10. These points then have been stated, to shew in what ways God talks with men. But when the Lord is said to have answered Job from the whirlwind, it is disputed, whether 268 FAiit reprovedy as sayin/j right things not rightly.
Job 38, He spoke to him by Himself, or by an Angel. For commo- '- — tions of the air could have l^een made by an Angel, and tliese words, which are subjoined, could have Vjeen delivered by him. And again, both an Angel could agitate the air in a whirlwind without, and the Lord could sound into his heart without words the force of His sentence by Himself within; in order that it may be believed that he, who when filled with God, heard these things without words, himself uttered in words the sayings of the Lord which follow. It is therefore said, Ver. 2. Who is this that involves sentences in unskilful words?
ii. 1 L As we have said also in the former part, an interrogative of this kind, in which it is said, Who is this? is the beginning of a reproof. For Eliu had spoken arrogantly. And we say not, IVho is this, excepting expressly of him whom we know not.
But knowledge on God's part is approval; His not knowing is rejection. Whence He says to certain whom He rejects, Lukei3, / hnow you not lahence ye are; depart from Me, all ye workers of iniquity. What then is the enquiring about this haughty man, Who is this? except saying openly, I know not the arrogant: that is, I approve not of their life in the loftiness of My wisdom. Because while they are puffed up by human praise, they are deprived of the true glory oi eternal retribution. But in that He said sentences, and added not of what kind, we certainly understand them to be good. And tie asserts that these were involved in unskilful words, because they had been brought forward with language of boasting. For it is a fault of unskilfulness, to hold whai is right in a wrong way, that is, to pervert the heavenly gifi to a desire for earthly praise. For as it often happens thai good things are stated badly and bad things properly, so the arrogant Eliu brought forward right truths not rightly, because in defence of God he uttered humble sentiments unhumbly Whence he deservedly serves as a type of those who withir the Catholic Church are studious of vain-glory: for while the3 believe themselves to be skilful beyond others, they are ir the Divine judgment convicted of unskilfulness; because, ai 1 Cor. the Apostle said. If any man think that he knoweth am ' ' thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. Fo Job called on to be manful against the lust of pride. 269 since the original folly of the Angel was pride of heart, Book humility in his own estimation becomes the true wisdom nf^^^"^' man. And whoever abandons this by even thinking great things, is the more outrageously foolish, the more he knows not himself. Whence Eliu both uttered sentences, and those involved in unskilful words, because he both knew the truth which he was speaking about God, and yet his silly pride was making foolish the things he said of himself. Having then glanced with contempt on this man. His words are directed to the instruction of Job.
Ver. 3. Gird up thy loins as a man.
1 2. Holy Scripture is wont to call those persons- ' men,' who iii. follow, doubtless, the ways of the Lord with firm and steady steps. Whence it is said by the Psalmist, Do manfully, and Ps. 31, let your heart he strengthened. Whence Paul says, Lift up y,\,„ the hands ichich hang down, and the feeble knees. Whence 12. also Wisdom in the Proverbs, Unto you, O men, I call. As Prov. 8, if She were saying openly, I do not speak to women, but to ' men: because they who are of an unstable mind, cannot at all understand My words. But to gird up the loins is to restrain lust either in work, or in thought. For the delight of the flesh is in the loins. Whence it is said to holy Preachers, Let your loins he girded about, and your lights Lukeii, burning. For by the loins is designated lust, but by lights ^^' the brightness of good works. They are commanded there- fore to gird their loins, and to hold their lights. As if they heard openly; First, restrain lust in yourselves, and then set forth from yourselves examples of good works to others. But since we have known that blessed Job was endowed with such great chastity, why is it said to him after so many scourges. Gird up thy loins as a man, (that is, as a bold man restrain thy lust,) except that there is one lust of the flesh, with which we pollute our chastity, but another lust of the heart, by which we boast of our chastity? It is said therefore to him, Gird up thy loins as a man: in order that he who had first overcome the lust of corruption, should now restrain the lust of pride; and that he might not, from priding himself on his patience or his chastity, become more fatally lustful before the eyes of God within, the more patient and chaste he appeared before the eyes of men. Whence it is Q70 God fpifistions us by trouble^ by hard commands.
