XXXIII.

492 Job's Disadvantages, compared with our Condition.

HOMIL. for us to learn." Because we are asleep, we do not learn, 7, 8. since he surely that is anxious, and searches well for the pearl, will know of many more particulars than these. For the more grievous, and apt to infuse greater perplexity, were different.

16.

And first, his knowing nothing certain about the kingdom of heaven, and the resurrection; which indeed he also spoke of, lamenting. For I shall not live alway, that I should suffer Job 7, long1. Next, his being conscious to himself of many good LXX. works. Thirdly, his being conscious of no evil thing. Fourthly, his supposing that at God's hands he was undergoing it; or if at the devil's, this again was enough to offend him. Fifthly, his hearing his friends accusing him of wickedness, For thou hast not been scourged, say they, according to what 2 Job 11, thy sins deserve. Sixthly, his seeing such as lived in wickedness prospering, and exulting over him. Seventhly, not having any other to whom he might look as even having ever suffered such things.

6.

[8.] And if thou wouldest learn how great these things are, consider our present state. For if now, when we are looking for a kingdom, and hoping for a resurrection, and for the unutterable blessings, and are conscious to ourselves of countless evil deeds, and when we have so many examples, and are partakers of so high a philosophy; should any persons lose a little gold, and this often, after having taken it by violence, they deem life not to be lived in, having no wife to lay sore on them, nor bereaved of children, nor reproached by friends, nor insulted by servants, but rather having many to comfort them, some by words, some by deeds; of how noble crowns must not he be worthy, who seeing what he had gotten together by honest labour, snatched away from him for nought and at random, and after all that, undergoing temptations without number, like sleet, yet throughout all abides unmoved, and offers to the Lord his due thanksgiving for it all?

Why, though no one had spoken any of the other taunts, yet his wife's words alone were sufficient utterly to shake a very rock. Look, for example, at her craft. No mention of money, none of camels, and flocks, and herds, (for she was conscious of her husband's self-command with regard to

Job compared with Joseph and the Apostles.

493

X. 22.

these,) but of what was harder to bear than all these, I mean, MATT. their children; and she deepens the tragedy, and adds to it her own influence.

Now if when men were in wealth, and suffering no distress, in many things and oft have women prevailed on them: imagine how courageous was that soul, which repulsed her, assaulting him with such powerful weapons, and which trod under foot the two most tyrannical passions, desire and pity. And yet many having conquered desire, have yielded to pity. That noble Joseph, for instance, held in subjection the most tyrannical of pleasures, and repulsed that strange woman, plying him as she did with innumerable devices; but his tears he contained not, but when he saw his brethren that had wronged him, he was all on fire with that passion, and quickly cast off the mask, and discovered the part he had been playing'. But when first of all she is his 1. wife, and when her words are piteous, and the moment favourable for her, as well as his wounds and his stripes, and those countless waves of calamities; how can one otherwise than rightly pronounce the soul impassive to so great a storm to be firmer than any adamant?

Allow me freely to say, that the very Apostles, if not inferior to this blessed man, are at least not greater than he was. For they indeed were comforted by the suffering for Christ; and this medicine was so sufficient daily to relieve them, that the Lord puts it every where, saying, for Me, for My sake, and, If they called Me, the Master of the house,

Beelzebub2. But he was destitute of this encouragement, and 2 Matt. of that from miracles, and of that from grace; for neither had 10, 25. he so great power of the Spirit.

And what is yet greater, nourished in much delicacy, not from amongst fishermen, and publicans, and such as lived. frugally, but after enjoyment of so much honour, he suffered all that he did suffer. And what seemed hardest to bear in the case of the Apostles, this same he also underwent, being hated of friends, of servants, of enemies, of them who had received kindness of him: and the sacred anchor, the harbour without waves, namely, that which was said to the Apostles, for My sake, of this he had no sight.

I admire again the Three Children, for that they dared the

X. 8.

3, 18.

