VOLUME I - THE
FIRST PART.
THE PREFACE,
Wherein he in few words goes through the particulars, which are to be
laid
open in the course of the entire work.
________
1.
IT is often a question with many persons, who should be held for the writer
of the Book of the Blessed Job; and some indeed conjecture that Moses was
the author of this work, others, some one of the Prophets. For because it
is related in the Book of Genesis [Gen. 36, 33] that Jobab sprung from the
stock of Esau, and that he succeeded Bale [Bela E.V.] the son of Beor
upon the throne, they have inferred that this Blessed Job lived long before
the times of Moses, evidently from ignorance of the manner of Holy Writ,
which in the earlier parts is wont to touch slightly upon events that are
not to follow till long afterwards, when the object is to proceed without
delay to particularize other events with greater exactness. Whence it
happens, that in that case likewise it is mentioned of Jobab, that he was
before there arose kings in Israel. Therefore we clearly see that He
never could have lived before the Law, who is marked out as having lived
during the time of the Judges of Israel; which being little attended to by
some, they suppose that Moses was the writer of his acts, as placing him
long before, [ut vide licet] so that in effect the self-same person
who was able to deliver the precepts of the Law for our instruction; should
be supposed also to have commended to us examples of virtue derived from the
life of a man that was a Gentile. But some, as has been said, suppose some
one of the Prophets to have been the Author of this work, maintaining that
no man could have knowledge of those words of God, which have such deep
mystery, save he whose mind was raised to things above by the spirit of
Prophecy.
2.
But who was the writer, it is very superfluous to enquire; since at any rate
the Holy Spirit is confidently believed to have been the Author. He then
Himself wrote them, Who dictated the things that should be written. He did
Himself write them Who both was present as the Inspirer in that Saint's
work, and by the mouth of the writer has consigned to us his acts as
patterns for our imitation. If we were reading the words of some great man
with his Epistle in our hand, yet were to enquire by what pen they were
written, doubtless it would be an absurdity, to know the Author of the
Epistle and understand his meaning, and notwithstanding to be curious to
know with what sort of pen the words were marked upon the page. When then
we .understand the matter, and are persuaded that the Holy Spirit was its
Author, in stirring a question about the author, what else do we than in
reading a letter enquire about the pen?
3.
Yet we may with greater probability suppose that the same blessed Job, who
bore the strife of the spiritual conflict, did likewise relate the
circumstances of his victory when achieved; nor should it influence us that
it is said in the same book, 'Job said,' or, ‘Job bore this or that;' for it
is the manner of Holy Scripture for the persons who are writing so to speak
of themselves in it, as though they were speaking of others. Whence it is
that Moses says, Now the man Moses was very meek above all the men which
were upon the face of the earth. [Numb. 12, 3] Hence John says, that
Disciple whom Jesus loved; [John 19, 26] hence Luke says, that two of
them were walking by the way, Cleophas and another; [Luke 24, 13] which
other indeed, while he was so carefully silent about him, he shewed to have
been no other than himself, as some assert. The writers then of Holy Writ
because they are moved by the impulse of the Holy Spirit, do therein so bear
witness of themselves as though of other persons. Thus the Holy Spirit by
the mouth of Moses spake of Moses, the Holy Spirit speaking by John spoke of
John. Paul too intimates that he did not speak from the dictates of his own
mind, by saying, Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me. [2
Cor. 13, 3] It is hence that the Angel who is described to have appeared to
Moses, is now mentioned as an Angel, now as the Lord; an Angel in truth, in
respect of that which was subservient to the external delivery; and the
Lord, because He was the Director within, Who supplied the effectual power
of speaking. Therefore as the speaker is inwardly directed, by virtue of
his obedience to instructions, he receives the name of Angel, by virtue of
his inspiration, that of Lord. Hence David exclaims, Give ear, O my
people, to my law; incline your ears to the words of my mouth. [Ps. 78,
1] For it was neither David's law, nor David's people, but he, assuming the
character of Him from whom He spoke, speaks with His authority with Whose
inspiration he was filled. This we perceive to be daily practised in the
Church, if we regard the thing attentively; for the reader standing in the
midst of the people exclaims, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac,
and the God of Jacob. [Exod. 3, 61] Yet that he is himself God, he says
not certainly with truth, nor yet by saying what he does is the line of
truth deviated from; for by his voice he first proclaims the sovereignty of
Him, Whose minister he is in the office of reading. Therefore the writers
of Holy Writ, because when full of the Holy Spirit they are lifted above
their own nature, are as it were put out of themselves, and in this manner
they deliver sentiments about themselves, as though about other persons. In
this way Blessed Job also, being under the influence of the Holy Spirit,
might have written his own acts, which were, for that matter, gifts of
inspiration from above, as though they were not his own; for in so far as it
was a human being, who spoke things which were of God, all that he spake
belonged to Another, and in so far as the Holy Spirit spake of what is
proper to a human being, it was Another that gave utterance to the things
that belonged to him.
[ii]
4.
But we should now leave these points behind us, and hasten forward to
consider the particulars of the Sacred History. Every man, even from this,
that he is a man, ought to understand the Author of his being, to Whose will
he must submit the more completely, in the same proportion that he reflects
that of himself he is nothing; yet we, when created I by Him, neglected to
take God into our thoughts. Precepts were had recourse to: precepts
likewise we have refused to obey, Examples are added; these very examples
too we decline to follow, which we see were set forth to us by those under
the Law; for because God did openly address Himself to particular persons
who were placed under the Law, we regard ourselves as unconcerned with those
particular precepts, to whom they were not specially addressed; wherefore to
confound our shamelessness, a Gentile is handed down to be our example, that
as he that is set under the Law disdains to pay obedience to the Law, he may
at least be roused by comparing himself with him, who without the Law lived
as by law, The Law then was given to one gone astray; but when even under
the Law he still strays, he has the testimony of those brought before him,
who are without the pale of the Law, that forasmuch as we would not keep to
the order of our creation [conditionis], we might be admonished of
our duty by precepts, and because we scorned to obey the precepts, we might
be shamed by examples, not, as we have said, the examples of those who had
the restraint of the Law, but of those who had no law to restrain them from
sin.
5.
The Divine Providence has compassed us about, and cut off all excuse; all
opening to man's equivocating arts is every way closed; a Gentile, one
without the Law, is brought forward to confound the iniquity of those that
are under the Law; which is well and summarily shewn by the Prophet, when He
says, Be thou ashamed, O Zidon, saith the sea; [Isai. 23, 4] for in
Sidon we have a figure of the stedfastness of those settled upon the
foundation of the Law, and in the sea of the life of the Gentiles;
accordingly, Be thou ashamed, O Zidon, saith the sea, because the
life of those under the Law is convicted by the life of Gentiles, and the
conduct of men in a state of religion is put to confusion by the conduct of
those living in the world, so long as the first do not, even under vows,
observe what they hear enjoined in precepts: the latter by their manner of
life keep those ways whereunto they are not in any wise bound by legal
enactments. Now for the authority this book has received, we have the
weighty testimony of the sacred page itself, where the Prophet Ezekiel says,
that those men alone should have deliverance granted to them., viz. Noah,
Daniel, and Job; nor is it without propriety, that in the midst of Hebrew,
lives, that of a righteous Gentile is placed in that authority which
commands the reverence of men; because as our Redeemer came to redeem both
Jews and Gentiles, so He was willing to be prophesied of by the lips both of
Jews and Gentiles, that He might be named by either people [utrumque
populum], Who was at a future time to suffer for both.
6.
This man then, with all the surpassing powers whereby he was sustained, was
known to his own conscience and to God; but had he not been stricken he
would never have been the least known to us. For his virtue had its
exercise indeed even in peaceful times, but it was by strokes that the
report of; his virtue was stirred up to fragrance: and he, who in repose
kept within himself all that he was, when disturbed did scatter; abroad the
odour of his fortitude, for all to know. For as unguents, unless they be
stirred, are never smelt far off, and as aromatic scents spread not their
fragrance except they be burned, so the Saints in their tribulations make
known all the sweetness that they have of their virtues. Whence it is well
said in the Gospel, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall
say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place, and it shall remove.
