35. The wondrous security of a heart free from desire for earthly things. Which nevertheless does not exempt it from the discipline of watchfulness. — Great is the security of a heart, to have nothing of worldly concupiscence. For if the heart gapes after obtaining earthly things, it can in no way be secure and tranquil, since it either covets things not possessed in order to have them, or fears to lose things obtained; and while in adversity it hopes for prosperity, in prosperity it dreads adversity, it is tossed hither and thither as though by certain waves, and is turned about in various ways by the mutability of alternating things. But if once the mind is fixed with firm stability in the longing for the heavenly homeland, it is less vexed by the disturbance of temporal things.
For from all outward motions it seeks its own intention as a certain most secret retreat, and there, clinging to the unchangeable and transcending all changeable things, by the very tranquillity of its own repose it is in the world outside the world. It surpasses indeed all lowest things by its intention toward the highest, and by a certain liberty feels itself to be above all the things which it does not desire, nor does it endure within the tempest of temporal things which it beholds without, since all earthly things, which, when coveted, could oppress the mind, being despised, lie beneath it. Whence it is well said through the prophet: 'Set yourself a watchtower' (Jer. XXXI, 21), so that while anyone contemplates the highest, he may rise above the innermost. Hence also Habakkuk says:
'I will stand upon my watch' (Hab. II, 1). For he stands upon his watch who by the diligence of discipline does not succumb to earthly desires, but rises above them, so that, as one always standing, he longs for eternity, and everything that passes is beneath him. 36. Since it does not exclude the weaknesses and disturbances of the flesh. The saints, by God's gift imperturbable, by their own weakness lie subject to disturbances. — Yet since a holy man, however much he has advanced in virtue, while placed in this life is still outwardly pressed by the weakness of the flesh, as it is written, 'Although man walks in the image of God, yet he is vainly disturbed' (Ps. XXXVIII, 7), it very often comes about that he is both disturbed outwardly and remains imperturbable inwardly;
and that he can be vainly disturbed comes from the weakness of the flesh, whereas that he walks in the image of God comes from the virtue of the mind, so that he is both strengthened within by divine aid, and yet is still outwardly pressed by the human burden. Whence Habakkuk again well set forth one sentence serving for both. For he says: 'And trembling entered into my bones, and beneath me my strength was troubled' (Hab. III, 16). As if he said: There is not my strength, in which above I remain imperturbable when caught up, and there is my strength, in which below I am troubled. He himself therefore is imperturbable above himself, he himself perturbable below himself, since he had ascended above himself, insofar as he was caught up to the highest;
and he was beneath himself, insofar as he still drew the remnants in the lowest things. He himself is imperturbable above himself, since he had already passed over into the contemplation of God; he himself perturbable below himself, since beneath himself a still weak man remained. In harmony with this sentence, David the prophet says: 'I said in the excess of my mind: Every man is a liar' (Ps. CXV, 2). To whom it may be answered: If every man, then you too, and now the sentence which you, a liar, have set forth will be false. But if you yourself are not a liar, the sentence will now not be true, since while you are truthful, not every man is known to be a liar. But it is to be noted that it is premised: 'I said in the excess of my mind.'
Through the excess of his mind, therefore, he passed beyond even himself, when he defined the quality of man. As if he plainly said: Concerning the falsehood of all men I have set forth a true sentence from that vantage from which I myself was above man. In so far indeed am I too a liar, in so far as I am man; but in so far am I not at all a liar, in so far as through the excess of mind I am above man. 37. These things are no hindrance to inner quiet and contemplation. — Thus therefore all the perfect, although they still endure something turbulent from the weakness of the flesh, yet already inwardly enjoy a most tranquil secret through contemplation, as dwellers therein, so that whatever happens outwardly disturbs nothing within.
Whence blessed Job, showing the security of a holy mind, after he had set forth about himself so many proclamations of virtues, following upon what we have set before, added: 'If I feared at an exceeding multitude, and the contempt of my kinsmen terrified me; and did I not rather keep silence, nor go out of the door.' As if he said more openly: When others were disturbed against me outwardly, I myself within me remained imperturbable. For what in this place ought we to understand by 'door' except the mouth? For through this we go forth, as it were, when by the words we are able to we open the secrets of our heart; and such as we remain within in conscience, such do we go forth through the tongue. 38. The saints are silent in the time of commotion. Otherwise others.
We must keep silent, unless by speaking we can profit others. — But there are some who altogether fear to be despised, and, lest perhaps they be judged vile, desire to seem wise. These are compelled to go out of the door, since, struck by insults, they announce by speaking how great they are hidden within themselves. And while, overcome by impatience, they betray certain things about themselves which were not known, they go forth as it were through the door of the mouth. Whence blessed Job, about to say that he had not gone out of the door of the mouth, well premised, 'I kept silence,' since assuredly, disturbed by impatience, he would have gone out from the house of conscience, had he not known how to keep silent.
