very fact that (iocl has created man a rational being, He puts a seal in the hand of all men, that every one may know his own works. But because Kliu has stated his opinion of the wickedness of men one by one, he turns at once the eyes of his mind to the author of wickedness hiinself, by whose means each separate wickedness takes its rise; that, because he had assailed in this one verse the members of a wicked head, he might also briefly describe the head himself of these mem- bers. Or certainly, because he had mentioned above the virtues of the clouds of God, he now proceeds to set forth also the assaults of the adversary against the life of the righteous. For it follows, Ver. 8. The beast will enter his covert^ and will abide in his den.
xxvi. 49. Who else is understood by the name of the beast, except our ancient enemy, who cruelly aimed at the deception of the first man, and mangled by his wicked advice the integrity of his life } against whom it is promised by the words of the Prophet, concerning the restoration of the Is. 35,9. Church of the Elect to its ancient condition, And no evil beast shall pass through it. But when after the coming of the Redeemer, after the voices of preachers, after the thunder, as it were, of the clouds, this beast has seized that accursed person, Antichrist, what else does he do but enter his covert, in order to abide in his own den } For that vessel of the devil is the den and covert of the beast, so that, when lying in ambush against men who are journeying through this life, he both escapes their notice by his wonders, and kills them by his malice, in his person. But yet he possesses even now the hearts of all reprobates, before he manifests himself openly; and occupies them by his secret wickedness, as though they were his own den; and conceals himself in their gloomy minds, in order to effect all the hurt he desires against the good. Were not the hearts of the persecuting Jews, the den of this beast; in whose designs he long lurked secretly, but suddenly burst forth with the voices of those who cried, Johnl9, Crucify, Crucify? And because he could not reach so far in his temptation, as to wound the mind of our Redeemer, he He dwells in them, hut cannot in the righteous. 237 was oagiT for His death in the flesh. This beast doubtless Book 1 XXVII possessed the hearts of many of the Elect, but the Lamb has, -^ '- by His death, expelled him from them. Whence also He says in the Gospel, Now shall the prince of this world 6e John 12, cast out. For while He has, by a wonderful and righteous judgment, enlightened and accepted the confessions of the humble. He has forsaken and closed the eyes of the proud.
Whence it is said to Him by the Psalmist, Thou hast ap- Ps. 104, pointed darktie.<is, and it became night, in it all the beasts of the woods will pass through: the t/oung of lions roaring to seize their prey, and to seek their food from God. For God in truth appoints darkness, when, in inflicting judgment in requital for sins, He withdraws the light of His wisdom.
And it is made niglit, because the mind of wicked men is blinded with the errors of their own ignorance. In which all the beasts of the field pass through, when malignant spirits, lurking under the gloom of deceit, pass through into the hearts of the reprobates, by fulfilling their evil purposes.
In which also the young of lions roar, because spirits rise up with importunate temptations, as the ministers of most wicked, but yet preeminent, powers. But yet they seek their food from God; because doubtless they are unable to catch souls, unless by a just judgment they are permitted by God to prevail. Where it is also fitly subjoined, TJie sun hath ibid. 22.
arisen, and theij are gathered together, and have laid them down in their dens. Because, when expelled from the minds of the faithful, by the Light of the Truth manifested in the flesh, they returned, as it were, to their dens, when they held the hearts of unbelievers only. That then which is there called the den of lions, is here termed the den of the beast.
50. But I think it ought to be specially observed, that this beast is said, not only to enter his den, but to abide therein. For he sometimes enters even the minds of the good, he suggests unlawful thoughts, he wearies them with temptations, he endeavours to turn aside the uprightness of the spirit to the pleasure of the flesh; he also strives to carry out delight as far as to consent: but yet he is kept from prevailing by the opposition of aid from on high. He can enter therefore into the minds of the good, but cannot 288 'I'liC' Eh'f (Irirr. cml ihontjhh from the hmrCsi door.
Jon 37, abide therein, because tlie heart of the righteous is not 1— the den of tliis beast. For he doubtless abides in and occu])ios the minds of those, whom lie possesses as his own den: because he fust leads on their thoughts to wicked desires, and afterwards leads their wicked desires even to the commission of most sinful deeds. For the reprobate do not endeavour to repel, with the upright hand of judgment, the suggestions of him, to whose wishes they desire to yield, by submissive delight. And when any evil thought arises in their hearts, it is cherished at once by the eagerness of delight; and when no resistance is made to him, he is strengthened immediately by consent, and consent is in- stantly carried into outward act, but outward act is also made worse by habit. This beast then is well said to abide in his cave; which keeps hold of the thoughts of the repro- bate, till it also pierces their life with the sting of evil deeds. Jer. 4, Whence the Lord well says to Judaea bv the Prophet, How long shall hurtful ihotights abide in thee f For He does not blame for their coming, but for their remaining there. And unlawful thoughts come even unto good hearts, but they are forbidden to remain; because the righteous, in order to keep the house of conscience from being taken, drive away the enemy from the very threshold of the heart. And if he has 1 Oxf. ever secretly crept ^ by sudden suggestions in front of the < sub- entrance, yet he does not reach to the gate of consent, repit.' \i ^as to this beast doubtless that Peter, overcome by the Luke22, iinpulse of sudden fear, opened the gate of his heart, by '~ ' denial, but he withstood it by a speedy discovery, he closed it by his tears. But because the ancient enemy has not only entered and occupied the hearts of persecutors, but has also occupied and possessed them, let it be rightly said, The beast will enter his covert, and will abide in his den. For we learn how much he dwelt in the minds of the Jews, when we hear their plans, on the evidence of the Gospel narrative. For therein it is described, with what eager cruelty they raged for His death, when they beheld our Lord quickening the dead; how many evil designs they ardently wished to carry out against Him, but yet feared the people; how many opportunities they sought of killing Him, and could not find them; how many hands of aliens they Jews Jigured in ^ the South ^ Pilate in * Arctur?is.^ 239 used to carry out their cruel wishes; because they wave Him Book up to the Gentiles to be killed, Whom they themselves were ~ ' not able legally to put to death; in order that the Roman governor might perform that by his mere power, which they eagerly insisted ought to be done, merely from their malice. Whence it is also fitly subjoined, Ver. 9. A tempest will come fortli from the inner parts, and cold from Arcturus.
51. When Holy Scripture mentions the inner parts, in xxvii. opposition to Arcturus, it designates the quarter of the South, opposite to the yjarts of the North. Whence it is written in this same book; WJio makelh Arcturus, and the 0?'ions,Joh9,9. and the inner parts of the South. Because then the sun pervades with greater warmth the inner parts of ihe South, but does not pursue its course at all in the North ^, by the Mn Arc- word 'inner parts' in this place is expressed the Jewish people, ^^^' but by the term 'Arcturus' the Gentile people. For they who had known the One and Invisible God, and obeyed His Law, at least carnally, were kept, as it were, in the warmth of faith, under the glow of the midday sun. But because the Gentiles had not attained to any knowledge of heavenly wisdom, they were remaining, as it were, in the cold, without the sun, under the North. But because a tempest impels, but cold oppresses with torpor ', it is now rightly said, A tempest will come forth from the inner parts, and cold from Arcturus. As if it were plainly said; From the Jews there arises persecuting malice, and from the Gentiles oppressing power. For the precepts of the Law had not forbidden the performance of miracles, and yet the Jews sought to kill the Redeemer of the human race on account of these very miracles. And hence when unable to fulfil what they had begun, they flocked to the hall of Pilate, in order that he, whom no law could restrain when murdering unjustly, miglit himself put Him to death. A tempest therefore came forth from the inner parts, and cold from Arcturus, whilst the Gentile judge perpetrated with the authority of Rome,. that which tlie Jews requested through envy. Whence it is well subjoined still further against this same envy, Ver. 10. When God hloweth, the ice congeals.
52. Because, as the Holy Spirit breathed on the hearts of xxviii.
240 Jce of Pcrsrciifion thdirrd hy tin" S/nrit of God.
Job 37, the faitliful, and conferred frreatcr miracles of power, be- '— iiun)l)ing envy grew up tlie more in tlie sluggisli hearts of the faitliless; and the unbelievinj^ multitude became hardened against God, from the same causes, as the humble people softened the obduracy, with which it had bound itself. For when God blew on them, they were turned into ice, who said, through envy of the miracles they had witnessed; Johiil2, Behold, the whole world hath fjone after Him. They were beholding the signs, perceiving the miracles performed hy His ministers, and foreseeing, that the whole world was now about to follow the preaching of the faith; and yet, the more the Holy Spirit had filled the world, the more firmly was the malice of envy binding their minds. The water therefore had been turned into ice, when sluggish Judaea was still remaining in envy, as the whole world was going after God. But because Divine Power was sufficient to soften the hard- ness even of such great cruelty, and to melt the hearts of unbelievers to love Him, after this ice it is immediately well subjoined; And the waters are again poured forth abundantly.
