Moralia in Job 1227

41. From this light blazes the ardour of charity and the heat of persecution. For when the light is scattered abroad, the heat is divided over the earth, because, righteousness being preached openly, the heart's anxiety to seek God is enlarged into the exercise of virtue, so that one may shine in the word of wisdom, another in the word of knowledge; this one may grow strong in the grace of healings, that one in the working of miracles; and while individuals receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit in differing measure, being necessarily joined to one another, they may all be kindled with one accord (1 Cor. 12:8).

But since the light is said to be scattered abroad, it can fittingly be understood that by the heat persecution is signified, because, as the light of preaching shone forth, soon from the hearts of the faithless the ardour of persecution blazed up. For that persecution is expressed by heat, the Lord's own discourse testifies, saying of the seeds cast upon stony ground: 'When the sun was risen, they were scorched, and because they had no root, they withered away' (Matt. 13:6). And when a little later He expounded this, He called the heat persecution. When the light was scattered abroad, therefore, the heat was divided over the earth, because, as the life of the faithful shone forth, the cruelty of the faithless was kindled.

For the heat was indeed divided, when persecution now raged at Jerusalem, now at Damascus, now in other far-off regions. For it is written: 'There arose on that day a great persecution against the Church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria' (Acts 8:1). And again it is written: 'Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, and asked of him letters, which he might carry to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any men and women of this way, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem' (Acts 9:1ff.).

Because, therefore, persecution had grown up now here, now there, those who had come to know the light of truth panted, as it were divided under the burning of the heat. 42. The light is righteousness, which is scattered abroad only successively. But since we have heard blessed Job questioned above about the hidden judgments, we must more subtly examine what has been said of the scattered light and the divided heat. For he is further examined by another question, that at least, since he does not know, he may be taught, and it may be said to him: 'By what way is the light scattered abroad, and the heat divided over the earth?' For what is designated by the name of light, if not righteousness? Of which it is written: 'The people that sat in darkness saw a great light' (Isa. 9:2).

Now everything that is scattered abroad is cast not continuously, but with a certain intermission. And therefore the light is said to be scattered abroad, because, although we now perceive some things as they are, yet some things we do not see as they ought to be seen. For scattered light had held the heart of Peter, who had shone with so great a brightness of faith, so great a brightness of miracles, and yet, when he imposed the burden of circumcision upon the converted Gentiles, he did not know what was right to say. The light, therefore, is scattered abroad in this life, because it is not held continuously unto the understanding of everything. For while we comprehend one thing as it is, and are ignorant of another, we both discern in part, as by scattered light, and in part remain in obscurity.

But then the light will no longer be scattered abroad for us, when our mind, utterly caught up to God, shall shine. 43. By what modes it is instilled into the human heart, we do not know. And because it is not known by what modes this same light is instilled into the human heart, it is rightly said in the questioning: 'By what way is the light scattered abroad?' As if it were plainly said: 'Tell by what order I pour my righteousness into the hidden recesses of hearts, since I am both not seen at my approach, and yet invisibly change the visible works of men; since I irradiate one and the same mind now with this virtue, now with that, and yet, through scattered light, permit it still in some part to remain in the darkness of temptation.' Let the man who does not know be asked by what way the light is scattered abroad, as if it were openly said:

'While I soften hard hearts, while I bend the rigid, while I mitigate the harsh, while I kindle the cold, while I strengthen the weak, while I make firm the wavering, while I confirm the tottering, behold, if you are able, by what passages I, coming incorporeally, illumine them.' For we discern all these things as done, but by what means they are wrought within, we do not know. That this way of the light is invisible to us, the Truth shows in the Gospel, saying: 'The Spirit breathes where it wills; and you hear its voice, but you know not whence it comes and whither it goes' (John 3:8). 44. As this light increases, temptations spring up. But because, when the light is scattered abroad, temptations soon spring up from the hidden adversary against the shining mind, it is rightly subjoined: 'The heat is divided over the earth.'

For the crafty Enemy strives to inflame with unlawful desires the minds of those whom he sees to shine with the light of righteousness, so that for the most part they feel themselves more urged by temptations than when they did not see the rays of the inner light. Whence also the Israelites, after they were called, complained against Moses and Aaron about their increasing labour, saying: 'The Lord look upon you and judge, because you have made our savour to stink before Pharaoh and his servants, and have put a sword into his hand to kill us' (Exod. 5:21). For to those wishing to depart out of Egypt, Pharaoh had withdrawn the straw, and yet demanded works of the same measure.

As it were, therefore, the mind murmurs against the law, after the knowledge of which it bears the sharper goads of temptations, and when it sees its labours increasing, it grieves, as though it stank in the eyes of Pharaoh, in that which displeases the adversary. After the light, therefore, follows the heat, because after the illumination of the divine gift, the struggle of temptation is increased. 45. According to each one's disposition the Enemy solicits us to evil. Rightly, too, is the heat said to be divided, because assuredly individuals are wearied not by all, but by certain neighbouring and adjacent vices. For the ancient adversary first perceives the temperament of each one, and then sets the snares of temptation.

For one man is of a cheerful, another of a gloomy, another of a timid, another of a haughty disposition. In order, therefore, that the hidden adversary may easily capture him, he prepares deceptions suited to their temperaments. For because the pleasure of wantonness is near to gladness, he proposes luxury to those of cheerful manners. And because sadness easily slips into anger, he holds out the cup of discord to the gloomy. Because the timid dread punishments, he threatens terrors to the fearful. And because he sees the haughty exalted by praises, he draws them by flattering favours to whatever he wishes. He therefore lies in wait for individual men with the vices suited to them.

For he would not easily take them captive, if he were to propose rewards to the wanton, or harlots to the avaricious; if he were to assail the gluttonous with the glory of abstinence, or the abstinent with the frailty of the gullet; if he were to seek to take the meek through zeal for combat, or the wrathful through the dread of fear. Because, therefore, in the ardour of temptation, cunningly lying in wait for individuals, he hides snares near to their manners, it is rightly said: 'The heat is divided over the earth.' 46. God moderates temptations, lest they be either many or too great. But when it is premised: 'By what way is the light scattered abroad?' and immediately it is subjoined: 'The heat is divided over the earth,' assuredly it is indicated that by the same way by which the light is scattered abroad, the heat also is divided.

For the deep and incomprehensible grace of the Holy Spirit, when it irradiates our minds with its light, also, by dispensing, moderates the temptations of the adversary, so that they may not come many at once, or that only those which can be borne may touch the soul already illumined by God, so that, while they torment us with the ardour of their touch, they may not burn it up with the fire of perfection; Paul attesting, who says: 'But God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able, but will make also with the temptation a way of escape, that you may be able to bear it' (1 Cor. 10:13). This heat, therefore, the crafty supplanter divides in one way, the merciful Creator in another. The former divides it that by it he may the more quickly destroy; the latter, that He may render it tolerable.

And because, when we are wearied with temptation, we are instructed not only by the inward Spirit of God, but are also aided by the outward words of preachers, rightly after the divided heat it is subjoined: