25. For we, because we are feeble men, when we come to speak of God to our fellows, should first of all call to mind our own nature, and thus consider from our own infirmities in what order we should offer advice to our weakly brethren. Let us consider then that we are either now such as some of those whom we are correcting, or were heretofore such, though by the operation of Divine Grace we are so no longer: that in humility of heart we may correct them with greater for- bearance, the more traly we recognise ourselves in the persons of those whom we correct. But if we are neither novv such, nor have been such as those still are whom we are anxious to improve; for fear our heart should perchance be proud, and should fall the more fatally by reason of its very innocence, let us recal to our eyes the other good qualities of those whose faults we are coiTecting. If they have not any such, let us fall back on the secret judgments of God. Because as we have received this very good, which we possess, for no deserts of our own; so is He able to pour on them the grace of power from above, so that though roused to exertion after ourselves, they may be able to outstrip even those good qualities which we received so long before. For who could believe that Saul, who kept at his death the raiment of those that were stoning him, would surpass Stephen who » meri- had been stoned, by the honour* of the Apostleship. Our serviced ^^^^'^ ought then to be first humbled by these thoughts, and then the sin of offenders should be reproved. But as has been often said, Eliu is shewn to be unacquainted with this mode of speaking, who is puffed up in his words, by the haughtiness of prid^, as if by the power of a kind of autho- Job33, rity, ssiyiug, Wherefore Job hear my speeches, and hearken Feigned humility. Assumed mnplicity. 23 to all my words. Behold I have opened my mouth, let my Book tongue speak in my throat, ■ 26. To speak in the throat is to speak softly, and not to vociferate loudly. In whicli words he designates haughty i men living within holy Church. For these arc said to speak as if in the throat, when they do not clamour against the adversaries who are without, but reprove some within the bosom of holy Church, as if they were neighbours and placed near them. But haughty men often make a show of avoiding that very pride, which they entertain; and while they do all things so as not to escape the notice of any one, they privately mention them to particular persons, in order that they may boast not merely of their sense of wisdom, but also of their contempt of arrogance before men. Whence it is now said, Let my tongue speak in my throat. As if it were plainly said, Behold, I whisper that which I think wisely against thee. But they sometimes break out into such a heiglit of impudence, as, when others are silent, to be accustomed to praise their own sayings. Whence he subjoins, Yer. 3. 3Iy words are from my simple heart, and my lips shall speak a pure sentence.
27. To say that speech is simple, is a praise of great xiv. weight. But because the haughty possess it not, they assert the more anxiously^ that they possess it, in order that they may be heard with less apprehension. And they declare that they are going to speak with pure intention, because they are afraid of their wicked duplicity being discovered. But they often also blend together truth and falsehood, that their falsehood may be the more speedily believed, from its being disceraed that they speak the truth. Because then Eliu both said that he would speak with pure intention, and by calling his words ' sentences' ushered them in with applause, he subjoins the same ' sentence' which he promised, saying, Ver. 4. The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.
28. Intending to subjoin truth, he first uttered boastful xv. words, and being about to state the sound opinions he held, he first made known how huge was his swelling. The minds 24 Good words out of season dejile the speaker.
