約伯倫理 第 1229 章

49. Thunder is here said to be like it. God alone opens hearts through grace. For what is understood by thunder, if not the preaching of supernal terror? While human hearts perceive this terror, they are shaken. But sometimes by thunder the incarnate Lord Himself is figured, who, by the fitting prophecy of the ancient fathers, was brought forth to our knowledge as it were from the meeting of the clouds. He, appearing visibly among us, terribly sounded forth those things which were above us. Whence also the holy apostles themselves, begotten of His grace, were called Boanerges, that is, sons of thunder (Mark 3:17). But sometimes, as has been said, His very preaching is understood as thunder, through which the terror of the supernal judgments is heard.

But because any preacher can give words to the ears, yet cannot open hearts; and unless, through inward grace, Almighty God alone invisibly grant, through the words of preachers, an entrance to the hearts of hearers, in vain is the preaching perceived by the ear of the hearer, since it is prevented from reaching the inmost parts by a deaf heart—the Lord asserts that He gives a way to the sounding thunder, who, when He bestows the words of preaching, pricks the heart through terror. This way Paul, that excellent preacher, while he terribly thundered forth the supernal mysteries, perceiving that he could not have it from himself, admonished his disciples, saying: 'Praying withal for us also, that God would open unto us a door of speech, to speak the mystery of Christ' (Col. 4:3).

He, therefore, who spoke the mysteries, but prayed that in the heart of the hearers a door might be opened by the Lord to those same mysteries, had indeed already the thunder, but sought that a way be given him from above. This way John had known could by no means be given by man, when he said: 'You have no need that any man teach you, but as His anointing teaches you concerning all things' (1 John 2:27). This way, again, Paul intimated who it was that gave it, saying: 'Neither he that plants is anything, nor he that waters, but God that gives the increase' (1 Cor. 3:7). The way, therefore, being received, let us hear what this shower and this thunder effect. There follows: