(NOTE: The electronic text obtained from The Electronic Bible Society was
not completely corrected. EWTN has corrected all discovered errors.)


ST. AUGUSTIN

EXPOSITIONS ON THE BOOK OF PSALMS

[Translated by the Rev. J. E. Tweed, M.A., chaplain of Christ Church,
Oxford; T. Scratton, Esq., M.A., of Christ Church; the Rev. H.M. Wilkins,
M.A., of Merton College, Oxford; ?the Rev. Charles Marriot, of Oriel
College; ?the Rev. H. Walford, Vice-Principal of St. Edmund's Hall; at
least one anonymous contributor. Abridged from the six volumes of the Oxford
Series by A. Cleveland Coxe, D.D.]

PSALMS 42-50: FROM THE 2ND BOOK OF THE PSALMS


PSALM XLII.[4]

   1. We have undertaken the exposition of a Psalm corresponding to your
own "longings," on which we propose to speak to you. For the Psalm itself
begins with a certain pious "longing;" and he who sings so, says, "Like as
the hart desireth the water-brooks, so longeth my soul after Thee, O God"
(ver. 1). Who is it then that saith this? It is ourselves, if we be but
willing! And why ask, who it is other than thyself, when it is in thy power
to be the thing which thou art asking about? It is not however one
individual, but it is "One Body;" but "Christ's Body is the Church."[5]
Such "longing" indeed is not found in all who enter the Church: let all
however who have "tasted" the sweetness "of the Lord,"[6] and who own in
Christ that for which they have a relish, think that they are not the only
ones; but that there are such seeds scattered throughout "the field" of the
Lord, this whole earth: and that there is a certain Christian unity, whose
voice thus speaks, "Like as the hart desireth the water-brooks, so longeth
my soul after Thee, O God." And indeed it is not ill understood as the cry
of those, who being as yet Catechumens,[7] are hastening to the grace of
the holy Font. On which account too this Psalm is ordinarily[8] chanted on
those occasions, that they may long for the Fountain of remission of sins,
even "as the hart for the water-brooks." Let this be allowed; and this
meaning retain its place in the Church; a place both truthful and
sanctioned by usage.[9] Nevertheless, it appears to me, my brethren, that
such "a longing" is not fully satisfied even in the faithful in Baptism:
but that haply, if they know where they are sojourning, and whither they
have to remove from hence, their "longing" is kindled in even greater
intensity.

   2. The title then of it is, "On the end: a Psalm for understanding for
the sons of Korah." We have met with  the sons of Korah in other titles of
Psalms:[10] and remember to have discussed and stated already the meaning
of this name. Yet we must even now take notice of this title in such a way,
that what we have said already should be no prejudice against our saying it
again: for all were not present in every place where we said it. Now Korah
may have been, as indeed he was, a certain definite person; and have had
sons, who might be called "the sons of Korah;" let us however search for
the secret of which this is the sacrament, that this name may bring to
light the mystery with which it is pregnant. For there is some great
mystery in the matter that the name "sons of Korah" is given to Christians.
Why "sons of Korah"? They are "sons of the bridegroom, sons of Christ,"[11]
Why then does "Korah" stand for Christ? Because "Korah" is equivalent to"
Calvaria." ... Therefore, the "sons of the bridegroom," the sons of His
Passion, the sons redeemed by His Blood, the sons of His Cross, who bear on
their forehead that which His enemies erected on Calvary, are called "the
sons of Korah; to them is this Psalm sung as a Psalm for "understanding."
Let then our understanding be roused: and if the Psalm be sung to us, let
us follow it with our "understanding." ... Run to the brooks; long after
the water-brooks. "With God is the fountain of Life;" a "fountain" that
shall never be dried up: in His "Light" is a Light that shall never be
darkened. Long thou for this light: for a certain fountain, a certain
light, such as thy bodily eyes know not; a light to see which the inward
eye must be prepared; a fountain, to drink of which the inward thirst is to
be kindled. Run to the fountain; long for the fountain; but do it not
anyhow, be not satisfied with running like any ordinary animal; run thou
"like the hart." What is meant by "like the hart"? Let there be no sloth in
thy running; run with all thy might: long for the fountain with all thy
might. For we find in "the hart" an emblem of swiftness.

   3. But perhaps Scripture meant us to consider in the stag not this
point only, but another also. Hear what else there is in the hart. It
destroys serpents,[1] and after the killing of serpents, it is inflamed
with thirst yet more violent; having destroyed serpents, it runs to "the
water-brooks," with thirst more keen than before. The serpents are thy
vices, destroy the serpents of iniquity; then wilt thou long yet more for
"the Fountain of Truth." Perhaps avarice whispers in thine ear some dark
counsel, hisses against the word of God, hisses against the commandment of
God. And since it is said to thee, "Disregard this or that thing," if thou
prefer working iniquity to despising some temporal good, thou choosest to
be bitten by a serpent, rather than destroy it. Whilst, therefore, thou art
yet indulgent to thy vice, thy covetousness or thy appetite, when am I to
find in thee "a longing" such as this, that might make thee run to the
water-brooks? ...

   4. There is another point to be observed in the hart. It is reported of
stags ... that when they either wander in the herds, or when they are
swimming to reach some other parts of the earth, that they support the
burdens of their heads on each other, in such a manner as that one takes
the lead, and others follow, resting their heads upon him, as again others
who follow do upon them, and others in succession to the very end of the
herd; but the one who took the lead in bearing the burden of their heads,
when tired, returns to the rear, and rests himself after his fatigue by
supporting his head just as did the others; by thus supporting what is
burdensome, each in turn, they both accomplish their journey, and do not
abandon each other. Are they not a kind of "harts" that the Apostle
addresses, saying, "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the Law of
Christ"?[2] ...

   5. "My soul is athirst for the living God" (ver. 2). What I am saying,
that "as the hart panteth after the water-brooks, so longs my soul after
Thee, O God," means this, "My soul is athirst for the living God." For what
is it athirst? "When shall I come and appear before God?" This it is for
which I am athirst, to "come and to appear before Him." I am athirst in my
pilgrimage, in my running; I shall be filled on my arrival. But "When shall
I come?" And this, which is soon in the sight of God, is late to our
"longing."[3] "When shall I come and appear before God?" This too proceeds
from that "longing," of which in another place comes that cry, "One thing
have I desired of the Lord; that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the
house of the Lord all the days of my life." Wherefore so? "That I may
behold" (he saith) "the beauty of the Lord."[4] "When shall I come and
appear before the Lord?"

   6. "My tears have been my meat day and night, while they daily say unto
me, Where is thy God?" (ver. 3). My tears (he saith) have been not
bitterness, but "my bread." Those very tears were sweet unto me: being
athirst for that fountain, inasmuch as I was not as yet able to drink of
it, I have eagerly made my tears my meat. For he said not, "My tears became
my drink," lest he should seem to have longed for them, as for "the water-
brooks:" but, still retaining that thirst wherewith I burn, and by which I
am hurried away towards the water-brooks, "My tears became my meat," whilst
I am not yet there.[5] And assuredly he does but the more thirst for the
water-brooks from making his tears his meat. ... "And they daily say unto
me, Where is thy God?" For if a Pagan should say this to me, I cannot
retort it upon him, saying, "Where is thine?" inasmuch as he points with
his finger to some stone, and says, "Lo, there is my God!" When I have
laughed at the stone, and he who pointed to it has been put to the blush,
he raises his eyes from the stone, looks up to heaven, and perhaps says,
pointing his finger to the Sun, "Behold there my God! Where, I pray, is
your God?" He has found something to point out to the eyes of the flesh;
whereas I, on my part, not that I have not a God to show to him, cannot
show him what he has no eyes to see. For he indeed could point out to my
bodily eyes his God, the Sun; but what eyes hath he to which I might point
out the Creator of the Sun? ...

   7. "I thought on these things, and poured out my soul above myself"[6]
(ver. 4). When would my soul attain to that object of its search, which is
"above my soul," if my soul were not to "pour itself out above itself"? For
were it to rest in itself, it would not see anything else beyond itself;
and in seeing itself, would not, for all that, see God. Let then my
insulting enemies now say, "Where is thy God?" aye, let them say it! I, so
long as I do not "see," so long as my happiness is postponed, make my tears
my "bread day and night." Let them still say, "Where is thy God?" I seek my
God in every corporeal nature, terrestrial or celestial, and find Him not:
I seek His Substance in my own soul, and I find it not, yet still I have
thought on these things, and wishing to "see the invisible things of my
God, being understood by the things made,"[1] I have poured forth my soul
above myself, and there remains no longer any being for me to attain to,
save my God. For it is "there" is the "house of my God." His dwelling-place
is above my soul; from thence He beholds me; from thence He created me;
from thence He directs me and provides for me; from thence he appeals to[2]
me, and calls me, and directs me; leads me in the way, and to the end of my
way.[3] ...

   8. For when I was "pouring out my soul above myself," in order to reach
my God, why did I do so? "For I will go into the place of Thy Tabernacle."
For I should be in error were I to seek for my God without" the place of
His tabernacle." "For I will go into the place of Thy wonderful tabernacle,
even unto the house of God."

   "I will go," he says, "into the place of the wonderful tabernacle, even
unto the house of God!" For there are already many things that I admire in
"the tabernacle." See how great wonders I admire in the tabernacle! For
God's tabernacle on earth is the faithful; I admire in them the obedience
of even their bodily members: that in them "Sin does not reign so that they
should obey its lusts; neither do they yield their members instruments of
unrighteousness unto sin; but unto the living God in good works."[4] I
admire the sight of the bodily members warring in the service of the soul
that serves God. ... And wonderful though the tabernacle be, yet when I
come to "the house of God," I am even struck dumb with astonishment. Of
that "house" he speaks in another Psalm, after he had put a certain
abstruse and difficult question to himself (viz., why is it that it
generally goes well with the wicked on earth, and ill with the good?),
saying, "I thought to know this; it is too painful for me, until I go into
the sanctuary of God, and understand of the last things."[5] For it is
there, in the sanctuary of God, in the house of God, is the fountain of
"understanding." There he "understood of the last things;" and solved the
question concerning the prosperity of the unrighteous, and the sufferings
of the righteous. How does he solve it? Why, that the wicked, when
reprieved here, are reserved for punishments without end; and the good when
they suffer here, are being tried in order that they may in the end obtain
the inheritance. And it was in the sanctuary of God that he understood
this, and "understood of the last things." ... For he tells us of his
progress, and of his guidance thither; as if we had been saying, "You are
admiring the tabernacle here on earth; how came you to the sanctuary of the
house of God?" he says, "In the voice of joy and praise; the sound of
keeping holiday." Here, when men keep festival simply for their own
indulgence, it is their custom to place musical instruments, or to station
a chorus of singers,[6] before their houses, or any kind of music that
serves and allures to wantonness. And when these are heard, what do we
passers by say? "What is going on here?" And we are told in answer, that it
is some festival. "It is a birthday that is being celebrated" (say they),"
there is a marriage here;" that those songs may not appear out of place,
but the luxurious indulgence[7] may be excused by the festive occasion. In
the "house of God" there is a never-ending festival: for there it is not an
occasion celebrated once, and then to pass away.[8] The angelic choir makes
an eternal "holiday:" the presence of God's face, joy that never fails.
This is a "holiday" of such a kind, as neither to be opened by any dawn,
nor terminated by any evening. From that everlasting perpetual festivity, a
certain sweet and melodious strain strikes on the ears of the heart,
provided only the world do not drown the sounds. As he walks in this
tabernacle, and contemplates God's wonderful works for the redemption of
the faithful, the sound of that festivity charms his ears, and bears the
"hart" away to "the water-brooks."

   9. But seeing, brethren, so long as "we are at home in this body, we
are absent from the Lord;"[9] and "the corruptible body presseth down the
soul, and the earthly tabernacle weigheth down the mind that museth on many
things;"[10] even though we have some way or other dispersed the clouds, by
walking as "longing" leads us on, and for a brief while have come within
reach of that sound, so that by an effort we may catch something from that
"house of God," yet through the burden, so to speak, of our infirmity, we
sink back to our usual level, and relapse to our ordinary state.[11] And
just as there we found cause for rejoicing, so here there will not be
wanting an occasion for sorrow. For that hart that made "tears" its "bread
day and night," borne along by "longing to the water-brooks" (that is, to
the spiritual delights of God), "pouring forth his soul above himself,"
that he may attain to what is "above" his own soul, walking towards "the
place of the wonderful tabernacle, even unto the house of God," and led on
by the sweetness of that inward spiritual[1] sound to feel contempt for all
outward things, and be borne on to things spiritual, is but a mortal man
still; is still groaning here, still bearing about the frailty of flesh,
still in peril in the midst of the "offences"[2] of this world. He
therefore glances back to himself? as if he were coming from that world;
and says to himself, now placed in the midst of these sorrows, comparing
these with the things, to see which he had entered in there, and after
seeing which he had come forth from thence;

   "Why art thou cast down, O my soul, and why dost thou disquiet me?"
(ver. 5). Lo, we have just now been gladdened by certain inward delights:
with the mind's eye we have been able to behold, though but with a
momentary glance, something not susceptible of change: why dost thou still
"disquiet me, why art thou" still "cast down"? For thou dost not doubt of
thy God. For now thou art not without somewhat to say to thyself, in answer
to those who say, "Where is thy God?" I have now had the perception of
something that is unchangeable; why dost thou disquiet me still?

   "Hope in God." Just as if his soul was silently replying to him, "Why
do I disquiet thee, but because I am not yet there, where that delight is,
to which I was, as it were, rapt for a moment?[4] Am I already 'drinking'
from this 'fountain' with nothing to fear?" ... Still "Hope in God," is his
answer to the soul that disquiets him, and would fain account for her
disquiet from the evils with which this world abounds. In the mean while
dwell in hope: for "hope that is seen is not hope; but if we hope for that
we see not, then do we with patience wait for it."[5]

   10. "Hope in God." Why "hope"? "For I will confess unto Him." What wilt
thou "confess"? "My God is the saving health of my countenance."[6] My
"health" (my salvation) cannot be from myself; this it is that I will say,
that I will "confess." It is my God that is "the saving health of my
countenance." For to account for his fears, in the midst of those things,
which he now knows, having come after a sort to the "understanding" of
them,[7] he has been looking behind him again in anxiety, lest the enemy be
stealing upon him: he cannot yet say, "I am made whole every whit." For
having but "the first-fruits of the Spirit, we groan within ourselves;
waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of the body."[8] When that
"health" (that salvation) is perfected in us, then shall we be living in
the house of God for ever, and praising for ever Him to whom it was said,
"Blessed are they that dwell in Thy house, they will be praising Thee world
without end."[9] This is not so yet, because the salvation which is
promised, is not as yet in being; but it is "in hope" that I confess unto
God, and say, "My God is the saving health of my countenance." For it is
"in hope" that "we are saved; but hope that is seen, is not hope." ...

   11. "My soul is disquieted on account of myself"[10] (ver. 6). Is it
disquieted on account of God? It is on my own account it is disquieted. By
the Unchangeable it was revived; it is by the changeable it is disquieted.
I know that the righteousness of God remaineth; whether my own will remain
stedfast, I know not. For I am alarmed by the Apostle's saying, "Let him
that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall."[11] Therefore since
"there is no soundness in me for myself," there is no hope either for me of
myself. "My soul is disquieted on account of myself." ... "Therefore I
remember Thee, O Lord, from the land of Jordan, and from the little hill of
Hermon." From whence did I remember thee? From the "little hill," and from
the "land of Jordan." Perhaps from Baptism, where the remission of sins is
given. For no one runs to the remission of sins, except he who is
dissatisfied with himself; no one runs to the remission of sins, but he who
confesses himself a sinner; no one confesses himself a sinner, except by
humbling himself before God. Therefore it is from "the land of Jordan I
have remembered thee, and from the hill;" observe, not "of the great hill,"
that thou mayest make of the "little hill" a great one: for "whoso exalteth
himself shall be abased, and whoso humbleth himself shall be exalted." If
you would also ask the meanings of the names, Jordan means "their descent."
Descend then, that thou mayest be "lifted up:" be not lifted up, lest thou
be cast down. "And the little hill of Hermon." Hermon means
"anathematizing." Anathematize thyself, by being displeased with thyself;
for if thou art pleased with thyself, God will be displeased with thee.
Because then God gives us all good things, because He Himself is good, not
because we are worthy of it; because He is merciful, not because we have in
anything deserved it; it is from "the land of Jordan, and from Hermon,"
that I remember thee. And because he so remembers with humility, he shall
earn his exaltation to fruition,[1] for he is not "exalted" in himself, who
"glories in the Lord."

   12. "Deep calleth unto deep with the voice of thy water-spouts"[2]
(ver. 7). I may perhaps finish the Psalm, aided as I am by your attention,
whose fervour I perceive. As for your fatigue in hearing, I am not greatly
solicitous, since you see me also, who speak, toiling in the heat of these
exertions.[3] Assuredly it is from your seeing me labouring, that you
labour with me: for I am labouring not for myself, but for you. "Deep
calleth unto deep with the voice of thy water-spouts." It was God whom he
addressed, who "remembered him from the land of Jordan and Hermon." It was
in wonder and admiration he spake this: "Abyss calleth unto abyss with the
voice of Thy water-spouts." What abyss is this that calls, and to what
other abyss? Justly, because the "understanding"[4] spoken of is an
"abyss." For an "abyss" is a depth that cannot be reached or comprehended;
and it is principally applied to a great body of water. For there is a
"depth," a "profound," the bottom of which cannot be reached by sounding.
Furthermore, it is said in a certain passage.[5] "Thy judgments are a
mighty abyss," Scripture meaning to suggest that the judgments of God are
incomprehensible. What then is the "abyss" that calls, and to what other
"abyss" does it call? If by "abyss" we understand a great depth, is not
man's heart, do you not suppose, "an abyss"? For what is there more
profound than that "abyss"? Men may speak, may be seen by the operations of
their members, may be heard speaking in conversation: but whose thought is
penetrated, whose heart seen into? What he is inwardly engaged on, what he
is inwardly capable of,[6] what he is inwardly doing or what purposing,
what he is inwardly wishing to happen, or not to happen, who shall
comprehend? I think an "abyss" may not unreasonably be understood of man,
of whom it is said elsewhere, "Man shall come to a deep heart, and God
shall be exalted."[7] If man then is an "abyss," in what way doth "abyss"
call on "abyss"? Does man "call on" man as God is called upon? No, but
"calls on" is equivalent to "calls to him." For it was said of a certain
person, he calls on death;[8] that is, lives in such a way as to be
inviting death; for there is no man at all who puts up a prayer, and calls
expressly on death: but men by evil-living invite death. "Deep[9] calls on
deep," then, is, "man calls to man." Thus is it wisdom is learnt, and thus
faith, when "man calls to man." The holy preachers of God's word call on
the "deep:" are they not themselves "a deep" also? ...

   13. "Deep calleth to deep with the voice of Thy water-spouts" I, who
tremble all over, when my soul was disquieted on account of myself, feared
greatly on account of Thy "judgments." ... Are those judgments slight ones?
They are great ones, severe, hard to bear; but would they were all. "Deep
calls to deep with the voice of Thy water-spouts," in that Thou
threatenest, Thou sayest, that there is another condemnation in store even
after those sufferings. "Deep calls on deep with the voice of Thy water-
spouts." "Whither then shall I go from Thy presence? And whither shall I
flee from Thy Spirit?" seeing that deep calls to deep, and after those
sufferings severer ones are to be dreaded.

   14. "All Thy overhangings[10] and Thy waves are come upon me." The
"waves" in what I already feel, the "overhangings" in that Thou denouncest.
All my sufferings are Thy waves; all Thy denouncements of judgments are Thy
"overhangings." In the "waves" that deep "calleth;" in the "overhangings"
is the other "deep" which it "calls to." In this that I suffer are all Thy
waves; in the severer punishment that Thou threatenest, all Thy
"overhangings" are come unto me. For He who threatens does not let His
judgments fall upon us, but keeps them suspended over us." But inasmuch as
Thou sittest at liberty, I have thus spoken unto my soul. "Hope in God: for
I will confess unto Him. My God is the saving health of my countenance."
The more numerous my sufferings, the sweeter will be Thy mercy.

   15. Therefore follows: "The Lord will commend His loving-kindness in
the day-time; and in the night-time will He declare it"[12](ver. 8). In
tribulation no man has leisure to hear: attend, when it is well with you;
hear, when it is well with you; learn, when you are in tranquillity, the
discipline of wisdom, and store up the word of God as you do food. For in
tribulation every one must be profiled by what he heard in the time of
security. For in prosperity God "commends to thee His mercy," in case thou
serve Him faithfully, for He frees thee from tribulation; but it is "in the
night" only that He "declares" His mercy to thee, which He "commended" to
thee by day. When tribulation shall actually come, He will not leave thee
destitute of His help; He will show thee that which He commended to thee in
the daytime is true. For it is written in a certain passage, "The mercy of
the Lord is seasonable[1] in the time of affliction, as clouds of rain in
the time of drought." "The Lord hath commended His loving-kindness in the
day-time, and in the night will He declare it." He does not showy that He
is thine Helper, unless tribulation come, from whence thou must be rescued
by Him who promised it to thee "in the day-time." Therefore we are warned
to be like "the ant." For just as worldly prosperity is signified by "the
day," adversity by the night, so again in another way worldly prosperity is
expressed by "the summer," adversity by the winter. And what is it that the
ant does? She lays up in summer what will be useful to her in winter.
Whilst therefore it is summer, whilst it is well with you, whilst you are
in tranquillity, hear the word of the Lord. For how can it be that in the
midst of these tempests of the world, you should pass through the whole of
that sea, without suffering? How could it happen? To what mortal's lot has
it fallen? If even it has been the lot of any, that very calm is more to be
dreaded. "The Lord hath commended His loving-kindness in the day-time, and
in the night-time will He declare it." ... "There is with me prayer unto
the God of my life." This I make my business here; I who am the "hart
thirsting and longing for the water-brooks," calling to mind the sweetness
of that strain, by which I was led on through the tabernacle even to the
house of God; whilst this "corruptible body presseth down the soul,"[2]
there is yet with me "prayer unto the God of my life." For in order to
making supplication unto God, I have not to buy aught from places beyond
the sea; or in order that He may hear me, have I to sail to bring from a
distance frankincense and perfumes, or have I to bring "calf or ram from
the flock." There is "with me prayer to the God of my life." I have within
a victim to sacrifice; I have within an incense to place on the altar; I
have within a sacrifice wherewith to propitiate my God. "The sacrifice of
God is a troubled spirit." What sacrifice of a "troubled spirit" I have
within, hear.

   16. "I will say unto God, Thou art my lifter up. Why hast Thou
forgotten me?" (ver. 9). For I am suffering here, even as if Thou hadst
forgotten me. But Thou art trying me, and I know that Thou dost but put
off, not take utterly from me, what Thou hast promised me. But yet, "Why
hast Thou forgotten me?" So cried our Head also, as if speaking in our
name. "My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?"[3] I will say unto God,
"Thou art my lifter up; why hast Thou forgotten me?"

   17. "Why hast Thou rejected me?"[4] "Rejected" me, that is to say, from
that height of the apprehension of the unchangeable Truth. "Why hast Thou
rejected me?" Why, when already longing for those things, have I been cast
down to these, by the weight[5] and burden of my iniquity? This same voice
in another passage said, "I said in my trance"[6] (i.e., in my rapture,
when he had seen some great thing or other), "I said in my trance, I am
cast out of the sight of Thine eyes." For he compared these things in which
he found himself, to those toward which he had been raised; and saw himself
cast out far "from the sight of God's eyes," as he speaks even here, "Why
hast Thou rejected me? Why go I mourning, while mine enemy troubleth me,
while he breaketh my bones?" Even he, my tempter, the devil; while offences
are everywhere on the increase, because of the abundance of which "the love
of many is waxing cold."[7] When we see the strong members of the Church
generally giving way to the causes of offence, does not Christ's body say,
"The enemy breaketh my bones"? For it is the strong members that are "the
bones;" and sometimes even those that are strong sink under their
temptations. For whosoever of the body of Christ considers this, does he
not exclaim, with the voice of Christ's Body, "Why hast Thou rejected me?
Why go I mourning, while mine enemy troubleth me, while he breaketh my
bones?"

   You may see not my flesh merely, but even my "bones." To see those who
were thought to have some stability, giving way under temptations, so that
the rest of the weak brethren despair when they see those who are strong
succumbing; how great, my brethren, are the dangers:

   18. "They who trouble me cast me in the teeth." Again that voice!
"While they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?" (ver. 10). And it is
principally in the temptations of the Church they say this," Where is thy
God?" How much was this cast in the teeth of the Martyrs! Those men so
patient and courageous for the name of Christ, how often was it said to
them, "Where is your God?" "Let Him deliver you, if He can." For men saw
their torments outwardly; they did not inwardly behold their crowns! "They
who trouble me cast me in the teeth, while they say daily unto me, Where is
thy God?" And on this account, seeing "my soul is disquieted on account of
myself," what else should I say unto it than those words:

   "Why art thou cast down, O my soul; and why dost thou disquiet me?"
(ver. 11). And, as it seems to answer, "Wouldest thou not have me disquiet
thee, placed as I am here in so great evils? Wouldest thou have me not
disquiet thee, panting as I am after what is good, thirsting and labouring
as I am for it?" What should I say, but,

   "Hope thou in God; for I will yet confess unto Him" (ver. 11). He
states the very words of that confession; he repeats the grounds on which
he fortifies his hope. "He is the health of my countenance, and my God."

PSALM XLIII.[1]

   1. This Psalm is a short one; it satisfies the mental cravings of the
hearers, without imposing too severe a trial on the hunger of those
fasting.[2] Let our soul feed upon it; our soul, which he who sings in this
Psalm, speaks of as "cast down;" cast down, I suppose, either in
consequence of some fist, or rather in consequence of some hunger he was
in. For fasting is a voluntary act; being an-hungered is an involuntary
thing. That which is an-hungered, is the Church, is the Body of Christ: and
that "Man" who is extended throughout the whole world, of which the Head is
above, the limbs below: it is His voice which ought by this time to be
perfectly known, and perfectly familiar, to us, in all the Psalms; now
chanting joyously, now sorrowing; now rejoicing in hope, now sighing at its
actual state, even as if it were our own. We need not then dwell long on
pointing out to you, who is the speaker here: let each one of us be a
member of Christ's Body; and he will be speaker here. ...

   2. "Judge me, O Lord, and separate my cause from the ungodly nation"
(ver. 1). I do not dread Thy judgment, because I know Thy mercy. "Judge me,
O God," he cries. Now, meanwhile, in this state of pilgrimage, Thou dost
not yet separate my place, because I am to live together with the "tares"
even to the time of the "harvest:" Thou dost not as yet separate my rain
from theirs; my light from theirs: "separate my cause." Let a difference be
made between him who believes in Thee, and him who believes not in Thee.
Our infirmity is the same; but our consciences not the same:our sufferings
the same; but our longings not the same. "The desire of the ungodly shall
perish,"[3] but as to the desire of the righteous, we might well doubt, if
He were not "sure" who promised. The object of our desires is He Himself,
who prom-iseth: He will give us Himself, because He has already given
Himself to us; He will give Himself in His immortality to us then immortal,
even because He gave Himself in His mortality to us when mortal. ...

   3. And since patience is needful in order to endure, until the harvest,
a certain distinction without separation,[4] if we may so speak (for they
are together with us, and therefore not yet separated; the tares however
being still tares, and the corn still corn, and therefore they are already
distinct); since then a kind of strength[5] is needful, which must be
implored of Him who bids us to be strong, and without whose making us
strong, we should not be what He bids us to be; of Him who said, "He that
endures unto the end shall be saved,"[6] lest the soul's powers should be
impaired in consequence of her ascribing any strength to herself, he
subjoins immediately,

   "For Thou, O God, art my strength: why hast Thou cast me off, and why
go I mourning, while the enemy harasseth me?" (ver. 2). I go mourning: the
enemy is harassing me with daily temptations: inspiring either some
unlawful love, or some ungrounded cause of fear; and the soul that fights
against both of them, though not taken prisoner by them, yet being in
danger from them, is contracted with sorrow, and says unto God, "Why?"

   Let her then ask of Him, and hear "Why?" For she is in the Psalm
enquiring the cause of her dejection; saying, "Why hast Thou cast me off?
and why go I mourning?" Let her hear from Isaiah; let the lesson which has
just been read, suggest itself to her. "The spirit shall go forth from me,
and every breath have I made. For iniquity have I a little afflicted him; I
hid my face from him, and he departed from me sorrowful in the ways of his
heart."[7] Why then didst thou ask, "Why hast Thou cast me off, and why go
I mourning?" Thou hast heard, it was "for iniquity." "Iniquity" is the
cause of thy mourning; let "Righteousness" be the cause of thy rejoicing!
Thou wouldest sin; and yet thou wouldest fain not suffer; so that it was
too little for thee to be thyself unrighteous, without also wishing Him to
be unrighteous, in that thou wouldest fain not be punished by Him. Consider
a speech of a better kind in another Psalm. "It is good for me that Thou
hast humbled me, that I might learn Thy righteousnesses."[8] By being
lifted up, I had learned my own iniquities; let me by being "humbled,"
learn "Thy righteousnesses." "Why go I mourning, while the enemy harasses
me?" Thou complainest of the enemy. It is true he does harass thee; but it
was thou didst "give place"[9] to him. And even now there is a course open
to thee; choose the course of prudence; admit thy King, shut the tyrant
out.

   4. But in order that she may do this, hear what she says, what she
supplicates, what she prays for. Pray thou for what thou hearest; pray for
it when thou hearest it; let these words be the voice of us all: "O send
out Thy Light and Thy Truth. They have led me, and brought me on unto Thy
holy hill, and into Thy Tabernacles" (ver. 3). For that very "Light" and
"Truth" are indeed two in name; the reality expressed is but One. For what
else is the "Light" of God, except the "Truth" of God? Or what else is the
"Truth" of God, except the "Light" of God? And the one Person of Christ is
both of these. "I am the Light of the world: he that believeth on Me, shall
not walk in darkness." "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life."[1] He is
Himself "the Light:" He is Himself "the Truth." Let Him come then and
rescue us, and "separate at once our cause from the ungodly nation; let Him
deliver us from the deceitful and unjust man," let him separate the wheat
from the tares, for at the time of harvest He will Himself send His Angels,
that they may "gather out of His kingdom all things that offend,"[2] and
cast them into flaming fire, while they gather together the corn into the
garner. He will send out His" Light," and His "Truth;" for that they have
already "brought us and led us to His holy hill, and into His Tabernacles."
We possess the "earnest;"[3] we hope for the prize. "His holy Hill" is His
holy Church. It is that mountain which, according to Daniel's vision,[4]
grew from a very small "stone," till it crushed the kingdoms of the earth;
and grew to such a size, that it "filled the face of the earth." This is
the "hill," from which he tells us that his prayer was heard, who says, "I
cried unto the Lord with my voice, and He heard me out of His holy hill." s
Let no one of those that are without that mountain, hope to be heard unto
eternal life. For many are heard in their prayers for many things. Let them
not congratulate themselves[6] on being heard; the devils were heard in
their prayer, that they might be sent into the swine. Let us desire to be
heard unto eternal life, by reason of our longing, through which we say,
"Send out Thy Light and Thy Truth."[7] That is a "Light" which requires the
eye of the heart. For "Blessed" (He saith) "are the pure in heart, for they
shall see God."[8] We are now on His Hill, that is, in His Church, and in
His Tabernacle. The "tabernacle" is for persons sojourning; the house, for
those dwelling in one community.[9] The tabernacle is also for those who
are both from home, and also in a state of warfare. When thou hearest of a
tabernacle, form a notion of a war; guard against an enemy. But what shall
the house be? "Blessed are they that dwell in Thine house: they will be
alway praising Thee."[10]

   5. Now then that we have been led on even to "the Tabernacle," and are
placed on "His holy Hill," what hope do we carry with us?

