Job 30

Job 30:1

Gregory the Dialogist: But now they that are younger than I have me in derision. Whose fathers I would have disdained to set with the dogs of my flock.

All heretics when compared to the age of the Church Universal are fitly called ‘younger’ in time, because they went forth out of her, not she out of them. Whence it is rightly also said by John; They went out from us, but they were not of us: for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us. For ’they that are younger in time deride Holy Church,’ when they that went out from her, set at nought the words of her instruction; concerning whom it is further added; Whose fathers I would have disdained to set with the dogs of my flock.

Who is the ‘flock’ of Holy Church saving the multitude of the faithful? Or who else are called ’the dogs’ of this flock, but the holy Teachers, who became the guardians of those believers? Which same whilst in behalf of their Lord they cried aloud, given up to daily and nightly watchings, uttered, so to say, loud barks of preaching. Concerning whom it is said to that Church by the Psalmist, The tongue of Thy dogs from the enemies by the same. Since there are some that being recalled from the worshipping of idols are made the preachers of God. So ’the tongue of the dogs’ of the Church goeth forth from enemies, because the Gentiles that are converted the Lord makes even preachers. Whence the slowness of the Jews, who refused to speak in God’s behalf by the Prophet upbraiding them is made matter of blame, where he says, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark.

Now we speak of the fathers of Heretics meaning those whom we style ‘Heresiarchs,’ by whose evil preaching, i.e. by the seed of speaking, the peoples following them were begotten in error. So then Holy Church ‘disdains to set the fathers’ of heretics ‘with the dogs of her flock,’ because the founders of erring tenets on trying she rejects, and contemns to number them among the true Fathers. Which persons though they seemed to have recalled some from the erroneousness of heathenism, to have trained the practices of some to the doing what is right, yet for this that they did not think right things of God, she does not ‘set them with the dogs of the flock,’ because she does not rank them with right preachers. For it is plain that Arius; Photinus, Macedonius, Nestorius, Eutyches, Dioscorus, Severus, and numbers like to these, endeavoured by teaching and persuading to appear fathers. But their errors the Holy Church Universal trying with strict severity, does not ’number those persons among the keepers of’ her flock,’ whom she condemns as breaking up the unity of that flock. Of which same it is said to the Ephesians by the voice of Paul, For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. And because it sometimes happens that heretics in proportion as they fall away more into the erroneousness of misbelief, guard themselves the more fully in outward practising, so that they may appear to do great things above the rest of the world, the Holy Church Universal sets at nought all their works, which she observes do not come forth by the authority of faith. — Morals on the Book of Job, Book XX

Julian of Eclanum: “But now they make sport of me, those who are younger than I.” These words testify to the authority, power and grace that, as he has asserted, he used to own in his previous days. The more favorable his state of former happiness had been, the more bitter now it makes his feeling of pain after turning into misfortune.“Whose fathers I would have disdained to set with the dogs of my flock.” He now refers to an evidence of extreme poverty, through which also the vileness of his condition appears, not only the fact that he lives on charity but also that he is appointed to take care of the food of dogs. — EXPOSITION ON THE BOOK OF Job 30:1

Job 30:2

Gregory the Dialogist: The power of whose hands was nothing to me, and of life itself they were accounted unworthy.

‘Power in the hand’ is greatness in practising. But ’the power of the hands’ of Heretics is reckoned ‘as nothing to’ Holy Church, because she sees that, the true faith being lost, whatsoever they do it is of no merit. For the charity of God and our neighbour they forsake, who both imagine what is false concerning God, and by wrangling are separated from their neighbours. But ’the strength of the hands’ without charity the great preacher bears witness is of no avail, in that he says, And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. But sometimes Heretics perform signs and miracles as well, but in order that they may here receive back the rewards of their chastening and abstinence, i.e. the praises, which they go after. And hence it is said by the voice of the Redeemer, Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy Name, and in Thy Name have cast out devils, and in Thy Name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you, depart from Me, ye that work iniquity. By which same sentence what is there given to be understood, but that in man it is the humbleness of charity and not the signs of miraculous virtues that ought to be revered? Whence Holy Church now, even if there be any miracles of heretics performed, sets it at nought, because she sees that these are no proof of holiness. Since the way to prove holiness is not to perform miracles, but to love every man as one’s self; and concerning God to think what is true, and of his fellow-creature to think better things than of himself. For that true power lies in love, and not in the manifesting of a miracle, ‘Truth’ shews, Who says, By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another. For He Who says not, ‘in this shall it be known that ye are My disciples, if ye shall perform miraculous signs,’ but Who saith, ‘if ye have love one to another,’ plainly proves that it is not miracles but charity alone that proves the true servants of God. So the witness to the heavenly discipleship is the gift of brotherly charity. Which same love, because all heretics refuse to have, whilst they are divided from the Unity of the Church Universal, it is justly said concerning them; the strength of whose hands was nothing to me. And because to these same signs, that they set forth, they do not accord themselves by any humility, it is rightly added, And of life itself they were accounted unworthy. Or indeed, all heretics Holy Church declares unworthy of life itself, for this reason, because under the Name of Christ, they fight against the Name of Christ. — Morals on the Book of Job, Book XX

Job 30:3

Gregory the Dialogist: Who gnawed in solitude, being scurvy with calamity and misery, and chewed herbs and the barks of trees. And juniper roots for their meat.

All heretics, whilst in sacred Revelation they make it their aim to dive into secrets of God beyond what they are capable of, by their hunger become barren. For they do not seek those things, whereby they may train themselves to humility, may order their ways in tranquillity, keep patience, shew forth long suffering, but those alone which may prove them learned and talkers; they aim to know those things, by which they may seem to be in a special manner instructed. For they very often treat with boldness of the nature of the Divine Being, whilst, wretched as they are, they know not their own selves. And so they become ‘barren by want and hunger,’ because they desire to dive into those things, by which they should not bring forth the buddings of a good life. For the things which they dive into are beyond themselves. And whilst they make for that which they are unable to comprehend, they neglect to acquaint themselves with those things, by which they might have been instructed. Which same boldness of theirs the great Preacher rightly checks, saying, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly. Hence Solomon says, Set bounds to thine own wisdom. Hence again he says, Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it. For the sweetness of spiritual meaning he who seeks to eat beyond what he contains, even what he had eaten he ‘vomiteth’; because whilst he seeks to make out things above, beyond his powers, even the things that he had made out aright, he forfeits. Hence he says again; As for one to eat much honey is not good, so he that would search out Majesty shall be crushed with glory. For the glory of the Invisible Creator, which when searched into with moderation lifts us up, being dived into beyond our powers bears us down. Therefore heretics, because in proportion as they aim to be more completely filled by sublime perception, so much the more entirely they become empty, have it rightly said concerning them, barren by want and hunger. Since by unbounded attempts the more they go after the knowledge of heavenly acquaintanceship, the more they lose it.

But, on the other hand, they that in Holy Church are truly humble, and truly instructed, are taught touching heavenly mysteries, both some things when viewed to understand, and some things not understood to reverence, that so what they understand they may hold with reverence, and what they do not as yet understand they may look forward to with humility. Whence it is said to us by Moses, that in eating the lamb, that which remaineth of it we should burn, with fire; for we ’eat the lamb,’ when in understanding many particulars of the Lord’s human Nature, we deposit them in the belly of the mind. Wherefrom there are some things left to us, which cannot be eaten; because many particulars still remain concerning Him, which can by no means be understood. Which same nevertheless are to be ‘consumed with fire,’ because the things which we are unable to understand concerning Him, we reserve with humility for the Holy Spirit. Which same humility very often reveals even those things to the perceptions of the Elect, which appeared to be things impossible to be understood. For the froward minds of heretics, whilst they proudly attribute understanding to themselves, as it were presume to deliver fixed decisions even touching what is unknown. Whence it comes to pass, that the self-elation itself which lifts them up in themselves within, should without drive them off from the truth, and that in the declarations of God they should hardly even comprehend the outward things, who thought that they had in an especial manner gone to the bottom of spiritual secrets.

That is wont to be ‘gnawed,’ which cannot be eaten. Now heretics because they apply themselves to make out Scripture by their own power, assuredly never can comprehend it, which same whilst they do not make out, they, as it were, do not eat. And because, not being aided by grace from on high, they are unable to eat it, they as it were ‘gnaw’ it with certain efforts. Since they handle it outwardly, when indeed they endeavour but do not attain to the interior parts of it. Which same because they are separated from the society of the Church Universal, are mentioned as gnawing not any where, but ‘in solitude.’ To which same ‘solitude’ that the false teachers draw their followers, Truth long before forewarned, saying, If they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert, go not forth. And these are rightly recorded as ‘scurvy with affliction and misery,’ because they are despicable at once by the destructiveness of their practices, and the badness of their perceptions. Who do also ’eat herbs and the barks of trees,’ because being kept off by the bar of self-exaltation, they are unable to perceive in sacred Revelation what is great and interior, but with difficulty discover therein a few things that are tender and exterior. Since by ‘herbs’ the plainer statements, and by ’the barks of trees’ the exterior declarations of the Fathers are betokened. Those then who seek to know those things, by which they may not at all be learned, but seem to be, whilst in the sacred volumes they do not from the heart’s core search out the force of charity towards God and our neighbour, are as it were ‘fed by the herb and the bark,’ because they are either the lowest or the outer things which nourish the souls of those who carry themselves proudly. Or surely to ’eat herbs’ is touching Holy Scripture to observe the least precepts, and to disregard the greater ones. Whom Truth rightly rebukes, saying, Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the Law. Who do also ’eat the barks of trees,’ because there are some who in the sacred volumes respect the outside of the letter only, nor keep in safety any thing belonging to the spiritual meaning, whereas they imagine that there is nothing more in the words of God, but that which they may hear on the outside. Which persons nevertheless the passion of vain glory possesses in all their errors, and the thirst after honour holds them captives, and generally by the very things that they speak they seek after nothing else but earthly profits. Concerning whom it is said by Paul, For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly.

For the juniper tree has prickles instead of leaves, for so bristly is that which they put forth, that like to thorns it is able to prick the person handling it. Now a thorn is all sorts of sin; because whilst it draws into self-gratification, as it were by pricking it wounds the soul. Whence it is spoken by the voice of one righteous and penitent, I was turned in my calamity, while the thorn is broken, surely because the mind is turned to lamenting, that the prick of sin may be broken by repenting. But in another translation, the thorn is described not as ‘broken’ but ‘fixed,’ which same is not at variance with the same sense, because the mind of the penitent is brought to sorrow when the sin that has been committed is retained fixed fast in the recollection. What then is there denoted by the ‘root of the juniper’ saving avarice, from which the thorns of all the sins are produced? Concerning which it is said by Paul, For the love of money is the root of all evil. For that springs up covertly in the mind, and brings forth openly the prickles of all sin in the practice. Which same prickles arising from this root the great preacher immediately implies, when he subjoins, Which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. For he who spoke of ‘many sorrows’ made known as it were the prickles arising from this root. So by ‘junipers’ we understand sins, but by ’the root of junipers’ what else do we understand, but avarice, i.e. the material of sins? So then because heretics in their words generally go after external gains alone, yet are not ignorant that they make up what is wrong, but do not abandon the preachings of error, whilst they wish to receive their emoluments as teachers, it is well said of them now by the voice of the holy man, and juniper roots for their meat, because whilst they think of avarice with all the faculties of their minds, they are as it were fed by that nourishment, wherefrom assuredly the prickles of sins ensuing are used to be produced. — Morals on the Book of Job, Book XX

Job 30:5

Gregory the Dialogist: Who carrying these same off from the valleys, when they found each of them, ran to them with clamour.

Which persons if ever in sacred Revelation they seemingly discover things with sagacity, which while they do not understand, they fancy make for their statements, they directly scatter these vociferating them to their wretched hearers, whom they covet not the souls of but the substance. They ‘carry them off from the valleys,’ because with a high spirit they gather them from the lowly sayings of the Fathers. Which same whilst they exult to have found making for their cause, they run to them with outcries, because every thing that they have a perception of, by the appetite of praise they strive to cry abroad to the ears of men. — Morals on the Book of Job, Book XX

Ishodad of Merv: The words “under the rocks and the thorny bushes,” that is, those, who are on the prowl in the mountains and the deserts, live on the fruits of thorny bushes because of their destitution. — COMMENTARY ON Job 30:6-7

Job 30:6

Gregory the Dialogist: They shall dwell in the desert places of the torrents, and in the caves of the earth, or upon the ground.

We give the name of ’torrents’ to the brooks, that are gathered by the winter rains, which likewise at certain seasons are dried up. Thus with justice the framers of wrong doctrines are called ’torrents’; because being cold to the warmth of charity, they grow to a height in the deadness of the winter season; because they do not flow out with perpetual fulness, but by the pleadings of Catholics, as by summer suns, are dried up. And indeed the fabricators of wrong doctrines springing up against Holy Church, are already made an end of by the heat of truth, yet notwithstanding the things which they taught their disciples do not cease to maintain and to defend. Thus then they that follow the errors of those persons ‘dwell in the desert places of torrents,’ i.e. put their trust in the preaching of those, whose effusions are already by the answering and reasoning of Catholics dried up. Now what else do we take ’the caves of the earth’ for, but the hidden preachings of heretics? For heretics meet together in secret conclaves in such sort, that the reverence, which they cannot invest their erring belief with by reason, they may by concealment, and that to weak souls the speech of pervertedness may appear more to be treated with awe in proportion as it is secret. Hence in Solomon the woman as a type of heresy persuades, saying, Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. Which self-same secret preachings ‘Truth’ abhors, saying, Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there, believe it not. And again; Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert, go not forth; Behold, he is in the secret chambers, believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the East, and shineth even unto the West: so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. So then that is ‘in the secret chambers’ there, which here is phrased in ‘caves.’ Thus heretics ‘dwell in caves,’ because they generally conceal their error by preachings in secret; that in the degree that they forbear to shew themselves to the more learned and wiser sort, they may the more irresistibly draw to them the uninstructed.

