have where they may rejoice in a spiritual manner, and ardently seek where they may even groan in a carnal way. So then, let Job with a truth -telling voice rebuke the madness of these persons, for no other reason than that by a perverted judgment they set the troubled before the tranquil, the hard before the gentle, the harsh before the mild, the transitory before the eternal, the suspicious before the assured. The madness of such let Holy Church call to remembrance, when she is encompassed with cruel adversities without, which persons she held within herself as if believers, but for long endured their life opposing the faith, and let her say, Who rejoiced in the midst of the like, and reckoned there were delights under brambles; surely, because the evil things that they do, they learnt by the badness of the wicked going before. W^hence also it is rightly subjoined; Ver. 8. They were children of fools, yea children qf base men.
480 There is a ^ foollshnesH of God^ that is not base.
Job 30, 41. It is right for us to know that some within the pale of -J — ^ — Holy Church are styled ' fools,' but yet ^ noble,' whilst others xvi. ai*e ^ fools' and * base.' For they arc called ' fools,' but cannot be ' base,' who contemning the wisdom of the flesh, desire foolishness that shall stand them in stead, and after the newness of the interior descent are exalted by the nobility of virtue, who set at nought the foolish wisdom of the world, and covet the wise foolishness of God. Since it 1 Cor. i,is written, Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men.
25 This ' foolishness' Paul charges ourselves to lay hold of, when he says. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world^ let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
This ' foolishness' they that perfectly followed obtained to Mat. 19, hear from the voice of Wisdom, Ye which have followed Me ^^* in the regeneration, when the Son of 3Ian shall sit in the throne of His glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones Jndging the twelve tribes of Israel. Mark how by abandoning temporal things they purchased the glory of eternal power.
Accordingly what is there more foolish in this w^orld than to abandon one's own? And what more noble in the eternal world than to come with God as judges? Verily the nobility of these judges is made mention of by Solomon bearing record, where this which I have already spoken before is Prov. said. Her husband is noble in the nates, when he silteth ' * among the senators of the land. For noble above measure does he regard those, whom he calls * senators. ' This ' nobility' Paul had beheld in himself, when being united by Acts 17, the spirit to the relationship of the Creator, he said. Foras- much then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone graven by art or maii^s device; i. e. we are styled ^ the offspring of God,' not as being brought forth in His Nature, but as being by His Spirit both created by His Will and made anew by His adoption. So much the more then is each one lifted up to this nobility, in proportion as he is renewed in the image he has received to the likeness of That Being in a copy.
42. But contrariwise they are ' fools and base men,' who while, in following themselves, they flee from the wisdom Above, are lulled to sleep in their ignorance as in the Bad men in the Church not her sons, nor known of God, 481 vileness of an abject descent. For in proportion as they do Book not understand that for which they were made, in the same measure they lose the relationship of high birth vouchsafed then in the Likeness. So they are * fools and base men,' whom the slavery of the soul withholds from the fellowship of the Eternal Inheritance. As it is written, Whosoever Johns, committeth sin is the servant of sin. And it is spoken by the voice of the great preacher, For the wisdom of this^Cor.3, world is foolishness with God. They then, who whilst they were wise in earthly things were held back from the interior nobility, were * fools and base men' at once. Whose actions while very many imitate they are rendered ' the children of fools and base men,' and whilst they follow these in notions and practices, they are at once ^ fools,' because they do not understand true wisdom, and * base men,' because they are not renewed by any freedom of the Spirit. But these persons though they may practise the arts of the wicked, yet very often in this life occupy the places of the just, and they account themselves the children of those, whose offices from lust of honour they outwardly discharge. Which persons holy correction recals to the knowledge of themselves, i. e. that being settled in bad desires, they should mind whose children they are. For they are not the children of those whose places they occupy, but whose deeds they execute. Therefore let it be rightly said. The children of fools and base men. Where it is fitly subjoined; And on earth utterly not appearing, 43. For as there are very many persons upon earth, and xvii. they are hidden from the knowledge of their fellowcreatures by the lowness of their vile condition, as hy a kind of over- laying of a cloak, so there are some in the Church, who whilst they submit themselves to the degradation of wicked deeds, are not known to the Divine sight. To which persons it is one day to be said. Verily I say unto you^ I know you not. So, * to be on earth and appear' is in a right liaith through the excellency of practice to display the nobility of the soul. ' To be on earth and utterly not appear,' is to be set fast in the Church indeed by faith, but to shew forth nothing worthy of faith in practice. These then being within the pale of Holy Church, to the eyes of 482 No real approach to God wiiliout obedience.
Job 30, the Divine Being both 'appear' in respect of judgment, ^ — ' — and yet do ' not appear' in respect of the deserts of a good life, because those things, which by confessing they hold, by living they do not shew forth. Concerning whom Paul Tit. 1, saith, They profess that they know Ood, but in works they deny Him. These persons in Holy Church bear down rather than venerate the faith which they protest that they hold, whereas by her name they covet rather to secure their own profits than her's. But the Elect, whilst they take care to preserve the deservingness of faith by right deeds, are brought near to the knowledge of their Maker even amidst the throngs of lost sinners. Which is well denoted in the Gospel by the woman suffering from the bloody flux. Concerning whom Luke 8, the Lord says, TVfw touched Me? Peter answered reasoning, ^' ■ blaster., the multitude throng Tliee and press Tliee^ and sayest Thou^ Who touched Me? But he obtained to hear the causes in true reason, when the Lord said to him, Somebody hath touched Me, for I likewise perceive that virtue is gone out of Me. See how the throng * pressed' the Lord, but she only ' touched' Him, who came to Him in humility, because surely even many lost sinners in Holy Church by learning' press' the truth, which same they neglect to ' touch' by living well. They ' press' and are far off, because by professions they follow Divine knowledge, by habits flee it. They ' press,' I say, and are far off", because by acting they contradict that faith, which by speaking they assert. As then we are instructed by this testimony, that by touching some do not ' touch' the Lord, so some are not ' seen' by the Lord, even when they are seen; because to His secret regards, and for the punishment of condemnation, they do appear, but for the claim of Election they do not appear. Therefore let it be rightly said. And on earth utterly not appearing; because though the Church held them to the extent of seeming, yet those being within her the Creator did not see, in that He did not know them. Who in the season of peace for this reason maintain the faith to the extent of words, because they see that that faith flourishes generally. But when a sudden storm of adversity rises up against that Church, they are directly parted from her by a public denial; and whatever they before held as if vene- Tlie Church in time of trouble a byword to scorriers. 483 rating her, they afterwards fight against the same as deriding Book her. Whence it is fitly added; - Ver. 9. And now am I their song, yea, I am become their byword.
44. By which same words that time of Holy Church is set xviii. forth, when she is openly derided by the lost; when the wicked gaining ground, faith shall be for a reproach, and truth shall be lor a ground of accusation. For so much the more contemptible shall eacli individual be in proportion as he may be more righteous; and the worse object of abhorrence, the more worthy object of praise. Therefore the Holy Church of the Elect in the time of calamity * becomes a proverb' to the wicked, because when they see the good die by torments, they take their likeness of cursing from those. For in proportion as they see a passing death, but do not see a lasting life, so much the more in scoffing do they flee present ills, in proportion as by the understanding interiorly they do not reach to lasting goods. But the particulars that are subjoined because they are not involved in obscurer sorts of sentences, we must run through in brief, that we may be able to come the sooner to those parts, wherein we have to labour. It goes on; Ver. 10. They abhor me^ they Jlee far from me, and spare not to spit in my face.
45. All the wicked ' fly far' from Holy Church, not by the xix. paces of footsteps, but by the characters of practices; they fly far not in place, but desert, whereas, pride gaining ground, they contemn her with open upbraiding. For * to spit in his face' is not only to detract from the good in absence, but to give the lie to each one of the just even in presence. And these then whilst the wicked by openly deriding set at nought, they as it were let out in insults upon them loose words, like streams of spittle running down. But Holy Church knows how to gain ground in sufferings, and in the midst of reproaches to maintain an honourable life; she is taught neither to be cast down by adversities, nor to glory in prosperity. She is instructed, in meeting prosperity, to lay low the mind in downcasting; she is taught, in meeting adversity, to lift up the soul to the hope of the height above. She knows how to ascribe her good things to the mercifulness 484 Chastinement sometimes open. Speech restrained.
