38. And hence is it that holy men, who are obliged by the necessity of their employments to engage in outward pur- suits, are ever studiously betaking themselves to the secrets of their hearts; and there do they ascend the height of secret thought, and learn (as it were) the Law in the Mount: when they put aside the tumults of worldly business, and ponder, on the height of their thought, the sentence.of the DiA-ine will. And hence is it that the same Moses frequently retires to the Tabernacle on doubtftd points; and there secretly con- sults God, and learns what certain decision to come to. For to leave the crowd, and retire to the Tabernacle, is to put aside the tumults of outward objects, and to enter into the God.seeft in qtiiet, (ind by inuujes^ as in a dream. 3o secret recess of the mind. For the Lord is there consulted, Book and we hear inwardly and in silence, what we must do -^- -' openly and without. This course wise rulers daily pursue; when they are aware that they cannot settle doubtful points, they betake themselves to the secret recesses of their mind, as if to a kind of tabernacle. By looking into the Divine Law, they consult the Lord, as it were before the Ark. And what they first hear in silence, they afterwards make known to the world in their conduct. For in order that they may engage in outward em]3loyments without injury to themselves, they constantly take care to withdraw to the secrets of their heart. And they thus hear the voice of God, as it were, in a dream, while they withdraw themselves in the thoughts of their mind from the influence of carnal things. Hence is it that, in the Song of Songs, the Bride who said, / sleep, and^o]om. viy heart is atvake, had heard the voice of the Bridegroom 2°" ' in dreams. As if she were saying, While I give my outward senses rest from the anxieties of this world, I have a more lively perception of inward truths, when my mind is unem- ployed. I am asleep to outward things, but my heart is awake within, because, when I am insensible as it were to outward objects, 1 have a keen apprehension of inward secrets.
39. Well then says Eliu, that God speaketh by a dream; and fitly did he add. In a vision of the niyht. For a vision of the night usually presents itself to the contemplation of the mind under certain images. But we perceive objects more plainly by daylight, we see less quickly in a vision of the night. And because all holy men, as long as they are in this life, behold the secrets of the Divine Nature only under certain resemblances, (since they do not, as yet, gain a clearer sight of them as they really are;) after Eliu had said that God speaks to us in a dream, he rightly adds, in a vision of the ni(jht. For ' night' is this present life, and as long as we arc in it, we are covered with a mist of uncertain imagin- ations as far as the sight of inward objects is concerned. For the Prophet was sensible that he was held by a certain mist in his sight of the Lord, when ho says, My soul lonyedls.26,9. for Thee in the night. As if he were to say, I long to behold Thee in the obscurity of this present life, but I am still VOL. III. D 34 Tcdchinfj and discipline in the soul's inner chamber.
Job 33, surroimtlcd by the mist of infirmity. David also wishing to '— avoid the gloom of this hfe, and waiting for the brightness of Ps. 5,3. tlie tiuc light, says, In the jtiornintj I will stand before Thee, and will see. lie who longs for the approach of morning, in order to behohl God, ])erceivcs that he can still see but imj)erfectly, in the night. But because, as we said, sleeping is ceasing from outward action, Eliu rightly adds, When sleep falls upon men. And because holy men, when unemployed in outward action, rest within the chambers of their mind, he fitly sul)joins, and they sleep on their bed. For holy men to sleep in their bed, is for them to take rest in the cliamber Ps.i49, of their mind. Whence it is written, The saints shall exult in glory, they shall rejoice in their beds. Let it be said then that God speaks once to us through a dream in a vision of the night, lohen sleep falls upon men, and they sleep in their bed. Because we then doubtless discern the secrets of the Godhead, when we withdraw ourselves into the chambers of our minds from the tumultuous desires of this world. But because, as we have already frequently said before, the tur- moil of worldly business closes the ear, and the rest of secret contemplation opens it, he properly subjoins, Ver. 16. Then He openeth the ears of men, and teaching, instructeth them with discipline. xxi. 40. For wdien they are dead to outward objects, they hear with open ears the causes which come before their inward judgment. And when they consider minutely with them- selves either their open punishments, or their secret judg- ments, they cease not to afflict themselves with tears. Whence it is well said, And teaching. He instructeth them with discipline, because to a mind which reflects and wounds itself with penitence, the sorrows of compunc- tion are like the stripes of a blow. Whence Solomon also rightly uniting together the force of these kinds of Prov.20, blows, says. The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil, and blows in the secret parts of the belly. For by the blue- ness of a wound he implies the discipline of blows on the body. But blows in the secret parts of the belly are the wounds of the mind within, which are inflicted by com- punction. For as the belly is distended when filled with food, so is the mind puffed up when swollen with wicked Joy in godly sorroiv. Four thoughts to cause compuiictlon. 35 ihouo-hts. The blneness then of a wound, and blows in the Book . XXIIl. secret parts of the belly, cleanse away evil, because both -^ ' outward discipline does away with faults, and compunction pierces Ihe distended mind witli the punishment of penance. But they diflcr from each other in this respect, that the wounds of blows give us pain, the sorrows of compunction have good savour. The one afflict and torture, the others restore, when they afBict us. Through the one there is sorrow in affliction, through the other there is joy in grief. But because the very act of compunction wounds the mind, he not unfitly calls it discipline.
41. For there are four modes in which the mind of a righ- teous man is strongly affected by compunction: when he either calls to mind his own sins, and considers where he HATH been; or when fearing the sentence of God's judgments, and examining his own self, he thinks where he shall be: or when, carefully observing the evils of this present life, he reflects with sorrow where he is; or when he contemplates the blessings of his heavenly country, and, because he does not as yet enjoy them, beholds with regret where he IS NOT. Paul had called to mind his former sins, and was afflicting himself by the sight of what he had been, when he said, / am not worthy to he called an Apostle^ i Cor. because I persecuted the Church of God. Again, from care- *' fully weighing the Divine sentence, he was afraid that it was bad for him in prospect, when he says, I chastise my body, iCov.Q^ and bring it into subjection, lest perchance, when I have preached to others, I myself should become a castaway. And again, he was considering the evils of this present life, when he said. While we are in this body, we are absent from "2, Cor.6, the Lord: and, I see another law in my members, warring ^^^ y against the law of my mind, and bringing me captive to the^^' law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am I who shall deliver me from the body of this death? And again, he was considering the blessings of his heavenly country, when saying. We see now through a glass darkly, I Cor. hut then face to face. Now I know in part, but then shall 1 ' know, even as also I am known. And again. We know ///(i^2Cor.5, if our earthly house of this habitation be dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in 30 Ills of earl h known by s'ujhl of Heaven. Bodily images^.
Job 33jlie heavens. And looking at the blessings of lliis house, he says to the I^^j)hesians, T/ial ye may know what is the hope 18. 10. of His calliny, and what the riches of fhe (jlory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceediny yreat- ness of His power toivard us who have believed. But blessed Job 7, 1. Job, considering the evils of this present life, says, The life of man upon the earth is a temptation. Whence David says, Ps.39,6. Every man that liveth is alloyether vanity; and iJiouyh man nallieth in the imaye of God, yet nill he be disquieted in vain. But again, on contemplating his heavenly home, and weighing the evils in which he then was, and considering the Ps. 120, good things which he did not as yet enjoy, he says, Woe is Ps. 31 '^'^ ^^'^^ ^'^y sojourning is prolonged; and, / said in my fear, 22. I am cast out from- the sight of Thine eyes. Being raised up in an ecstasy, which our translators properly intei^jreted fear, he saw that he was cast out from the sight of the eyes of God. For after beholding that inward light, which flashed within his mind with bright rays through the grace of con- templation, he returned to himself; and discerned, by the knowledge he had gained, either the blessings which were there, of which he was deprived, or the evils with which he was here surrounded. For no one is able to look on the ills of life as they really are, if he is unable by contemplation to gain a taste of the blessings of the eternal country. Whence also he knew that he had been cast out of the sight of the eyes of God. For when he. was raised up in a trance, he saw that which, when he fell back on himself, he lamented that he could not of himself behold.
42. For that compunction ^vith which it dispels all bodily imaginations which crowd upon it, and annoy it, and with which it strives to fix the eye of the heart on the very ray of the boundless light, is wont in truth more deeply to affect a perfect mind. For these appearancas of bodily figures it has attracted to itself within, through infirmity of the flesh. But ' when it is completely filled with compunction, it is here specially on its guard, lest the imagination of circumscribed vision should delude it, when it is searching after truth; and it rejects all imaginations which present themselves to it. For since it has fallen, by their means, beneath itself, it endeavours to rise above itself, by escaping from them: and God's teaching ^ discipline, because hard to keep the mind to, 37 after it has been distracted, in an unseemly manner, by many Book XXIII objects, it endeavours to gather itself again together; that '■ prevailing by the mighty jDower of love, it may contemplate ,one single and incorporeal Being.
43. And hence it is admitted, at times, to taste some unusual savour of sweetness within, and is suddenly in a measure refreshed, when breathed on by the glowing Spirit; and is the more eager, the more it gains a taste of something to love; and it desires that within itself, which it feels to taste sweetly within, because it has in truth, from the love of its sweetness, become vile in its own sight; and after having been able, in whatever way, to enjoy it, it has discovered what it had hitherto been without it. It endeavours to cling closely to it, but is kept from approaching its strength, by its own remaining weakness; and because it is unable to contemplate its purity, it counts it sweet to weep, and, sinking back into itself, to make its bed in the tears of its own weakness. For it cannot fix the eyes of its mind on that, of which it has only taken a hasty glance within; because it is compelled by its own old habits to sink down- wards. It meanwhile pants and strives and endeavours to rise above itself, but sinks back, overpowered with weariness, into its own familiar darkness. But because a mind thus affected, has to endure itself as the cause of a stubborn contest against itself, and because all this controversy about ourselves causes no small amount of pain, when we are en- gaged in it, whatever pleasure may be blended therewith; Eliu, after having said that God speaks to us in a dream, and that our ears are opened by His words, calls this same opening of the ears a discipline, and with good reason. Because the more the sound of inward wisdom by the grace of its secret inspiration bursts forth upon us, the more does it affect us with distress. For no one would outwardly lament that which he is, if he had not been able to perceive within, that which as yet he is not. For on seeing that we ourselves were created aright, but that we were deceived by giving a fatal consent to the persuasions of the devil, we observe in our own case, that what we made ourselves is one thing, and what we were made is another: that by nature we were sound, but that we became corrupted through our own.
38 Repentance leaves acts of pride, and escapes death.
Job 33, fault. And therefore when wc arc pinched by conscience, -^H —.' we seek to escape from what we ourselves have done, that we may be refashioned after the pattern in which we were first made. Whence it fitly follows, Ver. 17. Tliat He may witltdraw man from the thinrjs that he has done, and mat/ deliver him from pride. xxii. 44. For what has man done of himself but sin? And it is Ecclus. written, Pride is the beginning of all sin. It is rightly said, ' ' then, that when man is v/ithdrawn from what he has done, be is freed from pride. To transgress the commands of our Creator by sin, is to be haughty against Him; because a man casts off, as it were, the yoke of His authority, to Whom he scorns to submit by obedience. On the other hand, he who wishes to avoid what he has done, calls to mind what he was made by God: and humbly returns to the order of his creation, when flying from his own deeds, he loves him- self as he was at first created by God. But because eternal glory is obtained, and eternal punishments are avoided, by this wisdom, it is appropriately subjoined, Ver. 18. Rescuing his soul from corruption, and his life ' froY)! passing to the sword.
xxiii. 45. For every sinner, in consequence of his corruption by sin here, is compelled to pass thither to the sword of punish- ment; that he may be justly punished in that world, by the very sins in which he delighted in this.
We must observe therefore, that God, speaking to us in a tlfeam, delivers us first from corruption, and afterwards from the sword: because in truth He delivers the ' life' of that person from avenging punishment there, whose mind He here withdraws from the allurement of sin. Nor has he any thing to fear therefrom the sword of judgment, whom the pollution of guilt has not here corrupted after his amendment. It is well said then, Rescuing his soul from corruption, and his life from passing to the sword. For to pass from corruption to the sword, is, after the commission of sin, to arrive at the punishments which have to be endured. It follows, Ver. 19. He chastens him also with pain upon his bed^ and makes all his bones to waste anag.