   "Then will I go in unto the Altar of God" (ver. 4). For there is a
certain invisible Altar on high, which the unrighteous man approaches not.
To that Altar he alone draws nigh, who draws nigh to this one without cause
to fear. There he shall find his Life, who in this one "separates his
cause." "And I will go in unto the Altar of God." From His holy Hill, and
from His Tabernacle, from His Holy Church, I will go in unto the Altar of
God on High. What manner of Sacrifice is there? He himself who goeth in is
taken for a burnt-offering. "I will go in unto the Altar of God." What is
the meaning of what he says, "The Altar of my God"?

   "Unto God, who makes glad my youth." Youth signifies newness: just as
if he said, "Unto God, who makes glad my newness." It is He who makes glad
my newness, who hath filled my old estate" with mourning. For now "I go
mourning" in oldness, then shall "I stand," exulting in newness!

   "Yea, upon the harp will I praise Thee, O God my God." What is the
meaning of "praising on the harp," and praising on the psaltery? For he
does not always do so with the harp, nor always with the psaltery. These
two instruments of the musicians have each a distinct meaning of their own,
worthy of our consideration and notice. They are both borne in the hands,
and played by the touch; and they stand for certain bodily works of ours.
Both are good, if one knows how to play the psaltery,[12] or to play the
harp.[13] But since the psaltery is that instrument which has the shell[14]
(i.e. that drum, that hollow piece of wood, by straining on which[15] the
chords resound) on the upper part of it, whereas the harp has that same
concave sounding-board on the lower part, there is to be a distinction made
between our works, when they are" upon the harp," when "on the psaltery:"
both however are acceptable to God, and grateful to His ear. When we do
anything according to God's Commandments, obeying His commands and
hearkening to Him, that we may fulfil His injunctions, when we are active
and not passive, it is the psaltery that is playing. For so also do the
Angels: for they have nothing to suffer. But when we suffer anything of
tribulation, of trials, of offences on this earth (as we suffer only from
the inferior part of ourselves; i.e. from the fact that we are mortal, that
we owe somewhat of tribulation to our original cause,[1] and also from the
fact of our suffering much from those who are not "above"); this is "the
harp." For there rises a sweet strain from that part of us which is
"below:" we "suffer," and we strike the psaltery,[2] or shall I rather say
we sing and we strike the harp. ...

   6. And again, in order that he may draw the sound from that sounding-
board below, he addresses his soul: he says, "Why art thou sorrowful, O my
soul, and why dost thou disquiet me?" (ver. 5). I am in tribulations, in
weariness,[3] in mourning, "Why dost thou disquiet me, O my soul?" Who is
the speaker, to whom is he speaking? That it is the soul to which he is
speaking, everybody knows: for it is obvious: the appeal is addressed to it
directly: "Why art thou sorrowful, O my soul, and why dost thou disquiet
me?" The question is as to the speaker. It is not the flesh addressing the
soul, surely, since the flesh cannot speak without the soul. For it is more
appropriate for the soul to address the flesh, than for the flesh to
address the soul. ... We perceive then that we have a certain part, in
which is "the image of God;" viz. the mind and reason.[4] It was that same
mind that prayed for "God's Light" and "God's Truth." It is the same mind
by which we apprehend[5] right and wrong: it is by the same that we discern
truth from falsehood. It is this same that we call "understanding;" which
"understanding," indeed, is wanting to the brutes. And this "understanding"
whoever neglects in himself, and holds it in less account than the other
parts of his nature, and casts it off, just as if he had it not, is
addressed in the Psalm, "Be ye not as the horse and the mule, which have no
understanding."[6] It is our "understanding" then that is addressing our
soul. The latter is withered away from tribulations, worn out in
anguish,[7] made "sorrowful" in temptations, fainting in toils. The mind,
catching a glimpse of Truth above, would fain rouse her spirits, and she
says, "Why art thou sorrowful, O my soul?" ...

   7. These expressions, brethren, are safe ones: but yet be watchful in
good works. Touch "the psaltery," by obeying the Commandments; touch the
harp, by patiently enduring your sufferings. You have heard from Isaiah,
"Break thy bread to the hungry;"[8] think not that fasting by itself is
sufficient. Fasting chasteneth thine own self: it does not refresh others.
Thy distress will profit thee, if thou affordest comfort[9] to others. See,
thou hast denied thyself; to whom wilt thou give that of which thou hast
deprived thyself? Where wilt thou bestow what thou hast denied thyself? How
many poor may be filled[10] by the breakfast[11] we[12] have this day given
up? Fast in such a way that thou mayest rejoice, that thou hast
breakfasted, while another has been eating; fast on account of thy prayers,
that thou mayest be heard in them. For He says in that passage, "Whilst
thou art yet speaking I will say, Here I am,"[13] provided thou wilt with
cheerful mind "break thy bread to the hungry." For generally this is done
by men reluctantly and with murmurs, to rid themselves of the wearisome
importunity of the beggar, not to refresh the bowels of him that is needy.
But it is "a cheerful giver" that "God loves."[14] If thou givest thy bread
reluctantly, thou hast lost both the bread, and the merit of the action. Do
it then from the heart: that He "who seeth in secret,"[15] may say, "whilst
thou art yet speaking, Here I am." How speedily are the prayers of those
received, who work righteousness! And this is man's righteousness in this
life, fasting, alms, and prayer. Wouldest thou have thy prayer fly upward
to God? Make for it those two wings of alms and fasting. Such may God's
"Light" and God's "Truth" find us, that He may find us without cause for
fear, when He comes to free us from death, who has already come to undergo
death for us. Amen.

PSALM XLIV.[16]

   1. This Psalm is addressed "to the sons of Korah," as its title shows.
Now Korah is equivalent to the word baldness;[17] and we find in the Gospel
that our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified in "the place of a skull."[18] It
is clear then that this Psalm is sung to the "sons of His 'Passion.'" Now
we have on this point a most certain and most evident testimony from the
Apostle Paul; because that at the time when the Church was suffering under
the persecutions of the Gentiles, he quoted from hence a verse, to insert
by way of consolation, and encouragement to patience. For that which he
inserted in his Epistle, is said here: "For Thy sake are we killed all the
day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter."[19] Let us then hear
in this Psalm the voice of the Martyrs; and see how good is the cause which
the voice of the Martyrs pleads, saying, For Thy sake, etc. ...

   2. The title then is not simply "To the sons of Korah," but, "For
understanding, to the sons of Korah." This is the case also with that
Psalm, the first verse of which the Lord Himself uttered on the Cross: "My
God, My God, look upon Me; why hast Thou forsaken Me?"[1] For "transferring
us in a figure"[2] to what He was saying, and to His own Body (for we are
also "His Body," and He is our "Head"), He uttered from the Cross not His
own cry, but ours. For God never "forsook" Him: nor did He Himself ever
depart from the Father; but it was in behalf of us that He spake this: "My
God, My God, why hast thou forsaken Me?" For there follows, "Far from My
health are the words of My offences:" and it shows in whose person He said
this; for sin could not be found in Him. ...

   3. "O God, we have heard with our ears; our fathers have told us the
work that Thou didst in their days, and in the days of old" (ver. 1).
Wondering wherefore, in these days, He has seemingly forsaken those whom it
was His will to exercise in sufferings, they recall the past events which
they have heard of from their fathers; as if they said, It is not of these
things that we suffer, that our fathers told us! For in that other Psalm
also, He said this, "Our fathers trusted in Thee; they trusted, and Thou
didst deliver them. But I am a worm and no man; a reproach of men, and the
outcast of the people."[3] They trusted, and Thou didst deliver them; have
I then hoped, and hast Thou forsaken me? And have I believed upon Thee in
vain? And is it in vain that my name has been written in Thy Book,[4] and
Thy name has been inscribed on me? What our fathers told us was this:

   "Thy hand destroyed the nations; and Thou plantedst them: Thou didst
weaken the peoples, and cast them out" (ver. 2). That is to say: "Thou
didst drive out 'the peoples' from their own land, that Thou mightest bring
'them' in, and plant them; and mightest by Thy mercy stablish their
kingdom." These are the things that we heard from our fathers. But perhaps
it was because they were brave, were men of battle, were invincible, were
well-disciplined, and warlike, that they could do these things. Far from
it. This is not what our fathers told us; this is not what is contained in
Scripture. But what does it say, but what follows?

   "For they gat not the land in possession by their own sword, neither
did their own arm save them; but Thy right hand, and Thine arm, and the
light of Thy countenance" (ver. 3). Thy "right hand" is Thy Power: Thine
"arm" is Thy Son Himself.[5] And "the light of Thy countenance." What means
this, but that Thou wert present with them, in miracles of such a sort that
Thy presence was perceived. For when God's presence with us appears by any
miracle, do we see His face with our own eyes? No. It is by the effect of
the miracle He intimates to man His presence. In fact, what do all persons
say, who express wonder at facts of this description? "I saw God present."
"But Thy right hand, and Thine arm, and the light of Thy countenance;
because Thou pleasedst in them:"[6] i.e. didst so deal with them, that Thou
wert well-pleasing in them: that whoso considered how they were being dealt
with, might say, that "God is with them of a truth;" and it is God that
moves[7] them.

   4. "What? Was He then other than now He is?" Away with the supposition.
For what follows?

   "Thou art Thyself[8] my King and my God." (ver. 4). "Thou art Thyself;"
for Thou art not changed. I see that the times are changed; but the Creator
of times is unchanged. "Thou art Thyself my King and my God." Thou art wont
to guide me: to govern me, to save me. "Thou who commandest salvation unto
Jacob." What is, "Thou who commandest"? Even though in Thine own proper
Substance and Nature, in which Thou art whatsoever Thou art, Thou wast hid
from them; and though Thou didst not converse with the fathers in that
which Thou art in Thyself, so that they could see Thee "face to face," yet
by any created being whatsoever "Thou commandest salvation unto Israel."
For that sight of Thee "face to face" is reserved for those set free in the
Resurrection. And the very "fathers" of the New Testament too, although
they saw Thy mysteries revealed, although they preached the secret things
so revealed to them, nevertheless said that they themselves saw but "in a
glass, darkly," but that "seeing face to face"[9] is reserved to a future
time, when what the Apostle himself speaks of shall have come. "When Christ
our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory."[10] It
is against that time then that vision "face to face" is reserved for you,
of which John also speaks: "Beloved, we are now the sons of God: and it
doth not yet appear what we shall be. We know that, when He shall appear,
we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is."[11] Although then at
that time our fathers saw Thee not as Thou art, "face to face," although
that vision is reserved against the resurrection, yet, even though they
were Angels who presented themselves, it is Thou, "Who commandest salvation
unto Jacob." Thou art not only present by Thine own Self; but by whatsoever
created being Thou didst appear, it is Thou that dost "command" by them,
that which Thou doest by Thine own Self in order to the salvation of Thy
servants: but that which they do whom Thou "commandest" it, is done to
procure the salvation of Thy servants. Since then Thou art Thyself" my King
and my God, and Thou commandest salvation unto Jacob," wherefore are we
suffering these things?

   5. But perhaps it is only what is past that has been described to us:
but nothing of the kind is to be hoped for by us for the future. Nay
indeed, it is still to be hoped for. "Through Thee will we winnow away[1]
our enemies" (ver. 5). Our fathers then have declared to us a work that
Thou didst "in their days, and in the days of old," that Thy hand destroyed
the Gentiles: that Thou "didst cast out the peoples; and didst plant them."
Such was the past; but what is to be hereafter? "Through Thee we shall
winnow away our enemies." A time will come, when all the enemies of
Christians will be winnowed away like chaff, be blown like dust, and be
cast off from the earth. ... Thus much of the future. "I will not trust in
my bow," even as our fathers did not in "their sword. Neither shall my
sword help me" (ver. 6).

   6. "For Thou hast saved us from our enemies" (ver. 7). This too is
spoken of the future under the figure of the past. But this is the reason
that it is spoken of as if it were past, that it is as certain as if it
were past. Give heed, wherefore many things are expressed by the Prophets
as if they were past; whereas it is things future, not past facts that are
the subject of prophecy. For the future Passion of our Lord Himself was
foretold:[2] and yet it says, "They pierced My hands and My feet. They told
all My bones;" not, "They shall pierce," and "shall tell." "They looked and
stared upon Me;" not "They shall look and stare upon Me." "They parted My
garments among them." It does not say, "They shall part" them. All these
things are expressed as if they were past, although they were yet to come:
because to God things to come also are as certain as if they were past. ...
It is for this reason, in consequence of their certainty, that those things
which are yet future, are spoken of as if past. This it is then that we
hope. For it is, "Thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to
shame that hated us."

   7. "In God will we boast[3] all the day long" (ver. 8). Observe how he
intermingles words expressive of a future time, that you may perceive that
what was spoken of before as in past time was foretold of future times. "In
God will we boast all day long; and in Thy name will we confess for
ever."[4] What is, "We shall boast"? What, "We shall confess"? That Thou
hast "saved us from our enemies;" that Thou art to give us an everlasting
kingdom: that in us are to be fulfilled the words," Blessed are they that
dwell in Thine house: they will be always praising Thee."[5]

   8. Since then we have the certainty that these things are to be
hereafter, and since we have heard from our fathers that those we spoke of
were in time past, what is our state at present? "But now Thou hast cast us
off, and put us to shame" (ver. 9). Thou hast "put us to shame" not before
our own consciences, but in the sight of men. For there was a time when
Christians were persecuted; when in every place they were outcasts, when in
every place it used to be said, "He is a Christian!" as if it conveyed an
insult and reproach. Where then is He, "our God, our King," who "commands
salvation unto Jacob"? Where is He who did all those works, which "our
fathers have told us"? Where is He who is hereafter to do all those things
which He revealed unto us by His Spirit? Is He changed? No. These things
are done in order to "understanding, for the sons of Korah." For we ought
to "understand" something of the reason, why He has willed we should suffer
all these things in the mean time. What "all things"? "But now Thou hast
cast us off and put us to shame: and goest not forth, O God, in our
powers."[6] We go forth to meet our enemies, and Thou goest not forth with
us. We see them: they are very strong, and we are without strength. Where
is that might of Thine? Where Thy "right hand," and Thy power?[7] Where the
sea dried up, and the Egyptian pursuers overwhelmed with the waves? Where
Amalek's resistance subdued by the sign of the Cross?[8] "And Thou, O God,
goest not forth in our powers."

   9. "Thou hast turned us away backward in presence of our enemies" (ver.
10), so that they are, as it were, before; we, behind; they are counted as
conquerors, we as conquered. "And they which hate us spoiled for
themselves." What did they "spoil" but ourselves?

   10. "Thou has given us like sheep appointed for meat, and hast
scattered us among the nations" (ver. 11). We have been "devoured" by "the
nations." Those persons are meant, who, through their sufferings, have by
process of assimilation, becomes part of the "body" of the Gentile world.
For the Church mourns over them, as over members of her body, that have
been devoured.[1]

   11. "Thou hast sold Thy people for no price" (ver. 12). For we see whom
Thou hast made over; what Thou hast received, we have not seen. "And there
was no multitude in their jubilees."[2] For when the Christians were flying
before the pursuit of enemies, who were idolaters, were there then held any
congregations and "jubilees" to the honour of God? Were those Hymns chanted
in concert from the Churches of God, that are wont to be sung in concert in
time of peace, and to be sounded in a sweet accord of the brotherhood in
the ears of God?

   12. "Thou madest us a reproach to our neighbours; a scorn and a
derision to them that are round about us" (ver. 13). "Thou madest us a
similitude[3] among the heathen" (ver. 14). What is meant by a
"similitude"? It is when men in imprecating a curse make a "similitude" of
his name whom they detest. "So mayest thou die;" "So mayest thou be
punished!" What a number of such reproaches were then uttered! "So mayest
thou be crucified!" Even in the present day there are not wanting enemies
of Christ (those very Jews themselves), against whom whensoever we defend
Christ, they say unto us, "So mayest thou die as He did." For they would
not have inflicted that kind of death had they not an intense horror of
dying by such a death: or had they been able to comprehend what mystery was
contained in it. When the ointment is applied to the eyes of the blind man,
he does not see the eye-salve in the physician's hand. For the very Cross
was made for the benefit even of the persecutors themselves. Hereby they
were healed afterwards; and they believed in Him whom they themselves had
slain. "Thou madest us a similitude among the heathen; a shaking of the
head among the peoples," a "shaking of the head" by way of insult. "They
spake with their lips, they shook the head."[4] This they did to the Lord:
this to all His Saints also, whom they were able to pursue, to lay hold of,
to mock, to betray, to afflict, and to slay.

   13. "My shame is continually before me; and the confusion of my face
has covered me" (ver. 15). "For the voice of him that reproacheth and
blasphemeth" (ver. 16): that is to say, from the voice of them that insult
over me, and who make it a charge against me that I worship Thee, that I
confess Thee! and who make it a charge against me that I bear that name by
which all charges against me shall be blotted out. "For the voice of him
that reproacheth and blasphemeth," that is, of him that speaketh against
me. "By reason of the enemy and the persecutor." And what is the
"understanding" conveyed here? Those things which are told us of the time
past, will not be done in our case:[5] those which are hoped for, as to be
hereafter, are not as yet manifest. Those which are past, as the leading
out of Thy people with great glory from Egypt; its deliverance from its
persecutors; the guiding of it through the nations, the placing of it in
the kingdom, whence the nations had been expelled. What are those to be
hereafter? The leading of the people out of this Egypt of the world, when
Christ, our "leader" shall appear in His glory: the placing of the Saints
at His right hand; of the wicked at His left; the condemnation of the
wicked with the devil to eternal punishment; the receiving of a kingdom
from Christ with the Saints to last for ever.[6] These are the things that
are yet to be: the former are what are past. In the interval, what is to be
our lot? Tribulations! "Why so?" That it may be seen with respect to the
soul that worships God, to what extent it worships God; that it may be seen
whether it worships Him "freely" from whom it received salvation "freely."
.. What hast thou given unto God? Thou wert wicked, and thou wert
redeemed! What hast thou given unto God? What is there that thou hast not
"received" from Him "freely"? With reason is it named "grace," because it
is bestowed (gratis, i.e.) freely.[7] What is required of thee then is
this, "that thou too shouldest worship "Him freely;" not because He gives
thee things temporal, but because He holds out to thee things eternal. ...

   14. "All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten Thee" (ver.
17). What is meant by, "have not forgotten Thee"? "Neither have we behaved
ourselves frowardly in Thy covenant."

   "Our heart has not turned back; and Thou hast turned aside our goings
out of Thy way" (ver. 18). See here is "understanding," in that "our heart
has not gone back;" that we have not" forgotten Thee, have not behaved
frowardly in Thy covenant;" placed as we are in great tribulations, and
persecutions of the Gentiles. "Thou hast turned aside our goings out of Thy
way." Our "goings" were in the pleasures of the world; our "goings" were in
the midst of temporal prosperities. Thou hast taken "our goings out of Thy
way;" and hast shown us[1] how "strait and narrow is the way that leadeth
unto life."[2] What is meant by, "hast turned aside our goings out of Thy
way"? It is as if He said, "Ye are placed in the midst of tribulation; ye
are suffering many things; ye have already lost many things that ye loved
in this life: but I have not abandoned you on the way, the narrow way that
I am teaching you. Ye were seeking "broad ways." What do I tell you? This
is the way we go to everlasting life; by the way ye wish to walk, ye are
going to death. How "broad and wide is the road that leads to destruction:
and" how "many there be that find it! How strait and narrow the way that
leadeth unto life, and" how "few there be" that walk therein![3] Who are
the few? They who patiently endure tribulations, patiently endure
temptations; who in all these troubles do not "fall away:" who do not
rejoice in the word "for a season" only; and in the time of tribulation
fade away, as on the sun's arising; but who have the "root" of "love,"
according to what we have lately heard read in the Gospel.[4] ...

   15. "For Thou hast brought us low in the place of infirmity"[5] (ver.
18): therefore Thou wilt exalt us in the place of strength. "And the shadow
of death has covered us" (ver. 19). For this mortality of ours is but the
"shadow" of death. The true death is condemnation with the devil.

   16. "If we have forgotten the Name of our God." Here is the
"understanding" of the "sons of Korah." "And stretched out our hands to a
strange God" (ver. 20). "Shall not God search this out? For He knoweth the
secrets of the heart" (ver. 21). He "knows," and yet He "searches them
out"? If He knows the secrets of the heart, what do the words, "Shall not
God search it out," do there? He "knows" it in Himself; He "searches it
out" for our sakes. For it is for this reason God sometimes "searches a
thing out;" and speaks of that becoming known to Himself, which He is
Himself making known to thee. He is speaking of His own work, not of His
knowledge. We commonly say, "A gladsome day," when it is fine. Yet is it
the day itself that experiences delight? No: we speak of the day as
gladsome, because it fills us with delight. And we speak of a "sullen sky."
Not that there is any such feeling in the clouds, but because men are
affected with sullenness at the sight of such an appearance of the skies,
it is called sullen for this reason, that it makes us sullen. So also God
is said to "know" when He causes us to know. God says to Abraham, "Now I
know that thou fearest God."[6] Did He then not know it before then? But
Abraham did not know himself till then: for it was in that very trial he
came to know himself. ... And God is said to "know"  that which He had
caused him to know. Did Peter know himself, when he said to the Physician,
"I will be with Thee even unto death?"[7] The Physician had felt his
pulse,[8] and knew what was going on within His patient's soul: the patient
knew it not. The crisis[9] of trial came; and the Physician approved the
correctness of His opinion: the sick man gave up his presumption. Thus God
at once "knows" it and "searches it out." "He knows it already. Why does He
'search it out'?" For thy sake: that thou mayest come to know thine own
self, and mayest return thanks to Him that made thee. "Shall not God search
it out?"

   17. "For, for Thy sake we are killed all the day long: we are counted
as sheep for the slaughter" (ver. 22). For you may see a man being put to
death; you do not know why he is being put to death. God knoweth this. The
thing in itself is hid. But some one will say to me, "See, he is detained
in prison for the name of Christ, he is a confessor for the name of
Christ." Why do not[10] heretics also confess the name of Christ, and yet
they do not die for His sake? Nay more; let me say it, in the Catholic
Church itself, do you think there either are, or have been wanting persons
such as would suffer for the sake of glory among men? Were there no such
persons, the Apostle would not say, "Though I give my body to be burned,
and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing."[11] He knew therefore that
there might be some persons, who did this not from "charity," but out of
vainglory. It is therefore hid from us; God alone sees this; we cannot see
it. He alone can judge of this, who "knoweth the secrets of the heart."
"For," for Thy sake "are we killed all the day long; we are counted as
sheep for the slaughter." I have already mentioned that from hence the
Apostle Paul had borrowed a text[12] for the encouragement of the Martyrs:
that they might not "faint in the tribulations" undergone by them for the
name of Christ.[13]

   18. "Awake; why sleepest Thou, O Lord?" (ver. 23). Who is addressed,
and who is the speaker? Would not he be more correctly said to sleep and
slumber,[14] who speaks such words as these? He replies to you, I know what
I am saying: I know that "He that keepeth Israel doth not sleep:"(1) but
yet the Martyrs cry, "Awake; why sleepest Thou, O Lord?" O Lord Jesus, Thou
wast slain; Thou didst "sleep" in Thy Passion; to us Thou hast now "awaked"
from sleep. For "we" know that Thou hast now "awaked" again. To what
purpose hast Thou awaked and risen again? The Gentiles that persecute us,
think Thee to be dead; do not believe Thee to have risen again. "Arise
Thou" then to them also! "Why sleepest Thou," though not to us, yet to
them? For if they already believed Thee to have risen again, could they
persecute us who believe in Thee? But why do they persecute? "Destroy, slay
so and so, whoever have believed in Thee, such an one, who died an ill
death!" As yet to them "Thou sleepest;" arise to them, that they may
perceive that Thou hast "awaked" again; and may be at rest. Lastly, it has
come to pass, while the Martyrs die, and say these things; while they
sleep, and "awaken" Christ, truly dead in their sleepings, Christ has, in a
certain sense, risen again in the Gentiles; i.e. it becomes believed, that
He has risen again; so by degrees they themselves, becoming converted to
Christ by believing, collected a numerous body: such as the persecutors
dreaded; and the persecutions have come to an end. Why? Because Christ, who
before was asleep to them, as not believing, bath risen in the Gentiles.
"Arise, and cast us not off for ever!"

   19. "Wherefore hidest Thou Thy face:" as if Thou wert not present; as
if thou hadst forgotten us? "And forgettest our misery and trouble?" (ver.
24).

   20. "For our soul is bowed down to the dust" (ver. 25). Where is it
bowed down? "To the dust:" i.e. dust persecutes us. They persecute us, of
whom Thou hast said, "The ungodly are not so; but are like the dust, which
the wind driveth away from the face of the earth."(2) "Our belly hath
cleaved to the earth." He seems to me to have expressed the punishment of
the extreme of humiliation, in which, when any one prostrates himself, "his
belly cleaveth to the earth." For whosoever is humbled so as to be on his
knees, has yet a lower degree of humiliation to which he can come: but he
who is so humbled, that his "belly cleaveth to the ground," there is no
farther humiliation for him. Should one wish to do still farther, it will,
after that point, be not bowing him down, but crushing him. Perhaps then he
may have meant this We are "bowed down very low" in this dust; there is no
farther point to which humiliation can go. Humiliation has now reached its
highest point: let mercy then come also. ...

   21. "Arise, O Lord, help us" (ver. 26). And indeed, dearly beloved, He
has arisen and helped us. For when he awaked (i.e. when He arose again, and
became known to the Gentiles) on the cessation of persecutions, even those
who had cleaved to the earth were raised up from the earth, and on
performing penance,(3) have been restored to Christ's body, feeble and
imperfect though they were: so that in them was fulfilled the text, "Thine
eyes did see my substance yet being imperfect; and in Thy book shall they
all be written."(4)

   "Arise, O Lord, help us, and redeem us for Thy Name's sake ;" that is
to say, freely; for Thy Name's sake, not for the sake of my merits: because
Thou hast vouchsafed to do it, not because I am worthy that Thou shouldest
do it unto me. For this very thing, that "we have not forgotten Thee;" that
"our heart hath not gone back;" that we "have not stretched out our hands
to any strange god;" how should we have been able to achieve, except with
Thy help? How should we have strength for it, except through Thy appealing
to us within, exhorting us, and not forsaking us? Whether then we suffer in
tribulations, or rejoice in prosperities, redeem Thou us, not for our
merits, but for Thy Name's sake.

PSALM XLV.(5)

   1. This Psalm, even as we ourselves have been singing with gladness
together with you, we would beg you in like manner to consider with
attention together with us. For it is sung of the sacred Marriage-feast; of
the Bridegroom and the Bride; of the King and His people; of the Saviour
and those who are to be saved. ... His sons are we, in that we are the
"children of the Bridegroom;" and it is to us that this Psalm is addressed,
whose title has the words, "For the sons of Korah, for the things that(6)
shall be changed."

   2. Why need I explain what is meant by, "for the things that shall be
changed "? Every one who is himself "changed," recognises the meaning of
this. Let him who hears this, "for the things that shall be changed,"
consider what was before, and what is now. And first let him see the world
itself to be changed, lately wor-shipping idols, now worshipping God;
lately serving things that they themselves made, now serving Him by whom
they themselves were made. Observe at what time the words, "for the things
that shall be changed," were said. Already by this time the Pagans that are
left  are in dread of the "changed" state of things: and those who will not
suffer themselves to be "changed" see the churches full; the temples
deserted; see crowds here, and there solitude They marvel at the things so
changed; let them read that they were foretold; let them lend their ears to
Him who promised it; let them believe Him who fulfils that promise. But
each one of us, brethren, also undergoes a change from "the old" to "the
new man:" from an infidel to a believer: from a thief to a giver of alms:
from an adulterer to a man of chastity; from an evildoer to a doer of good.
To us then be sung the words, "for the things that shall be changed;" and
so let the description of Him by whom they were changed, begin.

   3. For it goes on, "For the things that shall be changed, to the sons
of Korah for understanding; a song for the beloved." For that "beloved" One
was seen by His persecutors, but yet not for "understanding." For "had they
known Him, they would never have crucified the Lord of Glory."(1) In order
to this "understanding," other eyes were required by Him when He said, "He
that seeth Me, seeth My Father also."(2) Let the Psalm then now sound of
Him, let us rejoice in the marriage-feast, and we shall be with those of
whom the marriage is made,(3) who are invited to the marriage; and the very
persons invited are the Bride herself. For the Church is "the Bride,"
Christ the Bridegroom. There are commonly spoken by balladists(4) certain
verses to Bridegrooms and Brides, called Epithalamia.(5) Whatever is sung
there, is sung in honour of the Bride and Bridegroom. Is there then no
Bridechamber(6) in that marriage-feast to which we are invited? Whence then
does another Psalm say, "He hath set up His tabernacle in the Sun; and He
is even as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber." The nuptial union is
that of "the Word," and the flesh. The Bridechamber of this union, the
Virgin's womb. For the flesh itself was united to the Word: whence also it
is said, "Henceforth they are not twain, but one flesh."(7) The Church was
assumed unto Him out of the human race: so that the Flesh itself, being
united to the Word, might be the Head of the Church: and the rest who
believe, members of that Head. ...

