26.

360 Leah, the active life, before Rachel, the contemplative.

JOB 5, Thou shalt come to thy grave in abundance. For the MORAL, perfect man does ' come to the grave in abundance,' in that

39, &c.

he first gathers together the works of an active life, and then by contemplation wholly hides from this world his fleshly sense, which is now dead. Hence too it is fitly subjoined, Like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season.

60. For the season for action comes first, for contemplation last. Whence it is needful that every perfect man first discipline his mind in virtuous habits, and afterwards lay it up in the granary of rest. For it is hence that he, who was left of the legion of devils at the bidding of our Lord, seats himself at His Saviour's feet, receives the words of instruction, and eagerly desires to leave his country in company with the Author of his recovery, but That very 'Truth' HimLuke 8, self, Who vouchsafed to him recovery, tells him, Return first unto thine own house, and show what great things God hath done unto thee. For when we have the least particle imparted to us of the knowledge of God, we are no longer inclined to return to our human affairs, and we shrink from burthening ourselves with the wants of our neighbours. We seek the rest of contemplation, and love only that which refreshes without toil. But after we are cured, the Lord sends us home, He bids us relate the things that have been done with us, so as that in fact the soul should first spend itself in labour, and that afterwards it may be refreshed by contemplation.

61. It is hence that Jacob serves for Rachel, and gets Gen. 29, Leah, and that it is said to him, It is not the custom in our country to give the youngest before the first-born. For Rachel is rendered 'the beginning seen ',' but 'Leah,' 'laborious.' And what is denoted by Rachel but the contemplative life? What by Leah, but the active life? For in contemplation 'the Beginning,' which is God, is the object we seek, but in action we labour under a weighty bundle of wants. Whence on the one hand Rachel is beautiful but barren, Leah weak eyed, but fruitful, truly in that when the Mary above Martha. Action in heavenly creatures. 361 mind seeks the ease of contemplation, it sees more, but it is Book less productive in children to God. But when it betakes itself to the laborious work of preaching, it sees less, but it

VI.

bears more largely. Accordingly after the embrace of Leah, Jacob attains to Rachel, in that every one that is perfect is first joined to an active life in productiveness, and afterwards united to a contemplative life in rest. For that the life of contemplation is less indeed in time', but greater in valueli.e. age than the active, we are shewn by the words of the Holy Gospel, merito wherein two women are described to have acted in different ways. For Mary sat at our Redeemer's feet, hearing His words, but Martha eagerly prosecuted bodily services; and when Martha made complaint against Mary's inactivity, she heard the words, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled Luke10, about many things; but one thing is needful: and Mary 41. 42. hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. For what is set forth by Mary, who sitting down gave ear to the words of our Lord, saving the life of contemplation? and what by Martha, so busied with outward services, saving the life of action? Now Martha's concern is not reproved, but that of Mary is even commended. For the merits of the & tive life are great, but of the contemplative, far better. Whence Mary's part is said to be ' never taken away from her,' in that the works of the active lise pass away together with the body, while the joys of the contemplative life are made more lively at the end. Which is well and briefly set forth by the Prophet Ezekiel, when, beholding the flying creatures, he says, And the likeness of Ezek. the hands of a man were under their wings. For what can 10, 21. we suppose meant by the wings of the creatures, saving the contemplations of the Saints, by which they soar aloft, and quitting earthly scenes, poise themselves in the regions of heaven? What do we understand by the 'hands,' saving deeds? For whereas they open themselves in the love of their neighbour, the good things, which abound to them, they administer even by bodily ministration; but 'the hands are under the wings,' in that they surpass the deeds of their action, by the excellence of contemplation.

62. Moreover by 'the grave' it may be that not only our contemplation in this life is understood, but the rest of our

レ 26.

MORAL.

362 Men full of good works reach the grave of Eternal Rest.

JOB 5, eternal and interior reward, wherein we more thoroughly rest, the more perfectly is killed in us the life of corrupt existence. He then 'goes down to the grave in abundance,' who, after he has stored up the works of the present life, being perfectly dead to his mutable condition of existence, is buried in the depth of the true light. Whence also it is said by the

20.