494 Job's exceeding Moderation and Humbleness.

HOMIL. furnace, that they stood up against a tyrant. But hear what they say, We serve not thy Gods, nor worship the image 1 Dan. which thou hast set up1. A thing which was the greatest encouragement to them, to know of a certainty that for God they are suffering all whatsoever they suffer. But this man knew not that it was all conflicts, and a wrestling; for had he known it, he would not have felt what was happening. At any rate, when he heard, Thinkest thou that I have uttered to thee mine oracles for nought, or that thou mightest be Job 40, proved righteous?? consider how straightway, at a bare word, he breathed again, how he made himself of no account, how he accounted himself not so much as to have suffered what he had suffered, thus saying, Why do I plead any more, being admonished and reproved of the Lord, hearing 3Job 40, such things, I being nothing3? And again, I have heard of Thee before, as far as hearing of the ear; but now mine eye hath seen Thee; wherefore I have made myself vile, and have Job 42, melted away; and I account myself earth and ashes*.

3.LXX.

4.LXX.

5.6.

LXX.

This fortitude then, this moderation, of him that was before Law and Grace, let us also emulate, who are after Law and Grace; that we may also be able to share with him the eternal tabernacles; unto which may we all attain, by the grace and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ, to Whom be the glory and the victory for ever and ever. Amen.

HOMILY XXXIV.

MATT. X. 23.

But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into the other; for verily I say unto you, ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of Man be come.

HAVING spoken of those fearful and horrible things, enough to melt very adamant, which after His Cross, and Resurrection, and Assumption, were to befal them, He directs again His discourse to what was of more tranquil character, allowing those whom He is training to recover breath, and affording them full security. For He did not at all command them, when persecuted, to close with the enemy, but to fly. That is, it being so far but a beginning, and a prelude, He gave His discourse a very condescending turn. For not now of the ensuing persecutions is He speaking, but of those before the Cross and the Passion. And this He shewed by saying, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of Man be come. That is, lest they should say, “What then, if when persecuted we flee, and there again they overtake us, and drive us out?"—to destroy this fear, He saith, “Ye shall not have gone round Palestine first, but I will straightway come upon you."

And see how here again He doeth not away with the terrors, but stands by them in their perils. For He said not, "I will snatch you out, and will put an end to the persecutions;" but what? Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of Man be come. Yea, for it sufficed for their consolation, simply to see Him.

HOMIL. XXXIV.

v. 26.

496 The Apostles trained to all sorts of Self Denial.

But do thou observe, I pray thee, how He doth not on 1, 2. every occasion leave all to grace, but requires something also to be contributed on their part. "For if ye fear," saith He, "flee," for this He signified by saying, flee ye, and fear not. And He did not command them to flee at first, but when persecuted to withdraw; neither is it a great distance that He allows them, but so much as to go about the cities of Israel.

Then again, He trains them for another branch of selfcommand; first, casting out all care for their food: secondly, all fear of their perils; and now, that of calumny. Since v. 10. from that first anxiety He freed them, by saying, The workman is worthy of his hire, and by signifying that many would receive them; and from their distress about their v.19.22. dangers, by saying, Take no thought how or what ye shall speak, and, He that endureth unto the end, the same shall be saved.

v.24,25,

26.

But since withal it was likely that they should also bring upon themselves an evil report, which to many seems harder to bear than all; see whence He comforts them even in this case, deriving the encouragement from Himself, and from all that had been said touching Himself; to which nothing else was equal. For as He said in that other place, Ye shall be hated of all men, and added, for My name's sake, so also here.

And in another way He mitigates it, joining a fresh topic to that former. What kind of one then is it?

The disciple, saith He, is not above his Master, nor the servant above his Lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his Master, and the servant as his Lord. If they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of His household? Fear them not therefore.

See how He discovers Himself to be the Lord and God and Creator of all things. What then? Is there not any disciple above his Master, or servant above his Lord? So long as he is a disciple, and a servant, he is not, by the nature of that honour. For tell me not here of the rare instances, but take the principle from the majority. And He saith not," How much more His servants," but " them of His