Job 38, well said by Moses, Circumcise ike foreskins of your heart; ^ - that is, after ye have restrained hist in the flesh, lop off also Deut. *^ 10, 16. the superfluities of thouglils. It follows, / will fpiestion thcc, (IikI answer Ihou Me.
iv. 13. Our Maker is wont to question us in three ways; when He strikes us with the severity of the rod, and shews what great patience either exists in, or is wanting to, us. Or when He enjoins certain things which we dislike, and lays open our obedience, or disobedience. Or discloses to us some hidden truths, and conceals others, and makes known to us the measure of our humility. For He questions us by the scourge, when He assails with afflictions the mind which has been properly subject to Him in a time of tranquillity. As the same Job is both praised, on the evidence of his Judge, and yet is given up to the blows of the smiter, in order that his patience might be the more truly manifested, the more severely it had been examined. But He questions us by Gen.i2, enjoining hard things, as Abraham is ordered to go out of his own country, and to go whither he knew not; to lead his only son to the mountain, and to offer up him, whom he had received, when old, as a consolation. For it is doubtless said to him, when making a good reply to the question, that is ib.22,12. when obedient to the command. Now I know that thou Deut. fearest God. Or as it is written, The Lord your God trieih ' ' you, to know if ye love Him, For God's trying us, is His questioning us with mighty commands. His knowing also, is His making us know our own obedience. But God questions us by disclosing some things to us, and shutting Ps.ll4. out others, as is said by the Psalmist, His eyelids question the sons of men. For, when our eyelids are open, we see; when they are closed, we behold nothing. What do we understand then by the eyelids of God, but His judgments? Which in one respect are closed to men, and in another are opened, in order that men who know not themselves, may become know^n to themselves; so that, while they comprehend some truths in their understanding, and are not at all able to understand others, their hearts may secretly examine them- selves, whether the Divine judgments do not stimulate them, when concealed, or puff them up when laid open.
For Paul was proved by this questioning, who after he had by communicating imperfect hnoioledye, 271 tasted inward wisdom, after the barrier of paradise had been Book opened, after the ascent of the third heaven, after the mys-xxvni. teries of Heavenly words, still says, I coiuil not myself to Vhw.z^ have apprehended. And again; / am the least of the j^^^^. Apostles, that am not meet to be called an Apostle* And 15, 9. again; Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anyi Cor. thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God. Paul^'^" then, when questioned by the open eyelids of God, answered rightly, for he both reached to heavenly secrets, and yet stood sublimely in humility of heart. And again, when he was discussing the secret judgments of God concerning the rejection of the Jews and the calling of the Gentiles, and could not attain to them, he was questioned, as it were, by the closed eyelids of God. But he returned a thoroughly right answer, who in his ignorant state, wisely bowed himself down to God, saying, O the depth of the riches of the wisdom jiom.ii and knonledge of God! how incomprehensible are His^^-^"^- judgments, and His ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been His coun- sellor ^ For, lo! when questioned by mysteries hidden, as with closed eyelids, he gave fitting and right answers. For knocking at the entrance of the mystery, because he could not through his knowledge be admitted to inward things, he ; stood before the gates in humble confession, and that which he , could not comprehend within, he praised with dread without. Whence blessed Job is now also, after the questioning of the rod, examined by the questioning of the word, to make him consider the things which are above; and in order that, when he does not comprehend them, he may turn back to himself, and learn how he is almost nothing, in comparison with heavenly things. Let him hear therefore, / will question thee, and answer thou Me. As if it is more plainly said, I rouse thee by My words to consider sublime truths, and whilst thou perceivest that thou knowest not those things that are above thee, I make thee better known to thyself. For then thou answerest Me truly, if thou understandest what things thou knowest not. It follow's, Ver. 4, 5, 6. Where wast thou when I was laying the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if thou hast under- standing. Who hath laid the measure of it, if thou knouest?
I 272 * Foundations of the earth'' may represent the Apostles.
Job 38, or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the .~' bases thereof fastened. y 14. Behold all things arc put together in historical narration, as if concerning the origin of the world. But some- thing is immediately subjoined, which seems to be said (jf the creation, not of the world, but of the Church. For it is said; Or who hath laid the corner stone thereof? For by this, which was not done at the beginning of the world, it is shewn that that former expression was not used of the creation of the world. For some obscure subjects of a different character are blended with those that are plain and obvious, for this very purpose; that in consequence of that which agrees not with the literal meaning, that also may be examined mystically, which sounds as if spoken literally. For as, by some things which are opened we learn others which are closed; so are we compelled by those which are closed, to knock with a deeper understanding at those which we believed to be open. Let Him say then; Where wast thou, when I was laying the foundations of the earth? In Holy Scripture what else do we understand by foundations but holy preachers } For since God had placed them first in the Church, the whole structure of the subsequent fabric has risen up upon them. Whence also the priest is ordered, Ex. 28, when he enters the tabernacle, to bear twelve stones on his 2i« breast. Because, namely, our High Priest, in offering Himself a sacrifice for us, when He set forth mighty preachers at the very beginning, carried twelve stones under His head in thci front of His body. The holy Apostles therefore are stones^ on the breast, to be displayed as an ornament in front, andi foundations in the ground for the first firm basis of the' edifice. And hence when David the Prophet beheld Holy^ Church established and built on the lofty minds of thej Pg 87 1. Apostles, he says; Her foundations are on the holy hills.' But when in holy Scripture ' foundations' are not spoken of, but ' a foundation,' in the singular number, no one is desig-i nated, except the Lord Himself, by the power of Whose Divinity; the tottering hearts of our infirmity are made strong. Oi 1 Cor. "Whom also Paul says; Other foundation can no man lay, \ hut that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. For He is in Glory of their Maker shenn. His lines and measures. 273 truth the foundation of the foundations, because He is the Book first commencement of beginners, and the constancy of the ^^iil^iL: strong. Because then they who have borne the weight of our iniquities are our foundations, lest blessed Job should be puffed up with pride by the power of his own virtues, he is, in the very commencement of the Lord's address, tested by the mention of holy preachers; in order that the more worthy of admiration he beheld them approach, the more vilely he might think of himself in com])arison with them. But that is described by the Lord, as if already passed: for the very reason that, whatever is outwardly still future in act, has been already effected within by predestination. It is said therefore to him. Where wast thou, when I was laying the foundations of the earth? As if it were openly said; Consider the virtue of the mighty, and think on Me their Maker before all ages: and when thou beholdest those wonderful beings whom I made in time, consider how entirely thou oughtest to be subject to Me, Whom thou acknow- ledgcst as the Author of Wonders without time. It follows; Ver. 4, 5. Tell Me, if thou hast understanding, v:ho hath laid the measures of it, if thou knowesi? or who hath stretched the line upon it?
15. Lines of measures are stretched forth in the partition vi, of lands, in order that fairness of dimension may be observed by their very extension. But the Lord, coming to the Church in the flesh, measured out the measures of the earth with lines, because He marked out the boundaries of the Church with the subtlety of His secret judgment. The secret measures or lines of this earth were being stretched out, when holy preachers were called by the agency of the Si)irit to go into some parts of the world, but were kept from approaching other parts. For when Paul the Apostle was neglecting to preach in Macedonia, a man of Macedonia appeared to him in a vision, to say, Come over into Mace- Acts 16, donla and help us. But on the other hand, as it is written, * The Apostle essayed to go into Bithynia, hut the Spirit o/ibid. 7. Jesus suffered them not. When holy preachers then are called to Macedonia, and are kept from going into Asia, this line of secret measure is drawn on that side, and removed from this. It is extended there, that Macedonia may be VOL. III. T I VOL. III. T I 274 Secret dis/josfil of Cod in /oinidiiuj His (Ihurch.
Job 38, brought witliin the limits of Holy Churcli. Il is drawn in '~^' from hence, that Asia may be left without the bounds of the faith. For there were then some therein who were not to be gathered in: but, when they had been lost according to their desert, Asia lias now been embraced within the measures of the Church, by the bounty of God.
lb*. Within these measures then are all the Elect, without them are all the reprobate, even if they seem to be within the limit of faith. Whence it is written in the Apocalypse; ViQv.U, The court which is without the temple, cast out, and mea- ^' sure it not. For what else does the court signify but the breadth of the present life? And they who are designated by the court are rightly without the temple: and they are Matt. 7, therefore not to be measured, because narrow is the gate that leadeth unto life; and the breadth of the life of the wicked is not admitted to the measures and rules of the Elect. These spiritual lines were being stretched in hidden ibid. 8, judgment, when to a certain person who said, 3faster, I taill follow thee whithersoever thou goest, it was replied by the ibid. 20. voice of the same Master, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air nests, hut the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head. Those measures and lines were being stretched Luke 9, forth, when to a certain person who said, Lord, suffer me to go and bury my father, it was replied by the voice of the ibid. 60. same Master, Let the dead bury their dead, but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. Lo! one promises that he will follow Him, and is rejected; another demands to be released, and is retained. Whence is this } Except that the lines of heavenly judgments were being stretched over the hidden spaces of the heart, in order that their incom- prehensible measures might enclose the one within, and that the other might, not unjustly, remain without. But since no one is ignorant that God stretches forth these lines of hidden judgments, why is it said to Job, Tell Me, if thou hast understanding, who hath placed the measures of it, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Is the question put to remind him of that which he might know, and yet forget; that he should consider more anxiously the weight of the secrets of God, namely, that the ordering of man ^^ depends not on human strength, but on the power' of the mam Holy Doctoi's the ChurclCs bases and colutntis. 275 Creator, that so, while considering Who is invisibly perform- Book ing these works, he may attribute nothing to himself, and no^^^hZHi: longer attempt any thing of himself, when he dreads the secret judgments of God? But that, considering the mea- sures and lines incomprehensibly stretched out from above, he may remain more firm in the humility of fear, the more he sees every thing depending on the power of the Measurer. It follows; Ver. 6. Whereupon are the bases thereof fastened?
17. What else do we understand by the foundations of vii. this earth, but the teachers of Holy Church? For columns are raised on the bases, but on the columns the weight of the whole fabric is raised. Holy teachers are then not improperly designated by the name of bases. For while they preach what is right, and in life accord with their preaching, they uphold the whole weight of the Church by the fixed gravity of their manners; they endure sharp assaults from unbelievers, and, whatever is dreaded by the faithful as difl^icult in the precepts of God, they shew to be easy by the examples of their works. Whence also, when the tabernacle was being fixed as the type of the Church, it is well said to Moses, Thou shalt make four columns, and their bases thou'E.-x:»26t 32 32 shall cover with silver. For what else is understood by silver but the brightness of the Divine word.f^ As it is written; The words of the Lord are pure words, silver tried P9.12,6. in the fire, pit?'ged from the earth, purified seven times. Bases therefore covered with silver support the four columns of the tabernacle; because preachers of the Church, adorned with the Divine word, in order to set themselves forth as an example to all, bear the words of the four Evangelists in their mouth, and in their works.
18. Prophets also can be signified by bases; for when they first spoke openly of the Incarnation of the Lord, we behold them rising as bases from the foundation, and bearing the weight of the superimposed fabric. Wlience also, when the Lord ordered the boards of the tabernacle to be erected. He ordered Moses that their bases should be cast in silver. 'For what are signified by the boards, but Apostles spread out in their extended preaching to the world, and what by the bases of silver but the Prophets: who being themselves firm 27() Silver dJ l*i()i>}u'inj sIiuh^s in use. '['lie Conier'Stone.
Job 08, and inolUMi siiKtuin the l>oai(ls j)lace(l upon them? Because '— wliilo the lifb of the Apostles is instructed by their preach- ing, it is also strengthened by their authority. Whence also the bases put together in pairs are pl-aced under the separate boards. Because when the lioly ))ro])hets agree in their words concerning the Incarnation of the Mediator, they edify without doubt the subsequent preachers of the Church: and when they disagree not with themselves, they establish them more firmly on themselves. But it is not im])roperly ordered that the bases, by which the Prophets are signified, should be cast of silver. For the brightness of silver is pre- served by its being used; when not used it is turned into black- ness. The sayings also of the Prophets, because ihey were not held in tho u>e of spiritual knowledge, remained, as it were, in blackness before the coming of the Mediator, because they could not be understood by reason of their obscurity. But after the Mediator, on His coming, wiped them before our eyes with the hand of His Incarnation, whatever light was lurking therein shone forth, and He brought into use the meaning of preceding fathers, because He expounded words by events. Whether He signifies then the prophets, or the teachers who succeed them in the latter times, by the ex- pression ' bases,' let Him say; Whereupon are the bases thereof fastened? T*hou understandest, except upon Me, Who hold all things marvellously together, and confer at the first an inward existence on things that are good without. For he who attributes what is good to himself, is not a solid basis; for whilst he rests not on the foundation, he is by his own w^eight precipitated to the bottom. But since many things are now being said concerning the building of Holy Church, the mind seeks to hear, with what virtue hostile nations are united together, that is, with what skill the different buildings of this house are fitted together. It follows; Or who hath laid the corner stone thereof? viii. 19. It is now clear to all by Divine grace, Whom Holy Scripture calls the corner Stone, Him in truth, Who taking into Himself from one side the Jewish, and from the other the Gentile people, unites, as it were, two walls in the one Eph. 2, fabric of the Church; Him of Whom it is written. He hath *^* made both one; Who exhibited Himself as the corner Stone, The same Stofie conn fed in the I wo walls it joins. 277 not only in things below, but in things above; because Ho Book united on earth the nations of the Gentiles to the people of x^^vni' Israel, and both together to Angels in heaven. For at His birth the Angels exclaimed, On earth peace to men of good i^xiVe 2, will. For they would not offer their joys to men of peace ^'^^ as a great thing at the birth of the King, if they were not at variance with each other. Of this Stone it is said by the Prophet; The Stone which the builders rejected^ is made the Ps. us, head 0/ the corner. Jechonias the king typified the Stone, j^j*., whom Matthew when describing fourteen generations, rec-1112. koned twice. For him, whom he had inserted as the end of the second generation, he inserted again at the beginning of the third. For he himself was removed into Babylonia with the people of Israel; for while he is led from one to the other, he is not improperly counted twice over for the side of each wall. And by the bending of this migration he designates the corner stone. For where the order is diverted from its right course to go into a different direction, it makes, as it were, a corner. He could therefore rightly be counted twice; for he shewed as it were two sides of himself along either wall. Whence also he properly represented Him, Who born in Judaea, and gathering together the Gentiles, went as it were from Jerusalem to Babylonia, and bound together in His own Person, by the art of charity, that building of faith which before was rent asunder by the animosity of discord.
But these things which have been said, as descriptive of Mor. Holy Church, it seems good to repeat briefly in a moral sense. For it is right for us to be brought back to our own hearts by those things which we know were said to blessed Job; because the mind then understands more truly the words of God, when it searches for itself therein. For be- hold it is said, Ver. 4. Where wast thou when I was laying the found- ations of the earth?
20. If the mind of a sinner is dust, which is borne on the ix. surface, and is swept away by the breeze of temptation, (whence it is written, Not so are the ungodly, not so; but asps, 1 4. the dust, which the wind d/iveth away from the face of the earth;) nothing prevents the earth being understood to mean 278 M<in hmnhUnl htj Ihougkt of Go(Vh Jimi work in him.
Job38, tlio soul of a just man, of which it is written, For the earth ^' which (Iriiiketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and Heb. G, bruKjeth forth the herbs meet for those by v)horri it is dressed^ receiveth a blesslnrj. 15nt the fouiidation of this earth is faith. The foundation of this earth is laid, wlien the first cause of firmness, the fear of God, is breatlied in the secret places of the heart. This man does not as yet believe the eternal truths which he hears; when faith is given him, a foundation is now laid for the building up of the subsequent work. He now believes eternal truths, but yet fears them not; he despises the terror of the coming judgment: he boldly involves himself in sins of the flesh and of the spirit. But when the fear of future things is suddenly infused into him, in order that the edifice of a good life may rise up, the foundations are now erected. When the foundation then of a wholesome dread has been laid, and the fabric of virtue is being raised on high, it is necessary for every one to measure his strength, as he is making progress. So that though he has already begun to be great by the Divine building, he may without ceasing look back to what he was; in order that humbly remembering what he was found in merit, he may not arrogate to himself what he has been made by