Job 33, of the arrof,'ant are doubtless so very mad, that even in what Ihey think liglilly, tliey are disfigured by llie deformity of their pride. And hence even their sound opinions do not instruct their hearers, because in truth they lead them ]jy tlieir hauglity sentiments not to reverence but to despise them. And when words of folly are blended with wise say- ings, even their wisdom is not kept in mind, because their folly is despised by him who hears it. For hence it is said Lev. 16, by Moses, A man who suffers a running of seed shall be unclean. For what are our words but seed? And when this is poured forth in due measure, the mind of the hearer, as the womb of her who conceives, is made fruitful for an offspring of good works. J3ut if it escapes at improper times, pollut- ing him that emits it, it loses its generating power. For if words were not seed, the Athenians would never have said of ^^c s]/, p^y]^ jjg YiQ ^as preaching to them, What would this word- Acinic, sower '^ say? of whom Luke says. He was the chief speaker, hemini-^^^^i then, which is intended for the purpose of procreation, verbius, when it escapes in an improper manner, pollutes the other members: and speech also, by which learning ought to be implanted in the hearts of the hearers, if uttered out of due order, brings disgrace even on the truths it utters. And hence Eliu also pollutes even the truths he is able to enter- tain, when he is ignorant of what he is saying, or to whom he is saying it, and suffers, as it were, discharge of seed, when he employs his tongue, which is fitted to answer useful purpose, in words of empty sound. But he speaks in proper order of his being made, and receiving life. For he says, that he was made by the Spirit, and that he received life by the breath of God. For it is written of Adam when created. Gen. 2, jjq breathed into his face the breath of life, and man was made into a living soid. But let us listen whether he pro- ceeds properly with what he has well laid down.. It follows, Ver. 5. If thou canst, answer me^ and stand before my face. xvi. 29. Behold how in relating the true order of his creation, he suddenly bursts forth into the pride of haughty arrogance, and, in other words, repeats the same statement, by saying, Ver. (), 7. Behold, God made me as well as thee, and lam Eliu promises ivonders. St. Paul's gentleness. 25 also formed of the same clay; yet let not my wonder terrify Rook thee, and my eloquence he burdensome to thee. What then^^iilLI: is meant by Eliu acknowledging the order of his true creation, and not knowing the limits of proper speech? What by his putting himself on a level with Job when created, and setting himself above him when about to speak? What but this, that though haughty men remember that they are equal in nature to other men, yet that through the pride of knowledge they do not deign even to believe that they have even their equals ": and that though they compare themselves with them, in the condition of their nature, they place themselves above them from pride in their wisdom. They decide that though they were made equal by birth, yet they have not con- tinued so, in their way of life. And from their not being equal to them as it were in their way of life, they count it a greater marvel that they were equal to them when they were born. And hence Eliu says, when inflated with pride. Behold, God made me as ivell as thee, and I also was formed from the saine clay; yet let not my wonder terrify thee, nor my eloquence he burdensome to thee. For it is peculiar to the arrogant, that they always believe, even before they speak, that they are going to say some wonderful thing, and that they anticipate their ovvn words by their own admiration, because,*^ with all their acuteness, they are not sensible how great a folly is their veiy ])ride. We must observe also that Paul, when he was giving the Hebrews some striking warn- ings, subjoined, / beseech you, brethren, suffer the word o/Heb.i3, consolation., for I have written to you in few words. But * Eliu uttered empty words, and afterwards added, as if for consolation. Let not my ivonder terrify thee, nor my eloquence be burdensome to thee. The one called his sayings the word of consolation, the other called them eloquence, and a marvel. Behold, how different in taste are the fruits which spring forth from diverse roots of thought. The one thinks humbly of his high qualities, the other exalts himself without reason on his scanty endowments. What then is specially to be observed in all this, but that those who are about to rise, think themselves low, and that they who are soon to fall, * The text seems scarcely grammatical, but the sense cannot be far from what is given.
20 Job teas right in saying he was scourged without fault. Job 33, ever Bland on Iiigli ground? As Solomon bears witness, The heart is exalted hejnre destruction, and is brought low 16, 1*8. before honour. It follows, Vcr. 8. Thou hast spoken than in mine ears, and I have heard the voice of thy words. And subjoining the very words, he says, Ver. J) — 11. / am clean, and without spot of sin, and there is no iniquity in me, because He hath found compdaints! in me, therefore He hath counted me as His enemy, He hath placed my feet in the stocks. He hath guarded all my ways. And in answer to these words which he said blessed Job had spoken, he immediately states his own opinion, saying, Ver. 12. This is the thing then in which thou art not justified.
xvi. 30. Blessed Job had indeed truly said, that he had been Job 27, scourged without any fault. For he said of himself exactly Job2,3. what the Lord had said of him to the devil, Thou hast moved Me against him to afflict him without cause. But Eliu did not believe, that his fault doing nothing in it, he could be scourged as a matter of grace. For he did not know that by his scourgings his fault was not con'ected, but his merits increased, and because he had said that he had been scourged without any fault, he reproves him in these words, saying, This is the thing then in which thou art not justified. For it is the special fault of the arrogant, to be more eager to convict, than to console; and to consider that whatever sufferings they see befal men, have befallen them solely from their sins.