xxiv. 40. By bed, or pallet, or couch in holy Scripture, is- understood, sometimes carnal pleasure, sometimes a resting Resf, in earthly pleasure, in means of grace, in retirement. 39 in good works, sometimes temporal rest; for what is meant Rook by what our Lord said in the Gospel to a certani one who -- was healed, Arise, take up thy bed, and go n?ito thine house, Mat. 9, except that bodily pleasure is signified by bed? And he is ^^.^^.j^ 2 specially commanded, when restored to health, to carry that li- on which he had lain when sick, since every one, who still 24. ' delights in sin, lies overpowered with fleshly pleasures. But he carries that, when healed, on which he had lain when sick, because when rescued by Divine assistance from his sins, he afterwards endures the insults of that very flesh, in the indulgence of which he used to rest content. But again, by bed, or couch, is designated a resting in good works. Wlicnce the Apostle Peter sa3's, in the Acts of the Apostles, JEneas, may the Lord Jesus Christ make thee whole; arise, Acts 9, and make thy bed. For what is meant by rise, but leave ^'** off' the sins which thou hast committed? and what by make thy bed, but engage in those means of grace, in which thou oughtest to rest.^ So that by rising he was to forsake what he had done, and by making his bed, find after what he should have done. And both these points the Prophet briefly sums up, in saying, Turn aside from evil, and do good. ps. 37, For to turn aside from evil is to rise from that whereon he ^7. lay; but to do good, is to make ready those works that win reward, in which he should rest. But he who turns aside from evil, but does not as yet do what is good, has risen from that whereon he lay, but has not yel made for himself a place wherein he is to rest. And again, bed, or couch, is taken for temporal rest; as it is written. Thou hast turned «//?«. 4i 3. his bed in his sickness. For when any one, worn out by secular cares, is urged on by Divine grace to forsake the toilsome ways of this world, he is wont to consider how to avoid the attractions of the present life, and to rest from its labours. He presently seeks for himself the station of rest which he desired, and wishes to find a place of cessation firom all his labours, as though it were a kind of bed. But because a man while still in this life, in whatever situation, cannot in the secresy of any retirement whatever live with- out temptations; the pain of temptation is found to press more heavily on that spot, which is contrived for the sake of rest. Whence it is well said by the Prophet, Thoic hast 40 Rent not allowed us lest we slop on our way.
Job 33, turned all his bed in his sickness. As if he were to say, AH ^tbat lie lias licrc contrived for liimself for the sake of rest, Thou hast by secret judginont converted to liis disturbance.
And this is so ordained by tlie merciful design of God, in order that, in the season of his sojourning, the life of the I^lect may be exposed to confusion.
47. For our present life is the road by which we journey *patriam on to our home *: and we are harassed here by frequent disturbances, in the secret judgment of God, ex])ressly that we may not love our road instead of our home. For some travellers, if they see by accident some pleasant meadows on their road, are wont to delay, and to turn aside from the straight path on which they have entered. And the beauty of the road delays their steps, while it affords them pleasure. The Lord then makes the way of this world rugged to His Elect, who are journeying towards Him: in order that no one when enjoying the rest of this present life, as if it were some beauteous road, might take greater pleasure in prolong- ing the journey than in speedily arriving at its end; or forget, when delighted by the way, wdiat he used to long for in his home. But because all the rest, which we have hap- pened to secure for ourselves in this world, is liable to disturbance, it is well said, He chastens him also with pain upo7i his bed, that is, He disturbs us in the rest of this world, either by the stings of temptation, or by the affliction of the scourge. For if the mind of man has been engaged in virtuous pursuits for ever so short a time, without tempt- ation, it is often, in consequence of those very pursuits, in which it is tranquilly engaged, soon elated by those very virtues, which it is endeavouring to multiply within, from being conscious of the progress it is making. It is therefore exposed to the assaults of temptations, by the merciful dispensation of our Ruler, that thus pride, at the advance it is making, may be checked within it. Wherefore after he had said. He chastens him also ivith pain on his bed, he fitly subjoined, And makes all his bones to waste away, 48. By bones in holy Scripture we understand virtues; as Ps. 34 it is written, The Lord keepeth all his bones; not one of ^^' them shall be broken. Which is specially understood not of the bones of the body, but of the powers of the mind. For J ^ Bones ivastecV in temptation bring down our pride. 41 we know assiiiedly, that the bones of many Martyrs were Book broken in a bodily sense, and the persecutors of the Lord _ broke the bones of that thief, to whom it was saidj To-day -^^^ ' shalt thou be with Me in Paradise, as well as those of the T;^"^e23, other thief on the cross. When He chastens us then with pain on our bed, He makes all our bones to waste away; because when we are assailed with the scourge of temj^tation, in that rest which we secure for ourselves from this world, we, who might perhaps have been puffed up by our virtues, are brought low by being sore vexed at the knowledge of our infirmity. For when vve are advancing as we wish towards God, if no temjitation checked our progress, we should believe that we were persons of some strength. But since the Divine dispensation thus deals with us, in order that we may remember our infirmity when tempted, because we forget it when we are advancing, we learn when we advance what vve are by the divine gift; and in our temptation what we are by our own strength. But this temptation would in truth entirely hurry us away, did not heavenly protection keep us up. But it strikes us without breaking, it presses on us without moving us, it staggers, but does not cast us down: that we may feel that it is all owing to our own weakness that we are shaken, but that it is the gift of God that we stand firm. But because a soul which is conscious of any good quality in itself, frequently revels in a kind of delight, on calling its virtues to mind, and is bloated as it were by congratulating itself on its own fulness, it is well said that the bones waste away under the assault of tempt- ation. Because while our own weakness is ascertained by the questionings of temptation, all that, as it were, bloated and florid self-congratulation on our own strength, is dried up by the sudden pain of anxiety. And we who, on weighing our good deeds, believed them to be of some value, when smitten somewhat more heavily are afraid that we are about to perish immediately. It is then that all satisfaction at our goodness is changed into fear of punishment. We then discover our- selves to be guilty, though, but just before, we believed ourselves to be saints. Our mind wastes away, our eyes become dull, all tlie prosperity which used to smile on us vanishes away; the light itself is loathsome, and the darkness 42 Mystical 7ne(iiun(jfi of ' Jhciul.'' Heacciily contemplalion.