Job 30, of the Redeemer, she knows how to ascribe her evil things AiLEG ^^ the justice of the Judge, that both what is good she has by liis bestowing, and what is bad she suffers by His permittino". And hence He immediately adds touching the Lord, saying, Ver. 11. Because He hath opened His quiver and afflicted me. XX. 46. What is denoted by ' the quiver' of God, but secret counsel? Now the Lord casts the arrow from the quiver, when from His secret counsel He sends forth an open sentence. For that any man is scourged, we know, but for what cause the scourge comes, we know not. But when after the scourge amendment of life follows, the actual power of counsel is itself disclosed as well. So the quiver shut is hidden counsel. But we are chastened by an open quiver, when by that which follows after the scourge, we see with what counsel we are stricken. When the Lord beholds sins, and yet does not move the hand to vengeance. He as it were holds the quiver shut, but by striking He shews, how greatly that displeased Him in us, w^hich He bore long beholding it. Therefore let the Holy Church of the Elect being pressed by tribulations say, For He hath opened His quiver, and afflicted, me. Which same on meeting with the insolent voices of her adversaries, when she sees that her preaching is not received, giving over the hardness of some, restrains the words of her preaching. For reflecting that her perse- cutors are rendered worse at the voice of her exhortation, she rather prefers to hold her peace. And when she sees them persons unworthy to hear, she binds up her preaching with silence drawn over. Whence he fitly adds; And put a bridle into my mouth. xxi. 47. They were acquainted with ' a bridle put upon them- Acts 13, selves' before certain persons, who said. It was necessary that the word of Qod shoidd first have been spoken to you, but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of' everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles, Holy men see ' the bridle' of silence put upon themselves with the hard Ps. 137, hearts of lost sinners, when they say by the Prophet, How *' shall ive sing the Lord^s song in a strange landf Paul also charged ' a bridle to be put,' who enjoined the disciple, Reproof stayed in charity. Assaults by seeming Christians. 485 saying, A man that is an heretic after the first and second Book admonition reject, knowing that he that is such is subverted, ' and sinneth condemned of himself. For holy teachers very lo. often by lofty ken survey the hearts of those that oppose them, and when they see those hearts forsaken by God, afflicted and groaning they hold their peace. Doth not Solomon sometimes * put a bridle' upon the teachers, who saith, Reprove not a scorner, lost he hate thee, but if we hold our Prov. 9, peace from rebuking for this reason, because we are afraid for the scorner's hates to rise up against us, we no longer seek God's profits, but our own. Wherein it requires to be known that sometimes when bad men are reproved they become worse. Them therefore we spare, and not ourselves, if from the love of those we cease from the rebuking of them. Whence it is needful that we sometimes endure keeping to ourselves what they are, in order that they may learn in us by good living ^ what they are not. Therefore because Holy ' al. 'by Church, who ever gives forth her words in a spirit of charity, sometimes also withholds them on the principle of charity, let her say. He hath put a bridle in my mouth. As though he confessed openly, saying, ' Because in some I did not see the advancement of preaching, from those I refrained assault, that my life at all events by patience they might be taught, whereas my words they would not by the preaching proffered consent to receive.' But very often this grieves us most in tribulations, that we meet with them from those, in whom we trusted with the love of kin. And hence it is added; Ver. 12. At the right hand of the East my calamities on the spot arose.
48. For ' calamities' would ' rise to the left,' if at the hand xxii. of any persons set without the pale of Religion, and openly denying Christ, she met with the adverse dealings of perse- cution. But when she undergoes from persons seemingly believers the trial of tormentings, it is as if calamities arose to her at the right hand, because they who are enlisted under Christ's name, assail Christ's name in her. For by the very usage of speech we speak of having as ' on the right' what we account as great, and as on the left that which we look down upon, which Zechariah openly teaches, saying, And he shewed me Jesus the high priest standing Zech. s 486 Satan at Chrisl^s ^ri(/ht hand' an perverting the Jews. Job 30, be/ore the Ajigel of the Lord, and Satan standiw) at his rvjht * -- hand to resist him. Who that he might the more plainly shew this that he set before, added going on; And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee. Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire 'i Now Jesus was clothed » ai. ' is with filthy garments. ' Jesus was^ clothed with filthy gar- spoken,, ^ n- iTT of as' rnents, because though He was a stranger to all sm, yet Me came into the likexiess of the flesh of sin. And to Him on His coming Satan stood on His right hand. For the Lord appeared to hold the Jewish People as great, and the Gentiles as nought. But after that He appeared Incarnate, the Gentile world, which had been held as ' on the left' believed, whilst the Jewish People swerved aside to unbelief. Thus * Satan stood on the right hand to Him;' because he carried off from Him that People, which had been for a long while beloved. But because that same Jewish people, being now lost, shall in the end one day believe, as the Prophet testifies, who says, Is. 10, rp/iQ remnant shall be saved; the Lord removes Satan from His right hand, saying, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan. And betokening the deliverance of that same people, he adds, because He hath chosen Jerusalem. Which same people because under the guidance of unbelief it let itself run down to the burnings of hell, but whilst it is brought back to faith, is set free from that same burning of everlasting fire, has it directly added there concerning it. Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?
49. So then as there for ' the right hand' the Jewish people is denoted, so in this place by the term of ' the right hand,' the faithful people of Holy Church is denoted. And hence the Judge that is to come ' shall set the goats on His left Hand, and the sheep on His right Hand.' But when these very persons too fret Holy Chm"ch in the time of adversity, who seemed to be of the faithful, surely ' calamities arise to her on the right hand.' Now rightly is this same called ' the right hand of the East;' since it is written of the Head Zech. 6, itself of the same. The East is His Name. For seeing that ^*the light springs from the East, He is rightly called * the East,' by the light of whose righteousness the night of our unrighteousness is enlightened. So ' calamities arise to the Theiceak in Holy Church turned aside and overwhelmed. 487 right hand of the East;* because these likewise leap forth to Book persecution, who were supposed to be Elect Members of our ^ '- Redeemer. Which same calamities he rightly declares ' arise on the s])ot,' because whereas they who persecute were not persons without her j^ale, evils are brought about by them suddenly and on the spot. But if * the right hand' is a designation of those who are truly believers, ^ calamities arise to the right of the East,' because on the crisis of persecution breaking forth, the righteous undergo the cruel assaults of the wicked. It follows; Ver. 12. They overturned my feet, and oppressed with their footpaths as with waves.
50. AVhat are denoted by the Church's ' feet,' but her xxiii. outermost members.? which while they lend themselves to earthly deeds, are able to be the sooner deceived by adver- saries in proportion as they do not understand things on high. Therefore these ' feet adversaries overturn,' that is to say, when they draw her outermost members to the error of their doctrine. The ' feet overturned' cannot keep the way, in that all the weak being either persuaded by the promises of their persecutors, or affrighted by their threats, or broken by their tortures, swerve from the right path. Now ' the paths' of adversaries are rightly likened to waves, when it is said, a7id they oppressed with their footpaths as with waves; in this way, because the life of the evil-minded, mischievous with wayward restlessness, comes down as a tempest for the overwhelming the ship of the heart, so to say. Concerning which same tempest it is said by Solomon, As a tempest 'Pro-7. passing, the vAcked shall not be. And when the weak man ' sees the froward flourishing, that man the wave of wretched imitation plunges into the sea of frowardness. It follows; Ver. 13. They did away with iny j)aths, they plotted against me, and prevailed, and there was not any to bring help.
51. Let blessed Job tell these things of evil spirits, i. e. of xxiv. secret enemies. Let the Church Universal speak them of bad men persecuting, i. e. of open adversaries. For these * do away with her paths,' when in the souls of certain weak ones they interrupt the ways of truth by crafty per- suading. These in ' plotting prevail, when those, whom 488 God forsakes those He loves y for trial, for a time.
Job 30, they cannot openly force to evil, they turn aside by pretend- -^ — '- — ing what is good, but that is very wonderful, which he subjoins, And there was not any one to bring help, when the Ps. 9, 9. Psalmist exclaims touching the help of God; A helper in seasons, in tribulation. And, Let them hope in Thee, who know Thy Name, for Thou, Lord, wilt not forsake those Ecclus. that seek Thee. And when it is written again. Bid ever any ' ' trust in the Lord and was confounded? or did any abide in His commandments, and ivas forsaken? Or whom did He ever despise, that called upon Him? On what principle, then, is it now said; And there was not any to bring help, excepting that those, whom Almighty God loves for all eternity, He sometimes leaves for a time? Whence it is Is. 54, written; For a sm.all moment have I forsaken thee, and '• ^' with great mercies will I gather thee. Ln a little wrath I hid My face from thee for a moment, and with everlasting kindness will I have mercy upon thee. Hence too the Ps. 119, Psalmist besought, saying, O forsake me not utterly. He then knew that he might be left for a little while with advan- tage, who prayed that he might not be ' utterly forsaken.' For the Lord by coming helps His Saints, by ' leaving' puts them to the proof, by gifts he establishes, by tribulations he Ecclus. tries. Whence too it is rightly said by one of Wisdom, For ' * at the first she will walk with him by crooked ivays, and bring fear and dread upon him, and torment him with her discipline until she try him in his thoughts. Since the soul of the righteous grace calls, trial puts to the question. And Almighty God allows the adversaries of His Elect to gi'ow to a height in time, that the life of the good may be purified by the pitilessness of the bad.
52. Since the Lord would never suffer them to be hostile to the good except he also saw what great good they did. For whilst the unrighteous deal cruelly, the righteous are purified, and the life of the wicked is enlisted to the advantage of the innocent, in that this same both by bearing down it abases, and by abasing ever fashions to better. Hence Prov. too it is rightly said by Solomon; the fool shall be servant ^^'^ • to the wise of heart. And yet w^e often see the wise subor- dinate, and fools occupying the stronghold of dominion, wise men paying obedience in servitude, and fools lording it Tlie wicked, as servant fi^chasten the young heirs of Heaven. 480 with tyrannical exultation. How then by the marking out of Book God's sentence is ' the fool servant to the wise,' when generally speaking he keeps him down by the right of temporal dominion? But it is to be borne in mind, that whilst against the life of the wise man the fool being uppermost enforces the terribleness of power, whilst he wearies him out with labours, rends him with insults, sucli a person surely by burning he purges from all the rust of bad habits. Thus the fool even in ruling is ' servant to the wise,' in that by bearing him down he advances him to a better state. In this way it is sometimes the case that over masters under age servants are set for the tutorage of discipline, they frighten, they bear hard upon them, strike them, yet do not at all cease to be servants, because they are appointed to this very end, that to their masters whilst progressing they should render service even by striking them. Therefore because the ills of the children of perdition purify whilst they torment the good, even the power of the wicked is enlisted to the welfare of the just. But very often the just when seized by tribulation account the hand of Him Who helps them slow, when the barbarity of those persecuting them wrings them somewhat too long. And the remedies of the deliverer indeed are quickened, but that which is done quickly by the deliverer, appears slow to him that is in grief And when there is sought help to present itself to the supplicating voice, if it does not follow the voice directly, it is reckoned that it is wanting. Whence it is said now; And there was not any one to bring help. In which same utterance we have set forth the actual force of the suffering, because help from Above, though it is there as to the appointed providence of the protector, yet is thought to be wanting as to the quick- ened wishes of the sufferer. It follows; Ver. 14. As by a wall being broken, and a door being opened, they rushed in upon me, and were rolled down to my miseries.
53. What is in this place designated by the title of ' a xxv. wall,' but the Redeemer of the human race, concerning whom it is said by the Prophet for the edifying of Holy Church, There shall be set in her a wall and a bulwark? i^^2QU For that same Redeemer is ' a wall' to us, Who forbids the 490 The Prophets a ' bulwark'' before Christ, the ' Walt: Job 30, rushing of evil spirits to leacli to our hearts. Who also set ' a bulwark' as well to our faith, because beifore that lie A T T p fl