1. Job 38, 2. 23. 8 Teachers of Truth still need to watch against pride. JOB 32, carefully weigh this passage, in which it is said by the Divine Voice respecting Eliu, Who is he? An interroga tion of this kind is but the beginning of a reproof. For we say not, Who is he, except of a person of whom we are ignorant. But God's ignorance is the same as His rejection: whence He will at the end say to some whom He rejects, Mat, 7, I know you not whence you are; depart from Me, all ye workers of iniquity. To ask then of this haughty man, Who is he? what is it but plainly to say, I know not the haughty? that is, In the excellence of My wisdom I approve not of their doings, because, by being puffed up by human praise, they are bereft of the true glory of eternal reward. By not rejecting then his sentiments, but blaming the person who uttered them, He plainly teaches, as it were saying, I know what he says, but I know not the speaker: I approve of whatever is stated in accordance with truth, but I acknowledge not him who is elated by the truths he utters. 8. But to shew more plainly how disgracefully Eliu falls away in boastfulness of pride, we ought in the first place to set forth the character of a sound teacher; that from the straightness of this standard the deformity of his distortion may be clearly manifested. Every spiritual preacher then of the Church Catholic carefully examines himself in every thing he says, lest he should be elated with the sin of pride on account of his sound preaching; lest his conduct should be at variance with his words; lest that very peace which he preaches in the Church he should lose in his own person, by sound speaking and evil living. endeavour against the calumnious rumours of the adversaries But it is his chief to defend his conduct by his preaching, and to adorn his preaching by his life. And in all this he seeks not his own glory, but that of His Maker; and considers that every gift of wisdom he has received for the purpose of preaching, as bestowed not for his own deserts, but through the intercessions of those for whom he speaks. And thus while he casts himself down, he rises higher and higher; because he doubtless makes greater progress in gaining his own reward, by ascribing to the merits of others the good gifts he is able to exercise. He counts himself unworthy of all men, even when he lives more worthily than all together. For he is -st pride. Said by the interroga of. For we om we are rejection: He rejects, Je, all ye hty man, not the approre y human reward. person ring, I pprove know. falls ce to the tion then ery ide d Eliu's name, parentage, and country explained. 9 aware that the good qualities which are known to the world Book at large, can hardly exist in him without great peril. And XXIII. though he feels himself to be wise, he would wish to be really wise without appearing so: and is especially afraid of that which is spoken of and gets abroad. And he seeks, if possible, to be silent, from perceiving that silence is safer for many, and considers that they are happier, whom a lower part in Holy Church conceals in silence; and though, in defence of the Church, he takes on himself of necessity the duty of speaking, because he is urged by the force of charity, yet he seeks with earnest longing the rest of silence. The one he maintains as a matter of wish, the other he exercises as a matter of duty. But of such ways of speaking the proud are ignorant. For they speak not because causes arise, but seek for them to arise in order that they may speak. Of such Eliu is now a type, who in what he says sets himself up beyond measure, through the sin of pride. When the words then of blessed Job were ended it is added, These three men ceased to answer Job, because he seemed Job 32, just in his own eyes. In the expression, because he seemed to be just in his own eyes, the author of this sacred history intended to refer to the opinion of Job's friends, and did not himself accuse him of being puffed up with pride. It follows: Ver. 2. And Eliu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram, was wroth and indignant. 1. ii. 9. The names either of himself, or of his parent, of his 3. 10 Eliu's kindred. He finds fault with both sides. JOB 32, Divine Grace, but in their proud manners they shew that it is to be despised. For the gifts which they have received they render contemptible, by not knowing how to use them rightly. But he is fitly said to be also of the kindred of Ram. For Ram signifies "lofty." For lofty is the assembly of the faithful, which despises the low and abject things of this life. Phil. 3, Lofty are they who can say with Paul, Our conversation is in heaven. Eliu therefore is said to be of the kindred of Ram,' because every haughty preacher within the bosom of the Church Catholic, is united to the holy People in the verity of the faith, however he may be separated from them in conduct by the sinfulness of his pride. It follows, 20. iii. But he was angry against Job, because he said he was just before God. Moreover against his friends was he wroth, because they had not found reasonable answers, but had merely condemned Job. 10. It must be carefully observed, that he blames blessed Job for professing himself just before God, but his friends, because in condemning him they gave no reasonable reply. For it is plainly inferred, from these marks, that in him are characterized the lovers of vain glory. For he convicts Job of presuming on his righteousness, his friends of making a foolish answer. For all lovers of vain glory, while they prefer themselves to all other, accuse some of folly, others of obtaining what they do not deserve: that is, they consider some to be ignorant, others to be evil livers. And though they may justly accuse of heresy all who are external to the Church, yet they despise those who are within for the meanness of their life, and pride themselves against the one from high notions of their sound faith, against the others as if from the merits of their good living. But Eliu is well said to reprove at one time blessed Job, and at another time his friends: because the lovers of vain glory, living at times within the pale of Holy Church, both crush her opponents by preaching the truth, and oppose the customs of the same Holy Church in boasting of their preaching. They overwhelm the opponents of the Church by the power of their words, they oppress Holy Church by the way in which they utter them. They assail the one by preaching the truth, the other by their sin of pride. It follows, The Church older than heresy, proud teachers younger. 11 XXIII. Ver. 4, 5. Elihu therefore waited while Job was speaking, Book because they who were speaking were his elders. But when he had seen that the three were not able to answer, he was very wroth. 2, 19. 11. Though Holy Church is unquestionably older than her iv. adversaries, (for they went forth from her, not she from them, as is said of them by John, They went out from us, but they 1 John were not of us,) yet Eliu is properly described as having been younger than these same adversaries. Because in truth after the contests which arose with heretics, haughty men began to have place in the Church, puffed up with the pride of learning. For when more grievous contests commenced with the enemy, there were certainly required some subtle dart-points of thought, oppositions of arguments, and a more involved research of words. And while men of glowing genius invent these weapons to suit the circumstances, they are frequently puffed up with pride, and (as is generally the case in the sin of pride) they are themselves made to fall by the same subtle meanings with which they assail the foe, while in what they think aright concerning God, they seek not God's glory, but their own. And hence is it that though Eliu says many things aright, he is yet reproved by the Divine voice, as though he had stated errors. But when it is said that Eliu waited while Job was speaking, because they who were speaking were his elders, it is plain that he observed this respect to blessed Job not out of reverence for him, but for his friends; because, namely, haughty men though dwelling within Holy Church, despise that very body which they defend; and it is commonly the case that they pay greater respect to the abilities of those who are wise to an evil purpose, than to the simple life of the innocent; and that they shew greater regard to the eloquence of those without, than to the deserts of those within. And this, though they are opposed to both in opposite ways, as differing from the one in the soundness of their opinion, and from Holy Church in the perverseness of their character. It proceeds, Ver. 6, 7. And Eliu the son of Barachel, the Buzite, answered and said, I am younger in age, but ye are more ancient. I therefore held down my head, and feared to shew 12 Arrogance in claiming gifts as our own or merited. JOB 32, you my opinion. For I was hoping that greater age would speak, and that a multitude of years would teach wisdom. 8. vi. 12. All these words, which are uttered by him through swelling pride, must be rather glanced at by the way than expounded more attentively. For whatsoever is deficient in solid gravity, needs not any elaborate exposition. But I think I need only suggest in a few words, that Eliu was more wise, as long as he remained silent on account of his age, but that in despising a multitude of years in others, and setting himself above them, he shewed plainly his childish folly. For both greater age speaks, against his opinion, and wisdom is taught by multitude of years. Because, though length of life does not confer intelligence, yet it gives it much exercise by constant practice. It follows, Ver. 8. But, as I see, there is a spirit in man, and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding. 13. He would be right in saying this, did he not arrogate to himself this same wisdom above all others. For it is no slight' condemnation for a man to boast within himself of that advantage which is given to him in common with others, to know whence he has received a good gift, and to know not how to use the good he has received. For there are four marks by which every kind of pride of the arrogant is pointed out, either when they think that they possess any good quality from themselves, or if they believe that it is given them from above, yet that they have received it in consequence of their own merits, or unquestionably when they boast of possessing that which they have not, or when they despise others, and wish to appear the sole possessors of what they have. For he boasted that he possessed his good qualities from himself, to whom it is said by the Apostle, 1 Cor. 4, But what hast thou which thou didst not receive? why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it? Again, the same Apostle warns us not to believe that any gift of grace is given Eph. 2, us for our precedent deserts, when he says, By grace ye are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, but it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any one should boast. 1 Tim.1, Who says also of himself, Who before was a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and contumelious: but I obtained mercy. a Ber.' prava,' a misprint for 'parva.' 7. 8.9. 13. |