xxii. 41. For when the light is spread abroad the heat is divided over the earth; because when righteousness is openly preached, the anxious desire of the heart to seek God is spread forth in the practice of virtues; so that one person shines forth in the word of wisdom, another in the word of knowledge; one is mighty in the grace of healing, another in the working of mighty deeds; and that thus, while they severally receive unequally the gifts of the Spirit, they are all necessarily united to each other, and unanimously in- flamed. But after the light is said to be spread abroad, it can readily be understood that persecution is designated by ' heat:' because as the light of preaching shone brightly, so the heat of persecution immediately blazed forth from the hearts of the unbelievers. For, that persecution is described by ' heat,' the discourse of the Lord bears witness, speak- ing of the seeds which had been cast on the rocky Matt, ground. When the sun arose they were all scorched, and 13, 6. because they had not root, they withered aivay. And when He expounded it a little after. He called ^ heat,' persecution. The heat therefore is divided over the earth, when the light is spread abroad, because, as the life of the faithful became bright, the cruelty of the faithless was kindled. For the heat was divided, when persecution was raging, now at Jerusalem, now at Damascus, and now in other countries far away.
Acts 8, For it is written, At that time there arose a great persecution Heat of persecution. Our liyht is ^ scattered' 331 in the Church, which ivas at Jerusalem, and thei/ were all ^^ock XXTK scattered abroad throughout the regions ofJudwa and Samaria.
And it is wiilten again; Saul^ yet breat/iing out threatenings Acts 9, and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto '•^* the high priest, and desired of him letters for him to take to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he had found any of this way, men and icomen, he might bring them bound to Jeru- salem. Because then persecution had increased, now here, now there, they who had known the hght of truth, were panting, as it were, under the burning of the divided lieat.
4*2. But because we have heard blessed Job questioned in the former words, respecting the secret judgment; it now behoves us to examme more accurately this which is said of the scattered light, or divided heat. For he is still examined with lofty questioning, in order that he may at least learn that he is ignorant, and that it may be said to him, By what way is the light spread, the heat divided over the earth? For what is designated by the word ' light' but righteous- ness? Of which it is written; The people ivhich was sitting Is. 9, 2. in darkness, saw a great light. But every thing which is scattered, is thrown, not continuously, but with a kind of intermission. And hght is therefore said to be ' scattered,' because, though we already behold some things as they really are, yet some things we see not, as they are to be seen. For scattered light had possessed the heart of Peter, who had shone forth with such great brightness of faith, and of miracles, and yet, while he was imposing the weight of Gal. 2, circumcision on the converted Gentiles, he knew not what "" * to say aright. Light, therefore, is ' scattered' in this life, because it is not continuously possessed, to the understanding of every thing. For whilst we comprehend one thing as it is, and are ignorant of another, we both see as it were partially in scattered light, and remain partially in darkness. But our light will then no longer be scattered, when our mind, caught up entirely to God, will shine forth.
43. And because it is not known in what ways this light is insinuated into the heart of man, it is rightly said in a question; By what way is the light scattered? As if it were openly said; Tell Me, in what order I pour My righteous- ness into the secret recesses of the hearts, when I am not •J;j2 Giacc.^ (ind Icwpldiious holh tliat t ihuled.
Jgu38,sccii, even in My a])proac]i, and yet I invisibly change tlic — visible doings of men, when I irradiate one and the same mind, at one lime with this, and at another with that virtue, and yet I permit it, through scattered light, still to remain, in a measure, in the darkness of temptation. Let ignorant man be asked, by what way the light is scattered. As if it were openly said, While I soften the hard hearts, bend the rigid, smooth the rough, warm the cold, strengthen the weak, establish the wandering, confirm the wavering, come, if thou canst, incorporeally, and behold, on what minds I shed this light. For all these things we behold when done; for we know not how they are wrought within. The Truth shews in the Gospel, that this way of light is invisible to us, say- John 3, ing; The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof^ and knowest not whence it cometh^ and whither it goeth, 44. But because, when the light is scattered, temptations presently spring up from the hidden adversary against the enlightened mind, it is rightly subjoined; The heat is divided over the earth. For the crafty foe strives to inflame with unlawful desires the minds of those whom he sees shining forth wdth the light of righteousness; so that they frequently feel themselves more assaulted with temptations, than at the time when they beheld not the rays of inward light. Whence also the Israelites, after they had been called, complain against Moses and Aaron of their increasing labour, saying; Exod. Let the Lord see and judge, because ye have made our ' ' savour to stink in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and have given him a sword to slay us. For when they wished to depart from Egypt, Pharaoh had taken away the straw, and yet required works of the same amount. The mind, therefore, secretly murmurs, as it were, against the law, after the knowledge of which it endures sharper stings of tempt- ations, and when it beholds its labours increasing, because it is displeasing to its adversary, it grieves that it stinks, as it were, in the eyes of Pharaoh. Heat, therefore, follows after light; because after the illumination of the heavenly gift, the contest of temptation is increased.
