BOOK IV. Wherein Gregory, having in the Preface set forth in few words that the letter of Scripture is at times at variance with itself, and that the imprecations of Job, as of Jeremiah and David, cannot be understood without absurdity according to the sound which they convey, explains the words of Job in historical, mystical, and moral sense, from the commencement of the third chapter to the twentieth verse of the same. THE PREFACE. HE who looks to the text and does not acquaint himself with the sense of the holy Word, is not so much furnishing himself with instruction as bewildering himself in uncertainty, in that the literal words sometimes contradict themselves; but whilst by their oppositeness they stand at variance with themselves, they direct the reader to a truth that is to be understood. Thus, how is it that Solomon says, There is Eco. 2, nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink; 24. and adds not long after, It is better to go to the house of Eco. 7, mourning than to the house of feasting? Wherefore did he 2. prefer mourning to feasting, who had before commended eating and drinking? for if by preference it be good' to eat and drink,' undoubtedly it should be a much better thing to hasten to the house of mirth than to the house of mourning. Hence it is that he says again, Rejoice, O young Eoc.11, man, in thy youth; yet adds a little after, for youth and 9. pleasure are vanity. What does this mean, that he should Vulg. either first enjoin practices that are reprehensible, or afterwards reprehend practices that he has enjoined, but that by the literal words themselves he implies that he, who finds difficulty in the outward form, should consider the truth to be understood, which same import of truth, while it is sought with humility of heart, is penetrated by continuance in reading. For as we see the face of strange persons, and know nothing of their hearts, but if we are joined to them N ver. 10. 178 Some things in Holy Writ cannot be taken literally. PREF. in familiar communication, by frequency of conversation we even trace their very thoughts; so when in Holy Writ the historical narration alone is regarded, nothing more than the face is seen. But if we unite ourselves to it with frequent assiduity, then indeed we penetrate its meaning, as if by the effect of a familiar intercourse. For whilst we gather various truths from various parts, we easily see in the words thereof that what they import is one thing, what they sound like is another. But every one proves a stranger to the knowledge of it, in proportion as he is tied down to its mere outside. 3. ii. See here, for instance, in that blessed Job is described as Job 3, having cursed his day, and said, Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived; if we look no further than the surface, what can we find more reprehensible than these words? But who does not know that the day, in which he was born, could not at that time be in existence, for it is the condition of time to have no stay of continuance. For whereas by way of the future it is ever tending to be, so in going out by the past, it is ever hastening not to be. Wherefore then should one so great curse that, which he is not ignorant hath no existence? But perchance it may be said, that the magnitude of his virtue is seen from hence, that he, being disturbed by tribulation, imprecates a curse upon that, which it is evident has no existence at all. But this notion is set aside the moment the reasonableness of the thing is regarded, for if the object existed, which he cursed, it was a mischievous curse; but if it had no being, it was an idle one: but whoso is filled Mat. 12, with His Spirit, Who declareth, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the Day of Judgment; fears to be guilty of what is idle, even as of what is mischievous. To this sentence it is further added, Let that day be turned into darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it. Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let it be enfolded in bitterness. As for that night, let darkness seize upon it. Lo, let that night be solitary, let no joyful voice come therein: let it look for light, and have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day. 36. Job's curse, and wish, if literal, were impious or unmeaning.179 IV. How is it that that day, which he knows to have gone by BOOK with the flight of time, is said to be turned into darkness?' And whereas it is plain that it has no existence, wherefore is it wished for that the shadow of death might stain it?' or what cloud dwells upon it, what envelopement of bitterness enfolds it? or what darkness seizes upon that night, which no stay holds in being? Or how is it desired that that may be solitary, which in passing away had already become nought? Or how does that look for the light, which both lacks perception, and doth not continue in any stay of its own self? To these words he yet further adds, 11-13. Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up Job 3, the ghost when I came out of the belly? Why did the knees prevent me? or why the breasts that I should suck? For now I should have lain still and have been quiet, I should have slept, and been at rest. iii. below If he had died at once from the womb, would he have got by this very destruction a title to a reward? Do abortive children enjoy eternal rest? For every man that is not absolved by the water of regeneration, is tied and bound by the guilt of the original bond. But that which the water of Baptism avails for with us, this either faith alone did of old see in behalf of infants, or, for those of riper years, the virtue of §. 64. sacrifice, or, for all that came of the stock of Abraham, the mystery of circumcision. For that every living being is conceived in the guilt of our first parent the Prophet witnesses, saying, And in sin hath my mother conceived me. Ps. 51, And that he who is not washed in the water of salvation, does not lose the punishment of original sin, Truth plainly declares by Itself in these words, Except a man be born of John 3, water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of 5. How is it then, that he wishes that he had died in the womb,' and that he believes that he might have had rest by the boon of that death, whereas it is clear that the rest of life could in no wise be for him, if the Sacraments of Divine knowledge had in no wise set him free from the guilt 8 a St. Gregory, b. ix. c. 20, 21. speaks of some suffering eternal torments without actual sin. St. Aug. ad Dardanum, Ep. 187. says that an actual incorporation into the kingdom of God, after birth, was always necessary to salvation. 6 Now' (§. 34.) the Mediator, when manifested, would have the Sacrament of our Regeneration manifest. But for the righteous of old there was somewhat hidden, while still they too were saved by the same faith, which was to be 5. 14. dines 180 Death in original sin could not be wished for. PREF. of original sin? He yet further adds with whom he might Job 3, have rested, saying, With kings and counsellors of the earth 1 Vulg. which built desolate places for themselves. Who does not solitu- know that the kings and counsellors of the earth are herein far removed from solitude,' that they are close pressed with innumerable throngs of followers? and with what difficulty do they advance to rest, who are bound in with the tightened knots of such multifarious concerns! As Scripture witnesses, where it says, But mighty men shall be mightily tormented. Wisd. Hence Truth utters these words in the Gospel; unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required. He 12, 48. implies besides, whom he would have had as fellows in that 6, 6. Luke made known in its own time. For we carnal,' and opposes it to Baptism which cuts us off from sin.) S. Chrys. Hom. xxvii. in Gen. Ben. t. iv. p. 258. and Homs. xxxix. xl. and de Prod. Judæ, (?) and on Rom. Hom. vii. (vi. Ben. t. ix. p. 474. Tr. p. 76. where the words should be stronger, and from many other things one may see that it was not very necessary.') and on Heb. Hom. xiv. (?) S. Cyr. Al. against Jul. 1. x. (t. v. p. 352 sqq. Theod. q. 67. in Gen. and 1. vii. ad Gr. Damasc. 1. iv. de Fide 10. 14. and 26. (25.) Theophyl. on Rom. ii. El. Cret. on S. Greg. Naz. Or. 1. (see also Or. xl. c. 28.) And one can hardly suppose that St. Gregory meant to speak of it as having any such direct and covenanted efficacy. It is allowed to be a prophetic sign or type of Regeneration, (see S. Aug. Ep. lxxxii.) and of course obedience to the Law was required in order to the acceptance of those under the Law. Again, as the Faith he speaks of as availing for infants must be that of the Parents, (Justinian on Rom. iv. 11. takes the punishment of neglect to be theirs, and St. Aug. thinks it may, q. xi. on Exod.) he may consider circumcision as the act embodying such faith. And if he means it also of adults, the same may be said of willingly choosing the state of obedience to the Law. If St. Aug. is wrong in taking eternal punishment to be threatened to infants uncircumcised, his argument still holds as analogical, and perhaps in that circumcision was even a direct acknowledgment of original, as sacrifice by bloodshedding of actual, sin. On the whole subject of original sin, see Bull's discourse on the state of man before the Fall; Taylor on Repentance, capp. vi. vii; Wall on Inf. Bapt. c. xix. Some imprecations in Holy Writ figurative. 181 IV. 19, 23. rest, in the words, Or with princes that had gold, that filled Book their houses with silver. It is a rare thing for them that have gold to advance to rest, seeing that Truth saith by Itself, They that have riches shall hardly enter into the kingdom Matt. of heaven. For what joys in the other life can they look Mark for, who here pant after increase of riches? Yet that our 10, 23. Redeemer might further shew this event to be most rare, and only possible by the supernatural agency of God, He saith, With men this is impossible; but with God all things Matt. 19, 26. are possible. Therefore because these words are, on the surface, at variance with reason, the letter itself thereby points out, that in those words the Saint delivers nothing after the letter. But if we shall first examine the nature of other curses in iv. Holy Writ, we may the more perfectly trace out the import of this one, which was uttered by the mouth of blessed Job. For how is it that David, who to those that rewarded him evil, returned it not again, upon Saul and Jonathan falling in war, curses the mountains of Gilboa in the following words, Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither 2 Sam. let there be rain upon you, nor fields of offerings; for there the shield of Saul is vilely cast away, as though he had not been anointed with oil? How is it that Jeremiah, seeing that his preaching was hindered by the hardness of his hearers, utters a curse, saying, Cursed be the man, who brought Jer. 20, tidings to my father, saying, A man child is born unto thee? What then did the mountains of Gilboa offend when Saul died, that neither dew nor rain should fall on them, and that the words of his sentence against them should make them barren of all produce of verdure? Why, forasmuch as Gilboa is by interpretation' running down,' while by Saul's anointing and dying, the death of our Mediator is set forth, by the mountains of Gilboa we have no unfit representation of the uplifted hearts of the Jews, who, while they let themselves. run down in the pursuit of the desires of this world, were mingled together in the death of Christ, i. e. of the Anointed.' And because in them the anointed King dies the death of the body, they too are left dry of all the dew of grace; of whom also it is well said, that they cannot be fields of first fruits. Because the high minds of the Hebrews bear no 'first fruits;' in that at the coming of our Redeemer, persisting 15. |