They know not how to enquire deeply into the secret judg- 1 some ments of God^, and humbly to investigate that which they Mss.add cannot understand: for while pride at their knowledge raises X)ei« them on high, it frequently casts them down from the secret investigation of God's judgments.
31. For suffering of mind is an impediment in the way of truth: because while it puffs us up, it obscures our view. For if these persons ever seem to acquire wisdom, they feed, as it were, on the husks of things, and not on the marrow of their inmost sweetness; and with their brilliant abilities, they frequently reach only to the outside of things, but know not the savour of their inward taste; for, in truth, though Knoivledye deeply felt does not puff up- 27 sharp-sighted outwardly, they are blind within. Nor do they Book form such a uolion of God, as tastes secretly within, but^L^ * such as when thrown outward gives a sound. And though they gain in their understanding a knowledge of some mysteries, they can have no experience of their sweetness: and if they know how they exist, yet they know not, as I said, how they savour. And so it is frequently the case, that though they speak boldly, yet they know not how to live up to what they profess. Whence a certain wise man well said, 3Iay God YfisAJ, grant me to speak these things according to my sentence. ' For sentence is derived from sense. And a man who wishes sen- not merely to speak from outward knowledge, but to feel and ^^^^ experience what he says, is anxious to give utterance to the truths he holds, not as a matter of mere knowledge^, but^sci- of real feeling*. But the mind of haughty men doesnot|°^^ sensenpenetrale the meaning of its own words; because by a righ-tentia teous judgment it is driven away from the inward taste of things, and is wrecked by that applause which it desires from without. Butreal knowledge influences without elating; and makes those whom it has filled, not proud, but son'owful. For when any one is filled therewith, he is in the first place anxious to know himself: and conscious of his own state, he acquires thereby a greater savour of strength, the more truly sensible he is of his own weakness therein. And this very humility opens to him more widely the pathway of this knowledge, and when he beholds his own weakness, this very knowledge opens to him the hidden recesses of sublime secrets; and pressed down by this knowledge, he is made more subtle to press forward into things hidden. Eliu then does not in the scourgings of blessed Job discover, their true reason, because he knows not how to search for it with humility: and being more ready to reproach than to console, he says. It is in this thing, then, that thou art not Justified.
32. We must observe further, that blessed Job said that his Jobi3,2, foot was placed in the stocks, but that he never said that he was clean, in the way in which is objected to him, or free from sin, or without spot, and iniquity. But Eliu, in his desire to reprove austerely what has been said, falsely added what had not been said. For they who are ever eager to reprove and not to encourage, frequently state many false- 28 Plain truths strong when applied to our own case.
Job 33, hoods in their reproofs. For in order to aj)i)ear clever in '• — reproving, they frequently invent statements, for the sake of reproving them, and, being eager, as horses, to run their course of ostentation, they clear the way for assailing those who are subject to them by inventing charges of iniquity. It must be understood besides, as I said above, that haughty men often blend forcible words with their words of boasting, and that sometimes they do not consider how they live, but studiously weigh what they teach. Of such Eliu is a specimen in the present case, who is not so anxious to live well, as to teach well. Since then he speaks, though arrogantly, yet with knowledge, let us pass over the pride of his conduct, and consider the solidity of his teaching. After all these boastful words, then, he begins at length to display his knowledge, and says, Ver. 12. / will answer thee, that God is greater than man. xviii. 33. Some one may perhaps observe. Who knows not that, even without being told it } But no wonder if this remark is believed to be of little value, if it is not considered in the very root of its meaning. He was speaking to one who had been scourged, who had both felt the blows of smiting, and was ignorant of the reason of them. And therefore he remarked, / will answer thee, that God is greater than man; that man, when scourged, yet considering that God is greater than himself, may submit himself to the judgment of Him, to Whom he has no doubt he is inferior, and may believe that that which he suffers from his superior is just, even though he does not know the grounds of its justice. For whoever is smitten for his sins, unless he murmurs and struggles against it, begins at once to be a righteous man, from not impugning the justice of Him who smites him. For man is created inferior to God, and returns to the order of his creation, when he submits himself to the equity of his Judge, even when he cannot comprehend it. It is therefore well said, / will answer thee, that God is greater than man, in order that on considering the power of the Creator, the swelling of the mind may cease to rage, through the thought of the condition in which it was created. Whence David the Prophet, when compelled by the weight of the blows to burst forth into extravagant words, says on bringinghimselfback to the God ausivers us not one by oue, but all in Holy Scripture. 29 consideration of his own origin, / was chc?)ib, and opened not Book my mouth, since Thou hast made me. For he considered in ~'.