45. But the heat is rightly said also to be ' divided:' doubtless, because separate persons are not assailed by all Temptiitioti varied by SalnHy tempered hij Ornce. '6\S?t vices, but by certain ones which are near, and placed close J^'^ok to them. For the ancient enemy first beholds the character* of r-^ — "— each person, and then applies the snares of temptations. For spersioone person is of a cheerful, another of a morose, another of a *''"' timid, another of a proud disposition. Our secret adversary, in order then to catch us easily, prepares deceptions closely- connected with our several characters. For because pleasure borders on mirth, he holds out lust as a bait to cheerful dis- positions. And because moroseness easily slides into anger, he offers the cup of discord for the morose. Because the timid dread punishments, he threatens terrors to the fearful. And because he beholds the proud elated with praises, he draws them on to whatever he pleases, by flattering applause, lie lays snares therefore against men one by one, by vices adapted to them. For he would not easily lead them captive, if he were either to offer bribes to the lustful, or bodily pleasures to the covetous, or if he were to assail the greedy by the pride of abstinence, or the abstinent by gluttonousncss, or if he were to seek to seize the gentle by eagerness for the contest, or the angry by the dread of fear. Because then, when in the heat of temptation, he craftily lurks in ambush against each one by himself, and secretly lays the snares which are akin to their habits, it is rightly said; The heat is divided over the earth.
46. But when it is first stated, By what icay the light is scattered: and is there immediately subjoined. The heat is divided over the earth, it is doubtless indicated that the heat is also divided by the same way, by which the light is scattered. For when the lofty and incomprehensible grace of the Holy Spirit irradiates our minds with its light, it also so disposes and modifies the temptations of the adversary, that either they do not come upon us many together, or else that those only which can be endured, assail the mind already illuminated by God; so that they do not burn us with the fire of their full strength, when they torture us with the heat 'f iheir touch. As Paul bears witness, who says, Bict God^^^^- is faithful. Who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ' ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to 'iscape, that ye may be able to bear it. This heat then our rafty snj)plantcr divides in one way, and our^niPirifn, EL'S S34 Cod opens the way for the Preaching of Ills Word.
Job 38, Creator in anotlier. The one divides, in order thereby to —-slay more speedily; the other, to make it more tolerable.
And, because, wlien we are harassed with temptation, we are not only instructed with the Spirit of God within, but are also assisted with the words of preachers without, after the divided heat, it is rightly added, Ver. 25. Who hath given a course for the most violent shower?
xxiii. 47. But if, as we said before, that persecution in the regions of Judaea is designated by the name of divided heat, because this very fierceness of persecution kept not from their office of preaching, through any fear, the holy preachers, who were assisted by the gift from on high, lie fitly sub- joins; Who hath given a course for the most violent showers? As if He were saying, Except Myself. For to have given a course to the most violent showers, when the heat was divided, is to have strengthened the force of preaching, amid the very difficulties of persecution, in order that the power of preachers might the more increase, the more the cruelty of persecutors stood in their way, so that they might bedew the thirsty hearts of their hearers with drops of rain, and water more abundantly the drought of unbelief; and that though the heat of cruelty was glowing against them, yet the voice of grace might not through them be silent. Paul was both enduring and watering this heat of persecu- 2 Tim. tion, when saying, / labour even to bonds, as an evil doer^ ' • tut the ivord of God is not bound. Of this shower it is said Is. 5, 6. elsewhere; / ivill command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. Of this course of the shower which is going on in the hearts of the Elect, the Psalmist witnesses, saying; Ps. 147, His word runneth swiftly. But it is generally a showei only, and has no course; because preaching comes to the ears, but inward grace not acting, it passes not through to tht hearts of the hearers. And of the words of this preaching ii Ps. 77, is said, on account of the Elect; For thine arrows passeo through. For the arrows of God pass through, when the words of His preaching descend from the ears to the hearts And because this is effected solely by Divine grace, th( Lord witnesses that He has given a course to the shower. 48. But I see it must be observed, that He calls this sam( Most violent, in hiyh precepts; thundering in terrors. 835 shower not * violent/ but * most violent.* A violent shower Book IS great force; but a most violent one, is the boundless—" -* power of preaching. For it was a violent shower, when holy preachers were advising the belief of eternal joy. But * most violent,' w'hen they were advising men that on account of their hope their interest should be abandoned, all visible objects despised on account of invisible, and that the pains and tortures of this present world should be tolerated for the sake of tlie joys they have heard of. But when so many of the Elect, having learned the fliith, abandoned their posses- sions, when the heat of persecution was raging, forgot their carnal affection, and exposed their limbs to torture for joy of spirit; what else did the Lord do, but make a course for even the most violent shower, which by bodily words so watered the invisible recesses of the heart, that it [performed even the highest commands? Where it is also fitly sub- joined; And a way for the sounding thunder?
49. For what is understood by * thunder' except the xxiv. preaching of heavenly terror } And when the hearts of men feel this terror, they are shaken. But sometimes by thunder is set forth the Incarnate Lord Himself, Who was brought to our knowledge by the concurrent prophecy of the ancient fathers, as if by the clashing together of clouds; Who, ap- pearing visibly among us, sounded forth awfully those things which were above us. Whence also the Holy Apostles themselves begotten by His grace were called Boanerges, Marks, that is, sons of thunder. But sometimes, as has been said, * thunder' is taken for their preaching, by which the terror of the heavenly judgments is heard. But because any preacher can present words to the ears, but cannot open the hearts, and since, unless Almighty God alone grant the words of preachers a hearing invisibly by inward grace in the hearts of their hearers, that preaching is received in vain by the ear of the hearer, which is prevented by his deaf heart from reaching to his inmost soul; the Lord asserts that Fie grants a way to the sounding thunder: for when He vouchsafes the words of preaching. He pierces the heart with terror. Paul, the illustrious preacher, when he was awfully sounding forth the heavenly mysteries, seeing that he could not possess 33(> Itain (jircn ht l/w (iciilile descrl ^ }rhere was no ' man.
Jon 38, tliis way by hinis(;lf, admonished his disciples, saying, IVithdl r,i~r7,pf'^iyi^^f/ also for us that God would open to us a door oj utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ. Ho therefore who was speaking mysteries, but was praying for a door to be opened by the Lord for these same mysteries in the heart of his hearers, possessed indeed the thunder already, but was seeking for a way to be granted it from above. John, who 1 John was saying. Ye need not that any man teach you, hut as His ' anointing teacheth you of all thinys, knew that he could not give this way. Paul again taught Who could give this way, 1 Cor. saying, For neither is he that planteth any thiny, neither he that watereth, hut God that giveth the increase. Let us hear then what this shower and thunder effect, when the way has been granted them. It follows; Ver. 26. Tliat it should rain upon the earth without man, in the desert, ivhere no mortal dicelleth. XXV. 50. To rain upon the earth without man in the desert, is to preach the word of God to the Gentile world. For whilst it retained no worship of the Godhead, and shewed in itself no appearance of good works, it was plainly a desert. And because there was therein no lawgiver, nor any one who could seek God in a reasonable way, there was, as it were, ' no man;' and it remained as if occupied by beasts alone, void of men. Of this land of the desert it is said elsewhere, l3. 43, He made a way in the desert. Of this preaching vouchsafed Ps. 107 ^^ *^^^ Gentiles, the Psalmist witnesses, saying, He made 3'- rivers in the desert. But we must observe, that after the heat was divided over the earth, the most violent shower received its course, that it might rain in the desert. Because after the harshness of persecution became dreadful in Judaa, so as not only not to receive the faith, but even to assail it with the sword, every preacher who had been sent to Israel, turned aside to summon the Gentiles. Whence the holy Apostles say to the persecuting Hebrews whom they aban- Actsis, don. We ought first to preach the tuord of God to you, hut because ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. When the heat, then, has been divided, the land which is desert, and without man, is watered; because, when the persecution of the faithfid had spread abroad in Judaea, the Gentile worlds Rain on the patlLless desert. Meaning of ^ grass. ^ 337 loiiff since abandoned, and estranj^ed, as it were, from tlie Hodk infusion of reason, is watered by the drops of preaching. ^* But in what state the Gentile world was still found by the preachers, is shewn, when it is added; Ver. 27. That it should fill the pathh^ss and desolate land.
But what it produced when rained on, is shewn, when it is immediately subjoined, And should produce green herbs.