For holy men in the temptation of commotion altogether shun to show themselves, and when they cannot profit their hearers, they even wish, keeping silent, to be despised, lest they glory in the display of their wisdom. And when they say anything prudently, they seek not their own glory, but the life of their hearers. But when they perceive that by speaking they cannot gain the life of their hearers, by keeping silent they hide their knowledge. For to imitate the life of the Lord we run, as it were, to a certain sign set before us. For He, since He saw that Herod sought not progress, but wished to marvel at signs or knowledge, when questioned by him kept silent, and because He steadfastly kept silent, went out mocked by him. For it is written:
'Now Herod, having seen Jesus, rejoiced greatly; for he was desirous for a long time to see Him, because he had heard many things about Him, and he hoped to see some sign done by Him' (Luke XXIII, 8). Where it is also subjoined: 'And he questioned Him with many words, but He answered him nothing.' And the Lord, keeping silent, is shown how despised, when there is straightway subjoined: 'And Herod with his army despised Him, and mocked Him.'
Which deed, indeed, it behooves us who hear to learn, so that as often as our hearers wish to know our things as though to be praised, but not to change their own perverse things, we should altogether keep silent, lest, if out of zeal for display we speak the word of God, both their fault which was does not cease to be, and ours which was not comes to be. 39. Whence it may be known whether hearers profit from the doctrine of preachers. What it is to speak from God and before God. — Perhaps someone may say: Whence do we know with what heart anyone hears? But there are many things which betray the mind of the hearer, especially if our hearers always praise to him what they hear, and never follow what they praise. This empty glory of speaking the excellent preacher had fled, when he said:
'For we are not, as very many, adulterating the word of God; but out of sincerity, as from God, before God, in Christ we speak' (2 Cor. II, 17). For to adulterate the word of God is either to think otherwise of it than it is, or from it to seek not spiritual fruits, but the adulterine offspring of human praise. But out of sincerity he speaks who seeks nothing in his discourse beyond what is fitting. And he speaks as from God who knows that he has not from himself, but has received from God what he says. And he speaks before God who in all that he says seeks not human favors, but is intent on the presence of almighty God; who seeks not his own, but his Author's glory.
But he who indeed knows that he has received from God what he says, and yet in speaking seeks his own glory, speaks as from God, but not before God, since He whom he does not set before his heart when he preaches, he supposes to be as though absent. But holy men both speak from God and before God, since they both know that they have from Him what they say, and consider Him to be present at their discourses as Judge and Hearer. Whence it comes about that when they recognize themselves to be despised by their neighbours, and their words not to profit the life of their hearers, they hide how great virtue they are of, lest, if a discourse uselessly uttered should disclose the secret of the heart, it should break forth into vainglory. 40. Neither pride nor impatience compelled Job to narrate his virtues.
— Blessed Job therefore, amid obstinate minds not seeking to shine forth by the disclosure of his virtue, says: 'If the contempt of my kinsmen terrified me, and did I not rather keep silence, nor go out of the door.' For he who, solid through humility, in no way feared to be despised, him impatience did not overcome to cast forth his tongue outside. Where it is well premised: 'If I feared at an exceeding multitude,' that of what constancy he was may be recognized, since assuredly the number of men does not terrify outwardly one whom the crowd of vices does not devastate inwardly. For in this life, he who covets no prosperity beyond doubt fears no adversity. 41. The things Job narrates about himself are to be understood of Christ.
— Which words, indeed, if we draw them to the mystical understanding, in them we more readily find the working of our Redeemer. For He Himself did not fear at an exceeding multitude, who struck down His persecutors, coming with swords and clubs, by one answer only, saying, 'I am He' (John XVIII, 6). Him the contempt of His kinsmen did not terrify, who, delivering us from eternal torments, evenly received blows upon His face. He Himself kept silence, and did not go out of the door, who, under that very hour of the passion, when He suffered with the weakness of humanity, was unwilling to exercise the power of His divinity.
For to the Mediator of God and men it would have been, as it were, to go out of the door, if, when He was held as a man, He had wished to show the power of His majesty, and through the greatness of His divinity to pass beyond the weakness of the flesh He had assumed. For that man might be able to die openly, God remained hidden: 'Because if they had known, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory' (1 Cor. II, 8). He did not, therefore, go out of the door, who, both questioned by Pilate, kept silence; and amid the hands of His persecutors offered to the passion the body which He had assumed for the elect, and to those resisting was unwilling to demonstrate what He was. Whence it is also said through the Psalmist: 'They have made me an abomination to themselves; I was delivered up, and I did not go forth' (Ps. LXXXVIII, 9).
For when He was despised because He seemed a man, He would have gone forth, if He had wished to display His hidden majesty. But because He betrayed His weakness, He hid His power; in that He remained unknown to His persecutors, He by no means went out to them. Yet He goes out to the elect, since He opens the sweetness of His divinity to those who seek. Whence it is said to Him through the prophet: 'You went forth for the salvation of your people, that you might save your anointed ones' (Hab. III, 13). There follows: