manner accord with the person of the holy man also, not as to the thing that was, but as to the thing that seemed to be. For never had fleeting prosperity ^ lifted up' his mind, which mind in the midst of such overflowing stores of good things he ever kept down by a wonderful weight of virtue. But according to that which might have externally appeared, he who was little in his own eyes, was exalted in the eyes of others, and as it were ' placed upon the wind,' he was ' dashed down strongly,' because being buoyed up by out- ward goods, by the same means, whereby he was accounted to rise, he appeared to have fallen. Which same fall in the interior the holy man did not undergo, because no bad fortune throws down the man, whom no good fortune corrupts. For he who is attached to the truth, is in no degree brought under to vanity, because, whereas he has planted with a firm foot the bent of the thought within, all that is brought to pass in change without, reaches not in the least degree to the citadel of the interior. It goes on; Ver. 23. / know that Thou wilt deliver me to deaths tvhere is the house appointed for all living. xxxiv. QQ jj-, j^i^g preceding part of this work the point was treated §.48.&c.of> that before the Coming of the Lord even the righteous did descend to the abodes of hell, though they were kept not in woes but in rest. Which thing we omit to prove by testimo- nies now, because we think it is already sufficiently proved there. This, then, that is said, / kfiow that Thou wilt deliver me to death, ichere is the house appointed for all living, is rightly suited to blessed Job even according to the history, whereas surely it appears that before the grace of the Redeemer even the just were carried to the caverns of » admk-hell. For the mere entering^ of ' hell' is itself called ' the house of all living,' because no one came hither, who before the Advent of the Mediator did not pass by thereunto by the simple constitution of his state of corruption. No one came hither, who did not go on to the death of the flesh, by the steps of that same corruption belonging to him. Of which Ps. 89, selfsame death it is evidently said by the Psalmist; What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? For though Elijah is to die. Some fall to death, others restored. 501 Elijah is related to have been transported to heaven, never- Book theless he delayed, and did not escape death. For by the very mouth of Truth it is said; Ellas truly shall Jirst come, MatATj and restore all things. For he.shall come to * restore all^^' things,' since for this end surely is he restored to this world, that he may both fulfil the functions of preaching, and pay the debt of the flesh. Which sentence however of the holy Alleg. man suits the accents of Holy Church in the person of the weak sort, who hold the faith to the extent of the word of the lips, but contrary to the precepts of faith act the slave to their desires. For she says; / know that thou wilt deliver me to death, where is the house appointed for all living. For because she sees multitudes in her devoted to pleasures, and already foresees the destruction of those, she reflects that in the course of the present life they serve their desires indeed, but yet all are brought to the house of death, who in that same course live carnally. But there are some that are brought down into the pit of their gratifications, yet by the tears of repentance quickly recover the foot from below, which persons the strokes of smiting from Above cut rather for instruction than destruction. In the person of whom it is fitly subjoined; Ver. 24. Hoivbeit Thou dost not put forth thine hand for the destroying of them; and if they are brought to the ground. Thou wilt save them Thyself.
67. In which words assuredly this ought to be perceived xxxv. with penetration, that blessed Job, while he is telling his "•^^'^' own circumstances transfers others into himself. For he as Alleg. it were in a special manner said of himself; Thou liftedst me up, and as it were setting me upon the ivind dashedst me down with strength: I know that Thou wilt deliver me to death, where is the house appointed for all living; and yet he adds ncTt concerning himself but others, Howbeit Thou dost not put forth Thine hand for the destroying of them. For whereas whilst speaking of himself in arguing, he subjoins cases applying to others, he shews how many he represents the persons of in himself. Accordingly the Lord ' puts not forth His hand for the destroying' of those that sin, when by striking He reforms from sins, and ' He saves those that are falling to the ground,' when those falling into transgression 502 True compassion, as in Christ, takes suffering to itself.
Job 30, He vvounds as to the health of the body; that being brought ^low outwardly thev should arise inwardly, in order that lying prostrate in the body those should be brought back to the standing of the interior, who whilst standing outwardly lay low to the standing of the soul. It goes on; Ver. 25. I itept of old over him that was in trouble; my soul suffered with the poor. xxxvi. gg^ Though it is true compassion to concur with the suffering of a fellow creature by bountifulness, yet sometimes when the several outward things are abundantly provided for us to bestow, the hand of him that gives finds the act of giving more quickly than the feeling does sorrow. Hence it is necessary for us to know that he gives in a perfect way, who together with that, which he reaches forth to the afflicted, takes in himself the feeling of the afflicted as well; that he should first transfer the suffering of the person sorrowing into himself, and then, to meet the sorrow of that person by the act of service render concurrence. For often, as we said before, the abundvance of good things creates the bestower of a benefit, and not the excellence of compassion. For he, who perfectly compassionates the afflicted, generally even gives that to the persons in want, wherein he himself, if he gives it, is brought to shifts. And then the compassion of our heart is to the full, when we are not afraid to take upon ourselves the evil of want in behalf of a fellow creature, in order that we may set him free from suffering.
69. Which model of pitifulness in very deed the Mediator between God and Man gave to us. Who when He could have succoured us even without dying, yet was minded to \ come to the aid of mankind by dying, because plainly He ] would have loved us too little, except He took upon Him our wounds as well; nor would He exhibit the face of His love to us, unless the thing that He was to take away from us, He did Himself undergo for a time. For He found us subject to suffering, and mortal beings, and He, Who caused us to exist out of nothing, doubtless had the powder to restore us from suffering even without death. But that He might shew how great the virtue of Compassion is. He deigned to become in our behalf what He would not have us to be, that He should take upon Him death temporally in His own Real compassion is more than any gift. 503 Person, which death He should banish for evermore from Pook ourselves. Could not He, while continuing invisible to us — —.- in the riches of His own Godhead, have been able to enrich us with wonderful powers? But that man might be brought back to the interior riclies, God deigned to appear poor without. Hence also the great Preacher, that he might kindle to the kindness of bounty the bowels of our com- passion, said, For our sakes He became poor, when He was2CoT.8, rich. Who speaks in this way also; Nof. (hat to others there ^^ ^ j3 should be a releasing, but to you tribulation. These things doubtless he brought in condescending to the weak, because some not having the strength to bear want, it is better borne to give less, than after one's bounty to murmur on account of straitness of poverty. For that he might kindle the minds of those that heard him to great affections for giving, a little while after he introduced the words, saying, But this I sag, 2Cot.9j He which so wet It sparingly shall reap also sparingly. But we sometimes say that it is more to sympathize in heart than it is to give; because every one who perfectly sympathizes with one in want, reckons as less all that he gives. For except that good will surpassed the hand of a person in giving, that same great Preacher would not have said to the disciple, WJto have begun before not only to do, but also 2 Cor.8, to be forivard a year ago. Since it is easy in good deeds to ^^' obey even against one's will. But this great excellence had appeared in the disciples, that the good that w^as enjoined them, they had been forward to even before.
70. Thus because the holy man knew that with Almighty God greater sometimes is the gift of the mind than of the benefit, let him say, / wept of old over him that was in trouble, and my soul compassionated the poor man. For in bestowing outward things, he rendered an object without himself. But he who bestowed upon his neighbour weeping and compassion, gave him something even from his very self. But on this account we say that compassion is more than the gift, because for the most part some sort of thing even he gives who docs not entertain compassion, but never does he, who feels true compassion, withhold that which he sees to be necessary for his neighbour.
71. Which sentence surely is well suited to the accents 504 Holy Church suffers for those who lack virtue. Jon 30, of Holy Church, who while she sees persons afflicted in the -r— ^ — ^ tears of penitence, joins her own tears thereto by continual prayer, and sympathizes with the needy person as often as by the entreaties of her intercession she helps the mind • bared of virtues. Since we lament over the afflicted sympa- thizing with him, when we reckon the hurts of others as our own, and by our tears strive to cleanse away the sins of those guilty of transgression. In the doing which, indeed, we very often help ourselves more than we do those in whose behalf it is done, because before the Inmost Umpire, Who also breathes into us the grace of charity, he perfectly washes out his own several acts, who disinterestedly bewails those of others. Therefore let Holy Church, being seized in the time of the last persecution, recall to remembrance the good things which she has done in the time of peace, saying, / wept of old over him that was ajflicted, and my soul compassionated the poor man. Who longing for the eternal delights of the interior light, yet still delayed, because she is beset with outward ills, may subjoin in the accents of the holy man; Ver. 26. When I looked for good, then evil came unto me; and when I waited for light, there broke forth darkness. xxxvii. 72. For the faithful people * looks for good,' but receives evil, and it ' waits for light,' and meets with ^ darkness,' because by the grace of the recompensing it hopes to be now already admitted to the joys of the Angels, and yet being delayed for a longer time here below, it is exposed to the hands of those that persecute it; and he who calculates to enjoy as quickly as possible the recompensing of the Light Eternal, is still forced to suffer here the darkness of his persecutors. Which same ills of those persecuting them would grieve them the less, if they arose from unbelievers and adversaries. But they torture the mind of the Elect the worse in proportion as they proceed from those, upon whom they were foreassuring good. Whence it is yet further added; Ver. 27. My bowels boiled, and rested not. Since for ' the bowels' of Holy Church ' to boil' is for her to endure in the fierceness of persecution, these very persons too, whom she had before in the love of the faith carried as Holy men self-abased in prosperity. 505 * bowels.' Which same first acquainting themselves with Book her secrets, in the same proportion as they know where she /— — - suffers the greatest pain, to so much the worse degree never rest from the afflicting of her; which persons however even in the time of her peace she bears heavily with, because she takes thought of their wa^'s as opposite to her own preachings. For she groans when she espies the life of those as unlike to herself Concerning whom also it is fitly subjoined; The days of affliction prevented me.