51. For the Gentile world, to which a way was not open xxvi. for the word of God, was a long while pathless. For on the coming of our Redeemer it so received the calling of grace, as that there had not been in it before the way of Pro- phecy. It is also righlly called desolate; namely, as being destitute of either the wisdom of counsel, or of the fruit of good works. The Lord therefore gave a course to the most violent shower, and a way to the sounding thuuder, that it should rain in the desert, and fill the pathless and desolate land, and should produce green herbs. That is. He added to outward preaching inward inspiration; that the parched hearts of the Gentiles might become green, the closed might be opened, the empty filled, the unfruitful germinate.
5*2. For in holy Scripture * grass' is sometimes taken for the verdure of temporal glory, sometimes for the food of the devil, sometimes for the support of preachers, sometimes for good works, sometimes for the knowledge and doctrine of eternal life. For it is taken for the verdure of temporal glory, as the Propliet says. Let it pass away in the morning Ps.90,6. Hke grass, in the morning let it flourish and pass away. For to flourish and to pass away in the morning like grass, ' s in the prosperity of this world for the beauty of temporal .^lory speedily to dry away. Grass is taken for the ibod of the llevil, as it is said of him by the Lord, For hint the inoun~^^^^^> \ains hear grass. As if He were saying, Whilst proud and jiaughty men exalt themselves in unlawful thoughts and fictions, they feed him with their iniquities. Grass is pointed >ut to be the support of j^reachcrs, when it is said. He Ps. 147, noduceth grass on the mountains^ and herbs for the service pg^ 104 f men. For grass is produced on the mountains, and herbs ^^• or the use of men, when the lofty ones of this world, being ailed to the knowledge of the laith, bestow on holy >reachers, in the journey of this life, food for their sojourn.
VOL. III. z VOL. III. z 338 * Grafis" put for Doclriue of Klernal Life.
Job 38, Grass is put for good works, as it is written, Let the earth bring forth the (jreen (/rass. And though we hold that it Alleo...Gen. 1, thus took place historically m the creation of the world, yet ^^* we suppose, without impropriety, the earth to ha\ e been a type of the Church, which brought forth the green grass, in that it produced, at the command of God, fruitful works of mercy. We sometimes take ' gi'ass"* for the knowledge and Jer. 14, doctrine of eternal verdure; as it is said by Jeremiah, The wild asses did stand on the rocks, the// snuffed up the iiinds as dragons; their eyes did fail, because there was no grass. By which expression the proud and most wicked persecution of the Jews was prophesied. For they are called in tnith wild asses, for their pride of mind, and dragons, for their virulent thoughts. And they stood on the rocks, because they trusted, not in God, but, in the chief powers of this John world, saying, IVe have no king but Cresar. They snuffed ' ' up the winds as dragons, because being puffed up by the spirit of pride they were swollen with malicious haughtiness. Their eyes failed, because in truth their hope fell short of that which it was aiming at. For loving temporal things, it neglected to wait for eternal, and lost earthly goods, because 1° 48 ^* preferred them to God. For they said, If ive let Him thus alone, all men will believe on Him, and the Roman% will come, and take away both our place and nation. They were afraid lest they should lose their place, if the Lord had not been slain, and yet they lost it, when He was slain. But he adds the reason why these things befel the wretched men, Because there was iio grass: that is, because the knowledge of eternity was wanting in their hearts, and did not refresh them with the food of the verdure of inwarcj doctrine. In this place then what else do we understand hy green herbs, but the knowledge of heavenly doctrine, oil works in accordance? The desert earth then is watered bj the rain, for the green herbs to be produced from it, because when the Gentile world enjoyed the shower of holy preach- ing, it budded forth with both the works of life, and thel herb of doctrine. This verdure is promised to the desen?
Is. 35, 7. land by the voice of the Prophet, when it is said. In tht dens, in which the dragons dwelt before, shall rise up the verdure of the reed and bulrush. For what is designated b} Its sprintjiny in Ihe Genl'de world, or iynoranl. muuL 339 the reed but preachers; and what by the buhush, which Book always grows by the moisture of water, but weak and tender ' hearers of the sacred word? The verdure of the reed and buh'ush grows up then in the dens of the dragons, because in those peoples, which the malice of the old enemy used to possess, both the knowledge of teachers and the obedience of hearers is collected together.
