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Also in claiming falsely, or exclusively.

13

30.

XXIII.

For in these words he plainly declares, that grace is not Book given according to desert, when he taught us both what he deserved of himself for his evil deeds, and what he obtained by God's benevolence. But again, some persons boast that they have that which they really have not, as the Divine Voice speaks of Moab by the Prophet; I know his Jer. 48, pride and his arrogance, and that his virtue is not according to it. And as is said to the Angel of the Church of Laodicea, Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, Rev. 3, and have need of nothing, and knowest not that thou art 17. wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. Some again wish, in contempt of others, to appear to be the sole possessors of the good qualities which they have. Whence also the Pharisee went down from the temple without being justified, because by ascribing to himself as if in a singular manner the merit of good works, he preferred himself to the suppliant publican. The holy Apostles also are warned against this sin of pride; for on returning from their preaching, and saying with pride, Lord, even the devils are Luke10, subject to us through Thy name, to keep them from rejoicing in this singular gift of miracles, the Lord at once replied to them, saying, I beheld Satan as lightning falling from heaven. For he had himself said with special pride, I will Is. 14, exalt my throne above the stars of heaven, I will sit in the mount of the covenant, in the sides of the north; I will be like the Most High. And the Lord, in order to bring down pride in the hearts of His disciples, related with wondrous wisdom the judgment of downfal, which the prince of pride himself underwent, that they might learn, from the author of pride, what they had to apprehend from the sin of haughtiness. In the fourth kind of pride then, namely, the boasting of the sole possession of any thing it possesses, the mind of man equally suffers a fall. But it is in this that it approaches more closely to a resemblance of Satan, because whoever rejoices at the singular possession of any good thing, whoever wishes to appear more exalted than others, plainly imitates him who in despising the blessing of the society of Angels, and placing his seat at the north, and proudly desiring to be like the Most High, endeavoured by his evil longing to shoot up to some singular preeminence. Eliu

17.

13. 14.

14 Eliu exalts himself in comparison with his elders.

JOB 32, then, though confessing that wisdom is given by God, yet 12. 13. falls in this species of pride, so as to rejoice that he is

vii.

viii.

wiser than others, and foolishly to pride himself on possessing, as it were, a singular advantage. Which he points out in the words which follow, when he says,

Ver. 9, 10, 11. Old men are not wise, neither do the aged understand judgment. Therefore I will say, Hearken to me, I will shew you my wisdom. For I waited for your words, I heard your wisdom, whilst ye were disputing in words: and as long as I thought that ye said something, I considered.

14. As far as regards the literal meaning, Eliu proves to us, when he speaks, how proudly he remained silent. For when he says, For I waited for your words, and I was thinking that ye would say something, he plainly shews that he remained silent, while the aged were speaking, rather with the desire of judging, than with the wish of learning from them. Though these expressions are even a better description of the conduct of proud men, who, when at length brought within Holy Church, are accustomed on looking at her opponents, to consider not so much the years of their age, as the intention of their words. For however older the heretics may be than these same haughty men, they boldly overbear those persons in whose words they reprove false doctrine. It follows,

Ver. 12, 13. But, as I see, there is no one of you who can convince Job, and reply to his words. Lest ye should perchance say, We have found out wisdom; God hath cast him down, not man.

15. Heretics, from the fact that they are wont to appear contemptible even to men, when they behold Holy Church reverenced by well-nigh all nations, endeavour to impugn the opinion entertained of her by every possible objection; and say that she enjoys all abundance of temporal goods, because the gifts of eternal rewards are taken from her. Eliu meets the objections of such people, by saying, Lest ye should perchance say, We have found out wisdom; God hath cast him down, not man. As if they who are found within the Church, but are yet faithful, should say against the heretics, Because ye see that the Church stands high in this world,

Proud men attack the Church, though not as heretics. 15

XXIII.

through the high opinion of men, ye must believe that God Book
hath not cast her aside. For her Redeemer well knows how
to administer comfort to her as she is travelling on in this
her journey, and to keep in store for her the rewards of
heaven, when she arrives at her eternal home. In vain then
do ye assert that God hath cast her down, and not man,
when ye behold her venerated by almost all men; because
the aid of worldly distinction is conferred on her in order
that she may be assisted thereby in manifold ways to gain
also the rewards of heaven. It follows,

Ver. 14. He spake nothing to me, and I will not reply to
him according to your words.