   4. "Mine heart hath uttered a good word"(8) (ver. 1). Who is the
speaker? The Father, or the Prophet? For some understand it to be the
Person of the Father, which says, "Mine heart hath uttered a good word,"
intimating to us a certain unspeakable generation.(9) Lest you should haply
think something to have been taken unto Him, out of which God should beget
the Son (just as man takes something to himself out of which he begets
children, that is to say, an union of marriage,(10) without which man
cannot beget offspring), lest then you should think that God stood in need
of any nuptial union, to beget "the Son," be says, "Mine heart hath uttered
a good word."(11) This very day thine heart, O man, begets a counsel, and
requires no wife: by the counsel, so born of thine heart, thou buildest
something or other, and before that building subsists, the design
subsists;(12) and that which thou art about to produce, exists already in
that by which thou art going to produce it; and thou praisest the fabric
that as yet is not existing, not yet in the visible form of a building, but
on the projecting of a design: nor does any one else praise thy design,
unless either thou showest it to him, or he sees what thou hast done. If
then by the Word "all things were made,"(13) and the Word is of God,
consider the fabric reared by the Word, and learn from that building to
admire His counsels! What manner of Word is that by which heaven and earth
were made;(14) and all the splendour of the heavens; all the fertility of
the earth; the expanse of the sea; the wide diffusion of air; the
brightness of the constellations; the light of sun and moon? These are
visible things: rise above these also; think of the Angels,"
Principalities, Thrones, Dominions, and Powers."(15) All were made by Him.
How then were these good things made? Because there was "uttered forth 'a
good Word,' " by which they were to be made. ...

   5. It proceeds: "I speak of the things which I have made unto the
King." Is the Father still speaking? If the Father is still speaking, let
us enquire how this also can be understood by us, consistently with the
true Catholic Faith, "I speak of the things that I have made unto the
King." For if it is the Father speaking of His own works to His Son, our
"King," what works is the Father to speak of to the Son, seeing that all
the Father's works were made by the Son's agency? Or, in the words, "I
speak of My works unto the King," does the word, "I speak," itself signify
the generation of the Son? I fear whether this can ever be made
intelligible to those slow of comprehension: I will nevertheless say it.
Let those who can follow me, do so: lest if it were left unsaid, even those
who can follow should not be able. We have read where it is said in another
Psalm, "God hath spoken once."(1) So often has He spoken by the Prophets,
so often by the Apostles, and in these days by His Saints, and does He say,
"God has spoken once "? How can He have spoken but "once," except with
reference to His" Word "?(2) But as the "Mine heart hath uttered a good
Word,"(3) was understood by us in the other clause of the generation of the
Son, it seems that a kind of repetition is made in the following sentence,
so that the "Mine heart hath uttered a good Word," which had been already
said, is repeated in what He is now saying, "I speak." For what does "I
speak" mean? "I utter a Word." And whence but from His heart, from His very
inmost, does God utter the Word? You yourself do not speak anything but
what you bring forth from your "heart," this word of yours which sounds
once and passes away, is brought forth from no other place: and do you
wonder that God "speaks" in this manner? But God's "speaking" is eternal.
You are speaking something at the present moment, because you were silent
before: or, look you, you have not yet brought forth your word; but when
you have begun to bring it forth, you as it were "break silence;" and bring
into being a word, that did not exist before. It was not so God begat the
"Word." God's "speaking" is without beginning, and without end: and yet the
"Word" He utters is but "One." Let Him utter another, if what He has spoken
shall have passed away. But since He by whom it is uttered abideth, and
That which is uttered abideth; and is uttered but once, and has no end,
that very "once" too is said without beginning, and there is no second
speaking, because that which is said once, does not pass away. The words
"Mine heart hath uttered a good Word," then, are the same thing with, "I
speak of the things which I have made unto the King." Why then, "I speak of
the things which I have made"? Because in the Word Itself are all the works
of God. For whatever God designed to make in the creation already existed
in "the Word;" and would not exist in the reality, had it not existed in
the Word,(4) just as with you the thing would not exist in the building,
had it not existed in your design: even as it is said in the Gospel: "That
which was made in Him was life."(5) That which was made then was m
existence; but it had its existence in the Word: and all the works of God
existed there, and yet were not as yet "works." "The Word" however already
was, as this "Word was God, and was with God:" and was the Son of God, and
One God with the Father. "I speak of the things I have made unto the King."
Let him hear Him "speaking," who apprehends "the Word:" and let him see
together with the Father the Everlasting Word; in whom exist even those
things that are yet to come: in whom even those things that are past have
not passed away. These "works" of God are in "the Word," as in the Word, as
in the Only-Begotten, as in the "Word of God."

   6. What follows then? "My tongue is the pen of a writer writing
rapidly." What likeness, my brethren, what likeness, I ask, has the
"tongue" of God with a transcriber's pen? What resemblance has "the rock"
to Christ?(6) What likeness does the "lamb" bear to our Saviour,(7) or what
"the lion" to the strength of the Only-Begotten?(8) Yet such comparisons
have been made; and were they not made, we should not be formed to a
certain extent by these visible things to the knowledge of the "Invisible
One:" So then with this mean simile of the pen; let us not compare it to
His excellent greatness, so let us not reject it with contempt. For I ask,
why He compares His "tongue" to "the pen of a writer writing rapidly "? But
how swiftly soever the transcriber writes, still it is not comparable to
that swiftness of which another Psalm says, "His word runneth very
swiftly."(9) But it appears to me (if human understanding may presume so
far) that this too may be understood as spoken in the Person of the Father:
"My tongue is the pen of a writer." Inasmuch as what is spoken by the
"tongue," sounds once and passes away, what is written, remains; seeing
then that God uttereth "a Word," and the Word which is uttered does not
sound once and pass away, but is uttered and yet continues, God chose
rather to compare this to words written than to sounds. But what He added,
saying, "of one writing swiftly," stimulates the mind unto "understanding."
Let it however not slothfully rest here, thinking of transcribers,(10) or
thinking of some kind of quick shorthand writers: if it be this it sees in
the passage, it will be resting there. Let it think swiftly what is the
meaning of that word "swiftly." The "swiftly" of God is such that nothing
exceeds in swiftness. For in writings letter is written after letter;
syllable after syllable; word after word: nor do we pass to the second
except when the first is written out. But there nothing can exceed the
swiftness, where there are not several words; and yet there is not anything
omitted: since in the One are contained all things.

   7. Lo! now then that Word, so uttered, Eternal, the Co-eternal
Offspring of the Eternal, will come as "the Bridegroom;" "Fairer than the
children of men" (ver. 2). "Than the children of men." I ask, why not than
the Angels also? Why did he say, "than the children of men," except because
He was Man? Lest you should think "the Man Christ"(1) to be any ordinary
man, he says, "Fairer than the children of men." Even though Himself" Man,"
He is "fairer than the children of men;" though among the children of men,
"fairer than the children of men:" though of the children of men, "fairer
than the children of men." "Grace is shed abroad on Thy lips." "The Law was
given by Moses. Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ."(2) ...

   8. There have not been wanting those who preferred understanding all
the preceding passage also of the Prophet's own person; and would have even
this verse, "Mine heart hath uttered forth a good word," understood as
spoken by the Prophet, supposed to be uttering a hymn. For whoever utters a
hymn to God, his heart is, as it were, "uttering forth a good word," just
as  his heart who blasphemes God, is uttering forth an evil word. So that
even by what follows, "I speak of the things which I have made(3) unto the
King," he meant to express that man's chief work  was but to praise God. To
Him it belongs to satisfy thee, by His beauty; to thee to praise Him  with
thanksgiving. ...

   9. "My tongue is the pen of a writer writing quickly." There have been
persons who have understood the Prophet to have been describing in this
manner what he was writing; and therefore to have compared his tongue to
"the pen of a writer writing quickly:" but that he chose to express himself
in the words "writing quickly," to signify, that he was writing of things
which were to come" quickly;" that "writing quickly" should be understood
to be equivalent to "writing things that are quick;" i.e. writing things
that  would not long tarry. For God did not tarry long to manifest Christ.
How quickly is that perceived to have rolled by, which is acknowledged to
be already past! Call to mind the generations before thee; thou wilt find
that the making of Adam is but a thing of yesterday. So do we read that all
things have gone on from the very beginning:(4) they were therefore done
"quickly." The day of Judgment also will be here "quickly." Do thou
anticipate its "quick" coming. It is to come "quickly;" do thou become
converted yet more "quickly." The Judge's face will appear: but observe
thou what the Prophet says, "Let us come before" (let us "prevent ") "His
face with confession."(5)

   10. "Gird Thy sword upon Thy thigh, O most Mighty" (ver. 3). What is
meant by "Thy sword, but "Thy word"? It was by that sword He scattered His
enemies; by that sword he divided the son from the father, "the daughter
from the mother, the daughter-in-law from the mother-in-law." We read these
words in the Gospel, "I came not to send peace, but a sword."(6) And, "In
one house shall five be divided against each other; three against two, and
two against three;"(7) i.e. "the father against the son, the daughter
against the mother, the daughter-in-law against the mother-in-law." By what
"sword," but that which Christ brought, was this division wrought? And
indeed, my brethren, we see this exemplified daily. Some young man is
minded to give himself up to God's service; his father is opposed to it;
they are "divided against each other:" the one promises an earthly
inheritance, the other loves an heavenly; the one promises one thing, the
other prefers another. The father should not think himself wronged: God
alone is preferred to him. And yet he is at strife[8] with the son, who
would fain give himself to God's service. But the spiritual sword is
mightier to separate them, than the ties of carnal nature to bind them
together. This happens also in the case of a mother against her daughter;
still more also in that of a daughter-in-law against a mother-in-law. For
sometimes in one house mother-in-law and daughter-in law are found orthodox
and heretical respectively. And where that sword is forcibly felt,(9) we do
not dread the repetition of Baptism. Could daughter be divided against
mother; and could not daughter-in-law be divided against mother-in law? ...

   11. What does he mean to express by the "thigh"? The flesh. Whence
those words, " A prince shall not depart from Judah; and a lawgiver from
his thighs"?(10) Did not Abraham himself (to whom was promised the seed in
which "all the nations of the earth were to be blessed"), when he sent his
servant to seek and to bring home a wife for his son, being by faith fully
persuaded, that in that, so to speak, contemptible seed was contained the
great Name;(11) that is, that the Son of God was to come of the seed of
Abraham, out of all the children of men; did not he, I say, cause his
servant to swear unto him in this manner, saying, "Put thy hand under my
thigh,"(1) and so swear; as if he had said, "Put thy hand on the altar, or
on the Gospel, or on the Prophet, or on any holy thing." "Put" (he says)
"thy hand under my thigh;" having full confidence, not ashamed of it as
unseemly, but understanding therein a truth. "With Thy beauty and Thy
glory." Take to Thee that righteousness, in which Thou art at all times
beautiful and glorious. "And speed on, and proceed prosperously, and reign"
(ver. 4). Do we not see it so? Is it not already come to pass? He has "sped
on; has proceeded prosperously, and He reigns ;" all nations are subdued
unto Him. What a thing was it to see that "in the Spirit," of which same
thing it is now in our power to experience in the reality! At the time when
these words were said, Christ did not yet "reign" thus; had not yet sped
on, nor "proceeded prosperously." They were then being preached, they have
now been fulfilled: in many things we have God's promise fulfilled already;
in some few we have to claim its fulfilment yet.

   12. "Because of truth, meekness, and righteousness." Truth was restored
unto us, when "the Truth sprung out of the earth: and Righteousness looked
out from heaven."(2) Christ was presented to the expectation of mankind,
that in Abraham's Seed "all nations should be blessed." The Gospel has been
preached. It is "the Truth." What is meant by" meekness"? The Martyrs have
suffered; and the kingdom of God has made much progress from thence, and
advanced throughout all nations; because the Martyrs suffered, and neither
"fell away," nor yet offered resistance; confessing everything, concealing
nothing; prepared for everything, shrinking from nothing. Marvellous
"meekness"! This did the body of Christ, by its Head it learned. He was
first "led as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before his shearer is
dumb, even so opened not His mouth;"(3) meek to that degree, that while
hanging on the Cross, He said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not
what they do."(4) Why because of "righteousness"? He will come also to
judge, and to "render to every man according to his works." He spake "the
truth;" He patiently endured unrighteousness: He is to bring
"righteousness" hereafter.

   13. "And Thy right hand shall lead Thee on marvellously." We shall be
guided on by His right hand: He by His own. For He is God, we mortal men.
He was led on by His own right hand; i.e. by His own power. For the power
which the Father hath, He hath also; the Father's immortality He hath also;
He hath the Father's Divinity, the Fathers Eternity, the Father's Power.(5)
Marvellously will His right hand lead Him on, performing the works of God;
undergoing human sufferings, overthrowing the evil wills(6) of men by His
own goodness. Even now, He is being led on even to places where as yet He
is not; and it is His own right hand that is leading Him on. For that is
leading Him thither which He has Himself bestowed upon His Saints. "Thy
right hand shall lead Thee on marvellously."

   14. "Thine arrows are sharp, are most powerful" (ver. 5); words that
pierce the heart, that kindle love. Whence in the Song of Songs it is said,
"I am wounded with love."(7) For she speaks of being "wounded with love;"
that is, of being in love, of being inflamed with passion, of sighing for
the Bridegroom, from whom she received the arrow of the Word. "Thine arrows
are sharp, are most powerful;" both piercing, and effective; "sharp, most
powerful." "The peoples shall fall under Thee." Who have "fallen"? They who
were "wounded" have also "fallen." We see the nations subdued unto Christ;
we do not see them "fall." He explains where they "fall," viz. "in the
heart." It was there they lifted themselves up against Christ, there they
"fall" down before Christ. Saul was a blasphemer of Christ: he was then
lifted up, he prays to Christ, "he is fallen," he is prostrate before Him:
the enemy of Christ is slain, that the disciple of Christ may live! By an
arrow launched from heaven, Saul (not as yet Paul, but still Saul), still
lifted up, still not yet prostrate, is wounded in "the heart:" he received
the arrow, he fell "in heart." For though he fell prostrate on his face, it
was not there that he fell down in heart:(8) but it was there where he said
aloud, "Lord, what dost Thou bid me do?"(9) But just now thou weft going to
bind the Christians, and to bring them to punishment: and now thou sayest
unto Christ, "What dost Thou bid me do?" O arrow sharp and most mighty, by
whose stroke "Saul" fell, so as to become "Paul." As it was with him, so
was it also with "the peoples;" consider the nations, observe their
subjection unto Christ. "The peoples" (then) "shall fall under Thee in the
heart of the King's enemies;" that is, in the heart of Thine enemies. For
it is Him that he calls King, Him that he recognises as King. "The peoples
shall fall under Thee in the heart of the King's enemies." They were
"enemies" before; they have been stricken by thine arrows: they have fallen
before Thee. Out of enemies they have been made friends: the enemies are
dead, the friends survive. This is the meaning of, "for those which shall
be changed." We are seeking to "understand" each single word, and each
separate verse; yet so far only are we to seek for their "understanding,"
as to leave no one to doubt that they are spoken of Christ.

   15. "Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever" (ver. 6). Because God has
"'blessed Thee' for ever," on account of the" grace poured over Thy lips."
Now the throne of the Jewish Kingdom was a temporal one; belonging to those
who were under the Law, not to those who were under "grace:" He came to
"redeem those who were under the Law," and to place them under "Grace." His
"Throne is for ever and ever." Why? for that first throne of the Kingdom
was but a temporal one: whence then have we a "throne for ever and ever"?
Because it is God's throne. O divine Attribute of Eternity!(1) for God
could not have a temporal throne. "Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever-
-a sceptre of direction is the sceptre of Thy Kingdom." "The sceptre of
direction" is that which directs mankind: they were before crooked,
distorted; they sought to reign for themselves: they loved themselves,
loved their own evil deeds: they submitted not their own will to God; but
would fain have bent God's will to conformity with their own lusts. For the
sinner and the unrighteous man is generally angry with God, because it
rains not!(2) and yet would have God not be angry with himself, because he
is profligate.(3) And it is pretty much for this very reason that men daily
sit, to dispute against God: "This is what He ought to have done: this He
has not well done." Thou forsooth seest what thou doest; He knows not what
He does! It is thou that art crooked! His ways are right. When wilt thou
make the crooked coincide with the straight? It cannot be made to coincide
with it.(4) Just as if you were to place a crooked stick on a level
pavement; it does not join on to it; it does not cohere; it does not fit
into the pavement. The pavement is even in every part: but that is crooked;
it does not fit into that which is level. The will of God then is "equal,"
thine own is "crooked:" it is because thou canst not be conformed unto it,
that it seems "crooked" unto thee: rule thou thyself by it; seek not to
bend it to thine own will: for thou canst not accomplish it; that is at all
times "straight"! Wouldest thou abide in Him? "Correct thou thyself;" so
will the sceptre of Him who rules thee, be unto thee "a rule of direction."
Thence is He also called King,(5) from "ruling." For that is no "ruler"
that does not correct.(6) Hereunto is our King a King of "right ones."(7)
Just as He is a Priest (Sacerdos) by sanctifying us, so is He our King, our
Ruler, by "ruling" us. ...

   16. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity" (ver. 7). See
there "the rod of direction" described. "Thou hast loved righteousness, and
hated iniquity." Draw near to that "rod;" let Christ be thy King: let Him
"rule" thee with that rod, not crush thee with it. For that rod is "a rod
of iron;" an inflexible rod.(8) "Thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron:
and break them in pieces like a potter's vessel."(9) Some He rules; others
He "breaks in pieces:" He "rules" them that are spiritual: He "breaks in
pieces" them that are carnal. ... Would He so loudly declare that He was
about to smite thee, if He wished to smite thee? He is then holding back
His hand from the punishment of thine offences; but do not thou hold back.
Turn thou thyself to the punishment of thine offences: for unpunished
offences cannot be: punishment therefore must be executed either by
thyself, or by Him: do thou then plead guilty, that He may reprieve thee.
Consider an instance in that penitential Psalm: "Hide Thy face from my
sins."(10) Did he mean "from me"? No: for in another passage he says
plainly, "Hide not Thy face from me." "Turn" then "Thy face from my sins."
I would have Thee not see my sins. For God's "seeing" is animadverting
upon. Hence too a Judge is said to "animadvert"(11) on that which he
punishes; i.e. to turn his mind on it, to bend it thereon, even to the
punishment of it, inasmuch as he is the Judge. So too is God a Judge. "Turn
Thou Thy face from my sins." But thou thyself, if thou wouldest have God
turn "His face" from them, turn not thine own face from them. Observe how
he proposes this to God in that very Psalm: "I acknowledge," he says, "my
transgression, and my sin is ever before me."(12) He would fain have that
which he wishes to be ever before his own eyes, not be before God's eyes.
Let no one flatter himself with fond hopes of God's mercy. His sceptre is
"a sceptre of righteousness." Do we say that God is not merciful? What can
exceed His mercy, who shows such forbearance to sinners; who takes no
account of the past in all that turn unto Him? So love thou Him for His
mercy, as still to wish that He should be truthful. For mercy cannot strip
Him of His attribute of justice: nor justice of that of mercy. Meanwhile
during the time that He postpones thy punishment, do not thou postpone it.

   17. "Therefore, God, Thy God, hath anointed Thee." It was for this
reason that He anointed thee, that thou mightest love righteousness, and
hate iniquity. And observe in what way he expresses himself. "Therefore,
God, Thy God, hath anointed Thee:" i.e. "God hath anointed Thee, O God."
"God" is "anointed" by God. For in the Latin it is thought to be the same
case of the noun repeated: in the Greek however there is a most evident
distinction; one being the name of the Person addressed; and one His who
makes the address, saying, "God hath anointed Thee." "O God, Thy God hath
anointed Thee," just as if He were saying, "Therefore hath Thy God, O God,
anointed Thee." Take it in that sense, understand it in that sense; that
such is the sense is most evident in the Greek. Who then is the God that is
"anointed" by God? Let the Jews tell us; these Scriptures are common to us
and them. It was God, who was anointed by God: you hear of an "Anointed"
one; understand it to mean "Christ." For the name of "Christ" comes from
"chrism;" this name by which He is called "Christ" expresses "unction:" nor
were kings and prophets anointed in any kingdom, in any other place, save
in that kingdom where Christ was prophesied of, where He was anointed, and
from whence the Name of Christ was to come. It is found nowhere else at
all: in no one nation or kingdom. God, then, was anointed by God; with what
oil was He anointed, but a spiritual one? For the visible oil is in the
sign, the invisible oil is in the mystery;(1) the spiritual oil is within.
"God" then was "anointed" for us, and sent unto us; and God Himself was
man, in order that He might be "anointed:" but He was man in such a way as
to be God still. He was God in such a way as not to disdain to be man.
"Very man and very God;" in nothing deceitful, in nothing false, as being
everywhere true, everywhere "the Truth" itself. God then is man; and it was
for this cause that "God" was "anointed," because God was Man, and became
"Christ."

   18. This was figured in Jacob's placing a stone at his head, and so
sleeping.(2) The patriarch Jacob had placed a stone at his head: sleeping
with that stone at his head, he saw heaven opened, and a ladder from heaven
to earth, and Angels ascending and descending;(3) after this vision he
awaked, anointed the stone, and departed. In that "stone" he understood
Christ; for that reason he anointed it. Take notice what it is whereby
Christ is preached. What is the meaning of that anointing of a stone,
especially in the case of the Patriarchs who worshipped but One God? It was
however done as a figurative act: and he departed. For he did not anoint
the stone, and come to worship there constantly, and to perform sacrifice
there. It was the expression of a mystery; not the commencement of
sacrilege. And notice the meaning of "the stone." "The Stone which the
builders refused, this is become the head of the corner."(4) Notice here a
great mystery. The "Stone" is Christ. Peter calls Him "a living Stone,
disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God."(5) And the stone is set at
"the head," because "Christ is the Head of the man."(6) And "the stone" was
anointed, because "Christ" was so called from His being anointed. And in
the revelation of Christ, the ladder from earth to heaven is seen, or from
heaven to earth, and the Angels ascending and descending. What this means,
we shall see more clearly, when we have quoted the testimony from the Lord
Himself in the Gospel. You know that Jacob is the same as Israel. For when
he wrestled with the Angel, and "prevailed," and had been blest by Him over
whom he prevailed, his named was changed, so that he was called "Israel;"
just as the people of Israel "prevailed"(7) against Christ, so as to
crucify Him, and nevertheless was (in those who believed in Christ) blest
by Him over whom it prevailed. But many believed not; hence the halting of
Jacob. Here we have at once, blessing and halting. Blessing on those who
became believers; for we know that afterward many of that people did
believe: Halting on the other hand in those who believed not. And because
the greater part believed not, and but few believed, therefore that a
halting might be produced, He touched "the breadth(8) of his thigh."(9)
What is meant by the breadth of the thigh? The great multitude of his
descendants.(10) ...

   19. "God, Thy God, hath anointed Thee." We have been speaking of God,
who was "anointed;" i.e. of Christ. The name of Christ could not be more
clearly expressed than by His being called "God the Anointed." In the same
way in which He was" beautiful before the children of men," so is He here
"anointed with the oil of gladness above His fellows." Who then are His
"fellows"? The children of men; for that He Himself (as the Son of Man)
became partaker of their mortality in order to make them partakers of His
Immortality.

   20. "Out of Thy garments is the smell of myrrh, amber, and cassia"
(ver. 8). Out of Thy garments is perceived the smell of fragrant odours. By
His garments are meant His Saints, His elect, His whole Church, which he
shows forth, as His garment, so to speak; His robe "without spot and
wrinkle,"(1) which on account of its spots He has "washed" in His blood; on
account of its "wrinkles" extended on His Cross. Hence the sweet savour
which is signified by certain perfumes there mentioned. Hear Paul, that
"least of the Apostles" (that "hem of that garment," which the woman with
the issue of blood touched, and was healed), hear him saying: "We are a
sweet savour of Christ, in every place, both in them that are saved, and in
them that perish."(2) He did not say, "We are a sweet savour in them that
are saved, and a foul savour in them that are lost:" but, as far as relates
to ourselves, "we are a sweet savour both in them that are saved, and in
them that perish." ... They who loved him were saved by the odour of "sweet
savour;" they who envied him, perished by means of that "sweet savour." To
them that perished then he was not a foul "savour," but a "sweet savour."
For it was for this very reason they the more envied him, the more
excellent that grace was which reigned in him: for no man envies him who is
unhappy. He then was glorious in the preaching of God's Word, and in
regulating his life according to the rule of that "rod of direction;" and
he was loved by those who loved Christ in him, who followed after and
pursued the odour of sweet savour; who loved the friend of the bridegroom:
that is to say, by the Bride Herself, who says in the Song of Songs,(3) "We
will run after the sweet savour of thy perfumes." But the others, the more
they beheld him invested with the glory of the preaching of the Gospel, and
of an irreproachable life, were so much the more tortured with envy, and
found that sweet savour prove death to them.

   21. "Out of thy ivory palaces, whereby kings' daughters have made Thee
glad." Choose whichever you please, "ivory" palaces, or "magnificent," or
"royal" palaces, it is out of these that the kings' daughters have made
Christ glad. Would you understand the spiritual sense of "ivory palaces"?
Understand by them the magnificent houses, and tabernacles of God, the
hearts of the Saints; and by these self-same "kings" those who rule their
flesh; who bring into subjection to themselves the rebellious commonalty of
human affections, who chastise the body, and reduce it to bondage: for it
is from these that the daughters of kings have made Him glad. For all the
souls that have been born through their preaching and evangelizing are
"daughters of kings:" and the Churches, as the daughters of Apostles, are
daughters of kings. For He is "King of kings;" they themselves kings, of
whom it was said, "Ye shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve
tribes of Israel."(4) They preached the "Word of Truth;" and begat Churches
not for themselves, but for Him. ... Therefore as "raising up seeds to
their brother," to as many as they begat, they gave the name not of
"Paulians" or "Petrians," but of "Christians." Observe whether that sense
is not wakefully kept(6) in these verses. For when he said, "out of the
ivory palaces, he spake of mansions royal, ample, honourable, peaceful,
like the heart of the Saints; he added, "Whereby the kings' daughters have
made Thee glad in Thine honour." They are indeed daughters of kings.
daughters of thine Apostles, but still "in Thine honour:" for they raised
up seed to their brother. Hence Paul, when he saw those whom he had raised
up unto his Brother, running after his own name, exclaimed, "Was Paul
crucified for you? "(7) ... No; for he says, "Or were ye baptized in the
name of Paul?"

   "The daughters of kings have made Thee glad in Thine honour." Keep,
hold fast this "in Thine honour." This is meant by having "a wedding
garment;" seeking His honour, His glory. Understand moreover by "kings'
daughters" the cities, which were founded by kings, and have received the
faith: and out of the ivory palaces (palaces rich, the proud, the lifted
up). "Kings' daughters have made Thee glad in Thine honour;" in that they
sought not the honour of their founders, but have sought Thine honour. Show
me at Rome a temple of Romulus held in so great honour as I can show you
the Monument of Peter.(8) In Peter, who is honoured but He who died for us?
For we are followers of Christ, not followers of Peter. And even if we were
born from the brother of Him that is dead, yet are we named after the name
of Him who is dead.(9) We were begotten by the one, but begotten to the
other. Behold, Rome, Carthage, and several other cities are the daughters
of kings, and yet have they "made glad the King in His honour:" and all
these make up one single Queen.

   22. What a nuptial song! Behold in the midst of songs full of
rejoicing, comes forth the Bride herself. For the Bridegroom was coming. It
was He who was being described: it was on Him all our attention was fixed.

   "Upon Thy right hand did stand the Queen" (ver. 9). She which stands on
the left is no Queen. For there will be one standing on "the left" also, to
whom it will be said, "Go into everlasting fire."[1] But she shall stand on
the right hand, to whom it will be said, "Come, ye blessed of My Father,
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."[2]
On Thy right hand did stand the Queen, "in a vesture of gold, clothed about
with divers colours." What is the vesture of this Queen? It is one both
precious, and also of divers colours: it is the mysteries of doctrine in
all the various tongues: one African, one Syrian, one Greek, one Hebrew,
one this, and one that; it is these languages that produce the divers
colours of this vesture.[3] But just as all the divers colours of the
vesture blend together in the one vesture, so do all the languages in one
and the same faith. In that vesture, let there be diversity, let there be
no rent. See we have "understood" the divers colours of the diversity of
tongues; and the vesture to refer to unity: but in that diversity itself,
what is meant by the "gold "? Wisdom itself. Let there be any diversity of
tongues you please, but there is but one "gold" that is preached of: not a
different gold, but a different form of that gold. For it is the same
Wisdom, the same doctrine and discipline that every language preaches. In
the languages there is diversity; gold in the thoughts.

   23. The Prophet addresses this Queen (for he delights in singing to
her), and moreover each one of us, provided, however, we know where we are,
and endeavour to belong to that body, and do belong to it in faith and
hope, being united in the membership of Christ.[4] For it is us whom he
addresses, saying, "Hearken, O daughter, and behold" (ver. 10), as being
one of the "Fathers" (for they are "daughters of kings"), although it be a
Prophet, or although it be an Apostle[5] that is addressing her; addressing
her, as a daughter, for we are accustomed to speak in this way, "Our
fathers the Prophets, our fathers the Apostles;" if we address them as
"fathers," they may address us as children: and it is one father's voice
addressing one daughter. "Hearken, O daughter, and see." "Hear" first;
afterward "see." For they came to us with the Gospel; and that has been
preached to us, which as yet we do not see, and which on hearing of it we
believed, which by believing it, we shall come to see: even as the
Bridegroom Himself speaks in the Prophet, "A people whom I have not known
served me. In the hearing of me with the ear it obeyed me."[6] What is
meant by on "hearing of me with the ear"? That they did not "see." The Jews
saw Him, and crucified Him; the Gentiles saw Him not, and believed. Let the
Queen who comes from the Gentiles come in "the vesture of gold, clothed
with divers colours;"[7] let her come from among the Gentiles clad in all
languages, in the unity of Wisdom: let it be said unto her, "Hearken, O
daughter, and see." If thou wilt not hear, thou shalt not "see." ...

   "And incline thine ear." It is not enough to "hearken;" hearken with
humility: bow down thine ear. "Forget also thine own people, and thy
father's house." There was a certain "people," and a certain house of thy
father, in which thou wast born, the people of Babylon, having the devil
for thy king. Whencesoever the Gentiles came, they came from their father
the devil; but they have renounced their sonship to the devil. "Forget also
thine own people, and thy father's house." He, in making thee a sinner,
begat thee loathsome: the Other, in that "He justifies the ungodly,"[8]
begetteth thee again in beauty.

   24. "For the King hath greatly desired thy beauty" (ver. 11). What
"beauty" is that, save that which is His own work? "Greatly desired the
beauty"--Of whom? Of her the sinner, the unrighteous, the ungodly, such as
she was with her "father," the devil, and among her own "people"? No, but
hers of whom it is said, "Who is this that cometh up made white?"[9] She
was not white then at the first, but was "made" white afterwards. For
"though your sins shall be as scarlet, I will make them white as snow."[10]
"The king has greatly desired thy beauty." What King is this? "For He is
the Lord thy God."[11] Now consider whether thou oughtest not to forego
that thy father, and thy own people, and to come to this King, who is thy
God? Thy God is "thy King," thy" King" is also thy Bridegroom. Thou weddest
to thy King, who is thy God: being endowed by Him, being adorned by Him;
redeemed by Him, and healed by Him. Whatever thou hast, wherewith to be
pleasing to Him, thou hast from Him.