xxix. 53. For the Lord has in truth poured forth the waters abundantly, after this ice; for after He had endured the hardness of the Jews, even unto death, He immediately melted their hearts from the hardness of unbelief, by breath- ing on them the love of Himself; in order that they might afterwards run the more eagerly to obey Him, the more ob- stinately they had before resisted His commands. Whence Ecclus. it is well said by a certain wise man, As ice in fair weather, ' * SO shall thy sins he melted away. The Prophet had desired Ps. 126, to be freed from the ice of this torpor, when saying. Turn *• our captivity^ O Lord^ as the stream in the South. Of these waters, that is, of people flocking together to the Lord, it is Ps. 147, said again. He will send forth His icord, arid will melt them: His breath will blow, and the waters will flow.
Waters run from ice, because many great preachers are made out of hard persecutors. Ice therefore melts in water, when the numbness of inward cold is changed into the irrigation of preaching. Was not PcUil ice, who when going Acts 9, to Damascus, after he had received letters, was seeking to ^' check the seeds of the word of God, which had been scattered] The corn of God noiu needs tJie rain of instruction. 241 in the heart of ihe faithful, as if in the earth, that they mit^ht Book •. " xxvir not spring up to the perfection of good deeds? But this iccl-^ -* returned in water; because lie afterwards watered with the streams of holy exhortation those whom he before en- deavoured to oppress with persecution, in order that there might arise a more abundant harvest of the Elect, in so much as the shower of God was watering it from the mouth even of a persecutor. Whence it is well subjoined; Ver. 1 1. The corn desireth clouds.
54. For what are all the Elect, but the corn of God, to xxx. be treasured up in the heavenly garners? Which now bear with the chaff in the threshing of the floor; because ill this purification of Holy Church, they endure the con- trary habits of the reprobate, till the inward Husbandman separates them with His fan of judgment, and taking His Elect, as grains now cleaned, into the heavenly habitations, consigns the chaff to eternal fires. Whence it is well said by John, Whose fan is in His hand, and He will throughly Matt. 3, purge His floor, and will gather the wheat into His barn^ ' but He icill burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. But this corn, till it attain to the perfection of its fruits, looks for the rains of the clouds, in order to its growth. Because the mind of good men is watered with the words of preachers, lest it should be drained of the moisture of charity by the sun of carnal desires. The heavenly Husbapdman had be- held this corn growing up in the world, and desiring the clouds, when He was saying, The harvest indeed is plenteous, \i^ti.<i^ hut the labourers are few. But pray ye the Lord of the^'^'^^' harvest, to send forth labourers into His harvest. Those therefore which here are called ' corn/ are there called ' harvest,' but they who are here called ^ clouds,' are there called * labourers,' because holy preachers are both clouds and labourers; clouds, namely, by their doctrine, labourers by their life; clouds because they flow into us by their words, labourers, because they cease not to do what they speak. Whence it is subjoined; And the clouds scatter their light.
55. For, for clouds to scatter their light, is for holy xxxi. preachers to spread abroad examples of conduct, both by their words and actions. But though they scatter the light VOL. III. R 24*2 G()J*s Ministers yuidtd to visit whom He with.
Job 37, of thcir inward message, yet they do not attain to the con- ^^' version of all the hearts which they desire. For it follows; Yer. 12. Which traverse all thinr/s in a circuit, whither- soever the will of their Ruler shall lead them.
xxxii. 5G, For holy preachers often wish to exhort some persons, but cannot do so. Some they often wish to avoid, but are yet most urgently compelled, by the impulse of inward instigation, to exhort them. Let us behold the cloud of God, how it is led by the hand of Him Who guides it, even to those things which it does not seek after: and is, again, kept from following its own impulse, by the hand of Him •who governs it. When Paul was shaking his raiment, and was wishing to depart from the Corinthians, he surely heard, Acts 18, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace, for I am ' ' with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee, for I have much people in this city. Again, when he had wished iThess.to go to the Thessalonians, he was kept back, and said, / ' * wished to come unto you, even I Paul, both once and again, but satan hindered me. For satan could not of himself hinder the journeys of so mighty an Apostle; but, while opposing, he ignorantly subserved the design of the secret dispensation; in order that Paul, while he wished to visit other persons, and was unable, might more suitably benefit those, from whom he could not depart. The clouds of God, therefore, traverse all things in a circuit, because they illuminate the ends of the world with the light of preaching. But, because being subject to the Divine will, they cannot fulfil their own wishes, they cannot go any where, except where the will of their Ruler shall lead them. Whence it is still further subjoined; To every thing which He shall command them upon the face of the earth. xxxiii. 57. For often when they are led by the will of their Ruler.i they seek to do one thing, but are disposed otherwise. Foi they frequently desire to correct some of their hearers in al gentle way, and yet their.speech is turaed into sharpness. They frequently seek to be severe with others, but yet theii vigour is restrained by the spirit of gentleness. As, therefore^ they cannot go whither they will, so also they cannot act as they will. For because the inward Judge keeps hold oj His gracious teaching granted in divers wags^ and places, 243 them, when He sends them, so also does He modify and Book take them up, when lie leads them on, so that sometimes' — - — -* they aiTauge one thing in their thought, but carry another into effect; they sometimes begin in one way, but end in another. Because then they serve according to that which is commanded them, let it be rightly said, Whithersoever the will of their Ruler shall lead them, to every thing which He shall command them upon the face of the earth. For they find the way of their preaching the more open, in ' that they are guided to it, not by their own will, but that of their Teacher. Whence it is still further subjoined; Ver. 13. Whether in one tribe, or in His own laiid, or in whatsoever place qf His mercy He shall order them to be found, 58. The one tribe of Judah is certainly meant, which isxxxiv. mentioned in Holy Scripture plainly and repeatedly above the rest. For it received a special gift above them all, in that it brought forth from itself the flesh of our Redeemer. But all Judaia together is called the land of the Lord. Deut. Because it then produced to Him the fruit of faith, when the^^' ^^' whole world was in error, the Gentiles having fallen under the worship of idols. But the place of the mercy of God is the Gentile world itself, for if the strict Judge were justly to punish its faults, it would never come to the reconciliation of grace. For, when it had no merits before God, it yet received the grace of reconciliation of His sole mercy. Whence it is well said by Paul, And that the Gentiles should ^om.\b, glorify God for His mercy. Whence it is written again. Which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained ^^^^-'^^ mercy, God therefore leads His clouds, either in one tribe, or in His own land, or in whatsoever place of His mercy He shall order them to be found; because at one time He conferred preachers of the Old and New Testament on the tribe of Judah only, and rejected nearly the whole of Israel by the wicked governing of their kings. At one time. He makes these clouds to rain, even in His own land, because He recalled this same people of Israel to His former favour, after correction in captivity. At another. He wished them to shine forth from the place of His mercy; because He made known by holy preachers even to the Gentiles the 244 Eliu thinks Job a low-rninded hearer.
Job 37, miracles of His power, in order by His sole mercy to free 1_- those from the yoke of error whom His wrath in their innate unbelief was wei^liing down. But behold, because Kliu has perceived future events by the spirit of pro])})ecy, because he has uttered many sublime truths; the hauglity man, wearied with the weight of his pride, is unable to bear the burden of what he says. For he adds at once in a boastful manner, Ver. 14. Hearken unto these things, O Job, stand, and consider the wondrous works of God.
XXXV. 59. He saw him to be lying down, as it were, in com- parison with himself, whom he directed to stand at the words of so great preaching. Although even by this word, " Listen^'' which he uses, he inflicts a grievous insult upon Job; because, as we have akeady said of him also before, it is arrogance for an inferior, to wish to extort for himself a hearing from his superior. But although Eliu does not consider to whom he is saying the truths that he utters, yet we, who seek to be instructed by all things, ought carefully to examine the words of his teaching. For perhaps it is said with great skill in virtue. Stand, and consider the wondrous works of God. For there are some who consider the wondrous works of God, but lying down; because they do not follow and admire the power of His doings. For to ' stand,' is to act uprightly. Whence also it is said by Paul, 1 Cor. Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall. ' ' And they often indeed admire the judgments of heaven, love the announcements of their heavenly countr}^, when they hear them, are astounded at the wondrous operations of His inward ordaining, but yet neglect to attain to these words by their love and their lives. They then lie, and consider the wondrous works of God, who think of God's power in their understanding, but do not love it in their lives. They turn indeed their eyes in consideration, by thinking on them, but yet do not raise themselves from the earth by their intention.
Numb. Whence it is well said in reproach of Balaam, Who falling^ ' ' hath his eyes open. For he had said many things of the coming of the Bedeemer, and was foreseeing what things were to come to pass in the last days. But yet he was unwilling to rise up to Him in his life. Whom by foreseeing he announced. He was lying then, and had his eyes open, T'he clouds that rain doctrine shine also in life. 245 when prophecy was directing his mind to heavenly things, Book and covetousness was confining it to earth. He was lying ' and had his eyes open, because he was able to behold Him from above, Whom, grovelling below, he loved not. Eliu therefore, who did not believe that blessed Job had maintained in his life that, which he professed, says, as if advising him. Stand, and consider the wondrous works of God. He still further examines him as to future events, and adds, as if humbling him for his ignorance; Ver. 15. Dosl fhon know when God commanded the rains to shew forth the light of His clouds?
60. If ^clouds' are holy preachers, the rains from thexxxvi. clouds are the words of their preaching. But when clouds fly through the air, unless rain descends from above, we know not what an immensity of waters they carry. Unless the glittering sun breaks forth amidst the rain, we cannot understand, uhat brightness also is concealed within them. Because doubtless if holy preachers are silent, and shew not by their words, how great is the brightness of heavenly hope, which they bear in their hearts, they seem to be like other men, or far more despicable. But when they have begun to lay open by their preaching, what is the reward of the heavenly country, which they possess within; when, oppressed bv persecution, they make known in what a height of virtue they have made progress; when, despised in outward appear- ance, they point out by their words what makes them feared; the rains themselves, which pour from the clouds, shew us the light of these very clouds. For we learn by the words of preachers to reverence in them, with great humdity, the brightness of life which they seek after. Paul was doubtless displaying this light lo his disciples, when he said, Jliat?/eEph. i, 7nai/ know, what is the hojie of His calling^ what the riches of the glory cf His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe* This light the Corinthians had known by the words of his writings, as by drops of rain, when they said, His 2 Cor. letters are weighty and powerful, hut his bodily presence is^ ^ ' weak, and his speech contemptible. But holy preachers frequently desire to display themselves, in order to do good, but yet are unable: they frequently desire to be concealed.
21G Narrow paths here the way to future fjreatness.
Job 37, ill order to be quiet, and are not permitted. No one tbere- — fore knows when the rains sliew the light of the clouds, because no one comprelicnds wlieii God grants the virtue of preaching, that the glory of the i)rcachers may shine forth. lie says therefore. Dost thou know, when God commanded the rains, to shew forth the light of His clouds? As if he said plainly, If thou now beholdest preachers about to come to the world, dost thou understand, when God urges them on to preach, by filling them with His Holy Spirit, or in what way He makes known their brightness to the world? Whence it is also fitly subjoined, Ver. 16. Dost thou know the miyJity paths of the clouds, and their perfect knowledge f xxxvii. 61. These clouds have most subtle paths, namely, the Matt. 7, ways of holy preaching. For narrow is the gate, which leadeth unto life. They confine then those by paths, who do not depart from the track of their purpose by wandering through the wide desires of the world. For the strict censure of holy living is not a broad way, but a path, in which each preacher is studiously confined: because he is carefully hemmed in by the defence of precepts. Is it not, as it were, a kind of narrowness of way to live indeed in this world, but to have no desires for this world, not to seek for another's goods, not to retain one's own, to despise the praises of the world, to love reproaches for God's sake, to avoid glory, to court contempt, to despise flatterers^ to honour our despisers, to banish from our hearts the wrongs of those vvho hurt us, and to retain towards them the un- changeable grace of affection in the heart.'' All which namely are paths, but paths of greatness. For the narrower they are in this life, for guarding our conduct, the more are they enlarged to greater width in eternal retribution. Whence also it is well subjoined. And their perfect knowledge.
62. For it is indeed perfect wisdom, for a man to do all these things with anxious care, and to know that he is nothing in his own deserts. Whence even the clouds them- selves are instructed in this perfect wisdom, when it is said Lukeir, to them by the voice of Truth; Wlien ye have done all these thi?igs which are commanded you, say, We are unprojitahle servants. It is perfect wisdom to knoAv all things, and yet More perfect knowledge makes known our ignorance. 247 in a certain way to be ignorant of one's knowledge; by which Book though we already know the precepts of God, though we are — -' now weighing with anxious attention the power of His words, though we are doing those things, which we believe we have understood; yet we still know not with what strictness of examination these deeds will hereafter be enquired into, nor do we as yet behold the face of God, nor see His hidden counsels. How great then is our knowledge; which, as long as it is pressed down with the weight of mortality, is darkened by the very mist of its own uncertainty? Of which it is well said by Paul, He ivho thinkeih that he knoweth any i Cor.