56. 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. [Ecclus. 1, 13. 19.] And again it is delivered touching the Church, And she shall laugh in the last day. [Prov. 31, 25] 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. [Ps. 44, 19] 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 ...
