Job 24

“Times are not hidden from the Almighty.” [Job] raises the same question he had discussed above, but now with a profession of faith. He says that he certainly knows that parts of his censorship in blotting out the merits of people follow the course of his justice, but, in the present situation, many things happen that seem to deny this judgment. With this impression in his mind he pursues the crimes of the wicked to the end of his speech. “Times are not hidden,” he says, “from the Almighty,” that is, in his knowledge dwells a full awareness of all our moments. It is as if he said, God does not ignore any time of our actions even as we change them constantly, yet we, who touch him with the devotion of our mind, ignore how many days of patience and deferment he hangs on our judgment.

Exposition on the Book of Job 24:1

Times are not hidden from the Almighty; they that know Him, know not His days.

What are called 'the days' of God, save His very Eternity itself? which is sometimes described by the announcement of 'one day,' as where it is written, For one day in Thy courts is better than a thousand. But sometimes on account of its length it is represented by the expression of a number of days, whereof it is written, Thy years are throughout all generations. We then are wrapped up within the divisions of time, through this that we are created beings. But God, Who is the Creator of all things, by His Eternity encompasses our times. And so he says, Times are not hidden from the Almighty; they that know Him, know not His days; seeing that He, indeed, sees all of ours to the comprehending thereof, but all that is His we are in no degree able to comprehend. But whereas the nature of God is simple, it is very much to be wondered at why he should say, They that know Him, know not His days. For it is not that He Himself is one thing and His 'days' another; since God is that thing which He hath. For He hath eternity, yet He is Himself Eternity. He hath Light, yet He is Himself His own Light. He hath brightness, yet He is Himself His own Brightness. And so in Him it is not one thing to be, and another thing to have. What does it mean then to say, They that know Him, know not His days, except that even they that know Him, do not know Him as yet? For even they who already hold Him by faith, as yet know Him not by appearance. And whereas He, Whom we truly believe, is Himself eternity to Himself, yet in what way there is that eternity of Him we know not. For in the thing that we hear touching the power of the Divine Nature, we are sometimes used to imagine such things as we know by experience. Thus every single thing that begins and ends, is bounded by the beginning and ending. And if it be by any little delay stayed from being ended, it is called long; on which same length whilst a man carries back the eyes of his mind in recollection, and stretches them out before in anticipation, as it were over a space of time he expands them in imagination. And when he hears the eternity of God mentioned in human sort, to his mind on the stretch he sets forth long spaces of life, in which same he may ever measure both what has gone away in the rear as a thing to be retained in the memory, and what remains before as a thing to be looked forward to in the intention.

But as often as in the case of eternity we have such thoughts, we do not as yet know eternity. For that which is neither commenced by a beginning nor finished by an ending, is there, where neither is there looked forward to that which shall come, nor does there pass by that which may be recalled to mind, but that alone is, which is everlasting BEING. Which though we and the Angels with a beginning begin to see to be, yet we see it to be without beginning, where it is to be always without end, in such a way, that the mind never extends itself to things following in a sequence, as if things that are were multiplied and made long. For though by the Spirit of Prophecy it is said, The Lord shall reign for ever and for worlds and further; after the manner of Holy Writ, the Spirit spoke in man's way to men, so as to speak of 'further' there, where looking forward could not enter. For eternity has no 'further,' which has it always to be, wherein no part of its length goes by that another part should take its place, but the whole at once is Being, that nothing should seem to be wanting to it, which it may not see, in which eternity every thing that is the mind sees to be at once not slow and long. But in speaking such things of the days of eternity we are trying to see something more than we do see. And so let it be rightly said, They that know Him know not His days; in that though we already know God by faith, yet how His Eternity is at once without a past before all ages, without a future after all ages, long without delay, and everlasting without looking forward, we do not see. Thus blessed Job, whilst bearing a type of Holy Church, (because he restrains himself under a great bridling of knowledge, so as not to be wiser than he ought to be,) and testifying that the days of God can never be understood, directly brings back the view of the mind to the pride of Heretics who aim to be deeply enlightened, and what they are incapable of taking in at all, they boast that they know in perfect measure.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVI

In the preceding chapter Job proved that he had not been punished because of malice as Eliphaz had asserted. (22:5) Now he wants to clearly show that he does not propose that God does not have care of human affairs, as Eliphaz had charged. (22:12) Consider here that some people proposed that God does not have knowledge and care of human things because of his distance from us. For they believed that just as we are not strong enough to know him because of such a distance, so he does not have the power to know us. But he rejects this first saying, "The times have not been hidden from the Almighty," as if to say: Although the Almighty is outside the mutability of the times, he still knows the course of the times. Those, however, who are in time know him in such a way that they are still not strong enough to comprehend the manner of his eternity, and so he says, "but those who know him," that is, men in time having some kind of knowledge of him either by natural knowledge or by faith or by the light of some higher wisdom, "are ignorant about his days," they are not strong enough to comprehend him in the manner of his eternity.

Commentary on Job

“Others removed the landmarks.” It must be noticed, in this reproof of human vices, that they are weighed more lightly or more seriously according to their effect on the virtue of soul. Thus Job and his friends are affected in different ways by different vices; the friends only accuse the acts of inhumanity, whereas Job describes the crimes of iniquity, violence, robbery, lewdness, pride and impiety.

Exposition on the Book of Job 24:2

Others remove the landmarks; they violently take away flocks, and feed them.

ALLEGORICAL INTERPRETATION

Whom does he denote by the title of 'others,' saving Heretics, who to the bosom of Holy Church are strangers? For they the same persons remove landmarks, in that the constitutions of the Fathers they by walking awry do overstep. Concerning which same constitutions it is written, Remove not the ancient landmark which thy fathers have set. And these violently take away the flocks, and feed them, in that all the inexperienced, by wicked persuasions, they draw to themselves, and with baneful lessons nourish them for slaughtering. For that the ignorant multitudes are represented by the designation of 'flocks,' the words of the Spouse bear witness, Who addresses His Espoused, in the words, Except thou know thyself, O beautiful amongst women, depart forth, and go after the footsteps of the flocks; i.e. 'excepting that by living well, thou knowest thine honour whereby thou art created after the likeness of God, depart forth from the sight of the contemplation of Me, and follow the life of the uninstructed multitudes.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVI

Since he had said that the course of temporal things was not unknown to God, he consequently shows in what way he judges temporal things, making first a list of the various faults of men, some of whom fraudulently inflict harmful things on others. So he says, "Some," among men, "have changed boundaries," by stealthily changing property limits. They have done the similar things with animals which are pastured in flocks. So he says, "they rob," stealthily, "flocks," of others, "and pastured them," so that they might seem to belong to them.

Commentary on Job

They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow's ox for a pledge.

Whom do we understand by the fatherless in this place, but the Elect of God, who are set in tenderness of mind, are nourished with the efficacious grace of faith, and do not yet see the face of their Father, Who has already died in their behalf. And there are very many in the Church, who see certain persons aiming at the things of heaven, having all earthly things in contempt, and though they themselves are toiling with all their strength in this world's labours, yet to those whom they see panting after heavenly things, from the goods which they possess in this world, they bring this life's aid and support. And though they cannot themselves follow a spiritual life, yet to those reaching forth to the things above they gladly yield means of support. For an ass is used to bear the burthens of men. He then is as it were a kind of ass of the Elect, who whilst yielding himself to earthly courses, carries loads for the uses of men. And often when Heretics turn aside any such person from the bosom of Holy Church, they are as it were driving off the ass of the fatherless, in that when they force him into their own misbelief, they drive him away from tendance on the good.

But who is to be understood by the 'widow' saving Holy Church, who is bereft in the mean seas out of the sight of her slain Husband? Now 'the ox' of this 'widow' is every individual preacher. And it often chances that Heretics by their perverted tenets draw over even those very persons that appeared to be preachers. And so they 'take the widow's ox,' when they carry off from Holy Church even a person preaching. And it is rightly added here for a pledge. For when a pledge is taken away, one thing indeed is held in our hands, but another yet further is sought for. And very often Heretics for this reason try to carry off those that preach, that they may draw to them their followers likewise. Thus 'the widow's ox is taken away for a pledge,' when the same person that practised preaching is for this reason carried off, that others may follow after him. By whose downfall it is very often brought about, that they also go forth from the bosom of Holy Church, who, imbued with godly habits in her, seemed to be meek and humble.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVI

He enlarges their fault from the condition of the persons on whom they inflict those injuries. People are usually compassionate to orphans because of their weakness of age and lack of parents. Against this he says, "They have stolen the ass of the orphans," because they make it wander off so that they might steal it with no compassion for the orphans. Similarly, people often have pity on widows because of the frailty of their sex and because they are deprived of the comfort of husbands, but against this he says, "and they take the widow's ox as a deposit," burdening her as though under some pretense of justice.

Commentary on Job

They have turned the needy out of the way; and have oppressed together the meek of the earth.

For by the term of 'poverty,' humility is very often denoted, and very often they that appear gentle and humble, if they have not learnt to maintain discretion, fall by the examples of other men. But there are some Heretics, who eschew to mix themselves with the multitudes, and seek the retirement of a life of greater privacy, and these very often with the bane of their persuasion poison those that they meet with the more, in proportion as by the claims of their life they the more seem deserving of respect.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVI

Men also usually pity the poor who lack the means of economic survival, and against this he says, "They utterly ruined the road of the poor," for they took from them the ability to procure necessities for themselves by harassing them in many ways. Also men usually desist from harming those who do no harm to anyone, but live agreeably with others, and against this he says, "and they oppressed the gentle of the earth at the same time," who did not know either how to provoke other or be provoked.

Commentary on Job

“And they have departed,” he says, “like asses in the field,” that is, they have scorned everybody and have mocked everyone. However, nobody commits any injustice against them and does not ill-treat them.

Commentary on Job 24:1-8

Others as wild asses in the desert go forth to their work. Watching for a prey, they provide bread for their children.

For the 'onager' is a wild ass; and in this place Heretics are rightly likened to 'wild asses,' in that being let loose in their pleasures, they are strange to the fetters of faith and reason. Hence it is written; A wild ass used to the wilderness that snuffeth up the wind of his love at his pleasure. For he is a wild ass used to the wilderness, who whilst he does not cultivate the ground of his heart with excellence of discipline, there dwells, where there is no fruit. Since he 'snuffeth up the wind of his love at his pleasure,' in that the things that from the desire of knowledge he conceives in his mind, are efficacious to puff up but not to edify. Against whom it is said, Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. Hence here too the words are suitably brought in; they go forth to their work. For it is not the work of God, but their own work that they do, whereas they follow not right doctrines, but their own desires. For it is written, He that walketh in a perfect way, he served me. So he that does not walk in a perfect way, serves himself more than the Lord.

They 'watch for a prey,' who are always trying to seize the words of the righteous according to their own perception, that by them they may provide the bread of error for evil minded children. Of which some bread it is said in Solomon, in the words of the woman that bears the figure of heretical wickedness, Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVI

However, there are some who do not harm others fraudulently like those already described, but through open violence. These men rush to do evil like people who are not restrained by the discipline of the law. He says about these men, "Others like the wild asses in the desert," the wild asses of the forests who are not domesticated to the service of men, "go forth to their work," to robbery like one who is enthusiastic for his profession. So he says, "and they keep their eyes open for plunder," to snatch it, "and they prepare bread for their children," that is, for their own children from what they have stolen.

Commentary on Job

They reap a field not their own, and the vineyard of him whom they have oppressed by violence they gather.

By the name of a 'field' may be denoted the wide compass of Holy Scripture, and Heretics 'reap' it not being their own, in that they carry away from it sentences which are infinitely removed from their own notions; which same is furthermore described by the title of a 'vineyard,' in that through the sentences of truth it puts forth the clusters of the virtues; the owner of which vineyard, i.e. the originator of Holy Scripture, they as it were 'oppress with violence,' because they endeavour violently to twist and turn a sense of His upon the words of Holy Writ; as He saith, But thou hast made Me to serve with thy sins, thou hast given Me labour in thine iniquity. And they 'reap the vintage of that vineyard,' in that they heap together therefrom clusters of sentences after the bent of their own understanding. It may be that by the title of a 'field' or of a 'vineyard' the Church Universal is set forth, which corrupt preachers 'reap,' and by oppressing in His members the Author of it, 'gather the vintage,' in that in bearing down upon the grace of our Creator, whilst they seize off therefrom persons who seemed to be righteous, what else is this but that they carry off 'ears' or 'clusters' of souls?

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVI

“They reap in a field not their own” … as wild asses tread underfoot the fields of others and browse on their grass, so the impious, with their impudent violence, reap in fields that are not theirs and steal them from their owners. “They glean in the vineyard of the wicked.” This means it is not enough for the wicked to steal from the poor, who have worked without a wage in the fields from the beginning to the end, [but also from the rich].

Commentary on Job 24:6

Then he determines the type of plunder saying, "They reap a field which is not their own," for they reap the harvest of another by violence. "And they glean the vine of someone whom they overcame by force," since they oppress someone beforehand in order to steal his goods more freely.

Commentary on Job

They send men away naked, taking away their garments, who have no covering in the cold.

As garments cover the body, so do good works the soul. Whence it is said to one, Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. So Heretics, when in the minds of any they destroy good works, manifestly take away the garments of clothing; and it is well said, who have no covering in the cold. For 'covering' has relation to righteousness, 'cold' to sin. And there are some that in some points commit sin, but in some points follow good works. He then that does wrong by one set of actions, and practises righteousness by another, what is this man but clothed in the cold? He is cold, and he is covered, in that in one part of practice he is made warm for righteousness, in another he is made cold for sin. But whenever Heretics take away their good works from such persons, they bring it to pass that they have not in the cold wherewith to clothe themselves. Therefore it is rightly said, They send men away naked, taking away their garments, who have no covering in the cold; that is, for the cold of sin by itself to kill those whom the warmth of a different practice in some degree covered. But it may be, that by the cold there is denoted desire, by the garment practice. And there are great numbers who are still agitated with wrong desires, but striving with themselves in the spirit, they fight against themselves by right works, and with good actions cover that which they perceive through temptation to spring against them of the wrong sort. And so these from the cause that they desire what is evil are cold, and by the act by which they practise what is good, they are clothed. But when Heretics by wrong statements do away with the works of a right faith, what else do they bring to pass but that those that still feel the cold of carnal desires should die without the clothing of good works?

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVI

They take away not only exterior goods by violence, but also those goods which have already been taken for warming the body, and so he then says, "They send men away naked taking away their garments," because they leave them nothing. He adds the afflictions which they suffer from nakedness to increase the fault of theft more, and so he says, "and they have no covering in the cold." This might be tolerable somehow if they could relieve their nakedness in some other way.

Commentary on Job

They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the stones for want of a garment.

'The showers of the mountains' are the words of the learned. Of which same 'mountains' it is delivered by the voice of Holy Church; I lifted up mine eyes unto the hills: and so those persons, 'the showers of the mountains wet,' in that the streams of the holy fathers fill them to the full. But as we have already said before, 'the garment' we take for the covering of good practice, with which a man is covered, that in the eyes of Almighty God the filthiness of his depravity should be clothed over. Whence it is written, Blessed are they whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Whom do we understand by the title of 'the stones' but the strong ones within the bounds of Holy Church, to whom it is declared by the first shepherd; Ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritual house. And so those who on the grounds of their own practice have no reliance, fly to the protection of the holy Martyrs, at their sacred bodies set themselves to tears, and entreat, at their intercessions, to obtain pardon. What then do these do by such self-abasement, but because they lack the covering of good practice 'embrace the stones?'

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVI

Clothes are not only necessary to keep warm against the cold, but also as a protection against the rain. Thus those left naked by thieves must not only be afflicted by the cold, but also get soaked by the rain. He expresses this saying, "they are soaked by the rain of the mountains." Men often flee to mountainous places which are more fortified from the fear of other thieves or enemies. There the rains are more frequent and severe because of the cold character of the climate, and naked men especially suffer. Moreover, there is some protection for nakedness if the one who does not have the covering of clothes at least does not the cover of a house, but against this he says, "and without any cover," either of clothing or of a house, "they cling to the rocks," because they hide in caves of stone which one finds in mountainous regions.

Commentary on Job

"They have snatched the fatherless from the breast." They have lamentably and mercilessly taken away the child who still nursed and hanged from his mother's breast. "And they have deprived the outcast," that is, they have also deprived the outcast of his properties by taking away what he had.

Commentary on Job 24:9-12

They have done violence in preying on the fatherless, and have spoiled the common folk of the poor.

When Heretics lack the good fortune of the present life, to weak minds they recommend by words of soft persuasion things that are wrong; but if the good fortune of the present time at all smiles upon them, they do not cease even by violence to draw those they are able. So that by the title of 'fatherless' they are denoted who are still delicate, being set within the pale of Holy Church, whose life their merciful Father by dying preserved, who are already brought forward to a good purpose of mind, but are not yet confirmed with any efficacy in good deeds. The Heretics, then, 'do violence in preying on the fatherless,' in that upon the weak minds of the faithful they make assault with violence in words and deeds. But 'the common folk of the poor' are the uninstructed multitude, which, if it had the riches of true knowledge, would never part with the covering of its faith. For genuine teachers are like a kind of senators within the bounds of Holy Church, who, while they multiply knowledge in the heart, abound in the true riches in themselves. But Heretics 'spoil the common sort of the poor,' in that whilst the learned they cannot, all the unlearned by their pestilent preaching they strip naked of the covering of the faith.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVI

He further increases their fault from the condition of miserable people whom they burden, and so he adds, "They show their power in robbing orphans," whom one should rather have supported, "and despoiled the poor crowd," whom they should rather have assisted.

Commentary on Job

"They have wrongfully caused others to sleep without clothing." By wrongfully stripping others, who owed them nothing, they have caused them to love rest. "They have taken away the morsel of the hungry." They have reduced them to extreme poverty and starvation.