Whence also the words are rightly brought in next; Or upon the gravel. For we call by the name of ‘gravel’ those very little stones which the water of the river draws along. Accordingly, the teachers of perverted doctrines ‘dwell upon the gravel,’ because they draw after them those minds of men which are not established with any stedfastness of gravity, which the streams of errors are as it were ever carrying from place to place. And hence the great preacher, whereas he desired that his hearers should not be led by the chances of time, but that they might be established by firm gravity, charged them, saying, That we henceforth be no more like children, tossed to and fro, and carried about by every wind of doctrine. Thus Holy Church, being borne down by her adversaries for a space, when she sees the bold minds of those in error insulting over her, recalls to remembrance what the behaviour of those was, saying, They shall dwell in the desert places of torrents, and in the caves of the earth, or upon the gravel. For because their wrong preaching, the fire of charity being gone, gained power by coldness of feeling, surely it ‘dwelt in the desert places of torrents.’ And because it was not open and at large, it ’lay hid’ in caves. And because it held the people not fixed but lightly moved, it remained not upon the rock but ‘upon the gravel.’ — Morals on the Book of Job, Book XX

Job 30:7

Gregory the Dialogist: Who rejoiced in the midst of the like, and reckoned there were delights under brambles.

What do we understand by the name of ‘brambles,’ but those ‘piercings’ of sins, which we have already described above. Now because froward minds delight in wickednesses, which they should have bewailed, all heretics uplift themselves with vain joy in proportion as they gain power for worse acts; and they ‘reckon there are delights under the brambles,’ because they lift up the froward mind to joy, from the same cause that they bear the thorns of sins. For if ever they have been able to draw any one to their error, they plume themselves in glee; and by the same act, whereby they are daily heaping to themselves sins, even by ruining others, they exult that they are as it were leaders to righteousness. And so it is well said; Who rejoiced amongst the like, and reckoned that there are delights under brambles. For they drag all that they are able to their own destruction; and to be under sins, or to add offences to offences, they imagine their heaping up a superabundance of virtuous acquirements. — Morals on the Book of Job, Book XX

Job 30:8

Gregory the Dialogist: They were children of fools, yea, children of base men; and in the earth not appearing at all.

That is to say, the children of those, who were the masters of errors. So they are called ‘children,’ not as engendered by the seed, but by the imitating of those, who by teaching what is wrong were ‘fools’ in respect of ignorance, and by living wicked lives ‘base men’ in respect of conduct. Who are not allied to our Redeemer by any relationship of wisdom, or by any of life. Concerning which it is said by the voice of Solomon in commendation of Holy Church, Her husband is noble in the gates. So these, because they followed the froward examples of those going astray, were recorded as being ’the children of fools and of base men.’ Now it is rightly subjoined, and on the earth not appearing at all. Because whilst they aim to appear something here, surely from the land of the living they are made outcasts.

But this which we have delivered in a type of heretics, nothing is at all in the way, if we understand it as well of persons froward and carnal, though set in the right faith. For neither does Holy Church account those only adversaries to her, who, as placed without, dissent from her faith, but those also who by living amiss inwardly stifle her life. — Morals on the Book of Job, Book XX

Job 30:9

Gregory the Dialogist: And now am I their song, yea, I am become their byword.

By which same words that time of Holy Church is set forth, when she is openly derided by the lost; when the wicked gaining ground, faith shall be for a reproach, and truth shall be for a ground of accusation. For so much the more contemptible shall each individual be in proportion as he may be more righteous; and the worse object of abhorrence, the more worthy object of praise. Therefore the Holy Church of the Elect in the time of calamity ‘becomes a proverb’ to the wicked, because when they see the good die by torments, they take their likeness of cursing from those. For in proportion as they see a passing death, but do not see a lasting life, so much the more in scoffing do they flee present ills, in proportion as by the understanding interiorly they do not reach to lasting goods. — Morals on the Book of Job, Book XX

Job 30:10

Gregory the Dialogist: They abhor me, they flee far from me, and spare not to spit in my face.

All the wicked ‘fly far’ from Holy Church, not by the paces of footsteps, but by the characters of practices; they fly far not in place, but desert, whereas, pride gaining ground, they contemn her with open upbraiding. For ’to spit in his face’ is not only to detract from the good in absence, but to give the lie to each one of the just even in presence. And these then whilst the wicked by openly deriding set at nought, they as it were let out in insults upon them loose words, like streams of spittle running down. But Holy Church knows how to gain ground in sufferings, and in the midst of reproaches to maintain an honourable life; she is taught neither to be cast down by adversities, nor to glory in prosperity. She is instructed, in meeting prosperity, to lay low the mind in downcasting; she is taught, in meeting adversity, to lift up the soul to the hope of the height above. She knows how to ascribe her good things to the mercifulness of the Redeemer, she knows how to ascribe her evil things to the justice of the Judge, that both what is good she has by His bestowing, and what is bad she suffers by His permitting. — Morals on the Book of Job, Book XX

Job 30:11

Gregory the Dialogist: Because He hath opened His quiver and afflicted me. And put a bridle into my mouth.

What is denoted by ’the quiver’ of God, but secret counsel? Now the Lord casts the arrow from the quiver, when from His secret counsel He sends forth an open sentence. For that any man is scourged, we know, but for what cause the scourge comes, we know not. But when after the scourge amendment of life follows, the actual power of counsel is itself disclosed as well. So the quiver shut is hidden counsel. But we are chastened by an open quiver, when by that which follows after the scourge, we see with what counsel we are stricken. When the Lord beholds sins, and yet does not move the hand to vengeance, He as it were holds the quiver shut, but by striking He shews, how greatly that displeased Him in us, which He bore long beholding it. Therefore let the Holy Church of the Elect being pressed by tribulations say, For He hath opened His quiver, and afflicted me. Which same on meeting with the insolent voices of her adversaries, when she sees that her preaching is not received, giving over the hardness of some, restrains the words of her preaching. For reflecting that her persecutors are rendered worse at the voice of her exhortation, she rather prefers to hold her peace. And when she sees them persons unworthy to hear, she binds up her preaching with silence drawn over. Whence he fitly adds; And put a bridle into my mouth.

They were acquainted with ‘a bridle put upon themselves’ before certain persons, who said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you, but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. Holy men see ’the bridle’ of silence put upon themselves with the hard hearts of lost sinners, when they say by the Prophet, How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land? Paul also charged ‘a bridle to be put,’ who enjoined the disciple, saying, A man that is an heretic after the first and second admonition reject, knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth condemned of himself. For holy teachers very often by lofty ken survey the hearts of those that oppose them, and when they see those hearts forsaken by God, afflicted and groaning they hold their peace. Doth not Solomon sometimes ‘put a bridle’ upon the teachers, who saith, Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee, but if we hold our peace from rebuking for this reason, because we are afraid for the scorner’s hates to rise up against us, we no longer seek God’s profits, but our own. Wherein it requires to be known that sometimes when bad men are reproved they become worse. Them therefore we spare, and not ourselves, if from the love of those we cease from the rebuking of them. Whence it is needful that we sometimes endure keeping to ourselves what they are, in order that they may learn in us by good living what they are not. Therefore because Holy Church, who ever gives forth her words in a spirit of charity, sometimes also withholds them on the principle of charity, let her say, He hath put a bridle in my mouth. — Morals on the Book of Job, Book XX

Job 30:12

Gregory the Dialogist: At the right hand of the East my calamities on the spot arose. They overturned my feet, and oppressed with their footpaths as with waves.

For ‘calamities’ would ‘rise to the left,’ if at the hand of any persons set without the pale of Religion, and openly denying Christ, she met with the adverse dealings of persecution. But when she undergoes from persons seemingly believers the trial of tormentings, it is as if calamities arose to her at the right hand, because they who are enlisted under Christ’s name, assail Christ’s name in her. For by the very usage of speech we speak of having as ‘on the right’ what we account as great, and as on the left that which we look down upon. So then as there for ’the right hand’ the Jewish people is denoted, so in this place by the term of ’the right hand,’ the faithful people of Holy Church is denoted. And hence the Judge that is to come ‘shall set the goats on His left Hand, and the sheep on His right Hand.’ But when these very persons too fret Holy Church in the time of adversity, who seemed to be of the faithful, surely ‘calamities arise to her on the right hand.’ Now rightly is this same called ’the right hand of the East’; since it is written of the Head itself of the same, The East is His Name. For seeing that the light springs from the East, He is rightly called ’the East,’ by the light of whose righteousness the night of our unrighteousness is enlightened. So ‘calamities arise to the right hand of the East’; because these likewise leap forth to persecution, who were supposed to be Elect Members of our Redeemer. Which same calamities he rightly declares ‘arise on the spot,’ because whereas they who persecute were not persons without her pale, evils are brought about by them suddenly and on the spot. But if ’the right hand’ is a designation of those who are truly believers, ‘calamities arise to the right of the East,’ because on the crisis of persecution breaking forth, the righteous undergo the cruel assaults of the wicked.

What are denoted by the Church’s ‘feet,’ but her outermost members? which while they lend themselves to earthly deeds, are able to be the sooner deceived by adversaries in proportion as they do not understand things on high. Therefore these ‘feet adversaries overturn,’ that is to say, when they draw her outermost members to the error of their doctrine. The ‘feet overturned’ cannot keep the way, in that all the weak being either persuaded by the promises of their persecutors, or affrighted by their threats, or broken by their tortures, swerve from the right path. Now ’the paths’ of adversaries are rightly likened to waves, when it is said, and they oppressed with their footpaths as with waves; in this way, because the life of the evil-minded, mischievous with wayward restlessness, comes down as a tempest for the overwhelming the ship of the heart, so to say. Concerning which same tempest it is said by Solomon, As a tempest passing, the wicked shall not be. And when the weak man sees the froward flourishing, that man the wave of wretched imitation plunges into the sea of frowardness. — Morals on the Book of Job, Book XX

John Chrysostom: You see what especially afflicts him is to be mocked by those who reproach him for the evil actions that they commit. Some “thieves,” he says, some wicked, some criminals, some robbers have made us the subject of their proposals and conversations. — COMMENTARY ON Job 30:12A-13

Job 30:13

Gregory the Dialogist: They did away with my paths, they plotted against me, and prevailed, and there was not any to bring help.

Let blessed Job tell these things of evil spirits, i.e. of secret enemies. Let the Church Universal speak them of bad men persecuting, i.e. of open adversaries. For these ‘do away with her paths,’ when in the souls of certain weak ones they interrupt the ways of truth by crafty persuading. These in ‘plotting prevail, when those, whom they cannot openly force to evil, they turn aside by pretending what is good, but that is very wonderful, which he subjoins, And there was not any one to bring help, when the Psalmist exclaims touching the help of God; A helper in seasons, in tribulation. And, Let them hope in Thee, who know Thy Name, for Thou, Lord, wilt not forsake those that seek Thee. And when it is written again, Did ever any trust in the Lord and was confounded? or did any abide in His commandments, and was forsaken? Or whom did He ever despise, that called upon Him? On what principle, then, is it now said; And there was not any to bring help, excepting that those, whom Almighty God loves for all eternity, He sometimes leaves for a time? Whence it is written; For a small moment have I forsaken thee, and with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid My face from thee for a moment, and with everlasting kindness will I have mercy upon thee. Hence too the Psalmist besought, saying, O forsake me not utterly. He then knew that he might be left for a little while with advantage, who prayed that he might not be ‘utterly forsaken.’ For the Lord by coming helps His Saints, by ’leaving’ puts them to the proof, by gifts he establishes, by tribulations he tries. Whence too it is rightly said by one of Wisdom, For at the first she will walk with him by crooked ways, and bring fear and dread upon him, and torment him with her discipline until she try him in his thoughts. Since the soul of the righteous grace calls, trial puts to the question. And Almighty God allows the adversaries of His Elect to grow to a height in time, that the life of the good may be purified by the pitilessness of the bad.

Since the Lord would never suffer them to be hostile to the good except he also saw what great good they did. For whilst the unrighteous deal cruelly, the righteous are purified, and the life of the wicked is enlisted to the advantage of the innocent, in that this same both by bearing down it abases, and by abasing ever fashions to better. Hence too it is rightly said by Solomon; the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart. And yet we often see the wise subordinate, and fools occupying the stronghold of dominion, wise men paying obedience in servitude, and fools lording it with tyrannical exultation. How then by the marking out of God’s sentence is ’the fool servant to the wise,’ when generally speaking he keeps him down by the right of temporal dominion? But it is to be borne in mind, that whilst against the life of the wise man the fool being uppermost enforces the terribleness of power, whilst he wearies him out with labours, rends him with insults, such a person surely by burning he purges from all the rust of bad habits. Thus the fool even in ruling is ‘servant to the wise,’ in that by bearing him down he advances him to a better state. — Morals on the Book of Job, Book XX

Job 30:14

Gregory the Dialogist: As by a wall being broken, and a door being opened, they rushed in upon me, and were rolled down to my miseries.

What is in this place designated by the title of ‘a wall,’ but the Redeemer of the human race, concerning whom it is said by the Prophet for the edifying of Holy Church, There shall be set in her a wall and a bulwark? For that same Redeemer is ‘a wall’ to us, Who forbids the rushing of evil spirits to reach to our hearts. Who also set ‘a bulwark’ as well to our faith, because before that He shewed Himself in flesh, He sent prophets as preachers of His mystery. Since they are rightly entitled by the name of ‘a bulwark,’ because, whereas they preached the Lord coming after, they stood as it were ‘before the wall.’ But it is as if ’the wall were broken,’ when by the promptings of the wicked, faith, which is in our Redeemer, is done away in the hearts of some. And when power is awarded to the perverse in this life, what else but ‘a door’ of error is opened? And so it is as if the wall being burst asunder and the door opened the wicked rush in upon the good, when power being received temporally, the corrupt set themselves to pull down the very defences of faith too in the hearts of some. Concerning whom it is fitly said; And were rolled down for my miseries; that is to say, because in the first instance to their own miseries. For except that by living corruptly they fell before to their own ‘miseries,’ they would never afterwards persuade others also to those miseries. But after their own the children of perdition are ‘rolled down to our miseries’ also, when to those evil things wherein they are themselves already involved, they draw persons as well who are linked to ourselves.

It is possible too that by the title of a wall may be understood the defence of discipline, as Solomon bears witness, who says, I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding. And lo, it was all grown over with nettles, and thorns had covered the face thereof; and the stone wall thereof was broken down. For to ‘pass by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding,’ is to look into the life of any careless liver, and to take a view of his deeds. Which same ’nettles or thorns fill up,’ because in the hearts of the careless, itching earthly desires and the prickles of bad habits sprout forth, since it is written, In desires is every one that is idle. ‘The stone wall was pulled down,’ i.e. the discipline of the Fathers was loosened from his heart. For because ’the stone wall being pulled down’ he saw that discipline was loosened, he directly added in that place going on; Then I saw and laid it up in my heart; and by example I learned instruction. And therefore as it were the wall being burst the enemy enters in, when by the crafty persuading either of evil spirits, or of bad men, the defences of discipline in the heart are scattered away. But when the vigour of that same discipline is relaxed in the heart of the lost, in their eyes all the deeds of the good are had in contempt, and they account it nothing, whatever they see relating to virtues in the Elect. — Morals on the Book of Job, Book XX

Julian of Eclanum: After those things that used to or could move my affections in themselves have dispersed, that is, after I have been deprived of both comforts and occupations, I know that no hope is left for me through which I may be supported. “And my welfare has passed like clouds.” He said that his welfare has passed—not his life—which was placed in the comforts of his home and in his body for his safety. — EXPOSITION ON THE BOOK OF Job 30:15

Job 30:15

Gregory the Dialogist: I was reduced to nought. As the wind thou didst take away my desire. And as a cloud my health hath passed away.

For in the reckoning of the wicked we are ‘brought to nought,’ when those temporal goods, which they themselves love as chief, we do not retain in our bands. Because the promises from Above being disregarded they desire the things of earth, and if ever aught rises up in the mind of those persons in the way of longing after the Eternal world, it is quickly done away by transitory gratification springing up. And hence it is directly subjoined; As the wind thou didst take away my desire.

Since the faithful People declares that itself suffers that, wherein those whom it loves it grieves should suffer. Thus ’the wind takes away desire,’ when any transitory object does away the longing after Eternity. And hence it is yet further fitly subjoined; And as a cloud my health hath passed away. Since the cloud towers on high, but the breath of wind drives it into career. Thus, surely, then is it with the temporal good things of the wicked. They appear as it were by loftiness of honour to pass their time as on high, but they are daily driven on to the career of life as by a kind of blasts of their mortality. So ‘health passes as a cloud,’ because the glory of the wicked, in the degree that it is lofty, is not fixed. — Morals on the Book of Job, Book XX

Job 30:16

Gregory the Dialogist: But now my soul in mine own self is withered, and the days of affliction have taken hold upon me.

Since ’the soul’ of the Elect ‘withers now,’ because it is afterwards made green in that eternal triumphing. ‘Now, the days of affliction take hold upon them,’ because the days of joy follow afterwards. As it is written, To him that feareth God it shall go well at the last. And again it is delivered touching the Church, And she shall laugh in the last day. For now is the time of affliction to the good, that one day exulting may follow them apart from tears. Hence it is elsewhere said by those, Thou hast humbled us in the place of affliction. Since ’the place of affliction’ is the present life, so the righteous here below, i.e. ‘in the place of affliction,’ are ‘humbled,’ because in the eternal life, i.e. in the place of delight, they are elevated. But when he said that ’the soul was withered,’ he rightly put before too, in mine own self; because in our own selves, indeed, our soul is afflicted, but in God refreshed, and it is become far removed from the greenness of joy, in proportion as still being withheld from the light of the Creator, it draws back to itself. But then it attains to the greenness of true joy, when being lifted up by the grace of eternal contemplation it even transcends its very self. — Morals on the Book of Job, Book XX

Job 30:17

Gregory the Dialogist: In the night season my bone is pierced with pangs, and they that eat me sleep not.

If we mark the history by itself, the case appears plain, because the body of the holy man, through the hollows of ulcers, a swarming multitude of worms was wounding. But if we dive into the mystery of the allegory, what are denoted by ’the bones,’ but the strong ones severally in the body of Holy Church? Who, as it were, by their solidity hold together the members, while they bear with stedfastness the practices of those going weakly. But when the heat of the last tribulation is grown to a head against her, in the night season her bone is pierced with pangs; because sometimes being overcome with torments, even the very persons let themselves run off to faithlessness, who seemed to be keeping fast others to the faith. Therefore she says, In the night season my bone is pierced with pangs. As though she said in plain words, ‘Pressed with the darkness of tribulation, they are so penetrated with affliction, that even the very persons, who had within me the firmness of strength, have now, as it were, a kind of piercing of fear.’ And it is well said, And they that eat me take no sleep; because the evil spirits, that ’eat up’ all the carnal out of the Church, know not how to rest from tempting in proportion as they are not burthened with any weight of flesh. But the persecutors of Holy Church, because they are very corrupt, would that they were few in number! — Morals on the Book of Job, Book XX

Job 30:18

Ephrem the Syrian: “I have become like dust and ashes,” that is, I have been rendered contemptible to them as if I were dust, and I appear to be similar to vile mud. Emmanuel too, even though he was God, was thoughtlessly considered to be unworthy when he was clothed with flesh, so that the impure Jews said, “Even though you are a man, you make yourself God.” — COMMENTARY ON Job 30:19

Gregory the Dialogist: In the multitude of them is my garment consumed, and they have bound me about as with the collar of my coat.

If we give heed to the history, what else do we take ’the garment’ of blessed Job for, but his body? whose ‘garment indeed is consumed’ when the flesh is put to torment. But according to the mystery of allegory, ’the garment’ of Holy Church is the life of the faithful. For as the whole Church together is ’the garment’ of Christ so the faithful severally are accounted ‘garments’ of that same Church. For if Holy Church were not Christ’s ‘garment,’ Paul surely would not say, That He might present it to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle; i.e. neither in respect of sin ‘having spot,’ nor in respect of a double mind ‘having wrinkle,’ because both by righteousness she is clean, And by a single bent stretched. She then that is washed that she should not ‘have spot,’ and stretched that she should not ‘have wrinkle,’ assuredly is a ‘garment.’ Therefore as the clothing of Christ is the name given to the whole Church in general, so the clothing of the Church are the souls of the several persons which being converted from error, by believing that same Church, encircle her by attaching themselves with faithfulness to her. Concerning which same the Lord saith to that Church by the Prophet, As I live, saith the Lord, thou shalt surely be clothed with them all, as with an ornament. But when the storm of cruel persecution arises, very many of the faithful are separated from the love thereof, who seemed to have themselves attached to her heartily. So then let her say, In the multitude of them is my garment consumed; because whilst there are many that torment, the greatest number are brought to an end, who were attached to her by the binding tie of love.

Now it is well added, And have bound me about as with the collar of my coat. Since ’the collar of a coat’ encircles the neck of the wearer, but if the neck is tied up, the use of the voice and the puff of life is done for. Holy Church, then, do the children of perdition ’tie up as with a collar of a coat,’ because they endeavour by their persecutions to put out in her the life of faith, and the voice of preaching. Since this thing her persecutors are in a special manner wont to essay, that before all things they may take away from her the word of preaching. And hence these persons who withstood the first beginnings of the holy faith told the Apostles beaten with rods, saying, Did we not straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine. So the body of Holy Church they had as it were girded with ’the collar of a coat,’ who, the preachers being tied up, as it were pressing her neck, wished to shut up the way of the voice in her. But the several Elect are more ready to die in the time of their persecution than to hold their peace. Who whilst they are brought down in death in the body, are accounted despicable and mean by all the foolish and the carnal, because when the lost are unable to see what good things the Elect hold in the spirit, these whom they see brought to an end in the flesh, they account unhappy. — Morals on the Book of Job, Book XX

Job 30:19

Gregory the Dialogist: I was likened to mire, and became like dust and ashes.

Since in the judgment of lost sinners the Holy Church of the Elect is ’likened to mire,’ because it is trodden under and despised in time; it is ‘compared to dust and ashes,’ because while they do not see her interior good things, they calculate that she has been brought to those bad things alone, which they see brought to view in her in the body. But the faithful people of the Elect, while it sees many fall from itself, wishes, if it might obtain this, to have the times of its adversities reversed. Because the prayer of this people is delayed, its groaning is increased. — Morals on the Book of Job, Book XX

Job 30:20

Gregory the Dialogist: I will cry unto Thee, but Thou wilt not hear me; I stand, and Thou regardest me not.

Since Holy Church in the time of her persecution ‘stands’ by faith, and ‘cries’ by longings. But she is grieved that she is ’not regarded’ as it were, when she sees her wishes under tribulations delayed. For by a high counsel, Almighty God, when His Saints are wrung tightly by the persecutions of adversaries, and when they cry with never ceasing entreaties that they may be set free, is wont to put off their voices in entreating Him, that their merits in suffering may be increased, in order that they may be the more heard in answer to merit, the more they are not heard quickly in answer to wishing. Whence it is elsewhere written, O my God, I cry in the day time, but Thou hearest not, and in the night season. And the very usefulness itself resulting from the delay of hearing is immediately added, when it is there brought in directly, And not for foolishness to me. Since for redoubling the wisdom of the Saints it is beneficial, that what is prayed for they receive slowly, that by delay desire may increase, and by desire the understanding may be augmented. But when the understanding is stretched to the full, there is opened a more ardent affection thereof towards God. And the affection is made large for obtaining the things of heaven, in proportion as it was long suffering in expecting. Yet in the midst of these things grief prompts the patience of the Saints to utterance, and whilst being delayed they gain ground, they dread lest their powers failing they should being despised be rejected. — Morals on the Book of Job, Book XX

Job 30:21

Gregory the Dialogist: Thou art changed to cruel unto me; and in the hardness of Thy hand Thou opposest Thyself against me.

In Holy Scripture when any thing is said of God unworthy, the mind of the reader is affected, as if it were ever the case that any thing that is worthy were spoken of God. Since well nigh every thing that is spoken touching God, is by this alone henceforth unworthy, that it admitted of being spoken. But for Him to Whose praise the conscious faculty, being astounded, is not equal, when may the tongue by speaking suffice? But the Holy Spirit teaching to men that understand this same truth, how unutterable are the things above and the things of God, sometimes uses even those words concerning God, which amongst men are held as a fault, that from these things which seem unworthy of men, and yet are spoken concerning God, men should be admonished to know that neither are those things even worthy of God, which whilst they are accounted worthy among men, are thought worthy of God.

For God is called ‘jealous,’ as it is written, The Lord, his Name is ‘jealous.’ He is called ‘wroth,’ whence it is written, The Lord was wroth against Israel. The Lord is called ‘repentant,’ as where it is written, It repenteth Me that I have made man upon the earth. And again; It repenteth Me that I have set up Saul to be king over Israel. He is entitled compassionate, as where it is written, Merciful and pitiful is the Lord, patient and full of compassion. He is called ‘foreknowing,’ as the Apostle saith concerning Him, For whom He did foreknow, He did also predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son. Whereas neither ‘jealousy,’ nor ‘wrath,’ nor ‘repentance,’ nor strictly speaking ‘compassionateness,’ nor ‘foreknowledge,’ can be in God. For all these particulars are derived into Him from human qualities, while there is a descending to words expressive of infirmity, that as it were a kind of steps being made for us, and set beside us, by the things which we see close to us, we may one time be enabled to mount up to the high things of Him.

As then we understand Him ‘jealous’ without jealousy, ‘wroth’ without wrath, so He might by the holy man be also called ‘cruel’ without cruelty. Since he is called ‘cruel,’ who while smiting with severity spares not; that is to say that in this passage ‘cruel’ should be taken for one striking with severity, and not sparing the avenging of sin. Hence also Isaiah, when he saw the day of final Judgment was destined to come not henceforth with pardon but with rigour, says, Behold the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath, and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate; and to destroy the sinners thereof out of it. Therefore the holy man, that he might declare that this same cruelty is more suited to himself than to God, says, Thou art changed to cruel unto me. As though he said in plain terms, ‘Thou, Who hast in Thine own Self nought of cruelty, to me, whom Thou sufferest not to draw breath from persecution, Thou seemest cruel.’ For so God is not capable of being cruel, just as He is not in the least degree capable of being changed. But because in God there comes not either cruelty or changeableness at any time, whilst He says ‘unto me,’ he shews that he is sensible that God is in Himself neither ‘cruel’ nor ‘changeable.’ But because as concerns ourselves things prosperous and things adverse shift to and fro, in this that we ourselves are changed, we as it were imagine as concerns ourselves His mind changed. But He the same Being remaining unchangeable in Himself, in the thought of men’s hearts comes to be felt now one way and now another, according to the character of their minds.

For ’the Hand’ of the Lord is thought ‘hard,’ when being opposed to our will, that thing which displeases Him in us, it follows hard upon by striking; and He redoubles the strokes, when the soul of the sorrower looks for clemency. — Morals on the Book of Job, Book XX

Job 30:22

Gregory the Dialogist: Thou liftedst me up, and as it were setting me upon the wind, thou dashedst me down strongly.