Ps. 31, Psalmist, Thou shalt hide them in the secret of Thy presence, from the provoking of men. And the comparison that is added brings this home to us with effect, where it is subjoined, Like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season. For corn in the field is touched by the sun, in that in this life the soul of man is illumined by the regard of the light above. It receives the showers, in that it is enriched by the word of Truth; it is shaken by the winds, in that it is tried with temptations; and it bears the chaff 'growing' along with it, in that it bears the life of daily increasing wickedness in sinners, directed against itself; and after it has been carried away to the barn, it is squeezed by the threshing weight, that it may be parted from the hold of the chaff, in that our mind, being subjected to heavenly discipline, whilst it receives the stripes of correction, is parted from the society of the carnal sort in a cleaner state; and it is carried to the granary with the chaff left behind, in that while the lost remain without, the Elect soul is transported to the eternal joys of the mansion above. Well then is it said, Thou shalt come to thy grave in abundance, like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season; in that, whereas the righteous after sufferings meet with the rewards of the heavenly land, it is like as if the grains after pressing and squeezing were carried away to the granary. And it is in another's season indeed that they feel the strokes, but in their own that they rest from being struck. For to the Elect the present life is another's season, whence John 7, to some that were yet unbelievers 'Truth' saith, My time is not yet come, but your time is alway ready. And again, But 22, 53. this is your hour, and the power of darkness. Thus 'he cometh to his grave, in abundance, like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season,' in that he receives the rest eternal, who, that he may be set free of the chaff, which is destined to be burnt, first feels here below the pressure of discipline. ☐ But whereas Eliphaz in the course of his address mentioned

6.

Luke

True maxims fuil when presumptously applied.

863

VI.

'the tabernacle,' ' the stones,' ' the beasts,' ' the seed,' ' the Book herbs,' and 'the grave,' he himself intimates that he did not speak of these according to the letter, in that after all of them he thereupon subjoins;

Ver. 27. Lo this, as we have searched it, so it is. 63. Assuredly it is clear, that in these words he says xxxviii.

nothing upon a view of the surface, in that a thing, that is 'searched,' is not set before the face. He then, who shews that he had searched' these things, proves that in outward words inward things were what he had in view. And after the whole he is brought to the foolishness of boasting, in that he thereupon adds;

And now thou hast heard it, turn it in thy mind. 64. With whatever lessons of instruction the mind may be xxxix. furnished, it argues great want of skill to wish to instruct one that is superior, whence the very things which are rightly. delivered by the friends, are not pronounced right by the interior Judge. For they lose the efficacy of their rightness herein, that they are not suited to the hearer. For even medicines lose their efficacious properties when they be administered to sound limbs. In all, then, that is said, it is necessary that the occasion, the time, and the individual, be taken into account, whether the truth of the sentiment confirms the words delivered, whether the fitting time calls for it, whether the character of the person does not impugn both the truth of the sentiment, and the suitableness of the time. For he launches his darts in a manner to deserve praise, who first looks at the enemy that he is to strike. For he masters the horns of the strong bow amiss, who in sending the arrow with force, strikes a fellowcountryman.

BOOK VII.

He explains the whole of the sixth chapter, except the three last verses, in part allegorically and in part morally.

i. 1. Some men's minds are more tormented by scourges than LIT. reproaches, but some are more wounded by reproaches than by scourges. For oftentimes the tortures of speech assail us worse than any pains, and while they make us rise up in our vindication, they lay us low in impatience. Whence, that no temptation whatever might be lacking to blessed Job, not only scourges strike him from above, but the sayings of his friends in talk gall him, being sorer than scourges, that the soul of the holy man, being driven hither and thither, might burst forth in the emotion of wrath and haughtiness, and that all the purity he had lived in might be defiled by headstrong pride of speech. But when touched by the scourges, he gave thanks, when galled with words, he answered aright, and being smitten he makes it appear how little he esteemed the well-being of the body. In speaking too he shews how wisely he held his peace. But there were a few things mixed with his words, which, in the judgment of men, might seem to transgress the limits of patience; of which we shall take a true view, if in the examination of them we weigh well the sentence of the Most High Judge. For it was He, Who both in the first instance gave blessed Job the first place in

Job 1,8. opposition to the adversary, saying, Hast thou considered My servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and escheweth evil? It was He, Who after the trial rebuked his friends, saying, For ye have not spoken before Me the thing that is right, as My servant Job hath. It remains then, that when the mind wavers with uncertainty in the discoursings of blessed Job, it estimate their weight from the beginning and ending of that same account. For one who was to fall