Commentary on Job 24:9-12

From the naked, and those going without clothing and a hungered, they have taken away the ears of corn.

What he calls naked he repeats in the words without clothing, but it is one thing to be naked and another thing to go naked. Thus every person that does neither what is good nor what is bad is naked and idle; but he that does what is evil 'goes naked,' in that without the covering of good practice he is going by the road of wickedness. But there are some who, as knowing the evil of their wickedness, are in haste to be filled with the bread of righteousness, and hunger to receive the sayings of Holy Scripture; and these, as often as they turn over in thought the sentences of the Fathers for the improvement of the mind, as it were from a good crop they carry ears of corn. And so 'from the naked and those going without clothing and a hungered, Heretics take away ears of corn;' in that whether any persons be idle and never exercise themselves in any thing good, or whether they are going by the way of shamelessness without the covering of good practice, even if they at any time have now the desire to return to repentance, and long for the food of the word, from those same being a hungered they take away the ears of corn, because in the minds of those persons by mischievous persuasions they destroy the sentences of the Fathers. Nor do we improperly say that the ears of corn signify the sentences of the Fathers, in that often whilst they are delivered in forms of figurative diction, we remove the covering of the letter from them like the chaff of corn, that we may be regaled with the marrow of the Spirit.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVI

This would be tolerable somehow if they wanted to take away things from people who at least had enough. Thus he continues increasing their evils saying, "From the naked," those not having any clothes, "from those going about without any clothes," who from extreme need must even go out in public naked without clothes which pertains to a great lack of clothing. To show that they suffered want in food also he says, "and from the hungry." They cannot take away anything of great value from these men, but they are not ashamed to steal what little they have, and so he then says, "they have stolen the ears of wheat," as if to say: They have not taken from them a harvest which they do not have but some small ears of grain which they had collected for themselves.

Commentary on Job

"They have unjustly laid ambush in narrow places." They have laid ambush in hidden places; in fact, in larger places and roads they wait in ambush for those who have no chance to escape. "And they," that is, all the impious persons, "have not known the righteous way." "They have been cast forth from their cities and their houses." This refers to those who wantonly sleep without clothing. They [the fatherless] have, in fact, suffered these things from these criminals, after being driven out of their city and their houses.

Commentary on Job 24:9-12

They rest at mid-day amid the heaps of those that thirst with the winepresses being trodden.

All those that persecute Holy Church, what else do they but 'tread the winepress?' Which is allowed to be by the Divine appointment, that the clusters of souls may flow out into spiritual wine, and being divested of the corruptible flesh run into the heavenly realms as into a receptacle. For whilst the unrighteous bear down the righteous, they as it were put clusters of the grape beneath their feet. And the clusters being squeezed run over for the fulness of the heavenly feast, which were before as if hanging in the freedom of this air. Thus David the Prophet, regarding the chastening of Holy Church, writes the Psalm 'for the winepresses.' Now all that bear hard upon the life of the faithful, tread and thirst, in that by doing things that are cruel they are rendered the more savage; being blinded by just deserts of their ungodliness, they go about to do things more grievous the more they have already done grievous things. But Heretics, when they have not themselves the power of persecuting, stir up the men of this world that have power, and incline their minds for the exercising persecution, and inflame them with what persuasions they are able. And when they see these pursuing cruel measures against the lives of the Catholics, they as it were rest in the very fervour of the sun. Therefore it is well said now, They rest at mid-day amidst the heaps of those that thirst with the winepresses being trodden, in that they join the multitude of those whom they see already employed in hard measures and still thirsting after harder ones. And whilst the fervour of these satisfies their desires, they rest in the deeds of such as in the mid-day.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVI

If, perhaps, they seem to have a surplus in anything, they take that away not thinking what deep poverty they suffer in other things, and so he says, "Among these accumulations," of fruits, "they have taken a siesta," for they have rested at noon as though bloated on the goods of others, "and are thirsty even though they have tread the wine presses," who immediately after the gathering of the grapes have little wine.

Commentary on Job

12–13

He says this again to his friends with a bit of hesitation, If afflictions entirely derive from sins, why did he who observes all that happens on earth allow them to go without being visited by him? "And they took no notice," that is, the iniquitous took no notice of the fact that they were not visited. Indeed it is believed and taught about divine visitation, "The Lord reproves the one he loves, as a father checks a well-loved son."

Commentary on Job 24:12-13

"And the soul of the children has groaned aloud." From the bottom of their heart [they groaned], because they had no parents any longer who provided them with food.

Commentary on Job 24:9-12

They have caused men to groan out of the cities. And the soul of the wounded crieth, and God suffereth him not to go unavenged.

Whereas cities are so called from the people living together, by the designation of 'cities' the churches of the true faith are not unfitly represented, which being settled in the different parts of the world constitute one Catholic Church, in which all the faithful thinking what is right concerning God live together in harmony. For this very harmony of people living together the Lord even by the distinguishing of places set forth in the Gospel, when being about to satisfy the people with five loaves, He bade them lie down by fifties or hundreds in ranks, so that the crowd of the faithful might take its food at once separate in places, and united in ways. For the rest of the jubilee is contained in a mystery of the number fifty, and fifty is carried twice to be brought to a hundred. Therefore because there is first rest from bad practice, that the soul may afterwards rest more perfectly in the thoughts, some lie down by fifties and some by hundreds, since there are some that already enjoy the rest of practice from evil deeds, and there are some that already enjoy the rest of the soul from evil thoughts. Wherefore since Heretics often, attaching themselves to the powerful evil-doers of this world, bear down upon the united life and harmony of the good, it is rightly said in this place, They have caused men to groan from the cities. Whom blessed Job rightly describes as 'men,' in that Heretics rather go about to put an end to those, who with perfect steps run in the way of God not effeminately and loosely but manfully; who when they see the wound of misbelieve inflicted in the mind of the faithful little ones, always fall back to crying out and groaning. And hence it is rightly said, And the soul of the wounded crieth, and God suffereth him not to go unavenged.

For the soul of the righteous is 'wounded,' when the faith of the weak is unsettled, unto whom this identical thing 'to cry' is to be now consumed for the downfall of another. But God does not suffer him to go unavenged, in that though by just appointment he suffers an unjust thing to be done, yet He does not let that unjust thing go unavenged which He has justly permitted to be done, seeing that at once by the injustice of the sons of perdition He smites certain sins of the Elect, which He sees to be in them, and yet by Eternal Justice does not neglect to smite the injustice of those smiters.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVI

Not only do they despoil men in exterior things, but they also injure them in their persons, and so he says, "In the cities they made men groan," since when some men have been injured, many of the citizens are disturbed. The very ones who have been injured wail, and so he says, "and the souls of the wounded will cry out, and God," from whom nothing is hidden of what is done in time, "does not allow them to escape unpunished." This would not be the case if he did not have care over human affairs.

Commentary on Job

They are rebellious against the light. They know not the ways thereof, nor have returned by the paths thereof.

LITERAL INTERPRETATION

Very often wicked people at once know the right things that they ought to follow, and yet neglect to follow what they know; and so they are 'rebellious against the light,' in that following their desires, they contemn the good that they know. They then that do wrong not from ignorance, but pride, present the shield of their exaltation against the darts of truth, that they may not be stricken in heart to their good. By which same pride of theirs it is brought to pass, that whereas they will not do the things that they know, neither do they now know the good they should do, but that their own blindness should utterly exclude them from the light of truth. And hence it is fitly subjoined, They know not the ways thereof, nor have returned by the paths thereof.

For they that are first rebels knowing it, are afterwards blinded so as not to know; as it is said of certain, Because that when they knew God they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful. Of whom it is added a little while afterwards, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient. For because they would not glorify Him Whom they knew, being given over to a reprobate sense, they were left to this fate, that they should not any longer know how to estimate the evil things they did. And it is well said, They know not the ways thereof, neither have returned by the paths thereof. For a 'path' is narrower than a 'way.' Now those that care not to do the plainer good works, never attain to the understanding of the more refined. But Almighty God waited that they might go 'by the paths thereof.' And would that they had been minded even to have 'returned' by them, that the paths of life which they would not keep by innocency they might at least keep by repentance. Wherein of what great mercifulness are the bowels of God is shewn, in that those whom He sees departing from Him, He seeks that they may return. Hence after the sins; of those doing wrong having been enumerated, He calls back the Synagogue by the voice of Prophecy, saying; Therefore at least from this time cry unto Me, My Father, Thou art the guide of my youth.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVI

He now shows the reason why God does not suffer this to go unpunished from the fact that they did not sin from ignorance, but from malice. As a result of this malice they hate wisdom, because it censures their sins, and so he says, "These were those who rebelled against the light," in doing intentionally what is against what the light of reason teaches them. However, as "wisdom takes possession of those who desire her," (Wis. 6:14) so she flees from those who resist her, and so he says, "they did not know her ways," i.e. because they have a sense depraved by malice, they cannot recognize the actions of wisdom. Or, "They did not know," in that they have not approved and have not wanted to try the commandments of wisdom. He shows their lack of penitence when he then says, "nor did they return along its paths." For certainly those who return along the paths of wisdom, who although they rebelled against wisdom by sin, still come back to wisdom by repentance.

Commentary on Job

The murderer rising with the light killeth the poor and needy, and in the night is as a thief.

MYSTICAL INTERPRETATION

Whereas the murderer in the killing of his neighbours is wont to come upon them chiefly in the silence of the night, why is it that he is said in this place to 'rise with the light' in order to 'kill the poor and needy,' whilst 'in the night' he is described 'to be as a thief?' Now forasmuch as the letter in the bare words alone is not consistent with itself, we are called back for the investigating the hidden meanings of the Spirit. In Holy Scripture the 'morning' is sometimes used to be put for the coming of the Lord's Incarnation, sometimes for the coming of the henceforth dreadful and searching Judge, sometimes for the prosperity of the present life. Thus the coming of the Lord's Incarnation proved a 'morning,' as the Prophet saith, The morning cometh, and also the night; in that both the beginnings of the new light shone forth in the appearing of our Redeemer, and yet the shades of their misbelief were not cleared off from the hearts of the persecutors. Again, by the 'morning' the coming of the Judge is denoted. Whence it is said by the Psalmist, Early I will destroy all the wicked of the land. As also when personating the Elect, he says, In the morning will I stand in Thy presence, and will look up. Again, by the 'morning' this life's prosperity is represented. as where it is said by Solomon, Woe to thee, O land, when thy King is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning. For whereas the morning is the first part of the day and the evening the last, we ought not ever to be regaled by this life's prosperity which goes first, but by those things which at the end of the day, that is at the termination of the world, follow after. Thus those 'eat in the morning,' who by this world's successes are lifted up, and whilst they passionately interest themselves with present things, pay no heed to the things of the future. For whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer. So the 'murderer rises up with the earliest dawn,' in that every wicked man is set up in the glory of the present life, and bears down the life of those, who whilst they thirst after the glory to follow, as it were anxiously look out to be filled in the evening. For the bad man in this world whilst seizing on the dignity of transitory power spreads himself out the more cruelly for the enacting of what is evil, in proportion as there is no man he loves in the bowels of charity. For as often as in the thoughts of his heart he is maddened against the good, so often does he kill the life of the innocent.

And if, God ordaining it, he suddenly lose the glory of the power he has gotten, he changes his place but not his disposition, for he directly falls away to that, which is subjoined, And in the night is as a thief. For in the night of his tribulation and sunkenness, though he has no power to put forth the hand of cruelty, yet to those whom he sees to be empowered, he recommends counsels of wickedness, and goes about hither and thither, and prompts whatever things he is able toward the injuring of the good. And he is rightly called 'as a thief,' because in all those very evil counsels of his he dreads lest he should be caught out. He then that towards the poor and needy is a murderer in the morning, in the night like a thief is hidden out of sight, in that every bad man, who in this life's prosperity by bearing down kills the life of the humble, being in adversity and abasement, by evil counsels does mischief in a concealed way, and what he is unable to accomplish by himself, that he puts in practice by attaching himself to the powerful ones of this world.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVI

As a sign that they resist the spiritual light of wisdom he says that loving darkness they even hate exterior light, according to John, "Everyone who does evil hates the light." (3:20) So he continues here, "At the first light of morning, the murderer rises and kills the poor and needy," since at that hour there is usually no one about on the street, but some poor men, driven by necessity, anticipate the time for work, and thieves lie in ambush for them along the way. To show that to burglarize houses they need more darkness for this, he says, "and in the night he will be like a thief," robbing houses, for it would not be safe for him to do this in the early hours of the morning, because then men begin to wake up.

Commentary on Job

The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me. And disguiseth his face.

There is nothing to hinder but that this may be understood even after the latter, seeing that he who desires to commit adultery, seeks out the dark. But whereas it is a sentence uttered against Heretics, it is meet that this thing which is declared be understood in a mystical sense. Thus Paul says, For we are not as many that adulterate the word of God. For the adulterer seeks not offspring, but pleasure in the act of carnal copulation. And every bad man, and that is also a slave to vain-glory, is rightly said to 'adulterate' the word of God, because by the sacred word of Revelation he desires not to beget children to God, but to exhibit his own knowledge. For he that is drawn to speak by lust of glory, bestows his pains rather on gratification than the production of children. And it is rightly added there, No eye shall see me; because the adultery which is committed in the interior is very hard indeed that it should be penetrated by the eye of man. Which same the froward soul commits with the more assurance, in proportion as it does not fear being seen by men, whom it may blush at. Moreover it is to be known that as he that commits adultery joins to himself unlawfully the flesh of another man's wife, so all heretics, while they carry off the faithful soul into their own error, are as it were bearing off another's wife, in this way; because the soul which is spiritually wedded to God and joined to Him as if in a kind of bridechamber of love, when by wicked persuasions it is led on into corruptness of doctrine, is as it were like the wife of another defiled by the corrupter.

It is for this reason that the adulterer 'disguises his face;' that he may not be known. Now every man who either in thinking or in acting lives badly, 'disguises his face,' because by corruptness in doctrine or in practice he is tending to this, that he should not be able to be recognised in the Judgment by Almighty God. Hence He shall say to certain persons at the end, I never knew you; depart from Me, ye that work iniquity. And what is the 'face' of the human heart, save the likeness of God? which same face the bad man 'disguiseth,' that he may not be able to be known, when his life discomposes either by bad deeds, or by the error of misbelief. But every such person when he sees the righteous upheld by this world's good fortune, never ventures to prompt what is wrong to them, but if any storm of adversity falls upon those persons, he directly breaks out into words of pestilent persuasion.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVI

He shows the same thing to be true for the adulterer saying, "The eye of the adulterer," who spies on the bed of another, "watches for the darkness," so that he cannot be caught, and so he says, "saying: No one will see me," that is, he watches in the dark so that he will not be seen by anyone. As if the cover of night were not enough for him, he employs still other methods of concealment, and so he says, "and he will cover his face," by changing his clothes in some way.

Commentary on Job

In the dark they dig through houses, which they had marked for themselves in the day time; they know not the light.

For what is there here denoted by the title of 'houses' but consciences, wherein we dwell, when we do any thing, busying ourselves with it? Whence it is said to one on being healed, Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee; i.e. henceforth, secure from the evil habit of sin, turn back to thy conscience, and be thou roused into the voice of preaching.' And so when in the present world the righteous are brightened by the day of prosperity, to those persons the leaders of false tenets are afraid to recommend what is wrong. But they search out counsels, with all care they await the abasement of their prosperity, that in the darkness of adversity they may by their persuading dig through the minds of those, to whom whilst living prosperously they never presumed to speak wrong things, whom as soon as they see under adversity they rise up and maintain, that no otherwise saving in desert of their sins those suffer such things; because loving the glory of the present life alone, the stroke they take for condemnation. So 'in the dark they dig through houses,' in that the minds of the good by their mere misfortune alone to corrupt is their endeavour. Now it is well said, which they had marked in the day time, in that when they saw the righteous to have been made to shine with the light of prosperity, because they were prevented speaking, they were only at liberty for concocting malevolent designs against them. But whether it be heretics or any bad persons, they rejoice when they see the righteous in a depressed condition, whereas when they see those break forth to the height of power for ruling, they are confounded, they are filled with fears, they are consumed with misery.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVI

Just as he watches for darkness to begin his deed, so also he does the deed in darkness, and so he then says, "They steal through houses in the dark," removing any obstacles by any kind of fraud and violence, "as they have agreed the day before," the adulterer and the adulteress, "and they are ignorant of the light," because they abandon themselves to the complete execution of the evil deed.

Commentary on Job

If the morning suddenly appear, it is to them even as the shadow of death. He is light above the face of the water. Let their portion be cursed in the earth; and let him not walk by the way of the vineyards.

For the wicked look for the afflicting of the righteous, and long to see them in distress, and 'in the dark they dig through houses,' when the heart of the innocent but weak ones they corrupt in the season of their casting down by the worst mode of discourse. But it commonly happens that when they see the good in a sunken state, on a sudden, by the secret appointment of God, any righteous one that seemed to be borne down is upheld by some share of the world's power, and the prosperity of the present life smiles on him, whom the darkness of adversity before overlaid. Which same prosperity of that man when the wicked behold, as it has been said, they are troubled. For directly they turn back to their own hearts, they bring back before their minds' eye whatever they remember themselves to have done amiss, they fear for every particular sinful habit to be avenged in them, and by the same means by which he that receives power is made to shine the bad man who dreads to be corrected is darkened in sorrow. And so it is well said, If the morning suddenly appear, they think it is the shadow of death. For 'the morning' is the mind of the righteous man, which quitting the darkness of its sin, now breaks out unto the light of eternity, as it is said of Holy Church likewise; Who is she that looketh forth as the morning? Therefore in the same measure that every righteous person shining with the light of righteousness is in the present life reared to a height with honours, in the same measure before the eyes of the wicked comes the 'darkness of death,' in that they who remember that they have done bad things are in fear of being corrected. For they desire always to have a loose given them in their iniquities, to live free from correction, and from sin to have delight; whose fatal mirth is itself appropriately described in the words that are directly introduced, And they walk so in darkness, as in the light.

For with a froward mind they delight in deeds of wickedness, through their sin they are day by day being dragged to punishment, and are full of assurance. Hence it is said by Solomon, And there are wicked men that are as secure as if they had the deeds of the righteous. Concerning whom it is written again, Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the most wicked doings. Thus 'they walk in darkness as in the light,' in that they so delight in the night of sin as if the light of righteousness spread around them. Or otherwise, whereas darkness not inappropriately represents the present life, wherein the consciences of other men are not seen, whilst our light is the eternal land, in which when we look at faces, our hearts within us we mutually see; and because the wicked so love the present life, and embrace these times of exile, as if they already reigned in their native country, it is rightly said, They walk in darkness as in the light, in that they are as full of gladness in the present state of blindness, as if they already enjoyed the light of the eternal country.

From the plural number he returns to the singular because most frequently one person begins what is bad, and numbers by imitating him follow after, but the fault is primarily his, who to the bad men following after furnished examples of wickedness; and hence the sentence frequently returns to him who was the leader in sin. Now the surface of water is carried hither and thither by the breath of the air, and not being steadied with any fixedness is put in motion every where. And so the mind of the wicked man is 'lighter than the surface of water,' in that every breath of temptation that touches it, draws it on without any retarding of resistance. For if we imagine the unstable heart of any bad man, what do we discover but a surface of water set in the wind? For that man one while the breath of anger drives on, now the breath of pride, now the breath of lust, now the breath of envy, now the breath of falsehood forces along. And so he is 'light above the surface of the water,' whom every wind of error when it comes drives before it. Whence too it is well said by the Psalmist, O my God, make them like a wheel, as the stubble before the wind. For the wicked are 'made like a wheel,' in that being sent into the round of labour, whilst the things that are before they neglect, and those which ought to be given up they follow, in the hind parts they are lifted up, and in the fore parts they fall. And they are likewise rightly compared to 'stubble before the face of the wind,' in that, when the breath of temptation comes upon them, having no principle of gravity to rest upon, they are only lifted up to be dashed to the ground, and they often account themselves of some merit in proportion as the blast of error bears them on high.

LITERAL INTERPRETATION

Whoever in the present life does what is right and meets with misfortunes, is seen indeed to travail in adversity, but for the blessing of the everlasting inheritance he is finished complete; but whoever does what is bad and yet meets with good fortune, and does not even by the bountifulness of blessings withhold himself from wicked deeds, is seen indeed to prosper, but is tied fast by the bond of everlasting cursing. Hence it is rightly said now, Let their portion be cursed in the earth, in that though he is blessed for a time, yet he is held fast in the bond of cursing. Concerning whom too it is fitly added, He walketh not by the way of the vineyards. For 'the way of the vineyards,' is the rightness of the Churches. Wherein nothing hinders but that we understand either the heretic or every carnal man, because 'the way of the vineyards,' i.e. the rightness of the Churches, is parted with, when either the right faith or the right rule of just living is not held. For he 'walks by the way of the Vineyards,' who taking to heart the preaching of the Holy Catholic Church, deviates neither from the right line of faith nor of good deeds. Since to 'walk in the way of the vineyards' is to behold the Fathers of Holy Church as hanging clusters of the vine, whose words whilst he heeds in the toils of the journey, he is intoxicated with the love of Eternity.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVI

"If suddenly," as though unprepared, because the time seems short to them when they are occupied in carnal pleasure, "the dawn should appear," which is the beginning of daylight, "they think of it as the shadow of death," that is, they think it is as hateful as the shadow of death when they see that they cannot continue their wanton activities anymore. For men are usually impeded in their acts in two ways. In one way when they do not foresee the outcome of a situation. In another way when they have a weak link in their resolve. But the adulterers, on the contrary, goaded by concupiscence, first throw themselves into dangers without consideration even though they do not know what will follow, and to make this clear he says, "And so in the darkness," in doubtful and dark circumstances, "as though in the light," in clear circumstances, "they walk," proceed.

Commentary on Job

Second, they put great faith in a small and frail thing, and so he says, "he," the adulterer, "is light on the surface of the waters," as if to say: He moves so lightly that it seems to him that he can pursue his own will as though he were sailing on calm seas. Or one can also explain the literal sense, "they walk in darkness as in light," in that both the adulterer and the adulteress love to do their works in the dark. The phrase which he adds, "he is light on the surface of the water," refers especially to the adulterer who believes that because of the drive of concupiscence he pass lightly even on water, i.e. over any difficulty or adversity whatsoever, to arrive at the enjoyment of the thing sought.

After describing the different kinds of sin in detail, he speaks then about their punishment. First he speaks about the punishment in the present life when he says, "Cursed be his lot on the earth." Each one's lot seems to be to him what he desires as the highest good. The sinner sets up his ultimate end in earthly things as his lot, according to Wisdom, "This is our portion and this is our lot." (2:9) This lot has been cursed because the goods of this world which he uses badly turn to evil for him. He shows this clearly when he says, "nor let him walk on the road of the vineyards." Roads in vineyards are usually shady and consequently cool. Vines even require a moderately cool place, for they are destroyed by the ice in places which are too cold, and in places which are exceedingly hot they are scorched by the heat. The evil man does not walk on the road of the vineyards because he does not use the things of this world moderately, but sometimes he goes aside to one extreme, sometimes to another.

Commentary on Job

Let him pass to excessive heat from the snow waters. And his sin even to hell.

Iniquity is on this account likened to cold, because the mind that sins it binds up with insensibility. Hence it is written; As a fountain has made her waters cold, so she has made her wickedness cold. Contrariwise charity is 'heat,' in this respect that it fires the soul it fills. Of which 'heat' is written, Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. And there are some who while they shun the cold or their wickednesses come to true faith or to the wearing of sanctity, but because they presume on their own faculties for perceiving more than should be, oftentimes in the faith which they receive they are minded to pry curiously into the things that they do not take in, so as to be held fast in God rather by reason than by faith. But because the mind of man has not power to dive into the mysteries of God; all that they cannot get to the bottom of by reason, they care not to believe, and by overmuch investigation they fall into error. So these, when they did not as yet believe, or were still busied for works of wickedness, were 'snow waters;' but when abandoning carnal deeds, in the faith to which they have been brought they aim to dive deeper than they have capacity for, they are hot beyond what they ought to be. And so touching this wicked kind of person the sentence of one prophesying only and not wishing the thing is rightly delivered. Let him pass in overmuch heat from the snow waters. As if it were said in plain speech; 'he that is not restrained in humility under the fetters of self-discipline, from his unbelief, or from the coldness of bad practice, through immoderate wisdom falls into error. Whence too the great Preacher getting quit of this excessive heat of too refined wisdom from the hearts of his disciples saith well, Not to be wise of himself above that he ought to be wise; but to be wise unto sobriety. Lest perchance excessive heat might destroy those, of whom 'snow waters,' i.e. unbelief, or the fruits of deadened actions, held possession in the way to die. And because it is very difficult for him who accounts himself wise to bring down his mind to humility and believe those that preach right things, and reject the view of his own wrong thought, it is rightly said;

For sin is 'brought even to hell,' which before the end of the present life is not by chastening reformed unto repentance. Of which same sin it is said by John, There is a sin unto death, I do not say that he shall pray for it. For 'a sin unto death' is a sin even until death in this way, that the pardon of that sin is sought in vain which is not corrected here.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVI

And to express this he then says, "let him pass over to great heat from freezing waters," as though changing from one vice to a contrary vice because he does not remain in the mean of virtue. All wicked men suffer this punishment because, "the inordinate soul is a punishment unto itself," as Augustine says in the Confessions.

He places next the punishment which will come after death when he then says, "and his sin to hell," by which he means: His portion is not only cursed on earth when he uses the things of the world inordinately, but he will also suffer the punishments for this in hell. One can also refer these punishments to the text, "he passes to great heat from freezing waters," because in hell there is no moderate temperature.

Commentary on Job

Let mercy forget him. The worm is his sweetness.

Almighty God's mercy is said to 'forget him,' who has forgotten Almighty God's justice, in that whoever does not fear Him now as just, can never find him merciful afterward. Which same sentence is not only held out against him, who abandons the preachings of true faith, but against him likewise, who being in the right faith lives a carnal life, in that the vengeance of eternal condemnation is not got quit of, whether sin lie in faith or practice. For though the kind of condemnation be unequal, yet guilt which is not wiped away by repentance, there is no means supplied for the absolving thereof.

Whoever desires to make his way prosperous in this world, to surpass the rest of the world, to swell high with substance and honours, to this man no doubt worldly business is a delight, and repose a labour. For he is very much tired if the business of the world be lacking wherewith to be tired. Now because it belongs to the nature of worms to be put in motion unceasingly every moment, restlessness of thoughts is not unjustly denoted by the name of 'worms.' And so 'the worm is the sweetness' of the wicked soul, in that he is fed to his satisfaction from the same source whence he is unceasingly agitated in restlessness. Moreover it may be that by the title of the 'worm' the flesh may be more plainly denoted. Hence it is said further on, How much less man that is a worm? or the son of man which is a worm? And so of everyone that is full of lust and devoted to the pleasures of the flesh, how great is the blindness is shewn, when it is said, The worm, is his sweetness. For what is our flesh but 'rottenness' and 'the worm?' And whosoever pants with carnal desires, what else does he but love 'the worm?' For what the substance of the flesh is, our graves bear witness. What parent, what faithful friend can bear to touch the flesh of one however beloved fraught with worms? And so when the flesh is lusted after, let it be considered what it is when lifeless, and it is understood what it is that is loved. For nothing has so much efficacy to subdue the appetite of carnal desire, as for every one to consider, what that which he loves alive will be when dead. For when we consider the corruption of the flesh, we see in a moment, that when the flesh is unlawfully lusted after, corruption is desired. Therefore it is well said of the mind of the lustful man, the worm is his sweetness, in that he who is on fire with the desire of carnal corruption, pants after the stink of rottenness.

All this, as I remember that I promised in the beginning of this third part, I have run over in brief, that the things which follow after in this work, as they are involved in great obscurity, may with God's aid be more fully gone into.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVI

Let him not be in remembrance; let him be crushed like an unfruitful stump.

[ALLEGORICAL INTERPRETATION]

As often as in the history of the holy man we betake ourselves in a new book to unravel the mystery of the typical explanation, it must be either from that man's name or course of suffering that we mainly draw out the mystical interpretation, so that after the manner of dwelling houses, whilst we set forth a superscription of the title on the very front of the door post, whereas it is known whose house it is, one may enter with greater security. Now I remember that I have often said that blessed Job, both by his course of suffering and his name, marked out the sufferings of our Redeemer, and of His Body, i.e. Holy Church. For 'Job' is by interpretation 'Grieving.' And who else is represented in this grieving one saving He, concerning Whom it is written, Surely He hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows. Concerning Whom again it is written, And with His bruise we are healed? But his friends bear the likeness of heretics, who, as we have often said already, while they set themselves to defend, only offend God. Thus let the holy man by words and wounds so tell things of his own as at the same time to set forth ours also, and most often, by the spirit of prophecy, relate things to come, surmount things present, yet sometimes so tell of those present as to be silent touching those future, The keeping then of this exercise of discernment being understood in accordance with the altering of his voice, let our understanding likewise turn about, that it may agree the more truly with his ideas in proportion as it also shifts itself with his accents. Thus by the preceding words the holy man, in sentences eloquently formed by the art of wisdom, set forth the offences of the bad man of whatever kind, and represented how damnable his conduct was, of whose punishment he directly adds, saying, Let him not be in remembrance; let him be crushed like an unfruitful stump.

[MORAL INTERPRETATION]

For he is not brought back into the 'remembrance' of his Creator, whosoever to the very end of his life is in subjection to evil habits. Since if the recollection of the regard from Above did make itself felt on such an one, assuredly it would recall him from his wickedness. For his deserts require that he should be utterly blotted out from his Maker's remembrance. But it is to be borne in mind that God can never strictly be said to 'remember;' for One Who cannot forget, in what way is it possible for Him to remember? But whereas it is our way that those whom we remember we embrace, but those whom we forget we part far from, after the usage of man God is both said to 'remember,' when He bestows gifts, and to forget, when He forsakes one in guilt. But because He weighs all things, views all without any alternating of intermission, He both remembers the good, whom still He never forgets, and no wise remembers the bad, whom nevertheless in judgment He does ever behold. For He as it were returns to the recollection of the good, which same nevertheless He never quitted, and as it were He never regards the bad, whose deeds howsoever He has an eye on, but reserves for the last scene the judgment of condemnation thereupon. For hence it is written, The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. Hence it is said by the Psalmist, The face of the Lord is upon them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. Therefore the persons for Him to punish He does regard, but those very persons before He did not see, in that He 'knows them not.' For He shall say to some at the end, I know You not whence ye are; depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Thus, in a wonderful way, He both beholds and forgets the life of bad men, in that those whom by severity of sentence He judges, as regards the remembrance of mercy He is ignorant of.

And these same, because they do not come into His remembrance, like an unfruitful stump are broken to pieces by His judgment. For the earth supported them with a temporal outfitting, the shower of preaching poured down on them from above. But because their life never put forth the fruit of good works, the husbandman in anger cut it clean away, that according to the sentence of Truth it might not cumber the space, which another may occupy for fruit. Of which same 'unfruitful stump' it is said by John, And now also the axe is laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewn down, and cast into the fire. But in this place, in order that the eternal punishments of the lost sinner may be denoted, the tree is not said to be cut away, but to be broken to pieces, in that the death indeed of the flesh cuts off the reprobate, but the punishment ensuing breaks them in pieces. For here it is as it were cut down, when he is severed from the present life. But in hell it is broken in pieces, when he is tortured with everlasting damnation. But the holy man, as he set forth the strict punishment of the froward one, at once falls back to the sin, that by the immensity of the unjustness he may effectually teach that that excessive damnation of him was not unjust.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVII

Lest anyone believe that those punishments will end through the mercy of God, he adds, "the mercy," of God, "let it forget him," the sinner condemned to hell will never be freed from there. He shows what sort of punishment this is saying, "let his sweetness become a worm," for the pleasure of the sinner will be changed for him into a worm, which is the remorse of conscience about which the last chapter of Isaiah speaks: "Their worm will not die." (66:24) So he continues addressing the endless character of this punishment, "let him not be in remembrance," that is, let him be so totally abandoned by God without hope of being freed, as though he had forgotten him. He makes a comparison when he says, "but let him be cut down like a tree which bears no fruit." "For a tree which does not bear good fruit will be cut down and burned," (3:10) as we read in Matthew, whereas a fruitful tree is clipped so that it may be pruned as John says, "He will prune every tree which bears fruit, so that it may bear more." (15:2) Evil men are therefore punished for their extermination, just men for their perfection.

Commentary on Job

21–22

“He has not treated the barren woman well,” that is, the woman who is without help because of her lack of children. And notice again how ill treatment is considered an act of impiety. “Keep away from evil,” the divine psalmist says, “and practice good.” “And he had no pity on a feeble woman,” that is, on a woman who needs help because of her feeble nature. “And in wrath he has overthrown the helpless.” In fact he did not overthrow the feeble and the helpless for any rational cause, but because of the impulse of his wild soul, while being inflamed with his wrath; and he reduced them to extreme poverty.

Commentary on Job 24:20-22

For he fed the barren and her that beareth not, and to the widow he did not do good.

Who is it in this place that is denominated 'barren' saving the flesh, which while it goes after things present alone is not able to engender good thoughts? and who is styled 'a widow' but the soul, which same because the Maker was minded to unite to Himself, He came to the marriage chamber of the carnal womb, as the Psalmist testifies, who saith, Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber? And she is rightly called 'a widow,' in that her Husband underwent death in her behalf, and now in the retreats of heaven hidden from her eyes as in the tract of another region He lives. Thus the wicked man 'feeds the barren' and scorns to 'do good to the widow,' because in obeying the desires of the flesh, he makes little of the care of the soul and its life. For with the whole bent and with every effort he considers how without necessities of any kind the flesh which is to die may be made to hold on, and he is indifferent to concern himself for the life of the soul, which either in death or in bliss most surely lives for evermore. Now it is rightly done that when it is said, He fed the barren, it is directly added, and her that beareth not. For certain women we know from sacred history were found 'barren,' but yet in the end of their days brought forth. But the flesh is not only called barren, but also she that beareth not, in that of her own wit not even at the last is she capable of begetting good thoughts. For from her own vigour she is now already going off, and yet things transitory she still ceases not to long for, and being now spent of original force, is well nigh thrown off by that very world which she loves, yet by mischievous endeavour still strives to acquire what is temporal. She now no longer has the ability to do wicked things, yet does not a whit cease to mind in thought even the things which she does not in act. Rightly therefore is she called not only 'barren,' but also 'one that beareth not,' in that of her own wit, as we said, for the offspring of good thought, not even when she has become powerless does she conceive.

