gathering together of very many she desires to be set the longer in the glory of that Faith. And so as * a palm' she thought * to multiply her days,' who on the crisis of sudden temptation emerging upon her, grieves for the boon of peace at once slowly gotten by the faithful, and quickly intercepted by the unbelievers.
49. Nor is it unfairly that the life of the righteous is likened to a ' palm,' in this respect, that the palm below is rough to be touched, and in a manner enveloped in dry barks, but above it is fair with fruit even to be looked at; below it is compressed by the enfoldings of its barks, above it is spread out in amplitude of beautiful greenness. For so is the life of ihe Elect, despised below, beautified above.
Down beneath the one is as it were enfolded in many barks, in that it is straitened by innumerable afilictions. But on high the other is as it were spread out with the foliage of beautiful greenness in the amplitude of the rewarding. The palm too has another thing as well, by which it differs from all kinds of trees. For every tree holds, in its timber, large sized towards the ground, but in growing it is narrowed above, and in proportion as it is by degrees higher, it is rendered so much the minuter on high; but the palm sets out of less circumference from the bottom, and arises with wider timber towards the boughs and fruit; and that which goes on slender from the bottom grows up more huge to the top.
Accordingly to what but earthly minds are other trees found to be like, expanded below, narrowed above? because surely all the lovers of this world are strong in the things of earth, but feeble in the things of heaven. Thus for temporal glory they long to spend themselves even to death itself; and for the everlasting hope they do not though but a litlle hold on in exertion. For the sake of earthly gains they submit to any injuries, and for the sake of the heavenly reward they refuse to bear the insults even of the most trifling word.
438 Most grow small upwards^ like common trees.
JoB29,Xhey are strong enough to stand before an earthly judge r — '— even a whole day through, but in praying in the presence of. God they are tired even with the space of a single hour. ' » dejec- Oftentimes they bear nakedness, abjectness^, hunger, for the sake of acquiring riches and honours, and they torment themselves with the stinting of those things, which they are in such haste to obtain; but from seeking with hearty endea- vour the things that are above, they excuse themselves the more, in proportion as they imagine them to be more slowly paid back. So these as it were after the manner of the rest of the trees are wide spread below, narrow above, because they hold strong towards the parts below, but go off' towards the parts above. But on the other hand by the character of palm trees the progressive life of the righteous is represented, who are never strong in earthly pursuits, and weak in heavenly ones, but exhibit themselves devoted to God with '-» ' Ion- a farther and wider extension" than they remember to have que (lis- been to the world. For whereas it is said to certain persons tantius.'i^y our Preacher, I speak after the manner of men ^ because 19. of the irtfirinity of your flesh; for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righte- ousness unto holiness; without doubt there is a condescending to their infirmity, as though it were said to them in plainer terms; ^ If ye cannot any way do more, at all events be ye such in the fruit of good works as ye were for long in the practising of bad habits, so that the holy freedom of charity may not possess you weaker persons, whom the habit of earthly pleasure possessed strong ones in the flesh.
50. But there are some who, while they aim at heavenly things, and forsake the pernicious doings of this world, by the littlemindedness of inconstancy fall away day by day from their setting out. To what but to the rest of the trees should I call these like, who never rise such persons above as they spring up below? For these when they are brought to con- version do not hold on such as they began; and as it were after the way of trees, they are of large size in the beginning, but they grow slight, because little by little through the accessions of the divisions of time they suffer the diminutions of the attainments of virtue. For imperceptibly heavenly Holy Church shall mourn that some fall off at last. 439 desires fade away in them, and they who had proposed to Book themselves things vigorous and strong, achieve only weak and feeble ones, and whilst they progress by increase of age, grow as it were easy to be bent. 15 ut the palm, as has been said, is of vaster extent in the summit than it began with being from the root; because oftentimes the conversion of the Elect accomplishes more in finishing than it purposes on setting out; and if it begins the first things somewhat luke- warmly, it completes the last with more ardour; that is to say, it reckons itself to be always beginning, and therefore it lasts unwearied in newness. It was this constancy of the righteous that the Prophet regarding said. But they that^^'"^^} trust in the Lord shall change their strength; they shall take to them ivings as eagles; they shall run, and not he weary; they shall walk, and not faint. For they ' change their strength,' because they are earnest to be strong in spiritual practice, who were for long strong in the flesh. And they ' take to them the wings as of an eagle,' because by exercising contemplation they fly; ' they walk, and do not faint,' because they hold in the rapidity of their understanding, that they may condescend to the slower sort. But under all circumstances in proportion as the good things they receive they gladly adapt to others, so much the more do they hold on themselves unchangeable in newness; and they that proceed small from the root of the beginning are consolidated as strong in the finishing of the topmost point. So then let blessed Job say in his own person, let him say in the voice of Holy Church in behalf of those whom in the time of peace she had owned, converted to herself, and imagined would persevere in good ways, TJien I said, I shall die in my nest, and 1 shall multiply my days as a palm. For ' as a palm' she thought to * multiply her days,' in that she sup- posed that the minds of the faithful would rise up stronger even to the very last. For when the hearts of multitudes worn out with persecutions begin to turn soft, she henceforth grieves that those in her as it were tend to weakness, whom she used to admire for their having purposed strong things. And because in mind she is always intent upon spiritual knowledge, it is rightly subjoined, Ver. 19. My root is opened beside the waters.
440 Christ set as a Tree hy the stream of mart's race.
Job 29, 51. For * by the waters the root is opened,' when, for \t7 receivine^ the streams of truth, secretly the thought of the XXVlll. ' >/ n b.yjii.c'.mind is spread out. For as we have already said in a former SI- book, in Holy Writ by the term of ^ the root' the hidden thought is used to be denoted. Therefore " our root we open by the va alers," when to the Interior watering we stretch the thought of the secret heart. Which same words if we carry on to the voice of Holy Church, her ' root' must be taken for the very Incarnation our Redeemer itself. Which * root is opened by the waters,' in that God Invisible by the assumption of His Manhood was laid open to the regardings of our sight. Since the Creator, Who was not able to be seen in the Godhead, took to Him from us that whereby He might by us be seen. So ' the root is opened by the waters,' because the Author of the human race by means of His human nature is manifested to human beings. Whence Ps. 1,3. also it is rightly said by the Psalmist, And he shall he like a tree that is planted beside the riuinings of waters. For ' the runnings of waters' are the daily passings by of peoples Luke23, dying off. And Truth saith concerning Itself, If they do ^^* these things in the green tree, what shall be done in the dry? And so there ' is a tree beside the runnings of waters,' because, whilst putting forth fruit and the covering of His shade for us, the Creator appeared in the flesh, that by a rising again He might stay the human race, which by a falling off was day by day going on into death. It goes on; And the dew shall stay on my harvest. xxix. 52. Understand, / said. For the harvest of Holy Church is not inappropriately taken to be, when perfect souls with- drawn from their bodies, like ripe crops cut away from the ground, arc transported into the heavenly granaries; which same because it takes place not by our own power, but by heavenly grace vouchsafing it, he saith well. And the dew shall stay on my harvest. For the dew falls from above, but the harvest is gathered in from below. And so * the dew stays on the harvest,' because grace coming from abo\e causes it, that we should be meet persons to be gathered in from the world below. For by that same grace watering us from above, we bear the fruit of good 16 10. pi^^<^'tice. Whence also it is rightly said by Paul, But by Sadness of not keeping the freshness of grace. 441 the grace of God I am what I am; and His grace, which Book ivas bestowed upon me, was not in vain. For if it be enquired L what is the dew coming from above, he tells us, Bij the grace of God I am what 1 am. If we look at the crop growing up beneath the dew, he says, And His grace ivas not in vain in me, hut I laboured more abundantly than they all. It proceeds; Ver. 20. My glory shall always be fresh in me, and my bow shall be renewed in mine hand.
53. Understand, / said', since all is joined on to the xxx. sentence above, that is introduced next in a continuous thread of discourse, when he says, Then I said, 1 shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the palm; and afterwards it is subjoined, My root is opened by the waters, and the dew shall stay on my harvest; my glory shall ever be fresh in me, and my bow shall be renewed in mine hand. To all that know what is true it is clear, that to the old life qualities of evil are proper, to the new qualities of virtue. Thus it is hence that Paul saith, Putting off the o/c?Col.3,9. man with his deeds, and puttitig on the new man. Hence he says again, Our old man is crucified with him. Hence Rom. 6, the Psalmist speaking in a type of man, as being caught in the midst of evil spirits, saith, / have waxed old amongst allPs.6, 7. mine enemies. For unto fervour of mind, whether amidst spiritual enemies, or in the midst of our several carnal neigh- bours, in some degree by the mere habituation of living ' we wax old,' and the form of newness taken upon us we soil. Against which same oldness, however, if our earnest pains after heedfulness be daily on the watch, by praying, by reading, and living well we are renewed afresh; because our life, while it is washed with tears, exercised in good works, drawn out by holy meditations, is without ceasing restored to its newness. Blessed Job then so tells his own case that he represents ours, because Holy Church, when she sees her faithful ones return to the transgressions of the old life, is forced to lament for those whom she sees lose the newness of the interior. Since the great Preacher says to his I disciples. For what is our hope or joy or crown of rejoicing? i Thess. Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord? And so Holy ' * 442 ^ Bow'* oj the enemy; of Jiuhjmeiit; of God's Word. Job 29, Church bewails her glory departed, when she sees her '- — faithful ones return to the old life. Thus she says, / said, ' My glory shall always be made fresh; because those whom she believed were enlisted within her to the new life, she sees to be lending themselves to old desires.
54. Now by the name of a *bow' in Holy Scripture, some- times the plots of evil men, sometimes the Day of Judgment, while sometimes the actual sacred Oracles themselves are denoted. Since by a bow plots are denoted, as where it is Ps.64,3. said by the Psalmist, Aitd have bent their bow, a bitter thing. Moreover by ^ a bow' the Day of the Last Judgment is denoted, Ps.60,3. as where it is said again by the same Psalmist, Thou hast shewed Thy people hard things, Thou hast made us to drink the wine of remorse, Thou hast given a token to them that fear Thee, that they may Jiy from before the bow. For in a bow in proportion as the string is drawn out far, the arrow flies off the keener from it. Thus, yes, thus the Day of Judgment, in proportion as it is delayed for long that it should come, when it does come, the keener the sentence goes forth therefrom. But for this reason we are now stricken with sundry losses, in order that being amended thereby, we may then be found more prepared. Whence it is there premised, Thou hast shewed Thy people hard things, i. e. the scourges of the present state, which are forerunners of the Day of Judgment, to follow far w orse. Thou hast made us to drink the wine of remorse, so that earthly joys should be converted into tears. Thou hast given a token to them that fear Thee, that they may fly from before the bow. As though he said in plain terms; ' This is the season of mercy, that shall be the time of Judgment.' Thus by these scourges of this present time Thou dost betoken how Thou wilt then strike when Thou judgest not sparing. Who dost now strike so sharply when Thou sparest.
bb. But sometimes by a ' bow' Holy Scripture is denoted as well. For that is the ' bow' of the Church, that is the * bow' of the Lord, wherefrom like arrows striking, so do terrifying sentences come to the hearts of men. Whence Ps.7,i2.also it is rightly said by the Psalmist, He hath bent His bow, ^^' and made it ready; He hath also prepared in it the vessels Tfie New Testament a string to bend the how of the Old. 443 of death, He hath made His arrows for the hurninq ones. Book For the Lord hath ' bent His bow,' because to all sinners '- He hath set forth threats in sacred Revelation. In which same bow He ' prepares the vessels of death,' because ac- cording to the sentence of His Revelation, those that neglect to be reformed now, He condemns as reprobate. In which bow also He * made His arrows for the burning ones,' because against those persons, whom He amends by terror, He sends forth the kindled sentences of words. Concerning this bow of the preachers it is declared by Isaiah; lVithls.7,24. arrows and with bows they enter in thither; in this way, because the holy Apostles came for the smiting the hardness of the Gentiles' life with the keen dartings of words. What then in this place is to be understood by the name of the bow but sacred Revelation? For by the string the New Testament, while by the bow the Old Testament, is under- stood. Now in a bow when the string is drawn, the horn is bended: so in this same sacred Revelation, when the New Testament is read, the hardness of the Old is rendered pliant. For to the spiritual and mild precepts of this, the rigidness of the letter of the other bends itself; because whilst the New Testament as it were by a kind of arm of good practice is drawn, in the Old Testament the claims of severity are relaxed. Nor do we improperly say that the string accords with the New Testament, which it is certain came out by the Incarnation of the Lord. And so as it were the string is drawn and the horns bent; because when in the New Testament the Incarnation of our Mediator is seen, the rigidness of the Old Testament is made to bend to a spiritual signification. Therefore the holy man says, / said, My glory shall always be fresh, and my bow shall be renewed in mine hand.
56. * A bow in the hand' is Holy Writ in the practising. For he holds ' a bow in his hand,' who performs by the practising the divine revelations which he learns by appre- hension. Thus the * bow is renewed in the hand,' in that whatever is learnt belonging to Holy Revelation by studying is fulfilled by living accordingly. Hence also Solomon when he was describing the strong warriors of the spiritual fight, says, All holding swords, being well instructed for Cant. 3, o.
444 Holy Church laments the falling off in latter days.
Job 29, wars. For what is represented in Divine Writ by ' a sword,' Paul laid open by saying, And the sword of the Spirit, which Eph. 6,^*' the word of God. Now Solomon saith not ' all having' ^^' but ' all holding swords;' surely because not only to know the word of God is admirable, but likewise to do it. For he has but does not ' hold' a sword, who knows indeed rHvine Revelation, but neglects to live according to it, and he cannot now any longer be ' well instructed to wars,' who never exercises the spiritual sword that he has. For he is altogether not equal to resist temptations, who by living badly puts it behind him to hold this sword of the word of God. So then let Holy Church, which is weighed down by subse- quent persecution, taking thought of the multitude of bad and the scarcity of good ones, by the accents of blessed Job foreannounce her own woes, saying. Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as a palm. My root is opened wide hy the waters, and the dew shall stay on my harvest. My glory shall ever he fresh, and my how shall he renewed in mine hand. Which same, whilst taking a view of all things, was never imposed on by a false hope. For they that be perfect now see many her supporters, but doubtless they reflect that on the crisis of temptation coming forth, the greater number of these become her enemies, who in the time of peace seem to be her citizens. But they do not despair of all in like manner, yet nevertheless it very frequently falls out that those persons, touching whom they had entertained more confident assurance as to the Faith, themselves become fiercer enemies of the Faith, so that they then see those acting against the sacred Oracles, by w^hose working they had thought to restore those same sacred Oracles to the benefit of preaching. Which same times, however, we lament have now already commenced, when we see numbers, set within the pale of the Church, who either refuse to practise what they understand, or this very sacred Revelation likewise disdain to see into and to know. For turning away the hearing from the truth, they are turned to Phil. 2, fables, whilst all seek their own, 7iot the things that are Jesus ChrisCs. The written words of God every where found are presented to their eyes, but men disdain to acquaint themselves with these, scarce one seeks to know what he has Her sorrow expressed heforehcmd.
believed. So then let the multitude of ffood men ejoine; Book • XTX before grieve to have their * bow destroyed,' which same — — - always thought to have sacred Revelation restored by the efforts of those coming after.
BOOK XX.