   25. "And the daughters of Tyre shall worship Him with gifts" (ver. 12).
It is that selfsame "King, who is thy God," that the daughters of Tyre
shall worship with gifts. The daughters of Tyre are the daughters of the
Gentiles; the part standing for the whole. Tyre, a city bordering on this
country, where the prophecy was delivered, typified the nations that were
to believe in Christ. Thence came that Canaanitish woman, who was at first
called "a dog;" for that ye may know that she was from thence, the Gospel
speaks thus. "He departed into the parts of Tyre and Sidon, and behold a
woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts," with all the rest that is
related there. She who at first, at the house of her "father," and among
her "own people," was but "a dog," who by coming to, and crying after that
"King," was made beautiful by believing in Him, what did she obtain to
hear? "O woman, great is thy faith."' "The King has greatly desired thy
beauty. And the daughters of Tyre shall worship with gifts."[2] With what
gifts? Even so would this King be approached, and would have His treasuries
filled: and it is He Himself who has given us that wherewith they may be
filled, and may be filled[3] by you. Let them come (He says) and "worship
Him with gifts." What is meant by "with gifts"? ... "Give alms, and all
things are clean unto you." Come with gifts to Him that saith, "I will have
mercy rather than sacrifice."[4] To that Temple that existed aforetime as a
shadow of that which was to come, they used to come with bulls, and rams,
and goats, with every different kind of animal for sacrifice: that with
that blood one thing should be done, and another be typified by it. Now
that very blood, which all these things used to figure, hath come: the King
Himself hath come, and He Himself would have your "gifts." What gifts?
Alms. For He Himself will judge hereafter, and will Himself hereafter
account "gifts" to certain persons "Come" (He says), "ye blessed of My
Father." Why? "I was an hungred, and ye gave Me meat,"[5] etc. These are
the gifts with which the daughters of Tyre worship the King; for when they
said, "When saw we Thee?" He who is at once above and below (whence those
"ascending" and "descending" are spoken of[6]), said, "Inasmuch as ye have
done it unto one of the least of Mine, ye have done it unto Me."[7]

   26. ... "The rich among the people shall entreat Thy face." Both they
who shall entreat that face, and He whose face they will entreat, are all
collectively but one Bride, but one Queen, mother and children belonging
all together unto Christ, belonging unto their Head. ...

   27. "All the glory of her, the King's daughter, is from within" (ver.
13). Not only is her robe, outwardly, "of gold, and of divers colours;" but
He who loved her beauty, knew her to be also beautiful within.[8] What are
those inward charms?[9] Those of conscience. It is there Christ sees; it is
there Christ loves her: it is there He addresses her, there punishes, there
crowns. Let then thine alms be done in secret; for "all the glory of her,
the King's daughter, is from within." "With fringes of gold, clothed with
divers colours" (ver. 14). Her beauty is from within; yet in the" fringes
of gold" is the' diversity of languages: the beauty of doctrine. What do
these avail, if them be not that beauty "from within"? "The virgins shall
be brought unto the King after her." It has been fulfilled indeed. The
Church has believed; the Church has been formed throughout all nations. And
to what a degree do virgins now seek to find favour in the eyes of that
King! Whence are they moved to do so? Even because the Church preceded
them. "The virgins shall be brought unto the King after her. Her near
kinswomen[10] shall be brought unto Thee." For they that are brought unto
Him are not strangers, but her "near kinswomen," that belong to her. And
because he had said, "unto the King," he says, turning the discourse to
Him, "her near kinswomen shall be brought unto Thee."

   28. "With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought and shall be led
into the Temple of the King" (ver. 15). The "Temple of the King" is the
Church itself: it is the Church itself that enters into "the Temple of the
King." Whereof is that Temple constructed? Of the men who enter the Temple?
Who but God's "faithful" ones are its "living stones"?[11] "They shall be
led into the Temple of the King. For there are virgins without the Temple
of the King, the nuns among the heretics:[12] they are virgins, it is true;
but what will that profit them, unless they be led into the "Temple of the
King"? The "Temple of the King" is in unity: the "Temple of the King" is
not ruinous, is not rent asunder, is not divided. The cement[13] of those
living stones is "charity."

   29. "Instead of thy fathers, children are born to thee" (ver. 16).
Nothing can be more manifest. Now consider the "Temple of the King" itself,
for it is on its behalf he speaks, on account of the unity of the body that
is spread throughout all the world: for those very persons who have chosen
to be virgins, cannot find favour with the King unless they be led into the
Temple of the King. "Instead of thy fathers, are thy children born to
thee." It was the Apostles begat thee: they were "sent:" they were the
preachers: they are "the fathers." But was it possible for them to be with
us in the body for ever? Although one of them said, "I desire to depart,
and to be with Christ, which is far better: to abide in the flesh is
necessary for your sakes." It is true he said this, but how long was it
possible for him to remain here? Could it be till this present time, could
it be to all futurity? Is the Church then left desolate by their departure?
God forbid. "Instead of thy fathers, children have been born to thee." What
is that? The Apostles were sent to thee as "fathers," instead of the
Apostles sons have been born to thee: there have been appointed Bishops.
For in the present day, whence do the Bishops, throughout all the world,
derive their origin? The Church itself calls them fathers; the Church
itself brought them forth, and placed them on the thrones of "the fathers."
Think not thyself abandoned then, because thou seest not Peter, nor seest
Paul: seest not those through whom thou wert born. Out of thine own
offspring has a body of "fathers" been raised up to thee. "Instead of thy
fathers, have children been born to thee." Observe how widely diffused is
the "Temple of the King," that "the virgins that are not led to the Temple
of the King," may know that they have nothing to do with that marriage.
"Thou shall make them princes[1] over all the earth." This is the Universal
Church: her children have been made "princes over all the earth:" her
children have been appointed instead of the "fathers." Let those who are
cut off own the truth of this, let them come to the One Body: let them be
led into the Temple of the King. God hath established His Temple
everywhere: hath laid everywhere "the foundations of the Prophets and
Apostles."[2] The Church has brought "forth sons;" has made them "instead
of her fathers" to be "princes over all the earth."

   30. "They shall be mindful of thy name in every generation and
generation; therefore shall the peoples confess unto[3] Thee" (ver. 17).
What does it profit then to "confess" indeed and yet to confess out of "the
Temple"? What does it profit to pray, and yet not to pray on the Mount? "I
cried," says he, "unto the Lord with my voice: and He heard me out of His
holy hill."[4] Out of what "hill"? Out of that of which it is said, "A city
set upon a hill cannot be hid."[5] Of what" hill"? Out of that hill which
Daniel saw "grow out of a small stone, and break all the kingdoms of the
earth; and cover all the face of the earth."[6] There let him pray, who
hopes to receive: there let him ask, who would have his prayer heard: there
let him confess, who wishes to be pardoned. "Therefore shall the peoples
confess unto thee for ever, world without end." For in that eternal life it
is true indeed there will no longer be the mourning over sins: but yet in
the praises of God by that everlasting City which is above, there will not
be wanting a perpetual confession of the greatness of that happiness. For
to that City itself, to which another Psalm[7] sings, "Glorious things are
spoken of thee, O City of God," to her who is the very Bride of Christ, the
very Queen, a "King's daughter, and a King's consort;" ... the peoples
shall for this very cause confess even to herself; the hearts of all, now
enlightened by perfect charity, being laid bare, and made manifest, that
she may know the whole of herself most completely, who here is, in many
parts of her, unknown to herself. ...

PSALM XLVI.[8]

   1. It is called, "A Psalm, to the end, for the sons of Korah, for
things secret." Secret is it then; but He Himself, who in the place of
Calvary was crucified, ye know, hath rent the veil,[9] that the secrets of
the temple might he discovered. Furthermore since the Cross of our Lord was
a key, whereby things closed might be opened; let us trust that He will be
with us, that these secrets may be revealed. What is said, "To the end,"
always ought to be understood of Christ. For "Christ is the end of the law
for righteousness to every one that believeth."[10] But The End He is
called, not because He consumeth, but because He perfecteth. For ended call
we the food which is eaten, and ended the coat which is woven, the former
to consumption, the latter to perfection. Because then we have not where to
go farther when we have come to Christ, Himself is called the end of our
course. Nor ought we to think, that when we have come to Him, we ought to
strive any further to come also to the Father. For this thought Philip
also, when he said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us."
When he said, "It sufficeth us," he sought the end of satisfaction and
perfection. Then said He, "Have I been so long time with you, and hast thou
not known Me, Philip: be that hath seen Me, hath seen the Father."[1] In
Him then have we the Father, because He is in the Father, and the Father in
Him, and He and His Father are One.[1]

   2. "Our God is a refuge and strength" (ver. 1). There are some refuges
wherein is no strength, whereto when any fleeth, he is more weakened than
strengthened. Thou fleest, for example, to some one greater in the world,
that thou mayest make' thyself a powerful friend; this seemeth to thee a
refuge. Yet so great are this world's uncertainties, and so frequent grow
the ruins of the powerful day by day, that when to such refuge thou art
come, thou beginnest to fear more than ever therein. ... Our refuge is not
such, but our refuge is strength. When thither we have fled, we shall be
firm.

   3. "A helper in tribulations, which find us out too much." Tribulations
are many, and in every tribulation unto God must we flee; whether it be a
tribulation in our estate, or in our body's health, or about the peril of
those dearest to us, or any other thing necessary to the sustaining of this
life, refuge ought there to be none at all to a Christian man, other than
his Saviour, other than his God, to whom when he has fled, he is strong.
For he will not in himself be strong, nor will he to himself be strength,
but He will be his strength, who has become his refuge. But, dearly
beloved, among all tribulations of the human soul is no greater tribulation
than the consciousness of sin. For if there be no wound herein, and that be
sound within man which is called conscience, wherever else he may suffer
tribulation, thither will he flee, and there find God. ... Ye see, dearly
beloved, when trees are cut down and proved by the carpenters, sometimes in
the surface they seem as though injured and rotten; but the carpenter looks
into the inner marrow as it were of the tree, and if within he find the
wood sound, he promises that it will last in a building; nor will he be
very anxious about the injured surface, when that which is within he
declares sound. Furthermore, to man anything more inward than conscience is
not found; what then profits it, if what is without is sound, and the
marrow of conscience has become rotton? These are close and vehement
overmuch, and as this Psalm saith, too great tribulations; yet even in
these the Lord hath become a helper by forgiving sin. For the consciences
of the ungodly hateth nothing save indulgence; for if one saith he hath
great tribulations, being a confessed debtor to the treasury, when he
beholdeth the narrowness of his estate, and seeth that he cannot be
solvent; if on account of the distrainers every year hanging over him, he
saith that he suffereth great tribulations, and doth not breathe freely
except in hope of indulgence, and that in things earthly;[2] how much more
the debtor of penalties out of the abundance of sins: when shall he pay
what he owes out of his evil conscience, when if he pay, he perisheth? For
to pay this debt, is to undergo the penalties. Remaineth then that of His
indulgence, we may be secure, get so that, indulgence received, we return
not again to contract debts. ...

   4. Now then, such security received, what say they? "Therefore will not
we fear, when the earth shall be confounded" (ver. 2). Just before anxious,
suddenly secure; out of too great tribulations set in great tranquillity.
For in them Christ was sleeping, therefore were they tossed: Christ awoke
(as but now we heard out of the Gospel), He commanded the winds, and they
were still.[3] Since Christ is in each man's heart by faith, it is
signified to us, that his heart as a ship in this world's tempest is
tossed, who forgetteth his faith: as though Christ sleeping it is tossed,
but Christ awaking cometh tranquillity. Nay, the Lord Himself, what said
He? "Where is your faith?"[4] Christ aroused, aroused up faith, that what
had been done in the ship, might be done in their hearts. "A helper in
tribulations, which found us s out too much." He caused that therein should
be great tranquillity.

   5. See what tranquillity: "Therefore will not we fear when the earth
shall be confounded, and the mountains shall be carried into the heart of
the sea." Then we shall find not fear. Let us seek mountains carried, and
if we can find, it is manifest that this is our security. The Lord truly
said to His disciples, "If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye
shall say to this mountain, Be Thou removed, and be Thou cast into the sea,
and it shall be done."[6] Haply "to this mountain," He said of Himself; for
He is called a Mountain: "It shall come to pass in the last days, that the
mountain of the Lord shall be manifest."[7] But this Mountain is placed
above other mountains; because the Apostles also are mountains, supporting
this Mountain. Therefore followeth, "In the last days the Mountain of the
Lord shall be manifest, established in the top of the mountains." Therefore
passeth It the tops of all mountains, and on the top of all mountains is It
placed; because the mountains are preaching The Mountain. But the sea
signifieth this world, in comparison of which sea, like earth seemed the
nation of the Jews. For it was not covered over with the bitterness of
idolatry, but, like dry land, was surrounded with the bitterness of the
Gentiles as with sea. It was to be, that the earth be confounded, that is,
that nation of the Jews; and that the mountains be carried into the heart
of the sea, that is, first that great Mountain established in the top of
the mountains. For He deserted the nation of the Jews, and came among the
Gentiles. He was carried from the earth into the sea. Who carrying Him? The
Apostles, to whom He had said, "If ye have faith as a grain of mustard
seed, ye shall say to this mountain, Be thou removed,  and be thou cast
into the sea, and it shall be done:" that is, through your most faithful
preaching it shall come to pass, that this mountain, that is, I Myself, be
preached among the Gentiles, be glorified among the Gentiles, be
acknowledged among the Gentiles, and that be fulfilled which was predicted
of Me, "A people whom I have not known shall serve Me."[1] ...

   6. "The waters thereof roared, and were troubled" (ver. 3): when the
Gospel was preached, "What is this? He seemeth to be a setter forth of
strange gods:"[2] this the Athenians; but the Ephesians, with what tumult
would they have slain the Apostles, when in the theatre, for their goddess
Diana, they made such an uproar, as to be shouting, "Great is Diana of the
Ephesians! "[3] Amidst which waves and roaring of the sea, feared not they
who to that refuge had fled. Nay, the Apostle Paul would enter in to the
theatre, and was kept back by the disciples, because it was necessary that
he should still abide in the flesh for their sakes. But yet, "the waters
thereof roared, and were troubled: the mountains shook at the mightiness
thereof." Whose might? The sea's? or rather God's, of whom was said,
"refuge and strength, a helper in tribulations, which have found us out too
much?" For shaken were the mountains, that is, the powers of this world.
For one thing are the mountains of God, another the mountains of the world:
the mountains of the world, they whose head is the devil, the mountains of
God, they whose Head is Christ. But by these mountains were shaken those
mountains. Then gave they their voices against Christians, when the
mountains were shaken, the waters roaring; for the mountains were shaken,
and there was made a great earthquake, with quaking of the sea. But against
whom this? Against the City founded upon a rock. The waters roar, the
mountains shake, the Gospel being preached. What then, the City of God?
Hear what followeth.

   7. "The streams of the river make glad the City of God" (ver. 4). When
the mountains shake, when the sea rages, God deserteth not His City, by the
streams of the river. What are these streams of the river? That overflowing
of the Holy Spirit, of which the Lord said, "If any man thirst, let him
come unto Me, and drink. He that believeth on Me, out of his bosom[4] shall
flow rivers of living water."[5] These rivers then flowed out of the
bosom[4] of Paul, Peter, John, the other Apostles, the other faithful
Evangelists. Since these rivers flowed from one river, many "streams of the
river make glad the City of God." For that ye might know this to be said of
the Holy Spirit, in the same Gospel next said the Evangelist, "But this
spake He of the Spirit, which they that were to believe on Him should
receive. For the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because that Jesus was not
yet glorified."[6] Jesus being glorified after His Resurrection, glorified
after His Ascension, on the day of Pentecost came the Holy Spirit, and
filled the believers,[7] who spake with tongues, and began to preach the
Gospel to the Gentiles. Hence was the City of God made glad, while the sea
was troubled by the roaring of its waters, while the mountains were
confounded, asking what they should do, how drive out the new doctrine, how
root out the race of Christians from the earth. Against whom? Against the
streams of the river making glad the City of God. For thereby showed He of
what river He spake; that He signified the Holy Spirit, by "the streams of
the river make glad the City of God." And what follows? "The Most High hath
sanctified His tabernacle:" since then there followeth the mention of
Sanctification, it is manifest that these streams of the river are to be
understood of the Holy Spirit, by whom is sanctified every godly soul
believing in Christ, that it may be made a citizen of the City of God.

   8. "God is in the midst of her: she shall not be moved "(ver. 5). Let
the sea rage, the mountains shake; "God is in the midst of her: she shall
not be moved." What is, "in the midst of her"? That God stands in any one
place, and they surround Him who believe in Him? Then is God circumscribed
by place; and broad that which surroundeth, narrow that which is
surrounded? God forbid. No such thing imagine of God, who is contained in
no place, whose seat is the conscience of the godly: and so is God's seat
in the hearts of men, that if man fall from God, God in Himself abideth,
not falleth like one not finding where to be. For rather doth He lift up
thee, that thou mayest be in Him, than so lean upon thee, as if thou
withdraw thyself, to fall. Himself if He withdraw, fall wilt thou: thyself
if thou withdraw, fall will not He. What then is, "God is in the midst of
her"? It signifieth that God is equal to all, and accepteth not persons.
For as that which is in the middle has equal distances to all the
boundaries, so God is said to be in the middle, because He consulteth
equally for all. "God is in the midst of her: she shall not be moved."
Wherefore shall she not be moved? Because God is in the midst of her. He is
"the Helper in tribulations that have found us out too much. God shall help
her with His Countenance." What is, "with His Countenance"? With
manifestation of Himself. How manifests God Himself, so as that we see His
Countenance? I have already told you; ye have learned God's Presence; we
have learned it through His works. When from Him we receive any help so
that we cannot at all doubt that it was granted to us by the Lord, then
God's Countenance is with us.

   9. "The heathen are troubled" (ver. 6). And how troubled? why troubled?
To cast down the City of God, in the midst whereof is God? To overthrow the
tabernacle sanctified, which God helpeth with His Countenance? No: with a
wholesome trouble are the heathen now troubled. For what followeth? "And
the kingdoms are bowed." Bowed, saith He, are the kingdoms; not now erected
that they may rage, but bowed that they may adore. When were the kingdoms
bowed? When that came to pass which was predicted in another Psalm, "All
kings shall fall down before Him, all nations shall serve Him."[1] What
cause made the kingdoms to bow? Hear the cause. "The Most High gave His
Voice, and the earth was moved." The fanatics[2] of idolatry, like frogs in
the marshes, clamoured, the more tumultuously, the more sordidly, in filth
and mire. And what is the brawling of frogs to the thunder of the clouds?
For out of them "the Most High gave His Voice, and the earth was moved:" He
thundered out of His clouds. And what are His clouds? His Apostles, His
preachers, by whom He thundered in precepts, lightened in miracles. The
same are clouds who are also mountains: mountains for their height and
firmness, clouds for their rain and fruitfulness. For these clouds watered
the earth, of which it was said, "The Most High gave His Voice, and the
earth was moved." For it is of those clouds that He threateneth a certain
barren vineyard, whence the mountains were carried into the heart of the
sea; "I will command," saith He, "the clouds that they rain no rain upon
it."[3] This was fulfilled in that which I have mentioned, when the
mountains were carried into the heart of the sea; when it was said, "It was
necessary that the word of God should have been spoken first to you; but
seeing ye put it from you, we turn to the Gentiles;"[4] then was fulfilled,
"I will command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it." The nation of
the Jews hath just so remained as a fleece dry upon the ground. For this,
ye know, happened in a certain miracle, the ground was dry, the fleece only
was wet, yet rain in the fleece appeared not.[5] So also the mystery of the
New Testament appeared not in the nation of the Jews. What there was the
fleece, is here the veil. For in the fleece was veiled the mystery. But on
the ground, in all the nations open lieth Christ's Gospel; the rain is
manifest, the Grace of Christ is bare, for it is not covered with a veil.
But that the rain might come out of it, the fleece was pressed. For by
pressure they from themselves excluded Christ, and the Lord now from His
clouds raineth on the ground, the fleece hath remained dry. But of them
then "the Most High gave His Voice," out of those clouds; by which Voice
the kingdoms were bowed and worshipped.

   10. "The Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our taker up"
(ver. 7). Not any man, not any power, not, in short, Angel, or any creature
either earthly or heavenly, but "the Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of
Jacob is our taker up." He who sent Angels, came after Angels, came that
Angels might serve Him, came that men He might make equal to Angels. Mighty
Grace! If God be for us, who can be against us? "The Lord of Hosts is with
us." What Lord of Hosts is with us? "If" (I say) "God be for us, who can be
against us? He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us
all; how hath He not with Him also freely given[6] us all things."[7]
Therefore be we secure, in tranquillity of heart nourish we a good
conscience with the Bread of the Lord. "The Lord of Hosts is with us; the
God of Jacob is our taker up." However great be thy infirmity, see who
taketh thee up. One is sick, a physician is called to him. His own taken-
up, the Physician calleth the sick man. Who hath taken him up? Even He. A
great hope of salvation; a great Physician hath taken him up. What
Physician?[8] Every Physician save He is man: every Physician who cometh to
a sick man, another day can be made sick, beside Him. "The God of Jacob is
our taker up." Make thyself altogether as a little child, such as are taken
up by their parents. For those not taken up, are exposed; those taken up
are nursed. Thinkest thou God hath so taken thee up, as when an infant thy
mother took thee up? Not so, but to eternity. For thy voice is in that
Psalm, "My father and my mother forsake me, but the Lord hath taken me
up."[9]

   11. "Come and see the works of the Lord" (ver. 8). Now of this taking
up, what hath the Lord done? Consider the whole world, come and see. For if
thou comest not, thou seest not; if thou seest not, thou believest not; if
thou believest not, thou standest afar off: if thou believest thou comest,
if thou believest thou seest. For how came we to that mountain? Not on
foot? Is it by ship? Is it on the wing? Is it on horses? For all that
pertain to space and place, be not concerned, trouble not thyself, He
cometh to thee. For out of a small stone He hath grown, and become a great
mountain, so that He hath filled all the face of the earth. Why then
wouldest thou by land come to Him, who filleth all lands? Lo, He hath
already come: watch thou. By growing He waketh even sleepers; if yet there
is not in them so deep sleep, as that they be hardened even against the
mountain coming; but they hear, "Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from
the dead, and Christ shall give thee light."[1] For it was a great thing
for the Jews to see the stone. For the stone was yet small: and small they
deservedly despised it, and despising they stumbled, and stumbling they
were broken; remains that they be ground to powder. For so was it said of
the stone, "Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on
whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder."[2] It is one thing
to be broken, another to be ground to powder. To be broken is less than to
be ground to powder: but none grindeth He coming exalted, save whom He
brake lying low. For now before His coming He lay low before the Jews, and
they stumbled at Him, and were broken; hereafter shall He come in His
Judgment, glorious and exalted, great and powerful, not weak to be judged,
but strong to judge, and grind to powder those who were broken stumbling at
Him. For" A stone of stumbling and a rock of offence,"[3] is He to them
that believe not. Therefore, brethren, no wonder if the Jews acknowledged
not Him, whom as a small stone lying before their feet they despised. They
are to be wondered at, who even now so great a mountain will not
acknowledge. The Jews at a small stone by not seeing stumbled; the heretics
stumble at a mountain. For now that stone hath grown, now say we unto them,
Lo, now is fulfilled the prophecy of Daniel, "The stone that was small
became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth."[4] Wherefore stumble
ye at Him, and go not rather up to Him? Who is so blind as to stumble at a
mountain? Came He to thee that thou shouldest have whereat to stumble, and
not have whereto to go up? "Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of
the Lord."[5] Isaiah saith this: "Come ye, and let us go up." What is,
"Come ye, and let us go up"? "Come ye," is, Believe ye. "Let us go up," is,
Let us profit.[6] But they will neither come, nor go up, nor believe, nor
profit. They bark against the mountain. Even now by so often stumbling on
Him they are broken, and will not go up, choosing always to stumble. Say we
to them, "Come ye, and see the works of the Lord:" what "prodigies He hath
set forth through the earth." Prodigies are called, because they portend
something, those signs of miracles which were done when the world believed.
And what thereafter came to pass, and what did they portend?

   12. "He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth" (ver. 9). This
not yet see we fulfilled: yet are there wars, wars among nations for
sovereignty; among sects, among Jews, Pagans, Christians, heretics, are
wars, frequent wars, some for the truth, some for falsehood contending. Not
yet then is this fulfilled, "He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the
earth;" but haply it shall be fulfilled. Or is it now also fulfilled? In
some it is fulfilled; in the wheat it is fulfilled, in the tares it is not
yet fulfilled. What is this then, "He maketh wars to cease unto the end of
the earth"? Wars He calleth whereby it is warred against God. But who
warreth against God? Ungodliness. And what to God can ungodliness do?
Nothing. What doth an earthen vessel dashed against the rock, however
vehemently dashed? With so much greater harm to itself it cometh, with how
much the greater force it cometh. These wars were great, frequent were
they. Against God fought ungodliness, and earthen vessels were dashed in
pieces, even men by presuming on themselves, by too much prevailing by
their own strength. This is that, the shield whereof Job also named
concerning one ungodly. "He runneth against God, upon the stiff neck of his
shield."[7] What is, "upon the stiff neck of his shield"? Presuming too
much upon his own protection. Were they such who said, "God is our refuge
and strength, a Helper in tribulations which have found us out too much"?
or in another Psalm, "For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my
sword save me."[8] When one learneth that in himself he is nothing, and
help in himself has none, arms in him are broken in pieces, wars are made
to cease. Such wars then destroyed that Voice of the Most High out of His
holy clouds, whereby the earth was moved, and the kingdoms were bowed.
These wars hath He made to cease unto the end of the earth. "He shall break
the bow, and dash in pieces the arms, and burn the shield with fire." Bow,
arms, shield, fire.[1] The bow is plots; arms, public warfare; shields,
vain presuming of self-protection: the fire wherewith they are burned, is
that whereof the Lord said, "I am come to send fire on the earth; "[2] of
which fire saith the Psalm, "There is nothing hid from the heat
thereof."[3] This fire burning, no arms of ungodliness shall remain in us,
needs must all be broken, dashed in pieces, burned. Remain thou unharmed,
not having any help of thine own; and the more weak thou art, having no
arms thine own, the more He taketh thee up, of whom it is said, "The God of
Jacob is our taker up." ... But when God taketh us up, doth He send us away
unarmed? He armeth us, but with other arms, arms Evangelical, arms of
truth, continence, salvation, faith, hope, charity. These arms shall we
have, but not of ourselves: but the arms which of ourselves we had, are
burnt up: yet if by that fire of the Holy Spirit we are kindled, whereof it
is said, "He shall burn the shields with fire;" thee, who didst wish to be
powerful in thyself, hath God made weak, that He may make thee strong in
Him, because in thyself thou wast made weak.

   13. What then followeth? "Be still." To what purpose? "And see that I
am God" (ver. 10). That is, Not ye, but I am God. I created, I create anew;
I formed, I form anew; I made, I make anew. If thou couldest not make
thyself, how canst thou make thyself anew? This seeth not the contentious
tumult of man's soul; to which contentious tumult is it said, "Be still."
That is, restrain your souls from contradiction. Do not argue, and, as it
were, arm against God. Else yet live thy arms, not yet burned up with fire.
But if they are burned,  "Be still;" because ye have not wherewith to
fight. But if ye be still in yourselves, and from Me seek all, who before
presumed on yourselves, then shall ye "see that I am God." "I will be
exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth." Just before I
said, by the name of earth is signified the nation of the Jews, by the name
of sea the other nations. The mountains were carried into the heart of the
sea; the nations are troubled, the kingdoms are bowed; the Most High gave
His Voice, and the earth was moved. "The Lord of Hosts is with us, the God
of Jacob is our taker up" (ver. 11). Miracles are done among the heathen,
full filled is the faith of the heathen; burned are the arms of human
presumption. Still are they, in tranquillity of heart, to acknowledge God
the Author of all their gifts. And after this glorifying, doth He yet
desert the people of the Jews? of which saith the Apostle, "I say unto you,
lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is
happened unto Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in."[4]
That is, until the mountains be carried hither, the clouds rain here, the
Lord here bows the kingdoms with His thunder, "until the fulness of the
Gentiles be come in." And what thereafter? "And so all Israel shall be
saved." Therefore, here too observing the same order, "I will be exalted"
(saith He) "among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth;" that is,
both in the sea, and in the earth, that now might all say what followeth:
"the God of Jacob is our taker up."

PSALM XLVII.[5]

   1. The title of the Psalm goeth thus. "To the end: for the sons of
Korah: a Psalm of David himself." These sons of Korah have the title also
of some other Psalms, and indicate a sweet mystery, insinuate a great
Sacrament: wherein let us willingly understand ourselves, and let us
acknowledge in the title us who hear, and read, and as in a glass set
before us behold who we are. The sons of Korah, who are they?[6] ... Haply
the sons of the Bridegroom. For the Bridegroom was crucified in the place
of Calvary. Recollect the Gospel,[7] where they crucified the Lord, and ye
will find Him crucified in the place of Calvary. Furthermore, they who
deride His Cross, by devils, as by beasts, are devoured. For this also a
certain Scripture signified. When God's Prophet Elisha was going up,
children called after him mocking, "Go up thou bald head, Go up thou bald
head:" but he, not so much in cruelty as in mystery, made those children to
be devoured by bears out of the wood.[8] If those children had not been
devoured, would they have lived even till now? Or could they not, being
born mortal, have been taken off by a fever? But so in them had no mystery
been shown, whereby posterity might be put in fear. Let none then mock the
Cross of Christ. The Jews were possessed by devils, and devoured; for in
the place of Calvary, crucifying Christ, and lifting on the Cross, they
said as it were with childish sense, not understanding what they said, "Go
up, thou bald head." For what is, "Go up"? "Crucify Him, Crucify Him."[9]
For childhood is set before us to imitate humility, and childhood is set
before us to beware of foolishness. To imitate humility, childhood was set
before us by the Lord, when He called children to Him,[10] and because they
were kept from Him, He said, "Suffer them to come unto Me, for of such is
the Kingdom of Heaven."[11] The example of childhood is set before us to
beware of foolishness by the Apostle, "Brethren, be not children in
understanding:" and again he proposeth it to imitate, "Howbeit in malice be
ye children, that in understanding ye may be men."[1] "For the sons of
Korah" the Psalm is sung; for Christians then is it sung. Let us hear it as
sons of the Bridegroom, whom senseless children crucified in the place of
Calvary. For they earned to be devoured by beasts; we to be crowned by
Angels. For we acknowledge the humility of our Lord, and of it are not
ashamed. We are not ashamed of Him called in mystery "the bald" (Calvus),
from the place of Calvary. For on the very Cross whereon He was insulted,
He permitted not our forehead to be bald; for with His own Cross He marked
it. Finally, that ye may know that these things are said to us, see what is
said.