Which same may likewise be understood of heretical persons preaching. For every single preacher of error, while he teaches a people set without the pale of the Church's unity, is surely 'feeding the barren, and her that cannot bear,' seeing that he is bestowing the serviceableness of his labour upon her, who never makes any return of spiritual fruits. 'Neither does he do good to the widow,' forasmuch as for that Holy Church Universal, whose Husband suffered the adverse treatment of death, he scorns to live to and to serve. For to 'do good to the widow' is to take much pains in the consoling of her, who by the love of her dead Husband is crushed to the ground. And hence by the voice of the Psalmist this same widow, i.e. Holy Church, makes complaint, saying, I looked for comforters, but I found none. Since then only does she 'find a comforter,' when from that death which her husband underwent, she beholds many within herself arise to life. Now very often the preacher of error is allied with the rich of this world, who for this reason, that they strain over earthly employments, are too blind to detect the crafty tricks of the things delivered, and whereas they go about to be powerful without, they are taken without labour by the noose of froward preaching.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVII

Job shows why he is compared to the tree which is barren from two things. First because he has consumed his goods in useless things, and so he says, "For he feeds the barren woman who does not produce offspring and he has done no good to the widow." The one who consumes his goods in useless things is a metaphor for someone who uselessly supports a barren wife. Second, he is compared in this way because he does not aid those in need, which could have been fruitful for him, and so he says, "and he has done no good to the widow." By "the widow" he means all the needy.

Commentary on Job

"Therefore when he has risen, he will not feel secure of his own life." For these reasons the impious, after rising every day not really believing that he will live, remains in fear and is frightened. As the wise Solomon stated, "Fear, indeed, is nothing other than the abandonment of the supports offered by reason."

Commentary on Job 24:22-24

He took away the mighty in his might.

Since in the might of his wickedness the mighty he severally takes away, whilst by the craftiness of his error he carries off the great ones of this world. In opposition to whom it is said by Paul, God hast chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty. Now the 'might' of the corrupt preacher is the high-flown science of his speaking, puffed up with which he despises all the rest of the world, and in contempt of all men, as being preeminently proficient in himself, he swells big. Who whilst thinking what is great of himself, and not knowing what is true of God, is parted far from knowledge of the faith, and yet endeavours to make himself appear a preacher thereof. Whence it is further added; And when he standeth, he will not believe his life.

Every evil preacher 'standeth' in this world, so long as he lives in an earthly body. But he refuses to 'believe his life,' because he is too proud to open his eyes to what is true relating to God. For he would 'believe his life,' if he had right notions concerning the Substance of his Creator. These things, then, we were describing above as spoken of every bad man, but we suddenly made the meaning turn to the preacher of error. Whence it is to be noted, that we are so drawn on to the special case as not yet in any wise to be quite taken off from the general. For every bad man, even if he seem to maintain the faith in the bosom of the Church Universal, 'standeth and believeth not his life,' because they are right things indeed which by faith he understands of his Creator, yet the works of faith he cares not to maintain; and he is convicted of unbelief, in that, even from that which he sets forth as his creed, by his way of living he is condemned. For hence it is said by John, He that saith he knoweth God, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar. Hence Paul saith, They profess that they know God, but in works they deny Him. Hence James saith, Faith without works is dead. But amidst all this the Creator by a wonderful economy of counsel at once has an eye to offences, and bestows periods of living, that the lengthened portions of temporal life may to the person either being converted be turned into the furtherance of reward, or not being converted to the heightening of condemnation.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVII

Not only has he been unfruitful, but he has also been harmful like a tree bearing poisonous fruit, and so he says, "he has thrown down the powerful man in his strength," that is, he did not use his power to aid the oppressed, but more to oppress the powerful. The harm he has worked on others also returns to his own harm, because he cannot live in security since he fears being harmed by those he has harmed, and so he says, "and when he rises up," i.e. when he suffers no adversity, "he will not believe in his own life," for he will not be free from care about his own life according to what Eliphaz said above, "The sound of terror is always in his ears, and when he is at peace, he always expects treachery." (15:21)

Commentary on Job

"When he has fallen sick, let him not hope to recover, but let him perish by disease." The diseases of the body, in fact, often occur because of sin. "Let him not hope," that is, the lack of hope is due to the consciousness of his sins. "Let him perish" by disease, that is, by the blows of calamity.

Commentary on Job 24:22-24

God hath given unto him room for repentance, and he abuseth it in pride.

Whosoever commits sin and lives, such a person Divine Appointment for this reason bears with in iniquity, that it may withhold him from iniquity. But he that is borne with for a longer time, and yet is not withholden from iniquity, is vouchsafed indeed the benefit of the patience Above, yet with the chains of his guilt is by that very benefit binding himself the tighter. For because the times of repentance vouchsafed he diverts to sin, the strict Judge in the end converts the instances of mercy bestowed into punishment. Hence it is said by Paul; Or knowest thou not that the longsuffering of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. Hence Isaiah saith, For the child shall die an hundred years old, but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed. As though he deterred us in plain words, saying, 'The life of a child indeed is drawn to a great length, in order that he may be corrected of childish doings, but if he be not even by length of time restrained from the commission of sin, this very length of life, which he received in pitifulness, is made to grow to him into an aggravation of cursing.' Whence it is necessary that the longer time that we see ourselves to be waited for, we fear the very seasons of pitifulness before granted as the grounds of condemnation, lest by the clemency of the Judge the punishment of the sinner should be heightened, and by the same means whereby anyone might have been rescued from death, he should tend to death in a manner the more disastrous. Which is for this reason very often brought to pass, because the eye of the mind is not in the least degree weaned from things present. For the sinner is careless to regard the ways of the Redeemer, and so he grows old in his own paths without stopping. Hence it is added; For his eyes are upon his ways.

For the sinner 'regards his own ways,' because he sets himself to mind only, to have an eye only for, things which may stand him in stead for temporal advantage. Thus it is hence Paul saith, All seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's. For the way of the highminded is pride; the way of the robber, avarice; the way of the lecherous, carnal concupiscence. Thus every bad man bends his eyes down on his own ways, in that he is intent on vicious pursuits alone, that by these he may satisfy his mind. Whence it is said by Solomon, The eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth; because that only they regard with the whole bent of the heart, whereby they may attain to the end of earthly desire. Now the sinner would never fix the gaze of his looking on earth, if he lifted up the eyes of the mind to the holy paths of his Redeemer. Whence it is again said by Solomon, The wise man's eyes are in his head; in this way, viz. that with undivided intentness the wise man regards Him, of Whom he reflects by faith that he is a member. For these ways of man's walk and conversation, he had deemed it little worth to have in his eye, who said, I will meditate in Thy statutes, and have respect unto Thy ways. As if he gave his word in plain terms, saying, 'The things which are mine own I henceforth eschew the seeing of, in that by the path of the imitating of Thee I burn to go on in the steps of behaviour.' For he who henceforth withstands the present world, by the continual inciting of love presents the ways of his Redeemer to the eyes of the heart, that so the mind may eschew what is prosperous, be in readiness for what is adverse, desire nought that soothes down, dread nought that is supposed to dismay, account sorrow joy, estimate the delights of the present life as the ills of woe, not fear the diminutions of a state of scorn, but thereby seek room for enduring glory. For these ways Truth shewed to the eyes of those that were following Him, when He said, If any man serve Me, let him follow Me. To these ways he recalled the swelling hearts of the Disciples, when they were already seeking room for glory, but knew not the pathway of that glory, saying, Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of? For they had been seeking the height of that session with Him on the right hand and on the left hand, but how great the narrowness of the pathway thereunto they did not see; and hence the cup of the Passion is at once presented to their eyes as a thing for them to imitate, that, surely, if they were making for the joys of exaltedness, they should first find the way of humility. And therefore because the sinner is careless to have an eye to the ways of God, but is bent on those only wherein he may be made to delight in a carnal manner, it is rightly said in this place, For his eyes are upon his ways.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVII

He then gives the reason why the sinner must be punished without mercy, because he did not want to profit from the mercy of God when he could have, and so he says, "God gave him an occasion for penance," in deferring punishment, and this is the reason why he was permitted to live in prosperity for a long time. But what God has offered to him as a good he perverted to an evil, and so he says, "and he abuses it in his pride," by not attributing to the divine mercy the fact that he is not immediately punished after sinning. But he profited from this remission, daring to sin even to contempt of God. Although the sinner seeks darkness in order to sin, he still cannot prevent being seen, and so he says, "For his eyes," of God, "are on his ways," for they consider his courses even if he walks under the cover of darkness.

Commentary on Job

"For his exaltation has hurt many." For this reason, "let him perish," because his exaltation has hurt many. "But he has withered as mallows in the heat or as an ear of corn falling off of itself from the stalk." Other examples [from the Greek Bible] read "like grass." In a similar way, the psalmist also says, "Quick as the grass they wither, fading like the green in the field." And he rightly says, "falling off of itself," indeed, for everybody sin itself becomes a punisher.

Commentary on Job 24:22-24

They are exalted for a little while, but they shall not hold on.

The glory of bad men, whilst it is for the most part extended into a multitude of years, is by the minds of the weak reckoned to be long and as it were stable; but when an instantaneous end cuts it off, surely it proves to its face that it was short, because the end by putting a limit makes it known that that which was capable of passing away was little. And so 'they are exalted for a little while, and do not hold on,' because from the mere circumstance that they seek to appear high, they are by self-exalting made far removed from the true essence of God. For they are not able to hold on, because they are severed from the solid basis of the Eternal Essence, and they undergo this first ruining, that by glorying in self they fall in themselves. For hence it is said by the Psalmist, Thou castedst them down, when they were lifted up; because they are brought down within, in proportion as they arise wrongly without. Regarding this shortness of temporal glory, he saith again; I have seen the wicked above measure exalted, and lifted up like a cedar of Libanus; I passed by, and lo, he was gone. Hence again he saith, For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be. Hence James says, For what is Your life? it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time. Hence the Prophet reflecting on the shortness of carnal glory, tells it forth, saying, All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of hay. For the power of the wicked is likened to the 'flower of hay,' because the glory of the flesh, whilst it shines bright, it falls, whilst it is exalted in itself, cut off by a sudden end it is brought to a close. For in the same way by the blowing of breezes the stubble is caught on high, but by an instantaneous fall it is brought back to earth below. Thus the smoke is lifted up to the clouds, but suddenly whilst swelling out it is scattered to nought. Thus the vapour from beneath thickening lifts itself on high, but the ray of the sun when risen clears it away, as though it had not been. Thus on the surface of the herbs the moisture of the dew of night is sprinkled, but by the sudden heat of the light of day it is dried away. Thus the foamy bubbles of water, raised on showers beginning, come forth racing from within, but being burst asunder they come to nought the more quickly in proportion as being inflated they are raised higher, and when they grow to a head, so as to appear, in growing they make it that they should 'not hold on.' Therefore concerning the wicked that are swoln with the exaltation of temporal glory, and yet not enduring with any stedfastness in this glory, let it be rightly said, they are exalted for a little while, but they shall not hold on. Of whom it is yet further added; And they shall be brought low as all things, and shall be taken away.

Such should be the advancement of contemplation, that it should be carried off from few things to the taking a view of many, from many to taking a view of all things, so that being led forth step by step it should advance; and whilst judging all things transitory should by comprehending itself grow forth well nigh incomprehensibly. Hence the holy man, whilst he was sifting the glory and the failing of the wicked, stretched to 'all things' presently the eye of the mind, saying, they shall be brought low as all things, and shall be taken away; 'all things' earthly assuredly. As though he said in plain words; 'They cannot any way stand, because the very things flee away as well whereon they rest for support, and while they are in love with things temporal, along with these by the currency of time they run to an end.' But it may be asked, whereas it is said by Solomon, One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; but the earth abideth for ever; why does blessed Job declare that all things 'are brought low, and taken away?' Yet this we easily sift out, if we keep distinct how earth and heaven either pass away or remain. For both these in respect of that figure which they now have pass away, yet in respect of their essence they are held in being without end. Hence it is said by Paul, For the fashion of this world passeth away. Hence Truth saith by Itself, Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away. Hence it is told John by the voice of the Angel, There shall be a new heaven and a new earth. Which indeed are not to be created other things, but these very same are renewed. And thus heaven and earth at once 'pass away' and 'shall be,' seeing that both by fire from that fashion which they now have they are clean wiped out, and yet in their own nature are ever preserved. Hence it is said by the Psalmist, Thou shalt change them, and they shall be changed. Which same final changing of themselves they do now announce to us by those very successions, whereby for our services they unceasingly shift about. For the earth by the dryness of winter falls off from its fashion, by the moisture of spring it is made green. Heaven is every day overlaid by the darkness of night, and renewed by the brightness of day. Hence, then, hence let every believer gather that these things both perish, and yet by renewal are restored, which it is plain are now perpetually as it were from decay being refitted. In the midst of all this then the holy man, whilst he beholds the course of the wicked, makes it known with what a visitation they are one day to come to nought, when he forthwith adds; And as the tops of the ears of corn they shall be crushed.

For the tops of the ears of corn are the beards; now the beards come out joined in an ear of corn, but going on growing little by little they are separated from one another bristly and rough. Thus, verily, thus, as to this world's glory do the evil-minded rich ones rise up. For by a fellowship of nature they are joined to one another, but going on increasing they are in turn divided against one another. For one looks down upon another, and a second is inflamed against a third with the torches of envy; they then who by the swelling of the mind separate themselves from the unity of charity, as it were after the way of beards stand bristling against one another. What then might I have called the evilminded rich ones of this world but a kind of beards of the human race, who while they are lifted high against one another, but with one consent press hard upon the life of the good, are indeed divided against themselves, yet with one accord bear down the grains beneath.

At this present time then the beards spring up on high, the grains lie hidden; because both the power of lost sinners towers high, and the glory of the Elect does not appear. The one shew themselves off in the high estate of honours, the others lower themselves in humility. But the time of winnowing will arrive, which is calculated both to break the bristling of the beards, and not to bruise the solid grains. For then the pride of the wicked is broken in pieces, then the life of the Elect is shewn to view, with what faultlessness it shines bright; in that while the unrighteous are undone, by this very crushing of the beard it is brought to pass that the grains should appear, which were holden out of sight; and when the beards are broken, the whiteness of the grains is made to appear, because upon the wicked falling into everlasting punishments, the righteousness of the Saints is manifested, with what truth it is shining white. Whence too it is rightly said by John, Whose fan is in His hand, and He will throughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner: but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. So let blessed Job mark with what awful visitation the pride of bad men shall be broken, and comparing them to beards that perish, let him say, Like the tops of ears of corn they shall be crushed. Surely because the bristling of the proud is broken by the stress of the final winnowing, whereas now looking down upon the life of the Elect it is lifted up.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVII

Therefore, "they have been raised up a little," to some earthly and perishable height, which God gives to them as an occasion of repentance. "And they will not stand firm," to the very end, because they abuse the mercy of God to the point of pride. He uses an analogy for this. Everything which is generated in time grows up in a determined time and afterwards begins to decay until it is totally destroyed. So it happens with the wicked, and so he says, "They will be humbled like everything else," which increases in time, "and will be borne away," completely, when they have reached their peak. He establishes the analogy saying, "and like the tops of the ears of wheat they will be ground down." For fruits of the earth are not ground down while they are in stalk and grow, but when they finally arrive at full maturity. In the same way the wicked are not punished by God immediately, but when they reach at their full stature, according to the measure foreseen by God. Job introduced this to show that if evil men are not punished in time, but lead a prosperous life, this does not happen from a defect of divine providence, but from the fact that God defers punishment until the right time.

Commentary on Job

“If it is not so, may his wrath make me lie,” that is, if sinners do not go into that scorn that I have mentioned before, may the wrath of God prove false what I have said.

Commentary on Job 24:25

And if it be not so now, who will convict me of having lied, and set my words before God?

If it be not so as he tells, then surely all people are able to convict him of falsehood. Why then is it said, And if it be not so now, who will convict me of having lied? i.e. whilst we know that, one who is false, it is allowed anyone to find fault with? But if we sift out the sense of the speaker with exact questioning, how light the things are that he put forth, we speedily discover. For the righteous man, though he does ever speak any thing wrong, yet it is far from meet that he should be judged by the unrighteous and ill living. Whence the holy man lowering the pride of his friends, not even if it be so, but even 'if it be not so' as he set forth, is confident that he can never be found fault with, because assuredly those are able rightly to reprove things that are false, who are not taught to do things that are false. For the daring of reproof against deceit those persons lose, who still live on principles of deceit. Therefore he says, And if it be riot so now, who will convict me of having lied? As if he said in plain words; 'All things are so as I have set forth, but if they were not so, I could not a whit be charged home with them by you; for whilst ye still give way to your own deceit, ye are not able to find fault with the deceit of another.'

In which place it is fitly added; And to set my words before God. For whoever really finds fault with false sayings in the true way, in thinking on the things he has heard and estimating them by the rule of truth 'sets words before God,' because to himself in the eye of Truth he makes proof what he should outwardly decree against falsehood. Since 'to set words before God' is with the interior Judge kept in view to estimate the exterior sayings. Thus the holy man does not reckon it possible for his 'words to be set before God' by friends behaving with pride. As if he said in plain terms, 'The things which I utter ye are for this reason unable to set before the Judge, because by committing sin ye hide His face from you?' Which same, however, nothing hinders from being understood in type of Holy Church as well, which whilst for her weak members she is found fault with by the scoffing of heretics, laughs to scorn that same craftiness of their scoffing, because with God it is more tolerable that a man should be prostrated in weakness and in ignorance, in conjunction with humility, than that he should compass high themes with self-exaltation. But forasmuch as the holy man had uttered many words against those, who by transitory power are made proud, and with windy honours swell themselves out; by his rebuke Bildad the Shuhite gaining ground has his eyes opened to see with Whom true power is deposited.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVII

So he shows clearly that what Eliphaz had calumniously accused him of about the denial of divine providence is false. So he says, "If this is not so," as I have said earlier about the punishment of evildoers, just as you were of the opinion that man is always punished in this life for sins, "who can call me a liar," as though I am denying divine providence, "and accuse me for putting my words before God," that my words accused God as if they had been said against his providence.

Commentary on Job