ilure. -light the ed him in t in store the loss by the icted in iumphs wolved e, both proved пешу, im in road OWD tion, con him the hey of a ese, ,in nts 1st де e e 3 Job represents the Redeemer Whom he foretold. Job sinned in his words, what else does he do, but confess Book that God, Who pledged Himself for him, had been the loser. mere antur 2. But since the ancient fathers, like fruitful trees, are not merely beauteous in appearance, but also profitable through their fertility, their life must be so considered by us, that when we admire the freshness of their history, we may learn also how fruitful they are in allegory, in order that, since the smell of their leaves is pleasant, we may learn also how sweet is the taste of their fruits. For no one ever possessed the grace of heavenly adoption but he who has received it through the knowledge of the Only-begotten. It is right then that He should shine forth in their life and words, Who so enlightens them that they may be able to shine. For when the light of a candle is kindled in the dark, the candle, which causes other objects to be seen, is first seen itself. And so, if we are truly endeavouring to behold the objects which are enlightened, it is necessary for us to open the eyes of our mind to that Lightening which gives them light. But it is this which shines forth in these very discourses of blessed Job, when the shades of allegory too have been driven away, as though the gloom of midnight had been dispelled, a bright light as it were flaming across them. As when it is said, I know that my Redeemer liveth, Job 19, Paul had doubtless 25. and in my flesh I shall see God. discovered this light in the night of history, when he said, All were baptized in Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and 1 Cor. all ate the same spiritual meat, and all drank the same spiritual drink. But they drank of the spiritual Rock that followed them, but the Rock was Christ. If then the Rock represented the Redeemer, why should not blessed Job suggest the type of Him, since he signified in his suffering Him Whom he spake of in his voice? And hence he is not improperly called Job, that is to say, "grieving," because he sets forth in his own person the image of Him, of Whom it is announced long before by Isaiah, that He Himself bore Is. 53, 4. our griefs. It should be further known, that our Redeemer has represented Himself as one Person with Holy Church, whom He has assumed to Himself. For it is said of Him, Eph. 4, Which is the Head, even Christ. And again it is written of 15. His Church; And the body of Christ, which is the Church. 24. Col. 1, 10, 2-4. XXIII. 1. 4 Job's wife typifies the carnal; his friends, heretics. JOB 32, Blessed Job therefore, who was more truly a type of Christ, since he prophesied of His passion, not by words only, but also by his sufferings, when he dwells on setting forth the Redeemer in his words and deeds, is sometimes suddenly turning to signify His body; in order that, as we believe Christ and His Church to be one Person, we may behold this signified also by the actions of a single man. 3.4. 3. But what else is signified by his wife, who provokes him to words of blasphemy, but the depravity of carnal men? For placed, with yet unreformed manners, within the pale of the Holy Church, they press harder on those of faithful lives, the nearer they are to them; because when they cannot as being faithful be avoided by the faithful, they are endured as a greater evil, the more inward it is. But his friends, who while pretending to advise, inveigh against him, represent to us heretics, who under the pretence of advising, carry on the business of leading astray. And thus while speaking to Job on behalf of the Lord, they hear His reproof; because all heretics in truth while endeavouring to maintain God's cause, do in fact offend Him. Whence also it is properly Job 13, said to them by the same holy man, I desire to reason with God, first shewing that ye are forgers of lies, and followers of corrupt doctrines. It is plain then that they typify heretics, since the holy man accuses them of being devoted to the profession of false doctrines. And since Job is by interpretation grieving, (for by his grief is set forth either the passion of the Mediator, or the travails of Holy Church, which is harassed by the manifold labours of this present life,) so do his friends also by the very word which is used for their names set forth the nature of their conduct. For Eliphaz signifies in Latin "contempt of God;" and what else is the conduct of heretics than a proud contempt of God by the false notions they entertain of Him? Bildad is interpreted "oldness alone." And well are all heretics termed oldness alone, in the. things they speak of God, since they are anxious to appear preachers, not with any honest intention, but with an earnest desire after worldly honour. For they are urged to speak not by the zeal of the new man, but by the evil principles of their old life. Sophar too is called in Latin 'dissipation of the prospect,' or a 'dissipating of e of Christ, s only, but forth the = suddenly ve believe y behold provokes al men? pale of faithful cannot ndured riends, resent ry on aking cause God's erly with ers ily Fed by er Their names explained. Eliu type of the arrogant. 5 XXIII. the prospect.' For the minds of the faithful raise them- Book selves to the contemplation of things above: but when the words of the heretics endeavour to draw them aside from the right objects of contemplation, they do their best to dissipate the prospect. In the three names then of Job's friends, there are set forth three cases of the ruin of heretics. For did they not despise God, they would never entertain false notions respecting Him; and did they not contract oldness, they would not err in their estimate of the new life; and unless they marred the contemplation of the good, the divine judgments would not have reproved them with so strict a scrutiny, for the faults which they committed in their words. By despising God then, they keep themselves in their oldness: but by remaining in their oldness, they obstruct the view of them that are right by their crooked discoursing. For when sensaid to be bad, 2. 4. After these also, Eliu, a younger person, is joined to them 5. For the nature of every thing that is said can be dis- 1. Matt. 3, 2. 26. 6 What is spoken, and how. The three friends reconciled. JOB 32, A good thing is well said, when right matters are rightly preached; as John says, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. A bad thing is well spoken, when a fault is adduced by the speaker, simply to be reproved; as Paul Rom. 1, says, The women changed their natural use into that which is against nature. In which place he subjoined too the execrable doings of men. But he related these unseemly things in a seemly way, that by telling of things unbecoming, he might recal many to the practice of what is becoming. But a good thing is ill spoken, when what is proper is brought forward with an improper object; as the Pharisees are reported to have said to the blind man who had received his sight, Be thou His disciple; for they said this for the express purpose of reproaching him, not as John11, wishing what they said; or as Caiaphas says, It is expedient that one man should die for the people, that the whole nation perish not. It was a good thing which he said, but not with good view; for while he longed for His cruel death, he prophesied the grace of redemption. And in like manner Eliu also is reproved for saying right things in a wrong way: because in the very truths which he utters he is puffed up with arrogance. And he represents thereby the character of the arrogant, because through a sense of what is right he rises up into words of pride. John 9, 28. 50. 6. But what is meant by the Divine Voice directing that the three friends should be reconciled by seven sacrifices, while it leaves Eliu only beneath the reproof of a single sentence; except it be that heretics, when bedewed with the superabundance of Divine grace, sometimes return to the unity of Holy Church? This is excellently set forth by the very reconciliation of the friends, for whom nevertheless blessed Job is directed to pray. Because in truth the sacrifices of heretics cannot be acceptable to God, unless they be offered for them by the hands of the Church Catholic, that they may gain a healing remedy by her merits, whom they used to smite, by attacking her with the shafts of their reproaches. And thence is it that seven sacrifices are said to have been offered for them, because whilst they receive on confession the Spirit of sevenfold grace, they are atoned for, as it were, by seven oblations. Wherefore in the e reconciled. are rightly of hearen a fault is ; as Paul hat which what is en what as the in who ey said not as dient whole 1, but th, he nner Meaning of their sacrifices. Eliu reproved. 1. Rev. 1, Apocalypse of John, the whole Church is represented by the Book 7. But Eliu (by whom are designated those lovers of ས |