   2. "O clap your hands, all ye nations" (ver. 1 ). Were the people of
the Jews all the nations? No, but blindness in part is happened to Israel,
that senseless children might cry, "Calve," "Calve;" and so the Lord might
be crucified in the place of Calvary, that by His Blood shed He might
redeem the Gentiles, and that might be fulfilled which saith the Apostle,
"Blindness in part is happened unto Israel, until the fulness of the
Gentiles be come in."[2] Let them insult, then, the vain, and foolish, and
senseless, and say, "Calve," "Calve;" but ye redeemed by His Blood which
was shed in the place of Calvary, say, "O clap your hands, all ye nations;"
because to you hath come down the Grace of God. "O clap your hands." What
is "O clap"? Rejoice. But wherefore with the hands? Because with good
works. Do not rejoice with the mouth while idle with the hands. If ye
rejoice, "clap your hands." The hands of the nations let Him see, who joys
hath deigned to give them. What is, the hands of the nations? The acts of
them doing good works. "O clap your hands, all ye nations shout unto God
with the voice of triumph." Both with voice and with hands. If with the
voice only it is not well, because the hands are slow; if only with the
hands it is not well, because the tongue is mute. Agree together must the
hands and tongue. Let this confess, these work. "Shout unto God with the
voice of triumph."

   3. "For the Lord Most High is terrible" (ver. 2). The Most High in
descending made like one ludicrous, by ascending into Heaven is made
terrible. "A great King over all the earth." Not only over the Jews; for
over them also He is King. For of them also the Apostles believed and of
them many thousands of men sold their goods, and laid the price at the
Apostles' feet,[3] and in them was fulfilled what in the title of the Cross
was written, "The King of the Jews."[4] For He is King also of the Jews.
But "of the Jews" is little.[5] "O clap your hands, all ye nations: for God
is the King of all the earth." For it sufficeth not Him to have under Him
one nation: therefore such great price gave He out of His side, as to buy
the whole world.

   4. "He hath subdued the people under us, and the nations under our
feet" (ver. 3). Which subdued, and to whom? Who are they that speak? Haply
Jews? Surely, if Apostles; surely, if Saints. For under these God hath
subdued the people and the nations, that to-day are they honoured among the
nations, who by their own citizens earned to be slain: as their Lord was
slain by His citizens, arid is honoured among the nations; was crucified by
His own, is adored by aliens, but those by a price made His own. For
therefore bought He us, that aliens from Him we might not be. Thinkest thou
then these are the words of Apostles, "He hath subdued the people under us,
and the nations under our feet"? I know not. Strange that Apostles should
speak so proudly, as to rejoice that the nations were put under their feet,
that is, Christians under the feet of Apostles. For they rejoice that we
are with them under the feet of Him who died for us. For under Paul's feet
ran they, who would be of Paul, to whom He said, "Was Paul crucified for
you?"[6] What then here, what are we to understand? "He hath subdued the
people under us, and the nations under our feet." All pertaining to
Christ's inheritance are among "all the nations," and all not pertaining to
Christ's inheritance are among "all the nations:" and ye see so exalted in
Christ's Name is Christ's Church, that all not yet believing in Christ lie
under the feet of Christians. For what numbers now run to the Church; not
yet being Christians, they ask aid of the Church;[7] to be succoured by us
temporally they are willing, though eternally to reign with us as yet they
are unwilling. When all seek aid of the Church, even they who are not yet
in the Church, hath He not "subdued the people under us, and the nations
under our feet"?

   5. "He hath chosen an inheritance for us, the excellency[8] of Jacob,
whom He loved" (ver. 4). A certain beauty of Jacob He hath chosen for our
inheritance. Esau and Jacob were two brothers; in their mother's womb both
struggled, and by this struggle their mother's bowels were shaken; and
while they two were yet therein, the younger was elected and preferred to
the elder, and it was said, "Two peoples are in thy womb, and the eider
shall serve the younger."[1] Among all nations is the elder, among all
nations the younger; but the younger is in good Christians, elect, godly,
faithful; the elder in the proud, unworthy, sinful, stubborn, defending
rather than confessing their sins: as was also the very people of the Jews,
"being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their
own righteousness."[2] But for that it is said, "The elder shall serve the
younger;" it is manifest that under the godly are subdued the ungodly,
under the humble are subdued the proud. Esau was born first, and Jacob was
born last; but he who was last born, was preferred to the first-born, who
through gluttony lost his birthright. So thou hast it written,[3] He longed
for the pottage, and his brother said to him, If thou wilt that I give it
thee, give me thy birthright. He loved more that which carnally he desired,
than that which spiritually by being born first he had earned:[4] and he
laid aside his birthright, that he might eat lentils. But lentils we find
to be the food of the Egyptians, for there it abounds in Egypt. Whence is
so magnified the lentil of Alexandria, that it comes even to our country,
as if here grew no lentil. Therefore by desiring Egyptian food he lost his
birthright. So also the people of the Jews, of whom it is said, "in their
hearts they turned back again into Egypt."[5] They desired in a manner the
lentil, and lost their birthright.

   6. "God is gone up with jubilation" (ver. 5). Even He our God, the Lord
Christ, is gone up with jubilation; "the Lord with the sound of a trumpet."
"Is gone up:" whither, save where we know? Whither the Jews followed Him
not, even with their eyes. For exalted on the Cross they mocked Him,
ascending into Heaven they did not ,see Him. "God hath gone up with
jubilation. What is jubilation, but admiration of joy which cannot be
expressed in words? As the disciples in joy admired, seeing Him go into
Heaven, whom they had mourned dead; truly for the joy, words sufficed not:
remained to jubilate what none could express. There was also the voice of
the trumpet, the voice of Angels. For it is said, "Lift up thy voice like a
trumpet." Angels preached the ascension of the Lord: they saw the
Disciples, their Lord ascending, tarrying admiring, confounded, nothing
speaking, but in heart jubilant: and now was the sound of the trumpet in
the clear voice of the Angels, "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up
into Heaven? this is Jesus."[6] As if they knew not that it was the same
Jesus. Had they not just before seen Him before them? Had they not heard
Him speaking with them? Nay, they not only saw the figure of Him present,
but handled also His limbs. Of themselves then knew they not, that it was
the same Jesus? But they being by very admiration, from joy of jubilation,
as it were transported in mind, the Angels said, "that same is Jesus." As
though they said, If ye believe Him, this is that same Jesus, whom
crucified, your feet stumbled, whom dead and buried, ye thought your hope
lost. Lo, this is the same Jesus. He hath gone up before you, "He shall so
come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into Heaven." His Body is
removed indeed from your eyes, but God is not separated from your hearts:
see Him going up, believe on Him absent, hope for Him coming; but yet
through His secret Mercy, feel Him present. For He who ascended into Heaven
that He might be removed from your eyes, promised unto you, saying, "Lo, I
am with you always, even unto the end of the world."[7] Justly then the
Apostle so addressed us, "The Lord is at hand; be careful for nothing."[8]
Christ sitteth above the Heavens; the Heavens are far off, He who there
sitteth is near. ...

   7. "Sing praises to our God, sing praises" (ver. 6). Whom as Man mocked
they, who from God were alienated. "Sing praises to our God." For He is not
Man only, but God. Man of the seed of David,[9] God the Lord of David, of
the Jews having flesh. "Whose" (saith the Apostle) "are the fathers, of
whom as concerning the flesh Christ came."[10] Of the Jews then is Christ,
but according to the flesh. But who is this Christ who is of the Jews
according to the flesh? "Who is over all, God blessed for ever." God before
the flesh, God in the flesh, God with the flesh. Nor only God before the
flesh, but God before the earth whence flesh was made; nor only God before
the earth whereof flesh was made, but even God before the Heaven which was
first made; God before the day which was first made; God before Angels; the
same Christ is God: for "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was
with God, and the Word was God."[11]

   8. "For God is the King of all the earth" (ver. 7). What? And before
was He not God of all the earth? Is He not God of both heaven and earth,
since by Him surely were all things made? Who can say that He is not his
God? But not all men acknowledged Him their God; and where He was
acknowledged, there only, so to say, He was God. "In Judah is God
known."[12] Not yet was it said to the sons of Korah, "O clap your hands,
all ye nations." For that God known in Judah, is King of all the earth: now
by all He is acknowledged, for that is fulfilled which Isaiah saith, "He is
thy God who hath delivered thee, the God of the whole earth shall He be
called."[1] "Sing ye praises with understanding." He teacheth us and
warneth us to sing praises with understanding, not to seek the sound of the
ear, but the light of the heart. The Gentiles, whence ye were called that
ye might be Christians, adored gods made with hands, and sang praises to
them, but not with understanding. If they had sung with understanding, they
had not adored stones. When a man sensible sang to a stone insensible, did
he sing with understanding? But now, brethren, we see not with our eyes
Whom we adore, and yet correctly[2] we adore.[3] Much more is God commended
to us, that with our eyes we see Him not. If with our eyes we saw Him,
haply we might despise. For even Christ seen, the Jews despised; unseen,
the Gentiles adored.

   9. "God shall reign over all nations" (ver. 8). Who reigned over one
nation, "shall reign" (saith He) "over all nations." When this was said,
God reigned over one nation. It was a prophecy, the thing was not yet
shown. Thanks be to God, we now see fulfilled what before was prophesied. A
written promise God sent unto us before the time, the time fulfilled He
hath repaid us. "God shall reign over all nations," is a promise. "God
sitteth upon His Holy Seat." What then was promised to come, now being
fulfilled, is acknowledged and held. "God sitteth upon His Holy Seat." What
is His Holy Seat? Haply saith one, The Heavens, and he understandeth well.
For Christ hath gone up,[4] as we know, with the Body, wherein He was
crucified, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father; thence we expect
Him to come to judge the quick and the dead.[5] "God sitteth upon His Holy
Seat." The Heavens are His Holy Seat. Wilt thou also be His Seat? think not
that thou canst not be; prepare for Him a place in thy heart. He cometh,
and willingly sitteth. The same Christ is surely "the Power of God, and the
Wisdom of God:"[6] and what saith the Scripture of Wisdom Herself? The soul
of the righteous is the seat of Wisdom.[7] If then the soul of the
righteous is the seat of Wisdom, be thy soul righteous, and thou shalt be a
royal seat of Wisdom. And truly, brethren, all men who live well, who act
well, converse in godly charity, doth not God sit in them, and Himself
command? Thy soul obeyeth God sitting in it, and itself commandeth the
members. For thy soul commandeth thy members, that so may move the foot,
the hand, the eye, the ear, and itself commandeth the members as its
servants, but yet itself serveth its Lord sitting within. It cannot well
rule its inferior, unless its superior it have not disdained to serve.

   10. "The princes of the peoples are gathered together unto the God of
Abraham" (ver. 9). The God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of
Jacob.[8] True it is, God said this, and thereupon the Jews prided
themselves, and said, "We are Abraham's children; "[9] priding themselves
in their father's name, carrying his flesh, not holding his faith; by seed
cleaving to Him, in manners degenerating. But the Lord, what said He to
them so priding themselves? "If ye are Abraham's children, do the works of
Abraham."[10] Again ... "The princes of the peoples:" the princes of the
nations: not the princes of one people, but the princes of all people have
"gathered together unto the God of Abraham." Of these princes was that
Centurion too, of whom but now when the Gospel was read ye heard. For he
was a Centurion having honour and power among men, he was a prince among
the princes of the peoples. Christ coming to him, he sent his friends to
meet Him, nay unto Christ truly passing over to him he sent his friends,
and asked that He would heal his servant who was dangerously sick. And when
the Lord would come, he sent to Him this message: "I am not worthy that
Thou shouldest enter under my roof, but say in a word only, and my servant
shall be healed." "For I also am a man set under authority, having under me
soldiers."[11] See how he kept his rank! first he mentioned that he was
under another, and afterwards that another was under him. I am under
authority, and I am in authority; both under some I am, and over some I am.
.. As though he said, If I being set under authority command those who are
under me, Thou who art set under no man's authority, canst not Thou command
Thy creature, since all things were made by Thee, and without Thee was
nothing made. "Say," then, said he, "in a word, and my servant shall be
healed. For I am not worthy that Thou shouldest enter under my roof." ...
Admiring at his faith, Jesus reprobates the Jews' misbelief. For sound to
themselves they seemed, whereas they were dangerously sick, when their
Physician not knowing they slew. Therefore when He reprobated, and
repudiated their pride what said he? "I say unto you, that many shall come
from the east and west," not belonging to the kindred of Israel: many shall
come to whom He said, "O clap your hands, all ye nations;" "and shall sit
down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven." Abraham
begat them not of his own flesh; yet shall they come and sit down with him
in the kingdom of heaven, and be his sons. Whereby his sons? Not as born of
his flesh, but by following his faith. "But the children of the kingdom,"
that is, the Jews, "shall be cast into outer darkness, there shall be
weeping and gnashing of teeth."[1] They shall be condemned to outer
darkness who are born of the flesh of Abraham, and they shall sit down with
him in the kingdom of heaven, who have imitated Abraham's faith.

   11. And what they who belonged to the God of Abraham? "For the mighty
gods of the earth are greatly lifted up." They who were gods, the people of
God, the vineyard of God, whereof it is said, "Judge betwixt Me and My
vineyard,"[2] shall go into outer darkness, shall not sit down with
Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, are not gathered unto the God of Abraham.
Wherefore? "For the mighty gods of the earth;" they who were mighty gods of
the earth, presuming upon earth. What earth? Themselves; for every man is
earth. For to man was it said, "Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou
return."[3] But man ought to presume upon God, and thence to hope for help,
not from himself. For the earth raineth not upon itself, nor shineth for
itself; but as the earth from heaven expecteth rain and light, so man from
God ought to expect mercy and truth. They then, "the mighty gods of the
earth, were greatly lifted up," that is, greatly prided themselves: they
thought no physician necessary for themselves, and therefore remained in
their sickness, and by their sickness were brought down even to death. The
natural branches were broken off that the humble wild olive tree might be
grafted in.[4] Hold we fast then, brethren, humility, charity, godliness:
since we are called, on their proving reprobate, even by their example let
us fear to pride ourselves.

PSALM XLVIII.[5]

   1. The title of this Psalm is, "A song of praise, to the sons of Korah,
on the second day of the week." Concerning this what the Lord deigneth to
grant receive ye like sons of the firmament. For on the second day of the
week, that is, the day after the first which we call the Lord's day, which
also is called the second week-day, was made the firmament of Heaven.[6]
.. The second day of the week then we ought not to understand but of the
Church of Christ: but the Church of Christ in the Saints, the Church of
Christ in those who are written in Heaven, the Church of Christ in those
who to this world's temptations yield not. For they are worthy of the name
of "firmament." The Church of Christ, then, in those who are strong, of
whom saith the Apostle, "We that are strong ought to bear the infirmities
of the weak,"[7] is called the firmament. Of this it is sung in this Psalm.
Let us hear, acknowledge, associate, glory, reign. For Her called
firmament, hear also in the Apostolic Epistles, "the pillar and
firmament[8] of the truth."[9] ...

   2. "Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised" (ver. 1). ... That
is, "in the city of our God, in His holy mountain." This is the city set
upon an hill, which cannot be hid: this is the candle which is not hidden
under a bushel,[10] to all known, to all proclaimed. Yet are not all men
citizens thereof, but they in whom "great is the Lord, and greatly to be
praised." What then is that city: let us see whether perhaps, since it is
said, "In the city of our God, in His holy mountain," we ought not to
enquire for this mountain where also we may be heard. ... What then is that
mountain, brethren? One is it with great care to be enquired for, with
great solicitude investigated, with labour also to be occupied and
ascended. But if in any part of the earth it is, what shall we do? Shall we
go abroad out of our own country, that to that mountain we may arrive? Nay,
then we are abroad, when in it we are not. For that is our city, if we are
members of the King, who is the head of the same city. ... For there was a
certain corner-stone contemptible, whereat the Jews stumbled,'[1] cut out
of a certain mountain without hands, that is, coming of the kingdom of the
Jews without hands, because human operation went not with Mary of whom was
born Christ.[12] But if that stone, when the Jews stumbled thereat, had
remained there, thou hadst not had whither to ascend. But what was done?
What saith the prophecy of Daniel? What but that the stone grew, and became
a great mountain? How great? So that it filled the whole face of the
earth.[13] By growing, then, and by filling the whole face of the earth,
that mountain came to us. Why then seek we the mountain as though absent,
and not as being present ascend to it; that in us the Lord may be "great,
and greatly to be praised"?

   3. Further, ... when he had said, "in the city of our God, in His holy
mountain," what added he? "Spreading abroad the joys of the whole earth,
the mountains of Sion" (ver. 2). Sion is one mountain, why then
"mountains"? Is it that to Sion belonged also those which came from the
other side, so as to meet together on the Corner Stone, and become two
walls, as it were two mountains, one of the circumcision, the other of the
uncircumcision; one of the Jews, the other of the Gentiles: no longer
adverse, although diverse, because from different sides, now in the corner
not even diverse. "For He is our peace, who hath made both one."[1] The
same Corner Stone "which the builders rejected, is become the Head Stone of
the corner."[2] The mountain hath joined in itself two mountains; one house
there is, and two houses; two, because coming from different sides; one,
because of the Corner Stone, wherein both are joined together. Hear also
this, "the mountains of Sion: the sides of the North are the city of the
great King." ... See the Gentiles; "the sides of the North:" the sides of
the North are joined to the city of the great King. The North is wont to be
contrary to Sion: Sion forsooth is in the South, the North over against the
South. Who is the North, but He who said, "I will sit in the sides of the
North, I will be like the Most High"?[3] The devil had held dominion over
the ungodly, and possessed the nations serving images, adoring demons; and
all whatsoever them was of human kind anywhere throughout the world, by
cleaving to Him, had become North. But since He who binds the strong man,
taketh away his goods? and maketh them His own goods; men delivered from
infidelity and superstition of devils, believing in Christ, are fitted on
to that city, have met in the corner that wall that cometh from the
circumcision, and that was made the city of the great King, which had been
the sides of the North. Therefore also in another Scripture is it said,
"Out of the North come clouds of golden colour: great is the glory and
honour of the Almighty."[5] For great is the glory of the physician, when
from being despaired of the sick recovers. "Out of the North come clouds,"
and not black clouds, not dark clouds, not lowering, but "of golden
colour." Whence but by grace illumined through Christ? See, "the sides of
the North are the city of the great King." ...

   4. Let the Psalm then follow, and say, "God shall be known in her
houses." Now in her "houses," because of the mountains, because of the two
walls, because of the two sons. "God shall be known in her houses," but he
commendeth grace, therefore he added, "when He shall take her up." For what
would that city have been, unless He had taken her up? Would it not
immediately have fallen, unless it had such foundation? For "other
foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ."[6] Let
none then glory in his own merits; but "he that glorieth, let him glory in
the Lord."[7] ... The Lord then hath taken up this city, and is known
therein, that is, His grace is known in that city: for whatever that city
hath, which glorieth in the Lord, it hath not of itself. For because of
this it is said, "What hast thou that thou didst not receive?"[8]

   5. "For, lo, the kings of the earth are gathered together" (ver. 3).
Behold now those sides of the North, see how they come, see how they say,
"Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord: and He will teach
us His way, and we will walk in it."[9] "And have come together in one." In
what one, but :hat "corner-stone"?[10] "They saw it, and so they marvelled"
(ver. 4). After their marvelling at the miracles and glory of Christ, what
followed? "They were troubled, they were moved" (ver. 5), "trembling took
hold upon them." Whence took trembling hold upon them, but from the
consciousness of sins? Let them run then, king after a king; kings, let
them acknowledge the King. Therefore saith He elsewhere, "Yet have I been
set by Him a King upon His holy hill of Sion."[11] ... A King then was
heard of, set up in Sion, to Him were delivered possessions even to the
uttermost parts of the earth. Kings behoved to fear lest they should lose
the kingdom, lest the kingdom be taken from them. As wretched Herod feared,
and for the Child slew the children.[12] But fearing to lose his kingdom,
he deserved not to know the King. Would that he too had adored the King
with the Magi: not by ill-seeking the kingdom, slain the Innocents, and
perished guilty. For as concerning him, he destroyed the Innocents: but as
for Christ, even a Child, the children dying for Him did He crown.
Therefore behoved kings to fear when it was said, "Yet have I been set a
King by Him upon His holy sill of Sion," and inheritance. to the uttermost
parts of the earth shall He give Him, who set Him up King. ... Thence also
this is said to them, "Understand now therefore, O ye kings; be instructed,
ye judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice unto Him with
trembling."[13] And what did they? "There pains as of a woman in travail."
What are the pains "as of a woman in travail," but the pangs of a penitent?
See the same conception of pain and travail: "Of Thy fear" (saith Isaiah)
"we have conceived, we have travailed of the Spirit of salvation."[14] So
then the kings conceived from the fear of Christ, that by travailing they
brought forth salvation by believing on Him whom they had feared. "There
pains as of a woman in travail:" when of travail thou hearest, expect a
birth. The old man travaileth, but the new man is born.

   6. "With a strong wind Thou shalt break the ships of Tarshish" (ver.
6). Briefly understood, this is, Thou shalt overthrow the pride of the
nations. But where in this history is mentioned the overthrowing of the
pride of the nations? Because of "the ships of Tarshish." Learned men have
enquired for Tarshish a city, that is, what city was signified by this
name: and to some it has seemed that Cilicia is called Tarshish, because
its metropolis is called Tarsus. Of which city was the Apostle Paul, being
born in Tarsus of Cilicia.[1] But some have understood by it Carthage,
being haply sometimes so named, or in some language so signified. For in
the Prophet Isaiah it is thus found: "Howl, ye ships of Carthage."[2] But
in Ezekiel[3] by some interpreters the word is translated Carthage, by some
Tarshish: and from this diversity it can be understood that the same which
was called Carthage, is called Tharsus. But it is manifest, that in the
beginning of its reign Carthage flourished with ships, and so flourished,
that among other nations they excelled in trafficking and navigation. For
when Dido, flying from her brother, escaped to the parts of Africa, where
she built Carthage, the ships which had been prepared for commerce in his
country she had taken with her for her flight, the princes of the country
consenting to it; and the same ships also when Carthage was built failed
not in traffic. And hence that city became too proud, so that justly by its
ships may be understood the pride of the nations, presuming on things
uncertain, as on the breath of the winds. Now let none presume on full
sails, and on the seeming fair state of this life, as of the sea. Be our
foundation in Sion: there ought we to be stablished, not to be "carried
about with every wind of doctrine."[4] Whoso then by the uncertain things
of this life had been puffed up, let them be overthrown, and be all the
pride of the nations subjected to Christ. who shall "with a strong wind
break all the ships of Tarshish:" not of any city, but of "Tarshish." How
"with a strong wind"? With very strong fear. For so all pride feared Him
that shall judge, as on Him humble to believe, lest Him exalted it should
fear.

   7. "As we have heard, so have we seen" (ver. 7). Blessed Church! at one
time thou hast heard, at another time thou hast seen. She heard in
promises, seeth in performance: heard in Prophecy, seeth in the Gospel. For
all things which are now fulfilled were before prophesied. Lift up thine
eyes then, and stretch them over the world; see now His "inheritance even
to the uttermost parts of the earth: "[5] see now is fulfilled what was
said, "All kings shall fall down before Him: all nations shall serve Him
:"[6] see fulfilled what was said, "Be Thou exalted, O God, above the
heavens, and Thy glory above all the earth."[7] See Him whose feet and
hands were pierced with nails, whose bones hanging on the tree were
counted, upon whose vesture lots were cast:[8] see reigning whom they saw
hanging; see sitting in Heaven[9] whom they despised walking on earth: see
thus fulfilled, "All the ends of the earth shall remember, and turn to the
Lord, and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before Him." Seeing
all this, exclaim with joy, "As we have heard, so have we seen." Justly the
Church herself is so called out of the Gentiles. ... They to whom the
Prophets were not sent, first heard and understood the Prophets: they who
first heard not, afterwards hearing marvelled. They remained behind to whom
they were sent, carrying the books, understanding not the truth: having the
tables of the Testament, and not holding the inheritance. But we, ... "As
we have heard, so have we seen." And where hearest thou? where seest thou?
"In the city of the Lord of Hosts, in the city of our God. God hath founded
it for ever." Let not heretics insult, divided into parties, let them not
exalt themselves who say, "Lo, here is Christ, or lo, there."[10] Whoso
saith, "Lo, here is Christ, or lo, there," inviteth to parties. Unity God
promised. The kings are gathered together in one, not dissipated through
schisms. But haply that city which hath held the world, shall sometime be
overthrown? Far be the thought! "God hath founded it for ever." If then God
hath founded it for ever, why fearest thou lest the firmament should fall?

   8. "We have received Thy mercy, O God, in the midst of Thy people"
(ver. 8). Who have received, and where received? Hath not the same Thy
people received Thy mercy. If Thy people hath received Thy mercy, how then,
"in the midst of Thy people"? As if they who received were one party, they
in the midst of whom they received another. A great mystery, but yet welt
known. When hence also, that is, out of these verses, hath been extracted
and brought forth what ye know; it will be not ruder, but sweeter. Now
forsooth all are reckoned the people of God, who carry His Sacraments, but
not all belong to His Mercy. All forsooth receiving the Sacrament of the
Baptism of Christ, are called Christians, but not all live worthily of that
Sacrament. There are some of whom saith the Apostle, "Having a form of
godliness, but denying the power thereof."[11] Yet on account of this form
of godliness they are named among God's people. As to the floor, until the
corn is threshed, belongs not the wheat only, but the chaff. But will it
also belong to the garner? In the midst then of an evil people is a good
people, which hath received the Mercy of God. He liveth worthily of the
Mercy of God who heareth, and holdeth, and doeth what the Apostle saith,
"We beseech you that ye receive not the Grace of God in vain."[1] Whoso
then receiveth not the Grace of God in vain, the same receiveth not only
the Sacrament, but also the Mercy of God as well. ... So those who have the
Sacraments, and have not good manners, are both said to be of God, and not
of God; are both said to be His, and to be strangers: His because of His
own Sacraments, strangers because of their own vice. So also strange
daughters:[2] daughters, because of the form of godliness; strange, because
of their loss of virtue. Be the lily there; let it receive the Mercy of
God: hold fast the root of a good flower, be not ungrateful for soft rain
coming from heaven. Be thorns ungrateful, let them grow by the showers: for
the fire they grow, not for the garner. In the midst of Thy people not
receiving Thy mercy, we have received Thy mercy. For" He came unto His own,
and His own received Him not," yet, in the midst of them, "as many as
received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God."[3] ....

   9. For when he had said, "We have received Thy mercy in the midst of
Thy people," he signified that there is a people not receiving the mercy of
God, in the midst of whom some do receive the mercy of God: and then lest
it should occur to men that there are so few, as to be nearly none, how did
He console them in the words following? "According to Thy Name, O God, so
is Thy praise unto the ends of the earth" (ver. 9). What is this? ... That
is, as Thou art known through all the earth, so Thou art also praised
through all the earth, nor are there wanting who now praise Thee through
all the earth. But they praise Thee who live well. For, "According to Thy
Name, O God, so is Thy praise," not in a part, but "unto the ends of the
earth." "Thy right hand is full of righteousness." That is, many are they
also who shall stand at Thy right hand. Not only shall they be many who
shall stand at Thy left hand, but there also shall be a full heap set at
Thy right hand.

   10. "Let mount Zion rejoice, and the daughters of Judah be glad,
because of Thy judgments, O Lord" (ver. 10). O mount Zion, O daughters of
Judah, ye labour now among tares, among chaff, among thorns ye labour: yet
be glad because of God's judgments. God erreth not in judgment. Live ye
separate, though separate ye were not born; not vainly hath a voice gone
forth from your mouth and heart, "Destroy not my soul with sinners, nor my
life with bloody men."[4] He shall winnow with such art, carrying in His
hand a fan, that not one grain of wheat shall fall into the heap of chaff
prepared to be burned, nor one beard of chaff pass to the heap to be laid
up in the garner.[5] Be glad, O ye daughters of Judaea, because of the
judgments of God that erreth not, and do not yet judge rashly. To you let
it belong to collect, to Him let it belong to separate. But think not that
the "daughters of Judah" are Jews. Judah is confession; all the sons of
confession are all the sons of Judah. For "salvation is of the Jews,"[6] is
nothing else than that Christ is of the Jews. This saith also the Apostle,
"He is not a Jew which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which
is outward in the flesh: but he is a Jew which is one inwardly, and
circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter,
whose praise is not of men, but of God."[7] Be such a Jew; glory in the
circumcision of the heart, though thou hast not the circumcision of the
flesh. Let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of Thy judgments, O
Lord.

   11. "Walk about Zion, and embrace her" (ver. 11). Be it said to them
who live ill, in the midst of whom is the people, which hath received the
mercy of God. In the midst of you is a people living well, "Walk about
Zion." But how? "embrace her." Not with scandals, but with love go round
about her: that so those who live well in the midst of you ye may imitate,
and by imitation of them, be incorporate with Christ, whose members they
are. "Walk about Zion, go round about her: speak in the towers thereof." In
the height of her bulwarks, set forth the praises thereof.

   12. "Set your hearts upon her might" (ver. 12). Not that ye may have
the form of godliness. deny the power thereof,[8] but, "upon her might set
your hearts. Speak ye in her towers." What is the might of this city? Whoso
would understand the might of this city, let him understand the force of
love. That is a virtue which none conquereth. Love's flame no waves of the
world, no streams of temptation, extinguish. Of this it is said, "Love is
strong as death."[9] For as when death cometh, it cannot be resisted; by
whatever arts, whatever medicines, you meet it; the violence of death can
none avoid who is born mortal; so against the violence of love can the
world do nothing. For from the contrary the similitude is made of death;
for as death is most violent to take away, so love is most violent to save.
Through love many have died to the world, to live to God; by this love
inflamed, the martyrs, not pretenders, not puffed up by vain-glory, not
such as they of whom it is written, "Though I give. my body to be burned,
and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing,"[1] but men whom truly a
love of Christ and of the truth led on to this passion; what to them were
the temptations of  the tormentors? Greater violence had the eyes of their
weeping friends, than the persecutions of enemies. For how many were held
by their children, that they might not suffer? to how many did their wives
fall upon their knees, that they might not be left widows? How many have
their parents forbidden to die; as we know and read in the Passion of the
Blessed Perpetua![2] All this was done; but tears, however great, and with
whatever force flowing, when did they extinguish the ardour of love? This
is the might  of Sion, to whom elsewhere it is said, "Peace. be within thy
walls, and prosperity within thy palaces."[3]

   13. What here understand we, "Set your hearts upon her might, and
distribute her houses"? That is, distinguish house from house. Do not
confound. For there is a house having the form of godliness, and not having
godliness;  but there is a house having both form and godliness.
Distribute, confound not. But then ye distribute and confound not, when ye
"set your hearts upon her might;" that is, when through love ye are made
spiritual. Then ye will not judge rashly, then ye will see that the evil
harms not the good as long as we are in this floor. "Distribute her
houses." There can be also another understanding. The two houses, one
coming of the circumcision, one of the uncircumcision, it is commanded the
Apostles to distribute. For when Saul was called, and made the Apostle
Paul, agreeing in unity with his fellow Apostles, he so with thorn
determined, that they should go to the circumcision, he to the
uncircumcision. By that dispensation of their Apostleship, they distributed
the houses of the city of the great King; and meeting in the corner,
divided the Gospel in dispensation, in love united it. And truly this is
rather to be understood; for it followeth and showeth that it is here said
to the preachers, "distribute her houses: that ye may tell it to the
generation following:" that is, that even to us, who were to come after
them, their dispensation of the Gospel should reach: For not for those only
they laboured, with whom they lived in the earth; nor the Lord for those
Apostles only to whom He deigned to show Himself alive after His
Resurrection, but for us also. For to them He spake, and signified us when
He spake, "Lo, I am with you alway, even to the end of the world."[4] Were
they then to be here alway, even to the end of the world? Also He said,
"Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on
Me through their word."[5] Therefore He considereth us, because He suffered
on account of us. Justly then it is said, "That ye may tell it to the
generation following."

   14. Tell what? "For this is God, even our God" (ver. 13). The earth was
seen, the earth's Creator was not seen; the flesh was held, God in the
flesh was not acknowledged. For the flesh was held by those from whom had
been taken the same flesh, for of the seed of Abraham was the Virgin Mary.
At the flesh they stayed, the Divinity they did not understand. O Apostles,
O mighty city, preach thou on the towers, and say, "This is God, even our
God." So, even so as He was despised, as He lay a stone before the feet of
the stumbling, that He might humble the hearts of the confessing; even so,
"This is God, even our God." Certainly He was seen, as was said, "Afterward
did He show Himself upon earth, and conversed with men."[6] "This is God,
even our God." He is also Man, and who is there will know Him? "This is
God, even our God." But haply for a time as the false gods. For because
they can be called gods, but cannot be so, for a time they are even called
so. For what saith the Prophet, or what warneth He to be said to them? This
shall ye say to them, "The gods that have not made the heavens and the
earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from those that are under
the heavens."[7] He is not such a god: for our God is above all gods. Above
all what gods? "For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord
made the heavens."[8] The same then is our God. "This is God, even our
God." For how long? "For ever and ever: He shall role us for ever." If He
is our God, He is also our King. He protecteth us, being our God, lest we
die; He ruleth us, being our King, lest we fall. But by ruling us He doth
not break us; for whom He ruleth not, He breaketh. "Thou shalt rule them,"
saith He, "with a rod of iron, and dash them in pieces like a potter's
vessel."[9] But there are whom He ruleth not; these He spareth not, as a
potter's vessel dashing them in pieces. By Him then let us wish to be ruled
and delivered, "for He is our God for ever and ever, and He shall rule us
for ever."

PSALM XLIX.[1]

The First Part.

  1. ..."Hear ye these things, all ye nations" (ver. 1). Not then you only
who are here. For of what power is our voice so to cry out, as that all
nations may hear? For Our Lord Jesus Christ hath proclaimed it through the
Apostles, hath proclaimed it in so many tongues that He. sent; and we see
this Psalm, which before was only repeated in one nation, in the Synagogue
of the Jews, now repeated throughout the whole world, throughout all
Churches; and that fulfilled which is here spoken of, "Hear ye these words,
all ye nations." ... Of whom ye are: "With ears ponder, all ye that dwell
in the world." This He seemeth to have repeated a second time, lest to have
said "hear," before, were too little. What I say, he saith, "hear, with
ears ponder," that is, hear not cursorily. What is, "with ears ponder"? It
is what the Lord said, "he that hath ears to hear, let him hear:"[2] for as
all who were in His presence must have had ears, what ears did He require
save those of the heart, when He said, "he that hath ears to hear, let him
hear"? The same ears also this Psalm doth smite. "With ears ponder, all ye
that dwell in the world." Perhaps there is here some distinction. We ought
not indeed to narrow our view, but there is no harm in explaining even this
view of the sense. Perhaps there is some difference between the saying,
"all nations," and the saying, "all ye that dwell in the world." For
perchance he would have us understand the expression, "dwell in," with a
further meaning, so as to take all nations for all the wicked, but the
dwellers of the world all the just. For he doth inhabit who is not held
fast: but he that is occupied is inhabited, and doth not inhabit. Just as
he doth possess whatever he hath, who is master of his property: but a
master is one who is not held in the meshes of covetousness: while he that
is held fast by covetousness is the possessed, and not the possessor. ...

   2. Therefore let even the ungodly hear: "Hear ye this, all ye nations."
Let the just also hear, who have not heard to no purpose, and who rather
rule the world than are ruled by the world: "with ears ponder, all ye that
dwell in the world."

   3. And again he saith, "both all ye earthborn, and sons of men" (ver.
2). The expression "earthborn" he cloth refer to sinners; the expression
"sons of men" to the faithful and righteous. Ye see then that this
distinction is observed. Who are the "earthborn"? The children of the
earth. Who are the children of the earth? They who desire earthly
inheritances. Who are the "sons of men"? They who appertain to the Son of
Man. We have already before explained this distinction to your Sanctity,[3]
and have concluded that Adam was a man, but not the son of man; that Christ
was the Son of Man, but was God also. For whosoever pertain to Adam, are
"earthborn:" whosoever pertain to Christ, are "sons of men." Nevertheless,
let all hear, I withhold my discourse from no one. If one is "earthborn,"
let him hear, because of the judgment: another is a "son of man," let him
hear for the kingdom's sake. "The rich and poor together." Again, the same
words are repeated. The expression "rich" refers to the "earthborn;" but
the word "poor" to the "sons of men." By the "rich" understand the proud,
by the "poor" the humble. ... He saith in another Psalm, "The poor shall
eat and be satisfied."[4] How hath he commended the poor? "The poor shall
eat and be satisfied." What eat they? That Food which the faithful know.
How shall they be satisfied? By imitating the Passion of their Lord, and
not without cause receiving their recompense. "The poor shall eat and be
satisfied, and they shall praise the Lord who seek Him." What of the rich?
Even they eat. But how eat they? "All the rich upon the earth have eaten
and worshipped."[5] He said not, "Have eaten and are satisfied;" but, "have
eaten and worshipped." They worship God indeed, but they will not display
brotherly humaneness. These eat and worship; those eat and are filled: yet
both eat. Of the eater what he eateth is required: let him not be forbidden
by the distributor to eat, but let him be admonished to fear him who doth
require his account. Let these words then be heard by sinners and
righteous, nations, and those who inhabit the world, "earthborn and sons of
men, the rich and the poor together:" not divided, not separated. That is
for the time of the harvest to do, the hand of the winnower will effect
that[6] Now together let rich and poor hear, let-goats and sheep feed in
the same pasture, until He come who shah separate the one on His right
hand, the other on His left.[7] Let them all hear together the teacher,
lest separated from one another they hear the voice of the Judge.

   4. And what is it they are now to hear? "My mouth shall speak of
wisdom, and the meditation of my hear understanding" (ver. 3). And this
repetition is perhaps made, lest perchance if he had said only "my mouth,"
thou shouldest suppose that one spake to thee who had understanding but in
his lips. For many have understanding in their lips, but have not in their
heart, of whom the Scripture saith, "This people honoureth me with their
lips, but their heart is far from me."[1] What saith he then who speaketh
to thee? when he hath said, "My mouth shall speak of wisdom," in order that
thou mayest know that what is poured forth from the mouth floweth from the
bottom of the heart, he hath added, "And the meditation of my heart of
understanding."

   5. "I will incline mine ear to the parable, I will show my proposition
upon the harp" (ver. 4). ... And why "to a parable"? Because "now we see
through a glass darkly,"[2] as saith the Apostle; "whilst we are at home in
the body, we are absent from the Lord."[3] For our vision is not yet that
face to face, where there are no longer parables, where there no longer are
riddles and comparisons. Whatever now we understand we behold through
riddles. A riddle is a dark parable which it is hard to understand.
Howsoever a man may cultivate his heart and apply himself to apprehend
mysteries, so long as we see through the corruption of this flesh, we see
but in part. ... But as He was seen by those who believed, and by those who
crucified Him, when He was judged; so will He be seen, when He shall have
begun to be judge, both by those whom He shall condemn, and by those whom
He shall crown. But that vision of divinity, which He hath promised to them
that love Him, when He saith, "He that loveth Me shall be loved of My
Father, and he that loveth Me keepeth My commandments, and I will love him,
and will manifest Myself to him:"[4] this the ungodly shall not see. This
manifestation is in a certain way familiar: He keepeth it for His own, He
will not show it to the ungodly. Of what sort is the vision itself? Of what
sort is Christ? Equal to the Father. Of what sort is Christ? "In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God."[5] For this vision we sigh now, and groan so long as we sojourn here;
to this vision we shall be brought home at the last, this vision now we see
but darkly. If then we see now darkly, let us "incline our ear to the
parable," and then let us "show our proposition upon the harp:"[6] let us
hear what we say, do what we enjoin.

   6. And what hath he said? "And wherefore shall I fear in the evil day?
The iniquity of my heel shall compass me" (ver. 5). He beginneth something
obscurely. Therefore he ought the rather to fear if the iniquity of his
heel shall compass him. Nay, for let not man fear, he saith, who hath not
power to escape. For example, he who feareth death, what shall he do to
escape death? Let him tell me how he is to escape what Adam oweth, he who
is born of Adam. But let him consider that he is born of Adam, and hath
followed Christ, and ought to pay what Adam oweth, and obtain what Christ
hath promised. Therefore, he who feareth death can no wise escape: but he
who feareth the damnation which the ungodly shall hear, "Go ye into
everlasting fire,"[7] hath an escape. Let him not fear then. For why should
he fear? Will the iniquity of his heel compass him? If then he avoid "the
iniquity of his heel," and walk in the ways of God, he shall not come to
the evil day: the evil day, the last day, shall not be evil to him. ... Now
while they live, let them take heed to themselves, let them put away
iniquity from their heel: let them walk in that way, let them walk in the
way of which He saith Himself, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: "[8]
and let them not fear in the evil day, for He giveth them safety who became
"The Way." Therefore let them avoid the iniquity of their heel. With the
heel a man slippeth. Let your Love observe. What was said by God to the
Serpent? "She shall mark thy head, and thou shalt mark her heel."[9] The
devil marketh thy heel, in order that when thou slippest he may overthrow
thee. He marketh thy heel, do thou mark his head. What is his head? The
beginning of an evil suggestion. When he beginneth to suggest evil
thoughts, then do thou thrust him away before pleasure ariseth, and consent
followeth; and so shalt thou avoid his head, and he shall not grasp thy
heel. But wherefore said He this to Eve? Because through the flesh man doth
slip. Our flesh is an Eve within us. "He that loveth his wife," he saith,
"loveth himself." What meaneth "himself"? He continueth, and saith, "For no
man ever yet hath hated his own flesh."[10] Because then the devil would
make us slip through the flesh, just as he made that man Adam to slip,
through Eve; Eve is bidden to mark the head of the devil, because the devil
marketh her heel.[11] "If then the iniquity of our heel shall compass us,
why fear we in the evil day," since being converted to Christ we are able
not to do iniquity; and there will be nothing to compass us, and we shall
joy and not sorrow in the last day?

   7. But who are they whom the "iniquity of their heel shall compass"?
"They who trust in their virtue,[12] and in the abundance of their riches
do glory" (ver. 6). Therefore such sins will I avoid, and the "iniquity of
my heel" shall never compass me. What is avoiding such sins? Let us not
trust in our own virtue, let us not glory in the abundance of our own
riches, but let us glory in Him who hath promised to us, being humble,
exaltation, and hath threatened condemnation to men exalted; and then
iniquity of our heel shall never compass us.

   8. There are some who rely on their friends, others rely on their
virtue, others on their riches. This is the presumption of mankind which
relieth not on God. He hath spoken of virtue, he hath spoken of riches, he
speaketh of friends. "Brother redeemeth not,[1] shall man redeem?" (ver.
7). Dost thou expect that man shall redeem thee from the wrath to come? If
brother redeem thee not, shall man redeem thee? Who is the brother, who if
He hath not redeemed thee, no man will redeem? It is He who said after His
resurrection, "Go, tell My brethren."[2] Our Brother He hath willed to be:
and when we say to God, "Our Father," this is manifested in us. For he that
saith to God, "Our Father;" saith to Christ, "Brother."[3] Therefore let
him that hath God for his Father and Christ for his Brother, not fear in
the evil day. "For the iniquity of his heel shall not compass him;" for he
relieth not on his virtue, nor glorieth in the abundance of his riches, nor
vaunteth himself of his powerful friends. Let him rely on Him who died for
him, that he might not die eternally: who for his sake was humbled, in
order that he might be exalted; who sought him ungodly, in order that He
might be sought by him faithful. Therefore if He redeem not, shall man
redeem? Shall any man redeem, if the Son of man redeem not? If Christ
redeem not, shall Adam redeem? "Brother redeemeth not, shall man
redeem?"[4]

   9. "He shall not give to God his propitiation, and the price of the
redemption of his soul" (ver. 8). He trusteth in his virtue, and in the
abundance of his riches doth glory, who "shall not give to God his
propitiation :" that is, satisfaction whereby he may prevail with God for
his sins: "nor the price of the redemption of his soul," who relieth on his
virtue, and on his friends, and on his riches. But who are they that give
the price of the redemption of their souls? They to whom the Lord saith,
"Make to yourselves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness, that they may
receive you into everlasting habitations."[5] They give the price of the
redemption of their soul who cease not to do almsdeeds. So those whom the
Apostle chargeth by Timothy he would not have to be proud, lest they should
glory in the abundance of their riches. Lastly, what they possessed he
would not have to grow old in their hands: but that something should be
made of it to be for the price of the redemption of their souls. For he
saith, "Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-
minded: nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us
richly all things to enjoy."[6] And as if they had said, "What shall we
then make of our riches?" he continueth, "Let them be rich in good works,
ready to distribute, willing to communicate,"[7] and they will not lose
that. How know we? Hear what followeth. "Let them lay up for themselves a
good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on the
true life."[8] So shall they give the price of the redemption of their
soul. And our Lord counselleth this: "Make for yourselves bags which wax
not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not. where thief
approacheth not, neither moth corrupteth."[9] God would not have thee lose
thy wealth, but He hath given thee counsel to change the place thereof. Let
your love understand. Suppose thy friend were just now to enter thy house,
and find thou hadst placed thy store of grain in a damp place, and he knew
the natural proneness of grain to decay, which thou perchance knewest not,
he would give thee counsel of this sort, saying, "Brother, thou art losing
what with great toil thou hast gathered, thou hast placed it in a damp
place, in a few days this grain will decay." "And what am I to do, brother?
"Raise it into a higher place." Thou wouldest hearken to thy friend
suggesting that thou shouldest raise grain from a lower to a higher
chamber, and dost thou not hearken to Christ charging thee to lift thy
treasure from earth to heaven, where not what thou keepest in store may be
paid to thee, but that thou mayest keep in store earth, mayest receive
heaven, mayest keep in store things mortal, mayest receive things
everlasting, that while thou lendest Christ to receive at thy hands but a
small loan upon earth, He may repay thee a great recompense in Heaven?
Nevertheless, they whom "the iniquity of their heel shall compass," because
they trust in their virtue, and in the abundance of their riches do glory,
and rely on human friends who are able to help them in nothing, "shall not
give to God their propitiation, and the price of the redemption of their
souls."

   10. And what hath he said of such a man? "Yea, he hath laboured for
ever, and shall live till the end" (ver. 9). His labour shall be without
end, his life shall have an end. Wherefore saith he, "He shall live till
the end"? Because such men think life to be nought but daily enjoyments. So
when many poor and needy men of our times, unstable, and not looking to
what God doth promise them for their labours, see rich men in daily
feastings, in the splendour and glitter of gold and of silver, they say
what? "These are the only people;[1] they really live!" This is a saying,
be it said no longer: we both warn you, and it remains to warn you, that it
be said by fewer persons than it would be said, if we had not warned you.
For we do not presume to say that we so say these words, as that it be not
said, but that it be said by fewer persons: for it will be said even unto
the end of the world. It is too little that he saith, "he liveth;" he
addeth and saith, he thundereth thinkest thou that he alone liveth? Let him
live! his life will be ended: because he giveth not the price of the
redemption of his soul, his life will end, his labour will not end. "He
laboured for ever, and shall live till the end." How shall he live till the
end? As he lived that was "clothed with purple and fine linen, and fared
sumptuously every day,"[2] who, being proud and puffed up, spurned the man
full of sores lying before his gate, whose sores the dogs licked, and who
longed for the crumbs which fell from his table. What did those riches
profit him? Both changed places: the one was borne from the rich man's gate
into Abraham's bosom, the other from his rich feasts was cast into the
fire; the one was in peace, the other burned; the one was sated, the other
thirsted; the one had laboured till the end, but he lived for ever; the
other had lived till the end, but he laboured for ever. And what did it
profit the rich man, who asked, while lying in torments in hell, that a
drop of water should be poured upon his tongue from the finger of Lazarus,
saying, "For I am burning here in this flame,"[3] and it was not granted to
him? One longed for the drop from the finger, as the other had for the
crumbs from the rich man's table; but the labour of the one is ended, and
the life of the other is ended: the labour of this is for ever, the life of
that is for ever. We who labour perchance here on the earth, have not our
life here: and shall not be so placed hereafter, for our life shall be
Christ for ever: while they who "will" have their life here, shall labour
for ever and live till the end.

   11. "For he shall not see death, though he shall have seen wise men
dying" (ver. 10). The man who laboured for ever and shall live till the
end, "shall not see death, though he shall have seen wise men dying." What
is this? He shall not comprehend what death is, whenever he shall have seen
wise men dying. For he saith to himself, "this fellow, for all he was wise
and dwelled with wisdom and worshipped God with piety, is he not dead?
Therefore I will enjoy myself while I live; for if they that are wise in
other respects, could do anything, they would not have died." Just as the
Jews saw Christ hanging on the Cross and despised Him, saying, "If this Man
were the Son of God, He would come down from the Cross:"[4] not seeing what
death is. If they had seen what death is; if they had seen, I say,[5] He
died for a time, that He might live again for ever: they lived for a time,
that they might die for ever. But because they saw Him dying, they saw not
death, that is to say, they understood not what was very death. What say
they even in Wisdom? "Let us condemn Him with a most shameful death, for by
His own sayings He shall be respected;"[6] for if he is indeed the Son of
God, He will deliver Him from the hands of His adversaries: He will not
suffer His Son to die, if He is truly His Son. But when they saw themselves
insulting Him upon the Cross, and Him not descending from the Cross, they
said, He was indeed but a Man. Thus was it spoken: and surely He could have
come down froth the Cross, He that could rise again from the tomb: but He
taught us to bear with those who insult us; He taught us to be patient of
the tongues of men, to drink now the cup of bitterness, and afterwards to
receive everlasting salvation. ...

   12. "The imprudent and unwise shall perish together." Who is "the
imprudent"? He that looketh not out for himself for the future. Who is "the
unwise"? He that perceiveth not in what evil case he is. But do thou
perceive in what evil case thou art now, and look out that thou be in a
good case for the future. By perceiving in what evil case thou art, thou
wilt not be unwise: by looking out for thyself for the future, thou wilt
not be imprudent. Who is he that looketh out for himself? That servant to
whom his master gave what he should expend, and afterwards said to him,
"Thou canst not be my steward, give an account of thy stewardship;" and who
answered, "What shall I do? I cannot dig, to beg I am ashamed;"[7] had,
nevertheless, by even his master's goods made to himself friends, who might
receive him when he was put out of his stewardship. Now he cheated his
master in order that he might get to himself friends to receive him: fear
not thou lest thou be cheating, the Lord Himself exhorteth thee to do so:
He saith Himself to thee, "Make to thyself friends of the mammon of
unrighteousness."[8] Perhaps what thou hast got, thou hast gotten of
unrighteousness: or perhaps this very thing is unrighteousness, that thou
hast and another hath not, thou aboundest and another needeth. Of this
mammon of unrighteousness, of these riches which the unrighteous call
riches, make to thyself friends, and thou shalt be prudent: thou art
gaining for thyself, and art not cheating. For now thou seemest to lose it.
Wilt thou lose it if thou place it in a treasury? For boys, my brethren, no
sooner find some money, wherewith to buy something, than they put it in a
money-box,[1] which they open not until afterwards: do they, because they
see not what they have got, on that account lose it? Fear not: boys put in
a money-box, and are secure: dost thou place it in the hand of Christ, and
fear? Be prudent, and provide for thyself against the future in Heaven. Be
therefore prudent, copy the ant, as saith the Scripture:[2] "Store in
summer, lest thou hunger in winter;" the winter is the last day, the day of
tribulation; the winter is the day of offences and of bitterness: gather
what may be there for thee for the future: but if thou doest not so, thou
wilt perish both imprudent and unwise.

   13. But that rich man[3] too died, and a like funeral was made for him.
See to what men have brought themselves: they regard not what a wicked life
he led while he lived, but what pomp followed him when he died! O happy he,
whom so many lament! But the other lived in such sort, that few lament. For
all ought to lament a man living so sadly. But there is the funeral train;
he is received in a costly tomb, he is wound in costly robes, he is buried
in perfumes and spices. Secondly, what a monument he hath! How marbled!
Doth he live in that same monument? He is therein dead. Men deeming these
to be good things, have strayed from God, and have not sought the true good
things, and have been deceived with the false. To this end see what
followeth. He who gave not the price of the redemption of his soul, who
understood not death, because he saw wise men dying, he became imprudent
and unwise, in order that he might die with them. And how shall they
perish, who "shall leave their riches to aliens"? ...

   14. But do those same aliens indeed serve them who are called their
own? Hear in what they serve them, observe how they are ridiculed why hath
he said, "to strangers"? Because they can do them no good. Nevertheless,
wherein do they seem to themselves to do good? "And their tombs shall be
their house for ever" (ver. 11). Now because these tombs are erected the
tombs are a house. For often thou hearest a rich man saying, I have a house
of marble which I must quit, and I think not for myself of an eternal
house, where I shall alway be. When he thinketh to make for himself a
monument of marble or of sculpture, he is deeming as it were of an eternal
house: as if therein this rich man would abide! If he would abide there, he
would not burn in hell. We must consider that the place where the spirit of
an evil doer abideth, is not where the mortal body is laid: but "their
tombs shall be their house for ever. Their dwelling places are from
generation to generation." "Dwelling places" are wherein they abode for a
season: "house" is wherein they will abide as it were for ever, that is to
say, their tombs. Thus they leave their dwelling places, where they abode
while they lived, to their families, and they pass as it were to
everlasting houses, to their tombs. What profit to them are "their dwelling
places, from generation to generation"? Now suppose a generation and
generation are sons, grandsons there will be, and great grandsons; what do
their dwelling places, what do they profit them? What? Hear: "they shall
invoke their names in their lands." What is this? They shall take bread and
wine to their tombs, and there they shall invoke the names of the dead.
Dost thou consider how loudly was invoked the name of the rich man after
his death, when men drank them drunk at his monument, and there came down
not one drop upon his own burning tongue? Men minister to their own belly,
not to the ghosts of their friends. The souls of the dead nothing doth
reach, but what they have done of themselves while alive: but if they have
done nought of themselves while alive, nothing doth reach them dead. But
what do the survivors? They will but "invoke their names in their lands."

   15. "And man though he was in honour perceived not, he was compared to
the beasts without sense, and was made like to them" (ver. 12). ... They
ought, on the contrary, to have made ready for themselves an eternal house
in good works, to have made ready for themselves everlasting life, to have
sent before them expenditure, to have followed their works, to have
ministered to a needy companion, to have given to him with whom they were
walking, not to have despised Christ covered with sores before their gate,
who hath said, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these
My brethren, ye have done it unto Me."[4] However, "man being in honour
hath not understood." What is, "being in honour"? Being made after the
image and likeness of God, man is preferred to beasts. For God hath not so
made man as He made a beast: but God hath made man for beasts to minister
to: is it to his strength then, and not to his understanding? Nay. But he
"understood not;" and he who was made after the image of God, "is compared
to the beasts without sense, and is made like unto them." Whence it is said
elsewhere, "Be ye not like to horse and mule, in which there is no
understanding."[1]

   16. "This their own way is an offence to them" (ver. 13). Be it an
offence to them, not to thee. But when will it be so to thee too? If thou
thinkest such men to be blessed. If thou perceivest that they be not
blessed, their own way will be an offence to themselves; not to Christ, not
to His Body, not to His members. "And afterwards they shall bless with
their mouth." What meaneth, "Afterwards they shall bless with their mouth"?
Though they have become such, that they seek nothing but temporal goods,
yet they become hypocrites: and when they bless God, with lips they bless,
and not with heart. Christians like these, when to them eternal life is
commended, and they are told, that in the name of Christ they ought to be
despisers[2] of riches, do make grimaces in their hearts: and if they dare
not do it with open face, lest they blush, or lest they should be rebuked
by men, yet they do it in heart, and scorn; and there remaineth in their
mouth blessing, and in their heart cursing.

The Second Part.

   1. "Like sheep laid in hell, death is their shepherd" (ver. 14). Whose?
Of those whose way is a stumbling-block to themselves. Whose? Of those who
mind only things present, while they think not of things future: of those
who think not of any life, but of that which must be called death. Not
without cause, then, like sheep in hell, have they death to their shepherd.
What meaneth, "they have death to their shepherd"? For is death either some
thing or some power? Yea, death is either the separation of the soul from
the body, or a separation of the soul from God,[3] and that indeed which
men fear is the separation of the soul from the body: but the real death,
which men do not fear, is the separation of the soul from God. And ofttimes
when men fear that which doth separate the soul from the body, they fall
into that wherein the soul is separated from God. This then is death. But
how is "death their shepherd"? If Christ is life, the devil is death. But
we read in many places in Scripture, how that Christ is life. But the devil
is death, not because he is himself death, but because through him is
death. For whether that (death) wherein Adam fell was given man to drink by
the persuasion of him: or whether that wherein the soul is separated from
the body, still they have him for the author thereof, who first falling
through pride envied him who stood, and overthrew him who stood with an
invisible death, in order that he might have to pay[4] the visible death.
They who belong to him have death to their shepherd: but we who think of
future immortality, and not without reason do wear the sign of the Cross of
Christ on the forehead, have no shepherd but life. Of unbelievers death is
the shepherd, of believers life is the shepherd. If then in hell are the
sheep, whose shepherd is death, in heaven are the sheep, whose shepherd is
life. What then? Are we now in heaven? In heaven we are by faith. For if
not in heaven, where is the "Lift up your heart"? If not in heaven, whence
with the Apostle Paul, "For our conversation is in heaven"?[5] In body we
walk on earth, in heart we dwell in heaven. We dwell there, if thither we
send anything which holdeth us there. For no one dwelleth in heart, save
where thought is: but there his thought is, where his treasure is. He hath
treasured on earth, his heart doth not withdraw from earth: he hath
treasured in heaven, his heart from heaven doth not come down: for the Lord
saith plainly, "Where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also."[6]

   2. They, then, whose shepherd is death, seem to flourish for a time,
and the righteous to labour: but why? Because it is yet night. What
meaneth, it is night? The merits of the righteous appear not, and the
felicity of the unrighteous hath, as it were, a name. So long as it is
winter, grass appeareth more verdant than a tree. For grass flourisheth
through the winter, a tree is as it were dry through the winter: when in
summer time the sun hath come forth with greater heat, the tree, which
seemed dry through the winter, is bursting with leaves, and putteth forth
fruits, but the grass withereth: thou wilt see the honour of the tree, the
grass is dried. So also now the righteous labour, before that summer
cometh. There is life in the root, it doth not yet appear in the branches.
But our root is love. And what saith the Apostle? That we ought to have our
root above, in order that life may be our shepherd, because our dwelling
ought not to quit heaven, because in this earth we ought to walk as if
dead; so that living above, below we may be dead; not so as that being dead
above, we may live below. ... Our labour shall appear in the morning, and
there shall be fruit in the morning: so that they that now labour shall
hereafter reign, and they that now boast them and are proud, shall
hereafter be brought under. For what followeth? "Like sheep laid in hell,
death is their shepherd; and the righteous shall reign over them in the
morning."

   3. Endure thou the night, yearn for the morning. Think not because the
night hath life, the morning too hath not life. Doth then he that sleepeth
live, and he that riseth live not? Is not he that sleepeth more like
death?[1] And who are they that sleep? They whom the Apostle Paul rouseth,
if they choose but to awake. For to certain he saith, "Awake, thou that
sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light."[2]
They then that are lightened by Christ watch now, but the fruit of their
watchings appeareth not yet: in the morning it shall appear, that is, when
doubtful things of this world shall have passed away. For these are very
night: for do they not appear to thee like darkness? ... But they on whom
men have trampled, and who were ridiculed for believing, shall hear from
Life Itself, whom they have for shepherd, "Come, ye blessed of My Father,
receive the kingdom which was prepared for you from the foundation of the
world." Therefore the righteous" shall reign over them," not now, but "in
the morning." Let no one say, Wherefore am I a Christian? I rule no one,[3]
I would rule the wicked. Be not in haste, thou shalt reign, but "in the
morning." "And the help of them shall grow old in hell from their glory."
Now they have glory, in hell they shall grow old. What is "the help of
them"? Help from money, help from friends, help from their own might. But
when a man shall be dead, "in that day shall perish all his thoughts."[4]
How great glory he seemed to have among men, while he lived, so great
oldness and decay of punishments shall he have, when he shall be dead in
hell.

   4. "Nevertheless, God shall redeem my soul" (ver. 15). Behold the voice
of one hoping in the future: "Nevertheless, God shall redeem my soul."[5]
Perhaps it is the voice of one still wishing to be relieved from
oppression. Some one is in prison, he saith, "God shall redeem my soul:"
some one is in bond, "God shall redeem my soul:" some one is suffering
peril by sea, is being tossed by waves and raging tempests, what saith he?
"God shall redeem my soul." They would be delivered for the sake of this
life. Not such is the voice of this man. Hear what followeth: "God shall
redeem my soul from the hand of hell, when He shall have received me." He
is speaking of this redemption, which Christ now showeth in Himself. For He
hath descended into hell, and hath ascended into heaven. What we have seen
in the Head we have found in the Body. For what we have believed in the
Head, they that have seen, have themselves told us, and by themselves we
have seen: "For we are" all "one body."[6] But are they better that hear,
we worse to whom it hath been told? Not so saith The Life Itself, Our
Shepherd Himself. For He rebuketh a certain disciple of His, doubting and
desiring to handle His scars, and when he had handled the scars and had
cried out, saying, "My Lord and my God,"[7] seeing His disciple doubting,
and looking to the whole world about to believe, "Because thou hast seen
Me," He saith, "thou hast believed: blessed are they that see not, and
believe." "But God shall redeem my soul from the land of hell, when He hath
received me." Here then what? Labour, oppression, tribulation, temptation:
expect nothing else. Where joy? In future hope. ...

