Job 28

1–2

He means that if God has established an order in the realities of nature, he did even more with regard to human realities. Indeed, he foresees and takes care of events, and nothing comes from him at random. Or, on the other hand, [he means] that the whole of realities is quite visible but the plans of God are invisible; in fact, silver and copper have a place, whereas nobody has ever known the “place” of wisdom. But God only knows wisdom, and he has said to mortals that “piety is wisdom,” and knowledge means to do good.

Commentary on Job 27:14-28:3

The silver hath the beginning of its veins, and to the gold there is a place, where they fine it.

Thus the holy man after he had adequately filled up the punishments of the men of power that are lifted up in the world, again directs his words to the pride of heretics, who are lifted up in speech. In silver the power of speaking, in gold brightness of life or of wisdom is used to be denoted. And because heretics are so filled with pride for the brilliancy of their speaking, that they are not based firmly by any authority of the sacred books, (which books are for speaking like a kind of veins of silver to us, because from those identical books we derive the spring and source of our speaking,) he recalls them to the pages of sacred authority, that if they have a desire to speak in a true way, they may from that source draw forth what to say. And he saith, The silver hath the beginning of its veins, and to the gold there is a place, where they fine it.

As if he said in plain words; 'He that is fitting himself for the words of true preaching, the originals of the cases he must of necessity derive from the sacred page, so as to bring round every thing that he speaks to a foundation of divine authority, and in that set firm the edifice of his own speaking. For, as we before said, oftentimes heretics, whilst they are eager to prop up what is bad of their own, broach things which assuredly are not maintained in the page of the sacred books. And hence the great Preacher admonishes his disciple, saying, O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane novelties of speaking, for whereas heretics long to be extolled as if for excellency of wit, they as it were bring out new things which are not maintained in the old books of the ancient Fathers, and thus it follows, that whilst they desire to appear wise, they scatter seeds of foolishness to their wretched hearers.

And it is well added; And to the gold there is a place, where they fine it. As if he said in plain terms; 'The true wisdom of believers, which has the Church Universal for its place, undergoes tribulation by you persecuting her, but from all the dross of sins by the fire of your persecution she is purified.' Whence it is written; For gold is tried in the fire, and acceptable men in the furnace of adversity. In which passage this too may be appropriately taken for the meaning, that for their foolish suffering heretics might seem to be rebuked. For oftentimes for the Name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Redeemer, they suffer much, and by those same sufferings they look for themselves to become His martyrs. To which persons it is now said by the voice of the holy man; and to the gold there is a place, where they fine it. For according to that which has been already said even before us, he that suffers out of the unity of the Church, punishments he may suffer, but a Martyr he cannot be made; for 'to the gold there is a place, where they fine it.' What then, ye heretics, say ye to these things? Ye are minded to be 'fined' by the afflicting of the flesh, nay even by martyrdom, but the place where ye must be fined, ye know not. Hear ye what is spoken by the voice of the holy preacher. 'To the gold there is a place, where they fine it.' So then, seek ye this 'place for the fining,' this furnace, wherein the gold may be fitly purged, find ye out.

There is one Church, in which he that may have attained to be fined, may likewise be purified from all the dross of sins. If for the sake of God ye undergo aught of bitterness, if aught of tribulation, being without her pale, ye can only be burnt, ye cannot be purified. Let Jeremiah tell, let him tell in what way the fire of your fining is void of all efficacy. The finer melteth in vain; for their wickednesses are not done away. See how the fire externally melting at once administers a punishment of hard suffering, and yet does not clear off the sin of misbelief; it both furnishes torments of cruel punishments, and does not cause additions of good merits. Moreover the fire of this fining which is undergone out of the Catholic Church, how utterly it is void of all efficacy the Apostle Paul instructs us, when he says, And though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. For some think wrong things touching God, and others hold what is right about the Creator, but do not maintain unity with their brethren; the one are sundered by erroneousness of faith, and the others by the commission of schism. And hence in the very first part of the Decalogue the sins of both sides are checked, seeing that it is said by the voice of God, And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And it is immediately added, And thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. For whoso imagines what is wrong about God, surely it is evident that he does not 'love God.' But he who while he entertains right notions about God is divided from the unity of the Holy Church, it is plain that he does not love his neighbour, whom he refuses to have for his fellow.

Whosoever, then, is divided from this unity of the Church our Mother, either through heresy in entertaining wrong notions concerning God, or by the erroneousness of schism in not loving his neighbour, is bereft of the grace of that charity, concerning which Paul saith what we have before given; And though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. As if he expressed himself in plain utterance; 'Without the bounds of its place, the fire of fining being applied to me only afflicts me with torment, and does not purify me by its cleansing.' This place all they that are lovers of holy peace seek with heartiest endeavours, this on seeking they find, this finding they keep, knowing the remission of sin, as to where, or when, or to what sort it is vouchsafed. For where is it, save in the bosom of our Catholic Mother? When, but before the day of coming departure? Because, Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. And, Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near. To what sort of persons, but to the converted, who after the imitating of little children are fashioned by humility as their mistress? To whom it is said; Suffer little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of heaven. And, Except ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. And therefore, because there are no true martyrs made saving in the Catholic Church, it is rightly said, To the gold there is a place where they fine it. Because the soul would not be made bright in the radiance of everlasting beauty, except, so to say, it were first burnt here in the workshop of charity.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVIII

Above Job had shown how frail and perishable is the lot which the wicked receive from God. (27:13) Now he intends to show on the contrary the dignity of the spiritual good which just men receive from God even in this world. He understands the spiritual good to be arranged under wisdom. He therefore intends to prefer wisdom to all corporeal things both as to its origin and as to its precious worth. (v.15) He begins to show that everything which seem precious in corporeal things has its origin in determined places, and begins with metals which are considered precious in the opinion of men. Note that metals are generated from the humid gases, released from the earth by the power of the sun and of the other stars and conserved in the earth. This is the origin of the pliability and the fusibility of metals, whereas, on the contrary, stones and other things like them which are not pliable or fusible are generated from the dry vapors trapped in the earth. Metals are specifically divided according to the greater or lesser purity of the vapor released and the difference of the heat of fusion. Among these gold seems to be the most pure, after this silver, and after this bronze, and finally iron. Metals have as many different origins as possible according to their greater or lesser purity. Because gold is most pure, it is generally found generated in its purity in the sand of rivers because of the great evaporation and the warmth of the sand. Silver is found generally in certain veins, either in the earth or also in rocks. Bronze is found incorporated into rocks. One finds iron in muddy earth which has not yet been perfectly integrated so that it has not yet arrived at the generation of a stone. In commenting on the various locations of the metals he says, "Silver has its origins in veins," in certain determined places, from which such gases are released which are apt for the generation of silver. Thus as soon as these vapors are mixed with either earth or stone, veins of silver are produced there. As to gold he then says, "and for gold there is a place in which it is refined," because some nuggets of gold are collected from a great quantity of sand which are melted into one mass. This does not happen in every place, but only in some determined place where a due proportion of active power coincides with the matter proportionate to such a species.

Commentary on Job

Iron is taken out of the earth. And the stone being melted with heat is turned into brass.

Moreover, we are to consider that there are some whom Almighty God by His secret counsel preserving in innocency from their very beginnings promotes to the topmost heights of virtuous attainments, that, as their age increases, both numerousness of years and loftiness of merits should simultaneously advance in them. But others abandoning in their outset He suffers to go with bad habits fermenting by headlong ways. Yet for the most part even these He has regard to, and for the following after Him He kindles them with the fire of holy love, and the itchings of bad propensities engrained in their hearts He converts into a fervour of virtue, and they are the more set on fire to the desire of beseeching the pitifulness of God, in proportion as they are the more ashamed at the recollection of their own wickedness; as it often happens, that in the conflict of the fight the soldier, who is placed before the eyes of his leader, basely yields to the enemy's valour, and that whilst he powerlessly turns his back he is struck; yet nevertheless being ashamed of this very thing that he has done disgracefully before his leader's eyes, from the mere sense of shame he gathers greater force; and afterwards executes deeds of prowess, to so high a degree that he may at once achieve present credit of his valour, and cover past disgrace of weakness. In a like way, these persons are sometimes more actively established in the service of God by consequence of past weakness, and such persons for the keeping of His commandments both the desire of things future draws on, and the remembrance of things past urges forward, that on the one side affection to that which is to come should stimulate, and on the other shame for that which is past spur on. Which same however, while the enemies of the Church see to be endowed with the highest virtues, and in their present life cannot any way find out that whereby they may derogate from their merit, they set themselves to impeach them of the past, as the Manichaean assails our Moses, in whom he endeavours to soil with the sin of a past homicide the grace of subsequent virtuous attainments; in whom he heeds not how patient he was afterwards to endure, but how precipitate he was before to strike. Such adversaries as these blessed Job encountering with the exactest eye of observation, after that he said, Silver hath the beginning of its veins; and to gold there is a place where they fine it; he justly added; Iron is taken out of the earth.

Heretics are used to pride themselves against us by the self-priding of their righteousness, and to boast high their practices with the swelling of ostentation, and ourselves, as we have said, they impeach either for being or having been bad persons. Accordingly in a most humble confession, and in a truthful defence against those, the holy man speaks, saying, Iron is taken out of the earth. As if he said in plain speech; 'men of strength, who by the sharpest swords of their tongues are become iron in this pitched battle of the defending of the faith, were one time but 'earth' in the lowest sphere of actions.' For to man on his sinning it was spoken; Earth thou art, and unto earth shalt thou return. But 'iron is taken out of the earth,' when the hardy champion of the Church is separated from an earthly course of conduct, which he before maintained. Accordingly he ought not to be contemned in any thing whatever, that he was, who has already begun to be that which he was not. Was not Matthew found in the earth, who, involved in earthly matters, served the business of the receipt of custom? But having been taken out of the earth, he was strengthened into the forcibleness of iron, in that by his tongue, as by the sharpest sword, the Lord in the enforcing of the Gospel pierced the hearts of unbelievers. And he that before was weak and contemptible by his earthly occupations, was afterwards made strong for heavenly preachings.

Then is 'the stone dissolved with heat,' when the heart that is hard and cold to the fire of divine love is touched by that same fire of divine love, and melted in the glowing warmth of the Spirit, that to the life that follows it should burn with the heat of its longings, which life on hearing of before, it remained uninfluenced. By the power of which same heat, he is at once softened down to love and invigorated to practice, that as before he was hard in the love of the world, so he should afterwards give himself out strong unto the love of God, and what he declined to give ear to before, he should henceforth begin both to believe and to preach. And so, the stone being dissolved with heat is turned into brass, because the hardened mind, being melted by the fire of love from Above, is changed to true strength. So that the sinner that was before unmoved should afterwards be made at once strong in respect of authority, and sounding in respect of preaching. Which is well spoken by Isaiah; They that trust in the Lord shall change their strength. We 'change our strength,' when being converted, we eschew the present scene of things with as much power and might as we before were seeking it.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVIII

As to iron he says, "Iron is taken from the earth," because it is found in the earth not yet refined, as it were. As to bronze he says, "and stone," with which one finds a gas proportioned to its nature is mixed, "released by heat," of great intensity, "changed to bronze," when what is found there of the nature of bronze is made aqueous by the heat of fire.

Commentary on Job

“He has set a place for darkness,” he says; he was right in saying “a place,” because darkness knows how to give way and fade away [before the daylight]. Who drives this obscurity away? From where does such beautiful order in such a situation come? Then he discusses his power, and then his wisdom in order to persuade us that he does not want to call God to account. Why darkness, he says? Do we really know anything at all? God can do anything. He does everything with wisdom.

Commentary on Job 27:14-28:3

He hath set a time to darkness, and Himself vieweth the end of all and everyone.

He hath Himself 'set a time to the darkness,' i.e. bounds to the wicked, where they should cease to be wicked. Whence it is said to them by the Apostle; Ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord. Like as to the other disciples as well the same great teacher saith, The night is far spent, the day is at hand; let us therefore put off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly as in the day. Hence also in the Song of Songs on the coming of the Church it is said, Who is she that cometh forth as the morning in rising?

For fitly is the Church described by being compared with 'the morning,' in that, by the knowledge of the faith she is changed from the darkness of sins to be in the bright light of righteousness. By the term of 'all and every one,' he would have both the Elect and the damned to be comprehended. For God both in doing and ordering what is good, yet not doing what is bad, but what by the wicked is done Himself so regulating that the things should not come forth irregularly, 'vieweth the end of all and every one,' and bears all things patiently, and beholds the goal of the Elect, how that from evil they are changed to good. He sees, too, the end of the damned, how that for bad practice they are dragged to a punishment worthy of them. He saw the end of Saul when persecuting, wherein prostrated on the earth he should say, Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do? He saw the end of the seeming-obedient disciple, that for the guilty deed he had committed he should tie his throat with a noose, and both punish himself when guilty of sin, and by thus punishing, betray himself the worse. He saw the Ninevites transgressing, but beheld the end of the transgressing in the repentance of the reformed. He saw likewise Sodom transgressing, but He beheld the end of the burning of lust in the fire of hell. He saw the end of the Gentile world, how that whilst occupied by the darkness of iniquities, it should be one day brightened with the light of faith. He also saw the end of Judaea, how that from that light of faith, which it held, it should blind itself with the darkness of hardened unbelief.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVIII

He then proceeds to examine other things which have a determined time and place from divine disposition and so are subject to divine knowledge. The greater part of these are hidden from men. The darkness of night hides the sun and many other things from us, but this happens by divine disposition, and so he says, "He placed a time for the darkness." Also, some things are hidden from us by their corruption when they are resolved into their principles, which are known to God but hidden from us, and so he says, "and he considers the end of the universe," the end of the resolution of things. Some are also found to be hidden from men because of the inaccessibility of place, for example, some mountains are sometimes inaccessible on which there are things which are removed from human sight, and expressing this he says, "and also the stone of the dark," which is the cliff of some high mountain always covered over by clouds like darkness, "and the shadow of death," some shadowy place in the canyons of the mountains which the life giving heat of the sun never touches.