[Matt. 17, 20] For unless a grain of mustard seed be bruised, the extent of
its virtue is never acknowledged. For without bruising it is insipid [lene],
but if it is bruised it becomes hot, and if gives out all those pungent
properties that were concealed in it. Thus every good man, so long as he is
not smitten, is regarded as insipid [lenis], and of slight account.
But if ever the grinding of persecution crush him, instantly he gives forth
all the warmth of his savour, and all that before appeared to be weak or
contemptible, is turned into godly fervour, and that which in peaceful times
he had been glad to keep from view within his own bosom, he is driven by the
force of tribulations to make known; so that the Prophet says with justice,
Yet the Lord hath commanded His lovingkindness in the day time, and in
the night He hath declared it; [Ps 42, p] for the lovingkindness of the
Lord is commanded in the day time, because the season of rest is perceived
by the sense of it [cognoscendo], but ‘in the night it is declared,’
because the gift which is received in tranquillity is made manifest in
tribulation.
[iii]
7.
But we ought to search out more particularly why so many strokes fell to the
lot of him who maintained without blame such strict guard of the several
virtues: for he had humility, as he himself even testifies, If I did
despise to be judged in the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant,
when they contended with me. [Job 31, 13] He shewed hospitality, as
himself describes, when he says; the stranger did not lodge in the
street: but I opened my doors to the traveller. [Job 31, 32] He
maintained a vigorous exercise of discipline, as his own words shew; The
princes refrained talking, and laid their fingers on their mouth. [Job
29, 9] With that vigour he yet retained mildness, according to his own
confession, where he says, I sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army,
yet as one that comforteth the mourners. In almsdeeds he cherished a
bountiful spirit, as he himself intimates by saying, If I have eaten my
morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof. [Job 31,
17] Whereas then he performed all the precepts of the several virtues, one
thing was wanting to him, viz. that when stricken even he should learn to
render thanks: it was known that he knew how to serve God when surrounded by
blessings, but it was meet that a most searching severity should put it to
the test, whether even under the lash he would yet remain constant to his
God, for chastisement is the test, whether when let to rest a man really
loves. Him the adversary sought indeed to obtain that he might prove
deficient [deficeret] in godliness, but obtained that he might prove
a proficient [proficeret] therein. The Lord in loving-kindness
permitted that to be done, which the devil in his wickedness required; for
when the enemy had got leave to have him with the purpose of destroying him,
by his temptations he effected that his merits were augmented. For it is
written, In all this Job sinned not with his lips. [Job 1, 22] Yet
doubtless there are certain words of his rejoinders, which sound harshly to
readers of little experience, for the sayings of the Saints these are unable
to understand in the pious sense in which they are spoken, and because they
are unskilled to make their own the feelings of the afflicted Saint,
therefore it is impossible for them to interpret aright the expressions of
grief, for it is a sympathy that lowers itself to his state of suffering,
that knows how to estimate aright the meaning of the sufferer.
8.
And so they conclude that blessed Job was a defaulter in his speech, without
sufficiently considering, that if they convict the blessed Job's replies,
they at the same time bear witness that God's sentence concerning him was
untrue. For the Lord saith to the devil, Hast thou considered My servant
Job, that there is none like him in all the earth, a perfect and an upright
man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? [Job 1, 8] To Whom the
devil presently replies, Doth Job fear God for nought? Has not Thou made
an hedge about him, and about his house? But put forth Thine hand now, and
touch him, and see if he hath not blessed Thee to Thy face. [v. 9, 10]
The enemy then put forth his strength upon the blessed Job, but in doing
this he entered the lists against God, and in this way blessed Job became
the intermediate subject of the contest between God and the devil. Whoever
then maintains that the holy man, when in the midst of the strokes,
committed sin by the words which he uttered, what else doth he than reproach
God, Who had pledged Himself [proposuerat] for him, with having been
the loser? For the same God was pleased to take upon Himself the cause of
the Saint under his trial, Who both extolled him before his afflictions, and
on thus extolling allowed him to undergo the trial of those scourges. If
then Job is said to have gone wrong, his advocate is made out to have been
foiled: though the gifts vouchsafed him alone testify, that he did not
transgress at all: for who does not know that what is due to faults is not
reward but chastisement? He then who merited to receive back double what he
had lost, proved by this compensation that there was nought of evil, but
only virtue in all that he said, and to this declaration too it is further
added, that he is himself the intercessor in behalf of his guilty friends.