16. What is meant by his saying, He spake nothing to ix.
me? For does holy Church, when she detects haughty men
within her, ever omit to instruct and reprove them by
preachers of righteousness? She exercises these duties, and
ceases not to exercise them daily. But let Eliu, who had
heard blessed Job speaking openly, say, He spake nothing
to me; because doubtless, all haughty men, though they
hear indeed the words of Holy Church, yet pretend that they
are not addressed to them, when they make light of correct-
ing the sin of pride. Nor do they think that they are re-
proved for their pride, for they look on themselves as humble;
and they also make light of reproof, when they count them-
selves much wiser even than their reprovers. But in saying,
I will not answer him according to your words, he well says
that he does not answer blessed Job with their speeches.
For proud men within the pale of Holy Church reply against
her, but yet not as heretics who are without. For they
oppose her not by false teaching, but by evil living, because
they do not think unworthily of God, as do heretics, but
more highly than is necessary of their own selves. It
follows,

Ver. 15. They were afraid, they answered no more, they
removed speech from themselves.

The friends of Job are well said to have been afraid of the words of Eliu, since frequently proud defenders of the Church, though they do not observe due order in what they say, yet confound the adversaries by the very virtue of their words. It follows,

1

16. 17.

16

Eliu, eager for display, like an uncovered vessel.

JOB 32, Ver. 16. Because therefore I have waited, and they have not spoken, they have stood, and have answered no more.

X.

17. Wise men are accustomed to make it the limit of their speaking, to speak so far as to silence their adversaries. For they wish not to display their own powers, but to put down the teachers of heresy. But after it is said of the friends of Job, They were afraid, they answered no more, they removed speech from themselves, Eliu subjoins and says, I have waited, and they have not spoken; they have stood, and have answered no more. Even when they are already silent, he yet multiplies his words, because, being an arrogant man, and representing the character of the arrogant, he is in haste not merely to refute the arguments of his opponents, but to display his own wisdom. Whence it also follows,

Ver. 17. I will also answer my part, and I will display my knowledge.

For every proud man considers this to be his part, if he does not so much possess, as make a show of, knowledge. For all proud men are anxious not to possess knowledge, but to make a display of it: against whom Moses well says, Numb. Every vessel which hath not a cover nor binding over it 19, 15. shall be unclean. For the covering or the binding is the reproof of discipline, and every one who is not kept under by it is rejected as an unclean and polluted vessel. And was not Eliu a vessel without a cover, who had considered it to be his part to make a show of the wisdom which he possessed? For he who lays himself open by his desire of display, and is not covered by the veil of silence, is polluted as a vessel without cover or binding. But holy preachers consider that they are performing their part, if they rejoice in themselves at their own wisdom within, and if they outwardly keep back others from error. Nor do they so far go out of themselves in speaking, as to place the delight of their mind in an outward display of eloquent language. But they meditate on the benefits of wisdom in the secret of their heart, and there rejoice when they perceive it; and not when they are obliged to make it known amidst the snares of so many temptations. Although when they make known the good which they receive, yet charity steps in, and they rejoice at the progress of their hearers, and not at their own display. But the

1

Good men prefer silence; it pains the arrogant. 17

XXIII.

arrogant on gaining any knowledge think that they have Book
gained nothing, if it so happens that they keep it concealed.
For they place their happiness no where but in the praise of
men. It is hence that the foolish virgins are said to have Mat. 25,
taken no oil in their vessels; because such as be arrogant, 3.
if perchance they keep themselves from any vices, cannot
confine to their own consciences the credit of the glory.
But Paul had taken oil in his own vessel, who said, Our 2 Cor. 1,
glory is this, the testimony of our conscience. To carry then 12.
an empty vessel, is with a heart empty within to seek for the
judgment of men's lips from without. Because Eliu, then,
when seeking for glory from without, has not oil within his
vessel, he well says, I will answer my part, and I will
display my learning. And in the words which follow he
shews what are his sufferings, from vain-glory raging within,
saying,

Ver. 18-20. I am full of words, the spirit of my womb
constraineth me. Behold, my belly is as new wine without
a vent, which bursts in sunder new vessels.
I will speak,
and will take breath awhile; I will open my lips and

answer.

18. When boastful men observe that holy preachers speak xi.
eloquently, and are reverenced for their eloquence, they
frequently imitate the loftiness of their language, and not
their useful intention. They are far from loving what the
others desire, but are especially anxious to gain great renown
amongst men. For it is frequently the case that wise men,
when they find that they are not listened to, impose silence
on their lips. But frequently when they see that the sins
of the ungodly gain strength when they are silent, and cease
to reprove, they endure a kind of violence in their spirit, so
that they burst forth in language of open reproof. And
hence when the Prophet Jeremiah had imposed on himself
silence in preaching, saying, I will not make mention of Jer. 20,
Him, nor speak any more in His Name; he immediately 9.
added, And there was made as it were a burning fire in my
bosom, and shut up in my bones: and I was wearied, not
being able to bear it; for I have heard the insults of many.
For, seeing that he was not listened to, he wished to hold
his peace; but when he beheld evil increasing, he no longer