Commentary on Job

The stone likewise of darkness, and the shadow of death, the torrent divides from the people on travel. Those whom the foot of the needy man forgot, and the inaccessible ones.

What was that people of the Jews, hard by unbelief, that refused to behold by faith that Author of life, whom it foretold by prophecy, but 'a stone of darkness?' because it proved at once hard by cruelty, and clouded by unbelief. Which same is also called by another term 'the shadow of death.' For a shadow is drawn such and of the same sort as the outlines were of that object, from which it is derived, And who is designated by the name of 'death' but the devil? Of whom in a kind of mode of representation by his minister it is said, And his name was Death. Of whom that people was a shadow, because in following his wickedness, it presented in itself a semblance of him. But what is named by the title of the 'torrent,' save that fire that issues forth from the sight of the Awful Judge in the final Inquest, and divides the Elect and the damned? Whence too it is said by the Prophet, A fiery and rapid stream came forth from before Him.

But what People is 'on travel' in this world, but that which hastening to the inheritance of the Elect knows well that it has its native country in the heavenly world, and expects that it will there find its own the more, in proportion as here it reckons all things that pass away to be unconnected with itself? Thus the 'pilgrim People' is the number of all the Elect, who accounting this life a species of exile to themselves, pant with the whole bent of the heart after their native country Above; of which persons Paul saith, And confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things, declare plainly that they seek a country. This pilgrim state that same Apostle also was undergoing when he said, Knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we go pilgrims away from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. The woes of this pilgrim state he was in haste to get quit of when he said, Having a desire to depart and to be with Christ; and again, To me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. The burthen of this pilgrimage the Psalmist felt lying heavy upon him, when he said; Woe is me that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar! My soul hath been much a sojourner. From this he was panting to be extricated as speedily as possible, when inflamed with heavenly aspirations he said, My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God; when shall I come and appear before God! But this desire they are strangers to, who rivet their heart on earthly gratifications. For whilst they love only the things that are visible, surely the invisible things, even if they believe them to exist, they do not love, in that whilst they follow themselves too much with the outward following, even in the interior they become carnal. Thus both people run together in this life, but do not together attain to the life everlasting, because, the stone of darkness and the shadow of death the torrent divides from the people on travel. As if he said in plain speech, 'Those whom in this present time either infidelity makes blind, or cruelty makes hard, the fiery stream that issues from before the Judge Eternal doth then sever from the People of the Elect, that thus from the company of good men the fire of the strict Inquest should part those, whom the darkness of evil habits makes blind in their lusts.'

Perhaps by the designation of the 'torrent,' the actual watering of holy preaching may be understood, according to that, that is said by Solomon; The eye that sneereth at his father and despiseth the travail of his mother, lo the ravens from the torrents shall pick it out. For bad men, while they find fault with the judgments of God, do 'sneer at their father,' and heretics of all sorts whilst in mocking they contemn the preaching of Holy Church, and her fruitfulness, what else is this but that they 'despise the travail of their mother?' whom we not unjustly call the mother of them as well, because from the same they come forth, who speak against the same, as John bears witness, who says, They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us. But 'the ravens from the torrents come,' when the true Preachers come forth for the defence of Holy Church from the streams of the Sacred Books. Which same also are rightly termed 'ravens,' because they never pride themselves on the light of their righteousness, but by the grace of humility confess in themselves the blackness of sins. Whence too, it is spoken by the Church of Elect souls, I am black, but comely. And John says, If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves. Which same ravens, no doubt, 'pick out the eyes' of him that 'sneereth,' because they overcome the aim of bad and froward men. Thus by this testimony, if here as well 'the torrent' is to be taken for preaching; the stone of darkness, and shadow of death, the torrent divides from the people on travel; because the preaching of the Saints gives over the hardened minds of the lost, and betakes itself to the pious hearts of the lowly.

What other in this place is taken to be the needy man, saving Him concerning Whom it is said by Paul, Though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor. The 'feet' of which 'needy man' were the holy Preachers, by the presence of which same compassing the Gentile world, He went round about the whole globe. Of whom it is said by the Prophet, And I will walk in them. Was not he His foot, who whilst held fast in fetters, said, For which I am an ambassador in bonds? But those, who proved themselves 'a shadow of death and a stone of darkness,' 'the foot of the needy Man forgot,' because in the very outset of the new born Church, whereas the holy Apostles were minded to have preached the kingdom of heaven to Judaea, seeing that they profited for nothing at all, they went off for the preaching to the Gentiles, as they themselves say in their Acts; It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you; but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. Concerning whom also it is said by the Psalmist, The mountains shall be carried into the heart of the sea; because the Apostles, being thrust off by Judaea, were 'carried' into this scene of the Gentile world. Who then are those, that by unbounded hardness and from dimsightedness of heart, like a kind of 'stone of darkness and the shadow of death,' are divided from the People of the Saints going on travel, saving those whom 'the foot of the needy Man forgot,' i.e. whom the Preachers of the Lord, poor as He was, that is, in respect of human nature, abandoned on account of the swelling of their pride; and those they wholly forgot, whilst they transferred the seeds of their preaching to the getting fruit of the Gentiles only? Whom moreover he rightly calls 'inaccessible' also, because while they were hardened in their infidelity, they refused to give the words of life access to their heart.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVIII

"A torrent divides them from people traveling." For torrents often flow down in the foothills of certain mountains which cannot be crossed so that on one bank of the river is the road for travelers to pass, and there is no access to the other bank. Sometimes it happens that there are some men who live here and there in such inaccessible places like these. Even the beggars who go everywhere do not presume to go to these places because of the difficulty of the approach, and so he says, "and," the torrent divides from the people traveling, "those," men, "whom" living in inaccessible places, "the step of the poor man has forgotten," so that they do not go there, "and those trackless," because there is no road open to them.

Commentary on Job

The earth from which bread arose, is overturned in its place by fire.

But this Judaea which grows thus hardened, whether what she was for long, or what she underwent afterwards, let us listen to. Judaea was wont to give bread, in that she used to set before men the words of the Law. Which same Law because the children of perdition could now no longer understand and interpret, the prophet Jeremiah bewails in the Lamentations, saying, The young children asked bread, and there was no man to break it unto them; but this 'earth is overturned in its place with fire,' because on beholding the miracles of the faithful it consumed itself with the firebrand of envy. For because envy is always used to be engendered from pride, she 'perished in her place by fire,' who for this reason burned with envy, because she did not abandon pride. And so 'the earth, which first had bread, was afterwards overturned by fire,' because the Synagogue, which set before men the commandments of God in the Law, by persecuting the new-born Church consumed itself with the fire of envy. Was it not in flames with the brands of its jealousy when on seeing the miracles of our Redeemer; it said by certain of its own, What do we? for this Man doeth many miracles? Or, surely, Ye see that we gain nothing; yea, the whole world goeth after Him. They saw that whereby they should have been converted, and they were thereby rendered the more froward. They sought to stifle Him, Whom they beheld give life to the dead. They held the Law in the mouth, but persecuted the Author of the Law. Therefore the earth, from which bread arose, was overturned in its place by fire. Because Judaea had in her own self first the Law that should refresh, and afterwards envy that should consume her.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVIII

“They have uncovered the earth, from which nourishment comes,” through the art of agriculture, [the author] says; [humans] produce what is necessary for nourishment which the earth offers according to the divine precept by which it received. Therefore, as the fire takes hold of the wood, so the earth acts in the same manner when the seeds are scattered on it; they drive their roots in it, and thanks to the power that they receive from it, they spring up. This is the meaning of the words “underneath it is turned up as by fire.”

Commentary on Job 28:5

There are also some places which are inaccessible, not because of their location, but because of something extraordinary happening, for example, because they are ruined by some physical change, like Sodom and Gomorrah, (Gen. 19:24) and so he says, "The earth from which bread arose in its place, (as proper and fitting) has been destroyed by fire," for the cause of its destruction proceeds from a very great heat. When there is a great abundance of heat, the resolutions both of the dry and wet attain a great degree of integration, which generates certain precious things like rocks or metals from them.

Commentary on Job

The stones of it are the place of sapphire, and her clods gold.

The proclaim of the glory going before adds to the guilt of the sin following after. For the fall of every individual is of worse criminality, in proportion as before he fell he had the power to be of greater excellency. Thus let it be told of Judaea, let it be told what she was, and let the greatness of the excellencies going before grow into the heightening of the delinquencies succeeding afterwards. Her stones were the place of sapphires, and her clods of gold. What do we understand in this place by 'gold,' but the minds of the Saints and strong ones? For in Holy Scripture 'stones' are wont to be taken sometimes on the side of bad and sometimes on the side of good. For when a 'stone' is put for insensibility, by 'stones' we have hard hearts denoted. Whence also it is said by John; God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham; who, surely, by the name of 'stones' denotes the hearts of the Gentiles, at that time hard and insensible in respect of unbelief. And by the Prophet the Lord promises, saying, And I will take the stony heart out of your flesh, and will give you an heart of flesh. Again by 'stones' the minds of the strong ones are used to be denoted. And hence it is said to the Saints by Peter, Ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood. And by the Prophet the Lord promises to the Church when she comes, saying, Behold, I will lay down thy stones in order, and lay thy foundations with sapphires; and I will make thy bulwarks jasper, and thy gates in cut stones, and all thy borders into pleasant stones. And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord. For He did 'lay down in her the stones in order,' in that He distinguished the holy souls in her by the diverseness of merits. He 'laid her foundation in sapphires,' which same stones retain in themselves the likeness of the colour of the air, because the strength of the Church is firmly based in souls seeking after heavenly things. And because a jasper is of a green hue, He 'made his bulwarks of the jasper,' because they are advanced against her adversaries in the defence of Holy Church, who growing green and fresh by interior desires, do not die off by any drying up of damnable lukewarmness. But He 'set her gates in cut stones.' For those are the 'gates' of the Church, by whose life and teaching the multitude of those that believe enter into her. Who also for this reason, that they are rich in great deeds, and that what by speaking they declare, by living they exhibit, are described to be not plain but 'cut stones.' For in whosesoever life right practice is seen, there is as it were represented in those same persons what they have done. Where also embracing all the number of the Elect in a general roll, he added, and all thy borders in pleasant stones. And as though we, on hearing these things, begged that he would make known those stones that he spoke of, he added, All thy children shall be taught of the Lord. And therefore because from out of Judaea there were never wanting holy souls, to lead a heavenly life, it is said, her stones are the place of sapphires. And because with an extraordinary brightness of life and of wisdom she shone forth by faith, it is added, and her clods gold. What is denoted by 'clods,' but the assemblages and multitudes of the several orders? Now clods are compacted of moisture and dust; and so all they that being watered with the dew of grace confessed with a true-sighted knowledge that by the debt of death they are dust, whilst they were made to shine bright by excellency of life, lay in her like 'clods of gold.' 'Clods' this earth had in the Prophets, 'clods' she had in the teachers, 'clods' in the Ancient Fathers, who by an extraordinary infusion of grace kept themselves close in unanimity of profession and of practice. Therefore let him say, And the clods of it gold; because therein the multitude of the spiritual souls shone with greater perfection, in proportion as it bound itself up in God and its neighbour with greater unanimity.

But this gold was afterwards dimmed by the darkness of unbelief. Whose blackness, surely, the Prophet Jeremiah surveying laments, saying, How is the gold become dim? how is the most fine gold changed! For 'the gold is become dim,' in that that ancient brilliancy in them of faith and innocency, upon unbelief coming upon them, dulled itself with the night of wickedness.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVIII

So as to the precious stones which are formed from dry evaporation, he says, "Places whose stones are sapphires," in the land ruined by fire. As to precious metals which are generated from humid evaporation he says, "whose dust is gold."

Commentary on Job

7–8

Even though they sail in the air and reach paths close to heaven, they cannot approach those through which knowledge is attained. “That path no bird knows.” The context of the exposition seems to demand that effects and duties follow the knowledge that he has set out to describe and that he assigns parts of it, so that people, with its guidance, may reach in the hope of their search those places that had previously been far removed from the access of mortals. And, according to his custom, he exaggeratedly says huge deserts are reached by people that are far removed from birds and other beasts while they are trodden by human foot. “The sons of the merchants have not trodden it.” While he sets out to show that people penetrate the deserts, how can he now deny that wildernesses are trodden by the feet of merchants? Therefore, it seems that here he has shown the scarceness of the travelers and has denied the frequency of the merchants. “The lioness has not passed over it.” No bird or reptile or quadruped ever knew those things that reason, the examiner and researcher of hidden things, has found.

Exposition on the Book of Job 28:7-8

The pathway of the bird it knew not, nor beheld the eyes of the vulture.