For one that is involved in great sins, can never, when burthened with his
own, discharge another's score; he then is shewn to be clear in his own
case, who could obtain for others their clearance from guilt. If however it
be displeasing to any, that he is himself the relator of his own goodness,
let them know that in the midst of so many losses of his substance, amidst
so many wounds of the body, amidst so many deaths of his children, with the
friends, who had come to comfort him, breaking out into reproaches, he was
urged to despair of his life, and he whom such repeated calamities had
sorely smitten, was further stricken by the insulting language of the
reproachers; for these, that had come to comfort him, while they upbraided
him with his unrighteousness as it seemed to them, were driving him quite to
give up all hope of himself; whereas then he recalls his good deeds to mind,
it is not that he lifts himself up in self applause, but sets anew [reformat]
his mind to hope, when as it were sunk down amid those reproaches and those
strokes. For the mind is smitten with a heavy weapon of despair, when it is
both hard pressed with the tribulations of wrath from above, and galled by
the reproaches of men's tongues without. Blessed Job therefore, thus
pierced with the darts of so many woes, when he now feared to be brought
down by their reproaches, recalled himself to a state of confidence, by the
assurance derived from his past life. He then did not thereby fall into the
sin of presumption, because he resisted an inward impulse to despair by the
outward expression of his own eulogies, to the end that while he recounted
the good things which he had done he might be saved from despairing of the
good that he had sought.
[iv]
9.
But now let us follow out the actual course of his trial. The enemy, full
of rage, and striving to conquer the firm breast of that holy man, set up
against him the engines of temptation, spoiled his substance, slew his
children, smote his body, instigated his wife, and while he brought his
friends to console him, urged, them to the harshest upbraiding. One friend
too was more cruel in his reproaches, he reserved with the last and
bitterest invective, that by the frequency of the stroke, if not otherwise,
the heart might be reached by that which was ever being repeated with a
fresh wound. For because he saw that he had power in the world, he thought
to move him by the loss of his substance, and finding him unshaken, he smote
him by the death of his children. But seeing that from that wound which
made him childless he even gained strength to the greater magnifying of
God's praise, he asked leave to smite the health of his body. Seeing
moreover that by the pain of the body he could not compass the affecting [passionem]
of the mind, he instigated his wife, for he saw that the city which he
desired to storm was too strong; therefore by bringing upon him so many
external plagues, he led an army as it were on the outside against him, but,
when he kindled the feelings of his wife into words of mischievous
persuasion, it was as though he corrupted the hearts of the citizens within;
For so from external wars we are instructed how to think of those within.
For an enraged enemy, that holds a city encircled by his surrounding armies,
upon perceiving its fortifications to remain unshaken, betakes himself to
other methods [argumenta] of attack, with this object, that he may
corrupt the hearts of some of the citizens also within; so that, when he has
led on the assailants from without, he may also have cooperators within, and
that when the heat of the battle increases outside, the city being left
without succour by the treachery of those within, of whose faith no doubt is
felt, may become his prey.
10.
And thus a battering ram having been planted on the outside, as it were, he
smote the walls of this city with blows many in number, as the several times
that he brought tidings of calamities; while on the inside, he, as it were,
corrupted the hearts of the citizens, when he set himself to undermine the
strong bulwarks of this city by the persuasions of the wife. In this manner
he brought to bear, from without, an hostile assault, from within, baneful
counsels, that he might capture the city the sooner, in proportion as he
troubled it both from within and from without. But because there are times
when words are more poignant than wounds, he armed himself, as we have said,
with the tongues of his friends. Those indeed that were of graver years,
might perchance give the less pain by their words. The younger is made to
take their place, to deal that holy bosom a wound so much the sharper, the
meaner was the arm that be impelled to strike blows against it. Behold the
enemy mad to strike down his indomitable strength, how many the darts of
temptation that he devised, see, what numberless beleaguering engines he set
about him! See how many weapons of assault he let fly, but in all his mind
continued undaunted, the city stood unshaken.
