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444 Holy Church laments the falling off in latter days.

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JOB 29, wars. For what is represented in Divine Writ by a sword,' 20. Paul laid open by saying, And the sword of the Spirit, which Eph. 6, is the word of God. Now Solomon saith not 'all having' but all holding swords;' surely because not only to know the word of God is admirable, but likewise to do it. For he has but does not 'hold' a sword, who knows indeed Divine Revelation, but neglects to live according to it, and he cannot now any longer be 'well instructed to wars,' who never exercises the spiritual sword that he has. For he is altogether not equal to resist temptations, who by living badly puts it behind him to hold this sword of the word of God. So then let Holy Church, which is weighed down by subsequent persecution, taking thought of the multitude of bad and the scarcity of good ones, by the accents of blessed Job foreannounce her own woes, saying, Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as a palm. My root is opened wide by the waters, and the dew shall stay on my harvest. My glory shall ever be fresh, and my bow shall be renewed in mine hand. Which same, whilst taking a view of all things, was never imposed on by a false hope. For they that be perfect now see many her supporters, but doubtless they reflect that on the crisis of temptation coming forth, the greater number of these become her enemies, who in the time of peace seem to be her citizens. But they do not despair of all in like manner, yet nevertheless it very frequently falls out that those persons, touching whom they had entertained more confident assurance as to the Faith, themselves become fiercer enemies of the Faith, so that they then see those acting against the sacred Oracles, by whose working they had thought to restore those same sacred Oracles to the benefit of preaching. Which same times, however, we lament have now already commenced, when we see numbers, set within the pale of the Church, who either refuse to practise what they understand, or this very sacred Revelation likewise disdain to see into and to know. For turning away the hearing from the truth, they are turned to Phil. 2, fables, whilst all seek their own, not the things that are Jesus Christ's. The written words of God every where found are presented to their eyes, but men disdain to acquaint themselves with these, scarce one seeks to know what he has

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believed. So then let the multitude of good men going Book before grieve to have their bow destroyed,' which same always thought to have sacred Revelation restored by the efforts of those coming after.

BOOK XX.

The five concluding verses of chapter twenty-nine of the Book of Job are more largely explained, together with the whole of chapter thirty, chiefly on the subject of heretics and carnal persons distressing the Church.

1. ALTHOUGH all knowledge and all lore Sacred Scripture without all comparison far excels, to say nothing that it tells forth what is true; that it bids to the heavenly country; that it changes the heart of him that reads it from earthly desires to the embracing of things Above; that by its obscurer statements it exercises the strong, and by its humble strain speaks gently to the little ones; that it is neither so shut up, that it should come to be dreaded, nor so open to view as to become contemptible; that by use it removes weariness, and is the more delighted in the more it is meditated on; that the mind of him, who reads it, by words of a low pitch it assists, and by meanings of a lofty flight uplifts; that in some sort it gros with the persons reading, that by uninstructed readers it is in a manner reviewed, and yet by the well instructed is always found new; so then to say nothing of the weightiness of the subjects, it goes beyond all forms of knowledge and teaching even by the mere manner of its style of speaking, because in one and the same thread of discourse, while it relates the text, it declares a mystery, and has the art so to tell the past, that merely by that alone it knows how to announce the future, and the order of telling remaining unaltered, is instructed by the very self-same forms of speech at once to describe things done before, and to tell things destined to be done, just as it is with these same words of blessed Job, who while he tells his own circumstances foretels ours, and while he points out his own sorrows in respect of the phrase, sounds of the cases and occasions of Holy Church in respect of the meaning. For he says;

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Ver. 21-23. They that heard me awaited my sentence, Book and listening kept silence at my counsel. They dared not to add any thing to my words, and my speech dropped upon them. And they waited for me as the rain, and opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.

2. For this awe of those under him we unquestionably ii. believe to have been towards blessed Job. But as we have already often said, Holy Church being driven to extremities by the inflictions of heretics or carnal persons, remembers the times past, in which all that is spoken by her is listened to with fear by the faithful, and lamenting the frowardness of her adversaries, she says, They that heard me awaited my sentence, and listening kept silence at my counsel. As though she expressed herself in plain speech, Not like these forward and swoln ones, who whilst they refuse to admit the words of truth, do as it were in teaching forestall the sentences of my preaching.' Whose disciples now'intent upon her counsel keep silence,' because her words they dare not to impugn, but take on faith. For that they may be able to profit by these same words, they hear them, doubtless, not with a view to judge thein, but to follow them.

3. Of whom it is rightly added, To my words they dared not to add any thing; surely because heretics, at that time when against her they are in liberty the most mischievous, free of all check, do dare to add something to her words,' in that they busy themselves as if to correct the rightness of her preachings. Which same still further adds touching the good hearers, And my speech dropped upon them."

4. By this dropping of speech, what else is understood but the measure of holy preaching? because it is requisite that the boon of exhortation be bestowed to each according to the capacity of his parts. And in respect of this that is said, To my words they dared not to add any thing; the reverential feeling of the persons hearing is extolled; but in respect of this, that is added, And my speech dropped upon them; the masters' distributing is pointed out. For one who teaches ought to look exactly, that he be not forward to preach more than is comprehended by the one who hears him. For it is his duty by contracting himself to let himself down to the

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448 Drops of Holy teaching. The Gospel latter rain.'

JOB 29, infirmity of his hearers, lest whilst he speaks to little persons 21-23. lofty things, which for that reason will not profit them, he be more minded to make a display of himself than to benefit Ex. 25, his hearers. Now at the Lord's bidding, there are not only 29.37, flagons but likewise cups prepared for the table of the Tabernacle. For what is denoted by flagons' but ample preaching, and what by cups but the smallest and slightest speaking about God? Therefore on the table of the Lord there are both flagons and cups made ready, in this way because in the teaching of sacred Revelation there are not only to be set forth things great and mysterious that intoxicate, but also little and minute ones, which afford knowledge as it were in a tasting. So then let Holy Church being borne down in the last times remember this most discriminating disposal of hers, and let her say, And my speech dropped upon them.

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5. Where too it is fitly added, They waited for me as the rain, and opened their mouth as for the latter rain. For the words of holy preaching we undergo as rain, when by true humility we learn the dryness of our hearts, that we may be watered by the draught of holy preaching. Whence Ps. 143, also it is rightly said to God by the Psalmist, My soul is like earth without water to Thee. The Prophet charges us to be Is. 55, 1. bathed with these streams of teaching, saying, Ho, every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters. Who whilst in the final portion of the world we now receive the words of holy preaching, as it were open the mouth of the heart to the latter rain. For if there were not in the heart a mouth, Ps. 12,2. the Psalmist would not say, Crafty lips in heart, and with the heart they have spoken evil things. The mouth of the heart, then, because we apply ourselves to the word of the preaching at the end, this, I say, we as it were open to the latter streams. Which same preaching came forth to us by Ps. 141, the sacrifice of Ilim, Who says by the Psalmist, And the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. For because our Redeemer at the end of the world underwent the violence of those that persecuted Him, Himself He gave an evening Jer. 5, sacrifice for us.' Of this latter rain' it is elsewhere written, Deut.11, I will give you rain, both the early, and the latter rain. For tem. He gave the early rain,' because in the former period He porivam'

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