Therefore, what it was since we have heard, even that her stones are the place of sapphires, now let us hear next wherefore that People so beloved of God lost these great blessings. Who is denoted in this place by the title of 'the bird,' saving He, Who in ascending poised skywards the fleshly body, which He took to Him. Who furthermore is fitly designated by the title of the 'vulture' as well. For the 'vulture' while it flies, if it sees a carcase lying, drops itself down for the devouring of the carcase, and very often it is in this way taken in death, when it has come from on high after the dead animal. Rightly therefore is the Mediator between God and Man, our Redeemer, denoted by the appellation of a 'vulture,' Who whilst remaining in the loftiness of His Divine Nature, marked as it were from a kind of flight on high the carcase of our mortal being down below, and let Himself drop from the regions of heaven to the lowest places. For in our behalf He vouchsafed to become man, and while he sought the dead creature, He found death among us, Who was deathless in Himself. Now 'the eye' of this 'vulture' was the actual aiming at our Resurrection, because He Himself being dead for three days set us free from everlasting death. And so that faithless people of Judaea saw Him in the state of mortality, but how by His death He should destroy our death, it noted not. It beheld, indeed, the vulture, but 'the eyes of the vulture it did not behold.' Which People, whereas it refused to regard the ways of His humility, whereby He lifted us up on high, 'knew not the pathway of the bird.' For neither did it betake itself to consider that His humility would lift us to the heavenly heights, and the aim of His death renew us to life. Therefore the pathway of the bird it knew not, nor beheld the eyes of the vulture. For though it saw Him Whom it held bound in death, it refused to see what wonderful glory by His death followed our life. And hence it was kindled to the cruelty of persecution likewise; it refused to receive the words of life; the Preachers of the kingdom of heaven, by forbidding, by evil entreating, by smiting it thrust from it. Which same, being so thrust off, abandoning Judaea whereto they had been sent, were dispersed for the gathering together of the Gentile world.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVIII

Because these places release a harmful air from the abundance of sulphur, not only men, but also brute animals avoid these places. First as to the birds concerning which there is less reflection he says, "Land," that kind of earth, "does not know the path of the bird," namely, it does not dare to fly over it, nor even to approach it, because of the harmful air. Thus he says, "nor has looked on," it, "the eye of the vulture," who can normally see things from far away. Or one can interpret the text in another way. This land "has not known the path of a bird." The bird has no experience of that land, because the bird does pass through it, "nor has he" anyone, "in that land," looked upon the "eye of the vulture."

Commentary on Job

The children of the dealers have not trodden it, nor hath the lioness passed through it.

In all the Latin copies we find the word 'Instructors' put down, but in the Greek we find 'traders,' whereby it may be inferred that in this passage the several copyists from being ignorant put 'instructors' instead of 'dealers.' For we call traders 'institores' on this account, that they are 'instant in plying work.' But both the one phrase and the other, though they disagree in utterance, yet are not at variance in meaning, because all those who instruct the practice of the faithful, carry on a spiritual dealing, that while they supply preaching to their hearers, they should receive back from them faith and right works; as where it is written touching Holy Church, She maketh fine linen, and selleth it. Concerning whom it is likewise said a little after in that place, She perceiveth that her trading is good. Who in this place are called 'instructors' but the holy Prophets, who busied themselves by prophesying to instruct the ways of the Synagogue unto faith? 'Sons' of whom, assuredly, the holy Apostles are styled, who that they should believe God Man were begotten to the same faith by the preaching of those. Concerning whom it is said to the Church by the Psalmist; Instead of thy fathers are born to thee children, whom thou mayest make princes over all the earth. But because the Apostles being thrust off went out from the borders of the Synagogue, it is rightly said now, The children of the dealers have not trodden it. Since the 'children of the dealers' would have 'trodden it,' if the holy Preachers had borne down the badness of the Synagogue with the heel of goodness. But if those same 'dealers' we take for the Preachers of Holy Church, then the 'children' of the dealers, nothing hinders us taking for the Shepherds and Teachers who followed the way of the Apostles. Which did not 'tread' the Synagogue, because whilst their fathers, i.e. the Apostles, were thrust off by that Synagogue, they themselves too ceased from the calling of her.

Which same Synagogue 'the lioness passed not by,' because Holy Church, being devoted to the assembling together of the Gentiles, never any longer employed itself upon that people of Judaea. Now the Church is rightly called 'a lioness,' in that persons living amiss in bad habits, it kills with the mouth of holy preaching. Hence to the first Shepherd himself it is said as to the mouth of this lioness; slay and eat. For what is 'slain' is killed out of life, whilst that which is eaten is changed into the body of the person eating. Accordingly it is said, 'Slay and eat;' i.e. 'Kill those to the sin wherein they are living, and convert them from themselves into thine own members.' And because this Church is the body of the Lord, the Lord likewise Himself by the voice of Jacob is called 'a lion' in respect of Himself, a 'lioness' by the body, when it is said to him under the likeness of Judah, To the prey, my son, art thou gone up. Thou hast couched as a lion, and as a lioness. Who shall rouse him up? Accordingly this lioness it is never said 'passed not' Judaea, but 'passed not through.' For upon the Apostles preaching, in the first instance three thousand out of her, and afterwards five thousand, believed. And so the Church 'passed by' the way of the Synagogue, but 'passed not through,' because a few from out of her it carried off to faith, but yet that faithless people it did not utterly make extinct to misbelief. But, what we have already often said, being cast off by the infidelity of the Jews it turned away to the calling of the Gentiles.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVIII

Next he treats of men saying, "The sons of peddlers have not trodden it," (the merchants who are used to go to places that are hard to reach for profit). Then he treats of the four-footed animals saying, "nor will the lioness," who lives in wild places, "cross it."

Commentary on Job

He stretcheth out his hand to the flint; He overturneth the mountains by the roots.

For 'he stretched out his hand to the flint,' because He put forth the arm of His preaching to the hardness of the Gentiles. Hence the same blessed Job, forewarned of the history of his suffering being destined to be made known to the Gentiles, says, Let these things be graven with an iron pen in a plate of lead, or hewn in the flint. But whom in this place do we understand by the 'mountains' saving the powerful ones of this world, who on account of earthly substance swell themselves high? Concerning whom the Psalmist saith, Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke; but the mountains are overturned from the roots, because, on Holy Church preaching the highest powers of this world fell from their inmost thinking into the adoring of Almighty God. For 'the roots' of the mountains are the inmost thoughts of the proud. And 'the mountains fall from the roots,' because for the worshipping of God, the powers of the world are laid level with the earth from the lowest thoughts. For by a root the hidden thought is rightly denoted, because by means of that which is not seen, being within, there bursts out what should be seen without. And hence on the side of good it is said by the Prophet, And the remnant that is escaped of the House of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward. As though it were expressed in plain speech; 'Deep down below the thought springs up, that up on high the reward may be rendered back.' So then let him say, He stretcheth out his hand to the flint, and overturneth the mountains from the roots. For whilst the sacred preaching sought the hardness of the Gentiles, it entirely frustrated the loftiness of the proud.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVIII

Although these places are hidden from men, they are still not hidden from God who exercises his power in both the mountains and the rivers, and so he says, "To the flinty rock," the mountains made of rock, "he extends his hand," his power. He demonstrates this in two effects. First, by the fact that the mountains are sometimes completely leveled to the ground, and he expresses this by saying, "he overturns the mountains from their foothills."

Commentary on Job

10–11

“And his eye has seen every precious thing.” That is, not only those things that were useful but also those that were convenient as an ornament, such as clothes from wool, fabrics for the rich from the threads of the Persian worms, wine from some creeping plants, ointments and other remedies from herbs. “The sources of the rivers he has probed,” while his curious hand explored the stones covered by the waters. “Hidden things he has brought to light”; his reason spread the news about the previously unknown usefulness of things. In fact, since before humankind the elements subsisted alone, after he was created, he understood what usefulness could be gained from each of them with the guidance of his reason, which lands were suitable for sowing, which for plantations that benefit could be obtained from a particular plant, which wood was useful to build ships that was suitable for buildings.

Exposition on the Book of Job 28:10-11

He cutteth out streams in the rocks. And his eye hath seen every precious thing.

But because those whom it empties of earthly thoughts, it fills with heavenly gifts, and those, whom it drains of interest below, it waters with streams from Above, it is directly added; He cutteth out streams in the rocks. i.e. in the hard hearts of the Gentiles he opened the rivers of preaching; as it is likewise spoken by the Prophet of watering the dryness of the Gentiles; He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into water springs. And in the Gospel the Lord promises, saying, He that believeth on Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. What we then heard promised, we now see fulfilled. For see how in the holy preachers, not sprung from Judaea, through the universal Church spread over the whole world, streams of heavenly precepts flow forth in abundance from the mouths of the Gentiles. Thus because in the rocks He opened streams, from hard hearts too there flowed forth the river of holy preaching.

It is a thing to be especially borne in mind, that each individual soul is rendered the more precious in the sight of God, by how much it is for love of the truth the more despised in its own eyes. When thou wast little in thine own sight, did I not make thee the head of the tribes of Israel? As if he said in plain terms, 'Thou wast great with Me, because thou wast contemptible to thyself, but now because thou art great to thyself, thou art become contemptible to Me.' And hence it is said by the Prophet; Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! Thus every man becomes the more worthless to God, in proportion as he is more precious to himself, so much the more precious to God as he is for His sake more worthless to himself; because He regardeth the lowly, and knoweth the high afar off. Every precious thing, therefore, His eye saw. In Holy Scripture God's 'seeing' is put for 'choosing,' as it is written in the Gospel; When thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee, i.e. I chose thee whilst placed under the shadow of the Law.' Therefore He 'saw every thing precious,' because He chose the lowly. God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. He 'saw the precious thing' when the human soul, having base views of itself, He visited with the illumination of His grace. Of which same soul it is said by the Prophet; If thou separatest the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth. For the present world is vile with God, but the soul of man is precious to Him. He, then, that 'separates the precious from the vile' is called 'as the mouth of God,' because by that man God deals forth His words, who by speaking the things that he is able to speak, plucks out the soul of man from the love of the present world.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVIII

Second is the fact that "waters cross through the middle of the mountains," (cf. Ps. 103:10) as though there were a way hewn for them by divine power through the rocks, and so he says, "He hollows out watercourses in the rocks," in the courses of streams. Just as his power extends to do all splendid deeds, so his wisdom is extended to know every precious thing, and so he says, "his eye has seen every precious thing."

Commentary on Job

The depths also of the floods He hath searched, and the hidden things He hath brought to light.

And because the teachers of the New Testament are brought to this, that even the hidden darkness of allegories in the Old Testament they search out, it is rightly added; The depths also of the floods He hath searched, and the hidden things He hath brought to light.

For what else are here called 'floods' but the sayings of the ancient Fathers. For who might be able to estimate how vehement a flood, whilst he was founding the Law, burst forth from the very breast of Moses? how vehement a flood gushed from the heart of David? what mighty streams of floods flowed out from the lips of Solomon and all the Prophets? Now of these 'floods' Judaea held the shew, when in keeping the surface of the letter she knew not the depths thereof. But we, who, on the Lord coming, seek therein interior spiritual things, search their 'depths.' And this thing the Lord is Himself said to do, because by Himself vouchsafing it we are enabled to do it; and so by us, who follow not the letter which killeth, but the spirit which maketh alive, the Lord 'searcheth the depths of the floods, and bringeth the hidden things into light,' because the statements of the Law, which the too dark history makes obscure, a spiritual interpretation now lights up. And hence 'Truth' when speaking in parables in the Gospel bade the Disciples, saying, What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light; and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye on the house tops. For the plainly spoken words of these interpreting have made the sentences of the ancient Fathers henceforth clear to us. Hence the Prophet Isaiah viewing the words plain by the interpretation of Holy Church, not obscured by the darkness of allegories, exclaimed, saying, The place of rivers, the broadest and open streams. For the sayings of the Old Testament were as narrow and close streams, which bound up the sentences of their lore in the darkest gathering together. But on the other hand the teaching of Holy Church are 'streams both broad and open,' because her declarations are at once many in number to those that find them, and plain to those that seek. Therefore he says, The depths of the floods he hath searched, and the hidden things he hath brought to light. Because when He poured into His interpreters the spirit of understanding, He set open the ancient obscurities of those prophesying. And that Holy Church henceforth knows and sees by the Spirit, which the Synagogue before was not at all able to understand by the letter. Whence Moses also, while he spoke to the people, veiled his face; surely, in order to denote that that People of the Jews knew the words of the Law, but did not at all see the clearness of that Law. And hence it is rightly said by Paul; But even to this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVIII

For if he can lay the mountains low, if he can cut through rocks and exercise the same power over all the earth, he consequently can see the precious things which are hidden there although the eye of man cannot see them. His eye not only sees those things which lie hidden in the earth, but "he also searches fully the depths of rivers," i.e., he knows what lies hidden in the depths of rivers so perfectly he seems to carefully inspect them, and the sign of this is that, "he has brought hidden things to light," to reveal them to men.

Commentary on Job

12–13

But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding? Man knoweth not the price thereof: neither is it found in the land of them that live pleasantly.

But because the declarations of God are, without His wisdom, never fathomed at all, (for except him who hath received His Spirit, none knoweth in any sort His words,) the holy man adds words touching the subject of searching out that same Wisdom of God. It is first to be noted, that two points be proposed to himself, and two he adds making answer. For to this that he said above, Where shall wisdom be found, and where is the place of understanding? he answered in this verse, The depth saith, It is not with me; and the sea saith, It is not with me. But in answer to that which he had said, Man knoweth not the place thereof; neither is it found in the land of them that live pleasantly; he gave the lower verse, saying, Fine gold shall not be given for it; neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof. So then he answered to both questions, yet in adding to what he had objected, not in solving it. For when he enquired the place of Wisdom, and then answered below, The depth saith, It is not with me; he pointed out not where it was, but where it was not. Again when he said that 'the price thereof was not known by man,' and rejoined to this below, fine gold shall not be given for it; he shewed not what was the price of it, but what was not. For it is plain to all that neither can this wisdom of man be held in a place, nor be bought with riches. But the holy man being full of mystical ideas sends us on for the making out other things, so that we should look for not wisdom created, but Wisdom creating; for except in those words we search the secret depths of allegory, surely those things that follow are utterly deserving of disregard, if they be estimated according to the historical narration alone. For a little afterwards he saith, Gold and glass cannot equal it; and while, as we know, glass is far and incomparably of lower price than gold, wherefore after the name of gold, which is unquestionably a precious metal, by way of unlimited praise did he say that 'glass' too is not equal to wisdom? So by the mere difficulty of the letter, we are forced that we be quick sighted to the mystical sentiments in these words. So then what wisdom is it, the holy man is contemplating, but that of which Paul the Apostle saith, Christ the Power of God, and the Wisdom of God? Concerning which it is written by Solomon; Wisdom hath builded her house; and of which the Psalmist saith; In wisdom hast Thou made all things. Of this same Wisdom 'man knoweth not the price,' because he findeth nothing worthy of the estimate thereof. Now this price of Wisdom is not said at once 'to be,' and not 'to be known,' but as for this reason 'not to be known,' because it is wanting, in that manner of speaking by which a person caught in a strait, when he finds no remedy of succour, is wont to confess that 'what to do he knows not.'

So then 'not to know the price of this Wisdom,' is to find no meriting of meet practice whereby to obtain it. For we give a price with this object, that instead of it we may possess ourselves of that object which we long after. But what have we given, that we should deserve to obtain this Wisdom, which is Christ? Since it is by grace we are redeemed. For those works alone by living badly have we given, for which if a just return were reserved, not Christ but punishments would be rendered back. But man deserved one thing in the way of justice, and obtained another in respect of grace. Let Paul bear witness, before the time that his mind received the seed of unbought truth, with what briars of error he was overlaid. Who was before, he says, a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious, but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. Let him testify for what sort of persons Christ deigned to die, While we were yet sinners, he says, Christ in due time died for the ungodly. We, then, who on Wisdom's coming were found ungodly, what title of good practice have we given, whereby we might obtain to receive that Wisdom? 'The price of this Wisdom man knoweth not,' because whoso is separated from brute animals by the understanding faculty of reason, understands that he is not saved by his own merits, knows and sees that he had not given any thing of good practice that he might come to faith. For it is as it were to give a price for the obtaining of Wisdom, to anticipate the coming to the knowledge of God by the merchandize of one's conduct.

He had learnt that of this Wisdom there is 'no price,' who said, Who hath first given unto Him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again. Hence it is written again, For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast. Hence concerning himself he again speaks, saying, By the grace of God I am what I am. And as by the inspiration of this same grace, the practices of the parts of virtue are at once engendered in the heart, so that from free will also conduct should follow, which after this life the Eternal Recompensing should answer to, he thereupon added, And His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain. But there are those who exult that they are in a sound state by their own powers, and pride themselves that by their own merits going before they have been redeemed, whose declaration, surely, is found to be contradictory to themselves, because, while they maintain themselves at once 'innocent' and 'redeemed,' this very name of redemption they make null and void in themselves. For everyone that is redeemed is doubtless set free from some sort of captivity. Whence then is this said person redeemed, if he was not before captive under sin? It is plain then that he greatly misjudges who judges so. For heavenly grace does not find desert of man, in order to make it come, but after it has come, causes the same; and God, when He comes to the undeserving mind, at once sets it forth to Himself deserving by so coming, and causes therein merit for Him to recompense, whereas He had found only that for Him to punish.

It is good herein to recall the eyes of the mind to that robber, who from the jaws of the devil ascended the Cross, and from the Cross mounted to Paradise. Let us behold what sort of person he came to the stock of the Cross, what sort of person he went from the Cross. He came bound by his brother's blood, he came bloodstained, but by interior grace he was changed on the Cross; and he who inflicted death upon a brother, of the Lord when dying proclaimed the life, saying, Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy Kingdom. On the Cross the nails had bound fast his hands and feet, and there remained nought in him that punishment left free, but the tongue and the heart. But God inspiring it, he offered all to Him that he found free in himself, so that according to that which is written, he should with the heart believe unto righteousness, and with the mouth make confession unto salvation. But that in the hearts of the faithful there are three virtues in a special inner abiding, the Apostle testifies, saying, And now abideth faith, hope, charity; all of which the robber being filled with instantaneous grace both received and kept on the Cross. For he had faith, who believed the Lord was about to reign, when he saw Him dying equally with himself; he had hope, who begged for admission into His kingdom, saying, Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom. Charity also in his death he livingly retained, who at once charged home for his iniquity a brother and fellow robber dying for the like crime, and preached to him the life which he had learnt, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly: for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this Man hath done nothing amiss. He that came such to the Cross by sin, see what he departed from the Cross by grace. He confessed the Lord, Whom he beheld dying along with himself by human frailty, at the time that the Apostles denied Him, Whom they had seen doing miracles by divine power.

But they who make out that man is saved by his own powers, fancy that that same confession of man is from the efficacy of man by himself. Which if it were so, the Psalmist would not say in praise of God, Confession and great doing are His work. So that from Him we receive it to confess what is right, by Whom it is granted us to practise what is great also. Therefore because we have not given aught of good practice, whereby we might deserve to be vouchsafed this Wisdom, let it be rightly said, Man knoweth not its price. Inasmuch as he that henceforth uses reason looks down upon himself under the perception of this Wisdom so much the deeper, in proportion as he more truly knows the interior depth of that Wisdom, so as to see that he has attained to her being unworthy, by the which it is brought to pass without price, that he should be made worthy.

What is denoted in this passage by the title of the 'land,' saving the soul of man? Concerning which the Psalmist saith, My soul thirsteth after Thee, as a land without water. But this wisdom cannot be 'found in the land of those that live sweetly;' because the man that is still fed with the pleasures of this life, is severed from the perception of Eternal Wisdom. For if he were truly wise-minded, being banished from the interior delights, he would mourn over that blind estate of his exile, whereinto he has fallen. For hence it is said by Solomon; He that addeth knowledge, addeth pain also. For the more a man begins to know what he has lost, the more he begins to bewail the sentence of his corruption, which he has met with. For he sees whence and whereto he has fallen; how that from the joys of Paradise he has come to the woes of the present life, from the companyings of the Angels to carings for necessities; he considers in what a number of perils he now lies prostrate, who before without peril disdained to stand; he bewails the exile which being accursed he undergoes, and sighs after the state of heavenly glory, which he might be enjoying in security, if he had not had a mind to commit sin. Which same the Psalmist regarding rightly, saith, I said in my fear, I am cast out from the face of thine eyes. For after contemplating the interior joys of the vision of God, and the assemblage in fellowship of the Angels holding fast, he brought back his eyes to things beneath, he saw where he was laid low, who was created for this end that he might have been able to stand in heavenly realms; he considered where he was, and where he was not he grieved to think, he mourned for himself as 'cast out from the face of God's eyes,' because by comparison with the interior light, he had felt the darkness of his exile, that he was undergoing, to be the heavier.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVIII

Since he had shown that all the precious things found in corporeal bodies are contained in determined places, which though they are unknown to men are still known to God, he shows the eminence of wisdom by first introducing the fact that it is not contained in a determined place, and so he says, "But where is wisdom found?" This is as if he says: Wisdom is shut up in no corporeal place because it is not something corporeal. However, not only precious things themselves in corporeal bodies, but also their sources are shut up in corporeal places. But one cannot say this about wisdom, and so he says, "and what is the place of understanding?" For understanding is the source of knowledge and wisdom. Just as wisdom then is not shut up in a place, so neither is understanding which is its principle.

Commentary on Job

Second, he shows the dignity of wisdom, because the price of wisdom cannot be reckoned, and so he says, "No man knows its price," for there is no thing known to man which is a sufficient price for wisdom. He clearly shows the consequence of both these premises. First, he had said that wisdom was not found in a determined place. Those things which are esteemed as valuable among men are partly found among refined men, who strive to collect precious stones and metals, and so he says, "Nor is it found among soft-living men," that is, refined men, because they are especially impeded from the perception of wisdom since their hearts are preoccupied with pleasures.

Commentary on Job

The bottomless pit saith, It is not with me. And the sea saith, It is not with me.

What does he call 'the bottomless pit' but the hearts of men, which are at once by the fall all floating, and by the mistiness of double-dealing full of darkness? Which same 'bottomless pit' declares that this Wisdom 'is not with' it; because the wicked mind, while it longs to be wise in a carnal way, shews itself foolish as to things spiritual. For because as Paul testifies, the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, so much the more completely is every one rendered foolish within, as he endeavours to appear wise without. Concerning this abyss it is said by John, And I saw an Angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit, and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan, and bound him a thousand years. And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled. For by the number of a thousand, he denoted not the quantity of time but the universality, with which the Church exercises dominion. Now the old serpent is bound with a chain and cast into the bottomless pit, because being tied up from the hearts of the good, while he is shut up in the minds of lost sinners, he rules over them with worse cruelty. And a little while afterwards he is described as brought up out of the hollow of the bottomless pit, in that from the hearts of the wicked which now rage secretly, having then gotten power against the Church, he shall break out into the violence of open persecution. And so this bottomless pit, wherein the devil is now kept hidden, 'saith that Wisdom is not with it,' because by wicked deeds it shows itself a stranger to true wisdom.

For what is there denoted by the name of the sea having the bitter disquietude of worldly minds, which while they fall foul of one another in enmities by turns, dash themselves together like encountering waves? For the life of worldly persons is rightly called 'a sea;' because, whilst it is agitated by the tempestuous stirrings of actions, it is parted from the tranquillity and stedfastness of interior Wisdom. Contrary to which it is well said by the Prophet, Upon whom shall My Spirit rest but upon him that is humble and quiet, and that trembleth at my words? But from earthly minds the Spirit flies the further in proportion as He findeth no rest with them. For it is hence that it is said of certain by the Psalmist; Bruising and unhappiness is in their ways, and the way of peace have they not known. From which same bruising of disquietude the Lord calls us back, saying, Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVIII

Such valuable kinds of corporeal things are partly found in some dark places, but this is not true with wisdom, and so he says, "The deep says: It is not in me," that is, what lies in the hidden places of the depths is especially hidden from human wisdom. They are partly found in the sea, both because they are generated there, like pearls in sea shells, or because they are lost there in sunken ships, but this is not true with wisdom. This is also so because valuable things are usually transported by sea from place to place, and so he says, "And the sea says, 'it is not with me.'" On the contrary, things in the sea are often completely hidden from human wisdom.

Commentary on Job

Next he explains what he had said about the fact that wisdom has no price, and he enumerates those things which are thought most valuable among men, saying, "The gold of Ophir," that is, the most pure gold, "will not be traded for it," because the price of wisdom cannot be valued in any amount of gold. After gold, silver is esteemed the most precious among other metals, and so he continues speaking about it, "nor can one give its weight in silver for exchange."

Commentary on Job

Nor shall it be compared to the dyed colours of India. Nor to the most precious sardonyx stone, nor to the sapphire.

For what is meant by India, which furnishes a black people, saving this world, wherein the life of man is engendered dark in respect of sin? Now 'the dyed colours of India' are the wise ones of this world, who though in respect of infidelity, and oftentimes in respect of behaviour, they be foul, yet before the eyes of men are stained with the hue of overlaid honourableness. But the coeternal Wisdom of God is not 'compared to the dyed colours of India,' in that he, who really takes It in, discovers how widely it differs from those human beings whom the world has worshipped for wise ones. And the very words of His precepts differ from the wise ones of this world, in that while they strain after eloquence, their sayings appear as if fair in shew and in the staining of the dye, and while they lack the power of realities, feign themselves to be something else than what they are by combination of words as by overcoated colours. But on the other hand the instruction of Wisdom is at once fair by preaching and shining by unadulterated truth, nor does it by deceit set itself forth one thing outwardly, and retain another thing inwardly, nor in its sayings aim to appear fair by brilliancy of speech, but by uncorruptness of truth. Therefore in its precepts the Wisdom of God is not 'compared to the dyed colours of India,' since whereas it has not the stained adornments of eloquence, it pleases like a robe without dye. Which staining of the dye Paul rightly despised, when he said, Which things also we speak not in the words that man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth. For he chose rather to display this 'Wisdom' by the simple transparency of truth alone, but not to stain it with the dyeing of speech.

That the sardonyx and sapphire are not precious stones, who would be ignorant? And whereas there be many other precious stones, which immeasurably exceed these in the account of greatness, why is the sapphire or the sardonyx especially called precious, when either stone by comparison with other stones is most contemptible? except that those stones which are described as precious, when we know not to be precious, we look out for some other thing in the meaning of them. For the sardonyx bears the likeness of red earth, but the sapphire has an aereal appearance. And so it may be that in the sardonyx by the red earth human beings are denoted, in the sapphire by the aereal appearance the Angels are denoted. For whereas the sardonyx stone bears the appearance of red earth, it not improperly denotes man; because 'Adam' himself, who was created the first, is called in the Latin tongue 'Red earth.' What does it mean then that it is said that this Wisdom is not 'compared to the sardonyx nor to the sapphire,' but that He, Who is the 'Power of God and the Wisdom of God,' i.e. the Mediator between God and man, the Man Christ Jesus, surpasses all things by such preeminent greatness that neither the first man on the earth, nor the Angels in heaven, can be compared to Him. And hence it is said by the Psalmist, Who in the heaven can be compared unto the Lord? Who among the sons of God can be likened unto the Lord?

But it is possible that by the sardonyx stone the Fathers of the Old Testament, while by the sapphire the Preachers of the New Testament, are set forth. For the first, though they maintained an extraordinary life of righteousness, yet lent themselves to carnal procreation. Therefore whereas it is plain that they did some things of an earthly kind, they are not inappropriately denoted by the sardonyx stone, which as we before said bears the appearance of 'red earth.' But by the sapphire, which is of an ethereal blue, we suitably understand the Preachers of the New Testament, who laying aside the desires of carnal gendering, followed after the things of heaven alone. And hence the Prophet beholding the holy Apostles mounting above all the desires of the flesh with spiritual fervency, being struck with admiration, saith, Who are these that fly as clouds? As though he expressed it in plain speech; 'We go along by the way of earth, in that we are still involved in marryings and employ acts of the flesh upon the propagating offspring; but these walk not on earth, but they 'fly as clouds,' who whilst they aim at heavenly things touch nought connected with earthly desires.' Therefore he says that the Wisdom of God is not 'compared to the sardonyx or the sapphire stone.' As though he told in plain terms, saying, 'To Him, Who is seen Man among men, neither any in the old Fathers nor any in the new is equalled, in that from His Godhead He derives it that in His Manhood He hath not any like to Him.'

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVIII

Besides these metals there are some very precious stones of different colors which are especially cultivated in India, he then says about these, "She (wisdom) cannot be compared with the sparkling colors of India," i.e. the precious stones of diverse colors naturally tinted in India. He continues with precious stones found also in other lands, and so he says, "nor with the most precious sardonyx," which "is composed of two stones," from carnelian, which is red in color "lighting the soul up with joy and inciting cleverness of spirit," and of onyx, which is joined to it as having some harmful powers, like "exciting sorrows and fear." This harm is restrained by the carnelian. So it is said to have the property of "expelling lust and rendering a man pure and chaste." So it is called a very precious stone. He then adds, "and sapphire," which is the color of heaven, and is valuable because it has many powers. There are still other very precious stones (since the values of these stones are not the same in all places and times), and so he does not refer to them.

Commentary on Job

The gold and the glass cannot equal it. Neither shall vessels of gold high and overtopping be exchanged instead of it.

Who that is sound of perception would deem it worthy to understand this according to the letter? For 'glass,' as we said above, is of much less worth than 'gold,' and after it was said that 'gold is not equal' to this Wisdom, it is yet further, as if heightening, subjoined, that 'glass' too cannot equal it either. But the bare letter failing us in the historical sense, sends us to investigating the mystery of the allegory. For we know that the metal gold shines with a superior brightness to all the metals. But it is of the nature of glass that whilst seen without it shines with perfect transparency in the inside. In every other metal whatever is contained within is hidden from sight, but in the case of glass, every liquid, such as it is contained within, such is it shewn to be without, and, so to say, all the liquid in a glass vessel, whilst shut up is open. What other thing, then, do we understand by 'gold and glass,' but that heavenly Country, that society of blessed citizens, whose hearts mutually one with another at once shine with brightness, and are transparent by pureness; which John in Revelations had beheld, when he said, And the building of the wall of it was of jasper, and the city was of pure gold like unto clear glass. For because all the Saints shall shine in the supreme brightness of bliss, it is described as constructed of gold.

And because their very brightness itself is reciprocally open to them in each other's breasts, and when the countenance of each one marked his conscience is penetrated along with it, this very gold is described as like pure glass. For there the mind of every person no bodily frame of limbs will hide from the eyes of his fellow, but the interior will be given to view, the very harmony of the body too will also be plain to the eyes of the body, and each one will be in such wise distinguishable to another, as now he cannot be distinguishable to himself. But now our hearts, so long as we are in this life, because they cannot be seen in one by another, are enclosed not within glass vessels, but within vessels of earthenware; in which same clay in respect of the mind being affected the Prophet dreaded to stick, when he said, Deliver me out of the clay, that I may not stick fast. Which very tabernacle of bodies, Paul calls 'our earthly house,' saying, For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle be dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Therefore in this earthly house so long as we live, the mere partition wall of our corrupt state, so to say, we do not penetrate with the eyes of the mind, and the hidden things in each other we cannot see. Hence Holy Church desiring to see the form of her Spouse in the Godhead, yet not being able, because the fashion of His Eternal Being, which she longed to behold, His Manhood, which He took upon Him, hid from her eyes, says mourning in the Song of Songs; Behold he standeth behind our wall. As if she said in plain speech, 'I desire to see HIM now already in the appearance of His Godhead, but I am still shut out from the sight of Him by the wall of the flesh He has assumed.' Therefore so long as we live in this corruptible flesh, we see not the thoughts of the hearts in one another. Whence it is said by the same Paul, For what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of man that is in him? And again; Therefore Judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, Who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts. So then that City, which manifests the hearts of them that are in it to each severally and reciprocally, is described 'of gold like to pure glass,' that by the gold it may be represented bright, and by the glass transparent.

But though all the Saints therein glitter with such wonderful brightness, and shine through with such extraordinary transparency, yet that Wisdom, by a likeness of Which they have all that they are, they 'cannot equal.' Therefore it is well said, The gold and the glass cannot equal it. For it is for this that all the Saints are brought to those eternal joys, that they may be like to God, as it is written, When He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And yet it is written, O Lord God of hosts, who is like unto Thee? And again; Who shall be like unto God among the sons of God? Whence then shall they be like, and whence not like, but that to this 'Wisdom' they at once be like for a semblance and not like for equality? For by gazing on the Eternity of God, it is brought to pass upon them that they should be eternal, and while they receive the gift of seeing Him, by the receiving of Blessedness they copy the thing that they see. They are both like, then, because they are made blessed; and they are not like to the Creator, because they are a creature. And thus they both have a certain likeness to God, because they are without end; and yet they have no equality to the Incomprehensible One, because they have comprehensible being.

For a 'lofty vessel of gold' did Elijah prove, 'a lofty vessel of gold' Jeremiah, 'lofty and overtopping vessels of gold' the old Fathers were. But this Wisdom of God, in order that It might redeem us from a carnal kind of life, appeared in the flesh, and he, who did not see that Wisdom in a true light, supposed that the Mediator between God and man, the Man Christ Jesus, was one of the Prophets, which Christ the eyes of the Elect held for God, when they saw by Him but Man. Hence it is said by Him to the holy Disciples, Whom do men say that I, the Son of man, am? And when they thereupon answered Him, Some say that Thou art John the Baptist; some Elias: some Jeremias, or one of the prophets; they were immediately interrogated touching their own perception; But whom say ye that I am? To whom Peter, answering directly in the voice of the whole Church, says, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Thus, then, forasmuch as according to the declaration of Paul we 'know Christ, the Power of God, and the Wisdom of God,' for this Wisdom Peter refused to 'exchange vessels of gold lofty and overtopping,' because he understood concerning it no other thing than it was. For as has been said, a great 'vessel of gold' was John, a great 'vessel of gold' Elijah, a great vessel of gold Jeremiah. Now whoever accounted that That God was anyone of these, did 'exchange a vessel of gold high and overtopping' for this 'Wisdom.' But for this Wisdom the Church doth not 'exchange vessels of gold high and overtopping,' because it holds that Christ the Son of God is not one of the Prophets, but the One Lord of the Prophets. For seeing that 'Wisdom' Itself had come to her, she refused to keep herself fixed in those golden vessels, but was eager with certainty of faith to pass on into that Wisdom. Whence she saith in the Song of Songs; The watchmen that keep the city found me; to whom I said, Saw ye him, whom my soul loveth? It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him, whom my soul loveth. For whom do we take 'the watchmen that go about the city' to be, but the former fathers and prophets who set themselves to watch by the voice of holy preaching for our safe keeping? but when the Church sought her Redeemer, she would not fix her hope in those same ancient preachers, in that she says, It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVIII

He then speaks about things which have a value because of their beauty saying, "Nor will gold equal her," which has beauty from splendor, "nor glass," which has beauty from its transparency, although it is not distinguished by its high price. He then speaks about the beauty by reason of craftsmanship when he says, "nor will vessels of gold be exchanged for her, which are lofty" in size "and also exquisite," in composition.

Commentary on Job

18–19

“The highest and loftier things are not worthy of mention in comparison with it.” He shows that not only amassed riches but also the heights of honors and the highest peaks of official dignity become worthless in comparison with it. “Wisdom is drawn from what is hidden.” Since he had depreciated all the things that delight the eyes, or entice the other senses or deceive the minds, in comparison with the honor of wisdom, he also avenges [wisdom] from that offense, in order that it may not appear to be open to everybody, that is, it may not be accused of dwelling in the desires and the actions of the crowd.

Exposition on the Book of Job 28:18

Nor shall they be mentioned in comparison with her. For wisdom is drawn from out of sight.

For all the Elect of the Country Above are indeed holy and righteous, but by a participation of Wisdom, not by comparison therewith. For what are men compared with God? Now 'Light' Wisdom is used to be called, 'light' also the servants of Wisdom are wont to be called; but She as light lighting up, they as light lighted up; as it was written; That was the true Light, Which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. But to these it is only said, Ye are the light of the world. 'Righteousness' indeed Wisdom is called, 'righteousness' the servants of 'Wisdom' as well are called: but She righteousness that maketh righteous, they righteousness that is made righteous. For of God, Who is 'Wisdom,' it is said, That He might Himself be just and the Justifier; but these say, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. So then it is after one sort that the 'Light lighting' is to be reverenced, after another that the 'light lighted' is to be; in one way the Righteousness that maketh righteous, in another way the righteousness that is made righteous. Now Wisdom both is and is wise, nor has She for one thing to be, and for another thing to be wise; but the servants of 'Wisdom' are indeed able to be wise men, but yet they have not their being the same thing as being wise. For they may be, and not be wise. Wisdom hath life, but She hath not one thing, and is another thing, inasmuch as, to Her it is that to be that it is to live. But the servants of 'Wisdom' whilst they have life are one thing and have another, inasmuch as to whom to be is not the identical thing it is to live. For they may be after a sort, and yet not live. For to them it is one thing to be, and a different thing to live; for in the very first parent they had being by a beginning, and life by an addition, since man was first made of the earth, and afterwards as it is written; He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. Now Wisdom hath being, She hath life; but this, which She hath, She Her own Self is. Wherefore She lives unchangeably, because she lives not by contingency, but essentially. He then alone Is truly with the Father and the Holy Spirit, to Whose Being ours compared, is not to Be. To this Wisdom if we be joined, we are, we live, we are wise. If we be compared to Him, we neither are wise, nor live at all, nor are.

Hence it is that all the Saints, when they advance in the vision of God, the more they view the interior depths of the Divine Nature, see so much the more that they themselves are nothing. For it is no where read that Abraham confessed that he was dust and ashes except when he obtained to enjoy the converse of God. For he says, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes. For he would perchance have thought that he was something, if he had not perceived at all the true Essence that is above himself. But when for the contemplating of the Unchangeable One he was transported above himself, being filled with so mighty a power of contemplation, when he saw Him, he saw that he himself was nought but 'dust.' Hence it is that the Prophet being filled with the same Wisdom crieth out, Remember, O Lord, that we are but dust; who again viewing the unchangeableness of that Essence, saith, Yea, all of them shall wax old as doth a garment, and as a vesture shalt Thou change them, and they shall be changed; but Thou art the same, and Thy years shall not fail. Hence it is said to Moses, I AM THAT I AM: Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, HE THAT IS hath sent me unto you. For He alone truly IS, Who alone unchangeably continues. For every thing that now is after this way, and now after another way, is near to not being. For to continue in its standing, it is not able. And in some manner there is a going on not to be, whilst from that which was, it is by the enforings of time ever being led away to some other thing. In order then that in the partaking of His Body we may be something, let us know and see our own selves, that we are well nigh nothing. Therefore it is well said, Nor shall they be made mention of in comparison with her; because vessels of gold high and overtopping, which by participation of Wisdom are fit objects of reverence to us, in comparison of Wisdom are not even fit to be made mention of.

'Wisdom is drawn from out of sight;' because whereas She is invisible, She cannot be found saving in an invisible way. And She is rightly said to be 'drawn' also, because like as we draw the breath, that the body may live, so from the interior depths of Wisdom the Spirit is derived, that the soul may hold on to life. Whence the Psalmist says, I opened my mouth, and drew in the spirit. Which very Wisdom, taking human flesh together with a rational soul, when It had presented Itself from the interior depths close at hand, because this world could not behold its invisible Maker, Him Whom it saw visible Man, it also knew as invisible God as well. The Gentile world was converted from the darkness of its unbelief, being before full of pride by its avertedness; signs and wonders being exhibited, faith gained ground; and the faith being spread abroad, the summit of Holy Church shone forth in reverence with all men. To which same when there were wanting open adversaries, she began to be tried by her own members. For numberless heresies springing up in her, they arrayed against her wars of cruel conflict. For she must be exercised at this time by toiling, who is on the way to her recompensing in that which follows. Whereby it has come to pass that some in her should come forth who should call the Mediator between God and man, the Man Christ Jesus, created mere man, but one by grace made God, and should attribute so much of holiness to him as they knew in the rest of the Saints, the same being His servants. Which persons blessed Job being inspired with the spirit of prophecy, reproves by the laying out of his sentence.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVIII

Just as they cannot be exchanged for wisdom, so also all these things are accounted as nothing in comparison to wisdom, and so he then says, "none are thought anything in comparison to her," because they are not even worth remembering when one mentions the excellence of wisdom. Because he had said that some corporeal things were precious because they were hidden from us, he consequently shows that wisdom does not lack even this value when he says, "Wisdom has its source in hidden things." For the origin of human wisdom is hidden in two ways. In one way on the part of the light of the intellect, which is derived in us from the most hidden cause of all, God. In another way on the part of things known. Wisdom seeks the hidden properties and essences of these things, and by these ascends to the knowledge of divine matters, which is especially characteristic of wisdom.

Commentary on Job

The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it. Neither shall the purest dyes be brought into comparison.

What do we take 'Ethiopia' for, save the present world, which same by darkness of hue denotes a sinning people in the foulness of its merits. But sometimes by the name of Ethiopia the Gentile world in a special manner is used to be denoted, as being before black by the sins of unbelief. Which same on the Lord's coming, the Prophet Habakkuk beheld affrighted with fear, and says, The tents of the Ethiopians tremble with dread, the tents of the land of Madian. David also, the Prophet, seeing that the Lord should come for the redeeming of Judaea, but that first the Gentile world should believe, and afterwards Judaea should follow, (as it is written, Until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in, and so all Israel shall be saved,) says, Ethiopia, her hand shall be first to God; i.e. 'before that Judaea believes, the Gentile world being black with sins offers itself to Almighty God to be saved.' Now the topaz is a precious stone, and because in the Greek tongue to pan is the word for 'every thing,' on this account, that it shines bright with every colour, it is called 'topazium,' as if 'topantium.' But when the Gentile world being turned to God believed, numbers from out thereof were so enriched with the gift of His Spirit, that as with many colours, so with many virtues they shone bright. But lest any man be lifted up by the virtues he has received, it is now said by the holy man, The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it. As though he said in plain words; 'No one of the Saints, with however many virtues he may be filled, yet as being gathered out of this blackness of the world can equal Him, concerning Whom it is written, That holy Thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. For we, though we are made holy, yet are not born holy, because by the mere constitution of a corruptible nature we are tied and bound, that we should say with the Prophet, Behold, I was shapen in wickedness, and in sin hath my mother conceived me. But He only is truly born holy, Who in order that He might get the better of that same constitution of a corruptible nature, was not conceived by the combining of carnal conjunction.

To this Wisdom as it were a kind of 'topaz from Ethiopia wished to equal itself,' when a certain heresiarch said, 'I do not envy Christ being made God, because, if I wish even I myself may be made so.' Who imagined our Lord Jesus Christ to be God, not by the mystery of His conception, but by the promotion of grace, arguing by misconstrued proofs that He was born simple man, but in order to be God that He had advanced by merit, and on this account reckoning that both himself and any others might be made coequal with Him, which same are made the children of God by grace, not understanding nor minding that the topaz from Ethiopia is not equal to Him. For it is one thing for those born men to receive the grace of adoption, and another for one by the power of Godhead preeminently to have come forth God from the very conception. Neither is it possible that to the glory of the Only-begotten, possessed by nature, another glory should be equal, received by grace. For the Mediator between God and man, the Man Christ Jesus, is not as this one raves one person in His human nature, and another person in the Divine nature. Not conceived and brought forth simple man, did he afterwards obtain of merit that He should be God. But the Angel announcing it, and the Spirit coming, at once the Word in the womb, at once within the womb the Word made flesh, (that unchangeable Essence likewise remaining to Him which He has coeternal together with the Father and the Holy Spirit;) did take upon Him within the bowels of the Virgin that whereby He might both being Impassible suffer passion, and Undying suffer death, and whilst Eternal before the world be a temporal being in the end of the world, that through an unutterable mystery, by a holy conception and an inviolate birth, in accordance with the verity of both natures, the same Virgin should be at once the handmaid and mother of the Lord. For so is it said to her by Elisabeth; Whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? And the Virgin herself at her conception said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Be it unto me according to thy word. And though He the same Being is one thing from the Father, and another thing from the Virgin, yet He is not one Person from the Father, and another Person from the Virgin. But the same Person is Eternal from the Father and the same a temporal being from the Mother, the same Who made is the same That was made, the same beautiful in form above the children of men in respect of the Divine nature, and the same of whom it is written; We saw Him, and there was no shew, and He hath not form nor comeliness, in respect of the human nature. The same before the world from the Father without mother, and the same at the end of the world from the Mother without father. The same a Temple, the same the Builder of the Temple. The same the Maker of the work, and the same the Work of the Maker, remaining one Person from both and in both natures, neither being confounded by the conjunction of natures, nor doubled by the distinctness of natures.

We are to take note that the holy man, in order to shew that the Angels are widely distant from this Wisdom, says, Fine gold shall not be given for it. Which same that he might exhibit the ancient Fathers likewise, dealers with sacred Revelation, as inferior, added, Nor shall silver be weighed in exchange thereof. Moreover that he might point out that the wisdom of the philosopher is far beneath this Wisdom, he brought in; Nor shall it be compared to the dyed colours of India. And he subjoined, Nor to the most precious sardonyx stone, nor to the sapphire. Furthermore in order that he might shew that in that city Above no one attains to equality with the Only-begotten, he added; The gold or the glass cannot equal it. That he might make it appear that the Prophets likewise were beneath It, he added; Neither shall vessels of gold high and overtopping be exchanged instead of it. Nor shall they be mentioned in comparison with her. For Wisdom is drawn from out of sight. Whilst at the last, that he might rebuke the very heretics in the Church themselves as well, who on coming from the error of the Gentile world, split through pride the faith which they receive, he added; The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it.

For those are called 'the purest dyes' who are genuinely humble, and genuinely holy, who know that from themselves indeed they have not the shew of virtuous attainments, but that they hold this by the gift of accessory grace. For they would not be 'dyed,' if they had possessed holiness by nature. But they are 'the purest dyes' because they keep in themselves with humility the superinduced grace of virtues which they have been vouchsafed. Hence it is that it is said by the voice of the Spouse concerning Holy Church; Who is this that cometh up blanched? For because Holy Church has not a heavenly life by nature, but on the Spirit adding Itself is arrayed with beautifulness of gifts, she is described not as white but as 'blanched.' And observe, that when he said above, Nor shall it be compared to the dyed colours of India, those same colours he did not bring in 'pure;' but in this place that he might distinguish the dye of true virtues from that staining of the philosophers, whilst speaking of dyes, he added 'the purest.' For those are rightly called 'the purest dyes,' who were aforetime foul through wicked deeds, yet, the Spirit coming upon them, are clothed with the brilliancy of grace, that they should appear to be far other than they were. Whence also 'Baptism,' i.e. 'dyeing,' is the name given to our own descending into the water itself. Since we are dyed, and we, who were before unsightly by the deformity of bad habits, on the faith being received are rendered beautiful by grace and the adornment of virtues.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVIII

Thus he concludes that nothing can be compared to wisdom either by reason of value or by reason of concealment not even in the case of precious stones, and so he then says, "The topaz of Ethiopia will not equal it," which "takes its name from the place of its discovery, or because it has a resemblance in color to gold." As to costly garments he then says, "nor are the most elegant dyed things," any sort of silk or wool cloth, "comparable to her," to wisdom.

Commentary on Job

20–21

These words suggest that even though Christ is presented through a simile, he is, however, above any simile or figure or type and is by no means comparable to the saints. He is said to be similar to the hidden and superior powers, but it is well known that they cannot even direct their looks to him.

Commentary on Job 28:21

20–21

Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding? Seeing that it is hid from the eyes of all living.

It deserves to be especially considered, that it is asked by the holy man, whence Wisdom cometh. For It 'comes' from Him from Whom It sprung. Now because It is born of the Invisible and Coeternal Father, the way thereof is hidden. Whence too it is said by the Prophet, And who shall declare His generations? Now 'the place of the understanding of her' is the mind of man, which mind the Wisdom of God when it has filled makes holy. And so because both He is invisible, from Whom It came forth, and it is doubtful to us in whose mind It rests as being understood, it is rightly said now, Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding? But this is very wonderful that it is directly brought in; seeing that it is hidden from the eyes of all living. For if the Wisdom, which is God, had been 'hidden from the eyes of all living,' then surely this Wisdom no one of the Saints would have seen. But see, I hear John agreeing with this sentence, who says, No man hath seen God at any time. And again, when I look at the Fathers of the Old Testament, I learn that many of those, as the very history of the Sacred Reading is witness, did see God. Thus Jacob saw the Lord, who says, For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. Moses likewise saw God, of whom it is written, And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. This very Job saw the Lord, who says, I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear; but now mine eye seeth Thee. Isaiah saw the Lord, who saith, In the year that king Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up. Michaiah saw the Lord, who saith, I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right hand and on His left. What does it mean then that so many Fathers of the Old Testament have witnessed that they have seen God, and yet concerning this Wisdom, which is God, it is said, Seeing that it is hid from the eyes of all living? And John saith, No man hath seen God at any time.

Seeing this, which is plainly given us to understand, that so long as we live here a mortal life, God may be seen by certain semblances, but by the actual appearance of His Nature He cannot be seen, so that the soul being inspired with the grace of the Spirit should by certain figures behold God, but not attain to the actual power of His Essence? For hence it is that Jacob, who bears witness that he had seen God, saw Him not save in an Angel. Hence it is that Moses who 'talked with God face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend,' in the midst of the very words of his speaking, says, If I have found grace in Thy sight, shew Thyself manifestly to me, that I may see Thee. For assuredly if it were not God with whom he was talking, he would have said, 'Shew me God,' and not 'Shew me Thyself.' But if it was God, with Whom he was speaking 'face to face,' wherefore did he pray to see Him, Whom he was seeing? But from this requesting of his, it is inferred that Him he was athirst to perceive in the brightness of His Incomprehensible nature, Whom he had already begun to see by certain semblances, that so the heavenly Essence might be present to the eyes of his mind, in order that for the vision of Eternity there might not be interposed to him any created semblance with the circumstances of time. And so the Fathers of the Old Testament saw the Lord, and yet according to the voice of John, No man hath seen God at any time; and according to the sentence of blessed Job, the Wisdom Which is God is 'hid from the eyes of all living,' because by persons settled in this mortal life He was both able to be seen in certain comprehensible images, and not able to be seen in the Incomprehensible Light of Eternity.

But if it is so, that by some while still living in this corruptible flesh, yet growing in incalculable power by a certain piercingness of contemplation, the Eternal Brightness is able to be seen, this too is not at variance with the sentence of blessed Job, who says, Seeing that it is hid from the eyes of all living; because he that sees 'Wisdom,' Which is God, wholly and entirely dies to this life, that henceforth he should not be held by the love thereof. For no one has seen Her, who still lives in a carnal way, because no man can embrace God and the world at one and the same time. He who sees God dies by the mere circumstance alone, that either by the bent of the interior, or by the carrying out of practice, he is separated with all his mind from the gratifications of this life. Hence yet further it is said to that same Moses too; For there shall no man see Me, and live. As though it were plainly expressed, 'No man ever at any time sees God spiritually and lives to the world carnally.' Hence Paul the Apostle too, who as yet had learnt the invisible things of God, as he himself testifies, in part, related that henceforth he was dead all over to this world, saying, By Whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. For as we have already said far above, it is not enough for him to say, I am crucified to the world, except he also first out with, The world is crucified to me, that he might not only bear witness that he was dead to the world, but also that the world was dead to himself, so that neither he himself should covet the world, nor the world henceforth covet him. For if perchance there be two in one place, of whom one is alive, and the other dead, though the dead person does not see the living, yet the live one does see the dead. Now the Preacher of God, in order that he might shew that by the abasement whereby he had cast himself down in humbling himself he was now become such, that neither he himself longed after the world, nor the world after him; not only says that he was crucified to the world, that he himself as one dead should not see the glory of the world, that he might long after, but likewise declared the world crucified to him, wherein he had cast himself down to the ground with such humility, that the world itself likewise, as if dead to him, could not now at all see Paul as being humble and despised.

But we are to know that there were some persons, who said that even in that region of blessedness God is beheld indeed in His Brightness, but far from beheld in His Nature. Which persons surely too little exactness of enquiry deceived. For not to that simple and unchangeable Essence is Brightness one thing, and Nature another; but Its very Nature is to It Brightness, and the very Brightness is Nature. For that to Its votaries the Wisdom of God should one day display Itself, He Himself pledges His word, saying, He that loveth Me, shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him. As though He said in plain terms, 'Ye who see Me in your nature, it remains that ye should see Me in Mine own nature.' Hence He says again; Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Hence Paul says, For now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face; now I know in part, then shall I know even as also I am known.

But because it is said concerning God by the first preacher of the Church, Whom the Angels desire to look upon, there are some who imagine that even the Angels never see God; and yet we know that it is spoken by a sentence of Truth, In heaven their Angels do always behold the face of My Father, Which is in heaven. Does, then, Truth sound one thing and the preacher of truth another? But if both sentences be compared together, it is ascertained, that they are not at all at variance with one another. For the Angels at once see and desire to see God, and thirst to behold and do behold. For if they so desire to see Him that they never at all enjoy the carrying out of their desire, desire has anxiety without fruit, and anxiety has punishment. But the blessed Angels are far removed from all punishment of anxiety, because never can punishment and blessedness meet in one. Again, when we say that these Angels are satisfied with the vision of God, because the Psalmist too says, I shall be satisfied when I awake with Thy likeness, we are to consider that upon satisfying there follows disgust. So then, that the two may rightly agree together, let Truth say, that they always see; and let the excellent Preacher say, that they always desire to see. For that there be not anxiety in desire, in desiring they are satisfied, and that there be not disgust in their satisfying, whilst being satisfied they desire. And therefore they desire without suffering, because desire is accompanied by satisfying. And they are satisfied without disgust, because the very satisfying itself is ever being inflamed by desire. So also shall we too one day be, when we shall come to the fountain of life. There shall be delightfully stamped upon us at one and the same time a thirsting and a satisfying. But from the thirsting necessity is far absent, and disgust far from that satisfying, because at once in thirsting we shall be satisfied, and in being satisfied we shall thirst. Therefore we shall see God, and it shall be the very reward of our labour, that after the darkness of this mortal state we should be made glad by His light being approached unto.

But when we talk of His light being approached, that presents itself to the mind which Paul says, Dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto, Whom no man hath seen, nor can see. And again, I hear what the Psalmist says; Approach unto Him, and be enlightened. How then by approaching are we enlightened, if we see not the very Light by which we are able to be enlightened? But if by approaching to Him we see the very Light whereby we are enlightened, how is it declared to be unapproachable? Wherein it deserves to be considered that he called it unapproachable, but to every man that minds the things of men. Since sacred Scripture is used to mark all the followers of carnal things with the designation of the being 'men.' Whence the same Apostle says to certain persons at strife, For whereas there is among you envying and strife and divisions, are ye not carnal; and walk as men? To which he soon afterwards appends, Are ye not men? And hence he elsewhere brought forward the testimony; Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. And when he had described this as hidden from 'men,' he added directly, But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit; separating his own self from the designation of 'man' in that having been transported above man he now tasted what is divine. So also in this place, when he told of the light of God being unapproachable, that he might shew to what persons unapproachable, he added, Whom no man hath seen, no nor can see. After his manner calling 'men' all whose taste is for things of man. Because they who have a taste for what is divine, are doubtless above men. Therefore we shall see God, if by a heavenly conversation we obtain to be above men. Not yet that we shall so see Him as He Himself sees His very own Self. For the Creator sees Himself in a way far unlike to that in which the creature sees the Creator. For as to the unmeasurableness of God there is a certain measure of contemplation set to us, because we are limited by the mere weight that we are a creature.

But assuredly we do not so behold God, as He sees Himself, as we do not so rest in God, as He rests in Himself. For our sight or our rest will be to a certain degree like to His sight or His rest, but not equal to it. For lest we should be prostrate in ourselves, the wing of contemplation, so to say, uplifts us, and we are carried up from ourselves for the beholding Him, and being carried away by the bent of the heart and the sweetness of contemplation, in a certain manner go away from ourselves into Himself, and now this very going away of ours is not to rest, and yet so to go is most perfectly to rest. And so it is perfect rest because God is discerned, and yet it is not to be equalled to His rest, Who doth not pass on from Himself into another, that He may rest. And therefore the rest is, so to say, like and unlike, because what His rest is, our rest imitates. For that we may be blessed and eternal for everlasting, we imitate the Everlasting. And it is a great eternity to us to be imitating eternity. Nor are we heritless of Him Whom we imitate, because in seeing we partake, and in partaking imitate Him. Which same sight is now begun by faith, but is then perfected in Appearance, when we drink at the very springhead the Wisdom coeternal with God which we now derive through the lips of those that preach, as it were in running streams.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVIII

Therefore, since he had said that wisdom is so incomparable and has a hidden origin, he inquires where the source of wisdom lies, saying, "Where, then, is the origin of wisdom?" where does it come from? "And where is the place of understanding," from what source do men participate in the light of understanding?

Commentary on Job

And is kept close also from the fowls of the air.

[MYSTICAL INTERPRETATION]

For in Holy Scripture 'birds' are sometimes given to be understood in a bad sense, and sometimes in a good sense. Since by the birds of the air occasionally the powers of the air are denoted, being hostile to the settled purposes of good men. Whence it is said by the mouth of Truth, And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the wayside, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it; in this way, because evil spirits besetting the minds of men, whilst they bring in bad thoughts, pluck the word of life out of the memory. Hence again it is said to a certain rich man full of proud thoughts; the foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His Head. For foxes are very cunning animals, that hide themselves in ditches and caves; and when they face the light, they never run in straight courses, but always by crooked doublings. But the birds as we know with lofty flight lift themselves into the air. So, then, by the name of 'foxes,' the crafty and cunning demons, and by the title of the 'birds of the air' these same proud demons are denoted. As if he said, 'The deceitful and uplifted demons find their habitation in your heart; i.e. in the imagination of pride,' 'but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His Head,' i.e. 'My humility findeth not rest in your proud mind.' For as by a kind of flight that first bird lifted itself up, which said in the uplifted imagination of the heart; I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation in the sides of the North. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. I will be like the Most High. Mark how he in flying sought the regions on high with pride. Which same flight also he recommended to the first of human kind as well. For they themselves by flying as it were tried to go above their own selves, when it was told them that they should taste and be like gods. And while they seek after the likeness of the Deity, they lost the blessings of immortality, which same would not by dying have gone into the earth, if they had been willing to stand with humility upon the earth.

But, on the other hand, 'the birds of the air' are wont to be put in a good sense, as in the Gospel the Lord, when He was declaring a likeness of the kingdom of heaven by a grain of mustard seed, said, Unto what is the kingdom of heaven like? and whereunto shall I resemble it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and cast into his garden, and it grew and waxed a great tree, and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it. For He is Himself 'a grain of mustard seed,' Who, when He was planted in the burial place of the garden, rose up a great tree. For He was 'a grain,' whereas He died, but 'a tree,' whereas He rose again. 'A grain,' through the abasement of the flesh, 'a tree,' through the mightiness of His Majesty. 'A grain,' because we have seen Him, and He was not regarded; but 'a tree,' because fairer in form than the children of men. The branches of this tree are the holy preachers. And let us see how wide they are stretched out. For what is said concerning them? Their sound is gone forth into all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In these 'boughs the birds of the air rest,' because the holy souls, which by a kind of wings of virtues lift themselves up from earthly thinking, do in the word and consolations of these take breath from the wearying of this life. And so in this place after it was said of 'Wisdom,' It is hid from the eyes of all men; it is rightly added, It is kept close also from the fowls of the air: because being settled in the corruptible flesh, these very persons do not in seeing penetrate the mightiness of His Nature, who earn by holy contemplation even now to fly with wings.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XIX

He shows this source excels all human cognition, and so he then says, "She is hidden from the eyes of all the living," because, "the fount of wisdom is the word of God on high." (Qoheleth 1:5) There have been some augurs of omens who believed that certain birds of prophecy participated in a certain effect of wisdom over men, and in as much as they believed men could know the future of the future from them. But he shows that wisdom exceeds this soothsaying saying, "and she is concealed also from the birds of the air." Therefore the origin of wisdom exceeds the heavenly bodies which move these birds.

Commentary on Job

Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.

Who are denoted by the title of 'destruction and death,' save the evil spirits, who proved the inventors of 'destruction and of death,' as of their leader himself under the appearance of his minister it is said by John, And his name was Death. Unto whom all spirits of pride being subject, say concerning this 'Wisdom,' Which is God, we have heard the fame thereof with our ears, in this way, that the vision thereof doubtless they could not have with complete blessedness. For perfectly to see the Wisdom coeternal with God, is the same thing as to 'have.' Hence it is said to John of the reward of one conquering, I will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. For in this life we are able either to know or see sometimes a thing even which we have not received; but to have 'a new name written on a white stone' is in an eternal recompense to have the knowledge of God strange to the faculties of men, which no man can know saving he that receiveth it. Therefore as we have said, because to see God is the same thing that it is to have, therefore the evil spirits do not see this 'Wisdom,' because being cast off through pride they were never able to have It. For they shut the eyes of the heart to the light of It, resisting the rays thereof shed abroad over them, as that may be also understood of the same evil spirits, which is written, They are of those that rebel against the light. And so for evil spirits to have 'heard of the fame of Wisdom,' but not to have seen that Wisdom, is at once to have ascertained the power thereof by its efficacy, and yet to have been unwilling to stand humbly under it. Hence it is said by the voice of Truth of the actual head of evil spirits, He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XIX

There are also some who seek the knowledge of the future from the dead, but not even this attains the origin of wisdom, and so he then says, "Ruin and death said: We have heard of her fame with our ears." He rightly attributes the fame of wisdom to death and ruin, because ruin and death imply the end and withdrawing from the goods which attain wisdom. Nevertheless, the three things already discussed can be metaphorically referred to the three kinds of rational creature. Thus when he says, "She is hidden from the eyes of all the living," he refers to men; when he adds, "she is concealed from the birds of heaven," he refers to the angels. When he further continues, "Ruin and death said: 'We have heard of his fame with our ears,'" he refers to the demons who are separated from God by damnation, in that they have knowledge of divine wisdom only by its reputation from afar.

Commentary on Job

God understandeth the way thereof; and He knoweth the place thereof.

This Wisdom coeternal with God has 'a way' in one sense, and in another sense 'a place;' but only a 'place,' if a person understand it a place not local. For God is not capable of being held close after the manner of a body. But as has been said, a place not local is meant. The 'place' of 'Wisdom' is the Father, 'the place' of the Father is 'Wisdom,' as, Wisdom Herself bearing testimony, it is said, I am in the Father, and the Father in Me. So then the same identical Wisdom has 'a way' in one sense, and 'a place' in another sense; 'a way' by the passing of the manhood, 'a place' by the settledness of the Godhead. For She passes not by in the respect that She is eternal, but She does pass by in the respect that for our sakes She appeared subject to time. For it is thus written in the Gospel, And as they departed from Jericho, the Lord passed by. And, behold, two blind men, sitting by the way side, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, Thou Son of David. At whose voice, as it is there written, Jesus stood still, and restored light. Now what is it to hear passing by, but to restore sight standing still, but that by His manhood He compassionated us, Who by the power of His Godhead banished from us the darkness of our souls? For in that for our sakes He was born and suffered, that He rose again and ascended into heaven, it is as if Jesus passed by, because surely these are doings in time. But He touched and enlightened them standing still, because not as that temporal economy doth likewise the Word's Eternity pass by, Which while remaining in Itself renews all things. For God's standing is His ordering all things mutable by immutable purposing. He, then, Who heard the voices of those imploring Him while 'passing by,' restored light standing still. For though for our sakes He underwent things temporal, yet He bestowed light upon us by the same thing that He knows not to have the passing of mutability. Therefore because when He should through flesh appear to men was an uncertain thing, it is rightly said now, God understandeth the way thereof; and He knoweth the place thereof. As though it were expressed in plain words; 'To the thought of man the two are hidden, whether the time when by flesh Wisdom may come to men, or the mode how, even when he appears without, He continues invisible with the Father.

Although this may also be understood in another sense. For 'the way thereof' is not inappropriately taken to be that actual thing that comes into the mind, and infuses itself into us in the interior. And 'the place thereof' the heart becomes, coming unto which She abides. Thus of this Her way it is said, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord; i.e. 'Open in your hearts an entrance to Wisdom at Her coming;' as it is elsewhere said; Make a way for him, that ascendeth above the setting. For to 'ascend over the setting,' was by rising again to have got the mastery over that very death, He had undergone. And so he says, For him, that ascendeth above the setting, make ye a way; i.e. 'To the Lord on His rising again make a way in your hearts by faith.' Hence it is said to John by the Spirit; Thou shalt go before the face of the Lord, to prepare His way. For everyone that by preaching cleanses the hearts of those that hear him from the defilements of bad habits, prepares a way for Wisdom on Her coming. Thus, this 'Wisdom' hath 'a way,' and hath 'a place;' 'a way' whereby She comes, 'a place' wherein She abides; as She Herself saith; If any man love Me, he will keep My words, and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him. So then there is 'a way' by which She comes, 'a place' wherein She abideth. But whereunto does She come, Who is every where? Is it for Wisdom to come, by the enlightening of our mind to make the presence of Her mightiness to appear? And because it is doubtful to men both into what person's heart She comes, or in what man, after She has come, She rests in abiding there, it is rightly said now, God understandeth the way thereof, and He knoweth the place thereof. Because it appertains to the Divine sight alone to see, whether by what methods the perception of Wisdom may come to the heart of man, or whose soul shall not lose by deadly imaginations the understanding of life, which it has been vouchsafed. And because this same 'Wisdom' made manifest by the graciousness of the Manhood was destined in all the regions of the world to fill to the full the hearts of the Elect, it is rightly added;

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XIX

To show the root of wisdom he then says, "God understands the way to her," the whole process of wisdom, since he himself is both the origin of wisdom and the "place of understanding." (v.20) Because God knows himself perfectly, he then says, "and he knows where wisdom is found," that is, he knows himself in whom wisdom is perfectly found as in its first origin. Wisdom proceeds from him in all creatures which are made by the wisdom of God, as art proceeds from the mind of the artist in his work, and so Sirach says, "God showers wisdom on all his works." (Sirach 1:10) Thus the very universe of creatures is like the secondary place of wisdom. So to show that God knows the place of wisdom, he continues saying that he knows the universe of creatures.

Commentary on Job

For he regardeth the ends of the earth, and seeth all things that are under the heaven.

For God's 'regarding' is the renewing to His grace the things that were lost and undone; whence it is written, A King that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with His eyes. For by regarding He restrained the evils of our lightness, and bestowed great worth of maturedness.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XIX

First he shows this as to the most elevated creatures under which all things are contained, and so he then says, "He sees the ends of the earth," which are the most excellent creatures in which the order of creatures terminates in ascending from lower creatures, and these are heavenly bodies and the heavenly spirits. Then he shows this as to the other creatures contained under them, like the elements, and so he then says, "and he sees everything which is under the heaven."

Commentary on Job

Who made the weight for the winds. And he weigheth the waters by measure.

For in the Holy Scripture, by the rapidity and subtlety of the winds souls are used to be denoted, as it is spoken by the Psalmist of God; Who walketh above the things of the winds; i.e. 'Who passes above the virtues of souls.' Accordingly 'He made the weight for the winds,' in that whilst Wisdom from above fills souls, it renders them weighty with imparted maturity, not with that weightiness, of which it is said, Ye children of men, how long with a heavy heart. For it is one thing to be weighty in respect of counsel, and another in respect of sin; it is one thing to be weighty, by constancy, another to be weighty by offence. For this latter weightiness has weight of burthen, the other weight of merit. Thus, therefore, souls receive weight, that they should not henceforth with light motion glance off from their aim at God, but be made to settle into Him with immoveable weightiness of constancy. Still was that people lightly moved to and fro, of which it is said by the Prophet, And he went on frowardly in the way of his own heart. I have seen his ways: and I let him go. But weighty counsel in heart banishes all inconstancy of wandering. And because there are souls, that with light motion are now after one set of objects, now after another, Almighty God, because these very light waverings of men's minds He does not estimate lightly, by abandoning passes judgment on the wandering of the heart. But when through grace He regards the wandering mind, He fixes it into stedfastness of counsel. And so it is rightly said now, And made weight for the winds; because the light motions of the mind, when He deigns to regard with mercifulness, He directly fashions that mind to maturedness of constancy. Or otherwise to 'make weight for the winds,' is to qualify with intermixed infirmity the glory resulting from virtuous achievements, which is vouchsafed to the Elect here. Whence it is also subjoined; And he weigheth the waters by measure.

'Waters' in Holy Scripture are wont sometimes to denote the Holy Spirit, sometimes sacred knowledge, sometimes wrong knowledge, sometimes calamity, sometimes drifting peoples, sometimes the minds of those following the faith. Thus by water we have the Inpouring of the Holy Spirit represented, as when it is said in the Gospel, He that believeth on Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. Where the Evangelist following on added; But this spake He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive. Again, by water sacred knowledge is denoted, as it is said; And give him the water of wisdom to drink. By water likewise bad knowledge is wont to be designated, as when the woman in Solomon, who bears a type of heresy, charms with crafty persuasion, saying, Stolen waters are sweet. By the term of waters too tribulations are used to be signified, as it is said by the Psalmist, Save me, O God, for the waters are come in even unto my soul. By water peoples are denoted, as it is said by John, Now the waters are peoples. By water likewise not only the tide of peoples drifting away, but also the minds of good men that follow the preachings of faith, are denoted, as the Prophet saith, Blessed are ye that sow upon all waters. And it is said by the Psalmist; The voice of the Lord is upon the waters. In this place, then, what is denoted by the title of 'waters,' saving the hearts of the Elect, which by the understanding of Wisdom, have now received the hearing of the heavenly voice? Touching whom it is rightly said; And weigheth the waters by measure. Because the very Saints, who by the Holy Spirit bearing them up are transported on high, so long as they are in this life, that they may not swell high with any self-elation, are kept down by certain temptations, that they may never have the power to advance as much as they have the wish, but lest they should be exalted by pride, there takes place in them a kind of measure of their very virtues.

It is hence that Elijah, after that by so many achievements he had advanced on high, was suspended aloft by a kind of measure, when he afterwards fled from Jezebel, though a queen, yet only a weak woman. For I consider with myself that this man of marvellous power drew down fire from heaven, and once and again by momentary beseeching consumed the captains of fifty with all their men, by a word shut up the heavens from rain, by a word opened the heavens to rain, raising the dead, foreseeing the several things to come, and, lo, again it occurs to mind, with what dismay he fled before a single weak woman. I see the man, as being stricken with fear, from the hand of God seeking death, yet not obtaining it, from the hand of a woman shunning death by taking to flight. For he sought death, whilst he fled, saying, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers. Whence then was he so powerful as to perform those so numerous miracles? whence so weak as to be dismayed at a woman, except that 'the waters are weighed with measure;' that the very Saints of God should at once prevail greatly through the power of God, and again be limited by a kind of measure through their own infirmity. In those powers Elijah learnt what he had received from God, in these weaknesses what he had power to be by himself. That mightiness was power, this weakness the keeper of power. In these powers he shewed what he had received, in these weaknesses that which he had received he kept safe. In the miracles Elijah was to be brought out to view, in the weaknesses he was to be preserved secure.

In the same way I see that Paul, encountering the perils of rivers and robbers, of the city and the wilderness, of sea and land, bridling the body by fasts and watchings, undergoing the ills of cold and nakedness, exercising himself watchfully and with pastoral care to the safe-keeping of the Churches, being caught up into the third heaven, and again caught up into Paradise, at once heard secret words which it is not permitted to man to utter, and yet is given over to an angel of Satan to be tempted; he prays that he might be released, and is not heard. And when I look to the mere beginnings of his conversion, I consider with myself that heavenly pity opens the heavens to him, and Jesus shews Himself to him from on high. He that lost the light of the body for a time, received the light of the heart for evermore. He is sent to Ananias, he is called A chosen vessel, and yet from that same city, which he had entered after the vision of Jesus, he departs in flight, as he himself bears witness, saying, In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept guard over the city of the Damascenes, desirous to apprehend me; and through a window, in a basket, was I let down by the wall, and so escaped his hands. Unto whom I will take leave to say, 'O Paul, already seest thou Jesus in heaven, and still dost thou fly man on earth? Art thou carried into Paradise, art thou made acquainted with secret words of God, and still art thou tempted by a messenger of Satan? Whence so strong, that thou art caught up to heavenly places, whence so weak that thou fliest from man on the earth, and still sufferest hard handling from a messenger of Satan, saving that the Same, Who lifts thee on high, again limits thee with the minutest measuring, that both in thy miracles thou shouldest preach to us the power of God, and again in thy fear cause us to remember our own infirmity?' Which same infirmity, however, that it may not draw us on into despair when it buffets us, whilst thou wert beseeching God touching thine infirmity, because thou wert not heard, to us also thou hast told what thou didst hear; My grace is sufficient for thee; for My strength is made perfect in weakness.

Thus by the plain voice of God it is shewn that the guardian of power is frailty. For we are then kept to good effect within, when by God's appointment we are tempted to a bearable degree without, sometimes by bad propensities, sometimes by pressing misfortunes. For to these likewise, whom we know to have been men of mighty virtues, there were not wanting temptations and conflicts from the vices. Hence it is that for our encouragement the same great Preacher condescends to bring to view things of that kind concerning his own case, saying, I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin, which is in my members. For the flesh forces down below, that the Spirit may not uplift, and the Spirit draws up on high, that the flesh may not bring to the ground. The Spirit lifts up, that we may not lie grovelling in the lower world, the flesh weighs down, that we should not be lifted up on account of the things on high. If the flesh tempted us, while the Spirit did not uplift us, too surely by the absoluteness of its tempting it would cast us down below. But again, if the Spirit lifted us above, while the flesh did not tempt, It would by that very uplifting prostrate us the worse in the fall of pride. But by a certain regulating method it takes place, that whilst each one of the Saints is already indeed transported on high inwardly, but is still tempted outwardly, he neither incurs the downfall of desperation, nor of self-exaltation; seeing that neither does outward temptation bring transgression to its accomplishment, because the interior bent draws upwards; nor again does this interior bent lift up into pride, because the exterior temptation abases whilst it weighs down. Thus by a high appointment we see in the interior advancement what we receive, in the exterior shortcoming what we are, and by a strange method it is brought to pass that a man should neither be lifted up on the ground of virtue, nor despair on the ground of temptation, because while the Spirit draws, and the flesh draws back, by the exactest regulating of the Interior Judgment, the soul is balanced in a kind of mean above the things below, and below the things above.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XIX

Lest anyone believe that God receives knowledge taken from things like we do, he shows, consequently, that he knows things as the cause of everything. He therefore continues as to the hidden creatures like the winds and the rains, "he gave the winds their strength," for he gave them their inclination of motion so that sometimes they move in this direction and sometimes in that. Then he speaks about the rains, first that and raised to become clouds in vapor, and so he then says, "and the waters," subject to evaporation, "he holds suspended," in the air, "in measure," so that they do not overflow and flood everything if they were to overflow, or if they decrease unduly, make everything dry out.

Commentary on Job

26–27

When He made a decree for the rain, and a way for the sounding tempests, then did He see it and declare it; He prepared it, yea, and searched it out.

By 'rain' the sayings of those that preach are used to be denoted. Whence it is said by Moses; Let my doctrine be waited for as the rain; whose words, that is to say, when they gently persuade are 'rain,' but when they thunder out terrible things touching the Judgment to come, they are 'sounding tempests.' And it deserves to be noted, that 'a decree is made for the rain,' in order that 'a way may be opened for the sounding tempests.' For a decree has been set to the preachers themselves, that by living they fulfil what by uttering they are forward to recommend. For the authoritativeness of speaking is lost, when the voice is not supported by the practice. For here it is said by the Psalmist, But unto the wicked God saith; What hast thou to do to declare My statutes, or that thou shouldest take My covenant in thy mouth? seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest My words behind thee. For the words of God the preacher does cast behind himself, when the same that he says he thinks scorn to do. But when may another obey his sayings, whilst he himself rejects in practice what he preaches with the voice, and shews not to hear that he tells? Of this law of preaching it is written; Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoso shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 'The kingdom of heaven,' we see, He calls the present Church; concerning which it is written, And they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend. For in the Kingdom Above 'offences' that should have to be gathered out thereof do not take place. He then that breaks in practice, and teaches the like in words, in this kingdom of heaven shall be the least, in the other not even the least. Now 'He set a way to the sounding tempests,' when for His preachers He made access to the hearts of men stricken with dread of the Judgment to come. So first 'a law is set,' that afterwards 'a way may be opened,' because that voice pierceth the heart of him that heareth, which maintains by practice the thing that it has sounded with the lips. Now it was then when 'He set a law to the showers, and a way to the sounding tempests,' that God 'saw, declared, prepared, and searched' this 'Wisdom.' By a mode of speech customary to Holy Writ, for God to see is a phrase for causing us to see, as the Lord saith to the righteous man, Now I know that thou fearest God. And the Israelites are forewarned; The Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God, i.e. 'that He may make you to know.' At that time, then, when 'He set a law to the showers,' i.e. gave the precept of watching to the preachers, this 'Wisdom' made Incarnate He caused to be 'seen and declared' by the preachers, to be 'prepared and searched' by the hearers. Since he 'prepares' Her for himself, whosoever by living aright is procuring Her favourable against the Day of Judgment. And observe that there are four particulars spoken respecting her. For he says, He did see it and declare it, He prepared it, yea, He searched it. Thus He 'saw,' in that She is 'a Likeness;' He 'declared it,' in that She is 'the Word;' 'prepared it,' in that She is a remedy; and 'searched it,' in that She is a thing hidden from sight. But this, viz. that the Eternal Wisdom of God is 'the Likeness' and 'the Word' of the Father, when is it penetrated by the mind of man? For who might understand either a Word apart from time, or a Likeness apart from limiting. Therefore there was need for something to be said, which man might recognise concerning Her by himself.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XIX

Next he speaks about the very generation of the rains when he says, "when he made a law for the rains," to come down at certain times and in certain places. Third he speaks about their effect, especially in the sea which is disturbed by atmospheric changes, and so he continues, "and" he was setting, "the way for the storm," the waves, "which roar," from great agitation, because even storms of this kind arise at certain times and in a certain intensity.

Commentary on Job

27–28

Nothing has more value than that art, nothing is more powerful than that wisdom. “The fear of the Lord, that is the beginning of wisdom, and all those who practice it have good understanding.” That is the greatest of all goods. Supreme wisdom is to worship God, not to take trouble to make useless notices, and especially to enquire about events. Do not believe that you may find a different wisdom.

Commentary on Job 28:28

Because God does not acquire wisdom from creatures themselves as we do, but rather he produces creatures according to his wisdom, he therefore continues, "Then," when he was making creatures, "he saw her," wisdom, in himself, insofar as he produces things in their being through the actual considerations of his wisdom. Wisdom was derived from him first to the angels who were made participants in the divine wisdom, and expressing this he says, "he made her known," manifesting his wisdom to them. Second, to the universe of creatures by governing it through his wisdom, and he expresses this theme saying, "and he prepared" the rotation of the land in his wisdom. Third, to men who do not perceive the wisdom of truth by simple apprehension, as the angels do to whom it is made known, but arrive at it by the investigation of reason, and so he says, "he inquired," i.e. he made men investigate her.

Commentary on Job

And unto man He said, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is Wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.'

As though it were spoken in plain speech; 'Man, turn back to thine own self; sift thoroughly the secrets of thine own heart. If thou findest out that thou dost fear God, surely it is plain that of this Wisdom thou art full. Which same if thou art not able to learn what in herself She is, meanwhile thou henceforth findest what She is in thyself. For She that is feared in herself by the Angels, in thee is called 'the fear of the Lord.' Because it is certain that thou possessest Her, if it is not uncertain that thou dost fear God.' Hence also it is said by the Psalmist; The beginning of Wisdom is the fear of the Lord, because She then begins to penetrate the heart, when She disturbs it by the dread of the final Judgment. Therefore the Word of God draws Itself in to our littleness; just as a father, when he speaks to his little child, in order that he may be able to be understood by him, talks stammeringly of his own accord. For because we are unable to penetrate the nature of Wisdom, what She is in herself, by the condescension of God, we have heard what She is in us, when it is said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is Wisdom. But because he really understands the force of Divine fear, who keeps himself from all bad practices, it is rightly subjoined; And, to depart from evil is understanding.

Morals on the Book of Job, Book XIX

He expresses this as he continues, "and he said to man," namely, by illuminating himself and by communicating wisdom to him through interior inspiration: "Behold the fear of the Lord," which I am giving to you by presence, "is wisdom," because man clings to God through the fear of the Lord in whom is the true wisdom of men as in the highest cause of all things. "And to withdraw from evil," that is, from sin in which man loses God, "understanding," because understanding is especially necessary so that through understanding he may discern evil things from good ones. When he has avoided these evil things through the execution of good works, he attains the participation of divine wisdom. Thus because "The fear of the Lord is wisdom; and to withdraw from evil, understanding," the consequence is that the just who fear God and withdraw from evil have wisdom and understanding, which are preferred to all the earthly goods which evil men possess. So it is clear that the reasonability of divine providence is saved in the fact that spiritual goods are given to the just as better goods and temporal goods are given to the wicked as transitory.

Commentary on Job