Job 33, of sorrow alone spreads itself over the iniiid. We see nolhing ^ — to please us, every thing which comes before us is full of sorrow. Whence it also ])ropcrly follows, Ver. 20. His bread becomes abominable to him in his lips, and to his soul the food which before it desired.
XXX. 49. As if he were to say in so many words; A mind under affliction believes that every thing which used easily to satisfy, and give it pleasure, is turned into bitterness. For by bread is understood in holy Scripture sometimes the Lord Himself, sometimes spiritual grace, sometimes the instruction of divine teaching, sometimes the preaching of heretics, sometimes sustenance for this present life, sometimes the agreeableness of worldly ])leasure. The Lord is signified by John 6, bread, as He Himself says in the Gospel, / am the living ^^' Bread, Who came down from heaven.
Again, by bread is understood the grace of spiritual gifts, as is Is. 33, said by the Prophet, Who stoppeth his ears, that he should, not ^^' ^^' hear of blood ^and shutteth his eyes that he should not see evil, he shall dwell in high places, his high place shall be the muni- tions of rocks, bread is given to him. For w^hat is to close his ears, not to hear blood, except to refuse consent to those persuasive sins which spring from flesh and blood? or what to close his eyes, not to behold evil, but to disapprove of every thing which is contrary to uprightness? Such an one will dwell in high places; for though the flesh still confines him to things below, he has already fixed his mind on things above. His high place is the munitions of rocks, because he who tramples beneath his feet his longings for worldly conversation, raises himself to his heavenly country by the patterns of the fathers who have gone before. And because he is satisfied with spiritual grace through the gift of con- templation, it is rightly subjoined, Bread is given him; that is, he enjoys the refreshment of spiritual grace, because he has raised himself above the goods of the world, by hoping for those of heaven. Hence also the Lord says of Holy Ps. 132, Church by David, / will satisfy her poor vsith bread; because the humble-minded who dwell therein are filled with the refreshment of spiritual gifts. x4gain, by bread is set forth the instruction of heavenly doctrine, as is said by the Prophet, Is. 21, Ye who dwell in the land of the South, meet with bread him Teaching, true or false; support of nature. 43 that isjfying away. For tliey dwell in the land of the South Rook who, placed within Holy Church, are breathed upon by the-^ - love of the vSpirit from on high. But he is flying, who is wishing to escajic from the evils of this world. He then who dwells in the land of the South, should meet with bread him that is flying; that is, he who is already full of the Holy Spirit within the Churcli, should console with words of in- struction the man who is endeavouring to escape from his evil ways. To meet with bread him that is flying, is surely to ofler the food of sound doctrine to one who is in fear of eternal punishments, and at one while to restrain his pride by fear, and at another to comfort liis fears by encouragement. But because by bread is not unfitly understood the refresh- ment of holy Scripture, it is said by the same Prophet to the Jews who looked only to the letter. Wherefore do ye spend Is. 55,2. your money, but not in bread. As though he were saying. Ye consider the holy words, but not for refreshment, because while ye carefully guard the outward letter alone, ye lose that richness of inward refreshment which results from the spiritua meaning. Whence it is ])roperly subjoined in that passage, And your labour for that ivhich satisfieth not.