For the Holy Church of Elect persons knows that in the last persecution she shall suffer many ills, but ' the days of her affliction prevent her;' because even in the time of peace she bears within herself the life of the wicked with a heavy spirit. For though in the last days there follow the open persecution of the unbelievers, yet this same even before it comes to light, those in her who are believers to the extent of the word only by bad practices forerun. It goes on; Ver. 28. / went ynourning:. without rage rising up, I cried out in the crowd.
73. I see that it is a thing to be carefully noted historically xxxviii. considered, that the holy man who a little before said, Thou "^^^'^' hast lifted me up, added below, / went mourning. For by a wonderful arrangement at one and the same time there is wont to meet together in the courses of good men, at once without, the honour of the highest pitch, and within, the mourning of afflicted abasement. Hence the holy man like- wise, whilst lifted to a height by substance and by honours, 'went mourning;' for though this man the high credit of power displayed advanced above his fellow-creatures, yet inwardly he offered to the Lord by his mourning the secret sacrifice of a contrite heart. Since the sacrifice of Qod is a troubled Vs. 5i, spirit. Now all the Elect are taught by inward reflecting to fight against the temptations of outward superiority. Which persons, if they set their heart to their outward good fortune, assuredly would cease to be righteous. But because it can- not be that upon the mere grounds of the successes of fortune alone the heart of man should never be at all tempted with however slight a degree of pride, holy men strive hard within against their very good fortune itself; I do not say, lest in selfexaltation, but lest in the love of that prosperity at all events 506* Holy men speak not in rage^ thoiiyh provoked.
Job 30, they should be brought to the ground. Aud it is most effec- L_ tually to have been brought under this, to have surrendered Hist.
the mind in a state of captivity to the desires thereof. But who that has a taste for earthly things, who that embraces temporal objects, would not look upon blessed Job as happy amidst so many circumstances of prosperity, when the health of the body, the life of his children, the preservation of his household, the completeness of his flocks, were all vouchsafed to him? But that in all these circumstances he did not take delight, he is his own witness, in that he says, / went mourning. For to the holy man still placed in this state of pilgrimage, all that is full of abundance, without the Vision of God, is destitution; because when the Elect see that all things are theirs, they lament that they do not see the Author of all things, and to them all this is too little, because there is still wanting the appearance of One. And in such sort does the grace of Heavenly Appointment exalt them without, that nevertheless, within, the sorrow of the instructress charity holds them under discipline. By which same they learn, that for the things which they receive out- wardly, they should ever be the more humbled to themselves, should keep the mind under the yoke of discipline, should never by the liberty of power be made to break out into impatience. Whence also it is fitly subjoined, Without rage rising in the croud, I cried out. For it often happens that the tumults of seditious men provoke the spirit of their rulers, and by disorderly emotions they transgress the limit of their orderliness.
74. And very often they who are set at the head, except in the mouth of the heart they be held in with the bridle of the Holy Spirit, leap forth into the fierceness of enraged retribution, and as much as they are able to do, reckon themselves to be at liberty to do with those under them. For impatience is almost always the friend of power, and that power when evil it even rules over as subject to it. For what that same feels, power executes. But holy men bow down themselves much more to the yoke of patience inwardly, than they are above others outwardly, and they exhibit without the truer governance, in proportion as they maintain within more lowly servitude to God: and they for this reason often Sadness of the Church. Assoclalion with hypocrites, 507 endure persons the more fully, the more they have it in their Book power to revenge themselves upon them, and lest they should ever pass over into things unlawful, they very often will not put in execution in their own behalf even what is lawful; they are subject to the clamours of those under their charge, they rebuke in love those, whom they bear in mildness. Whence it is rightly said now, IVithout rage rising up in the crowd, I cried out; in this way, because against the clamours of the unruly the good have ' crying out,' but they have not ' rage,' because those whom they bear with gently they do not cease to teach. But these particulars which Alleg. after the historical view we have delivered concerning one individual, it remains that we understand after the allegorical view concerning diverse Elect ones of Holy Church. For she too in her Elect ' goes mourning,' even in prosperous circumstances. For she accounts nothing truly prosperous to her, until the good, which she is preeminently seeking after, she may lay hold of. Since her faithful ones enjoy temporal peace indeed, but sigh evermore; they are honoured, and afflicted: because very often they are seen at the highest pitch there, where they are not citizens. She too ' rises in the crowd without rage, and cries out,' because she presses upon the life of the evil doers with the eagerness of right jealousy, not with the frenzy of rage. She is angry and loving, she deals wrathfully and is tranquil, that so her weak members she may reform by zealousness, and cherish in pitifulness. It goes on; Ver. 29. / was a brother to dragons, and a companion to ostriches.