53. But these things which have been stated generally of Mor. the Gentile world, we see taking place, if we carefully exa- mine, in individuals within the bosom of Holy Church. For there are many, grievously insensible to the words of God, who are counted under the name of faith, who hear the words of life with their ears, but suffer them not to pass through to the inward places of the heart. What else are these than desert land? Which land in truth has not a man, because their mind is void of the sense of reason. And no mortal dwells in this land, because if thoughts of reasonable meanings ever spring up in their conscience, they do not remain there. For evil desires find a resting-place in their hearts, but if good desires have ever come there, they pass away, as if urged on. But when the merciful God deigns to give a course to His shower, and a way to the sounding thunder, being stung with grace within, they open the ears of their heart to the words of life. And the pathless land is filled: for while it grants a hearing to the word, it is overwhelmed with mystery. And it brings forth green herbs: because when watered by the grace of compunction, it not only willingly receives the words of preaching, but returns them back with abundant increase; so that it is now eager to speak what it could not hear, and that that which had become dry, even within, through not listening, feeds with its verdure as many as are hungry. Whence it is well said by the Pro- phet, Send forth Tliy Spirit, and they shall he created^ and^^- 104, Tlwu shall renew the face oj the earth. For thus, thus, the face of the earth is changed by the virtue of renewal, when the mind which before was dry, is watered by the coming of grace, and is, after its former barrenness, arrayed with the verdure of knowledge, as though by grass which it had brought forth. Which grace of our Creator is commended still more highly, when it is subjoined; S4Q The ruin and dew of preach ukj both from God. .Tod 08, VcT. 28, Who is the father (f the rain? or who hath heno — ' — (fotten the drops of den-?
xxvii. 54. As if lie were sayin^^, Kxc^'pt Myself, Who sprinkle, of My free j^race, the barren earth of the human heart with drops of kno\vled«re. For of this rain is said elsewhere, Ps.68,9. Thou ivilt set apart, 0 God, a voluntary rain for thine inhe- ritance. For God sets apart a voluntary rain for His inhe- ritance, because He grants it to us, not for own deserts, but from the bounty of His own benignity. And He is in this place called the father of this rain, for this reason, because His heavenly preaching is begotten in us, not for our merits, but from His grace. For the drops of dew, are the holy preachers themselves, who water the fields of our breast, (parched amid the evils of the present life, as though amid the gloom of a dry night,) with the grace of bounty from Jer.3,3. above. Of these drops it is said to obstinate Judah; There- fore the drops of rains have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain. For the drops of dew are the same as the drops of rains. For w^hen they soften down their preaching by any accommodation, they sprinkle, as it were, the tender dew. But when they say what they think of heavenly things, with the power with which they are strong, they pour forth, as it were, the flowing rain abun- dantly. Paul was sprinkling the dew, when saying to the 1 Cor. Corinthians, For I determined to know nothing among you, save Jesus Christy and Him crucified. And again he was 2 Cor. pouring forth the rain, saying, O ye Corinthians, our mouth ' ' is opened unto you, our heart is enlarged. Hence it is, that Moses, who knew that he would say bold things to the Deut. strong, and gentle to the weak, observed. Let my speech be ' ^' waited, for as the rain, and let my words descend as the dew.
But, lo! we have heard with what favour the Gentiles are called, let us now hear with what severity Judah is rejected. We have heard how He cultivates what is desert, and waters what is barren: let us now hear how He casts forth those which seem to be, as it were, within. For He does not so gather His Elect, as not also to judge the reprobate; nor does He so forgive faults to some persons, as not to punish Ecclus.. them in some also. For it is written, For mercy and wrath Ice from heaven^ the wicked, hij creation, from God. 311 come from Him. Whence here also, after He liad inlioduced I^ook XXIX so many gifts of grace, He conceals not the judgments of ' His wrath. For it follows; Ver. 29. Oat of ivhose tvotub came the ice, and the frost from Itoaven, alio Juitli (jendered it?
5d. For what else do we understand by 'frost' or Mce,'xxviii. but the hearts of the Jews frozen and bound with the torpor of unbelief.? Who formerly by the receiving of the Law, by the keeping of the commandments, by the ministry of sacri- fice, by the m^'steries of prophecy, were so kept within the bosom of grace, as if within the womb of the Creator. But because, on the coming of the Lord, being hard bound witli the frost of unbelief, they lost the warmth of faith and cha- rity, being cast forth from the secret bosom of grace, they came forth like ice from the womb of the Creator. A?id the frost from heaven, who hath gendered it? What else ought * heaven' to be here understood to mean but the lofty life of the saints? To which heaven it is said, Gice ear, 0 heavejf,Deut. and I li'ill speak. Of which abode it is elsewhere written, ' " The soul of the just is the seat of u isdotn". Because then God is wisdom, if the abode of God is heaven, and the soul of the just is the seat of wisdom, the soul of the just is certainly heaven. Abraham was heaven, Isaac was heaven, Jacob was heaven. But because the persecutors of the Lord, the high priests of the Jews, who were frozen with the torpor of unbelief, sprang from the race of those ancestors, the frost