Because the glory of the present life is seen as on high, but is not set firm by any stedfastness, one is as if he were ’lifted up and set upon the wind,’ who rejoices in earthly prosperity, because the breath of fleeting happiness lifts him up only for this end, that it may in a moment prostrate him the worse below. For whereas Holy Church is high in honour with all persons, the weak ones in her, who rejoice in transitory successes, whereunto do they seem lifted up but as set upon the wind? Because in the succeeding season of persecution, when the breath of prosperity is gone by, their ’lifting up’ is brought to the earth in a moment, if instantly they learn by falling, that, whilst lifted up before they were seated upon the wind.

Which very words in a peculiar manner accord with the person of the holy man also, not as to the thing that was, but as to the thing that seemed to be. For never had fleeting prosperity ’lifted up’ his mind, which mind in the midst of such overflowing stores of good things he ever kept down by a wonderful weight of virtue. But according to that which might have externally appeared, he who was little in his own eyes, was exalted in the eyes of others, and as it were ‘placed upon the wind,’ he was ‘dashed down strongly,’ because being buoyed up by outward goods, by the same means, whereby he was accounted to rise, he appeared to have fallen. Which same fall in the interior the holy man did not undergo, because no bad fortune throws down the man, whom no good fortune corrupts. For he who is attached to the truth, is in no degree brought under to vanity, because, whereas he has planted with a firm foot the bent of the thought within, all that is brought to pass in change without, reaches not in the least degree to the citadel of the interior. — Morals on the Book of Job, Book XX

Job 30:23

Gregory the Dialogist: I know that Thou wilt deliver me to death, where is the house appointed for all living.

In the preceding part of this work the point was treated of, that before the Coming of the Lord even the righteous did descend to the abodes of hell, though they were kept not in woes but in rest. This, then, that is said, I know that Thou wilt deliver me to death, where is the house appointed for all living, is rightly suited to blessed Job even according to the history, whereas surely it appears that before the grace of the Redeemer even the just were carried to the caverns of hell. For the mere entering of ‘hell’ is itself called ’the house of all living,’ because no one came hither, who before the Advent of the Mediator did not pass by thereunto by the simple constitution of his state of corruption. No one came hither, who did not go on to the death of the flesh, by the steps of that same corruption belonging to him. Of which selfsame death it is evidently said by the Psalmist; What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? For though Elijah is related to have been transported to heaven, nevertheless he delayed, and did not escape death. For by the very mouth of Truth it is said; Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. For he shall come to ‘restore all things,’ since for this end surely is he restored to this world, that he may both fulfil the functions of preaching, and pay the debt of the flesh.

Which sentence however of the holy man suits the accents of Holy Church in the person of the weak sort, who hold the faith to the extent of the word of the lips, but contrary to the precepts of faith act the slave to their desires. For she says; I know that thou will deliver me to death, where is the house appointed for all living. For because she sees multitudes in her devoted to pleasures, and already foresees the destruction of those, she reflects that in the course of the present life they serve their desires indeed, but yet all are brought to the house of death, who in that same course live carnally. But there are some that are brought down into the pit of their gratifications, yet by the tears of repentance quickly recover the foot from below, which persons the strokes of smiting from Above cut rather for instruction than destruction. — Morals on the Book of Job, Book XX

Job 30:24

Gregory the Dialogist: Howbeit Thou dost not put forth thine hand for the destroying of them; and if they are brought to the ground, Thou wilt save them Thyself.

In which words assuredly this ought to be perceived with penetration, that blessed Job, while he is telling his own circumstances transfers others into himself. For he as it were in a special manner said of himself; Thou liftedst me up, and as it were setting me upon the wind dashedst me down with strength: I know that Thou wilt deliver me to death, where is the house appointed for all living; and yet he adds not concerning himself but others, Howbeit Thou dost not put forth Thine hand for the destroying of them. For whereas whilst speaking of himself in arguing, he subjoins cases applying to others, he shews how many he represents the persons of in himself. Accordingly the Lord ‘puts not forth His hand for the destroying’ of those that sin, when by striking He reforms from sins, and ‘He saves those that are falling to the ground,’ when those falling into transgression He wounds as to the health of the body; that being brought low outwardly they should arise inwardly, in order that lying prostrate in the body those should be brought back to the standing of the interior, who whilst standing outwardly lay low to the standing of the soul. — Morals on the Book of Job, Book XX

Job 30:25

Gregory the Dialogist: I wept of old over him that was in trouble; my soul suffered with the poor.

Though it is true compassion to concur with the suffering of a fellow creature by bountifulness, yet sometimes when the several outward things are abundantly provided for us to bestow, the hand of him that gives finds the act of giving more quickly than the feeling does sorrow. Hence it is necessary for us to know that he gives in a perfect way, who together with that, which he reaches forth to the afflicted, takes in himself the feeling of the afflicted as well; that he should first transfer the suffering of the person sorrowing into himself, and then, to meet the sorrow of that person by the act of service render concurrence. For often, as we said before, the abundance of good things creates the bestower of a benefit, and not the excellence of compassion. For he, who perfectly compassionates the afflicted, generally even gives that to the persons in want, wherein he himself, if he gives it, is brought to shifts. And then the compassion of our heart is to the full, when we are not afraid to take upon ourselves the evil of want in behalf of a fellow creature, in order that we may set him free from suffering.

Which model of pitifulness in very deed the Mediator between God and Man gave to us. Who when He could have succoured us even without dying, yet was minded to come to the aid of mankind by dying, because plainly He would have loved us too little, except He took upon Him our wounds as well; nor would He exhibit the face of His love to us, unless the thing that He was to take away from us, He did Himself undergo for a time. For He found us subject to suffering, and mortal beings, and He, Who caused us to exist out of nothing, doubtless had the power to restore us from suffering even without death. But that He might shew how great the virtue of Compassion is, He deigned to become in our behalf what He would not have us to be, that He should take upon Him death temporally in His own Person, which death He should banish for evermore from ourselves. Could not He, while continuing invisible to us in the riches of His own Godhead, have been able to enrich us with wonderful powers? But that man might be brought back to the interior riches, God deigned to appear poor without. Hence also the great Preacher, that he might kindle to the kindness of bounty the bowels of our compassion, said, For our sakes He became poor, when He was rich.

Thus because the holy man knew that with Almighty God greater sometimes is the gift of the mind than of the benefit, let him say, I wept of old over him that was in trouble, and my soul compassionated the poor man. For in bestowing outward things, he rendered an object without himself. But he who bestowed upon his neighbour weeping and compassion, gave him something even from his very self. But on this account we say that compassion is more than the gift, because for the most part some sort of thing even he gives who does not entertain compassion, but never does he, who feels true compassion, withhold that which he sees to be necessary for his neighbour.

Which sentence surely is well suited to the accents of Holy Church, who while she sees persons afflicted in the tears of penitence, joins her own tears thereto by continual prayer, and sympathizes with the needy person as often as by the entreaties of her intercession she helps the mind bared of virtues. Since we lament over the afflicted sympathizing with him, when we reckon the hurts of others as our own, and by our tears strive to cleanse away the sins of those guilty of transgression. In the doing which, indeed, we very often help ourselves more than we do those in whose behalf it is done, because before the Inmost Umpire, Who also breathes into us the grace of charity, he perfectly washes out his own several acts, who disinterestedly bewails those of others. Therefore let Holy Church, being seized in the time of the last persecution, recall to remembrance the good things which she has done in the time of peace, saying, I wept of old over him that was afflicted, and my soul compassionated the poor man. — Morals on the Book of Job, Book XX

Job 30:26

Gregory the Dialogist: When I looked for good, then evil came unto me; and when I waited for light, there broke forth darkness.

For the faithful people ’looks for good,’ but receives evil, and it ‘waits for light,’ and meets with ‘darkness,’ because by the grace of the recompensing it hopes to be now already admitted to the joys of the Angels, and yet being delayed for a longer time here below, it is exposed to the hands of those that persecute it; and he who calculates to enjoy as quickly as possible the recompensing of the Light Eternal, is still forced to suffer here the darkness of his persecutors. Which same ills of those persecuting them would grieve them the less, if they arose from unbelievers and adversaries. But they torture the mind of the Elect the worse in proportion as they proceed from those, upon whom they were foreassuring good. — Morals on the Book of Job, Book XX

Job 30:27

Gregory the Dialogist: My bowels boiled, and rested not. The days of affliction prevented me.

Since for ’the bowels’ of Holy Church ’to boil’ is for her to endure in the fierceness of persecution, these very persons too, whom she had before in the love of the faith carried as ‘bowels.’ Which same first acquainting themselves with her secrets, in the same proportion as they know where she suffers the greatest pain, to so much the worse degree never rest from the afflicting of her; which persons however even in the time of her peace she bears heavily with, because she takes thought of their ways as opposite to her own preachings. For she groans when she espies the life of those as unlike to herself. Concerning whom also it is fitly subjoined; The days of affliction prevented me.

For the Holy Church of Elect persons knows that in the last persecution she shall suffer many ills, but ’the days of her affliction prevent her’; because even in the time of peace she bears within herself the life of the wicked with a heavy spirit. For though in the last days there follow the open persecution of the unbelievers, yet this same even before it comes to light, those in her who are believers to the extent of the word only by bad practices forerun. — Morals on the Book of Job, Book XX

John Chrysostom: The excess of misfortunes that have befallen him force him to groan and to wail. Even if I wanted it, I could not stay silent, he says. “I stand up in the assembly and cry for help” without being ashamed before any of those present and without blushing before the multitude of the assembly. This attitude is due to the greatness of his misfortunes. I have fallen, he says, into the animal condition of birds. I have not recognized my real nature anymore; my situation is not better than theirs. — COMMENTARY ON Job 30:26-29

Job 30:28

Gregory the Dialogist: I went mourning: without rage rising up, I cried out in the crowd.

I see that it is a thing to be carefully noted historically considered, that the holy man who a little before said, Thou hast lifted me up, added below, I went mourning. For by a wonderful arrangement at one and the same time there is wont to meet together in the courses of good men, at once without, the honour of the highest pitch, and within, the mourning of afflicted abasement. Hence the holy man likewise, whilst lifted to a height by substance and by honours; ‘went mourning’; for though this man the high credit of power displayed advanced above his fellow-creatures, yet inwardly he offered to the Lord by his mourning the secret sacrifice of a contrite heart. Since the sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit. Now all the Elect are taught by inward reflecting to fight against the temptations of outward superiority. Which persons, if they set their heart to their outward good fortune assuredly would cease to be righteous. But because it cannot be that upon the mere grounds of the successes of fortune alone the heart of man should never be at all tempted with however slight a degree of pride, holy men strive hard within against their very good fortune itself; I do not say, lest in self exaltation, but lest in the love of that prosperity at all events they should be brought to the ground. And it is most effectually to have been brought under this, to have surrendered the mind in a state of captivity to the desires thereof. But who that has a taste for earthly things, who that embraces temporal objects, would not look upon blessed Job as happy amidst so many circumstances of prosperity, when the health of the body, the life of his children, the preservation of his household, the completeness of his flocks, were all vouchsafed to him? But that in all these circumstances he did nothing wrong, Truth testifies, who says, In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. For the mind of the man was a stranger from all earthly-mindedness in proportion as he held fast the solid things above by the heavenward bent of love. — Morals on the Book of Job, Book XX

Job 30:29

Gregory the Dialogist: I was a brother to dragons, and a companion to ostriches.

The term ‘dragons’ is used to denote the cruel spirits who plot our destruction, or those persons who in the Holy Church imitate those spirits by living corruptly. The ostrich has wings and cannot fly, for it shows as it were the appearance of flight but never mounts upward into the air. Thus all hypocrites are like ostriches, who while they pretend holiness, never practice the reality of holiness. For they have wings by their display of seeming virtue, but they walk on the ground by their habit of secret self-indulgence. Holy Church then in the time of her tribulation has ‘dragons for brethren’ when cruel persecutors come against her with open cruelty. And she has ‘ostriches for companions’ when hypocrites who appear righteous outwardly but live wickedly within bear down upon her. — Morals on the Book of Job, Book XX

Job 30:30

Gregory the Dialogist: My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned with heat.

If we follow the history alone, it appears plain that the skin of the blessed man was blackened by the multitude of ulcers. But according to the mystery of allegory, ’the skin’ of Holy Church is understood as her outer appearance. For in the time of persecution the exterior appearance of Holy Church is blackened, because she is seen by persecutors as vile and contemptible. Her ‘bones are burned with heat’ when those in her who are strongest are afflicted with the burning of tribulation. For as the bones hold together the body, so the strong ones in the Church hold together the weak by their example and preaching. — Morals on the Book of Job, Book XX

Job 30:31

Gregory the Dialogist: My harp also is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of them that weep.

The ‘harp’ and ‘organ’ denote the harmonious preaching of Holy Church, whereby in times of peace she sounds forth the joys of the interior life and the praises of the Creator. But when the heat of persecution rises against her, her ‘harp is turned to mourning’ and her ‘organ into the voice of them that weep,’ because the sweetness of her preaching is changed into the groaning of lamentation. For in the season of tribulation, Holy Church is not permitted to sound forth the joys she used to tell of, but is compelled to utter forth cries of grief. Her harp sounds to mourning, when instead of speaking of heavenly gladness, she must bemoan present sorrows. Her organ is turned to the voice of weeping, when she who used to sing of future joys now bewails the afflictions she endures. Yet even in this, she does not lose her voice entirely, for her very weeping becomes a kind of music unto God, pleasing in His sight as a sacrifice of a contrite heart. — Morals on the Book of Job, Book XX