75. What is there denoted by the title of ' dragons,' butxxxix. the life of evil minded men? Of whom also it is said by the prophet, Theg drew up the wind like dragons. For all Jer. 14, wicked men * draw in wind like dragons,' when they are * swoln with evil minded pride. But who are used to be understood by the designation of ^ ostriches,' saving pretenders? For the ostrich has wings, but has not flight; because all pretenders have an appearance of sanctity, but the good- ness of sanctity they have not. For those persons the appearance of good conduct adorns, but the wing of virtue never lifts them from the earth. So let the Elect people of 508 Sinners mingled with the Riyhteous to try them.
Job 30, Holy Church, because in the time of its peace it suffers within - — '— itself persons that are evil minded and pretenders, say the words, / was a brother to dragons, and a companion to ostriches. Which too in a special manner accords with the words of blessed Job, who to the highest pitch of great forti- tude was a good man amongst bad. For no one is perfect who amidst his neighbours' evil things is not patient. For he who does not bear others' evil with composure, is by his impatience witness to himself that he is very far removed from the plenitude of goodness. For he refuses to be Abel, whom the malice of Cain does not exercise.
76. Thus in the threshing of the floor the grains are squeezed under the chaff, thus the flowers come forth between thorns, and the rose that smells grows along with the thorn that pricks. Thus the first man had two sons, but one was elect, the other refuse. The three sons of Noah too did the ark contain, but while two continued in humility, one went head- long into the mocking of his father. Two sons Abraham had, but one was innocent, the other the persecutor of his brother. Two sons also Isaac had, one saved in humility, while the other even before that he was born was cast away. Twelve sons Jacob begat, but of these one was sold in innocency, while the rest were through wickedness the sellers of their brother. Twelve Apostles too were chosen in Holy Church; but that they might not remain untried, one is mixed with them, who by persecuting should try them. For to a just man there is joined a sinner together with wicked- ness, just as in the furnace to the gold there is added chaff along with fire, that in proportion as the chaff burns the gold may be purified. So then those are truly good men, who are enabled to hold on in goodness even in the midst of bad men; herein too it is said to Holy Church by the voice of Cant. 2 the Spouse; As a lily among tJtorns, so is my love among ,* the daughters. Hence the Lord saith to Ezekiel; And thou, son of man, unbelievers and overturners are with thee, and thou dwellest among scorpions. Hence Peter magnifies the 2 Pet.2,life of blessed Lot, saying. And delivered righteous Lot, when oppressed, from the wrongful conversation of the wicked. For to he seen and to be heard he was righteous, living among those, who from day to day vexed the soul of the righteous man Outer ones of Holy Church in trial as blackened skin. 509 by wicked works. Hence Paul magnifies the life of his Book disciples, and in magnifying strengthens it, saying, In the — r-^— midst of a crooked and perverse nation^ among ichom ye 15. 16.' shine as lights in the worlds holding the word of life. Hence by John, the Angel of the Church of Pergamus is borne witness to in the words, / know where thou dwellest, even Rev. 2, ichere Satan's seat is; and thou boldest fast My name, and^^' hast not denied My faith. So then let blessed Job, that he may evince what firmness he is of, tell with whom he liv ed, say- ing, / was a brother to dragons, and a companion to ostriches. Because it would have been but little that he himself did good things, except that for the heightening of his goodness he likewise sustained what was evil at the hands of others. It goes on; Ver. 30. My skhi is black upon me, and my bones are burned ivith heat.
11. This we forbear to take account of after the history, xl. for this reason, that the force of the speech appears from the ]3ain of the suffering. But because, as we have already often said, blessed Job very frequently so relates things done, as to foretell things to be done, this excellently agrees with the accents of Holy Church, who in her weak members grievously feels the pain of the last persecution. And when others die off from her, all the stronger ones are wrung with sorrow. For her outward concern is earthly dispensing, but the interior is a heavenly charge. And so by the name of the * skin' the weak are denoted, who now do service in her to exterior usefulness. While by the bones the strong are represented, in that in them the whole jointing of her body is cemented. And therefore because either being invited by bribes, or dis- tressed by persecutions, many weak persons in her fall from the standing of faith, and themselves after they have fallen persecute her, what is it but that she suffers a ' blackness of her skin,' that in those very ones she should afterwards appear foul, in whom she before shewed fair. For whilst they who had been before accustomed to manage outward things aright, afterwards rage against the Elect of God, as it were ' the skin' of the Church has lost the hue of foregoing righteousness, in that it has come to the blackness of iniquity. Which Jeremiah also bewails under the likeness of the pri*^-