[v]
11.
It is the aim of enemies, when they come up face to face, to send off some
in secret, who may be so much the more free to strike a blow in the flank of
the hostile force, in proportion as he that is fighting is more eagerly
intent upon the enemy advancing in front. Job, therefore, being caught in
the warfare of this conflict, received the losses which befel him like foes
in his front; he took the words of his comforters like enemies on his flank,
and in all turning round the shield of his stedfastness, he stood defended
at all points, and ever on the watch, parried on all sides the swords
directed against him. By his silence he marks his unconcern for the loss of
his substance; the flesh, dead in his children, he bewails with composure;
the flesh in his own person stricken, he endures with fortitude; the flesh
in his wife suggesting mischievous persuasions, he instructeth with wisdom.
In addition to all this his friends start forth into the bitterness of
upbraiding, and coming to appease his grief, increase its force. Thus all
the engines of temptation are turned by this holy man to the augmentation of
his virtues; for by the wounds his patience is tried, and by the words his
wisdom is exercised. Every where he meets the enemy with an undaunted mien,
for the scourges he overcame by resolution, and the words by reasoning. But
his friends, who came indeed to administer consolation, but who deviate from
their purpose even to using terms of reproach, must be thought to have erred
more from ignorance than wickedness. For we must never imagine that so
great a man had evil minded friends, but, while they fail to discern the
cause of his scourges, they slide into a fault.
12.
For of scourges there are sundry kinds; for there is the scourge whereby the
sinner is stricken that he may suffer punishment without withdrawal [retractione],
another whereby he is smitten, that he may be corrected; another wherewith
sometimes a man is smitten, not for the correction of past misdeeds, but for
the prevention of future; another which is very often inflicted, whereby
neither a past transgression is corrected, nor a future one prevented, but
which has this end, that when unexpected deliverance follows the stroke, the
power of the Deliverer being known may be the more ardently beloved, and
that while the innocent person is bruised by the blow, his patience may
serve to increase the gain of his merits; for sometimes the sinner is
stricken that he may be punished, without withdrawal, as it is said to
Judaea when doomed to destruction, I have wounded thee with the wound of
an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one; [Jerem. 30, 14] and
again, Why criest thou for thine affliction? thy sorrow is incurable.
[v. 15] Sometimes the sinner is stricken that he may be amended, as it is
said to one in the Gospel, Behold, thou art made whole, sin no more, lest
a worse thing come unto thee; [John 5, 14] for the words of his
deliverer indicate that it was past sins which were exacting all the
violence of the pain which he had endured, In some cases the person smitten,
not for the obliteration of a past offence, but for the avoidance of a
future one, which the Apostle Paul openly testifies of himself, saying,
And lest I shall be exalted above measure through the abundance of the
revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of
Satan to buffet me. [2Cor. 12, 7] For he who says, not ‘that he was
exalted,’ but, ‘lest he should be exalted,’ clearly shews that by that
stroke it is held in check that it may not take place, and that it is not a
fault that has taken place now clearing away. But sometimes the person is
stricken neither for past not yet for future transgression, but that the
alone mightiness of the Divine power may be set forth in the cutting short
of the striking; whence when it was said unto the Lord concerning the blind
man in the Gospel, Who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was
born blind? the Lord answered, saying, Neither hath this man sinned,
nor his parents, but that the works of God should be made manifest in him:
[John 9, 2.3.] in which manifestation what else is done, saving that by that
scourge the excellence of his merits is increased, and while there is no
past transgression wiped away, the patience may engender a mighty
fortitude. For which reason the same blessed Job is first extolled by the
voice of the Judge, and is then given up into the hand of the Tempter, and
whereas God, in recompensing him after the scourge, speaks to him in a more
familiar manner, it is plainly shewn how much greater he became by the
stroke; so then the friends of blessed Job, while they were unable to
distinguish the different kinds of strokes, believed him to be stricken for
his guiltiness, and while they endeavoured to vindicate the justice of God
in smiting him, they were driven to reprove blessed Job of unrighteousness;
not knowing in fact that for this reason he was stricken, viz. that the
stroke might redound to the praise of God's glory, and not that by those
strokes he might be brought to amend the evil, which he had never done; and
hence they are the sooner restored to pardon, because they sinned from
ignorance rather than from an evil disposition; and their pride the Divine
Justice puts down with so much the stronger hand, as It refuses to renew
them in Its favour, saving by means of him whom they had despised. For a
high mind is effectually struck down when it is bowed beneath the very
person over whom it has exalted itself.
[vi]
13.
But amongst these marvellous works of Divine Providence it yields us
satisfaction to mark, how, for the enlightening the night of this present
life, each star in its turn appears in the face of Heaven, until that
towards the end of the night the Redeemer of mankind ariseth like the true
Morning Star; for the space of night, being enlightened by the stars as they
set and rise in their courses, is passed with the heavens in exceeding
beauty. Thus in order that the ray of stars, darting forth at its appointed
time, and changed in succession, might reach the darkness of our night, Abel
comes to shew us innocency; Enoch, to teach purity of practice; Noah, to win
admittance for lessons of endurance in hope and in work; Abraham, to
manifest obedience; Isaac, to shew an example of chastity in wedded life;
Jacob, to introduce patience in labour; Joseph, for the repaying evil with
the favour of a good turn; Moses, for the shewing forth of mildness; Joshua,
to form us to confidence against difficulties; Job, to shew patience amid
afflictions. Lo what lustrous stars see we in the sky, that the foot of
practice may never stumble as we walk this our night's journey; since for so
many Saints as God's Providence set forth to man's cognizance, He, as it
were, sent just so many stars into the sky, over the darkness of erring man,
till the true Morning Star should rise, Who, being the herald to us of the
eternal morning, should outshine the other stars by the radiance of His
Divinity.
14.
And all the elect, whilst by their holy living serving as His forerunners,
gave promise of Him by prophesying both in deeds and words. For there never
was any Saint who did not appear as His herald in figure; for it was meet
that all should display that goodness in themselves whereby both all became
good, and which they knew to be for the good of all, and therefore that
blessing ought also to be promised without pause which was vouchsafed both
to be received without price [sine aestimatione] and to be kept
without end, that all generations might together tell what the end of all
should bring to light, in the redemption of which all were partakers. And
therefore it behoved that blessed Job also, who uttered those high mysteries
of His Incarnation, should by his life be a sign of Him, Whom by voice he
proclaimed, and by all that he underwent should shew forth what were to be
His sufferings; and should so much the more truly foretel the mysteries [sacramenta]
of His Passion, as he prophesied then not merely with his lips but also by
suffering. But because our Redeemer has shewn Himself to be one with the
Holy Church, which He has taken to Himself; for of Him it is said, Who is
the Head of us all; [Eph. 4, 15] and of the Church it is written, the
Body of Christ, Which is the Church, [Col. 1, 24] whosoever in his own
person betokens Him, at one time designates Him in respect of the Head, at
another of the Body, so as to have not only the voice of the Head, but also
of the Body; and hence the Prophet Isaiah, in giving utterance to the words
of the same Lord, says, He hath put upon me a mitre like unto a Bride-.
groom, and hath decked me with jewels as a Bride. [Isa. 61. 10 Vulg.]
Therefore because the same person that in the Head is the Bridegroom, is in
the Body the Bride, it follows that when, at times, any thing is spoken from
the Head, there must be a turning down by degrees or even at once to the
voice of the Body, and again when any thing is said that is of the Body,
there must be presently a rising to the voice of the Head. Accordingly the
blessed Job conveys a type of the Redeemer, Who is to come together with His
own Body: and his wife who bids him curse, marks the life of the carnal, who
having place within the Holy Church with unamended morals, as by their faith
they are brought near to the godly, press them the more sorely by their
lives, since while they cannot be shunned as being of the faithful, they are
endured by the faithful as the greater harm by how much nearer home [deterius
quanto et interius].
15.
But his friends, who, while acting as his counsellors, at the same time
inveigh against him, are an express image of heretics, who under shew of
giving counsel, are busied in leading astray; and hence they address the
blessed Job as though in behalf of the Lord, but yet the Lord does not
commend them, that is, because all heretics, while they try to defend, only
offend God. Whence they are plainly told, and that by the same holy man
I desire to reason with God; first shewing that ye are forgers of lies, ye
are followers of corrupt doctrines. [Job 13, 3.4.] According to which
it appears that these by their erroneous notions stood a type of heretics,
whom the holy man charges with adhering to a creed [cultui] of
corrupt doctrines. But every heretic, in this, that he is seen to defend
God, is a gainsayer of His troth, according to the testimony of the
Psalmist, who says, That Thou mightest still the enemy and the defender
[Ps. 8, 2. E.V. avenger], for he is an enemy and defender, who
so preaches God as thereby to be fighting against Him.
[vii]
16.
Now that blessed Job maintains the semblance of the Redeemer to come, his
very name is a proof. For Job is, if interpreted, 'grieving;' by which same
grief we have set forth, either our Mediator's Passion, or the travails of
Holy Church, which is harassed by the manifold toils of this present life.
Moreover by the word which stands for their name his friends mark out the
quality of their conduct. For Eliphas is called in the Latin tongue,
‘contempt of the Lord,’ and what else do heretics, than in entertaining
false notions of God contemn Him by their proud conceits. Baldad is by
interpretation ‘Oldness alone.’ And well are all heretics styled, ‘Oldness
alone,’ in the things which they speak concerning God, forasmuch as it is
with no right purpose but with a longing for temporal honour that they
desire to appear as preachers. For they are moved to speak not by the zeal
of the new man, but by the evil principles of the old life. ‘Sophar’ too is
rendered in the Latin language ‘dissipation of the prospect,’ or, ‘one
dissipating the prospect.’ For the minds of the faithful lift themselves to
the contemplation of things above; but as the words of heretics aim to
prevent them in their contemplation of light objects, they do their best to
‘dissipate the prospect.’ Thus in the three names of Job's friends, we have
set forth three cases [casus] of the ruin of heretical minds. For
unless they held God in contempt, they would never entertain false notions
concerning Him; and unless they drew along with them a heart of oldness,
they would: never err in the understanding of the new life; and unless they
marred the contemplations of good things [or, of good men], the Supreme
judgments would never condemn them with so strict a scrutiny for the
guiltiness of their words. By holding God in contempt, then, they keep
themselves in oldness, and by being kept in oldness, they injure the
contemplation of right objects [See] by their erring discourses.
[viii]
17.
Now because it sometimes happens that heretics being penetrated with the
bountiful streams of Divine grace return to the unity of Holy Church, this
is well represented in the very reconcilement of his friends. Yet blessed
Job is bidden to intercede for them, because the sacrifices of heretics can
never be acceptable to God, unless they be offered in their behalf by the
hands of the universal Church, that by her merits they may obtain the
recovery of salvation, whom they did strike before by assailing her with the
darts of their words; and hence seven sacrifices are recorded to have been
offered for them, for whereas in confessing they receive the Spirit of
sevenfold grace, they do as it were obtain expiation by seven offerings. It
is hence that in the Apocalypse of John the whole Church is represented by
the number of seven Churches [Rev. 1, 12]. Hence it is said of wisdom by
Solomon, Wisdom hath builded her house; she hath hewn, out her seven
pillars. [Prov. 9, 1] And thus by the very number of the sacrifices
those reconciled heretics set forth what they were before, in that these are
not united to the perfection of sevenfold grace, except by returning.
18.
But they are well described as having offered for themselves bulls and
rams. For in the bull is figured the neck of pride, and in the ram, the
leading of the flocks that follow. What then is it to slaughter bulls and
rams in their behalf, but to put an end to their proud leading, so that they
may think humbly of themselves, and not seduce the hearts of the innocent to
follow after them. For they had started away from the unity of the Church
with a swelling neck, and were drawing after them the weak folk like flocks
following behind. Therefore let them come to blessed Job; i.e. return to
the Church; and present bulls and rams to be slaughtered for a sevenfold
sacrifice, and that they may be united to the universal Church, let them
with the interposition of humility kill all the swelling humour wherewith
their proud leadership savoured them.
[ix]
19.
Now by Heliu, who speaks indeed with a right sense, yet runs down [derivatur]
into foolish words of pride, is set forth a representation of every proud
person. For there are many within the pale of Holy Church, that are too
proud to put forward in a right manner the right sentiments, which they
profess, and hence he is both rebuked with the words of God's upbraiding,
and yet no sacrifices offered in his behalf, in that he is a believer
indeed, yet high-minded. By the truth of his belief he is within, but by
the obstacle which his pride presents he is not acceptable. Him [read
Hunc ergo, as old ed. and Mss.] therefore rebuke reproves, but sacrifice
does not restore him, because he is indeed in the faith that he ought to be
in, yet the Supreme Justice, charging him with things over and above what
need to be, keeps him at a distance. Hence Heliu is well rendered in the
Latin tongue, ‘That my God,’ or, ‘God, the Lord.’ For proud men within Holy
Church, though they keep away from God by living proudly, yet acknowledge
Him by believing truly. For what is it for him to say by his name, ‘That my
God,’ but to shew forth Him Whom he believed with a public avowal? Or what
is it to say, ‘God the Lord,’ but to accept Him both as God by virtue of His
Divinity, and to hold Him For Man by His Incarnation?
[x]
20.
It is well that after the losses of his substance, after the death of his
children, after the tortures of his wounds, after the strife and conflict of
words, he is raised up again with a double reward, clearly, in that Holy
Church, even while yet in this present life, receives a double recompense
for the toils she undergoes, since having taken in the Gentiles to the full,
at the end of the world she converts to herself the souls of the Jews
likewise. For it is on this account written, Until the fulness of the
Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved. [Rom. 11, 25.
26.] And she will afterwards receive a double recompense, in that, when the
toils of this present time are over, she rises not alone to the joy of
souls, but to a blessed estate of bodies. And hence the Prophet rightly
says, therefore in their land they shall possess the double. [Isa.
61, 7] For ‘in the Land of the Living’ the Saints possess the double,
because we know they are gladdened with blessedness both of mind and body.
Hence John in the Apocalypse, because it was before the resurrection of
bodies that he saw the souls of the Saints crying, beheld how that they had
given them a stole to each, saying, And white robes were given, one [singulae]
to every one of them, and it was said, that they should rest yet for a
little season until their fellow-servants also and their brethren, that
should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. [Rev. 6, 11] For
before the Resurrection they are said to have received a stole to each, for
that as yet they are gifted with blessedness of mind alone; and therefore
they will receive each one two, whenever, together with the perfect bliss of
souls, they shall be clothed also with incorruptibility of bodies.
21.
Now it is very properly that the affliction indeed of blessed Job is told,
but the length of time that he was under the affliction is kept back, for we
see the tribulation of Holy Church in this life, but know nothing for how
long she is here to undergo bruising and delay; and hence it is spoken by
the mouth of Truth, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons
which the Father hath put in His own power. [Acts 1, 7] Herein then,
that the suffering of blessed Job is told us, we are taught what we are made
acquainted withal by experience; and herein, that the length of time that he
continued in his suffering is withheld, we are taught what it is we must
remain ignorant of.
We
have drawn out these words of preface to some length, that by briefly
running over it we might in a manner give a view of the whole. Now then
that by long discoursing we have been brought to the commencement of our
discourse, we must first settle the root of the historical meaning, that we
may afterwards let our minds take their fill of the fruits of the
allegorical senses.