The five concluding verses of chapter twenty-nine of the Book of Job are more largely explained, together with the whole of chapter thirty, chiefly on the subject of heretics and carnal persons distressing the Church.
i. 1. Although all knowledge and all lore Sacred Scripture without all comparison far excels, to say nothing that it tells forth what is true; that it bids to the heavenly country; that it changes the heart of him that reads it from earthly desires to the embracing of things Above; that by its obscurer statements it exercises the strong, and by its humble strain speaks gently to the little ones; that it is neither so shut up, that it should come to be dreaded, nor so open to view as to become contemptible; that by use it removes vveariness, and is the more delighted in the more it is meditated on; that the mind of him, who reads it, by words of a low pitch it assists, and by meanings of a lofty flight uplifts; that in some sort it grows with the persons reading, that by uninstructed readers it is in a manner reviewed, and yet by the well instructed is always found new; so then to say nothing of the weigh tiness of the subjects, it goes beyond all forms of knowledge and teaching even by the mere manner of its style of speaking, because in one and the same thread of discourse, while it relates the text, it declares a mystery, and has the art so to tell the past, that merely by that alone it knows how to announce the future, and the order of telling remaining unaltered, is instructed by the very self-same forms of speech at once to describe things done before, and to tell things destined to be done, just as it is with these same words of blessed Job, who while he tells his own circumstances foretels ours, and while he points out his ow^n sorrows in respect of the phrase, sounds of the cases and occasions of Holy Church in respect of the meaning. For he says; Men should not dare to add to the Chinch's leaching. 447 Ver. 21 — 23. Theij that heard me awaited my sentence, Book and listening kept silence at my counsel. They dared not - to add any thing to my words, and iny speech dropped upon them. And they waited for me as the rain, and opened their mouth vnde as for the latter rain.
2. For this awe of those under him we unquestionably ii- believe to have been towards blessed Job. But as we have already often said, Holy Church being driven to extremities by the inflictions of heretics or carnal persons, remembers the times past, in which all that is spoken by her is listened to with fear by the faithful, and lamenting the frowardness of her adversaries, she says. They that heard me awaited my sentence, and listening kept silence at my counsel. As though she expressed herself in plain speech, ' Not like these forward and svvoln ones, who whilst they refuse to admit the words of truth, do as it were in teaching forestall the sentences of my preaching.' Whose disciples now ' intent upon her counsel keep silence,' because her words they dare not to impugn, but take on faith. For that they may be able to profit by these same words, they hear them, doubtless, not with a view to judge them, but to follow them.
3. Of whom it is rightly added. To rny words they dared not to add any thing; surely because heretics, at that time when against her they are in liberty the most mischievous, free of all check, do ' dare to add something to her words,' in that they busy themselves as if to correct the Tightness of her preachings. Which same still further adds touching the good hearers, And my speech dropped upon them.''''
4. By this dropping of speech, what else is understood but the measure of holy preaching.'^ because it is requisite that the boon of exhortation be bestowed to each according to the capacity of his parts. And in respect of this that is said, To my words they dared not to add any thing; the reverential feeling of the persons hearing is extolled; but in respect of this, that is added, And my speech dropped upon them; the masters' distributing is pointed out. For one who teaches I ought to look exactly, that he be not forward to preach more than is comprehended by the one who hears him. For it is 448 Drops of Holy teachiyuj. The Gospel ' latter rain.'
Job 29, infirmity of his hearers, lest whilst he speaks to little persons ^ lofty things, which for that reason will not profit them, he be more minded to make a display of himself than to Vjenefit Ex. 25, his hearers. Now at the Lord's bidding, there are not only 16. ' flagons but likewise cups prepared for the table of the Tabernacle. For what is denoted by ' flagons' but ample preaching, and what by cups but the smallest and slightest speaking about God? Therefore on the table of the Lord there are both flagons and cups made ready, in this way because in the teaching of sacred Revelation there are not only to be set forth things great and mysterious that in- toxicate, but also little and minute ones, which afford knowledge as it were in a tasting. So then let Holy Church being borne down in the last times remember this most discriminating disposal of hers, and let her say, A?id my speech dropped upon them.
5. Where too it is fitly added. They waited for me as the rain, and opened their mouth as for the latter rain. For the words of holy preaching we undergo as rain, when by true humility we learn the dryness of our hearts, that we may be watered by the draught of holy preaching. Whence