   5. ... Perchance thy heart saith, Wretch that I am, I suppose to no
purpose I have believed, God doth not regard things human. God therefore
doth awaken us: and He saith what? "Fear not, though a man have become
rich" (ver. 16). For why didst thou fear, because a man hath become rich?
Thou didst fear that thou hadst believed to no purpose, that perchance thou
shouldest have lost the labour for thy faith, and the hope of thy
conversion: because perchance there hath come in thy way gain with guilt,
and thou couldest have been rich, if thou hadst seized upon that same gain
with the guilt, and neededst not have laboured; and thou, remembering what
God hath threatened, hast refrained from guilt, and hast contemned the
gain: thou seest another man that hath made gain by guilt, and hath
suffered no harm; and thou fearest to be good. "Fear not," saith the Spirit
of God to thee, "though a man shall have become rich." Wouldest thou not
have eyes but for things present? Things future He hath promised, who hath
risen again; peace in this world, and repose in this life, He hath not
promised. Every man doth seek repose; a good thing he is seeking, but not
in the proper region thereof he is seeking it. There is no peace in this
life; in Heaven hath been promised that which on earth we are seeking: in
the world to come hath been promised that which in this world we are
seeking.

   6. "Fear not, though a man be made rich, and though the glory of his
house he multiplied." Wherefore "fear not"? "For when he shall die, he
shall not receive anything" (ver. 17). Thou seest him living, consider him
dying. Thou markest what he hath here, mark what he taketh with him. What
cloth he take with him? He hath store of gold, he hath store of silver,
numerous estates, slaves: he dieth, these remain, he knoweth not for whom.
For though he leaveth them for whom he will, he keepeth them not for whom
he will. For many have gained even what was not left them, and many have
lost what was left them. All these things then remain, and he taketh with
him what? Perhaps some one saith, He taketh that with him in which he is
wound, and that which is expended upon him for a costly and marble tomb. to
erect a monument, this he taketh with him. I say, not even this. For these
things are presented to him without his feeling them. If thou deckest a man
sleeping and not awake, he hath the decorations with him on the couch
perhaps the decorations are resting upon the body of him as he lieth, and
perhaps he seeth himself in tatters during sleep. What he feeleth is more
to him than what he feeleth not Though even this when he shall have awaked
will not be: yet to him sleeping, that which he saw in sleep was more than
that which he felt not. Why then, brethren, should[1] men say to
themselves, Let money be spent at my death: why do I leave my heirs rich?
Many things will they have of mine, let me too have something of my own for
my body. What shall a dead body have? what shall rotting flesh have? what
shall flesh not feeling have? If that rich man had anything, whose tongue
was dry, then man hath something of his own. My brethren, do we read in the
Gospel, that this rich man appeared in the fire with all-silken and fine-
linen coverings? Was he of such sort in hell as he was in feastings at
table? When he thirsted and desired a drop, all those things were not
there. Therefore man carrieth not with him anything, nor doth the dead take
with him that which the burial taketh. For where feeling is, there is the
man; where is no feeling, the man is not. There lieth fallen the vessel
which contained the man, the house which held the man. The body let us call
the house, the spirit let us call the inhabitant of the house. The spirit
is tormented in hell: what doth it profit him, that the body lieth in
spices and perfumes, wound in costly linens? just as if the master of the
house should be sent into banishment, and thou shouldest garnish the walls
of his house. He in banishment is in need, and doth faint with hunger, he
scarce findeth to himself one hovel where he may snatch a sleep, and thou
sayest, "Happy is he, for his house hath been garnished." Who would not
judge that thou wast either jesting or wast mad? Thou dost garnish the
body, the spirit is tormented. Give something to the spirit, and ye have
given something to the dead man. But what wilt thou give him, when he
desired one drop, and received not? For the man scorned to send before him
anything. Wherefore scorned? "because this their way is a stumbling-block
to them."[2] He minded not any but the present life, he thought not but how
he might be buried, wound in costly vestments. His soul was taken from him,
as the Lord saith: "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be taken from
thee, and whose shall those things be which thou hast provided?"[3] And
that is fulfilled which this Psalm saith: "Fear not, though a man be made
rich, and though the glory of his house be multiplied: for when he shall
die he shall not receive anything, nor shall his glory descend together
with him."

   7. Let your love observe: "For his soul shall be blessed in his life"
(ver. 18). As long as he lived he did well for himself. This all men say,
but say falsely. It is a blessing from the mind of the blesser, not from
the truth itself. For what sayest thou? Because he ate and drank, because
he did what he chose, because he feasted sumptuously, therefore he did well
with himself. I say, he did ill for himself. Not I say, but Christ. He did
ill for himself. For that rich man, when he feasted sumptuously every day,
was supposed to do well with himself: but when he began to burn in hell,
then that which was supposed to be well was found to be ill. For what he
had eaten with men above,[4] he digested in hell beneath. Unrighteousness I
mean, brethren, on which he used to feast. He used to eat costly banquets
with the mouth of flesh, with his heart's mouth he used to eat
unrighteousness. What he ate with his heart's mouth with men above, this he
digested amid those punishments in the places beneath. And verily he had
eaten for a time, he digested ill for everlasting. Is then unrighteousness
eaten? perhaps some one saith: what is it that he saith? Unrighteousness
eaten? It is not I that say: hear the Scripture: "As a sour grape is
vexation to the teeth, and smoke to the eyes, so is unrighteousness to them
that use it."[5] For he that shall have eaten unrighteousness, that is, he
that shall have had unrighteousness wilfully, shall not be able to eat
righteousness. For righteousness is bread. Who is bread? "I am the living
bread which came down from heaven."[6] Himself is the bread of our heart.
.. Is then even righteousness eaten? If it were not eaten, the Lord would
not have said, "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after
righteousness."[7] Therefore "since his soul shall be blessed in life," in
life it "shall" be blessed, in death it shall be tormented. ...

   8. "He shall confess to Thee, when Thou shalt have done him good." Be
not of such sort, brethren: see ye how that to this end we say these words,
to this end we sing, to this end we treat, to this end toil--do not these
things. Your business doth prove you: sometimes in your business ye hear
the truth, and ye blaspheme. The Church ye blaspheme. Wherefore? Because ye
are Christians. "If so it be, I betake myself to Donatus's party: I will be
a heathen."[1] Wherefore? Because thou hast eaten bread, and the teeth are
in pain. When thou sawest the bread itself, thou didst praise; thou
beginnest to eat, and the teeth are in pain; that is, when thou wast
hearing the Word of God thou didst praise: when it is said to thee, "Do
this," thou blasphemest: do not so ill: say this, "The bread is good, but I
cannot eat it." But now if thou seest with the eyes, thou praisest: when
thou beginnest to close the teeth thou sayest, "Bad is this bread, and like
him that made it." So it cometh to pass that thou confessest to God, when
God doeth thee good and thou liest when thou singest, "I will alway bless
God, His praise is ever in my mouth."[2] How alway? If alway gain, alway He
is blessed if sometime there is loss, He is not blessed, but blasphemed.
Forsooth thou blessest alway, forsooth His praise is ever in thy mouth!
Thou wilt be such as just now he describeth: "He will confess to Thee, when
Thou shalt have done him good."

   9. "He shall enter even unto the generations of his fathers" (ver. 19):
that is, he shall imitate his fathers. For the unrighteous, that now are,
have brothers, have fathers. Unrighteous men of old, are the fathers of the
present; and they that are now unrighteous, are the fathers of unrighteous
posterity: just as the fathers of the righteous, the righteous of old, are
the fathers of the righteous that now are; and they that now are, are the
fathers of them that are to be. The Holy Spirit hath willed to show that
righteousness is not evil when men murmur against her: but these men have
their father from the beginning, even to the generation of their fathers.
Two men Adam begat, and in one was unrighteousness, in one was
righteousness: unrighteousness in Cain, righteousness in Abed
Unrighteousness seemed to prevail over righteousness, because Cain
unrighteous slew Abel righteous[4] in the night. Is it so in the morning?
Nay, "but the righteous shall reign over them in the morning."[5] The
morning shall come, and it shall be seen where Abel is, and where Cain. So
all men who are after Cain, and so all who are after Abel, even unto the
end of the world. "He shall enter even unto the generations of his fathers:
even to eternity he shall not see light." Because even when he was here, he
was in darkness, taking pleasure in false goods, and not loving real goods:
even so he shall go hence into hell: from the darkness of his dreams the
darkness of torments shall receive him. Therefore, "even to eternity he
shall not see light."

   But wherefore this? What he hath written in the middle of the Psalm,[6]
the same also he hath writ at the end: "Man, though he was in honour,
understood not, was compared to the beasts without sense, and was made like
to them" (ver. 20). But ye, brethren, consider that ye be men made after
the image and likeness of God. The image[7] of God is within, is not in the
body; is not in these ears which ye see, and eyes, and nostrils, and
palate, and hands, and feet; but is made nevertheless:[8] wherein is the
intellect, wherein is the mind, wherein the power of discovering truth,
wherein is faith, wherein is your hope, wherein your charity, there God
hath His Image: there at least ye perceive and see that these things pass
away; for so he hath said in another Psalm, "Though man walketh in an
image, yet he is disquieted in vain: he heapeth up treasures, and knoweth
not for whom he shall gather them."[9] Be not disquieted, for of whatsoever
kind these things be, they are transitory, if ye are men who being in
honour understand. For if being men in honour ye understand not, ye are
compared to the beasts without sense, and are made like to them.

PSALM L.[10]

   1. How much availeth the Word of God to us for the correction of our
life, both regarding His rewards to be expected, and His punishments to be
feared, let each one measure[11] in himself; and let him put his conscience
without deceit before His eyes, and not flatter himself in a danger so
great: for ye see that even our Lord God Himself doth flatter no one:
though He comforteth us by promising His blessings, and by strengthening
our hope; yet them that live ill and despise His word He assuredly spareth
not. Let each one examine himself, while it is time, and let him see where
he is, and either persevere in good, or be changed from evil. For as he
saith in this Psalm, not any man whatever nor any angel whatever, but, "The
Lord, the God of gods, hath spoken" (ver. 1). But in speaking, He hath done
what? "He hath called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going
down." He that "hath called the world from the rising of the sun unto the
going down," is Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, "the Word made
Flesh,"[12] in order that He might dwell in us. Our Lord Jesus Christ then
is the "God of gods;" because by Himself were all things made, and without
Himself was nothing made. The Word of God, if He is God, is truly the God
of gods; but whether He be God the Gospel answereth, "In the beginning was
the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."[1] And if all
things were made by Himself, as He saith in the sequel, then if any were
made gods, by Himself were they made. For the one God was not made, and He
is Himself alone truly God. But Himself the only God, Father and Son and
Holy Ghost, is one God.

   2. But then who are those gods, or where are they, of whom God is the
true God? Another Psalm saith, "God hath stood in the synagogue of gods,
but in the midst He judgeth gods."[2] As yet we know not whether perchance
any gods be congregated in heaven, and in their congregation, for this is
"in the synagogue," God hath stood to judge. See in the same Psalm those to
whom he saith, "I have said, Ye are gods, and children of the Highest all;
but ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes."[3] It is
evident then, that He hath called men gods, that are deified of His Grace,
not born of His Substance. For He doth justify, who is just through His own
self, and not of another; and He doth deify who is God through Himself, not
by the partaking of another. But He that justifieth doth Himself deify, in
that by justifying He doth make sons of God. "For He hath given them power
to become the sons of God."[4] If we have been made sons of God, we have
also been made gods: but this is the effect of Grace adopting, not of
nature generating. For the only Son of God, God, and one God with the
Father, Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, was in the beginning the Word,
and the Word with God, the Word God. The rest that are made gods, are made
by His own Grace, are not born of His Substance, that they should be the
same as He, but that by favour they should come to Him, and be fellow-heirs
with Christ. For so great is the love in Him the Heir, that He hath willed
to have fellow-heirs. What covetous man would will this, to have fellow-
heirs? But even one that is found so to will, will share with them the
inheritance, the sharer having less himself, than if he had possessed
alone: but the inheritance wherein we are fellow-heirs of Christ, is not
lessened by multitude of possessors, nor is it made narrower by the number
of fellow-heirs: but is as great for many as it is for few, as great for
individuals as for all. "See," saith the Apostle, "what love God hath
bestowed upon us, that we should be called, and be, the sons of God."[5]
And in another place, "Dearly beloved, we are the sons of God, and it doth
not yet appear what we shall be." We are therefore in hope, not yet in
substance. "But we know," he saith, "that when He shall have appeared, we
shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is."[6] The Only Son is like
Him by birth, we like by seeing. For we are not like in such sort as He,
who is the same as He is by whom He was begotten: for we are like, not
equal: He, because equal, is therefore like. We have heard who are the gods
that being made are justified, because they are called the sons of God: and
who are the gods that are not Gods, to whom the God of gods is terrible?
For another Psalm saith, "He is terrible over all gods."[7] And as if thou
shouldest enquire, what gods? He saith, "For all the gods of the nations
are devils." To the gods of the nations, to the devils, terrible: to the
gods made by Himself, to sons, lovely. Furthermore, I find both of them
confessing the Majesty of God, both the devils confessed Christ, and the
faithful confessed Christ. "Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God,"[8]
said Peter. "We know who Thou art, Thou art the Son of God,"[9] said the
devils. A like confession I hear, but like love I find not; nay even here
love, there fear. To whom therefore He is lovely, the same are sons; to
whom He is terrible, are not sons; to whom He is lovely, the same He hath
made gods; those to whom He is terrible He doth prove not to be gods. For
these are made gods, those are reputed gods; these Truth maketh gods, those
error doth so account.

   3. "The God," therefore, "of gods, the Lord hath spoken"[10] (ver. 1).
Hath spoken many ways. By Angels He hath Himself spoken, by Prophets He
hath Himself spoken, by His own mouth He hath Himself spoken, by His
faithful He doth Himself speak, by our lowliness, when we say anything
true, He doth Himself speak. See then, by speaking diversely, many ways, by
many vessels, by many instruments, yet He doth Himself sound everywhere, by
touching, moulding, inspiring: see what He hath done. For "He hath spoken,
and hath called the world." What world? Africa, perhaps! for the sake of
those that say, the Church of Christ is the portion of Donatus. Africa
indeed alone He hath not called, but even Africa He hath not severed. For
He that "hath called the world from the rising of the sun unto the going
down," leaving out no parts that He hath not called, in His calling hath
found Africa. Let it rejoice therefore in unity, not pride itself in
division. We say well, that the voice of the God of gods hath come even
into Africa, hath not stayed in Africa. For "He hath called the world from
the rising of the sun unto the going down." There is no place where may
lurk the conspiracies of heretics, they have no place wherein they may hide
themselves under the shadow of falsehood; for "there is none that can hide
himself from the heat thereof."[1] He that hath called the world, hath
called even the whole world: He that hath called the world, hath called as
much as He hath formed. Why do false christs and false prophets rise up
against me? why is it that they strive to ensnare me with captious words,
saying, "Lo! here is Christ, Lo! He is there! "[2] I hear not them that
point out portions: the God of gods hath pointed out the whole: "He" that
"hath called the world from the rising of the sun unto the going down,"
hath redeemed the whole; but hath condemned them that lay false claim to[3]
portions.

   4. But we have heard the world called from the rising of the sun unto
the going down: whence doth He begin to call, who hath called? This thing
also hear ye: "Out of Sion is the semblance of His beauty" (ver. 2).
Evidently the Psalm doth agree with the Gospel, which saith, "Throughout
all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."[4] Hear, "Throughout all nations:" He
hath called the world from the rising of the sun unto the going down."
Hear, "Beginning at Jerusalem:" "Out of Sion is the semblance of His
beauty." Therefore, "He hath called the world from the rising of the sun
unto the going down," agreeth with the words of the Lord, who saith," It
behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day; and that
repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His Name throughout
all nations."[5] For all nations are from the rising of the sun unto the
going down. But that, "Out of Sion is the semblance of His beauty," that
thence beginneth the beauty of His Gospel, that thence He began to be
preached, being "beautiful in form beyond the sons of men,"[6] agreeth with
the words of the Lord, who saith, "Beginning at Jerusalem." New things are
in tune with old, old things with new: the two Seraphim say to one
another," Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth."[7] The two Testaments are
both in tune, and the two Testaments have one voice: let the voice of the
Testaments in tune be heard, not that of pretenders disinherited. This
thing then hath the God of gods done, "He hath called the world from the
rising of the sun unto the going down, His semblance going before out of
Sion." For in that place were His disciples,[8] who received the Holy Ghost
sent from heaven on the fiftieth day after His resurrection. Thence the
Gospel, thence the preaching, thence the whole world filled, and that in
the Grace of Faith.

   5. For when the Lord Himself had come, because He came to suffer, He
came hidden: and though He was strong in Himself, He appeared in the flesh
weak. For He must needs appear in order that He might not be perceived; be
despised, in order that He might be slain. There was semblance of glory in
divinity, but it lay concealed in flesh. "For if they had known, they would
never have crucified the Lord of glory."[9] So then He walked hidden among
the Jews, among His enemies, doing marvels, suffering ills, until He was
hanged on the tree, and the Jews seeing Him hanging both despised Him the
more, and before the Cross wagging their heads they said, "If He be the Son
of God, let Him come down from the Cross."[10] Hidden then was the God of
gods, and He gave forth words more out of compassion for us than out of His
own majesty. For whence, unless assumed from us, were those words, "My God,
My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?[11] But when hath the Father forsaken
the Son, or the Son the Father? Are not Father and Son one God? Whence
then, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me," save that in the Flesh
of infirmity there was acknowledged the voice of a sinner? For as He took
upon Him the likeness of the flesh of sin," why should He not take upon Him
the voice of sin? Hidden then was the God of gods, both when He walked
among men, and when He hungered, and when He thirsted, and when fatigued He
sat, and when with wearied body He slept, and when taken, and when
scourged, and when standing before the judge, and when He made answer to
him in his pride, "Thou couldest have no power against Me, except it had
been given thee from above;"[13] and while led as a victim "before His
shearer He opened not His mouth,"[14] and while crucified, and while
buried, He was always hidden God of gods. What took place after He rose
again? The disciples marvelled, and at first believed not, until they
touched and handled.[15] But flesh had risen, because flesh had been dead:
Divinity which could not die, even still lay hid in the flesh of Him
rising. Form could be seen, limbs held, scars handled: the Word by whom all
things were made, who doth see? who doth hold? who doth handle? And yet
"the Word was made flesh, and dwelled among us."[16] And Thomas, that was
holding Man, understood God as he was able. For when he had handled the
scars, he cried out, "My Lord, and my God." Yet the Lord was showing that
form, and that flesh, which they had seen upon the Cross, which had been
laid in the sepulchre. He stayed with them forty days. ... But what was
said to Thomas handling? "Because thou hast seen, thou hast believed;
blessed are they that see not, and believe."[1] We are foretold. That world
called from the rising of the sun unto the going down seeth not, and
believeth. Hidden then is the God of gods, both to those among whom He
walked, and to those by whom He was crucified, and to those before whose
eyes He rose, and to us who believe on Him in heaven sitting, whom we have
not seen on earth walking. But even if we were to see, should we not see
that which the Jews saw and crucified? It is more, that not seeing we
believe Christ to be God, than that they seeing deemed Him only to be man.
They in a word by thinking evil slew, we by believing well are made alive.

   6. What then, brethren? This God of gods, both then hidden, and now
hidden, shall He ever be hidden? Evidently not: hear what followeth: "God
shall come manifest" (ver. 3). He that came hidden, shall come manifest.
Hidden He came to be judged, manifest He shall come to judge: hidden He
came that He might stand before a judge, manifest He shall come that He may
be judge even of judges: "He shall come manifest, and shall not be silent."
But why? Is He now silent? And whence are all the words that we say? whence
those precepts? whence those warnings? whence that trumpet of terror? He is
not silent, and is silent: is not silent from warning, is silent from
avenging: is not silent from precept, is silent from judgment. For He
suffereth sinners daily doing evil things, not caring for God, not in their
conscience, not in heaven, not in earth: all these things escape Him not,
and universally He doth admonish all; and whenever He chastiseth any on
earth, it is admonition, not yet condemnation. He is silent then from
judgment, He is hidden in heaven, as yet He intercedeth for us: He is long-
suffering to sinners, not putting forth His wrath, but awaiting penitence.
He saith in another place: "I have held my peace, shall I always hold my
peace?"[2] When then He shall not hold His peace, "God shall come
manifest." What God? "Our God." And the God Himself, who is our God: for he
is not God, who is not our God. For the gods of the nations are devils: the
God of Christians is very God. Himself shall come, but "manifest," not
still to be mocked, not still to be buffeted and scourged: He shall come,
but "manifest," not still to be smitten with a reed upon the head, not
still to be crucified, slain, buried: for all these things God being hidden
hath willed to suffer. "He shall come manifest, and shall not be silent."

   7. But that He shall come to judgment, the following words teach. "Fire
shall go before Him."[3] Do we fear? Be we changed, and we shall not fear.
Let chaff fear the fire: what doth it to gold? What thou mayest do is now
in thy power, so thou mayest not experience, for want of being corrected,
that which is to come even against thy will. For if we might so bring it
about, brethren, that the day of judgment should not come; I think that
even then it were not for us to live ill. If the fire of the day of
judgment were not to come, and over sinners there impended only separation
from the face of God, in whatever affluence of delights they might be, not
seeing Him by whom they were created, and separated from that sweetness of
His ineffable[4] countenance, in whatever eternity and impunity of sin,
they ought to bemoan themselves. But what shall I say, or to whom shall I
say? This is a punishment to lovers, not to despisers. They that have begun
to feel in any degree the sweetness of wisdom and truth, know what I say,
how great a punishment it is to be only separated from the face of God: but
they that have not tasted that sweetness, if not yet they yearn for the
face of God, let them fear even fire; let punishments terrify those, whom
rewards win not. Of no value to thee is what God promiseth, tremble at what
He threateneth. The sweetness of His presence shall come; thou art not
changed, thou art not awakened, thou sighest not, thou longest not: thou
embracest thy sins and the delights of thy flesh, thou art heaping stubble
to thyself, the fire will come. "Fire shall burn in His presence." This
fire will not be like thy hearth-fire, into which nevertheless, if thou art
compelled to thrust thy hand, thou wilt do whatsoever he would have thee
who doth threaten this alternative. If he say to thee, "write against the
life[5] of thy father, write against the lives of thy children, for if thou
do not, I thrust thy hand into thy fire:" thou wilt do it in order that thy
hand be not burned, in order that thy member be not burned for a time,
though it is not to be ever in pain. Thine enemy threateneth then but so
light an evil, and thou doest evil; God threateneth eternal evil, and doest
thou not good? To do evil not even menaces should compel thee: from doing
good not even menaces should deter thee. But by the menaces of God, by
menaces of everlasting fire, thou art dissuaded from evil, invited to good.
Wherefore doth it grieve thee, except because thou believest not? Let each
one then examine his heart, and see what faith doth[1] hold there. If we
believe a judgment to come, brethren, let us live well. Now is time of
mercy, then will be time of judgment. No one will say, "Call me back to my
former years." Even then men will repent, but will repent in vain: now let
there be repentance, while there is fruit of repentance; now let there be
applied to the roots of the tree a basket of dung,[2] sorrow of heart and
tears; lest He come and pluck up by the roots. For when He shall have
plucked up, then the fire is to be looked for. Now, even if the branches
have been broken, they can again be grafted in;[3] then, "every tree which
bringeth not forth good fruit, shall be cut down, and shall be cast into
the fire."[4] "Fire shall burn in His presence."

   8. "And a mighty tempest round about Him" (ver. 3). "A mighty tempest,"
in order to winnow so great a floor. In this tempest shall be that
winnowing whereby from the saints shall be put away everything impure, from
the faithful every unreality; from godly men and them that fear the Word of
God, every scorner and every proud man. For now a sort of mixture doth lie
there, from the rising of the sun unto the going down. Let us see then how
He will do that is to come, what He will do with that tempest which "shall
be a mighty tempest round about Him." Doubtless this tempest is to make a
sort of separation. It is that separation which they waited not for, who
brake the nets, before they came to land.[5] But in this separation there
is made a sort of distinction between good men and bad men. There be some
that now follow Christ with lightened shoulders without the load of the
world's cares, who have not heard in vain, "If thou wilt be perfect, go and
sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shall have treasure
in heaven: and come, follow Me;"[6] to which sort is said, "Ye shall sit
upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel."[7] Some then
shall be judging with the Lord: but others to be judged, but to be placed
on the right hand. For that there will be certain judging with the Lord, we
have most evident testimony, which I have but now quoted: "Ye shall sit
upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." ...

   9. But what the Lord did after His resurrection, signified what is to
be to us after our resurrection, in that number of the kingdom of heaven,
where shall be no bad man. ... Lastly, those seven thousand of whom reply
was made to Elias, "I have left me seven thousand men that have not bowed
knees before Baal,"[8] far exceed that number of fishes. Therefore the
hundred and fifty-three fishes[9] doth not alone express just such a number
of saints, but Scripture doth express the whole number of saints and
righteous men by so great a number for a particular reason; to wit, in
order that in those hundred and fifty-three all may be understood that
pertain to the resurrection to eternal life. For the Law hath ten
commandments:[10] but the Spirit of Grace, through which alone the Law is
fulfilled," is called sevenfold. The number then must be examined, what
mean ten and seven: ten in commandments, seven in the grace of the Holy
Spirit: by which grace the commandments are fulfilled. Ten then and seven
contain all that pertain to the resurrection, to the right hand, to the
kingdom of heaven, to life eternal, that is, they that fulfil the Law by
the Grace of the Spirit, not as it were by their own work or their own
merit. But ten and seven, if thou countest from one unto seventeen, by
adding all the numbers by steps, so that to one thou mayest add two, add
three, add four, that they may become ten, by adding five that they may
become fifteen, by adding six that they may become twenty-one, by adding
seven that they may become twenty-eight, by adding eight that they may
become thirty-six, by adding nine that they may become forty-five, by
adding ten that they may become fifty-five, by adding eleven that they may
become sixty-six, by adding twelve that they may become seventy-eight, by
adding thirteen that they may become ninety-one, by adding fourteen that
they may become one hundred and five, by adding fifteen that they may
become one hundred and twenty, by adding sixteen that they may become one
hundred and thirty-six, by adding seventeen, make up one hundred and fifty-
three, thou wilt find a vast number of all saints to belong to this number
of a few fishes. In like manner then as in five virgins, countless virgins;
as in five brethren of him that was tormented in hell, thousands of the
people of the Jews; as in the number of one hundred and fifty-three fishes,
thousands of thousands of saints: so in twelve thrones, not twelve men, but
great is the number of the perfect.[12]

   10. But I see what is next required of us; in like manner as in the
case of the five virgins, a reason was given why many should belong to
five, and why to those five many Jews, and why to a hundred and fifty-three
many perfect--to show why and how to the twelve thrones not twelve men, but
many belong. What mean the twelve thrones, which signify all men everywhere
that have been enabled to be so perfect as they must be perfect, to whom it
is said, "Ye shall sit over the twelve tribes of Israel"?[1] And why do all
men everywhere belong to the number twelve? Because the very "everywhere"
which we say, we say of the whole world: but the compass of lands is
contained in four particular quarters, East, West, South, and North: from
all these quarters they being called in the Trinity and made perfect in the
faith and precept of the Trinity,--seeing that three times four are twelve,
ye perceive wherefore the saints belong to the whole world; they that shall
sit upon twelve thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel, since the
twelve tribes of Israel, also, are the twelve tribes of the whole of
Israel. For like as they that are to judge are from the whole world, so
also they that are to be judged are from the whole world. The Apostle Paul
of himself, when he was reproving believing laymen, because they referred
not their causes to the Church, but dragged them with whom they had matters
before the public, said, "Know ye not that we shall judge Angels?"[2] See
after what sort He hath made Himself judge: not only himself, but also all
that judge aright in the Church.

   11. Since then it is evident, that many are to judge with the Lord, but
that others are to be judged, not however on equality, but according to
their deserts; He will come with all His Angels,[3] when before Him shall
be gathered all nations, and among all the Angels are to be reckoned those
that have been made so perfect, that sitting upon twelve thrones they judge
the twelve tribes of Israel. For men are called Angels: the Apostle saith
of himself, "As an angel of God ye received me."[4] Of John Baptist it is
said, "Behold, I send My Angel before Thy face, that shall prepare Thy way
before Thee."[5] Therefore, coming with all Angels, together with Him He
shall have the Saints also. For plainly saith Isaias also, "He shall come
to judgment with the elders of the people."[6] Those "elders of the
people," then, those but now named Angels, those thousands of many men made
perfect coming from the whole world, are called Heaven. But the others are
called earth, yet fruitful. Which is the earth that is fruitful? That which
is to be set on the fight hand, unto which it shall be said, "I was an
hungred, and ye gave Me to eat:"[7] truly fruitful earth in which the
Apostle doth joy, when they sent to him to supply his necessities: "Not
because I ask a gift," he saith, "but I require fruit."[8] And he giveth
thanks, saying, "Because at length ye  have budded forth again to be
thoughtful for me."[9] He saith, "Ye have budded forth again," as to trees
which had withered away with a kind of barrenness. Therefore the Lord
coming to judgment (that we may now hear the Psalm, brethren), He will do
what? "He will call the heaven from above" (ver. 4). The heaven, all the
Saints, those made perfect that shall judge, them He shall call from above,
to be sitters with Him to judge the twelve tribes of Israel. For how shall
"He call the heaven from above," when the heaven is always above? But those
that He here calleth heaven, the same elsewhere He calleth heavens. What
heavens? That tell out the glory of God: for, "The heavens tell out the
glory of God:"[10] whereof is said, "Into all the earth their sound hath
gone forth, and into the ends of the world their words." For see the Lord
severing in judgment: "He shall call the heaven from above and the earth,
to sever His people." From whom but from evil men? Of whom here afterwards
no mention is made, now as it were condemned to punishment. See these good
men, and distinguish. "He shall call the heaven from above, and the earth,
to sever His people." He calleth the earth also, not however to be
associated, but to be dissociated. For at first He called them together,
"when the God of gods spake and called the world from the rising of the sun
unto the going down," He had not yet severed: those servants had been sent
to bid to the marriage,[11] who had gathered good and bad. But when the God
of gods shall come manifest and shall not keep silence, He shall so call
the "heaven from above" that it may judge with Him. For what the heaven is,
the heavens themselves are; just as what the earth is, the lands
themselves, just as what the Church is, the Churches themselves: "He shall
call the heaven from above, and the earth, to sever His people." Now with
the heaven He severeth the earth, that is, the heaven with Him doth sever
the earth. How doth He sever the earth? In such sort that He setteth on the
right hand some, others on the left. But to the earth severed, He saith
what? "Come, ye blessed of My Father, receive the kingdom which was
prepared for you from the beginning of the world. For I was an hungred, and
ye gave me to eat," and so forth. But they say, "When saw we Thee an
hungred?" And He, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of
Mine, ye have done it unto Me."[12] "He shall call therefore the heaven
from above, and the earth, to sever His people."

   12. "Gather to Him His righteous" (ver. 5). The voice divine and
prophetic, seeing future things as if present doth exhort the Angels
gathering. For He shall send His Angels, and before Him shall be gathered
all nations.[1] Gather to Him His righteous. What righteous men save those
that live of faith and do works of mercy? For those works are works of
righteousness. Thou hast the Gospel: "Beware of doing your righteousness
before men to be seen of them."[2] And as if it were inquired, What
righteousness? "When therefore thou doest alms," He saith. Therefore alms
He hath signified to be works of righteousness. Those very persons gather
for His righteous: gather those that have had compassion on the "needy,"
that have considered the needy and poor:[3] gather them, "The Lord preserve
them, and make them to live;" "Gather to Him His righteous: who order His
covenant above sacrifices:" that is, who think of His promises above those
things which they work. For those things are sacrifices, God saying, "I
will have mercy more than sacrifice."[4] "Who keep His covenant more than
sacrifice."

   13. "And the Heaven shall declare His righteousness" (ver. 6). Truly
this righteousness of God to us the "heavens have declared," the
Evangelists have foretold. Through them we have heard that some will be on
the right hand, to whom the Householder saith, "Come, ye blessed of My
Father, receive.[5] Receive what? "A kingdom." In return for what thing? "I
was an hungred, and ye gave Me to eat." What so valueless, what so earthly,
as to break bread to the hungry? At so much is valued the kingdom of
heaven. "Break thy bread to the hungry, and the needy without covering
bring into thy house; if thou seest one naked, clothe him."[6] If thou hast
not the means of breaking bread, hast not house into which thou mayest
bring, hast not garment wherewith thou mayest cover: give a cup of cold
water? cast two mites into the treasury.[8] As much the widow doth buy with
two mites, as Peter buyeth, by leaving the nets,[9] as Zacchaeus buyeth by
giving half his goods.[10] Of so much worth is all that thou hast. "The
heavens shall declare His righteousness, for God is Judge." Truly judge not
confounding but severing. For "the Lord knoweth them that are His."[11]
Even if grains lie hid in the chaff, they are known to the husbandman. Let
no one fear that he is a grain even among the chaff; the eyes of our
winnower are not deceived. Fear not lest that tempest, which shall be round
about Him, should confound thee with chaff. Certainly mighty will be the
tempest; yet not one grain will it sweep from the side of the corn to the
chaff: because not any rustic with three-pronged fork, but God, Three in
One, is Judge. And the heavens shall declare His righteousness: for God is
Judge. Let heavens go, let the heavens tell, into every land let their
sound go out, and unto the ends of the world their words:[12] and let that
body say, "From the ends of the world unto Thee have I cried, when my heart
was in heaviness."[13] For now mingled it groaneth, divided it shall
rejoice. Let it cry then and say, "Destroy not my soul with ungodly men,
and with men of blood my life."[14] He destroyeth not together, because God
is Judge. Let it cry to Him and say, "Judge me, O Lord, and sever my cause
from the nation unholy: "[15] let it say, He shall do it: there shall be
gathered to Him His righteous ones. He hath called the earth that He may
sever His people.

   14. "Hear, my people, and I will speak to thee" (ver. 7). He shall come
and shall not keep silence; see how that even now, if ye hear, He is not
silent. Hear, my people, and I will speak to thee. For if thou hearest not,
I will not speak to thee. "Hear, and I will speak to thee." For if thou
hearest not, even though I shall speak, it will not be to thee. When then
shall I speak to thee? If thou hearest. When hearest thou? If thou art my
people. For, "Hear, my people:" thou hearest not if thou art an alien
people. "Hear, my people, and I will speak to thee: Israel, and I will
testify to thee." ... For "Thy God," is properly said to that man whom God
doth keep more as one of His family, as though in His household, as though
in His peculiar: "Thy God am I." What wilt thou more? Requirest thou a
reward from God, so that God may give thee something; so that what He hath
given thee may be thine own? Behold God Himself, who shall give, is thine
own. What richer than He? Gifts thou wast desiring, thou hast the Giver
Himself. "God, thy God, I am."

   15. What He requireth of man, let us see; what tribute our God, our
Emperor and our King doth enjoin us; since He hath willed to be our King,
and hath willed us to be His province? Let us hear His injunctions. Let not
a poor man tremble beneath the injunction of God: what God enjoineth to be
given to Himself, He doth Himself first give that enjoineth: be ye only
devoted. God doth not exact what He hath not given, and to all men hath
given what He doth exact. For what doth He exact? Let us hear now: "I will
not reprove thee because of thy sacrifices" (ver. 8). I will not say to
thee, Wherefore hast thou not slain for me a fat bull? why hast thou not
selected the best he-goat from thy flock? Wherefore doth that ram amble
among thy sheep, and is not laid upon mine altar? I will not say, Examine
thy fields and thy pen[16] and thy walls, seeking what thou mayest give Me.
"I will not reprove thee because of thy sacrifices." What then: Dost Thou
not accept my sacrifices? "But thy holocausts are always in My sight" (ver.
9). Certain holocausts concerning which it is said in another Psalm, "If
Thou hadst desired sacrifice, I would surely have given, with holocausts
Thou wilt not be delighted:"[1] and again he turneth himself," Sacrifice to
God is a troubled spirit, a heart broken and humbled God doth not
despise."[2] Which be then holocausts that He despiseth not? Which
holocausts that are always in His sight? "Kindly, O Lord," he saith, "deal
in Thy good will with Sion, and be the walls of Jerusalem builded, then
shall Thou accept the sacrifice of righteousness, oblations, and
holocausts." He saith that certain holocausts God will accept.  But what is
a holocaust? A whole consumed with fire: causis is burning, holon is whole:
but a "holocaust" is a whole consumed with fire. There is a certain fire of
most burning love: be the mind inflamed with love, let the same love hurry
off the limbs to its use, let it not allow them to serve cupidity, in order
that we may wholly glow with fire of divine love that will offer to God a
holocaust. Such "holocausts of thine are in My sight always."

   16. As yet that Israel perchance doth not understand what are the
holocausts thereof which He hath in His sight always, and is still thinking
of oxen, of sheep, of he-goats: let it not so think: "I will not accept
calves of thy house." Holocausts I named; at once in mind and thought to
earthly flocks thou wast running, therefrom thou wast selecting for Me some
fat thing: "I will not accept calves of thy house." He is foretelling the
New Testament, wherein all those sacrifices have ceased. For they were then
foretelling a certain Sacrifice which was to be, with the Blood whereof we
should be cleansed. "I will not accept calves of thy house, nor he-goats of
thy flocks."

   17. "For mine are all the beasts of the wood" (ver. 10). Why should I
ask of thee what I have made? Is it more thine, to whom I have given it to
possess, than Mine, who have made it? "For mine are all the beasts of the
wood." But perchance that Israel saith, The beasts are God's, those wild
beasts which I enclose not in my pen, which I bind not to my stall; but
this ox and sheep and he-goat--these are mine own. "Cattle on the mountain,
and oxen."[3] Mine are those which thou possessest not, Mine are these
which thou possessest. For if thou art My servant, the whole of thy
property is Mine. For it cannot be, that is the property of the master
which the servant hath gotten to himself, and yet that not be the property
of the Master which the Master Himself hath created for the servant.
Therefore Mine are the beasts of the wood which thou hast not taken; Mine
are also the cattle on the mountains which are thine, and the oxen which
are at thy stall: all are Mine own, for I have created them.

   18. "I know all the winged creatures of heaven" (ver. 11). How doth He
know? He hath weighed them, hath counted. Which of us knoweth all the
winged creatures of heaven? But even though to some man God give knowledge
of all the winged creatures of heaven, He doth not Himself know in the same
manner as He giveth man to know. One thing is God's knowledge, another
man's: in like manner as there is one possession of God's, another of
man's: that is, God's possessing is one thing, man's another. For what thou
possessest thou hast not wholly in thy power, or else thy ox, so long as it
liveth, is in thy power; so as that it either die not, or be not to be fed.
With whom there is the highest power, there is highest and most secret
cognition. Let us ascribe tiffs to God, while praising God. Let us not dare
to say, How knoweth God? Do not, I pray you, brethren, of me expect this,
that I should unfold to you, how God doth know: this only I say, He doth
not so know as a man, He doth not so know as an Angel: and how He knoweth I
dare not say, because also I cannot ken. One thing, nevertheless, I ken,
that even before all the winged creatures of heaven were, God knew that
which He was to create. What is that knowledge? O man, thou beginnest to
see, after that thou hadst been formed, after that thou hadst received
sense of seeing. These fowls sprung of the water at the word of God,
saying, "Let the waters bring forth fowls."[4] Whereby did God know the
things which He commanded the water to bear forth? Now surely He knew what
He had created, and before He created He knew. So great then is the
knowledge of God, so that with Himself they were in a certain ineffable
manner before they were created: and of thee doth He expect to receive what
He had, before He created? "I know all the winged creatures of heaven,"
which thou to Me canst not give. The things which thou wast about to slay
for Me, I know all: not because I made I know, but in order that I might
make. "And the beauty of the field is with Me." The fairness of the field,
the abundance of all things engendering upon earth, "is with Me," He saith.
How with Him? Were they so, even before they were made? Yea, for with Him
were all things to come, and with Him are all things by-gone: things to
come in such sort, that there be not withdrawn from Him all things by-gone.
With Him are all things by a certain cognition of the ineffable wisdom of
God residing in the Word, and the[1] Word Himself is all things. Is not the
beauty of the field in a manner with Him, inasmuch as He is everywhere, and
Himself hath said, "Heaven and earth I fill "?[2] What with Him is not, of
whom it is said, "If I shall have ascended into heaven, Thou art there; and
if I shall have descended into hell, Thou art present"?[3] With Him is the
whole: but it is not so with Him as that He doth suffer any contamination
from those things which He hath created, or any want of them. For with
thee, perchance, is a pillar near which thou art standing, and when thou
art weary, thou leanest against it. Thou needest that which is with thee,
God needeth not the field which is which Him. With Him is field, with Him
beauty of earth, with Him beauty of heaven, with Him all winged creatures,
because He is Himself everywhere. And wherefore are all things near Him?
Because even before that all things were, or were created, to Him were
known all things.

   19. Who can explain, who expound that which is said to Him in another
Psalm, "For my goods Thou needest not"?[4] He hath said that He needeth not
from us any necessary thing. "If I shall be hungry, I will not tell thee"
(ver. 12). He that keepeth Israel shall neither hunger nor thirst, nor be
weary, nor fall asleep.[5] But, lo! according to thy carnality I speak:
because thou wilt suffer hunger when thou hast not eaten, perhaps thou
thinkest even God doth hunger that He may eat. Even though He shall be
hungry, He telleth not thee: all things are before Him, whence He will He
taketh what is needful for Him. These words are said to convince little
understanding; not that God hath declared His hunger. Though for our sake
this God of gods deigned even to hunger. He came to hunger, and to fill; He
came to thirst, and give drink; He came to be clothed with mortality, and
to clothe with immortality; He came poor, to make rich. For He lost not His
riches by taking to Him our poverty, for, "In him are all the treasures of
wisdom and knowledge hidden."[6] "If I shall be hungry, I will not tell
thee. For Mine is the whole world, and the fulness thereof." Do not then
labour to find what to give Me, without whom I have what I will.

   20. Why then dost still think of thy flocks? "Shall I eat the flesh of
bulls, or shall I drink the blood of he-goats?" (ver. 13). Ye have heard
what of us He requireth not, who willeth to enjoin us somewhat. If of such
things ye were thinking, now withdraw your thoughts from such things: think
not to offer God any such thing. If thou hast a fat bull, kill for the
poor: let them eat the flesh of bulls, though they shall not drink the
blood of he-goats. Which, when thou shalt have done, He will account it to
thee, that hath said," If I shall be hungry, I will not tell thee:" and He
shall say to thee, "I was hungry, and thou gavest Me to eat."[7] "Shall I
eat the flesh of bulls, or shall I drink the blood of he-goats ?"

   21. Say then, Lord our God, what dost Thou enjoin thy people, Thy
Israel? "Immolate to God the sacrifice of praise" (ver. 14). Let us also
say to Him, "In me, O God, are thy vows, which I will render of prose to
Thee." I had feared lest Thou mightest enjoin something which would be out
of my power, which I was counting to be in my pen, and but now perchance it
had been taken away by a thief. What dost Thou enjoin me? "Immolate to God
the sacrifice of praise" Let me revert to myself, wherein I may find what I
may immolate: let me revert to myself; in myself may I find immolation of
praise: be Thy altar my conscience. We are without anxiety, we go not into
Arabia in quest of frankincense:[8] not any bags of covetous dealer do we
sift: God requireth of us the sacrifice of praise. Zacchaeus had the
sacrifice of praise in his patrimony;[9] the widow had it in her bag;[10]
some poor host or other hath had it in his jar: another neither in
patrimony, nor in bag, nor in jar, hath had anything, had it wholly in his
heart: salvation was to the house of Zacchaeus; and more this poor widow
cast in than those rich men: this man, that doth offer a cup of cold water,
shall not lose his reward:[11] but there is even "peace on earth to men of
good will."[12] "Immolate to God the sacrifice of praise.[12] O sacrifice
gratuitous, by grace given! I have not indeed bought this to offer, but
Thou hast given: for not even this should I have had. And this is the
immolation of the sacrifice of praise, to render thanks to Him from whom
thou hast whatever of good thou hast, and by whose mercy is forgiven thee
whatsoever of evil of thine thou hast. "Immolate to God the sacrifice of
praise: and render to the Highest thy prayers." With this odour the Lord is
well pleased.[13]

   22. "And call thou upon Me in the day of thy tribulation: and I will
draw thee forth, and thou shall glorify Me" (ver. 15). For thou oughtest
not to rely on thy powers, all thy aids are deceitful. "Upon Me call thou
in the day of tribulation: I will draw thee forth, and thou shalt glorify
Me." For to this end I have allowed the day of tribulation to come to thee:
because perchance if thou wast not troubled, thou wouldest not call on Me:
but when thou art troubled, thou callest on Me; when thou callest upon Me,
I will draw thee forth; when I shah draw thee forth, thou shalt glorify Me,
that thou mayest no more depart from Me. A certain man had grown dull and
cold in fervour of prayer, and said, "Tribulation and grief I found, and on
the Name of the Lord I called."[1] He found tribulation as it were some
profitable thing; he had rotted in the slough of his sins; now he had
continued without feeling, he found tribulation to be a sort of caustic and
cutting. "I found," he saith, "tribulation and grief, and on the Name of
the Lord I called." And truly, brethren, tribulations are known to all men.
Behold those afflictions that abound in mankind; one afflicted with loss
bewaileth; another smitten with bereavement mourneth; another exiled from
country grieveth and desireth to return, deeming sojourning intolerable;
another's vineyard is  hailed upon, he observeth his labours and all his
toil spent in vain. When can a human being not be made sad? An enemy he
findeth in a friend. What greater misery in mankind? These things all men
do deplore and grieve at, and these are tribulations: in all these they
call upon the Lord, and they do rightly. Let them call upon God, He is
able either to teach how it must be borne, or to heal it when borne. He
knoweth how not to suffer us to be tried above that we are able to bear.[2]
Let us call upon God even in those tribulations: but these tribulations do
find us; as in another Psalm is written, "Helper in tribulations which have
found us too much: "[3] there is  a certain tribulation which we ought to
find. Let such tribulations find us: there is a certain tribulation which
we ought to seek and to find. What is that? The above-named felicity in
this world, abundance of temporal things: that is  not indeed tribulation,
these are the solaces of our tribulation. Of what tribulation? Of our
sojourning. For the very fact that we are not yet with God, the very fact
that we are living amid trials and difficulties, that we cannot be without
fear, is  tribulation: for there is  not that peace which is  promised us.
He that shall not have found this tribulation in his sojourning, doth not
think of going home to his father-land. This is  tribulation, brethren.
Surely now we do good works, when we deal bread to the hungry, home to the
stranger, and the like: tribulation even this is. For we find pitiful
objects upon whom we show pity; and the pitiful case of pitiful objects
maketh us compassionate. How much better now would it be with thee in that
place, where thou findest no hungry man whom thou mayest feed, where thou
findest no stranger whom thou mayest take in, no naked man whom thou mayest
cover, no sick man whom thou mayest visit, no litigant whom thou mayest set
at one! For all things in that place are most high, are true, are holy, are
everlasting. Our bread in that place is righteousness, our drink there is
wisdom, our garment there is  immortality, our house is  everlasting in the
heavens, our stedfastness[4] is  immortality: doth sickness come over? Doth
weariness weigh down to sleep? No death, no litigation: there peace, quiet,
joy, righteousness. No enemy hath entrance, no friend falleth away. What is
the quiet there? If we think and observe where we are, and where He that
cannot He hath promised that we are to be, from His very promise we find in
what tribulation we are. This tribulation none findeth, but he that shall
have sought it. Thou art whole, see if thou art miserable; for it is  easy
for him that is sick to find himself miserable: when thou art whole, see if
thou art miserable; that thou art not yet with God. "Tribulation and grief
I found, and on the Name of the Lord I called."[5] "Immolate," therefore,
"to God the sacrifice of praise." Praise Him promising, praise Him calling,
praise Him exhorting, praise Him helping: and understand in what
tribulation thou art placed. Call upon (Him), thou shalt be drawn forth,
thou shalt glorify, shalt abide.

   23. But see what followeth, my brethren. For now some one or other,
because God had said to him, "Immolate to God the sacrifice of praise," and
had enjoined in a manner this tribute, did meditate to himself and said, I
will rise daily, I will proceed to Church, I will say one hymn at matins,
another at vespers, a third or fourth in my house, daily I do sacrifice the
sacrifice of praise, and immolate to my God. Well thou doest indeed, if
thou doest this: but take heed, lest now thou be careless, because now thou
doest this: and perchance thy tongue bless God, and thy life curse God. O
my people, saith to thee the God of gods, the Lord that spake, "calling the
earth from the rising of the sun unto the setting," though yet thou art
placed amid the tares,[6] "Immolate the sacrifice of praise to thy God, and
render to Him thy prayers:" but take heed lest thou live ill, and chant
well. Wherefore this? For, "Unto the sinner, saith God, why dost thou tell
out My judgments, and takest My Covenant in thy mouth?" (ver. 16). Ye see,
brethren, with what trembling we say these words. We take the Covenant of
God in our mouth, and we say these words. We take the Covenant of God in
our mouth, and we preach to you the instruction and judgment of God. And
what saith God to the sinner? "Why dost thou?" Doth He then forbid
preachers that be sinners? And where is  that, "What they say do, but what
they do, do not "?[1] Where is  that, "Whether in truth or on occasion
Christ be preached "?[2] But these words were said, lest they should fear
that hear, from whomsoever it be that they hear: not that they should be
without care that speak good words, and do evil deeds. Now therefore,
brethren, ye are without care: if ye hear good words ye hear God,[3]
through whomsoever it be that ye may hear. But God would not dismiss
without reproof them that speak: lest with their speaking alone, without
care for themselves they should slumber in evil life, and say to
themselves, "For God will not consign us to perdition, through whose mouth
He has willed that so many good words should be spoken to His people." Nay,
but hear what thou speakest, whoever thou art that speakest: and thou that
writ be heard thyself, first hear thyself; and speak what a certain man
doth speak in another Psalm,[4] "I will hear what in me speaketh the Lord
God, for He shall speak peace to His people." What am I then, that hear not
what in me He speaketh, and will that other hear what through me He
speaketh? I will hear first, will hear, and chiefly I will hear what
speaketh in me the Lord God, for He shall speak peace to His people. Let me
hear, and "chasten my body, and to servitude subject it, lest perchance to
others preaching, myself be found a cast-away."[5] "Why dost thou tell out
my judgments?" Wherefore to thee what profiteth not thee? He admonisheth
him to hear: not to lay down preaching, but to take up obedience. "But
thou, why dost thou take My Covenant in they mouth?"

   24. "But thou hatest instruction" (ver. 17). Thou hatest discipline.
When I spare, thou singest and praisest: when I chasten, thou murmurest: as
though, when I spare, I am thy God: and, when I chasten, I am not thy God.
"I rebuke and chasten those whom I love."[6] "But thou hatest instruction:
and hast thrown  My sayings behind thee." The words that are said through
thee, thou throwest behind thee. "And thou hast thrown My sayings behind
thee:" to a place where they may not be seen by thee, but may load thee.
"And thou hast thrown My sayings behind thee."

   25. "If thou sawest a thief, thou didst consent unto him, and with
adulterers thou didst make thy portion" (ver. 18). Lest perchance thou
shouldest say, I have not committed theft, I have not committed adultery.
What if he pleased thee that hath committed? Hast thou not with the very
pleasing consented? Hast thou not by approval made thy portion with him
that hath committed? For this is , brethren, to consent with a thief, and
to make with an adulterer thy portion: for even if thou committest not, and
approvest what is  committed, thou art an accessory in the deed: for "the
sinner is  praised in the longings of his soul, and he  that doeth iniquity
shall be blessed."[7] Thou doest not evil things, thou praisest evil-doers.
For is this a small evil? "Thou didst make thy portion with adulterers."

   26. "Thy mouth hath abounded in malice, and thy tongue hath embraced
deceit" (ver. 19). Of the malevolence and deceit, brethren, of certain men
he speaketh, who by adulation, though they know what they hear to be evil,
yet lest they offend those from whom they hear, not only by not reproving
but by holding their peace do consent.[8] Too little is it, that they do
not say, Thou hast done evil: but they even say, Thou hast done even well:
and they know it to be evil: but their mouth aboundeth in malice, and their
tongue embraceth deceit. Deceit is a sort of guile in words, of uttering
one thing, thinking another. He saith not, thy tongue hath committed deceit
or perpetrated deceit, but is order to point out to thee a kind of pleasure
taken in the very evil doing, He hath said, "Hath embraced." It is  too
little that thou doest it, thou art delighted too; thou praisest openly,
thou laughest to thyself. Thou dost push to destruction a man heedlessly
putting forth his faults, and knowing not whether they be faults: thou that
knowest it to be a fault, sayest not, "Whither art thou rushing?" If thou
wert to see him heedlessly walk in the dark, where thou knewest a well to
be, and wert to hold thy peace, of what sort wouldest thou be? wouldest
thou not be set down for an enemy of his life ?[9] And yet if he were to
fall into a well, not in soul[10] but in body he would die. He doth fall
headlong into his vices, he doth expose before thee his evil doings: thou
knowest them to be evil, and praisest and laughest to thyself. Oh that at
length he were to be turned to God at whom thou hughest, and whom thou
wouldest not reprove, and that he were to say, "Let them be confounded that
say to me, Well, well."[11]

   27. "Sitting against thy brother thou didst detract" (ver. 20). And
this "sitting" doth belong to that whereof he hath spoken above in, "hath
embraced." For he that doeth anything while standing or passing along, doth
it not with pleasure: but if he for this purpose sitteth, how much leisure
cloth he seek out to do it! That very evil detraction thou wast making with
diligence, thou wast making sitting; thou wouldest thereon be wholly
engaged; thou wast embracing thy evil, thou wast kissing thy craftiness.
"And against thy mother's son thou didst lay a stumbling-block." Who is
"mother's son "? Is it not brother? He would repeat then the same that he
had said above, "thy brother." Hath he intimated that any distinction must
be perceived by us? Evidently, brethren, I think a distinction must be
made. Brother against brother doth detract, for example's sake, as though
for instance one strong, and now a doctor and scholar of some weight, doth
detract from his brother, one perchance that is teaching well and walking
well: but another is  weak, against him he layeth a stumbling-block by
detracting from the former. For when the good are detracted from by those
that seem to be of some weight and to be learned, the weak fall upon the
stumbling-block, who as yet know not how to judge. Therefore this weak one
is  called "mother's son," not yet father's, still needing milk, and
hanging on the breast. He is borne as yet in the bosom of his mother the
Church, he is  not strong enough to draw near to the solid food of his
Fathers table, but from the mother's breast he draweth sustenance,
unskilled in judging, inasmuch as yet he is  animal and carnal. "For the
spiritual man judgeth all things,"[1] but "the animal man perceiveth not
those things which are of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to
him."[2] To such men saith the Apostle, "I could not speak unto you as unto
spiritual, but as unto carnal, as to babes in Christ I gave you milk to
drink, not meat; for ye were not able, but not even now are ye able."[3] A
mother I have been to you: as is  said in another place, "I became a babe
among you, even as a nurse cherishing her own children."[4] Not a nurse
nursing children of others, but a nurse cherishing her own children. For
there are mothers who when they have borne give to nurses: they that have
borne cherish not their children, because they have given them to be
nursed;[5] but those that cherish, cherish not their own, but those of
others: but he himself had borne, he was himself cherishing, to no nurse
did commit what he had borne; for he had said, "Of whom I travel again
until Christ be formed in you."[6] He did cherish them, and gave milk. But
there were some as it were learned and spiritual men who detracted from
Paul. "His letters indeed, say they, are weighty and powerful; but the
presence of his body weak, and speech contemptible: "[7] he saith himself
in his Epistle, that certain his detractors had said these words. They were
sitting, and were detracting against their brother, and against that their
mother's son, to be fed with milk, they were laying a stumbling-block. "And
against thy mothers son thou didst lay a stumbling-block."

   28. "These things hast thou done, and I held my tongue" (ver. 21).
Therefore the Lord our God shall come, and shall not keep silence. Now,
"These things hast thou done, and I held my tongue" What is , "I held my
tongue "? From vengeance I have desisted, my severity I have deferred,
patience to thee I have prolonged, thy repentance I have long looked for
.. "Thou hast imagined iniquity, that I shall be like unto thee;" Thou
hast s imagined that I shall be like unto thee, while thou wilt not be like
unto Me. For, "Be  ye,"  he saith, "perfect, even as your Father, which is
in the heavens, who maketh His sun to rise on the good and evil."[9] Him
thou wouldest not copy, who giveth good things even to evil men, insomuch
that sitting thou dost detract even from good men. "I will reprove thee,"
when "God manifest shall come, our God, and shall not keep silence," "I
will reprove thee." And what to thee shall I do in reproving thee? what to
thee shall I do? Now thyself thou seest not, I will make thee see thyself.
Because if thou shouldest see thyself, and shouldest displease thyself,
thou wouldest please Me: but because not seeing thyself thou hast pleased
thyself, thou wilt displease both Me and thyself; Me when thou shalt be
judged; thyself when thou shalt burn. But what to thee shall I do? He
saith. "I will set thee before thy face." For why wouldest thou escape
thyself? At thy back thou art to thyself, thou seest not thyself: I make
thee see thyself: what behind thy back thou hast put, before thy face will
I put; thou shalt see thy uncleanness, not that thou mayest amend, but that
thou mayest blush . ...

   29. But, "understand these things, ye that forget God" (ver. 22). See
how He crieth, and keepeth not silence, spareth[10] not. Thou hadst
forgotten the Lord," didst not think of thy evil life. Perceive how thou
hast forgotten the Lord. "Lest at length He seize like a lion, and there be
none to driven" What is "like a lion"? Like a brave one, like a mighty one,
like him whom none can withstand. To this he made reference when he said,
"Lion." For it is used for praise, it is  used also for showing evil. The
devil hath been called lion: "Your adversary," He saith, "like a roaring
lion, goeth about seeking whom He may devour?"[1] May it not be that
whereas he hath been called lion because of savage fierceness, Christ hath
been called Lion for wondrous mightiness? And where is that, "The Lion hath
prevailed of the tribe of

   30. "Sacrifice of praise shall glorify Me" (ver. 23). How shall
"sacrifice of praise glorify Me"? Assuredly sacrifice of praise doth no
wise profit evil men, because they take Thy Covenant in their mouth, and do
damnable things that displease Thine eyes. Straightway, he saith, even to
them this I say, "Sacrifice of praise shall glorify Me." For if thou livest
ill and speakest good words, not yet dost thou praise: but again, if, when
thou beginnest to live well, to thy merits thou dost ascribe thy living
well, not yet dost thou praise. ... Therefore the Publican went down
justified, rather than that Pharisee. Therefore hear ye that live well,
hear ye that live ill: "Sacrifice of praise shall glorify Me." No one
offereth Me this sacrifice, and is  evil. I say not, Let there not offer Me
this any one that is evil; but no one doth offer Me this, that is evil. For
he that praiseth, is good: because if he praiseth, he doth also live well,
because if he praiseth, not only with tongue he praiseth, but life also
with tongue doth agree.

   31. "And there is the way whereby I will show him the salvation of
God." In sacrifice of praise" is  the way." What is  "the salvation of God
"? Christ Jesus. And how in sacrifice of praise to us is  shown Christ?
Because Christ with grace came to us. These words saith the Apostle: "But I
live, now not I, but Christ liveth in me: but that in flesh I live, in
faith I live of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me."[3]
Acknowledge then sinners, that there would not need physician, if they were
whole.[4] For Christ died for the ungodly.[5] When then they acknowledge
their ungodlinesses, and first copy that Publican, saying, "Lord, be
merciful to me a sinner: "[6] show wounds, beseech Physician: and because
they praise not themselves, but blame themselves,--"So that he that
glorieth, not in himself but in the Lord may glory,"[7]--they acknowledge
the cause of the coming of Christ, because for this end He came, that He
might save sinners: for "Jesus Christ came," he saith, "into this world to
save sinners; of whom I am chief."[8]  Further, those Jews, boasting of
their work, thus the same Apostle doth rebuke, in saying, that they to
grace belonged not, who to their merits and their works thought that reward
was owing.[9] He therefore that knoweth himself to belong to grace, doth
know what is  Christ and what is Christ's because he needeth grace. If
grace it is  called, gratis it is given; if gratis it is  given, not any
merits of time have preceded that it should be given. ...


Taken from "The Early Church Fathers and Other Works" originally published
by Wm. B. Eerdmans Pub. Co. in English in Edinburgh, Scotland, beginning in
1867. (LNPF I/VIII, Schaff). The digital version is by The Electronic Bible
Society, P.O. Box 701356, Dallas, TX 75370, 214-407-WORD.

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