wliat rank he was created, and learned tlie justice of the 9,* ' blow; for lie Who kindly created him who as yet was not, surely smote him only with justice when he was now in being. It follows.
Ver. 13, 14. TJiou contendest against Him, because He halJi not replied to thee to all thy ivords. God will speak once, and will not repeat the same thing a second time.
34. It is natural to the afflicted heart, when it beholds any xix. thing going contrary to its wishes, to wish to gain an answer, if ]3ossible, by the voice of God, why things are in this way, and not in that: to consult God in this whole matter under debate, and to acquiesce on learning the meaning of His reply. But Eliu, foreseeing that the Lord was composing holy Scripture, for the purposes of replying therein to the open or secret enquiries of all men, says, Thou contendest against Him, because He hath not replied to all thy words. God will speak once, and uill not repeat the same thing a second time. As if he were to say, God does not reply in private speaking to the hearts of men one by one; but fashions His word in such a manner, as to satisfy the en- quiries of all men. For if we look for our own cases one by one, we are sure to find them in the teaching of His Scriptures; nor is there need to seek for a special answer from the voice of God, in our own special sufferings. For there a general reply is given to all of us in our own special sufferings: there the conduct of those who go before is a model for such as come after. To take one instance out of many. We are labouring under some suffering or annoyance of the flesh. We wish perhaps to know the secret reasons of this suffering or annoyance, in order that we may be comforted in our trial from the very knowledge. But because no special reply is given to us one by one, concerning our own special trials, we betake ourselves to holy Scripture. And there is it that we find what Paul heard when tried by the infirmity of the flesh. My grace is sufficient for thee; for strength is 2 Cor. made perfect in loeakness. And this was spoken to him ^^' ^* in his own peculiar suffering, that it might not be spoken to us one by one. We have heard therefore in holy Scripture 30 God spake once in His word, Only Beyollcn without time.
Job 33, the voice of God to Paul in bis affliction, in order that we — - — ' may not seek to hear it one by one, for our own private con- solation, if perchance we arc afflicted. God docs not then reply to all our words, because He will speak once, and will not repeat the same thinfj again; that is. He has provided for our instruction, by what lie stated to our fathers in holy Scripture. Let the teachers then of Holy Church, let even these men of arrogance, announce, (on beholding some within her sinking from faintheartedness,) that God does not reply to all our words, that God will speak once, and will not repeat the same thing twice. In other words. He does not now satisfy the doubts and perplexities of individual men by the voice of the Prophets on every side, or by the ministry of Angels. Because He includes in holy Scripture whatever can possibly befal each one of us, and has provided therein for regulating the conduct of those who come after, by the examples of those who have gone before.
35. But yet this remark, God will speak once, and ivill not repeat the same thing twice, may be understood in a deeper meaning; that the Father begat His Consubstantial, Only-begotten Son. For God's speaking is His having begotten the Word. But for God to speak once, is for Him to have no other Word beside the Only-begotten. And hence it is fitly subjoined. And He icill not repeat the same thing twice, because this very Word, that is, the Son, He begat not otherwise than only-begotten. But in that He says not, " He spake," but " will speak," using, namely, not the past tense but the future, it is plain to all, that neither past nor future time is appropriate to God. Any tense is therefore the more freely used in speaking of Him, since no one is used with strict truth. But any tense whatever could not be freely used, if one at least could be used properly., It is allowable then for any tense to be boldly used in speak- ing of God, since no one is strictly proper. For the Father begat the Son without regard to time.
26. And who can worthily speak of that ineffable nativity, that the Coeternal is begotten from the Eternal, that He w^ho existed before all ages begat His Equal, that the Son was not posterior to Him Who begat Him.? We can marvel at these things, but it is beyond our power to look into them.
li IVe see Divine things but as light with closed eyes. 31 Bat to be able to wonder at that mighty nativity is in a Book certain degree to see it. But how do we see that which we do by no means comprehend? But we must borrow an instance from the habits of the body to ilhistratc the feelings of the mind. If any one is lying down in a dark place, with his eyes closed, and the light of a candle suddenly flashes before him, his eyes, though closed, are so struck by the very approach of the light, that they open. Why are they thus affected, if they saw nothing when closed? And yet it was not any thing perfect which they could see when closed. For if they had seen the whole object perfectly, why should they when opened seek for something to look at.? And thus, thus are we, when we endeavour to behold ought of the incom- prehensible nativity. For even in this, that the mind is struck with surprise at the shining, and «ees in a manner what it is not able really to see, it beholds as if in darkness the power of the light with closed eyes". But because the secret admira- tion of the Divine Nature is not easily made known to minds which are occupied with worldly desires, he very fitly sug- gests the way in which God speaks to us, by saying, Ver. 15. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when sleep falleth upon 7ne7i, and they sleep on their bed.
37. What is meant by the word of God being made known xx. to us in a dream, except that we do not learn the secret things of God, if we are kept awake by worldly desires? For in a dream the outward senses are at rest, and inward objects are discerned. If we wish then to contemplate things within, let us rest from outward engagements. The voice of God, in truth, is heard as if in dreams, when, with minds at ease, we rest from the bustle of this world, and the Divine precepts i * Here the older Edd. have a pas- Heeverbegetteth,He surely 'speaketh;' sage which Ben. omits, as it is not though this which we called ' perfect' in the MSS. ' For Eliu says, God we do not say with strictness. For speaketh once; but David, looking to that which is not effected (factum) the nativity of the only-begotten Word, cannot be strictly said to be ' perfected,' says, God spake i.nce.^ For since the (perfectum.) But we express His fulness only-begotten Son and Word of the with a somewhat straitened form of Father is both called ' Born' in re- speech; as also of the Father the Lord spect of perfection, and in respect of saith, Be ye perfect, even as y ur eternity is even said to be in birth; heavenly Father is perfect, (Matt. v.
Holy Scripture useth to say freely of 48.) It looks like a note on the former God that He 'hath spoken,' and ' speak- paragraph, which may have been efh.' For in that He begat the Word written at the foot of the page, perfect, God ' hath spoken,' and in that 32 Men hear CocVs voice when nsleep to cartJihj sounds.
Job 33, arc pondered by us in Uic deep silence of the mind. For wlien ihe mind is at rest from outward employments, the weight of the Divine prcce[)ts is more fully discerned. It is then that the mind penetrates, in a more lively manner, the words of God, when it refuses to admit within the tunndt of worldly cares. But a man is awake to little good purpose, when the turmoil of worldly business gives him unusual disturbance. For the crowd of earthly thoughts, when it clamours around, closes the ear of the mind. And the voice of the presiding judge is less plainly heard in the secret tribunal of the mind, the less the sound of tumultuous cares is kept still. For a man when distracted is not fully equal to attend to both together. But while he seeks for inward instruction, but so as yet to be engaged in outward employ- ments; by opening his ear to things without, he becomes Ex. 2, deaf within. Moses, when living amongst the Egyptians, was, as it were, awake, and so when dwelling in Egypt he did not hear the voice of God. But after that he had fled into the desert, after the slaughter of the Egyptian, and dwelt there forty years, he fell asleep as it were from the disquieting tumults of worldly desires; and therefore it was » meruit vouchsafed him^ to hear the voice of God, because the more indifferent he became through Divine grace to outward objects of desire, the more was he really awake to discern Ex. 19, truths within. And again, when appointed to rule over the people of Israel, he is taken up into the Mount, to learn the precepts of the Law, and is preserved from tumults without, that he might penetrate into mysteries within.